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#i'm sorry this is so stupid but I made myself laugh envisioning it
trek-tracks · 1 month
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Kirk (yelling over the communicator): Scotty, beam us back, quickly! There's a lion storm!
Scotty: Aye, Captain, but don't you mean an ion storm?
(a loud roar in the background)
Kirk: no
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The Betrayer | Chapter Four: Now You Know
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Nothing is fine.
Pairing: Albert Wesker/F!Reader, Chris Redfield/F!Reader
Tags: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Death Mention
Notes: Chapter 4 is here! I am... so sorry... for how angsty this is, but also no I'm not. I made myself cry writing this, and hope the emotions come across as intended. Also, I know Lucky is a reader insert, but I really just wanted to give her a backstory and personality. I even envision her in my head in a very specific way lol. Hope you don't mind the lack of ambiguity because bringing her character to life has been such a joy. I am so in love with Chris Redfield it makes me look stupid. Wesker lovers, I promise our boy is coming. It is a slow-burn fic, and I needed/wanted to set up the world and give a lot of information before things take off. I put a lot of work into the worldbuilding though, so I hope you like it as I drop bits and pieces of that and explain it as I go. This story does have a set plot, but I'm keeping the chapters kinda fast and loose so I can make things up as I go. Chapter 5 is in the works. Anyway, hope you enjoy reading this installment as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please leave a comment if you can, the feedback is always good for the writing process!
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Day 1; Survivors’ Camp
Carlos let out a low whistle as you wrapped up your story. “You know what? I think Chris was right. You are one lucky girl.” 
“I just can’t believe you weren’t fired for that,” Leon scoffed, incredulous.
You chuckled. “Oh, I almost was. When I came to in the hospital, my captain absolutely chewed my ass out. So did Chris. I don’t think I’ve ever seen either of them so mad.”
“Well, if it were my girl’s life on the line, I think I’d be pretty miffed,” Carlos replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
You gave him a strange look. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 
Could he know about–no… that’s not possible.
Carlos responded with a laugh, “Oh, just that–”
Before he could finish his sentence, the survivor who helped Chris set up the large pot over the fire cleared his throat. He was young, roughly Claire’s age, with a very dramatic coif and a long-sleeved green shirt pushed up to his elbows. Everyone turned to look at him expectantly.
He waved one hand in the air dramatically and you could see Chris roll his eyes behind him, forcing you to stifle a giggle. “Ladies and gents, dinner is served.” 
You heard various cheers and mutters of impatience at the declaration before everyone started forming a line in front of the two men. Chris was pouring the contents of the pot into a collection of mismatched bowels with a large ladle as the other survivor handed them out. 
Carlos only gave you a shrug instead of finishing his answer to you and made his way to the back of the line. You turned to Leon, exasperated, and he just offered you a sympathetic smile. 
The two of you stood, and you swayed a bit on your injured ankle. Leon was quick to grab your arm, letting you use him to steady yourself. 
“Thanks, it feels like it hurts worse every time I walk on it. Though I should probably just push through,” you said with gritted teeth, trying to find your balance without his assistance. 
“Or maybe you should stay off of it as much as possible. I can just bring you a bowl if you want.” 
You shook your head. “No, I can’t let this slow me down too much. If I’m picked for a trial tomorrow, I need to be able to walk on it. Just… give me a second to adjust.” 
“If you insist,” he replied as he watched you wince in pain. “Chris wasn’t lying when he said you were stubborn.” 
You guffawed, “Coming from him, of all people? Pot meet kettle. He’s probably the most stubborn person I know, and that’s coming from someone who worked with cops for a decade.” 
There was a small, amused grin on Leon’s face. “Yeah, I’m aware. But I think all of us have to be at least a little stubborn to make it in a place like this. Keeps the morale up, I guess.” 
He helped you hobble over to the line, which was dissipating quickly. The hungry survivors spread out to the many seats scattered around the clearing, talking animatedly to each other. It was so lively and pleasant compared to the heaviness that persisted before and during the trial. It was like they were celebrating moving past another day, and you couldn’t blame them. 
When the two of you reached the end, the last to get your food except for the men serving it, you pulled away from Leon to stand on your own. “I think I can manage now, thank you. Go on ahead of me.”
“If you’re sure,” he said, almost reluctantly. You waved him forward and he begrudgingly stepped up to get a bowl before leaving you to it.
You limped up to the survivor in front of you and he offered you a concerned look. “You, uh, gonna be okay there, lady?”
“Yeah. Believe it or not, I’ve had worse days.” You were only half-lying.
He smiled as he gave you your food. “You must be Lucky, right?” 
You groaned as you pinned Chris with a dirty look over the younger man’s shoulder. Chris pretended not to notice.
“I can’t seem to escape that nickname,” you told the survivor. “Even in this nightmare world, it follows me.” 
He chuckled lightly. “Well, I think it’s cute. And it suits you.” 
“Shouldn’t the patron be giving compliments to the chef and not the other way around?” you replied, taking a sip from the bowl.
The stew was hot and burned your mouth a bit, but it was delicious, whatever was in it. Maybe that was the hunger talking, though.
“Just the sous-chef, this time. I’m Steve, by the way.” He offered you his hand and you shook it.
“Well, Steve, it’s nice to meet you.” You glanced around at the others as you retracted your arm. “I guess I have my work cut out for me getting to know everyone.” 
“I wouldn’t sweat it too much,” he assured, grabbing his own bowl from Chris now that they were the last two left. “We live in pretty close quarters, and we’re all bound to end up in a trial together, eventually.”
“I guess that makes it easier,” you mumbled. 
“You know, if you want to socialize, you can come eat with me and my friends.”
You glimpsed at Chris to see what he thought about that, and he just shrugged, as if to say, ‘Up to you.’
You returned your attention back to Steve. “Sure. I’d like to get a head start on making introductions anyway.” 
“Cool, follow me.” 
You gave Chris a half-assed salute and he waved you off as he headed to wherever he planned to eat his meal. You trailed after your new friend. 
Steve led you to a long table at the far side of the clearing, a group of kids in their late teens sitting in the surrounding assortment of chairs. Rebecca and Claire were there, apparently already companions with the others. 
You felt rather old standing in front of these teenagers, being roughly a decade older than most of them, but it reminded you of the times you had to entertain your little brother and his friends over the years. It was almost nostalgic.
“I know Chris said so earlier, but this is Lucky,” Steve spoke, introducing you.
“You already know Claire and Rebecca. Obviously,” he stated, sweeping his hand towards them. He then pointed across the table at a girl wearing a striped sweater and the boy who sat next to her in a dark jacket. “But this is Nancy and Jonathan. We came here together.”
He then referred to a young woman in a blue button-up, a sad-looking girl with short dark hair, another girl in a beanie and a flannel, and a boy with messy hair who looked like he’d never slept a day in his short life, “That’s Laurie, Cheryl, Nea, and Quinten. They came alone.”
You waved–some of them either returning the favor or nodding to acknowledge your presence–and sat down between Steve and Claire.
“So how’d you get injured?” Quentin asked conversationally as you slurped at the stew in your grasp. 
Before you could swallow and reply, Nea interjected with a distinctly European accent, “I heard she was chased down by a giant spider.”
Claire jumped in, “The spider didn’t give her the injuries. Ghost Face did.” 
“You got away?” Jonathan questioned, looking surprised. 
“She didn’t just get away. She killed him,” Claire corrected, looking slyly at you.
“Bullshit!” Nea exclaimed, crossing her arms. “Nobody’s downed a killer on their own. Especially not their first night in the realm. That’s impossible.” 
“Well, believe it, Nea. She did. She’s a badass.”
“It’s not like you were there. She could be lying.” 
“I know her! She’s not a liar!”
“I know you’re only defending her cos she’s screwing your brother.” 
You spit your food out onto the table, everyone who was intently listening to the bickering between the two girls quickly turning to you. You wiped your face with the back of your hand. “Excuse me?” 
“Nea, that was too far,” Nancy warned before addressing you. “If it is true you killed Ghost Face, I think that’s really impressive.”
“Yeah, if you could manage that, you might be able to help us get out of trials alive more often,” Jonathan added, wrapping an arm around the girl. 
Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Steve tense up. 
Drama, much, you thought.
Nea rolled her eyes. “Better that than get in the way, at least.” 
The group half-heartedly agreed and the discussion moved swiftly to different topics. 
You watched on in amusement as you witnessed the typical teenage bullshittery unfold before you. 
There was the weird tension between Steve, Jonathan, and Nancy on one side of the table, though Nancy seemed to be avoiding it by conversing with Laurie. On the other end, Nea and Claire bickered good-naturedly, Quentin looked like he wasn’t all there, and Rebecca and Cheryl, who sat side-by-side, were quietly talking amongst themselves. 
Steve noticed your silence as he glanced over at you, leaning in to whisper, “I know it's a weird bunch, but we all have each other’s backs.” 
You smiled, appreciating that despite everything, at least these kids got some form of normalcy. 
If only they didn’t have to be here at all.
The thought of your brother being stuck in a place like this was more painful than you could bear to imagine. Chris must have been devastated when he realized Claire was trapped here too. Your heart ached for him.
Suddenly, a hush fell over the clearing and you all turned to face the campfire. Standing on the other side, illuminated by the flames, was a young blonde woman wearing cowgirl boots and cut-off jean shorts. Her entire left arm was covered in a floral tattoo, leading from her shoulder down to her wrist, where a beat-up old guitar was held aloft in her hand.
“That’s Kate,” Laurie informed you. “She was a singer before she was brought here. She doesn’t do performances every night, though, so you’re lucky to get to see it so soon!” 
“Well, it is her name, isn't it?” Nea snarked. 
Laurie only gave her an exasperated look. 
“It’s a special night, y’all. We have a new survivor here with us, and I think we should all give her a warm welcome! This is for Lucky!” Kate called out. 
Every single person in the camp turned to look at you—some smiling, some curious. You felt incredibly exposed by the attention. 
Steve clapped your shoulder and you heard Carlos wolf-whistle from across the clearing. Jill reached over and smacked him on the arm. He had the audacity to look wounded by the playful action. 
The campsite went quiet again when Kate started strumming her guitar. After a few chords, she began to sing. 
It was possibly the most beautiful and captivating voice you’d ever heard, even though you didn’t recognize the lyrics. 
Looking around you, it was clear everyone else felt the same way, their eyes glued to the woman who swayed and tapped her foot as she crooned her sad but hopeful melody. 
When she finished, there was thunderous applause that echoed off the walls of the encampment. 
She bowed, her face flushed by the reaction, before she spoke again, “This next one’s a dance song! I want everyone to get up and groove!” 
There was a flurry of movement as a bunch of people stood and made their way to the middle of the camp, taking partners with them. Claire strode over to Leon to ask him to dance, and you saw him rub the back of his neck sheepishly as he let her pull him into the fray. 
Nancy and Jonathan went together, Steve watching them with a clenched jaw. 
He got to his feet and faced you. “You wanna dance with me?”
You gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Steve. I can barely walk, let alone dance.”
“Right, yeah. No problem,” he replied, a little embarrassed by the rejection. He turned to Laurie. “Would you?”
She smiled up at him and took his hand. “Why not?”
The others at your table sat back to watch in amusement as the large group twirled in tandem. Those who weren’t dancing were stomping their feet and clapping along.
“Care to join me?” You were startled as Chris sidled up to you, his large hand outstretched. 
He had shed his green tactical vest, revealing his white S.T.A.R.S. shirt underneath. The top few buttons were undone and you could see a small tuft of his chest hair poking through the gap. His muscles were barely contained by the snugly fit article of clothing, making you avert your gaze in embarrassment for even looking. 
Dude is built like a grizzly, you mused.
You recovered quickly and answered him, “The ankle, Redfield. I don’t think I’d be able to keep up.”
He leaned down and swiftly lifted you, setting your feet on top of his own. “Don’t worry, Lucky, I can do it for the both of us.”
You couldn’t stop the giggle from escaping you as he spun you into the shifting masses. 
You were a little shocked to see Carlos and Jill paired together nearby, as Jill had always been more of a wallflower, preferring to watch you and the others live it up at the bars and clubs your friend group often visited back home. Carlos was leading and seemed very suave about it, despite his usual air of goofiness. Jill was smiling wider than you’d ever seen as they danced, her face flushed pink in the campfire light. 
“They seem… awfully close,” you remarked to Chris.
He followed your gaze and chuckled. “You could say that. Carlos only had eyes for her the moment he got here. She clearly likes him back but won’t admit it.” 
You then saw Claire and Leon together. Claire seemed to be the one in charge and Leon, bless his soul, was stiff as a board and tripping over his own feet. They were both laughing.
“I think your lil sis has a crush,” you teased Chris, absentmindedly twirling the hair at the nape of his neck between your fingers. He shivered and you wondered if it was the chilly night air, though he had always been a furnace of man and rarely got cold. 
“I’m keeping an eye on it,” he replied with a scowl. “I know she’s an adult, but she’s still my kid sister. Leon’s a decent guy, but he has a thing for Ada. I worry Claire will get hurt.” 
“You can worry all you like, Chris, but the heart wants what it wants. You can’t protect her from everything. She needs to learn that lesson on her own if things don’t shake out.” 
He sighed, his grip on your waist tightening ever-so-slightly, “I know, I know. It’s just… so much is out of our control here. It’s hard not to double down on the ways I can protect her.”
“She’s an independent spirit, Chris. You’ll only push her away.” 
“You’re right,” he admitted, eyes meeting yours.
You grinned brightly up at him. “I always am.”
He snorted, “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Lucky. I have a whole filing cabinet of times you proved yourself wrong.” 
You dropped one of your hands to press against your chest, mockingly flattered. “Aww, you keep a filing cabinet just for me?” 
“Definitely. It’s for moments like this, so I can keep you in check,” he joked.
“I don’t know whether to be impressed or offended.”
“Hmm,” he thought aloud, dipping you, “probably a bit of both.”
He pulled you upright and you were pressed against him, your head resting on his broad chest. You were so close, you could hear his heartbeat under your ear, the soft rhythm of it calming to you. 
Trailing your gaze up to his face, you found an intensity in his half-lidded eyes you didn't think you had ever seen before.
You weren’t sure why, but you felt your own heart skip a beat.  
You came back to your senses when the song finally ended, those around you pulling apart and chatting excitedly. Kate started to gear up for another one, but you were utterly exhausted. Chris noticed.
“It’s been a long day, Lucky. We should go find you a room so you can get settled. You should rest,” he told you, his hand lingering against your side.
“That’s the best thing you’ve said all night.” 
He laughed and the two of you bid goodnight to those you passed by who weren’t preoccupied with dancing. 
You reached the edge of the clearing and Chris turned to you. “There’s a few empty shacks and open rooms in the facility. You can have your pick.”
You considered it for a moment. “Where are you staying?” 
“Why, you wanna be roommates?” he teased.
“No, more like neighbors. I think I’d feel… safer… knowing you’re close by,” you replied honestly. 
His gaze softened. “The group that’s from our world is staying in the facility. Most of the others are uncomfortable with sleeping there, but we don’t really mind it.”
“The facility it is, then.” 
He nodded and helped you enter the aforementioned structure, leading you down a corridor lit only by hanging lanterns, the wall lined with doors. He finally stopped and pointed to the room in front of you. “This one’s free to take. You’ll be next to Ada.”
“What about you?” you questioned out of curiosity. 
He gestured down the hall. “I’m just over there. If you ever need me at night, don’t be scared to knock on my door, got it?”
You agreed before you followed him into your new room. It was dark until Chris pulled out a matchbox from a drawer and lit a candle sitting in the shadows. As the flickering light filled the room, you took in the space before you. It was pretty drab, with cracking white walls, a stained linoleum floor, a dresser, a couple of side tables, and a bare full-size mattress on an old wooden frame.
“It isn’t much, I know, but the beds here aren’t terrible.”
“Are there any blankets around?” you asked, a bit worried you would freeze in only your S.T.A.R.S. shirt. 
“Oh, right. We tend to put extras in the dresser when a new survivor arrives. Here, I’ll help you get set up.” 
With that, the two of you made quick work of covering the mattress with some worn, moth-eaten bedding. There were even a couple of lumpy pillows, which you couldn’t really complain about, considering the night before you had nothing of the sort.
“Well,” Chris said as you plopped onto the bed, kicking off your boots, “I think that’s all. I can find you some new clothes tomorrow.” 
“Thank you. For everything. I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t find me,” you confessed earnestly.
“I told you when we first started working together that I’d have your back, no matter what.” 
“Not even being stuck in hell can change your mind, huh?”
“Nothing could.”
“Stubborn ass.” 
“You’re one to talk.” 
You smiled at him warmly and he held your gaze for a moment until he half-turned to the door. “You should get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Before he could leave, you called after him, “Chris, wait. I know it’s late and we’re both tired, but… you told me you’d explain what happened to the other members of S.T.A.R.S.” 
The cheerfulness he had shown prior seemed to be sucked straight from his body. He didn’t immediately turn back to face you.
“Are you sure? It might be better to hold off until you’ve gotten some rest.”
“I’m sure, Chris. I don’t think I can wait any longer.”
He sighed, slowly making his way over, and sat on the side of the bed right next to you. “Where should I start?” 
You rotated on the mattress to face him, your hand falling on his forearm. “From where we landed in Raccoon Forest.” 
“Here goes.”
And with that, he told you about the horrifying events that unfolded that night. 
Joseph was the first to reach the Bravo team’s chopper, and he discovered the mutilated body of Kevin Dooley. You didn’t know him very well, but his face still popped into your head at his name. He wasn’t a member of S.T.A.R.S., but you had been acquainted with him prior to its conception. He was a great pilot and always dependable. You felt your stomach tie up in knots.
Chris’s voice was tight when he then explained that Joseph was killed shortly after. Torn apart by a pack of rabid dogs. You and Jill had shot at them repeatedly, but they didn’t stop. You felt your eyes misting over. 
Joseph… He was one of your closest friends on the team, and you had been partnered up with him on more than one occasion. You could see his smile in your head–imagined his lighthearted teasing. 
Now he was dead.
Your grip on Chris’s arm only clenched further. You were fighting back tears as he continued.
Your group fled, being chased by the hounds after Brad had abandoned you, and entered a mansion in the middle of the forest. The “Spencer Mansion”, Chris called it. Barry was separated from your team in the chaos, and you had thought the worst.
Wesker had told you to split up. You and Chris remained together, while he and Jill paired off. The thought of being parted from them made you anxious.
The two of you were then faced with these terrifying creatures that had once been people, apparently infected with what Chris called the “T-virus”, which made them hungry for human flesh. You and Chris stumbled across a few corpses of your fellow S.T.A.R.S. members who had met that grisly fate. 
You struggled to keep your composure.
Eventually, you had run into Rebecca tending to a very wounded Richard. He had been bitten by a snake, or so you had been told, despite the bite being incredibly large. 
You and Chris tried to find an antidote while Rebecca remained at his side, but you were too late. Richard died right in front of your eyes, just like Joseph had. 
Your breath caught in your throat thinking about the sweet man–how he only wanted to protect everyone. 
He suffered until the very end. 
Chris had to pause to collect himself and you took the opportunity to prepare for what he was about to tell you next.
“We split up with Rebecca again, and you and I kept moving. We were ambushed by a group of those things, and although we were taking them out one by one, they had us surrounded. You ran out of bullets, and while trying to reload, your cast made you fumble and–”
“And what..?” You dreaded his next words.
“One of them got too close. It… it bit you. Tore into you. I managed to fight it off, but you were hurt. Badly. I couldn’t think straight. I just grabbed you, shoved some of them out of the way, and ran for it. I found Rebecca and we holed up in a bedroom nearby. She did her best to stop the bleeding, but you were fading fast. She had to leave to get more medical supplies, and I stayed with you. I somehow got through to Wesker, the radio signal going in and out the whole night, and he showed up shortly after.”
“What happened next, Chris?” 
“Rebecca… didn’t make it back in time. You–” his words were trapped in his throat as he stared down at your hand wrapped firmly around his arm. His jaw clenched.
“You died, Lucky.”
You were stunned, unable to comprehend what he had just said. 
Me? Dead?! you thought, mouth hung open and eyes wide. No, that’s not possible. That can’t be… 
But as the words really sunk in, you knew he was telling the truth. Chris would never lie to you, not about something like this. 
And how he and Jill acted when they first saw you earlier that day? The uncharacteristic emotion, the way Chris held you so tightly to him as if he never wanted to let go? The way he acted so weirdly uptight the first few hours after reuniting?
If Jill had been taken in September, you would have been dead for two months. Chris grieved you for five years. You couldn't imagine how it must have been for them to find you in that old farmhouse.
“I wish I–I wish I could have done more to save you. I’m sorry.” He refused to meet your gaze, so you planted your hands over the sides of his jaw, pulling him back to face you. He had never looked more defeated–more broken–the entire time you had known him as you regarded his tired visage. 
He was always the strong one. The one who could rally everyone together and push through all odds. Stubborn and bold and so rigid in his convictions, it sometimes drove you crazy.
And here he was, his warm brown eyes shining with unshed tears, the guilt and the grief weighing down on him like a stone tied to his neck.
“It’s not your fault,” you whispered firmly, your thumbs stroking his skin in a feather-light touch. 
His eyes closed at your words, a few stray tears escaping their corners. You had never seen him cry before. Chris didn’t let himself be vulnerable like this. 
How heavy a burden he must have carried all this time. You don’t think you could have held it together that long if the roles had been reversed. 
“Thank you,” was his only reply.
He pulled away to wipe his eyes and you let him, dropping your hands from his face. 
A moment of silence passed between you, and you were reminded that the story was not over. You might have died, but you knew at the very least Chris and Jill survived that night. 
“Chris, can you tell me what happened after I…” you couldn’t finish. 
He knew what you meant and took a deep, shaky breath. “Rebecca and I, we just… pushed forward. All we could do. We learned Umbrella was behind everything and that Wesker, he–”
Chris no longer looked broken. 
He was angry.
“Wesker betrayed us.”
You felt your heart stop. “What are you talking about?”
“He knew about all of it, Lucky. He was in on it.”
“No. No. He would never do that to us,” you defended, voice raising.
He would never do that to me.
Chris grabbed your wrist and held it tight. “I know it's hard to take in, but it's true. He knew what was going on in those woods, in that mansion, and he led us all to our deaths.”
“But… why..?” was all you could muster.
“He was working for Umbrella the whole time. Umbrella created S.T.A.R.S. and instated him as captain. He was a traitor, right under our noses. He also roped Barry into helping him. Threatened his family.”
You thought of your older teammate and felt sympathy for him. If it was your family in peril, you knew you would have done the same thing. 
“How does it end, Chris?” you asked finally, needing to know. 
“We cornered Wesker in the lab under the mansion. He shot Rebecca–”
“Oh my god.”
“She survived, don’t worry. But Wesker showed me this… this monster Umbrella had created. The Tyrant, he called it. It broke free and ripped right through him.”
You were horrified. Sure, he betrayed you all, but this? This was too much.
“Jill, Rebecca, Barry, and I managed to escape. Brad came back to get us, the jackass. The whole place blew sky-high. We’d hoped that it would contain the virus.”
“So Wesker… Wesker’s dead.” It felt like your tongue fought you to admit the words, laying heavy in your mouth. You stared at a large crack in the wall across from you, unsure of what else to focus on. 
To lose him like this…
“We thought he was,” Chris muttered.
Your eyes snapped over to him. “What does that mean?”
“He survived somehow. I ended up fighting him months later. He got away then, too.” The look on Chris’s face was the closest thing to hatred you’d ever seen from him. 
Despite everything he told you, though, you were relieved. 
Your captain lived. 
At the expense of so many of your friends' lives, you reminded yourself bitterly.
You still weren’t finished, though. “Leon and Carlos said something happened to the city in September. What was that about?” 
Chris sighed deeply, that mounting rage dissipating immediately as he released his grip. “After the mansion, we wanted to do a full investigation of Umbrella. We knew there was corruption in the R.P.D., so we had to tread carefully. I got myself into some trouble as an excuse to take a ‘vacation’ in Europe, where I was looking into one of Umbrella’s international branches. Jill stayed in Raccoon City to keep an eye on things. And then, towards the end of September, everything back home went to shit.”
He continued, “There was an outbreak of the virus. Destroying the mansion didn’t stop the spread. The city was in chaos. Jill, Carlos, Claire, and Leon barely made it out alive before the government sent out a nuke. The whole city was leveled.” 
You panicked. “My family–what happened to my family?!”
Chris couldn’t bring himself to look at you.
“Chris, please, tell me,” your voice broke as you pleaded with him, seizing one of his hands desperately in two of your own.
“Your parents… they didn’t–they didn’t make it.”
The tears you had been holding back finally sprung forward, wetting your dirty cheeks. The salt of them stung the cut on your face, but the pain building up inside of you was far worse.
“What about Kitty? Tic?” you asked of your younger siblings.
Those weren’t their real names. Kitty, who was only eight years old, got her nickname when she was a baby. 
Your stepmother had this plump ginger cat, aptly named “Cheddar”. He hated everyone, especially you. You recalled when you were thirteen finding the miserable creature chowing down on a piece of plastic bag from the day’s grocery run. You quickly scooped him up and pulled it from his mouth, and in his gratitude for saving his life, he sliced his claw all the way from your temple down to your cheek. If you looked closely, you could still see the faint white line in the mirror, slightly raised against the rest of your skin. 
But the one person that cat didn’t hate was your baby sister. 
And she absolutely loved him. 
So much so that her first words were not “mama” or “dada”, but the joyful declaration of “kitty!” before she burst into a fit of laughter. Your parents called her that ever since.
Your brother, on the other hand, received his nickname from you. 
Even as a child, he never liked gum.
“It hurts my jaw,” he had whined. “Tic Tacs are just better! I can roll them around 'til they melt in my mouth. Superior candy.”
“Okay, you little freak,” you told him in jest, picking up the preferred mints and tossing them to him, the two of you wandering the isles of the nearby gas station after he begged you to take him for a car ride. “I’m gonna start calling you ‘Tic Tac Boy’ from now on.” 
You kept your word, but over the years, it shortened to “Tic”. You used it so often, even his friends started referring to him by the moniker. He was begrudging at first, but then he just accepted it (guessed it served you right when Chris did the same thing to you a couple of months ago).
He had just turned sixteen.
The man before you looked tense, his brows furrowed as he chose his words carefully, “Kitty, she… she was with your parents.” 
A sob wrenched itself from your throat, burning all the way up from the stabbing agony that started behind your ribs. You ripped your hands from Chris, digging your fingernails into your own legs hard enough to draw blood. You would have, were it not for your thick cargo pants protecting the flesh of your thighs from the filthy, jagged edges.
Kitty’s chubby, angelic little face and bright smile flashed through your mind. You could hear her gleeful shrieks as you chased her through the house, tickling her every time you caught up. 
Gone. It was all gone. 
Your brain bombarded you with the image of her charred corpse, nothing but the shape of her tiny body remaining in the ruins of the city you both grew up in. The city you both loved. 
You could see your parents holding her between them, trying with all they could to shield her from the blast, heads bowed and pressed together.
Chris pulled you into his embrace, your face shoved into his chest as your wails echoed in the small room, muffled only slightly by the cotton of his shirt. 
“She was just a baby, Chris! She was just a baby!”
“I know. I’m sorry, Lucky. I’m so sorry.” His large hand ran over the top of your head soothingly as you shook violently in his arms.
You don’t think you had ever felt so hopeless in your life, not even after your mother died. 
Your brother, though. Chris didn’t say what happened to your brother.
You pulled back, a crazed sort of look in your eye. “Tic, what about Tic?!”
“He was the only one who made it out.” 
Relief flooded through you. “Thank god. Thank god he’s okay.”
There was one good thing. One silver lining peeking through blackened clouds. 
He lost everyone and everything he ever loved, you thought, anguished on your kid brother’s behalf, but at least he’s alive.
Chris looked like he wanted to say more but refrained as he watched you unravel before him.
“Is there… is there anything else?” you managed. 
You were trying to keep from breaking into pieces, but it felt like your whole body was revolting against you–like it wanted to rip itself open and spill all this grief onto the floor, desperate for any way to get it out of you. 
He shook his head. “No. That’s everything.” 
You nodded, thinking for a moment you could pull yourself back together. But one thought of your parents, of your little sister, had you crumbling all over again.
“I think… I think I need to be alone,” you told him with shaky breaths, hating the tremor that laced your voice. 
“Are you sure?” He looked reluctant to let you go, to leave you there, suffering by yourself.
You needed it, though–needed to feel this pain that shuddered through you, sharper than any blade or broken bone. If you didn’t let it out, you thought it might kill you. 
But you didn’t want anyone, even Chris, to witness you fall apart completely.
“Please, go.” 
He nodded, squeezing you against him one last time, and stood. When he reached the door, hand on the knob, he turned to you with a sorrowful expression on his face.
“If I could go back and change it all, Lucky, I would in a heartbeat.”
You gave him a ghost of a smile through your tears as you responded, “I know.”
With that, he was gone. 
You fell forward against your bed, screaming at the top of your lungs into the pillow beneath you until your voice withered in your throat.
Nothing is fine.
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luci-z-wont-shut-up · 2 months
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Episode 2
Bro snow in the desert is not actually that wierd
Bro. Bro u srsly need to rethink ur tourism program like what the fuck. FREE RADON FOR EVERYONE
I'm sorry but as soon as he said "it changes colors" I immediately envisioned a fuckin. Caramelldansen cloud XD
OH SO IT KILLS PPL. O K A Y .
Bro if literally Existing in Nightvale is so dangerous, how does the population stay afloat. At all.
Sounds like just a normal day in the post office tbh. Also Racist Magic Guy is starting to grow on me. His oblivious stupidity and self-sure incompetence have captivated me.
Honestly a floating cat in the men's bathroom sounds like the least abnormal thing so far. Cats are just Like That™️.
"This message was brought to you by Coca-Cola" yeah that tracks X'D
"Because all of us are normal" bombastic side eye. Criminal offensive side eye
Ah so the secret Boy Scout cult has finally achieved immorality. Good to know. Just another Tuesday ig. Also d a r k s c o u t XD
WAIT "Sign-up is automatic and random" um wat. Hi what. Does. Does this perchance have anything to do with the Ominous Helicopters
This man has *clearly* never been a father. Or had siblings. Or cousins. Ever. Maybe *don't* bring children near the Caramelldansen Cloud of Carrion?
...oh so they just have straight up dragons. Ok. Dragons who commit insurance fraud? *throws hands up* why not
"McDaniels was pulled over for speeding last night" UM SIR how big was that car?!? Actually ykw nvm it prolly just had a pocket dimension or amthn this is fuckin Nightvale why am I trying to use logic
Okay #1. Secret Dragon Society that's actually Not That Secret is kinda cool, #2. WTF DO YOU MEAN STOP SIGN IMMUNITY. like don't get me wrong I *understand the temptation* but also why would you allow dom3thing so profoundly stupid and unsafe as a r e w a r d for
... for being an Alert Citizen. Ok. Ok I guess I can kinda see where they're coming from. Maybe. [Didn't sleep well last night and I'm tired so sorry if my commentary's getting lackluster]
Also stamp system for being compliant with the secret police. Yeah that's not sus at allllll
Bro I wish I could schedule my workplace to be Unknowable some days. Dot Day sounds... ominous, for a number of reasons but more so their implications than anything actually ominous, yk?
[I need sleep]
Bro I would NOT pay $5 for a music lesson like that, let alone $50
"Bake sale proceeds go to blood space war" okay invader zim
"Wednesday has been cancelled due to a scheduling error" XD honestly w my terrible sense of time that just sounds like a normal thing to me
Tfw a your perfectly good ice cream outing is inturupted by a dead lion dropping from the sky
[Continuing this like 3 weeks l8r so sorry for the Commentary Continuity Disruption Leik Woah]
Uhhhhhhhhhh so in the weeks I've been gone I threw myself back asswards into TMA content [so yes v much Spoilers First Bc I Had No Patience] and? I am. Very much getting a Smirke's Fourteen vibe from the Carrion Cloud. Also is Mr radio man. Like. Okayyy??!?!?
AND NOW THE WEATHER
🎶Waitin for the bus in the rain in the rain in the waitin for the bus in the raiiiin 😎 🎶
Damn this is actually a legit bop I would make this new ringtone no question
(Don't get me wrong I fully expect this to have Lore implications later on but for now I'm just Vibin)
NOT SURE WHAT HAPOENED MY ASS
oh. Oh, Tapes, you say??? Well. *strokes imaginary beard*
What. The fuck? Genuine Life Advice? In my horror/weirdcore podcast? It's More Likely Than You'd Think. What. qhat even is this.
Ok so vanilla smell is Important.
This List is probably important but my brain refuses to hold onto any item in detail for longer than 3 seconds. Also "clear plastic binder sheets" made me laugh SO hard for some reason
Genuine question to anyone reading this, how much should I be paying attention? Like is this a Pepe Sylvia red-stringing sort of podcast where every detail is crucial later on, or is it more sort of a go-with-the-flow, Embrace the Absurdity sort of thing?
Why was that "Goodnight, listeners" so threatening?!?!?
*deep, deep inhale* ohhhkay
Next FUCKING EPISUDE I GUESS
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A Thousand Year Love ~ Ryomen Sukuna x Kitsune!Reader
Okay, I wrote the Reader's name as "Kitsune", but that's mostly because I envisioned a nine tailed fox without an actual name, that everyone would just call her "Fox" as if she wasn't anyone worth naming, despite her rank.
This is a little fic which explored Sukuna's supposed backstory, 1000 years prior to he action of Jujutsu Kaisen - Idk if it's accurate, I didn't yet read the manga, I still have 6 more episodes from the anime, but I had this idea and I couldn't stop myself from writing about it.
Most of it builds up the bond that very slowly grows between Sukuna and Kitsune, then snaps during a scene somewhere around episode 4 of the anime, when Sukuna takes over Yuji's body, and Yuji can't switch for a while, but with enough altercations that it's not exactly the same as in the said episode.
Hope you enjoy this <3
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"What are we doing here...?" Kitsune asked her parents in a voice that was barely audible as she looked left and right at the huge estate's gardens.
Estate? Rather said, palace, since this place was grandiose - Most likely, even more so than the Emperor's own Palace, the girl thought to herself. Everywhere she looked, cherry, plum and pear trees were in blossom, even though it wasn't their time. Statues and little shrines, along with various small pools with flowers, lanterns and lotuses were scattered as much as her vision would allow her to see. Looking up at the estate, she realised just how small she was in comparison to the intimidating and imposing energies radiating all over the place.
"You are going to meet someone very important, dear." her mother spoke, yet her voice wasn't as gentle as usual, rather, it sounded stiff, on the edge...Almost afraid, maybe? It was foreign for young Kitsune, as she has been confined in her little palace her whole life under the pretext of keeping her safe. But it did exactly the opposite, she believed, considering she itched to explore and go on adventures with each second passing. "Who is it?" she asked as soon as they stepped inside the palace...But it was so dark, save for the red, malicious light from the lanterns and candles lit in just the perfect places so it would guide them to the room they had to go to. "...You will find out soon." her father snapped at her, and she could only frown, her fluffy ears flicking as her tails wrapped protectively around herself. She knew something was wrong, and she had half a mind to believe she was brought there as a sacrifice for some War Deity that would allegedly save them from this era of war...Or something along the lines.
After a longer walk than expected, they found themselves in front of two large, red doors, and without any kind of reticence, Kitsune effortlessly slammed the doors open and saw a dimly lit room with a few stairs and a throne where a man with short, kinda spiky pink hair, garbed in a loose, white kimono was smugly sprawled over that royally embellished chair, while tons of gorgeous women dressed in the most luxurious kimonos, their hair done up with intricate headpieces and flowers that would put any living being to shame...
But what is this about? Kitsune was more confused than anything, and she could only step inside the room, slowly and carefully, before turning to look at her parents, who had a pitiful look in their eyes.
"What is going on?" Kitsune demanded an answer, her voice agitated, her body ready to go into a fight or flight mode, her eyes darting rapidly between her parents and the man on the throne whose name she wasn't interested in finding out. "Well, darling...You see...You had to find you a husband. You are old enough to be married, and you can't stay with us forever. You need to have a family and children. You are the princess of the Fox clan, there is nobody more beautiful than you -..." her mother tried to reason, but the young girl wasn't stupid. She understood what was going on. "No. No. If you want to speak - Then speak the truth. Don't lie to me. This guy is strong, isn't he? Some kind of demonic thing that everyone is afraid off. You are giving me away to this guy...To be his...Thousandth concubine in his harem or something, just because you're too weak to take care of our kin. That's the truth, isn't it? Go on, admit it. Stop trying to sugar coat the situation." her nine tails opened from around her in a large, undulating fan, making her aggression obvious, as fire began to immolate the tips of her fur. "SHUT UP, IMPERTINENT, UNRULY CHILD!" her mother slapped her face, not wanting their benefactor to hear his future concubine speaking so foul of him. "You are a woman, and the princess, nonetheless, and your role is to continue our kin and obey your family and husband. Do not speak unless you are allowed to!" but before her mother could grab her face, Kitsune's tail slapped her hand away, and she stepped back. "I am nobody's toy. I will not obey anyone's orders. Not yours, and not his. I will not be just another concubine for some disgusting, good for nothing lecher with no redeeming quality." the girl snarled at them, ready to make her escape out of there, if needed. "If your sister was alive, she would have sacrificed herself for the greater good of this family! You are nothing more than a selfish brat!" it was her father's time to accuse her, which made her ears perk up, while her tails completely deflated. "Yes, of course, how could I forget. It was me who should have died, not my perfect elder sister. Sorry, but you should curse the Gods, not me for that. But, since it seems that my life is meaningless to you, then I will make you a favour! I will end it myself! I'm sure you'll be happy without me, won't you? Ahh...But how will you save our war-ridden? Too bad I won't be alive to witness your demise, huh?" with a dark chuckle, Kitsune's hand went inside her kimono, taking the small kodachi sword and unsheathing it, hearing only the gasps and shrieks of fright from the harem girls. Kitsune could only guess that these girls were all high-born and unfamiliar to the horrible things happening outside of these walls. "What the hell are you doing, you idiotic child?! Cease this madness at once!" her mother shrieked at her, lounging towards her, trying to stop herself from impaling that blade through her body, and yet...
The second the girl launched her hand down to stab herself...She got stopped. The whole place became instantly silent, save for the sound of a blade bouncing down as it fell on the wooden floor. "Enough." a dark, annoyed voice resounded through the place as Kitsune's wrists were grasped by the man's...Front hands? While her body was immobilized in an embrace by his other two arms. "I was promised a beautiful princess as a concubine, and you failed to do as you promised. Leave, before I get bored and kill you." he threatened the two adult fox people who scurried away in a hurry, leaving behind their only daughter without a second thought. "You, however...Will remain here." he chuckled in her ear, but Kitsune wasn't one to be messed with. Her answer came in the form of lighting up her tails on fire an wrapping them around the man, who hissed and unhanded her, allowing her enough time to go into a corner and get in a fleeing stance. "Why did you stop me? I have no intention of being one of your whores. You should have let me end it right there." she scoffed at the man, who dismissed the bottom pair of arms and laughed. It was almost a psychopathic laugh, she thought, and it made the hair on the back of her neck stand up - Unsure if it was from fright or disgust. "You amuse me, little vixen. Very much, you amuse me. Having a little fox wag her tails around this place, all fired up, would give some sense of fun, wouldn't you say?" his voice was grating her, and she only wanted to sock him in the jaw. "Keep on dreaming. I'm not your toy, and I'm not here for anyone's entertainment. You have enough girls in this place to amuse you. I'll be going now, and even if you chain me, you can't stop me from achieving my freedom." Kitsune growled at him, slamming open the sliding door that would lead into the balcony, from where she could jump the hell away from there. "You proved you value your life even less than your parents do, so chaining you would do nothing. I have never seen a woman as fiery as you. All the ones I have are the same. Meek, soft...Afraid. Boring. They all like the same things, and hate the same things." he groaned pitifully, evidently bored out of his mind. "They hate you, don't they? You want women, but you don't bother treating them right. Can you get even more typically terrible? Pitiful and disgusting, that's what you are. You just want to break people for your entertainment. You are nothing more than a selfish megalomaniac. No wonder you are in need of entertaining, you are thoroughly boring." Kitsune's degrading words, however, didn't seem to phase the man at all - In fact - It made him laugh. Never, in this life, has he heard anything this degrading before - Everyone tried their best to appeal to his benevolent and merciful side - To at least spare their lives. He was stronger than anyone alive, so nobody dared speak up in front of him. It was obvious she had no idea who he was - All the better - He thought. "Ryomen Sukuna, missy, but you can call me your Emperor." that confident laugh was enough to drive Kitsune up the wall with anger as she stomped to his side and actually punched his jaw. It was annoying - The height difference - As he towered over her entirely, but at least she managed to reach where needed, little miss firecracker. "Piss off." the fox girl growled in anger at him...And yet...He only...Laughed. And he cupped her face, getting his own so close to hers that they could feel each other's breaths. "You. Are. Mine." his grin was so wide and sociopathic that he might as well have had his face split in two. "I will never be yours. I will never be anyone's. I'm not an object. I will not obey anyone. The second you leave me out of your sight, I will flee, and you will never see me again. And if I can't, I will find a way to kill myself. I have nothing to live for, but everything to die for." Kitsune bared her elongated canines at him, and gosh, was she enticing. "And if I get rid of the harem?" he asked, not bothering with everything she talked before. "You'll be a heartless jerk who'll destroy
the lives of so many women." she refuted just as quickly. "And if I don't fuck anyone but you?" he threw that, wanting to fluster her, but the fire in her eyes only ignited even higher. "As usual, you can only think with the wrong head, can't you? There's nothing to you but your stupid little prick. How pathetic. And you call yourself a man. Go die in the war or something." she grabbed him by the loose neck line of his kimono, only to hear him laughing condescendingly. "But darling, that just couldn't possibly happen. I am simply too strong to get killed. Everybody fears my power, why else do you think your parents were so willing to give you away? They were weak, just like you said, and every weakling needs the help of Ryomen Sukuna, Japan's own God of War." this statement made the girl's gorgeous eyes widen in shock...Only to start laughing, almost hysterically. "Oh, bow down to the self proclaimed God of War! Can you believe that! Your majesty, tone down your arrogance, it's gonna get yourself killed! I knew it, you're absolutely useless! All you can do is bark, no bite, little puppy! The only thing intimidating about you is your height, other than that, you are just a generic man who thinks he's all to powerful. How ridiculous." the fox girl couldn't stop her degrading laughing, which confused the man for a while, only to smirk and pick her up bridal style, carrying her out of that room, not letting her get out of his grasp, no matter how much she tried to wiggle or burn him. "I won't let you go until you acknowledge my infinite strength, cute, little fox. But don't think that just because I favour you, I will let you get away with all the shit you called me." his voice sounded darker, more ominously, but it didn't seem to intimidate the girl. "Not in a million years. Not even in your sweetest dreams. You're pathetic and I'll never acknowledge you as anything else but a disgusting, lecherous pig!" she yelled at his face, to which he responded by letting her roughly fall on a soft futon, then crouching by her side and gripping her face just as her mother did before. "Say that again when you'll end up screaming my name as if your life depends on it." he laughed at her before leaving her new room, which she won't leave for a while.
This annoying girl, Sukuna was intrigued by her, but at the same time, he was very tempted into strangling her or snapping her neck - Despite all that fire she lets out, he was curious if she'd end up groveling in self-pity, begging him for mercy, going back on her previous misguided and foolish courage. Wasn't it bad enough that she had no idea who HE was? He also had to endure such disrespect - And even worse - Enjoy it? That little fox bitch was ready to commit seppuku in front of everyone just to prove a point, what the hell else could be more entertaining? All the women he's had were given away by their families as tributes, and none said a word. He was a jerk to them, he fucked them, he mistreated them - Sukuna didn't give a fuck about any woman, man, child, animal...Or any living being in the world, except for himself. All were beneath him - Unworthy, weak, frail -...
And yet, they still lie to his face, trembling as they say all the fake, sweet nothings - "I love you, My Lord" the women would say, their voice shaky, jumping in fright as he'd touch them. He was a rough man, he never knew gentleness, nor mercy, no love - Through all the words spewed by the firey woman, the part where she declared he had no idea how to treat women properly - Yes, it was true, but did he care? Of course not.
Humans were all puppets with whom he could play as much as he wanted - All instruments for his entertaining in this terribly boring world, he would manipulate everyone like dolls on his strings, and when they've exhausted their means of entertaining him, the string will be cut, and the puppets will fall in an abyss of infernal fire.
For the first two weeks, Sukuna and Kitsune were literally acting like a cat chasing a mouse - And each time, the cat would surprise the mouse just as she was about to survive - He was giving her hope of success, only to pick her up by one of her many tails, or embrace her from behind, pick her up, trip her, show up from behind a tree, play with her hair as he came up from a tree behind her, and sometimes, even going as far as to mock her by pointing her the way out of the place.
But very soon, she gave up, and decided to starve herself to death by not leaving her assigned room, ignoring him entirely whenever she'd get visited by him - But that ended in the worst way possible - With her fainting and unable to wake up, and Sukuna freaking out because he didn't want his little toy to die before she got boring.
He laid next to her on the futon, holding her in his eyes, brushing her hair out of her face, playing with her vivid red hair - She truly looked like a fox in Sukuna's eyes, and he almost felt his heart warm up as he felt up the soft fur on her tails, waiting for his cursed energy to heal her up. After some time, he noticed the little red ball of fur getting smaller and smaller as she cuddled into his chest, resembling a defenseless kit searching for warmth, love and safety from its mother. She was so much smaller than him - So frail, so thin, so soft...So cute? - What was it that he was feeling? Calmness? Protectiveness?
He was furious at her for neglecting her health just so she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of toying with her - But that was also endearing, in its own, messed up way? She would go to such dramatic extremes to prove him wrong...It seemed that no matter what she did, it would still make him enjoy her company.
Whenever he'd fuck one of his harem girls, he wouldn't stay over, not even for a kiss - Hell, he didn't even know most of their names - Why should he? They were all the same to him - But he felt such a strong sense of protectiveness over he - He didn't want to strangle her to death anymore - Maybe just a bit of fun, some teasing, some startling - His hand around her supple neck as she looks up at him with her sparkling eyes, calling out his name - Sukuna, Sukuna - Pleading softly, but desperately to him for her sweet release - Sukuna, Sukuna - And he will be merciful, for once, and give her what she wants.
Just as he was caught in his own, sick fantasy, he felt the girl move and grumble, turning on her back, her small hands flying to rub her eyes awake - And he rolled over her, a playful, teasing smirk on his face as he waited for her to realise the position they were in - And yet, she was still out of it, for her eyes were half-lidded and gleaming, she was still weak from her lack of self-care, and she could only look up at him, dazed..."Sukuna...?" she mumbled in a whispery tone - What is she doing to him?! How dare she entice him so much? He wasn't supposed to be attracted to her in any way, so why...?!
"Relax, sweet-cheeks. I'm here." he spoke in a low voice, not wanting to alert her...Wait, what - "...Thanks." muttering that, she let out a soft sigh as she closed her eyes again, the corners of her mouth slightly turned upright as she allowed herself to fall back asleep and rest, not caring too much that she felt a slight pressure on both of her hands, in the form of the demon man pressing his own hands to hers, intertwining their fingers together as he towered over her, watching her chest rise and fall rhythmically as she breathed, her kissable, pink lips just a tiny bit parted. He couldn't stop himself - She was too irresistible, and he was much too insatiable - And he leaned down, pressing his own lips over hers - Gently - Very gently in fact, almost as if afraid of breaking a porcelain doll, as if afraid to crush a snowdrop he just picked from a glade, one just just barely managed to get out from under the remaining, melting snow of early spring. "You'll be the death of me, cutie." he found himself saying as he licked his lips, taking in the sweetness of the kiss.
Since then on, despite not being exactly friendly with the man, the fox girl didn't hate him that much anymore. It even got well enough for them to eat in the same room, or play shogi - The girl beating him at it more often than not, which left mixed feelings in his heart - And then he showed her the musical instruments that the concubines would sometimes use whenever he'd want a banquet and more sinful indulgences. He didn't ask her to play for him, though. He realised that the more he tried to push the girl, the less likely she'll actually do anything he wants.
Even more, the more time they spent together, the more his concubines would get neglected - So much that he was completely drawn to this fox girl and all the other women were completely wiped from his head. - And he started gifting her a bunch of beautiful kimonos, only to find them in front of his room's door, rejected. She didn't want anything from him, nor did she want his favour, so she continued wearing her simple clothes.
Until...
Until one night - It was a special night, really - For the moon was full, and big, and gleaming with such a beautiful silver light that neither of them saw in the many years they've been alive. And Kitsune dressed in one of her festival yukatas and went to the lotus pond, surrounded by a few wisteria trees, as the mirror of the water reflected the celestial orb like sparkling zircons. The fox gingerly jumped in the middle of the sheen, walking on it like a spirit, only her feminine silhouette being seen, as her long hair was gently blown by the warm spring wind and her tails were dancing around her in perfect sync. As her feet moved to the sound of the melody she played on a vertical flute she was given by the owner of the place, Sukuna found himself unable to move from his place on the palace balcony, his sight fixated on the woman's form as she alternated playing the instrument and dancing with ribbon-fans.
Her moves were fluid and mystifying like those of a priestess leading a will'o'wisp to rest into kakuriyo, the land of the dead - what was he supposed to do now? He was confused and mesmerised. He's seen his fair share of beautiful women playing instruments and dancing for him - Hundreds of them, in fact - But none could match the effect this nine tailed fox girl had on him.
This continued days on end, but he never admitted to her that he was stalking her every night, nor that he was completely enchanted and under her spell, at the point of no return.
"I'm going to war tomorrow." he told her one evening as he poured himself some sake. "...Good for you. Finally, more entertaining for the most powerful man on Earth...Or something. Bring me a souvenir when you return, I guess." the girl merely shrugged her shoulders as she took the tea pot and poured herself some tea, not bothering with any reaction. "You're not worried for me, are you? What if I die tomorrow? Will you weep for me?" he leaned forward, taking her chin between his fingers. " 'Course not. You're the one who keeps boasting about how you're the most powerful man on Earth and The God of War or something. Besides - If you die, I will just steal all your money and get the hell out of this place, so I can finally see the world through my very eyes, not through inked letters on paper. I want to be free and fly. Life here is boring. I've had enough years of being home stuck, don't you think?" she snapped at him as she snatched the now empty sake up and poured herself some alcohol. "And what if I promise to take you out to see the world when I return?" he smirked at her, watching her ears perk up a bit at the proposition. "...I don't believe you." she looked away before she could reveal any real emotion in her eyes. "I promise. But you also have to promise to relax around me. You're always on the edge, even if you've been here for a whole year. I saw you play in the winter, jump to collect autumn leaves taken by the wind, pick up fruit after climbing up the trees, and make flower crowns in spring. I saw you get buried completely in snow, only one of your tails being seen, I saw you make fruit wine in autumn, send paper lanterns into the sky and bathe in the lotus ponds. We're not strangers anymore, and I've never hurt you even once. So, do we have a deal?" his hunter-like eyes carefully watched her every reaction, noticing how her bottom lip quivered ever so slightly, before biting into it softly - She was nervous, that much was obvious - And Sukuna was now a pro at reading her behaviour. "...I'll try. But if you go back on your promise...I promise you, you won't wake up the next morning." she scoffed, threatening him, but it only ended up making him laugh. "The little kitten has claws, how adorable. That's fair, I'll let you have that." the man chuckled at her, petting her hair just between her ears, making her close her eyes and blush just a tiny bit. He was finally able to reach her - Not by much, but even this much was enough for him...For now.
For a whole month, Kitsune was all alone in the palace - Or so she felt, despite the numerous harem girls and the servants - All who had to obey her every order - But she refused any of that. If she wanted to eat, she would make food for herself. If she wanted to drink, she'd get some herself. If she wanted to bathe, she would prepare the bath herself - Just as she's always done. However, all this time, she was never in need of company. She couldn't handle people, nor their fakeness and many other useless emotions that would only make them vulnerable and susceptible of being used and taken for granted.
She's been through that numerous times while living with her family, and she wasn't about to let that happen again.
Thankfully, Kitsune never felt lonely, nor bored - However, she realised that she actually enjoyed Sukuna's annoying presence, and somehow, she found herself awaiting his coming back sooner.
"Master came back, vacation's over. Take care, everyone...I heard he's been injured. Can you believe it? Never thought demons can bleed." the many rumours circulated around the palace, but the fox girl only snapped at the gossipers, glaring at them to shut up. But she didn't go to greet him, like everyone else did. Instead, she waited until night to go to his room, and she found him on the ground, calmly drinking some sake.
"Ah, look at this, a little fox found its way in my humble abode. What ever could you be doing here, I wonder?" he chuckled teasingly, as she only looked down at him, giving him a slight head tilt, yet no expression on her blank face. "Are you wounded?" she muttered in a low voice, almost half-wanting not to have been heard...But she was. "Ha! So you heard those rumours too, haven't you? How ridiculous! Me? Ryomen Sukuna, the God of War, getting injured? Preposterous!" his bark-like laugh echoed through the place, but it didn't move the girl in any way. Instead, slowly crouched next to him, snatching down the already loose kimono top from his torso, letting it fall down to his chest, as her delicate fingers traced his chest, arm and back, analysing each and every fresh wound and scar alike. "I thought you could heal. Cursed energy magic or something. What you did to me when I passed out. Stupid liar. All you know how to do is to boast to everyone, but you can't even admit that you are still capable of making mistakes sometimes." her voice was obviously pissed off, but not enough to sock him in the jaw again. "Anti-regeneration magic. I didn't know something like that existed. Gimme a break." he scoffed, looking away in mild embarrassment. "Lucky you. Now don't move, or you'll really piss me off." she sneered at him as she made blue fire light up her palms and focused on healing him. It was then that she realised how good it felt to feel someone's bare skin, to feel his muscles, sore from fighting so much. He was finally beginning to look more like a man - A warrior - Not like some obnoxious, bratty, entitled casa nova. "I didn't know you could heal people. It tickles." he smirked slightly, turning his head to watch her focused face. "You don't know many things about me, Sukuna. Don't even bother trying, you'll never be able to, anyway." she scowled at him, but this time, it wasn't as aggressive as usual. "I've always loved a challenge, sugar." he chuckled boastfully, only for her to frown and look at him. "Is that all I am for you? A challenge?" she asked in a softer voice, sounding almost disappointed. "Not anymore. You've always been an enigma for me. You were fun, that's why I kept you around. If you weren't, I'd have killed you. I have no regrets about killing anyone, reason or not. But you got under my skin. I don't want to unveil the enigma behind you anymore. I just want to know you." carefully, his hands found their way on her hips, just before pulling her on his lap, only for her to stiffen up completely, her hands quickly taken off of his skin, as she quickly snapped her head away from him, her face covered by the long hair that resembled the blood he spilled on the battlefield. "Aww, are you shy, cutie~?" his seductive voice was back again, one of his hands reaching up to cup her face - But she couldn't bring herself to speak - Instead, she just gulped and jumped away from him, taking a few deep breaths before getting out of the room, and climbing up to the roof, hugging her legs to her chest, leaning her chin on her knees, her bottom lip bitten into to the point of drawing blood.
What the hell was she thinking, letting herself getting touched like that? By someone like Sukuna, nonetheless, who, if given the chance, would have his way with her, then toss her aside like he did with all the other women in his enormous harem. Her heart was beating so hard, so fast against her chest. It was a foreign feeling that scared her so much that for a long while, she couldn't help but avoid him once again, going out of her way to only leave her room when she was sure he wasn't there. It didn't always work out as she wished, but she still tried nonetheless, as succeeded for most of the time.
"Are you scared of me?" Sukuna asked the girl one night, when he found her softly shedding tears up on the roof. "...No." she offered a monotone answer. "Then why are you avoiding me again? Do you hate me?" he asked again, only for her to hang her head and hug herself. "I realised that I shouldn't be alive. All my life I've known only two emotions - Hatred and Rage - All of them masked by a facade of complete neutrality, passiveness and uncaring. But, now...I can feel my heart beating. And it hurts. I was so ready to throw away my life, and I knew I would have no regrets. I lived for nothing. I have no memories of anything good happening in my life. I thought that...I thought that maybe...I would be able to feel, staying here, with you. I wanted to feel something good, for once. What was that called...Happiness? Love? I wanted to feel those too. I guess it's too much to ask from this cruel life. The second you touched me, I started panicking and I got scared. I was afraid. Not of you, but of the idea of possibly getting hurt. I don't know how to feel, and I don't think I'll ever be able to be a proper being...But maybe...Someday...I will be able to look up at the same sky, at this very same moon, and the very same stars...And smile...And my chest won't be hurting anymore. And I won't be afraid anymore. Maybe, in the next life...Or the one after that...I will be lucky. Maybe times will change, and people won't be so cruel anymore. I'm sorry, Sukuna. I didn't end up being who and what you thought I'd be. I will forever be a disappointment to everyone I meet." she wasn't sure if her words were directed to anyone at all, or if she just found the courage to speak for the first time in her life - To acknowledge the existence of feelings altogether - But Sukuna understood her. Except for the thrill of the kill and fleeting quenched lust, he didn't feel any relief. Just like her, anger and hatred, for the entirety of his life. How different and similar the two of them really were, he realised, as he went to hug her from behind, resting his chin on top of her head. "You have never disappointed me, Kitsune. You cannot disappoint me. I understand what you're feeling. It's a cruel world, and we are much crueler to everyone around us, including ourselves. If you ever think you have it in your heart to accept me, I will be waiting. Forever, if needed. And if not, I will be awaiting in the next life. Or in the next one. I won't give up on you." and saying that, he planted a kiss on her temple before leaving her alone to watch the same silver moon they've been looking up at for so long. "...Thank you." she spoke to herself after who knows how long.
And she smiled.
Every day passing, she would look at the pink haired warrior, and every day, she'd want to throw herself in his arms, but every time, she'd start shaking, and she'd turn around and leave the place. This whole ordeal continued for well over three months, until one day, the palace was attacked with burning arrows, and the whole place was lit aflame.
In the mayhem in cause, the fox girl made sure to gather all the civilians in the huge estate and lead them to safety, and by the time she was done, she rushed to search for Sukuna, the person the enemies wanted to bring down, once and for all. However, by the time she found him, the whole place was ablaze, the once blooming garden was now turned into ashes, and the Demon God of War was heavily bleeding, slouched and leaning his back against a wall.
Opposite of him, many meters away, a menacing looking enemy who had spears in his hands was ready to throw them at him...And Sukuna merely smirked, defeated, and closed his eyes, awaiting for the impact of his ultimate death.
"Sukuna...Keep your eyes closed." Kitsune's low, shaking voice called out to him, but instead of doing as he was told, his eyes snapped open, only to widen in terror seeing the girl he grew to love, impaled by numerous spears, acting as a shield for him. "K...Kitsu...Ne...?!" he managed to usher after getting over his shock. "I told you...To keep you eyes closed...Idiot." she shook her head as she curled her fingers on the wall, taking a few deep breaths, despite her legs shaking. "Idiot. Idiot. You are such an idiot." "No...You...You were supposed to run away...I told you to run away...I told you...To...Live..." his voice was desperate, trembling, not believing what he was seeing before his very eyes. "Not without you...We were supposed to...Go...together...And be happy...And look at the moon...And stars...Together..." but as she said that, she heard the air getting split by yet another set of spears that go through her tails and torso, making her lose strength and fall over the man she was shielding. With her last strength, she punched back the spears out of her body and crawled on his lap, cradling his body, wrapping it up protectively with her tails, holding tightly onto him. "I never learnt how to fight...I never had anything to protect...Until I found you. I have no regrets dying, if you live. Close your eyes, Sukuna. I...I love you." and just before all strength left her body, she cupped his face and stole a weak kiss.
She was happy. She finally found her courage to act as she wished - With her heart, not with her fears. She was finally able to expel all the bad things possessing her. She died, and yet, she was finally smiling. She regretted nothing.
She was really happy.
"...Look there, Kitsune. Look at the moon. And the stars. And we are together. In this life. And the next one...And the one after...I will find you. And I will protect you. Don't be afraid anymore...Nothing will hurt you again. Until then...Sleep well, my Princess...Wait for me...Very soon."
---------
"Don't worry, Yuji! We will find all the victims of this place and rescue them! You'll see!" the cheerful nine-tailed girl wagged her fluff left and right as she dragged her best friend to the ominous place, as their other two team mates followed soon after, both having different reactions, as usual.
As her shikigami fox and Megumi's white wolf were assigned to make sure no cursed spirit would sneak up on them, they tried to make heads or tails of the distorted reality inside the place - They knew they may be dealing with a Special-Grade monster, but to have power of such magnitude seemed...Unreal...And unsettling.
"Guys, calm down. This is the Innate Domain...Cursed energy made this foul play...But I've never seen anything like...This. We have to move fast, and not split up, or we'll get picked one by one." Kitsune gritted her teeth, feeling the fur on her tails stand up. "Where's the door?!" Megumi yelled, turning around, only for everyone to gasp, realising the way they got through completely disappeared. "Th-The door's gone?!" Yuji blinked, incredulous at what he was witnessing. "How?! We just came in through here, didn't we?!" Nobara freaked out, only to make a short, brain dead dance with Yuji. "Calm down. The dog remembers the scent of the entrance." saying that, the two fawned over the two canines as they let them lead the way, only to find three mangled corpses, one of them having a name tag - It was the name of the child of the desperate woman outside of the place, pleading to the police to rescue him.
However, a fight erupted between the two boys who couldn't decide whether they should run away or rescue the corpses, as closure for the woman outside, at least, and while Nobara yelled at them, trying to make them stop...She...Disappeared?! Through a makeshift hole in the floor that wasn't there before.
"B-But...Megumi's demon dog and my fox should have been able to sense the curse...!" Kitsune then quickly turned around, only to gasp, noticing the bloody corpses of the said shikigami protruding from the walls. "NO! CYNDER!" she whimpered, hating to see her lovely companion in such a state. "ITADORI! KITSUNE! WE HAVE TO RUN! WE'LL LOOK FOR KUJISAKI AND -" but before he could finish speaking, Kitsune's whimper, that grew louder, along with the presence of the demon she was pointing at, staring straight at her...Made both boys stop in their tracks, wide eyed and shocked...And very much afraid.
The trio was sweating bullets, trying to move, trying to get the hell away from there - But Yuji moved first, taking out his knife, slashing at the Special-Grade....Only for his hand to go flying far away...From the impact.
"Megumi, run away! Go find Nobara, I'll stay here and create a diversion! Give us a signal when you're out of here! Yuji can get Sukuna and save us!" the fox girl yelled at her brunet friend desperately as she pushed him away, but a mouth on Yuji's cheek, speaking very derogatory, pointed out he doesn't give a fuck about Yuji's body, and that he won't die, even if his vessel does. "Nope~! Even if parts of me inside you die, I've still got 18 other fragments of my soul! Still, irritatingly enough, I don't have control of this body, so go away and switch, if you want! But once you do...I'll kill that brat before the cursed spirit can! Then, I'll go for that woman. She's a lively one. I'll have fuck with her. And then...I'll claim this cute fox girl that you care so much for!" Sukuna kept talking, and it was creating a state of panic in Yuji's heart. "Don't listen to him, Yuji! I know you won't let him take over you completely! You can't hurt us!" Kitsune yelled at her friend, trying to snap him out of the trance Sukuna put him in. "No, no, no, darling, you're wrong. If he's too focused on me, his friends WILL die~!" the demon kept laughing at his vessel, until the Special Grade unleashed a full blast of pure, cursed energy. "Yuji, look out!" she jumped at him, getting him out of the blast's range. "Stop listening to him, and take care of yourself! This isn't Jujutsu, this is pure cursed energy! We have to buy Megumi and Nobara enough time to get the hell out of here! Look at this jerk, he's having fun. I'm sure we can figure something out." the fox girl gritted her teeth in anger, but before either of them could try to attack or dodge - In the blink of an eye, really - She felt herself getting picked up and slammed on the wall before her by yet another blast of cursed energy - Followed by another, that flew her on the bridge in the next room, rendering her barely conscious. "KITSUNE! KITSUNEEEE!" she heard her pink haired friend's desperate wail as he tried to shake her awake. "...Sukuna...?" she asked, her shaking hands trying to rub away the tiredness from her eyes, as she looked up at him with gleaming, half-lidded eyes.
Before he could answer, shocked that she would call him by his demon's name, and even more, his own demon shocked, hearing her say something like that, she managed to cling onto the boy enough to get herself back on her feet, turning towards the attacker, her big, fluffy tails opening like a protective fan for the boy, as she created a blast of blue spirit fire to try to counter the cursed energy blast from the enemy. It made her growl from the pain, but her mind was blank - She had no regrets - No matter what life she was living, she will only get stronger and stronger, until she succeeds and protects the ones dear to her.
But not in this lifetime.
She wasn't strong enough yet. She was nowhere near her mentor, Satoru, in power. She had no way to compete with him, nor could she protect her friends when needed.
How pathethic.
It was her last thought before the cursed energy took over her, burning away some of her skin and creating even more damage after getting slammed and breaking yet another wall. With the last bit of consciousness she was able to hold onto, she saw her pink haired friend still alive and well - By some standards, at least - And she could merely smile and fight back the darkness threatening to take over.
But...Something happened, for the boy now seemed fearless - And he even taunted with the special-grade...And then he healed his own arm, before going to her, looking down at her, shaking his head. The markings on his face...This wasn't Yuji. This was...
"Idiot." a much darker, more masculine voice came from the body of the teenage vessel as he crouched down to the girl. "You never change, no matter what life you reincarnate into, do you? But that's the charm about you, stupid fox. You never really lose your memories of the past, do you?" he gently caressed her face, feeling his heart beating a bit faster as he noticed she was smiling and leaning into his touch. "You said you'll find me...So what is there to fear?" she mused weakly, before she got picked up bridal style, allowing her to cuddle into his chest, finally allowed to rest at ease. "Let's teach this weakling a lesson and get the hell out of here. The moon is up." Sukuna chuckled as he walked up to the demon, effortlessly punching in the head, slamming it into the bridge, only to smash his foot into its head, breaking the bridge altogether. As they fell, the monster grabbed his leg, but the fox-fire burn on his hand was enough to get his to shriek in pain and let go, as Sukuna jumped on one of the falling rubbles, taunting and laughing condescendingly, as he ripped apart the monster limb from limb before impaling it into a wall, as soon as they reached the watery ground. "Honestly, I'm jealous. I could never get to your power with jujutsu alone. Satoru said this thing is 80% born talent. How disheartening." she grumbled, feeling better already. "There's nothing cursed in your heart, sugar. Let the killing to me. I promised I'll protect you, I'm not going back on my word. I'm not going to see you die again." he threw her up a bit to get a better hold on her. "Hang onto me, foxy. Let's show this sucker how we do things." seeing his infamous smirk on his face, she threw her arms around his neck, holding on tightly, seeing as he did a hand seal, calling out his Malevolent Shrine...And they were back home, dressed the same as they were so long ago...A thousand years ago...And the monster got split in 5 slices, before Sukuna dug out another one of his soul-fingers, and he started grinning even laughing even darker, realising that Yuji couldn't switch bodies again, which made villain jump out of the facility, right on top of it. "I guess...No matter what life we live, the sky is going to be forever beautiful." Kitsune sighed as soon as he let her down, but she didn't let go of him. Not this time. Fears won't take over her life anymore. "And yours is even more eternal than the moon's or the stars." he cupped her face, taking in her beauty for the first time in over a thousand years. "It's been to long. I made you wait far too long. I hope you didn't miss me too much." one of his hands found its fingers raking through her hair, and she closed her eyes a bit, taking in the warm, loving feeling that completely took over her. "I'll forgive you. You did take your bloody time...But at least you're here now. And you're not going anywhere. I won't let you." her hands slid down to the neck of his blouse, pulling him to her level, which only made him smirk smugly. "Good. That was my intention." his charming, dark voice spoke, making her heart beating faster, and feeling the hair on the back of her neck and the fluff on her tails stand up from excitement. "Won't it be weird? Being Yuji's body...?" she asked shyly, as he only chuckled, pulling the same Malevolent Shrine trick, so they finally looked as they did when they first met. "Better, sweet cheeks?" he pulled her flushed to his body, as she got on her tippy toes to get closer to his face. "Spectacular."
As the fox girl couldn't stop touching his face, raking her fingers through his hair, feeling his body closer to hers as her whole body felt hotter than ever before - It was just a kiss - His lips so sweet against her own, his arms, so strong, holding her, feeling her, loving her.
It was only them, under the gentle light of the silver moon, guarding them, as the stars softly twinkled, embellishing gold into the dark sky - Just like this love light up the darkness in their hearts.
Her tails wrapped around him instinctively, as they pulled apart, and looked each other in the eyes for the first time since they've known each other. Her eyes were sparkling with happiness, her lips were curled into a kitten-like smile, and she was glowing - It made Sukuna's heart have a pleasant arrhythmia as he saw in front of his very eyes a sight that he's been dreaming about for over a millennium - The woman that captured his heart - Happy, in his own arms, safe, and very kissable.
This feeling and image were worth waiting a thousand years.
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helloalycia · 3 years
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teenage dirtbag [four] // wanda maximoff
summary: Things finally explode between you and Nate, and Pietro decides to get to the bottom of whatever is going on between you and Wanda, though in usual Pietro fashion AKA not subtly at all
warning/s: none.
author's note: this is very beefy, i must admit, but i think you'll all enjoy the outcome 😂💘
part one | part two | part three | part five | masterlist | wattpad
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Dinner with the Maximoffs wasn't as strange as I envisioned. Her parents were sweet and the twins did their best to make me feel comfortable. Wanda still seemed mildly frustrated whenever Pietro and I would talk though, and I figured she may have thought I was lying when I told her I didn't like him like that. I hoped that wasn't the case.
After dinner, Wanda took me upstairs to show me her bedroom. I'm not sure how to describe it other than it seemed so Wanda.
"I'm guessing red is your favourite colour," I said when I saw the hints of scarlet in her bedroom. On her walls, in her bedding, on her pillows. Just like her car and her jacket, they were all bright and very her.
"Great observation, Sherlock," she teased with a sly smile.
I returned the smile, sticking my tongue out at her playfully, before having a walk around and coming across her massive CD collection and CD player. Her music taste was actually quite similar to mine, which I definitely didn't expect. It just made her ten times more attractive to me which wasn't good, but oh well. I was here for a good time, not a long time. And my crush on Wanda Maximoff would surely be the death of me.
"D'you have any CDs at all?" she asked, joining my side when she noticed me staring at the shelf.
I crossed my arms, glancing at her. "Don't get me wrong. I'd love to collect them, but it's just so much easier to have Spotify, y'know?"
My intention wasn't to make her laugh, but God I was glad I did when her eyes crinkled and the sound rang around the room, making my heart pinch with adoration.
After giving me some of her pyjamas, the two of us got ready and brushed our teeth before I realised she wanted me to share bed with her.
"You wanna watch some TV before bed?" she asked, clearly not registering my hesitance to slide into her Queen-sized bed.
I swallowed hard. "S-sure."
She turned on the TV at the end of her bed as I slipped in beside her, still a bit rigid as I kept a fair distance from her.
"What you feeling? Comedy? Drama? Horror?"
"Anything is fine with me," I said, still tense.
She hummed in acknowledgement before leaning down on her pile of pillows behind her, edging closer to me. My heart was hammering in my chest as her hair tickled my arm from where she was laying.
"You comfortable?" she checked in, leaning backwards so her head was upside down to see me. "I have more pillows if you need them."
I offered her a small smile, hoping it disguised my nerves. "I'm good."
She nodded before flicking through the channels and eventually settling on reruns of The Office. It took time, but I eventually overcame my initial shock of sharing bed with the girl I had a major crush on and instead relaxed, getting comfortable under the covers.
After watching some TV, we called it a night and fell asleep quite quickly, the day taking its toll on us. For once, I wasn't panicking about doing something stupid. I simply fell asleep, trying to ignore the heat she emanated from beside me.
It was a peaceful night – her bed was super comfortable – and I woke up to the sound of Wanda moving about in her bedroom.
"Shoot, I'm sorry, did I wake you?" she asked when she saw me moving about under the blankets. I tried to blink away the sleep as she continued, "I was gonna wake you soon. School starts in an hour."
I rubbed my eyes, yawning, before sitting up and seeing she was practically already dressed. That meant she would have been up for a while, meaning she would have seen me fast asleep. God, I hated when people saw me sleeping. It always felt so weird.
"It's okay," I got out tiredly, before running a hand through my hair.
"You sleep well?" she asked, spinning around in her chair, her makeup half done. "I tried my very best not to use you as a teddy bear."
She was joking, but I felt my neck grow warm at the thought and damn, it was just way too early to be flustered.
"Yeah, I slept great," I settled, feeling her gaze on me. "Thanks again for having me over."
"Anytime," she said, and something told me it wasn't just a friendly response but that she actually meant it. Maybe it was the kind smile on her lips as she said so. "Just like last night, if you wanna use anything in the bathroom, go for it."
I gave her a thumbs up, taking a moment to wake myself up a little more, before heading to the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I returned to Wanda's room, I saw she'd already made the bed and had laid my clothes on top of it.
"I've got a shirt you can borrow," she said when I grabbed my jeans.
"Oh, I can just wear the same thing again, it's no biggie," I told her, already grabbing my shirt.
She pouted before grabbing a shirt from her closet. "Just hold on. You'll love it."
In no time, she came out from her closet and held out a Paramore tee shirt on a hanger towards me.
"I got it from the last concert I went to," she explained. "I thought you'd like it."
I couldn't help but smile at the thought. "Wow, Wanda. Really? You don't mind?"
She nodded, shaking the shirt as emphasis for me to take it. I did, having a look over it and smiling to myself.
"I'll wash it and give it back to you tomorrow," I promised, taking it off the hanger and holding it with my jeans. "Thanks."
"You can keep it," she said, scratching the back of her head apprehensively. "I've got loads."
"Oh, no, I can't do that," I began to deny, but she shook her head.
"It's fine, I'm giving it to you," she said, before smiling sweetly. "I'm sure you'll look better in it anyway."
Again with the warmth spreading up my neck...
"I doubt that," I quipped with a small smile.
"Go! Go get changed," she said, already pushing me towards the door. "I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast."
I snickered, letting her shove me into the hallway, before heading into the bathroom to get ready. The shirt was oversized, so there was no need to be worried it wouldn't fit. It was actually really nice, plus I liked it that extra bit more knowing Wanda gave it to me. Though I knew I wouldn't keep it. It was hers and she was just being nice.
When I finished making myself look presentable, I headed downstairs and found the twins at the kitchen counter, chatting between themselves. Their chatter ceased when I walked in, with Wanda biting her lip and looking me up and down with satisfaction.
"I was right," was all she said, making me nervous. "You do look better in it than me."
The day after that, I did as I said I would and returned Wanda's shirt to her, washed, folded and ironed. Knowing she wouldn't accept it without a fight, I left it in her bag when she wasn't looking during class.
I should have expected her to approach me at my locker afterwards.
"It was supposed to be a gift," she said, and I saw her pretty face reflected in the mirror hung inside my locker.
I turned around, already knowing what she was talking about.
"I told you I couldn't accept," I said politely, giving her a small smile. "I appreciate it though." She seemed disappointed which obviously didn't help with my feelings for her, so I took a leap and added, "Maybe I can get my own at their next concert. In the summer, right?"
She picked up on what I meant and smiled, stifling a laugh. Running a hand through her hair, she met my gaze and I found myself frozen in place as always, unable to look away. I wondered if she knew what she was doing when she did that, knew that she was giving me heart palpitations every time her lips turned into a playful smirk and dark eyes studied me curiously.
My eyes drifted to her lips subconsciously and she must have put on some lip balm or something, prior to finding me just now, as they looked shiny and pink and just so damn kissable. Nate was one lucky guy.
Having faced issues with Nate three times now (AKA the three times he happened to launch a football at my head), I'd figured I wouldn't be seeing the last of him. He was a dick, meaning he had a natural inclination to piss people off, particularly me. But I never thought he'd go for Y/BF/N.
We were chilling by our lockers, chatting about his film project, when his books suddenly got knocked out of his hands and he was shoved against the lockers. I straightened up when I saw it was Nate, looking pissed off as he had Y/BF/N's shirt bundled in his fist.
"What the hell are you doing?!" I shouted, trying to shove him off, but he merely pushed me back.
"This isn't your business," he said to me before glaring at Y/BF/N, who was quiet with panic. "You. You've been hanging around my girlfriend and I don't like it."
The colour drained from Y/BF/N's face as Nate slammed his hand to the lockers beside his head, startling him.
"I want you to stay the fuck away from Wanda!" he ordered, and students were starting to pick up on the fight that was clearly about to break out. "You fucking hear me, you nerd? Stay the fuck away!"
Poor Y/BF/N nodded his head, eyes avoiding Nate's. Meanwhile, I was angrier than Nate probably was. Y/BF/N had done nothing wrong. Maybe Nate had just seen Wanda hanging with me and because Y/BF/N was always with me, assumed the worst. Either way, this was no way to handle the situation and I was not gonna let this dick threaten my friend.
"Get the fuck away from him, Nate," I said through gritted teeth, glaring a hole into the side of his head.
Nate barely glanced my way. "I told you this isn't your business, honey."
"Five seconds," I said, standing behind him as a crowd began to form. "You've got five seconds or I'm gonna kick you."
He seemed to ignore me as he tightened his grip on Y/BF/N's shirt, only pissing me off more.
"Five," I began to count down, the grip on my books tightening with nerves and anger. "Four."
He still didn't look my way, just kept slapping Y/BF/N's face to scare him.
"Three, two, one," I said quickly, tired of giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Without waiting anymore, I kicked him between the legs with full force, watching as he instantly let go of Y/BF/N and doubled over. Everybody began to laugh, some making 'ooh' noises, but the consensus was clear – it definitely sucked to be Nate right now.
I tried not to laugh as I watched his face scrunch with pain, turning red. I was starting to appreciate my choice of wearing my doc marten boots today.
"No more balls for the guy who keeps throwing them at my fucking head," I got out, jaw clenching.
He looked up, his face crossing with realisation as he recognised me. In response, he glared in my direction, but it didn't faze me.
"Come on, Y/BF/N," I said, looking to my startled friend. "Let's go."
"What on Earth is going on over here?!" a teacher's voice rang out in the distance, and I groaned internally.
When I turned to leave, I heard Nate from behind me, grunting with dissatisfaction.
"Fuckin' dyke," he mumbled under his breath, and I paused, clenching my fists.
"Y/N, don't–" Y/BF/N tried to stop me, but I was too pissed to care.
I spun around and punched Nate square in the face, feeling good as his smirking face scrunched in pain and his back hit the lockers from the impact.
"Woah!" a teacher came out of nowhere, shoving herself between us and pushing me away from him. "What the hell is going on here?!"
I shook my hand to ease the pain on my knuckles, though the pain couldn't stop the grin on my lips as Nate raised his hands to his face, holding his busted nose. Students were going crazy, egged on by the potential fight, and for once, I didn't mind the attention. Nate had that coming for a while now.
"Everybody back to class! Now!" the teacher yelled, glaring all around her, before her eyes settled on Nate and I. "You two. Nurse's office now."
Nate glared at me behind his bloody nose and, once again, I tried not to laugh. Y/BF/N patted my back, amazement written on his face, before letting me leave with the teacher and an unusually silent Nate.
Kicking Nate in the groin and punching him in the face wasn't something I did to get attention, yet that's exactly what happened. Word of the incident spread around the school quite quickly, so much in fact that even students from other grades became aware of the situation and were approaching me to tell me how awesome I was. The whole thing was definitely strange, but I could tolerate it.
What I couldn't tolerate was having Chemistry after lunch and wondering if Wanda knew.
Would she hate me for punching her boyfriend? I wasn't sure. I just knew that when she walked into class and sat next to me, I felt everyone's eyes subtly watching us as if waiting for her to explode at me.
I'd been given an ice pack for my bruised hand after my visit to the nurse's office earlier whilst Nate had been treated for his broken nose (the fact that I'd broken it was hilarious to me, since I knew I wasn't even that strong). The principal had a very angry yell at us both in his office, neither of us willing to reveal the premise of our fight, before giving us detention every day after school for two weeks straight as punishment. Of course, Nate got his two weeks at a different time to mine for fear I'd punch him again (he definitely didn't like that, but he couldn't exactly say that to to principal).
I didn't bother using the ice pack in Chemistry for fear Wanda may ask what was up. I successfully managed to hide my hand and as a second surprise of the day, Wanda mentioned nothing about the incident. Not one thing about her boyfriend, about Y/BF/N, about any of it. I thought she might hint at it, trying to get me to bring it up. But she didn't which made me think she actually had no idea it even happened. Had anyone told her? Had he told her? Nah, probably not. His fragile masculinity probably caused him to change the story to something else so he didn't look like a wimp in front of his girlfriend.
Whatever it was, I was safe for now.
Thinking I'd got away with a confrontation from Wanda, I went about the rest of my day as usual. Well, that was until I was replacing some books in my locker at the end of the day and saw Wanda at her locker behind me, arguing with– yep, you guessed it. Nate.
Y/BF/N was collecting some books from his own locker beside me and we both exchanged looks as we saw the two lovebirds in a heated argument. Just when we were about to leave, someone cleared their throat from behind us, making us turn around.
Wanda was stood there, backpack hanging from her shoulder, beside Nate, who looked like he would rather be anywhere else but here.
"Hi," he started quietly, making Wanda clear her throat. He glanced at her before looking to Y/BF/N. "Look, man, I'm really sorry about earlier. I was wrong about what I said. We cool?"
I tried not to laugh at the way Nate was being forced to apologise by his girlfriend. Y/BF/N glanced to me with questioning eyes, so I simply shrugged.
"I guess...," he finally answered Nate, still a little awkward.
Nate nodded before looking to me. He still had his reservations, judging from the twitch in his expression, but for Wanda's sake, he kept his cool.
"I'm sorry for treating you badly," he said reluctantly. "With the football and just generally."
God, it was so hard not to laugh in his face right now. His nose had gauze taped to it and it made him look like an idiot. I fake coughed to disguise my smile, before meeting his gaze.
"It's, er, cool," I said, not in the mood to be an arsehole to him, even though he deserved it. I'd punched him – I think we were equal for now.
He nodded, before staying quiet. Glancing to Wanda, he waited for her to say something. She rolled her eyes and nodded for him to leave. When he was gone, she sighed tiredly.
"I only heard about what happened after Chem class," she said, mainly to me, a guilty expression on her lips. "I'm so sorry he acted like a jerk."
I chewed my lip, unsure what to say.
"It's okay, Y/N here took care of it," Y/BF/N said, smiling with amusement at me. Okay, well now she definitely knew.
"Yeah, sorry you felt you had to do that," she said with a grimace. "I guess he deserved it though."
"Kind of," I agreed, before noticing the regretful frown on her lips. "He apologised though. It's already happened. I kinda broke his nose... No point in dwelling on it."
She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah..." Her eyes fell to my bruised hand before lifting it gently. I winced at the ache, but let her hold it, studying the purple bruise painted across my knuckles. "That looks bad."
It felt good punching him though, but I wasn't about to say that since it was her boyfriend I was talking about.
"It's alright," I said dismissively, shrugging. "Nate kind of got it worse. I'll live."
The pad of her thumb stroked the bruise gently and I held my breath, the feeling of her hands holding mine sending shivers up my arm. Her eyes flickered to mine, softened with guilt, before she let go of my hand.
"I should head home," she said after a pause. "I'll see you both tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow," Y/BF/N said for both of us, sensing my loss of words.
Wanda held my gaze once more, eyes half lidded as they glanced down. Before I could even question what she was looking at, she waved goodbye and left.
"She's either starting to realise what a dick her boyfriend is or she's just really into you," Y/BF/N said, patting me on the back. "Maybe both, who knows?"
"You definitely cheated," I told Y/BF/N once we finished yet another round of air hockey. "Nobody wins six times in a row like that!"
He laughed at my expression. "Tell me, dear Y/N. How would I cheat? The concept of the game is simple, really. It's not my fault you're terrible."
I rolled my eyes lightheartedly. "Seventh time's the charm. C'mon."
He chuckled, about to put more money in the machine, before his eyes got distracted by something behind me. "Well, would you look at that. The Maximoff twins are here."
"Very funny," I said with a knowing look. "You can't throw me off like that. We've established I'm already terrible. Now c'mon. Let's go!"
"I wish I was joking," he said, shaking his head.
I scoffed, not believing him, and turned around to prove him wrong, but I was surprised when I saw Wanda and Pietro walking into the arcade we were in. They seemed to spot us instantly, waving in our direction before approaching us.
"Fancy seeing you here," Pietro teased with a smile as they stopped before us.
I cracked a smile as Y/BF/N joined my side. "We're hanging out. And you?"
Wrapping an arm around his sister's shoulder, he tugged Wanda close to him. "Sibling bonding time."
Wanda rolled her eyes at his childishness, but I could tell she found it endearing all the same.
"Well, if you want, you can hang with us," Y/BF/N offered, and we all looked to him, myself raising a brow his way. He seemed to sense my reluctance, it egging him on as he grinned at them. "Y/N doesn't mind. Do you, Y/N?"
I swallowed hard as I looked between the twins. "'Course not."
And that's how I found myself playing arcade games with the Maximoff twins that Saturday afternoon. It was actually pretty fun, with Pietro being as competitive as I was and Wanda being the sweetest loser with everything she played. It was so adorable, but I ended up letting her win some games of skee-ball just so I could see that cute nose scrunch of hers as she realised she'd won.
"You gonna let me win like that, too?" Pietro caught on as he took his sister's place in playing against me. He had a mischievous grin on his lips and I felt my mouth go dry at what he was implying.
"You wish," I said, playing it cool, though I wondered if he cared that I clearly let Wanda win. He wouldn't read into it, right?
Pietro took his go as he spoke. "So, I heard what happened with you and Nate at school last week."
I closed my eyes, cringing at the reminder. Pietro merely laughed.
"You kicked him super hard, right?" he asked excitedly. "I heard his face went so red with anger that you could fry an egg on it! And don't forget that punch, goddamn what I would pay to have seen that!"
"Pietro!" Wanda scolded from behind us as her and Y/BF/N played air hockey. "Don't be a tool!"
I felt my face heat up with embarrassment as Pietro continued to laugh. Y/BF/N joined in whilst Wanda tried to hide the smile dancing on her lips.
"You're not even together anymore," Pietro called to Wanda between laughter. Wait, did I hear that right?
"You and Nate broke up?" Y/BF/N asked with disbelief. "Our grade's 'it' couple broke up?"
Wanda ran a hand through her hair to distract from her flittering eyes. "He treated you horribly last week. Both of you." She glanced my way before looking at her shoes. "He was a jerk. It was long overdue... Also, I would have broken up with him there and then had I known what he'd said to you. I'm sorry he said what he did."
She stared at me with apologetic eyes and I wasn't sure what to say or do other than nod awkwardly and look away. The fact that she'd broken up with him put a smile on my face though.
"I just think it's awesome," Pietro admitted, before saluting playfully to me. "Thank you for your service. I knew you were awesome, but this is a whole new level."
I sighed, attempting to hide my smile, before straightening up to play. Pietro and I played some skee-ball before I decided to have a go at the claw machine. Wanda was at the one beside me, attempting to win herself a fluffy black cat plush toy. She'd had three goes before giving up, admitting to defeat.
"Typical Wanda," Pietro teased. "Giving up when the going gets tough."
She punched him in the arm, making him jump and rub it. That elicited a smile from her, making me laugh at their immaturity.
"How about Wanda and I go and get a table in the diner next door whilst you finish up winning whatever it is you're trying to win?" Y/BF/N asked, looking to me, as if assigning blame.
"I already told you, I'm not leaving this machine until I win at least one thing," I stated stubbornly.
"The amount of money you've put into the machine won't make up for whatever you win," Y/BF/N teased with amusement.
"Just go," I said, waving my hand dismissively. "I'll be there soon."
"I'll wait with her," Pietro said, resting a hand on my shoulder, making me shrug him off jokingly. "See you soon," he added with a laugh, to his sister and Y/BF/N.
When they left, I looked to Pietro with an amused smile. "I don't need you to look after me, y'know."
He shrugged and looked through the glass of the claw machine. "I know. But I stayed to give you some advice, princess."
"Oh, really? And what advice is that?" I asked, before putting some coins in the machine to have another go.
"People usually tend to win these things for people they like, right?" he asked, nodding to the plush toys in the machine.
"Or for themselves," I corrected with a curious smile. "Take Wanda for example. How badly did she want that cat?"
He crossed his arms, smiling with amusement. "You could win it for her, y'know."
"What?" I asked, half paying attention as I attempted to grab a teddy bear.
"Win the cat for my sister and give it to her?"
I ended up dropping the teddy from the claw as I looked to Pietro with shock. He laughed at my expression, leaning against the machine.
"You do like her, right? Otherwise this is awkward," he added as an afterthought, looking down and smiling to himself.
My jaw hung open. "I– er– I never really– I don't–"
"She must definitely like you," Pietro noted, glancing at me.
I licked my lips as I found my words. "Did she," I cleared my throat, "did she say something?"
"Well, no," he said, "but she looks like she wants to murder me every time I hang out with you."
"That's just a coincidence," I said, shaking my head and looking back to the machine. "She's not–" I thought about, before shaking my head again. "No."
I appreciated Pietro's help, but Wanda definitely didn't like me like that. She was just protective of her brother and friendly to me. It didn't mean anything.
"Look, you don't have to listen to me," he said, straightening up and looking at the machine as I slotted another coin in. "But you could give it a shot. See what happens."
I glanced at him, his blue eyes watching me knowingly, a matching smirk on his lips.
"Fine," I gave in, hoping it wouldn't backfire. "Let's see what happens..."
605 notes · View notes
levbug · 3 years
Text
𝟕 𝐏.𝐌. ー 𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐚 𝐬.
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#pairing ー very sleepy! kita shinsuke x gn! reader
#warnings ー none but kitas really whipped its kinda embarrassing + he doesnt shower before laying down despite being stinky u gross little boy
#genre ー best friends to lovers-ish(?), fluff, angst
#wc ー 1.2k
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for @kyotarou's 24h collab!! p.s thank u vi @hikariakaashi for helping me out with this teehee <3
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'i'm beat,' kita thinks upon carelessly tossing his dirty old gym bag on the ground. his movements are heavy and sluggish, a fatigued expression present on his handsome features. the contents of his bag spill out, but kita can't find it in himself to bend down and fix it.
the poor boy looks less than pitiful at this moment. having forgotten to pack an umbrella this morning, his clothes stick to his body like a second skin. he peels off the damp clothing with a grimace, wincing when the discarded fabric lands on his bedroom floor with a resounding 'plop!'
kita is all but ready to settle into bed and get some well-deserved rest, but just as he pulls on his favorite pair of pajamas and tucks himself in, his phone rings.
"hello?" he answers wearily, not even bothering to check who had decided to call him. the only thing on his mind is the sweet temptation that is sleep.
"hi, kita!"your chipper voice replies. the boy winces at how enthusiastic and happy you sound, despite it being 7 p.m on a wednesday night. he wonders how you can keep your energy levels so high; he'd have to take a few notes.
"oh, hi (name)," it wasn't unusual for you to call kita (he practically expected you to), although it was quite unconventional; you two lived just across the street from each other. 
he still didn't quite understand why you insisted on calling him every night just before dinner, but over the years he's learned that it's better to leave some things unquestioned. that, and because he liked it when you took the time out of your day to speak to him.
"how was your day today?" he asks, a hint of interest lacing his usually monotone voice. 
"oh! well, today was actually pretty fun! me and atsumu actually ended up in detention today because..." you begin. kita listens as you tell him about the happenings of your day, from the positives to your daily frustrations.
although he wouldn't admit it, he treasures these moments most. the moments where you speak about anything and everything and he just listens, humming or letting out a small "really, they said that?" to show that he was somewhat invested. 
there have been times when you'd pout at kita and accuse him of never listening to what you say, claiming that you'd often hear him snoring while you ranted. kita would just chuckle and shake his head, not denying but not confirming your suspicions either.
in his heart, no matter how many times he may have accidentally fallen asleep to your voice, he knows that he'd never intentionally tune you out. you're too special to him for that.
you were his first long-term friend. hell, why should he put it lightly? you were his first ever friend. 
when the other kids refused to play with him, calling him sickly and weak and slow and all the things that damaged his self-confidence, you stuck by his side. you took his hand with the friendliest smile he had ever seen and you made him feel like he belonged. you didn't tip-toe around topics, you didn't hesitate to call people out on their bullshit. you were confident and strong, and kita liked that about you. 
and while he wouldn't necessarily say he was in love, he felt strongly about you. the way your easy-going smile would morph into a look of defiance and mischief once provoked was enough for his heart to start beating erratically in his chest. how you'd hold his hand absentmindedly when you two would be caught in a crowd, how your eyes shone like the stars when you'd laugh at a stupid joke one of the twins would make, the furrow of your brows when you were deep in thought, the childish lilt in your voice when you'd tease poor aran on the rare occasion that he was flustered. kita felt strongly about it all. 
"kita? are you still there? you've gone awfully quiet," you trail off from your story about how suna had gotten one of osamu and atsumu's arguments on tape. 
"what? oh yeah, just thinking about some things," his voice tapers off at the end of his sentence. he can hear a faint hum of concern from your end, as well as the sound of rustling sheets.
"what kind of things?" you ask softly. 
kita hums, repositioning himself and resting his chin on his arm. "nice things,"
"you're a shit conversationalist, you know that?" an exasperated sigh crackles through the crappy speakers of kita's phone.
he chuckles, a pleasant, low sound that comes deep from his chest. "so i've been told," he says, voice barely above a whisper. 
for a moment, silence fills the air. the tired boy closes his eyes and listens to the soft hum of your air conditioning. 
"your grandma told me about how you forgot your umbrella this morning," kita can envision the small pout on your lips, the same one you always wear when you scold him.
"is that so?" he doesn't bother suppressing a smile.
"yeah, she did," you sigh. kita hears more rustling, this time accompanied by a soft grunt. "you should stop overworking yourself. i don't know why you feel the need to keep tiring yourself out to the point where you can barely remember to eat breakfast. don't do that to yourself!"
"i know, i'm sorry," he apologizes. he's noticed you have a wonderful knack for encouraging and reassuring people. he loves that about you.
"yeah, you better be..." and once more, it's silent between you two. kita doesn't really mind; it's the kind of silence like in those cheesy romance books, the comfortable one where neither of you have to worry about filling the gap. it's nice, he thinks. 
just as kita begins to nod off to sleep, he hears the muffled call of your name, presumably from your mother. 
"oh, i have to go now," kita shakes the temptation of sleep away from his mind and feels the familiar dread that always came when you'd tell him you needed to go. "i'll see you tomorrow at school, yeah? and don't forget to eat dinner and shower tonight! your grandma's really worried about you!"
a plethora of reassurances leave kita's mouth as you list the things he needs to do. the boy is hardly able to quell the urge to roll his eyes. "i know, i know! don't worry so much about me, i can take care of myself!"
an indignant huff sounds from your end of the line, but softens into a relenting sigh. "i know kita, but you can't blame me! you're my best friend, i have a right to worry about you!"
he feels a strange stirring in his heart at your words, but he chooses to ignore it. "i know. i'll try my best to take better care of myself, so don't worry so much about me, okay?"
the line goes quiet for a second. "okay,"
"okay," he closes his eyes once more, chewing on the soft flesh of his lower lip. "and (name)?"
"yeah, kita?"
kita hesitates for a second too long, for as soon as the words "i think i'm in love with you," leave his lips,
the call had already ended.
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luvholicz · 3 years
Text
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pairing. wayv’s dong sicheng x gn! reader
genre + wc. timestamp, best friends to lovers(ish), fluff, angst at the end + 1.2k
warnings. none, however sicheng is Really whipped its kinda gross blech
notes. reposted from my old blog!! this is one of my fave pieces to date so i hope u enjoy ^.^
reblogs are greatly appreciated!
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'i'm beat,' sicheng thinks upon carelessly tossing his dirty old gym bag on the ground. his movements are heavy and sluggish, a fatigued expression present on his handsome features. the contents of his bag spill out, but sicheng can't find it in himself to bend down and fix it.
the poor boy looks less than pitiful in this moment. having forgotten to pack an umbrella this morning, his clothes stick to his body like a second skin. he peels off the damp clothing with a grimace, wincing when the discarded fabric lands on his bedroom floor with a resounding 'plop!'
sicheng is all but ready to settle in bed and get some well-deserved rest, but just as he pulls on his favorite pair of pajamas and tucks himself in, his phone rings.
"hello?" he answers wearily, not even bothering to check who had decided to call him. the only thing on his mind is the sweet temptation that is sleep.
"hi, sicheng!"your chipper voice replies. the boy winces at how enthusiastic and happy you sound, despite it being 7 p.m on a wednesday night. he wonders how you can keep your energy levels so high; he'd have to take a few notes.
"oh, hi (name)," it wasn't unusual for you to call sicheng (he practically expected you to), although it was quite unconventional; you two lived just across the street from each other.
he still didn't quite understand why you insisted on calling him every night just before dinner, but over the years he's learned that it's better to leave some things unquestioned. that, and because he liked it when you took the time out of your day to speak to him.
"how was your day today?" he asks, a hint of interest lacing his usually monotone voice.
"oh! well, today was actually pretty fun! me and donghyuck actually ended up in detention today because..." you begin. sicheng listens as you tell him about the happenings of your day, from the positives to your daily frustrations.
although he wouldn't admit it, he treasures these moments most. the moments where you speak about anything and everything and he just listens, humming or letting out a small "really, they said that?" to show that he was somewhat invested.
there have been times when you'd pout at sicheng and accuse him of never listening to what you say, claiming that you'd often hear him snoring while you ranted. sicheng would just chuckle and shake his head, not denying but not confirming your suspicions either.
in his heart, no matter how many times he may have accidentally fallen asleep to your voice, he knows that he'd never intentionally tune you out. you're too special to him for that.
you were his first long-term friend, hell, why should he put it lightly? you were his first ever friend.
when the other kids refused to play with him, calling him sickly and weak and slow and all the things that damaged his self-confidence, you stuck by his side. you took his hand with the friendliest smile he had ever seen and you made him feel like he belonged. you didn't tip-toe around topics, you didn't hesitate to call people out on their bullshit. you were confident and strong, and sicheng liked that about you.
and while he wouldn't necessarily say he was in love, he felt strongly about you. the way your easy-going smile would morph into a look of defiance and mischief once provoked was enough for his heart to start beating erratically in his chest. how you'd hold his hand absentmindedly when you two would be caught in a crowd, how your eyes shone like the stars when you'd laugh at a stupid joke donghyuck or johnny would make, the furrow of your brows when you were deep in thought, the childish lilt in your voice when you'd tease poor jaehyun on the rare occasion that he was flustered. sicheng felt strongly about it all.
"sicheng? are you still there? you've gone awfully quiet," you trail off from your story about how jeno had gotten one of renjun and donghyuck's arguments on tape.
"what? oh yeah, just thinking about some things," his voice tapers off at the end of his sentence. he can hear a faint hum of concern from your end, as well as the sound of rustling sheets.
"what kind of things?" you ask softly.
sicheng hums, repositioning himself and resting his chin on his arm. "nice things,"
"you're a shit conversationalist, you know that?" an exasperated sigh crackles through the crappy speakers of sicheng's phone.
he chuckles, a pleasant, low sound that comes deep from his chest. "so i've been told," he says, voice barely above a whisper.
for a moment, silence fills the air. the tired boy closes his eyes and listens to the soft hum of your air conditioning.
"your grandma told me about how you forgot your umbrella this morning," sicheng can envision the small pout on your lips, the same one you always wear when you scold him.
"is that so?" he doesn't bother suppressing a smile.
"yeah, she did," you sigh. sicheng hears more rustling, this time accompanied by a soft grunt. "you should stop overworking yourself. i don't know why you feel the need to keep tiring yourself out to the point where you can barely remember to eat breakfast. don't do that to yourself!"
"i know, i'm sorry," he apologizes. he's noticed you have a wonderful knack for encouraging and reassuring people. he loves that about you.
"yeah, you better be..." and once more, it's silent between you two. sicheng doesn't really mind; it's the kind of silence like in those cheesy romance books, the comfortable one where neither of you have to worry about filling the gap. it's nice, he thinks.
just as sicheng begins to nod off to sleep, he hears the muffled call of your name, presumably from your mother.
"oh, i have to go now," sicheng shakes the temptation of sleep away from his mind and feels the familiar dread that always came when you'd tell him you needed to go. "i'll see you tomorrow at school, yeah? and don't forget to eat dinner and shower tonight! your grandma's really worried about you!"
a plethora of reassurances leave sicheng's mouth as you list the things he needs to do. the boy is hardly able to quell the urge to roll his eyes. "i know, i know! don't worry so much about me, i can take care of myself!"
an indignant huff sounds from your end of the line, but softens into a relenting sigh. "i know sicheng, but you can't blame me! you're my best friend, i have a right to worry about you!"
he feels a strange stirring in his heart at your words, but he chooses to ignore it. "i know. i'll try my best to take better care of myself, so don't worry so much about me, okay?"
the line goes silent for a second. "okay,"
"okay," he closes his eyes once more, chewing on the soft flesh of his lower lip. "and (name)?"
"yeah, sicheng?"
sicheng hesitates for a second too long, for as soon as the words "i think i'm in love with you," leave his lips,
the call had already ended.
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queenxxxsupreme · 3 years
Note
I was wondering if you could write something with a plus sized reader? It can be any of the witchers and/or Jaskier (although I think esk, lam, & jask would work best). Can be more focused on them finding the reader attractive/hot? I see lots of fics and headcannons abt plus size readers that are all about insecurities and finding the reader beautiful and aethestically pleasing. I'm plus size and I think I am beautiful, just not... attractive. looking hot and looking pretty/beautiful are different. idk if that makes sense I just want someone to think I'm hot. It can be NSFW or funny and fluffy. if you aren't comfortable writing this that's cool too. I just really like your writing. You have created a really welcoming community/page and I felt comfortable enough asking. I appreciate it so much. Thank you. 💜
A/N: I love this ask!!! Though I’m not sure I followed the prompt properly…. :( I wanted to do Lambert very badly which is part of the reason why it took so long to do but I couldn’t make it work with the prompt so I ended up doing Jaskier. I hope you liked it babe!
Warnings: no smut but Jaskier is a cheeky bastard and suggests NSFW 18+ things so if you aren’t into that please don’t read! also mentions of poor self image but Jaskier makes it better
***
You watched the tailor and seamstress murmur to each other in a language you didn’t understand. The seamstress said something, gesturing to the skirt you wore. Then she looked back at the tailor who shook his head disapprovingly. 
Their eyes seemed to drill holes into you. You suddenly felt so stupid for letting Jaskier talk you into coming to this expensive shop to be professionally fitted for a dress to match his outfit for the gala in two nights. 
But he was just so excited about the gala. It was the first time you’d be meeting the famed Geralt of Rivia as well as a few of Jaskier’s other friends he had met on his journeys with the witcher. 
You felt saddened that he was so eager to take you to the gala. Surely you'd only make him look like a fool in front of his friends and comrades. 
“Dear? Are you listening?” Jaskier placed his hand on the back of your calf as he moved around the stool you were balanced upon. 
You brought your eyes down to him. 
“Hm? Oh, erm, yes. Of course, I-I was.” 
He frowned. 
“No, you’ve got something else on your mind. What is it?”
You shook your head, smoothing out the material to your dress. 
“Nothing, Jask. It’s fine.”
“Tell me, please.” He reached up to take your hand in his, brushing his thumb along your knuckles. 
You kept your eyes on him for a few moments before looking in the direction of the seamstress and tailor. They no longer looked at you but they were still gesturing in your direction. 
“It’s just silly, Jaskier.” You shook your head. 
“You look upset, darling. It’s not silly if it’s upsetting you. Step down for a second, my sweet.” Jaskier held your hand as you stepped down from the stool. He tucked a piece of your hair behind your ear, looking at you with furrowed brows. “Please tell me. Did something happen?”
You shook your head, chewing on the inside of your cheek. 
“Can you understand what they’re saying?”
“Of course.” Jaskier nodded. “They’re talking about putting ruffles in your skirt. Alma thinks a few would be a good idea to add some at the bottom but Derion is completely against the very thought of ruffles.”
You could practically feel the weight lift off of your shoulders. You almost laughed. 
“Really?”
“I know. I don’t think ruffles are a good idea, but Alma is an incredibly talented seamstress. She has an eye for creating beauties. But sadly ruffles will not be happening today.” Jaskier waved the two over. “With all do respect to you, darling Alma, I think we should pass on the ruffles this time.”
“Bastard.” Alma swatted her hand in his direction. 
“Let’s move on from the skirt.” Derion waved his hand dismissively. “For the bust. It’s the most important part. It will take Alma hours to bead together intricate detailing to match your doublet, Master Julian. She needs to know how you’d like it done in order to begin working.” 
“Right.” Jaskier placed his hand on the small of your back. “I’m thinking a rather cheeky neckline. Perhaps an off the shoulder neckline that goes a little deeper than what’s traditionally seen.”
“Jaskier!” Your cheeks flushed as you looked at him. 
“Darling, it will be absolutely fantastic! Show a bit of your chest off! Show everyone how sexy you are.”
“Jaskier.”
“It appears as though you have yet to come to an agreement on a top.” Derion spoke, looking between you two. “When my lady decides on what style of top she’d like, please do let us know. Until then, Alma, let’s continue with the skirt while they chat.” 
You watched the two move towards the desk off to the side of the room. 
“Jaskier–,”
“Just picture this, my love.” Jaskier cut you off, his hand leaving your back as he moved to stand in front of you. “The corset is supporting your bust, holding the girls up and putting them on display–,”
“For the entire gala to see?” You widened your eyes. “What are you trying to do? Make your friends think I’m some strumpet?”
“No! No! Of course not! I think you’d look sexy like that.” Jaskier put his hand on your hip. “And the corset will accentuate your figure–,”
“The figure I don’t have.” You turned away from him, making your way towards the chairs that sat near the windows. You were thankful the curtains were drawn. This gave you some privacy from the outside world. 
“What? That’s ridiculous. You have a figure. A marvelous one at that.” Jaskier followed behind you. 
“I have the same figure as an apple, Jaskier. Or a pumkin. Round and-and large and just.... There’s nothing you should be so eager to show off at the gala.” You sat down in one of the seats, your voice quivering as you fought to keep your emotions at bay. 
Jaskier knelt down in front of you, his hands taking yours in his own. His touch, calloused from years of playing instruments, was warm as he gave you a squeeze. 
He didn’t know what to say at first. He was upset with himself for having not noticed that you were uncomfortable earlier. He was upset with himself for making you uncomfortable.
“Love-,”
“And don’t- Jaskier, please don’t try to tell me I’m not.” You whispered, unable to meet his gaze as tears blurred your vision. “I know I am. If you deny it, it’ll be like denying that the sky is blue or that-that grass is green.”
Jaskier nodded softly, understanding your words. He let the silence sit between you for a few more moments. He reached up to wipe your cheeks. Then he moved to sit in the seat next to you, keeping your hands in his.
“You know, my favorite shade of blue is just after the sun sets.” He murmured. “It’s dark and it’s ominous, but it’s stunning to see planets begin to show even though the sun hasn’t set yet. It’s like they’re beginning to come out of hiding. And my favorite shade of green is much more specific than that. Do you remember that time we laid in the lupin field just outside of Cintra all day?”
“Of course I remember that.” You sniffled, a little smile coming to your lips. “You read and sang to me all day. It was a beautiful day.”
“That day is my favorite shade of green.” Jaskier rubbed the back of your hand. He leaned in to kiss the corner of your eye. “And that night…. That night was when I realized my favorite shade of blue, you know?”
Your heart began to race a little quicker. That evening in the lupine field had been rather romantic and intimate. It was one of your favorite memories with the bard. 
Jaskier took a deep breath, looking across the room to the seamstress and tailor for a moment to make sure they were occupied with something else. 
“Dear heart, you know I would make sure the dress they create makes you look nothing short of the goddess you are.”
“I-I don’t…. I don’t have that same faith, Jaskier.” You shook your head, looking away from him to one of the paintings on the wall. It was of a beautiful woman in a stunning violet dress. She was thinner than you and the dress she wore made sure to show what curves she had off.
“You don’t have faith in me?” He asked softly.
“I don’t have faith in myself. You keep saying I’m going to look sexy and that you want to put me on display-,”
“Y/N, I was only joking. I’m so sorry if it made you uncomfortable. I meant absolutely no harm by it.” Jaskier put his hand on your knee. “I just- My gods, Y/N. The very idea of you in the dress I envision. Everyone is going to be fucking staring. On second thought, perhaps it wouldn’t be a good idea to put you in a dress similar to that. In the off chance that I’d be able to take my eyes off of you, I’d have to fight anyone who dared to look at you.”
He wore the biggest grin on his lips and you knew he meant well by it. He really did. But your stomach churned at the thought.
“They’ll be staring because I’ll look absolutely ridiculous.” You turned your head away from him. “Ladies like me weren’t made for galas and ballgowns.”
“I happen to think you are perfect for a ballgown, my dear.” He leaned over to kiss your ear. “I know you don’t see it, but you are absolutely sexy. Hell, if I had a say in it, you wouldn’t even be wearing a gown. But there are going to be other people there and I can’t have anyone else seeing your gorgeous body.” 
Your cheeks flushed.
“Can I offer you a little deal? A peace treaty?” Jaskier suggested. You looked at him, meeting his blue gaze. “They have a dress cut similar to the one I’d like to be made for you. Can you try it on for me before we make any decisions today?”
You nodded your head, letting out a little breath. You would at least try it on and let him see how ridiculous you’d look. If you proved him wrong now, maybe he’d listen to you in the future. 
“Will it fit me?”
“They can make it work for you so you can at least get an idea of the style.”
“Okay.”
“Excellent.” He gave you a kiss on the temple before going across the room to Alma and Derion. He spoke to them in the language you didn’t know. It was a beautiful language. As he said the words he had the ability to make it sound otherworldly. How could one man, a human no less, make words sound angelic? 
Derion and Alma left the room together. Jaskier clasped his hands behind his back, leaned forward to watch where they had disappeared. Alma returned moments later alone. In her hands she held a dress. 
The dress was dark green but that was all you could tell.
“I’ll give you a moment to get dressed. Take good care of her, Alma.”
“I will. You worry about yourself, Master Julian.” Alma waved him away. 
You wanted to object, to say that you could get dressed by yourself, but you knew very well you wouldn’t be able to. You didn’t want to rip the dress. The material was probably more expensive than you could afford. 
“Take off your dress, darling.” Alma placed the dress over a nearby chair. “I’ll grab pins so that we can pin the dress in place.”
“Pin?” You repeated. “In place?”
“Yes, darling. It wasn’t made for your body. We need to make the dress work for your figure so we do that by manipulating the fabric with pins. Don’t worry, you won’t feel a thing.”
***
Alma called for Jaskier after the dress was situated properly on you. 
You nervously moved back and forth as you shifted your weight from one foot to the other to get a better look in the mirror. 
The dress fit you decently. It was loose fitting in the chest but Alma fixed that with pins. She pinned a few other spots too but they were in the back so you couldn’t see all that well. 
The material was a beautiful emerald green silk with darker green embroidery around the bust. The off the shoulder neckline wasn’t terribly low in the middle where it dipped down, but it was lower cut than what you would usually wear. 
“Now remember, darling. The corset will be tighter on you and be providing support.” Alma spoke as she moved around the stool you were resting on. 
“My gods, Y/N! I love it!” Jaskier clapped his hands together. “Just wait until we get it in the blue to match my doublet!”
“Alma!” Derion called for Alma. 
Alma excused herself, leaving you alone with Jaskier. 
He moved around the stool, admiring the dress on you. 
“Before I lose myself in my own thoughts, love, what do you think?” Jasier clasped his hands together and held them near his mouth. 
You looked back to the mirror, shifting a little. 
“I don’t…. hate it as much as I thought I would.” You admitted. 
“But do you like it? Are you comfortable with the style? Be completely honest with my, darling. If you aren’t, there is no worry at all! I’ll have them make a style you are comfortable in. I want you to be comfortable first. No matter what you wear you will be absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking and I will be ripping the dress off of you come the end of the night.”
“Jaskier.” You scolded. He gave you a cheeky smile. “I do like the cut and I like the off the shoulder part, but perhaps if we could add sleeves to it?”
“Of course! Oh that would be stunning! I’ll let Alma and Derion know. Anything else you want to add or take away?”
“I don’t think so.” You looked back to the mirror. “I think I’ll like it more once it’s in the blue. I do like the green, but the blue will match your doublet for the gala. And the green makes me sort of feel like a melon.”
Jaskier frowned.
“I wish you’d stop comparing yourself to fruits.” 
“Would you rather a toad? ‘Cause I look like one of those in this dark green too. A rather large toad.”
“If you are a toad, then what would that make me?” He held his hand out for you so he could assist you in stepping down from the stool.
“My pretty princess.” You giggled. 
“Hmm. Well you are the sexiest toad I have ever seen.” He pulled you into his arms. “But I rather like calling you a fruit. You taste just like one-,”
“Jaskier!”
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reyescarlos · 3 years
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all through the night || a tarlos fic
❄️ @911giftexchange fic for @buckieys ❄️
happy holidays, sy! i'm wishing you a wonderful and prosperous new year. i hope this fic helps to usher in 2021 right!
word count: 5.2k || read on ao3
All through the night I'll be awake and I'll be with you All through the night This precious time when time is new
When Carlos envisioned winter in New York, his elaborate fantasies had somehow managed to eclipse the reality of what it might actually entail. He had enjoyed his brief stay, taking in the window displays along Fifth Avenue. It had long since been something he wanted to see for himself and the storefronts had more than delivered. But on the flipside of such a picturesque scene has come the downside of what heavy amounts of snow could mean.
It’s why he finds himself now planted in a too hard seat at JFK Airport, wondering how he’ll possibly fill his time now that his flight has been delayed until morning. Outside the blizzard rages on with no real end in sight and Carlos mulls over the merits of his decision to leave Texas in the New Year and make this city his home. This is a far cry from Austin. He’d once thought winter temperatures there could be bad but it’s been nothing compared to the arctic blast in the North.
He tries to keep busy with a book but his attention is split between the words before him and the cute guy across from him frantically digging inside his backpack, a phone teetering dangerously on his knee.
“God, where is that stupid thing,” the man mumbles to himself. “Come on charger, where are you?”
Carlos looks away, burying his head in his book to hide the smile that breaks out on his face. The guy is obviously peeved but Carlos can’t help but to find his muttering endearing. After another moment of fruitless searching on the stranger’s end, Carlos takes mercy on him.
“Here, you can borrow mine,” he says, unzipping his own backpack and fishing out his charger.
The man sighs in relief. “Thank you. I really appreciate it,” he replies, reaching over and taking the cord from Carlos.
He settles back and plugs it into the wall, the screen lighting up a moment later. Carlos smiles politely and gets back to reading, only to be interrupted.
“So, I take it you’re heading down to visit family before the new year comes, huh?” the stranger says.
Carlos looks up from his book, head tilting slightly. It hadn’t been expecting the man to strike up a conversation.
“Sorry, awkward small talk. I’ll let you get back to it,” he says, face scrunching as he gestures to the book in Carlos’ hands.
Carlos waves him off, bookmarking his page and closing it.
“No worries. We’re here all night so...plenty of time for that.” He licks his lips and drums his fingers against the front. “To answer your question though, no. Austin is actually my home so I’m just heading back.”
“Oh, cool. I’m going to see my dad. I thought he’d want to do the whole white Christmas, New York for the New Year thing but ever since he moved down to Austin last year, I think he’s gotten spoiled by the warmer weather.”
The man looks out of the window where the snow is swirling so heavily it’s hard to even see the sky or planes sitting idly on the tarmac.
“Guess I can’t exactly blame him.”
Carlos laughs. “It’s disgustingly cold here and all of that,” he says, gesturing to the storm, “doesn’t help. I don’t know how you guys manage.”
“You get used to it. I’ve only ever grown up with it so while I like to complain about the snow at times, I can’t picture this time of year without it. It’s been a few years since it’s been this bad though, I’ll admit.”
Carlos smiles a bit, looking out of the window briefly. “This is actually my first time experiencing snow. And the city was gracious enough to give me a blizzard to commemorate.”
The man smiles at this thoughtfully. He sits up, stretching his hand out across the aisle towards Carlos.
“I’m TK, by the way.”
Carlos touches his fingertips to his forehead before shaking TK’s hand.
“God, my mother would be so ashamed of my manners right now,” he laughs. “I’m Carlos. It’s nice to meet you.”
He lets go, his palm feeling extremely warm from TK’s touch. TK smiles at him, a slow grin that ultimately reveals his teeth. This man is very good looking, there’s no denying that. He’s got an easy way about him that makes Carlos feel comfortable in his presence as if they’re old friends catching up and not perfectly good strangers meeting for the first time.
TK’s phone buzzes, stealing his attention and Carlos is all too grateful for it. TK types something on the device for a few seconds before pausing.
“Sorry, excuse me for a second,” he says, putting his phone to his ear.
Carlos nods and gestures for him to go for it.
“Hey, Dad. I—,” TK starts out but stops short as his father speaks. “I bet it’s all over the news but I’m alright. Not looking forward to being stuck here overnight but,” he continues, his eyes landing on Carlos and away so quickly Carlos is sure he’s imagined it. “I guess there are worse ways to be trapped for a few hours.”
Carlos looks away then, cracking open his book again to keep himself occupied while TK chats with his father. He tries not to dwell heavily on TK’s look or what the implications of that glance could mean. It could’ve been a coincidence and nothing more. All the same, it doesn’t make his heart race any less to think that TK feels a spark too.
TK ends the call with a sigh, stretching out his legs before bouncing one of them. The gesture is distracting but endearing. For the second time, Carlos closes his book, this time putting it back into his bag for good as TK speaks to him again.
“Are you hungry? I could go for a bite.”
“I could eat,” Carlos says. He rises from his seat as TK does, both men dragging their carry-ons along with them.
They follow the winding path down from their gate, Carlos taking notice of all the fellow flyers now forced to wait out the storm. Some have taken to stretching out on the ground, laying on top of jackets like makeshift sleeping bags, others keeping busy with phones and tablets, hunched over in chairs.
Carlos isn’t looking forward to the uncomfortable sleep he’ll have tonight but as he looks over at TK, he wonders just how much rest he’ll actually manage to get. The guy is already proving himself to be a good way to pass the time and Carlos can’t say he wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to keep chatting with him.
As they approach the cluster of food stands, TK groans and it’s easy to see why. Many of the shops are already closed, no doubt the employees hurrying home before the worst of the storm kicked in. All that’s available now is Cinnabon but Carlos supposes that can suffice as dinner.
TK orders a hot chocolate and a classic roll while Carlos opts for a cold brew in addition to a roll as well. TK eyes the drink with raised brows.
“I’m fully committing to the cause of being awake until we board, apparently,” Carlos muses, pushing his straw through the lid and taking a sip. “Worth it.”
The two head to a nearby empty table, settling into their elevated seats before unloading their food. The scent coming off the baked goods is incredible and Carlos’ stomach suddenly feels desperate for a bite.
“So, Carlos, since we’ve nominated each other for the buddy system while we wait this storm out,” he jokes, “Why don’t you tell me more about yourself?”
Carlos drums his fingers on the tabletop as he tries to decide what to share.
“Well, you already know that Austin is where I’m from but the whole reason I’m even here now is because I’m going to be moving to New York soon. I’ll be transferring next month.”
TK’s brows raise. “Seriously? That’s awesome. Do you mind if I ask what you do?”
“I’m a police officer. I’ve been with the Austin Police Department for a few years but I’ve been considering leaving Texas for a little while now and I’ve been exploring my options. For some reason my mind kept coming back to the idea of New York and I figured I should just take the chance and see what happens.”
TK laughs and shakes his head. “Oh man, well, we have something in common, more or less. I’m with the NYFD myself.”
Carlos holds up a hand. “Wait, wait, wait. You’re a firefighter?” he laughs.
TK puffs out his chest jokingly and nods with a grin on his face. “That’s right. Ladder 252.”
Carlos does his best to push the image of TK in uniform from mind but the picture is an appealing one. He can see it so clearly, the way he’d look in suspenders, not to mention full gear. It’s almost unfair just how much hotter the man becomes as if Carlos hasn’t spent this whole time finding him attractive. He picks up his drink again for something to do with his hands, swirling the straw inside of the cup.
“Small world. Outside of my own little bubble, I can’t say I casually meet many people who are first responders. We seem to be a pretty special breed to get into this line of work.”
TK laughs. “I fell into this because of my dad. He’s been a firefighter for years. He, uh, actually was on site during 9/11. I always thought he was incredible but knowing the full scope of what he and so many others did that day and for people in times of crisis, big and small in general, it just made me want to be like him.”
Carlos frowns, unsure of what to even say or think. “Your dad’s a hero.”
“I like to think so.” TK draws in a breath, squaring his shoulders. “Anyway, now he’s kicking ass down in Texas so, even though I miss him as my captain, I know he’s doing great work with his crew down there.”
Curiosity gets the better of Carlos as he asks, “What station is he with?”
“The 126,” TK replies, taking a sip of his hot chocolate.
Carlos’ eyes widen. “Captain Owen Strand is your father?”
It makes sense the longer he looks at TK. Captain Strand is an attractive older guy and TK clearly got handed some solid genes. Still, it throws him for a loop to realize they have a legitimate connection to each other.
TK tilts his head to the side. “You know him? Shit, okay, wow, small world just got a whole hell of a lot smaller.”
“Unbelievable,” Carlos laughs in disbelief. “I don’t know him that well but we work together sometimes on calls. He’s amazing in the field and he’s really turned that station around.”
TK practically beams. “Guess this means we’ll be seeing each other again soon once we finally make it to Austin then.”
“Uh, yeah. I guess so. Assuming you don’t get sick of me before this night is through, that is.”
TK holds Carlos’ gaze for a moment and if it were anyone else, it would be unnerving but something in TK’s stare just sends a thrill through Carlos, excites him in a way no stranger has ever really gotten under his skin.
“I don’t see that happening,” he says plainly, as if this is an irrefutable fact and not something that’s truly subject to change.
Carlos doesn’t argue the point. He merely enjoys the next few hours, seeing just how easily TK’s theory pans out.
~*~*~
The contrast in weather between New York and Austin is one of the first things Carlos’ remarks on as he steps outside of Austin-Bergstrom. He’s never been more grateful for a forty degree afternoon. He’s kept Michelle updated about his new set time and he waits patiently outside of arrivals. Beside him now, TK types out a message on his phone before smiling over at him.
Carlos has had hours to get used to that look on TK’s face and yet he’s still brought up short. Last night and the early morning hours were spent talking to TK about everything imaginable, trading stories about crazy calls they’ve been on and even touching on personal things like their families. When they grew tired of talking, they watched movies on TK’s laptop, fighting off the urge to sleep for the mere sake of hanging out.
It isn’t rare for Carlos to become friendly with a person but this connection to TK feels different in a way he can’t quite parse.
By the time their flight boarded, Carlos knocked out for the entire length of the trip but it had been worth it in his eyes to stay up and take advantage of the uninterrupted time that stretched before him with TK. It was safe to say a bit of a crush had formed, as absurd as Carlos felt for it. TK was going to be in town for the next few days and that prospect was both thrilling and terrifying. If he could feel this close to TK in one night, there’s no telling what could happen in a few days.
Before he can get lost in that thought, Carlos sees Michelle as she pulls up to the curb, the trunk popping open.
“Are you good out here?”
“My dad’s coming in just a minute. I’ll be just fine,” TK muses as Carlos puts his carry-on inside and slams the trunk shut.
“Alright, well. You have my number now so text me whenever you’re free. I’ll show you a few places while you’re here.”
Carlos extends his hand but TK rolls his eyes jokingly and pulls him into a half hug instead.
“We’ve spent the night together, Carlos. I think we’re past handshakes now.”
Carlos’ face burns with TK’s wording but the man merely laughs.
“See you soon?”
Carlos just nods and finds the wherewithal to get inside of Michelle’s car. He waves after he buckles himself in, TK lifting a hand in response.
“Okay, who is that?” Michelle asks immediately, head turned to take in the sight of TK.
Carlos tips his head back against the seat. “You won’t believe the night I’ve had.”
~*~*~
Carlos has spent two days showing TK some of his favorite stomping grounds. TK relished in all that Austin had to offer and Carlos has been happy to see that their closeness from the unexpected overnight at the airport hadn’t been a fluke. If anything, these outings have only made Carlos feel closer to TK.
Michelle has been relentless in her teasing, finding it all too amusing that Carlos managed to cross paths with Captain Strand’s son of all people. She’d clung to his every word during the ride home from the airport as he filled her in on how he waited out the storm.
The 126 meets at their usual bar and Carlos is glad for this post-work gathering. It’s the perfect time to show TK what a real honky-tonk is like, further immersing him in the culture of the state his father now resides.
TK sits next to him at the table, the large group so packed in that his leg presses against Carlos’. It’s light but it’s enough to make the point of contact all Carlos can focus on even as everyone else at the table engages in conversations that overlap, laughing amongst themselves. He does his best to ignore it but it’s difficult not to take notice of each shift TK makes. Michelle keeps looking at him and Carlos, to the best of his abilities, avoids her gaze knowing that it’ll make it just that much more difficult to act as if he isn’t freaking out internally.
“I’m gonna get another. You want anything?” Carlos asks TK.
TK shakes his head. “No, I’m alright but thank you though.”
Carlos nods once and gets up, finding it much easier to breathe already now that he’s no longer sitting beside TK. Michelle catches his eye as he leaves from the table and he can hear her shoes as she follows behind him to the bar. She rests against the counter facing the room at large as Carlos gets the attention of the bartender and asks for another beer.
“You sure know how to pick them,” Michelle laughs at his side.
“Chelle,” he groans, shaking his head.
She merely laughs again, bumping her hip against his. “When did your life become a romantic comedy?”
“I must’ve missed the memo myself because this sure snuck up on me.”
The bartender sets a bottle down in front of him but Carlos doesn’t move. This little reprieve away from everyone but Michelle right now is welcome.
“I like him. He’s nice. Really cute too.”
“Oh, so you’ve noticed?” he deadpans, looking over his shoulder at TK.
He looks so at home here, hanging out and laughing with these people he’s, up until now, only known secondhand from his father’s work stories. TK is personable as ever, Carlos knows all too well. Had he not been swept away after one night in the man’s company?
“I think this is so great.”
“Funny, I think it’s the universe trying to mess with me.”
Michelle scoffs, finally turning to face the bar like him. “There are worse things in the world than a seemingly perfect guy practically falling into your lap. We should all be so lucky.”
Carlos casts the mental image aside, taking a sip of his drink. “The timing though. I can’t think about guys right now. I need to be figuring out my next set of moves for New York.”
“If those plans just so happen to include an attractive new friend…,” she trails off with a grin.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to screw this up because yeah, he is a new friend and we get along well, it’s a good feeling.”
“Do you like him?”
Carlos falters. “I barely even know the guy.”
“That’s not even remotely close to what I asked you.”
Carlos scratches at his forehead before letting out a sigh. “I do. Which hardly makes any sense at all. It’s only been a few days and yet I can’t stop thinking about him. That’s strange, isn’t it?”
Michelle shakes her head. “No, actually. I don’t think so. You guys had such a cute introduction to each other and you clearly hit it off. Some people just click and are meant to meet. The fact that you two had a connection to each other beforehand without even knowing it? I think there’s something to be said for that.”
“What, you think it’s fate or something?”
Michelle shrugs. “I wouldn’t rule it out. Your flight could have been a day earlier or even a few hours before his. On a plane filled with hundreds, you connected with him, Captain Strand’s son who just so happens to live in the city you’re about to move to. I think it’s worth seeing just how far it could go. If you ask me, you’ll wind up with a boyfriend in no time.”
Carlos mulls it over for a moment. He can admit he is in fact curious. It’s been a while since he’s felt this drawn to someone and with TK, it’s been as natural as breathing since they first met. The timing is less than ideal but it’s been so long since Carlos has felt this urge to get close to someone, since he’s felt safe enough to even open his mind and heart up to the possibility.
“Maybe you’re onto something.”
“One of these days you’ll learn to just accept my brilliance, no questions asked. But this will do for now.”
Carlos rolls his eyes but drapes an arm over her shoulder, pulling her into his side and kissing her temple.
“I’m going moments like this with you,” he says.
Michelle sighs and pats his back. “I will too but we still have time on the clock, right? Let’s not think about that now.”
Carlos sighs, knowing she’s right. It just feels as if these moments are slipping through his fingers, the new year and all its changes lurking just around the corner.
~*~*~
As customary, the Ryder house is the staple for parties among the team and New Year’s Eve is no different. Carlos has lost track of how many times he’s sat on their couch or been treated for Grace’s incredible home-cooking. It’s always been a source of comfort for him, being surrounded by these colleagues who have become an extended family to him.
This time next year, he’ll be in another time zone, familiarized with a new group of people. Carlos knows he’s jumping the gun. There’s no doubt in his mind that he’ll be able to visit back home and that this collection of people will still love him as they do now.
Carlos looks around the living room, taking stock: Marjan blowing into a noise maker in Mateo’s face and bursting into laughter, Paul shaking his head and dropping his face into his palm. Over by the kitchen he sees Grace and Judd swaying to the music playing as Captain Strand takes Michelle’s hand and begins dancing alongside the other couple. It warms Carlos’ heart and breaks it too, seeing this all for what will be the last time with this city being home.
Suddenly the room feels too small and he finds himself heading for the door, grabbing his jacket off of the coat rack. It’s cold out but Carlos remembers just how bitter the weather in New York was. This is nothing compared to that. And it’s this thought that twists at his heart a bit more, one more reminder of how much his life is set to change sooner than he thinks he’s ready for.
The new year is biting at his heels and time is just slipping by. Logically he knows that he shouldn’t be outside now, that he would be wise to savor these memories with his Austin crew while they’re here rather than lament later. But it all feels like too much and the last thing he wants is to let his pensive mood be a dark cloud over a celebratory and joyous time.
Carlos keeps walking until he reaches the park nearby the Ryder household. Naturally it’s abandoned as everyone is tucked away inside their homes either enjoying a quiet night in or throwing parties like the Ryders. Carlos draws in a breath and takes a seat on one of the swings, his fingers clutching on to the links. He quickly stands up the second he hears footsteps approaching, a figure walking towards him.
“It’s just me,” comes TK’s voice and sure enough the man’s features come into focus the closer he gets until he’s settling into the swing beside Carlos.
“I saw you take off. I just wanted to check that you were okay.”
Carlos smiles a bit. “I appreciate it. I’m okay. I’m just...thinking about a lot right now.”
TK sways on his swing, letting a comfortable silence fall between them before he speaks.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Carlos’ heart and thoughts feel so heavy now, such a contrast to how lighthearted and hopeful this holiday is meant to be. But TK looks at him with such genuine care that he finds himself almost desperate to unburden himself a bit.
“Sometimes I wish I could just stop time, you know? But hell, it’s New Year’s Eve. What more proof do I need that life is always moving forward?”
Carlos sighs and rocks slightly back and forth.
“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be a downer. You should head on back inside, have fun with the others.”
TK is silent beside him, long enough for Carlos to pull his gaze toward the other man. TK is eyeing him thoughtfully.
“You’re scared about what comes next. That’s totally normal. Moving away, starting a new life somewhere else, it’s a big step. A huge change.”
Carlos frowns as he nods. “I wish I could see the end, you know? I wish I could see if it’s all worth it, that I’m making the right choice.”
TK hums in thought. “Well, the best way out is through, right?”
“So you don’t think it’s a mistake to move out to New York?”
TK shrugs. “I don’t know you well enough to say one way or the other for sure. But no, I don’t think it is. I think the fact that you’re even considering it at all should tell you something about how you feel about where you are now.”
Carlos grows quiet, considering the man’s words. But TK isn’t done dishing out his opinion.
“You’ve got an amazing team here, there’s no denying that. It’s a real family, not to mention your actual family is here too. But—and mind you I’m super biased here— New York is an amazing place to be, to live. If you’re feeling restless in Austin, I think New York is the perfect alternative.”
Carlos laughs at this. “So, so biased,” he muses.
TK jokingly puffs up his chest. “Hey, it’s not my fault people have written songs about it and flock to it from all corners of the world,” he jokes. “And all of them, like you would, find home.”
A soft sigh escapes Carlos’ lips as he grips the chain link of the swing.
“That does actually sound pretty nice. I’d miss everyone here like crazy but maybe it’s time for something new? I don’t know. I keep waiting for something extraordinary to happen but nothing ever really changes around here. And there’s nothing wrong with that, of course. I just—“
“You’ve outgrown it,” TK says simply. “And there’s nothing wrong with that either.”
Carlos smiles at him and nods. “I suppose not, no.”
“At least you’ll come to the city knowing someone; you won’t be alone or completely starting from scratch.”
“You? You would take that on?”
TK rolls his eyes. “Of course me. You think I’d leave you high and dry? Damn, I know New Yorkers have a bit of a rep but jeez,” he teases.
Carlos laughs. “I only meant...you barely even know me. You don’t owe me anything.”
“Maybe so but I’d like to get to know you better. And if we’re gonna be calling the same city home, it’s kind of perfect. You get a new job, a new city, a new friend. Pretty sweet package, if you ask me.”
“You’ll be my tour guide then? You can take me to all the hot spots, Central Park and Times Square for starters.”
TK shakes his head in dismay. “God, Times Square,” he groans. “Hell on earth but sure, just for you I’d make the exception.”
“I’m honored,” Carlos says, placing a hand over his heart.
“As you should be. There aren’t many reasons I’d willingly go there so you should be patting yourself on the back right now.”
Carlos raises a brow. “But you’re thinking I’d be worth it?”
TK’s face grows serious. “In a lot of ways I’m thinking you would be, yes.”
Carlos' face flushes a bit and he looks away, down at his feet as he begins to kick out in earnest to start swinging.
Not for the first time since meeting TK he isn’t sure if there’s more to his words just below the surface, if he’s flirting or just being naturally charismatic. It shouldn’t matter either way, Carlos tells himself. Starting up a new relationship when so much in his life is already about to change doesn’t seem smart.
And yet it’s difficult to bear that in mind when he looks over and sees that TK is still watching him. The man smiles softly and follows Carlos' lead, swinging a bit.
In the distance Carlos can hear the rise in voices from houses where everyone is celebrating, just waiting to usher in the new year.
“One minute to go,” TK says, looking at the time on his watch and digging his feet into the ground to stop himself.
Carlos keeps going, breathing in the last dregs of this year before it’s gone with the tick of the clock. He looks up at the pinpricks of stars above, almost glistening in the clear sky. He closes his eyes, soaks in the moment, the last few seconds of this year winding down.
The New Years party goers can be heard shouting their countdown and beside him, TK joins in quietly as well.
10
9
8
7
Carlos opens his eyes once more and holds his breath as he upward, counting down the last few seconds in his head. This year is going, going...
3
2
1
Gone.
He exhales as shouts from the neighboring houses rent the air. He stops swinging then, digging his feet into the hard earth beneath him as he looks over at TK. Beside him the man’s face is flushed, the tip of his nose pink from the cold but his gaze is unrelenting as he leans forward.
Carlos’ body seems to move on its own accord, closing the distance between them as well. He doesn’t think about anything other than what TK’s lips will feel like and before he realizes it, he’s getting his answer.
It’s a chaste kiss, truly just a meeting of mouths in a gentle press but it warms Carlos from the center all the way through his entire body. TK’s lips are soft and warm despite the cold.
“Happy New Year, Carlos,” TK says softly.
Carlos doesn’t have the slightest clue of what the road ahead will look like exactly but it’s enough to know that in some capacity, TK is going to be a part of it. Be it as a friend or something more, it makes Carlos hopeful to see how life will unfold, what other surprises it may have in store.
Carlos stares at him for a moment and it seems as if TK and the whole world is holding its breath as they sit in silence together. This feeling in his chest is so unlike anything Carlos has experienced before. He likes to think things through, to anticipate at least three steps ahead but his future is such a blank slate that it’s truly anyone’s guess as to what will happen next. All he can do is control this present moment and as Carlos sees it, kissing TK is the only thing on his agenda for right now.
He leans in again and kisses the man once more, deeply this time, hand cradling the back of TK’s neck.
Maybe this is risky, maybe this will only complicate his life further when he settles in New York and has to figure out what this all means. But in this moment, that all feels like a lifetime away, a page from a chapter that hasn’t been written yet. There’s only the here and now with this beautiful man that fills him with possibilities.
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reinahwanggg · 4 years
Text
I Miss You》 Park Jisung
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credits to gif owner
pairing: jisung park x reader
word count: 1.9K
warnings: slight angst (not really)
genre: established relationship, idol au, fluff, slight angst, jisung being a caring boy, boyfriend!jisung, reader misses him, but doesn't wanna admit it
a/n: i envisioned myself in this position haha, sorry
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"good night honeybee. i love you."
"good night angel! i love you always."
jisung sleepily replies, yawning into the phone, before he closed his eyes to be guided into slumber. although he knows comeback seasons does take a toll on his body, and sometimes mentality, he makes sure he calls you every night. whether it be to tell you he'll be in the dance studio until the next day, or before bed, he always tries to find time for you in his extremely busy schedule, especially since he is quite worried about you.
although it's been a few months since the entire debacle, he always wants to make sure you're safe and well. he knew that you didn't mind all of the sudden attention, and you didn't care about what everyone thought about you and him together, but sometimes he just wants to make sure you're okay.
it's obvious that he's the more vocal one in the relationship; always saying what's on his mind, telling you whenever he felt you should say or stop this, or whenever he felt angry about something petty and wanted to say it to get over it. he just has more experience in expressing his feelings to those close to him.
you, on the other hand, always kept everything bottled up inside, not necessarily saying anything, even when it bothers you, because you wouldn't want to be a bother to others, unless it ticked you off. you were always the one to express your anger for some complicated situations, but rarely to others. you find yourself as your own confidant, as your own provider, as your own push to help you through the tunnel of life.
the way you handle things, often than not, got you in some heated arguments with jisung. he just wants you to tell him when it's too much pressure. especially that day when the camera crew came in, setting a gazillion cameras inside your house, saying that the fans would love to see how you and jisung interact. he saw how uncomfortable it made you, and seeing as it's been two weeks, and you still jump when you walk in your sleepwear at 7am and see the camera following you, it's enough evidence.
yet, whenever he asks you, you brush it aside. ''i'll get used to it'' you'll always tell him, knowing fully well, you sometimes can't stand it. waking up, and pretending to be a youtuber making a get ready with me video, only for it to actually be posted, it ticks you off. yet, all you tell him is that you'll get used to it.
this situation, was no different. for the past three months, jisung has had activity after activity to go through, while trying to record content for this stupid youtube segment. most times it would split videos of him and you on the phone, laughing about some stupid meme you saw on twitter. you know, every single piece of your body misses your boyfriend; dying to be back in his arms, and snuggled with him on the couch, watching random TV shows while he randomly kisses your hair and pulls you closer.
you know that you miss him, and yearn for the day he comes and tells you that promotions are over and the frequent break in between has begun, but you don't tell him that. you don't tell him how much you miss waking up in the morning to see him dancing around the kitchen to a video of you singing one of his songs in the best voice you can muster, unintentionally burning the eggs on the stove.
you don't tell him how much you miss coming home from an interview with other artists, only to see him fixing his hair, humming puzzle piece, smiling goofily at the thought of you. you don't tell him how much you miss your rant sessions; him ranting about how close fans get sometimes, and you ranting about how much you wanna punch your coworker in the throat for her unbearably cocky attitude.
you don't tell him how much you miss last minute packing for a day trip to the other side of the country. you don't tell him how much you miss sulking on the couch, only for him to plant a million pecks and kisses on every corner of your face, until you smiled and playfully pushed him away.
before you knew it, you're sitting up in your bed, crying to yourself about how much you miss him. and for once, you want to let him know, desperately throwing away your pride and wanting him to know how much you ache for his presence, and his quirky habits, and his killer smile, and just everything he has to offer. you miss him so much, your cries get a little too loud, your breath gets a bit too heavy, and your body shakes a bit too much, but you don't care, you just miss him so much it physically hurts you.
the little lamp in the corner of your room shines a somber gold around the room, you oblivious to the fact that the cameras are on 24/7 and is catching this very moment, of your vulnerability. you are also oblivious to the fact that he didn't hang up the phone, him obviously being too tired to actually hover his finger, as he was out like a light, his little snores in the background evident to the entire thing.
"honeybee, i miss you so much. so much it hurts."
you start, your voice choked up, coming out cracked, and scratchy.
halfway through your rant, jisung wakes up, blinking a few times to himself, trying to adjust to the bright light amidst the dark room, the slightest sound of hiccups ring in his ear, an extremely nasally voice ringing out sobs and muffled words, and he automatically sits up in concern. he wants to immediately ask you what's wrong, but instead just listens to what you have to say.
"i miss how, every time you hug me, it feels like placing the last piece of the puzzle in its rightful place. honeybee i just miss how much you check up on me when i'm sick. how sometimes we take turns nightly to sing each other to sleep, you laughing when my voice cracks, or me teasing you with praises for a run you mastered. i miss playful mornings, both of us being too lazy to move, but somehow ending up dancing around the room to various artists and songs. i miss when i wake up, and you're already staring at me, the loving gaze in your eyes as you slightly smile, immediately going to plant a kiss on my big ass forehead. i miss pushing you away, and telling you to brush your teeth before you could give me a good morning kiss. i miss when you and the boys would all pile up in my house, and i would get to show you a bit of my country's cuisine, and laughing when you guys scarf it down like you haven't eaten in years. and i want to tell you all of this, but i don't want to be a burden to you. you already have a lot, with some overbearing fans, promotions, and the occasional run ins. i don't want you to focus on me only and put your feelings on the backburner like i always do. i wish i just had to courage to tell you all of this."
by the end of your rant, jisung has to wipe a few tears from his eyes, smiling sadly on the other end of the phone call, wanting to just pack his overnight bag and come to hold you, tell you that he misses you just as much, and scold you for keeping everything bottled up, like he always does.
he goes to check the time, 2:16 am it says, and he knows that he has to be up by 4am in any event, and he suddenly thanks literally everything for the sudden off day his boss gave them, because he knows for sure, after what you just confessed, he's going to surprise you. he hears some ruffling on the other side of the call, the sound of bedroom slippers hitting the tile floors, and a door opening and closing. he just hopes you're okay.
you, on the other hand, walks into your kitchen, quite starved after crying your heart out for what feels like all night, which in truth was about three hours. you flip the switch, your kitchen suddenly illuminated, and you put your hand in front of your eyes, the quick headache taking effect, and you blink repeatedly at the sudden light. you then smile, before going to your dishes, taking out your favorite bowl, and pouring some lucky charms to the brim of the bowl, before going in your refrigerator, and grabbing your milk, pouring it in as well, and grabbing a spoon.
you walk back towards the exit of the kitchen, towards the corridor that connected both the living room and the stairway in separate mazes together. suddenly flinching once you see the infamous moving camera, following you, and you roll your eyes. 'do they not need new batteries or something?' you thought to yourself, before walking upstairs to your room.
you look up at the camera on top of your vanity, and smile and tight lipped uncomfortable smile, before showing the big bowl of lucky charms and chuckling.
"cereal hits different at 2am after an emotional breakdown."
you say, chuckling once again, and happily eating your food, humming along to love again, as it plays inside your head, liking the way it sounds, and suddenly asking alexa to play it for you. it's not as loud as it would usually be, considering what time it is, and the fact that your neighbor just came back home from her long ass business trip (which you're lowkey suspicious of, because her boss came looking for her halfway through, saying if she didn't come in tomorrow then she'll be fired) and doesn't like k-pop for the life of her.
you rest your bowl by the foot of your bed, honestly too lazy to go back downstairs and place it back inside the sink. you then go to your phone, and open it, seeing as it was still on the book you were reading before jisung demanded for your attention, only to then fall asleep on you ten minutes later. you read until you notice the sun up, suddenly hearing my first and last playing around you. the doorbell ringing frequently, and you check the time.
9:48 am it reads, and you realize you read about 10 books in the span of seven hours. you shout that you'll be down in a minute and make sure jisung's hoodie is low enough, before placing your bedroom slippers back on and walking down the stairs, turning into the living room and left, towards the separate entryway (it's kind of a big ass house), opening the door, before tears blurred your vision, and you immediately scooped up from the floor, and spun around on your porch, inhaling the scent you missed for the past three months. quite happy that you were in jisung's embrace again.
you didn't question it one bit, in fact you didn't question anything, just told him to come inside and told alexa to play the song louder. coincidentally, it was Quiet Down, making both you and jisung laugh boisterously, before walking into the kitchen, and dancing to his songs, as you both made pancakes and gossiped about anything and everything, just like you missed and loved.
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Text
Titanic || Newt Dawson
Part 1. The Back Of The Ship.
Pairing: Newt Dawson x Rose DeWitt Bukater, Cal Hockley x Rose DeWitt Bukater
Warnings: Mentions of suicide, mentions of rape (didn’t happen though, it was just assumed.) Pretty much just like the movie.
A/N: 2.5k words.
Requests: Open.
Summary: Rose was forced to go on the ship by her soon to be husband, Cal. She thought it was going to be like prison. She wanted to end things until Newt convinced her not to.
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Today was the day I had to board the RMS Titanic. I was with my fiancée, Cal. I hated him, but nobody cared. I never did say it out loud. I made it obvious to my mother though. My mother was forcing me to marry him because he had money. She said it didn't matter if I loved him or not, he had the money so we could stay wealthy. That was the only thing she cared about. I looked at the massive boat in front of me, dreading getting onto it. I didn't want to be trapped on this ship. It was going to be like jail. Dressing up and acting proper every single day. It was going to be hell. Cal ordered some people to bring our stuff to our rooms. He went to my mother’s side escorting her onto the boat, while I followed behind them. As I stepped through the door, I hated everything I saw in front of me.
As everyone was helping us set up our rooms, I was getting out the paintings I had brought. One of the lady’s was helping me grab all the different pieces I had brought. “God not those finger paintings again. They certainly were a waist of money.” Cal said entering the room, watching me with all the artwork. “The difference between Cal’s taste in art and mine, is that I have some.” I said to no one in particular. I just wanted Cal to hear it. “They’re fascinating, like being inside a dream or something. There’s truth but no logic.” I said describing how I felt about the artwork. “What’s the artists name?” The lady who was helping me grab all the different paintings asked me. “Something Picasso.” I answered her. Cal chuckled. “Something Picasso. He wont amount to a thing.” He said. Cal continued to complain, but I walked into a different room so I could go hang up the paintings. The lady who was helping me followed me into the room as well.
We had went to sit at a small table with just a few people at it to talk and eat. “She is the largest moving object ever made by the hand of man in all of history and our master ship builder, Mr. Andrews here designed her from the keel plates up.” Mr. Ismay said. “I may have knocked her together, but the idea was Mr. Ismay’s. He envisioned a steamer so grand in scale and so luxurious in its appointments that its supremacy would never be challenged and here she is, willed into solid reality.” Mr. Andrews said. I lit a cigarette and started smoking it. My mother leaned over to me and said “You know I don't like that Rose” I blew the smoke right out into her face. “She knows” Cal said, as he took the cigarette out of my hand and put it out. I was annoyed by it, but I didn't say anything. I couldn't. The waiter came over and Cal ordered us both lamb. Didn't even bother to ask what I’d like. “You like lamb right sweet pea?” He asked me. I looked over and gave him the fakest smile ever. “You gonna cut her meat for her there too Cal?” Margaret Brown said, laughing. Cal glared at her.
“Hey, who thought of the name Titanic?” Margaret Brown asked. She looked over at Bruce and smiled. “Was it you Bruce?” She asked. “Well, yes, actually. I wanted to covey sheer size. And size means stability, luxury, and above all, strength.” Bruce said. “Do you know of Mr. Freud, Mr. Ismay?” I asked. “His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest to you.” I said.  Margaret Brown was nodding her head smiling. Mr. Andrews tried not to laugh. My mother leaned over to me “What has gotten into you?” She whispered to me. “Excuse me” I said, getting up and leaving.
I had walked out onto ship deck, looking off at the water ahead of us. I looked down to notice a boy staring at me. He looked as if he was around my age, he had shaggy blonde hair. That was really all I could tell, he was a little ways from me, sitting down. I looked back at the water, but I could feel him still looking at me, so I looked back over again. Only for a split second. He was in the lower class, so I wouldn’t see him again. Cal came out, grabbing my arm. We argued a bit before I walked away from him. He followed right behind me after a second.
We had gone to dinner with a bunch of other wealthy people on the ship, as they spoke around me, I zooned out. I saw my whole life as if I’d already lived it. An endless parade of parties and cotillions, yachts and polo matches. Always the same narrow people, the same mindless chatter. I felt like I was standing at a great precipice with no one to pull me back. No one who cared or even noticed.
I ran to the back of the ship. I didn't know why I was heading there, I just wanted to be away from all those people. I didn't want this to be my life, it couldn't be. I didn't know how to get away from it. As I ran, I was crying. The tears streaming down my face. I hit the back rail of the dock. That's when the idea hit me as I looked into the water. I looked around to see if anyone else was around and when I didn't see anyone I started climbing over the rail. My back was to the ship, and in front of me laid the deep dark ocean. This is how I was going to get away from it all. If I just jumped. Nobody would know. I would be lost at sea. Free from my future.
“Don't do it” Someone called from just behind me, it startled me, and I let out a gasp. He was the boy that I saw looking at me earlier. He had blonde shaggy hair, he was tall, he had a very deep British accent and he was quite handsome. “Stay back! Don't come any closer!” I said, He had his hands up, walking slowly closer to me. “Come on, just give me your hand. I’ll pull you back over” he said, waving his hand, gesturing for me to grab as he kept coming closer “No. Stay where you are. I mean it! I’ll let go!” I said. he showed he had a cigarette in his hands and showed that he wanted to throw it overboard. He moved closer to me, throwing it overboard, He now wasn't very far from my side. “No, you wont” He said. “What do you mean no I wont? Don't presume to tell me what I will or will not do, you don't know me!” I said to the stranger who was annoying me. “Well you would have done it already” He said softly. I hesitated for a second before I said, “You're distracting me, Go away!” “I can’t. I'm involved now. You let go and I’m gonna have to jump in there after you” He said, starting to take off his shoes. “Don't be absurd, you’ll be killed” I said, as I watched him. “I'm a good swimmer” He said. Untying his shoe. “The fall alone will kill you” I said, looking from him back to the water. “It would hurt, not saying it wouldn't. To tell you the truth, I'm a little more concerned about that water being so cold.” He said, looking up at me. “How cold?” I hesitated to ask. “Freezing. Maybe a couple degrees over. you uh, you ever been to Wisconsin?” He asked me. “What?” I asked, confused as to where he was going with this. “Well they have some of the coldest winters around. I grew up there near Chippewa Falls. I remember when I was a kid, me and my father, we went ice fishing on Lake Wissota. Ice fishing is where you know-” He was saying, but I cut him off, annoyed that he thought I didn't know what ice fishing was. “I know what ice fishing is!” I yelled. I sighed heavily, annoyed. “Sorry! You just” he waved his hands at me gesturing about me. “Seem like you know, kinda an indoor girl” He said, giving a weird look. “Anyway, I uh, I fell through some thin ice. and I'm telling ya. Water that cold. like right down there, it hits you like a thousand knives, stabbing all over your body, you can’t breathe, you cant think, at least not anything but the pain” He said. I watched the water as he was talking, thinking about the feeling of it. I was starting to regret thinking about jumping in. “Which is why I’m not looking forward to jumping in after ya. Like I said, I don't have a choice.” He said. “I guess I’m kinda hoping you'll come back over the rail and get me off the hook here.” He said, leaning a little over the rail to look at me. “You’re crazy!” I said. “That's what everybody says, but with all do respect miss, I'm not the one hanging off the back of a ship here.” He said “Come on. Come on, give me your hand. You don't want to do this” He said, I stopped for a second then reached over, grabbing his hand, I started turning slowly so I could face back around. I managed to turn around and I was facing him, he was even handsomer up close, “Whew” He said and smiled at me. “I'm Newt Dawson.” He said. “I'm Rose DeWitt Bukater” I said, “I'm gonna have to get you to write that one down” He said laughing a little. I laughed too. Then I smiled at him, “Come on” he said,  I was about to step up to climb back over but as I stepped on the second bar I stepped on this stupid dress and slipped.
I screamed as the only thing keeping me from falling to my death was Newt. He grunted as he tried to get a better grip on me. “Come on, come on!” He said, as he started pulling me up more, but as I grabbed the railing I slipped again. I screamed again, as he only had me by one arm. “Help Please!” I screamed. “Please help me!” I screamed. “Listen to me!” He said. “I’ve got you, and I won’t let go. Now pull yourself up, come on!” He grunted as he pulled on me, I grabbed the railing pulling myself up too. I grabbed the top railing, struggling to keep pulling. “Come on!” he said again. “You can do it!” I got up just over the railing and he wrapped his arms around my back, pulling me completely over. “I got you” he said, and he turned trying to get my feet over, but we fell onto the ground, he landed on top of me. “What's all this?” One of the ship workers said as 3 of them made their way over to us. Newt jumped off me immediately. I was shaking, as the guy looked at me then back at Newt. “Stay back! and don't move an inch!” He yelled at Newt. Newt stood up, putting his hands in his pocket. The ship worker yelled something at the other guys.
They had wrapped me in a blanket and got me to sit down on one of the benches. Someone offered me a drink, but I shock my head. Newt was being put in handcuffs. “This is completely unacceptable” Cal yelled at Newt. “What made you think you could put your hands on my fiancée?” He said into Newt’s face. Newt looked over at me. “Look at me you filth!” Cal yelled grabbing Newt by the collar of his shirt. “Cal!” I said. “What do you think you are doing?” Cal said shaking Newt, who just stared at him. “Cal!” I yelled. walking over to him. “Stop!” I said grabbing him so he would stop shaking Newt. He was about to say something else when I said, “It was an accident!” Cal slightly laughed a bit shocked at what I just said. “An accident?” he repeated, he looked very confused. “It was” I said, “It was stupid really. I was leaning over and I slipped!” I started “I was leaning far over to see the, uh uh uh the, uh uh” I was trying to figure out a word, I started waving my hands around in circles to see if he would get a word out of what I was trying to say, “Propellers?” He asked watching my hands. “Propellers! and I slipped!” I repeated, he rolled his eyes at me.  “And I would have gone overboard, but Mr. Dawson here saved me, and almost went overboard himself!” I said, looking back at Cal. “You wanted to see- She wanted to see the propellers” he said laughing at my stupidity. “Like I said” One of the people there started, “Women and machinery do not mix” He was making his way around Cal and I over to Newt. “Was that the way of it?” The guy who had him cuffed asked him. Newt looked back over at me and I gave him a look saying to say it was true. He looked at Cal for a second. He nodded his head “Yeah. Yeah that was pretty much it” He said. “Well the boys a hero then. Good for you son. Well done. So, all is well. Back to our Brandi then eh?” He said with a laugh. The guy uncuffed Newt. I was looking at Newt when Cal started rubbing my arms. “Look at you, must be freezing! Let’s get you inside” He said, pulling me closer into him, starting to walk away. As we walked past the guy who said Newt was a hero he said. “Uh perhaps a little something for the boy?” Cal and I stopped. Looking back at Newt. “Of course,” Cal said. He turned “Uh Mr. Lovejoy, I think a 20 should do it” Cal said then went to turn again. I scoffed, “Is that the going rate for saving the women you love?” I said to him. Cal looked at me annoyed a bit. “Rose is displeased. What to do?” He said, thinking. “I know” he said to me, then walked over to Newt, who was putting his jacket back on. “Perhaps you can join us for dinner tomorrow evening? To regale our group with your heroic tale!” Cal offered. “Sure. Count me in” Newt said, staring at Cal. Cal glared at him, “Good, it’s settled then” he said. He walked back over to me with the other guy, “This should be interesting” I heard him say to the other guy. The guy nodded and said mhm. I watched Newt until Cal got to me grabbing me, turning me around and leading me back inside.
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