#i haven't seen it but if someone has i'm sorry for ripping you off :( i will vote on your poll if it's active and you send it

[emma-d-klutz]

Clark telling someone on the Daily Planet who only knows him vaguely as a coworker that, sorry, he really cant take any of that Wayne Ent job off him. Why? Well he sure would like to be of help but journalistic integrity and all. Oh you don't know? Wayne is one of his best friends. No for real. No really! Like probably slot 5 of his top 5 favorite people in the world if he's ranking. (No, Lois isn't first. His mom is first. Which Lois knows but don't like say that I said that.) Right Wayne! No yeah for real love the idiot. You haven't seen him come around? Yeah and he always calls Clark the wrong name as a joke because we're friends. Dude I'm not lying to get out of this! Why would I lie? Ok yeah it is an annoying assignment...

Hang on.

Clark texts someone on his phone. Waits a beat. Gets a text back. Calls someone. It's ringing. It picks up.

"You're on speaker, B."

"Sorry just had to get somewhere quieter-" It is so loud in the background Wayne is nearly screaming into the phone. "Oh yeah Clark was with me all last week. Whatever you saw was someone else. In fact, he saved my life up there. I broke part of my spine on a fall and was partially paralyzed instantly, and he had to carry me over his shoulder. But then after five hours of carrying me, his adrenaline gave out, and so did his legs. So we're both on the ground in a pile right near the ledge, and we start sliding that direction, and I think to myself -I distinctly remember- I think to myself that if we're going to die, at least I get to die looking at intrepid reporter Clark Kent, who is waaay more ripped than he looks with a shirt on and has the most soulful blue eyes. And then we were saved or something because he's such a genius that he rewired his phone and rigged it to get a signal even in the middle of nowhere on the fly and called for a helicopter. Or something like that. I don't know. But yeah thats why Clark's been gone, and if you thought you saw him, you saw someone else. I mean that haircut is everywhere. Did you know he set that trend? Anyway I gotta go."

The line goes dead. Clark and the coworker look blankly at each other for a moment.

".....You were here all last week."

"Sorry. I didn't text him why I needed him to say he knows me, so I think he just.... tried to cover all the bases."

(Bruce is in several layers of method acting ofc but Jimmy, Hal, Ollie, Dinah, Kara, and several more all gleefully corroborate it immediately when given the opportunity and even yes-and onto it, and now Clark's journalistic integrity is going towards reminding his coworker that he was here last week I promise they're all doing bits )

#bruce wayne: now if I were bruce wayne what motive(s) would i misinterpret for such a text?

[wannaeatramyeon]

You/reader and any PTJ characters rented a love hotel room due being so late to book a normal hotel also all transportation are closed. That why both of you can't go home.

hehehehehe. Nasty filthy thoughts abound. Ahem, keeping it clean tho and assuming it didn't start off as character x reader...

Lookism x Reader: Sharing a Love Hotel Room hc

Samuel + Gun

Let's be honest, you're either gonna fuck no hesitation or there's sexual tension ALL night

Gun: [raises eyebrow] is there something you want to tell me?

You: W-what? This is the only hotel with a vacancy!

Gun: [smirks] if that's your excuse. Although I have to admit I've been curious.

You: ...

Gun: I need some foreplay first [rips off shirt]

Gun: Let's fight

You: AHH Samuel! Why are you naked?!

Samuel: I always sleep naked

[You blushing and not sure where to look]

Samuel: I've seen you've staring at my chest all the time...

You: NO I HAVEN'T

Samuel: Y/N. Here's your chance for a closer look

Jake + Goo

Oof. So much teasing.

Jake: Y/N! I didn't know you're this kind of person

You: I'm not!

Jake: You take me to a love hotel? No date? No dinner-

You: I TOLD YOU-

Jake: No handholding! No gifts! No wooing-

You: JAKE!

Goo: Is this how you always act on your first date?

You: This isn't a date!

Goo: You know I usually have much higher standards, Princess

Goo: You're lucky you're cute and I'm easy

You: HEY!!! Wait. What???

Johan, Daniel, Vasco, Zack

oh my god these poor sweet boys.

I'm sorry if you think that anything would happen for the first time but it WOULDN'T

MAYBE once you were a little bit more established in your relationship

Johan would play it cool- "yeah just go to sleep, what's the big deal? It's just a bed."

But these 4 are the same. NO-ONE is getting a wink of sleep

Internal monologue of 'omgomgomgomg' the whole night

You accidentally brush against them? WHOLE body flushes

New internal monologue: "OMG Y/N TOUCHED ME IN BED!!"

DG

There is NO way this man is even stepping foot into this love hotel

What happens if the paparazzi or media finds out?

He's got enough resources to call someone up to pick him up no matter how far away he is

Either way. He'll walk back if he has to

If you're tired and you ask nicely, he'll at least give you a piggyback

#lookism #lookism headcanons #lookism hc #lookism x reader #gun park x reader #samuel seo x reader #jake kim x reader #goo kim x reader #johan seong x reader #daniel park x reader #vasco x reader #zack lee x reader #dg x reader #gun park #samuel seo #jake kim #goo kim #johan seong #daniel park #vasco #zack lee #lookism dg #wannaeatramyeon

[trashcanfanfics]

Can you please write a oneshot about Alastor after he had a fight with reader, and he clearly was the one in the wrong. What does he do to make it up? Does he realize it himself or does someone like Rosie or someone from the hotel have to point it out to him. Does he feel guilty? Did he make reader cry? Sorry if this is too much or too sad.

What a way to rise from the dead

He doesn't know what happened, really. One second he was telling jokes and you were laughing, the next you were in a heated argument. Something about him trying to push a punchline that you thought was hurtful and him disagreeing heavily. The argument was brief and he just didn't close his damned mouth fast enough.

"Perhaps you should learn to just take a joke, my dear. Wouldn't want to become a flat tire, now, would we?" His ever present smile held more condescension than he'd ever directed towards you before. your fists shook at your sides and you glared at him with all the rage and heartbreak you felt.

"I need space." And with that, you'd turned on your heel and left the hotel entirely. Alastor shrugged it off and sat down at the concierge-slash-bar to enjoy a drink.

It had been hours since then and Alastor hadn't made any moves to try to find you or remedy the situation. He did notice that his drinks have all tasted sour. At some point he knew he was going to have to face you again. The feeling in his stomach was curious but he was sure it's because of the amount of giggle water in his system.

"God, has anyone seen that asshole?" A certain feminine spider came down the stairs. "I've got a thing in thirty minutes and they still have my fuckin' glue." Angel rounded the pillar and looked at Alastor, tipsy, and squinted.

"They haven't been here most the day." Husk was grumpily cleaning a glass. "Why don't you text 'em?" Angel flopped halfway on the bar and half on a stool, a little too close for Alastor's liking. He decided that he was too sloshed to care much. The spider sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I tried that!" All four of his arms raised up in exasperation. "They ain't answerin'! I sent three already! Ugh, I'm gonna have to go to the store!" Two sets of arms crossed to show his annoyance. Alastor paused at this. It wasn't like you not to answer after the second text. Were you injured? Had you gotten lost? Was someone else bothering you right now? Was someone...entertaining you? More than he did? He couldn't bare it and stood abruptly, only to stumble slightly. The Radio Demon regained his footing and rushed into the shadows, leaving behind the two sinners. He'd ignored Angel's snicker at his less than stable start and focused more on finding your energy. It was harder in this state but he was determined.

You were sitting in a secluded garden of blood red roses near the more peaceful part of Cannibal Colony. It had been a few hours since you left and you keep going over how Alastor insinuated you were boring for not wanting to be the butt of a joke. It hurt you and made you angry at him for trying to turn it back on you. You'd spent too much of your life hearing other people tell you that you're "too sensitive" or "need to take a joke". You won't tolerate it in death and especially not from your boyfriend.

A loud thump ripped you from your thoughts. You looked in the direction of the noise and see Alastor, halfway in a rosebush. He hardly took notice as his eyes met yours. His smile almost looked strained and his eyes glassy.

"Darling! There you are!" He stumbled out of the bush, pants ripped enough to almost see his leg. He rushed to your side and tripped, falling to his knees. You looked down at him as he grasped your legs and looked up at you, slightly dazed.

"Are...Are you drunk?" His smile lifted at your voice and he sighed dreamily up at you. "Oh my god." He tried to get up again but his foot caught a rock and he slipped back down. You stumbled a little as he grasped your legs tighter during this.

"Dar-darling, where have you been? It's been hours!" He looked back up at you. "I missed you! Can we get home?" You couldn't believe what you were seeing. Alastor, The Radio Demon, was drunk and on his knees in front of you. A small part of you felt powerful like this, but you quickly tucked it away. You sighed.

"Yeah, let's get you home." You reached down and helped him to his feet. He leaned on you as you both made your way out of the garden. "I can't believe you're out in public like this." He giggled, actually giggled, in response and sighed as he leaned more on you.

"Mwen sonje ou ba ou dabitid mwen." You were sure that was a language but it was slightly slurred from his lips. With no other ideas, you pat his back and continued on. He took a deep breath and then disappeared into the shadows. You stopped and looked around.

"Alastor? What the fuck?" You groaned in annoyance. "Alastor!" You trudged back towards the hotel in a huff. He was going to have so much apologizing to do tomorrow.

Alastor, however, had face planted right into his bed. He rolled over and looked around. His room in the hotel was spinning and he couldn't see his darling, dearest, sweetest love anywhere. Had he not brought them with him? Did they go away again? His smile wobbled and his vision grew blurry. Was he not what they wanted? Hasn't he always provided for them? Did they not like his cooking? Or his jokes? Oh. Oh that was why. The joke from earlier. Tears dripped down his face. Oh no.

You made your way into the hotel and up the first flight of steps before heading for the elevator. Angel's voice called to you from halfway down the hall.

"Where's my fuckin' glue!" The only response he got was a quick "on my dresser" before the elevator doors shut. You tapped your foot impatiently. If he wasn't here you were going to scream. Idly, you wondered if he was even drunk and just trying to get you to interact with him. He didn't like going too long without talking to you unless it was his choice, and even then it wouldn't be more than two hours max. You'd gone nearly five before he found you.

The end of the hallway on the fourth floor was usually dark due to the fixture breaking about a year back and no one fixing it. It was the way Alastor liked it. "Easier to get a good spook in and deter those who bother me", he'd say. It never really bothered you, oddly enough. Especially now, since you could hear the muffled sniffles of your lover. You knocked on the door.

"Alastor? Im coming in!" You only got halfway in the door before you were yanked into the room and the door slammed shut. Tight arms wrapped around you and held you close to a heaving chest.

"I thought you left again! I'm sorry! For my cooking! For not giving you enough! For my jokes!" He sobbed. You blinked. Just how drunk was he? You weren't sure this was the same Alastor that would rip someone's face off, roast it, feed it back to them, and then laugh as they cried.

"Well, one of those is correct." You brought you hands up and pushed him back before tugging him to the bed. "Let's just get you to go to sleep, okay, we can talk more in the morning." God, he was a mess. Tears made his eyes redder than they were, his face was splotchy and snot was dripping out of his nose.

"But!" You didn't let him finish as you pulled back the covers and pushed him into bed. "Darling! I'm sorry!" You rolled your eyes and positioned him on his side before tucking him in.

"Okay, tell me about it tomorrow." You gently fixed his hair and kissed his forehead. His eyes closed and he hummed low. It wasn't long before his breathing became even and he was snoring slightly.

The next morning you opened your eyes to see Alastor, fit as a fiddle, staring down at you with a tray of breakfast foods in his hands. You screamed in surprise and sighed heavily after recognizing your boyfriend. Sitting up, you yawn.

"Good morning, Darling! I made you breakfast!" He set the tray down over your legs and smiled wider. You looked up at his with an eyebrow raised.

"If you think that I'm just gonna forget what happened yesterday, you're wrong." Your sentence made him droop a little.

"I'm sorry, for the joke and whatever else I did yesterday." He clicks his fingers together slightly. "I...Don't remember much." You snorted at that.

"I guess you wouldn't, but i guess...I forgive you. Just don't make any jokes like that again." You looked at the tray, which had huge servings of your favorite breakfast foods. "Now, are you going to help me eat this or not?" He eagerly jumped into the bed and beside you, making you giggle.

#hazbin hotel x reader #alastor x reader #trashcan answers you #hazbin hotel headcanon

[exhaslo]

hi I love your work <3

Is it okay to write a miguel o’hara x reader and the reader has a personality similar to regina george and he brat tames her + an age gap <3!

I can try! I haven't seen Mean Girls in a hot minute, but I'm sure I remember her personality. Totally going to have some fun with this~

Also, so sorry for how late this is!!! Trying to catch up with the sea of requests now!!!

Warning: MINORS DNI, smut, oral (f receiving), teasing, orgasm denial, dirty talk

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miguel let out a scowl as he watched the new recruits go through a new training session both Peter and Lyla had begged him for. Something about helping the new Spiders learn how to do certain things and yada yada. Miguel only agreed just to shut Peter up and to have Lyla stop shoving the program in his face every five minutes.

However, Miguel was quick to learn that he should have turned this offer down.

The main reason for this grim thought was you. Miguel had been watching you since the training began. You were one of the brand new Spider women who joined and were a rookie. It had only been a month since you took on the role of 'Spider Queen'.

A name so suiting for you. It wasn't long until you took control of the training session and had everyone nearly serving you. For someone only five years younger than him (23), you were the textbook definition of a brat.

--------

"Oh my gosh! You did such a good job with that backflip!" You gasped, cheering on a fellow Spider.

"Thanks! This was my first time," The Peter said with a laugh. You just smiled and waved until he left,

"Ugh, the form was so off. Hopefully he keeps practicing." You groaned lowly.

"May I remind you that this training is for newbies? Including you?" Miguel said with a harsh tone.

Your eyes sparkled as you turned towards Miguel. The leader of the Spider Society, the head honcho, the man you were hoping to try and win over. It was no lie that when you first laid eyes on him you knew that you wanted him to be yours. Who cares if he was little older than you?

"Sorry, can't help it. I was a cheerleader so my flexibility is higher than most." You cooed, rubbing your arm against his. Miguel scoffed,

"Enough to dodge a bunch of Goblin bombs?"

"...Yes...?" You questioned, unsure of what the hell a Goblin was. Miguel just smirked,

"We'll see about that."

Your jaw nearly dropped as you watched him walk away. That man was so hot. You were already wet in your suit. Letting out a small huff, you knew that you had to make him yours somehow. You just needed to keep winning him over.

--------

Miguel was about to lose his patience with you. It had been only two months since you joined and while yes, you were doing better than the other rookies, you were still a headache. It felt like you made it your life purpose to give Miguel more sexual frustration.

The man wanted to put you in your place so bad.

Every time you had something smart to say, Miguel had to hold himself back from disciplining you. Instead, he would say something equally snarky to get you to stop, but that was never enough. You kept getting bolder with your antics.

It started with your suit being too tight. Or a casual rip here and there. Then you kept offering to help Miguel, your arm slipping and you falling on him every now and then. It was torturing him and Miguel was unsure if he could hold himself back the next time you do something like that.

What's worse? Miguel enjoyed your brattiness. He had already thought of so many ways to fuck you into submission. He imagined how'd you look with his cock inside that smart mouth of yours. Or your slutty moans and begs for him to fuck you.

Miguel was just waiting for you to slip.

Waiting for you to finally learn you lesson.

--------

It was going to be just another average day for you. You had given yourself a pre-masturbation session to get you in the groove to bother Miguel. You were hot and ready to hear that man groan in frustration.

Entering his office with a skip, you smiled devilishly as you saw Miguel brooding up in his platform. With a snap of your wrist, you swung up to where he was. The second you landed, you heard that wonderful groan that sent a waterfall to your panties.

"Awe, missed me that much?" You cooed. Miguel glared towards you, his red orbs more prominate than before,

"(Y/N), I have a very small amount of patience right now." He hissed. You huffed childishly and sat on his desk, your legs slightly spread,

"But I need the attention~!"

--------

Miguel shivered as he caught whiff of your arousal. Oh no, he could not control himself. You needed to learn when to leave him alone, and Miguel was finally going to show you.

Webbing your hands to his desk, Miguel grabbed you by the hair and grazed his fangs against your neck,

"¿Por qué no puedes escuchar por una vez? (Why can't you fucking listen for once?)" He groaned lowly, licking up to your lips, "I'm going to teach you some manners."

"I'm such a good leaner," You said with a smirk.

Miguel just snorted before crashing his lips into yours. Hopefully you were a fast learner too, but Miguel was going to make sure to torment you. His hands already against your clothed cunt, rubbing circles around your clit as he kissed you,

"You like being a fucking brat, do you?" Miguel hissed as he watched you twitch and squirm, "No one's ever stopped to show you how to behave."

"Why don't we release my hands and I can be a really good girl for you?" You hummed. Miguel chuckled as he pushed you down against his desk,

"It wouldn't be a lesson if you helped," He used his talons to rip a straight line down your suit to your cunt, "My, what a sight. Already twitching for me?"

"What can I say? You're a good teacher."

Miguel just smirked as he spread your legs out for him. Your juices still flowing so nicely. You had already given yourself some pleasure before hand, but that was not enough. Glancing up at you, Miguel smirked as he licked and sucked against your clit.

"Hah~ W-Wait-" You gasped, body twitching as you felt slightly sensitive after abusing your clit yourself.

"Be a good girl and shh," Miguel hummed.

His tongue swirled and sucked against your clit. Your body squirming and trying to move against your face. Your moans were getting louder as you started to whimper his name. Your pussy started to clench as you arched your back. Right as you were about to cum, Miguel stopped and pulled away.

"N-No...I-I was...almost there..." You cried, trying to rub your legs for friction. Miguel kept them apart, watching you struggle,

"You haven't been behaving lately. Why should I give you that release?" Miguel asked. You panted heavily, feeling your high slowly disappear,

"I-I'm sorry! Please, Miguel! I'll be good!" You begged.

Miguel thought for a moment and returned to your dripping pussy. He licked against your clit, enjoying your desperate moans. Moving his tongue down towards your hole, Miguel resisted a smirk as he cried out his name. Once you were about to reach your high again, he stopped and moved away.

"Miguel! Please!"

"Will you promise to behave? If you don't I'll have to keep teaching you these lessons?"

"Yes! Yes! Please, Miguel! Yes!" You cried.

Miguel chuckled, watching you struggle after being denied of your orgasm twice. He finally decided to give you what you want and returned to eating you out. Despite your bratty behavior, you tasted so sweet.

Feeling you grind against his face, Miguel swirled his tongue inside your hole as you finally cam against his face. Licking up your juices and his face, Miguel moved away from your cunt. He wiped his face and watched you catch your breathe.

"Good girl. I'll give you a new suit, but if you come back and behave, I'll give you something even sweeter." Miguel hummed as he freed your hands.

-------

You laid against his desk, breathing heavily and feeling fucked out. Who would have thought Miguel was so talented with his mouth. If only he didn't torture you. Honestly, now you weren't sure if you should still be a brat, or behave to finally fuck him.

Slowly sitting up, you watched as Miguel returned to work by getting you a suit. A slight smirk formed against your lips as you made your way over to him, your hands reaching his buldge,

"I think you need some attention too~"

"Now, this isn't behaving, is it?"

"Guess I need another lesson?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed!! Again, so sorry that this was late!!!

#miguel o'hara x reader #miguel o'hara #spiderman 2099 #miguel o'hara smut #miguel o’hara x reader #miguel spiderverse #miguel spiderman #atsv miguel #across the spiderverse #miguel x y/n #miguel x you #miguel x reader

[miniwheat77]

Hello, I hope you are having a great day.

I haven't been able to get Slasher König and his reading wife out of my head for days. It's a scenario where he comes home from killing someone and asks his wife if she's proud of him, to which she says yes and some HUGE obscenity ensues.

Also if you can include something like the reader is madly obsessed with how strong König is (especially his arms) and how tall he is.

Thanks 🙇‍♀️

!CW! NSFW, blood, death, slasher!König, knife play, smut, unprotected p in v sex. (Sorry if I missed any.)

I've never written creepy slasher stuff before so if this is horrible I'm so sorry

I can just imagine he comes in, you're sitting on the couch watching tv or doing something like reading and you glance up from it to see him covered in blood. He's holding his mask in his hands and you know the person who felt his wrath tonight had probably pulled it off in some kind of struggle. You stand up, taking it from him. "Need it washed?" You ask. "No." He says. He's stern and his voice is deep and rough. "Need a new one. That one is ripped now." He's short. You nod. “I can get you another.” You smile. "Everything else went okay?" You smile. Ignoring the fact that he's a violent beast and he's only centimeters from you. "Mhm." He's still being short. "Did alright I think. I hope you're proud of me." He looks down. "Course I'm proud of you." You smile. It's a flirty smile and König is riled up from just a glance of it. Sliding his tongue over his bottom lip and closing the distance between the both of you.

The thrill of you is far more intoxicating than killing but you like when he comes home like this, covered in blood. Something about him hurting others is such a turn on. The way he looks covered in blood and when you've seen him in the act, he's strong. Overpowers anyone he's fighting against.

His hands are all over you, legs hiked up on his hips as he ruts his hips into you, massive cock hard and brushing over your clothed opening. He's smearing his victims blood all over you as he kisses you, hearing the click of a pocket knife has you moaning out. Tilting your head back into the wall whimpering, you're getting wet at the thought. He runs the blade over your throat, lips slightly parted as he watches in awe. He loves how much you love this. He loves that you get just as horny for violence as he does.

He should've known how bad the military would be for him. He couldn't get enough of the violence, being in control. To hear you're proud of him, he can't handle it. He throws the knife to the side, digging his teeth into your neck with a growl. Biting at the skin. He can feel your jugular vein throbbing behind the skin on your throat with his tongue. He licks against it, over and over. Licking his lips at the thought of it. He pushes your shorts to the side, revealing his cock from it's restraint and burying himself into you to the hilt, over and over. He's relentless, which is exactly what you want. You're obsessed with him and the way he manhandles you so easily. How he can twist you and use you any way he wants. He can overpower you so easily.

Yet he chooses not to in a violent way. Maybe that's why you like him so much.

You're nearly screaming as he stretches you open. You can't handle him. Can't handle the way he makes you feel. He loves how you squirm around in his grasp when you're overstimulated from his cock. Clutching at his thick arms for dear life, admiring the way his muscles flex as he holds you just right to hit the perfect angles deep inside of you. He'll laugh at you and degrade you. "Pathetic little thing, So eine Schlampe." He taunts. His warm breath sends chills up your spine. You can't take much more. But you don't have to worry. His hips are getting unsteady and sloppy, he's groaning out perfectly. Filling you full of him with a cry. When he pulls away from you, he smiles. You're bruised up from his lips, coated in his latest victims blood.

You're perfect.

#call of duty mw2 #soap mw2 #cod mw2 #ghost mw2 #captain john price #price mw2 #alejandro mw2 #captain price #johnny soap mactavish #mw2 smut #konig modern warfare #konig x reader #konig mw2 #könig fanfiction #könig mw2

[plan-3-tmars]

Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart.

Hey I think the framing of this scene is really fucking cool and I wanna talk about it because I haven't seen anybody do that. yet so. yahooo!! let's get into it

BUT FIRST. Symbolism:

an empty chair can symbolise the absence or memory of someone dear who has passed away. This is very obviously meant to represent Hinako in this scenario

In my interpretation, this scene is Kazui saying goodbye to Hinako and apologising for the circumstances of her death.

The lyrics that play are:

"I’m sure nothing will change and we’ll laugh together and call each other stupid names, so many things I wish i hadn't known, I'm just a coward."

The first part of this verse sounds like he's wishfully thinking about what could've happened after he told her the truth - if anything a bit naively.

Kazui wanted (and still wants) to get the weight of his lies off his chest, but he wasn't ready to face the consequences of that confession, most likely making Hinako's death hit even harder.

Here, he bows to the chair before turning around leaving, a silent goodbye.

~

But what about what's going on in the background of this scene? Well!

As Kazui leaves, these two scenes flash in the background. On the table in the first shot is our good friend the green apple, and Background Kazui picks it up, analyses it, before biting it.

So let's go for another symbolism refresher!!

Green apples can sometimes represent platonic relationships, like friendship, but in Kazui's case this takes the form of a sin - as not loving Hinako romantically is what he's lying about - making it a reference to the Garden of Eden story.

Going from that, biting into an apple can represent feeding into temptation.

My interpretation of this scene is Pre-Marriage Kazui indulging in his 'sin', which in my opinion is the fact he's gay.

Let's go back to that lyric shall we:

"I’m sure nothing will change and we’ll laugh together and call each other stupid names, so many things I wish i hadn't known, I'm just a coward."

So many things you wish you hadn't known huh.. Not knowing you were gay would sure make lying to your wife a whole lot easier wouldn't it?

"What I gave up a long time ago, why is it questioning me now? So many things that I should now have known, I'm just a coward"

Woohoo evidence for Background Kazui being Pre-Marriage Kazui!!!

I think this scene is the last time Kazui let himself be free before marrying Hinako. This could possibly have been when he noticed she had a crush on him at their work.

He's indulging one last time. Embracing his sin instead of hiding it away one. last. time. before giving it up for good, almost like a. goodbye.

~

So. I think this scene is framed this way in order to show the parallel of Kazui giving up his sin, and Kazui mourning Hinako's death.

As established, they both have a "goodbye, I'm sorry things turned out this way" atmosphere to them. Kazui is apologetic, in a way, that he has to give up on being his true self and he is apologetic of his lies murdering Hinako, so Milgram conveys this by showing the two scenes posed the same way in front of one another.

This framing also gives the scene a Beginning Vs End feeling that I think is really cool, and the use of Dark Vs Light colours only heightens that! (Though that's slightly off topic rip)

Conclusion? I love this scene it's awesome and amazing and super cool

#take a shot everytime i say the word frame and you might get a little tipsy #anyway hi i was meant to post this like 3 days ago but then that patho post kinda blew up and i didnt want it to get overshadowed #or fill up my notifications cuz god damn that was. alot #so im re-uploading this 3rd times the charm baby #milgram #kazui mukuhara #this scene is also one of the biggest pieces of evidence for the gay kazui theory imo especially before Cat's release #also no podcast reference in my milgram analysis?!? what is this anarchy?!?? (i couldnt think of one) ((sad face)) #milgram analysis

[angelsanarchy]

Alkaline: Euronymous x Y/N Series CH 21

Tagging: @ophelialaufey@madamemaximoff06@forever-not-gonna-sink@ajmiila02@liquidsmoothdomme@shady-the-simp @auggiethecreator @tempt-ress @blacksoul-27

Oystein had stopped putting in orders for a few weeks. He figured after what Y/n went through seeing the photo of Pelle, it would be best to give her a bit of a break. If he got a craving, he didn't mind just stepping in and grabbing it. The few times he went in though, he hadn't seen Y/n in the back or even sitting in the office. When he resumes putting in his orders, some guy ends up dropping his order off.

"Did Y/n finally decide to stop bringing you lunch?" Faust asked confused.

"Honestly, I have no idea. I haven't seen her in a few weeks. He tried again the next day and it was still another person and not Y/n. Eventually he walked into the shop and saw Hammeed standing at the register.

"Your regular Mr. Oystein?" He asked and he gave a nod.

"Hey did Y/n quit?" Oystein could see a saddened look on Hammeed's face.

"Oh no, she asked for some time off. She works very hard. She wasn't doing well. I do apologize she hasn't been able to deliver your orders. Has there been a problem with the deliveries?" He asked

"No no they've been great. Don't worry about it. I was just curious." Oystein took his food back to the store and locked himself in his office. He debating on doing another drive by but after her neighbor had spotted him last time, he didn't want to make it worse.

Instead, he called the grocery store she also worked at.

"Hi I was looking to place an order but wanted to know if Y/n was available to deliver it? She delivers for my parents usually." Oystein asked sitting back in his chair.

"Oh Y/n is on bereavement leave for another week. We can try and find someone else to make a delivery but you might have to just pick up your order." The woman on the line explained.

Oystein hung up the phone and chewed on his lip. Bereavement leave might someone had died. The only person he knew was sick was her mom but she was mentally sick, not on the verge of death sick. He sat for hours trying to decide what to do. He finally searched for a phone book and was able to find the number that matched the address he had written on a small ripped piece of paper he kept in his wallet. He dialed the number and waited nervously for someone to answer.

"Hello?" It was a woman but not Y/n.

"Um...hi I was calling for Y/n...to offer my condolences." Oystein sat up hoping this wouldn't backfire on him.

"Oh I'm sorry sweetheart but she's sitting in Shiva right now. Would you like me to take a message?" The woman asked quietly.

"I um...I'm a friend and I was just worried about her. I heard she was on bereavement leave and I got worried...how is she doing?" Oystein asked cautiously.

"Honestly she's not doing well. She really thought her little brother was getting better. She had spent a lot of time with him working through his issues but his soul was just too broken to bare another day here. It didn't help that she found his body." Oystein closed his eyes tightly hearing what the woman was saying. Y/n's little brother must have killed himself. He wasn't expecting that at all. He remembers her mentioning her brother had issues like Pelle but he never considered that he was so closely related.

"Shiva is over in another few days and she said she would be going back to work soon. Do you work with her?" The woman asked and Oystein swallowed the lump in his throat.

"No I'm just a friend. Can you tell her that Oystein is here if she needs anything, anything at all." He said tearing the photo of Pelle off the wall.

"I will let her know Oystein. Thank you for calling and the condolences." The woman hung up the phone and Oystein took his glasses off, pinching the bridge of his nose. This is not what he was expecting. Everything felt so upside down. He should have known why Y/n was so hurt by his actions when it came to Pelle's death. He came off as a heartless and callous and she was desperately trying to keep her brother here. He felt like the biggest piece of shit on the planet.

He picked up the phone and dialed his home number. He waited to hear his mother's voice.

"Mom, I need your help. Y/n's brother died and I need to know what to send for condolences." Oystein stayed on the phone with his mother for over an hour in search of food delivery, flower delivery and any sort of funeral plans that his family could send an arrangement to. He asked his mom about what Shiva was and she explained that is a period of mourning after the funeral for the family to heal. She explained it was a very personal time for the family's healing journey and that it would be best for him to stay clear of her for now.

He also talked to her about Pelle and how things have happened between the two of them and while she wasn't thrilled to hear how he exploited the death of his friend, she explained to him that she knows how painful it was for him to lose Pelle. Oystein cried on the phone with his mother for the first time since he was a child.

He knew he had to get his shit together for his own sake. He needed to get back to the roots of what brought him to where he was today and stop letting stupid shit overshadow it all.

#R!Euronymous #R!Euronymous x Y/n #Film: Lords of Chaos #Alkaline #Alkaline series #One Shot Series #Rory Culkin #Culkin Cult #21/35

[spectrum-spectre]

Sorry if this is completely out of nowhere but: Steddie Soulmate AU where your soulmark appears when you realize you're in love with your soulmate. Eddie gets his when he sees Steve kill the demobat and doesn't mention it bc he figures it's unrequited and Steve's soulmark is for Nancy. Steve gets his soulmark when he realizes Eddie put himself in mortal danger to protect Dustin and panics trying to save Eddie so they can have a chance to be together.

I'm honored that you sent this to me <333

this is my first writing ask so I hope i don't disappoint (slight angst incoming but dw!!!)

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Eddie doesn't believe in soul mates; at least, not at first. He thinks the whole "soul mark" thing is some weird fluke, a genetic anomaly that scientists just haven't put a name to yet. The thought that your love for another person could never be enough compared to the mere idea of their "perfect partner?" That you could be happily married with a child you care about, but one day your spouse is suddenly in love with someone else? It's what tore his family apart.

He was 13 years old, see, when his good-for-nothing father met a lady he claimed was his soul mate. He left Eddie and his Mama in the dust, never to be seen or heard from again. His Mama didn't take it well, drank herself to sleep every night and let him fend for himself. Until one day she just... didn't wake up.

It was then and there he decided this whole soul mate thing was bullshit. He moved in with his uncle, his only family left on his Mama's side. He never met his father's side, which was probably for the best. Eddie wore his anger like armour, never letting anyone close enough to possibly break his heart like his Mama's did.

Enter stage right: Steve fucking Harrington.

He's so perfect it's infuriating. Who gave him the right to actually be a decent guy?? He already has the looks and the charm of a living Greek God, he shouldn't be allowed to be nice!

Eddie knew he was screwed the moment Steve threw his sweater at him on the boat. He could already feel the beginnings of a heartache: his pulse speeding up, his breath catching in his throat, the painfully strong urge for a cig to take the edge off. He figured, "hey, why the hell not? I'm probably gonna die anyway, might as well give in to the moment while I can," and wrapped up his flashlight. No need to be embarrassed over a crush if you're dead. It only got worse.

Seeing Steve get pulled under was like getting a tooth ripped out-fucking torturous. Suddenly you're left with a big empty wound that aches to have that missing piece returned to its rightful place, exposed nerves crying out for comfort and protection against the elements.

He could not have been less prepared for the sight he was about to see. Steve aka "The King" aka "The Hair" Harrington, beating a demon-bat thing to a pulp, taking a bite out of it, and spitting out the blood. He is so, so fucked.

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I'll do a part two soon!! It just turned midnight and this is all I could do for right now but I hope you like it!!! Next part will be about Steve >:D

lemme know if you'd like to be tagged!

❤️ 💙 💜 💖 💗 💘

edit: part two is out NOW!!!

#FIRST ASK!!! #TYSM ANON ILY!!! #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie brainrot #steddie ficlet #steddie fic #soulmate au #my achilles heel #steddie soulmate au #my writing #soul marks

[crowned-aeris]

Tim & Kon’s official meeting | To brace upon benign feathers

Tim huffs, fastening the silver tie around his neck before looking at the box of jewelry he'd salvaged from Drake Manor all those months ago. When he'd seen Tim looking longingly at the manor, Bruce had bought the building to protect it from being demolished. Tim had thought about retreating to the Drake Manor numerous times since Bruce had bought it, but he could never shove past the grief that would swell in his throat.

He combed through his wings again, ensuring no feather was out of place, before clipping on his earrings. Behind him, he could see Duke fidgeting with his cuffs as Damian snapped at him not to ruin the makeup.

"Even Timothy's doing better than you," Damian said in a scathing tone, and Tim forced his shoulders to stay down and his feathers to remain lax.

"I just don't understand why I have to attend too!" Duke protested, pouting as Damian continued to fuss over him. "Ducky's the one the press is after!"

"You're the new "Wayne Stray," Duke," Tim comments, finally satisfied with his appearance, "and the press will always froth at the mouth when it comes to Bruce."

Duke sighed, "What about you?"

"I'm there to take attention off your back," Tim said, draping the gala persona over his features, "you'll only be a footnote, so don't worry. Damian should know how to behave by now, so stick with him, and you'll be fine."

The eldest Wayne son scoffed, "What we need to worry about is your own potential sullying of my Father's name."

Tim took a deep breath as anger pulsed red-hot just under his throat. Snapping at Damian would do him no good, especially when his makeup and jewelry have been perfected.

"I have been in this longer than you have, Damian," Tim sneered, allowing the icy sharpness of Janet Drake's demeanor to drip into his expression, "I was born into the song and dance. If anyone's going to sully the Wayne name, it would be you."

Tim swept out of the room with a straight back and even straighter expression. As expected, the moment he stepped out, he was accosted by a high-standing socialite.

Johnathan Levi Froyd- a man of new money originally from Massachusetts. He won't last long in Gotham. The man has already irritated Black Mask by attempting to buy out one of the man's dummy companies. Tim wouldn't be surprised if Froyd drops dead in the next week or so.

"Well, isn't it Timothy Drake!" the herring gull crowed, and Tim couldn't help it as he internally withered away. Oh, what he wouldn't give for a nice cup of coffee with Wendy the Werewolf Stalker playing in the background as he perused through a few cases...

"Why, welcome!" Tim returned in the same volume and tone, "It's so good to see you here, Mister Froyd!"

"Why, it's marvelous to see you too, Mister Drake!" the man laughed, his voice grating against Tim's ears, "I'm glad to see you in such wonderful health! But enough of these niceties, call me John! If you're anything like that father of yours, I have no doubt we'll be business partners in the future."

Jack Drake was only ever the shadow puppet, the face of Drake Industries. Janet was always the true mastermind behind the company's operations, and those who couldn't see that were always unfit to be the Drakes' business partners.

Tim twisted himself out of the man's reach as he tried to brush a hand through Tim's feathers, "I'm sorry, Mister Froyd, but you must excuse me. My wings are sacred. You know how it is!"

The herring gull laughed, and Tim viciously shoved away the urge to wrap his hand around the man's throat and strangle him, "Of course! You're saving yourself for that special someone, eh? Say, have you met my daughter yet?"

"I'm sorry to say I haven't," Tim could feel his soul wither away and bleed out from his ears, "but I'd love to meet her."

Thankfully, Tim was swept away before he got the chance to rip the man's throat out.

The night continued with high-standing elites crowding the newly orphaned Drake's attention. They saw him as easy prey, someone they could leech the Drake's company from. They saw Tim as lesser, as a hopeless child with no way of stumbling through the intricacies of high Gotham alone.

Little do they know, Tim was bred for this.

The falcon returned every subtle jab with his own. A question against his parents with a veiled accusation. His words were gilded daggers formed from frost and venom, and Tim was trained by his mother, the deadliest businesswoman you would ever see.

Eventually, he found himself at Bruce's side, the harpy eagle firmly entranced within his Brucie persona.

Duke was on Bruce's left, with Damian guarding Duke as well. The dove's darker skin tone left him open to the less-than-subtle jabs sharpened to a point.

A reporter walked up with a pair of similar-looking teens trailing behind him. The man was bulky, someone you wouldn't expect to be a reporter, and he had a distinct lack of wings. The man had claimed that it was from a childhood disease that left his wings brittle and weak, and the limbs had to be removed, or else it would've been fatal. Tim knew better.

Clark Kent, reporter of the Daily Planet.

Superman.

That meant the two teens behind him were Jonathan, a western kingbird, and Conner Kent, a purple martin. Superboy and Supernova, respectively. Jonathan was Clark's biological son he had with Lois Lane, the senior reporter at the Daily Planet and one of Bruce Wayne's many close friends. Conner, Supernova, was a clone made from Superman and Lex Luthor's DNA, rescued from Cadmus Labs by Reaper, Superboy, and their team, The Titans.

"Good evening, Mister Wayne," Clark greeted with an open smile.

"Hello, Clark!" Bruce crowed loud enough that he could be heard over the sounds of the gala, "Who are these young chicks you've brought with you?"

Tim noticed the look Damian and Jon exchanged. Conner was eyeing Tim warily. The purple martin stood out like a sore thumb with his wild hair, piercings, and unpreened feathers. He may have donned a suit and tie, but Conner Kent still looked out of place.

"These are my sons," Clark smiled, "Jonathan and Conner. They were interested in my work, so they tagged along."

"Oh, how wonderful! I've managed to snag a few new chicks myself!" Bruce exclaimed proudly, and Tim had to resist the urge to bristle as Bruce tugged him into his side. "Look! Here's a chick I picked up! Oh, isn't he so precious?"

Tim sighed internally and drew smaller, becoming the antithesis of a sad, feeble, orphaned fledgling, "Hello, Mister Kent! My name is Timothy, but please call me Tim! I'm pleased to meet you!"

The reporter blinked but returned the smile, "I'm happy to meet you, too. How have you been settling in, Tim?"

"Living with Bruce has been an experience. After my parents passed, he took me under his wing and provided me with space to grieve and room to grow. Without his guidance, I would've fallen into the foster system."

Clark's expression turned sympathetic, "I'm sorry for your loss, Tim. What about your other newest? Duke?"

Tim slipped out of Bruce's hold, ignoring how the eagle continued to chatter before heading toward a balcony. He painstakingly hoisted himself up to the roof, careful not to ruin his clothes or wings, before settling down and leaning back.

The singles were rough under his palms, but the chilly night sky helped to chase away the headache that plagued his head. The smell of different perfumes and colognes had twisted together to form a disgusting mass of writhing scents that made Tim's temples throb.

A few stars were visible from where he perched. Sirius, for example, shone bright through the gloom. If he were to fly past the clouds, Tim doesn't doubt he'd be able to spot Polaris or maybe Jupiter's vague light through the dark skies.

He twitched as he heard wingbeats flap through the air, and Tim looked up to see Conner Kent land next to him. Tim was about to drape on his gala persona when Conner slumped beside him.

"Stop doing that," Conner scoffed, "it's just us out here."

He hesitated before relaxing against the shingles, "I guess."

"It's kinda cold out here, isn't it?" Conner said, trying to make small talk.

Tim shrugged, letting his eyes slip close as the music from the gala wafted through the windows, "Not really... What are you doing out here?"

"What, didn't want to be in a commoner's presence?" Conner sneered, "Fine, then I'll get out of your hair-"

Tim snapped his open and grabbed the krypotian's wrists, "No- just- just stay."

He held eye contact for a little longer than socially acceptable before quickly dropping his hand and resuming his earlier position, albeit a little tenser. Conner sighed before sitting next to him, their wings brushing against each other.

After a beat of silence, Conner began to speak, "I came out because I got tired of all the rich people whispering about Clark. What about you?"

"...I got overwhelmed," Tim admitted softly, keeping his eyes fixed on the moon.

"How so?" Conner pressed. Tim would've snapped and stormed off by now, but the calm air enticed him to stay. Yeah, that was why.

"It's too many smells," the falcon elaborated, "and it was too loud. People keep touching me, and... I can't stand how Damian keeps looking at me. It feels like he's just waiting for me to mess up."

"He looks like he was worried about you," Conner said, and Tim scoffed, feathers fluffing in frustration.

"You don't know him like I do."

"Maybe," Conner trailed off, "Hey."

"Yeah?" Tim opened his eyes to peer at him.

Conner smiled mischievously, "How do you feel about a quick flight?"

Tim blinked before a genuine smile claimed his lips, "Like... a race?"

Conner's lips quirked into a bright grin, "Yup! From here to that tree and then back to the roof. Loser... takes the winner out for lunch!"

His eyes glimmered with glee, and Tim popped to his feet, "Using just our wings, right?"

The purple martin nodded, "On three. One... Two... Three!"

With that, the two shot into the air. While Conner made a beeline for the tree, Tim beat his wings and shot straight into the sky.

"That's not the tree!" Tim heard Conner shout, but the falcon only grinned before pulling in his wings and diving.

The wind whistled around him as he sliced through the air like a racing bullet, the leaves shaking around him as Tim smacked his hand against the bark. Despite the contact, the falcon maintained his momentum.

Tim laughed as he heard Conner shout in surprise behind him. The falcon tilted his wings and shot back into the sky. The air sang around him as he dove again, the wind whipping past his ears as he pulled up at the last moment to avoid breaking his ankles against the shingles. His legs and palms protested as he slammed against the roof. Exhilarated laughter bubbled from his throat as his wings flapped wildly. Andrenaline pumped pleasantly through his veins, and Tim couldn't help as he flapped his hands in tandem.

"HAHA!" Tim laughed, spinning around to point his finger at Conner, who'd just landed beside him, the purple martin's wings drooping with exhaustion, "You owe me lunch!"

Tim continued to laugh breathlessly, his wings pumping as he launched back into the air, energy coursing through his veins like sparks of starlight.

It felt as if he was free. Tim was free, he was free, free, free-

"TIMOTHY!"

The glee that pulsed through his chest vanished like mist under the sun, replaced by a flood of despair and irritation. He swooped down and landed beside Conner, far more graceful than he had moments prior.

Damian erupted through the balcony door, followed by Bruce and Duke, with Jonathan bringing up the end.

Tim stiffened at Damian's cold expression. Bruce looked tired, and Duke worried.

The falcon stepped back, his feathers raised as a defensive anger inundated him. Damian tried to take another step forward, but Duke stopped him with an outstretched wing.

"Kon!" Jonathan shouted, rushing over to examine his younger brother.

Duke walked forward, too, but he was far less aggressive than Damian.

Tim fluttered his wings anxiously and blinked as Conner shifted slightly to place himself between Tim and the Waynes.

The dove's eyes softened at the action, "It's okay, we're not mad."

"You're not going to do anything to him, are you?" Conner insisted, "Because it was my idea. He was sitting there when I challenged him to a race and-"

"It's okay," Duke soothed with raised hands, his wings lowered to seem nonthreatening, "Tim's not in trouble. Everyone was worried when Tim disappeared, so we had Jonathan help us look for him. But when he realized you had also gone missing, he insisted on joining us on the search."

Conner looked back and locked eyes with Tim. Whatever he saw made him relax, "Fine. Hey, Tim, what's your phone number?"

He blinked before snapping out of his momentary stupor to stare blankly at the clone. "My... My phone number?"

Jon narrowed his eyes and watched Conner with an expression Tim couldn't distinguish. Duke grinned and nudged his shoulder against Tim's, "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Tim blinked again, watching Damian and Bruce from the corner of his eye before taking and entering his number into Conner's phone.

"Great!" Conner grinned, "It was nice meeting you!"

With a shy smile, Tim muttered an agreement as he watched Conner follow Jon off to where Clark was waiting.

Once the Kryptonians were out of sight, Damian snarled, "Get in the cave. Now."

He bristled, "You can't tell me what to do!"

Damian glowered, looming over him with lambent eyes, "I said, get. In. The. Cave."

"Damian," Bruce admonished with an edge to his voice, "that's enough."

"What were you doing with that clone?" Damian snapped as they followed Tim into the manor.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tim huffed, anger screaming under his skin.

"I won't be repeating myself," Damian growled, and Tim whipped around with spread wings. The two snarled at each other, the tension thick enough to be cut.

Luckily for Alfred's vases, Duke stepped in with a low croon, "Guys, relax. Tim, Damian's just worried."

"There's nothing to worry about!" Tim shouted, fists clenching at his sides, "Conner and I raced. That's it."

"Then why are you so- so- unseemly!"

Tim scoffed, "I don't even know why I try."

"Tim-" Duke tried, but Tim jerked himself away.

"Leave me alone. I'm tired."

Tim ignored how the dove faltered and pulled his wings tighter against his back. Behind him, he could hear Damian hissing angrily at Bruce.

Duke grabbed his shoulder, and Tim snapped out a wing to knock him away, a snarl drawn across his lips, "I said, LEAVE. ME. ALONE!"

Without another word, Tim stormed away, ducked into his room, and slammed the door. The flacon flinched as the walls surrounding the door rattled, and his feathers bristled in alarm. In the distance, if Tim listened carefully, he'd hear Damian's enraged screams.

"He cares about you," Duke says.

A bitter, curling emotion writhed in his chest, sinking its wicked claws into the base of Tim’s throat.

Damian? Cares about Tim? Yeah right. Compared to the notion of Damian expressing any sort of positive emotion toward Tim of all people, hell freezing solid would be the likelier outcome.

#fic: to brace upon benign feathers #tim drake #batman #batfamily #batfam #fanfic #bruce wayne #damian wayne #duke thomas #clark kent #kon el kent #kon el #conner kent #jonathan kent #superman #superboy #wing fic #wingfic #wings #reverse robins #timkon #damian tries #but it’s not enough #i think thats it #brucie wayne

[stayandot8]

Chapter Four: Just One Yesterday

"If you think this story has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention..."

Genre: angst

Relationship type: established gf/bf

Important Contents: bar setting, so mentions of alcohol, chris is a lowkey-highkey dick, swearing as usual, 18+, mentions of dr*gs, death of a child (if i miss any, please let me know)

a/n: well. it's been a long time coming but here we are, at the end of it all. thank you to everyone who has read this series. i've put quite a bit of work into this and i hope you enjoy it. if you were hoping for a happy ending tied up with a bow, i'm sorry to disappoint you. but this was the ending i decided on a while ago and it feels right to me. so. sorry if you hate, but not sorry actually. thank you to those who encouraged me to keep writing this, you know who you are. thank you for the motivation because my ADHD was close to taking over and i was ready to quit this. i'm glad i didn't. but anyways.

thank you.

-Sparkles

WC: 11.8k

last part l masterlist

~

“Come on, Chan! Won’t you play with me for just a minute?”

*

We were all sitting around, brushing glass off the ripped booth seats. The stuffing from inside them was scattered around us, Jeongin trying his best to sweep what he could from around where we had gathered in the corner. His face was creased with frown lines. 

“Innie, your face will freeze like that.” It was my best attempt at a joke to lighten the mood. Jeongin returned it with his attempt at a half-hearted smile and kept sweeping, gathering pieces of glass with every stroke. 

There was another long pause of silence. Hyunjin huffed and continued surveying everything around him with the same pained expression Jeongin was wearing. Changbin was staring at his feet while Felix was sitting between them and was laying his head on each of their shoulders. He would alternate between the two when the other was moving too much. This was the most solemn I had ever seen him. He had checked online to see if any other places in town had been hit with a break-in, but none were reported. So he resolved to be here for moral support for anyone who needed him, which was the two he was between at the moment. 

Minho was just plain pissed. He had gone missing for the time being, off to recover the camera footage from the ones he had put in. He hadn’t said a word to anyone, opting for the silent treatment. Chris just looked terrified. He was leaning against what was left of the bar and staring at the words on the wall behind it, saying something to himself over and over, just barely audible if anyone were to listen. Shaking his head at the spray painted words and fidgeting his fingers, picking at his cuticles. It was a complete turnaround from the man I had seen over the last few weeks. That one had been confident and ambitious, his wit sharp and his mind in the zone of whatever he was doing. But the one that was standing across the room… He was small, with the weight of the world on his chest, not just his shoulders. And it would crush him if he let it.

Han was sitting beside me, holding a large rock in his lap and staring at it. We had assumed that was what they had used to break in without a key, whoever they were. Han was staring at it like he felt sorry for it, 

“It never asked to be used like that.”

“That’s the strangest reaction I’ve ever heard.” And that was that. 

Seungmin had disappeared with Minho, looking at the outward damage and taking notes and pictures for the insurance company. He had sprung to action after Minho stormed off, the only other one thinking logically about the next steps. When someone offered to help, he would shoo them away and say he had everything he needed. 

I wasn’t saying much, trying to break up the long silences with something here and there. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t help anyone, no one needed anything. So I sat, trying to sort out the emotions I felt that someone had broken in and destroyed the only place I had ever called a home. It had to be someone with a grudge of some kind, something against someone here. I thought of asking everyone to come up with a list of anyone they could think of with enough motive to do something like this. 

Next thing we know, three cop cars pull into our parking lot. Three burly men and a younger one got out of them and carefully looked over the place before asking for someone. Seungmin went up to them and started telling them everything they needed to know; we had all just come back from vacation to find this and we had no suspects. Minho had come storming in from the office, holding his laptop under his arm. It was closed and he was still looking pissed, so it was safe to assume he didn’t find anything of use. I shot him a questioning look in case he looked my way, which he did but glanced over me and headed straight outside to the police. They conferred for a while and we all just watched them in silence. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chris wipe his eyes and head out the back door.. 

*

“Help me… It hurts… Why does it hurt?...”

“Shhh Danny, it’s okay. Don’t talk, it’ll only make it hurt worse.”

“Chan… It hurts…”

*

“Hey.” I touched him gently on the shoulder, the cigarette that appeared out of nowhere was dangling from his fingertips. He hadn’t lit it yet, but the lighter was in his other hand. He was staring at the sidewalk, lost in thought. When he finally glanced over, his lip was quivering. He looked shaken. “Where did you get those?” He wiped his nose with his hand and sniffed. 

“I hid them back here just in case I would need them. This would be…one of those times.” I was confused. “It’s all my fault.” He took a shuddering breath and let it out, staring at the sky.

“What are you talking about?”

“I did this. I brought them here.” He whispered to me. 

“Brought who here?”

“They found me once and now they’ve come back to get their revenge. It’s all my fault.”

“Are you talking about those guys I saw you with that night?” He nodded slowly. 

“I ignored them when they reached out and this is what I’ve done. To everyone. I put everyone in danger.” His eyes had welled up and his breathing was frantic. “It’s exactly like you said would happen. I should’ve left when you caught me.”

“Chris…”

“No, I should have. I was stupid for thinking this would be far enough to keep them away. For thinking I could forget every decision I’ve made until now. All my choices have finally caught up to me and now…” The first tears had now made streams on his cheeks. “Now someone else has paid the price. Again.” 

I didn’t know what to say after that. Something in me told me there was nothing I could’ve said to him in that moment that would’ve comforted him or brought him an ounce of peace. So I just stood there beside him while he cried and thought about…whatever he was thinking about.

We just leaned against the fence in mutual silence, the unlit cigarette still in between his fingertips. After another moment, he tossed it on the ground and turned on his heel. 

“I’m going for a walk. I’ll see you later.” I nodded to his back as his muscles shifted beneath his t-shirt. I probably should have asked where he was going, and in hindsight I definitely should have.

*

After Seungmin and Minho were done with the police, they sent us all home so they could speak with anyone who might have seen anything. We were all too frustrated to do much of anything so we all met up at Felix’s bakery. He said a sweet treat might help us lift our spirits. So everyone minus Chris sat in the summer heat outside smelling the baked goods being prepared for us. Felix had closed down shop while we were gone so the place was empty, some people walking by were craning to see if the open sign was turned. It was not; it still read CLOSED.

Everyone was just as defeated as they were when we left, except now with plates of pastries in front of them, uneaten. Minho was staring at a danish on an orange plate as if his combined powers of will would lift it into his mouth if he wished it hard enough. When he decided it wouldn’t work, he just slouched further into his metal chair and sighed. 

“This is fucking ridiculous.” He tilted his head to watch the clouds go by. “Who turned off the cameras before we left?” 

“No one did. They had to have turned them off right before they did it. We have the footage of us leaving and the days after. They shut off right before the vandalism. Whoever it was must have known where they were to turn them off.” Hyunjin was being surprisingly serious about this whole thing. When he let it out, he was actually quite smart. “So if we know they were turned off, that means they knew that we had them.”

“Every restaurant worth their talent has cameras now. That’s not really an unknown fact.” Changbin chimed in. “These people knew exactly how to turn them off. We had nothing. They just… cut out.” 

“Then wouldn’t they have to have known their way in and around to find the switch?” Jeongin piped up. 

“Yes. They would have.” Minho responded. “And no one has ever told anyone anything about our camera system?” 

“It’s not really something that comes up with the two other friends I have other than you guys.” Han said sarcastically. “Not really a hot topic with the young crowd.” Minho rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair. 

“I just don’t understand…” He rambled on to those who were listening while others picked at whatever pastry was in front of them. I let my mind wander to where Chris might have ran off to. 

It was like trying to put together a puzzle without the edges: it was hard to pick a place to start. What had he rushed off to do? Was there something he needed to do right then and there?  It didn’t have to do with me, did it? I wasn’t sure. I thought about sending him a quick text just to check in, but from how he looked before he ran off, he needed space and time. And I’d give him what he needed, just like he did for me. 

“So what do we do while everything gets back in order? Twiddle our thumbs?” It was the first time Seungmin had spoken to us directly since we got to Felix’s place. 

“No. You rebuild.” Felix piped up. “You get in there and clean it up and you move on. You don’t let it get to you, no matter where it came from. You do the work and you take the time that you need to move forward. All of you.” He looked us all in the eyes, going from one to the next, holding it there so we would know he meant every word he said. Felix was good at that, saying the words people needed to hear and being sincere with all of it. It was one of his many superpowers. 

The only way through this ordeal was through. There were no ifs, ands, or buts, about it. We would find the people who did this and hold them responsible. We’d pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and move along just like we always had. 

“Think of it this way: now you can repaint it!” Felix, ever the bright-sided one, continued to point out all the things Minho could change now that it had been ‘taken care of for him’ until Minho stopped looking so downtrodden. The others were softly smiling at Felix with a look of wonder at how someone could be so positive and pick up the ones around him without fail.

“So.” I sighed. “Onwards, then.”

*

“But I don’t want this one, Chan. I want chocolate.”

“I know, Danny, but that one’s too high. I can’t reach it.” “What do you mean? You can do anything, Channie!”

*

It was late by the time I got back home, well past midnight. My dark apartment had long been quiet since I didn’t even have a chance to get home when he sent us. I’d gone looking for Chris only to come up empty handed. My bags were so heavy I left them in the entryway and stumbled onto my couch to lay down. I fell straight into the pillow and had one last thought before I fell asleep.

Me: Wherever you ran off to, I hope you’re okay. Come back when you’re ready. I hope that’s soon.

*

The alleyways He chose always stank of mildew. The rain tonight didn’t help. Everything was slick with water and nothing would chase away the stench of wet pavement, no matter how hard the car exhaust tried. Of course He chose tonight of all nights, when Danny wouldn’t sleep and begged to come with him wherever he was going. He had to beg him to stay in bed with a promise of pancakes for breakfast tomorrow, loaded with everything he could think of, if he would just stay in bed. 

These were the thoughts that plagued him as He showed himself for the first time that night. His usual fur coat had been switched for a slick black trenchcoat to block out the rain, but the rest of His attire was the same. His dark denim hadn’t started sticking to his legs yet, but it was sure to start now that He was out from the safety of His chauffeur-driven car. 

*

The pounding at my door startled me from my slumber with a jolt. I rubbed my eyes, my vision still fuzzy, and blinked until everything cleared. I shook my head as I stood up to stare through my peephole at a frazzled-looking Chris, his face flushed and pale and panting so loud I could hear it through the door, which I unlocked. His attention snapped to me and we locked eyes for a moment. His eyes were wild, more so than I’d ever seen before. 

“Chris?” I said lowly, voice groggy. “What time is it?” The more I looked at him, the more panicked I became. “Chris, what’s wrong?” His chest was rising and falling more rapidly now, like he couldn’t control it.

“I fucked up. I fucked up big time.” I felt my eyes grow wider.

“You better come inside.” I gestured him in.

He brushed past me and went straight for the couch, sitting on what I was just sleeping on. He bounced a little, letting himself drop onto it like I had. His eyes now were staring blankly at the TV on the wall, like he was merely looking into it. I waited until his breathing had slowed back to a semi-normal pace before offering him some water which he took. He held onto it like it was the only thing tying him to reality, like everything would shatter if he let go of that glass. I watched him grip it, his stare still blank. I let him sit there for however long he needed. 

After what felt like ages, and a few jerks awake from me, he finally spoke.

“It was them.”

“What was them? Who is them?”

“The guys who came after my dad and then me. They trashed the place. It was me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“They gave me a warning and I ignored it. I thought they were empty threats. I should’ve known better.”

“You thought a drug lord you used to work with would make empty threats?”

“I know. It was a stupid thought and I should have known better.”

“You have to tell Minho.” He sighed. 

“I know. But how? He’s the only one in this world who was willing to help me when things went to shit. How do I tell him that I betrayed him like this?”

“But how did you betray him? It’s not your fault they broke in, they made that choice themselves.”

“But I brought them here to do that. I led them straight here. They robbed him and broke everything because of me. Because I told them to leave me alone. And this is what happens when you fuck with the wrong people.” He grabbed a pillow and held it to his face and screamed. And screamed and screamed. I only placed a hand on his back for comfort, unsure of what to say. He screamed until his voice went hoarse and they dissolved into quiet tears. “It can’t happen again. Not again. Not again.”

I wasn’t sure what to do, if there was anything I could do that would console him enough to calm him down. So I got up, filled my kettle, and let him heave all of these emotions onto me, ready to catch them and hold them with him. He asked why I was willing to, he couldn’t understand why anyone would want to carry a burden that wasn’t theirs. 

“Because…that’s what keeps us alive. Sharing our burdens so they’re not…as heavy. It doesn't make the pain stop, it doesn’t make everything better again, but it lightens the load you have to carry everyday. That load only gets heavier and heavier with each passing day, but your friends and loved ones are there to take some of it off and help you to carry it. It might not make the most sense right now, but I promise it will. But you have to help us to help yourself. You have to decide who you trust enough to help you carry the weight. You trusted me enough to tell me about Daniel. And I’m grateful you did. But it’s up to you who to give that trust to.”

“The only people I’ve trusted I had to abandon.”

“Well, there’s only one way to break that curse… If you let us. All in your own time. Don’t push it until you’re ready.”

“What if I’m never ready?”

“Then I’m okay with being the one to help you lift.”

*

When I woke up, we were bundled together on my couch, our empty mugs forgotten on the coffee table. I blinked, my arms wrapped around Chris’s sleeping form moving up and down steadily in time with his chest. I was laying on him and I craned my neck up, wanting to watch him sleep just a little longer. 

He looked restless. His eyebrows were scrunched even more than they were when he first came to my door last night, like he was having a nightmare. And with all the thoughts that our conversation last night brought up, I’m sure he was reliving it all in his mind’s eye. I wasn’t sure if I should wake him or not, but he saved me from deciding when I heard him grunt and scrunch his eyes until they opened. He looked around until he remembered where he was then glanced down at me, his tired lips curving upwards. 

“Morning.” I whispered.

“Morning.” He whispered back. 

“How are you feeling? Any different?”

“Not really. But waking up next to you is nice. I could get used to that.”

“You don’t have to say that just because you’re in my apartment, you know. You can tell me if my morning breath is that bad.” He was avoiding the subject and I was going to let him. He’d been through enough for one night.

“It wasn’t that bad last night and it isn’t now either.” A soft chuckle from him and a small weight was lifted from my chest. It was nice to hear him laugh after last night.

“Oh please.” I laughed and threw off the blanket. “I’m going to shower and brush my teeth.” He started rising from the couch too and I spun to throw him a raised brow. “And where are you going?”

He looked like a kid caught trying to run away, but with his body turned toward the direction I was heading, he wasn’t doing that exactly. Instead he froze, looked at me, and slowly sat back down. I rolled my eyes, the smile never leaving my face.

“You can come pick out a toothbrush and then brush your teeth in the kitchen sink.” 

I'll give him whatever distraction he needs to get through this, I told myself. I’ll give him what he needs and then when he’s ready, he’ll come to me.

Won’t he?

From the hallway I hear

“But why can’t I brush my teeth in there?” 

Yeah. He will.

*

“Do you have what I asked for, kid?”

“This has to stop now. This is the last deal I’m doing for you. I’m done.”

He never liked mincing words. What He wanted from His dealers was a quick cut to the chase. He valued directness. He tried doing that, but this was pushing it. He had to keep it quick to get back home. Make his point, sever ties, and get home. That was what he kept repeating to himself as he spoke.

“You think you can get away that easy? You should know better than that. No one escapes The Cartelic. This shit is for life.”

“And what if I made a deal with you?”

*

That first day of repairs was.

“This place is a wreck.”

“Well spotted, Binnie.”

“Hey! I was just saying that this is going to take a while to do, even with the guys your dad hired.” Binnie glanced over at Minho apologetically, looking somehow adorable in his backwards hat and tank top. Minho just looked defeated the whole drive over. Myself, Minho, and Chris all packed into the car this morning to head to our hardware store to grab whatever we ourselves could do until the repairmen showed up, which included picking up the trash and broken things on the floor as well as sweeping up the broken glass everywhere. So we picked up about a billion boxes of trash bags and got to work, the other guys slowly appearing as the day went on. 

Changbin was the last to arrive with Jeongin, walking over the remaining glass to our spot and clutching his bag on his shoulder. 

“We came just in time to do the dirty work.” Changbin said with the fakest smile I had ever seen on anyone, including Hyunjin. Minho threw them both a pair of gloves. 

“So get to dirty working.”

Repairs were slow. So slow. But at least they were happening. 

Chris was over in the corner helping Hyunjin paint in the most adorable set of paint clothes I’d ever seen. Minho told Hyunjin he could paint something on the wall if he was on time for the next month. I didn’t know someone could look cute in clothes with tears and holes in them but there he was in basketball shorts and a white t-shirt. Every now and then, he would move in a way that would allow me to catch a peak of his skin. It made me feel like I was back in the Victorian age when the sight of a woman’s ankles sent men into a tizzy. What is wrong with me… 

I shook my head and turned back to the wall I was putting plaster on with Felix. He didn’t have to help, but that’s just who he was. He wouldn’t miss a chance to help a friend when it really counted. His bright blue hair was tied back in a half up, half down style keeping most of the loose strands out of his face. The few that fell out were perfectly placed as if he pulled them out himself. Life was so unfair sometimes…

Hyunjin and Chris were talking about something I couldn’t quite hear, then Hyunjin’s voice came in clear as day to my ears.

“You know, me and Han weren’t always the glowing twins we are now. We fought in the beginning.”

“Really?” 

“Yeah, we used to be at each other’s throats. He had a lot of pent-up anger when I first met him. But we actually met before we both started working here. We used to dance together in a group before we got this job. He would tell me all these things I needed to work on while he would be messing up just the same as me.”

“Han had pent-up anger?”

“Oh yeah. He would pick fights with almost everyone until he got his shit figured out. It took some serious sit-downs to talk it out. I had to bribe him to come with me.”

“So bribery does work on him.”

“Ha. Yeah, especially when he knows deep down he needs to chill out. We met up at a cafe nearby, Felix’s place actually. We talked about nothing for about five minutes, and then I just laid it all out. I told him that something had to give and it wasn’t going to be me. Then I tried to level with him, said we didn’t have to be best friends but if we were going to work together, then it had to, at least, be cordial. Minho was there, saw our…potential, I guess, and had us come in for interviews. Now here we are.” 

It was true, I remembered Minho telling me the story. He appreciated how they were talking it out outside of the group by themselves. He had just fired his whole restaurant because of the environment they had created amongst themselves and he was over it. He wanted to start from scratch. And he did. And did it well. He already had me on board, he just needed everyone else. 

“Han isn’t like that now. Now he knows that we’re all here for him. We’ve learned how to handle issues with him, if there are any. But there are rarely issues with us all now. We all came to just trust that if one of us has a problem, we’ll come to them with it.”

Chris thought about this a moment as he continued painting. I wondered what he was thinking about. 

*

After a full day of working on repairs with the guys Minho’s father called for the stuff we couldn’t do, Minho ordered food for everyone who worked. That was the real reason Changbin and Seungmin came, I later found out. 

We were all spread out on the floor, now swept and mopped so we could walk around freely. Blankets were spread out for comfort, or so I was told. We were ‘testing out the new cushions’ for the new booths, as Hyunjin had pointed out when he refused to sit on the bare floor. Everyone else was scattered around with plates of various dishes. 

I was watching Chris closer than I would ever admit to out loud. I was just worried about what all he was carrying with him in that head of his while he talked and listened. He was watchful and careful with his expression, not letting anything show about the worries he had come to me with. This troubled me the most. Why is he showing me and not them? I considered this. Was it because he felt safer with me? Did they give him some reason not to be trusted? What had happened between last week at my place and now? What was he thinking about?

“And that’s when I yelled at him that since we fight and yell so much, we might as well be a married couple! The blank stare I got back was so funny, ugh. I wish you all could have seen it.” Seungmin was wistfully staring at Minho now finished recanting the early days when they started planning the new menu together. Minho just shook his head, fighting the smile so as to keep his ‘bored’ exterior but we all knew the truth. He wouldn’t be Minho without Seungmin and he knew that. 

“You were really getting on my nerves and it just shocked me that you would say something like that! I wasn’t expecting it. You kept suggesting we make a pairing menu for the beers and wines. I kept telling you you were crazy and that this is not that kind of place.” He finally cracked a smile to show off those bunny teeth I always made fun of. 

“Well excuse me for trying to bring some class to this place.” Seungmin matched his grin. 

Ever since we got back from our trip, I took every moment I could to really, really look at Minho. How he carried himself, how he interacted with others that he knew and those he did not. To anyone who had just met him, he could seem standoffish, cold even. But when it really came down to it, I think he has the biggest heart of us all. How he met Chris was the truest testament to that; helping a stranger when they needed an out of a bad situation. That was who Minho really was at his base. I hoped he found someone who could truly be his match some day.

“It’s not as bad as that one guy who came in to work for Felix. He was terrible!” Jeongin countered whatever they were talking about while I wondered. 

“Oh no, HE was the worst.” Felix agreed. “He was always late, he was rude to customers, and never restocked before he left. I left him in charge of inventory for the back room one time and I was left without takeout boxes for two weeks! That’s more than half my business!” They all shook their heads, remembering the tales of when Felix would come in early because he had to close because of him. He was a real mess. 

“That shouldn’t happen now, though.” Felix said to his now-empty plate. “I hired one girl who took the interview very seriously. Said she was trying to go to culinary school here and would ‘love the opportunity to get hands-on experience in baked goods’ or something. Beth is her name. You’ll start seeing her around the shop soon since she starts Monday.” 

“That soon? Why didn’t you tell us you were hiring help?” Changbin asked with genuine curiosity. 

“I don’t need to run every business decision by you, do I?” Felix retorted with a smile. “Besides, she sounds like she’ll really be a big help with the actual baking stuff. She’s eager to learn everything. It’ll be a nice change to have someone actually wanting to be there.” 

“It sounds like you’ll have your hands full training someone new. I’m happy for you, Lix. Really. She sounds like she’ll really be a big help.” I hoped my sincerity shone through my words, By the look Felix gave back to me, it did. 

“You guys should come meet her! Or should I bring her here?”

“”Give her a few days to get used to everything. Then let her in on the circus.” Chris piped up. “You guys can be a lot when you’re first meeting someone. Take it from the one who was last to join.” 

“Oh come on, we’re not that bad.” I smirked at him, causing everyone to laugh. Chris shook his head as he laughed and while everyone was occupied with throwing away their trash, he threw me a wink.

*

“Do you want to come over? I made steak last night, it’s pretty good.”

Chris nodded, lowering his head to watch the pavement as we walked to my car. The otherwise abandoned parking lot was only lit by the one streetlamp adjacent, casting a dull glow on the summer night. The pavement must have been more interesting than whatever was going on around him because Chris stared at it the whole time, then rested his head on my headrest and watched the world go by as we drove back to my place. Something had shifted in him since we had left. When we pulled into my place, he made no move to get out. Only unbuckled his seatbelt and stared at his lap. I sat there and let him, not wanting to push him any more than he must have already felt. I knew if I felt exhausted, he had to as well.

We let the sounds of nightfall surround us while we sat. I wasn't sure how long we sat there until he broke the silence. 

“I want to tell them.”

“Tell them what?”

“What I did.” 

“And what did you do?” He looked at me, a flat expression gracing his eyes. Like I should know what he’s talking about. “Ah.” I let that sink in, weighing the words against my inner judgment, debating on giving advice or not. “What brought you to this conclusion?”

“These past few weeks…Mixed with the past couple months with all of them, I think I can trust them. I don’t want to tell them, but I feel like I need to. They deserve to know.”

“Why do they need to know? You don’t even know if it was them, Chris-”

“But I do know. I just know. Who else could it have been?”

“Anyone. You’re not the only one with enemies. Maybe the only with with a drug lord on that list but…” It was a poke to try to get him to laugh. He didn't. “What happened? What made you change your mind?”

He didn’t answer. He chose that moment to unlock his door and get out of the car. I had no choice but to follow him up the yard and up the steps. In the stairwell upwards, he whispered quietly so it wouldn’t bounce off the walls.

“I don’t know. I just…trust them. Like I trust you.” He stood to the side to let me unlock the door, our arms brushing while I dug for my keys. Even with the heavy subject matter we were discussing and implying between the lines, that jolt of electricity still ran down my spine. I both hated and loved that our chemistry could withstand it all. 

“I’m honored to have gained your trust so quickly. Are you sure you want to tell them?” As his friend, I wanted him to be sure he was confident in his decision. I knew it would kill him if he came to regret it later on, but I wasn’t sure he would. I trusted those boys with my life and then some, and if Chris had come to the same conclusion on his own, that meant even more. 

“I do. I will soon.” He came in after me and settled on the couch, just like he had the first night he came to me after the incident. But his features were much more…peaceful this time. He looked rested, like the weight had lifted when he had decided he would tell them. Instead of simply hovering over the fence between fainting from stress and the verge of tears, he seemed relaxed. Likely because of his decision for peace over secrets, but I chose to believe it was because he felt better here, in my house. 

“Good. Now help me with the steaks, yeah?”

*

“Your deal is no good here. Stupid to think that a child would have something I would want.”

“But what if I do?”

“And what could you possibly want in return, kid?”

“I want my father back.”

The bigger man laughed, his stomach jiggling as he did. “I forgot just how young you are. Are you still waiting for your father to come home? Pathetic.”

His hands shook as he clenched them, trying to keep his grip on his emotions. He knew that if He caught a whiff of any, he would be finished. So he reigned in his anger, centering himself to retort back.

“I expect nothing. Name your price and it’s done.”

“Your father was worth nothing, just like you. I want for nothing, unlike you. Your father will remain where we put him; six feet under.”

*

We laid in my bed, side by side, Chris’s fingers playing with mine and me, just watching while the light from the TV bounced around the room. Each time he glanced over to my face, I switched from watching his fingers back to the TV, fighting the grin dying to take over. I had to bite the inside of my cheek in order to do so, and he pretended not to notice when he went back to it. He would run the pads of his thumbs over my nails then down the length of my fingers, diving between them and then back up to the next. And he would start back over in the opposite direction, just resting and letting his mind wander wherever it was going. 

I was barely paying attention to the game show he had put on while I was in the bathroom, distracted by the mindless but intentional sensory placater that was happening. It was as much for me as it was for him, not thinking about the days ahead or behind. Living for the now, as we had been advised to do. Remembering the past would only bring to the surface all of the pain that rested there. He could leave it there if he wanted or choose to lighten the load, give some to me until he was ready to share it with someone else. Whatever he was ready for, whenever. 

He brought my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “Tell me what you thought when you first met me. What was going through your mind when you saw me walk in through those glass doors?” I finally moved my head to look at him straight on and saw curiosity staring back at me with a glimmer of something else simmering just below.

“What brings this on? Anything specific you want to hear?” He shook his head. 

“No. I just want to hear your honest thoughts. Have to make sure I make a good impression.” I snorted.

“Yeah, okay.” I said sarcastically and paused to think back. “Obviously, you were shrouded in mystery. The way Minho brought you in was super weird. I don't know why he had to bring us all in first to ‘make sure we were on the same page’ before he brought you out to the front.”

“He was giving me a tour of the back rooms when you all arrived. He went out to see what all the ruckus was and he came back and said it was just you guys. Said that we should all meet before dinner service that night.”

“Yeah, Minho likes his people to work well together. Which, I say we’re doing a fantastic job so far.” I winked at him. “I remember thinking that you were going to shake things up from what we had known. That you were either going to be the best thing that would happen to us or…” I didn’t want to say ‘the worst’. I wanted to save his worries at least a little, those that I could control. “And I thought you were cute in your little backwards baseball hat. You had these little hairs sticking out in the back and they kinda looked like a little duck’s tail.”

“A duck’s tail?”

“Yeah. The way it flips upwards, it's adorable.”

“Oh I’m adorable, am I?” 

“I didn’t say that.” I said quickly.

“Yes you did.” He said just as fast. 

“Oh stop it. Don’t let it go to your head. You were a right little shit straight afterwards.”

“It’s because you caught me off guard! I didn't know what to do so I resorted to default settings.” 

“What does that mean, I ‘caught you off guard’? What about me caught you off guard?” Disbelief coated my words, not thinking that anything about me could be catching anyone off guard.

“Everything. Everything about you.” I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “No, really! What, you don’t believe me?”

“I just don’t believe I’m that breathtaking.” I said the last word in a breathy, dramatic voice. “It’s not that I don’t believe you, it’s that I don’t think I’m capable of that kind of power.” I watched the TV for the next few minutes, feeling how heavy he was staring at me. I refused to look his way, not knowing what I might find if I dared sneak a peek. The man on the TV was doing something with his leg to make the audience laugh, but I was only half listening. But the longer Chris was quiet, the more the anticipation built. And it finally broke when Chris lifted his fingers to my chin and turned me to look at him again. 

“I crumble to dust when you say my name. What makes you think you have no power?”

Everything in the room went quiet. There was only Chris. Chris and the way he was looking at me like I had done him a great kindness in knowing him. Chris and the smell of him enveloping me like a long awaited hug that my soul had been calling out for. He understood what I didn’t know I had been longing for. 

Our eyes locked and that was all he needed. 

The moments before our lips met were the longest and the shortest of my life. And when he came knocking on my door, he found it already open for him, his name carved like he owned it.

*

“Minho, why are we here at the butt crack of dawn? Some of us like to sleep at this hour and do not appreciate being called to appear at our job before the sun officially rises.” Hyunjin ran his hand through his hair and rubbed his eyes. Felix jumped through the small crowd of friends and threw his arms around Hyunjin’s neck.

“Felix, if you don’t get off me, I’m going to scream into your eardrums so loud that you will need to have surgery to repair BOTH of them.” 

“Hyunjin, you’re so dramatic.”

“Yeah, how could you yell at our baby Felix like that?” Han widened his eyes to round them, making them shine like big round saucers while he threw his arms around Felix’s dejected frame. Felix’s pout accentuated his lips, making the pucker more than usual and making it impossible to say anything negative about or to. Well, more so than usual. Felix crossed his arms. 

Minho appeared around the corner of the restaurant waving his arms in our direction. 

“Over this way!” He shouted and disappeared again behind the back, forcing the rest of us to follow him. Changbin led the way, grumbling about not being told beforehand about anything for the past week. We had all spent most of the time taking well deserved breaks, helping with repairs where we could and finding odd jobs to do in the meantime while Minho’s father arranged for everything to be back in working order.

When we found Minho by the back door, the corners of his mouth were twitching something horrible, which could only mean one of two things. Either we were in for it or…

“It’s finally done. The whole thing, we’re all finished. We are officially open starting tomorrow!” He let his grin break loose to be met with cheers from the rest of the group. Whoops and hollers from us all only deepened his sense of pride and he waved his arms downwards to calm the hollers of joy. “I wanted to be the first to take a look at it, but it didn’t feel right without you guys since it felt like we did all this together, you know? I know I wouldn’t be here without you guys and-”

“Minho, can we have this moment when we get inside? The anticipation is KILLING me!” Han loved to ruin Minho’s fun when he was being too serious. It kept Minho from falling into pieces sometimes, not that he would ever admit that to anyone. 

“Fine! Fine, I guess you’ll never know. Go in, you heathens! And don’t touch anything!” Han broke into a run and burst open the back door, Chris right behind him. Felix and I hung back to watch and take in the moment, fully take in the work and everything that had been put into the place, both recently and over the years. And when we walked through that back door into the newly furnished kitchen, our words left us.

The kitchen was brand new, silver chrome coating the counters and new island in the middle for faster service with touches of bronze and copper placements everywhere. . The normal ventilation was now blocked off to where it wasn’t totally visible from directly underneath. The pots and pans now hung from hooks everywhere you looked, all crisp and waiting to be used. The stovetops, which Seungmin was now marveling at, were crystal clean and calling to him, or so he said. The ovens, three in total, were spread just far enough to prevent overcrowding at one, but not so far that you had to go too far to go from one to the other. And all of the new utensils were spread everywhere, never having to go too far for what you needed. It was gorgeous, a dream really. You could tell it was plucked straight from Minho’s dreams. 

“Min, it’s gorgeous.” I whispered to him, but he wasn’t listening. No, he was staring in wonder at his completed masterpiece. He had picked the pieces of what he thought would look best, but the designer had filled in the rest. Minho was blinking rapidly with a blank expression like he did when he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. I couldn’t help the smile that appeared when I saw him like that. It happened so rarely. “I’ll leave you to it.” I whispered to him and made to leave, but he grabbed my arm. 

“Stay. Just for a second.” He said as he continued to look around. He stood rooted to the spot, just watching everything and everyone’s reactions to it all. “Look. Look what we’ve done.”

“What you’ve done.” I corrected him. “This was all you, Minho. So take your time, take it all in. You deserve it.” I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and waited for him to squeeze back. But he didn’t. Instead he let go abruptly to show Seugmin the pantry for dry goods. I took that as my ‘ok’ to leave them. 

They had kept the swinging doors leading to the dining room like they were, just buying newer ones and new hinges. Why fix what wasn’t broken? Only now, they sported red velvet cushioning type of dressing, decorated with gold round accents while keeping the round windows for peeping. And what awaited me outside those doors took my breath away for the second time that morning. 

The dining room looked the same, and yet different at the same time. The window-walls had been replaced with the same, but stronger plexiglass of a sort, or so I overheard from Changbin with his loud voice. The booths were matching the red velvet doors along with their gold accents, giving them the new and fancier feel. The floor had been redone in a black sort of non-slip coating and the new bar had been elongated. They had replaced the mirror backing of the liquor shelves (at my request, purely for selfish and self-serving reasons) and they were back to their fully-stocked state and begging to be used. The shelf they stood on top of was fully ready for a bunch of any kind, flutes of all shapes and sizes next to every type of beer glass I could think of. I went around to look at what had been chosen just to find more surprises waiting for me behind the bar. 

I never thought I would be the type of girl that would be excited by cups, but these were too pretty to ignore. The copper sinks were deeper than the last ones, and the shakers were the same copper material as the sinks. I couldn’t wait to add my glittery one to the mix.

Chris was across the room looking at the new booths when I called him over to look at what they had replaced our stuff with. He ran over, careful of Changbin and Hyunjin looking at the new bouncer/ host stand. When he arrived at my spot, his mouth fell open, exploring all of the new nooks and crannies we had all to ourselves. He even stuck his head under the bar.

“What are you doing? Are you looking for money the restoration crew might have left?” I shoved his shoulder playfully. 

No, stupid. I’m looking for a place to write our names.” I cocked my head at the idea, considering what could go wrong if we did. Considering I’d be here forever, what was the worst that could happen?

“Let me go find a marker.”

“Got one right here.” Chris whipped out a Sharpie from his jean pocket and crouched down low. If anyone looked over here, they would only see me. 

“Do you just carry around markers with you everywhere?” I laughed as I crouched with him, taking the marker from him.

“Nah,” he responded. “Minho told me we were coming here. I had this idea last night.” I held the marker above the short wall, unwilling to write my actual initials. Hm. 

“Here, why don’t we write ‘S’ for Sparkles and ‘P’ for Puck?”

“Wow, you really did think about this.” I had to laugh again as I wrote the two letters. “People might know what ‘S’ is but will they know what ‘P’ is?”

“Doesn’t matter. At least you do. That way, when you look at it, you’ll know it’s me.” 

“I like that.” After finishing the job, I chanced the look back to him, where I caught a glimpse of what looked like sadness at the marked wall. He let out a deep sigh, which I ignored. I wanted him to have the moment to himself. 

A second later, Han barreled into the waist-level bar, marveling at the new shelves. “Oh!” He exclaimed when he spotted us. “What’re you guys doing down there?”

“Nothing!” I responded and sprouted upwards. 

“Oh okay. Have you guys seen the new bathrooms? The sinks are unbelievable!” And then he was off again.

“He has too much energy for how early it is.”

“And he’s the hardest to wake up. Can you believe that?” We shook our heads together and started to follow Han until Seungmin came in through the doors.

“Who wants to break in the new kitcheeeeennnnnn?!”

*

The answer was everyone. Everyone wanted to break in the new kitchen. And in various ways.

It took a lot of convincing from Han for Minho to let him try and use the new fryers while Hyunjin was all about the new stovetops. Seungmin was constantly peering over his shoulder because he ‘couldn’t trust him with anything new’, which Hyunjin noticed and purposely tried burning multiple pans. 

“Are you trying to fuck us before we even officially open?”

“Well, Seungmin, I didn’t know how to tell you but-” He started puckering his lips and following the younger around the kitchen. “Seungmin, come back!”

“No! No!” Seugmin’s screams could be heard from every corner of the building, yet no one thought twice about it nor went over to help, leaving him to fend for himself. 

Minho had his own section of the new flat top and was chopping away at something and adding bits and pieces of everything he could find that he thought would be good. And it wasn’t long before there was a buffet spread of freshly made food on the new bar next to Chris and I making breakfast drinks. Next thing we all knew, plates were scraped clean again and the new mimosa glasses were emptied. All nine of us sat around, testing out the new comfortability of the new booths but really, we were just sitting around, some of us paired off and others just loudly talking about random nonsense. Chris and I sat together again, his arm around me while our conversations were going in opposite directions. When he placed his arm around me at first, none of the other guys reacted really. I thought none of them had noticed until Hyunjin gave me a look in response, ‘girl we already knew’.

“It took a lot for me to trust them, actually. I’m not really a person who trusts easily so it took a while for me to open up with them. Changbin was the first one who took it upon himself to make sure I felt comfortable enough to talk about myself and my life.”

“What did he do that made you trust him? What were the signs you were looking for?”

“I’m not really sure exactly. But the more time I spent with them, the more I found myself telling them. Like it was spilling out of me. Like it had been waiting to come out. I guess…” Innie paused, searching for answers on the new wooden tables. “I guess the more I saw that he cared about what I had to say, the more inclined I was to tell him. And I think I was testing him at first to see what his reactions would be. When he didn’t run or laugh at how ridiculous it was, I think that was when it started happening.”

Chris rumpled his hair, causing Jeongin to shrink into himself and try to get away from any signs of affection, as he usually did. “Sparkles was right, you are too smart for your age.”

Jeongin’s signature laugh bounced off the freshly painted walls. 

Minho stood from his bar stool and quieted everyone with his hands. 

“Now that we’ve all been stuffed beyond our means, I have the great pleasure of telling you all that we are back in business tomorrow night so I hope you don’t have any plans.”

“But Jeongin was supposed to take me shopping!” Felix pouted back into his chair, sulking while Jeongin’s breathy laugh filled our eardrums. Minho just shrugged.

“Sorry not sorry. Anyways, front of house, come back at around six to check out the new menu items. Back of house, including Han and Hyunjin, you have to stay. We have to teach you. Trust me, we’re not looking forward to it either.”

“Hey now, I need one of the twins with me.” 

“Fine, pick one.” Minho moaned in mild frustration.

“I’m going!” Han was faster, and sped-walked quickly to my side before Minho could object. Minho rolled his eyes, but led the way to the kitchen with the others. 

Grumbles filled the air while those of us who were dismissed filed out. Chris held onto my hand until he was forced to let go by Minho.

“Bro, let’s go! You got dishes to do. You guys can make out later.” To which all of the boys groaned, Han the loudest. 

“Eeewwww, gross!”

“I’ll see you later then.” Chris whispered in my ear then kissed my cheek, leaving a literal spark where his lips had been. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I headed to the bar. 

“The rest of you, follow me. I have some new cocktail recipes I wanna try.” I practically skipped over the rest of the way, Changbin, Jeongin, Han, and Felix in tow. 

When we arrived at the bar, I was immediately bombarded with questions. 

“How long have you guys been together?”

“When did that happen?”

“Did you guys know about this? Felix was the only one who didn’t have questions. Instead he just watched the others and held in that deep laughter of his. While they spewed their questions, I gathered the ingredients I needed and started pouring them into the new shakers. They continued while I poured ice and started shaking, yelling even louder so they could hear each other over the rattling ice. They didn’t stop until I poured my creation into the glass I had selected. I opened my mouth to indicate that I was ready to talk, and they quieted down their hushed voices. 

“I call this one ‘I’m Not Answering Your Questions So Don’t Even Ask’.” They went quiet and looked for the straws. 

“It was just a question, geez.”

“Yeah, we just wanted to know what was going on.” They sipped all at once, making room for each other so they looked like one of those pictures from the 50s, all drinking a milkshake together. It was adorable.

“I like this one! What is it?” As I explained it to him and made more for them to try, I couldn’t help but think about what was going on in the kitchen. The thought that Chris wanted to tell the crew about his past hadn’t left me, but I didn’t know much more than that. Would he do it today, before our first dinner service in the new place? Or would he wait until after, letting everyone focus on the next 24 hours for themselves? 

Felix’s voice broke me of my thoughts. “So what do you think?”

“Huh? I’m sorry, Lix, I have no idea what you just said.”

“Yeah I thought so.” He mocked, then continued. “I asked you what you thought about me inviting Beth to try the new stuff? You know, get another opinion in here.”

“Yeah, that’s okay. I’m always open to new opinions.”

Half an hour later she strolled in, hair up in a long ponytail with some casual jeans and a black t-shirt clinging to the curves of her upper half in all the right places. She was definitely pretty, and she walked with her head high, shoulders back and confident for someone who was walking into a room full of people she didn’t know. When she approached, she didn’t say much beyond the simple introduction and polite hellos, but the confident air didn’t go away. It reminded me of someone…

Minho started to carry plates to the bar from the kitchen, each with their own flair that fit the dishes laden with different sauces of all colors, vegetables and various proteins. He didn’t even notice that we had an extra person among us, let alone another woman. It was only when he was counting heads to see how many forks we needed to test the new plates, that I saw him freeze and start the blinking. I watched the confusion take over until he found the culprit of the extra number and leaned over the bar towards me and waved me over. 

“Who’s the new girl?” 

“Felix’s new girl down at the bakery. Beth.” Minho nodded, this whole exchange never taking his eyes off of her. It seemed like he couldn’t, and I wasn’t sure he was really trying. She was paying no attention to him, looking over all of the plates he had brought over. 

“Oh.” He mumbled, and continued watching her look over his plates. 

“Minho?” I asked, staring at him. “Minho?” I asked a little louder. It was like he was in a trance, watching her and the way she wafted the smells coming from the food, picking apart what she thought was giving each smell and mentioning it to Felix, who nodded and listened. I didn’t want to tear him from whatever moment he was having, but Hyunjin had now come with more plates. He spotted Minho standing frozen in place like a statue and after putting his own plates down next to the ones that were already there, he snapped his fingers right in Minho’s face, waking him. 

“Hey! We still got plates back there. Let’s gooooo.” He singsoned and then traipsed back through the revolving doors without checking if Minho was behind him. Minho blinked furiously again and looked around like he forgot where he was. His eyes finally landed on my smug face, imitating when Spongebob caught Squidward eating a Krabby Patty after he swore he didn’t like them.. 

“Shut up.” He turned on his heel and ran back to the kitchen and I didn’t miss the middle finger he threw me while I cackled. “Shut up!”

“What was that about?” The woman herself had approached me to ask the question, and since she hadn’t said much to anyone other than Felix, I was surprised.

“Oh, uhm, nothing. He’s just a little odd, that’s all.”

“Was it just me or was he staring at me?”

“Like I said, he means well. That’s Minho, this is kinda his place. He’s the head chef back there.”

“Head chef?” Her interest seemed piqued at the mention of his position. “Hm.” was all she said before she took Felix’s arm and walked away. She pulled him into a corner and started whispering to him. Felix couldn’t help but laugh and whenever he laughed, she slapped him on the arm. It seemed like old friends having a discussion about something important, and Felix was mocking her for it. It was nice to see Felix with another friend.

The rest of the itchen boys brought out the rest of the plates at the same time while those of us at the bar finished making the new cocktail menu. It was a tasting menu for the ages. Food was as far as the eye could see and the glasses sat behind them, everything ready to be tasted. Everyone gathered around the bar for the second time that day, this time for business rather than family time. 

“It was nice not to have to pay for food today.” Hyujin said as he poised his fork over the glazed pork dish in front of him. “I don’t like cooking by myself anyways.” He brought his fork to his mouth and scrunched his face together, like he was in pain.

“Hyunjin, why do you always look like you’re in pain when you eat?ou scrunch your face like this.” I did my best impersonation of the face he just made, hoping it was as accurate as it felt. 

“I do not do that!”

“You do. It’s okay, it’s cute.” Changbin said as he came up behind him with his fork poised to eat. Hyunjin’s indignation reached all the way down the bar, hitting everyone but Minho, who was reading something on his phone. He was a lonely island in the sea of laughter around him, out of place in the rambunctious fun happening. 

“Yah!” He called out, silencing the room around him. His volume was louder than he needed, signaling to the group that the seriousness of what he had to say was trumping whatever was happening. He held up his phone, reading from it. “‘The cops pulled the cameras from that day around the area and found the car as it was leaving. They identified it as belonging to that dishwasher that ran out on you a few months ago. They caught him and he confessed to everything. I’m making sure they press every charge they can AND paying back every penny we spent on repairs.’” There was a collective sigh of relief from the small crowd, but Chris just looked even more puzzled. He found my gaze and left his place beside Changbin to find me.

“Well, that’s a relief. Now you don’t have to tell them what you suspected about those guys. It’s not true.” He didn’t look any more pleased from that fact.

“Yeah, but…” He looked around again. “Something still doesn’t feel right.” 

“Why? What do you mean?” Puzzled, he tucked his bottom lip into his teeth.

“I don’t know… But I can’t shake the feeling.” 

“Well, we’ll just keep an eye on it, okay? The cops have him and until we have some hard evidence to believe that he’s not the guy who did this, we have to take them at their word for it. It’s not like we can do anything about it anyways.” 

“Maybe I just don’t want to believe it’s that easy.”

“Maybe you’re not used to the bad guys getting caught.” I replied without thinking. Scared, I turned to face him, an apology on my lips and ready to be spilled, but he wasn’t offended. No, he was nodding along, as if to say ‘fair point’.

“So now what do we do?” Jeongin asked innocently. 

“Now,” Minho replied. “We kill tomorrow’s dinner service.”

*

And kill it we did.

Minho’s father had a banner put up over the front door stating our ‘Grand Reopening’ and the people were lining up at the door, ready for us. Floods of compliments on the new decor from the regulars and the new customers excitedly announcing that it was their first time there. The new upscale makeover had drawn in the crowd Minho had always wanted and his reputation for high standards had been spread across town. It followed him when he went out that day to Felix’s cafe. 

“He said he needed help today so I just stopped by for a minute.”

Felix: Bullshit. I never asked him for help. He didn’t leave Beth’s side the whole 10 minutes he was here before I kicked him out. 

The new dishes had gone over so well that Minho decided to keep them all instead of just keeping them for the reopening. His plan was to see what sold well and boot the rest but everything sold so well that he had to keep it all. He didn’t make back all of the money he had been estimated to lose since closing the doors, but he predicted that he was well on his way. 

Chris told them all the story of his past when the night was over, saying he had been scared to tell them because he was convinced he was right. 

“The goons I used to work with are scary as shit. I didn’t want to put you guys in any more danger than you already were just by being near me. So it was better that you didn’t know.”

“But you could’ve told us, Chris. You didn’t have to be scared, we would’ve understood.” Changbin comforted him from the furthest seat. “We still wouldn’t have blamed you because it was never your fault. You did what you could.”

Felix just got up and hugged Chris, who accepted it right away. With Felix, there was no other way other than to accept it straight away. “I’m sorry for your loss, Chris. That guilt must still be weighing on you.”

“It still does.” I reached for his hand which he took gratefully. Han was quiet for what felt like the first time in his life, and Minho watched the others around him, having already known the story. 

“Thank you for telling us.” Seungmin said quietly, unsure of what to do next. He wasn’t one for physical comfort, but that job was already occupied by Felix. So he made sure that Chris knew that whatever he might need, Seungmin was there. 

“It’s weird. Sometimes you guys remind me of him. Little things you guys do are things that he used to do. I missed having little brothers.” 

And then was when Han broke out into a very dramatic wail. “CHRIIIISSSSSSS.” And he sprung up straight into Chris’ arms to cry on his shoulder. And the rest of the group rallied around them, dragging me along with them into the only group hug I had seen Minho not hate. 

I was feeling good about it all until they all eventually left, barely cleaning on their way out. I drew the short straw yet again so guess who was stuck cleaning?

“I’ll stay and help, don’t worry.” What a man, my boyfriend.

That word was still unfamiliar on my tongue in this context. Unfamiliar, but a rush of adrenaline still ran through me with every use. And I was tryng my best to pretend that it was totally fine that he was standing so close to me, washing the glasses behind the bar. He bumped my hip with his to break the comfortable silence we had fallen into in the empty restaurant. 

“What’re you thinking about?”

“I’m just really proud of you. For opening up about Daniel, coming clean when you didn’t have to. You’ve opened up about something very traumatic for you and I’m just proud that you trusted all of us enough to tell us.” Chris got quiet, the glint of something like sadness taking over his eyes again. “What?”

“Nothing.” He cast the sad smile downwards on the beer glass he was washing. 

“Hey.” I bumped his hip back. He glanced back at me. “I really like you.”

He retracted that sadness and giggled, the one that I felt in my soul. 

“I really like you too.” He looked at me like he wanted to say more, but didn’t. He just kissed me instead. 

After a night’s rest and a coffee from Felix’s cafe in hand, I took out my keys to unlock the front door. I was looking forward to having a moment to myself in the new space after the success of last night, and taking a look around for my own sake was high on my to-do list. Just to sit by myself in a booth and admire the work we had done to get here with a coffee in my hand was just what I wanted. So I waltzed in through the glass doors and locked the door behind me. I went over to the freshly cleaned bar to put down my bag to find a folded piece of paper laying innocently on the counter.

My Sparkle,

I hope by the time you read this, I’ll be home again. I couldn’t tell you this to your face or else I would crumble again. Because I know for you, I would Stay if you asked me to. 

But I have to go home to fix the mess I made. I never told you because I was scared of what they would say, but I reached out to my sister. Her reaction was the final push I needed to at least try. I think I would miss you too much to be gone for good. But I know it’s going to take a while, so I can’t say when I’ll be back.

Being here with you these past few months has given me so much that I will never be able to repay you for, so I won’t try to. But I know I have a lot to thank you for. The only thing I can do is appreciate what you’ve given me and hope to give it back when I come back home to you. 

I don’t want to keep carrying this when I don’t have to and it’s not fair for you to help me  when you don’t deserve it. I’ve been running for too long. I don’t want to run anymore. My only regret is not telling you the one truth that I’ve known all this time. 

I love you

I love you

I love you

-Puck 

*

“You’re still going?”

“Yeah. I have to. Hannah will kill me if I don’t go.”

“You don’t have to. She’s going to break down my door once she reads that.”

“I know. And I’m sorry for what you’re going to have to deal with. But I can’t tell her myself. I won’t go if I do.”

Silence.

“You love her that much?”

“With everything I have.”

fin.

#stray kids #bang chan #skz #chan skz #skz bang chan #chan stray kids #chan x reader #chan x you #christopher bang #stray kids chris #bang chan skz #bang chan x female reader #bang chan x reader #bang chan x you #bang chan x y/n #bang chan x oc #bang chan scenarios #bang chan fics #bang chan stray kids #bang chan imagines #chris bang #stray kids bang chan #stray kids chris bang #skz fic #skz imagines #skz x reader #bang chan fic #chris bang fic #skz fluff #stray kids bang chan fic

[honeyfizzly]

I'm constantly flipping back and forth wether I should trust tabitha or not because Its really suspicious how protective she is of us, even if we're an complete asshole to her.

Also there's the whole ritual thing going on with the goat, it could be possible that tabitha has ulterior motives and wants us alive because ... well idk a sacrifice seems the most obvious option but whatever she needs done, it seems to hinge on the mc's health.

There's also her connection to Wayne and the death of her mother.

Wayne apparently disappeared at the estate around the same time pearlanne did and pearlanne died of sleep apnea but apparently had no autopsy. I've seen some people propose the idea that tabitha mightve smothered her mother with a pillow, and I think that could check out.

Apparently it's very hard to tell if someone was suffocated with a pillow or not, and often times investigators have to rely on checking fibers near the victims mouth and eyes to idenity what suffocated them, and handprints + finger marks.

You also have to be relatively strong to suffocate someone- which powerful build can say tabitha is surprising strong despite her size (it's if tabitha threatens you and then you push her off)- and most of the time the victims for suffocation are people who would be unable to fight back like children or elderly (I'm not sure how old pearlanne is, but her corpse looks pretty damn old. Since tabitha is in for early to mid twenties iirc, I think I would place pearlanne somewhere in her 50s-early 60s?).

Also it's very clear tabitha did not like her mother, and calls her a monster. So like I feel like it adds up that tabitha is perfectly capable of murder and able to do it again (rip reese) but also at the same time, I have a hard time thinking she's preparing to do something terrible to mc especially if you go down routes where you have a good (or good-ish) relationships with her.

Like, for example with my main mc Mckenna (yes I chose her name cause it had mc in it) I stayed the night at Stella's, hung out with her in the mines and on day 3 but didn't invite her ghost hunting, then when I got threatened in her office on day 4 and had mckenna cry I got a couple very interesting reactions.

(Sorry for not actually having a screenshot and just a picture, my computer is weird. Also one more note, this was when a strike was strong, I'll have to check what happens when the strike is weak but I have a similar relationship with Tabitha still)

This was the interaction I got when I said "im sorry, I know I haven't been the best cousin" iirc and she falt out admits she's jealous of us.

But we can also get this dialogue instead if we ask why she invited us at all if she hated us so much

(Once again sorry for bad pic 💔)

And idk maybe I'm the fool for trusting but that line about being family, and how that still means something to her feels so geninue it makes me doubt she actually intends to harm the mc.

Plus there's other interactions you can get with Tabitha, like if you have a very good relationship with her and question if she's happy in scarlet hollow or not she'll say no, but that she's happy you're here.

And idk, I just feel like somebody who had already planned to stab us in the back from the very start wouldnt be able to open up that much and be that vulnerable with their potential victim.

Also tabitha herself states she didn't want to like us (you get this by hanging out with tabby and calling her hypocritical for giving us such a hard time for living in the city), which of course could be spinned towards the idea that tabitha is planning to backstab us but also at the same time, it's not an uncommon defense mechanism for traumatized people to push away loved ones.

Tabitha has had a very hard life- from the pressure of being one of two scarlets left, having to run a dying coal mine, and the abuse from her mother to then her sudden death (and also her mother maybe possibly killing her ex).

It's very possible alot of her standoff-ness towards the player isn't because she has some malicious scheme, but rather it's her way of coping with the shitty cards she's been dealt in life (like the idea of pushing people away so you won't be hurt if they betray or leave you. It's a toxic mentality to have as it creates a self fulfilling prophecy, but it's a mentality some people have nonetheless).

I rambled alot but those are just some of my thoughts about tabitha. It's obvious she's gonna do something weird with that goat (my first idea is a sacrifice), but I'm not entirely sure wether she intended to betray the mc or not from the beginning (I lean towards not but I can still see a situation where she didn't intend to betray the mc from the start, but does so later depending on your relationship with her).

#not really sure if to call this a theory as its just a ramble about my thoughts LOL #speculation ig #scarlet hollow #scarlet hollow tabitha #tabitha scarlet #tw lots of talk about suffocation and death

[nagisa-666]

《BAKUGO! M! READER X BLUE LOCK》

《CROSS POSTED TO WATTPAD》

《WARNINGS!: Mentions of death, kind of crack fic, curse words, kind of explicit words, slight angst, lazy writing, crossover MHA x Blue Lock》

"SHUT UP YOU DAMN LOSERR!!"

Of course. Early to bed and early to rise makes (Name) a massive bitch.

You'd think that for a guy with such a good reputation among his fellow football players would have a good personality, wouldn't you?

No, turns out they were only talking about his skills. In real life, his personality is worse then trash. With anger issues, a superiority complex, and an inferiority complex, he also has a foul mouth that goes with his foul attitude.

"Who are you call a loser, PUNK?!" And Raichi, an equally hot headed football geek.

No, he's not a pokemon.

With how hot headed the both of them are, they're constantly butting head in disagreements, sometimes even getting into physical fights because of such disagreements.

Everyone is annoyed by it.

"YOU HEARD ME, SHIT HEAD! OPEN UP YOUR DAMN EARS FOR ONCE AND MAYBE YOU WON'T BE DEAF!" (Name) shouted incredibly loud, making everyone wince as he glared at Raichi fiercely, his red eyes almost glowing from rage.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, HUNK OF JUNK! YOU AIN'T WORTH SHIT!" Raichi fired back, showing off his sharp teeth with a scowl while (Name) scoffed, everyone in the room with them sighing annoyed.

"WORTH MORE THAN YOU, OBVIOUSLY!" (Name) snarled like a dog, eyes enlarged with veins showing while Yoichi sweated in the back, trying to hold him back before (Name) threw him back effortlessly. Damn. RIP Yoichi, you will be missed. But some were eyeing his muscle with faint blushes.

"SAY THAT TO MY FACE, BITCH!-" Pokémon bitch attempted to shout, before a someone got annoyed and interrupted.

The girls were fighting.

"OH MY GOD WE GET IT YOU'RE BOTH GAY SHUT UP!" Bachira shouted, quickly quieting everyone down as they stared at him in silent horror, some even praying for him as they waited for the blondes to explode.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, DUNCE FACE!-" The girls are back at it.

"Hey, Bakubro! How's everyone treating you?" Kirishima asked, glad that his calls are actually getting through.

(Name) actually scored enough goals to get his phone back, so he took the chance to call back anyone who was blowing up his notifications (his mom, shitty hair, dunce face, racoon eyes, soy sauce, and Deku, who he blocked before,) and of course the best comes first.

So he called Shitty hair back first.

"I don't care about them. How's Dunce face and Racoon eyes? Are they stealing my shit again?" He asked, getting straight to the point as he finished his work sheet, noticing how everyone slightly quieted down to hear the call.

"... Haha, no! In fact, I haven't seen them act this good in your room before!" He said, noticeably not talking in the beginning, as if he was staring at someone or someone was talking to him. He calls bullshit.

"They're stealing my protein powder, aren't they?" He said, voice bland and face stoic, just waiting for the other to confirm what he said as the other in the room sent glances to each other, sometimes even sneaking a peek at his face.

"Yeah man I'm sorry. But! Good news, I got the job! So I'll be able to pay you back when you get back! No worries! Oh, and Deku was trying to call you too! He wanted to asked what it was like to be with the best football teens in one place!" The red head chuckled, listening to the pink haired girl and the charge bolt boy thank him profusely before waving them off, waiting for the blonde boy to speak.

"Tell Deku that I ain't telling him shit. And tell the old hag that when I get back, I want some spicy tofu! Spicy enough it makes my taste buds bleed!" (Name) shouted, grinning his evil grin like he always does when he's hyped about something, which makes the red haired boy on the other end laugh wildly. (Name) can't wait until he gets home and is able to eat the spicy tofu his mom makes. The shit they call spicy tofu here isn't even spicy, it barely even burns.

(Everyone else is scared of what his definition of spicy is. The spicy tofu they give him looks like death.)

"Yeah, okay! Oh- sorry, your mom's calling us, I'm gonna hafta hang up!" Kirishima said, loud enough that those close enough heard him clearly.

"Kay." A loose reply.

"See ya, Bakubro!" Affection through words, Kirishima loves telling him that.

"Kay." Another loose reply. Man, he is so tempted to just hang up.

"Say it back!" Kirishima whined, making (Name) feel as though he was able to just see the pout and teary eyes he gets when he's joking around dramatically.

"No." Then he hung up.

"Hey, hot head, let's play 21 questions!" Bachira asked (more like demanded- but (Name) is the same, if not more stubborn-) dribbling a ball as he lightly treaded on the grass, playing with (Name) to pass time until one of them got annoyed.

"Fuck no." Sharp reply. (Name) didn't want this creepy 'monster' boy to know anything important about him. The way he kept talking about a 'monster' being in him and telling him what to do and who to talk to? Creepy. It's a miracle that he's even talking to him now.

"Aw, why not?!" Bitch boy Bachira whined, gaining a fake pout while (Name) scoffed, stealing the ball and running quickly, making a goal before Bachira got the the ball, continuing their 'conversation.'

"'Cause I don't fuckin' like you." Truer words have never been spoken. Whenn he dies, he wants 'my only regret is not flipping more people off' on his tombstone.

"Aw:(" (Name) wondered how the FUCK he said that out loud. Fuck, sometimes he wanted to put that boy in full body cast.

"Shut yo goofy ass up." Amazing. He's barely been talking to this fuck face for 5 minutes and he already wants to throw him under a bus.

"Anyway, let me go first! What's the color of your nipples."

"..."

"What's the color of your nipples."

"I'm fucking done with you. Get the fUCK AWAY FROM ME YOU FREAK-"

"Hey, brat! You know better then to call me while I'm at work! I already know to make spicy tofu when I get home!-" Mitsuki said, answering her ringing phone with a rough voice as she began to change her clothes, looking at the ones her dear husband made himself with admiration.

"Excuse me, are you Bakugo (Name)'s guardian?" A sudden cold voice interrupted her, making her pause before looking at her phone, making sure it was (Name)'s number.

"Uh- Yeah? Listen, if he's in trouble just tell me where he is-" Suddenly feeling unsettled, she felt like something bad was about to happen. But that always happens with (Name). Sometimes he gets too mad and just beats someone up for being arrogant or something. Maybe he was in jail or something.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but your son has been involved stabbing incident. He's in surgery right now.. We don't think he's going to survive." The cold voice said, and Mitsuki felt her heart drop. That couldn't be right. No, her little boy was always careful when out and about. Even if he was tired, he made sure that he knew where he was going and what to avoid. This had to be some elaborate prank his friends thought of.

"... Huh? Hey, if this is a joke, it's not very funny. Put him on the phone, let me talk to him." She demanded, putting her clothes back on before she stormed out, trying to find her husband frantically.

"This isn't a joke. He's at Musutafu hospital, Shizuoka Prefecture. I imagine you would want to spend his last moments together." Then a click and it went quiet.

"MASARU!"

"This morning the young football prodigy, Bakugo (Name) was discovered to have died at a local hospital in Musutafu, in Shizuoka Prefecture after being a victim to a stabbing by an unknown stalker. Witnesses and CCTV footage have said and shown that he was walking when a man wearing a black hoodie and sweats ran up with a knife and stabbed him in the stomach. Officials still do not understand why the man did this. In later news, we'll talk about the wake and funeral of this young star. Thoughts and prayers to his parents."

#blue lock x male reader #crack fic #Nagisa_666 works #raichi jingo #bachira meguru #kirishima eijirou #bakugo mitsuki #bakugo masaru #mentions of violence #mentions of death

[tonberry-yoda]

Sick of It - Narciso Anasui

Pairing - Narciso Anasui x f!reader

Warnings - Ansui is a little suggestive lol

Word Count - 854

Notes - gosh, i love this man with my entire soul. italics in dialogue mean whispering

And don’t forget, REQUESTS ARE OPEN! So if you want to request any writing, please don’t hesitate to ask, but please read my pinned post before requesting! Please enjoy!! Don’t forget to stay hydrated! <3

The way Anasui looked at Jolyne pissed her off. He would swoon whenever she would come around, sashaying her stupid little hips. She just wanted to smack that stupid look off of his face. She wished he looked at her like that. Even a glance would satisfy her. Especially after everything they’ve been through. It's like he would forget she existed every time Jolyne was nearby. It made her want to curl up into a little ball, never to be seen. Well, it actually made her want to kill Jolyne, but she had to restrain herself. She didn't want her sentence to be longer than it already was. But what pissed her off the most was the fact that she and Jolyne became roommates. Of course they had.

“I'm so glad I didn't get a crazy roommate like Gwess. I'm glad it's someone I know.” Jolyne smiled and unpacked her bags, making her roll her eyes. “And what makes me happier is that it's someone who has a stand and understands what's going on. And you and Anasui are pretty good friends, right?” Why in the hell did she have to bring his name into this? But she just smiled, trying not to rip off her little face. “Yeah! I've known Anasui since forever!” She hated how she sounded just then. It was fake. But she had to before she went absolutely feral. “Aw! That’s so cute! Aren't you guys like a couple or something?” Where did she get the audacity to ask a question like that? “Nope.” “Oh, but I thought-” “We’re not. Never have been.” She didn't mean to snap like that. She wanted to be on Jolyne’s good side, but she was honestly in a really bad mood. “S-Sorry. I didn't know.” She sighed, turning to Jolyne, handing her an extra pillow. “No, it's fine. I didn't mean to snap.” “It's okay. I was the one who butted into your personal business.” She was. But it was fine. Everything was fine. So she just curled up in her blanket for the night, trying to ignore the moon that was shining in her eyes.

---

“Pssssst!!! Hey!” She turned over, seeing Anasui peeking out of the wall, meaning he was in a ghost room. “What do you want?!” She turned to see a guard coming her way, and pointed her head in that direction to signal to Anasui. He tried pointing for her to go into the ghost room with him, but she wasn't getting the hint. Quickly, before the guard noticed that she was even there, Anasui pulled her into the ghost room. “Jesus, Ansui! What?!” He just giggled and pulled her down on the ground with him. “I heard that Jolyne was your roommate.” Alright. Now she was pissed. She stood up and threw a glass bottle on the ground, which broke and then put itself back together. It wasn’t real after all. She went to leave, but she felt a hand on her arm, pulling her back. She turned to find Anasui, who looked very concerned. “What’s wrong? Was it something I said?” “I'm sick of you talking about Jolyne!” She went to leave again, but was now pulled down towards Anasui, accidentally landing in his lap. “I don't understand.” She hurried off of his lap and just sat next to him, readjusting her hair. “Just… nevermind. I'm going back to my cell.” “No you’re not. Talk to me.” “Oh, shut up! You haven't been listening to me all this time and now that I'm not giving you attention, you all of a sudden want to hear what I have to say?! Screw you!” She went to hit him, but he grabbed her fist, looking into her eyes. “You’re in love… aren't you?” “Cocky bastard! Let me go!” He grabbed her other hand that went to punch him and he tilted his head. “Is that so?” He giggled, putting her hands down. He watched the frustrated tears form in her eyes and he smiled, wiping one that fell. “My, this man you’ve fallen in love with must be one hell of an asshole, huh?” “Yeah,” she giggled a little, wiping her other tears. “You could say that.” Anasui opened his arms and she immediately fell in, hugging his arm. “I'm sorry. I didn't know.” “It's okay.” “I'll stop talking about Jolyne.” “Well, if you like her more you can-” “Shut up. You know I love you with all my heart and soul.” “Just not like that.” He gave her a little smack on the cheek and leaned down, their lips only inches apart. She could smell the mint on his breath and nearly felt the lip gloss that he was wearing touch her lips. “I guess I just didn't realize how gorgeous you really are.” He squeezed her thigh a bit and smiled. She smacked his arm and turned over, blushing. “Is that all you care about?” He giggled and pulled her face towards his. “I got enough time to understand your personality, love. I guess I just didn't take time to appreciate… everything else.” She hated that cocky bastard.

#anasui x reader #narciso anasui x reader #anasui #narciso anasui #anasui jjba #anasui jojo #anasui jojos bizarre adventure #narciso anasui jjba #narciso anasui jojo #narciso anaui jojos bizarre adventure #narciso anastasia #jjba #jojo #jojos bizarre adventure #jojos #jjba part 6 #stone ocean #jojos bizarre adventure part 6 #stone ocean anasui #jjba x reader #jojos bizarre adventure x reader #x reader #fanfic #fanfiction #writing #my writing #jolyne would say y'all tbh

[sweet-villain]

Hello sweetheart, could you write something angsty for me but with a happy ending. I need to have my heart broken but put back together.

Torn ~ J.Q

Summary: Your best friend rejects you, it hurts but things turn around when he hears your going on a date with another man.

Tags : : @ceriseheaven @josephquinnlover0 @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch @stillfalling30minslater @alyisdead @witchy-munson

My Master List is in This Area

Angst to fluff

How could you not be in love with your best friend? He made you laugh. He made you smile. He made your heart flutter when he looked at you with those brown chocolate eyes of his. He'd always stand next to you or sit by you when he had the chance. Everyone told you that he's into you.

Yet, you've been to his apartment and spilled to him how you felt about him. But, here you were driving back home with tears in your eyes as you gripped the steering wheel. Your vision blurred with tears. You felt like he ripped your heart into pieces and threw it across the ocean.

" I'm in love with you" you shyly tell him. Joe's breath hitches and he averts his gaze looking anywhere else but at you.

" Oh...I don't know what to say.." he says, " Y/N..I love you too, but not in the way you do" Joe met your teary eyes as he played with one of his rings. " I'm so sorry" you swallowed the lump in your throat and nodded.

" But explain to me why you'd always choose to sit next to me, flirt with me and you always have your hand on my thigh?" You asked.Your voice cracked as tears spilled down your cheeks.

" I do it with everyone, flirt I mean... I'm sorry" you looked away rubbing your nose with the back of your hand.

" I-I get it. It's fine...Uh.. I should g-go" you got up and putting on your coat as Joe watched with an apologetic look on his face.

The silence driving home was thick, unwanted and cruel. The only sounds heard was sobs coming out of your mouth. You heart ripped in two.

Was it you? Is something wrong with you? Were you not pretty enough? Were you not enough? Why didn't Joe feel the same? The signs seem to be there.

You parked your car in front of your apartment heading inside. You brushed past people shooting you worried looks along the way seeing the tears flowing down your cheeks.

The apartment felt cold and distant as you entered it, shrugging off your coat and shoes and not bothering to hang them as you rushed into your bedroom, falling into bed. Rejection hurt you this time around. Why? Because it was Joe, Joe has been your best friend for years. His parents loved you. Wesley loved you and his friends did too.

This one hurt because this one, you lost your best friend to tell him him how you felt. You would never be able to see Joe's face again, it hurts too much.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

You entered the bar with a small smile on your face as the guy you were seeing trails behind you with his hand on the small of your back. It's been close to a year since the last time you spoke to Joe, saw him or even Wesley told you about how he's been doing.

Tonight you happened to be in a small bar seeing some friends when your eyes spotted him as he had a martini in his hands while talking with someone.

You avert your eyes as you focused on one of your friends as they threw their hands up and embracing you in their warmth.

" It's so good to see you" they said, moving back to look at you. " My, my. You are glowing. I haven't seen you this pretty" they said. You rolled your eyes as you nudged them with your hip causing them to laugh. The laugh had caught the attention of Joe who's eyes spot you right away.

His mouth a jar as his eyes widen taking you in. He's watching the way you embrace each of your friend, the smile on your face and the way you joke with them. A pang of hurt fills him as he remembers the last time he spoke to you. He let you walk out that door and out of his life.

He clenched the glass of his martini as his eyes find the man you came along with. Who was he? He growled underneath his breath spotting the man bring you close to him and kiss your cheek. Wesley who's sitting by Joe's side notices the way Joe demeanor changes in a blink of an eye. He follows Joe's line of visions and his face turns into a frown.

" Are you going to say something to her?" Joe hadn't noticed that Wesley had even spoken to him until he felt a nudge at his side. " What?" he asked. Wesley motions with his head towards you.

" Are you going to say something to her?" he asks again. This time Joe hesitates as he shakes his head. " No, I don't think that's a good idea."

Wesley hums as he stands up with his glass. He wasn't about to sit there and not miss a chance to say hello to you. He used to be your friend too.

" Where are you going?' Joe asks.

" Say hi to a friend" he says as he makes his way towards your table. To Joe's surprise, you turn your head to meet Wesley's gaze and a smile appear on your face when you see it's him.

Joe feels the green eyed monster begging to come out when he watches your interaction with Wesley wishing it was him. Your eyes move over to the table Joe was sitting at and immediately his eyes drop to his glass hoping you didn't catch him staring at you.

When you look away from Joe and listen to what Wesley was saying, he looked back up and watched you. He knew it was rude to stare but something about you tonight is different.

" You look happy" Wesley says to you. You shrugged with a small nod, nursing your drink in your hand.

" It's been better" you nodded again. Wesley sighs, " I didn't mean for us to lose touch like that. It's just I thought it would be hard having me around knowing Joe was around me"

" I understand" Wesley looks back at Joe.

" We still talk about you" he says, surprising you. You thought after you told Joe how you felt that he would forget about you and erase you from his memory.

" That's nice" he chuckled, he knows you really well.

" Look, I know you Y/N. I can see the look in your eyes that your begging to talk to him. He misses you and he knows letting you walk out his door was the biggest mistake of his life."

" I think mine was having him enter my life" Wesley frowned as he sighs again telling you he's going back. You nod wishing him to have a good rest of his night.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

You stood by the trailing as you look up at the night sky. You needed some fresh air after a few drinks, the conversation with Wesley and having Joe be in the same bar as you.

" You look good" you heard that familiar voice that caused your eyes to close and gripped the railing tighter.

" Thank you" you responded not turning around. If you did, you might well up in tears.

Joe took out a cigarette from behind his ear like he usually does have one from time to time. He cups his other hand over it as he lights it.

" Do you want one?" he asks, fishing out another one from his pack and offering it to you. Without looking at him, you shake your head. He retrieves it back into the pack as he puts it back into his pocket along with his lighter.

There is silence between the two of you.

" Who's the guy?" there was that million dollar question that's been bugging at his heart not knowing who he was. You lowly chuckled as you turned your head for the first time to look at him. Joe swore he felt his heart flutter and his mind run back as he looked at you.

You were beyond beautiful.

" Just someone" you tell him, " not really your business Quinn."

" Sorry" he mumbles. Your eyebrow raised as you questioned him, " for what?" you asked.

His brown chocolate eyes turned to look at your once more. They are filled with sorrow. He wants nothing more than to pull you into him, breathe in your scent to see if it's the same, to have you smile at him and to have your arms around him.

He sighs as he rubs a hand down his face," For letting you walk out that door that day."

You chuckled, " You didn't feel the same way and I wouldn't blame you. I mean, who would want me? Not even my best friend wanted me."

Joe faced you as he stomped his cigarette on the ground. His shirt rubbed against your arm and the hint of cigarettes and mint hit your nose. Your heart clenched having him this close.

" I was stupid back then to let you slip through my fingers. I was scared.."

" Scared of what Joe?" you turned to face him, inches away.

" Scared of giving you my heart knowing you had it all along all those years since we were teenagers. Scared to commit to you, scared to share you with the world as mine."

" I was scared too but that didn't stop me from telling you how I felt" He nodded.

" You were always the brave one" a small smile appears on your face as you shrug. His index finger goes under your chin raising your head to look up at him. His breath fans over your face, " Are you dating that guy?" he motions his head towards the entrance of the bar.

" No, just been-" Joe cuts you off as his lips brushed against yours. Your breath hitches making you gasp feeling his lips softly press against yours. Your heart race having him this close.

" Joe" you muttered through the kiss as he placed his lips softly back on yours. When you returned his kiss, his hands fell to you hips bringing you flush against his chest. His head tilted to the side as his tongue licked your bottom lip asking for permission.

You let him in going to battle with his tongue, he wins as he explores every inch of your mouth. Your hand is balled up in a fist of his shirt, the other going into his curls earning a groan from him as he kisses you.

You pull away from his lips, lips hovering over his own.

"Joe" your eyes lock with his as his eyes look at yours with hope.

" Let's start over" he whispers against your lips. " Please" he adds.

You search his face to see if he's serious about this. You weren't about to have him break your heart again and when you spot no lies in his eyes or face.

" You got once chance, Quinn" his lips curve up in a smile as he leans in pecking your lips.

"I am not letting you slip away from me ever again" he nuzzles his nose against yours.

" Is that a promise?" he raises his pinky up your line of vision.

" Pinky promise" you laugh, hooking your pinky around his as he laughs against your lips too, pecking them.

#Joseph quinn #Joe quinn #Joseph Quinn x you #Joseph Quinn x reader #Joe x you #Joe x reader #joseph quinn x y/n #Joseph Quinn x female reader #joe x y/n #jewls writes

[shadowhandss60]

and how Dorian got sick/hurt and Manon takes care of him, or how he returns tired from a meeting with the lords and Manon gives him a massage. I'm sorry, but I want to see Manon's concern🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹❤️

Concerned Manon gets me EVERY TIME. I’m a sucker for when she lets that hard exterior crack.

Anywho, enjoy. Here’s my take on Manon’s reaction after Dorian is severely injured in an ambush. (Your other idea is on my list 😏)

***

"I am not asking. I am telling."

Manon's voice was harsh, colder than the air whistling around the tent, but she didn't care; she was burning with a foreign kind of rage.

The thirteen were silent, tension building, adrenaline still running high from the attack.

It was Asterin who finally broke the silence. "I understand what you're saying-"

"Obviously, you do not, or it would be done." Manon spat, smacking her hand down on the map. "Our mounts are exhausted and hungry. I haven't seen any game, big or small, in days and they are running on fumes. We are all running on fumes, so I need you to stop questioning me and do what I say before we all starve up here."

The ambush earlier didn't just send them off course; it derailed their entire mission.

An avalanche had blocked any possible journey on foot for a hunting party and they needed a week or more to get back on track.

There were passes they needed to travel by foot or risk being spotted and the king was in no condition to be traveling on the back of a wyvern, regardless of his protests. Manon refused to risk him.

"Take your mounts and go south to stock up on food and supplies, it will be better with all as none can carry the food we’ll need; the warmer weather will undoubtedly offer more for food, and we will regroup back here in a week; Abraxos will follow Narene."

Silence fell again.

"And of the King?" Sorrel's words dropped like a stone in Manon's chest, and she barely contained her snarl.

"What of him?"

Sorrel continued, "He's severely injured and drained. The arrows-"

"We have enough supplies and he's survived worse."

Her third's eyes blazed at that, temper rising.

"I am not questioning his abilities, but he is still mortal and took two poison-tipped arrows to the chest; he has been straining his magic more and more every day. With the constant shields, fires for camp, his daily training, and now the battle, I am surprised he survived at all."

Manon surged towards her; there was a lump in her throat, her chest, a spreading ache ever since she heard him shout while she soared above.

She had seen the archer in the trees, the taught string, and the arrows flying.

She saw their mark, back turned. Manon had called out, but it was too late, and she could have sworn she heard the sickening thud as the arrows found their mark even from above.

They hadn't hit their intended target; no, Sorrel had her back turned, firing her own arrow at the witch engaged with Asterin.

Sorrel had likely sensed the death hovering behind her but she still fired to save Manon's second, not thinking for her own life, but someone had been.

The king of Adarlan pushed her out of the way at the last moment, and the arrows meant for Sorrel's back found their home deep in the right side of his chest.

Manon heard him grunt as he fell, propelled by the force of the arrows fired by the immortal and powerful witch. Manon would have ripped her apart if Dorian's magic hadn't snapped the offender's neck.

Abraxos had roared, likely feeling the agony pouring off Manon in waves. The sensation, the feelings stirring in her, felt blinding. She could barely hold her seat as she soared to the field below.

Half of the Thirteen had surrounded the king. The rest had quickly dispatched the remaining bluebloods that had been hunting them.

Manon slid off Abraxos the second he reached the ground, sprinting towards the others. She listened for a heartbeat, but there were too many pounding rhythms to clock in on his usually steady beat.

She refused to believe he was dead.

He was a king, needed for the war, needed for everything that came next, and she, she-

She pushed away the thought, the ice rushing through her veins at the site of him propped up with his left arm around Sorrel.

Unusually dull sapphire eyes had met hers, and she could have sworn something in her cracked.

His normally tan face was pale, sickly, the front of his dark jacket made darker with deep red of his blood, and the snow was drenched in it, so startling against the pools of blue by the fallen witches.

I’ll bleed whatever color you tell me too. His words from all those months ago ran through her mind and she didn’t want him to bleed at all.

Not for this, not like this.

He had given her a weak grin, and she could have raged at him as she now raged at her third.

Sorrel was her family. They all were her sisters through battle at blood, but the confusing mix of emotions roaring through her had her spiraling.

She couldn't think straight, and she couldn't bear the idea of the king dying to save someone else she cared for…she couldn't bear it.

"Choose your next words very carefully." She hissed, no more than a foot away.

"It's not me that you are angry with," Sorrel didn't balk, "I don't think you are angry at all. You are not thinking clearly. We will go if that is what you wish of us, but I suggest you cease with your projecting. I will not deign to say that I know what you are feeling. You need to come to terms with that on your own."

Manon's chest was heaving. No one seemed to breathe as they watched the witches standoff.

Sorrel's words bounced around her head, and her shoulders dropped, the fight leaving her as if it were ripped from her body.

"Please, just go." She stared at her third, her friend, and hoped she could see the plea in her eyes. "I won't have anyone dying in this pass."

They all heard the words unspoken, and Sorrel nodded her head once in agreement. The others left quickly after.

Manon flinched when a hand rested on her shoulder, but she didn't need to turn to know it was her cousin.

"Go to him. I will see to it that your orders are carried out."

Manon took a deep breath but didn't speak. She left the main war tent and made her way to the smaller one she shared with the king. She stopped at the entrance, schooling her features before going in.

When she entered, the scent of death lingered.

She had seen him almost succumb to his injuries at full power in Rifthold when he had been struck by the wyvern's tail, but now, after weeks of shielding their scents, weeks of training and killing and healing their ailments, and now his own, he was fading.

She knew the poison was raging through him, and the wounds had been made worse as the arrowheads were meant to shred flesh if pulled out so they had to shove the arrows through to the other side instead.

Manon could still hear the sounds, hear his teeth grinding as he bit down on the leather strap Sorrel had passed him, could hear his muffled screams as the arrow hit bone.

Manon had wished he would have passed out, wished she could get thouse sounds out of her head

His healing abilities and Asterin's own gentle hands were what kept him on this side of the darkness.

He stirred as she entered; it was still light enough outside that she could see him in the darkness as he moved to sit up.

She rushed forward; her promise from a few seconds ago to remain unaffected was broken quickly.

"Lay down." She barked out, her tone not gentle, but her hands against his abdomen were as she ushered him back down to his bedroll. "Are you a fool?"

He chuckled low; the sound was rough but still eased some of the ache in her. "Is that a rhetorical question, or are you truly seeking an answer?" He was smiling, damn him, smiling like he hadn't nearly died hours before, like he wasn't possibly dying.

"I know the answer already."

"In that case, I'd love to hear it." His hand lifted towards her, resting on her knee where she kneeled beside him.

There was a pregnant pause as she moved the blankets to check his wounds.

A sickly green color spread from the two jagged, angry wounds below his collarbone, now sealed by neat line of sutures that Asterin had stitched.

It was Manon who meant to do it, but her cousin took the supplies from her shaking hands without question.

"Why didn't you find another way?" She whispered as she reached for the clean cloth she had brought, dipping it in the sterilized water filled with herbs that assisted with healing.

He hissed as she touched it to his skin but didn't move, she’s get to the wounds on his back tomorrow. "Ice, wind, those damned hands you used to snap the witch's neck. Are you so ready to die to seal the gate that you are trying to speed up the process?"

She hadn't meant for her voice to rise as she spoke but the thought of that witch, what she wished she could have done to make her suffer, and the phantom sound of those arrows tearing through his skin played over and over again in her mind.

She could feel him tense as he spoke, "I was drained. However endless my magic may be, I still don't know how to channel all aspects of it. Rowan said I may never be able to without a proper trainer. I had already had my sites on the witch when I noticed Soresl was her target. I was already on edge, already fighting, I couldn't be certain that my magic wouldn't harm Sorrel-"

"So you decided some foolish heroics were in order? You are mortal; she would have survived-"

He scoffed, cutting her off. "You must truly think me a fool. You and I both know she would be dead within seconds. I may be mortal, but you were the one who told me the wyvern's poison can kill even the strongest among you. My healing isn't mastered enough to heal a wound of that caliber on another but with my own body I does it on it’s own.."

He was right. He knew it. She knew it.

Another pause and she sifted through what she was feeling, trying to latch onto something, anything in the torrent of anger, pain, and …fear.

She finally admitted it to herself, and her breathing guttered at the realization.

She was afraid, afraid of losing him of seeing the light burn out in those sapphire eyes.

She was afraid.

"You could have died." She held his gaze for a moment as the words left her lips but looked away as she saw him register the small crack in her voice.

His hand was cool when he gripped her wrist, halting her movements.

"But I didn't." He ran his thumb along the inside of her wrist, and she couldn't bring herself to hide her shudder.

"Hey," he squeezed her wrist slightly. "Look at me." She did.

The fire she usually saw was dosed, barely there, but the stubbornness and strength remained.

"I'm not dying; I can feel that much." He stroked her wrist again, and she rested her other hand on the taught muscles of his abdomen, needing to feel the rise and fall of his chest to confirm. "In a day or two, I will be right back to my charming self, and you can go back to wishing me dead."

She huffed a laugh, and the pounding in her chest began to settle. "I never wish that." Was all she said.

He released her wrist and raised his uninjured arm to her face, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear before he rested his palm on her cheek, and she swallowed, throat bobbing.

"I thought you were dead." She whispered.

He stared at her, gaze flicking between her eyes, voice quiet. "I thought I was too, but I would have done it again."

'Why?" She shook her head slightly, incredulous. "You have no true loyalty to us; no one would have blamed you had you been unable to save her."

He looked away at that, as if in thought. His hand slid from her cheek down her arm, her skin underneath her leathers buzzing at the contact before he rested it at her hip. His long fingers circled absentmindedly as he spoke.

"Much of my life has been stagnant, allowing awful things to happen around me. Though I always abhorred what my father did and knew I had no true power to stop it, I do now." Sapphire met gold again. "I won't stand by and let others die if I can help it."

Manon scooted closer, a balm spreading through her limbs where they connected.

"And I am loyal to them." He squeezed her hip slightly and she sighed internally. "To you."

They stared at one another as she shifted to lay beside him. He moved his hand from her hip and shifted his body slightly to face her, ignoring her protests.

She braced her head on her arm as she looked at the selfless, brave, beautiful man before her and tried not to dwell on what her feelings meant.

Tried not to look too close at the truth of her reaction.

She reached out, allowing herself to bask in his comforting presence and allowing herself to seek a bit more as she brushed the damp, raven-black waves from his forehead.

His eyes closed at the contact and she smiled though he couldn't see her.

She continued to brush his hair back and a quiet sound of contentment rumbled in his chest, Manon felt him drifting off and finally spoke.

"I'm glad you're not dead, princeling." He opened his eyes, lifting his finger to brush a knuckle against her cheek. "But if you do that again, I'll kill you myself."

He chuckled, smile dazzling and grazed her cheek once more before he dropped his hand. He rested it near her abdomen as if he, too, sought comfort in her closeness.

"I'll keep that in mind." Was the last thing he said before he drifted off.

****

Manon didn't sleep for hours, couldn't sleep. Though it was muted, she could still feel the fear stirring in her chest, a pacing beast she hated to confront.

She watched the king sleep, still stroking his hair as his breaths settled.

She shifted closer to him later in the night, tentatively lifting her arm to drape across his stomach, the action foreign to her.

She needed to know he continued to draw breath, that he was still with her.

She had never let him hold her, they had never allowed themselves to reprieves that would offer such intimacies but she needed this tonight.

His body gradually warmed as his magic fought the poison, and she sighed into his uninjured side.

Tomorrow, she'd surely kick herself for showing such weakness.

In the light of day, she may shut down again as the fear takes over. It would remind her of how helpless she was, how deeply she felt for the man beside her, but tonight?

She would allow herself this luxury; she would allow herself him.

#throne of glass #manon blackbeak #dorian havilliard #manorian #sjm universe #manon x dorian #sarah j maas #the thirteen throne of glass #the thirteen #kingdom of ash #sorrel blackbeak #asterin blackbeak #dorian x manon #a03 #dorian havilliard fanfiction #manon blackbeak fanfiction #celaena sardothien #manorian fic #throne of glass fanfiction #asks

[missmungoe]

I don't know if you've watched it yet, but I'm SO happy about the live action, and about Makino ? No spoilers, but I can't wait to hear about it from you ♥

I'm glad you're enjoying it! I have mixed feelings, some good, some not-so-good, but I...am unfortunately not a fan of how they did Makino, so if you were hoping for that, I'm really sorry to disappoint!

Thoughts under the cut for those who haven't seen the first two episodes (and remember that these are just my feelings, so don't let them ruin yours! If you liked her, that's what matters ♥):

First, I will say I was pleasantly surprised that she's in it, and even had speaking parts, but the actress just didn't feel like Makino to me. I thought she had a sweet moment with Luffy in the second episode, but beyond the costume, I struggled to find Makino in her. And it's not like she has a well-established character, but some things have always stood out to me, like how she acts as a barkeep, and there's a reason I write her as someone who enjoys her work. And in the first scene with Higuma, she just looks so...done? Like she'd rather be doing anything but her job, and maybe they're trying to imply that she's tired of the bandits, but her whole behaviour in that scene just felt off to me. Even in the scene with Luffy, the way she sighs and goes about her work - compared to the anime, where she's smiling and polishing her glasses like she enjoys the work just for the sake of it - rubbed me the wrong way. She just seems so encumbered, and feels so much older than she's supposed to be at this point in the story. Honestly, she reminds me more of how I write Emiko in Siren's Call. And I can see them changing it if they wanted to give her a more "world-weary tavern wench" kind of vibe rather than how she is in the original, but that's the Makino I love, and for me, she'll always be how I've written her in Shanties - a fresh-faced but determined 19-year-old who's immensely proud of her bar and her work. And that's my own interpretation, based on the few scenes she has, and by no means is it the only interpretation you can make. Netflix had a different one; I just didn't vibe with it.

Also RIP the scene where she runs out from behind the counter to help Shanks :') I was hoping we'd get that, but my main issue isn't even that they didn't get the little moment on the floor, it's that she just...stands there? And sure, Higuma didn't break the bottle over his head this time, although honestly, had I written this scene, Makino would have been even more distressed at him breaking a bottle on her polished countertop.

So yeah, while the actress wears the clothes and the kerchief, she didn't feel like Makino to me, but then I'm irrevocably influenced by the way I've written her in Shanties, and at no point was I expecting the live action to cater to my preferences. But I'll keep writing her as I love her, and then Netflix can do their own thing ;)

But oh, speaking of clothes - and putting aside my personal vendetta against her canon outfit, sans kerchief - I really didn't care for how dingy her clothes looked? Same with Party's (#NotMyBar, and I was so offended by that ugly neon sign I almost forgot that Makino looks like she hasn't bathed in a week). I get that they're going for a more ramshackle fishing village vibe, but here I also vastly prefer the original. I love Makino's tidy bar with its soft green walls and flowers on the shelves, so this was just a huge swing and a miss for me.

Things I am enjoying so far about the live action:

Iñaki Godoy

#One Piece Live Action #opla #opla spoilers #One Piece Makino