#oh and sometimes when this guy's mom dies? you should definitely confess your love to him

[kweerkitten]

sometimes, you have to be not-like-other-girls; sometimes when a guy tells you he's in love with you, you have to shoot him in the arm

#oh and sometimes when this guy's mom dies? you should definitely confess your love to him #shatter me #currently reading #destroy me #unravel me #fracture me #ignite me #aaron warner #juliette ferrars #juliette x warner #kenji kishimoto #adam kent #tahereh mafi #believe me #imagine me #defy me #restore me #find me #warnette

[cobrakaisb]

Being Best Friends with Hawk and Miguel (HC)

this is my first headcannon, so let me know what you guys think and if you want to see more stuff! :) also this is kinda long (sorry) so just a heads up.

Okay so I like to think that Miguel and Hawk have the same gym class

And you are definitely in that gym class, but didn’t really notice them until they joined Cobra Kai. 

probably because of the mohawk ngl

Anyways

For some reason the three of you end up becoming friends through gym class

I feel like the three of you were on the same dodgeball team 

and it’s just the three of you left

and you, like the boss bitch that you are, stand behind the two instructing them on what to do

and they listen 

and you win

and then yall become instant friends. 

Hawk definitely introduced himself first: “I’m Hawk” + confident smile

your most likely laugh at him, until you realize that he’s 100% serious

Miguel laughs with you tbh

The three of you go from gym buddies, to school friends, to hanging out at each other’s house every other day. 

You all get so close so fast

The three of you definitely have designated movie nights at someone’s house every week where each of you pick a movie and you watch them

sometimes you’ll watch old tv shows like iCarly or Jessie, but it’s mostly movies

You bring out Hawk’s nerd side, but that’s a secret you’ll never tell

“I’m so mad that Dobby died” “Dude same, I’m still not over that tbh” - y/n and Hawk 

The boys are total softies for you. 

“Can we listen to One Direction?” “NO!” “Please 🥺?” “yes” - y/n, miguel & hawk

They both secretly love One Direction, but will never admit that to you

Miguel introduced you to 80s rock and you love it

I feel like Hawk really likes MGK so he gets you into that 

if you’re already into this stuff your obsession only grows

Someone always thinks that the youre dating at least one for them

exchanges looks of disgust: “Eww!” “I have a girlfriend” “Sensei it’s not like that” (i’ll let you guess who says what)

Speaking of sensei, let’s get into the karate aspect of your friendship

The boys beg you to join Cobra Kai, but I feel like you decline 

They respect your decision obvi, but demanded that you learn some for self defense purposes

You go to the all-valley and cheer for the both of them

You probably show up looking like that one kid’s mom (jk unless that’s your style)

You cheer the loudest, but only for Hawk and Miguel

partly because they're your besties and partly because you don’t know anyone else 

When Miguel wins you run onto the mats and give him a hug. It doesn’t matter that you aren’t supposed to be there, he’s surrounded by his Cobra Kai, and hasn’t even got the trophy yet. 

Of course you hug Hawk and probably lecture him for getting disqualified because let’s be real that boy has SKILL

anyways

You go out for nachos with the other cobras and immediately hit it off with Aisha 

You also love Bert, like he literally becomes your adopted child 

I feel like you and Demetri also really get along

This makes the boys happy because now you can all hang together and you’re happy because you just gained three new friends :) 

When Miguel is sulking about Sam you go and comfort him

Like just give him a big hug please 🥺

And then Hawk comes over, and makes his stupid joke about getting blocked and counter punching. 

“Oh I’ll counter punch you!” 

Insert you and hawk play fighting until Miguel laughs

When they find out about Robby you find out about Robby because those boys have no sense of personal space 

“We should ask sensei.”

 “No you shouldn’t! He’ll probably make you scrub mats”

You then proceed to meet them at cobra Kai after practice 

And are waiting there for an extra hour on your bike 

When they come out you make some smart ass comment about how you were right 

You watch their performance at valley fest and seriously consider joining karate

The boys are so excited 

Hawk pulls out the fake to celebrate

Sensei Lawrence loves you

“So are you Diaz’s girl?” “Uh no sir” “oh my bad I should’ve known you were with hawk” “we are just friends sensei” 

Johnny doesn’t buy it 

Anyways back to you joining 

Kreese scares you and you find him sus

He’s high key the reason you back out of karate

The boys are sad along with Bert and Aisha, but understand that it’s not for you

When Hawk beats up Demetri at the mall you never find out about it 

Until Moon breaks up with him for it

And he calls you crying and confesses everything 

You’re angry at him but realize that he needs comfort so you push your feelings aside because he’s still your friend

Miguel tells you about him trashing miyagi-do 

That’s where you draw the line and confront the both of them 

“You guys are different and I don’t like it.” 

They both deny any changes, especially Hawk

You start avoiding them and they don’t get it

You don’t show up to moons party or anything because you don’t want to see them so the first day of school fight is a shock to you

You’re disappointed in Miguel for kissing Sam when he was clearly with Tory 

But you don’t want them to fight about it 

You meet Hawks eyes in the hallway and he’s silently telling you to stay out of it 

Because even though you aren’t on great terms right now he still cares about you 

Which is exactly what you do

You saw Miguel fall and cried instantly 

You were by his side with hawk, crying into his shoulder because Miguel wasn’t waking up 

“What if he dies and we weren’t even on good terms. He’s my best friend I can’t lose him without apologizing ” “Don’t talk like that he’ll be fine”

You and Hawk visit him everyday at the hospital 

You’ll tell him about your day and Hawk will sometimes add things in that you forget

“So we had a quiz in math-” “And y/n cried” “problem four was hard okay!?!”

You aren’t there when Miguel wakes up but you and Hawk go see him 

You cry when you see that Miguel’s awake and hug him gently 

You start apologizing and ranting about how much you love him and how worried you were and how you aren’t mad at him anymore 

Miguel reassured you that it’s fine and he understands why you were mad

He also points out how close you and Hawk are, but you quickly shut that down 

You help out at the car wash for Miguel 

When the cobra kais show up you tell them to leave because this was for your friend Miguel, and it didn’t matter who brought him the money

You find out about Hawk beating up Nathaniel from Demetri 

It’s safe to say you and Hawk aren’t as close anymore but still friends 

It’s when you found out about him breaking Demetri’s arm that you cut Hawk off completely 

“I can’t be friends with a bully”

That breaks Hawk, but he pretends like it doesn’t affect him

You and Johnny help Miguel try to walk again 

You’re more there for emotional support 

But Miguel appreciated it 

When Miguel can walk again you’re so happy 

Probably cry tbh

And give him a very big hug and kiss on the cheek 

When Miguel gets back together with Sam, you’re so happy for him even though you aren’t her biggest fan

When Miguel tells you that Johnny is opening up a new dojo you sign up instantly 

Miguel is SHOOK

“I felt so helpless at the school fight, I want to learn”

When Cobra Kai shows up to Eagle Fangs practice at the park Hawk is shocked to see you standing next to Miguel 

He also feels a little jealous that you picked Miguel over him 

When Kreese makes a comment about Miguel being paralyzed you're ready to pounce but Miguel and Johnny hold you back 

You’re at the LaRusso house when Cobra Kai attacks 

Instead of Demetri’s arm almost being broken again it’s you in that position 

Hawk sees and is filled with rage 

Because he still cares about you

He takes out the two boys and apologizes to you

You hug him, happy to have him back

Together you finish the fight 

You Hawk and Miguel go find Sam with Tory

“Traitors. You better watch your back,” “He won’t have to. He’s got friends watching it for him bitch”

Miguel and Hawk are surprised by your new attitude yet can’t help but feel proud 

All in all despite everything the three of you are the best of friends and nothing seems to change that.

#cobra kai x reader #cobra kai imagine #cobra kai #hawk cobra kai #hawk imagine #miguel diaz imagine #miguel diaz cobra kai #cobrakaisb writing

[quirklessidiot]

Title: coward :: brat Pairing: Y/N x Miya Atsumu  Genre: angst, romance, and very slow burn [ex to lovers au] Warnings: Cursing, alchohol, mentions of unprotected sex, unplanned pregnancy, and mentions of abortion

Synopsis: you finally see Miya Atsumu after six years, meanwhile, he feels pain when he realizes that you settled down with someone else that wasn’t him. notes: i um want to thank yall for supporting this story im- crying T-T I’m happy to inform everyone that i’ll be updating this twice a week every monday and saturday! yay!!! i was able to finish editing and im writing the last two chapters now. stay safe and big love to each and everyone of you <3

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“...Uh, Youta-Kun, Yuuto-kun, I thought you guys weren’t allowed to go.” Sugawara laughed nervously, knowing all too well where this would lead. He’s familiar with over-enthusiastic boys, in fact, one of those over-enthusiastic balls of sunshine was here right now entertaining them.

“K-Kaasan says it’s alright.” Yuuto lies but Sugawara quirked his brow, it was so obvious that he was lying.

“Yep, she did!” Youta grins, trying to help his twin but like him, he’s failing drastically.

“Then you won’t mind if I call your okaasa-”

“No!” Youta and Yuuto yell in unison. This made other people turn their way, Miya Atsumu watched the pair in amusement from afar. He noticed that they were late and that Sugawara had caught on to their scheme of joining in even without the parental consent, “We won’t join!” Youta proclaims, “Right, yu? W-We’ll pick up balls!”

Hinata feels his eyes glimmer at those words and decides to help them convince Sugawara but in the end, the twins were forced to be benched while the grey-haired teacher had to go back to the faculty to call you.

“It’s alright,” Hinata ruffles both their hairs, “We’ll try to come back next time and I’ll be sure to help convince your ‘kaasan.”

“Hey don’t plant false ideas in their head, Shoyou.” Atsumu grins, lazily jogging to their side. He directs his gaze to the twins that seem to oddly remind him of him and ‘samu when they were younger. The boy's gaze lingered a bit too long on him,unlike other kids who stared at him in awe, these ones were seething, “What are ya lookin’ at, kid?”

“Wow,you’re as mean as your brother.” Yuuto notes, eyeing him up and down. 

“Yeah.” Youta echoes.

Atsumu quirks a brow, this was quite the new reaction. Never in his life had a kid told him that he was mean as ‘Samu also how did they even know his twin brother?

“Now, now, don’t you think you should cut me some slack?” Atsumu tried to jokebut the twins remained unamused by the blonde’s antics, somehow Atsumu felt a sense of familiarity from their monotonous reactions.

“No thanks.” Yuuto crossed his arms, “The fake Atsumu made ‘kaasan cry and since you look like him, you might make ‘kaasan cry too.”

“What he said!” Youta agreed loudly, copying his older brother’s action.

Atsumu was just plain confused now, he admitted that Osamu had an attitude sometimes when he was annoyed but letting a mom cry in front of her kids? That’s definitely new and not-so ‘samu like (after all, he was apparently the nicer one between them)

“What’s the name of your okaasan-”

“Youta-Kun, Yuuto-kun, Your mom will be picking you up at the gate! Please go there now.” Sugawara cuts him off, Youta and Yuuto stand up and eye him for a bit.

“We’ll defeat you and your brother! Just wait and see, we’ll be as big as you and that other jiji!” Yuuto exclaims and before Atsumu could retaliate, they’re running off to the opposite direction. Hinata was laughing beside him, clutching his sides because apparently he was too petty while Sugawara looked at him with an apologetic expression.

“I wonder why L/N-san didn’t allow them to go, she’s usually very supportive of their hobbies, especially volleyball.” Sugawara frowns, suddenly voicing out his thoughts. Atsumu felt his shoulders stiffen at the sound of that familiar name. 

Osamu revealed he saw you last week then these kids suddenly confessed that his twin made their okaasan cry, he’s never seen you cry throughout your relationship (save for that night when you first me but you guys weren't together yet so that didn’t count). Maybe he was mistaken? it might be your relative or a common name.

After all, you were clear about not wanting a family.

“You know their mom well?” Hinata inquired,  Atsumu seems to be listening closely now, wanting to confirm if the person that Sugawara was talking about is you.

“Oh yeah, we're around the same age so I’m much closer to her than the other moms.” Sugawara blinks, “Those boys have to listen to their okaasan more. She’s raising them on her own since their dad died before he even got to know that L/N-san was pregnant. She seemed to be longing for him whenever he’s mentioned.”

A crease appeared on the blonde's forehead as he was suddenly in deep thought. It couldn’t be, right?

“Uh, Sugawara-san, may I know the name of the mom? Her last name sounds kind of familiar.” he questions, pretending to be nonchalant but inside, he feels like he had his heart on his throat.

If it was you, he’d feel those things that he desperately tried to hide behind his confident jokes and laughs. 

The pain.

The pain that you chose someone else and was open enough to the idea of starting a family. If that guy probably hadn’t died, you’d be together, happily raising those boys he had just met a while ago. Happily married, something that Atsumu tried to mention one fleeting moment while you were together back in college but you immediately shut the idea down and left him a month later.

The pain that you fell in love in a span of moments unlike Atsumu who relentlessly tried to gain your favour and follow you around like a lost puppy.

“Oh, her name’s Y/N L/N.”

Thankfully nothing unexpected happened after what the twins did, they ended up having to pick if they wanted their video game rights removed for a week or cancel their plans with their favorite ojisan who was coming by a few weeks from now, they chose the first one on that.

They had even mentioned that they met the real Miya Atsumu and although you felt like your heart lurched out of your chest and your shoulders stiffen at the mention of that man --- their father---  they simply had called him a rude jiji like his brother much to your relief.

“L/N-san, we seem to have a problem.” Aiko frowned, handing the papers to you, “The director of the advertisement department wants a bigger budget, do you mind running it through him again? You have to go to the studio though, I heard they’re doing some photo shoot now.”

You nodded in reply, taking the papers from your co-worker. The studio was a bit far so you ended up having to commute to get there, “What a nuisance.” You muttered, you needed to buy a second-hand car soon when you had enough money. It would definitely be easier for both you and the boys, “Uh excuse me? Is Nakamura-san here?” you asked the secretary on the front desk.

“And who are you?” the secretary snapped back, still typing away on her computer.

“Y/N L/N from the finance department, I have to run through the new budget liquidation with him.”

The secretary one-eyes you and the ID on your neck for a split second, “You better be quick, the boss wants only five minutes per guest since he’s personally handling the shoot today.” was all she replied, handing you the pass. You muttered a quick thank you and made your way up to the studio, whoever the model was today, they must’ve been big for Nakamura to handle them personally.

“Oh-ho, is that who I think it is?” a very, very familiar voice calls out.

“Inunaki-san.” You greeted, trying to maintain yourself, were these the big clients that Nakamura was handling? The black jackals? good fucking gracious, god must hate you.

“Wow,” he shakes his head, feigning amusement, “You’re still so calm and cool.”

You narrowed your eyes at the insult but you waved it off, “And you’re playing for a national team, congratulations.” you replied in a blank tone, your senior probably knew what happened between you and his fellow member. You wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he reacted the same way as Osamu did.

“We’re actually doing a shoot now, would you like me to call Atsu-”

“No.” your usual calm tone switched to a colder one, “I’m working now and so is Miya-san, please don’t bother yourself.”

“Gee,” he raised his hands, signalling defeat, “Just say you don’t want to see him. You don’t need to be so cold to me, my dear little kohai.”

“I have to go back to my job, I’m on the clock here.” You ignored his previous statement, “It was nice seeing you again Inunaki-san.”

Before you could give him a chance to reply, you headed towards the studio. You took a deep breath and mentally calculated to three.

one. 

It’s been six years, Miya Atsumu would ignore you. He wouldn’t care about the girl who left him out to dry in college. He’s got a girlfriend now, a model who has legs for days and looks ten times better than you and acts more like a girlfriend than you ever did.

two.

Yes, that’s right, he wouldn’t care.

three.

You entered the studio, you could feel the air tighten around you as soon as you heard that laughter. The one you used to hear everyday and never get tired of. For all the laughs you couldn’t do, he’d do it for you and boy, was he patient around you since you didn’t smile a lot back then (who were you kidding? until now you still had the same problem except when the kids were around)

You want to stop and stare, you want to admire him and his glory that you were very much proud of.

Yet your legs continue to carry you to your boss, the laughter seems to have ceased and you could hear someone asking him what was wrong.

“Oh, L/N-san?” Nakamura greeted you, “You’re here for the renewal of the budget?”

You nodded feverishly, your legs seem to be turning into jelly because you want to collapse from the nervousness and thank god that you wore some make-up before arriving here, otherwise, they would’ve noticed how pale you looked, “Everything seems to be in order,” He nods, scanning the sheets and handing them back to you, “Are you busy right now?”

You glanced at the wall clock, checking the time to see if you could extend your stay and Nakamura is quick to pick up on it, “Ah right, you’ve got kids to pick up. It’ll be quick, just help set up the blocks there and you’re free to leave.” he orders.

You nodded obediently and slowly turned to the side only to catch the very familiar chocolate brown eyes of the blonde. You feel your heart hammering in your chest and your feet turn cold, it had been six years since you last saw Miya Atsumu and he was still as winsome and exhilarating as he was back then.

You may have seen him a lot on television but seeing him, right here, a few feet away from you was different. Taking in a big gulp of air, you started working on the set-up as quickly as you could yet you could still feel his burning gaze remaining on you, “Tsum-tsum, lay off her will you.” came Inunaki Shion’s loud voice snaps him out of his daze.

Great, that little twat had to make an appearance.

“Y/N-san you should really say hi,” Inunaki teased as soon as you finish your set-up.

“Oh? You’re Y/N L/N?” the orange one gushed, quickly up on his feet, you recall him as Hinata Shoyou, Youta’s favorite orange-haired ninja, “Sugawara-san’s friend?” 

You hesitantly nodded, “Oh, you know her Sho-kun?” Shion asked, seemingly amused by it all.

“What are you all crowding here for, Hinata?” Another asked, peering in them closely. This one must’ve been Bokuto, another favorite of Yuuto.

“Sugawara-san’s friend! she’s the mother of those two boys in the training camp who had to go home early!” he suddenly turns to you and then grins, “Ne, ne, the boys really seem to want to attend one of those. Why don’t you allow them to join us-”

“Forget it, Hinata.” Atsumu suddenly speaks out, that warm voice that you were accustomed to seemed cold and menacing now, “She won’t allow it.”

Shion notices the tension between you two and when he’s about to usher the energetic duo away back to the dressing room along with the other members, you let out a quiet sigh and spoke out, “I was on my way to leave, please don’t bother yourselves.” You simply replied, you didn’t waver and stared at him dead in the eye, this could be the moment to end it all and cut ties with him officially, “I apologize for what I did back then, Miya-san. I should’ve told it to you in person. I offer my sincere congratulations to you for making it this far.”

The blonde clenched his jaw, it seemed like he wanted to say something to you yet when he realizes the usual calm and collected demeanor you're putting up, he decides against it and leaves you alone by storming away first.

Hinata and the guy named Bokuto looked at you --- completely puzzled and lost like a deer in the headlights --- before following the blonde, “You truly are in a whole ‘nuther level, Y/N.” Shion whistles, “Heard you’ve got two boys now though. Congrats, where's the poor bastard?”

You continue to watch the back of Atsumu Miya. Finally, it seemed like he’d left you alone and probably for good this time, “Gone, off to a better place.” was all you replied.

Inunaki notices the longing in your voice, a completely unfamiliar emotion he had never seen back then even when you and Atsumu were together. It seemed like you and Atsumu were both the poor bastards in the end.

Miya Atsumu sleeps alone that night.

He doesn’t call his girlfriend back despite the several missed calls, he doesn’t reply to the unanswered text of his brother and his teammates. All he feels is pain tonight, pain because of your very dry apology, pain because of your bland expression. Pain because you didn’t seem to care like that time six years ago.

He shuts his eyes tight and he feels as if he’s back in college, back to that winter night where he received that dreaded phone call from you after you disappeared from him. He remembered those days clearly, your apartment had been cleaned out and paid for, you weren’t answering him on social media, your phone line was also unresponsive and he couldn’t even call your family since you never mentioned anything about them at all.

You both may have been intimate for the past two years but when you disappeared, he had the frightening realization that he didn’t know you at all.

He didn’t want to push you out of your comfort zone, he wanted you to lead the relationship but right at that moment, he wished he pried just a bit since he was worried about you.

Then in the midst of his anxiety, it came, that phone call.

“Atsumu.” your usual calm voice filled his ears and he suddenly feels the weight of the world is removed from his shoulders, thank god you were okay.

“Y/N? Baby? Where are you?”

“Out.”

“Where outside exactly?” Miya Atsumu dryly asks, “It’s cold, you shouldn’t be out now and wandering about. Would you like me to pick you up-”

“I can’t do this anymore.” you suddenly cut him off and the line goes quiet. The blonde feels the world around him quiet down too when he hears those words that he wished he heard wrong.

“What’s, what’s wrong? Y/N, are you alright?” 

“I don’t know,” You mutter, “I’m just tired.”

“Tired of what exactly?”

“Of you, of us…”

“Y/N, are you saying what I think you’re saying?” 

“Yes.” Your voice remained dead calm as if you just hadn’t broken his heart in a million pieces that moment, “Let’s stop this here now, Atsumu. Let’s break-up.”

“That’s…” He tries to keep the mood light, praying that this is one of your dark jokes, “That’s not funny, Y/N.”

“It’s not supposed to be since it’s not a joke.”

Your response was curt as usual and he doesn’t know whats worse, the fact that you’re breaking up over the phone or the fact that your tone remains stable and the same.

“Y/N, don’t do this...Baby don’t do this over the phone.” His tone seemed desperate at this point, “I’m not stopping this until you tell me what's wrong between us, you have to give me something to work with Y/N. Is it something I did?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean ya don’t know?” Atsumu started to raise his tone when he notices how unaffected you seem at the other line.Frustration slowly started to bubble in him, the accent turning thicker as he got angrier, “Y/N ya can’t just disappear out of the blue and call me one day and tell me you want to break up! Do you think I’m some sort of fling? Some one-night stand or fuck buddies? We’ve been together for two years, Y/N. Two whole fucking years, What’s wrong? Do you not love me anymore?”

“Yes.”

The line went dead silent again and he hates it, he doesn’t know what to say as his face contorts in sadness and confusion. 

“I don’t…” He starts to feel a lump grow on his throat when he hears how easy it was for you to say, he knew he was in love with you more than you were with him. Many had pointed out how dangerous and how painful it would be on his side in the end, he couldn’t believe it would hurt him this much, “ I don’t fucking believe you, say it right at my face. Where the hell are ya? Let’s talk this one out in person.”

“Don’t bother, I just don’t want to see you again.”

“Y/N you can’t just-”

“I can and I will.” You cut him off, your voice was growing more and more detached and he feels like he’s back to that moment two years ago where you didn’t spare him a glance and treated him like a scrub, he hears a hefty sigh on your side and the next few words is another bullet to his heart, “I’m sorry it had to end this way, Atsumu.”

“You…” he shakily replied, trying to mask his grief with a painful chuckle. He wants to be mad at you, he wants to yell at you but for some odd reason, he couldn’t bring himself to,  “Jesus christ, you really are something, Y/N. You just broke my heart over the the fucking phone and all you could do is say sorry?”

“Sorry.” you say, like a broken-record on repeat and he hates it. He hates how he feels like this was nothing for you.

“Don’t you dare say that again when you don’t mean it-” He spat and before he could finish what he had to say, the phone line went dead. He tried to call again but it seemed like you had used a payphone. Out of complete vexation, he hurls his phone right across the room towards the blue photo frame with the both of you in it.

The sound of broken glass shards and ragged breathing is the only thing heard in the quiet apartment.

It’s not even the peak of winter that night yet he feels so numb and cold.

taglist [closed]

@fortheloveofiwaizumi​ ;  @svtbitch ; @ryaaaax ; @kiyoomile ; @lovedanii @juno-multifandom ; @gyubit17 ; @saeranoppa ; @nixxona ; @kyomihann @shorttstackk ; @itsmattsunshinehere ; @missingmystogan​ ; @Etherynaw ; @volleybloop​ ; @imcravingyou​ ;

#haikyu!! fanfics #miya atsumu x reader #miya atsumu imagine #atsumu imagines #atsumu x reader #miya atsumu scenarios #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu angst #miya atsumu #haikyuu headcanons #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu x you #coward series

[arolla-pine]

Fake Dating - p.12

(12) - Work or passion?

“Are you sure Nino won’t be eavesdropping?” Marinette asked in whisper, when they entered the garden.

“I can rely blindly on him.” Adrien smiled. “He’ll keep away to let us talk comfortably, but close enough to chop off your head before you stab me in my back.”

“What a picture!” Marinette laughed.

This joke overcame an awkwardness they felt every time they stayed alone. In addition, since the moment Adrien had made Marinette aware of breaking a touch barrier, she kept thinking about taking his hand again. To control herself she folded her hands in the back, just in case. By the way she noticed that he hid his hands in his pockets and she couldn’t stop wondering if the reasons of that weren’t similar to hers.

“Luckily for you, I left a knife in another purse…” she joked.

“What a relief!” he laughed. “But still I should be careful. You know, you may be a ninja or some assassin.”

“Nah, you’re a small fry, so revealing my assassin’s profession wouldn’t be worth it.” she snorted theatrically.

“Good to know. So, I can remove martial arts from the list of your talents?”

“I wouldn’t say so. My mom enrolled me once in aikido. She’s always said that every girl should know how to defend herself.”

“Wow…” he commented.

“Not a big deal.” she shrugged. “Everyone can learn it. You could try. Then you wouldn’t need a shadower anymore and Nino could stop pretending to be your bodyguard. You could be normal friends.”

“He doesn’t pretend. He’s really good.”

“Have you ever needed him? You know, in real life. I mean… Has anyone ever attacked you?”

“It’s been a few times when someone overstepped the bounds of acceptable contact.”

“What happened next? Did Nino chopped off their heads?”

“No knives, so all heads stayed where they were. But he could broke some bones. I didn’t look.”

“Oh, you’re one of those sensitive…”

“It’s rather about protect me from witnessing in case we were sued. I could always say that I saw nothing.”

“No offense, Adrien, but it’s wrong. It’s like you were a coward.”

“My father told me that I should do that. He wanted me to avoid troubles.”

“But you would leave your friend in the lurch!” Marinette clearly didn’t accept his excuse. On the contrary, it made her truly mad. “You couldn’t even testify to help Nino in case of a lawsuit or even a penalty of imprisonment! Someone could accuse him of overstepping the limits of necessary defence!”

Adrien was staring at her in astonishment. He’d never thought about it that way. He had been taught to follow his father’s commands without question. Nobody had told him that what he was doing was wrong…

“I think you’re right…” he whispered after a while. “I’ll have to learn to keep an eye on Nino.”

“Learn?”

“You know… It’s difficult to change your habits. Especially when your father spent years on teaching you how to behave.”

“Geez, Adrien! It sounds like a training not a parenting!”

“I’ve never thought about it that way. My dad prefers a disciplined behaviour.” he admitted.

Saying this he stopped at an arcade corner of the garden in front of Château d’Auvers-sur-Oise. He leaned against an arch support and although he put his hands out the pockets, he crossed them on his chest.

“What about your mom?” Marinette asked quietly, leaning against the other arch support.

“She died when I was a boy.” He murmured, not looking at her but somewhere outside. “I’ve almost forgotten what she was like…”

“I’m so sorry… I didn’t know…” she whispered, touching his arm softly.

“We don’t know a lot of things about us. We were supposed not to apologise for that…” he reminded her, staring at her eyes.

Why his gaze suddenly became so powerful? Was it because she was touching his arm? She took away her hand immediately and looked away. Such things shouldn’t happen! Not in such a situation. Not with someone whom she’d met yesterday. Not with someone with whom she was to pretend being in a relationship. Not with him.

“What about your parents?” he asked, feeling he should say something to break this silence between them. He set off the wall and moved in the direction of a park behind the palace.

“They’re both fine.” she replied and followed him.

This time neither he hid his hands in pockets nor she folded hers in the back.

“Are you of Chinese descent for real?” he asked curiously.

“My mom is. My dad is French. Actually he’s half-French half-Italian. My grandma is Italian.”

“What a composition!” Adrien laughed.

“Explosive mixture…”

“I don’t know that yet.”

“In fact I’m as gentle as a lamb.”

“Yeah, right!”

“Of course, I am!”

“You know what, Mari? Maybe I’ve known you since yesterday, but I’ve already learnt something about you. That you’re rather an energetic person.”

“I’ll take it as a compliment.” she muttered.

“Please, do.” He smiled in reply and his hand conveniently brushed up against her hand.

Marinette felt a strange sensation in her stomach. A very similar to that one she’d felt at the moment when they looked in their eyes in the arcade. She was quite cautious about such emotions, because she was aware that they were going to prepare to act as a couple in love, so she shouldn’t react that way on little gestures like those. She knew Adrien was doing that to make a fiction more believable. She kept repeating herself that she should get used to holding his hand, to hugging him, or maybe even kissing him in front of a camera… She should be as professional as he was. She was supposed to act as a woman in love. Not to fall in love for real!

She shook off those thoughts. She had to focus on the task!

“Since when have you sung?” he asked her at the same time when she was asking:

“Since when have you posed as a model?”

They glanced at each other and burst out laughing. That eased the tension and they could come back to their conversation.

“I don’t remember when I started singing.” Marinette admitted while they entered the park. “I think the music has been around me since forever. Probably I was singing before I learnt to speak. My parents must have been impressed enough or maybe they just wanted to have a few minutes of silence at home… Anyway they enrolled me in voice classes. I learnt there how to breath, how to control my voice, how to practice…”

“Practice?” Adrien spotted.

“I have to do some exercises of my vocal cords.”

“How do you do it?”

“Oh, it’s so boring!” she snorted. “Rumbling, murmuring, you know… Just a warm up.”

“Can you show me?”

Marinette glanced at him sideways, but finally stopped and presented some of vocal exercises she had to do every day. It didn’t sound like singing, yet Adrien couldn’t take his fascinated eyes off her mouth.

“It’s like you take out your voice from your mouth and hide it back again.” he summed up, when they moved on.

“I learnt to control acoustic emission, air flow… Believe me, it took me so long to get it! Now it’s much easier, but still boring…”

“Incredible…”

“Seriously?” she shrugged. “It’s rather my work than passion.”

“Singing?”

“Oh, no! Singing is passion! Those exercises are my donkeywork. But without it I wouldn’t be able to sing at quality I do it now.”

“Well, I’m impressed.”

“And you? Modelling is more your job or passion?”

“Definitely my job.” he winced slightly.

“Then why do you do this?”

“My dad…” Adrien began and realised again that his life was so subordinated to his father.

“Wow, you’re really trained so well. You can do your work even though you hate it…”

“It’s not like that. There are some advantages of it. I can travel a lot, visit different countries…”

“Right… Because you’re poor and cannot afford travelling in a spare time…” she commented sarcastically.

“My father is rich, not me. Besides…” he hesitated.

“Besides what?”

“Besides I’m afraid I can’t do anything else…” he confessed.

“Yeah, right!” she snorted. “You’re an intelligent guy. It’s impossible that posing as a model is your biggest ambition!”

“Modelling is not so easy, Princess!” Adrien laughed. “Nobody would pay for pictures of a model with a blank stare. You can show emotions by using your voice, melody, words. I have to do it by using my body language only.”

“Uhm… I’ve never thought about it that way…” she whispered, noticing by the way that his hand brushed up against her hand again.

“I have to be like a chameleon, flexible. I cannot be the same all the time. It depends on the theme of a session or ad campaign. It consumes a lot of energy.”

“You do look like someone consumed, not consuming…”

“I take care of myself. Is it wrong?”

“Not at all. Do you eat sweets sometimes?” she winked at him, and this time it was she who brushed up against his hand.

“When no one’s watching…” he confessed and winked back at her.

And then he took her hand.

––

Fake Dating p.11  <-  Previous part  |  Next part  ->  Fake Dating p.13

Start reading from the beginning

#miraculous ladybug #Fake Dating #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #Adrien Agreste #Adrinette #adrienette #AU story #AUstory #au

[baekchelor]

ａｓｈｏｒｅ[iii]

pairing: bodevan cash x reader genre: Doctor! AU, Romance, Angst summary: After a fall out with your fianceé, and an opportunity to chase your dreams, you embark into a medical mission trip to Namibia where you run into self-taught doctor Bodevan Cash. Love ensues. word count: 3.8k

❝the  sea  beckoned  to  me,  and  all  reality  was  lost —swept  away  in  the entrancing  song  of  the  tide. ❞                                                                                                                ―meredith t. taylor

TWO ｔｗｅｌｖｅ ｄａｙｓ

◄ ｐｒｅｖ

Bodevan's eyes looked like the morning sky every day after the first one you met them. Per diem, Bo's mood was bright as the sun too, although you did notice the tears confined on his bottom lid once ―when he concluded nothing else could be done and called 20:16 as Moharerwa's time of death. Bo summoned you to the OR after practising the caesarean section, as the doctor responsible for keeping Moharerwa's baby alive. Meanwhile, you were transporting the newborn into the incubator, Moharerwa went into cardiac arrest, and despite all his efforts, Bo couldn't keep her alive.

She did, briefly, meet her son, and the few minutes were enough to announce his name was Bodererwa. She thanked Bo and expressed her gratitude by naming her infant with the first two syllables of Bodevan's name.

Baby Bodererwa wasn't the only patient under your care. You treated an Irish girl who suffered from nausea and developed rashes. Rellian (Bo's younger brother) and you bonded over an uncanny case of seizures, muscle weakness and vision loss, you later diagnosed as Tay Sachs Disease. Tjiruru, a Himba man on his forties, came in with an acute case of Hepatitis C. Later, Tjiruru brought his sister, who two weeks ago, at Henties Bay's clinic, was prescribed with azithromycin for bacterial pneumonia. Bodevan figured out the medicine killed pneumonia's bacteria and caused other bacteria (that usually lives in a symbiotic relationship with the body) to produce toxins AKA Tjiruru's sister illness.

On day eight, you met, for the very first time, Danny Dupont. He was from Australia, with Kiwi heritage, and the reason why Bodevan got himself a kind-of-nurse.

Danny was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy, which caused his heart to fail. He came to Namibia because he didn't want to spend the rest of his days trapped in a hospital, waiting for a heart transplant. During a Safari across the Skeleton Coast, he fell in love with Peera, his tour-guide. Peera became Danny's reason to live, so he accepted to spend most of his days laying on a hospital bed if it meant he would win more time to enjoy alongside Peera. So she asked Bodevan to train her as a nurse, and Danny requested Bodevan to treat him. Now Bodevan has an Organ Donation Program running on the Himba village so, in case of any death, he can get a heart for Danny.

Today, Peera will host a "western" Birthday Party for Danny. It will be held at the hospital because Danny can't leave his cot, but Reillian will microwave a cake in a mug for him ―he saw the receipt somewhere on Pinterest―, and Bodevan managed to buy a few candles and balloons.

Also today, you're running late for your rounds. Dr Gandy video called early this morning, not to inform you about old patients, but to have breakfast with you. It was 2am for Ethan, but he ate pancakes and orange juice, the same receipt he asked room service to bring to your cabin, with the bacon crisped just like you like it, and with blueberries marmalade instead of syrup. You talked bout your medical experiences in Namibia, and that he will keep the Hamptons' beach house and Harper will have the pent-house in Soho. Ethan also said he misses you like crazy.

Guilt substituted the sugar in your coffee, souring the moment, and making clear that you wish you could say the same to Ethan. And you did, of course, you did, you lied. Truth is, Danny and his heart transplant, Bodererwa and his chances of survival, and every patient you've treated so far, keep your mind busy to the extent that, when you collide on bed, the only thought on your mind is to finally be able to rest.

Or so you tell yourself. Considering that dreamland and the pillow talk with your subconscious revolve around a particular wonderful being named Bodevan Cash.

"Morning!" all smiles, you greet as you walk into the teepee. You've grown to love the place.

"Morning, Intern!" and you've grown to love the nickname he calls you. Bodevan is teaching you about surgery, and yoga, and Hambi language, and about why the globe's entire population should be Maoists.

The boy is erudite. He was homeschooled, and his parents did a hell of a great job. To the point, Bodevan received college acceptance letters from numerous Ivy League schools. "I've got something to show you. Come here."

Bo hands you a pile of old letters. Right away, you know what they are, and you can't help but stare at each of them with your mouth agape.

"Holy Cow," your wide eyes travel to meet his. "Why didn't you go to any of this? Harvard is the best school for medicine out there."

"I never pictured myself as a Doctor," he says, while you check the charts for today patients. "I just wanted to go to college, be a normal guy. But when mom died, well...life has a funny way of trampling dreams, huh?"

"Yeah, it does," you murmur softly. "Sometimes, I just feel as if life controls me, instead of it being the other way around."

Bo looks at you knowingly, but careful of his own words, "Why do I get the feeling you're talking about your marriage?"

"I love Ethan. I'm just... if you've asked me what I wanted to do at my twenties, I would answer joining Doctors Without Borders, not getting married," you answer quietly, surprised at what has just left your lips. Hearing the inner thought that had been plaguing you for the past months being said out loud unnerved you.

"Was he upset about your trip here?" asks Bodevan.

"No. He encouraged me to do it, he even paid the ticket. I guess only because I was upset about him being married before. I know Ethan. He did this to erase the guilt from his system, to try to indulge me," you tell, fiddling with your white coat.

Bo eyes you in surprise, startled, "I-I didn't know he was married."

"He is married. They'll sign the divorce papers in two days. He never really told me, I just found out because his wife made an appearance at the hospital we both work at."

Bo remains silent for a while.

"I'm sorry. I have no idea why I'm telling you all this," you intervene awkwardly, suddenly feeling ashamed. He probably thought you were an idiot for sticking with a man who blatantly lied to your face. And you were likely making it worse by ranting on about your fiancé whom you swore a thousand times before that you were madly in love with.

But Bodevan just smiles. "No, it's alright. It helps to let things out. But if I were you, I'd tell him how I felt. If you're going to be spending the rest of your life with him…"

You sigh. He is right.

"Forget about it. What about you?" you pipe. "Any significant others?"

"N-no," he is all shy again, averting his blue orbs to the floor, as far from you as possible, and stuttering.

"But I assure you, he has ladies lining up for a shot," Peera quickly meddles, grinning. She's grabbing serum and a needle from the cabinets, probably for Danny.

You raise your brow, teasing, "Oh? Even with that 70's hairstyle?"

Peera gasps, clutching her chest dramatically. "I'm offended! I think it looks quite sexy on him, or so I heard..."

You giggle as the girl wiggles her eyebrows, Bodevan flushing red.

"I was kidding. It does," you confess.

"D-Does what?" asks Bodevan.

"Look sexy."

For a second, you don't quite realize what you'd said. But as Bo smirks, a bell goes off in your head. You feel your cheeks burn and you hastily look away from him, embarrassed. What is wrong with you?

You clear your throat, gaze hiding from Bo, "I should start my rounds."

These past few days were what you could only describe as confusing. And you had a feeling the confusion started when you accidentally told your mentor that his eyes looked like the morning sky.

It didn't help that during one of your night shifts, you dozed off on his shoulder, only to wake up sensing the weight of his head resting on top of yours, his breath on your hair, your lips near his neck.

It didn't help that over your clumsy attempts of getting into crow pose, you noticed how lovely his crooked smile was, and how when he chuckled, his eyes crinkled up at the corners.

And it certainly didn't help that you woke up to skies as clear and blue as Bodevan's eyes.

Nevertheless, you kenned something was seriously wrong when Bodevan touches your hand, and you actually feel sparks fly ―although that's medical impossible and you are a doctor, you should know. Or that when he, for some miracle, looks you in the eyes, your heart somersaults ―another impossible medical matter. Or that when he leans in to whisper some of his intellectual jokes that most of the time, you don't understand, goosebumps wash over your skin.

Something is happening, something is definitely happening, you just refuse to admit it to yourself.

At downfall, Peera and Danny urged you out of duty so you could go back to the cabin and get changed. With pleading brown eyes, Peera asked you to wear something special. She's been saving money for a while ―turns out Bodevan not only built a miracle in the middle of nowhere. In like manner, he helps the Hambi to sell handicrafts and jewellery at a souvenir store―, and the past weekend, Rellian drove her all the way to Henties Bay to buy a beautiful emerald dress. Therefore, you stopped by the hotel boutique and used Ethan's credit card to buy a gown made by a fluttering pink fabric.

When one of the hotel vans dropped you off at Bo's clinic, you're welcomed by the melody Bodevan and Danny are crafting through their guitars. They are singing Guns N' Roses' Patience, and although the one with the good voice is Danny, you can't seem to drag your attention away from Bodevan. He is wearing a suave, intricately patterned mustard jacket, buttoned low so that his chest peeks through. You hate that he looks so good in it.

A wide smile spreads across your features as you cheer for both guys once they've strummed their last chords. And then, the smile is stolen away when a tall, leggy blonde [you've never seen before] is suddenly leaning next to Bo, a flirty smirk on her lips. The girl whispers something to his ear, Bodevan goes beet red but nods anyway. To your annoyance, he follows her to the drink station Peera put together ashore.

Bitting down on the inside of your cheek, you watch Bodevan lean close into her, turning on the charms he ignores he posses. You force yourself to turn away, squeezing yous lids shut to get rid of the disappointment that is dawning your heart.

Why the hell are you getting this affected by him? He is your mentor, your peer. You've known him for a grand total of six days. Most importantly, you are engaged.

A hand carefully resting on your shoulder, pulls you off your thoughts. You turn, only to come upon Peera. "Her name is Elise. She's been trying to get in his pants since he fixed her sprained ankle a week ago."

"She hasn't managed," comments Rellian, handing you a red cup filled by what you presume to be wine. Chardonnay. 80's music blasts from the speakers shove over Bodevan's desk, and Rellian offers you a hand, "Do you want to dance?" His voice is bright and warm, and his enthusiasm washes over you. It is challenging to pint-point him as the angry teenager Bo told you about.

"Absolutely," you take his hand easily. "I should warn you, though, I'm not very good."

"That's fine. We'll take it slow." Rellian's grin is so inviting that you can't be worried about your poor dancing skills, so you happily follow him out to the beach. The song is an upbeat one, which suits his mood.

"It seems you've fully recovered from Bodevan breaking your heart a couple minutes ago," he jokes

"It's a shame he didn't do any damage," you shoot back, obviously kidding. "If I was heartbroken, I wouldn't have to dance with you."

Rellian laughs, "I'm glad you're as funny as everyone says you are. I hear you're my brother's favourite, too." It sounds as if it is common knowledge. "And that your engagement is troublesome―"

"I wouldn't call it troublesome," part of you is sick of people saying that. Another part yearned for it to be different, although you know people speak the truth. It is troublesome. Sighing, you confess, "Ethan lied to me. He is married, about to get divorced but married still. We' have been engaged for over a year, and I just found out about it a month ago."

Rellian stops dancing for a moment, shocked at what he's just heard. He quickly picks back up, studying your expression for a moment. "I didn't realize that was what was going on," he says softly, apologetic. "I mean, you know I want my brother to get the girl, but I didn't want you to get hurt."

"Thanks," you shrug. "I feel stupid more than anything."

Rellian pulls you in a little closer, yet keeping a respectful distance. "Trust me, Intern, any man who passes up the chance to be with you is the stupid one."

"Bo just passed me up..." <<Oh my god. What is wrong with you?>>

"That's how I know," he replies, followed by a thread of giggles. On cue, you glance over Rellian's shoulder and find Bodevan dancing with Elise.

Seven glasses of wine have paved their way through your system, Rellian keeps throwing jokes as you swing your figures to the beat of the music, when you hear his voice beside you, "My lady?" Rellian freezes in the spot, a knowing smirk appearing on his features. Complicit glances are exchanged, and finally, you turn on your heels to find yourself face to face, lip to lip, with Bodevan Cash. "May I have this dance?"

That feeling, that indefinable something, courses through you. As dejected as you'd felt, as embarrassed as you'd been, when Bodevan offers that moment, instead of to Elise, you have to take it. Because the song is slow, and it is Guns N' Roses, and the waves are crashing on the shore...And you're drunk.

"Of course."

Bodevan, clearly drunk as well, entwines your hands together and walks you near the seaside, where the water can dance as well, underneath your feet. He doesn't seem uncomfortable, or as if he fancied to dance with someone else rather than with you. On the contrary, Bodevan holds you so close you can smell his cologne and feel his stubble against the skin of your cheek.

"I was wondering if I was going to get a dance at all," you comment, trying to sound playful. Bodevan succeeds to pull you even closer.

"I-I needed to drink up my courage, so my second-thoughts are over. Now I'm brave enough to enjoy the rest of the night with you." This time you can blame it on the alcohol, but as both always do near each other, the two flush furiously. Sometimes Bodevan's words are like single lines of novels or movies. After dating Ethan for so long, it is weird to flirt with a guy that turns beet red on the cheeks, shy to speak bluntly. Ethan does it without an effort, he always speaks his mind, whether to compliment or with the sole purpose to hurt. They are poles apart. In every way possible. Bodevan didn't go to Dartmouth like Ethan did, Bo acquired his vast knowledge out of countless books. Still and all, he is as good a doctor as Ethan Gandy.

You are kneen on different and too stubborn to accept it, but the racing on your pulse betrays you.

"You look lovely, Intern. Much too beautiful to be on the arm of someone like me."

"Someone like you? This has been perfect, Bo."

"Agreed," he giggles. "Let's do this next year. Danny will have a new heart by then."

You look at him. Next year?

"Would you like that?"

"I won't be here next year, Bo..."

He stops dancing. "Why wouldn't you?"

On a dime, it hits him. Thank God, because you don't really want to say out loud the reason why this won't happen next year, at least not with you present, is that you'll leave in a couple weeks, get married and never come back. Despite the words ain’t articulated aloud, you know Bo has heard them, and you know he espies the water welling up in your eyes and how hard you're trying to hide them.

"Intern."  

You gaze down at the wet sand. The water suddenly feels cold.

"Intern, look at me," he says gently. "I'm such a nincompoop. I had just discerned tonight is all we have and I-I misused half of it by dancing with Elise." His voice is hoarse, frustrated. "I thought you felt secure in your standing." What? You are missing something here. Bodevan sighs, not relieved, but hugely nervous. The following words are said as his ocean orbs are settled elsewhere, anywhere, but your face. "Honestly? From the beginning, I've really only looked at you, wanted you." Bodevan manages to meet with your eyes, and his gaze is emotional, and blue and so deep that it overcomes you. So, for a moment, you duck your head. "I'm having a hard time accepting that you will leave... It's fine though, you'd be surprised how infrequently I get what I truly want."

You've treated with patients for years now, you've been trained to tell when they lie, how they're really feeling, find out their buried truths. And you can tell Bodevan is hiding something, some sadness he isn't prepared to share. But he shakes it away and resumes the talking, starting to sway to the music again. "But we have tonight, haven't we?. . ."—Bo looks at your eyes. Unwavering. —"There's only you, and me, and this beach. Tonight."

It takes you a moment to attain the correct rhythm of your breath and heart. You could understand the feeling— that it is unlucky, a kick in the ass from fate. Deep, deep inside you, you feel like that daily as well.

"We do," you whisper into his neck. "We have tonight." His lips are at your ear, kissing your earlobe. The arm resting on his back draws him nearer, and he mimics the action until you're physically closer to each other than you'd ever been.

You jump over a wave, and a chuckle bursts out when you turn around and notice Bodevan chasing you out of the sea. The level of alcohol is higher in your system, and your fancy dress is soaked by saltwater.

Bodevan runs faster, and as you're about to reach the back entrance of the teepee, he reaches for your hand, dragging you against his chest.

Before you can speak, he has you up against the wall, his body covering yours entirely. Bo is breathing heavily, panting, and you're just as breathless, not only because you'd just run like a madwoman. Bodevan's proximity to you and the way you can literally feel his chest rise and fall against you with his unsteady breaths is making your brain melt —even though you know, that is medically impossible too.

“What's wrong—”

He hisses and brings his hand up over your mouth. You halt, your breath stopping as you hear Peera and Danny's grunts and moans and pants.

With a crimson streak across his cheeks, Bodevan shuts his eyes and swears softly, not removing his hand from your mouth. You keep very still, trying to stay calm by breathing in and out through your nose.

"How do we proceed?"

"The hotel van will pick me up soon."

The pants grow fainter, but you're still able to hear Peera moaning Danny's name. You don't want to disturb them, or announce your presence outside, mere meters away from they having sex. This is their special night, and who doesn't enjoy a dose of birthday sex?

Bodevan doesn't let go of you for another 5 minutes. He just stands there like that, his forehead pressed against yours. Only when you are blinded by the lights of the van approaching, he quickly drops his hand.

"Peera and Rellian will take over tomorrow. We both have the day off. So see you M-Monday."

You swallow, "Do you want to come with me? I have wine in my cabin's mini bar—"

"Alright," mutters Bodevan, shaking his head at his very own embarrassment. "I-I would love to."

"Okay."

He smiles.

Breathless. That's how you'll describe your symptoms at this precise period in time. And you had been standing still for the past 15 minutes. 

Why is he making you like this?

You catch his eyes widen in surprise as you grab his hand and lead with to the insides of the van. You greet the driver and set off.

After you’ve reached Shipwreck Lodge, and you fidget with the keys to open your bedroom door, you remember Elise and their shared laughter, their noses almost brushing as they talked, and how Bo dismissed the whole thing. Uncertain about the weird feeling stirring in your stomach, you say, "So you really don't like Elise, huh? She must have been upset to see you running away with me like that..."

Bodevan raises his eyebrows, "Oh, it's no problem at all. I don't care about her. A certain other girl caught my eye, you see. And I can't ignore her. Not when she robs my attention with every small detail."

Your heart hammers in your chest. "Oh. Good for you."

Bodevan shakes his head. "Not really. She's engaged."

You almost believe he will talk further, because of the way he glances at you, his eyes sparkling with things unsaid and his lips parted. Or maybe he is about to kiss you...

But he just drags his stare back to his converse, and you grab two cups and pour white wine, hit play on your Guns N’ Roses playlist and invite him to sit down with you at the edge your mattress.

You aren't sure how long you lay there, talking to him. At some point, your eyes start drooping, as are his, and you fall asleep like that beside him, bodies over the undo bed, feet tangled together, and your hair sprawled across his chest. Without even noticing that at some moment during the night, your engagement ring fell from your finger, leaving it empty.

ｎｅｘｔ►

#sorry for taking longer than usual #IT REALLY IS HARD TO WRIT E BO #ashore #ashore:two #George mackay #George mackay x reader #bodevan cash #captain fantastic #1917

[keelywolfe]

FIC: Any Other Tuesday (ch4, baon)

Summary:   It started the same as any other Tuesday

Tags: Spicyhoney, Original Undertale Characters, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Prejudice Against Monsters, Violence, Injury, Homophobia, Off-Screen Minor Character Death 

part of the ‘by any other name’ series.

Notes: Well, here we are, the concluding chapter, where we get some answers, a lot more questions, tie up some loose ends, and make some new ones. This chapter has a reference to past homophobia, so please be warned. There is also off-screen character death but definitely not of a major player, not even of a minor one. 

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Read it on AO3

or

Read it here!

~~*~~

Waking up seemed more difficult than usual, but Jeff tried anyway, prying open his sticky eyes to see an unfamiliar room. It took him a moment to collect his hazy thoughts enough to realize he was in a hospital bed, rails up on either side of him and an IV taped to one arm.

A throb of pain started up warningly in his side when he tried to sit up and Jeff sagged back against the pillows, swallowing hard. Oh, right. Those guys, the blood—

There was no sign of any blood now. His hands were scrubbed pink and clean and his clothes were replaced with a hospital gown. A faint snore caught his attention and that was when he finally noticed the chair pulled up next to the bed. No rickety plastic one but a regular armchair, and Stretch was curled up in it, asleep, a tangle of a blanket partially covering him and legs dangling over the arm. His bony feet were hanging over the untidy pile of his shoes, a different colored sock on each one.

That must’ve made for a rough night, trying to sleep in that little chair. Stretch was a good foot and a half taller than him, Edge only slightly less so. Antwan didn’t tower over him quite as much, but Jeff was definitely the shortest in their group.

Their group.

A quick glance around the room told him that it was only the two of them and a pang of concern overshadowed any discomfort from his gut. Jeff groaned as he struggled to sit up and Stretch’s eye sockets opened instantly.

“hey, kid,” he said, groggily. Stretch stood up, pushing his hands at the small of his back as he straightened his spine with a groan. “the chairs here could definitely use a built-in futon or something.”

“I bet,” Jeff said. His voice sounded raspy, his throat painfully dry. “I think I’m supposed to tell you that you look like shit, but honestly, you kinda always look like that.”

“you can’t be too bad if you’ve got jokes,” Stretch said dryly, then more seriously. “how are you feeling?”

“Thirsty.” There was a styrofoam cup with a bendy straw sitting on a swinging tray attached to the bed, and Jeff reached for it, almost fumbling the cup. Stretch caught it before it could spill all over the sheets and held it while he drank gratefully from the straw. The water was cool and refreshing, and Jeff didn’t think it had ever tasted so good.

“Thanks,” Jeff said, after he’d had his fill, sinking back into the pillows.

"no problem. don't feel too bad, klutz, you're still on the good drugs.” Stretch set the cup back down and stuck his hands in his pockets. “welp, from your expression, you’ve got a shitton questions, so let me see if i can sum up before you fall back asleep. you're in the monster side of the hospital. it's technically a part of the embassy, so even though it’s supposed to be family only, they let me in, and it keeps the police out.”

“Where are Edge and Antwan?” That was his most pressing question, because they had to be together. If they were hurt, he was sure Stretch would have told him that first, but he…he needed to know.

Stretch poked absently at a tray sitting on the table next to the water. It held what looked like breakfast; a box of cereal, some fruit, a carton of orange juice. “still talking to the police, down at the embassy. they’ll be by later.”

He tried to offer Jeff an orange and he shook his head, refusing to be distracted. “Are they in trouble?”

“nah,” Stretch’s smile was careless, almost deliberately so, “edge might’ve been a smidge overzealous putting those shits down,” He held up a hand, thumb and forefinger a bare inch apart, “lil’ bit. but it’s hard to argue it wasn’t deserved when you were laying there doing your best impression of a pincushion. things got a little hairy, but it’s all good now.”

Somehow, Jeff didn’t think that was the entire story. Once, in a moment of rare confidence, Edge mentioned that Stretch, and his own brother, either lied terribly or very, very well. It made it impossible to know for sure which was which, and a bad lie could be a disguise for a better one, partial lies strung together into a necklace of half-truths.

Whatever the actual truth was, he’d have to wait and try to get it out of Edge. He was straightforward, at least. Edge would either tell you or refuse, not bothering with any nuances in between.

The ache in his belly was rising like a dull throb. Jeff set a hand gingerly over it, feeling the heavy padding of bandages, and remembered warmth, eerie green light. “You healed me.”

“yeah.” There was no attempt to dismiss that, at least, nothing but an honest answer.

“I didn’t know Monsters could heal Humans like that.”

“no humans do,” Stretch fiddled with the blanket, picking little lint balls from it and flicking them away. “we didn’t want them to know. asgore is lots of things, but he’s not stupid, and we were afraid of what might happen if the humans in charge got wind of what we can do. hence, the healing shit sans and i were working on. yeah, it takes magic to make it, but a manufactured product puts monsters out of the direct equation. or it would’ve, if it worked.” He coughed a little, his eye lights skittering around the room. “anyway, that’s one of the reasons i couldn’t heal you all the way. couldn’t really explain away that much blood and no one hurt. not like they were going to buy that dracula fumbled a snack or something. i took care of the worst of it, i think. i don’t have a liver or spleen but i’m pretty sure you like having ‘em around.”

Jesus. It left him cold, thinking of what Stretch had risked, healing him. If anyone saw or guessed— “I won’t tell anyone, I swear.”

Stretch finally looked at him, surprised, like it hadn’t even occurred to him to ask a promise of it. “of course you won’t. so, they’re gonna keep you a few days, the doc said, make sure everything is on the up and up before they cut you loose.”

“Sounds fun.”

“eh, i’ll keep you company. gotta say, it’s kinda nice to be on this side of the hospital bed. trust me, i know what it’s like. we’ll get you netflix and everything in here.” Stretch hesitated, then added, slowly, “edge thought we should wait to let you decide whether or not to call your parents, but he didn't say why.”

He didn't ask, but his expression was gentle, inviting confidence. He’d never judge Jeff if he didn’t tell him, but somehow, he thought he could this time, even if it hurt to say. Today seemed like a day for confessions, may as well lance the wound.

"My parents kicked me out when I was fifteen," Jeff said, tiredly. "When I told them I was gay. I ended up stayed with one of my teachers until I graduated if you can believe it. I don't have any other family, so...anyway, she helped. She was so great and—" His voice broke, old pain rising up, joining the ache in his belly, but this one was a wound that had never really healed.

His parents he was mostly over; sometimes his mom called to check in these days, but whatever maternal instinct that wouldn’t allow her to cut him loose wasn’t enough for her to welcome him back, either. Their stilted phone calls were more relief when they were over than anything else. But Mrs. Stinson. Julia, she’d told him to call her with a laugh, she wasn’t a teacher in her own house. He could still remember her hugs and the light, floral scent of her perfume, comforting him in those dark first days when he couldn’t believe his parents had…he’d never dreamed that—

A hand settled over his, bony, inhuman, Monster, and Jeff gripped it desperately.

“what happened to her?” Stretch asked quietly.

“Cancer happened. My junior year at college. She didn’t tell me for a long time, didn’t want me to worry.” A fine sentiment, but it’d given him no time to prepare himself when she’d died. One day she’d been there, supporting him, the foundation holding him up and the next, he’d been on his own again, adrift. “And ever since then, I’ve been…I don’t know. A little lost. All my friends from college graduated and moved on and I’m still here and—I know you don’t believe it, but I was so, so happy when you wanted to be friends, I…I haven’t had that for such a long time.”

He could taste salt and this time it was tears. There was a box of tissue on the side table and Stretch snagged it, plunking it on the bed so Jeff could grab a few, wiping his face dry, as much as he could with tears still trickling.

He didn’t care. Stretch needed a tissue or two of his own, wiping at his cheek bones, "yeah. me, too. maybe not ever.” Stretch let out another sigh, his bony fingers flexing in Jeff’s grip. “but this wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t friends with me.”

That made Jeff laugh weakly through his tears. “It must be because you’re a scientist.”

“what?”

“You guys love being technically right. Yeah, I wouldn’t have gotten hurt, but that doesn’t make it your fault.”

Stretch only hummed thoughtfully. There was no telling if he believed Jeff or not.

He squeezed Stretch’s hand; his grip was weaker than he would have liked and he was starting to want to go back to sleep, but he needed to say a few things yet, “If they'd attacked you, they would have killed you."

There was no question of that, Jeff knew. Low HP, Antwan had told him on that first visit, five on a good day. One good swipe of a knife and Stretch would have been gone, dust, and as terrible as it had been, as terrifying, the blood and the fear lingering in the back of his mind, it was easier to accept when he thought of the alternative; Stretch in the lead, trying to sneak a cigarette, and maybe he would have noticed them, noticed the knife. Maybe not.

"they almost killed you,” Stretch took a deep breath, let it out in a shaky rush, “let's not dwell on the almosts and could be's, yeah? bet edge and antwan will do enough for both of us.”

Antwan, the shock on his face when he was kneeling on the ground next to him, the fear, his bloody hands holding his jacket, pushing it down on the wounds. Fuck, he wanted to see him, touch him, make sure he was okay. Jeff tamped down that urge as best he could. They would come when they could and that would have to be enough.

He wasn’t exactly in much condition to storm out and find him.

Nope, now he was here, in the hospital, and with that thought came another cold realization. Fuck, but this was going to be a fortune in debt, a replacement for the student loans he’d gotten rid of. And they would fucking know it, Stretch and Edge, no, no, not this time. “Listen, I need you to not pay my medical bills.”

Stretch only looked startled, without a hint of guilt, but yeah, liar, liar. “what? andy—”

“I mean it,” Jeff said firmly. “You guys already do too much for me. It’s one thing when it’s bus fares and Chinese food but this is too much. I’ll take care of it.” Surely he could set up a payment plan of some sort, hospitals wanted their money but they’d take what they could get.

Since he hadn’t been able to persuade Jeff to try anything from the breakfast tray, Stretch seemed to have decided it was fair game, peeling the orange and munching on the segments. “pretty nice speech, but we weren’t gonna pay your medical bills. since you’re listed as an embassy employee, they get to cover it all under your health care plan.”

What? Jeff sat up too fast, had to sink back into the pillows with a grimace as his side protested vigorously. “I…what? How am I listed as an Embassy employee?”

Stretch only grinned smugly, licking juice from his fingertips. “did you ever take a good look at that permanent badge edge gave you?”

“Past seeing the picture is terrible, no.” It was in his wallet even now, but Jeff never really looked at it, only handed it to the guards at New New Home whenever he was stopping by.

“welp, spoiler alert, you’re listed as an official liaison between humans and monsterkind. pretty sure edge has been trying to discreetly slip you a job for weeks now, but i’ll let him bring that up to you.”

“But…Edge has me listed as an employee?” Jeff sputtered. “He can’t…he’ll get into trouble!”

“why would he get into trouble?”

"He will!” Jeff scowled as Stretch flopped back into his chair and for once, his visible amusement was not damn well funny. “Look, I don’t want him to stick his neck out for me and cause problems for himself at work.”

Stretch propped an elbow on the chair arm, resting his chin in his palm as he asked with polite interest, “do you even know what edge does?"

"Yes!" Jeff said defensively. "He showed me a lot of it once when we were having lunch together."

"uh huh, i bet he did." Stretch blinked once, slowly, and his amusement was shining in his eye lights. "kid, uh, no one is going to be yelling at edge for what he put on your swipe card. or for anything, really. edge is the senior director of operations, he lowkey runs the embassy from behind the scenes."

"What?" Dumbly, the word falling free, because yeah, Edge really had shown him some stuff, spreadsheets and documents, calmly explaining what he did every day, but Jeff hadn’t suspected that.

Stretch shrugged. "that bit ain’t official, but everyone knows it. edge doesn't want to be in the spotlight, so he does everything from the background, all kinds of shit. He handles pr, the legal teams, sets up meetings with heads of state. all of it goes directly through him. embassy would fall apart without him, no one is going to even question handing over a benefits package. come to think of it, there's probably only a couple people over his head who could question it.”

"Like…like who?" Jeff asked weakly.

“well, there's asgore, of course,” Stretch snagged a handful of grapes, popping one into his mouth. “probably janice. if they'd fall apart without him, he falls apart without her. okay, that’s enough, you’re hurting, and you need to go back to sleep.” Stretch wiped his hands carelessly on a napkin and stood, walking over to the IV to fiddle with something.

“Wait.” Jeff caught his hands, stilling him. “Those guys, the ones that…what happened to them?”

“they got out with their souls intact,” Stretch said sourly. “they’re in jail far as I know.”

That sounded weirdly ominous and gave him another question. “Are you sure Humans even have souls?”

That seemed to take Stretch aback. “um, yeah. i’ve seen them.”

“How?”

“monsters can summon souls," Stretch said, a little impatiently. "it’s a thing, c'mon, kid--”

Today was fraught with information and as much as his side was aching, Jeff couldn’t help asking, “Can you summon mine?”

“well, fuck, you chose a hell of a time to get over your problem asking questions. you’re pretty banged up, kid, i—" Whatever Stretch saw in Jeff’s expression gave him a pause and he stopped with a sigh, “yeah, okay. just…real quick.” He gave the door a wary glance, then settled a hand over Jeff’s chest. “this shouldn’t hurt. tell me if it does.”

His fingers curled inward, almost like he was grabbing something. There was the strangest tugging sensation as if he had a hook caught painlessly in his spine, making his back arch until—

Light coalesced in Stretch’s hand, hovering above the bones and Jeff stared, distantly amazed.

His soul.

Illuminated a pale green, it looked like an actual heart, the same as on a Valentine card. Sort of. It was hard to look at, the edges undefined, wavering between the childish outline and something undefinable, and the light came somehow from within it. “Oh.”

“yeah, you have a nice one,” Stretch didn’t touch it, only let it hover over his outstretched hand. “monster souls are silver, if you don’t have lv, but human souls have a color that matches your dominant trait.”

“What’s my—“

“compassion,” Stretch interrupted softly. “okay, that’s enough.” He let his hand drop and the soul faded, disappeared like it was sliding right through his shirtfront. “don’t try that with just anyone on the street, it’s kinda a big thing.”

“Oh.” He was suddenly terribly sleepy and wondered if it was from pulling out his soul or if Stretch had managed to hit the painkiller pump on his IV when he wasn’t looking. “You seen Edge’s soul?”

“that’s a more complicated question than you think.”

He’d heard that Edge had LV, knew what it was. His mouth seemed to be willing to go on asking questions on its own, uncaring if it was rude or prying. “Has Edge killed someone?”

“yes.” Stretch offered no excuse, no explanation.

“More than one person?”

A long, slow sigh. “yeah, but that’s really his story to tell.”

“He was a soldier.”

“yeah,” Stretch agreed, quietly. “he was.”

Jeff didn’t know why he asked, couldn’t stop it from spilling out, “Have you killed anyone?”

“one person,” So terribly soft, barely audible, “but i killed them a lot. now go to sleep or i’m gonna put your lights out myself.”

“Stretch?” It was getting hard to think, his consonants softened, slurring out.

“what now?” Stretch asked in exasperated amusement.

“I'm glad you're my friend.”

“thanks, andy.” Warmth settled over Jeff, another blanket? He couldn’t tell. “me, too. i’ll be here when you wake up again, kid.”

“Mmkay.” Sleep was too hard to resist anymore, and his questions faded, lost, as he drifted. His last thought was to hope Antwan and Edge would get here soon and then even that faint worry faded, lost in the darkness.

-finis-

#spicyhoney #papcest #keelywolfe #underfell #underswap #underfell papyrus #underswap papyrus #by any other name

[ladynodrinette]

Asexual Adrien AU

This is an alternate universe between Adrien and Marinette which I created in order to celebrate pride month. Adrien is asexual in this fanfiction and their superhero personas don’t exist in this alternate universe.

I sincerely hope you’ll enjoy it.

(Yes this is a repost because I somehow deleted the wrong post since I am an idiot sry)

Here’s the link for AO3 - x

How could I possibly hate you for something you can’t control? How could I possibly love you any less?

Marinette was four when she received her first confession. It was by a small, but a sweet boy with blonde hair, green eyes and a toothy crooked grin. He was shorter than her and handed her a pink flower and mumbled a quick ‘i like you’  quick and nervous in his speech and she could have sworn she’d seen tears in his eyes. He hadn’t told her his name, saying 'it’s a secret’, but as she talked to him she felt like his 'i like you’ could be replaced with her own. That day she learned that pink was her favourite colour.

Marinette was six when her crush was being mocked by the other kids in their kindergarten for something regarding his father, Marinette didn’t really care, all she knew was that she had to get involved, she had to protect him, she had to stop them. And she did, in fact, stop them, though it may have looked much more heroic in her mind than a six-year-old yelling at other six-year-olds to 'bug off’. When he ran into her arms, hugging her body tight and saying thank you over and over again, she’d learned that she liked the feeling of protecting him.

................................................................................................................................

Marinette was seven when she learned that kindergarten was coming to an end and a new thing called school was about to begin. A little sad to leave her crush, she walked into her primary school with her parents holding both of her hands when she saw a familiar mop of blonde hair walking next to a longer version of it and she all but ran towards it. And when their class teacher called their names she’d learned that his name was Adrien and that he’d kept his surname from her because of his father’s famous background.

Marinette was ten when her friendship group expanded from just her and Adrien to her, Adrien, Nino and Alya and she realised that even though she felt safe and happy with Adrien, somehow the empty space in her heart that she didn’t know was there was finally full and complete. Adrien had needed somebody to talk to aside from her, preferably not Chloe or a girl and Nino fulfilled that role perfectly. And she hadn’t known how much she needed to talk about Adrien to someone who, well, wasn’t him. For the first time, she had a female best friend and she learned that the feelings she had for Adrien might have crossed the line of a friend.

Marinette was twelve when she had her first kiss. There were no sparks flying, no nervous butterflies in her stomach, no fast heartbeat, only a harsh push from Adrien. She thought it was time to let him know her feelings, she’d been holding back for months and they’ve known each other since they were four-year-olds. Stammering on her words, she realised she could never get the words right so she leaned in to explain it with a simple childish kiss and when Adrien didn’t lean back to escape she concluded he was fond of her as well. That was proven wrong seconds later when Adrien pushed her away and ran off with tears in his eyes. She learned that day that things weren’t always as easy as they seem.

After that event, Adrien stopped talking to her for months on end. She tried to apologise multiple times but to no avail. She cried many times, sad about the friendship she ruined because she couldn’t hold her own feelings back. If she could, she would turn back time and fix everything, she could live with being in an unrequited crush with Adrien as long as he was close to her as long as she could feel his presence somewhere near him, as long as she still had him by her side.

Marinette was thirteen when Adrien’s mom died and she wanted to go and console him, to talk to him, but even with her parents going with her, the Agreste mansion was closed for all guests and after the funeral, Adrien never returned to school again. Nino said something about Adrien making a confession to his father and it possibly being the reason for him not returning, but he wasn’t certain in that either. Adrien’s phone number stopped working and there was no way to get to him, and his three best friends grieved over it together. She didn’t know what one could possibly learn from such an experience, but she knew she badly missed Adrien and never wanted to fall in love again.

Marinette was sixteen when Adrien returned to school again. She didn’t believe the rumours that said he was returning to school, Chloe had been saying he would return for three years now and what could possibly change then? But it did change, he did come back, but a stupid misunderstanding got in the way and at first, she didn’t even realise it was him. There was a piece of gum on the bench she and Alya usually sat on and a blonde and a very tall guy was touching it and knowing he had walked in with Chloe Marinette was pissed off. Very pissed off. When he attempted to explain the situation, his voice deep and unfamiliar yet familiar at the same time, she’d given him the cold shoulder and placed a tissue over the gum. Her mind was absent for the rest of the class, only participating when Alya nudged her with her elbow. That day, when the final bell rung she was standing in front of the school door, taking cover from the rain. The blonde boy popped up behind her shoulder and she turned her head with a childish 'humph’. However, that blonde boy knew exactly what he was doing.

“Mari,” his deep voice said and her heart shattered. She’d told Alya and Nino not to call her that, she’d told her parents and close relatives not to call her that because it hurt. The nickname was so overwhelmingly Adrien that she wanted to break down right then and there, because the cursed reality she’d been avoiding for three years, the boy she only thought about when she dreamed dreams that she promised herself to forget and never did was standing in front of her.

He was taller than her, his hair was fairly less messy, his voice had nothing to do with the Adrien she once knew, his teeth were perfectly aligned but it was definitely him, it was definitely Adrien standing in front of her. She didn’t know if it was because of the green eyes which stared at her with so much emotion or because of the way her heart sped up again after years of not doing that same thing.

She didn’t realise she was reaching out to him before the tips of her fingers were on his cheek and she was whispering: “Adrien?”

“Yeah?” he said with a grin and her emotions took over and she jumped onto him spreading her arms in the air and he jumped the umbrella he was holding over the two of them as the force of her jump made them spin in a warm hug. When they stopped spinning they looked at each other, smiling as the rain fell on their head and she wasn’t sure if the drops on his face were tears or raindrops but she knew she was definitely crying.

“Where have you been?”

“Home, father wanted to protect me from mom’s death.”

“Oh, are you okay?” she asked with furrowed brows.

His grip on her tightened and he said: “I am now.”

They talked for a while, Adrien tried to explain the gum situation, but as soon as she knew it was him she knew there was no reason to be angry. He gave her his umbrella that evening, saying she should keep it and after a long while, Marinette allowed herself to dream freely. She learned that sometimes the pain of waiting for things to happen is worth it when it all comes true.

Marinette was seventeen when they finally addressed the conversation they’d been holding back for months. They had gotten closer over the period of his return to school, but they kept dancing around the topic, both too scared to step into it, Marinette because of her fear of rejection and Adrien because of her reaction of what he had to say. One fateful afternoon, they were sitting in front of a bedroom, he was sprawled on top of her chaise and she was sewing something on top of her desk. They were eating cookies and giggling, but she could tell his mood was off. That was proven to be true when he started the conversation.

“How come you never asked me why I never came back?” he said, lying with his head turned upwards,  and she turned around with her chair and looked at him.

“It’s obviously a painful topic and I didn’t want to intrude,” she said leaving out the 'I was scared that you’ll disappear again’. It was the scariest thing in the world, the idea of not seeing him again and all she wanted to do was to avoid it at all costs.

“You’re the sweetest,” he said still not making eye contact with her, “Did Nino say anything?”

“Oh,” she said and recalled the conversations she had with Nino almost four years prior. “He said something about you making a confession and it making your dad angry or something? He didn’t know what it was though.”

“That’s because I never told him,” he continued still looking at the ceiling as his breaths were growing deeper and his heartbeat quickened. “Father didn’t lock me in because of that, actually, but I thought it was because of it for years.”

He sat in the chaise, leaning on his knees with his elbows and staring at the floor. She sat beside him, silent to support his confession without interruptions, not wanting to hurry him in any way. She was patient, and if she had to sit there as long ass the three years she waited for him she wouldn’t have minded it at all.

“It took me a long while to realise that he didn’t hate me because of it and that he turned cold because mom died, but I still do blame myself for it a little even though I know I rationally shouldn’t,” for the first time in that conversation he turned to look at her and his eyes were red and tear-stained, filled with fear and other emotions she couldn’t understand.

“Please don’t hate me for this,” he tried to whisper quietly and tears ran down his cheeks, but she heard him and soon both of her hand were on the side of his cheeks and wiping his tears away as she spoke: “Adrien, there’s nothing and no one in this world that could make me possibly hate you, ok?”

He nodded furiously in her hands and his tears stopped rolling and he took a deep breath before saying: “I’m asexual.”

Her heartbeat stopped for a second and her hands were off his skin as she processed his words. After stopping for a second, his eyes trembled in fear and she smiled. Adrien was confused, but his confusion grew stronger when she said: “Idiot.”

He wanted to ask why and what but she continued: “How could I possibly hate you for something you can’t control? How could I possibly love you any less?”

With that, his shoulders relaxed and he finally smiled. He let out a breath and let his head rest on her shoulder. He sighed happily for a couple of moments and if he hadn’t had more to tell he would have fallen asleep right then and there.

“I love you too,” he sat up and looked into her eyes, “back then I didn’t want to hurt you, but I did and I am so sorry. I didn’t want to let you walk in something that could and would hurt you and I , God knows I love you but-” he was rambling and Marinette stopped him.

“How can you apologise for something you can’t control?”

And Adrien began to break down, he cried on her shoulder, he cried in her arms and when he stopped it was only because he fell asleep because her arms gave her a sense of something he hadn’t felt ever since his mother died. Home.

While he was sleeping in her lap Marinette learned that the thing she’s missed the most was having Adrien in her arms.

Marinette was eighteen when she had her second kiss, essentially replacing the broken one from years ago. Adrien had been calling her his girlfriend for months now and they held hands and they cuddled but they never took it any further than that. He’d taught her than being intimate meant so much more than physical intimacy and she loved every aspect of their relationship. She never wanted to make him uncomfortable so she pushed her physical desires aside, caring more for him than herself. Adrien did however notice and that was brought to Marinette’s attention when he asked:

“Can I kiss you?”

They were laying in her bed after an afternoon nap and she caressed his cheek in a comforting motion as she answered: “You don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, Adrien.”

“What about you? Aren’t you uncomfortable being with me when you could have somebody fulfil your every desire unlike me.”

“What nonsense are you talking about? I don’t want to touch any other man on this Earth beside you. My feeling matter to me more than my body and you also matter to me more than my body, okay? So don’t force yourself to do anything you don’t want to.”

“I do want to, but I don’t want to do it and find out I never want to do it again and hurt you in the process.”

“If that were to happen we would still be together right?”

A nod.

“Then I don’t mind.”

“But-” Marinette cut his voice off by grabbing his hand gently and placing it against her chest. It was in no way sexual or erotic, it was a moment where she let him feel her heartbeat, where she let him know that her emotions run deeper than attractions and that the only passion she had for him was love.

He leaned in and they shared a kiss so special, Marinette would never forget it. It was both of their firsts and she let him take the lead so he would fell 100% comfortable and only when he began to move did she join in as well. They kissed in a way that an old married couple does, familiar and caring, deep and loving, sincere and intense.

After the kiss ended Adrien promised he did in fact like it, and Marinette made sure to check so many times that he kissed her again with her hand along his chest, knowing that his heart was beating in the same way as hers was. That day, she knew,

Adrien was the man she wanted to marry.

Marinette was twenty-seven when she called her best friend to let her know the second most important news in her life (after Adrien’s proposal). Adrien and she have been married for four years at the time, because years ago they had a conversation about wanting to have kids as soon as they tie the knot and they both wanted to accomplish their dreams successfully before that (not that Marinette’s dream didn’t include marrying Adrien, of course). She was laying in her husband’s lap as she looked at her friend across the screen along with her own husband Nino, both of them holding a twin in their arms.

“We’re finally able to adopt Ethan!” they said into the phone to their two best friends.

Ethan was a two-year-old boy whom they took into care with the intention to adopt 10 months ago. For a while, the adoption centre made a problem of two famous people adopting a child, but finally, they approved the decision and Adrien and Marinette were ecstatic.

“We’re so happy for you guys!”

Nino and Alya bantered with them excitedly before they went off to care for their twins, Hope and Joy, and Adrien heard a noise come from the hallway. A couple of seconds later, Ethan was in front of them rubbing at his eyes sleepily.

“Didn’t we tell you to go to bed sweetheart?” Adrien said as he took his soon-to-be son in his lap.

“But daddy,” Ethan whined and Adrien’s eyes widened. It was the first time either of them was called like a parent and tears were about to fall from his eyes.

“We have a surprise for you tomorrow, y’ know,” ��Marinette cooed.

“I was eaves dwoppin’,” the small boy grinned at her and she furrowed her eyebrows at him feigning anger.

“That’s not very nice,” she said.

“Will you going to adopt me,” he said looking at the ground.

“Yes!” they both answered with smiles as they held him.

A child from an adoption centre knows exactly what adoption was, and how many unfortunate children get denied their rights of having parents because of the system so he was ugging them with all the power his small hands could hold.

“So you have to get to bed early so we can become your mom and dad tomorrow, okay?”

He nodded and ran off with Marinette to get o bed. When she was tucking him in he said: “When othwer kids got new mommys and daddys they get new names.”

“Do you want to change your name sweetheart?”

He nodded with a grin and she happily agreed with him. She pretended to think, putting her fingers on her chin as she said: “How about Louis?”

He looked happy with the choice and she kissed him goodnight and said: “Goodnight Louis.”

“Goodnight mommy.”

When she lied in Adrien’s arms again she told him about the conversation she had with Louis and they wondered if life could get any better than it was.

[slytherin-puffskein]

First of, thank you so much ! I’m glad that you love Barnalau, and seeing how much you guys love this pairing only motivates me to write more !

As for the prompt, I decided to go with number 12, aka “Where did those bruises come from ?”. Hopefully, you will enjoy it !

Warnings: Angst. Like, a lot. As well as mentions of abuse.

“Where did those bruises come from... ?”

Barnaby’s voice definitely has a worried tone, and that makes Lau immediately want to wince. That was exactly what he didn’t want: for Barnaby to worry over him. He swiftly moves away from his friend, smiling at him... but there is one thing to know about Laurent Dorian King: whenever he smiles, his eyes light up. They look as if they inhabit a thousand tiny fireworks, and it is the most beautiful sight... at least, to Barnaby, and a few students who secretly crush on him. This time, however, those fireworks aren’t present, and Barnaby could immediately figure out that this smile was fake.

“It’s nothing, Barny. Don’t you worry” Lau replied, still smiling. “Let’s say Mr.Whiskers wasn’t really kind to me this morning...”

Barnaby couldn’t help but frown. That... didn’t make any sense. How can a small cat give bruises that big !? They usually scratch people, no ? And Barnaby already saw how Lau’s arms would look like following an attack from that cat... whatever was on his arms right now, wasn’t from Mr.Whiskers. He took a step forward, as if to inspect his friend’s arms... but Lau huffed, moving away once again. Now, he was starting to regret the decision to not wear a thick sweater. Can’t he just walk around in a short sleeved shirt without getting any attention !? Man, they were only three days into the new school year, and Lau was already tired. He bit on his lip, playing with his badly done tie.

“Barnaby” he said in a stern voice. “I’m telling you, I’m fine. Now can you please leave me alone ?”

Ouch. That hurt. Lau could be just like fire sometimes: if you approach it too much, you get burned. Now, Barnaby definitely got burned, and he saw that it was useless to insist. He simply nodded, unsure.

“O... Okay...”

With that, Lau gave Barnaby a curt nod, and walked away. After all, classes were over for the rest of the morning, and the redhead had only one wish: being left alone.

* * *

Thank god, the dorm was empty. Rowan was probably studying, and as for the other Slytherins sharing it... well, they were visibly elsewhere, and that was just fine for Lau. Sighing heavily, he dropped his bag next to his bed, trying to forget his conversation with

( Where did those bruises come from... ? )

Barnaby. It’s not like he can tell him, right ? Lau was well aware that Barnaby had his own problems: abusive parents, downright terrible dad... he didn’t want to add to Barnaby’s list of worries. That was the last thing he wanted, frankly... so he had to deal with this on his own. He stepped in front of the mirror next to Rowan’s bed, and stared at his reflection. Ah, time changes... he can still remember his eleven year old self staring into this exact same mirror, and he recalls how terrified he was. After all, he was a Muggleborn. What if he wasn’t good enough for Hogwarts ? What if Dumbledore kicks him out ?

But despite all of these feelings, a stronger one would dominate them. The most powerful sensation ever.

Excitement.

He was thrilled to be part of Hogwarts, and to soon study about magic. His eyes were basically filled with sparkles.

But now, Lau was seeing in the mirror an entirely different boy. An older, tired boy, who wasn’t sure of what to do anymore. He slowly undid his tie and let it fall to the floor, then unbuttoned his shirt. It slid past his bony shoulders, then he took it off, revealing his body.

Thank god he was too poor to afford clothing his size and had to wear Stefen’s hand me downs. If he were to wear clothes his actual size... Barnaby would have had one more thing to worry about: how terribly skinny he was. Skin sticking to the bone, with little to no muscle, a huge contrast to the healthy young boy he was last year. And the bruises. Oh god, the bruises. They were everywhere.

( you deserve them )

He stared at his reflection, hugging himself, until he couldn’t take it anymore. He picked up his shirt and slid it back on, as well as his tie. He closed his eyes, trying to block all of the memories

( it’s your fault ! your fault ! )

coming back. He slowly headed to his bed. He needed a nap...

* * *

Laurent King never liked following rules.

So of course, he had to break them. As a crescent moon was slowly rising in the sky, the Slytherin quietly made his way out of the Common Room, walking on the tip of his toes. Luckily, he was fairly sneaky, and in only a few minutes he was at the Clocktower Courtyard, sitting on the edge of the fountain and admiring the sky and it’s stars. At least, the stars were here for him... the sky always follows you, no matter what. He closes his eyes as a soft breeze caresses his face, and he feels peaceful for a

( you will never be strong enough )

moment. Suddenly, though, he heard something. Footsteps. And as he turned around he saw none other than Barnaby Lee, in his pyjamas. Grey sweatpants, and a white tank top, showing off his muscly arms... they had their fair share of bruises too, however. Living with Mr.Lee wasn’t easy... Lau felt his chest tighten as he thought of that.

“B-Barnaby ? What are you doing here ?”

“I... I could ask you the same”

He looked wary, as if he was afraid that Lau might push him away like he did this morning... but he didn’t. Instead, he slowly stood up and stepped closer to his friend.

“I... needed fresh air” he confessed.

He was still wearing that shirt from earlier, and his bruised arms were in full display... something that Barnaby hated. If only he could take them away... if only he could have them instead. 

“Me too” Barnaby said. “Or well... I was mostly looking for you... I know you often sneak out at night, so I figured...”

Barnaby Lee might forget a lot of things, but he never forgets anything about Laurent. Lau couldn’t hold back a smile. Once again, Barnaby was too caring... and it made his knees weak.

“Sometimes, I wonder what I did for you to be this caring...”

Barnaby could only smile, a blush creeping up his cheeks.

“The only thing you did was being you. That was enough for me”

The words came out without him being really aware of it. Lau couldn’t help but blush, and he found himself extremely grateful that it was dark.

Without a word, Lau took Barnaby’s hand, and he guided him to the fountain. Barnaby could only hear the water gently lap against the edges as Lau removed his shirt, revealing his bruises. All of them.

“I... suppose you deserve to know...” he whispered. “You’re my best friend, after all”

That last sentence left a bitter taste in his mouth.

The air was cold. He hugged himself, trying to get some warmth.

“You know how my mom died from an illness... and how my dad isn’t a fan of how... how I am”

A sweet, nice boy who loves flowers. Barnaby couldn’t do anything but nod, but he feared he already knew where this is going. Lau kept staring at his feet, refusing to meet Barnaby’s worried gaze. Should he even keep going ? For a moment, he hesitated... but he decided to keep talking.

“With Stefen gone, he’s under a lot of pressure, and... and I guess he snapped this summer”

And he explained everything. How his father would blame him for his wife’s death, because as a kid Lau demanded too much attention. How Lau would scream and try to shield himself when his father would try and hit him, how starved he felt when Mr.King refused to serve him meals... and refused to let him cook some. As he talked about it, waves and waves of memories crashed through him, and he felt weak. A tear rolled down his cheek, and he hated it. He hated looking weak.

Basically, Charles King finally had his revenge on his son. Or well, he liked to see it as a revenge.

Laurent didn’t dare to look at Barnaby’s face, but if he did, he would have seen the pure shock and anger on his features. He was enraged, he felt disgusted at the idea that someone did this to his Lau... and he could only find one solution.

Wrap him into the tightest hug he could manage, burying his face in the crook of his neck and gently caressing his back. As this happened, Lau finally decided to cry, and he hugged Barnaby back.

“I was so scared... but I also felt like... I deserved it, you know ?” he whispered, trying to hold back sobs. “I mean, with Stefen gone, I’m the only son he has left... and I wasn’t living up to his expectations, and-”

“No” Barnaby immediately interrupted him.

He pulled away and grabbed Lau’s shoulders gently, making him look at him. For a moment, Lau feared he made a mistake. What if Barnaby reacts too badly ?

“You didn’t deserve that. You didn’t deserve any of this. Your dad... he’s not allowed to do this to you ! He can’t !”

As he spoke, he pulled Lau back into a hug, petting his soft hair.

“You don’t deserve it... you don’t” he whispered. “You’re safe now. You’re in Hogwarts. You’re with me. I’ll protect you”

“I can protect myself” Lau replied.

His voice was sort of muffled, though, since his face was buried in Barnaby’s chest, feeling his heartbeat. The Slytherin smiled. Indeed, Lau can protect himself. He could kick every single Hogwarts student’s ass if he wanted to.

“I know you can, Lau... but let me do it anyway”

Silence.

Then Lau nodded. Barnaby hugged him tighter.

“Now let me bring you back to your dorm”

“Your dorm” Lau suddenly said.

He raised his head, looking at Barnaby. He was now bright red, almost the same colour as his hair.

“I... wanna sleep by your side. Please”

He won’t be able to handle another night alone. He needed Barnaby by his side.

And gently, Barnaby picked him up, carrying him as if he was a princess. Lau didn’t bother to protest, because he actually liked it. He pressed his face in the crook of Barnaby’s neck, smelling his honeysuckle scent... and he let Barnaby carry him.

( I love you )

Neither of them, however, dares to say it.

#lau king #barnaby lee #barnalau #barnaby x mc

[iusedtoknowwhatawishwasfor]

My fic is done!!

For the X-Files Spooky Exchange, organized by the lovely Nicole, @gaycrouton

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21094859

For: Jen/Underworld_vanpires

Full notes are in the Ao3 link. 😀😀😀😀

Phobias of the Heart

Scully cradled her glass of Reisling in one hand and the remote in the other, having settled on “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” She smirks as she remembers watching it as a child before they all headed out for trick-or-tricking on whatever naval base they were living on, at the time. Her eyes slip shut as she remembers she and Charlie running on short legs after their bigger siblings, with their mom yelling in the distance for them to “watch Day and Charlie!” 

She tried not to let any sadness overtake her at the thought that she would never be the mom telling an older sibling to watch a younger one. 

Her melancholy was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. She set her wine glass on the coffee table and grabbed her bowl of assorted candy bars. “Earlier and earlier every year…” she muttered, glancing at the clock and heading to the door. “It’s only 3…” She looked into the peephole to see a very large child standing in front of it. He backs up and gives her a megawatt smile.

“Hi, Mulder.” She said with a smirk after opening the door. 

“Trick,” he starts, holding up a deck of cards in his right hand. “Or Treat,” he says holding 2 cellophane-wrapped caramel apples in his left. 

“Definitely treat,” she stepped aside for him to come in. He throws his coat on her rack and plops down on the couch like he owns the place. He set the candy apples on the coffee table.  “Wine? Beer?”

“Either is fine, thanks. Whatcha watching?” 

“Linus extolling his ideas about the Great Pumpkin.” She walked back into the room with a glass for him and settled in about a foot away from him on the couch. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I just thought you’d like some company to battle the horde of children.”

“Admit it, you just came for my candy stash.” She treated him with a bright smile.

“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” He waggled his eyebrows at her and chuckled at her quirked eyebrow. They settled into a comfortable silence as Linus and Charlie argued on the screen.

“Do you know what the fear of pumpkin is?”

“No, what?” She smiles.

“Pumpkinophobia.” He grinned wickedly and she feels a flutter deep in her stomach. 

“Liar,” she chuckled. 

“Alright - I don’t actually know what it is. However… sometimes when I’m around you I have Venustraphobia.” At her furrowed brows, he confessed “Fear of beautiful women.”

She snorted but he could see her cheeks flush. “It’s also good that I don’t suffer from Iatrophobia, fear of doctors, or I couldn’t be near you. It’s also also good that you don’t have hemophobia, being a doctor. What about you? Any coulrophobia?”

“I’m not afraid of clowns, Mulder. But I do know you have pyrophobia.” 

“That fear has died down a lot. I think Phoebe actually scared my fear of fire out of me. Among a lot of other things.” His eyes are wide and he has a vague look of horror on his face. “Judging by the impeccable state of your apartment, you clearly have mysophobia.”

“I’m not afraid of dirt… I just like things tidy. So, if anything I have ataxophobia. You’re one to talk with your chromophobia.”

“Hey! I just light neutral colors at my place.” He threw his hands up in defense. 

“Neutral… sure. Or, you know, boring. You also have a pretty severe cases of heliophobia because I can barely see 2 inches in front of my face when I come to visit.”

“Guilty as charged.” He chuckled. He glanced at her and was taken in by the small smile on her face. Her cheeks were rosy thanks to the wine and the fire burning in the heath. Just when he thought she couldn’t be more beautiful, she knocks it out of the park again. 

“I definitely don’t need to have any Cacophobia around you.” He gave her a soft smile. “Fear of ugliness.”

At that she laughed. “You certainly don’t have a fear of throwing flattery at me. Whatever that would be called.” 

“No idea.” He laughed. They both turned and absent-mindedly watched the tv for a bit before he spoke again. “I assumed you’re going to be bombarded by a lot of kids who definitely don’t suffer from Samhainophobia. And I just… I know kids can be overwhelming, sometimes.” He said tossing a small smile her way.

She narrowed her eyes and lowered her tone. “Mulder, why are you really here?”

“I just didn’t think you should go through this alone.” She caught the double-meaning and sighed. “The IVF was so recent…”

“I told you I’m fi-”

“Don’t say it! Don’t say it because it’s bullshit!” He barked out making her shoot her eyes up to meet his. “I am so sick of you acting like you’re alone in this. Like I didn’t want this too!”

Her eyes went from shock to welling up with tears and his voice softened. He leaned back against the sofa cushions, sighed and looked straight ahead. “I wanted this maybe just as much as you. I never really thought about being a father. What with my shitty childhood and dangerous job. Phoebe wasn’t cut out to be a mom by her own admission, and Diana wanted an established career before anything else. It was always something mentioned in passing but never seriously discussed. Until… you. You are just so undeniably good. You deserve all of the things you could ever want in life. The second I started seeing you as someone who wants kids, as a potential mother… I realized that I wanted desperately to be the father.”

“I never had any expectations for you… with the IVF. It was something I wanted and I didn’t want you to feel obligated or forced…” 

“Scully, just so you know, nothing you could ask of me will ever be an obligation. It’s not a chore for me to love you.”

She sucked in a breath as he realized what he said. “You really feel that way?”

He looked her straight in the eye, nods slowly, and continues. “The idea of having kids with anyone but you is absurd. But you have to know - you ARE enough. You and I are a family now, kids or no.”

She let a small smile creep to her lips as her eyes widened. “We are.” she croaked out. “We are a family.” She took a deep, shuddering breath. “But… I can’t give you the chance to be a father. I would just disappoint you.” 

“Not possible.” He said firmly, shaking his head, moving closer to her on the couch. He took one of her hands and brought it to his lips. He then held both of her hands in his and gave them a squeeze. “There is no way in hell you could ever disappoint me. You are the one person who has never let me down and I know you never will. If you want kids, there are more ways - we could adopt. There are plenty of kids who need a home and they wouldn’t get a better mom than you.”

She sniffed and reached out to pull him into a hug. “You’re amazing,” she whispered into his ear.

“Nah, I’m just a man in love.” he said, then immediately froze stiff in her arms. “Uh…”

She pulled back to look into his eyes. “Did you mean that?” 

“Uh…” he stammered and then slumped his shoulders, sick of lying. “Yes… I meant it. Head over heels, baby.”

She barked out a wet laugh and sniffed again. “Me too.” 

He was on her in a split second pressing a fierce kiss to her lips. She gasped into his mouth and he took the opportunity to glide his tongue along her bottom lip. Her tongue shot out to touch his own and he took the hint, exploring her mouth and drinking her in. She wound her arms around his neck and slide further down under him on the couch. When her hips met his, he couldn’t hold in his groan. Her nails played lightly with the soft hairs at the nape of his neck, driving him wild. 

She could feel him growing hard against her belly and she felt a rush of arousal. She trailed her fingers down his sides across his ribs to scratch his back as she thrust her hips into his. “Jesus, Scully…” 

He had just started to move his fingers under the hem of her shirt when there was a knock at the door, followed by a multi-kid chorus of “Trick or treat!” 

“Oh you have GOT to be kidding me,” He said resting his forehead on hers as they both struggled to catch their breath. “Um - I think you need to get that… I’m in a bit of a condition here.” 

He caught her eye and they both started laughing. “Down boy.” She said, getting up to grab the candy bowl. 

“Don’t listen to her,” he muttered to his lap as she let out another laugh.

She swung open the door to a Spiderman, a Thor, and a Sanderson sister. “Wow - you guys look great! Very spooky.” She heard a snort from the couch behind her as she dropped some candy bars in each plastic pumpkin. “Happy Halloween!” she called after the chorus of thank-you’s. She shut the door and waited a second before turning around, taking the moment to contemplate what was about to happen. She turned to face her destiny, now leaning casually against the back of the couch. 

She looked at him through heavy lids as she made her way back to the couch. She paused in front of him and then lowered herself to his lap, straddling him. “Is this ok?” 

“Is it ok? It’s been a while - this might actually be more than ok.” He moved his face towards her and she lowered her mouth to his. She started grinding her hips into his as the kisses became frantic. “Oh my fuck…” he muttered in between kisses. He steadied her hips. “This is gonna be over way too quickly if you keep doing that.” 

Instead he started peppering her neck with kisses and nips as she threw her head back to give him as much access as possible. At a particularly sharp bite she let out a gasp and held his head to the space, letting him know that she was definitely not opposed to his ministrations. He started running his hands under the hem of her sweater again just as there was another knock. He let out a mock sob as she moved off of his lap with a sigh. 

She distributed candy again and then made her way back to the couch. “Mulder?” 

“Yeah?” as she lowered herself back onto his lap.

“I turned my hall light off.” She flashed him a wicked grin.

Incapable of words, he just pulled her into another deep kiss. “I’ve wanted this for so long.”

“Me too… I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want you or love you.” She whispered against his lips. She moved in for a kiss and this time he finally got to touch the soft skin under her shirt. She hummed into his mouth and he knew if she wasn’t ready, this had to stop now before the point of no return.

“Scully?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you ready for this… now? If you want to slow down just let me know.” He gave her his most sincere look. 

“Mulder, we have waited way too fucking long enough.” She bent down to nip and lick at the tendons in his neck, revelling in the burn of his five o’clock shadow against her lips. He groaned and couldn’t contain the jerk of his hips. 

“You are a goddess.” He picked her up and carried her off to the bedroom to prove just how much of a goddess she was. 

-----

Later, after they both came down from the best sex of their lives, Mulder pulled her sweaty and sated into his arms. “You know, with you, I never have Autophobia.”

“Not this again.” She laughed. “What is autophobia?”

“Fear of being alone.”

She pouted at him and moved up to give him a kiss. “I promise I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never have that fear again.”

“Me, too.” He kissed each of her eyelids. Before they both drifted off to sleep, she was glad to close the book on the best Halloween of her life.

#my fic #XFSpooky2019 #msr #halloween #x files

[imaginetonyandbucky]

Open prompts, yay! How about anything with tsum tsums in it? I love them! Soulmates AU where you are born with your soulmate's tsum? Or tsums are like daemons? The little guys are the ones to fall in love first? Anything goes, really!

Come Up to Meet You

The Asset called the creatures 'Soft Pills', because he had to take pills often enough that he recognized the shape. He knew there was another name for them, something like 'Sum', but no one ever told him.

He liked the soft pills. They were warm and nice to touch and made pleasant noises. He didn't have one of his own, but that was reasonable. He didn't have a soul, so how could he have a Soulmate? The little creatures appeared for humans; not weapons. But sometimes, if he'd done very, very well on a mission, one of his Handlers would let him hold their pill for a little while.

On AO3!

"That's interesting," Steve said, "Bucky'schrysalis was doing that too."

"Hm?" Tony blinked up from his Starktab andglanced at the cocoon next to him on the end table of the couch.

(It was, in fact, a cocoon. 'Chrysalis' was themetamorphosis—supposedly—going on inside the cocoon, but 'chrysalis' soundedprettier than 'cocoon', so everyone used it. It did give a sense of somethingactually happening in there, though, which Tony appreciated.)

The cocoon was about the size of Tony's hand from wristto fingertips, and the sad gray color of old trees. Tony had recently replacedthe padded pickle jar with a lighter, less breakable plastic container, butotherwise it looked exactly the same as it had for the last 44 years. "What'sit supposed to be doing?"

"That. Look," Steve said completelyunhelpfully, pointing. His Tsum lifted zirself onto zir back legs, waving zirtiny forepaws like Tony needed encouragement. "Can't you see that?"

"See what?" Tony said, getting a bit annoyed.He put his tablet aside and leaned closer, finally just taking off thetranslucent lid. The cocoon lay on the neatly-folded baby blanket that had oncebeen Tony's and probably hadn't been washed since his mom gave it to him. Blueblanket, dull gray cocoon and nothing else, as always.

Or not. "Wait…is it…." Was that a spec of white? Tony gasped, then looked over his shoulder at Steve,close to panic. "Do you see white? Is it petrifying?" He whipped hisgaze back to the container before Steve could answer, lifting it closer to hiseyes. Oh, God, that was white. It was too late. His Tsum haddied, and—

"Hey, no! Tony, it's all right. Zie's not dead! Zie'snot dead, okay?" Steve got out of the armchair and came over to him."Zie's alive. Zie's still alive. I wanted you to see that zie's moving." He pointed again, this time with his largefinger hovering right over the whitish spot. "Look."

"Zie is?" Tony leaned so close his nose nearlytouched the cocoon, his eyes fixed on the white spot. There was almost…maybe….

Yes. That was definitely something: a tiny little lumpforming and smoothing out again.

(More after the break!)

"Oh, that." Tony let out a deep breath ofrelief, then carefully put the container down again. He dragged his trembling fingertipsalong the cocoon's skin, smiling wistfully at the familiar smoothness. It wasroom temperature, just like always. "Zie does that sometimes. Never meansanything." He shrugged. "'Haven't seen it in at least 20 years,though, so that part's kind of neat." It had been a couple days before hisparents died, like some kind of awful prophecy. "But, yeah. Once in awhile zie moves like zie's going to come out, but nothing happens."

"Oh," Steve said, crestfallen. "I'msorry."

His Tsum made a soft little 'meep' from zir perch onSteve's shoulder. Zir barely-existent little face looked sad.

"Eh. It is what it is." Tony shrugged again;he'd become an expert at feigning a nonchalance about it he didn't actuallyfeel. (He'd tried. God knew he'd tried to stop caring. It never stuck.) He gavethe cocoon a last, soft pat, then put the lid back on. He sat, picked up histablet, put his ankle on his knee and then gave Steve a big smile that wasn'tentirely fake. "I'm used to it. It's been that way my whole life. Istopped crying over my agoraphobic Tsum decades ago."

"It appeared like that?" Steve asked,dumbfounded. He sat down on the couch near Tony, instead of reclaiming hischair. His eyes were huge, like Tony had just confessed to somethinginconceivably awful. Well, maybe it was if you weren't used to it. "Youmean, it's always been in a chrysalis? You never…."

Saw it? Petted it? Played with it? Lovedit? Tony shook his head, nothing real in his smile now at all."Nope." And boy, was he sick and tired of getting the same reactionall the time. He was extremely aware of what freaks he and his Tsum were,thanks.

He patted the container's lid, thinking suddenly it'dbeen a bad idea to swap out the jar. The rectangle was too much like a coffin."Good old Dad always said it proved something was wrong with me, if Icouldn't even make a 'magic, fuzzy space worm work right'."

"He really said that?" Steve looked even moreshocked, which was nice of him. "But, the Tsums…unless you hurt them…howcould he think this was your fault?"

Tony leaned back and stretched his arms along the top ofthe couch, leaving his tablet in his lap. Steve's Tsum was on his shoulder, soit was easy to reach out and scratch the top of zir head. He quirked somethingnearly like a grin when zie chirped happily and headbutted his finger. At leastwhen it came to his dad he'd perfected pretending he didn't care.

"Well, I guess since he pretty much figured everythingwas my fault, no sense in not adding this to the list, right?" Tony wincedinternally at how bitter he sounded, then did his best to make his voice light,even added a chuckle for verisimilitude. "Makes sense though, right? Imean, who the hell would want me as their Soulmate anyway?"

Steve let out a breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose."I swear, sometimes I really wish I could go back in time and punch yourdad. He was a different man, then. I don't think I would've liked who hebecame."

Tony snorted. "Yeah, well. Join the club."

"I'm sorry," Steve said.

"Thanks," Tony said, his attention was onSteve's Tsum, though, as zie made the laborious journey from Steve's shoulderto the couch.

Zie nearly got to Steve's elbow before zir legs gottangled in his shirt and zie tumbled the rest of the way to the cushions. Zierolled upright, gave a quick shake, then waddled the rest of the way to Tony.Zie lifted up on zir hind legs and began climbing Tony's jeans.

Tony scooped the Tsum gently into his lap, thenobligingly petted zir belly when zie rolled over. Zie was still mostly white,though parts of zir downy fur were slowly changing into a mix of gray, blackand red. There were two tiny gray and red bumps on zir back that Tony joked werean extra set of arms. Steve was sure they were wings.

Tony enjoyed teasing Steve about his Soulmate being anairplane, but given their line of work, it was likely Steve's Soulmate was somekind of winged vigilante. Certainly the Tsum's normally adorably featurelessdot eyes now looked kind of like they were wearing adorable goggles.

Steve smiled fondly at the little creature while Tonypetted zir. There was a saying: Don't trust anyone your Tsum doesn'tlike. It was good advice in general, but it wasn't quite accurate.Yes, Tsums were friendly to pretty much everyone—and if they shunned someoneyou should run like hell—but that didn't mean they likedeveryone. Tony knew what an honor it was, that Steve's Tsum had asked to be heldthe first time they'd met.

Hell, Tony knew what an honor it was that he'd been thefirst one Steve brought his newly-hatched Tsum to, after zie had finally comeout of zir cocoon.

"I thought your Tsum was in chrysalis because ofwhat happened in Afghanistan," Steve said quietly. "After you'd beentortured, and what happened to your heart." He lifted his head, givingTony the full earnestness of his stare. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't haveassumed."

"Don't worry about it." Tony rubbed his chestwith his free hand, absently feeling out the scars where the reactor had been.It still hurt sometimes when he breathed deeply, but he'd take that over theconstant worry and pain. Steve's Tsum was still on zir back, nibbling on hisfinger; it felt like a minnow kissing him. "Almost everyone assumes that.A Tsum going into chrysalis because of their human's trauma makes a hell of alot more sense than a Tsum appearing in a cocoon but never emerging or petrifying."He rubbed the Tsum's belly and zie chirped again, stretching zir legs like atiny, stubby cat. "I used to hope it meant I'd really get a Soulmatesomeday." He grimaced. "That's probably selfish, worrying about mewhen it's my Tsum who never got to hatch."

Steve's hand landed warm and solid on Tony's shoulder."It's not selfish to want that, Tony. We all want to find our Soulmate. Iknow what it's like to grow up thinking there was no one in the world foryou."

"Yeah." Tony swallowed, then forced himself tolook up. "Howard told me how you and Bucky's Tsums were stillundifferentiated when he met you."

Steve nodded. "That's right, they were." He smirkeda little at his Tsum, reaching out to pet zir belly too. "And after 26years of my Tsum being plain white, I'd just assumed I didn't have a Soulmate.I mean, nobody else I'd ever met still had a white Tsum after that many years.Most of them had gone into chrysalis in high school."

"Smaller world, back then," Tony said."These days it's more common to be in your 20s or older."

"I guess. Maybe the War made a difference too. Idon't know. But, the only other person I'd ever met with an undifferentiatedTsum was Bucky." Steve grinned, chucking his Tsum under zir chin. Ziewrapped zir arms around his finger like zie was trying to give him a hug."Our Tsums adored each other, right from the beginning. Hell, the wholereason we met was 'cause Bucky's Tsum jumped out of his belt pouch to get tomine. A couple bigger boys had grabbed zir, and thought it was funny to holdzir out of my reach. Bucky kicked their asses and gave zir back to me. Then wespent the next hour trying to go home without our Tsums screaming blue murderabout it." His laugh was layered with old pain. "They loved each ofus, too. My Tsum treated Bucky the way zie treated Ma: like we were allfamily."

"That must've been nice," Tony said. Hecouldn't remember ever seeing his parents' Tsums together, though he didn'tthink they'd fought. Then again, his parents weren't Soulmates. Howard hadsneered at anyone who 'let their love life be governed by 'barely-sentient sausagesdumped here by aliens', which meant he sneered at pretty much everyone.

Howard's Tsum had been in a tiny corporal's SSR uniform,with a pale face and plain brown hair. Tony had always figured it wasn't Howardrailing against destiny so much as wanting somebody prettier.

Maria's Soulmate had died in the war before she couldmeet him. Her Tsum had a smart gray suit and glasses, with a tiny yellow staron zir chest. Tony never saw zir much. Tony thought zie would have liked him,but his mother wouldn't let him touch zir. It took decades for Tony to realizeshe didn't really think he'd hurt zir; just that she couldn'tbear the risk of losing her only link to a man she could have loved.

"It was nice," Steve said. He didn't mentionhow sad it was for Tony that he'd never experienced it, which was kind of him.Steve watched as his Tsum crawled onto his palm. "Maybe it was stupid, butit'd been…comforting, knowing my best friend was in the same boat as me. We'djoked about growing old and Soulmate-less together. How we'd be buried next toeach other, with our Tsums' petrified cocoons."

Tony cleared his throat. "I'm sorry," he said,meaning it. Tony had flown into the desert with Yinsens' wailing Tsum down thefront of his shirt, because that was the only place he could keep zir whilewearing the armor. Zie had been a sweet-looking thing, with dark brown hair anda dress with bright patterns. Zie was in chrysalis by the time he crashed, andhad turned to stone by the time Rhodey found him. It wasn't that he'd imaginedhim and Yinsen growing old together or anything, but….

Yeah. Tony could understand.

(He kept Yinsen's Tsum next to his parents'. Their Tsums'petrified cocoons had been in the ashes of the car.)

"Thanks," Steve said softly. His Tsum mewled alittle and nuzzled his palm. "Bucky never took his Tsum on missions,unless he had no choice about it. He couldn't stand the idea of zir gettinghurt. He asked Jim Morita to take care of zir before we ziplined onto Zola'strain. His Tsum had always been a reckless little thing, getting intoeverything and breaking stuff. Zie liked riding around on Bucky's shoulder, andwas always peeking out of his belt pouch to see what was going on. Bucky wasreally worried zie would get out of his belt pouch and be blown away in thewind. Later I always wondered if he knew…." Steve swallowed. "If heknew he wouldn't be coming home from the war. Maybe he figured somehow that ifhis Tsum wasn't with him when…when it happened, zie'd be all right." Stevesniffed, swallowed a couple more times. It was painfully obvious how hard hewas trying not to lose it. "Zie…zie was in chrysalis the next time I sawzir, after. I spent two days just staring at it, barely daring to breathe incase I missed it turning to stone. But it never did."

"I know," Tony said, then had to clear histhroat. He put his hand on Steve's shoulder, then slid it around to the back ofSteve's neck. "Dad, ah, hypothesized it must have been because the body would'vefrozen fairly quickly. Which doesn't really make any sense," he added,because it felt ghoulish and insensitive to be talking about Bucky's corpse at all.

"Yeah. Howard told me that too. I almost hithim." Steve's smirk had no mirth in it. "Peggy thought that maybe hisTsum didn't want to leave mine alone, so zie stayed, in the only way ziecould."

"That's…." Tony floundered for somethinghopeful. "Really sweet." It was also really, really sad, but Tonywould rather bite his tongue off than say it.

Steve nodded. "At the time I was grateful that Ihad…anything left of him at all, even if his Tsum was still mostly gone. I keptthe chrysalis in the same pouch with my Tsum, because zie refused to be awayfrom zir. Not even for a minute." Steve gently patted the breast pocket ofhis polo shirt, where the cloth bulged from holding the cocoon. "Zie wouldlikely be wrapped around it right now, if you weren't here." He gave Tonyanother of those miserably humorless smirks. "The agents who found me hadno idea which of the two frozen chrysalises was actually mine. But my Tsumnever hatched, even after I was awake." He petted his Tsum, running threefingers along zir back, over and over again. "After that, I startedwondering if it had something to do with us. Me and Bucky, I mean. Like, thesame kind of quirk that had ended up with our Tsums never differentiating alsomeant they stayed in chrysalis forever."

"And then zie came out," Tony said.

"Yeah." Steve smiled, and it finally lookedreal again. "I couldn't believe it. I honestly thought I was dreaming, orit was a prank. Or someone accidentally switched the chrysalis at thehospital."

"Any idea when you're going to meet them?" Tonypetted the top of Steve's Tsum's head. He couldn't not; it was like trying toignore a kitten. He didn't bother admonishing himself for the small flare ofjealousy, that Steve's Tsum had differentiated and Tony's never would. Tony feltjealous of everyone for that, but he'd never begrudged them their happiness. "Normallythey emerge differentiated about a month before you meet your Soulmate, but Idon't think you count as 'normal'." He grinned, making sure Steve couldtell he was just ribbing him, trying to lighten the mood.

Steve chuckled. "Fair enough. All I can tell you isthat my Tsum's been in chrysalis for nearly three years. This guy had better be spectacular."

"Well, you're probably going to meet him inWashington," Tony said philosophically, "you might want to lower thebar a bit."

Steve laughed and shook his head. "I visit you allthe time, Tony. He could easily be a New Yorker."

Tony's grin spread to wicked. "Better make that bar real low, then. Especially if he's from Brooklyn."

"Asshole," Steve said fondly, still laughing,but then his expression slipped back into something serious and sad. "Thisis the first time that Bucky's Tsum moved in zir cocoon. I don't know what itmeans." He hooked his thumb under his chin with his fingers splayed overhis mouth, staring at Tony's plastic-boxed chrysalis as if it could lend himinsight via serendipity. But whatever it might have told him just made Stevewince and drop his hand. "I'm worried," he admitted. "What if ziecomes out differentiated? What do I do then? Or…Oh, my God." Steve jerkedupright, as if something horrible had just occurred to him. "What if Bucky'sTsum comes out looking for him? What if it's because Bucky hasa Soulmate somewhere? He's dead! He can't…." Steveswallowed, and his bright blue eyes went red-rimmed and liquid. "Oh, God.What if it's because he has a Soulmate? What do I do?"

"Hey, hey, it's all right. It's all right, Cap. It'sgonna be fine." Tony moved closer so he could pull Steve into a sort ofsideways hug, making sure not to squish the chrysalis in his pocket, or tumble theTsum off Steve's thigh. "First of all, zie's probably not going to evencome out, okay? I mean, mine's done that before, right? Like, at least a dozentimes. It's never meant anything. And if…if it does,then…I'll take zir. Zie can live with me. I'll look after zir." he said,ignoring how badly the impulsive offer made his heart clench. Steve had justtold him how his and Bucky's Tsums were BFFs, back in the day; why wouldBucky's newly-hatched magic space worm want Tony instead? Hell, why would Steveeven trust Tony enough to look after Bucky's Tsum, when he'dnever looked after his own?

"Actually, never mind. That was stupid," Tony saidquickly, feeling like an idiot. "Forget everything I said after 'it'sgoing to be fine'. I know you wouldn't want me to look after Bucky'sTsum." He tried to laugh and hit somewhere around a rattled squeak."I mean, my own Tsum didn't even want me, so—"

"Tony," Steve said, and Tony shut up so fasthis teeth clicked. Steve pulled back so they could see each other's face."Bucky's Tsum and mine were family, just like Bucky and me. And thatchrysalis is all I have left of him. I couldn't bear—" He swallowed again,wiped his eyes. "I can't give zir to anyone else. I'm sorry. But if itwasn't…." He took a breath, then managed a smile that was only a littlewet. "If it wasn't for that…I've seen you with my Tsum. I know how wellyou'd look after Bucky's."

"Oh," Tony said softly, blinking. "Well,thank you."

"You're welcome. It's true," Steve said.

As if to prove to Tony that Steve meant it, Steve's Tsumrolled zirself off Steve's thigh back onto the couch, then climbed Tony's jeansuntil Tony picked zir up again. Zie headbutted his fingers, then leanedexpressively towards the chrysalis inside it's plastic box.

"You want to say 'hello', Goggles?" Tony askedzir. His voice was a little thick now as well. He obligingly put the Tsum onthe end table and opened the plastic container, then helped zir climb inside.Zir chirped happily and wrapped zirself around the chrysalis.

Tony's Tsum moved beneath the soft armor of zir cocoon, likezie was trying to hug zir back.

The rest is on AO3. :)

#winteriron #tony x bucky #tony stark #bucky barnes #steve rogers #alternate universe #soulmates #tsum tsums #crack treated seriously #prompts #taste is sweet #Anonymous

[walkerismychoice]

For Law and Love Chapter 7

Book: Desire and Decorum - Modern day AU

Paring: Ernest Sinclaire X MC

Raiting: PG/PG-13ish

Summary: Ernest comes over to tutor Anna and it’s not a date, or is it?

Word Count: 1912

Law and Love Master List  - Catch up here

"It's not a date." Anna voiced emphatically to Briar through the phone screen.

"Right...." Briar rolled her eyes. "Ernest just happens to think 7pm on a Friday night is prime time for tutoring."

"You are as bad as Annabelle! I'm not looking forward to when you come visit and both gang up on me."

Briar grinned mischievously. "I have a feeling we'll have lots of fun together."

"Trouble is what you two are, but anyway," Anna changed the subject, "I need to finish getting ready."

"And you are getting all pretty because it's not a date. Sure"

"It's not!...but I'm not going to lie. I really like him, Briar, and I think he likes me."

“Oh, he definitely does, so I’m going to let you go. Have fun!” Briar blew a kiss goodbye before hanging up the phone.

Anna was a ball of nerves. She honestly didn’t know what Ernest’s intentions were, but she knew it was something more than just wanting to help her with statistics. Still, she wondered if something was holding him back, always making sure their interactions centered around helping her with her classes. Tonight could be a test of that and she wasn’t sure she was ready.

~~~~~

“This is too much, isn’t it?” Ernest asked himself out loud as he stood outside Anna’s apartment building. “She’s definitely going to think this is a date.”  It was 6:55 and he wanted to be on time, but he didn’t want to seem too eager. He was left alone with nothing but his thoughts while those five minutes slowly ticked by. He was all but certain she wanted more from him than just someone to help her study, but what if he was wrong? He knew he’d sent her some mixed signals, so he wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t know what he wanted, but it wasn’t as simple as it seemed. He’d felt a strong connection to her since the moment they met, and he’d been trying to hold back ever since. He was her teaching assistant, which wasn’t on the same level as a relationship with a professor, but he was still partially responsible for determining her grades and was wary of entering into anything that would be frowned upon. She was also his dead friend’s little sister. Would Harry be okay with Ernest trying to date his little sister? Their father seemed to approve and even encourage it, so maybe Harry wouldn’t mind, but it was still something he wondered about. Despite his reservations, the push and pull was killing him, and he needed to let her know of his interest before it was too late.

~~~~~

Anna was just finishing her hair when the buzzer rang at 7pm on the dot.  She buzzed him up and waited impatiently for his knock on the door. Ernest being punctual did not surprise her in the least. What did surprise her was what what she saw when she opened the door. It wasn’t how gorgeous he looked in his dark fitted jeans and light blue button down shirt that made his eyes even brighter, but what he was holding in his hands.

“Hi.” Ernest smiled shyly. “You look...very nice tonight. Um. these are for you.” In one hand was a bouquet of mixed wildflowers and in the other a bottle of wine.

Anna fumbled for what to say as she took both items from him. “Thank you, but I don't think it's customary for the tutor to bring the student gifts. I should be the one paying you.”

His smile faltered slightly. “I’m not doing this for money.”

“Oh, I thought my dad was paying you.”

Ernest shook his head. “No. I'm doing this because I want to...for you.”

Anna felt a blush warm her cheeks but she wasn’t sure if Ernest noticed because he seemed to be too nervous to look her in the eyes. "Let me put these in some water.” Anna set the wine on the counter and rummaged through the cupboards for something to put the flowers in. Of course Harry didn’t have a vase, but she found a glass margarita pitcher that would suffice. She arranged the flowers and took a few more moments to compose herself. This was, in fact, a date.

"So...maybe we should wait until we get through some work before we open up the wine, otherwise I won't be learning anything." He was still there to help her with business stats, right?

"Having seen you under the influence before, I think that's wise." His tone was dry but the corners of his lips curved into a smile. She wasn't going to live that down anytime soon. “I was thinking maybe after a while we could take a break an order some take-out...I mean if you didn’t already eat dinner.”

“Sounds perfect.” Anna sat at the table and opened up her text book. “Shall we?”

Anna showed Ernest some of the concepts she was getting stuck on and Ernest showed her different strategies and approaches to use. He had a gift for making something that was completely foreign to her seem so easy. 

“You think you are ready to solve some problems on your own?” Ernest slid a sheet of paper in front of Anna. He sat and watched her for a while as she worked before breaking the silence. “Has anyone ever told you you’re cute when you concentrate?”

Anna’s heart began to race and she could feel her face flush again. She bit her lip and kept working without a reply because she was almost to flustered to think. “Done.” She passed the sheet back to Ernest.

He scanned over her work with a pleased looked on his face. “You got them all correct. Are you sure you weren’t just making an excuse to see me again?”

“What can I say? You are an excellent teacher...but if that’s what it takes, I’m sure I’ll need help every time new units are introduced.”

Ernest smirked. “Yes, I imagine you’ll require my assistance ongoing. For the record though, I’d accept just about any excuse you made to see me.” He reached a hand across the table and lightly stroked the back of her hand with his fingers, sending shivers down her spine. He gazed into her eyes so intensely she almost got lost in his.

“I’m hungry!” Anna announce abruptly, unsure of how her body would react if they if they kept it up any longer. “What were you thinking...for food?” He probably knew that’s what she meant, but he did not need him asking what she’d been thinking in that moment. 

“Do you like Thai food? Spice is one of my favorites and they deliver.”

“Harry told me about that place. He said we’d get it sometime when I came to visit.” Anna’s voice trailed off as a wave of sadness overcame her. As with her mom’s passing, everything got easier as the days went by, these moments of grief becoming fewer and farther between. But grief has no concept of appropriate timing, and she was often caught of guard every time it hit.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you sad. We can order something else” Concern and compassion were evident in his voice.

Anna managed a small smile. Some of the people she’d known much longer than Ernest had no idea to act around her when she was anything other than her normal happy self, but it didn’t scare him like it did them. He seemed to get it - to get her - like no one else could. “No, it sounds amazing. I’m sure Harry would still want me to try it.” 

“I can order a few of my favorite things to share, unless you would like to order for yourself,” Ernest offered. 

“Go ahead. I like surprises.”

Ernest placed on online order and they opened up the riesling he brought. Anna poured them each a glass while they waited. “How long have you known Harry?”

“We met freshman year.” Ernest paused pensively. “I believe it was in English class. I know the other guys make fun of me for not being social, but I’ve never been much for big parties or social gatherings. That’s what I liked about Harry. He liked those things, but he also didn’t mind just hanging out with me watching a game or getting together to study. In fact, I helped him through business stats as well when we were in it together.”

Anna’s jaw dropped. “Harry struggled with a class? Mr. 4.0 without even trying?”

Ernest chuckled. “I guess statistics is the Edgewater family’s kryptonite. From what I hear, you’re just a good a student as him.”

“From what you hear?” Anna questioned.

“From your father.” Ernest answered. “I suppose I should confess I know more about you than you probably think.”

“Oh god,” Anna groaned. “Please tell me you don’t know every embarrassing detail since childhood.”

“No, no, It’s all good things...mostly.” Ernest laughed. “But I must say, I was surprised when I met you.”

“And why was that?”

I could tell from the pictures he had that you were a pretty girl, but in person, well...you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

Anna’s stomach filled with butterflies. How could she form an adequate response to that? Luckily the buzzer rang, and she didn’t have to. She went to grab some money from her purse, but Ernest insisted on paying for the food. The topic of conversation over dinner shifted to some lighter topics, and then some not so light topics. Anna learned that Ernest’s father had died of a heart attack when Ernest was in high school, and the way he was, his maturity and how he understood her all made much more sense. They talked long after their appetites were sated and the bottle of wine was empty. 

Anna yawned and Ernest checked his phone for the first time all evening. “It’s getting late. As much as I’d like to stay longer, I have to get up early for my volunteer shift at the Legal Aid center.

If only he weren’t so responsible. “That’s probably a  good idea.” Anna reluctantly got up and led him to the door. “You can tutor me again any time.” Anna grinned coyly.

“I look forward to another session very soon.” Ernest placed one hand on her waist, pulling her close while the other tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He leaned in slowly and Anna tried to keep her breathing steady, thinking she knew what was coming. Instead he stopped and rested his forehead against hers. “I’m so tempted to break my rule of no kissing on the first date.” His voice was husky and barely above a whisper. “But I’m afraid if I do, it won’t stop there.” 

To quell her disappointment, she focused on the positive. “So this was a date?” she asked as if she didn’t already know, just to make him say it again.

“Yes. In case it wasn’t clear from the flowers, dinner, and wine, it was a date. Goodnight Anna.”

“Goodnight,” she said as she closed the door. She didn’t move for a minute hoping for some cheesy scene from a movie where he’d realized he couldn’t wait a minute longer to kiss her, but it didn’t come. She would have to be content to bide her time until he was ready because it would most certainly be worth the wait. 

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#desire and decorum #playchoices fanfiction #ernest sinclaire #Mr. Sinclaire #mc X ernest sinclaire #for law and love #my fic

[roxydrawskhstuffs]

CHAPTER 2

“Shoutout to KingOfGamesYohgiMotto. Thank you for the donation, man. This means a lot to me and to my channel.” Riku says at the his microphone, punching buttons on his PS4 after seeing a notification that one of his subscriber just donated $10 in his Paypal account. Making sure he pronounced the the username properly or as much as possible got it right.

He also sneered a grin, remembering the name of the protagonist in that same card game he and Vanitas had played when they were playing “Strip and Drunk Duel” on Saturday dubbed as “Drunkterday”, This was their only leisure time aside from streaming their gameplays or casting official ESports games tournament.

They sometimes stream their drunk games where they only open an invitation link on  their private Discord channel for the first 200 people who wants to watch them lose their dignities. The last time they did stream their drunkard gameplay, half of their subscribers dared them that whoever loses should kiss the winner. The match was intense but in the end, Vanitas won making Riku lose his virgin lips as he kissed Vanitas for the first time.

His raven roommate laughed, his cheeks red from all the martini he dranked (both have different tastes. Their subscribers even asked if where do they buy their alcohol. The two said in unison that it was “classified information” and would never tell where they got it), he joked the camera asking their subscribers if he should wear lipstick so that the evidence of them kissing will be visible and fans would have proof that Riku whacked the raven’s for suggesting such embarrassing thought.  

“Come on, Reeks, hun, we homos. We’ve already seen each others dicks since high school.”

Another whack in the head, but this time, Vanitas was actually whimpering in his drunkard state telling that it hurts. “Fuck you, Vani. Don’t even give them more fanservices we’ve already doing.”  Riku grabbed a glass of homemade margarita. Drinking all of its contents as liquid courage for he was about to be doing. “You fuckers better not be recording this or so help me God I’ll delete my channel. Goodluck finding me on the internet!” Warning at the camera.

The kissed came and lots of the people in their discord channel died from their fanservice.

In behalf of the 200 subscribers who died after seeing VanReeks doing a torrid “Kissing Booth” kiss scene.

You will forever be in the hearts of the  VanReeks Pornsite Discord channel.

Riku’s phone pinged notifying him about that his pay from the gaming company have finally been transferred from his PayPal. Thank God, he can finally pay Vanitas for the rent of his room. He didn’t question why he was the last of the two of them who receives his pay from the XIII Organization Gaming Authority. Riku has two hunches: 1) The gaming company likes Vanitas or 2) The gaming company just hates Riku. The raven assured his silver-haired friend that they get the same amount from the company. Why Riku was always late, he had no idea.

Onwards to his gaming stream, he was so focused on the game he almost missed the stream’s chat.

daisu777: omg bruh the verum rex was totally awesomesauce! If it wasn’t for u, i never would encounter this beautiful gem of a game! More power to your channel

gamergurlhoe2k19: Reeks! You are so beautiful! I became a gamer bc of your channel. Pls notice me senpai ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

zoeeeeeV9: luv ur channel bruh, just wanna ask if what other games you going to stream? Would like you to see horror games like Fatal Frame and Silent Hill. TIA

delicsnakekuu: how’s it goin bro? Thanks again for the recommendation about Verum Rex. Game was overkill! If you want, I can get you a copy of Devil May Cry series. Just send your PSN account deets so I can prep ‘em.

More power to your channel, bro! Peace out.

GayForMastahTenebrae1234: Riku! OH my god finally caught up and joined one of your livestreams. You are such an adorable and cool streamer. I always watch your contents and your stream casting together with Vanitas.

I live for VanReeks so much I ship you with each other. Ajksdhasjkhdjaks plssforgivdisfujohoe

I got a source from one of your fellow followers that Verum Rex will be having its own anime adaptation and there was a fan gathering for it. Will u and Vani be coming in the event?

bitchachosnachoZ: WHAT?!

DAFUQC?!

AXEwithanL: STFU!!!

S T A  H P

natsuckiss: bitch where did u get that info?!

dAth0EGAMING:  qsgywcsknwnshs fam.

LINKKKKKK!!!!

LINK!!!

AXEwithanL: LINK!

bitchachosnachoZ: for the love of Riku my King, give me the link!!!

The entire chatbox was in chaos, spamming chats about sauce, link, and some info that it was real that Riku almost totally forgot about the said event.

“Oh crap. I forgot about the event,” he mumbled in his mic but his voice was heard and his fans speed-typing chats like “omfg”, “Riku did you mean…”, “omg shut up”. Riku really do loved his circle of fans and their creative language that sometimes, he adopt the words and expressions into his everyday life. Looking at the camera, he grabbed a white envelope showing it to his fans. A wax seal was present with a sigil of the The XIII Organization Gaming Authority visible. “Yeap, me and Vani are definitely invited in the press conference of the game.

It’s going to be hold on tomorrow at Radiant Garden Hotels & Casinos,” his channel’s chatbox went wild. Incoherent fangirling, fanboying chats spam him. Congratulating the game streamer how successful and worth playing Verum Rex. They even praised him for not giving up in playing the game that half of the gaming community went wild, quickly buying the game. Every gamers was hooked into the storyline spreading it like a virus.

He also added that no additional information was enclosed in his invitation aside from the trailer reveal, casts, animation studio, etc. “But hey guys, they might dropped the second installment of Verum Rex pretty soon seeing after that cliffhanger ending. I’ll inform you guys about it. I wouldn’t put that in my channel but you can follow me on Twitter @tenebraeriku for anything. I also have an upcoming giveaway raffle if I reached 300k followers. The prize would be a Platinum Edition of Verum Rex. Me and Vani will be signing the CD case itself so goodluck. Mechanics will be posted soon.” Riku gazed at his wall clock, it was almost dinner time and he hadn’t cooked anything yet. Hovering his character, Riku moved his game persona towards the nearest save point, calling it a night and rest. He also assumed that Vanitas is almost done with his cram school. Riku had no idea what he was studying but he supported Vanitas in whatever plans he does.

Saying goodbye to his followers, Riku shut down his desktop, camera and PS4. Stretching his arms, the silver-haired walked towards the kitchen to make dinner. Vanitas would likely want something that will make him be awake since he streams at midnight.

“Fried rice and chicken curry then.” Riku says, gathering the ingredients needed in the fridge. All necessary ingredients gathered, the silver-haired started chopping everything.

A few minutes passed by, the entrance door flew open announcing Vanitas’ presence. “God, I’m beat. What’s for dinner, Mom?” Vanitas jokingly says flopping his body on the couch, face buried in the throw pillows. Riku laughed at the Mom joke saying that it was fried rice and curry. With a speed like lightning, Vanitas was already at the table, utensils in his hand waiting for Riku to put his food on the table. Clasping his hands likes a prayer, Vanitas uttered a Japanese word “itadakimasu” before digging into his food. Vanitas was a pureblood Japanese while Riku was half-Italian, the two of them just clicked when they were put together as roommates when they were still in college and now successful and professional adults, the two still share the same rent space as they did, saying that it was their memento to each other but they were still plan to find a penthouse that the two of them will share, hence their shared bank accounts.

“Speaking of events,” Says Vanitas stopping his eating. A sauce dripping in the corner of his mouth. “Reeks, do you have anything to wear for the upcoming gathering?” Shaking his head, still have no idea on what to wear. There was nothing fancy in his fashion wardrobe aside from the suit and tie he wore on graduation and it was the remembered that fit the fancy category.

It was so outdated, Riku would never wear the same clothes for a gathering full of rich people. “No.” He replied, digging on his own plate of food. Confessing that he needs to buy clothes for the event. His raven roommate propositioned that to come with with him to go shopping along with Vanitas’s “Venty Wenty”.

“Ah. The mysterious boyfriend I presume?” said Riku with one eyebrow raised. Vanitas pointed the stabbed chicken skin in the fork at Riku, defending the accusation. “He’s real alright. The idiot’s already pestering me to meet you. God,” remembering the way Ventus (‘that was his full, I just gave him a dumb nickname which in turn he actually liked it and the name got stuck’ the raven explained) had asked him so many times about Riku and when will he met him. “I’m his boyfriend and he’s more interested in meeting you. Talk about a stab in heart.” Riku laughed assuring him that there was no way he will take Venty Wenty away from him.

“But if he is, what you call, adorable, then I can’t promise anything.” jokingly retorted and the raven scowled. The raven gasped saying “Bitch, that idiot is mine.” to Riku but knew that it was only a joke. After dinner, Vanitas offered to wash the dishes ushering to go to sleep already. It was almost time for the raven to do his livestream gameplays and his followers requested NieR: Automata. Riku hadn’t played the game but will definitely add into his list to play/stream.

The giveaway!

“Oh.” Riku exclaimed, he told Vanitas that he was going to give away about the signed copy of the platinum copy of Verum Rex. Vanitas nodded. “Just give it to me a week before prior.” and Riku went towards his room. Scratching the back of his head, the silver-haired yawned, he grabbed first his phone to check onto his twitter page and turns out the followers he’d received just went tripled!

From five hundred followers to four thousands making him smile. “Seriously, these fans.” Riku then messaged Axel, the company’s Marketing head.

Friday morning came and Riku got up. Preparing for his daily routine: wash up, bathe, do a run around the neighborhood, make breakfast and stream. Since it was the day of the gathering Riku announced to all his social media accounts that he could not go online and stream games. Leaving his room, he heard noises coming from Vanitas room, probably still streaming.

Creeping up inside, his raven roommate was in his pjs, D.Va headset and controller on hand. His room was almost as neat as Riku’s but more chaotic when it comes to designs: there were a lot of rock band posters pin up in his wall, a glass case full of saberfaces servants figurines from that series called Fate, his video-game console cabinet was also present on the view, there was also a corkboard beside his bed where a photo of two children with different hair color. He couldn’t make out due to its small size. On view, Vanitas looked up to Riku and nodded focusing on his game. Riku crossed his arms waiting for the raven to scold him to leave his room. “‘Vani, any thoughts if you’re going to put a tattoo on your shoulder blades like Eve does in NieR:Automata?’ Yeah no. I do think the tatts are rad but that is not my style, either I’ll choose something more tribal-ish or vintage.”

A chat question?, he presume. Riku mimed about the clothes shopping and Vanitas nodded. “Alright, this concludes today’s stream because,” ushering his silver-haired friend to come closer towards the camera. Riku obliged and could see his and Vanitas face on the monitor. The chat started going wild again. “Me and Reeks have a date with the mall for buying fancy clothes. Say hi to my followers Reeks,”

Annoyed, Riku decided to humour Vanitas and did what was told. “Yeah, so hello and good morning everyone. Sorry I had to take Vani away from you guys. We actually going to have a date.” and kissed the cheeks of Vanitas. The chatbox, went wild. Again. “Gross! Do not do fanservice stuff outside the porn discord channel”

3m0_k1d: wat?!

roxie31: reeeeeeeeeeeee

internal screaming

HokageSasukinks: Σ(||ﾟДﾟ)ﾋｨｨｨｨ

g a y

Korabendings: dude

//drips holy water to screen and eyes

awsawadsd: jwbsohjdhskndooh

sum1 hold me  

VANREEKSIZHREAL: I SHIP!!!

VANREEKS IS CANON YOU ASS

GamingGeekarooo: jesus my eyes.

Stop this im gonna unsubscribe you if you do that

VANREEKSIZHREAL: OMG YOU SAID NO FANSERVICE OUTSIDE OF THE DISCORD CHANNEL.

MAY I KNOW THE LINK?

“You are so so so dead, Tenebrae.” Vanitas says with death reflecting in his golden orbs. His silver-haired friend just grinned, amused at whatever he did that triggered Vanitas to show his other side.

“Bring it on, Vani.”

Vanitas was the first one who spotted place where they would meet Ventus. Riku just shrugged following him towards the center when a loud “Vaniiii!!!” screeched and looked for the owner of the voice. Vanitas wasn’t kidding about Ventus being adorable. The person in questioned had a very brunette-blonde hair with spikes with spikes much more ridiculous to Vanitas, he wore faded green tank top combined with a dirty-white trench coat, ripped jeans and black converse. The only accessory he had was a heart-shaped with four points on the lower part in his left ear.

Vanitas waved his hand as the boyfriend wrapped his hands on Vanitas’s waist and kissed his cheek. Riku’s inner thoughts were already laughing or maybe screaming for how cheesy the two were. The brunette boyfriend apologized for being late (not really but Vanitas likes to make Ventus feel bad about himself) saying that there was an old lady that needed help into getting to the bus station when she was carrying a large paper bag full of groceries.

The raven just rolled his eyes. “You never do say no to a help, aren’t you?” Ventus laughed  saying it was in his nature to help those in need. Ventus just realized Riku’s presence. “Oh! Sorry for leaving you out. I presume your Riku Tenebrae?”

Riku nodded. “And you must the famous Ventus Wayward aka ‘Venty Wenty’.” At the pronounced of the nickname, Ventus face reddened covering his face with his hands. Too cute. Embarrassed that Vanitas told him about the nickname. Vanitas raised his hands innocently. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. We don’t keep secrets from each other tho.” He put his hand on Ventus bottom lip, pleasing and cooing him the brunette that he shouldn’t make it a big deal.

Seeing the two of them being lovey-dovey was too much annoying the hell out of Riku. “Hey, if you two lovebirds done with your public display of affection. Can we go to the actual task at hand? You know, shopping? For clothes?”

Guilty at hand, Ventus apologized nudging his boyfriend to do the same thing. “Sorry for having a lovelife, Reeks. Never knew you were such a jealous type.”

“For once, Vanitas. Just shut up.”

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#fanfics #soriku #rikuso #kh #kingdom hearts #vanven

[richiefuckfacetozier]

Chapter 15: Under Pressure

Story: It’s Not My Fault

Pairing: Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak

Located on Archive of our own

For other chapters - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |

“She didn’t even let you tell her?” Beverly said in horror from the backseat of the car. Richie drove Eddie and Beverly to school the next day. They had started doing it when Richie's father gave him his mother's car after her DUI. 'The only useful thing Wentworthless has ever done for me.' Richie had said once.

“What a fucking bitch.” Beverly hissed.

Eddie fidgeted awkwardly at Beverly’s brashness. As angry as he was, she was still his mother. “It was awful Bev. Then I was so terrified I might see her this morning that I made Richie help me sneak out the window and down a fucking tree.”

Richie laughed heartily, taking his eyes off the road to say to Beverly. “It was hilarious. He fell on the last branch and landed in my arms like a damsel.”

“EYES FORWARD!” Eddie screeched. “And it wasn’t funny! I saw my life flash before my eyes.” Eddie shoved Richie’s shoulder.

Richie scoffed, “Oh please, you fell like 4 feet.”

“You’re the cutest, Eddie.” Beverly laughed and ruffled his hair affectionately. Eddie scrunched his face at her. He ran his fingers through his hair to flatten it back down.

“I am not cute.” Eddie grumbled.

“Yes, you are.” Richie and Beverly said at the same time. Richie put his hand up and without even looking at it, Beverly perfectly high-fived him.

“How do you two do that?” There was a slight twinge of jealousy at how in sync Beverly and Richie always were.

“Rich might be your soulmate but he’s my other half.” Beverly poked Richie’s side. Eddie could not help but smile to himself at being called Richie’s soulmate.

Richie squirmed away from her poking since he is the most ticklish person around, “It’s true. She could probably guess what I am thinking right now.”

Eddie crossed his arms surveying them with doubt. He zeroed in on Beverly. “Alright, prove it. What is Richie thinking?”

“You don’t want me to say, I promise.” Beverly laughed.

“Do it, Bev.” Richie bounced in the driver’s seat excitedly. “Try to guess!”

She grinned at him and cracked her knuckles as if getting ready for a boxing match. “Alright, three things. One, what you are going to do about lunch since Eddie didn’t pack any food for either of you and you probably forgot your wallet.”

“Correct.” Richie nodded.

“You shouldn’t be driving without your wallet!” Eddie chastised.

Richie shrugged, “I keep my license in the glove compartment.”

Eddie opened the glove compartment to check then closed it roughly. “You’re an idiot. We can go off campus and get food, I brought money.”

Beverly put her hand over Eddie’s mouth to stop him from harping. “Two, if I brought weed for us to smoke later. The answer is yes.”

Eddie pulled her hand from his mouth glaring at the pair, “Guys, seriously?” 

“Listen,” Richie said with an air of superiority. “We are trying to cut back on cigarettes for you.” 

“And because cigarettes are making our lungs shit.” Beverly added in annoyance.

Eddie huffed, “Well, good because not to pull the dead dad card but he died of lung cancer you dipshits.”

Beverly shrugged, “Weed is better than nicotine anyway.”

“That’s true but harder to get in small-town stupidass Maine,” Richie complained.

“What’s the third thing he’s thinking about?” Eddie said bringing them back on task. 

Beverly smirked devilishly, “Three, sorry about this Eddie, he’s thinking about sex with you.”

Eddie's mouth gaped open and his has flushed bright red. He twisted in his seat to scream, “Fuck you, Beverly!”

She put her hands up in defense laughing, “It’s true!!”

“To be fair, I always am, so that one doesn’t really count.” Richie reached over and pinched Eddie’s cheek.

He batted the hand away, “Unlock the door, I’m gonna to fling myself out of the moving car.”

They all started laughing so hard their sides hurt. Eddie was grateful to have two of the best distractions in his life. Beverly and Richie were the best at cheering him up. When they quieted down, Beverly brought her hand forward to hold Eddie’s. They had the same size hands. Her’s were calloused just like Richie’s. He sighed and squeezed her hand kindly.

She hesitated then asked, “So what are you going to do about your mom, hun?”

He shared a quick glance with Richie. “Again I say, unlock the door so I can fling myself out of the moving car.”

“Eddie!” She laughed at his dark humor. “Are you going to try telling her you're gay, again?”

“Nope.” He said definitively.

“Come on, my fruity skittle, you have to try again until she listens.” Richie encouraged. He placed a hand on Eddie’s knee rubbing it soothingly. The attention from both of them was becoming overwhelming. Eddie did not want to have this conversation right now, but he had already decided what he would do after last night.

“No, I’m not going through that again. I will act like nothing happened because I know that’s what she’ll do.” Eddie let go of Beverly’s hand to turn in his seat and talk directly at Richie. “I’m going to get through school, graduate, and move away forever. That’s the only sensible option for me.” 

Richie removed his hand from Eddie’s knee and placed it back on the steering wheel. Eddie observed as his mouth turned into a thin line but he kept his eyes front refusing to acknowledge this latest confession.

Beverly, however, was not going to ignore it. “Eddie, that’s crazy. You can’t live a lie for a year and a half.”

He locked eyes with her incredulously. “I’ve been living a lie under that roof for 16 years, why bother being honest now. I won’t get to be myself until I’m far away from Derry.”

The car fell silent. Beverly was regarding Richie with caution, who was still staring forward in thought. His grip on the steering wheel tightened significantly. There is a deadly calm that passes over Richie when he is angry before he blows up or says what is wrong. Everyone in their friend group finds it extra unnerving because Richie is rarely truly mad.

He took a deep breathe then let it out. Eddie watched him do all this in confusion. He seemed to be trying to control the anger. What does he have to be angry about? Eddie thought.

“I love you for you and always will,” Richie said through gritted teeth. “But please stop talking about leaving forever unless I am in that equation. It is pissing me off.”

Eddie opened his mouth to snap at him but closed it deciding he would not go there. There was too much going on his head to be fighting with Richie. “I love you too.” Eddie whispered. “And of course. I go wherever the fuck you go.” Richie’s intensity eased and he smiled at Eddie for repeating the same words he said last night.

Beverly sighed sadly, “I love you both and I’m sorry your parents suck.”

“I think my mom is coming around. She loves Eddie.” Richie rolled his eyes grinning. “Wants to adopt him and hasn’t insulted me for being gay in a while.”

“Oh my god, that’s so precious!” Beverly squealed animatedly. “Do you think she suspects anything between you two?”

Richie nodded, “Definitely. My mom is too smart not to.”

Eddie felt his mouth dry up with nerves. “Oh god. I hope she doesn’t tell my mom,” Eddie grumbled. “But I really like her too so that’s nice.”

Richie pulled into the school parking lot trying to find a spot. It did not take him long because he had the best luck with parking spots. “How do you always get a front row parking spot!” Eddie laughed in disbelief.

Richie wiggled his eyebrows seductively, “Clean living, baby.”

“Ok. Sure, Trashmouth.” Eddie smirked.

Richie put the car in park but kept the heater running. They had some time before classes to sit in his car. Beverly pulled out a cigarette, saw the evil-eye Eddie was giving her, then put it back in her pocket. “How’s your mom been doing in general, Rich?” She asked.

“Bev, she’s been sober for 2 weeks.” He said with pride. “She went back to AA.”

Eddie gazed at him with surprise. He felt a pang of sadness that Richie had never told him something so important. “I didn’t know she ever went to Alcoholics Anonymous.”

“Oh yeah,” He turned his head toward Eddie. “She’s been going on and off for a decade but this is the most amount of meetings she has ever been too. It’s nice, but it will inevitably come crashing down soon.”

“Why?” Beverly asked in concern.

Richie took a deep breath and let it out. “My dad’s leaving her.”

Beverly immediately put her hand on his right shoulder, Richie placed his own on top of hers. She did not say anything right away. It blew Eddie’s mind how connected the two of them were. They were all an extremely connected group. Shared trauma will do that to you.

Beverly raised her face up and shouted, “Hey, universe! Go fuck yourself! Leave my gays alone.”

“Did you mean guys?” Eddie laughed.

She placed her other hand on Eddie’s shoulder. “I did not my love.”

“Alright, Richie,” Eddie decided to change the subject before one of them cried and got sappy. “What is Beverly thinking about.”

“Hmmmm,” He thought for a moment. “What did you have for breakfast Bev?”

She sat back in her seat crossing her arms with a challenging grin on her face. “I didn’t eat breakfast.”

“Alright, she is thinking about: our science test today, if Stanley is going to cancel their shopping plans this weekend, and whether Ben will finally ask her out. 

“Never going to happen,” Beverly sighed dramatically. “Sometimes I wonder if he really likes me or not. Then I see the way he looks at me and I am just like...kiss my fucking face, Ben Hanscom!”

“Why don’t you ask him out? Who says the guy has to do it?” Eddie suggested.

“Oh, I have. Three fucking times but he doesn’t think I am serious. No one ever takes me seriously.” She wrapped her arms around Richie’s shoulders and pretended to weep.

“Same!” Richie joined her fake crying charade.

“I wonder why.” Eddie commented sarcastically. He shoved them apart and added a forehead flick for good measure. “We should probably head inside.”

As Eddie opened the door the icy air hit his face harshly. He hated being cold more than anything. Richie walked around and slung his arm around Eddie’s shoulders knowing this about him. Normally he would berate the taller boy for being too openly affectionate, but the extra warmth was really welcoming. He let himself move closer into Richie’s side.

“I’ll see you two later, I’m going to try and catch Ben before homeroom.” Beverly kissed Eddie on the cheek kindly. “Sorry, again about your mom babe.” Then she looked at Richie. “And sorry about your dad. I love you both.” 

“We love you too, Bevvie.” Richie said smiling. She waved them goodbye and jogged toward the school.

Richie brought his face to Eddie’s ear whispering, “So my most beloved tootsie roll, I know we have already talked about not doing anything on Valentine’s Day next week but I was thinking since…”

“No, fuck Valentine’s Day.” Eddie interrupted him pulling out of the embrace. They were starting to be too obvious anyway.

“Come on Eddie! Please?!” Richie whined.

“No Richie, Valentine’s Day is a stupid commercialized holiday meant to make you buy overpriced flowers or chocolates, It makes single people feel bad and I don’t care for it. If you truly love your loved one then you would show it every day.”

“I wonder what that’s like.” Richie grumbled angrily.

Eddie stopped in his tracks staring at Richie, who turned around realizing Eddie had ceased walking. Eddie’s face was burning with rage. “Richie...what the actual fuck?”

“I’m sorry Eds. It’s just…” Richie grabbed his arm and pulled him to the side of the school building out of hearing range. A couple people glanced at them curiously but no one paid much attention. When they were safely away from others, Eddie pulled his arm away. 

Richie put his hands in his pockets taking a shaky breath, “Eddie, I want to go out on a real date with you.” Richie’s eyes were boring into Eddie’s with a lot of emotion. “As actual boyfriends.”

Eddie’s own face softened at that. “We go on dates, Rich.”

Richie shook his head. “I don’t want one of our usual ‘dates’. Where we go to the Aladdin Theater and have to sit in the back to hold hands. Which only happens if there is no one in the row with us. I don’t want to have a fake date where we have to invite everyone else just to make it look like it isn’t a date. I’m tired of the secrecy. I understand it, honestly, I do, but I am still tired of it. We are going on almost 5 months dating and it just feels like we aren’t moving in any real direction. In fact, sometimes it feels like we are moving backward. I just think we should go on a -”

“Ok!” Eddie yelled to stop his rambling. 

Richie stared at him, not believing he had successfully convinced him. “What do you mean, ‘Ok’?”

Eddie exhaled, “I mean ok. Let’s got on a real date.”

“Are you serious?” Richie searched his face for any sign that he was joking or wanted to take it back.

“Yeah, you have a car,” He went to hold Richie’s hand with a reluctant smile. “Let’s drive out of town and go on a fucking real date.”

Richie pulled him in closer with excitement making Eddie stumble into his chest. Richie kissed his cheek. “Wow, so this weekend?”

“This weekend sounds great.” Eddie paused and played with the zipper on Richie’s coat, then asked, “Have we really been dating for 5 months?”

Richie smirked at his boyfriend’s complete cluelessness. “We kissed September 14.”

“Shit...our 5 month anniversary is on Valentine’s Day. God damn it.” Eddie peered at him hopefully. If he could avoid a Valentine’s Day anniversary, he was going to try. “Alright, but you didn’t ask to be my boyfriend until my birthday in November.”

Richie brushed Eddie’s bangs to the side slowly. “I consider the kiss to be more pivotal than when I asked to be boyfriends. It’s hotter.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, “Such the romantic.”

“Only for you, babe.”

“Hey, Richie…” Eddie bit his lip anxious to ask this question.

Richie continued running his hand through Eddie’s hair absently. “Yeah?” 

“When Beverly called us soulmates...do you think she is right?” Eddie held his breath for an answer.

A bit of a blush spattered on Richie’s cheeks as he said, “Absolutely.” Without an ounce of doubt.

Eddie smiled up at him feeling just as much certainty. “Me too.”

The first bell rang signaling that they needed to head toward class. Eddie placed his hand on Richie’s shoulder squeezing it. “We’ll talk more later. Let’s go to homeroom.” He turned to walk away but Richie wrapped his arm around Eddie’s waist bringing him roughly into his chest. Richie leaned forward brushing his lips lightly against Eddie’s but not fully closing the distance. As if challenging Eddie to pull away. His hot minty breath washing over Eddie’s face made him shiver. His needs took over any logic and he put his arms around Richie’s neck pressing their mouths together.

Their lips parted quickly, wasting no time as their tongues rolled against each other. Their breathing was heavy and loud as Eddie sucked on Richie’s bottom lip. Both of them were practically panting.

Richie slid his hand under his jacket and up the front of Eddie’s shirt. His touch leaving a trail of burning in its wake. Eddie moaned as their bodies molded closer together. This just encouraged Richie as his other hand grabbed Eddie’s behind. Eddie gasped and kissed him harder practically bruising their lips. Richie kneaded him eliciting another groan from Eddie. He could barely focus with Richie touching him like this. Eddie was hot. Too hot. He needed them to stop right now.

Except he wanted to keep kissing Richie. If he could kiss Richie every day, all day, for the rest of his life, he would. Richie kissed down his jaw as he pulled Eddie even closer, flushing their bodies as one even through all the layers. Eddie rolled his hips against Richie who groaned. His lips pressed against Eddie’s neck, licking and biting into his skin.

“Don’t mark my neck,” Eddie breathed out.

“Fine.” Richie brought his lips back up to kiss Eddie’s. Then the moment was broken by the sound of the second bell.

“SHIT!” Eddie grabbed his bag and started running. Richie following on his tale. They ran up the school steps and flew through the halls until they reach their classroom.

Eddie swung the door open quickly. “I’m so sorry Mr. Clarke!” Eddie said breathlessly.

“My car broke down, had to run ten blocks here.” Richie lied easily.

The teacher frowned, “Sit down Mr. Tozier.” Richie and Eddie went to take their seats. Eddie made eye contact with Mike, who was laughing to himself at their appearance.

“Hold on Mr. Kaspbrak. You are wanted in the principal’s office.” Mr. Clarke held up a pink slip.

“For what?” Eddie wondered aloud. He was rarely called to the principal’s office anymore. His mother used to do it a lot more when she made him go to doctor’s appointments every week.

“I have no idea. Take the slip and go now.” Mr. Clarke insisted. Eddie glanced back at Mike and Richie. They had identical looks of confusion and Richie shrugged.

Eddie walked through the hallway slowly, trying to prevent a panic attack. The only explanation for being called to the office would be something his mother wanted. He mentally kicked himself for not going downstairs to see her in the morning. Sneaking out the window was a mistake. Eddie suddenly got nervous that she was taking him out of school for good. She was going to homeschool him and never let him out of her sight.

When he got to the principal’s office, he was ushered in right away. The principal of the school was an older man named, Jon Filch. He was a stern man, who lost his son years ago. It was one of the children taken from Derry too soon. Eddie always felt awkward around him, but he got that way with most male authority figures.

“Hello, Edward,” Principal Filch said in an exhausted voice. “Had a nice long shouting match with your mother this morning.”

Eddie put his hands on his face in embarrassment. “I’m so so sorry. We are fighting, so she tends to um...take out her anger out on everyone but me.”

He ran a hand through his grey mustache nodding. “Yes, I remember fondly her yelling at me when I was a vice principal at your elementary school.”

“Again, I’m sorry.” Eddie averted his eyes to his hands.

“Edward, she wants to pull you from all your classes with Mr. Richard Tozier. And I think -”

Eddie's anger flared up and he immediately shouted, “What?! That’s completely crazy. We share every AP class together!” His breathing was picking up as his voice rose in pitch, “And not all of them have a second class available. You can’t just - “

Principal Filch raised his hands in defense, “Edward! Relax. You are going to give yourself a panic attack.”

“How do you know I get panic attacks?!” Eddie yelled louder, breathing erratically.

“You used to clearly get them as a child. Please, breathe. Let me speak.” He stated firmly. Eddie’s eyes flashed distrustfully. Most adults in this town could not be trusted but he held back his anger.

“Please sit.” Eddie glanced down and realized he was standing with his hands clenched. He slowly sank down into the seat.

“Contrary to popular belief, I tend to side with students when it comes to their education. You know yourselves better than your parents think.” He picked up a stress ball and handed it to Eddie. He reluctantly took it, letting his hands squeeze the ball methodically. “From my conversation with your mother, I gathered some kind of relationship is happening between Richard that she is not a fan of?”

Eddie pressed his thumb into the ball aggressively, refusing to give the older man his attention. He focused on his finger with the gold pinky ring Richie gave him for his birthday. It calmed him to look at it, thinking about how much he cared about Richie. He wished people would be more understanding of them. People being his mother. 

“It’s not anyone’s business but your own.” Eddie inspected him with scrutiny, not sure he heard him correctly.

“One of the best parts of life is that you get to pick your friends. And they pick you in return. You don’t get to choose your family but you do decide how you handle life’s challenges together.” Flinch held his gaze trying to get a proper read on Eddie. It made him anxious being put on the spot in this way. “I know a little something about overbearing mothers. When my wife and I lost our son…” His voice cracked and he tried to clear it. He grabbed a cup of water on the desk, drinking it.

“Your son was Hughie. Right?” Eddie said solemnly.

“That’s right.”

Eddie nodded thinking back to a boy, who was about the same height as him before he passed. With bright green irises and red hair like Beverly’s. “He invited me to all his birthdays since we were 5. He was really sweet.”

“Thank you. My son always thought you were cool with your inhaler and fanny pack. Don’t ask me why, he was an odd boy.” Principal Filch played with his thumbs for a moment thinking. Eddie handed back the stress ball, which Filch accepted gratefully. “Anyway, when we lost our son, my wife went into superhero Mom mood. It drove the kids and me crazy. She nearly killed herself with how much she was taking on through her pain.”

He held Eddie's gaze steadily trying to see if Eddie understood him. “My point is, you and your mother have had loss as well. I’m sure that grief has manifested into the woman she has become. You just need to try talking to her and if that doesn’t work or feel safe, please come speak to me or any of our counselors.”

Eddie soaked all this in with humility. He could not remember the last time an adult was truly this kind to him. Mrs. Tozier had come around but they started off rocky, leaving him wary of upsetting her. The principal barely knew him and actively cared about his well being. 

“Thank you. I’ll think about it. But what are going to do about my AP courses? I can’t drop them! I don’t want to get stuck in this town.” Eddie gave him an apologetic expression. He knew Principal Filch had lived in Derry his whole life.

He grinned knowingly, “I wouldn’t want that for you either. So what we are going to do is make sure you sit on opposite sides of the classes you cannot switch out of and switch you into the classes you can.”

“That is completely unfair!” Eddie protested. “How can you take her side like this?!”

“I am not taking her side. But it was the best compromise I could come up with that pleased her enough not to take you out of school entirely.” He seemed sincerely sorry but that did not stop Eddie from being angry.

“Fine. Give me the new class schedule.” Eddie demanded. “Please.” He added dismissively. Mr. Filch handed over the schedule. Eddie took it and read it over quickly. He would have homeroom with Bill and Beverly now, so that was not too bad. Richie and him now only shared 2 classes when they were in all 7 together.

He turned around and began marching out of the office. He was ready to be an asshole and not say goodbye, except he stopped himself.

“Thank you for what you said. Richie and I are having a hard time balancing family and our relationship so it means a lot to hear some kind of support from an adult.”

“Anytime, Edward.”

He considered him for a moment, “I prefer Eddie.”

“Anytime, Eddie."

#richie tozier #eddie kaspbrak #reddie #beverly marsh #ben hanscom #bill denbrough #stanley uris #mike hanlon #the losers club #losers club #it #it 2017 #it fandom #it fanfiction #thetheatregal reddie fanfiction #gay #kissing #i am a loser #It's Not My Fault #Shannon writes

[imagine-korea]

MonstaX reaction: falling in love with a trainee

♥ Thanks so much for the request, I hope you like it! ♥

here’s some unnecessary background information:

You were a trainee that was close to debuting in starship’s newest group ‘Little red’. A group of five with a dark fairy tale concept. You had been a trainee for the longest out of all of the girls and you had been appointed as leader. This also meaning that you were usually the one socialising with the sunbaenims whether you wanted to or not. 

HyunWoo (Shownu):

You two had spoken before but that was about it. Yet he had witnessed your progress and he was still your sunbae, so when he found out you would be the leader of the new group he thought you might like a little help. His help was of course much appreciated and you guys started to talk almost daily. At a certain point, you didn’t really need his help anymore but the both of you always found some reason to talk. 

You two were in one of the practice rooms one night, just talking. Actually you were doing most of the talking while he intently listened to your voice, staring at your excited features, with a light smile of his own. It was then that he realised that he had feelings for you.

He knew the rules, trainees weren’t allowed to date, so he kept his feelings hidden as they only grew stronger. He’d wait for you to debut, probably waiting even longer than that, to confess. But you bet that he will, in the most romantic way he could think of during that long time he had to ponder about what could be.

HoSeok (Wonho):

Wonho had been your biggest fan from the moment he saw you in your early trainee days. He had helped you trough tough choreographies, hard times in general. You two weren’t really friends outside the company but he’d visit you once in a while after, or even during, practice.

After your group was put together it had become clear that you were the mom of the group, protecting the other members, bringing food and drinks knowing it would be a long day. That and your still playful moments made him like you even more and after a while he realised he didn’t just want to be friends, he’d want to be more. He even admitted it during an interview.  Not literally of course. They had asked him what his perfect type was and if he had met anyone like that yet and he had said “Yes, but she’s still off limits.” Later he told you that he was talking about you and that he would wait until your debut so neither of you would get in trouble.

MinHyuk:

You two had become friends your first year as trainee. Don’t ask me how as not a single soul knows how it happened. You two were very close and you’d actually visit each other once in a while so everyone knew you two were close. You were his sunshine an he was yours. kgghghghg Daksal

The closer you got to debuting however, the less time you spent with him. He realised that he missed you a lot, more than he probably should. It was when he was laying in bed thinking of you that he realised he liked you. So now the only thing he wanted to do was confess, partly so he’d have an excuse to spend more time with you. 

It wasn’t exactly planned that way but merely days after your debut, he picked up the courage to confess. Well, doing what he saw as confessing as he couldn’t find the words whenever he had tried before. There was a small party for your groups debut and of course MonstaX had to be there. Once Minhyuk noticed you finally standing alone, he walked up to you. He didn’t plan on confessing like this put as he reached you he placed his hands on your neck and his lips on yours in an oh so sweet kiss. Cheers filled the room at the sight of you two making you smile in realisation that this was actually happening.

KiHyun:

He was very helping towards the trainees but people had noticed that he gave you just that bit of extra attention so of course you had gotten close by the time your group was put together. He’d offer to help whenever he could and would make sure you didn’t overwork yourself. He’d bring you coffee and would just be there for you. People already thought you two were a couple by the way you acted around each other. He knew he had feelings for you since the first year he had known you and didn’t really care about the rumours but that may not have been the best idea. You were called to the office and you noticed KiHyun was there too.

You were asked if you were in a relationship and they threatened to not let you debut if they found out you lied. Kihyun felt that if he didn’t admit now he might not have a chance anymore, he didn’t want to get you in trouble  though. So he told the truth, saying you weren’t in a relationship, but he did like you in that way and your eyes went the size of saucers.

You were eventually allowed to date if you kept it on the down low until 6 months after your debut. You two ended up being one of the best known couples of Korea and he was an amazingly caring boyfriend.

HyungWon:

You two didn’t really know each other but as you were Shownu’s niece, you were bound to see each other once in a while and he had gotten a liking towards you. He’d tag along sometimes when Shownu went to visit you during practice, saying he wanted to help his juniors. He liked to watch you practice, in a non creepy way, and would actually pick up the courage when he found an excuse to actually help you. He’d offer to help more often and you found yourself making excuses to see him as well.

You were alone one night in the practice room after practice, just sitting comfortably on the couch in the back. He’d just randomly say he liked you, like it was the most normal thing in the world for him to say.

You said it back but that was basically it from there. You both knew that trainees weren’t allowed to date so you both brushed it off as a crush and continued being friends.

A year after your debut you were featured on we got married, of course Hyungwon was your husband. It was during the shooting that he realised that he actually still liked you, he’d even call it love. So after shooting He’d tell you again seeming so comfortable with the words yet inside he was dying with nerves this time around.

JooHeon:

You two didn’t really know each other. He came over to help the rapline of your group while you were dancing or singing with the others. Yet he found himself getting distracted by you a bit too often. The rapline kept teasing you that he liked you but you always brushed it off saying that you’d never even talked to each other. Who knew that at the other side, JooHeon was getting teased just the same for liking a trainee.

You were always hopeful that it was true, you just liked everything about him, he was your bias after all. The other members of monstaX finally convinced him to talk to you one day and so you two became acquainted. Sadly that was it. You two talked whenever you saw each other but you couldn’t really call yourselves friends. This pained JooHeon so much as he realised it couldn’t just be a crush anymore. you too were disappointed but couldn’t find the courage to do anything since you were still a trainee.

On the day of the debut he went to your practice room where you guys were celebrating, a single rose in hand and looking handsome af. Let’s just say the waiting was definitely worth it when you get someone like him ;)

ChangKyun (IM):

You two went to the same highschool and even though you weren’t really friends back then, he was hyped when he heard you were a trainee at Starship. He found out when you had been a trainee for almost a year and he went to talk to you as soon as he saw you. He was amazed by how much you had changed and couldn’t help but stare at you whenever you caught his eye. Of course he got teased as soon as the rest of monstaX noticed.

You two talked often and you could soon actually call each other friends. The more time you spent together, you more he started to develop feelings for you, he couldn’t call it a crush anymore so he confessed on night when you were just watching a film at his dorm. You were shocked to say the least, you wanted to tell him you felt the same but you knew that if you did you’d get in trouble. “Oppa, mianhea.” You said and made your way out. He didn’t go after him as he thought you didn’t feel the same. He was crushed for days, avoiding you as much as he could, until his hyungs ask him what was wrong and almost slapped him for being stupid. They reminded him that you weren’t allowed to date. He cursed at himself and quickly went to find you, apologising. You told him you did like but couldn’t so he’d wait, even till after the madness of your debut died down.

♥ Thanks for reading ♥

I had too much fun writing this one :p

masterlist

#kpop scenarios reaction #kpop scenarios #kpop reactions #monsta x reactions #kpop #monstax #starship #monsta x imagines #kpop fluff #reaction #reactions #requests #request

[c9sneaksen-blog]

Ice Cream and Rainy Days

Smoothie was a man who had seen many things. He had seen Sneaky drink a whole half-gallon of milk at once. He had done the Cloud9 laundry. He had walked in on former support BunnyFuFu and the ex-Cloud9 member, Hai doing unmentionable things. He was a battle-hardened warrior.

He was the so-called mother of Cloud9.

Which is why he was entirely unsurprised to watch as Sneaky walk into the room, throw himself face-first into the couch and mutter into the pillows:

“Fucking Jensen,”

Smoothie didn’t blink at eye.

“Really, Sneaky, we don’t need to hear you read your bucket list out loud,” He said without looking up from his phone.

Sneaky shot up from the couch, pressing a pillow over his face.

“Fu–! Smoothie! Shut the fuck up! You know that’s not what I meant!”

The support gave a noncommittal hum.

“Oh yeah? What did you mean, then?”

Sneaky slid down into a slouch, running his hands through his infamous hair.

“I don’t know! It’s just…doesn’t he ever bother you? It’s so dumb. He’s so distant half the time and then he’s doing that stupid smile and acting like a dumbass. And his hair is stupid. And the way he’ll sometimes wear those big, nerdy glasses on his stupid little face. He’s fucking boosted.”

This time, Smoothie had to put down his phone and turn his attention to his ADC. He knew it would have only been a matter of time before this came up. It didn’t pass him the way his ADC and mid-laner stared smittenly at each other. This needed some real mom advice.

“Sneaky…that was real cute and all…but don’t you think you should confess to him?”

The brilliant ad-carry stared at Smoothie with the blankest expression.

“Confess what? That I was the one who ate his last chocolate bar?”

Smoothie’s eye twitched slightly.

“Er…no, Zach. I think we need to talk.”

It was not unlike explaining something to a very small and innocent child.

“But we’re talking right now…” Sneaky muttered.

Smoothie leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees, and gave Sneaky the kindest smile he could muster.

“Sneaky, I know this might be hard for you, but have you ever considered that you might be in love with Jensen?”

Then, Smoothie braced himself.

“The fuck??? Andy, what the fuck is that supposed to mean? I’m not fucking in love with Jensen! What the–Andy–fucking shit–I have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about!” Sneaky rambled, face flushed and eyes wide.

“Yo Zach, you know we love you to death. We’re just trying what’s best for you and our team. I see the way you look at him and the way he looks at you. You guys are so unbelievably sweet with each other, it’s rotting my teeth. Not to mention, the sexual tension is killing our League game. Do yourselves and the team a favor and just go confess to him.” Smoothie explained. This was going better than he had initially expected. Better being Sneaky hadn’t ran out of the room screaming and decided to retire from League of Legends esports.

“Andy, I just got done telling you how boosted Jensen is, why would that mean I want to bang him?” Sneaky shot back, chucking a pillow at Smoothie.

“Yeah, well, when you have a crush on him, it sounded more like a romantic love note than a toxic chat flame. I mean c’mon, ‘His stupid smile’? ‘Nerdy glasses’? Tell me Zach, what do you think about his laugh?”

“It’s so fucking adorable. DEPLORABLE! I SAID DEPLORABLE. WELL, I HAVE TO GO NOW, SEE YA LATER!” Sneaky said way too loudly, jumping up from the couch.

“Hah! You are not going anywhere Scuderi!” Smoothie grabbed Sneaky by his shoulders and pushed him back onto the couch.

Sneaky groaned and smashed his hands against his face, pushing his thick-framed glasses up into his mop of hair.

“Fucking hell. I’m in love with Jensen.”

                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Smoothie called it “Plan SneakSen”. Maybe he read too many fanfictions, maybe it came to him in a burst of inspiration, but either way, the name was formed and it stuck.

Smoothie was Sneaky’s wingman, the greatest real-life support that Sneaky could ask for. He always made sure to pair up the two of them when they group went out, always made sure that they were sitting across or next to each other, and always prompted conversations between them.

“Haha, wow guys, look at Sneaky’s hair! It’s so fluffy today!” Smoothie chirped brightly over his bowl of pho they were having for dinner.

Sneaky reached up to touch his hair self-consciously.

“Ah fuck, it probably looks like badger is draped over my head.”

Jensen frowned, a spoonful of pho halfway to his mouth.

“I think it looks fine. I like it when it’s fluffy. You know. Like it looks normal. Just mentioning.”

Sneaky’s face lit up like a blow-torched tomato.

“Really? Most people think my hair is dumb.” He said, yanking a strand down and going cross-eyed as he looked at it.

“Nah, it’s not dumb. People are fucking idiots.” Jensen muttered.

Contractz cleared his throat loudly. “Why don’t you two like, go make out or something?”

“Shut the fuck up, dude.” Sneaky said defensively.

Smoothie noted that Jensen did not say anything, just flush pink under the fluorescent lights.

“Well, anyways, want me to make you guys some sundaes? Nothing like ice cream after take-out pho.” Smoothie said.

There was a resounding cheer from the Cloud9 roster seated around the table.

“Fuck yes, dude!” Impact said.

“Great! Let me go get the supplies.” Smoothie made a show of clearing his place and walking to the kitchen, knowing fully well there was not a single lick of ice cream in the c9 house.

“Ah, fuck!” He called from the kitchen. “We don’t have any ice cream!”

“What?” Jensen muttered, brows furrowed. “I thought we just got some.”

“Nope, absolutely none in here.” Smoothie confirmed, glancing over at the trash can where he had throw out the carton of vanilla ice cream yesterday.

“Ah man, I really wanted that sundae…” Ray said with a sigh, staring forlornly down at his empty bowl.

“Hey! I know what to do! Jensen, Sneaky, why don’t you run out and grab us a container real quick? We have the hot fudge and everything…we just need some ice cream.” Smoothie declared as if the idea has just come to him.

“Yeah man, go get the ice cream! What’s pho night without Andy’s sundaes?” Contractz agreed.

Jensen narrowed his eyes at Smoothie.

“Why both of us? I can easily go by myself.”

A bead of sweat trickled down Smoothie’s forehead. He played it cool. It was just life or death shot-calling. He was used to it in League.

“Nah man, you’re too small. Some mugger will mistake you for a kid and try to kidnap you. You need big, strong Sneaky to protect you with his mullet.” Smoothie ad-libbed, trying to appeal to the group’s sense of humor.

“Haha, yeah Sneaky, you’ve gotta shield Jensen with your noodle arms!” Impact crowed with laughter.

Sneaky flexed his bicep and waggled his eyebrows. It was very awkward and unimpressive but Jensen looked like a fair maiden ready to swoon.

Plan SneakSen was going very well.

“Welp, best hurry up guys! Go on and fetch us our ice cream!” Smoothie shooed the two lovebirds out of their seats, trying not to look too smug.

“Fine, fine. Fucking hell, man…” Jensen grimaced.

They both left the c9 house, waving Smoothie off their backs.

Contractz, Impact and Ray stayed happily oblivious, just pleased to be getting the sundaes.

Smoothe leaned against the doorway and watched his two subjects.

“My kiddos. So proud.”

                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trip to the store and buying the ice cream was fairly uneventful. Sneaky did his best not to be too awkward, but he couldn’t help but steal glances over at Jensen. He looked so peaceful, staring out the rainy window, his face serene.

He was wearing his nerdy glasses.

They were illegally cute, perched on his tiny nose and enlarging his pretty blue eyes.

Sneaky bit back a lovestruck grin that threatened at his mouth.

The tension was definitely there, but Jensen seemed to be steadfastly ignoring it, pushing through the conversations that started with eye contact but ended up with both of their gazes flicking down towards lips.

Yeah, Sneaky was having a pretty damn hard time here.

Fuck Smoothie.

Well, actually scratch that. That was his plan for Jensen already.

Sneaky couldn’t believe it when they arrived back at the gaming house, the trip already over. With nothing achieved. Smoothie was going to fucking kill him.

But what was he going to do? Jensen wasn’t giving him any signs. He seemed to have reverted to his more serious self and Sneaky was a fucking coward. He could not bring himself to say a single word.

So hey, bro I’m kinda in love with you?

Wanna bang, Jensen?

I think you’re really fucking hot dude, in a full homo kind of way, just letting you know.

Yeah, that wasn’t happening.

Sneaky sighed as he parked the car.

It was pouring rain outside and Jensen frowned as he glanced at the downpour with distaste.

“Wanna make a run for it?” Sneaky said.

“Hrm. Fine. Although I don’t want to get fucking wet.”

Sneaky grinned. “Are you a cat, Jensen?”

The mid-laner stared at him impassively before bringing up a hand and giving a half-hearted paw at the air.

“Maybe I am. So. Nya.” He dead-panned.

Sneaky almost melted right there as he fell a little deeper in love with this idiot.

“Get the fuck out there,” Sneaky laughed, pushing at Jensen’s shoulder.

The two of them dashed out of the car, slamming the doors behind them. Jensen clutched the bag with the ice cream to his chest.

The collapsed against the door under the safety of the porch, but the damage was done. They both were soaked to the bone.

“Ah, fuck,” Jensen muttered.

Sneaky turned to him and almost died.

Jensen’s hair was soaking wet and fell over one eye, rainwater dripping off his pale eyelashes.

His black t-shirt was plastered to his body with water, outlining his lithe form.

Sneaky swallowed hard, his throat suddenly very dry.

Jensen snatched off his glasses and began rubbing them furiously with his shirt, but only succeeded in getting them wetter than ever.

“Fucking boosted glasses…” Jensen growled. He gave up and glanced up at Sneaky.

Who then realized that they were standing very, very close.

Jensen blinked.

Sneaky could see just how blue his eyes were in the monotone grey of the stormy afternoon.

A single droplet of water fell from his eyelashes.

Sneaky followed its glittering path down Jensen’s flawlessly creamy cheek,

down,

down,

down,

all the way to his lips.

The bead of water glistened on Jensen’s bottom lip.

“Sneaky…Zach…” Jensen said, voice barely a whisper in the thundering rain.

Sneaky didn’t even realize he was leaning in until his chest bumped against Jensen’s. He could feel his burning warmth through their cold, wet shirts.

“Fuck.” Was all Sneaky got out before he closed the gap between him and his mid-laner.

It was beyond exhilarating to finally feel Jensen’s mouth on his and to Sneaky’s utter surprise, Jensen was reciprocating the kiss.

His mouth was moving against his, slow and sweet, burning against Sneaky’s lips and he knew that he was done for.

Jensen slipped a hand through Sneaky’s dampened mop of hair, pulling the ADC closer and Sneaky happily obliged, cupping his hands around Jensen’s slender face.

He vaguely registered a thumping noise as Jensen dropped the bag of ice cream and his glasses in favor of clutching onto Sneaky as the kiss deepened.

“Jensen…” Sneaky murmured breathily between kisses and Jensen nipped at his lower lip with a little growl.

It was by far the hottest thing Sneaky had ever experienced in his life.

Every part of Sneaky’s body burned where he touched Jensen and his heart soared with the feeling of love, happiness and completion.

Gentle kisses turned to fiery passion as Jensen’s tongue brushed against Sneaky’s bottom lip, asking for permission.

Sneaky gladly granted him it.

Jensen took control of the kiss and Sneaky felt a bit weak at his knees. Jensen was the fucking best kisser ever, positively mouth-fucking Sneaky with his tongue.

Things were getting heated and Sneaky moaned against Jensen’s mouth, pulling him even closer.

“Hey, where’s the fucking–HOLY SHIT!”

“Fuck!” Jensen and Sneaky both shouted, jumping away from each other as Contractz flung the door open.

“OH MY GOD OH MY GOD FUUCCCKKKK–” Contractz gaped at them, staring at their mussed up hair, swollen lips and bright red faces.

“FUCKING CONTRACTZ WHAT THE FUCKING–Hvad fanden er der galt med dig, tag kæften ud!” Jensen shouted and then threw the bag of ice cream at Contractz.

“GOD I’M SO SORRY GUYS OH MY GO–”

Jensen slammed the door in his face.

Sneaky stared.

“So. Where were we?” Jensen asked calmly.

#submission #fan work #Sneaksen fic #thefandomambassador #THANK YOU FOR SENDING #SO CUTE #MOAR PLEASE #XD

[ladyloveandjustice]

The Great Ace Attorney Replay: Trials and Tribulations, Case 5, the final part

Phoenix and Miles meet and Miles basically gives him a motivational speech

“U GOTTA FIGHT WRIGHT!!!” 

And Phoenix is all “YEAH U DON’T HAVE TO TELL ME!!!!”

“I KNOW U CAN DO IT U HAVE THAT LOOK IN YOUR EYE YOU’RE GONNA DO IT”

“YEAH I’M GONNA DO IT GONNA GET THIS GUY!”

And then they double high-five in the middle of the lobby or something.

Miles:  I leave the rest in your capable hands... partner.

PARTNER IN LAW. PARTNER IN LIFE. PARTNER IN LOVE. AMIRITE.

I dunno how chatty I’ll be during this trial because there are only so many ways to say “I hate Godot so much”. (Note from the future- I will still be chatty).

Dahlia is so good at being passive aggressive during this whole trial. I like this heartless serial murderer so much better than u Godot.

And we finally reveal that Dahlia is in the courtroom hanging with us, not Iris

Phoenix: Did you say the plan was to kill Maya?

Dahlia: Yes? You got a problem with that?

YES DAHLIA I KNOW YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND OR LIKE FEELINGS BUT MOST PEOPLE WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOMEONE TRYING TO KILL THEIR BESTIE.  

She insisting Maya is dead and this part:

Phoenix: Th-That's absurd! M-Maya is just... She's just trapped! Trapped inside the Sacred Cavern!

Dahlia: Really...? You're as foolishly optimistic as ever, aren't you... my darling Feenie?

Phoenix: ...!

Dahlia: Do you want to know the truth? Ever since we met... I've despised you. Your sniveling naïveté and your pathetic faith in other people.

Just always give me chills. SHE’S SO DELICIOUSLY EVIL.

I mean she’s basically going “HAHA LOOK AT YOU CARING ABOUT PEOPLE AND HAVING EMOTIONS. LOSER.”

Dahlia was super disappointed when she couldn’t take revenge on Mia from beyond the grave. OR COULD SHE? She decided to “go after the person Mia Fey loved most.”

HEY GODOT. DO YOU HEAR THAT. MAYA IS THE PERSON MIA LOVES MOST IN THE WORLD. AND YET YOU PUT HER IN DANGER FOR YOUR STUPID EGO. IT’S ALMOST LIKE YOU DIDN’T REALLY LOVE MIA AND ONLY LOVE YOURSELF.

AT LEAST DAHLIA’S HONEST ABOUT HER ISSUES.

Ohh yeesh I forgot how intense this got. Dahlia tries to convince Phoenix that Maya accidentally killed her mother, then killed herself out of guilt. Phoenix is of course like “WTF NO” but you can see him starting to panic. IT IS PHOENIX’S ETERNAL CURSE TO THINK HIS LOVED ONES HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE.

At least it only lasts two seconds this time.

Christ, both Phoenix and especially Maya need so much therapy after this case. Pearl too.

GUESS WHAT MAYA REALLY DID. GOT HER SIS’S ADVICE AND CHANNELED DAHLIA HERSELF SO DAHLIA COULDN’T KILL HER. The moment where Mia appears and is like “lol owned” will always be one of the greatest moments in Ace Attorney.

Haha I forgot how HARD Phoenix and Mia verbally eviscerate Dahlia. They tag-team it too.

Phoenix: WOW GEE THAT SURE DIDN’T WORK OUT DID IT DAHLIA. SURE GOT OWNED HARD THERE.

Mia: OF COURSE YOU MUST BE USED TO GETTING OWNED BY NOW.

Dahlia: what no shut up

Phoenix: Did that kidnapping thing- owned by Mia Fey. Tried to kill me- LOOK WHO’S STILL ALIVE, MOTHERFUCKER! AND BY SHEER DUMB LUCK THAT MAKES IT EVEN WORSE HAHA! Poisoned some other dudes- owned by Mia Fey.

Dahlia: YEAH WELL…WELL…YOU HAVE FEELINGS AND FEELINGS ARE DUMB…

Phoenix: Tried to kill Maya…owned by Mia Fey….

Dahlia: STOP LOOKING SO GODDAMN SMUG IF IT WASN’T FOR MIA FEY YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN EXECUTED INSTEAD OF ME. I ONLY DIED BECAUSE OF MIA FEY.

Mia: True!

Dahlia: ….

Mia: Looks like no matter what I’ll always own you. Even death cannot stop me from owning you. For all eternity you’ll be Dahlia Hawthorne: That lady who got super owned by Mia Fey

Dahlia: but HOW COULD I LOSE?

Phoenix: Hey Dahlia, guess what! Nobody gives a shit.

*Phoenix and Mia high five*

Phoenix: Now GTFO of Maya.

SO SATISFYING. EPIC HERO-VILLAIN LADY RIVALRIES ARE MY EVERYTHING and Mia and Dahlia hit my sweet spot. SUCH A PASSIONATE HATE-ON. And Phoenix getting to be spell out exactly how badly she messed up after everything she did to him and how he looked down on him for his dumb feelings-it’s the best

THIS SURE WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO END THE CASE. BUT NO WE GOTTA DEAL WITH GODOT’S BULLSHIT.

Like seriously. He could just confess that he murdered Misty Fey RIGHT NOW and not waste everyone’s fucking time. BUT NO. Let’s drag Maya, who is completely exhausted and deeply traumatized after almost being killed and witnessing the murder of her own mother, onto the witness stand and make her relive the entire horrible experience YOU PUT HER THROUGH because you don’t give a shit about anything other than ~testing~ Phoenix.

I like that Dahlia has a backstory where you can see where her “look out for number one” and “feelings are dumb” mindset came from. Her Mom abandoned her, her dad set an example by loving no one, ditching people when they were inconvenient for him and only caring about money. You can see why she decided to do the same. It doesn’t excuse what she did obvs, but there is a logical thread to her actions beyond “she’s just a demon child” and that gives her some dimension as a character, even while being so unrepentantly evil.

Mia makes sure Nick’s realized Godot was the killer and then says she’s gonna peace out- I’m sure you could give a lot of explanations for why she recused herself from the trial indicting Godot (like her ~feelings~ ugh)- but I’m gonna  say its cuz she knew if she spent any more time in Godot’s presence she wouldn’t be able to restrain herself from running across the courtroom and beating the shit out of him for putting her little sister in danger and killing her mother for the sake of his macho revenge fantasy.

She would have been fine doing that normally, but she’s in Pearl’s body right now and she doesn’t want Pearl to suddenly wake up with a man’s blood on her hands. She’s been through enough.

 SO IT’S UP TO PHOENIX.

Godot fucking yelling at Maya not to cry after all the bullshit he put her through and the fact she wouldn’t have to even be on this stand reliving this bullshit if he just fucking owned up to what he did I HATE HIM SO MUCH.

She’s trying so hard to protect him NO MAYA IT WAS HIS FAULT THIS SHIT HAPPENED TO YOU

Like he knew Morgan has hidden the note! He found it! It was unsealed when Pearl found it! He could have just taken the note! That is literally all he had to do! That’s not all! He could have explained to Pearl why she couldn’t listen to her mother! He could have TOLD MAYA SOMEONE WAS TRYING TO KILL HER.

But nope. He just leaves to note for Pearl and lets everyone go through with this entire murder attempt because he wanted to “save Maya” and feel all manly. HE. IS. NOT. WORTH. PROTECTING.

The only good part about Maya protecting Godot is seeing her call Nick out on the holes in his logic. AND U THOUGHT U HAD IT TOUGH WITH MILES.

And also! At one point the judge says Maya will be suspected for the murder if Phoenix can’t prove it’s Godot! So he the possibility of Maya going to jail/being executed in his place literally came up and Godot STILL didn’t confess. WOW  DEEP LOVE FOR HIS BELOVED’S MOST TREASURED PERSON HE HAS THERE.

Defeating him is so satisfying at least. BLOWIN’ YOUR MASK UP.

 And in the end, even he admits he wasn’t really concerned with saving Maya…because he didn’t tell Phoenix what was going on. OKAY. OR ACTUALLY YOU COULD HAVE TOLD MAYA HERSELF. I’m not saying Nick would not have probably been more helpful to Maya’s situation than you were, because literally anyone would be, but THE BEST WAY for her not to get murdered is to tell her “HEY MORGAN FEY IS TRYING TO SUMMON SOMEONE TO MURDER YOU THROUGH PEARL, MAYBE TALK TO PEARL ABOUT THIS AND ALSO DON’T GO ANYWHERE ALONE FOR A WHILE.”

Like even after admitting he messed up and his grudge against Phoenix makes no fucking sense, he still does the exact same shit! Only men are people worthy of being told anything! Women aren’t allowed to know what’s happening to them! They don’t get to make decisions about their own lives! Only men can make decisions for them!

And he STILL makes Mia’s death about him and how he “failed to protect her”. It is just so disrespectful to her, acting like he could have somehow done something she didn’t to prevent her death when he couldn’t even protect HIMSELF from being poisoned. Mia died doing what she believed in. She knew the risks and she accomplished her goal. She was satisfied. Her death was about her, not Phoenix and definitely not YOU.

So no, I really don’t feel sorry for him, nn matter how much the game wants me to.

I’m always kinda ehhh about the reveal Iris was subbing for Dahlia. I mean it’s nice for Nick and all and it is incredibly unlikely Dahlia would have had the patience go on all those dates with Phoenix and pretend she gave a shit, she would have murdered him the first night.

But on another level it’s feels unnecessary to say “see Phoenix was right to believe in her, because he wasn’t REALLY dating Dahlia, it was Iris and she did actually care about him!” Like, Phoenix’s belief in people is a positive thing, but I think it’s more meaningful if he’s y’know, not always unfailingly correct.

Having faith in people means sometimes you can have people not worthy of that faith take advantage of it. And I think the thing with Dahlia impacted Phoenix and helped him realize he can’t just be a total doormat for people and believe in them even when shit’s clearly suspicious. This was an important lesson for Phoenix, and also something that left him with some issues. Being like “oh yeah but he was also right kind of” just kinda dilutes that.

It doesn’t RUIN it, since he still did trust someone he absolutely should not have trusted in Dahlia and the betrayal had a lasting impact on him regardless of Iris’s involvement, but it’s just like “eh” for me.

Also it comes off like they were trying to set her up as a potential love interest- obviously they didn’t actually go through with it since she is NEVER MENTIONED AGAIN after this- but egh, if they had... it doesn’t work on so many levels and I’m not just saying that because it disrupts the otp. Like first of all, she did still lie to Phoenix about who she was for months (I hope they didn’t have sex because that could. Technically be a crime on your part, Iris) and I can’t see that baggage being easy to deal with.

Also, I hate to say it, but Iris is boring. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with her, but her connection to Dahlia and the insight on her she provided is about the only thing interesting about her. Her entire personality can be summed up as “shy and nice”. Which is fine. Not every character has to be the fascinating, and she served her function in the plot. But in a series full of quirky, complex, dynamic characters, it’s kinda like. Literally anyone would have a more entertaining romantic dynamic with Phoenix.

(Not saying that Iris couldn’t have potentially been turned into a more interesting character if writers had been interested in it. There’s a lot to work with, considering her tragic past. But as it stood in the game, there’s zero spark there)

Also, judging from the people he’s closest to and spends the most time with, Nick prefers to hang around people who are the opposite of demure, who he can banter and argue with constantly. HE REALLY LIKES ARGUING. IT’S HIS CHOSEN CAREER. I think there was even an interview where the writers said Nick’s type is “someone who would boss him around”. And Iris is not that person. (And Phoenix is also way more sarcastic now than he was in college and I’m not sure if she’d be into that either.)

So yeah I’M GLAD THEY DIDN’T GO THROUGH WITH THAT basically.

I AM glad we went through with putting Godot in jail though. Mia’s just like “nope, don’t feel guilty, it’s fine, this was the best thing to do for him”. I will cling to my theory that she is super disgusted with him. U can’t take it away.

Lol at Maya deciding she’s on a first name basis with Franziska and they’re friends now and being able to make her be nice to Larry just by pouting. Thus a ship was born. They really would have had a fun dynamic I wish we could see more of it.

There’s also the part where Fran is genuinely confused with why Maya is being so cheerful in the wake of losing her parent:

Edgeworth: ...Wright. You seem to be uncharacteristically puzzled. I suspect you are wondering how Maya can be so cheerful despite all that has happened?

Phoenix: Y-Yeah...

Franziska: To be honest... I can't understand it either.

Phoenix: (Franziska... That's right... She lost her father fairly recently as well...)

So she does seem to sympathize with Maya and seem really interested in why her reaction to grief is so different from hers. when Miles and Phoenix say they get why Maya’s doing this, she DEMANDS TO KNOW. What is WITH Maya Fey, how does she work, Fran is fascinated. 

She’s learning about things she doesn’t understand and expanding her worldview thanks to Maya already and that could be another interesting bit of their relationship to explore- similar trauma, different ways of coping, they can sort of connect and learn from each other on that level.

I’ve mentioned that I really like Miles and Maya’s friendship, and this little dialogue exchange coming up is kinda the culmination of that. It’s not just that they both like the Steel Samurai, or both know Nick or anything- they actually have a pretty deep connection and weird understanding of each other. They both witnessed a parent die, they both experienced trauma connected to the DL-6 incident- Miles understands what Maya’s going through in a way Phoenix doesn’t, because Phoenix hasn’t experienced the same loss. And he sees the pain under her cheerful attitude.

Miles: I think I understand how she feels. Maya is a much wiser person than she appears, and I think she realizes something... Now is exactly the time when she needs to be as strong as she can.

Franziska; Wh-What do you mean by, "Now is exactly the time"...?

Edgeworth: Maya wasn't the only one that was badly wounded by this incident. In fact, there was someone that was hurt far more deeply than she. I believe it's for that person that Maya is trying her best not to cry.

Phoenix: (Someone who was hurt more deeply than Maya...) Edgeworth... I think I'm starting to understand, too.)

(She’s doing it for Pearl)

Phoenix: After all, the reason [Pearl] she worked so hard to follow the instructions... ...was because she loved and believed in her mother, Morgan. "It's for the good of the Fey clan"... I'm sure she believed in every last word. She thought she was doing it for Maya... That's why she was so happy. It shows how truly devoted she is to Maya.

Edgeworth: But it's a cruel irony that it was her exuberance that led to this tragedy. Maya Fey's mother was killed and Maya herself was put into the deepest peril imaginable.

Phoenix: (And that's exactly why Maya is putting on a brave face... She's doing it for Pearls's sake... Until she can see her smile again...)

I mentioned this in my last liveblog, but not only is Miles familiar with trying to be “strong” in the wake of tragedy, he also gets what Maya’s doing for Pearl because he’s sort of trying to do the same thing for Franziska right now- he’s pretty messed up over all the von Karma stuff. But he doesn’t blame Franziska for the connection she had to the person who ruined his life or for her attempts to be loyal to him. He recognizes Franziska is just as messed up over the revelations with VK and just as damaged by him, if not more so. So he’s trying to be strong and set a good example for Franziska right now, leaving the past behind and helping them both move one with their lives. And that is exactly the situation with Maya and Pearl.

So yeah, in addition to all the other things Maya and Miles have in common, they both basically have little sisters they feel responsible for and want to help and understand that about each other. ACE OLDER SIBLINGS.

Maya does indeed ace it as a big sis and manages to reassure and comfort Pearl. Her mother is gone, but Nick and Pearl are always there for her, and she loves her family.

Phoenix decided to end the trilogy with a dramatic monologue:

 "It's only natural for living creatures to fight to protect their own lives. But what makes us human is that we fight for others. But who do you fight for? How hard must you fight...? That's the true measure of what human life is worth.

CAN YOU TELL THIS BOY WAS AN ART MAJOR BECAUSE I SURE CAN/.

"We defense attorneys are warriors who are constantly challenged by that question' 

Yeah you’re a warrior champ. Whatever makes you feel cool.

"Even when the battle is over, and the bonds that connect us are severed... We always return... Time and time again. Mia, Maya, Pearl [REDACTED I HATE HIM]... I learned that... from all of them."

 I’M GLAD HE’S LEARNED THIS AMAZING WISDOM ABOUT LIFE FROM THE AWESOME FEYS  AND ABSOLUTELY NO ONE ELSE.

Gr8 anime protagonist speech Phoenix. Your heart has been made fullmetal.

NOW IT’S CREDITS TIME.

Maya: I'll really have to work extra hard now! Master of Kurain and the office manager of Wright & Co. Law Offices. And I have to be a good big sister to Pearly and Nick, too!

Other things Franziska and Maya have in common: insisting guys older than them are their “little brothers”. I love it. YOU BIG SIS THE HELL OUT OF NICK, MAYA, TEACH HIM THE WAY OF THE WORLD.

Maya: Well, as long as I'm not locked up or captured or something like that.

Sorry about ur life Maya. Things will indeed not get better for you in that respect *sigh*.

Franziska taught Adrian how to use a whip everyone must now bow down to their dom lesbian overlords.

Nick actually went with Maya to her special meditation course and did the whole thing with her AMAZING. He’s like an honorary Fey now, which is probably terrifying.

Well, that finishes the game! God this game is so weird, It would definitely be my favorite- it has a lot of great parts, I love playing it, you really get a little of everyone, but it also has to have the most SUPREMELY ANNOYING PARTS in the whole series aka Godot’s whole existence. So I can’t say for sure it’s my fave because of that. But maybe it is. I don’t know. Why’s Godot gotta complicate everything.

Anyway, next up is Apollo Justice. Which on my first playthrough, it’s my least favorite game of the current six in the main series. Let’s see if I’ll have a better opinion of it this time or stand by that assessment.

#the great ace attorney replay #sailor queuepiter