#I'm away on vacation still so this was just lined up in the queue | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

beomgyw · 3 months

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HOMEBOUND TRAIN

you chose the yoga mat

you've unlocked a new timeline !! remember that each decision generates more alternative realities, so choose wisely.

if you're new here: link to the beginning !!

standing in the snaking line to board the train, you look the sea of people around you. it's like a mini migration, all headed to geoje-ssi, your hometown. and rightfully so, it is a beautiful place.

you remember it to be an attractive vacation spot. memories flood back of your childhood, surrounded by tourists snapping photos and getting under your grandma's skin with their incessant chatter. she never missed a chance to curse them under her breath.

as the queue inches forward, the station workers call for a second line, reserved for those lugging around massive suitcases, bikes, and other oversized gear. you watch as they shuffle off to form a new queue, feeling pretty smug about your minimalist packing skills.

thanks to your decision to travel light, with just your yoga mat snugly rolled atop your backpack, you breeze past the need to stuff anything extra into the luggage compartment. its a small victory, but it allows you to hop on the train ahead of the crowd.

most of the compartments are still empty, so you're free to choose any spot you like. snagging a spot by the window, you cozy up for the ride. but as the train begins to move, the steady rattle lulling you to sleep, your phone buzzes with an incoming call.

you smile upon discovering the familiar name on the screen. despite having gradually lost touch since you moved out, you had never deleted his contact and apparently he hadn't changed his phone number in 7 years.

"well, this is awkward" he chuckles softly from the other line.

"yeah, kinda." you agree, trying to suppress your own smile. "i mean, i didn't expect you to call like, at all. the old kai i knew would've probably let the awkwardness win."

he let out a light giggle. "guess i'm not that kid anymore. but you're right, it wasn't exactly my initiative. gran insisted i call."

"why's that?"

"to let you know that i'll be picking you up, of course! you didn't think i was gonna leave you stranded at the station, did you? awkward or not, we're top notch hosts, us huenings."

"aw, that's sweet of you, kai, but really, it's fine. i could just grab a cab or something. no need to go through the trouble."

"but i want to! plus, i've got a surprise for you," he added eagerly.

"really?"

"yep! and trust me, it's a win-win. it'll totally ease the awkwardness of us reuniting after, what, 8 years without a word."

"what's the surprise? tell me, pretty please..."

"see, y/n, i know for sure you're pouting. but we're on the phone, so it has no effect on me..." kai teased.

"fine. whatever," you chuckled. "i guess i'll have to wait and see."

"you won't have to wait long. what's your ETA?"

"hmm, i should be there around 6pm."

"sweet, i´ll be there! i'm eager to see you again, y/n" he admits, his tone softening. "it's been too long."

"yeah, it has," you agree. "i'm really looking forward to catching up."

"me too. oh, and one more thing," kai added before you could respond. "gran insisted that we picked up those pastries you like so much from dan´s bakery on our way home, so start brainstorming flavours, alright?"

"i will," you said with a smile. "tell grandma i'm excited to see her!"

"will do. see you soon!"

"see you soon, little cousin." even after hanging up the phone, your smile lingers.

your little cousin kai had always been the quiet type, shy to a fault, but hearing him on the phone just now, he sounded different—more confident, somehow. it's funny how people change, you think to yourself, a sense of pride swelling in your chest as you picture kai, no longer the timid child you remember, but growing into his own. just like you had, just like everyone must have while you were away.

and that's when the grin started to fade. you're different now, you realize. you've changed. changed a lot, actually. maybe for the better, you like to hope. you've morphed into this conventionally beautiful woman, ticking off all those boxes of academic success. but deep down, that awkward little girl, the one who used to get teased and called names, she's still lurking in that beach town you're heading back to. it's like a part of you never left.

and just as you were mulling over this, the worst case scenario materialised in front of you. seems like you've got some sort of accidental superpower – call it manifestation, call it anxiety gone wild, to think terrible things into existence.

from your compartment window you see a bunch of rowdy guys strolling down the train like they own the place, their laughter bouncing off the walls. matching baseball jackets over broad shoulders screaming go team. it gives you the ick, you don't have a particularly fun history with jocks.

you attempt to curl up into a ball, hoping to disappear into yourself, maybe even fake a quick nap. but no dice. just as you're getting into position, you catch one of them saying, "just one chick in this one, let's go in." and before you know it, the door's swinging open. you ditch the fake sleep act real quick. you're gonna need your senses on high alert for this one.

they come storming in like a tornado, all noise and laughter, sharing jokes you couldn't have understood if you tried. as they barrel into the compartment, one of them—an apparently the more considerate one—asks, "mind if we snag a spot here?"

"sure," you mumble with a tight smile, shooting him a quick glance. brown hair, handsome features. and though he's not the tallest of the bunch, he definitely has a solid build.

his eyes though, those big eyes, they're what gives you a pause. they look familiar, and that makes you uneasy. his smile is stern, but if you squint, apologetic even. but his attempt at politeness goes unnoticed by his buddies, who just dump their luggage without a second thought.

your stomach's doing backflips, and your hands are practically dripping with sweat. it's unreal, really. you haven't even reached your hometown yet, and already you feel like you've been transported back to your awkward preteen years. it's like all the confidence you've managed to build up over the years just evaporated the moment these guys stepped into the picture.

if you hadn't been so wrapped up in your own nerves, maybe you would've caught on to the fact that one of the guys was checking you out and nudging one of his buddies with a smirk. but poor you doesn't, being too busy trying to blend into the upholstery. so, naturally, you miss the sly exchange of gazes between them and the way one of them strategically sidles up next to you.

shit. you think as you notice him plop down in the seat beside yours. six seats in the compartment, four units of idiot and one yourself. he could've left an empty spot between the two of you but chose not to. you still refuse to look up, keeping your eyes glued to the scuffed linoleum floor as if it held all the answers. but then he talks to you.

"you know, you're kinda cute" he says as his friends snigger.

and that's when it hits you like a ton of bricks. that same boy had called you cute many years ago, but for diametrically opposite reasons. your old middle school bully, park jintaek –that's if he could be considered a bully, at all. more like a professional at dishing out lame nicknames and being a total moron. seeing him again feels like a slap in the face with a mortification stick you never asked for.

"m-me? thank you." you say. you give him a polite but dismissive smile, hoping he'll take the hint and move on. but of course, he does not.

"aw, look at you, all shy and cute," he coos, leaning in a little closer. "no need to be scared, doll. we're all pals here. and hey, if any of these clowns freaks you out, i've got your back."

he flashes a cocky grin, but you stay silent. partly because you're not exactly itching to keep the conversation going, and partly because you have no idea what to say. not only had he not recognised you, he was trying to flirt with you. like some bad joke.

he slings an arm over your shoulders, and your entire body tenses up. you've never been good at handling this kind of situation, especially not if it's coming from fucking park jintaek.

back in middle school, he used to pull this kind of crap all the time. not because he wanted to get in your pants, though. no, he did it to mock you, to remind you that no one would ever want to be close to you that way. it's unsettling, you think, how similar his genuine flirting is to his bullying antics.

"so, where you headed?" he insists despite your silence.

you struggle for a moment, trying to come up with some lie, but nothing comes to mind. you end up telling the truth, even though you figure they're probably off to the same place. "geoje-ssi," you mutter.

"no way! us too! talk about fate, right?" he says with a smug grin. corny ass, you think as he keeps on blabbering. "i actually grew up there, you know? in geoje-ssi. i'm off to spend the summer break. so, if you need a tour guide or anything, just hit me up. you're all cute and quiet. exactly my type... if you care." he adds.

"sure," you reply cautiously, hoping to put an end to the conversation. he doesn't have a type, you know that. he filters the world in terms of boobs and ass, he doesn't give a shit about anything else.

"oh, but you don't have my number." he says, and you try so hard to not roll your eyes. "you know what, i´ll take yours. imma make sure you get the welcome you deserve."

...jerk.

what do you do?

no way you're giving him your number. you're not a scared little kid anymore and this has gone too far for you to tolerate.

give him a fake number and stay quiet. anything to shut him up.

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zoomingupthathilla · 1 year

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I need to vent, otherwise I am going to go crazy -- it's honestly nothing that has to do with here, or any drama on this hellsite. Just how my life is currently in shambles.

--I am going out of the country for a month (for personal reasons, not for vacation .. which makes it not as great -- but I am looking forward to exploring when I have the time) Which means idk how much i'll be here, or if our timezones will even line up. THAT being said, I will still get to replies / hopefully put things in the queue. so that i'm still 'active'

--STRESSED, I'VE BEEN SO STRESSED & my muse is iffy at best, but I am trying to be here more (now if I could fall asleep before 4 am every day, that would be great.)

--I know this shouldn't bother me, and it normally doesn't, but bc I am going through so much IRL , I am letting small things get to me. -- since remaking this blog i've lost like half of my followers. whyyyyy??? what did I dooo?

--OH AND I'VE HAD THIS DAMN COUGH FOR LIKE THREE WEEKS NOW... IT NEEDS TO GO AWAY, BC IT'S RUINING MY EVERY DAY LIFE LOL

okay, to end this off... if you've read this far, I AM SOOO SORRY FOR WASTING YOUR TIME. Also ilu sm!! and I am so thankful for each and every one of you!! I promise I do not complain like this normally, but seriously I just needed to let it out & what better place than to a bunch of strangers who love on me all the time??

#ooc #{mad max out #listen i'm just venting/complaining #pls don't waste your time ;; I just needed to get it out so it didn't eat me up inside lmao #I swear it's nothing important.

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aneenasevla · 2 years

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Devil's Food - Chapter 2

MasterList /Ayami’s Profile/Previous

Chapter 2 - In Line

Raian comes out of the bathroom, towel around his waist, sighing after a good shower.

And grunt when he feels a presence.

“Fusui, I already told you to knock on the fucking door…”

“You never do the same to me, so I won't” she crosses her arms, sitting in his desk chair “but I came in peace.”

“That's new, you invading my room just to talk” he rolls his eyes, going to the closet, and not even caring about her watching him change or not “what trouble did you get yourself into this time?” he says as he puts on his sweatpants.

“Me? None” she looks at him sideways “but you are in trouble.”

He pauses a little in place. Instinctively he kind of freezes, trying to rewind all the things he's done six months ago. Not remembering a damn thing, he turns to face his sister.

“How come?” He raises an eyebrow, putting the towel on his shoulders.

“Well, you know our new clan leader…” she begins, looking at her nails “after a certain disillusionment, which we already knew she was going to roll, she started to take a look at the chips of the strongest…”

Raian wasn't enjoying where this conversation was going. Whenever the “leader”, the dignified Karla, and the word “strong” were in the same sentence, he always had something suspicious. But he was too curious to interrupt.

“…then she had the brilliant idea of looking for someone who would work for each of you. So that's it, you're in line.”

He blinked, felt he had missed an important part.

“Wait, line… of what?” he was confused. Fusui sighed, sometimes wondering if her brother was really smart like he usually showed.

“Wedding line, huh.”

“Whaat?!” he opens his eyes in absolute astonishment, arching his back “What the fuck, what kind of nonsense is that?!”

“Hey, didn't you hear, blonde clown?” She narrows her eyes “You being the strongest, you are the first candidate.”

Raian was still kind of in shock, but a mix of anger started to surface “and how did I not know that sooner?”

“Well, she started to decide that last week, you were away on a mission.”

“And you do this without my permission?! So out of nowhere?!” he puts on a sleeveless black shirt, throwing the towel on the chair his sister was in. “Ahh she will hear everything from me…”

“She's not here now” she warns, throwing the towel that had almost fallen on her, with half disgust, “she traveled to England to see her friend.”

“What?!” he turns to her like a sunflower, anger growing “That wrench throws a fucking bomb like that and leaves just like that?!”

“She is on vacation from the medicine residency, I thought it appropriate for her to go visit Elena…”

“It's not the issue here!” he raises his voice “the idiot arranges a marriage for me and sneaks out like it was nothing!”

“Well, and you already have someone, by any chance?” she teases, smiling mischievously.

Raian instantly stops with another shock, and growls again, frowning.

“No, but does it matter?! I should have been warned sooner, not stuck in a fucking line..." he pauses "oi, oi, oi, wait a minute, wasn't this abolished by the clan, like, fifty years ago?!"

“Apparently, the honorable one made an exception” Fusui pouted.

“And how did you not get in this fucking queue?! You're my sister, you're single and you're from the same lineage as me!”

“Yeah, but it turns out my Removal is low compared to you and I'm saving up to buy a house of my own. Karla supported my project completely and said I'm on the right track, so I'm free.” She winks at the blonde's fury.

“SHE EVEN CALLED ME IDLE!?” he yells, now walking from one side to the other inside the room “As if I wasn't the fucking guy who is practically at the top of the most called for missions! So much so that I have another one for a week from now, I don't even have time to train with Tokita!”

“You'd better not say that name around here anymore, bro” her mouth turns into a line “it was practically because of him that Karla get ahead and allowed this…”

“Aaaarrgh, besides being a bitch, she is this entitled?! Aaarrgh for fuck’s sake!” he starts to leave the room.

“Where are you going?!” Fusui follows him.

“I’ll go after those who are really running this hellhole! I demand a retraction!”

…

“What is it, Raian?” says Hollis, exasperated, in the office, looking at the young man storming in, almost breaking the door in his path.

“You know very well what it is” he approaches, putting two fists on the hardwood desk table, making it shake and some papers fall out of place “what the fuck is this list?!”

“It was Karla's idea, but a unanimous decision” the older cousin says without blinking.

“Unanimously, MY LEFT BALL! Who said I agreed to that, you carebear wig?!”

“Usually the bride and groom don't get involved in this, that's the essence of an arranged marriage.”

‘And what time are we in? In the fucking Edo Period?! Go fuck yourself! I'm not interested in this shit, why do I have to be first?!”

“Higher Removal level, stronger of the clan, duh.”

“This is no guarantee of anything!”

“It is and you know” Hollis sighs “all the ones on the list were organized by Removal and strength level” he looks at his cousin, pointing to himself “I'm in it too, but I got suspended for, well, I have a clan whole to manage” he points to the paperwork on the desk “ if you'll excuse me, I'm busy-”

Raian pulls the table over the edge and flips it to the side, scattering all the papers around the room.

“You are no more!”

“Holy shit, you brat…” Hollis holds the pen tightly and breaks it in two “do you know how long it took me to pack all these missions?!”

“Fuck, you have something more urgent to do” Raian approaches his cousin, threatening “take. me. off. of. that. fucking. list!””

“I won't.” Hollis crosses his arms, imposing. Raian holds the older man's shirt collar with both hands.

“Get me off that list!” he barks, almost to the point of exploding.

“I won't, and stop whining, you already have a candidate.”

This took the younger assassin by surprise. He widens his eyes.

“Wha? Really?” he squints his eyes, suddenly suspicious “It's a dirty trick, isn't it?”

“No. Let me go.”

“What do you mean I have a candidate, you prick?! Like, how crazy would this woman be?”

“She's not crazy, she's in full mental faculties” Hollis takes his younger cousin's hands and pulls them free “And you'll meet her. Now, if you'll excuse me…”

“How is she not crazy?” Raian raises an eyebrow, and then has a sudden understanding “Ah, she can only be from the outside of the clan, right…?”

“She knows about you, and I honestly don't know why you're whining so much.” Hollis was losing patience “This whole thing is exactly to create heirs for this family, If you are so concerned about this, you can have your life after that, we don't give a damn, in the end the whole clan helps each other. Just go there, sign some papers, get that woman pregnant and let we do the rest. What is your problem?”

Raian stares at Hollis for seconds that feel like hours, looking like he was utterly disgusted, and finally lets go of him, throwing him back, but his cousin quickly regains his balance. The brunette reeally didn't want to say that about the poor girl, but he was really losing patience with Raian's tantrums. At twenty-six, almost twenty-seven, the guy even lost some of the arrogance he had at twenty, especially after the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, but he was still insufferable when he wanted to. And woe to whoever was being the target of tantrums, if it wasn't a close relative, he would surely end up with serious injuries, or even dead, if he wasn't a Kure.

Fighting was in every Kure's blood, but fighting alone was not a man's life. The problem is when man almost only had fight, blood and death in his veins.

“So Karla is in line too…” Raian crosses his arms, still very angry.

“OK. She's number two” Hollis straightens his shirt “actually, she wanted to be number one, but we found someone for you before she did.”

“And you really thought that crazy feral bitch is going to be waiting for you to get her something…”

“She is disappointed to have found something on her own and ruined everything” the cousin puts the table back into place and starts collecting the papers on the floor “She spoke with the others in a meeting that her instincts are too strong to be trusted , despite the fact that she chose a good partner. So she signed the decree that if a generation has trouble finding it on their own, the clan can resort to this resource. And…” he looks at the blonde “you, me too, but for different reasons, we have a hard time with that. I can still make it on my own, but you…”

“How do you know this? Do you spy on me by any chance?!”

“No, but just looking at that face of yours makes you startle everyone. Come on, even our distant relatives, Kure women, made to put up with tough guys like us, turn the other way when they see you at the end of the street so they don't cross your path.”

“Bunch of cowardly whores…”

“Speaking of whores, you destroyed a strip club last year…”

“I didn't destroy it, the guys started fighting when I was receiving a private show, and they set fire to the cabaret, I was unlucky to be present.”

“Still you were all bloody when you left there…”

"Do you think I would miss such an opportunity?” he smiles at the memory, chuckling low “That was epic.”

“You see? That's what I'm talking about!” Hollis sighs, putting the papers he managed to get on the table “that bloodlust of yours makes it impossible for you to get something for yourself” sighs again “at least give her a chance. It's not like you're getting married tomorrow either, you can still at least know who she is.”

"And if she runs away…" Raian raises an eyebrow, his expression unreadable.

“Then we can consider you unpredictable, crazy and hopeless and you are free as a bird in the sky. But I'll give you a warning, she's not going to bend easily.”

Raian nodded. Okay, that sounded better. He still thought the whole idea was absurd, but the truth is that deep down he was curious. Who would this creature, in good conscience, with full mental faculties, could accept something with him, therefore he, who was certainly on a level above ordinary people?

An interesting idea involving humiliation of others popped into the blonde's head, and it made him smirk, but for now, he would watch.

“Okay, I’ll take it, for now” he unfolds his arms “let's see who this crazy girl made of titanium is. Does the creature have a name, by any chance?”

“She has” Hollis hands a photo to his cousin “And is Yamagami Ayami.”

Next Chapter Here

#kengan ashura #kengan omega #kenganverse #heavybakery #kengan oc #fanfiction #raian kure #kure raian #kure fusui #devilsfood

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curiousconch · 3 years

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Chase You / Chase Me (Pt. 3)

Part 3: Remember when everything was different

Catch up here: Series Masterlist

Chapter Summary: Aislinn, Gigi and Alex find friendship in the midst of the competition. One discussion led to another, pushing Alex to take a trip down memory lane, revealing the moment in her past where she and Gabe's paths crossed for the first time.

Book/Pairing: Choices - Laws of Attraction / Gabe Ricci x MC (Alex Keating)

Words: 1.7k+

Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / alcohol consumption, language. Scenes/themes may trigger trauma for some, reader discretion advised.

Disclaimer: Most of the characters as well as some dialogue belong to Pixelberry. I am merely borrowing them.

Sunday, downtown New York

"Wait, can you back up for a moment," Aislinn said across Alex, who was scooping the remains of her melted banana split. Gigi was sipping her ice-cold mimosa, their brunch table full of plates with scrapes of leftovers. The sun was out and so were they, dining al fresco under the shade of a huge white parasol and the gentle breeze cooling them every now and then. It was a perfect day so far.

The trio has agreed to meet up that Sunday to discuss what went down with the Rothswell case as well as to prep for the conference Sadie had invited them to. They were on some kind of a peace pact, all of them sharing the view that pitting women against women in the corporate world is just shitty business.

Alex has enjoyed their company. They exchanged imaginary one-liners that would have made Martin frown his heart out or Beau McGraw chortle his head off. And speaking of McGraw, they all concluded that the best strategic course of action was to let Beau enjoy his moment in the sun. One day, Alex would make sure to remind him that he tried to rain on her parade.

It was a refreshing and enlightening discussion, though she will forever be traumatized with how many swears Gigi can cram in a single sentence. But the sight of a flustered Aislinn while Alex and Gigi engaged in a battle of pick-up lines with their waiter was a strong second contender.

As their drinks flowed, the conversation naturally led to rhetorical questions, now settling at why they became a lawyer. Aislinn shared first, surprisingly, stating that her knack for analysis was just a natural fit to the demands of a career in law. Gigi's answer was simple - she can leverage her eidetic memory to earn herself some serious dough, allowing her to live it up and take impromptu vacations to Bali.

Alex tried to dodge the question. She had never needed to discuss her reason of leaving pre-med behind to attend law school. It wasn't a pleasant memory, and she doubted it will ever be.

The two ladies were quick to see her attempts of evasion. But together, they finally wore her down, Alex left laughing with their shenanigans as they cornered her to tell her story. So she told them that she knew Gabe Ricci. And that it was because of him why she was a lawyer. Alex decided that revealing the truth was worth it, seeing how their jaws just dropped to the floor.

"Girl, you have to explain yourself right now," Gigi demanded, to which Aislinn seconded.

Alex snorted as she went back to skimming what was left of her dessert. "It's a boring sob story, and I don't want to turn this lovely morning into a snooze fest."

"We're not going anywhere, right Gi?" Aislinn turned to Gigi beside her, who nodded whilst sipping another glass of cocktail.

"Fine, but only if you swear this won't leave this table," she said. The two held up their hands invoking a half-smiling Alex, sensing nothing but sincerity. So she drank down her glass of bloody mary and took a deep breath, composing her tale.

"Buckle up, ladies, you're in for a ride."

10 years ago, in a town near Boston

Alessandra Keating had never felt more alone than she did that day.

They said she needed to just move forward. But how can she, when every day since the crash, she felt nothing but emptiness? How can she feel alright, when the only life that she knew was suddenly taken away from her?

It wasn't long before she found out that the car accident was caused by someone being reckless, by someone who thought they were above the law. Then, she imploded. No way could she let her parent's deaths be forgotten. No fucking way.

For the past three years, she invested all of herself into this endeavor. Researching, studying, choosing the right counsel, even raising funds. It was what kept her breathing, what gave her purpose. Ultimately, it was what kept her sane.

From filing the lawsuit to attending mediations, to numerous settlement meetings and colliding with every legal roadblock possible - Alex made sure to see them through. Only for everything to be decided that day - the bench trial.

One sweltering summer morning in her hometown's courthouse, Alex sat on the side of the plaintiff, with her long brunette hair tangled in waves. She let her senses wander, taking in the dark wooden panels and pews, her sense of smell invaded by the scent of old mahogany. She sealed her lips into silence, hiding her nerves by straightening the bargain khaki suit that she borrowed.

She barely held it in as her eyes travelled to the table beside them, catching a glimpse of the man that caused her immeasurable pain. With jet black hair and looking as young as her, he sat with an almost mocking expression. He was wearing a crisper set of suit, creating an illusion of trustworthiness that Alex can easily see through.

Maximilian K. Cornell. The green-eyed teenager who swerved his sports car onto the same slippery road Alex and her parents were passing through. The very same boy who got out unharmed, but left Alex's family to die in the snow. Her opponent was a slithery snake who managed to screw the justice system so many times over, just because his parents had the grease to do so.

But after the crash, the town decided they can no longer turn the other cheek. Alex's decision to sue was propelled by the support of the countless friends and families whom her parents have helped in their hour of need. But that still proved not enough.

Her mind whirled back to the proceedings, and to how every strategy, every plan of attack was being thrown out. With every whip from the defense, she started to grow impatient. As another traffic expert from her camp was dismissed, Alex just snapped inside. She leaned to Mr. Leroy, a withering man on the brink of retirement who was her lawyer, asking for them to convene outside.

"I'm sorry Mr. Leroy, but your strategies were just scrutinized and torn into pieces," Alex said in a low voice the moment they stepped out into the hallway.

"Alex, I am doing my best here. We clearly don't have the upper hand, lacking the incriminating evidence that we need," the man replied, exasperated.

"Have we dug up his previous records? I mean, why on earth would he have a sealed history? Doesn't that mean something?" she continued.

She continued to dictate her litany of better-positioned moves, but even Alex knew she wasn't getting through. So she excused herself from the conversation, hoping a cup of iced coffee will somehow mitigate her frustrations.

As soon as she came back, she found Mr. Leroy convening with a much younger man in a dark navy suit. His aura screamed "big city hotshot", albeit the exhausted look in his brown eyes. Not wanting to interrupt, she held off from approaching. However, her curiosity didn't stop her from eavesdropping.

What she heard the charismatic man say was a legal precedent that would have opened the sealed records in question. And with all the mind-boggling legal jargon, that's just about what she understood.

"Gabriel Ricci? I'm looking for an attorney named Gabriel Ricci?" a female voice from a nearby window called out, which made the young man raise his head. She saw him end the conversation abruptly, where a flustered Mr. Leroy hastily thanked him. Alex took that as her queue to approach her lawyer.

"Alex, we might be able to turn things around," she heard Leroy say.

And by some miracle, things did turn around. With her lawyer using the precedent offered by the young attorney earlier, their side gained the needed momentum to tip the scales in their favor. By the end of the trial, the verdict was out - Cornell will never be able to drive another vehicle, along with paying her a hefty amount of damages and fees.

They won.

Alex had to pinch herself before the victory sunk in. When it did, she felt an immense burden lifted from her shoulders.

After a long, long time, Alex can finally breathe.

Broken free from her nightmares, she asked herself what's next? The answer came to her almost immediately. Right there and then, she decided what she wanted to be. Like that man from the courthouse, she will become a lawyer.

Fueled by this new sense of mission, she saw a future for herself. No longer held by the past, she finally was able to move forward.

Indeed, Alex became what she set out to do - a lawyer who took on hopeless, even impossible cases and won them. A lawyer her parents would be proud of.

A damn good lawyer, just like Gabriel Ricci.

Present Day, at a New York Penthouse

Gabe sat in his home office clad in nothing but his white bath robe, holding a worn manila folder.

Five years ago, Gabe saw this case as his opportunity to make Robbie proud. The defendant had all the parallels with his brother - a teenager, incarcerated young, where the punishment had presumed to be too harsh. He now knew it was rightfully just.

But at that time, he was blinded by passion and ambition. He wanted to prove to himself and to Sadie what he can do. Taking on this case that was practically unwinnable would give him more power, more control over the pro bono cases he wanted to take. Actually winning this though, that proved to be his fatal mistake.

Your cockiness got the better of you again, Ricci.

His mind went to Alex. That was the direction his every waking moment drifted to nowadays. Whether he liked it or not, he'd answer some other day.

He had to let her know. If he didn't, Alex would eventually find out herself. Once she discovers that he was the one who had set this man free, she would hate him.

Gabe can't bring himself to think of that happening, of losing that chance with her, or of losing Alex's trust.

Hell, I'm going to lose her entirely if she finds out.

These realizations devastated him.

But how can they both escape the looming shadows of the past unscathed? Even he couldn't figure that out.

Sighing, he rubbed his hand on his face, reeling at his lack of options. He then stood up, slamming the open folder on his desk as he turned to face the window, simmering in his own regrets. Papers slipped out to the carpeted floor, including a full-page mugshot of the defendant.

It was Maximilian Cornell.

Author's Notes: With Sadie being shady AF, I feel like we all need some dose of female friendship right? Also, this is my HC why Gabe constantly pulls away from MC, not only because of their working relationship. Did the reveal live up to the cliffhanger? Let me know in the comments! 👇👇👇

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dhwty-writes · 4 years

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Oh, I just read your vacation is a mess, I'm so sorry!! How about 6 (maybe with Jaskier?), I'm always down for 11, 27 is... oh yeah, 34 is pure chaos and I love it, 39 makes me!!!, 43 with sickness?

Whew, that’s quite a lot of prompts, thank you so much for them! Luckily, I hade quite a lot of time, too, so I’ll be queueing them up.

For the sick fic, feel free to check out Surprise the Child Surprise, there’s a sick!Jaskier in that one and I’m not sure if I’m up to writing another one without shamelessly copying that.

For now, here’s 6 - Jolting awake after a nightmare and being comforted.

Read on AO3

The man laid on his back, writhing in pain as an immortal warrior stood above him, her hands outstretched to deal the killing blow. "No," he begged, "no, please don't, please, mercy-"

Thick fog engulfed him, choking the air from his lungs, making him cough and wheeze, forgotten on a table with the faint scent of apple juice.

"Mercy?" a cruel man's voice mocked. "Who are you to deserve mercy? You're no son of mine."

"No," he pleaded again, "no, father, please. Please don't do this, you don't have to, you-"

"You are not worthy of my name, boy," he hissed. "You don't even remember it."

A boot hit him in his broken ribs but he barely registered it, the sharp ache of panic taking over. His name? What was his name? He had a name, he knew for sure, a proud name, and ancient, but he couldn't quite recall it. The air was growing thin. There was another name, too, a different name, a name he chose himself, free of all the duties and nightmares, a name to bring warmth and light and lo-

"Jaskier!"

Jaskier woke with a start, looking around frantically. "Wha-what?" he stammered, quickly taking stock of his surroundings. He was drenched in sweat, so much that for a moment he feared he wet his pants, and wouldn't that be embarrassing? "What's happening?" he tried again.

"You were shouting," a deep voice beside him said and before he could stop himself, he flinched. "I, uh- I tried to wake you up."

'Geralt,' he realised with relief and relaxed. Geralt, so close that he could feel the heat radiating from his body. Slowly his eyes adjusted to the dark — it had to be the dead of night, still — and he saw that the witcher had one hand outstretched and was still talking and-

"I'm sorry," he said, withdrawing his hand. "I didn't mean to startle you. I just thought-" He moved to pull away, over to his own bedroll on the other side of the fire and panic welled up inside Jaskier again.

"Wait!" His hand shot out, grasping his wrist firmly. "Wait," he said weakly.

"You're scared," the witcher assessed.

"Yes."

Geralt winced.

It took Jaskier an embarrassingly long time to catch up with what was happening. "Not of you, you big oaf," he said softly. "I had a nightmare."

"Oh," the witcher said slowly. He seemed to hesitate before continuing: "Is there something I could do?"

A blush crept up his cheeks faster than he cared to admit. He quickly shook his head.

"You're embarrassed," Geralt noted.

"That's correct, too."

"So, there is something."

He chewed on his lip unsure. He imagined the blush on his cheeks grew brighter still, impossibly visible for Geralt to see. 'Melitele have mercy,' he thought.

"Jaskier," Geralt said imploringly. "I can still smell your fear. I can still see your embarrassment." He scooted closer and when Jaskier made no move to pull away he came closer still. "I've seen you drunk out of your mind, held you upright while you puked. I saw you stumble off a stage more times than I can count and caught you in someone's bed more times than you can count." He paused. "There's nothing you could ask for that you need to be embarrassed of."

"Nothing, huh?" Jaskier tried to tease, yet the suggestive smile that normally accompanied such a question didn’t quite rise to his lips.

"Nothing," Geralt confirmed seriously.

To his never-ending astonishment he managed to blush even more. 'No mercy for me then,' he decided. "You could, ah- You could hold me? Maybe?"

"Hmm," he said and for one terrifying moment Jaskier feared that the witcher would decline, regardless of the promise he'd made. Then: "Move over," he grumbled, "won't be sleeping on wet leaves because of this."

"O-okay." Relief rushed over him, the gruff tone much more like their usual conversations. 'When did this start to feel comforting?' he asked himself and quickly decided that it didn't really matter.

What mattered was that he moved over just like Geralt had asked him to and that he was pulled tightly against the witcher's chest, arms like iron bars, but not trapping him, never trapping him, instead keeping out whatever might cause harm. He realised very belatedly — after a few moments of struggling to fit into the bedroll together — that Geralt intended to sleep like that.

'Now, that's unusual,' he thought. 'Not that I'd complain, though.' It had been far too long since he fell asleep in a lover's embrace. 'Huh.' And wasn't that a strange thought?

'That's a dangerous thought,' he decreed. ''Cause we're not lovers. Never have been, never will be.' Not that he hadn't thought about it, that wasn't the issue at all. It was more that he had thought about it too much, and that Geralt had never made any indication, and that this, the witcher curled up around him was too close to forbidden fantasies, hidden from view for anyone but-

"Bard," Geralt grumbled, "you're thinking very loudly."

"Huh?" Jaskier made, ice cold fear gripping his heart. "What do you mean, thinking loudly? I'm not thinking loudly, I'm thinking very quietly, in fact, in the privacy of my own mind, so it would be appreciated if you kept your nose out of tha-"

"Jaskier," he sighed and buried his nose in his hair. Jaskier's heart skipped a beat. "Relax. You’re not relaxing. So. What're you thinking about?"

"I, uh- nightmare," he blurted before he could say anything more incriminating.

"Hmm." Geralt began tracing soothing patterns on Jaskier's arm. "Do you, uh- want to talk about it?" For a moment he wondered if this made the witcher feel just as fuzzy in the head as it made him.

"No, I don't think so." He sighed at the sensation of gentle, oh-so-gently fingers in his hair. After a moment of hesitation his resolve shattered and he leaned closer into the touch. "Pity your silver sword can't slay those monsters."

"Hmm." He thought he could feel lips ghosting over his hair. No, that had to be a mistake, surely. "Maybe your silver tongue can."

Jaskier's eyes shot open and he would've sat up if not for the unrelenting arms holding him down. Instead, he opened and closed his mouth uselessly. "Geralt, you- what-"

No, Geralt's lips were definitely pressed against his hair, he could feel the smirk, the bastard. "Speechless, bard?"

"Never!" he replied hastily, desperately trying to think of an answer to prove his point. He wasn't very successful. "You just caught me off guard," he tried.

"Hmm." He was very smug, the asshat. "Will try to warn you next time."

"Oh no. No, no, no," he babbled. He could do that very well. Babbling. At least that way he could try to save his face. "I won't be caught off guard ever again, thank you very much. Not now that I know that you are capable of such poetic lines."

"Hmm. We'll see about that," Geralt didn't sound any more convinced than Jaskier felt. The witcher tugged him closer against his chest. "Try to sleep now, Jaskier. There's still a few hours before dawn."

He knew that the witcher was right. Come sunrise they would set out again, in search of another contract, another adventure with monsters for Geralt to kill, and ballads for Jaskier to write. So, he tried to relax in his friend's arms, to the rhythm of deep breaths rustling his hair and soft circles drawn on his skin. It wasn't very hard.

He was almost asleep when Geralt moved one last time. This time there was no mistaking the soft kiss pressed to his cheek, nor the softer words that followed: "You're safe with me. Now, always, forever."

#my writing #geraskier #the witcher #geralt of rivia #Jaskier #geralt x jaskier #geralt/jaskier #geraskier fanfiction #this is just fluff #soft bois being soft #thanks for the prompts!#i'm having a lot of fun answering them

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