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sesshy380 · 10 months

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No official wordcount today. Instead you get new chapter of TKB 2nd chance! I feel it's the least I can do to commemorate the One Year passing of our beloved fandom creator, Kazuki Takahashi. Without his imagination, fics like mine wouldn't exist.

I have drifted away from the prior title I came up with. It was good, but just didn't feel like it related enough to this particular story. New title that I feel fits far better. It's a line from 'Scars' by Papa Roach. The song in general fits the tone of several characters in the story.

Also, I am going to bump the rating to Mature+, mainly for language and possible content. If I make it to the end and feel that I managed to keep things within the realm of Teen+, then I'll drop it back down. I just know how I can get sometimes when it comes to describing things.

New Title: Our Scars remind Us that the Past was Real

Rating: Mature+

Chapter Warnings: Mild descriptives of burn trauma/scarring (and how it was treated), Malik acting very YGOTAS (not so much a warning, but a heads-up so no one yells at me for playing off that scene...you know the one)

Summary: Imagine waking up, and everyone is trying to convince you that the things you 'remember' never happened, and that those 'memories' exist only in YOUR head. The Thief King doesn't have to imagine...because that's exactly what happened. -or- The Thief King get's a second chance at life (Yay! I came up with a summary! Still a WiP, but it works for the time being.)

Wordcount: 1653

Chapter 3 below the cut!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chapter 3: Scars ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bakhure gave an impressed whistle to his surroundings.

“We’re fucking loaded, aren’t we?” he asked as Atem led them through the halls of their manor.

“Better off than most,” Atem replied casually.

“Pha-...Atem…I think ‘better off than most’ is an understatement.”

Calling the Pharaoh by name was weird.

“Perhaps you’re right,” Atem commented as he took a closer look at the decor. “I know both Ryou and Ren looked surprised the first time they came here.”

Bakhure shuddered at the mentioning of ‘Ren’. Whether it was because of his own twisted recollection, or something else entirely, he knew ‘Ren’ was someone he didn’t like.

“Question? If I have this issue with ‘forgetting’, why am I attending school? Seems counterproductive to send me to a place where the whole point is to remember stuff.”

“For starters, it’s what you wanted. Your therapist thought perhaps it would help. Think of it as a focus of sorts. The University staff is aware of your condition, so they cut you a lot of slack.”

“Uni-...I’M IN COLLEGE??!?!?!”

Atem nodded his head.

“How the fuck did I get into college??!?”

“Like I said, we’re better off than most,” Atem replied with a small smirk. “Plus there was something about ‘helping with diversity rating’.”

“I bet they’re loving the fact that I’m both handicapped and a minority,” Bakhure grumbled.

Atem failed to suppress a small chuckle as he stopped beside a door.

“Time to say ‘hello’ to the twins, Malik and Amir.”

He opened the door, where Amir sat leaning back in a chair with his feet propped up on a table. Next to him, arms folded across his chest, stood Malik. They appeared to be in the middle of some sort of argument that had been interrupted by Bakhure and Atem stepping into the room.

Malik glared at Bakhure. “Before you say anything: ‘yes’ I’m a boy, ‘no’ I'm not gay, ‘yes’ I’m sure.” He pointed sharply to Amir. “He’s the gay one. Not me.”

‘GAY’ Amir mouthed while poking a subtle finger in Malik’s direction.

“I saw that!” Malik shouted while rounding on Amir, fist pulled back in preparation to strike.

“You’re not?” Bakhure questioned, feigning disappointment. “So that steamy make-out session didn't really happen?”

Malik’s gaze slowly turned back towards him, eye twitching. “No. It didn't.”

Bakhure had to fight hard to suppress the grin that wanted to form. He'd made that part up, but based on Malik’s reaction, it had. He was going to have a lot of fun with that bit of info.

“Oh, sorry. Gets a little jumbled in here,” he said while tapping a finger on the side of his head.

“Yes. It does,” Malik replied through gritted teeth.

“So, from what I’ve gathered Amir is security or something…but what about you?” Bakhure questioned, gesturing a finger towards Malik as he tried to piece things together.

“I’m just extremely annoyed at having to go through this bullshit on a near-weekly basis,” Malik stated in a blunt manner.

“The Ishtar family has always worked closely alongside ours in one way or another,” Atem explained, subtly glaring at Malik.

Malik scoffed. “That's the polite way of saying 'we work for you'...meaning I do shit to make your life easier. Honestly, that’s all you need to know about me.”

The smallest hint of a smirk formed on Bakhure’s face. "Wow, you seem to have a lot of pent up anger. Maybe you should see someone about it," he teased. "They can probably help with your closet situation too."

Malik puffed up, taking offense to the jest. "I don't need to see some quack like you do! And I don't need fashion advice!"

Atem covered his face while letting out an exasperated sigh. “Every. Single. Time.” He lowered his hand while releasing another heavy sigh. “Could you please refrain from antagonizing Malik?”

Bakhure revealed the grin that he’d kept hidden. “Sorry. It’s just too easy. He’s exactly the person I remember. Maybe next time I ‘forget’, you should send him in first.”

“Why? So you can bury your fist in my face again? I don’t think so,” Malik replied bitterly. “Amir can have that pleasure.”

Bakhure opened his mouth to retort when a very tense Atem grabbed him by the shoulders and directed him towards the door. “I think that’s enough re-introduction. Let’s go find Rishid.”

Once they were back in the main hall, and the door closed behind them, Atem relaxed. As before, he motioned for Bakhure to follow.

“For the duration of your current ability to remember, I am begging you, do not antagonize Malik. His mood towards you has been extremely sour these past few months."

“For someone that works for us, I’m surprised you let him speak to me like that.”

“Like you, Malik has some special circumstances that allow him a reprieve on his behavior,” Atem explained.

“You mean with how he’s obviously so far in the closet he’s become a Queen of Narnia?”

Atem shook his head, obviously trying to hide his amusement of Bakhure’s phrasing. “I'm not familiar with that reference, but I get the idea of its meaning. You must understand that it’s not something that is approved of back home. If he chooses to deny it, that is on him. Personally, I could care less about another person's romantic preferences. It harms me none."

“So then what are his ‘special circumstances’?” Bakhure questioned.

“You weren’t the only one who was badly injured in the attack. Malik got trapped beneath burning debris and was flown to the same hospital as you. He had to endure having skin permanently grafted across his back, and had to go through months of physical therapy just to be able to move without being in immense pain. That reminds me, under no circumstances are you to ever touch his back. And do not ask to see it. Do I make myself clear?”

The seriousness of Atem’s tone told Bakhure that this was something he shouldn’t press his luck with. “Like crystal,” he replied.

“Good. Here’s the kitchen. Hopefully Rishid is in a decent mood.”

Atem pushed the door aside to reveal a mostly bald man with a ponytail. He appeared to be busy stirring whatever was on the stove as he peeked an eye back towards his guests. The disfigurement that ran down the left side of his face gave Bakhure an idea on how his mind had conjured up Rishid’s brands. Seeing the scarring, he imagined Malik’s own ‘brand’ was probably even worse in appearance.

“I see it’s that time again,” Rishid stated in a casual manner.

Atem nodded. “Unfortunately. Though this time he is familiar with faces and names…for the most part.”

Rishid gave a slight nod of understanding. “That’s a good thing.” He returned his focus to the task before him.

“Is fattah still on the menu?” Atem questioned.

“I managed to obtain some fresh cuts from the local butcher this morning. Seems a shame to let quality ingredients sit because of something no one has any control over,” Rishid replied.

Bakhure leaned close to Atem to privately ask him a question. “I keep drawing a blank. What’s ‘fattah’?”

“Spiced lamb, or sometimes beef, along with vegetables that are boiled. It’s then served over rice and toasted pita, along with a garlicky tomato sauce. It’s your favorite,” Atem replied back quietly.

“I believe it. That description alone sounds right up my alley,” Bakhure commented.

“Rishid is an amazing cook and he puts a lot of thought into each meal. He even takes the time to prepare meatless alternatives for Isis and Malik.”

“Your compliments are flattering,” Rishid stated in an amused tone, having obviously overheard the not-so-quiet conversation. “I’ve had to go through a lot of trial and error to get this good.”

Atem chuckled lightly. “Yes, you very much have. I still remember your cooking from when we first arrived here. It was…edible at best.”

“He hasn’t always been a chef?” Bakhure questioned.

Atem shook his head. “Rishid used to work alongside Mahad. Like you and Malik, he was also injured, though not nearly as badly. He sustained minor burns to the left side of his face, but his vision on that side became impaired. He retired from security and became our chef instead. Honestly, Mahad was more than enough at the time, so it helped Rishid to feel useful. Then you came out of your coma. It wasn’t so bad at first, as you weren’t entirely ‘present’. It’s when your mind started becoming more and more active that I felt it was necessary to have a second security member again. Rishid suggested Amir, who was more than happy to take on his step-brother’s former role.”

“Damn. Does everyone in this house have a sad tale? I’m almost afraid to ask what tragic backstory Isis has…or anyone else I haven’t met for that matter,” Bakhure stated.

“Isis is all that’s left for re-introduction, other than Mahad.”

Bakhure counted on his fingers as he mentally listed off everyone. “Seven? There’s just seven people in this whole manor?”

Atem lowered his gaze to the floor. “...yes…”

“Are the rest just stuck back in Egypt or something?”

“...or something…” Atem quietly choked.

Dawning realization flooded over Bakhure. “...oh…”

A part of him hoped there wouldn’t be any more parallels than what he’d already come across, but it seemed that the more he learned, the more he encountered. At the moment, he wasn’t entirely certain which ‘reality’ was real: This one, or the one he remembered. The one he remembered was one he most definitely wished he could forget…but this one wasn’t looking too promising either. It was hard to decide which he preferred at the moment.

“Can I-...Can I go back to my room now. My head’s starting to hurt again,” he lied.

Atem nodded, saying nothing as he motioned for Bakhure to exit the kitchen ahead of him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prologue, Ch1, 2

#ygo #yugioh fanfiction #my fic #tkb #thief king bakura #'bakhure'#atem #malik ishtar #marik ishtar #yami marik is amir #rishid ishtar #tkb gets a second chance at life

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lukamoonvibe · 1 year

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Chapter Five: bitch get more creative [high school dimension] (4)

Chapter Index

Summary:

Medalling with time has a consequence, the consequence of his choice is to be a slave to it until Fate decides he's no fun anymore or he escapes...but does he really want to escape anymore? It's been so long, what would even be the point of going back anymore? Would anyone still remember him? Probably not. No one escapes Fate and lives to tell the tale. Not even a traveller of time.

Fandoms: Crewniverse, Crewfu/Morning Lobby, Chaos Crew/Derp Crew

Rating: Mature

Status: On Going

Speedy was on the ground, the group slowly circling him like vultures.

Platy, Dumbdog and Tay stood to the side, shaking their heads.

“Some new kid shows up, and it’s like you two have known each other forever? Hell, he just showed up out of the blue like you did, Lucas. It’s weird. You’re just off sharing secrets with him like you don’t have your best friend for that. Or was I never your best friend? Was that a lie too?”

Chilled stared at the group, avoiding Speedy’s glances at him.

“Yeah, and oddly enough, the Sugr’s just happened the move into town not after you showed up.” Cheesy pipped up, he was standing between the main group and the other three, conflicted on whether he should get fully involved or not.

Kara squatted beside Speedy, “What are you keeping from us?” she poked his cheek.

Chilled scuffed his feet along the ground, “We travel dimensions. Cut him some slack; it’s his first time.”

Kruz laughed, “Real funny jokester,” she turned back to Speedy, “now tell us the truth.”

“I-that is the truth. I don’t know why, I don’t know who sent me, I-”

Chilled winced, watching blood trickle down the other boy's lips.

“Hey. Hey! Cut it out.” Tay pushed through the group, propping Speedy up as he held his nose.

“What the fuck, Side?” Speedy blurted out, slapping a hand over his mouth.

The others looked confused between each other.

“Who is Side?”

“Not very fucking bright, are you assholes?”

Everyone turned to look behind Chilled; he could hear grass crunching under his shoes.

“What the fuck do you want with us, Suptic?” Platy called, crossing his arm.

‘Suptic’ chuckled, “Why don’t you do the honours, brother?”

“Do I have to? He’s always so hard to keep in one place.”

“5up?” Chilled questioned, turning around.

The shorter boy waved half-heartedly, a sad smile on his face.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Chilled and Platy said at the same time.

“Gross.” ‘Suptic’ mumbled, earning a whack from 5up.

“He’s not lying, y’know; they are dimension hoppers. The only problem is they weren’t meant to end up here. The only way for her to get Speedy was to send he favourite little toy here too. We’re not meant to know about each other, other travellers if you will.” 5up took a step towards Chilled, trapping him, holding a knife to his throat, “Unfortunately, he can’t keep his mouth shut and made contact with you; it’s disrupted the flow. She has many minions, but none as valued as you, Chaos, tell me, why is that?”

“Chilled; what is he talking about?” Speedy asked.

He heard footsteps slowly walking towards them all.

“Five, please don’t do this. I’m sure the four of you can find another way. Just put the knife down-”

A sharp pain radiated from his neck for a couple of seconds before he felt like jelly. Is this what death feels like? A short but sweet moment of bliss? How long would it last this time?

He felt the tug and pull of being sucked away from a dimension but chose to ignore it if not for a few more seconds of bliss. When he did finally blink his eyes open, an inky purple void greeted him. He reached for his neck, running his fingers over where 5up had just sliced; not even a scar remained.

In front of him, an orb appeared, displaying the faces of his friends; it got harder and harder for him to remember they weren’t his real friends; they were people he’d just met and known for 8 hours, not even a day. They’d easily forget about him and move on, but Speedy, he’d been there longer, known them all better, it would be harder for them to forget him if 5up killed him too. No, not 5up, a time writh, heartless creatures who have a mission and don’t stop until they complete it.

He stared blankly at the orb, watching Speedy stand between the group and 5up, “Take me then, if that’s why you’re here.”

Steve smiled, stepping forward but stopped when 5up put his hand up, “No. This is too simple. She wouldn’t allow us to just kill him. If it were that easy, we would’ve been able to when she sent us, but we couldn’t. Something’s off.”

“Five, why? Anthony wasn’t doing anything to you. He wasn’t a threat.” he heard Dumbdog call from somewhere out of the orbs vision field.

5up looked past Speedy, “He wasn’t meant to be here,” he gestured at Speedy, “only Anthony was, but not now. So he had to die, or at least die on this plane of existence. I’m sure he’s watching this right now. So tell me, Apollo, why do you know so much about the nature of the situation?”

Chilled noticed Steve looking at the ground, fiddling with his jacket.

A time writh spilling the secrets of Fate to a human will have dire consequences when she calls him back. What is more peculiar is a time writh capable of feeling positive human emotions. While they are good at mimicking human attire, mannerism and speech patterns, they often falter in understanding positive human emotions such as happiness, amusement and love. They aren’t exactly heartless, they have hearts, but they’re born of the deepest and darkest crevices of the void, fueled by rage, fear and hatred. Often they come across as cocky or sarcastic. Though that may make it easier for them to blend in, humans are an extremely prideful and self-centred species. The only way to truly tell if you are being followed by a time writh is for them to kill you blatantly. In my time here, I’ve not encountered many time wriths, but the few I have never managed to fall in love or even care for the emotion at all. So if that is the case, time wriths aren’t like Speedy or me; they’re not humans who learnt the magics of travelling and came willingly. They’re-

“An amalgamation of all the dimensions that have collapsed in on themselves.” beside him stood ‘5up’, black ooze leaked from his neck, staining his scarf.

Chilled blinked, turning his attention back on the orb; beside his body laid 5up’s. They laid between the other writh and traveller, who were both staring at each other with hatred in their eyes.

“How does a writh fall in love?” Chilled asked absent-mindedly.

“The same way a traveller chooses to love others but never have love themselves.” the writh beside him replied, staring at the orb as well.

#chaos crew #crewniverse #crewfu #derp crew #morning lobby #archive of our own #cross posted #fan fiction #time travel #dimension hopping #asexual character #plantonic soulmates #i regret nothing #aromantic character

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bogleech · 2 years

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I have received confirmation that Star Wars aliens are indeed an unfamiliar topic to the average person these days. Growing up I knew it as the biggest fiction fandom in the world, which only really changed around 2000 when Pokemon and then Harry Potter became more exciting to kids. Until I got into Pokemon myself, Star Wars creatures were definitely my own biggest hyperfixation. So this is the kind of thing I just assume EVERYONE who follows me is already familiar with but here are my top 5 Star Wars aliens, with lore that I promise I’m not making up no matter how stupid it ever gets:

Dice Ibegon: a hand puppet seen for literally one second in the Cantina scene, actually some kind of sandworm-like prop. A published “Expanded Universe” story, i.e. canon at the time, decided Dice was a female “Lamproyd” who could see through time with her force powers, and also that the wolfman here, Lak Sivrak, was her lover. Both their species gauged sexiness by nothing but deadliness, see, and they’re both apex predators from their home planets, or something. Part of their relationship was based on the fact that she can see his inevitable moment of death.

As an aside, the special editions digitally replaced Lak Sivrak with an elephant monster because he was really always just a store-bought generic werewolf mask and George Lucas thought it looked too awful. I do not think anyone ships Dice with this nobody.

BUBOICULLAAR: I loved this froggy guy so much, seen momentarily in Jabba’s palace, that I used to pretend to be him like other little kids pretended to be a dog or cat sometimes. Another published canon story reasoned that he was a highly sapient being but his species survives partially by pretending to be dumb animals and even playing the part of pets. Another alien implanted a bomb in Bubo to try and assassinate Jabba but Bubo easily removed it and used it to blow up the assassin instead, not because he cares about Jabba the Hutt but because the guy was going to use him as a bomb

LOJE NELLA: this prop was nicknamed “Toadstool Terror” by the production crew, and I saw it referenced in a book without any pictures, so it tormented me for many years trying to figure out who “Toadstool Terror” was. It wasn’t even readily available information on the internet for years; I actually scoured books and magazines about “Return of the Jedi’s development and eventually I did spot this alien, correctly deducing that this had to be Toadstool Terror because of the mossy mushroom shape. Loje Nella never got much of a story added, just the “real name.” Conceptual artwork shows her with a tapering worm body and a pair of cricket-like legs, but some HACK at some point apparently gave her a humanlike body for a random book cover and other HACKS thought that was the canon design of her species.

“WOL CABBASHITE:” a thing stuck on the ceiling in only this shot with a tongue that wiggles around. The name was given by a Star Wars magazine which established that these are force-sensitive, barnacle-like intelligent aliens who live for thousands of years.

AMANAMAN: this is the alien people originally compared to a big dick but I thought he looked like a cross between a frog and a banana and I thought he was the coolest thing ever. I especially thought he was cool because he just looked weird, awkward and kind of goofy yet he carries around a bunch of rotting human heads and even part of a carcass. I actually saw him in a magazine about creature effects before I even knew he was from Star Wars and he gave me nightmares, so he was basically a bogeyman to me at 5 or 6 years old. Said magazine was in my late Grandmother’s ultra-creepy basement so I associate him with exactly that place. It had an unfinished wall that opened into a deep, dark crawlspace so that’s where he lived. Expanded Universe lore just reasoned he was from a race of like, tribalistic jungle headhunters which I always thought was lazy and bad. Unfortunately that’s still in the Disney canon. We’re really out here still assuming the first alien we see represents an entire planet’s culture??? I think Amanaman is just a twisted fucker is all. I think this is like aliens see Leatherface running around and assume that’s just what humans are.

#star wars

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malereader-inserts · 3 years

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Chamber of Reflection

Fandom: BBC Sherlock Pairing: Sherlock Holmes x Male!Reader Summary: Oh dearest Sherlock, are you ready to move on? Word Count: 2,329 Warning: Blood and Death

“I don’t believe in love.”

You scoff out a laughter before turning to look at them, your smile dropped as you looked at them incredulously, “You’re kidding me right?”

“No?” They questioned back as if it was totally obvious because that’s how they were as a person, “I just don’t believe in love.”

“Impossible,” You shake your head, “Everyone believes in love, you, you’re different. You believe you don’t deserve love. That’s a whole different thing.”

Sherlock rolls his eyes, “Same thing.”

“Absolutely not, Sherlock,” You folded your arms over your chest, “Your mother loves you, that’s family love. John loves you, that’s platonic love. I love you.”

“What type of love is that?”

“Figure it out, smartass.”

He never really figured it out.

Sherlock was smart, but he’s dumb at the same time.

He could rattle your ear off with different topics that he was interested in. He could give you a rundown about who you are and he probably knew you better than you knew yourself. But, give him a topic on a basic thing - he’ll malfunction.

“The planets? Sherlock, surely you couldn’t have deleted that out your head.”

“You underestimate me, (Y/n).”

“Clearly,” You replied dryly, rolling your eyes, “But, I know you didn’t bring me here to talk about what basic stuff you’ve decided to ignore or have deleted from your so-called hardware.”

“At least you’re able to keep up with me,” Sherlock comments as you give yourself a little nod to the side as acknowledgement.

“Well, what is it?”

“Talk to me more about love, please.”

You narrow your eye at him, tilting your head to the side for a second, you were suspicious of his intention before sighing and tending to his question - after all, it is rare to have Sherlock say please, it’s not an opportunity to pass up.

“How desperate must you be for this information as you did say please.”

“Don’t mock me.”

“Alright,” you had your hands up in defence, “Well, love is different to each person and I can’t really help you that much Sherlock because it’s a learning process and it’ll be brutal. In a...somewhat good way.”

“That doesn’t explain anything at all!”

You couldn’t help but laugh, shaking your head, “When you love someone, you just kinda know.”

“Right.”

“And...”

“Well, spit it out.”

You give him a soft smile, almost as if you knew something he didn’t know. Like you had to bit your tongue and refuse to tell him. He looks at your eyes, there is a glint of sadness, though he doesn’t comment on it as he allows you to speak.

“Love is going to ruin you someday, it doesn't matter if you don't believe in love, it doesn't matter if you think that you don't have the capacity to love someone, nothing matters. What matter is that one day you will fall in love and fall so hard that it will ruin you to the point that you will not be able to think correctly, to the point that your illness and cure both will be the love of your life, love will ruin you to the point you will look for sanity in insanity.”

“Back again so soon, Sherlock?”

He doesn’t answer you as he stands across from where you had claimed as your spot, you tilt your head in confusion at his silence, Sherlock loves to talk so why isn’t he talking.

“Must be a rough day then, ay Sherlock?” You continue to talk, “I don’t blame you, having a fight with your best friend and then your brother being annoying as ever - Mycroft just doesn’t shut up.”

“How do you know about my day, this is the first time I’ve seen you this week?” Sherlock questions.

You knitted your eyebrows together, your lips pursed together, as you give him room to think before interrupting.

“When will you come to the terms that you’re the one who killed me?”

At that moment, Sherlock stops. If a record of music was playing then it did the scratching halt. Sherlock looks over to your way, he didn’t realise that at some point he had stopped looking at you, you sat there with your arms crossed over your chest.

“You’re not dead.”

“Not in your mind palace, Sherlock,” You say, you look at your surrounding, “In here, I’m very much...alive.”

“You’re not dead,” Sherlock stammers out, blinking frantically, “You’re here, in front of me.”

You dismissed his words, “Funny, each time you come to talk to me, we’re in the same room you killed me in. I have to give you props, though, you really have memorised the room I died.”

“It was your house.”

“Yeah!” You snapped your finger and pointed to him, “You remembered, I’m slightly touched.”

“You can’t be dead.”

“And we’re back to denial,” You hummed, sitting comfortably on the edge of the sink, “Look around you Sherlock, you’re just blocking and deleting things out.”

“No, I am not.”

“Look at the blood, Sherlock.”

Your voice was firm as he shuts his eyes, hoping you had calm down because he could clearly hear anger behind the words you spat. Sherlock opens his eyes and there, he saw the full picture.

You sat on the sink of the kitchen, behind you were the windows and adjacent to your head was cabinets. Both were painted with the splatter of blood. He looked at your appearance, there was red upon your hands and your clothes...

Your clothes, every time he had visited you, you were still in the same clothes - he wouldn’t have mentioned anything to you about it, he knows from you and John that pointing stuff out can be offensive.

Your clothes, they were drenched in blood - your blood.

“Look me in the eyes, Sherlock, look at me.”

Sherlock doesn’t want to, he wants to rearrange the whole scenario and pretend that everything was rainbows and happy, yet he looked at you. He stared deep into your eyes and had to stop himself from gagging at the scene.

There was a bullet hole at your forehead, dried blood seems to drip from the wound when it was fresh.

“Don’t you remember Sherlock?” You asked, looking at him, “You killed, but at what cost?”

“I-”

“I mean, I know why you killed me, after all, I’m just living in your head so I get to know about what you’re thinking and all. But, I really want to hear it from your own mouth.”

Sherlock felt like he was stuck in this nightmare because essentially he was, he couldn’t just snap back into reality or wake up from his sleep. He felt like you had restraints on him and he’s unable to breakthrough.

“I killed you...” He murmurs as you lean forward, “I killed you because I loved you.”

You chuckled, softly, “Love, it makes you do real crazy things.”

See, Sherlock kept you in his head because you were important to him. You were his first and only love, you and Sherlock have known each other since primary school. You had been his only friend, even if he kept pushing you away.

You were the only one who could keep up with his smarts and his weird little thinking, but you were by his side - his first best friend. The man he loved. When the two of you got into high school, you and him were often seen together. You humanised Sherlock, back then he understood what it means to feel.

He was human back then, not this sociopathic man that he grew up to be. Sherlock loved you, just like you loved him. Even if you never really said anything out loud, he knew that you loved him with the way you grabbed him by his wrist and leading him away, it was the soft smile, gentle looks and caring words.

He wished he was able to spend a little longer being your boyfriend because you two managed fess up your feelings when you were eighteen. You were about to go to University, away from Sherlock. He wished he had mustered the courage to ask you to be his boyfriend years before.

“Sherlock, I’m not mad that you killed me.”

Sherlock snapped back into his room with you, you looked at him with the same caring eyes he grew up with, he tilts his head in confusion, he’s missing something in this memory - did he block it out or did he deleted it forever?

“They would have killed me anyway, I don’t have a life further than this Sherlock, both you and I know this,” He listens to your tender voice carefully, you’re no longer angry at him just angry that Sherlock refuses to move on, “You and I did it, Sherlock, you framed the murder perfectly on them.”

Them.

Who was them?

Sherlock looks at you before he hurled himself into the memory.

“You’re bleeding!”

“I’m quite aware of that Sherlock!”

Sherlock stands by the doorway of the kitchen, it’s messy as you sat on the sink, lifting your shirt to see the wound. You cringed, even Sherlock couldn’t remember what had happened to make you look like this and losing blood rapidly.

“You’re being remarkably calm about this.”

“Thanks, it’s the shock. Give me fifteen minutes, the screaming will happen,” You say, pulling your shirt down and you looking at your boyfriend.

“We need to take you to the hospital.”

“Absolutely not, Sherlock, if they found out I went there. They’ll kill me!”

“They’ll kill you either way!” Sherlock pressed on, “Please, there must be some other way.”

“You kill me,” You said almost immediately, you looked at him with sharp eyes.

“No, (Y/n), no, are you an idiot?” Sherlock hissed at you, “There is another way, we just have to think about it.”

“We don’t have time to think, Sherlock,” You admitted, “They kill me, they’ll hind the evidence and go live another day, free, do you want that for me?”

“Of course not!” Sherlock was offended that you would suggest that, “I can prove that they kill you, I can do it - you can trust me.”

“I trust you, Sher,” You say, desperate and lovingly, “But, wouldn’t it be better to frame them?”

Sherlock stood there, weighing out the pros and cons in your thinking. Perhaps it was clouded, his judgement as he sees you point out a gun on the kitchen table and reminding him to use a glove so they don’t pick up any of his fingerprints.

What was going through Sherlock’s mind? He wouldn’t be able to tell you, because when he aimed the gun at you there was no thought behind his eyes. You swallowed nervously.

“Hey, Sherlock?”

“Yes?”

“Just know I love you, and I will never hold it against you.”

“I know.”

“Sherlock?” He looks back at you, “Oh, good, you’re responsive.”

“I never said I love you.”

“Oh, Sherlock,” you laughed, he pretends that it didn’t slightly hurt him, “You think I didn’t know?”

Sherlock looked down then back up at you, you were back in clean clothes and the surrounding of your kitchen was clean. Though, you didn’t look phased.

“I mean-”

You raised an eyebrow, “You did at least frame them right? My parents?”

Sherlock knitted his eyebrows, “No.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

Sherlock looks at you, watches you breathe in and out, there was a clear disappointment and you had stopped intensely watching him. You turn to look back at him, he was surprised to see you smile at him as you clapped your hand.

“Well, I’m not going to shy away from saying that I am disappointed, perhaps that’s why you blocked out the memory,” You spoke, crossing your arms.

“I can fix it!”

“Can you?”

“I made a name for myself, (Y/n), Mycroft can help me as well as Craig-”

“Greg-”

“Whatever, and we can finally bring you justice, maybe you could be at peace.”

“It’s not me that I’m concern for peace, Sherlock, you’re the one who keeps me alive in your mind palace,” You admitted as you lay down the reality of Sherlock, “It’s time to let me go. The question is: Are you ready?”

Mycroft comes knocking at the door, he was greeted by John.

“Sherlock is busy,” John says from his armchair as Mycroft enters without a proper invite.

Mycroft looks around the room before stopping at the bookshelves, a picture frame that was permanently situated as face down was now standing, showing the picture that was kept hidden from the world.

Mycroft makes his way towards it as John looks at him.

“Sherlock put it up yesterday, along with a new case.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Mycroft leered, softly smiling to himself, “What’s the case about?”

“The murder of (Y/n) (L/n), Sherlock is convinced that it wasn’t suicide, though I don’t know how he knows about the case, that was closed over a decade ago - at least that’s was Lestrade said.”

“Watson, do you know who is standing next to Sherlock in this picture?”

John looked at the picture, he could recognise Sherlock when he was younger. he still had the curls and bright blue eyes, standing straight up, next to him was a boy smiling and had his arm over the sociopath’s shoulder - though back then, you could hardly call Sherlock a sociopath.

“No?”

“That is (Y/n) (L/n),” Mycroft says as John’s eyebrow raised up, “He is the reason why Sherlock snapped and changed in his behaviour. His death caused Sherlock to lose his pathway.”

“He means a lot to Sherlock?”

“Well, he is the only person Sherlock truly love romantically. Perhaps the first and love of Sherlock.”

“Sherlock loved him?”

“He still does, it’s why he’s reopening this case because dear Watson, between us two and Sherlock. This is not a case to solve a murder, this is to frame someone of murder and we’re going to help him.”

#sherlock BBC #sherlock imagine #sherlock bbc imagine #sherlock holmes x male reader #x male reader #personal favourite

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dontbipanicjonsa · 3 years

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Did Kit suddenly lose his ability to heart-eye or is Pol!Jon actually a thing.

I'm late to the fandom but I just finished S7 and I'm having thoughts.

I'm a reader of the books, and I hadn't watched the show till now because... I suck at watching shows with hour long episodes and more than three seasons.

What made me decide to watch it was the Pol!Jon discourse I found on the Internet.

I know enough about the show to understand how unlikely and out of character this theory would seem to show watchers. At the same time, I fully believe that book!Jon would be fully capable of something like this. But also, even though I do ship Jonsa in the books, I can't deny that Jonerys is.....a big deal. Everyone expects it to happen. It's a highly anticipated pairing and....I just couldn't honestly believe Pol!Jon because it is just so against the general expectation.

So I decided to watch the show. And now I've finished season 7 and I am astounded.

Let me preface this by saying that I went into S7 already disliking Jonerys (sue me) but I still fully expected to have some serious doubts about the validity of Jonsa. I fully expected to be at least somewhat convinced of Jonerys. Even hating the idea of Jon and Danaerys together, I still expected more.

There are a number of things I would like to note here.

First, Jonerys is a romance that is told, not shown. Davos talks about Jon watching Dany's "good heart" (hehe) to tell us Jon is attracted to Dany. But then Jon immediately dismisses it- and not in a way that looks like he's deflecting. He's not only dismissing it, he's dismissive of it. His mind is not in the conversation, it is beyond the Wall.

Similarly, Tyrion says (not in those words), "yeah right, and Jon only looks at you longingly coz he wants a military alliance with you". Not sure what I'm supposed to think about that....? First, Jon doesn't look at Dany longingly at all???? Not once. Second, is this line supposed to suggest that Jon is looking at her longingly for a reason that is not desperately wanting a military alliance....? Because we already know that that's exactly what he does want. Wtf do I make of this statement?????

There are other examples, but the point remains. People keep talking about Jon and Dany being into each other, and that is what is supposed to convince us that they are into each other (well yea Dany is) but Jon gives no indication of looking at her longingly, of falling in love with her, of being intrigued by her even. He's a brick wall.

Alright, I'll concede one (1) scene where I saw legitimate attraction on his face for a second- that is the cave scene. Even there tho, it's hard to tell if he's just watching her reaction carefully or if he wants to bang her.

On the other hand, Dany shows that she is into him. Even so, when I say she's into him, I mean she's attracted to him and intrigued by him. I cannot believe she loves him.

Next, I think it's interesting that in the episode before (or was it the same episode?) Jon bends the knee, we have a number of people (Tormund, Beric) talk about stuff like- kings not bending the knee leading to people dying, knowing what's important (the fight against the dead), being the shield that guards the realm of men blah blah I don't remember the exact words. Then he sees the WW and the Army of the Dead (again) and sees a dragon die. And then, the first opportunity he gets, he bends the knee. I want to point out here that the scenes really emphasise on Jon's thinking face after every conversation he has during their little gay party beyond the Wall. They focus on the look on his face again while he's watching the Army. Multiple times. And there's clearly something going on in his head, gears are turning.

One other scene that struck me is the scene where Jon and Dany are saying goodbye to each other (the Eastwatch episode). In the same episode (if I remember correctly) Jon calls them strangers, and then the goodbye scene comes and Dany says to Jon's little morbid joke, "I've grown used to him". Him being Jon. Two things to note here-

One, Jon considers them strangers but Dany has gotten "used to him". Maybe it's nothing, or maybe it's an indication of how the two of them are absolutely not on the same page (about anything).

Second, Jon's face after she says that. It shuts down. Like a door slamming. And then he says that "wish you good fortune in the wars to come" line, which has ZERO romance, or longing, but a whole lot of bad precedent (does that make sense?). Ouch. The thought that occured to me here is that Dany is being somewhat obvious about her feelings, and maybe, just maybe Jon has picked up on it. And that is why he reacts the way he does.

I wasn't sure so I compared the scene with the Jonsa forehead kiss scene in S6, and Jon's expressions after that kiss.

My logic was this- I assume that either Jon has become aware of Dany's feelings in the Eastwatch goodbye scene, or his own feelings for her. One of these assumptions is true. Which one?

If Jon has feelings for Sansa, then his confusion/awareness/discomfort regarding that are seen in that forehead kiss scene. So if Jon has become aware of his feelings for Dany, let's see how these two scenes compare?

My dudes. There is no comparison. Go watch it.

I watched both scenes with sound off, and the difference is insane. Jon looks at Sansa's lips. There's a moment's pause that's full of tension, and then his face shuts in a way, but it's a bit confused, a bit thoughtful.

Jon does not look at Dany's lips. He does not look confused, or thoughtful. This is not a romance.

Side observation- speaking of showing and telling, it's funny how we're shown Jon looking at Sansa's wolf bits, and told that Jon looks at Dany's good heart. Yes I'm talking about boobs but wolf bits and good heart is funnier. We literally see Jon look at the wolf bits twice, talk about it himself, in a completely unnecessary conversation...as opposed to being entirely dismissive of the good heart, even when someone else brings it up.

Back to the main point, one last thing I'd like to talk about is the scene where Jon actually bends the knee (not really). First, there are still no heart-eyes. Definitely not from Jon. Second, it's funny how Jon uses the exact hand-grabbing move that Sansa used on him last season, when she was trying to convince him to do something he didn't particularly wanna do (like he's now trying to do with Dany). This means that

1) he learnt that move from Sansa. He knows how effective it is XD

2) if the Jonerys hand-grab is romance, it stands to reason that the Jonsa hand-grab is romance too. I mean both the grabs are suspiciously similar.

Then, even after Dany "promises" that she'll help the North fight the WW, Jon still bends the knee. I felt both an odd sense of urgency coming from him, and an understandable hesitation. Or maybe that's just me.

Now suddenly, he becomes complimentary of her. But there's something weird about his compliments. They are completely generic. "They'll see you for what you are" and in the later episode, "you're not like the others". Wtf does that MEAN ??

Here's the thing...Jon could have paid Dany a way more specific, genuine sounding compliment after bending the knee (complete with heart eyes). I mean she did just fly over the Wall to rescue him and his men. He could have said more, something meaningful, but he didn't. He bent the knee like a house on fire (that doesn't make sense but you get what I mean I hope) and paid generic compliments. Then he pretended to sleep until she left and then sighed very loudly.

??? Romance??? WHERE????

Then the dragon pit. Heart-eyes still missing.

Then the sex scene. What do I say? Lol.

No really. There are no heart eyes even during the sex scene. Honestly, idk what that face was. Not in love for sure.

Another side note- Arya and Sansa have talks while standing in the same place where the forehead kiss scene happened (wtf do you call that place again, the bridge.??) But no heart eyes. No lingering looks. There is no incestuous gay love between them, I can say for sure. All it does is prop up the odd incestuous vibes of the Jon Sansa scene in that same place.

ANOTHER side note- goddamn but does Sansa talk about Jon a lot.

Edit: I'm sure most of this stuff has already been discussed in other metas. My purpose here is only to put down my first thoughts after watching the season.

#jonsa meta #jonsa #political jon #pol!jon #dark dany

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watcherinwater · 3 years

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FYI-In no way am I calling out all shippers who ship the ships I will mention-just the militant ones who invade tags and harass people for not shipping their ship or who harass people for saying it’s not canon.

I’m getting really tired of all the stupid ship wars over the Loki show. I don’t care if you ship whatever you want but stop invading other peoples tags just to belittle what they ship . I can’t even filter them out because some you guys are invading the mainstream tags without even tagging it as ships. And just because your ship is the most popular doesn’t give you the right to harass people and to try to force them to say it’s canon. Newsflash-none of these ships are canon. Will they be? Possibly-though I don’t think so-especially since the head writer has already said that the most popular ship won’t be although it’s true that he could be lying. They are all controversial in some way-even though a queer relationship shouldn’t be; at least not for being queer. But guess what guys-not everybody sees chemistry of a romantic type among all these characters and I really wish some you all would stop acting like everyone is supposed to feel the way about it that you do.

Yeah some people ship some controversial and sometimes distasteful stuff-like self-love, incest and other weird shit has been available in many fandoms for some time. And no it doesn’t automatically mean people do it in real life. It’s also a pretty small corner of fandom-you’re literally giving it attention by even talking about it so much. You don’t have to like it but you do need to accept that it exists. I guarantee you there’s all kinds of stuff that’s a lot worse than what I just mentioned in many fandoms and it’s usually not that hard to ignore that part of fandom-especially on social media-just filter out the tags and don’t go looking for them. That some of you bitch about it but literally go looking for it in the tags says a lot. I see several people who do this who have no problem with rape, torture, clone f******, and even underage stuff in the fandom so quit moralizing. There are profiles that invade tags that go around talking about ships that they feel are morally wrong-dude seriously keep it on your profile all you want but quit invading tags. If you have a problem with stuff that’s “morally wrong” I hate to break it to you but it’s all over the world and all over fandom. And those of you complaining about incest type ships-how many of you were fine with Jamie and Cersei in Game of Thrones because it was canon? How many of you are fine with writing about the weird romantic situations Loki gets into in both the myths and the comics (more on the below).

On the other hand-those of you who ship controversial ships that the majority find distasteful need to understand that most mainstream fans aren’t going to like them. People don’t or at least aren’t supposed to do this stuff in the real world and if you want to write in in your corner of fandom that’s fine. But most people aren’t going to like it and you need to stay in your lane and tag your stuff and not say it’s canon. To be fair until recently most of you did do this.

People ship Loki with a lot of weird ships. We’re talking about the guy/girl who in the myths and some parts of the comics turned into a mare and gave birth to a horse! And who in both the comics and the myths has monster children. Who ate a witch’s heart and gave birth to monsters. Many of you are fine with this because it’s canonical in most media. I doubt you’d be okay with it in real life-or that you assume that everybody who writes fan fiction (and there’s a lot of it) about it is okay with it in real life. Some people literally ship him with the Tesseract (SpaceFrost). Some people ship him with his clones (LokiCest). Some people ship him with Tom (FrostPudding). Yeah sometimes it’s crack ships-but sometimes it isn’t. I quite enjoy the SpaceFrost one and find it amusing-as well as FrostPudding-is some asshole going to come after for me for that? They’re actually popular ships although people usually turn the Tesseract into a person. 😁

Personally, I don’t ship any of the new ships (I’d rather see Loki with someone who doesn’t threaten his life or automatically want something from him; I’m kind of worn out on the enemies to lovers thing) but I really don’t care as long as people aren’t trying to force it on me or force me to say it’s canon. This is literally FrostMaster all over again-which isn’t canon but because it was a popular ship you had militants trying to harass people who said it wasn’t canon. Not everybody ships Loki with an older man who is supposed to control him in some way. If you do that’s fine and if you don’t that’s fine too.

I know a lot of people don’t like the Thorki ship-but I’ll say one thing for those shippers-at least most of the time they stay in their lane, understand that many people don’t appreciate their ship, don’t harass people over it, and tag their stuff. Several of you could stand to learn to do the same. And FYI, even if your ship does become canon that still doesn’t give you the right to harass people who don’t ship it or ship other ships. I’ve seen people saying racist stuff to people who ship Loki and Casey, and Mobius and Renslayer. Like, these are tiny ships and you’re threatened by them?? Your ships are the majority-isn’t that enough? I’ve also seen the some people trying to say that if you don’t ship Lokius you’re homophobic. Of course while there are some asshole homo/biphobes-there’s plenty of other queer people and others who aren’t homo/biphobic and who don’t ship them and some of you need to get that through your heads and stop using our queer identity to prop up your ship. It’s not always about canon though-it’s usually about what’s most popular. Bruce and Natasha was actual canon and I remember people who shipped them getting all kinds of shit from people who shipped a much more popular ship.

In no way am I calling out all shippers who ship these ships-just the militant ones who invade tags and harass people for not shipping their ship or for saying it’s not canon. Y’all getting ridiculous over fictional characters. Seriously, mind your own business and stay in your lane and stop messing with mainstream tags while not including your specific ship tags. I don’t want to look through the Loki series tag and see shippers fighting without these posts being tagged appropriately. It comes across that there’s no reason for you to do this other than spite. You can also tag stuff as “x negative” or “x critical”.

TLDR: Militant shippers (and only those) please stop invading each other‘s tags and stop invading mainstream tags. Tag your stuff and stay in your lane. And remember none of your ships are canon (although that may change but even then don’t harass people) so stop trying to push people into saying they are. Also people are going to ship Loki with all kinds of weird ships- considering his history in both mythology and the comics. If you don’t like it then stay out of the tags and also those of you that ship these ships please tag your stuff. And don’t use things like racism and queerphobia to either support or disparage ships.

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bunnimew · 3 years

Text

5 Times Pitch Used Terrible Pick Up Lines and the 1 Time It Kinda Worked

Fandom: Rise of the Guardians Pairing: Jack Frost/Pitch Black Tags: Fluff, Crack, Pick Up Lines, Post-Movie, 5+1, rating for themes, Pitch Black is a ridiculous man, Jack Frost you little shit Rating: T Words: 1884 Summary: Does what it says on the tin.

For RotG Bingo 2021: Terrible Pick-Up Lines On AO3 Here.

Jack hadn’t seen Pitch since the nightmares dragged him away.

The image was never far from his mind. The panic, the despair. And the children were so carefree now that Jack began to wonder if the Boogeyman would ever return.

Which is what made it such a shock when he finally heard that voice again, that silky smooth tone Jack thought locked away in his past, out of the literal darkness.

“If you were words on a page, you’d be fine print.”

Jack gripped his staff on instinct and spun to face his opponent before he realized that wasn’t an insult at all.

That was a pick-up line.

Pitch Black had just laid a pick-up line on Jack. Frost. One of the Guardians.

What.

The shock was so complete that all the fight melted out of Jack and left him reeling in confusion. Pitch’s lines were meant to sting, right? They weren’t supposed to be–

“Did you just call me fine?” Jack had to ask. Just to make sure.

Pitch’s expression remained smooth and suave, but his body, what little of it was solid, began to waiver and… was the Nightmare King fidgeting?

“Of course, Jack,” he said. “Surely you know how appealing you are?”

Jack nodded. He did. He definitely did. “Surely you know how weird it is that you said it?”

Pitch tilted his chin up, straightening his spine and assuming a very carefully composed stance. He looked uncomfortable as fuck. “It’s not that strange, Jack. If you’ll recall, it’s not the first… offer I’ve made you.”

That was a fair point, and Jack almost gave it to him. “Taking over the world and taking me to bed aren’t exactly the same thing, Pitch.”

His eyes widened in feigned surprise. Pitch leaned forward just enough to make Jack feel his height, and then he said, “Aren’t they, though?”

He vanished into the dark before Jack could come up with a good reply.

“Kiss me if I'm wrong. But dinosaurs still exist, right?”

This time, Jack was less surprised. Surprised, yes, but Jack didn’t jump into a defensive stance or anything, which was good for his sense of pride.

Instead, he thought about what Pitch actually said. Dinosaurs did not exist, and that was one of the saddest facts Jack knew. “These are supposed to be Pick-Ups, not Put-Downs. What are you doing?”

Pitch didn’t miss a beat. He turned his head coyly to the side and made himself look very unassuming. “You know, I’m actually terrible at flirting. How about you try to pick me up instead?”

That was… a pretty good line, if Jack were honest. Unfortunately, fraternizing with the enemy was frowned upon in most establishments, and also Jack was not going to reward the Boogeyman for bad behavior. “I’m not falling for it.”

“Are you sure?” Pitch looked up, all innocence. “Maybe you should check again.”

Jack snorted a laugh. He knew Pitch was witty and all, but somehow the Guardian had thought it limited to nasty insults and setting traps. Speaking of…

He looked right into Pitch’s eyes when he said. “You’re wrong, but I’m not kissing you.”

Pitch’s lips twisted, but it looked more playful than aggrieved. “Well you’re no fun.”

Jack skated to the edge of the lake, the one he liked to think of as home, and tipped joyously over into the soft snowbank to rest. Figure eights were a lot of fun, but figure skating was a lot of work.

“We’re not socks, but I think we’d make a great pair.”

Jack almost jumped right back out into the lake and through the ice. Instead, he used his unwillfully gained momentum to turn and smack Pitch’s shoulder for scaring him. That was no way to woo a man.

“Antarctica hit you hard, didn’t it?” he accused.

Pitch did look off-put by that, but he didn’t leave so Jack figured he was over it enough. It was only fair, too, considering the whole Antarctica thing was largely Pitch’s doing.

Jack brushed off the snowflakes he’d thrown all over himself in his panic and settled down into the bank the way he’d meant to before Pitch so rudely interrupted. “You know, you’d get further if you stopped sneaking up on people.”

Pitch looked even more offended by that. “I am the Boogeyman!”

“Yeah, so?”

Pitch tossed his head. Dramatically. Jack hid his grin. “Sneaking up on people is what I do.”

“Sneaking up on targets is what you do,” Jack corrected mildly. He stuffed one arm under his head and made sure to have a good angle on Pitch’s face for what he said next. “Sneaking up on a pull is how you go to bed lonely.”

Pitch drew back in shock, and Jack loved to see it. His eyes were wide and everything.

Jack raised his eyebrows and said, “That is what you’re trying to do, isn’t it?”

Pitch sputtered. It was hilarious. He recovered quickly, and that was fun, too. “And who are you to give me dating advice?”

Jack shrugged. “Just the guy you’re trying to date.”

Pitch walked right into that one, and he clearly knew it by the way he kept his mouth shut and looked at everything that wasn’t Jack. Finally, he licked his lips and said, “Yes, well…”

“Well?” Jack prompted. He would have sworn Pitch’s high cheekbones were looking darker than usual.

“Have a nice night,” Pitch said in a rush of breath and vanished into the shadows from whence he came.

Jack grinned. He didn’t care if Pitch was actually still there and could see. “Oh, I’m sure I will.”

If Jack was the kind of person to compliment his arch nemesis, he would give him props for materializing slowly this time. Was Pitch trying to learn?

All the same, the Nightmare King stopped Jack in his tracks by blocking his way with a long gray arm and a beautiful purple rose.

“I just wanted to show this rose how beautiful you are.”

Gorgeous as the rose was, that line was transparent as hell. Jack dropped his shoulders and stared at Pitch, hoping his expression was as lame as that line.

To his credit, Pitch held his ground. His face was the picture of innocent interest, maybe even with a dash of hope.

As they watched each other, waiting to see who blinked first, Pitch’s arms slowly lifted to place the rose, de-thorned thankfully, over Jack’s ear.

...Well played.

Jack tried to maintain his stare, but it was hard to stay mad when he felt pretty. That didn’t mean Pitch’s line was working; it just meant Jack liked roses. Who didn’t like roses?

Jack gathered his wits and tried to look casual when he asked, “If that’s all you wanted, then I guess your job’s done here, isn’t it?”

Pitch didn’t look upset the way Jack thought he would. His eyes were roaming over Jack’s face and the flower tucked against it in distant admiration and Jack, for the first time, really started to think Pitch might mean something by these lines he was using.

“Yes, I suppose it is,” he said as if waking from a dream. This time, when Pitch melted into the dark, he sank slowly into the shadows and it didn’t feel anything like the running away it had every time previously.

He could have taken three times as long to leave and Jack still wouldn’t have found his tongue in time to reply.

This time, when Pitch appeared, Jack was reclining lazily up in a tree. Which Jack would have considered his home turf, except the way Pitch dripped out from the shadow of the branch above him to hang upside down, comfortable as any bat, made him feel at a distinct disadvantage.

It was creepy, but Jack could admit it was cool, too. Pitch had style.

Jack waited patiently for the line he knew was coming.

“I'd like to take you to the movies, but they don't let you bring in your own snacks.”

Jack snorted a laugh. He couldn’t help it. And yet, after all of this, Jack could admit to feeling flattered by it, too. A snack, huh?

“Why can’t you just tell me you like me and get it over with?”

Jack hadn’t realized any part of Pitch was moving until all of it, extended shadows and everything, came to a screeching halt. “Wha–” He stuttered, and it was music to Jack’s ears. “No, That’s–I don–”

The Boogeyman didn’t know how to handle it when he wasn’t in control, but rather than lash out the way Jack feared, the way he was used to, he flailed in embarrassment and conceded all ground to Jack. That, more than anything else, told Jack what he needed to know.

“Goodbye, Frost.” Pitch said with what little dignity he could muster, and dropped right into the ground.

Pitch wasn’t even a surprise this time.

Jack was in the middle of a long brick walkway, icing up the ornate lamps and decorating the bare trees on either side with snow. There were plenty of shadows to pick from, but Pitch walked over from some distance away giving Jack more than enough warning to know he was there.

Jack was tempted to interrupt him. To see if he could wrongfoot him again, get Pitch to trip over his own words and obvious desires and flee.

It would be easy. Jack could think up dozens of ways to call Pitch out before he even spoke a word.

But then Jack wouldn’t get to hear him speak a word.

And he was curious what words Pitch might speak.

“Your eyes are bluer than the Atlantic ocean,” Pitch spoke softly, poetically. He must have practised to deliver the line this well. “And I don’t mind being lost at sea”

It was worth it, Jack thought: the practice and letting Pitch say it. That smooth tongue was meant for promises on the wind and romance in every word.

Jack stared for too long and only realized when Pitch’s eyes gleamed and he took another breath.

“I wish I were a tear,” he whispered as he moved closer. His cool fingers brushed gently along the side of Jack’s face and Jack felt no fear. Pitch was telling him just what he wanted, and Jack held all the power here. “...So I could start in your eyes,” Pitch said, “live on your face…” His fingers drifted down along Jack’s jaw. He knew what Pitch was going to say before he said it, “...and die on your lips.”

But it was so much better out loud, in Pitch’s voice, than in Jack’s head.

It was Antarctica all over again, but this time Pitch was offering something whose price wasn’t Jack’s soul. It was Antarctica all over again, and Pitch was brave to come back a second time, a third time, a sixth time to risk rejection and hurt and wounds reopened that maybe only just healed.

Jack watched Pitch glow in the moonlight. Watched him take a deep breath and open his lips to speak—

“You can stop now,” Jack said, and grabbed the back of Pitch’s neck to pull him in for a kiss.

Pitch’s lips tasted just as sweet as his lines.

#TheBunni #Rise of the Guardians #rotg #blackicerotg #blackice rotg #blackice #Jack Frost #Pitch Black #Pick-up lines #Rotg Bingo #rotgbingo

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zeta-in-de-walls · 3 years

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Back in my Zeta appreciation hours lol. You'll probably be one of the only dsmp (analysis) blogs I'll follow because of how positive you try to be, and I have so much respect for you. I sometimes have the urge to post negative or discourse rambles, but I stop when I realize how shitty it just makes me feel afterwards. So props to you for remaining so positive even when the fandom is on fire hah.

Anyways, I love when Tommy turns off his persona (though don't get me wrong I love streamer mode too) and just talks. For all the screeching he does, he has a nice and calming voice. Podcast type beat shit. I was surprised when he was open about his anxiety and getting therapy. He's generally not a too open or "honest" person about this kind of stuff, at least as far as I can tell (somewhat also why I'm not his real name is Tom or Thomas but I digress).

Also, in general, I think it's nice thing to see content creators being open about their mental struggles and how they deal with that. I think so far, Wilbur, Techno to an extent, Dream, and now Tommy have been open about their mental health (I'm not aware of the rest but if they have, props to them too). I couldn't imagine openly telling hundreds of thousands of people on live that I have some mental issues that I'm dealing with, so I love when they're open about it, especially as a person with really bad anxiety and ADHD and depression and probably some other stuff. (Though it sucks when the fandom also latches on to this and either babies them or uses it as hate fuel. This fandom has a weird track record with mental health and 'holy shit what the fuck' takes to certain plots, cough cough exile arc why is there so much victim blaming and abuse apologism??)

So in the midst of all this, weirdly enough maybe, just coming on and sending asks to you is somewhat calming for me. I could just post this but I think this "one-sided" conversation is fun. This past week has been a shit storm for this fandom and yet we're still here. Gotta find the light in the dark I guess. (Side-note: you're never obligated to post these, as is the general consensus with asks, I just like rambling and speaking positively of you lmao.) Hope you stay well!

Hey, feel free to chat in my askbox anytime. I enjoy the interactions as well! Thanks!

Discourse can seem fun at the time. When drama's happening, people become intensely curious and want to know what's going on even if it doesn't involve them. Then once they've caught up on it, they want to give their own input and perspective on things. It's natural!

But it's ultimately draining. Each individual comment on the situation is small, reasonable. The intentions are good. But sheer quantity is overwhelming. There are misunderstandings and miscommunications and genuine negativity mixed in even if they're not the vast majority at all.

You're handing a glass of water to a man who's beginning to drown. You're reaching out a hand to give but only push them further down.

(Sorry that's based on a song lyric xD, and I couldn't not share it.)

Anyway, the fandom is fun and I do love it! I've read so many great posts, seen so much cool art, read some fun fanfiction, shared some thoughts and received nice interactions. The people trending negativity one day are the same people who trend positivity another day. It's all the same community and we should appreciate that, flaws and all. We're not perfect. We're not better and its pride to think otherwise. And its always been this way - people talk about last year Mcyt like it was better but honestly the drama was always there, it was just smaller, but we only remember the good bits.

Heh all that aside yeah, Tommy's a really cool person. I admire him trying to be open and genuine. He wouldn't talk about it and feel so stressed out if he didn't care. He seems to care a lot about being a responsible person and nurturing a good community while feeling like he's not ready to be a good role model as he's still learning and making mistakes and he's struggling to deal with that pressure. It's very cool that he shared all those concerns. I really enjoyed that stream!

Plus the fact that he's got an awareness of his own limits. He admitted that he's had therapy almost casually, recommending it as a good, useful thing to do which is honestly great. Therapy is rather stigmatised and it's not necessarily something you'd expect from someone who seems so confident. I remember there was some worry about if they'd show Tommy's character going to therapy in the Dream SMP whether he'd actually depict it well and do it justice. But now we know he's had firsthand experience and recommends it. (Obviously that doesn't mean they'd definitely portray it well but is so encouraging to know that Tommy at least takes it very seriously.)

Aah this turned into quite the ramble. xD Cheers again for the ask!

#replies #meta #analysis #fandom discourse #ha and here i am discussing drama like the liar i am xD #yeah i think a bunch of ccs have mentioned therapy #eret's taken breaks for his mental health i believe #niki's discussed anxiety a lot and has plans to become a professional therapist for ccs

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lunaajade · 3 years

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Everything You Need to Know about “Shadow and Bone” on Netflix (*UPDATED: POSSIBLE LANGUAGE OF THORNS ADAPTATION INFO)

Since it’s recently been confirmed that we’d be getting S&B content in a few days (finally!), I thought I’d compile and summarize as much info as I could to refresh everyone’s memories! Please spread the word/share this post to those who aren’t up to date! (I’ve seen some people online who are worried about how it’s going to turn out, and I’d like to be able to hopefully reassure those people)

Now, there’s a LOT of stuff, so there’s always the chance I missed/forgot something. This post will be split up into categories based on type of info, so here we go! I went back and listened to/watched both of the big live streams (NYCC and the S&B Charity Competition), went on the Grishaverse Reddit, etc. to find as much (extra/bonus) stuff as I could. (If I missed anything/got something wrong, please feel free to leave a comment!)

Update: A lot of people have been asking where it was confirmed we were getting content soon. I found out from one of the update accounts I follow.

Thanks for reading, everyone!

General/Key Info About the Show

-This first season will be adapting both “Shadow and Bone” and what has been dubbed a “Book 0″ (most likely meaning prequel/backstory/set-up) for “Six of Crows” -In relation to the above point, the timelines are being brought together for the show. (Normally in the books, the two series are set two years apart)(We don’t know how exactly or what this means for the story, but I have a really interesting theory that I thought up in relation to this, message me if you’d like to hear it.) -Leigh acknowledges and understands that some of us have doubts and are worried about the show, but she has publicly assured us (numerous times) of how much she loves the show and cast, how well she thinks the crew/writers did in bringing the Grishaverse to life, etc. See a later point below in the Facts/Tidbits section -The first season will have 8, one-hour long episodes -Alina has been made half Shu (half Asian) for the show! Leigh stated that was decided on after she and Eric had a lengthy discussion on Alina’s character. -The main cast (as in confirmed to be in all episodes) is comprised of Jessie Mei Li (as Alina), Archie Renaux (as Mal), Ben Barnes (as the Darkling), Freddy Carter (as Kaz), Amita Suman (as Inej), and Kit Young (as Jesper) -Wylan and Nikolai are NOT in the first season. (Nikolai didn’t appear until the second book, and Leigh confirmed that at this point in the story, the Crows had not met Wylan yet.) -Other cast members include Danielle Galligan (as Nina), Calahan Skogman (as Matthias), Daisy Head (as Genya), Sujaya Dasgupta (as Zoya), Luke Pasqualino (as David), Julian Kostov (as Fedyor), Simon Sears (as Ivan), Zoe Wanamaker (as Baghra), and more! -The Darkling will also be called “General Kirigan” in the show. From what we know, The Darkling will be the “enemy” to Ravka (so in essence, General Kirigan is his alias/fake persona (what he’ll most likely be referred to for most of the show), and no one knows that he’s actually their enemy. (Meaning it’ll most likely a super big moment when they learn their general was actually the Darkling in disguise)). -The show was shot on location in Budapest, Hungary. (And additional filming took place this past fall in Vancouver) -In order, the 8 episodes are titled the following: “A Searing Burst of Light”, “We’re All Someone’s Monster”, “The Making at the Heart of the World”, “Otkazat’sya”, “Show Me Who You Are”, “The Heart is An Arrow”, “The Unsea”, & “No Mourners”.

Other (Fun) Facts/Tidbits About the Show

-Upon seeing Jessie’s audition, Leigh loved her audition/portrayal of Alina so much that she apparently stated that she wanted her to play Alina or she’d be out of the project. She was sent five auditions to watch, Jessie’s was the third, and she said she didn’t bother watching the rest of them. -Leigh stated that she and Eric Heisserer (the creator of the show) said they were on the same page from the first meeting. All other past meetings with producers and companies about possible adaptations had left her with a bad feeling, but she said they’d had the same ideas about inclusion, story, staff, etc. She said she’s loved the respect he’s shown towards the work (and, in a way, to us the fans) -Netflix apparently also has the rights to adapt “The Language of Thorns” , though we’ve gotten no info on that adaptation yet. (UPDATE: I just watched a Leigh Bardugo event from Feb 2019 (a few weeks after the show was first announced, I think): As of that day, she said that she thought that they were going to use LoT more for "texture” (IMO that might mean worldbuilding?) in the show. And I don’t know if she was talking about LoT specifically because she was very vague, but she said that there were certain things in the show that she thinks readers will be really excited about. Again, this was over a year ago, back when they were still in pre-production and stuff, so don’t take my word for it. Besides this, I couldn’t find anything else relating to a possible LoT adaptation. Maybe they’ll have the stories from LoT appear as actual folk tales told in the show, and that’s the “adaptation”? IDK. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpHnw8Ygw5c&t=1906s)) -Leigh is an exec. producer on the show! I’m no expert, so I don’t know how much say/power she had in the process, but she definitely had some. -There is a RAVKAN edition of the “Shadow and Bone” book that Leigh says makes a cameo in the show! -Jesper’s guns had custom etchings done on them by a Hungarian antique gunsmith! (And they were so good that Leigh and Eric said that it looked like it belonged in a museum--they were also described to be quite heavy!) -Eric Heisserer is the creator of the show, he is an award-winning writer, well known for “Arrival”, “Bird Box”, and more. (If I remember correctly, Leigh said that he’d reached out to her about making the show!) -A DeKappel painting (maybe the one owned by Van Eck?) was confirmed to be in the pilot episode. -Pekka Rollins and Tante Heleen have been confirmed to be in the first season, but their casting has (up to this point) not yet been revealed. -Bo Yul-Bayur is confirmed to be in the show! (Though Kuwei has not) -Leigh will have a cameo in (I think) Episode 5! She will be wearing a Materialki kefta and will be opening a door, if I remember correctly. -A lot of the crew was also extremely passionate about the project and fans of the books -The “Lives of Saints” book that was published in October is an actual book/prop that is appearing in the show! -I’m personally fine with Mal, but Leigh says that Archie is going to change everyone’s minds with his portrayal! -The costume designer for the show is Wendy Partridge, known for her work on “Thor: The Dark World”, “Pompeii”, and more! -The composer for the show is Joe Trapanese, known for composing for “The Greatest Showman”, “Straight Outta Compton”, “Lady and the Tramp”, and more! At the NYCC Grishaverse panel, they revealed a little bit of the score (”Grisha Theme”): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFxIEbsHKJA

Fun Cast/On Set Stories/Facts

-The cast all loves each other, and are all extremely passionate about this show, which is great! (Leigh said that on her second visit to the set, she heard them singing together) -Leigh says that Ben Barnes once snuck up behind her on her first day on set and scared her by whispering “Fine, make me your villain” -Freddy’s favorite Grishaverse book is “Six of Crows”, but most specifically the first line of chapter 2 (”Kaz Brekker didn’t need a reason.”) -Jessie would apparently come to set on some of her days off to support the cast and crew! -Sujaya has stated that her favorite Grishaverse character is Nikolai! (#Zoyalai) -Freddy has become famous/popular with the fandom, one of the reasons being because he often comments on posts/live streams asking something along the lines of “What was it like working with Freddy Carter? xoxo” -Danielle loves Nina and her journey in “King of Scars” -According to a Tweet, Freddy and Leigh said that there had been a scene with “a very pesky gate”--Freddy said that it “wouldn’t be proper to tweet the expletives [he] used that day” and that he thinks he “scarred” Amita and Eric. -Amita’s favorite thing about Inej is her silence, and her favorite Grishaverse book is “Six of Crows” (as of May, where we learned this during a live-stream, she said she’s read it three times and listened to the audiobook twice.) -There was a waffle truck on set on the last day of shooting! -Calahan says that if he could play any other Grishaverse character, he’d want to play Nikolai! -While she did work with the trainer to get more physically fit, Amita learned most of her knife techniques by herself! -Leigh said she cried a lot while on set! (She said there was one scene they were shooting that she has a very clear, vivid memory of writing many years back--based on the context of which she was talking about it, if I had to guess, I’d guess she’s describing the Winter Fete.) -Leigh also said that on one of her first days on set, it was funny/weird to see all the extras in First Army uniforms chilling on their phones, drinking coffee, etc. -One of Calahan’s favorite character dynamics in the books is the dynamic between Kaz and Matthias -There was a moment where Amita was fully in costume and doing amazing, graceful knife work, only to trip and fall when she’d finished. -Amita and Jessie and Sujaya were best friends on set. -Sujaya loved everything about playing Zoya. (Especially her confidence) -Leigh says one of her favorite props was Kaz’s cane, especially because of what it meant to her and the story. -If he could be any Grisha order, Calahan says he’d want to be a Corporalki -Calahan loves Matthias’s journey/arc. -Kit’s favorite Grishaverse book is “Crooked Kingdom”!

Links

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X65iI1YXrbU (NYCC Grishaverse Panel) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHou5rVs6o0 (S&B Talent Show Charity Live Stream ft. the S&B Cast!--the IG video got taken down because Archie deleted his IG account and switched to a new one) -https://www.netflix.com/title/80236319 (”Shadow and Bone” on Netflix!) -https://twitter.com/shadowandbone_ (Official “Shadow and Bone” Twitter!) -https://www.instagram.com/shadowandbone/?hl=en (Official “Shadow and Bone” Instagram!) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRh-Pmbynww (Annoucement made by cast when filming wrapped! (can be found on the social media accounts, but here’s a link to YT)) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bpY8uLtyB4 (A S&B Cast Crack video by HeartPhantom--it highlights a lot of the inside jokes and memes that we’ve gotten to witness among the cast, and also just generally shows off how hilariously chaotic everyone is (this cast is the definition of chaotic good, lol))

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whatifxwereyou · 3 years

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Ashes Chapter 13: Perception

Fandom: Mortal Kombat 2021

Pairing: Liu Kang x Reader

A/N: Maybe it's inevitable. Definitely cried like an adult while writing parts of this. I'm a weepy baby. I hope you imagine an ugly MySpace style sparkly gif every time Y/N uses the word "kidnapping". As always, appreciate you guys <3

First Chapter << Previous Chapter Next Chapter >> Chapter Index

Buzz.

You peeked one eye open and caught sight of the smart phone dancing around on the nightstand close by. Strong arms were wrapped around you and there was no mistaking who they belonged to this time. Liu. You’d fallen asleep next to each other and somewhere along the line, in unconsciousness, he’d cuddled against you.

This was fine.

This was all fine.

The phone continued to dance and nearly vibrated right off the edge of the nightstand and onto the floor. You grabbed it from its place near the edge and wiped your eyes with your other hand. Johnny Cage. Rubbing your eyes again, you checked the time on the phone. It was nine at night. Carefully you snuck out of Liu’s arms without waking him. You’d mastered sneaking out of bed while you’d been dating Kung Lao. He was so heavy a sleeper that in the beginning of your relationship you had wound up trapped beneath his arms for hours. Then when you tried to get away, you’d wake him up. Eventually you’d mastered maneuvering from his grasp without waking him because waking him led to fooling around or talking and then you were either trapped having to pee or late for some responsibility or another.

Liu adjusted behind you but didn’t wake up. You fixed your askew shirt, grabbed your keycard, and then answered the phone and stepped into the hallway, carefully closing the door behind you.

“This is weird. I don’t think I even got your name earlier.” Johnny spoke without waiting for you to acknowledge him. You chuckled beneath your breath then cleared the sleepiness from your throat. “I know that may seem like it’s a pretty common thing for me but…”

“Y/N. You can call me Y/N.” You interrupted what you were sure was a very cleverly crafted explanation about his popularity and fame. Johnny Cage seemed like the type to be easily derailed from a topic with banter. You’d become skilled at wrangling men like that given that Kung Lao had been your other half for so long.

“And you’re from China, right?”

“Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“Just trying to make sure I spell your name right…” His voice was distant, as if he spoke nowhere near the phone. You spelled your name for him with a sigh. “Is that…?”

“That is not important right now.” You interrupted him again. You had to keep him on task or this conversation was going to go on forever.

“Right, yes. I’ve been thinking about this morning.”

“And?”

“I was hoping to hash out the details with you guys before I officially agree to anything.” Johnny Cage tried to sound like he was bargaining with you but you were already convinced that he was joining you. This seemed like a formality. Or like he was dragging it out. Why? You couldn’t think of a good reason. Maybe to try and land a date with Sonya? You didn’t think that was going to happen and also it seemed petty. Then again, you and Liu were a hot mess in the middle of all of this so you couldn’t criticize anyone else’s motives. “I’ve begun clearing my schedule for the next few weeks but I’m a busy man, you know. Takes time.”

“I understand that. I’m sure that we can meet tomorrow to answer any questions you may still have.” There was no point in arguing with him on that. It was a reasonable request though not entirely necessary. Besides, you were still ready to jump to the kidnapping stage of this endeavor. If he caused too much trouble tomorrow then you would promptly lure him somewhere quiet and knock him out. Then you’d go from there. You could probably convince Cole to help you if you had to but you didn’t think it would go that far.

“That’s exactly what I hoped to hear!” You could hear the smile on Johnny’s face. “When we’re off the phone, I’ll text you where to meet me.”

“Sounds like a plan.” You yawned.

“I wanted to ask you something. You seem like a nice woman.”

Oh, how misguided a man Johnny Cage was. Oddly trusting for someone in his position. Here you were planning out an elaborate scheme to kidnap him and drag him to China and he thought you were nice. It was probably the tea thing from earlier. Ah, well. You’d fooled him.

“Ask away, Mr. Cage.”

“Just Johnny, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure.”

Then he sighed as if trying to word his question or embarrassed to ask it. You waited patiently. There was no need to rush him. You weren’t sure that Johnny Cage could be rushed. “Are you guys for real? Or are you just dicking me around? No one put you up to this, right?” After everything that you had showed him that morning, he was still stuck on the idea of this being a prank. Was Johnny often victim to silly pranks? Did he find himself the butt end of a joke amongst friends? It was funny to imagine.

“I know that this is… what’s the saying? Difficult medicine to take?” You weren’t so good with the English idioms. Maybe that was why he thought you to be nice. You were far more sarcastic in your native tongue. Your English was good but stuff didn’t always come out right.

“Hard pill to swallow but I got the point.” Johnny chuckled. “…so yeah? It’s true?”

“Trust me, Mr. Cage, I have much better things to do than play silly pranks on you.” You reassured him but he scoffed as if insulted. “That and I’d never heard of you before this.” It sounded like you’d punched him. Ah, yes, the delicate male ego.

“Low blow. Never heard of me?” You could picture the horror on his face.

“No offense meant.”

“I bet you just didn’t remember my name. Dragon Fist? Cage Match? Aquatic Assault? Exiting the Dragon of Death? A personal favorite of mine…”

“Exiting the Dragon of Death?”

“Yeah? You’ve heard of that one?”

“No.”

“Come on, don’t play with me like that.”

“I couldn’t resist.” You spoke over him as he made to list more movies. “I’m sorry to have offended you.” You were certain this could go on all night and you were still tired and now you were hungry too. Your appetite was back and you were far less shaky than you’d been earlier that day. “I did watch one of your films last night with a friend so that I could be familiar with your movement patterns.”

“For that crazy duplication thing you did?”

“For my arcana, yes.”

“…and?”

“It was a fun movie.”

“Which one did you watch?”

“Mr. Cage, this is a conversation for another time. Can we stay on topic?”

“Just Johnny, please.” Apparently no, he could not stay on topic. You pulled the phone away from your face so he wouldn’t hear your heavy sigh. Hearing footsteps behind you, you turned and found Cole approaching holding an ice bucket and offering a wave. He stopped next to you and nodded toward the phone. You mouthed that it was Johnny Cage. Then he offered you a thumbs up, pointed toward the end of the hall and walked away, presumably to get ice. “I’m making a choice to trust you. I don’t think you’re lying to me. I hope I’m making the right choice.”

“I’m a terrible liar so good choice.” He continued going on about something but your brain was tired of the babble. You needed food! This conversation felt like it would have gone on all week if you let him talk the way he wanted to. “Can I trust you no to dick us around?”

“I promise. You’ve got a deal, Y/N.”

“Text me the address and we’ll meet you just before noon.” You assured him.

“Got it. See you then.” Johnny hung up and you breathed a sigh of relief. At least this part of your trip was going smoothly. Seconds later your phone buzzed with a message from the same number. You selected the address and put it into the browser of your phone after figuring out how that worked. From what you could tell, the address seemed legit. A house by the shore. Of course, a beach house. Why wouldn’t he take the opportunity to show off?

“How’d it go?” Cole returned with his bucket full of ice.

“Mr. Cage is going to meet with us tomorrow to discuss details.”

“I anticipated us having to use your devious plan B so I’m surprised he’s going to meet with us.” Cole adjusted the bucket in his arms. “What do you think of him? I’m having a hard time taking him seriously.”

“I meant it when I said that I thought he was funny earlier. Honestly, if we had met without any of this pretense, I think that he and I would get along quite well.” You shrugged. “I also think that he’s going to do what he thinks is right if that’s what you were really asking. Seems like the type to talk a big game but ultimately a good guy.”

“That’s optimistic of you.”

“I usually have a good read on people.”

“I can tell.” Cole gestured toward your door. “You just getting in? Maybe not.” He looked down at your bare feet.

“I was napping.”

“And you came into the hallway to take a call?”

“Yeah, I was uh… going to grab food.”

“Without your shoes?”

“Are you always this nosy, Cole?”

“Not really but this afternoon has been especially boring. Plus, your reactions are entertaining.” Cole smirked. “You have more color now. That’s good to see.”

“Why does no one believe me when I say I’m just tired?” You gestured back to the room. “I’m gonna go.”

“We’re about to grab a bite to eat if you want to join us. Late dinner.”

“No, no, thank you though. That’s sweet. I’m okay.”

“You just said you were going to get food.” Cole laughed.

“…I think I’ll order something.” You pointed to your bare feet but was sure your expression was one that screamed you’d been caught in the most pointless of lies. Cole had inadvertently talked you into a corner. You hadn’t even meant to lie! It had just happened. This was why you didn’t usually bother.

“You’re lying.”

“Yeah, turns out I am. I’m not good at it.”

“I can see that.”

The door to your room opened behind you and Liu Kang peeked into the hall, still looking sleepy.

“Hello Cole” Liu stepped into the hall and kept the door propped open a crack, back leaned against it. Then he bowed his head politely in greeting. He turned to you and spoke Chinese as if this weren’t suspicious. You didn’t think it had the intention that he wanted it to have. “Everything okay?”

“I had a call to take with Mr. Cage. No big deal.” You replied in English to try and make it seem like you had less to hide. Why? Because Cole was already giving you a look as if to say it was ‘nothing’. You sighed. “I’m just about done.”

“Good.” Liu replied in English. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” You snapped at him without meaning to then took a cleansing breath. He was just worried about you but you were tired of the worry. You felt far better than you had earlier. A few hours of sleep had done you good. “I really am fine.” Liu bowed his head politely to both you and Cole and then disappeared back into the hotel room.

“What was it you were saying earlier? About that being nothing?” Cole teased in a whisper after you made no move to offer any explanation.

“If you recall, I also said it was none of your business.” There was no point in trying to lie again. You folded too easily. Instead, you’d be evasive. That was easier. Avoiding the truth was far easier than twisting it at least for you.

“Liu looked pretty tired. You guys have a nice nap?”

“We fell asleep talking.” You narrowed your eyes at his implications but also hated how close he was to the truth.

“Sure, is that what the kids are calling it these days?”

You shoved his shoulder with a laugh. “Your ice is melting Cole. It’s nothing.”

“Yeah, I’m going to have to mentally shift my definition of that word to better fit what I’m seeing.” He teased. “You’re trouble, Y/N. I’m making note of it.”

“You have no idea, Cole.” You pointed to the room behind you. “I’m going now.”

“Enjoy your nothing.” He called after you. You disappeared into the hotel room and then leaned against the door once it closed. You fiddled on your phone and sent a message to Jax, relaying what you’d learned from Johnny Cage along with the address and what you’d agreed to. The door to the small bathroom to your right opened and Liu stepped out, closing the door behind him. He waited patiently for you to finish on your phone.

“When I woke up and couldn’t find you, I was worried.” He nodded to the messy bed where you’d been sleeping. And snuggling. You mustn’t forget that there had been a fair amount of snuggling.

“My phone was ringing and it felt rude to answer it with you asleep so I stepped into the hall.” You shook the phone in your hand and then filled him in on the conversation you’d shared with Johnny Cage. You left out the exhausting banter that had kept you on the phone for far longer than necessary. Even if it had been mentally exhausting, you had also enjoyed talking with him. Your phone buzzed with Jax’s response. “Okay, Jax is going to arrange a ride to take us to meet Johnny tomorrow. He’ll also let everyone else know where to meet.”

“Good.”

Silence followed and you stood awkwardly in the small entranceway of the hotel room.

“So.” You began.

“So.”

“You should probably go, right?”

“Yeah.” Liu shifted but made no move to leave and a smile played on his lips. “Or… I could stay. We could order some food and continue our… getting along for the day.”

“Mostly getting along.” You corrected. Maybe he’d chosen to forget when he’d pushed you against the wall and you’d nearly undressed him. You blinked the mental image away. If you thought about it for too long then you’d probably end up right back where you’d started. “We could. Is that what you wanted to do?”

“Are you okay with that?”

“I guess.”

“There was a menu around here somewhere.” Liu walked back into the open area of the room and you were grateful he’d taken the initiative to make the decision to stay. In all honesty, his presence was comforting and conflicting. You craved the comfort but the guilt and pain made you want to push him away. Your brain was such a mess. Your emotions were even worse. You joined him and mulled over the menu, trying to discern what was safe for you to eat. Liu called to place the order since he had several questions about the food. His diet was more specific than yours was. You had never quite taken to the vegetarian diet completely. Your food arrived and you sat on your bed and ate while making quiet conversation. It was pleasant, if not a little awkward. In a way, it was reminiscent of when you would spend time alone together when you were first dating Kung Lao. You had often avoided discussing the difficult things then but not for the sake of each other. Instead, it was for Kung Lao.

“Cole seems to have taken a shine to you.”

“Yeah, he’s a nice guy and his family is cute. I think he feels guilty about Kung Lao so he’s compensating a little.”

“I could see that. I tried to reassure him that he isn’t to blame.”

“I did too.” You clicked your tongue in amusement. Liu gently nudged you with his shoulder.

“Today was nice.”

“I mean, parts of it were.”

“We had a bit of a rough start but things didn’t end so horribly.”

“Well,” you began in a higher, nervous pitch, “we didn’t exactly fix anything.” Liu laughed. “And I think we definitely made things worse but… all things considered, neither one of us is dead and we aren’t screaming at each other so that’s something.”

“I was thinking and… maybe we don’t have to fix anything.” Liu avoided your eyes and began to clean up dinner. You knew why he was avoiding your eyes because you were looking at him like he’d lost his damn mind. He had. He was insane. You couldn’t keep going like this. You both knew that. “We can’t ignore it, obviously. But we can’t expect to resolve anything when we’re like this. We’re grieving, Y/N. We hurt each other. But I also think that it could be healthy to try and find a way to be content amongst all of that too. We can’t force a resolution, Y/N. I think that’s clear.” Liu’s smile was soft but strained, like talking about it so analytically pained him. “I don’t think I can handle this much misery all the time.”

“I understand.” You didn’t necessarily disagree with him you just couldn’t see the end either. He seemed to think there was some kind of happily ever after waiting for you and you didn’t think there was. The only end to life was death. Even if you found happiness eventually, life would continue moving. No amount of happiness would erase your history nor would it erase your trauma. That didn’t mean you wouldn’t find joy. You were just being realistic. “It’s weird, isn’t it?” You helped him gather the dishes. Liu then placed the tray aside on the desk. You picked up the tray and placed it carefully outside the door and then returned to him. “Surreal is maybe a better word for what we are right now.”

“Surreal works.” Liu’s smile was forced and it pained you. “We’re going to be okay.”

“Oh, you think so, hmm? Confident in that?”

“I am.” He grinned but you could still see that worry behind his dark eyes. Liu had never been a good liar either. It was a wonder that he’d fooled you all those years ago. Perhaps because he’d said all the things that you’d been afraid he’d say.

“I suppose the worst thing that could happen is that we decide not to talk to each other anymore and lose touch. Then in like, thirty years, we’ll reunite and reminisce about the old days. Then this won’t seem so complicated anymore.” You hadn’t realized how much you’d considered that as an option until then. Liu seemed alarmed. “What?”

“Is that what you plan to do?”

“That would imply that I’ve thought past today so… no.” You sat on the side of the bed facing the window. There was no way to open the window so this was as close to the breeze and the stars as you could get. “But it happens. People drift apart even after being as close as we were especially after traumatic stuff like this. And this is a pretty messed up thing we’re dealing with, Liu. I can’t pretend to know what will happen.”

“I don’t want to drift apart.” He sat next to you and cautiously placed a hand over yours on the bed between you. There were times where he treated you like a ticking time bomb. This was one of them.

“Of course not, Liu. I don’t want that to happen either.”

“You had that scenario pretty thought out.”

“This time, Liu? You’re the one overthinking things.”

“Maybe.” He watched out the window, but you felt his thumb brush over the back of your hand. Looking at the night sky was easier than looking at each other. But right now the night sky looked empty. You didn’t see the stars. Just the lights of busy Los Angeles, a thing which brought you no peace. “Do you think you’ll still be this cute in thirty years?”

“I uh…” You laughed and pretended to consider it. “I didn’t think about it. For the brief moment I considered this make-believe scenario, you were still cute.” You joked and nudged him playfully.

“You’re beautiful Y/N, so I’m sure you will be too.” Liu still didn’t look at you. “I always thought so. Even when I used to tease you.” You rolled your eyes at him in disgust and he laughed again. You were well beyond being bashful at his compliments.

“Cut it out, Liu.”

“I just don’t want to leave it unsaid.”

“It feels like you’re trying to butter me up.” You narrowed your eyes in suspicion.

“Maybe. Or… perhaps this last week I’ve been cruel to you. I thought that I’d pay you a compliment instead.” That was as good an excuse as any. You had dug at each other quite a bit the past few days.

“I’m not vain.”

“I know. I always liked that about you.”

“Stop it, Liu. You’re freaking me out.” You laughed and shoved at his shoulder.

“I won’t.” He leaned back on one arm. You reached for your phone on the bed behind you as it buzzed. Jax had verified the location online as legitimate. He’d even found out that the property belonged to Johnny. Apparently, Jax had been much more suspicious of him than you had been. You’d decided to trust Johnny. And if he lied to you then you’d just go to plan B. Kidnapping. Jax continued on to say that he’s pretty sure the asshole just wanted to show off his beach house. You chuckled. You’d thought the same thing. You replied quickly to ask if you were still to meet in the morning in the same place. Jax replied to be in the lobby by ten. “Going off without a hitch?”

“Are you spying on my conversation?” You cradled the phone protectively against your chest and pouted.

“I didn’t mean to.” You set the phone aside face up. You had nothing to hide anyway, you’d just been trying to lighten the mood. Then you watched the dark sky out the window and tried to find something positive to say about it. He was right. You’d had too much unpleasantness lately. “Kung Lao would have loved…”

“Do you think about that a lot? What Kung Lao would have thought or felt?”

“Don’t you?” You thought that was obvious. “We spent most of our time together. This is the longest I’ve been alone in years.”

“I… hadn’t considered that.” Liu’s eyes fell to the floor. There was plenty that you hadn’t thought regarding each other. “It must have been hard waking up next to me.” You sighed heavily. There were those difficult conversations you couldn’t seem to avoid. You didn’t know how to respond. That wasn’t an easy answer. If you could have lied and said it wasn’t weird than it would have been simpler. But lying had gotten you into this in the first place and you didn’t want to lie. You were so tired of hurting.

“I… yes.” You sighed and then closed your eyes tight. “But I confess that I miss being held.” You hated saying it and even got the chills as you did. You and Kung Lao had spent most nights at least next to each other if not tangled up in each other. Liu was watching you with those big sad puppy dog eyes of his again. “But I also feel selfish and awful for having briefly thought it was nice.”

“It’s okay to be selfish at times.” He clasped his hands together in his lap, as if nervous they would betray him as they had often done. “I confess that when I woke up alone, I panicked.” You smiled a little. You hadn’t considered that he would be upset to wake up alone after falling asleep next to you. Oh, boy. You were both a mess. “But then I remembered this was your room and you had nowhere to run, really.”

“Did you briefly consider that I was so dedicated to running away that I went and got another hotel room to avoid you?”

“No.” He laughed and then furrowed his brow as if trying to picture you doing that. “You didn’t consider that, did you?”

“Of course not.” You chuckled, resting your elbows on your knees. “The phone rang and I didn’t want to wake you. That’s about as far as I had thought.” Your head was pounding and you realized all at once that you were clenching your jaw. Ugh, tension headache. “At least this time I woke up with all of my clothes on.” Liu laughed softly and avoided your eyes. Then he laughed harder as if he’d just gotten the joke. “What’s so funny?”

“It’s kind of like déjà vu, isn’t it? You woke up next to me again and then I woke up alone.”

“You know, Liu, I’m trying, but that’s not funny.”

Still he laughed and you watched him in disbelief. Was it you? Were you the one cracking up?

“I have to laugh, Y/N. I have to or I think about how screwed up it is.” He leaned back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. His face fell. You turned to watch him in disbelief and your stomach twisted up into knots. “I just couldn’t help myself, could I? I had to… cross that line.”

“Liu…” You didn’t want to fight again. You thought you had made a truce for the day.

“I have to say this, Y/N.” He turned his head to the side to look at you and you leaned on your side to better meet his eyes. They were so sad and it was killing you. “The woman that Kung Lao planned to spend the rest of his life with. Only a little while after he’s gone and I just… how selfish I am.” You searched his troubled eyes and then couldn’t help but laugh but you weren’t smiling either. Liu knit his brow in confusion.

“Liu, I… I said the same things to myself.” You offered a sympathetic smile but he didn’t seem relieved to hear that. “Not about you, obviously. I don’t think I’ve ever used the word selfish when describing you, really. Or at least meant it. Maybe out of anger… but I… how could I? Kung Lao’s best friend. His brother. I feel like I just lost him and I still, somehow, couldn’t manage to keep myself together well enough not to sleep with you.”

“Sometimes we’re a lot alike.”

“Most times it feels like we’re oil and water.” Now you avoided his eyes, afraid of what yours might reveal to him. “I’m sorry that I ran off that morning, Liu. I panicked. I didn’t know what else to do. I was terrified and embarrassed and ashamed and… the idea of having to talk to you about it was too much.”

“Why were you so scared?” He turned on his side to face you, as if eager for this answer, as if he had been caught wondering that same thing for too long. “I know it was a… big thing but I…”

“I guess no matter how I played it in my head, it went wrong. You uh…” You were having a difficult time saying the words without getting upset. “I kept picturing us having to find a way to… be okay with… it being a mistake because… I…” You were frustrated with yourself for not being able to say it. “It felt like a mistake. Like we’d fallen into an old habit. Or that it was just… a transaction and I couldn’t hear those words again after everything. I was already falling apart and I don’t know what that would have done to me. And then… you being receptive to it would have been just as painful… I… Kung Lao…” You had to stop there. You were pretty sure you’d made your point.

“I think I get it.” His eyes were taking you in while yours were avoiding him and were most likely glassy with tears. “Maybe I didn’t consider how much I’d hurt you back then. It never crossed my mind until you brought it back up and I realized the damage I’d done. I hadn’t considered myself that important.” There was that similarity again. Neither one of you thought yourselves to be important to the other when it was far from the truth. “I wish I’d had a say in the matter that morning.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I understand now.” He sat up and offered you a hand to help your back up too. you took it and sat up with him but he didn’t let go of your hand. “I’m sorry too. I’m sorry that I reacted so angrily. That I was so cold to you. I thought it might make things easier and put distance between us.”

“Did it work?”

“No. No, it didn’t. I wish, more than anything, that I could go back.” His eyes were dripping with sincerity and you avoided his gaze again. You couldn’t help but think that if this had been Kung Lao, you never would have had this conversation. Nothing ever would have gotten resolved. You had both avoided your emotions like the plague.

“To that morning? Hard pass, Liu.”

“Think about it. I could wake up with you. Keep you from running. We could talk.”

“That’s a fantasy, Liu. It wouldn’t have ended the way you want.” You threw him an accusatory glance. “You’re fantasizing. I was too panicked. I would have lashed out.”

“And maybe I could have kept a level head.”

“It’s a fantasy.”

“Let me have my fantasy, Y/N.” He laughed and gave your hand a squeeze. His smile faded as he let go of your hand and closed some of the distance between you. Your instinct was to pull back but you didn’t. He pushed your hair away from your face and tucked it behind your ear. The loose strands of your long hair tickled your neck as they fell back into place. You turned your gaze away. His hand was warm as it rested on your cheek and you could feel him admiring you.

“Seems dangerous to let you.”

“Many good things can be dangerous, Y/N,” he whispered. You got the shivers and moistened your lips nervously. You should have moved back when you’d wanted to. You were so much closer than you’d realized and his lips brushed just against yours. He was going to kiss you and you knew what would happen. Tender kisses led to feverish kisses. No kiss between you had ever stayed just that. You had never once exchanged a soft, momentary kiss. Every single time you had wound up in his arms. His lips would treasure yours like they were something priceless and yours would tease his in return to make him want more. Then you’d be naked.

The more time you spent this close to Liu the more inevitable it seemed to wind up in his bed and you weren’t sure that was the right thing. You weren’t sure it wouldn’t destroy you. It was a dangerous way to think but he was right too. Many of the best things were often dangerous.

“Don’t.” You managed and caught his eyes, half-lidded and admiring your lips. His gaze snapped back up to yours and you watched as he took a careful breath. You could feel it against your lips. He was thinking it too. How dangerous this had become.

“Probably a bad idea, right?” His voice was low and just for you.

“An incredibly bad idea.” You tried to joke but your words fell flat. It was miserable being this close to him and not kissing him, against every instinct in your body. You could feel as he ran his tongue over his lower lip, as he weighed the pros and cons of defying you. You held your breath.

Then he scooted back a few inches. You felt like you could suddenly breathe, like the air was less thick than it had been so close to him. Your heart was hammering away and it was a headrush, as if to punish you for having wanted that kiss. You cleared your throat and put more distance between you. But try as you might, you couldn’t stop thinking about those marks you’d left on his back that you had so clearly felt earlier. Did he think of how you’d clung to him in passion every time he shifted and felt those scabs? That was truly a dangerous thought.

“It’s late. I should go.” He had turned away, but his eyes were wide and his breath was short, as though he were also fighting dangerous thoughts.

“Yeah. Good idea.” You got up and walked past him and around the bed. He followed you and then walked past you to the door. Then he bowed politely.

“Goodnight, Y/N.” He looked hesitant, as if he were still considering crossing that line again.

“Get out, Liu.” You gestured to the door behind him, making the choice for him. He laughed and did just as you asked. Once he’d gone, you leaned against the door with a thud and whined. “What am I doing?” You closed your eyes tight and felt a wave of guilt weigh you down. Then you flipped the swing bar lock shut on the door as if this would provide you with protection from your stupid feelings.

Maybe you had to reconsider the situation.

Maybe this was inevitable.

Maybe guilt wasn’t enough to keep you from being attracted to Liu Kang.

It felt wrong. It felt like you were betraying Kung Lao. It was too soon and you were too broken. But maybe someday it wouldn’t be those things. You weren’t sure how long either one of you could wait either. Spending the afternoon with Liu had been eye opening.

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levis-hazelnut · 3 years

Text

Summary: when you and your best friend, Hanji, were younger, you had made up stories about your dream guys - what they would look like and how you would meet. What happens when the one you had made up appears to be real?

Warning(s): mentions of sex, mentions of abuse (not too much)

Taglist (closed!): @castellandiangelo @fandom-addict19 @20coldhearts

Status: completed!

part 6 > part 7 > part 8

series masterlist

(a/n: i love reiner, but he’s gonna be a dickhead lmao im sorry)

"We're so stupid. How did this even fucking happen? Why? This all so stupid," I muttered and started to pace around my room. Eren stood up, noticing he was completely naked as a blush crept onto his cheeks before he chucked his clothes on. He grabbed my shoulders to stop me from pacing the room and freaking out. I shrugged his hands off of me and stepped back from him, avoiding to have any kind of contact with him, not even eye contact. "... I don't remember anything, all this thinking is hurting my brain and worsening my headache. I need coffee." I rushed out of my room and into the bathroom, freshening up before going into the kitchen to make myself a coffee. My mind was all over the place as I tried remembering at least something that happened last night.

Hanji. She might know something.

I sighed and took a sip of my coffee as I sat at the dining table, not wishing to look at Eren who walked in. He also made himself some coffee before sitting opposite me as silence filled the room, along with awkwardness.

"... (Y/N). I'm sorry." "It's not your fault," I murmured. "I was meant to make sure this didn't happen. How ironic." "Do you remember anything?" I asked, finally deciding to look at him to see that he was staring into his mug as steam dispersed out of it. "Kind of..." he mumbled, and it was obvious he didn't want to reveal the truth. However, I wanted to know. His turquoise eyes flickered up to me and he saw I was expecting him to tell me. He let out a huff before telling me. *FLASHBACK* Eren sat on an armchair in the living room, where our friends were scattered, drinking, laughing, talking and some were dancing. As he sat there after having a couple of drinks, I came and sat on his lap, holding a glass of some drink Eren didn't know, he only knew that it was alcohol and that I drank quite a bit. "(Y/N), how much have you drunk?" "Huh, I'm not sure," I mumbled to which Eren had sighed. "... Do you think I should've accepted Lucius? I do think he's the second sexiest male I've met. And he's such a gentleman. You know, we held hands when we went ice skating and he helped me skate. He also caught me and picked me up when I slipped or fell. He's so sweet... But then, there's Levi. He's the sexiest person I've met--" "If you don't want to expose yourself, I think you should stay quiet." "I can't see them so I don't think they're anywhere near us. Anyway, as I was saying... Levi may be cold and dull when you first meet him, but once you get to know him more, you'll fall in love with him. I'm pretty sure that's happening to me because I've never felt like this about anyone else. Not Jean, or-- What was my other boyfriend's name? Whatever it was, he was a dickhead for cheating on me and I don't know why I even dated him. Is it me, or is it the people I choose that's wrong...? Eren, do you think I'll ever find a good guy who will love me without cheating, or hurting me?" I asked, all my words slurred. "You will. You treat everyone right, it's just that boys are idiots. Remember?" "Yeah... Boys are idiots," I murmured with a smile. "Apart from you, Eren. I love you and your eyes. You've always been there for me. You always make me happy if I'm in a bad mood. If I'm being honest, I wouldn't mind being with someone like you. Someone that treats me right and always puts up with me, no matter what stupid things I do. You're so beautiful, inside and out... Hanji!" I suddenly shouted and she came towards me and Eren who were still on the armchair. "Could you get me a bottle of wine, please?" "Hanji, don't," Eren whispered to her and she nodded. Once Hanji left, I changed my position on the brunette's lap and started to grind into him when a song I love started to play. "Mm. I love this song." "... (Y/N)--" Eren cut himself off and bit down on his lip as he felt a groan threatening to leave his lips. "Stop," he uttered quietly and threw his head back, giving in to the pleasure. "Why?" I inquired innocently, leaning in close to him, closing my eyes as my lips edged closer to his. I felt something press against my lips, however, it wasn't lips. Instead, it was Eren's index and middle finger that prevented me from kissing him. "Kiss me, Eren," I whispered, running my hands through his silky locks. "You're drunk, (Y/N), stop. You're going to regret it later." "I don't care," I stated before smashing my lips onto his. He didn't respond so I ground into him once again and tugged on his hair. A guttural moan vibrated against my lips and he soon reciprocated the kiss, his lips moulding with mine perfectly. I don't know what it was, but this kiss felt so good. Felt so right. Felt so special. I soon parted from his lips since my lungs were short of breath, but I wanted more. I don't know where this lust was coming from, but I needed to satisfy it. I stood up from Eren's lap, taking his hand and leading him into my bedroom. He tried going past me to leave, telling me this was wrong. I ignored him and locked the door with the key before putting it into my bra so he wouldn't try to get it. I pushed him onto my bed, crawling onto him after I discarded my dress. He propped himself up on his elbows and we kissed again, this time more passionately. *END OF FLASHBACK* "Damn, why was I so horny? Ugh, and people probably saw what happened. Oh my god, does that count as sexual harassment? I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Eren. I'm an idiot, I hate my--" "(Y/N), don't say you hate yourself; that's the reason I didn't want to tell you. And it wasn't completely harassment since I kind of gave consent. We were both drunk, you more than me. I could've stopped everything, I'm sorry." "... Did we use protection?" "Yes. You, for some reason, had condoms in your bedside table." "Well, just be glad I did. At least we're a little bit smart," I muttered. "... Do you remember... the sex?" "... Yes..." he replied. I facepalmed the table and groaned, in pain since I already had a headache, and because I was embarrassed. "... It wasn't... bad," Eren mumbled, head turned away from me. My head shot up. "What'd you say?" "Nothing." I smirked, seeing a blush on his cheeks. I knew what he said but I wanted him to say it again so I could annoy him about it. As I was going to say something, Hanji had strolled into the room, observing me and Eren. Me, who was smirking, but looked as if I was dying. And don't forget about the hickeys that Eren gave me. And there was Eren, who was blushing, looked a little tired, and refused to look anywhere but his coffee. "Eren and (Y/N) had sex," Hanji spoke to herself. Mine and Eren's head immediately snapped towards her. How did she figure that out so quickly? She literally looked at us for like two seconds and she knew. Damn, there's something incredible in that brain of hers. "What are you talking about?" I inquired. "First of all, Eren's here and I don't remember him knocking out in the living room. He's blushing, you're smirking, you've got hickeys, and the atmosphere is uncomfortable." "Wow. She's amazing," Eren whispered, and I snickered. "Is she as amazing as the sex?" I smirked, deciding to tease him. "Tch. So, you did hear me... I hate you." "I didn't seem like that last night, though." "Shut up." "You know I'm just joking with you, Eren." "You were annoyed and freaking out a moment ago. Why are you fine now?" "Well, it's not like I'm a virgin. Neither of us cheated on anyone. And, at least I didn't sleep with someone else like Lucius or Jean, or--" "Wait, so you guys did have sex?" Hanji said, slightly surprised. "Yeah. Eurgh, when I say it aloud it sounds so weird. Me and Eren had sex. Ew, Eren, get away from me, this is so weird." Eren finally allowed a smile to spring onto his lips when he saw my reaction. I questioned his smile which he shook his head to, claiming it was nothing. Once we both (kind of) got over everything, I decided to make breakfast for the three of us. I still had a shitty headache and I tried ignoring the pain, however, that was difficult. I felt so tired and disgusting and just wanted to have a shower. "How was it?" Hanji asked Eren and I. I rolled my eyes as he just remained quiet. "Do you even remember?" "No," Eren answered before I could. "We were both intoxicated, but the events may come back soon." "Do you regret it?" "..." Hanji smirked at our silence and I started to become flustered. I thought I regretted it. Why don't I say I did? Was it because I... don't regret it? No, you're thinking too much, (Y/N), I told myself. I suddenly shot out of my chair and declared that I was going to have a shower since I feel disgusting and I need to clear my mind. I went into my room, grabbing a towel and some fresh clothes to change into before entering the bathroom. Once I came out of the shower, I found Hanji and Eren sitting on the sofa, just talking. I sat down next to Hanji, feeling too embarrassed to sit next to Eren.

It'll take me a while to completely get over it, though, I may still act casual around him. However, today, I know that it's going to be on my mind most of the time. "(Y/N)?" Eren called, snapping me out of my daze. I glanced at him, my eyes flickering down to his lips before averting them from his face as a whole. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine. My head kind of hurts, and I feel so sluggish even after having a shower." "And you can't stop dreaming about last night," Hanji murmured with a smirk. "I can't even remember so I have nothing to think about," I replied, arching a brow. "Hey, what time did everyone leave?" "I think about one o'clock. Levi and Petra stayed a bit longer because they helped me clean up since I was going to ask you but your door was locked. Don't worry, we didn't hear anything, these walls and doors are amazing, you can barely hear anything." "Yeah, I know... Ugh, I just need painkillers and sleep," I groaned, slumping onto Hanji who didn't even try to nudge me off. "Why don't you get that then?" "I'm not bothered," I murmured, closing my eyes as my forehead rested against her shoulder. She patted my head a couple of times as my phone vibrated in my pocket. I lazily got it out, reading the caller ID before groaning and shoving my phone into her hands. "Hanji, tell him to fuck off. I'm not in the mood for people." "Not even Levi?" "Not even that asshole," I told her, and she answered the phone, speaking a loud 'hello'. "(Y/N)'s in the bathroom. Call her tomorrow. Bye, Shorty!" she hastily said before hanging up. "Hm," I smiled tiredly. "I love you so much, Hanji." "Eren, she's literally falling asleep on me. Could you take her to her room?" Hanji whispered, and he nodded before standing up and scooping me up, carrying me to my room and laying me down in my bed. "Thanks," she grinned when he came back into the living room. "I think I'm going to go. I need to shower, change my clothes and rest." "Oh, okay. Sorry if (Y/N) put you through anything yesterday, by the way. I know she was the one to provoke this, not you. And she'll end up hating everyone and everything today before going back to normal tomorrow." "Yeah," Eren chuckled lightly. "Make sure she looks after herself," he told Hanji softly as he put his shoes on, causing the female with glasses to smile, noticing how much the brunette cares for you. "Okay. Also, don't feel bad for anything, this was her fault." "Do you think she's annoyed?" "I don't think so. She's going to be fine, don't worry about her. Anyway, I'll see you in a bit." "Bye, Hanji," the male grinned before leaving. ~/~ "What the hell was up with Hanji yesterday?" a certain raven questioned through the phone. "I'm sorry... I actually told her to tell you to 'fuck off'," I replied, biting down on my lower lip. "Why?" he spoke bitterly. "... I wasn't in the mood. My mind was clouded, I had a massive headache, and I was basically falling asleep when you called me. I'm sorry, if it was anyone, even my parents, I would have told Hanji to do the same. It's not about you, Mr Moody, I don't hate you so don't you worry." "Idiot. And why were you in that state anyway?" "Uhh... I drank too much?" I said, more like a question rather than an answer. "Yeah, right. Tell me the real reason whenever you want." "So, why did you--" "Babe!" another voice, which was not Levi's, called from his side of the phone. I then heard some footsteps before the same voice sounded. I knew whose voice it belonged to obviously, but I was just confused by the fact that she was there when Levi was clearly at home. Well, I don't know if it's the apartment he shares with Isabel and Farlan, but I could guess he's somewhere inside and not public. "What do you want for breakfast?" Yes, it was the morning, which made me think of things I didn't wish was true. Levi was at Petra's quite early, so that could only mean he slept over... They're a couple. Why should I get bothered by it...? Oh no, here comes my jealousy. And it's coming in strong, I'm going to have to keep my bitchy side at bay until after this phone call.

"(Y/N)? (Y/N)!" "Oh, sorry. What did you say?" "I didn't say anything. You were asking me something." "Right... Um, what was my question?" I muttered to myself, my brain only thinking about Levi and Petra. "... Oh, yeah! Why did you call me?" "I wanted to check up on you since you drank quite a bit on Friday. I'm guessing something happened, but you don't want to spill yet." "Aw, aren't you a sweetheart?" I teased, and I heard him click his tongue. "I'm fine, thanks for caring. And, do you have something else to tell me?" I inquired. "... No." The pause. That's how I knew he was hiding something. He slept with Petra but doesn't want to say. I mean, I don't want to say I slept with Eren since we aren't even a couple, so he's going to annoy the hell out of me, being the Levi he is. But he has nothing to hide because Petra is his girlfriend. "Well, then, I haven't had breakfast, neither have you. I'm sure you're in need of some coffee or tea, or just something to cure your fatigue since I'm sure you barely had any sleep last night," I said before I could stop myself. And my tone wasn't playful, it was spiteful and I'm certain he could hear it. "What just happened? Did I miss something? I'm pretty sure you were smiling a minute ago. Why are you annoyed now?" So you aren't going to say anything about how I implied you had sex and just focus on my tone? You aren't even going to deny it. I would've much preferred it if you just said something about it and lied. I retracted the phone from my ear, taking a deep breath before returning it to my ear. "... I'm not annoyed." "Are you sure about that? Are you going to be sulking and frowning, or smiling tomorrow at uni?" "Depends on what happens today. Like, if someone unintentionally triggers me, I'll probably be sulking and frowning." He sighed. "Did I say something that unintentionally triggered you?" "No. I'm saying it hypothetically. Anyway, Hanji's calling me to have breakfast, so I'll see you tomorrow. I'll try to smile." "Okay. Bye, darlin'. Sorry if I did or said anything." I cut the phone and dropped it onto my bed before getting up to meet Hanji in the kitchen. "What's up?" "Levi and Petra had sex, I think." "Oh... Did he tell you?" "No. That's why I said 'think'. However, I have my evidence: he's most likely at her apartment right now, in the morning of all times of the day, so it could only mean he slept over." "... Why did he call you anyway?" Hanji inquired, ridding of the previous subject. "He claimed he was checking up on me because I 'drank quite a bit on Friday'. I don't know, but something's just not right about the whole conversation. We were both clearly hiding things from each other, and I doubt he would call just to check up on me." "He's done that before, though." "Yeah, but that was because I was basically dying on the inside. Anyone would check if I was okay if I was in that state." "True." "Anyway, let's forget about him and enjoy the rest of the day," I smiled, brushing my problems away.

I could do that, just forget about Levi because there's simply nothing between us, so he has no obligation to tell me everything. There will most likely be nothing between us, so there's no point in dwelling on him, wishing that he could fall for me. Just forget about him. ~/~ "Hey. Wait. No. Don't. Not yet." Eren glanced at me suspiciously, wondering why I was behaving so weirdly. The thing is, he was about to ruffle my hair but I moved away from him, not wanting him to touch me after the whole sex thing. You see, I remembered some of the events that occurred, and randomly, they pop up in my mind, distracting me from whatever I would be doing. And I don't want him to touch me yet since my mind needs to go back to normal, even though it has already been a week.

"What's wrong with you?" he questioned, frowning at me. "... No touchy-touchy. I remembered everything that happened, so my brain is messed up right now and I don't like it." "Sorry." "Tch. Stop saying sorry, idiot. Nothing's your fault," I told him. "... I never knew you were the submissive type," I smirked, deciding to tease him once again. Yeah, I may not want him to touch me, but joking with him is different and I love seeing him get shy. "My break's over, you can go back home." "You still have five minutes until your break ends. That means another five minutes of me annoying you." He huffed, closing his eyes for a moment before revealing his gorgeous, turquoise orbs. "Why can't you go bother someone else?" "Because I'm by myself. The only company I have is you. And I know you love me, so don't try pushing me away." "Where's Le-- Oh, shit. What's he doing here?" Eren mumbled, with his eyes on the door of the cafe. I was about to turn around to see what he was looking at, but he stopped me. "Don't look." "Why? What's there?" "More like who's there." "Tell me, you jerk." "... Reiner," he said quietly. "Reiner...?" I echoed, my eyes widening. Eren's mentioned Reiner before, but we never spoke about him in detail. All you know is that Mikasa cheated on Eren with Reiner. You also know that I've had two boyfriends - one was Jean, and the other, if you haven't already guessed, was Reiner. Reiner and I had dated between the end of secondary school and the start of university. It was only about five months or so. Yeah, neither of my relationships lasted longer than half a year. Either because I'm a monster or both males were idiots. Eren claims they were idiots, but he's my best friend, so why wouldn't he say that? Anyway, I'm not bothered to go into detail about our relationship since it isn't all that exciting (except the fact that he beat me up, but no one knows about that, so hush). I'm going to skip to when I found him cheating on me with Mikasa. Yeah, the other time Eren saw Mikasa with Reiner was probably the third time they hooked up or whatever. I'm sure Mikasa has also cheated on Reiner but he has no idea. That was the first time he cheated on me (I think), I cut things off then, because I believe that cheating isn't a mistake, it's clearly a choice, even if you are intoxicated. He wasn't too happy with the breakup, he claimed he still loved me (which, in fact, was the first time he said he loved me), but my bitchy side locked in, we argued. And that jerk slapped me. Of course, I wasn't going to stay with him. And that is the story of my second relationship. Yeah, I know, there's a lot of drama in my life, but, to be honest, it would be boring if I had no drama. "He knows you work here. Why the fuck is he here?" "(Y/N), stay calm." "Hey, you can't be telling me that you're okay with him even after--" "I'm not. But there's no reason to overreact or create a scene. I doubt he's even going to come up to us." "You've changed. You would always be up for a fight." "Eren and..." that deep, low voice of my ex-boyfriend spoke. "My (Y/N)." "Who the fuck do you think you are, calling me yours after cheating on me, you asshole?!" I snapped, shooting out of my seat and turning around to look at the brawny, blonde male. I'm not taking anything from this dickhead. He smirked, urging me to punch him in that (maybe kind of hot) face of his. "I haven't seen you for what? Ten months? Why are you being a bitch?" I glared at him, digging my nails into my palms pretty deep, I'm pretty sure I was bleeding. I stormed closer to him, however, a hand gripped my wrist, preventing me from beating him up. "Eren, what are you doing?! Let go of me!" "Don't stoop down to his level." "Eren, please, let go," I whispered, tears brimming my eyes. The brunette's eyes widened since he barely sees me cry in emotional pain. "I never told you how much he hurt me," I muttered, swallowing the lump in my throat. I didn't have to say anything else for him to understand. The glint in his eyes turned dark and cold, a deep crinkle formed in between his eyebrows and his lips curved downwards - something I barely ever see. He was extremely enraged, like damn... "What are you going to do, pretty boy? You think you can even land a punch on me? You couldn't even defend yourself against your own girlfriend. Oh, sorry, I meant ex-girlfriend." "Did you beat up (Y/N)?" he asked quietly in a menacing tone as he stood in front of me. "Yeah, so what? Move out of the way, I was talking to (Y/N)." "I don't care." "Oi, (Y/N), tell this fool to get out of my way before I knock him out." "... E-Eren, move... This i-is my problem." "I know. But what kind of person would I be if I don't protect you?" "Go!" I shouted, not wanting him to get hurt in my place when Reiner stepped forward to kick Eren. I shoved him out of the way and braced myself for the blow. However, nothing hit me so I opened my eyes, finding Reiner in a headlock. The person doing that to him? Prince Charming - Levi Ackerman. "What the fuck do you think you were trying to do? Don't ever try hurting (Y/N), or there will be consequences," Levi threatened darkly, voice low and laced with venom. He let go of the blonde, kicking him to the ground and he was soon unable to move when the raven dealt more damage. He then rested a foot on Reiner’s chest and folded his arms over his chest as if nothing had just happened. More tears fell from my eyes and I jumped onto Levi, thankful for him being here on time. I looped my arms around him, and he was about to say something, hesitating to hug me in return. However, I seemed to have gone through something traumatising, so he wrapped his arms around me, comforting me. God, I always thought that Eren's hugs were amazing. This was the first time I hugged Levi, and I never wanted to pull away. "T-thank you so m-much, Levi," I murmured into his chest. "... What happened? Who is this?" he said softly, it was a tone I've never heard him talk in before. "..." I was unable to speak again as I just sobbed. "Reiner Braun," Eren answered for me. "I'd rather not speak about him right now," he mumbled, his gaze on the ground, feeling guilty for not doing anything. If Levi hadn't come then, I would probably be covered in injuries by now, so he felt useless. "Is your shift over?" "No, I was on my break. I'm also going to have to calm everyone down in here." "Sorry. If the police come, since you know a lot more about this dickhead than me, explain to them what happened and make sure he gets taken away. I'm going to take (Y/N) home." "Okay. Please, keep her safe." Levi only nodded, his arms slowly slipping from my trembling form. I gripped his shirt, keeping my face concealed in his shirt. "(Y/N), let's go. I'm sure you don't want to stay here." I didn't respond in any way. But my trembling did halt when I felt a hand slip into mine and I heard a reassuring 'it's going to be okay'. I wiped my tears away (though, they kept on pouring) and I let Levi take me to my apartment, which was only five minutes from here. My hair hung down the sides of my face, hiding my red, tear-stained face. "Did you get hurt anywhere?" he questioned, to which I shook my head. The rest of the brief journey was silent until he asked me for my keys. I gave them to him in his free hand since his right one was still gripping my left one. Once the door was open, we both stepped in and took off our shoes, which meant that I had to let go of his soft hand. But now, I was feeling a little better. The sobs and tears stopped and my breathing calmed down. "Are you okay now?" "I guess," I muttered, avoiding to face him since I'm sure my face was covered in tears and snot, and that's not appealing. "... I'm going to go clean myself up. You can go if you want." "I'm going to stay until Hanji comes. Where is she anyway?" "She's at Erwin's, and she's going to be staying there until Sunday." "So you're going to be by yourself?" "I'm old enough to stay home by myself, you know." "Tch. I know. But I don't want to leave you like this." "... I'll be fine." "You can't lie to me after what I just witnessed. Anyway, go wash your face or whatever." I proceeded to my bathroom, washing my face as Levi told me to. I stared at my reflection and my eyes were vermillion, along with my nose and cheeks. There was a bit of snot and I just looked in such a poor state. I wasn't even that sad, I was more like angry, and the memories of Reiner doing things to me came back. Everything was just overwhelming me and I couldn't take it anymore. Once I fixed my appearance, I went to the living room to find Levi sitting on the sofa. He was on his phone until I walked in and he glanced at me, seeing a small smile settled on my lips. I sat down next to him when he gestured for me to. "What happened? I have never seen you in tears like that. The only time I've seen you cry was last week on your birthday, but those were happy ones." "... Can we not talk about it right now? I need to just clear my mind." "Sure. What do you want to do instead?" "You don't need to keep me company. I'm sure you have better things to do." "Darlin', it's Friday, the only thing I want to do is relax. What's the point of going somewhere else if I'm going to be doing the same thing?" "So you're going to keep me company over the weekend?" "I don't know. What do you want to do?" "I have nothing in mind. I just don't want to go out anywhere." "Watch a movie?" "I don't mind. I'm not going to be concentrating on anything we do, so might as well just watch a movie as I drown in my thoughts." "Okay, I know what we're doing," Levi announced, sitting cross-legged on the sofa and faced me. "You shouldn't hold everything in, let it all out. I don't care if you're going to cry, you just have to get it off of your chest, otherwise, you won't feel better." "But--" "I'm not listening to your excuses. Talk." "Can I get a snack first?" "Yeah." I got up and went to the kitchen, finding something to snack on that I can share with Levi as well. I found a tin of assorted cookies, got myself a glass of milk and went back to the sofa, placing my things on the coffee table in front of me. When I felt his gaze lingering on me, I decided to speak. "Should I tell you what's on my mind, or just what happened today?" "Whatever will make you feel better." "Okay," I smiled, enjoying this caring side of Levi. "Well, I'll start with what happened last week. Remember when you called me and you knew I was lying about something?" "Go on." "Well, the thing is, I may have... sleptwithEren." "... Okay." "Okay?" I frowned, thinking about why he was so calm about it. But, the pause was there, so maybe it wasn’t just ‘okay’. "Nothing big. People have sex, even if they aren't in a relationship." "... So that happened, and I don't like it. It's weird and I've remembered everything now, it occasionally pops up in my mind. Nothing happened the rest of the week, everything was fine." "Everything was fine? What was that sudden mood change on the phone?" "..." "If it's not going to bother you or stay on your mind, you don't need to tell me." "Yeah, it's fine. Let me go on to the next thing: Reiner Braun, as you now know is that blonde guy. He's my ex-boyfriend, we dated for five months. During those five months... he abused me. I don't even know why, but he would beat me up at least twice a week, it was as if he made a routine. I never told anyone about what he did to me, not Eren or Hanji. I was, somehow, able to put up with it until I found him cheating on me with Mikasa - Eren's ex-girlfriend. That's when I broke us up, but he wasn't happy with it. He came into the cafe today and decided to start a conversation with me and Eren like nothing happened between us. I snapped at him, Eren intervened and was going to hurt himself so I stepped in. That's when you came. Thank you, by the way." "Anything else?" "I like--" Woah. Hold up, mouth, what are you doing? Were you just about to confess to Levi? You idiot, now he's going to question who I like. "You like...?" Levi lifted an eyebrow. "Nothing! No one!" I suddenly exclaimed before sighing. "... Forget I said anything." "Why would I forget? You finally decided to tell me who you like." "I'm not telling you. No one's allowed to know." "Why? Do you think people are going to judge?" "Not really... It's just that I shouldn't like them, I guess?" "At least you're finally admitting you like someone, instead of denying it. A few more months and I'll know." "Yeah... Probably not. Depends on what happens." "Okay. Anyway, do you feel better?" "Yes. Thanks." "Tch. Stop thanking me." "Can't I be grateful for your help and comfort?" "No." "Fine, then, Mr Moody," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "So, what do you want to do now?" "Up to you, darlin'," the raven said, uncrossing his legs before lying down across the sofa, with his head on my lap. I had the urge to run my fingers through his luscious locks and place a kiss on his cute nose as he closed his eyes, looking innocent and sweet. "... Ackerman," I spoke after there was a moment of serenity. "What?" "You basically know everything about me - about my past, friends, family, relationships, current problems. Literally everything about me. However, I barely know anything about you." "And?" "Tell me about yourself. It's nearly been a year since we met and I don't even know who you're family members are, where you met Isabel and Farlan, any previous relationships. But you don't look like someone going through problems right now, so you can leave that out." "It's only been seven months." "Yeah, whatever, still nearly a year, kind of." He unlidded his beautiful, silver hues and sighed very lightly, it was almost inaudible. "Fine. What do you want to know first?" "Uhh... Family." "Okay. My mother's name is Kuchel. I don't know who my father is. I have an uncle, Kenny, he's an asshole, however, he did help me and mother when we had financial problems. I don't have any siblings, and I've never heard of any cousins or other uncles and aunts." "Oh, wow. You don't act like an only child. I feel like you would be a caring and helpful big brother, who pretends to hate their little siblings." "Tch. I'm glad I never had to deal with brats. The only brat I've had to deal with is you." Won't he be a caring father? I joked internally. "So rude," I pouted and he playfully rolled his eyes. "Anyway, tell me how you met Isabel and Farlan, or any other friends I've never heard of." He hesitated to reply, making me frown briefly before he finally spoke, "... I've known Farlan for a long time, maybe since I was about ten. Isabel, I've known since I was seventeen, so not that long... I had some other friends I shouldn't have gotten involved with since they weren't good people..." "Why? What did they do?" "... They were those kinds of people that smoked, did drugs, went to some stupid parties, somehow snuck into clubs, they would shoplift, and they did like that." "Did you do drugs and steal?" I questioned, my eyes widening. He huffed, slightly shaking his head. "How old were all of you?" "This was when I was about sixteen." "Damn, were you in some gang or something?" "No. I mean, it was a gang of those people, but they weren't that bad." "What do you mean they weren't 'that bad'?" "Well, they were. However, they never hurt or threatened someone. I pushed Farlan away when he tried to stop me from befriending them, but I didn't listen to him and he decided that I would learn that the choice I made was a mistake. I did learn that. I left them when I realised how much wrong they were doing and that Farlan was right. He didn't turn me away when I went back to him, telling him that I understood when he told me they weren't good people. I got my mind straight, avoided any other people like them, and focused on my mother, friends that were a lot better, and education. Soon after, I found out that they were all caught doing drugs and sent to juvie. And I met Isabel when she transferred to our school halfway through the year and we were the first people she spoke to." "Wow... I never knew you associated with people like that. You always seemed like a good person." "Yeah," he sighed heavily. "I'm not going to do anything like that again. I was stupid, immature and I didn't think about anything then. It was just that stage when boys want to be part of the 'cool kids'." I smiled down at him, wishing I could give him a sweet kiss on the cheek. "Did you have a girlfriend?" "No. Petra's my first, real girlfriend." "What do you mean 'real'?" "... I may have hooked up with a couple of girls during that period." "Damn, Ackerman, you're a player," I teased. "I'm not," he stated sternly, a serious expression cast over his face. "I've changed in the past three years. Farlan always watches out for me, even though I don't need him to since I'm not a fucking kid." "That's good to hear," I grinned, booping his nose with my index finger, causing him to scrunch his nose up cutely. God, that was probably the cutest thing I've seen. "Do you want to know anything else?" "Not really. I'm probably going to find out you were in the mafia when you were eighteen or some shit like that." "I don't have a lot of drama like you do. I'm glad about that because I won't be bothered with that shit. I hate people, I try to avoid them, I don't want anything to do with humans." "Which is why you're lying down here after helping someone?" "Tch." "Does that mean I'm not one of those people you hate?" "Shut up." "Aw, you're so cute," I giggled. "I love annoying you." "Same, darlin'. Watch out." "Haha, you won't annoy me because you love me!" A smile etched onto his lips as I continued to tease him, being the annoying person I am. We ended up pestering each other for about half an hour before I gave up because he can irritate me in a way I can't explain. He knows exactly what pushes my buttons. However, now that I know more about him, I can annoy him about more things. Everything soon fell silent, and I grew tired, eventually falling asleep in a sitting position as Levi's head still rested on my lap. He carefully got up, making sure not to awaken me as he got a blanket, covering me with it after slowly making me lie down. I shifted slightly to lay on my back, biting back a smile so Levi doesn't find out I was awake. ~/~ I woke up to the sound of murmuring, narrowing my eyes before rubbing the fatigue in my eyes away as I sat up and twisted my head around, spotting Levi in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with his phone pressed to his ear. His grey orbs glanced at me as I gave him a tired smile. I saw that it was dark outside when I looked out of the window, standing up to stretch before walking up to him. "Yeah, she just woke up," he said to whoever he was on the phone with. I arched an eyebrow, silently questioning who he was talking to. Why did this person need to know what I was doing? "I will. Okay, bye... It was Eren. He was just asking how you were, being the perfect boyfriend for you." "Not my boyfriend," I muttered, getting a glass of water for myself. "I don't believe that after finding out you had sex." "Hey, I just woke up. Stop bothering me," I grumbled, running my fingers through my hair before gulping on the water. "What do you want for dinner?" he asked, pushing my grumpiness to the side. "This is my apartment, I should be asking you." "Well, I'm going to stay until Hanji comes back on Sunday." "You don't need to." "You're right, I don't need to. But I'm going to anyway." "Okay, whatever, I can't stop your stubborn ass." "So what do you want for dinner?" "I'll eat anything." "Okay. Get out of the kitchen, I'm going to make something." "I'm going to have a shower. You can have my room, I'll sleep in Hanji's. And I'll leave some clothes for you." "Thanks." I smiled at him, leaving the room to go to my bedroom to get a towel and a onesie to change into after my shower. I was kind of long in the shower, just zoning out and thinking about several things that happened today. After, I slipped my onesie on and wrapped my hair in a towel. I trod out of the bathroom and back into my room to dry my hair and brush it. Once I did that, I picked up my phone, stuffed it into my onesie pocket before looking for some clothes for Levi. I found two t-shirts and a hoodie of Eren's, a pair of shorts, and two pairs of joggers. Knowing they were clean, I folded them and placed them onto my bed, along with a towel in case Levi would want a shower. Padding into the living room, I saw that Levi was still in the kitchen that had an amazing aroma. I walked behind him, peeking over his shoulder to see what he was making. He slightly turned his head to see me before turning his attention back to the stove. I moved to the living room, plopping down onto the sofa, taking my phone in my hands, seeing two missed calls from Hanji. I decided to call her back, seeing as how she may be a little busy later. After about ten seconds, she answered the call. "Hi, (Y/N)!" "Hey. Did you need anything?" "No. Just wanted to check how you were doing since I'm sure you're missing me already." I laughed softly. "Wow. I was actually going to call you earlier... Um, I may have interacted with Reiner..." "What?! When? Where? Are you okay?" I explained everything to her, including the abuse I had never told her about. She was clearly shocked, and slightly annoyed that I didn't tell her this whole time. "Do you want me to come back home?" "No, no... Stay with Erwin. I'm fine." "Are you sure? He won't mind." "Yeah, don't worry... Levi's going to stay until you come back..." I muttered, knowing the raven can hear me, but I didn't want to say it as if I was happy about it. "AWW!! I love him for you! He's so sweet and cute and such a gentleman to you! He doesn't act the same to me." "Hanji, stop. You know you're just fantasizing since..." I paused, trying to figure out how to say 'he's dating Petra right now' without Levi knowing what I was talking about. "It's very unlikely right now," I said. "Why am I the one getting excited? You should be happy sometimes." I scoffed. "I am happy. You're just over-the-top with everything--" "Darlin', dinner's ready," Levi told me, putting food onto two plates for himself and me. "Okay. Thank you," I smiled at him. "Anyway, Hanji, I'll talk to you later." "Aw, he made dinner for you! That's adorable! Okay, bye!" I hung up, leaving my phone on the sofa as I wandered over to the dining table, joining Levi. Both of us talked and laughed throughout dinner, once again, teasing each other, which just concluded with me getting agitated. Once we finished our food, I washed our dishes as he set up a movie for us to watch since we weren't tired at all. I mean, I did have a nap so I wouldn't be tired yet. Though, I don't know how Levi isn't tired. Once again, I fell asleep on the sofa towards the end of the film, and this time, Levi did as well. I used his shoulder as a pillow and tucked my legs in, covering my form with the blanket we shared. When he was asleep, his head drooped to the side, resting against the top of mine. We were both asleep, not knowing our position. But I'm pretty sure if someone were to walk in, they would think we were a couple.

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enmy-writes · 3 years

Text

My Rock Star

Request: Anon: hii can i request a zuko x reader fic where the reader is in a famous girl group (like blackpink for example) & the whole gaang is backstage while the reader is getting ready for a performance & its just super fluffy & cute? Thanks!!

Word Count: 2,646

Fandom: ATLA (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Pairing: Zuko x Fem!Reader

Genre: All fluff. It’s some nice fluff time

Rated: 18+

Content Warnings: swearing, mentions of abuse (not detailed though), suggested themes but nothing bad

****My first request!! Sorry, anon, if I didn’t capture everything you wanted, but I hope it is! I am a sucker for music and bands, and instead of a blackpink approach, I gave the band instruments because I simp for instruments lol I might do a part 2 if this turns out well so lmk! Also, I learned how to make the “keep reading” line show up so that’s exciting yay me. Enjoy :)****

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It was about two hours before the show was supposed to start and Y/N was doing her normal self-routine before she had to go to her ‘Band-Team-Gang’ (or BTG as her and the girls liked to call it) pre-show rituals.

Y/N was a part of a famous girl group who had just recently started making it big in Ba Sing Se and were on their first huge tour. Normally, this would make any performer nervous of the attention and putting on a big show, but this was the environment that she thrived in.

Suki, Mai, Ty Lee, Azula, Yue, and herself all knew each other from an all-girl’s private school that they grew up in together and bonded immediately over their love for creating music. It was inevitable for them to become a group.

They spent most of their high school days writing songs and joking around in Y/N’s backyard bungalow her parents had gotten her for her twelfth birthday. To this day, they still go back there and do hot (dumb) girl shit.

“Why would we stop? That’s our home, of course we’d still go back there!” Ty Lee answered the interviewer with her signature hair flip and giggle.

Azula rolled her eyes at the girl, hiding a fond smile. “At this point, It’d be weird not to go back to that little corner of hell we made.” Yue smacked her arm quickly, “Azula! Don’t act like you haven’t written most of our top hits in the bean bag we definitely didn’t steal from the school lounge.”

The rest of the girls laughed, remembering how they had to hop the gates and sneak past the night guards to be able to get the bean bag. The plan would’ve been a total waste of time and definitely would have gotten them all expelled if anyone had caught them, but thank Mai’s ability to pick locks (which no one knows where she learned to do but they do not question it).

“Plus,” Suki chimed in. “Y/N’s dad makes the best snacks and meals for us. It’d be a federal crime to not take up that offer for as long as we can.”

Needless to say, the six girls were so comfortable with each other that every performance was just like every group practice with, like, thousands of extra guests of honor. They even have a couch lounge area as part of their stage set props. It just makes sense.

Even though those were her best friends ever, sisters even, Y/N had another friend group that she was super close with. Azula had introduced Y/N to her brother, Zuko, back when they were in their sophomore year of high school and the two instantly clicked. It had only taken a year of being friends and hiding crushes for them to get together, and the two were still going strong. Through him, Y/N met a gang of (crazy) people that he had spent his whole public schooling years.

Aang, an enthusiastic and bald, vegan kid who loved life and enjoyed everything around him; Katara, his pre-med and feminist girlfriend; Sokka, her hilarious and amazingly smart brother (though, sometimes his ideas are questionable); and Toph, a blind and tough girl who is on her way to ruin the top 1%. With Zuko, they were the tightest and happiest little family that automatically accepted Y/N when Zuko brought her over one night.

She was there when he went through a pyromaniac phase, his varying hair styles, and when he tried to get his father’s love back.Ozai, their father, was the owner and CEO of a massive weapons corporation. He had burned Zuko’s face on a hot stove and kicked him out of the house for suggesting that he raise the wage of all his employees to a comfortable living wage because many of his employees struggled to provide for their families even though they worked their asses off. Thankfully, his kind Uncle Iroh instantly picked the boy up off of the streets, letting him live with him and run his successful tea shop called the Jasmine Dragon.

Azula had been shoved away by her father mostly for sexist reasons. Ozai would never pass his company down to his daughter, no matter how smart and dedicated she was. He threw her in the private school where she lived year round. She had never told Y/N or any of the other girl’s any of this, Y/N had found out through Zuko.

Y/N’s mother was a successful lawyer and her father was a district attorney who were very very passionate about bringing justice to those of racial discrimination, domestic abuse, abuse in general, and orphan rights. Her mother was an orphan who was plain lucky to get adopted by a loving old couple who used their life savings to get her the education and life she deserved while her father was a victim of domestic abuse.

So, after months of convincing Zuko, Y/N told her parents about the two siblings. Long story short, they got Ozai arrested for his abuse crimes, bribery history, employee mistreatment, and many more crimes. They also adopted Azula herself and gave full custody of Zuko to his uncle.

Since then, the world has been peaceful for the group. Azula has started to recover from her trauma with the help of her friends, therapy, and love from two caring adults; and Zuko was glowing year round in the company of his uncle and friends.

A smile forms on her face, thinking of her large family and all they’ve gone through to get here, when the door to her personal backstage room opened up. The loud voices from Aang and Sokka met her ears next.

“I LOVE YOU SO MUCH YOU REMEMBERED THE HAM SANDWICHES WITH NO CRUST.” A kiss to her cheek and Sokka is instantly at her snack table.

“Y/N! How’d you know I was going to bring Appa and Momo?!” Aang walked his huge, white dog and lemur (don’t ask how he has it. It might be illegal, but no one can tell him no) to the pet bed corner she had put in.

Not answering them, Y/N just smiles at her friends who barged in and turns back to her mirror where she’s trying to decide her earring combination for the day. Warm arms snake their way around her waist, a body sliding up against her back soon after.

“What’s your ideas for tonight?” Zuko’s voice speaks quietly into her ear, causing her to hum and lean back against his chest slightly.

“I’m not sure. We’re going for the edgy look tonight, but we all know Ty Lee is still going to wear pink. Man, our manager is going to kill her...again.” They both laugh. “Ugh, why did you let me pierce my ears, like, ten times. There’s too many combinations to choose from!”

“Me?! I did-- never mind. Just grab a handful, no one can see them from the stage anyways.” Despite his attempt to seem like he doesn’t care, one of his ring-clad fingers starts moving his favorite pieces over into a little pile by themselves. Y/N rolls her eyes and starts putting his choices in random holes in her ear, pushing him back lightly so she can bend over closer to the mirror to see better.

“It’s the fit Zu… if the fit is a vibe, the confidence is there. If the confidence is there, nothing can stop my hot girl shit.” Her words cause him to let a huff of jealousy, flicking her arm playfully.

Their eyes meet in the mirror, and he can clearly see the mischief in them. Calming down, he jokes back. “Yeah, well, you may do your ‘hot girl shit,’ but no one can steal you from me. We’ve been here too long.”

Toph cuts in from across the room with a loud laugh. “Please, fire brains, I could steal Y/N if I tried.”

He whips around to face the short girl, “No you could not!!”

“Actually, she makes a point.” Katara says, nodding along in hopes to pick fun at the boy.

Sokka adds his two cents. “Honestly. Toph would just have to pick Y/N up and slam her against the wall or something and she’d tell her manager to send you a letter of resignation.”

The whole group laughs, save for the angsty boy, and Y/N wraps her hand around his wrist. She pulls him towards her and reaches for a peck on the cheek. “While that may be true,” she gets a glare. “I’m too big of a simp for you… and Uncle Iroh’s dinner and game nights.”

While the rest of them laugh, Zuko’s eyes soften and he presses his lips to hers in a short, soft kiss. Uncle Iroh adores his girlfriend and everything she has done for Zuko and Azula where he had no power to do anything. The man calls her more than he does Zuko himself, and he’s pretty sure Y/N convinced him to download Words With Friends on his phone to play with her for when she can’t make it to the weekly game night dates.

Y/N smiles up at him and pats his cheeks lovingly before moving to the wardrobe area of her room. She pulls out ‘Cards Against Humanity’ from a duffle bag on the floor before joining the rest of her friends around the lounge area, patting the seat beside her for Zuko to join them.

Everyone cheers at the sight of the black and white box with the many expansion packs that they have collected over the years. While Katara deals, everyone else makes bets on who is going to win this time. Y/N slides back into Zuko’s side as his arm comes to rest around her shoulders, playing with the ends of her H/L hair.

It’s about fifty minutes before the show is starting, and Y/N knows she has to start getting dressed and ready for the concert. Sighing, she slips from her boyfriend’s grasp (a small whine coming from him) and moves to her dressing corner. Suki, Ty Lee, Mai, Azula, and Yue had made their way to the room shortly after they started due to Sokka texting his girlfriend (Suki) to come over and join.

The rest of the girls notice you get up and leave as well, much to everyone else’s dismay. You reassure them to keep playing a few more rounds, not wanting to ruin their fun with you putting clothes on. Y/N quickly shoves her outfit choice on which is very hot, black, and riddled with chains. To top it off, she had thick-heeled combat boots on with numerous buckles on them. Her hair, makeup, and accessories have already been done so she heads back to the group.

‘Cards Against Humanity’ has been packed up neatly and her friends are lounging around, getting last minute snacks and quality time before they go to their special seats right in front of the stage. Nothing but the best for her friends. Sokka and Katara are the first people to see her, and the former lets out his own wolf whistle in his own way to hype Y/N up.

“DAMN, my best friend is HOT AS HELL. Zuko, you lucky ass man.” Katara hits him, but shoots her a wink as the rest of the gang look over. Y/N laughs giddily through their praises and hyped words (Toph in good spirit rather than actually seeing her outfit), as she makes her way back to her spot on the couch.

Zuko, who hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her yet, quickly grabs her bare waist and tugs her onto his lap to hold her tight. “So… this is what you meant by ‘hot girl shit.’” Letting out a loud laugh, Y/N turns her head and gives him a quick kiss. “I’m a rock star, baby, what can I say.”

Aang cheers out of nowhere. “Yes! I’ve always wanted to be a groupie!” More laughter and jokes ring throughout the room, keeping the atmosphere as light as always,

A knock at the door interrupts them. A man is standing there in all black with a headset on and a sleek, red (with little sparkles that only gleam in the light), electric guitar carefully caressed in his hands. While they are a girl group, their success has mainly come from being a girl group who also plays all their instruments. With Mai on the drums, Ty Lee on the keyboard, Azula and Y/N on electric guitars, Yue on the acoustic guitar, Suki on the bass; the band is truly a sight with all of them sharing the vocals and their enthusiastic (near crackhead) energy that give their crowd a good show.

“Miss L/N? This is your five minute warning.” He tells them, not bothered by the usual group of people who are constantly in these rooms with her.

“Thanks Lee!” Y/N hops up to get her pride and joy (her child as Suki and Mai like to joke about). “I’ll be right out.”

Knowing these are the last pre-game minutes, everyone starts getting up to leave the room as well. Zuko lingers by Y/N who’s busy making sure her instrument is tuned perfectly for the numbers she’s about to perform.

“I can feel you staring, Zu,” She smiles, still looking down at her strings. He huffs out a laugh, reaching out to push a piece of hair back to see her face.

“Good luck out there, my rock star. Don’t do too much hot girl shit.”

“Oh, I’m doing all the hot girl shit.” A glare. “I’m kidding! I’m kidding… unless…?” She laughs at his fed up face. Reaching up, she presses one last, lingering kiss to his lips, enjoying the feeling of his fingers clutching her sides firmly and the feeling of his heart beat under her palm that’s resting on his chest.

“Bye, love. I’ll see you after the show.” She whispers, sealing the promise with a kiss before moving back. “Alright kids! Get the hell out of my dressing room.” Y/N shouts at her friends and they all leave together, laughing away.

The rest of them wish her luck before moving away, Sokka sprinting to find Suki one last time. Zuko holds onto her free hand, watching her laugh at ‘Simp Sokka’ with his small smile on his face. He kisses her hand, pulling her attention back to him.

“Bye, rock star. I’ll see you after the show. Break a leg, yeah?” His cliche words make her laugh more, pulling away from him and towards the rest of her band who are chanting “BTG! BTG!”.

“Zu… I don’t break legs. I break hearts.” And with one last mischievous look, she mouths ‘hot girl shit’ and struts away in that way that makes Zuko want to make her cancel the show completely.

His phone buzzes a few minutes after he caught up with his friends in their special closed off section on the floor. He opens the notification and it sends him to Instagram where Y/N had tagged him in a post. The smile grows on his face with every second he takes in the post.

Katara must’ve taken the picture. The angle, lighting, and quality could only be done by her. Y/N was on his lap, dressed to go on stage. Zuko’s mouth was almost touching her ear, definitely when he was whispering to her, and her face was wide in a smirk. They looked good, perfect even. The caption is what made him laugh, warmth and pride that she is his spreading through his chest.

“Y/N_L/N: for him? I’m always on my hot girl shit”

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