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#i have never written these guys before so excuse any odd choices
hey-hamlet · 4 months
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i NEED to see what you come up with for prompt 3 for shirosaki and momose
Briefly, he wonders when this turned into a Cinderella story.
Kentaro had had worse days. He'd had so much worse than his boss berating him in public, near to screaming, spit flying. He couldn't help but cringe inwards at the looks passersby were shooting them, couldn't help by press himself further against the wall as Kurono advanced. He saw his hand coming a mile away. He didn't even try to dodge. What was the point? A slap was better than a punch was better than a kick was better than -
"Don't."
Kentaro opened his eyes (when had he closed them?) dumbfounded at what he saw. Kurono's wrist was caught in a punishingly tight grip. A man with cool golden eyes glared at him through ash blonde hair.
"Shirosaki, where did you -" Another man, with black hair and a warm face, peered at the three of them over his glasses. "Ah - always finding something interesting, aren't you?" He straightened himself, eyes turning flinty. "I'll take care of him, why don't you take that handsome young man to get a cool drink, hm?" The first man - Shirosaki, apparently - dropped Kurono's arm like so much trash. Ignoring his increasingly incoherent cursing, he turned to Kentaro as he was trying to meld into the wall in shame.
Gently, oh so gently, he took Kentaro's arm, walking him over to a nearby bench. Kentaro was so overwhelmed he didn't notice him leave and flinched violently when something moved in the corner of his eye. When nothing happened, he cast his eyes up. It was Shirosaki, looking lip bitten and heartbroken, holding out a bottle of jasmine tea. Flushing a deep red, he took it, clutching it in both hands. His stomach was a painful knot of anxiety.
"I'm - I'm really sorry. About everything, it must have been - I don't -" A hand on his shoulder interrupted him. Shirosaki was looking at him intently, cat-like eyes focused on his.
"You have nothing to be sorry for. You've done nothing wrong."
Kentaro really couldn't be blamed if he started to cry at that, silent tears dripping down his face. Shirosaki coloured abruptly, flustered and nervous, pressing a handkerchief into his hands.
Just as flustered, he pressed it against his face, trying to hide his blotchy cheeks. It smelt like fabric softener.
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cloudteawrites · 3 years
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chapter: five ( 4.7k ) rating: mature (death, past abuse, eventual smut) genre: mystery | romance | hurt/comfort tags: bts x reader | ot7 x reader | hybrid | poly summary: when an estranged uncle leaves you his massive fortune you wonder if the universe is playing a joke on you. when that fortune comes with seven hybrids, you know for sure that it is. << first < previous | next > last >>
The grocery store was a mess of color and light. You swore you’d never seen so much food in one place. 
Back when your mom had been alive, you’d never really gone to traditional grocery stores. You’d always just visited markets where your mom knew the vendors and could talk down their prices on ugly produce and day old bread. After she’d died, you’d eaten whatever the staff in the group home had provided, then whatever you could scrounge up from convenience stores. Most of the time since you’d aged out of social services, you survived off the free rice and kimchi available in your goshiwon. 
Occasionally, you’d eat at work with your free staff meal, but you tried to avoid it. You knew the sight of you wolfing down ramyeon and cold kimbap as fast as you could made Jiah worry. If she ever saw you looking too haggard, she’d try to slip some home made meals to the front desk of your goshiwon when you weren’t looking and that was as embarrassing as it was helpful. 
For as long as you could remember, the question of where your next meal was coming from had hung over your head like a dark cloud. It didn’t seem like that was going to be a problem any longer. 
Aisle after aisle stretched out before you, blindingly bright. It looked like an amusement park. You were finding it hard to stop staring. You reached out in a haze and picked up the juiciest apple you’d ever seen. Sure, you sold them all the time at Quickstop, but they’d always been dull and just the slightest bit bruised. This one was perfect: fire engine red and still wet from the mister. It was cold and heavy in your hands. You almost felt like crying.
“You good?” Yoongi is beside you, leaning over on the shopping cart, his chin in his hand. He looks dreadfully bored. 
“Yeah,” you tell him, setting the apple gently back in its place. “Yeah; just got distracted for a second.” You give a single tug on the front of the basket to move him along, and he follows, shuffling against the bright white linoleum. 
“Why aren’t you getting that?” He calls, just before you can round the corner into the dry goods aisle. You turn and look at him over your shoulder, confusion slightly furrowing your brow. “Don’t you want it?”
Your eyes flick from his face back to the glittering heap of fruit. You gnaw at your lip. “...They’re 6,000 won a kilo.”
Yoongi purses his lips. “That’s not what I asked you.” 
“I don’t need them,” you huff, trying to stave off the beginnings of another argument. “There’s more important things...like you three and getting you clothes and better furniture and-” Before you get the chance to finish, the gray haired man has ducked back around the corner. He returns with two three kilo bags of apples and dumps them unceremoniously into the cart. 
He looks up at you, brows raised and his eyes daring you to say something. All you do is sigh. “Yoongi-”
“Jimin likes apples.” He says, before you can get a word in edgewise. “They’re for him.” You can’t argue with that. He pushes the basket forward and you two drift down the next aisle. 
There’s a question resting on the tip of your tongue and as you compare brands of rice, you spit it out. “So...what do you guys eat? I read an article that said to mainly feed cat hybrids fish, but...”
“But we’re not house cats.” He finishes, flipping over a box of cereal to read the back. His nose wrinkles at something he finds and he slides it back onto the shelf. It’s cute, you think- or would be if you couldn’t see the tips of his razor sharp incisors poking out when his lip curled up. Yoongi senses your gaze and looks over at you. You look away quickly and make yourself busy reading a label. “We can eat pretty much anything you’d eat. Not too much processed shit or we’ll get sick. Whole foods are better.”
You nod, making a mental note to forego sodas and chips. “And when you’re shifted?”
He shakes his head. “We don’t really eat when we’re shifted down unless we plan on staying there for a long time.” 
You choose a 10 kilo bag of rice, tug it out from the shelf with a little grunt and plop it onto the basket’s bottom shelf. That was good, you supposed. You were worried you were gonna have to watch three big cats rip into raw meat whenever it caught their fancy.  “Why don’t I push the basket and you can pick out things Taehyung and Jimin would want?”
He nods and shifts to the other side of the aisle. “What’s my limit?”
You pause for a moment, then stand and fix him with a strange look. “What do you mean?” He isn’t looking at you. He’s comparing two brands of cereal, scanning the nutritional facts on the back. 
“How much am I allowed to spend on food?” he questions, simply. “-and what foods are we allowed to eat?”
You balked at him. “.. .you want me to control your diet?”
“I don’t want you to, but most owners prefer a certain look.” He turns his flat, yellow-grey eyes on you. “So what is it? No carbs? no sugars? Low fat? No fat? Dairy-free-”
“Oh my God, no!” You yelp before he can list any more diets. You’d said it a little louder than you’d intended and a well-dressed mom at the other end of the aisle fixes you two with an odd look before hustling her twins into another part of the store. You wince, but continue in a quieter but no less urgent voice. “I mean, I’m not gonna tell you what you can and can’t eat that’s…” 
“It’s not unusual,” Yoongi cuts in before you can give voice to your thoughts. He sets one of the cereal boxes, decorated with bright colors and little cartoon animals, back on the shelf and tosses the other -something in a dull green and white box with a little piece of wheat on the front- into the cart. “You didn’t feed us last night.”
A pang of guilt shoots through you. You curl your fingers around the bar of the cart, stare at your knuckles. “I’m sorry,” you tell him, with all the sincerity in the world. “I was tired -and I know that’s not an excuse- but I fell asleep without thinking of you guys. It won’t happen again.” 
“Relax,” Yoongi drawls.”It’s not the first time we’ve gone hungry; I’m sure it won’t be the last.” He starts drifting toward the end of the aisle, but before he can go, you catch him by the sleeve of his sweatshirt. 
There’s barely an inch of fabric between your thumb and forefinger, but the look Yoongi gives you makes it look like you’d yanked him back by the collar. He whirls on you, eyes narrowed and lips twisted into something sour. You’d overstepped by grabbing him. Still, you speak. “That was the last time. I mean it.” 
The hybrid’s face shifts from irritation into something unrecognizable. He’s looking at you like there’s an equation written behind your eyes that he’s trying to work out with his own, like if he looks deep enough into them he’ll find the answers etched across your sclera. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up as the seconds drag on, but you don’t look away. Instead, you hold his gaze and let the moment swell under almost unbearable tension.
Yoongi gives first. He tugs his sleeve out of your grip and shuffles back out of reach. “Whatever you say,” he scoffs, stalking off into the next aisle, his ears tilted back and tail tip flicking in irritation. 
You sigh. You’d done it again. The urge to catch him again wells up in you, but you tamp it down. ‘Time and space,’ you remind yourself. ‘Give him time and give him space.’ Satisfied once the distance between the two of you is enough, you go to follow after him, but hesitate as you pass the cereal he’d been looking at. You tug it off the shelf and place it in the basket underneath a few other things so it’d be hidden. You don’t know why and if he asked you about it later you were sure you’d draw a blank. If nothing else, you told yourself as you hurried to catch up with your hybrid, he’d have a choice.
The rest of the grocery trip passed in silence, just as it’d begun. Yoongi didn’t so much as look at you, but that was fine. You were focused on watching him. Anything that he gave more than a passing glance went into the basket. If the bobcat hybrid noticed your rapidly increasing haul, he didn’t say anything about it. He was silent.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Even when you flinched as the cashier announced the total and you waffled between trying to walk home or calling a taxi. Even in the lobby then the elevator on the way up as Mr. Park talked both of your ears off and you had to stop him from carrying your groceries in and stocking the fridge himself, Yoongi had remained eerily quiet. It’d given you time to think. 
You didn’t know much about hybrids. If you were honest with yourself, you hadn’t known anything about them prior to what you’d anxiety-googled yesterday afternoon. You were so far out of your depth, it was miracle you hadn’t drowned yet. Still, you weren’t completely oblivious.
In between Yoongi’s open hostility, Jimin’s blase attitude toward his own objectification and what snippets you’d heard about Taehyung’s early life, you knew something must’ve been very, very wrong with the people who’d had them before they’d been foisted upon you. The expectation that you were supposed to treat hybrids like actual pets made you uncomfortable enough without the assumption that you’d be dressing them up like dolls and locking the snack cabinets at night. 
A spike of anger shot through you. They might’ve been different than humans but they were still people. They hadn’t deserved whatever shady things their owners had done to them and you didn’t want them to come to expect them from you. You shift the grocery bags up your arm, freeing up a hand so you can punch the code into the door. There was no way around it. The four of you would need to sit down and have a good long talk. 
The second you punch the code into your door it swings open. “Hey, Jim-” the greeting dies on your tongue. It’s not Jimin who meets you at the door, but Taehyung, freshly showered, the curly ends of his hair dripping water onto the white tile and the front of his sweatshirt damp. His eyes were still hidden behind his hair but you could see more of him than you’d been able to that morning when he’d shifted. 
Well, not more of him. He was wearing clothes now, for one- a dark brown version of the sweat suit Yoongi and Jimin both wore. He was taller than you, which you’d known when he’d wrapped his arms around you, but looking up at him now you have to tilt your head back a bit. “Oh,” you say, a little dazed. “Wow.”
The corners of his mouth quirk up in a smile. “Hi.” His voice is still as deep as it was this morning. Was it always like that? He turns his attention to the hybrid behind you and his lips part in a blindingly bright boxy grin. “Hi, hyung.”
Yoongi hums a hello and slips past you through the door. His shoulder brushes against Taehyung’s and the younger hybrid chuffs happily a little in his throat. He leans down as the older man passes and bumps their foreheads together affectionately. Their tails twine together briefly before the gray-haired hybrid is out of reach and dropping an armful of groceries off in the kitchen. 
“You shifted up,” you remark “Did something happen?” There’s a tick of concern in his voice. You step to the side of the doorway so the pair can talk without you in the middle.
Taehyung shakes his head, water droplets scattering. His hyung let out a hiss that erred just on the wrong side of animalistic as some of them hit him. You freeze, but the tiger hybrid just laughs. “No, Jimin and I were just-” His smile falters. You can’t see his eyes but his ears have twitched downward and his tail is suddenly stiff, only the tip ticking back and forth. The hybrid lowers his head, and you finally catch sight of eyes, gleaming amber and full of fear. Behind him, you see Yoongi catch a whiff of his junior’s souring scent and his head whips toward the pair of you, ears straight up and his whole body on high alert. 
Worry draws your brows together. “Taehyung?” you call softly. You reach out with your free hand to touch his shoulder, then think better of it. Your fingers hover uselessly and inch away from him. In this moment, that distance feels a mile wide. The line of his shoulders is rigid and he’s withdrawn into himself. “Taehyung, it’s okay. You don’t have to tell me if you-”
“We went out.” He blurts, snapping his head up to look in your eyes. His own are wide and earnest. “You left your backpack open and I saw the list you made with all the phone numbers and passwords and the door code was on there and I really wanted to go to the park. Jimin told me to wait but I made him come with me; we were only gone for fifteen minutes, I swear. We didn’t even make it; the same police officer from earlier was still on the street.” 
“Taehyung-”
“Please-” he cuts you off before you can even get a word in edgewise. “Please, just punish me; Jimin didn’t do anything. The whole time he was trying to make me go back. He only went with me so I wouldn’t be alone.” 
Your heart wrenches in your chest. You do touch him, then. Your fingertips barely graze the material of his sweatshirt, but he flinches and you pull away. Your hand drops to your side, limp. “Can you and Jimin meet me in the living room?” You ask him, careful to keep your tone light and non-threatening as possible. “We need to talk.” His ears droop, but he nods and shuffles off to do as you ask. You trail behind him into the penthouse, making sure to give him enough space. The last thing you wanted to do right now was crowd him.
You drop the groceries on the counter in the kitchen and look up to find Yoongi squinting at you. He’s coiled up like a spring, ready to bolt at any moment. You try to give him a reassuring smile, but it comes out watery and wan. “It’s okay,” you tell him. “We’re just gonna talk.” You can tell he doesn’t believe you. 
Still, he follows you into the living room, takes a seat on the couch while you settle cross-legged on the ottoman across from him. A few seconds later, Jimin and Taehyung slink down the stairs. The tiger hybrid is clinging to his hyung who, for once, isn't smiling. Jimin’s face is settled into a cool mask of neutrality. You almost don’t recognize him. 
They sink into the couch on either side of Yoongi, their backs stiff and eyes on anything other than you. For a moment, the four of you sit there in uncomfortable silence. You speak first. 
“Jimin, Taehyung, Yoongi-”
“Y/N,” Jimin cuts in, “Whatever Taehyung told you-”
“-I’m sorry.” You finish. That seems to surprise them. You interlock your fingers on your lap and look at each one of them individually. “I’m sorry that I didn’t check to see if there was food in the house last night. I’m sorry that I didn’t make sure you had the things you needed to feel comfortable here. I’m sorry that I made you feel like you weren’t allowed to leave.” 
Taehyung swallows, his adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. He’s got a death grip on Yoongi’s arm with one hand and the other fisted in the fabric of his sweatpants. “You...You’re not mad?” The tremor in his voice makes your heart ache. 
“No,” you tell him with all the sincerity in the world. “I’m not mad at you. I’m sad that you were ever around someone who made you feel like you needed to apologize for wanting to see the sun and I’m angry that they made you think that was something to be punished for.” It was true. Beneath your sadness, beneath your shock at his expectation of punishment, anger was twisting in your gut. What type of person would reduce another to fear and trembling for the sake of leaving the house? “I’m not going to...to punish you, I need you to know that.” You tell him, before looking at Jimin and Yoongi. “Any of you. Ever. I’m never gonna hurt you.” 
Taehyung’s jaw is clenched like he’s trying not to cry. All the wind has gone out of Jimin like a deflated sail and the leopard hybrid just looks exhausted. Yoongi’s rubbing soothing circles in both of their backs. You can’t tell from his face, but by the way his ears have relaxed, you think he was worried about your reaction, too. 
You let out a little exhale and slouch. “Whatever happened to you with your previous...the people you lived with before? It wasn’t okay.”  You’re as firm with it as you can be while still keeping your tone gentle. “They were supposed to take care of you and love you and help you grow, but if they starved you, if they made you feel this bad, if they treated you like property, then fuck them. I don’t want to be anything like them.” You admit. “I don’t want to be your owner and I don’t want you to be my pets.”
“What do you want us to be to you then?” Yoongi rasps. Despite the question, there’s no challenge in his voice. He’s genuinely asking. 
One corner of your mouth quirks up and you give him a small shrug. “Friends, maybe? Eventually, if we can. For now let’s try…” you search for the word you want. “Roommates?” You supply. “We live together, but you guys don’t need to feel like you owe me anything. I’ll get you phones tomorrow, if you want, and copies of the credit card. We can get you clothes and furniture too. And if there’s anything you want to do or want to see, go see it. The door code is 0613.”
The tension that’d run between the three hybrids like a livewire is gone. Now they’re...if not relaxed, then at least relieved. There’s nothing else to be said. You stand and move to hurry into the kitchen so the trio of hybrids can have their space. The last thing you wanted to do after having a talk about their freedoms was crowd them. Before you can take three steps there’s a hand wrapped around your wrist, holding you in place. It's Taehyung's. 
The tiger hybrid is looking up at you, his eyes beseeching and a nervous tremble in his bottom lip. “Don’t go,” he croaks, sounding like he’s still unsure just how to use his voice. He tugs once on your coat sleeve. “Please.”
Your eyes flick from him to his hyungs. Jimin’s looking at you with apprehension, perched on the edge of the couch like he’s a split second away from helping the tiger hybrid drag you down- but Yoongi’s face is turned away from you. As usual, you can’t tell what he’s feeling. “I’m just going to the kitchen,” you assure him. “I’ve gotta put the food away-” Your brain short circuits as the tiger hybrid flips your hand over and presses his face to your palm. His eyelashes brush against your lifeline; his lips trace the veins in your wrist. 
You’d never say it outloud, but it was hard to deny you were touch starved. You could count on one hand the amount of times someone had touched you gently since your mother died. You didn’t show yourself kindness most days and you’d come not to expect it from others. The world was cold and cruel, and you were far too old to be seeking solace from strangers. You’d thought you were above it, but the feeling of Taehyung nipping at your radial artery is almost enough to make you go to pieces. “Just a little bit,” he huffs, his voice muffled against your skin. 
“...The groceries will get warm,” you argue, finally managing to make your mouth move. “Do you wanna eat hot kimchi?” 
“I’ll put them away.” Yoongi is up and vaulting over the couch before you can get a word in edgewise. With him gone the last of your excuses goes up in smoke. Taehyung smiles against your skin and you let yourself be pulled down.
No sooner have your legs touched the cushion, then Taehyung is snuggled up against your side, his arms wrapped loosely around your middle and the cool tip of his nose pressed into your neck. “Tell me again,” he murmurs softly. “Can you tell me again that you’re not mad?” He wanted reassurance. The least you could do was give it to him.
You slip a hand into his hair, scratch gently at the base of his ears. He chuffs happily, the sound vibrating in his chest as he presses closer to you. “I’m not mad at you, and you’re not in trouble, buddy.” You tell him. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” 
A warm presence on your left tells you Jimin’s settled in beside you. Sure enough, a second later a golden tail is tracing the edge of your calf. “Don’t leave me out,” he purrs, settling his chin on your shoulder.
You slide a hand into his hair too, letting the locks slip through your fingers as you pet him. “Never.”
The three of you stay like that for what feels like an hour. Even when their hyung finishes putting the groceries away and returns to sit with them -albeit at the far end of the sectional- they don’t seem like they’re in a hurry to disentangle themselves from you. You’re surprised to find you don’t mind it. The weight of two grown men against your shoulders was heavy, but not uncomfortable and they were warm and the steady hum of Jimin purring is almost enough to lull you to sleep. You cut a movie on and order samgyeopsal. You think they’re gonna kill the delivery man for making you get up, and they stay glued to your back even as you pay. It’s not until the first movie goes off and Taehyung and Jimin are playfully bickering over what to watch next that you’re able to slip away to the bathroom.
You shuffle quickly down the wide hallway, trying to remember which door the closest bathroom lay behind. You careen around a corner and run smack into someone. They let out a huff and you stumble back a few steps, an apology on your lips. You look up and find Yokngi there. Guilt bubbles up in your stomach. Between Jimin purring in your ear and Taehyung rubbing his cheek against your hand every ten seconds, you hadn’t even noticed he was gone. “Sorry,” you mumble. 
He quirks an eyebrow at you. “For what?”
You’re not even sure you know.
He stares at you and you stare back, frozen. Finally, the bobcat hybrid sighs and gestures at you. “C’mere,” he mumbles. 
You approach hesitantly, not trusting him to not suddenly snap at you. “Why?” You ask, apprehensive. Should you have not let Taehyung and Jimin scent you? He’d been around the entire time and hadn’t said anything, so you’d thought it was fine. Maybe you’d made a mistake. You gnaw at your bottom lip and creep slowly closer to the hybrid before you. Another miscalculation, another mess-up, another mile tacked on to that incalculable distance between you and Yoongi. Should you apologize again? Would taking a shower help wash their scents away?
Before you can volunteer to do any of that, Yoongi reaches forward, hooks one finger through your belt loop and drags you toward him. You feel a yelp crawling up your throat, but it’s stopped dead in its tracks by the feeling of Yoongi cradling your jaw and his lips pressed against the column of your throat. His spine is tense and his tail is ticking in the way it does when he’s irritated. “...What are you-?”
“They’ve both scented you.” He murmurs. “If I don’t, they’ll think I’m rejecting you. My job as their hyung is to put them at ease. If I can’t do that, I’m useless.” Despite his closeness, despite the way his fingers were slipping into the hair at the base of your skull, despite the little nips he’d started giving you, you could practically feel his reluctance.
You exhale and push against his shoulders. “Yoongi…” He doesn’t budge. “Hey-”
“There’s no good reason for me to not just mark you and get it over with.” There was that word again. You’d forgotten about it in the whirlwind that followed, but Jimin had joked about marking you earlier, hadn’t he? And Yoongi’d gotten upset with him. From what you were gathering, it was a lot more serious than scenting. 
“I don’t want you to.” That gets his attention. The hybrid pulls away and fixes you with an odd look, his brows furrowed in confusion.
“What are you talking about? Owners always want us to mark them.” You feel that same twinge of anger again. The articles had said scenting was a sign of trust and security. It was used to mark family members. Had the people they’d been with before forced their way into their family without the hybrids consent? Without Yoongi’s? No wonder he’d been touchy about his juniors scenting you right away.
“Well, I don’t.” You give him a gentle nudge and put a few inches between the two of you. “I don’t want you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with or not ready for.” You offer him a smile you hope comes across as reassuring. “You not wanting to is a good enough reason for me. Besides,” you say, turning to head back to the living room, the original reason for your trip forgotten. “I’ve never been marked before, so it’s not like i’m missing out on anything.”
At that, something flashes in Yoongi’s eyes that you have no name for. It passes as soon as it’d come. “Come back when you’re ready!” You call over your shoulder, retreating back down the corridor before he can say something one way or another. 
When you settle back on to the couch two minutes later, There’s a movie queued up and ready to be played. It’s an action movie, one you haven’t seen before. “Yoongi’ll be back in a second,” you tell the boys. “Let’s wait for him.” 
Taehyung hums his ascent, leaning in to settle back in the crook of your neck- but something stops him. He hovers near your neck, takes a few short inhales and tosses a look at Jimin behind your back. You frown. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah!” Taehyung responds a bit too quickly, lacing your fingers together to distract you as Jimin gives the other side of your neck the same treatment. The leopard hybrid purrs, seemingly happy at what he’s found. His ears swivel up and a second later, Yoongi slinks back into the living room. 
“Hyung…” Jimin starts, his voice taking on a teasing lilt.
“Play the movie.” His hyung orders. He does, but there’s still a little smirk on his lips.
The screen darkens and the opening credits roll as Taehyung and Jimin settle back against your side, careful to avoid your neck. Yoongi drops onto the couch, this time only a foot away from the three of you. You allow yourself a little spark of relief. The distance was starting to close.
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fruitless-nonsense · 3 years
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Well… turns out I have a lot of opinions on characters I don’t even think strongly of. Who knew?
No joke, this is probably not as thorough as I like, but this idea came to me and I have so much to say that I don’t know how to structure it. Okay? Let’s talk about Damon Salvatore!
If you read any of my previous posts, you’ve probably gotten a decent idea of how I feel about him from my quick snippy remarks. I genuinely believe he is the worst character in the show. Yes, other characters can be more boring than him. Yes, there are people that can be more infuriating than him. It’s not simply who his character was, it’s how the writers wouldn’t stop messing with him that convinced me he was utter trash. Sit back, cause this could take awhile.
Let’s start with season one and the two brothers. Theory time! I’m strongly of the opinion the writers wanted a love triangle between Elena, Stefan, and Damon from the very beginning. Not that crazy to believe considering this show was born off the heels of Twilight’s grossing fame, not to take credit away from all the other shows at the time which featured a love triangle or two. From fanfics to original stories written by tweens I read when I was thirteen, love triangles were huge back then (in a way they still are fairly popular, but not like back in the day. Now I feel old). So they wanted a love triangle? Sounds cliche enough to be in the vampire diaries, what’s wrong? Well, there’s a bit of an issue with the candidates, or more specifically candidate. You see, Edward was a creep and Jacob was an incel, but you can say they weren’t monsters (well by my standards they were, but by YA standards they were pretty normal). I mean, the movie made a point to say the Cullens didn’t feed from humans, and they’re only seen killing in self defense, meanwhile Jacob is treated like a good person throughout despite everything. My point is, at least at the beginning, the story didn’t want to paint either candidate as irredeemable. Back to tvd season one, Damon tortures Caroline, kills Zack, two random humans, and that one football coach/history teacher, mentally and physically tortured Vicky Donavon before turning her against her will and made it impossible for Stefan to remedy the situation until he ultimately had to kill her to save Elena, and this is all from the first seven episodes.
Now, I used to think at least Damon was a fun villain, but was he really? I mean, yeah he could be funny, got a few chuckles outta me, but besides humor and violence what was his character? For example, in season one we are introduced to Stefan, a supposed “good vampire” who has taken a liking to Elena due to similarities between her and his ex before admiring how much better of a person she is and wanting a true connection with her. We later learn that his experience with his ex Katherine was extremely one-sided as he was compelled to love her to satiate her needs. Even later (still season one), we learn that his only drinking animal blood is because he is a ripper or “blood addict” as I call it cause even one taste of human blood and he’ll go on a rampage. So by seasons end we have a character who was a victim of serious abuse (which is never truly addressed in the show btw) and carries a rare vampire trait that makes not being a murderous psychopath incredibly difficult, yet he still tries to beat the odds and not hurt people. This is a lot to learn about a character in its first season, and it helps us gravitate towards wanting him to succeed. Stefan is what you would call a good character (at least for now). So that was all we got on the first candidate, what about option number two? Well, he’s funny and he likes to kill people, that’s about it. That ripper gene that Stefan’s fighting, Damon’s not someone who gave in to the gene to explain why he’s so murder happy, he doesn’t even have it! There’s nothing making him be a bad person, he just is one! Why? Your guess is as good as mine. The most we get is learning he had real feelings for Katherine and was never compelled to love her as an explanation for why he hates Stefan so much. Wow, two brothers at war over a girl one of them doesn’t even like. You can’t even say it was because Stefan turned him, because Damon says it blank that it’s cause of Katherine in 1x20, so don’t. So Damon kills for no reason, hates Stefan for a stupid reason, and has no personality traits outside of humor, murder, Katherine, and hates Stefan. With all of this on the table, my question is this, how do the writers expect me to pick Damon over Stefan in this love triangle with everything we got in season one? And the writers realized this.
Season two starts this long “arc” asking if Damon can be redeemed, or that’s what the writers wanted. Second theory: the writers realized they couldn’t justify Elena picking Damon over Stefan without ruining her character (lol), so they decided the best way to keep this love triangle idea afloat was to redeem Damon. The theory comes in when they realized they couldn’t completely redeem him because they had written themselves into a corner and being a murdering psycho with quirky one liners was his entire character, therefore redeeming him would take away what made Damon himself and so likable among fans (not me). I’m gonna pull the rug from under ya, remember when I said klaroline was not actually a love story, but was positioned and is still believed to have been one despite this fact? Same applies here. Did Damon ever go through a redemption arc, or did the writers want you to think that he did so they could have their cake and eat it too? Is there any actual story progression that show growth in Damon as a character? Nope. He’s sadder, wouldn’t say that’s him being a better person. In the early seasons, his characterization feels more like a seesaw than an arc. Sometimes he’s chill and helping with a plan, and the next episode he’s biting a chunk out of more innocent bystanders while abusing more women (*cough* *cough* justice for Andie). The longest I can say he was a genuinely decent person was in season six when he was trapped in the prison world with Bonnie (cause she’s the only character that would put up with his bs). Everywhere else, an inconsistent character, and I feel like that was intentional. They wanted to keep Damon how fans liked him while making him seem like a better person. An example is the introduction of Enzo, which I think was a ploy by the writers to make it seem like season five Damon was interacting with a season one Damon to show how far he’s come, but that doesn’t stick at all (mostly because Enzo’s crimes in the show compared to season one Damon’s feel less psychotic and malicious). All in all, to me Damon on his own was a truly boring character and even more boring villain. No motivation and no personality outside his infatuations. Which leads me into the worst plot line of my entire cw experience: Delena.
If you haven’t noticed, I hate this ship with a fiery passion. The only reason I think it’s slightly better than klaroline was at least the writers tried to write a story with them (keyword tried). I said they would have to ruin Elena’s character to have her choose him over Stefan, and I was right! Not only does she cheat with him (2x22 and other scenes from season three), it’s never explained why she likes him in the first place (actually in season six they say it’s cause he gave her Stefan’s gift necklace despite being in love with her, which is so stupid it made me laugh). Furthermore, why does Damon develop feeling for Elena? Supposedly it happens while he’s still obsessing over Katherine, so is that it? The turning point which pushes them together is revealed to all be fabricated by a sirebond. For real, the only reason Elena fell out of love with Stefan is because a bond out of her control made it impossible for Stefan to help her through vampirism and thus she had to lean on Damon for support. I know the show states the bond didn’t create her feelings merely heighten them, but it did isolate her from everyone else she loved and made it so she had no choice but to rely on Damon, and that’s not exactly better than the former. Let me say it louder for the kids that were corrupted. Codependency. Is. Not. Healthy. It’s toxic, and the trope in romance needs to die a horrible death. And the show knows it’s toxic, they bring it up all the time in season five and six thinking that will excuse them to keep going with it. Sorry hun, self awareness does not give you a pass. The worst part is the pacing. I mentioned the sirebond storyline in season four which takes up a huge amount of the season with them debating if her feelings were real before abruptly deciding Elena doesn’t care. Great conclusion, but it gets worse. Season five is pretty thin as far as a story, so what fills the run time is a storyline straight out of fifty shades. Fighting, sex, fighting, sex, breaking up because they aren’t healthy, sex, fighting followed by getting back together followed by more fighting and more sex. I can’t tell you what was gained after everything that transpired in the season. Lastly is season six which took time away from the first interesting villain since season three to give us an amnesia storyline! I’d tell you more, but if you’ve ever seen a movie you could probably explain it exactly. All that time that could’ve been spent in better ways, was given to something I stopped caring about by season fours end.
Honestly, the fact that the show treats this like the greatest love story of all time makes me less angry and more concerned, because the audience who watched this show weren’t adults who understand what love really is, the people who watched this was made up of mostly tweens and teens. I can’t get too mad, this trope is everywhere, girl helps abusive guy be better person while sapping away all her energy in the process was done before and is still being done today. All I ask is that the young adults who remember this show fondly understand how wrong this is. How people like Damon should not be pitied and relationships like Delena should not be celebrated. Ship whatever you want, but please tell me you’re okay. Are you okay? In conclusion, Damon is trash and Delena wasted my time along with being extremely toxic and abusive. Goodnight everybody!
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cosmiclatte28 · 3 years
Text
Forced Marriage II
Hello!! The awaited second part is here! Refresh memory here
Thank you so much for waiting and I promise, one more chapter and this trilogy is done. Also I already have the idea and ending, so it's going to be fast.
A/n : I cried in the middle of writing this. A bit too carried away by the emotion of explaining (y/n)'s abusive father. I cried like cried a lot and sobbed. Blew my nose and wiped my eyes but as I type tears keep falling (I hope I am not the only one crying)
trigger warning : character's death
tagging : @yutahoes @neopalette @swagmonsterofficial @byunniebaekhyunnie @huniehoeee
writing net : @supermwritersnet @multifandomnet
“Good morning Mam, is (y/n) awake?" Baekhyun greets the young lady watering the small garden on the front porch.
“Oh Baekhyun! What is it that makes you come early in the morning? And No she hasn't” your mother looks at the young energetic man in front of her. Memories flash by her eyes when she still remembers Baekhyun being the small cheerful boy from next door. Puberty does hit him well, your mother thought.
“Did you bump your head last time mam?” Baekhyun playfully asks, he knows your mother close enough to crack jokes and secretly your mother loves his playful jokes.
“Oh Baekhyun, you’ve never changed! Always the fun silly careless boy from next door. Now, I know you’re here to deliver milk right?” your mom takes a peek at the truck Baekhyun’s brother is handling.
Well the Byun family owns a farm and supplies milk and eggs to this town and the neighboring town. They’re a well known family for it.
“Do you mind if we get one more bottle? We have guests today.” Your mother takes out her wallet to pay for the milk and Baekhyun nods “We have plenty today! I’m glad your guest gets to taste this town’s best milk. Who is this lucky guest mam?” Baekhyun asks as he puts the milk down to the front patio.
Your mother comes back with some cash and gives it to Baekhyun along with a basket of fresh bread she just baked this morning.
“It’s your favorite bread. I see there’s a lot of deliveries today.” your mom smiles seeing the truck full of eggs and milks.
Baekhyun nods “Yes, business is doing good.”
“Oh about the guest, well he’s (y/n)’s future fiance. Hope you can meet him soon and be friends with him. He’s a nice guy, like you Baekhyunie.” your mother taps his nose like she used to when Baekhyun was nine.
Baekhyun’s smile falls when he hears “(y/n)’s future fiance.” what is this? Why has he never heard the news from you?
He has a lot to ask but his brother already honks the horn and Baekhyun comes back to his senses
“Come over for dinner or lunch next time Baekhyun!” your mother offers a polite invitation to the young lad and Baekhyun puts on his smile again as he bows “Thank you and I’ll see you soon mam.” he waves goodbye and jumps into the free seat next to his brother.
“Have a nice day you two!” your mother sends the Byun brothers off and descends to the kitchen with the fresh milk.
“Baekhyunie,” she sighs and hides a small smile “Always charming and sweetheart, some lady will be lucky to have him one day.”
--
Baekhyun’s brother hears everything, but he is not aware of the romantic feelings both you and Baekhyun share. He only knows the relationship between his brother and you is platonic.
“Look at (y/n), it’s like only yesterday their family moved in and both of you are so young. Running around carelessly, getting bruises from trying to climb trees, and woop she’s engaged now. When will you get a fiancee Baek?” his brother jokes around and wiggles his eyebrow to Baekhyun who only keeps his head on the road by the window
He sighs “I don’t know, why don't you get married first. You’re the brother here.” he scorns
You spend the day waiting for your neighbor’s head to pop up on the window but until lunch he’s not back yet. Your mother told you he’s away to the town and the neighboring town for the day but usually by afternoon they’re back. There’s nothing much for you to do since Sehun bid farewell and said he’ll return next week with the plans all ready and the wedding can happen soon. You don’t even have to buy a dress because your mother wants you to use hers, since its the tradition. You scoff in your mind, when do you ever have a chance to make a choice?
Even something as simple as what outfit to wear to meet someone, your mother won’t let you choose by yourself
Tea time makes you finally move your butt from sitting next to the window. His room window is still shut closed and the truck is still not home. Did something happen to them? Your worry disappears when the truck comes into your sight but you already got yourself dragged out of your room by your mom.
Baekhyun washes his body quickly and climbs up to his room after faking a smile to his parents. His brother is busy counting today’s revenue but Baekhyun opens his window and sits down only to stare at yours which was still open.
He can see your room, how the lights are on and he knows that means you were dragged out and you didn't have the chance to turn the lights off.
He sighs and closes his curtain, watching your empty room already makes it hard for him to breathe. What about the day when you will move into Sehun’s house?
Judging by his car yesterday, Baekhyun knows he is from the city and he is rich. Will Baekhyun be able to wake up in the morning knowing that the reason he wakes up everyday is now taken away from him? Not that he can actually say “taken away” since he never claims you as his.
You sit uncomfortably on your chair. Your father keeps on talking about this wedding. He doesn't even realize he’s indirectly saying “I am marrying you to Sehun just for the sake of my business so it won’t crumble down and you’ll live a good life after I die.”
Your ear burns with every single word your father rambles. Yes you grew up with his strict rules, you got hit several times but this… setting up your marriage and pressing on you to accept it as his last wish hurts the most.
“I don’t love Sehun.” you try to speak up your voice.
Your dad chuckles as he sips on his tea “I never said this marriage is based on love.”
You gulp and look at your mom with your red eyes. You’re ready to cry and scream here that you’re tired of your life being controlled but your mother shakes his head gently with a pleading look and you don't want to hurt her feelings so you keep your lips shut.
--
Life feels like hell after Sehun’s constant mail filled with questions of which flower you want, what color you want his tie to be and whatever useless question he asks (it’s useless because you don’t intend to bother thinking of which color or flower for a wedding you don’t want).
Since the day Sehun left, you’ve never met Baekhyun too and that is odd. Something about the way his window is always closed when you wake up, how he never pops his head randomly at the window, his constant busy days that you don’t hear any knock of pebbles on your window and the disappearing sunshine in your life.
Your wedding invitation is distributed already to everyone that’s within the inner circle and in your hand now lies one more invitation you can’t bring yourself to hand.
“Byun family” was written on the addressed invitation. You hold the invitation in your hand and almost drop it when your mother suddenly enters your room and questions you with “Whose invitation is that you’re still holding?”
You gulp “Baekhyun’s” your voice croaks and your mother nods.
“Why are you not giving it to them?” she sits down next to you and runs a hand on your hair.
“I haven't seen him and I want to give it to him.” you lie. Well to be honest, you’d rather have your mom deliver this to his mother but you need an excuse to meet Baekhyun and he’s been gone so you need to see him. At least see him before you are married to another man you barely know.
--
Early in the next morning, you wake up to the noise from the window. You open the blinds, looking to find the ruckus and that's when your eyes pop open. There you see Baekhyun jumping around the garden and his family are just smiling and patting his back. You saw a white envelope in his hand and you're trying to remember if he ever tells you about waiting any good news. No, Baekhyun never tells you anything. You open your window and pop your head out waiting for the happy man to notice you and maybe share the good news with you, but until he climbs into his room, he didn't spare you a glance and instead he's calling someone and you're sure that is Chanyeol.
You tried to eavesdrop but it's impossible despite the close distant, someone was using the blender downstairs. Annoyed, you toss some rock to his direction but it all doesn't hit him.
Now, you're mad. What made him ignore you, was it that carnival night incident? After that you never met him… so is that why he is still ignoring you?
You wave and try to get his attention, to which he completely didn't see. Alas, your mother calls you for breakfast and you have to go.
The sweet smell of waffles make you smile and lighten up your sour mood.
"What's the good news in Baekhyun's house?" You ask your mom when she looks like she knows something.
She smiles as she sips her tea "Oh didn't you hear? He was auditioning for a record company and well he sent his tape and he won the offer. The company wants him to move to the town this weekend and they will begin his contract and discuss his debut. Oh that Baekhyun!" Your mom wipes a tear that fell, as if he is her son and she is so damn proud.
Your father smiles "Good fella, he sure will make it big. I remember him singing in the town hall when he was eleven! Good vocal, good looks, easy personality. I think the company made a good decision."
Both your parents are so happy, but you… something inside your heart is furious. How come he never tells you about this, will he leave you? Leave you for a dream that might flop!
You hide your feelings during breakfast and after cleaning up, you sneak out to knock on Baekhyun's window.
The mischievous grin you memorize by heart appears in the window and he gladly opens it up so you can climb in.
"What makes you climb in my window?" He calmly asks. His stupid smile still there as if he didn't do any mistakes and he was surprised you are here.
You sigh "You lied."
He shrugs his shoulders "You lied first."
You scrunch your brow "What do you mean?!"
He sits down and you copy him "Well, you didn't tell me the truth that you are engaged."
You froze and he slaps your back "Guess my proposal last time wasn't good. Congratulations." He tried to joke it off but you are tearing up.
"Don't congratulate me. I don't know him and I don't love him."
Baekhyun sighs "It's father again isn't it?" He places a comforting arm around you and you bury your face in his chest. Crying your heart out and calming you down.
"I'm sorry honey, I couldn't propose wealth to your father and I couldn't even ask your hand for marriage with a diamond ring. I'm sure that lucky guy has so many to offer you." He rubs your hair but his words sting more and you punch him "I don't need that. I just want to be with you."
"Well, we can still be friends." He tries to hold his emotion back at the word friends.
"But I want you as my husband! I love you." You stare into his eyes and see his eyes smile "I just need to hear that. I also love you."
"And you are not telling me that you auditioned for that singing company!" You punch his chest again.
Baekhyun giggles "Sorry, I heard your mom said about the fiance and I was so sad and mad at myself for not claiming you first… so that made me send my audition tape because I thought that you're going to be his and it'll hurt me."
"So you're leaving me with that man. You run!" You let out a breather
Baekhyun bites his lips "Well, I have to chase my dream like you always said."
"My dream is to be a singer." Baekhyun stands up and shows you the acceptance letter.
You read it through the tears "This is so far away Baek."
"Well, but it's a step closer to singing in stage!" He stares at you with passionate energy in his eyes and you couldn't bring yourself to beg for him to just stay here and be your neighbor so you can at least wake up and see him and feel less bad.
"Now, I have to leave this Sunday. Do you want to spend the rest of the week with me?"
You nod and hide the invitation behind your back. No he shouldn't know that you're getting married. Let him think he is only your fiance that won't hurt him.
"It's Tuesday already, we have 5 days."
You wipe your tears and lock your eyes to the ecstatic boy.
"Later i will write songs about you! About our friendship and about our memories. I'll make money and I can get you that diamond ring and we can host a wedding you love! The simple one in a garden." He pretends he is walking down the aisle and you just want to disappear. No one should break his heart but if he must get his heart broken why must it be from you?
"So, (y/n) wait for me okay. Don't get feelings with this man."
You scoff, Baekhyun doesn't even know the man's name.
"And then one day I will return to you and we can live like our dream." He takes your hands into his and twirls you around the room. You laugh and giggle, feeling alive from the small action you missed.
He ends with hugging you and you wish so hard that life could change its path and you can be with Baekhyun.
"Congratulations Baekhyun!" You whisper
--
5 days. 5 days to Baekhyun's departure and 6 to your wedding.
Day 1, you rush your fitting and got to spend the afternoon walking to the rose garden near the forest.
Day 2, Baekhyun starts packing and you're using the chance to practice your wedding speech and your walk. The afternoon was spent together strolling around down town
Day 3, You had to pick the dress up and Baekhyun had to legalize some of his documents. You sneak to his rooftop that night, both of you just sitting and enjoying the starry nigh.
Day 4, You help him pack only for him to realize your body has bruises. He stops you from helping and folds your sleeves "What else did you do?"
You shake your head and unfold the sleeve trying to shake it off saying it's just a small problem but Baekhyun could see the fear in your eyes and he knows you're lying.
"Wait for me, I'll save you. I promise." He pulls you into a hug and for the first time, you press a deep kiss into his lips.
Day 5, You hand him the invitation and you're glad you kissed him last night because right now all you can see is your feet and how Baekhyun's hand trembles. His hair hides his eyes but from the way his lips shake and his body shakes, you know he is furious and disappointed at you.
"I am sorry." You whisper
"Why not sooner." He asks, his voice so bitter and dry. His eyes still avoid yours.
"I want to spend my time with you before you go."
"But why you keep this invitation until today?!" His voice cracked and you cried. This time, he doesn't console or calm you down. He lets you cry alone
He closes the invitation "You could've given me sooner and I won't be promising you all those dreams. Now I sound like the jerk who made promises to a girl who will be married in two days! Grow up (y/n)! If I knew this-"
You cut him off "If you knew this, you'd avoid me Baek! And I wouldn't want to waste my precious 5 days to be with you. Heck who knows if this might be the last time we see each other." You're furious too and Baekhyun shakes his head "What are you talking about. We're adults! I'll definitely accept the news like a mature man. I won't give you the silent treatment."
You scoff "You would. I know you Baekhyun."
"And if you know me… do you know that because you did this, i am now so i don't know… i'm " he pauses
"You hate me?" You ask that
He shakes his head and stomps his leg "I love you okay! But this is not right! I'll. You know what?" He couldn't speak right and couldn't think straight
"This will make my departure easier. You do know artists cannot date and I'll be busy. Well, now I won't have the reason to think about you and our dream. You're going to be with him forever and i? I will be the fool who didn't know you're already someone else's. Goodbye. And congrats."
"No Baekhyun. Please, sorry. I cannot do anything!"
"Yes I know. You're just too afraid of everything your father said. You can't fight for yourself and oh I'm tired okay! If you told me earlier, we could think of a way to stop this. But now it's too late! I'm leaving tomorrow and your wedding is ready! Don't make yourself an embarrassment by canceling the date. Go, live your silver spoon life. Goodbye (y/n) it was nice knowing you."
Baekhyun steps inside his house, closes the door and you're there staring at the floor, eyes still wet.
He's right . It's too late.
You force yourself to go home and well, you didn't even get to send him a proper goodbye.
--
Baekhyun just left like that, with a simple goodbye from the window and he’s gone. You are also preoccupied by the busy preparation for the big day tomorrow that you don’t have time to ask Baekhyun about his arrival or well updates.
While drowning in the sadness of losing Baekhyun, your best friend, your love, and your dream, you have no soul left when you have to recite the vows. The wedding bells deafen your ears, the smile from the guests blind your eyes and when Sehun kisses your lips, your tears fall because Baekhyun’s right everything is too late to be fixed.
You’re glad Sehun didn’t force you to sleep with him on the first night. He respects your decision and you sleep peacefully that night, mostly because you’re tired of thinking and the day is tiring.
Your morning wasn’t any difference than before, despite living in a house not far from home, you didn’t feel any difference. Well, Sehun is as stoic as your dad, his morning is filled with coffee, newspapers, and him checking his agenda.
“We will be busy this week, your dad wants to move the company ownership to us, you will follow me to the office. Go dress up smart and I’ll see you in the car an hour from now, is that enough?” he asks and you nod.
The maids here clean up the table as Sehun leaves to fetch his documents and working bag and you just hope Baekhyun will reply to any of your texts.
The paperwork takes your whole one week, office paperworks, house ownership, marriage legalization and well with your father’s health deteriorating it’s been hard for everyone to keep signing papers when father is in the hospital. Your father has already prepared his last wills and all beneficiaries.
You finally get news from Baekhyun’s mother saying that he already signed the contracts and the company loves him and wants to make a great debut for him. He’s preparing to write songs and he is arranged to debut in two years if he is good.
One month after being Oh Sehun’s wife, you begin to see a difference in your husband’s attitude. Yes he can be a caring man, his cold facade is slowly gone, but the sly look in his face is still there. You don’t know what but something in your guts say that this is just the calm before the storm. Your father’s condition gets worse and the hospital announces that he will probably have months left. You take turn with your mom in looking after dad. He’s in the bedroom lying down half alive, the machines keep his heart pumping and the oxygen tube in his nose forces oxygen into his lungs. You feel bad for him, despite all the pain you grew up with, your dad was a responsible person who never leaves you and your mom.
“I am sorry (y/n) for being a bad father. I hope you forgive me and I hope your future will be good.” he said that one afternoon when he saw you crying on his side. You were crying because you were telling him your heart about how he hurts you but he was trying his best for his family.
“I am sorry I cannot be your ideal daughter.” you hold his hand and he smiles weakly, “You’re all I would ask for. I love you and mom so much but I’m just so bad am I not? I hit you a lot.”
You cry harder, “It was because you care about me.”
He shakes his head “I shouldnt have been that hard. You’re a flower after all, we need to handle you with care”
“But you trained me to be a warrior dad. And whatever storm I will face one day, I will be thankful that you beat me as a kid so that I won’t just cry and accept fate if things go wrong.”
Your father lets another tear fall “I hope you don’t have to experience that time, but if you have to, I know I prepared you well.”
You hold into his hand tighter “I forgive you dad. Do you forgive me?”
He smiles “I never hate you love, I always forgive your mistakes every night before I sleep. I just have to punish you so you know that everything comes with consequences.”
You nod “I’ll remember that, how are you feeling dad?”
He coughs “Feeling like a sinner confessing his sins, but I’m glad I have time to tell you this.”
You kiss his hand and he takes a deep breath. “Be happy my flower, use the wealth for good stuff, and always help others. Remember that everything takes process.”
Your mom comes into the room and when the golden sun rays kiss your dad’s face, he glances to you and your mom. His sincere smile blooms and both you and your mom hold his hands, he takes one deep breath “My job here is done, I love you both.” he lets a big exhale and there goes your father. A great man who just can’t express his love in the best way.
Come to think of it, he is always coming home whenever he can. He tries to go home fast so he can eat dinner together. He only starts breakfast when all the chairs are filled. He taught you how to use a screwdriver, he taught you chess so you can beat your nosy friends. He helped you ride your bike. He’s the one who pays all of your living cost and not for once has he made you worried about what the family will eat for today. When life wasn’t as easy as this, he made sure you can still get a new dress on special days and he tries his best to bring you to the circus tour. Wealth came to your father when he was old and you were a young adult, and now he doesn’t have the time to enjoy it too much but he gave it all to you.
Baekhyun trained so hard day and night. His will and desire to be an artist beat all of his homesickness and exhaustion. He always appears in the training room with a big smile even though he has to go home half asleep. The company loves his attitude and promises a lot of good things for him. The boy just smiles, saying he’ll be happy as long as his dream of being an artist comes true. He heard about your dad’s death from his family and actually came home to join the funeral. He saw you but you were too sad to notice him and so he disappeared the next day. He noticed you moved back into your mother’s house because you don’t want her to feel alone. Sehun lets you do that, and because your mom insisted Sehun to also stay there, now the three of you live under the same roof.
Two years after your father’s death, Baekhyun has his debut. Well, it has to be delayed because the company saw that it’s going to be better to debut in Summer than in Fall. His hard work paid off when you finally see his name rising in charts and appearing in music shows. His hair is no longer boring, it’s painted silver white and you never think Baekhyun will look hot as an old man, but here you see him looking so handsome and lively as he finally gets to sing on a stage for thousands of audience. He was labeled as the successful rookie and he’s been offered a lot of advertisements and special appearances. You’re happy whenever you hear the town people talk about his name, or when the radio turns on his song. You missed him, you always text him but he rarely replies.
Everything seems going according to plan, but your guts were right. Those days were just the calm before the storm.
To be continued….
“(Y/n), come to the hospital now.”
“(Y/n) a package is here for you.”
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the-final-sif · 4 years
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BNHA Venom!AU (set in the US for ease of writing) where Izuku is a baby symbiote who accidentally ended up on earth. He ended up lucking into a host, an 8 year old Katsuki who’d been backpacking through the woods nearby where he landed.
Katsuki was always a bit of a weird kid. He didn’t get along well with any of the kids he knew, and his parents were rather distant, being high-end fashion designers meant they were always off across the world doing other things. As a result, when this weird alien attaches itself to him, he’s annoyed for sure, but he doesn’t panic, or call the police, or really do any of the normal things that a child should do in that situation.
He just kinda,,, puts up with Izuku. Sure, he’s pissed off and he tells Izuku to go away for awhile, but soon enough he learns to accept this weird alien that’s a part of his life.
Quickly, both he and Izuku discover that Izuku can help him do some pretty cool things, and Izuku needs lots of chocolate to stay healthy. Both things are just fine by Katsuki, and he ends up deciding that Izuku is actually alright in his books.
Some government agents snoop around, at least somewhat aware of an alien being in the area, and Katsuki quickly learns to hide Izuku from anyone else. He doesn’t want them to take his new friend and hurt him like they described. Katsuki manages to escape suspicion as not even his own parents know about his backpacking/hiking hobbies, and nobody really thinks a spoiled 8 year old kid of two fashion designers would be 10 miles out in the woods.
After that, life keeps going for Izuku and Katsuki. They learn to live together, how to adapt to all the various quirks of sharing a body, how to use the powers Izuku can give Katsuki, and how to keep Izuku well hidden.
It’s all going great, right up until Katsuki makes it into an extremely prestigious boarding school; UA. It’s his dream high school, but it’s so much harder to hide the fact he’s got an alien living in his body when he’s living with other teenagers, and the security at the school is much higher than what he’s used to. For fuck’s sake, the vice president’s kid goes to this school! There’s no way they aren’t getting caught.
Still, Izuku doesn’t want Katsuki to give up on his dream and encourages him, so Katsuki reluctantly goes to UA anyways, trying his best to keep Izuku hidden.
But there are... incidents. Not ones where anyone dies, but people seem intent on harassing Katsuki, from fellow classmates to muggers outside the school, and Izuku is very protective by nature. After a few of these ‘incidents’, a certain underground branch of the government starts getting suspicious again, launching an investigation into the school.
Meanwhile, Aizawa, Katsuki’s primary teacher, has started noticing lots of weird things about Katsuki. Like how he always has two columns in his notebooks, with one side full of carefully written notes and the other side filled with random excited musings in rushed handwriting. Or how sometimes he'll seem to become a different person for a moment, or how he seems to vanish at odd moments.
Weirdest of all is his homework/essays, where Aizawa would swear half the time it's a different person writing them (he only knows for a fact it's Katsuki doing both, since he's watched the kid write most of his essays at various stages in the library). The core ideals themselves seem to change between essays, and that’s what bothers him the most since he’s never seen that in a student before.
Being the good concerned teacher he is, Aizawa considered all the evidence before he called Katsuki into his office. Katsuki and Izuku are sure they've been caught.
Then Aizawa asks Katsuki if he's ever been tested to having multiple personalities.
And listen, Katsuki does not believe in faking mental disorders. But by this point, he's really worried that the government is gonna get Izuku, so when he sees the chance to excuse all his weird behaviors he latches on with everything he’s got.
So Katsuki explained, while trying to lie as little as possible, that he's never formally been tested (and he doesn't want to be), but there is another person living in his body named Izuku. Izuku is very shy though, and would prefer to not be mentioned/brought attention to. As such he asked Aizawa to not tell anyone else about him. Aizawa agreed easily, after all he doesn’t see any real risk from Izuku, and he’s happy that Katsuki was honest with him about the situation. He tells both of them that they can come talk to him any time if they need help, Katsuki agreed to that, and for a little while Izuku & Katsuki were safe.
I dunno exactly how the class finds out about Izuku, but I do know that Iida is one of the first ones during a tense situation. As a result, Katsuki and Izuku get to watch as straight laced goody two shoes Iida looks a government agent right in the eyes and lies his ass off to him to protect Izuku.
 For this AU, the ‘Kidnapping’ happens when the government managed to catch onto Katsuki. They’re sure they’ve finally found the alien, and they move in to capture Katsuki.
Only, Katsuki gets wind of this ahead of time, so in a quick moment of desperation, he forces a weakened Izuku to transfer off of him and onto Shouto, since Enji is like the vice president in this AU and that makes Shouto much, much harder for a government agency to fuck with. Shouto is somewhat aware of what Izuku is, and he agrees to take the other to safety.
Poor Izuku can only watch as Katsuki is captured, while Shouto forces him to stay hidden for all their safety.
It's okay though, because the four people who know about Izuku and what happened (Shouto, Kirishima, Iida, and Momo) decide to break into the government base to get Katsuki back, with Izuku's help obviously.
They get most of the way through their super secret infiltration mission, but something goes wrong and they’re almost caught. 
Until while they're hiding and the people search for them are a hair away from discovering them, an absolutely furious Aizawa just fucking waltzes in with the fucking president (All-Might for this AU) to demand his student back.
Now at this point, the agency has no actual proof of alien life. They have half connected incidents and eyewitness reports, but nothing definitive. When they took Katsuki into custody, they’d tested him immediately, sure that they were going to get their proof that way, but since Katsuki no longer has Izuku, the tests all came back negative. As such they have no real justification for having basically kidnapped him.
The agent guy or whoever has been chasing them tries to justify themselves by offering proof of 'Izuku' existence, specifically recordings of Katsuki talking to himself and referring to an ‘Izuku’ as well as written notes. Aizawa's responds that he was already aware of Izuku, that Katsuki had already discussed the other with him, and that he cannot believe they've detained a 16 year old on account of him having multiple personalities. All-Might backs Aizawa up, and shuts down the entire thing as there’s no evidence they’ve done anything but harass Katsuki.
That leaves the agents shit out of luck, so they have to let Katsuki go. The other kids sneak out the way they came in, before quietly joining Aizawa and Katsuki. Aizawa waits until everyone is outside and out of range of any cameras, and then he just turns on the entire group.
"Okay, so first of all, I'm extremely disappointed that you four decided to break into a government agency with armed guards before so much as texting me."
"I'm so sorry sir."
"We could've thought that through a little better, I'll admit."
"Katsuki was in trouble, but yeah, I guess we could've asked for help."
"I stand by what I did and I'd do it again."
Aizawa, actively chooses to ignore Shouto's comment for right now, but does still glare at him for it.
"Second of all, that man may be a fool, but I am not. Where's the alien?”
Everyone's quiet for a tense moment before Izuku makes his choice and pokes his head out from Shouto, introducing himself politely.
After getting a full explanation on what happened, Aizawa gives Katsuki a Look (tm) to which Katsuki defends himself.
“Listen, I did not lie, I just purposefully omitted that the person living in my body is also an actual alien from outer space.”
And Aizawa can’t really argue with that, so he just accepts that his class has an extra student in it from now on.
They let the rest of class 1-A in on the Izuku secret, since a lot of them had been coming close to figuring it out anyways, and so the entire class slowly adjusts to having an alien as one of them. It’s surprisingly easy to come to terms with, and as Izuku slowly starts coming out of his shell (ie hiding inside Katsuki whenever someone tries to talk to him), the entire class discovers he’s a total sweetheart & adore him.
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jadelotusflower · 3 years
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Robin Hood Rewatch: 1x13 A Clue: No
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“Previously on” recaps can be annoying, but there is an art to it and I love a good one. This is a very, very good one, summarising the last episode with ramping tension as the music builds, then cuts to a different take of the last scene as the theme song starts, and we’re into the opening credits.
This is a long one, so it’s going under the cut:
Guy estimates that the “inner circle” of Robin’s gang is “a dozen at the most” and I find it very funny that neither he nor Vaisey have twigged that it’s always the same five people around him. What’s more annoying than funny is that they don’t know how many are in the “outer circle” because that really should have been A Thing in the show (Forrest and Hanton should have come back to guest star! I will never let this go!) After all, we see Little John with more men in the first episode, there are other outlaws in the forest/across the shire that are either working with Robin, or pose a risk to them, and I wish this had been explored.
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Djaq manhandling and holding her sword to Pitts’s throat - I love Djaq.
The first arrow Robin shoots is intended for Vaisey, but one of the guards inconveniently walks in front and gets it in the chest. The second arrow is intended for Vaisey as well but he ducks (”my tooth!”) so we can’t fault the writing for a credible attempt at Why Doesn’t Robin Just Kill The Sheriff, because in this scene at least, he tries.
Bye Pitts. You certainly were.
I actually really love this scene (which probably seemed odd given the high body count), but Robin drawing his sword and charging, with Much, Djaq, and John backing him up to avenge Marian’s apparent death/make a final stand, as the music shifts from the jaunty Rescue Theme to Marian’s Theme, just gets me every time.
Although thanks to the cast commentary, I can’t unsee Djaq flipping that guy over her head twice, but hey, it’s a badass move. Clearly they didn’t shoot enough coverage of this fight, because we get the same action from several different angles.
Other than the flashback in episode 8, I think this is the only time we see Robin in Crusader mode, and just how lethal he (and the gang) can be when unleashed and with nothing to lose. Even when the enemy retreats Robin remains kind of wild-eyed with rage unsated, and it takes a beat for him to snap out of it. It’s symbolism time - he sticks his sword in the ground and leaves it there, and we don’t see it again this episode (or much in season 2).
There’s some nice acting going on from everyone in this scene - just utter exhaustion, Allan and Will oblivious to why the rest are so distraught, Much taking it upon himself to tell them but can’t say the words, and Robin with the finality of “she’s dead.” Their faces!
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Djaq is still holding two swords as she enters the cave, which is a nice character beat - no doubt the fight also brought back unpleasant memories/triggers for her, and she remains on edge, for the moment unwilling to give up her defences even when the threat is gone.
I really love this scene too (the gang mourning Marian) and I think it’s quite deftly written - Djaq’s immediate reaction being the importance of a quick burial (as per Islamic tradition), Robin trying to keep it together, attempting to ask John/Will to build a coffin but unable to, so deflecting to ask Djaq to prepare Marian’s body, before trying twice again; John soothing him and taking charge. Will’s single tear and speaking of Marian’s goodness. Much responding with “Good? Oh, she was... She was...” looking to Robin because of course his thoughts are for Robin’s grief before his own, and also that his own relationship with Marian was complex. Allan: “She was alright...yeah” that says so much, and of course John’s “Her, we liked.” Again, some fine acting, kudos everyone.
“I loved her and I never told her” is ironic because Robin still won’t tell her until halfway through the next season, and if he had in the aftermath of her apparent death he could have spared himself a lot of the angst of the rest of the episode. But of course he doesn’t tell her, doesn’t learn from this moment, because emotions are hard, and sometimes we make the same mistakes over and over again.
I really love that it’s Allan that notices that Marian is alive, and his little “told ya” flourish.
Score note: while Marian is “dead” her Theme is strings, when she opens her eyes, it’s back to the guitar.
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Guy’s guilt in finding out his impending marriage to Marian is based on false pretenses - would he still have forced the marriage if he’d known that from the start?
Djaq still has her two swords as they take Marian back to Knighton.
Guy, if your first instinct when told Marian is not at home is that she’s run away rather than marry you...maybe take a hint? “She cannot run from me” is a big yikes, and this confuses me as to Guy’s motivation in this scene. Did he intend to tell Marian the truth, but then convince himself otherwise (because “the excitement of the wedding” =/= “the wedding excites her”), but then why so angry when he thinks shes run? The difference between getting someone go/being left, I suppose.
Illness is a perfectly plausible explanation for delaying the wedding that no one seems to think of.
Edward is actually pretty bang on in this scene with Robin from a father’s perspective, telling him to let Marian go if he cannot stop it, and do the right thing. On the other hand...
“I am sick of doing the right thing” is why Robin is such a compelling character for me - because it is hard to always be good, to be held to that higher standard, and make the unselfish choice. I enjoy narratives that explore that, and this show is surprisingly unflinching about it, exemplified by:
The next scene, which is one of the most emotionally brutal/hard to watch of the entire show, in which Robin lashes out and does everything to drive Much away, including calling him “a pox”  and a “small man” until Much’s heart visibly breaks.
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Now I don’t want to excuse Robin here, because he is objectively awful to someone who doesn’t deserve it, who is trying to give him support but also telling him some much needed hard truths (even if it is slightly self-serving, which is what what seems to set Robin off). But at the end of the day, if he loves Marian he needs to accept that it is her choice to marry Guy, to “do the right thing” to (she thinks) protect her father - and later of he does just that. For now Edward and Much are both right, it is more important for him to try and protect the king from Vaisey, because if he is ousted and Richard back on the throne so many lives would be improved, including the people of Locksley. But Robin has been pushed to breaking point all season, and has now snapped and can’t see reason, but is stuck in his own grief/rage.
But unlike previously, when Robin said regrettable things in the heat of the moment and then immediately took them back, this is a calculated attack designed to hurt Much the most, because he loves Robin so much that it takes A Lot to push him away. It’s a bold move to make your hero so unlikable in such a moment, because Robin really is unforgivably cruel here, and trust the audience to understand why. I mean, I don’t want to bang on about the PTSD, but it’s (partly) the PTSD, based on a triggering, precipitating event causing a self-destructive spiral. Robin needs some Ye Olde Therapy.  
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For all the talk about Robin getting his title and lands back, nothing is said about what happens to Gisborne once he does, other than that they can’t prove he was the one who tried to assassinate Richard. Because really, Richard probably would believe Robin even though the tattoo was burned away, and Guy’s certainly committed other crimes that could be testified to just like they’re intending for Vaisey - and let’s be real, it’s not like a king needs evidence to order someone’s death (hello, season 2 finale). Boom - Guy executed, marriage to Marian annulled, problem solved!
So, the scene between Marian and Guy, in which Marian is more concerned with whether or not Guy tried to kill the king than the fact that he stabbed her. But its understandable, because Marian thinks there’s no way out that doesn’t risk her father’s life, and it’s easier to convince herself that maybe Guy didn’t do it to make the best of things. I think she does have some kind of feelings for him, or is at least moved by his feelings for her, and believes if nothing else she can influence him/continue working from the inside; giving up the mantle of the Nightwatchman but doing the same work (in a different way) as Lady Gisborne.
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And then it’s Robin/Marian angst, round 3, and it’s a far cry from their interaction in the cave milliseconds away from “I love yous” - in both tone and body language they’re back in defensive positions talking past one another. The tension, it be thick.
Marian is making her best rationalisation with “deprived of love” and Robin not at all buying the Woobification 101. Once she tells him her decision to marry Guy, he accepts it, but it’s Marian’s reaction that’s telling, she’s surprised that he doesn’t argue, deep down she wants him to fight for her, to say that the real reason she shouldn’t marry Guy is because he loves her. It’s quite a contrast from the previous scene where Guy was very open about how he feels about her, while Robin deflects, but while she was conflicted about Guy trying to kiss her, she’s frustrated, disappointed, and angry when Robin leaves.
But really, this is rather unfair of Marian, because Robin did already declare himself in the cave (”we should be together”) without her reciprocation, so expecting him to take the first step again without any encouragement is a bit much.
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Would a depressed person sit slumped against a tree all night?
“But by taking Marian in holy wedlock, I will wash away those crimes. Her pure heart will cleanse mine.” Yeah...not going to touch that one. I appreciate that there’s a lot going on with Guy and many, many people find it compelling, but I’m afraid it’s not really a narrative that interests me.
Speaking of pure hearts: Much. Faced with the same choice he was counseling Robin on, but with the additional wrinkle of knowing the king’s an imposter, he still decides to stop the wedding. “Her heart belongs to another” is A Moment and I don’t know exactly why but I find his very soft pleas following this and calling her “my lady” very affecting. 
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She’s beauty and she’s grace, she punched Guy in the face.
“A trap. I knew it.” I haaaaate this line. NO YOU DIDN’T KNOW IT ROBIN YOU KNEW NOTHING OF THE KIND IF YOU HAD KNOWN YOU WOULD BE EVEN MORE OF A DICK FOR LEAVING UGGGHHHH.
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“We can’t be seen together” Right in front of my salad two guards on front gate duty, who get front row tickets to the kiss. Look at them! They’re right there! This show drives me absolutely bonkers sometimes.
I do love this dress though.
“An audience with the king has been suspended!” Going out on one last pun.
Regardless, I really love this episode. Despite the lack of fallout from the emotional wringer they all went through, I can’t help but smile when the gang does their silly little jump for joy at the end.
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aethersea · 3 years
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you know what, I never do these things, but actually I’ve decided I would like to get to know people better! I would like to partake of the mortifying ordeal! I would like to talk about myself for a bit!
ok for the next...let’s say five days I will answer any of these things that people tag me in, or any random personal questions you plop in my ask box. I don’t have an ask meme on hand but just....pick one you’ve seen recently, or make up questions of your own, and I’ll answer. (the answer might be ‘nope that’s private’ but I will answer.) (@ the anon who asked for book recs - I see you, I’ve been thinking of books all day, I’m going to give you SUCH a long answer, I hope you don’t regret your choices bc it WILL be full of gushing)
alright, let’s go!
🌻 Tag 9 people you want to get to know better
Tagged by @booksandchainmail​
Last Song: I’m currently listening to “Falcon in the Dive” from the Scarlet Pimpernel musical on loop. I watched one or two Scarlet Pimpernel movies when I was just barely too young to fully get what was going on, and the story’s held an odd but deep-seated place in my heart ever since. A few years ago I found out there’s a musical and most of the songs are pretty stellar (go listen to “Madame Guillotine” if you like big ensemble broadway numbers, it’s a banger, the bit where he cries out for God has been running through my mind on and off for a few days now haha not like that’s topical or anything), so every once in a while I spend a few days listening to them a lot.
Sometime last year I read the actual book, and got super into the whole concept of the Scarlet Pimpernel for a while. I plotted out Pimpernel aus for several fandoms, I read the entire wikipedia article, and I went looking for bootlegs of the musical. I didn’t find one, but I did find a full radioplay-style recording of the script, complete with full musical numbers, and listened to it like a podcast.
Reader, I was so disappointed. The play adds some scenes, bc a lot of the dramatic tension of the novel comes from internal conflict and that doesn’t stage super well, and the very first scene of this play – a play written in the NINETIES – features our dashing hero rescuing some aristocrats from a French prison, and then saying to the person in the next cell, who begs for rescue but is not an aristocrat, “We have enough of your kind in England.”
Enough! of your KIND! What in the merry frickety HECK my dudes!! The book has some rather unfortunate™ takes but it is from 1905, it’s regrettable but sadly to be expected. This play is from 1997. It has NO excuse. This scene wasn’t even in the book! What! the heck!
I was so disheartened that I lost my excitement for the play, and a couple songs later I stopped listening. It occurred to me just a few days ago that you could actually stage that ironically, with the person in the cell giving the audience a “can you believe this” look, and then the rest of the play could feature assorted non-aristocratic ensemble members constantly looking at the audience like they’re on The Office. And hey, maybe that’s what they did, or something similar – maybe that was never meant to be taken as a cleanly heroic stance, and the play deals with it in a complex way. It’s possible. I wouldn’t know. Kinda doubt it though, based on song lyrics.
Favorite Color: red, probably
Last Movie: I watched that new lesbian christmas movie with my family for christmas, the one with kirsten stewart and the guy from schitt’s creek. it’s very sweet and good and kinda sad, and I really enjoyed it. it also incidentally has the best gay best friend trope in probably anything ever, bc it’s not a trope (I didn’t realize until several hours after watching that it technically fits), it’s just a guy who is the protagonist’s best friend, and they’re just all gay, and then when he Gives Relationship Advice as a gay best friend always does, it’s advice about how to deal with your partner’s hangups around coming out.
actually every part of the gay best friend trope becomes better when they’re just best friends who are both gay. the big dramatic gestures (in this case, driving some ungodly distance in the snow on no notice) go from “haha how kooky” to “queer man will do anything he needs to to rescue his queer friend from an isolating & potentially triggering situation”. the relationship advice isn’t “honey you deserve some self-respect, treat yourself”, it’s a deeply sincere reminder of the vulnerability that is shared across almost everyone’s queer experience, and look I could ramble about this for a long time before reaching a coherent point but I’m INTO IT, okay? I’m into it.
Last Show: you want me to remember what show I last finished???? impossible, cannot be done, it was a long time ago and the adhd has eaten everything that happened before last week. here, instead I’ll tell you about another movie I watched, late at night with my mom in cozy companionship just a couple days ago. it’s called Quigley Down Under and it’s about a cowboy who goes to Australia and kills a bunch of racists, 10/10 would watch again. it’s from 1990 but it feels much older, with the music choices and the cinematography of a 70s Western. the cowboy is great, honorable and fearless and kind, but the breakaway star of this movie for me is the woman who attaches herself to his side and refuses to leave. her name is Cora, and she’s crazy, in the sense that she’s not altogether tethered to reality, but this never for a second diminishes her agency. she’s fierce and clever and compassionate, and she basically never does anything she doesn’t want to in the whole movie. her arc is about overcoming trauma by taking charge of her own fear and facing it head-on, she is never belittled or dismissed by the narrative or the protagonist, and look she’s just so cool. I love her. she’s so vibrantly alive. her story could probably have been handled with a bit more nuance, but honestly for the 90s it’s pretty great. I’m no expert, but I found nothing objectionable in it, just a bit of heavy-handedness.
anyway the theme of the movie is that racism is evil and racists deserve to be shot, and this too could have been handled better (not a single aboriginal character speaks a single line of english in this movie), but it follows through on that message in every way, while still being a fun kinda campy cowboy movie. overall a very good time.
Currently Watching: started showing my sister Hilda the other day, and she’s liking it! I love that show, it’s so incredibly cute. can’t wait to see season 2
Currently Reading: lmao I wish. lately the brain has firmly rejected all attempts to read anything of any length. currently pending, bc I was halfway through them when my brain stalled out, are tano’s fic What Does Kill You Can Make You Stronger, Too, a Toby Daye book - I think it was The Brightest Fell, I got like half a chapter in and haven’t picked it up in over a month, the Locked Tomb series, and probably a few other things too. ooh! also a book called Making Sex by thomas laqueur, which is my fancy academic reading that I’ve been doing in short bursts for the past year or two when I feel fancy and academic. it’s about the development of the concept of biological sex and of gender in Western society, and it’s fascinating. has among other things introduced me to the idea that until quite recently, fathers were a matter of faith. the mother? yeah, you can watch the baby pop out, we all know who the mother is. but the father? how can you know? how can you really know? we have paternity tests these days, but for all of human history up until now, we've just had to take fatherhood on faith. (not to mention we didn’t even know what fathers were contributing to the production of a fetus. clearly it was something, since you can’t get pregnant without a penis getting involved, but we have literally not known what until the past few decades. and that is wild. it has colored ALL of human history, all of our conceptions of society and family and kinship and gender, all of it, and it hadn’t even occurred to me until it was spelled out for me in this book, and it’s just......wow.
Salty, sweet or savory: for christmas my sister and I made seven different types of cookie, most of them involving chocolate somehow.
Craving: no bc I ate so many cookies. unless sleep counts. or maybe pringles, it’s been many moons since last I had a potato chip and I miss them.
Coffee or Tea: no thank you
Tagging: @coloursisee, @krchy-tuna, @sam-j-squirrel, @xzienne, @mirandatam, @viciousmaukeries, @sepulchritude, @elidyce, and @navigatorsnorth bc it’s been a while since we’ve talked, and I’m super hyped that you’re married now. v happy for you!
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junghosunshine · 4 years
Text
Shut In
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pairing: Kim Taehyung X reader
word count: 4k+
summary: Without a place to stay after you are kicked out of your dorm amidst the Coronavirus outbreak, you have no choice but to stay with Kim Taehyung (the son of one of your moms friends whom you have never met). You worry that it will be awkward but you are pleasantly surprised by the bond you end up forming with the overly welcoming man.
warnings: Smut, Fluff, overprotective, slightly dom!tae, mentions of covid19 and quarantine, age gap (5 years), unprotected sex (please use protection guys) 
notes: This was written to calm me down while being stuck in my house in no way am I trying to offend anyone. Please go easy on me i’m sensitive :)
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You should probably be thankful that you have somewhere to stay during quarantine but at this particular moment you were dreading the next few weeks.
“Mom, why can’t I just stay in a hotel?” You asked over the phone. You knew you were being irrational and that this was much better than paying a hundred dollars a night (even if you would feel much more comfortable). Ever since your classes had been canceled, you had been living in the dorms at your college but they had begun to kick students out. Going to school overseas seemed like such a fun idea, and it probably would have been, but because you were in another country during the corona virus outbreak, there was no way you could get home especially with the travel restrictions. You had called your mom sobbing, worried that you would be homeless through the pandemic in a country you barely knew. Luckily, within an hour your mom had reached out to one of her friends who had a son living in Seoul and you suddenly had a place to stay. “Mom, that is going to be so weird. I don’t know him and now I’m going to live with him. Alone. For who knows how long?!”
“Y/N, I’m not paying money for you to stay in a hotel when there is a perfectly good, free place for you to stay. This is the only option.”
You gave in knowing your arguments were useless against this woman. You just wanted to go home and see your family and to be honest you were scared at how big this whole thing had become.
“Okay. Stay safe mom. Love you.”
“I love you too sweetie. Be careful and make sure you thank Taehyung for giving up his space.”
After you hung up with your mom you felt a bit empty. This much change in only a few days was a lot to take in and processing it all was near impossible. ‘Its going to be okay’ you told yourself.Your had mom told you that Taehyung was 24 and she had seen him a few times when he had just been born but didn’t know much about him other than that he apparently worked as a graphic designer for a popular art company. She had gone to college with his mom and they had been very close until mom moved to the US after college. Regardless of your mom’s connection, it felt awkward to be moving into some complete stranger’s space.
——————————————————————————————————————————
Pulling up the email your mom had sent you, you found the address to Taehyung’s house and his phone number. Sighing, you forced yourself to send him a text to let him know you were coming to his place.
To: XXX-XXX-XXXX
iMessage: Hi, this is Y/N… my mom just sent me your address. I should be there in about an hour. Thanks for letting me stay with you.
You put your phone back in your pocket and gathered you bags. Struggling to stand upright you wobbled out of your dorm and made your way to the subway.
Thanks to the virus the subway was not crowded and you had a place to rest all of your stuff. Once you sat down your phone vibrated and you pulled it out to see a response from Taehyung.
iMessage: Y/N, it is my pleasure! My mom told me to treat you well since you are her best friend’s daughter. Ill see you soon!
He was sweet. You felt yourself relax a bit. Maybe it wouldn’t be as awkward as you had thought it would be. You certainly hoped you were right otherwise this was going to be the most uncomfortable period of time you have ever experienced.
Once you were off the subway you lugged your bags up to the street level. Looking around your confidence wavered a bit. You had only been living in Korea for the last few months for college and while you went out a lot but you rarely ventured outside of the college area. The fact that there was no one outside made it even harder because you couldn’t ask anyone for directions. Oh no, there was no way you were going to find his building. You typed the address into Maps and attempted to both hold all of your stuff and navigate.
You were having very little luck and you were afraid your phone was going to die if you continued like this. As you stopped to calm yourself down, your phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Y/N?”
“Oh hi, is this Taehyung?”
“Yeah, Im just calling to make sure you’re okay. You said you’d be here in an hour two hours ago and my mom would kill me if anything happened to you.”
“Oh… Uh…” As much as you didn’t want to cry you couldn’t help yourself. It had been a long few days and the fact that you couldn’t even navigate was infuriating. “Im a little lost.” You managed to say through tears.
“Are there any restaurants or stores near you?” He asked. Looking around you found you were next to a pet store.
“There is pet store near me and I’m right across from a park.”
You heard shuffling from his end of the line. “Okay,” He said finally. “Wait there I’m coming to get you.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
Exhausted, you sank to the ground and rested your head on your knees. It was embarrassing that Taehyung had to go out of his way to find you before you had even met him. He probably thought you were incompetent. And it was even worse that there was an outbreak going on.
Only a few minutes had passed when a black Hyundai pulled up next to you. A guy got out and walked toward you.
“Y/N?” You looked up at him as he came to a stop above you. You nodded and embarrassed yourself by pouting a little. Something you did at home when you were sad or angry. You noticed immediately how striking he was with dark hair that fell into his eyes. He was distractingly handsome and as you stood up, you noticed, very tall as well. Taehyung smiled warmly and reached for your bags. “Go sit in the car, i'll load these in the back.” You complied grateful that he didn’t seem upset with you. He loaded your bags into the trunk and returned to the drivers seat.
“Im Tae by the way.” You took his extended hand.
“I am so sorry for inconveniencing you like this especially now. I promise i’ll make it up to you. I’m not usually this helpless.” Taehyung chuckled. “No problem. I’m glad I had an excuse to go out one last time before the lockdown.” You blushed at his kindness and were relieved when he began to drive.
Taehyung’s apartment was very clean and well decorated. You could immediately tell he was into art as his walls were covered in it. It was an open concept and the living room was only separated from the kitchen by a large kitchen island. He led you across the flat to a door on the far side, opening it to a small bedroom. It looked as if it had never been used and it smelled very clean. There was a large window overlooking the city and you gasped at how pretty it was.
“I’m glad I finally have someone here to use the guest bedroom. It was getting kinda lonely here.” It was shocking how welcoming he was considering you were dumped on him at the last possible moment.
“Thank you so much.” You walked in and he helped place your bags on the bed before leaving you to unpack.
That night, He made you dinner. It was so odd since it had been months since you’d eaten like a normal human. College life was certainly not luxurious. He waited for you to take the first bite and hum with pleasure before he was satisfied enough to eat.
“So, you were attending college here.”  He said. You nodded. “Yeah I’m in my second year at Yonsei. Er- was.”
“This virus is kinda fucking things up isn’t it?”
“Yeah, Im kinda pissed off that I can’t even see my family during it.” Taehyung nodded. “Well I’m lucky that you are keeping me company right now.” You coughed and he watched amusedly as you tried to cover up your awkwardness by taking a sip of water.
“How old are you?” He asked you. “Nineteen.” You replied. He smiled a secret smile before taking another bite of his food.
“Thank you so much for dinner.” You said when you had both finished. He shrugged like it was nothing. “Im happy to do it.”
You tried to help him with dishes but he insisted that you get some rest after your long day.
——————————————————————————————————————————
Usually you woke up around seven the morning so that you could get started on the day but with nothing to do, it seemed a bit unnecessary. Still, your internal clock was hard to reset so despite your empty schedule, you were up. You assumed that Taehyung was probably asleep so you made your way into the kitchen and put on some hot water for tea. This was a ritual of yours. That you had been taught by your mother.
Unconsciously you began humming and you didn’t notice that Taehyung had exited his bedroom or that he was standing shirtless at the kitchen island smiling as he watched you work. You looked cute with your little shorts and oversized t-shirt he was going to have a hard time not thinking about that all day. Turning, you let out a yelp when you saw him, spilling hot tea on your had and causing the mug to break on the ground.
Taehyung immediately rushed over to you and grabbed your wrist before you could pick up any of the pieces of ceramic. “Are you hurt?” The way he looked at you with so much concern made your cheeks flush.
“No, I’m fine, I just got a little surprised.” He chuckled and continued to hold your wrist “Sorry, I didn’t want to disturb you, you looked like you were meditating.”
You tried to pick up the pieces again but he stoped you. “I’ll get it, let’s treat your burn first.” He led you to the bathroom and sat you. on the edge of the tub. Rummaging through the medicine cabinet he found some gauze. You cringed a bit. “Taehyung, it’s not that serious, it’s just a little red that’s all.” Taehyung shook his head. “Better to be safe than sorry. Give me your hand.” You were a bit too happy to have him hold your hand as he ran it under cold water. He was so careful and the way he touched you made you want him to never stop. He dried your hand before wrapping it with gauze, clearly pleased with his work. “There!” He smiled. “Good as new.”
“Thank you.” You laughed and the two of you locked eyes. With him looking at you, you suddenly became hyper aware of his bare chest. He wasn’t super buff but he was lean and toned. He looked very strong and it was hard to look away but you made yourself.
For the next few days, you continued to get up early and make tea, careful not to drop it again.
It was getting really fucking hard for Taehyung to not look at you. It seemed like the only thing you owned were little shorts and huge ass t-shirts. Every time he saw you he wanted to push you against a wall and destroy you. Taehyung had take showers very frequently because of you.
——————————————————————————————————————————
Quarantine was not the most fun and besides meal time, you and Taehyung had not interacted very much. He was very sweet and funny but you were too shy to ask him to hang out.
He must have been going stir crazy too because eventually there was a knock on your door.
“Come in.” You said. Taehyung slowly opened the door. He was wearing sweats and a dark blue sweatshirt. It was annoying that he looked good in even the lumpiest clothes.
“Hey, Im really fucking bored out here can you come watch a movie with me.”
“Sure.” You followed him out to the living room “What movie?” “Im not sure.” He said sitting down. “What do you like to watch?”
You shrugged, to be honest you. Weren’t really a movie person. You. Spent a lot of time listening to music and reading but movies weren’t something you did too often. Being away from your family was making you a bit nostalgic and you recalled movies you watched with them.
“When I was little I really liked Howls Moving Castle.” Taehyung raised an eyebrow at you. “Out of every movie you want to watch a cartoon?” He asked.
“What?!” You giggled. “Howl was like my dream guy when I was younger.” You looked at him as earnestly as you could. “Please can we watch it. I really want to now.” He sighed dramatically but didn’t object.
Once it started you were immediately spellbound. You had forgotten how beautiful Miyazaki movies were. At one point without thinking you said “Howl kind of reminds me of you.” Taehyung looked at you but you were too entranced to notice. His eyes roamed the curves of your face and made their way down your neck, to your shoulder which was bare as your huge shirt slipped off of it. He cleared his throat and returned to watching the movie. There was no way he would let himself think about you. That wasn’t fair to you at all.
Yo had forgotten how sad and intense Miyazaki movies got and you hated when there was conflict in stories. A couple of times you reached out for tae’s arm and he let you. He hated how much he liked the feeling that you needed him there. After your fourth time grabbing onto him, He took your hand and laced his fingers through yours. He watched you register this and look at him. Your eyes were so big and innocent. God, he wanted to ruin you. You smiled at him and continued to watch the rest of the movie. He stopped himself from doing anything stupid. He couldn’t help but be a little disappointed when the film was over and you released his hand. “Thanks for watching with me.” He said. You nodded “Thanks for letting me choose the movie, I forgot how much I loved it.”
There was a silence as he looked at you in the now dark living room. You let him allowing yourself to observe him as well.
“Y/N.” Taehyung’s gaze was filled with a sudden intensity. It scared you a little.
“Yes?” Taehyung pulled you into his arms and buried his head in your hair breathing you in. “I would be so goddamn lonely if you weren’t here.” He said his voice a bit muffled. You were taken aback by his sudden affection that it took you a moment to return it. You gently wrapped your arms around his neck. He smelled so good it was hard for you to think about letting go. Lucky for you Taehyung didn’t. He stayed like that for a long time, so long that you fell asleep and then he fell asleep.
The next morning you woke up still wrapped around each other. He was observing you when you opened your eyes and grinned when he noticed you had woken up.
“Good morning.” You felt a bit awkward that you had ended up in this situation.
“Morning.” You replied avoiding is stare. Taehyung only released you when he was worried you’d be able to feel him. When you finally untangled your limbs from his, he rushed to the shower.
——————————————————————————————————————————
You had started to notice the Tae had become very touchy with you. Not that you were complaining, you loved it. You were definitely starting to develop a crush on him and as much as you hated to admit it you were definitely flirting with him. If you were cooking he would find ways to pass behind you and touch your waist. At the dinner table he began to sit next to you and would knock his knee against yours. He’d even started to put his arm around you when you watched movies which had become a very frequent thing. Regardless of how much you enjoyed his touches you decided not to put too much weight behind it. Tae was like an older brother and in this short time you had been living together, he looked after you. You refused to get his affection confused with attraction.
“Hey, my mom just sent an old picture of her and your mom in college.” Tae called from the living room. You ran out to see jumping on the couch next to him and looking over his shoulder.  You immediately recognize your mom which made you miss her a lot. The woman next to her in the picture looked like she had just stepped off a runway, you could see where Tae had gotten his good looks.
“Wow, She’s beautiful you look so much like her.” You said. He leaned back into your lab and looked up at you grinning. “Y/N, are you calling me beautiful?” You choked on the air. “No! Um, er- you are beautiful, but- I wasn’t..” Tae turned towards you and poked your nose. “You’re so cute.” You felt yourself turn completely red.
“Im not cute.” You mumbled, punching him in the shoulder.
“You are ridiculously cute. It’s almost too much.” You found yourself pouting again and you crossed your arms. Reached up and pulled your face towards him. “See? Thats cute. If you keep doing that I’m not going to be able to stop myself from doing bad things to you.”
You found yourself at a loss for words. Tae rand is thumb over your bottom lip before laughing. Anger overwhelmed you. “You’re an asshole!” You shoved him away from you. He continued to laugh “Oh yeah? Am I?” He tickled your side and you shrieked jumping off the couch and running away from him. He chased you around the apartment and when he caught up to you he threw you over his shoulder. “Tae!” You giggled. He threw you onto the couch and plopped down next to you. “Don’t deny who you are.”
“Shut up.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
Tae picked the movie tonight. It was the notebook and apparently he was a huge fan of Rachel McAdams. You didn’t blame him, she was very pretty but you did feel weirdly jealous. You noticed he didn’t put his arm around you like he normally did which kinda disappointed you. You wondered if he was mad at you which made it hard for you relax. You sat with your arms wrapped around your legs. In your head you started to go through everything you had done during the day that could have upset him but you weren’t finding anything he had seemed happy all day which is why it was weird that he wasn’t acting like he usually did. You were about to start crying until you felt him touching your thigh. He looked like he didn’t know he was doing it as he continued to watch the movie.You couldn’t focus at all, his touches felt so good and you closed your eyes accidentally sighing with pleasure. You felt his hand travel closer to the line of your shorts until they ghosted over your core. Taken aback you looked at tae, worried that he was unaware of what he was doing but he was looking right at you now, his eyes full of something dark and wild. He pulled you closer to him and applied more pressure which made you moan more and you leaned your head against his chest. His other hand caressed your head. “You are so pretty.” He mumbled. “You have no idea how much I want to ruin you.” As he rubbed harder you could feel yourself building up to something you bit your lip and felt your hips roll against his hand. “Do you like that?” Taehyung asked
“Mhmn.” Was the most you could say. “Do you want to come?” You nodded but tae wasn’t satisfied. “I asked if you want to come.” He said.
“Yes! I want to come!” You shouted and almost instantly you felt yourself reach the edge. He continued to move his hand against you as you shook. “Oh my god.”You exhaled. Once you came down from your high you couldn’t bare to look at him and kept your head buried in his shirt. He kissed your hair and then your forehead, your eyes cheeks, nose, before making his way to your lips. It was soft and too brief you almost felt like it hadn’t happened. But he didn’t offer anything more. He got off the couch and walked to the bathroom. You heard him start the shower and you fell asleep before he opened the door again.
——————————————————————————————————————————
It had been three days since whatever happened between you two had happened. You weren’t sure what to call it just as much as you weren’t sure what it meant. You were so confused and too afraid to ask him. Tae seemed just as goofy as he always was which was a relief though he didn’t touch you as much. In fact you had tried to hug him earlier and you could swear you saw him flinch. This was infuriating! He was the one who has initiated the whole thing and now he wasn’t even going to acknowledge it. There was no way you were letting him get away with this. If he was going to make you mad then you were going to mess with him.
“Hey Y/N I’m bored come play cards with me.”
You were sitting in your room reading. You smiled to yourself as you ignored his request.
“Y/N?” Again no response. You. Could hear him walking to your room. He stood in the doorway looking at you.
“Y/N, did you hear me?” You put on your most innocent face before looking at him. “No, did you call me?” He scratched his head clearly confused before sighing. “No, never mind.” You stuck your tongue out at him when he walked away.
When he made dinner that night you told him you had already eaten. “When?” He asked. You shrugged, “I had some crackers earlier and I’m full.”  You could tell that he was getting frustrated. But he still didn’t ask you what was going on.
You didn’t watch a movie that night but you hadn’t in three days so it wasn’t that weird. When  He closed his bedroom door you waited an hour before leaving your room and slipping into his. He was definitely asleep when you got under the covers. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and you were pleased when he moved to wrap his arms around you groaning into you.
——————————————————————————————————————————
In the morning he was not in the room and the door was opened. You got up and found him at the island waiting for you. You liked the way he looked in the morning his har disheveled hid voice incredibly deep.
“Y/N.” He spoke. You shivered at the way he said it. He was angry and it was very hot.
“Tae.” You responded. He shook his head at you and you went on pretending to be oblivious.
“Can you make me pancakes?” You asked sweetly. “‘Im, hungry.” You opened one of the cabinets and got a glass for water. Before you could open the fridge Tae moved grabbed you and pushed you against the counter placing a hand on either side of you.
“Y/N, why are you doing this to me?” Although you were a bit shocked you forced yourself to continue the act. “Doing what Tae, I just asked for pancakes.” Then he actually growled, leaning his head onto your shoulder. You felt blood rush to your core you were so turned on. “Goddamn it, Y/N. I keep convincing myself that this is a bad idea but you keep doing things that make me want to teach you a lesson.”
“Then teach me.” You say. He lifted his head from your shoulder and looked into your eyes. The darkness had returned and his eyes seemed heavy as he looked down at your lips. Suddenly he was devouring you. This kiss was nothing like the ghost one from before. This one felt like he was trying to suck all of the life out of you. And it was working. Your knees went weak and you had to hold onto his shoulders to help yourself stay upright. He slipped his tongue into your mouth and you moaned into him. He tasted so good and just as you felt like he was giving himself to you he pulled away. You whined. “Y/N, tell me what you want.” You rolled your eyes and he gripped your face with his hands. “Tell me what you want.”
“I want you.” He kissed you smiling against your mouth. “Where do you want me?”
“Everywhere.” You moved his hands to your breasts and he quickly lifted up your shirt to reveal your breasts.
“Holy fuck I can’t believe you slept next to me like this.” He moved his mouth down your neck before latching onto you nipple and sucking hard.
“Oh my god.” You ran your fingers though his hair. Tae slipped his fingers down to the waistline of your shorts and you let him pull them down along with your underwear. “Such a pretty little cunt.” He said before slapping it making you gasp. He turned you around and licked your folds your eyes rolling back. He began to suck on your clit and you lost it. “Fuck, oh my god! Yes!” Without warning tae pushed you to the ground and stood up you could see the bulge that had formed in his sweats. He placed your hand over it and rolled his head back while you massaged it. Then he pulled down his sweats to reveal a very large very erect cock. You swallowed and looked up at him. ‘Fuck, Y/N you have no idea how pure you look. I can’t wait to fucking ruin you.” Grabbing onto your hair he pushed his dick into your mouth. “Good girl.” He said gently. Tae watched as you tried not to choke on him. “You're doing so good.” He began to buck his hips into you and you gagged on him getting saliva all over his length. When you almost couldn’t take it he pulled out and picked you up placing you on the counter.
“Are you ready for me baby?” He asked and you nodded. He didn’t move. “I need an answer.”
“Yes, Please fuck me.” You beg. And then the pushed into you stretching you out so much you stoped breathing for a second. But as he pulled out you immediately wanted him back inside. Tae grabbed your neck. “I want you to look at me when I’m fucking you.” He pounded into you and when he thrusted at just the right angle your eyes started to water but you kept looking at him. “You feel so fucking good, Y/N. I’ve thought about this so much and you are even tighter than I expected.” The lack of oxygen was heightening your pleasure and you started to feel your orgasm coming on. “Im going to come!” You screamed. He pounded into you harder. “Not yet baby, Not until I say so.” You bit your lip in an effort to hold it back but your vision blurred and there was no stopping it. Tae kept thrusting as you rode it out and as you squeezed around him he reached his climax. He pulled out and his juices poured out of you. He wrapped his arms around you and hugged you for a long time. After some time he picked you up and carried you to the bathroom. He turned on the shower and pulled you inside. As the water ran he took your face in his hards and kissed you softly. He kissed your shoulders and your breasts. He knelt kissing your stomach, thighs, knees and feet. You grabbed his face and pulled him back up into your lips. He felt safe and secure. You let him wash your body and he let you wash his. Finally he stepped out of the shower and dried off before opening the bathroom door.
“Where are you going?” You asked him.
“To make you pancakes.”
677 notes · View notes
twinkleallnight · 3 years
Text
Marshmallow
(Part -15) Denouement
Book: The Royal Romance AU
Word count: 1974
Disclaimer: All characters belong to pixelberry.
Rating: Teen/ PG
Warning: None.
A/N: An AU with Drake’s POV, showcasing his life as a commoner at the royal palace. Catch up here
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I meet Hana couple of times after the drunk incident but ignore all signs. We never speak of what happened that night. May be, because I don’t want to acknowledge the obvious feelings blooming between us and she is too embarrassed about her state that night.
*******
Finally, the day arises when the country is full of cheerful sounds and bright colours. The palace is being decorated with expensive flowers and exquisite tapestries. Tapestries that depict the valour and courage of the Rhys dynasty.
I stand with Liam in front of a blank wall in anticipation. A life-size portrait is raised up by the palace staff and I see Liam’s chest swell up with pride as his head is held high looking into the eyes of his ancestor King Fabian in the image.
“Your favourite person.” I look at him knowingly.
“My idol. When I wear the crown today, I want to be just and true to my people like him.”
I clasp his shoulder. “You will be the most compassionate king Cordonia has seen.”
“I hope.” Liam beams. “Would you like to come with me to the study? I plan to brush up my speech and then head for the lunch.”
“You go ahead. I think I will see you at the ball. Call me if you need me around.”
“May I know where are you headed to?”
“I have to be at the boutique for a trial.” I say sheepishly.
Liam’s eyes widen, “You are going to dress up?”
I grin, “It’s my best friend’s coronation ball.”
He cocks his head searching in my eyes. “Or is it Hana?”
“I won’t deny.” I reply bashfully.
Liam nods his head with a smile. “I like the new Drake.”
“It’s the same old me.”
“Well, that we will see in the evening.” Liam chortles. “See you at the ball.” He waves and walks away.
I make a beeline to the boutique and coyly enter in. Hana had assured me that no one will be there around at this hour of the day.
“Hana...”, I call out in a tense voice.
She sways down smiling at me from the back of the room and holds my hand. “I am so glad you agreed. You are going to love this.” She pushes me to the trial rooms in excitement. “Go on. Try it.”
When I walk out dressed in a grey suit, she lets out a gasp and scurries to me. Her arms wrap around my neck making me chuckle. She gives me a quick hug and steps back admiring. “Wait here. I want to show you something.”
She brings out another garment bag. She flips the bag to reveal a silver grey gown. “ I found something matching with your suit to wear.” She giggles. I shake my head smiling in disbelief.
“What? You find it funny?” she pouts, a bit disheartened.
“Absolutely not!” I raise her chin with my curled finger. “Look at me. I was the commoner who never showed interest in any of these pompous affairs. But with you around I feel like a different person. I want to try it all. It’s not funny. It’s just that I am beaming at the new me.”
Her eyes brighten up again. “I am so excited for tonight.”
“ I can see that. Me too.”
“Okay, now you need to leave. I have some more last minute things to finish.”
“You sure don’t need my help anywhere.”
“No. Thank you.”
She pushes me out of the boutique giggling in enthusiasm.
I have a quiet lunch and retire to my quarters till evening.
*************
Later in the evening:
The palace shines in all its glory with strings of lights twinkling around its edges. The nobles arrive in their luxury vehicles one after another draped in choicest of designer wears, waving out to the cameras flashing at the entrance. The media is covering the country’s most important event in decades, alerting their representatives to capture who’s who of the royal court.
I calmly observe the rush, as usual, from my favourite spot, the bar. Liam joins me soon.
“Hana has a great taste.”
“What?” I look at him quizzically.
He raises his eyebrows in praise and waves his hand at me. “The suit looks good on you. She chose well.”
“Chose well? You mean the suit or me?”
He laughs out. “She has improved your sense of humour too. You are no longer the grumpy one.”
“I was never grumpy except in Riley’s dictionary.”
Just then, Max sprints towards Liam, “Hey Li, have you seen the grumpy guy around?”
I turn to him, “Very funny, Beaumont.”
“Oh, is it really you Drakey!” He gropes over and cups my face, his voice, a note higher and melodramatic. “You gave away your denims for a suit? That must be so painful. Are you alright?” He places the back of his hand on my forehead, trying to test my temperature.
“Cut it out Max.” I shrug away his hands as I notice Liam stifling a laugh.
Hana and Riley join the gang and they get busy with the chit chat. I notice Hana stealing glances at me but her eyes have a worried look. Something seems to be amiss that I cannot place my finger upon. After sometime she excuses herself and I find her exiting the main doors. I follow her towards the lawn.
There under the silver of moon, Hana shimmers in her silver gown, standing alone, deep in her thoughts. I step closer to her and wrap my arm around her shoulder.
She turns around to face me and suddenly hugs me tightly. “What’s wrong?” I ask her softly.
She doesn’t utter a word but pulls out an envelope from her clutch and hands it over to me. I don’t understand the foreign language written in it but definitely know that whatever it is, it has upset her. Her voice is almost a whisper when she says, “It’s over. I have to leave.” Still looking down into the letter.
I hold her at her elbows and tug, “Leave? Why?”
She raises her head and I see her eyes are welled up with tears. “It’s a letter from my parents. They say if I am not Liam’s choice tonight, which they know well, I should be moving back to Shangai tomorrow.”
I feel like someone has sucked out the breath from me, as I stand speechless in front of her.
‘Is this how it ends? No. Is this how I want it to end?’ It’s a split-second decision I make in a trice. I embrace her tightly. I hear her gasp with my unexpected move. Her hands lightly resting on my arms, letter still held in one.
I cup her face and look into my favourite honey almond eyes. “Hana…” I gather some more courage to say things I intend to. “I don’t know what happens tomorrow. But I want you to know that you are the most amazing person I have ever met. You are epitome of perfection yet you ignore the imperfections people around you have. Hell, you turn those short comings into a silver lining. You do things for the people you care. It’s impossible to stay away from you once someone gets to know you. I don’t know if I even deserve to be with you. But I want tell you this, that I… I love you. And I won’t let this end here. It’s not over. Not yet.”
She tries to open her mouth to say something but before that I lower my mouth on hers and capture the warmth of her lips. My fingers, cupping her face, feel the wetness of her tears rolling down her cheeks. I roll my thumb to wipe them away without breaking the kiss.
********
“How do you think it goes from here?” Riley questions in general.
“I don’t have any idea.” I rub my hands over my eyes.
I had requested Liam for an urgent word regarding Hana’s plans, in turn he called Riley and now we are all seated with him in his study.
“Can’t you stay?” Riley asks Hana.
“No.” Hana speaks softly, looking into a hollow.
“Why?”
“This is how it was supposed to be. My parents wanted me to be in Cordonia so that I find a suitable match in some noble house. With the social season coming to an end tonight, they don’t want me to stay any longer without purpose.”
“Damn it!” I curse in frustration.
“So, we really can’t do anything?” Riley looks at Liam for an answer.
“Not immediately. We will have to wait.” Liam says brooding.
“How long?” Riley seems to be more restless.
“Until I take over the office as the king of Cordonia.” He pauses, “And I can’t directly pass the first orders for Lee family at Shanghai when there must be many pressing issues Cordonia is dealing with. So we will have no option but to be patient.”
There is a knock at the door. Bastein peeps in to remind, “I am sorry to interrupt but we are running against time, sir. The king has asked for your presence in the main hall.”
Liam gets up looking at the watch. “I am afraid, we will have to curtail this meeting. Drake, I will see what I can do. I will update you.” He pats my back and then addresses Hana.
“Hana, trust me, we will find out a solution. I am sorry that you have to go through this.”
She gives a forced smile. “Thank you.”
Riley hugs her in reassurance and they both walk out of the study. I keep looking blankly at her retrieving figure. Bastein clears his throat to pull me back from my thoughts. “I… I…”
Bastein walks to me. He places his hand on my back. “Son, you are dealing with the nobles here. Don’t jump into action too soon. Take one step at a time. Things will fall in place if all goes well. Tomorrow, the king will be the one who is your best friend. As much as I know the boy, he will always have your back.” I nod in agreement.
“Have faith and some hope. This too shall pass.”
“Thank you, Bas.” I compose myself and stride down the hall with him.
The coronation ceremony is conducted smoothly. Watching Liam bearing a crown is a moment of pride. Minutes later, the announcement for the queen is made and against all odds he declares his love, lady Riley, as his future queen. They exchange rings and pose to the paparazzi as an officially engaged couple.
My eyes are stuck at the grand clock, each passing second ticking in my ear. My heart is racing against time. I scan through the crowd once again. Hana stands on the other end of the hall with other suitors. Our eyes pierce into each other hers throwing away sadness and mine hoping against hope.
“You know if Liam can get true love, against all odds, you too deserve to be with the one you love.” I snap at the voice that spoke behind me.
“Leo? What the hell are you doing here?”
“Couldn’t have missed my baby brother’s coronation ceremony.” He shrugs. We meet each other with a hug.
“So, you and Hana, huh?” he asks inquisitively.
“Didn’t you just come back to Cordonia? How do you know?”
He looks across my shoulder at someone. “She knows, so I know.” He raises his glass wine in someone’s direction.
I turn around to see whom he is pointing to. My jaw drops when I check the lady walking towards us. She stops besides Leo and he places a soft kiss on her cheek. Their arms wind around each other’s waist.
“You…and…Livy?” I falter, astonished at the sudden turn of events.
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kaitycole · 3 years
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Two Worlds Collide
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Summary: Liam and Luke talk, Liam visits his mother’s actual resting spot and Liam goes back to Walker Ranch.
Word Count: 2014
Pairings: Drake x Riley, Jackson x Eleanor
Warnings: Mentions of character death, loss of a mother, 
A/N: Just a reminder, here’s a link to my character profiles if you’re interested. You learn somethings about a few that won’t be written directly in the series: here.
Song Choice: n/a
Part 18 of WP. To catch up, read here.
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It doesn’t take Luke long at all to find Riley on social media. It also didn’t hurt that she seemed to lack privacy settings. He was a bit shocked at how quickly she replied and gave him the information he inquired. So here he sits, a foreign number on his phone waiting to be filed. Call or text? Most people his age text; the thoughts of holding a verbal conversation was just anxiety inducing.  However, would a king text? Just thinking like this caused Luke to short circuit. He decides to leave the decision up to his older brother.
Luke: It’s Luke, can we talk? (8:40 am)
Liam scrunches his face when he hears his personal cellphone start to buzz. There were only a handful of people who had the number and only a few of them actually used it. He almost ignores the unsaved number but doesn’t.
“Uhm, excuse me.” Liam stands up from the kitchen table, leaving the breakfast Riley has prepared and steps outside.
He starts typing before deleting it and starting over. He does this a few times before giving up momentarily. He really wasn’t someone who enjoyed texting, there was too much left unknown about tone and meaning. It was usually only Riley that he’d even humor texting back half the time, but he wasn’t sure about Luke.
Liam: What would you like to talk about? (8:51 am)
Luke is pacing around his room, worried he might have offended his brother. Maybe he should’ve asked Riley, or maybe she had sent him another message and he missed it. Quickly switching back to the social media app, he scrolls but finds no message detailing whether or not he should text or call Liam.
Part of him wants to just go back in time and not have sent the message, but when his phone finally buzzes, he feels relief.
Luke: There’s somewhere I’d like to show you. Are you free? (8:54 am)
Liam looks at his screen, sitting down on the back-porch steps. He really wasn’t ready to go back to the ranch or to even see Jackson. Drake had just barely forgiven him for punching Jackson and he’s sure if it wasn’t for Riley, Drake wouldn’t have been so understanding.
But at the same time, he really doesn’t want to disappoint his brother.
Liam: I don’t think I should be around Jackson today. I am sorry. (9:02 am)
Luke figured that would be the case which is why he has no plans on them being at the ranch, to be honest he doesn’t want to be around his father himself.
Luke: Good thing where we are going isn’t near the ranch, eh? Wanna go? (9:06 am)
Liam: Where should I pick you up? (9:07 am)
Liam shakes his head with a laugh, if looks didn’t prove they were related, the clear evidence of this mother’s laidback attitude surely would.
*                      * “It’s just up here, around this corner.” Luke says to Bastien as they drive silently. Shortly after Luke had given Liam the address of the corner store he had been waiting at, he was picked up and the two brothers started their journey.
The ride, for the most part, is silent, the directions Luke gives the guard being the only ones spoken, but it’s comfortable. There’s something about being around each other that both Luke and Liam enjoy.
“This is it. We can walk from here.” Luke says, rushing to take his seatbelt off and jump out the door just as Bastien pulls the car to a stop.
“Walk? Are you sure about this, Your Majesty?” Bastien doesn’t even try to mask his hesitation; Liam had refused to allow the guard to do any investigating/background checks on his younger brother, though the king already knew he had them waiting if he ever wanted them.
“I’m not going to take him out in a cemetery, how morbid.” Luke teases and Liam fails at holding in a chuckle; Bastien just glares.
“It’s fine, Bas.” Liam rests a calming hand on the guard’s shoulder before looking at Luke, “lead the way before you give my best guard a heart attack.”
Luke tilts is head to the right, “this way.”
They share a brief amount of small talk, mostly about things they recall about their mother. Luke has more memories but they both just find comfort in hearing about their mother, Luke asks a little about this Leo he heard about the other day.
“He seems like the opposite of you.”
Liam laughs, “I hear that a lot. But he can be a really decent guy when he wants to.”
“Here we are.” Luke points at the freshly cleaned gravesite. Liam feels a knot form in his throat as he tries to swallow it, his heart drops.
When he learned his mother had left Cordonia, he felt a relief when he went to her grave in the royal cemetery. To be completely honest, he had felt silly for all the years of going there to talk when in reality he was talking to an empty casket. But here, now, this was it. She really was here, there was no more hopeful thinking that she was still alive somewhere, this casket was full.
Liam feels himself get uneasy, his legs act as if they might give out, causing him to extend a hand to press it against the tree nearby. He’s not sure why, but he feels sick and he for a brief moment regrets not begging Olivia to accompany him; he knows it’s wrong to put that emotional burden on her, but in this instance, he needs no one but her. Luke clearly picks up on him unease and reaches out for his brother.
“I’m sorry, if it’s too much, I can go get Bastien.”
“No, no I’m fine.” He clears his throat, “I just realized that she’s really here. At home, it’s empty, but this one isn’t.”
It finally dawns on Luke that all the years that he had Eleanor, Liam grieved her. Liam didn’t get birthdays and holidays with his warm and loving mother, but instead he only had the comfort of what he thought was her resting place. He knows that Liam already told him that he doesn’t blame him, that the decision was between their parents, but how can he not feel guilty in some way? How can he just not feel as if he’s part of the reason his older brother grew up without a mom, how his other brother and sister grew up with their dad.
“I’ll uh, give you some time.” Luke waits for Liam to nod before he walks a little bit away, stopping when he sees Bastien walking towards him.
“How is he?” Bastien doesn’t look at Luke, rather his gaze is trained on Liam. It hurt him to see the King like this, he’s known him for years, watched him grow up, and Bastien himself had also mourned the loss of the Queen and guardsman. He’s been trained in various fighting styles, both offensive and defensive types, but he didn’t know anything to help the King right now.
“Better than I would be.” His voice cracks which gets Bastien’s attention, “I don’t know how he doesn’t hate me or maybe he’s just that good at lying.” “King Liam doesn’t lie.” Bastien’s voice is steady, his words clear and concise. “He’s a fair person, so if he said he doesn’t hate you then he simply doesn’t. There’s no reason for him to, is there?”
“It’s my fault he lost his mom.”
“Children often end up carrying the burdens of their parents’ decisions. Liam understand that more than most.”
Luke looks at the black-haired man in a suit, feeling an odd sense of relief even though his words were a bit riddle-like. He stands there next to Bastien, silently, allowing Liam the time to actually finally grieve.
*                      * “I’ve been doing this for years, but this time it feels awkward.” He laughs, looking at the tombstone with his mother’s name. This time is different than all the times he visited her so-called grave in Cordonia, this time she was actually here which makes him feel suddenly self-conscious about talking to her. Not to mention he knows Bastien and Luke are close by which just adds to the anxiety.
“I know I couldn’t possibly understand what you went through, how scared you must have been especially of Constantine. But that doesn’t mean I’m not mad at you because part of me is. You just left me, left me with him all alone and came here to raise your new family.” Tears start to slip down his cheeks, part of him hating the fact that he’s mad at the one woman he’s always held up.
“I won’t understand why you made the decisions that you did nor can I judge the ones you made, but I’m struggling to give that same curtesy to Jackson. You would probably tell me to judge you both equally since you were both involved in the decisions made, but I can’t. Everyone says that I was born to be King and a fair ruler,” he trails off, “oh yeah, I’m the King, Mom. Leo abdicated.”
“But how am I fair when I can’t be fair in a personal matter? Though you’d probably tell me that it’s normal to not think clearly when personal feelings are in play, that there’s councils for those moments, but where’s my council for this? I don’t want your memory tarnished in Cordonia, but other than Olivia, I have no one to talk to at court that I trust with this.”
Olivia expressed hesitation on him even coming, which is why he’s avoided calling her. Riley also didn’t care for Jackson, so she wasn’t exactly as third party as he needed nor was Drake who in Liam’s opinion was too caught up on the fact his dad was alive rather than what his dad did all those years ago.
Liam starts crying, not really caring to hide it. He wasn’t in Cordonia, he isn’t King right now, he doesn’t need to appear strong when he’s falling apart inside. He raises his hand to place it on the top of the tombstone, dragging it down slowly to trace the engraved letters of her name. His voice breaks as the sobs wedge their way in between his words, “I needed you…I need you, Mom.”
He leans his head back, letting out a deep breath and taking one in, trying to calm himself. He realizes that he never really cried at her grave in Cordonia, only ever at her portrait and maybe some how he knew, but he thinks it’s mostly because kings don’t show their emotions in public. Standing up, he pats the tombstone, realizing who he really needs to talk to about all of this, who can actually give him the answers that he needs.
*                      * “You know, today’s been pretty emotional, you can always come back tomorrow.” Luke tries to reason with Liam, mostly wanting the chance to talk to Jackson before Liam does. Though Luke can’t be sure if Jackson would even be telling the truth if he talked to Luke separately or all of them together.
“As much as the idea of a lengthy stay is ideal, I do have a country to run so I can’t drag out these things.” “Oh, yeah.” Luke is still struggling to comprehend his eldest brother’s life and title. Maybe he was being selfish, but all he really wanted was to sit down and just chat with him, like brothers do, right?
Liam smile, patting his younger brother’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, regardless of the continent I plan on being a good big brother.”
Luke looks away, cheeks blushing before he shakes off Liam’s hand, “I wasn’t worried.”
“Luke, where on earth have you been?” Jackson comes rushing out the front door, ruining the small moment between the brothers before his eyes land on Liam and he stops. “Liam.”
“Jackson, I think we have a lot to talk about.”
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lady-divine-writes · 3 years
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Kurtbastian Week 2020 - “War of the Roses” (Rated M)
Summary: Kurt suspects that his husband may be cheating on him. But instead of taking the mature route of talking with him, he calls up a radio talk show that has a unique way of uncovering the truth. (2236 words)
Notes: Inspired by a talk show I used to listen to by the same name. Written for the @kbweek2020 Day 5 prompt 'angst', but not quite as angsty as you might imagine.
Read on AO3.
“War, War, War, War of the Roses!”
The pre-recorded announcement, surrounded by loud fanfare, blares through Kurt’s phone. He moves it away from his ear before the d.j. follows with: “It’s War of the Roses day on Magic 92.5! Hop on the website, send us a text, or call and leave us a message, and you, too, may be featured on War of the Roses! Today, we have Kurt on the line, ready to share the troubling story of him and his husband Sebastian. Kurt - thank you for joining us.”
“Th-thank you for having me,” Kurt replies, hating the way his voice sounds, the way it rattles around his dry throat. Hating what he’s doing. Hating that he gave the show their real names! What an imbecile he is! People he knows listen to this show! His boss Isabelle listens to this show! She must be listening now because he hears a beep over the line - a sign that another call is trying to wedge its way in. When he doesn’t answer it, it disconnects with a chunky bwap-bwap! A second later, messages start flooding his email, which he left open on the laptop in front of him. And not just from Isabelle. From Rachel, Mercedes, Santana, Brittany, Chase …
Kurt lifts a hand and closes the lid, shutting them out.
Oh boy. 
He’s only been on the phone for 30 seconds and he’s already made a mess of things.
“Kurt,” the d.j. says, “why don’t you start by telling us why you contacted us? How can we help you?”
Kurt sighs. I contacted you because I’m stupid, he thinks. And insecure. And, frankly, I should hang up right now and put my phone in the freezer for safekeeping before I do anything else stupid. “I … I think my husband might be cheating on me.”
Canned ooo’ing follows his admission, and if he didn’t regret this decision before, he certainly regrets it now. He can’t stand the idea that they’re using this situation that’s been keeping him up at night as the punchline of a joke. But he can’t blame them. He did this. There are other ways to go about this that he should have considered first. Counseling. Private investigators. Honest and open communication with his spouse. But for some reason, when his husband got up early and left for work without waking Kurt for a goodbye kiss for the eighth day in a row, Kurt broke. If his marriage isn’t working, if they’re headed for Splitsville, Kurt needs to know today. 
Now.
Sooner, if possible.
And that’s when he leaped for his cell phone and made this ill-advised call.
Kurt didn’t think there was anything wrong with his marriage. He thought they were happy – blissfully so. But for the past few days, things have gotten odd between them. Strained. And Kurt doesn’t know why. He needs to find out.
Lucky for him (depending on how you look at it), the radio program had a last-minute cancellation. The person who was scheduled to be on this morning decided to take matters into their own hands and run their unfaithful spouse over with a Cadillac.
A Cadillac that wasn’t theirs to begin with.
The station called him practically a second after he got off the phone with their answering machine.
“And why do you think your husband might be cheating on you?” the female co-host asks in a voice sympathetic from years of practice.
“Well … he’s been avoiding me.” Kurt winces at that weak excuse. To be fair, Sebastian’s firm recently landed a huge client - their first of this caliber in years. And since one of his partners is out on maternity leave, the job of wining and dining had fallen on Sebastian’s shoulders - a task he hasn’t performed in close to a decade; one he never liked much, especially after he and Kurt got married since it kept him away from home. “But on top of that,” he says, leaving that pertinent information out, “he’s been talking a lot about some guy named Martin.”
“Really?” the d.j. says, working hard to make this revelation sound like the scandal of the century since Kurt isn’t giving them much to work with. “And what has he been saying about Martin?”
“He’s been very complimentary about the job Martin has been doing down at the office.” Another wince. “A-and my husband isn’t normally the kind to hand out compliments. Plus, they’ve been working a lot of late nights - meetings, overtime, all last minute, that sort of thing.”
“Do you think Martin is doing something other than working that your husband might actually be complimenting him on?”
“Maybe,” Kurt says meekly, his heart going from ache to break. He hadn’t put those thoughts into words before today, hadn’t even texted them to his closest confidants now crowding his inbox. This is the first time he’s getting it off his chest … and he’s doing it to millions of people he doesn’t know.
He can hear Sebastian's voice in his head, laughing and saying, "Smart, Kurt. Very smart."
“Alright! Let’s get Sebastian on the phone and find out what’s going on once and for all!”
“Okay,” Kurt mumbles, covering the fact that the host's apparent enthusiasm to destroy Kurt's life put him on the verge of throwing up.
“What we’re going to do (for those of you who don’t know how this works) is offer Sebastian a dozen romantic roses to send free of charge to the person of his choice," the d.j. explains. 
"Let’s hope he says Kurt,” his co-host adds.
“Yes,” Kurt says, and very unlike him, he begins to pray. 
He prays Sebastian doesn’t answer the phone.
He prays Sebastian's secretary answers instead and tells them to send the roses to Kurt, Sebastian’s one true love. Kurt would accept that, hearing it second hand. That would be fine. Hearing it from Sebastian's secretary would be almost like hearing it from Sebastian. She’s a trustworthy soul, not inclined to cover for her boss.
He thinks.
Most of all, he prays that no matter who answers, no matter what happens, he’s wrong.
Ring-ring.
Ring-ring.
Ring-ring.
Click.
“Hello?”
Sebastian answers and Kurt’s stomach drops. In the time it takes Sebastian to complete that word, Kurt recalls the way most of these things end. Then his mind, which rarely seems to be on his side lately, conjures up how it might end for them.
This phone call and their entire marriage.
“Let’s get a name for the card, Sebastian. Who would you like us to send those roses to?”
“Let’s send them to Martin,” Kurt imagines his husband saying in a sly, seductive voice without pause. 
“Martin? And what message would you like to go with it?”
“Make it out to Captain Flexible. And write ‘last night was incredible. Here’s to many more late nights in the future’.”
That nightmare spell shatters when Kurt hears the d.j. say his husband's name. “Sebastian?”
“Yes?” Sebastian answers, already sounding annoyed. No one who calls Sebastian’s office line ever calls him by his first name except family. 
And Kurt.
“Hello! My name is Andrew, and I’ve just opened a new flower shop in Uptown called The Rose Knows.”
“Good for you,” Sebastian says dryly.
“We’re calling businesses in the Midtown area with our first promotion. We’re offering a free dozen romantic roses to send to the person of your choice. And all we ask in return is that you recommend our shop to your family, your friends, your co-workers …”
“You must have the wrong number. I don’t need anything for free. Put an ad in the Pennysaver like everyone else.”
"I'm not sure the Pennysaver's still in business."
"Not my problem."
Kurt bites his lower lip, grinning when he should be in tears, the nervous flip-flopping of his stomach, like pancakes on a griddle, causing his abs to cramp. But that’s his husband. His Sebastian. 
So far, so good.
“Come on,” the d.j. presses. “We’re a small business, just starting out. Do a man a favor. Have some community spirit.”
Sebastian sighs like this is so beneath him. He stays quiet, and Kurt knows he’s debating between messing with this guy or hanging up on him. But Sebastian probably figures he’s not going to shake him until he gives in. Besides, Sebastian is nothing if not a networker. A flower shop would be of no use to him, but who knows? “Let’s see. Who in my life deserves free roses? My mom’s birthday is coming up, so maybe I could send them to her. Or my sister. She just had a baby.”
“Oh! Congrats!”
“A-ha,” Sebastian says, the amount of unimpressed in his tone staggering. “There’s Martin Lewis ...”
“Martin?” the d.j. repeats, stressing the name subtly to put emphasis on Kurt’s concerns.
He doesn’t need to. Kurt’s heart has already stopped.
“Yeah," Sebastian says, his voice going softer. "Roses would definitely brighten up his office.”
“And why does Martin deserve roses?”
“Not that it's any of your business, but he’s been busting his ass helping me put together a huge proposal. Plus, his wife's in the hospital. He could bring them over to her."
"O-oh ..." The d.j. slips. That's probably the last thing he expected to hear.
"Or you know what?” Sebastian's voice drops a register, a hint of wickedness lacing between. “I could send them to this guy I absolutely worship."
"Oh really?" The d.j. recovers, seeing things start to turn around. The hosts definitely root for a happy ending, but it's no surprise that angst makes their ratings soar.
The cringe-factor of someone confessing unaware to their infidelities. 
Their listeners eat that up.
"Yup. The most amazing, sexiest man on the face of the planet. The man with the biggest heart of any human being I have ever met. The man I call the Energizer Bunny because he can go all. night. long. The man I hope to spend the rest of my life with.” 
Kurt hiccups. His heart, a useless lump in his chest, lodges in his throat. 
“And who would that---?” But before the d.j. can interject with their usual spiel, Sebastian continues. 
“But I think he’s worth more than a bouquet I got for free from some lame-ass radio talk show. What do you think, Kurt?”
The line goes dead.
Kurt has been listening to this radio program religiously for close to seven years, and to his knowledge, this has never happened before - a caller called out by their s.o. But the d.j. is on it because he immediately plays an old school ‘wah-wah’ noise to show that Kurt has been caught.
“H-how did you know?” Kurt asks.
“Because I know you, Kurt,” Sebastian says. “I know the kinds of things you do when you panic, and you mostly panic when you feel like people you love are going to leave you.”
“Yeah?” Kurt sniffs, a tear rolling down his cheek. Adding to his list of things he hates, he hates that Sebastian knows him so well. “And what do I do?”
“You kind of go off the deep end.” Sebastian chuckles, lighthearted and anxious, reminiscent of the night he asked Kurt to be his for the first time. “And I understand why. I’m sorry I’ve been distant lately. And I’m sorry about the late hours. I’ve just been caught up at work. I swear that’s all. But Kurt … can we talk about this when I get home? So I can look at you, in your eyes, and tell you that there’s no way in heaven or earth I would ever cheat on you? It took me a long time to win you over. There’s nothing that could persuade me to give you up, not for anyone.”
More sound effects - an awww followed by applause - play in the background as the d.j. and his co-host attempt to maintain control of the show.
“So … you don’t hate me?” Kurt asks.
“For which offense? Doubting me, my loyalty, and my love for you? Or airing our dirty laundry on the radio?”
“Uh …” Kurt awkwardly clears his throat. “All of the above?”
Sebastian sighs again. He sounds exhausted, but also like he can’t wait to get home and give Kurt a good ribbing. “Yes, babe. I forgive you.”
“Thanks. And I’m sorry about all this.”
“Apology accepted. I mean, what’re a few tawdry secrets among friends? Strangers? The barista down at Starbucks? My clients?”
“When should I expect you home?” Kurt rushes to cut him off, feeling more like a heel than he had before. “I know you have another big meeting and …”
“I’ll be home in about an hour. Wait … make that an hour and ten. I’m going to stop by a real flower shop and get you some roses. I think you’re overdue.”
“Really?” Kurt says, so astounded, so touched, he doesn’t hear the cheesy music the d.j. has started playing in the background.
“Yes, really. And Kurt?”
“Yes?”
“Be naked when I get there,” Sebastian growls.
The music stops, skidding to a halt with the sound of a record scratching. “Guys … uh … you’re still on the air.”
“Sorry not sorry there, champ,” Sebastian says and hangs up the call.
So does Kurt, shoving his phone in the freezer before the station tries to call back for a recap.
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ikemen-bully · 4 years
Text
The Heroine’s Importance
I already posted this on my main blog but now that I have blog exclusively for otome game I rather keep it there.
Back then when Utapri and Hakuouki were the notorious reverse harems of their time, their heroines were as hated as the anime was loved. A weird phenomenon since they’re… the heroine of those shows.
Haruka Nanami was even the driving force of the show. In Utapri, which was an anime about music, she was the one with the idea that the boys should come together and become idols. She’s the reason why STARISH exists in the first place.
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For Hakuouki, the case was a bit different. It was a historic anime where the warriors of the Shinsengumi were changed into bishonen (a bit in the similar fashion that Ikemen Sengoku is today) and even if it followed some real events, a plot about human experimentation and oni was also included.
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In this story Chizuru Yukimura wasn’t the responsible of the Shinsengumi, but we could see the story through her eyes and assisted the evolution of the story through her.
Both did their job as the heroine. The story was enjoyable.
To me it was weird to try to dissociate the quality the anime with the quality of their heroine. If the heroine was this awful, how her presence didn’t ruin the anime for those who hated her?
Well obviously because of the boys, who were kind of the point of those anime. After all they were put forward, especially in Hakuouki, for a reason.
Still it was unfair to judge them so cruelly, so today in fandom, this behaviour is criticized.
Now we even get positivity for the heroine, such as putting them on an equal foot as the boys! Which is great!
But is it true?
I thought about doing this post because I thought of a short-lived trend in anime which revealed a certain behaviour in both the creators of those anime and their fandom.
“The heroine matter as much as the boys”
The anime which started this trend in my eyes was Amnesia.
In this story the heroine wakes up without her memories and her soul linked to a fairy, Orion, which collided with her and made her lose her memories this way.
It had an original concept, stunning visual, wonderful OST (an opening by Yanagi Nagi!), it looked mysterious and I was very curious about it.
To my dismay, the anime was boring to say the least. And it wasn’t because it was a reverse harem so it was to be expected. Utapri and Hakuouki had their flaws but they weren’t outright uninteresting.
The problem that was the most noticeable was the heroine which didn’t even have a name or a personality.
So as the anime can make you guess, the heroine has amnesia. She’s lost at the beginning of the anime, making this premise interesting. After all when a character has amnesia, one of the points of the story is to make them recover their memories.
Which means that the heroine will be a very important character, even more since everything is from her POV! Right? Right?
The heroine doesn’t evolve throughout the story. She’s merely there for the boys to be in love with her past self, the one before she had amnesia and even if she cares for them (as a heroine always has to do) she doesn’t really love any and just adapts to the one she’s supposed to love in the animated route.
I can’t say that the heroine of Amnesia is badly written since she’s barely written at all. She’s there to support the boys and forgive anything which happens to her. For example being harassed or get sequestrated in a cage :
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Even in this situation where the love interest keep her in a cage, she care more about how much he does that to “protect her” :
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.Except to protect herself from direct danger (and even like this she needs Orion to tell her to be careful because she can’t think for herself), she doesn’t care about her own well being as much as a normal human being would.
Brothers conflict have a simpler plot where the heroine’s father marries a woman who has 13 sons, making her their only step sister.
Different conflict with the brothers will arise and it’s already challenging to try to develop the characters when there’s 13 of them. With only 12 episodes, not all of them will fall in love with Ema? the heroine, but enough of them will, to make it as confusing as possible.
In this anime we meet the same kind of heroine as Amnesia, where the heroine doesn’t have much personality for herself. Or at least, the only noticeable personality traits of Ema is to love having a family which she will repeat at any given opportunity.
I really hated the guys in this anime for how egotistical they were as soon as they fall in love. Once again the heroine doesn’t crush on anyone, making them all forceful toward her.
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Despite this, the heroine would somewhat express that she doesn’t want her relationship with them to turn romantic.
If anything the heroine’s main presence will be about how uncomfortable she is that her brothers try to seduce her.
But again, what matters the most is that they love her, not that she doesn’t return those feelings back and she even gets depressed over it :
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A revelation is made about the heroine which will make her depressed about the whole situation, especially that her brothers fight over her.
But it won’t be used to develop her as a character or to make them aware of it. It’ll be used for a romantic moment with one of her love interest, who will kiss her even if he know how much it disturb her :
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The heroine is kissed multiple times by attractive guys yes, but who she doesn’t love and explicitly rejects at the end of the anime.
And even if she gets kissed, the heroine is just worried about the situation of the family, not how herself is treated by them. She never says, “what about me? Why are you kissing me when all I want is for you to stop?” or anything similar. She cares about them more than she cares about herself.
And even though she’s supposedly uncomfortable by their behaviour, she doesn’t seem like that most of the time, just enthusiastic about having a family as usual.
At the end of the anime, a lot of people were upset that the heroine didn’t choose anyone. Why would she have to when we see how the guys act?
The behaviour of the boys
A thing that we can notice in all of this is that sometimes, the guys can be really awful to the heroine but as she doesn’t care about herself, she won’t hold any mistreatment toward her person against any of them. For example at the end of brothers conflict even when she reject one of the guys, “no” doesnt mean “no”.
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But why are they authorized to be egoistic and possessive without any consequences? In brothers conflict, one of the guys even tries to rape her in her sleep and blame her for that :
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But again despite this, I’ve never seen hate against this character, while, like it always happen, a lot of hatred is directed to Ema.
The guys are never hated for their actions because everything they do is depicted as being romantic (even if it definitely aren’t like the scene above) and it’s motivated by their love or their pain anyway.
“Love make them go crazy” because, after all, they can’t help it, they love the heroine so much that some accidents are bound to happen, like trying to undress her in her sleep or keeping her in a cage for her own good :
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It’s just an accident! They can’t help it!
But sometime it can perfectly be a conscious choice but again, not shown as being cruel.
The last anime which has this tendency to not develop their main character at all was Diabolik Lovers, where Yui Komori gets stuck with 6 sadistic vampire who abuse her daily.
We enter in the kink theory here, and being masochist and finding the idea of bitten hot isn’t a problem. The problem is that in the story, Yui is blocked in this place and she obviously doesn’t enjoy to be the playthings of those men :
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Each time she is bitten she expresses that she wants it to stop. But they don’t care. Because in Diabolik Lovers, Yui isn’t their love interest but their prey.
Again we have the same problem as the other heroines where she has no real personality beside caring about the boys above herself. In this case it’s even worse because the guys are predators who will hurt Yui without any second thoughts, but she acts like they are acquaintances . Despite all the abuse she goes through at their hands she goes to them to casually start a discussion which will always end up with her being abused :
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The last time she interacted with him let’s see what happened :
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Once again there’s a priorities on her interacting with the boys rather than making her behavior have any sense.
What is weird with this anime, in particular, is how much the heroine is blamed for not fighting back…while she can’t. They overpower her anyway.
But the guys aren’t hated for acting this way in the first place. Isn’t it odd? Yui is victim blamed and even if she suffers, we’re never shown the real impact that such daily abuse would have on her. She even worries about them at the littlest injury they can have :
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While they’re the one hurting her :
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Or if they ever care about her wound it’s because someone else did it to her and they feel entitled to her body, so they want to fight the other person :
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Despite the statement that they’re equal, in anime such as these it’s not the case because the guys are given excuses for their bad behavior, while the heroine has to deal with it and put them above herself.
Still, they’re supposed to be equal so despite everything the heroine can end up to be liked… but in this context it is weird.
In the case of Yui who cares about her abuser no matter what, she gets praised for caring about the guys :
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She cares about them without real explanation because all the interaction with her in the anime lead to abuse at some point. It can be the Stockholm Syndrome but it’s not depicted as anything else other than your usual heroine caring about the people around her, even if they abuse her.
As such, people tend to praise her for what she’s designed to do : putting them above her.
She even gets shipped with those who torment her and the self destructive attitude she has to help them no matter how much they hurt her is glorified.
If she is loved, if she matters, why should she be paired with those who hurt her the most?
They don’t lash out to her because they’re upset, it’s a behaviour that they consciously do like above with the cage. You can’t possibly “accidentally” put someone in a cage because you’re “protective”.
But at the end even if the heroine “matters as much as the boys” there’s a priority on them being healed by her rather than her own well being. Even if Yui gets traumatized, it doesn’t matter as much as the trauma of the guys and her neglecting herself for one of her abusers who won’t even care about her happiness, since all they want is to have her.
In the same way, it doesn’t matter that the heroine of Amnesia has been drugged and kept in a cage : Toma, the love interest, does it for her own good since she’s getting harassed and we have to be sad about how much he becomes insane for her sake. We shouldn’t worry how horrific the situation is for the heroine but try to understand him.
For Ema, we have to care about how much the guys have fallen for her and how much it puts a toll on them that she doesn’t reply to those feelings. It doesn’t matter that she shown no desire to be with any of them since the beginning, even when she finally rejects them, they can kiss her because they matter the most.
And in fandom space, her importance is still limited to her catering to the boys, and even if it’s supposed to be mutual love, they never care about her feelings to the point of respecting her.
It doesn’t matter what they do to her, she has to care for them despite anything. Those heroines are written as such, and the fandom accepts them this way too.
She doesn’t matter as much as they do, because if she was, her feelings would matter and she wouldn’t be written as being “caring” at the expense of herself.
You can say that since she’s the heroine, it’s normal that she cares about the boys, since the point of reverse harem is to have attractive boys first. And I would agree with that if it wasn’t so exaggerated.
Now not all reverse harems are written this way. There’s actually reverse harems where the heroine matters as much as the guys.
For example in Dance with Devils, Ritsuka, the heroine, constantly searches to know the truth which is hidden from her. It can seem foolish since it mostly puts her in danger though.
But to this, she also get rightly upset when one of the guys try to seduce her and something literally inexistent in reverse harem, she can even slap him for his misconduct! :
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She can even get depressed about how manipulated she ends up to be. For this reason, she end up lashing out at one of the guys :
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Her emotions matter and you have to remember that Dance with Devils was out around the same time than the second season of Diabolik Lovers :
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The heroine of the anime above never had the right to be sad about their situation, their feelings weren’t pushed forward. They have no right to be sad or upset, just kind and caring and nothing else.
At the end of the anime, Ritsuka even received hate for the choice because it was about herself, not about her love interest.
Amnesia, Brothers Conflict and Diabolik Lovers heroine’s exist only to care for the boys while at least the ones of Dance with Devils exist to have the guys attracted to her but also to pursue her own goals.
As such, it’s a mistake to say that all the heroines matter as much as the boys because it can be factually wrong in the way they’ve been created.
I don’t like that the heroines are automatically hated for being the heroine, but I don’t think it’s fair to praise them just for this reasons either.
They all have been written with different level of writing and for differents purpose, one of them being only there for the guys and not the other way around.  For this reason, they should be judged differently, and people should accept that others will not like all of them.
Reverse Harem heroines are all different because the anime they are in have been done with different sake in mind. Reverse harem are like any other type of anime : with good and bad anime, good and bad protagonist.
And it would be better to accept this diversity than trying to frame all the heroine as the same.
Hopefully now the heroine’s tend to not be written that way anymore and tend to matter as much as the guys in the anime too.
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Text
Here
Hey guys, so I am really sorry for the sad stories so far but Coronacation is doing a toll on my mental health so… If ya want something different, request it!
Warning: SELF HARM
Word count: 2480 words (The longest thing i’ve ever fricken written in my life!)
You looked down at your hand, seeing it covered in red. So were your forearms, shoulders, collarbone, and thighs. You placed the blood tinted blade down on your bathroom counter and turned your attention to your mirror. Your hair was matted and greasy, your eyes were a dull shade of (eye color), your smile that was always hiding your feelings gone. You had reduced yourself to who you truly were. A person who had no healthy way of coping with the anxiety and depression they had. You continued to stare at your reflection for a few more minutes until you heard your phone ring. It was the BAU alerting you that you had a new case. 
You sighed and jumped into the shower for the first time in a week and washed clean of dried blood. You wore a pair of black jeans, a tank top, a big hoodie, and a pair of converse. You threw your hair up into a messy bun, grabbed your go-bag, and went on your way to meet the rest of the team.
You got into the elevator from the parking garage at the same time as Hotch, your boss and best friend, which was the last thing you wanted right now. “I thought you were sick. Are you feeling better?” He asked
“Oh, yeah. I feel fine now, thanks for asking.” You laughed as you messed with the hood of your hoodie, making sure that your cuts were covered.
Hotch noticed your odd behavior but made no comment on it. You rushed out of the elevator and directly to the conference room in an attempt to stay out of view as long as possible. Everyone gathered in the room and the meeting started. You didn’t pay attention, you could barely look at your team without wanting to run out of the room and back to your prison of comfort. You felt so inferior to your team. They were all so professional and quick on their feet. They were all so confident and you saw yourself as the opposite. You saw yourself as a burden to the team, that they’d be better off without you.
“Hey Y/N, let’s go. Hotch said Wheels up in 20, Babygirl.” Morgan mumbled as you felt him rub your shoulder. You winced and pulled away from his touch. You knew that had definitely confused him since you normally returned his physical affections with some of your own. You both walked out of the room to get ready for the trip out to Jacksonville, Florida.
~Time Skippies~
You had finally caught the Unsub. Although it was surprisingly early in the morning when you did so you had the rest of the day in Florida, in summer, to hang out. And of course, JJ, Prentiss, and Morgan got everyone to decide on going to the beach. You knew that you were screwed whether you went to the beach or stayed at the hotel.
(You chose to go to the beach)
You sighed as you pulled on your swimsuit and thought of ways that you could hide the cuts on your shoulders and thighs but to no avail. You looked through our go bag one more time and decided to pull on a pair of shorts that were barely long enough to cover your cuts and scars and pulled a lightweight hoodie over your torso. “Come on, Y/N! Let’s go!” Yelled an excited Garcia as the bathroom door was pushed open. 
You smiled, grabbed your (bag of choice), and headed out with the ret of the team to the beach. When you finally found a spot to set up everyone laid their towels down and split up to do their own things. You decided to stay near everyone’s things and watch the ocean. After a few minutes you started looking through your bag for your phone and earbuds so you could listen to music but to no avail. You don’t know why exactly but this small little inconvenience set you off. 
You started hyperventilating and you felt tears sting your eyes. On top of that you were growing increasingly hot by the minute. “Miss, are you okay?” Asked a small voice. You looked up to see a little girl staring at you. You let out a breathy laugh and smiled.
“Oh, I’m just a little sad. Nothing for you to worry about.”
“Well i know that going in the water makes me happy. Maybe it will make you happy too!” She bounced excitedly when you agreed to go into the water and play with her. But you failed to see Hotch coming back to your area with food in hand before taking off the hoodie and shorts you were using as a cover up.
You had barely gotten into the cool water and the little girl was already splashing you with water. You continued your water fight for about 15 minutes before her parents called her out of the water. You turned around to head back to your things but noticed that your boss was sitting on his towel next to yours waiting for you. Your anxiety came back and told you to turn around and stay in the water but you had already made eye contact with Hotch who was motioning for you to come back to the team’s spot.
You tried your best to get your shorts and hoodie on without Hotch seeing your cuts and scars and you thought it worked but you realized you were sorely mistaken when you sat down. “Take your hoodie off. You can’t hide them forever, Y/N” Hotch sighed. You looked to him with wide eyes.
“Hotch, I-I don’t know what you mean?”
“You don’t have to be afraid alright? Just let me see, please.”
Your eyes watered as you weakly pulled the hoodie over your head and off of your arms.Hotch looked at your defeated form as you slumped down and turned away from his gaze. You sat in tears and he just stared at you. No words spoken, no way of knowing what he was thinking. It was terrifying and you just wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep for a few weeks or for as long as it takes to get rid of the ever present tiredness you’ve felt for so long. “Hey, look at me. I’m not mad or disappointed. I just wanna help you.” Hotch soothed as he gently rubbed up and down your arm. You anxiously met his gaze with your own to find the most caring eyes that you have seen in months. He opened his arms wide and you gladly accepted his embrace. 
You felt safe in his arms but you had never told him that. You didn’t want to mess up the relationship that the both of you had already. So you enjoyed the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around you for as long as you could. 
Sadly that came to an end when the team came back without warning. You were mortified to say the least, having your scars on display for your misfit family’s viewing pleasure. Penelope was the first to say something. “Oh, Sugar! Those look so painful. Let me help you.” She gasped as she entered Mom mode. She grabbed a bottle of lotion from her bag and started applying it to your cuts. Spencer and JJ started asking if you were seeing a therapist or if there was any way that they could help you, which you brushed away with an “I’m fine” Even though you know that excuse wouldn’t work anymore. Morgan looked at you with sad eyes but said nothing and Prentiss was hugging your side. Hotch was on your other side, just holding your hand.
On the jet, everyone fell asleep except for you. You felt so guilty for worrying the team that you were trying to hide in your hoodie and just calm yourself from today’s events. Hotch walked into the cabin and slid into the booth beside you. “Hey, come here. Let me hug you.” He mumbled as he pulled your body into his side. You ended up with Hotch sitting in the window seat and you on his lap, legs extended to the neighboring seat. “You know I love you, right? You can always come to me. I wish you felt safe confiding in me. I wish I could cuddle all the bad thoughts out of you but I can’t. At least not yet. What I’m meaning to say is that I have feelings for you.” 
You moved your head to look at his face. You smiled and nuzzled your face back into the crook of his neck. “I have feelings for you too, Aaron.” You fell asleep as he kissed the top of your head, safe in his arms.
(You stayed at the Hotel)
“Please come with us?” Whined Garcia as she sat at the foot of your hotel bed. You giggled and set your book down. 
“Sorry Technology Goddess, but I would rather stay in an air conditioned room with a good book than get a sunburn and be sweaty on the jet home. Thanks for the offer though.” The group of girls sighed but honored your wish and went to the beach without you. After a few chapters of reading even the air cooler was struggling to keep you cool so you decided to switch into a loose tank top and a pair of shorts.
You eventually got bored of reading so you put your headphones in and listened to (Podcast/Music/other media) with your eyes closed. Unfortunately you thought that everyone left the hotel with the girls but in reality Hotch stayed back at the hotel as well. Therefore you left yourself unguarded from unwanted eyes. You jumped when you heard the door open.
“Hey, Y/N. I was wondering if you wanted to go get something to eat with the team?” Hotch said as he turned around to close the door. You quickly hid yourself with the bed comforter and tried to calm your heart beat. Hotch looked a little confused but walked over to you. “I know you’re awake, come on. Don’t make me drag you off the bed.” He laughed as you pulled the comforter tighter around yourself. 
“Go away Hotch, I’m not hungry.”
In one sharp tug, you felt the cold air hit your skin as Hotch stood with your makeshift shield in hand. You felt the burn of his gaze on your body as you tugged at your clothes, trying to cover your cuts and scars as much as possible. You didn’t even realize the bed dip next to you until you felt Hotch’s arm wrap around you. You desperately pulled at your clothes as Hotch pulled you back to lean against him. He himself had propped himself up on the pillows and headboard. “Hey, hey, stop. It’s alright. You're with me. You’re safe.” Hotch soothed as you curled into his side.
You pushed away from him but he held you tighter. You fought for a few minutes but eventually gave up. You looked down in a last ditch effort to not talk about the elephant in the room. You felt tears run down your face as hotch pulled you closer to him, doing his best to comfort you. It felt nice to just sit with him and cuddle in silence. But the silence came to an end when hotch shifted in his position. He moved you in between his legs with your back resting on his chest. “Why didn’t you tell anyone? Why didn’t you tell me? We could have helped you.” Hotch asked, voice wavering. 
You felt a tear drop on your shoulder as he pulled the blanket back around the both of you. “I was ashamed, Hotch. I’m responsible for so many lives but I can’t seem to get mine under control. I feel like everything is more than I can handle. That’s why I've been gone for a week. I was sitting alone in my apartment just feeling sorry for myself. Everyone on this team is amazing and has a role to play in our family of misfits but I don’t know where I fit, Hotch.” Your walls began to crack and cave under your boss’s gaze. Hotch’s arms grew tighter around you and you turned so you were hugging him.
He kissed the top of your head. “You are the member who keeps this family going when there are no strands of hope to grasp. You become a mother when you need to, a best friend, a shoulder to cry on, someone to call at 3 AM when the job gets too much. Y/N, You are the heart of this team when we want to stop beating.” Hotch murmurs into your hair. Eventually you both end up cuddling in the blanket cocoon that you made. 
About a half hour later, both of you were sleeping peacefully but a sharp knock on the door broke you out of your trance. You whined and pushed yourself into Hotch. The door opened to reveal the whole team with take-out bags filled with food. “So that’s why you didn’t answer your phones.” Rossi stated as everyone else filed into the room. Hotch sat up and looked at you. 
“Do you want me to grab your hoodie?” He whispered. You turned to face the group nodding your head. But before you could get your hoodie on Garcia saw a few scars and cuts from an uncovered shoulder. 
She gasped and walked over to you. “Come here, Gorgeous.” You went to protest but that was cut short when you were yanked off of the bed to reveal the rest of your cuts. The team looked over your shaking form with concerned eyes. Garcia sat you on the desk chair in the room and started rubbing lotion on your cuts, making them feel better instantly. Spencer started asking you if you were seeking help and if you needed help finding a professional. JJ and Emily went through your bag grabbing you a new hoodie and not so secretly confiscating anything that could be used as a self-harm tool. Derek was knelt in front of you, wrapping your cuts with bandages and muttering about how they should have noticed. Rossi was sorting out food and pouring people drinks so that you weren’t overcrowded. 
Once everything calmed down, everyone was hanging out in your hotel room watching daytime television shows and eating. You were in between Hotch and Derek on one of the beds. “Hey, babygirl. You know you can talk to us right? We are your family.” Derek commented as he kissed the side of your head. Hotch quickly wrapped an arm around you and pulled you into his side out of jealousy. You smiled to yourself. “I do now.”
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geminifeed1 · 3 years
Text
Revival (M)
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Warnings: Language. 
angst. 
Pairing: Changkyun x reader.
WC: 1K
Author’s note: Finally! I’ve been struggling to choose how i should end it. I had multiple endings in my head but i decided to go with this one. This is the hardest part I’ve written because i wasn’t sure how i should go with it.
_______________________
Part1 / Part2 / Part3 / Part4 / Part5 / Part6   (Complete) 
“What are doing here? You got some nerve showing up again..” 
“I just need to talk to you.” 
“There’s nothing to be said. Even if there was, you lost the right 2 years ago. You can leave now.” 
“There was a lot i wanted to say to you. I just...” 
"your silence said more than enough"
“I wanted to come and see you, to tell you how sorry i am for all the hell i’ve put you through.” 
“You give yourself too much credit.” 
He smiled.. That damn smile.. “I missed your snarkiness.... i missed you.” 
“Stop it Changkyun...” 
“I did. I missed you more than i've ever missed anything before.“ 
I’m just looking at him.. i know i must look ice cold to him but.. i’m breaking inside.. i hate that he still have effect on me.. i took a deep breath.. i don’t know how i should feel or react. I wanted to hear that so badly, but.. it’s too late now. 
“Will you please just hear me out? i know i don’t Deserve it....” 
“You’re damn right about that.”
“..I know if i don’t, i’m gonna regret it for the rest of my life.”
“As you should.” 
He smiled and looked down at floor then back at me.. “so.. can i come in please? You don’t have to say anything, just listen.” 
Don’t give in don’t give in, close the door now “UGH!.. fine..” must be that smile goddamn it.. I open the door wider for him to come in. “Five minutes counting now.” 
He walked in slowly, as if he was unsure what to do or say, his mind is everywhere and i can tell that he’s nervous. He sat down gathering his thoughts. and i sat on the opposite couch. I can see my friends peeking their heads from my bedroom.. my gosh.. i tried to keep straight face.. thank god his back was toward them.. 
“I know that what i’m about to say isn’t an excuse for what i did but.. i’m gonna say it anyway because i owe it to you. when you first came into my life and we started seeing each other, i wasn’t really planning to fall for you, i’m not a one-girl type of guy, i don’t get feelings by choice. But that night i saw you in Jooheon’s studio.. i didn’t know what’s gotten into me, i couldn’t bear the thought of you with someone else, and i hated it.. i hated that i was changing.. i hated that you became my first thought in the morning.. I hated that while working and doing the only thing i love, i was thinking when can i run home to you. not being able to see and touch you while i was away drove me insane, it scared me. i’ve never felt this way before. i thought i was going crazy ” 
“Thats a lot of hate.” 
“It is! such a dark life i was living right?” giving me a little smile.. he’s trying not to cry.. i don’t think i’ve ever seen Changkyun cry... “I didn’t see the light that was in front of me like the idiot i am.... the fact that i was careless with your feelings and i could see how bad it hurt you, made me feel like shit. I hated that every moment i say or do something that hurts you, i think to myself that i didn’t deserve to be with you because you deserve someone better, can you believe it, me Changkyun, thinking there’s someone better than me!.. but that night when you told me.. how you felt i...  i panicked.. i knew i needed to let you go your own way, and i knew you wouldn’t let go just like that, you’d find a way to fix us, like you always do.. god i was so stupid.. the only thing i could think of to hurt you to the point where you wouldn't look back was Ji.....”
"Don’t say her name!” I didn’t realize i was tearing up until i felt a tear going down my cheek.. i wiped it off with my hand.. “You were never mine anyway. Not really"
He sighed "..I hate that it took me losing you to realize how madly in love i was with you.. When i saw you last night, laughing and smiling with your friends.. reminding me of what i lost.. we didn’t need words to speak, we just looked at each other and smiled.. it kills me now that i'm not the reason behind that smile anymore.” 
"..you had it all. you had it all and you dumbed it in the first trash like it was nothing"
"I know.. I fucked up y/n.."
"You could've had a chance you know.. in the two years you didn't reach out to beg for my forgiveness.. i was half out of my mind with love that i would've giving it to you." wiping more tears.
“I was a coward. And i’m sorry, for everything, for treating you like property when you deserve so much more. I’m sorry for lying about my feelings when i knew exactly how i felt about you. I’m sorry for... well, being a dick. If i didn’t fucked up that night...”
“Maybe everything would be different... but its not.” 
“...even if you never look my way again, i’ll never love anyone else the way i love you.”
I didn’t expect the thing that i was desperately wanting to hear would hurt this much.. it too late now.. everything is different now.. even me.. when i look back at what we were it pains me.. but what’s the point of looking back now. Two years ago i may have chosen him.. but i’m choosing myself this time. 
 “Well, I don’t love you anymore.. but thank you, for giving me that closure i was waiting for. Took long enough.” 
When we reached the door, before he left i asked what i was curious about ever since he told me..
“Wait.. the first night we met, at my birthday.. the blue peonies, you said it means something..” 
“It wasn’t our first time meeting each other you know..”
“What do you mean?” 
“I met you a while back before your birthday, we talked for a bit and i think i asked you if i can see you again, but you said “If you’re lucky” and left without looking back. So when i saw you at a party talking with Jooheony i thought that maybe i was really lucky.. what are the odds.. then i asked him to bring me with him to your birthday, but i was disappointed when you didn’t remember me. Blue peonies represent luck. I thought i was being smart.” He grinned at me. 
“But not smart enough.” I grinned back.
“You’re right, a smart man wouldn’t make my mistake. A smart man would’ve known better. Goodbye y/n, i really was lucky that i met you. and i wish you a very lucky and happy life. The happiest.”  
He smiled at me one last time before turning his back to me.. I can tell that he was holding his tears back, I watch him walk away, i know he’s crying now and i’m crying too..  and as i close the door, it hit me.. i’m not just closing the door of my apartment but also the door of the last chapter in our story.. i felt it all at once. Sadness and hurt but also thankful.. I can’t stop crying.. the scar on my heart never healed like i thought it did.. all these flowers that were dead inside of me started to revive again...
 Oh my god.. i still love him...
________________________
The End.
AN : I think i’m gonna end it here, i hope everyone enjoyed the ride. And i apologize for any mistakes or warnings i should've included. This was my first fanfic. I worked hard on it. Let me know all your thoughts, and see you on the next one.
Jaxness.
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quietpoeticheart · 4 years
Text
Fluffy
Summary: After weeks of noticing changes in Bucky, Eden, his girlfriend finally gets to the root of his new behavior and tries to fix it before it damages him permanently.
Paring: Chubby Bucky Barnes x Black! OC
Word Count: 2250
Warnings: Low self esteem, slight eating disorder (I'm not sure what to call it), lots and lots of fluff, lots of feelings
A/N: I've never written a chubby Bucky fic before but I had the idea and it wouldn't leave so now we have this. It really wasn't supposed to be this long but I ended up loving Eden and Bucky so much that it ended up being longer than anticipated but I'm not complaining cause its cute and I'm a such a sucker for soft Bucky Enjoy!!!!!
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Recently, Eden had noticed a concerning change in Bucky's behavior. It had started three weeks ago. The first change had been his clothes, when they were going out for a walk.
"Buck, are you ready?" Eden called. They were supposed to leave over half an hour ago but Bucky was taking forever to get ready.
"I'm coming now doll." Bucky yelled. When he exited their bedroom and entered the living room, Eden looked him up and down quizzically, raising her eyebrows. He was wearing a thick oversized sweater with a bulky jacket over it.
"Babe, are you sure that's what you wanna wear?" Eden was taken aback by his outfit choice, it was July for Christ's sake
Bucky nodded.
"Buck, its sweltering outside. It's the middle of summer, why don't you take off the jacket?"
"I'm fine with what I'm wearing Edie. Let's just go." Bucky insisted. Eden sighed and resigned the matter, thinking that he was simply feeling more self conscious than usual about his arm.
The next incident had been when they'd gone to the beach.
"Buck, are you coming in the water?"
Bucky had lowered his sunglasses to look at her and shook his head "I think I'll stay here and watch you, if you don't mind."
Eden frowned at him. Of course she minded, he'd been the one to suggest going to the beach to combat the heatwave that'd been sweeping New York. She'd pulled out her new yellow bikini that made her brown skin pop even more, taken out her wig and left her natural hair loose and driven here only for him to change his mind.
"James, you made us come here and now you don't want to go swim. You know what? I'll go by myself since it's clearly too much to ask of you."
Eden turned away from him and stalked down the sand towards the sea. She wasn't going to do this. When she was halfway there, she heard Bucky's voice.
"Edie wait." He was jogging to catch up with her. "I'll come with you."
She rolled her eyes and kept walking. Bucky grabbed her arm and pulled her into him for a kiss. Turning her head away, she frowned at him again.
"I'm still mad at you."
"I know doll, how about I get you ice cream later to make up for it?"
She tip toed to meet his height and pressed a kiss to his lips, "Deal, now let's go."
Bucky wrapped his hand in hers and began walking again.
Eden looked at him, "Aren't you going to take off your shirt?"
"Nope." He said. It struck her as odd but she didn't question it. The beach was crowded and she assumed he didn't want people to see his scars which was understandable.
The next change that took place was the one that raised the most concern, a change in his eating habits.
They'd gone out for dinner that night at their favorite restaurant. When the waiter came to take your orders, Bucky said, "I'll have the Ceasar salad."
This was alarming, James Buchanan Barnes was not the kind of man that ordered salads as a meal.
"A salad babe?" She asked, trying to make sense of what was going on.
"Oh, yeah, I'm not too hungry tonight I guess." Bucky mumbled.
"Are you sure? We can always change your order." Eden pressed. She knew her boyfriend well enough to know that a salad was never gonna satisfy him.
"Eden, doll, I'm fine."
She didn't want to push the matter to upset him so she left it alone.
This change worsened over the next couple of weeks going from him eating salads and fruit to him skipping meals entirely. She had to admit, the multitude of excuses he could come up with was impressive.
"Y/N, I'm not hungry."
"I ate before I came home."
"I have work to do, I'll eat later."
"I'll eat at work."
"I grabbed food with the boys earlier."
After that, came refusing to take pictures with you.
There was this French inspired teashop that had recently opened that she'd been begging Bucky to carry her to and eventually he'd caved.
While you where there, she decided that she'd take a few pictures for Instagram.
"Hey Buck." Eden called
"Yeah Edie?"
"You wanna take pictures with me for Instagram?"
"I don't think so baby." Bucky shook his head, his hair flying in his face.
She expected him to say yes, he loved taking pictures with her. All over their apartment was littered with various Polaroids and framed images of you two over the course of their relationship. He'd never said no before and she were astonished.
"But why baby?" Eden pouted prettily at him, hoping it'd change his mind.
"I just don't want to today."
"Is it because you think I don't look pretty?" She had to admit to yourself that this was a new low, trying to guilt trip him by jumping to conclusions but she were desperate to know why all of a sudden the majority of his mannerisms had changed.
Bucky was absolutely bewildered by your response.
"Eden doll, you look stunning, I just don't want any pictures."
Well, you did look good and weren't going to pass up an opportunity to get good pictures so you let it go
"Fine, but you're gonna take pictures of me then."
Then there was tonight.
"Bucky!" Eden called, her stilettos clacking noisily on the marble tiles, "Hurry up, we're gonna be late."
"Eden, I'm feeling sick, just go without me." He called back from your bedroom.
At this point, she was frustrated. This was an important charity event that the company she worked for was hosting and even though Bucky hated those events, he'd agreed to come but now was suddenly too sick to attend.
She'd had enough of his weird behavior the past few weeks and she was going to give him a piece of her mind.
She walked into the room prepared to tell him off, but what she saw wasn't what was expected.
Bucky was sitting on your bed, tie in his hand, facing your full length mirror, crying his eyes out.
"Buck." She called out.
He jumped, even though he'd been expecting her to come, she'd startled him.
"Hey, Edie" Bucky said.
She walked over and sat next to him on the bed, "Buck, what's wrong?"
"Nothing sweetheart."
Black don't crack but this boy was gonna give her wrinkles with the amount of glaring she was doing right now "James Barnes, if nothing is wrong, then why are you crying?"
This only seemed to make him cry even more.
"Baby, c'mon tell me what's wrong?"
Bucky shook his head. Eden wrapped her arms around Bucky and pulled him into her. As he buried his head in her chest, she gently stroked his hair, trying to soothe him.
Eventually, he raised his head, "Your dress is all wet, I'm sorry."
Pressing a kiss to his tear streaked cheek, she smiled gently at him, "It's okay my love."
"No it's not. Why are you so nice to me?"
Eden was perplexed, she was usually the needy one, aggravating Bucky every couple hours to reassure her that he'd love her even if she were a worm. He'd never needed validation but if that's what he needed now, she'd write him a book. She'd do anything to make him happy again.
"Because you're my handsome boyfriend and I love you."
At that, Bucky promptly burst into tears again.
"No no no baby, don't cry. Just tell me what's wrong James."
"I'm not handsome Eden." His voice sounded pained as he said it. She decided to try again
"You're right baby, you're sexy."
"I'm not, I'm fat." He blurted out before burying his face in his hands.
That's when it clicked. Everything that he'd been doing had stemmed from this insecurity, but she didn't know where it came from, he'd never spoken about himself like that. Bucky may not have had an ego but he knew that he was attractive.
Eden felt like crap actually for ignoring all the signs over the weeks and coming up with reasons, instead of asking him about it. There was nothing she could do now besides try her best to talk to him about it.
"You're not fat baby."
"Yes I am"
"James look at me."
When he refused, she took his chin and gently raised it so he could look you in the eyes, "Bucky, you're the most handsome guy I've ever seen."
Bucky pulled himself away from her and stood in front of her gesturing to his belly that was slightly straining against the fabric of his shirt,
"Look at me Eden, I'm chubby."
She raked her eyes over his figure. It was true that he'd put on a few pounds and instead of its usual firm shape, his stomach was now soft and slightly pillowy but it didn't take away from his attractiveness, it added to it.
"Baby, you're not chubby."
"Then what would you call this Eden?" He cried out almost frustratingly.
"Fluffy."
Bucky looked at her incredulously, "Fluffy?"
Eden nodded, "Fluffy like a cloud or a pillow or an adorable bunny rabbit."
If looks could kill, the glare Bucky gave her in that moment would have annihilated her instantly.
"I'm a man Eden, I'm not supposed to be adorable or fluffy."
Now it was her turn to glare at him. She made a mental reminder to rub her face with some cocoa butter later to prevent wrinkles.
"Who says that men can't be adorable?"
"That's...just how it is Eden." Bucky sighed. He hated feeling like this, weak and insecure, he was supposed to be the one taking care of Edie but here she was having to baby him.
"No it's not James. Who told you that?"
"No one." Bucky's answer came way too suddenly and Eden knew he was lying.
"Bucky..."
"Fine, it was Brock. He told me that I was getting tubby and that I didn't deserve you because you're so much more better looking than I am and that you'd realise that soon enough and leave me because you wanted a man that could take care of you." Bucky burst into tears again.
He felt so ashamed of himself for crying so much in front of Eden but he couldn't help it. He'd bottled up these feelings inside for weeks and now it was all spilling out.
Eden was furious. She'd always known that Brock was an asshole but to go to this length to tear down Bucky's self esteem and convince him that she was gonna leave him, was too far and she made a mental note to punch him the next day that she saw him at work for making her boyfriend cry.
"Baby I'll never leave you. I've been with you for four years and I'm not going anywhere. Your attractiveness does not decrease because you gained a little weight. I'm with you because you love and respect me not because you're hot. You are worthy of me James and you always will be."
Eden leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his stomach. It was warm and soft and she loved it, she loved all of him, just the way he was and she just hoped that he would see that.
"Are you sure that you don't mind?"
"Yup."
"You promise you'll never leave me?" Bucky's voice was almost childlike. He still found it a little hard to believe that, Eden didn't mind. He'd always known that her heart was big but her accepting him even when he couldn't accept himself, meant so much to him.
"I promise."
"And you still think I'm attractive?"
Eden giggled, "Still as hot as the day I met you."
For the first time that night Bucky smiled and it warmed her heart to see it.
Bucky sat next to her and pulled her onto his lap to straddle him, kissing her neck, "I love you Eden."
"I love you too James."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you how I was feeling. We could've prevented all of this." Despite all the joy, he had in that moment, there was also a lingering sense of regret for not coming to Eden earlier. Bucky felt like crap for doubting her, for thinking she'd abandon him. He couldn't believe that he thought that she'd give up on him
"Don't apologize baby, I understand that its hard. I'm just glad that we were able to work it out. Do you feel better now baby?"
"Yeah I am." And it was the truth. He felt like a weight had been lifted off of him. For the first time in weeks, Bucky was truly happy.
"I'm sorry too Bucky."
"For what Edie?"
"For not talking to you about the changes I was noticing." It was still bothering her that she hadn't said anything to him about them. Eden felt, that she'd in a way, failed him.
"You don't have to apologize Eden. I should've been mature enough to speak to you about it instead of acting like a child. Don't feel guilty." He leaned in and kissed her.
Eden pulled away, her hands unbuttoning his shirt "So how about, we skip this thing and I show you just how much I love your body."
"I thought this event was important?"
Smirking, Eden slid the white material off his shoulders, "We'll just tell them that we were sick."
---
I'm open to doing a sequel to this piece, or making it a series or something. Maybe doing some headcanons or drabbles. Leave a comment if you want to see more of this work or simply if you enjoyed it.
My taglist is also open, so if anyone wants to be added, you can leave it in the comments.
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babi-correia · 4 years
Text
The Hunt
Words: 3527 Pairing: Sean Roman x Reader Warnings: Some violence and violent situations
From Anon: Hi there, I was wondering if you could write for Sean Roman from Chicago PD. I love him and I think he's hot but can't find anything written for him. Something along the lines of the reader being a detective in Intelligence and Roman a patrol officer and the reader being very flirty with him, sitting on his lap, giving him hugs, touching his arm everytime she walks past him in the precinct, etc and he just loves the attention from her. Thank you x
I altered it a bit but here you go!
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When Hank Voight contacted you about joining Intelligence, you never thought it would be this interesting; especially when Atwater moved up, and a new officer took his place as Burgess's partner. 
You set your sights on him the first day he sets foot in the precinct: you're chatting with Trudy, catching up about whatever gossip currently runs downstairs.
"You know, deep down I'm proud of Atwater," She whispers to you, refusing to let anyone know she isn't the ice queen she so expertly pretends to be. "But I'm also sad for Burgess. She's a good officer, but she has a heart of gold; as much as she wants to make it to Intelligence, it would break her."
"Atwater moved up, does she have a new partner yet?" You ask, genuinely curious as she strolls in. You raise your hand to her. "Hi, Burgess! I might need your help later."
"You got it, Detective." She says, walking backward into the locker room.
"New guy is supposed to come in today." Platt mutters as soon as Burgess leaves her line of sight, looking at the door. "He's late already."
As if on cue, a blond man rushes into the precinct. 
"I-I'm sorry I'm late Seargent, I'm just going to change quickly." He says, scrambling to the locker rooms. 
You and Platt exchange a look, a smirk plastered on your face. She chuckles, knowing you set your marks on the new officer.
"Already?" She whispers, her eyes glinting mischievously. 
"What can I say, I'm effective like that. Call me down when they decide it's time for their shift to start." You say, turning around and going up the stairs. 
You sit at your desk, smirk still plastered on your face. Erin notices your expression and comes over, curiousness plastered on her face. 
"Detective (Y/N) (Y/L/N), what are you plotting?" She asks as she sits on the corner of your desk, the sassy tone on her raspy voice making your smirk widen further.
"Oh, my dear Detective Erin Lindsay, we seem to have acquired a fine piece of eye candy, and I'm planning on having my fair share of fun with him." You respond, making her laugh.
"What's the lucky bastard's name?"
"Well, I don't know that yet, but I'm about to." As if on cue, your desk phone rings. "Well, I'm off on a hunt, my dearest friend."
You grab your jacket from the chair and mockingly salute Erin as you trot down the stairs, the small heel of your shoes clicking against the marble. Looking down on yourself, you consider that you may have overdressed today: a blue sleeveless blouse, black pegged pants, and simple, small heeled pumps. 
You snap out of your self-judgment as you hear bickering at the front desk. You see Trudy, her arms crossed as she judgingly stares at the two officers on the other side of the desk, not amused by their banter in the slightest. Her gaze averts to you, some hope glinting in her eyes, expecting you to break up whatever that could be before she had to slam their faces on the counter.
"Hey!" You call out, earning a thankful look from Trudy and confused looks from the two officers and just about anyone in the lobby. "Burgess and Boytoy, grab the keys to a squad car and quit whatever it is you were bickering about." 
They nod as Trudy hands them a set of keys, her unamused expression never leaving her face as she beckons the two officers closer.
"If you ever set up another circus like that in my lobby, I'll have you passing parking tickets until I forget about it." She threatens, making you chuckle. "And not even my favorite detective over there will be able to save your asses."
You trudge the space between you and the two officers, leaning against the counter as you size the new guy up. Satisfied with what you're looking at, you reach out your hand towards him.
"You sure look like the kind of trouble I'd like to be in." You say, noticing how the man's ears turn slightly red and how both Burgess and Trudy try to smother their laugh at his perplexed expression as he gingerly reaches his hand out, giving it a firm shake. "I'm Detective (Y/N) (Y/L/N), upstairs with the bad guys in Intelligence."
"Sean Roman, patrol officer." He manages, making you smirk.
"I believe the blue uniform gave it away, darling." You say, turning to Burgess. "Is he being a pain in your ass already?" 
"Nothing I can't handle." She mutters proudly, making you turn back to him with a sickeningly sweet smile plastered on your face. You can see Trudy looking as she pretends to do something else.
"You see, Sean, I can call you Sean right?" You ask rhetorically, continuing your speech before he even has an opportunity to reply. "Sean, I happen to like Burgess very, very much, and I'm not the only one around this precinct to feel like that. If you keep that attitude up, I might have to become the pain in your ass, and not in a pleasurable way. Capisce?"
You turn on your heels, not waiting for a reply as you walk towards the door with Burgess hot on your trail.
"Take the cruiser and meet me at Buckingham Fountain, I'm meeting a CI there." You say to Burgess, patting her shoulder. 
You get in your car and make the short drive there, parking your car and getting out, checking your gun as you wait for the two officers to turn off their car as they park next to yours. 
"This looks too exposed for a meet-up with a CI." Sean says, exiting the car. You raise your finger and put it to your lips. 
"Don't say anything, you're cute, you're gonna mess it up." You say, shushing him. Burgess laughs and you turn around. "I'm going to sit on that bench over there, wander around but stay close."
They nod and start walking around as you go and sit on a bench, waiting for your CI to grace you with his presence. 
A few minutes later he sits by your side, rubbing his hands up and down his pants. 
"You better have something I'll benefit from, Fred." You say, not even making eye-contact with him. "So far, every intel you've given me has been complete and utter rubbish. You have this chance to redeem yourself, or I'm cutting you loose." 
"What!?" He raises his voice a little too much and you glare at him, making him quiet down. "You can't do that to me!" 
"I can, and I will, unless you give me something good." You say, crossing your legs. "I wouldn't keep me waiting too long."
"There's something weird going on at some storage warehouse down at West Ohio Street." Fred mumbles. "I think I heard something about a gun shipment." 
"You think or you did?" You snap, glaring at him. "Your payment and safety depends on your answer to that question." 
You can see the two officers from the corner of your eye, each with a coffee cup and a donut on hand, seemingly on a break but paying close attention to what you're doing. 
"Take me in." Your CI mumbles. 
"Excuse me?" You do a double-take, raising a brow at the man in front of you.
"Arrest me. Then you can go and raid the warehouse, but arrest me first. I'll be safer in lock-up." 
You just stare at him for a while, unable to believe what you just heard. 
"Fred, you became my CI to avoid jail, and now you're asking me to arrest you? After all the trouble I went through to keep you out?"
"It's bad enough for me to want to be arrested, if that gives you any indication of how they can fuck me up for speaking." 
"How big of an operation are we talking here?" You ask, resting your elbows on your knees and your face on your hands. 
You see a suspicious-looking man in a hoodie coming in your direction from the other side of the park and your hand darts for your gun as you see the man reach into his pocket. He brings out a gun and point it in your general direction, making you get up and point your gun at him, hearing the screams of the passerby's as they realize what's happening. 
"Chicago PD, drop your gun or I will drop you." You snarl, inching closer to the man. You see him tremble, his gun aimed at your CI. "Odds are I shoot you before you get to shoot him." 
You stand your ground, gun expertly aimed at the unknown man, until you feel the cold end of a barrel against your head. 
"Drop your weapon!" You hear Burgess call out, both her and Sean with their guns trained on whoever's behind you. "Drop your weapon!"
You can hear the frantic laugh behind you and you roll your eyes.
"Fred, put the goddamn gun down before I get angry." You say, your voice eerily cool. "I will shoot this unlucky bastard, and the two officers will shoot you before either of you get a chance at getting close to pulling those triggers."
The man in front of you turns the safety off and cocks his gun, prompting you to do the same as you stare him off. The second you see his finger start to move, you throw yourself into the floor and roll away, shooting a couple of rounds into the hooded man as he mistakingly shoots Fred before getting hit. Both men crumble into the floor and you move quickly, kicking their guns away. You know the man you shot was dead before he hit the ground, but you check for a pulse anyway, feeling nothing. 
"He's still alive, (Y/L/N)." Burgess calls to you, making you turn around. "Are you ok? You look a little pale."
"I'm fine, just wasn't expecting a double-crossing like that." You sigh, looking down at Fred. "Dumbass choices lead to dumbass consequences, Fred. You're going to jail for the rest of your miserable little life."
You swipe your hands through your face, trying to make sense of what happened as the paramedics rush to aid the men on the floor. A sudden hand on your shoulder makes you jolt, and you turn around to see Sean.
"Are you really ok?" He asks, his blue eyes attempting to assess your mind and soul. You throw him a disarming smile, a sultry expression making its' appearance on your face.
"I am, but I can think of a few ways I could be better." You say, throwing him a wink and catching him off guard. You turn around and saunter to your car, needing the comfort of your desk and a cup of shitty coffee.
--
"Is she always like that?" Sean inquiries Burgess as they both make it back to the precinct. 
"Who? Like what?" She asks, giving Trudy the car keys as she puts her radio back on the shelf. 
"The detective, with all the seduction shebang." He continues, mimicking her actions.
"Oh, (Y/L/N). It depends, I guess." Burgess shrugs before looking behind him, her eyebrows shooting up. "Oh wow." 
Sean turns around to find you in the middle of the lobby, doing a twirl with the help of none other than detective Jay Halstead. Your hair is loose and the red dress you're wearing clings to all the right places. Jay's tie matches your dress, he too sharply dressed in a black suit and black shirt, the only splash of color being his tie. 
"You two look just like two kids heading off to prom." Trudy remarks, noticing the two officers and giving you a subtle nudge in their direction. 
"We're two kids heading off to arrest a drug baron, it's not too different." You remark, flashing Trudy a dazzling smile. 
"Roman, you're drooling." Burgess warns in a whisper, elbowing his ribs. He quickly regains his composure, a pang of jealousy shooting through him and leaving him even more confused than he was. 
"What do you think, officers?" You ask, coming closer to them and twirling again, doing a little bow at the end. "Do I look like an up and coming black widow baroness?" 
"You look stunning, wow." Burgess gushes, giving you a huge smile and noticing how Sean seems distracted. "And I think Roman's silence is a statement itself, he's in too much of a daze to reply."
The mention of his name makes him snap back from whatever thoughts were running through his mind and you smile, leaning close to him. 
"Like what you see, pretty boy?" You whisper for only him to hear, your hand resting on his upper arm. "You don't have to be jealous of Jay... at least for now. You know what they say about guys with blue eyes, don't you Officer Roman?" He shakes his head, unable to form words. Your hand on his arm, your proximity, the smell of your perfume invading his nose, it's all leaving him in a pleasant hypnosis as he hears you whisper into his ear. "They say that you're knowledgable. Say, what would be your area of expertise?" 
You give him a hearty chuckle as he freezes and his ears turn red, moving away and snaking your arm around Jay's as you move to the exit, the car waiting out front. 
He just watches you leave, too stunned to say or do anything until Burgess snaps her fingers in front of his face. 
"Sorry, yeah, no, I need a cold shower." He rushed, walking past her briskly and into the locker rooms. Burgess and Trudy trade a look, Burgess coming up to the desk. 
"Twenty in her having him wrapped around her finger in a couple of weeks." The officer says, laying a crumpled twenty on the counter. 
"Fifty in her having him on her bed by the end of the week." Trudy counters, smirk on her face as she puts a fifty over Burgess's twenty.
--
"What do you have there, Burgess?" Trudy calls out, seeing the officer slithering towards the Intelligence door stop dead in her tracks. 
"Coffee for detective (Y/L/N). We happened to go by a coffee shop she loves and I got her a cup." Burgess explains. "Can you open the door, please?"
Trudy smirks, the smugness in her face partially concerning Burgess. 
"I need you for something here, Burgess." The Sargent says, beckoning her to come closer as Sean walks through the door. "Officer Roman there will take the coffee to (Y/N)."
Burgess's eyes go wide as she rushes to the counter, setting the coffee on top of it.
"You can't intervene, Sarge!" She hisses, watching as Trudy laughs.
"Watch me." Trudy whispers to her. "Roman, the coffee is getting cold."
The two of them watch as the man takes the coffee and makes his way towards the stairs, the smirk never leaving Trudy's face. 
You're leaning against your desk, your gaze fixed on the whiteboard with your current case as you fiddle with a pen, barely registering the footsteps coming up the stairs. 
"Uhm, Detective (Y/L/N)?" You hear the familiar voice call out, prompting you to turn around. Lo and behold, there stands Sean, with a coffee cup in hand. Your eyes go wide as you inspect the cup further.
"Is that coffee from that shop by the river?" You ask, eager for a good caffeine fix other than the crappy coffee from the break room. He nods, handing you the cup, which you take eagerly before bouncing around. "I got decent caffeine, at last!"
You notice the blond man still looking at you, and you raise him a brow. 
"Can I help you with anything, Officer Roman?" You ask, leaning back against your desk and brushing your shoulder on his. "Are you checking me out again? Not that I mind, of course."
You smirk as you notice the pink tinge coming up his ears and neck as he sputters for an answer. 
"No, I was going already, have a great day." He stumbles over his words as he backpedals out of the bullpen, leaving you and Erin to trade a look before laughing. 
"I hear there's a bet going on downstairs." Ruzek teases, making you raise a brow. "Particularly on how long it will take you to break him with all that teasing and flirting, (Y/N)."
"Can't a girl have fun?" You ask, taking another sip from your coffee. "But it won't take long. He always gets flustered, and he doesn't seem to get used to it. Must have a lot of pent up sexual frustration."
You wiggle your brows at the last part, making Ruzek choke on his coffee and Erin burst out laughing. 
"You do you (Y/N), I'll support you." Ruzek says, raising his hands in defeat. You grin at him, straightening your shoulders as you see Voight rush inside, followed by Jay and Atwater. 
"We got a lead on the gang war." He barks out. "Someone called in about a bunch of men going towards an empty field, looking suspicious. Officers are meeting us on the scene."
You grab your jacket, thanking your past self for deciding on comfortable sneakers today as you rush downstairs and into your car, Atwater hopping into the passenger's seat. 
Arriving near the field, you park your car behind a tree and exit, locking it as soon as Atwater also gets out. You unlock and open the trunk, pulling your vest out and putting it on as you hear tires skid to a halt behind you. You secure the last strap and grab your assault rifle, hooking the strap around your shoulders before you turn around, finding Burgess and Roman exiting their patrol car. 
"Are you stalking me, Sean?" You say, leaning against your car with one hand propped on the rifle. "You can stop playing hard to get with all the silence you give me, I can be better at it if I want; luckily for you tho, I don't." 
You pat his arm as you pass by him, shooting him a wink as you go towards Voight, deciding what your angle would be. 
All of you move stealthily, heading towards the barn on the other side of the empty field, getting ready to breach as you get closer and closer. 
You take lead on one door, keeping Atwater, Burgess, Sean, and Jay with you, as Voight, Antonio, Al, Erin, and Ruzek head to the other door. 
"Ready?" You whisper into your radio, ready to kick the door down. Once you get confirmation from the other group you charge, the door slamming open. "CHICAGO PD!" 
You take cover behind a beam as the men inside start shooting at you, watching as the rest of your group stalks in before they take cover behind stalls and abandoned boxes. 
You pull the two officers into your place, shooting a few rounds into the men as you move forward, taking a round to the vest that takes the air out of your lungs. You feel a hand on the back of your vest pulling you backward and you stumble, falling on your ass. 
"Hey, you ok?" Jay asks, feeling around the vest for any signs of blood as Atwater, Burgess, Sean, and the other group work on subduing the criminals. 
"I'm fine, it hit the vest and winded me, but I'm fine." You use Jay as leverage to get back up, watching as the remaining criminals are hauled off in cuffs. You take off the vest, raising your shirt to see a red spot on your ribs. 
"That doesn’t look good." You hear Sean's voice beside you, making you raise a hand to your chest.
"Ouch, and here I was thinking you were being wowed by my wonderful flirting tactics and actually starting to feel attracted to me." You say, making a hurt face and watching as he scrambles for an adequate reply. "I'm joking, Sean, chill. You're a total blond fluff ball."
"Well..." He says, his arm brushing against yours. "You do know you don't have to get shot at just to get my attention, right?"
You laugh, doubling over as the action sends a spark of pain through your whole abdomen. You feel his arm around your waist, holding you up as your knees threaten to give out. 
"Anything goes to have your hands on me, huh?" You rasp, straightening yourself up slightly, looking at him through your lashes. 
"I'm beginning to think that you are trying to get me in your bed." He says, raising his brows at you.
"At last, he caught up." You declare dramatically, feeling his arm around your waist pull you flush against him, your noses almost touching. "Well, hello there."
His cologne pleasantly fills your nose, partially distracting you from the pain on your ribs, and the two of you lock eyes for a moment before you lean up and close the space between you with a kiss. 
“Platt won the bet.” You hear Burgess mutter. “There go my 20 dollars.”
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