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phoenixrising0308 · 2 years

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Prince Charming (2): Glitter in the air

#Day 16 Glitter

A/N: set 4 years after “And along came Polly” and in an open match world. Liam is a teacher (who isn’t open about his royalty status) Liam’s mother’s name is Lily.}

Pencil Chronicle Theme(s): Cinnamon roll hero- Bonus trope collection Pencil Chronicle Prompt(s): “I feel God in this chili tonight.” and “I am Beyoncé, always.” - The Office collection “I like good strong words that mean something.” - Little Women Collection Additional Prompt(s) - #’s 12,13,31 and Location Prompts #67 and #26

Disclaimer

Words according to this blogger: Dulce means sweet in Spanish.

Triggers: None

Chapter Song inspiration: Glitter in the air - P!nk

Word count: 4,000 *As always, forgive my typos and grammatical errors.*

Wednesday

Chili’s

He took a sip from his drink and slammed the table, and said, “WHOA! I feel God in this chili tonight.” and he burped loudly, “Are you having a great time?”

Jessica looked at her match date and kicked herself for being talked into the “Bargain Bin Match Bogo sale.” The Matchmaking service called “Eros 2.0” was owned by former interns of the disbanded ‘Eros’ matchmaking service; the rumor was they were always offering matches at half the price of their competitors by using discontinued or destroyed matches whose parts were broken down and put in other matches to repurpose for sale. Tonight’s candidate for Eros 2.0 was candidate #348 and went by the name Dames Elvin Rosario’s.

Jessica found him absolutely obnoxious, but she was also upset that he was designed based on her preferences. She asked for a friendly and quiet place that offered Chilean sea bass on their menu; instead, she found herself at a loud restaurant with several TVs with the occasional “Happy Birthday song from the Chili’s crew.” And instead of Chilean Sea Bass, she found Chili’s original Chili on the menu.

The waitress walked over and handed Dames the bill. He said, “Jess, you got this, right? I forgot my wallet, and it’s not payday.”

Jessica sighed. “Sure.” ‘How many frogs do you have to kiss…like he isn’t even like a real guy. Fix your life, Jess; just fix it. I’m getting a refund.’

“You’re driving me home, right? I want to say keep the windows up. You know stomach ain’t right.”

4 blocks away … Michael's craft store

His basket was full, but there was something he was looking for. He needed pink glitter. Pink was the class color this month. Tomorrow he would have all his students make a class art submission for ‘World Art Day’ It was also a monthly class pet day. He knew he would regret having to give his Corgi Chance five doggie baths to get the glitter off him but seeing their smiling faces would be all he needed for him to make it worth it.

Liam Rhys was everything you could imagine a Pre-K teacher to be kind, patient, and understanding. He gave up his Central Park Penthouse in favor of being closer to his job and just closed on a Williamsburg Brownstone two months ago. Riding his bike around the neighborhood, he discovered a tiny little bakery called ‘Dulce’ he loved some of the Latin inspired flavors; it reminded him of places he went to when he studied abroad in college he spoke the language fluently, and every summer for the last four years he volunteered at privately funded foundation called ‘Teach beyond limits where he traveled to help support other schools summer enrichment programs. Last summer, he spent time in Puerto Rico. He decided to spend Christmas break with a few friends and a local Christmas eggnog drink called Cocoquito. When he saw a twinkie inspired by it in the window, he had to try it.

Now, this little bakery would be his go-to place once a week on Fridays. He would stop in, and he would treat himself to a Dulce de leche Apple Turnover. As it turns out, the owner was the mother of Chance’s favorite student, Paloma Bianca Walker. Her classmates would call her Polly. Last week, her mother Emily asked a few personal questions he was happy to answer, thinking that she wanted to know a loyal customer better. Still, he also made sure to be vague for a few personal reasons as well as professional.

Friday

Jessica spent the night crying, upset that apparently Riley Brooks was now starting a family with her former fiancé and former FDNY Paramedic turned Physical Therapist, Rafael Aveiro showed up on her people you might know feed, and she combed through his pictures. They seemed happy; meanwhile, Jessica was stuck. She didn’t want him back, but she questioned why karma hadn’t gotten to him; four years later, she was still alone and still very much wanting to share her life with someone but pretended not to care. April 16th was her deceased parents’ wedding anniversary, and being lonely hit her the hardest, so she made sure to take off.

Jessica was given strict orders by Drake to be at ‘Dulce’ at 7:45 AM to take Polly to school. He needed to be at one police plaza for a meeting, and Emily was opening up the bakery. It was now 8:10 AM., and Polly started at 8:30AM.

Jessica finally made it double-parked her car.

“Titi (Aunt) Jessie!”

“Hey there, my beautiful girl.”

Polly looked excited as she said, “Chance day.”

“Who is Chance?”

“Chance is the class pet! He’s a Corgi”

“Oh, that’s fun!” Jessica replied.

Emily said, “But thanks for doing this for us, Jessica.”

“No problem. I’m off; Drake is handling city hall; he knows I hate working on this day. Besides, you have the bakery. And Sue across the street, that rotten recipe stealing-”

Emily cut Jessica off and said, “PIKACHU. Sue is a recipe stealing Pikachu.”

“Yeh, she’s a Pikachu, alright.”

Emily walked over and said, “Chance is waiting!” Emily followed and took a look at Jessica’s outfit choice.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re a lovable mess.” Emily quickly took the pen out of Jessica’s hair, and it fell down below her shoulders. “You never know. Take off that purple sweater.” Emily mumbled before saying, “Paloma, take Titi Jessie’s sweater.”

Polly took Jessica’s sweater.

“Maybe you will bump into Prince Charming in a parking lot?”

Jessica scoffed, “Prince Charming… is stuck in traffic.”

Inside Jessica’s Escalade

Jessica and Polly were singing the little mermaid score as she got ready to merge into the lane to give the go-ahead from the other. Suddenly, the car sped up and cut them off, as Jessica was about to merge.

She honked the horn and pulled her window down, “YOU FUCKING FUCK FACE ASSHOLE! You couldn’t wait for your fucken turn!”

“Oh, bad, bad words.”

“Oh, POLLY, well, sometimes when you don’t wait your turn, someone has to tell you didn’t do the right thing, and Mr. The Honda Accord was really mean. Maybe and just maybe he won’t do that again because it um… It hurt my feelings, and I yelled.” Jessica tried rationalizing as the Honda drove slower than molasses in front of them.

“OH MY GOD, FUCKING FUCK FACE ASSHOLE! ! Why cut in front of my car if you’re going to move like a damn tourist,” Jessica growled before clearing her throat. “Sorry, he hurt my feelings again.”

Polly looked intrigued, “Ooh, okay.” She replied as they drove.

‘FUCK, I’m gonna get so much shit over being late. They gave me these official plates for my personal vehicle for a reason.’ Jessica put her NYPD Police lights on her dashboard, turned on her sirens, and then got on her speaker.

“This is an official Police vehicle giving a lawful order to yield right of way to the Ford Escalade behind you.”

Most Holy Trinity Elementary - Pre-K: Room 1

Polly could barely contain her excitement as they all lined up to see Chance. The 4-year-old thought it was the best thing ever that she had been looking forward to all week. Just when it was almost her turn, another preschooler cut her off in line.

“Hey!”

The boy stuck his tongue out at her, and Polly felt her anger boiling. ‘

‘Hurt my feelings.’

“YOU FUCKING FUCK FACE ASSHOLE!”

Every student gasped, and Liam blinked in surprise. “Polly. That is not a nice word. Well, that whole sentence was unkind.” He told her as she crossed her arms with a pout.

“Gavin was mean!”

Liam nodded and crouched down to both their levels. “Gavin, you have to wait your turn. That is not fair or nice. Polly, just because our feelings are hurt doesn’t mean we can use bad words like that to hurt other people, Okay? Next time, come get me.”

Both kids looked to the ground, “Sorry…”

“Now, let’s sing a song about our feelings, okay?”

Liam walked over to his mother’s guitar and picked it up, and began to play a few cords as he softly sang to his class as they waited for their turns to play with Chance.

Liam asked Polly privately.” Now, where did you hear that word from?”

Polly didn’t even think twice. “Titi Jess.”

“Thank you, Polly.”

Afternoon dismissal

“Hi, I’m here to pick up Paloma Walker.”

The secretary said, “Oh, she is with her teacher. They are in Prek-4, room one. It’s down the hall to your left.”

Jessica walked down the hall with her purple sweater. ‘I don’t care if it’s homey. It’s comfortable.’ The minute she walked in and saw him, she felt a faint blush warm her cheeks. ‘Polly’s teacher looks like that!? OMG, the glasses and suspenders well bend me over a desk.’ Jessica thought as the tall, blonde, handsome, big-built man with blue eyes looked played with Polly and Chance. Jessica ran into the hallway and took off the sweater and returned and shoved the ugly sweater behind herself on a desk.

Liam seemed to stare at her longer than intended before he shook himself and smiled. He extended his hand, “Are you, Mrs. Jessica Garcia?” ‘Please be a Miss.’ He secretly thought.

Jessica took a sweeping look at Liam and bit her lip. ‘My name is Jessica, but you can call me yours.’

“Uh, yeah!… Well, it’s Miss” She tried leveling her voice, “I’m Polly’s Aunt. Godmother. A close friend of her parents. Whatever you want to call it.” She gave a nervous laugh as she rambled.

Liam extended his hand and she took it.

‘God, you’re hands are huge. This could only mean one thing: you have a big crayon, and I would love to scribble with you. ALL. NIGHT. LONG. Wipe the smirk off your face.’ She cursed inwardly. She smiled.

Liam held her hand longer than a typical handshake. ‘I am, covered in pink glitter. My— God. You are beautiful; I would tell you every morning if you woke up next to me. Wait, I’m still holding your hand. Liam let it go.’ He released her hand and cleared his throat.

“I’m Mr. Rhys; you can call me Liam. I’m Paloma’s teacher.”

‘Also VERY single AND very interested.’

“But before you go, I actually feel I need to bring up something Polly said.”

Liam thought, ‘Gavin is a fucken fuck face. He is rude to everyone and just a complete brat. Is it wrong to be glad she told him off so I could meet you?’

Jessica frowned, “Oh?” ‘I really could just listen to you talk for hours. I bet you are good with kids. I will have ALL your babies…want to start tonight?’

“See…Another student cut in front of her to see Chance and Polly said a string of very creative profanity.” ‘I’d also like to say I can get lost in those brown eyes, and all is forgiven, Love. Love the nickname suits you. Let me whisper it in your ear while you sleep.’

Jessica nervously bit her lip and thought inwardly, ‘Oh Squirtle! I mean, oh shit! Now, you want to curse in Pokémon? You just made Polly that kid. Drake is going to be so mad at me FUCK. I’m still going over your house for the Yankee game fuck that.’

“Oh, I am so sorry about that. Mr. Walker really should watch what he says around her. It’s the job that takes its toll on you in many ways.”

Liam raised a brow with an amused look. “Oh, is that so? Because I heard something about her Titi saying it. Wonder if perhaps her Titi might consider another manner to express her disappointment.”

‘I would love to give you ideas over dinner. But if you would like to just be on time out under me, that can be arranged.’

Jessica gave Polly a look as Polly was oblivious while playing with Chance. Jessica smiled back at Liam.

“Well, I mean-I promise, I’ll talk to her about it.” ‘I’m torn between being angry at her for snitching or getting her a happy meal and doing a kiddie interrogation for intel.’

“It’s alright. Kids are like sponges at this age. It was very creative, though.” He chuckled, and Jessica chuckled as well.

“Yeah, you get creative in traffic.”

There was a bit of silence as they both smiled at each other.

Liam thought, ‘Can I ask her out? Is that allowed? I can’t even remember the last time I felt like this…Which is never.’

Jessica thought, ‘Does he like to read them stories? Look around the room, be cool; wait, guitar? Just take my panties.’

They both cleared the silence with a small laugh as Jessica said, “Well, I guess we better go. Come on, Polly.”

Liam wanted to frown but forced himself not to. ‘I don’t want you to leave. I want to know everything there is to know about you. Do you like French toast? Do you like coffee or tea? How many kids do you want? Do you love to dance? Ever been to Cordonia? I kinda have to do this thing. What are your thoughts on marriage?’

Polly sighed, “Ookkaay… By Chance, Bye Mr. R.!”

Jessica saw her sweater on the desk and walked past it. ‘Cinderella didn’t look back, so I’m not.’

He waved, “Goodbye, Polly.” Chance sat next to Liam as he watched Jessica and Polly leave the classroom. He looked down at Chance by his leg and smiled, then said, “…AND that’s how I met your mother on a sunny April afternoon covered in glitter. You’re a good boy, Chance; you are a very good boy indeed.”

In the parking lot

“Chicky nuggie?”

“Abso-fucken-lutely.” Jessica slapped her thigh, annoyed at herself for the slip-up. “Well, if I can get in a corner with Mr. Rhys, I will die happy, so there is that.”

“I’m telling Daddy!”

“Polly… Do you want to go to ‘Its Sugar’? I will let you buy whatever you want. They have a five-pound gummy bear with your name on it. We can keep it in my house.”

Back in the classroom

Liam sighed to himself as he cleaned up the room. ‘I hope she comes around more…God, you should have just asked her.’

He looked at the purple sweater and grabbed it. “WELL wouldn’t be the first time a prince brought something back to its owner.” He stared down at the sweater, smelling lavender vanilla on it. “I love Vanilla.”

Jessica’s Loft Intercom

Liam held the purple sweater in his hand, “I can do this. It’s not weird. So, she is Polly’s Aunt. I can ask her out. She gets to know the real Liam.”

Liam buzzed the apartment.

Jessica answered, “Hi, can I help you?”

“Um… Hi, Ms. Garcia. You left a purple sweater in my classroom. I hope you don’t mind. I asked Mrs. Walker if I could have your address to bring it to you.”

“Thank you, I will be right down.”

Inside Jessica’s loft

Jessica felt her heart flutter as she rushed to the bedroom and looked all over her apartment for an outfit and decided on her perfect black skinny jeans with a wine-colored top. She looked at herself in the mirror and fidgeted with her hair and shirt, and said, “I am Beyoncé, always. Beyoncé is flawless.” She accepted it and made her way downstairs going.

Jessica opened her apartment building door, “Thanks.” She smiled. Liam handed her the sweater, and their eyes met, their hands barely touching.

‘Do it. Take this chance. Don’t let yourself wake up tomorrow regretting not knowing what could have been.’

Liam took a deep breath and said, “I also wanted to deliver it in person because I was hoping you would be interested in going out with me. It’s Friday, and I’m sure you have other commitments -”

Jessica beamed, “No, I don’t. What did you have in mind?

“Stargazing on a beach, you aren’t too far from the beach, I believe.

Jessica felt butterflies in her stomach. ‘It sure beats an Astros - Yankee game…sorry, Drake.’

She faltered, “Well, it’s a private section. So they write us a ticket. I bet I can get us out of it.”

Liam smiled. ‘I own the section. It was where my mother took my father. Before the start of his season.”

“I have a particular attachment to its namesake. Don’t worry, I’m sure we can avoid tickets.”

Jessica enthusiastically nodded, “Uh, can I go get changed real fast?”

‘You look perfect as is. ‘

“Of course, I’ll wait.”

Once the door closed, Jessica practically skipped back to her apartment to get a jacket for the evening and but on a pair of sneakers. Liam grinned to himself as he hummed the class song for the week ‘If you’re happy and you know it.’

Pebble Beach - Lily Cove

“I thought this was nice and quiet. I hope you don’t mind.”

Jessica saw the stars barely forming as the sun started to set. Orange light reflected off the water and gave them both a golden glow. It was so peaceful.

Jessica smiled, “No, it’s perfect here.”

Liam took out a messenger he packed with a beach towel and fanned it out in the air; they could see specks of glitter release themselves from the blanket as they looked up. It almost seemed magical.

“…Is that glitter?” She smiled as she watched it twinkle in the air and landed on her.

“Yes, and we are totally covered in it. I’m so sorry. I had my students make an art project for ‘World Art Day.’”

“Well, Mr. R., you really are like a dream teacher.”

“Thank you that is very kind of you. But I’m hoping that despite all the glitter I just got on you, maybe you would think I’m an even better date.”

They laid the blanket down and sat across from each other. “A picnic?”

“Sort of. I wasn’t sure if I made it to you by the time, you would have eaten, so I packed something for us to snack on. “

‘Us. I like the sound of that.’ Liam thought to himself as he gave Jessica a warm smile. He began to unpack the impromptu picnic French bread, baked brie with honey and walnuts, and a nicely boxed cupcake.

Jessica raised a brow, “Is that from…”

“Yes. Emily made us a ‘date’ cupcake. Lemon, lavender rosewater cupcake.”

“That is gorgeous,” Jessica said, looking at the beautifully decorated cupcake.

“It is. But the cupcake is second to you.” Liam said, looking at Jessica sweetly.

Jessica blushed and averted Liam’s gaze, “Thank you.” She changed the topic with a smile. “So, you teach Pre-K?”

Liam smiled. “Yes. Yes, I do. It is the best job I’ve had so far. I volunteered at a foundation to did pro bono work, and one of the teachers at the school told me there was an opening, and I should consider it.”

“I love that. It’s just nice to give back. Work is where you spend most of your time if you’re unhappy, and you can …Change.”

Liam smiled knowingly, “I was a corporate attorney for a few years, and I worked long hours… I was so unhappy, Jessica. I just felt there was something I was more suited for. I wanted to travel again like I did in college.”

“You can call me Jessie if you want. That’s what my friends call me.”

Liam smiled, “I’m sorry, being formal is just a thing I naturally do. May I call you Jess?”

“Sure.”

“Jess, tell me about yourself. What is your heart’s desire?”

90 minutes later…

The conversation flowed easily between them. Jessica muttered, “Una Estrella fugaz” (A shooting star)

Liam responded,“Cuando ves una estrella fugaz, tienes que pedir un deseo.” (When you see a shooting star, you have to make a wish)

“You speak Spanish?” Jessica asked.

“Yes. I learned when I traveled.”

Jessica said as she gave him a glowing smile. “Cerrar los ojos y pedir un deseo” (close your eyes and make a wish)

They closed their eyes, and Jessica reached for Liam’s hand, and he grabbed it; they both squeezed each other’s hands as they made their wish quietly in their heads.

‘I wish for more nights like this with Liam.’

‘I wish for more nights like this with Jess.’

Liam smiled and asked, “Ready for that cupcake?”

“Sure.”

Liam carefully unwrapped the cupcake and held it in his hand. “I forgot to bring something to cut this in half with.” He held the cupcake to Jessica’s lips, “Here, you take a bite.”

Jessica closed her eyes and bit into the soft, moist cupcake, and let out a little moan. “Gosh, that’s so good.” Jessica took the cupcake out of Liam’s hand and said, “Your turn.”

Jessica’s Apartment

“Liam, I had a really great night.”

“I did too.”

“Jess, text me when you get home safe, okay?”

Jessica smiled at his consideration of her. It sadly wasn’t often a man did that on first dates. “Sure, I’d like that.” She bit her lip as Liam leaned over the door frame towering over her. “How tall are you, Jess?”

“Liam, I’m 4’11.”

‘I love the way she says my name. I SO want to kiss her. I think I’m in Love. Here goes nothing.”

“So, this is that awkward part where we stand there just wondering. I would like not to wonder.” He noticed she got on her toes too, and instantly he felt her heart melt, and then he gently lifted her chin.

Pressed his lips to hers. He could still taste the buttercream frosting from their shared cupcake. Their tongues coiled and mingled, finding the perfect rhythm that sent shivers up their spine. That moment they connected, and the hustle and bustle of city life paused, and their wildest dreams felt possible, and they were falling for each other.

He rested his head on hers. “I had a really great night.”

“Me too,” Jessica murmured, feeling like it was the date she always dreamed of with a man that felt like a fairytale.

Jessica stepped away and entered her apartment and A few minutes later, she texted Liam. ‘Thank you for a great time. I hope we can do it again.”

She noticed the message was received, so she decided to change and get ready for bed.

Two hours later …

Liam didn’t respond. She sighed. I like good strong words that mean something. I believe he meant them. So relax, Jess, maybe he is asleep.’

Meanwhile, outside of Jessica’s apartment

Liam found himself returning after taking a quick shower. He didn’t want his night to end. Never feeling like he connected to anyone the way he did with her. He thought it was silly and that she might find it odd. He texted, “It’s me, Liam. Jess, I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Jessica: I can’t stop thinking about you either.

Liam: Do you want to watch the sunrise with me?

Jessica: Yes. Yes. I do. Um, I have a rooftop garden. Want to come here?

Liam: I would love that.

Jessica: You know the way?

Liam: Yes.

Jessica: Call me when you get here so I can buzz you in.

Liam: Okay.

Jessica’s phone rang, and she answered, “Liam.”

“Hey, I’ve been outside your apartment for about an hour. I just never really felt like this before about someone. I didn’t want the night to end.”

Jessica’s rooftop garden 4:42 AM - Saturday

Liam and Jessica sat there holding warm mugs of coffee wrapped in a blanket and watched the sunrise, and she dreaded him leaving shortly after, so she cuddled close to him.

“Liam, can I make you French toast after this?”

“I love French toast.” ‘Your one I have been waiting my whole life for.’ He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and touched her nose gently with his thumb.

“You still have glitter on you.”

6 hours later…

Liam’s Brownstone

Liam smiled as he opened up his apartment door. He was on cloud nine. He couldn’t wait for their second date. He was already planning it in his mind.

When he walked in, he was surprised to see someone sitting on his couch.

“Hey, little brother.”

“Leo, what are you doing here?”

Originally published on 4.15.21 and transitioned to this URL on 7.2.21 by the original author. -J

10 notes · View notes

clumsyacconkingbutmusical · 3 years

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#nostalgic #this makes me think about the summer I spent riding bikes around the neighborhood with my friends while this was on full blast #Spotify

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fridayfirefly · 3 years

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Retirement

Read Retirement on AO3

Masterlist

For Maribat March Day 21 - Domestic Bliss

The first time Marinette and Garfield ever discussed retirement was before they even started dating. For superheroes, retirement was just a fact of life. One day, if you make it long enough, you'll put down the suit and you'll never pick it up again. Maybe someone will take your place. Hopefully, no one will need to. But no matter how strong you are, not even if you're Superman in his prime, the simple fact was that someday you would retire.

"What do you think you'll do after you retire?" Marinette mused to Garfield. Out of all the Titans, Marinette spent the most time around Gar, simply because the two of them spent a lot of time in the living room. Marinette liked the ambient noise that his video games provided when she worked on her projects, and Gar liked to have someone to talk to while he played. Most of Marinette's current focus was on the embroidery in her hands, as she stitched vines running down the sleeves of her shirt, but she still took the time to start a conversation with Gar.

"I dunno..." Gar glanced up from the game he was playing. "What'll you do once you give up being Ladybug."

"That's a tough question. I used to think that I wanted to run a big fashion company, like Agreste Fashion, but now I think I want something a little more low-key. In my ideal future, I own a little boutique where I make custom clothing. There would be a fabric store and a café on the same block as me, and I would never have to leave the neighborhood."

"That sounds nice. I think I might try going to college and see where that takes me. I applied to Jump City University right before Christmas, and they accepted me. If I went, I would start classes in the fall.”

Marinette’s head jerked up as she gave Gar her full, undivided attention. “I’m going to JCU next fall!” she exclaimed excitedly. “We might have classes together. What are you planning on majoring in?”

Gar shrugged, “JCU has a veterinary program that I'm interested in. I'd be taking animal behavior, biology, chemistry, and a whole bunch of other science classes.”

“That’s so cool!”

“It’s nothing much. I didn’t expect them to accept me, anyway.”

Gar seemed oddly subdued about the idea of going to college. He was a naturally enthusiastic person, which made it very out of character for him to be so dismissive. It worried Marinette. “No, you deserve praise for your accomplishment. Jump City University is a very selective school.”

“I’m not a genius. I’m just me.”

“You’re smart, Gar, I know you are. Getting accepted to JCU is just one of the many reasons why you are brilliant.”

“Are you gonna name them all for me?” joked Gar.

His question was rhetorical, just a joke, but Marinette wasn't finished convincing Gar that he deserved all the praise in the world. “For starters, you can finish any video game in less than a day. Even the ones where you need logic and strategy, you fly right through them. Secondly, you’re a genius when it comes to animals. And it’s not just because of your superpower. You taught yourself animal behavior so that you could blend in with the animals you’re imitating. Thirdly, you pretend not to be invested in politics, but I’ve seen how you keep yourself informed about environmental policies and activism. You really care about the planet. Fourthly-“

"Alright, Buginette,” laughed Gar, a slight blush on his cheeks. “You’ve proven your point.”

Marinette set her embroidery down on the coffee table and moved to Gar's couch. "Is this game multiplayer?"

"Yep. Do you want to play a few rounds?"

"Hmm... I think I could spare a few minutes to kick your butt."

"Please. I'm going to squash you like the little bug you are."

"You wish!"

----------

The next time Marinette and Gar discussed retirement was well after they started dating. They got together in their Junior year at JCU after spending two years in relationship limbo, with both too nervous to make the first move. They finally confessed their feelings for each other after Dick and Starfire locked them in a closet together until they admitted that they liked each other. They graduated college as a couple, with Gar planning on attending veterinary school and Marinette planning on starting up her fashion business. That summer they spent a lot of time talking about the future.

"I've been thinking of recruiting someone to take over as Ladybug," remarked Marinette as she cuddled up next to Gar on the couch.

"Really? Who do you have your eye on?" asked Gar.

"Wonder Woman recently took on a new protege, Cassie Sandsmark. The Ladybug Miraculous already has some connections to Wonder Woman and her home of Themyscira. Her mother, Queen Hippolyta, was a wielder of the Ladybug Miraculous for quite some time."

"If you gave up the Miraculous would you still fight crime?"

Marinette shook her head. "I think it might be time to give up crimefighting. It's been ten years since I took up the Ladybug Miraculous to fight Hawkmoth, and six years since Hawkmoth was defeated. I wasn't ready to give up that responsibility then, but I think I'm ready now."

"When would you give up the Miraculous?"

"Soon. I talked to Wonder Woman about it last week and she's enthusiastic about the idea. I would need to spend some time getting to know Cassie, just to make sure she's a good fit, and Tikki would need to vet her as well, but I have a good feeling that she'll pass any tests of character we put her through." Marinette turned to face Gar. "I didn't want to make any concrete decisions before I talked to you. I know that we've always fought crime together, but I'm ready to move on with my life. I'm ready to retire."

Gar nodded. "I understand and I fully support your decision. I've been considering leaving the Titans as well. I know I could continue living in the Tower and attend veterinary school at JCU, but last week I got an acceptance letter from UC Davis for their School of Veterinary Medicine."

Marinette's eyes widened. "Gar, that's amazing! I remember looking into UC Davis when you were applying, and their program is nationally ranked."

Gar grinned. "The best in the country. It's too good to pass up."

"You have to go!" exclaimed Marinette. "This is your dream!"

"I think I'll send in my acceptance tomorrow," decided Gar. "Maybe we can go to Davis this weekend and scout out an apartment."

"And fabric stores," chimed in Marinette.

Gar laughed. "Anything for you, Buginette."

----------

The final time Marinette and Gar discussed retirement was years later. Marinette and Gar had gotten married and had moved back to Jump City. Marinette opened her fashion boutique, which had very quickly exploded in popularity. Gar started working for a non-profit veterinary clinic, which provided free veterinary services to lower-income neighborhoods. They had both achieved their dreams, and yet neither seemed content with their lives.

"Maybe we just need a change of scenery," suggested Marinette, leaning her head against Gar as they both sat on the beach watching the sunset. "I'm so tired of the city."

"Maybe," said Gar. "It would be nice to have a house with a backyard, rather than just an apartment."

Marinette sighed. "I know that I always said that I wanted to be the owner of a successful boutique, but this wasn't really what I had in mind. I'm so busy that I feel like I never get to spend any time with you anymore. Every day my inbox is filled with emails asking me to sell my company or expand to more locations. I'm tired of it. My passion is for making clothes, not running a business."

"I know how you feel. Every day I encounter another neglectful pet owner who brings their animal to the clinic for help but refuses to listen to me when I tell them that they need to change the way they treat their animal. It's exhausting."

"We could both just quit our jobs and move into the woods," joked Marinette.

Gar nodded, but he wasn't joking. "I've actually been thinking about that. There are a lot of remote regions with a real need for veterinary practices to provide medical assistance for the farm animals out there. I would feel a lot more useful taking care of animals that don't have anyone else."

Marinette turned to face Gar. "I wouldn't mind moving. I've been sending all of the offers to buy my boutique straight to my email archive, but I'm sure if I looked through them all I could find someone who would be able to take care of the business aspect of Ladybug Designs. I could retire from the business and design on my own time, when the inspiration strikes, instead of forcing myself to churn out design after design."

"You really wouldn't mind?" asked Gar, a hopeful look on his face.

Marinette shook her head. "I was serious about moving out of the city. There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while, but I've been waiting for the right moment. I think that moment is now. Gar, I'm pregnant."

The deer-in-the-headlights look on Gar's face was comical, to say the least. Marinette giggled, "Well?"

Gar snapped back to reality, transforming into an elephant, trumpeting his joy. He turned back into himself and wrapped his arms around Marinette. "I'm so happy! This is the best news I could have ever heard, Buginette. Now we have to move. I want our kid to have a backyard and a dog and a big driveway where I can teach them how to ride a bike and a pond where they can swim in the summer-"

Marinette cut Gar off with a kiss. "One thing at a time," she giggled.

"I think this will be the best decision we have ever made," declared Gar.

Marinette agreed. "I think that partial retirement will be good for us."

----------

This was bliss. The feeling of grass under Marinette’s bare feet as she walked back to the house from the lake, hand in hand with Gar. The sound of their daughter's laughter as she danced around them, catching fireflies. The taste of homemade apple pie and vanilla ice cream, eaten rebelliously early as Gar proclaimed, "Dessert before dinner!" The sight of the stars up above them, no light pollution to mask the beauty of the heavens. The sound of Gar's voice, whispering, "I love you, Buginette," into Marinette's ear. And as Marinette settled into her husband's arms, she knew for certain that retirement was the best decision she had ever made.

@maribatmarch-2k21

#maribat #garfield logan #marinette dupain-cheng #garmari #MaribatMarch2021 #miraculous ladybug fic #my work

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thewackyrandomwriter · 2 years

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SNOW WAR- PART I. (Also on my Wattpad)

IRL- Inspired by the DOAWK book, The Meltdown (Which I was reading)

*Libby's POV*

In the small, sleepy town of Arcadia, there are these two neighborhoods that once got along with each other. Both neighborhoods are on the same street, but they're divided into two halves. There's Cirrus Street, which is the hill, and Acacia Street, which is the flat part at the bottom. The people from both of the streets used to like one another, they spent time out together every single time, every kid, teen, playing in each place. And even though they all live on the same street, nowadays the hills and the non-hills can't STAND one another because of one cold wintry day.

A large, fuming snowball fight broke out between the two neighborhoods. Not just any soft, regular snowball fight, a snow WAR- Yellow snow, ice balls, and all that was used in this. All that used to be friendship and kindness, go to smithereens.

The ones who live at the TOP of the hill have it MADE. Their part of the street is HIGH, but not too steep and such, so they can do anything they want up there. That's why all the athletes come from Cirrus Street. Unlike below, the roads are all cracked and just messy from the frozen weather lately, or.. more in general actually, which makes it impossible to rollerskate, ride bikes, anything basically. The thing is, nowadays, the kids who live on the hillside of the street think they OWN it.

And if any of the Acacia people come up to PLAY and HANG OUT, the people living in Cirrus Street won't LET them under any circumstances.And since then, the two could never be allowed in their territory, no more playing games or running around, where they all each stayed in their side of their street. The once peaceful, loving neighborhoods became the greatest of enemies.

There's a lot of bad blood between the hill and non-hill neighborhoods, which is why we can't be friends. But whenever I try to explain the situation to Aunt Minerva, or Uncle Henry they just don't get it. In fact, NONE of the adults on our street do. They're all friends with each other, and they have no CLUE about what's REALLY going on.

If you live on Acacia or Cirrus, you're either a HILL kid or a NON-hill kid, and there are no switching sides. There's a person who goes to my school named Sean Scott who lived on the lower side until last summer, which is when his family moved to a bigger house at the top of the street. But the others up there still consider Sean a non-hill person, so they won't let him hang out on the street. The Acacia side thinks of him as a traitor for moving, and won't let him sled in the winter, except for me and my friends, because he was actually super friendly to us. So now Sean is basically stuck indoors year-round.

Lately, though, things have been pretty calm on our street. Us non-hill kids keep to OUR side, and the other hill guys keep to THEIRS. But if someone does something stupid, this whole place is going to BLOW. Last winter, a bunch of the higher hill people bought the same winter gear as the lower street, and it was WEEKS before any of us caught on.

But when it SNOWS, the tables are turned. All of a sudden the Cirrus Street kids want to use our turf for SLEDDING, but that's when we give those guys a taste of their own medicine.

~~~

*No one's POV*

It was a nippy winter morning in Arcadia Oaks. November only felt like it just came along, but after Thanksgiving, December quickly rolled along. The light yellow sun was shining like always, beckoning people up peacefully as they rose from their beds. Libby got up from bed and yawned, went over to the bathroom, got herself all ready.

But instead of wearing her regular cardigan, shirt, jeans, and flats, she dressed in nice, classy, warming winter attire. She wore a thick white turtleneck, with a few other layers underneath, since it was very chilly outdoors. She put on some nice pants, but as they warmed her, they still looked very stylish in a way, which Libby loved. To finish it off, she wore a long beige trenchcoat, a dark purple scarf, a winter hat, gloves, and some dark boots.

"Perfect!" She said to herself in the mirror.

"Libby! Time for breakfast!" Uncle Henry hollered from downstairs.

"Don't wanna be late for school!" Aunt Minerva calls.

"Be right there!" Libby hollers back, getting her backpack, running out her door, down the stairs.

"Ah, mornin' Libby!" Aunt greeted with that sweet Auntie smile.

"Good morning, Libby!" Uncle greets, setting his cup of coffee. The welcoming smell of holiday delight lingered through the kitchen, making Libby more excited for the day, sitting down on her seat.

"Hi Libby," Lorraine waves a bunch of times.

"'Sup 'cuz," Valeria nods her head.

"Mornin!" Chantelle takes a dainty bite of French toast.

"Hi, ya'll," Libby giggled as Aunt serves her a plate of eggs and bacon.

"Ooh, eggs and bacon!"

After breakfast, Libby got all of her things and said goodbye to everyone before heading off to school to start her day with her friends. Once she shut the front door, about to take a step out, Libby's face dropped when something caught her eye. It wasn't just the nativity set that was elaborately placed outdoors or the shining trail of lights from the entrance to the front door or the hanging bright yellow stars from the porch ceiling. But she notices the grass had a thin layer of white glistening powder sprinkled out on the front lawn.

"Snow!" She gasps, putting her hands on her cheeks in excitement and unbelief. Snow like this is very rare in Arcadia, especially since the climate is typically very warm, in fact TOO warm for any snow, so this really surprised her. She grabs a small handful of snow, then lets it go, and trails off to her friend Jim's house.

When she approaches the Lake residence, she observes the neat wonderful lights hung by the porch and the adorable Xmas wreath on the door, not to mention some candy cane lights by the front lawn.. Libby politely knocked on the door, where Jim went and opened it.

"Oh, hi Libby, Morning!"

"Heya, Jim,"

"Come on in," He moved aside so she can go in, and once I did, a warm wave of heat strikes her.

"Wow.. it's warm in here," Libby said.

"Yep- My mom just got a new heating system for the house, so yeah,"

"Nice,"

Toby, Saraline, and Claire haven't arrived yet, so while they waited she sat on the nice comfy couch. He asked if Libby wanted some hot cocoa that he'd just made- Which she obviously accepted, hot cocoa with extra marshmallows. As she sipped contently, there was a knock at the door, which she places her hot chocolate down on the coffee table, and goes over to the door to open it.

"Oh, hey guys!" Libby greeted, her breath turning to a cold misty cloud of vapor from the chilly climate. The three of them were all snugly bundled up in layers and layers of insolation, from winter hats to boots, scarves, gloves, topped off with those thick snow jackets that made you look like a penguin when you walked, or in general- At least that's how Libby sees it, she does NOT enjoy wearing them.

"Hey, Libby," Claire waved.

"Hi, Libby," Saraline chimed in.

"Mornin' Libby. Jimbo in there?" he asks.

"Mhm, come in," Libby says.

The Trollhunting crew all conversed for a bit, talking especially about the unexpected fall of snow that hit the town, not to mention the sudden drop in temperature. They're sipping down some hot chocolate before bracing themselves for the cold air out there.

"Wowza guys! Today's super brutal, huh?" Toby shivers as a brisk gale swung by.

"I know- I don't think it's ever been this cold before." Saraline puts her gloved hands on her jacket pockets.

"I don't think it's ever been cold at all before," Jim says.

"Yeah, exactly," Claire adds in.

"Mhm, I agree," Libby chimes in. The teens reach the school, passing by the flock of bundled-up students, all dressed in their winter best.

"I think everyone here agrees, too," Libby observes some students, trembling, shivering, especially little Eli Pepperjack.

"Poor Eli.." Toby shook his head in empathy.

The classes went as normal, lunch ran smoothly, many people stayed inside the cafeteria, taking in all the warm foods and beverages to warm up.

~~~

When school ended and that final bell rang, the group started to walk back home, but the journey back proved more treacherous than the journey to school. The wind suddenly picked up, sending an immense freezing wind chill all throughout.

"It's-It's even c-colder than this morning," Libby trembled as she had her arms clutched tight.

As the wind picked up, the light snow started to slowly intensify. The thin layers of snow that were on the ground and grass, was quickly rising. They quickly started to approach the neighborhood.

"Oh no!" Saraline whispers, making everyone pause.

"What is it?" Libby asks. Toby just loses his soul as he looks ahead.

"Uhh-Uhh... g-guys-guys?" He stammers.

"What?!" Libby whisper shouts.

"Look." Jim points to a bunch of the Cirrus Street people out on their lawns, some building snowmen, some making snow angels, playing in the snow. The houses were nicely decorated with long colorful Christmas lights, some even had those inflatable snowmen or one of Santa Claus on his sleigh- Either on the snow or on the ROOF, which was pretty impressive since there weren't many over at Acacia.

"Oh.."

"My.."

"God.."

They had to go through Cirrus Street to get to Acacia Street where they lived, so they had to be careful to not go onto the Cirrus Street people's territory, it was obvious that they couldn't just sneak past them.. Those kids are too smart for that, so they'd have to blend in with the others.

"Just act natural," Jim instructed, the others nod in response, immediately making normal-looking expressions, giving the impression that everything was okay. And when they walked past them, everyone playing on the snow just gave them some glancing views, with confused looks on their faces.

"Hey..! Peace!" Toby makes a peace sign, trying to be cool.

"Hiya.. heh," Claire waves at some of the people out on the snow, who start to pause and just stare at them.

It all seemed to go well since it took a moment for them to think they were on the Cirrus side. After it was going well, something had to go bad- It didn't take too long for someone to notice something was not right.

"Hey.." A Cirrus kid pointed to Toby.

"Who's he?" A little girl asked, holding a snowball in her gloved hand.

"And who are they?" Another boy asks, pointing to the group of outsiders.

"Yeahhh.." Someone else speculated. Then the next second, a huge entourage formed around them, a circle of their enemies eyed them suspiciously.

"Oh dear.." Libby whispered.

"Who is SHE?" Someone finally points to Libby more specifically.

"Uh.. Who m-me?" She stuttered nervously, still keeping a smile.

"My name is.. P-Penelope.. Mum-Mumbleson.." Libby tries to invent a credible fake name, flashing a confident smile, the others in her friendly group nodding, playing along-but that quickly backfired, 'cause they weren't buying it. Jim facepalms after hearing and watching this painful moment.

"RUN!" Jim yells and soon massive pandemonium ensues.

"GET THEM! IT'S THOSE ACACIA STREET PUNKS!" They start to hurl snowballs towards the group where they were defenseless and helpless.

"GET THAT CHUBBY BRACE-FACE!" Someone in the crowd shouts, pointing at Toby

"WAIT- SPLIT UP, SPLIT UP!" Saraline hollers.

"THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING!" Jim yells as the teens split.

"I'LL HOLD THEM!" Libby insists.

"NO LIBBY, DON'T!" Toby screams as he's pelted viciously with snowballs, falling face-first to the snow.

"AAAAAHHHHAHHH!"

Libby grabs a huge mound of snow and creates poorly-shaped snowballs and throws whatever she has to try and fend them off, but quickly proves too much overwhelming work for her. People from all sides, attempt to corner her.

"RETREAT! RETREAT!" Libby panics, falling her arms about, running off over to catch up with her friends who were well far from the opposite neighborhood.

"RUNAWAY!" "LET'S MOVE GUYS, LET'S MOVE!!"

"THIS ISN'T OVER YOU MORONS!" The older Cirrus Street teen shouted, growled, kicking a mound of snow in rage. The snow got more aggressive, heavy snow started to fall, where everyone observed the sky and looked back at their pack leader.

"Oh.. they're doomed," He chuckled darkly.

"LET'S HEAD IN!" He calls out, where everyone goes to their houses in a rush.

#tales of arcadia #winter #snowball fight #inspiration #oc character #trollhunters #libbysinclair #jim lake jr #claire nuñez #toby domzalski #trollhunters tales of arcadia

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anogete · 3 years

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Watch me vomit up my thoughts

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’m sorry I’ve disappeared on everyone. It’s been... a year. I think that probably goes for everyone, not just me. If you’re interested in a personal life update, then read on. If you’re looking for an update on my writing then I regret to inform you that I haven’t written a single thing this year. Maybe next year, though. There is always next year, right? I think I saw a blurb that we’re getting Sam and Bucky back in March. And Loki shortly after. Maybe that will be my inspiration.

I’m fortunate enough to have a job that lets me comfortably work from home. I’m also fortunate enough to own a home. And my last blessing is that I don’t have kids, so I didn’t have to figure out the nightmare of childcare and home schooling like some of you. My library on the second floor of the house has been my office since mid-March. I’ve been transitioning into the Associate Financial Advisor roll this year and that has been going well. I’m supporting the clients I’ve worked with as an assistant for the past nine years, so it’s been easy-going. I’m able to order my groceries for pick up to avoid going in the stores and I live in an neighborhood where it is easy to get delivery from restaurants. I’m incredibly lucky to have all these things going for me and I am thankful every damn day.

I fell into a bit of a funk this spring and early summer, but managed to pull myself out of it in August. I started planning my meals, walking 2-5 miles every day, and exercising on the Peloton bike I bought a year ago. I also started reading again and zipped through almost 50 books between June and now. By November, I was feeling strong and healthy. I felt like I had found a balance between work and activity and self-care. I was still coming to terms with my grandma passing in March of last year and with Ferguson (my sweet doggo) passing in September of last year. But I was trying and things were getting better. I felt like I had my feet underneath me.

Lemme stop you here if you don’t want to read about death and some general medical stuff. Because that’s mostly what you’re getting from here on out.

On November 21st, my mom texted me at 5:30am. I got it right away because I usually wake up around that time, alarm or not. She said she had dropped my dad off at the hospital because he was having difficulty breathing. Apparently, he’d been feeling bad for a week, but insisted to everyone that it was just his sinuses draining. I called her and began questioning her like I was cross-examining a star witness. I was able to piece together a really fucking shitty story.

My dad always went to a friend’s house on Friday evenings to have a couple beers and hang out. We’d all warned him since March that he needed to stop, but he insisted it was fine. He bought into a lot of the cavalier attitude that the Trump fans have over this virus. Plus, he was 64-years-old and didn’t take any medication so he probably thought it was no big deal. He spent a few hours at his friend’s house on November 6th. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, he received a call from that friend on November 11th that the friend and the friend’s wife had tested positive for COVID. He didn’t share this info with my mother, my brothers, or my uncle, all of whom had been near him. By November 15th, he was coughing but insisted it was drainage when my mom suggested he take something for it and go to the doctor. By November 18th, he was worse and admitted to my mom that his friend had tested positive but that he hadn’t seen him for almost two weeks so his problems were just sinus-related and not COVID. My mom hates confrontation, so she accepted this and didn’t tell anyone, including me and my brothers. By November 19th, he had a fever and was having trouble breathing along with a persistent cough. He finally agreed to take some cold medicine, but refused to call his doctor’s office despite my mom asking him many, many times. At 4:30am on November 21st, he woke my mom and asked her to take him to the hospital because he couldn’t breathe well. She dropped him off and returned home to text me since they wouldn’t allow her in the building. She also texted my brothers, who admitted that they felt like they’d had a cold for several days. I live 4 hours away and haven’t traveled since March, so I hadn’t seen any of them.

A nurse called my mom a couple hours after she dropped my dad off to tell her that he was positive for COVID and pneumonia and they were admitting him to put him on a bipap. From what I understand, that’s the oxygen mask that pushes air into your lungs. Later that day, the health department called my mom and told her to quarantine for two weeks. My mom cooperated and gave them my brothers’ phone number (they live together), my uncle’s phone number, and the name and number of the person we suspected my dad was infected by (his friend). My brothers opted to get tested and were positive. They quarantined for two weeks and had mild to moderate symptoms (brief fever, very tired, cough, drainage). My mom had virtually no symptoms with the exception of some drainage that she took Mucinex for. She didn’t get tested, but she lived and slept in the same bed with my dad for a week while he was symptomatic. If my brothers got it from 30 minutes in the same room as him, surely she got it as well. My uncle and his son got tested, but they were negative.

My dad was cooperative with the doctor and nurses at first, but as the first day wore on he became irritated. He’d been without his chewing tobacco (yes, I know: eww) for several hours and was going through nicotine withdrawal, but wouldn’t admit that to the nurses or doctor. The next day he was put in ICU, still on the bipap, and even more unruly and rude to the staff taking care of him. They called my mom to ask her to talk to him and convince him to cooperate. They said if he couldn’t recover on the bipap and required a ventilator then “things would be very bad.” My mom tried to talk to him by text and he just continued to insist that he was well enough to come home.

I used to be close to my dad when I was a kid, but we’d grown apart over my adulthood. Over the past 20 years, my dad morphed into someone different. Everyone around him, especially my grandmother, told me they saw this happen the same as I did. The result was that my dad became someone I didn’t like and didn’t want to spend time with. He also didn’t seem to know how to talk to me anymore. To be fair, I didn’t give him much help in that regard. I texted him to see how he was doing and the conversation quickly devolved into him complaining about the care and insisting he was well enough to come home. I tried to reason with him and appeal to his love for my mom by saying that my fear was him coming home and giving her the virus. He told me that he’d decided he was no longer contagious and this was just a bunch of bullshit. This conversation via text continued through Monday and Tuesday (November 23rd and 24th), but it took a turn for the delusional. The doctor can only assume that the virus and the lack of oxygen had resulted in hallucinations and delusions. My dad told my mother and I that he was in an office building owned by a man named Mr. Pritt. He said he was the only patient and that this man was having his workers experiment on him and that they would eventually kill him. He demanded that we come get him immediately so he could recover at home. When we told him he’d die if he came home because he was too sick, he insisted he wasn’t sick at all and became very angry with us. He accused both my mom and I of conspiring to kill him because we wouldn’t help him. One day he told me that I’d confirmed what he’d known all along. I asked him what that was and he said, “That I always loved you more than you loved me.” This really hurt because even though I knew he was loopy, I also knew that he’d probably actually had that though before.

He began refusing treatment on those days and wouldn’t accept the steroids they were trying to give him and raised hell when they tried to take him for a chest x-ray. He also told them he didn’t want to be placed on a ventilator even though he had agreed to one when he was admitted. He was texting all of his friends and telling them he needed a ride home. He attempted to get up and leave the hospital twice, falling in the floor both times because he was so weak from lack of oxygen once he took the mask off. He also told my mom and I that he was secretly removing the mask when the nurses couldn’t see to prove to them that he wasn’t sick. He was taking and sending blurry pictures to us of the room as “evidence.” He told my mom to forward the pictures to “the feds.” The pictures were of his hospital bed, the whiteboard with his nurses’ and doctor’s names on it, his IVs, etc. By the morning of Wednesday, the 25th, I was getting some off-the-wall texts from him. He was begging us to come check him out of the hospital at that point and we were trying to play along and tell him we were getting everything in order for him to come home soon. Eventually, he told me that he wasn’t getting out of there alive and that he loved me. I told him I loved him too and begged him to do whatever the doctor said because the doctor wanted to help him get better.

A few minutes later, the nurse called my mom and asked if she’d been on the phone with my dad. My mom said she and I hadn’t spoken to him by any way other than text since he arrived at the hospital. The nurse said he had been on the phone with a woman, trying to convince her to come get him. The nurse made him put the call on speaker so she could tell the woman that he wasn’t well enough to leave. Because she was concerned that her message didn’t get through before my dad hung up, she called my mom to make sure he hadn’t convinced my mom to check him out against medical advice. My mom assured her that we had no intention of breaking him out of the hospital, but she didn’t know who the woman was. It wasn’t her or me. We called a long-time former co-worker of my dad’s that I’ve known since I was a kid and she said she hadn’t talked to him. We called his best friend and asked if he’d called and spoken to the man’s wife. Not her either. More on this later. I’m sure you know where it’s going.

We were stumped, but didn’t have time to deal with it because the nurse practitioner called and told my mom that my dad was delusional and could no longer make his own decisions. They said he had no chance of survival if they didn’t put him on a ventilator immediately. My mom called me. I told her to agree to it. The nurse called her back and gave the phone to my dad. He had agreed to the ventilator as well and wanted to tell my mom that he loved her and me and my brothers and his dog. His speech was slurred and muffled from the bipap mask, but she at least heard that. They intubated him right after the call. He was on a paralytic for a week. When they backed off on the paralytic, they had to increase his oxygen. A week later, the nurse tried to kindly tell us that he wasn’t getting better and his chances of survival were low. She suggested we start to talk about turning off the ventilator and letting him go. We did talk about that, which was very upsetting for everyone, but the doctor said he’d been on the ventilator for two weeks and we’d give him one more week to see what happens. By this point, he no longer had pneumonia. But the damage COVID did to his lungs couldn’t be repaired.

The ventilator was on full blast (highest pressure, highest oxygen) just to keep him somewhat stable. The days were ticking by and he still wasn’t making progress. Any step forward was followed by a bigger step back. My mom would call and get the update from the nurse most days, but I did call myself a few days. When I’d call and talk to the nurse, I’d get a grim picture that my mom didn’t seem to get or understand. I talked to her on December 12th and asked her if she was trying to protect my brothers and I or if she really thought he was going to get better. She admitted that she’d had a feeling for days that he wasn’t going to get better. We decided to just wait for the doctor to call. The nurse called my mom on Monday, December 14th and told her that my dad’s blood pressure was all over the place and they were struggling to keep him stable, that the ventilator was turned up to the highest settings and it was barely enough to keep him going. My mom texted me and told me she asked them to call me. The doctor called me within about 20 minutes and basically told me that my dad wasn’t going to make it. They’d had him on a ventilator for 19 days and within a couple days his throat tissue would likely become necrotic from the pressure of the cuff keeping the tube in place. They could only continue the ventilator if they could put in a trach and he wasn’t stable enough for that. In addition, he needed more support than the ventilator could provide. I was told he was either going to go into cardiac arrest while on the ventilator and die or they’d be forced to take him off the ventilator because of the damage to his throat. The most damning thing he told me was that he’d removed the sedation but my dad didn’t wake. He wasn’t responsive, wouldn’t squeeze their hands, wouldn’t flinch when they tested his reflexes, nothing.

I was told we could come sit with him and say goodbye when the ventilator was removed. I asked when and the doctor said soon. I live 4 hours from my parents, so I told him I’d leave right away and have my mom call to make arrangements for me to come to the hospital. I called my mom and told her all this and asked her to let the hospital know. I packed a bag and rushed out the door. On my way out of town, the doctor called me back and asked if I was on my way. My mom had told them that we’d come by the next morning and he was worried my dad wouldn’t make it through the night. So, I had to have a shitty conversation with my mom about how we couldn’t schedule my dad’s death for 7am on Tuesday, that it needed to happen at 8pm on Monday. I do not recommend these types of calls.

I got into town around 7pm and picked my mom up because she’d decided she wanted to come with me. My brothers said they couldn’t handle it and decided to stay at my mom’s house. My mom and I were taken to the COVID floor, given gowns, and gloves, told he was COVID positive so we’d need to continue to wear our cloth masks (no medical mask, is that safe?!), and escorted to his room in the ICU. Guys, he looked so fucking tired and so sad. It was heartbreaking. The nurse said their ICU was full and most of the patients were in the same shape as my dad. We talked to him for a few minutes, held his hand and all that shit. He didn’t respond in any way, so I don’t know if he was even there. We stepped out of the room while they removed the tube and gave him some medicine. When we went back in, his breaths were labored and it looked like he was gasping for air. My mom almost lost it because she wasn’t expecting that. I told her she could go wait in the hall and I’d stay with him until he passed. The nurse was kind enough to give him a little more medicine to make it less dramatic, but it was still difficult watching him breathe in that way. My mom sat so she couldn’t see his head to make things easier on herself. We sat there with him for about 40 minutes before he passed away at 8:32pm on Monday, the 14th.

I stayed with my mom last week and helped her arrange a private graveside service and the burial. She wanted to do a funeral and I thought that was the worst idea, so we agreed on doing a celebration of life next year when things are a little better (hopefully). To my knowledge, I haven’t had the virus. I operated under the assumption that my mom and brothers had it and were immune for now and wouldn’t transmit it. So, I was able to be with them without mask, but I did wear a mask when anyone else was around. I can’t say the same for the fucking funeral director and the locksmith’s employee who opened my dad’s safe for us, though. I live in a bigger city and mask wearing is pretty wide-spread here, but I saw so many people in my hometown (a more rural area) who didn’t bother with them.

Anyway, while all these graveside preparations are going on my mom goes through the bag of personal items from my dad that the hospital gave us. She tossed his clothes in the washer and placed his two rings into a bag to give to the funeral home so he could be buried in them. She also pulled out his wallet and his cell phone. His wallet has a picture that was obviously cut from an old driver’s license of a woman named Deb. Apparently, this woman lives in Florida and had attended junior high school with my dad. About two years ago, my parents took a trip to Florida and visited with her for several days. She even friended my mom on Facebook. So, the old driver’s license picture of her was very weird. What was even more disturbing? His wallet also contained a plastic bag of hair that very obviously is not my mom’s. And there was a piece of paper with three phone numbers on it. His phone was locked with a PIN and was set to wipe itself after 20 incorrect tries. I did tried to break into it, but wasn’t successful. My mom admitted that she suspected he’d been talking to someone on his phone for years, but she never directly confronted him about it. She’d just make comments about him always texting on his phone and being secretive. Two Christmases ago he bought her a ring at a store that she has an online login to. This particular store posts the receipts for all purchases linked to the customer’s account to the website. She saw that my dad had purchased two pieces of jewelry even though she only received one. My dad has never in his life bought me a Christmas present without my mom assisting, so she knew it wasn’t for me. She still didn’t confront him, though. She just told him that she could see the itemized receipts online.

I sympathized with my mom because I’ve experienced the infidelity of a partner in a relationship and if I were her then I’d want to know. But I also told her that I don’t know digging into it will make things any better and may not even give her the truth. He’s gone and there is nothing that can be done about that or anything else. While I was running errands for her the day before the graveside service, she messaged Deb in Florida and asked if she wanted her picture back. She also called the three phone numbers in his wallet. One went to Deb. The other two were the cell phone and work phone of my dad’s best friend’s wife, Anne. The same friend and wife who likely gave the virus to my dad. My mom told me when I got back that she’d done this and admitted she’d always felt like my dad was talking to Anne and might have an inappropriate relationship with her. I suspect my mom is right. Gut instinct is usually accurate. She said she didn’t think anything physical was going on with Deb, but she did think my dad was carrying on a flirtatious relationship with her via text. In both cases, he tried to hide it. And if you hide it, then you know it’s wrong. That night Deb messaged my mom back and said she had heard about what happened to my dad and was very sorry. She said that my dad was always clear that he was married and nothing went on that was inappropriate, but that he gave her someone to talk to when her husband was sick and dying five years earlier and they’d always kept in contact. Again, I don’t think my mom can count on anyone to give her the full story without spin or deceit. A couple days ago, she texted me a picture of a receipt from my dad’s truck. It was from last Christmas from a department store. It had two pieces of jewelry on it. She looked them both up using the UPCs listed and found the necklace he gave her last year and a ring she doesn’t recognize. We don’t know if he was giving this jewelry to Deb in Florida or Anne, his friend’s wife. Or someone else we don’t even know about. And we’re probably never going to know. Do I want to call Deb and Anne and tell them I want to full story? Fuck yeah. Do I think it will fix anything? Fuck no.

TL;DR? I finally found some balance in my life late this summer. This balance was destroyed when my dad got COVID and died after three weeks in the hospital. And when you’ve already got a not-so-great relationship with your dad, you get all kinds of feels when he dies in a traumatic way and then you find out he’s been screwing around on your mom. I also have lots of anger toward him for knowingly exposing my other family members to the virus simply because he didn’t want to own up to getting it after doing something we’d all told him to stop doing.

Health-wise? I think I’m okay. It’s been almost ten days since I was with him in the hospital and seven days since his graveside service. I haven’t had any symptoms yet and I think most people show symptoms by now. Regardless, I’ve been at home since I returned last Thursday evening and I intend to stay home until January 2nd. My boyfriend is also home and will be here until January 2nd as well. Just to be safe. My brothers are mostly recovered, but both still have a bit of a cough. My mom never had much in the way of symptoms and seems fine. My dad was 64 and overweight. We found out once he was admitted to the hospital that his regular doctor had told him he was a diabetic and my dad insisted on “treating” that with cinnamon instead of actual medicine. Other than those things, he didn’t have any health concerns. Be careful, ya’ll.

#Anogete in real life #personal #covid_19 #fuck covid #family #death

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emcon-imagines · 3 years

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also, i guess this is for telling you *our* most paranormal experience, but because I don't have any: 🌒 what's *your* most paranormal experience? I love paranormal stories a lot, so don't hold back.

OMG ok Clara I have to admit I’ve had a lot of paranormal experiences since I was a kid so I’m going to keep it as brief as possible but...

I grew up living right by the most haunted woods I’ve ever known in my life. My house abutted them and those woods and another set of woods covered a lot of our town/neighborhood. We liked to play in there, building forts, hiding from the older kids, sometimes using it as a cut-home from the middle school when it was getting dark.

When I was six, I was walking my dog by the woods, a little after dark, when my dog stopped walking and started sniffing the air before going completely stiff and staring into the dark. So I turned and saw the silhouette of this massive skinny creature standing on two legs and we STARED at each other for a good moment before it took OFF and I grabbed my dog and ran all the way back to my house. I thought it could be a deer on two legs, but the proportions were all off, and the head shape was all off. Also, I don’t recall it running away on four legs. The eyes were fuckin weird too. Ever since I’ve just referred to it as “the shapeshifter” and it’s the reason why if I’m hanging around those woods late at night, I still don’t like to look too closely into the dark or shine a flashlight in, because I’m afraid of what I’ll see haha

Umm and then when we were like 12 we were playing in the snow behind my neighbor’s house one evening when we saw these two lights in the woods. So, of course, we ran, until the lights emerged from the woods and we saw they were flashlights being carried by two little kids (maybe 5 and 7 y/o?). They were dressed in like winter clothes like from A Christmas Story haha. Anyways, we asked them “where did you come from? where are your parents?” and they said NOTHING and eventually turned around and walked back into the woods, their lights just kind of disappearing.

My roommate just told me “wait tell them about the deaths” and I really don’t wanna get into those, but we have it on good faith that those woods were cursed, both the woods themselves and the people who spent too long in them. I remember coming home from school to see police cars everywhere and a bunch of K-9s and they ended up finding a body where we would play. The other major one is too recent and I can’t get into it but one of the guys that used to be A Character in all of our childhood adventures made national headlines a few years ago for what he did.

There was also a haunted farmhouse near us (it was like two hundred years old) and when the original owner died, no one moved in, so it’s been sitting abandoned for the last 10 years. We used to sneak in there and explore, especially dare each other to go down to the basement, which had this like... face on the wall? In white? It was like the wall decayed Just So and it freaked us out that it sent us running out of the basement one time. When we played manhunt in the summer, hiding in that house/under the porch was a PRIME location because not many other kids wanted to go NEAR the place. Sometimes, at night, we’d see smoke coming out of the chimney, and there was a face we’d see in the window on the right of the front door. Looked like those masks that the death eaters wore in the Harry Potter movies. That house gives me the willies man.

Weird shit used to happen in those woods. We’d build a fort using massive logs it took all of us to raise and set up, and the next day it would be completely disassembled, all the logs in a neat pile. You’d always hear strange noises, and have the feeling that you were being watched, especially the closer it got to dark (we bailed the minute the sun started to go down). It was also a prime spot for partying teens and was a drop spot for drug dealers, so we had a LOT of odd encounters with people in there.

There were always strange lights in those woods. and OMG I just remembered the black helicopter that used to circle sometimes and would freak out my mom (now THAT’S some Stranger Things shit)

umm God one time we were playing and encountered these two pasty white guys who looked identical and were both bald and they stared us down from their car and we were like ??? hello????

OH MY GOD I FORGOT THIS ONE but we had this legend of a guy we called “Flashlight Jimmy” and the legends said that you would see him riding a bike around at night with a flashlight and if he got close to you, he’d ask to look down your throat and wouldn’t take no for an answer. We even had a game called “Flashlight Jimmy Tag” which was like flashlight tag but with the added local flair. so one night we were playing and my brother and I got chased by someone with a flashlight so we ran into our neighbor’s house which was deemed the “base” and everyone was sitting there watching a movie and it turns out we MISSED THE GAME ENDING SO WHO THE FUCK CHASED US

other general paranormal (non-woods related things)

the DREAMS we used to have the most WACK dreams (me especially, that could be a whole ‘nother post) but my brother and I shared the same dream in the same night once or twice. apparently, I used to scare people because I’d have these things they called “spells”? where I would wake up in the middle of the night and act possessed, (like screaming and making faces and shit and then not remember it in the morning LMAO)

I’ve stayed in several haunted houses? One was a house with no service and no clocks and an attic door in my room that opened during the night and the creepiest portrait of this fancy lady on the stairs. another I fondly call the “Jesus house” because my first night there I was going to bed and then realized the owners had crucifixes EVERYWHERE like every decoration had some like hidden Jesus motif.

I saw a UFO with my grandmother when I was ten? Bright, bright ball of light in the sky, we thought it was a helicopter but when we got outside it was completely silent, so we thought it was a really close meteor but then it made a right turn

Lots of paranormal stories were called into my old radio show, some of those definitely had me on my toes when I walked home after my show that night phew

anyways I know there are definitely more but those are all the ones I can think of off the top of my head? ahfakjdhf as you can see I LOVE talking paranormal shit

fireside chat to celebrate 700!

#etalks #musicallisto

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jjoutermaybanks · 4 years

Text

With You In My Head || Rafe Cameron x Reader

part one part two part three part four part five part six part seven part eight

summary: it’s going to be a long summer. living in the Outer Banks with your trailer park mom and fancy mansion dad, you know it’s going to be a tough three months. things only get harder when your best friend’s brother, the notorious Rafe Cameron, begins to complicate your life even more. but will the island’s biggest wildcard successfully steal your heart, or leave you more broken than before?

word count: 4k

warnings: good old fashioned smut

*not my gif, credit to owner*

PART FIVE

Once again, guilt consumed you like a wildfire. But this time, it wasn’t guilt over Rafe; it was guilt for Rafe. Kissing JJ was a rash, spur-of-the-moment decision that you instantly regretted as soon as you tore your lips away. For one thing, you had zero feelings for JJ, and knew that this would confuse the blonde to no end. For another, you had hoped it would ignite something in Rafe, but instead it seemed to extinguish what little fire for you he had left.

Groaning, you flopped onto your bed that night and stared up at the dark ceiling. There was a reason you weren’t spontaneous, and always thought things through. That careful mindset helped you avoid mistakes like this. Grabbing a pillow, you pressed it to your face and screamed into the cushy material, letting it absorb the sound of your frustration.

“You’re an idiot,” you whispered aloud, teeth grinding and head spinning. What’s worse, you didn’t know when you’d see Rafe again, if you even would. Sarah was bound and determined to avoid him at all cost, and she was your only real link to the blue-eyed boy.

Maybe it’s better this way, you tried telling yourself. It’s not like anything would’ve happened with Rafe. Repeating these thoughts in your head, you forced away any memory of blue eyes or dazzling smiles. Better off without him, you believed.

The next day, in order to keep your mind off of your latest mistake, you took your bike out for a spin. You used to love biking as a kid, and it was a serene hobby that was much-needed at the time. You wove through familiar neighborhoods until you were in the heart of The Cut, near JJ’s house. Almost out of instinct you veered onto his street to pass by his trailer.

As luck would have it, the Pogue was right outside his front door when you approached. Slowing to a halt, you hopped off your bike and sent him a wave.

“Well, well, well,” he started as you walked up to the step where he sat. “Come to steal another kiss?”

Blushing, you pushed a lock of hair behind your ear and sighed. “About that...” you began, wondering how on earth you’d explain the bold kiss.

JJ grinned, nudging you with his shoulder. “Hey, it’s all good. I liked it. A lot, actually.” His eyes sparkled, but this reaction only caused you to cringe inwardly. The last thing you had wanted was to get JJ’s hopes up, only to inevitably smash them.

“Look, JJ...” Words escaped you, and you stared down at your feet rather than at him. “I didn’t know what I was thinking when I kissed you.”

He shrugged. “Sometimes those are the best kisses. All I’m saying is I’m game to do it again. I always thought there was something special about you.” You felt him leaning in, and instantly turned your head away in rejection.

Closing your eyes in embarrassment, you sighed. “I’m so sorry, JJ. But...there’s someone else, okay?” The words slipped out before you could think them through. You figured saying you liked someone else would let JJ down easy, but you could tell it only made him more curious.

Cocking an eyebrow, JJ whistled. “Alright, so Y/N has a little crush. Who might it be?” He didn’t sound hurt at your rejection of his kiss, which was a minor plus side. But you also knew how stubborn he could be, and that he was not going to let this go.

“JJ--” you stalled, clearly trying to backtrack. “I-It’s nothing, I swear. I’ll be over it by tomorrow, honest.”

He shook his head firmly. “Nope, no way. I just got rejected, so I think I deserve a little explanation as to why.” Even though JJ was joking, you still did not want to reveal who you were ‘crushing’ on.

Hugging your knees to your chest, you sighed again. “You cannot tell the others,” you predicated, voice stern. “I mean it JJ. Not a word of this to them.”

JJ pretended to zip his lips.

“Especially not Sarah,” you added quickly, causing his brows to raise in question. Wincing, you knew you just had to spit it out, so you murmured, “It’s Rafe.”

There was a beat of shocked silence. And then JJ’s face twisted into a mixture of surprise and disgust, making your heart drop. “Rafe? As in Rafe Cameron?”

All you could do was nod miserably.

JJ snorted. “You’ve got to be kidding, Y/N. He’s such a dirt-bag Kook. I mean, you saw the shit Topper did yesterday.”

“He’s not Topper,” you tried to defend, but your voice was weak.

“Yeah but he’s friends with him,” JJ countered. “He’s a sleaze who only cares about partying and sleeping around. All the Kooks are the same.”

Hurt by his harsh words, you said feebly, “What about Sarah? She is a Kook, you know. Maybe Rafe has the same potential.”

JJ shook his head. “No, something about that guy is just off. And I have the bruises to prove it.” He tilted his head to show the residual blue spots on his face where Rafe had beat him. Feeling sick to your stomach, you looked away from him and out at the distant forest.

“He’s different around me. Or at least he was.” No matter how much you pretended to hate Rafe, there was a reason he was always on your mind. It was his easy smile, his captivating charm. He made you feel better than you ever had before.

“When have you hung out with Rafe Cameron?” JJ sounded shocked you’d ever even exchanged words with the guy.

You shrugged. “I don’t know, we’ve run into each other on the beach a few times. And then he invited me to one of his parties, where we...spent time together.” JJ definitely caught your drift, because he groaned in disgust.

“Y/N!” he exclaimed, and you pushed at his arm.

“Don’t judge me JJ, alright? I already feel enough like shit.” Humiliation simmered in your stomach, and you felt sick just thinking about that night on the beach.

JJ put his hands up. “Alright, fine, no judgment. But seriously Y/N, he’s bad news.”

You frowned, resting your chin on your knees and wishing you were back in your bed. “I know. It’s not like we were ever gonna become anything, anyway,” you explained morbidly. JJ didn’t answer, probably not wanting to upset you any further. But your mood had already been ruined, and not even a serene bike ride could clear your cloudy thoughts.

You were so distracted by your disastrous talk with JJ that you failed to notice the fancy car parked outside your trailer when you got home. Instead you just walked right through the door and into an ambush.

“Sunshine!” Your dad stood in the middle of the living room, his smile plastered on so bright you took a minute to adjust. Your mother was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter almost for support. The look she gave you was full of sympathy, and you knew something bad was about to happen.

“What are you doing here?” you asked, skipping right over a greeting. Your dad almost never came over to The Cut, and it was strange seeing his expensive appearance in such a run-down trailer.

“Here to see you, of course,” he answered cheerfully. “I was just telling your mother about a dinner party I’m hosting at my place tonight. You’re both welcome to come.”

Your mother’s smile was pinched. “I have to work a double tonight,” she informed him. “But Y/N would love to go.”

Oh, would I? You wanted to strangle your mother for trying to force a relationship between you and your father. You knew her intentions were good, but the man was insufferable. After such a stressful few days, a dinner party with him might push you over the edge.

Working up the courage to speak, you said, “I really don’t think I can make it. I’m super tired--”

“So take a nap! It’s not till later tonight.”

Grimacing, you tried again. “Well, Sarah might want to do something--”

“Sarah will be there!” he interrupted. “It’s a joint dinner with Ward. Sort of a double family affair. All the Camerons will be there.”

This peaked your interest. Trying to mask your surprise, you cleared your throat. “Um, R-Rafe will be there? And Sarah?” you added quickly to cover your tracks.

“Of course. It’ll be fun, you’ve gotta come.” Your father’s exuberance was almost annoying enough to make you refuse. But the mere prospect of seeing Rafe again, and so soon, was tempting. You didn’t know if you’d ever get another opportunity to be relatively alone with him.

Finally nodding, you consented. “Okay, I’ll go.”

Your father’s eyes lit up. “Great! It’s a nice dinner party, so dress up a little. I’ve got a new suit I’ve been dying to try out.” You noticed your mother’s eye roll and stifled a smile. Your father left shortly after, and you exhaled as you fell against the door.

“I can’t believe you let him in here,” you told your mother, and she chuckled.

“I almost thought about keeping the door locked. But in all seriousness, Y/N, I want you and your father to spend time together. We have joint custody, you know.”

Scowling, you grumbled, “He’s barely even a parent to me anymore.” You didn’t say anything more before disappearing into your room. Preparing for this dinner would be an all afternoon task, and you set to work figuring out what to wear.

After tearing through your closet and attempting several awful makeup looks, you finally settled on the winning look. A thin-strapped, short white dress with vertical blue stripes and strappy sandals. The dress highlighted your shoulders and collarbone, and the shoes made your legs look tan and toned. Your tousled hair was thrown up into a bun that you hoped looked more put-together than it did in the mirror. As for makeup, you merely swiped on some mascara and lipgloss and walked out the door. The less dwelling you did on your appearance, the less terrified you’d be for the dinner.

The walk to Figure 8 was long but much-needed. You needed to mentally prepare for what was to come. First, putting up with your dad all night was bound to be a struggle. Second, figuring out what Rafe was thinking and if he was really mad at you. Third, and possibly most important, hiding your feelings about Rafe from Sarah. You knew if she ever found out what you’d done with her brother, she’s be furious. Somehow you had to get Rafe alone to talk.

Inhaling deeply as you approached the front door to your father’s house, you braced yourself for what was inside. You only knocked twice before the door swung open, but it was Ward who greeted you.

“Well hello there, Y/N,” he said with a grin. “Come on in; your dad’s almost done with the cooking.”

You smiled tightly. Your dad was an amazing cook, and your childhood was spent concocting the most fantastical recipes. Your heart clenched at the memories, and as you entered the kitchen it all but stopped at the sight of Rafe.

He was leaning nonchalantly against the cupboards, arms crossed. He wore a light blue suit complete with a dark bow-tie, looking clean and professional with his gelled hair and suave expression. He glimpsed you, and his smirk faltered slightly. You hoped it was because you looked good in your dress, and not because he was unhappy to see you.

“Y/N,” he said simply, tone unreadable.

“Rafe,” you responded, holding his gaze. His blue eyes stayed locked on yours, but then Sarah breezed by and the moment ended.

“Thank God you’re here,” she told you. “I’ve had to put up with dad jokes and Rafe all on my own.” She sent her brother a glare, and Rafe’s distant smile made butterflies spiral into your stomach.

“Happy to be here,” you forced out. Everyone gathered around the dining table, where a lavish array of food was already spread out. Rafe sat across from you, Sarah to your left and your father at the head of the table with Ward beside his son. You had no idea where to look since Rafe’s face was front and center.

“I hope everything tastes good,” your father admitted, feigning humility. “I haven’t cooked a full meal in forever.”

“It’s delicious,” Sarah commented. Ward nodded and raised his fork in agreement.

Distracted by Rafe’s proximity, you failed to realize everyone’s eyes were on you.

“Honey? What do you think?” Your father sounded hopeful, and you knew he considered you his number one critic.

“It’s good,” you confirmed, but you hadn’t even touched your plate yet. You pushed the food around with your fork, too nervous to eat.

“So, Rafe. You’re not enrolled in college and you don’t have a job--what are you doing?” your father asked. You knew he was trying to joke, but he was always one to make very blunt comments like this. Rafe swallowed roughly, caught off guard by the forward question.

“Um...” he started, pushing a hand through his hair. Once again it messed up the gel, and you bit your lip as a piece fell over his forehead. “Trying to figure it all out, I guess,” he said with a small laugh. “I like the idea of going into business, and a college degree isn’t necessarily a requirement.”

Your father considered this. “Yeah, I guess you make a fair point. Y/N here is definitely college-bound, aren’t you sunshine?”

With the attention on you now, you flushed. “Er, I guess so.”

“You want to be an engineer, right sweetie? You were always so obsessed with those building blocks as a kid. I swear, she’ll design the next wonder of the world.” He and Ward chuckled at this, and Sarah shot you a smile. Rafe was regarding you closely, eyes filled with something you couldn’t quite decipher.

Since the beginning of dinner, tension had risen between you and the blue-eyed boy. It was almost palpable, making it hard to breathe. Whenever Rafe would move, you were acutely aware. You sensed every smile, every ruffling of hair. Whenever his eyes skimmed yours you felt electrified, and eventually you felt your cheeks grow warm. You prayed Sarah wasn’t picking up on your change in mood, and attempted to calm your racing heartbeat.

“Do you have a country club membership yet, Y/N?” Ward asked you. When you shook your head, he continued, “Gotta fix that, then. It’s one of the best perks of this island. We’ll get you a pass and then Rafe can show you around, since he knows it the best.” He elbowed his son, who gave you a long, meaningful look.

“Sure. I’ll do whatever she wants.” The words were heated, and they made your lips part in surprise. Rafe was bold with his choice of words, but fortunately only you had caught on to the innuendo.

“Oh, great!” your father responded. “That would be fun.”

Sarah snorted. “I’m sure hanging out with my brother is going to be loads of fun,” she joked, and you forced a chuckle to appease her. Glancing up at Rafe, you met his amused expression with a blush.

Dinner was winding to a close, and everyone was bringing their plates to the kitchen. Sarah’s phone rang, and she squealed as she went to answer it in the next room. It was probably John B., and you knew she’d be occupied for at least half an hour. Ward and your father were in an intense discussion about basketball brackets, so you and Rafe were on no one’s radar.

After leaving your empty plate in the sink, you turned to see Rafe striding down the hallway. Eyes narrowing, you didn’t want to miss this chance. So you rushed to catch up with him, surprising him by grabbing his arm and pulling him into the small bathroom just off the kitchen.

Once locked inside the tight space, you faced Rafe and folded your arms. He mussed his hair and gazed down at you, taking in your appearance in the yellow fluorescent lighting.

“’I’ll do whatever she wants’,” you stated, one brow raised. “Really, Rafe? Way to be subtle.”

His smirk widened, and he brought one hand to the wall so you felt surrounded by his presence. “It’s true. Whatever you want, baby.”

You ignored the way his words made your legs press together, and you shook your head incredulously. “You must be out of your mind.”

“Oh, I’m the one who’s out of my mind? What was that shit with JJ on the boat yesterday?”

Smiling evilly, you twirled the end of your hair innocently. “Saw that, did you?”

Rafe scoffed, jaw flexing as he controlled what you perceived to be as either anger or jealousy. “Don’t bullshit me. You wanted me to see it.”

Pursing your lips, you shrugged. “I don’t know, I don’t really think of you that often, to be honest.”

At your challenging words, Rafe took a step forward and closed the minimal space between your bodies. His head tilted down so you could stare deeply into his eyes, and the blue orbs had you captivated.

“Really? So you haven’t been thinking about me?” You shook your head. “You haven’t been thinking about how good I made you feel? How I had you calling my name into the night sky?”

Shivering, you closed your eyes and smiled. “You’re quite proud of yourself for that, aren’t you?”

Rafe’s eyes sparkled. “I made you crumble, Y/N. That’s a pretty impressive feat if I do say so myself.”

All of the tension and nerves from the night culminated into bravery. You channeled that energy into your next actions, refusing to let fear get in the way.

Grabbing his face, you brought Rafe’s lips down to yours. He melted into the kiss immediately, and his hands wrapped around your back until your chests were crushed together.

You pushed your tongue against his, and Rafe groaned into your mouth. Fingers holding his face against yours, you arched your body into his embrace. Rafe gripped your shoulders, surely leaving marks on the delicate skin. You moved your lips from his across his jaw and down to his neck, sucking and biting until he was breathing hard in your ear.

By now his back was pressed against the bathroom door, and you heard his fingers deftly turn the lock, ensuring no one would catch you. Kissing down his collarbone, you expertly undid his bow-tie and started on the buttons to his shirt.

“You don’t like the suit?” Rafe joked, his voice gravelly as you kissed down the skin you steadily exposed with each pop of a button. Pushing the suit and shirt off his shoulders, you smiled slyly up at him.

“I do. I just like it better off.” His eyes rolled back, a smile lighting up his face. You were kneeling before him know, face level with his crotch. You could already tell he was hard beneath his pants, and bit your lip before reaching out to undo his belt.

“Shit,” Rafe hissed, chest heaving with effort to control himself as you pulled his pants down. Feeling across the front of his boxers, you gently squeezed his hard length and caused him to flinch.

Grinning, you slowly dragged your fingers across the waistband of his boxers, teasing him slightly. Rafe was cursing under his breath, clearly hot and heavy and more than ready for you to actually touch him.

You brought down the final layer of clothing until his cock sprang free. He was rock hard, veins sticking out of the thick skin. You were slightly shocked by his side, but didn’t hesitate before reaching out and taking it in your hand.

Rafe exhaled harshly, mouth open as he gazed down at you. His eyes were dark with lust, pupils blown out from need. Your breath washed over the tip of his cock, making him twitch in your hand.

Tilting your head, you licked a long stripe up the side of his length. The skin was warm and taught, and you licked around his tip which was already slick with pre-cum. Closing your lips around the head, you hollowed out your cheeks and twisted your tongue against his hot member.

His hands were fisted by his sides, and you could tell he wanted to let out loud moans of pleasure. You moved your mouth to take in more of him, almost reaching the hilt before his tip hit the back of your throat. Rafe couldn’t resist, and a low moan left his lips.

Pulling his cock out of your mouth, you whispered, “Shhh” before pressing a light kiss to his slit. Rafe groaned, gripping his hair tightly as he tried to swallow his moans.

You moved your mouth up and down his length rhythmically, hands twisting at what you couldn’t reach. Your fingers gently curled around his balls, and in combination with your mouth this caused a string of curses to escape his lips.

“Fuck,” he murmured when you took him particularly deep, cheeks hollowed out as you tightened your lips around him. You worked him with your mouth and tongue for a minute longer, looking up at him through your lashes.

This look must have pushed him over the edge, because your name tumbled from his lips before his cock jerked, spurting out sticky liquid into the back your throat.

Working him down from his high, you kissed his hipbone before bringing his boxers and pants back up. With a triumphant smirk, you got to your feet and put your hands on your hips.

Rafe was still breathing hard, but his expression was quizzical now. “What does this mean?” he wondered, redoing his belt. His hair was messed up severely now, and you desperately wanted to run your fingers through the silky strands.

In the haze of your lust for him, you hadn’t actually considered what this meant. You hadn’t come tonight expecting to do this, but you didn’t exactly regret it either. Frowning, you answered, “I have no idea.”

He looked closely at you, a small smile playing across his lips. Rafe shrugged on his shirt and suit jacket, redoing the buttons while you watched. You recalled your conversation before you kissed him, and added, “I just wanted to be even. You made me crumble, and now I just made you crumble. We’re square.”

Rafe narrowed his eyes at this. A heartbeat passed, and then he grabbed you by the shoulders and ripped you towards him. Your lips smashed together, and his tongue instantly battled with yours. You moaned lightly, a hand resting against his chest. His fingers held your face against his, passion seeping from his movements. You were shocked by how electrified this kiss was, and when he finally broke it you could barely breathe.

Pushing a small lock of hair behind your ear, Rafe gazed deeply into your eyes. “I don’t want to be even,” he whispered, and your mouth fell open in surprise.

But then he was unlocking the door and disappearing into the hallway, leaving you alone and confused, lips still tingling with the after-effects of his kiss.

~ ~ ~

taglist (strikethrough means I couldn’t tag you)

@prejudic3 @afterglows7b-tch13 @beeeee06 @dysaneworld @we-are-all-lovely @luckypurpleunicorn @poguequeen @solko @freebiscuitdragonbear @sunflowerkxsses @tembo-ndoto @justcallmesams @theworldofimagines @rafescameron @jjs-housekeeping @spencereidbasis @sexytholland @odelia-d32 @ayybecca

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justapayneaway · 4 years

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It took me a while to compile all these Ziam fics, but here we are with a long list of beautiful stories for everybody that is interested in reading Liam & Zayn fall in love or be in love a lot of times!

A big shout out to every single fic writer out there in the world... You’re amazing and I thank you every single day for the amazing stories y’all write!

Enjoy and have a good read ❤️

0k - 20k

There's so Much that We Need to Share by Lovelyziam (1k) The sight of snow didn’t make the cold worth it to Zayn, no. It was this: Liam’s body snug and soft in front of him, pressed tightly to Zayn’s chest while he sat between Zayn’s thighs. It was his arms wrapped around Liam’s waist and their fingers interwoven beneath their pile of blankets. It was the warmth radiating from Liam’s back and slowly seeping into Zayn, making him sleepy and languid despite the freezing press of Liam’s toes against his own.

Sunshine through my window by sunnysideup (2k) Fic idea about Liam being a happy puppy in the sun and Zayn hears him through his window, sees him for the first time and poof, he's in love.

Drive Safe, I Love You by JoMouse (3k) Liam surprises his son with a day at a Motorcycle Bike Show. While there, he finds out about Mini Moto and meets the man who runs a team.

I Know The Sound Of Your Heart by LibbyWrites (7k) Liam always adored the peace and quiet of his neighborhood. Until a new neighbor shows up and turns his world upside down with much more than just loud music.

Most Poetic Ride or Die Death Wish by LetTheMusicMoveYou (10k) Or the one where Niall convinces Liam to join Tinder and a slight miscommunication might make it the best mistake he's ever made.

Get a little bit nervous by louistomlinsons (14k) Ziam farmer's market au where liam, louis, and niall work at the produce stand, harry and zayn work at the bakery stand, and nobody's straight.

Favourite Entertainer by eternallyunleashed (15k) Zayn is a popular YouTuber well known for uploading song covers and original music on his channel and doing podcasts on murder mysteries. He’s amassed a couple million followers and dedicated fanbase. After endless requests from fans, he introduces them to his boyfriend Liam and does the ‘boyfriend does my makeup challenge.'

Just the two of us and a cute little cup of cyanide by orphan_account (17k) An I-accidentally-married-my-best-mate-in-Vegas fic, where Liam's completely oblivious, Zayn's completely in love, Harry's had enough, Louis plays mediator and Niall just wants his best friends to be with each other.

Only Place I Call Home by scottmcniceass (17k) Liam works at a coffee shop; Zayn is a homeless street performer who plays just outside the shop. Sometimes Liam brings Zayn coffee and donuts and in exchange Zayn sings for him.

20k - 40k

We are the quiet ones by englandziam (22k) University AU where Zayn is an English student and Liam is the football captain.

Until you believe it by lizee (23k) Where Zayn and Liam meet at a sixth form party and Zayn offers to tutor him. He doesn't expect himself to fall in love with the kid while he's at it.

Ridiculous by scottmcniceass (24k) They are every cliched high school story. The jock and the rebel. The popular boy and the outsider. They shouldn't fit, and they definitely shouldn't work, but they sort of do anyways.

Wake up the part of me that has fallen asleep by nooelgallagher & yoursongonmyheart (24k) The one where Liam discloses something incredibly personal about his sex life and Louis hatches a plan to help him - which may or may not include Zayn.

Can I Keep You by scottmcniceass (26k) Liam is always trying to do what's best for himself and his daughter, but raising a kid on his own at twenty-two, on top of juggling school work and a full-time job, isn't easy. Zayn just wants a chance to show Liam that he's not going to walk out on them. And Liam's daughter, Emma? She just wants to keep Zayn.

I just can't keep you too far from my thoughts by halleluzayn (28k) The YouTuber AU fic where Zayn is not a beauty vlogger, Liam types like an over excited teenage girl, Louis is a Harry Styles fanboy, Harry is basically Ed Sheeran, and Niall is Liam's video editor that really needs to get laid already.

Down the vista of years by ohthathurt (cloisterrific_221B) (30k) Zayn whispered, “So where do we go from here?”Liam shrugged, seemingly lost in thought. Then he smiled down at his boyfriend, “Forward?”Zayn smiled serenely, eyes twinkling like gold in the sun seeping through the open windows. He nodded, “Forward.”

I'll Be Strong For You by scottmcniceass (30k) When Zayn breaks his leg attempting to skateboard over Harry's car, he ends up stuck in the hospital for two weeks. The only thing he doesn't hate about the hospital is the gorgeous volunteer, Liam, who is almost annoyingly sunny and happy. But Liam's got a secret a secret hidden behind his impossibly bright smile.

It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn by historyziam (30k) At a time in his life when Zayn thinks he has forgotten what genuine happiness feels like, Liam comes into the picture and changes everything.

Somehow I Still Carry On, Burdened By Fears by slashter (31k) Liam's been kidnapped but doesn't remember Zayn and Zayn struggles with loss and love and heartbreak all over again.

You Never Give Up On Me by sunshinexbomb (31k) In which Zayn is an English teacher tempted to write awful poetry about the warm coffee color of Liam's eyes, Liam is a primary ed teacher and single parent who thinks he's too busy to be in a relationship, Niall and Harry are the sickeningly cute newlywed teachers in the school, and Louis is a drama teacher who is not-so-patiently waiting for the day of his own wedding.

The Truth Will Set You Free by loveandbeloved (34k) Zayn wakes up the next day to the news that Liam has taken on the case of the kid, to oppose Zayn and prove that he isn’t a killer.To say he’s pissed beyond belief goes without saying, but somehow he thinks that he should’ve seen this coming.

So let's say, I'll come another day by sophieisgod (36k) Zayn meets Liam in 1999, swinging on the gate in his back yard. Liam meets Zayn in 2010, killing time in McDonald’s on the most important day of his life. They have adventures, conquer the world, and fall in love. A story about fate, timing, free will, wonky genetics, parallel universes, significant tattoos, emotional haircuts, sudden nudity, sex crying, and a Batman t-shirt from HMV.

Be cruel to me ('cause I'm a fool for you) by frenchkiss (37k) The one where Zayn is a stressed out single dad, Liam might just be what he needs, Louis and Niall are always happy to babysit and Harry's a loud snorer.

I’ll never stop choosing you babe, i’ll never get used to you by redsweater (37k) Zayn and Liam are happily married until they're not.

Twisting to the sun and the moon by orphan_account (37k) (2nd part is also amazing!) Liam has three simple, non-negotiable rules when it comes to one-offs. And he doesn't ever fall for someone he associates with hotel sheets and lust. But this kid, Zayn, twists things inside of him he's not expecting. Suddenly, the rules don't make any sense at all.

My Reflection; All I See Is You by taecheeks (38k) (There is a 2nd part too!) This life, it's forever. That's what being immortal means, but Zayn didn't realize it would take him this long to realize it. What good is forever if nothing else is?

40k - 60k

Every Step by taecheeks (40k) Every step Liam takes, it's for her, Lily. And every path he's journeyed has somehow led him to Zayn.

Here I Stand by StormDancer (40k) Zayn lifts his chin, turns so that he’s facing Harry. He doesn’t look at Liam, because he can’t bear to look, and because he’s really not trying to be mean or pointed. Liam can do what he wants. But Zayn drew a line in the sand a long time ago, and it matters. “I’m not hiding, Haz. This is who I am. They can deal with it.”

You're The Shining Distraction That Makes Me Fly by Romancemesomeziam (40k) Zayn is a recently new single father, falling into his role without ease until Liam, his son's first grade teacher, helps him a little to adapt to the new lifestyle.

Lover Dearest by scottmcniceass (43k) "First rule, babe," Zayn says, leaning down. His lips slide over Liam's jaw, barely there, just a soft pressure, fleeting and gone as soon as it came. "Never trust a vampire."He's grinning as he climbs off Liam, heading for the door. Liam watches him go, thinking that he's wrong. The first rule should be to not fall in love with one.

Some moments are rare by orphan_account (46k) Zayn is spending a summer studying aboard; thirty days across Europe, with his best mate by his side. It's always been like this ― Zayn and Liam. And he's always been a bit daft about love, or the fact that Liam's always been in love with him. It's all a bit of a mess, actually.

Until two and two is three by orphan_account (47k) They're perfect for her, Lily, even if she's their best mates' daughter -- except they hate each other. But life plays out a little comically and a lot tragically sometimes. And Liam will never get over how much he loves Lily or how much he hates Zayn, but they're all she has left now.

Like Peter Pan (Or Superman) by orphan_account (48k) Zayn has spent most of his life up until now in a cloud of smoke, hiding from his past, being different. When a firefighter named Liam rescues him from a fire, Zayn starts to realize maybe Liam's saved his life in another way... and he's not quite sure he's ready to be that guy he should've been all along. But maybe, just for Liam, he can?

Good Thing At a Bad Time by scottmcniceass (49k) Zayn prefers to be on his own. It's easier to survive when you don't have to worry about anyone else. Liam leads a large group of people that have taken residence in an abandoned prison. When Zayn wakes up in a prison cell, all he can think about is finding a way out. Liam makes him want to stay.

It keeps my veins hot (the fire's found a home in me) by loveontherocks (51k) The one where zayn survives a fire and falls in love with the firefighter that saved him.

Not Happening by scottmcniceass (53k) Zayn and Liam are roommates. They hate each other. (Most of the time.)

And you take me the way I am by orphan_account (54k) Liam needs a date to a wedding. His family loves to match him up with blind dates. He doesn't want that. He needs a date... and, well, why not Zayn. Pretending to be boyfriends for a weekend isn't the worst idea he supposes. Liam is horribly wrong.

It's You by happily_missy (56k) Liam is a PA for a famous fashion designer and Zayn is their gorgeous new model. Or the one where Liam is in control of everything except for the fact that he keeps getting hard around Zayn and Zayn refuses to admit that Liam might be everything he's been looking for all along.

Your Lips On Mine by zipplekink (56k) The one where Zayn is a camboy, who likes to think about the fit mechanic with a liking for leather jackets and scruffy beards from uni during his shows. And Liam, the mechanic, who realizes his new roommate is Bradford, the man with the smooth skin covered in tattoos that Liam watches late at night with a hand wrapped around himself.

Face to Face by JoMouse (57k) Liam's fiance lost her ring. Zayn found it in his girlfriend's rucksack. What happens when the ring brings them face to face?

Floating On The Water by scottmcniceass (58k) Liam just wants to get through his last summer working at Malik Resort before University without incident. Of course, life is never that easy, and he ends up getting roped into giving the bosses son, Zayn, swimming lessons. That wouldn't be so bad, if Zayn didn't happen to hate him so much.

Hold on When You Get Love (and Let Go When You Give It) by orphan_account (59k) Where Zayn's studying Lit at Uni and Liam is a construction worker who catches Zayn's eye every day he passes by.

Let Me Drown Slowly by fruityoatey_bahhh (59k) The one where Liam's a prostitute, and Zayn just wants to be kept warm at night.

60k - 80k

These Faded Stars Along Our Horizons by ch3stpaynes (60k) Zayn isn't used to this; the buzzing feeling that comes along with pinched grins, cherry red lips and eyes like Sunday morning coffee. He's used to smogged out cities, not enough oxygen between each breath and perhaps a few spliffs with the boys when the weather isn't absolutely dreadful. And Liam Payne may just flip all of his priorities upside down.

Habits Of The Heart by taecheeks (61k) “I’ll be really good to you,” Liam whispers, sliding an arm under Zayn’s shoulder like he is a pillow. Zayn closes his eyes, remembering when Liam had said those same words to him while laying on his chest before they started dating. The same feeling rattles in his chest, the same uncertainty, the same need for his words to remain true.“I know,” Zayn whispers, massaging his fingers through Liam’s hair. “You always have.”Liam pushes up, brows furrowing together as he stares down at him, the humor in his face turning far more serious. “And I always will, Zayn.”

I See You Babe, But We Are Both Blind by SoftlyandSwiftly (61k) One Direction returns to London for a break from their Take Me Home Tour in August 2013, and after an unfortunate run-in at a coffee shop, Liam and Zayn find themselves in a fake relationship. Except, it ends up not feeling fake at all.

Run For the Woods Now by jmcats (62k) (there are other 3 parts to this one so read them all because they are amazing!) Zayn knows some of the best and worst moments start with one of Louis' ideas. Still, it's almost as if everyone knew where this, his life, was going when Harry and Liam moved into Wagner’s old flat, with that stupid plant sitting in the doorway, and too many cigarettes and Justin Timberlake for any of this to have been one of those classically clichéd love stories.And Zayn doesn't do clichés. Not until Liam, that is.

Some Love Wait Till Its Time by wasp (63k) University!AU where heart-in-the-right place but always-trying-to-save-people Liam Payne meets slightly pretentious hipster Zayn and tries to mend his broken heart.

Keep this love (in a photograph) by carissima (64k) The one where Liam's a fireman, Zayn's a photographer and yeah, there's a calendar shoot or two involved.

The bittersweet between my teeth by gaysubtexts (64k) Liam and Zayn grow up together, louis, niall, and harry tagging along later on.

According to your heart (my place is not deliberate) by orphan_account (65k) A university-volleyball au in which Zayn hates the game but he does it for a scholarship. And for Louis. And possibly for the new freshman setter who keeps teaching Zayn new things.

The beauty of this mess by orphan_account (67k) Zayn loves this city, loves his boys, loves the salty taste of the surf on his tongue even though he hates the ocean... but he's not expecting to fall in love with Liam and all of his little secrets, too. Not enough to stick around in this sandy city of teenage dreams.

Let's pretend it's love by wafflehood (68k) Pretend!boyfriends fic in which Liam and Zayn get papped while hamming it up for Louis and Eleanor, and management decides the easiest way to deal with the resulting hysteria is to let it run its course.

Simple truths of belonging by soofyahn (68k) Liam spends ten years building the career for himself that he’s always wanted, and spends the same span of time falling out of communication with the one person he can’t reason why he misses. They find each other, again, stumbling around each other for a moment until they fall together in new, unpredictable ways.

Until the End of Time by theyinlove (68k) Zayn Malik lives a pretty decent life. He’s got an incredible family, a nice little place for him and his three sweethearted dogs, an amazing group of friends, and a good, stable job. Aside from the bouts of depression he may occasionally fall into and the intense anxiety he battles, he feels good about where he is in his life. But what do you get when a hunky fireman, who also happens to be a piece of sunshine on earth, walks into a bar? You get a cautious of love man realizing that, shit, maybe some people might be worth the risk of heart break.

The Prince King by ziamhaze (69k) At twenty, Zayn finds himself a widower and single father of one. It takes everything in his power to raise the three month old alone while also keeping up with his budding career as an artist. Five years later and Zayn’s more dedicated than ever to do whatever it takes for the little boy to have a better life than the one he had at his age. When that includes hiring a professional carpenter to build him a treehouse, Zayn finds himself having to figure out how to win the man’s game of cat and mouse before the structure’s complete, or risk missing out on someone who makes him want to spend the rest of his life mixing oil paints together in order to find the exact shade of warmth that the contractor exudes.

These amber words on our fingertips by orphan_account (69k) Zayn's life in London is about one thing — making life perfect for his son. He's still finding himself in this city, with all of the noise and left behind dreams. He needs to focus and Liam is, well, distracting. He's different. Zayn's always liked that word.

These fading scars by lovely_ziam (69k) Vampire!AU in which Liam falls in love with a human.

But the sun comes up instead by blackwayfarers (71k) Zayn Malik, charming and confident fraternity vice-president, meets shy but achingly endearing high schooler Liam Payne at a kegger and everything just goes straight to hell.

The Only One Who Takes You Home by loveandbeloved (71k) The fluffiest stripper AU in which businessman!Zayn and stripper!Liam have a lot of feelings and they both get more than they expected.

Just let me know by SoftlyandSwiftly (72k - this one has two more parts so read them all!) Zayn wakes up in a hospital, eyes blurry and head pounding, only for a doctor to tell him he's lost two years of his life. And if that's not awful enough, something's different with Liam, off like something has changed, and Zayn doesn't understand. Until he does. And then it's somehow worse.

Money Moves by mmaree (74k) A Fake Engagement AU with Boss!Liam and Secretary!Zayn.

Give love a try, one more time by iwasnthere (75k) Zayn groans, "Liam, do you ever get tired of annoying me?""Nope" Liam replies, popping a chip into his mouth. "Because it's cute watching you lie to yourself""Excuse me?" Zayn looks at Liam bemusedly."You're lying to yourself when you say that ‘I annoy you’.” Liam does the quote unquote thing with his fingers, smiling. “Admit it, you like me.""You've been asking me out for the past year and a half,” Zayn states, “the answer you always get is no, and I'm pretending?" he asks incredulously."Yep." Liam grins, "I'll get that yes one day, Zayn." “Keep trying.” Zayn gets out, trying for snappy but it ends up sounding amused. Damn it.

Through the summertime, winter, spring, and fall by taecheeks (77k) They change with the seasons, burning bright during the summer and biting cold during the winter, but that feeling of being in love Zayn found in the summer clings to him through it all.

What We Become by scottmcniceass (78k) “Nervous?”“No.”“It’s okay if you are,” Harry says seriously. “I mean, I know I would be. Like, if there was ever a date that was destined to go bad, it’s probably this one. Werewolf goes on date with the son of a werewolf hunter, who’s also training to be a werewolf hunter when he’s older, while another pack of werewolves are practically massacring the town, and no one has no idea how to stop them. It's not a question of what could go wrong. It's a question of what could possibly go right, and I'm willing to bet the answer to that is nothing."

80k - 100k

Kick, Push by ziamhaze (85k) World champion street skateboarder Zayn Malik has been on top of the sport’s rankings since he turned pro at 15. So when the Olympic Committee announces that skateboarding will be included for the first time at the 2020 Games, he’s thrilled to take on the challenge while representing Great Britain. There’s just one thing standing in between him and adding another title to the record books: his crippling performance anxiety. But when Team GB Skateboarding’s awarded a physiotherapist with an affinity for experimental therapy methods and a crinkly eyed smile, Zayn thinks he might just have found his ticket to bringing home gold.

Pride by iwanttowriteyouafic (86k) The one where Zayn and Liam strike a deal to help each other through their dirtiest nights, but Zayn's perception of alphas may be preventing him from something purer.

Compartment 451 by ziamhaze (88k) Zayn’s a muggleborn wizard whose parents leave him to fend for himself once he’s made aware of his magical abilities. The Payne’s are an open minded wizarding family, who take him in and provide the boy with a loving home before he and their overly excited son Liam, go off to Hogwarts for the first time.

Tunnel Vision by scottmcniceass (90k) In which Zayn is an award-winning popstar with a knack for getting himself in trouble, and Liam is the bodyguard he didn’t want to hire who has a few problems with staying professional.

Z.A.Y.N. by ziamhaze (92k) For six years, international R&B star Liam Payne has topped the charts with his unique, upbeat songs. Even though he’s proud of where he’s gotten himself, he knows he can’t take all the credit; there’s one particular songwriter that goes by the name ‘Icarus Kalim’ that’s played a huge part in his success. Because of the writer’s ability to craft thought provoking tracks that touch Liam in a way he didn’t even know was possible from afar, the celebrity makes a musical exception for ‘Icarus’, buying the man’s songs for himself, even though he swore he would never put his name on something he had no help in creating. But what happens when Liam finally tricks the soulful poet into meeting him after years of not even knowing what the man looks like? Is ‘Icarus’ really all Liam’s made him out to be in his head or will he be unlike anything the singer could’ve ever dreamt up...

Colour my senses cherry red by thilia (96k) Zayn Malik, closeted gay pornstar.

+ 100k

Lost for Words by AGreatPerhaps12 (102k) The one where Liam has a stutter and zero self confidence, and Zayn has a carefully controlled temper (also starring Louis and Harry as that disgustingly-in-love couple and Niall as the only straight guy around, apparently).

Slow and High Tempo by taecheeks (103k) "I just want you, Liam," Zayn whispers, skating his lips across his. "Can I?"Liam's lips part more as Zayn's do, exhaling slightly as Zayn's words sink in. He doesn't understand what they mean, but he knows he meant it when he said Zayn could have anything he wants. His eyes flicker open to stare up at Zayn's dark ones, filled with a warmth that seems to consume Liam as he waits for him to respond. "Yeah, babe."

Deadpool by rorz94 (111k) Zayn Malik, a multi-millionaire good doer/artist, is targeted by a lunatic serial killer for no reason. Enter hot charismatic detective Liam Payne in the investigation of his case. Payne is assigned to protect Mr.Malik as a punishment from his supervisor but Liam does not think it's such a bad punishment to stay close to the attractive young man.

Permanent by scottmcniceass (114k) At twenty-six, Liam has made a name for himself as one of the best football players of his generation. He's in the prime of his game when a car accident threatens to end his career permanently. Depressed and hating the world, Liam heads back to his home town to take some time off and find himself again. He doesn't expect to find life pretty much the way he'd left it eight years ago, and he definitely doesn't expect to find something that might make him want to stay permanently, but that's what he gets.

Hello kisses sweet as wine by xxcaribbean (123k) Zayn doesn’t expect mr. payne to have all the answers, and he certainly hadn’t meant to leave an impression. So, this isn’t really a love story. Well, it shouldn’t be.

Intoxicate Me, Mesmerize Me, Obliterate Me by eternallyunleashed (280k) There was a certain heat obtained from rebellion that even the actual throes of heat never sparked. Keeping up an image of perfection; being the good kid, the perfect son to the Mayor and Chief of Police, the city of Lincoln’s sweetheart omega, it was all taxing to Zayn. Walking the thin line of danger was exhilarating. Was it coincidental that this danger happened to be an attraction to a certain alpha who was none other than the leader of the South Side Vipers gang, who seemed to despise him and the part of town he came from? Probably not. But when had anything ever stopped Zayn?

Can't Help Falling in Love with You by eternallyunleashed (518k) Zayn is an 18 year old just out of high school who is going to start pre-med in NYU in September. Liam is a 26 year old CEO of a major company and also an ex-football player. Their paths cross when Zayn lands an internship at Liam's company thanks to Harry and their lives are completely thrown off balance.

#ziam #fic rec #liam payne #zayn malik #I really hope you enjoy this #it took me a whole afternoon to do this #help lmao

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sunshinejihyun · 4 years

Text

Reset Reaction Part 1: Where You’re Meant to Be

Summary: Childhood friends reconnect under the circumstances of Mint Eye

Word Count: 11.2K

Part Two

Masterlist

P.S. the wonderful artwork for this fic was created by @jihyun-appreciation-blog. I am incredibly grateful they took the time to draw this 💙

You didn’t remember much from your childhood. In a way, that was probably a good thing; there were a lot of things that you didn’t want to remember. But two people from your childhood stuck out to you like a sore thumb: a dark haired boy with kind grey eyes named Jumin and bright, cerulean colored boy named Jihyun-who you were absolutely in love with as a seven year old.

You, Jihyun, and Jumin had been the only few children who were in the neighborhood you grew up in, so you all became fast friends, even though you were a few years younger than them, you spent the summer days playing tag and made snowmen in the winter. As you three were granted more freedom (more freedom meaning that you were able to walk two blocks to the convenience store, some money jingling in each of your pockets to buy some candy) Jihyun would proudly parade you around those two blocks, holding your intertwined hands above your heads and exclaim to anyone you passed that you two were “going to get married.” Jumin, of course, fully went along with this idea, just happy for the thought of all of you growing up together. If you and Jihyun were going to get married, then that’s what was going to happen.

You all had spent as much time together as seven year olds could and during that time, and you had grown closer to them than you were with your own family. Jihyun and Jumin were your family now. They comforted you when you were upset and played all sorts of games with you-they even played dress up on a few occasions and you had to admit, Jumin made a wonderful princess. You were three peas in a pod; if you saw one of them, the other two were probably parading close behind.

Your grandmother got sick when you were ten years old, so your father packed your family into a car and off you rode to go stay with her. You were heartbroken, of course; you never got to say goodbye to Jihyun or Jumin. The night before, you told them that you’d see them the next day and now, it was quite possible you’d never see either of them again. During the ride, you found yourself wondering about what Jihyun and Jumin were doing and what they were going to do when they realized you were gone. When tears started pricking your eyes, you quickly shook that thought out of your mind and leaned your head on your mother’s shoulder, quickly falling asleep.

But that was all in the past, your friendship with those two boys, you moving away to help your grandmother. Since your father passed away a few months after you turned 24, you were moving back to your old neighborhood with your mother, to continue carrying on the legacy of your fathers company. In the back of your mind, you found yourself wondering if Jihyun or Jumin would still be living in the same house you knew then to be at or if you’d see either of them again, but you knew that it would be a long shot; even if they were still there, they probably wouldn’t remember you. It was just a silly little childhood friendship.

Settling back into the elite lifestyle was like riding a bike; it was bumpy at first but after that, it was a smooth ride. You got a job working for a company C&R international was overlooking and you earned enough to keep you and your mother living comfortably.

There were a lot of defining moments in your life that made you who you were to this day. But a particular moment one day after work would help define the rest of your life.

You were standing outside of the office you worked in, waiting for your driver to come pick you up at the front when a boy with bright eyes and white hair, tips a little pink approached you. “I have a question for you.”

Looking up from your phone, you glanced at him hesitantly. He didn’t look too strange. What was the harm in answering his question? “What is it?”

“Have you ever wanted to escape this world?” He asked, his eyes almost glowing. “You look like there’s something that’s hurting you. We can help you.”

Glancing around, you didn’t see anyone else with him. “Who’s we?”

“If you come with me,” the boy held out his hand and you could feel yourself being drawn in to this person. His mysterious aura was almost intoxicating. “I can help make all the pain go away.” You must have looked hesitant since he reworded what he wanted to say. “You feel guilt. You carry it on your shoulders. Guilt from your childhood, perhaps?”

You grabbed his outstretched hand without a second thought, and that was the start of a new turning point in your life.

Two weeks after you met Ray and he introduced you to the Mint Eye, you thought everything about the facility was amazing. Everyone seemed so happy and at peace and you had to admit, you wanted to feel that way as well. You wanted the guilt that you hadn’t even realized you still carried about leaving Jumin and Jihyun to go away.

Out of all the believers you’d met in your time there, there was a specific young man who had piqued your curiosity. You didn’t know his name, all you knew is he had mint colored hair and looked like what you imagined Jihyun would look like at an older age. Except he had a deep sadness etched into his face, something you couldn’t imagine ever seeing on your old childhood friends face. So you spent your days watching him from afar, hoping he would show some sort of sign that he was your Jihyun. Little did you know, the young man named Jihyun watched you as well, wondering if you could possibly be the childhood best friend that he spent all his time with - the childhood crush who broke his heart when he woke up one morning to find you had disappeared.

You were a unique case to the Mint Eye. Usually, you’d go through the initiation ceremony as soon as you arrived at the facility. But Ray wanted to make sure you were comfortable and wanted to be there. You appreciated it since it gave you time to make sure this was what you wanted and by the end of the two weeks you spent there, you were sure it’s what you wanted. You wanted to be at peace like all the other believers there. You wanted to belong. So you and Ray finalized everything; he made sure the elixir you had to drink was sweet so you wouldn’t be grossed out and he made sure the savior was going to be there as well.

The night of your induction ceremony you were in your room getting dressed in a nice outfit and one of the Mint Eye’s signature robes that Ray had left out for you, when someone barged into your room, bright eyes blaring in concern. “Don’t go through with this. It’s not safe here.”

You were stunned, seeing the man you had been watching since you came to Mint Eye standing this close to you, his chest heaving up and down in panic. “What do you mean?”

“I have no time to explain. Please, just come with me and I’ll explain everything once we’re safe.” He was already tugging on your arm, looking both ways out of the door before pulling you behind after him.

“Stop.” You pulled your arm away from him and he turned back towards you, mouth hanging open in shock. “I don’t even know who you are. I want to be here, I can be happy here.”

He moved closer to you and cupped your face in both of his hands, staring intently into your eyes and you felt your mind go blank, only able to focus on him; everything about him was intoxicating - from the way he was looking at you to the way his mouth curved when he spoke, he was all you wanted to focus on. “MC, please listen to me. You won’t be safe here. That elixir they want you to take? It will numb parts of your brain, make you susceptible to anything Ray or the Savior wants you to do, and believe me, what they want you to do isn’t good. This isn’t a good place. At the beginning, this place seems like it’s heaven but the longer you stay, the more you become a skeleton of your old self. You won’t ever be able to escape.” His eyes searched yours for a moment and then he released your cheeks, stepping away from you and you found yourself wishing you could look into those bright eyes again. But now wasn’t the time to be thinking such thoughts. “So please come with me, before it’s too late. I just want to help.”

You silently took his hand after that, nervously chewing on your lip as he pulled you along corridors you didn’t even know existed. How would Ray react once he found out you were gone? Would he be able to find you? Those thoughts kept your mind occupied as you followed your rescuer, his grip on your hand still strong. Once you both reached a balcony, he gestured for you to climb down first and you quickly did so, dropping to your feet next to a red haired boy. Your eyes widened in panic and you looked up towards your rescuer who was climbing down as well. “Shh, I’m here to help. We’re going to get you somewhere safe.”

The cyanic hair colored man stumbled when his feet touched the ground and he looked at you, concerne etching in his eyes. “You’re okay? You’re not hurt or anything are you?” He looked towards the other boy before you could answer. “Luciel, you’re able to get us out the rest of the way undetected?”

The redhead - Luciel - nodded and silently led you both to a car, and you were all but pushed in the back seat before your rescuer climbed in behind you, closing the door as Luciel already started down the winding hill, leading you further away from what you thought would be your happiness. After sitting in silence for a moment, you turned to study the man next to you, only to find he was already staring at you. “Who are you? What’s going on?”

“You can call me V. We will explain everything to you once we know we’re safe. Your phone may be bugged and they could listen to everything we’re saying right now. Please, just stay patient with Luciel and I. We only want you to be safe.” You nodded your head, your eyes starting to feel heavy and you leaned your head against the cool window and felt yourself slowly drifting off.

As you woke, you found yourself laying in an unfamiliar bed. Looking around, you noticed the man who rescued you - V, you would remind yourself, was laying on another bed on the other side of the room. His chest moved up and down slowly, signalling he was still asleep. As quietly as you could, you left the room in search of a bathroom.

As you were wandering around the small cabin, you found Luciel sitting in a corner of what you could only presume to be the front room, two laptops sitting in front of him and he was typing away. “Have you been awake all night?”

You had scared him, and he turned around with blazing panic in his eyes. “MC, you’ve got to warn a fella before you sneak up on someone like that!”

You smiled apologetically before setting down on the couch, Luciel closing his laptops and turning to face you. “So, do you want to explain what’s going on?”

He bit his thumb nail and you took that moment to study him. He looked tired - no, exhausted, like this was at least the third night in a row he pulled an all nighter. “I think you should hear it from V.” You were about to protest and he held up his hand. “He holds the information you want. I have parts of it, but none of it makes sense to me. So, wait for V. He’ll explain everything to the best of his ability.”

You nodded, glancing around the room. “Then can I ask where we are?”

“A remote location I had used on another one of my jobs. Speaking of, can I see your phone?”

Handing your phone over, you laughed. “So you’re telling me this isn’t the first time you’ve had to go on a rescue mission to help a damsel in distress escape?” Seeing him fiddle with your phone suddenly raised a question. “Wait. Why do you need my phone?”

“Checking to see if it was bugged. If it is, it’s possible Mint Eye has been listening in to everything we’ve been saying as well as possibly tracking our location.” Pulling something out of the insides of the phone, Luciel smiled triumphantly. “Aha! I knew they wouldn’t let you keep your phone without putting something on it to monitor you. And no, you’re the first damsel in distress I’ve had to rescue, but that doesn’t mean you have to be the last.” He winked at you and you found yourself laughing at his ridiculousness before suddenly stopping your giggles.

You were so confused. Everything you’d learnt about Mint Eye from Ray was apparently a lie, but no one was explaining anything to you yet. “Have you eaten anything? I can make breakfast.”

Luciel gestured to some empty bag of chips on the floor as well as 3 cans of soda laying haphazardly around the laptops. “Meal fit for a king.”

Rolling your eyes, you got up and made your way to the kitchen, jumping back in surprise when you saw V standing in front of the stove, flipping pancakes.

“Sorry, I thought you were still asleep.” You watched as he poured more batter on the pan before he turned to you.

“I woke up as you were leaving the room. I knew Luciel wouldn’t be taking care of himself so I figured breakfast for all of us would help.” V, explained while gesturing to some strawberries that were recently washed. “Want to help? You can cut them.”

You settled beside him, keeping your eyes on the cutting board as you chopped the strawberries into small pieces. “So,”

“So,” V laughed lightly and you could swear that you’d heard that laugh before. It was like a distant memory, tickling at your brain. “Thanks for trusting me last night. I’m sure you’ve got some questions.”

“That’s an understatement.” You stopped cutting the strawberries in favor of looking him in his eyes. “I just want to know what’s going on.”

V sighed, setting down the spatula after putting the last cooked pancake on a plate. “I promise you that I will tell you everything as soon as I can. But let me start by telling you what you can know now.”

You listened patiently as V spoke quietly. He told you how someone he knew got caught up in the Mint Eye and that’s how he knew about it, choosing to go undercover there and try to get them out safely but by the time he discovered how, they had already been corrupted and how when he saw you enter with Ray on the first day, he wanted to make sure the same wouldn’t happen to you, since once you took the mysterious drug, you’d never be the same. He told you in vivid detail what he saw the elixir do to people, although he couldn’t exactly say why that happened to your brain when you took it. He scared you, and you hated the fact that you were so mesmerized by all the promises that Ray gave you that you didn’t see what was happening for yourself.

“V… I don’t know what else to say but thank you. I’m sure I’ll have tons of questions later but right now all I can do is thank you for coming to my rescue.” Your heart was racing as you thought of how close you could have come to joining what, in your mind, was classified as a cult.

“I will do my best to answer your questions but if I cannot at this time, please be patient with me.” V’s eyes pierced into yours and you could feel him pleading you to be as patient as possible. Wanting to comfort him, you gently set your hand over his and he moved his other hand on top, grasping your hand in the both of his. “I will promise you this. I will do whatever it takes for you to be safe, even if that means sacrificing myself.”

Your breath caught in your throat as you studied his face, seeing how sincere and serious V was. You nodded your head, too enamored in his presence to even try to pull away from him.

“MC, have you seen V? He seems to have dis-oh!” Luciel appeared in the doorway to the kitchen and you jerked your hand away from V, trying to quickly resume cutting the strawberries. V’s face was flushed red as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Looks like you found him.”

“I was just making breakfast and MC offered to help.” V replied, setting the plate of pancakes on the small kitchen table and Luciel sat down, reaching for one.

“So, how long are we staying here for?” You questioned as you set the strawberries down before grabbing a pancake of your own and spooning a generous amount of strawberries on top.

V and Luciel exchanged a look and the redhead shrugged his shoulders. “As of right now, indefinitely.”

“I’m sorry, what?!” Your fork clanged onto your plate in surprise and V looked down in his lap, not meeting your eyes. “So you’re telling me that you rescued me from being trapped somewhere and now I’m trapped somewhere else?”

“Don’t think of it as being trapped… think of it as a long vacation that doesn’t have a set end date.” Luciel offered up around a mouthful of food. “We’re not keeping you trapped here, MC. You can go outside, go for a swim in the lake. Do whatever you want to do. We just need you to stay around the area so we can assure your safety.”

“Don’t either of you think all of this is crazy? Why not call the police and tell them what’s going on? Surely they can disband Mint Eye?” V looked up, meeting your eyes and there was an intense look in them.

“We can’t do that right now.”

“And why the hell not? It makes no sense to me why two young men are trying to take down a cult all by themselves.” Standing up, you leaned on the counter across from V and out of the corner of your eye you could see Luciel watching both of you with a new curiosity.

“That’s… not something I can tell you yet. I’m sorry.” V hung his head and you sighed, looking towards Luciel. He silently shrugged his shoulders.

“Okay well, I’m going to go lay down again because this is ridiculous and I need a break from the both of you. V, please work on figuring out how to tell me as soon as possible everything that you know. Not the stripped down version you told me earlier. Luciel, get some rest, you look like hell.” You didn’t bother waiting for either of them to respond, instead opting to work your way back to the room you woke up in and climb in the bed, taking comfort in the fact that you had a little area to call your own.

Curling your knees to your chest, you hugged yourself tightly, trying to settle yourself down. You hated the fact that you didn’t know what was going on. You missed your mother, she was probably worried sick about you. Sure, you had your phone and nothing was stopping from calling, but what would you say? ‘Sorry for not calling, I almost joined a cult and now I’m at a cabin with two guys I barely know who rescued me’? Just the thought of it sounded ridiculous.

There was a knock on the door and when you looked up, V was looking at you wearily. “Can I come in?” You nodded and slid over on the bed some, making room for him to join you. “How are you doing?”

“I’m just frustrated. I know what’s going on to an extent, but it’s annoying that I don’t know the full story. But I am choosing to trust you, so please don’t do anything to break that.” V didn’t respond so you looked up at him. He was staring straight ahead at the blank wall, seemingly lost in thought. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” he replied, brushing his hair out of his eyes and looking down at you.

“That night you rescued me, you called me by my name even though I didn’t tell it to you. How did you know my name?” You suddenly felt self conscious as V studied you curiously, chewing on his lip in thought.

“I heard Ray say it when talking about you to one of the other believers.”

“Oh,” you replied, disappointment settling onto your shoulders like an old worn out blanket. “Sorry, you just remind me of someone I used to know.”

“Would you like to tell me about them?” V’s hand gently brushed yours and before you could even register it, he was pulling his hand away, fiddling with the chain on his neck.

“He was just an old childhood friend. I grew up in a neighborhood with not too many other children but I was close with two boys who were a little older than me. We spent every day together for as much time as our nannies allowed, since all of our parents were too busy to watch us on their own. I moved away one day early in the morning and never saw either of them again. But that hasn’t stopped me from looking from time to time. One of them is an heir to a giant company, and I can see from news reports that he seems to be doing well, but the other has seemingly dropped off the face of the earth.”

“It sounds like you cared deeply for them,” V acknowledged. “If you’re still looking to see what has become of them.”

“Yes, they were more like family to me than anything else.”

“What would you say to them if you could see them again?”

“That I’m sorry for leaving without finding a way to say goodbye. I’m sorry for not looking for them sooner. That I never stopped caring, even after 15 years I still continue cherish our old memories together.” You blinked and realized tears were falling freely down your face. “Sorry,” you laughed sadly. “I don’t know what came over me.”

V brushed a few stray tears off your cheeks, his hands lingering on your face, almost like he was waiting for more tears to fall so he could catch them for you. “You don’t have to apologize for caring, MC. It’s a beautiful thing.”

You smiled at him, grateful that he was so understanding and moved your face from his grasp. “That was the first time I’ve said those words out loud, even though I’ve thought them so many times before. Thank you.”

V’s gaze lingered on you for a few moments before he got up, brushing invisible wrinkles off his shirt. “I should leave you to rest for now.”

You nodded, moving to slip under the covers before stopping him. “Hey, V?” He halted at the doorway, looking at you inquisitively. “Thanks for saving me.”

“Of course,” he replied with a look in his eyes you couldn’t place before exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

After comfortably settling into a routine with V and Luciel. - you had learned he normally responds to Seven, but you couldn’t bring yourself to call him that - you found that they could actually be good company. V spent most of his free time with you, either teaching you to take pictures on his camera or going for nature walks, both of you taking endless amounts of photos. When Luciel wasn’t busy typing away on his computers or phones, he sometimes joined you.

A week into hiding out, you had hit the hottest day of the summer. The sun was blaring down on V and your backs as you walked along the mossy forest, you pointing to a lake not too far below. “That’d be nice to swim in today.”

“Do you want to?” V snapped another picture of you when you weren’t looking - you were slowly becoming his favorite thing to photograph. “We could pull Luciel away from the computer for a while and just take some time to relax together.” And that’s how you and V ended up inside, each of you sitting on one side of Luciel as he furiously typed away on his laptop.

“Please, God Seven. Join V and I for a quick swim. You’re starting to look pasty, it’d be good for you to get outside.” You teased and he shot you a glance before turning back to the computer.

“Luciel, anything you’re doing now can wait. The Mint Eye hasn’t tried to hack us in days.” V persuaded, moving to pull the younger man’s headphones off his ears. “Plus, you never know when you’ll get to do this again. We don’t get weather like this much.”

Sighing, Luciel shut his laptop before looking between the two of you. “You two are scary good at ganging up on someone.” Shrugging off his hoodie that never seemed to leave his body, he followed you and V out the door, rolling his eyes as you both cheered in victory. “She’s mean about it and he points out that she’s right, but in a very nice way. Not fair.” He mumbled under his breath and you and V both looked at each other before bursting out into giggles, mocking Luciel the entire way down to the lake.

When you reached the lake, Luciel and V tossed their shirts to the side and you hesitated. “Whats the matter?” V asked and you blushed as your eyes roamed across his shirtless chest.

“I just don't feel comfortable going in my bra and underwear.” You explained, watching as Luciel wade deeper into the cool water.

“Well here, you can wear my shirt. That way your clothes are still dry when we’re done.” V handed you his black shirt he always wore and you smiled at him gratefully and waited for him to turn his back to you before you pulled off your shirt before quickly putting his on and pulling down your skirt. “Is the water cold?”

“No, it’s great, come in!” Luciel called to you and you hesitantly dipped your big toe in the water before pulling back. “Oh, come on MC. Don’t make me come get you.” He threatened and you laughed before walking in slightly.

“MC, come here,” V waved you over and you looked at him hesitantly. “You’re in the shade right now. The water’s warm once you get in the sun.”

Carefully making your way over to him, you shivered as you submerged yourself more in the cold water. “I guess you’re right,” you admitted and as you moved a little closer to V, your foot slipped on an algae covered rock, the water pulling you under before you could even register what was going on. Preparing to kick yourself up, you startled as two strong hands grabbed you under the armpits and hauled your head back above the water.

“Are you alright?” Your arms were holding on tightly to V’s neck and he was looking at you with concern.

“Yes, I’m fine thank you.” Your hands dropped and you didn’t fail to notice that V’s hands were still holding onto your hips.

“Well isn’t this a touching scene?” A unfamiliar voice called out from the shore and V’s head whipped towards the blonde girl standing there.

“Rika,” V pushed you behind him and Luciel grabbed your wrist, keeping you in place. “What are you doing here?”

“Who is that?” You whispered to Luciel and he shook his head, eyes wide.

“I knew you would find her eventually, V. You played right into my trap.” Rika smiled cynically and you could swear you saw V shudder under her gaze. “MC, it’s so wonderful to finally meet you. I’ve heard lots about you from V and Ray.”

You looked at V who was looking straight ahead, almost like he was refusing to meet your gaze. “What do you mean? Who are you?”

“Oh, Luciel and V haven’t told you about me? Then I should introduce myself.” Rika picked up a piece of clothing that was laying near her feet - V’s jacket. “My name is Rika, but you might have heard of me before. At the Mint Eye people refer to me as the Savior.”

Your blood ran cold and you shivered, moving closer to Luciel for some more warmth. “Then how have you heard about me from V?”

“Oh sweetie, he really hasn’t told you anything, has he?” Rika sat down on the ground and glanced at V before turning her gaze back to you. “V and I used to be lovers before I founded the Mint Eye. We were engaged.”

“Rika, stop this. If you want to talk, talk to me in private. Don’t pull MC into this.” V pleaded, making his way towards her.

“But don’t you see? She’s already involved more than she knows.” Rika held up her hand and V stopped moving closer. “MC, you’ve met this man before many times but you might have known him by a different name. Perhaps Jihyun Kim rings a bell?”

“No,” you gasped as blood rushed in your ears, halting your thought process. “I don’t believe you.”

“Why else did you think Ray recruited you to become part of our paradise?” Rika smiled at you, but there was nothing but a blank look in her eyes. “When V and I were still together, he would mention you. Would ask himself where you were and prayed that you were safe, wherever you were. Once I got word that you were back in the same city as him, I had Ray find you.”

“Why me?” You asked, refusing to look towards your childhood friend. You knew that if you met his eyes that you would break down and you needed to be strong in front of Rika.

“Don’t be stupid, MC. I needed to get closer to you so I could hurt V.”

“Rika, that’s enough.” V’s usually soft spoken tone broke you out of your trance as his voice echoed across the lake. “You caused enough damage. If anything else needs to happen, please just let it happen to me. Don’t involve anyone else anymore. Please.”

“No, I don’t think so. I’m done here for now, but don’t let your guard down. I’ll be back and this time it won’t be just to talk.” Rika replied before getting up and silently making her way away from the lake.

“MC, please listen to me, I-” V was already walking towards you as you broke out of Luciel’s grip,

“No, I don’t want to hear it right now.” You cut him off and brushed past him, going to collect your clothes. “Please leave me alone.”

V’s hand dropped back to his side and you could hear movement in the water. He and Luciel followed behind you, leaving you to yourself and as soon as you made it back to the cabin, you locked yourself in the bathroom and wrapped yourself in a towel.

You were chilled to the bone, but not because of the water of the lake, but because of the information Rika had supplied to you. You weren’t sure how long you sat on the bathroom floor, just playing with the hem of V’s shirt and thinking over everything. You had opened up to him, telling him about the childhood friends you left behind, only to find out that he was one of them. The worst part about it all was that he knew the entire time and never told you. He let you tell him everything about your friendship with each other and didn’t say anything. He let you learn to trust him before Rika came along and shattered all the trust that you were beginning to have.

There was a quiet knock on the door and you got up, opening the door slightly. “I’m sorry, V said to leave you be, but I really had to go to the bathroom.” Noticing the tears tracking down your face, Luciel grabbed your upper arm softly. “Hey, are you okay?” You launched yourself at the taller boy, wrapping your arms around his midsection as you shook your head no, your tears spilling out faster. He hesitantly hugged you back, rubbing soothing circles on your back. “Shh, it’s okay. MC, it’s alright. I’m here.”

You pulled away and wiped your eyes, laughing at yourself a bit. “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”

“You’re alright, MC. Go into your room and change and let me go to the bathroom and I’ll come sit with you and we can talk, alright?” You nodded, letting go of the redhead before picking up the towel that you had wrapped around your shoulders and made your way to the room you and V had been sharing.You slipped the black shirt you had borrowed from the mint haired man over you head and pulled on the blue blouse and polka dot skirt you had been wearing since the night you escaped from Mint Eye.

Hanging V’s damp shirt on the doorknob to hang and dry, you startled as the door swung open. Laughing at your shocked expression, Luciel made his way inside the room and sat himself down on the bed you had been sleeping on, patting the empty space next to him. You both sat in the quiet for some time, reminding you of the first time that you and V had sat in the same position and you talked about your childhood. “Want to talk about it?”

“Not really,” you admitted, settling your head on his shoulder and Luciel wrapped his arm tightly around your shoulder. “I just feel like everyone’s keeping secrets and I don’t like that, especially since there’s secrets about me.”

“I’m sure you’ve figured this much out, but this is bigger than just you. There’s obviously something deeply wrong with Rika, she and V have some history that is more complicated than everyone originally thought. I was under the impression until a week ago that Rika was dead, so I’m also wanting some answers.” You settled further into Luciel’s chest and he laid down, pulling a sheet over the both you. “I know it’s hard right now, but let’s just give V a little more time to figure things out. He promised the both of us he would tell us everything when he could. We still have hold onto that for now.”

“Luciel, will you stay with me tonight? I don’t want to be alone.” You looked up at him and already found his eyes closed, his breathing slowing. Pulling his glasses off his face and setting them down on the table next to him, you settled yourself back into his chest and closed your eyes, dreamland enveloping you faster than you realized was possible.

The next morning you woke with a start and you reached for the space beside you before realizing it was empty. Luciel must have gotten up at some point, most likely to get back to doing his work on the laptops he had pretty much been glued to.

When you say up, you saw V sitting across the room on his bed, his naked back facing your direction. “Jihyun?”

He startled before turning towards you, an apologetic look in his eyes. “Sorry, it’s been a very long time since anyone has called me that.”

“Can I ask you something?” He nodded, walking towards the door where his shirt was hanging from the day before. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were who I was talking about that first day we sat here?”

He pulled on the shirt and your eyes were glued to the taut muscles moving on his stomach and abs as he did so. “I thought it would be safer if you didn’t know.” He crossed the room and knelt before you, his head staring at your bare feet that were hanging over the edge of the bed. “If you knew, it’d be that much harder for me to leave with Rika. For the both of us.”

“Well I know now,” you responded, absentmindedly brushing a strand of hair back that had fallen into his eyes. “So what happens?”

“The plan’s still the same as always MC. I have to go with Rika because if I don’t, she will drag more innocent people into this.”

“Didn’t you hear her yesterday? She’s not going to stop if you go with her, Jihyun. That will not solve anything.” You balled your hands into fists and sat on top of them, resisting the urge to grab the beautiful boy in front of you and shake him until he gained some sense. “Stay here, tell Luciel and I everything and let us help you figure it out, together.”

“MC, it’s not that simple. I wish it was.” Jihyun grabbed one of your hands and unfurled it, rubbing the crescent shaped marks that were indented in your palm from your fingernails. “I want to tell you everything but I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“I think we’re past the point of secrets.” You stayed and stood up, pulling Jihyun to his feet with you as well. “Please promise me that you’ll at least tell Luciel and I the whole truth.”

And that’s how you all ended up at the kitchen table, much like the first morning you spent with the two boys you’ve been living with. Jihyun started from the beginning, recounting how he had met Rika and it was like an instant connection and how he wanted to help light her way. Eventually, it became obsessive to her and he continued to love her unconditionally, even despite her ruining his eyes. After a charity party they threw with a few friends - Luciel included, Jihyun and Rika had an argument that set her over the edge, causing her to leave him and start carrying her plans out for the Mint Eye. You came into play when Rika realized V was still hanging around Mint Eye, trying to see if there was any piece of the old Rika left. She knew he never got over the childhood abandonment that haunted him when you left so she used you, wanting to prove to V that she was still in control.

In Rika’s mind, everything she was doing seemed right. Jihyun explained that she was severely sick mentally and no matter what kind of help he would try to get her, she would refuse, saying it wasn’t helping and why won’t he love every part of her unconditionally, even her dark side? He told you that she pulled you into the Mint Eye to try and lure him back into her control, she wanted to feel the endless love that he used to give her again. He spoke of how during this time away, taking a lot of time to speak to Luciel about everything, he realized that he once loved her but that the love had turned into an obsession, which is what she now craved. So by sacrificing himself to her once again and showering her in the attention she craves so badly, he hopes to help heal her radical ways and make sure no one else will get pulled into this dark place as well.

“I hope you know that even if you go with her, that won’t solve anything.” Luciel broke the deafening silence. “She needs severe help and I think that you going there and giving her what she thinks she wants would only make things worse.”

“Jihyun, you heard what she said yesterday. She won’t stop until she hurts you. She’s already hurt your eyes! Who’s to say she won’t do worse?” Your voice almost wavered but you kept it steady. You knew Jihyun needed you to stay strong for him to realize that what he wants to do isn’t worth it. “I don’t think you’re thinking this through rationally.”

“She is trying to hurt people I care about, MC.” Jihyun slammed his hand on the table and you jumped, Luciel grabbing onto your hand closest to him. “I can’t let that happen and if that means sacrificing myself then that’s what I need to do. I’m sorry, you won’t understand.”

“Listen, we’re all a little tense right now. That was a lot of information to take in. Let’s just all take a few moments to ourselves and then we��ll talk about everything later tonight. Alright?” Luciel stood up, not even waiting for a response and he walked out of the room, already on a phone call with whom you could only presume was his boss.

“I’m going to go for a walk, would you care to join me?” Jihyun extended his hand towards you and you took hold of it, holding it like you would fine China, afraid he would break if you gripped it too strong.

You both walked together in silence, taking in the familiar sights of the woody forest you’ve both become to memorize. When you both stopped at an old broken bench, not too far away from where you had gone swimming only the day before, you wrapped your arms around his waist, with your face in his chest. He smelled like lake water and you found yourself wishing he smelled like something familiar, something that could ground you to your childhood with him.

Jihyun’s arms remained at his side, his head tilted down towards you. “This feels strange. It’s a new sensation to me.”

“Have you never had someone hug you before?” You asked, squeezing just a little bit tighter, but not enough to be uncomfortable.

“No. No one has ever hugged me or embraced me as you are doing right now.” His fingers lightly stroked your face as you pulled back, wide eyes staring at him intently. “Rika was a person who needed me to embrace her… she didn’t get to embrace me.” Jihyun let out a long breath, and you let go of him completely, moving to sit down on the bench as he did the same. “Uh… it kind of feels heart-fluttering, or dreamy… or comfortable. It’s the kind of special feeling you only get a few times in your life. Thank you, MC.” You stayed silent as you watched him seemingly in deep thought. “You knew me as a child so you know about my mother. She was the only one who ever wanted to embrace me and at the time, I refused her. And by the time I realized that I did want her hugs, it was too late.” He turned to you. “I want to be able to love someone again some day, but I fear what will happen with Rika will happen with someone else as well.”

“I think if you take the time you need to heal properly and take everything slowly, you will be able to love again.” You replied honestly, and you internally yelled at the part of your mind that was saying you wished it was yourself that Jihyun would be able to love in time.

“Thank you, MC. You always seem to know what to say. You… you’re starting to give me hope that I had thought had disappeared, ready to never return.” Jihyun squeezed your shoulder gently before standing up. “I am going to head inside, I want to make sure you and Luciel have something to eat soon. Don’t stay too much longer outside.”

As soon as you lost sight of him, a new figure came into view. “Everything is so much clearer now.”

“Rika, what are you doing here?” You asked, moving to get up but she stood in front of you, her arms on either side of your head, gripping the bench.

“Even if V did come back with me, he could never love me the way he did anymore because he’s fallen in love with you.” Rika’s lips quivered and you noticed a hint of sadness in them.

“Rika, what you want from V isn’t love. It was an obsession. He was obsessed with you. You need to let him go.” Your voice came out stronger than you felt and you were glad for that.

“No… no, no, no. He loved me! I know he did!” Rika shreaked, her fingers gripping your bare shoulders, her fingernails digging in hard enough to break skin. “Stop it, don’t tell me that!” Rika turned away from you for a second turning around, a small knife in her hand. “You took him from me! He will love me again. He will!” You felt a searing pain in your side and you doubled over as the knife clanged to the ground, Rika dropping to her knees next to you for a moment before picking up the knife and running off before anyone else could spot her. As she was running away you could hear her crying to herself and asking what she had done.

Covering the wound with your hands, you cried for help as loud as you could, your voice growing weaker with each passing second. You weren’t close enough to the cabin to really be heard, but you tried anyway.

“MC?” Jihyun’s voice broke through the deafening silence and you found yourself wanting to call out to him but your head was too hazy and your lips wouldn’t form the words anymore. “MC, is everything okay? I heard screaming.” He was getting closer to your form lying on the ground and you heard him pick up his pace and run the rest of the way over to you. “What happened? MC, can you hear me?” You wanted to tell him that you could, but you couldn’t speak. His hands pushed yours aside and he covered your wound with the jacket he was wearing, applying as much pressure as he could without hurting you more. “Please keep your eyes open MC. I’ll get you help. Luciel!” Jihyun’s voice strained as he called for the other male. “Luciel…! Come quick!”

Another set of footsteps sounded and you tried to focus on Jihyun’s eyes which were searing into your own. “We have to take her to the hospital. You pick her up, I’ll grab the car. Quickly!” Luciel’s voice sounded like it was underwater and you struggled to understand every word he was saying.

Jihyun let go of his coat that he was using to slow the blood flow and slipped one arm behind your back, the other underneath your legs and he picked you up, cradling you to his chest. “Hold on, MC. We’re going to get you help. Just keep your eyes on me for now, can you do that?” You couldn’t nod your head so you squeezed the fabric of his shirt slightly in hopes he would understand. “I promise you nothing’s going to happen to you okay? I promise.” Luciel pulled his car as close to the clearing as possible and Jihyun laid you down in the backseat before getting in next to you and cradling your head in his lap with one hand, the other one back at your side where his jacket was.

The first thing you heard when you awoke was beeping. Steady, constant beeping that was already starting to give you a headache. Then when your eyes opened, you were staring at a bright white light and ceiling. There was a hand squeezing yours and you turned your head to meet an unfamiliar face. You opened your mouth to speak, but no words would come out.

The man silently got up and poured you a cup of water before helping you sit up. “The nurses said you’d probably be thirsty when you woke up.” He stated, reaching above your bed and pressing the button that signaled to the nurses you needed assistance.

“Who are you?” You asked after drinking the whole cup of water in one gulp, tugging lightly at the various wires coming out of your left arm. The man put his hand over yours to stop you from doing so.

“You’re telling me you don’t recognize me, MC? Although it has been a long time, I would have thought you would know my face.” The man had a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips and he patted your hand softly. “I’m Jumin.”

“Jumin? But where’s Jihyun?” You questioned, and the heartbeat monitor picked up as you sat up, moving to pull at the wires again.

Jumin’s strong hand gripped your shoulder where Rika’s nails had dug in, leaving deep marks, and you whimpered, cowering away from him and settling back into the bed. “Did I hurt you? I am extremely sorry I was just trying to-“

“I’m fine,” you cut him off. “Where’s Luciel and Jihyun? Where am I?”

“You’re in the hospital, MC. Three nights ago, you got hurt extremely bad. I don’t know the full extent of what happened, that’ll be something for either Luciel or V to explain to you. Luciel has left for a while, he had something to take care of. And Jihyun is currently in a procedure.” Jumin’s face, while remaining stoic, had a hint of kindness to it, almost like he was talking to a child and had no idea how.

“A procedure?” Your heartbeat sped up again. “Is he alright?”

Jumin waited for your heartbeat to slow down before answering. “Yes, Jihyun is well. I’m sure you’re aware of the damage that was done to his eyes?” You nodded your head, glancing towards the water pitcher. Jumin silently took your plastic cup and refilled it for you. “He’s just having a procedure done to fix his eyes. He should be done within the next few hours.”

As Jumin was explaining, two nurses came in and began checking your vitals. They explained to you how to dress your wound and how often to change it, as well as everything you needed to know about pain medication. At the end of the day you were able to be discharged under Jumin’s signature but they wanted to keep you for a few hours while you were awake, just to make sure everything was okay.

As they were leaving, Luciel walked in, and smiled at you when he saw you were awake and talking to Jumin. “MC, hey! How are you feeling?”

“Like I got stabbed with a knife.” You deadpanned and both the men standing around your bed stared at you with blank expressions. Laughing, you patted an empty spot on the bed and Luciel sat down, hesitantly putting your arms around your shoulder. “Have you heard anything about Jihyun?”

“Not yet, but his surgery should be done fairly soon. When can you leave?” Luciel asked and you watched as Jumin pulled out his phone to check the time.

“As soon as Mr. CEO here signs off on my paperwork.” You gestured to the manilla folder sitting at the foot of your bed. “I want to be out of this bed when Jihyun wakes up.”

Jumin teasingly rolled his eyes at you before going to pick up the folder. “This is what you need me to sign?” He asked, briefly leafing through the various pages. “It might take a few hours, I’ll need Assistant Kang to look over everything before I sign it.”

“Juumin,” you whined and buried your head in Luciel’s shoulder. “Please?”

“Alright. Seven, if you’d like to retrieve MC’s clothes so she could change into something else, I’m sure she would be much obliged.” The redhead left your side and you smiled gratefully at him as he crossed the room to grab the big plastic bag with your belongings in them but upon further inspection, the articles of clothing in the bag were nothing you’d ever seen before.

“I think there’s been a mix up. This isn’t mine.” You held up a light green and white striped a-line dress and Jumin shook his head.

“We couldn’t let you leave here in bloody and ripped clothes so I had Assistant Kang pick this out for you. We figured a flowing dress would be easiest since you don’t want to put pressure on your wound.”

“I appreciate everything you both have done for me. Thank you.” You looked at them both, heart swelling in adoration in the two opposites standing next to the other. “Could you please leave so I can get dressed? Unless you want to watch, but I don’t think you do.” They both flushed and quickly made their way out into the waiting room. After carefully dressing yourself, one of the nurses from earlier came to check on you and she insisted on helping you to the waiting room. Sitting down next to Luciel, you leaned your head on his shoulder. “Any news?”

“He just came out of surgery but hasn’t woken up yet. He will need to keep the bandages on his eyes for a few days and then wear some special glasses to protect his eyes for a while. They said the surgery went smoothly and the results should be positive, but they won’t know until his eyes heal.” Jumin replied, scrolling through his phone. “Would it make you less stressed to see a picture of Elizabeth the 3rd?”

You were about to question who that was when Luciel suddenly interjected. “Aw Elly! You have to show Elly to MC, she’s so cute!”

You covered Luciel’s mouth with your hand as Jumin faced his screen towards you, a picture of a gorgeous white haired cat with bright blue eyes staring back at you. “She’s a beautiful cat, Jumin.”

“Thank you, I make it my duty to care for her every day and night. She has been away with my assistant since I’ve been here and I miss her dearly.” Jumin sighed and pulled his phone back, scrolling through other pictures of his cat, a forlorn look on his face.

Luciel licked your hand and you shrieked, pulling your hand away and rubbing his spit on his sweatshirt. “You’re disgusting.”

“Maybe, but you loooove me.” He teased, booping you on the nose. You rolled your eyes and settled back into his side, your eyes closing.

Two days after you and Jihyun were discharged from the hospital, you both laid on the couch in Jumin’s penthouse, each sprawled out on one side of the couch. There was an old movie playing quietly on the TV but neither of you could be bothered to watch, the book in your hands was more than enough entertainment for the time being. Your mint haired friend sat with a sketch book and some charcoal pencils in his lap, but his hands were stilled and his head was tilted back.

Jumin insisted on having both you and Jihyun stay at his penthouse while you recovered since he could have a nurse that came a few times a day to check on both of you, as well as keeping an eye on the two of you himself when he was home. He’d never admit it to either of you, but he was happy that the circumstances of everything helped reconnect you to both him and Jihyun.

“MC,” Jihyun called to you and you looked up from the page you were reading.

“Are you alright?” You asked, setting down your book. Jihyun had gotten the bandages taken off his eyes earlier that day, and you wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything wrong.

“Yes, I’m well, thank you. I just can’t sleep.” You slowly got up, careful of your stitches and you settled down next to him, opening your arm on your good side for him.

“Here, lay with me, see if that helps.” Jihyun carefully maneuvered himself to where he was laying with his head on your stomach, his arm wrapped carefully around your side as one of your hands settled on his back, rubbing soothing circles and the other one fell to his hair, gently detangling the knots that had started to form. Before long, his breathing slowed and soft snores started filling the room over the sounds of the TV. You settled down into the couch a bit more, careful not to disturb the sleeping man you were holding and you closed your eyes, easily falling into a light sleep.

When Jumin walked through the door of the penthouse about an hour later, he heard laughing coming from his front room. Toeing off his shoes, he made his way to where the noise was coming from and found you and Jihyun lying together, laughing at something he was showing you on his phone. “Jihyun, I presume your eyes are starting to heal?”

Jihyun picked his head up from your stomach, adjusting the protective glasses on his nose. “Yes, Jumin, thank you for recommending this eye surgeon for me.”

“And MC, how about your stitches?” Jumin questioned, setting himself down on the couch and patting his lap, inviting Elizabeth up.

“Getting better every day.” You beamed and Jumin smiled at how happy his two oldest friends looked in that moment.

“I’m very glad it seems both of you are having an easy recovery. Hopefully soon you both will be back to being fully mobile.” Jumin ran his hands over Elizabeth the 3rd’s back as he spoke, looking up at you and Jihyun every once in a while.

“Speaking of recovery,” Jihyun cleared his throat and looked at his two friends nervously. “I’ve decided that after my eyes heal, I’m going to go away for some time. I need time away from this city to figure out who I am without Rika. I want to reinvent myself as an artist, just like my mother always encouraged. I want to go away to be able to come back and try to love someone again.”

You felt disappointment blossoming in your chest and your stomach felt like it does after a huge drop on a rollercoaster. Selfishly, you didn’t want Jihyun to leave; you had only just reconnected with him and Jumin and you wanted to be able to spend some time with your friends, not having to worry about hiding or any secrets being kept. But you also knew that going away would be better for him in the long run. “Jihyun, you know I will alway support you no matter what you want to do. I will miss you, but we can stay in touch.”

“As will I,” Jumin stopped petting Elizabeth and was staring intently at his friend. “I will be here when you get back.”

Two years after Jihyun had left for his trip, the RFA had finally decided to host parties again. After he left, Jumin made you the party coordinator, with Jihyun’s permission of course, and although you became quick friends with the rest of the members, there was something missing. The last you heard from Jihyun, he was in California, working on his newest painting series he called Recovery. You were glad he was taking the time he needed, but that didn’t mean you didn’t miss your friend dearly.

While he was away, you had come to terms with your feelings for Jihyun and vowed that when he returned, you wouldn’t say anything. If he wanted to pursue anything with you, he would need to be the one to tell you since you wanted to make sure he felt comfortable in what could possibly happen between the two of you.

“MC, did you hear what I said?” Jaehee was standing at your side, helping you greet guests at your first party.

“No, sorry.” You smiled sheepishly at your friend and she playfully rolled her eyes at you.

“I said, can you go check out front to see if there are any more guests who maybe got lost? It seems that we have some who have RSVPed but haven’t shown up yet.” Jaehee gestured with her clipboard and you left her side, not wanting to make any more issues for her.

You took comfort in the cool fall air as you stepped outside. “MC,”

A familiar voice called your name and you turned around, coming face to face with the man whose face you pictured every time you closed you eyes. “Jihyun… I missed you.”

“You couldn’t have missed me more than I missed you,” he replied stepping closer. “There wasn’t a single day I spent not missing you while I was away.” His hair was shorter than the last time you saw him and he had a bright smile on his face, something that you hadn’t seen since you were children. “You look surprised that I’m here.”

“Well yes, I just wasn’t expecting see you since I hadn’t heard from you in a few weeks.” You admitted, pushing your hair back behind your ear. “But I am very happy to see you, Jihyun.”

“I came back because there’s something important I needed to say.” Jihyun’s eyes never left yours as he grasped one of your hands in both of his. “I wanted to tell you this sooner, but I think it was worth the wait.” You nodded your head, waiting for him to continue. “While I was away I thought about you so much that I had originally concluded that thinking of you wouldn’t help me heal. But then, when I’d try not to think about you, it’d be worse. Your smile would ingrave itself into the back of my eyelids while I was trying to go to sleep. And then I realized you were the reason I wanted… no, I needed to get better... for me but also for you. Because loving you is my greatest sin. I would go through everything we went through just for the chance to get to love you over and over again. So, can I please be selfish for once and ask if you if you have any chance of loving me back?”

Jihyun’s eyes were pleading with you and you opened your mouth to speak but he continued. “Over these past two years, I’ve been putting together blank puzzles. I’ve been drawing and painting on them. It always seemed there was a piece missing, even once I had finished. I know now, that you were the piece, that nothing will ever really feel complete without you by my side. During my time away I often wondered to myself that if no one really cares for me, do I even really exist? But then I realized all the times you saw the real me, even when there wasn’t much to see. You believed in me to be bette and you cared for me, when I didn’t deserve to be cared for. I don’t care if I exist in a world with only you and I, I just know I selfishly want to live with you by my side. Two years ago, I told you that I wanted to be able to love again… that I’d like to love again if the chance arises. Do you remember?” You nodded, smiling at Jihyun. “So, I want to. I want to love you, I do love you. So, I would like you to have me, if you want me.”

“Jihyun… I can finally tell you all that I feel for you in my heart. You are the first dream-the only dream I was unable to stop myself from dreaming. You are the first dream of my soul and from that dream, I hope will come a lifetime’s worth of other dreams. Jihyun, please stay with me, because I cannot have another day of my life go by without having you in it. Please be as selfish as you want to be with me, love me in any way you are willing, for I will be there with you to accept your love and give you mine in return. I love you, Jihyun Kim, and there wont be a day that passes by where I stop loving you, not in this lifetime.”

Jihyun’s face broke out into a wide grin and he wrapped his arms around your waist hugging you to him tightly as you wrapped your arms around his neck, taking in the scent of paint water and chalk. This was right, this was where you were meant to be.

#jihyun kim #jihyun x mc #v mysme #v mysme x mc #mystic messenger fanfic #mystic messenger fan fiction #V mystic messenger #my sunshine jihyun #my writing

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gaycrouton · 4 years

Text

A Long-Standing Curiosity

This is a part of my "Countdown" Series, where I play with the "X" times Mulder and Scully "X" trope. 10-2 will be UST-y with the final one being their first time.

This one is Five times Scully was reminded of Mulder’s impressive size. NSFW

I - A Hint (S1)

Whenever Mulder dragged her over to the Gunmen's, she felt a wicked sense of dejavu from her years of being a tagalong little sister. When her parents were out and Missy was busy, Bill was saddled with the duty of watching her. He'd hang out with his friends, usually riding bikes around the neighborhood while she exerted herself trying to keep up, her equilibrium tilting back and forth from training wheel to training wheel scraping against the pavement.

She was the outsider, but she wanted to be included.

"Some spies are said to keep asps in their pockets in preparation for a quick suicide," Frohike proclaimed. For what reason, she didn't know.

"I heard that too," Langly agreed. "That when they feel they've been compromised, they just aggravate the asp into biting them and releasing their venom."

"Like the historical myth about Cleopatra," she added, wanting to contribute since she hadn't been able to chime in during the last several conversations.

The three unfamiliar men looked over at her with a quizzical look. Much like in the summer days spent with Bill's friend, she'd distanced herself more in an attempt to bridge the gap. She squirmed in her seat under their attention, but she didn't lower her eyes, meeting them each with a raised eyebrow that said "What? I'm right."

"Myth?" Mulder asked, drawing her attention to the corner of the room where he was lounging comfortably. Whereas Bill would look over his shoulder, just to make sure she was still there before taking off even faster, Mulder kept a steady gaze on her, unwilling to let her fall behind. "It's a fact she killed herself with an asp," he challenged.

The Gunmen's heads went back and forth with each volley of this proverbial match. "No, it's not. Despite the paintings of Reginald Arthur and Michel Corneille or the writing of Shakespeare making millions believe she held an asp to her breast after the death of Antony, historians have proven that it was either the stab of a sharp implement like a hairpin or a toxic ointment that caused her death."

"I'd never heard that before, that's really interesting," Byers remarked, offering her a sincere smile.

Mulder was nodding at her with what appeared to be pride as she explained this. "That does make a lot more sense than someone just having a snake in their pants at the ready," Mulder teased, turning his attention over to the more eccentric two of the trio.

"Why? You do it all the time," Frohike joked, causing Langly to cackle.

"Except he's packing a python instead of an asp," Langly added, smiling wider as Mulder grew redder.

And just like all those years ago, the group of boys defaulted to dick jokes. Except Mulder wasn't her brother, and she was a woman now. Hearing them talk so openly about a topic she'd mentally sanctioned as taboo made her eyes widen and her curiosity flare.

"How many women you bite with that thing, Mulder?" Frohike, teased.

Scully observed as Mulder's previous position of comfort became tense as his eyes flickered over to see how she was reacting to the crude locker room talk. The ease with which the comments rolled off his friends' tongues made her think that this wasn't unusual talk for them nor that it was unfounded. The only thing that seemed out of place was Mulder's embarrassment.

"Guys, come on," he chastised, glaring at them while motioning his head towards her.

Frohike looked at her and coughed away his chuckling. "Sorry, Agent Scully."

She waved her hand in front of her face in dismissal. "It doesn't bother me."

But a nagging curiosity in the back of her mind now was.

II - A Glimpse (S2)

Scully didn't even realize it until afterwards. A flash of a bulge in her memory coming unexpected like an after shock in an earthquake.

She was standing at her kitchen counter, sipping from a glass of water with a shaky hand while Mulder's weapon sat next to the sink. Her body was exhausted from the effort of removing Mulder's clothes without any help from the double-her-size man. She'd stumbled back into her bookshelf when his pants finally came free and she'd been too worried about waking him to realize what she'd just uncovered, but now that she was calming down, she could recollect it perfectly.

An elongated bulge in his briefs, resting innocently on his upper thigh.

Elongated.

She hadn't really seen anything. Not in the flesh at least.

But in the morning when she checked on him, after he'd shucked the comforter off in his sleep, she was greeted with the same visual she knew she should be politely ignoring: Mulder's impressive, albeit flaccid, penis.

She stood next to him in the silence of her bedroom and looked down at it - a one woman gallery to an amazing show. Was he a shower or a grower?

Despite the fact that question was running through her mind, many were presently answered. He was big, showing or growing be damned, and he wasn't a Jewish stereotype.

III - A Brush (S4)

"Well, you could lock the door to the office," Mulder offered, accidentally brushing against Scully's back before leaning away from her.

"Folks know I never lock the door," Sheriff Taylor responded in an uncompromising tone. Adding, "They'd start rumors," as an afterthought.

She'd been reaching for the gloves, preparing to slide them over her hands, when he shut the bathroom door. As he did this, Mulder took a few shuffling steps closer to her so he could make himself fit in the tiny room. It probably was no larger than her wingspan, but half of the area was taken by either the sink or the toilet, making it so they had no room to shuffle. She could feel his knees and chest against her, so she could tell he was trying to lean his hips back to avoid pressing against her.

However, as she snapped the latex gloves on, he tried to readjust his footing and something ended up brushing against her ass. A significant something.

Her eyes froze on the blue lip of the faux-autopsy-table lunch tray laying in front of her as her brain quickly caught up to what her body instinctively recognized. Scully turned her head, too surprised at what she was feeling to acknowledge how close his face was.

Mulder was obviously aware of what caused her look and he smoothly deadpanned, "Oh, that was my penlight," acting as if their bodies touching so intimately was just a run of the mill occurrence.

"Oh," she murmured, turning back to the tray. "I thought a longstanding curiosity had just been satisfied," she replied, with feigned despondency before intaking a breath and widening her eyes.

"What an awfully big and warm penlight you have," was the response she wished she could have said.

Mulder moaned in appreciation low next to her ear and it sent shivers down her spine. The feeling of him pressed against her on top of his warm breath tickling her ear began to feel overwhelming, so she pulled back the sheet to kill the mood instantly.

IV - A Tease (S6)

A four hour stakeout? No problem. Six? Manageable. Ten? They were going insane.

It was one thing when they were on the X-Files. A stakeout then usually didn't last too long. But now under Kersh's orders, they were stuck with grunt work that was redundant and usually fruitless.

During the first time they'd endured this, Mulder had come up with some hairbrained twist on a children's game so they could pass the time. After a few rounds, it became perfectly clear that the game was just them asking questions back and forth, and they decided to just do that unabashedly. "You're my friend, Scully. I just want to know more about you. Why hide behind a game?" he smirked, bumping her leg with his.

After he'd said it, she was reminded of a night only a couple of years ago where Eddie Van Bluhndt had given her a similar sentiment. Mulder had just gone on and on about a potential X-File for hours before that, so she had no doubts that this was her Mulder in the flesh, but that made it a little more intimidating than it was back then. She knew he'd always harbored some anger towards what had happened with Eddie, not at her but at himself, and she had an inkling that this was an attempt at him doing what she'd inadvertently demonstrated she wanted.

It was initially awkward for them both, but at the end of the day - they truly did just want to learn more about each other.

However, this was now their third stakeout and they'd exhausted awkward high school stories and menial facts about themselves. She supposed it was that, plus the hours of boredom under their belts that led him down this line of questioning.

"What's your bra size?" he asked, shifting in the driver's seat while trying to find a good position.

His last question had been "When did you get your first fish?" so the abrupt topic change made her start in her seat.

Scully turned to him, and didn't see any traces of humor on his face. It was like he'd just asked what her shoe size was. "My bra size?" she repeated.

There it was. A little smile on his lips as the sides of his eyes crinkled with mirth. He turned to her, his smile widening when he didn't see any angry indignation on her face, and he replied, "Yeah."

If he was going to blame their exhaustion for his boldness, so could she. "Guess."

Without even looking he replied, "34B."

Her mouth dropped as she turned to him. "Cheater!"

He laughed and held up his hands. "How?" he asked in shocked amusement.

"How did you know, you didn't even look?" She knew it was stupid as soon as the statement left her mouth. Him not looking now was his way of subtly telling her he'd looked enough in the past to have it committed to memory.

He lowered his head ever so slightly closer to her and murmured, "I thought that would have been improper of me." Her eyes fluttered to the stubble coming through across his jaw and she was brought back by the shrug of his shoulders. "But, if you insist," he declared dramatically before letting his gaze fall to her chest.

She elbowed him playfully and chuckled as he mockingly rubbed his arm. "Ow, ow, okay. Your turn."

Feeling emboldened by his question, she decided she wanted to satisfy a curiosity of her own once and for all. "How big are you?"

"Six foot even," he replied innocently. He knew damn well what she meant and his cocky grin told her that he just wanted to hear her say it.

"No. How big is your…" she stumbled over word choice. Cock was vulgar, dick sounded childish, penis sounded clinical - what effect did she want to go for? "...cock," she settled on defiantly. The last word was slightly softer than the rest and she felt the friction of every consonant in the back of her throat as her mouth opened around the vowel. She'd never realized how, if said right, the word was like an oral invitation for the namesake.

His nostrils flared in response to her bold choice and a devilish gleam twinkled in his eye. She knew what he was going to do as soon as the smile erupted across his face. "Guess."

She swallowed thickly and turned her attention to the streetlamps littering the street, wanting to appear as indifferent as he had. "Well, from the glimpses I've seen over the years-" she started with a lilt.

"Glimpses?" he asked in surprise.

She turned to him with a coquettish smile and explained, "Mulder, I'm your doctor, and you're reckless. I've seen it all."

It was too dark to see fully, but if she could trust her eyes, he was blushing. "What's your verdict, Doc?"

"Six inches," she stated firmly.

He nodded amusedly and she was just about ready to gloat when he murmured, "Half right."

"Half right?" she replied quizzically.

He turned to her and smoothly told her, "You're assuming I'm a shower."

Bigger than six inches.

"Okay, okay," she mused. "Five inches flaccid, seven inches erect."

"Good guess," he smirked.

"But you said-"

He shifted in his seat and her attention was inadvertently drawn to the ever present mound in his lap. "Six inches flaccid, eight and a half erect," he replied.

She sat there stunned for a moment and was flustered when he waved his hand in front of her face and sang, "Earth to Scully."

"I don't believe you," she laughed breathlessly.

"Even about this?" he chuckled.

"Mulder, the average is five inches. Anything above eight is so rare," she explained, trying not to think about what he could do to her with that thing.

"Wanna see it?" he teased, undoing his belt.

Mulder was just joking. She knew that. But her gaze fell into his lap anyway, eagerly committing the image of his fingers deftly undoing his belt to memory. She couldn't find her voice to stop him, so she just sat there watching him.

When the anticipated words of 'Mulder' or 'stop' didn't happen, his hands faltered and he paused, watching her until she met his gaze while he held part of his undone belt in both hands. His eyes were curious, but there was a tint of something else. Something she only saw when she dreamed of him. "Scully?" his voice came out as a whisper.

A loud banging sound reverberated through the empty streets as a woman started screaming at the top of her lungs. "Shit," Scully swore, hopping out of the car as she ran towards the suspect fleeing the scene.

V - A Curiosity Satisfied (S7)

After coming to Los Angeles spur of the moment, following an unseen fear monster around for the entire night, watching multiple people die, and having to deal with infuriating pests following their every move with cameras - they were exhausted.

She'd been asleep in the car the entire time it took him to drive back to their shitty motel, and when he woke her up, it was only so she could reassure him they did everything they could and all but collapse face first into her mattress. The only thing she could physically muster up the energy to do was take off her shoes and coat.

However, her sleep was interrupted by Mulder's staggered breathing from the other room, more audible to her because their adjoining rooms were still open. It was common for Mulder to have nightmares, but there had been a definite spike because of the stress from the last few weeks.

It had become a bit of an unspoken pact as of late between them that if one of them was having a nightmare, the other would just sleep next to them. It was simple and innocent, just carnal comfort of having another person near.

Scully sniffed lightly as she pulled herself off the mattress, trying to shake her exhaustion away for long enough to get to him. She grabbed the warm pillow she'd been resting on and hugged it against her chest as she shuffled across the floor to the adjoining doorway.

Along with the staggered breathing, she could hear him grunting lightly. Her eyes were barely open, but her lip tugged downward in empathy. He'd just worked so hard and he can't even find solace in his dreams.

She made it to the doorway when her eyes registered more flesh than what she'd anticipated. Blinking the sight in front of her into view, she had to bite down on her lip to suppress a gasp.

Mulder was lying on his back, his boxers shoved around his knees, and he was pumping a massive erection with a vigorous fist.

Two. Two fists.

The sight alone was like a shot of adrenaline to her system and she felt a coiling in her gut. When he wasn't fucking his hands, he was using one to rub his precum over his head while the other fondled his balls. Mulder's face was contorted in pleasure, sweaty and flush, as his hips lifted off the bed.

Her feet felt like lead on the floor and she didn't know what to do. Go to him? Run away? Watch?

Mulder's breath continued to hitch as he continued his thrusts, but he was becoming erratic and she realized she was stumbling in at the tail end of it. She wasn't sure how long she'd just been asleep for, but Mulder had worked himself into a frenzy and he wasn't going to be able to hold it in for much longer.

She knew she should leave, but she didn't want to. She wanted to see Mulder in his most primal form. His eyes opened for a moment and she felt excitement run though her body like a shiver. Not fear. Not worry. She was excited at the idea of him knowing she was watching him.

But when his eyes opened, it was just to rip off the shirt he's been wearing and throw it to the floor, rolling over to grab a box of kleenex and setting it next to him on the bed before continuing.

His eyes fluttered shut as he resumed his frantic pace, his arms working so hard she could see the muscles in his biceps flexing. He looked so long and lean like this, wearing nothing but tangled boxers and arousal.

Mulder's mouth dropped open and she knew he was coming undone. His back arched off the bed as he ground himself into his hands, spurting thick lines of come all over his abdomen. Her groin felt heavy and swollen from her own arousal and the sight made her want to go over to him and beg him to finish her off. She was hugging the pillow she'd brought so tightly to her chest that she could feel her own heartbeat through it.

Mulder's breathing slowly started to return to normal as he grabbed some tissues and started cleaning himself up. It took a few wipes, but once he was done, he lifted his hips and gently eased his boxers over his hips.

Not wanting to be caught, as quietly as she could, she tiptoed back into her room and into her own bed. Now it was her turn for her breathing to turn erratic. Scully could hear Mulder's sheets shifting around, presumably from him trying to get comfortable.

Deciding that it was unlikely he'd get up and mimic what she just did, she let her hand slide down her abdomen and under the elastic of her underwear as she thought about the best eight and a half inches she'd ever seen.

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Other finished “Countdown” parts

10 times Mulder and Scully were as intimate as a couple

6 times Mulder saw Scully in her underwear

4 times they got a little too close

#x files #my fanfiction #gaycrouton #mulder #scully #msr #smutish #x files fanfic

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