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lahyene · 4 years

Text

Reward.

Pairing: mobster!steve, bucky, & thor x maid!reader

Summary: As Steve Rogers’ live-in maid, you have a certain set of responsibilities and duties you owe to the mafioso. Tonight, you get to serve his loyal men as well.

Themes: smut, foursome, oral sex, masturbation, degradation, choking

Word count: 2070

You come downstairs to the “man cave” of the large mansion, your innocent little smile on your lips as you waltz into the room. “You called, sir?” You bat your eyelashes in the direction of your employer, the one and only Steve Rogers, sitting in the grand armchair a few feet away as his friends are seated comfortably on the imported Italian leather couches around him.

You’ve been the mobster’s live-in maid for about a year now, but you only really started working for him three months ago. Meaning, your responsibilities became a bit more extensive than cleaning and taking care of the giant house. You used to feel shy and embarrassed wearing the lingerie he bought for you so flagrantly around the house, but now? You love the attention. He’s made you feel confident and appreciated, and you have no issue being his little pet- especially with the rewards you get in return.

“I sure did. C’mere.” He commands gruffly as he crooks his pointer finger to gesture for your presence, his lips curled into a wicked smirk. You giggle quietly, shooting flirtatious looks to his men as you walk straight to your master, straddling his lap with complete ease and comfort. “How can I help you?” you practically purr, running your fingers over the rich material of his suit covering his broad chest.

“Damn,” his right-hand, Bucky, lets out from beside you before Steve can answer, taking a swig of his beer. “Is there anything you don’t look good in, sweetheart?”

“Doubtful.” The blond on your other side speaks in a deep, hollow voice. You’ve never even known his real name, but everyone in the gang simply refers to him as “Thor” thanks to his bulging muscle. “Every time we’ve seen her, especially in those skimpy little numbers, she looks absolutely ravishing.”

You barely smirk, tilting your head as you glance over at him. “Why, thank you, Thor. I’d argue I look- and feel- even better naked, though.”

“But the feeling is just for me, isn’t it, my little pet?” Steve cuts in rather authoritatively, one massive palm sliding down to roughly cup and squeeze your ass as if claiming what’s his. You can’t help but whimper in excitement and desperation, already wanting more. You hate that he has this effect on you. He’s always in charge, and he knows it.

“C’mon, Steve. It doesn’t have to be.” Bucky speaks up, looking somewhat devious and hopeful at the same time. “I’d say we deserve a treat, we pulled in some real big bucks today.” He makes eye contact with you, his teeth barely pulling on his lower lip. “We always watch you guys fuck, can’t you let us touch for once, too?”

Had it been anyone else who asked, even Thor, Steve would have most likely beat their faces in. You’ve witnessed it yourself, when a lowly drug mule had the audacity to simply flirt with you in Steve’s presence. But this is Bucky, Steve’s ride-or-die. The two have been friends since they were children. You have to admit, you’re curious as to what the mafioso’s reaction will be.

“You want me to share, hm?” Steve looks to Bucky with a lifted brow, then to Thor, who immediately nods his head rather vigorously. “Yes, I think I could be on board with that,” the lengthy-haired blonde agrees with an eager smirk.

You and Steve lock eyes, and you can’t help but be temporarily mesmerized with those orbs of aqua staring back at you. You’re under his complete control, and you’re more than happy to go through with whatever he decides- though, the more you think about it, the prospect of a foursome with these attractive men is genuinely exciting.

“Alright.” Steve finally speaks, his gaze still on you. “I suppose you boys deserve a reward for your hard work.” They exchange wide-eyed glances, about to celebrate, but Steve continues abruptly. “But-- neither of you are allowed to fuck her, though. That pretty little pussy is for Master’s dick only, isn’t it, Princess?” He looks to you with a smirk and you barely giggle, nodding your head.

“Yes, sir.” You agree, slowly turning around so that you’re facing Bucky and Thor while still on Steve’s lap. “I’d be happy to do whatever else I can to make Master’s friends happy.”

The two are practically drooling now, staring at you with all sorts of ideas in their brains as Steve’s hands take hold of your hips, rubbing and squeezing them sensually. “How about you start with stripping for us, pretty girl?” Thor suggests with a low tone, though you know this isn’t really a suggestion. Now that they have the okay from Steve, they’re in charge of you, too. You’re expected to listen and follow their every command, as long as it falls under what Steve has permitted.

“Of course, sir.” You smirk, slowly standing up and moving your hips as you walk to the center of the room. All eyes are on you as you slide the straps of the lacy babydoll off your shoulders; you tease a little, only revealing the top half of your breasts until you finally let the material slide down further, your hand moving over your breast to squeeze as you let out a tiny hum of satisfaction. As the lingerie slides down lower, you seat yourself atop the coffee table, pushing the article of clothing down your legs until it’s off entirely. Arching your back, you spread your legs slightly so everyone can get a view of your entrance, already wet.

“Damn, kitten.” Bucky whistles lowly, eyes focused on your gleaming folds, his expression full of hunger and lust. Steve sits back proudly, tongue lazily running over his lips as he nonchalantly begins to unbuckle his belt. “Well? You better go taste her while you have the chance.” He looks to his right-hand with an arched brow, and the man immediately stands up in excitement, striding over to you and getting down between your legs. “I want to hear you beg for it, baby,” he breathes out huskily, hand already sliding up your thigh, squeezing teasingly. You can’t help but whine in anticipation, spreading your legs further.

“Please, eat me out, sir.” Your voice is needy and desperate, big eyes staring at him hopefully. “I want you to tongue fuck me so bad.”

The mobster groans, already more than turned on simply from hearing you. He leans in and swipes his tongue across your slick, fingers digging into your thighs as he keeps them apart. You whimper in pleasure, placing your hands back behind you on the table as you start to slightly roll your hips, practically grinding against his tongue. “Oh...!”

Meanwhile, Thor stands, walking over to your side already removing his belt and lowering his pants. His huge erection almost immediately catches your eye, your head turning as you stare at his length in shock. He smirks widely from seeing your reaction, pumping himself as he steps closer. “Think you can handle it, sweetheart?”

“She can.” Steve speaks up, and you look to him in surprise, eyes immediately dropping to his hand rubbing his thick length up and down. You can’t help but be more aroused as you look back up at Thor, nodding your head. “I can,” you agree in an airy breath, still enjoying Bucky’s tongue plunging into your soaked pussy, your body trembling slightly. “Let me prove it to you, sir.”

It’s overwhelming at first- Thor’s large cock stuffed in your mouth, Bucky’s tongue teasing your wet folds. Your hand finds his shoulder length brown hair, gripping it hard as your muffled moans travel up Thor’s shaft, the vibration making him groan happily in return. All the while, Steve is watching through heavy grunts and low pants, jacking off as he stares at his talented little pet. Just watching him turns you on even more- you love knowing how much you get to him, how crazy you drive him.

“Fuck,” Thor hisses, his length hitting the back of your throat roughly, making you cough slightly. “You’re such an obedient little girl, aren’t you? Steve is a lucky guy...”

“Mm... mm, tell me about it,” Bucky mutters, his lips pursed around your clit. “She even tastes fucking delicious.”

“Mmmnn!!” you can only whimper, feeling a jolt of ecstasy travel through your body as Bucky’s teeth graze your sensitive bundle of nerves. You release without warning, your body practically shaking, though you’re still focused on sucking Thor’s cock. Bucky smirks as he laps everything up, pulling back breathlessly as he watches you swirl your tongue along the mobster’s length. Thor groans louder, his fingers curling into your hair as he forces your head back and forth on his cock. “Just... like that... fuck, I’m close...!”

He pulls out and releases all over your face, making you gasp in delight as you feel the streaks of white fall upon your skin and dribbling over your lips and chin. “Mm!” You run your tongue over your lips to lap as much of it up as you can, your chest moving up and down along with your heavy breaths.

“Fuck. Get over here,” Steve suddenly demands, his teeth grit as he pumps himself harder. “Sit down right on Master’s big dick, my little pet.”

You happily oblige, breathlessly rising to your feet as you make your way over to his lap, turning so your back is to him and slowly positioning yourself, sinking down onto his thick cock. “Mmm...” you moan, tilting your head back as you start riding him, moving your hips in sensual circles. Steve groans as he grips your hips tightly, leaning in and sucking bruises on your neck, moving his own hips upwards to bring himself deeper inside you.

“I think you’ve proven you can multitask,” Bucky suddenly speaks with a devious smirk, standing up and taking his own shaft out, pumping as he steps closer to you. “Open up, sweetheart. I want to help paint that pretty little face of yours, too.”

You whimper as he slides himself into your mouth, your head turned to face him as you bounce on Steve’s dick, your hands placed on his thighs to keep your balance. Thor kneels down to grope your breasts, fingers pinching your sensitive nipples before he leans in and begins to suck roughly, teasing with his teeth every now and then. As Steve maneuvers your body with one hand, he wraps his other around you to start rubbing your clit, growling into the crook of your neck from pleasure. “Such a good girl for your master, hm?” he mutters, rubbing even harder. “Fuck, are you going to cum all over my dick like the little slut you are?”

“Mm... mm, mmhm!” is all you can muster, with Bucky’s cock thrusting deeper into your mouth. He’s not as thick as Thor, but he’s certainly long and still impressive nonetheless. Steve moves his other hand to wrap tightly around your neck, smirking breathlessly as he bucks his hips up even rougher than before. “You look so sexy when you’re coming undone, baby doll...”

You finally come, your moans lewd and sultry, head tilted back as you keep your lips parted to let out breathless gasps. Steve releases as well, deep inside you just as he likes- you love feeling him fill you up, or simply the feeling of him inside you. You stay where you are, continuing to suck Bucky’s length hard until his groans and grunts become shorter and more desperate; he soon pulls out and does just as promised before, his cum covering your skin and blending in with the streaks already there before. He smirks widely, staring down at you in awe. “Fuckin’ beautiful...”

You finally get up, only to sink down onto the floor by Steve’s armchair, sitting on your knees and panting as you look up at your master with round, innocent eyes. “Did I do well?”

“Very well.” Steve praises with a smirk, reaching down to slowly stroke your hair, running his tongue over his lips as he admires your messy face. “In fact, I think Master should reward you for doing so well.”

He suddenly stands up, scooping you up into his arms. “Get out of here,” he commands to Bucky and Thor, his tone rough but his blue eyes glinting mischievously. “I think I need to give my little pet a bath.”

#steve rogers x reader #bucky barnes x reader #thor odinson x reader #steve rogers smut #bucky barnes smut #writing

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cordria · 4 years

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Diner

There are certain places in the ghost zone where truces reign that are nearly older than time itself. Places of power that are both hot and cold at the same time, light and dark, centers of gravity where none exist. They showed up in many different ways, always changing, but somehow always the same.

This one was currently a diner. And it was where Danny was meeting someone, at Clockwork’s request.

He didn’t quite know what to expect as he pushed open the door. A little bell jingled over the door. Danny glanced up at it in surprise, letting the door fall shut behind him.

The diner was straight out of the 60s. Black and white tile floor. Aqua ceiling. Bright red counter with round, red stools nestled up against them. Booths rimmed the walls and a jukebox in the corner was playing a boppy tune. Despite the pleasant atmosphere, the little hairs on Danny’s neck were standing on end. There was something here that was not right.

“Hey, kid.”

Danny blinked at the cliqued woman running the diner. She had a notebook in one hand and a pot of coffee in the other. “Hi,” he said. “I’m here to-”

“Over there,” she said, gesturing with her head towards one of the farthest booths. She moved on, pausing only long enough to fill a cup of coffee at a table.

“Creepy,” Danny muttered. Wanting to get this over with as fast as possible and get back home, Danny wandered towards the booth the woman had pointed out.

A cloaked figure sat in the corner, somehow ringed with shadows despite the bright lights of the diner. There was a powerful aura to the being, and Danny felt a shiver run down his back. It moved slowly, the blank hole where it’s face should be turning to look at him. It looked just like the images of the grim reaper from Sam’s creepier books.

“Hi,” Danny said, giving it a little half-wave. “Clockwork… he sent me…”

It gestured towards the other side of the booth.

“I’d rather stand,” Danny said, shifting his weight from foot to foot, feeling uncomfortable. Clockwork had said the ghost wouldn’t hurt him, but Danny figured better safe than sorry.

The held out arm didn’t move. The cloaked head shifted just a touch.

“Fine,” Danny whispered, sliding into the booth. “I’m Danny.” He held out his hand to shake.

The figure didn’t take it.

After a moment, Danny let his hand fall to the table. Resting his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers together, Danny said, “So… what’s up?”

He couldn’t see the figure’s face - he wasn’t sure the thing had a face - but he could have sworn he saw the ghost smile. “It’s long past time we chatted, young prince.” The creature's voice sounded like a snake’s rattle, and the feel of it caused ice water to pour down Danny’s spine.

“Uh-huh,” Danny said, sitting back and fighting down a shiver. “Who are you?”

“In charge,” it answered simply. It sat forwards, sleeved arms resting on the table.

The diner waitress stopped by, dropping a cop in front of Danny’s spot and pouring it full of steaming coffee. “Enjoying yourself?” she asked.

“Always,” the creature responded as she refilled its cup. It waved the end of its loose sleeves over the cup, and the level of the coffee lowered. “Delicious as always.”

Danny didn’t bother to answer or even take a sip. The waitress didn’t appear to care, wandering away without further comment. “Why am I here?”

“We have an issue at hand. It’s not particularly a big issue, in the grand scheme of things.” It magicked a packet of creamer out of nowhere, poured it into the coffee, and then turned its attention back to Danny. “Beside the taste of the coffee here. It’s quite inedible. Creamer?” Another packet appeared on the table.

“No thank you.” Danny pushed the coffee a bit away from him.

“Perhaps smart. No telling what’s in it today.” It waved a sleeve over the cup again, and again the level of the coffee lowered. “Now that is much better.”

Danny waited through a few long seconds of silence. “What’s the issue?” he asked.

“Ah yes. You defeated Pariah Dark.”

“I had lots of help…”

“Help or otherwise, the Realms have decided it is you that defeated Pariah Dark, ruler of this section of our world, and as such, have proclaimed you his heir.”

Danny blinked. “What?”

“You are the heir of this realm. It means little, honestly. A title, if you are into such formalities. Our world is not one that requires a hands-on ruler, as there are no taxes or laws or such that would need leadership.” The figure drank more of it’s coffee.

“I’m… I’m not… I’m just a kid-”

“I am exceedingly aware how young you are,” the figure said with a chuckle.

Danny couldn’t hold back the shiver. The creature’s voice was bad enough when it was talking - the chuckle drained straight down his back. “I don’t-”

“Oh, no worries about what you want, or need, or anything.” It shook its cloaked head. “As I said, the title means little. You’ll be expected to do absolutely nothing. The realm had a ruler that was locked into a sarcophagus for near on a thousand years with no issues. But the title is yours, none-the-less.”

“I don’t want it?” Danny glanced at the door, thinking of getting up and just leaving. But something held him in place. The figure he was talking to was simply too powerful to run from.

“It’s yours, regardless of your wishes. Now is when we get to that minor issue at hand I mentioned earlier, the reason I brought you in. See, you were doing a wonderful job being a figurehead for the ghostly realms the last six months. I was quite impressed with your lack of initiative to do things. I like that, in a ruler.”

“Thanks,” Danny said slowly.

It took another drink of coffee. “However, the Realms have decided that two rulers just isn’t a situation it wants to deal with. The heir being active and the Pariah locked away and useless. They have decided that enough is enough, and would like you to remedy the situation.”

“Remedy?”

“Yes. In fewer words: you need to obliterate Pariah Dark.”

Danny waited for a sign that this was some sort of joke. Nothing. Even though the powerful aura staining the air around the figure and the dread knotting in his stomach was making his mouth dry and throat clench, he found his voice enough to squeak out. “Who are you, anyways?”

“You know who I am,” the figure said. “You knew who I was before you even sat down.”

Danny swallowed hard.

“Now. You have a job to do.” Death leaned even further forwards. There was nothing under the hood that Danny could see - a black hole with a cloak. But still, the creature was giving him a huge, mirthless smile. “Young prince.”

#dannymay2020 #meh #this stared with a good image #and didn't really go there #ah well #can't win them all #three left. :)

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artificialqueens · 4 years

Text

Stupid For You, Chapter 3 (Crygi, Jankie, Jaida x Nicky) - Metaluna

Summary: What better way to celebrate a successful opening day than a party? tw: underage drinking//drinking in general

On the way back home, Gigi turned onto the dirt road that would take her back the quickest. A road that was the exact opposite direction of Crystal’s house.

Crystal gasped. “You’re a liar.”

“Excuse me?”

“You said your house was on the way to mine. Clearly it’s not. Why’d you say it was?”

“Because I knew that you would say no if I told you it wasn’t on the way, and I like driving you. I like our conversations. And coffee. And of course, singing terribly together.”

“You’re absolutely right. I wouldn’t have let you. But I love talking to you, Gigi.” She smiled. “And I have no idea what you’re talking about. I am a great singer and you know it.”

Once they made it back to Gigi’s, she led Crystal up the stairs into her room. Gigi’s room was exactly what Crystal had imagined. It was decorated with an orange and aqua color scheme. It was a lot cleaner than Crystal’s room. There were posters of musicians that Crystal didn’t know. Above the bed, there were fairy lights with Polaroids. One corner of the room had a vanity with a large backlit mirror, and the other had a desk with plants perched on top.

“I guess you can do makeup at the desk? I think I have an extra mirror…” Gigi rifled through her vanity drawer. “Here we go.”

“Thanks!” Crystal took out a plethora of hair pins that kept perfectly messy space buns intact. She was left with a frizzy mess. “As much as I love looking like a lion, do you have a straightener I can borrow?”

“Are you sure?Lion King is one of the best movies.”

“I’m more partial to Hercules. ”

“If you say so. Let me go get it from the bathroom.”

Crystal examined the Polaroids. There were six in total. The first photo was taken with a girl who looked to be a few years older than Gigi that had striking similarities. Both girls had the same upturned nose and blonde hair. Immediately, Crystal recognized that they were on The Boardwalk at the park, the large Ferris wheel visible in the background. The second photo was Gigi with a woman that Crystal could only assume to be her mother, and was taken at the beach. Gigi and the woman were both relaxing on colorful towels under a large umbrella. The last Polaroid Crystal looked at was of the three women skating at Rockefeller Center during Christmastime.

“Having fun?”

Crystal jumped. “Is this your mom and sister?”

Gigi nodded. “I love them so much. Honestly they’re my best friends”

“It’s nice that you guys are so close.” Crystal felt a pang of jealousy. As an only child, she would never know the bond of a sibling, and while she and her parents were on good terms, she would hardly consider her parents friends, let alone best friends.

“Honestly me and Nora, my sister, weren’t close until our dad left our mom a few years back. I think it’s because we really only had each other to lean on.”

“Oh, Gigi, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. He’s an asshole, and honestly, we’re better off without him.” Gigi forgot she was holding the straightener. “Oops, sorry. Here go you.”

After Gigi sat at her vanity and began brushing her perfect blonde hair, Crystal called, “I’m changing. Don’t look!”

Gigi could only imagine what Crystal looked like in her underwear. As soon as she found her mind wandering, she forced herself to stop and focused harder on getting ready.

After finishing a perfectly blended smokey eye, Gigi puckered her lips after putting on a layer of red gloss, and realized Crystal was standing behind her. It was hard for Gigi not to audibly gasp. She hadn’t seen Crystal’s hair straightened before, and while her curls were beautiful, she looked incredible with straight hair too. She was wearing a black and white striped crop top that hugged just the right places paired with a black skater skirt that had suspenders. Gigi was impressed at how clean Crystal’s makeup was. She opted for a blue cut crease and a matte red lip, a combination Gigi would never even think about trying. To finish the look, she had on necklaces, earrings, and bracelets that didn’t match each other, but somehow Crystal pulled off perfectly.

“You look beautiful,” Gigi finally said.

“Thanks,” Crystal curtseyed. “You too. Oh shit!”

“What?”

“We match.” Gigi looked at her reflection, and realized she was right. Her black and white jumpsuit perfectly complemented Crystal’s top.

Crystal grabbed Gigi’s hand. “Come here!” She pulled her to the full length mirror.

“What are we doing?”

“We have zero pictures together, which needs to change.” Crystal pulled out her phone and started taking mirror selfies. After posing for a few, Crystal went through her camera roll, taking time to look at each of them.

“Wow, you are so gorgeous. You could literally be a model. You’re so good at posing.”

Gigi smiled. “I used to practice when I was little.”

“Well, it paid off.”

Crystal sent the best one in the groupchat. It was already abuzz talking about the night’s festivities. The photo was met with high praises from everyone.

After she checked the time on her phone, Gigi said, “If we’re gonna get some alcohol, we should probably leave now.”

Crystal bit her lip. “How are we going to get any?”

Wordlessly, Gigi pulled an ID out of her wallet and handed it to Crystal, which stated that she was born in 1996. “I’ve had this since I was 16.”

“Oh wow, you rebel.”

Once inside the liquor store, Crystal was surprised at how many types of alcohol there were. She had no idea where to begin. There were shelves and shelves of bottles of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. She wondered how anyone picked which one to buy. If it was up to her, she would have bought the purple sparkly alcohol. She wasn’t even sure what it was, but it was pretty.

Gigi looked at her. “Any requests?”

“Gigi I have no idea what any of this is. Just something fruity and delicious.”

“Got it.”

Gigi settled on a fifth of coconut rum and some pineapple juice to mix. While walking past the cooler, she grabbed a six pack of hard black cherry lemonade for good measure.

Once they made it to Heidi’s apartment, the party was already in full swing. Music was playing so loud that its loud bass line echoed through the parking lot. Earlier that night, Heidi had told everyone to let themselves in. Heidi’s apartment was filled with people. It was much larger than Gigi anticipated. It was nicely decorated with a large living room, with plenty of space. At first, Gigi didn’t recognize any of her fellow partygoers. She heard Brita, but didn’t see her. As they made it further into the house, they found Heidi, right in front of the sound system the music was coming from. Gigi felt her chest vibrating.

“Hey, bitches!” Heidi hugged them the best she could while double fisting Whiteclaws.

“Do you have any cups?” Gigi tried to shout over the music.

“What?”

“Cups?”

“ What?”

Gigi pantomimed drinking.

“Oh! Kitchen.”

Once they made it into the kitchen, a voice screamed, “Oh my god!”

Brita pulled Gigi and Crystal into a hug. Gigi could only think about how nice Crystal smelled. Crystal looked slightly taken aback, since she didn’t know Brita well. But, let it go since Brita was probably on at least drink number three of the night.

“You’re both so hot!” Brita looked both of them up and down. “Maybe I do like girls! Wow, wow, I’m drunk.”

“Yes, yes you are,” Gigi said as Brita left the kitchen, going on about finding a girl to makeout with .

Gigi grabbed a red Solo cup and began pouring a drink. Because Crystal hadn’t drank before she barely poured a shot’s worth of alcohol in her cup. This was a contrast to her own cup, which was half rum and half pineapple juice. Gigi spotted a marker next to the cups. On hers, she wrote her name with some stars after it. After some thought, she decided to draw hearts on Crystal’s cup.

Gigi handed Crystal the cup, making sure that she would see the hearts. “Here, drink this.”

Crystal dramatically gasped. “You’re such a talented artist.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

As she took a drink, Crystal’s face contorted to a slight look of disgust. “It’s um. Strong.”

“You don’t have to drink it if you don’t like it.” Gigi held her hand out to take the cup.

Crystal took another drink. “The more I drink it, the more I like it.”

“That’s usually how alcohol works, babe.”

After walking around Heidi’s apartment, Crystal and Gigi eventually found their friends. They were all sitting on a large sectional in a corner of the living apartment where the music wasn’t blaring. Gigi was glad to be able to hear herself think. Jaida and Nicky were looking quite comfortable next to each other. Nicky whispered something in Jaida’s ear before grabbing her hand and leading her out of the room.

“Shit,” Jackie groaned. “Shit, shit, shit.”

“What is it?” Jan’s eyes were full of concern.

“Every single summer, Jaida meets one of the new girls, they hook up, and she gets way too invested. Every single summer she breaks her own heart, and I end up picking up the pieces. Every. Single. Time,“ Jackie lamented, taking a swig of vodka.

“Maybe it won’t be like that. Nicky seems like a nice girl,” Crystal said while taking a seat.

“That may be so, but I don’t think that Nicky has the same intentions that Jaida does. I love the girl but she’s an idiot.”

“Well,” Jan began. “Jaida’s a big girl, I think she can handle it herself. Let’s go check out the beer pong table.”

The kitchen table was pushed into the hallway where an intense game of beer pong was taking place. It was Widow and Heidi vs. Gigi’s coworkers, Dahlia and Rock.

There was one cup left, and it was Widow’s turn. Carefully, she aimed and threw the ball and landed it perfectly in the cup.

“Drink up, bitches!” Dahlia chugged the beer in the cup.

“Who’s next?” Heidi asked. “We’ve won the last three rounds.”

Crystal looked at Gigi, who at some point finished her drink and moved onto a lemonade. “Wanna?”

Gigi raised her and Crystal’s hands.

“Step on up, ladies!” Heidi said as she refilled the cups.

Widow went first. “Y’all are going down!”

“You wish.” Gigi’s expression was determined. She was awful at beer pong, but wasn’t about to let Crystal know that.

Widow’s ball landed in one of the cups with a plop right in front of Crystal. It was clear Crystal wasn’t well versed in the rules of beer pong, so Widow instructed, “Crystal, drink.”

Crystal nervously fished the ball out of the cup. She raised it to her nose and made a face.

“It’s not going to be good,” Gigi said. “Just warning you. Thankfully there’s not much in there. Don’t let it sit on your tongue. Drink it down.”

Crystal did as she was instructed. “My turn?” Gigi nodded.

Even though she tried to aim, Crystal was feeling the effects of the alcohol. The ball veered to the left, nearly hitting Jan. “Oops.”

“Good one,” Heidi teased as she sank a ball right in front of Gigi. “Drink up.”

Gigi also made a face when she drank the beer. “You’re out here getting the cheap shit, huh?”

“You try buying boujee shit when we barely make about minimum wage.”

Gigi couldn’t argue with that logic. She surprised herself by making a shot.

“I’m impressed,” Widow said while finishing her cup.

After a close game, each team had one cup left. Crystal failed to score anything. Thankfully, Gigi was having a good game for once and carried them to the end. Gigi’s shot was just wide.

“Get ready to lose, hookers,” Widow said confidently. She was so confident, she barely aimed and missed.

“It’s all you, Crys,” Gigi said. “You can do it.”

“I can do it.”

Crystal stood aiming her ball for at least thirty seconds.

“Today, Crystal,” Heidi said dramatically looking at her nails.

“Hold on!”

She took a few more seconds before tossing the ball. It landed in the cup with a plop. Jan, Jackie, and a few other spectators cheered.

“I did it!” Crystal slurred hugging Gigi.

“You did!”

“I wanna dance. Let’s go dance!” By this point, Crystal was extremely drunk. Gigi found it absolutely adorable, the way she slurred her words and thought very hard before speaking.

The group made their way into the living room. Another song that Gigi didn’t recognize was playing over the speakers. Jan began to grind against Jackie. Jackie was taken aback, but pulled her closer. Crystal looked at Gigi and raised an eyebrow. Gigi shrugged in return. A song that Gigi had heard a few times on the radio started.

“Oh my god, I love this song!” Crystal squealed, standing in front of Gigi starting to grind on her.

Gigi was shocked as Crystal’s hips rocked back and forth in front of her. Gigi grabbed onto Crystal’s waist, pulling her closer. As Crystal rubbed against her, Gigi could feel herself being turned on. When Crystal bent at the waist and started shaking her ass, the blonde thought she would drop dead on the dancefloor. Crystal turned her head at Gigi and smiled.

Do I kiss her? Is she just looking at me? What’s going on?!

Before she could think any further, Crystal turned back around as the song ended and pulled Gigi into a hug.

“I’m having so much fun!” Crystal exclaimed.

“How many drinks have you had tonight, Crys?”

“Umm,” She counted on her fingers. “One, two, three… Four. I think I’m done!”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

Crystal gasped and pointed at Jan and Jackie. They were in the middle of the makeshift dance floor with their lips intertwined. Jackie had a fistful of Jan’s ass while Jan’s hands were running up and down Jackie’s back.

“Holy shit!” Gigi was thinking about earlier when Jaida said that Jackie was straight.

Just then, Jaida and Nicky found Crystal and Gigi. They both looked disheveled, as if they had gotten dressed in a hurry. Jaida was pulling up her tube top, and Nicky was fixing her hair.

“Where have you two been?” Gigi raised an eyebrow.

“Mind your business,” Jaida warned.

The four girls watched Jan and Jackie, who had stopped kissing and were just looking into each other’s eyes. After noticing her friends, Jackie ran into the bathroom.

“Shit,” Jaida said, running after Jackie.

“Did I do something wrong?” Jan asked, tears welling her eyes.

“No, you didn’t do anything,” Gigi took her hand. “Let’s go outside.”

–

“Jackie, what the hell?” Jaida slammed the bathroom door behind her.

“I don’t know! Jaida, I’m drunk, she’s drunk… She just looked really pretty, and I don’t know what happened! Next thing I knew, my hands were on her ass and her tongue was down my throat!” Jackie slurred. “I’m straight! I don’t like girls!”

“Listen. I’ve seen you. You’ve been checking out Miss Jan every single day you’ve seen her. I don’t think that’s just gals being pals.”

“I’m not gay.”

“Jackie. We don’t have to talk about that right now but I really think you should–”

“Jaida, stop. I can’t do this right now.”

With that, Jackie stormed off in a hurry.

–

Gigi, Nicky, and Crystal managed to calm down Jan, who was near hysterics.

“Does she hate me?” Jan slurred. “She kissed me first!“

“No, Jan. I think that maybe Jackie doesn’t know how to process whatever it is that she is feeling,” Nicky reassured.

Gigi’s phone buzzed. It was Jaida.

Jackie’s freaking out. I’m taking her home. She doesn’t live too far away. I’ll be back.

They all sat with a crying Jan until Jaida showed up.

“Oh, chile,” Jaida began wrapped Jan in a hug. “It’s not you. I promise it isn’t. Jackie doesn’t know how to act when it comes to her emotions. I promise it’s not you.”

“Really?” Jan wiped her eyes. “How fucked is my makeup right now?”

“Pretty fucked. But let me fix it.” Nicky said, pulling a wipe from her purse.

“I’m not letting her ruin my night. Ladies, let’s go do shots!” Jan pulled a bottle of tequila out of her bag.

There were already slices of lime and a salt shaker set up in the kitchen. Because she was the only one sober enough to do so, Gigi poured the shots.

“Crystal,” Jan slurred. “Whatcha gotta do is you lick your hand and shake the salt on it. Then, ya lick the salt, then ya take the shot. It tastes bad, don’t let it sit in your mouth. Then ya suck the lime.”

“Act like it’s cough syrup,” Jaida recommended.

The four girls toasted their glasses, set them on the table, shot the tequila back, and sucked on the lime. Gigi didn’t think she was good at very many things, but she was good at shots. Everyone else made the universal face when doing shots, except for her.

“Crystal, you look like you went through all the stages of grief at once,” Nicky teased.

“That was gross.”

“You don’t drink it because it’s good,” Jaida said.

The rest of the night was filled with selfies, dancing, and for everyone but Gigi, more drinking. She didn’t remember the last time she had this much fun at a party, even if she did spend a good chunk of the night holding Jan’s hair back in the bathroom.

At about two AM, the party started to unwind.

“Ready to go babe?” Gigi asked an extremely drunk Crystal.

“Yeah I’m ready to go home.”

“It’s late, do you want to just spend the night at my house?”

“We’re gonna have a sleepover?”

“Yes, Crystal, we’re going to have a sleepover.”

After thanking Heidi for a great party, she managed to single handedly get Crystal into her Jeep. Gigi looked over at Crystal who at some point had fallen asleep. Once they made it back to her house, Gigi gently tapped Crystal’s shoulder.

“Okay, babe, we’re back.”

“Sleepover?”

After much protesting, Gigi managed to get Crystal to drink some water. She brought a bottle up to her room for good measure. Because she was a good friend, she removed Crystal’s makeup.

After rifling through her dresser, she gave Crystal an old cheerleading shirt and some shorts. “The bathrooms right over down–”

Crystal began stripping in Gigi’s bedroom. As much as she tried to look away, she couldn’t. Crystal’s body was much curvier than her own, but Gigi couldn’t help but stare at how beautiful she was… How beautiful her breasts were… After changing, Crystal plopped onto Gigi’s bed and fell asleep. Because she had a queen sized bed, Gigi decided she could share and it wouldn’t be weird.

The next day, Crystal woke up cuddling Gigi. She didn’t remember parts of the night. She remembered beer pong, dancing, Jan crying, Jackie running away, and shots. Her head was pounding, and everything felt too bright. She got up and found the bottle of water. She pulled out her phone to text her ride. She couldn’t let Gigi give her another ride home.

Gigi must have heard her, as she woke up. “Morning, sunshine. How are you feeling?”

“Not good. My head’s pounding.”

“Awe, baby’s first hangover,” Gigi teased. “Are you hungry?”

“No, eating is pretty much the last thing I want to do right now. I have someone coming to get me soon. Also, did you check the group chat?”

“No, why?”

Gigi sat on her bed with Crystal as they went through all the photos that were sent that night. The blurry photos said it all. Gigi’s favorite was a group photo right before shots.

Crystal’s phone buzzed. “My ride’s here!”

“I’ll walk you down.”

A truck was in Gigi’s driveway. A blonde boy with a shaggy beard came out.

“Ryan!” Crystal exclaimed, running to hug the boy. “Gigi, this is my boyfriend Ryan. Ryan, this is my coworker, Gigi.”

Boyfriend.

Gigi’s stomach dropped.

“I’ve heard so much about you!”

“Nice to meet you,” she mumbled.

“Thanks for taking care of her.” Ryan kissed Crystal on the cheek.

“No problem. I’ll see you tomorrow, Crystal.”

Gigi closed the door without waiting for a response.

#rpdr fanfiction #gigi goode #crystal methyd #jan sport #jackie cox #jaida essence hall #nicky doll #crygi #jankie #jaida x nicky #lesbian au #stupid for you #metaluna #submission #s12

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sasuhinasno1fan · 4 years

Text

The cursed statue- Luktober Day 2

I know the stories are supposed Luka centered and I hope this is centered around him but I’m a little worried it’s not. Let me know. This prompt came from @write-it-motherfuckers, whoes prompts I’ve been using for a few ML stories I’ve written. I can’t help it, they’re good. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.” Curse

It wasn’t often that Adrien got drunk, but it had been quite some time since he and his friends managed to get some time together like this. The group of them had gotten rather pleasantly tipsy when they came down to see him and were now enjoying dancing around and giggling hysterically in the rain, most of the dreary little town, already shut for the day. He would probably wouldn’t be hearing the end of it when it came to him and his friends loud obnoxious singing, not for some time at least. There weren’t many people under fifty in this town and complaining was practically an Olympic sport around here.

As Adrien passed through the old park, one of them noticed the large old statue, partially hidden, just a little way off the beaten track. No one in town quite knew its origin, but it had been there as long as the town had been, and it was doing no harm where it was. Most chose to ignore the bizarre nameless statue.

One of his friends whistled appreciatively at the figure and they all laughed, dancing and stumbling their way into the tiny clearing. Adrien’s friends started joking around, eventually convincing him to climb up onto the statues base and give it a kiss. Drunk and enjoying being silly and carefree for once, he gave a dramatic bow and clumsily climbed up the slippery base, his friends hooting and whistling at him the whole way.

Reaching the statue, his friends cheered and teased him over their height differences, laughing as he only flipped them off. Wrapping his arms around the statue’s neck, he paused briefly, finally noticing how sad the statue looked up close, its face partially concealed from any other position. Something about it made his heart twinge painfully. Shaking the surprisingly sober thought off, he used his grip around its neck to stand on the tips of his toes, kissing the slightly bent over figure directly on their cold unyielding lips.

Instantaneously, lighting struck somewhere else in the park, disturbingly close by, the following boom of thunder loud enough to make his ears hurt. His friends shouted and screeched in alarm, before running back onto the path, laughing loudly, headed the short distance back to his place. Unfortunately, they were all too drunk and giggly to notice that he hadn’t followed.

Having been startled by the thunder as well, he lost his footing on the slippery base of the statue. He barely managed to fall an inch before a powerful arm was locking around him, lifting him just enough to keep his feet off of the slick ground.

Wide eyed, he snapped his gaze back up, shocked to find himself meeting the wonder filled aqua blue gaze of what had previously been a statue. Now they were flesh and bone, their skin and hair soft against his hold, his arms still locked around their neck. They seemed in awe of him, and in full honesty, the feeling went both ways. There was no question that their beauty was beyond human, their now living form radiating with power and grace and their eyes tugging at something deep inside him.

“Thank you.” a calming voice said, escaping the person in front of him. The rain was starting to weigh down his dark hair, the blue tones in it shining in the moonlight. He gently pulled one hand away from his neck, his warm lips pressing a kiss onto Adrien’s hand. Adrien’s eyes just caught a snake tattoo wrapped around his wrist, the head just resting on the bottom of his hand.

Adrien was sure he had a million questions, but the alcohol in his brain and the sudden appearance of the man, cause that what he was, had made his brain mush. He then heard voices, familiar ones. It sounded like his friends finally noticed he wasn’t with them and he had the only key to his apartment.

He felt his other hand being taken off of the guy in front of him and was gently pushed back. Not to knock him off, but to encourage him to step down safely. He did so, his eyes not really leaving the aqua blue eyes that had his locked. He watched the guy come down as well, his white shirt flat against his body mildly distracting him.

“Goodbye.” He said before he turned and walked away.

Adrien stood there staring at the figure as it disappeared in the rain when he felt a firm hand on his back.

“Woah, dude. Did the lightening fry the statue?” Nino asked, dazedly looking at where the statue had once stood.

“No. I’m cold, let’s go.”

_______________

Adrien was right about the town’s residents not letting the singing at early hours ago. He’d taken his friends to eat at his favourite café, one that wasn’t hounded by those living there and he happened the bump into one of the more influential members. If it wasn’t for his life with his father before he moved here, he wouldn’t have found a way to end the conversation quickly and move on.

“My head is pounding.” Marinette groaned, as she tried to become one with the table top. Kagami didn’t look any better, a change in her usual quiet and calm demeanour. Nino was surprisingly ok, but Adrien played that off to his usual late nights as a DJ.

“Tell me they have coffee.” Alya begged, flipping through the menu.

“It’s before 12 pm, so it’s bottomless.” Adrien said, watching them perk up. He’d be happy too, but his mind was still on what happened last night. He kissed that statue and then it came to life. Had he just imagined it? It would be his luck that a guy who looked as perfect as that guy did, enchanting blue eyes, dark hair and a practically perfect face, would be a figment of his imagination.

“M. Agreste?” Adrien looked to see another influential member of the community standing next to his chair, practically glaring at the whole table. “When you came to this town, we welcomed you after hearing about your life with your father. You told us you wouldn’t cause any trouble. The minute your friends arrived, we have loud, raucous laughter and singing at early hours of the morning and now a beloved statue is missing. M. Agreste, I truly hope you have nothing to do with that.”

Missing statue? “The one off the hidden path?”

“Yes.”

Had he not been dreaming? “I don’t think even drunk me has the power to pull an old statue. Neither could my friends.”

The woman narrowed her eyes before letting out a huff. “I had better not hear anything about you getting into trouble.”

“Rude.” Alya said, watching the woman walk away. “What statue is she talking about?”

“The one you guys drunkenly dared me to kiss last night? I didn’t say anything cause I was pretty sure I was so far gone it couldn’t be real, but I think it had to be now.” His friends all leaned in to listen to what he had to say. “Remember when I kissed it and that lightning and thunder suddenly flashed?”

“We kinda turned tail and headed back to your place.” Nino said.

“I know. When you guys did, I almost fell but I didn’t cause something grabbed me. That statue, I think it came to life. Like actual flesh and bone. He thanked me, helped me down and then left.”

They all looked disbelieving – understandable – but Nino remembered what he said.

“I asked if the lighting had messed it up.”

“It was kinda like in a movie, when something magical happens and thunder and lightning crash?”

“So, what do you know about the statue?” Kagami asked.

“That’s the thing. I don’t know anything about it. I was just told it’s been there as long as the town’s been standing and this is one of the older towns in France.”

“Could we look it up? Is there anyone who might know anything?” Alya asked, getting ready to pull her trusty phone out.

“Actually…there might be someone.”

He felt a bit bad making them all take their coffees to go, but he wanted to get to the massage shop before it got to full. He easily found Master Fu, as everyone called him, behind the front desk, his eyes trained on a paper map. Adrien noticed where the statue once stood was marked, lines leading to a few different places within the town.

“Master Fu?”

“Very busy, we’ll be open soon.” He said, not looking up.

“It’s about the statue.”

That got his attention. “Ah, Adrien. The statue? I hear you and your friends were very loud last night.”

“Ok, I get it. I was really loud and drunk. Which is why I thought that when I kissed that statue and it actually stopped me from falling, I was losing it. But that isn’t what happened, was it?”

“My dear,” Master Fu asked Marinette, “Would you flip the open sign for me?” once it was marked as close, Fu pulled a book out from under the desk and opened it, pushing it forward. “Our town was known for magic once. We used it for good and were a safe haven for those running from the witch trails. One of our well-known ones was him.”

In the book was a drawing of a man playing a lyre. It was the tattoo on his wrist that made him realise who it was.

“His name was Luka. Could understand the truest feelings of a person. He found the truest feelings of the wrong person. A girl who lied her way out of the trails and away from any danger. She warned him to keep out of her attempts to gain power. He wouldn’t listen, not wanting anyone to suffer under her. She saw his truest feelings, letting the things he loved slip away just to keep a person happy, including a person he loved. Right when he got her to reveal her true colours, she cursed him into stone, becoming a statue that was overlooked, to stay that way until someone with a similar heart could break his curse.”

“Letting things go to make someone else happy. That sounds familiar.” Nino said, looking at Adrien.

“Nino. Where would he go? He just left after, well, when it broke.”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. All the places he’d know would be gone; he has no relations in this time. His sister had married a woman and they never had children.”

Adrien looked at the picture. It seemed so detailed, like the person who made it truly took the time to really look at him.

“Where was this picture drawn in?” his favourite picture of himself was him at the grand that was at his childhood home. He might not like the home, but people knew they could find him at the piano if he was ever stuck at home.

“Well, it used to be the land behind his home. Now though,” Fu consulted his map before pointing to a place. “Here. It’s now the library.”

“Which has a garden. Thanks.” Adrien said, ready to head out the door.

“Adrien? The fact that you managed to break his curse means you two understand each other. I’d keep an eye on him. That girl, she wasn’t known for not tying up loose ends.”

______________

Everything he knew was gone. It was clear much time had passed. What was once open areas was now paved roads and tight corners. It still felt the same, felt like home, but it sounded different, down to its main core. He couldn’t hear the ever-present sounds of his family. They were also gone. How long had he been stuck in stone, the cruel words of that, for lack of better words, witch had been shouting reverberating in his head.

‘You’ll never be free, until someone with the same heart as yours breaks you out!’

But who would have his heart, would give up all they wanted to make another happy? He knew it would never be possible, that he couldn’t protect the people he cared about, felt it in his heart as he became stiff and unable to move. Then he felt lips press against his and it was like everything shifted back into place. He felt him stumble and grabbed onto his waist as quickly as possible. He stared down at slightly glazed green eyes, framed with wet blonde hair and the sweetest song he’d ever heard. He wished he could have stayed but he had to go. Now, he sat in a place that held the faint song of his home, wishing he’d stayed.

Feeling someone staring at him, he looked over. Standing, with this scarily familiar smirk, was a girl. Her auburn hair flowed down her back, waving in the non-existent wind. She lifted a hand to cover her mouth and he saw the faint marking of a tattoo, a fox with its fangs showing. The tattoos marked a person who used magic, their familiars. He’d only ever seen 2 people with a fox familiar. The last one was the one who scared him the most.

“Luka!” a voice he didn’t know called. He looked to see the person, the one who broke his curse running towards him. How could someone with such a kind song have a heart like his, be willing to make himself unhappy to help others? He looked at the girl to see him glaring and for a moment, he felt the urge to use his magic to protect the blonde one, the one who set him free of the horrible words and feeling of stone. But she turned away and left, disappearing into the building. His attention was drawn back to the one who called his name.

“I don’t believe I introduced myself.”

“No. you didn’t, but you disappearing cause a bit of a stir. I heard from someone what happened to you.”

“And you broke my curse. How?”

The blonde man sat down next to him, fiddling with the ring on his finger. “My life before I came here wasn’t the happiest. I had my friends but life at home was…hard. It was just easier to make everyone else happy. It’s only been recently that I’ve started to do things for myself. Last night, I decided I wanted to get drunk and I did. We were on the way back to my house when we found you and they dared me to kiss you. I remember thinking you looked so sad and it hurt me. Then you saved me from hurting myself and you were so, I don’t know, normal, I thought I just imagined it all. When I found out, you were kinda like me, how you risked everything to make sure people knew who that person was, I wanted to help.”

He meant every word. Luka didn’t have to hear the sound of his heart to know that was true.

“What is your name?”

“Adrien. Adrien Agreste. It’s nice to meet you.”

“My name is Luka. I’m in your care.” Over Adrien’s shoulder, he saw a fox with the same fur as was that girl’s hair. It seemed Adrien was more in his, if that omen meant anything.

#lcamluktober #luktobercurse #luktober

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anxious-art-block · 4 years

Text

NNT Headcanons part 4 food gives me ideas

Mel and Elaine bond over their love of spicy food. And scream and run when they try to add spice to the stuff Ban is cooking and get threatened. They’re very good friends

Helbram used to play the lute, King would play the lyre and Elaine would play the flute in their spare time. While occasionally singing and dancing along. *Sigh* Those were the days.

Favoritteee colour tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime

This one took me way too long to get to

Mel- Emerald Green

Zel- Merlot

Ban- Maroon

King- Aqua blue

Diane- Rose Gold

Gelda- Platinum

Elaine- Dandelion

Merlin- Dark Purple

Escanor- Gold

Gowther- Magenta

Elizabeth- Mauve

Ban and Mel have regular drinking competitions. Either to see who can down more without getting even a little tipsy(Mel wins those) or who can chug one faster(Ban wins those)

Zel and Elizabeth are besties. While he won’t admit it, everyone knows. When he’s having a bad day she’ll just be like sitting a table and he’ll stomp his way over to her, plop himself down, then lean his head on her shoulder

“Bad day?” “You wouldn’t fucking believe.”

Zel has trouble celebrating his bday since back in ye olden days Mel would just brush it off or straight up forget and it made him the big sad™

So they all throw him a surprise one after everything and Mel gets him two of the best gifts in the world. The biggest collection of teas he could find and an apology.

Zel called his tears from that day “Liquid Pride”

MORE ZEL HEADCANONS

Modern au, he has a coffee like addiction to Boba tea. It started because the woman who made it at the cafe made him swoon(Gelda, duh) but then he also grew a strong love for the drink itself.

Like the lovesick puppy he is

I just realized I kinda flipped the idea. For Mel and Elizabeth, they seem like the coffee shop au since they legit run a bar but no THEY’RE the band au. And Zel and Gelda are the coffee shop au

Merlin has been banned from doing experiments in the bar or on the road. She nearly killed King one day and then he declared it off limits

Fav ANIMAL tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmeeeeee

Mel- Parakeets

Zel- Cats

Ban- White snakes

King- Dogs

Diane- Netherland Dwarf Rabbits

Gelda- Fruit Bats

Elaine- Maine coons

Merlin- Chinchillas

Escanor- Hamsters

Gowther- Hedgehogs

Elizabeth- Serval

Post potentially apocalyptic adventure sleepover and hugs!!!

They all hug after the battles and probably cry a little(a lot) and then they move all the tables out of the way, throw a shit ton of blankets and pillows onto the floor of the bar, and they cuddle and sleep

Oh and they make like hot chocolate and pastries to put in the center. And they close the bar the next day

This one time Mel hadn’t been able to sleep so he was up really early and was cleaning the bar while singing “Lavender’s Blue” and Merlin had started to come down the stairs and stopped upon hearing him, and silenced everyone who came down the steps and they all just kinda listen

He notices then when he stops and goes to put everything away and he’s just like “y’all wtf” why are they cramped up on the stairs on the verge of tears

No one talks about how pretty he sounds

Thought I’d come over and fix that

Elizabeth cuts her hair short

Elizabeth cuts her ha

Group Chat name: Seven Depressed Sluts

I repeat; No I don’t take constructive criticism

Zel makes fun of Mel for his height difference with Elizabeth, all the while Gelda has 3 more inches on Elizabeth. So.

#seven deadly sins #sds #nantsu no taizai #nnt #nnt meliodas #nnt gowther #nnt elizabeth #nnt harlequin #nnt king #nnt elaine #nnt ban #nnt zeldris #nnt gelda #zelda #???#IS THAT THEIR SHIP NAME??

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acraftedmistake · 4 years

Text

A Person Who Has Never Played MCSM Writes A Story About MCSM Chp. 5

Thank you for being so patient with me! I hope you all like this chapter, tried to make it super long to make up for not posting it for so long!

I would recommend rereading the previous chapters before reading this one (cause it’s been a while hhhhhh i’m sorrrrryyyy)

Hope you all like it!! <3

“It’s Jesse!” Gill shouted, leaping over the table and towards the curly haired boy. Jesse jumped, but that was the most movement he could produce in those mere seconds as Gill lunged at him and tackled Jesse to the ground, his body letting out a disgusting crack as all of Gill’s weight crushed him against the floor. “I got him down!”

He forced Jesse’s body to face towards Stella, who got atop of the bar and whipped out a sturdy bow and slender arrows with tips gleaming a hue of a sickly green. She aimed the arrow at Jesse’s head, which was being held in place by Gill’s monstrous hand. Maya’s attention was all on Jesse, she walked away from a baffled Olivia and to the boy being held down, cracking her knuckles.

Jesse would’ve been pounded to a fine dust had Aiden not intervened.

“Hey HEY! Don’t kill him!” Aiden grabbed Gill by the shoulders and yanked him off, pushing him aside. Gill stumbled and would’ve fell had it not been more Maya catching him. Stella lowered her bow, baffled by Aiden’s order.

“Well, not yet.” Rose added. Aiden huffed, disregarding his friend’s comment and helped Jesse up with a tight grip on his shoulder.

Gill, Stella, and Maya stared at their friend with a mixture of disbelief and disgust, “Are you on Jesse’s side now?!” Gill asked, his voice cracking a little.

“Maybe he’s been brainwashed, he does look a little pale...” Maya growled as she cracked her knuckles, stepping closer to Aiden.

“Would you LISTEN?!” Aiden shot out, teeth gritted. Maya stepped back to her group of friends, lips compressed as she fought the urge to snap back.

The room became quiet, Aiden let go of Jesse as he bit the inside of his cheek. Stella stepped off the table and subtly tried to bring herself closer to Olivia. Jesse took the time to study his surroundings. Well, mostly the kitchen. Maybe there’d be a weapon--or something similar to a weapon--that he could use to protect himself with, just in case. The first thing that stuck out to Jesse were the two thick wooden poles. One by the end of the light, cool gray bar table, and the other was awkwardly placed by the dark brown kitchen table in the center, surrounded by chairs of the same color but with aqua colored cushions. The poles had to have been built into the house, they were the same color as the kitchen’s maple wood floor and merged with the ceiling. There were no nails, screams, nothing that showed the poles to be an afterthought. But what purpose did they serve? The outside of the house looked stable, maybe it was added for the sake of looking cool?

The rest of the kitchen was absurdly clean. The gray counters that stretched across the wall didn’t have a single stain, and a large, sleek black refrigerator was at the end of the counters. It was cleaned to the point where you could most likely see your reflection. There were dusty brown cabinets up above, most likely containing dishes; Jesse didn’t see a single plate nor cup anywhere, not even a knife block out, there were no visible dishes in or around the sink either. The only thing that WAS on the counter was a simple, gray and black microwave and a coffee machine.

Lastly, of course, was the bar table that Stella stood on. A solid, light gray color with specs of black scattered about, its top as bare as the counters’. A few of its slender, cool gray stools fell to the ground when everyone decided to go on full attack mode.

Jesse was bummed that he couldn’t find any potential weapon, but was impressed by the condition of this place.‘This is a surprisingly tidy place for THIS group… Out of all the people.’

Aiden straightened his green, long sleeved shirt and began, “Rose and I went to the Shrine of Eyes, and the speculations were true: The portal had been activated. However, we didn’t get to see the portal itself in its active state.”

Cassie Rose walked up to her friend’s side, “However, we did find Jesse... And Olivia.” the room managed to get even more quiet, eyes sneaking glances at the black haired girl, who did her best to ignore the unwanted attention.

“You think the portal brought her back to life?” Gill questioned.

“I don’t know.” Aiden answered straightly, he folded his arms and kicked the floor, looking down as everyone watched him, waiting for him to add on to his statement. Aiden paced about, thinking out loud, mumbling possible outcomes to himself; Cassie Rose spoke up, “When we ran into Jesse, he told us he found the portal in a jungle temple and ended up here. He didn’t know where he was, what the Shrine of Eyes was, but... He knew who Aiden was.”

Jesse was debating on whether or not it was a good time to mention he knew EVERYONE in this room, each with their own, unique, terrible experiences, but given the current mood everybody’s in, he decided it wasn’t the best idea.

“That’s the crappiest lie I’ve ever heard.” Maya grumbled.

“Ugh, tell me about it.” Cassie Rose rolled her eyes to the back of her head.

“I agree!” Stella announced as she circled around Jesse, “I don’t see why we’re making this into such a predicament! We know Jesse, right? I thought it was quite CLEAR that he has a couple of screws loose, to put it nicely. ” Stella stuck her nose up, speaking in her typical know-it-all tone.

“Who here thinks our little friend is lying? Just curious.” Stella asked, raising her hand in the air.

Almost instantaneously, Maya raised her hand. Then Gill. And finally, Rose, but not before giving Aiden an almost pitied glance. Jesse, Aiden, and Olivia were the remaining few whose hands were down.

There was an uncomfortable silence before Aiden finally spoke up, “We can’t just have a vote on whether or not he’s lying, none of us know that.”

“Yes, but we DO know Jesse. He’s lied hundreds of times before and you’re making an exception this one time? He’s mad!” Stella responded.

“Hey now wait just a minute-” Jesse spoke up but was immediately interrupted by Maya.

“YOU don’t get a say in this!” She put her raised hand down to point at Jesse in the most aggressive manner he’s ever seen.

“I think I should! You’re all talking about me, might as well add my two cents in this, right?!” Jesse snapped, his response met with angry glares.

“Well alright, go on then! Say somethin’! Whatever the heck’s on your mind, no one’s stoppin’ ya!” Maya growled, sizing up and invading his personal space.

Jesse moved his mouth as he attempted to make some coherent thought or sense of what was going on, soon realizing he really didn’t know what was happening. He didn’t even know how to feel about the situation he found himself in, or whatever the heck he was being accused of. Sure, it made him upset to be ganged up against, but he wasn’t quite sure why. He fell quiet as his face felt hot.

“Yeah that’s what I thought.” the large girl spat as she turned back to her friends.

Jesse bit his tongue. He contained his urge to spit a remark back, knowing it wouldn’t do him any good. So far, no one seemed willing to talk--let alone explain something--to him without treating him like dirt. They didn’t hide their favoritism with Olivia. So for now, he’ll wait. He doesn’t know much about what’s going on or why people are reacting the way they were, but answers would hopefully come soon. The only good plan that he could come up with would be to remain quiet until he had some information he could work with.

“It’s only a matter of time before his little facade wears off.” Jesse heard Stella whisper to Rose, who nodded once and sternly.

“Well...” Aiden took a deep breath “No one knows what exactly is going on. And honestly, jumping to conclusions won’t help us. So we need to find out.” His voice gaining the sort of confidence you’d hear in a leader.

Aiden stood tall and scanned the room, brainstorming as everyone else waited for him to begin.

“Here’s what’s going to happen: Half of us will go to the library to see if we can find any books or journals that have any information about this portal situation. I don’t care if there’s an entire book about the subject, one whole chapter dedicated to it, even a brief mention! Something is better than nothing.” the group nodded, even Jesse found himself getting more and more drawn into the developing plan.

Aiden continued, “The other half will watch over Jesse... And Olivia to play it safe.” he hesitated. “Tomorrow, we can go to Hadrian’s little museum, they could also have some relics or books that might contain any information related to this.”

“How’s that sound?” Aiden concluded, eyeing his friends, waiting for their reactions.

Rose whispered to Maya, who then whispered to Stella. The girls began silently discussing amongst themselves as Aiden pondered who should do what.

Someone then spoke up.

“Stella, Maya, and I can hit the library--we’re both thinking about the same library at the edge of town, right? Not the one by Hadrian’s?” Rose asked. Aiden nodded in confirmation. “Good, it shouldn’t be too long of a walk then.”

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Stella spoke up, all eyes went to her “Why is Olivia getting the same treatment as Jesse?” there was murmuring amongst the girls again as Olivia felt her heart speed up by the mere mention of her name. She didn’t want to be in the spotlight or be the cause of any conflict. Not now.

“Do you really want to put Olivia on the same level as Jesse?” Rose asked almost weakly. Aiden, taken aback, sputtered as his face struggled to match the array of emotions he shifted through until he was able to collect himself and revert back to his previous stern look.

“It’s not that,” Aiden began quietly, “You know that.” Rose folded her arms, locking eyes with Aiden. “Think about what we’re going through. How the town might react if they see her. What could happen to her. Or you!”

“I don’t trust her in the same room with him.” Rose firmly stated, her hands gripping her arms tighter and tighter.

“That’s why some of us are staying behind to watch over both of them.”

“She could come with us to the library...” Rose said under her breath.

“She doesn’t even know where she IS.”

“So this will be a perfect opportunity to jog her memory! It’ll be a trip down memory lane.” Stella slid in between the two, preventing a possible feud from happening. She flashed a small, confident smile at Aiden, fixing the sleeves to her long, striped purple suit that merged with her skirt with a thin, black belt around it; a bit of the white shirt underneath the suit stuck out.

“I think her joining us at the library is a wonderful idea! It’ll be just like old times, I don’t see a reason why not to!” Stella wrapped one arm around Olivia and held her close. Olivia held her breath as Stella pressed against her, her dusty purple lapel brushing against her legs as Olivia’s thick, black hair pushed up against the girl’s face.

Aiden opened his mouth to debate, but Stella put a finger over his face to silence him, “And we’ll be able to keep her out of sight juuusst fine. We’re all--what--a foot taller than her? We’ll just tuck her in the middle of our group and hide her! No problem.”

She began counting off a few other reasons, “We’ll be quiet, we won’t be too suspicious, we’ll bring some weapons with us so we’re prepared for ANYTHIN-”

“And what if Olivia doesn’t want to go?” Aiden interrupted, halting Stella in her tracks. Stella blinked and attempted to work with Aiden’s question. Glancing at Olivia, who looked as if she wasn’t entirely sure about the answer herself.

Letting go of the girl, she hesitated for a moment “Whhhyyyy.... WOULDN’T she want to tag along? Space away from Jesse could help immensely!” she shot Jesse a dirty look.

Stella continued blabbing, trying to convince Aiden to go against his original plan. But he wasn’t budging. He stood tall, arms folded as he looked down on his friend. Stella sounded surprisingly confident despite making up most of her reasons on the fly, but just watching the two interact was like witnessing an unstoppable force clash with an immovable object.

Olivia took the time she had to weigh the pros and cons if she agreed to tag along. On one hand, this could give her an opportunity to find out more about this new world her and Jesse had entered, maybe she could snag a few books and read up on any history, or she could ask questions to the group she’d be with.

But on the other hand, what if this was a trap and they were planning on backstabbing her, Jesse would never know. Or what if she was kidnapped? She’d never be able to see her real home again, all her friends would assume she’s dead. And why do they want her to remain hidden? The way they reacted to her when they first saw her wasn’t natural. It was clear something had happened to her. Had she gone missing? Did she die? She doesn’t want to think about that right now.

All the horrible downsides and possibilities miraculously sparked something in her brain. She turned her head to look at Jesse, whose eyes shifted to meet her’s and gave her a reassuring smile.

‘Do it for Jesse.’ Olivia thought to herself, closing her eyes, ‘You have this opportunity to learn more. This is the step in the right direction to get the both of us home. Where you need to be.’ She opened her eyes; Stella was still going off as Aiden still stood, she breathed in.

“... And did I mention this is the busiest time of the day, no one will pay attention to-”

“I want to join!” Olivia piped up.

Aiden and Stella whirled their heads around, Stella far more enthusiastic than Aiden. He gave Olivia a concerned--worried--look.

“What Olivia says is law, sorry, I don’t make the rules!” Stella sang as she rushed up the stairs, her footsteps could still be heard on the second floor as she banged about before returning, practically flying down the stairs with her arms full of weapons and potions. She placed an iron sword and a few bottles filled with bright magenta liquid into her inventory then began handing Rose her own set of potions.

Taking out her diamond axe, Rose scanned the small crowd in her house, “The girls and I will head out to find what we can while you boys hang around here. Us girls gotta stick together, you know?”

“That sounds like an excuse to make sure I don’t stop you guys from getting killed.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Rose responded simply. “And what of it?”

“You worry too much Aiden, we’ve been friends for yeeaaaarrrsss! You know us!” Stella slid over to nudge him playfully.

“You’re right, I do know you.” Aiden turned to Maya, “Maya. Watch over them. Make sure they don’t get into any trouble.”

Maya nodded, her face tough and cold. “Didn’t know we needed a babysitter.” Stella huffed.

“And before you head out,” Aiden began, Rose immediately groaned. “Head straight to the library, no detours.”

“Got it.” Rose said.

“Get what you need and don’t cause a scene or get yourselves kicked out.”

“Mm-hm.”

“Don’t interact with-”

“Alright dad, I get it. Safety’s important. We gotta go now, bye.” Rose ended as she ran over to join the rest of her friends.

“Let’s go.” Maya ordered and opened the door, watching each girl leave the house. Then she finally left, slamming the door behind her and shaking the house.

The group stood outside for a second in silence, only the sound of the crickets chirping and the distant music played in the nearby stores filled the air. The silence was almost refreshing, a nice change of pace from cluttered conversations that happened indoors. Olivia welcomed the peace that the outdoors provided, and for once, throughout this entire adventure--if you could even call it that--she didn’t feel like she was in the spotlight or in the middle of bickering. It was like a ton she wasn’t aware about was lifted off her shoulders and she felt her stiffened body relax a little.

“Man,” Maya broke the silence, “Even in times like these, Aiden still makes time to lecture us.” a smile crept across her stone cold face. The girls giggled amongst themselves.

They settled down and Stella spoke up, “So, how does this sound: The four of us will walk in a group, two people on the side, one up front so that way Olivia’s hidden in a little huddle!”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll be up front.” Maya said and began walking towards the stone sidewalk outside of the house, she tilted her head, motioning the others to come along.

Olivia scurried behind Maya, now coming to terms with just how tall Maya truly was. Sure, Olivia was a few inches below the average height and EVERYONE was a bit taller than her, but Maya was a skyscraper compared to her. She was nearly as tall as Aiden and looked a bit intimidating when looking up at her.

Rose and Stella stood on opposite sides of Olivia, sort of squishing her but she wasn’t suffocating just yet, so no point in complaining.

“We should reach the library in roughly half an hour,” said Cassie Rose,

“So let’s get a move on!” Stella smiled as the group headed off.

~~~~~~

The boys were alone, far apart from each other. The liveliness of the room left at the same time the girls did and Jesse missed the chatter. People might’ve been arguing but he prefered any conversation over the silent treatment he was currently getting.

Jesse sat still, hands in lap, on the green couch in the living room engulfed by darkness. He wanted to turn one of the lights on, but based on the warm welcome he received earlier, he was certain he wouldn’t be allowed to. Aiden and Gill hadn’t said a word after the girls had left and migrated over to the kitchen; Jesse observed the large bookshelf in front of him, skimming the titles he could make out in the dark, listening to the rustling in the kitchen as he thought of a question he could ask to get the ball rolling, but suddenly, someone spoke.

“You’re making coffee? Again?” Jesse heard Gill ask across the kitchen.

Carefully turning his head, he tuned into their conversation as the coffee machine let out a loud beep.

“Yeah.” Aiden responded in a somewhat colder manner, “You want some?”

“Are you stressed again or something? This is like... Your eighth one.”

“I’m not--” Aiden turned and locked eyes with Jesse, his brows creased slightly as he scooted closer to Gill, his voice lowering to an almost inaudible whisper.

Jesse faced the bookshelf again, lips pressed together as his face turned a light shade of red. If he wanted to listen, maybe he could try being more subtle about it. Jesse sat still and tried to make out bits of the discussion in the distance, only hearing a few snippets every so often. He heard Aiden pour his coffee and take a slow sip out of it while occasionally shooting a few glares at him.

The conversation between the two kept going, still as quiet as before, with no signs of stopping or getting louder. Jesse needed to ask a question or say SOMETHING to help get the ball rolling. It was now or never, the worst case scenario would be Aiden telling him to shut up or flat out ignoring him. Either way, it was better than sitting in complete silence, making no progress.

“So, uh,” Jesse raised his voice, “What library is Olivia and the other girls going to? You said there were two of them?”

Aiden’s whisper faded out and he held his coffee cup with a tight grip, his eyes on Jesse.

“... Yeah.” he answered hesitantly.

There was a long stretch of silence before he continued, “There’s the local one, it’s closer and a lotta people visit it. Then there’s the one outside of town, it’s been up for centuries and it’s kept in good shape by the town since it contains a bunch of relics from the past.”

“Why don’t you just take the stuff from the older library and place it into the newer one?” Questioned Jesse who was now leaning his body forward to look through the window, seeing the public library peek out from the side with slim rays of the street lights shining in his face. People could be seen chatting through the library’s yellow tinted windows.

“Cause the guards wanna protect the ancient material ‘n the building itself cause it’s... Pretty old and important.” Gill vaguely explained, not entirely sure of the answer himself. He looked at Aiden for confirmation.

Aiden lifted his cup up and nodded reassuringly, “Yep, that’s the gist of it.”

Jesse adjusted his body to face the other two, sitting on his knees as they dug into the soft cushions of the couch, “Is anyone able to enter?”

“Nope. Only the few who were selected.” answered Aiden, taking another big gulp of coffee.

Jesse opened his mouth to ask why, but it seemed Aiden already knew what he was about to say, as he responded almost impatiently, “We’re the reason the place is still in one piece. We’re allowed to go in. I don’t know who else is allowed in besides us.”

Aiden’s eyes widened and he promptly turned to Gill, “How the heck are Rose and the others gonna get past the guards with Olivia there? They’re gonna notice her.” he shoved his face in his hands and groaned, upset with himself for not thinking about the security of the library.

“Oh come on, they’re smart, I’m sure they’ll think of somethin’.” Gill said. Aiden took a deep breath and stared at Jesse from the corner of his eye as a question began making its way out of his mouth.

~~~~~~~

The girls had been walking for only several minutes and Olivia had already gotten tired of seeing Maya’s back. She wanted to see the scenery of this new area, she could hear other people walking, conversations happening, music playing, doors shutting, yet couldn’t get a snippet of anything. The girls on both sides of her also blocked most of her view. She understood that she had to be hidden from plain sight for unknown reasons, but she was beginning to feel more like a prisoner or a freak who was denied access to see even a glimpse of the world.

Rose, Stella, and Maya would talk amongst each other and would try to get Olivia involved--well--it was mostly Stella and Rose who did the talking, Maya remained silent. Most of what they were saying was quite general to hear in everyday conversations “How’s life been treating you?”, “What have you been up to?”, but something about the questions felt forced. Half of the time, she couldn’t even answer properly.

“Sooo... How have you been?” Stella would ask, hands behind her back.

“Fine, I think? A little shaken up.” Oliva would say.

“Can’t blame you, who knows what Jesse did to you back there” Rose commented. Whatever that meant.

Some questions were odder and Olivia wasn’t sure if she should just respond with a “I don’t know” or lie through her teeth to get on the good side of these girls. Sure, they were acting pleasant to be around, but Olivia was waiting for one of them to slip up. All three of them hated her in one way or another, and having the three of them surrounding her, hiding her, AND taking her to a library--which could be a lie for all she knew--was setting off a million alarms. Even if all three of them had forgotten or had made amends with all of the past experiences they’ve had together, it still felt wrong to be so close to them, trying to talk to them as if they’ve been friends for so long.

“Did you miss this place?” Rose asked, arms folded casually.

“I’m... I don’t know.” Olivia answered honestly.

“Yeah, nothing’s really memorable about Obsidian Town.” the red head chuckled. She asked another question, “How’re you feeling?”

“I asked that exact question not even five minutes ago!” Stella huffed.

“No, I asked her about how she’s feeling, you asked about how she's been. Huge difference.”

“Do you want an honest answer?” Olivia asked, feeling the regret build up almost instantaneously. What if they gang up on her? Get angry? All she had to defend herself was the remains of a freaking lever.

“Sure.” Rose gave a casual smile with her eyebrows lifting up.

Olivia felt a knot in her stomach, wishing Jesse was there by her side.

“I feel like there’s this whole story going on that I just got shoved into. I’m just... Confused.”

There was no response at first, everyone avoiding staring at Olivia’s general direction. Stella let out a broken laugh.

“I suppose that’s... Normal, Considering what you’ve been through. But that’s why we’re here to help out.” Rose said as she shoved her hands into her pockets, looking more and more uneasy by the second.

“Oh I completely understand how you’re feeling. It just feels like you aren’t--or ANY of this is.... Real, you know? I’m just waiting to wake up or turn around one second and you just disappear! It’s all so surreal.” Stella flashed her a smile as if that was supposed to be reassuring.

Olivia stared at Stella, not even sure how to follow up with that statement.

“... What happened to me?”

Stella tapped her chin, “What happened to--Oh we don’t know either!” she flicked her hands up, “That’s why we’re getting some items from the library to find out!”

“I appreciate that but I don’t even know where I am or--or what’s going on!”

Stella’s smile began fading, “Well you remember US, don’t you?”

She placed her hand on Olivia’s shoulder, her eyes begging Olivia to say “Yes”.

“I... I do but I think we’re on completely different pages.” Olivia didn’t want to outright tell all of them that they’ve all treated her terribly in the past in fear of making the situation more severe.

Rose spoke up, “When Aiden and I found the two of them at the temple, Jesse didn’t seem to remember anything besides who Aiden was.”

She began pulling on a long lock of her hair and looked down, “I suggested that he might have amnesia. Maybe it was a side effect from the portal, but he dismissed it.”

“Are you implying that Olivia might also have amnesia?” Stella’s eyes widened, “Why didn’t you mention that earlier?!”

Olivia didn’t know how to feel about literally being in the middle of an argument about her. It wasn’t a fun experience, that was a fact.

“Because Aiden and I weren’t sure! I’m still not sure! That’s why we’re heading over to the library!” Rose argued.

Before anything could spiral out of control, the small girl spoke up.

“When you all saw me, your reactions... You all looked like you saw a ghost. That’s not normal. What made you react like that?” Olivia felt Stella’s hand slide off of her and watched it fall to the girl’s side.

Rose looked away again, as if that’d give her a pass from answering the question. Stella sealed her lips like she was forbidden from giving out a proper explanation. Olivia waited for one of them, ANY of them to reply.

“I...” Maya started but paused to think. “The best way I can put it? You’re not supposed to be here. That’s all.”

Olivia shook her head, that might’ve been an answer but it was still vague.

“That doesn-”

“That’s. ALL.” Maya raised her voice.

Olivia stopped dead in her tracks, the other girls were as taken aback as Olivia was.

Maya looked around to see the thrown off expressions on her friends' faces, she then scanned the area around them and noticed that a few bystanders had stopped to see what the commotion was about. They might have been farther from the liveliest area of their town, but there were still people around. People who don’t need to know what’s going on.

Maya sucked air in through her teeth, “I’m sorry, I didn’t- I’m sorry.”

With guilt on her face, she turned around and shoved her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket. “We need to go. We’re almost there.”

She fell silent again as she continued walking with heavy steps.

Rose nudged Olivia along, “She’s right, we can talk about this later, okay?”

Olivia began walking, but it felt slower somehow as she gave the girls beside her an anxious exchange before saying “... Okay.”

~~~~~~~

“So,” Aiden started as he pulled two chairs out from under the kitchen table, Gill soon pulling out his own and sitting down. “You came through a portal that was in a jungle temple, right?”

He asked as he leaned his upper body over one of the sturdy, dark brown wooden chair.

“That’s right.” Jesse nodded, taking off Olivia’s hat--which he had nearly forgotten about--and began fidgeting with its side straps.

“And how-” Aiden stopped.

“Why don’t you sit down over here?” he suggested, tilting his head to the empty chair between him and Gill.

Jesse eyed the chair then Aiden.

“Sure...” He got off the couch, his eyes staying on the chair as he made his way over to it. Jesse remembered that Rose had lended him the extra pair of large, dark blue pants when he heard the bottoms of it rub against the wooden floor with each step. He really wants to take those off.

Aiden watched Jesse with serious yet collected eyes, while Gill’s were much wider and suspicious.

Sitting down, Jesse instinctively gripped the seat with his fingers tightly.

Aiden reworded his question from before, “What was it like on the other side of the portal?”

“Well,” Jesse squirmed around, feeling Gill’s intense stare on him. There was no way to incorrectly answer this but Jesse felt as though saying the wrong thing could lead to awful reactions.

“Olivia and I went through this kinda big jungle temple, I spotted it when I saw it glowing in the distance and wanted to check it out with her. There weren’t any mobs, the place itself was pretty beaten up. Lotta furniture and items broken or really dusty, redstone powder smeared everywhere. I uh... We saw a plank of wood with light pouring out of it,” Jesse pointed at the floor as if he were trying to recreate the experience. He hopped out of the chair and knelt down.

“We opened it and underneath was a thin staircase with an even thinner hallway,” he moved his arms in front of him parallely.

“And we just... Ended up here.” he shrugged.

Gill seemed like he was still trying to picture the event, Aiden, however, understood and asked the next question.

“You had a home?”

“Yeah, it’s kind of like this town in a way? Though not as many revines or a shrine... Or a large, obsidian wall. Uhm, there are some temples and old mines here and there, though mostly a larger mining system. I used to live in a treehouse with my friends before we moved to Beacon Town. And uh--uhm...”

Jesse fumbled with his words when struck with the realization that describing your hometown was quite difficult at--what was possibly--the worst time to find out. Beacon Town was great, he loved it, but he mostly remembered all the adventures or the events that had happened there rather than its appearance.

Aiden’s face shifted for a brief moment, almost looking confused or surprised. What made him react that way was unknown to Jesse, however.

“What kind of stupid name is Beacon town?” Gill laughed uncomfortably.

“I don’t see Obsidian Town winning any awards any time soon.” Jesse frowned and got up.

Gill glared at him and stood up, “I bet you thinkin’ I’m gonna fall for some big fat lie, don’t you? That I’m too ‘stupid’ to know what’s goin’ on. Well I can see through this dumb lie of yours! Aiden-!” he turned to his friend, expecting back up, but saw him with his hand slightly up, as if motioning him to settle down.

“Gill,” Aiden breathed in, “We’re not sure if-”

“Not sure? But Jesse’s lived HERE all his life, YOU know that, I know that! And then- then he went missing and some portal activated--Aiden, come on!” Gill was clearly frustrated, close to fuming, even.

“Rose thought that too. I’m not saying I believe Jesse, I don’t,” Aiden glanced at the boy on the couch, “But if it turns out he didn’t activate the portal-- but just found and went through it, then we have a bigger problem in our hands. And we’ll probably need him.”

“This is makin’ everythin’ so much harder than it should be!” Gill clenched his fists and heaved heavily.

“I’m telling you the truth,” Jesse said, “I’ve never been here, I don’t know anything!”

“So you don’t remember ANYTHING about this place?” Gill stomped up to him, leaning close with teeth gritted.

“From what I’ve seen so far, it’s just a shrine, a barricaded--but friendly--town, and a whole lotta revines.” answered Jesse.

Gill licked his lips and breathed in, almost unsure about what he asked next,

“Do you remember anything about us...?”

That was when things got tricky. He did know them. He’s had past experiences with everyone he’s met so far. But they’ve all been BAD experiences. What was he supposed to say? Was there any nice or softer way to explain?

“... Kind of.”

“That doesn’t make any sense! How could you remember us but not your own home-?!” before another tangent could break out, Aiden spoke up,

“Gill,” Aiden placed his hand on his friend’s chest, making him step back. Aiden stood tall and towered over Jesse, causing Jesse himself to shrink.

“What do you know about us?”

Jesse opened his mouth but stopped. He was beginning to wonder if this was an elaborate set up, how could Aiden not remember Sky City? Nearly killing him twice along with his friends and the founder. And even if Aiden decided to move past that, that still didn’t explain the bitter treatment from everyone else. He was being talked down to, shamed for something he had done but he doesn’t know WHAT, he wasn’t being treated like an enemy or rival, but like a villain.

“Well, uh... Good question. Where to start…” he fixed his posture and adjusted the straps of his suspenders. ‘Don’t go crazy with the details,’ he told himself, ‘You’ll be here forever trying to explain everything.’

“You were a part of a gang called ‘The Ocelots’, but that changed into ‘The Blaze Rods’ over time. Gill was in it too but he didn’t really do much.”

Gill crossed his arms and furrowed his brow.

“I’m just saying what I know, don’t take it as a personal attack.” Jesse reminded him. “You used to be our rival gang, my friends and I would try to beat you at Ender Con every year but kept losing. Then one year, we almost won. I remember it pretty well, you were building a rainbow beacon, we decided to build this giant, wool creeper with fireworks, and people loved it. But you saw our build and broke something that held lava, you made it go everywhere! Our creation burnt down but I didn’t really care about that at the time, Rueben’s costume was on fire and… Yeah.”

“Really?” Aiden said, seemingly discontent. It was almost like he knew there was more to this story and waited for Jesse to continue. Should he? Jesse avoided direct eye contact with Aiden, debating whether or not he should explain the rest of their past interactions.

“Why would I lie about something like that?” Jesse laughed, “Do you think I just made up an entire story out of thin air? Why would I make up something that elaborate when I could’ve just said ‘I don’t remember?”

He leaned back and groaned, “I don’t know what I’d need to do for you to believe me, but if you wanted physical proof, unfortunately--for the both of us--that’s gonna be kinda hard.”

Jesse dug his nails into the wood of the chair, brainstorming on what to say next.

He was beginning to shake.

Shake?

Aiden stood up and didn’t say a word. No one did. His cup began trembling, clinking against the table, the table itself started to shiver but quickly turned into a much more violent thrashing. “Oh great.”

Jesse got out of the chair--which fell to the ground and began bouncing about as the ground shook more and more. The world let out a low rumble that fueled Jesse’s panic. He tried his best to remain standing, but that was impossible when the whole world was trying to knock you down. He saw Gill and Aiden grab onto the thick wooden pole, unfazed by the abrupt quake. The world let out a low rumble that fueled Jesse’s panic.

“Hey, it’s great that you’re being cool under this sort of situation, but what’s going on?!” The rumbling nearly drowned out Jesse’s question.

Aiden, despite having no idea what he was just asked, responded “Just grab onto something, it’ll be over in a second.”

Jesse wobbled over to the pole and gripped it tighter and tighter like that’d somehow put a stop to the shaking. The clanking and thrashing of the dishes, books, and furniture boomed in Jesse’s ears. Everything sounded chaotic. Jesse was starting to wonder if he was exaggerating how extreme the quake was based on Aiden and Gill’s borderline nonchalant reactions.

But then, it stopped. It had to have lasted no more than thirty seconds, but it felt so much worse.

Jesse cracked an eye open and, to his surprise, almost everything still stood. The bookshelves in the living room, the lamp, the few cabinets. The kitchen was fine as well, no cracks, nothing shattered, no plates fell. The only things that were on the ground were the chairs and Aiden’s cup. Jesse still held on to the pole, processing what had just happened in a matter of seconds.

“Right, anyways…” Aiden let go and picked up his cup along with a chair. Gill helped out.

“Anyways?! The world thrashed us around violently--out of NOWHERE--and you’re acting like it was no big deal!” Jesse stammered.

“Yeah… It’s just a quake.” Aiden said as if that was to be expected.

Jesse watched the two set the chairs back up, eyes still wide, still trying to make sense of everything.

~~~~~~~~~

Olivia had gotten lost in her own thoughts, no longer paying attention or attempting to see her surroundings. Instead, she kept her head down, looking at the ground and watching her feet. She’s noticed that the farther they walked from Obsidian Town, the colder the air got. She was thankful that Aiden had given her his leather jacket. Thick trees began replacing the buildings on the sides of the path, the path would look more damaged and worn down with each step, moss peaking through the crooked cracks.

Any conversation had come to an end and Olivia couldn’t help but feel bad for making the atmosphere much more gloomy than it was earlier.

“Ah, hello girls!” a voice greeted them cheerfully.

Maya stopped in her tracks and Olivia--who wasn’t paying attention--ran right into her. She rubbed her black hair down, trying to control the frizz going on.

“Great to see ya again this fine evenin’!” The man--a guard--said, tipping his murky green service cap.

It felt nice to finally hear another person’s voice. Looking up, Olivia was able to see the towering structure about them. It was a few stories high, resembling an old, smaller, medieval tower that was... A pale color that reminded her of quartz or sandstone. There wasn’t much light to illuminate the building except for the two front lights on both sides of the door, and that was just the front entrance.

She was able to see the top just fine, not that that really helped at all. The roof was flat and sort of... Noticeably crooked? The place had seen better days.

The shape of the library almost reminded her of those castle towers--they had a specific name to them--a square stone keep? Either way, she’d see those in many books about structures from hundreds of years ago, so it was interesting to see bits of it in person.

“Hey Logan, just the three of us. Aiden wanted us to look for something.” Rose said to the guard while motioning towards the group.

“Alright, just remember to return whatever it is you borrow! And remember...” He nodded slowly but something caught his eye as his words drifted away. He attempted to peer in between the girls, noticing movement in between them. Rose saw and poked Maya’s arm, who turned her head towards the red head; Cassie pointed to the man.

“Aright, just remember to return whatever it is you borrowed! And remember, it’s a full moon tonight, so be careful!”

“We gotta go, we can’t take too long.” Maya said in a harsh tone and walked quickly towards the library’s entrance without giving Logan a second thought as she pushed him to the side. The other girls huddled together and followed behind.

Olivia, while being hurried into the library, was able to catch a glimpse of an old, cracked sign above the doorway, “St. Stephen’s”.

Logan scratched his head and shouted behind them “Be careful! Tonight’s a full moon!”

“Thanks, Logan~!” Stella beamed, waving to the guard before going back to her friends and scoffing “Does he think we’re blind? I’m pretty sure I know when a rock in the sky is ‘full’.”

They all chuckled.

Walking through the entrance, towering columns made of stone, cracked and worn away by age, held the building strong as it must have done so many years ago.

Walking in, she saw the cobblestone floor, chunks missing and the surface rigidity from how many have walked on it in the past.

The books were placed in sturdy, dark oak shelves that stood several feet proudly. Her eyes trailed up from the shelves and followed the wide staircase that led to the second floor with even more books. Long vines hung from the rails of the dark oak and spruce stairs, the rails themselves were made up of stone, which would fade into stone bricks and then to the columns to support such big stairs, some were covered in moss like a fine, thick carpet. There was another staircase that probably led to another floor full of books. As the girls walked down the path, dark wooden slabs placed on each side helped refine the shape and allowed it to stand out from the rest of the floor instead of merging them together and creating a jumbled mess.

There seemed to be four paths that met at the center of the building, one North, East, and West, but the South path had another entrance--an exit?-- that was blocked off by debris that must’ve been caused by a storm of some sort.

Where the paths met, there was a large square shape in the center of the library, bringing a sense of symmetry and completion.

The girls stopped at the center and spoke in whispers; Olivia looked up and saw an enormous wooden chandelier, candles lit and gleaming brightly like stars in a cold, dead night. The candles--which emitted a warm, red glow--could only light up a majority of the third floor and slowly faded farther down, keeping the first floor mostly consumed in darkness. Regardless, it helped the place feel calming and secure with such a wonderful, faint glow.

Olivia breathed in the mixed fragrance of old books and dampened wood. An odd combination that led to such a specific sense of nostalgia. It almost reminded her of way back when; when her and Jesse used to live together in that old tree house of theirs.

“Alright,” Cassie Rose spoke up, “The type of books we’ll most likely need to look for is anything about portals-”

“Duh.” Stella commented.

“Maybe books about summoning or banishment if possible, maybe a book about The Hero’s Banishment itself and... Hm...” Rose began biting the top of her lips as she tried to conjure up any other possible targets for them to search for.

“Do you think books about old crafts might be useful?” Olivia suggested, wanting to contribute to the situation even by a little bit.

“Anything helps. I can search the second floor.” Rose stated.

Stella started walking to one of the many rows of shelves past the girls, “I’ll see what I can find on the first floor.”

“I’ve got third.” Maya said before heading towards the stairs.

Olivia stood alone with Rose, they would exchange a few glances, but none of them knew what to say. Olivia played with her hair as Cassie Rose took off her glasses to clean them with her shirt.

“I’ll-” the both of them started before quickly stopping.

“You first.” Rose insisted.

She tucked her hair behind her ears, “Sorry--But if it’s alright with you, I could join you upstairs?”

Rose’s face lit up some, “Sure, I don’t see why not.”

Rose made her way up wooden stairs, her steps and the creaking of the wood echoed throughout the place which made Olivia cringe. Every library she’s ever been to, heck, any older place she’s ever stepped foot in, she’s always tried to be as quiet as possible. It felt like a sign of respect.

Even though the four of them were probably the only ones to be in this ancient place, she still tip-toed her way up, falling a bit behind Cassie Rose.

Despite how cracked and rough the stairs appeared to be, they were surprisingly sturdy. There were planks of wood missing, but you could easily walk around or over them thanks to how wide the staircase was.

Olivia looked past the stone railings and out upon the sea of bookcases; they were all set up so carefully, all in long, neat rows that would stop when they’d reach the one of the four paths. But seeing them so aligned made her worry that if one tipped over, it’d cause a domino effect.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Stella’s arm, the purple sleeve to her suit and all. She was grabbing a thin, dark red book from the very top shelf. Rose had already reached the top of the stairs and was already approaching the large shelves that the second level had to offer.

Olivia grabbed onto the smooth rails but felt her hand shaking. Was she nervous? Cold? She gripped the rails tighter.

She wasn’t shaking.

It started as a quick tremble but soon turned into a violent thrashing. The stairs swayed as if they were in the violent, unforgiving heart of the ocean, the bookcases remained in place thankfully but still shivered terribly, books fell to the ground, their thick covers hitting the ground with loud smacking sounds which mixed with the unholy, thunderous booms and groaning from the library itself. Rose held onto one of the large, stone columns, looking more frustrated than frightened.

Olivia clutched onto the railings and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that the quake would come to an end.

As the columns shook, a low rumbling sound could be heard, soon followed by a loud cracking sound that pierced Olivia’s ears. The railing she once held onto with her dear life crumbled into millions of pieces; she lost her balance and felt herself soon falling, unable to catch herself as everything around her felt as if it was moving forward faster.

She heard someone shout her name as she prepared herself for a terrible impact, when all of the sudden...

Everything stopped.

The shaking, the loud rumbles, even her falling.

Opening her eyes, she found Rose grabbing her hand--practically crushing it--while her other hand held onto what remained of the railings to prevent herself from being dragged down by Olivia’s weight.

“I gotcha...” Rose grunted. She used both of her hands to pull Olivia back up, her grip was strong as her long nails dug into the girl’s arm.

Olivia tried to reach the staircase with her free hand to help Rose hoist her up so she wouldn’t be dangling uselessly. Once her hand felt the rugged wooden steps, she held on to it securely, hoping she wouldn’t get any bits of wood jabbed into her.

Taking a few steps back, Rose successfully brought the girl back up to the floor. Olivia looked back at the drop and her vision blurred some. It wasn’t a massive fall, but it was enough to cause a good amount of damage. Maybe crack her head open? Break a leg?

She saw parts of the column beneath her reduced into chunks of rocks scattered across the floor.

‘Don’t worry, it’s over with, you’re fine.’ Olivia reassured herself, her breath fast as she tried to recollect her thoughts that zoomed all around.

“You okay?” Rose brought Olivia back to reality, who nodded rapidly.

“Yea... Yes, thanks. Thank you.” she said, still shaken up. “I think that’s enough excitement for today.”

Maya looked down, leaning over the stone fence that surrounded the edge of the third floor, “You good???” her voice boomed through the hollow area.

“Yeah, some quake huh?” Rose said back, her head looking high up at her friend who didn’t really hear what she said clearly but nodded anyways and continued her book search.

“Can’t believe it took so long for this old place to finally fall apart some.” Stella chimed in.

‘Why are they acting like this is so normal,’ Olivia thought to herself as she watched the girls converse at completely different areas of the large library. ‘I’ve never felt the ground shake so much before. That was insane.’

Footsteps from the entrance could be heard along with huffs and puffs of air. Logan rushed in and zipped his head about; he froze when he saw the pieces of the stair’s support smashed. Adjusting his cap, he made his way over to the small scene to observe the damage that’d been done.

A long sigh left his mouth, “Well, I suppose it was only a matter of time... It’s going to take a little while to rebuild this but,” he gave a comforting smile “I’m glad to see you’re all in one piece!”

Logan speed walked back to where he came from,

“I’m going to alert the others about this, be safe!” his voice trailed off before he was out of sight.

He came and went so suddenly that no one had any time to respond. But there were other things to worry about. Olivia ran over to Rose’s side, attempting to regain her cool as quickly as the others just... Couldn’t. Throughout all of the adventures she’s been through, despite everything that she’s seen and experienced, she would still get so... Frightened, to put it nicely. If she had more time to prepare for these sorts of situations or was just better prepared in general, she’d be able to save herself or make herself useful instead of following everyone around like a lost puppy. But for now, there was nothing to work with, that’s why she needed to take full advantage of this current location.

“Hey, Rose, thanks for saving me back there again.”

“Cassie, you can call me Cassie Rose,” Rose said as she picked up a small stepping stool leaning against one of the bookcases and holding it against her chest, walking through the rows filled with thousands of books.

Olivia, a bit taken aback, “Shoot, I’m sorry-”

“No, no, no! Don’t be, I didn’t mean it in a bad way, we’re friends--even if you don’t exactly remember--my point is: You can call me Rose if you’d like.”

Each case had a little label--which contained specific orders of numbers and letters to keep everything organized--placed into the smooth, dark oak shelves. And right above those were thin, wooden strips of a lighter color nailed in. There were words written on them, some far more faded than others, but they were most likely labels to show which genre was where. Rose would scan the worn down signs as she walked.

“You probably got a little mixed up cause Aiden calls me that, didn’t you? He’s the only one that calls me that. Except a few other close friends but they rarely call me that...” She took a sharp turn to the left and caught Olivia off guard, causing her to skid to a halt and stumble her way around the corner to catch up.

Rose carried on, “Aiden’s pretty bad with names, he could only remember mine cause of my red hair. And it just sorta... Stuck with him.”

Pushing up her glasses up and setting the stool down, Cassie Rose began muttering the names under her breath while skimming the hundreds of titles before her. Olivia felt a strange presence in the red head’s voice. It sounded almost as if she were talking to a child with a more gentle tone compared to the cold, harshness that was delivered to Radar earlier.

Rose hopped up on the stool and grabbed a couple of books with titles that caught her attention and started piling them into her arms. She made her way down the row of dusty shelves, her hair would sometimes brush the tips of some of the shelves, causing dust to fly into the air and trail behind her.

Rose started out with three books. Which soon turned into five.

Then to eight.

Then to--

“Crud-!” Rose felt her foot get stuck in a small hole that blended in with the dark, old wooden floor resulting in her books flying across the thin hall. Cassie luckily saved herself by grabbing onto a nearby case, but watched the books fall and slam into the ground as their loud landings echoed. Olivia felt her face scrunch up.

Cassie Rose wasted no time.

She pushed up her glasses, sat down, and hurriedly picked them up.

Olivia joined in and started piling the books by her side.

“Let me carry some, I don’t want you to do all the work.” she said as she’d read the titles of whatever she could get her hands on.

“Thanks.” Cassie said through the sound of books shuffling.

Most of the books that Olivia could get her hands on were on the thinner side but were heavily worn down. While age did have a factor on the books’ duller colors, yellowed pages, and weakened spines, it was clear that these were used and checked out possibly hundreds of times. The old pages had been smoothed down, odd stains and blotches would decorate the covers while rips and tears would also stretch across them.

“The Progression of Portals”, a lightweight, purple and red book with a vague shape of a nether portal etched into the front.

“The Combinations of Enchantments” had it the worst out of the three books. Half of the title was torn and a giant, dark brown stain made it look as if that were its color.

The last book was nothing too interesting. Just a pale red cover, the book itself was filled with crafting recipes. However, it was written nearly a century ago. Suppose THAT’S interesting enough to warrant a raised eyebrow.

Neatly stacking the books, she carefully lifted the tower up and carefully balanced it as it leaned against her chest. Cassie Rose did the same, albeit in a sloppier manner.

She continued to select whatever caught her eye but walked slower, not wanting to recreate the same incident.

Olivia followed behind, a strand of her black hair got in her face and bounced about but she paid no mind to it as she felt a question make its way out of her mouth.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Just did.” Cassie stated.

She rolled her eyes and couldn’t help but smile.

“Hilarious. But what was with that horrible earthquake back there? Thanks again for saving me but none of you were too shaken up by it.”

Cassie Rose flashed her a quick confused and surprised look--as if Olivia had unknowingly said something derogatory--before picking up another book from the top of a shelf, gnawing the inside of her cheek lightly.

She blew some air out before spinning on her heel to face Olivia and continued to walk backwards.

“You know... Full moon? Quakes are the worst during a full or new moon. That’s why Logan gave us that warning. I mean it happens every night but that’s normal. Happens all the time.” She spoke as if this was supposed to spark something in Olivia’s mind.

Olivia shook her head as her hair batted her eyes, “I’m sorry. I don’t.”

There was an odd sense of guilt she felt even when she was speaking the truth. Watching Rose’s face fall and attempting to put it back together made her feel worse. Maybe she needed a reassuring lie to keep her moving, but as much Olivia hated the queasy stomach aches produced by her honesty, she knew lying wouldn’t make anything better.

Rose forced a chuckle out with no smile to accompany it.

“What? Are you serious? I thought you would! You were the one who helped us make a house structure sturdy enough to withstand the shaking!”

“I’ve never been to your house until tonight. It felt like walking into a strangers home-”

“Yes you have, Olivia. You’ve lived with us for years, can’t you try to recall anything at all?” Rose trembled, clearly holding more back with barely enough strength to do so.

“I don’t--”

“YES YOU DO. You SHOULD.” Rose rushed to Olivia’s face, her eyes unblinking and pleading.

“You lived with us, you’ve been with us for years--Are we THAT forgettable?”

Rose gripped the books as she tried to restrain herself. She knew that getting upset wouldn’t help, that it wouldn’t change the situation, but she couldn’t stop herself from venting to the clueless girl.

“I’m your friend and--And the fact you didn’t even... You didn’t even recognize me! Do you know how much that hurts?” her voice fell into a weary state.

Olivia blinked. Fazed by Cassie’s sudden burst but remained silent for a moment. There was nothing she could do, say, or think of that could comfort her.

“I don’t.” Olivia admitted.

She carefully set the books down and put hands in the pockets of the leather jacket.

“I think I’m going to walk around here... Just to have some time to myself.” Olivia didn’t wait for a response, instead, she turned and started walking--almost wanting to run away--from Cassie Rose.

Olivia heard Cassie’s defeated voice echo through the dim, hollow library.

“You do that.”

#mcsm #minecraft story mode #minecraft story mode fanfic #fanfic #chapter 5 #mcsm jesse #mcsm Olivia #mcsm Aiden #mcsm stella #mcsm gill #mcsm maya #mcsm cassie rose #again i'm so SORRY for the wait FRICK #i rewrote a majority of the chapter when i came back to it because it was so sloppy #frick #thanks for your patience so much #APWHNPMCSMWASAMCSM #AU fic

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lyssala · 5 years

Text

Still I Find You There Next to Me

Pairings: Terra/Aqua, Kingdom Hearts

Setting: A month after the ending of Kingdom Hearts 3; No explicit spoilers but I mean you can infer what happens at the end if you read this haha

Rating: K+

Notes: Happy Valentine’s Day <3 I had to write something cute, and I’ve had this idea with the phones and social media in my head since I found out it was canon hahaha I was going to keep it all fluffy and not really go into the healing aspects of what needs to happen after 3 but alas, I couldn’t help it haha I think they’d need a lot of time, so that reflects here (but it’s also me so you know it’s still sappy as hell) I’ll do a real healing fic eventually, figures my first Post-3 fic would be about essentially their Instagram. The title is from Imagine Dragon’s “Next to Me” which is one of my favorite, favorite songs for them <3

AO3

Even though Terra considered himself to be more asleep than awake he could still hear the birds chirping outside his window, he could feel the sunlight on his eyes as it shone in through the window. His blanket was making him feel a little hotter than what was a comfortable temperature, another sure sign summer was coming in full force. Still, it wasn’t enough to make him want to open his eyes, or leave his bed any time soon.

He probably wouldn’t have either if it wasn’t for the sudden annoying buzzing that was rattling against his nightstand.

Terra groaned as he reached a hand to his face rubbing his eyes. It thankfully stopped, making him try and fall back to sleep even though it was probably later than he should be in bed. He usually just waited till someone was too impatient to wait for him and either knocked on his door, gently kicked him, or jumped on him depending who the impatient one was that day. His eyes were still so heavy he knew he could fall asleep again, and he planned to.

Until the buzzing echoed once more.

He rolled over, still half asleep but noticed the other side of the bed was empty; not that he was surprised, he would’ve gotten some kicks or nudges by now. Terra tried not to feel sinking disappointment, swinging his hand to the night stand to grab the phone he knew was sitting there. He blinked his eyes open, looking at the screen as he tried to adjust to the growing sunlight in the room. Terra could see the new messages icon and he pressed it though he mostly wanted to toss the phone back down.

He saw Aqua’s picture next to way too much text to comprehend in his state of still being half asleep. From what he could tell it was just the plans for the day; who was here, who was away, if there was anything urgent they needed to get to within the day. It ended with another message asking him to wake up already. He snorted as he dropped the phone in his lap, reaching both his hands up to his face.

It was silly she felt the need to send him a message when she literally slept in the room across from his, and when the night was a little too dark, his. It happened more often than not these days, to the point where he missed seeing her face when it wasn’t the first thing he saw in the morning. One hallway didn’t seem very far away; it never did when they were kids, finding ways to pass notes, communicate without words so Master Eraqus didn’t wake up and catch them, always knowing where the other was. But it did when he still felt like if he blinked she’d be gone.

He sighed as he pushed himself up in bed. She could’ve just gotten him, but she was hell bent on making him use this thing. He picked it up again, scrolling quickly through all the little pictures near the text box to pick the thumbs up to send back to her. Close enough right?

Terra dropped the phone again stretching his arms over his head as he kicked his legs out of bed. He almost left the damn thing sitting there, but it was still too early to get lectured by Aqua on why having ways to communicate like that was important. He supposed he understood that concept, after all he did like knowing he could reach any of them in a matter of seconds, that he could scroll down and see pictures from where the kids were, what they were up to. Terra just didn’t want to be the one constantly being bugged with it; especially when someone lived in the same home as he did.

He grabbed the phone and slid it in his pajama pocket, making his way to open his door and out into the hallway that would lead to the staircase. The castle was so familiar it was almost like they never left. It was admittedly really eerie at first and Terra found himself staying up late at night, unable to bring himself to sleep. But it got better when Aqua would come and talk to him as they slowly mended what had been hurt, when more feet and voices filled the otherwise empty rooms, when she started falling asleep next to him, making it easy to sleep through any night knowing she was safe.

He walked into the empty dining hall, but that wasn’t too much of a surprise. The table was too long for the few people that lived here; they only every used it if many others were visiting but that settled down significantly once everyone got accustomed to their lives. So they preferred the smaller table they set up right in the kitchen which judging by how the room smelled someone already started cooking.

He had two guesses, but judging by the messages on his phone one was highly favoring the other.

Terra pushed open the kitchen door, his stomach growling at the sudden aroma of bacon mixed with fresh coffee grounds, toasting bread, as eggs sizzled on the oven. He expected it to be Aqua standing in the kitchen and he wasn’t wrong. Her back was to him as she poked at the bacon, but he could tell she was still in her pajamas, apron tied around her back just like the one she used to wear on her cooking days. He found himself smiling even despite being up before he wanted to be.

“Morning,” he said, closing the door behind him so he didn’t scare her.

Aqua turned her head, a smile already on her lips. Her eyes were bright this morning, probably because she was always happier when she was able to do something for someone else, this case making breakfast. He loved it, he loved seeing her like this; it was one of the reasons he did keep getting up every morning. If she still looked at him like that, than he couldn’t be as horrible of a person as he thought he was sometimes.

“Morning, sunshine,” she said, that teasing tone on her lips, just like when they were younger. “Sleep in enough?”

Terra walked over to the counter in the center of the kitchen, leaning up against it so he could face her better. “Yeah, would’ve slept in more if I hadn’t been assaulted with blocks of text first thing in the morning.”

Aqua chuckled, scooping some of the bacon onto a nearby plate to cool. “It was that or send Ven after you.”

Ven was a big fan of tackling Terra awake, which wasn’t annoying as much as it was alarming depending how deep of a sleep Terra was in; and sometimes painful, Ven seemed to be growing nonstop since they came home.

Terra felt his stomach knot up slightly. He probably shouldn’t say; they didn’t really talk about it once the sun was up but the words were already on his lips. “I, um, didn’t hear you leave this morning.”

She hummed, but was moving to scramble the eggs better. “I knew it was my turn to cook breakfast, so I figured I’d get a head start. Plus when you sleep, you sleep like the dead. Believe it or not I did try, to see if you wanted to help me, but I figured it was better to let you sleep.”

That did make some of the tension leave his body; sometimes he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d do something to push her away again. But the more reasonable part of his brain tried to remind him she did have to cook breakfast for a few people or that she never liked to wake him up when he fell asleep or that she didn’t want the kids to get the wrong impression. Granted, he was never quite sure how to tell her judging by their glances and snickers they already had the wrong impression.

“So you thought waking me up by having the phone nearly vibrate off the table was better?”

“You have to get used to using it someday, Ter. Also…” Aqua turned to him, placing one hand on her hip as she waved the fork in her other hand at him. “Can you respond with more than just one thumbs up? That doesn’t tell me anything.”

Terra snorted. “I assumed it told you I was fine with it.”

“I would, if I thought you read it.”

“I did read it.”

Aqua arched her eyebrows, though she looked more amused than mad.

“Okay, I skimmed it.”

“That’s what I thought,” she chuckled, turning back to remove more bacon from the sizzling pan. “If you couldn’t tell from your brief overview, we do have a busy day.”

“Got it.” The smell in the kitchen was starting to get unbearable; he didn’t realize how hungry he was until he had to stand there not eating anything.

Aqua reached up to the cabinet to get a plate for the first batch of eggs while Terra leaned in to grab a piece of bacon. It shouldn’t have surprised him she was fast enough to swat his hand away before he could actually touch the food. “Be patient,” she tutted, scooping the eggs onto the plate before getting the pan ready for the next set.

He took the plate from her hands, moving the place it on the counter near him so he could hand it to her again when she was ready for it.

“I don’t know why you’re so resistant on having the phone,” Aqua said, adding even more bacon to the pan which really didn’t help his stomach from growling.

He noticed she had the oven on too which meant there was also something she was baking. Gods, he hoped it was that cinnamon bread she used to make; it was just the right amount mix of sweet and doughy. “I’m not resistant to it.” It was mostly true. “I just don’t see why we need to use it when we’re in the same house. Away on missions sure, but not when we’re a staircase away.”

“Convenience,” she said, wiping her fingers on her apron. “I’m cooking I couldn’t leave the food to come up and tell you all that. Also I know you and if I tried to give you all that information while you were still half asleep you’d never remember it. Now it’s there for you when you’re ready.”

Those were valid points; figures, Aqua always thought out everything. That was probably why she liked it so much, she was a lot more organized than he admittedly was. “Fine, you win. It can have its uses.”

Aqua turned her head to him, giving him a grin that reminded him of when they used to spend all day outside adventuring in the forests, of the stories they told each other late at night under the stars, it reminded him of home. This was his home, with her, it would always be with her.

She gestured for the plate again and Terra had to remember where he was and what he was doing. He reached for it, passing it to her, but her other hand was at his lips, holding up a piece of bacon. Aqua took the plate while he took the bacon, biting into it with a crunch. She lingered for a moment, watching him with the same smile on her lips. Maybe after everything they went through, both during those twelve years and the weeks after, maybe she could feel what he felt; the reminders of the past as they lived their lives together again but new in a way, different, better even. He might’ve even asked her if the door hadn’t swung open.

“Morning, Masters!” Xion smiled as she waved both her hands at them.

He probably wouldn’t have asked Aqua, but there was a part of him that wanted to. Maybe that alone was a sign of improvement; that he even felt good enough to even want to know how she really felt.

“Good morning,” Aqua said, scooping the eggs onto the plate to pass back to Terra.

He glanced over to the door as he popped the rest of his bacon in his mouth, raising his hand in a silent greeting to both Xion and Roxas, who was trailing behind and looking significantly less perky than Xion did.

The toaster dinged as they pulled out seats from the small table.

Aqua looked over to Terra probably to ask if he could get it but he was already moving that way. He grabbed a plate off the counter and pulled the hot toast out. They were still a little short, so they’d need to toast more. As if reading his mind, Aqua tossed him the bag of bread she had near her. He caught it, setting to the new task.

It was hard at first, when they came home. Terra was afraid too much damage was done, that he and Aqua would never operate how they used to, how they knew to read each other so well words weren’t always needed, the trust that came with that. It took a little bit, but every day he felt his relationship with her improve and that was enough to be thankful for.

Once he pressed the toaster on again he turned back to Aqua, but she was busy humming to herself as she cooked up more eggs and bacon. He vaguely recognized the tune but he couldn’t place it. Instead he looked over to Roxas and Xion who were lounging at the table while they waited. She was showing Roxas something on her phone, her voice quiet but still pretty peppy for the hour. Roxas on the other hand had his head on the table as he sleepily tried to follow what she was saying.

Boy, wasn’t that a familiar image.

“Please tell me breakfast is ready.” The door swung open, though it was always hard to miss Lea any time he made his entrance. He was also still in his pajamas, his read hair tied back for the time being.

“Morning to you too,” Terra snorted.

“I mean it as my most sincere good morning, especially to the beautiful chef.” He reached over to rub at both Roxas and Xion’s heads. “Morning, squirts.”

Roxas grunted in response while Xion laughed looking up from her phone as Lea flopped down in the chair across from them. That only left one judging by Aqua’s message of who was here today.

“Terra, would you mind?” Aqua asked, holding out the plate of eggs.

“Got it.” He grabbed it moving to place it on the table. “Would one of you mind setting the table?”

“I can,” Xion said, placing her phone down so she could stand up.

Terra reached over her head to grab the plate of bacon Aqua was holding out to him; though not before slipping another piece in his mouth.

“I saw that,” Aqua said, though she wasn’t looking at him, opening the oven door to check on whatever was in there.

“Where’s blondie?” Lea asked, stretching his arms over his head.

“His door was still closed when we walked by,” Roxas said, though his head was on the table so it was a little mumbled.

The oven went off as Aqua pulled out the bread pan that was in there, the sweet but spicy smell of cinnamon filling the air. She left it on the oven top to cool but she must’ve seen him watching her because she looked over to him.

“What?” she asked. “Didn’t think I remember?”

It was an innocent comment but it made a smile pull at his lips. He opened his mouth to say something, anything about how it meant a lot she remembered but the toaster dinged and Xion was scurrying around him with a stack of plates and glasses. There were only three more people on a daily basis, even more than that on the days the other kids visited; still, the extra people caused a new level of chaos sometimes.

He reached over to pull out the toast dropping it on the plate with the others.

“Sorry, am I late?” Ven yawned, though Terra hadn’t even heard Ven come in the room.

“As per usual,” Lea said.

When Terra turned back to plate the plate of toast on the table Ven was sitting down, another yawn on his lips as Lea reached up to push at Ven’s head.

“Where’s Chirithy, Ven?” Aqua asked, scooping the steaming bread from the pan.

“Sleeping,” he answered. “Like I wish I still was.”

“You’re all so dramatic. It’s not that early.”

“Says you,” Terra snorted, reaching for the plate that had the newly sliced bread on it.

Aqua pulled it away from him, a knowing look in her eyes. “It won’t make it to the table if I let you take it.” She gestured to the fridge instead as she moved around him to get to where everyone was already sitting.

He rolled his eyes but she still knew what she meant. He reached in to grab the glass of orange juice, as well as the jam and butter; at least by the time he turned back to the table it was time to eat. He placed the items down and took the empty seat at the end.

Coffee, why didn’t he think of making any? He needed that more than ever if this day was going to be as long as Aqua said it was. He pushed himself away, about to stand up when a steaming mug was placed down in front of him. Terra looked up as Aqua sat down next to him, placing her own coffee in front of her; the only difference being his was black and hers probably had enough sugar to wake up everyone in this room.

“Thanks,” he said, unable to keep from feeling the smile from pulling at his lips.

Aqua hummed in response but the small smile was all he needed.

“Pass the orange juice, please,” Ven asked as Xion was done pouring hers.

“Only if you pass the jam.”

“Got it!”

“Hey, Rox, lift your head, you’re drooling on the table,” Lea said, and judging by the way the table shifted slightly also must’ve nudged Roxas in the legs.

“Coffee, first,” he said, but did pick up his head, hand weakly reaching for some bacon.

“What? Wanna stay shortstuff your whole life?”

“I’m not short! You’re unnaturally tall.”

“Everyone eat the eggs too,” Aqua said as she pulled her phone from her pajama pants pocket, placing it on the table next to her plate.

Terra leaned back with his coffee, opting to wait for the kids to fill up their plates; he didn’t need to lose any fingers today. Aqua seemed to do the same, taking careful sips from her mug as she watched on.

“Don’t you dare eat all of that bread,” Terra said seeing Lea take more than one piece.

Ven snickered while he piled some eggs on his plate to appease Aqua. “Terra is serious when it comes to Aqua’s baking.”

Xion giggled into her orange juice glass and Terra tried to ignore the heat rising to his face at being called out by teenagers.

He cleared his throat instead, noticing Aqua was watching him from the corner of her eyes. “You’ve eaten plenty of things she’s baked, do you blame me?”

Ven paused for a second, just long enough for Roxas to reach over and steal a piece of bacon off Ven’s plate. “Hey!” he snorted. “Get your own.”

“Roxas, please eat something other than bacon,” Aqua tried again, but he listened, reaching for a piece of toast and eyeing the jam still in Xion’s hands.

Terra’s phone buzzed in his pocket, making him reach in to pull it out as everyone who regularly needed his attention was sitting at this table. He glanced at the screen though it wasn’t really anything, just a late notification that Xion posted a picture to their group feed. It usually wasn’t anything serious, just people updating each other with what they were doing or where they were.

Since the kids were still digging into the food, he tapped on the screen, opening the feed up. Xion’s post was from a little earlier, the sunrise outside her window. She had some sweet words to say at the bottom about how pretty it was. Since he had nothing else to while he waited he let his thumb scroll down the screen bringing up more pictures.

Aqua’s hands were near his plate, placing a piece of bread there. Terra looked up to thank her but she was already gathering food for herself. He placed the mug down and replaced it with the warm bread that tasted as good as it smelt. He tried to focus on the pictures he scrolled by like Kairi taking a selfie with Riku in Radiant Garden as they worked on their mission or Lea posting a picture of Roxas passed out on the couch last night teasing him about his particularly long training day or Isa tagging his friends in a selfie with that ice cream they adored probably to make them jealous or Ven sharing his late night snack from last night that looked more like a repeat of dinner than a snack. But Terra found it hard not to savor the soft bread, the memories of watching Aqua bake as he sat up on the counter trying to carve something into a bit of wood. He could barely think of something that didn’t have memories attached to her, and he always knew he’d never want it to be any other way. He just wasn’t exactly sure how to say that, if he even had the right to say that.

He popped the last bit of bread in his mouth as he continued to look down at his phone, knowing it was better than letting those thoughts linger. He was about to put it down and get his own food but he stopped when he saw Aqua’s face looking back up at him from his screen. It had to have been from yesterday since she was outside with the blue sky and sun shining in the background. She had the phone tilted so she could both get herself and one of the flower gardens in it. He recognized it easily, it was the one Master Eraqus used to take care of, where he would go to relax or take them for lessons if the day was particularly nice. Aqua started to take care of it when they got back, maybe as some way to make things seem normal again at first but now judging by the smile on her face and the glimmer in her eyes it was more of a pleasurable thing for her. Clearly, she was proud of her work.

Terra made a note to go out there next time she was working and make sure he complimented her on it, but for now he pressed his thumb against the button that would add another like to the ones that were already there under her picture. He didn’t usually interact even that much, just choosing to look when he felt like it but for her, he made an exception.

His plate slid closer to him, this time with much more food on it. Terra placed his phone down with just enough time to see her hands moving back to her own food. “Thanks,” he said, reaching for the first piece of bacon he saw.

Aqua was carefully eating her eggs but she waved him off, eyes drifting to her phone as it lit up.

The kids were still talking amongst themselves, Roxas looking at least a little more alive now that he was nearly done with his toast, watching the uneaten bread on Lea’s plate and clearly trying to gauge if he would catch Roxas taking it or not. Ven was at least attempting to eat the eggs as he held his phone up in his other hand, eyes reading over something.

Aqua’s fork hit the plate a little too loudly making Terra look back to her, making sure everything was okay. She seemed to be alright as she looked at her screen, but her eyes were wide before a smile started to pull at her lips. He almost wanted to know what she was looking at with the way her smile was so soft, eyes bright in what seemed like a sort of adoration. Terra didn’t want to nose into her business, but he did happen to see the picture he was just looking at on her phone. Maybe she got a nice comment or something, which was good; he wanted to see her happy like that all the time.

Even as he watched her he still couldn’t believe after everything she went through, the things she suffered she still could manage to to smile like that, to have her face light up at the simplest things. Yet here she was a ray of sunshine in every room she went, making him believe that everything would be okay again. He wasn’t even sure he had a word to describe how beautiful of a person she was, how she always was. Even though it had been in the heat of the moment, and the height of every emotion he had felt, he meant what he said the first time he saw her again; he couldn’t remember a time she wasn’t the brightest light in his life.

Terra didn’t realize the kids went quiet till Ven started choking back his laughter. Terra glanced away from Aqua but no one was looking at him. He went back to grab the buttered toast on his plate, taking a bite out of it as Ven was placing his phone back on the table. He was absolutely trying hard not to laugh, which was suspicious in its own right, but maybe someone just sent him something funny.

Lea had his phone up to his face, eating another piece of bacon while Roxas made the dive for the cinnamon bread; not fast enough as Lea quickly hit Roxas’ hand making the blond retreat with a groan. “Well,” Lea said, placing his phone back down. “Nice knowing you, Ven, you had a good life.”

Xion had one hand over her mouth as she stared at her own screen, though she was grinning. “Ven,” she gasped.

“What?” he asked, trying to look innocent but instead he looked like he was about to burst into hysterics. “I’m not wrong.”

“What did you do?” Terra asked, arching his eyebrows.

Ven merely shook his head. “Nothing.”

Roxas peered over to Xion’s phone, choking when he saw whatever they were all looking at. “Holy shit, you’re going to get killed.”

“Roxas,” Aqua warned, but it lacked any sort of force probably because she was more curious as to what Ven did.

Terra always found it a little funny when she corrected any of the kids’ harsher language since she was the one who used to curse the most in training. His phone vibrated next to him so he took another bite of his toast before looking over. Terra probably should’ve known better when he saw Ven tagged Terra in a picture but he still opened it up anyways. He figured it was maybe just something stupid, some funny joke poking fun as Ven was known to do.

Terra bit into the last bit of his toast just in time to see his own face, same clothes he was wearing right now, plate still full of food. It had to have only been taken moments ago since his eyes were still watching Aqua. She looked the same as she did when she was staring at her phone, smile and bright eyes even visible in the picture. What he hadn’t noticed, what made him ultimately choke on the bread he was trying to eat, was the way he was looking at her. If he thought she was watching her phone was adoration it was nothing to how he was looking at her, complete with the sappiest smile Terra wasn’t even aware he was capable of making.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the caption was.

@terra hasn’t stopped looking at her like that since we got home :P

Terra wanted to snap his head up and tell Ventus that absolutely wasn’t the truth, but in all honesty it probably was. Terra did lift his head trying desperately to ignore the heat that was crawling up to every crevice of his face only to see Ven shoveling the rest of his food into his mouth.

“I get the shower first!” he said, effectively booking out the room as fast as he could. Smart kid.

Terra was pretty sure he couldn’t look at Aqua now even if he wanted to but he was aware she was still looking at her phone.

“You sure you and Ven aren’t related?” Lea asked, breaking the other piece of cinnamon on bread in half.

“Yes, why?” Terra said, clearing his throat so that his voice actually came out.

“Cause he’s about as close to as an annoying little sibling as you can get.”

“How would you know?” Xion asked.

Lea passed the other half of the bread to Roxas, who happily took it, before Lea leaned in as he stood up from the table. “Cause I have two of them.”

Xion and Roxas made some whining noises, though his was a little more muffled.

Lea gave them a wink before heading to the door. “See you in a little bit,” he said waving absent mindedly, the other two scrambling to follow him; probably to tease him right back.

Then it was just Terra and Aqua, and he pretty much wanted to sink right down into the ground. He didn’t really have any excuses and the explanation was something he wasn’t quite ready to address head on but he also couldn’t just sit here in awkward silence with his best friend; that was somehow worse.

He looked over to her, just as she was glancing up at him. Terra opened his mouth to say something but she didn’t really seem mad or anything. She was surprised maybe and her cheeks were also a little red, like she was embarrassed about it too.

“Ah,” he said, tapping his fingers against his legs. “I was just…wondering what you were looking at, you know…” He gestured to her phone like that explained what he was trying to say. “It seemed to make you happy.” Terra probably shouldn’t be invading her privacy if he already embarrassed her, but no other words wanted to come.

“Oh,” she squeaked slightly. She reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear looking away from him. “It was just…you…well, you’ve never liked one of my pictures before. It surprised me, but it also made me happy, is all.”

Terra blinked at her. None of that was anything he was expecting, that it was something he did that made her smile like that. He spent time wondering if he missed his chance at making her happy, that he could even still do so after everything that happened but that something so small made her face light up made him feel like maybe he was wrong.

Maybe these phones weren’t as bad as he thought they were.

Even though he still felt like his stomach was in his throat he picked his phone up, finding the camera and flipping it to face him like he saw the others do. Terra leaned in slightly to her, hoping his intentions were clear.

A smile pulled at her lips, and she leaned in to meet him, her cheek so close to his he could almost feel her grin. He held the phone up, trying to find the right angle on the screen; if he was doing it poorly Aqua never told him. Terra snapped the picture and leaned back to his chair while Aqua laughed lightly.

“What are you going to do to him?” she asked.

“Oh, you’ll see.” Terra stared at the picture on his screen, both his and her faces, both smiles; happy, they looked happy. That’s all he ever wanted, was for her to have everything she wanted. He knew she made him happier than he knew how to say. If he somehow made her happy still, then he’d do so every single day until he built up his courage to tell her that she had always been his world.

Terra watched the picture as it posted to his feed.

Aqua must’ve got the notification because she snorted in laughter, eyes bright when she looked up. “I like that picture of us.”

He couldn’t help the smile on his lips, maybe it was still really sappy but he didn’t quite have it in his heart to care right now. “Me too.”

@ventus just wait till it’s your turn for training today, buddy, we’re going to make it real fun.

#terraqua #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts fanfic #terra kingdom hearts #aqua kingdom hearts #my fics:kh #canonversekh #I hope its okay ahhhhh #I wanted it to be just the phone stuff #but I also wanted to explore their healing from a place #where Terra was sure of his feelings #but unsure if he was in the standing to do anything about it #so this is what happened #and THE SOCIAL MEDIA KILLED ME #I love it I needed to write headcanons about it hahaha #kh3 #kh3 spoilers

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angelspigeon · 5 years

Text

New Akusai fanfic!!!

It got inspired by sophkat7 on twitter!!

I got a bit carried away and HERE WE ARE!!

If you want an easier access, you can also check the fic on my AO3 just here => | °| <=

A legend said there was a World, lost among many and many and many other Worlds, where special fruits grew on trees. If you shared one of them with someone, your fate will be linked forever with them.

“Come on, Axel, pleaaaaaase!!! Everybody will go there!!! Pence, Hayner and Olette will go there!! Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase!!”

Isa could hear those pleas as he was putting down the huge pot of soup on the table.

A few instants after, Lea appeared in the dinner room thought Isa didn’t have called for his family to come. His look slid along the deep plates perfectly lined with spoon around and the little bowl with homemade croutons smelling garlic lying in there.

“Uuuuuuh… there is a party in Destiny Islands,” he said, looking annoyed.

“Is there?” Isa replied with a smirk.

“Yeah. Uh… Everybody will go there.” He rubbed his hair. “Pence, Hayner, Olette, Aqua, Terra, Donald, Goofy, Mickey… Ventus, Naminé, Kairi, Riku.”

Isa stared him, still wearing a smile on his lips.

“And so, I thought we could go there. Staying at night?”

“They have school tomorrow,” Isa replied.

“I know buuuuut, if we leave early enough? Or maybe using a cordorfdakness,” he mumbled.

Isa leaned toward him.

“Excuse me?” he said. “I didn’t understand what you tried to hide me.”

Lea sighed and sat next to him.

“I know you’d say no.” He watched everything on the table. “Can you be the mean parents and tell them we can’t go?”

“I never say ‘no’,” Isa pointed out.

Lea looked up at him, surprised.

“You didn’t?”

“I didn’t,” Isa replied. “For once, why not.”

“You’re amazing! I love you!”

Lea jumped on his feet and kissed his favorite blue guy.

After the party on the beach, Himiko and Toya, Sora’s parents, alongside with Shiraki, Riku’s dad, and Madam Minami Mira, the Mayor, invited everybody for a big meal. It has been cheerful with such an amount of food, you couldn’t even imagine people having that much. And yet, because Kairi, Riku and Sora’s close friends hadn’t been invited for the said party. It was barely possible to imagine more fishes turned into soft filet or balls in sweet sausage, neither such amount of salad or just potatoes in varied form. Really, Lea never saw that.

Almost never saw that.

Because, once, he saw such a quantity served at Isa’s table. The difference was that, here, they were more than thirty and at Isa’s they were only three…

The hosts were undoing the table, giggling and joking as the kids were in Kairi’s room. They were in the Mayor’s house because it was the bigger one. And Naminé lived here with Kairi. Because she liked that. Because she wanted to see Riku and be with the memories she thought be hers…

Wished be hers.

Lea approached Isa who helped with the tidying. He had nothing else to do and if he could help someone, he’d gladly do it.

“Do you think we can go grab ice cream?” Lea asked to him, pressing a kiss on his cheek.

“We will take the coffee,” Himiko said, next to them.

If Lea had tried to be discrete, she had heard it and was friendly smiling.

And so, the former Assassin was surprised. It was addressed to him, right? His doubts were so big, he showed himself tilting a little his head on the side.

“Yes. You prefer a tea?” she wondered.

“I… uh…”

“It’s the first time Lea is invited to a dinner,” Isa informed politely as he was taking the last plate on the table.

“Y… Yeah.”

“Oh! Don’t worry!” she smiled. “We will take a coffee, or a tea, and chat a little. Between adult. And then, the dessert if the kids feel it. If not, I think you can go read them a story or… whatever you’re doing there.”

She smiled even more and Lea was even more lost. They will not play with the teenagers while eating ice cream?

He started to understand why Mickey left with Goofy and Donald! He didn’t want to be trapped in formality.

Aqua and Terra would take the coffee with them but… still.

“Do you want a hot cocoa?” Isa wondered.

“No, no… I… I will take the same as Isa. Please?”

“I’ll take some tea, please,” Isa smiled politely. “And the sugar pot, please.”

“Of course. There are a few flavors, I’ll show them to you, don’t worry!”

Lea felt so bad as she was walking away to prepare the coffee and tea. All of this was so weird… so weird. Coffee and tea in place of dessert? In place of playing with the others?! It was mean!

And he felt so incredibly stupid.

“Coffee and Tea? And what do we do now?”

“Don’t worry, Lea,” Isa said as he brought the dirty dishes to the kitchen. “We will just talk around the drink.”

“Talk of… what?”

“Things.”

“I’m not sure I can hold the conversation,” Lea said, walking next to him. “Do you want me to take that?”

Isa gave him the plates though they were almost at the big sink filled with soapy water.

“Thank you.” Isa kissed softly his cheek. “You’re perfect, Lea. They will love your chatting no matter what.”

“You say that because you love me,” he replied.

“It’s a little correct. But you own my Heart because you’re absolutely wonderful.”

He smiled tenderly to him and went back to help the others with the tidying.

Pressing himself on the side, Lea smiled a bit to Himiko who slid hot water in his cup. Immediately, the little bag of red fruits freed steams there and they swirled around. He waited just one minute while the others were talking about the educations of the children. Who was learning what, what about the notes? How many comrades they had, etc.

Lea sipped his tea. And took the sugar pot to slid one full spoon. And more. Two. Three. Four… he noticed the look of his lover, which was on him, and he smirked slightly to him. Isa bent and took a few little cakes in the big set that had been installed in the center of the table. And put it in Lea’s plate. The former assassin pushed the plate between them. Isa smiled a little more, watching him with tender love in his eyes.

“Uuuuuugh!”

Lea let his back crash in the sand.

“Are you okay?” Isa asked, bending over him.

“Yeah, yeah, just… ugh, so tired. I’m not done for that. I’m not a dad…” he sighed.

Inside, the teenagers were still in the rooms, playing, joking and preparing themselves for the night incoming. Most of the parents had left for their own house and Lea and Isa hesitated if they had to do it. With a Corridor of Darkness, it was easy to pass from one World to the other…

“You’re learning, Lea.”

“You’re learning too, and yet!”

“I’m just skilled for the decorum. Don’t worry. Roxas and Xion always plot against me because I’m too strict.”

“Yeah, but you’re perfect anyway.” Lea rubbed his face. “I’m sorry, I suck…”

“You’re not.”

Isa sat next to him, his fingers passed in the red hairs and he bent to press a myriad of kisses on his cheeks.

Lea laughed softly and grabbed him by the waist and made him roll on the sand. As he did, Isa slid his hands on his cheeks, his thumbs caressing them.

“I’m really gifted to have ya, y’know?” Lea muttered against his lips.

“It’s the same for me,” he replied.

“I love ya,” Lea whispered in the hole of his ear.

Just before kissing the lobe. And then his throat, his hairs tickling him and making him laugh and whisper his name.

He loved him. He loved him so much and had not enough words to tell him to him. Whatever how often he’d kiss him, bring him to do stuff outside, would lay in his arms and mutter his name, again and again…

“I want to be with you forever…” he muttered.

He caressed his lips with a tender thumb.

“I’m yours,” Isa said under his breath.

“I’m yours too,” Lea replied, kissing tenderly his scar on the forehead. “A Legend says this World has strange fruits. A fruit bonding with someone if you share it with them. Forever.”

Isa nodded slightly. Roxas and Xion talked about that all the time because it was deeply anchored in their memories.

Sora’s memories.

Riku had talked about it today, too.

Kairi, once…

“I’ll grab one for you! And we will share it!” Lea was ready to rise up but he stayed on place. “If you’re okay?”

Isa smiled and kissed him tenderly, softly, with a strong passion.

“Of course,” he said. “I want to have my life intertwined with yours. Forever.”

Not that it wasn’t already done. Their lives were made to be together. They were meant to walk alongside the same path.

Forever.

And nothing could tear them apart…

Lea took his hands to kiss them and got up, helping him to do the same. He stepped aside but held Isa’s hand as he was searching for a Paopu fruit, walking by his side, enjoying the warm weather even if the night was slowly cast its veil upon the day.

As he was searching the precious fruit, he kept glancing to Isa with a smile.

Even if he didn’t find the Paopu, he’d be happy to be next to him. He loved every moment with him. He was the only one whose silence didn’t bother him.

There was nothing wrong when he was by his side.

Nothing.

They kept walking, walking and walking.

As they did, Lea caressed his fingers, leaning in here and there to kiss him. And Isa happily kissed him back when he could.

Lea kept glancing around and, suddenly…

“Here!”

Isa looked as his boyfriend showed a big star-shaped fruit. It was hanging in a curbed tree, hanging above the sea.

“Lea, maybe ano…”

“I’ll get this one! I’ll show you my love!”

Isa let go on his hand to slide them along his cheeks, pressing a kiss on his nose.

“I know you love me.”

“But I want to impress you!”

“And you impress me all the time,” he said. He kissed his cheek tenderly. “But go on, if you want to.”

“Look at me!”

The redhead smiled and walked to the tiny island with the tree above the water. He blew a kiss to Isa who acted like he could actually catch it. He pressed it against his chest, while trying to prevent his longs blue hairs to paste against his skin.

He watched as Lea climbed on the trunk and started to walk toward the big fruit. He was doing carefully. It wasn’t time to worry his lover!

So he moved with tiny pace and even sat next to the fruit. He bent and grabbed the edge of the fruit.

“Lea, take c…”

“What?!”

The man lost his balance and his whole body dashed toward the waves. He rose his hand as high as he could in his fall. As he plunged down the sea, his hand kept above the surface, saving the fruit.

“YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!!” he let out.

“Lea! Come back!” Isa called.

“Yes, yes, yes!”

Lea started to swim, just with one hand, and came to the beach. He ran to his lover and grabbed him by the waist, making him swirl in the airs.

“Lea!” Isa let out, thought he couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m just so happy!! I’ve got it! We’ll be together forever!” he said happily.

“Of course, we will,” he said, hugging him back, kissing his cheeks with tenderness. “I’m your forever, Lea. I’m just yours.”

Lea kissed his arms tenderly. He caressed Isa’s throat and then went on his knee, still holding the fruit.

“Isa… Do you want to share the rest of your life with me?”

“Lea… You’re…” He smiled tenderly. “Of course.”

Isa knelt next to him and kissed his lips tenderly. And smiled even more when Lea held out the fruit to him. They knew nothing about the Legend and maybe it really was just a Legend… so they could bit together in the fruit. So they could bond to each other. Until their last breath.

Breath they hoped lose together…

Nothing seemed to have changed.

Lea and Isa were bonded forever but nothing seemed to have changed. What could have changed? They loved each other so much, they always knew they were meant for a live at two…

As Lea woke up, just because he needed to go in the bathroom before coming back for a longer nap, he noticed something on his hand. In the dim light coming through the windows, he could see it, next to the thumb, just a bit under it. It was a Paopu fruit. But a bite had been removed from it. He frowned. From where it came?

He rubbed it, trying to erase it, but he couldn’t. The drawing seemed to be deep in his skin. Like a tattoo.

“Mi amor?” he said, leaning over Isa.

“Hmm… I’ll get up…. Don’t… worry,” he said, rubbing his forehead before holding out his hand.

Lea gave him his and leaned over him, wanting to press kisses on his face.

“It’s not th…”

He stopped in the mid of the word because he saw their hands intertwined, saw the Paopu formed by their hands.

He moved them to him.

“I think the magic works and you can’t push me aside,” he whispered.

Isa who glanced at the clock and noticed the hour, had his eyes just coming back to him. To their hands intertwined. And he saw the tattoos mixed together… A smile appeared on his lips and he pressed his lips over it, mostly on Lea’s hand.

“I never meant to push you aside. Now go back to sleep or you’ll be obnoxious all day long,” he said, winking at him.

“Isaaaaaaa…”

“Do the big spoon, please. Forever?”

“Is this a forever meaning forever the big spoon or forever with you? Because I like when you’re doing the big spoon too!”

“Forever with you.”

Isa kissed once again the Paopu linked on their hands. Lea hugged him tenderly and kissed his throat, saying again and again how much he loved him…

#akusai #leaisa #It's on ao3 #fanfiction #fanfic #fluffy #paopu fruit #soulmate #eternal love #inspired by another person's work #my momma kat is awesome

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harrykilledmoi · 5 years

Text

A Bell Through The Night

Or the one where Harry surprises you in more ways than one.

Word Count: 7.3 k Themes: AU, fluff, angst, 70s!Harry, Fleetwood Mac Pairing: Harry Styles x Reader / Harry Styles x Stevie Nicks (circa 1975) Warnings: drug use Author’s Note: I know this is a little late, since the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame train has long left the station but I still wanted to share this! Inspired by this: “This beautiful child should’ve been born in 1948, too, because he just fits in with all of us.” - Stevie Nicks [on Harry Styles]

masterlist read on wattpad edits

August 24, 1975.

It’s a phone call that has you in the Arizona desert at the tail end of the summer months. Harry had gone down days before you for a meeting. Work had been slow in coming your way for a few weeks and photographing locals for a small newspaper in the city had left you with little to be desired. So when he’d asked for you to join him on this specific day, in this specific place, you were more than excited to oblige.

The trek from the opposite coast hadn’t been as bad as you thought it would be. You were nervous at first because, up until this point, you had never been on a plane. But there was something about the ride amongst sun kissed, gossamer clouds that made you never want to get off.

Now you were stood at the airport, wedged in a phone booth, camera strapped and hanging from your neck. Your small blue suitcase tucked in between your legs as you rest the phone between your ear and shoulder. Rooting around in your denim jacket pocket for the piece of paper containing the phone number for the motel Harry was staying in, as well as an address. You find it, then drop a dime into the coin slot. The dial tone buzzes loudly through the receiver before a pre-recorded woman’s voice prompts you to dial “the number you wish to reach.”

The shrill phone ring bleeds through the phone becoming the soundscape for your observation of your surroundings as you wait for him to answer. Two young children run around screaming and laughing, A young couple sit cuddled up together on an island bench, a TSA guard, with his too small button up shirt, stained with sweat, smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee at a counter cafe. You scratch your arm, it had been weeks since you’d decided to quit smoking and it was getting harder and harder everyday to not just cave.

“Hello?”

His voice pours through the phone like honey, comb still in, static dances around the accompanying silence. You jump even though you had been expecting his voice, you hadn’t realized just how long it had been since you’d last spoken.

“Hey, Harry, Hi,” you speak, while fumbling to readjust the phone, settling on just holding it up to your ear with your hand.

“Hey love, y’here? How was the flight?”

“Good, good. I mean there was a baby crying the whole way down but I feel worse for their mom than I do myself and the attendants just seemed like they wanted to jump out of the plane, sans parachute, ya know? It was wild, so beautiful but like, we were up so high. It’s weird to think about how far technology has come. Uhm, are you picking me up still?” You ramble and Harry notices, his soft chuckle trickles through the phone, notifying you.

“You nervous or something, bunny?”

You laugh, waving your hand in the air in front of you, as if doing so would fan away the acute feelings of anxiety that followed you from your home, onto a plane, and right to Sky Harbour International airport. You hated surprises and although you had been together for nearly three years, you weren’t sure if Harry had known.

“No, no. I’m fine. Totally copasetic.”

There’s a light shuffling on the other end of the phone as well as a few soft voices but none clear enough for you to distinguish.

“Choice. I can’t pick you up. I gotta finish up getting your surprise ready but I will meet you at the motel at six, you have the address. Y’alright with taking a cab?”

You glance around the airport. The TSA guard is now talking to a woman who is holding the hands of the two children that were rebel rousing earlier. She looks exhausted.

“Yeah, yeah. I can… I can do that.” “Alright! I’ll see you then,” the smile on his face was evident through his words, bringing the corners of your lips as well.

“See you then.”

You hang up and push yourself away from the pay phone, picking up your suitcase. You survey the wide, open space of the airport. People coming to and from, going everywhere, going nowhere. Finding their place in the world by getting lost. It was something that had always fascinated you; the idea that everyone you’re surrounded by in a public place has their own story. Sonder, a three dollar word that you’d thought Harry had made up during one of your game nights. The both of you had been so high that night - deciding that an LSD fueled scrabble game would be way more fun - that it took you nearly 45 minutes to locate it in the dictionary.

You step through the large glass doors towards the taxi nursery at the edge of the curb. The late afternoon sun washes you in a soft glow, as a snug blanket of dry heat surrounds you. You place your suitcase by your feet and pull off your jacket, tying it around your waist. The plain white tank top you have on reflects the surrounding light. You hold a hand out and a bright yellow car, top light on, pulls up in front of you. You toss in your suitcase before climbing in yourself. Dictating the address to the driver, you settle in for the ride.

Phoenix is unlike any place you’d ever been before. The city, with its towering, stalagmite-esque buildings scattered amongst vast flatlands. It carries a warm, sepia tone with an occasional burst of colour. You snap several pictures through the windows as you drive through the downtown metropolis. Attempting to catch the quick passing beauty of the city at sunset.

The Caravan Inn is a sight in the evening. The glow of lights irradiates the building making it seem as if the sun is shining right from it. The neon illuminated sign, a cavalcade of colours topped with the silhouette of a man riding a camel. A click of your camera shutter and the taxi speeds away, leaving you standing in front of your accommodations for the next few days.

You walk to the motel office, taking in the large OASIS sign, just to the left of it, that hangs right above a pool area. You mentally curse yourself for not packing a swimsuit. A light, airy chime sounds when you enter the small office, followed by the smell of stale coffee and the faint scent of lingering body odor. A stout woman, with white blonde hair stack and pinned to the gods, assists you, handing you a key and pointing you in the direction of the room Harry had been staying in, 2A.

The sound of your shoes echoes every time they meet the teal painted concrete steps. Your quick ascent to the second level of the motel causes your camera to bounce against your chest. You swivel left then right, then left again once you reach the landing. It only takes you a moment before you realize that the door you’re looking for is right in front of you, cloaked in the same aqua hue as the steps. A rusted, brass ‘2A’ sits in the center of it.

The room itself, modest in size, looks as if it held secrets that would cause your demise if you were to learn them. A queen sized bed, dressed in an obnoxious orange comforter sits against the wall, coming far into the middle of the room. Beside it, two bedside tables covered in a wood patterned vinyl, one with a clock, both with matching lamps. Gold bulbous bases, cylindrical off white shades throwing rays of toasty light around the room. Harry’s worn leather shoulder bag sits unzipped in the far corner, at the square, wooden base of the bed.

The soles of your shoes drag against the low, dark carpeted floor as you enter the room. A small side skip allows you to squeeze through the tight space between the foot of the bed and a small television stand before dropping your bag next to Harry’s.

The lone analog clock ticks right as you look at it, as if speaking directly to you. The hour hand rests just past the 5 and the minute, on the 3. It’s then that you realize just how long the journey had been. You sit on the bed, your weight lightly ricochets your body up then down, a squeal from the springs echos off of the brown and cream striped wallpapered walls. You’re exhausted and after a few passing seconds, decide to prioritize a nap over a shower. You lay back on top of the blanket, your head sinks into the pillow and just like that, you’re out.

Keys in a deadbolt brings you into a stream of consciousness. You keep your eyes closed and attempt to keep your breathing even and leveled, wanting to will yourself back to sleep. A shuffling sound follows the soft click of the of the door closing. You feel the bed dip then a strong arm secure itself around your waist along with a nose nuzzling into the hair at the base of your neck.

“Bunny?”

His lips touch your neck in a barely there kiss as his breath seeps into your skin and down your spine.

“Know you’re awake.” You groan as he kisses the base of your neck before untangling himself from you.

“Scoot your tush, got your surprise f’ya.”

You open your eyes and sit up, finding him standing at the edge of the bed, hands behind his back. You turn to face him, positioning yourself in the middle of the bed, legs crossed beneath you. His face holds a smile as bright as the neon signs of the countless motels on the interstate. Dimples on full display. His eyes trace the lines of your face.

You run your hand through your hair, smoothing it down.

“What is it?”

“My god, you’re gorgeous.”

“Duuuude,” you whine, the anticipation of not knowing why he’d asked you to come to Arizona was reaching critical mass. You want to know, you need to know.

“You have t’guess.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes,” his tone is laced with mock seriousness, causing his face follow suit, fighting against a smile.

You crawl forward across the bed towards him and rise to your knees when you’re right in front of him, so close your chests touch. You bring a hand up to his hair, playing with the long curls before tracing your hand down his t-shirt clad chest painfully slow. You notice his adam’s apple bob as your hand rests right above the top of his jeans. You trace your fingers from hip bone to hip bone as you pepper sluggish kisses up his neck to his jaw, which clenches when you kiss the soft groove between the sharp edge and his earlobe. His lips part, his eyes close and you know this is your chance. You use your free hand to snatch “your surprise” out of his hands, snapping Harry out of his revelry.

You scoot back quickly, your back bumps up against the headboard, laughing as Harry lunges towards you. You hold the item, which you now knew is a record, in the air as he tries to take it away from you. He sighs, giving up almost immediately while settling into the space between your legs, his chin resting on your stomach.

“Fine, you win.” You flash your teeth in victory.

“Don’t I always,” you laugh through your gloat, looking down at him. His eyes, wide and bright staring back at you, the pale jade speaking to your soul in a way nothing else ever could. He kisses the small patch of skin on your torso where your shirt has ridden up in all the excitement.

“Well, check it.”

You roll your eyes then bring the record down to eye level, blocking Harry’s face completely. In your hands, Fleetwood Mac’s self titled album, which left you a bit confused. You distinctly remember going to the record store with Harry to buy it the day it had come out. In fact, you were pretty sure this was that exact copy, the coffee ring in the corner confirmed that. You tilt the record to the side to reveal Harry’s smirking face, your eyebrow raises to silently ask him what the heck was going on.

“Turn it over you mong.”

You sigh causing Harry’s head to sink with the release of air, flipping the record, turning to look at it from the side. Harry’s eyes are trained on you as you read the delicate, black scrawl that takes up the bottom right corner of the sleeve. Your eyes widen as you look back and forth between Harry and the album. His smile growing wider each time.

“How the fuck did you… oh my god!”

Hey Bunny!

Thank you for loving and living.

Love, Stevie Nicks x.

“I know a guy. Check inside,” Harry pushes, he rolls his lips together, eyes trained on you as you tilt the record sleeve. Two small, rectangular pieces of pink hued paper, a stiff card like stock, fall onto the bed beside you. You place the record down gently and pick them up. Reading them, Harry didn’t think you could be more visibly excited, he was wrong. The fist holding them clench as you use you free hand to pull Harry up to eye level with you.

Pressing your lips together in a kiss that screamed appreciation and adoration. You pull apart moments later to catch your breaths, resting your forehead on his, all heavy breathing and dilated pupils you manage to squeeze out an nearly inaudible, “thank you.”

Harry takes you by the hand, pulling you through the crowd of sweaty, intoxicated in some way or another, bodies closer to the front of the stage. Turning back every once in a while with a huge smile on his face, which you returned with just as much enthusiasm.

The opening band had just finished their set and the crowd is amply warmed up, ready for the magic that is Fleetwood. You had chosen to go sober, wanting to soak in every song, every moment, every emotion, to hold on to for years to come. For when your grandchildren asked you about your youth, knowing that this was a moment you would regret to forget.

Harry pulls you into him, lazily draping an arm around your shoulders, once you both find yourself in a great spot; two rows behind those pressed up to the stage. You wouldn’t have to crane your neck to see but you felt bad for the shorter folks left standing behind your beau. The boy was tall and there was no denying that.

The house lights come down resulting in a boisterous roar from the crowd, mirroring the rumbling anticipation and excitement in your gut. You’d been listening to the band for as long as you could remember, from before Stevie had become a part of the magic, but it really was her addition that had made you fall in love all over again.

One by one Mick, Lindsey, Christine, and John take their places, instruments on their person. Safe for Mick’s drum set, which he quickly shuffles behind. Stevie is last on but most definitely not least. She floats onto the stage with a grace unparalleled to any earthly creature, dressed in a white, lace, tie up, cropped blouse, a sheer white shawl around her shoulders and light denim bell bottoms. She takes her place behind the microphone at center stage, tambourine in hand. The stage lights create an angelic halo around her as it shines through her flowing, blonde hair. You’re mesmerized, so much so that you hadn’t noticed Harry’s arm drop from around your shoulder.

It’s Christine who speaks first, addressing the crowd, welcoming you all to the show, thanking you for wanting to be a part of this experience with them, introducing the first song.

“‘Bout to do a song from the Kiln House album for you. This one’s called Station Man.”

Her accent catches you by surprise, breaking you out of your trance with a smile. You nudge Harry softly in the ribs, looking up at him. He looks down at you, a knowing smirk etched on his face.

You’re having the time of your life, dancing and singing along. Both to songs you hadn’t heard before and songs your soul could recognize in the afterlife. Jumping and spinning circles around Harry as he sways along to the music. Watching you enjoy yourself is one of his favourite things about spending time with you. A close second to your ability to challenge his mind with just the words that came out of your mouth.

“This is a song from our latest album that came out a few months ago. It’s a song from Stevie Nicks called Rhiannon,” Christine’s voice echoes throughout the theater.

Whistles and hoots drift from the back of the room to the front, cloaking you in a feeling of belonging. The opening chord of the song drip from Lindsey’s guitar, in a new yet familiar way, as Stevie steps up to the mic. You bring your camera up and snap a quick photo before settling. Preparing yourself for your favourite song off of the album you’d been listening to on repeat since you’d first had it in your possession.

“This is a song about an old Welsh witch.”

It’s then that she makes eye contact with you, smiling, and for a split second your heart stops. You can’t help but allow the grin on your face to grow exponentially. Her eyes leave yours and land beside you, on Harry, and she sends a short, familiar wave in his direction, to which Harry returns before she launches into the song.

Her voice guttural and raw, full of unspoken feelings and unknown history. She’s petite but so incredibly chasmal. You elbow him in his side, harder this time, fueled completely by awe.

“Heeeeey. What was that for?”

“Stevie just fucking waved at you!”

He smiles, lifting and dropping his shoulders at your verbal observation. He stays silent, swaying to the music as you stare at him in complete and utter disbelief. You take a minute, glancing at Stevie and then back at Harry. Finally connecting her acknowledgement of his presence and his casual indifference.

“You know Stevie Nicks…” He turns his head to acknowledge your realization, but keeps his eyes glued to the stage.

“You know Stevie Nicks? How do you know Stevie Nicks?”

He stays silent, his lower lip now wedged under this teeth. Gnawing ever so slightly.

You had now lost complete interest in the events happening on stage, shifting your focus, trying to understand how your boyfriend knew your idol.

You try again, slower this time, louder.

“Harry. How do you know Stevie Nicks?”

He releases his lip, only to replace his teeth with his thumb and forefinger. Pulling at it pensively, his eyes still trained on the stage.

“We used to date.”

His words are so nonchalant that you’re thoroughly convinced you’ve misheard him. Your eyes widen. You look back and forth between Harry and Stevie. A lump forms in your throat as you watch the golden haired goddess twirl and glide around the stage. Her voice echoing throughout the theater.

Your mind drifts as you attempt to enjoy the show. You want to enjoy this moment, to relish in it but you continuously find your train of thought crashing into an pit of ugly envy, a flaming, fiery mess with no survivors. Jealousy had never been your MO but you’d always been distressingly aware of how absurdly incomparable Harry is. The passing eyes of both women and men alike was a constant reminder of that fact. It wasn’t only the fact that he was painfully handsome either - although denying that it is a colossal factor would be naive and foolish - but the genuine and intoxicating aura that surrounds him. Pulling people in, making them want him and want to know him. It had been the very reason you’d approached him in that dark, dingy dive years prior, and now it’s the reason you feel as small as you do. Incredibly inadequate standing next to him, in the pit of a show led by a woman whose aura and beauty matched his, whom of which he had been involved with. How could you compare? How could you ever live up to that? A lyrical angel, a literal rockstar. You’re tired of the sour feeling pinching your stomach but you can’t help but compare yourself to the ethereal enigma that is Stevie. Who could? You didn’t say anything to Harry through the rest of the show nor him to you. You’re so consumed with the rush of feelings that’ve come over you that you hadn’t noticed the show had ended. It wasn’t until you felt the movement of the crowd heading towards the back of the theater, like a high tide being pulled by the moon, that you re-join reality. Your nerves are fried and you’re not quite sure if they could be repaired.

Harry turns to you, smiling. His hands on your face, cradled beneath your ears as his thumbs stroke your cheeks.

“How’d you like the show?”

His voice is soft and expecting. You look up at him, pushing a brief small smile up from the reservoir of adrenaline you hadn’t known you had left over.

“Got one more surprise f’you.”

He sounds so excited that you didn’t have the the heart to tell him, point blank, that you’d had enough and just wanted to go home. Not back to the motel, home.

He pulls you gently to a door on the side of the theater that reads “CREW MEMBERS ONLY” in big, red block letters, leading you through a long hallway filled with gear cases and crew members, giving a swift nod to every other passerby. Your confusion only grows when he stops in front of a door labelled in fancy, slick cursive as the green room. A mixture of laughter, conversation, and music seep through, muffled by the barrier in front of you. He stops and turns to you, dropping your hand before relocating them to your shoulders. You look anywhere but him, the ground having more interest than yours to be transparent about how you’re feeling in this moment. He went through all of this trouble, although now you question how much trouble it truly was, for you. You didn’t want to seem ungrateful because you were far from it. You just didn’t want to spoil his mood with yours that had curdled within the last hour.

You feel a hand lift off of one shoulder. A light finger placement under your chin brings your eyes into contact with the saturated everglade within his. He’d always been really good at reading you. Knowing when something was off, when you felt off. You weren’t sure if it was the post-concert fumes or the joint he’d smoked in the parking lot before the show, but he hadn’t shown you any hints of knowing. You found yourself silently praising every deity you knew by name.

“‘lright, m’gonna need to stay calm. Okay?” A soft laugh peeks through his words.

You remain silent, nodding in complacent understanding. He turns, lightly rapping on the door. His ring - the rose one you’d given him on his birthday last year - sounds a vague metallic clang on the antiqued wood.

The noise of the room, once muddled, hits you like a speeding freight when the door swings open. A sing-song chorus of Harry’s name plays through the space. You shuffle in behind him, keeping your head down. You aren’t generally a quiet person but moments like this are far and few between for you.

Harry working the room is nothing short of magical. Greeting anyone and everyone as you tail him, a firm grip on the bottom of his worn Rolling Stones tour tee. Hugs, fist bumps and light conversation all around. It isn’t until he introduces you loudly to the room that you realize you’re standing in the center of it. Harry no longer in front of you, but at your side, nudging you gently forward.

You look up, raising your hand in a demure greeting, as names you won’t have the chance to remember are hurdled towards you. Then, out of a door you hadn’t noticed in the corner of the room, steps the woman of the hour. She fiddles with the tie on her shirt as she enters deeper into the room.

“What’s with all the commotion out here?”

She sounds just like she sings, real and raw, and you’re enthralled all over again. She scans the room, biting back a smile. It grows only when she spots Harry and speeds to his person, arms out and welcoming.

“Harry! You came. I’m so glad!” He laughs into the hug and tsunami of invidiousness you’d been riding crashes at your feet with full force. You feel smaller than a head on a pin.

You watch as they step out of their embrace, but continue to hold each other at arm's length. Stevie’s on his biceps, Harry’s on her forearms.

“Wow, this is so good. This is great.” Her words are like sunshine and although she’s not speaking to you, you can’t help but to be filled with an indiscriminate warmth. You cross your arms over your chest. You feel intrusive on this reunion but just when you’re about to make a mad dash for the door she turns and looks at you.

“Is this Bunny?” She looks back at Harry. A rush of confidence propels you forward, hand out, you introduce yourself.

Stevie smiles, releasing Harry and takes your hand, pulling you into a hug. The scent of patchouli and lavender radiates from her, sending your head in a spiral. You look up at Harry, eyes wide. His elbow rests on his other arm that’s strung across his chest. His hand covering the large grin that has surfaced on his face. She pulls away from you, holding you in the same way she had Harry.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you. He talks about you nonstop. So nice to finally put a face to a name.”

You look back and forth between Stevie and Harry, who was now stood behind her.

“Uh… yeah. Big… uh, I’m a big fan of the band,” you stumble, “...and of yours. Huge fan of yours. Massive,” and blaze through the end of your truth.

She laughs gently, sweetly then she’s gone, beckoned from across the room, whisking over to whomever required her attention.

You’re in shock, hands still out in front of you. Harry steps forward, a light snicker escapes him as he takes your hands. You stare up at him but you’re not really looking at him.

“You okay?”

You nod slowly, your jaw slack, leaving an open space between your lips. Harry kisses the side of your mouth before letting go of your hands. He tells you to grab a seat, that he’ll grab you a drink, before jetting off to the refreshment table where Stevie and Mick are having, what seems like, a deep conversation.

You find a spot on a small, gray couch in the corner of the room. Watching people get drunker and more rowdy as the time goes by. They start to blur together into one massive streak of colour and sound. It isn’t until you spot the time on a clock located just above the bathroom door that you realize Harry had been gone for nearly an hour. The air grows suffocating as you stand, searching over heads of fluffed and curled hair for refuge. You spot Harry moments later. His arm slung around Stevie’s shoulder as they talk animatedly with Christine. You want to walk over and pull him away, plead with him to take you back to the motel, but the barbed wire twisting around your stomach made you hesitant. You watch him place an exaggerated kiss on Stevie’s head and that’s what sends you off the deep end. The feeling as frigid and sharp as an ice bath.

You scramble towards the door you’d entered through just a few short hours ago. Knocking shoulders and bumping drinks until you finally reach the handle. You tug it so violently that you could’ve sworn you’d ripped the door off its hinges.

Almost blindly, you stagger forwards into the hallway, sucking in a deep breath. You can hear your heart in your ears, feel your pulse in your throat, as you push yourself further down the hall. Stopping when you reach a pile of equipment cases piled just high enough for you to get your feet off the ground had you chosen to climb them; and you did. Propping yourself on the edge of a peripheral case and sitting on top of the large amp casing.

You shouldn’t be feeling this way, you know you shouldn’t but your head and heart weren’t cooperating. The futility of trying to get them to comply and coexist to give you some semblance of sanity is incredibly high. So in turn you decide to become just that, incredibly high. You shimmy backwards, resting your head and back against the wall, before pulling a joint out of your pocket. Rainy day insurance is what Harry had called it when he found out it was a permanent fixture to your person.

“...in case of emergencies.” “Good to know you’re so prepared, love. If I’m ever in need of some immediate enlightenment, I’ll know who to ring.”

You light it with a match from a matchbook you’d taken from the motel. You inhale deeply, letting the small, packaged green sit tightly between your lips. You hold it in, one, two, three seconds before releasing a cloud of smoke with a big audible sigh. Your eyes sliding shut as you wait for your erratic heartbeat to level out.

When Stevie’s head peeks out of the green room door a few moments later, you’re too floaty to realize. She spots you, however, looking as serene as they come. The joint, now a roach, pinched between your fingers. She glides over to you, her movements so fluid, you’d swear she were swimming through the air.

“There you are,” you open your eyes at the sound of her voice to find her smiling at you. A lazy smile graces your features.

“Hey there.”

“I wondered where you’d run off too. Harry was talking my ear off all weekend about how I just had to meet his Bunny and I barely got to chat with you tonight.”

Your smile and relaxed demeanor fall as you take in her words. The filter you once had has burned down to non-existent. Your immediate thoughts began to flow sluggishly from your lips and you were sure you shouldn’t have let it but you couldn’t stop yourself.

“Harry was with you all weekend?”

“Yeah, we had a few days off. We were trying to work out some logistics for the third leg of the tour, one of our openers dropped out and I remembered that Harry had been trying to do the music thing for so long, figured we’d give him a shot. Y’know?”

“Tour?” you sit up, leaning forward, pulling your legs into a criss cross position.

Harry saunters out of the green room, spotting you and Stevie, he approaches the two of you but you’re too distracted to notice. Not sure if it’s because of the haze from the smoke or the news you’d just heard. “Yeah, he’s gonna be great.”

“What am I gonna be great at?” He questions, entering the conversation.

You look at him, all droopy eyelids and knitted brows. You’re positive that if you weren’t as high as you are now, you’d be shaking.

“Opening for Fleetwood on tour.”

You speak so curtly and clearly that you scare yourself. It feels as if your soul is trying to disconnect itself from its earthbound prison, but you’re holding on for dear life.

Harry turns to Stevie so quickly you can see his movements blur, following him in delayed time as if it were on another plane of existence.

“You told her?”

“You didn’t?” Stevie’s eyebrows are raised.

“I need a drink,” your words muffled by starch, the interior of your mouth feeling as if you’d just played an insanely long round of chubby bunny. You try to jump off of the case but your clouded mind executes the action before your body could follow, causing you to stumble once your feet hit the ground. Harry’s arms are out in an instant, catching you. You land face first into his strong, broad chest. His scent hits you in a billowing poof of air. It’s woodsy and citrusy and salty and sweet. It’s too much.

You push yourself away from him, out of his arms. He calls after you but you’re already sliding back into the green room. At the refreshment table a wide spread of liquors is presented to you. You reach for the vodka but make a split last second decision and reach for the tequila instead, knocking over a bottle that was in the way. You hold the bottle of tequila above your head but it’s snatched from your fingers right as you’re about pour a shot into your mouth.

Harry stands in front of you, tequila in hand. He looks like someone has kicked his puppy and you find yourself vexed because he had no reason to be upset. He was the one leaving you.

He leans in, mouth so close to your ear that you can smell the faint trace of alcohol on his breath.

“Can we please talk about this outside?”

You scoff, a light snorting noise punctuated with an eye roll. Oh, noooow he wants to talk.

“Please?”

“Fine,” you humour him, your concession tangled in a heavy sigh.

He places the bottle back on the table before spinning you around. Placing his hands on your waist, he guides you gently out of the green room.

You don’t stop moving until you’re outside, in a loading area, buses and trucks lined up uniformly. The late night air is a lot staler than it had been when you first arrived. An oven with the door open, no wind, just warmth all around. It sobers you up almost instantly. Harry stops nudging when the two of you are settled in between two, large packing trucks parked closely together, leaving only a few inches between your bodies. You lean lazily against the truck, allowing your eyes to close and your head to lul to the the side, awaiting his reasoning, his explanation, as if there was one good enough to justify him keeping this from you.

When he speaks your name it’s soft, reminding you of the clouds you’d flown over less than twelve hours ago. What you wouldn’t give to have that peace of mind back in this moment.

“Listen, I didn’t know if it was actually going to happen. Been talking to Christine and just recently caught up with Stevie and she’d mentioned it. I didn’t want to tell you unless it was a sure thing.” You open your eyes, raising them to the sky. The height of the trucks tunnel your vision, redirecting your focus to the twinkling clusters of stars stitched to the deep, dark velvet of the two am sky. He keeps his eyes trained on you.

“And is it?”

“S’what?”

You finally look at him, immediately meeting his gaze, throwing you off for half a beat. You shift your weight from one leg to the other.

“Is it a sure thing?”

He remains silent, his chest rising and falling with each breath he takes and releases. You can see the gears in his head turning, the possible negative outcomes of answering your question, playing in his eyes. Like a silent stop motion film. All in black and white. All unhappy endings.

He does, however, answer you with a slow nod. Keeping his eyes on you, studying you as if he had a major exam coming up that could make or break his school year, watching for any signs that may point to you telling him that you were done with him.

“And when were you going to tell me? If you even were going to tell me,” you mutter the latter under your breath but he still catches it. His posture straightens.

“I was going to tell you Bunny! I swear. Was gonna be tonight too, like when we got back to the motel. After I loved on you cause god, I’ve fuckin’ missed you and it’s only been a few days…” he pauses, stepping towards you but you’re quicker, side stepping so you were no longer flush the truck. Square with the opening between them, creating much needed space between you and Harry. A pained expression plateaus his features but he continues, turning his body to face your new position.

“I just… I wanted tonight to be perfect. I wanted you to have an unforgettable one. Wanted to make up for what happened on your birthday last year.”

You cross your arms over your chest, relinquishing a sigh. You remember it vividly, although you wish you could forget it.

It had been a while since you had celebrated your earthstrong day but Harry insisted that you must do something for it. 25 was a big deal, it was important. Harry had made a big deal of planning a dinner for you and your family to celebrate. What he hadn’t told you was that the dessert he’d prepared, your favourite after meal pastry, had a little something extra in it that he hadn’t warned you about. Long story short, you spent the rest of your night talking your parents down from a very bad high, and Harry - the cause of all of your grief that night - slept through it all. You’d put him in the dog house for months after that and he’d never stopped apologizing.

“You have to admit though. Now when y’look back at it, s’kind of funny. I mean your mum really dug that shag rug,” he chuckles.

“It’s not funny.”

He tries to subdue his giggles resulting in a wide grin instead. You struggle to remain stoic, still fuming, but you could feel the edges of your icy-ness began to melt away. There’s just something about this boy that always gets to you in the best way possible. Which is why finding out that he may be away for months at a time tasted so incredibly bitter.

You let out a puff of air.

He gives himself a light tap on the cheek. His mouth pursed in a small frown as he tries to focus on remaining serious.

“Oh come on Bunny, I’m sorry okay. I swear I was gonna tell you.”

He nudges you softly, hoping the contact would soften your hard demeanor and lighten up the weight of the situation. He’d really been hoping to have this talk to you when you were in a better mood but he now knew he had to tread lightly.

He takes a tentative step towards you. Your arms, still tightly crossed against your chest, begin to loosen. Slowly, as if counting the seconds and steps in his head, he reaches for your arm. When you don’t resist, he pulls you in close to him in a warm embrace. Whispers of apologies and pleasantries leave his lips in short bursts, threading through your hair and landing on your shoulders. He’s being incredibly gentle with you, and although you’re sure he wishes it had the opposite effect, every touch breeds heartache. The dam is cracking and your hand is hovering above the manual release button for the floodgates.

You release the hold that you have on your own arms when he starts petting your hair. Long, molassing strokes that fall in time with both of your breathing. Naturally synced. Your face pressed against his chest, fitting like your favourite pair of jeans: snug, comfortable, perfect.

“Didn’t even know you wanted to pursue music,” your words are muffled by the cotton of his shirt but his sigh lets you know that he’s heard you. He rests his chin on top of your head.

“Wasn’t something I thought I’d get the chance to do, y’know? Was a hobby for so long, always just mucked about with it. Used it as an outlet. Gave it up before I met you”

Your arms wrap themselves around your stomach loosely, as if they were keeping you from falling apart.

“How come?” You were curious. You couldn’t help help but think that it was because he’d met you that he given up his dream. Freelance photography didn’t pay greatly but it was your passion and Harry had always pushed you to do what made you happy. So he’d taken a job managing a bakery down the street from the apartment you shared to support the both of you.

“It was a different time in my life, back when I was living in California. Didn’t really have much that I had to care about. I was living with a bunch of people who were trying to make a living that way so I fell into it.” He’d stopped his work on your hair, bringing his arm around you shoulder to bring you in closer.

“Is that how you met Stevie?”

He chuckles, it’s airy but full of reminiscent energy.

“Yeah, that’s how I met Stevie.”

You shuffle, moving your head to look up at him. His eyes full of memories. You urge him to continue.

“I was crashing on a friend’s couch in this artist commune. They had a party one night and she was there. We talked and just, I don’t know. Ran with it. We don’t have to talk about this, it’s weird innit? Me talking about my ex.” You lean back to look up at him eyebrow raised.

“You really think this is the weirdest thing to happen tonight?”

He laughs.

“You’re right.”

The corners of your mouth twitch upwards for a split second. You move back to your former position, pressed up against his chest. You close your eyes, indulging in the rhythmic beat of his heart.

“So what happened?”

“It was a lot. There was a lot going on and I couldn’t handle it.”

You hum, nodding ever so slightly.

“Plus she met Lindsey…” He pauses, untangling his arms from you taking a small step back. He lifts his hand and runs the pad of his thumb lightly across your cheekbone. You eyes flick up to his, looking down at you. He sighs, the corner of his mouth lifts, “...and I met you.

The flutter you feel in your stomach is strong but short lived when you remember why you were both standing in the loading area of a theater instead of hanging out with your favourite band just a mere feet away. You’ve been trying to avoid asking your next question. Trying to push it to the back of your mind, attempting to distract yourself from it because you already knew what the answer would be but it stayed stewing, and now it was bubbling over. Before you could stop it, it flew out of your mouth and into the space around you.

“Are you going to accept the offer?”

Harry stays too quiet for too long. With each passing moment, you can feel the ends of your already frayed nerves fizzle and burn out. He looks at you, really looks at you. Your eyes, your lips, you, as a whole. When he finally does speak, his voice is steady and his words, soft. He leans down, cheek touching cheek. And although it’s whispered, his lips tickling the shell of your ear, his words speak unreachable volumes.

“Only if you come with me.”

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