#too much going on but i'm glad i can sit down and make some ten and donna gifs tonight

[expelliarmus]

#mine #doctor who #dwedit #david tennant #catherine tate #:D!!! #time to remake this??? YES #hi friends!!! i got back from my vacation on monday #and then tuesday was the first day back at work #too much going on but i'm glad i can sit down and make some ten and donna gifs tonight #now that it's september i'm just like skhdfksjfkdsd CAN'T WAIT FOR NOVEMBER #they're coming back SO SOONNNNN #i'm gonna go make a ten/donna icon now with that dwm cover shoot they did

[luveline]

𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 | 𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧

you get upset when eddie's friends think you're clingy. he sets you straight with some unbridled affection. requested here. fem!reader, 2.6k

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

The diner is bustling with life and smells alike, people in their summer jackets eager to sit down and dig into a plate of greasy, fatty meats. You're just as excited, your fingers curled into Eddie's sleeve and following his lead as he weaves through a gaggle of kids playing between the bar and the booths. 

"Sorry, sir," a young girl says to him, springing out of his path. 

"That's okay," he says, leaning back to squint at you curiously, "Do I look like a sir?" he asks you.

Pale faced, dark-haired, the remnants of last night's eyeliner clinging to his bottom lashes, you can't say you'd look at Eddie and think, Sir. Pretty boy extraordinaire with a rather inviting smile, absolutely. 

"I think so, sir," you say. 

Eddie laughs at you, pressing a hand behind your shoulders to move you along. His friend Gareth waves from a booth tucked in a corner under a white sconce. Jamison sits to his left, and Margaret to his right. You feel a little skip in your pulse at the sight —they intimidate you, and you want desperately for them to like you, only you never know what to say. 

"Hey," Eddie says as you approach the booth. He pushes you gently to encourage you into the seat first. "How's it going? Did we order?" 

"We were waiting for you. They said we have to go up to the bar when we're ready."

"We're late, I get it. Where's Jeff?" 

"He went to the bathroom, like, ten minutes ago," Jamison says with a sigh, climbing to his feet. "I'll go see if he's alright." 

"He's fine. Maggie, are you coming to order?" Gareth says, getting up with him. 

"Yes, finally!" she says. 

The relative chaos of your arrival has you hesitating in your seat. Margaret left her purse and her jacket on the table, and Jamison his keys. 

"You okay to stay here while I order?" Eddie asks. 

You'd much prefer Eddie order for you, but you don't want to be sitting here by yourself if Jamison and Jeff come back before him. You won't know what to say. It won't be their fault. You'll make things awkward for everyone. 

You stand up again, shedding your jacket as you do. No one's gonna steal anyone's stuff, the bar is too close. "I'll come with you."

Eddie slots your fingers together easily, grinning, "Lucky me." 

His friends order first and return to the booth soon after. You and Eddie get cut by a cranky looking old lady but neither of you say anything, nowhere to be and no reason to mind. He tells you about the guitar he's been repairing at work and you listen adoringly, in love with the shape of his lips and how he says every word. He's a great storyteller. 

A new friend appears once you've ordered. 

"Hey, Eddie!" one of the waiters says, appearing from the kitchen with a tray of drinks and fries in hand. "Man, I've been trying to get a hold of you all week. The string on my daughter's guitar flew off, nearly blinded her in the process, would you be able to fix that for me? I'll pay you for your time." 

Eddie waves it off. "It'll only take five minutes, you can drop by whenever I'm home. Why do they keep splitting like that, is she messing with the pegs?" 

"She definitely is. Can I get your number? Macey washed my pants without emptying the pockets."

There's a mad scramble for a pen. You have one in your jacket because Eddie's always looking for one, but your jacket is back in the booth. You promise to make a hasty return and set off for it, glad to see Jeff's alright, standing at the table likely waiting for you and Eddie to get back rather than move your things. You like Jeff most out of everyone. With the whole group collected you know he won't drag you into conversation. 

"She's a bit… much," Gareth's saying.

"How can she be a bit much? She doesn't say a lot," Maggie says. 

You frown. You're the only other she. 

"Not like that, just– the touching and stuff. She's always grabbing onto him like a toddler. I don't think I could stand it." 

"You don't have to stand it," Jeff says. "She's Eddie's girl." 

"Clearly." 

"Gareth, when was the last time you got laid?" Maggie asks, flicking a hair tie at him, to his annoyance. "You're being bitter. They fucking love each other, man, it's nice." 

"It is a little tiny bit too much sometimes," Jamison says.

You wince. You know it's a matter of seconds before one of them turns to see you standing there. Is it worse to turn around or to approach? 

You walk up to the table just as Gareth says, "Yes! Thank you man, she's too–" 

He cuts off when he sees you with a cough.

"Who?" you ask, full well knowing it's you. Honestly, you're shy but you still get mad, you kind of want him to own up and say it while you're there, and at the same time you're hoping against hope they'll lie. 

Thankfully, they pretend it was about someone else. 

"Nobody," Maggie says. 

"Some girl at the library," Jamison says. 

You lean past Jeff with as sunny an apology as you can manage to grab the pen from your jacket. "Eddie," you say by way of explanation, holding the pen up with a shrug. 

You walk away quicker than you should. It's obvious you've overheard. There's a thump and a, "Nice fucking job, loser." 

Eddie's deep in conversation as you offer the pen. He takes it without stopping, but he makes sure he kisses your cheek. 

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom, okay?" you say. 

"I'll be right there, sweetheart." 

To get to the bathroom you have to walk past the booth again. With the hurt feeling pounding between your ears and what you suspect might be all eyes on you, you make for one of the two doors. The summer sun and the dry Hawkins heat hits you immediately, a second layering of smothering to wrap around the first. You walk around a rainbow chalk hopscotch and into the shade of the smoking shelter, hands at your collar, breathing hard. 

Don't cry, you think firmly. Don't cry. They'll know if you do and that's twice as embarrassing as walking out. Imagine how embarrassed Eddie will feel if you cause a scene.  

You sit on the little perch in the shelter and stare at the floor. There's nowhere to look that isn't stingingly bright, the sun in the white-blue sky glaring down on you and the sidewalk bleached a blinding ivory. You close your eyes against it. Your shoulders hunch in protectively. Your hands find their way to your face. 

Like a toddler, Gareth said. You press your fingertips into your eyes, fighting against the ache. Is that true? Are you childish in how much you rely on Eddie? You take his hand and his arm, you catch onto his clothes when you're worried, you step behind him when you're overwhelmed. 

"Shit," you whisper. 

The breeze washing over you does little to cool you down. You must sit there for a handful of minutes, worried and nauseous. 

"Hey," Eddie says gently. You flinch despite his best efforts not to startle you. 

He looks tall outlined by the sun. 

"You okay?" he asks. 

"I just wanted some fresh air," you say. 

He raises his brows slightly. "That why Gareth just apologised to me?" 

You wince as he sits down. All of you wants to sag into his side, but a small voice tells you not to. You stay ramrod straight, hands pressed flat and clammy to your knees. 

Eddie gives your elbow a rub. His thumb digs into soft skin and the harder suggestion of cartilage and bone before sliding up. He uses touch often to convey silent reassurement. This seems to say, I don't know what happened, but I'm here. 

"I'm fine. We can go back inside," you say, attempting to fool him. 

"There's no rush." His voice tips to a low, rough register. He's keyed in to your upset, no doubt about it. "It's a nice day, babe." 

He gives you a minute. The small feathering of clouds skirts one edge of the horizon to the other, the shadow of the diner stretching tall as the sun lazes down. You push the worst of your feelings from your mind. It's easy to do with such an unshakeable support at your side, his fingers curling down to your forearm, vying for a hand to hold. 

"I heard your friends talking about me. It wasn't all nice," you confess. 

"Assholes." 

You glance at his face. He has a crease between his brows. 

"Well, mostly Gareth. He said that I… act like a kid. A toddler, that I'm too much, at least for him to stand. And don't get me wrong, Eds, I'm not thrilled that they were talking about me, but I guess I…" You take a short breath and look away from him. "I hate that it's true." 

"You can be mad when people talk shit. I'm mad," he says. "He said you're like a toddler?" He shuffles closer to you on the bench. "Babe, it's not true, okay? You're not too much. Fuck, we're here to hang out and they can't wait ten minutes to run their mouths–" 

"It wasn't like that, it was just Gareth." Gareth's always been the selfish friend. 

"He doesn't get a pass for saying something shitty 'cos he's always shitty. I brought you here," —you peek at him, recognising upset in his tone even when it's the barest inkling— "knowing you didn't really want to come because you get so nervous," —he sounds pained for you— "I fucking told him to leave you alone. I said we wouldn't come around if he didn't stop being a mood killer." 

You worry at your bottom lip. "Maybe that's kind of his point, Eds. You have to look out for me. You had to ask someone to be nice to me 'cos I can't handle it–" 

"You don't have to handle it. The people around you should be nice to you. This isn't high school, you don't have to put up with it, and I told him that." Eddie grabs your arm with the hand that isn't tangled in yours and turns you to face him. "I'm sorry," he says, almost a murmur, "I didn't invite you today to have you humiliated." 

You're feeling a little mortified by the passion of his feelings. He's mad at the wrong person, isn't he? "Why are you sorry? I'm the one who clings to you." 

"I want you to." Eddie holds your eyes, brown and big and imploring you to listen, the starts of his brows sewing together. "I'm sorry because it's not fair. And because Gareth was a dick to you. And for getting mad." He smiles at you ruefully. "I'm being a dick, too." 

"In what world?" 

Eddie leans in slowly, giving you enough time to close your eyes as his nose bumps into yours, encouraging your head up to allow for a kiss. He kisses twice, a third time, pulling away to rub your bottom lip. 

"Are you really upset?" he asks softly. 

You know whatever answer you give him is one he's okay with. 

"I feel so embarrassed," you say. "They knew that I overheard them. Now I feel like I'll be constantly worried about how much I'm touching you." 

"Well, that's their problem. That doesn't say shit about you," Eddie says, wrinkling his nose. 

"I'm really not too much?" you ask. He can likely hear how desperate you are for a kind answer, your throat burning with the effort it takes to stave off tears. 

"You've never been too much. I'm the too-much one. You wouldn't even hold my hand when we first started dating, you remember that? We'd go to the movies and you'd get so flustered when I bought your ticket." Eddie's arms wrap around your waist, the breeze ruffling his sweet curls and sending gusts of his smell your way. You're a goner, dropping your face into his shoulder. "Do you remember that?" he asks again, his face slipping down to yours as he hugs you close. "The first time we went to the Hawk together, I went first, and I don't know why you thought you'd have to buy your own ticket but you got all quiet when I got yours, too. I loved that. You know what I loved even more than that?" 

You smile, knowing he's going to say something lovely. "What?" you ask. 

"I loved how proud you were to sit down with me. You wouldn't hold my hand but you'd put your cheek on my shoulder just like this." 

Eddie rubs the tip of his nose against your temple. "I love how much you want to be near me," he says. "It's not childish, is it? If being closer to me makes you feel better, there's nothing wrong with that. Gareth's just jealous 'cos he isn't getting laid." 

"That's what Maggie said." You laugh. 

"Maggie's a good one. She makes Gareth bearable, kind of." 

You feel the stretch of his back under your hands. Your head is pounding from the sudden rush of big emotions, your tongue dry and throat aching, but you don't have a lick of urgency to get up and go back in. 

"He's such a dick," you whisper. 

Eddie laughs, patting your back. "Such a fucking dick." 

"I can't help being a loser and wanting to hug you so much," you say. You're joking now, but it's true all the same. 

"I tempt the untemptable," he says agreeably.

You laugh and lift up a bit to hug him harder, your face pressing into his neck. 

"You're not a loser," he says more seriously. "You know that, right? What Gareth said, it's not okay, but there's no accounting for idiocy." Eddie sits back on the bench, taking your forearms into his hands for some more soft massaging. "He can think whatever he likes, I'm not the government, but he was wrong, and also it's rude and, again, super shitty of him to do that here. So with your blessing I'm gonna punch him in the face." 

"Nooooo," you murmur. 

"Very soft no. Taking it for a yes."

"Eddie, you can't hit Gareth."

"He should watch his mouth, then." 

You reach up for a second hug. You love that he prioritised how you felt, as well as how eager he is to stick up for you —how mad he is on your behalf. 

"He's trying to take this away from me," Eddie says, leaning back under your weight, arms crossing behind your spine. He looks up at you like you've stolen his breath, lips parted and teeth peeking out with his smile. 

"Do you really want to punch him?" you ask. You sound very fond.

"I hate that he made you feel bad about yourself. And he irritates me." 

"But…" 

Eddie hums like he's thinking for a moment. "No, I definitely still want to hit him." 

You tuck a curl away from his cheek tenderly. "Thanks for wanting to defend my honour, Eds," you say.

"I'm on your side through everything." He looks ridiculously pretty saying such a ridiculously lovely thing. "That's how we work, right? You're on my side too?" 

Your face flushes with heat. "Of course I am, baby." 

"Good. Unrelated to our previous conversation, how much money do you have, roughly? In case I need financial aid in the coming days." He drops his voice to a whisper, "How much even is bail lately?" 

You cup his cheek. "We can't afford it," you whisper back. 

"Typical." 

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

thank you for reading!♡

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson oneshot #eddie munson scenario #eddie munson drabble #eddie munson fic #eddie munson fanfiction #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things #stranger things fic #stranger things x reader

[jsprnt]

Americano PT. 4 | Jude Bellingham x Reader

What happens if two individuals who absolutely despise each other are forced to interact after unforeseen events occur?

A/N: thank u guys for waiting and having patience! enjoy reading <3

W/C: 4.092

part three

"I'm craving a late-night dessert."

I lazily text Luis, shifting on my hotel room bed in Girona. The minimalist interior helping my mind rest after the very hectic and stressful day.

The match against Girona FC was a blazing success with a 3-0 win for us, and what better way to celebrate than having good food?

My eyes widen slightly at the message popping up on the screen, reading Luis' response quickly.

"Meet me at the restaurant in twenty."

I immediately plant my feet down on the floor, sliding the hotel slippers on. Hurriedly having to put on something appropriate since my pyj wouldn't cut it. Rummaging through my small suitcase, I grab my just-in-case slip dress. I would always pack a dress for situations exactly like these. Thankfully, it hadn't wrinkled that much, still looking acceptable enough to be worn out.

I pull the dress over my frame, checking it out in the mirror. Fixing my appearance a bit, for once glad I was too lazy to remove my makeup.

I grab my phone and keycard, walking out of my hotel room. My sandals clicking against the marble floor and echoing throughout the spacious hallway.

I press the elevator button, scrolling through my phone as I wait for the elevator to travel up to my floor. The doors open a moment later with a small noise. I raise my head, ready to step forward, watching the doors slide open patiently, but freeze when I see Vinicius and Jude stand in the elevator.

Both men are dressed up to some extent. Vini just wearing a white T-shirt, while Jude is dressed in a gray cardigan.

It wasn't even that cold..

"Hi?" I greet, trying to keep my facial expression neutral, stepping inside reluctantly. My eyes darting over to the panel of buttons.

"Hey, where are you going?" Vini asks, and at that moment I see the restaurant button already lit up.

"The restaurant- like you guys?"

"Celebrating tonight's win, some others are joining us as well."

"Really? No curfew tonight?"

"We got an exception." He winks, making me chuckle.

"Oh, that's nice!" I comment, leaning against the elevator wall. The conversation quieting down and becoming slightly more awkward. Jude's annoying and negative energy pissing me off a bit.

"You're going alone?" I hear a moment later, my eyes darting back to Vini.

"No, I'm meeting Luis there. He's on a different floor."

The elevator suddenly stops at a different level, the doors sliding open to reveal a family of four. A mother and father, guiding their very tired-looking children into the small space.

I exchange a smile with the mom, stepping aside to make room for them. Cringing when my hand makes accidental contact with Jude's leg. I immediately fold my arms up in disgust, trying to shuffle a couple centimeters away from him.

An awkward silence surrounds us again, the minute or two it takes for the elevator to arrive feeling like hours at this point.

We finally arrive at our floor after the family gets off to their level. The restaurant has beautiful outside seating. Pretty green trees and plants decorating the area nicely. I can hear Vini and Jude walking right behind me as I walk closer towards the seating area.

My eyes catch Luis sitting with some players. Watching carefully, I realize they had already combined multiple tables. Making it a table for ten.

So, now I have to sit with all of these men, as the only woman?

I enjoyed the company of all of these men except one, but still- I just wanted my little dessert and go to bed.

I notice only three chairs being available, all across from Luis.

"Hi guys." I greet, looking at them. I slide my chair back to sit right across from Luis, both of us sitting at the end of our table. The other players greeting and welcoming us nicely.

I adjust my dress as I sit down, hearing the scrape of the chair next to me. I look up, staring right at Jude's side profile.

I bite back a sigh and look away, my eyes skimming the table.

"Is everyone going to enjoy their orange juice?" I joke, knowing they weren't allowed to drink tonight, nor was it encouraged.

I hear a couple grumbles and laugh, looking over at Luis.

"What are you getting?" I ask as he hands me the menu. I flip all the way to the back, finding the dessert category.

"Crema catalana, and I'm still thinking about my drink."

I hum, continuing to mentally debate on what I should get, eyes roaming over all of the delicious-sounding desserts.

After much overthinking, I decide to order a classic cheesecake, along with a virgin mojito. I look around to find a waiter, one finally catching my eye. I raise my hand to call him over, allowing the others to order first, fidgeting with my necklace while I wait for my turn.

I look up at the waiter when he starts speaking in English, realizing Jude is ordering and it’s my turn next.

"What would the beautiful lady like?" He says, not switching back to Spanish for some reason. I give him an awkward smile, quickly giving my order.

The waiter isn't necessarily bad-looking or anything, he's alright, just visibly not my age.

Way older for sure.

He repeats my order to me, and I try to listen intently, noticing his eyes flicker to my chest. I nod in confirmation when he's done, reluctantly handing him the menu when his ogling of my chest intensifies. I don’t miss the creepy spine chilling smirk he gives me, but I give him a blank face, not entertaining his bullshit.

I exhale when he finally leaves, shifting in my chair. Trying to calm my annoyance.

"You okay?" Luis asks, glancing at me concerned. His shoe making contact with mine.

"I'm okay. I'll go to the restroom for a moment." I whisper, grabbing my phone off the table and getting up.

I walk into the restroom. The beige and dark gray decorated space looking gorgeous, especially with the nice lighting.

I get to the sink and wash my hands to refresh myself. Deciding to take a couple pictures. I had noticed that I barely had good pictures of myself on these short trips. I definitely had to remember to capture these moments more often.

After spending a good five minutes snapping tens, or maybe even hundreds, of pictures, I realize I had to head back to our table.

I mentally prepare myself, trying to suppress the feeling of wanting to punch the waiter square in the jaw.

Can a woman wear a pretty dress and not be made uncomfortable by a man for once?

The guys I was with did not say one thing or did not look at me in a weird way at all. So, why did the stupid waiter have to ruin my mood?

I take a deep breath, open the restroom door, and walk back to our table. Conversations and jokes being made in full motion put me in a better mood, and I get an idea.

"Guys, let me take a picture of you all." I suggest, seeing some of them look up. Voices of agreement being spoken.

"Whose phone should I use?" I ask, going to stand at the head of the table. Jude handing his phone to me. Realizing he must've understood my question.

I decide to not say anything and just take the phone, snapping some very nice, memorable photos.

"Take a selfie! You need to be in it as well." I hear Brahim urge, his arm wrapped around Antonio's.

I nod, flipping to the front camera, positioning the phone so everyone can be seen properly, and take a few more pictures. Finishing up, I hand the phone back to Jude, going to sit down again.

After indulging in numerous conversations, our orders finally arrive, brought by the same waiter as before. I'm aware he can't bring all orders at once, so I wait patiently, watching him hand out a couple orders at a time.

As expected, my order comes last. The waiter places my cheesecake in front of me, my eyes follow the delicious, creamy dessert-

SPLASH!

I feel ice cubes and cold liquid spill all over me.

There is no fucking way this just happened to me...

This had to be on purpose, because there is no way.

My eyes and mouth go as wide as dishes. I look down at my wet dress, drenched in my mojito. Broken shards of glass now on the floor, next to my feet.

The entire table goes quiet, and I suddenly want to be buried alive.

Is this real life right now?

I look up at the waiter, watching him scramble for the handkerchief in his back pocket. I'm still frozen, in shock as his hand inches closer to me. To my horror, he starts dabbing and rubbing the damn cloth on my drenched chest.

Absolutely not, this couldn't be real...

I snap out of it, realizing this man was touching my body, and open my mouth to curse him out until a hand grips at the waiter's wrist. I can practically see it turn white until it's pushed away from my proximity with a scary strength.

"Don't touch her."

I hear an unusually deep, calm voice say and immediately know who it belongs to.

I don't even dare to look his way, whether it's because I'm so fucking embarrassed or- no I was absolutely horrified.

I watch the waiter clutch his wrist, trying to look as unbothered by the pain as possible, as he starts spewing millions of apologies to an enraged Jude.

"Don't apologize to me! You touched her!" He says loudly, gesturing to me. Frustration painted all over his face.

Oh shit

No way, he just defended me

I finally gather the courage to look at him, forgetting all of my words completely as I watch the situation unfold. Along with Jude, the entire table erupts in voices of disagreement. All of them practically ganging up on the waiter.

The waiter’s expression falters again as a string of more apologies leave his mouth. I can't help but just stare at him, unable to say or do anything.

"Can we see the manager?" I hear Antonio say, beginning to usher the waiter away.

The waiter finally leaves to collect the manager, and I look down at my body, uncomfortably starting to wipe away at the sticky residue of the sweet beverage left on my skin.

Talk about a mess.

Luis stands up from his chair, coming to help me as I can hear soft murmurs coming from the rest of the table. Hearing curse words in multiple languages mumbled underneath their breath.

I do hear a couple reassuring words, female staff members coming to help me out. After a couple of minutes of trying to clean myself off in the restroom, I finally walk back. Feeling much better and cleaner, though still in shock.

A damn late-night snack suddenly turned into whatever this mess was...

When I sit down, I notice three empty chairs, realizing both Jude, Brahim, and Antonio are gone. I look at Luis, shooting him a questioning look.

"They went to the manager, to you know what.."

I didn't know what 'you know what' meant, but I imagine it wouldn't be good for the creepy waiter.

It doesn't take long before they return to their seats, along with a nicely dressed older man. He makes instant eye contact with me, introducing himself as the manager before apologizing for the incident and offering for the table’s bill to be dropped.

That was the least of my worries. I was sitting at a table full of men earning millions every year, the bill wasn't an issue.

"I understand mistakes happen, your staff should be more careful next time." I begin, using elaborate hand gestures as I speak to him, trying to convey my frustration.

At this point, I had given up on my anger, just wanting it to be over with so I could finish my dessert and go back to my room.

"I'm just glad it wasn't anything hot, but really, I urge you get your staff in check. Doesn't really do well with the image of your establishment..." I state, throwing my hands up and raise a brow.

"Again, I apologize on behalf of our staff and establishment. Is there any way we could make it up to you? We already have your drink replacement on the way."

I open my mouth to speak, though I get distracted by a murmur coming from my right.

"Just fire the fuckin' creep, mate.."

I keep my facial expression neutral, pretending I didn't hear it, and continue speaking with the manager.

"No, truly, just a replacement for the drink is alright.." I wave my hand in rejection.

A couple minutes later, a waitress comes up to our table, handing me another drink. I thank her quickly, informing her of my appreciation.

We all return to our fun conversations after I reassure everyone that I'm a hundred percent alright. The mood picks up quite fast when the guys started talking about something funny that had happened in the changing room today.

I finally finish my well-deserved dessert, sipping on the last bits of my drink as I continue to listen to the guys.

I suddenly feel a gust of wind passing me, making me shiver a bit. The weather had definitely gotten way colder as it became later in the night.

I hear a scoff next to me at my reaction, and look in the direction of the noise. I raise my brows, puzzled, as Jude starts shrugging his cardigan off. The rest of the table still distracted by a story being told by Vini.

I freeze at his sudden movement, seeing him inch the cardigan over my back. His arms surround me as I watch him drape the cardigan onto my shoulders. His body very close to mine. His hands go up to close the cardigan, buttoning up the first two buttons.

My eyes travel from his hands to his face, not uttering a single word to him. Eyes widening when he leans to whisper in my ear.

"You're insufferable." He whispers to me, pulling back and looking away, his attention going back to Vinicius.

I smirk at the comment, somehow being glad he was being snarky. I adjust the cardigan a bit, looking at the back of his head.

"That's all you." I murmur quietly.

"Shut up." He mutters, finishing his drink, not glancing at me any further.

I stifle back a chuckle, returning my attention to the banter as well.

I felt insanely grateful for the normalcy for a moment, which with Jude was rare- if not never happened.

"What the fuck is this man even talking about?"

I groan, fighting the urge to bash my head against my keyboard. I was fifteen minutes into my lecture, not understanding a single word my professor had said. I was really impatient, and two times speed wasn't helping either.

I had finally sent in my stress-inducing essay. Now having to catch up on two 45-minute lectures. I found the plane ride to be a very good place to catch up, since it was almost three hours long from Girona back to Madrid. Though, I had forgotten to consider that I was running on minimal hours of sleep after last night’s turn of events.

"What are you whining about now? I'm trying to sleep here." I hear Luis mumble, turning my head to watch him pull his blanket down to reveal his face.

"Sorry, it's just this lecture I need to catch up on." I mumble, returning my attention back to my laptop screen and restarting the lecture. I adjust my grip on my pen and begin taking notes. Hoping I could understand my professor the second time around.

I hear some commotion and laughter in the back of the plane. Not wanting to get distracted, I raise the volume of my lecture, trying to focus completely.

My efforts are finally rewarded when I understand most of the information this time, sighing in relief as the first lecture ends.

"I am a genius." I mutter to myself. My ego was completely boosted now, and no one could tell me otherwise.

Or so I thought…

I instantly hear a loud laugh and look up, confused. I take out my earbuds and look to my right, Jude standing next to me.

Yeah, forget whatever happened yesterday, normal Jude had returned.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have a restroom in the back of the plane?" I ask, fake-smiling at him.

"It's occupied, so I went to this one here." He states, arms crossed against his chest.

"Why are you bothering me then?"

"I heard the most outrageous words leave your mouth, couldn't help myself."

"Can you just let me listen to my lecture now if you're done?"

"What lecture?"

"Law lecture.."

"You study law?" He asks, bewildered. His hand inching closer as he snatches my precious notebook from my table and starts inspecting it.

"I do." I reply, scowling and reaching to get my notebook back.

"Because of your dad?"

"Maybe..." I respond, confused by the number of questions he's asking.

"Think you'd put me in jail rather than saving me from it."

"Well, fuck around and find out." I retort, getting even more annoyed. Our conversation gets interrupted by Eduardo before it gets too heated.

"What are you guys fighting about?" He asks, looking at us, way too amused for my liking.

"Her lecture." He says, pointing at my screen.

"Do you know she studies law?"

I watch Eduardo nod, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder.

"She’s our club’s future lawyer." He jokes, winking at me and patting my shoulder as I crack a smile at his words.

I hear Jude scoff, mumbling an annoyed 'whatever' as he goes to sit back in his seat.

"Is he okay?" I ask, wondering why he looked so pissed.

"He's fine. Just in a bad mood, I think." He replies, telling me he'll go back to his seat.

I nod, giving him a small wave before starting my second lecture.

"Right, but I don't think this could work. We have had great engagement since the beginning of the season, switching up our posting schedule would not have a positive impact- in my opinion."

We'd been in our monthly meeting with the marketing and PR team, and it was practically sucking the life out of me. Especially, with Valeria's stupid idea. I had no choice but to say something about it, because no one else looked like they dared to.

"Then- let's take the democratic approach. Who's in favor of changing the schedule?" Hugo suggests, looking around the room.

My eyes dart around the room, seeing some of Valeria's minions raise their hands. Thankfully, they aren't the majority.

"Okay, well, that tells us enough. Sorry, Valeria." Hugo chirps up, resting his forearms on the table.

I watch her face crumple up into a fake smile, and her gaze averts to me.

"Well, if that's what everyone thinks, It's fine."

"Then that concludes the meeting. Let's keep this up until the end of the year!"

I hold back a sigh of relief, glancing at Lina and Luis as they give me the exact same bored look.

"Come on." I urge, grabbing my laptop and folders. The three of us walking out of the meeting room and back to our desks.

"What are you guys going to do tonight?" I ask, grabbing a piece of gum from my desk and throwing the pack at Luis.

"Thanks! I think I'll just go to bed early. My sleeping schedule is messed up." He says, handing the pack to Lina.

"I'm celebrating my boyfriend's birthday. Fancy dinner, all of that stuff." She says, finally handing the pack to me, prompting me to put it away in my drawer.

"Really? How nice!” I comment, turning to Luis.

“Where’s your bird, old man-”

I begin, but I am rudely stopped by Luis' hand clamping over my mouth.

"We don’t talk about that." He says, his palm still on my face. I grab his wrist to take his hand off me, scoffing.

"I don't have any siblings, so you should step up and make me the bougie aunt-"

His hand clamps over my mouth again, making me sigh against it. Hearing Lina laugh at our antics.

"Don't say anything else."

I shake my head in response, grabbing his wrist again. "I won't." I mutter, having difficulty hiding the smile on my face due to how annoyed he looks.

"I have to leave, only way I can get ready on time." I hear Lina say, watching her collect her handbag.

"I'll leave with you- are you staying longer?" Luis asks, glancing at me, also beginning to pack his items.

"Yeah, I have something to do." I say, my eyes darting to the gray cardigan that is draped over the back of my chair.

They both leave the office minutes later, leaving me to tidy up my desk. I pack up my bag and don't forget to grab the cardigan as I make my way down.

I glance around when I walk down the flight of stairs, trying to find someone who would know Jude’s whereabouts. Finally, may I catch Brahim walking out of the restroom.

"Have you seen Jude?" I ask, walking up to him. My heavy bag resting on my shoulder as the cardigan is draped over my arm.

"He's in break-room three. Why are you asking?" He asks, raising a questioning brow at me and reaching up to fix his hair.

"I have to give him something."

I notice a slight change in his expression at my words, a small smile forming on his lips.

"What's with that look?" I ask, raising my own brow.

"Nothing, you should go. Don't want to miss him, do you?" He replies, his eyes going down to the cardigan in my hand.

I stare at him for a second, puzzled by his reply, but decide to ignore it.

"See you tomorrow, then." I say, waving to him as I walk up to the break room.

I reach over to the door handle, but retract my hand as the door is already opened by a familiar man, a huge suitcase behind him.

Wasn't this that one famous Instagram barber?

"Oh, sorry, is Jude in here?"

The man immediately steps aside, revealing Jude, sitting there in the chair, his hair definitely freshly cut.

The man leaves without speaking a word, leaving me standing there in the doorway.

"Didn't you already get your hair cut last week?" I ask, my voice loud, as I walk into the room instead of standing in the doorway.

I watch him stand up from his chair, his phone in his hand. It looked like I interrupted his photo shoot.

"I need to look good, obviously." He mutters, finally looking at me. His face crumpling with irritation.

"For what? The girls that run away when they find out how annoying you are?" I say, looking displeased.

Jude rolls his eyes, huffing, before looking away.

"Why are you even here?" He breathes out, voice thick with an unwelcoming tone.

"Oh- here." I mutter, remembering why I was there. I extend the cardigan to him, seeing his eyes soften for a moment.

"I washed it as well. Checked the label and everything." I add, my tone relaxed.

"Thank you." He finally says, folding the cardigan and throwing it over his shoulder.

A thank you? That was new.

We both stare at each other for a while, not knowing what to say next to one another.

I wanted to thank him for what happened back in Girona, but my ego and pride were holding me back like a dam holding back water.

A civilized conversation was something that never happened between us. Causing our silence to be even more awkward.

"Okay, that's all. I'm leaving." I finally say, shoving my hand in my pocket as I begin marching up to the door. Not looking back when I hear his phone ring loudly.

He answers the call quickly, and I sigh in relief, finally walking out of the break room, excited to go home.

#jude bellingham #jude bellingham x reader #jude x reader #jude bellingham imagine #real madrid fc #jude bellingham fanfic #footballer x reader #football imagines #football fanfic #football imagine #bellingham x reader #real madrid

[shootingstarpilot]

A scene that will only be referenced in the next chapter, but I was overcome with the urge to write it out anyway:

Boil catches Stitch's entry onto the bridge out of the corner of his eye.

He elbows Waxer, grinning. The kid's got a pair of crutches under one arm, and they'd both noticed the way the Commander had been leaning on the holotable, stubbornly ignoring the General's not-so-subtle disapproving look and the chair Waxer had fruitlessly nudged into place behind him.

This is going to be a show.

Stitch scans the bridge, eyes narrowed, until he catches sight of the Commander. He walks forward, stopping a few respectful feet behind him, and--

waits.

Thirty seconds pass.

Then a minute.

More and more eyes are landing on him. Poorly-muffled giggling blooms across the bridge.

"Hi, Stitch," Waxer says cheerfully.

"Hi, sir," Stitch says politely, his gaze flickering sideways in acknowledgement before returning to Cody's back.

Cody's shoulders slump.

Eventually, the holocall ends. General Kenobi is the first to turn around.

"Hello, Stitch," he says, smiling faintly. "Can I help you?"

"No thank you, sir. I'm waiting for the Commander, sir."

There's only so long Cody can avoid turning around, and he knows it. With a long, deep sigh, he turns.

"Hi, sir," Stitch says brightly, and thrusts the crutches forward. "You forgot these."

"Those aren't mine," Cody says immediately. "I left mine in my office. I'll grab them after."

"These are yours," Stitch says patiently. "I put a sticker on them when Helix first gave them to you. See?"

He points. Cody leans forward, searching despite himself--

His expression flattens out.

"It's a lightsaber," Stitch says helpfully. "Needle made it. He said you'd forgotten your crutches before, and I thought a sticker would be helpful for you to remember which are yours. Helix says taking initiative is a good thing."

"I... see."

He still doesn't take them.

Stitch sighs. "Is this because Helix yelled at you for kicking droids again, and you don't want to prove him right?"

"No," Cody grinds out, and Waxer muffles a wheezing laugh in Boil's shoulder. General Kenobi's expression is carefully blank.

"Is it because--"

"They're uncomfortable," Cody sighs. He lowers his voice, conscious of their delighted audience, and there's a ripple of coughing and clearing of throats as people turn back to their assigned tasks. "They-- my shoulders keep cramping. I need to be able to fire a blaster, Stitch. I'm minimizing my movement as much as possible, I promise."

"Uncomfortable," Stitch echos, looking baffled. "Why didn't you say so, sir? Give me-- ten minutes, please. I can fix that. I'll be back soon. Can you sit down in the meantime, please?"

"I'll make sure he does, Stitch," the General interjects, and Stitch nods seriously.

"Thank you, sir," he says, and nods at them both before vanishing out the door.

"You're enjoying this far too much, sir," Cody hisses, as Kenobi carefully helps him settle into the long-ignored chair.

"My dear Commander," Kenobi says, laughing, "I'm simply glad it's not me this time."

Cody's glare could incinerate a Hutt. The General remains cheerfully unaffected.

When Stitch returns, he brings with him a painstakingly adjusted pair of crutches. Layers of cotton batting is tied carefully to the pads, and the grips have been adjusted a few levels upwards.

"Try these, please," he says, handing them over.

Cody reluctantly accepts them. "All right. Later, when I--"

Stitch is looking at him very expectantly.

He sighs. "Yes, Stitch."

He levers himself to his feet and takes a few halting steps. Boil watches, fascinated, as astonishment flickers across his expression before it settles into a quiet resignation.

"This-- is better," he mutters. "Very much so."

Stitch beams. "Thank you, sir! And you'll make sure to use them until you're cleared?"

"Yes, Stitch."

"And you won't forget about your follow-up tomorrow? You can have a juice box. Or a pudding cup. You can choose. Needle got some."

Waxer coos. Cody glares at him.

("That's KP duty for you," Boil whispers. "Just you wait.")

"I won't, Stitch."

"Good. Thank you, sir. And- Helix told me to tell you that you- that you're lucky you got me and not him, sir, because he'd be, um- a damn sight louder, sir, because he's got no patience for- for idiots, sir."

A beat.

"That's from him, sir," Stitch repeats anxiously.

Cody sighs. "That's all right, Stitch. Well done."

Stitch brightens immediately, rocking back on his heels. "I'll save you a chocolate pudding cup, sir, if you like. Those ones are the best, so they tend to go fast."

A smile flickers across Cody's face. "Thank you. I'd appreciate it. You're dismissed."

Stitch salutes-- shiny little tubie, small gods-- and vanishes out the door.

Kenobi has given up the game entirely, now, and is grinning broadly. Cody turns on him immediately.

"Stop that."

"Stop what, my dear?"

"The thing you're doing with your face."

"Smiling?"

"Smugly. Yes."

"I'm just pleased with our medics' professionalism, Commander."

"I've got two dozen witnesses to that for the next time you try to dodge them."

"Noted. Can I have your pudding cup?"

"No."

#shoulder the sky #stitch the medic #codywan #teasing is a perfectly valid love language

[charmedbystars]

you don't get it (e-1610 miles morales)

pairing: e-1610 miles x reader (unrequited)

summary: you try to understand miles, but you cant.

a/n: this is the first time i try writing something so i'm so sorry if it's bad. plz leave suggestions and stuff if ya want! also debating a part 2 but i hate this sooo i don't know yet...

you and miles grew up together. making an oath to stick together for the rest of your lives in the sandbox of a park about two blocks from miles’ apartment. and you guys sure stuck to that oath. from crying about getting sand in each other’s eyes, going through the awkward teenage phase (and miles still going through it), to being accepted into the same school. you guys were inseparable. 

recently, you found out about miles’ secret vigilante identity. you didn’t take it very well and constantly scolded miles about his safety, but you were glad he chose to trust you. 

of course, when it came to trust it came with knowing other stuff too… such as knowing who gwen was. and to make it even better, since you were the only person (other than ganke) that he can go on to talk about her, you became a victim of listening to the constant babble of gwen this and gwen that. you literally didn’t know how much longer you can take it, especially with those feelings of yours bubbling in your stomach. 

of course… how cliché of you to be in love with your best friend of years. plus your best friend being the super oblivious miles did not make it any better. 

anyways going back, you didn’t know how to tell miles that you’re in love with him without ruining your years of friendship or how to just simply ask him to shut the fuck up about gwen without hurting his feelings. you literally didn’t know how he could talk about her for hours without getting tired (although if someone asked you about miles, you would go on for ages, but that’s different) and the number of times you’ve caught him sketching her in his journal has become freaky. 

you love miles but this is just getting tiring. you want things to be how they were. when you guys would sneak up to the roof and talk about the stars or sneak out to do some graffiti. now it’s just cancelled plans, late texts backs, and constant excuses. and that’s how you are now, sitting outside the steps of miles’ apartment waiting for him to arrive with the cakes for his dad’s promotion party. you look down at your phone and open it again to see if he responded.

you: hey miles im outside waiting 4 you

you: dont forget the cakes and stay safe

you: lemme know when you arrive plz

Delivered 

you sighed for the twentieth time, wondering when miles was going to arrive. you just sat outside on the steps to his apartment when about ten minutes later you hear a crash. you stand and squint looking up. 

“y/n! come upstairs so we can enter the rooftop together,” there was miles, head handing outside his window. you nodded your head and headed upstairs to his apartment. you didn’t even bother knocking and simply just barging into his house. walking into his room, you see miles rushing to get his shoes on. 

leaning against the wall, you stared down at miles, “so what was it this time? it better be good enough that you’re late to your own father’s party”

“yes i knowww, i just got caught up doing some stuff. the villian today was super weird though and then i almost lost the cakes, but you know what? none of that matters because i’m here now!” he gave you one of his wide smiles.

you couldn’t stay serious with him when you gave you that smile. you yourself cracked a smile, shaking your head. “okay, noted. crazy day for spiderman, now hurry up and get your shoes on faster because one more minute longer and your mom is gonna freak.”

“well seems like my mom is already freaking,” miles smugly looked at you while standing up, grabbing the cakes and leaving you behind. you grumbled and just followed behind him. 

arriving to the rooftop, you can already see miles’ mom looking around and as if she sensed miles, she quickly walked over to you guys. 

“miles donde estabas? you’re late to your own dad’s party? y/n thank you so much for getting miles here,” miles’ brows furrowed as his mom gave you all the glory for him being there.

“mom what? i got here just fine!” 

“no, thank y/n because i know she’s the responsible one out of the two of you,” you gave miles the same smug look that he gave you earlier and tilted your head a little higher.

“anyways, grab something to eat. miles, ven porque your dad and i want to talk to you for a minute” rio gave her son a look. 

you simply nodded your head and strolled off to make yourself a plate. sitting down on a bench somewhere, you tried to block out and avert your gaze from miles’ parents yelling at him. you felt bad that you couldn’t do anything especially when you know so much about him that others don’t understand. 

about an hour has passed since miles’ scolding and you didn’t want to approach him directly after to save him from embarrassment and allow him to take a few minutes to himself. you assumed that he went to his room and would come back in a couple minutes because you knew he wouldn’t completely miss his dad’s party. 

you engaged in small conversations with miles’ cousins and family members, but after a while they left to go eat or do their own thing. resorting to scrolling through your phone and watching a couple tiktoks when you feel a tap on your shoulder.

“mija, quien es esa que esta arriba con miles?” rio tilted her head in the direction where miles was. surprising you completely, miles was on the water tower with gwen laughing and nudging each other. looking and them and snapping your head back to rio who seemed a but agitated with her eyebrows quirked up. 

“uhh.. i think that’s gwanda? one of miles’ friends but she’s usually out of town. miles’ never mentioned her coming though…” you simply shrugged your shoulders. feeling a heavy weight in your stomach, you tried not to look over at them again. 

approaching behind rio was jeff. he had a similar expression as rio, brows furrowed and scratching his head. 

“she looks old enough to vote… and i bet she doesn’t even speak spanish,” rio kept talking about gwen which didn’t help you trying to block out the sinking feeling. jeff crossed his arms and kept looking over at them. 

somehow, rio convinced you and jeff to go up to the water tower and meet gwen. now, you’ve never met gwen but you sure have heard enough about her to know that she’s not a bad person. 

rio was stumbling to get up the tower and introduce herself to gwen. crashing into miles slightly, not caring a bit if she interrupted anything. “hello! i’m miles’ mom,”

“rio! i’ve heard so much about you!” immediately hearing those words come out of gwen’s mouth, you winced. you knew that rio was not about having first name bases with any one of miles’ friends. you glanced over at miles’ expression who seemed a bit worried. 

looking at the interaction was a bit odd and very awkward, especially with you standing next to miles’ parents doing nothing. you didn’t want to make a move to introduce yourself either, you didn’t know if there was anything for you to say really. honestly rio’s jokes weren’t making it any better either. hearing “don’t take him from me.. oh! you can’t cause he’s grounded haha” and “don’t break his heart” coming from rio’s mouth was just making you want to get bitten by a spider so you can turn invisible in that moment. 

gwen trying to escape the moment made up that she needed to get her steps in and go. turning around to give miles a handshake, she glanced over, noticing you in the corner. not wanting to be rude, you just gave a wave. she gave you a small smile until taking off down the stairs. 

once she left, jeff also left to return to the party leaving miles, rio, and you behind. miles ignored both of your presence and leaned against the railing, shoving his face into his hands. you went up to miles and rubbed his back.

“i’m sorry miles,” he glanced over at you and gave a sigh. you looked over you shoulder and looked at rio. she seemed to be thinking. deciding to give miles and his mom a little time to talk, heart to heart, you descended down the stairs. 

looking down at the city below you, millions of thoughts run through your mind. almost all of them being about miles. you wanted to help him, you wanted to be there for him in every way, but you just don’t seem enough. you didn’t know what to do and you don’t want to try to seem understanding when you have absolutely no idea what he’s going through. you just want him to feel at peace with you. there’s nothing you want more in the world than seeing miles happy. although the feeling in your stomach of knowing that miles’ happiness lies with gwen and not with you just made you nauseous, you knew you had to let him go. but, before you let him go… maybe you’ll try. 

seeing miles and his mom done talking, you see miles about to leave. getting a feel of adrenaline through your veins, you ran after him before he managed to take a step down the stairs. 

“miles! where are you going?” you cocked your head to the side.

“i’m going after gwen. there’s something going on and i’m going to follow after her,” he tapped his feet and glanced around as if he’s if a rush. 

“wait, miles what? you’re leaving? do you even know where you’re going?” 

“no, but i know that i’m needed y/n. i gotta go now like i have this feeling.” 

“wait so you’re skipping out on your dad’s celebration for a girl?”

“n- no! there’s something going on and i need to fix it” miles was starting to squirm eager to put on his suit and swing through the city.

“is there gonna be a day where you live for yourself? i understand that you’re spiderman and you help out the people, but you can’t be doing this constantly miles. you’re a highschool student and have so m-” 

“no, you don’t understand! no one understands! but there are people out there who will-”

“c’mon miles, don’t be like that. i know i don’t exactly understand because i was bitten by a spider or anything, but i’m trying to understand through you and being there for you!” the tone in your voice starts getting a bit higher.

“i just learned that there’s a way for me to see other people who are just like me! i need to go!”

“you know what miles? go. i’m trying so hard to be supportive but-”

“well you’re not. i don’t want to escalate this any farther. i’m going… bye y/n” before you could respond miles ran down the stairs leaving you with a lump in your throat. you didn’t want to start anything, you just wanted miles to try to get a piece of normality within his crazy spider life. 

sighing once more, you decided to sit on the ledge and look off into the distance wondering how you were gonna fix it between you two. 

#miles x reader #miles morales x reader #miles morales x you #across the spider verse #earth 1610 miles morales x reader #1610!miles morales x reader #miles molares #astv miles #miles morales x reader angst #miles morales x y/n #x reader #x y/n #earth 1610 #across the spider verse spoilers #across the spiderverse #spider man: across the spider verse

[bokettochild]

Okay but what if after Legend dies Hylia makes him a god and he watches over the Hero’s sprit and occasionally helps the other Links out of tough spots and pretty much stalks Hyrule cuz he is the biggest bunny softie

Firstly, the idea of Hylia elevating to godhood the guy who she's put through the most crap over the course of his life is....an interesting concept. Is she prolonging his suffering by giving him even more responsibility to handle even after death, or is she rewarding him for a job well done and allowing him to keep doing as he's always done, but now with the power to do so much more?

Add to that, what would he be the god of? I know I commonly portray Legend as being the embodiment of Life, so it could be that, but he might end up a patron deity of adventurers and magic wielders as well.

Regardless, if granted godhood, legend would 100% do his best to be on the lookout to help the heroes that come after him, regardless of the timeline because of course gods aren't hampered by silly things like that!

The gods aren't allowed to directly alter some things, as their creations do need to be allowed to live a little without having someone hold their hand and fix all their problems for them, but he pushes the boundary as much as he can, blessing items, creating random helpful things and of course occasionally ensuring that the worst case scenarios don't happen.

I think he'd create the blupees to be his eyes and ears in Hyrule to help him keep an eye on the world and the people in it. Grated, he knows they'll get shot at by Wild at least, but if they can't feel pain from that sort of thing and receive no injuries? He can help in another way and protect his little rabbits too!

Come Hyrule's era this guy is out here manipulating so much crap, you have no idea. A ten (twelve?) year old kid out alone in a strange country? Yeah, he's got his eye on this one. He doesn't KNOW that it's Hyrule at first, but there's something about him and he makes it a point to conveniently distract the monsters that still roam in areas that are at least somewhat out of this kid's path. He sends a little priest to make sure the boy is armed because good golly why are you out here without a weapon? And it's dangerous to go alone so wtheck?

By Wild's era he said screw it, I'm going down there. Cue Satori. Legend's over here watching the champion and enjoying it so much. Now he understands why Twilight looked so peeved so much. Gosh dang, Wolfie, he put you through the ringer!

Twilight, once he figures out why the rabbit-owl-horse knows his name, is not amused. He is glad to see his little brother again, although why do you look like this? Where's the pink fur and crap?

Legend's just glad he can sit back for most of the latter half of the kids journey and laugh at Twilight's suffering for once. He does help where he can, just little things the other deities can't chew him out for, and a multitude of blessed objects to make life easier.

Combine this idea with my God of War Warriors theory and he and the captain are just chilling in wherever the gods hang out, watching Twilight's suffering in 4K like the gremlins they are, with a running commentary. They only help when they can get away with it (they're still baby gods in comparison to the others) but they're keeping a watchful eye out.

#asks and answers #linked universe #lu legend #lu warriors #lu twilight #lu wild #lu hyrule

[axailslink]

Strictly professional

Shuri x FEM reader

Summary: Shuri has left Wakanda to go to a meeting and you just happen to bump into her after a long day of work. your first thought is to flirt and then ask why she has two bald women beside her.

Today was such a stressful day for you you're glad you could finally leave work because if they didn't let you you were about to shoot the fucking place up. Your black pantsuit is tired now so when you're finally leaving heels clacking against the hard wood floors of the building you want to cheer you want to scream and shout for joy and happiness but you don't keep yourself composed as you leave the building. As if God was putting obstacles in your way you bumped into an unfamiliar smelling person she smells of shea butter and that good hair oil. You had a bad thing of not looking where you walked so you were used to bumping into people and automatically knowing who they were by smell. Weird flex but that's your clumsy ass.

"I'm so deeply sorry I don't watch where I wa-" you look up and make eye contact with the most beautiful woman you've ever seen I mean drop dead gorgeous in your eyes. She has this strong face I mean a jaw line only the Gods could offer her hair curly and short cropped on the back. "No you're quite alright are you okay?" You're stuck as this beautiful woman is just smiling at you and talking to you and you speak before you think something that happens quite often. "Do you like women?" She looks a bit shocked not expecting your question but you weren't one to dance around when you wanted something or someone "because you are just gorgeous I mean the Gods have truly gifted me with this encounter and I will not reject such a beautiful crystal when it's just sitting right in front of me" she laughs to herself before glancing you up and down you could see you have her flushed but flushed doesn't mean she's embarrassed. She takes a moment to really look at you you have a watch on, a pantsuit, and heels you were a business woman she likes that.

"I'm so serious please I may not look like much right now but allow me to ask you to have dinner or something." She looks behind herself at the two women you didn't even recognize were there and one sighs "princess we don't have time for th-" she looks back at you then the woman "general I do have time actually..." She checks her watch herself "I have ten minutes" she smiles as if she's proud of herself and the bald woman looks at the other before they take their leave they don't go far just enough to give you two some privacy. "Did she say princess?" Shuri grimaces and nods "I hope that's not a big factor" you shake your head "nah that's cool uhm but can I ask? Princess of what?" She looks almost hurt by you not knowing her.

"Princess Shuri-" why does her name sound so familiar to you suddenly? -"of Wakanda I'm here for a meeting with a Ms. Y/l/n" you gawk for a moment before sighing "shit that's me wow why did no one tell me that I had a meeting with the princess of Wakanda? I thought we rescheduled that... I am so sorry oh my goodness I flirted with a-" you mentally facepalm yourself before Shuri interrupts you "it's fine it is rescheduled actually but we like to actually meet the person before hand I was going to ask you to dinner. Of course it's professional but it will just be us we'll discuss ourselves then tomorrow we'll discuss work wise." You nod and smile to avoid your embarrassment you want to fall on your ass in tears and rolls yourself into a fucking burrito just be forgotten in this moment.

"You're quite impressionable why don't we have that dinner do you know a good place?" You think about it before redirecting her question back to her "well you're not down here all too much how about we let you choose?" she laughs and opens the door for you "alright I'll choose but remember this dinner is strictly..." you smile and answer for her "professional that's too bad if I had known the princess was quite-" you look her up and down and smile to yourself good God almighty of course he'd send you someone you can't have curse you "what?" You shake your head no "I'm not going to say anything I have to keep this strictly professional." She laughs as you walk past her and out of the building checking you out as you do so.

"But I have to just say this is if we weren't keeping this strictly professional no one would know I do love a good secret. Because good God almighty my mother would smack me with her bible if I passed you up when I had the chance." She laughs and follows behind you.

A/n: there is a lot of like "God" in this but disclaimer folks I was raised in a Christian household so this is kind of the way I think don't take it too seriously. However oh Shuri and none wakandan reader who's got her life together and her own money oh yeah we likes that.

#shuri angst #shuri imagine #shuri x reader #shuri x y/n #shuri black panther #shuri udaku x reader #shuri udaku #shuri mcu #mcu shuri #black panther #black panther wakanda forever #shuri x fem!reader #shuri x f!reader #shuri x black!reader #princess shuri #queen shuri #black reader #shuri fluff #mcu imagine #marvel imagine #marvel fluff #black panther fics #black panther imagine #black panther x reader #Azail is bored #shuri fanfiction #letitia wright x black!reader #letitia wright shuri #shuri my love

[drpeppertummy]

truthfully my friends this isnt something im overly into or experienced in & as such i have Absolutely no idea if its any good or not. godspeed

[alien-esque parasite creature-in-stomach bordering-on-rapid-horror-preg situation, ends in hospital post-surgery bc you know id never let it explode him but the hospital isnt like a whole big thing, nobody has a good time in this but hes fine]

Val was beginning to wonder if eating at that sketchy restaurant in Hell had been a good idea.

Truthfully, he'd known it was a bad idea from the start. He hadn't liked the look of the place when his sister had brought him there, the service had been awful, the food had been worse, and he'd felt a little off ever since. That had been a few days ago, and he was back home now. It was always shockingly cold returning to the mortal world after visiting his family, but he was glad to be back in Connie's arms, even if it meant braving the chilly autumn air.

Exhausted from the busy week behind him, Val flopped down onto the bed. He was freshly showered and dressed in his pajamas, and very glad about it. Connie was taking her turn in the shower now. Sprawled out flat on his back, Val looked down at himself, and his brow furrowed. He hadn't felt quite right ever since visiting that restaurant, and he was still a little bloated. He laid his head back down on the pillow and rested his hands on his belly.

"Looks like your mom stuffed you like a turkey," Connie teased, standing in the doorway. "Does she think you're as skinny as I do?"

"Christ, does she," Val laughed.

"Maybe you oughtta visit more often, let her beef you up a little," she giggled, dropping herself onto the bed next to him.

"I don't think I could handle that," said Val. "You know everyone else in my family is like ten feet tall?" Connie laughed.

"And I bet they feed you like you are too, right?" She placed a hand on his rounded tummy and raised her eyebrows at how firm it felt. "Sheesh, you really feel stuffed."

"Tell you the truth, my sister dragged me out to some weird restaurant a couple days before I left. It was a mess, you never woulda gone in. Whatever I ate didn't sit right, I guess, my stomach's been a little funny ever since. I've spent the past few days feeling like I swallowed a bowling ball."

"Huh," said Connie, rubbing his belly. It gurgled uncomfortably under her hand. "Maybe you got, like, mild food poisoning or something."

"Maybe," he sighed. "Probably."

"Do you feel sick?"

"I don't know. Not quite. Just off. ADR, as they say at the vet. I mean, I definitely feel bloated, I can tell you that much."

"Believe me, you don't have to tell me," she chuckled, patting his belly. It didn't sound hollow, like it was filled with gas. Instead it sounded solid, like patting a rock, and it let out another sickly gurgle. Connie winced sympathetically.

Suddenly, Val sat up. Connie looked up at him, surprised. His face was difficult to read, but he seemed tense. Concerned, she sat up beside him.

"Val, what's the matter?" She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know," he said uncertainly, holding both hands against his tummy. He looked down, brow furrowed. Was he more bloated than before? His stomach felt tighter, and…strange, somehow. Almost as if something inside him was pulsing.

"Maybe you should go to urgent care or something," said Connie. She didn't like the look on his face, and she didn't like that he was still so bloated days after eating whatever he'd eaten.

"I can't go to urgent care. I'm not even human. They wouldn't know what to make of me even if I was feeling fine."

"Yeah, but…I don't know. I'm worried," she said, squeezing his shoulder. Now that he was sitting up, his belly looked even more distended than it had when he was laying, and it was oddly top-heavy, as though whatever was making it so swollen was stuck up in his stomach. She didn't like that at all.

Val couldn't disagree with her point of view. Still, he preferred to avoid letting people find out he wasn't human if he could help it. It was a dangerous secret to reveal, and there had been plenty of times where he'd nearly paid a heavy price for it. He didn't have much time to mull it over, though, because his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a bizarre wave of pain in his stomach. He doubled over with a groan, clutching his belly.

"Val!" Connie grabbed his shoulders. Val remained frozen, trying to process what he'd just felt. It was pain, certainly, and pressure, but it almost felt like movement as well. Cautiously, he sat back upright, his breathing shallow and shaky.

"That's it, you're going to the hospital," she said, standing up. Val opened his mouth to protest when another surge of pain shot through him, and this time he definitely felt movement. He doubled over again, gaping like a fish as his belly pushed out against his hands.

Carefully, Connie pulled him to his feet, putting an arm around his waist to hold him steady, and hurried him out of the bedroom. As they walked, she felt something shift under her hand, and for a moment she froze, looking down at him.

"What the fuck was that?"

"I don't--I don't know," he choked out, desperately hugging his middle.

"Let's go," she urged, and practically dragged him out of the house.

Connie hastily put the directions into the GPS and was off like a flash before Val could even finish buckling up. His belly bulged conspicuously over the seatbelt, undeniably rounder than it had been earlier, and whatever was inside was growing restless. A moan of terror escaped him as he watched something move under the skin.

"Connie, I love you," he blurted out, his voice shaking.

"I love you too. Don't talk like you're gonne die. You're not gonna die." She reached out and grabbed his shoulder tightly before returning her hand to the wheel. Val thought she looked like she definitely thought he was going to die.

The pressure inside his stomach was unbelievable, and only seemed to be increasing as whatever was inside continued to move around and grow. It was growing fast now, and he could feel his stomach stretching and straining to contain it. He tried not to think about how far it could stretch before it burst.

"We're almost there," said Connie, trying to reassure herself just as much as him. She glanced over at him and was horrified to see his belly visibly squirming. Suddenly, his belly surged violently, and he let out a hoarse cry as the creature inside him began to thrash, pushing out hard against the walls of his stomach.

"Oh, god, please," he cried out, clutching his belly as his tightly-stretched skin was pulled tighter still. "Oh, please, god, no--"

Val woke up feeling like he'd been run through with a chainsaw. He wasn't sure where he was or what had happened, and he didn't have the strength to care. All he knew was that there was a horrible searing pain in his belly. As he regained consciousness, though, he began to recall the events of the night, and he looked down at himself. His belly was flat. Flat, and bandaged up. He let his head fall back onto the pillow with a sigh of relief.

The surgeon told him that he'd barely made it in time, and that they'd pulled something like a sucker-mouthed chupacabra out of his stomach, and that it was nearly the size of an infant, and that his wife had urged them to just not ask questions, and that after the procedure they were inclined to just roll with that, and that he'd have to stay in the hospital for at least a week. Val groggily accepted all of this information; the surgeon could've told him he'd grown a second head and he'd have nodded along. With his stomach intact, all he cared about now was seeing Connie.

EPILOGUE BECAUSE I CANT WRITE ENDINGS: It took one day for Val to win the hearts of all the nurses with his charm and only five for him to be released--for good behavior, he'd joked. Against all predictions, he recovered surprisingly quickly, although his tummy remained terribly sore for weeks; that was, of course, to be expected. He'd persuaded the hospital to let him ship the creature back to Hell for further evaluation. Astonishingly, they'd managed to get it out alive after sedating it right along with Val, and it had been nicknamed "Fluffy" by the frightened staff who were in charge of keeping it under observation. Fluffy, as it turned out, was a relatively common parasite found in undercooked lava cod, which was exactly what Val had eaten, although most of his fellow demons and devils were built sturdily enough that it wasn't much of a danger to them. Connie, who had been even more shaken up by the incident than her husband, received even more affection from him than usual in the following days. He felt awful for putting her through the experience--he'd expressed this, and she'd incredulously assured him that it wasn't his fault--and he made sure to bake her something special for taking care of him.

#writing #belly kink #tummy kink #i dont even know what to tag this as. enlighten me if u so desire idk #xvalx #xconniex #burst mention #i think its a little dull for what it is Tbh #im out of practice when it comes to writing Scary Frantic Shit

[jenniferjareauwife]

Holaaaaaaa, could you do a JJ X reader where the reader is pregnant with her kid and gets hurt? She could be a part of the bau or not, you decide!!!

Down the Stairs

pairing: jennifer jareau x fem reader

category: fluff

warnings: none

word count: 722

summary: you're pregnant and you fall down the stairs

I scrolled through TikTok with a smile on my face and one hand on my belly, rubbing it slowly. I was looking at baby names for JJ and I's little one due in 2 months. I saw a few I liked so I favorited them, excited to tell JJ when she got home from work.

After another half hour of scrolling I decided to get up, really wanting some lunch. JJ had made me a sandwich last night for when I inevitably wanted one.

I took one step down the stairs and then felt the baby kick, making me freeze with shock and I didn't even process that I had fallen down the stairs until I was on the floor. "Fuck." I groaned as I felt a sharp pain running through my wrist. It was probably broken or at least sprained. I hugged my stomach, praying that our baby was ok. I hadn't landed on my stomach but you never know. "Hey siri...call love of my life."

A few seconds later I heard JJ's voice on the other line. "What's up baby?"

"I fell."

"Can you get up."

"I uh...I don't know."

"Are you in our bedroom?"

"No I...I fell down the stairs."

"Oh...oh." Her voice dropped an octave. "Are you hurt, is everything ok?"

"I...I don't know my wrist hurts really bad and I didn't land on my stomach but I don't know if the baby is ok and I-"

"Ok. Take a deep breath honey, I'm on my way over." I could tell she was panicking but staying calm for my sake. "I'm 15 minutes away, just sit tight, ok? It's gonna be ok."

"Mhm."

She got home 15 minutes later, rushing to me as soon as she saw me. She gingerly touched my wrist and I winced. "It's probably broken. "Do you have any pain in your abdomen?" I shook my head. "Why'd you fall down the stairs?"

"I felt the baby kick."

"Oh my God." She let go of my wrist as her lips pulled up in the biggest smile I had seen in a while. "Is it kicking now? Can I feel it?"

"It's not kicking now. Probably mad at me for falling down the stairs."

"Oh yeah. We should go to the emergency room. Can you walk?" She helped me stand up and I nodded, letting out a sigh of relief that my ankles didn't hurt.

Ten minutes later we were sitting in the emergency room, JJ was clutching my hand tightly as we waited to be called over. "It's gonna be ok." She told me but I knew she was trying to comfort herself.

30 minutes later we were finally called back. I stood up on shaky legs, too nervous to walk straight. "What seems to be the problem today?" The doctor asked as I held my good hand protectively over my stomach.

"I fell down the stairs and my wrist hurts. But make sure my baby is ok, please." JJ kissed my forehead to calm me down.

"Did you fall on your stomach?"

"No."

"Then your baby's probably fine but I'll do an ultrasound just to make sure."

"Thank you." JJ and I said in unison. He reached to my wrist to check it out.

"It's just a sprain. I'll have you wear a brace for a couple weeks." I nodded and watched as he jotted something down on his clipboard. "I'll be right back."

He came back with the ultrasound machine and I reached over for JJ's hand, squeezing it tightly, praying that our baby was ok. "It's gonna be ok baby." JJ brushed the hair back from my face and placed a few kisses to my temple and forehead.

"Your baby's ok." He told us with a smile, showing us what it looked like on the ultrasound. I started crying with relief, letting go of JJ's hand to cover my mouth.

"What's wrong?" JJ asked, smoothing my hair back while the doctor left to give us space.

"Just...just so glad the baby's ok." I sniffled, wiping my tears away. She smiled and cradled my head against her chest.

"I'm glad the baby's ok but I'm also glad you're ok."

"You're so sweet." I cried even harder, the pregnancy hormones really getting to me. "I love you so much."

"I love you more."

#criminal minds #jennifer jareau #x reader #jennifer jareau x reader #lgbtq #wlw post #jennifer jareau x you

[spaghettificationandpretzels]

First of all, CONGRATS on your follower milestone! 🥳💕

Second of all, could I request 11. "You butt-dialed me, and now we have some things to talk about." with Joe Velasco please? 🥰

~drabbles-mc 🖤

Masterlist

Squad Room Secrets

Contains: Fluff, Fin being a fed up old man.

1.1K words

“If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.” -  George Orwell.

"I'm going over tonight to watch the fight with her. I don't know man, I don't know where to start or what to say or how to say it."

Fin huffed, "I don't know Velasco, may start with how you feel. It's pretty simple."

Joe sat down like the world was resting on his shoulders, "Yeah Fin, that's going to go down great, 'hey y/n, I'm deeply in love with you and every second my not with you feels like torture' she's going to run for the hills."

Fin sighed, "Maybe not, maybe, you need to give her more credit than that."

Joe shook his head, "Like I said, even if I was going to tell her, I would have no idea where to start."

It felt dirty to listen to their conversation when you realised he hadn't meant to call, but after you heard the first few words, there was no stopping. You hung up the phone before Joe could realise what had happened and sat strewing for hours, thinking about whether you should rip off the bandaid or wait until tonight.

In the end, you decided it was better to face it head on and just call him. The phone rang a few seconds before Joe's voice came across the line, "Hey y/n, are we still for tonight?"

You took a deep breath, "You bet we are, but you butt dialled me, and now we have some things to talk about."

There was a sharp inhale, "How much did you hear?"

He sounded so worried, "I hung up when Fin tried to get you to role play."

Joe sighed, "Is this the part where you let me down easy?"

A little part of your heart broke that he was so ready to be rejected, "Umm, no, it's not. Look, we're both grown ups, and I'm not in the mood to hear Fin say he told me so fifty million times. We're both a fault here, I was just as chickenshit as you."

You could hear the gears turning in his head, "Are you saying…?"

"Yes Jose, I am saying that. I love you, I have for quite a while and I was intent on stewing in my own misery until you finally saw it but I see now that you are far too noble to make assumptions. I really need to get back to it but we can talk more about this tonight." It felt good to get it off your chest.

"That's great, I'd love that." There was a pause, "I love you y/n."

You sighed, "I love you too Joe."

****

You jumped and raced to the door when Joe knocked, and his face broke out into a smile when his eyes met yours, "Hey."

You waved, "Hey, you wanna come in?"

He nodded and kicked off his shoes as he walked through the doorway, "So, where do we start?"

You opened your arms, "How about a hug, we already do that." It felt different this time as his warm body wrapped around yours, "It's nice not feeling like a total perv when you hug me."

His laugh reverted through your chest like the drum beat of a well loved song, "I'm glad I wasn't the only one."

You never wanted to leave the safety of his arms, "You wanna sit down? They're just about to play to preshow."

He nodded, "Sure, you wanna talk first? We've got ten minutes."

You pulled back and shrugged, "What's there to talk about? Nothing's changed, not really. We're still going to do all the things we did before, it's just that we've added things and you can finally give up online dating."

He chuckled, "You're right. What did you cook?"

"I figured I had some making up to do, so I made your favourite." You pointed towards the oven, "And Creme Burlee."

He closed to distance again and took your face in his hands, "Can I kiss you?"

You nodded, "Oh yes please." His lips didn't find yours right away, instead, he stroked your cheek with his thumb as he slowly closed the distance. You were surprised that when your lips finally touched, there was no burst of fireworks, rather, it was quiet, like you and Joe were the only two beings in the universe.

There was a buzz in the air that you swore was coming from your own ears but Joe pulled back with a disappointed sigh, "Food's done."

The world returned in sharp focus, "That it is. I'll get it ready if you put on the fight."

He nodded, "Sure. I enjoyed that."

"Yeah, me too."

****

"How is Fin going to get you back for being right?" You knew he would want something, he wasn't going to let it go with grace.

Joe snorted, "He said he's going to remind me about this until he retires."

You did your best to stop yourself from laughing, "Oh boy, you're going to be hearing about this for years."

Joe threw his arm over your shoulder and you turned your attention back to the TV as the fight continued. You flinched when a fist hit a face and Joe chuckled when your hand landed on his thigh, "You good there?"

You blinked and went to move but Joe placed his hand on yours, "Yeah, I'm good." He laced his fingers in yours, chuckling as you clenched it with every hit, "You're not normally like this, you love it most of the time."

You shrugged, "He looks like he's twelve. Plus, this ref isn't very good."

"We should go to a fight one day, on a date." There was a confidence in Joe you hadn't seen before and his smile had a certain charm.

"You don't need to convince me. Does this count as a date?" You were unsure, it didn't feel like a proper first date.

Joe shook his head, "No, this isn't a date, at least not a first date. We gotta go to dinner for that."

You nodded, "Ok, well do you want to go to dinner with me?"

Joe smiled, "Yes, I would like to go to dinner with you."

"So what does this count as?" You thought for a moment, "A get together?"

"Nah, we're just spending time together. You should get used to it, you're my girlfriend I'm going to want to spend a lot of time with you." He was definitely turning on the charm.

"I'd hope so, boyfriend." You paused, "That doesn't sound right, we're not twelve. Lovers?"

Joe suppressed a smirk, "Not yet. Significant other sounds nice."

You nodded, "Yeah it does. Which brings me to my next point, maybe you should stay the night and we can get coffee in the morning? Nothing has to happen, I just wanna make up for all the cuddling we've missed."

Joe smiled and moved closer before brushing a strand of hair behind your ear, 'I'd really like that."

Fin

@mysoulisasunflower

#joe velasco svu #joe velasco #joe velasco x you #joe velasco x reader #octavia pisano

[bonkwosher]

love the prompt list! what about 38 with benny blanc? 😇

A/N: Yes, of course! Thank you so much for requesting! I was going to do another Glass Onion inspired one but decided to not do another one like that for this one. I accidentally went too far & now it's all sad with a happy ending.

Prompt: 38. Craving their company after a stressful day

Contains: Angst, Benoit cries (AHHHHH), mention of a gun, near-death experience, short one shot

Pairing(s): Benoit Blanc x GN!Reader

Benoit got in his car & let out a huff. It wasn't really of anger, more like... letting go of a breath he didn't know he was holding. He almost died today. An officer was chasing the suspect in his direction. The yelling of the officer made him turn around, he was just looking at some bootprints with another officer. He was too late, the man hurdled into Benoit & caught him off guard. The man pulled Benoit in front of him & held a gun to his head. He froze as the man yelled at the surrounding officers & the next ten seconds felt like years as his mind raced to you. He thought he'd never see you again. A gunshot launched him out of his frozen state, he put his hand to his head where the gun had rested. He was fine. Benoit looked up to see an officer with his gun pointed out towards him, smoke emitting from it. He quickly turned to see the man behind him dead on the floor. Now he's here, alone in his car. A knock caught his attention, making him jump & turn to the side.

"I didn't mean to scare you, Blanc. Just wanted to check if you want a ride, you seem really shaken."

He did just have a gun pointed at him, not like the officer meant it so harshly. Benoit placed his hand on the wheel & forced a tight-lipped smile.

"I'm fine, officer. Thank you."

"Alright Blanc, I'm sorry all that happened. If you need any resources for therapy I'm sure our receptionist can set you up."

Benoit was bouncing his leg, desperate to get home, "I'll look into that, thank you, officer."

With that, the officer let him go & Benoit pulled out & onto the road. Despite being eager to get home he was very careful while driving. He had to make it home to you in one piece. He found himself checking the rearview mirror to make sure no one was behind him. Soon enough, you heard the sound of keys at the door before Benoit walked in.

"Hey, baby! I'm watching (favorite tv show) right now, come join me!" You spoke excitedly from your spot on the couch.

Benoit walked over to you & picked you up like it was nothing. You protested, claiming you didn't want to miss your show but he was quiet & didn't let go. He brought you to your shared room & laid you down on the bed before climbing in & laying on top of you, his head buried in your chest. He hugged your waist tightly & took a deep breath.

"Benoit, baby, what's wrong?"

That broke him, he started bawling his eyes out & his grip grew tighter. He told you everything that happened & you returned the tight hug, in pure disbelief of the words he told you. Benoit sits up, straddling your hips & crying like a baby, you sit up with him.

"& I-I- thought I'd never see you again. You were all I thought about & I just wanted you to hug me & say it would all be alright."

To say you'd never seen Benoit like this was an understatement. He was the one that helped others, wiped their tears & solved their problems. You were glad that he felt like he could be not okay around you & talk about his feelings. You brush your thumbs across his cheeks to wipe his face. His eyes were growing red & they snapped to look at you.

"I love you, Benoit. I'm so sorry that this all happened, I'm here to help however I can. Even if that is just cuddles & listening, I will do anything for you."

"Thank you, Y/N. You are my world."

The two of you cuddled & talked for hours. He felt safe in your arms & you in his. You turned on soft music & put on a bath for him (His favorite /j) & offered to leave him be to relax.

"No, Y/N- Please stay."

So you did. You didn't want to get in the bath so you pulled up a chair next to him & read a book aloud. He admitted that your voice was incredibly soothing in this moment. Benoit asked for a back massage after a while & you happily obliged, feeling a little bad when you felt how tense his back was. After the bath, you two finally headed to bed.

#benoit blanc x y/n #benoit blanc x you #benoit blanc #benoit #benoit blanc x reader #silly little gay detective #glass onion #knives out #netflix #gay #lgbt #lgbtq #detective #male reader #angst #one shot

[dream-meister-translations]

DREAM MEISTER & THE RECOLLECTED BLACK FAIRY

MAIN STORY : CHAPTER 2 PART 20

━

Several days later, under the clear blue sky…

KAI : Aaand, we're done! Ahh~!

GUI : Our observations... We’ve successfully completed our observations…

EMMA : Well done, everyone!

SION : Tsk. Making such a fuss over observation reports...

KAI : Weren’t you also making a big fuss and crying to the teacher, Sion?

SION : W-Well...

EMMA : I was quite surprised when I heard that Sion’s Dream Flower had turned black…

━

SION : E-Est!! I have a big problem!

EST : Whoa, slow down. What's going on, Sion? You're not acting like yourself.

EST : You're still recovering from what happened, so try not to get all worked up, okay?

SION : My... My Dream Flower turned completely black!

EST : Oh? Dream Flowers reflect the owner's dream power. It must have been influenced by the dark fairy that possessed you.

SION : I see. S-So once I make a full recovery… The flower will as well? ...W-Well seems I caused quite the commotion…

━

KAI : Heh, at least our group project was a complete success! Let's celebrate with a good dinner tonight!

SION : What are you talking about?

SION : It wasn't a complete success. There were many areas where we fell short, especially you, Kai.

SION : Your analysis of magical therapy during the recovery phase is too simplistic.

SION : You haven't observed enough cases, and your focus on the progress of each one is too narrow.

GUI : Uh...

SION : Gui, don't rely on my report too much either. You could have explored at least ten more variations in the magical subject.

GUI : Y-yes... Um, Sion, how do you know so much about the magical subject even though it's not your specialty?

SION : ...The Magia Seminar is a place where you can study both magic and witchcraft.

SION : It's not strange for me to understand your field.

KAI & GUI : ...

SION : What's with those faces? Am I saying something wrong?

KAI : Haha, not at all.

GUI : Right...

EST : Emma, thank you for your help. The students really appreciated it.

EMMA : Hehe, I'm glad I could be of assistance.

EST : I'd like to take a moment to express my gratitude, but there's something urgent I need to discuss.

EST : It's about that gun you asked Gui to analyze. It's going to get a bit... sketchy.

EMMA : !!

━

ANGE : Nya~a.

EST : We're back, Ange. Thanks for watching over things.

KAI : Hey, Ange! Were you a good kitty?

GUI : We're back! We'll feed you right away.

ANGE : Nyaa~!

SION : Ange... I'm back.

ANGE : ...Pfft.

EMMA : (Hang in there, Sion...)

We sit down on the couch in the conversation room, being careful not to crowd Sion, who looks particularly dejected.

EMMA : Sorry, Gui. I know you're busy, but there's something I need to say.

GUI : It's... It's fine! You've been a great help, so don't worry about it...

CROW : Thanks, Gui. So, what have you found out about the gun?

GUI : Well...

GUI : This gun is undoubtedly a magical instrument. However, I don't know much about the specific magic embedded in it...

EST : I also tried to investigate it, but it seems to involve very ancient magic.

EST : There are seals and such, making it difficult to decipher. I'm sorry, but we're at a dead end.

EMMA : I see...

GUI : But, I know someone who might have some insight into this. He's an acquaintance of my late grandfather, or more precisely, a friend of my grandfather who passed away.

NOAH : Someone involved in some shady business?

CROW : The kind of people who do things that wouldn't earn them praise, like criminal activities?

GUI : Um, well... this person is not necessarily a bad guy. He wants to make sure that magical instruments like this don't fall into the wrong hands...

GRANDFLAIR : I understand, Gui. Please continue.

GUI : Yes. I asked them myself, and he gave me some information about this gun.

GUI : It seems that this gun is being circulated through a certain black market...

GUI : And the people controlling this distribution route are...

EMMA : ! Who are they?

EST : They are an illegal organization known as the Bloody Lady, rooted in the pleasure capital of Graveland.

NOAH : The Bloody Lady...?

CROW : An illegal organization, huh? Sounds pretty dangerous.

EMMA : Could they be connected to Nanashi and the others?

CROW : If they’re the one distributing these guns, then…

CROW : …Things could get really bad with these in circulation…

NOAH : So, are we going to fight the Bloody Lady?

EMMA : If they’re Nanashi’s allies and trying to destroy people's dreams just like them, then we’ll have no choice.

GRANDFLAIR : We should exercise caution.

GRANDFLAIR : They’re an underground organization, and we know very little about their numbers or true nature.

EMMA : Waiting until harm is done would be too late. I think we should act immediately.

CROW : I agree. If we keep playing catch-up, we'll never get ahead.

GRANDFLAIR : ...And  if it turns out to be a wild goose chase… We might just end up falling further behind…

EST : There's one more thing I'd like to discuss...

EST : Magia Seminar is willing to help you, too.

EMMA : Huh...?

EST : We wanna work with you to stop Nanashi and the Bloody Lady. We can split our efforts.

EMMA : But...

KAI : Oh, no need to give us the “but it’s dangerous” spiel or anything like that.

GUI : This gun and the remote they had are likely very advanced magical instruments.

EST : It's highly probable that someone well-versed in magic and witchcraft is on the enemy's side.

KAI : So, it looks like it's our turn to shine, right?

GUI : Whether it's magic or witchcraft, magical instruments or not, they are meant to bring happiness to people. I can't allow them to be used to hurt others!

SION : I wanna make up for all the trouble I caused…

EMMA : Everyone...

EST : So, Emma, can we count on you from now on?

EST : As a comrade and, if possible, as our guild keeper.

EMMA : Yes!

━

MIRROR : ...

MIRROR : Hmm, that was rather tame and predictable, wasn’t it?

NANASHI : Is that a complaint I’m hearing as soon as we get back~? They threw some surprises our way, you know~.

MIRROR : Everything went according to plan. This is just one of the typical futures I foresee.

NANASHI : Sure, sure, if you say so~

NANASHI : ...Oh? Impatient as always. I was actually planning on reporting back soon.

??? : How are her abilities?

NANASHI : Purification, you mean? Very real. My Black Fairy was taken away.

??? : I see... hehe.

NANASHI : So, what's the plan from here?

??? : We meet Emma. And… help give them a nudge in the right direction.

NANASHI : Huh?

MIRROR : The king’s making his move already? It’s too soon…

NANASHI : Mirror’s right… What am I doing all this work for if we're just gonna jump the gun?

NANASHI : ...Whatever. Selfish as always…

━

LANNES : Oh, this isn’t good!

INTEL : And you’re noisy. Please, it’s bad enough we have to pull these all-nighters.

LANNES : Apologies. Cleaning up after the chairman again?

INTEL : He disappears at the worst possible moment every time... I want to grind that carefree face into compost.

LANNES : The chairman's habit of going missing isn't something new, though. But he is taking it to the extreme…

INTEL : Sigh... So, what were you yelling about earlier?

LANNES : Well, we received a message from Emma and the others.

LANNES : It seems that the Bloody Lady may be connected to the organization we're chasing, and...

INTEL : What!?

LANNES : It's a serious situation. If the Bloody Lady is involved, it's inevitable that the Primus Club will be...

INTEL : Shh! Keep it down. The Federation isn't officially aware of the relationship between the Bloody Lady and the Primus Club.

INTEL : ...At least not openly.

LANNES : Adult secrets, huh. In any case, it's going to be a sticky situation...

LANNES : Emma… Please stay safe…

#Yumekuro #YMKR #Yumekuro Translations #Yumekuro Chapter 2 #Chapter 2 #YMKR Chapter 2 #Dream Meister #Dream Meister Translations #Otome #Otome Translations #Dream Meister And The Recollected Black Fairy #Dream Meister And The Recollected Black Fairy Translations #CH2P20

[barbiecrocs]

Seven-Legged Spider (possible series lmk)

Miguel O'Hara

tags ! mafia au, shit talking Taco Bell

WC.975

Barbie's Note... Sooooo, we're not going to talk about how I went afk for like so long, and I'm not going to give y'all some wild Wattpad Author story. I'm just gonna drop this on yall and if yall want more, give it some love please bc ngl I have shit planned for this🙏

For once in his 13 years of running his father's mafia, is he glad to be running it. Yes, it’s pretty depressing to be doing something you don’t like for so long, but he knew what he was getting into the moment his father asked if he wanted to take over. Or more so told him he’d be taking over. Otherwise, the business would have been given to his half-brother Gabriel O’Hara and that was just a no in his father’s eyes. So Miguel had to throw away his aspirations of being an astronaut and take one for the team. But why bitch about it now when things are finally getting good and interesting?

He dims the lights in his study before logging into his computer. For a solid eight minutes and counting, he’s just clicking around, looking for the application that allows him access to his employee’s body cams. He’s on the verge of summoning his virtual assistant Lyla to explain something she already explained (which she loves to tease him for and he hates) when he eventually remembers that it’s not accessible on his homepage but through a locked website she whipped up. With his technical difficulties out of the way, he clicks on the ‘Miles Morales Body Cam’ link to see the advancement of their mission. Much to his disapproval, it looks like his team has made zero progress because they stopped by Taco Bell for simple, bland, and disgusting cheesy bean burritos that would have tasted better homemade with nacho fries and watered-down Baja Blast slushies. An absolutely overpriced and gut-wrenching meal made by, in his opinion, the worst fast food place in all of Nueva York. The site doesn’t make him as mad as it should, in fact, it only ruins his mood by ten percent.

He leans back in his Pu leather office chair, wristwatch coming to his lips as he converses with his virtual assistant. “Lyla, I’m sure you’re seeing what I’m seeing. Tell them to get to it.” He orders, his voice low and calm, but not without base to show that he’s serious. “Already on it!” The hologram says back, her voice chipper but adult-like, almost a complete contrast compared to Miguel.

The message is relayed, and he watches patiently as the group transitions from munching on mediocre slapped-together burritos to bagging up everything in sight the moment Lyla’s holographic form appears on Hobie’s wristwatch. “Hey, y’all! Hahaha, no need to be so scared, it’s only me.” They all sigh, “And Miguel…” They tense up again, “Yeah, he can see everything you’re doing right now, and let’s just say he is not too pleased. So can we maybe stop whatever this lunch date is and get on with the mission? Please and thank you. Oh yeah, and if you guys are going to do some sneaky stuff at least turn off your body cams. How else do you think he found out?” Lyla then disappears before static engulfs his screen once they figure out it’s Miles who forgot to turn his body cam off.

—

Miguel sits tired and unamused at his computer for what seems like forever until all four of the group’s body cams switch on and they’re trying to figure out a way into someone's house. Five valuable minutes fly by and they still haven’t found an open window, unlit chimney, or semi-clean crawl space. Only then does he realize the glowing red flashing icon on the bottom of Gwen’s frame, signaling that there is noise coming from her mic. He reaches into his locked desk for his recently charged earpiece and pushes it into his ear.

An audio chatline with Gwen Stacey/ Miguel O’Hara has been opened. It recites on both lines.

“Ah! Finally, you answered. Anyway, we’re having a bit of trouble finding a way in.” She voices out of breath, hands on the top of her head to up the intake of oxygen in her lungs. Miguel takes a fair look at their situation from all the cameras until brewing a solution and shares the private audio chat line with everyone else. “Make one.” Movement from all four cameras stops, mostly in confusion but some in exhaustion. “Make a way in.” He elaborates, “I didn’t send the youngest of team nine on a mission for shits and giggles. I know you guys can get creative with the tools in the trunk. That’s what they’re there for.” Seeming more like a pep talk than an order, they get to work with a crowbar, plunger, some flat-head screwdrivers, and a better attitude.

Miles and Pavitr give Gwen a leg up to a second-story window with Hobie standing a couple of feet behind in case she falls. “Screwdriver.” She says, her hand coming off of the window and down to retrieve her item. She begins wedging the flat head of the utensil under the bottom and wiggling it in. The window comes up easier than she expected until she realizes, it’s unlocked, but not pushed up far enough for her fingers to fit. She hands back the screwdriver and asks for the plunger, only then does she successfully get the window open after sticking it to the glass and pushing it up.

“Good, now-” Miguel starts but is abruptly stopped by the very familiar sound of metal clanking together, catching the attention of everyone.

The camera pans up when Gwen looks to where the noise is coming from, only to be met with the barrel of a gun pointed between her eyes held by one of the prettiest women she’s seen in her lifetime. (Even if that isn’t very long.) Everyone freezes in hopes that the woman doesn’t have a trigger-happy trigger finger otherwise, this might be the last time they see Gwen. She spits out,

“Who the fuck are you?”

#smut #miguel o'hara smut #miguel o'hara #mafia au #mafia miguel

[imaginecolby]

Friends with Benefits || Part Ten - The First Part of Forever

"are you busy?" colby text you one afternoon.

"not at the moment. i just left for my lunch break." you replied. as soon as it was marked read, he was calling you on facetime. "hi baby." you said with a smile when you answered.

"we miss you." he pouted, panning the camera to show lucas asleep on his chest. it was monday morning, and you had to go back to work after taking a few days off to spend with your boys.

"oh, stop. i will literally quit my job right now and come home." you joked.

"that's fine. daddy can support us, and you can be a stay at home mom." colby teased.

"you joke, as if i haven't heavily considered that." you laughed. truthfully, you loved your job, and the people you worked with, so you wouldn't actually ever leave. but you missed your boys so much every day, that it took all you had in you to not drop everything and rush home.

the first few years of parenthood had been better than you expected them. lucas was such a great kid, and already so incredibly smart. you just celebrated his fourth birthday, and you couldn't believe how fast he was growing up, but you loved getting to watch him grow every day.

you talked with colby throughout your entire lunch break, and a little bit after you got back to work. the rest of the day went by so slow, and all you wanted was to get home. once you left work, you drove home as fast you could. you let out a sigh of relief as you pulled into the driveway, glad to finally be home. you gathered your bags and went inside, kicking your shoes off by the door.

"mommy!" a tiny voice cheered as you walked into the kitchen.

"hello my baby!" you cheered as lucas jumped into your arms. you held him tight and pressed a kiss to his cheeks. "i missed you today." you said, kissing him again.

"me and daddy missed you too." he said softly. just then, colby came into the kitchen, saying hello and giving you a quick kiss.

"it's true." he laughed, moving to sit at the island. "lucas, you wanna tell mommy what happened today?" colby asked him. lucas turned his attention to you, giving a big smile. what was once a large toothy grin now had a noticable gap in the front. you felt your eyes widen, gasping loudly.

"i lost a tooth!" he cheered, kicking in your arms.

"your first tooth!" you cheered along with him. "make sure you put it under your pillow tonight so the tooth fairy can find it." you said, kissing his cheek again. he squirmed out of your arms and you heard him run off to his room. you turned to colby as a pout pulled on your lip. "his first tooth." you whined.

"i know." he said, pulling you into his lap. "fell out literally as soon as you and i hung up earlier." he laughed.

"i can't believe i missed it." you sighed. you draped your arm around colby's neck, leaning into his chest. you felt the stress from your day finally melt away, finding solace and comfort in colby's arms. you both sat there quietly, enjoying the peace, until lucas came running back into the kitchen.

"daddy, i'm hungry." he pouted, leaning into colby's side.

"i know, bud. our pizza should be here soon." colby said to him.

"okay!" he said before wandering off. you heard him turn on the tv in the living room, laughing as the theme song played to his favorite cartoon. you stood from colby's lap and he shortly followed suit, rising from his chair.

"i'm gonna go change before dinner gets here." you said, pressing a kiss to his lips before grabbing your things and heading upstairs. you changed into some lounge clothes and met the boys in the dining room where colby was making everyone plates. you sat down at the table as colby placed a plate in front of you. the three of you enjoyed your meal, making conversation.

after dinner, the three of you lounged in the living room, lucas' cartoon still playing on the tv. you and colby were snuggled up on the couch, and lucas was on the floor, playing with some his toys. you watched him with stars in your eyes, still beside yourself that this was your kid, and that he was growing up so fast.

you loved him with your whole heart, and would do anything to protect him from whatever bad things were thrown his way. you had a good feeling that he was going to grow up to be wonderful young man, and you couldn't wait to experience it all.

after a while, lucas was done playing, and had crawled onto the couch, nuzzling himself in between you and colby. he quickly fell asleep, breathing quietly beneath you. after a while, you moved slowly to carry him up to bed, being extra careful as to not wake him up. you laid him in his bed and tucked him in, wishing him a good night. you stood there watching him sleep before colby's voice sounded in your ear, scaring you.

"so, how much is the tooth fairy gonna leave him?" he asked, pulling wad of cash out of his pocket. "all i have is twenties."

"cole, we are not giving our four-year-old a twenty dollar bill for a single tooth."

"ooh, not the real first name. that hurts." he laughed, placing his hand over his heart, feining offense. you rolled your eyes and walked off to your bedroom.

"he can have one dollar." you asserted, grabbing some change from your dresser. you went back to lucas' room, carefully removing the tooth from underneath his pillow and placing the stack of quarters on his nightstand.

"i can't believe he's already lost his first tooth." you pouted again, suddenly feeling the tears well in your eyes.

"i feel like this is all happening so fast, but i can't wait to continue to watch him grow. he's gonna have so many incredible experiences, and i can't wat for us to be there to see them all." colby said as you walked back down to your bedroom. you stood at the foot of your bed, stumbling a bit as colby suddenly pulled you into his arms. he kissed you softly, and held you tight.

"i love you." you said, kissing him again.

"i love you more." he said, lips barely moving from yours. you quickly deepened the kiss, as colby's arms wrapped tighter around your waist. he lifted you slightly off the ground, and you followed his cue, wrapping your legs around him.

he carried you the few steps to the edge of the bed, laying you down beneath him. his lips pressed along the inches of your skin, down your neck, across your chest, in between your breasts, and down your stomach.

"let's make another one." he said out of breath, before pressing his lips met yours again. you pulled his face away and locked eyes with him, smiling wide before nodding.

"lock the door." you smirked.

“mmm, yes ma’am.” he said, his lips brushing yours as he moved to the bedroom door, quickly flipping the lock.

sex with colby never failed to satisfy you, and knowing that you had him all to yourself made it all the more perfect. after you finished that night, you cuddled for a bit, the two of you laying in a perfect silence as you both drifted off to sleep.

this was your forever; it was by no means perfect, but it was exactly what you wanted. your wonderful husband, your wonderful son, and your wonderful life. it was perfect to you, and you wouldn’t change it for the world.

#colby brock #colby brock imagine #colby brock fanfic #colby brock fanfiction #colby brock imagines #fwb

[mangoshorthand]

Before A Fall [Five Hargreeves x F Reader]. Ch 6 (Hard Feelings Part 2)

SUMMARY: As your life begins to grow around Five's, his attitude becomes a little sinister. When does protection become suffocation and when does taking matters into your own hands become betrayal? (weekly updates) Series masterpost Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Chapter Eight - Chapter Nine - Chapter Ten - Chapter Eleven - Chapter Twelve

You're not the only person Five dismisses. It's high time you teamed up with his brother.

Fighting corporate crime with Klaus below. Proceed at your own risk

Chapter 6: Heist Sorta Gals

He only let Sarah run from him when they were both out of the building. He apologized profusely in the elevator on the way down but it hadn't seemed to register. Her white face and frightened eyes kept recurring to him on the way home.

Poor kid. It was harsh, but necessary. 

When the door creaks closed behind him, he’s surprised to find Klaus sitting alone in the corner of the entrance hall. He’s cross-legged, resting a slightly-tilted beer on his knee and smoking a cigarette languidly. 

“Hey little bro. How did it go?”

Five produces a pen-drive from his jean pockets and indicates a paper file under his arm.

“I found pretty much what I expected. Just got to do some more digging and then I blow the whistle.”

“Cool.”

“Santi asleep?”

“Yeah. Little guy was bushed.” 

Klaus seems odd to Five. Thoughtful. There’s none of the usual glint in his eye.

“I’m going to update the family later on. I think I’m going to need the team. Will you be here?”

“Sure.”

He strolls as if towards the living room but, sensing it’s empty, turns back to Klaus.

“Where is she?”

“Probably packing.”

Five feels like his heart has dropped into his stomach. Surely not? You hadn’t been pleased, but…

“What do you mean?”

“Just messing with you. She’s working out.”

Five shrugs out of the flannel shirt and holds it over his arm. Something about the timbre of Klaus’s voice lets him know that this was more than a joke, and he resents the implication behind it. He regards his brother with narrowed eyes. 

"You got something to say to me, Klaus?”

Klaus meets his gaze and holds it. Five shifts his eyes first. This, it seems, prompts Klaus to laugh.

“You really fucked up there, man.”

“Really?” Five says, firing up at once, “Wow- I'm so glad you told me. I spent the whole day thinking 'Gee, I wonder what Klaus thinks about all this?'"

“Kinda hard not to give a shit when I have her crying in the living room over how shitty you treat her. She's my friend and you're my brother.”

Five steps towards him, hands going into his pockets and his jaw setting.

“If she’s upset, then she can come to me.”

“Well didn't she try that? After your little ‘heart-to-heart’ with Santi. When you told him her and everyone who isn’t like us is 'insignificant’”

Klaus takes a heavy drag on his cigarette.

“Great job there, by the way.”

“I never said that. Nobody’s insignificant.”

“Whatever you said, it made her feel this tall”, he holds his thumb and forefinger within an inch of one another, “and then today too?”

“She knows how I feel. I’m protecting her.”

Five steps forward, his neck jerking as he speaks. Always a sign of danger.

“Exactly! She doesn’t want to just be protected, maybe she wants to be treated like an equal!"

He breathes hard through his nose, "Just stay out of this."

Klaus, now angry in a way uncommon to him, draws himself up. Sometimes, the truth hurts.

"If you can't take her seriously, maybe you gotta rethink the 'ethics' of sniffing her panties. She is young enough to be your daughter."

Five blinks to within an inch of Klaus, grabbing him by the collar and dashing him off the chair. Klaus gives a small yell of pain as the tiled floor makes contact with his shoulder. 

“Ow! What the fuck, Five?” he says, cradling his shoulder and shaking off the beer now soaking through his pant leg. 

Five stands over him, breathing like a bull, then pivots a little, staring at the wall to his right rather than continue to look at Klaus.

“Listen, you useless shitheel, I'm not taking relationship advice from you." he stalks off towards the attic stairs.

"Oh yeah? Don't want to take advice from someone who knows what it’s like to lose someone?" 

Five pretends not to hear Klaus as he calls after him.

"At least with Dave it wasn’t my fault!” 

On the landing between the second and third flights of stairs, Five leans against the wall and covers his face with both hands until his rage subsides. He doesn’t have time for this. What’s he supposed to do? Give you something insignificant just to keep you busy? He’ll deal with you later.

After beating the punch bag to exhaustion, (imagining that it was his smug face), you arrive back in the bedroom post-shower, wrapped in a towel. Five holds a coffee and writes incomprehensibly on the dry-erase. He nods when you walk in but otherwise makes no acknowledgment.

You sit on the bed, towel-drying your hair. Usually, being in any state of undress earns you at least an appreciative glance. Not today, however: his eyes stay glued resolutely to the dry erase, muttering the odd word like: “pharmacokinesis”, “bioavailability” or simply, “fuck.”

You’ve seen him this way before. When an idea consumes him, his first instinct is to break it down to its component parts and analyze it into submission. It intensifies all his usual mannerisms and expressions. You usually find it endearing, even attractive, but today it’s nothing but irritating.

“Well?” you say, expectantly.

“Well what?” he says, maintaining calm only through the medium of  clenched teeth. 

You blink incredulously, affronted.

“Are you going to apologize for how you spoke to me today?”

He lets out a slow, angry breath.

“Is this really the time?”

“Then when is the time?”

“I don’t know, dear, maybe when there aren’t second graders being poisoned.”

“Asshole.”

“Yeah, yeah.” he murmurs.

You fall into tense silence. After a minute or two of intense calculations, he speaks again.

"I got another family meeting in ten minutes."

“I take it I'm not invited?"

He doesn't respond, pen squeaking a little in contact with the wall.

"So you’re not going to keep me informed at all then?”

He stops writing, places the lid on the pen and walks slowly to put it away in a drawer. With his back turned to you, he lets out a controlled, drawn-out exhale, as if he’s steeling himself to deal with you. Then, he sits down at the desk, rests his forearms on the tabletop and turns to look at you; his face is spread with what you’ve come to recognise as his ‘customer service’ smile. When he talks, it's like he's addressing a particularly challenging nine-year-old.

“Sure. I got ten minutes.” 

His smile broadens, showing more teeth but not quite reaching his eyes.

“There is something bad in the soda,” he continues, “I am going to find out what and try to stop more kids getting cancer, so if we could delay our little ‘conflict’ until a more opportune time, I’d be grateful.”

For the moment, you dismiss his shitty tone just for the chance of more information.

“So what’s the next stage?”

“That’s what my brothers will help me decide. You’re going to have to forgive me if I don’t consult you on this.”

You scoff. Really? 

“Oh yeah, don’t consult me, I’m just your girlfriend. I’m only here for recreational purposes, right?”

Five returns his eyes unseeingly to his latest lines of calculation. Easier to look at them than you right now.

“There’s no point in talking to you when you’re like this.”

In sheer frustration, you tear off your towel and throw it in his direction. 

“Then get out Five! Fuck off downstairs and have your super-exclusive family soiree. Because fuck me, right?”

He gives a short disdainful laugh, getting up from the desk and grabbing his coffee mug.

“You said it, dear, not me,” as he strolls to the door, he mumbles, “thrown out of my own bedroom. Gee, I’ve reached a new low.”

He shuts the door behind him a little harder than necessary.

“So,” he points at a graph tacked onto the old blackboard dragged from their old education suite, “this is the suspicious compound, the one Sarah thought was probably a mutagen. It was only present in the soda can from Santi’s school,”

“So they’re using the kids as…lab rats?”

“Yeah. I think that’s what it suggests. Free test subjects under the guise of a ‘pilot scheme’ investing in education."

Luther looks grave.

“It would explain the newspapers,” says Viktor, “They’re trying to discredit you so anything you come out with won’t be believed.”

“Yeah. That’s why I think we’ll have to play PR on this one. When the time comes.”

“A press conference maybe?” suggests Sloane.

“Oh I think it’s worse than that,” he responds, regretfully, “we need to show that all the ‘verified’ members of the Academy trust me. I think we may have to go full uniform.”

Klaus changes the subject, “You know me right, you know I’m no fan of big business, but are you telling me there’s some evil genius sitting in a corner office somewhere cackling to himself about giving kids brain cancer?”

“Maybe? But I lean towards it being an unintended consequence.”

“Am I right in thinking a mutagen is something that alters DNA? Like radioactive? Radon?”, Viktor asks.

“Exactly. But not all mutagens are radioactive.”

“So they’re trying to change the kids in some way? What could they want to change?”

Five frowns. “It makes me think about Dad. If he could farm powered kids then he would have done it, regardless of how many got cancer.”

They all seem to accept this. Had they not been 'farmed' themselves?

“But would a company want to 'improve' children?” Viktor asks.

“Unless it’s a front? Maybe it is some madman like Dad trying to build his own child militia. That’s why we’ve got to get in there.”

“So we need to plan a heist into their head office…or development labs?”

Five turns to Luther, “The head office first. There’s got to be a smoking gun somewhere. Internal memos, encrypted files?”

“Diego and Lila won’t be happy to be left out of this,” tries Viktor, “do you think we ought to tell them?”

Five considers.

 “I know for sure that Santi himself is OK. So, for now, let’s keep them out of it. Let them enjoy their honeymoon. I think they’re too close to it anyway. We need to approach this with clear heads.”

“I agree,” says Luther, “Let's get planning. I’m happy to move quick on this if the rest of you guys are?”

Klaus stands, replacing the wide-brimmed hat on his head. “You guys knock yourselves out. I’m going to take a bath. I’m not exactly a ‘heist’ sorta gal. Hit me up if you really need me but otherwise I’m going to sit this one out”

“I won’t object to that.” says Five, coolly, clearly having not forgiven him for his earlier challenge.

You’ve been sitting on the bed crying again. You’re sitting here, in the bedroom you share with the man you love, knowing that he doesn’t love you like a partner should. He thinks you’re a liability. You’ve only lived with him for a few months but already your life has grown around his. Just like ivy growing around a tree; the tree doesn't reciprocate. Eventually the tears dried up and now you just sit.

You couldn’t face going back to your shitty little apartment after Monroe almost beat you to death. The idea of seeing your dining chairs, the threadbare carpet probably still stained with your blood…it was too much. The Academy had been your refuge, the place you’d started to function again. His training had given you part of your confidence back, and his love had rebuilt part of your feeling of security

Up until now, you’d thrived here, but dawning is acute awareness of what you’ve lost. When all is said and done, this is still Five’s space. 

Yes, your possessions are scattered around you. Yes, he has given up half his storage to your clothing and yes, you do feel at home, but the idea that your only home is now under his…stewardship has only just occurred to you. Having this sort of reliance on someone who seems to see you as serving an auxiliary purpose to his real life is not a tenable position.

Just as you start to seriously consider calling Ellie, confessing all your fears and asking if you can stay for a few days, there’s a knock on the bedroom door. It’s too early to be Five and he wouldn't dream of knocking.

“Come in.”

Klaus walks over the threshold with two beers. His eyes are alight. He looks like all his birthdays just came at once.

“Hey.” He sits at Five’s desk, swinging his legs up onto the desk at an extremely high angle- almost vertical. He prises off the beer caps on the edge of the desk and passes you one, taking a swig of his own.

“I want you to picture the scene.” he holds up a tattooed palm, "You. Me. Saving kids from evil corporations and stickin’ it to Cinco in the process. What do you say?”

You take your own sip of beer. It certainly sounds intriguing and you’re for certain angry enough to really want to stick it to Five. You look at Klaus with interest, eyes prompting him to continue.

“So there’s a mystery ingredient in JUICED, right? Some freaky compound that they’ve put in the drinks from the school but weren’t in one from the store. Five proved it with his little science experiment - y'know, the one he could have done so much easier if he’d just asked you. But no he’d rather traumatize some poor PhD student.”

He leans towards you slightly, almost overbalancing, but steadies himself on the chair.

“Now, Five thinks it’s some creepy ‘chemical x’ thing that they’ve put in to make super-children, but in some kids it’s causing cancer because it’s mutating their…DNA or some shit.” 

He makes a gross alien-noise, presumably to denote mutation. It pulls a smile from you.

“So he’s downstairs,” Klaus continues, “and he’s all 'Ugggh let’s go break some heads and hack servers and blaaah'. But then I thought: why don’t we just…ask someone? Aaand who’s worked for the man long enough to know how and who? You, you little corporate slave you.”

He leans towards you and boops you on the nose.

You’re starting to get the picture.

“Not everything has to be some mega time-travel super heist.” he says, “Wanna work with me?”

His mischievous, coaxing smile broadens and wrinkles his nose. It's irresistible.

“Abso-fucking-lutely”

“Yay!!” 

Klaus swings his legs down, leaps from the chair, onto the bed and gives you a hug.

“We are going to NAIL this.”

“You’re totally right about this.” you say.

Still in his arms, you pause for a second to adjust your ideas. His words are churning around your mind. The more you think of them, the more it makes sense. Why didn’t you think of it?

“The way he’s going about this won’t work.” you say, slowly, “When corporate crime gets exposed it’s by whistleblowing, not by smash and grab.”

“Exactly-”

“And it’s nearly always disgruntled employees. They’ve got the access and the knowhow to leak the right documents.”

“Uh-huh.”

“…and in the world of brands, there’s back-stabbing, ladder-climbing… Klaus, I’m pretty sure we could isolate some likely assets with an hour of research." 

“Me and you, a couple of cans of White Claw, researching the shit out of things! I’m already pumped. I’ll get my computer, you get more booze!”

You sit top to toe on the bed, drinking the rest of the beer with the cans of White Claw Klaus suggested ready to go.

“So,” you begin, tapping away at the keyboard, "best place for disgruntled employees: Glassdoor.”

“What’s that?”

“A site to review employers. I’m on JUICED’s page now and there are hundreds, which is great. If we start filtering by 1-2 stars and then see where we end up." 

You share the URL as well as that of a live-edit document. 

Klaus leans towards his screen with a giggle, “Well Christ on a cracker; look at all these. Do the companies know which employees give them one star? They gotta hate that!”

“Yeah. That’s one of the problems with it: it’s anonymous but you need to enter your job title and other situational stuff can make it clear who’s who. That works in our favor, but it does mean that only ex-employees can go scorched earth.”

“Oh I love reading scorched earth reviews! But…little problem: if they’re an ex-employee then how do they get access to files?”

“Their network. There’s a good chance they’ll still be friendly with someone on the inside.”

"Ooh, subterfuge…”

“Plus, we don’t just have to deal with ex-employees.  The current employees might rate high because they’re scared of what the boss will say, but then they’ll use euphemisms to explain what it’s really like. They’ll say it’s ‘like a family’ when they mean that you have absolutely no work/life balance.”

“So we’re looking for spicy bitches and passive aggressive bitches?”

“You got it. Then once we’ve got a list of likely reviews, it’s just about identifying them. Cross-reference job titles and start and end dates with LinkedIn, and then we’ve got a list of names we can rate from most to least likely.”

“Look at you, you little LinkedIn Nancy Drew!”

“This is my world, baby. Keeping up with corporate bullshit.”

Over the course of the evening, you work together to develop a list of links to promising reviews and manage to identify six LinkedIn matches to go with them. 

"Ooh, this looks spicy!" Klaus turns his screen to allow you to read, "We got a mention of elementary schools too."

He shows you a recent glassdoor review from a former Business Development Manager.  They rated JUICED one out of five stars after working there for over 5 years. The headline reads:

'Absolutely no loyalty to long term employees'. 

I was overworked and under-valued. It was a cliquey, totally untransparent rumor-mill. Lost out on promotion to a less experienced coworker with a worse track record. Was made to spend way too much time reaching out to elementary schools to sponsor rather than pursuing actual paying leads and then blamed when my team underperformed according to totally unfair metrics. Completely unethical work culture based around guilting you for not working all the hours god sends. Apparently it's important to be a 'team player' but don't expect them to be on your team if shit hits the fan.

You look back up at Klaus and laugh, "Wow, tell us how you really feel.”

After a bit of searching on LinkedIn, you find a matching profile: “Harvey Klein,” you read, “And look at this! The review's recent because he only left three months ago. And he’s taken a massive hit; he’s two or three job rungs lower.”

“So somebody might be looking for…revenge.”

 Klaus waggles his eyebrows.

When Five comes to bed, long after Klaus left, you pretend to be asleep already.

You feel him brush a lock of hair off your face and give a sad sigh. When he gets in beside you, you roll and face away from him, still feigning sleep.

He presses his face against your shoulder and inhales, cupping your body with his. His arms wrap around you and he holds you to him. After a few minutes, when he’s sure you’re in deep sleep again, he whispers:

“It has to be like this...but I love you. I really do."

Tag list: (please comment to be added or removed.) @dilfjohhny , @sunsunhe, @w4stedtr4sh, @nevbrooke-555, @theredvelvetbitch, @td-miley01 Alternatively, join me on AO3.  Here is a link to the whole series

#the umbrella academy smut #the umbrella academy five #the umbrella academy imagine #the umbrella academy #umbrella academy x reader #umbrella academy #umbrella academy smut #umbrella academy number five #umbrella academy five x you #umbrella academy five x reader #five hargreeves x reader #five hargreeves x you #number five imagine #five hargreeves smut #five hargreeves imagine #number five smut #number 5 imagine #number 5 #fanfic #ao3 writer #read on ao3 #tua fanfic #umbrella academy fanfic #five hargreaves x you #five hargreaves x reader #number 5 x reader #number 5 x you #Hard feelings #Before a fall

[benkyoutobentou]

31 Days of Productivity Reading: Day sixteen

Before: Since we're now about halfway through the month, let's take another look at my goals for March-

Finish No. 6 volume 3

Read 憎らしい彼

Read 独り舞 (2/3 there!)

Read at least ten volumes of manga (3/10)

Read at least an hour per day (still still on track!)

Am I at least halfway through my (tangible) goals? Uh, debatable. Either way, I think completing my goals is still completely doable!

I still have seven volumes of manga to read, so is there anything I'd like to get to this month? Yes. Too many. So let's narrow it down. I would very much like to get in at least one more volume of ベルサイユのばら (1/7), I want to start はなものがたり (2/7) but I only have one volume and I'm in the debacle of "but what if I like it so much that I need to read the rest right away?", it's not that I necessarily want to read スリーピングデッド (4/7) this month but more of I don't think I'll be able to hold off reading it until next month, and I've also been feeling a bit like picking up another volume of 3月のライオン (5/7) lately, and okay I think that's enough. I could just list off every single series in my tbr but then we'd be here all day. I won't even promise that I'll get to anything I listed here because that's just how life pans out sometimes. I listed off all those manga and didn't even name ウツボラ don't even look at me.

After: As much as I’m ready for this musical to be over, it saved me today because I don’t think I would’ve gotten any reading in had I not been in a position where I have to sit in one place and do nothing for like an hour and a half in bit and pieces. In addition to usual Saturday errands and the musical, I did some gardening in the afternoon and went to a party tonight. I’m really not a partier (I mean look at me, my hobbies are language learning and reading) but I always make a point to go when my next door neighbors host parties because it forces me to be at least a little social. Plus, I usually know a good amount of the people there. And this time, I ended up talking to someone about books and they invited me to their book club! Just what I need, more books I have to read. Of course I said yes.

Today, I read twenty two pages, which would be around an hour and eighteen minutes if I were to use yesterday’s average reading pace of four minutes per page. If I read another twenty pages tomorrow, I would only have about thirty pages left to read on Monday which I think is totally doable in a single day. The end is in sight! Again, I don’t dislike this book or think it’s bad, it’s just a bit too high level for my Japanese right now. I am glad to have read it, though. Hopefully my next read will pick me back up off the ground and remind me that I actually can read in this language.

I'm also still going strong with doing my JPDB reviews, and I'm now in the 1200s. Slow and steady wins the race and I'm hoping that mentioning it here will keep me on track.

#benkyou posting #30 days of productivity #langblr #studyblr #language learning #polyglot