#so if anyone's curious i could try to refresh myself on that and elaborate at some point | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

andypantsx3 · 4 years

Text

in cinders | 3 | obfuscations

pairing: Todoroki Shouto / Reader

length: 24,362 words / 9 chapters

summary: You’re just trying to fairy godmother your best friend into a happily ever after. If only the prince would stop hanging around and cooperate.

tags: cinderella AU, prince!Shouto, romance, misunderstandings, reader-insert

warnings: aged up characters, eventual smut

The dress in question belonged to Lady Camie Utsushimi and you hoped she wouldn’t get close enough to notice.

It was a deep blue, almost black in certain lights, and though it wasn’t as fine as Ochako’s gown, it looked like the kind of thing that wouldn’t be out of place in a room full of nobility. In the scant hour you had to prepare, you’d done your best to temporarily alter it, quickly pinning the neckline into a different shape and ironing on spare silver ribbon lifted from Mina’s workrooms.

You’d cut a simple silver mask from the same ribbon, hurriedly stitching around the holes for the eyes and tying off the back with a thinner length. It wasn’t your best work, but then you didn’t intend for anyone to get close enough to take note.

While in Mina’s workroom, you also helped yourself to a scrap of pink ribbon and a pearl button, looping the ribbon through the eyehole to create a simple kind of a necklace. It would look too good with Ochako’s dress to pass up. You made a mental note to feed Mina more pastries in apology.

Back in your rooms, you and Ochako quickly washed down with a rough bar of soap of the type that all the palace servants used. It wasn’t as fine or perfumed with flowers like the ladies’ soaps you often caught passing through the corridors to be delivered to their rooms. It smelled vaguely of the olives that had gone into its production, but at least you smelled clean.

Once dressed, you and Ochako stole down the servant’s passages, taking care to avoid anyone carrying trays to the feast. At a quarter past the candlemark, you crept into the hallway that descended into the ballroom from an onlooking balcony. As agreed, Kaminari had left his post open for the spare minutes you needed to get inside.

“It’s not too late to back out,” Ochako whispered as you pressed open the hidden door leading into the back of the hall. The peerage was still being announced at the entry and you wouldn’t be noticed as you came in.

You grabbed her wrist and pulled her through the door, into the brightly-lit grandeur of the ballroom. At once, you were overwhelmed by the sights and smells of the reception. Bright dresses of every color dotted your vision like spots, their wearers combed and rouged to high perfection. Trays littered the tables at the fringes of the room, piled high with cheeses and sweetmeats and the other labors of Rikido’s love. At one table on the far end of the room, you spied the famous soba noodles.

All around you, the nobility swirled like currents on the sea.

“Wow,” Ochako breathed, sounding just as dumbfounded as you felt. “It’s even more than I thought it would be.”

Something pleased curled in your chest, happy you could give this to her. Even if she didn’t bag her prince at the end of the night, it would be worth it to hear the note of wonder in her voice and see her happily spinning among the party’s guests.

Speaking of Prince Shouto, you peered around in search of his tall figure. As the announcements of noble entries tapered off, you spotted your target in the corner of the room. It was hard to recognize all the courtiers in their elaborate masks, but you knew that head of distinctive red and white hair.

“What do you say you take your new dance skills for a spin,” you said, catching Ochako’s wrist again and pulling her through the splendid crowds.

She followed sedately, right up until she caught on to where you were going.

“Y/N, that’s him!” she hissed, “I can’t go over there.”

You pretended you’d conveniently lost your hearing. “What?”

“I said, I’m not going over there,” she whispered again, furiously. “I can’t look him in the face, what if he doesn’t -- oh hello, your highness! Mr. Midoriya!”

You stifled a laugh, dropping into your best approximation of a curtsy.

“Your highness,” you said, shoving Ochako in front of you. “It’s wonderful to meet you. I had hoped you might grace the Lady Uraraka with a dance. She’s quite new to court, you see.”

The man in question stared down at you, dual toned eyes burning into yours. Up close, you could see he was even more handsome than you had thought, his unusual eyes, sharp nose, and the fullness of his mouth only emphasized by the cut of his dark mask. He wore a doublet in a blue color only one shade lighter than your own gown, and the high points of his starched collar curved up towards his sharp jawline.

Over his shoulder, his valet Izuku Midoriya perked up, dressed in a green that matched his riot of curls.

“I’ve not heard of the Uraraka family,” Midoriya said, dropping into a bow. “It’s wonderful to make your acquaintance.”

Ochako seemed to blush to the roots of her hair at being addressed. “Oh, we’re um. We’re new, as my companion has said.”

Prince Shouto seemed to remember his manners as well, turning to Ochako. “Welcome, Lady Uraraka.” His heterochromatic eyes flicked over her face and he seemed to search for something to say. “I must compliment you on your choice of jewelry. Your necklace is quite unique and beautiful.”

You smothered a grin, proud of your efforts. She had his attention! Time to make your exit.

You bent your knees in a quick curtsy again. “Well, I must take my leave. I’d promised an acquaintance to find her. Please take good care of my friend.”

With that, you all but dove into the crowd, leaving Ochako at the mercy of the prince and his attendant. If the prince had any conscience at all, his chivalrous upbringing would compel him to ask her for a dance. From there, Ochako's inherent loveliness would do all the heavy lifting.

Once you were sure you were out of their sight, you looped around to one of the refreshments tables, intent on getting your evening’s worth out of Rikido’s cooking. If you had to be here, this would definitely beat the scraps you’d intended to scarf down by yourself. You planned on eating ten plates worth as you watched over Ochako from the sidelines. With the luxurious thickness of Lady Utsushimi’s skirts as cover, you might even be able to sneak twice your usual supply back into your room for later.

You were piling your plate high with barely-disguised glee when an elegant hand was held out in front of you. Your eyes followed an arm up a stylish sleeve and into the face of Camie Utsushimi herself. You froze, serving fork hanging from your fingers.

“L-lady Utsushimi!” you cried, quickly abandoning your plate. You swept into another curtsy so fast you heard your knees creak. “It’s a pleasure!”

Camie considered you with an unreadable look on her delicate features. Up close, her face was so symmetrical and pretty it almost made your eyes burn.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, her features relaxed into something like geniality.

“I’m afraid I don’t know your name, Lady…?”

You panicked. You hadn’t planned on being addressed. Before you could stop yourself, you blurted out the first name you could think of.

“Kamiko. I’m, um, from the Ito family.”

Fuck, what were you doing giving her Kamiko’s name?

“Well met, Lady Ito." Lady Utsushimi smiled. "I must tell you that I quite like your dress. I have one just like it! It appears our tastes are quite similar, and I found myself thinking that I must make your acquaintance.”

Internally, you were screaming. Did she recognize it for her own dress? What game was she playing? Was the king’s guard going to march in here any moment and separate your head from your shoulders?

You forced yourself to calm down. “I thank you, my lady. That is a high compliment coming from you.”

She regarded you. “Do you know me? I’m sorry that I cannot say the same - I don’t believe I know of your family.”

You waved a hand dismissively. “Oh you wouldn’t! We’re, um, from the outlying provinces. We don’t really, uh, get to court much.”

Lady Utsushimi gave you a toothy grin. “Well I’m glad you could make it for Shouto’s birthday. Everyone seems to have turned out.”

You found yourself seizing on the opening she left, desperate to get the subject off of you. “Do you know the prince quite familiarly? You call him by his given name.”

She laughed. “Oh yes, Shouto and I are old friends. I only turned up tonight to give him some company should he need it. He hates these things.”

You turned back to the ballroom, searching out the prince’s mop of hair. You found him easily enough, but were startled to see a distinct lack of Ochako on his arm.

A panic seized you.

“Um, forgive me, Lady Utsushimi. I seem to have forgotten something. I’ll just--um, I’ll be right back.”

Without waiting for her response, you plunged back into the fray of courtiers, beelining straight for the prince.

Emerging breathlessly as though from a cold river, you stumbled almost straight into him. Forgetting yourself entirely, you blurted, “Where’s Och--uh, Lady Uraraka?”

He looked at you, seeming startled. “Pardon, Lady…?”

You waved him off, “Oh, don’t worry about me. Just tell me where Lady Uraraka’s gone to and I can be on my merry way.”

He turned to look at you more fully, something curious alighting in his gaze.

“Forgive me, but is it not rude to address your liege lord without the proper respects?”

You froze, blood feeling like it was icing over in your veins. “I--of course, your highness, please forgive me for any offense. I’d only wondered--um, where my friend had gone.”

You hoped desperately that your disguise as a noblewoman stood between you and the gallows.

A smirk played at the corners of Prince Shouto’s mouth.

“I believe she is with Mr. Midoriya at the moment.”

You looked up at him in shock. Was he playing with you?

“Oh, um, thank you. And where might Mr. Midoriya be at this very minute?”

His smirk widened into something dangerously close to a grin. “I do believe I’m owed a name before I will tell you.”

Fuck. Don’t give out Kamiko’s again--

“I don’t have one,” you blurted, then winced.

Prince Shouto stared at you, something a little like disbelief creeping over his features. “You don’t have a name? That’s the first time I’ve heard something like that. Tell me, are you trying to make yourself interesting?”

You flushed. “There is absolutely nothing interesting about me, I can assure you--” nothing that a royal would find interesting anyway, unless they cared about the best kind of soap to lift grease stains from a pan -- “if you could point me in the direction of your valet, I won’t take up any more of your time.”

The prince stepped nearer to you. This close, you could feel the heat coming off of his left side and smell something fresh like mint, underlaid with the tang of saddle oil and leather. His proximity went straight to your head and you took a step back, feeling dizzy.

“I will take from you a dance, then, in place of a name,” he said. His gaze burned into yours like a torch laid to a pyre.

These nobles sure asked for a lot you couldn’t give.

“Um, I’m afraid I’m not much good at dancing.” You groped around for any excuse, taking another slow step back. “I've been told it's as if I'd never learned! Lady Uraraka, though, is a wonderful dancer. I’ll be sure to add you to her dance card when I find her.”

You moved to leave, but a rough hand on your waist stopped you.

“I must insist,” the prince said, “I’ll refresh you, if you are as unpracticed as you say. You would not deny your prince on his birthday, would you?”

You regarded him suspiciously, noting the wry twist at the corner of his mouth. He was being too obnoxious not to be obfuscating. Was there some reason he wasn’t letting you follow Ochako and Midoriya?

“Your toes will pay the price for this,” you intoned, “I assure you I am not being modest.”

Prince Shouto smiled and steered you towards the floor where a dance was already underway. “Perhaps. I will be the judge of that.”

This man had no idea what he was in for.

In the interest of spending as little time in the stocks possible, you did your best to minimize the damage to his toes. You still found yourself trodding on him more often than not though, confused by the many steps and the spritely movements of the couples around you. It became clear very quickly that you had not been lying to him.

Soon enough, the prince leaned down to put his mouth to your ear. “Stand on my boots.”

You pulled back to look at him in befuddlement. “What?” you asked, stupidly.

He tugged you closer. “Step up onto my boots. No one will notice with your long skirts. I will lead you through the dance.”

Your heart pounding in your chest, you did as he asked. This had the effect of bringing you much nearer to him than was proper, and you noticed that even standing on his boots, you tucked neatly under his chin. You hid your face in his strong shoulder, feeling your face turn pink, hoping desperately that he noticed neither your blush nor the messy stitches of your mask.

“So you were not being modest,” he laughed when you’d spun another few rounds, this time with much less difficulty. You could feel it rumble in his chest. “I, too, would guess you had never learned.”

You cringed. “One of many faults, your highness.”

A calloused thumb smoothed your back. “You do not have a name and you do not dance. What do you do with your time?”

Scrub pots. Wash the vegetables that go into your supper. Clean the fireplaces.

You wracked your brain for something suitable to tell him. What did noble women do that men found duller than dirt? What could you give him that he would not ask more about?

“Embroidery, your highness. I am skilled with a needle and thread.”

“With that mask?” he huffed a soft laugh. “Tell me honestly.”

“Well,” you declared, nose feeling hot, “what do you think I do?”

Prince Shouto looked almost delighted by the question, the blue of his left eye shining at you through his mask.

“Let’s see. You write to the Lady Uraraka, seeing as you are such good friends--”

You nodded. Writing, that was something that ladies could do.

“--and you make your own soaps--”

You looked up at him, startled. “What?”

He leaned into your hair, and you could feel him take a deep breath. Your mind felt like it was melting a little. “Your hair, it smells faintly of olives. Most ladies order florals. I’ve never smelled anything like this before.”

Well, it’s not as though he went around sniffing the help every day. All the same, he was too observant.

“Um, what else?” you prompted, trying to reroute him.

His right hand fell from where it clasped yours to gently encircle your wrist. “And you alter your dresses after they’re ordered for you. Do you not find the current fashion satisfactory?”

To your horror, he plucked at the loose silver ribbon you’d ironed on to the hem of your sleeve. It came away easily, clutched in his long fingers.

You opened your mouth to reply -- though what you might have said was a complete mystery to you -- when a blur of pink and green came rushing at you.

Ochako popped up almost between you and the prince, Izuku hot on her heels.

“Your highness,” Izuku sketched a quick bow, “my apologies for interrupting, but your father has need of you.”

Prince Shouto’s hand tightened on your back for a moment, then fell away as he stepped out of your space.

“I see,” he said quietly. He bowed deeply towards you. “I will look for you later, Lady No Name.” And then he was gone, followed closely by his green-haired valet.

Ochako gaped. “Y/N! That was--!”

You hissed, grabbing her hand and rushing off the dance floor. “I know! We have to get out of here before he comes back.”

She looked at you in concern and you held up the sleeve where he had pulled off your ribbon. “Another couple minutes and he’d have figured me out.”

Her eyes grew round with distress. “Do you think he--?”

You shook your head. “Not if we leave now.”

She nodded, and led the way out of the great hall. Once back in the halls of the castle, the two of you ducked towards the doors to the servant’s hall, stealing quietly through the drafty passageways. You kept to the shadows in the kitchen, creeping carefully down the short staircase that led to your shared room.

When you’d finally made it inside, you let out a deep breath, peeling out of Lady Utsushimi’s dress and stowing it carefully under your pallet to return to the laundry rooms at your earliest opportunity.

The two of you changed and collapsed into bed, laughing wildly at the night you’d had. Ochako wouldn’t share more than a word or two on where she’d gone with the prince’s attendant, but you guessed she might have rushed off too embarrassed to dance with the prince and Izuku may have followed to make sure she was well.

Still, it was clear she’d loved being able to go to the ball in her pretty dress, and you smiled, thrilled that you could have given that to her.

Eventually, she stilled, the sound of her breathing becoming heavy. You eventually drifted off as well, feeling the ghost of the prince’s hand at your back and his breath at your temple.

#todoroki shouto #bnha #todoroki shouto x reader #fanfic #bnha x reader #todoroki x reader #boku no hero academia

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simpsiren · 3 years

Text

lee donghyuck x reader, ft. johnny and dreamies

description. I’m working at an arcade, but I’m also the top scorer of the DDR machine. It was easy to guard my position till a sudden regular comes by and tries to beat it. But we somehow ended up at the beach?

genre. angst (at first), fluff, arcade au, strangers to lovers au

word count. 8.2k

a/n. hEllOo i felt like writing this just because i crave going to the arcade but its way too expensive for my broke ass so i can only write what i wish :’) so eNjoY!!

“How do you still have the energy to play that?” I hear the familiar voice and footsteps walking towards the DDR machine where I was at. I glance to him for a moment, seeing him sipping on his Starbucks coffee.

“Working at an arcade is probably the easiest job ever.” I breathe out, my eyes and feet concentrated on the game. I feel Johnny’s hand leaning on the handle behind me while he watches me.

“Isn’t that obvious?” Johnny mutters sarcastically. I stomp on the last beat and wait impatiently for my score, the numbers increasing at an extremely fast rate.

“No fucking way!” Johnny exclaims, his hand beating the handle vigorously as the two of us see the final score. I chuckle and got off the plate, snatching Johnny’s coffee from him to take a sip.

“I’m amazing.” I say with utter confidence, shoving the coffee back on Johnny’s chest, causing him to fall back a little while I make my way to the staff’s room.

Johnny silently follows behind me, waiting in front of the counter while I grab my bag and check if I left anything behind before going up to him. “Thanks for always fetching me from work.” Johnny and I made our way out of the arcade. I didn’t bother to close up since it was my other colleague’s job anyways.

“Yeah so where’s my pay?” Johnny puts his hand out and motions it to me as if he’s asking for money. I roll my eyes and faked my exasperation. “You aren’t my Grab driver so shut it.” I nudged my elbow to Johnny’s as the two of us chuckle and left the mall.

While Johnny’s driving me home, the two of us didn’t speak, with only music coming from the radio can be heard. Johnny clears his throat suddenly. I assume he was trying to break the silence so I turn my head to him and wait for him to say something.

“One question.” Johnny stated. I hum as a sign for him to continue. “Has anyone ever tried breaking your score on the DDR before?”

I pucker my lips as I try to think of an answer, quietly laughing to myself after thinking about it. Johnny raise an eyebrow at me, confused at my sudden laughter. “Plenty of times actually. But no one has ever officially beaten it.” I answer with a scoff.

“It’s so funny watching people get curious about KSY. They would never guess that it could be a worker at the arcade.” I elaborate. Johnny laughs, now knowing why I was laughing to myself earlier.

“Let’s make a bet.” Johnny suddenly announces, his eyes off the road and to you, a mischievous grin appearing on his face. I copy his expression, tilting my head to the side. “Bet on what, John?”

“The first person that beats your score.” Johnny replies nonchalantly. “Within three months, if someone actually beats you, I win. If not, then I don’t.”

“What’s the prize for winning?”

“If I win, you get me an unlimited arcade card like yours.”

I gape my mouth at his statement, gasping and widening my eyes. A card is used as an access system in the arcade, meaning that you need to have money in your card and scan it on the machine as payment before you can play. Having an unlimited card meant that you didn’t have to pay for any of the games at all.

“You do know that’s for staff only right? It’s off limits. Choose another prize.”

Johnny simply shrugs, clearly saying that he doesn’t care how rare the card is, as long as he could get it. “If I lose, I’ll treat you to all the bubble tea you want for three months.” Johnny raises his hand that was laying on his thigh and slicing it through the air.

I bite the inside of my right cheek as I thought about the bet. I already knew I’d win. In my whole two years of working there and playing DDR, no one has beaten me. Not once. And I never needed to try hard to keep my title. But for the fun of if, I accepted. Who knows? Maybe someone will sweep me off my feet unexpectedly.

Two months have passed and the bet Johnny made with me still stands. I had my eyes on the DDR machine every time someone gets on. Half of them played for the fun of it while the other are trying their best to beat me. But I could tell from their moves that they didn’t have what it took to even reach my standard.

“Honestly let’s just call off the bet and have me win.” I tell Johnny who’s here during my break since he wanted to visit me. I rest my chin on the palm of my hand as my body leans forward on the counter and my eyes fixated on the DDR machine which currently has no one playing.

“Bitch I still have a month to prove that one person- One person, can beat you.” Johnny holds out his index finger, shoving it in my face with fury. I heaved a sigh. Johnny’s a determined man indeed.

Just as Johnny and I were talking about having dinner after I get off work, a guy walks in the arcade. I don’t know why but, he caught my eye. I glanced at him but did a double-take instantly.

He comes striding in with a lazy posture, hands in his black jeans while he wears a white shirt and black leather jacket. The most outstanding feature of his is the face. That was probably the reason why he caught my eye in the first place.

He goes to the top up machine, probably to put money in his card. And the first place he goes to is the DDR machine. Suddenly, Johnny starts slapping my arm vigorously. My unimpressed reaction didn’t seem stop him. “We should watch him! He’s going to play.” Johnny seems so excited that he’s jumping a little.

“Oh my God calm down.” I smack Johnny’s arm hard, making him wince in pain but recovered soon enough and quiet down.

The guy stands on the plate and scans his card, shoving it in his front pocket. He starts choosing a song. To my surprise, he chooses the song that I played yesterday with a level difficulty of hard. Clearly, he’s aim is to beat my score.

Someone from the entrance suddenly calls out a name. The guy turned his head to the voice, raising his hand up to greet the other while he walks towards the DDR machine. I couldn’t hear what they were saying due to the sounds from the other games that dominates the whole arcade.

He finally starts to play. The moment he presses on the first beat, my mouth gaps open. My jaw practically dropped to the floor due to the wave of shock I suddenly felt. Whoever he is, he’s definitely a professional at DDR. His feet moves at immense speed as he hits every single beat perfectly, his hands casually chilling on the handle.

He seems unfazed by the difficulty of the song, tilting his head while he watches the screen, as if boring his eyes into it. “I can’t believe this...” I mutter in awe, completely mesmerised by the way the guy moves.

A large crowd slowly starts to gather around him as everyone whispers to each other and being amazed. He hits the final beat. Claps and cheers can be heard from all over the arcade. All the attention went to him and the screen as everyone waits anxiously for the score.

“Seems like he can beat you.” Johnny whispers to me, his elbow nudging on mine. I let out a ‘tsk’ and throw him a glare. “Let’s see the score first.”

The numbers increase rapidly. It going as high as mine usually would. The number finally stops as it enlarges on the screen. Disappointing sighs and noises can be heard.

“Five points away?!” Johnny shouts unbelievably. I place a hand on my chest and give myself time to get my breathing back to normal. “That was so close. Too close.” I say.

The crowd starts to disperse as the arcade goes back to its normal state with only the one guy that called him out at the entrance. The guy gets off the plate as I would just assume the other to be his friend, patting his shoulder as a sign of a job well done.

The two proceeded to play other games and exit two hours later. I didn’t have my eye on them the whole time, obviously. But I wouldn’t be surprise if he comes by regularly from now on to try and beat my score. On top of that, I’d be intrigued if I get to see a new face around here more often. At least I’ll have someone with breathtaking looks to admire about if work gets boring.

Since it’s a Monday, the arcade is not crowded. Meaning that I’d have a lot more free time. I decide to do the homework that I have for the holidays. All I can think about is completing it all so that I can focus on work and get money.

Money. That is all I care about honestly.

However, my eyes lifted off my math paper to meet the eyes of him. The guy that almost beat my score. This is the second time I’m seeing him since he didn’t come by for a week after the huge uproar he brought to the arcade.

Our eyes only met for a split second before he walks by. My eyes are still on him, watching his back. His extremely good looking face still amazes me nonetheless. He didn’t play the DDR machine, and instead went to the motorcycle one. He stayed there for quite some time actually. He didn’t play other games.

I continue to do my homework. Just when I’m going to place my pen on the paper, I hear the sound of the DDR machine. I lifted my head up again, seeing him standing on the plate. He picked the same song, same difficulty. Is he going to try again?

The music starts and he starts moving his feet. I’m still amazed by him. It felt like I was watching him play for the first time. It’s shocking how I’ve never seen someone this good come by the arcade ever. It felt refreshing in a way. He felt like a competitor almost. He gets me anxious when I see him play.

The music finally ends. I wait for the score. The moment I did, my pen drops. My fingers releasing its grip on it as my eyes widen and blinked rapidly.

He jumps on the plate happily, seeing the score as his username goes up the rank and tops mine. He ran a hand through his hair flawlessly. How is he still looking so good after playing that intensely? I have mixed feelings about this.

I start to grow furious. The title I’ve been holding on to for so long suddenly got snatched away. Now that— just set off the competitive side of me. He’s definitely a challenge, an opponent. No doubt in that. I didn’t need to watch him play any more to know that.

He jumps off the plate, shaking one leg recklessly and did the same to the other. He turns his head back, seeing his username as the top ranked.

LDH. I’ll have to take note of that username

Before he left, his eyes scans across the arcade. His eyes meets mine and we made eye contact again. He lets out a small smile. A very small and effortless one. He looks extremely proud of himself, almost arrogant in fact. I’m pissed at him but I couldn’t get the fact that he’s good looking out of my mind.

Well, that settles it. I’m going to get my title back the moment I end my shift.

Later that night, the moment my shift ended, to be honest it didn’t exactly matter since my boss would only come by an hour later, I immediately went to the DDR machine, scanned my card and played.

I played vigorously. With immense concentration. My only thought was to keep LDH off my rank. My top rank. I played so seriously that I didn’t even notice Johnny coming in to pick me up.

“Are you mad or something? Letting off steam?” Johnny asks when I finish and wait for my score, almost sounding concern with how I played. “You won.” I let out.

Johnny doesn’t reply, probably taking his time to process what I meant. “I won the bet?!” Johnny finally shouts. My score appears on the screen. Luckily, my rank went back up to the top. Johnny looks at the screen and laughs hysterically, slapping his thighs and clapping.

“It’s that guy, isn’t it?! The handsome dude!” Johnny skips behind me while I went to the back to grab my stuff. I got back to him and run a hand through my hair, taking deep breaths. “I’ll get you your card, damn it.” I suspire in defeat.

“I remember him clearly because of how attractive he is. What a refreshing sight for the town.”

No shit, Sherlock.

Johnny leans down and places a quick friendly peck on my cheek, causing me to furrow my eyebrows and scrunch up my nose in disgust.

“So, how about bubble tea tonight?” I stop in my tracks, sharply turning a full forty five degrees to Johnny. He flinches back and shivers at my sudden move.

“Bubble tea? I thought I won’t be getting any.” I say with suspicion filling my tone, a raised brow as well as narrowed eyes. Johnny chuckles and shakes his head, bringing a hand out to pat my head.

“I said I’d treat you to all the bubble tea you want for three months. But I didn’t say I won’t treat you if you lost the bet.” Johnny replies casually.

I grin widely and link my arm around his. “Let’s skip our way to the car, shall we?” Johnny could only laugh.

We bought our bubble tea and decided to just sit on the roadside in front of the store. The two of us stare into the night sky, comfortable silence filled the air.

“Hey.” Johnny suddenly lets out. I bring my head down to look at him. “Aren’t you curious to find out who LDH is?”

I raise a brow in confusion. “I already know him? His looks make him unforgettable.” I say, swirling my drink around.

“No, idiot. I meant his name. LDH must be his nickname or initials.”

I look up and start to think about it. Johnny waits silently for my answer, hearing him sipping on his drink and chewing on the pearls. “Mm I can’t think of a korean name who’s initials are LDH.” I reply back

“I don’t know. I’ll have to get to know him soon if he’s going to come back.” I let out.

“Maybe he’ll see that I topped him.” I mutter with a light shrug.

And of course, he did. He comes back the next day and goes to the DDR machine. His eyes are stuck to the screen. I assume he’s surprised and confused as to how his rank dropped back down to second place in the span of one night.

He jerks his head to the side and take no hesitation to scan his card. Wanting to be the first again. You would think I am surprise to find out that he scored higher than me, but I wasn’t. I knew he was capable, and a strong competitor.

Once again I had to play after my shift to claim back my rank. And after that day, it got hectic. He would come by everyday and see that I’ve been ranked first. And he’ll have to play again. It went back and forth. Everyday it felt as though I was competing with him. And he never seems to give up either.

Over the days, people would come by and have looks of confusion, question marks floating around them as they wonder why KSY and LDH keep switching ranks every single day.

There was no end to this. It feels like I’ve been doing it for months (though it has only been three weeks). Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t tired of playing DDR. I’m just annoyed at the guy who keeps wanting to steal my rank.

He’s without a doubt the first person that has ever shaken me off my calm pride.

Haechan and Jaemin decides to have a lunch date with Jaemin’s brother, Mark. The three eat happily, talking about how each of their lives are going.

“What have you been doing? It’s your school holidays, isn’t it?” Mark asks Haechan, scraping off every last bit of food on his plate.

“I’ve just been going to the arcade.” Haechan replies simply. Jaemin suddenly slams his hand in front of Mark, making him flinch in shock as it seems like Jeno wants to tell Mark something.

“I saw him play DDR. He was amazing! He even beat the top ranker who apparently hasn’t had anyone beaten them for two years!” Jaemin exclaims. Mark gapes his mouth open in shock as a wide smile appears on his lips.

Mark reaches his hand out to pat Haechan on the side of his arm. “Those dance lessons seem to pay off, huh?”

Haechan nods happily, but his expression soon changes to a weird one that Jaemin and Mark couldn’t make out. “But you know...” Haechan starts.

“Every single day I come by, I always find my rank going back to second. I kid you not the top scorer that I beat always comes back to play and rank first. It’s tiring how I have to constantly play to beat them.” Haechan complains, scratching his head and ruffling his hair.

“Look at you being all furious because of your competitive ass.” Jaemin teases. Haechan could only throw him a death glare.

“Maybe they come by everyday too? I mean of course they would want to keep their position as the best one at DDR.” Mark shrugs. He picks up his drink, wanting to take a sip but realises that he already finished it and went to place it back down on the table with a slight frown.

“How?! I come by everyday but I see no regulars there!” Haechan shouts softly, he would have been screaming if he’s not in a restaurant right now.

“I agree. I mean I don’t go there often but whenever I do I don’t see anyone that goes there everyday like Haechan.” Jaemin adds.

“It’s like it changes overnight!”

The table grows silent. Haechan’s eyes were specifically on Mark, wanting to see his reaction to this. Mark leans in, glancing down at the table before meeting Haechan’s eyes. “I’d say you just stay there the whole day and wait for this KSY to play.”

A line appears in between Haechan’s brows as his forehead creases, looking skeptical. “You want me to stay there from the time they open to when they close?! Mark that’s like ten hours.” Haechan shakes his head and waves a lazy hand to Mark.

“It’s not a bad idea. You don’t know when KSY comes so the only way you can know is if you stay the whole time.” Jaemin adds.

“You go there everyday. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

Haechan sighs and looks down on his empty plate. If he’s going to settle this once and for all with KSY, he’ll have to meet him at some point. He guess that this was the only way.

“It’s worth the shot.”

Unfortunately, I had to work the whole shift from morning till night today. But it didn’t really matter to me, since I know I’ll be seeing LDH again today.

To my surprise, he’s the first one here. And I just opened the arcade an hour ago. I couldn’t help but wonder who would come this early. Usually people would start coming in at least three hour after it opens.

His hair looked messy, yet it’s able to frame his face perfectly. His features still effortlessly beautiful despite wearing a baggy sweater and sweatpants.

He goes to play other games. He’s been playing for two hours now before leaving the arcade. I assume he left completely but he comes back with a McDonald takeaway, bringing it to the lounge area and eating breakfast there.

I found it extremely suspicious. I have never seen anyone acting like this in arcade before. Was it some kind of challenge? To stay in the arcade the whole time?

Hours went by, I did my work as usual. He’s still here. Sometimes he would be playing, and sometimes he would be in the lounge area. What surprised me the most is that he’s constantly looking at the DDR machine. His eyes immediately went there the moment someone stood on the plate. It looks like he’s keeping track of who’s going there. And I can only wonder why the whole day.

It’s now closing hours. My colleagues and I are cleaning our assigned areas and doing our jobs. I make my way to the lounge area.

I open the door and his eyes instantly went off his phone and to mine. “We’re closing now. You should get going.”

His lips form a thin line. Again he moves his head aside, looking at the DDR machine. I turn my head back, acting as if I didn’t know what he’s looking at. “You’ve been here the whole day. Care to tell me why?” I ask, going to the trashcan in the corner and taking out the plastic bag.

“Uh no reason. I’ll leave.” He simply say, rising from the couch and walking past me.

“Why didn’t they come today...?” I hear him mutter as he scratches his head. He leaves the lounge area. I look back, watching him walk out the arcade.

My lips purse into a thin line as I try to make out what he said to himself? Was he waiting for someone? He was looking at the DDR machine the whole day.

As I walk out to throw away the trash, I didn’t take me long to figure out why. “Was he looking for me?” I ask to myself. A wide smirk appears on my lips absentmindedly as I giggle softly, walking back to the arcade and seeing Johnny waiting for me by the counter.

“You’ll never guess what happened today.”

I see Johnny holding my bag in his hand. I assume he went to the back and took it for me. He hands it to me as we walk out of the arcade. “What happened?” Johnny asks curiously.

“Handsome dude was in the arcade the whole day.” I answer, brushing away strands of hair from my forehead. “The whole day?! Since you opened?”

I nod instantly. Johnny looks up to the sky with a weird face. “I mean I know he has the lounge area but being there for ten hours?”

I let out a chuckle. “He eats breakfast, lunch and dinner there too.”

“Why would he do that though? Does he not have a life?” That’s when my wide smirk appears again. Johnny gives a suspicious look to my reaction.

“He was looking for KSY.” Johnny’s mouth gapes open, laughing hysterically after a moment of just staring at me in disbelief. “Are you serious?! He waited all day and he doesn’t even know that it’s you!” The two of us laugh for a whole minute, finding it funny and unbelievable.

“I feel bad though. He didn’t even play DDR today.” I comment. “Won’t be surprised if he comes back today and stays there again.”

“You’re so mean if you just let him wait and not find out that it’s you.” Johnny shoves a hand in his pocket.

I bob my shoulders and shrug. “We’ll see how long he can hold up then.”

The next day, he comes back again. He did the same routine. Getting meals and staying in the lounge area. He did play some games, but his attention was solely on the DDR machine. I don’t know how he’s not sick of doing this since it’s been a week now. Though I find it funny at first, I started to feel bad for him.

“Are you perhaps waiting for someone?” I ask, wanting to tease him a little as I walk in the lounge room. His body slumps into the soft couch. He grabs a pillow from behind and hugs it tight.

“No shit I’ve been waiting for a week for this person to show up.” He mumbles in frustration. Letting out a soft chuckle, I fold my arms and shifted my weight onto one leg.

“Is he or she a regular like you?”

His eyes slowly lifts off from the pillow and to me, going from the bottom up before meeting my eyes and glaring. “I guess? I don’t know. They keep getting back their rank in DDR after I take it. It’s driving me insane.”

I laugh, quickly covering it by looking behind and changing my expression back to a composed one. “What’s your name?” He raises a brow at my sudden question. “Lee Donghyuck.”

“Or just Haechan.”

My mouth opens slightly as I let out a soft “Ah...” while nodding my head. Beautiful name for a beautiful face. At least now I know what his initials meant. “I feel bad so it looks like I have to tell you.”

“Tell me what...?” I start walking closer to the couch, bending down to meet his eye level. He looks at me suspiciously with his blank expression.

“KSY is me.” I let out, grinning widely.

Haechy tilts his head to the side, his eyes looking at me up and down as he blinks rapidly and scoffs in disbelief. “There’s no way.” He runs a hand down his face and glances to the side constantly. I puts a finger in front of me, moving it up and down. “You? A worker? KSY?!”

I nod, bringing all my hair down to one shoulder. I open the door, turning my head to Haechan and jerking my head to the side. “Aren’t you going out?” I couldn’t help but think about how funny his face looks right now.

The two of us stare at each other for at least fifteen seconds before Haechan shakes his head vigorously and stands up, dashing past me and out of the room. I turn back to look at it one last time before switching off the lights and leaving as well.

“So you’re KSY? The annoying one that keeps ranking first after I beat you?!” Haechan exclaims. I laugh, clapping my hands and nodding happily. Jaemin runs a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe this.”

“Of course you won’t. Who would’ve thought it’s a worker?” I lift my shoulders up and give a cheeky smile. Haechan folds his arms as he stands in front of me. “I don’t know if I’m currently mad or surprised.”

“I can confirm it’s both.” I say with confidence. Since Johnny’s busy tonight, I unfortunately have to go home alone.

“Let’s battle.” Haechan suddenly announces with a smug and arrogant look on his face. I scoff. “You should really just be happy you’re second. You know I’ll just take back the first ranking instantly after you beat it.” I satire.

Haechan frowns and lifts a finger in front of me, waving it in my face while he shakes his head. “The one who wins the battle gets to claim the top for life. We’ll settle it once and for all.”

I nod my head slowly while I grab my things and head out. For some reason he’s following me. “Hello? I need an answer.” Haechan lets out, running up and walking beside me. I turn my head and give him an unimpressed smile. “Fine then. Though I can only play once my shift ends so.”

Haechan claps his hands once and shouts, making me flinch back slightly at his loud voice. “So that’s why it keeps changing overnight!”

I brought a palm to my forehead. “Duh.” I deadpan.

“I’ll see you tomorrow night then.” Haechan walks in front of me, walking backwards while he gives a cheeky winks and runs off.

I scoff and raise an eyebrow as I watch him running out of the mall. I shove my hands in my pockets and tilt my head. He’s interesting.

“Oi! You guys won’t belive what I just found out!” Haechan burts into the dorms, dashing to the living room where all the members gathered.

“What now, Haechan?” Chenle asks sarcastically, slamming a card down on the table. “It’s your turn Renjun.” The room grows silent as Renjun squints his eyes while trying to find a card. “Plus four for you, Jeno!”

Haechan steals a seat from Jeno, pushing him off to the side and slamming both hands palms down on the table. All heads instantly turning to Haechan. “Are you guys seriously playing Uno without me?!” He places a hand on his chest and gasps with a sarcastic shocking look.

“Jaemin told us that you’re going to be at the arcade the whole day so we were having fun by ourselves.” Jeno adds, pushing Haechan away slightly so that he’ll have some space at the table.

“Anyways! I finally found out who KSY is!”

Everyone lets out a sigh in unison. Haechan narrows his eyes at his members’ weird reaction. “It’s been a week. That took you long.” Jisung replies.

“Do you guys want to guess who?” A wide smile appears on Haechan’s lips as he waits for his friends. “A guy with strong arms like Jeno?” Jaemin asks back, resting his elbow on Jeno’s shoulder while he leans in close to Jeno’s face. Jeno turns his head to Jaemin and smiles softly before roughly throwing his elbow off.

Haechan shakes his head vigorously. “A nerd?” Renjun guesses, bobbing his shoulders. Heachan gives the same answer.

“Just tell us already, idiot!” Chenle reaches his hand out to smack Haechan in the head lightly. Haechan lets out a loud ‘tsk’. “It’s a girl. And she’s working at the arcade.”

The room grows silent once again. Some had their eyes widen with opened mouth while the rest had a blank expression that Haechan assumes to be their ‘disbelief faces’.

“You serious? A girl?” Jisung’s the first to speak, a hand moving up slowly to cover his mouth. Haechan nods. “Can you believe a girl can have that much strength to be ranked first?!” Haechan exclaims.

“Well that was unexpected.” Jeno adds. Renjun replies with a similar comment as well. “There’s more!”

No one replies, urging Haechan to continue. “I’m going to have a battle with her tomorrow night!” This time, everyone’s faces become mors shocked than before. “Oh my God we should all go!” Jaemin smiles widely while clapping his hands.

“I’m so down to see Haechan get wrecked by a girl.” Chenle says with a slight smirk. Haechan stands up and walks to him, sitting down next to him to give a smack on the head, making Chenle wince due to the force.

“You don’t know that. He’s been switching the first place ranking with her for so long. Anything can happen.” Jeno retorts lazily with a shrug. “Thank you for the nice word of encouragement, Jeno.”

“I said anything can happen. You still have the chance of losing.” Jeno adds on carelessly, causing the group to burst out laughing. Haechan rolls his eyes. “Whatever. Just follow me to the arcade tomorrow.”

Everyones nods their heads, looking over at Haechan. He smiles widely and claps his hand once. “Alright it’s settled. Now let’s play some Uno.” Haechan beats his hand on the table.

Renjun gathers up all the card and starts shuffling them.

Before my shift starts, I went to play a few rounds of DDR machine to warm my legs up for the game I’ll have with Haechan tonight. I’m not sure if I’m excited to be battling against such a handsome guy or be scared at the fact that he can actually beat me. I know I won’t be able to play anymore so this morning’s my only chance to prepare.

I texted Johnny during lunch, telling him about the unexpected battle i’ll be having. He replies me instantly with a, I’ll be there by seven! Can’t wait to watch you! I chuckle at his reply and continued to work till evening.

It’s seven now and as promised, Johnny shows up from work. “You ready?” Johnny asks.

I crack my neck swiftly and nod my head. “Ready to beat Lee Donghyuck.”

“So that’s his name?” Johnny asks again, looking slightly surprised. I frown and shrug my shoulders. “Apparently so.”

Johnny and I had our eyes on the DDR machine, no words being exchanged for about three minutes. “What time is he coming though?” Johnny turns question me.

“I’m not sure. He told me he’ll be here at night.” I reply simply, resting my chin on the palm of my hand. Johnny copies my posture as the two of us allow time to pass by with talking about anything.

Johnny eyes suddenly widen. So wide that it looks scary to me, as his finger point to the back of me. I turn around to the entrance. I see Haechan walking in, though I feel slightly intimidated with who he brought in. They looked like a gang or something.

Haechan raises a hand and waves at me. I bowed my head slightly in response. All of them head to where Johnny and I were at.

“So this is her?” One of them ask with a skeptical brow. Haechan nods bringing a hand up to motion go me. “Yeah! She’s... Uh sorry I didn’t get your name last time.” Haechan stutters.

“Oh it’s _____” I reply with a soft smile. All of them nod their heads. “When we starting? I wanna watch you and Haechan!” The small figured one asks with excitement filling his tone.

“Should go warm up first. She’ll smash you if you don’t.” Johnny brags out, placing his elbow on my shoulder and using my height as a leaning device for him. “He scares me. Look he’s so tall.” The same guy voices out, pointing to Johnny.

Johnny gasps, overreacting. “Told you that you look intimidating. You’re too tall.” I say, forcefully shoving his elbow off me. “Not my fault!” Johnny whines. Haechan nods his head and goes to the DDR machine, his friends following behind him.

Johnny and I were still behind the counter, so comfortable in our seats that we’ll practically whine if we’re dragged off. We both had our serious faces on in a way to intimidate them. But that’s a fail since everyone had their eyes on Haechan as he scans his card and picks a song.

“Saving your energy?!” I shout across to them, noticing that he picked a relatively simple song at medium difficulty. Haechan turns around and smirks widely. Not sure whether to find that hot or annoying. “Of course.” Haechan shouts back, a chuckle appearing slightly after.

I wasn’t actually paying attention to him play. My eyes are glued to my phone screen while I scroll through Twitter to catch up on the drama I’ve missed. Time felt like it flew by in a second when Haechan call up my name. I tilt my head up, seeing him motioning one hand up that signaled me to go there. I place my phone screen down on the counter and make my way to the DDR machine, with Johnny following behind me and joining Haechan’s group of friends that’s surrounding the plate.

“Song?” Haechan asks. I jerk my head to the side, leaning back and placing my hands on the handle behind me. “Your pick.” I reply casually. Haechan chuckles and starts browsing through, picking a song in no time, difficulty level on high and setting the game to battle mode.

The screen starts showing the countdown in both screens. Haechan and I lowered our bodies in a stance position as the numbers start going down from ten.

5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

“Go!” Everyone shouts in unison.

The amount of concentration I had in this game shocked me. The last time I put in this much effort into something was my finals this year. I didn’t bother looking at Haechan since I’m focusing on myself only, making sure my feet were in sync and I’m getting a ‘Super perfect’ every time.

Everyone’s silent, only the music filling the entire arcade. The song finally ends, Haechan and I desperately gasping for air while the rest gives up an applause. Our heads shot up to the screen, seeing the numbers on both screens increasing rapidly.

“Woah!” Johnny shouts. My eyes widen, making sure I’m seeing the score correctly. I immediately jump happily and off the plate, going to Johnny and slapping his chest with my arms. “I won!”

Haechan and his group of friends are currently silent, with Haechan’s heavy breathing to be the only noise surrounding them. Disappointing sighs and groans came soon after.

“Get off the district of this town!” I burst at them mockingly with a devil-like laughter. Haechan runs a hand through his locks, shaking his head vigorously and glancing upwards before turning to me.

“You win.” Haechan mumbles in defeat. I giggle and walk over to him, lightly punching the side of his arm. “You did well.” I reassure Haechan. He suspires once again. “I don’t owe you anything then?”

“Oh right we didn’t discuss the prize!”

I fold my arms and look up, proceeding to think. “Treat me a meal. And bubble tea. For three months.” I cock up both eyebrows with an evil smirk. Haechan scoffs, refusing to believe that’s my request. “I mean I did make a bet with Johnny and since I lost that I am now going to take advantage of this situation.” I lean back slightly with one shoulder down.

“Fine.”

I got his number and we made a decision of meeting at the bus stop today. I’m the first here, looking down at my phone while I scroll down my playlist to find a song to play. It wasn’t even twenty seconds in till a finger taps on my shoulder.

I frown slightly, not being able to listen to my favourite song but quickly smile as I see Haechan taking a seat beside me. “Where we headed?” I ask curiously. I did say to me out for a meal, but he didn’t specify where. “Are you okay with travelling on the bus for about an hour?” Haechan questions me back.

I shrug my shoulders, leaning back against the glass behind the seat. “I love long bus rides.” Haechan nods his head and grins. “Good. I have a perfect place.”

“Aren’t going to kidnap me are you?” Haechan chuckles at my skepticism. “Want me to do that?” I furrow my eyebrows, laughing softly after and shaking my head.

A few minutes of silence passes by. I hate the awkwardness that filled the gap between us. Luckily, Haechan stands up suddenly, signaling that the bus has arrived.

We got in and took a random spot. Haechan allows me to sit inside, motioning his hand out to the seat. So he’s good looking and a gentleman? Shit.

“You’re seriously really good at DDR.” Haechan suddenly speaks up. I pucker my lips. “Been playing ever since I worked at the arcade. Which was two years ago.”

Haechan clicks his tongue. “I’m guessing you like music a lot?” I nod in reply. “Very. It’s like my emotional support for when I sometimes feel like jamming my head into the wall.” Haechan laughs loudly at my comment, surprised at my unique, but also not, humor.

“I love music, too. I actually sing.” I widen my eyes at his sentence. Haechan chuckles for a quick moment. “You won’t hear it, unfortunately. I only sing for my friends.” I let out a pout, punching him in the chest gently. “Oh come on. I beat you at DDR that day. Why not let me listen to you as a bonus?” I wink at him playfully. Haechan huffs. “When we get there, then.” He shrugs. I giggle and look out the window. Once again silence overtook us.

Haechan and I wear our earpieces at the same time, proceeding to look down at our phone and playing a song. My eyes were looking out the window, admiring the plain view of the town. I wasn’t sure how much time has passed, but I know for a fact that I went through a lot of my songs in my playlist already.

Suddenly, a beach comes into view. I see the sand and the sky, to make things better it’s currently sunset hour. Beautiful colour and shades from red to yellow and even pink filling the sky, matching the vibe of the beach perfectly.

Haechan taps in my shoulder and jerks his head to the side, telling me this is our stop. The two of us got down and remove our earpieces, the bus driving past us and the view returning back. “We’re eating by the beach?!” I question Haechan.

He smiles softly. I look down at his outfit. His shorts and button up shirt suiting the location perfectly, along with his hair that framed his face and eventuates his features beautifully.

“Come on.” Haechan grabs my wrist and drags me off, having me to run while he picks up the speed. I laugh, somewhat happy that he brought me here.

Haechan slows down, his hand still on my wrist as we end up in front of an open restaurant. There isn’t any inside, only the kitchen and serving area being hidden by walls. The place is beautiful. It was fairy lights hanging over the wooden ceiling that was bare to allow us to see the night sky, colourful wooden planks as the floor and wooden chairs and tables. There’s also swings and hammocks too. It’s the whole vibe of the place that’s bringing me so much happiness.

I guess it’s too obvious when I feel Haechan swinging an arm around my shoulders. “Already liking it I see.” He leans down to whisper to me. His voice sounded normal but it sent shivers down my spine and his voice echoed in my head while he leads me to a seat.

I sit down while he takes the seat opposite mine. He leans forward against the table, his elbows resting on his casually. “Trust me, the food here is great.” Haechan speaks. “The best I’ve had so far.” He adds, bringing a hand up and slicing it in the air, sticking his tongue out slightly.

I simply smile and nod, looking around the place after as I still couldn’t believe that I’m here. It’s been so long since I’ve been in such an atmosphere so it really did an impact on me. “Are you like popular in the DDR realm?” I suddenly ask, my head shooting down to him. Heachan lifts the side of his lips ever so slightly. “I mean in a few towns where I took over all the arcade mall.”

“Talented indeed.”

We ordered our food and ate. Surprisingly, we were able to talk a lot. We didn’t have an exact topic. We just speak whatever came to our mind. Haechan really did keep up the conversation well and it wasn’t hard to talk to him at all. I liked it. Quite a lot actually.

I only thought of eating and going home. But now, I just can’t pass up the chance of just sitting by the beach. And that’s what we did. We borrowed a matt from the restaurant and sat on it while looking out into the scenery ahead of us.

It got windy as the night settles in, the cold breeze passing by and making contact with my skin that made me feel at ease almost instantly. “You do this often? Going to the beach?” I whisper, hugging my knees into my chest and laying my chin on one knee. I tilt my head to the side.

“I used to. Until I got busy with life and shit.” Haechan whispers back. I couldn’t help but keep my eyes on him. The way his hair flows and got messy due to the wind, his side profile looking as perfect as I first saw it. And the night sky that served as a background for him to shine.

“Why not we have a battle once a week? Or whenever you’re free. Whoever loses treats the other to a mea at the same restaurant.” I suggest. Though my hidden agenda to it was so that I could see Haechan more often.

“I think that’ll be too tiring. Let’s just come here whenever we’re free.” Haechan retorts back, placing his hands behind him and leaning backwards. “We can hang out more.” Did he really just read my mind or something?

I let out a calming sigh, taking a moment to breathe in the sea air and watching the small waves come to shore, with the water reflecting the light of the night.

“I’d love that.”

Ever since then, I went out with Haechan more often. Going to the same beach, same restaurant and spending time together by the beach, doing anything basically. Though as time passed and we were getting more busy with our separate lives, we never fail to exclude one day from our week just to be with each other.

Our relationship eventually escalated. We naturally started holding hands and giving each other light pecks on the lips, cheeks or forehead. His subtle actions always sending a shock through my body, but it soothed me at the same time as well. My feelings for him bloomed more over time. And Haechan reciprocated it in a heartbeat.

Today was no different. We’re at the beach yet again. But this time, our nosy friends decided to come along.

We are huddled together, everyone relaxing as we watch the scenery. Despite it being the afternoon, the sky, sea and sand is still as beautiful. We spent the day playing a lot of games. Card games, hand games, even burning bridges. We really did everything. And I loved every second of it, since I had Haechan sitting beside me.

“You guys want anything? We should get more drinks.” I say, pointing to the plastic bag that was filled with empty canned drinks and bottles. Everyone nods their head in unison. I smile happily and stand up, wiping the excess sand on my bottom while reaching out to grab the plastic bag.

“Haechan, follow me.” He looks up to me. We had the same thought. Wanting to be alone together. “What am I, a servant for these idiots?” He jokes, though I know he’ll follow me regardless. “Idiots?! Look at you dumbass!” Chenle retorts,

The groups laughs, shaking their heads. Haechan throws them a death glare and immediately sent the group into silence as they see his intimidating expression. He stands up and walks over to me. “Text what you guys want.” I wave my phone up in the air before leaving to the restaurant with Haechan.

“Why did they have to come today? I wanted to be alone with you.” Haechan whines after checking if we’re out of our friends’ sight.

Haechan pulls me close by the waist. I laugh and place my hands on the side of his arms. “We’ve been doing that for so long. They lighten the mood up.”

Haechan frowns but gives a soft peck on the crown of my head. My phone dings. I lifted it to check and see that Mark sent me a list of their wanted drinks. Haechan still had his arm around my waist as he keep me close from the time we ordered to the time we were walking back, putting his arm down till the last second when our friends come into our view.

When we got there and take our seats, the group was oddly silent. All eyes were on us, with suspicious expression on their faces.

“So when are you going to tell us you’re dating?” Jaemin cocks up a brow while everyone folds their arms in unison.

I turn to Haechan, who looks at me as well before looking back to the front. “Huh..?” I say, acting taken aback.

“Don’t lie! I saw you two kissing while I went to the toilet!” Renjun exposes. I scrunch up my face and pout.

Haechan rolls his eyes and leans back. “I thought it was pretty obviously since I ditched a lot of my plans with you guys.” Haechan replies smugly.

“He got stolen by _____ from us!” Jisung huffs out. Haechan and I burst out laughing hysterically.

“He’s better taken away, though.” Jeno adds. Haechan lets out a loud ‘tsk’.

I can only blush and laugh loudly as I watch Haechan beating up Jeno for his comment. Who would’ve thought it be here with a guy when we bonded over a DDR game?

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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 years

Text

August Contest Submission #17: A Perfectly Normal Prom Night

Words: ca. 2,500 Setting: mAU Lemon: No CW: None

The whole thing started rather innocuously. It was the middle of summer when Elsa and Anna’s parents had dragged them to an outdoor concert for one of those old timer bands. The girls, having just finished eleventh and tenth grade respectively, were not exactly thrilled about their parents’ choice of music, and so pretty soon they wandered off together, eventually finding some relative peace and quiet in a patch of grass and flowers off at the opposite edge of the wide field from where the concert was taking place, where they talked for a while about the things teenage girls typically talk about.

Anna, who was prone to being consumed by nervous energy, busied her hands by picking the nearby flowers and weaving the stems together. When she’d woven enough of them to form a small flower crown, she interrupted whatever Elsa was saying at that particular moment then leaned forward and placed the crown on Elsa’s head.

“Um, thanks?” Elsa said, with a light blush on her cheeks. She was, as ever, rather self-conscious. “It looks silly doesn’t it?”

But Anna shook her head. “No, actually, it looks really pretty.”

The blush on Elsa’s face only deepened.

Elsa wore the flower crown on the car ride home. She wore it around the house for the rest of the weekend. Come Monday morning, by which time some of the stems had started to wither and unravel, she presented the remains to Anna, who salvaged what she could and wove the remaining bits into Elsa’s braid, her facing beaming with pride.

And so it became a ritual for the sisters: Anna gathering flowers and braiding them into various formations, and then placing them in Elsa’s hair until she blushed. Elsa, presenting herself each day for her floral adornment. It was a curious sort of reversal of their usual big sister/little sister roles, and Anna found she rather enjoyed it. In fact, she enjoyed it rather a lot.

The school year started up with no interruption to their ritual. If anything, it brought them closer. It was not uncommon to find Anna fussing with the placement of the flowers in Elsa’s hair during their shared lunch break. Or on their walk home from school. Or while watching TV together on the couch after dinner. And maybe they started inviting each other to hangouts with their respective friend groups more than they had before. All in all, it was a pretty good year.

They were eating two dollar burgers on a picnic bench at the local park when Elsa casually asked Anna to go to prom with her.

“You don’t have someone you’d prefer to go with?” Anna asked, trying to play it cool but feeling a little bewildered.

“I do, silly. I just asked you,” Elsa said before taking a large bite of her hamburger.

“Okay. Sure.” A casual answer for a casual question.

In truth, the prom talk reminded Anna of a fact that she’d done a rather good job not thinking about for the past year, which was that Elsa was going to be going off to college in the fall. Like the flowers in Elsa’s hair, their lives had become woven closer together in the past nine months, and Anna wasn’t looking forward to Elsa being gone.

And so, rather than wallowing in self-pity, Anna resolved to go all out for this prom thing.

The first item was the dress. Some quick internet searching turned up several options online; she went with a long green dress with floral embellishments on the bodice. It wasn’t egregiously expensive, but it would be shipped from overseas and so she had to cross her fingers that it wouldn’t look horribly cheap in person. Luckily it was long enough that she didn’t really have to splurge on shoes, as they would go mostly unseen.

Second was the ride. It took some horse trading with her father, but she managed to get him to shell out for a limo—don’t you want Elsa’s night to be special, Dad?—even if it meant she’d be the one mowing the lawn all summer.

The third, which came together in the last few days before the dance, was the corsage. She’d had to scour every flower shop across town before she found one that would make a corsage of Elsa’s favorite flower, the crocus.

And then there was the last thing, which was stupid and foolish, and conveniently fully refundable if she chickened out at the last minute. Anna wasn’t fully sure which of the two outcomes she would prefer.

When the day came, Anna even did the little ritual of going around to the front door once she was all dressed up and ringing the doorbell. Her father answered the door and gave her a little wink, then turned to call for Elsa to come downstairs, thankfully before he could spot the light blush rising on her face. When Elsa came around the upstairs hallway and descended the stairs, there was no more hope of Anna hiding the bright crimson blush on her face from anyone.

Elsa’s dress was a gorgeous lavender color and surprisingly a bit short, for a prom dress. The bodice was all floral lace, and below that were several tiers of tulle skirts which came down to just below her knees. Her hair was done up in a fancy braid, and woven into it Anna spotted a few of the flowers she’d left on Elsa’s dresser that morning.

Anna thought she had never seen someone so pretty in her life.

If time had seemed to slow for that first glance of Elsa on the stairs, it definitely sped up after that. Anna presented the corsage and pinned it to Elsa’s dress, earning her a dazzled look when Elsa recognized her favorite flowers. Her father took the requisite ‘prom couple’ photos before the limo showed up to take them to their destination. Anna had to repeat several yes really’s to Elsa’s did you really?’s as their parents ushered them into the waiting vehicle.

At the venue they met up with their friends and generally just had a blast. When the slow songs came on they would find each other and catch up on whatever hijinks the other had missed, or poke fun at their coupled friends being sappy with each other. Anna didn’t even mind when they spent the last ‘dance’ snacking on chocolates at the refreshments table instead of on the dance floor.

After the dance came the after parties. Neither of the girls was much of a wild partier, but it seemed apropos to at least see what all the fuss was about. All in all, they had a good time. At one point Anna actually did sneak a shot of tequila when she was offered, for courage. Or tried to sneak; Elsa had somehow noticed and gave her a very judgy older-sister look which Anna only managed to disarm by fussing somewhat dramatically over the state of the flowers in Elsa’s braid.

The night dragged on. At about one in the morning the two sisters found themselves at an all-night diner with Rapunzel and Eugene, sharing a basket of french fries. They’d lost Kristoff when the group had briefly stopped in front of the local gay bar. When the fries ran out, Eugene and Rapunzel excused themselves; Eugene mentioned that it was time to take his girlfriend home, with a very big wink when he said the word home. Anna just rolled her eyes at him. But hey, that was part of the whole prom night thing too, right?

Anna couldn’t help but notice that Elsa looked a bit down when they left the diner. The limo was long gone at that point, so Anna hailed a cab with the app on her phone. Once they were underway, she broached the topic of what was making Elsa glum in that moment.

“We had an amazing night, right Elsa? I didn’t screw anything up?”

Elsa, who had been gazing out the car window, turned to face Anna, eyes wet around the edges but not crying exactly. “Oh, Anna, of course not. You were perfect, everything was perfect. It’s just that—well, I told myself I didn’t want any… entanglements before going off to college, but seeing Eugene and Punz going off to have some, um, special time together—” Elsa stopped abruptly and composed herself a little. “I just kinda don’t want the night to be over yet.”

“So um, about that,” Anna started to say, just as the driver pulled up to their destination.

Anna got out of the car as Elsa scooched across the back seats and then joined her on the sidewalk, just as the taxi pulled away. The sidewalk which was definitely not the driveway of their house.

“I got us a hotel!” Anna announced excitedly, before she could choke on the words. They were in fact, standing in front of a fairly nice hotel near the edge of downtown.

“You didn’t,” Elsa replied, deadpan, though her eyes were wandering up the side of the glass building to the bright blue sign near the roof many stories up.

“We can still go home if you want, I haven’t actually paid anything yet,” Anna offered, but Elsa’s answer was to head towards the front door and into the lobby.

Anna trailed after her, managed to wrangle Elsa along with her to the check-in desk in order to procure the room key. The process of which was somewhat elaborated by the fact that Anna could barely get her words out, suffering a bit of shock at the part where Elsa hadn’t just called up another taxi to take them home. It was definitely the tequila talking when, in the elevator, she grabbed hold of Elsa’s hand. Elsa shot her an indecipherable look, but didn’t let go.

They were still holding hands when Anna keyed the door lock with her free hand, opened the door slightly, popped her foot in the gap to hold it open, and then promptly spun around to face Elsa.

“Turn around,” Anna ordered, and was surprised when her sister complied.

“Anna,” Elsa whined, and the tone in her voice gave Anna a curious boost in confidence.

“Close your eyes,” Anna half-whispered, as she pulled her hand loose from Elsa’s and then raised both hands up to cover Elsa’s eyes. With a bit of an awkward shuffle, Anna managed to guide them both backwards through the doorway, before turning them both in place so that she could guide Elsa forward into the center of the room. And then, with a deep breath, she dropped her hands and let Elsa see.

It wasn’t just that Anna had gotten them a hotel room. That could have been excused as just a fun place to hang out to cap the night off. Anna, god help her, wanted her message to be clear. Which was why the hotel room had only the one king-size bed, completely covered in white rose petals.

Elsa stepped forward tentatively, ran a hand along the edge of the bed, disturbing some of the flower petals. She glanced at Anna briefly, and then back at the bed and around the room. After a long moment that felt like an eternity to Anna, Elsa turned around, kicked off her heels, and sat on the edge of bed with a look on her face that heavily implied that Anna should start talking.

Here, at the crux of all the plans she had orchestrated for this night, Anna found that she didn’t need really need that tequila courage to say what she needed to say.

“I think I’m in love with you,” she confessed. It was a lot easier to breathe like a normal person now that she’d said the hardest part. “I know it sounds absurd, but that’s the only way I can make sense of the way you make me feel. It was just little things at first, and then I started having thoughts and I wasn’t sure—I’m still not sure sure to be honest. When you asked me to go to prom with you, I thought that maybe, maybe you felt something like I do?” Anna paused, hoping the Elsa might respond, but the expression on the blonde girl’s face remained enigmatic. With a bit of resignation, Anna sat down on the bed next to Elsa. “I got this hotel room so that we could—so that I could tell you how I felt. In private.”

Elsa just looked at her for rather a long time, and Anna felt like she could see the various thoughts she must be having go to and fro in her sister’s head.

“And what did you think we would do in this hotel room,” Elsa inquired eventually, with a curious tone in her voice, “now that you’ve told me, if I felt the same way?”

“W-whatever we’re both, um, comfortable with?” Anna responded hesitantly, taking Elsa’s hand in hers once again. “Which could totally be nothing at all, I mean, if you don’t feel that—”

“Can I kiss you?” Elsa asked immediately, before Anna had finished speaking.

Whoa what?

“Uh, yes?”

How was she so unprepared for the very thing she had been hoping would happen?

She felt a little bit like her spirit had left her body when Elsa quickly lifted her free hand to caress Anna’s cheek, and then leaned in until their lips pressed together. Anna wasn’t exactly an experienced kisser; she’d kissed a few girls (and yes, boys), but mostly in the hesitant, high-school way where neither person knows what they’re doing. And still, this kiss with Elsa felt a little odd. It felt, somehow, like Elsa was asking a question, only… Anna didn’t think she was the one who was supposed to answer it. And just like that, the sense of elation from just moments before dropped out of her chest and curdled in her stomach.

Elsa, perhaps sensing the shift, pulled away. Looked away. But their hands were still clasped, and Anna took that as a sign of something. After a moment, she gave Elsa’s hand a brief squeeze of reassurance. I’m still here, she endeavored to say without saying.

“I don’t think I’m in love with you,” Elsa said, and before Anna could fall to pieces, Elsa finally looked back at her and there was something bright in her blue eyes. “But. Maybe you’ve just figured it out sooner than me? Because I do want to kiss you some more. I wanted to kiss you so bad when you gave me the corsage earlier tonight. Wouldn’t that have caused a scene!”

Elsa laughed then, and the sight of it transmuted all of Anna’s mixed up emotions into her own burst of laughter because yeah, Elsa surprise kissing her in front of their parents would have been a whole damn fiasco and who knows if they would have even been allowed to leave the house in that case? And Anna was really glad they had gotten to spend this time together.

“Is that okay? That I don’t feel, um, quite the same thing as you?” Elsa asked, when Anna had mostly collected herself.

“I think so?” Anna replied, rubbing away the streaks from tears that had escaped during her fit of laughter. “We just have to communicate, right? If something changes, it has to be okay for either of us to say something.”

“Of course,” Elsa confirmed. And then she got a particularly mischievous smile on her pretty face.

“What? Elsa, what!” Anna pressed, when her sister still didn’t say anything.

“Well, I did say I want to kiss you some more, didn’t I?” Elsa scooted back on the bed until she was sitting in the center of it, then trailed her hands through the rose petals that still blanketed the sheets. “Your plan worked. You’ve got me all alone in this romantic hotel room with you. What are you going to do with me?”

Anna never once complained about mowing the lawn that summer.

#elsanna #submission #august 2021 contest #prompt: flowers

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benisasoftboi · 3 years

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Unorganised thoughts on Trails of Cold Steel I:

So I did like it overall, but I have a lot more criticisms of it than I did of the previous games

Which also means I have way more to say!

Tl;dr - Rean Schwarzer, Estelle Bright you are not

Also, spoiler warning for both this game and the previous ones

So... the pacing in this was weird. Like I loved all the field study segments, they were SO fun, but there’s also the Trista segments between which very boring and felt like filler

I think it’s meant to make the ending feel more important, since you’re defending the school, but it kind of backfired because being forced to run around Thors (which is not a very interestingly designed location, by the way) over and over and over again actually made me kind of resent it. To a point where I low key wanted the ILF to destroy the school. Oops

Like I cared about Liberl and Crossbell because they were interesting, and big, so I never really got tired of them. I got tired of Trista very quickly

Also having everyone in school uniform made their designs less interesting :/

The other places were all super interesting, though! I think if I had to pick a favourite I’d say Bareahard, but they’re all contenders really

Oh also the other issue with the structure was that everyone had to be mad at someone at all times, and it was almost comical how systematic it was - Rean and Alisa don’t get on, that’s resolved, now let’s focus on how Machias and Jusis don’t get on, that’s resolved, IMMEDIATELY we’ll replace that with Fie and Laura, then the moment that’s resolved it’s Jusis and Milliam...

Like, be a little less formulaic in your character conflict

Anyway, characters!

I do not like the thing where the character’s name appears in front of them before they say it. It was irritating

Elliot: The one I would have been in love with when I was eleven. Elliot is good and sweet and did nothing wrong ever. Holy Song is the most useful craft in the whole goddamn game. He also has easily the best S-Craft in a game where most of the S-Crafts are *decidedly* lackluster, aesthetically speaking. I like Elliot. His friendship with Gaius is also very nice

Jusis: The one I would have been in love with when I was fourteen. So, the moment I saw Jusis, my immediate first thought was ‘oh, this guy is one half of a gay ship’. I had no clue who the other guy was going to be, but I knew there was absolutely no way that Anime Draco Malfoy wasn’t getting shipped with a man.

And then Machias opened his mouth, and... every franchise, no matter what, has its gay OTP (its homoTP, if you will) - that one, usually M/M, but sometimes F/F, ship that’s practically got a whole side-fandom just for itself. Up until now, I assumed Trails’ was going to be Olivier/Mueller - but while I haven’t checked, because I don’t want spoilers, I will be shocked if these guys aren’t actually it. They have every making - opposites attract, enemies to lovers, they sing together, other characters make jokes about it...

Like, this was deliberate, surely? Surely?

yes i ship it but like, against my will and resentfully and semi-ironically, because I hate myself for instinctively taking the bait >:(

Something something ‘Turbo-Gehenna’ joke

Anyway, I like Jusis. I think he’s a fun character, easily the most interesting of the boys, and I really enjoyed his development. He has a cute smile

I also thought he had the best voice acting in Class VII, so I looked it up and Ben Diskin! I love Ben Diskin! I couldn’t even tell, I had no idea his range was that great, wow!

I did think it was extremely weird that if you invite him to the Stella Garten, he says he wants to date a woman who is ‘like his mother’. Okay, Jusis.

Machias: The one I would have been in love with when I was seventeen. You ever meet someone who’s like... always right, really, but in such an obnoxious way that you wish they weren’t. Machias. He would have been way more interesting if he was just a really politically minded teen who needed to learn tact, rather than yet another member of the Trails Dead Family Member Club (the fact that it was revealed right after Elliot’s Dead Family Member Club story did not help). Still, he really did grow on me in the end. He’s a little dork

Gaius: The one I would be in love with now, if not for the fact that he’s only seventeen and thus a little baby in my eyes. I do love his design the most. Can he say even one line that’s not about the wind, though? I also like that he’s one of very few characters in this franchise to not have a tragic backstory, was very refreshing.

I can only assume, therefore, that Nord will undergo ethnic cleansing in Cold Steel II

Crow: oh boy Crow hahahahahaha. I don’t know how I feel now. Uhhhh... what did ‘the things I do for love mean’? I am curious

Alisa: I don’t like tsunderes much, and I found her ‘being mad at Rean for something that was absolutely not his fault’ thing very, very stupid and it did not endear me to her at all (also, like, if you had to have that - a better way would have been for him to accidentally injure her, rather than... ugh, look, I am a woman with large breasts - accidents really do happen irl. There’s no point in getting that mad about it. There just isn’t. I have no patience for this kind of plot). It also bothered me how possessive of Rean she got, I swear I picked Towa over her half out of spite. I don’t hate her, though, to be clear - I loved her plot with her mother and that scene in Nord. And her relationship with Ferris! She’s great when she’s not talking about Rean, basically

I don’t buy her as Rean’s love interest, honestly. Rean consistently shows more attraction to Emma, and has more (mandatory/canon) moments with Towa. It only felt one-sided to me

Laura: I like Laura a lot. I don’t really have anything to say about her, just that she was consistently good, and I appreciated her maturity and self awareness, I love her and Rean being sword bros, she’s just great

Fie: I think Fie was designed to appeal to exactly me personally. Tiny snarky badass girl with a great design? That’s everything I love and aspire to be! Best girl in the game (didn’t date her though because she’s fifteen and I refuse to date anyone who is younger than the protagonist when I play games set in high schools. Feels weird enough dating teens the same age as my character. Also she had 0 romantic chemistry with Rean)

Millium: She’s fine, good voice acting, want to know more about Lammy, no strong feelings

Towa: I wasn’t going to date anyone, but changed my mind because I really liked Towa... and then I looked at her, and saw a tiny girl with long, light brown hair and soft voice, and realised I just want to date myself

I checked, and according to Playstation Trophies, at least, she’s the least picked girl? The only characters picked less than her are the non-Crow boys (Machias is the least popular, which... I feel a little mean for finding hilarious lol)

Emma: I like Emma herself just fine. Don’t get me wrong. But she’s infuriating as a mystery character, because she’s the worst kind of mystery - the kind that relies on the other characters to NEVER AT ANY POINT ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT A NORMAL HUMAN WOULD ASK

Estelle would have asked

Rean has multiple opportunities to ask her to explain herself, and he doesn’t! One time, she straight up ASKS HIM TO ASK, and he doesn’t! That’s not mysterious anymore! That’s just incredibly annoying!

Lloyd would have asked

And no one else asks either! Some of them, fine - I can understand say, Elliot or Gaius or Millium - but Jusis!? Jusis, who has been there for pretty much all of her mysterious vague magic, and has repeatedly shown himself to be willing to be kind of rude, and may not be that interested in other people but certainly isn’t stupid - while they’re in the Schoolhouse Depths, Jusis isn’t going to grab Emma by the shoulders and demand she explain what she knows? He’s just going to go with it as she refuses to elaborate on things?

Really?

Kevin would have - actually, no, Kevin would have already known because Kevin Knows All, but he would have told everyone else, so same outcome

Rean: And that brings me to Rean. Rean... is a JRPG Protagonist. He is good, and noble, and he gives Inspiring Speeches, and he can date all the girls (which means we don’t really get any interesting opposite-gender friendships, because oh no, a threat to the harem!), and he is so, so boring. My god

Hey remember how I praised Sky for how great it was to have Estelle be an actual person with flaws and personality? No you don’t, no one’s reading all of these, but yeah - Estelle is just as colourful and full of life as the rest of Sky, while Rean is the least interesting character in Cold Steel no contest

Oh he has a super powered dark side, oh, well, that’s a game changer, never seen that before except in every 2000s shounen anime. Also we never actually learn the Super Rean rules, so that dramatic moment where he’s thinking about transforming to fight Scarlet isn’t actually that dramatic because I had never realised it could kill him until he said so in that moment

Oh except he’s also an awakener and can summon a Persona giant mecha suit! Because he’s the most special boy to be very special? I have never seen that in a JRPG before except in all of them

In Sky, Estelle wasn’t special. Except she was, but it wasn’t because she had super awesome secret awesome powers and all the boys liked her best. It was because she was flawed, but always trying, and because she was incredibly brave and optimistic no matter what, and because she was the kind of person who told a god summoning evil mastermind ‘lol no’ and then beat him with a stick, and because she really, believably loved her friends. She loved them. And they loved her. Not the player she was the avatar of. Estelle herself

Estelle Bright has ruined me for all other JRPG protagonists, is what I’m saying

Oh also Rean has that whole speech about how they can’t cancel the festival to protect people from an unknown threat, that’s not fair to meeeeee, and as someone who has lived through the year 2020 - go to Gehenna, Rean

Olivier is back!!! And yeah I’m going to keep calling him that, that’s who I know him as, and also Olivert is a silly name

Even more importantly, Mueller is back!!! And he and Olivier still have the best comedy dynamic in the series, joyous day! THAT is love and peace, baby!

Sara really, really grew on me :) I want to see her interact with Schera so bad

I didn’t really like Sharon up until I worked out OH SHE’S OUROBOROS, because yessssss more of them! Also, yessss, guessed it!

Angie... predatory lesbian stereotype aside, Angie’s super interesting and I want to see more of her yes please

George is like, the most inoffensive character I’ve ever seen, but apparently he has haters? What!?

What is with these games and naming characters/things French words, and then PRONOUNCING THEM WRONG

I do not care that the official pronunciation is ‘Blue Blanc’. I will continue to pronounce it ‘Bleu Blanc’. Because that’s what you guys actually wrote, Christ alive

I have a French GCSE and I will use it for something, goddamnit

I took Jusis on the bike trip and he looked so adorably goofy in the little sidecar. Best moment of the whole damn game for me

I’m trying to imagine what it would be like to have played this game first, as I know a lot of people did. Specifically in regards to Olivier (or Olivert, I guess)

Like... imagine meeting this guy for the first time as a fairly serious leader of an important faction, participating in vital political machinations. Imagine meeting him here and not knowing about the Grand Chardonnay incident. Imagine not knowing about that time he stopped a riot by riding up in a boat and singing. Imagine not knowing he has a rivalry of aesthetics with a terrorist. Imagine not knowing what I was referring to when I said ‘that’s love and peace, baby’ just now

Incomprehensible

Side note, if you had told me, on one of those warm August days when I was first playing Sky FC, that the silly man in the white coat was actually one of the most important characters in the franchise, I would not have believed you for a second

But on that subject, I was also trying to work out who a first time player would be siding with... like, I’ve played Sky and experienced Zero (currently working way through Azure as well), which means that my immediate reaction to all of Erebonia’s politics was ‘trust whatever Olivier and the bracers say, don’t trust anyone else’. But someone starting with Cold Steel has no reason to have loyalties to those factions, so I’m curious

Side note, having played the previous games also massively impacted how I viewed the ILF - I’m very confident that I would have just taken them being evil for granted if I’d played this first, but considering they hate Osbourne... and Olivier does not like Osbourne... that kind of made me a lot more suspicious of who I was really meant to side with

I really liked most of the NPCs in this. I especially became weirdly fond of Beryl

However, I do now also have characters I actively dislike, a series first! Gwyn (creepy old man), Neithardt (sexist jerk, kick his arse Beatrix), and Dorothee (...could write a whole essay on the myriad reasons I do not like that particular archetype) get in the bin

Good god, every interaction between Rean, Emma and Dorothee made me want to smack the lot of them with my controller, Dorothee for being an absolute creep, and Rean and Emma for overcorrecting into low key homophobia (seriously Rean, you’re friends with a lesbian, the idea of the existence of gay men should not shock you this much)

Re: Elise... I heard the words ‘non-blood related younger sister’ and my eyes rolled so far back in my head I was afraid they wouldn’t come back down

Took me a while to figure out, but ideal team is Elliot, Jusis, Machias, with Laura and Fie as back-up

I would like to find whoever’s idea it was to make the S-Crafts unlock as the game progresses rather than just be there when you get the character, and shake them until they apologise. Have them evolve with the story, sure, but not having them at all wrecks the battle flow so much. Emma was unusable to me until chapter-goddamn-FIVE

I loved the Annabelle subplot, and the punchline that the person her family wanted to marry her off to was a Lakelord... I actually yelled

The concert was so hyped, and then there weren’t even any real songs (aside from the re-use of the end credit song from Sky, which made me very happy. And Olivier singing along made me laugh out loud)

TOVAL IS TOBY!?!?!

Man I’m so mad at myself for not reading Carnelia in/after FC (read it in 3rd), but still - what a reveal!

AND WHAT AN ENDING

I mean. At first

They did such a good job building the tension, and then-

The Crow twist, my GOD, when I tell you I freaked the fuck out... I was totally convinced that it was Claire. Or possibly Campanella on stilts. I completely overlooked that there was another major character with a C name, and honestly I’m glad I did because I have not been this shocked by a reveal in a while

And then I stopped taking it seriously when I saw the robots with heelys

It was all.. we had a very final boss-y final boss, right? Excellent final boss fight, very fun, very satisfying. And then the game just... kept going. I accidentally stayed up until 4 AM because I thought I was at the end and it just didn’t stop

And then it did. Very, very abruptly

(no seriously I was making some snarky comment about how goofy the flying robot suits look and then the game just ENDED, what)

(also worst *actual* final boss I’ve ever seen. the fact that they managed to make a battle between two giant robots, one of which was controlled by a traitorous former friend, feel like an anticlimax... that was impressive, honestly)

So Cold Steel I is... easily my least favourite Trails game so far. Again, I did like it, but like I say... Rean isn’t Estelle Bright. And that’s pretty much my main problem, in the end

Sorry, Class VII

OH MY GOD they never explained why it’s Class VII and not Class VI! My theory is that it’s either something about the Sept-Terrions, or the Seventh Division, since Olivier’s specifically connected to them. Or maybe both

Well - I’m excited to find out!

#long post #trails series #trails of cold steel #trails of cold steel 1 #kiseki series #erebonia arc

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aelysalthea · 4 years

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The Secret Lives of Neil Josten

Chapter 8: Renee’s Moments of Tranquility

There was something invigorating about teetering on the physical edge. Invigorating rather than suffocating, as balancing on a metaphorical edge had been so many times in her past. Renee supposed she could understand why Andrew subjected himself to it.

Perched on the edge of the roof, her legs folded beneath her and the thick jacket enough to stave off the chill of the wind twirling her hair, Renee gazed out across the grounds. Palmetto State University looked far larger from such a height. Larger, and far more widespread. There was the engineering building, seemingly further than it always felt when trekking on foot. The biology labs that Renee had wandered into on the odd occasion that passing interest directed her study selections. Social Sciences, the most familiar of them all, was the furthest, but even those buildings were visible from the top of Fox Tower. Visible, and yet so far. If she raised her hand…

Closing one eye, Renee smiled to herself as, hand lifted, she blotted out a cluster of buildings with her thumb. If she held her hand just so, she could erase the whole eastern wing entirely, leaving the stretch of grounds, green and rolling down an empty slope, refreshingly free of human evidence. Renee loved such sights. She loved such impressions. Most of the time she loved people too, but sometimes, on some occasions, it was nice to be reminded that in sparingly brief slivers of time there was nobody and nothing besides emptiness and nature.

Dropping her hand back into her lap, Renee closed her eyes and tilted her head back. On the edges of hearing she could detect the hum of engines, intermittent passing cars disappearing down the nearest road. A shout from someone, distant and easily ignored, was captured by the wind and replaced by the natural, organ-like howl of it as it wound its way around the building and clambered to the rooftop. Breathing deeply, Renee could taste it – the coldness of crisp spring, the silence that it carried, the emptiness it promised – and it was refreshing. As invigorating as the momentary thrill of adrenaline that coursed through her in the moments she looked down, down, down the drop of the Tower to the curb below.

Another breath and Renee heard her heartbeat. Another and she caught the crisp tang of iciness. Rain, maybe? Another, and another, each as refreshing and soothing as the last. Her calm wasn't a façade but a practiced, comforting outfit that Renee wore on a daily basis. Sometimes, however, that outfit needed a good scrub to be as clean and untouchable as new, and it was in those moments that she felt herself washed clean.

No one could stay calm forever. No one could be unaffected by everything. Renee knew that better than perhaps anyone. It was moments of quiet and isolation that ensured she could preserve as much of her own calmness as possible.

The hum of a car pulling into the parking lot beneath her drew Renee's attention from its drifting rejuvenation. Opening her eyes, she leaned forward slightly, just enough to peek over the edge of the roof. Down the long, long drop, she watched as the familiar shape of Matt's truck shuddered to a halt in his customary spot, and Renee smiled reflexively. Her smile widened as Matt's laughter, Dan's echoing rebuttal, and Allison's slapping interference filtered up the side of the building towards her.

They were home. Her friends were back. Quiet and aloneness was all well and good – sometimes even necessary – but Renee could never find it within herself to feel anything but warmth and fondness when she caught sight of her friends. Straightening, she drew her knees beneath her and scooted back a fraction, turning to leave.

Only to draw to a halt as she realised that she wasn't alone.

"Neil?"

Barely three feet behind and to the right of her, Neil sat with his knees drawn before him. His arms were hooked loosely around his shins and his head rocked back a little. His eyes were heavy lidded but not closed, not blotting out his surroundings with the careless abandon that Renee allowed herself. She understood that, the wariness that he held. Once, Renee had felt it too. It had taken years and an active effort to force herself into caring just a little less, to trusting just a little more. To have faith that her senses would catch an intrusion.

At his name, Neil's head turned fractionally in her direction. The blank detachment of his expression faded a little and he met her gaze. Without a word he nodded a greeting.

Sitting back on her heels, Renee regarded him. How long had he been sitting there? She hadn't heard him come up and… how? How hadn't she heard him? Try as she might, and proud of herself as she was for being able to lessen her ingrained wariness, Renee knew her ears weren't so easily untrained. So then how…?

Smiling, Renee folded her hands in her lap. "Did you need something from me?"

Blinking, Neil slowly shook his head. "No."

Of course not. Neil never did, not from Renee, and not even knowing that she – and hopefully he – considered them friends of one another these days. "Did you want to talk to someone, then? We're the only one's without class at the moment, isn't that right? Although, from the looks of it, Matt just pulled in -"

"No." Neil shook his head again, but his gaze remained fastened to her. "It's not that."

Renee cocked her head. "Then how can I help you?"

"Do I need to be looking for your help to be up here?"

With faint laughter, Renee smiled. "I suppose not." A beat of silence passed between them before Renee couldn't help but speak once more. "You didn't say anything."

"Hm?"

"When you came up here." Renee gestured to the rooftop door, propped open slightly by the wedge she'd brought up one of the first times she'd visited. The banging of the door as it danced in the wind had always made losing herself in quietude impossible. "I didn't even hear you."

Neil shrugged. "I didn't mean for you to."

"So you slipped up here without making even a whisper of noise?" At Neil's silence, Renee frowned curiously. "You know, not many people can do that."

"Do what?" Neil asked. "Be quiet? Yes, I've noticed."

The joke of sorts – was it a joke? – caught Renee off guard. Another huff of laughter slipped free before she could withhold it, and after a moment she let herself feel the amusement in chuckles that the wind couldn't quite hide. "I meant that I'm not really someone that can be crept up upon."

She didn't need to elaborate. One look at Neil and the unsympathetic yet wholly understanding expression he wore told her that much. He considered her for a moment before saying slowly, "I'm not really someone that's heard when I don't want to be."

Amusement died. For a moment, Renee could only regard Neil with the solemnity that quickly replaced it. Oh. Yes, that was right. She understood that just as much as Neil understood her own admission. Sometimes she could almost forget that Neil had been on the run, that he'd been forced to slink below the radar and had managed impossibly well for years. He had such a presence, and not only when he spoke, that it seemed an impossibility. Not only because of his scars that couldn't quite hide his striking face beneath. Not because of his colouring, his pale eyes that seemed almost luminescent in the right lighting, or because his height made him more rather than less noticeable.

Neil had a presence. Just like Andrew, perhaps. The kind of presence that a rabbit could detect when a fox slunk up behind it, unseen but nonetheless felt.

But Renee hadn't noticed him. Just like a rabbit, she hadn't seen or heard him. As a once-rabbit that considered herself something of a fox as well, it was perhaps a little impressive.

"Besides," Neil finally continued, and it was only then that Renee realised she'd let the silence hang between them, "you looked like you were enjoying yourself."

Eyebrows rising, Renee blinked silently for a moment before allowing herself a curious smile. "Enjoying myself?"

Neil pointed a finger at his chin. "Your face. It wasn't as covered as it usually is."

"Covered?" Renee asked, though she thought she knew what he meant before he shrugged again and continued.

"You don't ever let anyone see what you're thinking. It was unexpected to see you not trying to hide for once."

"So you figured you'd take the opportunity to watch?"

Neil nodded, unabashed, and Renee found she didn't want him to be. Of everyone with perhaps the exception of Andrew, she realised he was probably the one she cared the least about seeing her true colours. She wasn't ashamed of her past or who she used to be, but that didn't mean she wanted to embrace it either.

Chuckling again, Renee climbed to her feet. "This is about the only place I would do it, you know. When Andrew first showed me up here, he said it was as good a spot as any to let my guard down."

"He said that?" Neil asked.

"Yes. I got the impression he was speaking from experience."

Neil's expression grew considering and, as his gaze shifted to the edge of the roof at Renee's back, she fathomed he was seeing something quite different to the empty stretch before the fall.

"Were you looking for him?" As Neil's gaze flickered up to her, Renee clarified. "For Andrew."

"He was in class," Neil said.

"Waiting for him, then."

"It's cold up here. Why would I wait for him on a cold, empty rooftop?"

Renee didn't reply, only smiled and waited for him to elaborate this time. She found that such conversations between them often went such ways; when it came to Neil, he didn't like to be prodded but that didn't mean he didn't want to share. It was simply that there were only a fractional number of people he was prepared to share with. Renee considered herself a little blessed that she was one of them these days.

After a moment, Neil exhaled sharply. He spared a frowning glance over his shoulder before turning back to Renee. "You left the door open. I could feel the draft down by the dormitories." A beat followed, and Neil pursed his lips before continuing in a mutter. "They're driving me crazy."

"Who are?" Renee asked, though she thought she could guess.

"The kids." Neil regarded his left knuckles, the bruise he'd acquired barely a day before from not quite healed. "They're intolerable."

Renee swallowed a smile, though Neil's unimpressed glance suggested she didn't completely manage to hide it. The kids, he called them, just as Dan and Allison, Nicky and Matt, and even Kevin on occasion had taken to doing. Just as Andrew had coined the term for the freshmen and Neil had appropriated and spread like wildfire to the rest of the Foxes.

"They're the same age as you, aren't they?" Renee asked innocently.

"Theoretically, yes," Neil said, brushing a thumb over his grazes.

"And in reality?"

"Kids."

Renee didn't withhold her laugh this time. Stepping to Neil's side, she took a moment to gaze down at him, at the bruise colouring his knuckles. "It's been less than a year. They'll take a little more time, but I'm sure they'll get there."

"Nearly a year," Neil corrected. "A year of unnecessary drama and arrogant bullshit. If Jack opens his goddamn mouth to complain about Dan one more time…"

"I'm sure you're both more than capable of putting him in his place." Renee gestured at his hand pointedly. She didn't need to have seen the altercation to know where it had come from. Jack's cheek still bore the other side of it.

Neil made a flat sound that Renee couldn't get a read on. Lifting his gaze he stared out across the roof once more. "It shouldn't be my job to teach them how to be decent human beings and respect someone who is doing nothing but good things for them." His eyes flickered briefly up to Renee before darting away again. "They're just too blind to see reason."

A tingle of warmth passed through Renee, a distinct contrast to the chill of afternoon creeping across the rooftop. "I'm sure they'll learn," she said.

"I'm not."

"Well, if precedent dictates anything, Foxes had a way of turning themselves around."

This time, when Neil glanced up at her he held her gaze. He didn't say anything, however. Not a word, and the silence that surrounded him seemed to encapsulate him in a nearly visible bubble. This time, Renee wasn't as surprised by that silence as she had been barely minutes before with his silent arrival.

Starting for the stairwell, she paused within the doorway to turn a final glance over her shoulder. "It's nice up here, isn't it?" she said. "Peaceful. A good place to escape, I think. Andrew was definitely onto something when he first came up, don't you think?"

Neil didn't reply. He didn't turn towards her either, and though he was the only shape worth noting in the empty stretch of the rooftop, Renee found his stillness and silence somehow encouraged her gaze to slide right off of him.

Strange. Very strange. And yet definitely not as surprising as it had been before that afternoon.

Turning, she slipped back into the relative warmth of Fox Tower and left Neil to his quiet solitude. Somehow, she suspected that he would continue to surprise her with such insights no matter what. It was nothing remarkable, those little sights, but she would never fail to be amused that she'd missed something that, in hindsight, seemed so blatantly obvious.

***

The door eased closed and, with a twisting tug, Neil pulled it tight without a sound. He slipped down the stairs and paused at the bottom, listening for a moment for the sounds of the freshmen in their raucous enthusiasm where he'd left them over an hour before. Not all of them were intolerable, it was true, but sometimes the niggling, annoying parts of their juvenile cluster was more infuriating than others.

There was still noise. As he passed down the hallway, Neil identified the source of it through the crack of an open door. He glared at it as he passed, skirting around the line of sight that would immediately provoke the narrow-minded attention of delinquents that hadn't yet hauled themselves from their high school inferiority complex. So they had problems. So they didn't like to be told what to do. So fucking what? They would have to learn, but Neil was growing to hate that he appeared to be one of the few people appointed to teach them such lessons.

The sound of a television emanated from Matt, Nicky, and Aaron's room too, but Neil bypassed it without pausing. He made for the closed door of his own, easing it open as he darted a glance over his shoulder and down the length of the hallway for possible company to be sprung upon him when he least wanted it. Not unless it was the right sort of company, anyway. He was through the door and out of sight in an instant.

Andrew noticed his arrival, just as he always did. He had a sixth sense for that thing, as well as an unerring self-awareness that extended in an invisible radius around him. From the couch he spared a glance in Neil's direction, flicked a hand incrementally in the direction of the kitchen without explanation, and returned his gaze to the television. Kevin didn't look up from his laptop.

Crossing the room, Neil paused a step behind Kevin at the shot of the game on his screen. From the flash of coloured uniforms it appeared to be a Trojans match, which was far from surprising.

"We're not playing them this week," Neil pointed out.

Kevin jerked in his seat. Twisting in place, he swung his attention over the back of the couch. Neil watched his computer slipped dangerously towards the edge of his lap.

"Fucking hell," Kevin muttered, shaking his head. "A little warning next time."

Neil frowned. "What?"

Turning back to his laptop, Kevin waved a vague hand over his shoulder. "Announce yourself when you come in. Why do you always do that? It's uncanny."

Neil exchanged a glance with Andrew. He wouldn't have thought Kevin's words noteworthy had they not ridden on the back of his earlier discussion with Renee. It wasn't the first time he'd been told as much. Kevin could be particularly fixated at times, especially when it came to analysing plays on his computer. Neil had never considered his comments exceptional before.

And they still weren't. Not really. It wasn't like it was hard to be quiet, to step lightly enough that even creaks in floorboards weren't disturbed, the squeak of carpet unprovoked. It didn't take any particular practice – or at least Neil didn't think it did. It wasn't even as though he did it deliberately.

There were times when it paid off to be quiet, though. Times when it wasn't just beneficial but necessary. Times when a breath slightly too loud could mean the difference between escape and detection. It wasn't hard to slip unnoticed down a rowdy halfway, to pass unnoticed into a quiet room, in comparison to such pivotal moments. Not remarkable. Renee was just overly conscious of such things. Kevin just lacked awareness for anything that wasn't exy related.

Rounding the couch, Neil lowered himself onto the cushion a little along from Kevin. He ignored the frown Kevin shot him, gesturing at the screen. "That was Jean?"

Slowly, Kevin's disgruntlement faded, and he returned his attention to the game. "Yeah," he said. "He's… yeah. He fits in well."

Neil nodded. He didn't really care about how well Jean was settling beyond what level of threat he would pose when they faced one another on the court. He'd done his part a year before. The rest was up to Jean.

Instead he shifted in his seat to regard Kevin directly. "The first years are a mess. Still."

Kevin grunted, frowning at his laptop as he clicked it back into play.

"Kevin," Neil said.

"What?"

"They're a problem."

"So?"

"It's been months. We can't afford that kind of laxness this close to finals."

"So?"

"So sort it out."

Kevin shot him a sidelong glance. "You're the vice captain. You sort it out."

"They hero worship you, not me," Neil said.

"For reasons at present unknown," Andrew muttered. "Anyone would assume that upon meeting him they'd realise their idyllic dreams are misguided."

Kevin frowned at Andrew this time. "I don't have any obligation to meet their expectations of me."

"Glad to hear you have that much sense."

"Kevin," Neil said again, recalling his attention as Kevin's frown became a glare. "Be useful for once."

"They listen to you," Kevin said, hunching into his seat and returning his attention to his computer once more. "They just whine about it at the same time."

"Which the ones like Jack don't do for you. It makes life difficult if I have to fight them on everything."

"You can't cry pity-me when you all but throw down the gauntlet in every confrontation," Andrew said, sinking into his own seat further as he slung a leg over the arm. "Don't complain."

"Could you be any less helpful?" Neil asked.

"I could, yes."

Neil rolled his eyes. "Thank you for your contribution." He turned back to Kevin as he rose from the couch. "If the team remains as fractured as it is, we'll face real trouble in a few weeks. I'm not going to intimidate them into toeing the line. They're not Ravens."

"They'll do what they're told," Kevin said. "Continue doing what you're doing."

Neil scowled. "Your moral support is rousing." Turning, he stalked into the kitchen and tugged the door of the fridge open with more force than necessary. It wasn't until he'd straightened, twisting the lid off a water bottle, that he noticed Andrew had followed him. He was propped against the counter, as silent in his own movement as Kevin and Renee accused Neil of being.

After a moment of bored contemplation, Andrew tipped his chin and spoke. "They'll do what they're told. They've changed since they started. You just can't see it."

"It's impossible to see what isn't there," Neil said into a gulp of water.

Andrew's shrug was a lethargic effort. "You can't see it," he repeated, "but that's because you're the one who knows how much effort it takes to make them move. They will fall into line." He paused, gave another half-hearted shrug. "Eventually."

Then he turned and left the kitchen, wandering towards the bedroom. Shaking his head, Neil made to follow him, but he caught a glance of the time of the microwave as he passed and diverged briefly to pass behind Kevin.

"We're leaving in ten," he said, and frowned again as Kevin jolted and shot him a glare over his shoulder. "What?"

"I just said, don't do that," Kevin grumbled.

Neil raised an eyebrow, which only served to deepen Kevin's scowl. "Ten minutes," he repeated, then turned and followed Andrew into their room. Kevin's words didn't bother him. If anything, he thought he might be quite content to know that Kevin became spooked in his distractedness. He wasn't going to put in an ounce of effort in calling the freshmen into line? So be it. Neil didn't have to afford him the same consideration.

Having an unexpected route of one-upping was quietly satisfying. If Neil made an inch more effort in quietening his steps, could anyone really blame him?

***

A/N: Thank you (again) for reading! Only a couple more chapters; I can’t believe how quickly this story has gone up. I’d love to hear your thoughts - and suggestions, maybe? - over on my AO3 if you get a second. That would be wonderful!

#aftg #the foxhole court #fanfiction #the secret lives of neil josten #post-canon #the Foxes #headcanon #neil josten #andrew minyard #andreil #renee walker #kevin day #baby foxes

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audreysjensens-blog · 5 years

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bi-curious and the new girl {part I} - zombie hickeys and theater pranks

you’re new in a town that’s recently been wrecked by the piper shaw murders. when you go to the movies to ease your mind before the first day of school, you meet audrey jensen, and then both of you are the victims of the prank that took place at the beginning of season two. accidentally holding hands during the aforementioned livestreamed prank totally doesn’t mean anything, right?

set at the beginning of season two!

“Jesus Christ, I’m never gonna get this off,” you say to yourself, patting at the ink mark on your collarbone. You’d left a pen in there during the movie, and now you were left with an increasingly mottled-looking stain that looked like a zombie hickey.

The Zenith Theater was closing soon, you knew, so getting the mark out became less urgent the second you saw your watch.

“Shit. Fuck. Shit,” you say, buttoning up your shirt and pulling your necklace over the top. You had miscalculated how long the bathroom excursion would take. The theater closed at 10. It was 10:05. The last thing you wanted to do was delay workers going home because of your mistake.

Shrugging your bomber jacket back on and turning off the sink, you push the door open and start to make your way back to the lobby, cursing yourself all the way for all of the weird looks you were certain to get for being in a theater late. It was a Sunday, after all, and you had just gone in to ease your nerves about starting at a new school the next day.

Your dad was out of the picture, so when your mom needed to relocate from Pennsylvania, you had to go with her. Especially since it was a promotion; she’d gotten assigned to head of surgery at Lakewood’s hospital.

Good thing, you thought to yourself. All this murder stuff, there’s got to be someone around to help-

You were so lost in your thoughts that in turning the corner, you slammed directly into one of the theater attendants, dropping your phone and your entire bag in the process. The girl, short, dark hair pushed to the side of her head, starting apologizing profusely, her broom and mop bucket pushed into the side wall.

“I am so, so sorry,“ you sputtered out, picking up all of your belongings and slipping them back into the leather bag. “I’m such a dumbass, I was in the bathroom, and… Sorry. Sorry,” you continued, looking up to find the girl staring at you.

Pretty, was your first thought. Like an idiot, your next word was-

“Audrey.”

The girl, already smiling out of sheer curiosity, handed your chapstick back to you.

“You know my name?” she says, standing back up as you slowly try to recover. Wow, your brain said, stupidly. She really is prettier than she was on the news. Then, the other side of your consciousness kicked in. Speak, dumbass!

“Uh.. Yeah. I just moved here. My mom’s working at GW General. Before I moved, I did some research on what was, you know, going on here. Saw you on the news. DIdn’t think I’d slam into you at your place of work, which, again, I’m super sorry about,” you said, tucking your hands into the pocket of your skirt.

“Nah, it’s cool,” she says, smiling still. “Surprised that after all that research you still decided to move here,” she says, pointing up at the banner that proudly declares Happy 100th Murderville!

She was funny, and nicer than you had expected someone working the graveyard shift on a Sunday to be. Not to mention pretty, but that was besides the point.

An awkward silence started between you two after you giggled at her joke, adding along a, “Well, I’m officially a Murderville citizen. Hopefully it stays that way.”

She was still looking at you, getting flustered by just talking to a cute girl that worked at a movie theater. You crossed your arms in front of your chest, and, grinning, looked at your feet. Extending your arm in front of you, you said, “I’m Y/N. If I see you again, hopefully it’s under less creepy-ass circumstances.”

She shook your hand thoughtfully, her rings a cold touch on your palm. “Hopefully I will see you again,” she said, tucking her uniform vest back in properly and confidently pushing a hand through her short, black tresses. “Maybe at school?”

“Yeah, maybe,” you said, trying to hide your already flushed cheeks. Holy fuck, she’s flirting with me, kept crossing your mind, and out of sheer fight or flight (and the desire to not say something that would make her see you as weird), you turned to leave. “I’m gonna head out,” you said, thumb flipping to the front door.

“Oh,” she says, looking mildly disappointed (or maybe that’s what the masochistic part of your brain wanted to see). “Front door needs a key.”

“Oh. Got it. I hate getting cucked by locked doors.”

She snorts, turning back to the snack bar, hands lightly skimming the surface of the table. A confused look crosses her face, then immediately replaced by a look of somewhat curiosity. “A key, which I can’t find? I’m always misplacing my stuff, sorry. I can walk you out the back?” she says, turning towards the theater’s entrance.

“Sure,” you say, exchanging a small-smiled glance before she steps in front of you, leading the way into the theater you were in about fifteen minutes before.

A few steps down into the aisle, Audrey speaks again, and you desperately try to push down any embarrassing feelings or thoughts out of your head.

“Ugh, it’s gonna be a bitch to clean up in here,” she says, eyeing a spilled popcorn bucket in the corner of the room. “You’d think on Sundays people would be more careful.”

You glanced at your watch, thinking about your 11:30 curfew.

“You know, I could stay and help you clean,” you say, shrugging your bag higher on your shoulder as you pass the screen. “I don’t have to be home for a while. Plus, it’ll take my mind off the first day tomorrow. And if I go home now, I’m just going to be watching Arrested Development til three a.m.”

Audrey broke out in a timid grin, turning to you, which you returned. “It’s…. It’s really nice that you’d offer, but-“

Suddenly the lights in the theater blinked out, bathing you and Audrey in complete darkness except for the small lights in the booth. You were scared for a second, shifting awkwardly while Audrey yelled for whoever was messing around to “Cut it out!”

Almost instantly, the refreshments commercial started to play on the screen, the echoing jingle sending shivers down your spine. Audrey looked shaken too, turning to you.

“Were you here with anyone?” she whispers, looking around for whoever could be doing this. “If they’re pulling a prank or something-“

“I was here by myself, I swear,” you say, putting your hand on your heart. Audrey looks reproachful, but seems to believe you the more you elaborate. “I just got nervous with the first day tomorrow. I thought maybe seeing some old movies would take my mind off of it.”

“Okay,” she says, turning to you again. “We’re going to have to get out of here-“

The second she speaks, her vision lines up with something on the top rafter of the balcony. You match her line of sight to find a cloak-adorned body and that Brandon James mask. Oh, my God, you keep thinking. I’m gonna die in here. What the fuck! I’m gonna die in here-

“Come with me!” Audrey yells, grabbing your hand and sprinting with you back into the lobby. If it wasn’t such a tense situation you’d have butterflies, but right now gigantic moths were taking over your stomach. You reached in your bag and brought out a taser while Audrey ransacked the snack bar looking for her keys, panicking all the while.

“Shit! They’re not here!” she yells, just as the killer emerges from the doors, keys in hand and camcorder strapped on. Fuck.

Acting on instinct, you throw a bucket at his head and sprint down the hallway, Audrey’s hand still in yours. She knocks down boxes laying near the bathrooms, buying the two of you more time as you burst into the entranceway.

“Noah!” Audrey yells, seeing a gaping blond boy standing in the doorway, screaming. “Call the cops, now!”

There’s another killer standing there, not to count the one behind you. Out of sheer panic, your hands sweating and legs quaking, you step in front of Audrey and face them both.

Taser brandished, you point it at the knife-wielders and take a menacing step forward. “Come any closer and I’ll shoot.”

The killer on the left starts to close in, you and Audrey backing up behind the counter. “Duck!” she yells, and you’re down in an instant, watching Audrey blast one of the masks away with a fire extinguisher.

The second she’s done, you grab it and shatter the glass on a display case with it, grabbing a screwdriver and handing it to Audrey.

“NOW!” you yell, while she stabs the other in the stomach.

He goes down, sirens blaring as you and Audrey stand horrified against the display cases. “She stabbed me,” you hear muffled, as one of the killers removes their mask, revealing a sweaty boy’s face. “She stabbed me!”

The other mask comes off to reveal a girl’s face, mouth agape in horror. “What?! Why the hell would you do that?!” she yells at Audrey. “It was a prank!”

“What?!” Audrey says, looking downright furious.

“A prank!” the girl says, showing how her knife was fake. “A prank!”

“Fuck you! That’s not a good prank, Jesus Christ!” you spit, stepping into the girl’s space. “You’re lucky you’re not dead right now. Try some shit like this again and I promise you will be,” you growl, taking a step back and watching the girl glare at you with dismay.

Immediately, the doors are kicked open and police rush into the lobby, pulling the masked girl and boy away. Relief enters your mind, and you collapse against the side banister, not even noticing until you do that you and Audrey’s hands are still connected.

You pull your hand away as if electrocuted, panicking. “Sorry, sorry, I-“

“Don’t worry about it,” Audrey says, looking right at you with an odd expression on her face. You couldn’t really pin down what it said.

“Oh my God!” says who must’ve been Noah, pushing past the police and to you and Audrey, engulfing his best friend in a massive hug. “I thought for sure you were a goner, and, uh,” he looks up at you, nervously smiling. “You too.”

Audrey looks between the two of you, slowly making introductions. “Noah, this is Y/N. She’s new in Lakewood, and looks like those kids really wanted to welcome her. And me by proxy, I guess. But I wasn’t expecting such a badass in my midst. You really told that girl,” she says, lightly laughing and stroking her arm.

You let out a small, nervous giggle, exchanging another look with Audrey.

“Yeah, I don’t really know where the whole Jason Bourne act came from, so… I’m going to give my statement and then head home,” you say, turning to leave. “Unless you want to walk me out the back again?”

Audrey laughs and leans back against her hands, grinning at her shoes. “Oh, you wish.”

Leaving to go, you and Audrey only had one thought on your mind. And that was how long before you’d see each other again.

#audrey jensen #audrey jensen x reader #audrey jensen fic #scream mtv #scream fic

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fairyscribbles · 5 years

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Cupcakes and Fangs - Setting Arrangements. (SUHO, pt. 4) [Chronicles of the Wolf series]

Hello darlings! We’re starting off this week with our handsome leader! If you want to refresh your memory, last chapter is here!

Even now, a few hours after your meeting with Junmyeon, butterflies fluttered in your belly and a blush stayed on your cheeks. With a dreamy sigh, you continued washing your skin.

Junmyeon was so...he was so...

You couldn't even find the right word. You never felt something so strong to someone you’ve just met. From here, the place in front of your mirror, you could see the giant teddy Junmyeon won for you, sitting so peacefully on the couch in your bedroom. It was your first win. Actually, it was a first thing something won for you. All your other dates were just simple walks, nothing fancy.

But with Junmyeon...

There was a great sense of care there that you couldn't quite explain. Yes, he seemed to want to impress you - if his little performance to win the bear for you was any indication - but besides all that... You could feel how much he just enjoyed your company.

And that was the best feeling...

You brushed your hair carefully before slipping into bed with a frown. Hopefully the thoughts of Junmyeon - those eyes, that smile - could ward away the nightmares tonight...

You seriously hoped they would- they grew quite aggressive, coming to you every night for the past week. Even if you were relatively used to it, the night terrors seemed to add on their intensity and there wasn't a night which you went through without waking up, screaming.

You hoped that Junmyeon's smile, gentle way of saying your name, and the imagination of how perfectly his strong arms would feel wrapped around you, holding you would ward the bad dreams away.

But they didn't.

And it showed the other morning, when you opened shop with constant yawning and big bags under your eyes.

"My, my, ___. Did your date keep you up all night?" You heard Junmi's teasing voice behind you and you squeaked, turning around with a blush.

"W-what do you mean?!"

"Whoa, whoa. Okay, sensitive!" Junmi giggled. "You just look like you were up all night."

You rubbed at your face consciously. "Oh... I just didn't sleep well that's all."

Junmi frowned. "Nightmares again? You should've asked your date to keep them away."

You sighed heavily. You would've liked to do that, but you weren't even sure how to go about asking him at this point. 'Hey, Junmyeon, how about you spend the night and sleep next to me, so I don't have nightmares again?'

Oh yeah, that would keep him around.

"Never mind me," you muttered. "What about you? How did your date go?"

And to your biggest shock, you found Junmi blushing.

You did a double take, just to be completely sure. Junmi never blushed. How is this possible?

"It was..."

"Oh my god, who are you and what have you done to my unnie?" Your shocked look didn't stay on your face for long, as Junmi smacked your back with an increasing blush.

"Shut up, nightmare girl. Subin unnie hit a bullseye with this one, alright?" You laughed, shaking your head.

"His name is Baekhyun."

"Ooh~" you cooed, setting out more milk on display. When Junmi's silence increased, you turned to look at her and with an inquisitive look, you gripped her chin and tilted her head, as you inspected you neck. And as you expected, you found a small circular bruise right below her ear. And then another, on the other side.

You gasped. "J-Junmi! I never thought-!"

She clamped a hand over your slack-jawed response, shaking her head. "Hey! Don't assume!"

You shook your head, moving her hand from your face. "It's just that... you said... you never do that on the first date..."

Her blush deepened, and you had to prop yourself on the table to keep from keeling over.

"I... don't..." she whispered.

This time, your gasp was louder. "Then... you've dated him before?"

She shook her head vigorously. "Oh, god no! No! I just... I've known him, okay? I know him from before..."

You raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"From a long time ago, actually."

"And… you never told me about him?" you muttered sadly, mouth turning downwards.

Junmi sighed, hugging you gently. "No, it's just because... I haven't seen him in so long. It's not like I even thought to tell anyone about him..."

Something about the airy quality of her voice told you she was lying, but you didn't press the issue. "Okay... I'll buy it. I'm glad you had a good time."

She beamed. Positively glowed with contentment. "Now you! Tell me about yours!"

"He was...no, he is..." you sighed in bliss, propping your chin against your hand.

"Perfect?" Junmi supplied with a curious grin and you shook your head.

"Even better...so gallant, so kind...aah~..." Junmi grinned, taking a seat next to you.

"What's his name?"

"Junmyeon." Junmi's eyes popped open.

"J-Junmyeon?!" You looked at him with risen eyebrows.

"Yes...why?"

"That Subin..."

"Wh-what? Do you know him too?"

She shrugged, smiling. "You could say that. So, tell me more about Mr. Perfect. What did he do that won you over so quickly?"

You sighed. "You don't think it's too quickly, do you?"

Her eyebrows knitted together. "What? I didn't say that. Just... stop worrying over it and tell me."

Again, you sighed. "Nothing. We went and had coffee... then we went to that carnival in town... And... he won me something..."

You looked up from the piece of plastic you were playing with, and the look on Junmi's face made you falter. "What..?"

"You... really like him..." she whispered in amazement.

"Yeah... Is that bad..?" You frowned.

"Of course not!" Junmi beamed, hugging you happily.

"I was just afraid that you wouldn't. And that would be a shame because Junmyeon is a really good guy and he'd take care of you well."

"H-hold up, unnie..." your cheeks blushed a pretty red as the plastic was crushed in your hand.

"We're just going to go on a second date...I wouldn't want to...get ahead of myself." Junmi shook her head.

"There's nothing wrong with fantasizing a little, ___. Believe me."

"Yeah, but..." you didn't want to sound this way but honestly, it was one of the fears you were harboring at the moment.

"It builds expectation and... yeah..." Junmi sighed.

"___. Believe me, I know where Junmyeon comes from. He won't let you down."

"You can't know that for sure..." you sighed. "Anyway, I'm just... trying not to hope for too much too soon. I do that, and it doesn't turn out well. So... I'll just wait and see."

Junmi shrugged. "It's just gonna keep getting better. He's great."

You raised an eyebrow at her. "How can you sound so convinced? You didn't even wanna admit you knew him earlier."

"I didn't say that. I just didn't elaborate. I don't want you holding back your opinions just because you know I know him." She brushed off your frown. "So, when are you going out again?"

You tossed the plastic into the trash, shrugging. "Friday..."

"Ugh, why did you wait so long?"

A blush lit up your face. "Wh-what, why? When do you see Baekhyun again?"

Junmi let out a long breath of disappointment. "I'm not really sure. He... had some things to take care of first, so we didn't make plans."

"B-but... how are you gonna see him again?"

She grinned. "Bug Subin-unnie, of course."

The clarity of an idea flashed over her features, as she patted your arm to get your attention.

"Ooh! Oh! You can ask her to ask about Junmyeon! I'm sure you two can go out before then!" You stared at Junmi with a dull look.

"No way, ___. I can't force myself on him. That would just seem pathetic."

She groaned. "No, it means you want to see him. So, it would be the truth. Besides, I'm sure he wants to see you too. Just ask Subin unnie."

You scowled at her. "Stop it... I told you, you don't know if he wants that or not."

She rolled her eyes. "Except I do. I just... have a knack for these things, okay?"

"Says the girl who set me up too many times to count. And failed."

"Hey." She swatted at your shoulder halfheartedly. "It's only because I didn't even think of Junmyeon at the time. Besides, we were out of touch for a while."

You just sighed. "Then you can't possibly know what he would want now."

"___, will you quit being so negative? I'm gonna go see if I can find Subin unnie. I'll ask for you."

She walked around towards the door, and you gaped at her. "Seriously?"

"Yep," she waved. "You're welcome. Bye~"

Junmi held the door open for your first customer of the day, and as she saw your defeated look, she stuck out her tongue out at you before disappearing into the crowd. You had to bite back a groan.

Shit.

Did you really want to see him so soon? Junmyeon looked at Kyungsoo's mate with shock, as Subin smiled up at him gently.

"That's what Junminie said. That ___ was really unhappy that she'll see you on Friday. She wants to see you sooner, oppa."

Kyungsoo smirked towards his alpha, tucking his mate against his side when she went to him. "Are you okay with that, hyung? Do you want to see her?"

Junmyeon scowled at him, making Kyungsoo snicker. "Of course I do. I just... didn't expect her to want to see me so soon."

"Well... I can tell her you're busy," Subin offered.

"N-no, don't do that." Junmyeon sighed. It wasn't that he didn't want to see you. He just wasn't sure if he could handle seeing you again and not doing anything. Easing into things when with your mate is just... not the easiest thing for a wolf to do.

"Should I... tell her yes then?"

Junmyeon nodded. "Yeah... yeah, of course."

"Hyung? You gonna be okay?"

Junmyeon glared at Kyungsoo. Little shit. It's not as if he didn't know. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"He said he'd love to."

You nearly dropped the bottle of milk you were transporting to the fridge. Cradling the bottle to your chest, you turned to Subin, trying to ignore the smirking Junmi behind her. "R-really?"

"Why do you sound like you're surprised?" Subin asked you with a small glare, which Junmi copied.

"And if you give me the 'guys usually don't want to have second dates with me', I'll hit you with a spoon." Once the milk was safely in the fridge, away from your shaky, excited hands, you returned the glare at Junmi.

"Don't you have a better place you could be at? Maybe somewhere to get more hickeys?" You waved over the general spot on your neck where Junmi's red nips were. The blush that erupted over her cheeks told you hit a spot.

"Look what we have here, the sass master herself. Shouldn't you be worrying about some smelly cheese or something?" Before you could retort, Subin was groaning out loud, her face buried in her hands.

"God, I'm too old for this. All I wanted to do was invite you over to my place to have dinner with Junmyeon, not to see some sort of diss battle between the two of you."

"Dinner?"

"Wait, you're not that much older than us, right unnie?"

Subin just flashed Junmi a look. "I kind of felt like I was, just now. Anyway, yes, ___-ie. Dinner. What do you think?"

"J-just the two of us?"

"Well, if you want. I was kind of thinking with me, and Kyungsoo... maybe even Junminie and Baekhyun oppa... But I can make the arrangements, if you want privacy."

"N-no! That's okay!" you squeaked, trying not to sound too excited. "I'd... That would be perfect to have all of you there... When?"

"Tomorrow night," Subin shrugged. "Unless some other time would work better for you..?"

"N-no, that's fine..."

"Even if I had other appointments, I'm sure taking them off the list now." Junmi imitated your voice with an annoying expression, making you glare at her.

"Look who's talking, someone is meeting their date today and thinks she has a right to tease others." Subin turned around and gave Junmi a small look that made the other girl shrug with a small blush over her face.

"Yeah, unnie, just try to keep away from the vacuum cleaner, alright?" You teased right back, your hand flying over your neck, right over the spots where Junmi previously had hickeys.

"It was pretty bad last time." Junmi looked at you with a small glare.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing you after tomorrow. Let's see who'll have more marks."

Your mouth fell open, but Subin and Junmi exchanged high-fives for that one, and you knew it was a lost cause.

"Fine. Now... just please, try not to make a bigger deal out of this than it is. It's... dinner."

"No one said otherwise, ___-ie," Subin laughed.

All you could do was turn bright pink. "Get out! You two are banned from here!" you squealed, chasing out the two women out by tossing pieces of bread at them. "Out!"

"Oi, that's disrespect of the bakers hard work!" Junmi screamed with laughter, quickly following Subin as she escaped from your gluten ammunition. You were proud of yourself when you were able to hit Junmi over the head, cheering happily when you heard her yelp.

After the hurricane of noises and girl laughter, your shop sounded too quiet. It was so quiet, you heard your own erratic heartbeat against your chest.

Junmyeon...wanted to see you? Even before the date?

You scrunched the material at your chest, sliding down behind the counter and folding your knees to your chin with an incredulous exhale. "Oh my god..."

He said he wanted to see you. Granted, you weren't sure what Subin and Junmi could've told him, but the fact that you were going to see him again so soon made all of that irrelevant.

You had to figure out what to wear! How to fix your hair, how to fix your face!

You almost scowled when you heard the bell on the door ring, signaling another customer. Gathering your composure, you popped back up. Only a few more hours of work, then you could think about all the details.

"Hello, ma'am. Welcome!"

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ajokeformur-ray · 7 years

Text

May I have ships for Black Butler, Sherlock, Phantom of the Opera, and Doctor Who? Gender- Female Sexuality- Biseuxal Interests- writing poetry, doing my makeup, listening to show tunes, hanging out with friends, reading fanfiction, making up stories in my head watching movies and tv shows Likes- being dramatic, correcting people, being right, learning new things, being able to bitch with certain people, making people smile, music, alone time, being the center of attention with certain people, shiny/sparkly things, wearing black, wearing dark makeup Dislikes- being told to stop being dramatic, homophobic people/comments, being wrong, people who don't know what the fuck they're talking about, being crowded, being alone with people who I don't know, being in large social situations, being alone for a prolonged period of time What you look for in someone- as a person with severe anxiety and depression, I look for someone who will be patient and understanding with me; willing to learn how to help me through anxiety attacks and long bouts of depression. I also look for someone who is dominant. I need someone who can take charge of a situation and make decisions. I need someone who will take care of me when I can't take care of myself. I want someone who is passionate, protective, and sincere. I also look for someone who will understand my love languages, which are quality time and receiving gifts. I am a very shy, quiet person. I don't really talk that much and don't like to socialize. Once I'm comfortable around you, you'll learn I'm also dramatic, creative, analytical, loyal, honest, protective, and a bit of a bitch at times. I tend to be drawn to the people that others are scared of. I always look for the good in people, and am not quick to judge. Although I'm a very kind person, I'm not quick to trust. And once you've broken my trust, it's extremely hard to earn it back. - @bingewatchingmylifegoby

BB ship - Mey-Rin

- Mey-Rin doesn’t get much free time, though, on the days when Sebastian has had enough of the other household staff members making messes and mistakes, he tells them to take the evening off because he can do it faster and better on his own. On such evenings, Mey-Rin is content to do whatever you’re doing, and if you want to be left alone she’ll go practice her self-defence skills.

- Mey-Rin would love your flair for the dramatic and would very likely compliment you on these skills. She would have access to the Phantomhive Library and would be able to take out books for you to read when you visit the Manor, and Sebastian would be on hand to make sure you’re met with hospitality befitting of a Phantomhive guest. So you could ask him questions about things you’re curious about.

- When there’s a large social event at the Manor, you’d be invited as an honorary guest, though attached on the bottom of the expensive and elaborate invitation is a chicken scratched message: Please make yourself comfortable in the kitchen when you’ve had enough, yes-yes! from Mey-Rin. You’re left wondering how she managed to write on it without Sebastian seeing it beforehand.

- Mey-Rin fumbles and falls a lot, but as a Phantomhive servant, she’s a dark horse. She sees, hears, feels, more than she lets on, just like her training. She is badass and knows a lot about the world and its cruelties. She would likely have experience with depression and even anxiety, so would be very patient and know what to say or do to help you when you needed it. She’s used to taking care of Ciel so she’d know how to take care of you when you can’t. She can’t spend much time with you, but whatever is spare at the end of the day is yours.

- She’d watch you flourish as you become more comfortable and open around her, and would love knowing that she sees the parts of you that few get to really see. Mey-Rin would always defend you as fiercely as she defends the Household and everyone in it.

Sherlock - Molly Hooper

- Molly’s job can get pretty violent even on the best of days and some of the things that she sees coming into the morgue only have a place in the best of horror book and films. When she comes home, she tends to invite you over so that you can watch something together, or just spend a quiet evening together doing your own things. Sometimes you go out together, but for the most part, you’re indoors. Molly loves helping you with your make-up or reading your poetry if you let her.

- She is a bit of a wallflower and can often fade into the background, but when you go out together or it’s just the two of you, you’re all she’s focusing on. When you go out together and she dresses up along with you, you do each other's make-up. Sometimes she’ll talk to you about her work and listen to you talk about yours, and she’ll pass along all the office gossip that she picks up on.

- Molly wouldn’t ever tell you to stop being dramatic; she loves seeing you when you’re animated and in your own element. When you want to be alone, she gives you the space you need, but she’s also right there when you don’t want to be alone. If you’ve had enough at a party, she takes you out back until you're ready to go back in or she’ll just take you home.

- I think Molly has anxiety too so she’d definitely understand. Because of how Sherlock and others treat her, she often doubts herself and her abilities but given the chance, she can really shine and kick ass. So she’d always be there to listen and hear what you have to say because she knows ow it feels to be seen as small and unimportant. When you can’t look after yourself, Molly will take your best interests into account and look after you until you can look after yourself. Molly is so much more than the show writers let her be and she’d be fiercely protective of you and yours. She would always look out for you and also for herself and would be incredibly loving.

- People aren’t scared of her, exactly, but people also don’t really listen to her and she’s often marginalised. She’s so kind and selfless and would do anything for anyone. She’d love you for you and all your flaws and would protect you from yourself when it’s called for.

Phantom of the Opera - Nadir Khan (Daroga)

- You’re incredibly creative and your hobbies are physically relaxing but intellectually stimulating. If you ever wanted to share your poetry or your stories, Nadir would be there to read, listen, compliment and then offer constructive criticism if you wanted it. He’d be proud of your creative pursuits.

- Nadir is friends with the Phantom so he’s well-accustomed to people having a somewhat dramatic flair. Your dramatic flair would definitely be a more refreshing change as yours is less toxic than the Phantom’s. He has a wealth of culture, languages and stories at his disposal and I think Nadir would enjoy talking with you over a cup of tea and tell you some stories or teach you things you want to learn.

- He’s very protective of those he loves and is caring and affectionate, loyal to a fault. There’s not much he’d refuse you if you asked him, and you’d always be his main priority. In a large social event, he’ll make sure that you’re either by his side or with someone like Madame Giry, who can keep an eye on you to his standards. When you want to leave, you leave, simple as. He just takes really good care of you.

- Nadir is used to dealing with the Phantom’s mood swings, impulsive bad decisions and dry wit, and he’d definitely be empathetic towards you and always listen with his full attention to everything you have to say. He would come up with a solution to any problem you had if you wanted one, and if not then he’d just be there with open arms and two ears to listen. When you can’t look after yourself, he has a firm hand and gets you back to where you need to be, though he doesn’t push and knows when enough is enough.

- The two of you actually have a lot of common ground in who the two of you are, and you’d get along really well and only be seen as a positive force for each other. In Kay’s version of Phantom, Nadir had a wife and son who both died tragically of illness (if I remember rightly), so he’s been through some of the darkest times in one’s life. You’d only bring some of that light back to him just by being you, and in return, he’d shower you with all the time and gifts in the world.

Doctor Who - Ten

- You’re very imaginative and Ten would only fuel that by taking you to all your favourite places in the past, present and future, and getting you to tell him some of your stories. If you’re not comfortable with that then he would understand but he would be the most supportive person of your artistic temperament. He would tell you to hang onto your words and never let anyone take them away from you. Make-up confuses him so when you put it on he’d ask you a gazillion question at such a speed that you have to ask him to slow down and ask you one question at a time.

- Oh. Oh my goodness, you two are the sassiest couple. You know how Ten often goes on a sarcastic tangent when his enemies demand something of him and he’s chuckling and saying something like, “the Doctor will not”? Yeah, oh my goodness adding you to the mix means that there’s twice the amount of talking and tbh you probably baffle the monsters you’re going up against. You’re always his main priority and he’s always focused on you when he’s not saving a planet or fixing the TARDIS.

- We all know how protective Ten is of those he loves, so he’s the first person to verbally slam-dunk someone trying to insult you. You won’t even have processed what was said to you before he’s in the face of whoever insulted you, and his insults are so scathing the person’s future grandchildren are going to feel the burn of the Doctor’s words. When you’re in a large social event, he holds your hand and pulls you through the crowds of people, keeping a close eye on you to make sure that your surroundings are bearable for you. As soon as they’re not, he’s whisking you away to someplace less crowded and won’t hear a word about you apologising.

- He’s been alive for 900+ years so he’s seen and heard, experienced and witnessed the absolute best and the worst of humanity. He’s so wise, so lonely, that he knows exactly how to comfort you. Sometimes, he’s comforting you before you even know you need to be comforted. He doesn’t alwas have the words you need to hear and that’s okay, but he always has two sympathetic ears, two arms to hold you, two hearts to beat reassuringly when you lay your head on his chest, and a boatload of stories to make you laugh until you’re doubled over and howling with tears pouring down your face. Sometimes he needs comfort and a listening ear, and you support each other through it all. A lot of the time he’s in charge because you’re literal worlds away from home and he’s the only one you have got to depend on, especially in life and death situations. So he can definitely take care when you need someone to care for you.

- You’re just so strong and protective together, always looking out for the other and defending each other to the death if it came to that. It’s not always easy because sometimes he has to shut down and internalise and sometimes you don’t feel like talking, but the good days far outweigh the bad days.

#Doctor Who #Tenth Doctor #Mey Rin #Black Butler #Phantom Of The Opera #Nadir Khan #Sherlock #Molly

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