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voraciousvore · 6 months

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Boarding School for Giants (22/25)

------ Chapter 22 ------

My skull was beginning to ache from all my thoughts running around in tightly-wound circles. I needed a break, so I decided to push my dilemma to the side for the time being, and enjoy the moment. We were out in the city again, with gigantic cars rushing past us on the adjacent road, kicking up fallen leaves from the giant trees. I traced the lines of Joey’s expansive palm with my fingers, relishing the feeling of his skin against mine.

“That tickles!” Joey giggled. His hand twitched underneath me, the skin creasing into soft folds. I was glad Joey was comfortable enough around me now that his hands didn’t sweat anymore when he held me, so he didn’t have to wear his gloves.

“My bad,” I responded, laughing. “Where’s the movie theater at? Is it far?”

“Nah, it’s in the shopping center just a few blocks over,” Joey answered. “We’re lucky to live in a place where everything is so close. Well, close for giants at least. Maybe not for you.” Normally I wouldn’t have been especially bothered by his comment, but now it only underscored how out of place I was here. If I stayed, I would never be self-reliant. I would need others to transport me and take care of me. I had never been good at relying on other people.

I closed my eyes and forced those dismal reflections out of my brain again. I just wanted to enjoy my time with Joey tonight. The universe had other plans. We passed the diner where I had almost been eaten for breakfast with pancakes and I was reminded of the horrors that potentially awaited me if I elected to stay. I shrank down in Joey’s hand, hugging my knees with my arms, and pressed myself against his torso, trying not to shiver at the recollection. Joey sensed my discomfort and folded his hands around me tenderly in a sort of embrace. His heart thudded in my ears and helped my mind go blank. The tension drained out of my body and I was able to relax again.

“Are you okay?” Joey asked in a low, gentle voice.

“Yeah,” I assured him, “I just had some unsavory memories resurface when I saw the diner is all.”

“Awww,” Joey cooed, hugging me tighter to his chest. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anything like that happen to you again. I’ll keep you safe.” I curled up within his hands and soaked up his loving warmth. God, he felt so good. I did feel safe with him, like he could protect me from the giant world, with his immense size. I may be a human, and he may be a giant, but such a detail was trivial: Love bridged the gap between us.

We reached the movie theater, and Joey took me up to the ticket counter. A bored giantess manned the counter, absently twirling a long strand of hair with her finger and rudely chewing a piece of gum while tapping her long fake nails on the countertop. When she saw us, her eyes scrutinized Joey up and down with condescension, stopping briefly to stare at me before trailing up to Joey’s face. Joey pointed out which movie he wanted to see.

“We only need one seat,” he remarked. “So one ticket.”

“Um, no. Two tickets,” the giantess demanded with a huff. She pointed at me, her nail like a claw. “Two people, two tickets.” Joey balked. I rolled my eyes.

“Fine,” Joey grumbled, shelling out the cash. “Two tickets please.” The giantess snatched up the money in her talons and tossed us our tickets. Joey went inside the theater and made a beeline for the concession stand.

“Why didn’t you fight her?” I asked Joey. “You probably could have convinced her to just sell you one ticket.”

Joey looked down at me and smiled. “I could have, but she was right. You are a person. I wasn’t going to argue that point.” Realizing what Joey was saying, a burst of love flowed through my heart for him. “I’m going to get some popcorn, do you want anything?”

“Nah, I’ll share your popcorn. You don’t mind right? I’ll try not to hog it all for myself,” I joked. Joey chuckled and ordered a bucket of popcorn for us to enjoy together, along with a cup of soda. He carefully perched me on his shoulder since his hands were full of snacks and headed to the theater, grabbing some napkins on the way there. I gripped a tuft of his messy hair and leaned on his neck for support so I wouldn’t fall. Even so, he walked slowly and carefully until we made it to our seat. He gradually lowered his huge bulk into the chair, exhaling with relief when we were safely seated with no mishaps.

“Here you go,” he said as he handed me a piece of popcorn that was absolutely monstrous in size. I bit off a small chunk, savoring the light fluffy goodness. Joey dug into the bucket with one hand, rustled around, and pulled out an entire handful of the giant popcorn pieces, shoving them in his mouth with glee. Since I was right next to his head, the crunching of his teeth as he chewed his food was very loud.

“JOEY!” a shrill voice blared in my ear, right behind us. Joey started and choked on the big mouthful of popcorn, coughing uncontrollably. I lost my balance and tumbled off his shoulder. I fell with a startled cry into the bucket of popcorn and was promptly buried in a deluge of buttery puffs.

“Jesus, Stephanie, don’t do that! You made me drop Eren!” Joey shouted with indignation. He fished around in the bucket until he found me with his fingers and rescued me from drowning in butter. I had big splotches of butter on my limbs and face. At least I smelled good.

“Oops, sorry! I was just SO excited to see you guys, because I didn’t know you’d be here!” Stephanie yelled. She had her posse of giantess friends with her who were all staring at me with undisguised curiosity. I felt a bit self-conscious, disheveled and covered in butter. “Let’s sit together!”

Joey gritted his teeth in a forced smile. “Stephanie,” he said patiently, suppressing his irritation, “If you don’t mind… Eren and I are on a date. Would it bother you if we enjoy our time together, with just the two of us? We’ll be happy to hang out with you at school tomorrow.”

“Ooooooh a date!” Stephanie squealed. “That changes things! How romantic! We’ll leave you two lovebirds alone!” She shooed her friends, who looked baffled at the idea of a human and giant dating, off to a distant corner of the theater to give us some privacy.

Joey sighed. “Sorry about that. You alright?”

“I’m fine,” I assured him. “Don’t be too harsh on her, she doesn’t mean any harm. I think that’s just the way her personality is.” I squirmed a bit in Joey’s fingers at the uncomfortable sensation of a trail of liquid butter running down my arm.

“I know,” Joey said. He gazed down at me and a mischievous smirk crossed his lips. “You look tasty.”

“Wha-” I began, but before I could finish my sentence Joey brought me up to his mouth and licked the dripping butter off my arm with his enormous tongue. I gasped in shock, not sure how to react.

“Mmmmmm,” he hummed. “I could just eat you up right now.” He licked one of my legs, then slurped on my other arm, sucking it into his lips almost up to my shoulder. I could feel the slippery hot flesh inside his mouth.

“Joey!” I cried out, laughing. Joey released my arm from his giant lips and laughed heartily in return, giving me a sloppy wet kiss on my body. For good measure he licked my other leg too, then did the gentlemanly thing and handed me a napkin so I could clean off properly. I wiped off the remaining butter and slobber best I could until I was acceptably clean, albeit with some butter stains on my clothes. Oh well.

The lights dimmed and the movie started. Joey handed me another piece of popcorn to munch on and stuffed more in his own mouth, crunching noisily. I was blown away by the epic sound system and the impossible size of the screen. This giant theater put a human IMAX theater to shame. I settled into the hollow made by Joey’s collarbone and rested on his neck, feeling his pulse on my back.

I tried to ignore my feelings and focus on the movie. It was a fine production, with decent special effects and a quality storyline, albeit somewhat cliché. An ordinary guy got bitten by a freakish insect that escaped from a top secret lab experiment, and gained superpowers. Besides super strength, he had the ability to grow insectile body parts at will, such as multifaceted eyes, wings, extra limbs, a stinger, and serrated pinchers. The supervillain was a disgruntled scientist who was fired from the same lab for unethical behavior and had also been bitten, but he turned into a beastly and bloodthirsty megalomaniac who needed to be stopped by the hero. The finale culminated in the mad scientist going berserk and rampaging across the city, only to be torn to shreds by the protagonist in a graphic, bloody spectacle.

The film concluded, and Joey got up and left before Stephanie could intercept us, sucking down the last of the soda and chucking his trash in a bin on the way out. It was nighttime when we exited the theater. The night air was chilly, so I huddled up against Joey’s giant body for warmth, using his shirt as a blanket. His natural scent increased my magnetic attraction to him. I was in heaven.

Joey’s cavernous stomach growled like a starving animal. “Are you hungry for some dinner?” he asked me.

I placed my hand on my belly, as if I could gauge how empty it was from feeling the outside. “I could use a meal,” I responded, mostly for Joey’s benefit since he was clearly hungry. We stopped at a fast food joint next to the theater and shared a basket of chicken nuggets and fries, with Joey scarfing down the lion’s share of the meal. Maybe I just got this impression because he was a giant, eating a giant amount of food, but I swear his mouth was like a vacuum cleaner for victuals. A growing giant needed his nutrients, I supposed. I was relieved that for once nothing seemed to go wrong, and I didn’t fall into anybody’s dinner or get eaten. I hated how even mundane outings could become hazardous when everything and everyone around me was so ludicrously gargantuan.

Even so, I didn’t mind that Joey was so much larger than me. If anything, his gigantic size made him more appealing to me, because I felt safe and protected in his hands. Although I was diminutive by comparison, I didn’t feel so vulnerable when around him. He treated me like a equal, yet at the same time was so gentle and careful with me, as if I were something precious and fragile. I supposed to him I was.

“Hey, Eren,” Joey stated, snapping me out of my reverie. “I want to ask you something.”

“What is it, Joey?” I gazed up at him from the platform of his hand, at his handsome countenance hovering over me high above. By now we were back at the giant school, just outside my dorm.

“Um...” His face flushed. “As I’m sure you know by now, I like you. I mean, I really, really like you.” He glanced away and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. He was correct: By now it was pretty obvious we were both infatuated with each other. His eyes turned back to me, full of emotion. “Do you... would you want to...” He exhaled. “Do you want to be my girlfriend?”

I should have known such a question was heading my way, yet I was blindsided and stunned. I gaped at him. In a single moment my heart was torn in two. I so badly wanted to say yes, could almost taste the sweet word on the tip of my tongue that would in the moment cement our mutual happiness. I wanted Joey to hold me forever, to shower me with hugs and kisses, to love me unconditionally. I wanted to give myself up to him, my whole heart and body. However, I didn’t know if such a lovely fantasy could ever become reality. If I went back to the humans, I would never see Joey again.

My indecision stretched out into several long, uncomfortable seconds. With every moment of hesitation, I twisted the knife of rejection deeper into Joey’s heart. His facial expression became strained as he waited for my answer. He realized something was wrong, and his body seemed to deflate, his shoulders crumbling inward. I needed to say something, quickly, before I destroyed him.

“Joey...” I began. “I want to say yes, I really do. But there’s something important I need to explain to you.” I released a shaky breath. “I might be going back soon to live with other humans. If I do, I will probably never see you again.”

Joey’s face fell. “W-what?”

“When I spoke to Mr. Henderson earlier, he gave me a choice. He said I had the option to return to the other side of the wall, or stay here.” I began to tear up. “Joey, I care so much about you, and I’m falling in love with you more every day, but I just don’t know if I can do this.” My lungs spasmed as the tears started to flow. “Living with giants is so dangerous. Look at all the close calls, all the terrible things that have happened to me already! I don’t know if I can survive here!”

Joey was at a loss for words. He hadn’t been expecting such a bombshell and couldn’t recover from it. His face twisted up with pain and confusion and desperate sorrow. His legs buckled underneath him, and he collapsed to his knees with a crash. He was shocked. He slowly lowered me to the sidewalk, looking straight through me. He placed his hands on his knees to steady himself, arched his back, and took a deep breath, towering over me. His face contorted and twitched as he struggled to hold back his intense emotions. He was overcome.

Concealing his face with his hand, the giant choked out, “I-I have to go.” He jumped to his feet and stumbled away quickly, not looking back, his clomping footsteps rattling the earth.

My heart was torn in half, but after seeing Joey’s reaction it dropped to the ground and shattered into a million pieces.

Next chapter: https://www.tumblr.com/voraciousvore/731609248130351104/boarding-school-for-giants-2325?source=share

1st chapter: https://www.tumblr.com/voraciousvore/731600430392639488/boarding-school-for-giants-125?source=share

#g/t #giant/tiny #giant #tiny #giant tiny #sfw g/t #gt fluff #sfwgt #size difference #g/t writing #boarding school for giants #g/t fluff

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erinptah · 2 years

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Hey, are you ErinPtah on ao3 as well?

I gotta assume you are, hi, so this is the corresponding account to the fic account for HowWeGotHere on ao3, and I wrote an awful awful piece of fanfiction called.... uh.... Many, compiled, bad ideas in dedication to a really good piece you wrote a few years back called I Can't Control My Fingers, I Can't Control My Brain for welcome to night vale

I actually remember your account quite well, because I read over all of your fics for that fandom at the time and later, when I was writing Many, compiled, bad ideas, I would boast to my friends that an older, far better writer had let me write for their fic, oh my god.

Many, compiled, bad ideas is not a good fic. I finished writing it, I've reread it multiple times since then and my writing style has changed dramatically. I learnt some incredibly, incredibly important lessons about formatting and characterisation and story lines that have really helped me now. Your permission for me to write for your fic has really impacted me, as a person, because it was a major stepping off point for me getting things written online.

Really though, while I would NOT advise going back to look at MCBI from 2020-2021 (I literally would sit at my grandfathers house and write this awful, low quality fanfiction instead of being social), or really any of my work, I have to express immense, immense gratitude to you. WTNV was my first fandom, and you were one of the first creators to really inspire me to be brave and put my writing out there, to get better and really be part of fandom.

So while maybe that one "yes" in a comment back in 2020 doesn't mean much to you, it means a lot to my little heart. Really, I would not have improved without it, thank you so much. Your writing remains amazing and I am honoured to be inspired by you.

(if you aren't erinptah on ao3 then just... let this ask die in your inbox. i think i would die of shame if the public knew i sent this rambly ask to a random person who was not the recipient)

You have reached the same Erin, yes! This was a lovely message to get out of the blue, thank you <3

I don’t remember the fic nearly well enough to make any comments on the quality, but (a) getting a request to write fic of your fic is a cool and exciting thing for the person being asked, having someone else get that inspired by your work is super encouraging, and (b) if you were that driven and fired-up about the writing, I guarantee something else would’ve kickstarted your brain onto that journey eventually! My fic just happened to be in the right place at the right time to flip the switch.

Also: no need to get self-conscious about writing instead of “being social.” Big group conversations are energizing for some people, but draining for others -- we’ve gotta move away from this cultural idea that "I’m gonna pull back and do some creative stuff by myself for a bit” is a bad thing, or, like, a personal slight against the specific people you’re not socializing with. Gatherings where everybody gets to lean in or sit out as much as you want, depending on what you have the bandwidth for, are awesome and we should have more of them.

#Ptah's inbox #Ptah's fic

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kiingocreative · 3 years

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The Structure of Story is now available! Check it out on Amazon, via the link in our bio, or at https://kiingo.co/book

Performance coach Tony Robbins says that the quality of our lives depends on the state we live in every moment of every day. That state, whether we’re happy, sad, frustrated or excited, depends on three things:

• Our physiology — the way we move our bodies, the way we breathe and what we do with our face.

• Our language — the words we use, whether spoken out loud or inside our own head, to describe our experiences.

• What we focus on — the things we see versus the things we block out or fail to notice.

Today, I want to zone in on that final piece, because what we focus on is key, and it will in turn affect the way you move your body and hold yourself, and the language you use. I see this play out so much around me in general, and in the writing community in particular.

At any given time, the things we focus on determine how we feel and what we make of a situation. And what we focus on, in turn, is governed by the questions we ask ourselves every moment of every day.

Take your writing journey for instance:

If someone leaves you a negative review, do you ask yourself whether this means you’re a failure and your work is a failure? Do you ask yourself how dare that person belittle your work with a bad review? Or do you ask yourself what you can learn from this? Could you ask yourself how good it is that this person was honest in their feedback, so that readers with similar tastes won’t buy your book—and therefore not spend money on a read they might otherwise dislike and rate negatively too?

See how different questions would illicit different points of focus, and therefore different states? Some are more conducive to a positive mindset, whilst others tend to nurture frustration.

‘Why’ Questions: The Endless Loop.

And so it goes that by asking lousy questions, we get lousy answers. Because our brain has this tendency of taking any request we give it and processing it, regardless of whether or not it’s good for us. It’ll scour through the recesses of our mind and go on and on until it finds an answer.

‘Why’ questions are the worst, because there’s often no clear answer, or more than one possible answer to them, and it sends our mind on a chase to find as many possible reasons, processing like a headless chicken, often going around in circles, leaving us ruminating.

Take our example again: What if you asked yourself ‘why is this person leaving me a bad review?’

Now unleash your brain on that one, and let it roll with it—you may get:

• Because they didn’t like the book.

• Because my book is terrible.

• And if my book is terrible, then that makes me a terrible writer.

• Maybe I should just stop writing.

• Who was I to think I could do this?

• I’m clearly not good enough.

• Or maybe they left a bad review because they’re an idiot and didn’t get the brilliance of my work.

• Clearly they’re a moron.

• Maybe I should track them down and tell them just that.

• Maybe I should rally everyone I know on Instagram to shame that dimwit for leaving that review.

• …

… this can go on, until it loops back to the top and starts again. Sounds familiar?

What kind of state do you think you’d be in from obsessing over those disempowering, angering questions, never able to get closure because the loop has no logical end?

Empowering Alternatives.

My own experience of asking myself lousy questions, and my interactions with others within the writing community, have left me convinced that writers need to start asking themselves more empowering questions.

Because the way we tend to ask questions to ourself—those that breed anger, and resentment, and self doubt—ultimately only bring us back to two fears that sit at the root of it all: the fear that we’re not good enough, and the fear that we won’t be loved (or appreciated, or liked). These fears can be crippling. And that can’t be good for anyone’s art anywhere.

I’m writing this today to give you some more empowering alternatives. Some that I have used along my journey and have helped me improve.

Here are four examples:

#1 — gearing up for success:

• Instead of: ‘Why are other writers so much more successful than I am?’

• Ask yourself: ‘What I can learn from other writers to become more successful myself?’

There’s a lot of comparison out there. We know we shouldn’t fall into the trap of it, but it’s easier said than done.

If you see fellow writers thriving with their writing, their social media strategy or their exposure, try modelling what they do that is working and find what, from that, works for you.

Better even, reach out to people and ask them for advice—most people will be more than happy to share, and it’s a great way to build a network!

#2 — boosting sales:

• Instead of: ‘Why am I not selling books?’

• Ask yourself: ‘What I can do to increase my book sales?’

It can be discouraging to have published something, and to see your sales figures stalling. If you start wallowing in self pity through disempowering ‘why’ questions, you’re bound to start spiralling.

Instead, make a list of what you could do to help your sales along.

Here are some ideas that come to mind:

• Seek out book clubs and put your book on their radar. See if they’d been interested in reading your book and having you for an author Q&A when they’re done reading the book.

• Look into running promotions on Amazon (like discounted eBooks).

• Go local! Reach out to your local community and spread the word (cafes, local bookshops and libraries, local Facebook groups and communities etc.) and give them a chance to support a local.

• Contact your old school or university and enquire about showcasing you and your book as an alumni success story.

• Build genuine connections with fellow writers, avid readers and book bloggers. These relationships are a fantastic way to increase your reach and spreading the word about your book—and as a result, improve sales.

• Offer to do a read and review swap with a fellow author, where you read and review each other’s book.

• And so on.

If you start asking your brain to think outside the box, it’ll do just that!

#3 — the writer’s life:

• Instead of: ‘Why can’t I be a full-time writer and have financial security from writing?’

• Ask yourself: 'How is my present occupation helping my writing?’

• …And then ask: 'What can I do to increase my revenue from writing?’

This is one topic that’s been crossing my mind a lot, and I suspect many of us out there have pondered it at one point or other. If asked the wrong way, this question can send you spiralling into a frustrated state.

I don’t write full-time at present, and I have had my moments of daydreaming hours away, wishing I could live off my craft. That never led to anything very productive.

What I have found helpful however has been to focus on what my day job enables me to do with my writing:

• It takes away the pressure of earning a full income from writing.

• It gives me time to write and experiment with my craft in different forms.

• It enables me to look into ways to monetise my writing at my own pace.

• And that’s made for much more exciting trains of thought!

#4 — social media guru:

• Instead of: ‘Why can’t I manage to grow my Instagram reach?’ Or ‘why is social media sapping my energy?’

• Ask yourself: ‘What can I do to create a healthier balance when it comes to promotion efforts?’

Social media is a tricky one. It has incredible benefits if leveraged the right way, and it’s an amazing tool to get yourself and your work out there. In fact, I recently wrote a piece on the immense value of joining Bookstagram for writers.

But it can also be a drain, because the mechanisms of social media are built on the principle of addiction. It’s literally designed to suck you in and make you crave more, and fear that you’re missing out and not doing enough.

To avoid falling into that vicious circle, I’ve found it much healthier to ask myself how I can find the right balance to achieve what I want with my social media presence whilst also keeping my sanity. What this ends up being will look different for different people. If you’re unsure where to start, think about what you find challenging about maintaining your social media account, then what you find helps with your peace of mind, and try to find a middle ground somewhere in between that meets your needs.

Ask and thou shalt get.

I’m a firm believer in our ability to manifest our reality—at least to some extent. If you focus on all the wrong things, then your reality will look challenging and bleak.

If you train yourself to look for constructive ways forward and to get yourself excited about making the journey smoother for yourself, then finding that sweet spot that works for you can be a fascinating journey.

And that all starts with asking the right questions. Finding the right point of focus. Writing can be a wonderful, yet at times confusing and challenging journey. So do yourself a favour: where possible, take away those mind blocks that stand in your way!

Different questions about your writing journey illicit different points of focus, and therefore different states. Some are more conducive to a positive mindset, whilst others tend to nurture frustration.

#writingtips #screenwriting #creative writing #writers on tumblr #writers #writing #writerblr #writing advice #writing community #writing resources

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barbariccia · 3 years

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it’s time to talk about Hydaelyn.

i’ve been sat on this theory for a long time - i’m pretty sure i didn’t come up with the original idea myself, but the more i think about it the more it makes sense to me. i’m not sure HOW it’ll come into play in the story, necessarily, but the new year’s eve poem posted last night has me rubbing my chin even more. so:

Hydaelyn exists under Silvertear Lake and i won’t hear no for an answer.

(please note there'll be spoilers for 5.0.)

we have known since 1.0 that there’s Something Under Silvertear. admittedly, in 1.0 it was likely just Midgardsormr, because the times have been a-changing and while the dev team has done a truly admirable job at building on what lore remained from the 1.X days, they couldn’t and didn’t keep everything intact. i do not at any point consider this a downside, just something worth noting!

the Garleans, headed by Gaius van Baelsar (acting under solus-selch’s orders), after the invasion and successful annexing of Ala Mhigo, pushed into Mor Dhona as the next part of their “invade Eorzea” project as a central location that would make continued pushes into the land easy. not only that, but Mor Dhona is noted as being (and has been since 1.X) the center of aetherial connections in Eorzea, if not the whole world, though Eorzea is particularly topped up with aether compared to other landmasses. Cid Garlond in his 1.X iteration suggests that Mor Dhona is where aether returns to rejoin the Lifestream. Quote:

Cid nan Garlond: All aether would - should pass through Silvertear Lake upon returning to the Land, but it now appears that something is bending the energy's course - drawing it away.

in 1.X, Nael van Darnus was originally drawing Dalamud down to fall on this area, where Castrum Novum (now Castrum Centri in ARR and beyond) was built, until adventurers put a stop to that and the transmitter was relocated to Coerthas, where the Rivenroad was ripped from. I’ll accept it as a happy coincidence - the castra was built in this area, it makes sense for plot events to happen there - but it does strike me as interesting, especially where the parallel between the Garlean’s Meteor Project and the original Meteor from FFVII is concerned. Sephiroth wasn’t just calling down a giant slab of asteroid for shiggles; he was doing it specifically to create a wound in the Planet that would require an immense amount of energy to heal that he could siphon off of and become a god. If XIV’s Meteor had hit (and not hatched like an egg), a similar thing might have happened.

And there’s no better place to call a lot of aether to the fore than somewhere entirely rich in it. Almost like there’s a great being in that area dependent on aether that directs the Lifestream through itself to preserve not only itself, but all life on the planet.

The second the Garleans got too close to the lake, Middy burst out with a whole host of Dravanians and the Battle of Silvertear Skies began (and ended with Dravanian victory at great cost). This sequence from 1.X is notable as being one of those things that has to have been changed from ARR onwards considering what we now know about primal summoning (they weren’t just ‘let loose’ into the world, they’ve been actively taught to certain peoples (though why only ‘now’ and not ‘before, too’ is still up in the air)) - not to mention we know that the Echo started manifesting after the battle, too, almost as though something felt like it was in danger and needed thralls (1) to protect itself - but Middy came out to protect something. He’d been known as the great protector of Silvertear Lake for a very long time, since he first appeared to the source. Quote The Rising Chorus, from patch 2.5:

Minfilia: [...] an unlikely ally came to Eorzea's aid that day─Midgardsormr, legendary guardian of Silvertear Falls, burst forth from beneath the waters of the lake and led a host of dragons against the Garlean airships overhead.

Minfilia: Midgardsormr was once worshipped as the guardian deity of Silvertear Falls [...]

Minfilia: One of the ancient myths regarding Silvertear Falls states that when the waters came into existence, so too did the great wyrm. Althyk and Nymeia, Brother Time and Sister Fate, decreed that Midgardsormr ever watch over the source, from which all water─and magic─was said to flow. I wonder... What if this was the covenant of which he spoke, and 'twas not the gods with whom he treated, but Hydaelyn Herself?

minfy and ourselves can only guess as to the nature of the covenant forged between hydaelyn and midgardsormr. Following the Omega questline, we know that Midgardsormr fled the Dragonstar with his seven eggs to get away from Omega, crossing the vast expanse of space at great cost to his own personal strength. We don’t know at what time Midgardsormr appeared to the Source - whether it was before, during, or after the time of the 13th Reflection being turned into the Void as we know it - but it would have been post-Sundering of the Ancient world, considering he was able to make a pact with Hydaelyn at all (2) (not to mention there’s no dragons on the First; if there were dragons everywhere we’d know they were reflections of the First Brood! i’m still angy there’s no Azdaja and Vrtra. fucking PLEASE squenix i’m DYING for info on them).

(1) this is a good a place as any to mention that in 1.X, Minfilia - then known as Ascilia - witnessed the Battle of Silvertear Falls with her father Warburton and her Echo awoke a few years later. interesting to think that the primal that tempered Ascilia in potential desperation would later scour her clean and use her for its own purposes, though i know this wasn’t intentional from the devs at all as a plot-point.

(2) the nature of Hydaelyn and Zodiark’s battle makes me doubt that there was much time between Her summoning and the Sundering of the world

There’s an interview from 2014/15 with Koji Fox where he notes, quote,"There's a presence [at Silvertear]. It wasn't just Midgardsormr there, it was more of a force[...]". There’s definitely something there that isn’t just the dragons. Something big. It’s Hydaelyn!!! It has to be. (highlights in the excerpt mine.)

My interpretation of this event is that Midgardsormr agreed to protect the physical ‘body’ of Hydaelyn in exchange for the safety of his eggs - the First Brood - which is what he’s been doing for potentially upwards of 10,000 years. The battle at Silvertear is pretty explosive otherwise for what’s effectively a non-event. There might not have been dragons in Gyr Abania, or in Ilsabard, or Othard or anywhere else they’ve been pushing into - but there’s never been any indication of the dragons being particularly territorial. The Dravanians shared their space with proto-Ishgardians back in the day, and their issues with the elezen of the Source was due to some choice eye-vorage, not encroaching on lands like the sahagin and kobolds.

As for Hydaelyn’s physical form - well, it’s known that Zodiark has a physical form which was sealed directly into the moon. The true moon, known to us colloquially as Menphina (3) (is there another name for it? i haven’t seen anything). It stands to reason that Hydaelyn has a physical form as well, then, hidden away somewhere safe, because as we known, primals can be defeated and their essences scattered to return back to the Lifesteam.

(3) Hey, it’s worth noting here that Menphina, the Lover (whose divine stone is parked right where Haurchefant’s grave is) is said to be the younger sister of Azeyma, the Warden! and boy, while we’re thinking about the misremembered names of the Convocation coming back as names of gods in modern day, what significance does that have?

The Antitower: In all of creation, what greater mystery could there be than the fate of this very star? To sound the deepest depths, to study the aetherial sea itself─for these purposes and more was the Antitower built. Abandoned by her Sharlayan caretakers following the exodus, it has since been overrun by the magical guardians they left behind. Yet were one blessed with Her gift to brave these dangers and descend to the furthest reaches─to hear, feel, and think at the heart of this world─what would they find?

(emphasis mine.)

in the cutscenes following the Antitower, we meet Hydaelyn in the aetherial sea, and Her mouthpiece, the Word of the Mother. and by using the Antitower, something specifically Sharlayan-built, no less. I’d be very interested to know if you can reach the aetherial sea from only the Forelands, where that dungeon is, or from anywhere. I’m gonna make a stab at anywhere.

It’s been brought to my attention that in the cutscenes post-Antitower, Hydaelyn mentions in the quest The Word of the Mother (patch 3.2), and Ardbert echoes later in Shadows of the First (patch 3.4) that “across ten and three were [we] then divided, reflections of the source, each possessed of a shard”, which seems to imply that not only the people of the world and Zodiark, but also Hydaelyn Herself was sundered and became weaker in so doing. which is FANTASTICALLY interesting, all things considered! maybe She wasn’t just becoming weak (and finding it harder to take mouthpieces and the like) because of the land’s aether being drained by primals (and other sources).

The just-released (as of time of writing) New Year’s Eve poem makes me think that the “last chapter of this story” might relate back to this in some way.

[EN]

Our progeny may never know Wherefore we look unto the sky Nor why we dig for truth below; We bear their scorn or watch them die.

[FR]

With our mouths closed, we pile stone upon stone, To form a staircase leading to the lands of knowledge, As well as another pointing to the heavens of existence. Our children will remember it, no matter how angry they are.

[GR]

Committed to our silent office We seek wisdom in the deep earth. Put tomorrow in starry hands, Sung by children's lamentations.

[JP]

By staying silent and saying naught, we will not accumulate the crystals(?) (4) To gain knowledge, we climb into the earth, To survive, we climb to into the heavens. Even if our progeny resent us, it is all for their sake.

(4) 石 meaning stone rather than ‘crystals’, 水晶 meaning ‘crystal’ (and used in the JP title of the Crystal Exarch).

*** translations from THIS reddit post and THIS tweet for the EU and JP translations of the poem, respectively.

something something 6.0 is looking more likely to be Sharlayan than anywhere else, something something big tower something something learn stuff from within the earth. c’moooon, i wanna go beat some answers out of crystal mom. walk freeeee indeed.

Getting away from the poems again and back to Stuff On The Source, we can take a look at the First, a much more pristine reflection of the Source due to having no Calamities happen to it ever. The Source (not to be confused with the Source), the equivalent of Silvertear, is being presided over by none other than... Bismarck, a member of the fae (and BOY i’d like to know more about whaleboi in this world!!!!), in exactly the same position Midgardsormr is, presumably protecting something of equal importance. Having said that, I don’t know if by splitting the world, Hydaelyn also split Herself.

Having said that, there’s an environmental anomaly in that area. Fly out to Bismarck’s (5) nose, and then dive under the waves. There’s a crystal formation coming out of the ground that can’t be found anywhere else on the First - there is nothing else similar to this formation - that has patches of light emitting from bits of it. A friend of mine noted that the way it seems to be coming through in only this location is almost cancerous in origin - that is to say, uncontained and Wrong in some manner, more complex than we have words or knowledge of. The only way you can interact with these crystals is in the level 78 mining levequest Crystal Meds, which notes that you can yank salt crystals out of that formation... but it seems a little too suspect to leave as ‘just salt’.

(5) Speaking of Bismarck, from that earlier interview with Koji Fox, he also has this to say, which... what else have you been hiding in plain sight... (highlights again mine.)

Or the Crystarium’s just going around seasoning their meals with primal mama, who knows.

Eep, this post got away from me. Anyway, i’m not really sure what to DO with any of this information. as many of my friends know i’ve been harping on about this for years at this point, and i’m not the best at speculation and guessing accurately where stories end up going - but it feels more right than ever to talk about it now after that poem was release.

hells, maybe they’ll give us another tower. say... a tower of bab-il, to take us to the moon? 6.0 FFIV expansion pretty please??

#ffxiv speculation #ffxiv #hydaelyn #final fantasy 14 #ff14

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goodlucksnez · 3 years

Text

short t/odoroki quirk flu

AGED UP T/ODOROKI

I wrote this IDK i if it good or if i should continue but enjoy

It was October again...a glorious October, all red and gold, with mellow mornings when the valleys were filled with delicate mists as if the spirit of autumn had poured them in for the sun to drain — amethyst, pearl, silver, rose, and smoke-blue. The dews were so heavy that the fields glistened like cloth of silver. Todoroki walked in the dewy morning to the agency his feet dragging on the slightly darken surface. The golden light pierced his orbs the headache he had been nursing kicked up in intensity and he winced in response. As the blue outline of the agency began to come into view, he swallowed his pride and gathered the energy to push the metal doors open into the warm interior.

Todoroki at the age of 24 created his agency to the dismay of his father. He had around 50 employees who all reported to him. When he entered the building the dull hum of the fluorescent lights pained him and he winced as he made his way into his office ignoring the pain and the increasing congestion in his face.

Once he sat down in his chair, his assistant came rushing in. “Good morning Sir.”

“Please Nightmare I told you to call me Shoto. But continue.”

“Of course, your morning was uneventful I assume. Well, here are your files and remember you have a meeting at 2 o’clock.”

“Thank you, Nightmare. If you could take all my calls this morning, I have a bit of a headache.”

She nodded and closes the door more quietly. As Shoto opened the desktop and logged into the files of the arrest in the past week. As he clicked on a rather interesting case called position dagger his nose started to itch and run. As he sniffled back the congestion the itch increased in intensity. He scratched his nose with his left hand. While he began to type, he found his eyes beginning to close and he turned his chair away from his desk as his breath begin to hitch.

“-ISSHoo-!! hhisSShww!- ISSHwww!”

As he covered his nose and mouth with his hand, he could not help but notice the small amount of snowflake flutter out before melting in the inside of his palm. He brushed off the strange incident as a rare occurrence, just a mishap with his Quirk. When he turned his chair back to his desk he could hear the fast footstep approaching signaling an interruption from an employee. Before the person in question could knock he pushed the button under his desk that automatically opened the door. What he says before him was no surprise. The lightly blue wavy hair was up in a messy bun and her eyes told the story something was up.

The girl spoke. “Sorry, Sir but you are needed on the front lines, The Kanto region as requested backup from all Pros in a 50 miles radius.” The girl spoke with such speed and clarity he was honestly impressed. “He gathered his thoughts quickly and cleared his throat before speaking “Thank you Melody I assume this is because of the recent gang-related violence.”

“Yes sir they seem to have taken multiple locations hostage and are asking for all pros to be bought before them.”

They both nodded in unions knowing this was some type of trap, but still, public safety was their number one concern. He gathered his gear and headed to the roof waiting for his transit to pick him up.

-----

Once he made his way to the first location he could see other familiar faces as other Pros glance his way. He simply nodded and took his place in line and observed the situation. The front of this building which looked like some kind of bank was barricaded with what looks like any furniture the gang out find. Police lights and helicopters danced over the reflective windows and he could see some moving shadows inside. He groaned the bright lights were not helping his headache and he pushed back the intensive thought that it may be getting worse. Within minutes the door opened and a figure approached the police line and shouted.

“Welcome to your doomsday hero's” The voice was amplified and bounded off the walls of the other building in complete clarity. Immediately all the Pros were on high alert. The gang was known for pulling stunts like this and failing their resolve to end hero society was strong.

The leader of the Pro's stepped forward. A man Todoroki had never had the pleasure of meeting but attended many meetings with. He had a teleportation-type quirk and was known as the multiplier.

“We have gathered as you said now let the hostages go and we can proceed.”

The figure laughed and pointed a weapon to the line of pros and spoke. “You call these Pros I bet I could take every one of them with my eyes closed, what happened to the good old days where only one could instill fear in the heart of us.”

Todoroki sighed he was tired of hearing this type of speech from gangs. But soon the man continued. “Why I see nothing but failed offspring of those who had all the power and look at them now all lined up ready to get executed.”

The words sparked something in Todoroki and he could feel his left side spark for a moment, he quickly stopped the flame and shook his head. But the man continued.

“Fine let the hostages go we have no use for them.” As the hostages were released comfort heroes quickly gathered them and took them aside to be evaluated and tend to any wounds they had received.

With a sudden crack, the pavement they stood on began to shake and crumble with lightning-fast reflexes all of the pros dispersed many activating their Quirk to stay grounded

Todoroki build a nice bridge a few feet off the ground and stood on it and watched as the earth opened up most likely a Quirk from one of the gang members still inside the building.

The chief commander spoke. “Is it a fight you want?”

The figure lowered its head as dark clouds began to gather over them the distant sound of thunder could be heard and as the figure raised it to head their eyes black and glazed over he simply stated “it’s time.” And the battle began.

Rain began to pour as the gang member-initiated his weather-type quirk and soon all of the pros were in a rainstorm. Todoroki wiped his hair from his eyes and set his eyes on the visual of the front of the building. Soon many members of the gang were beginning to exit the building activating their type of quirks and you could see a full battle was in store for him.

Todoroki hated heavy rain. He couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, and unless it was humid, made part of his quirk completely useless. Luckily, he still had some cover from the rain, but the strong wind and rain made him regret designing a sleeveless hero outfit.

Whatever. He didn’t have time to be cold. Todoroki knew he was in danger when a fist connected with his torso and he was knocked prone. As he gathered his vision again, he could see a short-haired man had him pinned to the ground and was getting covered in some type of grey substance he realized it was cement. He acted quickly and activated his fire to melt the thick substance and he soon kicked the gang member off himself and darted into the nearest alley to recover and rest. He knew he was bleeding when thick crimson began to block his vision.

Luckily for him, all of the pros combined with the strength and protection of others quickly defeated the gang, and what was a battlefield within minutes could be seen as a failed attempt to go back to their old ways where one hero was in charge.

---

He doesn’t remember how he got back to his agency he just remembered the bright fluorescent lights of their little medic and the white cotton sheets which were slowly turning red. He closed his eyes as he felt the healing power of one of his nurse’s power course through him and within seconds the pounding of his head lesson to a degree.

He sat up groggy and winced in pain as he could feel his muscles were sore and the congestion, he had been fighting back all-day shift in his face. The cheerful nurse he had hired spoke up “Well sir I’ve healed all of your injuries but overall, the battle was a success.”

He nodded and smiled a little he looked at the clock across the room and saw it was midafternoon he pushed himself off of the bed allowing his feet to connect with the floor and slowly walked back to his office.

Once he lowered himself in his chair, he took a minute to collect his thoughts however it was at that moment the itch decided to rear its head again and he found myself hunched over in a pre-sneeze limbo.

“Heh’Psh’ieww!!! Heh-ISHieww! hih’PSH! Hih’PSHH!!”

As the sneezes racked through his body, he felt the tight grip he normally has on his fire slip, and as he sneezed for a final time a rush of flame burst from the young Pro. Like his father, the flames licked the side of his face and his eye began to tear from the immense heat. As he looked at his arms, he could see the flame-resistant material struggling to stay intact, this flame was even hotter than his father's….as he sniffed and tied to gain control of his quirk, he heard a sound. He flicked his eyes over and saw the source of the noise.

A curly green-haired man was standing in his office with his mouth agape and was producing a sound that could only be described as a skipping record. Todoroki closed his eyes and put his head in his hands as he regained control of his quirk and said with a muffled voice.

“Hello, Midoriya.”

----

#Vic writes #sneeze #sneezy #snez #sneezefic #snezfic #bnha fic #bnha todoroki

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scarlet-sky4 · 3 years

Text

Venenum [2/3] Baekhyun x Reader

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Word count: 7k

Genres: Romance, Suspense, Action

AU: Gangs/Mafia

Masterlist

Summary: Due to an unfortunate accident, you get entangled in the crimes of a local gang. From that moment on, you constantly have to fear for your life, being stalked wherever you go. The only ray of light left in your dark days is the handsome stranger who visits your coffee shop every morning. He easily steals your heart and you fall for him, unaware that he is a notorious criminal. However, when a dangerous gang leader learns of your connection to him, he forces you to make a fatal choice. You only have two options. How far will you go in order to survive?

The vial containing the poison looked inconspicuous, but the power it held was immense. The little bit of fluid could kill someone… and it was up to you to decide what would become of it. You took a deep breath. With your heart racing in your chest, you stared into the bathroom mirror. A bitter smile pulled at your lips.

You already made your choice—and you wouldn’t regret it. This was the only way to solve this problem once and for all.

You opened the vial and tipped it, letting the liquid drop out. It landed in the sink and vanished down the drain. Just to be sure, you put on the tap to wash away every last bit of the damned poison so it was gone and could not hurt anyone.

That was it. You had sealed your fate. The one who would die was you, and not him.

Despite taking the horrifying choice to throw away your life, a huge burden fell off your chest. You could finally breathe. Knees getting weak, you held on to the sink. You should have made this decision from the very start. After all, you had known that a life with his blood on your hands wasn’t a life you wanted to live. You loved him, and the idea of hurting him shattered your heart into tiny pieces. You cherished every moment you spent with him, and you didn’t want to be the cause of his death.

Nonetheless, your desperation had driven you to bring the vial to his apartment. Eyes filling with tears, your vision blurred. You didn’t deserve to stay with him after this. And you didn’t deserve his help either. You needed to leave. Someone like you shouldn’t be anywhere near him.

Overwhelmed by the urge to run, you left the bathroom abruptly, drawing Baekhyun’s attention. “What’s going on?” he muttered, getting up from the sofa.

Hot tears streamed down your cheeks, and you couldn’t look him in the eyes anymore. “I’m sorry!” you chocked out and ran. You took off towards the front door, hastily put on your shoes, but didn’t care to bring your jacket. The moment your hand made contact with the door, he caught up to you and grabbed your arm.

You stumbled, wanted to free yourself, but he didn’t let go. “Hey, calm down! Is it because of what I told you earlier? Are you scared of me?”

He was stronger than you. No matter how much you struggled, his grip didn’t waver. Frustrated, you stopped fighting and breathed a deep sigh. “No, I’m not scared of you,” you answered quietly. “I’m afraid of myself.”

“You’re not making any sense. What’s up with you?” he asked.

“I have to go,” you said and again tried to move towards the door, but he thwarted your escape plan.

“You’re not going anywhere in that state,” he said in a demanding tone that you weren’t used to at all. Freezing, you looked at him with wide eyes. “Come with me. You have to calm down and then we’ll talk.”

He brought you back to the living room and made you sit down on the sofa right next to him. The situation irked him, you could tell. He probably didn’t like not knowing what was going on, and you couldn’t blame him for that. That’s why you decided to get right to the point.

“You know Jiwon, don’t you?” you asked. His eyes widened a fraction upon hearing that name from your mouth.

“Yeah. He’s been after me for a while,” Baekhyun said grimly. Anger rose in his eyes. “Bastard is trying all he can to kill me because I got in his way a few times. How do you know his name?”

He sounded impatient, colder than you had ever experienced him. It was as if he was a different person suddenly, the hate in his eyes scaring you even though it was not directed at you.

“I saw him committing murder around a week ago, and ever since then, his people have been stalking and threatening me. He found out that I know you and…” you hesitated, wondering how he would take this. “He blackmailed me into poisoning you, telling me he would kill me if I didn’t. A-And I just… I couldn’t do it. I-I don’t want you to die, so I threw the poison away.” Your voice broke. Tears spilled over your cheeks, dripping down your chin.

“So that’s why you’ve been acting strange. I had a hunch that something was wrong when you came here. The guilt was written all over your face,” he muttered. You watched him nervously, unsure if he was angry at you. “That proves what a ruthless asshole he is. I’ve always hated him, but this is… How dare he use you like this.”

Seeing your tears, his features softened and his scowl turned into a frown. “I’m sorry you had to go through so much, love. If I had known I would have interfered before it could go this far,” he said, inching closer to you and pulling your shaking form into a hug. “I’m going to take care of this problem like I told you. He won’t do anything to you.”

“B-But how would you prevent that?”

His silence was louder than a thousand words, and it made you shudder inwardly. You realized that this conflict would be written in blood. There was no other way out—someone would die, and whether it was you, or Baekhyun or Jiwon, only time would tell.

“Baekhyun?” you asked when he failed to answer. You didn’t look up at his face, leaning your head against his chest. With his arms wrapped around your back, you felt safer than before.

“Don’t concern yourself with the details,” he replied. The cold undertone in his voice didn’t leave much room for speculations. It was easy to guess what he would do to Jiwon. “I’ll take care of it, and until then, you’re staying with me. Okay?”

You nodded since you were no longer keen on leaving the apartment. Jiwon would have you killed the next time he saw you. The thought sent shivers down your spine.

“Thank you,” you replied. “I’m grateful for your help. Are you not mad at me?”

“It’s okay, love,” he said, his voice softening. “Why would I be mad at you? You haven’t done anything wrong.”

Your fear and your nervousness finally evaporated. You took a deep breath and relaxed, closing your eyes as you hugged him back. His body was surprisingly muscular, you couldn’t help but notice. Sighing softly, you snuggled closer. He readjusted his arm around your waist so you were more comfortable.

Dipping his head, he planted a kiss on your hair. The gesture made your cheeks heat up. You opened your eyes to gaze at his face, finding a teasing smile on his lips.

“You must like me a lot when you go so far as to risk your life for me,” he said. The admiration glimmering in his chocolate eyes caused your heart to swell. The wings of hundreds of butterflies fluttered in your stomach. “It proves you have a strong will. Not all people would have acted the way you did.”

“Well, I do like you,” you blurted shyly.

“I like you too, I have for a while,” he murmured. You flushed under his adoring gaze.

“That’s why you kept coming back to get coffee,” you guessed. His fingers painted tender circles on your arm, leaving a warm sensation that spread through your body. You were in bliss, could finally smile without worrying. For the first time in a week, you were truly happy. He gave you a sense of safety—just the kind of feeling you had been longing for.

“You caught me,” he said amusedly. “I enjoy talking to you, but since my situation is complicated, I was reluctant to reveal much about myself.”

“I’m glad you’ve decided to be honest now.”

“Do you mind that I’m not who you thought I was?”

“To be completely truthful with you, it was a shock when Jiwon told me about you. I couldn’t believe it at first. You were always so kind to me, and you being involved with a gang just didn’t make sense,” you explained and frowned at the memory of your encounter with the ruthless gang leader.

“I have no reason to be anything but kind to you, love,” he said. “The same can’t be said for him…” He left the sentence hanging in the air, and again, there was this foreign coldness present in his features. It seemed to be reserved for those he had made enemies of.

“Baekhyun… when you go after him, please be careful,” you said. The quaking of your voice couldn’t be hidden from him no matter how much you tried to keep up a strong façade. He saw through you effortlessly. “He is unpredictable.”

“I know,” he muttered, stroking the back of your head. “I can’t bear the thought that he got near you. It makes me angry.”

His words were underlined by the sharpness of his gaze as he stared into space. There was no room for forgiveness in the kind of business he was in. If someone made an enemy of him, then he didn’t show mercy. Especially not when it involved someone he cared about—like you.

“It might take me a few days, but I will find him,” he muttered. “And when this is finished, you don’t have to worry about anything anymore. You’re under my protection, love.”

“Again, thank you so much,” you said, in awe that he would go so far for you. “I don’t know why you would do this, it’s not like I’m anyone special, I just—”

“Stop talking,” he said and put his index finger on your lips. Your eyes went wide, and you didn’t say another word. He leaned in, mesmerizing you with the warm brown of his iris. “I’ll show you why I’m doing it.”

You weren’t prepared for what followed, but you wouldn’t say that you minded. He captured your gaze while his fingers wandered to your chin, holding it gently.

His lips met yours and they melded together, two opposites becoming one. At first, you were startled, but not for long. Your surprise quickly faded, and you began to respond to the gentle kiss. The slightly bitter taste of wine mixed in with something sweeter invaded your mouth. Addicted to his touch, you closed your eyes in bliss. Your hands began to wander, following the contours of his shoulder blades, moving over his neck to his hair. It was soft and silky even though he had bleached it, and you lazily raked your hands through it.

You leaned into him, sitting in his lap. He pulled you closer, held you protectively. A kiss was planted on the corner of your mouth followed by many more. You let him guide you, complete you. The warmth that filled you was nothing short of wonderful.

By the time you ended the kiss, you were breathing heavily, your pupils blown wide. He rested his forehead against yours, cupped your cheeks. The mischievous glimmer in his eyes caught your attention and gave him an irresistible charm.

“Do you understand now?” he asked.

“You have an interesting way of explaining things,” you said breathlessly.

“Did you like it?”

“Yes,” you said honestly. “I loved it.”

“Then we’re on the same page,” he smirked. “But just to be absolutely clear about it, let me ask one question.”

He gazed at you with adoration, and you couldn’t look away from him. Your heartbeat accelerated, thumped wildly in your chest. Anticipation built within you and your curiosity grew.

“Do you want to be my girlfriend, love?” he asked, giving you a flirty smile that stole your heart once more.

The beam on your face was brighter than the sun, showing your joy. “Yes,” you replied.

“Perfect,” he murmured, “I was hoping for that answer.”

“I can tell,” you smiled, leaning in to share another kiss with him. You were incredibly happy, couldn’t believe that he had asked you to be his girlfriend. It had been obvious he liked you, but you hadn’t expected him to ask this question so quickly. It was the final push you needed to let go of all your fears for good. You didn’t waste another thought about Jiwon, instead gazing at Baekhyun and enjoying his proximity.

You spent the rest of the evening having dinner and looking at photos he had taken with his camera. Baekhyun was easy to get along with, and now that you had gotten rid of all your secrets, you found that you had grown even closer than before.

He went through the many photos on his camera, one more breathtaking than the next. You had never doubted his talent, but seeing his work with your own eyes was impressing nonetheless. He captured the most trivial scenes and made them look like a very special moment. You marveled at a photo that showed the morning dew that had gathered on lush green grass blades, reflecting the first sunrays of the day. The dew drops appeared like round diamonds and looked magical.

“This is incredible,” you breathed. “Photography should be more than just a hobby for you.”

“I’m too busy with work,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “And besides, I’m sure that photography would lose its appeal to me when I would be forced to take pictures for other people. I’m doing this solely for myself, it’s my way to relax and calm down when work gets stressful.”

His hand trailed over your back, lingering on your arm. The fond way with which he hugged your body prompted you to sigh in contentment. He looked at you for a moment, and eventually, his eyes lit up.

“Why don’t you model for me, love? I would be happy to take photos of you,” he grinned.

“I don’t think I would be a good model,” you said, avoiding his gaze shyly.

“Nonsense. You are perfect,” he insisted, secretly finding the pink on your cheeks adorable. “I’m sure you aren’t just a good photographer, but a pretty model as well.”

“You are such a charmer, Baekhyun,” you mumbled, prompting him to laugh affectionately.

“So I’ve been told,” he answered, nuzzling his face into your hair. He kissed your temple, the softness of his lips causing your heartbeat to speed up. Part of you still couldn’t believe that the scariest evening of your life had turned into the best evening of your life. It was as if you were dreaming, laying in the arms of your crush that had become your boyfriend so fast.

“Please, love? Do it for me,” he said persistently, but you were still reluctant about the idea to stand in front of a camera. His camera.

“Okay, fine. I’m going to convince you,” he added with a smug smirk. The cheeky look in his eyes was the only warning you got before he began to pepper your neck with butterfly kisses.

Your breath hitched in your throat. Warm tingles spread all over your skin, the soft touches of his lips bringing you to a state of pure delight. You closed your eyes and enjoyed it, moving your hand over his light-blond hair in an affectionate caress. He lingered at your collarbones and planted one last kiss on your neck before he raised his head to gaze at you.

A smirk played with the corners of his lips, and it only grew when he spotted the pink blush on your cheeks. “Please? Do it for me,” he asked, tilting his head.

You exhaled, having to admit to yourself that your resolve crumbled away. “Okay, I’m going to do it,” you whispered, breathless. “But only because it’s you.”

The triumphant grin that lit up his face made you smile. “I know it will be amazing,” he said contently, hugging you tightly. His clinginess was unexpected, but you definitely weren’t opposed to it.

After another while, you ended up cuddling on the sofa, getting sleepier by the minute. The day had been exhausting, so it was natural that you were only half-awake at this point. He caressed your body with his slender hands, running them up and down your side. The motion felt relaxing. You were cozy, and you didn’t want to move.

“Love, why don’t we head to bed now?” he murmured into your ear. “You’re tired and after all the stress today, you should rest.”

“Please just let me stay here,” you mumbled, but Baekhyun was stubborn, and he didn’t want you to sleep on the sofa.

“Sorry, but that won’t work,” he countered. Before you registered what he was even doing, he had slipped one arm under your knees and one behind your back, lifting you. Suddenly, your eyes were wide open and you hugged his neck.

“W-What…?” you gasped. “What are you doing? I’m too heavy, let me down!”

He snorted, smiling down at you. His eyes twinkled. “Nope. You’re not heavy at all, love. I can carry you just fine.”

And he did exactly that, crossing the hallway and entering a modern-looking bedroom where he put you down on the edge of the bed. Then he went to his wardrobe to fetch a change of clothes for you, throwing a random shirt and sweatpants at you.

“You can put this on. There’s a new toothbrush in the medicine cabinet,” he said, nodding his chin to where the bathroom was.

“Thank you,” you said, and then you hurried to the bathroom to get ready for bed as soon as possible. Your exhausted self could hardly form a coherent thought. It was about time you got some rest.

You were on autopilot while you brushed your teeth and changed clothes. Trudging back to his bedroom, you discarded your stuff on the desk chair. Baekhyun went to brush his teeth as well, and while you waited for him to come back, your curious eyes explored the room you were in.

Heavy dark grey curtains covered the windowpane, pooling on the soft carpet. He had white sheets on the bed, but other than that, the colors were mostly dark. Your gaze strayed over to his desk and got stuck. Breath hitching in your throat, you paused.

A black gun laid on the desk. You eyed it conflictedly, wondering whether he had ever used it to kill someone. That he even owned such a thing unsettled you. Then again, you shouldn’t be surprised since he was part of a notorious criminal organization. Exo was known to be involved in all kinds of shady dealings—you didn’t rule out murder to be one of them.

You drew in a shuddering breath, pinching the bridge of your nose. Why had your life become so complicated within the span of one week? It was ridiculous. Everything had escalated so fast after your encounter with Jiwon and his gang… You had gotten tangled up with not one, but two dangerous gangs. This couldn’t end well.

Caught up in your dark thoughts, you didn’t hear the sound of approaching footsteps. Baekhyun returned only to see you lingering at the window. His eyebrows rose.

“Don’t you want to go to bed?” he asked.

“Uhm… yeah,” you said unsurely.

“I don’t bite,” he smirked and sat on the mattress, invitingly patting the spot next to him. You let out a sigh, deciding that it was too late to worry about your situation. You could ask him more questions about Exo tomorrow. Right now, you just wanted to sleep.

You moved to the bed and slipped under the covers. The sheets smelled of him, were soft and comfortable. You yawned, rubbing your eyes tiredly. Baekhyun’s arm snuck under the cover and wrapped around your waist to pull you in. You shuffled closer and eagerly cuddled up to him. Nestled at his chest, you felt at peace. Here, you were safe and protected. Nothing would happen to you.

It was ironic, really. Baekhyun was no less dangerous than Jiwon, but your feelings towards him were entirely different. You weren’t scared, just a bit confused by your complicated situation.

“Sleep well, love,” he murmured, pressing a kiss on your forehead. A soft smile bloomed on your lips. You closed your eyes, relaxing your body as you basked in his warmth.

“You too, Baek,” you mumbled, about to fall asleep.

You dozed off quickly and didn’t wake up until the next morning. At first, you didn’t remember where you were, finding yourself in an unfamiliar room. These grey walls definitely weren’t yours… and neither was the large bed you were laying in.

It took you a few more seconds to realize that you were in Baekhyun’s apartment. He, however, was nowhere to be seen. The spot on the bed where he had slept was empty and felt rather cold. He must have been up for a while, probably deciding to let you sleep in.

The urge to talk to him grew within you, prompting you to push the cover away from you. Stretching your arms, you sat on the edge of the bed for a moment before you got up, intending to look for him. You assumed he was in the kitchen, so that was where you checked first.

Sleepily, you trudged into the room, only to find it empty. Frowning, you turned back and headed to the living room, but he wasn’t there either.

“Baekhyun?” you called through the apartment, not receiving an answer.

“Isn’t he home?” you mumbled worriedly. You checked his office briefly, ending up disappointed.

Wondering where he could be, you walked back to the bedroom where you remained, undecidedly glancing around. At least, until your eyes fell on the desk where you had spotted the gun yesterday.

It was gone. And that could only mean that Baekhyun was gone as well. He must have been in such a hurry that he hadn’t even bothered leaving a note for you. Worry settled in the pits of your stomach and you wondered whether Jiwon had already noticed that his plan had failed.

You hoped that Baekhyun was safe, wherever he was right now. Picking up your phone, you sent him a quick message, just to be sure. Then, you headed into the bathroom to freshen up. You fixed your hair and changed your clothes, brushed your teeth.

Just when you were done, you heard the front door click and open. Footsteps came closer to the bathroom. You put a smile on your face, relieved that Baekhyun was here already, and left the room.

However, it wasn’t Baekhyun who had entered the flat. You stared into the barrel of a gun, heard Jiwon’s mocking voice say two words that sent a chill down your spine. “Game over.”

***

Your body was ice-cold. The small room you were kept in was in the basement of the building that Jiwon’s gang called their home. He made sure you couldn’t escape, tying you to a chair with your hands behind your back.

“So, little bird,” Jiwon began. The sinister smirk on his lips made you sick to your stomach. “Tell me why you thought you could betray me.”

You glared at him in defiance, not wanting to speak to him at all. If there was a person you despised, it was him. He and his gang had ruined so many lives. Every time you remembered the cruel murder you had witnessed that night, you had bile rising in your throat. You didn’t know why that person had to die, but you were convicted that it hadn’t been a necessary evil. Your bound hands were shaking behind your back.

It was horrifying to be alone in a room with a murderer. He scared you to the core. His gaze was cold and unfeeling—he didn’t give a shit about what would become of you. Jiwon was the kind of person who was ready to shed blood in order to reach his goals. And currently, you were standing in his way.

“Don’t want to talk to me?” he asked. Against your expectations, he didn’t sound too angry at that. The excitement flashing over his face wasn’t any better, though. It was worse. He reached into his pocket and got his knife, flipping it open.

“Great, then we are going to do it the messy way,” he chuckled. “I told you what would happen if you fail… and you did fail. You didn’t kill Byun, no, you decided to partner up with him. Bastard left early in the morning to wreak havoc in one of my warehouses. However, he didn’t take into account that I had people watching you.”

Jiwon smirked and crossed his arms. “Something about this is very funny. When you went to visit him, you led us right to his apartment. That was very smart of you, little bird,” he said smugly. “All I had to do was wait for the right moment to strike.”

Cursing, you realized your mistake. How could you have forgotten? His people had been tailing you all the time, of course they had followed you to his apartment. In your nervous state, you hadn’t realized any of this. Your whole attention had been focused on the poison and the dreadful task you had been given.

“Do you know what people in my business do with traitors?” he asked. Sick pleasure danced in his dark eyes. Your breathing quickened, became uneven in panic. The closer the knife got to you, the more your body shook. You had vowed not to show any fear, but that was damn hard to do when your life was in the hands of a madman.

You didn’t answer him. The nervous fluttering of your eyelids betrayed your inner turmoil, and he smirked widely, enjoying your torment. Jiwon dragged the knife’s edge over the skin on your neck, leaving a thin cut that burned like fire. You groaned, clenching your hands to fists.

“Leave me the fuck alone,” you hissed. “What did I ever do to you?”

“Easy, you picked the wrong side in a war,” he countered coldly. “Shouldn’t have gone with Exo. Your mistake.”

“Do you really think I would have killed someone for you?” you spat, hate burning in your eyes. Your anger momentarily drowned out your fear, causing your voice to tremble with rage.

“To be honest, I wasn’t convinced you would go through with it,” he replied with a shrug. “But that’s why I had another plan in mind. You will play your part, whether you like it or not.”

“What do you mean?” you asked, already having a vague idea. He had to have a good reason for taking you hostage instead of killing you on the spot…

“I will make Byun an offer he can’t refuse,” Jiwon said. “If he wants you back, he’ll have to trade himself in.”

“He won’t,” you said through clenched teeth. The longer you spoke to Jiwon, the more you began to realize just how bad this situation was. You’d known that your life was forfeit the second Jiwon had cornered you in Baekhyun’s apartment. Baekhyun on the other hand had been safe at that moment, and that had reassured you a bit, but now you started to worry about him getting dragged into this mess too. The last you wanted was to be the cause of his demise. It turned out that getting rid of the poison hadn’t been enough. It had already been too late at that moment. Your love for him was no different than a contamination; something that would slowly kill him.

If only you hadn’t witnessed the murder in that fateful night, maybe you and Baekhyun could have been happy together… perhaps there would have been a way for you to be a couple despite the shady business he was involved in.

“He will be upset that I stole you from right under his nose,” Jiwon cackled. “It’s I shame I can’t see his face when he finds out.”

“Your plan will fail,” you growled desperately. “H-He wouldn’t risk his life for me.”

“He will,” Jiwon countered.

The darkness in his gaze was horrifying. He leaned in and brought the knife close to your face, dragging it over your cheek. You struggled, but you couldn’t escape him. He held your chin in a vice-like grip, leaving a bruise.

“Shouldn’t have gotten involved with him, little bird,” he smirked. “I’ll make sure you’ll be very pretty when he sees you.”

You couldn’t suppress a pained moan. The blade dug deep into your skin, drawing more and more blood. It ran down your face, following your jugular and getting soaked up by your shirt. Agony consumed you—you had never experienced anything like this. It was hell on earth.

The last of your hope shattered as he raised the knife to plunge it into your arm. Your vision blurred as pain exploded in your body, tearing at you until you couldn’t withstand it any longer. Unconsciousness welcomed you in its saving embrace.

***

The next time you came to, you were lying in the back of a van, dumped on the ground like a piece of trash. Jiwon and a few of his men were in the car with you. Your eyes had trouble focusing on anything, and the terrible headache you experienced didn’t help. It made it nearly impossible for you to follow the conversation the gang members were having, but from the sounds of their voices, you assumed that they were quite satisfied with how things were going for them.

You on the other side felt like a lamb led to the slaughter. Squeezing your eyes shut, you tried to hold in your tears of frustration, not wanting them to see your desperation. You concentrated on your breathing, tried to keep it slow and even. It was hard not to get lost in the storm that was building in you—the panic, the fear, the uncertainty; it all drove you insane. What would happen to you? What would happen to him? Would he survive?

“Please just… let this end well somehow,” you thought to yourself.

The rope that bound your hands dug into the raw skin of your wrists. You had tried to loosen them by rubbing your hands together, but it hadn’t worked. These people knew what they were doing, and they had made your restraints so tight that it was impossible to escape them.

You felt the stickiness of half-dried blood soaking your shirt, and a quick glance confirmed what you were fearing. The wound on your arm was deep, and you had lost quite a lot of blood. Perhaps that was the reason for your lightheadedness. Now, thankfully, the bleeding seemed to have stopped. Otherwise, you would have been dead at this point. The pain was still there though, paralyzing your weak body.

When the car came to a sudden halt, your anxiety spiked. The engine was turned off and the gang members began to move. One ripped open the door to your left and they jumped out one after the other. As Jiwon barked his orders, you were lifted up roughly and dragged out of the car. Your wobbly knees barely carried your weight.

You stumbled along with them while two men flanked you. The area you were in was unfamiliar to you. It seemed to be an old warehouse in one of the shadier parts of town. Surrounded by decrepit apartment complexes, it didn’t look safe. Since it was the middle of the night, everything was dark except for a few street lamps nearby.

The group entered the warehouse with you in their midst. It was a dark and dusty building, filled with boxes that were stacked up on the ground. They took you to a metal stair and you suffered through the pain while they forced you to walk to the top. Jiwon kicked open the door that led to the building’s flat roof.

He and the six men he had brought along positioned themselves in the middle of the dimly lit roof, keeping you in between them so that you couldn’t run. Not that you would have been able to in your state, but they weren’t about to take any risks.

“Now, if he doesn’t arrive within the next thirty minutes, you are going to die,” Jiwon told you heartlessly. “You can only hope that he cares enough, little bird.”

Gritting your teeth, you glared at him, prompting him to laugh. “So defiant. Not that it would win you anything in the end, but I can see why the bastard likes you,” he added amusedly.

The sound of a car pulling up close to the warehouse had you grow uneasy. A door was opened and closed, the creaking being loud in the quiet of the night. You heard footsteps coming up the metal staircase inside the building.

Pain, nausea and fear blurred together and created a devastating mix. You couldn’t take it. Why had Baekhyun decided to come? He had to know that he wouldn’t walk out of here alive. This whole mess was all your fault. He shouldn’t be the one to pay the price.

The rusty door to the rooftop was kicked open from the other side, nearly falling off its hinges. Baekhyun stepped on the roof with two unfamiliar men that you had never seen before. They were both roughly of the same height as him, had their guns drawn just like him. One of them had black hair and the other was strawberry blond. They looked like they had only just gotten out of a fight. Bloody scrapes and bruises covered their faces, and their dark clothes were worse for wear.

Baekhyun’s features were partially shadowed, but the scorching heat in his gaze was plain to see. He was seething in anger, gripping his gun tightly.

“If it isn’t Byun,” Jiwon mocked. “Looks like you didn’t listen to our agreement. I told you to come here alone.”

“I’m not playing by the rules,” Baekhyun snapped furiously. “You should know that best. Moreover, I don’t trust you.”

“Fair enough.”

Jiwon turned to you, harshly dragging you in front of him so the other three men could see you. He pressed the cold barrel of his gun to your head, causing your battered body to quake in fear.

Baekhyun’s countenance slipped as soon as he laid eyes on you. He looked shocked, took in the blood staining your face and clothes with disbelief. Even his two comrades were astounded by your state, though their surprise didn’t last for long. It was overtaken by rage and hatred.

“How fucking dare you!” Baekhyun thundered.

“Did I make you angry? Great,” Jiwon taunted. “If she hadn’t passed out so quickly, I would have added some more cuts to her pretty face.”

“You are going to pay,” Baekhyun countered. He was livid. The hand that held his gun was shaking with barely held back rage. The fury in his eyes was burning brightly, but it was mixed with concern for your wellbeing.

“Don’t worry about me,” you tried to reassure him. You cringed when you realized that your voice sounded a whole lot weaker than you had intended. Baekhyun’s gaze moved from Jiwon to you and your eyes met for the first time tonight. For a brief moment, his gaze softened.

“You’ll be fine, I promise,” he said, convinced in his own words. The furious determination he conveyed quickly became your strength. His posture and his expression radiated nothing but certainty. He stood proudly, confidently, despite being severely outnumbered. Where he drew his confidence from was a mystery to you, but it served to quell your fear.

“Stop talking so much,” Jiwon cut in annoyedly. “Our deal was for you to take her place. Move over here, Byun, and put down your weapon before you do. The same goes for your friends,” Jiwon ordered.

“Take your gun away from her head first,” Baekhyun demanded.

“So you can shoot me?” Jiwon laughed. “No.”

You stared at Baekhyun with wide eyes, wanting to convey to him that he shouldn’t do it. Without his gun, he would be at Jiwon’s mercy. Your life wasn’t worth taking this kind of risk—but the stubborn man clearly had a different opinion than you. He didn’t look scared in the least while he slowly put down his gun on the ground, kicking it out of reach. Your worry skyrocketed when his two friends did the same.

You didn’t understand what their plan was. What did they wish to accomplish with three unarmed people? Why were they so calm despite being outnumbered? Something wasn’t adding up here.

“Now put your hands up so we can see them,” Jiwon ordered. You knew that he enjoyed being the one in charge. He sounded sickeningly pleased with this situation.

The three Exo members complied with his words and held up their hands. You bit your lip hard, drawing blood. They couldn’t be serious! What in the world was their plan? Jiwon’s bruising grip on your arm didn’t falter, but he thankfully moved the barrel of the gun away from your temple. Still, you knew that you weren’t safe yet. Not with him and his members armed and ready to kill.

Nonetheless, Baekhyun stayed calm. He moved towards you with slow steps while the other two men stayed back. “W-Why are you doing this?” you stuttered. “Please, just… leave. My life isn’t worth it.”

He inclined his head, and you swore you saw his eyes narrow for a brief second. “It is,” he replied sternly. “You would have done the same for me.”

“But Baekhyun, you are going to die if you—” you started, but he cut you off.

“Close your eyes, love,” he said, steadily gazing at you. “Trust me.”

“Aren’t you cute. You talk too much, Byun. Hurry the fuck up before I lose my patience,” Jiwon taunted, but Baekhyun paid him no mind, ignoring his words.

He held your gaze until you complied and closed your eyes. Whatever that would do, you didn’t know. Anxiously, you waited for something to happen. With only darkness to surround you, your focus became Jiwon’s hand holding your arm in a painful grip. Even though he had moved his gun away from you, you were very restless, expected to be killed at any moment's notice. Straining your ears, you heard Baekhyun take another step.

And then it happened. A disgusting squelch reached your ears, along with several thuds and pained groans. Something wet splashed the side of your torso. It was warm, felt revolting. Jiwon’s grip on you loosened and vanished entirely. Scared to the core, you kept your eyes shut tightly, not having the courage to open them.

Quick steps neared you. Your shaking body was embraced without warning, but upon realizing who was hugging you, you relaxed. “Baekhyun,” you whispered, opening your eyes. He put his hand on the back of your head, gently pushing it into his chest.

“Don’t look, love,” he said. “You’re safe now. They are taken care of.” His voice froze over towards the end, not holding an ounce of remorse.

“What happened?” you asked.

“Jiwon forgot one crucial detail,” he explained. “Exo is nine. We never act alone, no matter what happens. Our leader had the brilliant idea to place snipers on the rooftops of the buildings in the vicinity. They had our backs and were only waiting for my signal to shoot. We had the upper hand from the beginning.”

“Y-Your entire gang is here?” you asked in astonishment, not feeling sorry for Jiwon and his men. It didn’t bother you that they had been taken out like this since you knew that it would have been either them or you.

“Yeah. They’re on the way to this building as we speak,” Baekhyun said, stroking the back of your head. He noticed that your hands were still bound in front of your stomach and reached into his pocket to retrieve a small knife. Carefully, he cut open the rope and gently inspected your wrists.

“You’re hurt badly, love. We need to get your injuries treated soon. You must be in so much pain.”

“I’m alive and that’s what matters,” you replied, lifting your head to meet his eyes.

He sighed, a smirk curling his lips up. “You’re a tough nut,” he said. “I was fucking scared when I came back to my apartment to find it trashed. Bastard left a ransom note and barely gave me time to come up with a plan.”

“I can imagine,” you sighed. “He broke in and surprised me… I… I couldn’t do anything.”

“It was my mistake. I shouldn’t have left you alone.” His brown eyes shimmered with regret. You frowned, put your hand on his bruised cheek.

“Don’t say that. You couldn’t have known,” you said before your lips formed a soft smile. “Thank you for saving me.”

Standing on your tiptoes, you kissed him slowly, though in your dizzy state, you soon began to sway. He broke the kiss and steadied you, keeping his hands on your back.

“Don’t mention it, love,” he whispered to you.

You avoided looking at the scene behind you when you turned your head to glance at the other two men who were watching your exchange with sly grins on their lips. “Thank you too, by the way,” you said.

“You’re welcome,” the blond one replied.

“Doesn’t happen every day we get to play knights in shining armor for a woman,” the other added cheekily.

“Shut it, Jongdae. You’re fucking embarrassing,” Baekhyun sighed. “And stop grinning like that, Minseok.”

“Can’t help it. You’re both so cute,” Minseok retorted. You giggled, joy filling your being. The relief about being safe was insanely strong and brought tears to your eyes.

However, you were careless. None of you noticed that Jiwon wasn’t dead yet. None of you noticed him reaching for his gun. In blissful ignorance, you continued your conversation, slowly making your way to the door that led to the stairway. Jongdae and Minseok went on ahead while Baekhyun and you followed. He had to support you since you had trouble walking.

Jiwon coughed, blood gushing from his mouth. “Fuck you,” he breathed. “I won’t die alone.” He closed his hand around the grip of the gun, weakly lifting it. His aim was unsteady, shaky, but even a fool could hit a target at this distance.

“See you in hell,” he smirked and pulled the trigger.

#exo #exo scenarios #exo baekhyun #exo baekhyun fic #fanfic #kpop #kpop fanfic #baekhyun x reader #baekhyun x oc #baekhyun scenario #exo mafia au #exo reactions #exo series #reader #mafia au #baekhyun

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inkandpen22 · 3 years

Text

All I Want (2/4)

Pairing: Sirius Black x Reader

Warnings: swearing, mild smut

Word Count: 1.8k

Part Summary: Sirius convinces Y/N to take a little risk which leads them to trouble

Masterlist

Sirius

"I need Y/N to go with me," I complain to my friends as we settle around the table in the Great Hall.

"Why do you need Y/N to go with you?" James questions idiotically. "You could ask Marlene, that girl from potions, what about-"

"Y/N is the only option," I emphasize, growing annoyed that no one else understands.

"Since when?" Remus interjects as he flips open his textbook.

"Since she told me no!" I repeat what I told them last night.

"Ooh, so this is all to prove a point?" James accuses with a raised brow.

"No! I genuinely want to go with her!" I justify.

"She's probably just giving you a hard time, playing hard to get. Give it time," James tries to reason. "Keep up with the compliments and maybe even give her a gift or something!"

"You could just ask her publicly so she can't say no," Remus suggests uncharacteristically.

James and I share the same confused expression.

"What do you mean, Moony?" I frown.

"Do it here," he clarifies.

"In front of everyone?" Peter sounds astonished.

"That's sort of what 'public' means..." Remus sasses.

I shake my head. "Y/N would hate it. She hates being the center of attention."

"But it would grab her attention," Remus points out a matter-of-factly.

"I don't know guys..." I'm hesitant to do something so extreme when she was fine with rejecting me in front of our friends.

"I think it would be great!" Peter gleams, enthused by the idea.

"You also thought bringing snacks to the Shrieking Shack last month was a great idea," James reminds him disapprovingly.

"I forgot I had the cinnamon roll in my pocket okay!" Peter huffs.

"Hush!" I hiss at the group quietly. "Y/N is coming!"

Glancing over my shoulder, I watch the most beautiful girl approach us, surrounded by Marlene and Evans. Her perfect Y/H/C hair and Y/E/C eyes. I've always known that Y/N is beautiful, but lately, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. It's weird, foreign to me.

___________________________

Y/N

"And then I wrote back to my mom and told her no," I tell Lily. "So I think I'll be able to visit you this summer for sure!"

Lily squeals, gripping my arm with excitement. "You can go on holiday with my family to the lake!"

When we reach our usual spot with the boys already there, I take my seat beside Sirius. Lily sits on my opposite side, already in deep conversation with Marlene to make plans this summer.

"Spending the summer with Evans?" Sirius inquires with a cheeky grin.

"A few weeks at the start," I explain. "Her family is taking a trip and invited me."

Sirius leans close to me and whispers, "I would pay large sums to see you spending hours laying in the sun."

I playfully nudge him away with a giggle. Goodness, he's such a painful flirt sometimes.

"What if after you visit Evans, you and I go on a holiday of our own?" He suggests mischievously as he turns his body toward me.

"You and me?" I giggle as I pour myself some juice. "I think we wouldn't even make it out of London."

"Just think about it. You, me, on a beach... We could spend weeks alone in a cottage somewhere," he describes as he leans in close. I can feel his lips brush against my ear as he guides my hair back over my shoulder. "No distractions. Days and days of us doing whatever we want for, wherever we want, as long as we want..." he insinuates.

Chills course down my spine as Sirius glides his fingers down my back to my waist. I turn my head to the side to meet his jet-black gaze. Mere inches from one another, we stare into each other's eyes longing. Merlin, he's a vision, isn't he? Even though I see every day, it's never enough.

His lips part as his vision falls to my mouth. "Want to get out of here?"

I nod frantically and he's already a step ahead of me, rising from the bench.

"We're gonna... uh... we're gonna go for a walk," he stammers as he takes my hand.

James chuckles knowingly, "yeah sure."

"Use protection," Remus instructs casually without even glancing up from his textbook.

“Remus!” Lily gasps his name in disapproval.

“A spell, Lil!” He smirks, giving Sirius and know glance. “You never know what’s poking around on these “walks” if you know what I mean...”

“Oh dear heavens,” Lily grumbles while the remaining Marauders chuckle.

Sirius eagerly tugs me toward the entrance of the Great Hall. I snicker as I struggle to keep up with his speed-walking. He combs his fingers through his long jet black hair with a childish grin.

Once we make it out of the Great Hall, Sirius glances back at me and we break out into a race. Hand-in-hand, we run down the corridor, weaving between students to get to the nearest empty room. To my surprise, Sirius skids to a stop and yanks me into the closest alcove. Tucked away is a hidden stairwell by the courtyard. Sirius presses me against the stonewall and brings his lips to mine hungrily. His hands roam my body as they've done so many times before. The way he knows exactly what to do like clockwork amazes me. I want to slip into the sensation and just forget the world, yet I can't.

"Sirius," I mumble against his lips.

He hums, not willing to stop.

"We should stop," I pant.

I'm speaking these words as they're what my mind is telling me what to say, but my body is telling me to do the opposite.

"Don't want to," Sirius wittily remarks.

I giggle, making him smile against my lips. "But we should before anyone sees."

He breaks away from my lips and starts at my neck. "Let them," he determines. "I don't care."

Okay, that's hot. His ability to be so carefree and willing motivates me to be the same. Since the moment I met him, Sirius has driven me to break through my boundaries and reach for me. It isn't fair that he's so perfect. Everything about him is irresistible.

"Don't you want to?" He whispers and the warmth of his breath brushes against my neck.

My eyes fall shut as my fingers comb through the hair on the nape of his neck.

"You know I do," I sigh.

"Then why shouldn't we?" He urges mischievously.

A can name a hundred reasons, but here the moment I can't think of any. Will it ever stop, the pining for him? He's always in my thoughts.

"We'd be breaking the rules. If we get caught-"

"Detection would give more time alone. More time to-"

"Mr. Black! Ms. Y/L/N!" McGonagall's voice echoes through the corridor.

"Fuck!" Sirius curses under his breath and parts from me swiftly.

"I told you!" I hiss quietly.

The sound of her heels vastly approaching makes my heart race. We're in such trouble.

McGonagall appears in the archway leading out to the alcove. She must've seen us through the windows of the courtyard. She wears a disappointed and bewildered expression.

"Mr. Black and Ms. Y/L/N, this not the time nor the place for your endeavors!" She puts ever so lightly. "Shouldn't you be in the Great Hall for supper?"

"We um...We..." I stammer anxiously, at a loss for words.

I never get in trouble. I may act rebellious here and there, broken a few rules, but I've never been caught. I've never done anything that requires discipline.

"It was my idea, Minnie! Entirely my idea," Sirius takes the full blame.

"Well, I sure hope so as this is entirely unlike you, Ms. Y/L/N!" She looks at me with pure disappointment and I feel the same.

"I'm so sorry, Professor!" I apologize instantly.

My heart is in my throat. If my parents hear about this, I'm royally screwed! One, they'll be furious that I've received detention. Two, they don't even know that Sirius and I are... well... whatever we are.

"Detention after school tomorrow," McGonagall determines.

"No please!" I try to plead, but McGonagall raises her hand for me to save my breath.

"Be in my office right after your last class," she declares as she turns back down the hall.

Sirius follows her without a moment's hesitation. "Professor please! Allow me to take all the blame," he sighs. "It isn't Y/N's fault!"

I follow behind the pair, praying Sirius can change her mind. They're close and I know McGonagall has a soft for him.

"Have you ever heard the phrase, 'it takes two to tango,' Mr. Black?" McGonagall wittily replies, not giving at all to Sirius's pleading.

"I'll do both my and Y/N's detentions! Add a third even!" He requests.

McGonagall releases a deep sigh and as she slows to a halt. I stop a few steps behind as she glances between Sirius and me. Then, she turns to address Sirius directly.

"I respect your willingness to take the fall for Ms. Y/L/N, it's very noble of you. Yet, my mind is made up," she declares calmly.

I hide my face in my hands with a deep sigh. This is going to be terrible. My parents are going to kill me! I've made it to seventeen without a single thing on my record and within ten minutes that achievement went down that drain. All for a hot piece of ass too, unbelievable!

"In light of this being Ms. Y/L/N's first offense-" McGonagall announces, causing me to glance up at her, "-I will not be contacting your parents and it will not go on your record. However, you will use the detection time to think of your actions!"

A massive height lifts from my chest and Sirius grins. I exhale deeply and approach the pair with relief. Sirius reaches for my hand and I swat it away. Now is not the time! I see a hint of amusement on McGonagall's face at my action.

"Thank you, Professor! It'll never happen again!" I guarantee her.

"I sure hope not!" She replies. "Keep in mind there are First Years around!"

"Yes Ma'am," I nod.

When Sirius doesn't respond I below him in the side, causing him to wince.

"Right, right," he agrees absentmindedly, as he doesn't care. "Keep out of sight of children."

McGonagall huffs, but never the less hurries along down the hall, knowing she'll never reach Sirius.

"That's not what she meant," I hiss between my teeth quietly as we watch McGonagall walk away.

Sirius chuckles, "I know. I just like pushing her buttons a little."

"Well, your pushing almost got me in immense trouble!" I remind Sirius as I turn to start back to the Great Hall.

His fingers wrap around my wrist and yank me back to him, causing me to land in his chest. I attempt to wiggle out of his hold as he slips his arm around my waist, but then he uses his free hand to grip my chin. He forces me to look him in the eyes as he chuckles. He truly doesn't care that we just got detentions. I guess it's just another notch on the stick for him, huh?

"Don't fret Y/N, this will be fun," he voices confidently.

"How can you be so sure?" I grumble. "It's detention."

"What's life without a little risk?" He winks and brings leans in for a kiss.

Sirius Black will be the death of me.

_____________________________________

Masterlist

Tags: @agirlwholovescoffee @hyperactiveravenclaw @fleurho @rangergranger11

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butgilinsky · 4 years

Text

blueberry pancakes // rc

part one | series masterlist

warning; language, drinking ig

summary; while y/n’s running from her feelings for jj, she ends up in a mess she didn’t account for

word count; almost 3.5k

life on the cut was anything but luxurious. small houses and being forced to work jobs that sucked, but paid somewhat decently. y/n was an only child which meant getting a job wasn’t even a question. her dad worked out of town a lot, and her mom worked doubles most of the time so she was pretty much always on her own.

most kids would’ve killed for that, but y/n had gotten so used to it that it got old quickly. she didn’t want to be alone all the time, so she spent most of her time at john b’s house.

she was there almost as much as jj, which wasn’t a problem with her. the two had been friends for years, and though she was close with all of the pogues, jj and john b were the two she’d known the longest and inevitably grew the closest to.

john b had filled a brother role that she never knew she needed, though she enjoyed it immensely. jj, on the other hand, seemed to catch her attention in a slightly different way.

having feelings for jj maybank was slightly problematic. the boy that was always in trouble, always doing things he wasn’t supposed to be doing and saying things that should never be said out loud. he was one of her best friends, and besides, he had feelings for kiara.

“what am i going to do, y/n?” the girl opened her eyes, squinting slightly at the blinding light from the sun before looking at the blond. he was staring off the edge of the boat, hand running through his hair and tugging while he gulped down his beer.

“about what, j?” he scoffed, being able to tell that she hadn’t been paying attention due to her question.

“kie. how do i tell her i have feelings for her without fucking up our friendship?” y/n could practically feel the blood drain from her face.

sure, she knew jj had a thing for kie. all of the pogues had a thing for kie, it was hard not to. it had been only recently that jj had started vocalizing his deeper rooted feelings for the girl, but he only ever told y/n. obviously, jj had no idea that y/n had the same thoughts about him.

“i don’t know, jj. just tell her i guess. what’s the worst that can happen, right?” she wanted to rip her tongue out. the taste on her tongue as she spoke the simple words that held a deeper meaning was vile, and she felt her skin crawl at the mere mention of it.

“you think i should just tell her? what if she slaps me or something?”

“then you know how she feels, i guess.” y/n stood up, not wanting to sit around and hear anymore questions or give any further advice to the boy she’d fallen for that had fallen for her other best friend.

y/n dove into the water, barely making a splash. the water cooled off her skin, but there was no way to put out the fire in her stomach. the burning feeling of hearing jj talk about kie, though he had said it to her before, was almost unbearable.

she stayed a few yards away from the others, not wanting to dive into another conversation. she floated on the surface, ears beneath the water and only hearing dull noises while she stared up at the sky.

she had shut her eyes for what felt like only a few moments before something cold touched her stomach and she flinched. she opened her eyes and moved quickly, letting out a heavy sigh when john b stood there laughing at her.

she punched the boy’s chest roughly but took the cold beer can from him.

“you scared me, dick.” he laughed gently, his smile dropping at the fact that a smile never stretched across her lips like it usually did.

“what’s wrong?” the girl shook her head, trying to shrug it off before it became a topic of conversation.

“nothing, i’m fine.” she whispered softly before tipping the beer can up and taking several gulps of the cold liquid.

“the kie questions, again?” she nodded, eye flicking up to the boat to see jj hanging over the side and messing with kie.

they were hitting each other playfully, their laughs filling the air while pope stared at the two and sighed. he tried to get them to stop but it was no use when kie splashed water up at jj and he practically jumped on top of her.

“you should just tell him.” y/n scoffed loudly at that, staring at john b with a knowing look.

“and make an absolute fool out of myself? no thanks, johnny boy. i’ll stick to being the therapist of the group and help my two best friends fall in love with each other.” john b rolled his eyes, but he knew she was telling the absolute truth. she was the one everyone went to for advice, and she never thought twice about giving it, despite her own feelings.

“you’re going to kill yourself with this, y/n.” she shrugged simply and looked back at him, seeing the disapproving look on his face.

“then i’ll see you on the other side.”

she looked at the boat when kie called out to the two of them, pointing out the sun that was nearing its setting point. she told them to swim back to the boat so they could hitch a ride back to john b’s house before the boneyard party later that night.

john b nodded quickly and tried to get in another word with the girl beside him but she had already started swimming back, holding the beer can above the water’s surface and handing it to kie once she was within arm’s reach.

y/n pulled herself back on the boat, wringing the water out of her hair and her bathing suit top and completely ignoring the various glances thrown at her before she walked back to the same place she always sat in.

she put her sunglasses on and lost herself in her thoughts as they rode back to john b’s dock. she helped unload the boat before walking into the chateau, stealing the shower before anyone could stop her.

she found herself sitting beside john b hours later, eyes locked on the fire until they weren’t. the sight of brown curls up against blond strands that stuck in different directions caught her attention, making her stomach twist.

to the pogues it was nothing, at least nothing they’d never done before. hell, y/n had done the same thing with pope and john b, but it sat different this time. her knowledge of jj’s feelings paired with her lack of knowledge of kie’s was enough to make her chest ache.

“you’re staring at them again.” y/n snapped her head back to the boy beside her, sighing heavily when he gave her the same look he always did.

she brought her cup to her lips, downing the rest of her beer before letting out a soft hiss and a heavy sigh. she stared at the empty cup before glancing back up at her two friends. she only watched for a second this time, standing up quickly and sighing once more.

“i’ll be back.” she guessed she was walking towards the keg, but she didn’t truly care where she ended up as long as it wasn’t somewhere with a perfect view of jj and kiara.

it hadn’t been all of five minutes that she was walking before she a body stopped in front of her, copying her movements in order to trap her in place.

“hey pogie, how’s your night going?” she rolled her eyes at the tall boy with a cocky smirk on his face and scoffed.

rafe cameron, prince of the kooks. she didn’t like him, though that was a given with their socioeconomic differences. the only difference between her and the rest of the pogues were that she didn’t exactly hate him, despite his reputation.

the two never got along, but rafe seemed to go easier on y/n than he did with the rest of the pogues. she knew what he did in his down time, and how him and topper had practically dedicated their lives to making it known where they stood above all and any pogues.

“nowhere, rafe. why do you even care?” he laughed gently at the question, because y/n knew exactly why he cared. the only thing that pissed off the pogues more than getting into a physical altercation with them, was when the kooks hit on y/n or kiara.

it had happened too many times to count. kie was at a slight disadvantage since she went to school with them for 9 months out of the year, but she also stood her ground against them. y/n easily gave into the interactions, letting the conversation go further that kie every would, before she simply walked away. kie, on the other hand, would jump at any opportunity to harshly shove the kooks away from her.

y/n never knew why but she never felt the deeply rooted hate for every kook on the island like her friends. though, that changed for kiara and more recently sarah. kiara and sarah were “different” as the boys always said, but it wasn’t something she liked to dwell on.

topper and rafe always hit on y/n to piss of the pogues, and it worked every time. though, y/n thought that’s all it was, just an easy way to piss of the pogues and add another tally mark onto the kook’s score in this stupid classism war.

“maybank and kiara look pretty close tonight.” rafe looked over y/n’s shoulder at the pair of friends that looked far from a pair of friends in that moment. y/n’s back was to them, but she could imagine what they looked like from previous experience.

y/n rolled her eyes, face to face with rafe’s chest while he looked behind her. her eyes lingered elsewhere, trying to rid herself of the images flashing through her mind.

“do they? i haven’t noticed.” rafe laughed at that, knowing far too well that that was far from the truth.

“well that’s a load of shit. you stare at the kid all night long and drink to forget about how they look together.” a small smirk grew on y/n’s lips as she tilted her head back slightly to look up at the boy in front fo her.

“have you been watching me, cameron?” the way his eyes snapped down to meet hers told her everything she needed to know, but he still scoffed and shook his head.

“in your dreams, pogue.” she rolled her eyes and let out a small laugh, catching the boy’s attention once again.

“you can fool just about everyone on this island, rafe, but you’ve wanted to get into my pants since you were in high school. just because i didn’t jump at the opportunity doesn’t mean i didn’t notice.” his eyes blew wide for a split second before returning to normal. he’d never heard anyone say something like that to him.

he tried to brush it off, but he didn’t succeed. different things rushed through his mind as he tried to figure out how he was supposed to react to this information, and what he was supposed to think about it.

“come with me.” he grabbed the girl’s hand and started trudging through the sand out to where everyone parked their cars.

the girl rolled her eyes but let the boy drag her away anyways. she didn’t feel threatened, and rafe didn’t seem angry like he usually did in situations like this. she knew rafe meant well when he acted around her, so she didn’t fear for where he was taking her or why he was taking her there.

“i’m not having sex with you in the back of your truck, rafe.”

“that’s now what we’re doing. we’ll do that later.” she bit back a laugh and just followed the boy, shocked to see him open the passenger side door for her.

she pulled herself into the truck and watched rafe run around the front of it before he pulled himself in beside her. it wasn’t until they’d driven for a few minutes in silence that she asked where they were going.

“just trust me, yeah?” she scoffed, not knowing how she was meant to trust the boy that had beat up all of her friends on more than one occasion, but kept quiet. for some reason she did trust rafe, as crazy as it sounded.

it only took a few more minutes with rafe’s tendency to surpass the speed limit before they got to where they were going. it was the only restaurant on the island opened at this hour, and she loved it.

she used to come to this diner all the time, but hadn’t been in what seemed like years at this point. she didn’t come often anymore, not having the money or the ability to convince her friends to come with her. it was also somewhat out of the way from where the pogues always spent their time, so there weren’t many opportunities for her to come.

“i love this place.” she whispered softly, more to herself than anyone else.

“i know. you used to come with your dad all the time.” her head snapped to the side, narrowing her eyes slightly in shock.

“what else do you know about me, stalker?” he laughed gently before stepping out of the car, ignoring her question entirely.

she followed suit, stepping out of the truck after him and following him into the diner. he held the door open for her, which only slightly surprised her this time, before they slid into a booth up against one of the large scaled windows.

she watched rafe look over the menu, though she knew he didn’t need to. most people that came to this diner knew what they were getting without looking, everyone had their usual order here. y/n hadn’t even grabbed a menu once they sat down.

“you’re staring.” y/n clicked her tongue softly before the boy looked up at her, dropping the menu onto the table and intertwining his fingers together.

“i’m confused.” he raised an eyebrow in speculation, waiting for her to continue. “you dedicate your life to harassing the pogues, but secretly know things about me that my best friends don’t even know. and then you sweep me away from a boneyard party to take me to a diner that i haven’t been to in years.”

“years?” she rolled her eyes, surprised that that was the bit of information he clung to.

“yeah, years. hard to eat out all the time when you don’t have much money. plus, the pogues never want to come all the way out here so we just eat at the wreck most nights.” she shrugged, not finding the use in dwelling on the small pity party.

“they don’t come here with you?” she shrugged again, not knowing why it bothered him so much.

“are you going to tell me how you know weird things about me? how did you know i came here with my dad, and how did you know that i like jj?” she leaned over the table slightly, only pulling back when an older woman stopped by the table to pick up their orders.

she was surprised when rafe ordered french toast, figuring he’d be more of a waffle guy, but let it pass when she ordered her blueberry pancakes. she turned back to rafe after the woman left and leaned back over the table.

“i know you used to come here with your dad because rose used to drag sarah and i here to bond with us. you were almost always here, and when you weren’t, your dad was picking up a to-go order. i know you like maybank because it’s fucking obvious. you stare at him constantly and always have the same gloomy look on your face when he’s with kiara.”

she rolled her eyes, still finding this whole situation out of character for him. rafe cameron was the biggest ass on the entire island, and here he was, showing real interest in something that wasn’t cocaine or impressing her father.

it was odd to see rafe both sober and genuine, but y/n liked it. she liked this side of rafe, and it wasn’t the first time she’d seen him like this, though it had been the first time in a while.

“well that’s odd, cameron, but slightly endearing in the weirdest way possible.” he laughed gently, though it was the most genuine laugh she’d ever heard. his smile stretched across his lips, almost reaching his eyes, and his eyes lit up slightly.

“but tell me things i don’t know about you, y/n.” y/n shrugged, nervously picking at her fingernails. she didn’t like being the topic of conversation very much. she talked to people about them, not her.

“why don’t you tell me about you?”

“everyone knows shit about me, y/n.” she rolled her eyes and leaned back in the booth, crossing her arms over her chest.

“high school reputations don’t mean shit to me, rafe. i don’t care how people on the island see you; how the pogues see you. what are your hobbies? why is topper your best friend? why the truck and not a 4x4 like topper?” she rattled off small questions that she truly felt interested in, not caring about the kook image he attempted to uphold.

“i guess i don’t have that many hobbies. top and i play golf a lot, so that’s one i guess. reading, i guess.” y/n’s eyes blew wide and she leaned back over the table, stopping rafe from continuing.

“you read?” rafe scoffed at her tone, ignoring the annoyance building in the back of his mind.

“yeah, i read. it’s therapeutic to me. good to know that’s so surprising to you. i couldn’t tell you why topper’s my best friend, he just has been for a while i guess. he knows too much about me for me to cut him out of my life.” y/n laughed softly, knowing the feeling all too well.

“and i didn’t pick the truck, my dad did and i was just grateful to have a car at the time so i didn’t care what it was.”

their food didn’t take long to come out, and y/n didn’t realize how hungry she was until she was staring at a stack of three large blueberry pancakes. she looked up at rafe when she heard him laugh at the slightly dazed look in her eye.

“is there a problem, cameron?” he smiled brightly at her but shook his head as he poured a dangerous amount of syrup across the top of his french toast.

“eat your pancakes.”

the two stayed at that table for hours, finishing both of their meals and rattling off things to each other about themselves. y/n was sure she’d learned more about rafe in the first hour at the diner than she had learned about anybody in her life, besides john b or jj.

it seemed incredible how different rafe was when he wasn’t deep in a pile of cocaine or on a rampage because of his dad. he was a normal guy, and y/n found herself sympathizing with him after he started opening up about his dad to her.

y/n rolled her eyes when she saw that the lights were off in her house, knowing her mom hadn’t expected her to come home for the night. she couldn’t blame her, but know she’d have to navigate the house in the dark at 2 am.

“you’re going to be okay, right?” she smiled at the worry in rafe’s question and nodded, sending him a reassuring glance.

“she probably thought i was staying at john b’s, i’ll be okay.” he nodded and smiled back at her, ignoring the feeling in his chest when he realized he didn’t know when he’d see her like this again.

she opened the door and jumped out of the truck, feet colliding with dirt before turning back to face the boy just a few feet away.

“call me, cameron.” she smiled softly before shutting the door and walking up to her front door.

he saw her pick up the flower pot beside the door and grab the key underneath before lodging it into the lock and pushing the door open. she waved at rafe one more time before disappearing into the house.

she waited by the door until she saw the headlights disappear, smiling to herself at the night she had.

taglist; @queenofthebees003 @extratragic @jjtheangel

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alolowrites · 4 years

Text

A Vision Come to Life

Summary: Every artist wants to bring their own paintings to life. Sero is no different after he becomes infatuated with you—a beautiful stranger who exists in his dreams. One night he sees your face and decides to paint you with all his heart.

Song: “Pintame” by Elvis Crespo

Author’s Note: I always had this story idea in my head after listening to this song. It was different, and I just had to write it out. Not sure why it took me forever to get it done. Probably because I don’t know much about painting and really did not want to make a fool out of myself (I’m sorry if something is wrong, I tried my best with the research 😭😭😭).

On another note, this is my first story for Sero so yay! Please enjoy!

Word Count: 1.6K+

Sero felt alive again.

He rushed into his private art studio, nearly tripping over the blemished tarp covering the floor. Both sleeves hastily rolled up past his elbows. Sero swiveled nonstop and panicked when he couldn’t find the cart filled with the art supplies. Ah, it was at the far corner; he wheeled it closer to the center. Precious time was fleeting, and so was the inspiration that came to his head just now.

After being stuck in a rut for almost a month, Sero was itching to paint something. Or more accurately, he was dying to paint a certain someone. And that person was you—a stranger he’d never met in his life. Yet, you managed to invade his dreams every night for the last two weeks. It was like a game; you waltzed in, giggling up a storm, and Sero ran after you. He saw your back, but never your face; he would wake up just when you’d turn around to show yourself. That was how all his dreams ended.

Until this morning.

Sero plopped down on the stool that wobbled under his weight. The blank canvas stared back at him. Fingers scrambled to grab a charcoal pencil lost in a messy pile of his art supplies. A good sketch of your head and shoulders was key to bringing you to life. His eyes followed the delicate strokes that fleshed out your beautiful features. He didn’t want to miss out on a single detail on this painting.

Especially that lovely face of yours, the one that took his breath away. Sero gave special attention to those unique details. A quick solution was added to seal the sketch and left to dry. Sero distracted himself by prepping his materials. All his fingers twitched, and he bit the inside of his cheek so hard it could bleed. The urge to paint you drove him insane. He couldn’t help it—the artistic flame was burning again, and much stronger than before.

His eyes wandered to the canvas. One touch and the corners of his lips curved; it was dried. The imaginary chains broke loose, allowing Sero to dive straight into his work. A ray of sunlight peeked through the windows. Sero grinned, brushing the paint across your cheeks. Each movement felt natural, and he let you—his muse—be his guide.

Sero wanted to capture everything about you.

He painted your nose so he could breathe the same air as you. He painted your lips, those soft and luscious lips that begged for a kiss. He painted your eyes that left him mesmerized no matter where he stood. He painted you with every bit of passion and desire raging in his heart and soul.

You only existed in his dreams, but Sero knew that’s not where you belonged. His mind was too cramped for your magnificent presence. You deserved better than that. Which was why Sero chose to paint you on the largest canvas he owned like the absolute queen you were. Anything less would fail to showcase your exquisite beauty in Sero’s eyes.

Another stroke here. A dash of color there. A touch of shade everywhere. Not once did the paintbrush stop its graceful dance across the canvas. It was as though Sero was under a spell where his only focus was on you. Sero succumbed to the madness clouding his sense of reality. There was no use fighting against it. He trusted you, the lovely muse living in his mind, to control him until he finished the masterpiece.

Sero switched to a thinner brush so he could add the finer details with great precision. He paid special attention to your eyes and lips. The tip of the brush dabbed around your irises, emphasizing the playful glint that drove Sero crazy. As for your lips, they carried a mischievous smile as though you knew something he did not.

An exhausted sigh broke the silence. Sero wiped the sweat beads trickling down his forehead. He finished and took a couple of steps back to admire his artwork. A tired, but satisfied smile, stretched across his face. He lowered his color palette and paintbrush, ignoring the cramped muscles around his fingers.

You were worth the pain.

As Sero cleaned up his materials, he couldn’t help but feel as though he was being watched. The back of his hair stood up as he twiddled a dirty rag. Sero gazed at the painting. Everything about the portrait was spectacular and impressively realistic despite being a figment of his imagination. You weren’t real. So why did he feel nervous as your eyes followed him out the door?

Sero shook his head. The paint was making him see things. Besides, it was also late, and his strained eyes needed to rest. He passed out the moment his head hit the pillow. Sero expected to see you again in his dreams, and he waited. But tonight, you did not come.

A loud knock woke Sero up.

He hissed as the morning sun blinded his eyes. Another knock banged on the door, and Sero tossed the bed covers aside. Who wanted to see him so early in the day? Sero groaned, shuffling his feet down the hall. He answered the door with disheveled hair and yesterday’s clothes on his back. In hindsight, Sero should have made himself more presentable.

Only who would have guessed the person knocking on his door was you—the muse that lived in his dreams. Sero stumbled forward, grabbing the doorframe for support. Was he still dreaming? If he was, everything felt too real. Sero didn’t know whether or not to close his agape mouth, and you giggled.

“Hi, there!” Sero was taken aback by the sound of your voice. His breath hitched, and you tilted your head as though everything was normal. You bowed politely while sharing your name. “Sorry if I woke you up so early! I’m the new neighbor living down the hall. I forgot to introduce myself after moving in yesterday.”

“I-It’s f-fine.”

That was a lie, and Sero knew it. The young artist was in awe as he took in your overwhelming presence. You were more stunning in the flesh than in his imagination and artistic piece combined. His heart pounded as he studied your facial features. Everything was the same—your adorable nose, your lively eyes, and your radiant smile. They were the same ones he painted for hours until they looked perfect. Sero was sure he saw the brush strokes peeking through your skin.

“Hey, you okay?” Sero nearly laughed; he didn’t know where to begin with that question. You inched dangerously close to his face with a raised eyebrow. “You look a little pale, almost as if you saw a ghost or something.”

“I, ah, slept late last night,” he wheezed out, his chest squeezing itself tight. There was no way you were real. Sero swallowed a thick gulp. “I was, um, just working on—”

“An art piece?” Now that sent a shiver down Sero’s spine. You chuckled, dismissing the surprised look in eyes. “You’re covered in paint, silly!”

Sero relaxed slightly. “Oh, right…”

“Well, does this cute artist have a name?”

“I’m Sero Hanta, sorry about that,” he rubbed the back of his neck. You hummed, as though you already knew his name. A cheeky grin crept on your face. It was at that moment Sero noticed a playful gleam flash across your eyes. He knew because he painted that exact expression until his fingers became numb. But you weren’t real.

“Oh no worries,” you stood up straight, carrying an air of mystery. Your allure reeled Sero in like a siren beckoning a ship full of fishermen lost at sea. “I’m glad we finally had the chance to meet. Maybe we can talk some more, say this afternoon at a nearby café? You can even show me around the neighborhood. I’ve been meaning to stretch my legs after unpacking all day yesterday.”

“S-sure.”

“Perfect.”

On the surface, your smile was innocent. However, Sero picked up the subtle slyness hiding underneath. He knew because, like your eyes, he painted those exact lips. Sero’s hand twitched as he watched you saunter away. Seconds later, he slammed the door and rushed down the hall to his art studio.

Sero barged into the room with his chest heaving uncontrollably. Sweat beads rolled down his neck, and he felt oddly hot in his wrinkly clothes. The color on his face drained as he stumbled closer to the canvas. Raggedy breaths filled the room, shocked eyes growing wider with every step he took toward the art piece.

You were gone; only the background remained inside the canvas. Sero circled the easel, trying to make sense of what was happening. One hand pushed his hair up in distress. All the signs were pointing to one thing, and he refused to believe it. You weren’t real; you were just muse from his dreams. Just a beautiful face that teased him every night and Sero painted you to admire your beauty with his own eyes.

Sero shook his head, denying everything. He struggled to stay sane and believed he was still dreaming. Any minute now, he will wake up, and your portrait will be there to greet his eyes. Sero mumbled under his breath to calm down. The artist glanced at the canvas only to do a quick double-take.

Both legs caved under the immense weight that dropped on his shoulders. Sero crawled to the canvas, his throat going dry. One finger hovered above the lower righthand corner with words written in charcoal pencil that read:

Thanks for painting me!

Sero brought his vision to life…literally.

Thank you for reading!

#sero hanta x reader #sero x reader #bnha x reader #bnha imagines #sero hanta

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juliettalfacharlie · 3 years

Text

Day 5, alt: "I'm sorry."

CW illness, vomiting, and injury. Shameless plug for the house I designed.

Kya awoke to the sound of violent retching, and she immediately threw off the covers and hurried down the hall. Lin had begun a new medication for chronic pain. A lifetime spent on the police force meant her body had been bruised and battered more times than Lin could begin recalling, and her spinal discs had worn out far more rapidly than others her age. She experienced pain and stiffness, which otherwise would have had a chance of being manageable, but she also had weakened muscle control and infrequent numbness in her legs. She'd been forced to retire years before she'd ever planned, and it had been extremely difficult for her to cope with.

Walking had become a challenge on the worst days, and even when she retained feeling in her lower body, she felt fiery pain in her back whenever she moved. The spine wasn't an area with abundant bloodflow, and healing couldn't repair collagen; Kya was absolutely miserable watching her struggle, unable to assist in any physical way.

Lin was nauseous in the late afternoon, a few hours after taking the pills. She'd insisted on sleeping in the guest room so she wouldn't wake Kya if she felt ill. Kya had firmly opposed, but Lin wouldn't be swayed. In the end, Kya gave in, hoping it was just because Lin believed she'd weather the illness better alone.

Now, standing atop the wrong carpet, looking into the wrong bathroom, Kya was filled with extreme regret over not fighting her more. Lin was leaning heavily on the sink, forearms supporting most of her weight. Her legs trembled, as she was clearly experiencing partial paralysis, and her chest shook with heaving breaths. The room was almost pitch black, like she hadn't had the time to turn on the light before she heaved into the basin.

"Lin?" Kya called, voice soft. She couldn't be sure if Lin was aware of her presence, incapacitated as she was.

Her girlfriend gagged though nothing came up. She grunted, trying to clear her throat. "I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" she asked, uncharacteristically quiet. Her throat was horribly sore. "I should have gone to the treehouse."

Kya had moved to Lin's side, and she froze, horrified. "Losing an hour of sleep is nothing compared to you struggling without any support." she chided, wiping sweat from Lin's cool forehead.

"I shouldn't need support, it's only emesis." the younger woman countered, hands clenched into fists. Kya hardened, easily seeing through Lin's spiked boldness.

"If you're sick, I want to be there. Please don't try and hide it from me. I shouldn't have let you sleep alone." Kya murmured, carefully rubbing a hand over Lin's shoulders.

The metalbender shuddered, eyes fluttering shut. Her brows were pinched, and Kya couldn't tell if it was due to physical discomfort or a conflict of emotions. Lin had never wholly embraced being taken care of, and it had worsened immensely as her body began to break down.

Lin's muscles tensed, once again heaving into the sink. Her stomach had emptied itself of her lunch, and instead she coughed up a surge of bile.

The sting in her throat made her gag, gut twisting painfully. She swiped at the faucet handles, turning the tap on full blast.

Kya bent water around the basin, cleaning the sides, before she brought a globe of fresh water to Lin's face. Her wife opened her mouth and rinsed out the taste, then Kya also sent that down the drain.

Lin instinctively wiped her mouth though it was dry, before rubbing away the tears that had formed in the corner of her eyes. Kya shut off the water, keeping a small amount on her palm, and she raised her hand to Lin's neck.

The younger woman tilted her chin up just so, allowing Kya access to heal the irritation along her throat. It was a process that only took a few moments, and soon enough Lin was clean and well once again.

Lin struggled off of her forearms, pressing her palms into the counter as she slowly straightened her back. She exhaled in pain, eyes once again falling shut.

"Will you come back to bed with me?" Kya asked, and Lin nodded once, holding one arm out.

Wordlessly, Kya slipped under it, supporting some of Lin's weight as she stood fully.

The first steps Lin took were terribly shaky, knees and ankles not bending correctly, but Kya was used to the imbalance. She tightened her arm around Lin's ribs, helping her break through the stiffness. By the time they were in the hallway, Lin had more control over herself, and she stopped hanging off of Kya's neck.

The pace was slow, neither wanting to risk a misstep, but with tired minds the time seemed to pass by quickly anyways.

Kya brought Lin to the edge of their bed, carefully letting her sit. The earthbender's face was still tight with pain.

"Uh, would you mind getting the warming balm?" Lin whispered, and Kya quickly replied in the positive.

A mix of camphor and menthol seemed to the the only relief for Lin's back pain, as she didn't typically want to try ingestible pain reliever. This night was the first time she'd caved, though it clearly hadn't helped; Kya would certainly have a word with Lin's physician come morning.

Jars of the salve were kept across the house, and Kya grabbed the one kept inside the nightstand. It was most frequently replaced, as any niggling pain made it difficult for Lin to sleep.

Lin reclined and turned onto her side, back facing Kya. The waterbender unscrewed the lid, taking a healthy dollop onto her finger before she set the container on the bedside table. She slid her clean hand under Lin's t-shirt, pushing it up her back.

Neither woman spoke as Kya rubbed the salve into Lin's muscles, trying to ease some of the tension within. It was relieving that Lin had asked for help in the first place. When she was tired she was still prone to shutting Kya out, as she'd done at first, but a lot of progress had been made regarding clear communication. Lin's progressive decline had caused a hiccup in their seamless coexistence, though it never affected their relationship beyond a few hours of brooding here and there.

As the balm began to take effect, Lin's back finally relaxed. Kya felt the tension slowly ebb until she'd all but melted into the mattress, clearly exhausted.

Kya removed her hands, pulling Lin's top down to cover the balm. One hand lingered atop Lin's hip as she leaned in, placing a kiss on the back of Lin's neck.

"Thank you." Lin spoke, gravely and weak. When she cleared her throat Kya could imagine the pinched annoyance on her face.

"You're welcome. Of course, Lin," Kya responded, "All I want is for you to feel like you can rely on me for help." she said.

Lin slowly turned onto her back, taking Kya's hand in hers. "It isn't that I don't trust you. I hope you don't think that," she sighed, considering her words. She’d been silently working to articulate her feelings, not wanting Kya to ever doubt her role in Lin’s life.

"It's- I'm telling you, it's all me. I've always been against letting people see my... imperfections, or- weaknesses. Weaknesses. You know my retirement was hard, and spirits, the press. But what felt even worse was just, how.... you were so understanding, always. I'd have a bad day and you would simply work around it, like it was no big deal. You stayed with me during Vesak instead of spending it on the island, and I was terrible to you that day. I felt so much loathing for myself, and I still do. I'm so grateful to have you, but I- it's," she paused, a noise of frustration in her throat. It was hard enough to procure the words to what she was feeling, but she was also extremely mindful not to say something that could be taken harmfully. She went over her thoughts to weed out phrases that sounded ungrateful, or implied she didn’t trust Kya, as it was the opposite of what she wanted to communicate.

Despite the silence, Kya didn't speak; Lin was telling her, it wasn't a conversation. The metalbender needed to voice her thoughts without comment. Any words of affirmation refuting her statements only made her retreat. Kya was able to show Lin, later on, how she herself saw things differently.

"I never saw myself having this future. Not only the retirement part, however awful it's been, but our relationship. When we were younger it was because of our ages, but even when you came out I didn't think you'd ever look my way. While I wasn't romantically attracted to you, I always pictured you finding that perfect partner; brilliant, beautiful, selfless, adventurous, maybe even someone who shared your terrible sense of humour. Whoever it was, she’d have all of your wonderful qualities as well. I think- I’ve been putting far too much pressure on myself to live up to that, I suppose,” Lin was partially speaking aloud for herself at that point, voicing niggling thoughts and realizing their truth. “I’m sorry I’ve been difficult.” she mumbled, though it was the wrong thing to say.

Kya tsk’d, “You’re not allowed to apologize for being upset or feeling unwell.” she reminded firmly, and Lin squeezed her hand.

“I’m sorry I tried to hide from you, then. You don’t deserve that.” Lin corrected.

“I’m glad you’re speaking to me now. I know everyone copes in their own ways, and I understand your silence, but if you need help it’s pertinent I know,” the waterbender said, scooting closer to Lin’s side, “You’re aware of it, and I know you’re trying. I’m not upset.” she emphasized, and Lin turned her head into Kya’s chest.

“I love you.” she said, bringing their joined hands up to shoulder-level. Come morning she’d hopefully be able to explain more, but she’d exhausted both her mental and physical reserves. Sensing it, Kya’s other arm went around Lin’s stomach. She was halfway-sideways and halfway on her stomach, laying atop her girlfriend, and Lin enjoyed her warm weight.

“I know.” Kya replied, tucking her chin down on the crown of Lin’s head. “I love you too.” she murmured, finally letting her eyes fall shut.

#i began this on the 4th & thought i was very well ahead #i was wrong #kyalin #lin beifong #kya lok #angstpril #cw mental health

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