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sariahsue · 3 years

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Rivals Are Always One “Make Me” Away From Kissing

Tossing the controller onto the desk, Adrien reached for Marinette’s waist and slid her into his lap. She came willingly, looping her arms around his neck and weaving her fingers into his hair. (An Adrinette no powers video game AU - 10,000 words)

Adrien had to admit that he was a little bit of a nerd. Here he was, fifteen minutes early for school, in an outfit his personal assistant picked out for him, and looking over his homework alone in the hallway instead of talking with classmates or hanging out in the sunny courtyard like everyone else was doing.

A gust of cool air rushed in through an open doorway and ruffled his hair, making him sigh. It was no wonder he was still single.

The whisper of his name on the wind caught his attention.

"Nino?" Adrien called. The hallway was deserted, so he stuffed his homework into his backpack and stepped closer to the open doorway to investigate. The back of Nino's red cap came into view. He was sitting on the front steps, brushing shoulders with Alya.

"You have too much faith in my bro," Nino said.

Adrien stopped walking forward as his heart sank to the floor. Nino didn't believe in him about something?

"I'm giving Marinette one week, tops," Alya said.

"It's going to take him at least a month," Nino countered.

"You willing to bet on that?" she asked, standing.

"Yeah, I am."

Alya stuck out her hand, then pulled him up as they shook on it.

It was only when they started to turn to come into the building that Adrien realized he shouldn't have been eavesdropping while standing in the dead center of an empty hallway. There was nothing to hide him from the surprised eyes of his friends.

Alya was the first to recover, her expression quickly slipping to suspicion. "How much of that did you hear?" she asked, hands on her hips.

"Nothing!" he said, hands up. "I didn't-"

"Did you hear the news?" Nino cut in.

"N-no? What are you talking about?"

"The Olympic Committee voted."

"About?" Adrien asked. He tried to forget… whatever they'd been talking about.

"eGames are in for Paris 2024!"

"Seriously?" Adrien asked. "I thought they voted against that last month."

Nino ignored the comment and held out a hand for a high-five, but it was more like a middle five, limp and unenthusiastic. Nino glanced toward Alya, and they shared a smile.

"I bet I could get us tickets easy," Adrien said, pulling Nino's attention away from his girlfriend. "Want to come-"

Nino snapped back to attention, eyes gleaming. "You should sign up for the team."

"I should what?" Adrien asked, bewildered by his friend's sudden change in tone. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I'm not that good."

"No really, dude." Nino grabbed his arm. "I think you could do it." He threw an arm around Adrien's shoulder, turned him around and marched him deeper into the school.

"No thanks?" Adrien let himself be steered into a crowded hallway, Alya stalking behind them, her eyes burning into his back. "I'd need more practice than I have time for. Some of those gamers-"

"All you need-" Nino guided them around a group of upperclassmen. "-is a partner to practice with."

What was going on? Adrien knew he was kind of sheltered and maybe a little socially awkward, but he knew Nino well enough at this point that he could tell he was trying to set something up. "I get it. You want an excuse to play on my system every day. But you know my father-"

"Oh, no way, man. I'm not good enough." They stepped through a pair of double doors and out into the morning sunshine of the courtyard. Students laughed and yelled at each other. Others lounged on the stairs going up to the second floor. Nino's hand on his shoulder tightened and they stopped moving. "But maybe there's someone-"

"Yeah," Alya cut in. She shoved her way in between them and pointed to the middle of the courtyard, toward a tight cluster of students. "I bet Marinette would want to practice with you."

Adrien followed the line of Alya's finger. Marinette's dark hair and bright smile peeked out from the center of the group. As usual, she was surrounded by admirers, all of whom were laughing at something she had just said. His stomach clenched, though he wasn't sure why.

"You're kidding, right? She's one of the most popular girls in school."

"Did you miss the memo, sunshine?" Alya said. "You're pretty popular yourself."

"And the four of us hang out together all the time," Nino said. "I'm sure she would love to spend some time with just you."

"I don't even think I want to be in the Olympics," Adrien said, turning away from Marinette and glancing at his other friends. There was definitely something going on. Nino and Alya traded sideways glances and wiggling eyebrows, communicating something Adrien couldn't figure out.

"You really should ask Marinette to practice with you, dude," Nino said.

"No, I don't think-"

"Come on, Agreste." Alya stepped up into his space. Not that he could ever tell Nino this, but his girlfriend could be scary when she wanted to be. She was somehow towering over him, even though he could have sworn a few seconds ago that he was taller than she was. "You want a gold medal, don't you?"

"No?"

"Yes, you do. Now go ask Marinette."

"This isn't even about the Olympics, is it?"

Alya nudged him through the open door and into the light. Adrien blinked, disoriented by the sudden movement and the direction his morning had taken.

"Get moving," Alya insisted.

"Okay, okay! I'll ask her!" he said. His plan to skirt around Marinette's knot of students and escape to the other edge of the courtyard was shot down when his friends' footsteps crunched behind him. They weren't going to let him get away.

Feeling their eyes on him, Adrien weaved his way through the students that filled the yard, hoping the bell would ring and give him an excuse to abandon his quest. What was really happening here?

Guys and girls alike were leaning over Marinette's shoulder, and as he got closer he could tell the laughter was due to something on the sketch pad she was holding. Her smile and the light hitting her hair just right made her glow. Her eyes sparkled.

And Adrien stopped moving.

There was no way he could approach her with this many people around. What was he going to say, anyway? Hey, I think our friends are terrible and plotting something against me, and I'm going to regret asking later, but will you please play video games with me? It sounded stupid even in his head.

A single, sharp fingernail between his shoulder blades reminded him that he had no choice in the matter, so he stepped forward, excusing himself through the crowd of Marinette's admirers, until he was close enough to grab her elbow and borrow her attention.

"A-a-adrien?" she asked, stuttering when her bright eyes found his. "How you- uh, what?"

"Can we play video games later?" Ugh. This was even worse out loud than it had been in his head. "Um, the Olympics are coming up later. And we should practice." Yes, that was an eloquent explanation. Very smooth.

Marinette's eyes went wide in a doe-eyed stare, like she couldn't believe he'd ask her such a thing. "Oh." Her voice shook. "Th-tho nank you. No thank you! I don't-" She glanced behind him, over his shoulder. "I mean, yes! I would love to!" She stared at his feet and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear nervously.

Adrien glanced quickly behind him. Nino and Alya were standing a little way away, looking far too innocent. Alya examined her fingernails. Nino was gazing all around the courtyard, not fixing on any one point, his face blank. So they were bullying Marinette into it, too? Whatever they were planning, he wasn't going to let them make her uncomfortable.

"You don't have to," he told her quickly, and her head snapped back up to his. "I mean, it's probably a stupid idea. If you don't want to, I understand. It's kind of a weird idea. And I think the Olympics are dumb and, I mean, you probably like them, so-"

"No," she said quickly, mercifully cutting him off. She reached out to grab his arm, but pulled back just before her fingers brushed his skin. It was close enough to raise goosebumps.

"I do want to practice with you," Marinette said.

He raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"Really," she said, putting enough force into it that she sounded almost convincing.

"Okay," he said, skeptical. She must have so many friends and demands on her attention. She was really going to make time for one-on-one time for him? "I have a free two hours before my piano lessons tomorrow. I'll ask if you can come over."

"I'm free then!"

After her initial hesitation, he was surprised to hear her so excited. What was really going on? "Then, that's good, I guess. Sounds... good. Great."

"Great," she echoed.

The bell rang. Relieved, Adrien walked off through the shuffling crowd, pushing through sharp elbows and heavy backpacks and toward Nino and Alya, who were muttering to each other, their heads close together, and not paying him any attention.

Alya was whispering as he approached. He only caught a soft, "They're going to be-" before she noticed him and walked off.

"Bro, please make me lose." Nino adjusted the headphones around his neck.

"You want to lose? What, a bet?"

"Can't say," Nino said. "It's important, though. You've got a month."

If Adrien was confused before, he was stumped now. The only thing he was sure of was that this had nothing to do with the Committee vote or video games. Was Marinette in on it or was she his fellow victim?

Now that he didn't need the bell to save him from anything, it happily rang the beginning of class. Dozens of shoes shuffled down the hallways. Friends called out to each other. Adrien trailed far behind Marinette on his way to their class. Her pigtails bounced to her enthusiastic step.

What was really happening?

***

A week later, Adrien didn't really care what the motivation behind the practice sessions had been. He was having too much fun. In a stunning display of paternal affection, Gabriel had allowed Adrien to set up regular video gaming sessions with Marinette. Or Nathalie had put it into his schedule and not mentioned it to his father. Probably the second one, though he liked to pretend.

Today, they were up in his room, being washed in the music of Mario Kart that they were playing on his gigantic television. Adrien sat up straight on the couch, toes digging into the plush carpet, and pouring his focus onto the screen, but Marinette was draped across the furniture, one foot dragging on the floor, the other accidentally poking his knee whenever one of them leaned into a turn.

In the past few days, a remarkable change had come over Marinette. Instead of being anxious and fidgety whenever they ran into each other at school, the hours of being together had forced her to grow relaxed around him. It was amazing to see the side of her that everyone else so admired shining out of her when she was with him, instead of it being trapped under her awkward stutter like it used to be. He loved this.

As he rounded the final turn, Marinette on his tail, he squeezed the controller even harder, though his character was already going at top speed. A squirt of black ink blocked out his half of the screen.

"No!" he yelled, trying to negotiate the curve while blind. "I forgot you had that one! I thought you were out!"

Marinette didn't leave her position on the couch until she'd crossed the finish line. When she did, she jumped up and crowed her victory. "I beat you again! Admit it! You're going to cry yourself to sleep tonight because I creamed you so bad!"

Adrien wiped away a fake tear with her controller and was rewarded with one of Marinette's soft giggles. The sound was infectious, and soon his laughter joined hers. This was the way a lot of their games ended. Win or lose, they were both happy, just because they enjoyed each other's company.

Adrien's suspicions had melted away over the past few days. Nino and Alya were dating, and they wanted their best friends to spend time together. That must have been it. He had to admit, he loved the idea.

And he loved that she was comfortable enough with him to be the person he saw her be with other people, bold and funny and expressive, somehow kind and fierce at the same time, ready to compliment him or trash talk him at a moment's notice. It kept him on his toes.

While the question of why it had taken her so long to warm up to him nagged at him, it wasn't enough to keep him from acknowledging that he was much happier when she was around.

"So what do you want to play next?" Marinette slid off the couch and pulled out his collection of games.

"Shovel of Hope," he said quickly.

"I usually pick that one," she said, turning to direct a questioning eyebrow his way.

"It is. And I want you to be happy, so we can play your favorites twice in a row."

A slack look of shock was replaced quickly by Marinette's shy smile, and Adrien's heart flipped.

He'd always known she had a nice smile. So why did it seem like a new revelation just now?

***

If Adrien's observation about their first week together was how much he liked Marinette, then observation about the second week was how much his game had improved.

Marinette's skill on most games was just a little higher than his own, so playing against her was always a challenge, and teaming up with her was always instructive. Of course, her teasing continually spurred him on.

Today they were in her room playing Zombie Fighter 2, which he'd never even heard of before. And it showed. After seven rounds, he had failed to land a single hit on Marinette's character. He went down in a shower of sparks.

"KO'd again! I can't believe it!" Adrien tossed his controller into his lap. He noticed every time his left knee brushed her right as they sat cross-legged on her chaise.

"Your skills are improving, young grasshopper," Marinette said.

"How is losing improving?"

"You lasted a whole ten seconds longer than last time. You're learning how to run away."

Adrien socked her in the face with a pink pillow. He'd been in her room a handful of times now and he still couldn't get over how pink everything was. Walls, curtains, blankets, even furniture. It suited her, though.

Marinette stood up and stretched. A small strip of skin peeked out where her shirt rode up. "We should head downstairs. Your driver will be here soon."

"No." Adrien averted his gaze quickly. "Let's play one more!" The warmth of Marinette's room wasn't something he looked forward to leaving, not when his own sterile, empty room was the only thing waiting to welcome him home.

"I was hoping you'd say that," she said. "Can't get enough of me, or can't get enough of being pounded into the ground, I wonder?"

"Jury's out."

"Ouch! Why do I keep you around, again?" she asked.

"Must be because I'm so cute." Adrien selected his character, and the screen lit up with another round.

"Must be." Marinette ruffled his hair.

Adrien sat up a little straighter. Was it the praise? Or was it her touch? When she took her hand away, it was to fix his grip on the controller.

"You're never going to win like that. Your fingers aren't spread out enough. Like this." She adjusted each finger individually, pushing and poking and smoothing each one into place until they curved just so.

Her hands radiated warmth. But not just that. It felt like... kindness? Caring? How was he getting that from just the feel of her fingertips against his wrists, directing him to relax the sudden tension in his arms?

By the time she pulled away and they started playing, Adrien's hands were shaking. He pulled them deeper into his lap, so she wouldn't see the tremors.

What was happening? And why did he feel like Marinette touching him again was going to make him feel better? Whatever it was, it wasn't helping him win.

"That'll teach me to compliment you," Marinette said after cutting down his avatar with ease. "That was awful. What happened?"

"Just tired, I guess," Adrien said, putting his controller between them and flapping his hands, like they were sweaty or cramping or something else normal.

"Tired, huh? I can play better than that in my sleep! So what's the real reason?"

"Tired. That's really the reason."

"Tired of getting beat, maybe."

"Oh, lay off."

"Make me."

He needed something to do with the nervous energy in his hands, and Marinette was asking for it. When he poked her side, she made the most adorable squeal he'd ever heard, and he had to do it again. The tickle fight that ensued was nothing short of inevitable. She tried to reach for the pillow on the floor to defend herself with, but he took the opportunity to poke her side and she tumbled off the chaise and pulled him with her. It wasn't enough to stop him.

"I surrender!" Marinette gasped after only a few seconds. "You win!"

"You admit I'm better at something than you?"

"No, your arms are just longer, like a monkey's." She laughed even before she felt his retaliation tickle for the jibe.

As their laughter subsided, Adrien felt lighter. He hadn't had fun with a friend like this in he couldn't remember how long. His father always made him feel foolish for finding something mildly amusing. Somehow, Marinette made falling off his seat liberating instead of embarrassing. He loved that about her.

Sprawled out as they were, it took Adrien a few seconds before he noticed where his hand was resting. Right on Marinette's soft stomach. She was smiling up the ceiling, not seeming to notice or care that he was touching her. It felt nice.

But it was probably weird. He was being weird.

So why was he not moving?

His hand moved up and down with her breathing, rhythmic and calming. Would she stop him if he slid his fingers along the fabric and felt the texture of her shirt?

He kept his hands still until she sighed deeply, and then he guiltily removed it.

***

It had been the best month of Adrien's life, and he owed it all to the girl who was walking toward him. The school courtyard was packed with students going home for the day. Backpacks hung off shoulders. People shouted to each other. Heads bobbed up and down as they tried to find their friends in the crowd.

Marinette's small build made it difficult for her to push her way through the crowd, but shoved backpacks and used her elbows and finally reached him. He was touched by the effort that she made to be near him.

"Nino and Alya coming?" he asked.

"Over there," she said, nodding toward the couple. "You ready to head out? My dad promised croissants for all of us today, and I'm very done with school right now."

It wasn't easy to pick out their friends in the mass of students, but he finally found them by the stairs, heads together like they were whispering despite the noise.

"What are they talking about?"

Marinette sighed. "The, uh, that bet." She looked sideways at him, like she was hoping he'd say something about it.

"Oh," Adrien said, racking his brain for scraps of memory. "Nino won, right? He said it was going to take over a month." For someone who won a bet, he didn't look very happy about it. The two looked over at him at the same time and frowned. Well, Nino frowned. Alya glowered.

"Technically, Alya's got until the end of the day but... yeah." Her voice became very quiet. Small and sad. "Nino's going to win."

"I never learned what that was about," he said, hoping she would provide an answer to the mystery.

Marinette just shook her head and started fidgeting with her purse strap to avoid looking at him. "L-let's wait for them," she stammered.

That wasn't a good sign. He didn't want to push her into her old habit of not being able to hold a conversation with him, so he didn't ask again. "Sure, we can wait," he said, taking a step to the side to give her some space. "It looks like they're on their way over already."

Nino and Alya approached with fake smiles plastered on their faces, like nothing had happened. Neither greeted Adrien or Marinette when they reached them, just kept walking toward the doors. The crowd thickened the closer to the door they got. Students pushed to get out of the building, and Adrien quickly lost sight of Nino and Alya somewhere ahead of him. He and Marinette squeezed through the doors and finally made it out onto the stairs.

"Oh no!" Marinette pulled at her hair as they started down the stairs.

"What?" Adrien asked, shuffling behind a red backpack that was going much slower than it needed to.

"Nothing, nothing. I just broke an elastic again." Keeping one fist in her hair to hold the pigtail in place, she fished in her purse for another one. Their pace became a crawl as she searched.

"Just wear it down," Adrien suggested.

"I'll look stupid," she said, giving up the search in favor of digging in her pockets.

"Come on, you'll look fine," he said, trying to convince her so they could catch back up to the others. He could see them waiting by the crosswalk, backs to them. "I've never seen your hair down before."

Marinette half turned to him, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "All right," she finally said, letting it fall and taking out the other side to match. She brushed it out with her fingers as they finished walking down the stairs.

She looked nice like that. Really nice. A piece of him thought he should probably tell her that, so she wouldn't feel self-conscious. The rest of him was just glad Alya and Nino weren't looking at them, so they couldn't see him gaping at Marinette like a vulture.

That was when his hands started trembling. The nervous energy was back, urging him to reach out and touch her. Maybe tuck that stray strand of hair behind her ear and let his fingers linger by her cheek, his fingertips graze her jaw. But he didn't want her to pull away again, so he clenched his fists and tried to remind himself that there was no reason for him to be acting this weird around her.

"I feel like everyone is staring at me," she said after only a few seconds.

Well, I don't know about everyone. At least one person is. He cleared his throat and forced himself to look away. Students started breaking away from the main group, escaping down the sidewalk toward their homes. Nino and Alya had finally noticed their approach.

"My hair must look stupid. I knew it!" She threw her hands on top of her head, a combination of covering herself and patting it down to lie smooth.

"They're only staring because you're so beautiful."

Adrien and Marinette stopped and stared at each other. Alya and Nino stared at the pair of them. A light turned green and cars streamed past, the wind they created making Marinette's hair dance.

Marinette looked as surprised at his words as he felt. But it was true. He'd never thought about it before, but she was probably the prettiest person he'd ever met. Inside and out.

When the initial shock wore off after three seconds, Marinette hunched her shoulders. "Oh, w-w-well, y-you th-thank."

Panic settled over him as she stuttered. He'd messed up somehow. She was nervous. He'd made her uncomfortable. He was weird and made her feel weird, and he'd messed everything up. She was upset.

He opened his mouth to apologize – he had no idea how to apologize for giving an honest compliment but he knew he had to try – but the look on her face froze his tongue to the roof of his mouth. Shock and disbelief, warring with curiosity. But they were all replaced with the familiar crinkle in her eyes that meant a challenge was sure to follow.

"So your true feelings come out at last," she said in delight. "Sorry, but I can't get involved with my sparring partner, so don't ask."

"What-"

"No, no. Your begging won't work on me!" She pushed him away with one hand flat against his chest.

Could she feel his heart beating through his shirt? She must have been able to. The whirlwind shift in her attitude was making him nervous.

He looked at Nino and Alya for help at this sudden change. They were both open-mouthed.

That was when it clicked. She was just teasing him again. Or more likely daring him. He knew her well enough to know that tone when he heard it, the same when she offered a bonus challenge round. That compliment had been sincere, but he knew how to play along.

"Oh please, Marinette," he said, falling to his knees. "Your grace and beauty surpass all." The words were so easy to say. Too easy. "Make me the happiest boy in school and go out with me?" He clasped his hands and unleashed the most pitiful expression he knew how to make, not sure if he was even acting.

Marinette flipped her loose hair over her shoulder. "I could never give my heart to my most bitter rival."

"Noooo!" He threw his arms around her waist, pressing his face into her stomach. He heard more than felt her laughter, but inside he ached. Ached as she ran her fingers through his hair and down the back of his neck and then because she pulled her hand away. Ached because it felt so good to be close to her and then because he was letting her go as he stood back up. It was all he could do not to let the ache show through his fake smile as he continued the "joke."

Nino had his face in hands. "I hate both of you," he mumbled through his fingers. "So, so much."

Alya had already given up on them. She was halfway to the bakery.

"That's unfair," Marinette said, shifting her backpack and not looking at Adrien like he wished she would. "This is completely Adrien's fault."

"Mine?" he said, trying to sound scandalized instead of bitterly disappointed. "You're the one who won't go out with me."

She opened her mouth to respond, only to pause when she saw his face. He tried to school his expression, hide the new emotions pulsing through his blood, replace it with a smirk and a wink.

It must have worked because Marinette tapped his nose and said, "Sorry, Adrien. You'll have to ask me again some other time. I'm too busy being single at the moment."

The words cut deeper than they had any right to.

Nino grumbled something and turned away. Across the street, Alya shouted, "Are you two done being stupid yet?"

It seemed like Marinette was the only one who was truly happy after the joke, though he thought he saw something else flash across her face as she looked away. He wanted to pretend that it was longing or maybe regret, but he knew that couldn't be true. Marinette considered him just a friend. They had only been joking.

No, she had been joking. Everything he'd said was real. Why hadn't he realized it sooner?

His compliments, all the praise, asking her out, every single word of it had been real.

The ache settled deep into his heart.

***

The next morning, Adrien arrived at school a few minutes earlier than he normally would have, heart pounding and exhausted as he walked through the front doors. The exhaustion was caused by barely sleeping at all last night, instead being consumed with thoughts of Marinette, her confidence, her hair, her laughter, her quiet beauty, her kindness, and how much he wanted to touch her and spend time with her.

It hadn't even been 24 hours since he'd realized he was in love with her, but it spread through him like an wildfire, burning him up from the inside out, reaching through every part of him and carving out new places for thoughts of Marinette to inhabit, driving him to do something, anything so he could be with her.

His pounding heart was caused by that last bit, the knowledge that he now needed to act. His plan was simple, but he ran through it again anyway as he waited by her locker. As casually as he could, he was going to ask her out. But not on a date. Not yet. If she didn't like him that way (the "if" killed him; he knew she didn't), he wasn't going to mess up his chance by playing his hand too soon. He repeated his line over and over again. "I was just wondering if you'd like to do something other than video games with me some time?"

It was simple. It was normal friend stuff. He leaned against her locker, the cool metal soothing the voice that said she was going to say no, that he was an idiot for even asking her. After joking around yesterday, it was clear that she only thought of him as her weird gaming nerd friend. Why would she want to do other things with him?

But he had to try anyway. If she said yes, it would be a step in the right direction. He would be able to spend more time with her.

Though he tried not to, Adrien watched every person who entered the hallway, waiting for her. His heart leaped to his throat every time he saw black hair, and it crashed back down to his feet every time it wasn't hers.

If she said no, well, he would accept his place as just her gaming buddy, even though it would break his heart. And he could always pretend that their practice sessions were dates, right? Besides, he'd known her for over a year and he'd been okay with being only friends that entire time. It would probably be simple to find his way back to that easy, uncomplicated friendship.

He slipped a little farther down the cold locker door. His argument was very unconvincing, and he swallowed back the tightness in his throat at the idea.

Black hair bobbed into view, and this time it was Marinette's face underneath it. Blue eyes flashing. Smiling broadly at someone who wasn't him.

Excitement and terror washed through him. Her laughter echoed down the hall ahead of her, and he basked in the sound and sight of her. Would he even be able to speak by the time she finally saw him?

Marinette hadn't noticed him yet. She was talking with someone else, and Adrien's eyes flicked to her companion.

Nathaniel was laughing too, then laughing harder at something else Marinette said. Without hesitation, he put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a side hug. Marinette looked content as they walked ever closer to her locker, and that's when Adrien finally accepted the truth.

She was going to say no.

And he couldn't accept just being friends.

With only seconds to make up his mind before she saw him, Adrien did the only thing he could think of.

He ran away.

***

Today's practice was taking place cross-legged on his floor, staring up at his giant television. Marinette sat with him, a six-inch gap separating them, but she looked over at him from time to time, concerned at his silence.

Over the past week, Adrien hadn't given up hope completely, though he knew he should have. Marinette didn't like him that way and was way out of his league. The knowledge didn't stop him from agonizing over the perfect thing to say that would get her to change her mind, or at least give him a chance.

In the end, he had waited too long.

Though he was trying to act like everything was fine, the jealousy ripping through him was affecting his mood, his game, even his face, and had been chewing him up all afternoon. For the millionth time, he tried smoothing out his scowl. He'd already given up trying to shake life back into his numb hands.

B, up, duck, A. Button smashing when he knew he wasn't fast enough. Finally watching as his avatar felt defeated to the mat. Again. He took a shaky breath.

"Okay, what is going on?" Marinette asked, placing her controller carefully down in front of her, lining it up perfectly parallel to her knees. "You're making a lot of rookie mistakes. It isn't like you."

"Oh, just tired," Adrien said, making a show of stretching and lolling back.

"You told me this morning you'd slept really well last night," she said flatly.

"Oh." Right. He'd said that. Shoot. "Tired... from school."

"Okay... What was so-"

Adrien started a new round, forcing Marinette to scramble for her controller and cut off her interrogation.

It was only going to buy him time. If Marinette thought someone was upset, he knew she wasn't going to let it rest until she'd helped them feel better. It was one of many, many things that he loved about her. But he also knew he'd be better off bringing it up before she did, so he could steer the conversation.

They played for a few minutes in silence while Adrien's character was annihilated and he organized his thoughts. "So..." he finally asked, and he was pleased to hear his voice sounding almost normal, not tense like he felt. "What did Nathaniel want to talk to you privately about earlier?"

Adrien knew. She probably knew that he knew.

Nathaniel had asked her out. Adrien had been too slow, and now she was someone else's girlfriend. Could she read the agony on his face underneath the mask of disinterest?

"Oh, Nathaniel asked me for a date." How could she be so calm about the thing that was causing him to die inside? Sensing his distress, his avatar also keeled over and died. Round sixteen ended in defeat.

"Oh? That's..." He gulped. What question would just a friend ask? "When's the big-" He forced the word out. "-date?" That had sounded awful. The words and his delivery.

"I turned him down," she said casually, and just as casually she slaughtered his character again.

The next round began as Adrien blurted out a thrilled, "Really?!"

Marinette's character killed itself by jumping off the edge as she dropped her controller and turned to stare at him.

Adrien cleared his throat. "Really? Too bad for him, I guess." I'm cool about this, Marinette. Not interested in you or your love life at all. His unasked question hung over them: Why did she turn Nathaniel down? He couldn't bring himself to ask.

She continued to stare, considering him, then turned away with a smile she couldn't quite hold in. "I've wiped the floor with you for the past eighteen levels. You want to go again, or are you ready to admit your defeat?”

"And let you rub it in for the rest of our lives? I don't think so."

"I promise not to if you agree to do my homework for the rest of the year."

"I would absolutely love to never do that ever. Bring on level nineteen."

"Oh, that's what I was hoping you would say." Her glance was sly, and Adrien felt a challenge coming on.

Their characters were whirls of pixels, but this time he had no problem keeping up. She'd turned Nathaniel down! Adrien was back on form, matching Marinette stroke for stroke, about to pull out his first win since-

"I bet you were wondering why I said no." Marinette's avatar slipped a punch over his slack fists, knocking him down to half health with one blow. "It's because I already like someone else." With one more kick, she finished him off.

Adrien gripped his controller, not seeing the screen or even her as the next level started playing. Of course she already liked someone. Someone as loving as Marinette would have someone she loved. He'd never even had a chance, even before he'd wanted one. He was an idiot for not realizing.

"Complete devastation!" Marinette said. She meant his character, but she could have been talking about the boy sitting next to her. Both were crumbling to the ground.

The practice session ended early that day. Marinette sent him several questioning looks over the next hour that he stubbornly ignored, and he was glad she didn't push him. He wasn't sure he'd be able to stand her sympathy.

Like the gentleman he was, Adrien walked her to his bedroom door. Even with the awkward tension lingering in the air, he wanted her to stay a little longer. Maybe sensing that, or maybe just still hoping to cheer him up, Marinette hesitated in front of the closed doorway.

Adrien opened his mouth to speak, but when he realized he had no idea what it was he wanted to say, he shut it again slowly. Marinette waited patiently, playing with the hem of her shirt. What could he tell her? Nothing that would help his situation. Nothing that would change her mind about whatever wonderful guy she had her eye on. Nothing that would make her consider her dork of a gaming partner.

Marinette smiled up at him. After the miserable company he'd been all afternoon, she still felt like smiling at him? He almost blurted all his feelings out anyway.

"Well..." she said. "I should go."

Pushing herself up on her toes so she could reach and putting her hands on his shoulders for balance, Marinette placed an unexpected kiss on his cheek, just next to his mouth.

Adrien closed his eyes at the tender touch, heart melting.

I could turn my head, he thought as her lips lingered. I could wrap my arms around her and never let go. The scene was vivid in his mind, her hands slipping from his shoulders to his chest, fingertips tracing the stripes across his shirt. Whispers of how much she loved him. Him pulling Marinette close, her wanting him to.

But it wasn't real. She wouldn't like that, he reminded himself, so he kept still. His hands gripped his jeans to keep them from seeking her out.

When she pulled away a few seconds later, her look was intense. Despite her announced intention to leave, she hesitated. Waiting for something. For him to say something?

The words were right there on the tip of his tongue. Confess! He could do it!

He could, but he shouldn't. She'd just admitted to liking someone else. How disrespectful of her confession would telling her now be? Adrien didn't want to lose her.

"See you tomorrow?" he said, pulling the door open for her.

She frowned, not like she was angry. Like she'd been disappointed. Without another word, she slipped through the door and padded down the wide atrium stairs. He didn't take his eyes off her the whole time, but she didn't turn around to see it. From his spot so far away, he heard the front door click softly behind her.

He stayed put long after she'd gone, replaying the kiss in his mind, what her soft lips felt like, the tingle he'd felt as she'd rested her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, the heat of having her body so close to his.

Had it been all his imagination, telling him what he wanted, or had her kiss really been that close to his mouth? It had felt like she'd almost touched his lips she'd been so close.

The memory was still fresh on his skin, and he outlined the spot hesitantly, then with awe as his finger brushed the corner of his mouth. It wasn't his imagination. She really had.

Maybe... maybe he had misunderstood. Hope bubbled up inside him. She liked someone else, someone other than Nathaniel. He wasn't Nathaniel. What if she'd meant him?

What if he did have a chance after all?

***

Adrien wanted to be absolutely sure. Getting his hopes up again, or listening to Marinette's rejection, would be too painful. He was going to make sure he was the one, so he spent the next week looking for clues that he was the lucky boy she'd set her sights on.

And clues were everywhere.

They were mostly little things, like the way her face would light up when he came around a corner, or how she leaned into his touch when he dared to brush her bangs out of her eyes, or how she didn't scoot away if he sat down close to her.

Four days later, in the middle of a hard level, he experimentally touched his hand to her knee, keeping the pressure as light as he could, in case it wasn't wanted. She scooted closer, like she wanted to make it easier for him to do it again.

Marinette knew about his strict diet and would often bring him goodies, leftovers from the bakery. The following day, she'd brought him ones she'd made herself "with love." That's what she said. The big L word. A small part of him told him to calm down. She could have meant that she loved him as a friend. Most of him excitedly took it as an obvious hint.

Overall, his second favorite hint of her feelings was how she glowed under his compliments.

"These pastries are the best things I've ever tasted! Could you teach me to make them?" Marinette stumbled over her words for the next five minutes.

"Forget competing in the Olympics," he said two days later. "You could be the team coach. You're amazing!" She blushed for the rest of the day.

The best hint, the one that left him reeling, was becoming a common occurrence: she talked to him. Lately, their practice sessions would be filled with long stretches when they chatted about everything and nothing, controllers abandoned.

Today, she lounged on his couch, and he sat on the floor by her head. She'd asked him about his day, and he'd listened to hers, though she admitted herself that it was boring. She'd asked him about his day, then about his dreams for the future.

The honest curiosity she had for his answers, the fact that she even cared, left him leaning the couch for support. Marinette was on her back and smiled up at him as the movement brought him closer.

The conversation hit a lull when he ran out of things to say. Instead of feeling awkward, it was peaceful, and she closed her eyes and sighed.

What a perfect time to test her feelings for him again. Before he could think better of it, he ran his fingers through her hair. Her reaction was immediate. Her whole body relaxed, her smile widening. When she opened her eyes to look up at him, they were soft, maybe even loving.

But the "maybe" was still too daunting, and he pulled his hand back and looked away.

He needed to tell her how he felt. He liked her too much not to. He wanted her to look at him like that all the time. So why was he pulling out the controllers again to avoid her? Was it really better to wait and see what happened? Or should he just lay his heart bare right now?

He settled on the couch next to her, Marinette bending her knees to give him room without moving from her spot. Was she still giving him that loving look? Or had it turned into a frown because he was being a coward? He hunched forward under the weight of all his questions, resting his forearms on his knees.

"I bet I could beat you in my sleep," Marinette said. Her voice sounded normal, so he dared to look at her. Her face was mischievous as she stretched out with an exaggerated sigh, throwing her legs across his lap and pinning his arms down. "Care to bet against me?"

"Um, move. I need those arms."

"Make me."

Two more hints: the ease with which she touched him, and the way she seemed to save her most dazzling smiles just for him.

"Make you?" Massive crush or not, Adrien was not about to pass up a challenge. "I'll make you."

Marinette settled deeper into the cushions, pressing down onto his arms. It was the best trap he'd even been in, and he couldn't reach much to help him, just the coffee table in front of them. Leftover snacks littered the table, along with a half-filled glass of water. He slid it off the edge of the couch as Marinette squirmed to keep him in place.

With his limited movement, he couldn't lift the cup very high, so he mimed pouring it over her shins. She shrieked and kicked him in her scramble to get out of the way, and the glass spun out of his hand, splashing water all over him before landing on the floor. It soaked into his shirt and dripped through his hair.

"I'm sorry!" Marinette jumped up immediately, flapping her arms around her head so fast they blurred. "I'm so, so sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"It's fine," he assured her while rivulets of water tickled his down scalp. "It wasn't that much water."

She groaned at the lie. "I'll go get you a towel."

Before he could protest, she ran toward the bathroom door. Adrien followed her, dripping. "It was my fault. Please don't-"

A fluffy towel muffled his words as she threw it over his head and started rubbing it into his hair. "Marinette," he mumbled. "You don't have t-" The pace of her hands became less frantic as she moved from the crown of his head, moving down to dry the back.

"Sorry," she whispered. Her tempo became even slower as she worked the sides of his heads, rubbing gently so she wouldn't hurt his ears. Plans to "accidentally" get himself soaked on a weekly basis were already starting to form in his mind. He wasn't sure if it was the attention she was paying him or her rhythmic pace as she stroked circles around his ears, but every muscle in his body seemed to be melting.

"Is that any better?" she asked. Her hands stilled, but she didn't remove the towel from his face. Her breathing was quick and shallow.

Adrien lifted up the edge to reveal Marinette's panicked face. What did she think? That he was going to hate her because of some water? He wasn't a cat.

Her eyes searched his, looking for anger or rejection or who knew what, and he gently grabbed her face with both hands to bring her back to reality. And as an excuse to act out at least the beginning of every fantasy he had about kissing her. With the way she was looking at him, he could even pretend that they were about to come true.

"It's fine," he said, rubbing a thumb across her cheek. "I'm all dry now." A cold spot was soaking through at his shoulder, but he ignored it.

After a few more seconds of wide-eyed staring, Marinette slid the towel off his head and looped it behind his neck, holding onto both ends and giving no indication that she wanted him to remove his hands. So he didn't.

Another clue. It finally was enough. He knew.

Leaning in slowly, so she would have time to change her mind, he looked at her lips, then raised an eyebrow in question. Marinette used the towel to pull him closer to her, closing her eyes. A rush of heat swooped in his stomach when he felt her body brush against him. Her breath fanned his face as he inched closer. They hovered, anticipation building, noses brushing, lips quivering, until he tilted his head and finally closed his eyes.

Without warning, the door swung open. "Adrien."

Marinette and Adrien jumped apart, the towel falling on the floor.

Nathalie walked in, staring at her tablet and almost ignoring the teenagers she was speaking to. She hadn't noticed anything. "Your piano teacher is here. Ms. Dupain-Cheng's ride is waiting downstairs." Without another word, or even looking around the room for them, she left, leaving the door open after her.

"Um," Adrien said. Cursing the interruption, he bent to pick up the towel. When he straightened he reached out for Marinette's hand, but she was already across the room, picking up her things and not looking at him, her face glowing red.

She snuck him a peek once as she was putting her shoes back on, but when she saw him staring at her, she looked down again. Probably because he was gaping at her like an idiot.

Marinette finally walked back over to him, eyeing the wet spot on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-

"Want a hug?" he asked, offering his arms. "It's nice and cold."

She chuckled as she leaned into him, resting her cheek against his. "Thanks for having me over." Her breath blew his hair, tickling him. "And for letting me beat you."

"Oh, yes," he said. The hug didn't feel cold at all. It was warming him up from head to toe. "I lost on purpose, just for you." How was he supposed to just let her walk out his door, when all he wanted to do was hold her and never move from this spot again? "Because your happiness is so important to me."

As she pulled away and stepped back, he grabbed her hand, and then just as quickly let it go, unsure how to recreate the mood that had so quickly evaporated.

They waited, neither moving, Adrien hoping for at least another goodbye kiss like she'd given him last week. Without warning her expression crumpled, and she walked through the door without saying goodbye at all.

She'd been waiting, he realized as soon as she was gone. She'd been waiting for a goodbye kiss, too.

Adrien ran to the window in time to watch her walk down the front steps. He followed her with his eyes as she slid into the car. When she turned to pull the door closed behind her, she paused, looking straight at him. He waved, but she shut it without returning the gesture.

"Tomorrow," he vowed. It was Saturday, and they had another practice in the morning. The first words out of his mouth were going to be his confession.

He just needed to figure out what to say.

***

Saturday mornings used to mean stifling isolation. There was no school to look forward to. His tutors often had the day off, and if there wasn't a photoshoot, he was likely to be confined to his room. Another benefit of having Marinette in his life was that he was no longer alone on the oppressive weekends.

"You're smart, and kind, and funny." Adrien muttered to himself in the back seat, his driver occasionally looking at him with concern through the rearview mirror. He'd been rehearsing multiple versions of his speech since last night. It was only a few minutes until he saw her, and he still hadn't decided what to say. Should he just blurt it out? "Marinette, I love you." Or should he build up to it? "I've loved spending time with you, and you're my best friend, and lately you've become more than that." He tested them both out. They were both fine, so why did they both sound so... wrong?

Maybe he wasn't being specific enough. Anyone could tell her she was great. So what should he say about her specifically? This only led him back to all the other lists of rehearsed lines he'd come up with in the last 12 hours, her confidence, her infectious joy, her compassion...

The car pulled up to the curb, and Adrien stepped out, knees a little wobbly with anxiety. He was going to have to just wing it. Say what felt right in the moment. Which was a terrifying idea, but now he had no choice.

The bell tinkled and the smell of fresh bread and chocolate chip cookies filled his nose as soon as he pushed open the bakery door. Sabine and Tom turned to him with wide smiles.

"She's already waiting for you," Sabine said, waving him through the door to their upstairs apartment. "Have fun!"

His footsteps seemed to echo through the small hallway. Hesitating only a second, he knocked on the door that led into her living room, and waited, heart pounding.

Marinette, I have something to tell you. Marinette, I love you. Marinette, before we start to play, can we talk? He'd promised himself. The first words out of his mouth would be his confession. Don't mess it up, Adrien. Just tell her you love her.

The door was yanked inward so fast that it hit the wall. Adrien jumped. "M-marinette. I lo-"

"I've got a new idea! Come here!" She reached through the doorway and clamped down on his wrist, then turned and towed him through the living room and up her stairs. A woman on a mission.

He had no idea what that mission was, or what really was happening, so his imagination started supplying possibilities. She got a new game? She needed to show him her newest art project? He tripped on the top step when he thought that maybe she was dragging him up to her room because she couldn't wait to kiss him.

He imagined her snapping the trapdoor shut, with the pink curtains closed and her room dimly lit by filtered light. She would let go of his hand, then turn around to face him, before slowly stepping into his space. She'd slide her hands up his shirt, stopping at the collar, grabbing fistfuls to pull herself closer. And closer. Their faces were millimeters apart. He could count the lashes of her half-closed eyes. He reached for her eagerly, wrapping both arms around her waist, pulling her closer, her stomach flush against him.

"I love you," she whispered. "You're the only one for me." Her lips parted slightly as her eyes slid shut.

Marinette's voice was suddenly bright and cheery. "Pick your favorite button!"

Adrien's daydream popped.

Sunlight flooded her room through uncovered windows. Her trapdoor was still open, as her parents had always requested, and she waited for an answer expectantly, bouncing on her toes and not looking smitten in the slightest.

"Uh, what?"

"Buttons," she repeated. "Which one's your favorite?"

She'd dragged him upstairs for sewing help. He cleared his throat and smoothed out the collar of his shirt, which hadn't been rumpled by her hands.

"I've never thought about it," he said, keeping the disappointment out of his voice. "Flat buttons are probably the easiest to sew with, but Father says shank buttons are almost as easy, and I think they look... What?"

Marinette was laughing at him. "No, your favorite controller button, you goof." She waved one in front of his face. The A button had been taped down. Taking it in both hands again, she mimed playing an intense round. Enthusiasm bubbled off of her. He had no idea what this was about, but he was already on board with whatever it was. (Even if it wasn't kissing.)

"I'm confused." And also in love with you.

It was too late for his confession to be the first thing out of his mouth. His fingers itched to touch her, but she was too excited to let him interrupt.

"See, we're getting too good. We need a new way to push ourselves, so I thought, give ourselves a handicap." She pointed at the incapacitated button. "And go head-to-head. What do you think?"

"I think that's amazing."

As soon as the moment passed, he'd realized what a perfect opportunity he'd missed. Marinette was scrambling across her room to tape down the B on his controller. "You're," he whispered, too quiet for her to hear. "I think you're amazing."

"Catch!" The controller flew, and he caught it deftly. Marinette flopped onto the chaise, leaning sideways against the cushioned back, leaving enough room for him to sit at the end, if he didn't mind her feet poking his thigh, which he definitely did not.

The computer monitor flickered as Marinette scrolled through the settings. Adrien leaned forward as the round began, trying to ignore the way her toes jabbed him when he got a hit on her. It didn't happen very often. The handicap was almost impossible to play with. Marinette won every round easily. At the end of the fourth round, she covered a fake yawn and stretched lazily, and he finally realized something important.

"You practiced this beforehand, you dirty cheater!"

Marinette laughed wickedly as his character was knocked out again.

"You're almost as good as I am now, young grasshopper. I've got to maintain my superiority somehow!"

"We both know that isn't true." He swiped for her hands, but she was too fast, moving the controller out of his reach. "Give yourself a second handicap."

"Make me," she said, her feet pushing against him to press herself further into the back of the chaise.

"Give it."

"No."

He leaned over her legs and into her space, but she kept the controller away from him, grinning wildly. Feigning defeat, Adrien leaned back. When Marinette lowered it into her lap, he pounced forward, but she was still too quick, lifting both hands behind her head, hiding it out of sight.

"Hand it over!"

"No!"

He reached, and she leaned back farther, one elbow poking his cheek. Pushing into her, he strained to get the controller, and she arched underneath him to keep it away.

His arms were longer than hers. He should have been able to get it. His fingers found her wrists, and he slid them up to find her fingers.

A warm breath on his cheek made him stop. He was face-to-face with Marinette. He was nearly lying on top of her, pressing her into the chaise. They were both breathing hard, though they'd barely moved. One of her pigtails was loose.

"It's not fair," he said, mouth dry. "You need to make it even."

She lifted her head, until her face filled his vision and their noses touched. "Make me." Her lips brushed his with each word.

He kissed her.

Every longing moment, every loving thought he'd ever had about her poured through him into his kiss. Again and again his lips found hers. Somewhere, a controller clattered to the floor, and then her hands were on him, in his hair, splayed against his neck, pulling him closer, and he kissed her harder, caressing her face, pulling out her loose pigtail so he could feel her soft hair between his fingers.

Kissing a line from the corner of her mouth to ear and back, he asked, "Have I sufficiently dazed you?"

She hummed dreamily in response.

Kissing just below her ear, he asked, "Think you can play like this?"

A whisper. "No."

Taking his time, he worked his way back across her cheek, making sure to kiss every inch until he reached the corner of her lips, but he stopped just shy of them, gently kissing her nose instead. "Good."

Somehow, he managed to pull himself off of her. Marinette clutched at his shirt, trying to get him to come back, but he circled the chaise and retrieved her controller, holding it out to her. He loved the way her fingers hovered over her mouth as her eyes wandered up his arm. When her eyes reached his lips, her fingers pressed down hard, like it was the only way she could stop herself from kissing him again.

"Up for another round?" he asked, pointing a thumb over his shoulder to the computer screen.

"Yes, but not of that." She scowled. Half of her hair was loose around her shoulder.

"Let me win this game and you have a deal."

"Never."

"Poor, Marinette," he said, settling down next to her and clicking Start. "No more kisses for you."

Ten seconds into the round and Adrien already knew his plan was going to end badly. His hands were shaking. Marinette's character wobbled. Every time he licked his lips, he could still taste her.

And she had realized that if she rubbed her toes against his hip, he would jump and look over at her. The first time she did it, he was unsure if it had been on purpose, but the second, he turned to find a sly smile waiting for him. This girl was going to drive him crazy.

"I don't think much of your tactics," she said a minute later, as her character finished him off. It had taken three times longer than normal because they were both awful. "You're clearly just as dazed as I am."

"Not nearly enough," he said. Tossing the controller onto the desk, he reached for her waist and slid her into his lap. She came willingly, looping her arms around his neck and weaving her fingers into his hair.

One of his hands stayed at her waist, the other reached up and pulled her other pigtail loose. "You really do look good like this," he breathed.

"You love me," she giggled. "Admit it."

He leaned forward, forehead resting on hers, eyes locked. "Make me."

"Oh, believe me-" Marinette's voice was a low whisper, and Adrien felt a thrill. "I will."

***

Author’s note: This might just be my new favorite thing I’ve ever written. :) I wrote this in response to a poll I took a zillion years ago. It’s finally here! Thank you @ours-polaires, @khanofallorcs and @actuallycannotflirt for beta’ing this one! I know it was long, and I truly appreciate the help!

@tbehartoo

#adrinette #adrienette #ml #miraculous #miraculous ladybug #no miraculous au

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raelly-writing · 3 years

Text

Until the Morrow

Thancred/fWoL, 5.0 spoilers for the MSQ. Takes place after the level 77 dungeon :)

-----

Thancred stared up into the top of the old bunk bed. In the dark, he could clearly hear the sounds of Urianger and Alphinaud’s slow and even breathing.

A vague, nonsensical feeling of envy stirred in his chest. Sighing, he twisted onto his side, pulling the covers closer around himself. The hasty movement made his muscles ache, battered and bruised as he still felt after all the fighting. Really, after a day so long and exhausting as the one they’d had, he should be dead to the world as well.

Try as he might tho, sleep would not come to him. His thoughts kept twisting and turning, picking over the events of the day, regret like a black void in his chest as each one inevitably made his thoughts loop back to another memory - of things he had not said when he should have, how he could now see how keeping Ryne at arm’s length had hurt her so deeply, and picking over each and every moment of the past few weeks, years, vowing to do better, to be better for her sake.

But he wouldn’t be to any good use on the morrow if he didn’t get some rest.

“Seven Hells…” Despite that his gruff whisper was muffled against the thin pillow it sounded so loud in the quiet room. Try as he might, even when resorting to old meditation techniques, the uncomfortable energy that simmered and crawled right beneath his skin just wouldn’t go away, leaving him twisting and turning in search for a comfortable sleeping position.

Finally, with a twinge of annoyance at himself, Thancred threw aside the covers and rolled out of bed. Maybe a walk would let him relax. The old worn floorboards shifted beneath his sock clad feet as he silently made his way to the door with his boots in hand, yet neither of his companions thankfully stirred from their slumber.

When he closed the door behind him and the stillness of the dark corridor enveloped him, Thancred let out his breath in a slow exhale and quickly pulled on his boots.

Now that he was fully awake and resigned to contemplating the past day, that familiar, painful ache in his heart that had been his constant companion for so many years stirred. Minfilia truly was gone now - at last freed from her long vigil over this world and allowed to rest. A part of him wished he could have seen her one more time, heard her calm melodic voice for the last time... That he could have told her those things he should have so long ago, and been allowed to say his farewells to her, to assure her he’d look after Ryne and the rest of their friends.

Automatically, his steps carried him to the next door, where he paused and let his fingertips settle against the rough wood, as though he could sense the rest of their group sleeping beyond it.

Well, Minfilia was not entirely gone - part of her did live on in Ryne. A faint smile curled the corner of his mouth. The events of the day had clearly taken their toll on her, yet she’d put on such a brave face right until they arrived back here to Twine, unwilling to admit to her fatigue until everyone else had been yawning widely.

It was a very strange and confusing mix of feelings but despite his restless mind, he felt… somehow more at ease than he had in a long time. Like he finally could see the hints of a clearer path ahead of himself, no longer obscured by the darkness of his mourning and sense of failure, that there was no longer an old intangible weight bearing down on his chest and shoulders.

Shaking his head, Thancred silently stalked further down the corridor of the former mine workers’ quarters, towards the door out to the balcony. He needed some fresh air, to let his thoughts settle until they no longer twisted and turned in whichever direction they pleased. If they didn’t linger on the past, it they trailed forward - to the battles ahead, the things he’d need to speak of with Ryne so he could properly clear the air between them, the old regrets that still clung to his conscience that he felt he needed to make up for, the lingering hypervigilance against Eulmore’s pursuit of them, of Viana and the sudden change to their relationship after so many years…

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth at the pleasant memory of kissing her, still so fresh that he could almost still feel her lips against his. If he didn’t know better, he’d think it had all been a pleasant dream, and that he’d wake up at any moment with Urianger and Y’shtola hovering above him as they tended to his wounds.

Wouldn’t be the first time his dreams elected to taunt him with what he thought was beyond him. He pushed open the door, the refreshing cold night air rushing into his lungs and immediately nipping at his skin laid bare by his pushed up sleeves. The glow of a lantern took him by surprise, as did the figure leaning against the banister. Thancred stopped dead in his tracks, just as the very person he’d been thinking of whipped around, her body language tense and ready.

Even though they both immediately visibly relaxed, the air was at once thick with tension as they stared at each other. They hadn’t been afforded any time to speak in private, not with their friends around, everyone utterly exhausted after the day’s events, and the multitude of questions the inhabitants of Twine had had upon their return.

The surreal sensation tugged at him once more. For over five years he’d clung to memories of quiet moments he’d spent in her company, missing their comfortable companionship, worrying about what was happening on the Source, his heart yearning to be by her side once more - all while trying to force himself to cut off those stubborn feelings that had blossomed from that friendship. He’d been so certain that it’d been for the best not to act on them, that if he did not, she’d let go of whatever she thought she might feel and move on to someone more deserving of her affections.

Someone who was more trustworthy than he.

And yet, there in the soft lantern light, he saw the undeniable warmth in her gaze as she looked at him. Clearing his throat, Thancred offered her a small, apologetic smile. “Pardon me, I didn’t know the balcony was occupied.”

Viana huffed out a quiet laugh, her smile earnest if a tad tired. “Fret not, I believe there’s enough room for the both of us,” she replied quietly while shrugging one shoulder. The blanket she had wrapped around herself, already hanging precariously after her sudden motion when he’d startled her, slipped a little further off that shoulder. Instantly, Thancred felt an itch in his fingers to readjust it, to pull her close once more - to feel her lips against his again and soak in the warmth of her leaning against him without the hard press of their respective armours in the way.

An unfamiliar nervous tingle sparked in his stomach as he carefully nudged shut the door behind him. Hells, he’d yanked her into that first kiss out of fear and adrenaline - a leap of faith, before he lost his nerve and accepted the easy out she had given him of what her accidental confession could entail, to let him just carry on as he had without confronting what lay between them - but he wasn’t about to act quite so impulsive now.

With slow, measured steps he closed the distance between, giving him time to observe her. Viana leaned against the banister, despite the uncertain energy to her pose looking more at ease in his presence than he could recall for… well, ever since they’d been reunited in this dying world. It no longer felt like there was a vast expanse between them - one he knew had mainly been of his own doing, holding her at arm’s length, until it had reached that breaking point in Twine.

“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” he asked.

She raised an eyebrow at him, the teasing glint in her eyes so painfully familiar from years past, when they had both been standing on the Source. “I could ask you the same thing.”

Thancred couldn’t help but huff out a quiet laugh. This felt familiar. Comforting. Perhaps grabbing her around the waist to keep her from leaving had been less a leap of faith off a steep cliff with a long drop and more a leap to join her on her side of the rift between them.

Perhaps that was why he felt so uncertain in this moment, his footing not yet stable on this new ground he’d suddenly found himself on.

Thancred leaned against the banister, keeping a small if unassuming distance between them, and shrugged while staring out across the moonlit landscape. “Hard to shake the feeling that Eulmore will be snapping at our heels any moment now,” he replied.

“I think we’re safe for now,” Viana hummed and turned to rest her elbows on the railing. “The loss of Ran’jit is sure to upset the chain of command for a little while, maybe even rattle morale a bit. Suspect we’ll be bringing the fighting to them, if we wish to reach the Kholusia lightwarden...”

“The sooner the better,” he replied. “Vauthry has a lot to answer for.” It was hard to keep the grim tone out of his voice. For years he’d harboured anger towards the city for locking away Ryne in a dark cell, far below the sea level. While striking down Ran’jit for good eased some of it, he was not the sole person responsible for the treatment of her. And three years were not enough to wipe away the memories of the weeks he spent infiltrating the city, of the debauched acts of hedonism and heartless cruelty that he’d witnessed while slinking from shadow to shadow, seeking a way down to the gaol.

The remnants of his anger from earlier in the day stirred at the back of his mind, but a warm touch to the bare skin of his arm drew him back to the present.

It was a small, hesitant touch - just the back of Viana’s fingers pressed against his arm, thumb brushing over his wrist - but he felt it as surely as the comforting heat of a fire on a cold day. “Did you have a chance to speak with Ryne yet?” she asked softly.

Thancred cast a glance at her, and shook his head. “Only a little. She was so tired that I said we’d speak further once we’re back in the Crystarium.”

She made a quiet sound of understanding, and much to his regret she withdrew her hand. After a moment of hesitation, he reached back out for it, sliding his fingers along the inside of her wrist in a silent question. Something in his stomach twisted, a nervous jolt of energy he was unfamiliar with, when she immediately opened her hand so he could loosely entwine his fingers with hers.

They stood in silence for a moment, with only the muted sounds from the other side of the small town where the miners were celebrating the night’s return as their company. Her hand was warm against his, and he found himself relishing in the small, innocent contact.

Exhaling slowly, Thancred rubbed his thumb against her hand. How many times hadn’t he seduced and tempted men and women, confident that his easy smile and grandiose compliments would win their favour - be it to coax information out of them or merely for a night of simple pleasure. Those grand words had never worked on her. But, where Y’shtola had always had a sharp, dismissive remark at hand, Viana had thrown his words back at him with an amused roll of her eyes, her teasing retorts just as void of sincere intent as his.

As memories of trading jabs and barbs with her, faded by the many years that had passed, played in his mind, an awareness crept up on him of his every touch and word that quickly grew into a nagging worry that any gesture of his now would be mistaken as disingenuous.

“Hey… something wrong?”

Wetting his lips, Thancred kept his eyes on the far horizon. “Forgive me,” he drawled with a self deprecating lilt to his tone, “I used to be good at… all of this.”

Viana was quiet for a moment, before the warm weight of her upper arm settled against his as she leaned against him. It prompted him to look up to see her give him a reassuring, if nervous, smile. “It’s okay Thancred, I don’t have any expectations.”

By reflex, he raised an eyebrow, a joking remark right at the tip of his tongue, but before he had a chance to speak her eyes grew wide and she jerked upright, yanking her hand out of his loose grip in the process.

“I mean - Hells, that came out wrong,” she rushed to explain as a deep blush coloured her cheeks. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t how - It’s not that I think you’ll-” Embarrassment flitted across her features and she sharply averted her gaze, turning her head away from him with a frustrated sound.

Thancred blinked, caught a little off-guard at seeing such a flustered reaction from her, but then gave her a lopsided smile. With a fond laugh under his breath, he felt some of his own worries ebb away. Turning his body towards her, he pulled up the blanket that barely clung to her arm so it rested more securely over her shoulder, then let his hand settle at the small of her back. “Viana, relax.”

A couple of seconds passed before she exhaled slowly, her shoulders slumping a little when she turned to mirror his pose, leaning on one elbow against the banister, gaze downcast and an uncertain frown on her face. One of her fingers tapped against the banister in a nervous manner before she reached out and took his hand between hers.

“What I meant is that I have no experience with these sorts of relationships either,” she finally said, her tone even and measured, like she’d thought each word over. The feeling of her trailing slow, random patterns over his palm that left a tingling sensation in their wake, but he kept still, his other hand having fallen to rest at her hip. A look of weary amusement flittered across her features, “Casual encounters, yes, though those never seemed to be particularly satisfactory.” Her fingers stilled, and she just held his hand between hers, enveloping it in her warm grasp. “But there was never that… trust, to let someone close for something more long-lasting.”

The weight of her words settled in his chest. Swallowing thickly, Thancred curled his fingers around her hand and raised it so he could brush a kiss to the back of her fingers. Wherever this between them went, for however long she wanted him by her side, he’d rather the gods struck him down on the spot than ever risk hurting her. “I suppose we’ll just have to learn together then,” he rasped out.

Viana laughed quietly under her breath as she moved to cup his jaw with her free hand. “I’m willing to,” she replied gently. A warm sense of contentment swelled up in his entire body when she lowered her head to rest her brow against his - there were no urgent tasks to see at this moment, no need to do anything to rush things. Humming, he slipped his hand beneath the blanket to wrap his arm around her waist, relishing in the warmth radiating off her through her thin shirt. Slowly, he nuzzled his nose against hers, soaking in the moment, before capturing her lips in a tender, lingering kiss. There'd been so many times that his traitorous dreams had fed him figments and shards of what it’d be like to kiss her, to hold her close, that part of him still reeled at the knowledge that he was welcome to do so now.

He could feel her smile against his lips, her thumb brushing over his cheekbone while her other hand slipped out of his grasp to settle on his shoulder. With a dull thud, the blanket fell to the floor, but she made no move to break away from him. The kiss melted into another, then one more. A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold night air rolled down his spine, and he subconsciously tensed his fingers, pressing them into her back, his other light on her hip. After all these years without much physical contact, his entire body sang with satisfaction at feeling her body settle against his - not accidental brushes while they sparred or went about their daily business, but comfortably leaning her entire frame against him. When they finally broke apart, the stillness of the night settled around them, and Viana moved her arms to rest around his shoulders.

It took all he had to suppress a shudder as he pressed his nose against the crook of her neck, his thoughts fuzzy and disoriented, merely relishing in having her close, of being enveloped in her embrace, warmth and scent. If only he could stay like this with her for many more hours, just holding her and being held in turn.

“This is nice,” she finally whispered.

Thancred chuckled and gave her hip a small squeeze. “Glad to hear I am not too out of practise after all these years.”

Viana laughed under her breath, but made no move to break the embrace, not even when he a few moments later felt her shiver.

As if to remind him of where they were, the cold night air nipped at his skin, and he realised she was in just a short sleeved shirt. Concern stirred him to turn his head and press a kiss to her neck. “Do you want to head back inside?”

Immediately, she leaned back from him, her expression apologetic. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you from your sleep.”

With a low laugh from deep in his chest, Thancred shook his head and rubbed his thumbs against her waist. “You’re not, darling.” Then he leaned down, picking up the blanket from the worn out timber floor. When he straightened back up, he slipped his hand into hers and guided her over to the simple bench that was pushed up against the wall, the lantern perched on one end of it. “I’m not opposed to staying out here for a little while with you, ” he explained with, what he hoped, was a charming smile. Twelve, he felt so rusty.

There was an amused, affectionate glint in her eye as she accepted his invitation, and they settled down together, the blanket large enough to wrap around both of them.

“Comfortable?” he asked.

“Mhm,” she replied, just as her hand found his beneath the blanket and laced her fingers with his.

“Good,” he whispered, squeezing her hand. Despite the nervous simmering energy that lingered in his stomach, in the end it felt so… easy, knowing that his touches were welcome. No pretenses were needed, no sugar coated words to vye for her good graces or that game of measured and careful touches to tempt and seduce. Just the slow, timid return of the companionship he had missed so dearly since he’d been torn to this world.

He knew her. And for all his faults, she had accepted him, chosen him.

As they sat there, shoulders pressed together, quietly speaking about things that did not pertain to the labours that lay ahead of them, while staring up at the stars twinkling so far above, he felt himself relax, a small smile playing on his lips. There were other, practical things they would need to speak of - of their responsibilities as Scions, their pasts, and experiences - but those could wait for a later time.

After all these years, he could let himself just enjoy this small moment, as it were. Duty would call soon enough for both of them.

#thancred #thancred waters #thancred x wol #ffxiv #my writing #IDK guys #it is what it is #sometimes you just want to finish something

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oh-for-fic-sake · 4 years

Text

Billionaires Bae-by

Masterlist

Warnings: Adult content 18+, slight smut, swearing

A/n:Right I'm not 100% on timelines but I'm making it up to fit in around my characters lives ect. Hope you enjoy xx

The time has come for you to become public knowledge, luckily Bruce calls in a friend to help.

Billionaires Bae-by

You woke up with a start to the screech of a high pitched ringtone confused and bleary eyed you looked around finding yourself on Bruce's side of the bed alone rolling over on the massive bed struggling, arms and legs flaying about doing your best impression of a swimmer to make your way to you phone on the side table as the soft mattress and thick covers swallowed you. Just as you reached your side of the bed then silence the phone had stopped. You'd missed the call. You hung your head sighing until you heard Bruce speaking. Looking over you saw him sitting on the small love seat looking far to handsome this early in the morning, smirking shaking his head at your antics answering his phone. You pouted you'd moved for nothing, and now you were in the cold side of the bed. You huffed slumping onto your back spreading out under the covers.

"...Today?...Yes that'd be great.....thanks Clark " he hung up shaking his head at you as you pouted at him sleepily.

"Not funny" you groaned snuggling into the comforter debating weather to get out of the bed or not. Bruce's bed was far too comfy if you had your way you'd never leave it, tho you dare not let him know that something tells you he wouldn't protest probably encourage it. You pulled the cover to your face breathing in a scent that was just him, it was a mix of the fresh smelling cologne he wore and a distinct musky scent of the man himself. He sat on the bed leaning over pulling you across the bed to him by your wrists you rolled half way on your front propping yourself on your elbows stretching up for a long kiss he grunted sucking your tongue into his mouth a little before pulling back.

"Good morning babe"

"Yes it is. Sweets" you giggled sitting up fully yawning and stretching he got off the bed taking the belt he had hung over the love seat and pulled it through the loops buckling it. You licked your lips unconsciously as he looked at you through the top of his eyes grinning. Then a thought hit you.

"Where did you go last night?" you asked he tilted his head at you. You'd noticed since staying at the manor that he didn't get much sleep. Maybe three to four hours a night. He normally slipped out of bed somewhere between nine and ten then didn't return until around five or six am, it was concerning, when you asked Alfred he had just given you a vague answer ,about work emergencies and stress then that Bruce had had trouble sleeping since his parents and that he was probably leaving the room so he wouldn't wake you as well. All valid reasons you supposed letting it go but you would like to hear it from Bruce himself. He looked up sighing looking a little guilty and seemed off.

"I'm sorry did I wake you?" he asked sitting back down on the bed slipping on his shoes you shimmied down onto the floor and padded around to him softly ruffling his hair moving to cup his face caressing the small scruff he had.

"No... I noticed you were gone when I used the bathroom.... is everything ok?" you said calmly, he tilted his head kissing your palms one by one then held them in his own.

"Yes .....I just have problems sleeping... at first it was nightmares of ...well you know.. then it just became a habit I cant seem to shake... sometimes its to do with work and stuff but I found that I don't need as much sleep anymore." he admitted you could see he was uncomfortable so decided not to pursue it you were satisfied for the moment he would tell you when he was good and ready. You grinned at him

"That's a relief I thought it was my snoring that had drove you away" he bellowed a laugh wrapping you up in a strong hug around your hips holding you tightly against him you winced as he pressed against the marks he had left yesterday.

"Baby loosen up a bit would you... hips" you said he immediately loosened his hold pressing his face into your chest giving a fleeting kiss to each nipple making you jump as they to were still tender and slightly swollen from the past few days of his insatiable ministrations. Smirking he brought his hands up rolling them on his palms making you squirm as he dug his face between your breasts licking over deep purple and blue marks he had sucked into your cleavage just as your breathing started to become harsher pants he retreated completly with a smirk as you leaned forward unconsciously then snapped out of what ever lusy haze he had placed on you chuckling with a hard squeeze pushing you away from him lightly patting your bottom.

"Come on you time to get dressed Clark will be here soon for the interview."

"What he's coming today?" Bruce nodded

"Someone took a photo of us the other day its been doing the rounds on the internet and tv but thankfully not a lot has been in the news or magazines yet, Clark's boss heard and has been all over him about it because he knows we know each other so Clark is coming over this morning to do it and get some photos."you gaped at him

"ok what do you mean by not a lot in the news?" he gave you a look

"Bruce? what have they said?" you asked getting a little panicked mind racing with all the possible rumors they could have started. Or worse what if somehow they'd saw you in his office you gasped freaking out as your mind instantly began thinking the worst. He nodded his head to the small side table by the window seeing a news paper Gotham gazette yesterdays copy with two photos of you and Bruce from the incident at the tower. One was from the side showing your profile more than your actual facial features with your hand on his chest trying to calm him down as he spoke to the guard it showed clearly that he was angry with the man, the other was much clearer a face on shot of you both, you tucked into his side as you made your way to the elevators. The headline read 'Billionaire Bae-by' you took a deep breath no one saw what you'd done in the office. Reading the first few lines of the article. They didn't have much info just that someone had gone to the tower and whilst being escorted out Bruce had come down scolded a security guard and secretary then disappeared with the woman, the rest was just contemplating your identity with words like model and personal assistant thrown in here and there. In a way you were flattered. You felt Bruce walk up behind you placing a hand on your back rubbing small circles.

"Are you ok Sweetsq? don't worry everything will be ok. I've already got Mary and security looking into who took those photos it will all be sorted I promise." you snapped out of your hectic thoughts and scoffed throwing the paper back down

"Bae-by really? they get paid to write for a living and that's the best they got? honestly I'm just happy there's not photos of us in the office" he huffed kissing the back of your head

"Well other tabloids have dubbed you the new queen of Gotham, maybe that's more you? personally I'd say princess well after yesterday at least" he wiggled his eyebrows at you when you faced him you almost didn't take the bait but looked soo pleased with himself you couldn't let him down.

"Oh year and why is that?" he swallowed at the look you gave him

"Well your my little pillow princess" he said as matter of fact grinning you gaped at him shifting on your feet.

"Excuse you!! them water jets were powerful I couldn't move you-you fuck!" you growled out stomping away from him making him laugh out loud apologizing as you made your way over to where your bag had been the previous night stopping short.

"Babe wheres my stuff?"

"In here" he said pulling out a drawer in the dresser beside him.

"And some is in the closet your makeup is in the vanity in the bathroom, I didn't like you living out of a bag so had Alfred move it this morning while you slept." you looked stumped at him slightly touched at the implications.

"You didn't have to do that." moving towards him looking in the drawer seeing a majority of the clothes that jack had brought over for you. You grabbed your long royal blue roll neck jumper and black crushed velvet leggings with your undies.

"You best get ready Clark should be here soon" Bruce commented kissing you then making his way to the door

"You never did tell me who he wrote for."

"Oh he writes for the Daily Planet any way I will see you down stairs in a bit" he left as you tried to wrap your head around what was about to happen.'Daily planet?' Now that was a big deal, it was a bit nerve wracking letting everyone see you , know your name and step into the spotlight but at the same time you trusted those around you, and most of all you trusted bruce he wont let you fall. Making your way to the bathroom having a quick shower not washing your hair as Jack didn't bring your hair dryer and you had no idea where Bruce's one was or if he even had one. Slipping out you quickly threw on your outfit before standing before the vanity your small makeup bag on the side.

'do I got full face or light?' you debated you didn't want to slap a ton on your face too much could go wrong yet there was going to be photos. You decided to play safe and do your normal daily make up of eyebrows and eyeliner reassuring yourself that Bruce loves the way you look with of without. You left the room making your way downstairs hearing Bruce and Alfred talking to someone turning the corner you saw a tall broad man with black hair Bruce's face lit up.

"And here she is now Clark this is Y/n my girlfriend, Y/n this is Clark the reporter I was telling you about." Clark turned to face you smiling a dazzling smile his bright blue eyes shone impossibly bright, he was very handsome in the clean cut boy next door way. You nodded smiling shaking Clark's hand.

"Its nice to meet you, Thank you for doing this .. I've got to admit that I'm nervous about all this so you'll have to bare with me." Clark shook his head watching as you and Bruce seemed to have a pull that tugged you towards one another.

"That's no problem Bruce is a friend we go way back, and you have no reason to be nervous I will send you a copy of my article before it prints and will only write what you ask me to, I understand that you have concerns over your younger brother?" you nodded already liking the man he seemed trustworthy.

"Yes I don't really want him to be included to much... for his sake" Alfred interrupted

"I've set up coffee in the front sitting room if you'd like to make your way through." Bruce nodded thanking him and made your way to the room to conduct the interview. Once you were all settled with your drinks Clark began.

"So your Y/n Cooke?" you nodded shyly sitting tight against Bruce

" If you don't mind me asking how old are you?" you cringed waiting for the judgmental scoff as you stated your age.

"25" he nodded not giving any judgmental indications over your age or bringing up the age gap he just wrote down on his note book.

"And how did you meet ?" you were grateful when Bruce answered making the decision of how much to let people know, he had more experience with these things.

"Damien has been having his best friend from school over for a few months who happens to be y/n's younger brother, he couldn't stop gushing over her so I known of her for nearly seven months before meeting her. We actually met at Damien's school just over 3 months ago there was an incident that has since been dealt with but it involved both Damien and Jack." he smiled down at you.

"She came into the waiting area fretting over both of the boys like a mother hen and I was instantly drawn to her, the way she ignored everything around her instead focused solely on making sure they were unharmed and finding out there side of things."

you blushed continuing.

"I was hounded by Damien for months about coming over to meet Bruce but always brushed him off. But I distinctly remember being mortified when met him, I hadn't realized he was there. I sat down and noticed Bruce had been watching me the whole time. Then he backed me up when trying to sort things out with the principle in the office .. I was shocked but very grateful to him." Clark nodded writing everything down as you both recounted your meeting.

"So you met at the school?for a meeting? that's unusual could you elaborate?" you looked to Bruce who grunted at Clark

"Don't push it, there was a few issues the school had..... overlooked shall we say. For some months, Y/n walked in and set them straight. It has now been sorted. I was impressed at how she dealt with it and invited her out to lunch and we have been together since" he explained you relaxed a bit when he skipped the whole avoidance thing. Clark took a sip of his coffee and turned to you.

"So if you don't mind me asking about your brother? your responsible for him"you shifted uncomfortably.

"I-I am err can we not include to much about Jack? please?" you looked from one to the other

"Its ok I wont include to much just weather your his legal guardian, honestly I probably wont include it to much.. its mainyl to give context to why it was you there and not your parents." Bruce froze seeing where this was going. It has only been recently that you'd informed him of how your parents had died and he knew discussing it would cause upset on both sides he gave a growl of warning.

"Clark don't-" you put a hand up stopping him

"I will tell you the circumstances because your a friend of Bruce's but I'd rather you leave the details out is that fair?" Bruce tried to protest but you waved him off.

"Bruce its fine" you said as Clark nodded looking at Bruce strangely he got the feeling that his reaction wasn't just for you, nevertheless he nodded agreeing to your terms.

"My parents went on a day out, having a romantic trip just the two of them whilst Jack was at school, they were visiting the place's that were special to them where they met, first kiss that sort of thing it was for their anniversary. My dad had booked dinner at the restaurant that they got engaged in as a treat ,mum didn't know that bit he wanted to surprise her....they never made it tho...they.... it was the day of the metropolis disaster needless to say they didn't survive. I was away at college at the time. I had just turned 20, I dropped out that day packed my bags and come back home to Gotham and became Jacks legal guardian and have been looking after him since." you took a deep sigh it was five years but it was still fresh in a sense, luckily you had Jack to focus on and you pulled through it all because of him. You had to be strong for him. You will never forget that day tho, you had phoned over and over desperate to here from them hoping that they hadn't gone, you missed all your classes packing , you just had a gut feeling that you had to go home. When you heard nothing you left and was home in less than a day Jack had stayed with a friend that night, it took Four agonizing days but finally they had been confirmed as some of the casualties you broke down. It was just a devastating case of in the wrong place at the wrong time. With everything that happened in those few days looking back on it was still hard. You looked up again and was startled at the look Clark had on his face. His blue eyes darkened it was like a shadow had fallen over him, he looked absolutely devastated, wracked with guilt for some reason.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... if I'd have known I'd-" as he trailed off you looked a little confused then remeberd he was from metropolis he probably would have been there. You smiled softly at him.

"Hey its fine I'm ok Jacks ok, no ones to blame, we all have to go sometime It was there time. but they were together and that is a small comfort" Bruce watched quietly knowing how Clark had felt about the whole incident.

"You don't blame anyone? not even superman?" you tilted your head contemplating before leaning back against the loveseat you and Bruce occupied finally shaking your head.

"No. no I don't.. he didn't ask them to come here and fuck shit up.. not like he sent out an invite.. hell no one did I mean they threatened but nobody really believed that it would actually happen. Including my parents.. why should I blame him... he stopped them and in that respect I see him as someone who saved Jack I mean Gotham isn't that far and would have been gone next jack along with it." Clark gave a stiff nod then moved along quickly.

"So you took on Jack and helped him into the scholarship program at school." you nodded to him happy that he seems less gloomy tho you suspected it was a facade.

"Since the papers yesterday some people have reported seeing you out and about together at a restaurants? and cafes? and stuff " Bruce nodded

"We wasn't to keen on being public at first wanting to see how we go, the the more we saw of one another the more serious it became, so began venturing out more and more."

"And I assume that you've met the rest of Bruce's children?"

"Yes I have I was worried at first especially about meeting Dick and Jason, I thought they would disprove of me and Bruce's relationship because of our ages but I was proved wrong they are happy as long as their dad is happy and have both welcomed me with open arms." Clark jotted a few notes then came to the final question.

"and finally I have to ask about the incident at the tower, witnesses said there was an altercation?" you lowered your eyes and Bruce rubbed your leg reassuringly as you took a sip from your drink letting the cup warm your hands ans tucked your feet up onto the seat as Bruce slung an arm across your shoulders you snuggled under his arm as you leaned back on him before he began speaking.

"I was partly to blame for that"

you scoffed into your cup at him and he cocked his eyebrow at you Clark watched as the couple had a small stare down and was floored as Bruce gave in first.

"What you want to explain?"he asked

"No you go right ahead and see who he thinks was the cause of that cave man" you said gulping down another mouthful of coffee Bruce sighed

"it was my fault" you smiled giving an exaggerated nod. He rolled his eyes at you gripping your knee as you laughed.

"Once I got into the office I saw that I only had 2 meetings and would be finished before lunch so I invited Y/n out to lunch as she had an early finish and I made reservations. I had forgotten to have a pass ready for her at the lobby .When she arrived a member of my lobby staff failed to find her on the systems, they didn't believe that y/n was there to see me and was less than pleasant... honestly they had been extremely rude to her before calling security to have Y/n removed. Luckily I had called when this was happening and came down to sort out the confusion." Bruce explained Clark nodded.

"What happened to the staff member?"

"They are undergoing retraining for the position followed by a probation period but if all goes well they will remain at the company"

"And those are the photos we saw?" you nodded

"That one was when Bruce asked the guard who had put in the call to have me removed and the other was as we made our way to the elevators." Clark looked as you pointed out each one then smiled cheekily.

"The real question is did you make the reservations?" he asked slyly Bruce grunted at him his eyes getting darker glint. you ran a hand along his tense jaw.

"No the incident to longer to sort out as Bruce dealt with the staff involved" Clark finished writing then looked up.

"Well I think that's all, just some photos? then I will write it and send it to you for the ok before printing and hopefully be out tomorrow."

"tomorrow? that's fast" you comment

"yes well its better to get these stories done faster than normal that way we can avoid.... more fictitious articles being printed." he leaned down pulling a slim camera from his briefcase. directing you until you were sitting with your legs tucked up under your self leaning into Bruce under his arm he leaned over whispering curling his arm his hand dancing on your bicep pulling you until you felt him below his shirt smiling as Clark held up the camera ready to take some shots.

"Don't look so nervous" you pouted at him turning your head only for him to catch you by surprise with a sweet kiss you heard the snap of a camera Bruce pulled back and you giggled barely registering another camera snap before you both face towards Clark hearing one final snap.

It was later that day you and bruce were alone im the manor alfred had gone to pick up the boys, currently you were lounging around in the den watching some random film playing on tv when Bruce's tablet chimed signalling he had received an email from Clark the article was done.

"That was quick how'd he even get back to metropolis so fast?" He shrugged

"Well you'd be surprised how fast journalists can move.. especially this one" you let out a breath creeping up behind leaning over the back of the sofa peaking at the emailed attachments as he opend them, there was two attachments the first was a front page draft with a blown up photo of you're and Bruce's kiss with the headline 'Gothams New Power Couple' and a small a note 'Our exclusive first interview with the new couple' then the second page was one large page dominated by a photo of you and Bruce face on, you smiling Bruce smirking at you curled up against him and another smaller one of you giggling up at Bruce. You peaked over his shoulder staring at the tablet smileing.

"I like that photo, the big one on the second page" you stated he looked up at you before returning his gaze

"Yes its a keeper... I will get us some copies" he then motioned for you to sit. You did scurried around next to him waiting patiently.

"I'll read it to you. Ready?. " you nodded

"It is official Bruce Wayne is off the market ,he has finally been tamed! I was lucky enough to be invited to Wayne manor for an exclusive interview of Gothams next power couple and was pleasantly suprised. Mr Waynes new mystery partner is not what anyone would have expected. And I can reveal the woman as Miss Y/n Cooke A bright and polite young woman who is mature despite her young age due to her raising her younger brother for the past few years after her parents sudden passing. The couple could not seem to keep away from one another during our interview stealing glances at one another laughing and full of banter ,gravitated towards each other in a way I've rearly seen as they both recounted how they met then explained that they have been secretly dating for nearly four months. The couple met at Mr Waynes sons school where Miss Cooke's brother also attends. They were both invited to a parental meeting and sparks few instantly resulting in there first date, and they have been dateing ever since, being spotted out together in various locations across gotham the past few weeks in particular building up for a big reveal,most recently being photographed together in Wayne Enterprises in the city. Miss Cooke explaind that the photos arent all what they seemed,she went on informing me that she had been invited on to a lunch date with Mr Wayne only to be stopped by some members of staff and eventualy escorted out by security causeing Mr Wayne to intervene resulting in the photos that have previously been leaked on social media. After interviewing Mr Wayne on serveral occasions this is the first time I have seen him this passionate about anything, I saw during my interview a genuine romance that I believe is destined to be a happy ever after for the billionaire business mogul." You smiled a bit shocked at the way Clark had managed kept his word by skipping details yet still gave the media all the answers they wanted, he'd kept Jack out of it for the most part and also sidelined the issues with the school. All in all you thought it was a clever article. Bruce smiled at you.

"What do you think?" You asked apprehensively not really sure if it was good enough having not done this before. He nodded his head

"He is very clever,thats why i called him he has a way of not given any real indepth information but making it sound like he has. He has given enough to satisfy the media. He was a bit sappy at the end but its his way of saying he is happy for me. So you want to let him print it?" You thought for a second. It was a big step in the relationship. But then again he was doing this for you, so you wouldnt have to hide or be made to feel the way you was at the tower. This was so you could both have the freedom to be a couple anywhere. You grinned at that.

"Yeah I dont have any problems with it, I dont see how I could get to much backlash from it... do you?" He shook his head at you before quickly emailing Clark back that it was fine and asked for copies of all the photos ,he wouldnt admit it to you but his favourite was the photo of you giggling and it was going in his office at work... and a copy was going to make its way in the batcave somewhere. He snapped the case closed on his tablet and threw it on the other side of him pulling you to sit on his lap.

"So tomorrow is the big day then... I cant wait until everyone knows your mine." He growled out kissing your shoulder watching the tv you grinned sarcastically.

"Isnt that supposed to be my line?" You leaned back with a calculating look you tilted your head to kiss under his jaw before biting down then lowered your head biting and kissing at his neck, he continued to ignore you watching tv so you upped the anti he furrowed his brow lightly slowly realising what you was upto when he felt you tightened your ass muscles hissing when you sucked harshly rocking on his lap clenching and unclenghing on him whimpering gripping his muscular forearms you felt him twitch below you an insistent prod on your bottom as you gyrated on him. He looked down lust written across his face.

"Are you really ready for me?" He grumbled you looked at him innocently slowly moving his hands from your inner thighs to your hips. you smiled up at him innocently licking your bottom lip befor biting it.

"the question is Mr Wayne are you ready for me?" he groaned wide eyed as you pushed down harshly feeling managing to wedge him between your cheeks lightly and continueds moving he cried out balls aching as he strained against you quickly found himself fully erect rubbing up against you, spinning you straddled his lap squeezing his waist with your thighs pulling one of his hands to your mouth nipping at his pointer and middle fingers lathering them with kitten licks before sucking on them sharply scraping your teeth lightly over them as you pulled back before you pushed forward keeping eye contact , his eyes traced over your face watching with baited breath as you took them deep into your mouth managing not to gag as they past the back of your mouth then pulled them free leaving a small peck on the tips of his fingers. he gulped feeling lost as you pulled back vey pleased with youself he tilted his head at you clearing his throat.

"wh-what are you doing sweets?" you stood leaning down pulling him by the collar forward leaning in as if to kiss him changing direction at the last secodn to whisper in his ear.

"Me? Nothing, apparently I'm a pillow princess" you said before dodging his reaching hands just skimming you as you ran out of the room laughing all the way. He gave chase making you as you grabbed the stair rail turning tight flinging yourself up them as he followed closely hearing him curse as he his hand thumped the post hard when he copied you. Squealing you tucked your bottom underneath you as you heard him catching up fast as you both climbed the stairs he captured you halfway up the stairs pushing you into the wall kissing you. Making you shiver at his quick tongue licking into your mouth moaning at the taste of his tongue. he pushed you tightly against the wall by your shoulders towering over you growling bringing his hips to yours holding you still intimately.

"You think its wise to tease me baby? you think you wont pay for that?" his words hung in the air as he dived back in kissing you. You broke away with a laugh

"well I don't think I will pay tonight at that's for sure" the front door opened and closed followed by a loud chorus of protests coming from below the four boys were home and looked disgusted.

"You have all day to fuck and you choose to have sex on the main stairs when we come home what is wrong with you?" Tim started

"To be fair she was never like this before.... your dad has corrupted her." Jack countered more exasperated then shocked by this point . Jason piped up next arms behind his head slowly making his way to the den.

"Cant argue, good sex has been known to lead women astray." Damien grunted

"Its disgusting are you trying to soil every room in the house?" He was unimpressed apparently. You turned to Bruce smirking deciding to 'poke the bear' as it were

"Not trying Damien we are succeeding first the manor then the cars right Bruce" he barked out a laugh at the faces his two youngest pulled as they boys began to bitch making you both laugh at them. Alfred entered the room from the kitchen obviously hearing some of the conversation he smiled slyly.

"Which reminds me Master Wayne I've drained the Jacuzzi and will be refilling tomorrow there wasn't enough chlorine for the job and it will be arriving tomorrow morning" you heard footsteps running out of the den.

"YOU FUCKED IN THE JACUZZI!!" Jason screamed sliding to a stop beside his brothers who were frozen wide eyed

"WHEN? I USED THAT LAST NIGHT" you looked sheepish then shrugged

"Sorry Jason.... but if its any constellation it was in the morning so hopefully the filter system had gathered any .....err excess she we say?" he paled then ran past you climbing the stairs.

"like you said good sex can lead women astray" Bruce said kissing your head making you giggle at him blushing.

"Your sick sick people! I need a shower, unless you fucked there to?" Bruce raised an eyebrow at you before teasing the teen some more enjoying this far to much

"Well yours is fine we haven't got to that part of the house yet." Jason pointed threateningly at you both speechless

"I......You ......IT'S ........NO!" then padded off down the hall. You pushed Bruce back making your way down to bottom of the stairs slinging your arms across their shoulders making your way to the den each taking a seat you sat beside Jack

"Soo we had an interview today and tomorrow there will be an article in the daily planet about how we met and such... you have been mentioned but not your name ok? and it dose mention our situation" Bruce entered afterwards taking a seat handing Jack his tablet with the email open.

"Here read it for yourself.... If anything happens or is said you-" he cast you a hesitant glance before continuing.

"You can come to me I'll have it all sorted out ok? the papers might try to approach you for comments and such but it'd be better if you didn't they will try to find a way to twist anything you say.... we're family now and I will look after you both" Jack looked from the email to you then Bruce shocked. He and Bruce have banter much like Bruce and his sons but he had felt like he was baggage to a certain extent. jack was touched by Bruce's words he let a small smile slip before covering it quickly. Giving him an accusing look.

"Family? you better not have proposed ,you need my approval for that first sunshine."

"Jack! you little shit he was being genuine" you cried diving at him knocking you both the the floor as Tim quickly snatched the tablet as you began wrestling around on the rug.

"Say sorry!"

"Fuck no!!"

you continued as the others laughed at your antics.

"No no....y/n...... the chin not the neck... yes there the soft bit..... that's it!"

"OOWW! WHAT THE FUCK? WHY DOES THAT HURT SO MUCH" Jack cried as you followed Damien's suggestion.

"Damien! stop encouraging her!" Bruce ordered. .

"I'm not even going to ask" said an unamused Jason as he swept into the room stepping over you and Jack who were still rolling around locked in a grand battle hair damp from the shower he'd just had. This new family was a bit mad but it was yours and you wouldn't change a thing.

Taglist

@125bluemachine125

#batmom imagines #bruce wayne imagine #batman x y/n #bruce wayne x reader #batman x reader #dc x y/n #dc x reader #bruce wayne x y/n #bruce wayne x you

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lemonietrinket · 4 years

Text

Dreams Come True ||| Johnny x MakeupArtist!Reader

summary: johnny is kind to all the members of staff, and so you believe that he thinks no differently of you genre: fluff, tiny bit of angst but you have to squint, some more heated elements its john warning(s): slightly more inferred heated elements than i usually make, but otherwise none word count: 2189 song(s): ambience an: sorry anon for the wait! this really wasnt supposed to be long, i literally wrote it in my drabble format, and throughout it genuinely felt like it was only 1k words but... yeah. im not changing the format tho no sir. i havent the patience lmao

fem!reader

~~~

the beat of the bass bounced from wall to wall, thumping over the air at the stage and all the way through to the small room you and easily twenty others were mulling around in. a long time ago, the inability to see around the throngs of people—no matter if you knew them or not—would have unnerved you. but now, despite the way you had to curl over the counter of a vanity to make space for the other stylists, you felt at home. because even with your back to the wall, the vibrations running their unnatural fingers along your spine, the gentle smile of an even gentler giant was mere inches from your own, and it left you no option but to be enthralled by nothing but him.

he was grinning despite your repetitive comments asking him not to, as you extended the brush towards his cheeks—probably because you’d said them through small giggles of your own. it wasn’t your fault that his jokes were funny. he had the comedic timing of a god, teasing the others in such a way that it was impossible not to smile... right? he was too gorgeous to block out, but there was no way in hell you would admit that.

“what?” he enquired teasingly, eyebrows raising beneath the fluttering fingers of the hair stylist stood behind him.

you rolled your eyes, applying more colour to your brush just so you had an excuse to avoid his gaze. you knew full well he stared at people intentionally to make them nervous. you had no idea why he did it to you though. it made you take longer with his make-up and you were already falling behind—you didn’t even have to glance at the clock to know, the fact that you were working at the same time as another stylist was enough. you prayed the smooth breeze from the window was enough to cool the blush off your face as you attempted to focus upon your work, smoothing the rouge across his skin. but it was inevitable that he would capture your attention once again, and he did so with spending barely any effort. his chin tilted upwards for you to get a better view of your canvas, leaving you able to make sure everything was blended properly, but also very nearly unable to breathe.

johnny, the only man you were practically assigned to now after you’d proven your skills during a comeback late last year, was known for caring for the staff. holding doors, giving them space, sitting down so they can reach easier because it was his responsibility that he was a damn tree. since you were practically his personal make-up artist, it was thus no surprise that you were the focus of his caring nature. however, even you were beginning to question how far his gestures went. like now—now was one of those times.

“y/n,” he began, and you immediately caught onto that tone of mischief he always had when he was about to try and catch you off guard.

you sighed, biting your lip to try and remain serious in the face of what you knew would inevitably follow. “yes, john?”

he took that as his cue. “do you mind making my lips a little more red?”

glancing away from his eyes before you could get trapped in them, you stared intently at your handiwork instead. regarding his lips, you felt your eyes narrow. they were plenty bright enough, exactly how you’d done last time. ‘you sneak,’ you thought, ‘does he just find joy out of other people’s embarrassment?’ though you had to question yourself if you were really embarrassed, as a part of you was perfectly happy to bask in the opportunity of touching his plush lips. they were so full and soft that you couldn’t help but let your thoughts wander whenever you looked at them.

when you peered up, searching for the clock on the wall, you caught the hair stylist’s stare. she’d slowed her ministrations, and was now eyeing you blankly. only below the surface was there a glint of warning. you quickly glanced away, only to accidentally to meet johnny face on. he’d cocked his head on one side, brow creased in that way that threw your heart in a loop.

“pretty please?”

caught up in his handsome features you could feel the heat rising to your face once again. as much as you willed it away, deep down you knew it was no use. you cursed at yourself in your head, why do you take everything he says so seriously. there’s no way you actually mean anything more to him than just friendly coworker.

you swallowed with a nod, letting your fingers run aimlessly through your kit while you focused primarily on thinking about something else. dwelling on the impossible would do nothing but lower your mood and you knew that. still, it didn’t mean the tiny spools of daydreams didn’t occasionally slip through. they left you dazed when you came back to the real world, as if their tiny pinpricks of imaginary light grew to the size of blinding headlights in the pitch of night. upon your return you found that your gaze had barely left him at all—as soon as your eyes trickled away, they absently fled right back to him. a circumstance that he always looked so damn happy about. dreams don’t come true, y/n.

you hadn’t registered that the hair stylist had stalked away until johnny spoke up and his words left you fumbling in the mix of your own crush and the fear that someone had overheard.

“you look so cute when you’re focused,” he’d said, grin a hair-width from a knowing smirk, eyes curved in that gentle enticement. it was as if he wanted you to fall. had you not been reeling you perhaps would have scowled. you already had fallen, you didn’t need him to turn up the anti any more than he head—otherwise there would come a stutter that your heart didn’t recover from.

“sh-shut up,” you stammered, trying to hide the jump of your heartbeat behind a smile. but as his plush lips parted into a chuckle, your mind just trundled straight back to the dreamscape it always visited when you thought of them.

truly, no one would blame you, because kissing a man like that would be one of the true wonders of the world. the flashes of a possible time, where your lips melded with his and he held you close and safe, away from the rest of the world, where no crowd could ever hurt you, were tantalising to say the least. you bravely gulped them down.

it would not last however, as johnny was on a mission, it seemed, to make you blush as much as possible. so much for feeling calm.

when you poised your hand by his lips again, he merely insisted, “how can i? with someone like you right here... i just can’t help myself.”

you very nearly choked on those threads of dreams as well as the corniness, whilst he underlined all his words with a sweet smile. the one that made you want to cup his cheeks and feel the gravity of such a person before you.

you shook your head, to abandon the thoughts as well as shake him off. he’s just trying to make you laugh. “bleghh, now shush,” you managed, praying he’d take your simple response as a sign to quit.

alas, your poor heart, he did not.

“what? do you not believe me?” you didn’t peer up and instead took advantage of the tiny pause to brush more scarlet around the corner of his lips. it was short-lived however, as they then opened in exaggerated surprise, and you only just managed to pull away before you accidentally painted a faded gash across his chin. “you don’t believe me!”

“i don’t know what you’re talking about, johnny,” you uttered, hesitantly peeking over at the clock to see the minute hand way too close to the hour for your liking.

he sighed, and had you actually regarded the entirety of his expression, you would have spotted how saddened he looked. “you don’t...? ah, y/n, how could you not realise just how beautiful you are?”

“johnny...” you tapered off. you had expected to come out in more of a warning tone, but with the seconds ticking by at an alarming rate, the elation at his words combined with the nerves and irritation at how you couldn’t do your job all combined to make it sound a lot more emotionless than its nature truly was.

“with your gorgeous smile, pretty eyes, adorable laugh, impeccable fashion sense...” he paused and you could have sworn his breath hitched in his throat, “really, it’s enough to ruin even the strongest of people around here, i w—”

in a desperate attempt to get your job done, without a single thought you raised your hand to grip his chin gently between your thumb and finger. and instantly, all the words he had been suddenly desperate to ramble in that moment were stolen off his tongue, the flirty smirk stilled.

for a few seconds you were stunned too, before the two minute call rose throughout the room like a game of chinese whispers. in a moment of sheer reflex, you attended to a minuscule patch of faded vermilion and further highlighted an extra line of shadow that in all honesty didn’t need renovation, all while your head span as you interrogated yourself and the world on as to what the hell johnny was playing at.

“there you’re done.”

your hand jumped away as if shocked by static, and you began to clean up your cramped workspace. you didn’t give a final look over your masterpiece, you knew the man could pull off pretty much anything thrown at, or in this case upon him. but he didn’t respond, and it was the uncharacteristic silence that brought out just enough confidence within you to turn your head towards him once again.

you find his honey eyes wide and a small and silent gasp upon those very lips that had said all those confident, sly things. his fingers were tentatively brushing against where yours had been, as if tracing the petals of a rose.

“i-i would know,” he finished out of the blue, expression still in his stupor.

“sorry?”

johnny’s pout was truly something to behold, and it was now different now. as the light in his eyes softened, he murmured just loud enough to be heard only by you over the chatter of staff and bandmates alike, “weren’t you listening?”

tracing backwards through the amalgamation of chaos that had been the past five minutes felt like it would take hours. somehow though, as in the peculiar nature of all thoughts and memories, you managed to trace back just far enough, for enough to fall into place piece by piece. and as soon as a part of the jigsaw was revealed, the wider picture came into focus. despite your own sheer disbelief.

“i... ruined you?”

he laughed sheepishly then, hand finally moving from his jaw to the back of his neck, the consideration of not ruining his hair style clearly skipping his mind. “well... in all the best terms of the word, yeah.”

silence filled the space between you, leaving the ruckus beyond to only grow and seep into your ears, like the cold of autumn through a forgotten window when the music stopped playing. instinct drew you forward then, as if it were pulling upon strings of fate. your hand twitched in your lap, ready to lift and hold him again, and it was as if both of you forgot where you were—johnny moved forwards in his seat much like you did.

but then came the frantic yell from the doorway. “johnny, what are you doing?! you’re on stage in literally thirty seconds—!”

the man swept to his feet, making sure to draw his face as close to your ear as he could get away with under the suspicious eyes of the staff surrounding you. you would argue that there was no way that could ever be construed as meaningless, but in the moment there was no way you could care.

“you’ll help me get this all off, right? after?” he asked, before he leant back.

you had offered him nothing but a smile, but he knew the gleam in your eyes. it was one of intrigue, one of excitement. with a final glance down to your lips, your crush strode off and out of the room, leaving you with a dozen pairs of eyes all focused intently on you and the bright grin on your face.

you cleared your throat, covering your mouth with the back of your hand as you nodded an apology to them, you hadn’t meant to make him late after all. but nothing could quell the joy that pulsed through your veins, and so you excused yourself for a small break outside to gather your breath in the cool night air.

maybe dreams do come true after all.

~~~

an: i dont like this. not one bit. i really struggled to write it bc creativity hates me so im really sorry :(( i hope ill edit it soon, for the benefit of everyone :/

also... im aware that the ambience isnt specific to the scenario right here, but—as much as i love the idea of the videos og scenario—this is the closest thing i could find to what i was after :(( please imagine more chatter with it

also can you tell i know nothing about makeup? ha

Masterlist

~~~

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teddybeckham · 3 years

Text

charles melton, cis male, he/him, silver hey have you seen TEDDY BECKHAM ? HE let me borrow his PAINT BRUSHES . oh, you know them! they’re 27 and they’ve been at Roy G. for THREE YEARS. They are known to be a total SCORPIO. no wonder they’ve picked up the nickname THE BLACK SHEEP ! i’m surprised you haven’t heard them blaring STACY’S MOM BY FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE all night. they remind me of PAINT SPLATTERED JEANS, A LONG TIRED SIGH AND GETTING HIGH AT 3 AM. anyway, let me know if you see them ! (rachell, 23, she/her, mt, n/a).

ok hello omg im rachell and this is my lil shit teddy who just needs love ok? i haven’t gotten to play him in awhile and i’m really excited to play this new kinda version of him here?? this whole thing maybe kind of all over the place cuz we’re kinda figuring it out as we go lol but yes pls love us, this whole post is a lot so i apologize im--

tw cancer, tw death, tw depression, tw alcoholism

teddy was born november 3rd, 1993, as an only child, and though a sweet and happy kid he had always struggled with school, being diagnosed with adhd dislexia at a pretty young age causing him to learn at a different pace than the rest of the kids at his class

tho this was pretty hard on him and caused him to grow frustrated at his assignments more often than not, his mom was always there with the patient and supportive smiles, ready to give a hand wherever she could

things were ok with his dad for the most part the boy was just easily more attached his mother, it being as clear as day to anyone who knew the beckhams

it threw everyone in the small family for a loop when his mom was diagnosed with breast cancer by the time he was six, soon growing familiar with the visits to the hospital and seeing her in a way he never wished he’d have to

as the years went by and his mom now practically stayed in the hospital, the small boy was completely at a loss on how to cope, one day he had to put together a creative piece for school, and being completely fed up with everything, he just painted out everything he was feeling, not giving a shit on how it looked or what he was supposed to have done instead, completely caught off guard when his teacher absolutely loved it, saying she saw great potential in it and him, it being the first time he had actually felt good about smth in school

his mother passed away by the time he was 10, causing teddy to be a lot more closed off and withdrawn from his peers at school, growing frustrated a lot quicker, with art being the only thing that really kept him going as he even pushed his dad away as well, the pair never having been good at talking about their feelings

the death took a big toll on his dad as well, soon falling into a depression that costed him his job, at times not being fully capable of caring for teddy on his own, bringing in the boy’s aunt to help out when she could as he spiraled into borderline alcoholism....that is, until jasmine’s mother came along, slowly helping him come out of his dark place with each moment they spent together, supporting him through therapy and alcoholics anonymous

teddy found it difficult to be as happy for him as his aunt was, considering how it felt as if his mom was somehow getting replaced, let alone the seemingly perfect young daughter this new woman in his dad’s life had along with her. his dad never really took his love and passion for art all that seriously to begin with, now he had someone else to compare his son to, despite the age gap between the two and he couldn’t really stand it, causing him to give the new people in their life a difficult time at the beginning of them all getting to know each other that was pretty difficult to shake

by the time jasmine’s and teddy’s parents officially got married, the boy was around a freshman/sophmore in high school, at this point warming up more to his new step mom, able to see what his dad saw in her and over all grateful for all that she’d done for him, tho his new step sibling was still smth to adjust to, teddy being too awkward and feeling too much like he was living in her shadow to open up too much, on top of their differences with her as pretty much the golden child and him still not caring much for school and more throwing himself in his art instead of really socializing or getting to know others

fast forward to now with the 2 siblings having been in florida for 3 years, living together and still struggling to understand each other while also getting on each other’s nerves in between. their family at this point is a real one in teddy’s eyes, despite how much he feels like the black sheep when they facetime. call jas his step sister and he’ll sock you. over all there’s sm love there despite how difficult it can be to admit out loud or in general really

about him

takes meds for his adhd

there is nothing that he loves more or is more passionate about than his art, it’s his escape and his way to let out his emotions he doesn’t know how to communicate otherwise

his and jasmine’s place is filled with wips that he’ll just start cuz he got inspo, was bored, or was stressed out

kind of hard for him to sit still and can be pretty anxious but usually puts up a hard exterior so it’s kinda hard to tell

he is tired all the time, stays up too late to work on his art and relies on coffee to keep him going, someone stop him

is pretty hard to warm up to i wanna say but he’s such a lil shit and has chaotic dumbass energy but like...lowkey lol, very loyal tho, he kinda keeps others at arms length but will appreciate you sm if you become one of his ppl

can be reckless if he’s comfortable w you and around the right ppl

swears too much

extra awkward once finding out he likes someone, will be gruffer than he means to bc he’s just like ew why?

projects this sort of intimidating, confident kind of aura but is actually v insecure

trust issues *finger guns*

usually has paint stains on his jeans but he couldn’t really care less? and he’d dare someone to say smth to him about it

actual name is theodore but he hates it sm call him that at your own risk

stubborn AF and can be pretty judgmental of ppl who come off as snobby and entitled??? hates those kinds of ppl

is so so protective of jasmine despite usually being a pain to her, that’s his baby SISTER

where does he work? idek man maybe at like a tattoo place or smth, ill figure it out

#roygintro #🎨 // intro #not this taking me so long

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quietmyfearswith · 4 years

Text

narcissist {carter baizen x fem!reader} 2/3

status — ongoing series

warnings — name-calling, hint at alcoholism, attempt at angst

word count (without the lyrics) — 1,904 words

a/n — so this is for @baezen’s the other guys writing challenge and my prompt was alcohol is the only constant in my life; tho in this one i didn’t mention it i like to think i was able to reflect the prompt.this is based on narcissist by no rome ,, listen to the song here if u want ,, feedback is appreciated and hope u guys have a lovely day !! :> y/f/n = your full name

masterlist | series masterlist

Stay out late, I just wanna get stoned

Telling all your friends that I'm never at home

And my face filling up with blood

But you're still saying they don't like your bourgeois

Surprisingly, the meeting with the representative from Eichner Enterprise went well.

The rest of the day seemed like a blur to Carter that is until he came back at 2:00 in the afternoon after having his lunch. “You have a 2:45 pm appointment at this address,” Y/N informed him as she prevented him from entering his office. Carter looked down on the piece of paper she held and looked at her oddly as he looked up at her — she never informed him this late of having a prior appointment with anyone.

“And I’m only hearing about this now because?” Carter might have sounded rude and discourteous, but in his defense he was simply mirroring the cold tone his assistant used on him. Which, thinking about it now, was not the best way to repay her for her efforts in keeping the company together, and if he was being honest, she was the glue that prevented him from crumbling down and giving in to his negative thoughts and going insane.

Y/N wasn’t fazed or didn’t flinch upon his reply and instead put a hand on her hip, “They suddenly became available and this is an appointment you were looking out for a while now.” He nodded, only then realizing how she was able to organize and plan ahead most, if not all, of his errands. “After this what’ll my day look like?”

Walking away from standing in front of him, she was now heading back to her desk to complete her work but she informed him, “You’re free to go after you meet up with that appointment.”

He nodded and debated about whether or not he should apologize for what he had said earlier. Deciding against it, he went inside his office to quickly retrieve his car keys and other items. As he brushed past her work desk, he muttered a simple goodbye to which she just curtly nodded as she typed away on her desktop.

The drive towards his destination was filled with his denial of his current state of being. He kept convincing himself that truly, there was no problem with how he was living his life and that there was no reason for him to be alarmed, right? Upon arriving at the address, Carter’s confusion increased. He was standing in front of what looked like to be a residential building.

Walking in front of the entrance, he noticed how the building seemed to be the location of some services — some doctor, lawyer, legal advice. He shrugged off his doubts and trusted Y/N’s words that he had an appointment here that he was putting off for some time. The lack of elevators in the premise prompted him to take on the two flights of stairs in order to reach room 207.

Knocking on the door, he heard someone give him permission to enter. A female receptionist immediately greeted him warmly, “Welcome, do you have an appointment?” Carter scratched his neck and looked around, trying to get a hint of what kind of appointment he was going to have. “Yeah, I believe a 2:45 appointment,” he replied meekly, which was unusual for him to sound like for he always needs to sound confident.

As she nodded, her auburn wavy hair moved along with her and quickly typed on her computer, “Dr. Richards will see you know, it’s the door to your left.” She pointed at the door to which Carter followed his gaze at and mumbled a soft, “What?” to.

Not sure what came over him, he did follow where the receptionist pointed to and found himself knocking on the door. “Hello, Mr. Baizen, come in and make yourself comfortable.” A woman kindly welcomed him as she opened the door and directed him to sit on the couch near a coffee table.

Once he sat down, the lady with salt and pepper hair immediately began to strike up a conversation, “So, how are you today, Mr. Baizen?” As she sat down on the opposite side of the coffee table, Carter noticed how she had a clipboard on her lap as she held a ballpen on one of her hands.

“Honestly? Confused. I don’t know why I’m here, my assistant just told me this was an appointment I’ve been holding back on,” he blurt out as he started to feel that his long sleeves were too tight on him, which prompted him to unclasp the top button as he settles both his hands on the arm rests of the couch.

The woman nodded and smiled warmly, “Y/N has been telling me for months how much she worried about your well-being. And that she was trying her best to convince you to see a therapist even though,” she was quickly cut off when Carter questioned, “Y/N? Therapist? What the hell are you talking about?”

Dr. Richards was silent for a few seconds, and Carter was waiting for her to admit that she was pulling his leg and that she really was a businesswoman who was interested to work with him. However, she was just really trying to piece together what was going on.

“Y/F/N is one of my patients, and I am her psychologist. You know her as your assistant, yes?” She began her explanation, Carter nodded in confirmation and as a cue for her to continue, “One of the things she usually talks about during our sessions is her worry for your well-being. That you might be abusing certain substances as a coping mechanism. She told me how she desired for you to meet up with me, in order to address your issues and other possible problems.”

After hearing her explanation, Carter found himself with his mouth wide open in shock and disbelief. He didn’t think how serious Y/N really was when she said that she was concerned about him. That she would go out of her way to clear his schedule and book an appointment for him, it made him feel something that was weird and something he hadn't felt before — he just couldn’t name what it was.

“Well I’m here now so how does this work?” he managed to say as he shrugged his shoulders. Dr. Richards smiled in surprise and appreciation, in her point of view, it looked like he was willing to comply and cooperate with her. “Let’s start with you recalling your earliest memories with alcohol.”

Coughing up the promethazine

Living like an evergreen

Sorry for the things that I've done

Now Selena won't be friends with me

I was kissing Emily

I love you, it was never your fault

(Got me like)

Nursing a scotch, Carter laughed quietly as he recalled the events of earlier.

He could not believe how he immediately opened up to Dr. Richards. How he told her that his father introduced him to alcohol at an early age and he saw it as their way of bonding. How he picked up on his father’s habits of turning to alcohol when they felt upset, confused, sad, or if he felt any emotion really. On how he fears he might turn up like him or worse. How he wants to continue to be successful in his business ventures.

Part of him is thankful for the appointment Y/N set up; it allowed him to be vulnerable and open up to someone who listened to him without judgement or careless replies. But the bigger part of him felt angry with her. Why did she think that he needed professional help or some shit?

A girl flirted with him earlier, to which he of course flirted back with. He suggested that they go back to his place to which she agreed but first she had to tell her friends about where she was going. Finishing up his scotch, he dropped a few bills on the counter, while another girl approached him.

In his distracted and preoccupied state, he asked, “You ready to go take this to the bedroom?” The girl looked taken aback, she had yet to mutter a word and yet he was already asking her to go home? Seemed like a win for her either way. She nodded and looped her arm around his and he guided her to where he parked her car.

The following morning, Y/N knocked on the bedroom door and hearing groans was her usual cue to enter the room. “Oh God, you didn’t mention you had someone with you.” She exclaimed as she avoided looking at the bed where Carter laid with his female companion and instead made a beeline to his closet to pick out his outfit.

“Selena, babe, you need to leave now,” Carter sweetly cooed to the woman beside him which was a contrast to what he wanted her to do. The girl shot up and slapped him, “Dick! My name’s Emily not Selena!” The slap added to his headache but he was relieved to see her wear her clothes from the previous night and hastily make her way out of the suite.

Carter removed the duvet from his body and stood up and walked to where Y/N was, he leaned against the wall, “You know I’m still mad about how you deceived me yesterday.” On cue, he was handed his outfit for the day as his assistant brushed past him, “And how exactly did I deceive you? I said that it was an appointment you were holding off on which is true because you scoff at the mere mention of help.”

He threw his clothes to the side and angrily snapped at her, “And what makes you think I need help huh? So what if I drink every now and then? Don’t think that equates to me having a problem!” She rolled her eyes and pointed a finger at him, “That right there is a problem! Your denial! You deny the idea that there’s a problem with how you always need alcohol! Not want, need. You deny the help I give you! You know what Dr. Richards told me following your appointment? She said that when you left you seemed a hundred pounds lighter!”

Carter’s jaw clenched and he looked cold, but he was just really trying to organize his thoughts and prevent himself from lashing out on Y/N. “I care for you, Carter,” she softly said as she was brushing her hand up and down his forearm, “I don’t want to see you lose everything you worked hard for. Or even worse, see you lose yourself.”

His heart twisted upon hearing her say that. He never had someone genuinely care about him and go the extra mile in proving so. But there was something about the unfamiliarity with the situation that made him resort back to denying this kind of comfort and care. “You’re suspended from your duties for 2 weeks.”

She looked at him in disbelief at what he said, and if he was being honest he too was surprised with what he just told her. But there was no turning back now, was there? Her look of disbelief was only visible for a brief moment before she looked at him pointedly, “Fine. I’ll forward your schedule to Melissa and the other files you need.”

The sound of her heels clicking away made him look at her retreating form, he found himself following behind her with small and slow steps. Before she exited his bedroom, he gave her one last look as she bid farewell to him by saying, “I’m not sorry about what I did. Alcohol’s not the only thing that can be there for you, I’m always here for you, Carter. But I guess that’s not what you want.”

#carter baizen x reader #carter baizen series #ceo!carter baizen x reader #carter baizen x fem!reader #ceo!carter baizen x assistant!reader #sebastian stan fanfiction #quietmyfearswith #My writing #please dont steal my work thank you #narccisist #togwc

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incorrecttwoset · 4 years

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Lesson time with Dani:

youtube

I think the lesson we all learned here today is that I probably shouldn't look down on kpop too much. But then, I have listened to a lot of vocaloid and read along with the lyrics which get pretty intense sometimes. I would give examples but Prof. Nic has gone through many a phase and I cannot remember all of them. (And some i dont want to remember)

So, lets get on with the... songs? Pieces? Lyrics? Shall we?

1. Opera: Verdi - La Travita, Aria: Sempre Libera (Always Free), Character: Violetta. Lol i seriously thought that this was a pop song I havent heard of. But when i realized how this game was gonna go, aka when they revealed that it was opera and a translation thing, i stepped up my guessing game. But like SERIOUSLY THOOOOO. Who could've known? (Probably the singer or a person who actually understands the language) But damn son. Quiz-sama ain't playin aROUND.

2. Pop: Arianna Grande - Imagine. When i read the lyrics, i knew iMMEDIATELY. Why wouldn't I when I live with a sister who blared this fucking sing day in and out. (No offense sis, no offense Arianna) But like, when i saw that Twoset thought this was an opera? Oh bOI. Thank goodness I'm great at controlling my reactions. Because fam, I would've laughed my ass off in disbelief like what the fuck. I'd understand Brett's ignorance but Eddy too? Damn. (Brett's lofi intensifies)

3. Pop: Billie Eilish - . I honestly thought that this was like- okay, my thought process had phases. First sentence I thought "okay this sounds like that one Arianna Grande song." When I got to the "set fire" part, I thought "adele?" And then when i read "burn", i thought "is this that really old song? The "and im gonna let it burn burn burn" thing?" As you can see, all my song guesses were wrong. At least I got the genre. And like me, the bois were learning. (Cue that bear grylls meme)

4. Opera: Tchaikovsky- Eugene Onegin, Aria: Ya lyublyu vas, Olga (I love you, Olga), Character: Lensky. Like what Eddy said, this one's pretty obvious. Also, "I can see why people like opera now. I'm getting old." "Why yes, I do love opera as well." I say, a not legally an adult person. But like, seriously tho. Opera is good. Granted, I havent listened to a lot and to be frank the only opera I've listened to all the way is the Magic Flute but like- its good stuff. Only thing I want is to be able to appreciate it better. (Also check out Patricia Janeckova's recording of the Doll Song. I love it, its wonderful)

5. Opera: Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor, Aria: Il Dolce Suono (The Sweet Sound), Character: Lucia. I'll admit that Eddy's singing threw me off a lil but I guessed opera. With... not a lot of conviction. Sounded like something Lana del Rey would write okay.

6. Opera: Mozart - Don Giovanni, Aria: Madamina, il catalogo e questo (Dear lady, this is the list), Character: Leporello. I thought that this was either some really obscure rap, or weird opera. I couldn't decide so I just let it play out. When I saw it was opera, I was confused. Then, I wasn't because I saw that Mozart wrote it. I swear, Mozart would make a killing as a rapper or some kind of foulmouthed idol if he was born in modern times. Also, small Edwina and Brettany cameo!!!!!

7. Opera: Bizet - Carmen, Aria: Tout Doux, Moniseur (Softly, Sir), Character: Carmen. Honestly, by this point of the video (when I watched it for the first time) I was just straight guessing opera. Although, if the lyrics were rephrased, this line could fit in perfectly somewhere in a pop song. And also, I did not expect the dRAMATICNESS of the singing when they played that excerpt. Like, wOW OKAY. I mean it makes sense for Carmen as a character... and the language they used it in... and the style of opera... okay I really can't say anything about the extraness can I?

8. Pop: Billie Eilish - No time to die. I knew it was pop. (Rhyme scheme and lyric pattern and subject matter too predictable babey) But the fact that it was by Billie Eilish was what confused me. Idky, but them lyrics givin me Taylor Swift vibes. Or Lana del Rey vibes if you slow it down and make it "dreamy".

9. KPOP: Blackpink - Kill this love. This one was sUUUUUPER ambiguous to me. It was very eloquent and poetic in a sense. But then it also gave out pop vibes. I couldn't answer though I leaned more towards opera. But when i saw that it was Blackpink's Kill this love? My brain melted out my ears. I mEAN ITS IN KOREAN ITS A TRANSLATION THING. That still doesn't excuse the fact that im very- aSDFGHJKL about it.

10. Opera: Dvorak - Rusalka, Aria: Mesicku na nebi hublokem (Song to the moon), Character: Rusalka. This one was very obviously opera to me. But dem kpop lyrics threw me for a loop man! I went opera but yall, I was dOUBTING.

11. Pop: Charlie Puth - Attention. Was there really any need to guess this one? Although, if you've never been exposed to pop music and are hearing them for the first time then thats okay. We're all learning.

12. Opera: Mozart - Cosi Fan Tutte (All Women Do It), Aria: In Uomini in Soldati (In men, in soldiers), Character - Despina. I sincerely thought that this was a really obscure rap. And I wasn't surprised when it said that Mozart wrote this opera. (His creepy smiling face tho...)

13. Pop: Justin Bieber - Sorry. Like I said in number 11, was there really any need to guess. And Brett's (albeit braindead) singing of Super Junior's Sorry Sorry is- aUGHCK MY STAN HEART. I WAS ALREADY SLAUGHTERED BY HIM WEARING THE VIOLIN BUTTON UP AND HIS ADORABLENESS AND HIS DADDYNESS OTHER NON ADORABLE QUALITIES. Ughhhhh. Jesus christ i really have to simp for Brett in each of these posts huh?

14. Pop: Taylor Swift - Delicate. I thought that this was fOR SURE an Arianna Grande song. Because of that one song with the sleep thing. But ugh, Eddy's assumption of the song was just too good not to be mentioned. (And also because i need to fill these paragraphs but like- dat voice dow) And oh gOD SEEING THEM LAUGH TOGETHER AND VIBE LIKE THAT? IM- wow look I just died of blood loss.

15. KPOP: BTS - On. Brett picking opera and falling off his chair is me. Quiz-sama. Mercy. Mercy pLEASE. Dude, translated kpop is intense.

Also editor-san was on fIRE TONIGHT. The sass was very string today. Fuck, i LOVE IT. Wait. Holy shit I just realized something. Editor-san, subtitler-san, and quiz-sama. The holy trinity of subtle twoset humor and behind the screen action. The cast is huge and i am a simp for all of them.

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flightfoot · 5 years

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Many of the side character’s stories and development in Trials of Apollo mirror and support Apollo’s own development

One of the things I love about ToA is how many of the other characters’ stories, their situations, their development, mirrors and compliments Apollo’s own development, reinforcing the story of how Apollo changes from being a selfish, arrogant, shallow, apathetic person, to one of the most selfless, humble, aware, and empathetic people in the Riordanverse.

Meg Mccaffrey

Obviously Meg’s story is the one that mirrors Apollo’s the most. I’ve already talked about this in past analyses however, and it’s so blatantly obvious I don’t want to waste time making a point that I’m sure all my readers already know. Maybe I’ll make another analysis focusing on Meg later, but I’ll skip over her for now.

Calypso

Fairly superficial similarities here. Calypso is also a former immortal who’s learning to deal with the loss of her powers (though not TOTAL loss) and being thrown into the demigod world headfirst. The emotional core of their experiences is different though, since Calypso’s whole thing was that she was trapped on an island (albeit a nice one) under house arrest for thousands of years. Apollo wasn’t really trapped like that. Even saying he was METAPHORICALLY trapped is a bit of a stretch, Zeus doesn’t seem to have been to involved in the day-to-day business of what Apollo got up to.

Lityerses

This one IS fairly similar actually. Lityerses is controlled and manipulated by his father, and it sounds like he’s okay with that - like he’s as bloodthirsty as his father is.

“Right.” He regarded Calypso. “I think I’ll keep you alive long enough to kill you in front of Valdez’s face. That’ll be fun. But this former god here...” Lit shrugged. “I’ll just have to tell the emperor that he resisted arrest.” (TDP 152)

But there are hints that maybe there’s more going on there. His muttering of “I hate that” when Midas casually mentions accidentally turning Lit to gold in The Lost Hero, him being glad that Apollo gave his father donkey ears, his casual mistreatment by Commodus - all of it gives the clues that maybe there’s a REASON for his attitude, for his behavior.

What it does NOT do, however, is hint that Lit could be a better person. None of any of the heroes’ encounters with Lit actually suggests that. That’s a leap of faith that Apollo makes, hoping that MAYBE, just maybe, Lit will be a better person if someone gives him a chance. If someone shows him kindness, helps him when they have no good reason too. He identifies with Lit. The hidden depths that Apollo’s shown as a mortal... they wouldn’t be apparent to a casual observer of him as a god. Heck, APOLLO didn’t know they were there! He’s constantly surprised at himself, at the kind of person he is now, at the sort of things he’ll do. Apollo gives Lit the chance he wants people to give himself, the sort of chance that he didn’t even really realize he needed. Showing him - showing Apollo - showing Lit - that level of kindness, mercy, and concern, when there’s no ulterior motive, showing it just because this is another person, and they haven’t really done anything to ‘earn’ compassion beyond that simple fact - that threw both of them for a loop.

In Apollo’s case, he really started appreciating others compassion in THO, when his children took him in, treated him as family, cared for him, said they’d protect him against anyone who gave him trouble.

“If anyone gives you trouble, Kayla will shoot them. Then I’ll curse them so bad they’ll be speaking rhyming couplets for weeks.”

My eyes watered. Not so long ago - like this morning, for instance - the idea of these young demigods being able to help me would have been ridiculous. Now their kindness moved me more than a hundred sacrificial bulls. I couldn’t recall the last time someone had cared about me enough to curse my enemies with rhyming couplets.

“Thank you.” I managed. I could not add “my children”. These demigods were my protectors and my family, but for the present I could not think of myself as their father. A father should do more - a father should give more to his children than he takes. I have to admit this was a novel idea for me. It made me feel even worse than before. (115)

It makes a difference here that his kids are helping him when he couldn’t offer anything back. If he’d still been a god, he wouldn’t have given their help much thought. He would’ve just thought that he was entitled to it, and that it’s not like he’d REALLY need them anyway. But this? This is different. They’re helping him just because they care - it’s not anything transactional. Apollo isn’t used to thinking about relationships this way - not for the most part anyway. His relationships with Artemis and Leto are solid, and he seems to have genuinely cared for Hyacinthus, genuinely loved him as a person, and cared for Asclepius quite a bit, but aside from that? Not so much. Certainly not caring about someone who’s practically a stranger.

This set an example for Apollo, one that he carries forwards to Lit. Lit also has never been shown this sort of kindness before, kindness when he’s at his most vulnerable, compassion without an expectation of a return, and most especially, compassion when he’s given Apollo and the Waystation residents every reason to reject him. And that compassion is enough to cause him to break down, to rethink his whole stance on life. Seemingly overnight, he changes from being the brutal, cruel killer who would murder Calypso in front of Leo just to hurt him that much more, to being a lost person just looking for something or someone to live for, to fight for. And having found it, he suddenly softens, becoming kinder, more balanced.

But it’s not really an overnight change, is it? This other side has always existed, it’s just been hidden under layers of bravado and cruelty. That’s why both Lit and Apollo are able to change their mindsets so quickly - not all the aspects of what they’ve learned is truly “new”, they just haven’t applied them like this before, or not for a long time. Apollo’s experienced these sorts of caring relationships with Leto and Artemis at least, so they’re not totally a foreign concept. I’m betting in Lit’s case that he and his sister, at least at one point in time, did truly care about each other. The difference is seeing it applied more broadly to themselves by people who don’t already know them well, and then applying it to others that same way in turn.

Piper

Piper’s whole identity crisis has similarities to Apollo’s own. She was thrown into a situation where people expected certain things of her, and she just kinda... conformed to them. Which isn’t to say that she might not have chosen them herself on her own, but she didn’t really get that choice. Now that she has the time and has had a chance to think, she’s trying to find herself, figure out who she is. Her dad being financially ruined throws a wrench into it, but both of them returning to their roots, her father seemingly having more time to spend with her - those aspects are familiar. Apollo’s now figuring out who he is, now that he doesn’t have “being a god” to define him, along with everything else associated with that. His having his godhood stolen, and only now spending time really getting to know his kids and his demigod half-siblings, along with many, many others, is like how Piper’s dad now has time to spend with her, time he didn’t have before - a silver lining in this whole mess.

Apollo’s advice to Piper seems to be talking about himself nearly as much as it’s talking about Piper.

“It’s been my observation,” I said, “that you humans are more than the sum of your history. You can choose how much of your ancestry to embrace. You can overcome the expectations of your family and your society. What you cannot do, and should never do, is try to be someone other than yourself - Piper McLean.” (265)

With how Apollo’s grown throughout the series and ESPECIALLY in TTT, this fits him as well. Apollo is more than the sum of his history, of what he has done, of what has been established by the older gods. He can choose how much of his past - and his family - to embrace, and overcome the expectations of his family, both godly and mortal, and of godly society. And he will do it by being himself, his WHOLE self, including the parts of his being that he’s been nurturing as a mortal, the compassionate, empathetic parts of himself.

Jason

Jason is a little different, because I don’t think his development, his situation parallels Apollo’s CURRENT situation, so much as Apollo’s future development. His willingness to sacrifice himself, to be the one who dies so that his friends can survive, wanting to keep secret about the prophecy so that Piper doesn’t try to stop him, so that hopefully he can keep her safe, even if it means merrily walking to his own death.... I’m expecting Apollo to get into a similar situation in TON. Though there are elements of that he’s already lived through, since he ALREADY chose Meg’s life over his own in TDP, and in TTT, he tried to conceal and downplay just how badly he was hurt to try to stop Meg from worrying as much.

Frank

Frank carries his mortality - the stick that’s attached to his life force - around with him. He’s decided that in order to lead the Legion effectively, he has to put one hundred percent of himself on the line. He can’t let fear hold him back.

Apollo’s mortality is also on the line all the time. Originally he wanted to hide away, to cower behind others so as not to die (not that he actually tended to go THROUGH with it, either because he couldn’t or he wasn’t willing to abandon them) but now? Now he doesn’t even try. He wants to live, that’s true. But he values his companion’s lives more. He won’t hesitate to put himself on the line, to commit himself completely if he believes that it gives them a greater chance of survival.

The greater parallel however comes later, with Apollo’s hypothesis for how Frank survived his stick burning up. He believes that maybe since Frank took charge of his own destiny by willingly sacrificing himself, that he was freed from his old destiny and forged a new one:

“It’s just a guess,” I admitted. “Frank went into that tunnel knowing he might die. He willingly sacrificed himself for a noble cause. In doing so, he broke free of his fate. By burning his own tinder, he kind of… I don’t know, started a new fire with it. He’s in charge of his own destiny now. Well, as much as any of us are. The only other explanation I can think of is that Juno somehow released him from the Fates’ decree.” (393)

I don’t know how plausible this explanation is. Honestly, it kinda sounds like BS to me, especially since Jason did the same thing and HE died. But what’s important here is what APOLLO thinks happened. His explanation says as much about him as it does about what he thinks happened with Frank.

Breaking free of your fate by accepting, by EMBRACING your own mortality, putting everything on the line, sacrificing yourself completely in order to have a shot of stopping your friends from being hurt or killed... it’s similar to what happened with Jason, but with the added twist that Frank survived and started a new story, free of his previous destiny.

The destiny thing is really important. As a god, Apollo’s not ‘supposed’ to be able to change or mature. The gods seem to believe that their nature is more set in stone than mortals are. But Apollo has disproven that. He’s changed a lot, and has continued to change. He’s forging his own destiny, one different than he ever imagined it could be. And maybe, just maybe, one that Zeus won’t have control over. One that’s truly his own.

Don the Faun

Don has only a small role, but what Apollo says about him - what he thinks about him - says a lot.

“Hey, Apollo, you- you know the difference between a faun and a satyr…?”

[…]

A moment later, his body collapsed with a noise like a relieved sigh, crumbling into fresh loam. In the spot where his heart had been, a tiny sapling emerged from the soil. I immediately recognized the shape of those miniature leaves. Not a hemlock. A laurel - the tree I had created from poor Daphne, and whose leaves I had decided to make into wreaths. The laurel, the tree of victory.

One of the dryads glanced at me. “Did you do that…?”

I shook my head. I swallowed the bitter taste from my mouth.

“The only difference between a satyr and a faun,” I said, “is what we see in them. And what they see in themselves. Plant this tree somewhere special.: I looked up at the dryads. “Tend it and make it grow healthy and tall. This was Don the faun, a hero.” (398-399)

Here, Apollo’s noting that the difference between satyrs and fauns are purely societal. That there’s no inherent difference between them. Like the difference between gods and mortals, mentally, isn’t that different. Gods may be more powerful, but they’re still people, like mortals are. The differences between them, psychologically, have more to do with how society sees them, and how they see themselves. Having had his godhood stripped away, this is very apparent to Apollo. Because he’s still himself. A better version of himself, in fact, but that has nothing to do with him being mortal - not in and of itself. But with the things he’s learned as a mortal. He can be a hero, truly. Because he is just as capable of such things as any mortal.

Reyna

And lastly, there’s Reyna. She too, like Frank and Don previously, broke free from expectations to forge her own path.

“My whole life, I’ve been living with other people’s expectations of what I’m supposed to be. Be this. Be that. You know?”

[…]

“But you showed me. When you proposed dating…” She took a deep breath, her body shaking with silent giggles. “Oh, gods. I saw how ridiculous I’d been. How ridiculous the whole situation was. That’s what healed my heart - being able to laugh at myself again, at my stupid ideas about destiny. That allowed me to break free - just like Frank broke free of his firewood. I don’t need another person to heal my heart. I don’t need a partner… at least, not until and unless I’m ready on my own terms. I don’t need to be force-shipped with anyone or wear anybody else’s label. For the first time in a long time, I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. So thank you.” (405-406)

Reyna thought that she was supposed to find a partner. Everyone else thought she needed a partner - needed romantic healing. Until Lester asked her out. Until she saw how ridiculous it was to let others expectations - or curses, or whatever you’d call Venus’s little prophecy - control her life.

Apollo has a similar thing going on with letting expectations about what he’s supposed to do, about who he’s supposed to be, control what he does - or did, at least. I’ve gone over that already, so I’ll skip past that.

But the romantic angle? About thinking - or having others think - that she needs to be healed romantically? That also falls in line with Apollo’s development. Apollo’s had a LOT of romantic relationships, and a decent number of them have ended in disaster. He seems to be convincing himself that some romance will “fix” things, like with how he convinced himself that getting together with the Cumaean Sibyl would fix things:

But that wasn’t enough for me. I was smitten. I convinced myself it was love - the one true romance that would wash away all my past missteps. I wanted the Sibyl to be my partner throughout eternity. As the afternoon went on, I coaxed and pleaded. (131)

But he wasn’t in love with her, not truly, or his love wouldn’t have turned to hate so fast when she refused him. He just really WANTED it to be a shining romance, one that would finally fix things.

He actually does seem to be finding this sort of fulfillment now, but not with romantic relationships - with more platonic, familial relationships instead, such as with Meg.

I’d always wondered what it would be like to have a younger sibling. Sometimes I’d treated Artemis as my baby sister, since I’d been born a few minutes earlier, but that had been mostly to annoy her. With Meg, I felt as if it was actually true. I had someone who depended on me, who needed me around no matter how much we irritated each other. I thought about Hazel and Frank and the washing away of curses. I supposed that kind of love could come from many different types of relationships. (192)

I don’t think he’s realized it yet, but in a way, Meg seems to be “washing away” his curse of loneliness, of feeling empty. Taking care of her, connecting with her, bantering with her - this is what he needed. To be a protector. To be a friend. Romance is fine, but they’re not the only fulfilling sorts of relationships.

Honestly with Reyna and Piper both taking a break from romance in order to find themselves, I think that Apollo may lay off the romance for a bit after ToA’s over, work on his more platonic relationships instead. I don’t think he’d swear it off, but maybe look for something more steady than he was before. And with the experiences he’s had as a mortal, I think he could better recognize truly serious love versus a temporary infatuation.

Final Thoughts

I really love how focused this series is on developing Apollo! A lot of aspects of this series seem geared to do that, from who the antagonists are and how they act, to the storylines of the side characters. It allows a level of development for Apollo that’s deeper and more nuanced than with any of Rick’s previous protagonists, even Percy. I look forward to seeing how Rick will conclude his development. If his writing for Apollo in TON is as solid as for previous entries, I’m sure it will be worth the wait.

#ttt spoilers #the tyrant's tomb #trials of apollo #toa spoilers #the trials of apollo #analysis #my post #apollo #lester papadopoulos

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kennedywithapen · 5 years

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I Love You

Sam Winchester x Dark!OFC

No smut tho lol ya nasties

Inspiration - My Strange Addiction by Billie Eilish

Having a ‘morning after’ with Cate was always surprising, but welcome. So whenever Sam woke up to find her still, in fact, here—he embraced it. He shifted to face her, his tired eyes finally focusing as he wrapped his arms around her.

The universe must not have wanted him to have a good morning, however, because Dean’s special knock broke Sam out of his fluffy thoughts of Cate. He groaned quietly before unwrapping his body from hers, careful not to awaken his very own sleeping beauty.

“Yeah, yeah,” Same muttered under his breath before opening the door for Dean. “What’s up?” Sam rubbed his eyes.

Dean’s glance shifted from his disheveled and tired brother to the bed. Cate slept on. “She came back.” He stated, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Cate was complex, to say the least. One moment Dean swore she’d die for Sam, and the next he’d find her leaving for weeks at a time. It sucked, to put it lightly. When she left, Sam was sloppy. He took less care of himself and spent free time in his room or the library, and threw himself into hunting. When she was present, he was happy. Truly, happy.

“She never left,” Sam smiled with a puppy-dog look that made Dean grin back. It wasn’t a face he was too accustomed to, lately.

“You, demonic little bitch, are going to tell me exactly where pretty boy is,” Cate spat at the Demon. “Because he is my pretty boy!” She yelled, her eyes were almost aflame, she was so mad. If not for the grim circumstances, Sam would have laughed at how she turned their try-hard ‘clever’ nickname effectively into a pet name while enraged.

The demon backed straight into a demon trap. Cate, without a doubt or hint of fear, walked in after it. Only Cate. She grabbed the demon’s throat and lifted them. “Well?” She said expectingly. The demon pointed to the closet Sam was peering out of to witness the scene. “Damn, i’m never going to live ‘pretty-boy’ down.” She laughed breathlessly. With a swift moment she slayed the Demon, and casually opened the closet sliding door. She placed a hand on her hip. “I was hoping you didn’t hear that.” She said, pulling off the gag and helping Sam to his feet. Once the zip ties where off his wrist, Sam kissed Cate desperately. Cate smiled into it.

“I love you.” Sam said as they pulled away. He didn’t expect her to say it back, of course. He knew it would take time for Cate to embrace a serious relationship. Also, she showed her feelings through her actions more often than words. Without flinching or even turning, she threw the demon knife into another demon behind her. The thump it made as it’s body hit the ground was the only sound heard in the small, dreary room. Cate’s eyes seemed glazed over a bit, but this sort of a reaction had been expected. “I’ll be in the car.” He smiled before leaving her, swiping a gentle thumb across the healing wound on her cheekbone.

She didn’t know how she felt about what Sam had said. She was scared of what could happen to him, if he loved her. But also- there was a distinct warmth in her chest that spread to her fingertips, the same warmth she’d felt the first time they kissed. That same exact warmth she felt when she came home after not seeing him for weeks, sometimes months. Home. Home?

She played with the meaning of home before clear-cut concluding that the bunker, Sam’s hotel room, or even the impala, was most definitely her home.

When she’d returned to said impala, Dean had reunited with them. He’d taken the top floor on their rescue of Sam from the demon’s. They made quick eye contact. It wasn’t necessarily that they disliked each other, but rather never found the time or reason to become particularly close. Plus, Dean didn’t like how she would disappear without so much as a note. He also didn’t like her mysteriousness, and how she didn’t disclose any details of her person life without being pressured or it being essential.

Of course, Sam knew considerably more than anyone else; but it still wasn’t a whole lot. He didn’t even really know where she disappeared to. He did know that he loved her, and whatever he found out in the (hopefully) near future wouldn’t change that. finding out she killed innocents would be a bummer, though. He hoped to chuck it wasn’t that.

“Dean,” Cate called, and he stopped at the door. He looked at her with a questioning look. He could count on one hand how many times they’d spoken alone together. So, whatever this was, must’ve been important.

“Yeah?” He motioned for her to continue when he was met with a moment of silence. The action was a bit too hasty, he realized. Dean gave a small smile for repense.

Cate hesitated. “I want to- ‘let Sam in’, as he puts it,” she said, keeping her eyes focused solely on the kitchen table between the two of them. “I don’t know how. I thought maybe I could tell you where I go when I leave, to take the dramatics that I’m feeling away. I’ve waited far too long.” Dean was taken-aback, but nodded and swallowed his impatience. He slowly sat down. Please say you help orphans, he silently prayed to no particular party.

“I’m glad you’ve decided it’s time.” He said. She nodded nervously. Dean fidgeted with his hands in his lap.

“I...” She started. Her eyes were tired. “I didn’t get these bruises from a hunt.” She said. Dean shot her an analytical gaze. He knew she looked in worse shape than what some vamps could do. Taken off guard his ass. He’d seen her take out more Vamps than he thought he could, only a minute after Sam had confessed his feelings to her (which seemed to have thrown her for a loop up until the point where she was in grave danger). That girl wouldn’t be caught with her pants around her ankles. She grunted as she touched her abdomen, where presumably a healing wound was. “I’m fighting a war.” She said. Dean didn’t know what he’d expected, but it wasn’t that.

“E-excuse me?” He stuttered out.

“Excused. And yes, a war. My people- about a year ago my people started being kiddnapped. Once we found those responsible, a war was waged. If we lose, we’ll be enslaved by the people who call themselves the Men of Letters.” She said, sighing. She rubbed her temples, exhausted from what now Dean knew was a goddamn war on top of worrying sick about Sam. Dean clenched his fists at the mention of what just had to be the British bitches, who were now enslaving people. Of fucking course.

“Why would they enslave you guys?” He asked, anger not quite filtered out of his voice like he would have wanted. Cate finally met his eyes.

“Because we’re a goldmine of super-soldiers, trained to fight since we could walk, with dragon blood lacing or DNA. And not those virgin-eaters I heard you hunted before; the badass kind that breath fire, and are loyal to the end of the line.” She smiled a bit in pride, but it fell when she felt Dean grow tense.

“And that’s why you didn’t tell us. Because we hunt things like you.” Dean stated. She frowned

“We aren’t monsters.”

“You’re not human.” Dean countered. “Why should we trust you?” Cate was stunned, and laughed in disbelief. Dean’s eyes didn’t hold the same compassion in them that they did moments before.

“All I’ve done is protect you guys and people you care about, I’ve never killed an innocent, and done everything in my power to save as many lives as I could; yet you throw it aside because I have a fraction of inhuman blood.” She nodded. “I can’t say I understand.”

Dean thought about it. He admitted he could have handled that much better. It was almost instinct. “You’re right, I’m sorry. Just- please give me more to go on.” Dean said. Cate exhaled and stood up, walking around the table until she was standing behind the chair beside Dean’s, looking at him as if asking permission to sit. Dean have a nod for her to sit.

“I didn’t tell you guys, because I want to keep Sam as far away from this war as possible. I’ve lost family, friends,” She said with an emotion he couldn’t quite place. Sorrow, desperation, annoyance- he couldn’t be sure. “I can’t lose Sam. I love him too much.” She said. Dean met her eyes again. It had been two weeks since Sam had said he loved her, and she still hadn’t said it back.

“You mean that?” Dean asked.

“I swear on my life.” She assured him, and Dean nodded, smiling a little on the inside. Sam has been so jittery lately, always talking about Cate when she was in the shower, or away in general. More than usual. It was like he was scared that soon he wouldn’t be able to, which Dean didn’t like to think about. The fallout of that...

The door opened and Cate heard Sam’s footsteps, which she’d memorized as soon as she’d met him, really. She had a scared expression on her face for only a moment before masking it with her usual stoic, but caring, one. Dean made a move to stand, but Cate touched his arm. He turned back to her.

“He loves you and that ain’t changing. You need to tell him everything, though. No more secrets. Not with him, at least.” Dean said sternly, but reassuringly. He left the room quickly. Despite not knowing Cate too well, he knew if he was her he’d need to do it right away, else he may never.

So she did it.

“Okay,” Sam said, accepting her story and clapping his hands together. “Okay.” He repeated.

“Okay? That’s it?” Cate narrowed her eyes. Sam looked like he didn’t really know what else to say, but just okay? She didn’t buy that there were no questions he had to follow up her insane other life.

Sam looked at her. “I’m going to help you.” Sam said simply. Cate’s fists slammed against the table. Sam flinched.

“What? No! I didn’t tell you because I want you safe from what’s taken so much from me!” She cried out, begging Sam to change his mind. “I’m not ready for it to take you too. I never will be, because I love you.” She said quietly. It was one thing to admit it to Dean, but...

The look on Sam’s face was entirely worth it. As inappropriate as it really was, he couldn’t hold back a smile as he completely disappeared in her words and what they meant.

Sam bit his lip, and almost attempted to bring himself back to the very real and important conversation they’d been in the midst of, when Cate swung herself over the table and was now sat on the table directly in front of Sam’s chair. He smiled up at her. She brought her lips to his, and for a moment there was nothing. No war, no monsters- just them.

And he didn’t care that she was bruised and batted up, never having perfectly clear skin and always having new scars pop up. He didn’t care that she didn’t know how to express her feelings quite yet. He didn’t mind it when she took seemingly unnecessary precautions to double or triple ensure their safety—or rather his safety—because he knew that these things were a part of her. It was who she was.

She didn’t care that Sam had made countless mistakes, because she knew he always meant to do the right thing. She didn’t mind when he rambled and ranted about nerdy things she didn’t care much for, because he made her care. She didn’t make a fuss when he held her tight as they slept, because he did it to show she was his (and he hers) and it made him feel safer. She didn’t care that he woke her up at ungodly times in the night after a particularly bad nightmare makes him scream, because she knows that he’s been through shit nobody should go through and is willing to put up worth the aftermath because she’s so damn happy he’s still here regardless.

They accepted each other and all their quirks and flaws.

Bonus:

“You don’t scare me, Crowley. I live with Cate. Here, watch this,” Dean smirked as Crowley stood evidently annoyed (at Dean as well as the noise of the busy, filthy camp.)

“Hey, Catey... what would you do to someone who hurt Sammy? I mean hurt.” He prompted. There was a glower in Cate’s demeanor as she paused.

She stabbed the would-be fatal blow into a poor, poor dummy, imagining it was the mystery person who’d dared to hurt Sam. She stood and collected herself .“Don’t ask questions you don’t wanna know.” Cate’s breath had a hint of smoke as she held back the true dragon in her, that was enraged only at the thought. Crowley blinked.

“Do remind me to never threaten moose’s life, mother.” Crowley turned halfway to Rowena, who’s eyes were lit up at the scene that played, absolutely intrigued at the fiery soul.

#sam winchester #supernatural #spn #spn fanfic #sam winchester x oc #dean winchester #oc fic #original female character #sam winchester x ofc #fanfiction #supernatural fanfiction #crowley #rowena mcleod

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fuctacles · 6 years

Text

BakuKiriKami Week Day2

Day 2 - Hanging out / Fighting together / Bakusquad

A/N: I was supposed to have it posted earlier but I’m in a rly bad mood recently, so I don’t know if i’ll manage to do all the prompts :/ I started writing day 5 tho. Fun fact: Michael in the bathroom went on when I started writing this, thats why

Ship: Bakugou/Kaminari/Kirishima from BNHA, duh | Rating: T bc ‘fuck’ | Wordcount: 2310 because i love writing domestic scenes

Read on AO3

The Morning After

The bathroom tiles were cold under his bare feet. He wasn’t sure at which point had he lost his socks but lying in a bathtub seemed like a bigger concern anyway. His back was all sore from the hard surface and weird position he was in.

Near his feet, propped up against the bathroom wall, there was another pair of feet. He looked to the side trying to emerge from the foggy haze of his mind and maybe remember how he got there.

Next to him his buddy Sero was splayed in all the glory of his long, tangled limbs. Between them lied two empty cans of beer. He checked himself for any damage and when didn’t find any, braced himself intending to get up.

He stopped mid-movement when the doors to the bathroom opened. Something cracked unpleasantly in his neck when he turned around in its direction.

‘Denki, idiot, I’ve been looking for you.’ Bakugou hissed, entering the bathroom. He was usually the one to drink the least but he kept his voice quiet and soft. Kaminari liked to believe it was because he was a caring friend even if he wouldn’t admit it himself. ‘You okay?’

‘Yeah’ Kaminari nodded, his voice raspy and unpleasant. He tried clearing his throat. ‘Help me get out of here though?’ He asked but Bakugou was already near him intending to do so anyway. The empty cans clattered against the hard bathtub surface, making Sero stir in his sleep, when Bakugou lifted Kaminari with no effort and put him back on his feet, a supportive hand on the small of his back.

‘Can you open the doors for me?’ he asked softly in case Denki was more hangover than he looked. He wasn’t going to leave any losers in the bathtub so after making sure his boyfriend wasn’t going to kiss the bathroom floor anytime soon he grabbed Sero to haul him up.

Kaminari felt a sudden surge of affection towards his soft spoken, reluctantly caring man. He leaned in and pecked him on the cheek. ‘Sure babe.’

Bakugou grumbled something under his breath but when he was passing by Denki holding the doors for him, he leaned in for another one. Kaminari happily skipped behind him, following him to the living room.

Their couch was unfolded into a spacious bed where Kirishima was snoring with Mina drooling on his t-shirt. Kaminari snickered at the sight while Bakugou dropped Sero next to them with all the delicacy he could muster. Then he dropped a pillow on Kirishima’s face to muffle the snoring, and grabbed Kaminari’s hand to pull him into the kitchen.

He didn’t let go when he asked ‘Coffee?’ He didn’t let go when he was grabbing mugs from the cupboard or turning on the coffee machine. When he set it on and all there was to do was wait for the coffee, he pulled him in to nuzzle into his neck with a sigh. Kaminari winded his arms around him, rubbing circles onto his back. They both were in their clothes from the night before, tired and not caring about changing or cleaning up for now. It was soft and sleepy in their little kitchen, save for the sound of coffee dripping into a pot.

‘Whaddya want for breakfast?’ Katsuki murmured into his skin, tickling his neck. Kaminari hummed in thought.

‘Fries.’

‘It’s not breakfast.’ Bakugou snapped back. Kaminari pouted although he couldn’t see it.

‘Pancakes?’

‘Do we even have any maple syrup left?’

‘If Kiri haven’t drank it.’ They both chuckled.

Katsuki pulled back to kiss him despite his protest. He was quick to melt into the kiss which made Katsuki smile into his mouth. They kissed lazily for a while, until the coffee machine signaled the coffee was ready. Then they pulled away with a quiet smack. Kaminari licked his lips, the motion followed by Katsuki’s gaze.

‘I need coffee’ he explained somewhat apologetic, before giving him a last quick peck and untangling from his embrace.

But Bakugou wasn’t having it. With a soft growl he pulled him back by his hips and planted one last slow kiss on his lips. Kaminari chuckled into it. He liked when Katsuki was getting reluctantly affectionate. Especially in the mornings.

Bakugou started making pancakes while Kaminari poured them both coffee. Black and sugary for Katsuki and with cream for himself. He leaned on the counter watching his boyfriend work on their breakfast knowing that if he sits down he may risk dozing off again.

The smell of caffeine slipped from beneath the kitchen doors, emerging further into their apartment, into the living room and around their friends sleeping there. Coffee was a magical thing that always managed to make their redhead boyfriend get up when they couldn’t. This time was no different; when the door opened they revealed a sleepy Kirishima whose face immediately lit up at the sight of his boyfriends. He quietly closed the door behind him, eyeing hungrily the mug in Kaminari’s hand.

‘Hi’ he murmured to him, immediately latching onto his mouth and making Kaminari let out a stifled groan. He held the mug further away so he wouldn’t spill it on them, while his other hand rested on his boyfriend’s hip. Then in a blink of an eye Kirishima was gone and so was his coffee, now clutched between redhead’s greedy hands and being hungrily gulped down.

‘Hey!’ he yelped but Kirishima hid himself on the other side of the table so he couldn’t reach and smiled at him teasingly from there. His soaked in drool t-shirt was gone, leaving his admirable pecs on display. His hair was in utter disarray, sticking up here, flat over there. Kaminari wanted him back between his arms.

‘You two behave, I don’t want them awake before I have enough pancakes for everyone.’ Bakugou growled from his place at the stove. Kirishima took it as his cue to give him some attention. He put the coffee on the table, from where Kaminari snatched it away immediately, and approached his other boyfriend from behind.

‘Good mornin', Blasty’ he murmured into the nape of his neck, looping his strong arms around his stomach, smelling him and the first batch of pancakes he was working on.

‘Mornin’’ He tore a piece of one of them and reached to his shoulder, where Kirishima was quick to catch it. Bakugou leaned into his chest.

‘So good.’ Eijirou sighed, peppering his neck and visible shoulder with little kisses. To his right Kaminari made himself another coffee. Kirishima’s coffee preference was drinking theirs so it was no use to make him his own. When Bakugou reluctantly nudged him out of the way, redhead grabbed his grenade mug to sip a bit of his black coffee. Then he stretched with a sigh, both of his boyfriend’s eyes on him, and announced he needs to shower. ‘Anyone?’ he looked at them playfully. Kaminari slapped him on the hip.

‘We have guests dum-dum.’

‘I’m just joking’ he giggled jumping out of his reach and left the kitchen. Kaminari proceeded to prepare the table and Bakugou kept adding to his pancake tower.

Their banter didn’t go unnoticed as soon after he left Mina entered the kitchen with a yawn and a soft ‘Hello’, Sero tailing after her with pained expression.

‘I smell coffee’ she commented, sniffing the air and eyeing the mug in Kaminari’s hand, who brought it closer to his chest protectively and then moved aside revealing the still half full coffee pot behind him. She cheered and raided the cupboard to find herself a mug.

Meanwhile Sero slumped on a chair almost putting his head in one of the plates. ‘Do you guys have yerba?’

‘Yeah, I’ll make you some just get your damn hair out of my plate.’ Katsuki appeared above him, swatting his head away from the table. He put down a plate full of pancakes. ‘Eat up fuckers and get outta my house.’

‘Me too?’ Kaminari quirked his eyebrow while Mina sat down with her coffee and grabbed a plate to load it with pancakes.

‘It’s your house too, moron.’

‘We’re not going anywhere.’ Mina piped up after swallowing a bite of syrup covered pancakes. (Turned out Kirishima drank only half of the bottle.) ‘We gotta burn the pancake calories in the Just Dance dance off.’

‘Just don’t eat the pancakes you ungrateful fuck.’ Bakugou growled, putting a yerba mate gourd in front of Sero. He thanked him, and took a long sip.

‘Katsuki, your pancakes are too good, we both know this.’ Ashido pointed an accusatory fork at him.

‘It’s just a ploy to make you fat and slow you down.’ Bakugou shrugged.

‘Just take the fucking compliment, dude!’

‘Well, thank you for being so easy to please!’

‘Ugh!’ She threw her hands in the air, while the other two listening to them snickered. Kaminari finally sat down between his friends. That’s when Kirishima decided to join them, hair damp, sweatpants and a tank top thrown on.

‘Did I miss something?’ He asked, settling on the last vacant seat.

‘Just alien face not wanting to admit she wants to crush us in her stupid game.’

‘Babe. Like you’re one to talk.’

‘You sound like you don’t want to eat.’ Bakugou looked at him threateningly. Kirishima put up his hands in defeat then motioned to zip his lips shut.

When Sero was halfway through his yerba he mused out loud. ‘We can’t just go jumping right after breakfast.’

‘What do u suggest?’ Kaminari piped up, hopeful. He wasn’t looking forward to it neither. Especially that Bakugou was getting too intense every time they played Just Dance with Mina. Kaminari was quite good at it himself, while Bakugou always got frustrated he couldn’t beat the game through sheer willpower itself.

‘We could watch a movie?’

Everyone at the table groaned. From their movie watching experience they knew it took at least half an hour to settle on a movie everyone would want to watch.

Bakugou turned off the stove, put the last pancakes on the plate, and motioned Kirishima to make room on his lap.

‘We can just roll a fucking dice, you know.’ He suggested, starting on Kirishima’s half eaten pancake while the redhead leaned on his back, arms around his middle.

‘That’s… actually a good idea?’ Kaminari grinned from in front of them, nudging one of his boyfriend’s legs with his foot. He didn’t know which one. ‘Lemme go grab a dice.’ He announced and left the kitchen to go rummage through their board game boxes.

‘Since when are you such a good mediator, Baku?’ Sero tilted his head, his hair now pulled back in a short ponytail with a hair band borrowed from Kirishima.

‘Since I started dating two dumbasses I guess.’ Bakugou shrugged, feeding Kirishima his own pancake above his arm. It didn’t look comfortable, but it worked.

‘Got it!’ Kaminari came back victorious with a yellow dice.

They took their turns rolling, Sero groaning when he got a one while everyone else let out a sigh of relief. Last time he choose a movie they ended up watching some foreign indie horror about creepy bunny Jesus. Kirishima rolled a five and when nobody beat it he whooped in victory.

‘So, what are we watching?’ Nudged him Mina. Nobody really minded his victory, because Kirishima’s movie taste was more or less like him. Loveable by everyone. He hummed in thought.

‘Uh, would you rather watch a gay movie or an old British comedy?’

‘That’s a tough one.’ Bakugou rolled his eyes.

‘The British one.’

‘Everyone who is against Sero’s choice hand up.’

Kirishima raised Bakugou’s hand for good measure, even though the gay movie would win anyway.

‘Alex Strangelove it is!’ Kirishima cheered. ‘Last time I tried to watch it somebody kept distracting me.’ He narrowed his eyes at said someone. Kaminari shrugged with an innocent smile.

‘Sorry I’m so distracting honey.’

‘Guys don’t be gross.’ Mina made a face of disgust, badly hiding her fond smile.

‘You’re gross.’ Bakugou retorted stuffing his face with pancakes.

‘Yes, yes, now let me go I’m gonna turn on Netflix, maybe check for some chips.’ Kirishima patted his boyfriend’s hips but he didn’t budge.

‘No. You’re comfy.’

‘You can sit on my lap?’ Kaminari offered.

‘You’re bony, no thanks.’ Bakugou squinted at the idea.

‘…I can sit on your lap?’ He tried again. Bakugou was silent for a couple of seconds. Sero was biting back a laugh.

‘You can go, Ei.’

Eijirou laughed, pecking him on the cheek and letting him go. Then he grabbed one of the few pancakes left and went to the living room, from where they heard the signature Netflix sound. Meanwhile Kaminari skipped around the table to settle on Bakugou’s lap with a sigh, leaning onto his broad chest. Bakugou let him for a while, and then nudged him on the side.

‘Turn around I want to eat.’

Kaminari did as he was told, looping his arm around his boyfriend’s neck and leaning on his shoulder, so he could finish his breakfast. He motioned Ashido to hand him his mug and he sipped the remaining coffee.

Ashido and Sero gathered the dishes and started cleaning them up together, Kaminari navigating them through the drawers and cupboards when they didn’t know where to find something or where to put something back. Then Sero found some popcorn and went on to prepare a big bowl of it.

‘Are we watching on the couch or on the floor?’ Kirishima yelled from the living room. The four looked at each other.

‘Floor.’

‘Yeah.’

‘I’m taking the couch, fuck you.’

‘You’ll miss on the cuddles, you know.’ Reminded him Kaminari, pinching Katsuki’s cheek. Mina took their empty dishes to finish cleaning up. Bakugou growled, looping his arms around him.

‘Fine.’

‘Floor!’ Kaminari yelled back.

#bkkweek #bkkweek2k18 #bakukirikami #bakukirikami fanfic #bakukirikami ff #fanfic #bnha #bnha ff #ff #bakukirikamiweek #bakusquad #bkkweekday2 #bsstories #kirishima #bakugou #kaminari #sero #mina #fluff

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tayegi · 6 years

Note

Lu new rules is always worth the wait. I love it when the OC stood up to him. And Jungkook being whatever he’s trying to do is leaving us in suspense. But last the scene is perfect. I can picture that scene as if I was watching a drama. Especially when she say “it’ll be easy getting over you” and turn around VERY slowly. Gosh I just want to cry cause it’s beautifully written. JK probably scare that he’s not good enough for her?JEON JUNGKOOK you get on my nerves but I still love him.

jjiritjjiritgirl said:ohmygod the new chapter for new rules is so good ohmygod like i had to pause a lot when oc was calling jungkook out for being a coward. i wasnt the one going off but DAMN that felt good.

luxinfired said:OH SHIT I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE NR UPDATE KXJABGZGQGHS Girl your writing is the best thing in the world! I love OC, she showed us her vulnerable side but then she goes and confronts Jungkook like that! That last scene was amazing, you tell them girl! Also I loved the conversation with Yoongi, I'm glad she was able to empathize with him immediately. I really want Yerin and him to find their own happiness, they deserve it~ Thank you for this wonderful piece of writing 💜

Anonymous said:jungkook a whole ass idiot

Anonymous said:Hi Lu!! U probably ddnt receive my ask from last time as well so Im writing this again! Well I just want to tell you that NR.11 WAS FUCKING AMAZING AND I'M SO SATISFIED WITH IT AND I CRIED! at first I expected OC to just yell at JK for his reaction when she confessed, thn have him tell her his story BUT SHIT SEEM SO DEEP HOLY SHIT! I feel so bad for oc and for the fact that she felt the need to say sorry? Thats kinda fucked up but I believe that's bc she was pretty shocked by his reaction[1–❄️🐰

Anonymous said:Also maybe I'm not the only one hatin' on JK, but damn boi better have a GOOD excuse to why the fuck is he being a pain in the ass, I mean.. I don't wanna judge him for his choices, but thats exactly what I wanna do BYE/ but like im pretty sure that he's been acting like a jerk to 'help OC get rid of her cancerous feelings' cuz I dnt think that he sees HER as a prob-in fact, he actually rly likes her- but he just cnt seem to accept her feelings that's so absurd.. [2—❄️🐰

Anonymous said:Like he was so happy to see her when he was with his team but once he remembered that he was supposed to ignore her he acted like he ddnt want to see her. And I really dnt know which part was he so embarrassed about when she came in calling him out in his own frat; was it bc she exposed his whipped ass in front of his we-dnt-do-feelings™ buddies? Or was it bc of sth else AMMA FUCKING SNAP! [3—❄️🐰

Anonymous said:And I really think that when OC told him that it's gonna be so easy to get over him now that he showed his true colors, like, I really think that it was a slap to his face. Cuz deep down, I dnt think he wants her to get over him and I know that shit will go down from here when the entire frat is mocking OC's speech, JM will know abt it, MJ might hear from him too AND HOPEFULLY SHE CAN KICK THE BULLSHIT OUT OF JK ONCE MORE! gosh Lu thank u so much for this amazing fic💕 u make my days😭[4/4]—❄️🐰

Anonymous said:holy mother of god wOW emphasis on the OW NR11 !!! Lu my god, idk how you've gotten me to love getting stabbed in the heart like this but !!! :,( thank you so much for updating and incorporating toxic masculinity and gaslighting into this chapter, they're such important issues and i just wish OC didn't have to deal with their effects. idk how long you're planning on making NR, all i hope for is that someone will treat OC right by the end *side-eyes JK, whispers "get it together, fool"*

Anonymous said:Thank you so much for yet another amazing chapter of NR!! I love how you write with so much detail about the thoughts of the OC when jk rejects her. For me, it heightens the emotions of the story so much and i love that I can feel what the OC feels - the initial embarrassment, the sadness, the anger. I also loved how the OC confronted JK and didn’t just dismiss her own emotions, acknowledging that they’re just as valid as JKs. Thank!!! You!!! :)

Anonymous said:hi lu! just wanted to day i love nr and that i appreciate the messages that you put in your writing. especially with the latest chapter, i relate so much to what nr yoongi is going through, and seeing that was a wonderful reminder that im not alone in this situation and that when you reach out, people will support you. again, thank you so much for writing and sharing these stories with us and i hope that you yourself have an amazing group of people who support and love you 💚💜

Anonymous said:I feel like waste it on me fits as bg music to the situation JK and OC are in after her confession in NR lol.. but anyways, just finished reading the latest chapter and wow. So many emotions. I'm so glad OC finally confronted JK, i love her fiery personality! Your writing really has me immersed in my own little bubble as I put myself in OC's shoes. Looking forward to the rest when the time comes, i'm curious to find out JK's backstory. Great work, Lu! 💕

Anonymous said:Ahh I just finished the update and its so heart wrenching. The emotions were so raw and realistic. And as hard as it was to read the pain the OC had to go through, I'm excited that either way things are moving in a new direction. She can't keep suppressing her feelings forever. Admitting feelings can be so difficult but afterwards its so freeing knowing that you're not holding anything back and being honest with yourself. I'm looking forward to the growth this will bring all of the characters.

Anonymous said:I just caught up to new rules and wow as someone who experienced a heartbreak that I never want to go through again THAT SHIT HURTED I felt the emotions of the o/c yelling at jungkook out of frustration and anger highkey wish I could’ve confronted the person that I had a relationship with in that manner yk to get it out of the system I think that way the healing is a faster process because you aren’t having an internal dialogue of what you could’ve said etc wow thank you for writing new rules! x

Anonymous said:I love the new NR chapter! It definitely hit home when you described how the OC felt after she got rejected. I love the end in this chapter. I love the OC's confrontation. I wish I could be a woman on a mission like her too. Yoongi's character got me namshooketh btw. I love how you added the lgbtq aspect into this fic. Everything about it is so realistic. And I love the gaslighting part in her confrontation so much! This is such a beautifully written fanfic. 😭❤

bekzzz said:You know what I really appreciate about New Rules. Mijoo and the Readers friendship. I love how they stuck together after everything. I also love how the reader is trying to reclaim her self esteem. I think calling Jungkook out was amazing for her. Also, maybe for him it will help him figure out his own feelings. Love is okay, being romantic is okay. It doesn't diminish masculinity or make someone weak. Thanks for this amazing update! Till next time.

Anonymous said:holy moly, new rules was eventful. i felt so much secondhand embarrassment when she was *rejected* by jk, and really hated nr jk for how he reacted... and then when oc, yerin and mijoo were together, and she felt like she needed to be the strong one. i really fucking felt that. it felt like a punch to the gut. but oc’s comments to jk really got me, and i have so much respect for her, yet pity her at the same time... as well as jk. thank you for the amazing update!! 😘 ly babe

Anonymous said:Dear god my heart was pounding all throughout that chapter lmao. How the heck you gotta get me so involved my body freaks out whenever you update New Rules? For real tho I feel for Yoongi- I know what it's like to have people be ready to ridicule and drop you for something you can't change about yourself, so that got me real good. I do hope that JK and MC are able to work themselves out they are by far one of the most interesting pairings I've read about thus far (praying for a happy ending)

Anonymous said:HOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOD! I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS! Girl, you threw me for a loop. JK's reaction was pretty close to what I thought it would be, albeit more hostile which makes me so fucking curious like BABY WHO HURT YOU?!?!?! Yoongi turning Yerin down because he's gay just wow. I had zero inclination until the second he said it and the whole conversation was just gorgeous. And that final stomp into the frat house and speech were just glorious. Thank you my love

Anonymous said:first of all i want to thank you for the new chapter, it was such a surprise since you was so busy these past months so thank you for taking some time to write. now about the new chapter... my heart was beating so fucking fast the whole time, it’s amazing how well you’re able to express the feelings of the characters and make us all (well at least me) fell connected to the story. i’ve said this before, but the most amazing thing about nr (beside the plot & characters) is how relatable it is

Anonymous said:🎃(1) OH MY GOD YOU ARE SO CUTE AND AT SOME POINTS I AM not making any sense so be prepared 😥 💜💜 I hope I don't bore you /// Ok, here we go. ( /// means another scene or change of subject and --- means same scene but next line. Also I'll use the 🎃 emoji for Halloween's sake 😊) Damn that's gonna be so long 😥 oh well. /// Akakakakak first of all, great start! It lights up the heavy mood. And tbh who wouldn't get distracted from a half naked jk. 😏 ///

Anonymous said:🎃(2)Akskfhlskfajfkf I'm smiling. My heart is clenched tho. (I'm reading the kiss scene in the beginning) /// Why do I feel him saying I like you too won't be the way our oc means. My heart is confused. --- Fuck. --- Fuuuck... ///Ok, there's no way he would look at her with disgust. Come on giiirl. Don't fall for the lies our brain tells us. ---Ok, scratch that last. WHAT THE FUCK JEON JUNGKOOK. 😬 ----I wanna hug the oc and tell her that he is afraid and stupid for acting that way.

Anonymous said:🎃(3) That she is more than what she thinks. And like wtf he might be a star athlete and a stund but wtf about not being good enough?! Askfkddskkas. fuuck. //// You are not supposed to be fucking anything. Let it ouuut. They love you and it will help.--- Ok I get the point with it not being about you. (Ahahahahaha I'm on a roller coaster, sawrryyy) ---- Oh yaaaasss, I liiive for angry oc! You go guurl! ---- Well, if he is gay that would explain a lot. --

Anonymous said:🎃(4) ---"Trust me when I say that it would be entirely impossible with me" bruh. He is gay. --- Oh shit, he is gay...... 😶 ---- Now I'm sad. Ahahah and now I wanna hug him too . And I love the oc for being a good friend and I love that he reminds me of one of my closest friends being a tsundere.😢 /// Way to go yoongles, woop woop!! that sonofabiish. 🌚🌚---Wow when yoongi relaxed I realised I was holding my breath. Wtf ahahaha

Anonymous said:🎃(5) /// Aish. I'm getting angry at jk and angry at the oc for taking his bullshit and not being angry ahahah. ----- WHAT THE FUCK JEON KUNGKOOK WHY YOU BEING SO "TOUGH" AND "MANLY" YOU FUCKIN FUCKER 👿 (about him smiling at first and then being fake macho) ----- My eyes grew when you wrote she headed to jk frathouse 👀 --- I'm crossing my fingers for a buttkicking session, sth like mijoo did to the oc. Maybe a power point presentation of why he likes her too. Ahahah ---

Anonymous said:Ooo girl I am FIRED UP. You write so well that I can always fell the emotions OC feels. I was sad and hurt, shocked, and really mad. JK is such an asshole for making OC feel like her feelings weren't valid. He really does need to grow up. Good on OC for realizing that. And I don't know why he's putting up such a front when he's been such a good person thus far but BITCH IT BEST BE A GOOD REASON. So I'm assuming yerin has got the bad ending? Bc she doesn't know about yoongi being gay n shes hurt?

Anonymous said:(1/3🧟‍♂️) New Rules is probably my favorite non-published work that I’ve ever read and I really just want to thank you for being willing to share your writing with us! So, I feel like a lot went down in this chapter. I saw another anon say they thought Jk’s issues stemmed from a previous relationship. The girl probably made him feel like relationships in general are toxic, and as a result he’s completely unwilling to put himself in that kind of vulnerable position again? (1/3)

Anonymous said:(2/3🧟‍♂️) Similar to how the oc is feeling about being rejected, like she was stupid to let herself feel something for him, that’s why I think her barging in and calling him out in front of his friends got to him. (2/3)

Anonymous said:(3/3🧟‍♂️) All in all though, this chapter was really well written (like they all are lol) and I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how much I appreciate all the work you put into your writings bc they’ve really inspired me to educate myself on feminism and just a lot of things in general I’d never thought about before. Thanks again, Lu! I hope you have a wonderful week 💜💜 (3/3)

Anonymous said:wow lu, thank you for the newest nr update! my thoughts on my first reading: jungkook's reaction was shocking for the emotional side of me, not the logical side. I still feel for oc tho. yoongi being gay? didnt expect that & now I feel bad for assuming his sexuality, glad he talked to OC abt it bc it must have been hard to hold that secret. oc calling out jungkook? shes much braver than me, & I agree, jk's actions seem off. will reread & send reactions after, again thank you for writing/sharing!

There is literally nothing i love more than reading your thoughts and reactions!!! i have no idea how my writing will affect others, so to hear this is the most rewarding thing ever. thank you so much my lovely, passionate readers. You mean the world to me!!!

#new rules #new rules ch 11 #lanalanexpjm

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lordofthebigtimesupernatural · 6 years

Note

I have a prompt! (of course if you have time✨): Keith’s first heartbreak. It can be like: the person who is with him broke up with him because his autism or something like that.

Wow nonny, why would you do this to my heart? My baby. Noooo (read this as Shiro). Good stuff tho nonny. Time for angst after all that fluff. Still, I hope you enjoy!

x.V.x

Keithwas twenty-one when he went on his very first date. He was twenty-one when hehad his first kiss.

Keithwas twenty-two when he had his first broken heart.

He hadbeen dating a guy that he’d met stationed overseas. Despite being from twodifferent countries, the two went on several dates together before the man hadclaimed to be Keith’s boyfriend. Not that Keith minded too much. He’d dated acouple guys since his first date. All of them had ended mutually and respectfully,with Keith keeping in contact with them. However, Keith hadn’t gained any bigfeelings of love or emotions for any of his previous dates. That is, until hemet Damien.

Damienwas sarcastic, which got to Keith’s humor quickly. He was good on the eyes and extremelysmart. In fact, he was a CEO to his own metal company overseas. Keith had beenamazed that someone like him had even lookedin Keith’s direction. He was merely a young army pilot.

Yet,Damien and Keith continued to date for another six months.

It evengot to the point where Keith was considering having Damien fly back home withhim during his short break to meet his dad. He hadn’t talked to Damien about ityet, but he had let it slipped to his dad that he was seeing someone.

Shirohad almost screamed when Keith confessed that he might be in love with Damien.

“Oh, mybaby is growing up so fast,” Shiro pretended to wipe tears from his eyes. “Wheredid my smol son go that refused to wear his shoes and would lie on the couchwith me all day?”

“Dad,”Keith moaned, thankful he had headphones on for his skype session. “This isliterally why I don’t tell you anything anymore.”

“Noooo,”Shiro whispered dramatically. “Please, don’t stop. I promise I’ll be good. Soyou love this Devon guy?” He grinned playfully. He’s lucky he’s the best dad. Keith’s eyes narrowed but he couldn’thelp but grin at his dad’s antics.

“Hisname is Damien,” Keith replied. Shiro nodded firmly. “And I’m – I’m not sure.Maybe?” Keith nervously rubbed the back of his neck, cursing as a blush filledhis cheeks. He was thankful that Damien wasn’t on his base today and that theother guys usually gave him privacy during calls home.

“OhKeith,” Shiro sighed happily. “This is wonderful news. I’m happy for you son.”Shiro finally stopped teasing his son. Despite his overprotective dad nature,and the desire to search this Damien guy until he knew everything about him,Shiro kept his mouth shut. While he really wanted to meet this guy and makesure he was good enough for Keith, Keith was trusting Shiro. This was the firsttime that Keith had openly expressed emotions for someone who could potentiallybe a significant partner and he was trusting Shiro with this information.

Shirocouldn’t betray that trust by spoiling Keith’s fun.

“Iexpect this means; you’ll bring him home next week when you’re visiting.” Shirostated rather than asked. Keith was well aware that this was going to be ademand or else his dad would pester him forever after this.

“Yesdad. That’s the plan.” Keith rolled his eyes. “As long as he wants to go, we’llboth be at the airport when you pick us up.” Shiro couldn’t help but smile atthe slight excitement in Keith’s voice. It filled his heart once more with suchjoy for his son, that Shiro wanted to explode.

Thiswas what Shiro had always wanted for his boy. To be loved by others as much as Shiro would love him.

x.V.x

“I can’tcome home with you.”

Keith’sworld came crashing down three days after his call with his dad. He’d been oncloud nine since the call. Skypes with his dad or his family always left Keithin a good mood, but after his confession, Keith was soaring. His comrades all were happy to see Keith so happy. Theywere close with one another, due to their experiences as a team and wheneverone of them received good news, it sent them all in high spirits. A couple ofthe slightly older comrades had wormed the truth out of Keith, leading to himto talk about his confession.

Ofcourse, that had made all of them wish they could celebrate. They were allaware of Keith’s boyfriend Damien, and anyone that made Keith happy was good intheir books.

Keithhad assumed that Damien would be just as happy about everything as everyoneelse was. So, when he told Keith about not coming overseas with him, Keith wasstumped.

“What?”

“I can’tgo back to your home. I have business meetings and a new line to showcase therest of this month.” Damien murmured, eyes glued to his phone. It wasn’tunusual for Damien to always be working, even when he was with Keith. Keith wasalways on duty and call, so he figured that was how everyone worked.

“Can’tyou take time off? I thought you were telling me about how much vacation youhad saved up?” Keith asked softly. Theremust be a good explanation for this.

“I’mthe CEO,” Damien laughed, as if Keith had just told him a joke. “I can’t justdisappear for a week to have fun.”

Keithfrowned. “You’ve told me that you should have more time off because you’re the CEO.” He placed hishands on his hips. This wasn’t how his night was supposed to go.

“Babethat was a joke. You need to start getting those better, it’s a bit annoying,”Damien replied nonchalantly. Internally, Keith winced. He thought that he hadgotten better at distinguishing between jokes and reality. After all, he’dgotten pretty good at sarcasm over the years. Right?

“But,this is important to me,” Keith murmured quietly. Damien seemed to sigh out offrustration and Keith felt another twinge in his chest. “This is my family, I’mtalking about.”

“Whoa,whoa, whoa, what?” Finally, Damienlooked up from his phone. He had a shocked look on his face, as if Keith hadjust thrown him a curve ball.

“We’vetalked about this. Meeting my dad? My friends?” Keith huffed impatiently. Hewas trying to remain calm and collected despite Damien starting to frustratehim. Couples fight all the time; this isnormal to do. Keith slowly took a deep breath. Damien still hadn’t put hisphone down but at least he was looking at Keith.

“No.”Damien said quickly. “We never agreedto meet your family. I thought you wanted this trip to show me where you livedand to have fun? I think you need to start listening better.” His voice soundedslightly accusing and it threw Keith for a loop. What?

“Well,yeah, we can have fun but the point of me showing you around then would be tointroduce you to the people in my town. Like my dad.” Keith emphasized slowly. He took another deep breath. Don’t get mad. Don’t get mad. “You knowhow close we are.”

“Yeah,but aren’t you a grown man? Why do you always gotta go back to your dad?”Damien huffed angrily and turned back to his phone.

“Becausehe’s my dad! I’m sorry we’re close?”Keith hissed.

“You shouldbe.”

“Thatwas sarcasm.”

“Oh,now you get it.” Damien rolled his eyes and he continued to tap at his phone.Keith wanted to scream with frustrations.Was this how a fight was supposed to go? Keith didn’t think so.

“Canyou get off your phone for one second and have a conversation with me?” Keith growledand tapped his food impatiently. Damien snorted and didn’t stop messing withhis phone, but eventually he looked up.

“Theconversation is done with. I’m not going to meet your dad or anyone else.”Damien replied and this time Keith did throw his hands up.

“Andwhy not?!” Keith cried.

“Becausewe aren’t serious!” Damien finally tossed his phone aside and stood up. He hadalmost eight-years on Keith and about fifty pounds, but Keith was a pilot inthe military. He knew that he could take Damien out in a second but that didn’tmake his looming figure any less frightening.

Keithfelt a painful tug in his chest.

Hestuttered. “What?”

Damiensnorted with another roll of his eyes, still too close for comfort.

“Youcan’t believe that we were serious? You and I never would have worked.” Damienadmitted gruffly. Keith’s eyes burned but he refused to even show tears.

“Whywould I think that?” Keith whispered.

“Dude,you’re hot and young. But your personality ain’t so hot. You rely on your dadway too much. And honestly, all of your quirks are annoying.” Damien mutteredbitterly. With each word, Keith felt another painful tug in his chest. What was this feeling?

“Quirks?”Keith didn’t want to ask but his mouth betrayed him.

“Yeah,like how you’re gonna go bald soon if you keep pulling your hair. Or that weirdthing you do with your arms? When we’re in public too.” Damien rambled on, noteven pausing in his nasty rant. “I did some research about this autistic shitand I can’t do that man.”

Keith couldhear something cracking. Was that a rib?

“Youcan’t handle it?” Keith snarled. Damien momentarily flinched, remembering whatKeith was enlisted in, before frowning.

“Yeahbabe, don’t you think that is a lot to ask someone?” Damien bit back and Keithfroze.

“What?”

“Ibasically have to take care of a kid. That’s not how relationships work,”Damien continued with a snarl. “It’s not fair for you to think that anyone would want that kind of pressureon them. And do you know what others would think?”

“Whocares?!” Keith cried, feeling a lump in his throat. Oh, no. No, no, no.

“I do!”Damien hissed, whirling in Keith’s face. “I’m a CEO and I have a huge public figure. What would peoplesay if I settled with some autistic nutcase.”

Thecracking turned into a shattering sound.

In thenext second, the only sound that filled the apartment was the sound of a slap.Damien blinked, stunned that Keith would actually raise a hand to him. At thehorrified look on Keith’s face, guilt began to bubble in his stomach.

“Keith,babe…”

“Don’tyou dare,” Keith whispered hoarsely. “You don’t fucking get to say anythingelse after that.”

“C’mon,I’m sorry,” Damien tried to reach for Keith, only to be shoved back into thecouch. He yelped when he stumbled over a small table, shattering a vase besidehim.

“Don’t.Not after everything you just said. After admitting, nothing was real,” Keithswallowed heavily. Oh no, no, no.Keith turned suddenly towards the door, storming out the front door. He ignoredDamien’s shouts and apologies behind him, slamming the door behind him.

All the while, his heart wasbreaking.

x.V.x

Shiroknew something was wrong when Keith arrived at the airport alone. Alone andlooking as if his whole world had crashed. He had spent the better part of theweek cleaning his house more than usual, in preparation for Damien and Keith.He had been good and refused to have “Special resources” look into this Damienfellow. He didn’t even google the guy.

Butafter seeing Keith arrive alone and dejected, Shiro wished he had.

“Hey,”Shiro greeted softly. Keith mumbled a greeting and quietly accepting his dad’shug. Shiro could feel his instincts flooding when Keith didn’t even smile. “Here,let me take your bag and we can head to the car.”

“Damien’snot coming,” Keith finally mumbled awkwardly. Shiro’s heart ached upon hearingthe slight crack in Keith’s voice. Thatwas never good. All he wanted to do was wrap Keith into his arms and shieldhim from the world, as if Keith were a little boy again.

“Alright.Let’s head to the car,” Shiro simply said. He bit his tongue to keep fromasking Keith prying questions. He also made sure not to badmouth or speak ofDamien. After all, Keith and Damien could have mutually broken up. Though bythe sad look in Keith’s eyes, Shiro doubted that.

“I made your favorite. Mac n’cheese. Red’s keeping it warm.” Shiro began as he and Keith silently walked tothe car. This usually would get a smile from Keith along with a snide commentabout how Shiro could never rememberKeith’s favorite dinner. The silence dug a deeper hole in Shiro’s heart. Oh my star, what happened?

Shiro filled the silence with talk abouthow everyone was doing. Keith vaguely listened and nodded whenever Shiro wouldbring something up. He never added his own commentary or spoke up, the entireride home. The troubled feeling in Shiro’s gut only grew with Keith’s solemnattitude.

Keith spoke finally, when Shiro hadparked the car in his driveway. His expression was grave.

“Damien and I aren’t togetheranymore,” He said softly. Shiro’s heart clenched and he gripped the steeringwheel tightly as he took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry Keith. What happened?”Shiro reached over to rub Keith’s shoulder. He knew Keith might not want toanswer that question but he had to tryto get some answers. He had to help Keith.

For a while, Keith was silent.

Then in a voice that signified hewas close to crying, Keith said, “He didn’t want me.”

And that was when Keith and Shiro’s heart broke.

x.V.x

Twoweeks later, Damien was awoken at an ungodly hour by someone knocking on hisdoor. He grumbled. He stumbled through his quiet and empty apartment beforefinally reaching his door. Upon opening it, Damien found himself surrounded byat least a dozen men. All were bigger, stronger and more tactile than him andevery one of them were wearing familiar army uniforms.

Finallythe one who looked like the leader stepped up close to Damien.

“W-Whoare you? W-What do you want from me?”

The mangrinned darkly. “Damien? My name is Captain Takashi Shirogane of the SpecialOperations unit. This is Kuro Shirogane. You might know us as Keith’s father and uncle. The rest of these menare Keith’s other uncles and comrades.”

Damien’sheart dropped.

Shiro’sgrin widened. “How about you and I have a chat.”

#single dad shiro #single dad Shiro AU #kiddie!AU #kiddie!paladins #voltron legendary defender #thanks nonny #we needed that angstfest #poor baby #PROTECT THE RED BEAN

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