#( I do apologies for the radio silence and - up and vanishing. The last thing I had intended. ) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bmscribbles · 4 months

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If I may, I'd like to start off the New Year by being very honest with you guys

Heads up, this is going to be long. It's not going to start good. I try to keep these things off of this account, but I think I need to say it for a few reasons that I hope makes sense as I go

I'm not around much and keep being slow with a lot of things because I am not doing well. I have not been doing well for quite some time. I frequently shrug off my absences as being busy, but I'm not busy so much as I spend most of my days wrestling with freshly planted and frequently, almost daily unintentionally, reinforced trauma while simultaneously adjusting to this being a part of my life in the first place. It has only been some months since one of the last major sources of these scars had stopped, and it has been an uphill battle against the fear responses I've learned over the past 10 years from multiple traumatic experiences being reinforced in my day to day life

This is why I don't have a regular schedule for things, why I swing between finishing art pieces quickly and taking so long to make progress, and why I suddenly vanish for chunks at a time. I don't beat myself up about these things and I continue to do my best around the issues, to be clear with people about my accessibility, but, as I'm sure you all have seen with reoccurring absences, I don't always win those daily battles

I ended up taking a break from a couple of spaces I'm in to try and really focus on what's going on in my head and what I need to do. My winter was primarily trying to make myself look at things I never wanted to look at again in order to resolve them while also keeping it together the best I could during the bustling holidays. When I came back, when mention of how long I've been gone came up, I got many pats on the head and told that "they know I get busy." People made the excuse for me before I could even try to say the truth, then carried on. It made me realize the depth of the hole I've put myself in, with how good I am at keeping my problems to myself

I don't know if this is appropriate. I don't know if this is the right thing to share in this sort of space, but I feel like I'm at a point where I need to stop pretending and taking advantage of how people make excuses for me if I play the right act just enough to seem like I'm fine, "just busy." It leads to me getting left alone a lot. I get left behind and projected onto about unexpectedly invasive things a lot. I don't think it's that people need to get their shit together, though. I need to figure what to do with myself from here, with the baggage I now have not just being tugged behind me, but nailed to my legs

This isn't meant to be a Woe Is Me post or me looking for attendance to a pity party. I wanna wipe my table clean of everything I've put on it to cover its damages, and I want to start by being transparent, and to better apologize to anyone who might feel dismissed or deemed unimportant by my radio silence with friendships and stop-and-go pace with work

With this transparency though, I'd also like to talk about the good things that have happened and that have realy helped me through these years. There isn't only bad things on the table.

I'm estatic there's folks who like what I do so much that they want to support me in the ways that they do. I don't think I'll ever be able to properly put to words just how much that means to me. I know I've said it before, but not once have I meant it lightly, even if said on a laugh. I'm honored. Seriously.

I've been trying to focus on directly approaching my issues instead of trying to do them on the side of other things happening, putting them first and foremost, and as painful has it's been it HAS been working. For the first time in a very, very long while I have been able to reach out and ask for help with problems that have completely overwhelmed me and reinforced what has happened in those ten years. I've started being able to feel like I can be there for others around me again too, not as a measurement of usefulness, but in recognition that I have the energy to so again. To do something as deeply important to me as to be there for those I care about.

I'm starting to get back to how I naturally make art over what I feel people are more interested in seeing, and I actually look forward to sharing them someday. I have a much better idea of how I'd like to approach my work in the future as my job and have the energy to start seeking out others with experience where I don't for consulting. I have projects planned out that I'm excited to jump on sometime this year, including a full comic and maybe starting to write a book I've been picking at for some years.

I'm working to get back in touch with my family and have been able to be more open with them than I've ever been in my life. I'm working to be my authentic self outside of certain circles and make it more of my everyday life over only in spaces where I only kind of fit in.

The past number of January 1sts have been harrowing as I reflected each time on the years that preceded them, with no actual end to the spiraling cycle in sight, but I find myself eagerly excited about whatever this year may hold. So yeah, I'm roughed up to hell and back and I'm still pretty battered, but there's a future, and despite everything I'm still one of the strongest people I know. I'm exhausted, but I'm getting better. I'll get back on my feet and not hit the floor as hard. One day I won't hit the floor much at all.

I don't plan on making another post like this ever again. I know I'm actively doing it, but it goes against a few principles of mine. It feels inappropriate to share so much in what is technically my professional setting, but I think this is one of the few times where I find an exception for transparency.

I'd like to spend the beginning of this year tending to my wounds so I can start putting all I've learned over the years of doing what I do as a business, as well as entertainment, to really do something spectacular this year. Both to really start getting the ball rolling with what I want to do, but to also give back to everyone that supported me all this time. Not out of obligation, but because that's something I have always wanted to do.

If you've read this far in, thank you. Thank you for your time, your attention, your patience, and understanding. It's been hard as sin and it's going to continue to be such for some time, but it's getting easier. I'm not looking for anyone to swoop in and try to save me. I'll ask for help if I need it. I promise.

I'm excited to get the show on the road, not just with work but with doing better and spending time with folks more, but please bear with me while I still sort these things out back behind the curtains. I'll be around, hit me up if you wanna hang or anything, I'm down to vibe. Hell in all honesty I'd actually love the company, regardless of if the faces are new or old.

I hope everyone's had as good of a start to the year as they could.

#important #about

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cheloumita · 5 months

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To the one who ghosted me,

Have you been sleeping well?

Do my memories haunt you at night or when you drink coffee at 3 pm, remembering how I like it?

How do you feel when my name comes up in conversation?

How do you respond when someone asks about me?

How would you explain to them that you chose to stop talking to me?

How would you explain that you didn't just deceive me, but also fooled them?

How would you clarify that you still haven't given me the explanation I deserve for your sudden disappearance?

Was it worth it?

Did it make you a better person?

Was it the best decision?

Do you ever regret it?

Did you regret meeting me, or did you regret leaving me?

Was this your plan all along?

You told me you prayed for me and asked God for a specific sign. You were convinced we were meant for each other, and your feelings intensified over time.

For 6 years, you were there, showing up at the most important times, even when I didn't expect you to.

You stayed long enough to become one of my closest friends, my confidant. You were the keeper of my secrets and my human diary. You knew the passcode, and I let you in.

Gradually, I realized that while I gave chances to unworthy individuals, you remained concealed in plain sight. Everyone else saw it, they rooted for you. The choice was clear, yet I was oblivious. All this time, everything I'd been looking for was right before my eyes.

I gathered the courage to let you know how I felt. Finally, after 6 long years, the chance you'd been trying so hard to get was now handed to you. Whatever this thing is between us has the potential to grow even deeper, something that can last forever.

With you, I felt the security I longed for. I felt that you cured my trust issues because finally someone knows all of me and decided that I was worthy to keep. You saw me for who I am. You knew my fears and flaws. You accepted them along with my other less-appealing qualities. I thought my heart could finally rest.

But then you went radio silent on me.

You vanished.

Suddenly gone.

For almost 2 years, I wondered, "What did I do wrong?" Did I say something that scared you away? I reviewed our past conversations countless times, scrutinizing each exchange, trying to discern why you disappeared. I enumerated potential reasons and even questioned my own shortcomings. Despite my self-assuredness, I magnified every flaw, driven to uncover the cause of your sudden departure. I was fully convinced that the problem was me.

You and I could talk about anything. Maybe your reason for leaving without a word is valid. Maybe you're not emotionally ready to share it yet. Despite the silence, I clung to the belief that it would make sense. I was prepared to apologize.

And when I finally talked to you, you never gave me a reason.

All you had for me was, "I'm sorry, I was wrong."

I begged for a reason, but you gave a petty excuse, reeking of cowardice.

You didn't really get in touch with me for an explanation; you reached out for reconciliation. You thought you could go back and pick up where we left off.

You were confident I'd take you back because you knew me. You watched me fall for you, slowly but surely.

You presumed you can have me back whenever it's convenient for you.

You knew that I was the type of girl who doesn’t fall easily. I take my time before I give my heart. I was loyal, even to a fault and you used that against me.

You played the long game, covering all bases for a sure win.

You are the type of person that gives and then takes it all away.

But I can't take back a person who wasn't truly sorry. Someone who stopped talking to a girl he professed love to because it was suddenly inconvenient. Someone who was okay with me hurting and waiting.

As much as it pained me, I decided to stop talking to you. I poured out my feelings, explaining in detail why I won't talk to you anymore. Up until the end, I gave you clarity, while you just gave me heartache.

To top it off, you accepted my decision without any resistance. You didn't even say you'd wait for me to forgive you. You just said goodbye, fast, like we meant nothing.

You even have the nerve to try and evoke guilt, saying, "I guess they're right, I don't deserve a girl like you."

Your words dripped with pathetic insincerity.

To the one who ghosted me, sometimes you have to lose someone for a lifetime to learn your lesson.

To the one who ghosted me, sometimes there are no second chances.

To the one who ghosted me, you should've kept me.

To the one who ghosted me, you hurt me the most.

Because of you, my defenses heightened and became impenetrable.

Because of you, I can't trust new people. I can’t even trust myself.

I told you what hurts me, and you did it perfectly.

Because of you, I hate parts of me I used to love.

Because of you, I question if I can ever be loved.

Because of you, I question motives of anyone to tries to get close to me.

To the one who ghosted me, sometimes I still miss you and what could've been.

To the one who ghosted me, I'm still picking up the pieces you broke.

To the one who ghosted me, I hope the echoes of regret will haunt you for life.

#letter #unsent letters #ghosted #Spotify #letter three

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kitacco · 3 years

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sunrise.

pairing: fem!reader, gojo satoru.

genre: angst with happy ending.

summary: time doesn’t always heal.

cw: mention of manipulation, violence.

wordcount: 4.1k.

! part two of clouds !

the sky is clear when you look up into the sky. even though the sun is not out, and instead, the sky is covered with grey clouds, you still like to believe it’s clear.

he made you believe that the first time you two met.

it wasn’t like you were escaping from reality, he simply thought if there was something you could change, then you should. you believed him, after so long.

how could you describe how he makes you feel? you had never felt it before. he felt like the orange sky adorned by the full sun, illuminating the grass and bringing warmth to the body despite the breeze. was that an exaggeration? probably, he didn’t think so, though. he made you believe you could rewrite reality with only your imagination.

meeting him was fate. he told you that, you thought it was sheer coincidence and two people on the right place. he was a little more romantic than you, though.

you had been to therapy for about two years.

things weren’t easy, and honestly, you wished you could forget about it.

your therapist assured you it wasn’t your fault - it took you a while to understand that.

you were aware that it wasn’t entirely your fault, what happened was a casualty, sadly, an experience you had to go through, but also a lesson you had the opportunity to learn from. it wasn’t easy, you understood that after a year of one session every month. you cried a lot, more than what you expected, and you felt responsible. because, if you hadn’t fallen for him, everything would’ve turned out well.

you were quick to learn that your emotions shouldn’t make you guilty, instead, who was to blame was him.

after a while, you finally accepted it.

gojo never contacted you after everything happened. you wanted to go on with your life like he most likely was, however, you were incapable of creating any type of relationship with people. what used to be a big group of friends became one, and what used to be exciting became scary. your friends, then, insisted you visited a therapist. you didn’t want to, at first. if anything, you wished you could simply erase the situation from your brain for the rest of your life, but how could you when subconsciously you failed to move on? your friend and her husband moved away, and so did you. she left the city while you moved to the other end of the city. not necessarily because you wished to avoid him; your therapist thought it was better to forge relationships from zero.

another year passed, and he had completely vanished from your life. you hadn’t told your new roommate about it, but you knew your friend had before you moved in. you didn’t mind. you knew she was trying to protect you. but, it’s not like he’d ever come around again - that you believed so.

you didn’t exactly know how you met him. maybe it really was fate, like he said once. only eleven months after the incident, you were still incapable of communication. leaving your house was scary and worrisome for anything other than therapy, so you didn’t tend to visit places much often. during the time, you were still leaving at your old apartment. your friend insisting on you moving on had already convinced you of leaving the building, and that day you were finally taking the boxes out.

you met by the stairs. a box had fallen from your hands straight to his feet.

as much as you apologized, he only smiled, assuring you he was alright.

and that was it.

you met him again on your way to your therapist. it was all too similar, you thought to yourself. he happened to have a friend living in the same building as you (he was literally your next door neighbor), and you were starting to open up to people a little more. you knew his friend, as much as one knows a neighbor. the guy was nice and he always gave your roommate eyes - she genuinely didn’t mind him.

you told your therapist about it the other day. and the next day, the guy was knocking at your door.

you remembered how nice having company felt. your roommate worked all day, while you only stayed at home. unable to properly work just yet, you only worked in the mornings at a coffee shop. it was safe and easy for you most of the times, only having to wipe tables and greet costumers. you didn’t complain.

he told you he had just gone to see his friend and happened to be curious about you. his eyes were a little intense but there was something about the tone of his voice and shakiness of his smile that managed to make you feel at peace.

besides your roommate, he became someone you could trust.

things didn’t go as quickly as it would’ve normally. you had never invited him inside your house alone, but when your roommate was there, you would let him inside. he would always visit with sweets or a cup of coffee for you.

it’s like everything repeated itself once again in some extent.

after hanging out with your roommate and him, his friend started tagging alone. the guy was sweet and funny, and in less than three weeks he managed to get your roommate to go on a date with you.

that was the first time the two of you spent alone.

you’d thought by that time you were over it. you were quick to understand there were some wounds that no matter how much you tried, would leave scars that still hurt.

but he didn’t mind waiting all the time in the world for you, and he let you know that.

looking back, you finally realized what real love truly was. he was what real love felt like.

small touches, assuring words, constant communication. silence wasn’t needed with him, and your eyes never spoke more than what words did.

you genuinely felt safe again.

gojo didn’t mean this to happen. after the yelling of your friend and the end of the friendship with his friend, gojo decided he was done with you forever.

so then, why was he involuntarily following you around the store?

he had no other intentions than to look at you for one last time. it had been a while, and he was genuinely curious about how you were doing. it was impossible to find anything about you, you had completely wiped yourself out from social media, and all your friends had blocked him too. that should’ve been enough for him to understand he wasn’t welcomed in your life anymore.

but then, why was he walking towards you? maybe for some closure, maybe to apologize, maybe only to say hi.

he couldn’t tell, but it was too late before he could make up his mind.

gojo tapped your shoulder quietly in the snacks aisle. he didn’t feel nervous, tense, or uneasy, almost as if the two of you were old friends that happened to meet again after so long, picking up the friendship where it had been left off. gojo was quick to realize that wasn’t the case, though.

“gojo!” you exclaimed, jumping at his sight.

had he always been that tall?

“it’s been a while,” he chuckled, looking back at your cart full. “you got a lot there, huh? you live closeby?”

gojo didn’t waste any time, pressing a hand against your cart, trapping you.

“no,” you’re quick to answer.

one of gojo’s eyebrows raises, and you look around, hoping someone can notice your state.

“oh, then you like this store? it has more things than the others around the city, i guess-”

“i’m sorry, gojo, i’m busy and need to finish this as fast as i can, but it was nice seeing you again!”

gojo’s gaze stays on your figure as you run off with your cart. he knows you’re lying, but which two was a lie? he didn’t know.

gojo should’ve taken the hint.

he walks out of the store, noticing the clouds turn darker than they were before. he’s deliberately waiting for you outside, hoping he can get you to talk a little more. was he curious about you? not really. was he wishing he could get you back?

perhaps.

you step out of the store with the cart full of bags, and gojo approaches you fastly, startling you once again.

“need a ride?”

“oh, no, thank you,” you decline, pulling the bags out of the cart.

“then let me help you to your car,” he proposes, reaching out for one of your bags.

“no!” you exclaim, grabbing them faster than he could. “i-it’s fine, there’s a station right there so it’s fine.”

“oh no, are you silly? so many bags on the train, you’re in a rush and it’ll more likely rain? c’mon, i’ll drive you home.”

you decline his offer again, your mind running wild. it’s not that you didn’t want to accept his generosity, but suddenly all the fears you once thought were buried floated to the surface again. suddenly it felt like all the progress you had made the past years was being ripped out of your consciousness.

“please, gojo, trust me, it’s fine,” you insist, grabbing onto your bags and trying to walk away. you look around, hoping someone sees the two of you, hoping someone would stop him. but no one is around, and no one but you can stop this.

but when you see gojo again, you finally understand it was never your fault.

gojo manages to get through you, and now you’re seated by his side as he mindlessly drives through the city. you texted your boyfriend the moment you got inside his car, telling him you were coming to his place and asking him to wait for you a few streets away. he instantly called you, but too nervous, you declined the call. you didn’t want gojo to know any more about your personal life, nor know you had moved away. if anything, you wanted gojo to disappear.

but could you tell him that?

“feels like the old times,” gojo mutters over the music on the radio.

like the old times?

an inexplicable feeling rises up your chest, yet you stay silent, wishing the ride was over. gojo would occasionally eye you, and everything would feel too familiar.

only that this time the tables had turned. because you realized you hated gojo’s guts, and he realized he loved you dearly.

“we should, hang out, again,” he mutters.

“i don’t think i can,” you speak, this time, your voice doesn’t falter, and gojo turns to face you.

“you got a boyfriend?”

“no,” you retort. “i’m busy.”

“you’ve always been busy, can’t you make some time for me again?”

you don’t answer. you knew too well, that if you say a word, you’ll explode. and as capable you thought you were of getting back to him, you could also remember clearly everything gojo had done to you. you don’t think it was worth the risk, trying to speak your heart out with someone like gojo.

he would never understand; he never wanted to. and he didn’t deserve to either.

“it’s here,” you announce, and gojo stops abruptly.

he frowns once he sees the man approaching his car, and you’re quick to jump out, telling him the bags were in the back. gojo steps out of the car too.

“hey, nice to meet you,” he says, and your boyfriend looks at you. “you’re his friend?”

“she’s my girlfriend.”

your breath hitches and you’re quick to grab his hand, distracting him from gojo’s conversation.

your boyfriend wasn’t an impulsive guy. he’s thoughtful and caring, fast to understand any situation he’s in front of.

but gojo is the complete opposite, and by experience, you know no one can go against gojo, no matter how hard they try.

“oh, that’s nice,” gojo taps the top of his car as he watches the two of you grabbing the bags. “i can help you carry some bags upstairs, if needed so.”

“it’s fine, thank you,” your boyfriend responds for you.

your boyfriend grabs your hand along the bags and walks towards the building gojo knows too well.

for your surprise, gojo doesn’t insist, and when you look back, he’s already inside the car, watching the two of you enter the building.

after that incident, you once again were incapable of leaving your apartment. and you didn’t want your boyfriend to leave his either.

gojo surely had changed, you noticed that the day you two met again. he looked taller, stronger, and unnerving. even though the two of you had been friends for many years, gojo was still unpredictable. you learnt that the last years of friendship you two shared.

“can i help you’” your boyfriend speaks.

gojo is at the other side of the door, in what was once your building, and outside what was once your apartment.

he cocked his eyebrows, incapable of hiding the smile creeping up his face.

“oh, you live together? that’s sweet,” gojo comments.

your boyfriend doesn’t respond, closing the gap between his body and the door so gojo couldn’t see indie his house, “yeah, what you want?”

“well, my birthday is coming and i thought maybe the three of us could celebrate it together. i don’t know if she told you, but we’re really good friends.”

your boyfriend nods, of course you haven’t.

“i don’t think we can, the both of us work.”

“oh, yeah? well, she always manages to make time for me, maybe i could ask her personally since you’re acting quite weird,” gojo tries again, his hand pressing against the surface of the white door.

��no, i’ll ask her and we’ll let you know.”

“fine, i’ll wait for your answer by saturday, if not, maybe i’ll come back,” gojo mutters, smirking.

your boyfriend wasn’t an aggressive guy. but, hell, he wished he could punch his face so bad.

he didn’t tell you anything about gojo’s visit nor invitation. you were already having a pretty bad time, you didn’t need more pressure put on your shoulders.

he genuinely thought he’d made the best decision - yet, he couldn’t help feel intimidated by the figure he happened to constantly meet.

gojo always told him it was a coincidence. he didn’t believe him, and fast enough, he started to understand your emotions. there was something eerie about the guy.

in no time, gojo had managed to push him against a wall. your boyfriend noticed what gojo claimed was coincidence was, indeed, his following, and too scared of him finding out you, in fact, didn’t live with him, your boyfriend started lying to you, claiming he had too much work and that he couldn’t go visit you. you facetimed and called each other often, but sadly, you felt uneasy, and your boyfriend knew too.

but he couldn’t bring himself to tell you.

“so, you made up your mind?”

your boyfriend stands at the other side of the door, startled by the tall white haired man. he’s smiling, as always, feigning a kind gesture as if the two of them were friends.

“sorry man,” your boyfriend speaks up. is his voice shaking? “we couldn’t get a break from work.”

“oh, that’s unfortunate,” gojo clears his throat, smiling again. “then maybe you guys can pick a day and we can meet then.”

your boyfriend observes him, eyes darker despite the blue orbits. his tapping his feet against the floor, unable to read gojo, and he, simply smiles. he knows he’s made your boyfriend nervous, and suddenly, he’s reminded of you.

no wonder you’d get with a guy like that.

gojo knew he couldn’t let you, though, you couldn’t stay with a guy like him.

how could he protect you if something ever happened to you? this guy was so easy to manipulate. it didn’t take more than a faint punch and the closing door for him to lose his composure in front of gojo. wasn’t your boyfriend supposed to be strong enough, like him perhaps? what was this guy gonna do if he were to be in front a situation like this again? he can’t seem to land a single hit on gojo, instead, receiving the other end. gojo expects him to put up a fight, maybe ask him to stop, but he doesn’t.

he wasn’t the man for you. gojo was, he just had to prove it to you.

snapping a picture, gojo sighed.

“guess i’ll have to show her what she’s missing, don’t you think?”

your boyfriend can’t stop him when he walks out of the door, and neither can he watch him, his vision too red, and the iron smell stir his insides.

gojo looks through the guy’s phone. who leaves their phone without a password? he was only proving gojo his unworthiness. this guy wasn’t made for you.

all he had to do now is let you know.

you hear knocking on your door. it’s late, your roommate is out with her boyfriend and your boyfriend didn’t tell you he was coming. still, hopefully, you walked to the door, expecting him to surprise you.

what did surprise you was gojo on the other side, with flowers on his hands.

“did i surprise you?”

it’s too fast, or maybe not, you don’t know. gojo casually enters your house, the place you had so long worked to keep safe. he leaves the flowers on the table, and approaches you, wrapping his arms around your figure.

you’re not shaking nor reacting, and gojo takes in your warmth.

oh, how much he missed you.

“i missed you so much,” he whispers in your ear. “did you miss me?”

you reach out for your phone on the back of your pants, carefully bringing it in front of you to quickly deal your boyfriend’s number.

a phone starts ringing, and it doesn’t take you long to recognize the ringtone.

“oh, someone’s calling,” gojo mentions, letting you go to check your boyfriend’s phone. it’s like he was expecting you to do so, answering the call like he hadn’t seen your caller id on the screen. “yes?”

“why do you have my boyfriend’s phone?”

“we happened to meet before i came here, nothing too serious, don’t worry,” gojo pats your head. “he was being an asshole, though, i guess i just had to prove him.”

you gasp when gojo brings up the phone to your face, “w-what did you do?”

“told you, i just wanted to make sure he was enough for you. he wasn’t, though, so i had to come let you know.”

only proves we’re made for each other, don’t you think?

you shake your hand, taking a step back.

“listen, listen gojo,” you start. your voice is firm and your trying to keep your cool too. gojo has many times proven what he’s capable of, and right now, you only wanted to at least postpone whatever he planned to do. “i think you should go home, it’s like, my roommates coming with her boyfriend, i don’t think it’s fine if they see you here.”

“you think? we can find out though.”

“no, i don’t think we should, so, let’s leave it here, we can meet tomorrow, okay? we can go have lunch together and catch up like old times.”

gojo laughs, shaking his head as he looks down to his hands.

“why are you treating me like i’m crazy?” he asks, and your breath hitches. you stop and watch his movements, suddenly the atmosphere turning colder. “because i’m in love with you?”

“i’m sorry, gojo—”

“is it wrong to be in love? are you really blaming me for my feelings?”

you can’t tell if he’s being honest or putting up an act. once again, he’s managed to get inside your head. you don’t have more options and your minds clouded, unable to find a proper solution to the situation, unable to end this.

“just give me one last chance, that’s all i ask from you.”

gojo knows you too well, too much for your own safety and sometimes for his own liking.

and so you find yourself sitting at a restaurant a few streets away from your apartment, waiting for gojo to arrive. you didn’t believe you’d made an irresponsible decision - in fact, this was the smartest way to handle the situation. your boyfriend pleaded you to not come. you could understand that, he’d finally met gojo and he’d sensed it; gojo was far stronger mentally and physically than you’d suspect. it was fine. you weren’t nervous or scared, no, because, if there was something your therapist had told you, was that, as long as you set your boundaries and knew your worth, you wouldn’t fall for his tactics anymore. you didn’t come here to make friends with him again or to assure him everything was okay, you were here to let him know it was over. plus, you had decided to give yourself a day to decide what exactly you were gonna tell him.

“didn’t expect you to come in so early,” he mutters, taking a seat in front of you. “you’re fifteen minutes—”

“let’s talk,” you interrupt.

gojo can sense it, you’ve changed. when he looks at you, he can tell you’re not that deer he’d used to hunt for.

he wants to tell you the truth - the one he’s made up in his head.

“i love you, i’m in love with you.”

it hasn’t been more than five minutes since he sat down. gojo notices the lack of reaction, the indifference in your face, and suddenly, he’s feeling nervous. he’s not good with words and you know that, yet you’re not reacting the way he’d pictured, imagined, last night. you’re not telling him you’re in love with him too and that you want to try again. you’re not smiling or reaching out to hold his hand on the table, or getting up to wrap your arms around his body. you stay in your place, with eyes boring into his, waiting for him to say something else.

but he’s got nothing else to say, “gojo, i don’t love you.”

gojo doesn’t like that, you can tell by the soft tapping of his shoes under the table. the restaurant is full and you know the last thing he wants to do is make a scene. because, if he were to do so, his true colors would show.

“how are you sure about that? is it because of your boyfriend?” gojo asks, leaning closer to you. “you know he’s not the one, you know he doesn’t make you feel the way i do.”

“gojo, everything is in the past,” you sigh, tilting your head, tired. “the both of us made bad decisions, played with each other, hurt each other, but that’s in the past and it should stay there.”

“no! i don’t want us to stay in the past, i need us right now,” gojo mutters, and if you didn’t know him well, you’d almost think he was pleading. “we’re meant to be.”

“we’re not!” you exclaim, now losing your patience. “we hurt each other, can’t you remember that? i let you play with me and manipulate me, and now that you’ve realized i did nothing but try to please you you’re suddenly feeling guilty! but things don’t work like that, gojo, mistakes like that can’t be embedded that easily. you have to take responsibility of your actions.”

“i never wanted to hurt you, i wanted you to be stronger—”

“and i am now, thanks to you,” you say. “thanks to what you did to me i’ve finally understand that i deserve better.”

“how do you know i can’t make it up to you?”

“because i won’t let you, because i’ve found somebody else that’ll make it up to me, and it’s not you.”

“one chance is all i’m asking—”

“you already had your one chance, and you wasted it.”

“then another one—”

you’re sure six months ago you’d fell for that. you’d wished to give gojo another chance. after all, no one was more special to you than he was. you could say, until this day, gojo was the most special person in your life. that didn’t mean you deserved to suffer to help him make it up to you. whatever he wanted wasn’t something healthy and neither of you deserved it. but it wasn’t your job to make gojo understand that, it wasn’t your responsibility to fix gojo.

gojo knew you had changed. he knew he didn’t have the right to come back in your life, nor were you supposed to help him embed things. still, he wished he could still have you by his side.

“it’s time to move on.”

because now, when he looks up at the sky early in the morning to watch the sunrise, he knows he wasn’t made to stay by your side.

#gojo angst #gojo x reader #gojo satoru x reader #jujutsu kaisen angst #jujutsu kaisen scenarios #jujutsu kaisen x reader #tw. manipulation #tw. violence

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stardustdiaries · 3 years

Text

Until we’re together once again

I'll be home for Christmas

DINCEMBER DAY 9 @dindjarindiaries

Pairing: Din Djarin x F!Reader

Summary: After Din gets injured, he pleads for you to stay and forget about the bounty hunt you had agreed to as Life Day is just around the corner.

Warning(s): Angst?? Fluff?? Very minor mention of injury aaaand I think that’s all, kids!

Word count: 3,105

°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“Riduur, you don't-"

You whipped around to look at Din, your heart shattering at his pleading eyes. The air was thick around you, almost as if it were trying to suffocate you. Steeling your resolve, you swing your bag over your shoulder as you holster your blaster by your side.

“Cyar’ika,” Din breathed, taking a timid step closer to you. His head tilted to the side slightly, causing for the bundle of curls that sat on top of his head to bounce softly. “please don’t go.”

You swallowed hard at the lump in your throat. Maker, your chest was so tight. Not finding a way to will yourself into speaking, you took a minute to take in his appearance.

His curls were a mess, though not in the unkempt, dirty way. It was cute. He fancied a red sweater you had gotten him as a gift during one of your supply runs.

You smiled at that.

The first signs of stubble decorated the surface of his skin and all you wanted to do was cup his face with your hands and stay there for the rest of time. His right arm sat in the clutches of the sling that hung from the opposite shoulder, rendered useless during his most recent hunt.

You dropped your head slightly, giving it a shake before willing yourself to look up at his eyes.

Stars, what you would give to take away all the concern and sadness that washed over his dark eyes.

Din took another step, now mere inches away from you. He gently pressed his forehead against yours, eyes fluttering close to keep you from seeing the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. “Stay, cyar’ika, please. The bounty can wait.” His words cracked as he spoke, tugging at your heart violently.

Now it was your turn to keep the stinging tears at bay. Shakily, you sucked in a sharp breath. “We need the credits, Din.”

“Cyar’ika, what if something-"

“Din,” you cut him off as your hands reached out for that of his good arm. Tenderly, your fingers began tracing over every silver and faded scar that painted the canvas that was his skin. “everything will be okay.”

He remained silent, forehead still pressed against yours in a Keldabe kiss as he took a deep breath. Greedily, he basked in the warmth of your skin, his heart constricting at the knowledge that he’ll have to live without it for Maker knows how many days.

Din didn’t want you to go after the quarry. He hated the idea of it, not because he didn’t think that you could handle it- heck, you were one of the only bounty hunters who made him fight for his quarries. You two were the best of the best, always stealing targets from each other until you teamed up to protect the Child.

But he knew about the emotional toll this kind of work took on you. The price hanging over this quarry's head was nerve-wracking. You wouldn’t be the only hunter going after them, and for the amount of credits this job could earn you, other hunters would be out for blood. And Din wouldn’t be there with you if anything were to happen.

But that wasn’t the only thing haunting Din. Life Day was coming up and this would be your first time celebrating together ever since you both exchanged vows. He didn’t know what he would do if you weren’t to come home in time to celebrate- if you were able to make it home at all.

“Come back home, cyar’ika.” Din choked, the words heavy as they struggled to tumble out of his mouth. He finally dared to open his eyes and try to tattoo your image onto his memory. “Come back to me.”

You could feel his gaze on you, but you couldn’t let him see the tears that were still trying to push through your eyelids. So you squeezed your eyes as tightly as you could and clenched your jaw. You were still holding onto his hand like a lifeline, afraid to let go.

Slowly, you brought his hand up to your lips, letting them graze over his skin before planting a kiss onto his hand. Then another, and another.

You opened your eyes, letting them fall over his distraught features. With a clumsy, deep kiss to his lips, you pulled away as you tugged at the bag that hung from your shoulder.

“I’ll be back for Life Day, riduur.”

---------------------------------------------

You’ve been gone for two weeks, stuck roaming a planet not too far from your own. The quarry was close by, you could feel it in your bones. You had to get this right. Day and night, you’ve been traveling all over the planet, the tracking fob that dangled from your belt being the only guide you had on this hunt.

You were now back at the Crest, putting your exhausted muscles to rest as you slumped into the pilot seat. The holotransceiver Din had gifted you twirled around your fingers, as if the action was your one and only method of relaxation. Messages between you and Din have been scarce and too spaced out from one another.

Life Day was only days away now; you didn’t know if you could uphold the promise you had whispered into Din's ears. You knew Din still had hope, that he’d been sending prayers to the Maker for you to come home. You could hear it the quiet cracks the resonated in his voice, how he struggled to stabilize his trembling words.

If you truly were as close to the quarry as you thought, you would need to go off grid. Radio silence. You had to make this last message count before you vanished for Maker knows how long.

With a heavy sigh, you placed the holotransceiver on the Crest's control panel in front of you. You rubbed the exhaustion off your eyes, straightened your posture and curled your lips into the best smile you could muster at the moment. There was no need to give him any reason to worry about you.

Steeling your resolve, you clicked the holotransceiver on and began to record your message.

“Hey, riduur,” you smiled, fiddling with the tips of your gloves. “I apologize for taking so long to respond to your messages, things have been…challenging.” You looked up, hoping that when he opened your message, your eyes would meet his. “I-I think I might be close to finishing the job,” you chuckled softly, already feeling tears welling in your eyes. “Riduur, it’ll get dangerous soon- I know I’m not the only one who’s close to finding out where the target is hiding. After this, I need to cut contact- for my safety and your own,” You paused.

Blinking away the tears before they dared to spill, you ran your hands over your face tiredly. Your heart was heavy, your throat tight and face hot.

“I…I don’t know if I’ll make it back in time, love.” You bit your lip, hard enough to draw a slip of blood. “I’m so sorry, riduur; I promise I’ll do everything in my power to come back to you and the Child.” The ghost of a smile danced over your lips and your figure relaxed against the pilot seat as you looked onto the holotransceiver. “I love you Din and miss you so much. Give the Child my love.”

You gave your famous two-fingered salute, tilting your head to the side. “Until we’re together once again,” you spoke your goodbye, charging it with as much love and longing possible before clicking off the holotransceiver.

You have to get this right.

---------------------------------

“Dank farrik!” You hissed through gritted teeth, clutching your side tightly where you received a nasty blaster shot.

That’s gonna scar nicely.

You bit down on your bottom lip, choking back a whimper as you disinfected your injured skin. Slowly, you swiped the disinfectant over your side, watching how the cloth you used turned crimson as it made contact with the wound.

You'd captured the quarry- it was nicely tucked away in the Crest’s backlog after being frozen in carbonite. The job hadn’t been easy, you received more hits than you would like to admit, but after all is said and all is done, you got the job done. You’d have to report to Karga later, but that could wait; you had something more important to worry about today.

It’s Life Day.

The holotrasceiver had beeped a day or two ago, but you hadn’t dared to open the message. You longed to do it, to let Din’s voice slip into your ears, to capture every detail of his face and attach it to your memory. But you didn’t. Being away for so long did a nasty number on you; you couldn’t risk breaking down when you still had a job to do. You would’ve packed up your things and piloted the Crest back home in an instant if you dared open his message.

But the job was done; you were going home.

Cursing out as you realized that you’d forgotten to restock on bacta, you messily placed a strip of gauze over your bleeding wound before taping it down, praying to the Maker that it’ll hold until you got home. You tucked away the medpac into a corner in your compartment, huffing a puff of air as you limped to the ladder that led you to the cockpit. Once in your place on the pilot seat, you pulled out the holotransceiver and placed it in its usual place on the control center. Clicking the device on, you allowed yourself to finally listen to your riduur’s voice. You melted onto the pilot seat, your muscles exhausted after the day’s workload and lifted your eyes as your riduur’s image began to shine in front of you.

Din’s recording began to play and you smiled at the sight of him with the Child snuggled up by the crook of the elbow of his good arm. He looked down at his son before lifting his eyes, your chest tightening as they found yours. “Hi, cyar’ika,” he said softly, looking down at the Child to make sure he was asleep. “We’ve missed you so much- I have missed you so much, riduur.” As he spoke, he flashed you a smile, but you caught onto how tired and sad it was.

Your heart sank.

“The kid and I have been trying to keep busy around here- he’s been great helping out with small chores. We’ve also been getting the house ready for…” Hi voice faltered, almost as if he was struggling to push the words up his throat. Squeezing his eyes shut, his chest rose as he took in a deep breath. “…for Life Day.”

Catching your bottom lip between your teeth, you looked away, fully knowing he couldn’t see the tears that dangled from your lashes before racing down your cheeks.

Being away from each other was something you both struggled with ever since Mando began taking less and less jobs. You both longed to be together, safe and warm in each other’s embrace as the world faded away. The cracks in Din's voice were a testament of the hope he still clung to- hope that the Maker would answer his prayers and bring you home.

“Come back to us, cyar’ika,”

Din’s voice snapped you out of your thoughts, only now making you realize that you had shed more fiery tears than you had originally thought. His dark eyes glossed over much like your own, though his tense shoulders gave away how he was forcing back the tears. His chest trembled with his breaths as he tried to compose himself. “Come back to me, please. I don’t know how many more nights without you I can handle, riduur. I need you here- with us.”

Shaking his head softly, he managed to curl the corners of his lips into a small, hopeful smile. “I love you, cyar’ika.” He then mimicked your previous parting gesture, tilting his head to the side in acknowledgement as he gave a sloppy two-fingered salute.

“Until we’re together once again,”

At that, his image vanished, leaving the weight of silence crush your ribcage. You heaved a breath, wiping away the stale tracks that were left behind by your hot tears, hands flying over the control center as if nothing else in the world mattered.

Because nothing else did.

You punched in the coordinates of your next stop and got the ship airborne as if it were second nature. Once the Crest blew past the planet’s atmosphere and everything was in order, you pushed the ship into hyperspace and felt the weight of the galaxy drop onto your shoulders as the stars around you blurred into streaks of silver and blue.

You clicked on the holotransceiver and spoke the words you’ve been dreaming about ever since you left.

“I’m coming home, riduur,” you breathed. “I’ll be home for Life Day.”

---------------------------------------

When the holotransceiver beeped, Din almost set the kitchen on fire.

He had settled the Child in the livingroom, letting him play with the toys he had unwrapped and opened early in the morning before striding to the kitchen where he was now trying to make what he realized was one of your favorite recipes. Keyword ‘trying' as there is only so much he can do with one arm. After a few burns to his fingertips, quiet curses and one-too-many failed attempts at getting the right ingredients, the sound of the holotransceiver beeping from the dining room made his eyes double in size as his heart slammed itself against his ribcage.

In that instant, Din dropped everything with a loud clatter and raced to the dining room to recover the device that held your voice within it. He saw the Child perk up at this as a small coo left his mouth, tilting his head in questioning. Din joined his son in the living room and clicked the device on, watching the Child smile as your face came up before them.

Your message was short, but those words you breathed to life and- oh, Maker- your smile were enough to make Din’s heart beat at light speed. Din gasped softly, a shockwave of joy washing over his features almost in disbelief as he replayed your message over and over again, each time letting your words sink in a little deeper.

Din picked up the Child, bouncing him up and down in his arm, getting a mixture of coos and giggles to erupt from the little one. Sending a silent ‘thank you' to the Maker, Din rushed to get everything set- food, decorations, music; it all had to be perfect for your arrival. He spent hours upon hours making sure everything was as it should be, but his smile wouldn’t falter or slip even when he kept getting the recipe wrong.

You were finally coming home.

-------------------------------------

The sun had set faster than expected- a few hours ago, actually. And there was still no sign of you or the Crest.

Din had begun to pace around the living room, certain that he would end up losing it if he didn’t let up. He kept checking the time, slightly convincing himself that maybe he could will time to go a bit faster and bring you home. Running his hand through his curls for the umpteenth time in only a matter of minutes, he willed himself to take in a deep breath.

“Cyar’ika, where are you?” he muttered under his breath, concern choking his words as they tumbled out into the air. “I…I should’ve gone with her.” Din said with a sigh, clenching and unclenching his fist by his side as a way to release the stress that fell like a weight on his chest. Almost instantly, he shook his head vigorously, trying to get every worst-case scenario to evaporate just as quickly as they had materialized. “No, she’s fine,” he whispered to himself, squeezing his eyes shut. “she’s okay…just running late.” His words wavered slightly on that last beat and he couldn’t help but mentally kick himself for it.

Unbeknownst to him, you were already standing by the doorway, a look of amusement dancing over your exhaustion as you heard his anxious rants. Silently, you dropped your bag and stepped through the doorway, taking in a greedy breath of relief as the reality of being home flooded your senses. With a lazy smile, you continued to listen to your riduur's rants until you decided to speak up.

“Din, is everything okay? You asked innocently, biting back a laugh at how he froze in place and his eyes seemed to impossibly double in size.

Din’s head snapped in your direction and he stared at you for a few seconds, as if trying to convince himself that he wasn’t crazy. Slowly, his eyes softened and were flooded with every bit of love and joy that seemed to crash over him. With a breath of disbelief, he took a step closer to you, his smile growing as he took in the sight of you.

Maker, he couldn’t tell if his heart was racing or if it had stopped the moment his eyes fell on you.

“Cyar’ika, you’re home!” he laughed, cupping your face with his hand as he lost himself in your eyes for what felt like the first time in forever.

You giggled, looking up at him adoringly through heavy eyelids. Humming in delight as your forehead pressed against his, you let yourself melt at his touch, feeling every bit of your body ignite at his warmth. “Oh, how I’ve missed you,” you choked softly, taking his hand in your own and pressing your lips against his scarred skin.

Din smiled adoringly at the gesture, tightening his grip on your hand slightly as he declared it was his turn to shower you with kisses. Slowly, he planted a kiss on your forehead, moving down to your cheeks and finally your lips. The kiss started out slowly, but neither one of you hesitated on melting into each other as the kiss began to deepen itself. Your hands reached up to the back of his head, pulling him towards you, closing whatever gap stood between your figures. His hand travelled down to your waist, keeping you steady until you finally broke away from each other, absolutely breathless and just as in love with each other as the first time you exchanged whispers of three little words.

After smiling into one last peck on his lips. Your foreheads were once again pressed together as you both caught the breaths your lungs begged for.

“Happy Life Day, riduur.”

Happy Life Day, cyar’ika.”

#dincember #din djarin x y/n #din djarin x reader #the mandalorian #mandalorian x you #mandalorian x reader #grogu djarin #grogu #starwars #razor crest #this is the way #disneyplus #pedro pascal

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scxrlettwxtches · 4 years

Text

[11:45p.m.] kiss in vehicle + missing each other | hwang hyunjin

warnings: heavy making out, suggestive

requested: yes!

a/n: how did this get so long oh my o_O anyways, i really hope you like it, anon! i was shamelessly projecting with this one, and i had a lot of fun writing! <3

The most unusual part of the drive back to your house was how silent it was.

Hyunjin and you were never silent, especially in the car. You loved to play music, either stealing the aux cable from Hyunjin by distracting him with a kiss or turning on the radio and waiting to see what would play. You loved to sing, and Hyunjin loved to harmonize with you. He loved to prattle on and on about his day, his dance practice, the periods when he was in a different class than you, and you loved to listen intently, clinging on to every word.

But this time, the only noise filling the car was the ambient humming of the engine as Hyunjin drove down the quiet streets.

Neither of you could think of anything to say. Both of you have spent all day trying to avoid approaching this topic, but neither of you could truly stop the moment from happening.

Because despite all the loving hugs, kisses, and sweetened words, none of it was going to change the fact that the two of you were heading to opposite ends of the world when morning came. Hyunjin was accepted into a prestigious dance academy in California, and you...you were going abroad, wanting to explore the world firsthand rather than read about it from a textbook.

The car ride was totally silent, but that didn’t stop you from shamelessly gazing at the love of your life, trying to take in every one of his features, imprinting it in your brain in case this would be the last time you would ever be able to look at him so freely and without restraints. Maybe by the next time you met up, he would be dating or married to someone else. Maybe, by the next time you met up, he wouldn’t be your Hyunjin anymore.

Your boyfriend pulled into your driveway with practiced ease, having done this basically as a routine for the better part of his junior and all of his senior year. He’d take you out sometime in the afternoon on weekends or even weekdays if he made a strong case to your parents, and he’d have you back home before midnight as he had promised every time.

As he stopped the car, both of you refused to make the first move. Technically, it should’ve been you, because you were the one that needy to get out of the car and walk into your house, but you couldn’t. How could you, when you knew that this would be the last time you could see Hyunjin like this for a year, maybe more?

Like you, Hyunjin was having trouble putting his thoughts together, too. Now that he couldn’t divert his attention to driving, his hands fumbled around nervously, not knowing what do with them. On a normal day, they would be on you the moment he turned off the car, touching you in some way, whether it be hands on your waist, your soft cheeks, your neck, anything. But now, he didn’t know what to do, especially when you looked like you were teetering on the edge of a breakdown and, honestly, he was too.

“Did you pack?” Hyunjin asked, finally forcing his voice to work, although it felt hoarse and difficult.

“Yeah, I finished everything last night,” you answered softly, looking down at your legs as you played with the hem of your skirt. God, people walking past your car might’ve assumed that you two were basically strangers, not a couple that’s been together for almost two years.

Hyunjin nodded, letting the conversation stall, “That’s--um--that’s cool.”

Somehow, the sheer awkwardness, the slight stumbling over his words brought a small smile to your face. It made things feel almost normal again, like the way Hyunjin would act like he was the playboy of the century and then get suddenly flustered the moment your lips brushed his cheek.

“Are you packed?” You returned the question softly, daring to look up at him as you asked.

“Yup, although mom did most of the work.”

“That’s no surprise. Your spacial organizing is abysmal.”

“H-hey!”

The two of you fell into an lighthearted banter, and you were almost surprised about how genuinely easy it was to shift back into a norm with him. Feeling embarrassed, feeling like you’ve just been petty, spending your last moments together pouting rather than really relishing every second, you opened your mouth to apologize just as Hyunjin did the same.

“Hyunjin--”

“I’m--”

You looked up at him, startled before you burst into giggles, “I’m sorry,” you said, covering your mouth, “You first.”

Hyunjin wore a dumbstruck expression on his face, gazing at you as if you were the most precious person in the entire world, and unbeknownst to you, that was exactly who you were to him. He shook his head, still staring at you, “No, please, you first.”

Playing with your fingers, you struggled to find the right words to say. I’ll miss you? Have fun? I’m so proud of you? Please don’t forget me while you’re away? None of them sounded right, and as your eyes gazed into Hyunjin’s, you confessed, “I...I don’t know what to say.”

A part of you grew nervous, expecting Hyunjin to scoff or be disappointed with how inarticulate you were being, but he let out a soft, awkward chuckle, “Honestly, I don’t either.”

You smiled at that, and the car was once again filled with silence, although it didn’t feel suffocating anymore. It was familiar, reminding you of the peacefulness you’d feel whenever you slept over at his place, huddled under his duvet and facing each other, gentle smiles adorning your faces.

The two of you gazed at each other, the longing, the sadness, and the love all conveyed through the dim twinkle in your eyes. It spilled out and out until the silence burst, your feelings overpowered the awkwardness of untimely goodbyes, and suddenly, neither of you could control yourselves.

Hyunjin acted first, as he always did, but you weren’t far behind him, tilting your head to the side, a perfect angle for him to turn and press his lips firmly against yours. Your hands ceased their nervous fiddling of your skirt and moved to cup his cheek, feeling his chiseled jaw and his soft skin under your fingers.

It was slow and languid, as if time had stopped and the only thing that mattered was this, Hyunjin’s lips against yours, his hands caressing your soft hair, carding his fingers through it. You loved this, you loved the way Hyunjin made you feel, the bubbling of joy and safety that you always felt when you were with him. This was familiar, the gentle push and pull between the two of you, not rushed in the slightest.

Then, Hyunjin slipped his tongue into your mouth, causing you to let out the softest, most innocent moan, and the atmosphere changed instantly. Hyunjin’s hands trailed down, his fingers gripping your waist as he suddenly began urging, guiding you over to his seat. What could you do other than give in? Especially when his lips had begun to suck eagerly on yours and when his tongue explored your mouth with newfound vigor.

You clambered over just as Hyunjin moved the seat back to give you more room. You settled on his lap, gasping for breath before diving back in for more. Hyunjin was happy, elated to oblige your silent demands.

The kiss was oh so different now. The urgency you felt, as if every second that passed was just stolen time, and the borderline desperation Hyunjin felt, a desire to touch you until the last possible second, to feel you against him, kissing him, caressing his face. Anything you’d give him, he would take it like a starving man.

Neither of you stopped until you were truly at the precipice, teetering on the edge of falling in far too deep. It was then that you pulled away from your love, chest heaving as a thin trail of saliva connected his naturally plump lips to your kiss-swollen ones. His hands, which had been roaming over every part of you that he could--that he was allowed--to touch, had finally settled, finding a home in the curve of your waist.

You stared at each other, his eyes a shade darker than usual and yours probably glazed over with bliss. Hyunjin had never kissed you like that before, whether to preserve your innocence or to avoid making you uncomfortable, and you wanted more of it. You wanted him to kiss you like that again and again and again.

“H-hey, Y/N--no, no, no--” Hyunjin panicked as your eyes suddenly well with tears, and whatever dark, sultry persona you’d pulled out of him earlier vanished as he fumbled to find tissues in the middle compartment, dabbing at your eyes and making sure the makeup you’d put on for your date night wouldn’t hurt your eyes.

“I’m s-sorry--” you stammered, not having even realized that you were crying until you felt the wetness roll down your cheeks, “I’m sorry.”

“No, please don’t be, love,” Hyunjin cooed, using that cajoling, gentle tone of voice he would whenever you had trouble sleeping or when you refused to take breaks during your most stressful days, “You have nothing, absolutely nothing, to be sorry for.”

“But, we promised that we wouldn’t cry,” you said, your voice wobbly as Hyunjin continued to dab delicately at your tears, “We promised, and now I’ve just gone and ruined it--”

“Y/N, when have I ever kept my promises about not kissing you as much in public, or not buying you presents on a whim?”

“N-never?”

Hyunjin giggled, wiping a stray tear with his thumb as he pecked your lips, “Exactly. Our promises are meant to be broken,” he hummed, resting his forehead against yours, “And please don’t be disappointed, but I also feel like bursting into tears right now, too.”

You choked out a laugh, bringing your hand to his cheek, “You’re such a dork,” your smile was shaky, not quite your happiest one, but it was as happy as you could feel when saying goodbye to the love of your life.

“I’m gonna miss you,” you mumbled, stroking his cheek with your thumb.

“I’m gonna miss you, too, darling. So goddamn much,” Hyunjin’s hand once against on your waist tightened slightly as he held you closer, and before your true fear could spill out of your lips, Hyunjin beat you to it.

“You...you won’t forget about me, right?”

It was almost endearing, the revelation that your greatest fear for the future was actually Hyunjin’s as well. In some way, it reassured you. It confirmed the feelings in your heart, showing that he truly cared for you in the same way you did for him.

And in the end, that was enough for you.

Reaching for his hand, you wrapped your pinkie lightly around his, and with a gentle smile, you murmured, “I will never forget you, Hyunjinie.”

“That’s a promise.”

#inkidz #stray kids reactions #stray kids imagines #stray kids scenarios #stray kids drabbles #skz imagines #skz scenarios #skz oneshots #hwang hyunjin imagine #hwang hyunjin scenarios #hwang hyunjin blurbs #skz blurbs #skz x y/n #skz x reader #my fics

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chaoticallysapphic · 4 years

Text

Oh my heart part three

-Summary: Lin never expected to have a soulmate, in a world where your mark appears whenever your soulmate is born she grew up completely blank. So when she’s thirty and it finally etches itself around her arm, she vows to never be with the one meant only for her.

A/N: soooo I’ve never written a kiss before, please give me constructive criticism on it so I can better my writing. This is the last part and I’m really happy with the ending, please let me know which part of this whole series was your favorite!

Word count: 6k

When Lin wakes up, all she feels is the mind splitting pain from her blow, flashes of what happen play in her mind, the last thing she remembers is hearing you scream her name. You, Lin, forces her eyes open which is a task an of itself, and tries to sit up, her muscles spasm and give out, causing her to fall back down onto where she is laying, wherever she is its moving; Tenzin comes into her eyesight, he leans over her as he checks her pupils and her pulse. “Thank spirits you're all right, I was worried for a minu-”

“You just left my sister?!” Lin hears Korra scream from somewhere nearby. No, no she can’t have heard her correctly, Lin tries to sit up once more but Tenzin tries to push her back down.

“Get off of me” she growls out, sitting up so she can finally see the group in front of her. It’s Korra with her fists clenched and her face all pinched and red, she looks like she may very well kill everyone on board, yes, Lin realizes now that they are on the police force blimp. “We couldn’t find her and tanks were shooting at us, we didn’t ha-”

“Where’s y/n?” Lin asks, all heads turn to Lin and Korra points at Bolin and Mako, spitting out “ask them, they just left her behind! Amon probably has her now!” Korra storms off, hitting the wall with her firebending on the way out.

Mako rubs the back of his neck, he does look sorry and Bolin looks like he’s on the verge of tears. Asami is the one who speaks up “When we got down there they were loading your officers into some trucks, they must have already put y/n on there because she wasn’t with you three.” Lin’s heart stops, your gone and the last words she may have ever said to you was “don’t be a nuisance,” fuck. Lin’s head falls into her hands as she tries to keep her breathing even, she pushed you away like everyone else, and like everyone else you left even if it was against your will. All those silly daydreams that she had scolded herself for having, all those desires, she never even got to say how your laugh makes every little worry on her mind vanish.

Tenzin places a hand on her shoulder and gives it a comforting squeeze “we’ll find your officers Lin.” Oh right, fuck, not only did she let y/n down but also her officers. How is she going to tell all their families? How will she face the citizens of republic city after failing to protect them like she swore she would? Tenzin tries to push Lin back into laying down and this time she relents, her mind is swirling with the possibilities of what's happening to you right now but none of them are good, even if you do come out alive your bending will be taken away.

“From the looks of it she put up a fight, there was water everywhere…” Asami murmurs out somewhere behind her, Lin squeezes her eyes shut, maybe if she tries hard enough you’ll magically appear, maybe if she promises the spirits she’ll be nicer to everyone, especially you, they’ll give you back to her.

Back, Lin never had you in the first place, she shut you out and squashed any chance there may have been, at the time it seemed smart but now she lays here wishing she had kissed you at least once. On the tram she almost did, when you stepped closer to her Lin's thoughts were engulfed in you, her senses were filled with you, the scent of your perfume, your voice, and even your touch. She’d wanted to pull you into a never-ending kiss right there in front of everyone, wanted to throw all caution to the wind and finally let herself be yours.

Instead, she’d snapped at you with some vicious reply that she doesn’t even remember all too well, just that she called you a nuisance and the devastating look on your face at her response. She had to turn away from you, she couldn’t look into your eyes or else she knew she’d have caved. She would have held your face in her hands and given a million sincere apologies in hopes of erasing that look from your face.

Lin uses the last of her strength to turn her back on the bickering group of teens and falls back to sleep, except this time all she dreams about is finding you dead in some ditch.

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Lin spent her time on bed rest with you and her officers on her mind. She was deeply ashamed of her failure, she even had nightmares about if she did find you. In them you were either dead or close to it, in one you even declined her help to get medical attention and told her you’d rather die than live your life with her as a soulmate. That one had truly shattered her. There's a radio beside her bed, for the most part, it played nonsensical talk shows with mind-numbing segments, the only reason she had it on was that sometimes a police report was given.

“We interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcast to bring you this special report. Late last night equalists attacked city hall subduing councilman Tarlock and capturing avatar Korra details are still coming in but-” Lin turns it off and forces herself out of bed, pain erupts in her right arm and she has to stop for a second to hold it and let the pain subdue, it doesn’t completely disappear but it’s enough to get her out of bed.

She lets out a pained groan and heads over to the closet that has her clothes inside, her uniform stares at her mockingly, reminding her that she’s no longer chief of police but right now isn’t time for a pity party, so she gets out of her pajamas and into her usual white tank top and pants then metal bends the armor on. Lin looks down at her breastplate and stares at her pin that marks as such and rips it off, tossing it onto her nightstand. She has to find Korra, you’d want her to find Korra.

Lin leaves the hospital with a coat over her armor to not so subtly hide what she's wearing underneath and storms off to retrieve Asami from her cell. She metal bends the door off and soon the two are off, Asami is walking next to her, trying to keep up with the pace “we’re gonna find them, I know we will” Asami says, Lin sighs and squeezes her eyes shut for a moment. She hope’s so.

She busts Bolin and Mako out next, reluctantly but she knows her best bet at finding everyone in time is with them by her side. Her next destination is Tenzin's office, once inside she finds him sitting at his desk on the telephone, he eyes them, a surprised look appearing on his face which causes Lin to roll her eyes. Did he expect her to pout until someone else fixed this mess?

“I… have to go,” he says to whoever is on the other end of the line. “Call me back the minute you hear anything-” he immediately ends the call, going to stand from his seat with his hands up in the air. “- Lin what... What are… what are you” he sputters out before his shoulders sag and he gives her an exasperated look. “You should be in the hospital! And you three-” he begins, pointing his fingers at the younger three of the group, “- should be in prison!”

“I figured you could use our help finding Korra” she replies, she wants to say find you, but she knows her best bet at finding you is through your sister, and if Lin found you first, you’d be enraged to find your little sister missing. They all theorize on how to start the search, Asami, Bolin, and Mako run off after Mako says he might know where to go. Lin looks up at Tenzin, letting out a deep sigh “wherever Amon is keeping Korra, I bet that's where y/n and my officers are too.”

Tenzin looks into Lin’s eyes and says with the utmost confidence “let's bring them all home Lin.” Everyone eventually boards Oogi and Mako directs Tenzin where to go. Besides his directions it's utterly quiet on the back of the sky bison, everyone is tense and buzzing with the hope that his hunch is correct. Eventually, they land in a city square and upon climbing down Mako immediately runs over to one of the streets “the truck that took Bolin went this way” he states, pointing at the winding road.

They walk down the street for at least two blocks before coming to an intersection, everyone slowly comes to a halt as Asami breaks the silence “which way?” Bolin strokes his chin as he steps closer to the street in front of them and replies “this way seems familiar.”

Lin, not wanting to go out on a hunch, especially one made by him, bends one of her shoes off and slams her foot down, she closes her eyes as she tries to see what's beneath the surface. A tunnel! It's to the left instead of straight and Lin bends her shoe back on, pointing left “there's a tunnel nearby!”

They break off into a sprint once more and come upon an unused storm drain that has a massive tunnel covered by a metal grate. Motorcycle tracks are leading into the tunnel, confirming their growing suspicions. “Korra has to be in there… somewhere,” Mako says as Lin bends the gate upwards with a bang.

They walk for at least fifteen minutes before they come to a grinding halt, in front of them are five separate tunnels splitting off into different directions. Mako is bending some fire in his hand to help illuminate their path. He doesn’t stop though, he points to a tunnel and tells them he thinks it's this way. With no other option, they all follow after him and continue their descent into the unknown. Soon they hear the revving of motorcycles behind them, Lin orders them all to hide and they all press themselves into a hidden nook. A secret door opens up for the cyclists and they speed inside without a single idea of what they’ve just done.

That pesky feeling of hope blooms in Lin’s chest once more, she runs over to the secret door that has since been shut and feels around before bending it open. It slams open and without a second to lose they race down this secret tunnel with abandon. There's a large room before them with equalists working inside, there are multiple vehicles inside and a tram system leading down three tunnels straight ahead.

One of the trams arrives and an equalist with a feminine voice walks up to the one holding a clipboard and says “everything was delivered to the prison, sir.” Both are fools, far too comfortable with the area because they walk away leaving the contraption unattended. “That’s where they must be keeping Korra” Tenzin whispers. And y/n, Lin thinks, she squeezes her eyes shut for a moment, forcing herself to focus and says “we need to get down that tunnel.”

She waves at them, signaling them to follow her as she sneaks towards the tram. Once onboard, Asami drives it for them, going as fast as she can while Tenzin and Lin stand upfront, on guard for anything that may be lurking in the shadows. Once they see a light ahead seeping into the otherwise dark tunnel Lin orders them off and everyone presses their backs against the wall as the tram continues speeding down to the landing.

“It’s empty,” one idiotic officer says, and another reply in a snarky tone “yeah, I can see that.” Before either can investigate further, Lin shoots out her metal wires and yanks them into the darkness with them. She knocks them out, perhaps a bit too harshly but she’s beyond caring and ties them up so they can’t run off to warn anyone else. Using her aseismic senses, she’s able to locate her men… but not y/n.

“What about Korra?” Mako questions, his tone borderline irritable. Lin keeps a calm composure and replies “I don’t see her yet.” Mako and Tenzin follow Lin as she leads the way through the prison, all of the cells they pass are empty, strange. When they turn a corner two guards are waiting, as they ready themselves for a fight, Tenzin uses his bending to knock them out against the walls. Too easy.

When Lin finally finds their cell, all of them are sitting on their bunks with their heads down. Lin bends the bars apart but none of them seem to care as they stare up at her. “Chief Beifong?” officer Song asks, his voice is weak and Lin immediately knows that she’s failed her men.

“I’m too late, aren’t I? That monster already took your bending, didn’t he?” Song nods, his face solemn and Lin clenches her fists, having to look away from him or else she might just crack. “I’m so sorry... Come on, let's get you out of here” Lin turns her back on them and hears them follow after her, that means yours is gone too, wherever you are.

When Lin rounds the corner, she finds Mako holding one of the guards against the wall, one of his fists alight with fire. “I scanned the entire prison, Korra and y/n aren’t here.”

“Why would Tarlock make up a story about getting attacked?” Mako drops the guy and the guard falls to the floor, there's liquid on the floor beneath him that wasn’t there before, that wimp pissed himself. “Because he has Korra” she replies, Lin pushes past Mako and squats down to be eye level with the shaking guard, she wraps her hand around his neck but doesn’t put any pressure on him, it’s a threat and his eyes widen in fear as he realizes it. “W-We don’t have the avatar! I… I swea-”

“Where is y/n, she most likely came in on the same truck as my officers” Lin demands. The color drains from his face at her question, he begins stuttering out some kind of incoherent reply about how he doesn’t know but she can tell he’s lying through his teeth. Lin applies pressure and asks again. “Where. Is. She?”

“Sh-she killed her guards, they took her to a special place!” the guard has spit falling out of the side of his mouth, tears racing down his cheeks, she loosens her hold just a bit. Did you kill someone? It must have been before they took your bending away. “Where?!”

“It’s done below, you have to take an eleva-”

“Show me” she growls out, she yanks him up to his feet and pushes him away from the wall, he stumbles a bit but Tenzin catches his forearm, she can tell he’s not too pleased with her but she doesn’t care. Mako leads Lin's men back to the tram while Tenzin stays with her, keeping his hold on the blubbering guard. He leads them back down where the officers were held but keeps moving forward. There’s a locked door made of solid platinum, the guard pulls a switch out of his pocket and flicks it, causing the door to harshly slide open with a bang. He keeps leading them, his shoulders shaking.

They go down a twisting staircase and stop at an elevator stationed at the halfway point. He opens the metal sliding doors up and the three climb inside. There are a million buttons on the panel in front of them, if Lin came alone she’d have no clue where to start, but thankfully this wimp knows exactly what button to press.

“Oh man, Amons gonna kill me” he sobs out, snot drips into his mouth as he throws his head into his hands. Tenzin gives Lin a look of discomfort, neither are good at comforting people, both can’t be around someone whos crying without becoming incredibly uncomfortable. Tenzin lets out a sigh when he realizes Lin won’t give in.

“We’ll take you with us, so he can’t,” he says softly, the guards head flies up to look at Tenzin, the air bender takes a step back as snot and spit going flying, Lin scrunches her nose up in disgust. “Really?” he whispers, Tenzin nods and before he can even stop it, the guard flings his arms around him and squeezes him tight. Lin feels a chuckle bubbling up her throat at the sight of Tenzin's horrified gaze, he mouths ‘help me’ but Lin just turns her head to look at the door. The elevator dings and the doors creak open to reveal a dark hallway ahead of them. The guard pulls away from Tenzin and pats his shoulder, offering him a smile full of gratitude.

He leads them down the hall before they stop at another door, also made of platinum. Once again he pulls out his controller full of switches and flicks one, making the door slam open. Its pitch black inside, Lin takes a hesitant step inside. The sound of something scraping against the floor echoed through the room and Lin steps out of the way just seconds before you appear, holding up a metal chair, you swing it where she once was.

“Y/n,” Lin says, she sees your arms shaking as you drop the chair, you fall to your knees from exerting to much energy, “Lin?” your voice is hoarse, and when you lift your head to glance up at her, something inside of her cracks. Your hair is matted with dry blood, the side of your face is caked in it and there are bags under your eyes, your skin is so pale and despite only being locked up for a week you look so weak, your cheeks are hollowed out.

Lin finally knocks herself out of her thoughts when she hears you whimper and she scrambles down onto her knees to cup your face, she inspects you for any open wounds, or signs of illness, you bring one of your hands up to loosely grip her wrist and Lin gasps at the sight of your bloodied fingers.

“She… uh she was scratching a lot when we first put her in here,” he says hesitantly. Lin’s head swings over to him, suddenly the promise Tenzin made seems impossible, she wants to kill him and anyone else involved in your suffering.

“Why?” Lin spits out before he can answer her you reply softly “it was so dark.” Lin pulls you into her arms, burrowing her head into the crook of your neck, you fall into her arms, letting go of any tension within you as you become pliant to her will.

Someone clears their throat and Lin lifts her head to see Tenzin staring at her in confusion. “We should hurry,” he says, Lin nods and goes to stand but you grip onto her shoulders, she looks down and sees you try to stand, but your legs shake and you almost fall back down. She catches you and picks you up bridal style, you rest your head on her shoulder and close your eyes when you come out into the light. You hiss due to the pain and burrow your face into the fabric of her coat.

Something warm lights up her heart at the action but she smothers it, now's not the time. On the way back to the others Tenzin continues to stare at Lin oddly as the guard continues to lead them out.

You're sure this is a dream, you screamed for anyone down below, begged the spirits for a savior, and sobbed for mercy. But you gave up hope after a few days inside, it seemed you’d been left to rot, every few days someone would stop by with a small bowl of what can only be described as kitchen scraps and a sip of water. They were prolonging what felt like the inevitable, you felt so close to death, with your bending gone you had become weakened and you didn’t have any water to help strengthen you.

Halfway back to the others an ear-splitting siren went off as the lights in the prison repeatedly flashed red. Everyone broke into a sprint and ran down the stairs that reunited them with the others.

“Let's go, people!” Bolin calls out as everyone boards the tram, once inside Asami speeds off, behind them a set of headlights flashes as another tram picks up speed, Lin sees Bolin bend the tunnel into collapsing right on top of the second tram and if not for the situation she might have given him a pat on the back. Lin gives you to Tenzin who carefully holds you close as she shouts out “We got more company, hang on!” she shouts as she bends a metal vent to act as a ramp for them. Due to the speed of the tram, it keeps its momentum, she then bends away from the earth in front of them to allow them to enter another tunnel above.

The tram screeches as it's off its tracks and now on the stone before abruptly coming to a halt, everyone groans, the impact has caused them to either fly from their seats or in poor Asami’s case, bang her head into the metal wall in front of her. Tenzin had used his air bending to keep both of you seated, adding enough pressure that when everyone went flying, you both just experienced a jolt.

Lin opens up a hole above, letting the sun shed light on the otherwise dim tunnel. Tenzin gets everyone out with his air bending, including the officer that Lin is most definitely arresting and sentencing to life if she can have anything to do with it. Once up above, Lin goes to take you from his arms but Tenzin pulls back and stares her down.

“What was that about down there?” he questions. In another world Tenzin would have been the one fretting over you, he’d taken you both in and sworn to your parents that he’d protect you. Whilst Korra was a bit rough and hard to handle, you’d play with his children, you kept Jinora company when she felt left out, and helped feed the sky bison whenever you could.

You’d already talked to Pema about how you’d help with the delivery of their next child you’d briefly trained at a healing school in the southern tribe before you decided to follow Korra here and had helped many women deliver healthy babies into the world. You were like a daughter to him, so Lin's unusual display of affection almost unnerved him.

Before Lin can come up with some kind of retort, you turn your head, your eyes squinted as you try to adjust to the light. “Lin?” you say, you reach out for her and without thinking of Tenzin she steps closer and grabs your hand. “I need to take her to the hospital Tenzin and you need to deal with Tarlock.”

Tenzin scowls before carefully handing you to Lin, almost immediately you clutch her coat and snuggle in as close as you can. His brows knit together as the pieces of the puzzle finally snap into place. “But…” he begins, Lin stops him before he can bombard her with questions. “I need to get her to a doctor as soon as possible.” She knows later down the line she’ll have to have a long talk with him, explaining herself and… this thing between the two of you. She rushes off in the direction of the hospital, it’s four blocks away which isn’t too far but she’s filled with fear that somehow you’ll die in her arms if she doesn’t hurry. Once inside the waiting room, Lin calls out for help and two nurses rush forward with a wheelchair once they see you in her arms.

They whisk you away, or try to, one of the nurses tries to convince Lin to stay behind but she won’t be separated from you, not until she knows you're completely safe. “She’s my soulmate and I’ll arrest anyone who tries to keep me away from her right now.” That shuts her up. Lin’s never pulled that kind of card before, and honestly, she wouldn’t arrest someone unless they’d done something illegal but you're getting farther away and her heart is beating faster. The nurse blanches and Lin takes that as her queue to run after you.

The same doctor who looked after Lin, which he repeatedly tries to convince her to go back to her room and rest, to which she declines, looks you over for any injuries. The back of your head is healing, very slowly though and it doesn’t look like it’s been properly cleaned so he has one of the nurses do that as he checks the rest of your body.

“Does it hurt anywhere besides your head and your hands?” he asks, to which you can’t offer a proper reply. Everywhere hurts, you're sore and weak and you feel like if you close your eyes you may never open them again. The doctor sighs, “we need some bone broth and -” he starts listing off medicines to the nurses who scurry off and he orders two others to clean your fingers which elicits a pained groan out of you.

Lin kneels and stays there the whole time, once the nurse arrives with a warm bowl of broth Lin takes it from her and helps you sip it. She nudges her arm underneath your neck to prop your head up and gently brings the bowl up to your lips before tilting it slowly to allow only a little at a time. You happily drink it but can only get about halfway before you claim your too full to continue.

She frowns but relents, not wanting to push you. Eventually, the nurses move you to a proper bed, one like Lin’s, after they clean you up and tuck you underneath the blankets. You’ve long since fallen asleep and the sun is beginning to set, casting a warm orange glow throughout the room. You already look a bit better, one of the nurses gave Lin a warm, wet cloth when asked so she could gently wipe your face clean of all the dried up blood. It’s been roughly two hours since Lin entered the hospital and she already wants out, but not without you. This is a public place and therefore means it's easier to attack, if she lets her guard down Amon may very well try to steal you away once more.

Tenzin and the others, sans Korra, enters the hospital room as Lin finishes wiping up the dirt above your brow and when she hears them, she immediately sets the cloth onto the table, embarrassment floods through her at being caught and she knows she shouldn’t care but she does.

“Tarlock is a blood bender,” Bolin says, raising his hands in the air “and he has Korra!” Mako jabs Bolin in the stomach as everyone shushes him, you stir, letting out a groan before stilling once more, thankfully he didn’t wake you, or Lin definitely would have knocked some sense into him.

“We should all go to air temple island, we’ll be safer together-” Lin goes to speak up, she won’t leave you behind “- y/n will too. I spoke with a nurse outside who says she doesn’t have any serious injuries, just malnourished and therefore very weak. Food and rest will help.” He clears his throat and looks Lin in the eyes “I’d like to speak outside for a moment.”

She stands up, knowing that she needs to get this talk over with. Asami takes Lin's seat beside you as she walks out of the room and down the hall just enough so that they are out of earshot. “She’s my soulmate” Lin starts, her hand once more grazes the burnt mark that now fills her with so much regret. Tenzin looks away before letting out a deep sigh.

“How?” he questions. She lied to him for so long, he’s seen her body bare and knows that she doesn’t have a mark, anymore. His eyes follow her hand and a look of shock takes over his features “It wasn’t a work-related accident, was it?” His jaw clenches as he stares her down. She burnt it right before they went out for the first time, he’d claimed he would find the man responsible for her scar but she’d always shrugged it off. It makes sense.

“No… I was ashamed” she grits her teeth as she remembers sobbing over the burn, telling herself to get over it and that it was for the better. That she’d be happy with Tenzin and wouldn’t need some infantile immature young adult in her life. But you aren’t immature, you're so strong and courageous, she’s seen how you care for those around you and honestly, she doesn’t get how your friends with Bolin and Mako since they are both downright annoying whilst you are anything but.

“And now?” he questions, she knows he probably has a million little judgments he wants to spew out, most likely scold her for something that she can’t control and she’s grateful for him reigning it and trying to remain calm. She doesn’t think she can handle anything else that requires even an ounce of effort after how today has gone.

“I tried to push her away, I told her it wouldn’t work but…” Lin tries to find her next words but there's a lump forming in her throat and she will not cry, not in public, and definitely not in front of Tenzin.

“But she was captured” he finishes for her and she sharply nods, staring at some water stain on the wall up above his right shoulder. “I want you to be happy Lin, even if this does seem strange to me, if you both make each other happy then I’ll get over my preconceived judgments and support you both.”

Lin simply nods, tears are threatening to fall from her eyes so she mutters a “thank you” and heads to the bathroom to compose herself. Tenzin understands, he heads back to your hospital room as Lin barges into the thankfully empty bathroom and begins to cry. You're fine, you're safe and relatively healthy and you will be fine. All she can hope is that once you’ve recovered you’ll forgive her, Lin never apologizes or admits she's wrong but for you, she’ll do so in an instant. She’ll get on her knees for you, beg you even. She’ll be humiliated but it will have been worth it if you give her another shot, one that she’ll make sure she doesn’t screw up.

Tenzin’s approval means so much to her, he probably doesn’t realize it either. She might never be close to him again after what happened but she still sees him as her family, if he’d have shamed her Lin wouldn’t have been able to go on, which she’ll never let him know.

Lin wipes the tears out of her eyes and waits until the redness and puffiness die down before leaving the bathroom and heading back into your room. You're sitting up and are listening to Tenzin with a tired smile on your face as he talks to you about who knows what. Your hair is still caked in dried up blood with bags under your eyes but still, you take Lins breath away.

Tenzin ushers everyone out of the room to give the two of you privacy, Bolin puts up a bit of a fight but relents when Lin fixes him with a glare that has him racing on out of the room before anyone else. Tenzin places his hand on Lin’s shoulder, giving it an encouraging squeeze before shutting the door behind him on the way out.

“Lin” you begin and in an instant, she’s rushing over to your side, she stops herself just as she’s about to take your hand, worried about your reaction. You slowly reach your hand up and interlock your fingers, there’s this look on your face like you're waiting for Lin to pull away in disgust. Instead, Lin gives your hand a gentle squeeze and slowly sits on the stool beside her bed like before.

“I’m sorry,” she says earnestly before you can say whatever was on the tip of your tongue. Your eyes widen but you don’t respond, you're waiting for her to continue, to elaborate so you don’t end up getting hurt again.

“I..” Lin gulps, “I thought I’d be a burden to you, I’m old, practically married to my job, I definitely won’t be winning any awards for my personality-” you crack a smile at that, it warms her heart “-and I don’t want kids. I thought maybe you’d want someone like Bolin or Mako because they could give you those kinds of things I can’t, I like to be in bed by nine and I’ve never even set foot in a dance club before. I’m… I’m not young like you.”

“Are you done?” you ask, Lin furrows her brows but otherwise nods, your other hand, the one not holding Lin's hand comes up to rest on her scarred cheek. “Did you ever think that maybe I want everything you can give me? No matter how much or how little it may be. I don’t want kids, sure they're nice but they are messy and time-consuming, it’s a job for life with no weekends.” Lin laughs at that, spirits, she doesn’t know if she believes you, it seems too good to be true.

“I can’t take someone else leaving me” she states, a pained look settling on her features. Your eyes soften and you pull Lin closer to you, she’s leaning against the bed now, your noses almost touching. You rub your thumb soothingly across her cheek, you're trying to find the right words to say. You can’t mess this up.

“I can’t promise I’ll never get mad at you or I'll never irritate you. We’ll probably have a string of fights throughout our years together but… I’ll never leave you, Lin, you’re all I want out of this life.” Lin’s eyes widen as unshed tears brim at the corners of her eyes. She’s never been told something so heartfelt, so romantic before.

She leans up further until your lips are inches apart and waits for a breath, waits to see if you’ll pull away, and claim that this is all a joke. But instead, you close the gap and let go of her hand just so you can cup both sides of her face. Your lips are so soft and delicate as you pull her closer until your chest to chest like back on the tram. Lin deepens the kiss, her hands resting on your waist, she’s too scared of gripping you in fear of hurting you in your fragile state. You lick the bottom of her lip and she opens her mouth all too eagerly, her knee is now resting on the edge of the bed so she can wrap her arms around you, pulling you flush against her.

Too soon you pull away from her, panting against her mouth and when Lin opens her eyes she has to fight the urge to pull you back into another passionate kiss. Your pupils are blown, cheeks flushed a deep red with swollen lips. She tries to capture it within her mind for safekeeping

“I think I love you” you whisper, your voice is hoarse and you thread your fingers through her hair, lightly gripping it. Lin has to keep herself from moaning at said action. That cynical side of her brain shouts within her skull that you're lying but Lin ignores it, she pecks you on the lips which you eagerly try to deepen but she pulls away just a few inches so she can talk.

“I think I love you too,” Lin whispers, too scared of breaking this moment that almost feels sacred. A smile spreads across your lips as you pull her into a kiss once more. Lin happily kisses you, her heart blooms with a million budding roses, all for you as she finally lets go of all her fears, all her insecurities, and enjoys the feel of you against her. Finally, she thinks

#lin beifong #lin beifong x reader #lin beifong/reader #lin/reader #lin beifong fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #lok #legend of korra #korra #tenzin #bolin #mako #asami sato #sato #mega gay

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shining-red-diamond · 3 years

Text

One Little Coyote

Words: 2k

Pairing: Hyunjin x Reader

Genre: Fluff, some angst

Rating: PG

Warnings: nightmare scene, some arguing, mentions of cigarettes and smoking

A/N; I’m super proud of how this turned out! I’m sorry if it seems rushed, but I thought this was a cute and interesting concept. Banner credits to @oobin

If the morning sun wasn’t hot enough, then the afternoon sun certainly was. Heat waves could easily be seen rising up from the dark pavement the gray Subaru traveled on. Hyunjin carefully drove himself and Y/N across the desert, even though it was mostly barren despite the occasional car that passed them in the opposite direction. The two had been on the road since eight, and it was now nearing twelve-thirty as Y/N’s stomach began to rumble.

“Are you that hungry?” Hyunjin giggled.

“Hey, you’re the one who insisted on just having granola bars instead of eggs like I suggested,” Y/N shot back.

“I know, I should’ve set the alarm for earlier.” Hyunjin rolled his eyes behind his round, dark-lense sunglasses.

Y/N sighed. “No, I should’ve just grabbed an apple.”

“Baby, we’re almost to a gas station. We’ll stop there and grab a bite to eat.”

For whatever reason, the two seemed to be arguing about something with every other conversation they had since waking up that morning. Was it because one of them slept bad? Did Hyunjin get irritated at her for some reason? Or was Y/N just hangry? They hated fighting with each other, but they couldn’t seem to get along for the first leg of their journey. The heat could be a factor in both of them butting heads, but the air was on full blast.

Y/N stared down at her twiddling her thumbs as the song changed to an old AC/DC tune, and Hyunjin glanced over at her. He felt bad for using a sharp tone at her. For months, the two had been planning a road trip from the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas; but he felt terrible for being in such a crabby mood.

Taking her hand, he laced his fingers through hers and kissed the back of it.

“Why the sudden change in behavior?” she asked with a raised brow.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized as they pulled into the gas station.

“Can we talk about this later? I just want to get some food before my stomach starts speaking in tongues.”

Before Hyunjin could respond, Y/N was already out of the car and beelined for the restaurant in the convenience store.

The gas station had only three other vehicles parked there: a motorcycle on the side of the building, a beat up brown truck at a pump, and a dark minivan at another. Heat from the sun was beating down in the surrounding area, but Hyunjin was protected under some shade at the gas pump he paid at. A snake slithered by, but it didn’t bother him. A rugged looking man exited the building and pulled a brand new pack of cigarettes and lit one up before entering the truck and pulling out, but not before giving Hyunjin a nod of acknowledgement.

When the tank was filled, Hyunjin took his receipt, parked in another spot, and locked the car before meeting his girlfriend inside. Y/N was sitting in a gray booth with an order of two burgers and large fries with two large drinks. She hadn’t touched any of the food on the tray, which she always did when she paid for food if she were traveling with anyone. Hyunjin was about to open his mouth to protest how he should have been the one to purchase the food, but he was done arguing with the love of his life.

“This looks delicious, baby,” he smiled and kissed her head before sitting in the seat across from her.

“I made sure to not get pickles in yours,” she replied.

“You know me too well.”

Once Hyunjin tied his long hair back, he and Y/N began their lunch; and she was thankful they didn’t fight while they filled their bellies with a meal.

“Just think,” Hyunjin smiled slyly, “by tomorrow afternoon we’ll be entering Vegas. The desert and heat will be a distant memory as we feast on delicious food, swim in an indoor pool, and get cozy.”

Y/N chuckled at his attempt at being smooth with his words, which in turn caused him to laugh as well.

“We can’t forget seeing all of the cool shows and counting the slot machines in each casino,” she added. “But I’m happy to just be with you for a few days, even if we don’t get to party like millionaires.”

Hyunjin scoffed. “Who needs wealth when I’m already a rich man just having the most beautiful woman in the world with me?”

“You’re cheesy, dude; but I like cheese.”

“I know,” her boyfriend replied with a wink.

As soon as they finished their meal, the two were back on the road, the surrounding desert brightened more by the afternoon sun. For about two hours, the two drive in mostly silence. The only noises around them were the radio, which would go static in some areas, and the wind outside. A few animals passed by in the sand and among the vegetation, but it was mostly snakes and rabbits.

“Babe,” Hyunjin said after a while, “about me apologizing earlier, I didn’t sleep well last night and woke up this morning in a bad mood. I hate fighting with you, and I was trying to make it up to you.”

He couldn’t exactly look at her as he was driving, but he could see out of the corner of his eye she was half smiling as he spoke.

“I’m sorry, too,” she lightly sighed. “I shouldn’t have snapped back at you. I didn’t know.”

“It’s not your fault. The bed at the motel was too uncomfortable.”

“Hopefully, the hotel bed is much better.”

“It’s Vegas! It has to be.”

A truce was formed during their own little comedy hour, and Hyunjin was happy he was able to make it all up with his girl. Like most couples, they had their arguments some days, but Hyunjin could never stay angry with Y/N, nor could she with him. The last thing either of them wanted to do was hurt the other person, and they both knew words were impactful. Only once had they insulted each other where it hurt the most that they wouldn’t speak to each other for a week until they both cooled off and talked it over.

“I wonder where the coyotes are,” Y/N spoke up as she looked out the window.

“They’re out there,” her boyfriend replied as he glanced around the sandy plains. “We won’t be going anywhere near them, but we’re approaching a bunch of rock formations and hills in a while.”

“Maybe we’ll hear them when we camp.”

“Maybe.”

“And that one little coyote howling at the moon,” Y/N sang with a giggle.

As if on cue, the radio song switched to the exact song. It was a genie wishing her song request.

“Fitting.”

The night air was too quiet for Y/N, except for the coyote’s howling at the full moon every couple of seconds. Moonlight illuminated the inside of the car, and she couldn’t fall back asleep anymore. The windows were still cracked open a little to allow air to circulate, but there was no wind blowing. Y/N hated how silent it was, and the coyote’s weren’t exactly singing lullabies to her. Sitting up, she looked over to where Hyunjin was, but he was gone. His blanket remained there, but the man himself had vanished.

Maybe he just had to go pee somewhere, she thought. However, the closest gas station was miles behind them. There was no way he would have walked that far just for a bathroom with a way to protect himself. The possibility of him just finding a small bush to do his business seemed logical, and since it was dark out, anyone who passed by probably wouldn’t see him.

Against her better judgement, Y/N decided to step out and see if her boyfriend was okay. Climbing over the seats, she reached one of the passenger doors and unlocked it. Once she stumbled out of the car, she shut the door and made her way to the back. The little fire pit used to cook their hot dogs was missing, and there was no sign that anyone had made a stop there. Nothing but dry mud and weeds. The air was also freezing, but Y/N didn’t want to go back to the car until her boyfriend was found.

“Hyunjin?” Y/N called in a whisper. No answer. She called for him across the other side of the main road, but still no reply.

“Babe, this isn’t funny!” she called as she turned around to see if he was messing with her.

To her horror, the Subaru was now gone. She didn’t hear the engine turn on, no tire tracks were left, nothing. It was as if it vanished into thin air. Turning back again, the road was gone too. What was going on?

Coyote howls grew louder, and Y/N was starting to panic. Small feet scampered by her, but not a humans’ footsteps. She pulled out her phone light and looked down. A row of jack rabbits were racing by her towards the rock formations, so she decided to follow them to try to find help. She took about six steps before a branch seemingly wrapped around her ankle and tripped her, cutting into the flesh.

“Don’t panic,” YN told herself. “It’s just a bush. You can get out of this.”

However, once she sat up, whatever was holding her had let go and disappeared. It left behind her ankle bleeding, but she had no means of treating it. She could still walk on it, so she kept going.

A few snakes, poisonous ones, slithered by, hissing at her as she walked. It was as if they were threatening her to turn back or else they’ll attack and sink their venomous fangs into her.

“As I rode my pony across the Western plain,” she sang sobbed, not realizing she had been crying. “We stopped and heard a sweet and sad refrain. It filled the sundown skies with a lonesome tune. It was one little coyote howling at the moon.”

RIght at that moment, howling broke the eerie silence from behind her. When Y/N turned around, two red glowing eyes were staring at her. It was a terrible, hungry look, and a deep throaty growl sent shivers down her back. Before she could even blink, teeth flashed in front of her as if the creature attempted to eat her face off.

Y/N screamed as she felt her life ending right there.

“Baby, wake up!” a familiar voice cried out.

Opening her eyes, Y/N realized she was back in the car but in a cold sweat. It was somewhat dark out, but the sky was just barely rising by the deep purple sky fading into pink.

“Jinnie!” Y/N sobbed as she pulled her boyfriend in for a hug.

“What happened?”

Once she caught her breath, she realized everything she had seen and experienced was all a nightmare.

“Bad dream?” Hyunjin guessed as dried her head with a blanket.

“Yeah,” she sighed. She explained everything in detail to him, even checking her ankle for the injury she had sustained. To her relief, there was no cut.

“I’m so sorry you had such an awful nightmare,” Hyunjin kissed her forehead. “I forget how you have bad nightmares one the first night of a camping trip.”

“I’ll be okay,” Y/N promised. “What time is it?”

Hyunjin looked through the suitcases for some fresh clothes. “6:30 in the morning. I was awake because I got too hot in here. It wasn’t long before you screamed awake.”

“I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“No, no. Don’t be sorry. It was only a dream.”

After tying his hair up to keep himself cool, Hyunjin brought Y/N closer to him and cuddled her for a while. Whenever she had a bad dream, it always comforted her to be held or snuggled until she calmed down. His heartbeat was the main composer of her calming, and she loved how warm he felt when he embraced her.

In the distance, a coyote howled.

“He won’t hurt you, my love,” Hyunjin reassured as he held Y/N tighter. “It’s just one little coyote.”

@hongism @ethereal-eirene @ezralia-writes

#kwritersworldnet #districtninewriters #kdiner #kdiarynet #kpopscape #kpopficsnetwork #newskynet #stray kids #skz #hwang hyunjin #skz hyunjin #skz x reader #skz fluff #skz angst

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pepethehobbit · 3 years

Text

A Second Chance

Based on this gifset by @azozzoni .The dialogue between Jens and Lucas at the start is completely taken from the gifset. (Thank you for inspiring me to write this and for allowing me to post this! I hope you like it!)

Also on ao3.

“So now you finally know what it's like to be stood up. About time someone is making you check your ego,” Robbe says cheekily. It's accompanied with a gentle push of Jens' shoulder, probably in an attempt to lighten Jens' mood.

It's not working.

Jens simply scoffs and looks back down to his text messages with Lucas. His last one still unanswered even though he send it on Friday, three days ago now. He is staring at it maybe in hopes of Lucas finally texting back. All it does though is stare back at him, mocking him for his hope.

You could've at least send a text.

But Lucas didn't. There has been nothing but radio silence on Lucas' end for the whole weekend. The whole weekend Jens fought with the urge to send another one, wanting to ask him why he didn't just say no, why he agreed to a date when Jens had finally collected his courage to ask him out, after weeks of what Jens thought was mutual flirting. Not only that but Lucas' confirmation came with an excited nod of his head and an elated smile, that made his ocean eyes shine with anticipation.

He was so excited when Lucas has actually said yes, so happy that he didn't read the signs wrong, that the little dance around each other and all those stolen glances meant something, that Lucas was actually interested in him. Jens feels so stupid. Whatever feelings made him say yes must've vanished in the meantime or, as Jens has not allowed himself to really think about, must've simply never existed.

The first half an hour he was a little worried but still chill, Jens doesn't have the best track record with punctuality either. At the forty five minute mark he started to worry a little more and had send the first text, asking him if he was okay, if something happened. When he didn't get an answer to that after another hour Jens had finally accepted that Lucas simply wouldn't come, that he has been stood up. Which is when he send that last text.

He called Robbe instead, who immediately picked up with worry in his voice, knowing that Jens was supposed to be on a date with the boy who his best friend couldn't stop talking about in the last few weeks. They had a good old fashioned sleep over and even with Sander there, it was exactly what Jens needed to not wallow in self pity. He really, really liked Lucas. When he first saw him enter the classroom, introduced by the teacher as a new student from Utrecht, he felt this inexplicable pull and this inability to take his eyes off him. His pulse quickened when those eyes were set on him and a tiny, surprised smile pulled at the corner of Lucas' mouth.

The rational side of Jens can't make sense of it, especially when his brain supplies with him with enough memories of Lucas that made him so sure that there was something between them. The blush on the other boy's cheek when Jens had reached out to tuck that one curl behind his ear, claiming that he had something in his hair. The way Lucas' hand would brush against his one too many times to be a coincidence. The compliments that Lucas would accept freely and give back with a smile that made Jens want to kiss it off. That one time he almost did.

He is too lost in his thoughts to notice someone approach until he hears Robbe's voice next to him: “Look who's coming this way. The boy who broke Jens' hea-” Jens quickly slaps Robbe's arm to stop him from finishing that sentence. There is no way that Lucas needs to know how hurt he was by him.

Jens has a hard time trying to figure out what Lucas' expression could mean. He looks apprehensive, as if not sure what to do or say now that he is actually in front of Jens. What he settles on only infuriates Jens a little bit more. If only because the answer to the question is most definitely yes, despite how much Jens tried to forget about Lucas over the weekend.

“Hey, you miss me?”

Jens doesn't give him anything, tries to keep his reaction to a minimum. He raises his drink to his mouth and takes a sip, letting Lucas cook in the uncomfortable tension between them.

“I'm sorry I didn't come the other day. I can explain.”

At this point, Jens' disappointment, anger and wounded pride prevent him from actually wanting to know the explanation. He also doesn't want Lucas to think he still cares. It would be nice if he could convince himself of that as well.

“No need. I get it,” Jens says, voice cold and final. The pained look on Lucas' face momentarily makes him want to take his words back. But the memory of waiting for him in the skate park for nearly two hours makes him stick to his decision.

Lucas holds his gaze for a few more seconds, looking defeated and sad and Jens nearly breaks. But then he simply turns around and walks away. Jens watches his retreating form with a thoughtful expression, still fighting between the feeling of having done the right thing and the regret for not letting Lucas explain.

Robbe's “Maybe you should hear him out” is not really helping him sort through his confused feelings. “Shut up, Robbe,” Jens replies more irritated than he meant to.

“Jens, he looked really–”

“No, Robbe. Just drop it. I don't wanna talk about it anymore. Are we going to skate or what?”

His best friend eyes him with a concerned expression, probably considering if it is a good idea to push right now. He must decide against it because he simply shrugs his shoulders, sets down his board and skates off, looking over his shoulder to check if Jens is joining him. Jens tries to shake off his confusing feelings and follows his best friend.

* * *

It's only in the evening when Robbe has already gone off to his date with Sander that he sees the messages. He wishes his best friend would still be here, so he could advice him what to make of it.

Jens, I'm really sorry.

Please give me another chance.

I swear I can explain, something happened but I don't want to tell you over text.

He sounds sincere enough, but what could've happened that he can't just explain over text? Admitting that he simply doesn't feel like that about Jens would probably be easier to text. Cowardly, but easier. So maybe it's not that? Maybe he is saying the truth and something did really happen. But again, he couldn't even write one single text message for the whole duration of the weekend to explain or even apologize?

Either way, the regret of not letting Lucas explain has won over the certainty of having made the right choice since the skate park. If Lucas is as sincere as his message seems to be he deserves a chance to explain and after some consideration Jens is willing to give him one. He just hopes Lucas doesn't break his heart a second time.

Tomorrow after school?

The answer comes immediately, even though Jens has responded nearly five hours after Lucas' initial message.

Thank you, Jens! I hope you can forgive me.

Part of him hopes the same thing and an even smaller part, not ready to be acknowledged or questioned, tells him that he already did.

* * *

It was nerve wrecking seeing Lucas at school the next day. They only have one class together so at least that made it easier to avoid him until the end of school today. But during that one hour Jens was so distracted by the presence of the other boy just two tables ahead of him that he has a hard time even recalling the topic they were talking about. It didn't help at all that Lucas has turned around to Jens every few minutes, catching him stare at him every time. Lucas had send him a shy smile the third time it happened and Jens was too weak to look away until the teacher called on him and he was at a loss of words. He tried his best to ignore Lucas the rest of the lesson after that.

When the last bell of the day rings, Jens reluctantly gets up from his seat next to Robbe, who sends him an encouraging smile and says: “It's the right choice Jens. Everybody fucks up sometime. He seems honest, I don't think he would have stoop you up if he didn't have a very good reason. I've seen the way he looks at you. There is no way that he didn't want to go on that date with you.”

It does little to actually settle his nerves but it does give him hope. Robbe has always been way too perceptive for his own good and he trusts his best friend's intuition more than his own right now. “Thanks, Robbe,” Jens replies, his voice stronger than he expected considering his nerves. He doesn't even know why he is that nervous. All he has to do is listen to Lucas' explanation and decide if he wants to forgive him.

Robbe nudges his elbow into his side and nods towards the school gate, where Lucas is already standing, looking over at them, fidgeting with the sleeves of his pink jumper which stick out under his jean jacket. He seems even more nervous and that actually helps Jens to calm down a little bit. At least he is not in the position where he has to explain himself. He simply has to listen.

Jens turns to Robbe, says his goodbyes and makes his way over to Lucas, his pulse quickening with every step he gets closer to him. Once he reaches him he doesn't know how to start this conversation but he also thinks that maybe this isn't his responsibility right now. He looks at Lucas expectantly, raises his eyebrows, silently asking him to begin.

“Can we not talk here? We could go to the little park around the corner?” Lucas asks timidly, still fidgeting with his hands, avoiding Jens' gaze. Jens would actually rather not, would like to know sooner rather than later, but he guesses somewhere more private would be more comfortable for both of them. “Sure, lead the way.”

The walk there is unsurprisingly very silent. What is surprising though, is that it's not entirely uncomfortable or awkward. Jens did not realize just how much he missed just being in Lucas' proximity. He was in general a very chill person but, as every ordinary person, still had thoughts and anxieties haunting him. When he had spend time with Lucas though, his mind was completely quiet. With Lucas everything had felt so easy and uncomplicated and sure. Well, until now. Even though the silence is not uncomfortable, it isn't exactly comforting either, making Jens' thoughts race with possibilities of what Lucas is about to explain to him.

Lucas is leading them to a swing set and sits down on one of the seats, swaying back and forth with his feet on the ground. He looks up at Jens and motions him to sit down next to him on the other swing. Jens does, wanting to turn towards Lucas but choosing against it, thinking maybe it would make it easier for him to tell him, if he doesn't feel like Jens is watching him, maybe choosing the swing set for this exact reason.

“My mom is ill. She has bipolar disorder.”

Whatever Jens was expecting, it definitely wasn't this. Before Sander and Moyo and Robbe, he may have reacted differently, but he learned through them and has at least an idea what this actually means. Lucas has never mentioned his mom before, Jens notices now, not once in the four weeks they know each other now. He only knows that he moved here with his father and he figured if Lucas would want to talk about his mother he would someday tell him. A vague idea is developing in his head about how this relates to their situation now and he feels a sense of regret for how he reacted when Lucas first came to explain. But it's clear to see that the last thing Lucas needs right now is to make it about Jens.

“Okay. And how is she now?”

Lucas turns to him, seeming surprised at that reaction. “Do you know what that means?”

“Yeah, Moyo's mom is bipolar, Sander too. I thought he already told you?” Lucas turns away from Jens again, seeming confused and caught off guard at the revelation. Jens gives him a minute to adjust this to the picture of Sander he is sure Lucas already had in his mind. Out of all the brothers Sander was probably the one closest to him (excluding Jens). “No, he didn't,” Lucas simply states, seeming a bit lost now.

“So, how is your mom?” Jens asks, trying to get the conversation to what is was originally about. Lucas looks up with a calculating gaze as if to try and figure out what to make of Jens' reaction.

“She had a manic episode on Friday. She called me and from the sound of her voice alone I could already tell that she was manic. But what she said made me freak out even more. She said that she misses me, that she doesn't have a car right now but that she could simply walk to Antwerp, that she only called to let me know that she was on her way. I…, I managed to avert her from that idea, promising her that I would make my way over there right now. By the time I arrived she was mostly out of it, but… but then the depression has already hit. Harder than I have ever seen with her before. I tried to take care of her as much as I could but I just … I just couldn't do it alone and I had to call the hospital where she had already stayed once. They came to pick her up on Sunday which is when I went back to Antwerp. I just left her there all alone.”

Lucas' voice sounds thick and heavy with emotions and when Jens looks up, his eyes are filled with tears, not yet ready to fall. A heavy feeling overcomes Jens, seeing Lucas so sad and overwhelmed with guilt. He wants to reach out, comfort him in any way but he is not sure if Lucas needs that right now. Instead, he tries to recall a conversation he had with Moyo once.

“Lucas, it's not your responsibility to take care of your mother. You did the best you could do in a situation you shouldn't even be put in. I'm sure your mom knows that and wouldn't want you to beat yourself up about something that isn't even your fault. You could not have prevented your mom from getting an episode.”

“It is my fault though, Jens. Don't you understand? She had a manic episode because of me, because she missed me and because I haven't been there to take care of her when she needs me. I –”

The tears have started to roll down Lucas' face. Jens reaches across the distance to take Lucas' hand in his, making him stop mid-sentence, eyes shining with vulnerability.

“Luc. Stop.” Jens tries to make his voice soft and understanding, but firm enough that his words will get through to Lucas. “She is not your job. She is your mom. You shouldn't have to be there just in case she has an episode. It's her illness, not yours. Whatever triggered her episode, it wasn't your fault. You shouldn't be her caretaker.”

Lucas meets his gaze, looking conflicted and looks down again at where Jens rests his hand on his. Jens is about to take his hand away, interpreting this look as discomfort but then Lucas is slowly turning his hand around so they lay palm to palm and gently intertwines their fingers. He shudders at the cold feeling of Lucas' simple silver ring on his skin and his heart starts beating faster but he simply squeezes Lucas' hand softly and sends him a reassuring smile.

“That's what Kes is always saying,” Lucas admits quietly and with his free hand he brushes away the fallen tears on his cheek. Jens smiles at that, who knew Lucas could be this stubborn.

“And we are both very right. This is too much for any teenager to handle.” This wins Jens a soft scoff but there is also a small smile tugging at Lucas' lips so he counts that as a victory.

“How do you know so much about this?”

Jens thinks about how much he wants to say because it doesn't really portray him from his best side but Lucas has been so honest with him and it's the least he could be in return. “Well, I don't know if you know this, but last year Robbe's mom got admitted into a mental health facility. It was pretty bad, I think even worse for Robbe. He had to stay over at my place a lot of times, even before that happened and even though we spend a lot of time together, I didn't really…, well I didn't really notice how much Robbe was suffering. And then the shit with Sander happened and I realized what a shitty friend I have been the last year or so. And then when Moyo told us that his mom is also bipolar I was so shocked that I didn't even know that about one of my best friends. I tried my best to make up for that, tried to show my support, googled a lot and asked Moyo if I could ask him some questions. He basically told me what I told you.”

Lucas' prolonged silence is making him a bit anxious and when he is finally meeting his gaze he looks at him with an expression Jens is not sure how to interpret. But then Lucas smiles fondly, squeezes his hand and says: “You are an amazing friend, Jens.”

Jens has to duck his head to hide the small smile, pleased that Lucas still sees him like this. He has never been good at accepting genuine compliments, ones that are about his personality instead of his appearance. Mostly because he is probably still struggling with the guilt of not being there for his best friend and the whole mess with Jana. “Thanks,” he mumbles softly.

Lucas doesn't respond and the silence stretches on for a few peaceful minutes. They swing gently back and force on the swing, both of them seeming to have no intention of letting go of the other's hand.

“I'm sorry for how I reacted when you came to talk to me yesterday. I should've let you explain. I was…, well, I guess my pride was quite hurt that you stood me up,” Jens admits after a while with a small deprecating laugh and looks over at Lucas even though he is worried about the reaction.

“Jens, you have no idea how much I wanted to go on that date with you. I was over the moon when you asked me. Believe me, the last thing I wanted was to ghost you, I'm the one who is supposed to apologize here,” Lucas says disbelieving, as if Jens doubting Lucas' feelings for him was the most stupidest thing he heard today.

It makes Jens smile uncontrollably, unable to hide it away from Lucas fast enough. He gets up from the swing to stand in front of Lucas, takes his other hand in his as well and pulls at his arms, motioning Lucas to stand up. Lucas looks up at him smiling but with questioning eyes. Jens simply pulls again and doesn't step back when Lucas enters his space. Their faces are close and Jens is tempted to close the distance when his eyes track the motion of Lucas's lips falling open slightly. But then he tears his eyes away from Lucas's lips and moves on to his eyes. They are still a bit wet from the tears and it makes his blue eyes sparkle like sunlight on a clear mountain lake.

“So, about that date. Wanna have a second chance at that tomorrow?” He can see Lucas trace the movement of his lips with his eyes and it makes Jens' pulse quicken. When Lucas finally meets his gaze again he looks hypnotized and a little breathless he asks: “Sorry, what did you say?” It makes Jens laugh, happiness overflowing with how obviously Lucas is distracted by him. He is scared that Lucas is hurt by the laugh he couldn't stop from bubbling out of him but he just looks up at him with a smile that is so beautiful it makes Jens' heart skip a beat. He lets go of one of Lucas' hand to brush a stray curl away from his face and it has the desired effect of the lovely blush spreading over Lucas' cheeks.

“Do you want to go on a date with me tomorrow?” Jens repeats and lets his hand fall to back of Lucas' neck, gently caressing him with his thumb. The smile he gets in return is almost as blinding as the very first time he asked Lucas that question. It makes Jens feel giddy with anticipation.

“Yes. I absolutely want to go on a date with you tomorrow,” Lucas answers and even though Jens was pretty confident that the answer would be yes, the actual confirmation makes him even giddier. This time it's his eyes that can't leave Lucas' lips and he finds himself closing the distance as if pulled in by an irresistible force. Jens' nose brushes against Lucas' and he feels his eyes fluttering shut when he feels a warm gush of breath across his lips. The moment their lips finally touch Jens lets out a quiet satisfied sigh and he barely has time to feel embarrassed about it, because Lucas simply puts his arms around Jens' shoulders and pulls him even closer. The movement of his lips against Jens' is soft yet urgent, careful yet demanding and Jens melts into his arms. He buries his hand in Lucas' hair and gives it an experimental little pull. The reaction he gets nearly makes Jens forget that they are still in public. And even though the playground is empty he gives Lucas a few lingering pecks before he takes a step back, ignoring the quiet sound of protest from the other boy, moving the hand from Lucas' hair to gently stroke his cheekbone.

He can barely take his eyes of Lucas' kiss swollen lips but he knows that he should go now, otherwise he won't have the strength to let go of Lucas. “I should go,” he whispers quietly into the little space between their mouths. It looks like Lucas wants to protest but then he purely gives him a last gentle kiss, nothing more than a soft press of lips and steps out of Jens hold. “I'll see you tomorrow then?”

Jens smiles and nods, takes a step back as well, their hands still holding on to each other not wanting to let go. With each step back he feels their palms sliding together, then their fingers and lastly their thumbs before Jens pulls back for good, making him trip a little bit on his last step back. He sends Lucas a giddy smile, not feeling even slightly embarrassed and Lucas lets out a small huff of laughter, shaking his head slightly before he turns his back on Jens and walks in the direction they came from. Jens watches Lucas' retreating back for a few more seconds before he makes his way home as well. Somehow, he can't stop smiling for the rest of the day.

#vds #van der stoffels #Jens stoffels #lucas van der heijden #my writing #a huge thank you again for azozzoni for inspiring this #I guess trigger warning?#Lucas briefly explains his mom's manic episode and blames himself

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devildomdoofus · 3 years

Text

Winter Storm:Part 2

Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Belphegor

WARNINGS:

‼️contains spoilers from chp. 16‼️

[[angst, cursing, anxiety, fear/terror, depression, near death experiences, hypothermia, dehydration, fainting, severe pain, cliffhangers, unhealthy coping mechanisms, suggestive themes, if I missed any - please let me know!!]]

Author’s Note:

As you already know, I will forever apologize for my sluggishness but I hope that when I do get to posting, it is worth the wait 😣 I’m particularly proud of these pieces, especially Beel’s and Belphegor’s... the angst was fun to write and helped me let off some steam! Forgive me, but Asmo is kind of hard to write for as we’re practically polar opposites 😭 OH!! Since this is the final piece to my “Winter Storm” puzzle, I’ll be needing more requests so if you’ve got something on your mind that you wish to bring to life, send ‘em my way and I’ll do my best to help make it come true!! I’d love to hear what you lovely individuals have rattling around in your brains✨. As always, thank you kindly for your patience, your generosity and support, and thank you very much for hyping me up to write and continue writing. You’ve helped me in more ways than I can count. Stay ruling them all, MCs ❤️

- DevildomDoofus

Prologue/Part 1:

Asmodeus:

It was difficult letting you go on an adventure without him, especially since you were taking the camera with you and he was all dolled up to the nines, looking way too good to not be in the pictures you were going to take... but then you offered him a reward he simply couldn’t refuse, IF he were to be patient. You took him by the hand, gazed into his beautiful eyes, and whispered low enough that he had to lean in close to hear your proposition. “Wait for me here and when I get back, we can dip into the hot tub and sip our favorite drinks until we’re pruny.” He practically kicked you out of the door so that you could hurry back and fulfill your promise.

In the time that you were gone, he busied himself with intricately arranging yours and his belongings until he felt you’d be proud with his eye for organization. By then, you hadn’t returned in the time he felt you‘d said you’d be back but... if he went out looking for you now, he might not get to be warm and bubbly with you later on and damn it, he was going to get that time with you. Once again, he tried to find something to keep his mind off of saying ‘the devildom with it!’ and going after you anyway. He flipped through magazines, scrolled on his D.D.D., sang and danced to his favorite human songs on the radio, but eventually, all he could think about was you. Wondering if you were ok, if you were having fun without him, what kind of pictures you might be taking to show him later... “Ok, that’s it. MC, sweetie, you’ll just have to forgive me.” He donned his comfiest and cutest winter trend setter, lathered the remaining exposed skin in protective lotions and creams because he simply CANNOT have his skin cracking or breaking, and stepped out the door to come find you- “Unholy shit...” The sky had darkened and the wind had picked up immensely. This is not good. For him, his skin, and much less you. He had to find you and fast. He spotted markings on the trees and the piles of stones nearby and he tilted his head. He knelt down to pick up a stone and eyed it a moment before he brought it to his nose for a quick sniff. It smelled of the lotion he had given you on one of your birthdays and for a brief moment, his heart flutters. You wore it constantly because it reminded you of Asmo and whenever you were feeling down, you’d take a whiff of yourself to feel closer to him and whatever was bothering you would instantly vanish. You told him this and he never forgot it nor did he ever let you hear the end of how happy it made him. Emotional in nature, Asmodeus started to tear up a bit as his fear of losing you increased. If he couldn’t find you soon, you’d surely be in danger if you weren’t already. He continued after you like a bloodhound, following you primarily by scent as his vision was becoming obscured by the blinding snow and ice. In addition, he would call out your name, hoping that by some unholy miracle, you’d hear his voice and come trudging through the snow into his arms. Today, he wasn’t so lucky.

Before long, your trail of markings and scent waned into nothingness and he came to a halt. “No, no, no, noooo!!” He turned in circles, sniffing until it hurt to do so, desperately trying to pick up your scent again but it never came. “Damn it!!” he cried as he dropped to his knees, a bit exhausted and heavily defeated. He couldn’t catch the tears before they trickled from his eyes so instead, he held his face in his hands and let them go. How could he have let this happen? The only one he could love more than he loved himself was probably stuck out here alone, terrified, and most likely hanging on for dear life but he couldn’t do a damn thing about it because he couldn’t find you. He was so overcome by his feelings of weakness and hopelessness that he almost missed the echo of your voice crying out through the storm. Almost.

He perked up in an instant, stumbling back to his feet before chasing the sound and calling after you. “MC?! Where are you, love?!” Although there was no reply, he continued in the same direction with your scent having picked up, until he came across the makeshift shelter you held up in. As he crawled in and got closer to you, he came to a complete stop before his jaw dropped to the floor and heart concaved within his chest. You were lying there like-... like you had been lying once before like a broken porcelain doll, abandoned and forgotten by it’s owner. He covers his mouth with his hand and began to cry once more, only this time in much more pain. Crawling over to you, he takes one of your hands in his and brings it to his quivering lips, gingerly kissing your hand before taking the rest of you into his embrace. “Oh MC... My sweet, sweet MC,” he whispers through his tears, “I’m so sorry.” The lump in his throat strangles the words that try to come out. “So very sorry.” He clutches you tighter, leaning his head against yours and rocking you in his embrace, telling himself this is a horrible dream. He never imagined days would come when someone else’s wellbeing came before his and yet the moment you had made a pact with him, he was immediately catching himself thinking of you before he ever came close to thinking of himself. It was incredibly bizarre... and he only wanted more. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that if fewer thoughts of himself meant more thoughts of you, he’d gladly take himself off the pedestal and place you on top instead. Unfortunately, this newfound wondrous feeling wouldn’t last long as the possibility of losing his source of selflessness and humility was rapidly increasing.

“As..moo...” His crying stops and he jerks up, looking down at you. For a brief second, he thought he heard you speak but seeing as you looked the exact same, he assumed he was starting to hear things. Until you said it again. “A..sm..oooo.” Any human would have thought that their ‘cheese had slid off the cracker’ because now, they’re hearing voices from beyond the grave, but Asmodeus knew better. He saw the curving of the delicate lips that your frozen face had allowed and he gasped. “MC!!” He tugs you ever so closer and snug to him that your spine could’ve snapped if he hadn’t of pulled away seconds later to litter your profile with swift and gentle kisses. When he’s done showering you in his smooches of relief, he stands up with you cradled to his chest and flies to back to the cabin to try and bring you back to the MC who once inspired him to be more by thinking of himself less. Besides, you owed him a dip in the hot tub and he wasn’t about to let some horrible blizzard take that away.

Beelzebub:

When you told this man that you wanted to go on a little scavenger hunt to check out the area, he thought you meant you were going to go see what kind of food joints were nearby and he was a little heartbroken at first, thinking you were doing such a thing alone. Without him. The avatar of Gluttony. But you assured him that you two would go together to do that later, and then buy as many groceries, snacks, and take-outs as he pleases as soon as you got back from a quick sight seeing. You also mentioned that you might find some berry bushes on your outing and you would bring some of those berries back for him to try. His cheeks dimpled and he gave you that smile that made your heart do cartwheels in your chest. For his cooperation, you gave him the location of the secret but not so secret because he could smell them anyway stash of your packs of fruit snacks. Ever since the pact, he has never been offended that you had ‘secret’ stashes because he understood all too well why you had to hide them away. His brothers did the same. But even still, you would always, and I mean always, share parts of your food with him so all he really had to do was wait for you to get hungry and surprisingly enough, it was almost as often as he would. You two were a match made in the celestial realm that could eat take the world by storm and he could never really put into words how much that connection that the of you two shared meant to him other than sharing HIS food with YOU.

Thinking of all of this food inevitably made him hungry so he went to your luggage, fumbled around a bit until he found them, and then gobbled down the full packs of fruit snacks, one by one, to hold him over until you came back. He then shuffled over to the couch to plop himself down and wait for your return. Before long, he was shifting and fidgeting in his seat as the cabin started to creak in the uncomfortable silence. He tried watching tv, doing little exercises, and eating more snacks but nothing was helping ease the uneasy feelings he was having.

There were many times in his life where the world around him seemed uncomfortably quiet. Yes, he was technically used to bouts of quietness with Belphegor, the Avatar of Sloth himself, being his twin brother and roomie. But typically, Belphegor was at least in the vicinity; either quietly snoring across the room, resting himself against Beel in one way or another, or could be called on and they could reach each other in a matter of seconds. They were never too far apart nor were any of his other brothers for that matter, if Beel needed a distraction. But as life can be a bit unforgiving, Beel was left alone, on occasions, for long periods of time with nothing but his increasingly loud thoughts to keep him company. And mind numbingly loud they were. It would range between his memories from The Great War of battling angels he once called friends, his overwhelming guilt of not being able to save Lilith, a bit of leftover anger with Lucifer for locking his brother away and then lying to him about it, guilty anger over Belphegor’s attempt to kill you, but most of all... he’s bent to the point of breaking over the fact that he knows he has a problem with his sin, more so than his brothers, and yet celestial realm knows there’s absolutely nothing he can do about it and that is what hurts most of all. And when thoughts like these come knocking at- no- BEATING DOWN his door, he either works his body until he crashes from fatigue, goes on binges for months to drown them out, bottles it all up until it terrorizes him in his dreams, or all of the above. That is, until you came along. Whenever you’re around, his mind, body, and soul seem at peace, and no more does he feel that he is starving, or broken and in need of fixing, or so far beyond forgiveness for what he’s done and who he has become that no one should ever be around him again for he’d only hurt them in the end, unable to stop himself. With you around, the quiet nor his own mind are his enemies but rather, potential friends. Indeed, he still has his moments where the ‘darker’ silence still pays him visits but they have become fewer and farther in between. And it’s all because of you.

That being said, this is one of those ‘darker’ silence visits and before it can get any sort of footing in his mind, he shoots up from the couch and heads out of the door to come looking for you.

He noticed little digits in the trees and piles of stones lining up with a trail going in a particular direction. If he remembers correctly, Satan had once mentioned that humans used these types of techniques as a survival tool in order to find their way back or leave a trail to be found if need be. Wow, his human is a smart cookie- “Damn it.” Shouldn’t have thought that. His stomach growled as if it was summoned and he pats his belly in an effort to console it. “I know, I know. I’m sorry buddy. We’ll find MC soon and then we can go eat with them.” It practically purred in response.

Minutes passed of following your trail and the sky began to darken with the wind picking up, followed by the walls of snow and ice. This was unsettling as he knew that humans couldn’t really survive out in weather like this for long, no matter how smart or capable they were. It was even more unsettling that your markings had disappeared and you were nowhere in sight.

“MC!!” he calls after you but you don’t respond. He continues, over and over, calling after you yet only the wind calls back. There was only one solution left and it was one he didn’t particularly like. He could use his ability as the Avatar of Gluttony to enhance his senses and sniff you out but... the problem was in the fact that he only ever used it when he was particularly starving, so inherently, whenever he zeroed in on something, he was going to eat it when he found it. This didn’t bode well for you considering you, in particular, had an exceptionally appetizing scent and it was extremely difficult to ignore, even with a full belly on the rare occasions that it is and out of his demon form. But because he was out of options and time was running out on the possibility of finding you alive, he had no other choice than to shift into his demon form and zero in on your scent. By Lord Diavolo, it was immaculate. The oh so sweet aroma was speaking sweet nothings to his stomach and the growl it emitted could shake the earth, if not hidden away under flesh and bone. He could make out a ghostly outline of your old footprints, beneath layers of snow, leading in one particular direction. He followed blindly, his hunger now at the wheel and in full on stalking mode as an apex predator on the prowl. It lead him in a few circles before ending up at the miniature shelter and by now, your scent was overwhelmingly delectable to his senses. He ducked low and could make out your silhouette in the darkness. Inching towards you, his nails turned to darkened claws and his teeth bared themselves with an impending goal to devour you whole until there was no trace of you but the outline of the snow of where you once laid- “NO!!”

Beelzebub stripped his sin from the reigns of his mind and he dropped to his knees beside you before it could begin it’s feast. He shook his head, trying to completely erase the thoughts of consuming your body and the immensely alluring smell that lead him to you in the first place. He then looked back to you and your drooping, solidified form and couldn’t hold back the tears that started to trickle down his face. “M-MC...?” Your heart would’ve shattered, just as his did in that moment, upon hearing the pain in his voice. “MC, no... please don’t do this.” He takes your head in his hands and turns your vacant, expressionless face towards him to try and get you to wake up. His thumbs trace circles over your cheeks and he’s calling your name but with no reply. The hands that are usually ever so steady and gentle with you, the hands that you’ve come to love with your whole heart, now shake in bits of agony as he pleads with his entire existence for you to wake up and come back to him. You continue to lay there, upon the cold, hard stone with your empty eyes looking right through Beelz’s and he can’t take it anymore. He lifts you into his arms and races back to the cabin with your limbs dangling towards the snow. Once there, he gingerly places you on the couch and flies around the cabin, grabbing the things he needs to get you warm and bring you back to him. He strips you of your wet clothes and dresses you anew in dry pairs. He throws a plethora of blankets over your body, covers your hands with fuzzy mittens and your feet in multiple pairs of fuzzy socks, then wraps a scarf around your neck and adjusts it so that it comes up to just beneath the opening of your nose. Lastly, he tosses firewood into the fireplace and sets them ablaze before settling onto the couch, placing you between his legs and wrapping his large arms around your frame, snuggling his face into the crook of the scarf around your neck. He inhales deeply, taking the sweet scent of you into his lungs before exhaling and letting his tears fall again. His grip on you tightens as he’s torturing himself for allowing this to happen to you a second time, the one and only person who could ever really take all of the darkness in his life into the palm of their hands and toss it to the four corners of the earth like it never existed. Like it never even knew his name in the first place. Now it was his turn to take away your pain, your darkness, your mistakes and it terrified him because as much as he hated to admit it, he didn’t feel as if he could, no matter how strong he was or tried to be. The only thing he was certain of was that he had try his damndest to bring you back but then wait for fate to decide the rest.

Belphegor:

To be honest, Belphegor didn’t exactly want to come up to the human world in the first place, for a couple of reasons.

(1): He still has a teeny tiny ginormous grudge against humans, even if he knows Lilith became one and you were one as well. That didn’t mean that the rest of them were not still thorns in his side and most likely will remain so until the end of time. Especially Solomon. I mean really, what is that sorcerer up to half of the time?

(2): There isn’t much he prefers to be doing more so other than sleeping. He’s the Avatar of Sloth, Mr. Sandman himself. It came with the ‘job description.’ So he would just be going from sleeping down in the devildom, his palace of comfort, to sleeping up in that Father awful human world, the bane of his existence. “What a joy that would be,” he thought to himself while rolling his eyes as you were in the midst of going over all of the reasons he should come with you on this trip.

And finally (3): As much as he refuses to admit it, deep down in his heart of hearts, he often times feels guilty for being so low energy while you attempt to do things with him and share your life with him. He’s angry with himself for not being able to do much about it given that it is his sin, other than try his best to spend as much of his waking hours with you as he can for as long as you live, rather than sleeping both of them away. Which is why he inevitably caved and agreed to come with you on the trip. Besides, maybe the human world isn’t so bad when he’s with his favorite one? And maybe the chill from the snowy mountains could be his obvious excuse for snuggling ever so close to you under the piles of blankets and pillows. A smug little smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth while he imagines it, eyeing your frame slowly, up and down, before nodding at whatever you had just said... sorry, MC. He wasn’t really listening at the time.

That is how the two of you ended up waving goodbye as you stepped out of the cabin to go sight seeing for a bit and he stayed behind, assuring you he would try his best to stay awake and unpack. We both know how that went

He awoke to the sound of an alarm you had secretly set on his D.D.D. knowing all too well that his promise was empty and growled at the ringing in his ear, nevermind that it was as soft as a loving mother’s lullaby. He jerks up, fumbles his hands in and around the mountain of blankets in search of his device, until he feels the vibrations of it and snatches it from its snug hiding place between his rump and the cushions. The light from it was blinding, having him squint into a frown as he swipes away the alarm. He grumbles, scratching his head through the tuffs of chaos before lifting his intertwined fingers towards the ceiling and letting out a groan, stretching his limbs. “MC?” he calls with his eyes still closed in a grumpy squint. Assuming you simply didn’t hear him, he calls for you again, a little louder, and with no reply for the second time, his eyes finally open and he looks around the empty cabin. He wiggles out of the blankets and walks around, giving the entire cabin a quick once-over, looking for his little, seemingly hard-of-hearing human. That’s odd. You weren’t home and it was-...? He checks his D.D.D. It was about the time you said you would be back. He glances out of a nearby window and frowns. It was swiftly darkening outside and not because of the sun laying down to rest, but due to a vicious storm beginning it’s onslaught. It ticked him off that you hadn’t returned since he felt that you knew better than to leave him waiting for you and it ticked him off a little bit more that now, there was a storm brewing and he had to go out in the cold to drag you back himself before you got yourself killed. Being here was pointless without you and staying awake was quite difficult; Therefore, if you weren’t going to be there with him when he happened to be ‘with the land of the living,’ he would simply go back to sleep... angrily for that matter considering he put time and effort into staying awake for you. He never did that for anyone, not even Beel. So you had better have a good reason for still being out in the cold, soon to be cold storm, or there was going to be devildom to pay. But instead of laying back down to return to his rudely interrupted slumber, as much as he wanted to do so out of spite, he grabbed a coat that was thicker than the one he typically wore and stepped out to come looking for you and then eventually punish you for your transgressions. He sighed as he pulled the hood over his head in an effort to reduce the blasts of ice filled wind and shambled through the rising snow, looking high and low for any traces of you. That’s when he noticed the carvings in the trees and stone piles shaped in an odd fashion. “Ah... not so naive after all,” he mutters to himself and another one of his signature smirks makes its way to his face, but that soon fades as the wind picks up and his line of sight shrinks further and further. This storm was becoming a bit too strong, even in the eyes of a demon such as himself, and that thought alone gave him chills that no blizzard could muster for he knew that this kind of storm was not something humans typically survive in, especially alone. “MC, I swear on Diavolo’s very demon soul that if you’re out here goofing off, you’ll regret the day you came back from my attempt to kill you.” The threat was empty and uttered without any true intention of being carried out. He was simply masking his fear with anger because he felt that his fear would weaken him and you didn’t need someone who was weak, you needed a strong and capable Belphegor to find you and bring you back home, safe and sound... being that you’re still alive.

He followed your trail until it came to a complete stop and with you nowhere in sight, he leaned against a nearby tree, one of the last ones you had marked, and traced his finger along the outline of the markings in the bark. “MC!!” He shouts for you but you don’t respond. He shouts your name over and over but the wind simply swallows them whole. Those fingers he once had on the bark, curled and tightened into a fist and he inhaled deeply just as he was rearing back before delivering an earth shaking blow to the center of the tree, leaving a gaping hole in its wake before the giant finally slunk to one side, toppled to the ground, and sent clumps of snow up in the air. His body shook no longer from the cold, but from the fear and the rage and the guilt overtaking him. He was terrified that he was losing you. Angry over the fact that no matter how hard he was trying, he couldn’t find you, much less save you. And celestial realm only knows how immensely guilty he felt for being the cause of your possible death, both in the past and now. He was shifting in and out of his demon form, his mind and sin arguing over who gets to take the reigns. Regrettably, his sin won without too much of a struggle and he bursts into his demon form onto his hands and knees, and began to scream, balling his eyes right out of his skull. “Please, MC!! For fuck’s sake, I can’t do this alone!! I need you, damn it!! I need you so fucking much!!” The world itself seemed to darken even further as Belphegor poured his breaking heart right out of the newly vacant pit in his chest. Nothing in all of the three realms could pull him from his decent into madness...

...until the sound of your voice makes it way to his ears, past the baying wind and cries of agony. Time itself seemed to stand still and the world around him grew deathly silent as he listened for your voice. He hears it echo from not too far off from where he kneeled. In the time it takes lightning to reach the earth, he has wiped his tears clean off and is now on his feet and bolting in the direction of your voice. That oh so delightful sound of your voice.

He reaches the knockoff shelter that you hid away in and hunches down, making his way to you. As soon as he reaches you, he slows to a stop and places his trembling fingers against your neck, testing for a pulse. It’s dangerously low but his heart lightly flutters because now he knows there’s a chance that you could make it out alive... if he hurries. Refusing to give up, he takes you in his arms and bolts back to the cabin to try and warm you up. If he can save you, he will make the celestial realm seem pale in comparison to the world he will provide for you. If not... Father have mercy on them all.

#obey me #obey me shall we date #otome #mine #my posts #devildomdoofus #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me mc #asmodeus #beelzebub #belphegor #mc

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guigz1-coldwar · 3 years

Text

'Old friend': New chapter for "Redemption in a Spirit in a Cold War" is out !

"Old friend"

"I'm proud to be who I am now, of my thoughts and to be with the woman I love,"

Chapter Summary: Yirina is moving, without having eaten, to Century House to apologize to Park for her behavior from last night but things will lead her & Park to be meeting...a old friend in town...

Link of the Picrew used !

To read it on AO3, click here!

Words : +3700

Taglist : @snowgoldwaylon , @clxudtea , @efingart

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I didn't eat anything when I stepped out of the apartment, not even a simple slice of bread with jam on it, not even after Zasha told me to do so, and honestly, right now, I did not want to eat until I've got to sort off something...and that something was to go see Park herself at Century House and apologize for my actions last night, I'm the one to blame because I didn't say anything to the moment I go out of Peter's apartment until this morning, I'm the one to blame to be acting like that, I can be stupid...and I was stupid during that moment.

That was the only thought that was crossing inside my brain at the moment I started to walk outside the building through the streets of London...I needed to forgive myself, that's the main thing for me to do now. I couldn't look myself at the numerous windows & mirrors around me, prompting me to keep my eyes away from them until I was in front of the MI6 building, this time avoiding everyone's look on me and not putting my eyes on the others, keeping my mind focused to excuse myself.

Once the elevator was on the floor of our office, I didn't let the doors getting fully open that I was already out of it, walking almost as if my life was depending on how fast I was doing it to reach the office and I arrived in front of the door, opening but then, as I thought that I would see Park at her desk working, no one was actually here in this room, she wasn't here and the only thing I could perceive is the silence of the room...a silence that was interrupted every one second by the white clock on the wall near my desk.

My mind at the moment was trying to not panic at not seeing Park in here as I walk inside the room that was still looking the same when we came here to grab the necessary things before leaving for Peter's place: nothing was removed, nothing was new on our desks despite the boxes that the cleaning crew had to bring here, that was very weird...

"Excuse me?" The voice of a woman interrupted me as I was leaning on my desk to look over Park's desk, making me turn my head around to the door, discovering a woman with glasses, brown hair, and wearing a big leather jacket, sounding a bit german in her voice. "Miss Grigoriev?"

"Yes?" I whispered in a low voice at her.

"Hmm, sorry to bother you but there are some reports miss Park asked about Harry Stone," She announced, showing me the files that she was holding in her arms.

"Good," I simply said, my eyes moving away from her, almost sounding annoyed. "You can put them on her desk, I don't know where she is actually," I suggested, pointing with my hand towards Park's desk and it's without a word that the woman complied, walking inside the room to reach the desk and putting the reports on the only empty space on Park's desk.

"Here you go," The woman breathed after she put them on the desk, turning around to look at me but then, I've got a flash in front of my eyes, remembering something...

"Wait, do I know you?" I asked her, moving away from my desk. "Are you called Sam?" I demanded, starting to remember to have seen that woman a long time ago and it was in here, in that very building.

"Yes, that's my nickname," She replied with a smile to me, starting to go back to the door as I was intrigued by this 'Sam' "Name's Samantha but...I assume that you don't need to know more about me," She added before she got her hands on the door to close it, seemingly leaving alone but I needed to know.

"Wait!" I raised my voice to stop, walking fast to reach the door and open it, wanting to stop her to go away as her presence and her words were intriguing but when I open the door, she wasn't at my sight, as if she vanished into thin air...as if she never existed..."What the hell?" I mumbled to myself.

Confusion was the only word of that little weird situation while I was closing the door, wondering who was this woman I saw once a long time ago without remembering when but that's strange: a brown-haired woman sounding german, disappearing like that...that's strange...Without any other thoughts, my attention got into the reports she brought here on Park's desk, and to try to forget that situation, I decided to see them closely.

In fact, instead of multiple reports as this Sam claimed to be, there were actually only one but looking pretty big & rather combining a bit of everything and I took a look at it: it was mostly talking about Stone's family and that wasn't good to see: he had two siblings who disappeared at a young age, his parents died when he was imprisoned, and then, his choice of either spending his time in prison or joining the SAS, he took the latter one.

Then, after I closed the report, finding nothing else, my eyes went suddenly on a little yellow note that was on a document and I took it...'We need to talk, come to the underground parking, the same car we used last night, it's urgent! P.' That note...it was written by Park herself, recognizing her own handwriting on it.

"Dammit," I said, discovering that Park was in fact here but she was waiting for me somewhere else, causing me to take the jacket that I took off before that 'Sam' came in and left the office.

If she wrote this and she wasn't here, that means it's very important but it was still strange that she was doing it like that. I tried to figure out what's wrong by using the stairs to go down instead of using the elevator despite it was faster, exhausting me a bit before I arrived at the underground parking floor, walking towards the parking place that the car that I & Park used was, her waiting for me over there.

I then got delighted on my face for a few seconds when I saw Park in that car, sitting on the driver's seat, the delight going away when my original thoughts came back, my apologies needed to be done as I approach the car at its front passenger side.

"Park?" I said as I open the door, hearing the radio of the car on and, staying neutral on her face, not saying a simple word or turning her head at me. "Hey, Park, are you alright?" I asked her but no responses from her before I installed myself on the passenger seat, finally reacting as she shut down the radio that was going to pass some news.

"You're okay, Yirina?" She spoke up, sounding worried but looking outside at the wing mirror of her side.

"Listen, I'm sorry about...last night," I went straight to the subject, avoiding her question and wanting to apologize to her now. "It was stupid to not talk and tell you what's wrong but...I wasn't feeling alright," I continued, her not willing to stop me in my words. "Seeing you...in that state and what I saw in that place...that make me bad but I'm the one to apologize,"

"You know well that I'm the one that start it, you just said it yourself," She told me, releasing a little breath out of her mouth.

"I...no, you're not the one to blame, I am," I exclaimed, looking at her while putting my arms down on my lap. "I'm just trying to..." I was then interrupted when Park moved her right hand above my left one. "I...I'm sorry," I muttered, trying to find my word at this, her touch feeling a bit different than before.

"I am too," She whispered, finally turning her head at me, seeing her eyes that were almost dried up, as if she cried a lot. "I'm accepting everything from you but is my forgiveness acceptable?" She demanded and I nodded.

"Listen, it's been months that I said that you were forgiven, stop telling yourself that you're not forgiven, you...are," I reminded her, giving her a little recomforting grin that she managed to do on her face. "Just...stop about it, okay?"

"I will," She muttered before she moved in for a kiss that she was supposedly meant to be on my cheek but my head was still looking at her, making it a kiss on the lips that surprised her. "I...thanks for that," She said, sounding better in a few moments after the kiss, passing her hand through her face to remove the bit of hair on it.

"It's okay," I smiled at her after the kiss, blushing a bit before my eyes went on the front to look outside the car, wondering now why we were here and not in our office. "So, why are we here?" I asked directly.

"It's important," Park responded, moving her hands on her lap and tapping with her left fingers on her legs. "After what I learned, we can't talk in our office and Zasha's one," She added.

"Why that?" I demanded.

"It happens that the CIA has some...bugs inside our respective offices," She answered, my eyes going wide at this revelation. "They've been listening to us talking about Perseus & the situation since a long time,"

"Ears & eyes everywhere in London," I mumbled, remembering perfectly this 'Alex' words to us when he met with us two days ago. "They weren't joking on it," I said loudly.

"Five minutes after our cleaning crew got away, guess who arrived at the same place," Park moved her right hand to reach something behind on the backseat before taking in it, a simple picture she shows to me, seeing on it this 'Alex' with some people arriving at Peter's apartment. "One of our men forgot something and I had to go back before he saw them arrive, he took a picture and got away before been caught," She explained the context, keeping the picture in her hand.

"That's how they manage to know about the situation: by listening to us," I guessed as Park got the picture back behind us. "But if they know that, they know other things like...Liliya's origins and more..." I presumed, thinking that this little bugs problem is occurring for a long time.

"I guess that too," Park joined me on that idea, taking a deep breath after saying that. "Instead of having the boxes from Peter's place in our office, I decided to move them in a safer place," She gestured with her head towards the back of the car. "Put them in the trunk of the car, the only place the CIA can't look at,"

"Better than nothing," I admitted, looking with her at the back until I resume to look in front of me. "Are we going to study them now?" I questioned her but she shook her head.

"No...not for the moment," She replied as she moves her hand again on the backseat to grab something. "Before, we have to talk...to an old friend," She added before she put on my lap a medium-sized black bag like that without telling me more, prompting me to open it, discovering a tracking device, along with a little tracker.

"What is it for?" I asked her, taking in my hand the little tracker.

"Remember Lukas Ritter?" She asked me back, making me turn my head slowly towards her in curiosity, remembering that man perfectly in my head as I nod to her. "I was told by some MI5 agents when I arrive here that they managed to find a place that he always goes every morning in London," She explained, putting back the tracker in the bag. "So, I gathered some useful equipment for us and I'm sure that he can help us to...know where Stone & the other Perseus agents are hiding,"

"Yeah, can be very useful indeed," I smirked at this as Park was already starting the car engine, ready to drive away. "Where is it by the way?"

"In the Farringdon neighborhood," She responded, putting her hands on the steering wheel and starting to move the car. "I'm sure that we will get what we need," She affirmed as I put the bag at my feet, now wondering how that improvised mission will happen.

Even with that new thing to do, I was still astonished to learn that our offices were rigged with micros by the CIA, realizing how they succeeded to know about Stone & the situation in London: just by installing micros in Century House and hear us talking about it, very simple...and more like a big bad move from them, wanting to cut their ears off once we go back in our office but it would be tempting and not the best thing to do...for the moment now.

Now, I was in a car with Park after I managed to apologize along with her in the streets of London, going into the direction of where our 'insider' Lukas Ritter used to go and the means of proceeding on how we could manage to get the tracker on him was going to be discussed once we got at our destination and that destination was in fact a pub called 'The Old Bank of England'. Park got ourselves in a good parking space that was in sight of the pub's entrance.

"He should be coming soon," Park observed the entrance, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel before she stopped doing that. "Here is he," She discreetly pointed near the entrance, seeing Lukas Ritter in the same clothes the day we first met him, looking alone.

"What now?" I demanded.

"Well, that's the thing, how should we proceed?" She demanded at me back, turning her head around at me. "He can recognize us the second we step inside that pub," She added.

"Yeah, he can recognize us," I repeated, letting a little sigh out of my mouth before something turned on in my head. "Of course, he doesn't know that we know,"

"Uhm...I'm not following you here," Park narrowed her eyes at me, holding the steering wheel as I got myself well to look at her.

"We know that he lied to us and fled our control in Moscow but...does he know that he's wanted by us?" I suggested. "He proclaimed that he needed to go into hiding and if he's here, maybe that...he would like to 'talk' about defecting," I continued on that idea, thinking that Lukas doesn't know that we're seeing him as an enemy.

"Oh...I see," Park was like enlighten to hear me out. "You're saying that...one of us should go in there, saying things to make him convince that we're dumb to continue to buy in his lies and put the tracker on," I nodded at her to that.

"I'm going in," I volunteered myself, leaning to open the bag at my feet to take the little tracker with me.

"Are you sure? I can go if you want," Park proposed.

"Nah, I'm fine, don't worry," I told her with a smile, putting the tracker inside a pocket of my jacket before opening my door. "I'll not be too long, don't worry," I reassured her, making a little wink to her before I close the door, leaving myself outside to join the pub.

I took a deep breath before I could bring myself to walk away from the car and to engage myself on the pedestrian crossing to go to the pub that was on the other side of the street and without any hesitation when I arrived in front of the entrance that I open it, discovering a very traditional place and very charming to see, filled with people but that wasn't the main thing to think here, now trying to find Lukas around and that wasn't so hard to do, he was sitting with his back against me at the end of the main room as a waiter was finishing to bring him something to drink & eat.

"Ein guter Kaffee zum Start in den Tag, [Good coffee to start the day,]" I heard him speaking in German when I was arriving behind him at his table, observing a little muffin with him.

"Can't say better about that matter," I spoke up, getting myself at his sight and as I thought, he was looking to get chocked himself with the sip of his own coffee.

"What the..." He tried to say, taking a little tissue in his hands to clean up his lips, his eyes focused on me. "How...miss Grigoriev?" He was still sounding shocked to see me standing near him.

"I'm surprised to see you here as you are too with me," I exclaimed before pointing out at the seat in front of him. "Can I sit?" I asked him.

"Uhm..."

"I'm pretty sure that you don't want to make a scene in here, right?" I presumed, seeing him hesitant to let me sit before he nodded, gesturing with his hands to the seat. "Good, that's better," I said with a smile before sitting down on the seat, not removing my eyes from him. "So...Lukas, what a pleasure to greet you in England,"

"I'm...how did you find me?" He demanded, his hands trembling before he pulled them on his lap below the table.

"We can thank the MI5 for that," I replied, starting to act as the perfect dumb agent that still believes in his innocence. "Said that our insider in the KGB entered England but we don't know exactly why," I explained, getting my hands on the table for that. "And besides, hanging out in a pub where some of their agents are going, not a good idea," I lied, trying to find in my head some ideas to make him believe that we don't really know about him.

"Scheisse! [Shit!]" He cursed, mumbling with a low voice as he turned his head to look at the people in the pub, thinking some of them were MI5 agents...good lie indeed..."And I thought that I was discreet," He sighed before turning around again. "Okay, I'll tell you,"

"Then, tell me," I breathed, seeing him clear his throat to talk, knowing that what he will say isn't true.

"Well, Perseus...managed to find out that I became a snitch even after I had to go into hiding," He started, taking a sip of his coffee as I was staying attentive. "I escaped one of their bases in Russia but I had to travel through some countries before reaching London, Perseus having put a price on my head," He resumed, taking a look outside for a second.

"So, if I heard right, you're asking for us to protect you from Perseus, right?" I presumed and he nodded at me clearly. "Hmm, I don't know if it's believable but your presence shows that you're saying the truth," I told him, putting my hand below my chin, fainting to think about it.

"Oh, thanks," He breathed, sounding relieved. "You don't know how much it's meaning to me," He added another lie, knowing he was here for another reason than to 'defect'.

"You helped us well, that's a lot from you," I exclaimed, grabbing the tracker discreetly with my right hand before I move it to tap on his shoulder, mimicking that he did good and taking the chance of putting the tracker in a good place: right below the collar of his jacket, a place that was out of sight of anyone. "You maybe want to know that Stone isn't longer alive, we killed him in Cuba," I decided to get into acting even dumber, giving him the illusion that we don't know about Stone's resurgence.

"Oh, good," Lukas simply said but his hands around his cup of coffee started to look a bit to hold the cup firmly, urging to crush it with his hands...Stone is certainly close to him...."Guess that it's good riddance for you & miss Park," He admitted, getting his eyes on me.

"Of course, it's good," I confirmed to him before looking around, having done my job here. "Well, why don't you...come to Century House when you're willing to? We can sort off your situation and protect you," I proposed before my eyes went on that muffin he took, having not eaten since I woke up. "Uhm...can I take it? I can even give some money to have another one," I demanded.

"Uhm...why...why not?" He reluctantly agreed on my little proposition, sighing before he gave me his own muffin with some chocolate chips on the top of it. "And...giving me your money?" He demanded.

"Sorry but I don't have my wallet now," I excused myself, having never got a wallet since...a long time with me. "Maybe I can give you the money when you will come to Century House," I suggested, taking directly a bite on the muffin and that, it was so good to taste something today. "Now, I'll leave you to your own coffee, remember that we don't forget what you did for us," I muttered to him before I decides to walk away from him, not even waving at him and having managed to steal his own muffin...what a chance...

Not only that but the tracker was now on him and by luck, it could bring us right to the lair of where he & his little friends of Perseus are hiding in London and I was simply smiling about it, enjoying my muffin on the way back to the car Park was waiting for me and I only got inside at my seat that I saw her with the little tracking device with a green dot blinking multiple times...

"It's working, the tracker is ready to..." Park said before turning around to see me taking a bite of the remains of the muffin. "Uhm...how..."

"I managed to stole it from Lukas before leaving, didn't eat anything this morning," I replied before she could even ask her question to know how I got my hands on that precious muffin. "Well now, we'll know where he is going to hide," I exclaimed, getting my eyes on the tracking device.

"Yes but now, we should go back to Century House, we'll be better," Park suggested before she hand over on my lap the device, letting her control to start the car, putting our seatbelts first as I was thinking of what happened in that pub...

I love when a little improvised plan comes together...

#cod bocw #cod cold war #cod black ops cold war #cod cw #call of duty cold war #cod #call of duty #cod bell #black ops cold war #fem!bell #bell x park #helen park #yirina grigoriev

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sapphire-strikes · 4 years

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oh wow... that response was really good. It kinda seems like FK is heading straight for a breakdown but doesn’t want anyone seeing; least of all their news friends who started out thinking they have everything together emotionally. I think a big group intervention is in order... and possibly some well-intentioned snooping, considering that’s how FK got through to Boris in the first place

Writing this as a part two to this post! Thank you all so much for the follow up requests! This dragged on longer than I had expected sooo...there's gonna be a part three!

• It had been about three days since the incident with Boris and Kamal and you hadn't left your house. On the bright side, as of this morning, no one had messaged you!

• Maybe going completely silent wasn't the best idea, you just...weren't in the right place to respond or even open their messages right now. What could you tell them that you hadn't already said a hundred times; you were fine.

• This morning was the first time you'd woken up to no new messages in the last few days. The last few you'd managed to get glimpses of weren't even trying to be subtle anymore with their concerns for your wellbeing. You actually questioned it for a moment; was is weird that they'd stop cold turkey? Maybe they all just finally got the right idea.

• You didn't want any of this. More than anything you just wanted things to go back to normal. You wanted to apologize to Boris but you couldn't even face him after what went down. He'd never let up after seeing you almost lose it. It was your own fault, you couldn't handle yourself and now you were paying the price.

• Maybe those few days alone did you some good because you were finally calm enough to think rationally, well, almost rationally. Maybe you could fix this. If you got back out there and showed them that you were fine, then they'd stop asking questions and things could go back to the way the used to be! You could fix this just like you always did.

• How would you explain your radio silence though? You'd just went out of town for the last few days! No, that didn't make much sense. Your phone was broken? Yeah, that could work. You just dropped it during a run and had to send it in, you weren't avoiding anyone.

• Speaking of running....what about Boris and Kamal? Boris almost saw you lose it and they both saw you literally running away from them. Boris' worried expression plagued your mind. He was so worried about you. Was there even a way to fix that? To make up for the way you'd talked to him...to get him to stop worrying. If you could just get things to go back to normal than maybe he'd finally believe you and believe that you were okay, that you'd be okay soon enough if you could just work through this alone. There was nothing he could do for you anyway, nothing you couldn't do for yourself right? And even if he could help you, he shouldn't have too. He shouldn't need to help you. If you weren't strong enough to help yourself how were you supposed to help anyone else.

• Maybe it was the guilt or just the cabin fever but your hand was suddenly hovering over the doorknob. This was just a quick food run. Not to Jimothan's though! Why? No reason... You just needed some stuff to stock your fridge. Starving yourself out wasn't exactly your intention, eating had just been the last thing on your mind and here you were with not much left to hold yourself over.

• You'd even go the back way just to be more discreet. Kamal would be at work and Boris would be at his shop so you didn't have to worry about them. Anyone else would just need a little bit of convincing!

• Just show them that you're okay.

• It was oddly quiet. Actually, it was usually pretty quiet around here and the fact that you were avoiding the main part of town just didn't help. So far, your mission was successful. You made it to the store, bought some groceries and now all that was left was to head home.

• Staring down the street ahead of you you were plagued with a sense of unease. All that was left now was to head home. So you didn't get to run into anyone but as soon as you got home you could work on getting back to people.

• For the first time in the last few days you were feeling good about this. All you needed was a few days to calm yourself down and you were already feeling better. If things were ever going to return to normal than you'd have to start somewhere. You'd reply to some messages when you got home, explain that your phone was "broken" for the last couple days and things could go back to normal! Smiling in satisfaction to yourself, you gripped your groceries with pride and strode forward.

"Y/N?!"

• You jumped, looking about more frantically then you would have liked to admit. You were so busy thinking you hadn't realized you were walking through the main part of town. No biggie, this was all part of the plan, whoever it was just be cool and explain yourself.

Putting on a smile you turn around, "Hi, hello! What's-" Then you recognized the figure that had called your name.

Having just exited the passenger side of a car, stood Boris Habit staring you down from across the street.

Another voice spoke up, "What'd you say, Boris?" Following suit was Kamal, exiting the drivers side to look at him quizzically. When he looked in the direction he was staring his own eyes widened.

Boris spoke out again more shakily, "Y/n!"

• All the confidence you had up until this point had vanished. You were wrong, you were very wrong, you weren't ready for this. You didn't know what to say to them. What were they doing out here together in the middle of a business day. But you couldn't just run again, that would make everything worse. So you turned around and kept walking, trying to pretend like you hadn’t seen them.

You could deal with everyone else right now, anyone else, but seeing Boris and Kamal hit you where it hurt. You'd make things up to them in time but you just couldn't right now.

"Y/n, please wait!" You heard the sound of a car door shut and to your dismay, he followed you. You were pretty sure you heard Kamal shout something but neither you or Boris were paying attention.

• Why was he following you now? Was he that determined to get some kind of closure? You wanted to make things right with him but you couldn't, not right now. If he started talking to you again, asking you what's wrong, looking at you like he cared so deeply; then you knew you wouldn't be able to hold it together. You'd fall apart and you wouldn't be able to explain yourself.

• Even now just hearing the desperation in his voice was hurting your heart. Why was he still trying? Why did he care so much? It hurt you just to think about it, he had his own problems, everyone in this town did, they shouldn't be concerned about you.

• Rounding the corner you picked up your speed and rushed into the first door on your right. Slamming the door behind you you let out a long sigh and leaned up against it, sinking down a few inches as you caught your breath.

"Well speak of the devil..."

Quickly straightening yourself and doing your best to appear calm you tried to get a grasp on the situation. At least a dozen of your friends were all crowded around the counter. When you said you could deal with everyone else you weren't being literal...

• Your eyes snapped open and you were met with the surprised gazes of your friends. You'd run right into Jimothan's lounge.

Why were there so many people here, it wasn't karaoke night was it? No, Jerafina wasn't here so probably not and there's no way you'd lost track of time that badly.

Jimohthen looked like he was about to speak up but you panicked and unceremoniously yelled, "MY-MY PHONE WAS OUT OF TOWN!"

• There was another long moment of silence as they looked between each other. You rubbed the back of your neck in embarrassment, pulled yourself together and tired again. "Uh hey, everybody...long time no see! Sorry about the radio silence, still been kind of busy, y'know? Anyway, how's everybody doing?" You said, clasping your hands together and smiling hopefully as you stepped forward.

They looked between themselves for a moment then they all nodded in agreement. The first person to speak up was Parsley, "Uh, were all doing fine, buddy" He seemed nervous at first but it faded as he smiled softly and got up to wrap an arm around your shoulder and lead you deeper into the lounge, "You've had everybody real worried, you know. We were just talking about you actually..."

"T-talking about me?" Your feet dug into the floor to stop yourself from moving forward any farther.

"Nothing bad, don't worry about it!", he quickly corrected himself.

Mirphy leaned forward to ruffle your hair, "Heya, we've all missed you, and I miss hanging with the only other normal person around here!", she joked

You were suddenly hugged by Dallas, "Yeaaah, don't be a stranger, little pal. We're all like, here for you, y'know?. He pulled away, keeping both hands on your shoulders for a moment as he gave you a relaxed smile.

• You had shrunken up at all this attention, suddenly having trouble finding your words. Parsley looked down at you with a bit of a cocky but kind smile, patting your shoulder and directing you towards the counter.

Jimothen leaned over the counter. "C'mon, Champ, why don't you sit and relax for a spell. I'll get you something to eat on the house!"

"I-I guess I could st-," you were pulled into another hug. This one much stronger and from behind.

"D-don't just go around disappearing on people, it's-it's totally a baby move!" Gillis was holding you up off the ground from behind, almost crushing you in his hug.

"Alright, big guy, give them some air how about it?" Jimothen laughed at your predicament and you were placed on the bar stool. Gillis crossed his arms and looked away red faced, trying to pretend he hadn't just done that.

Randy soon appeared from behind him, patting his arm. He then reached forward and grabbed one of your hands, holding it in both if his, "Yes, please sit a moment and share your woes! Your absence has left a gaping hole that can't be filled by another, and as our dear friend, we can't see you off until your mind is clear of worries!"

"Really, guys, I'm fine.." You finally spoke up again. Fiddling with the hem of your jacket you went back to averting eye contact, "I-I was just stopping by to say 'hi' anyway, I should probably get going." Their friendliness, for the most part, had sucked all the fight out of you but there was still that little voice nagging at the back of your mind that you didn't deserve to be indulging like this. But you couldn't deny that you really did miss everyone.

Parsley moved to sit on the stool to the left of you, "Aw, c'mon, you sure you can't stay for a little while? Questionette brought cookies.

He motioned to the end of the counter and Questionette excitedly stood up to hold the tray out to you. “Ce sont des pépites de chocolat, s’il vous plaît profiter!”

"Yeah, Pars, I-I'm sure..."

-SLAM-

"Будьте добры"

"Стоп"

"Убегать!"

The door was thrown open and in stumbled Boris, yelling something in exasperation.

This immediately caused you to jump off your stool. His eyes darted around the room for a minute before they focused on you then his face softened and he tired closing the distance between you, "Please, please, stop running away..." He said in defeat, "I just want to talk to you!" This wish wasn't granted however as you backed away the closer he got.

"There's nothing to talk about, Boris. I'm fine.

"No no, you're not!" Boris raised his voice and stepped towards you faster, "You are not fine and you know it! Please just talk to me!"

In your hurry to put some distance between you you stumbled over a chair and hit the floor. Everyone quickly rose to come make sure you were okay. From your place on the floor all the negative thoughts from the last few weeks came flooding back. They were all looking at you with such genuine compassion, it felt like they were burning holes through your body. You had them all so worried about you...this wasn't right and it needed to stop.

Boris immediately lost his previous fire and reached down to help you up, "I-I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!" You couldn't take it anymore. All this attention made your heart feel like it was going to explode.

"Stay away from me!" you yelled and actually swung at him, doing your best to crawl backwards. "P-please...

Boris and everyone else was quick to step back when you yelled as if your words had physically staggered them.

Pulling yourself up you kept your eyes on the ground, not wanting anyone to see your face. "....I told you...I'm fine"

"I'm...I'm sorry, Y/n", The regret in his voice was painful to listen to.

"Don't apologize, Boris..."You walked with your back to the wall, making your way around Boris and the group. Denial and anger were out the window so maybe bargaining would work. "Just give me a bit more time. I'm going to be fine..."

You finally looked at them, putting on a shaky smile, "I'm-I'm sorry I made you all worry, but I'll be okay. Just give me some time and I'll be okay... I want to fix this, I-I just want things to go back to normal! So...don't worry too much, okay?"

Your eyes were starting to burn, you really couldn't take this anymore. You were going to cry if you had to stand here any longer.

Boris seemed to have noticed as well and instinctively stepped forward to try to comfort you again. "It'll be okay, I promise! We can head back to Kamal's house, get you some-

Why couldn't he just get the idea. You clenched you fists and started shaking. Keep it together, damnit.

"I told you; I don't want your-!"

A gentle hand was placed on your shoulder from behind and you froze. Standing in the doorway behind you was Kamal, holding the bags of groceries you had dropped earlier. "Hey, kiddo, deep breath now, it'll be alright."

Your heart stopped and there was nothing but silence. You turned to face Kamal and he smiled patiently. Boris had also moved to stand closer behind you. You looked between the two of them for a moment then Kamal spoke up again, "So, you need a ride?"

• Then you booked it out the door.

"Oh, c'mon!"

"дрисня!"

You regret even setting foot outside this morning because you didn't make it far before you were grabbed from behind and held up securely from underneath the arms, "I'm sorry, Y/n, but you leave me no choice now!"

As you were carried in the opposite direction you began searching for a last stitch effort to find a way out. Finally finding one when you saw the familiar little red girl on the other side of the street using a tree as a punching bag.

You knew were going to feel really bad about this later.

"Petunia help!", you yelled, doing your best to wave her over.

She turned to look in the direction of your voice and jumped up in alarm when she saw your out of context predicament. "FLOWER POWER, THE GREEN MENACE HAS GOT YOU!"

Boris looked at you in confusion when he heard you yell then his face contorted in fear when on queue, he saw Petunia rushing him full force.

The small girl flew forward and gripped onto his head. There was a small struggle as he did his best to hold onto you but eventually lost his grip when she slid down his arm to bite one of his hands. "RUN FOR IT, FLOWER! I'LL KEEP HIM DISTRACTED!"

Yeah, you were going to feel bad for this later but at least for now you were home free. Thats what you thought before you were cut off by Kamal jumping in front of you, "Okay, that's enough, kid", he held his arms out, ready to stop you if you tried anything else.

The sound of the struggle behind you had changed to laughter and Boris was now cradling a helpless Petunia in one arm as he gently tickled her into submission. "KEEP-KEEP RUNNING, I CAN TAKE BOTH OF THEM!" Boris looked up from her, not stopping his playful assault, to offer you what could only be described as a glare and you felt chill run up your spine.

• It kind of felt like you were being arrested. Kamal opened the car door for you, arms crossed and motioning with his eyes for you to get in. You sat alone for a while as they talked out of earshot. You could see him saying something to Jimothen as Parsley worked to get Petunia off of Boris's leg. You were half debating making another run for it but eventually decided not to. Kamal was kind of scary when he was mad. Not mad, disappointed, he'd say. Either way you felt like it would only make things worse at this point.

• The car ride back their house was agonizingly long. You sat ashamed in the back seat occasionally looking up to see Kamal watching you in the rearview mirror. Boris sat in the passenger seat, fiddling with the window switch, looking back every few seconds but quickly looking away when he saw you notice him.

Thinking back now, when you were cornered between the two of them, running into traffic seemed like the more favorable option. You gazed out the window at the scenery speeding by and then at the door handle, but before you even got the idea yourself, the sound of the door lock clicked and Kamal gave you a glare that implied, "Don't you fricking dare"

When the car finally stopped Kamal took a deep breath before stepping out. Boris also exited wordlessly already making his way to the front door.

Kamal stayed back to open your door, leaning down to look in at you and finally smiling again, "You coming in, kid? Cause if you're sleeping out here tonight than so am I."

Despite the growing hole in your chest, you smiled slightly, shaking your head and stepping out to follow him inside.

Boris hung his coat up and nervously went to take yours only for you to dismiss him by pulling the hood up over your head and turning your back to him. This caused him to deflate a bit but he got to work watering the flowers around the house.

"Alright!" Kamal, clasped his hand together, "I'm going to go start making dinner. Kid, you can stay here for the night and we'll talk about all this tomorrow, sound good?" Neither you or Boris answered but Kamal took your silence as compliance, "Okay, good!" He turned heel and went to the kitchen. You knew his enthusiasm was forced but he was doing his best to lighten the mood.

You resigned to curling up in the corner of their couch. Holding your knees to your chest and feeling more numb than anything. You were so tired but you doubted you'd be able to sleep if you'd wanted. A few minutes later you ended up comfortably zoned out, choosing to ignore Boris as he at down on the couch beside you.

#Smile for me #boris habit #dr. habit #sfm #reader/flower kid #I already have pt.3 started #This was orginally going to be the conclusion #but I'm splitting it in half #Boris and the fk are going to have a blast #Boris is still scared of making things worse #but his resolve is only growing #and he's gonna hug you so hard #(that's his current objective)#Kamal knows how much Boris wants to be the one to talk to you #so he's been trying to encourage him from the sidelines

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teacup-crow · 3 years

Text

Things That Make it Warm

Zombies Run Secret Santa fic for @whirly-wind! Thanks for organising @runnerzero, @goblinsharkz and @notforconsumption. Spoilers up to S5M24 below the cut :)

Hi Mystery! I was so so so excited to get you because you’re always lovely about my writing, especially my Tom/Jody stuff 😍 this is the story of them getting to know each other (with a Christmas involved, because Christmas is romantic right?)

Apologies that it starts off just a LITTLE bit angsty but it’s these two and angst just happens to them. A writer can only do so much. I promise there’s festive fluff in there!

I hope you enjoy this! Merry Christmas!

((Stole the title from a Cavetown song because I hate naming things!))

*****

“Jody’s running slowly, so she’ll give ‘em a good chase.”

She almost has to swallow a laugh at Sam’s sweet admiration. Jody’s running slowly because everything hurts, because this idea is crazy, because it might be the last run ever gazing at an Abel sunrise, orange and pink flecking the horizon, and she wants to see it before-

Boom. The explosion rattles her teeth, her bones, smoke rising behind her. She doesn’t look back. She knows better.

“Miss Marsh! To me!”

Tom grabs her hand and before she can process anything at all they’re sprinting. Her heart and lungs are burning; it’s been months since she ran like this, weeks since her muscles atrophied, and the pain shoots through her legs at every step until she feels nauseous. But they’re running. At some point, she lets the bundle fall from stiff arms, a pile of empty blankets. Tom whispers something, and vanishes into the dust he created.

***

“We are not leaving you here.”

“Ian won’t kill me. He knows I still have some useful things inside my broken noggin.” His smile is lopsided, his eyes slightly glittery. Jody doesn’t know him that well, really, but that look has never been a good one on him. She pats his arm, and it dulls a little. She leaves her hand there.

“Isn’t that a reason to get you out?”

He swallows. “I can’t… I can’t promise that I’ll…”

“You saved my life. You’re coming with us.”

She knows, even though his sister might protest out loud, that Janine is grateful to her for making the call. She knows her so well she can hear that the woman’s shoulders have dropped just a bit in relief.

***

Tom likes Noah Base.

It’s warm, and enclosed, and safe. He can feel the presence of walls around him at all times. When he whistles, it echoes. It’s familiar.

When he was younger, being inside used to bore him silly. Paperwork was the worst part of the job; as a boy, Jane did his homework more often than not. Back in Karachi, the memories warm and soft as parchment, he’d play football with the neighbourhood kids late into the night, everyone teasing but good-natured, curious about the white boy who spoke Urdu like a local. The calls of other boys’ mothers rang out as the day grew long until at last they’d scatter at the figure of his father, the ambassador cutting a long shadow across the evening, rumbling “Thomas? Thomas? Time to come home.”

A couple of years later, he lay out on the family’s broad flat roof, breathless - hiding from his sister so she wouldn’t see him crying about their parents, about being ripped away from everything and everyone they knew. Hiding from the men from the embassy, so he couldn’t hear the bad news. So they couldn’t take him to England. Outside there were birds soaring above him, the sun shining like any other day. He didn’t have to confront reality.

And after that, inside meant dull lessons at boarding school far away from Jane, where he actually had to concentrate to keep at the top of the class, and inside meant stuffy offices with stuffy bureaucrats who would never understand the realities of field work no matter how often they were explained, and then inside was three bare walls of concrete and agony and time.

When the open air was no longer a choice, when life became nothing but a cube, six by six, lights off more often than on, inside became more comforting. There, nobody could sneak up behind him. It was easy to keep one eye open. If you stay in the corner, you’re never surrounded. It’s outside where things go horribly wrong. Outside is where the crawling men eat human flesh. Outside is where Jane and the others left him behind.

And so, years later, England again, he’d slip off his cuffs in his new cell and finally manage to relax enough to rebuild some of his sanity. He knew now that inside isn’t the problem. Being trapped there is.

Noah Base is safe. He can map out the whole place in his head, learn fourteen different escape routes, ranked from worst to best.

Noah Base is better than safe.

Noah Base has Jody in it.

***

Jody, for one, feels cooped up.

It’s okay, at first. Things were worse than this right after the outbreak. She’d stayed in a Tube station for a couple of nights, only peeking her head above ground to try and get decent reception to call her mum. When her phone gave up the ghost, she trekked it out of London. But sometimes, especially now, she still thinks of the noise, the irrepressible heat, sickness already spreading like wildfire.

It’s okay, at first. She knits. She stretches. Builds up her core strength again. Takes lectures on strategy. Starts to actually read Janine’s notes, to Sam’s disgust. She keeps positive as morale begins to drop, until one morning she doesn’t get out of bed at all.

Tom arrives at her door with a plate of cold toast and strawberry jam.

“You weren’t at breakfast.”

Of course. He notices everything.

“I wasn’t hungry,” she replies, then bites her lip. If anything, the latest messages from Abel make her far too sick to eat. Steve, inexhaustibly flirtatious, convivial, suave Steve, had sounded shattered. Half-rations. Quarter-rations. Ian’s getting… more unbalanced. Kefi reckons half the town is anaemic.

“Come in if you like, I’m decent.”

“You need to eat something,” he insists, pushing the door ajar and handing the plate up to her. She sits up, back against the wall, and tries to give him a wobbly smile.

“What’s the matter, Miss Marsh?”

“I just… can’t believe we left them.”

And she bursts into tears. He pats her arm.

He doesn’t rationalise anything to her.

He thinks that, just maybe, it’s worse to be the leaver than the left.

***

She’s so strong.

He watches her with a bow and arrow hit one- two- three targets in the centre, more accurate and deadly than his own hand with a pistol. She swings up the climbing frame like a monkey, upside down and ten feet in the air. The gym in Noah Base is cramped - what isn’t? - but training is manageable with the lack of equipment to fill the space. Peter - the man who found them this place, the man with the silver tongue, the man who hurt his sister - is at the weights. He’s always in Tom’s peripheral vision; Jane only puts him there to keep an eye, he knows that.

“Whoop!” Jody swings down from the ropes triumphantly and rolls to a halt. He clicks the stopwatch.

“One-forty-seven. Your fastest time yet, Miss Marsh. That was excellent.”

“You can stop calling me that any time you like, you know.”

“Nonsense. What would I call you then?”

She looks up at him, quite serious. He’s maybe a foot taller than she is. He’s a madman. A murderer. But there’s not an ounce of fear in her gaze, not anymore. When her hair is tied back like that, he can see her face properly, the fading freckles, soft straight hair, her laughing eyes, the cleft in her chin, the birthmark on her cheek.

“...Jody’s fine, Tom.”

“I… yes.” He blinks away in embarrassment. “If you would prefer that name. Yes.”

“Not if it makes you uncomfortable. Anyway, I’m going to try that again. I just know I can beat you.”

“And then you’ll take a break?”

“We’ll see,” she grins, and jogs back to the start.

She’s not only physically strong; she’s been through so much and she hasn’t let it harden her. She looks at every new day like an opportunity, a sunrise, swallowing back the bitter pill of life with orange juice. Not like him. He’s so far past broken he doesn’t even remember what wholeness tastes like; some important part of his soul still lies in that cage, rotting. So how can he be falling in love?

***

It just doesn’t feel like Christmastime.

The last few Christmases have fallen into some kind of routine, at least. They were bare and hard but everyone was together, kids faces lighting up as they decorated the township, people working together to make it as okay as possible. A bit more frivolity, a bit more food.

It’s December already, and nobody has even mentioned it.

Steve hasn’t sent a message in a good while, and the radio silence is making all of them itchy. Five’s been gone for weeks; Cameo’s probably dead. Everyone she cares about is probably-

“Jodes? Can you help me with this?”

It’s Tom, sprawled on his stomach on her bedroom floor, attempting to darn a sock and failing miserably. She laughs.

“They didn’t have darning as a class at Harrow?”

“Not that I remember, but I can recite some Latin at you if you’d like.”

“That sounds extremely helpful.” She swings down from the bunk and looks closer. “Have you just been tying knots in this?”

“I was trying to…” he stares at the sock in his hands with a rueful expression. “It appears that yes, I have just been tying knots in it.”

“Okay,” she sits down cross-legged and takes it from him to start unpicking. “At least you’re honest.”

“Where did you learn to sew and knit?”

“Our church hall ran a youth club. They’d do snacks and activities after school most days, and Mum always liked us out doing something; there were four of us and she didn’t want us under her feet all afternoon. I was a big fan of the needlework table. Who knew it would come in so handy, hey?”

“I have underestimated it.”

He rests his chin on his hands, intently watching her work. Her fingers are so small and quick compared to his. Her gaze flits between the sock and his face. It’s weathered and worn but she still sees warmth and handsomeness there, between the cracks in his scarred armour. The way he’s kept an eye on her every day since that breakfast, just to make sure she’s holding up. She shakes her head, and passes it back to him.

She can’t fall in love with Janine’s brother.

***

It’s the day before Christmas Eve, and Sam hasn’t let Five out of his sight for more than two consecutive hours since they got back to Noah Base, his hand stuck to theirs with glue. They’d normally protest this, but yet another dusting of horror and shadow under their eyes has cut their counterargument short. They nod to Jody when they see her request, and make some excuse about going to ask Janine about work assignments, hobbling a little on a twisted ankle. She appreciates it.

“Sam! Finally got you alone for a minute!”

“Jody! What can I do for you?”

He’s almost himself again, grinning at her from the chaotic comms desk that he’s tacked a bit of tinsel to. She can nearly forget the sound of his screaming last week when Five practically died in that godforsaken maze. It turns out nobody is better at picking up and piecing back together than Sam Yao.

“How did you know that… how did you…”

She pushes the door closed, and clears her throat. “How did you know that you liked Five?”

His grin broadens. “Jody, you like someone?”

“Shut up.”

“I thought you didn’t have crushes!”

“I didn’t. I don’t. Well, maybe I do. I don’t know!”

“Well, describe it to me.”

“It’s like…” God, his smile is dopey. “Stop looking at me like that, Sam, you’re putting me off! It’s like… every time I look at him I feel warm, and the world feels a little bit softer, more yellow, and I just want to protect him. Like, I’d die happy if I knew he’d be safe. And his face. His jawline. I… you’re giggling!”

“Tell me more, tell me more!”

She lobs a stack of rotas at him half-heartedly. He ducks.

“He’s just… so clever and so kind. And he’s still hurting, and I wish he would stop.” She sighs, warming to her theme. “Janine will go mad with me if she hears about it.”

Sam’s face goes slack with shock. “Oh my God. You like Peter?”

“Jesus Christ, Sam, no! I like Tom!”

“Oh, that makes so much more sense!” He chuckles, and then adds: “You do know he’s still a bit...”

“And Five isn’t?”

It comes out defensive, and she immediately wishes she’d bit her tongue, but he doesn’t get annoyed. He shrugs.

“You’re right, Five isn’t well either. Both of them have been through… stuff we can’t even imagine. Done things that people maybe shouldn’t forgive.”

“Who hasn’t.” Jody says darkly.

“Exactly. Their hearts are in the right place, but… just be careful, Jodes.”

Lines like but he would never hurt me and things are different now are not lines she likes to have run through her head. She heard those lines often enough as a little girl, when her brother Cameron was still in nappies and she herself barely out of them but already knowing they were lies. Her mum’s taste in men had got better by the time she’d had the twins, but Jody didn’t forget. She’d vowed to never, ever need anyone that volatile that much.

And yet - here she is.

“So. How’d you know you liked Five?”

“I just,” he flushes. “One day I woke up and just knew. My heart belonged to them. I couldn’t get it back. When they’re not around… it hurts.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s it. Oh Sam, what am I going to do?”

“You could just tell him?”

“Yeah. No.” She swings around in the office chair as she talks. “What if he doesn’t feel the same? What if I make him uncomfortable? He’s going through a lot still, deep down, and I don’t want to add to it, or put him under any pressure.”

“He’s a six foot three MI6 Commander, Jodes, I somehow don’t think you’ll be pressuring him into anything.”

“I suppose... but you keep your mouth closed, no matter what, okay? I don’t want to hear this anywhere outside of this room.”

“Just tell him you like him!” Sam calls after her as she heads back down the corridor.

***

“You’re coming to me for advice about women?”

Tom’s already realised that this was probably a bad idea, but he can’t exactly back out now. “I mean? Jane likes you.”

“Janine’s Janine. She’s… well, I know she’s your sister but she’s not like other women.”

“What does that mean?”

“Well, she’s…” he’s flustered. “She’s amazing.”

“And other women aren’t amazing?”

“Fair point, fair point,” he raises his hands.

Tom runs a hand through his hair. It’s thinning. When did he get old? So much of his youth was wasted.

“Jody is beautiful and talented and so good. She’s got this… hope about her. This luck. I feel like nothing could truly go wrong when I’m beside her.”

Peter nods. “And what does she think?”

“I have no idea, but she can do a lot better than me. She’s seen me ranting and raving out of my wits, and I’m ten years older, and… just look at me, Pete. I’m mostly scar tissue.”

Peter does, up and down.

“You’re very good looking to me, Colonel,” he winks at last. Tom snorts. Maybe the bloke isn’t so bad.

“You must have had relationships before, though? Surely? The way Janine always put it you’d think you were James Bond. A different person on your arm every day of the week.”

“I mean, I did. Of course. Lots of people. Nothing serious, but… that was so long ago. Before… before my head became a mess. When I could tell truth from lie as easy as up from down. These days, I’m not even sure if you’re in front of me. If I squint, I might lose you completely.”

Peter doesn’t know what to say to that. Tom’s introspective seriousness has always made him uncomfortable.

“Anyway, enough of all that rambling. I’m going to give her this.” He proffers a wicked-looking weapon. “For Christmas, I mean. Do you think she’ll like it?”

“An automatic crossbow?” Peter whistles. “Romantic. Right up her alley. She’ll love it.”

He nods in gratitude. “I appreciate you listening. Before you ask, Janey will love the ringbinder full of poetry you put together.”

“How did you know about that!” Peter is ashen, mortified.

“The name’s Bond, James Bond.” Tom throws the line over his shoulder as he wanders away.

***

Their Christmas is a quiet one, but perhaps more festive than anyone expected. Someone dims the base’s lights with crepe paper, and Amelia emerges from her quarters with a bottle of champagne. “Not as a gift, you understand,” she impresses firmly, “but as a service to myself. Being around you lot is making me bloody miserable. Put some smiles on, for once!”

Someone else has found a flock of wild geese and thanks to Jody’s crossbow the residents of Noah Base feast like Victorian paupers made kings. Janine taps her glass, makes a speech about times being tough and the importance of finding the things to celebrate. “I salute you all for your fortitude and bravery. This time next year, we will be with our friends and families again. It’s only a matter of time before we take our home back.” She’s got good at these at this point. They all raise a cheer, at least.

Tom and Jody talk long into the evening about everything they can think of that isn’t the last decade. Childhood stories, mostly: Tom and his football friends accidentally crashing a wedding and causing a minor diplomatic incident; the prank war with next door that Jody and her brothers got into one summer; Tom, Janine and General Bakari’s three-way chess matches; Jody nearly burning the house down attempting to make her mum breakfast in bed. Debates over Doctor Who episodes lead into arguments over the best Quality Street chocolate until they’re the last people still awake.

“D’you believe in God?” She asks, at some point, hazy under piles of blankets in front of the heater they’ve powered for the occasion. He’s wearing the new jumper she made him (“I’m sorry it’s bottle green, it was the only wool we had enough of but it’ll bring out your eyes, I reckon”) and leafing through the pamphlet of beginners knitting patterns she’d painstakingly copied out and tucked inside it.

He chews his lip, lost in thought, his mind straying back to Algeria even as he takes her hand in the present. “No. I used to. I was a chorister when I was a boy.”

“Seriously? One of those ones in Westminster Abbey? My mum always used to listen to them!”

“Yes! I loved it!” He laughs. “Only did the Christmas service once, though. I got bronchitis the next year, and after that my voice broke. But it was the first time I started enjoying life in England. When we stepped outside after the service, that was also the first time I saw snow. I thought it was a miracle. Janey told me not to be so ridiculous, so I put a snowball down the back of her coat.”

“I can’t get over how posh you are. Did you have to wear robes?” It’s the biggest he’s seen her smile in ages. He laughs again at the look on her face.

“Yes, I had to wear robes.”

“If there are no photos left of this, I’ll never forgive your sister.”

“What about you? Why did you ask about God?”

“I don’t know: I was just wondering. True meaning of Christmas, and all that. I used to think at the start of all this that if He did exist, he must have a pretty sick sense of humour. But I’m not sure, I don’t think it’s all that black and white anymore. Maybe He’s just tired of us.”

“Perhaps He’s on a long holiday. He’ll check in next millenia. Until then, we’ll have to figure it out for ourselves.”

She falls asleep not long after that, her head on his chest. He loves her so much his ribs ache.

Maybe there is a God, if a feeling like this can exist. If the two of them can find each other, despite everything. If he can leave so much behind, and lose so much, and still be so happy.

#zombies run #zr #tom de luca #Jody Marsh #zrs5 #zrs5 spoilers #zr secret santa #Noah base Christmas and Christmas 2020 have the same energy #zr secret santa 2020

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echoes-of-the-clockwork · 3 years

Text

Book Four: War (Gladiolus x Reader) Chapter Fourteen

After riding a gondola across Altissia, the royal retinue arrived at Maagho all thanks to Famine. They stepped off the boat and Ignis expresses his gratitude. "We do appreciate your guidance, Famine."

"It was my pleasure," she giggled. "I would've made War do it, but she's still a little cranky."

"Gee, I wonder why..." Noctis mumbled, casting his glance towards Gladio.

"So, about that personal tour," Prompto fiddled with his thumbs.

She smiled at him. "Meet me in front of the Leville once you're done here, okay?"

"Will do!"

Famine waved farewell before vanishing in a cloud of smoke. Prompto couldn't stop staring at the spot she once stood and sighed dreamily. Gladio elbowed him in the side, smirking, "You've got hearts in your eyes, loverboy."

"W-Well, I mean she's great! She actually gives me a chance and we've a lot in common! I don't care that she's some immortal being. It's kinda cool, in my opinion." Prompto crossed his arms and stared at the brute. "What about you, huh?"

"What about me?" He asked.

"You've been mopey ever since (Y/n) disappeared. You've got the hots for her!"

"What's your point here, Blondie?"

"At least I'm honest with my feelings. Maybe if you were honest with yours, (Y/n) wouldn't have stormed off." He turned his back to him.

Before Gladio could retort, Ignis intervened. "Please, gentlemen, not in front of the establishment. Wait 'til after our discussion with Weskham."

"Fine..." Prompto pouted childishly.

The group enter the bar after the small dispute between Gladio and Prompto. They noticed only one other patron present as they strolled up to the counter. The man behind the counter, who was cleaning glasses, greeted them. "Welcome to Accordo, lads. Cid mentioned you'd be dropping in. Weskham Armaugh, as you've gathered." He placed the glass down and eyed Noctis. "My word, you've grown, little Prince."

Noctis hummed in confusion, unfamiliar with the man. Hearing his faint hum, Weskham added, "Ah, but of course-you were only a babe at the time."

The raven-haired boy sat the bar and the man gave him his full attention. "So, this is your maiden visit. Enjoying it so far? You doubtless have many questions, so ask away."

Noctis was unsure of the bartender and kept on his guard. "This country is a part of the empire, isn't it?"

Weskham chuckles. "You're wary, I understand. But there's no need to jump at every shadow. Just be aware that the terms of our independence grant the empire free reign to come and go as they please."

Ignis joined Noctis at the bar. "We'll bear that in mind."

"It's admittedly a one-sided arrangement. Most everything we do requires Niflheim's permission, and they wouldn't knowingly permit the Oracle to appear before the public. How our government spun that is quite a mystery. Is there anything else?"

The prince decided to ask about the Oracle. "You really think Luna will make an address?"

"If every recent radio broadcast is to be trusted, absolutely," Weskham answered.

"Where is Lady Lunafreya?" Ignis inquired.

"In the city somewhere, but no one has caught so much as a glimpse of her. The media has been conspicuous in its silence on the matter, which speaks volumes of government intervention. That'd certainly explain the rumors of disgruntled imperial officers leaving the city."

Next, Noctis asked about the empire. "So you see lots of Niffs around here?"

"We do. Sometimes even at my place. Theirs is a familiar presence, and the citizens don't think much of it. Though, the high commander did cause a stir when he showed up the other day."

"Ravus..." the boy mumbled.

"So soon after they felled the Archaean in Lucis, his arrival fuels rumors that they will next come to Altissia. The empire's not content ruling all the land-they want the heavens as well," the bartender said. "Another thing about the high commander: people saw him walking around with a strange object when he first arrived."

The boy's eyes narrowed in puzzlement. "What object?"

"Some people claimed it was a head, but that's absurd."

Gladio was now more interested in the conversation that ever. "A head?"

"Yes. Of course, we've no proof of the accusations."

Suddenly, Gladio turned to exit Maagho. However, he was stopped by Noctis. "Where're you going?"

"Back to the hotel. I need to try and contact (Y/n)," he answered before leaving. He rode the gondola back to where the Leville was located and headed up to the room. Once there, he yanked the summoning orb out of his pocket and called War's true name numerous of times. Pacing back and forth, he waited for her for what felt like hours. Trying again, he called her name multiple times. "C'mon, dammit...!"

After an hour of trying, Gladio was tempted to toss the summoning orb out the window. Instead, he put it back into his pocket and sat on the edge of one of the beds. He trailed his hands through his hair, hanging his head with a heavy sigh.

Out of the blue, a cloud of crimson smoke manifested in the room. From it, (Y/n) emerged. She glared daggers at him, poking his exposed chest repeatedly. "Stop. Doing. That! It's getting annoying!"

Hearing her voice, Gladio lifted his head and flew to his feet. He towered over her shorter form. "You could at least spare me five minutes."

She placed a hand on her hip, her scowl growing sharper by the second. "I could, but I won't. You've got two minutes starting now. Better make it quick, Gladiolus."

"Two minutes is enough." Gladio cleared his throat and decided to make his explanation short. He told her about what Weskham said about the high commander and the possible head he had in his possession.

The redhead's eyes widen at the revelation. "The dullahan's head. How did...?" She shook her head. "That doesn't matter. What does is what that pompous ass plans on doing with it. There's only two possibilities. One is Ravus has managed to gain the dullahan's cooperation by threatening to kill it. The second is he plans on using the head to lure the dullahan out during the rite. Either way, that damned monster is going to be here soon."

War turned on her heels to leave, but she was immediately pulled back when Gladio grabbed her wrist. She nearly lost her balance when he yanked her back towards him. She tried to free herself from him without injuring him. "Let go of me," she growled.

"You didn't give me my two minutes," he declared, staring straight into her (e/c) eyes.

"Fine," she spat. "You've got one minute left. You better hurry and make it worthwhile."

"Then I better speak with action."

"Speak with action? What're you-?"

Her question was abruptly interrupted when Gladio pushed her down on to the bed. She tried to get up as fast as she could, but it was too late. He climbed on top of her, never breaking eye contact even for a second, and trapping her underneath him. She placed her hands against his chest and tried to push him off. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Gladio didn't say a word as he leant down, closing the distance between them. He pressed his lips against hers, fervently kissing her.

(Y/n)'s eyes widen in pure shock, her struggling ceasing as she tried to comprehend what was happening. She didn't kiss back, too shocked to even lift a finger. She remained petrified under the man, losing track of time.

When Gladio pulled away, he kept her pinned to the bed in fear she'd vanish again. His expression was serious as he spoke. "Listen, I'm not the best at apologies. I'm the worst, if I'm being honest, but I want to apologize for what I said that day. I wasn't thinking."

"Great. You apologized. Now explain the damn kiss," she retorted.

"Can't a man express his feelings?" He asked with a chuckle.

"There's no way you're in love with me," she denied vehemently. "No one could love me, especially if they knew my past."

"Sorry to break it to you, sweetheart, but I know everything," he stated. "I know about all the people you killed all because of how much you trusted Gaius. You think you're a monster, but you're not. You were manipulated by that bastard every step of the way and in the end, he stabbed you in the back. You used Leviathan's power to sink all of Vanaheim so the empire couldn't get their grubby hands on the kingdom and its Crystal."

"Oh, please," she scoffed. "I told you most of that myself."

"The last person you killed was Lady Aubrey, one of the ladies of the castle during your father's rule. Before you killed her, she tried to tell you how Gaius was using you, but you didn't listen."

She couldn't believe what he said. "H-How did you know that...?"

"That morning I was acting weird was the day after the nightmare changed. I was able to change everything except for Vanaheim's fate," he confessed.

"You...manipulated the nightmare?"

"Looks that way. It had a happy ending so I guess it isn't a nightmare anymore."

"Oh, really? And how did it end?" She asked more out of curiosity than anything else.

"I'm making it a reality right now," he said before stealing another kiss.

This time, (Y/n) kissed back. As the kiss continued, she felt the sturdy walls she built around her heart come crumbling down one by one. She was able to regain control of her body and placed her hands on Gladio's cheeks, turning his head slightly to deepen the kiss.

After another minute passes, they break the kiss. Gladio leaned his forehead against hers, enjoying her gentle touch as her thumbs caressed his cheeks. "So, does this mean...?"

She smirked at his hopeful expression. "If you don't mind having a broken, bitchy immortal by your side."

"Hey, you're not as bitchy as when we first met. You still have your moments, but to be honest, who doesn't? And whatever is broken can always be fixed."

"You're the reason I've changed, Gladio," she said. "You're the only other person I've opened up to besides my sisters. Never in a million years did I believe I would ever trust another person with my past. But when you asked me that question in Lestallum, my heart broke. Nice to know that you do trust me, though."

"I was being an ass," he sighed.

"Yeah, you were."

"You still want the orb back?"

She shook her head. "You keep it. I doubt that nightmare will be an issue anymore." She traces the outline of his jaw with her fingers. "Now then, are you gonna let me up?"

"I don't think so." Gladio adjusted their position so he now laid beside the girl. He pulled her into his arms, her head resting against his chest. "As payback for spilling those cup noodles, you're gonna stay right here until I say so."

"All this for a cup of noodles?" She asked. "I mean, it's really not a punishment."

"You desecrated my favorite food."

"It was just noodles in a cup."

"They aren't just noodles in a cup," he stated. "I'll make sure you appreciate them soon enough."

Just then, the door to the room opened. Noctis, Prompto, and Ignis walked into the room, freezing in place when they saw Gladio snuggled up next to War. The blonde was the first to react and grabbed his camera. Before he could take a single picture, the shield threatened him with a glare. "Don't even think about it, Blondie."

"B-But..." Prompto whined.

"Don't you have a date, anyway?"

"Oh, that's right! See ya!" The sharpshooter dashes out of the room.

Noctis glanced at Gladio and (Y/n) with a slightly disgusted look. "You two have no shame..."

War grabbed one of the pillows and threw it at the boy. "Oh, shut it. We know you'd do the same with Lady Lunafreya. And it's not like we were doing something dirty."

Noctis blushes slightly at the mention of his wife-to-be, grabbing the same pillow the girl threw at him to throw it back. "W-Whatever..." He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Anyway, we need to head to the first secretary's estate tomorrow. What should we do until then?"

"Prompto is preoccupied with his outing with Famine," Ignis stated. "I suggest a leisurely stroll around the city to gain our bearings before the rite."

"Sounds good to me." He raised a brow as he eyed the couple. "You two coming or not?"

"May as well," Gladio said. He freed (Y/n) and they climbed off the bed. The group left the hotel and ventured around Altissia.

<------------<<<<<

Hours passed and the sun was finally beginning to set. Ignis and Noctis returned to the Leville while Gladio and (Y/n) continued to roam the streets of Altissia. They boarded a gondola just as the sun set to enjoy the nighttime scenery the city had to offer.

War crossed her legs as she sat across from the shield. "So tell me, what else happened in the nightmare?"

"You really that interested?" He asked.

"I would like the know the "what-if" version of my past. Try not to leave any interesting details out."

Gladio smirked in amusement before divulging all the details about the nightmare. He told her how he saved her from Gaius and how they escaped the castle. When he told her about how she stabbed Gaius in the back, she laughed before allowing him to continue. He then mentioned how she was able to unite her soldiers one final time to evacuate all of Vanaheim. Finally, he got to the part where they escaped on a boat and he tried to kiss her, but he woke up before he could.

"As much as that sounds better than reality, I am happy it didn't happen that way. Except for the part where I stabbed Gaius in the back. If I could resurrect the dead, I would resurrect him and stab him in the back."

Gladio was taken aback at her words. "I thought you'd prefer that than reality."

"If it played out like the nightmare, I wouldn't be here right now. Some other soul could've been chosen as the Horseman of War instead of me."

The brute leans forward with a grin on his face. "Is that a back-handed way of saying you're happy we met?"

She twirled a stand of her hair around her finger. "If that's how you want to interpret it, go right ahead."

Gladio leaned back. "Now I know what we need to work on next for you."

"Lemme guess, you want me to be more honest about my feelings."

"Bingo."

(Y/n) thought for a few seconds before sighing. "Aren't I already honest with my feelings?"

"Only the negative ones."

She went to protest, but realized he was telling the truth. "Welp, you got me there. Well played, Gladio."

He chortled triumphantly. "'Bout damn time I won."

"Don't get used to it."

They hopped off the gondola and continued to walk around the city. When the Horseman heard Gladio's stomach grumble, she suggested heading to Maagho for a bite to eat. They traveled to the bar and the shield gladly ordered him and (Y/n) some Maagho Lasanga.

After they ate their meal, they remained at the bar for a little while. They listened to the pianist as his fingers danced across the keys and created a lovely tune.

"Hey," Gladio shattered the silence between him and the redhead. "There's something I wanted to ask you about the Vanaheim Crystal."

"What is it?" She asked.

"How are you able to use its power?"

Unconsciously, she placed a hand over her chest. She lowered her hand before hopping off the stool. "Let's head back to the hotel. It'd be easier to show you."

The two head back to the Leville, but Gladio stopped them in the lobby. He decided to buy a second room for him and her so they could have some privacy. Walking up the stairs, they walk to their room.

Gladio locked the door behind them before giving his full attention to (Y/n). However, his eyes were drawn to her chest when he noticed she was unzipping the front of her outfit. He quickly grabbed her hand before she could expose herself. "Whoa there, firecracker. Don't-"

"Hey, get your head out of the gutter," she said. "Like I said, it's easier to show you." War continued unzipping her outfit once he removed his hand. She released the zipper just as it reached the crevice of her breasts.

Gladio's eyes widened when seeing a crimson shard embedded in her chest just below her collarbone. The Horseman looked up from the shard and noticed his flabbergasted expression. "At birth, the heirs and heiresses of Vanaheim had a shard of the Crystal embedded into their flesh. From this single shard, all of Vanaheim royalty was able to wield the power of the Crystal."

Unconsciously, Gladio reached out to touch the shard but stopped halfway. His actions didn't go unnoticed by (Y/n) and she grabbed his hand before he could retract it. Gently, she placed his hand over the shard to show him he had her permission to touch her. "Whenever a king or queen perished, the shard was removed from their body and returned to the Crystal. But as you know, mine remained."

Gladio traces the shard with his fingers, admiring its beauty. "Guess a fancy ring isn't necessary when you're directly connected to the Crystal."

"It would be safer with a fancy ring, though," she sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"Because the shard is directly infused in one's body, it's more difficult to control the flow of power. Because of that, many kings and queens became ill and died young. My father was one of them. But that's not a problem for me since I'm basically a walking corpse."

She went to zip up her outfit when Gladio removed his hand from the shard, but she was interrupted when he scooped her up into his arms and placed her on the bed. Before she could even react, he wound one arm around her back and lifted her upper body off the bed. He placed his lips on the shard, causing a shiver to creep down her spine. A gasp slipped from her lips. "H-Hold on a second, Gladio...!"

"Sorry, but no can do. We have this room all to ourselves and you bet I'm not gonna let it go to waste. You better prepare yourself for a long night."

She grinned at him. "I don't need sleep like you. You'll crash before me, I bet."

"You're on, firecracker."

#ffxv #ffxv x reader #final fantasy xv #final fantasy xv x reader #gladiolus amicitia #gladiolus x reader #gladio x reader

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midnight-hotel · 4 years

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Scenario of how would Alastor react to his crush singing Tape Five - Bad Boy Good Man? (I really like this song!) Like, they're happily singing and stop immediately when they saw Alastor just watching them. Is it ok? Good luck on your new blog :3

A maid of the Happy Hotel, that is all you really were around these parts. You weren’t anyone special, not very powerful and hardly worth a second glance. You were attractive, no doubt about that, but so were a lot of others down in hell, so it hardly made you different from anyone else walking down the street. It was with this knowledge that you found comfort in being able to roam around Hell without too much trouble. There was no reason for any demon to go out of their way to give you trouble- most of the time. The most attention you received these days was within the Happy Hotel, better known around hell as the Hazbin Hotel. A cruel name, started by the Radio Demon himself, but continued on by the citizens of hell, even after he changed the sign back to how it was supposed to be.

As a maid, you were busy almost every day, cleaning up messes made by the few patrons the hotel now had, or simply dusting rooms that weren’t currently in use. It was a drag doing the same thing every day, but at the same time, you found an odd sense of peace in the routine you had developed. You would hook your small speaker to your belt and connect your phone to the device to listen to music as you worked. People like Husk and Angel complained every now and then at first, but as you refused to stop, everyone came to accept that they’ll be bound to hear some music whenever you were nearby. It was a fantastic way to locating you within the hotel, that’s for sure. An excellent cover to sneak up on you too, many getting away with scaring the life out of you whenever you’re cleaning. Well- scare the hell out of you maybe? Life and hell both don’t sound right but you get the idea.

A soft cough rattled your chest as you inhaled some dust, lowering your head to prevent yourself from inhaling anymore too easily. You allowed yourself to cough a few times, trying to clear your throat of the unfortunate irritation and momentarily blocking your hearing off from the music coming from the speaker resting on your hip. Your lungs ached for a moment as you let out a slightly harsher cough, before you righted yourself and took in a breath to make up for what you had lost during your little fit.

“Damn old hotel. There’s too much dust- too much to clean- probably gonna give me some weird ass condition or disease,” you huffed, pressing the back of your hand to your lips to cover another short cough.

It was as you finally gained some kind of relief from the uncomfortable sensation in your throat, that you focused back on your music, the song you had previously been humming, slowly came to an end. The soft melody towards the end stopped bouncing off the walls of the hotel room you were cleaning before the room itself was filled with nothing but your soft breaths, unsteady from your moment of wheeziness. It was in that silence, as you stood straight and raised your duster once more, that the next song on your shuffled playlist came on, a familiar tune filled the air that sent a rush of excitement through your veins. You liked- no- you loved this song. This song never failed to bring a smile to your face and a swing to your hips. You could never sit still when the beat met your ears, simply ordering you to cave and bend to its will.

You dropped a hand down to the little speaker attached to your belt and turned it right up, the music bouncing off the walls before the first verse pelted from the small device. At first, you simply swayed your hips as you hummed along, continuing to work away, dusting off the bedside tables and the curtains before putting your duster away and pulling the sheets off the bed so you could replace them. You were expecting a guest in this room soon apparently. Couldn’t have them sleeping on a bed covered in dust and who knows what else. You’re pretty sure you saw Angel come into this room at some stage for whatever reason so you were sure not even Lucifer wanted to know what could be on those sheets.

Old sheets thrown out into the hallway, in your trolly, and new ones sitting on the chest that was stationed down at the end of the bed, a plush cushion protecting its wooden surface from any threats to it’s shiny finish. You grabbed the fitted sheet and began to make the bed, the lyrics beginning to spill from your lips.

“Bebop sliding down my back, never alone when I hit the sack. Swings a thing with a ringa-ding-ding, I get wings when I sing – Ragtime reason and rhyme, I’m the reason you’re divine. Rhumba mambo Latin samba.” You knew the lyrics like the back of your hand, not needing to pay attention to the singer, just the tune itself. “I’m a bad boy…” you would continue to sing, sliding the remaining corner of the sheet over the mattress before spinning back over to the pile of bedding left on the chest, picking up the next sheet to set it on the mattress.

With your attention so lost in the music, the lyrics and your movements, of course you didn’t notice the tall figure standing in the doorway, watching your every move like a predator watching its prey. He had been with Charlie, discussing ideas for the hotel while sipping at some coffee in the kitchen. His red eyes were focused on the blonde sitting across from him, who was happily explaining one of her bright ideas to him and clearly subconsciously tapping her fingers against the tabletop. At first it was completely mindless, just tapping, but once he had started talking, his sharp ears caught onto a pattern in the tapping that had suddenly appeared. At first, he figured she had some sort of song stuck in her head, maybe one she had come up with herself, but then he heard the music.

His ears perked up at the music that had suddenly become louder, clearly coming from upstairs. It was swing, he recognised it instantly, but the song itself was foreign to him. It wasn’t surprising he didn’t recognise it; he did die a very long time ago. He knew exactly who was playing it too. It had to have been you. You were the only one who paraded around with your music playing aloud.

“Do excuse me my dear, I have just remembered there is something I must do,” he excused himself from Charlie, finishing the last mouthful of his coffee before standing and leaving the kitchen. He rounded the corner and then vanished into the shadows, reappearing upstairs to find not only the music, but now your lovely voice that had suddenly joined the tune coming from the device usually attached to your hip. And now here he was, standing in the doorway of an unused hotel room, watching as you swayed your hips from side to side and sung along to the song, he could only raise a brow at. An interesting choice of music indeed, but catchy, nonetheless.

You twirled around, giggling softly to yourself as you reached out and grabbed a pillowcase to snuggly wrap around one of the plush pillows. Watching as your skirt flared out around you as you spun and listening to that innocent giggle, Alastor hadn’t realised that his usually intimidating smile had softened, his cold hard warming- all because of you. The demon was besotted with you, completely and utterly so and it was such an unfamiliar feeling to the overlord that he didn’t now what to do with that feeling. Millions of demons overpopulated the depts of hell and no one but you managed to make his heart do things it rarely did even when he was alive. Had he ever felt this way in the past? Was there a southern bell in his past that made his heart swell with warmth and adoration like you have since meeting mere months ago? No- he doubted it, because this feeling was far too foreign to him. Foreign, but not completely unknown.

Lost in his own thoughts, just like you were lost in your own little world, he didn’t notice you turn around to grab something from your trolley, finally noticing him and letting out a squeal of surprise and embarrassment. Just how long had he been standing there? He snapped to attention- though to you it just looked as if your reaction made his smile widen.

“Alastor, don’t sneak up on me like that,” you scolded, turning your music down, the song coming to an end as you did. You took in a deep breath, brushing down your skirt before gazing back up at him, figuring he had a reason for suddenly appearing before you. You could only hope he had only just arrived and hadn’t seen you singing and dancing for more than a couple seconds.

“My apologies darling, but I couldn’t help but become curious over the stunning voice coming from upstairs,” Alastor claimed in his usual charming way, of course smiling down at you as he always did. “To find it was you singing though, my dear- you’re quite the canary if I do say so myself!”

You flushed lightly at his compliment, embarrassed at the confirmation that he had indeed heard her singing, but flattered all the same.

“Thank you, Al, that’s very kind of you to say,” you thanked him, biting your lip lightly and looking down at the floor for a moment. Has the carpet always been this stained? This would surely drive Niffty insane.

“I was going to ask if you would happen to be free for a dance, though unfortunately, that sing you had there has unfortunately come to an end,” he hummed, faking disappointment, but there was no way he didn’t have something up his sleeve.

“If it’s all the same to you however, darling, perhaps we could settle for another song instead.” Offering a gloved hand to you, swing music played seemed to play out of nowhere and your own quite music was now nowhere to be heard. Letting out a soft laugh, and brushing yourself down one more time, you accepted his hand, being pulled in close almost instantly.

“I suppose I could spare the time for a dance.”

#bad boy good man #alastor #hazbin alastor #alastor x reader #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel x reader

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