#large red disaster nerd

[shazzaofdoom]

A silly meme about my favourite guy

#magnus the red #shazza stuff #space but everything is bad #large red disaster nerd

[dekuscheripop]

HOW TO STEAL A MAN part 1

Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku, Toga Himiko/Uraraka Ochako, Kaminari Denki/Kirishima Eijirou

Additional Tags:

Comedy, Romantic, Comedy, Drama, Slapstick, Single Parent Bakugou Katsuki, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Quirks (My Hero Academia), Stealing of body fluids, Out of Character, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Not Mpreg but with child, there is no cheating.

Single father Katsuki.

His son is 5 and a rascal that thinks he should have a lover because "Dada looks lonely."

His son ran off one day at the mall and after a panicked search the boy came back dragging someone in his tiny hands.

"Dada this one! This one, I found you a love love."

Katsuki sees shining emerald eyes and dusting of cocoa on cheeks

Katsuki sees Deku and wants to faint.

Deku was his first love, a love since kindergarten that never came to be. Especially since Deku migrated to America after they graduated college.

So back then Katsuki took whatever he could since he couldn't have Deku's love.

His sperm.

Katsuki had so secretly stolen sperm from Deku and brought it to a surrogate to have Deku's child.

Now here was Deku back after 5 years.

He was fucked for three good reasons, so so fucked because,

1 - his child looked so happy holding Deku's hand.

2 - Seeing Deku again after a long time made him realize he was still so in love with the damn nerd.

3 - Deku is already married.

He was standing behind the ice cream booth that had 201 flavors while in his hand was the god forsaken flavor of spicy chocolate mint cream that his son loves so much. The stuffed rabbit backpack that was too small and too tight over his shoulder looked so out of place along with the ice cream on him. There were the toilet papers on his other hand too.

To be fair Katsuki did not look his best today. It's supposed to be just a trip to the mall to buy toilet paper and some ice cream as per his son's request. Just an ordinary day, supposed to be an ordinary day.

So he wore his comfortable off white t-shirt that was already baconed on the collar and sleeves and his faded khaki cargo shorts, and the finale was the gift from Kirishima, red crocs shoes on his sock feet.

In short he looked like a disaster. At least his son looked cute in his black shirt under an orange overall.

Of all the days that he isn't in his suit and tie and leather shoes it had to be the day his son dragged his wet dream back into his life.

Deku. fucking Midoriya Izuku is hand in hand with his son. Fucking Midoriya Izuku at 5’11, in a tight black turtle neck long sleeve shirt and equally tight denim jeans. His wavy green hair in an undercut.

If Katsuki thought of him as a wet dream back in college then today it's a raging flood of a fantasy!

But his libido wasn't the main problem as of now. It's the fact that his son is with his biological dad! The one who Katsuki stole his sperm from!

Plus he looks like shit infront of his long time crush for fucks sake!

Katsuki is sweating buckets.

“Dada, I found you a love love!” His son, Kiyoshi, repeated, large red eyes shining and his freckled cheeks in a light blush on how happy he is.

“Love love? Well, aren't you cute for a kidnapper?”

Katsuki's knees buckled at the sweet yet deep voice, like smooth honey whiskey going down his throat and going right down his whole body. It's been so long since he heard that voice. Why the fuck is he salivating?

“You shouldn't be giving your dada any problems, little guy.” Deku kneels in front of Kiyoshi, patting his head with his big scarred hands.

Deku hasn't seen him yet.

Maybe if he grabs his son and runs like mad he can save himself.

“Let's go say sorry to your dad now.” Deku stood up and faced him and those emerald eyes grew wide.

It was too late.

“Kacchan?”

Deku saw him in all his ugly glory.

Fuck. Great tutuly dudally fuck.

“Deku.” The name slips out of his mouth easily.

“Hi. It's been so long.” Still holding Kiyohi's hand, Deku walks towards him, it was a picture scene. Green wavy hair with blonde wavy hair, green doe eyes with red doe eyes and the same flock of freckles on fair skin, hand and hand walking towards him.

It was overwhelming.

Deku was in front of him now, Katsuki felt giddy. He likes to deny the fact that he is thrilled that he was still taller than Deku by half a head.

“How have you been?” He asked, looking up at Katsuki with the happiest smile.

“I'm good.” He could only reply courtly, scared that he might blurt out something wrong. He hopes his expression was giving him away.

“Yeah I can see that.” Deku says, still not removing eye contact.

Katsuki winces at his comment. What part of him looked good damn it. If anyone looks good here it's Deku and damn does he look way too fine.

Their eyes are stuck on each other, drawn in as if they were the only ones in the world.

Time seemed to have stopped as he stared into those deep pools of liquid emerald eyes.

“Dada?”

The small voice cut them off whatever trance they had.

Deku looks down at the small hand tugging at him. Katsuki could have sworn there was a flicker in his eyes. On edge and muscles tense, Katsuki becomes nervous. Did Deku notice? Did he figure it out?

“So this is your son?” Deku asked, bending down and lifting up the small child into his arms. Katsuki felt his heart constrict painfully just looking at them. There was something growing inside, something heavy and bitter, guilt.

“Yeah! I’m Dada’s but with no Mama! So Dada is lonely, so mister needs to be with dada so he won't be lonely!” Kiyoshi lifts his hands up in declaration in a loud voice.

“Oi brat!” Katsuki reprimanded his son, his face was burning red from embarrassment.

He takes him from Deku’s arms and scolds him but the small child just huffed.

“But it's true. Dada is lonely.”

“Where did you learn to talk back?”

The two bickered back and forth like both were like small children.

There was a melodious sound of laughter coming just beside him. Deku was laughing hard, almost hunched over holding his stomach.

“He’s definitely your son Kacchan. He’s just like you.” Straightening himself up and wiping the tears from laughter from his eyes;

Deku pats Kiyoshi’s fluffy head. Kiyoshi preens at the attention.

The weird flicker in Deku's eyes was gone, he seems to be more happy after all that laughter.

“Mister mister I like you! I think Dada will like you too so you need to-mmph.” Katsuki stops his sons from talking,

muffling his mouth gently as he could but god damn it why is his child such a loud mouth?

"Ok." He says with a drawn out voice. "It was nice seeing yah but we gotta go. This guy needs to poop. So bye." Katsuki hurriedly turns around, not caring for Kiyoshi's muffled protest

and not even looking at Deku's eyes as he tries to speed walk away from his biggest problem.

"Kacchan wait!"

Katsuki does not. He walks faster.

It should be fine. Deku would probably go back to the US soon and they won't meet up every again.

It hurts to think about it but it would be a disaster if he stayed.

"I've transferred back here for work. So I hope I'll be seeing you often, Kacchan!"

Oh fuck. Great tutuly dudally fuck.

-

-

She just wanted to enjoy her fresh hot Takoyaki. Delicious Takoyaki. Just what she wanted and just what she craved. It was the last piece.

Picking it up with her chopsticks towards her awaiting mouth. A perfect treat.

Her door flew open with a bang.

"Ochako!"

"Ahhhhh!"

Bang went to the door and bang went over her nerves from too much coffee this morning. Up her Tokoyaki went to the ceiling and stayed there like a half disco ball of carbs and octopus meat.

The two people stare at the new decor impassively then stare at each other.

"You owe me."

"Whatever! I have a bigger problem!"

What could be more of a bigger problem than her food!

"You owe me an order of Takoyaki!"

"Alright alright! I'll buy you one later. Just listen to me!"

"No later. Now!" She was really pissed. That was her last ball with the biggest piece of octopus and the most sauce!

"Oh my god, fine. It's just at the corner anyway. Just listen, yah."

They walked out of her house. Ochaco was still angry and puffed her cheeks.

She really wanted that last price but instantly felt better at the prospect of a new batch.

"So what's this all about barging into my place?" He asked as they were about to make a turn at a corner.

There was a deep exhale and that's when Ochaco knew this wasn't just something trivial.

"He's back."

"Huh?"

"Deku's back!" Her best friend Bakugou Katsuki almost screamed.

Stopped, frozen and wide eyed.

"No."

"Yes."

"Oh my god. You are fucked! And I don't mean it in the oohh ahhhh kind!"

"Shut up!"

Ohhh but how could she shut up? Katsuki was having a life crisis while Ochako… Ochaco was having the time of her life!

"I told you this was gonna bite you back in the ass!"

She had long warned him way back after Katsuki suddenly barged into her home with an ice box and eyes crazy wide.

///"I stole his sperm!"///

Damn if that didn't traumatize her. Thank heavens she vehemently refused to be the surrogate mom for his craziness.

The surrogate was someone abroad that this crazy ass rich bastard paid millions on.

But don't get her wrong, she loves Kiyoshi with all her heart but damn if she hadn't been waiting for this moment to arrive.

"I told you so."

Oh how it felt good to finally say those words. She is having a blast.

"Shut up. I thought this was never going to happen!"

Ochaco beckoned Katsuki to start walking again. He still owes Takoyaki after a.

"Pfft. Now what are you going to do? He's married already isn't he?"

"That's what I heard. Ochako I-"

"Kacchan."

Kacchan?

Ochaco sees Katsuki turn deathly pale then to a light pink, pink, darker pink to a deep blush.

She looked straight ahead and just before the Takoyaki booth was a man so fine she wanted to sing a damn gravy tik tok song out loud.

Wait, did Katsuki just say Deku?

Her round eyes were about to bulge out of their sockets. This guy was Midoriya Izuku a.k.a. Deku.

No wonder he stole sperm from this guy! He's hot as fuck. Ochaco would too if she wasn't a full out lesbian.

"You're here for Takoyaki too? The booth is still here after all these years huh. Just like back in highschool we used to eat here often."

The Deku guy passed by Ochaco and went straight for Katsuki. It was like he didn't see him at all.

"Deku." Was all Katsuki said. Ochaco stared hard at the wobbly expression her best friend had. She wished she could take a photo but she left her phone at home. Damn.

"I didn't get to ask earlier but I was wondering if you would have dinner with me this Friday? Just to catch up on everything."

She saw how Katsuki's normal mean eyes were wide like saucers.

"You can bring Kiyoshi with you. He is so adorable."

How his brows shut up and how the normal loud and rude Katsuki was silent with his long term crush being so near. It was a disaster.

Ochaco was living for it. Her smile was so self satisfied.

"Can we Kacchan? For old times sake?"

Katsuki was about to faint. Deku grabbed his hands with his own.

"Please." And gave him the puppy dog eyes.

He was doomed.

He nodded.

He was so fucking doomed.

"Thank you Kacchan." Deku still hasn't let go of Katsuki's hand, instead he gave him a brightest purest smile.

Ochaco and Katsuki were blinded. Damn gravy so clean and delicious! Oh but this one does have a missus. Too bad.

Ochaco will just have to appreciate the disaster truck of her best friend as it is.

"Oh you have someone with you."

Deku finally notices her and all she could do was smile even though she was completely ignored just earlier.

"I'm Midoriya Izuku and you are?" Deku raised his hand to shake in introduction.

"Ah I am-"

"She's Uraraka Ochaco!"

Ochaco had pulled away and was now in front of Katsuki as he had grabbed her arms. Showing her off to Deku like some kind of livestock.

"She's Kiyoshi's mom! So she has to come with us to dinner with Kiyoshi!"

The Takoyaki vendor dropped a ball on the pavement. So did Ochako's jaw.

She was frozen but slowly her head turned behind Katsuki, her soon to be ex best friend

The guy just mouthed sorry at her.

"Oh. I see."

She turns back to the sound of Deku and froze up like a rock during winter.

His bright green eyes have turned dark all the while looking at her. What is that?!

Oh great tutuly dudally fuck.

She is going to kill Katsuki.

TBC.

#bakudeku #bkdk fic #bnha bkdk #ktdk #Deku #Kacchan #Izuku #Katsuki #How to Steal a Man bkdk

[hope-ur-ok]

Alright you got me. As a fellow history nerd (personally more so about western gold rush mineral mines) I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on coal mining history

Okay so the first thing you need to know is that primarily I focus on West Virginia mine disasters which is a good place to focus cause the state has historically always had the most lax laws about mine safety, which has led to them having many of the worst disasters in US history, including the top spot with Monongah in 1907 with the explosion of mines No. 6 and 8 that killed at least 361 people but the ultimate death toll is unknown. In fact the laws were so bad that they didn't even have a mine department that was inspecting mines and keeping track of the death tolls until 1884 which was 20 years after it became a state, and it took another 3 years for any regulations to be passed in the state. The other main thing that's good to know is that until 1961, 5 people employed by the mining company had to die for it to be considered a disaster so in few notable cases, like Pulaski Mine Powder Explosion, despite more than 5 people dying they aren't included on official disaster records. (In 1961 the number was lowered to 3 and changed to be any 3 people not just employees to be considered a disaster)

So the reason I mentioned that first is because it really colors how mine disasters were reported and recorded. The first recorded mine disaster in the state doesn't even have the mine ventilation method listed in the report (though after reading the suggested changes to prevent future explosions and news paper articles about the explosion I think it was largely furnace ventilated with secondary fans that usually weren't in use) and one of the most important things for determining the cause of explosions and the source of black damp is the ventilation so why was that info excluded?? It's cause the mine companies practically owned the state. (they kinda still do honestly but it's better than it was)

When I say they owned the state I'm not just being hyperbolic like the companies essentially hired militant groups in the 1910's & 1920's to evict, fight, and sometimes kill striking miners, their families, and any police officials that sided with the miners. That's why they called the miners strikes in that era the Mine Wars, cause you literally had striking Unionized miners fighting with the company owned militant groups and sheriffs departments (ACAB). It got so big that following the battle of Blair mountain - which was a battle between red necked miners (yes, the term red neck originated as a derogatory term for the incredibly socialist, unionized coal miners), and a coal company owned militia & sheriffs department that the federal government had to step in and end - that the coal companies paid to have the miners arrested and tried for treason. The miners did win their case cause they successfully got the trials moved to Jefferson County, one of the only counties without a mining presence, so the trials were fair and determined that you can't commit treason against a private company, but the fact that it got that far in the first place shows just how much influence the companies had.

I could literally go on and on about how much the mine union changed the entire industry cause companies finally had some accountability outside of the public outcry that followed big disasters. And like, don't get me wrong if it weren't for the backlash the government and mine companies faced following the Monongah 6 & 8, Eccles 5 & 6, Layland 3, and Benwood disasters so many regulations wouldn't have changed at the state or federal level but those major changes had a lot smaller of an impact on the actual quality of life for the miners than the threat to burn down the tipple if the company didn't meet union demands and start paying the miners in real money and not just company script.

I also like have a whole rant about why so many people came to the states to become miners even though in many cases the mines here were less safe than the ones in Europe. Like the people who came from England, Whales, and Scotland were the few who were actually coming over because the mining conditions were better when they were scouted by US mining companies in the early 1800's to come over with their mining experience and get paid a wage that made it so their wives and kids wouldn't have to be miners as well, which is a pretty good deal when it means your kid won't be bald from pushing baskets of coal with the top of their heads. But once you hit the 1900's most immigrant miners were coming to the US because the economy of their home country was in shambles, most of them were from Italy and Slavic countries ( I wish I could be more specific but a lot of the records just say Slav) and they had absolutely no mining experience and the companies didn't train them well enough to keep them from putting themselves and other miners at risk. I want to go back in time and warn them that the small amount of money they send home isn't worth them dying a horrible death deep under ground and leaving their families with no one to provide for them, that they are being sold a lie by awful greedy people who just want to traffic them to replace the workers they already killed with their negligence, but time travel isn't possible and I can't speak their language anyway.

Sorry this didn't really dig deep into any one disaster, and barely touched on the mine wars but I have many thoughts about almost all of them and this is already really long but if you want to know more I can definitely share

#the turtle gets asks

[epiclamer]

i don't know the time periods or if I'm late or not but happy hero father's day!

if i may I ask of your version on how you and dearest villain mother met?

Why don’t I write it for you? Thanks for the Father’s Day message, kid!

@save-the-villainous-cat @save-the-villainous-kitty (I genuinely don’t know what account you prefer-)

Happy Birthday!

“Happy Birthday, nerd!” Hero yelled, stumbling into Villains house through the window. Villain jumped, dropping the wooden spoon they were using to stir the soup boiling on the stove.

“Hero??” Villains jaw dropped, they had always admired Hero—from the sidelines, of course. Hero was quite popular and sat amongst the more experienced heroes in the city. Villain however was newer to this game, but they couldn’t help the fact that they had been admiring Hero’s style and skills since the beginning, since before they had even started.

Yet, Villain didn’t specifically get into villainy just for Hero, they did it for their own benefits as well but they also couldn’t help the slight glimmer of hope that crawled in their stomach at the idea of one day meeting the Hero. And now, they were here, in their house???? Willingly????

As everything clicked and turned in Villains brain they finally realized the awkwardness of the situation and had Hero called them a nerd??? “Did you just call me a nerd???” Villain gaped at the hero in front of them, messy fluffy hair, pyjama pants and an oversized t-shirt. Hero had large bags under their electric green eyes and a card in one hand.

They looked exhausted, but their voice was as chipper as ever when they spoke. “Oh please, you act as if I’m wrong…”

There was a slight flirty drawl in their voice, probably from the lack of sleep, evident on their face and in their posture. It was kind of cute. Villain couldn’t deny it.

Hero stood in the silence awkwardly, Villain seemed spaced out entirely, which couldn’t be unnatural considering Hero had literally broken into their house looking like a complete disaster. They had never even interacted before this moment and here Hero was, wishing them a happy birthday when they were supposed to be strangers.

“So… uhm, happy birthday…” Hero couldn’t stand silence, it was uncomfortable and with Villain staring wide eyed into their soul it was a little unnerving as well. They stepped forwards, extending their hand with the card towards the dumbfounded criminal.

Truth was, Hero wasn’t as much of a stranger to Villain as one might think. They had actually been stalking observing them for the past couple months, checking them out. At first just to see how dangerous they were, and then simply out of genuine interest. Villain was quite talented…

Villain took the card greedily but still with a certain air of uncertainty. After all, it wasn’t everyday that a crime-stopper did nice things for a criminal. But upon a quick inspection of the light green envelope they decided it was probably safe and ripped it open. A simple lined paper letter fell out, it had black sharpie writing on each line and the title read : “Happy birthday!” Simple, but effective.

Their eyes skimmed over the paper, it was long and they didn’t want to let their guard down around a hero, but amongst the lines they could make out an ungodly amount of terrible pick up lines and flirts. Villains eyes flicked back to Hero’s who were scanning the room, awkwardly clasping their hands together at their front.

A smirk tugged at Villains lips, if Hero wanted to flirt, then they were going to get a lifetime of them. Just because they were a hero didn’t mean they got to have the upper hand, especially not when it came to flirting.

“So, darling, want to tell me what you mean to do with these precious words? Or maybe, what you want me to do?”

Hero’s demeanour switched completely, it went from a tired, calm and awkward slouch to a red-faced, wide-eyed, flustered mess in about one second. Their beautiful green eyes had stopped scanning the room and were glued to Villains cocky expression. All confidence drained completely as they began to stutter and stumble over their words.

Hero’s voice squeaked and they gasped for breath as if they had just run a marathon. Instead, they were just trying to get their brain to function again. They had done their research on Villain and they knew they liked to flirt, that’s why there were so many stupid flirts in the birthday card. However, they hadn’t expected Villain to actually flirt back.

They were too tired and it was too late at night for their brain to construct something snarky or flirtatious to say back. That much was probably obvious from the way they flustered and lost their ability to speak.

Villain only smirked, looking Hero up and down, nodding their head along to the others nonsense of words spilling from their mouth. It was amusing for them. They hadn’t had this type of reaction from someone before, and definitely not from a hero.

“My love, you’ll have to use your words if you want to lead my actions…” Villain didn’t have to say anything else to know that Hero was now completely malleable under their words. “Sit on the couch.” Hero’s face was enough to tell them that Villain was now in complete control and sure enough, Hero did exactly what they were told.

Sitting quietly without a moments hesitation on the villains sofa. Eyes folded neatly in their lap as they stared at Villain with wide eyes.

“Good hero… Shall we have some fun tonight since you’re being so obedient for me?” The night was indeed, very long.

#mmmmmm delicious #love it #rawr #hero x villain #villain #villain x hero #hero #drabbles #fantasy #imagines #oneshots #scenarios #hero and villain #villain and hero #heroes and villains #villains and heroes #flirty villain #flustered hero

[jazwritesalot]

Mocha Choco Latte - Chapter 4: Caramel Latte

Pairing: Kirishima Eijirou/Bakugou Katsuki, KiriBaku Fandom: Boku no Hero Academia, My Hero Academia Rating: Teen & Up Audiences Current Word Count: 21,000 Tags: Aged-Up Characters, AU- College/University, AU- No Quirks, AU- Coffee Shops & Cafes, Barista Bakugou, Actor Kirishima, slow burn, background IzuOcha, mentions of Bakusquad, rated for language, Bakugou Katsuki swears a lot, Bakugou Katsuki is bad at feelings, drinking, house parties

Link to AO3

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

Chapter summary: In which Katsuki finally takes the plunge

Katsuki was losing hope and losing it fast. It had been a little over a month since the Tape Deck debacle, and he had yet to see Kirishima come through the doors of Sugar Rush. He finally swallowed his pride and had unblocked Kirishima’s number from his phone, but he had yet to actually send him a message. Every time he drafted one, he found himself hastily deleting it as the image of his disappointed face flashed across his mind. Nothing he could say over text seemed like it would be appropriate enough to express how much he had royally fucked up. Sending him a message also slipped to the back of his mind as work became more chaotic since Deku was off work, which left him working with Dunce Face, as much as he loathed it. The other man was a disaster in the kitchen, so Sato had reassigned their positions—Katsuki being back in the kitchen gave him a small reprieve from the other’s idiocy. Though he did feel a pang of sympathy for Kaminari when Jirou finally snapped at him for his outrageous flirting, which left the other man sulking for weeks. 

Deku had been back at work for about a week now, with Kaminari suspiciously absent more and more—which was really starting to piss Katsuki off since he was having to pick up some of the slack—and Katsuki forgot how much he hated working the front counter. At least in the kitchen he was able to ignore the stupidity of people. He was silently fuming at the small, half-caff, soy latte that the customer stated that it needed to specifically be heated to 49 degrees. He quickly shot a glare over the counter at the obnoxiously tall, blond man who looked like he walked off the closest runaway in a designer denim suit—pompous asshole—when the bell chimed for the next customer coming in. 

“Small latte for Hakamada,” he grit out as he forcefully placed the drink on the counter and turned to the register. He nearly tripped over his feet, however, when he came face to face with none other than Kirishima standing on the other side of the counter, a bashful smile on his face. 

“Y-you!” he stuttered out while mentally kicking himself. There was so much he wanted to say to the other man, yet the only thing he could do was make a fool of himself. 

“Heh, yeah it’s me,” he chuckled while scratching at the stubble on his chin. “Sorry man, it’s been super busy these last couple of weeks. I meant to stop by, but time got away from me.” 

“Tch, it’s whatever, Shitty Hair. What can I get for you today?” he asked, adamantly ignoring the blush he could feel heating up his cheeks. He was Bakugou Katsuki and damn it, no silly crush was going to get the best of him. 

“Could I get a large caramel latte and a couple of the red bean mochi please? For here,” he said, gesturing to his backpack. Ah, must be another study night, then. Katsuki could feel eyes burning a hole in the back of his head as Kirishima paid and he got him the pastries. As soon as Kirishima walked off to find a seat, Katsuki whipped around, glaring at Izuku, who had a sly smirk on his face. 

“What do you want, you damn nerd?” he griped, grabbing the milk. 

“Kacchan, you’re hopeless,” he chuckled, and Katsuki could feel the vein in his temple throbbing already as he prepped the espresso machine and started steaming the milk. “You keep beating around the bush with him, which has been leading you to missing the mark each time.”

“How is writing my phone number on his cup ‘beating around the bush’?” 

“You could have just given it to him like a normal person, but instead you had to be extra. And look where that got you,” he said with a pointed look. “You just need to be straightforward with him—go ask him out to dinner. Can’t be more direct than that.”

“And why should I listen to your advice, huh? It took you months to work up the courage to ask Round Cheeks out. So what makes you suddenly be the expert on love?” he asked while aggressively piling on the whipped cream and caramel sauce. 

“Just the fact that he’s totally checking you out right now while your back is turned to him.” 

“Really?” he asked eagerly, and Katsuki could feel his cheeks flaming again as the smirk returned to Deku’s face. Way to keep it cool, Katsuki. 

“Would I lie to you, Kacchan?” The arched eyebrow and otherwise unimpressed look on Deku’s face made Katsuki visibly deflate. 

“No. You really wouldn’t,” he sighed. “But what would I even do? Just walk up and be like ‘hey Shitty Hair, let’s have dinner?’”

“Well, maybe without the Shitty Hair part. I still think there’s only so long he will allow you to call him that before he gets annoyed with you.”

“It just adds to my charm,” Katsuki grinned.     

“It’s a charm that I will never understand,” Izuku chuckled with a roll of his eyes. “But seriously Kacchan, go for it. You’ve been working your ass off the past month and a half. You deserve a break. That, and you deserve some happiness.”

“Don’t get all sappy on me, Nerd,” Katuski grumbled. “I guess I’ll go on break a little early then.”

“Oh no you won’t. You’re leaving now. I got you covered for the rest of the night. It’s the least I could do since you’ve been footing the bills while I was out.” He brandished a spatula like a weapon, daring Katsuki to challenge him. And while normally he would take the bait, this time he realized there was something, rather someone, more important waiting on him. 

“I owe you one, Deku.” He quickly poured himself a caramel latte to match and grabbed the mochi out of the pastry case while Izuku came out of the kitchen and took over his place at the register. He gathered the drinks and food, and with a deep breath to soothe his frayed nerves, not that he would admit to them being frayed, that is, he walked over to where Kirishima was sitting with a false sense of confidence, sliding into the seat across from him and placing the two drinks and the plate of food on the table with a smirk. 

“Uh dude? I think you made a mistake? I only ordered one drink?” Kirishima questioned, blinking back the surprise of seeing Katsuki sitting across from him. He did, however, pluck a mochi off the plate and chomped on it. 

"I don’t do things I don’t wanna do, Shitty Hair. One’s for you and the other’s for me. Since my shift ended a few minutes ago, I figured why the hell not? Gotta see what makes you different from the other extras that frequent here. Gotta see why I’m so drawn to you.” The sly smile on his face quickly fell as Kirishima choked on the mochi he was eating. “Shit are you okay?” he asked, jumping up while Kirishima pounded on his chest before taking a large gulp of his latte. He ignored Deku’s look of shock from the counter in favor of making sure the man in front of him was alright. 

“You can’t do that to me,” he whined as the coughing subsided. Bakugou cautiously sat back down and sipped at his own latte, feeling self conscious for nearly sending the other man to an early grave. “Also, I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended,” he chuckled, shyly pushing a lock of hair behind his ear as he finally made eye contact with Katsuki. 

“I’m hoping you go for being flattered,” Katsuki mumbled into his drink. At Kirishima’s quirked eyebrow, he cleared his throat. “I’ve been going about this the wrong way. I’m going to be blunt—I like you Shi- er, Kirishima. I want to get to know you better. So, I’d like to take you on a date,” he finished, cheeks flushed as he avoided the incredulous, wide eyes staring back at him. 

“I think that’s the first time you’ve used my name,” Kirishima said in a breathless whisper, and Katsuki had to fight back the urge to bare his teeth at him. As quickly as the shocked expression crossed Kirishima’s face, it was replaced with one of the blinding smiles that Katsuki had grown quite fond of. “I would really like that, man!”

“Bakugou.” At Kirishima’s confused glance, Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Don’t call me ‘man.’ You can call me Bakugou.”

“Oh? So you’re the only one who can get away with ‘endearing’ nicknames around here?” Kirishima snarked back and Katsuki felt his jaw drop. Cheeky bastard. His bravado disappeared as quickly as it came, his cheeks reddening as he gave Katsuki a soft smile. “All joking aside, I really would like that, Bakugou. What exactly did you have in mind?”

“Uh…” Well shit—he actually hadn’t thought that far ahead. He was lucky that the guy was even giving him a chance after all the bullshit he pulled the last few months. “How about a nice dinner?” he suggested, hating how uncertain his voice sounded. 

“Oh, dinner sounds fantastic! Got anywhere special you like to go?” If Kirishima had a tail, Katuski was certain that it would be wagging right now. It was so cute to see how excited he was over the prospect of a single dinner with him. 

“How about you come to my place and I can cook for you? I bet it will be better than any restaurant you’ve ever been to,” he grinned. This was perfect—he could talk with Kirishima without having to worry about Deku’s prying ears. Not to mention his bank account was currently lacking from the dent of the bills from the past month. It was a win-win. 

“Already trying to get me to come home with you? How scandalous,” Kirishima smirked and it was Katsuki’s turn to choke on his drink. Damn that shitty-haired bastard. “I’m kidding. I’m kidding. That sounds like an amazing first date.” The way he said it made it seem like he was anticipating more dates, which made Katsuki’s heart soar. 

“Whatcha say? Wanna ditch this place and start our date at my apartment?” 

“Sounds much better than sitting here and failing to study,” he laughed, zipping his backpack shut. 

“Oh wait, before I forget,” Katuski started, fishing his wallet out from his pocket, “here you go.” He passed some bills over to Kirishima, who cocked his head to the side in confusion. “The drink and mochi are on me today. Let’s just say we’re starting this date early.”

“Bakugou, I can’t accept this,” Kirishima protested, but Katsuki continued to hold the money out for him, challenging him with a glare.

“If you don’t take it, I’m just going to shove it in your backpack, so might as well make this easier on both of us,” he warned. Kirishima sighed, taking the proffered money, shoving it in his pocket. He quickly scarfed down the other mochi, chasing it with the last of his latte before gathering his stuff and sliding out of the booth. Katsuki was quick to follow, his grip on the to-go cup he used for himself tight at the prospect that this was actually happening. He saw Deku shoot him a quick thumbs up, which he responded to with a roll of the eyes and shooting him the middle finger, and then he was following Kirishima out into the chilly November night. 

“After you,” Kirishima smiled, and Katsuki felt his face flame for what had to be at least the fifth time as Kirishima walked beside him, humming an unfamiliar melody. His hand was clutching the strap of his backpack and Katsuki desperately wanted it to be clutching his own hand, despite how forward that would be. Kirishima followed him diligently, and whereas the silence would normally be suffering for Katsuki, there was no awkwardness to be seen. It was as if they were meant to be together in any sort of capacity, previous embarrassments aside. In no time, they were stepping through the threshold of his and Deku’s apartment, changing out their shoes for house slippers and Katsuki’s heart was on overdrive. 

“You okay, man? Your face is about as red as my hair,” Kirishima noted as they moved further into the apartment, depositing his backpack on the ground before sliding into a seat at the kitchen table. Katsuki, on the other hand, was standing in the middle of the kitchen trying to not have a heart attack. 

“I’m fine. I’m just nervous,” he gritted out finally, fighting back the urge to kick the redhead out and go hide himself away in his room for the rest of eternity. Instead, he put forward his energy toward making the two of them a simple fried rice for dinner. The silence stretched between them once again before there was a scraping of a chair against the tiled floor, Kirishima appearing to Katsuki’s right. “What are you doing, Shitty Hair?”

“Ouch, back to Shitty Hair, huh?” Kirishima chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck before washing his hands at the kitchen sink. “Believe it or not, I’m also nervous, man. You’re like, super hot to the point that it’s unfair. And it’s been a while since I’ve put myself out there relationship-wise. So I get it,” he explained, drying his hands off on a towel. “But I think, if we’re going to make this work between us, that we need to be equals. So, let me help you make dinner for our first date?” he asked and Katsuki could only gape at him as he tried to process what was just said. 

“Fine, you sap,” Katsuki snorted. “You can help by chopping up the veggies.” He knew his face was still scarlet, but at this point, he didn’t care. It was like Kirishima had been able to pick up on all of his insecurities and turn them on their head without even trying while simultaneously baring his own for Katsuki to see. And he found that way more endearing than he probably should. They worked together seamlessly, which was a relief compared to the disaster that the kitchen could be with Deku in it with him. Despite being a decent cook, the two of them could not sync up to save their lives, causing one too many blow ups in the kitchen that resulted in them having take out for dinner. 

“Wow Bakugou! This looks fantastic!” Kirishima exclaimed as they sat down to eat. 

“Idiot, you helped too,” Katsuki grumbled, the praise too much to handle at the moment. His mind was still reeling from the earlier confession of him being “too hot” for Kirishima, so any other praise that was piled on was just overkill at this point. 

“Still! You’ve got mad skills in the kitchen. I could most definitely learn a thing or two from you. My roommates can’t cook well to save their lives, and with me gone long hours, I’m eating out way too much and they’re left fending for themselves.”

“Sounds like a them problem, if you ask me. They’re adults—they should be able to feed themselves.” Hearty laughter was the response he got to that. “As for you, I guess I don’t mind showing you some tricks and easy meals to make.”

“You’re the best, Bakugou.” The smile on Kirishima’s face was so sincere that it left Katsuki’s stomach in knots, face flushing for the umpteenth time tonight. 

“You’re not so bad yourself, Kirishima,” he smiled back. “Let’s get cleaned up and then I can show you around, I guess, before we decide on what to do with the rest of the night.” There were no arguments from Kirishima, the two of them washing up and leaving the dishes out to dry. “You’ve seen the living room and kitchen already, so I guess that all that’s really left is to show you my room.”

“On the first date? Scandalous,” Kirishima teased, waggling his eyebrows. 

“Oi! Shut up, asshole,” he grumbled, half-tempted to leave Kirishima in the living room and lock himself in the bedroom. He took a steadying breath, instead, and led Kirishima down the hall to his room, silently hoping that he wouldn’t get judged too hard for the All Might movie posters hanging up. 

“An All Might fan, I take it?” Well, there went that hope. 

"What of it?” he asked defensively, ready to throw the redhead out if needed. 

“Nothing’s wrong with it! I love the comics, but I’m more of a Crimson Riot fan myself. Hell, Arakatai Kureno was the reason I got into acting—his portrayal of Crimson Riot was phenomenal! Really inspired me to want to better myself and try something new.”

“Guess it worked out for you, considering you’re now Red Riot.” Katsuki was glad that Kirishima seemed to be just as much of a fanboy as he was, even though he himself was more closeted about it. 

“Heh, I guess it did,” he said bashfully. “What about you? Why All Might?” 

“All Might was a badass hero in the comics and I loved that he didn’t let anyone bring him down, no matter how dire the situation would be. It’s just a shame that Yagi got injured and had to retire early.” Katuski was trying his best not to pout, he really was, but seeing his hero and idol have to go into an early retirement due to a set accident left a sour taste in his mouth. Who knew how many more All Might movies there could have been if that never happened?

“Yeah, it is a shame. From what I’ve heard, Yagi is a delight to work with. But still, gonna have to say that Crimson Riot is a far superior superhero.” Katsuki snarled at the snarky smile across Kirishima’s face, instantly rising to the bait. 

“I’ll prove to you that All Might is better! Come on, jackass, we’ve got some movies to watch.” Kirishima’s boisterous laugh rang throughout the halls as he followed Katsuki to the living room, earning the two of them a bang against the wall from Katsuki’s neighbors. 

“Keep it down!” a crabby voice called through. 

“Sorry!” Kirishima called back while Katsuki rolled his eyes. That old man could bite him for all he cared. He’s spent many a night listening to him yell at his microwave for not heating his taiyaki properly, so the old geezer could deal with Katsuki’s company. They settled on the couch, Katsuki brazenly snuggling into Kirishima’s side, which was met with an arm draped around his shoulders, pulling him close to the redhead. As Katsuki pressed play on the movie, snuggled up to the man he had been crushing on for months, he realized that maybe things were starting to look up for him after all.

#jaz writes #kirishima eijirou #bakugou katsuki #kiribaku #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #long fic #chapter 4 #mocha choco latte #On the Rocks #also on ao3

[puckwritesstuff]

The way that you described Nari as "baby" is just adorable. I can just imagine people seeing him as the soft and calm sibling while Vali is the mischievous one. Basically a mini Loki and Sigyn but with eye colors and personalities swapped.

I mean, that's pretty much exactly it-- with the caveat that both Nari and Vali have Loki's eyes because their natural eye color is Jotun red. I feel like I've talked about this before, but Nari is absolutely Sigyn's son and Vali is 100% Loki's daughter. It's mostly like this because of their origins in the main fic, which is what all of this is based off of, after all. Vali is not wholly an "original" character, she's Sylvie, and Sylvie in the MCU canon is supposed to be a Loki. Nari, on the other hand, was created more or less whole cloth, and was literally made to be a baby. He's the baby that Sigyn has to think about when she goes off and does things with the Avengers, or when she's doing her politicking, or whatever she has to go do. This is what these characters were designed to be.

So, knowing that, when we take these characters into other universes, they need to be recognizable as the characters we know from the fic, while also not having the same baggage. There's a lot of overlap between universes-- the Disaster Averted AU, the King Thor AU, the Dragon Born AU, the Friends with Benefits AU, and the Father of Death AU in particular have major points where they're different, but there are also large swaths of time that are commonalities. Basically, there are the AUs where Loki doesn't let the Jotuns into Asgard for whatever reason, and there are the AUs where he does, and that specific point informs how close events happen to the canon of the MCU. On top of that, most of the AUs don't involve the kids at all. But to take these two characters specifically and remove them from their main timeline backstory means we're seeing them kind of like how we saw Jotun Loki in the "What If...?" episode. This is what they'd be like if none of the bad things had happened. Vali-- even though she still has the curse, but without the TVA breathing down her neck-- is a womanizing warrior who's a consummate bachelor. Nari-- without the pressure of being the Crown Prince, and with both of his parents being there his whole life-- is a giant nerd who is a little more cunning than most people give him credit for. But while these are technically "baseline", they definitely clash with the MCU canon and even the main LDGP timeline on the basis of their father not making choices that he made in canon.

But yes, Nari is baby. ^_^

Thank you for the ask!

#meta #ask #loki #sigyn #nari #vali #sylvie #logyn #loki x sigyn #Love Duty and Glorious Purpose fic

[winterapocalypse]

Winter Hogwarts chapter 35

O-o-o-Omega Mart

The first Black Magic shopping mall, Omega Mart, had finally opened in Winter Hogsmeade. In reality, one day the kids at Winter Hogwarts had woken up and that building had appeared out of nowhere, visible in its colorful neon lights from the castle. But it was still Dark Magic, wasn't it?

Aston, careful not to get her new fluorescent orange jacket decorated in copper wire and her beloved blue sweater with the bronze eagle motif dirty with that strange concoction, nor her long red hair which as usual was styled in a braid clutch that reached up to the bronze plate belt and the torn checked canvas trousers, he put the special magic cement into the cart to put together the cups won by Ravenclaw at Quidditch (few. Nerds like them didn't often win at any sport) that Aston's older brother, the careless and enormous Ken, had accidentally knocked over in his office. Before the superintendent of the house noticed, he decided to send his sister to get everything needed to remedy that little mistake.

Aston liked the place. It had an air of danger hidden beneath a catchy tune and a semblance of normality.

As always, the short, frightened Beric was at her side, gripping her arm tightly. He had a patch over his missing eye and a large band-aid in his blond hair, hiding the gouge in his skull. Hufflepuff's fluffy yellow scarf adorned her scarred neck, also hiding the collar of the silver-patterned purple blouse she wore, tediously tucked into her usual, impeccable black jeans, the turn-up showing her also purple socks and black dandy loafers.

"I don't remember this place." He muttered.

"Yes, it appeared while you were rotting in the woods." Aston replied nonchalantly, gazing at a bottle of anti-werewolf flavored with melted butter.

Beric didn't answer, thoughtful. He reached over to grab a jar from the nearest shelf: a still-beating phoenix heart.

Dennis, Aston's younger brother and renowned killjoy, slyly approached his sister's cart, with something large hidden beneath his large, baggy electric blue jacket covered in hawk pins, which had belonged to his sister in the past.

“What are you hiding, you idiot?” her sister, much taller and bigger than him, retorted, giving him a slap on the back of his head that almost made his already broken and barely held together glasses fall to the ground.

A plastic box containing a withered human leg fell from his jacket.

Aston picked it up and was about to hit Dennis again. “The ass-kicking prank?”

"For Professor Stannis. The other day he made me clean the Gryffindor toilets." muttered the little boy with colored hair, that day a darker blood red and with the tips of his hair a shimmering neon red like the lipstick he wore and the tie on his highlighter yellow shirt.

“Because you blew them up in a cloud of glitter and some of them ended up in the infirmary with glitter poisoning.”

Beric next to her sneered in amusement.

This was what convinced Dennis to put all the prank items in the cart, and then dash off through the departments, looking for who knows what else.

Arriving at the death and disaster department, Aston took a heavy black crystal ball from a high shelf.

"This is for Emily's birthday! It shows you all the times people die and get hurt. She'll definitely like it! She loves seeing people getting hurt."

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

#winter apocalypse #aston royce #beric dondarrion #dennis royce #omega mart

[boop-le-snoot]

PARTY FAVOURS I CHAPTER 24

first time reader click here

TWs/Summary: The party, finally. Nerds be nerds. They're all dorks tbh. Booze and partying. Clint is a disaster. Natasha is a queen. I beg for comments from y'all cuz I'm short on serotonin 🥺🥺🥺💚✨

This is a Spotify playlist I made for the first half of the party. Sets the mood 😌

The party was booming, the room was flooded with a large amount of people dressed in various extravagant outfits. It was enough to sweep my eyes over the crowd only once to take notice of the thought and money people had put into their outfits. I hardly noticed any cheesy "angel/devil" or "sexy cat" ensembles, my eyes caught on gemstones and feathers and floor-length gowns instead.

First Avenger to catch my eye was Thor - only because the people surrounding him barely held back from drooling. Hell, I did a spit-take: the usually graceless giant stood casually posted at one of the snack tables, wearing silver robes embroidered with tiny sparkling gemstones; a sleek, angular crown rested atop his head, his blonde hair was longer, lighter and straight. One look at his ears and the realisation struck me: Thor was Thranduil, the Elven king. It made sense since Peter had the thunderer hooked on the Lord of the Rings movies a couple of weeks ago...

Both Loki and Wanda cleaned up no less nicely. The Witch was wearing a midi dress, airy and soft, in pastel tones that brought out the natural rosiness of her cheeks and the scarlet undertones glimmering in the strands of her hair. Unlike me, she chose to wear a sparkling tiara, which Loki had created after a short debate - it was an intricate material illusion meant to last for at least ten hours.

Loki himself was a work of art: dark and macabre fantasy painting. I could barely tear my eyes away from the pale, tall man clad in dark green silks and brocade. The candlelight threw shadows on his angular face and his sharp cheekbones stood out more than ever: twenty minutes I spent on convincing him to let me put make-up on his face paid off spectacularly. Flickering lights toyed with the emeralds and forest greens of the shiny silk of his vest, giving Loki an ethereal glow. His eyes shone crimson red, making nearby people throw equally startled and appreciative looks.

As for myself, the stares I got were no more and no less than I expected. The dress I'd been aching to wear fit me perfectly, earthen tones, hand-embroidered blossoms and delicate golden threading. The layers of my skirt were just voluminous enough to give me the extra airy, floating walk, the medium-height platforms of my shoes lightening my step. The ropes securing them to my legs were decorated with flowers so delicate they looked real.

The peak of my outfit took an arm and a leg in bribery of the resident sorcerer-turned-vampire, but in the end, even Loki himself could hardly look away from his creation. An hour of research and some serious magic voodoo shit was what it took for the fluttering fairy wings to sit between my shoulder blades. I felt them as an extension of my own body, and whilst flying was definitely out of the question, I could flicker them and felt the delicate brush of Wanda's fingers as she admired the translucent, blue-green, marble-patterned sheen of pure, concentrated magic.

In hindsight, I should have simply bought a set of pre-made wings and asked Loki to enchant them to move on their own. Hindsight... I wasn't good at that. So, in this moment, with the wings syncing up with my jittery nerves, the shiny traitors shook with the force of stares directed at our little trio. There was an absurd amount of gorgeous people and breathtaking costumes, yet even then, we stood out like Mona Lisa in an indie art gallery. Muted 'woah's and 'oh-my-gods' traveled across the room, turning even more heads towards us.

"And you wanted to wear Walmart," I weakly chuckled in Wanda's direction, seeing her wide eyes and Loki's arm rapidly wrapping around her waist, catching her a brief moment before she stumbled. The trickster looked unimpressed and bored for all the world to see, but to me, the slight twitching of his eyebrow told me he wasn't feeling that much different from us girls either.

"Brother!" Thor gestured us over with a drink in each hand, parting the crowd of people easily.

Noah, et tu? I had no choice but to swallow my unease, hoping my concealer and highlighter did their job and my face hadn't lost the sublime glow I was aiming for. For a girl like me, the Fae aesthetic wasn't easily achieved: naturally, I wasn't innocent, I wasn't playful... However, I was mischievous. Plenty of that.

Spotting a semi-familiar face in the crowd of partygoers, I gave the man a lopsided grin and a wink without actually taking note of who he was. Tonight, I would be a fairy. I would play.

"King," Wanda mock-bowed with a laugh, carefully embracing Thor. Even Loki did a brief, composite left-handed tilt with a slight smirk.

"Where's the rest of the gang?" I giggled, immediately making grabby hands for the nearest brightly coloured, fruity concoction that fell into my eyesight. Being sober at a party was not something I had planned to be: first drink went down like water as Thor explained the whereabouts of our various friends.

"Steven and James are with Lady Natasha, there is a knife-throwing contest outside on the patio," As soon as those words left his mouth, Loki immediately perked up, not-so-subtly turning his torso towards the large open area.

"Go," I ushered him. "Win us something, good sir," With a chuckle of my own, I grabbed Wanda by the hand for both of us to give a chaste good luck kiss to each of Loki's cheeks. He smiled as I threw a tiny amount of sparkles at him, shouting "GOOD LUCK!" to his retreating back.

"Princess?" I heard a curious voice pipe up behind me, an arm carefully wrapping itself under my wings. Said arm jerked as the sensitive matter of my wings fluttered away from the touch, shivers running down my spine and making me shuffle in place awkwardly.

"Tickles," I breathed out, voice pitched.

Tony's utterly perplexed face came into view as he gave me an open-mouthed once-over. "Darling..." He cleared his throat. I had managed to rob Tony Stark of his words! "You look... Exquisite." His eyes critically surveyed the amount of make-up and glitter on my face before he lifted the inside of my wrist, touching his lips to the pulse point for two long seconds, stealing my breath away with the simple, intimate gesture. It was by far more powerful than having to get glitter out of his beard if he'd kissed me on the lips, or even on the cheek.

"Congratulations, you've caught a Fae," I grinned mischievously, my own eyes widening at the amount of tiny little details on Tony's costume. Delicate, moving clockwork gears and metals interwoven with dark brown, harsh leather; he wore a tophat decorated with a pair of glasses and both his arms and harnesses had moving details of polished, dull-grey chrome. It was unreal, like Tony had stepped out of a Steampunk graphic novel, like he'd just got done filming the Wild West movie. "Nerd," I affectionately brushed my fingers - glitter-free hand - along the handlebar mustache he'd grown out.

Tony spoke over Thor's laughter, pressing himself closer to me, this time careful around my wings. "Do I get to make a wish?"

"Don't be rude, Tony. The Fair Folk should be treated with politeness and respect," Bruce's amused voice signaled his arrival before I even saw him. His costume and Tony's complimented each other: whereas Tony the wngiy obviously was some sort of inventor, Bruce was a doctor, or perhaps, a chemist. Instead of moving gears, he had an array of brightly coloured vials attached to a gold-and-green embroidered belt, and a single monocle replaced his usual rectangular glasses. The scientist gallantly raised my palm to his lips, fighting a smile of his own. Utter nerds! "You're the most beautiful thing in this room, Princess. Everyone can't take their eyes off you," With that, a brief, bright flash of green blinked in his eyes and then I knew, Bruce and Hulk would be on my back, watching out for me wherever I would decide to go.

The knots in my back, in my stomach, slowly began to unwind, the feeling accelerated by the warmth of alcohol sitting low in my belly. I was happily sandwiched between my two men, chatting with Wanda and Thor, nibbling on the spooky treats that Tony's catering services had provided. They were delicious.

Sam appeared, dragging a flushed Clint in tow. The archer had evidently gotten well into his drinks, seeing as he was holding a horn in one hand whilst the other still barely held onto his head. Despite the costume fail, he seemed to be having the time of his life.

"We need glue," Sam announced, smiling in our direction. "Well, hello, ladies," Briefly, abandoning his bird bro, Sam kissed a giggling Wanda on the cheek and wrestled one of my hands from Tony to peck it, too. "My, my eyes have been so blessed!"

"What are you?" Wanda asked the man curiously, pointing at his... a sort of toga, brown leather shoes that looked more like hooves and a crown of... grapevine?

"Dionysus," Sam mock-bowed, "And this is my Pan. Who happens to be a lightweight and enjoys annoying witches that can throw knives with scary precision!" The man announced, annoyed, whilst Clint just drunkenly giggled as he was helped by Thor - the Asgardian-Elf was doing something to the archer's headdress and putting the wonky horn back in its place, hands steady despite Clint's swaying and squirming.

"Classy," I toasted Sam. "Who's the knife-throwing witch?"

"Natasha," He grabbed a drink of his own. "She went as Yennefer, both fossils are Witchers and Pietro is Jaskier. He looks like a proper court jester in that purple... Thing," The dark man was giggling, too, somewhat tipsy.

"The Ass of America could fit his sizeable rear end in leather pants? How much KY jelly did they use?" Tony snorted mockingly as all of us laughed. I remembered seeing an interview with Henry Cavill and his troubles regarding the leather pants - Tony's question was valid and you can fuckin' quote me on that.

"Man, don't ask me. I've already seen more than enough of him and Barnes in the supply closet," Sam winced, downing the remainder of his drink in one go.

"And what were you doing in the supply closet, Wilson?" Natasha was absolutely breathtaking in the black mesh dress. Pietro next to her looked like a masquerade attendee - in a good way. He had gone with the video game version of Jaskiers outfit and was a bright addition to or our mostly black and pastel coloured party.

Sam grumbled something unintelligible, striking a conversation with Pietro and Clint, pulling the rest of us into it one by one. People came by and went, saying their hellos and asking to take pictures - the party was attended by mostly SI and trusted SHIELD employees with the exception of a few B-level celebrities Tony knew personally, no press was allowed beyond their designated area so all of us could afford some degree of frivolity.

Steve and Bucky - oh my God their costumes were tight - shared kisses and heated glances over the tops of our heads. Bruce's hand snuck under the highest part of my skirt, caressing my legs and Tony's soft pecks on the top of my head filled me with the warmest sense of adoration. Loki, being the gentleman he was, had won both me and Wanda each a stuffed spider which we gracefully accepted, thanking the trickster with a dance.

Or three. Wanda went first, eyes sparkling and smile ten miles wide as she soaked up the admiration, the envious stares of the people in the room. The witch looked simply stunning, she was glowing, and Loki next to her shared the sentiment wholeheartedly - a small grin decorated his face, eyes kindest I'd ever seen them. In that moment, Wanda truly was a princess.

Three and a half drinks in, I swayed gently to the music, unbothered by the smile creeping on my face as I watched the two magical people dance and mingle. "You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey..." Singing along was a pesky habit of mine that manifested itself after a certain amount of liquor circulated through my system. It wasn't like I was a bad singer - my parents had made me take music classes until I was sixteen - but it was generally an embarrassing moment nonetheless. In that moment, I didn't give a damn. "You're as sweet as strawberry wine..." Trust Tony to pick the kind of music I actually knew and liked.

A flash of purple and my glass was snatched out of my hand and promptly downed. Shamelessly grinning, Pietro gave me a look with that cocky tilt of his lips, blonde hair in utter disarray. "That your work?" He nodded towards the dancing couple, giving the empty glass to Bruce who was now watching my swaying with a careful eye.

"My and Loki's," I replied dryly."Thank you," Pietro replied sincerely. "Wanda needed this," Briefly looking me over (fuckin' glitter! I was missing out on so many hugs!), the blonde settled on squeezing my hand between his own. "May I steal your lady for a dance?" He addressed Bruce, seeing as Tony was immersed in a conversation with some dude dressed as Marty from Back to The Future. IT department, maybe?

"You may, but no funny business," Bruce looked godly in his outfit with the stern expression: eyebrows drawn together, lips pursed and irises having just a tinge of green. Hulk watching me added an unexpected sort of spice to our interactions. It made me feel...

"Let's go, Printsesa," Pietro unceremoniously dragged me to the dancefloor, all but stomping over other people's feet, shoes, tails and various other accessories. Boys will be boys... And we danced, and we laughed - until Loki and Wanda floated over to us, promptly swapping partners with fluidity I didn't expect from either of the twins. I watched Pietro spin Wanda with a smile as the Witch shrieked and cursed at her overenthusiastic brother.

"How's it going, Lokes?" I addressed the resident vampire, placing an arm on his shoulders. Tall ass bastard.

"Better than I expected," He admitted. "Although I cannot say I appreciate intoxicated Midgardian males."

"Nobody likes drunk dudes," I rolled my eyes. "I've lost count how many faces I've punched and balls busted at parties. They just don't learn."

"Oh, indeed, you're a fighter, little one. How could have I forgotten?" Loki teased me, doing an elaborate twirl to narrowly avoid the slap I was aiming at his chest. Tall, cheeky bastard.

I definitely should have put salt in his tea sugar.

THE TAG LIST IS NOW OPEN! @another-stark-sub ​ @mostly-marvel-musings  @vozit @littlegasps ​ @pilloclock ​ @shereadsinquiet @downeyreads ​ @hermione-grangers-wife ​ @individualistfem ​ @sleep-i-ness @capbrie @lillsxd @agustdowney @dee-vn @justanotherblonde23 @fanngirl19 @persephonehemingway @softie-socks @schemefrenzy @letsby @cutenessloading @romeo-the-cactus @jelly-fishy-babie

#tony stark x reader #tony stark x y/n #tony stark x you #bruce banner x you #bruce banner x reader #bruce banner x y/n #stephen strange x y/n #stephen strange x you #stephen strange x reader #party favours #bun writes

[ferret-not-microwave]

Les Amis Modern AU: What They Wish Others Believed About Them (Part 4)

[I kind of wrote this in response to some general trends in characterising the Amis. There are some stereotypes which I'm not quite comfortable with.]

[So much delay. Sorry.]

Joly:

• Really, really wishes that people don't laugh at him for his anxiety issues. He is truly terrified of getting infected with some disease or the other, and even more terrified of spreading it to Joly and Chetta. It doesn't help that he is one of the most sincere students of the lot, and spends a lot of time reading medical journals, which feed into his panic. He feels safe wearing masks, using rubbing alcohol (or wearing gloves), and having a bag full of basic first aid supplies, and gets embarrassed if anyone judges him for it. Also, he doesn't like it if "concerned" people ask him whether he had a past history of debilitating disease or something, he doesn't want to discuss it at all, okay? -_-

• When Joly fusses about illness in the Musain, it is him letting his guard down. He has to actively rein in his anxiety to function in the hospital, and gets super exhausted from hiding it. His tells in the hospital are are wide eyes behind his protective goggles and a compulsive toying with the wristband of his gloves. He's one of the most courageous individuals ever because of what he faces on a regular basis. He hopes that he might get some reassurance from the Amis to stop his spiralling thoughts, and he mostly gets it.

• Joly definitely has a wild side, and is more than his anxious, serious self. If there's one who can one-up Courf's cheesy pick-up lines, it is Joly. With a eyebrow quirk that leaves everyone giggly and blushing. If there's one who can set a Karaoke stage on fire (not literally, that would be R), it's Joly. If there's one who can down shots to match Bahorel, it's Joly. The one who is the most eager to go skinny dipping? Joly. The one who is, oddly, the most eager to break a pinata? Joly. Joly is more than a "quiet science nerd who checks his tongue in the mirror all the time".

• Joly and Ferre INSIST that they do not talk about random medical trivia all the time. Honestly, their shared interests involve Jane Austen and massive amounts of gossip with tea, along with Doctor Who, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF TEA, IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.

• There are days he wants to tackle people like an angry Pikachu. But real life is tough, and not everyone has the privilege of confronting people. But he really, really can do without people casting aspersions on his poly relationship with Bossuet and 'Chetta ALL THE TIME. He has been confronted as an "opportunist" in Pride walks, faced with people's pitying look to Bossuet or 'Chetta as though he is stringing them both along or "sharing" 'Chetta with Bossuet, cheered on and slapped on the back by straight cismen for "knowing how to have fun", and once directly asked if he's the one who will marry 'Chetta. He goes into panic often, and for the longest time thought himself a really awful person.

• Beware a Joly in a farmer's market. Not because of haggling, but because some people ALWAYS assume that he's amazing at math while he actually fumbles at the cash counter. Similarly, he hates it if people crack shady jokes about him being a Marie Kondo around him (just because he likes neatness AND MARIE KONDO THANK YOU VERY MUCH). And no, he doesn't like rice all the time.

• Please give back the Tupperwares. Unlike popular opinion, Joly won't chase you down for his Tupperware like some do, and isn't particularly possessive about them. That doesn't mean that he can replace misplaced Tupperwares for all eternity, please. ;_; (Same goes for the beeswax food wraps and dino bandages, c'mon peeps don't help yourself to them indiscriminately ;_;).

• Apart from his baggy sweatshirt and dinosaur pajamas aesthetic, he also has a dress shirt and pleated pants collection that would probably leave Jay Gatsby jealous AF.

Bossuet:

• Is really self-conscious about his receding hairline. He had taken to shaving his head to make it look cool, because he's really uncomfortable with weird jokes about his age and baldness. Shaving heads is pretty high-maintenance at times, and he's slowly opening up to let the hair grow back on the sides of the head for the heck of it. He used to have a large collection of hats too, which he still uses occasionally, but now it is just a fashion accessory, not a way to hide. He likes scarves as well.

• He used to flinch and swallow his discomfort when people would touch his scalp without permission, now he firmly brushes off their hands with a light scowl.

• Similarly, he hates it when people actively try to compare him to Joly. He hates being considered less successful, a "third wheel" to Joly and 'Chetta and someone who can be taken less seriously. This doesn't mean he is jealous or angry with Joly at all though.

• He feels really, really angry when Joly sometimes breaks down in front of him and 'Chetta when confronted with comments on their relationship. He can and will stonewall anyone who hurts either of them.

• Bossuet understands Joly's anxiety because he faces anxiety as well. He often gets nightmares of his "bad luck" turning batshit Final-Destination-esque and resulting in horrible accidents to Joly, 'Chetta amd the rest of the Amis. He knows the "bad luck" jokes are good humouring, but it wears him down a lot in exam/interview/work meeting weeks and leaves him third and fourth guessing himself. He had also entered a bout of depression because the "bad luck" jokes had convinced himself that he can't progress in life because what's the use. It took a lot of work and, oddly, a super niche article from the Amis blog detailing research on how some societies actively ostracize people for being "unlucky" and how it is linked to major societal oppression, to help him.

• Bossuet loves having a heart of gold. Sometimes some people tell him not to be so nice ("what if that person has cheated you off money with a sob story?"). He refuses, because he cherishes being nice and knows his limits. He sometimes worries if he's being stupid, like when the great "attendance-by-proxy" disaster happens. But Marius' broad and grateful smile, "hi, how are you doing?" texts every morning, and monthly batch of AMAZING chocolate cookies makes it worth it.

• Bossuet's accidents do lead to some happy accidents. He stumbled on a whole new recipe of gooey brownies by accident. An amazing combination of dark chocolate and red chilli peppers (maybe not so weird in retrospect)? By accident. He fell upon Courfe's sandcastle once, but it resulted in a rare hermit crab crawling out. Courfe gave a treat at the new brunch place he was saving up for, because apparently that hermit crab had made Ferre all starry-eyed and happier than he had been in weeks. And as for the rest pf the accidents? Nothing that duct tape , 'Chetta, Joly and occasionally Feuilly can't help with. In all, his accidents are always smallish, and never monumental.

• Bossuet can put 'Chetta and Ferre to shame with his eyebrow raising (at least occasionally? Hehe?). He does that a lot when people ask him if he has put water on fire or has fallen into wells. "Like bruh? I don't go anywhere close to wells, I love sidewalks and what's with everyone asking me about the kitchen being on fire?" He also does that a lot to piners (R, Ep, Courfe, 'Parnasse).

• Bossuet is one of Enj's closest friends in Law School (apart from Courfe), because Law classes and shared optional papers. Duh. They often have long discussions which are super pleasant, fluffy, yet sensible because of his really sensitive optimism. Bossuet's unorthodox insights make their way into Enj's notes for ABC meetings, and he credits him always. Similarly Enj bails him out with attendance issues. Bossuet often calmly advices him about R. Since Joly has a similar relationship with Ferre, Bossuet and Joly sometimes help Enj and Ferre sort out lingering grievances between them, or plain hear them out. Enj and Bossuet have Froyo days.

Musichetta:

• Loves, loves, LOVES books. Has no idea why people think nerds come in a kind of stereotype only ("I don't look like you", she complains to Joly and Ferre one day, "but I can defeat you two in a Jane Austen quiz WTF!" They agree emphatically, and Ferre adds "and maybe Jehan too. Maybe".). She is a massive sucker for Comic-Cons and hates men who try to prove otherwise. -_- She loves libraries as much as she loves bars.

• Has no idea why people think she's super bitchy or about to eat them up. Many people plain run when she so much as looks at them while doing a shift as a barista in the Musain. Or ask for "the nicer barista" (Cosette?). When she breathes a sigh of relief when someone treats her nice, she also braces herself for self-righteous "saviours". "Are you sure you are doing okay with those men?" "They are using you!". If she poured milk all over a client's trousers because of such a comment not-so-accidentally, no one needs to know. ;)

• Sometimes, she feels drained out. Having to support both her partners anxiety can leave her down too. They are amazing people, who love her a lot, and know that she needs her recharge time. Often Bossuet takes over in caring for Joly and vice-versa. 'Chetta has a small arrangement with Courfe on those days. If he has free time, the two of them go for an amazing, super relaxing spa session. Bahorel is back-up spa partner. The two of them know not to ask questions, but let her unwind her thoughts and air them out.

• 'Chetta joined Les Amis L'ABC much later. One of her pet peeves were when Joly or Bossuet would go to protests which could easily turn violent because of right wing trolls and the police swarming the city. Specifically, when they went without more than a word or two to her. She would get worried sick, particularly if they couldn't pick up the phone within half an hour of the protest ending, and would cry alone because she didn't want to come off as needy and one of those people who do not support their cause.

• She finally broke down before them after Bossuet had a small concussion. They were really shamefaced at having not thought about her feelings, and their apologies ran for hours. While Joly promised to regularly give her updates, Bossuet asked her to join the ABC if she is comfortable with it. It took time for her to accept that she was being in the group because of the cause and not because she wanted to helicopter-mom Joly and Bossuet, but when the next protest happened, she realised that she was in a place she always wanted to be in.

• The Amis thought that she was a member anyway. She would holler at

• 'Chetta hates it when people think that it's Joly or Bossuet who end up lavishing gifts on her all the time. True, they do, but she does it too. She's a sucker for thoughtful gift giving, and she spoils the Amis A LOT OF TIMES. She can scour the Earth for ideal gifts for her boys, and she often takes care of a stray bill or two, as much as she humanely can. She doesn't play a one-upping battle of gifts though, she just loves a lot.

• She is really self conscious about her small hands and tiny feet. Which seem to her too small in comparison with the rest of her body. Sometimes she used to wear really fluffy mittens in winter to hide how small her hands her. Not so much now. :)

•She confided to Jehan that she didn't like people romanticizing her small hands and feet because she thought they were putting unrealistic standards of the "frail beauty" on her when she was anything but. She said this after she heard R chortle about how Joly had introduced her as having tiny hands and feet. The discussion ended in her gaping and then crying out of laughter because (according to Jehan) apparently Joly was really drunk when he first talked to the Amis about her, and had also said something like "she has fortune-teller eyes, yannow! Ask Bossuet! And her dimples! Marius, you booby, you pool noodle, I know how you feel like when you met Cosette!"

Apparently Bahorel had replied with "you need new pants" and then started laughing like no tomorrow. Bossuet, not so drunk (because he was late to the party), had taken the sensible route and shown the Amis the picture the three of them took after their first date.

• Seriously, she knows zilch about tarot cards or natal charts.

#les amis #les amis d'abc #les miz #les miserables #joly #bossuet #musichetta #undoing poly stereotypes #anxiety #we love them don't we? #stop bald shaming #stop laughing at anxiety #don't judge #ferret's freshly microwaved post

[shazzaofdoom]

This was really just an overly complicated way to say “what if treasure trail, but feathery?” 🤔

#magnus the red #shazza art #shazza stuff #mature tag just to be safe? #large red disaster nerd

[finalfrontierpioneer]

2020 Fic Recs

Okay, I did a fic rec list last year for 2019, and nobody asked for this, but you know what, I’m gonna do another one. Really the only thing I wanna look back on about 2020 is the fic- bc damn there were some good ones!

Same as last year, these are fics that were completed in 2020. (So no in-progress fics here)

So here goes, 20 fic recs for 2020, in no particular order! And full disclosure, these are all totally different ratings/pairings/whatever.

I tried to tag all the authors who had tumblrs, but i probably missed some, and some of them aren’t actually working but hey! the username is there!

Some stucky bc of course

Sharpened Claws by tragicama (Explicit)

Steve Rogers has a unique talent of getting himself into danger. As one of New York City’s best homicide detectives, it isn’t easy to ignore the constant call of trouble and gore. At least, that’s what he tries to tell his overprotective and brooding boyfriend, Bucky Barnes, even if he knows it might be a lie.

Bucky is dangerous, gorgeous. . .and a werewolf. As the Alpha of New York City, he is easily considered the most powerful being in the world. But when Bucky begins to lose his control over his shift, he slowly becomes aware of a bond that sends him reeling, and one he’d never thought possible.

But everything is not as it seems. After a homicide case unleashes a sequence of events that neither Steve nor Bucky are prepared for, they soon find themselves entangled with a danger that threatens to rip them apart. With the help of Steve’s partner and best friend, Sam, Bucky and Steve navigate a dark web of pack politics, masquerade balls, and a crash course in what it means to be a pack, even as a greater danger looms. And one that might succeed in ripping them apart.

These Happy Gilded Years by crinklefries @spacerenegades, nalonzoo (Teen)

Steve Rogers, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and mostly happy disposition, had lived twenty-three years in the world with very little to distress or vex him.

( Steve is wealthy and and charming, with good humor and good temper, doted upon by his mother and the highest of New York Society, with no one to ever criticize or say the word no to him. Well, other than Bucky. But he doesn't count.

He is also warm and friendly and has a talent for matchmaking. Or so he thinks. Actually, he's kind of terrible at it.

Importantly, Steve will definitely never fall in love or marry, himself. He tells everyone this, repeatedly. Well anyway, we'll see about that. )

Jane Austen's Emma, but a little gayer, set in 1890s Gilded Era New York City

Demon Seed by SucculentHyena (Mature)

[Transcript 00:11:48]

MS: You were with him the most throughout the course of events, both before and after. Your account could shed light on something we may have missed.

JB: What difference will that make?

MS: It could make all the difference. Captain Rogers’ case is unprecedented, he’s the most intact victim we’ve ever recovered-

JB: [laughing] You call that intact?

A Noble Steed by alby_mangroves @albymangroves or @artgroves, leveragehunters (Teen)

"You say the Warhorse showed up last night," Sam said in tones of profound doubt.

"Yeah," Steve replied.

"The Warhorse. The Warhorse of legend. Daelland's Warhorse."

"The same as the one on the back of the transit card, yes."

"And he appeared in your living room?"

Steve eyed the Warhorse, very large and very black and giving him a dubious look out of his strange grey eyes. "He's standing in it right now."

"Uh huh," Sam said.

"Hey, I'm not any happier about it than you are."

* * *

Steve's mom had left Daelland long before he was born, following her heart to New York, but she'd raised him on stories of its famous Warhorse. Before she died, he'd promised he'd go back and learn the country she'd come from.

That was why he was in Daelland. Not so Daelland's legendary Warhorse could appear in his living room. But planned or not that's what had happened—now Steve had to figure out what to do about it.

a hat, a horse (a Hyundai), and the will to ride by elkane @elkane, synonym4life @synonym-for-life (Explicit)

After Steve and Bucky rescue their pals from the Raft prison, they decide to dig deeper into Zemo’s involvement in the UN headquarters’ bombing which sends them on a backpacking trip across select European countries. Steve and Bucky believe this is a story about their mission. Scott Lang and Sam Wilson, who join them halfway through, believe it’s a story about their Eurotrip (and they’re probably right). This writer, however, has been waiting to tell you that the fic’s true mission is Steve and Bucky missioning towards missionary.

Follow them on their journey across Europe in tiny cars, packed subway trains and even on skis as they tumble down the Swiss Alps (in a fun way this time!), all the while reigniting untold feelings of the past through inappropriate sexual encounters and terrible communication skills.

someday at christmas (there’ll be no wars) by stevebuckiest @stevebuckyinc (not rated)

A mission on Christmas. Not even on Christmas, technically. A mission after Christmas which means he and Steve and the Howlies will be trekking through the tundra towards possible death on what used to be Bucky’s favorite day of the year. Jesus Christ.

(alternatively: bucky and steve try to make the best of a shitty situation)

the cabin by natalie_nebula (Explicit)

It felt like he… It felt like they were always so close. Everything seemed like it was under control. He remembers hearing Wanda’s voice, seeing a flash of red out of the corner of his eye. He remembers yelling something back at her, telling her to stop, to not come any closer. He remembers a bright flash, then a boom, and ringing in his ears. He remembers a black blur, and hands on his back, around his waist, then—darkness…

After the explosion in Lagos, Steve wakes up in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, and all he knows is that Bucky's the one who brought him there. While Sam, Nat, and the other Avengers try to figure out what happened to their friend, Steve takes the time away to heal—both his relationship with Bucky, and with himself. My cozy, romantic, and introspective Civil War rewrite.

Every Feeling by Nestri (Explicit)

Steve completely surprises Bucky with a visit, scent thick with heat. The Alpha keeps his hands to himself until Steve makes it clear he doesn't want him to.

Halbarry!

A Speedster and a Space Cop get into a Car by ChocolateTeapots @chocolateteapotsvis (Teen)

Hal and Barry embark on their most perilous mission yet: picking Wally up from the airport.

For Halbarry Week, Day 3: First Times “And you just called me Barry, genius”

Crosswind by Cinderstrato (Explicit)

Hal had collected plenty of regrets over the years. What was the weight of one more?

Just A Mark by the_butler @the-butler-fanstuff (Mature)

“What a nerd.”

Barry had been haunted by these words all his life, seeing as they were his soulmate’s mark. It came out during puberty, just like everyone else’s, but by then he was already well on the way to being a ‘nerd’ so to speak. He wasn’t just some guy claiming to be nerd because he was into Dungeons and Dragons or anime, oh no. He was a bona fide science nerd- went to interstate science fairs and competitions even.

—————(Originally a one-shot, now continued)——————

Barry Allen was working at the forensics lab of Central City PD when it waltzes the new transfer from Coast City, Detective Hal Jordan, not just into the lab but also into his life. There’s the matter of them being soulmates- but Barry is unconvinced. Science tells him there’s a likely chance that they’re just platonic soulmates, so Hal suggests an experiment of sorts: they go on three dates, and then decide whether or not they’re just platonic, or something more.

Tired by ceelolights @ceeloilights (Gen)

Hal comes home to Barry still working late into the night.

Last but most certainly not least, Jeronica:

The long way round to heaven by Bearfacedcheek (Mature)

“This could screw everything up. Jesus why couldn’t you just, fucking not?”

“I did just fucking not Jughead,” she retorts hotly. “I’ve been not for months. No one was ever supposed to know, least of all you. So, don’t blame me for what you saw when you invaded a private moment.”

“Oh, my bad Veronica,” sarcasm, his most comfortable armour, wraps itself around his words. “Did my near-death experience compromised your privacy? I’m sorry that my spirit took an astral fucking walk out of my almost corpse and y-”

“Don’t,” she gasps. Her hand flies to her mouth and it trembles visibly as she draws it away. “Don’t say that. Jesus Jughead we almost lost you.”

sadder, badder, cooler by thefudge @thefudge (Teen)

AU. Just who is Veronica's mysterious new husband? (based on season 5 spoilers)

all i’ll ever need is you by whatacoolkid @whatacoolkid (Teen)

jughead and veronica but make it ✨christmas✨

destined to be forgotten by bothromeoandjuliet @kindnessinpain2000 (Teen)

There are plenty of broken things in Riverdale - broken families, broken trust, broken hearts - but in the middle stands the two most broken things of all, Veronica Lodge and Forsythe 'Jughead' Jones.

(Jughead and Veronica learn about the Barchie kiss - this is the aftermath)

I Really (Don’t) Know What I Want by Bella_Dahlia @bella-dahlia (Mature)

There were many potential disasters to befall an average weirdo high school student; when one had an active imagination and a love for John Hughes films, as Jughead Jones did, you sort of assumed you had foresaw the possibilities. Plus, after solving a sordid murder and joining a gang, he really thought he gone through his fair share of teenaged trauma.

Having to fake a relationship to save his best friend from dedicating his life to a mafia and getting punched repeatedly in the process definitely had not crossed his mind before now.

——————————————

Or, Jughead and Veronica don’t really know what they’ve gotten themselves into.

all the lovers with no time for me by Krewlak (Mature)

jeroncia goes to stonewall. that's it. that's the fic.

call it what you want to by an_expensive_imagination (Teen)

“First things first,” Veronica says, reaching up to slide the ever-present gray beanie off his head, “no beanies in college.”

And here’s a one off random spideypool:

Shooting For Your Heart by X_Gon_Give_It (Teen)

“In my defense, I didn’t expect you to get hurt.”

“And I didn’t expect to be run out of town, yet here we are.”

He went suddenly stiff, “Wait...you were run out of town?”

“As if you didn’t know,” Peter grumbled, but when he looked up he did a double-take at Wade's confused expression. “Almighty, you really don’t know, do you?” he snapped the drawer shut, “Well, after that little fiasco by Two-Stone Canyon, a little rumor spread that me and you were in cahoots. The rumor got some ground and it turned the whole town against me. I was run out before I could defend my case. Why'dya think I was out there the other night to begin with?”

<><><><><><>

When Peter Parker, a deputy known as Webslinger, gets accused of working with the West's deadliest outlaw he finds himself on the run from the people he once trusted. In an effort to prove his innocence, he finds himself captured by the very outlaw tarnishing his name.

#fic recs #stucky #jeronica #halbarry #2020 fic recs

[melwritesstufff]

Hiya your Tim drake imagine was *chefs kiss* lovely and I was wondering if you'd do a Damian or Tim x reader where they introduce their so to the batfam and the reader is like drop dead gorgeous and the batfam spend the whole time asking reader tf their doing with him (if you don't feel like it das cool) :))

hi thank you so much for the request! I did this for Tim since I feel like I have a bit of a better understanding of his character than I do Damian. sorry this is also a bit shorter than expected, the end was a bit rushed.

Tim Drake x reader - Gorgeous

warnings - making out, flirting, a little bit of angst

word count - 3200

requested - yes

“Babe, how do I look?” I turned, showing my knee length red dress to my boyfriend. It was a simple look, not too basic to make me appear boring, but not too many accessories to make me seem snobby or obsessed with looks. I had planned the outfit weeks in advance of this event, yet I was still worrying my head off.

“You look amazing, as usual.” He responded.

It was just like any other ordinary day. Except that it wasn’t. Today was the day of the dinner. I mean the dinner. The dinner that all relationships have eventually. The terrifying dinner where you finally meet your lovers parents. In this case though, I think I have it worse than any other ordinary person. You see, my boyfriend is Tim Drake. Yes, the Tim Drake. Son of Bruce Wayne. And brother to… a whole lot of people.

I mean don’t get me wrong, I love Tim. A lot. I would do anything to make him happy, and if that means meeting his terrifying and rich family? Then so be it. I just hope I don’t screw anything up.

“Are you sure? I mean is it too casual? You said it wasn’t fancy but I don’t want to be the only one there in basic clothing… What if we show up and they’re all in suits! I mean, i can’t-” Tim interrupted me.

“Darling, you’re going to be just fine. They may seem intimidating but I promise you they’re going to love you. No need to worry.” He walked up to me, placing his right hand on the side of my cheek, caressing the skin with his thumb. He then scrunched his nose in what appeared to be.. concern? Worry? I wasn’t sure.

“Actually, scratch that thought. I’m the one who I should be worried. My brothers might steal you from me.” He turned away from me, his expression clearly displaying worry and fear.

“That’s nonsense, Timmy. I want to be with you, not any of your brothers.” Looking back I should have made a larger effort to cease his negative feelings and doubt, but I didn't know any better.

He looked at me, the worry disappearing from his eyes, almost completely. There was still a hint of it there, but I brushed it off as just nerves. We were both nervous. Just for different reasons.

“Yeah, alright babe.” He smiled at me. I smiled back. I turned to the door and grabbed by purse, slipping on my shoes simultaneously. I turned to Tim who was fixing his hair in the circular mirror hanging on the wall near the front door.

“You wanna head out? It’s almost time for the dinner.” He grabbed the keys, opening the front door for me, then doing the same when we reached the car. My cheeks heating up. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how sweet Tim is.

I avoided his cocky smirk and as we both got seated, Tim started driving us to the mansion. Hopefully, this wouldn’t turn out as a disaster.

“Alright, let’s go.”

.

“Hello Master Drake. I presume this is the y/n I’ve heard so much about?” Tim and I arrived at the mansion door, only to find their butler, Alfred, already waiting for us out front with the door opened. We paused for a bit as Tim and Alfred conversed.

“Yup, this is her Alfred. Are Dick and them here yet?” Tim looked over Alfred’s shoulder to peak into the huge home. Curiously, I also tried to peak over the older man’s shoulder but saw nothing as Tim was in my way.

“Yes sir, they just arrived a few minutes ago. I presume you shall find them in the main room, probably breaking something I’ll have to clean up later.” I chucked a bit as Alfred made a subtly annoyed look. I felt obligated to say something, so I separated from Tim as he walked into the doorway, entering the hallway.

“Um, hello. Thank you for opening up the door for us.” Alfred smiled at my thanks. While it is his job as a butler, there’s no harm in saying thank you, right?

“It’s my pleasure, Miss l/n. And thank you for taking care of Master Drake. He has been significantly happier in recent times.” I blushed at the butler's words. I knew Tim didn’t always have the best habits but did I really have that much of a positive impact on him? Quite frankly though, it was nice hearing about Tim from his family members, and how he’s happy.

“Oh it’s no problem! I love Tim, I’m glad I could help.” I brushed a strand of hair away from my face and tucked it behind my ear.

“Y/n? Come on, you must be getting cold out there.” I turned at the sound of my boyfriend's voice, it was getting a bit chilly and I was only wearing a dress, no sweater or leggings.

“Oh, that’s my call, bye Alfred! I hope to talk to you more soon.” Alfred stepped aside, giving me access to walk through the open doorway. I turned back a bit, waving towards Alfred.

“Likewise, Miss l/n” I cringed a bit at the honorary title. I wasn’t a member of the family or household. The title ‘Miss l/n’ just didn’t feel appropriate or right.

“Oh do please call me y/n.” I waved off the butler, hoping he would respect my wishes.

“Likewise, Miss y/n” i huffed a bit at his stubbornness, but chuckled and walked deeper into the large place, the sound of Alfred closing the door behind me.

So far this has gone well, maybe I was worried for no reason.

.

“Wait, you’re Tim’s girlfriend? You?” I was suddenly bombarded by two older men and their abundance of questions as soon as I entered what I assumed to be the main living room. It was quite scary, to be completely honest. Not only were they Tim’s family but they were both very large men, clearly very fit.

“Ye-yeah. We’ve been together for about 4 months now.” I stuttered, stepping a few inches back as I tried to get myself some space away from the two men.

One was a bit more aggressive than the other, he had a lot of scars and seemed to be very flirtatious. He was the taller and more muscular out of the two, with aquamarine eyes. I assumed he was Jason, Tim mentioned a few times that he was a “stupid brute” with “stupid scars” after he arrived at home after what he said was an argument with Jason during patrol.

The other I assumed was Dick, he was a bit kinder, and seemed effortlessly flirtatious, unlike the other who was purposely trying to flirt with me. Dick, I’m guessing, had more greyish-blue toned eyes and had very dark hair. Regardless of how handsome both the brothers were, they were far from my type. Their strong flirting and comments on my appearance was, quite frankly, off putting.

“But.. why?” Jason propped his elbow against the wall they had backed me into.

“Uhm, what do you mean.. ‘why’?” I hesitantly answered. Slowly becoming less nervous and more annoyed.

“I mean, you’re gorgeous. And Tim’s.. well, Tim.” Dick stood to the right of me, leaning on the same wall Jason was propped up on. He chucked a bit.

“I.. don’t follow.” I raised an eyebrow in confusion, they were Tim’s brothers. They should know how amazing he is and should be supportive of his relationships, not trying to dissect how he got into the relationship.

“Princess, why date that nerd when you could be with me?” I turned to the left, Jason leaning down and getting a bit too close to comfort, at this point I saw Tim scoff a bit as he left the room. I frowned a bit but then was distracted as Dick pushed Jason back and got even closer than his younger brother.

“Or, instead of being with a nerd like Tim, or a total brute like Jason over here, you could be with me.. I’m a total gentleman.” I scoffed shuffled to the side a bit, averting close contact with the tall man.

“Well, I highly doubt that seeing as your name is literally Dick.” He looked taken back, and went from way to close to me, to leaning back against the wall. Muttering something about “Is my name that bad?” or something along those lines.

“Pft- she’s feisty. How’d you score a total 10 like her Tim?” Jason turned around only to see Tim was nowhere to be found. I noticed it too, but took the sudden silence as a chance to defend not only myself, but my boyfriend.

“And I’m perfectly happy with Tim, for your information. I have no need for dating anyone other than him. Especially not his brothers, adopted or otherwise.” The two looked taken back at my sudden lecture.

“Don’t you think it’s also a bit unethical and immoral to be flirting with your brother's girlfriend? I was so worried about impressing you all, but now that I see how immature you all are I see that there was no need for worry. You are all easily impressed children.”  The two looked embarrassed as they stepped back, both going to sit on the couch as the youngest chucked at them and their stupidity.

“Tt, maybe you’re ok…possibly s bit too good for Drake though.” I looked at the child who gave such a big attitude and he looked no older than 13, there was only one candidate for who he could have been.

“You must be Damian right? I've heard a lot about you. You can do some pretty impressive stuff, huh? I’ve been told you’re more than a bit mean though. I would greatly appreciate it if you stopped terrorizing my boyfriend.” I bent down a bit, to get more to his level. Height-wise and respect-wise.

“... I’ll think about it.” According to what I’ve heard from Tim, that was about the best response I could have gotten out of the little gremlin. He ‘tt’ed and looked away, his sky blue eyes holding a glint of what I saw as respect.

“Ok. Thanks.” I smiled and turned around, meeting the eyes of Alfred as he walked through another entry to the right of where I came in through.

“Hello again, Miss y/n.” He smiled at me

“Oh! Hello again Alfred!”

“I came in to announce that dinner is being served in the dining hall. I suggest you all hurry before the food gets cold.”

.

“So, y/n, how’d you end up so gorgeous? Were you just born so beautiful?”

Dinner had just ended. Everyone had stayed at the table, besides Mr. Wayne who couldn't make it due to a ‘business emergency’, and we all made small talk. Unfortunately, my mini speech earlier was not enough to drive the two oldest brothers from asking me odd questions and borderline flirting with me. This time Tim was sitting right next to me, looking more annoyed with each question. I tried my best to stay respectful though, as they are still Tim’s family.

“Oh uhm, thank’s Dick.. uh I-“ my response was cut off as Tim got up, grabbing my hand and dragging me away from the rest of his family.

“Let’s go, y/n” I looked at Tim’s face and he looked more upset than i had ever seen him.

“Wh- what? Tim, babe, where are we going?” While I was a bit grateful, there was still a part of me that felt a bit nervous about our sudden leaving and the impression it would have.

As I let Tim pull me, we entered an unfamiliar room. I assumed it was his as it smelled faintly of his cologne. He let go of my wrist and shut the door. Walking over to the bed in the middle of the room, sitting down and resting his head in his hands. I followed his steps and sat down next to him. The silence killed me. The words that he spoke after though killed me even more.

“... I mean, they’re right you know..” his voice was slightly muffled by his hands but i could still hear the crack in his voice.

“What?” I stared down at the hairs on his head, not being able to see his face.

“They’re right to ask why you’re with me,” he looked up at me, his eyes watery and lips slightly quivering. He was insecure. I should have realized it earlier when he got worried about his brothers stealing me from him. Or when his brothers actually tried to steal me from him and he just walked away. He continued as I was wallowed with guilt.

“You’re an amazing person, y/n. You’re smart and funny and are good with people. You’re naturally friendly and people are just drawn towards you. Not to mention you’re incredibly gorgeous. You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met. But me? I’m none of those things. I’m not amazing like you, or any of my brothers. I’m not good with people and charming like Dick. I’m not brave and strong like Jason. I’m not incredibly skilled and widely faceted like Damian. I’m not even that good looking. You’re an amazing, wonderful person. I love you so much. I just.. I don't understand why you would reciprocate and stay with me. You could have so much better. You cou-“ i interrupted him before he started crying. There were tears in his eyes and I couldn’t take it any longer. I needed to tell him I love him and reassure him before his insecure thoughts broke the both of us.

“I’m going to stop you right there. I love you, Tim. I love you. Not Dick, not Jason, and certainly not Damian, I mean he’s a child, that’s gross. You are so much more than what you give yourself credit for. You may not be like your brothers, but you have your own strengths. You are the smartest person I know. And it’s bullshit that you say you're not charming or handsome, because you charmed me the second I saw you. You remember? How I got your order completely wrong because I wasn't paying attention when you ordered? Because you were just so fine that i was stunned?” He chucked a bit, gently grabbing and caressing my hand.

“You didn’t even make me coffee, you just put coffee beans in the cup and drizzled caramel syrup over it.” He softly chuckled.

I used my unoccupied hand to caress his cheek, wiping the tears from his eyes. Continuing my speech, I scooted closer towards him on the bed, our legs pressed against each other and our faces almost touching.

“Yeah, I’m not as perfect as you think. And that’s ok! We all have faults, Tim. We just have to find the people whose faults are worth looking past. And you’re that person for me, Tim. I love you so much. You’re smart, funny, not to mention handsome. You can solve an incredibly complex case in less than an hour. You can learn at an incredibly fast pace. You are incredible at the things you do. Hell, you’re even a vigilante! You go out every night and protect thousands of people! You have a huge abundance of skills. Who cares if Damian has ‘more’ skills or ‘better’ skills. I don’t. Because it’s you I want. Not Dick, not Jason, not anybody else. You’re an amazing person, more amazing than you think I am, and I’m willing to bet way more amazing than your brothers as well. I mean, who was the one who lifted Bruce up out of his depression when Dick hated him and Jason died? You. You did that. Who forgave me after I completely forgot how to make coffee the first time I met you. You. Who’s the one who’s dating me? You. You’re the one I want and the one I love. I honestly need you Tim. I don’t know where I’d be without you. I could never do better because there’s nobody better than you.” I pecked Tim on the lips for extra reassurance and leaned back a bit, looking into his eyes that were watering once more. Hopefully out of joy instead of sadness.

“... you really mean all that?” He spoke softly, voice still a bit weak and raspy from the crying. His eyes were red and puffy, and his lips were slightly swollen. It broke my heart to see him so upset.

“Of course Timmy, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.” I leaned in and kissed him, once again. This time, it lasted much longer than a simple peck.

It was sweet and soft. I could taste the tears that had run onto Tim’s lips, giving him a salty aftertaste. He deepened it, grabbing my waist and pulling me so close our torsos were touching. I could feel him smile into the kiss, and I’m sure he felt me do the same. Before we both ran out of breath, Tim broke off the kiss. This created a comfortable silence that followed, until he finally spoke.

“... thank you, y/n. I love you. I can’t express with words how much I adore and am amazed by everything you do, are, and stand for.” Our faces were still close and as he whispered these words i could feel his warm breath on my cheek.

“Can’t express it with words, huh? Well I guess you’ll just have to show me then huh.” I smirked and leaned back a bit, teasing the boy sitting across from me. He paused for a second, looking taken aback, until he shook it off and leaned closer to me.

“I guess so, huh, why don’t you come here so I can show you?“ In that moment, the both of us crashed into each other, turning the sweet moment into a flirtatious make out session.

.

“Well, now we have our answer. She’s perfect for him.” Dick looked at Jason as he spoke, nodding in agreement.

“Yeah, we’ll have to explain and apologize to both of them later but, it was worth it.” The two looked back into the room through the cracked open door. They both cringed and backed up a bit as they saw their brother completely making out with his girlfriend.

Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to spy on their brother... Maybe flirting with his girlfriend wasn’t the best idea either. No matter why they did it.

“Tt, you’re both dumbasses. You didn’t need to flirt with her to get her to prove her loyalty. There are other ways of doing it.” The youngest brother, Damian, popped up leaning on the wall opposite from Tim’s door. The two older brothers looked back at him in suspicion.

“Oh yeah, like what?” Damian raised his eyebrow and scoffed like the answer was so obvious.

“Put her in a high risk situation where she would have to risk her life to save him. That’s true dedication.” He said it as if it was nothing. The three boys all looked at each other in an awkward silence until Jason finally spoke up.

“.. you have issues, kid.”

#tim drake #tim drake x reader #tim drake imagine #x reader #fanfiction #batfam #batfam fanfiction #batfam x reader #dick grayson #jason todd #damian wayne #damian al ghul #dick grayson x reader #Jason Todd x reader #nightwing #red hood #red robin #robin #Red Robin x reader #batman #bruce wayne #oneshot #writing #writer #fiction #fanfic #fan fiction writer

[mostlycompetentwriter]

“Chronosaurus” One-Shot

F/M Pairing: Y/N x Han Jisung (SKZ)

Genre: Science-Fiction, Back to the Future AU

Warnings: Lots of angst, fluff, and many life lessons

Word Count: 9K

Summary: Despite what everyone believes, Y/N enjoys spending time with Dr. Park, the town’s self-proclaimed mad scientist. She’s especially interested in his idea for building a time machine, an experiment Dr. Park has been researching for many years! One night, he attempts to test the machine, but is disappointed when nothing happens. Y/N tries to investigate for herself, but inadvertently succeeds in starting the machine, finding herself in the year 2035! She decides to take advantage of the rare opportunity, but is disappointed to discover that her future self is nothing more than a front desk receptionist at a hair salon. To make matters worse, she’s married to Han Jisung, the nerdy guy everyone always picked on in high school! 

Thankfully, Y/N has a reliable time machine to help her rectify those terrible mistakes...

In a rare moment of unpredictability, I had decided to visit Dr. Park before enduring another day of mind-numbing lectures and the endless political debate between our Student Council representatives. You see, once upon a time, I tried to run for school President, but I lost to Bang Chan because everyone thought he had really cool hair (Jesus, he was unbelievably hot) and I was just Y/N, the girl who thought visiting the future was possible and spent way too much of her time around the town’s self-proclaimed mad scientist. Ultimately, I had decided that the outcome was rather favorable for my situation because I could spend less time trying to negotiate with our principal for new gym equipment and more time analyzing Quantum Mechanics. 

Dr. Park lived on the opposite end of town, which meant that I was constantly gambling with the possibility of another late slip when I finally found my way to school. However, Dr. Park was on the verge of an imminent breakthrough and I didn’t want to miss a single moment of his genius at work. Thus, I found myself retrieving the spare key from under the mat before walking inside the messy living room, greeting his dog in the kitchen. Dr. Park spent most of his time in the basement since he claimed it was nice to have some kind of separation between his work and private life. Subsequently, I was also well-acquainted with the musty basement smell and the impressive equipment with names that I couldn’t remember.

“Dr. Park,” I said, finding the man in question hunched over his desk. “I’m here.”

“Y/N,” Dr. Park grinned. “Perfect timing!”

I paused next to an odd display of bullfrogs. “What’s going on?”

“I think I’ve figured it out!” Dr. Park exclaimed. “I need you to make sure that you can be here tonight because the invention of time travel is ours for the taking!”

“Tonight? What happens tonight?”

“We unveil my newest invention!” Dr. Park said, knocking aside a few boxes to properly introduce a rather large object obscured by a white bed sheet. “The culmination of my research!”

“That’s great, Dr. Park,” I said while checking my watch absentmindedly, but my eyes widened in horror when I realized the time. “I’m late for school!”

I was instantly sprinting up the stairs, stumbling against the door-frame, and Dr. Park was yelling at my retreating figure. “Did you hear me say midnight, Y/N? And remember to bring a hat!”

The industrial disaster known as my high school was nestled on the opposite end of town in the furniture district aptly named after our town’s founders who made their fortunes selling rocking chairs. It was perfect considering the interesting band of characters who came in after the founders, forming the upper-class suburbs for the eclectic combination of inventors who were once the envy of the scientific world. These days, all we had left of that great renaissance was Dr. Park and their great-great grandchildren, AKA, my darling classmates who proved to be more inept with each passing day. 

Thankfully, for the most part, I could use that to my advantage when alluding the students who were supposed to hand out late tickets to the kids like me who waltzed in after the first bell. However, on this morning in particular, I had the misfortune of accidentally running into one the school’s hall monitor. Of course, upon second glance, I realized that it was just Han Jisung which meant that I could probably convince him to let me off the hook. “Hi, Y/N,” he said, shoving his ridiculous glasses further up his nose as he looked directly at the ground. “I like your shoes.”

I rolled my eyes. “Look, Jisung, just pretend you didn’t see me, okay?”

Jisung managed to make eye contact for a split second before he was nodding his head. “I know you were probably just with Dr. Park.”

I paused, studying him for a moment. “You won’t tell anyone?”

“I don’t want you to get into trouble,” Jisung said and that was all the confirmation I needed before I was sprinting down the hallway. 

Subsequently, classes passed by like one of those lazy summer afternoons when my mind was occupied by my daydreams, thinking about my impending meeting with Dr. Park. You see, he had dedicated most of his life to the research known as time travel and he was determined to reign supreme over the explorations of the past, present, and future. Most of the town thought that he was crazy for believing such an idea, especially when most of his early inventions ended quite prematurely, resulting in property damage that once nearly gave our mayor a heart attack when he saw the total cost of repair.

Regardless, Dr. Park was still adamant about the possibility of time travel, forgetting about those early inventions and focusing all of his time on his crowning achievement. I was grateful to come along for the ride, even if most of my classmates often mocked me for my efforts. However, I really didn’t care about their opinions, with the exception of one student who had always held my attention...

When the afternoon bell rang, I trudged to my locker while ignoring the congregation of girls surrounding Lee Minho. I sighed, choosing to watch Minho from the safety of my locker. He was, without a single doubt, one of the most attractive men I had ever seen in my entire life. I often sang his praises to my friends, even if Changbin and Felix would roll their eyes at my behavior.

One of those aforementioned best friends stopped next to me at my locker, following my gaze with a tired sigh. “You’re drooling,” Felix scoffed, handing me a tissue which I gratefully accepted. 

“Why is he so beautiful?”

“Lee Minho? Are you still crushing on him?”

“It’s more than a crush, Felix,” I sighed impatiently. “I think we have a real connection.”

“Yeah, it looks like it,” Felix grumbled.

“I’m asking him to the dance this Friday!”

Felix rolled his eyes. “You and the rest of the student population.”

I frowned. “Why shouldn’t I be any more likely than the rest of those girls! At least I don’t swarm him for an autograph!”

“That’s true,” Felix mused thoughtfully. “I guess we’ll have to wait and find out.”

Despite his cryptic words, I still held my high head in determination.

It was bitterly cold that evening, and I tried not to think too much about the ice forming on the sidewalks as I hurried to make my appointment with Dr. Park on time. He was quite meticulous about maintaining a tight schedule, and I knew he would be less likely to tolerate my tardiness as opposed to someone like Han Jisung, our school’s residential nerd. The same kid who I once saw attempting to save a slug trying to cross the street.

I snorted at the memory, finding Dr. Park’s spare key under his mat before letting myself in the front door. The heat inside was welcomed, and I followed the sound of a power drill into his basement. “Dr. Park!” I gasped, squinting my eyes against the unexpected light show emanating from what looked like a phone booth straight out of Dr. Who, but with far less CGI effects.

“Y/N!” Dr. Park exclaimed in return, beckoning me forward with his usual over-zealousness. “Isn’t it beautiful?

“It?” I repeated.

“My time machine!” he proclaimed, eyes wild and exhilarated. “You’re here to help me test it out.”

“Really?” I grinned, rushing down the remainder of the stairs to get a better view of the machine. “You figured it out!”

“Of course, I did!” Dr. Parked chirped, pulling back the blanket on his work station to reveal a pile of what looked like pure gold. “I found the fuel fairly easily.”

“Fuel? Dr. Park, is that real gold?”

“Of course,” he huffed. “Do you think it would run on fake party supplies?”

“The time machine runs on gold!”

“That’s what I said!” Dr. Park groaned while running his hands across the pristine glass of the machine. “It requires a substance of immense value.”

“But, Dr. Park, it’s actually real gold?!”

“Oh, come now, Y/N, since when does something as superficial as profound wealth bother you?”

“I guess you made your point,” I remarked, watching as he continued to tighten the bolts running along the top of the machine.

“Alright,” Dr. Park laughed, tossing the wrench onto the table before opening the door. “Go ahead!”

I carefully followed his direction, forcing myself into the unexpectedly small interior of the bright red phone booth. “It’s small.”

“The measurements are meant for one person,” Dr. Park explained. “Did you remember to bring a hat?”

“Sure,” I managed, pressing myself against the glass when Dr. Park joined me inside, turning around to make further adjustments. “Why do we need a hat?” I asked, trying to ignore my uncomfortable position.

“Well, we may encounter our future selves!” Dr. Park explained. “It’s best to try and disguise our faces before anyone can notice.”

“Right,” I said, nodding my head as he started typing something on the small computer screen drilled into the glass next to the door. “Let’s try...2035? I heard theories that flying cars will be widespread by then!”

“That’s what they keep saying,” I remarked, whining in pain when he accidentally stepped on my foot.

“Okay!” he said, clapping his hands together. “Hold on tight!”

I shivered in anticipation, closing my eyes because I was hoping to open them again and discover the city of the future. However, as more and more seconds continued to pass by with only the distinct sound of the machine’s buttons providing background noise, I began to wonder what was happening. “Dr. Park,” I whispered. “Is this supposed to take this long?”

“I’m not sure,” he said, typing something furiously. “After I press this button...” he trailed off and I held my breath, fully expecting for the machine to start moving, but I opened my eyes again to the same grim basement.

“Did it work?” I asked, realizing the question was really stupid only a moment later when Dr. Park turned around to glare at me.

“No, Y/N, it failed.”

“Well, maybe we can re-check the wires?”

“No, that’s not the problem,” Dr. Park sighed. “I’m a complete disgrace to the name of science.”

“I’m sure that’s not true, sir!” I said, cautiously squirming around the glorified phone booth. “Maybe you just miscalculated something?”

“I never miscalculate,” Dr. Park scoffed. “It’s more than that.”

His downcast features made me wonder if Dr. Park was actually considering the idea of giving up on his dream. “Sir, this is everything you’ve been working on for years!”

Dr. Park shook his head, opening the door and pushing us both out at the same time. “It’s just a piece of junk,” he glowered, already trudging for the steps. “Feel free to stay the night, Y/N,” he said. “I need to sleep.”

“Sir?” I tried again, pouting when he made no move to return.

However, despite Dr. Park’s suggestion, I decided to take matters into my own hands, comparing his meticulous hand-written notes lying on the work station to the machine itself as I slowly surveyed the outside. “It looks right,” I said, opening the door to step back inside. The diagrams were quite complicated, and they probably wouldn’t make much sense to the common eye, but I had been studying under Dr. Park for years and he demanded perfection. “Ah! The turbo muffler isn’t plugged in,” I noted, reaching down to rectify the problem.

I glanced at the computer screen, watching the loading screen analyze the solution before taking a spare tissue from my pocket to scrub away at the fingerprints alongside the glass. It was easy to lose myself in a rhythm, until I suddenly became aware of a strange vibration from underneath my feet. I froze in place, looking down and realizing that the intricate panel of lights were blinking rapidly, and a strange noise was emanating from every corner that faintly reminded me of an over-sized fan. The whirring sound grew louder and I realized that the edges of my vision were growing darker, watching the room spin around faster and faster before I completely lost consciousness.

2035

An unexpected bright light infiltrated my line of vision when I slowly opened my eyes. Everything was hurting, and I realized that it was because I was still cramped inside the time machine, legs curled uncomfortably beneath me. “Why would I do this to myself?” I groaned, gingerly rising to my feet before pushing open the door to allow myself to stumble into the basement.

I felt unusually dizzy, watching the ceiling rotate before settling back into place. I groaned at the feeling. “I guess I just overworked myself or something and passed out.”

There was a newspaper on the table that I hadn’t noticed from earlier and I reached for it without really thinking. The headline was blurry, but the topic of a general store theft wasn’t what caught my attention. I re-checked the newspaper over a dozen times before I was shaking from head to toe. “2035?!”

I quickly dropped the newspaper, reaching for my phone in my back pocket only to nearly lose my grip on the slim case when I realized what was displayed across the screen. “Impossible.”

However, like a sudden dam had been released, I remembered last night’s events, including starting the time machine without meaning to activate the switch. I quickly ran to the window, lifting the blinds only to gasp when something impossibly fast sped by the window. “Flying cars!”

It was like a dramatic transformation had taken place overnight and everything was suddenly monochromatic, bright and pristine as people walked along the sidewalks in strange clothes and talked to holograms projecting from their phone screens. “Dr. Park did it!” I squealed. “I’m in the future!”

For the first time since I discovered the concept, I was convinced that the future was actually going to be extraordinary. “Look at all this cool shit!” I exclaimed, skipping along the sidewalks with my hat tucked low over my face.

I paused at the corner of the street, admiring the traffic of the flying cars, before noticing someone on the opposing sidewalk. “She looks like me,” I noted before I felt my eyes fly open. “That is me!” I gasped, looking both ways before crossing the road, and I continued to follow Y/N, watching as she greeted several people along the sidewalk. “It’s good that we grew out of our social anxiety,” I nodded.

Eventually, Y/N halted outside of a salon, studying something on the phone screen in front of her. I waited cautiously, startling only when I realized that a familiar face was walking in our direction. “Is that Han Jisung?” I groaned, rolling my eyes because, of course, he would still be involved somehow with my future. 

Of course, the even bigger surprise came only moments later when Jisung leaned in to press his lips against my unsuspecting person. “What is he doing?” I seethed, only to realize that Y/N was reciprocating his affection. “Why the fuck am I kissing Han Jisung?” I gasped, sprinting around the corner so that I could have my mental breakdown in privacy. “What the hell is going on?”

I took a few deep breaths because I’m sure that the incident was just some kind of futuristic greeting. Everyone must enjoy kissing other people in the future, and it was certainly a better alternative to the idea that older Y/N wanted to actually kiss Han Jisung. “It’s fine,” I reassured myself, bowing politely to a couple who passed by with suspicious frowns. When I looked around the building again, I watched as Y/N waved in Jisung’s direction before entering the salon. “Oh, is this something I do in my free time?” I questioned because I certainly hated going to the salon despite my mother’s best efforts.

I carefully made my way to the large glass panel at the front of the salon, peeking in through the clear display to find my older self standing behind the counter. “What are we doing?” I asked, especially when Y/N answered the phone, speaking into the other end with a bright smile that made me grimace at the exact moment of understanding. “I’m a receptionist?” I groaned, wondering if the universe had allowed me to visit the future only so that it could laugh at my disdain.

“It can’t get any worse!”

However, contrary to my expectations, when the salon finally closed, I decided to follow Y/N home to make sure that I wasn’t living somewhere ridiculous considering the measly salary I probably made at a hair salon. I huffed in irritation because my older self insisted on walking fast down the street as if she was eager for something that I didn’t understand. “Slow down,” I wheezed, seconds away from collapsing when I finally noticed us standing on the front porch of a fairly modest house.

I waited until Y/N was inside before rushing to the door quietly. It was locked, but I quickly found the spare key under the mat which made me roll my eyes considering that I had copied Dr. Park’s tendency to hide his house key in the same location. Regardless, once I was inside, I heard voices coming from the kitchen, so I decided to walk upstairs to avoid the possibility of someone finding me.

The hallway was cramped, and I checked several rooms before finding a larger offering at the end of the house with pictures of myself displayed across the dresser. “No way,” I said, snatching one of the photographs when I noticed Han Jisung standing next to me. “Ugh,” I groaned, returning the picture before looking around the room.

It was becoming clear to me that I had a more complicated relationship with Jisung that went beyond casual strangers meeting in the street outside the salon where I conveniently worked. Eventually, my answer came in the form of an incriminating wedding photo stationed directly next to the queen-sized bed on the nightstand. Jisung and I stood side-by-side in the picture, and I was holding out my hand where a bright silver wedding ring proclaimed my commitment to the entire world. “What the hell, Y/N?” I sighed. “We married Han Jisung?”

Of all the possible scenarios I had once envisioned for the future, Han Jisung was never involved with any of them. He was the class nerd who all the older boys picked on while the girls decisively ignored him. There was simply no explanation for why I was so heavily involved with him in the future! 

I snatched the wedding picture from the nightstand, searching for the date in the lower corner. “November 5th, 2030.”

The date was from five years earlier, and a small light bulb suddenly went off in my head. “I know when I married him,” I grinned, taking a step back. “I can stop it from happening!”

I studied the picture one more time, gasping when I realized where we were both standing. “We got married at my parent’s house!”

I slammed the photograph down onto the nightstand because this was my chance to secure my future. Subsequently, I managed to leave my future home without disrupting Y/N who was busy in the kitchen, even though I couldn’t cook to save my life. I shook my head at the strange situation, finding myself back on the streets before retracing my steps to relocate Dr. Park’s house where it still remained after all these years.

The time machine was still waiting inside Dr. Park’s basement, and I only briefly wondered where the man in question was in this bizarre future before I was checking the necessary equipment. There was still some gold left in the fuel gauge, and I typed in the corresponding wedding date and watched as the computer started to process my request.

“I can fix this!” I said, wrenching aside the door of the phone booth. “I’ll just go back a little further in time and stop myself from marrying Jisung!” 

I crowded myself into the corner when the machine started to vibrate and groan as the gears rotated in response to the ignition running. It all sounded good, and I stumbled backwards against the glass in anticipation. Suddenly, I was spinning rapidly through the air, unable to focus as I fell to the ground and closed my eyes to forget the unpleasant sensation.

2030

I gained consciousness once again in Dr. Park’s basement, checking the time on my phone. “We should be close,” I said because the picture had taken place during the early evening based on the setting sun in the background. “I need to hurry.”

Thankfully, I had grown up near Dr. Park’s house during my childhood and nothing much had changed regarding our living situations. Likewise, I found myself standing outside of my childhood home, frowning at the sight of guests gathered outside along neat and well-organized benches. I even saw Han Jisung himself standing at the altar while talking to the future versions of Changbin and Felix who certainly defied aging expectations. “Why couldn’t I marry one of them?” I whined because fantasies about my ridiculously attractive friends had been commonplace back when we first started high school.

Still, I was on a mission, and it seemed fate was on my side because the side door was unlocked and I rushed upstairs, determined to find Y/N before the wedding could officially begin. I checked several bedrooms, sighing irritably when each one was left empty. Finally, I paused at the entrance to the attic, wondering if it was possible that I decided to get ready in the same space that I once feared when I was a kid because my father jokingly told me that aliens lived in the rafters.

I shook my head at the memory, carefully opening the door to be greeted with the sight of an older Y/N studying her reflection in the vanity mirror. We wore a beautiful white gown, straight out of my imagination, and it was obvious that great effort had been put into our appearance despite the fact that I usually didn’t care for that sort of thing.

I cleared my throat, attracting Y/N’s attention who turned around only to gasp and drop the make-up brush she had been holding. “What the hell?”

“Hi,” I said, startling when Y/N jumped back from the mirror, eyes wide as she looked at me.

“What’s going on? Am I going crazy?” her shoulders dropped up and down with several deep breaths. “This can’t be happening!”

“Look, can you stop freaking out for one second? I came here to warn you! I’ve seen what our life is like in the future, and it’s nothing like what we dreamed!”

“W-What do you mean?” she stuttered. “How can this be possible?”

“Don’t think too hard,” I grumbled. “Look, I came here from the past. I used a time travel machine that Dr. Park invented.”

“How? The time machine never worked?”

“Sure it did,” I grinned. “I fixed it! Aren’t you proud of us?”

Y/N slowly sat back down in front of the mirror. “Okay, let’s say that I’m not going crazy for a moment.”

“What a good idea,” I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? You aren’t dreaming, so can we just admit that I came here from another time and move on?”

Y/N eventually nodded her head, regarding me warily despite the evidence of time travel success standing right in front of her. “Okay, like I said, I’m here to warn you. I’ve seen our future and it’s horrible, Y/N, and I think it’s because of this moment! You’re making a huge mistake by marrying Han Jisung!”

Y/N gasped, eyes widening as she quickly shot over to the window, looking down at the reception where a sweaty Han Jisung stood at the altar nervously, wringing his hands together while he waited for his future bride. “How is that possible? Jisung is so sweet to me!”

“Are you really not going to believe me?” I asked, taking a step back. “It’s me, er, I’m you! Shit, if you can’t believe yourself, then I must be more stubborn than I thought.”

Y/N frowned. “Why are you telling me this?”

“To stop you from making a mistake! You need to leave him!” I insisted. “Find Changbin or Felix and get the hell out of this shithole town!”

Y/N looked at me with eyes that were suddenly a lot less bright in comparison to when I first entered the room. “I just- I can’t believe that we don’t work out in the future.”

“Trust me,” I said again. “This is our last chance to make things right.”

“B-but what if you’re wrong? What if there’s something else I can do-”

“I’ve been there,” I interrupted her. “Ask me anything about the past. I can tell you things about us and that should prove that I’m you.”

Y/N was hesitant. “The name of our imaginary friend?”

“Cleopatra,” I said. “He looked like a dog, but he could also fly.”

Y/N covered her mouth as the truth finally processed. “Fine, if you are from the past, then I guess you wouldn’t lie to me.”

“Why would I sabotage my own future?” I asked, reaching out to take her hands. “I know it might be hard to believe, but I’ve seen everything with my own eyes. This is the moment that changes everything.”

“What happens?” she asked with sad eyes. “Why is it this moment?”

“It’s...complicated,” I managed. “We’re very unhappy, though. I mean, you remember the things we once imagined, right? What if they never came true?”

“And it’s because of Jisung?”

“Obviously,” I snorted. “Why else would I be here?”

“It’s just hard to accept,” she admitted. “We’ve been together for years.”

I wrinkled my nose at the unpleasant thought. “What? Did we get a concussion somewhere along the way?”

Y/N frowned. “You came from a time before Jisung.”

“It still doesn’t negate the fact that I’ve seen the future!” I said. “I was so happy when I saw it for the first time, there were flying cars and holograms and the streets were painted with silver! But, when I found our future self, I couldn’t reconcile that wonderful vision of the future with the life we were living.”

Y/N wiped away a single tear that had fallen during my explanation. “Okay,” she said, suddenly appearing a lot more confident than before. “I’ll leave through the garden.”

“Yes!” I nearly exclaimed, reaching back for the door to the attic. “You have to go now while everyone is still waiting!”

Y/N obeyed instantly, hurrying down the stairs while I followed from behind. I watched her from the living room, waiting until her white dress disappeared into a field of green before returning to the reception outside. I found a good hiding spot in the bushes, kneeling down while I waited for the inevitable discovery that future Y/N had somehow disappeared from the attic.

It didn’t take long as an older woman ran outside with a bouquet of flowers. “Y/N is gone!” she eventually announced to the gathered crowd of family and friends.

“Gone?” Jisung repeated, eyes widening as he froze in place next to the altar.

I watched from the bushes, smiling when everyone started to stand at once, murmuring among themselves and wondering where the bride-to-be had gone. Thankfully, she had taken my advice before it was too late and I resisted the urge to pat myself on the back for a job well-done.

2035

I waited until I was certain that everyone had abandoned their search for Y/N before returning to Dr. Park’s basement. The time machine was still waiting for me, and I shuffled inside for my return to the future with a satisfied smile. “Now, I can return to the future in peace,” I declared, tuning on the ignition before closing my eyes and dropping to the floor. “Maybe this will help,” I whispered, holding my breath until the sounds of the engine finally subsided.

It only felt like seconds later when I stepped out of the time machine and froze, realizing that an older Dr. Park was actually standing in the middle of the room wearing a similar expression of disbelief. “Impossible!” Dr. Park exclaimed. “You look like you did when you were still in high school!”

I rolled my eyes at his observation. “I’m from the past.”

“Well, that’s also impossible!” Dr. Park shouted. “I destroyed this thing years ago!”

“Yeah, but I came from a time when you had just invented the machine,” I reminded him. “Actually, why the hell would you destroy it?”

Dr. Park shook his head. “It ruined so many futures.”

“Really?

Dr. Park nodded sadly. “I learned my lesson about time travel, Y/N. It never amounts to anything good.”

“Oh,” I said, shifting nervously while he continued to look at me as if he were seeing a ghost. “I guess that makes sense.”

“What a minute!” he finally said. “That means you came from the past to interfere with the future.”

“Not necessarily,” I grumbled, but he could clearly see through my lies.

“What the hell did you do?”

“I just changed one little thing,” I assured him. “I was supposed to get married to this guy, but I made sure that it wouldn’t happen.”

“You did what!” he gasped. “Y/N, you shouldn’t mess with a timeline like that! You have no idea what effect you could have on the future!”

“Fine, but can you blame me? My future was terrible!”

“But it still doesn’t give you the right to interfere.”

“I couldn’t let it happen,” I insisted. “It wasn’t what I wanted, especially considering the fact that I was a stupid receptionist! Can you imagine? I’m meant to study Quantum Mechanics not shampoo bottles!”

“It doesn’t matter!” he sighed. “The future isn’t something that you can just mold and shape to whatever you want! Changing one thing will set off a chain reaction that might impact other people and their futures!”

“I didn’t know, okay?” I cried, suddenly anxious with the way he was talking to me.

He ran his hands through his untameable hair. “Well, I guess it’s done now. There’s nothing more to be said.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, suddenly feeling very small standing in the middle of the room.

“It’s only natural,” he sighed. “But let's see what you’ve done.”

Dr. Park held tight to my wrist as we navigated the busy streets. Thus far, I didn’t see any changes around me, but that didn’t necessarily mean that something wasn’t amiss. “I kept up with you through the years,” he explained. “I remember the wedding you visited, and I always wondered why you changed your mind.”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “I might’ve convinced myself.”

“Nevertheless,” Dr. Park said. “You live in an apartment now in the city.”

“Really?” I asked, feeling a faint glimmer of hope that Dr. Park had overreacted and everything was fine with my future.

“We can take my car,” he said, fetching the keys before pausing next to a sleek, silver sports machine. 

“Wow!” I gasped, admiring the delicate paint job before joining Dr. Park inside. I immediately startled when the car suddenly left the ground, hovering above the street before joining the traffic. “When did flying cars get invented?”

“Oh, not too long after the time you just came back from,” Dr. Park said. “I invented them, you know.”

“You did?”

“What else was I supposed to do when I gave up on time travel?” he shrugged. “Besides, it runs mostly on solar power which is a big plus for the environment.”

I nodded my agreement. “What else has happened?”

Dr. Park smiled, glancing at me with a knowing look. “Oh, Y/N, the future is something to behold.”

Subsequently, for the remainder of our trip, I listened to Dr. Park talks about the inventions that defined the future, everything from flying cars to holograms and the small gadgets in between. My personal favorite was the automatic sock warmers that dispelled water and kept your toes safe during the winter months. However, above everything else, I was glad to hear that society was advancing with new technology and medical practices. It was nothing short of exciting, and it only made me want to return to my own time so that I could experience it happen as I started to explore the world around me.

“Here we are,” Dr. Park eventually said, dropping his car onto the street next to a fairly modest building. “These types are the current rage. Most complexes come equipped with doors that open after scanning your fingerprint.”

“Really?” I wondered, following him outside onto the sidewalk.

He opened the door to the lobby, allowing me inside first before he nodded towards the elevators. “10th floor.”

The building wasn’t very busy, and most of the residents ignored us while we stopped outside of the door to my future apartment. “Y/N,” Dr. Park said, rapping lightly against the frame. “It’s me.”

The door opened slowly and I found myself looking into a familiar pair of eyes that widened when they recognized me. “It’s you from the wedding.”

“Well,” I said hesitantly. “I am you.”

Y/N frowned, but opened the door wider to allow me and Dr. Park inside the small apartment. I took one glance around before feeling my stomach fall as I recognized the sad condition of the property. “What happened?”

Y/N sniffled, looking at me with sad eyes. “Our future is nothing.”

“Well, where is everyone else? What about Changbin or Felix?”

“They left years ago,” Y/N said. “Everyone left me after I ran away from the wedding.”

“What?” I gasped, falling back onto the ground. “Why would they do that?”

“Because I broke his heart,” Y/N groaned. “I’m so stupid!”

“Stupid?” I repeated, glancing at Dr. Park anxiously who could only shrug in response. “Tell me everything that happened after the wedding.”

“My mom found me,” Y/N explained. “She told me that Jisung was moving someplace in the city with Changbin and Felix. He told her that none of them wanted anything else to do with me after what happened at the wedding. I was so sad, and I decided to move back home, but I lost the passion to want to do anything. Jisung had always been my muse, and without him I stopped feeling inspired.”

“When did we move here?”

“A year ago,” Y/N said. “I have an office job in the city, but it gets really lonely out here with nobody around.” 

“Oh,” I said, aware of Dr. Park’s stern gaze burning into the back of my head. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Actually, it was you who told me to leave because our future was so bad,” Y/N reminded me. “What happened? Did Jisung do something?”

“Well, not exactly...”

“It had to be something! You said the future was horrible, but I can’t imagine anything worse than this!”

“Okay, look,” I finally relented. “When I went to the future, I saw us with Han Jisung and I thought that it was unfair that we ended up with him. I decided to try and change that, but I didn’t understand what I was doing until it was too late.”

“You had no idea,” Y/N said with a frown. “I guess you came from a time in the past before we knew who he really was.”

“Well,” I sighed. “I mean, who is he?”

“Han Jisung is one of the best people in the world,” Y/N said with tears falling freely. “He was the best thing that ever happened to us.”

By the time we returned to the basement, I was traumatized from my meeting with Y/N, falling against the couch unceremoniously while Dr. Park examined the time machine with obvious scrutiny. “What have I done!” I groaned against the pillows.

“Well, you destroyed your future,” he replied, ignoring the glare I aimed in his direction.

“Dr. Park, I have to go back in time again! I need to undo the stupid shit I’ve done.”

“Is that so?” Dr. Park chuckled, wiping his hands clean as he stood next to me. “You think it’s that easy?”

“Why not?” I frowned. “I know the time and date when I got married.”

“That won’t matter anymore because you altered the timeline!” Dr. Park exclaimed. “At that precise moment in time, you created an alternate reality! It’s impossible to go back now and change everything.”

“Why? Can’t I just go back and stop myself from interfering with the wedding?”

“No! That’s not how time works!”

“Well! What the fuck? I don’t understand what I’m supposed to do! I can’t just stand aside and do nothing!

“Y/N, the delicate aspects of time are extremely convoluted! You should’ve never messed with the timeline in the first place.”

“Don’t you think I realize that now!” I cried. “I know that I ruined my future because I didn’t think it was important enough to understand everything that had happened before 2035. I just...I was surprised because it wasn’t like anything I had ever dreamed about. I mean, Dr. Park, I wanted to be a physicist, not a stupid receptionist! I thought I would marry Lee Minho and we would, like, completely takeover the world together or something.”

Dr. Park was silent for a moment, watching me as I completely broke down in front of him full of regrets for everything I had done. “Y/N,” he finally said. “Can I offer you some advice?”

“I guess,” I grumbled, ignoring the way his gaze grew sympathetic.

“The future is whatever you want to make of it,” he said. “If you want to make it a future that involves Jisung, then you need to make sure that he stays in your life.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know the original story,” Dr. Park continued. “But if you create a new narrative where you met Jisung even earlier and started dating him before that predetermined time...”

“Then I can fix it!” I gasped. “I can change the timeline!”

Dr. Park smiled. “Good girl! It’s all up to you now because you're responsible for the future you decide to make.”

His words were incredibly wise, and I could only hope to follow his advice and reclaim the future that I had so painstakingly changed without fully understanding the consequences.

2020

Hopefully, for the final time, I stepped outside the time machine after returning to the past where I belonged. However, this time I was determined not to interfere anymore, deciding that Dr. Park was right when he explained the fine semantics. After all, the future was whatever I wanted it to be, and I already knew that I was more determined than ever to succeed.

“I’m back!” I exclaimed, looking around the mostly vacant basement. I checked my phone with a gasp because school started in less than an hour. I would need to find Jisung as soon as possible because I had an idea of how I could fix everything that I had broken.

I quickly dialed a familiar number, holding it up to my ear as a tired voice answered from the other end. “Hello, Uber?”

Ten minutes later, I saw a car pull up to the sidewalk next to Dr. Park’s house. “Y/N?” the driver asked, looking at my from behind a dark pair of sunglasses.

“Park View High School,” I said, joining him in the backseat before the driver took off while I searched my pockets for any spare change.

I managed to make it to school on time, just five minutes before the first bell. Still, I knew the chances of finding Jisung before class were slim, so I needed to be patient. “Here,” I said, shoving the cash at the disgruntled Uber driver.

“Gee, thanks,” he grumbled because he was probably dissatisfied with the fact that I didn’t tip properly.

In any case, my perfect opportunity finally arose during lunch when I found Jisung lingering in the hallways as he exchanged textbooks. I took a deep breath to steel my nerves as I hesitantly walked in his direction. “Jisung,” I said, cautiously approaching him at his locker. “Can I ask you something?”

He wore his signature jeans with a loose t-shirt that was way too big for his narrow form. I frowned because my taste in men had apparently evolved at some point in the future. Of course, as I considered him more closely, I realized that there was also a charming aspect to his boyish features.

In the meantime, Jisung had froze in place, eyes wide as he turned around to face me. “Y-Y/N?”

I offered him a smile. “There’s a dance on Friday,” I started, searching his gaze imploringly. “Would you like to go with me?”

His eyes widened, breath hitching as he looked at me. “You want to go with me?”

I nodded. “I think it might be nice to go together. You can even come over this afternoon and we can make our plans!”

“Really?” he asked, appearing doubtful despite the way I had suddenly leaned in closer.

“Please?”

He finally nodded his head and I released a sigh of relief because my plan was starting to formulate right before my very eyes.

Later that afternoon, I opened the front door to my house to find Jisung ten minutes early wearing a much nicer pair of clothes. “Hi,” he said, nervously shuffling in place.

“You made it,” I grinned, reaching out for his hand to pull him inside. “We can go to my room.”

Jisung nodded. “Is this still okay?”

“Of course,” I said, grabbing onto his jacket sleeve to guide him up the staircase. “What do you want to do?”

Jisung didn’t respond, gazing around my room with a look of astonishment written across his expression. “Huh?”

“We can watch a movie,” I said, patting the space on my bed while turning on my laptop.

“Okay,” Jisung agreed, settling down next to me while finding it very difficult to tear his gaze away from me while I pulled up my Netflix account.

“Did you need something?” I teased, enjoying the way he blushed as a result.

“Sorry,” he grumbled, scrunching his nose when he noticed what movie I had picked. “Romance?”

“My favorite genre,” I said, leaning back to tilt the screen in our direction. “I think it’s good.”

Jisung still seemed reluctant, and I found it amusing that he was so willing to accept this unfortunate decision. Nevertheless, I relaxed next to him on the bed, watching the characters on-screen with far less attentiveness than I usually allowed for movie viewings. Because my eyes kept wandering over to Jisung, watching as his expression transformed from disgruntled acceptance to active fascination as he started reacting to the action on-screen.

Still, it only made it that more interesting to watch him blush during the more scandalous scenes, shifting uncomfortably from next to me. “What’s wrong?” I asked, enjoying the way he jumped in reaction.

“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head aggressively in response.

“Are you sure?” I asked before turning around to properly face him.

Jisung paused and I decided to make the first move, leaning in closer to where I could smell his cologne on the collar of his jacket. “Y/N?” he questioned, but I pressed my lips to his before he could protest any further. And it didn’t take long for him to reciprocate the kiss with a feverish desire that made me realize that I had been overlooking Han Jisung for far too long.

It was almost midnight when I let myself into Dr. Park’s house. Despite the consequences of time travel, there was something inside of me that wouldn’t quite settle unless I determined whether or not I fixed my future relationship with Jisung. I knew the risks, but I needed reassurance that everything would happen the way it was supposed to before I had mistakenly intervened.

I jerked off the sheet hanging over the machine, wiping my hands on my jeans when the sudden flickering of the light overhead forced me to spin around. “I see that you fixed the machine,” Dr. Park said, watching me carefully from over his coffee cup.

“Oh, right,” I started awkwardly. “I guess I did.”

“Well,” he sighed. “Were there any visits involved with your tinkering?”

I knew that I couldn’t lie to Dr. Park, so I explained everything to him, including the advice from his future self and the revelation of the destruction of the time machine. “That’s really all that happened,” I assured him at the end.

“Then why are you going back?”

“Ah,” I pursed my lips. “I think it might be necessary to ensure that everything works out...”

“So you learned nothing from your mistakes?” Dr. Park said. “If you did, then you’ll help me destroy this thing instead of using it again.”

“But...Dr. Park!”

“We should believe me!” he protested. “I’m the smartest person that I know!”

“You don’t even know your future self, yet!”

“Yes, but you’ve met him and he sounds perfectly reasonable.”

“I need to make sure!” I insisted. “I promise, Dr. Park, this will really be the last time.”

He looked perfectly ready to protest, but he continued to study me with that close scrutiny that I had started to associate with him when he was discovering something particularly interesting. “I guess this means a lot to you,” he eventually conceded. “Despite all logic, I suppose that one more time wouldn’t hurt.”

“Really?” I grinned, glancing at the time machine from the corner of my eye. “Do you mean that?”

“But no more interference after this,” he grumbled. “You’ll get your answers and we’re leaving as soon as possible.”

“I agree with you,” I said. “100 %.”

“Well, I suppose it’s also a good time to try out my newest invention,” he said, holding up something that resembled a walkie-talkie. “It’s a tracking device. All it needs is a sample of DNA and it can help you locate your future self.”

“That’s awesome,” I gasped, clutching tightly to the device while Dr. Park started to prepare the machine.

“Are you ready?”

I nodded enthusiastically, waiting next to the machine while he loaded another gold bar inside the fuel tank. “Let’s do this right,” he said. “The way I intended: observation and nothing more.”

“Okay,” I agreed, closing my eyes when the door was firmly shut and the machine started to rotate rapidly as the very space-time continuum was warped to accommodate our travels to the future.

2035

“This is very dangerous,” Dr. Park remarked when the machine was silent once more and a very different version of his basement greeted our arrival. “Hopefully, we won’t run into my future self.”

“Maybe you could stay behind with the machine?” I suggested. “I’ll find myself and make sure everything is back to normal.”

“Fine, but please hurry,” he said, desperately looking around the silent basement like he expected an explosion at any moment. “I might also gamble a chance to look outside, but it’s only for scientific purposes!”

I rolled my eyes at his comment while I lowered the brim of my hat and left the house through the side door leading into the backyard. It was incredibly sunny outside, and I watched several flying cars soar past overhead before I was running along the hedges supporting the fence marking Dr. Park’s property. I pulled the tracking device from my back pocket, watching the screen load before rushing off in the direction of the bustling city scape.

It didn’t take long for the tracking device to lead me into a mostly-deserted park. There weren’t many people around, and I took a deep breath, following the increasing sounds of the beeping before pausing at the edge of a pond. Because sitting on one of the benches next to the water was a very familiar face.

“Y/N,” I said, but she didn’t look surprised to see me.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” Y/N said, smiling brightly while she patted the bench next to her.

You have?” I immediately questioned.

“Of course,” she said. “I’ve been expecting this moment.”

I tentatively sat down next to Y/N, shaking my head to try and clear the confusion. “But? How is that possible?”

“I’m you after the new timeline we created,” she explained. “I know everything that happened.”

“Ah,” I nodded. “Well, then I guess you know what I did.”

“I do,” she confirmed. “I can also tell you that our curiosity only gets worse instead of better.”

“Isn’t that what got us into trouble in the first place?”

“Yes, but we learn to make the best of it,” she replied. “Now, I’m sure you have a lot of questions.”

“I don’t think we have enough time to answer them all,” I joked. “Of course, there’s only one thing I’m really concerned about.”

“Our marriage to Jisung?”

I swallowed hard. “Well?”

“I won’t keep you in suspense,” she said. “We married him, and we’re very happy together.”

I sighed in relief. “I thought I ruined everything.”

“We came close,” Y/N admitted. “But I think that some things are destined to happen.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Why wouldn’t I? After all, you should already know this, but isn’t Jisung great?” Y/N grinned. “Where did you come from in the past? I’m assuming that we’ve already met him for you to be at this point?”

“He’s still the hall monitor,” I said, wincing when Y/N squealed like it was the greatest thing she had ever heard.

“Wasn’t he so handsome?” Y/N asked.

“The best,” I offered, watching Y/N swoon like she had married a celebrity or something. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course,” Y/N smiled.

“Why did we marry Han Jisung? No offense, but he wasn’t exactly...normal?”

“Yeah? But what qualifies as normal?” Y/N asked. “I think a young girl who spends way too much time with Dr. Park trying to invent a time machine isn’t exactly normal either.”

“That’s...surprisingly a good point,” I conceded.

“Actually, I think I should tell you about him,” Y/N continued. “Han Jisung is the type of person who looks after other people before himself. He’s the thoughtful kind of person who once spent an entire paycheck just to buy me a new jacket after I accidentally left mine behind at the theater.”

“All of that happened?”

“He cares a lot about us,” Y/N said. “Jisung had a crush on us for a long time.”

“On us?” I repeated, eyes widening in disbelif.

"You might naive now, but I think you’ll find out for yourself just how wonderful he really is.”

“But...that still doesn’t explain why we never amounted to anything? I mean, a receptionist wasn’t high on my list of accomplishments.”

“That list was superficial. Our life with Jisung is anything but ordinary. I think you’ll come to realize that sometimes we never understand what we truly want until it actually happens.”

“I guess that makes sense,” I shrugged.

“By the way, the receptionist gig is only temporary,” Y/N smiled. “We’re waiting for a grant to start our research into Quantum Mechanics at the University.”

“No way!” I gasped. “If I had known-”

“Exactly,” Y/N interrupted. “We aren’t supposed to know because it takes the excitement out of life. Isn't it more interesting to think that the future is a blank canvas?”

“Okay, I get it,” I said. “But the temptation was hard to resist.”

“I understand,” Y/N nodded. “However, I’ll also be the first to tell you that even now your future could change. Because nothing is ever set in stone.”

“That’s something like what Dr. Park said,” I remarked, sharing an easy smile with the older and wiser version of myself.

“In any case, being a wife and a mother is my greatest adventure. Trust me, Y/N, our future is nothing short of extraordinary.”

I knew she was right, and I took her hand with a firm squeeze. “I’ll always remember that.”

“Good,” she smiled. “Because I don’t want you to mess this up, okay?”

I laughed. “I think I can manage to create a good future for us.”

“But you might want to hurry up before Dr. Park decides to leave you here.”

I took one more look around the park, admiring the gentle elegance of the calming water. For the first time ever, I was nothing short of ecstatic when I thought about living every second to its fullest. Because life was far too short to worry about what could’ve been when I had the rare opportunity to understand what my life will become.

2020

Upon my return to the present, Dr. Park decided to dismantle the time machine. “It seems necessary to avoid any further mistakes,” he nodded.

“But...what will you do now, sir?”

“Anything’s possible, Y/N,” he said. “We’ll just have to make the best of it.”

“Maybe you should think about cars,” I suggested, offering him a sly smile to which he rolled his eyes.

“What did you see?”

“My lips are sealed,” I chirped, ignoring the way he continued to call my name while I ran upstairs in a rush to finally arrive at school on time without the assistance of an Uber. Graciously, traffic wasn’t as chaotic, so I was able to waltz through most of the crosswalks with little difficulty, waving at the cars passing alongside the road. My adrenaline was pumping, and I had never been so enthused to see the familiar outline of my school building in the distance.

Fittingly, I was actually unable to report to my class on time, but I couldn’t be more satisfied to meet a familiar hall monitor stationed near my classroom. “Y/N!” Jisung exclaimed, eyes widening as he checked behind him. “You can go inside before Miss Adams arrives.”

“Thanks,” I said, but I still paused in front of him. “I want to talk to you about the dance.”

“You don’t want to go with me anymore,” Jisung frowned and I quickly shook my head.

“Why would you say that? I can’t wait for the dance.” 

“Really?”

I smiled at Jisung who was blushing furiously. “I’m looking forward to our date,” I said, reaching out to squeeze his hand. “Thank you, Jisung.”

“Y-Y/N,” Jisung stuttered. “What are you doing?”

“I just want you to know that I think you’re pretty great,” I said, enjoying the flabbergasted expression on his face as I walked inside my first-period classroom, satisfied that my future was truly secured.

#stray kids fanfic #stray kids #skz fanfic #stray kids fluff #stray kids angst #skz imagines #skz scenarios #stray kids oneshot #han jisung #stray kids han #han jisung fanfic #han jisung fluff #han jisung oneshot #time travel au

[mythgirlimagines]

Talentswap Tuesday is today! Please keep your eyes peeled, or she just might jump out from the shadows to give you an impromptu makeover! It’s Myth, the Former Ultimate Makeup Artist!

————————-——————————

BACKSTORY AND TALENT

When you first of her talent, you would assume Myth to be some kind of Marylin Monroe-esque social media influencer. But despite Myth’s skill in standard makeup application, Myth’s speciality lies in horror and special effects. Able to turn a person from a beauty to a beast, Myth’s makeup skills are praised by both the horror fanatic crowd and the beautician crowd. As the third daughter to an American horror movie actor and a Ukrainian beautician, Myth’s talent manages to consist of the best of both worlds. Starting out as a humble assistant at some of her father‘s movie shoots, eventually Myth garnered internet fame for her tutorials on how to give yourself extra eyes or how to turn into a vampire. She still hasn’t lost any of her spooky and impish charm, even as an adult and chaperone of Hope’s Peak’s annual Kibo-Con field trip.

——————————————————-

RELATIONSHIP

Wyre Anon, Former Ultimate Storyteller

Folks come far and wide to hear Wyre’s macabre tales that can leave even the strongest of bodyguards shaking in their boots. Myth and Wyre knew each other ever since they were little, having bonded over their shared love of horror and the macabre. And you can bet your bottom dollar that their relationship is still going strong to this very day. Myth regularly helps Wyre with their makeup to up the horror factor, usually making Wyre resemble an oni or a dragon. This fearsome duo just love teaming up to scare the other Anons. 

Outfit: White face paint with black circles around their eyes and cracks painted into their face, a large purple cape held together with a skull design, a black vest and red ascot over a white dress shirt, brown pants, black heeled boots.

Anon Scar, Ultimate Jazz Singer

With her proficient skill at both vocals and instruments, Anon Scar, also known by her stage name “Guardian of Soul”, managed to revitalize the jazz genre. You’d think that with her whole demon motif along with her cool and calm behavior on stage, Scar would be able to handle Myth’s horror. But all of that talk of demons and curses is merely a facade, concealing an easily-frazzled and heavily concerned mom friend. Myth loves drawing wounds on herself and pretending to be hurt around Scar, just to see Scar’s facade break.

Outfit: A black vest with a white music note design on the back over a white tank top, black pants, black fingerless gloves, a microphone around her right ear, the scarf and boots from her original design.

Fusion Anon, Ultimate Forensic Sociologist

An expert on human behaviors, body language and social interactions, Fusion possesses an uncanny intuition and can read people like a book, making him a tough nut to crack for the more deceptive and manipulative students. Despite his creepy intuition, Fusion remains a kind-hearted, almost paternal, young man. Myth was thinking that if Fusion wasn’t so kind-hearted and she touched up on his makeup, his freakish intuition and his freakishly thin and tall body would make him the perfect horror movie monster. 

Outfit: An oversized dark blue trench coat, an equally large red scarf that covers his mouth, the pants, shoes and glasses from his original design. 

Fusion Anon II, Ultimate Beatboxer

Conquering rap battles after rap battles, Fusion II is famous for both her epic beatboxing skills and the equally epic roasts of her opponents. But similar to Scar, Fusion II‘s sarcastic and flippant demeanour is merely a facade. Deep down, Fusion II is a massive nerd, particularly for literature and poetry. This love for the written word can be found in many lyrics of her rap songs. Myth finds Fusion II to be a fun person to scare, especially when the beatboxer is in the middle of one of her breakdancing sessions. 

Outfit: A white jumpsuit that is undone at her waist revealing her red tanktop and fake gold heart necklace underneath, blue and white sneakers, black fingerless gloves, a couple of piercings in her ears, a red cap worn backwards, sunglasses from her original design.

Just Anon, Ultimate Seer

Ever since he was little, Janon has been having weird prophetic dreams and Janon felt the urge to draw them in his dream journal. Sleeping and drawing are about the only two things that Janon really puts effort into. Janon sleeps a lot to maximize the number of prophecies he can see, and he can get really grouchy if someone wakes him up in the middle of his dreams. As much as Janon tries to put up the image of a stoic emo, his ridiculous fashion sense and adorable appearance makes Janon Myth‘s number one teasing target.

Outfit: Back-length hair that he didn’t bother to cut with a couples of pencils stuck in, a pink ski cap with bunny ears, a white mask with a cat mouth and whiskers on them, a yellow raincoat, galaxy leggings, nothing on his feet.

Sparkle Anon, Former Ultimate Linguist

Coming from an influential family known for their international branches, Sparkle has a penchant for traveling and managed to pick up languages left and right. Currently speaking 14 languages at a native level, Sparkle has a loud, bombastic and dramatic personality. And that loud, bombastic and dramatic personality makes really great reactions to Myth’s jumpscares, along with the added bonus of hearing Sparkle curse in different languages. Sparkle would let Myth touch up on her makeup as long as Myth promises not to put gory details on the linguist’s face.

Outfit: A brown vest over a long-sleeved blue dress shirt, a brown skirt, grey nylons, black heels, a large cape with a map of the word on it, blue pauldrons. 

Egg Anon, Former Ultimate Barista, and Wet Sock Anon, Former Ultimate Perfumer

With the twin’s love for the cursed and macabre, Myth got along with them like a house on fire. Myth regularly hangs out with Egg at their coffee house and exchange their regular cursed inside jokes over a nice cup of joe. Wet Sock, despite their bitter personality, produces some of the best-smelling and luxurious perfume in the known world. Wet Sock’s and Myth’s shared love of cosmetics makes them quite the cursed duo. Both of them may have growing feelings for Myth and they usually fight over her, much to Myth’s amusement.

Egg’s Outfit: A white polo shirt, a green apron, black pants and brown loafers.

Wet Sock’s Outfit: A white polo shirt, a black vest, black pants and brown loafers.

Curious Anon, Jr. Ultimate Fencer

Being raised by a prestigious family of fencers, Curious managed to dominate fencing tournaments despite their height and age. Curious is loyal, stalwart and above all else, chivalrous. Said chivalry earned them tons of admirers in their old private school. Similar to Fusion, Curious is also a tough nut to crack, for Curious just has this constant poker face, no matter what horrifying imagery Myth throws at them. But Myth is a determined little lass and will find a way to scare Curious, or she will die trying.

Outfit: Hair in a small ponytail, red and white jacket over a red vest and green tie over a white dress shirt, cream pants, black boots and gloves, always has their trusty rapier on their person.

Anon Nerd, Former Ultimate Lucky Student

Having been admitted to Hope’s Peak via a mere lottery, Anon Nerd has a foul mouth and an equally foul temper, which very clearly came from the poor hand in life that his bad luck gave him. Nerd doesn’t really have anything to his name apart from being part of his school‘s debate club and getting into screaming matches against 13 year olds online. Because of Nerd’s easily-enraged and overreacting personality, Myth finds Nerd in particular to be a fascinating subject to scare. Nerd’s blushy face is just so darn adorable!

Outfit: A black hoodie hood-up, black sweatpants, white socks, grey flip flops.

Eldritch Anon, Ultimate Crime Novelist

Famous for both his graphic and suspenseful novels and his general evasiveness about his personal information, it truly was a wonder that Myth‘s favorite crime novels were written by not only a Hope’s Peak student, but also someone who is 5 years her junior. Myth regularly tries to socialize with her hero in literature, but despite writing graphic crime novels, Eldritch is cowardly and runs away screaming at the slightest chance of danger. Myth’s generally creepy behavior and interests doesn’t really help matters.

Outfit: Longer hair in a ponytail, a dark purple vest with an orange question mark on the lapel over a long white dress shirt, an orange cravat, grey pants, black socks, black slip-on shoes.

Dream Anon, Ultimate Lighting Designer

Dream has become famous for catapulting her school’s theater club to stardom with her amazing light displays. Dream and Myth both have careers centered around show business, they both admire Eldritch Anon and his novels, and they both have outgoing and childish personalities. But a certain quality about Dream prevents Myth from putting her on her list of friends: Dream is a fashion disaster! Myth always tries to give Dream a makeover and a tirade about how crocs are evil, but everything goes in one ear and comes out the other. 

Outfit: A blue headband, part of her hair is put into a small sidetail with a green scrunchie, her hair is dyed a rainbow of colors, a black tanktop, a black, white, and pink jacket draped over her shoulders, various fake gold jewelry, orange headphones, white jorts, a blue and purple stocking on her left leg and a green and yellow stocking on her right leg, red crocs.

Iris Anon, Ultimate Jack-Of-All-Trades

Unlike other Ultimates with a clear-cut talent, Iris has mastered a ton of talents but not to the point of Ultimate status. Iris’s unorthodox Ultimate makes her an enigma amongst the other Ultimates. Despite not knowing what her plans are for the future, Iris is determined to make the most of the vast array of skills she mastered. Iris is very optimistic, able to see the good in even the worst and cursed of monsters. Myth admires Iris’s determination and Myth regularly uses Iris as her pranking accomplice. 

Outfit: A grey beanie cap with a dark blue star design, a green flannel jacket over a white t-shirt, a gold coin necklace, light blue jorts, white socks and green loafers with white soles, glasses and bandages from her original design. 

Purple Anon, Ultimate Toxicologist

As the scion of an influential family in the science field, Purple Anon is hailed as a prodigy in the field of toxicology. Because of Purple’s upbringing, her vocabulary is both old-fashioned and heavily uses scientific jargon, which makes her speech very hard to decipher by the Anons, with a couple of exceptions. Purple has a timid and easy-to-startle personality, usually hiding behind her good friend, Fusion. Myth regularly consults Purple on any new makeup products, to make sure that the makeup isn’t toxic or an allergen.

This series centers around the gremlin make-up artist trying her best to scare her conmates, but eventually, she opens up to others and proves to be a bit of a cinnamon roll. 

——————————————————-

PERSONALITY

Having been surrounded by horror for the majority of her life, MakeupArtist!Myth is unfazed at the prospect of horror and revels in the macabre and unnerving. Despite regularly getting kicks from scaring her fellow Anons, MakeupArtist!Myth has a surprisingly kind-hearted personality despite her impish and devious first impression, and can dial back her horror for people like Eldritch and Purple. MakeupArtist!Myth is a massive fashion police towards the other Anons, particularly towards LightingDesigner!Dream.  ——————————————————-

APPEARANCE

MakeupArtist!Myth wears her dyed purple hair in two space buns that she keeps up with blue scrunchies with yellow stars on them. She also wears an oversized grey and black sweater, dark blue short overalls, white gyaru-style socks, and black Mary Janes. Holding up her shorts is a belt that holds a bunch of makeup supplies. MakeupArtist!Myth has the same glasses from her original design, which frame her adorable dot eyes with elaborately designed eyeshadow.  ——————————————————-

I hope you like this Tuesday’s Talentswap! I can’t wait to hear what you think of it! By the way, I’d totally recommend “Danganronpa: The Wolf’s Game”, if you want to see another Killing Game with an Ultimate Linguist as the protagonist! I wonder how Wolf Game’s Ultimate Linguist would interact with your Ultimate Linguist!

-Fusion Anon

—

Dang I would so like to be this good at makeup XD Wyre and I actually have a friend who’s super good with horror makeup

#submission #anon #fusion anon #art #not my art #fusion anon ii #just anon #dream anon #iris anon #curious anon #wet sock anon #egg anon #purple anon #eldritch anon #sparkling anon #anon nerd #anon scar #my evil twin #i speak #anon kg #talentswap tuesday

[shyvioletcat]

YES. literal angst queen I can wait for pt 3!

I feel like I have to apologise. The angst isn’t high in this one. But I’m saving it up for something special *wink wink*. But this got so long that there will be another part.

Stupid regrets - Part 1 // Part 2

EDIT: MASTERLIST

~~~~~

Rowan hadn’t expected to see her. Aelin had been living in Orynth again for a while, but he hadn’t run into her since Dylan had chased after that puppy and Rowan had found him on the street. For whatever reasons she didn’t come out much with the rest of their friends. So when she walked into the bar, arm in arm with Fenrys, Rowan had been surprised to say the least.

Just about everyone had come out tonight. The only ones missing were Vaughan, who was out town, and Elide, who couldn’t stand the smell of the place now that she was pregnant. They’d found a table in the back that they were all scattered around, a few of them off playing pool.

Fenrys and Aelin laughed at something then he let go of her as he went to the bar to order some drinks. She kept on towards their table, spotting them and smiling, Connall giving her a wave, but she took a seat across from Rowan and Lorcan.

“How’s Elide?” She asked Lorcan, tucking her chair in. “Has the tea been working?”

Lorcan shook his head. “The lollies did though.”

“Oh that’s good,” she said. The oddest thing Rowan had discovered a few months ago was the friendship that had formed between Lorcan and Aelin. Before, well everything, they could barely stand to be in the same room, but now they actually seemed to like each other.

“How are you Rowan?” She asked.

Rowan was glad Aelin was the one to go first, the one to start the conversation. He’d been the one to make a mess of their relationship, she should be the one to set the boundaries of it now. If Aelin had never wanted to speak to him again, he’d walk out of the bar right now to make sure she got what she wanted. He’d been so wrong all those years ago and he was yet to entirely forgive himself for it.

“I’m good, just working and not much else,” Rowan said.

“Lorcan an ass of a boss?” Aelin asked, a bit of that old wicked glint in her eye.

Rowan mouth twisted into a small grin. “Sure is.”

Aelin laughed quietly just as Fenrys brought her her drink and she thanked him.

“What are we talking about?” Fenrys asked.

“What Lorcan is like as a boss,” Aelin said as she took a sip of her drink.

“Well, he’s and ass,” Fenrys said and Lorcan flicked a coaster at him.

That’s how they passed the time, drinking, sniping at each other and laughing. Things definitely weren’t back to what they had been, but it was nice. They were now crowded around the pool table, watching Lysandra kick Connall’s ass in pool. Lorcan had left a little while ago, eager to get home to Elide. It was odd to see Lorcan like that, in love and considerate of someone that wasn’t himself. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It just took some getting used to after years of unfeeling broodiness.

Lysandra sunk another ball and high fived Aelin as she walked past from where she stood beside Rowan. He was about to ask her about how her parents were when she quickly pulled her phone from her pocket.

“Hello,” there was a pause and then Aelin groaned. “Are you serious? No, no. Its fine. I’ll be back in about 20 minutes. Bye, Mum.”

Aelin sighed.

“Everything alright?” Rowan asked.

“No, well yes. Not a huge disaster, but Dylan forgot his teddy and he’s staying over at my parents house and he can’t sleep without it and my dad managed to leave the spare keys at work. They’ve been trying get him down for a while but it’s not working. Guess my nights over.”

Aelin started her rounds of goodbyes and then ended up back at Rowan.

“Are you right to get home? Did your come with Fen?” He asked.

“I did, but he seems a bit preoccupied.” Rowan looked over to where he was chatting up a pretty brunette. “Besides, we walked from my place so it doesn’t really matter.”

Rowan knew it was fairly late and very dark, so it only took him about a moment before he said, “Let me walk you home.”

“Rowan, you don’t have to,” Aelin said but he fixed her with a look. She rolled her eyes dramatically. “You were always an overprotective buzzard. Fine.”

Rowan ignored the snipe and then set out on his own round of goodbyes. He met Aelin back at the table as she was shrugging on her jacket. They didn’t say anything else as they left the bar and stepped out in the chilly night air.

“Where do you live?” Rowan asked, keeping pace beside her.

“I actually ended up on the same street and my parents. Which is good, for now at least. They adore Dylan so much and it’s good to have the help some days,” Aelin explained. “They’ve really been a help to him after…” Rowan watched as Aelin swallowed. “After everything.”

He could still read her well enough that he could see she didn’t want to talk about Sam, so Rowan changed the subject.

“Where are you working?” Rowan asked.

Aelin cleared her throat. “For my Dad’s company. Mainly admin stuff at the moment, might develop into something more if I stay on. Classic nepotism at work.”

Rowan laughed at that, and Aelin smiled.

For the rest of the walk they kept talk casual, nothing too deep. Rowan didn’t want to put his foot in it. But he could see that she was still very much the Aelin that he had knows those years ago, the Aelin that was his best friend, who was wickedly funny and kind. There was just a little less light about her, and Rowan completely understood why.

Aelin walked up the path to a very pretty little house on a street that he knew quite well with all the times he had been to the Galathynius household.

“I’ll head back,” Rowan said but Aelin turned around.

“No, come say hi to Mum and Dad. And I’m sure Dylan would like to see you, he likes to talk about the giant man who found him when he got lost.”

Aelin disappeared inside before Rowan could answer assuming he would do as she said. He stood outside, toeing at the path to, but it only took a few minutes for Aelin to come back out a brown teddy bear in her hands.

“Got the bugger,” she said as she passed him, heading for her parents house up the street.

Their house was very much the same, their large white door still bright and spotless. Aelin knocked, and it only took a minute until the door opened and  small quick mass slammed into her legs. Then Dylan looked up at his mother, his eyes red rimmed.

“I brought him,” Aelin said offering her son the teddy. He took it from her and hugged it to his chest.

“I’m so sorry Aelin,” Evalin said as she appeared in the doorway. “If your father was not so damned forgetful, I do not even know why he took them to work in the first place,” she called back into the house. Rowan heard and a deep yeah, yeah from somewhere in the house. Then Evalin saw Rowan. “Well, hello Rowan. Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“How are you Evalin?” Rowan said.

“Oh, I’m well.”

Aelin crouched down, smoothing back Dylan’s curls. “Did you say hello to Rowan, Dylan? He was very nice and offered to walk me back so I could get Sir Teddy for you.”

Dylan looked up at him and waved. Rowan smiled at him and waved back.

“Do you want to stay at Grandma and Papa’s or did you want to come home?” Aelin asked.

“I want to stay, we’re having pancakes for breakfast tomorrow morning,” Dylan said and then he lent in to whisper, “with ice-cream.”

The corner of Aelin’s eyes crinkled as she whispered back, “I don’t think you were supposed to tell me that. But I promise I won’t be mad about it. Goodnight, my little bean.”

Dylan threw his arms around Aelin’s shoulders. “‘Night Mum.” Then he took Evalin’s hand and practically dragged her inside.

“Goodnight, Aelin,” Evalin called back as the door shut.

Aelin stood there for a moment, just smiling, then she turned around. “Care to walk me home again?”

Rowan led the the way down the stairs.

“I’m sorry, Dylan gets a bit shy. He does really like you I think,” Aelin apologised. “I think he gets that from Sam.”

“It’s fine, he seems like a nice boy,” Rowan said.

“He’s the best,” Aelin said. They had got to Aelin’s front gate, standing there awkwardly. “Thanks for walking me back. Goodnight.”

Aelin walked away, all the way up to her door. Rowan just watched her as she unlocked the door.

“Aelin, I…” Rowan said and she turned to him.

She looked at him, really looked at him, like she could read everything about him like she always had a way of doing. Her face softened and her eyes were sad as she pushed the door open and said, “Would you like to come in?”

~~~~~

Tags:

@fucking-winchester-trash // @literary-licorice // @galyxsy // @tangledraysofsunshine // @highqueenofelfhame // @3am-reading // @soup-that-is-too-hawt // @aelinfire-bringer // @nalgenewhore // @highladyofthesith // @http-itsrebecca // @sleep-and-books // @average-girl-at-best // @alifletcher2012 // @westofmoon // @sleeping-and-books // @ttakeitbacknoww // @ugh-jesy // @mariamuses // @chocolate-eating-bitch-queen // @velarian-trash // @queenofxhearts // @heroesofterrasen // @highladyofstoriesandmusic // @empire-of-wildfire // @camerooonchiu // @crackedship //  @lowhangingtreebranches // @over300books // @yourwhisperingshadows // @thesirenwashere // @tswaney17 // @impossiblescissorspeachpaper // @cat5313 // @judelovescardan // @flowerspringsea // @chaoticskyy // @the-regal-warrior // @fanfictrash3000 // @blueeyes425 // @starseternalnighttriumphant // @bamchickawowow // @thehuntressofmoon // @giorgia-the-trashpanda // @flora-and-fae // @thereaderandfangirl // @illyrian-bookworm // @chemicha // @meltalgel-ig // @gay-book-nerd // @that-odd-puzzle-piece // @i-love-all-books // @in-love-with-caramel-macchiato // @girl-who-reads-the-books

[novantinuum]

Crack the Paragon, Chapter 10

Fandom: Steven Universe

Rating: General Audiences

Words: 5.8K~

Summary: In another world, he doesn’t have his mother’s sword or shield to hide behind when Bismuth lands her strike. The bubble pops.

Steven falls apart.

Chapter summary: In which Steven's done with moping around and waiting for something to change.

You can find the AO3 link in the reblogs! (I have to omit them from the original post these days to ensure this will show up in the tags.) If you enjoyed this, I’d greatly appreciate your support through reblogs here, or kudos on AO3 as well.

A big thank you to my friend Ganaroth for helping me with edits for this chapter!

_

Chapter 10: Beta, Part 1

Morning light filters through the loft’s window and glints off his phone screen, obscuring the selfie Connie just sent from his view. Though at some deep cognitive level Steven’s a bit annoyed at this interference, outwardly he moves on automatic with barely a feather ruffled, rolling onto his back atop the rumpled bedspread. He holds his phone above his face— right over his nose— humming as he admires the photo. She’s grinning, her long hair pinned back with clips. Her eyes shimmer with every bit of joy a smile that wide suggests. True happiness. Before he knows it he feels his cheeks lift, a smile of his own stretching across his face to mirror hers.

The rest of the photo is just as beautiful.

Beyond the railing his friend leans on is a breathtaking view of wild grasses, ferns, and delicate purple flowers, the patches of greenery half submerged in a lake of water as far as one can imagine. A large flock of birds float on the water’s surface some distance away. Behind her, the setting sun bathes the sky in streaks of orange and pink, the warmth of the ambient light kissing her brown skin. It looks like something straight out of a storybook.

Either that, or a dream. A good dream, the kind that lingers in your mind afterward like the sweet scent of wild strawberries.

oh, that’s so pretty!! he types in response, fingers flying over the keys. where is this?

Just as he hits send, though, another message from her pushes through and answers his question:

Morning!!! :DD Soooo rn we’re exploring this really cool wetlands area! Service is pretty terrible out here btw, so I probably can’t talk for a bit. Fingers crossed my texts send!

His heart grows warm as he reads her words. Even if it’s not as good as seeing her face to face, he’s still so happy they can communicate while she’s on her trip. She looks like she’s having so much fun. He wastes no time in sending a whole cluster of hearts, stars, and smiley faces back at her.

But as he watches his message deliver, the text’s bubble shifting from grey to blue, he finds that airy, bubbly feeling he got looking at Connie’s photo pulling away from him like sand and driftwood on the receding tides. Somehow, all these emoticon smiles just ring hollow right now.

Four days have passed since the disaster everyone’s come to refer to in whispers as ‘the forge incident.’ Not many, not enough for the terrifying memory of what happened down there amidst the blackened stone and fire to stop seeping into his dreams, but thankfully enough that the Gems have stopped coddling and babying him about it. (A sweet relief, that, and one of the many reasons he’s not planning on telling any of them about his recent nightmares. Goodness knows they already have enough to worry about.) Four days. That’s it. The thought of just how little time that is leaves him dizzy. Four days since he was almost shattered by someone he thought was a friend. Four days since two halves fused back into a whole, since his gem rotated to expose the facets that before, his mo... that Rose had hid from her friends… from the whole world. Four days since discovering that his pupils apparently morph into pink rimmed diamonds now whenever he taps into his powers. (And wasn’t that just another wallop to the gut for everyone, Pearl especially). Four days without Garnet, without stability, without blissful protection from the truth: that Rose wasn’t truly the quartz she claimed she was.

Steven still doesn’t understand the how or the why of that.

Truth be told, it’s not a topic he’s ready to dwell on yet.

He shifts to sit up on his bed. Somewhere on the distant shore beyond the window’s glass Amethyst is shouting, her rhythmic, guttural battle cries loud enough that they’re audible from inside the house. There’s no end to this on the radar. For the past few days she’s done nothing but seclude herself away and drill, pushing her hard light body to the brink through endless strength and agility exercises. In the light of recent difficulties no one’s addressed it with her yet, but it’s no secret this is partly related to her insecurities about Jasper.  

Meanwhile, Ruby (who finally returned home on her own yesterday morning) sits on the floor right below him, handling the controller of his Grintendo console with an iron grip that would serve as a genuine contender in Beach City’s underground arm wrestling league. He set her up on his brand new copy of Fight Fighters just an hour or so ago. As far as he knows, she’s enjoying it. It’s sorta hard to tell. She certainly hasn’t given up yet, (she’s way too stubborn for that), but it seems like the levels are difficult enough that they’re giving her a run for her money. Glancing away from his phone, he watches her fuss with the first boss fight for a moment. The Gem’s face is— if it’s possible— even redder than usual as she mashes the proper buttons for her character’s combo attack, muttering in syllables spoken too low for him to intelligibly understand.

A few minutes pass. Ruby sneaks in one solid strike, but eventually the boss overtakes her by merit of their sheer size alone, and her character is defeated. Game Over flashes on the screen in bold orange striped letters.

“Aw, phooey! You were really close that time,” he says.

Truth be told, her playing style is kinda… a huge mess, but there’s no encouraging way to say that. Plus, it’s not like it’s a lie to say she got closer to beating this fight than the last time she attempted it. Maybe she’ll figure it out with a few more rounds.

Ruby drops the controller in her lap, and glances back at him. “Heh. Thanks, Steven,” she responds with a weak smile. “At least I finally got in a hit, right?”

“Yeah, you’re getting better every round! You still up for more? We can play tag team together, if you want.”

“Eh, I’m done for today. I’m no good at these kinda games. At least, not without...“

A wave of melancholy envelops her in a flash, suffocating the last glints of light within her burgundy red irises. Inhaling deeply, she lifts her gemless hand, holding it to her chest tight as she mourns what used to be. Steven doesn’t move to say anything, letting her have her silent moment. Reassurance can be nice, but as he’s learned recently, the sad truth is that sometimes not every problem can be solved with a few well-thought words.

Amethyst’s distant shouts interrupt the somber atmosphere like a jackhammer to concrete, yanking them both solidly back into reality. Ruby’s brow creases.

“Is she still at it out there?” she says, frowning as she glances at the door. “She looked exhausted when she came outta her room this morning.”

Steven frowns, stuffing his phone in his pocket. “Yeah. I tried to ask if she wanted to play Topple Tower with me last night, but I’m pretty sure she was ignoring me. I hope she’s okay…”

Sighing, she slumps back against the large swath of comforter that dangles halfway off his mattress, letting her compact, coily hair smush against its surface. “Oh, she’s not. No one in this dang house is. I just wish Sapphire would come back already,” she says, voice cracking as she speaks her name. “She’s been in there for so long now.”

Prompted by her heartbroken words, he glances at the temple door across the house, seeing both Pearl and Sapphire’s gems alight on the central star. Pearl is simply taking a rest in solitude this morning, but as for the blue Gem… she hasn’t shown her face since she disappeared into her room four days ago. It’s beginning to become mighty worrying. And besides, he really misses her. They barely get a chance to hang out beyond the rare emergency. His lip juts out in a small pout.

It’s so hard to move on with life when you’re constantly being reminded of what once was.

Eventually, Ruby decides she’s had enough challenge for the morning and passes command of the controller to him. Figuring he’s got nothing better to do today, he shrugs and starts a new save file. Half an hour or so passes as he grinds through levels like a pro. Now sitting next to him, bundled like a burrito in one of his blankets, the red Gem watches his gameplay with starry eyes, enraptured. He double jabs at the D-pad to call upon a secret ability, fingers blazing across the buttons with practiced fluency. Just as he’s about to hit the finishing blow on Professor Doom, the beach house door slams open. On sheer impulse he flings the controller to free his hands, his whole body seizing upon the sound. Hard plastic clatters against the floor. The world tints pink.

Ruby jolts to attention from inside his bubble, struggling to unwind herself from the blanket's grasp. “Whoa, what’s—“

“Hey, nerds,” Amethyst mumbles, dragging herself and her uncoiled whip through the doorway. The length of the weapon drags along the floorboards like a dejected dog’s tail. Her tired, hardened pupils meet his no doubt diamond-shaped ones, shades of confusion flickering across her expression as she visibly takes note of the shimmering sphere he’s subconsciously enveloped himself in. “Geez, it’s just me.”

“I- I know,” he croaks, flushing red, “s-sorry, I know. You spooked me, ‘s all.”

She squints, and dissipates her whip. “Dude, I didn’t even do anything.”

“I know... It’s just me being dumb, sorry.”

“You’re not dumb,” Ruby reminds him with a saddened frown, placing her gem adorned hand on his shoulder.

He doesn’t respond, instead taking a deep breath and willing the bubble to recede. Once it’s all but disappeared in a shimmering afterimage of hard light, he crawls across the floorboards to retrieve his poor abused controller. Joystick securely within his grip once more, his eyes drift back to his game. Seems he’s in dire health. Not only did his character lose his perfect attack window, but Dr. Doom has healed himself and continued to rail upon him while he remained idle. His heart drops.

“Awww,” he whines, deflating. “I almost had ‘im!”

The temple door slides open, causing both Steven and Ruby to snap to awareness. (For wildly differing reasons of course, but the result is the same.) Amethyst stands beyond the warp pad, about to cross the threshold into solitude once more.

Nooo, don’t leave! his heart cries in silence. You just came back!

This conversation is already the most interaction he’s gotten out of her since their waffle breakfast four days ago. Ever since, she’s hidden herself away to brood and train. He scowls, fingers shifting rhythmically on the casing of his game controller. Gosh, he’s so sick and tired of this. He’s tired of moping, of acting like they can never have a happy moment ever again just because their circumstances are different now. It’s not true. Things can get better! Heck, he’ll make it better! Somehow. Maybe. He just needs to figure out a plan, and soon… before everyone scatters to be on their own again.

Hmm, think, Steven, think think think! What makes Amethyst happy? Destroying trash? She’s been at it all morning already, probably not. Food? Wouldn’t necessarily get her out of the temple.

He eyes a green sock puppet strewn on the floor by his closet. Months-old memories rush through his mind, of wearing a cardboard box on his head, insisting amidst protests that this puppet represented the emerging Cluster.

...Peridot?

They did get along really well at Funland a few weeks back. Hmm. Y’know, that might actually work.

“Hey, Amethyst,” he calls, and sets the controller on his bedspread. She stops halfway through the doorway of her room, motionless, seemingly waiting for him to continue. It almost looks as if she wants him to give her a reason to stay outside. “You, uh- are you done training for today?”

“For now,” she answers in a low voice, rhythmically clenching and unclenching her fists.

“D’ya maybe wanna go visit Lapis and Peridot with me? Get outta the house?”

She turns, lips pursed as she deliberates in depth. After what feels like— to his antsy, impatient soul— an eternity later, she responds with a half-hearted shrug.

“Yeah, sure. Whatever.”

Steven grins. He scrambles to his feet and floats off the loft to the ground floor before she can decide otherwise. “Sweet, let’s go right now!” he says, bursting with enthusiasm. After crossing the room in a flash, he takes ahold of Amethyst’s arm and gently leads her up the steps to the warp pad, the other Gem making no obvious signs of dissent. Good. That’s a good sign. The immediate problem sorted, he glances back from whence he came. “Ruby, you want in?”

She’s still tangled within his bedding, but shifts upon mention.

“Nah, I’m good,” she says, rolling on her back under the covers so that she’s peering at them upside down. “If Sapphire finally comes out, I wanna be here for that.”

Steven nods. “Okay! Well, see ya’! We’ll be back sometime later this afternoon.”

“Probably,” Amethyst mutters, crossing her arms.

“Yeah, maybe longer, maybe not. We’ll see! Feel free to play any of my games if you wanna, okay?”

“And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, ya’ party animal,” the quartz drones, the bite of dull sarcasm seeping into her words.

With a resounding ring the warp activates and whisks them away.

_________

The young half-Gem takes a deep lungful of air as he skips through the grassy countryside, his chest expanding to full capacity. Ah, it feels so good to be outside, and with a change of scenery, at that! He should’ve done this ages ago.

Outside of all the heartache of their recent family crisis, it’s a perfect September day; not too warm and not too blustery. The sky’s almost entirely clear, barring the faint streaks of white softening the horizon's edges. Birds chirp brazenly as they swoop with daring purpose from tree to tree. A few leaves are just beginning to flutter down from their overstuffed boughs. ‘Tis the season! Pretty soon this area will be awash with sprinkles of vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows. Gee, he hopes he can convince Amethyst to goof off in the woods with him again this year. They could go leaf sledding! That was the most fun he’d had in ages when they did it last time.

How is Amethyst doing, anyways?

Masking his worried frown, he glances behind. Her lips press in a sour scowl, her non-dominant hand clenched by her side. Barely a heartbeat passes as she reaches to her gem with the other, pulling her whip into existence in a glittering flash of light. Instantaneously, the crystal tips of the three-pronged flail expand into barbed spheres. She mutters to herself as she grips the handle, unsatisfied. He doesn’t understand why, though? She summoned it so fast! Like, under a second for sure. As far as he’s concerned, that’s awesome!

He watches her summon, dissipate, and re-summon her whip three times in a row before he decides it's time to intervene with her spiraling frustration.

“Hey, don’t ya’ wanna take a break from all that for a bit?” he begins with a measure of caution. “You’ve been working super hard lately!”

“I already am taking a break," she says, slashing at a few rocks strewn on the ground as they climb the last rolling hill. “That’s why I’m here with you, right?”

“Well sure, but breaks aren't supposed to be about training, they’re supposed to be about having fun. And visiting Peridot and Lapis should be tons of fun, I promise!”

Amethyst’s eyes narrow at the very thought. “Yeah, ‘cause when I think fun, I think Lapis.”

“Hmm, I wonder what they’re up to lately,” he muses out loud, hand pressed to his chin.

She lets out a dry scoff, allowing her whip to dissipate once more. “Don’t know, don’t care. Let’s just get this over with.”

He frowns. His shoulders drooping a bit at the sight of her almost hostile melancholy, he glances away.

Thankfully, in a well-timed diversion from the worries of her mental state, Lapis and Peridot’s place of settlement comes into full view as they reach the hill’s summit. Steven’s jaw falls ajar, stopping in his tracks at the sight. (Amethyst, who isn’t paying attention to where she’s walking amidst her brooding, almost rams into the back of him.)

“Whoa,” he says, drinking in the new additions. “Look what they did to the barn!”

He’s not sure ‘barn’ is an apt description for it anymore. No, no. Rather, in the weeks since he last saw Lapis and Peridot, this place has transformed into a full-out homestead.

The grain silo that stood nearby has been tilt at an angle and used to enclose the side of the barn Peridot blew a hole in with her epic giant robot. Their smaller than average lake? It’s now fitted with a ladder, along with metal piping to keep the water level high. Stretched taut between the roof of that silo and a funky hodgepodge spire they formed out of old airplane parts is a clothes line, with a number of shirts and towels hanging off it. Admiring the finer details of their set up, if a person could point at an object and conceivably call it junk, they’ve probably found a creative way to make it decorative. Rusty bicycles, old tires, couch cushions, broken deer antlers, you name it. And then that old truck he slept in every night while working on the drill? It now serves as the proud centerpiece of their little home, the cargo bed solidly affixed above the barn’s entrance. He spots the two former Homeworld Gems sitting up there with the TV, shaded from the midmorning glow with a sun bleached umbrella. Whatever they’re watching, they’re transfixed.

Grinning, he peels away from Amethyst and dashes the rest of the way, feeling the faint breeze dance between his curls. Wow wow wow, he’s seriously got like a hundred questions for them, and a hundred missed hugs to make up for!

“Hey, guys!” he calls, once he’s directly below the truck.

Lapis’s browline raises, attention nabbed. It’s enough to peel her eyes away from the television (is that Camp Pining Hearts he hears??) to meet his. A subtle but undoubtedly caring smile rushes across her face as she sprouts wings and drops from the truck’s bed to greet him.

“Steven! It's so good to see y- oof!”

He nearly barrels her over with his hug, clutching to her like a lone life raft in the midst of the open sea. Surprised and still quite rigid in her affections, her arms awkwardly move to pat his back in return. It’s a silent embrace on his part, yet simultaneously manages to say more than words alone ever could. At this point he’s not even sure words could do justice to the complex emotions that are all jumbled in his head. Only a few short weeks have passed since they hung out together. So why then does he feel like he hasn’t seen either of them in years?

“Steven, Amethyst!” Peridot chimes eagerly, dropping down from the truck and striding out into the sun. She screeches to a halt in front of them, expression pressing inwards in that uniquely inquisitive Peridot-like manner as she takes inventory of the scene before her. “Uhm… Is… everything okay?”

He pulls back from the stunned Lapis, and gently wipes at the corners of his eyes. “Yeah, I’m just really, really happy to see you guys, that’s all!”

“Oh, yes! Of course. It’s only natural to miss the fulfillment of our company,” she says without missing a beat. Turning her gaze to her other visitor, the green Gem balls her hand against her chin. “Amethyst! Something looks different about you…”

She crosses her arms over the white tank top of her new form, her nose scrunching up. “Like what?”

“Have you grown taller since the last time I saw you?”

Amethyst’s eye twitches. An infinitude of silence passes, in which she shoots her a glare sharper than the edges of the crystal studs on her whip. Honestly, being on the receiving end of her weapon might’ve hurt less. Sweat beads at his brow as he watches the situation unfold, yearning with every fiber of his being for a world where he actually feels confident enough to delicately intervene instead of silently standing by as Peridot’s sense of tact veers straight off a cliff.

Behind them, Lapis saves them both and clears her throat.

“O-or… maybe I was mistaken,” the former kindergartener says lowly, flushing with shame. “My apologies.”

There’s a whisper of chill to the air enough to make him shiver as the quartz once more chooses not to respond, and shifts her gaze to her feet. She digs divots into the dirt with her toes, already disengaging from social interaction again, slipping further away with every passing birdsong from the entire purpose of this friendly visit. He presses his lips tight, masking a frown. So far, nothing is going as planned, huh? As big of a dreamer he may be, he can’t say he’s surprised. Nothing in his life has gone to plan since he accidentally slipped on that tree branch inside Lion’s mane. Still, there’s gotta be some way to save this, right?

Come on, Steven, think positive!

Before anyone can quite begin to catch on to his troubled nature, he plasters a manufactured smile on his face. “Wow, you guys are looking good!” he says cheerily. “And I love what you did to the barn!”

“Aww! I know,” she replies, regaining her grin as she glances between him and Lapis. “But wait, wait! You guys have to see the inside!”

And with this declaration, a few magical minutes pass wherein the two of them receive the highest honor of enjoying the Official Barn Grand Tour, presented by the very artists themselves. In a word, it’s a transformative experience. The outside looks amazing, yes, but in his wholehearted opinion the personal touches on the interior decor raises the place’s coziness to the next level. Over the past few weeks, Peridot and Lapis have spent their efforts transforming all the mementos and broken scraps of their lives into art, (or ‘meep-morp,’ as Lapis calls it), displaying the pieces all throughout their shared home. Peridot’s broken audio recorder now rests peacefully on a stand, a sky blue ribbon tied around the fractures at its middle. Touchingly, he learns that Lapis kept the leaf he gave her, delicately propping it upright in a clump of soil. A TV affixed to the ceiling beams with metal cables plays a clip of CPH on repeat. He has a niggling suspicion that the clip she selected represents her lingering trauma about, like... being trapped in a mirror for thousands of years, but according to her it’s merely a fan’s shrine of the show. Still, while discussing books together Connie once told him that all art is subjective and authorial intent is dead, so respectfully he’s sticking to his interpretation. But regardless of its meaning, he’s so, so happy to see her freely making things for herself.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the creative spectrum, Peridot’s green alien plush is floating alongside various hunks of garbage in the hodgepodge aquarium at the side wall. Its slow voyage through the tank is admittedly entrancing, but oh, do those big deep eyes grow more and more unnerving the longer he stares at them. The last straw comes when he watches stuffing slowly drift out of a gaping hole in the fabric at its neck. Subtly cringing, he takes a step back from the glass to go admire something else. Sometimes art isn’t made for everyone, and that’s okay.

It takes a few moments before he makes the proper connections and realizes that the red bow tie Peridot is wearing around her neck used to be that plush’s. Oh… oh geez.

Amethyst, however, doesn’t seem to be buying any of it. In fact, she’s barely cracked a smile since they entered the barn, not even at Peridot and Lapis’ collaborative toilet morp. And who doesn’t laugh at toilets? On any normal day she’d eat that kind of stuff right up.

“This is so stupid,” she mutters, her eyes thin slits as she stares with a frustratingly unreadable expression at the four liquid pillars shooting up out of the bowls.

Disappointment flickers across Lapis’ face like stars on the morning horizon. She quickly releases her iron hold on the water, channeling it into the heart of the tanks. A similar emotion colors Peridot’s features for a moment, and he briefly worries their visit may be cut off short, but after meeting his encouraging glance she shakes it off and promptly begins to move on to the next item of their home tour.

“Alright,” she says, folding her hands behind her back all prim and proper, “I see you're not impressed. But—“

“Hey, you guys!” a familiar voice shouts from the distance, growing closer and closer with each passing moment. “I’m here! I came! Is it too late to join in?”

All four of them whirl around at the interruption.

Peridot squints. “Is that…”

“Ruby?” Lapis finishes, confusion etched across her features with pinpoint precision.

“Ruby!” Steven calls, sliding across the floorboards to meet her at the barn door. “No, you're not late, you’re just in time! Look, look, look—“ He takes her by the hand and whisks her inside, almost sweeping her clear off her feet in the process.

Her mouth falls agape as she drinks in the rustic atmosphere, the air now a good deal lighter thanks to her interruption.

“Whoa… this place looks completely different!”

“I know, right??” he says with an untamable grin. He gestures wildly at all of their unique creations. “It’s art! Isn’t it great? Peridot and Lapis have been showing us all this super cool stuff they’ve made!”

“Yes, I suppose we are pretty great,” the green Gem says, puffing out her chest.

Lapis rolls her eyes in response. No amount of sass can hide the action’s underlying fondness, though. Steven’s no imperceptive fool. She may act pretty aloof at times, but once you get to know her she’s not that hard to read at all. One merely has to pay attention to the subtle shifts in her demeanor. It’s the little things: the incline of her brow, a slight tilt of the head, the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it twitch of her lips as she pretends she doesn’t care as much as she does. And then, the more she trusts you, the less tense her posture is and the more she opens up. It makes his heart sing to know that Peridot has seemingly been added to that roster.

“Eh,” she murmurs with the hint of a smile, leaning back against the wall behind her roommate. “I guess we’re okay.”

Amethyst crosses her arms, her eyes narrowing as she peers down at Ruby. “So, what’s up with you? I thought you said you wanted to mope at the temple.”

She shuffles her feet. “Well…”

“And I thought you and that Sapphire never unfused,” Lapis says, ever so blunt. “Except... for baseball,” she hastily amends. Consumed by a spike of panic, her gaze darts towards the doorway with guarded suspicion. “We don’t have to play baseball again... right?”

“Hmmm… I mean, we could play baseball,” Steven muses, pressing his hand to his jaw.

That’s certainly one way he could encourage Amethyst to enjoy some bonding time with everyone. He has a bunch of fond memories of the last game they played together. Well, okay, so maybe he could’ve done without the ceaseless feeling of dread brought by batting against Homeworld loyalists with unknown intentions, but beggars can’t be choosers. As his first time playing a full game it was still 70% a good time.

Meanwhile, Peridot’s petite frame quivers at the reminder of that day. She grips at her hair, large tufts of yellow poking out from between her fingers.

“Oh my stars, they’re coming back??”

Ruby throws her a bemused side glance. “Uh—“

“Get behind me, Lapis,” she continues, daringly throwing her body in front of her roommate. “I’ll protect us from those Homeworld brutes this time!”

“We’re not playing baseball!” Amethyst cuts in.

His lips curl into a pout. “Aw, but it’d be so much fun!”

She crosses her arms, visibly walling herself off. “Uh, no, it wouldn’t! ‘Sides, there’s no immediate danger, there’s no Homeworld Rubies on our doorstep, so there’s NO reason on this planet I’d play that stupid game again!”

Eyes narrowing with mild exasperation, Lapis nudges her way out from the green Gem’s overprotection. “‘Kay. So, is anyone here actually gonna explain what’s going on, or?”

Nervously rocking on her heels next to him, Ruby rests her hand against her chin.

“Well…”

“Ruby and Sapphire are kinda… taking some time apart?” he delicately explains in her steed, noticing her hesitation. It’s probably something that’s really hard for her to talk about right now, and boy can he relate to that.

“Yeah,” she says in confirmation, kicking her toes against the floor boards. “I didn’t exactly want to, but Sapphy needs her space.”

For all her initial dislike of the fusion Gem, Peridot looks genuinely heartbroken at this revelation. “But… why?” she asks, peering between the three Crystal Gems in wait of further clarification. “Aren’t you two basically inseparable?”

Faint hints of lemon peel and nutmeg linger in the air like silent sentries to their distress. Steven stands in the kitchen with Pearl, Garnet, and his dad, Amethyst lounging on the other side of the counter, and their dirty breakfast dishes still lying stagnant in the sink. Garnet’s kneeling before him. She’s speaking, but he’s so distraught he can’t quite recall what it is she said. His dad’s hand rests on his shoulder, the pressure ever so slightly working to ground him to this moment again. He’s biting back tears, isn’t he? Trying not to cry for the umpteenth time that day. What happened? What changed? Everything’s fixed, yeah? He’s whole again! They were all supposed to be so happy now, and yet… the sight of the morning sun reflecting off the face of Garnet’s visor as she delivers that ill-fated news is the bitter, tangible proof that they’re not.  

“Ruby and Sapphire have decided they want to take some time apart. Indefinitely.”

Amethyst’s expression is colored with hurt. “But… why?”

In the present he stiffens, suddenly polarized by the realization that the path of this conversation has but one destined endpoint. Sooner or later, his friends will hear about what happened to him four days back, what happened to his family, what he learned about his... about Rose. There’s no avoiding this forever. After all, if they don’t learn it from him, they’ll eventually learn it from someone else. And don’t they deserve to know? This affects them too!

But if the recent past has taught him anything, it’s that the truth about Rose Quartz only succeeds in breaking people apart. It stole Garnet away. It shook his relationship with Amethyst and Pearl to the core. It caused them all to argue and fight, back at the fountain and at home. Give it time, and he’s sure the truth will find a way to press fissures in his relationships with Connie and Dad, too. So what happens, then, when Peridot and Lapis find out? In what way will the truth break them?

Just a little while longer, he promises himself. Just one more good day, please, that’s all I want…

“They, um- it’s just a couples thing,” he stammers, chest growing tight. “It’s just for a little bit. Sometimes people need time away from each other, y’know?”

Ruby‘s expression grows tense, sniffing out his white lie from a mile away. “Steven...“

“It’s totally healthy and normal, and not at all a reason for concern!”

“Kinda sounds like we should be concerned,” Lapis mutters. “All of you have been acting weird this whole time, so spill! What’s going on?”

Their words start to become faint and distant in the shadow of his wildly pounding heart, so wondrously human and organic and alive, and yet so endlessly frustrating in its autonomy. Why can’t he hear clearly? What’s up with that awful ringing he can’t get rid of? It’s almost as if he’s listening to everyone ten feet under choppy waters, but they’re all standing right next to him. They’re right there.

The red Gem scratches at her neck, meeting Amethyst's harsh, crystal-studded glance first. Her mouth opens. Still disorientated, Steven misses a good half of it.

“...wants to tell ‘em?” she finishes, waiting dutifully for their responses.

As expected the quartz remains silent on the matter, feigning indifference as she crosses her arms and returns to staring sullenly into the middle distance. Ruby turns to him next. His skin feels downright clammy now, almost as bad as it did when he was almost dyi— NO! Stop! He shakes his head fervently, sweeping his hands horizontal in a signal for her to cut the conversation. He can’t do this. Not now, not today, not ever, he can’t—

Lapis bristles. “Tell us what?”

“Um, nothing, nothing!” he bursts out, clumsy words pouring from his mouth almost quicker than his brain can move to stack them up. “It’s a long story, and we’re all here to have some fun and shoot the breeze, right? Right. ‘Course we are! So we don’t have to talk about that right now, we can talk about it later, and for now we should try to have a good time and enjoy each other’s compa—“

Amethyst slams her foot to the floor so hard the wooden board underneath cracks. Both Steven and Lapis flinch.

“Ughh, you guys! Stop dancing around the headline!” she shouts. “You really wanna know what happened? Steven almost died ‘cause he got his gem busted, and then we found out Rose Quartz was totally a sham and she’s like, Pink Diamond n’ junk, okay?!”

A stunning silence follows this inopportune announcement, in which he swears he can hear his stomach gurgle. On any typical day he'd be thinking about lunch around this time, except at the moment he genuinely almost feels sick to his stomach. Right now he wants nothing more than to turn tail and run, run away from all of this, and yet chained to his fate just as Lonely Blade was destined to his, his legs remain firmly shackled in place. Standing at his side, Peridot blinks in dumbfounded shock.

“What.”

“S-she’s- You’re a DIAMOND??” Lapis shrieks, water wings shooting from her back on impulse.

“Whaaaat?”

_______

Notes: 

The next few chapters will be a bit familiar to y'all, but I'm not doing a beat for beat rehash, I assure you. Events start similarly here because the world external to Steven’s sphere of influence is still operating the same as it does in canon. The ripples haven’t fully spread yet. After this arc, they absolutely will have.

I do have a bonus scene to share soon- set between chapters 9 and 10. I'll likely post that before chapter 11.

Oh, and by the way- the location Connie's visiting is inspired by a real place- the Harike Wetlands in Punjab, India. Apparently India is actually a series of islands in the SU universe...? But I like to believe there’s still a cool wetlands region on one of those islands.

#su #steven universe #amethyst #su fanfiction #su fanfic #ruby #lapis lazuli #peridot #crack the paragon #my writing stuff