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thotsforvillainrights · 2 years

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We! Need! More! Magne! Content! Can I please get Magne dealing with an anonymous secret admirer who specializes in those letters from books that premake the love letter like (Letters To My Love: Write Now. Read Later.) and the entirety of a little book (Knock Knock What I Love About You) among whatever else basically fill in the blank love letters the only reason she can't guess the admirer is because they use a little calligraphy to hide their normal handwriting the only reason she catches them is because she catches them in the act and they admit to never approaching her simply because they don't have relationship experience or as they say any of her life experience they admire her (when the letters started) which turned to crushing on which developed into love

(!!!!!WE NEED MORE MAGNE CONTENT!!!!!)

~Magne's Secret Admirer~

headcanon|scenario|imagine|match-up

"Ugh damn it!" She slammed her fist onto the counter at the bar area and dropped her pen. Toga stopped playing on her phone and turned her head to peek over her shoulder. She watched Magne do the same thing she did every single week for the past 3 weeks in a row. Finally her curiosity got the best of her and she decided to check it out. She locked up her device and placed it on the couch cushion before getting up and skipping over to the bar. Magne's forehead was on the counter and her arms hung in defeat at her side. She groaned and Toga gently reached over to pat her back. "Are you okay big sis?" The girl asked with genuine concern. Magne groaned again before finally sitting up and staring at the paper in front of her. "Yeah I guess...I'm actually not okay. Himiko, how well can you keep a secret?" Magne looked over at her and waited. "Hmmmm..." Toga placed a finger on her cheek thoughtful. "Pretty good I think! I'm better than Twice at least." She teased playfully. "Okay well come with me then." Magne got up and Toga followed behind her faithfully. Magne opened her bedroom door and ushered for Toga to come in first. Magne then looked around to make sure nobody was watching when she entered herself, closed, and locked the door. Toga took a seat on the bed and pulled the large stuffed penguin into a hug while she watched Magne dig through a shoebox she'd pulled from underneath the bed. When Magne found what she was looking for, she pulled out the paper and shoved the box back underneath her bed. "Here look at this and tell me what you think these are." Magne shoved the stuffed animal out of the way and placed the paper into Toga's lap. She crossed her arms and watched Toga scan the letters with her eyes before looking up and gasping lightly. "Love letter??? You've got a-"

"A secret admirer, I know! But I can't fucking seem to figure out who it is. I mean, I keep looking over these letters and it feels like I'm only getting half of what I need to figure this out. I mean, what do you think? Do you have any idea what this could even be? Any clues, suspects, literally anything!?!?!" Magne freaked out just a tiny bit. She'd never truly been the object of another person's affections. Not even during school was she very desirable to the others around her. When she was younger she was shy and could've blamed most her issues on simply not approaching enough people first. Her confidence came later in life after meeting with her close friend Yukine. So to now be in the romantic sights of someone was a big shock to her. The only obstacle now is trying to figure out just who it was. Toga sat with her and started narrowing down suspects.

Boss man couldn't be the one, could he? He's got a bit of Tsundere potential but what really would he do if he liked someone? Probably not love letters.

Dabi could've been it but he didn't seem like the love letter kind of guy either.

Spinner was a big potential so we'd add him to the list.

Y/N seemed like a very close friend, maybe like family almost?

Twice would've said so by now if it was him.

Compress and Kurogiri are STRONG suspects when it comes to something like love letters.

Muscular and Mustard no. Muscular didn't show interest in her and Mustard was a literal child.

Moonfish maybe???

Could it be someone outside of the league? Maybe Giran perhaps? He wasn't the love letter kind of guy but then again...he was unpredictable to most.

The girls had turned into detectives just overnight. Magne's wall was scattered with bits of paper and thumbtacks with yarn connecting them. The two of them were running back down the list of suspects for at least the rest of that week. By the time Friday had rolled around, Magne was once again on the lookout for the new weekly letter. She usually got them in the same place (slipped under her bedroom door when she least expected it). That's why today she had her door wide open as she stayed in her room all day long on lookout. However, she was still human at the end of the day. That meant she eventually needed to fall asleep. In the dead hours of the night, he admirer struck once again. When she woke up she wiped the grogginess from her face and waited until her eyes adjusted to the light sweeping over the bedroom from just behind the thin veiled curtains. When her eyes made contact with the envelope she gasped and quickly fumbled out of bed. She grabbed the letter, inspected it for just a second, slammed the door and then locked it. She rushed to her desk and grabbed a pen to try and decipher the note. It ended in failure yet again and she was beginning to feel like she was losing her mind over it. Something so sweet and romantic was starting to bring her sadness and frustration. She would've spent the entire day moping around in silence had she not just barely noticed you sitting at the bar scribbling something onto a familiar type of paper. The type of paper that had a certain texture and color to it. The same type of paper that her secret admirer had used for every letter she'd gotten. Magne quietly moved to stand over your back and watched your hand weave the intricate words onto the paper right in front of her eyes. You eventually felt that feeling that someone was standing before you swiveled around and gasped.

"AHA! I CAUGHT YOU RED HANDED!!!!" Magne shouted before jumping up and down and quickly taking a seat right next to you. "Y/N it was you?! It was you the whole time! Why??? Why didn't you just tell me how you felt! I mean, the letter were cute and all but I was having a pretty shit time at trying to figure everything out." She stopped talking and stared at you with wide eyes, awaiting an answer to it all. You side and cleared your throat, looking everywhere but directly into her eyes. "I thought it would be the best way to do things. I've never really had any type of relationship experience before so I figured this would be okay. I mean, for a while I spent a good bit of my time admiring you. I think eventually I'd somehow fallen in love with you when the crush started feeling like it was suffocating me. I like you. I like everything about you and I was worried you wouldn't feel the same." Magne reached out and pinched your side. "Oww, hey!" You moved quickly to the side and frowned. She smiled widely at you and quickly pulled you into a hug. "Sorry, I just felt like you needed to be brought back to reality so I pinched you. Y/N you shouldn't ever be scared to admit your feelings to me. I like everything about you too. I mean Hell, to me you're one of the best people I've ever had walk into my mess of a life. If you'll still have me then I'd kill for a date with you." She pulled away from the hug and stared at you with hopeful eyes. You smiled and gently cuffed her face with your hands. "I can't wait."

#scenario #big sis mag #bnha magne #kenji hikiishi #lov #league of villains #magne x reader #bnha #mha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia

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the-insomniac-emporium · 1 year

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Tag Game Thing

ayyyye another one (but not one from when I was drifting in the timeless void of Conceptually Tuesday), got tagged by @chthonicsiren , gonna tag @melthedwarf because I can >:) (edit: tagged the wrong person first cuz tumblr autofilled the url, sorry!)

1: Are you named after anyone? Yes! My birth name/not-quite-deadname is a tribute to my ma's maiden name. Without saying what either are, I'll just say that her maiden name followed a patronymic format (ex: Johnson), and my birth name is one of the feminine variants/related named (ex: Johanna?). My chosen name, Jordan Van Daalen, is a fun one! My friend and I were in drama class together, and were paired up for an assignment where we had to write a short script (we were given random phrases to start and end the scene with). We're both Huge Fucking Nerds, so we went Overboard, basically fleshing out both of our characters (and then we napped on each other). Jordan Van Daalen was what a random name generator gave me for my character. Less than a year later I realized I am some sort of non-binary, and decided to use that lil name as my future name, as well as eventual pen name :D

2: When was the last time you cried? Uh. Okay, so, like... sometimes when I'm really tired but can't sleep, I'll start improvising a little song? Just, like, whisper singing to myself? And it usually ends up being an emotional ballad about old traumas (or, you know, stuff from whatever media I've been binging)? also when I yawn my eyes water a tiny bit? so what I'm saying is that every time I can't sleep and end up singing dumb little songs, I end up crying. how often does that happen, you ask? well, buddy, I picked this url for a good reason. (it was probably yesterday)

3:Do you have kids? Does being the oldest in the friend group (and also being the dad friend) count? because I am the Father of some of these gremlins. no? oh. well, I am going to an auncle/ent soon, so that's close enough :D

4: Do you use sarcasm a lot? Depends on my mood? I'm less sarcastic than my brother, but definitely more sarcastic than either of my parents. I know that means nothing to any of you, but hey, that's my answer.

5: What's the first thing you notice about people? Uhhhhhhh if they give off gay vibes asdfghjkl; Honestly it varies, which I feel like is a given? I look for things that stand out- colored hair, piercings, if they have any jewelry, etc.

6: What color are your eyes? Okay, well, my ID says hazel, I used to describe it as "hazel green/green hazel", and I think a poet might describe my eyes as something like "sea foam green around sandy brown". However, a Certified Dick could just as easily call my eyes "snot green with a pinch of yellow". Could also just shrug and go "muddy green?". except in some lightings the "green" part seems like it might be vaguely blue, and I have been slowly driving myself insane trying to figure out a consistent color palette I can use when drawing self portraits/inserts because I can't get a decent pic of my eye to use a reference and I'm too awkward to ask someone (with less shaky hands) to do it for me. anyway, I spent ten minutes drawing what is arguably the best attempt I've ever made at making an accurate portrayal of my eye color:

7: Scary movies or happy endings? Generally speaking I prefer happy endings, but it feels weird to separate that from scary movies. However, I don't tend to watch many genuinely scary movies? I like horror comedies. I also very much enjoy watching shitty/low quality horror movies and roasting the fuck out of 'em. Humor is part of how I cope with actual scary movies/games too, though. That and pretending to try and scare the monsters :3 running through the scary dark hallway going "a-boogily-boogily-boo!" and rapidly snapping the camera from side to side like I'm jumping out at people. the monster goes rawr? I SAY IT LOUDER

8: Any special talents? I mean, I think most folks who follow me on here know that I've got a bit of talent in several types of art/creativity (music and writing are probably my big two)? But I can also beatbox a little, my arms are weirdly flexible (possible double-jointed at the shoulders?), and I am surprisingly good at picking things up/throwing them with my feet. That last one is 50% for throwing dog toys and 50% for picking up small things I dropped when I don't want to bend over. Weird? Yes. A talent? Probably not.

9: Where were you born? I think I was born in Seattle, WA, USA. It was definitely in the Seattle area, it just might have technically been a neighboring city.

10: What are your hobbies? Other than the aforementioned artsy shit, I play a lot of video games, in a variety of genres. My favorites are probably the Mass Effect series, Fallout: New Vegas, Persona 5: Royal, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and Spider-Man PS4. I need you to know how difficult it was for me to not list over a dozen games. Please understand. THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD GAMES FUCK. Also, idk if it super counts as a hobby in other people's minds, but I love LEGOs! My room is filled with them :D

11: Have you any pets? None that are, like, fully legally mine. My household has a dog, Bella, but I am unfortunately her least favorite. She loves letting me give her chin scritches first thing in the morning though :')

12: What sports do you play/have you played? KENDO, BITCHES. GET SMACKED WITH BAMBOO

13: How tall are you? Soooooo tall. Massive. Giant. A true, genuine image of a Viking Warrior.. ... ..... in other words I'm 5 feet and 3.5 inches. the .5 is incredibly important to me. On a good day with boots I can almost pass off as 5'5" tho, soooooo. I'm also built like a shit brickhouse (yes I know that's not the correct saying), so at least tall people can't throw me (I throw them)

14: Favorite subject in school? Three-way tie between English/Language Arts, Drama/Theatre, and Art class!

15: Dream job? Writer, artist, all around generally a Professional Nuisance. Maybe taking the place of a forgotten, half-dead God at a lonely shrine, slowly restoring it until it's something worth remembering, eagerly having unforgettable conversations with the rare passerby, never gaining enough fame or worship to have any real power over the world. Just enough to be a face that lingers in your memories, in your dreams, the little voice you hear when you need it most.

#tag game

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durolenz · 2 years

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Design A Custom Name Badge According To The Requirements

A name badge is a great way to make your brand stand out at trade shows and other events. Not only do Custom Name Badges help attendees remember your company, but they also give them an easy way to get ahold of you during the event.

Decide on your badge layout and shape

To decide on your badge layout and shape, take a look at the different layouts available. Here are some things to consider:

Round badges can be used in any situation where you want something simple and unobtrusive. They’re great for people who don’t want to draw unnecessary attention to themselves at an event or conference, or if their job requires them to wear their name badges all day long.

However, round badges are not as easily visible as other shapes, so they may not be appropriate for some uses like security guards or janitorial staff (in this case you might want something more visible).

Square badges tend to be most commonly used by employees who need a little bit extra visibility while they work—for example, salespeople or waiters/waitresses who are always in motion running around tables during service times but still need easy access to their IDs all day long!

This shape also makes it easy for people walking by as well; instead of having to crane their neck down towards someone's chest area while trying read words scrawled out on paper cards attached with string lanyards (which is how many companies currently issue these things), now instead just glance over at the wearer's hip instead since everything's right there front-and-center — what could be easier?

Plus there's less wasted space than circular ones would have been required here too because no room needs taken up by writing anything down on paper beforehand either!

Choose the materials for your Custom Name Badge

For personalisation, you can choose a plastic, metal or paper label.

The plastic label is durable and waterproof. It also features a UV coating that prevents the name badge from fading in the sun.

The metal tag has a rust-proof nickel finish that makes it perfect for outdoor environments or humid spaces. The metal tag can be customized with your logo and text using engraving techniques for a more refined look than basic printing methods such as hot stamping which would distort the image on the badge (the result will appear fuzzy).

A paper label is inexpensive but not as durable as plastic or metal badges because it's prone to tearing when wet or damaged by sharp objects like keys or pens! A great choice if you're looking for something cheap but still want something stylish!

Pick a process for your Custom Name Badge

The third step of designing your custom name badge is to pick the process that is best for you. The final two choices are screen printing and digital printing.

Screen Printing: Screen printing allows for high-quality, durable name badges that can be created in just about any shape or size. It also allows for vivid colors and detailed designs that won't fade over time. This process may take up to four days to complete, so make sure you plan ahead!

Digital Printing: With digital printing, your customized name badge will be completed in just 24 hours or less! Plus, it offers crisp text and vibrant images that won't fade over time either (unless exposed to high heat). However, this method typically costs more than screen printing because it uses specialized equipment like UV printers which cost quite a bit more money upfront than regular inkjet printers would cost at home

Next, you will have to choose a colour for the text on your custom name badges. This is important because it can help to create contrast between the badge itself and the background.

You should avoid bright or eye-catching colours, as these may be distracting and make it difficult for people to read the text. Instead, opt for muted shades that are easy on the eyes and will stand out against any background colour or pattern.

If you need to attach your name badge to the wearer, there are several options. Pinbacks and clipbacks are convenient because they keep the badge in place without being too bulky or inconvenient. The pinback can be attached using a safety pin, while the clipback uses a small metal clasp that attaches to clothing or fabric.

Magnetic back badges don't require any attachment device—simply hold them up to any ferrous surface (like your shirt) and they'll stay on!

There you have it! Now you can design your own custom name badges in an easy and fast way.

#Custom Name Badges

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marbleheavy · 3 years

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here are some of my Nico headcanons that nobody asked for!!

He collects things. Not just Mythomagic stuff like he did as a kid, but cool shells, and rocks, and weird glass figurines that everyone else thinks are terrifying, and books. He’s got them in jars or lined up on shelves and he just has so many things (Because for so long he had so few things that actually belonged to him that didn’t have to serve a very clear purpose, so now he just wants to keep whatever he’d like)

He reads SO much as an adult. A lot of it is nonfiction because he’s trying to catch up on what happened in the world while he was pulled out of it, but a lot of fiction too (not really fantasy though, that’s too close to home) and a lot of poetry. He can recite poems from memory and will just randomly quote them sometimes and it should be pretentious but it isn’t and his friends think it’s amazing (cue dramatically saying "till love and fame to nothingness do sink" anytime he's told he has to wait) (Also, he will rant about why Ted Hughes sucks at any point in time)

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again!! He is a Dungeon Master! He’s got a binder for all the notes for his current campaign and a notebook for ideas and special highlighters and pens that he only uses for D&D. Also, dice are definitely one of the things he collects and he keeps them in those clear, plastic bead containers with dividers and they’re sorted by number of faces and also ~vibes~ (for example, do a backflip D20 and life or death D20)

leather jacket Nico di Angelo? seen, respected, and appreciated. CARDIGAN Nico di Angelo? underrated! He has a couple oversized cardigans with buttons and big pockets that he adores. The first one he ever had he definitely stole from Will but now, whenever he comes across another similar one, he buys it. The pockets are filled with rocks and worn, mass-market paperbacks and pens. (Basically, I’m leaning hard into English Major Nico with his annotated books and glasses and cardigans) (Also, cardigan Nico and flannel Will but sometimes they swap)

He definitely cuts his own hair in the bathroom and he's gotten very good at it. He's had a range of haircuts, from long hair to a mullet to the shaved sides and fluffy top, but he always ends up back with a shaggy mop that Hazel likes to put little braids in (or sometimes pull the very back of it into two little pigtails) and with bangs that always end up in his eyes.

Sorry to reiterate the same point that's been made forever, but his wardrobe is pretty dark-toned. Obviously black, but he does like a good jewel tone, perhaps a maroon or an emerald. Anything really bright was either a gift or belongs to Will someone else. Also, gendered clothing means nothing to him. He wears what he wants to wear and he thinks it's cool as hell when he's wearing a skirt while sparring and it flares out dramatically as he twirls.

He's kind of picked up modern slang but he also uses a lot of slang from pretty much every decade he missed. It's also a 50/50 chance he's using it incorrectly. (examples include: 1) Leo says something that is definitely supposed to be funny and Nico stares at him, utterly emotionless, and says "Gag me with a spoon" in an alarmingly monotone voice, and 2) Anytime he says something snarky to Jason or Percy he starts it with "hey bestie..." and honestly, they're both just touched Nico called them "bestie" at all)

He adores Studio Ghibli movies and can be found humming the Ponyo theme song anytime he goes swimming (Will standing on the shore, looking around for Nico and he eventually spots him in the water. He wades out to Nico, all sunglasses that shouldn't look so cool and golden hair and chest, and just greets him with "Hey there, Neeks, how's my fishie in the sea?" and Nico can't decide if he wants to drown himself or kiss Will on his stupid mouth)

Speaking of movies, shortly after the Giant War, all of his friends (the Seven, Reyna, Will, probably Lou Ellen and Cecil, too) showed up at his cabin with blankets and snacks. They each brought their favorite movie or movies they think he needs to see to catch him up on the modern age. At first, he acts disgruntled that they're all there but he very quickly settles into the blanket fort Annabeth constructs and is quietly very grateful and excited that they cared enough to do this for him. They're all holed up in his cabin for a full day until they've finished every movie. (Percy brought Finding Nemo, Annabeth brought Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Piper brought Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Jason brought Captain America: The First Avenger (and Nico definitely says "that's gay" when Steve and Bucky say there "Until the end of the line" shit and everybody absolutely loses their minds), Hazel also is behind on movies but she brought either a very scary movie or Moana, Frank brought A New Hope (though he considered Brother Bear), Will brought Spirited Away, Cecil brought Back to the Future, and Lou Ellen brought The Princess Bride)

He can play the piano! He gets a piano for the Hades cabin and on nights where he can't sleep and the nightmares are really bad, he plays piano.

He will cry if he hears I Will by Mitski or Wasteland, Baby by Hozier, for different reasons but also kind of not (he wants to be loved)

Also, Nico and Dionysus being buddies! Nico jokingly says he'll host a bacchanal if Dionysus excuses him from certain camp activities and that's how Nico and friends end up wearing togas around a campfire, all very hesitantly holding cups of wine they aren't actually going to drink. It is definitely not a bacchanal, it's just a bad toga party (barely) but Dionysus accepts it and decides Nico is a Good One.

(Yes I did very badly make this stupid meme that somebody has definitely made a variation of before)

This is definitely not a complete list of headcanons but it's what I've got so far!

#nico di angelo #nico di angelo headcanon #pjo #will solace #solangelo #headcanons #heroes of olympus

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misscaptainamericana · 2 years

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begin again - andy barber x reader

word count: 1861

content warning: professor/student relationship ish??, age gap, talks of sex/ smut not written out

author's note: rich student in law school, events take place after the finale of defending jacob, k thanks :)

Andy Barber had had a hard few years. These years ended with him divorcing Laurie and burying his son, it was time for him to start over. He moved to the complete opposite end of the country. Oregon state to become a law professor and that’s when he met you. You were in his first class and there was an exercise where groups had to take terms questioning a murder suspect. You were feisty and quick-witted, he loved that. You took two of his classes for your undergrad degree requirements before applying for the position to be his TA throughout your graduate years. You had thought about being his TA immediately after you were done taking his classes. During the application you were so worried that he wouldn’t remember you or even worse he would have a bad memory of you. Towards the end of the interview he put down the notepad he was holding and told you, “I was delighted when I saw your name in the list of applicants. You were an absolute pleasure to have in class.”

You couldn’t help but sit up straighter with a smile, “Wait, really?”

“Really, one of the best students I ever had and you’re going to make an incredible lawyer someday.”

“Well, thank you Mr. Barber, truly!”

“Call me Andy.”

“Okay…Thank you, Andy.”

“Want to start tomorrow morning?”

“Sounds great! What time do you normally get to campus?”

“Around eight in the morning but as long as you get here before ten I won’t fuss about it.”

The first month was tame. Lingering glances or touches that last a second too long or obscene comments either of you let slip, hinting at the other to do something. By the end of the fifth week, Andy could barely concentrate on anything. You never noticed it while taking his class but he always had to fidget a pen. Whether it be clicking, taping, or intense scribbling - he needed to use his hands. Staring at him all you wanted was to feel those hands over every inch of your body. A few minutes had gone by before you decided to clear your throat and ask, “Something on your mind?”

“No, I just- Trying to figure out a better way to quiz them so it actually sticks. I hate paper tests, they don’t prove you retained any information.”

“Well, I can try to think up some things and email you a list.”

“Okay, okay, yeah…That’s a great idea.”

You smiled and stood up before beginning to grab your belongings from around the room while Andy tapped his pen on the desk. With a sigh he spoke up again, “Actually, Y/N, Tomorrow since there’s no classes and we’re just grading do you want to grab coffee first?”

The question took you off guard a little, “Oh, sure. Where at?”

He shrugged with a smile, “I was hoping you would know a place.”

You thought it over before responding with a minute nod, “Actually I do know a place. It’s called Crema.”

“Okay, seven thirty?

“Sure thing…See you tomorrow.

“See you tomorrow!”

The next morning you were a bundle of nerves, you had woken up at five just to make sure you had enough time to get fully ready. You could’ve showed up in the basic attire and makeup you did every day but this felt special. This felt different.

You changed three times that morning and were about to change a fourth when you realized you needed to make it over to the cafe. The Wednesday morning air was cold as you made your way into the building. You were expecting to pick a table off to the side and scroll through twitter waiting for Andy, but he was there. He placed down his coffee cup and stood up from the table in the back with a small wave. Your heart began to race as you walked over to the table, “Good morning!”

“Good morning! You look incredible.” He told you with a warm smile as he pulled your chair out.

“Thank you, I like this dark blue color on you.”

He smiled looking over his button down shirt, “Yeah?”

You nodded, not being able to help your smile as he started to blush.

Andy cleared his throat before standing up straight, “Is there anything I can order for you?”

“Uhm, sure! I’ll take a honey vanilla latte and a cinnamon roll.”

“Coming right up.” He lightly patted your back before making his way over to the counter. It took a few minutes but he returned with your order and a breakfast sandwich for himself. The nerves were there for both of you for the first few minutes but when Andy changed the conversation to personal stories. Something to do with your honey latte and the first time he was ever stung by a bee. This led into your story of your first time riding a bike at the park and you fell into the pond. Andy threw his head back laughing and you accidentally let out a small snort.

The coffee date was something so sweet and personal that it really opened up your relationship at the college. Most days you would bring Andy coffee and pastry from the cafe and he would go out and get your favorite foods for lunch. With the holidays coming up and the classes and even staff starting to dwindle, there wasn’t much work to do besides prep for the influx of final papers. You and your parents hadn’t spent a holiday together since you were eighteen and you knew Andy had nowhere to go. You had finally felt comfortable enough so you decided it would be a nice time to invite him over to dinner.

“Mr. Barber?”

He looked up from the paper in his hand with a smile and took the pen out of his mouth, “Andy.”

You rolled your eyes with a smile, “Andy, would you like to come over on Friday? I know we have a long weekend coming up and I’d love to make dinner for you.”

“I’d love that…What time?”

“Six?” You asked as you quickly scribbled down your address on a sticky note.

“I’ll be there, should I bring anything?”

“Just your appetite.” You said in response, holding out the note to him.

He gently took the note from your hands and placed it in his pocket, “You got it.”

Friday night came around and when he pulled up to the address in his GPS he was surprised to see you lived in a full townhouse. When he walked in he complimented your place before taking off his jacket and you thanked him with a small smile as you shut the door.

“With a place like this I imagine you have people over for college parties all the time.”

You shrugged and your smile slightly fell, “Having daddy’s money and simply going to college doesn’t get you very many friends.”

“That’s a shame, they’re missing out.” He told you with a smile, placing a hand on your back as he followed you to the kitchen. He helped you carry the food out to your small dining room table before you both sat down to eat. The dinner was nice, it felt nice to talk to someone about something other than work. It was nice hearing stories from his past even though some had pained him to talk about. He more than enjoyed hearing the stories that made you into the person you were today. After dinner and doing the dishes together, you both resigned to your living room to drink and continue the discussion. He made his way through the living room, looking things over and pointing out the James Taylor record collection, before sitting in the emerald green chair by the window.

His eyes studied you as his tongue danced around your teeth causing you to laugh before asking, “Why are you analyzing me?”

“You’re a lot more shy than you are in my office, why is that?”

“I don’t know…Trying to think something over before I do it.”

“Well that’s not like you.” He said with a chuckle causing you to gasp.

“That’s not fair!”

He quickly pulled the bottle away from his lips, nodding quickly, “It’s very fair!” He called out with his accent lingering on the word ‘fair’.

His eyes narrowed as they studied you, “You’ve always been so quick on your feet, connecting dots the fastest. So what is it? What are you stuck on?”

“I can’t talk about it.” You said before biting your lip.

“Can’t talk about it in general or can’t talk about it to me?”

The room fell silent for a few minutes before he down the last of his beer and looked back at you. “Well, I guess it’s time that I head out.”

“Andy wait-” You sighed as you quickly rose to your feet wanting to stop him from leaving.

He relaxed back into the chair with a raised eyebrow, “Yes?”

You slowly walked over to him wringing your hands together, “Andy.”

He looked up at you with a small smile, “Yes, Y/N.”

“Did you come over to my house because I’m a great assistant or is there something more here?”

“You’re a smart girl, sit down and tell me what you think is going on here.”

You took a deep breath before sitting down on his lap and rubbing his chest lightly, “I can tell you what I’m hoping is going on here…I’m hoping that this amazing man Andy came over to my house for dinner and he liked dinner enough to stay the night with me.”

“I didn't tell you to tell me what you were hoping for.” His voice was so low the vibrations of it shook your soul.

You swallowed hard before looking in his eyes, “I think me and you have been playing cat and mouse long enough. I think you should take me up to my room and make me scream your name until I lose my voice because I’ve earned it.”

“I think that can be arranged.” He said softly as he reached up to grab your chin and pull you in to kiss him.

He was so nervous to have sex with you. You were so much younger than him and he wasn’t sure how much experience you had. However he was going to make sure all of this waiting was worth every second. By the end of the night you were a whimpering trembling mess, both of you more than satisfied. As he laid down next to you and you quickly cuddled up against him, he kissed your forehead and began to softly rub your back. “Do you want me to draw you up a bath or-”

“No, no…Just hold me.”

“Mmkay, honey. Whatever you want.”

When he woke up the next morning you were still resting on his chest and the sun was out. It was the first time in years that he had peacefully rested through the night. For the first time, what’s past is truly past, and he felt like he was taking the first steps towards healing.

#andy barber x reader #andy barber fan fiction #fifof

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extemely-thoughtful-person · 3 years

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Twisted Wonderland Chapter 6, Parts 1-16 Review

Sorry for the wait. This post will hold a brief summary of all events taking place within the chapter, followed by my own thoughts, theories, and opinions. All of which will be placed under the cut for spoilers.

⚠️ Spoiler warning! If you have not seen the translations then I recommend watching them before reading. You have been warned!⚠️

(Note: the bingo board will or will not be featured depending on the current events. Just because the theories might not be true, I kinda want to see how off I was. For this purpose, the board stays up.)

Chapter 6 summary

So, to start off we turn to our lovely MC who is currently in the process of having another nightmare vision. The vision shows us of the first part of the Hercules movie with Hades attending Hercules's christening (it's like a birthday/baptism but it can't truly be called a baptism in this case due to this being with pagen gods). Basically, it's Zeus trashing Hades as always, and the vision ends with Hades saying that he wishes for Zeus to drop dead before leaving the party.

MC wakes up to a concerned Ace and Deuce who ask why MC was passed out. After MC gives a brief explanation of what happened, they get worried about Grim and contact Crowley. The Headmaster disregards MC trying to tell him about Mickey and commands that they lock the doors and windows. He then tells Ace and Deuce to go back to their dorm and Crowley summons the Dorm leaders for an emergency meeting.

Ace and Deuce decide that they should try and find Grim before the dorm leaders. But as they search, they overhear Crowley saying that Ortho Shroud already caught Grim. What's more is that he seems afraid of someone coming to their school (along with the reputation with Ambrose, but that's about to become another problem entirely.)

Fast forward to a few days after the capture of Grim at the end of the festival.

Vil calls the VDC group together for a meeting at Ramshackle dorm. He takes responsibly for his actions and also tells us a few interesting things :

Their final performance was flawed due the Overblot fight before hand

He told a bit about Neige's backstory which is a little sad. (He lives with his dwarf companions and has for most of his life. In other words, he's an orphan [as far as I can tell])

Rook knew the whole time when questioned by Vil.

Basically, Vil asks how the group would have voted had they known about Neige's predicament. Kalim and Deuce say maybe, but Ace holds firm to his performance because according to him, it's a competition of the stage, and not sob stories. Vil agrees with Ace.

Anyway, Vil insists on paying for the month of training that the group underwent. At first everyone refuses, but he holds firm and they all agree, and Kalim starts the act of donating the money to get the Ramshackle dorm repaired. Almost everyone else follows suit accept for Ace and Deuce. Deuce wants the money to support his mom, and Ace wants to keep the money for himself (but he does offer to get us lunch. Thank Ace!👍)

They start talking about redecorating the dorm, but then Rook is called out about their performance and his opinion on it. Epel feels betrayed because Rook said their performance was perfect, when in reality it wasn't. Rook clarifies saying that they're performance was beautiful, but not perfect. (As far as I'm able to get, but I could've gotten that wrong.) They make up in the end, and everyone is happy 😊.

And this is where the fun begins...

Immediately following a loud crash is heard from outside. Everyone is in shock as Vil quickly realizes that the magical barrier around the school has been broken by intruders. Rook tells everyone to look outside and then to get down.

The window crashes as the intruders break in to the Ramshackle dorm. They appear to be robotic looking humans, who the gang now have to face. The mysterious intruders target Vil and Jamil, and after a fierce battle manage to overpower and capture the targets. The first years try to fight them as well, but get badly injured and pass out. Ace tried to contact Riddle, but couldn't before hitting the floor.

Meanwhile at the horse riding club, the intruders are spotted coming in their direction. When they arrive, Riddle asks if they have permission to visit, and after a moment of guilty silence he deems them rule breakers and hazardous. All dorm leaders have the power to lift the magical fighting ban in the face of an emergency. Riddle does this and with Sebek and Silver, they fight the intruders together. Riddle seems to have everything under control but then gets beaten up and taken away.

Silver then notices that the intruders only took Riddle and no one else. This makes the pair believe that the intruders are targeting the dorm leaders. Sebek instantly figures that Malleus is in danger and both rush to Diasomnia.

At the dorm, they find Malleus is okay and Lilia gets a call from a distressed Kalim for an emergency meeting.

Meanwhile in the botanical gardens, Ruggie is looking for Leona but then the intruders break through the ceiling. Glass rains down but Leona saves Ruggie. The intruders show themselves and target Leona. At first the two are ready for a fight, but then Leona surrenders after figuring out two things: 1) the people are wearing a special armor made to deflect magic (or absorb it, idk) and 2) he recognizes the logo on their armor: S.T.Y.X.

Leona recognizes that they are more powerful and surrenders his pen, agrees to go with them, and tells Ruggie to look after Savannaclaw.

At another area of the school, Azul and Idia are in an intense game of Chess with Idia coming out as the winner. Then when the barrier is breached, the game gets disrupted. Azul is freaking out about the barrier but Idia seems more mad about the game. Then he asks Ortho to examine the situation. Ortho quickly gives the required info and Idia concludes that the intruders are Carrier Guards (translations vary from translations, it might be called something entirely different depending where you look. Don't take my word for it.) They break into the classroom where the club is being held.

Azul is ready to attack but Idia tells him that the best option is surrender. Ortho backs up his brother and Azul agrees to comply. The Guards then tell Idia that he's wanted at the S.T.Y.X. HQ. Idia complains about the Guards violence and asks what his parents are up to but all information is denied. Knowing that he can't win, Idia agrees to go, Ortho following him and Idia gets ready.

All subjects have been captured at this point, and at the Headmaster's office, Crowley is also being taken away by the Carrier Guards. Most of the staff are bewildered, but Professor Trein understands the situation and takes charge of the school.

The remaining students meet at the Headmaster's office for an emergency meeting and Trein gives everyone the short explanation: the Carrier Guards are from a non governmental organization called S.T.Y.X. who are known to have studied blot, and Overblots for a long time. It then makes sense as to why certain people were targeted. The veteran students then find out from Kalim and Rook that Vil Overblotted.

Meanwhile with the victims, Riddle wakes up and is greeted to the rest of the squad. They then talk in the dark as they wait to arrive to their final unknown destination. They are able to piece together that Idia might have some kind of relationship with the company. Vil later confirms that S.T.Y.X. is run by the Shroud family who a branch of the Jupiter Conglomerate (the people who own the Olympus Tech Company). The Shrouds are an important family that's just as rich if not more so than the Al-Asims but they deal in shady business and research which is why they aren't as well known. Riddle, Azul and Jamil were the most surprised by this.

They arrive on the Isles of Lamentation at S.T.Y.X. and are greeted by Idia, who as it turns out is the co-director of his family business and is currently in charge while his parents are away.

This is the end of parts 1-16

List of personal thoughts and analysis points

Firstly, I just wanna say that this chapter so far has been better than anything I could have been able to predict. Hats of to Yana for making this chapter full of pleasant surprises.

So regarding personal thoughts, a lot of people already said so much on the chapter that makes sense. I have a few things to say that no one else has said so far, but not too much.

Capturing Grim and how MC got back

Honestly, out of all the things I thought would happen but never wrote down, this is probably the biggest one. I had a feeling that Ortho, and maybe Idia would be involved with the capture of Grim, but I never said anything because I was kinda leaning towards RSA getting to him first. But basically, when and how Grim was captured did not surprise me in the slightest because I had an idea that this was what they were going to do.

Now who put MC back at Ramshackle is the real mystery. If it was Malleus, then it would make sense, but maybe he'd be worriedly and stick around until we woke up? If it was anyone from RSA, we would already be exposed, so it can't be them either, (unless... Secret RSA allie?). Ace and Deuce found us in the dorm so it can't be any of them. Ortho probably couldn't carry someone as heavy so it can't be him, plus the fact Ortho is equipped with medical supplies and could have treated MC's injury before leaving, but seeing as we were still untreated at the dorm, it definitely can't be Ortho. Anyone else from NCR would have informed a member of the staff about an injured student, and carried us to the infirmary, but Ace and Deuce had to call the Headmaster because Grim was on the lose, so Crowley would have heard sooner that something was wrong. This rules out almost everyone we can name.

So in conclusion, it could be one of three people:

It could be a mysterious RSA student who isn't involved with anything Ambrose related. (Chenya is the one that comes to mind here, but even he's still on the fence [figuratively and literally])

It could have been Mickey. Maybe he somehow left the Mirror, after all, he's the only one who knew about Grim's disappearance besides MC. And if it was Mickey, I think we would be in big trouble.

Someone else who we have not heard of or even seen before hand. A new character who we may get to see during this chapter. Namely, I'm thinking on the the visiting Fourth years we've been hearing so much about. Maybe they were in a hurry, and couldn't stick around for to long so they dropped us off at the Ramshackle dorm.

Neige's Backstory

He is based off of Snow White, so honestly, I didn't really know what to expect. It makes sense, but that raises the question: who are his parents? Why did they leave him?

There are too many questions and not enough information to figure any of this out.

As for the voting with knowledge, I still would've voted for Vil regardless of Neige's past. I simply liked Vil's work more than Neige. I get Vil explaining what happened to give us the clue that everyone carries a story, but still (yes!!! Totally nailed the first prediction).

Do I like Neige more than I did before? Not really. I'm not trying to be mean, and I understand he has one of those always-looks-on-the-bright-side kind of personalities, but I need to know more about him in order to change my opinion on him in anyway. (Personally, if the theories I've been making about him being manipulated are true then that would make him so much more interesting, but that's just me¯\_(ツ)_/¯).

The Carrier Guards (aka Charons)

This was my favorite part of start. I mean, most people were probably thinking "FBI! OPEN UP!!!" but personally, the thought going through my head at the time was "ALRIGHT!!!! WHO CALLED THE S.W.A.T TEAM??!!"

However, reactions aside, there is some interesting things we see with the guards. At first, I thought they were just people in armor, however weird little messages and scenes from the chapter suggest that these things are anything but human.

The first thing I've noticed was that with our first encounter, normally human would have more character to them. They would probably just break the door down, and even if they still did the window crash, they would try not to hurt anyone more than necessary. I'm not saying this because it's obvious, but more along the lines that, besides receiving orders and giving them, we haven't heard them say anything else. They are either lazer focused on their mission, or they were programed to follow orders.

During the second attack is where things get interesting. Did anyone else notice the animals strange behavior besides the Horse riding club? Silver said that they could be acting off due to the weather, but I think it's something else. One thing I can think of is something unnatural, otherworldly in a sense. The Charons gave off a strange aura that scared the horses, even from afar. Leona and Ruggie even knew something was off about them, with Ruggie saying that the Guards gave off a foul smell.

So that much mean that these Carrier Guards are more than just robots. Either the Isle of Lamentation have something that the Guards brought with them, or it's the Guards themselves. Are they animated for infinite power? Maybe they contain some kind of ghost? Perhaps they have people, but they under some kind of mind control? Who knows?

Idia Shroud (You absolute mad lad! 💖💖😀)

So this chapter has given us a lot of new information about Idia and his family. So let's start unpacking it by say one thing that most people haven't got yet: IDIA DIDN'T SEND THE S.T.Y.X HERE EVERYONE!!! He didn't even know they were coming!

So the next thing that I thought was interesting was Idia's reaction to the whole situation. He took it calmly regardless of how little he knew about what was going on. And there's more to his calm reaction than meets the eye.

Note that everyone else kind of panicked a little, with Azul being the most active, but Idia barley reacted at all, the only shock he experienced was the the chess board was messed up. But that had me questioning: why was Idia so calm?

Considering all the possibilities for his background, I think I've got a pretty good idea as to why. Most of which reminds me of an actual historical event that took place during WWII. The event in question is known as the Blitz.

For anyone who doesn't know, the Blitz was a time period during World War Two where the Germans bombed the city of London. Since the Germans couldn't conquer Britain on the water, they hoped to bomb the capital city into surrender (if memory serves correct). One of the things I remember reading about was the people's reaction to the Blitz, maybe during the first few weeks, everyone was panicking, but eventually for the survivers whenever they heard the siren they remained calm, and went to a bomb shelter. I'm not saying that the weren't afraid, but after it happening a lot, they learned not to be surprised, stay calm, and to do the safest thing and quickly get to safety. They had to be ready to go at anytime and they couldn't go back for anything they may have forgotten.

Now, I'm not saying Idia was alive during a war, but what I am saying is that he has been in situations like this one before. Where at the S.T.Y.X headquarters, you always have to be ready for an emergency, and you have to learn to expect anything to happen. Instead of trying to question it, you have to stay calm and do the best thing you can do in your current situation. Play your part quickly and accurately and you'll be fine. It all goes back to adapting to the situation. Regardless of how dangerous, you have to be ready for anything.

Idia has obviously been trained for situations like this due to his position. The first thing he did after getting over the brief shock was to ask Ortho to examine the situation. After he had enough information to know what was going on, he made his choices based on that knowledge. He didn't hesitate, he didn't stutter. He told Azul to stand down because as far as he could see, it was the best and safest strategy to deploy at the time. Basically, Idia's calm reaction was due to being trained for emergency situations. He was taught to not panic in times like this and to make tough decisions quickly.

Now, before I go on, just wanted to say hats off to Azul for putting the first years out of harm's way first! He has come so far since chapter 3 and we are all proud!!!😊😊

We learn about Idia's family and the position that they hold. And after the chapter, something inside me clicked with Idia. After rewatching the Chapter 6 preview at the end of Chapter 5, it hit different, in a sad way.

When Idia said that he can't go anywhere, he meant that he literally couldn't go not because he didn't want to, but because he can't. He already has a lot of responsibilities for Lamentation, to S.T.Y.X., and currently as a dorm leader. He's been piled up with different titles and talents, but that all comes with a steep price. He isn't as free as everyone else, he has a lot of things he needs to keep track of, and he feels alone because of it. No one, not even the dorm leaders to some extent can understand how much Idia has to deal with, and what that means for his life. His future is already fixed but not in the direction Idia wants it. He can't change his career easily because there is no one else who can do his job for him.

Which is why Idia cuts corners so much. He has a lot to do, so he has to simply it all or he would go insane. He already has anxiety which I'm starting to think is due to the immense amount of pressure that he deals with on a daily basis. Interacting with other people is a problem for him because of reputation, status and responsibilities. He doesn't want to make himself look bad and is afraid of slipping up in front of someone else. It's why he tries to avoid all the unnecessary troubles people bring.

Speaking of which, I've noticed a few things about him that back this up:

He doesn't Bet where he knows he has no chance (ex: Bean's Day)

He tries to simply things to where he can handle the problem (ex: Star Sending)

He will speak his mind in front of others, and not everything he has to say is nice (ex most of his interactions, namely the Ghost Marriage event)

People in general have their own problems that can't easily be examined. Unlike a machine, you can't pull apart a person a just fix them by tinkering with their brain. Idia can't easily understand others because unlike Robots, people are unpredictable.

Everyone else on the other hand don't know what Idia goes through so they don't understand why he is the way he is.

Realizing this has made me love and appreciate Idia even more. Not only is he relatable to me, but he does a good job of taking responsibility and preforming his tasks without complaining. He understands purpose and does everything he can to live up to what people need him to be.

But that also makes me feel sorry for him. I hope that during this chapter, we'll find a way for him to be able to do more of what he likes and find a future where he can be happy, though I have a feeling that he might have to learn to accept the future he currently has before him.

Ortho wants Idia to be happy, and maybe this is why. Ortho had done a lot to try and get Idia to enjoy himself. Even though Idia doesn't always want to do what Ortho thinks will help him, Idia does it anyway for the love of his brother. And seeing Ortho happy makes Idia feel good, because to him, Ortho is the one that truly matters to him. And they both love each other and are willing to go out of their way to keep each other safe. Ortho wants a future where Idia can be happy, and Idia only wants Ortho with him because he is the only one who truly cares.

Honestly, their relationship so sweet and I hope nothing bad happens to Ortho because it would affect both of them. Badly.

Okay, that's all I have for this part. Please see the pinned post for context.

See you next chapter part!!!🤗🤗🤗

Side note: Vil has a lot of experience with responsibilities so maybe he's the only one who might be able to get to Idia, even though Vil's responsibilities are more optional in his favor, so...🤷

#twisted wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #night raven college #idia shroud #twst #ortho shroud #shrouds please be safe this chapter #i did a thing #vil schoenheit #twisted wonderland idia #Twisted Wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader

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nymphigeon · 3 years

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From me, to you || 07

♤ Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

♤ Genre: fluff, angst, romance, hybrid au, hybrid!Taehyung, detective!reader

♤ Words: 2.5k

♤ Rating: PG-13

♤ Warnings (for this chapter): Mentions of hybrid abuse, swearing.

♤ A/N: Surprise! I'm really sorry it took me this long, but I finally found the time and drive to write again :) Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Synopsis: A story in which he has never known love, so you’ll give it to him.

Series masterlist

06 07

"What do you mean this hybrid doesn't exist?"

Her eyes are wavering with an unspoken fear, perhaps caused by the bitterness my questions holds. I'm not happy, and she knows.

“It’s just, the chance that a dangerous breed such as the tiger hybrid would escape our system is basically zero..” The gaze she held on the computer screen unsurely moves my way. My expression must've instilled another layer of anxiety to the already existing one, as her mouth abruptly stops moving and her pupils dilate.

“Go on, explain.” The tone of my voice softens a bit as I notice her visible discomfort worsening. Even if there is no way that I’ll get any information from this place regarding Taehyung and his owner, I would still like to know why they’re both not showing up here.

Eun-ji takes a few deep breaths to stabilize her voice. As she does her posture slowly relaxes just a little and her eyes lose some of the nervousness they held before. “Because the first ‘successful’ tiger hybrid ran rampant after killing their creator, anyone who still breeds or creates them is being watched very closely by us, as well as by some other institutions.”

Perhaps it’s my lack of reaction that causes her to trail off at the end. Though I’m not judging her or her story, unlike she may think. To encourage her to continue, I give her a nod, tilting my head to show interest.

“The regular citizen isn’t even allowed to have one, needing special training to handle them. It’s like that for most hybrids that find their origins in wild animals. Creating tiger hybrids obviously requires a lot of knowledge when it comes to playing with genes and breeding them…. Well there are only three organization that are authorized to do so. All the resulting hybrids are registered and chipped.”

The explanation, which turns out to be a lengthy one, gets broken by a shuddering breath leaving her lips. She composes herself, clinging on to the little confidence she has left in her line of work to speak about the rest of her clarification.

“Of course people have tried to do it themselves, but those d.i.y operations have always ended in disappointment. If not taken proper care of, with substances only a board certified hybrid doctor can provide you, the pregnancy will fail. These are no easy practices they are dealing with.”

After the girls’ last words I give myself some time to think, letting a silence full of tension fill the room. It must be obvious that my mind is somewhere else at the moment, as the other girl in the room does her best to stay quiet. I don’t need much time however, my thoughts having quickly rearranged themselves as they were trained to do.

“So what you’re saying is, since tiger hybrids are hard to ‘create’, if you will, there are only a few people who actually manage to bring them to life. And so those few people are kept under close watch, as are the hybrids they successfully wake, am I correct?”

Eun-ji nods affirmatively, clearly happy that I seem to understand the situation. “So there is absolutely no way that someone without authorization has had a decent attempt at either genetically merging a human together with a tiger or getting a tiger hybrid pregnancy to be successful?”

Perhaps there might be a bit of scepticism in the question I asked, as her attitude immediately changes into a defensive one. “There is not! Whatever hybrid you’re searching for either gave you a false identity or is not a tiger hybrid at all, which would seem rather unlikely. I told you they get chipped right? Why not go look into that.”

“He doesn’t have one. We already had a hospital take a look at him, they didn’t find anything. ” The statement seems to shock her, the gears in her head instantly turning as to find an answer to this riddle. She however can’t seem to get one.

“They can be removed, can they not? They’re just under the skin. If someone decided to just cut it out they could. Terrifying, but plausible. Either that or one of your faithful authorized employees has been leaking information to outsiders.”

This is where Eun-ji seems to give up. Her shoulders sagging and a heavy sigh leaving her lips. “There would still be the problem of the missing equipment, test subjects, practice… How would you even get hold of fertilized human eggs to play around with? But I guess that wouldn’t be totally impossible. As for cutting it out… There would be a noticeable scar. The implants are always put in the same place, it wouldn’t be hard to miss.”

I make a mental note stating to ask Taehyung about all of this when I get back. If anyone knows how he got onto this world it would be him. “Is there a possibility that you could have someone look into it?” The girl nods in defeat, paying more attention to the ground than to anything else. “I’ll see if I can get someone on the case. I’ll have them contact you if we know anything.”

After those words she turns around in her chair, facing the monitor that had already put itself into sleep, and turns it off. Taking a notepad out of the drawer to her left, she quickly writes something down with the pen from her breast pocket. “I’ll get on it right away. Would you like me to walk you back to the exit?”

I shake my head. “No It’s okay, I’ll find my way back. Thank you for cooperating.” Eun-ji gives me a small smile, followed by a bow and walks out of the room taking the note with her, presumably immediately keeping herself busy with the extra work. Not wanting to waste any time I copy her, walking myself back into the direction we came from. Turns out it proves quite easy to find the exit by myself.

It’s already far past dinnertime when I make it back to the office. Not many of my colleagues have remained in their seats, most of them opting for a nice meal with their families. The few that have stayed behind are mostly known to live alone, quite like myself.

I quietly knock on my supervisor’s door, but when no response emerges from within the room, I can safely deduce that she too has already returned home. “I’ll have to write her a report about today later..” I mutter to myself, before stepping away from the door and instead heading to the cells at the back.

Technically the arrest period had already ended for Taehyung, as the law wouldn’t allow us to keep him locked up for any longer without any charges being held against him. His cell however technically was never locked and so even now, he is free to go wherever he wants. Though it didn’t change the fact that he still has no place to go to.

“Good evening. Had anything to eat yet?” He just chose to stay here and we accepted it. “Oh, hello! Yes, that tall handsome bulky man gave me something earlier, I can’t remember his name. He said something about it ‘being the best shit in town’.”

I slightly giggle at his quote, knowing immediately who it belongs to. “That definitely sounds like something Namjoon would say. What did he give you?”

Taehyung looks a lot better than he did yesterday. The stress of the interrogation seems to have completely worn off, instead traded for the sweet bouncy personality he used to show around me.

“Umm it was something in the shape of a circle and it had meat all over it… Oh! I think he called it a pizza? It was delicious!”

“You’ve never had pizza before?” The words leave my mouth before I actually get the chance to process them, causing me to instantly regret ever even opening my mouth. These days are stressful enough for him as they are, he doesn’t need a painful reminder of the life he never got to live on top of that.

The question doesn’t seem to hit him as hard as I though it would though. In fact, his demeanour doesn’t seem to change at all. Although sadly, it doesn’t make his next words any less painful. “Nope! When I first got adopted all they would feed me was wet cat food. It wasn’t great, but at least I got my three meals a day. The foster family I stayed at after my first owners mysteriously disappeared didn’t actually have the money to even take proper care of themselves, so at that time all I would get was whatever was left of their dinner that day, if there was even any left. It was mostly just greens. The lack of meat made me real sick at the time.”

He pauses talking for a second to look up at my face through the metal bars. The content look on his face quickly changes to one of worry once he catches my eyes. It’s no mystery why, I know I look at him pitifully. Even if he may not wish for my concern, I am only human. I can perfectly hide it when I need to, but this is not one of those cases.

“There it is again, that sad look on your face…” He sits up straight on the side of his bed to fully observe me, a tilt of his head giving him away. I send a sad chuckle his way as I reach for the door of his enclosure, inviting myself into the small space with him. He doesn’t object.

“Is it that obvious?” It was meant more as a way to lighten the mood, not as an actual question that needs answering. He still does however, giving me a simple slow nod. “You don’t need to feel bad for me.”

“Someone has to. You deserve at least that much.”

There’s a chair neatly placed under a small desk in the room. It used to be quite lively, with all kinds of bright colours blending into each other. It was a little positive additive into the dark grey room, but after all the anger that has been acted out on it, it no longer has that same shine.

I pull the chair out to place myself upon it, straddling the seat while I rest my arms on top of the back rest. Facing the tiger I use my arms as a pillow to lean my head on, making myself comfortable on the creaking furniture.

“Say, Taehyung, do you remember anything from when and where you were formed?”

He seems slightly taken aback at first, though quickly regains his composure. He also doesn’t immediately answer, first taking some time to think before coming back to me. “I was born a hybrid to two purebred tiger hybrids. They did their best trying to care for me in the little time we got to spend together, but seeing as it happened on a breeding farm getting to spend time with my parents wasn’t the plan. I got sold off pretty quickly, as soon as I learned to hold my first few full conversations.”

“Do you… Would you happen to know what happened to the farm? To your parents?” I fail to hide my apprehensiveness, needing too much space to form a careful approach. This shouldn’t feel like an interrogation to him, I never even announced one. There is little reason for him to answer me, the vital information from his side has already been given anyway. Nonetheless, even though I probably shouldn’t be doing this right now, I can’t just miss this opportunity.

“I heard my adoptive family talking about how the place was burnt down a while later. Most likely the police had caught a hold of it and they had to delete their left behind evidence. Both building and hybrids.”

Despite talking about the death of his parents, he seems to tell the story with relative ease. Probably not having much connection with the far past, his brain too young to truly hold on to the memory of them.

“They were successful too, as the case got dropped faster than lightning. It wasn’t long before the general public forgot about it too, believing it was just another misunderstanding. Besides, hybrid lives weren’t as important anyway.”

The amount of rights hybrids had when they were first created back in the day were close to zero, only strictly being seen as objects to show off whatever possible wealth one may have had. For a while there was even a popular theory going around that hybrids didn’t actually have the ability to feel any kind of emotion or pain. The genetic puzzle wouldn’t allow for it, as it had been tampered with to an extreme extent. This only built on the carelessness shown towards them, slowly chipping away at their sanity.

Although the rumours were wrong, they came from a place of truth. Facial expressions were rare for hybrids, as was the ability to speak. Most of them couldn’t even keep up with regular humans, exhaustion quickly taking over the little anger they could show. Scientists hadn’t yet quite figured out how to perfectly combine the pieces of genetic code and so hybrids were more like living dolls in the eyes of evil humans. Having no voice to object and barely any means to actually hurt anyone, it wasn’t much of a surprise the selfish nature in humans came to rise.

Luckily, or depending on how you look at it, sadly, these first generation hybrids were never able to reproduce. The doll like hybrid features eventually died out with the rise of the newly perfected pieces and the theory was debunked by a group of scientist who actually did care about the hybrids’ wellbeing. Those hybrids had lived through countless punishments, and every single one of them had hurt. A lot.

Right now hybrids in a lot of ways are superior to the rest of us. Having the combined senses of both animal and human alike, society has reluctantly given up on trying to contain them. They are still to be bought and owned, but no longer to be treated like dirt. The smartest of hybrids have even already gotten complete freedom to do as the please, no longer having to be bound to a human to roam freely. However, those unable to pass the close to impossible tests aren’t so lucky.

“I’m sorry about what happened.”

Taehyung gives me a reassuring wave of his hand, effectively trying to lighten the mood, along with a sad smile. It wouldn’t take a trained professional to know he still longs for his parent’s presence, even if he may do well hiding it.

“It’s okay, it wasn’t your fault.”

That doesn’t make the situation more okay, but I hold my remarks back. For now, that might just be for the best.

Taglist

@suhappysuho @intellectualxprincess @sana-b @littlewolfieposts @nellaphine @the8luvr @deathkat657 @elenaramos1 @namjoonies-dimple

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seita · 4 years

Note

some coping mechanism are wrong and do need to be discussed or changed!! neurodivergency doesn’t give u an excuse to hurt or trigger others!! coping mechanisms don’t exist in vaccums... and you and ur followers are harming real people by saying such

i was going to ignore most everything i got on the subject because quite frankly i'm over it. every opposing take either doesn't make sense, is completely ignorant, or is just plain stupid.

this one? is just idiocy.

so i'm gonna take the time to explain some things to you.

i cannot begun to express the ignorance and privilege that is seeped into every single word of this ask. i am actually baffled that you genuinely thought that this was, in any way shape or form, okay. or that you even thought this was a hot take at all.

you do not have any jurisdiction or power to tell other people that the way they cope is wrong. that is so beyond disgusting.

do you know why people choose to write dark content to cope?

a few reasons that range from: gives power/comfort over their trauma to lets them release emotions that otherwise have no outlet.

beyond that is that some people don’t have the resources or support system needed to cope in other ways. all they may have is a pen and paper or a laptop. they may not live in a home where they were believed, they may still be trapped with their abuser, or they may just plain not be able to afford therapy.

but do you know what the fun thing is? plenty of these people who choose to cope in this way are advised by their therapists to do it. like myself.

i used to write in little notebooks as a child -- really dark, foul shit and i didn’t understand why i did it. i talked to my therapist and i was told it’s a great outlet! i have to say writing is probably one of the top reasons i managed to get to the space i am in today.

when i learned the wonders of the internet growing up, i also sought out to READ the content. of course, it was very hard to find because of people like you who do nothing but shame it simply because of the real world values the crimes possess and for some reason refuse to see it in a fictional, helpful way.

it’s a very real and very valid coping mechanism: both reading and writing are incredibly beneficial.

this outlet also helps people just the same as it can hurt people. i don’t know who or what you think you’re doing but survivors who are triggered by the content of a darker nature WILL NOT CLICK ON IT TO READ IT. why are you acting like survivors and victims are brainless, mindless idiots who will read something clearly labeled with their triggers as if there’s some invisible force dictating them too?

and who are you? a highschool student? a college student? a therapist? what right gives you, a random person on the internet, to dictate something that has been ADVISED and PROVEN to help with coping to trauma to deem it wrong?

im gonna go ahead and say your morality. nothing beyond that.

you see dark content as just disgusting porn fucked up people jerk off to but it’s beyond that. and very obviously something you do not understand and most likely refuse to understand.

you think because you think something is wrong that it should be wrong all around. you don’t like it so it shouldn’t be done.

i hate to break it to you but the real world isn’t going to cater to you. i sure as fuck won’t. i’m not in charge of making you feel happy or content on the internet. if you log on to your computer and expect people to babysit you and make you feel comforted and safe -- you’re doing the internet wrong.

you only choose to see the negative side to this. you see that people can be triggered or hurt by this content and that’s valid. people can and will be. but there’s also a HUGE number that people like you choose to ignore and invalidate under the guise of protecting survivors only to hurt them at the same time. it doesn’t make sense.

you’re not trying to advocate and protect people -- you’re trying to make the fandom and content match up to your puritan ideals and fantasies. the world isn’t like that. people are always going to do things you don’t like and have opposing opinions on things. stop trying to act like you’re doing this for the greater good -- a martyr, hero complex isn’t a cute look and we can see exactly what you’re doing.

i don’t understand why it’s so hard to accept that dark content does not have as big of a negative impact as you think it does.

i also don’t understand how other survivors can see what people like me do and tell us we’re wrong. i don’t go out of my way to shame you and say “oh you don’t like dark content? weird.” i mind my own fucking business and stay away from blogs that don’t want to interact with dark content writers.

i am respectful always. i never attack people for having opposing opinions. i never attack people personally. people who write dark content don’t do that shit.

you know who does?

your side.

you know what someone said to me in an effort to shame me and bully me for writing what i write? they called my writing shit -- the thing i use to cope and help other cope. i’ve never gone on anon or off anon and told someone their writing was shit.

i also had someone ask me why i think being a victim made me special. i’m gonna let you sit and figure out exactly what is wrong with that question.

those are the types of people you’re enabling and encouraging. if you people just left dark writers alone we wouldn’t hurt anyone. you all preach this shit about how dark content is SOOOOO easily availble anyone can read it. that is false. the only way to find dark content is to ALREADY BE ASSOCIATING WITH PEOPLE WHO CREATE OR CONSUME DARK CONTENT. it’s not tagged in the main tags. it will not show up in your orbit or be blasted on your page because someone posted it.

and then you people say “oh minors will be convinced it’s okay!!!” no. minors aren’t as stupid as you seem to think they are. they fully know and understand exactly what they’re getting into. they see the word rape and know in real life THAT’S BAD.

you don’t want a slasher film and think “oh wow look at him killin all those people but not getting caught I COULD DO THAT TOO!!!!” no. you don’t. because you know it’s wrong.

y’all are so high up on you moral horse that you think everyone around you is fucking stupid and has no common sense.

if someone thinks what they read in fiction makes it okay in real life, there was already something wrong with them to begin with.

but no, you’ll pull out anything on earth to try and get your point across. from secondhand trauma to it just being offensive.

and i hate to be the one to tell you this but...all this crusading is doing basically nothing in the long run. you know what happened yesterday from being called out? i lost 9 followers.

and then i gained 20. and now im only 100 away from 16,000.

what did all of this achieve? what does any of this even do?

whenever you people do this what exactly is it you want? do you expect us to just...stop...because you don’t like it? are you really so self-centered and self-righteous that you think you’re THAT important. do you really believe your opinion and voice is the loudest and most important to consider?

because it really isn’t.

just as you’re sitting here telling me you’re wanting to protect people -- i’m wanting to help people. do you know how many people i’ve had thank me for making them feel better about their owwn fantasies that they’d previously been ashamed of because they’re a victim? or how many people thank me for providing the content they rely on to cope?

i’m gonna go ahead and say those are the people i want to help. those are the people i care about. and i don’t know what it’s gonna take for you people to understand that i will not stop until i DECIDE to.

this is the internet. none of your opinions or words have any long-lasting, realistic effect on me, my person, or my life. i could delete my blog and in a month nothing any of you have said to me over this course of time will have impacted me in the long term. of course, other people are more sensitive and can get hurt by this discourse.

but i don’t. i’m a lot more stubborn and thick-skinned than you people may seem to realize.

your words will continue to go in one ear and out the other. i know where i stand. i know where i want to remain.

your morality nor your opinions are blanket rules that everyone should abide by. get some perspective and learn your place in the world before speaking on things you clearly cannot understand.

#tw discourse #💌.afton #faceless #tw trauma #and that.#is all i have to say about that.

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clatterbane · 2 years

Text

Tonight's delight: my first Curryout Night in likely going on a year now! Because I got a craving.

Went with Art Of Spices delivery through Wolt, because they had good reviews and it looked like the location was a straight shot away to haul the stuff here.

Also picked them in particular since side dish vegetables don't really look to be common on menus here; it's full main dish size portions or nothing. I like to get more variety, and would have just picked two or three veggie dishes plus either a saucy meat main dish or, like, chicken tikka appetizer to round things out. But, Art of Spices was one of the places offering mixed thali options.

Great! Only they don't let you pick the specific dishes you want. I guess that also cuts down on the ordering indecision, when pretty much everything sounds tempting!

So, I decided to go with the Premium Thali. Sure, just fuck me up! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(Courtesy of Google Translate again.)

Which just defaulted to saying chicken plus two vegetables, etc. through Wolt--so I didn't know to specify further in the order comments.

What I ended up getting:

The main container, which I was obviously already scooping some out of. Basmati with cumin, what looks to be some very thick tarka dal, and what turned out to be saag aloo with the potato chunks stealthily hiding under the surface of the spinach when I opened it up. 😅

Plus..."Peneer Tofr 😑"? (ETA: Way better than I could produce in any Indic script, of course! Or maybe even handwritten Latin, depending on the day.)

Aha. Looks like maybe some Butter Paneer made with tofu instead? 🤔 They are listing Paneer Butter Masala on the menu.

I also didn't get any raita on the side--and, they were saying to specify if you wanted any of the vegetarian dishes made as vegan. It is SO much easier to find food here to suit basically any kind of special dietary requirements, as I've mentioned before.

So, I am guessing that what happened here was maybe some confusion with ordering through Wolt, so without further info they decided to play it safe and default to vegan. (Though, they do even offer Oatly yogurt as an option in the lassis, so you'd think they might also use that for vegan raitas. 🤔)

But sure, just fuck me up! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It all looks and smells good.

My first round, dished up. I was expecting to get at least two meals out of it, from the description. Given my capacity lately, though? Looks more like three with rice left over, unless I go totally vegan ham later.

The Masala Pappadoms, which I figured might just be flavored with some spices. But nope, they went with a chaat approach.

Most of the masala powder, crispy sev, cilantro, etc. like you'd use on Bhel Puri or other chaat dishes have mostly just fallen to the bottom here. Which should at least help keep the pappadoms from sogging out under the fresh herby bits as much, before I can munch them all down! Can scoop back up as needed.

Finally, the big cup of mango lassi, which turned out to be practically a spoonable fruity yogurt dessert. 😁 And is incidentally sitting right next to the insulin pen case, which is too appropriate!

Most of that is stashed in the fridge for later, though I did go ahead and drink like 25% of it thinned down with a little milk. Absolutely delicious, if no doubt a huge carb bomb even with the dairy yogurt rather than oat! (Haven't had Oatly's yet, but this tasted more like dairy.)

And now, for a cup of my own house special half-assed pseudo-masala chai, to help everything settle!

Very satisfying meal, as I had hoped. With some actual vegetables that I didn't have to cook, and everything. May need to order from them again, when I get the urge for more vaguely North Indian restaurant curry.

#long post #food #staying fed #Curryout Night #indian restaurant food #indian food #sort of #malmö #art of spices #delivery night #vegan #welcome to sweden

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squeamishdionysus · 3 years

Text

The Boy in the Tea Shop

Chapter 1

Pairing: Zuko x Reader

TW: none that i can note

summary: You're living alone as a refugee in Ba Sing Se. Things all seem normal until you meet a boy in a tea shop.

notes: omg this took so long. this took way longer than I ever thought it would. I'm so sorry for the long wait again, y'all, but school has just been really overwhelming, not to mention my mental health hasn't been the best. Anyways, it felt good to get this done finally! This is the first chapter of a Zuko x Reader series I will be doing centered around Zuko's arch in Ba Sing Se. I'm really looking forward to this! Now, this chapter is unedited and I'll admit, not the best work I've done, but I tried my best and just wanted to get the first chapter awkwardness out of the way. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Edit: I forgot to mention that the reader uses she/they pronouns and has long enough hair to pull up. They are addressed as "miss" as well.

Masterlist

Being a refugee in Ba Sing Se was not easy.

The Dai Li were around every corner, as well as thieves and swindlers, and so many other people around you were struggling to get by. You weren’t allowed to mention the very war that brought you to Ba Sing Se, and as a consequence of that, it was hard to find anyone who might’ve known your family and would be willing to help you out.

Your parents had sacrificed a lot to make sure you got to Ba Sing Se, feeling you’d be much safer there than back home in your small village, one that was right in the path of invading Fire Nation troops. The trip was long and hard, and now that you were there, it didn’t seem very worth it. You had very little money, knew no one, and felt suffocated by the “culture” that was enforced on everyone.

You sighed, closing and locking the door to the pottery shop. You had gotten a job there weeks ago, and though the pay wasn’t a lot, the owner was incredibly kind and you actually enjoyed working there. It paid enough for living expenses and basic necessities, which is what mattered. Today, however, you were given a small bonus, as you had sold a very valuable piece to a very important customer and actually managed to convince them to pre-order two more. Your boss was very impressed and rewarded you with some money to spend on something special.

You didn’t have much in mind. There wasn’t a lot going on in the Lower Ring. The best you could do for now, besides looking around for something to do, was keep your money out of plain sight. There were just too many thieves around this area to risk it.

A short grumble came from your stomach, reminding you that you hadn’t eaten since earlier that morning. There weren’t many good restaurants around here, though, as all of those were up in the Middle Ring. However, all of the monorails were closed and it would be a nightmare to try and walk all the way up there. It seemed that the only option you had for now was a tea shop, as those were more easily accessible in the Lower Ring. One that came to mind was the Pao Family Tea House. You had heard from your employer that they had just recently hired new staff, and that the tea, which was mediocre at best before, was now the best in Ba Sing Se. You were sure that was a stretch, but it couldn’t hurt to try, could it?

You opened the door to the tea shop, looking up at the customers sitting around at each table. Most were guards and workers from around the city, probably because, like you, they were all off from their work shifts. They all seemed to be enjoying the tea they ordered, which gave you a little bit of hope that maybe you hadn’t decided to waste your time and money on something you wouldn’t enjoy. You took a seat at the only empty table left and looked at a small menu that was to the side, trying to pick out something you’d like but also could afford.

Thankfully, everything on the menu was in an affordable range. That came to no surprise, considering the quality and location of the tea house. They only had three different teas you could order and a few snacks you could order as sides. No matter what you ordered, it probably wouldn’t be enough to completely satisfy your hunger. You probably had something else back at the apartment, though. You’d worry about it when you got there.

The most appealing thing on the menu to you at that moment was the jasmine tea. Jasmine tea wasn’t something you had very often. Your mother only made it on special occasions, as it was hard to get jasmine tea leaves where you lived. Of course, being a large city, Ba Sing Se had plenty of it, meaning that what used to be a delicacy to you could now be found everywhere. Still, you limited yourself to only having it once in a while, that way it still felt rewarding whenever you ordered it. Along with the tea, you picked out the largest snack they had: a plate of cakes, just to make sure you wouldn’t be starving later.

You put the menu to the side, looking up to see a waiter walking towards your table.

A cute waiter.

A cute waiter your age.

He was tall; that was the first thing you noticed about him. The second was his scar. He had a scar that covered his right eye, one that was clearly caused by a burn of some kind. It wasn’t pleasant (in your eyes, no scars were), but it didn’t mean you found it ugly. Everyone in the Lower Ring had scars of some kind, some visible and some not. It wasn’t any of your business to judge him by that.

The third thing you noticed were his eyes. They were what you could only describe as a mix of brown and amber, something you couldn’t say you had ever seen before.

You felt yourself beginning to blush a bit, knowing you did not look your absolute best from having to work all day. It didn’t help that you probably had bags under your eyes. You didn’t exactly live in the safest part of town, and more often than not you found yourself lying awake, paranoid about what might happen if you dozed off for even a second. If it wasn’t paranoia, it was the vivid nightmares that had plagued your mind about the Fire Nation ever since you left home.

The boy stopped in front of your table, pulling out a pen and notepad from his apron pocket. “Hello, welcome to the Pao Family Tea House. What would you like?” His voice was hoarse and raspy. You could hear a mix of boredom and weariness ring through his words. It was something you heard in your own words all the time, especially at work. You managed a small smile and looked at the menu to refresh your mind of your order.

“Can I get a cup of jasmine tea and a small plate of cakes?” you asked, looking up at him. He looked down at you and paused for a moment, seeming to examine you just for a short second before nodding. He walked back to the counter, placing the order in front of an older man who was holding a teapot and chatting with whom you could only assume was the manager.

You sighed, looking back down at the table in thought. The waiter was intriguing, but you didn’t have the confidence to push past just ordering food. You didn’t know him and he didn’t know you. There was no point in trying to become anything more than strangers.

Then again, it couldn’t hurt to be friendly.

You soon saw the waiter walking back to your table, a cup of tea on his tray. He placed it down on your table, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Thank you,” you said, lifting the cup and breathing in the steam that came from the tea. It smelled delicious, which isn’t something you could normally say about tea in the Lower Ring. You smiled up at him. “Did you make the tea yourself?”

The waiter looked unsure of what to say. Either what you had just said was incredibly stupid or you were one of the first customers to say anything to him, and for your dignity’s sake, you hoped it was the latter.

“Um, no. My uncle made it.”

You looked over his shoulder, spotting a surprisingly recognizable older man with a teapot in his hands, chatting with one of the guards as he served their tea.

“Is he your uncle?” you asked, nodding to the man. The waiter looked over and nodded. You chuckled, recalling your encounter with the man.

“I recognize him, actually. He came into the shop I work at a few weeks ago and bought a vase.”

The waiter looked back at you, a slightly curious look coming across his features. You went on, smiling softly.

“He was very friendly. He flirted with my boss a bit, and even managed to leave a tip, despite mentioning he was a refugee.”

The waiter huffed a bit, his eyes trailing to the floor. “Yeah, that sounds like him.”

It was silent for a moment, as you studied the features of the waiter some more. It occured to you that since his uncle was a refugee, that probably meant the boy was, and he didn’t seem to be all that proud of it. You couldn’t blame him. The Lower Ring was not a place you were fond of either, and the title “refugee” didn’t warrant many perks around here.

“I’m actually a refugee, too.” You said. The boy looked back up at you, his expression unreadable yet again. You looked down into your tea. “I came to Ba Sing Se a few months ago. Can’t say I’ve enjoyed it much, but it’s not all that bad.”

It was silent for a bit. The longer the silence stretched on, the less and less you wanted to make eye contact again. This was incredibly awkward. You found this to be the perfect time to take a sip of your tea, hoping it would act as an excuse as to why you weren’t talking

“What’s your name?” you asked, looking up at him again. A soft smile graced your features, the slightest hint of curiosity stirring in your eyes.

He took a moment to zone back in before speaking. “Lee. My uncle’s name is Mushi.”

You grinned, giving him yours. “It’s nice to meet you, Lee. Please give my compliments to your uncle, by the way. I’m sure you two get this a lot, but this tea is the best I’ve had in years.”

“Yeah, we do,” he said, rather bluntly at first. You were worried you might have annoyed him for a second, but instead, he smiled. “I’ll be sure to tell him that.”

Speaking of the man, Mushi was just beside the table, a plate of cakes in his hand.

“Tell me what?” he asked, a smile

You looked over at his uncle, giving him a bright smile.

“Just how delicious this tea is,” you mused. “I think it might genuinely be the best in Ba Sing Se.”

“Well,” Mushi beamed, placing the plate on the table. “The secret ingredient is love.” He sent a knowing look to Lee, who scrunched up his face at his uncle’s comments. Mushi chuckled, walking to another table to check on one of the customers. Lee sighed, whether in exasperation or relief you couldn’t tell He looked towards you again.

“I probably need to get back to work.”

You nodded. “I understand. Thank you for the tea.”

Lee turned away, going to the back of the shop to clear some tables. Your eyes followed him along the way. You hoped you left the right impression. He didn’t seem to be completely annoyed by you and you were sure his uncle liked you. That’s a start.

You let your thoughts drift away, still looking over at him, only to snap back when he looked up at you and made eye contact. . His cheeks became just the faintest shade of pink, and he immediately looked back down. You did the same, your cheeks becoming warm as you smiled. That blush had to mean something good.

For a moment, things in the tea shop were peaceful. You were enjoying yourself, feeling confident in what you chose to spend your bonus on. Lee had a subtle smile on his face, clearing off a now empty table. Mushi was chatting up the customers, discussing tea and using his charm up on the locals. Everything was fine, at least as fine as it could be.

And then the door slammed open.

“I’m tired of waiting!”

All eyes in the room were now locked on the newcomer, the one who shouted; he was another boy your age, but he seemed to be the polar opposite to Lee. His skin was darker and much more tan, with his hair long and scruffy. He didn’t seem happy to be there. He lifted his hand, pointing all the way to the back of the shop at Lee and Mushi, who both looked very confused.

“These two men are firebenders!”

The stranger unsheathed two swords from his sides, stepping forward in a fighting stance. You immediately stood up from your table, spilling the cup of tea over, and cowered into the wall, wanting to keep a safe distance between you and the boy. The other patrons stood as well. In the other corner of the room, a man held his arms up in front of his date, guarding her just in case anything went south. Two men that had been visiting were now looking at the man with wide eyes and worried faces.

The air around you became tense, fear and confusion clouding your head. Your eyes went back to the men in question. They both looked at each other; they both looked just as confused, their eyes raised in shock. Did they even know this man?

Your left hand drifted to your side, wondering if you had remembered to bring a dagger with you. Unfortunately, like almost every day, you had forgotten. If you made it out of this unscathed, you’d never make that mistake again.

All was silent. Everyone was probably thinking the same things you were. Who was this man? Why did he think Lee and Mushi were firebenders? How am I going to leave if he’s blocking the only exit? Your attention was locked on him, waiting to see what his next move was.

The stranger at the door began to speak again.

“I know they’re firebenders! I saw the old man heating his tea!”

Your brow quirked slightly at that. This was a tea shop. Of course he would be heating some tea.

Apparently you weren’t the only one that thought this, as one of the guards responded making the same point.

The boy looked at the guard. “He’s a firebender, I’m telling you!”

His swords swung up fast, causing you to flinch slightly. The room was getting nervous, and the two guards at the table stood.

“Put your swords down, boy. Nice and easy.”

The man ignored them, turning back to Lee and Mushi, holding up his swords in an “X” shape. He slowly began to approach, speaking with a shake in his voice. “You’ll have to defend yourselves… then everyone will know.”

You weren’t liking the way this was going. The guards didn’t cause the boy to back down at all, only seeming to provoke him even further.

It occurred to you that you could just leave now. He was no longer blocking the door, and it wouldn’t take much effort to just slip away into the night. But you couldn’t. You weren’t sure why, but you couldn’t. Maybe you were curious to see how it all played out. Maybe you were just too scared to try and make a move like that yet. Maybe you were just worried about everyone else’s safety.

You couldn’t tell and it wasn’t that important anyways. You weren’t going anywhere.

“Go ahead,” the boy with swords began to taunt, looking directly at the two of them. “Show them what you can do.”

It was a dare. A jab at their pride. You could tell by the mocking tone that laced the boy’s words. He was confident they were going to use their bending, so confident that it bordered on cocky. By now, he had gotten so close to the two, that the guard began to unsheathe his own swords. Things were going to get ugly. Maybe now was a good time to reconsider that running option.

You heard other footsteps, your train of thought breaking as you realized Lee was stepping forward, a glare on his face.

“You want a show?” he asked, unsheathing the guard’s swords for himself. “I’ll give you a show!”

He pulled the swords apart from each other, entering a fighting stance that didn’t look like anything a tea shop worker would know. His leg stuck out to the side, hooking on the leg of a table and pulling it in front of him. He kicked it, sending it flying towards the stranger.

The stranger didn’t hesitate, flipping over it and slicing it so hard that the table sliced in half, with stray pieces of wood flying across the room. You felt a chunk of wood smack you in the face, slicing your cheek as you winced. You cupped it, feeling blood begin to warm your fingers as it dripped from the cut.

The clashing of swords diverted your attention back to the fight. Lee expertly avoided the boy’s attack, jumping onto the table previously occupied by the guards. Before he could counter his next move, though, the boy sliced through that table too, the wood once again cutting perfectly in half. Lee stumbled, the boy cutting away at each side even more, aiming at his legs. Lee jumped expertly in the air, dodging the boy’s attacks.

You had made very few assumptions about Lee and already felt you had severely underestimated him.

In a quick blur of a moment, the boy had somehow managed to kick Lee back so hard that it broke down the door. You and the rest of the people inside the tea shop rushed to the front, trying to see how things were escalating. Mushi was at the door, most likely worried about the safety of his nephew as the fight stretched on.

The stranger was gaining a slight upper hand, taking advantage of Lee’s disoriented state after having smashed through the door. He swung down at him, his hooks being blocked last minute by Lee’s blades.

The stranger had a grin on his face. “You must be getting tired of using those swords.” He tilted his head, continuing with, “why don’t you go ahead and firebend at me?”

Once again, he was trying to provoke some kind of action out of Lee, trying to exhaust his efforts so that he’d be theoretically forced to firebend at him. It was crazy.

The fight went on, Lee retaliating as best he could. Mushi called out, addressing the stranger, “Please, son, you’re confused! You don’t know what you’re doing!”

His pleas were ignored, the fight continuing with even more vigor. They backed down the street, getting closer and closer to a large square surrounding a well. Mushi began to walk out of the doorway, following the two men as they fought. The rest of the patrons weren’t far behind, some worrying for the safety of the two and others, such as the guards, keeping an eye out for when they’d need to intervene. Your eyes were still glued on Lee, your feet unconsciously moving you along towards him. The strange boy began to taunt Lee once more, this time bringing Mushi into the mix.

“Bet you wish he helped you out with a little fire blast right now!”

He hooked one of his swords on the other, spinning and swinging the swords around like whips. Lee backed away, slamming one of his own swords through the handle of the stranger’s.

“You’re the one who needs help!” Lee yelled, pulling back his swords in a defensive position as the boy recovered, about the swing again. Lee was one step ahead, swinging at the young man’s neck. The young man threw his head back, the sword swiping just above his head, so quick and so clean that a blue streak sparked as it sliced the grass he held between his teeth.

The boy arched forward, flipping back and landing on the edge of the well. He called out to the crowd that had gathered to watch the fight progress.

“You see that? The Fire Nation is trying to silence me!” He looked around at the crowd, the people all staring up at him in confusion. He then turned back to Lee, his eyes narrowing into a glare. “It’ll never happen.”

He reached back and hooked his sword on the wooden bar, swinging back and jumping forward at Lee.

You weren’t sure how much more of this you could take. Neither Lee nor the stranger seemed tired out enough to give the other a good chance at victory, and nobody, not even the guards, was attempting to interfere. Your cheek was beginning to really bother you and you knew that if you didn’t get home soon, you’d most likely wake up late for work tomorrow.

“Mushi, is Lee going to be alright?” you asked, your hands holding your sides. Mushi looked back at you and gave you a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure my nephew will be alright.” He turned back to the fight, his smile faltering a bit. “It’s the other young man that I’m worried about. Lee is not one to back down easily.”

You looked up at Lee again, watching him strategically block each attack made by the stranger. You huffed, beginning to back away, until you saw the crowd to begin to disperse.

“Drop your weapons!” a stern voice called out.

The Dai Li had finally made their appearance.

The boys slow down their fighting, backing away from each other. Neither of them took their eyes off the other, swords still held out defensively, just in case anything else escalated. The stranger spoke first.

“Arrest them!” he called out. “They’re firebenders.”

Mushi was quick to respond, his voice relaxed as he said, “this poor boy is confused. We’re just simple refugees.”

You looked one of the Dai Li agents in the eye and nodded, hoping it would help to have someone agree. Others apparently had the same idea, as the manager came to their defense as well.

“This young man wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my employees!” He pointed over at you, more specifically the cut on your cheek. “He even injured one of my customers!”

The guards that Lee got his swords from nodded. “It’s true, sir. We saw the whole thing. This crazy kid attacked the finest teamaker in the city.”

Mushi awed, blushing.

“That’s very sweet.”

The Dai Li agents walked up to the stranger, one on each side of him.

“Come with us son.”

The boy gritted his teeth, quickly swinging the sword in his right hand behind him to strike the Dai Li, only for it to land right in the palm of one. The agent twisted his arm back, the other helping to restrain him with their gloves made of Earth. Once they were sure he was unable to break free, they began to drag him back, the crowd dispersing and revealing a detainment cart. You couldn’t help but feel bad for the young man. You hadn’t ever heard anything good about the Dai Li. People who were taken into their custody either never came back or never came back the same. It was why you wanted to avoid them as much as possible, as detainment rates were especially high among refugees, at least from what you had heard.

You watched as the boy looked around desperately. “You don’t understand, they’re Fire Nation! You have to believe me!”

The crowd and you could only watch in silence as he was pulled into the cart, the back doors shutting on him. By now, most of the crowd was dispersing, none paying any particular attention to the boy anymore. You squeezed your sides, frowning, wondering what would come of the boy.

Mushi sighed, shaking his head and turning towards you. “Are you alright, Miss?

You glanced up, giving him a soft smile. “I’m fine, thank you. Do you remember how much my order was?”

“Please,” you heard behind you. You looked over your shoulder to see the manager of the tea shop there, smiling sympathetically. “The tea is free of charge. Consider it an apology for all of the ruckus.”

You shook your head, blushing slightly. “Thank you, that’s very kind, but tables are not cheap to replace.” You pulled out half of the cash you had brought that night and handed it to him with a smile. “If you need to replace any of your dishes, feel free to visit Miss Kang’s Pottery Shop. I can make sure you receive a discount.”

He nodded and wished you a good night, walking into the shop to inspect the damage. Mushi followed, leaving you by yourself. Well, not completely anyway.

You looked back at where Lee had been fighting, watching Lee hand back the swords to the guards he had taken them from.

“You’ve got some serious skill, son. You should consider applying to the police academy, you could seriously make a difference.”

Lee didn’t go as far as to smile, but he did nod and give a small thank you. The guards waved goodbye, and Lee began to walk back to the shop, his mind clearly somewhere else. You watched him come up to you, deciding to talk to him again.

“Are you alright? That fight was… pretty intense.”

He began to focus again, looking at you. “I’m alright, just a little worn out.”

You smiled, a wave of relief washing over you. “That’s good.”

He nodded. “Actually, you seem like you got more hurt than I did. Is that cut okay?”

You blushed, placing a hand over your cheek, feeling the dry blood that had stuck to your face. “Yeah. It stings a bit, but I’ve got some stuff at home that should help.”

“That’s… that’s good,” he said a bit awkwardly. You chuckled softly, walking over to his side so you could go inside with him.

When you got inside, the manager and Mushi immediately stopped the two of you.

“Hold on you two,” the manager began.

“Young lady, considering all of the ruckus that has taken place tonight, I was wondering if you’d mind letting Lee escort you home,” Mushi asked, a considerate look on his face.

Your eyes widened, your jaw dropping slightly as you began to blush. You didn’t want to force Lee into any kind of position like that, especially since you had literally met less than an hour ago.

“W-well I… I’m not sure if that would be necessary, sir, especially since you might need Lee to help clean up the shop,” you stammered, looking over at Lee who was equally confused and uncertain about this.

“No, no, I insist. Lee would have no problem walking such a kind girl to her home, especially after the night being so inconveniencing for you.”

You literally got scratched on the face, why was everyone acting like you had lost a limb?

A pink flush came over Lee’s face, his eyes looking anywhere but you as the manager and Mushi began to corner you both to the door.

“Please be careful, but be sure to take your time! The night is beautiful, no need to waste it!”

And with that, you both were shoved onto the path outside of the shop, the once busy street now completely empty except for the two of you. Your face was hot and red, unable to look up from your feet below you. Lee was looking to the side, from what you could tell, and you had no idea what he was thinking. He was probably annoyed, angry even that he was now stuck with you. First, the crazy kid accused him of being a fire bender of all things and now his uncle and boss were making him babysit you.

He wasn’t looking at you, and he wasn’t moving either. Maybe you could just book it, give him an excuse to go back in and never go to the shop again. Maybe you could just disappear and he wouldn’t make you out to be a burden. Maybe you could just apologize and leave, then go home and forget this whole night had never happened. Perhaps that would be best.

A sigh leaving your companion’s lips quickly made that decision for you, though.

“So… where do you live?”

It had gotten really late. Most of the city was already asleep, with their lights off and windows shut. If it weren’t for the stars that hung up above, you probably wouldn't be able to see the path in front of you. You and Lee had been walking for quite some time now, not a word passing between the two of you. You took a breath, deciding that it was time you said something.

“You were very impressive in that fight back there.”

His eyes widened a bit as he looked over at you, probably surprised you had said something.

“Oh, um… thanks.”

“Where did you learn to do all of that?”

He shrugged.

“I’ve picked up a few things from my uncle.”

You smiled.

“Was he a guard where you used to live?”

He was silent for a moment, his eyes lost in thought.

“Sort of.”

You looked back down at the ground, not knowing where to take the conversation from there.

You sighed, your cheerful demeanor sinking. You stopped walking, holding your forehead with your hand and taking in a deep breath. Lee took a few more steps before he realized you had stopped. He turned towards you, his brow furrowing in confusion.

You looked up at him with tired eyes and began to speak. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be bothering you so much. I haven’t had anyone to talk to for a while now, I guess I just got a bit ahead of myself.”

He took a minute to think before responding. “Do you not live with anyone?”

You shook your head, frowning slightly. “No. My family sent me away from our village by myself. It was urgent and they didn’t have enough money for all of us to come to Ba Sing Se.”

You blinked, looking at the path in front of you with a blank stare.

“I haven’t heard from them in months. I don’t even know if they’re still alive.”

You closed your eyes and took a deep, painful breath, beginning to walk again.

“Thank you for walking me this far. I can get home just fine from here.”

It was a moment before you heard his footsteps begin to pick up again behind you. Your face contorted into one of confusion, as suddenly Lee was by your side again. You opened your mouth to speak again, about to insist that he didn’t need to walk with you, but he beat you to it.

“I’m sorry,” he began, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye. “I’m not very good with people.”

You hummed, a small smile returning to your lips.

“It’s alright. I’m not exactly a people person, either. I shouldn’t have been so pushy with you in the first place.”

“You weren’t that pushy. At least compared to some people I’ve met.”

You chuckled, feeling a little less nervous being around him.

“Thank you. I’m glad I don’t come across that way,” you mused.

He nodded, and for the next few minutes, you both walked together in silence, with you guiding him down the paths you needed to take home and him being vigilant for any crooks that might’ve been hiding out somewhere. After a while, he brought up conversation again.

“How old are you, exactly?”

You shrugged. “I’m about fifteen. You?”

“Sixteen.”

“You look like you’d be older,” you said, though it came out the wrong way you meant it to. “Not in, like, a bad way, though! Like you just seem more mature, I guess.”

“Um, yeah, I could say the same about you.”

Right, you still looked exhausted. You sighed, reaching up to rub the back of your neck.

“Yeah, I don’t exactly look all that youthful right now. I haven’t slept much lately and work has just been really difficult.

His eyes widened as he began to stammer. “No, not like I think you look old or anything, you look plenty young! It’s just, you look like you could be sixteen or seventeen.”

You gave him a thankful smile, though it wasn’t all that genuine. “Thank you, but I’d have to disagree.”

He looked away from you, unsure of what to say next. You didn’t quite know what to say either, so you changed the subject.

“Hey, I’m sorry if this question bothers you, but did you know that young man that attacked you in the tea shop?”

“Why do you ask?”

You shrugged, feeling a bit stupid for asking. “Well, I don’t know. He just seemed to have recognized you from somewhere else.”

Lee sighed, fiddling with the string on his apron absentmindedly.

“Yeah. We came to Ba Sing Se on the same ferry. He told me about how the Fire Nation killed his parents and such. Then he saw my uncle buy a cup of tea from a vendor and I guess he just thought he firebended somehow.”

You frowned, feeling just a little bit bad about what happened to the boy.

“No wonder he was so dead set on attacking you. He’s probably traumatized.”

He huffed. “Yeah. Probably.”

Your mind kept going back to the young man being dragged back and thrown into the cart with the Dai Li, a knot beginning to form in your stomach. It didn’t seem like Lee knew the gravity of being put into the custody of the Dai Li and just how terrifying of a sentiment it was to you.

“I don’t take it you know much about the Dai Li, do you?” you asked, cautiously, as if anybody could be listening to you right now, as they actually very well could.

He looked over at you with narrowed eyes.

“My uncle has told me enough that I know not to mention the war, but other than that, I can’t say I do.”

You sighed, looking around you for any places someone could be hiding or listening.

“Whenever someone is taken by the Dai Li, they either don’t come back or they don’t come back the same. There have been cases where men who were in the Dai Li’s possession were released with no idea who their own families were. It’s really unsettling and it’s one of those things I hate about being a refugee here.”

He nodded. “I can see why. I don’t understand what the Earth Kingdom would have to gain from banning the mention of the war, though.”

“Neither do I, but it happens nonetheless.”

The conversation could’ve gone on for hours at that point, but by now, you had finally reached your quaint, little apartment. You stopped at the door and turned to him fully, folding your hands together and smiling.

“Well,” you said quietly, looking up at him with tired eyes. “Thank you for walking me home, Lee. It was really nice meeting you.”

He nodded. “It was nice meeting you, too. I’m sorry I didn’t give the best first impression.”

You giggled quietly, shaking your head. “It’s okay. I’m definitely going to be visiting the tea shop again soon, so I wouldn’t say you left a horrible impression on me.”

“I’m sure my uncle will be happy to hear that.”

you smiled, taking your key out of your pocket and unlocking your door. Lee took that as his cue to leave, turning away from you and beginning to walk down the road you both took. You opened your door just a little bit, glancing over your shoulder back at Lee. You puffed your cheeks out a bit as you left the door ajar, walking over to him and calling out his name.

He turned back to face you, his face blushing a soft pink when he realized how close you were. With that, you planted a soft kiss on his cheek, whispering a meek “goodbye” before running back into your house.

You slammed the door, your face hot and bright red as butterflies soared around your chest. You groaned, sliding down the door and hiding your face in your hands. You couldn’t tell if you felt more euphoric or embarrassed. Whatever, it didn’t matter right now. You’d leave the shame and embarrassment to your future self, as right now, you were exhausted and needed to go to bed.

What a way to end the day.

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justanotherlifeff · 4 years

Note

If you're not comfortable with this, it's okay to skip. Aizawa has feelings for an "old soul" type of student in her last year at UA (so they're 18), but doesn't want to act on it for obvious reasons. She's had a crush on him since day 1 but respects him too much and doesn't want to get him in trouble. He shadows her on her first real mission and she gets hit with a quirk that makes her horny af, and is a poison that can only be expelled via lots of sex, so he has to "help" her or she'll die.

Urges

Hehehehe guess who's also 18 and a simp for Aizawa sensei? 😏😏😏

Warning: NSFW, Smut, age gap, Teacher-Student stuff

Guilty was one way to put how Aizawa felt when he found himself checking you out yet again in class. You were the embodiment of perfection. You were smart, matured, quiet, you liked cats as much as he did, and ofcourse, you were the mom friend to all the rowdy students in his god forsaken class. Yes, that exactly was the only thing holding him back (besides the huge age gap). You were his student. Sure, you weren’t one of the big 3 in your class like Mirio, Nejire and Tamaki because your quirk wasn’t as strong as theirs. However, you were infact the one in class to get top grades in tests. Infact, you even helped Aizawa grade papers since you somehow understood the barely legible handwriting of some of the people in this class. You were this little ball of sunshine, bringing a bento for the students who always forgot to bring any, keeping everyone out of trouble, tutoring anyone who you felt was having a hard time studying... Hell, it seemed like your schoolbag had everything that a person could need in it. Anyone forgot a pen? Ask (Y/N). Anyone forgot their umbrella? Ask (Y/N). Anyone forgot to even bring themselves to school? ASK (Y/N) CAUSE SHE'LL PERSONALLY TAKE THEIR NOTES HOME AND GIVE THEM A LECTURE ABOUT MISSING CLASS unless they are sick. In that case, she'll take a bento full of healthy food. The entire class saw (Y/N) as this motherly figure who pretty much dealt with their problems on a daily basis with a smile. Aside from your extreme maturity, you were extremely creative beyond your age. When Present Mic was struggling to make the class read basic Shakespeare, you were already quoting Jane Austen's pride and prejudice, something that was not even in the syllabus. Needless to say, you shared various intellectual conversations with Aizawa while the two of you graded papers as the grumpy man also happened to have an interest on literature. While your friends went out to do random shit together, you were the one staying back home because ofcourse, messing around in random amusement parks wasn’t your thing. You liked staying in the background like an adult, watching the kids have their fun and guiding them. Could you really blame Aizawa for falling in love with you?

Then again, you were his student. That made all the perfects imperfections because he shouldn’t be looking at you this way. Little did he know that his feelings weren’t one sided. You had a crush on your teacher ever since you stepped into UA. Did you feel guilty about it? Yes, yes you did. Did you ever think of confessing to him? No, no you didn't. You were okay with loving him from a distance because you knew that you would only create trouble for him if you were to come out about your feelings. However, you couldn’t help but show that you cared through certain gestures. You'd go out of your way to help him grade papers so that he would get a few extra hours of sleep. Every morning, you'd buy an extra cup of coffee or his favorite jello drink for him on your to school just to make his day more tolerable. You never expected him to return your feelings, however. He was your teacher after all. This was wrong after all.

Things were going fine to be honest. Both of you admired eachother from afar, knowing that confessing wouldn’t lead to anything good either way. That was until you were sent on a mission for your work studies. Your employer was busy with a different mission and your quirk was compatible against the villain you had to capture which is why, you were sent alone, much to Aizawa's displeasure. It wasn’t that he didn't believe in you because he did. He knew that you were strong but you were still a student. You didn’t have the experience that a pro hero had and they didn't even consider the fact that there may be unprecedented situations. Hence, he found himself staring at you more than often, trying to memorize every inch of you visible to him so that if something goes wrong he'd atleast... No. Nothing was going to go wrong. Not when he had something to do about it.

Hence, after class was over, Aizawa found himself following you discreetly, making sure that you didn't notice him. Aizawa was excellent at hiding his presence since that was the type of hero he was, which is why, you had no clue that he was following you. You followed the plan laid out by your employer flawlessly and almost caught the villain until a second party decided to show up. Aizawa recognized the other villain from his hiding spot. She had been wanted for quite long time however, before Aizawa got out of his hiding place to aid you, the villain had already used her quirk on you. Now that Aizawa had to choose between going after the escaping villains or checking on you, he did the latter since that's what a doting teacher who totally didn't have feelings for a certain student would do.

You were panting on the ground, your hands gripping the fabric of your hero costume near your thighs tightly as you were avoiding Aizawa's gaze. "(L/N), are you alright? How do you feel?" Aizawa asked you, worried. You tried to answer to him but you only managed to let out a patheric whimper. Only if you could stop how horny his voice was making you... Your whimper suddenly reminded the erasure hero of the certain villain's quirk. Cupping your face with one hand to make you look at him, he met with an extremely flushed expression from you along with lust blown eyes. The view before him did nothing but create a certain straining inside his pants. The villain's quirk made people horny, he recalled. Not having sex would make their body overheat and cause a complete organ failure, he remembered.

"S-sensei... I can't... I'm sorry..." you half whimpered half moaned as you hugged your teacher, desperate for any form of touch at this point. You couldn’t help it. His musky scent was way, way morr prominent to you now and your body was betraying your mind relentlessly. "Shhh (L/N)... It's gonna be alright. We need to get out of this alley first though..." Aizawa muttered, a small amount of pink dusting his cheeks. He was at loss on what he should do at this point. He knew that there was no other way out of it without you having sex at some point. Was he okay with you doing the deed with someone else all while he was aware of it? A selfish part of him told him that no, he wasn’t okay with it. Honestly, this was the perfect opportunity for him to get a taste of you. If things got out, he could tell everyone that he did it to save you. If you didn't return his feelings, this would be that one chance at ravishing you.

Shouta Aizawa was a good teacher and an honourable man at most parts. However, he didn’t hesitate in being selfish when his actions clearly wouldn’t hurt anyone. Which is why, he took you to his home. On his way, in the cab he hired, he explained the quirk of the villain to you. You tried staying normal as you constantly held hid hand, squeezing tightly as your horniness only increased drastically. By the time you reached his home, your legs were shaking and you could barely walk. Aizawa helped you walk into his apartment, avoiding picking you up since that would look awkward in public. By the time you were in his living room, your legs completely gave out as you were engulfed by his scent, the feeling of his touch messing you up.

"Sensei... I'm sorry.. Please... I can't take this anymore... Help me please...." you whimpered into his chest, hiding your embarassed face from him as the two of you sat on the ground. You knew things would never be the same between you and your beloved teacher anymore. Hell, he'll probably hate you for this. You were scared. Very scared. On the other hand, Aizawa was turned on beyond belief. Your soft whimpers, ragged breathe was just as good as he had imagined for months and more. He couldn't keep his hands off you any longer. He didn't intend to either. "I'm sorry, (L/N). I'll help you. I know you probably wouldn’t want me in normal circumstances but you don't have to talk to me again if this ends up making things awkward for you." Aizawa muttered to you soothingly before kissing you, making you lose all control as soft moans elicted from your mouth into his. Your clothes were taken off skillfully and fast as Aizawa touched your twitching groins. A rather loud moan escaped your mouth at that making Aizawa smirk. 'How cute...' he thought as he proceeded to enter a finger into your sopping pussy. However, your reaction to that was not quite expected. You flinched and held him tightly, biting your lips. He immediately took his finger out only to find blood coating it.

"You're a virgin?" Aizawa asked with a grimace. You were always popular among the class thanks to your maturity and he assumed that you had some experience. "Yeah... I've been waiting..." you gasped at the lack of his fingers. "I'm sorry, (L/N). I wish I could avoid this because this must be something very special to you and..." Aizawa was contemplating his decisions but you stopped him with a teary smile. "I was waiting for you... Please take me... I'm so happy now..." you told him, surprising him. These mere words made him feel as if his entire body was on fire as he kissed you furiously, gently easing his fingers back into you, waiting for you to adjust. His passionate kiss distracted you from the pain as he made you sit on his lap comfortably while you wrapped your hands around his neck. Just when you started bucking your hips towards his hands, he started pumping his finger in and out of you, adding an extra finger with time and stretching you out as fast as possible so that he could move to the main event.

"Let's take this to the bedroom shall we, (Y/N)?" Aizawa asked you with a lazy smirk as he looked at your disheveled self. You already had an orgasm from his fingering since he surprisingly was rather skillful in this department. You only gave him a lustful gaze as he picked you up only to place you on his bed moments later. "I need you... Please sensei..." you whispered to him, making him harder than he had ever been in his entire life. "God you're so cute..." Aizawa hissed as he unbuckled his pants only to reveal his huge length, precum dripping from the tip. Taking a box of condoms from the drawer of the bedside table and putting the condom on hurriedly, Aizawa positioned himself over your entrance as he rubbed his length on you a few times making you squirm before entering you in one go making you yelp in pleasure and pain. He tried his best to stay still, letting you adjust to his length but damn it was hard since your insides were squeezing him so deliciously, almost making him lose his sanity. However, Aizawa was a patient man and he would never hurt you. Just as you began to move around under him, trying to grind against him, he started moving. While Aizawa was a patient man, the way your pussy made him feel could break even the most patient man in the world. Hence, Aizawa just couldn’t help it but pound into you for dear life. While it hurted you slightly at the begining, in a few moments, you started to enjoy it just as much as he did. Your legs were wrapped around his hips as you marked his shoulders with your nails while you moaned loudly much to Aizawa's delight. A string of incoherent words escaped your mouth including something similar to "please sensei" and "more", which only increased Aizawa's determination on pleasuring you. His mission to make you a blabbering mess was infact successful since at the end of it all, you just went through your third orgasm for the day, you were drooling as your eyes were rolled back. You could barely speak as you moaned loudly, not aware of how loud you were being. At this point, Aizawa was chasing his own orgasm and he had to say, your state infront of him made sure that he was close, very close.

When Aizawa finally had his orgasm, he could say that this was the best sex he ever had in his entire life. Your overstimulated body laid under him, completely exhausted and panting while he laid beside you trying to catch his own breathe. That's when it all hit him like a brick. He fucked his student. Someone who probably told him that she was waiting for him only because of the effects of the quirk. What if you regretted it now? How could he show his face to you again? As if you were reading his mind, he felt you cuddle up to him with a shy smile on your face. Wrapping an arm around you, Aizawa asked with a stoic expression, hiding the insecurities inside him, "(Y/N), did you mean it when you told me that you were waiting for me?". It seemed as if the question made you even shyer than you were already as you hid your face on his chest and he didn't know what to make of it. "I had a crush on you ever since you stepped into the classroom for the first time in my first year and it only grew. I never told you because I didn't want to be a bother or get you in trouble. I understand if you don't return my feelings." you answered, your voice sounding rather sad. "(Y/N), I feel the same way. The only problem is, you're my student. Would you be okay with me taking you out after you graduate?" Aizawa asked you in a soft tone. You looked up at him, surprise and adoration lacing your face. "I... Ofcourse sensei..." you answered with a blush. "It's Shouta for you when we're alone, kitten. Except maybe in bed cause you look absolutely sinful when you're calling me 'sensei' " Aizawa smirked at you making you blush and hide your face on his chest yet again.

"Shouta? Remember when you asked me out?" you asked your husband as you looked at the album in your hand as you sat on his lap on a rainy afternoon. "Hmm... We had good sex that day..." Aizawa muttered lazily as he took a sip from the cup of coffee in his hand. "Huh? That's all you remember?" you pouted. How could he not remember the extremely romantic cuddling session afterwards? "Mhhm... Would it be weird if I said that it was kinda hot that you were my student back then?" he asked with a lazy smirk. It was both of your day off and somehow, the weather was extremely romantic at the same time. That was until your husband decided to act like a pervert and ruin the mood.

"You really are a perverted old man you know..."

"And yet you still love me, kitten"

[Author's note: Guess I kinda went overboard huh...👀. Alright, so I REALLY appreciate long asks with more description cause they are SO FUN TO WRITE cause they give me a better idea on how to write the fic. This was my most favorite ask so far tbh]

#bnha aizawa #aizawa shouta #aizawa smut #aizawa × reader #aizawa x you #shouta aizawa x reader #mha shouta #bnha shouta aizawa

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eunoiamaybe · 4 years

Text

my “sort-of-complete” online classes and exams tips

This is a longer-than-usual post with tips for the 3 stages of online classes: focusing during an online class session, reviewing/studying for online classes, and preparing for online exams/ quizzes. So I decided to insert the “Read More” link to (a) not take up too much space on your dash, and (b) feel more confident in adding more tips as time goes on.

These are tips that I’ve compiled from my experience of taking online classes during my last 1.5 years at university. But having all of your courses moved online is so much more complicated. Since I’m currently doing an internship, I have tried my best to produce this post based on the comments of my friends IRL and on Tumblr (hence the “my”). However, I hope it can still be useful for you and many who were all abruptly put in this same situation.

So feel free to share your own tips and experience! I will probably go back to this once in a while to make some changes to it and add your tips. Good luck to everyone who is currently/ about to take online classes. You are almost there! 🍀 I believe in every single one of you!

~ Click away for them tips ~

💻 DURING ONLINE CLASS SESSIONS:

- try to treat online classes the same as an in-person class, especially time-wise (set a specific time for each class and plan your own class schedule. even better, study for your classes at the same time they used to be held. this will create a sense of routine and trigger the brain's normal reactions to your usual class - which is to study)

- don’t be afraid to fix your plan/ schedule (aka don’t force yourself into one if it doesn’t work for you) (trials and errors, my friend. this applies to plans too. there’s no shame in not being able to keep up with the schedule you’ve made. if you’ve tried or if it hurts you mentally or physically, then that schedule is just not the one for you. everybody has their unique strengths and weaknesses. one’s perfect system might not suit another. finding a system that works for you takes time, patience, and courage. but it will be absolutely worth it)

- find a good spot with enough light and stable wifi (if you have multiple options, select the one that would make you most comfortable, most focused, and confident enough to take online tests/quizzes/exams at - create your “exam space” in advance to reduce the anxiety of tests and unfamiliarity)

- study at a desk, if possible (studying at a desk, with good posture, mimics the feeling of being in a classroom or the library. thus, it will create a sense of routine and help you focus better)

- accommodate yourself (I’m all about making the best out of a bad situation, and this is one way to do it. accommodate yourself, not just with comfort, but also with actual necessities that you cannot usually get in your usual classroom/library due to whatever reason. stress balls, stim toys, positivity cards, calming music/candles. comforting plushies. chewing gum. as long as it helps you focus better, it's on the table)

- get dressed (this will bring out that sense of structure and routine that you need. put on your normal outfits, uniforms and even perfume. trick your mind into being focused)

- minimize distractions (declutter your study space. put your phone out of reach. turn off notifications. close all other tabs on your browser. select non-distracting music/ sounds. don’t spam or pay attention to spams in your classes’ chatboxes. only bring along items that are absolutely vital to your focus)

- take notes, even if you can record your lessons and/or access the lessons later (it can either be digital notes or handwritten notes on paper - your call. this will force you to focus and prevent you from zoning out/ being distracted)

- be actively engaged in the lecture (if there are technical problems or if you have questions, chatbox away. this is also good practice for people with social anxiety too: the fact that you are in your home and behind the screen can make it easier for you to ask for help)

- if possible, put your teachers/profs on the big screen to create the illusion of being in a lecture (if your study spot has a TV/projector that can connect to your laptop and quality speakers, do it. it's more fun than you'd think. also super stimulating and kicks the boredom out of you too)

- if not, use headphones/ earphones (speakers can create a feeling of distance between the lecture and yourself. combined with unstable internet and/or monotonous voices of some instructors, this may result in your brain classifying your lecture as background noises and zone out. so use headphones or earphones with the appropriate volume for that optimal focus mode)

- give yourself breaks between classes (don't cram all your classes in one morning. but don't procrastinate either. time your breaks. look at something else besides a computer or phone screen while you’re on break too. maybe brew some tea/coffee for your next class or rearrange your notes from the previous one)

💻 REVIEWING FOR ONLINE CLASSES:

- make a schedule/ system - and be ready to change them (this is an elaboration of an earlier tip. your system doesn’t have to work perfectly right away. most of the time, you will have to make some kind of adjustments to it anyway. so take it easy. pay attention to how well you react/ adapt to the new schedule so that you can make necessary changes. and give yourself - especially your mind - some time to adapt to the schedule. don’t rush yourself or put too much pressure on being productive. remember to take care of your well-being too)

- it’s okay to give yourself some off-days (that’s the beauty of not having any physical or even abstract structure that forces you into an inescapable routine. Yes, I know this lack of structure sucks for a lot of us, especially for those who rely on external forces to keep themselves focused. But look on the bright side: now you don’t have to worry about missing classes or losing participation marks when you are unwell physically and mentally anymore)

- textbooks are your friends now (especially when your classes’ live-streams are just chaotic and hard to follow. or when the pre-recorded lectures aren’t loading properly and keeps lagging. practice speed reading. look for keywords and crucial information. take notes rather than highlighting everything. compare them to your lecture notes, your syllabus, or your friends’)

- take advantage of the online format’s availability + other resources (availability is here, baby! revisit lecture videos and podcasts as many times as you need to. check your email classes’ forums regularly for questions or announcements. re-listen to your lecture when you're cleaning or exercising. watch videos of Khan Academy or CrashCourse. look for online tutors. study at your own pace and in your own style. basically anything you wish you could do when your class was in-person)

- there’s no need to submit assignments early if it’s anxiety-inducing. but make a schedule/ tracking system/ set alarms to avoid forgetting to turn them in (take your time to double-check or edit your work - as long as the submission box is still open, of course. set aside about an hour or two before the deadline for submission to avoid any technical difficulties. and remember to start working on them early so that you don’t have to shorten that window of time and have more time for double-checking)

- don't be afraid to email the profs/teachers (if possible, compile your questions into a list. be as specific as you can about your concerns. put a subject for your email to reduces the chance of your email getting lost in your instructors' inbox.)

- reward yourself (don't stress yourself out by rewarding big accomplishments. reward small victories. reward baby steps. reward effort. you'll get things done eventually)

- take time to know your learning style (when are you most focused? do you like taking digital notes or do you prefer pen and paper? are you a visual or an auditory learner? do you like moving around while studying? what drinks or scents or sounds keep you going? you don't have to stick to your usual study methods or an online/paperless one now that you are studying in your own room)

- listen to your mind and body (it’s okay to feel a bit lost) (from my own experience, times that are without structure like nowadays is when most of us fall into this spiraling downfall of unhealthy sleep schedules, lethargy, and loss of purpose. so please take care of your mental and physical well-being during this very, very weird time. keep yourself active. re-ignite old interests/ hobbies. connect with people you love. give yourself some love)

- and more tips on productivity at home in my last post right here

💻 PREPARING FOR ONLINE EXAMS / QUIZZES:

- make a list of all the online exams and final assignment due dates (this will help you keep track of and stay on top of them due dates. from that list, trace backward to make a review or study plan to prepare for the tests and work on the assignments. if there are any time conflicts, especially for those who are now living in a different timezone from their schools or colleges, email the instructors to seek solutions or alternative options)

- again, find a good spot with good wifi, good lighting, and a desk (if possible, try to recreate your ideal exam environment as closely as you can while studying and reviewing for the exams. this can reduce the anxiety of tests and/or unfamiliarity)

- be prepared for technical difficulties (especially mentally, so that you don’t plan out a course of action to take if they ever arise. draft an email template. research in advance the contacts of people whom you can report to - IT personnel, your instructors, student office, etc.)

- bring everything you need to the exams - but no distractions (like mentioned earlier, if you need any special accommodations that are considered "unacceptable" in an in-person exam/quiz, now it's the time to bring them along - you’re in charge of your test space now, so make it as comfortable and accomodating as you want)

- plan your desk set-up prior to your exams (so many extra items. still so little desk space. therefore, plan ahead so your desk does not turn into a mess when you take your exams. plan where you want to put your notes, textbooks, calculators or scrap paper. think about how much use you’re gonna get out of each item and place them within or slightly-out-of reach accordingly. charge your laptop. sharpen your pencils. have your backup stationery handy. lay out everything you need onto your desk the night before your tests. this can create a feeling of preparedness and thus, reduce anxiety as well)

- make cheatsheets (the goals when making them are simple: (1) get you to rewrite your notes for that good memorization; (2) condense your information and find a connection between them for a thorough understanding of the materials; (3) reduce the time you use to flip through your notebooks or textbooks or google for information during the actual tests)

- time yourself with mock exams (if you are given mock exams to practice with, do them, with a timer. this will help you familiarize yourself with the stress of being timed, thus reducing your anxiety during the actual tests)

- get enough sleep and eat properly (even if the exams or quizzes are online, they are still, at their core, tests. and tests are always stressful and energy-consuming. so take care of both your physical and mental health, especially during the week leading up to your exams)

1K notes · View notes

burning-omen · 4 years

Text

Thank you

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Words: 1,682

Spencer Reid x selectively mute! Male Reader

Requested by anonymous: "Could I get a Spencer Reid x Male!Reader where the reader is selective mute and tries to make up for the lack of being able to say kind things to people and ends up just being very affectionate with people and getting them gifts. And one point he’s giving something tk Spencer and end up either saying “You’re welcome” after he says thanks or just something small, which ends in wholesome shit cus the reader said something to Spencer when he rarely ever talks to begin with"

A/n: it gets crappy towards the end.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You are selectively mute which for you meant that you just didn't talk much. Like Ferb from Phineas and Ferb, you only spoke when you were required to and a few other special occasions. But you were mostly silent other than those times. Your mother was deaf, only using sign language to communicate. She homeschooled you until college so you had no reason to speak until then.

When you were an adult you did try to speak more, but for you it was exhausting to force yourself to talk continuously so you went back to being the Ferb guy. You found friends who didn't try to force you to talk, some even tried to learn sign language for you. It was nice, having friends that didn't try and change you.

Everything was going good, you were happy. Then on a night out with your friends you see this nerdy little drifter in the bar, trying to find somewhere quiet to sit. And near you seemed to be perfect because he sat four seats away from you and your friends booth. You couldn't help but stare. He was so... Interesting. Who comes to a bar to read? Apparently he does. Another thing, he's finished that entire book. How?

A few other small things made him interesting, the way he'd keep pushing his messy hair out of his face instead of tying it back with the band around his wrist, the way that he was kicking his feet in a nonchalant way. He was... Cute.

Admiring someone was weird for you. You'd normally shoot down any type of attraction to anyone almost immediately, either convincing yourself that it's impossible that they would like you or that even if they did like you, your relationship wouldn't last long. But none of that came to mind.

Despite the very low chance that he knew sign language you decided to take a chance with him. You waited until he closed his second book(which only took a few minutes) before walking up to him.

But, halfway through walking over to him you got nervous and sat back down.

One of your friends, Warren, noticed this. He watched you stares longingly at the man who was only about 15 feet away. He looked around the man, then back at you.

"Dude... " He whispered.

You looked over at him.

"Go talk to- Well, interact with him. "

Your eyes widened and you shook your head rapidly.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. Without saying a word he stood up, you stared up at his with confusion but anxiety almost immediately took over as he hoisted you up and began to push you towards the man.

He stopped when you came up next to the man. Warren had a wide smile on his face as the man stared at him with confusion.

"Hi, I'm Warren. This is my friend, (y/n), he thinks your cute but he doesn't talk so we're hoping that your not straight and know ASL.. "

Oh no... Warren why.

You decided that when he inevitably rejected you that you'd go hide in a very dark closet for the rest of your life.

The man flushed red and looked at you.

You smiled weakly, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.

Instead of the even more embarrassing rejection you thought you'd get after, you were met with a sweet yet nervous smile from the man.

"I'm Spencer. "

And that's how you met Spencer. Almost two years ago. After 'talking' for a bit your group decided that you all should head home, but not before giving Spencer your number and telling him to text you when he got home. Nearly two hours later he texted you. The two of you proceeded to text throughout the night and into the day. A few days later you went on a date, a few more days later you went on another. And another a few more days later. And so on and so forth.

A little later Spencer started to stay over your house and slowly, your house turned into your's and Spencer's as he unintentionally moved in. Well, basically moved in. He still left occasionally to get things from his practically abandoned apartment. Your place was closer to the BAU so he could get there a little earlier.

You and Spencer were a secret, well, mostly a secret. Your close friends(including Warren) knew and so did Spencer's mom. Spencer hasn't told his team yet. No real reason other than the fact that it never really came up. Of course there was teasing and suspicion when Spencer would come in late or leave early but that's just about it.

His work didn't effect your relationship as much as he thought it would. It was after he started dating you that he realized that in between cases, it felt like time was speeding up. There could be a month between 2 case but it would only feel like a couple of days, despite the fact that he could recall everything he did during the time in between. With you it slowed down. As soon as he'd walk through the door the world would go for a thousand miles a minute to, well, normal. Which was weird at first. He'd find himself trying to see if something was wrong. Checking closed cases with pure nervous intent. You had to get used to this in the beginning of you're relationship, but a few months in he stopped and accepted that he now had, what felt like, more time with you.

The only "real" problem (or what you thought was a problem) was the fact that you didn't speak. Your anxiety is where the gift giving began. You see, Spencer, despite him nervousness, could say that he loved you and say that he cared about and appreciated you. But you couldn't. So you tried to show your appreciation another way. And that way was giving gift.

At first it was just small or weird things. He needed pens? Well, here you go! A new journal? No problem!

Spencer had to be one of the most appreciative people in the world because everytime, every single time you gave him anything it always ended with a kiss and a promise that cuddles would be plentiful that night.

You kept the smaller gifts relatively close to each other with the bigger and more ambitious gift had to be spread out. One or two a month to keep Spencer from noticing their frequency.

Today was one of the days you'd give him a big gift. Nothing really big, but you were excited about it.

Both you and Spencer were sitting on your couch, watching Ant-man, talking about the many improbability of the movie. You needed to get Spencers attention. Spencer, who was going on about how there's no was the Scott should be able the still be alive after becoming smaller than air particles.

You gently ran your finger over his hand, drawing tiny circles over his knuckles then going farther up his arm, still drawing small shapes on it.

This is how you'd get his attention when he's focused. A lot of the time he won't be able to hear or see anything other than what he's focused on. You don't want to scare him so you do this. Just gentle, slow touches and he'll snap out of it.

It happened relatively fast this time. Only taking him a few seconds for him to come back.

He looked over at you, confused, then apologetic.

"I'm sorr-"

You cut him off with a quick kiss on lips, which flustered him more than one little kiss should've.

You held up one finger, telling him to wait a second. You stood up and walked to another part of the house. You came back a few seconds later with a tiny, dark grey box.

You excitedly sat down next to Spencer, smiling widely. You shoved it into his hand, practically bouncing in place as you waited for him to open it.

He looked at you suspiciously, then looked down at the box. He opened it slowly and found... A key? He looked back up at you, you were still smiling brightly.

"I-i don't understand... "

At the moment, you could not remember what the sign for move was for the life of you.

You rolled you eyes and pointed to the front door.

He looked at the door then back at you.

"You want me to... Leave? "

You rapidly shook your head 'no'.

You picked up the key out of his hand and pointed it to the front door.

"It goes to the front door? "

You nodded, relieved that he's starting to get it.

"A key to your front door... " He mumbled to himself.

After a few seconds he looked at you, then the key, then the door, then back to you.

"Are you asking me to move in with you? "

You nodded again, still smiling widely.

He looked at the door, then looked at you with a giant smile.

"Yeah, i-i think that'd be nice, "

Without thinking you pulled Spencer into a tight hug. Normally, Spencer's reluctant with touches of any kind but as you held him tightly he couldn't help but melt into the hug, wrapping his arms around your lower half.

After a few moments you pulled away.

He stared down at the key for a long moment.

"Thank you.. "

Still feeling the excitement from starting a new chapter of your relationship, you took a deep breath and blurted out, "you're welcome! "

He looked up at you, his eyes widen.

You didn't know what to do after that so you just shrugged.

He grinned widely before practically smacking his face against yours in an excited(not like that) kiss.

When he pulled away you were shocked, Spencer wasn't bold by any means so that was something very different.

"I love you so much, " You said quickly.

He looked down, blushing.

"I love you too. "

Both of you smiled, then got comfortable on the couch again and resumed the movie.

#male reader #spencer reid #spencer reid x male! Reader #Bi!spencer reid #x male reader #request #criminal minds

313 notes · View notes

formerprincess · 3 years

Text

A tale written with fangs and claws || Chapter 58

Chapters: 58/? Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken, Corey Bryant/Mason Hewitt Characters: Liam Dunbar, Theo Raeken, Mason Hewitt, Corey Bryant, Nolan (Teen Wolf) Additional Tags: Alpha Liam Dunbar, Slow Build, Friends to Lovers, Dunbar Pack, Bisexual Liam Dunbar, Werewolf Theo Raeken, Alpha Theo Raeken, Canon-Typical Violence, Smut, Mates, Liam and Theo are mates, Top Theo Raeken, Bottom Theo Raeken, Top Liam, Bottom Liam Dunbar Series: Part 1 of Morning Dew Pack

Liam has to take care of a very important matter. And there is an invitation...

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Liam immensely enjoyed working for Ellie. She was happy to show him her craft, teach him things, but she was also very easygoing, and as long as she saw him trying, she loved him and was thrilled with his performance. Also, Ellie knew about the supernatural, so she completely understood when he looked at his phone after it chimed with a text, just in case his pack needed him. Not that anything had come up in the few weeks since Liam started working for her, but he liked to have this option. He didn't have to hide anything, and Liam realized how much better he felt with that.

When work was slow, they talked about a lot of things and Ellie taught Liam some things about supernatural creatures. She had laughed loudly at the story about the fairies in their garden and proceeded to elucidate the different variations of fairies and elves. There were plant fairies, water fairies, sun fairies, and almost that many elves classes. Just like there were different weres out there. Liam felt kind of silly he didn't know about any of this and one day voiced his thoughts. Was he simply ignorant or just blind?

"Neither. You're from a town where none of those things exist. Don't blame yourself for that", Carlie said. Carlie was one of Ellie's three best friends, the other two being Libby and Simone. All three were at Ellie's age and the friends had a weekly meeting at the shop where they sat together, talked about their lives, drank tea or coffee, and ate cookies. Carlie herself was a petite woman with short spiky hair and big square glasses. From what they had told Liam upon first meeting, they all were elves but Liam secretly suspected Carlie of being a pixie. She was cheeky, witty, always said what was on her mind, and her eyes sparkled with mischief. Needless to say, Liam liked her. "Yeah, but I also feel like I should know more." "You know enough. About Onis and Berserkers and Kitsunes and hell and other terrible things. You're twenty. Most guys your age know how to party and wear their base caps the wrong way." She bit into a cookie. Liam laughed. "My boyfriend likes to wear his caps the wrong way. He looks hot with it. But he also knows other things." "You have so much time to learn still. Don't worry. Even we old ladies don't know about any supernatural being out there", Simone comforted him and filled her cup with some more tea. She was the opposite of Carlie; tall, thin, and the quietest of the bunch. "I also agree with Carlie, you know about terrible things, traumatic things, things one should not know about. Especially not this early in life. But unfortunately, trauma is also experience. " Liam made a face. He sat down on the armrest of one of the chairs Ellie had placed around. "I just could have lived without some of those experiences. I mean, I could have gone without the experience of being homeless but hey. Maybe that's just me." Ellie put her arm over the backrest of her chair and turned to look at Liam. "When have you been homeless?" They talked about a lot of stuff but Liam's life story, she only knew parts of it. Good parts. He didn't want to deliver sob story after sob story. Liam had a good life, he knew some people had it worse. He cherished that. Now he exhaled loudly through his nose and then he told the four women how the hyenas came into town and caused havoc, how they finally destroyed the house and left the pack picking up the pieces. He ended with the move to the new house.

After he finished, his listeners were shocked. "You experienced all this and you still find it in yourself to be such a happy and polite young man?" Libby asked in awe. She was usually full of life and laughed loudly, her afro curls always bouncing around her round face, but now she was stunned. Liam shrugged. "What's the option? Turning bitter? It worked out in the end. Doesn't mean I will ever forgive them for what they did but no one died, at least." "You are a terrific young man, Liam", Ellie praised. He smiled softly. "Thank you."

The store door opened and Angela, Ellie's oldest daughter, stepped into the shop. She was a lawyer and used her breaks to visit sometimes. She greeted everyone happily and hugged her mother. Liam ran to get her a fresh cup and dragged another seat to their circle so he should sit and interact with the group. She squeezed his arm in a silent thank you as she sat down and accepted the cup. "What were you guys talking about? Is everything okay?" She asked good-heartedly. "Liam just told us about those horrible, horrible hyenas who destroyed his house" Libby filled her in. Angela raised both eyebrows. "I hope none of you were harmed." "Everybodys fine. We managed to get out in time before the house exploded. I'm just grateful I got my brother out of town before it happened." "Oh, you have a brother? I didn't know that." Angela loved kids and had specialized in family rights. She claimed she liked to help kids get justice. "Hm." Liam nodded. He walked to the cash register where he left his phone and while he walked back searched through his pictures. "Landon. He's almost ten." She showed her and the rest of the women the picture and they all cooed how much alike the brothers looked. "You said you brought his out of town? So I take he's usually living with you? Your parents must appreciate such a tight brother's bond." Angela was surprised but happy. Liam hesitated. "Landon's not my mother's son. We're half brothers. Same dad. Well, father. Sperm donor. My biological father is...he's a piece of shit. Alcoholic. Abuser. You get it. I didn't even know Landon existed until we met months ago by a pure coincidence. The circumstances don't matter but in the end, Theo and I took him home with us. Not a chance I would have let him stay with that man. So he lived with us in the house. Until I brought him to the lake to keep him safe. He lives there now." Liam missed Landon terribly but they were all still so young, they could not care for a child properly. Byron and Lana were perfect for that task and Landon also liked them. He blinked. "But enough of sad stories. Let's talk about something different, okay?"

****** He was cleaning up after Ellie's friends had left. After he had basically pleaded for a change of topic, the talk had revolved around lighter topics and ended on a very funny note. Now Ellie was in the back, doing some accounting, and Liam manned the front of the store. Angela was the only one still there. Now she stepped to the cash register where Liam was currently filling some jars with bagged candy. "I'm going to tell you something, not as a friend but as a lawyer, okay? And I need you to listen." She looked serious and Liam tensed. What happened? "Did I do something wrong? Is your mother mad at me?" "No. But listen." She tapped both index fingers on the counter. "You need your biological father to sign his rights over to you as fast as possible. What you said about him, having him in Landon's and your life is dangerous and not good for either of you. So you need to act fast. Have him make you Landon's legal guardian." Liam frowned. "I planned on doing so once I turned twenty-one. I wasn't aware I can do it now. Thought I had to be twenty-one." Angela shook her head strictly. "No. You need to do it now. In most states, anyone who is eighteen years old can become a guardian. Look, who tells you your father agrees to it in a year? He still holds guardianship and can make decisions for your brother. If he does not sign over his rights, he has so much time to cause harm. You said Landon's almost ten. That means another eight years of having the right to decide about medical procedures, school enrollment, the living situation. Even if Landon stays with you, all it takes is somebody checking who is the legal guardian for Landon. Could be school, could be a doctor's office, or if he gets in trouble it could be the police. If he's in the hospital. For eight years, you have to always fear for this to happen. If your father does not sign his rights over." "If he does not do it on his own, I will take him to court." Angela shook her head even more firm this time. "Honestly? They will ask you where Landon lived for the past year. Legally, what you and Theo did was kidnapping. If you manage to get a strict judge, that alone will cause you to lose the case. Landon will get sent back to his father and you're probably not even allowed to see him. I told you, I'm not telling you this as a friend. As your friend, I understand why you did it, as a lawyer I have to inform you about this likely possibility. The only chance you have is to have your father make you his guardian." It was a hard pill to swallow and Liam gulped. He had been naive, he realized now, and considered it all easier than it was. And maybe Landon had to pay the price for his neglect. "Thank you, Angela", he mumbled sadly.

****** Liam sat in his car and watched the house across the street. The sun was beating down and these barren landscapes made the air even drier. The dusty roads stirred up sand whenever a car raced by. Bleak. He cast a look at the passenger seat. All documents he needed were laying there, including a pen. Now all that Liam was left to do, was get out of the car, walk up to the door, and get a signature. Angela's stern talk from days ago had left Liam rallied. Once he was home, he had told Theo about everything and the couple had to admit them taking Landon out of the house had been a stupid move from the legal point of view. They had emotions get the better of them and now this potentially harmful situation had arisen. Theo had supported Liam in whatever was needed to ensure he would become Landon's guardian but the Beta was also not a lawyer and as much at loss as Liam.

Thank god for Angela. She had helped Liam set up the documents Emmet had to sign and those documents Liam grabbed now when he exited the car. Theo was not with him, his boyfriend didn't even know Liam was here. Nobody knew. This, Liam felt, was something he had to don his own. Maybe to find a deserving ending. Maybe to test his control. Or maybe this was stupid but then again, Liam could proudly admit he was doing stupid crap now and then. Stiles, according to his own claim, could show Liam a list.

He let out a shaky breath when he walked through the unkempt front lawn. Some new beer bottles and cans had gathered around the chair. Emmet was not there but Liam heard his heartbeat through the ajar window. You're not going to kill him, Liam. He does not deserve you getting your hands dirty. Liam knocked at the door. Inside the house, he heard some bottles falling and Emmet's slurred voice mumbling. Then scuffling steps and the door opened. And the young Alpha had to gasp and take a step back. "God, you stink!" The stench of booze, beer, and sweat made him almost gag. Disgusting, his man. "You. What do you want?" Emmet slurred angrily and grabbed the door for support. Liam turned his head away and took a few breaths. He willed his nausea down and turned to face his father. "How long have you been drinking, alkie?" "What do you care? Why are you even here? I don't want you." "Trust me, I don't want you either. But I need something from you and that means I have to come here. I would rather be somewhere else, believe that." "What? Want money for the little gremlin? I'm not giving you a dime." Emmet swayed on his feet. "I don't need your money. Go inside, before you fall flat on your face. I'm not catching you." Liam pointed inside the house. His father made a step towards him. "I should beat the crap out of you for talking to me like that and not stop til you're whimpering. Do you know who I am?" "A sorry excuse for a worm." Liam pushed his biological father by the shoulder and he stumbled back. As drunk as he was, he didn't stand a chance against an Alpha.

Emmet was taken by surprise but managed to catch himself at the table. He spewed a few curse words in Liam's direction before he shuffled around and fell on one of the chairs with the grace of a sack filled with potatoes. Liam closed the door and followed inside. His nose twitched and he wanted to retch at the smell and how dirty everything was but he kept himself from it last minute. This was not for him, this was for Landon. "How's your mother? Still wailing about how horrible I am? The slut should be lucky an honest man wanted her." "My mother is neither a slut nor are you an honest man. Don't mention her or I break your nose." Liam felt his anger building up. This was a test for his control and he might fail it. "Piss off! She's the reason you're such a weak bastard. Wonder what happened with the other one. He's just as weak. Cried whenever I hit him. Begged me to stop. Just like you. Oh, I remember you. Your mother screamed and cried when the ambulance came. I would have left you on the ground. Would have taught you a lesson." "I didn't need a lesson, I needed a father who loved me!" Liam slammed the papers on the table. "Here! Sign this!"

Emmet grabbed it after a few tries and dragged it over the table. He narrowed his eyes at the print. "What should I sign?" "Those are the papers for you to make me Landon's legal guardian. Sign and we're out of your hair forever." Liam balled his hands and felt his fingertips itch. His claws wanted to come out, his wolf furious at the man in front of him. Years of pent-up rage welled up and dared to spill over. He could kill Emmet and probably nobody would shed a tear. Laughter disrupted his thoughts. Emmet had left the papers on the table and laughed. It boomed in Liam's ears. His blood rushed through his veins. This man was mocking him. "If you really think I'm signing this crap, you're mistaken. Know why? Because you bastard want me to and you get nothing from me!" Emmet was still laughing but decided to underline his words by spitting in Liam's direction. It landed on the carpet between them. His claws almost broke through and he was ready to lunge but a voice in his head stopped him. No. Not like this. Not him. Maybe it was his wolf who was even stronger than Liam's human side burdened with IED but it was enough to make Liam pause. If you kill him, you'll never become Landon's guardian. Keep the little one safe.

Liam exhaled loudly through his nose and closed his eyes for a second. If even the animal inside him knew better, he would follow. Had to follow. All for his little brother. Landon didn't deserve a murderer for a hero. He opened his eyes and stared at Emmet. Suddenly Liam was seven again, cowering at the floor while his father screamed at him and walked closer and closer. He had put his arms up back then, in a feeble attempt to shield his body from the hits, and pleaded for the man to stop. Fear. Panic. Pain. But this time Liam didn't feel panicked. He was not afraid of this drunkard calling himself a father. Instead, Liam felt disgust and maybe even pity. This guy had nothing to live for. It gave the young Alpha a strange sense of calm. Out of the two of them, Liam was the better man. The better person. IED or not. The condition didn't rule him as much as it ruled his father, and Liam had quite a lot more on his plate.

He sat at the opposite of the table and took the pen in his hands. "And why wouldn't you? What's in it for you? Just to be petty? Just to put one over on me?" Emmet snickered. "It will bug you forever, that's good enough for me." He reached for a bottle of booze and uncorked it to take a swig. Liam glared at him. Then he put the pen down. His glance landed on his bracelet. The bracelet he shared with Theo. Suddenly, he got an idea. Maybe it was time to see if he could take a book out of Theo's playbook. He raised his head and crossed his arms on top of the table. "Okay, fine, don't sign. We will play your game. I will send Landon back to live here." Emmet eyed him. "You're bluffing." "Not at all. He will come and live with you again. But be aware. I will be around every damn day." "And then what? What will you do? Punch me? You're no match for me", Emmet sneered. "If you lay so much as one finger on him, and we both know you will, I will call the cops on you. They will come and they will arrest you for domestic violence. And yes, Landon may be sent to foster care but I will make sure you will be sent to prison. There is no booze, no beer, no schnapps in prison. But the people there love people who abused kids. I know people and I will make sure every inmate knows what you did to two little boys. That's what will be awaiting you. No freedom to get wasted like you're doing now every day. Think about it." His biological father still eyed him suspiciously. "No way you would ever let him live here again." "To get you locked up, I would do other things. Landon too, by the way. All to make sure you will rot in hell. He's tough, he will take whatever you might to do him. Maybe I will move in as well. One happy family. With me comes my boyfriend, obviously. By the way, how's your hand?" He looked at Emmet's fingers wrapped around the neck of the bottle. Father and son stared at each other, accessed each other until Emmet snorted. "Your mother raised you better than this. I call bluff. You don't have it in you, weak shit!" A cold, dangerous smile appeared on Liam's face and he leaned closer. "You call my mom a slut and other horrible names, yet you forget I also inherited DNA from you. We both have IED. Wanna find out how much more alike we are? If I'm as cruel as you are?" He gave his father a death glare. "You want to start a war? I'll raise you World War III. Your choice. Either don't sign and feel the whiplash or sign and you will never have to see us again." Liam placed the pen on the papers and waited. His heart was thundering inside his chest. That was not his usual way to carry on negotiations and he had no idea if it worked. Theo made it always seem so easy and pulled it off without a hitch. But Liam knew he was not that good. Emmet grabbed the pen and fiddled with it. He scribbled his signature at the marked fields, an unruly chicken scratch but his signature nonetheless. "Get the hell out of here. If I see you on my front lawn again, I will shoot you." Liam's hand shot towards and he pulled the documents towards himself after the last signature was done. "I have better people to be around than you. Give your liver a break once in a while." He got up just in time as Emmet's hand shot towards his throat. The alcoholic missed by far and his hand thumped on the table. "Fuck off, you piss baby!" The sound of the splintering bottle hitting the wall was the last thing Liam heard from his father when he now left the house without so much of a goodbye.

It only dawned on him what just had transpired when he was in his car and already on the road. Liam stopped at a red light and breathed a sigh of relief. "Holy shit!" He had faced Emmet Dunbar, that one man he hated with a burning passion, the one who had made his childhood horrible and hurt Liam, Ilona, and Landon so much. Against what he had wanted to do to him, Emmet had left the meeting completely without a cut, Liam was incredibly proud of himself. Even though now, that everything settled, his hands shook and his heart raced, adrenaline pumping through his body. That had the potential to go so, so wrong and yet Liam stood tall. He glanced at the papers safely sitting on the passenger seat. Not only had it worked out without Liam losing his temper, but it had also really worked and he was Landon's guardian. The threat of Emmet interfering with their lives and taking Landon away again was erased. Liam wanted to cry.

His phone chimed and Liam almost hit another car. "Jesus Christ!" He accepted the call over the speaker. "Hey, Theo." "Hey. Say, just out of curiosity, where the hell are you? Nobody knows where you left. It's not like you to disappear like that. What's going on." Liam bit his lip. "I was at Emmet's." "Emmet? Emmet Dunbar? Your father? What the fuck! Is he still alive?" "Shh, let me explain. I told you about what Angela said and I went to get his signature. Yes, he's still alive, I didn't touch him. Even though I wanted to." He heard Theo closing a door and birds singing in the background. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have accompanied you." Yeah, good question. Liam didn't know for sure. "I guess...I needed to burn this bridge alone? Prove to myself I can stay calm around him. I'm not like him in any capacity and while I know you and I absolutely adore you for always being there for me, this was something I had to do alone. You understand? Maybe for my own peace of mind, I dunno." Theo was silent for a few moments. "Yeah, I understand", he finally confessed. "Did it work, at least?" A smile broke out on Liam's face. "Yep. Have all the signatures I need. Thanks to you as well." "Thanks to me? What did I do?" "Well, let's say you're a good teacher, even if you don't want to be one. I'll tell you everything once I get home, okay?" Theo laughed. "Okay. Love you." "Love you too."

****** Landon's face appeared on the screen in front of Liam and as soon as he had a picture, the child waved animatedly. "Hello, Liam!" Videocalls were a good way to keep in contact even if they could not see each other in person. Liam happily waved back. "Hey, Landon, how are you?" "I'm good. Zack and I built a fort." Landon launched himself into a story of all the things his best friend and he had done. Lana and Byron appeared in the background of the call but they simply waved and let the boy talk. Liam put his chin in the palm of his hand and listened with a smile. Seeing Landon so carefree and hearing about him being a normal child was all he ever wanted. It came nine years too late and Liam knew his brother must have been affected one way or another by his upcoming but now that he was out of Emmet's claws, Landon was in for an amazing life. After he was done, Landon asked about Liam's life in Seattle. Now it was the older's turn to talk about college, his pack, the fairies (Landon loved this part and he asked thousands of questions). Theo had joined Liam for a while and laughed softly. "He's like you", he whispered into his mate's ear and kissed Liam's cheek before he disappeared out of the frame again after a wave in Landon's direction. Liam chuckled but then he finished his story. "One more thing, Landon. You know we took you away from Emmet, right?" Landon shivered at the mention of his father's name but nodded bravely. "Do I have to go back? Please, don't make me go back!" "No, no, hey, I would never. That's why I'm telling you. He signed all the papers. I am your guardian now." Lana and Byron appeared left and right from Landon. "He did? Oh, how wonderful, Liam." Lana was touched. Landon scrunched his nose. "What does guardian mean?" "It means Liam is responsible for you now and Emmet can never hurt you again. Say you want to go on a class trip, for example, the school has to ask Liam and not your father anymore", Byron patiently explained to him. Landon considered. "So, he can't get me?" "Never again. He's out of your life for good", Liam promised firmly. His brother beamed at the adults. "That's amazing!" "Yeah, it is." Lana stroked through his hair. "But, Sweetie, you have to get ready for bed now. Tomorrow's a school day." "But I want to keep talking to Liam. I'm not finished." Yes, Landon could be stubborn. "We can talk tomorrow, Laddie. After school, yeah? Now you have to get ready for bed. Sleep is important. I'm going to bed now too. Theo does too. See?" He rolled to the side and tilted his screen so Landon could see Theo brushing his teeth with the bathroom door open. Theo waved. It wasn't that he actually wanted to go to bed but he had tried some licorice Mike had brought home, not from Ellie though, and after eating it Theo claimed to have a bad taste in his mouth. Landon huffed. "But we talk tomorrow", he insisted. "Werewolf promise." Liam raised his hand solemnly to swear. "Good Night, Laddie." "Good Night, Liam. Good Night, Theo." Landon stood up. "Good Night, you two," Lana called out and then disappeared with Landon.

Byron sat on the desk chair. "I know he signed but did the meaning with your father go well?" "It did. As well as possible with this man. I was pretty surprised at my control. At a certain point, I was ready to snap but somehow my wolf made me pull back and I got more level-headed." "That's the Alpha in you. Even if our personality or our urges say otherwise, sometimes the Alpha part can balance it out to keep the peace. It is impressive how well you learned to work with your wolf." The praise was nice because Liam tried. Sometimes it felt like all he did was running in circles but then he proved to everyone (and mostly himself) he was a good person and improving. "Speaking of Alpha and peace, Liam I forwarded an email to you just now. Have a look at it, maybe Theo should do so as well."

Theo had dried his mouth and now walked over to lean on Liam's chair while Liam opened the mail Byron had forwarded. It included a word document and when Liam opened it, it turned out to be an invitation to a meeting held in a hotel in Seattle. "Liam, part of being an Alpha are pack politics." Liam whined. "I told you I'm not good at that! What is this? An Alpha congress? I can't go there." "Maybe let the man talk before you cut and run", Theo suggested and smoothly avoided the contact between Liam's elbow and his stomach by moving aside. "I know what you said, Liam, and this is no pressure but I wanted to inform you. The invitation is indeed for an Alpha meeting. No congress, just a few Alphas coming together and talking." "About what?" Liam saw himself on a stage, in front of hundreds of Alphas, a whole auditorium filled with them, and making a fool out of himself. People would laugh. It would be a degrading experience. "Life. This and that. No one is expecting a speech from you, Liam. See I've been to a few of those meetings. There are only packs living close by attending these meetings. They're mostly boring. You stand around, do some small talk, maybe eat a quick snack, and leave. But they can also help you get a better idea of which packs are around yours. In the area. It can be interesting, if only so for scouting. But, of course, that does not mean you have to attend. It's no declaration of war not to go there. Just like you cannot declare war by saying a wrong word if you go." "Those are all Alphas, experienced Alphas probably, and then I show up. Junior McJunington. What will they think?" "Screw what they think. So what if they're older or more experienced? You're you and that's awesome" Theo passionately declared. "Thank you, Dr. Seuss", Liam hissed. He frowned and scratched his cheek. "I have to think about this." "As it is your right. Don't do anything you're not comfortable with." "If I should attend, there will be no problem? I can just show up there?" "The invitation is addressed to the Alpha of the Morning Dew Pack. They seemingly didn't get the memo about the change in our pack but that doesn't matter. The invitation is for you, not for me. Actually, no Beta can attend the meeting. And no Alpha mate either unless they're specifically invited." "I have to go there alone??" Liam shrieked. In his mind, he had Theo by his side. Maybe Brett and Caden since both could be real charmers and have intellectual conversations. Corey would have also a good match despite him being as insecure as Liam in those settings. Byron rubbed his hands together. "Those are the rules. But I know, alone or not, you will be just fine. Should you go or not. This is not something I can do for you. The decision is all yours. Just one more thing, to be fair. you will be the youngest in this group. By a few decades, I suppose. That's why I don't think they will pay you much attention. They're just curious." "Great", Liam said sarcastically. "Given my track records with strange Alphas so far, this will be a marvelous experience."

****** "I don't think you should go. What if that's a trap?" Tim worried about Liam's safety. Liam had informed his pack about the invitation right the next day and after classes, they were sitting in the living room and discussing this. "I think he should go. Just to check the others out. Maybe he can make allies?" Brett opposed. "I also think Liam should go. Byron said he has been to a few of those meetings. I don't think it's a trap", Sadie tried to dissolve Tim's worry and he gave her a grateful look. "The two strange Alphas I met in the last year have both tried to kill me. You understand I'm not keen on walking in a room full of unfamiliar Alphas?" Liam questioned. "I think that should be the reason you go", Ever stated, "to show all of them you're not afraid. If they plan on messing with you, you will look them in the eye. Maybe then they won't underestimate you." "I just don't see the purpose of those meetings. From what Byron said it sounds pretentious." Corey looked peeved. "Oh, it is", Lori confirmed. "But they are not that rare. I don't think you have to be scared, Liam." She offered a genuine smile. Liem returned it cause he knew she was trying to make him feel better. "What do you mean by not rare?" "Well, they're not, if you have Alphas of the old school" Brett took over from his sister. "Modern Alphas just meet up, talk, like Scott with Satomi. They don't even call it an Alpha meeting and send out fancy invites. Those are practices of the old guard, mostly well-esteemed werewolves who love to use those meetings to gossip. Ever seen those movies with scenes in Gentlemen Clubs? Country Clubs? Those are the people to expect at those meetings. Byron's not that far off when he says they won't spare you a look. You're - and don't take this the wrong way - not their type of person, if you know what I mean." "The Alpha from my parents' pack also attends such meetings. They always gush about the delicious and expensive things they eat there. But this woman also has a rich husband and considers herself playing tennis and golf as labor. So, pretty much pompous, entitled snobs", Sadie said. Maya rolled her eyes. "I also know about those meetings but I'm so glad I never met an Alpha going there before. Eh, no offense, Liam." Liam groaned. "Okay, just the danger of becoming the new hot gossip for the elite wolves around. Yeah, I think I'll pass." "I would still go", Caden chimed in. "It's a good opportunity to get to know how many are around. Do you know that? They invited Byron so their radius must be quite large but how many packs live between Seattle and the lake? Wouldn't it be good to know in case we need help? What if the hyenas come back? Having some werewolf allies would not be that bad."

He had a point. They all did. Liam was still torn. For once because he was afraid of making a fool of himself, then for the reason not to offend another Alpha and start a war, and on top of it, he now came to the realization just how different those Alphas seemed to be. He looked at his boyfriend. "What do you say?" Theo had listened to everything and had made up his mind. "You should go. For all those reasons. Byron said there will not come anything bad from it. He would never let you go to any event if he feared something might happen to you. If he says you can go, I believe him. And yeah, it is a good way to get information. Maybe there are not that many packs around. But you will only find out if you go." Since most of his Betas said he should go, he considered. Maybe it was a good idea indeed. Only one problem: "If it's that high class, what should I wear?"

Fifteen minutes later Liam regretted that question. He stood in his bedroom while Theo, Brett, Mason, and Sadie sat on his bed. Sadie throned between the other guys, one leg crossed over the other, and looked like she was having the time of her life. Liam was the poor victim and had to model several outfits for the self-proclaimed fashion experts of his pack (he knew Theo could dress good but at this point, Liam felt betrayed) who all had other ideas of the perfect outfit. "That dress shirt is perfect for you. Not too out there but also not too normal" Mason praised Liam's current outfit consisting of black pants and a dark grey dress shirt. Liam hated it. It was not even one of his shirts but one of Theo's Mason had just grabbed. His boyfriend had not protested (see, there was the betrayal) but now shook his head. "That's not the outfit to go." "Absolutely right. Liam, grab the one I hung there." Sadie pointed at the clothes and Liam grumbled but grabbed them and stalked into the bathroom. When he emerged again, he was wearing jeans, a blue slipover with a white button-down shirt underneath. Liam felt like he was a kindergartener dressed by mommy. "Now you look like back in Devenford. Then again, maybe this private school flair is exactly what you need", Brett snickered. Liam glared at him and Theo scoffed before he handed Liam the third outfit. Liam glared at him too for good measure and disappeared into the bathroom again.

The outfit Theo had picked for him, Liam didn't even know where he got it. He had never seen Theo wearing this particular combo. Cloth trousers, a polo shirt and a sports jacket over it. "How the hell do you get this? And why do you get this?" He asked once he emerged from the bathroom. Interesting, Theo became a bit sheepishly. "I got it for some occasions? Maybe a job interview?" "This is so not you." Liam eyed himself in the mirror. "This is so not me either. What were you thinking, guys? None of your outfits were good." "You wanted us to help you", Mason defended himself. "I wanted to get suggestions, not become your dress-up doll", Liam replied sharply. Sadie sighed. "You're being difficult. Don't you want to make a good first impression?" "A good impression as himself, shouldn't that be the goal?" Caden had walked into the room and crossed the arms in front of his chest. He looked at Liam. "You look strange. Actually, you look like me whenever my aunt visited the family. Horrible." "How do you look when your aunt visits?" Brett had to know. Caden pulled out his cellphone and searched a bit before he handed the phone over. Brett snickered. "Okay, thanks for the laugh. So dapper, oh my. One would not think that since you're almost only ever wearing more casual clothing." Sadie giggled. "Does Ever know you can look like that?" "As a matter of fact, yeah. She doesn't like it. I can relate. But my aunt is quite old-fashioned and conservative. She came to town, we dressed like that, covered up our tattoos, the whole shebang. We just never liked it. Liam doesn't like dressing up either." "Tell me about it. That's a topic we have had since we're friends." Mason rolled his eyes. Liam wanted to glare at him but if he was honest, his best friend was right. So he raised his shoulders. "I have dress shirts. I just happen to like t-shirts and jeans more." "Hence why I think you should wear that", Caden stated. "You are not like the type of Alpha who wears expensive clothing and the latest brands. You're Liam. We like Liam. Why do you want to be somebody you're not? Just to impress people you probably will never see again after that one time?" "That's true." Even Theo had to admit that. "I know when you're comfortable and you never are when you dressed up to a certain extend." "I still think if the occasion calls for it, you should make an effort", Sadie insisted. "It's not about what you want; it's about what our Alpha wants. Liam goes to the meeting and Liam has to represent himself and our pack. He should do it as his truest self possible", Brett retaliated. She pouted.

But then she got up from the bed and walked towards Liam's open closet. She dug around there for a while before she pulled out a pale blue t-shirt. It was a new one, Liam had only worn it twice and he loved how soft the fabric was, it felt good and comfy on his skin. Sadie handed it to him. "The color makes your eyes pop. That and that one light blue jeans you have. If you walk into a room full of strange werewolves, bright colors make you look friendlier." "That's Sadie. If you can't dress them up the way you want, at least get into chromatics", Brett praised.

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Quite a Liam-centric chapter but then again he's the Alpha and Landon's brother. And he had to make decisions. Now the question is, what will happen at the meeting? What do you guys think? All I can say is, I'm excited about the new chapter.

#Thiam #A tale written with fangs and claws #alpha!liam #My writing #Morning Dew Pack series

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