#I was singing that part on repeat while washing dishes

[crystalclocktower]

Im always on about how much I hate the Broadway production but when “when they pick him off the floor, its cuz I wanted it a little more” comes on I shut my trap

#I was singing that part on repeat while washing dishes #Im the frederick trumper of dishwashing #chess the musical

[yunarim]

Can I please request headcanons for the Scarabia boys, Leona, Idia, Rook and Vil finding out that the reader is fluent in their mother tongue (for example: Arabic for Kalim and Jamil, Swahili for Leona, Greek for Idia, French ofc for Rook and German for Vil)?

It lowkey would be funny if they found out by hearing the reader curse

── ⋅⋅⋅ ATTENTION PLEASE | reader who is fluent in boys’ native languages

➷ gn reader, cultural references in some parts, reader is aware of the original fairytale in vil's part, slight cursing in vil's part ⤹ kalim al-asim, jamil viper, leona kingscholar, idia shroud, rook hunt, vil schoenheit

You’re hanging out with KALIM AL-ASIM in the Light Music Club room watching him humming something while you’re helping him arrange stuff. Lilia and Cater are just about to arrive when Kalim starts singing a bit louder and you turn to him, smiling brightly. He has a nice voice, you wonder why the Club never performs on stage with songs. 

“Do you know the song that was popular like, hundreds of years ago? They say it was created when Sorcerer of the Sands existed!!”

“Oh?” You don’t stop polishing his drumsticks. “I don’t think so, given my transmigration. Another world, remember?”

“Ah, right~” Kalim replies playfully. “But it never hurts to try once, don’t you think?” 

“Hey,” you let out a little laugh. “You’re a musician here, not me.”

“Come on, just try! I bet you would do great! Listen, try repeating after me! When the wind’s from the east and the sun’s from the west…”

Kalim surely makes the song sound so beautifully and easy to sing but you find yourself struggling memorizing the lyrics, and let out a small sigh.

“Don’t worry, it’s okay!! It’s actually easy!”

“The one whose hand is in fire is not like the one whose hand is in water…”

You want to try singing again but see Kalim’s dumbfounded facial expression and ask him what’s wrong. When you realize you just let a popular saying in your native language slip out of your tongue, you just say a weak ‘oh’ and apologize. 

“Sorry, let me translate it real quick…”

“No need,” Kalim replies and you realize that even the sound of his voice has changed. 

“Wait…” You say, pointing at him, your smile widens instantly. “You speak Arabic?”

“I didn’t expect you to know Arabic too!” Kalim can’t help but suddenly throw himself on you with hugs. “You’re amazing!”

“As well as you are!”

When Lilia and Cater finally arrive, they can’t even get what is happening at the moment. You almost agree that now you would speak Arabic only like in a way of ciphering things but then you realize that Jamil and apparently half of Scarabia students can speak Arabic so it’s not very confidential but at least you two can gossip playfully around Lilia and Cater from now on. 

➤ اللي ايده في المية مش زي اللي ايده في النار -  Easier said than done.

“What are we cooking today?" You ask JAMIL VIPER, washing your hands and tying the straps of the apron behind your back.

“Nothing complicated,” he says, taking eggs in one hand and vegetable oil in another. He then brings beans that he apparently soaked in water overnight, and starts boiling. “I could apologize for calling you out so early in the morning but you asked this yourself…”

“Sorry for seeing you online so early in the morning,” you replied with a cheeky grin.

Cooking with Jamil was always fun. The dishes he cooked reminded you of ones you were extremely familiar with back in your world. 

“Please would you prepare the bread? You need to place the bread cubes in— hey, are you perhaps following your intuition or something? I never told you the recipe.”

“Huh?” You turn to him when you put bread cubes into the boiling beans water and remove it immediately. “A-ah, right, sorry! I just… the ingredients choice reminded me of Bagila bil Dihin… I miss eating it while living in Ramshackle without any money to buy the ingredients, sadly… Oh, sorry, what was I saying? Tell me about the recipe, please.”

Jamil’s usual collected facade seems to shatter for a moment before you rush to him when onions start turning caramelized. 

“Sorry,” you repeat. “It just happened naturally…”

“Didn’t know you can cook Bagila bil Dihin.”

“Haah?!” Now it’s your turn to be surprised. “I didn’t know you could speak Arabic!” 

“You could have guessed with how many dishes we already cooked together.”

“Yeah maybe I could… But I couldn’t have guessed Arabic exists in Twisted Wonderland!”

“Well, you know now,” Jamil seems more relaxed around you as if he showed you a little bit more of the true side of himself. “Now, would you chop parsley? We can eat together before Kalim wakes up, if you will.”

“Sure!” You reply with a soft chuckle, feeling more energized. 

Jamil lets you try the dish first and suggests keeping it secret from Kalim for some time when he sees your smile. Would you let him fool around just a little? 

“I don’t get your logic,” you say to LEONA KINGSCHOLAR who’s lying on your lap when you’re doing your homework. 

“I don’t get yours either, herbivore,” he yawned, closing his eyes. “You’re being too much of a perfectionist. Just go with the flow or something.”

You sigh, staring at your copybook absentmindedly. A comfortable warmth radiating from Leona’s body was lulling you to sleep but you had exams coming up.

“No, because how the hell does ancient magic even work here? I see spells are needed to be casted in some sort of a Latin equivalent with proper pronunciation. But then there’s a language I don’t know. Also can you cast ancient magic in your native language? Will it be the exact same spell or another one? Arghh…”

“First, calm down. Second, it is Latin.”

“Our worlds seem to be not so different after all,” you shrug. “Actually, demonstrate one harmless ancient spell to me. I won’t ask any questions if you do.”

“Ha!” Leona laughs, adjusting himself on your lap to get into a more comfortable position since you’ve started fidgeting in excitement. “Harmless, you say. The only harmless magic I can cast is to shut you up.”

“I don’t care, cast it.”

“Just stop asking stupid questions and let me sleep already, herbivore.”

Leona smirks proudly, guessing you went under impression and finally shutted up. But the next second he was proved drastically wrong. 

“You know, if that’s the real ancient magic, then I can cast it too. Say, did it work? I believe it did.”

Leona opens his eyes instantly, bright emeralds of his glare aimed at you. You chuckle, resting your hand on top of his head, letting your fingers play with his silky hair.

“I thought we’re over with secrets, herbivore. And now you speak Swahili?”

“Who knows what else I’ve got in my sleeve. Now cast something real already!”

“Don’t wanna,” Leona yawns again. “But keep on trying, maybe even you can cast something. Aloud.”

“If you want to hear me speaking Swahili, then just say so!.. And he’s asleep.”

You’re playing a new detective adventure video game IDIA SHROUD just got. Even if Board Game Club basically is for board games only as it stated in the name, somehow nor Idia and Azul were against of playing a detective adventure PC game Idia just got… somewhere. 

“Hey,” you point at the game when an intro music starts playing. “It looks like it's from the Paleozoic era.”

“I have to agree,” Azul nods. “Looks quite interesting though.”

“Never thought you play for graphics only. What a drama… Wanna get kicked out of the Club?” Idia said quite dramatically when you roll your eyes.

The name says “Nancy Drxw”. You almost get deep into your thoughts when Idia starts playing and you see a kind of familiar gameplay system and setting. 

You get actually excited when the first 30 minutes pass. Mythology-based game turns out to be quite witty with its riddles and puzzles and while Idia is being a personification of an internet walkthrough and Azul hissing at him for dragging the spotlight on himself, you think the setting is extremely familiar to you.

“Let me handle this,” you say when you see a puzzle with 5 different names, tokens and letters of the Greek alphabet. 

You didn’t even know Greek existed here! 

“Ha! Even if I recognized you’re not a normie, there’s no way you can handle this,” Idia says, letting you try nevertheless.

“Ha, just look at him. It’s obvious that the playwright goes to Euripides and as for the token… theatre mask for sure, no doubt.”

Azul sitting at your left lets out a small ‘huh?’ unlike Idia who goes all broken, error 404 imprinting on his face at the moment.

“Excuse me—” Azul tries to ask you what was that just now but Idia interrupts him.

“Hey, move Sigma E to the center and the Mask to the inner red point!” 

You get excited as Idia leans a bit closer to you to show where to put certain elements on the screen and you don’t even get what’s wrong with Azul's expression when he finally breaks your idyll.

“What are you two even saying?”

“Ah, right.” You say, turning to Idia who seems just as confused as you. “How the hell do you know Greek?”

“I literally live in Hell—”

“Oh,” you say. “Right. The keeper of the Underworld and stuff. My bad.”

“One more intended pun and I’m not letting you solve the puzzles.”

“Drop your cipher, would you be oh so kind?” Azul sighs. 

“Nope!”

The first time you hear ROOK HUNT saying random things in French makes you think he knows some words and does it for aesthetic purposes or something. 

You watch a theatre play on your phone which was airing yesterday but you’ve been preoccupied with too many things already so the only way to watch it was today, sitting during a little break under the tree in the school yard. 

You heard Epel nagging about this particular play because somehow it turned out that Vil wants the next project for Film Research Club to be inspired by this play. What does it have to do with you? Well, figuring out the right mood and being a shoulder to cry on because the amount of French was overwhelming and—

And hey, you’ve got to watch something in your native language for the first time in what felt like a year already!

You surely don’t hear Rook approach you until he bends over you and says. 

“What a wonderful afternoon, dear Trickster!” You switch your gaze to him for a few seconds to give him a nod and smile in a greeting way. “ I see you’ve been watching quite a masterpiece, have you not?”

“Yeah, Epel asked me to watch but it’s pretty interesting. Want to join? Though I assume you already saw it.”

“Right you are,” he says but sits beside you nevertheless. “Do you need some help with translations? There are quite a lot of incredibly charming French lines!”

You chuckle softly and turn to him.

“Really? What are your favorites? I can actually see you performing the main lead role on stage.”

You haven’t seen Rook reacting to Vil for the first time in his life, but if you have, you could have sworn that you exceeded all the expectations. Heart-eyed Rook grabs your hands in excitement and declares his everlasting appreciation of how French sounds from you. 

“Alright alright, no need to exaggerate,” you giggle. “I must say I’m impressed too.”

Epel next day: is impressed, too. But more terrified because now he’s got two friends speaking alien language and ending up never translating it to him. 

VIL SCHOENHEIT asked you to help him out during Film Research Club activities. After doing some cleaning, you’re preparing decorations for the next scene.

Still holding a broom, you take a closer look at the stage and the decorations you need to arrange and how other students are adjusting the light. Wooden furniture, dust particles flying all around and glowing under soft sun rays penetrating from the old window; piles of utensils on the table. 

You giggle, making your way towards the centre, and use your broom. Somehow it reminds you of one particular scene from the Snow White movie, and you start singing softly when no one sees you. 

It’s not like anyone can speak your native language, so you don’t really care when you’re basically citing Snow White and whirl around, enjoying your little Dxney main character moment. 

Vil enters the room and wants to call for you but the closer he gets to the stage, the clearer he hears what you are saying exactly. He observes you for some good two-three minutes without you noticing him at all, and chuckles.

How peculiar.

“It won’t take long when there’s a song to help you set the pace,” you still sing, your body moves on its own. “And as you sweep the room, imagine that the broom…”

“Is someone that you love, and soon,” Vil interrupts you and you drop your broom that instant. 

“Ah shit, I got carried away,” you say, slapping yourself on the forehead and hear Vil sighing softly. 

“Language,” Vil says glaring at you with a hint of upcoming scolding, but he joins you on stage instead. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Your singing is quite decent, in fact. Never knew you could speak German, though, you never fail to impress me, hm?”

“Same here. In any case..!” You throw a quick anticipating glance at him and smile when he waves his hand and continues for you.

“You’ll find you’re dancing to the tune… Want to play this role? You would fit with how beautifully you speak.”

“Never expected you to say that to me.”

“Literally can someone translate what they’re saying?!” Epel, who was watching them from the very beginning, asked other students who were standing in the auditorium. “I can’t understand alien language, sorry.”

“Will be our little secret then.” Vil says to you before letting a little chuckle escape his tinted lips.

#twst #twisted wonderland #twst x reader #kalim x reader #jamil x reader #leona x reader #idia x reader #rook x reader #vil x reader

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for not telling my boyfriend when I got home so I could hear him sing?

My (22m) boyfriend (23m) have been together for a few years, living together for the past 4 months. He's a singer, and an absolutely incredible one at that. He doesn't perform for a living, but doing so has definetly been a dream of his from a young age.

I tend to work later in the day than him, (he's a morning person… takes opening shifts a lot. I could never) so on the nights he does the dishes, I get home to see him washing the dishes with his headphones on, usually singing along to whatever he's listening to. He doesn't tend to hear me come in the door, so I almost always either give him a tap on the shoulder or a hug to let him know I'm home.

The thing is- he really doesn't like when people hear him practice. Vocals especially. He's talked about times he would be working on learning a new song as a young teen and one of his parents would pop their head in to ask him about something, and he would be suppressing tears for a while after. His anxiety around it has gotten a lot better than it used to be, he knows in such a small apartment I'll hear him practicing, but it's still something he usually prefers to be alone for. If he's particularly stressed I'll go out for a walk or put my own headphones in to give him a chance to work without that added anxiety. Either way, I'll usually leave the room so he can repeat whatever line keeps tripping him up without apologizing.

We both see "singing to himself while doing the dishes" and "practicing a new complex song for his band/an audition/for fun" as very different, he'll often even keep singing even if i hang out in the kitchen, (something he's mentioned not being comfortable doing around most- nearly made me cry.) but it changes. I know it does. He sings with so much more freedom when he doesn't think anyone is paying attention, switching between random harmonies and not worrying about his voice cracking if he tries to sing a note a bit too high. Once he realizes I'm home he always quiets down a little bit, or keeps his headphones on one ear so he can pay attention to his vocals with the other. He doesn't realize how much I love hearing his unpolished work. He's never been against performance, I don't think the words "stage fright" have ever been a part of his vocabulary. If I ask him to sing for me, he'll pick up his guitar or put on a backtrack and sing whatever he thinks is polished enough to perform. Onstage his voice is just heavenly, and he fucking knows it. But he just- hates letting people hear him when it's not perfect.

Cut to yesterday- I got home late, and he was washing the dishes, singing to himself, headphones covering both of his ears. He wasn't all that loud, but was so clearly just getting into what he was singing. I can't remember exactly what it was he was singing along to right as I got home, but I just- really wanted to listen. I didn't want to hear his voice get all quiet when he realized I'm there, so I just- sat down on the couch for once. I let him get through another few songs before I got up and hugged him as if I had only just gotten home. He hadn't noticed anything. I didn't tell him. Once he knew I was there, he stopped singing.

I don't think he'd be mad if he found out I waited to let him know I was home, but that doesn't stop a small part of me from worrying. Does he not want to sing around me for a reason? I know logically it's something he's always struggled with, but… I just don't want him to have to censor himself around me. I want him to feel comfortable enough to just keep singing when I get home. But since he's not- I just got home and let him sing without knowing I was there. And I could be an asshole for kind of knowingly breaking the unspoken boundary he's put up- He doesn't want to imperfectly sing around me. And since I always come let him know as soon as I'm home, he can stop himself from singing once I'm there. Maybe I'm overthinking it- but I'm really worried I broke a boundary somehow. AITA?

TL,DR: My boyfriend usually sings while doing the dishes, but always stops singing (or gets a lot quieter) as soon as he knows I'm home. I usually let him know as soon as I'm there, but yesterday I just sat on the couch and listened to him sing for a few extra minutes when I first got home without him noticing, and now I'm worried I broke a boundary.

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

[jackiequick]

What did she just say? | Top Gun Maverick AU Fic 🧸

Top Gun Au Series

Previous fic —> Click here

Setting: After Top Gun, Before Top Gun Maverick

Characters: Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky and Audrey ‘Sunset’ Davidson. Ft. Baby JenPen Mitchell

Summary: What happen when one of your daughter's first clear word isn't what you exactly expected?

Months past and the trio had a good thing going on with the little princess in their lives. Maverick and Iceman lived together with Jenny’s beautiful blushing pink bedroom across the hall, Sunset moved closer to them. Sure they did have work and stuff to deal with but they didn’t care.

Today, Carol and Bradley came for a small visit after lunch. Carol gushed over her niece, never wanted let anyone hold her expect her, every time they came over. Carol liked to sometimes say that Goose sent Jennifer Mitchell to Pete’s doorstep for this family to get some more light in their lives. And they agreed.

After lunch, Pete decided to drive Carol and Bradley downtown to the stores for a quick shopping spree. Meanwhile Ice and Audrey stayed home to clean up, taking care of their 7-8 month year old. Jenny babbled on the floor in her yellow sunflower dress and two pigtails playing with her toys. She said a lot words every now and then across the day, but they sometimes weren’t the clearest just yet.

Ice didn’t care since he knew every baby learns at a different rate, Audrey was a little worried since she would like for her to at least start trying to say their names soon. Iceman washed dishes and noticed the look on her face. “Don’t worry, pretty mama. She’ll talk soon.” He said with a smile.

“I know that! I just would like for her to say Dada or something, I bet Pete would love her to do that.” She explained, putting away extra cups into the cabinet.

“You know the guys have started a bet right?”

“What bet?”

“To see who’s name she’s say first. Slider already started placing 20 bucks down, it’s why he’s always playing with her..”

“..for Jen can say his name! That little sh—”

Audrey stopped remembering Jenny was in the room and would most likely be listening into the conversation. Iceman chuckled drying of his hand and crouched down bopping Jenny’s nose. She giggled and scrunched up her nose the same way Maverick does. Audrey cooed at the sweet moment leaning against the counter

“Watch this, mama.” Said Ice glancing at Sunset before smiling down at Jen continuing, “You will be saying uncle Ice in no time right, princess? Come on let’s try, Uncle Ice.” 

In response she giggles trying to say ‘Ice’ but only got the ‘Ce’ part down then Jen said ‘Ic’. She was getting there slowly but surely putting it together. Iceman stood up from the floor, walking around to kitchen island clearing out the space, singing a random theme song. Audrey was currently picking up toys from the floor watching as Jen’s eyes followed her.

“Hiya princess!” Audrey said with a bright grin, watching the small girl stand up and slowly the petter patter of her feet carried her away towards her auntie.

Jenny kept smiling brightly softly but happily babbling, “..hi..i..hi! Hi, hi, hi!” That was the girls favorite words from her collection, especially one someone would say it back to her first.

Sunset picked up her niece with such glee, bouncing her on her hip repeating the word, ‘Hi’ along with a few words as she cleaned up the best she could with a bouncing gushing baby on your hip. Audrey sang a few songs and tried getting Jen to try say ‘Dada’ properly. Because Jennifer Mitchell knows the words and will point them out with her fingers, if you ask her to tell you where something or someone is. But she likes to tease the person and not say anything, just giggle or loudly laugh. Or something she’s be care free about the situation and not try to say it.

—-

After a while, Audrey sat on the couch bouncing Jen on her lap watching a Disney cartoon with her. Tom came downstairs after taking a mini shower, dressed in comfy clothes saying, “Hey pretty mama, do you know when Pete’s coming home?”

“No idea.” Sunset looked up and grinned, “Give us some time to ourselves.”

Iceman teased playfully, “Play nice, Sunset.”

“I’m nice. Very nice.”

“I know you are. But we’re on baby duty, so no beers or partying.”

“Yeah, yeah, we’re responsible adult.”

The two just laughed when suddenly they heard. A soft ‘mama’ came from Jen’s mouth with glee. It was clear was day. The girl giggled leaning against Audrey comfortably watching her cartoons as if it was nothing.

But for Tom and Audrey, it was something. They didn’t expect it. The pair did a double take and almost dropped their jaws, letting out a surprised laugh.

In shock Iceman asked, “W-what did she just say?”

“S-she said..mama?” Sunset choked out with a smile, “Princess said mama! But..how?!”

“Seriously? How?! She must’ve heard it from me and Mav. We call you ‘Mama’ like every day!”

“We can’t let Mav know, he was hoping her first words would be ‘Dada’ not ‘Mama’!”

Audrey sat Jen on the couch, as Tom sat beside their niece. He could see how happy she was in her seat, holding her small handheld teddy bear as she watched her cartoons in peace. Audrey didn’t want to disturb her but she was concerned with Maverick’s reaction.

The pair spend an hour and a half after Jen’s got bored with her cartoons to teach her to say ‘Dada’ or at least ‘Papa’. But nothing worked, she kept saying ‘Mama’ with her classic Mitchell laugh attached to it. And when they thought she would say one of the two assigned names, instead she would mess around with them saying something else instead.

The pair huffed.

Iceman pinched the bridge of his nose and grumbled in annoyance, at not getting anywhere with the situation. Sunset balled up her fists and kicked the table stubbing her toe in the process. “SHIT—!” Audrey yelled and winced then her eyes widen realizing what she said out loud.

“Sh—sit!” Jen yelled out proudly with a toothless, aside from her baby teeth that showed with every smile.

“Sunny!” Tom shouted with his hands in the air, gesturing to the baby in the room, “The heck?!”

“Sorry! It just came out..”

“Now we got these words and Maverick to worry about.”

“Maverick to worry about what?” Said the classic chipper voice that didn’t belong to either one of them, but a smiling Maverick Mitchell.

—

The two froze up like two deers in headlights. Their voices were lost in the air of the living room, the faces turn a faint palette of their natural shade and they squeezed their eyes shut.

Audrey squeezed her eyes for a second more before spinning around with fake charming grin. “Mav! Y-your early.” She said walking over to him running her fingers crossed her fallen bangs.

“Uh yeah, Bradley got tired so Carol and I took him home. I came back with groceries.” Maverick explained looking between his friends and his cheeky grinned daughter, “Is everything alright?”

Iceman spoke this time with a simple shrug, “Yeah we’re just trying to teach Jenny, some uh, new words. No big deal.”

“Oh okay.” Maverick said simply reaching down to pick up his daughter who made grabby hands towards him, “Come on sweetheart, daddy got you blueberries!

“Ah blu‘erries!” Jenny exclaimed in her daddy’s arms, saying another one of her favorite the words to the best of her abilities.

“That’s right, princess. Blueberries!”

Maverick grinned placed her in his high chair after washing her hands, chatting up a mini storm with his daughter. He loved how much his daughter has moved up in milestones on her pace, still he wished she said ‘Dada’ at once. Rarely he would hear a ‘Da’ or a ‘Pa’ when he was looking but never an actual full word.

Pete was told from Viper that he was a talkative child, but he always wondered how he was as a baby. Did he say ‘daddy’ or ‘mama’ first? Did he walk first and then talk? Did he have a favorite song to listen to? Was he a happy baby or a grumpy one? Pete Maverick had so many questions that he never got all the answers to due to not remembering much as a kid and his parents dying young.

“So baby, what did you do while daddy was gone?” Maverick said once he snapped out of his own thoughts.

In response, Jen babbled quickly and waving her hands in the air, as if she was telling a huge story. She said words you can clearly make out such as ‘play’, ‘toy’ and ‘toons’. Jen even said words like, ‘donald’, ‘duck’, ‘blue’, ‘pink’, and ‘mice’. Maverick laughed and nodded proud of her, his daughter was known for being a fast talker sometimes.

“Really? You had a big day with Uncle Ice and Auntie Sunny, huh? Can we say ‘big day’, sweetheart?” Maverick asked with a grinned placing the blueberries in front of her in a Minnie Mouse bowl.

“Da’y!” Jen said proudly with a matching grin grabbing two blueberries and tossing them into her mouth, “B—ig!”

“Good girl. Your definitely smarter than daddy, princess. What words did you learn today?”

Pete Mitchell had always made it a habit to teach or show Bradley and now Jenny, a few new things every couple of weeks and or months. Sometimes it was words or phrase, sometimes it was activities or places. Even if he wasn’t shown much as a kid, he wanted to make sure the kids in his life knew has much as possible at their own pace. It can be the most basic smallest things in the world, he would like to show them.

As much as Pete was told he wasn’t the best dad or fear he wasn’t doing the best to care for his kids, seeing his children smile told him everything he needed to know. That he was doing just fine, especially with the support system he built with his friends and family.

He ate some blueberries himself and smiled softly, just watching his daughter eat happily one of her favorite food made him simply smile, brighten up his day. He waited for his daughter to speak, knowing it will take her a minute before she can fully take the time to tell him something. One thing he had to learn with becoming a parent, was patiences and to have a hell-lot of it! He was still learning to stay quiet, calm and patient but he’s getting there.

Then he heard it. “Ma..ma-mama!” Yelled his daughter softly after eating another piece of fruit. Her big green eyes that grew into a dark shade as if late locked onto his. Maverick stayed silent for a moment. He wasn’t expecting those to be one of her words.

“M-mama? Did you just say ‘mama’, sweetheart?” Maverick repeated gently with a soft grin. He didn’t get a response from her, she just kept eating. He laughed still kind of surprised at how clear it was and continued, “Where did you learned that from, huh?”

—

Pete thought for a moment trying to think onto how she came to say that word. He thought she must’ve heard it from Bradley calling Carol ‘mama’ plenty of time and—his thoughts came to a pause he heard Audrey’s slide into the room.

“MAV—! I can explain!” Sunset said taking a breath as Iceman came running in after her.

“I tried to stop her but she escaped..” Iceman explained running his hands across his light blonde locks.

Pete chuckled for a moment and nodded, “You taught her that word?”

“We-well i-no I didn’t! I was trying to teach her to say ‘Dada’ or ‘Papa’, when Ice came in and called me ‘Pretty Mama’ and then—” Audrey exclaimed pointing to the tall blonde with a slight glare.

“How mature, Sunny! You shouldn’t blame me, she called out the word ‘Mama’ randomly. I was trying to teach her to say Ice.” Tom exclaimed pointing to himself.

“Fair. If anything, we should blame Maverick!”

Pete’s eyes widen at hearing that and gasped, “ME—?! I didn’t teach her to say ‘Mama’. It’s your nickname!”

“If you and Goose didn’t start with the nicknames in High School we would’ve gotten her to say ‘Dada’ like i wanted! And Ice came in with that nickname too!” Audrey exclaimed pointing to both of her boys.

“Again! You love the nickname, Drey! And clearly she decided to call you ‘Mama’ instead of calling me ‘Papa’ or ‘Ice’. I change her poopy diapers, give her baths, feed her and sing to her, i deserve at—” Tom yelled.

Pete cut him off and scoffed, “Sing to her?! I sing to her, change her diapers, I give her baths too and oh yeah, she has my DNA Ice, I deserve to be called ‘Dada’ or ‘Papa’!”

“Ok fair—still Mav I mean—we deserve something! We all deserve it!”

“So do i—i mean, hell yeah we do! I wouldn’t be surprised if Slider made a bet to see who’s name she said first!”

“Actually he did! Placing 20 bucks.”

“Y’all were betting on that and didn’t think to include me?!”

“Hey, I said Slider not me, Mav!”

The two men bickered back and forth like a old married, as Audrey cut in every few lines. It’s one voice on top of them other. The voices were high and mighty. It was like the sun in the sky, the ice of a snowstorm and the wind from between the heavy clouds has entered the kitchen in full force.

—

It kept going on for almost less than 5 minutes straight until a loud squeak and bursting squeals were heard from the princess of the two story castle. A mix of different sounds came her. But Jen said them loud and as clear as she could.

“..Da..dada!..M..mama!..Pap..Iceee!” She said loudly, repeating a couple of other words, as it came out in patches of sweet babbles.

The three rapidly whipped their heads towards the baby girl, as they’re jaws dropped. They all looked at each other then at Jen, then right back to one another. Iceman blinked at the sight, Sunset scoffed breaking into a grin and Maverick shake his head not believing that he heard. Eventually the guys followed suit, grinning softly at the young girl repeating the words.

Maverick was the first to sprint over to the baby girl, grinning brightly and cupping his daughter’s chubby cheeks kissing her face. “Yes sweetheart, that’s right! Your right, I’m daddy. I’m dada.” Pete said responding to her laughter.

“Mav’s head over heal prime time in love with that girl.” Audrey exclaimed, walking over to kiss Jen’s forehead before grabbing a baby wipe for her face.

Tom chuckled, taking one of Jenny’s blueberries from her bowls, resulting for the baby to pout and glare at him. Like father, like daughter. Ice laughed this time, seeing so much of his wingman in her eyes. He fell in love more and more everyday.

“Sharing is caring, princess Jen.” He said taking another one from her bowl looking at the group, “If I’m Pa or Iceeee, according to her, Mav is of course Dada. Does that make Drey…?”

“Mama?” Maverick replied finishing his questions with a smile growing onto his cheeks, “Now we got someone else who can call Audrey, mama..”

—

Audrey was drying a bowl placing blueberries and blackberries inside and softly grin, as slight blush reached her rosy face. She didn’t expect to be called ‘Mama’ by another Mitchell or anyone else in a while, but she was more than glad she was.

Sunset took Jenny from Pete’s arms showering the baby girl in a few kisses mumbling sweet nothings in her ear as she giggled. After less than a few second, she followed Mav and Ice into the living room. Audrey placed her into her daddy’s lap sitting in between her boys, stealing a blackberries from Tom’s bowl.

Pete chuckled at Iceman’s face from his berries being stolen, as his wingman glares playfully tossing a few at him. Audrey tried blocking the berries from behind thrown across the couch, Jen giggled eating her own. After a while, the trio laughed and ate, watching a movie when suddenly the character in the film said ‘Shit’, a mere moment later a small ‘Sh-sit!’ came from Jenny with a soft laugh.

Maverick almost choked on his blackberries and now set of grapes, looking down on his daughter. The poor man blinked a couple of time and took a breath. Finally he found the small words realizing what she said.

But just to make sure, he asked, “What did she just say?” Pete looked over at his friends, hoping for an answer of kind.

But all of he got was a simple scoff from Tom and a few giggles from Audrey. It took a moment but Maverick eventually got the gist of it, laughing along too.

Thank you for reading this story! Hope you loved it ;)

Tags: @topgun-imagines @mandylove1000 @t-nd-rfoot @sherloquestea @gaminggirlsstuff @morgan108 @rooster-84 @hangmanbrainrot @happilycameron @theloveoftoms @annepsilvaauthor @bradshawseresinbabe @hanlueluver @starkleila @msrochelleromanofffelton @gcthvile and etc

#top gun au #top gun maverick au #pete maverick mitchell #maverick fanfic #top gun 1986 #tom kazansky x oc #pete mitchell x oc #pete mitchell x daughter reader #iceman lives #maverick x reader #top gun x oc #top gun headcanons #top gun maverick headcanons #maverick fluff #mavdad #tom kazansky #iceman x reader #pete mitchell fanfiction #icemav imagine

[angel-of-the-moons]

idea:

Pavitr x f! Wife Reader: Reader is in the kitchen cooking while dancing to a bollywood song, but the reader doesn’t realise pavitr is standing by the door gazing at her

Awww so cute!

Touch Tunes

Pavitr x Wife!Reader

Because I'm tired of repeating myself: PAVITR IS AGED UP IN THIS FIC

TW/CW: None, fluff, established relationship, reader and Pavitr live together (obviously)

A/N: I totally have a playlist for songs I listened to while writing this 😭

🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷

The best part of Pavitr's day was when he came home. From his job, from the gym, from visiting his Aunty Maya, to his night work as Spider-Man.

His favorite thing to come home to was you, his amazing and oh-so-cute wife.

He couldn't count how often you'd blast your music, shutting the world out as you danced and sang to your songs, even ones you didn't know.

Tonight, he'd come home after a successful night of patrolling, the first smell hitting his sense when he opened the door and came inside was the pot bubbling on the stove, the spices, a mix of sweet and definitely spicy, cleared his sinuses.

The sound of your music bounced off every surface, as did your voice and the sounds of you bustling about in the kitchen.

He tip-toed his way around the corner; when he noticed your back was turned, he leaned his shoulder on the wall and crossed his arms, watching you with a content smile as your hips swayed and your hair flicked about as you washed dishes, dried them, and put them away, the clinking of the porcelain barely interrupting the tune.

It wasn't until you did a little flourish and spin, that you shrieked, placing your head over your heart when you realized he'd been watching you.

"God! Don't do that!" You whined, a blush on your cheeks.

"Oh, come on! Don't stop now, the best verse of that song is coming up!" He laughed, walking over to you to slip his arms around your waist.

"Noooo!"

"C'moooooooon!" He waggled his eyebrows, giving you his charming smile, dimples plainly visible on his cheeks as he did.

"It's embarrassing!" You said, burying your face in his shoulder.

"Okay, okay, how about this!" Pavitr laughed as he grabbed your hand, spinning you in the kitchen before gripping you tight, dipping you down dramatically, singing a badly-timed version of the song that was playing.

You couldn't help but snort and laugh when he lifted you and spun again, his cheerful voice chirping along to the song as the two of you danced to your own private little concert.

It wasn't until you smelled something off that the two of you stopped.

"Oh no! Dinner!" You squeaked in terror at the smoke wafting from the pot.

#pavitr prabhakar x you #pavitr x you #pavitr prabhakar x reader #atsv pavitr #spiderverse pavitr #pavitr prabhakar #pavitr x reader

[angry-trashcan]

Why Are You Here?!

Part two (First)

This has just turned into me putting my funny ideas into something. Very self indulgent and that's okay.

Warnings: Vulgar lyrics

1K WC This is the song that's mentioned in this.

These boys were getting on my damn nerves. They had been at my house for over a month now. And while it was fun, it was exhausting having that many people in my little house. The house was built for me and my dog for fuck’s sake. I don’t have the room to keep all of these people. I know it’s not their fault, I do. And I enjoy their company, through all of the complaining I’m doing. It’s just the lack of privacy and quiet time that was eating at me.

The younger ones seemed to have absolutely no concept of personal space or alone time. Legend once used the bathroom while I was in the shower. Wind would just barge into my room. Hyrule had gone through all of my cabinets and drawers at least twice. Wild knocked down my pride flag and drug it into the living room asking me why I had my country’s flag on my ceiling.

So yeah, I was a bit in need of alone time.

It finally happened when they decided to go ‘looking for a portal’ in the woods by the house. I declined every offer to go with them. Insisting they would find their way through the woods themselves.

“If you reach a really big road with a bunch of cars going fast you went too far! Turn around!” I called out to them before slamming the door to the finally empty house. I took a deep breath, before searching for the TV remote. I checked every single drawer and cabinet. And well, it was lost. One of them probably set it somewhere to never be found. I blew hair out of my face, going to my room and getting my headphones instead. I slipped them over my head and pulled out my phone. Spotify was opened and music was turned on as loud as it would go.

Looking back over the extremely destroyed house, I sighed and started picking up the strewn about blankets. Once they were sniffed and determined which needed to be washed (all of them of course), I piled them up and went to the dishes. Overflowing with caked on food from Wild’s cooking. While I appreciated the help cooking for ten people, the boy didn’t know how to clean up after himself. Something about the slate always cleaning his pot and the bowls for him. I just blamed him not remembering how to do it.

It took almost two hours to clean the house. The smell of bleach and incense fought in the air. It was still way too hot to even consider opening a window. I figured the chain still had a good hour or so before they got back. So, when I started dancing to the music, I didn’t think it mattered. This is my house and if I want to dance and sing loudly when I’m alone I’ll do it, dammit.

And then that song came on shuffle. The one that had been stuck in my head for weeks. It scratched just the right part of my brain. So, when I started belting the words out at top volume, it was well warrened. The full… effect of the lyrics not hitting me as they left my mouth.

“I don’t really talk like this I know, but this gotta real big OOP for sure!” I slammed the last cabinet closed with my hip as I danced to the song. My arms were over my head as I spun around to the music. I even did that one Tik-Tok dance, swinging my arms around as I spun around in a small circle. I put the song on repeat when it was over. May as well get my dose of it in while I can. Maybe it’ll get out of my head.

It kept replaying as I moved to my room to clean in there next. Door left open so I would notice if they got home. I moved Sage’s air mattress to the side of the room so I had the full floor. The dancing and singing never stopped, even when I was folding the laundry and putting it away. The chores were finally done a few replays later. Which meant full free time to sing the loudest I could and shake my ass as much as I could.

“He said he wanna take it to the room, let’s go! He ain’t gotta tell me what to do I know!” I closed my eyes, throwing my arms back over my head as I jumped around in a little circle. If only I had heard the front door open. “He like it when I bend it over and I arch my back!” And I did just that. “He tap me on my shoulders I said, ‘Yeah, I like that’!” If only I had heard the clearing of throats. “This pussy don’t purr, this pussy’ll bite back.” I even put my knee up like I was popping it out. “And that OOP so good, I sound like his hype man. Now that OOP got me doing all the nasty things I said I wouldn’t do!”

And by the gods. I opened my eyes at that line to see Sage, Time and Twilight staring at me. The rest standing outside the door, holding back snickers.

I slammed the bedroom door.

<><><><><><><><> 

I came home from work the next day to everyone gathered around the living room TV. Sage putting something on it while Wild worked on dinner. I didn’t say anything other than a few hellos as I took a seat at the table. The uncomfortable situation got even more so when a familiar beat started on the TV. I looked over to Sage, slack jaw as he smiled. “It’s a good one. Gotta give you that.” Hyrule snickered on the couch with Sky.

I shook my head. “I’d love to see you dance and sing to it next.”

“Why? Cause you got the hots for me?”

I went to my room for the night.

Bonus: Me yawning and Sage saying, “What does that song say about yawning, again?”

#anyway #lu wild #lu legend #lu time #lu twilight #lu hyrule #lu wind #lu sage #lu sky #lu four #lu warriors #lu fanfiction #linked universe fanfic

[shyficwriter]

Temporary Home: Chapter 7

Guardians of the Galaxy fanfic | Reader x Guardians (With Yondu and Kraglin!)

Summary: Peter is determined to chip your shell away, but unfortunately, his attempts only seem to annoy you. He might need to step up his game, and by that he means recruiting Mantis, which backfires on him. This could be the start of a war, if Yondu knows what he's talking about.

Previous Chapter here | Next Chapter Here Or click here to: Start From Beginning

Author’s Note: I got a suggestion from @maribatshipper to add a scene where some actual raccoons get in the trash and Rocket finally sees a raccoon. I love the idea but I unfortunately didn't get a chance to add it to this chapter as it was finished before I saw the suggestion (I'll probably add it later, don't worry! lol) Anyways, it gave me an idea. What's some stuff you guys would like to see happen in this story? I do already know the direction of the story, but this could also be fun!

Word Count: 3,729

You were going to kill Peter. Probably Kraglin too.

It started maybe a couple hours after "the smelly incident," as you had mentally dubbed it, had resolved.

Peter got bored, found some old DVDs in the cabinet below the TV, and when he recognized a movie from when he was a kid, SpaceBalls, he managed to convince you to watch it with them.

He might have also quietly pulled the "unless you're too shy..." card for the thousandth time, and you might have told him it was getting old and he was working his way towards a black eye, but you did agree to watch the film with them. Peter had somehow convinced everyone else to watch the movie, too. Might have had something to do with the fact that no one exactly had anything better to do.

Kraglin sat at on one end of the sofa, Gamora on the other, and Peter & you were sandwiched in the middle, him next to Gamora and you next to Kraglin. Mantis, Rocket and Groot sat on the floor, while Drax and Yondu took the armchairs at either side of the sofa.

Only you and Peter got the Star Wars references, of course, but there were plenty of parts the others found funny even without it. Rocket mostly laughed about how Terrans didn't understand space at all if you thought that's how things worked, and compared Peter to the main character, Lone Star. He meant it in a derogatory way, of course.

At about the scene where Dark Helmet breaks the 4th wall with the line, "What the hell am I looking at? When does this happen in the movie?" Peter had started to notice that you didn't laugh openly like everyone else. You always covered your mouth like you were trying to stifle it, despite no one else bothering to be quiet, least of all Drax, who laughed loudly at parts that weren't even that funny.

That simply wouldn't do. You should be laughing freely with the others, like you did when Kraglin and Rocket got tangled up in the hose, which was probably the only time he had seen a genuine full laugh from you, now that he thought of it. To him, this was evidence that he was right, you needed to break that shell of yours and learn how to loosen up.

Annnd... if that required a little mischief on his part... well then so be it.

He waited a bit, just to see if you'd eventually let yourself relax, but when you just kept biting your lip not to laugh and covering your mouth when you started to, he decided he'd 'help' you along.

The scene came on where Dark Helmet's men were combing the dessert with a literal giant comb, and seeing you trying to stifle another laugh, Peter decided to poke you in the side.

You tried to stifle your squeak and you glared at him, but he just shrugged innocently. Poke you? Never... Doesn't sound like him...

He spaced a couple more pokes within the next few minutes of the film, making you jump and hiss at him to stop. He grinned at you and whispered he thought you could use some help laughing, since it seemed you had forgotten how. The little shit.

You irritably whisper back, "That's not gonna work, I'm not-"

Peter rolled his eyes playfully and replied, "Yeah. Sure. Not ticklish. You've said. Too bad I don't believe you." He made to poke you again and you pinched him hard on the arm, which you admit was childish, but he deserved it for annoying you. He gave you a pouty look in response and then frowned when Gamora scolded him and told him to quit behaving like a child.

You sat back and thought he'd finally quit.

And he might have, seeing that it wasn't quite working as he hoped, but Kraglin, who of course noticed your flinching and the childish bickering between you and Peter, caught Peter's eye and they shared a look. He wanted in on the fun. Movie wasn't all that interesting to him anyways.

Five minutes later you received a poke from each of them simultaneously, making your arms clamp to your sides. You turn your head from side to side to glare at both of them. Quietly threatening to break their fingers if they didn't straighten up and just watch the movie.

Based on their expressions it was clear they didn't take you seriously, but they seemed to back off... for about another ten minutes. That's when they decided to poke you again and you jerked up off the sofa with a "That's it." and moved to sit down on the floor next to Mantis where you knew you were out of their reach.

Gamora smacked Peter in the arm for annoying you off the sofa, but no one paid much mind or reacted with more than a glance as they were paying attention to the movie. Well, except for Yondu, who had fallen asleep and was now snoring softly in his chair.

Peter was slightly disappointed that you hadn't been able to let your guard down, but he wasn't deterred. In fact, he was more determined to not just chip at your shell, but shatter it. There was someone who liked to have fun in there, and he was determined to find them and pull them out.

Thankfully, you were able to finish the rest of the movie unbothered. Rocket complained about the sappy ending where Lone Star and the Princess marry, but then Mantis said she thought it was sweet and he waved her off, grumbling about how she thought everything was sweet, or cute, or whatever...

After the movie you decided to go out to the shed and apply the varnish to the bed frame, and when you came back inside to wash some of the varnish off your hands you were startled when Kraglin snuck up behind you to poke you in the ribs. He dodged just in time to avoid being smacked and ran out of the kitchen, his giggles joined by Peter's in the hall.

You sighed, now thinking you should have taken more time in the shed with the varnish. Maybe cooking something would keep you busy enough, but what would you cook? Your first thought was that lasagna would likely feed everyone, but then you remembered the cheese and you were not about to have a repeat of that morning. You were sure the hairs inside your nose were singed-off forever.

You walk out the kitchen door to catch the men still giggling in the hall and they jump from the unexpected sight of you, probably thinking you had come out to properly smack them for deliberately annoying you. You look at them, unamused, and say, "Supper will be in about an hour if you want it. If there's anything else any of you can't eat you should probably tell me now."

Peter and Kraglin exchanged looks before Peter turned back to you and said, "If there is, we don't know it yet."

Kraglin nodded and added, "Not a lot of experience with Terran food, ma'am."

You cringe slightly at being called ma'am, but give a short nod. "Well, here's hoping I don't poison anyone again," you say, turning to head back to the kitchen. You are stopped when another poke to your waist makes you jump and you turn back with a hand raised to smack him.

Peter recoils with a laugh and says, "Just wondering if you'd like any help in the kitchen?"

You narrow your eyes. "Nope. Think you two better stay out here. Clearly can't trust you not to annoy me." You can hear their chuckles as you walk back into the kitchen.

Mercifully, they left you alone all through the cooking and eating of dinner, (you had decided to make a stew). Well, they left you alone physically, that is. Throughout dinner they kept attempting jokes, and it was obvious they were aiming them at you in an attempt to get you to laugh. Most of them fell flat, however, because most of the jokes Kragin told hinged on you knowing about creatures or other stuff not from Earth that you'd have not any way of knowing the context for to make the joke make sense. The others seemed to get the jokes and find them funny though, so at least they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Better than awkward silence any day.

Peter was able to tell a few jokes with Earth references that you could understand, but they were such old jokes that anyone who didn't live in a cave would have already heard them before they finished primary school, so you didn't really laugh at his either. You did, however, smile politely, assuming that they were only trying to be friendly.

After dinner you started to get ready to wash the dishes, and Gamora offered to help.

"No thank you, I've got them tonight." you say, taking the couple of bowls she had gathered and put them in the sink.

"You sure? You cooked for us, it doesn't seem right to let you clean up by yourself too."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to make a habit of it, just... some nights I like to have something to keep me busy, ya know?" You turn on the tap and start washing the dishes. You hated to admit it, but that boiler Fury replaced your immersion with had proven to be very helpful with eight extra people in the house. If you didn't know better you'd say it was magic. Somehow there was just always hot water. You willed yourself not to get too used to it, however. No one had said, but surely SHIELD was just temporarily loaning it until the Guardians finally were able to go back home. You couldn't imagine them just giving you an upgrade like that to keep forever.

"Ok," Gamora relented, not wanting to push it. She could tell you probably still needed a bit more time before you could fully relax. "Thanks for supper."

"Don't mention it," you say, not looking up as you sudsed a bowl.

Gamora nodded and walked out of the kitchen, passing Peter, Kraglin and Mantis on her way into the sitting room. They looked like they were conspiring something, but as a general rule, she didn't get involved in Peter's shenanigans. That meant that unless it was going to directly annoy her, or possibly injure someone else, she pretended not to notice.

She had been right, they were conspiring. Well, Peter and Kraglin had been, Mantis was just along for the ride. With nothing better to do, the two men decided they'd put their energy towards continuing to mess with you, however, it was clear that they needed to get smarter about their approach if they didn't want to risk a black eye.

So they deployed Mantis.

It didn't take much to convince Mantis to do it either. It literally just took Peter asking Mantis if she wanted to play a game and she agreed.

In truth Peter was testing a theory. He watched from the kitchen door with Kraglin as they sent Mantis in to do the poking while you washed the dishes.

She poked, you jumped and spun to face her, clearly thinking it was one of the guys, and then the irritation softened from your face as you realized it was her and all she got was a mild scolding. Mantis looked back and Kraglin encouraged her to do it again with an enthusiastic nod.

This time she fluttered her fingers at your waist from both sides like she had the other day, making you jump again, and, with what sounded suspiciously to the guys to be a poorly suppressed giggle in your voice, you scolded her again and shooed her away.

Theory confirmed. You couldn't bring yourself to try and smack her away like you had with them. Good. He could work with that. Use your soft spot for her against you.

This time they motioned Mantis to come back.

She meets them at the doorway and on her way out whispers, "Did I do a good job?"

Peter smiles, "Yes. You did great. Hey, I want to show you a trick..."

***

A bit later you walked into the sitting room and Mantis calls you over to the table, saying she wants to show you a trick.

She's sitting with Peter, Kraglin, and Gamora, and you walk over hesitantly, wondering if Gamora's presence meant you could assume you'd be safe from mischief or not, seeing as she normally swatted at or scolded Peter for being annoying.

Once you reached the table Mantis stood and encouraged you to take a seat. You pull out a chair at the end of the table and sit, only to be instructed by Mantis to turn and face her.

You eye her suspiciously and then turn to Gamora. "Am I going to regret this?" you ask, your eyes moving to Peter and Kraglin who sat across from her, shrugging and shaking their heads. You were sure you could only trust them about as far as you could throw them, but Gamora appeared to genuinely have no idea what Mantis wanted to show you, so you decided to just play along. How bad could it be?

Mantis instructed you to hold out your hand for her, and you did as asked. She then held your hand palm up and placed her thumb at the tip of your middle finger, and rested the tip of her own middle finger where the palm of your hand met your wrist, as if she were measuring the distance with her own hand.

She then released your hand and moved the hand she used to measure the length of your hand with to your knee, placing her thumb on your kneecap and lowering the tip of her middle finger to rest on your thigh above the knee.

"What are you doing?" you ask, suspicion and confusion in your voice.

Mantis looked up to meet your gaze. She smiled happily and said, "I'm distracting you for this!"

You raise an eyebrow but before you could wonder much about it she squeezed your leg where her middle finger had been resting, sending a tickly jolt through your body and making you jerk in your seat and your breath catch in your throat.

You grasp for her wrist to push her away, but then she just attacked your other leg with her other hand. "Mantis! No!" you squeak, squirming in your seat and flailing for her hands. Every time you'd grab for one hand, she'd free her other hand and send ticklish pokes and squeezes wherever she could reach.

She was was a little stronger and quicker than she looked, so it made the task of restraining her hands difficult for you. You did your best to hold back any laughter as you flinched and jerked from your torment. You could hear Peter laughing and telling her 'good job,' and Kraglin encouraging her to continue, which she did, happily giggling the whole time.

"Peter!" you half scold/half beckon.

"Yes?" he asked teasingly, folding his hands under his chin with a cheeky grin. Gamora rolled her eyes and tried to shake her head disapprovingly at him, but she couldn't help grinning. Mantis just looked so playful and it was honestly adorable.

"Will you-AEK" you squeak as she darted a hand and squeezed at your waist before you could stop her, "Will you make her stop!"

"Thought you weren't ticklish?" Kraglin said with a teasingly smug grin. "That shouldn't bother you at all then. I don't see a problem."

Gamora sighed with a smile at the two men. So that's what this was about. They must have put Mantis up to this.

"Dammit!" you jerk again as Mantis landed another squeeze above your knee. "I'm- I'm not- I'm-" you were having managing words, because each time you attempted, you were cut off by another poke or squeeze from Mantis, and you were afraid you would start laughing if you allowed yourself to talk through it. You were already having a hell of a time trying not to smile, and failing.

"I swear, if you actually say you're not ticklish right now, Pete and I will pin you down and prove that you are." Kraglin threatened with an evil grin.

"Kraglin!" Gamora scolded with furrowed brow, but her warning wasn't taken too seriously on account of the humor laced in her voice.

"What? She's the one being so stubborn she can't admit it!" Kraglin laughed. As far as he was concerned, you deserved it for fibbing. Plus, wouldn't kill you to loosen up a bit- you could be... well, scary... sometimes. Although it was kinda hard to think of you as scary at the moment while you were spasming in a chair as you kept trying to get a hold on Mantis's quick hands and a grin more than threatened to crack your face.

You could feel your cheeks getting warm, hating showing signs of weakness, but knowing you didn't have much choice at the moment. "Ok! Fine!" you cry out, still grappling at Mantis's hands and biting back any giggles that threatened to spill out. You knew when you were beat. It was pretty damn obvious that you couldn't deny being ticklish anymore, and you sure as hell weren't about to give them a reason to actually properly tickle the snot out of you. You wouldn't stand a chance.

"Fine... what?" Peter chuckled in a sing-song voice and leaned on the table.

You could kill him. "Fine! I'm ticklish, okay!? I admit it! Are you happy now!?" Just then Mantis managed to free both hands and briefly tweak your ribs before you got a grip on her wrists again, finally getting a short laugh to escape your throat as you spasmed in your chair. "Will you call her off now, please!?" Gods, this was embarrassing. You didn't know how, but they were so going to pay for this.

Peter and Kraglin high-five and Peter says, "Alright, Mantis, good job."

Mantis stood and clasped her hands, giggling and saying how that was so much fun, and you half-heartedly glare up at her before standing so you could get out of there, but not before turning to aim a glare at Peter and Kraglin. The jackasses.

When you turn back you notice Yondu leaning on the back of the sofa looking amused and you cringe, asking, "How long have you been standing there?"

Yondu folded his arms and pretended to think. "Hmm... Long enough to hear the boys threaten to tickle ya silly and then see ya fold like a cheap tent." Humor twinkled in his eyes and you wanted to melt into the floor.

You inhale and look to the ceiling, your cheeks burning. Your expression then turned mischievous. Vengeance. Now.

"Mantis?" you say, turning back to face her.

"Yes?" she answers, smiling wide and sweetly.

You put on your best, most innocent face. "Ya know, maybe you should do that to Peter. Or Kraglin. Why should they miss out on the fun?" Your eyes flick to the pair menacingly to see Peter looking at you like you just shot him.

Mantis giggles and goes to take your suggestion, bouncing to their side of the table. Peter bolted from his chair, saying, "Mantis- wait a minute!" and tried to run around the table, getting slowed down when Kraglin tripped him, mostly likely to save himself as he also stood to get out of Mantis's way, grabbing her by the shoulders and spinning her in Peter's direction when it looked like she was going after him. Unfortunately for Peter, he didn't get much further after Kraglin tripped him as Gamora effortlessly caught him by the arm and then laughed as she held him in place and he complained.

You turned back to Yondu with a satisfied smile and started to walk past him to leave when he leaned over to speak in a low tone as you got near. "Hope ya know that was a mistake, girl," he chuckled.

"What?" you say, surprised. Peter could be heard laughing and pleading with Mantis and Gamora behind you.

He grinned wider. "If there's anythin' I know about that boy, ya just declared war. An' if that ain't bad enough, now yer stuck in a house with him, and my first mate who ain't got nothin better to do."

"Ah." Your voice cracks, your eyes widening, nervousness creeping into your belly. "Well surely they wouldn't hold a grudge- I mean, they started it-"

He straightened back up and chuckled, shaking his head knowingly. "Jus' figured I should give ya a heads up. Do with it what ya will. Boy's partial to pranks when it comes to revenge. Might wanna be on the lookout for buckets of water above your doorways tomorrow. Or grease in your boots. That used to be Quill's go-to." Mirth glistened in his eyes and made you unsure if this warning was out of the goodness of his heart or if he enjoyed seeing the 'oh shit' look on your face.

You swallowed. Fuck. Just what you needed. A war. You decided it might be a good idea to get out before Peter could escape, or before Kraglin could decide to avenge his friend. "Well I'm going to go to bed now." Your voice was a little higher than you'd like and you could hear Yondu chuckling as you scarpered.

He knew it was more likely you were going to hide than going to sleep. It was barely dark out.

Yondu shook his head and walked to take a seat on the couch, still chuckling at the flicker of fear in your eyes when he told you that you had started a war. He switched on the TV and idly wondered who'd give up first. He'd gotten the impression that you wouldn't be one to back down, despite the nervousness present on your face.

You may have the advantage of being on home turf, but Quill could be relentless. More than likely you were fucked, but it'd be interesting to see how it all played out.

You might surprise him.

#gotg #guardians of the galaxy #x reader #peter quill #kraglin obfonteri #starlord #mantis #gamora #yondu #rocket raccoon #pranks #hijinks

[keiyoomi]

soft voice | a. keiji × f! reader; ft. child

details: 800+ words | unedited | dad!akaashi × f!reader ft. azami (ami)

summary: akaashi was planning to take care of your daughter while you were running some errands. he wasn’t expecting that his daughter would take care of him too in her own way.

note: it’s been awhile since i wrote something like this! let me know what you think about it. hihi. enjoy!!! ehem @aka-a-shii

**(the commissions thing-y might be posted later. forgot about the errands i do during saturdays 😓)

“Call me if you need anything, okay?” you reminded your husband—Akaashi Keiji—as he walked with you towards the cab you’ve booked. “Have fun with Azami,” you added before looking up at him.

He leaned down and placed a lingering kiss on your lips. “Of course,” he whispered against your lips. “Be safe, okay? Call or text me if you’re almost home.”

“I will,” you briefly responded before kissing the plump cheek of your daughter who was still sleeping comfortably on her father’s chest. “I love you both,” you whispered.

You entered the cab and waved your hand towards your husband. “I really hope she won’t get fussy later,” you mumbled with a sigh.

“You’ve married a wonderful man,” the driver noted making you smile.

Keiji is definitely a wonderful husband and a doting father to your daughter. You just really hope that he’d be able to keep up with your daughter’s antics.

●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●

Keiji sighed heavily after convincing your daughter to take a nap. It would be embarrassing for his part if the toddler won the argument earlier.

He quietly washed the dishes on the sink and dried the countertops afterwards. After that, he sat on the dining chair while tapping his finger against the wooden table. His looked around and noticed the slightly disorganized shelf near the couch.

‘I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if I arrange them. It doesn’t involve lifting anything heavy anyway,’ he reasoned out while standing in front of the shelf. He reached out for the thick book that is filled with illustrated bedtime stories, one that he read earlier to Azami.

‘Maybe I should buy the next volume of this book. This one will be worn-out in no time,’ he thought with furrowed forehead. ‘I’d have to ask my wife first, though.’ Then, he sighed. ‘She said I was spoiling her. I don’t think that. . . Well, she’s not wrong.’ He cleared his throat. ‘But Azami deserves the best things in the world.’

He paused and stood in front of the shelf with his hand resting against his hip. ‘What was the last thing I bought for Azami? Hm. . .’ He began listing the number of gifts he gave his lovely daughter. At least, gifts that he can remember. ‘Maybe Y/N wouldn’t mind if I buy something new for Ami.’

He was nodding his head when a tiny voice called him. “You’re awake already?” he asked earning a cute nod from Ami with unruly hair.

She reached out for him and he immediately crouched down to pick her up. Ami leaned her head against Keiji’s chest as he gently rubbed her tiny back with his hand.

“Are you still sleepy?”

She nodded.

“Do you want me to sleep beside you?”

Ami shook her head.

“Hm. . . Then, how about a lullaby?”

“’sagi. . .”

“Hm? Usagi? I thought you’d prefer Tsuki.” Ami shook her head once again and repeated what she said earlier. “Alright,” he said before heading to the bedroom.

He carefully placed Ami on the bed before lying next to her. He softly sang the lullaby she requested until she fell asleep. Few minutes later, he fell asleep too.

●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●

“’sagi ’sagi n’ni mite ha-eru. . .”

Your eyes widened upom hearing the soft and tiny voice coming from your bedroom. You weren’t expecting to hear your daughter singing the lullaby Keiji sings for her.

There were words and lines she can’t sing and pronounce well, but it didn’t matter. Not in the least!

You discreetly watched your husband and daughter by the bedroom’s doorframe. She was sitting next to her father while patting his fluffy hair. It was nice to know that he actually took a break during his day-off.

But you couldn’t help but wonder if he’s been asleep for awhile. Nothing seems to be out of ordinary. Everything’s arranged accordingly. No signs of any chaos occurring during the entire day.

‘Maybe I got worried for nothing.’

A sudden shriek from your daughter made your husband jolt. He was still sleepy, but he checked Ami’s body first before scratching his neck.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Ma’s home.”

“Ah.” Then, he turned his head towards you. “Eh!”

“I’m home,” you said with a smile as you approach them.

You leaned towards your husband and kissed his forehead. “Welcome home.”

“’come ’om, Ma!” Ami cheered before throwing herself towards you.

“I miss you too!” you told her while giggling. You gently pat her hair before kissing the crown of her hair. “My sweet little Ami, do you miss me that much?”

Ami nodded her head in response. “This much!” she exclaimed while creating an imaginary circle with her tiny hands.

You turned towards your husband who was silently watching the scene before him—a scene he’d like to witness more in the coming days. “Did you have fun with papa too?”

“Mhm!”

“Did he sleep well?”

“Mhm!” Ami’s hair bounced as she nodded her head. “Even sang for Papa!”

“Eh? She did?”

You nod. “Caught her singing a lullaby while patting your head.”

“I didn’t know.”

“That’s alright. Right, Ami?”

“Mhm!”

As you converse with your daughter, Akaashi sighed in relief before smiling. He doesn’t mind taking a break from work if he gets to see precious moments like this right before his eyes.

#keiyoomi: does impulsive shits #haikyuu!! fluff #haikyuu fluff #hq!! fluff #hq fluff #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu!! x reader #hq!! x reader #hq x reader #haikyuu!! x reader fluff #haikyuu x reader fluff #hq!! x reader fluff #hq x reader fluff #akaashi keiji fluff #akaashi keiji x reader #akaashi fluff #akaashi x reader #akaashi x reader fluff #akaashi keiji x reader fluff #keiyoomi: hq!! characters with babies #haikyuu characters as dad #akaashi as dad #akaashi keiji as dad #akaashi scenarios

[yuzukult]

—saccharine

pairing: seokjin x reader word count: 2,319 prompt: seokjin doesn’t believe in love at first sight. so... what’s this feeling that’s churning in the pit of his stomach when he meets you for the first time? warnings: none. minor cursing. fluff attack. a/n: to celebrate my follower milestone! thank you all for supporting and reading my fics, it means a lot to me!

Everyday is a continuous, recurring cycle. 

First, the alarm rings. Then, he slams the snooze button on his phone before resuming into a light sleep for another eight minutes. The annoying horn sings again, and a wash of regret hits from never changing it out of the default, so he finally accepts this by getting up and sliding his feet lazily into a pair of slippers by the side of his bed before making way into the bathroom.

His hair is a mess. But it’s a mess everyday. Life has gone to the point that even brushing his teeth has become a dreadful chore. Shuffling through his bin of hair products, he finds the mousse he consistently loses and finds on repeat and then slaps a boatload of it onto his head.

This is basically a day-in-the-life of Kim Seokjin. Except it’s everyday. It’s never ending. It feels like one of those time loop movies where when he ends his day, it starts back off exactly like it did yesterday. 

To be fair, he can’t complain. He’s got a roof over his head, an apartment all to himself (that means without a roommate), plus a well-paying full time job. It’s hard to whine and cry about how his life seems to have no excitement, other than the occasional meeting with his friends, but contrarily… there’s not much to look forward to.

It’s the same mundane activities. Opening the cabinet above his kitchen counter as he usually does at this time, he grabs his favorite Cheerios. Good starts with happy hearts, as their commercials say, but Seokjin isn’t entirely sure that’s true. 

He’s a “cereal first and milk last” kind of guy. Not that he judges those who do it backwards, but he thinks if anyone does the routine in the opposite order, they might actually be backwards. It’s a condition—he makes it seem, and it’s a rather controversial topic for the guy.

Nonetheless, he enjoys his bowl of breakfast goods. He reads the news on his phone, and when the reminder on his watch dings, Seokjin rushes to put his dishes into the sink and hauls himself down the hall, in direction to his walk-in-closet that evidently is just too big for it being only himself. It’s a constant indication that he’s alone. 

By the time it’s 8:30AM, he’s dressed in his suit and tie, hair slicked back, and has a satchel slung over his shoulder in preparation of yet another day at the office.

But maybe he’d stop by that new place this morning. Change of pace. Maybe it’ll liven up his day and give him something to look forward to. Maybe he’d like it.

The place is around the corner, less than a three minute walk the moment he leaves his apartment building, and if he timed himself, it probably takes longer to leave his home and out of the building. The shop is cute; decor stickers are laid out delicately along the windows, the walls are painted a pretty blush pink, and there’s smiles on all the workers’ faces as if they enjoyed being there.

There’s a smile on your face in particular that captures his attention.

Seokjin is a relatively kind guy, or so he thinks he is. He’s never pinned over girls like those shows he’s seen on TV, but he’s had his fair share of relationships. He’s not shy, but he’s also not outgoing. He has an abundance of friends but only a few are ones he trusts. 

And the girlfriends he had were great but… no one really appreciates his generosity as much as he’d like.

He thinks he’s crazy at this moment, quite frankly, because he doesn’t believe in love at first sight. It’s this theory and idea that writers of a romance genre film and story that people whipped up together to make it seem more appealing to their audiences. But he doesn’t actually think it’s true.

Or is it?

Hair up in a messy bun, there’s a swipe of flour that coats your one cheek, and a smile that dresses your face so beautifully. You’re in a simple outfit that’s a combination of a white tee and blue jeans with the shop’s apron on top, while running around to keep up with all the orders coming through. He has hearts brimming in his pupils and he can’t seem to stop the way his chest tightens the second he lays his eyes on you. Is this what love at first sight is?

Seokjin doesn’t only regret not changing the default ringtone of his alarm this morning. He also regrets not asking for your number.

When he reaches his office, he realizes he forgets to ask for cream and sugar at the bakery. The dark, warm liquid glides down his throat with some difficulty; the bitterness layering his tongue but the memory of you sparks sweetness from within. Who were you? He doesn’t even know you and you’re on his mind like crazy.

Now, Seokjin has seen How I Met Your Mother. He’s watched the nine seasons, totaling out to two-hundred and eight episodes, so needless to say, Seokjin knows what goes on in that show. And ironically, he hates Ted. The guy is a hopeless romantic that thinks every girl he has his eyes on is ‘the one.’ Seokjin refuses to become like Ted, and he would be caught dead replicating those same actions.

Then why the fuck is he caught up on a girl he’s seen once? 

The second time Seokjin comes by the bakery, it’s a hell of a lot less busy. In fact, it’s only three people that man the storefront, rather than the six that he saw the first time he stopped by. He has his fingers crossed behind his back as he waits in the queue patiently, hoping you’d be the one taking his order this time around.

Luck must be on his side because you’re greeting him with those pearly white teeth. “Good morning, nice to see you. What can I get for you today?”

Abort, abort! He can’t talk. He swears that his heart has found its way up into his throat, and he can’t get any words to come out.

You blink. Those gorgeous long lashes brush your cheeks so deftly, and it swells his heart that’s now lodged in the path of his airways. “Sir?”

Seokjin swallows. “Oh—yeah, sorry sorry. Uh, can I get a medium hot coffee? Cream and sugar, please. Forgot to mention that last time and I almost died from the bitterness.” Was that an appropriate comment to make? Did it make you laugh? Or were you offended that he just insulted your workplace’s coffee

He cheers in success on the inside when a soft chuckle escapes from your lips. “Aw, I’m sorry to hear. I guess we should have also done our part and asked if you wanted any. Did you want to order anything else?”

Ah. Was the conversation already ending? But it’s so soon! He barely held the dialogue for a couple seconds, and since he’s got your attention, he can’t let go now. Quickly, his eyes skim the menu and the display case full of baked goods. “Uh, what do you recommend?” He asks, gesturing to the sweets. 

You wave your hand for another coworker to take the next customer’s order. Walking over to the sweets, Seokjin trails over as well, observing your expression. You’ve got your brows furrowed, deep in thought with a quirk of the side of your lips, engrossed with the plentiful of options. “Do you like tarts?”

—

Seokjin is a regular now. 

Whenever the clock strikes 7:30AM, he’s already in his work attire, hair at its best, and has checked his face in the mirror for the fiftieth time. Then, he’s on route to the corner bakery.

He wants to look good before he meets you. Handsome guy for a pretty girl. It’s only right.

The bells at the front door of the shop ring loudly the moment he enters in, and immediately his ears are filled with that beautiful laugh of yours, but you’re not alone. It’s accompanied by someone else’s, a voice that doesn’t match any of your other coworkers and his jaw clenches at the thought. Who is this male that claims to be the purpose of your giggling with a mop he calls hair on the top of his head?

“Oh!” You beam, lifting up the cup of hot coffee in hand. “Seokjin! Come here, I have a new pastry for you to try, and your daily caffeinated beverage to pair it with. Plus, I want you to meet my friend.”

His name is Taehyung. The freaking guy looks like a model, strutting into the café like it’s his runway, and when his gaze meets Seokjin’s, it makes Seokjin feel small.

Seokjin likes you, if the amount of times he comes in a week is evidence for it. He doesn’t just do that either; he often stirs up a conversation, asks how your day is going so far, and even goes out of his way to remember small details so he can bring it up next time. But he can’t help but wonder—do you have a boyfriend? Are you being kind only because Seokjin is a customer? Or are you normally this sweet as those raspberry filled pastries you set him up with? 

And those questions are only emphasized when Taehyung smiles, extends his hands and offers Seokjin a firm shake. “I’m Taehyung.”

Seokjin’s entire work day has gone to shit. All he could think about was who Taehyung was and why you were so adamant about Seokjin meeting him. 

After taking the last bite of the delicious pastry you packed for him (free of charge, too), it hits him. 

If Seokjin liked you, he should just confess his feelings, no matter what the consequences. Instead of sitting here with his shoulders slouched, eating this treat you gave him with a pout upon his lips, he shouldn’t continue waiting around and feeling sorry for himself anymore. Why would he make himself suffer like this when there’s a way to end this vicious cycle? 

Seokjin concludes that he’s going to confess tonight. 

—

What Seokjin learns about you is that you are by far not close to his ideal dream girl. 

You’re the “milk first, cereal last” gal, and he believes you’re ass backwards. You like consistency, and your favorite ringtone is the sound of those stupid horns he has for alarms in the morning. You enjoy the first few hours of your day, basking in the routine that you’ve put together yourself, including the one that had recently involved seeing Seokjin’s face. 

And although you’re not his dream girl, you’ve become it.

“I like you,” He finally confesses, a bouquet of flowers in his hands that match the decor stickers plastered on the shop's windows. “Would you… go out with me?”

Seokjin isn’t here in the mornings like he normally is, opting that since this is definitely a change of pace, he might as well go all out. Maybe this will be different. Maybe he’ll be happier.

Stunned, your mouth drops open. You’re stuttering over your own words, practically malfunctioning like a machine. “Wha—Like—what? Like… you like me as in like… a woman? More than a friend? You want to take me out?”

“Uh,” Seokjin scratches behind his ear anxiously. Was his plan backfiring? “Yes? I… like you. As in, I come here in the mornings for coffee, yeah, but I mostly came to see you. I enjoy hearing your laugh, seeing your smiles, and listening to you talk about these pastries like they’re your world and I—“ He pauses, inhaling a sharp breath, “—then you introduced me to this really good looking guy named Taehyung and I didn’t know what my chances were with you anymore, so here I am. Confessing.”

You’re silent. Truthfully, Seokjin’s not feeling good about this. His palms are sweaty, his heart is racing, and you still haven’t said a word and he’s sure that over thirty seconds have already passed by.

“What—“ You start again, quickly stopping yourself with a shake of your head. “Thank god, really.”

The front of Seokjin’s brows dip in confusion. “I’m sorry?”

You laugh, combing your fingers through your loosened locks. “I’ve been trying to tell my coworkers that I had this stupid crush on you since you first came in. You’re such a great listener, you’re handsome, and fun to talk to. They think you’re too good to be true, so they thought you wanted to be my gay best friend. Hence… the Taehyung test.”

“The Taehyung test?” Seokjin reiterates. 

Chewing on your bottom lip, your eyes are swirls of apologies. “He’s cute, right? Either you’d get jealous that a guy like him has my attention and you like me, or you like him and you’re jealous that he’s making me laugh instead of you.”

Seokjin’s shoulders drop in relief. “So… does that mean you’ll go out with me?”

You smile softly. “Of course, Jin.”

He doesn’t think those mundane activities he identified before are boring anymore. No, not with you, they’re not. He doesn’t mind watching you pour milk instead of cereal first in the mornings because he’s glad he gets to be the one who pinches your side teasingly and call you a weirdo. He doesn’t hate the sound of the horns—okay, a lie, he hates it so much, but they’re bearable when you’re around since you don’t hesitate to shut it off the minute it rings, and immediately hop out the bed, without using the snooze button. Brushing his teeth is a delight, especially when he sees your toothbrush sitting in your own designated cup on your side of the sink.

Everyday is a continuous, recurring cycle. 

But Seokjin doesn’t mind those things if it’s done with you. 

#seokjin #seokjin x reader #bts #bts fanfic #jin x reader #jin fanfic #gyukultfics #jin

[echo-hiraeth]

Chapter 5: Homebound

Part of the “Illicit Limerence” series

Pairing: Javier Peña x F!Reader

Summary: The reader goes back to the states to break the news to her parents, but not after spending the morning with her favourite DEA agent.

Warnings: swearing, smut (unprotected sex, be smart kids), angst, mentions of abusive household/parent, parental/domestic violence, mentions of blood, vomiting

Masterlist

Previous chapter

Next chapter

Javier Peña was an extremely light sleeper. Years spent in the field always had him on his toes, even at four in the morning. It started with some shifting beside him with an occasional whimper tumbling from your lips. But when you suddenly sat up he reached for the gun on the bedside table.

“M’sorry”, you mumbled sleepily.

He slowly put the gun back down and pulled you flush against his torso. “Whass wrong?”

You nuzzled your nose into his shoulder. “S’the baby, gonna be sick I think.”

“Anything I can do?”, he whispered, softly kissing the top of your head.

You hummed out a response, his body heat lulling you back to sleep. He sat there for a couple of minutes, shoulders leaning against the wooden headboard as you dozed back off. Until you threw the covers off of your legs and rushed over to your bathroom. At this point he was familiar to the motions and just let his autopilot kick in. As he joined you by your side, glass of water in his left hand, cloth in the right, hair tie around his left wrist you felt immensely better already. He carefully grabbed your hair and tied it into a messy messy bun. His left hand rested on your lower back as the right one dabbed your forehead with the cool, damp cloth. It didn’t take too long this time, stomach soon empty seeing how it was the middle of the night. Although as you went to stand your knees buckled slightly, making Javier wrap his arms around you.

“Shit, sorry”, you mumbled, wiping your mouth with your shirtsleeve.

“S’okay, I got you.” He closed the toilet and helped you sit on top of it, slowly handing you the glass before leaving. He came back with a box of crackers and sat down on the edge of the bathtub.

“M’fine Javi”, you protested.

“Just eat two, please? To settle your stomach a bit”, he requested while slowly handing you two crackers.

You didn’t know whether it was the fact that he was there or that your stomach was completely void of any contents, but those fucking rip-off saltines tasted like heaven. Javier went back into the bedroom and sat on the bed, waiting for you as you quickly washed up a bit. When you finally felt somewhat presentable you walked over to the bed, discarding of your clammy shirt before shuffling into the bed next to him. He tried not to look at the way your breasts moved as you scooted closer to him, the lack of sexual activities making him somewhat desperate. But when you laid back down against him, face resting on his right peck, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat aroused at the feel of your bare breast against his ribs. He slowly trailed a finger down your side, stopping at your ribcage where the rest of his fingers ghosted over the swell of your right breast.

If you weren’t so tired he’d have pursued his desires, sex starting to ache with longing but he knew how much you both needed the rest. So instead he rested his hand on the back of your neck, securing you against him as he closed his eyes, soon finding slumber for himself. There was just something so comforting about having you pressed up against him, it meant so much to him. The fact that someone like you could be so vulnerable and trusting with him touched his soul in ways he could never even begin to describe.

He slept so well in fact that he barely even noticed you slipping out of his snug grasp and sneaking off to the kitchen. It wasn’t until the smell of bacon reached into the bedroom that he started stirring. He reached out to the left side of the bed only to be met with the mattress. Immediately alerted he opened his eyes, everything seemed perfectly normal aside from the quiet cursing outside the bedroom door. He stretched his arms above his head as he walked over to the door, quietly opening it to reveal you, dressed in his dress shirt over some pots and pans. You spun around, jolting a bit when seeing him just standing there.

“You weren’t in bed”, he croaked out, voice gruff with sleep.

“I was really hungry”, you replied with an innocent smile.

He walked up to you, playing with the buttons on the shirt as he looked at the pans on the stove. “Could’ve woken me up, hermosa.”

You captured his puffy lips in a dawdling kiss his fingers unfastening one of the lower buttons on his shirt as you did.

“I’m afraid desert will have to wait a bit longer, agente Peña.”

He playfully swatted your ass, making you let out a soft whine. “Better hurry up then, I’m really fucking craving it.”

 His eyes followed your every movement as you sunk the dishes into the sink, hands balling at his sides as a way of containing, controlling himself. If he could have it his way, he’d just bend you over that counter right this instant, but some part of him wanted it to be different. He wanted it to be slow and romantic, everlasting, a proper goodbye, a lingering feeling that’d last you your whole trip.

You walked over to where he was sitting, moving to sit in his lap, pressing your lips to his nose. “You’re thinking too loud, querido.”

He smiled up at you, capturing your gaze and slowly kissing the tip of your chin. “Just taking it all in..”

A moment of tranquil silence passed before you got up, swaying your hips all the way into your bedroom. Javier’s eyes were glued to the curve of your ass, his shirt on you barely long enough to keep it hidden. He bit on his lower lip as he went to stand, following you with long, confident strides. You wrapped your arms around his neck, dragging his face down to meet yours, mouths tangling in a singeing embrace. His fingertips pressed into your waist as he pushed you back against the bed, swiping your legs from underneath you to where you fell backwards on the mattress. He followed suit, hovering over you as he helped you further up the bed, eyes never leaving yours.

“Tan hermosa”, he whispered against your hand, softly pressing a peck there.

Your hands cupped his face, impatiently dragging him down to where you were resting against the pillows. Lips melding together, he started working on unbuttoning the shirt. He hesitated a bit when he reached the last couple of buttons, hands hovering over your stomach.

“Won’t I hurt it?”

“Them”, you corrected.

“Them”, he repeated.

You pressed a reassuring kiss to his lips. “You won’t Javi, you’re doing great.”

With his concerns being waved away so graciously, he quickly continued, helping you slide the shirt off your shoulders, stare fixated on your swollen breasts. They definitely got a bigger, not a lot, but he could tell.

He promptly moved down from your lips, swiping his tongue at your neck before littering your breasts in delicious love-bites. A string of moans and whimpers fell from your reddened lips, the sensation of his mouth on your sore chest utterly intoxicating. His hands tugged down your panties in a swift motion, his briefs soon following suit. You were a sight to behold, head thrown back in the soft pillow, back arched, face contorted in pleasure. The sheer imagery made his sex spasm against your inner thigh.

“More.. por favor Javi, mas”, you whined, hands tangling in his rowdy hair.

He let out somewhat of a growl as he released his mouth from your nipple. He moved down your centre, tongue mapping out his itinerary, until he reached your core. Another set of kisses was pressed to each of your thighs before he came back up to your face. He nudged your clit with his head, mouth finding yours as he slipped his length into your heat. Your moan was silenced by his grunt, lips connected to your soft neck as he started building up a steady yet slow rhythm. There was no hurry now, just passion and adoration.

You hooked your hips around his, encouraging him to sink a bit deeper and when he does, you cry out for him. His lips found yours again, drowning out your sweet noises in the early hours of the morning. No reason to wake the neighbours up so soon.

Eventually his desires got the best of him and the sweet lovemaking turned into something more Peña-approved. With every thrust of his hips he grew hungrier, wanting more and more of you. He grabbed a hold of your upper arms, sitting back on his legs as he pulled you into his lap. You clutched onto his shoulder, the new angle making his tip brush against your cervix with every push. His hand nestled into the back of your long hair, supporting your head as you surrendered to the pleasure.

“Fuck, you look good like this”, he croaked out in between grunts.

You just whimpered at the praise, nails digging into the delicate skin between his shoulder blades. Needing more friction you started grinding into him, meeting every jerk of his hips perfectly. Javier hissed at the sensation, moving one hand to your front, thumb rubbing frantic circles on your bundle of nerves.

“I’m not gonna last”, you panted.

He pressed a kiss to your collarbone before circling even faster. “Let go princesa, I’m right there with you.”

His encouragement sent you reeling over the edge, head falling forward onto his shoulder as your orgasm washed over you. Like he’d said, he was right there with you, spilling his release into your core as he felt you tighten around him. A few more moans and grunts filled the air as he slowly worked the both of you through it. He fell back into the mattress, half-hard cock still buried inside you as he swiped some sweaty strands of hair from your face.

 About half an hour later the two of you were stood in the bathroom, each with a towel wrapped around you. You were drying your hair while Javi was drying his torso. When you put the hairdryer away you pressed a peck to his cheek, reaching over to grab your hairbrush.

“When’s your flight?”, he asked while stepping into his underwear.

“Somewhere around noon? Like maybe twenty past? I wrote it down somewhere..”

He took the brush from your hands, helping you to brush to the very ends of your long hair. “Need a ride?”

“Offering?”, you questioned, grabbing a hold of your brush once again, brushing your hair up into a high-ponytail.

His hands came to rest on your hips as he stood behind you, capturing your gaze in the mirror. “I just want to make sure you’ll get there safe.”

You spun around, laying your hands on top of his, squeezing a little. “I don’t want to keep you off work.”

 And yet here you were in the passenger seat of his car, a hand resting on your upper thigh as he drove you to the airport.

“You promise to call?”

You look over at him, chuckling softly. “Wow, look at this responsibility.”

“I’m serious, I want to know how you’re doing. I’ll be at the office a lot anyway.”

As he pulled over, parking the car before the entrance you slowly sat up a bit straighter, tilting his chin in your direction. “I promise I’ll call you.”

He holds your hand in his as he nods. “Want me to come inside, help with the bags?”

“You need to get your ass to the office.” You let go of him and stepped out of the car, walking around to the trunk where you found Javier already there, hand on the handle as he opened it for you. He handed you your bag and pressed a lingering kiss to your mouth.

“Don’t be stupid, querida.”

“How can I, I’m leaving all the stupid here”, you jested back, dragging him down for another last kiss.

He smiled into it, giving your butt a slight tap so as to tell you to get going. “Get out of here before I change my mind.”

You walked off, looking over your shoulder as you reminded him: “Don’t forget to water my plants!”

 As you sat through your flight you were absolutely restless. You never even liked flying in the first place, but knowing that you were going to see your parents and had to drop the news on them was far more terrifying. You’d tried to ease your nerves by writing down some things, hoping to get some peace of mind, but to no avail. The plan was to get to the hotel right after you landed and to give Connie and Steve a call to let her know you were safe. Calling Javier would probably be a good idea as well, he was after all to be considered your “boyfriend” now, you smiled at that.

The drive to the hotel was short, the familiarity of your home state surprisingly soothing. You’d be staying at a hotel considering you sold your apartment and refused to be anywhere near your father for that long. As you arranged everything and got handed a key you felt your nerves settle some more, the prospect of having a nice bed to sleep in surely playing a big part in that.

The room was small but cosy. A big twin bed with an array of throw pillows and a desk in the main part, a bathroom with toilet and walk-in shower in the other room. It wasn’t much but it was enough. You set your bag down on the floor before sitting on the edge of the bed. You tapped in the right phone number and held the horn to your left ear.

“Murphy”, Connie’s voice sounded.

“Ah Missus Murphy, I regret to inform you that my plane did in fact not crash and that you’re still stuck with me.”

You heard her laugh at the other end of the line and picked up on Olivia, their kid, babbling in the back. “Well, well, well missy, I thought we were having girls night before you were leaving?”

“Sorryyy, I was kind of busy.”

“With a certain DEA agent I presume?”, she taunted.

You couldn’t contain a giggle as you thought back about this morning. “A lady never tells, Con.”

“Good thing you’re no lady then”, she quipped, “But do tell, how are y’all now?”

“Sore”, you joked, making the both of you burst into a fit of schoolgirl-like giggles.

 Your first two days in town were spent running errands and handling some business. With the chances of you having a baby in Bogotá you wanted everything to be perfectly in order, so you set out to find your official documents and attend to your banking. You visited your storage unit and packed up some of the stuff up to ship to Columbia.

And as promised you called Javi daily, during his lunch break. You’d tease him about it and he’d always have a snarky comeback at the ready. He saved his breath for the nights though, when he’d call you from the comfort of his couch, telling you about things at the office. Turns out he’d been spending some more time with Steve after work who just wouldn’t shut up about Olivia and fatherhood in general. You laughed at this, feeling rather bad for your lover. But every night you got to go to bed with Javier telling you he couldn’t wait for you to come back, which was nothing short of amazing.

Yet when you woke up the next morning you were a nervous wreck. Today was Thursday and that had always been the family day, which you stopped attending even before you escaped to Columbia. The drive would be about three hours, you’d purposely chosen a hotel this far away, not wanting your family anywhere near you or your unborn child. As you sat in the hotel’s restaurant, enjoying a good plate of lunch, you once again contemplated on how to break the news. You eventually came to the inevitable conclusion that there was no “good” way to announce it, you just had to grow a pair and do it.

With that in mind you got in your rental car and started your journey. As you pulled up on the driveway you felt sick to your stomach, the nerves once again gaining the upper hand. The house still looked the same it had since the last time you were here, the Thanksgiving before you left for Bogotá. You remember the way your mother had begged you not to go and the way your father, drunk on beer and whiskey, had refused to so much as look at you. Your sisters and their respective partners had been quiet, not wanting to stir anything up. More memories resurfaced as you climbed the porch’s steps, tentatively reaching for the doorbell. You took a deep breath before pressing down on it, the familiar ring giving way to a whole new level of anxiety. The door swung open to reveal your mother, towel hanging from her old apron. She had a shocked expression on her face.

“Y/n, darlin’ I didn’t expect you!”, she spoke up, cautiously leaning over to embrace you.

“Can I come in?”, you asked, purposely avoiding her gaze.

She smiled, softly grabbing a hold of one of your hands. “’Course sweetheart, how about you help me with dinner?”

And so you did. It turned out your mother was left home alone, your dad working on something at your eldest sister’s place and your younger sister still caught up at work. Your mother filled you in on everything involving family and close friends and eventually came around to asking you what you’d been up to. You’d told her about the Escobar case, which she promptly waved away, not wanting to hear about the spilling of blood and shooting of guns. She’d asked you about Steve and Connie and you’d filled her in on Olivia, which made her gloat with pride, telling you how sweet it was of them to “take such a risk in” and that it was a “really Christian” thing to do. You just smiled at your mother, not wanting to get into the subject this early on in the evening.

About an hour into your mother’s deafening small talk your younger sister, Diane, had come home. She had smiled at you and briefly hugged you, quickly pulling a bottle of wine from the fridge after she filled the two of you in on her promotion. The two of you had congratulated her and when you refused a glass the two women gave you a puzzled look.

“Where’s the rebellious y/n these days, huh?”, your sister joked.

“I have responsibilities to tend to, Diane”, you replied, pouring yourself a glass of water.

They’d dropped any further questions about it, instead moving on to their favourite topic: marriage. You’d told them you were seeing someone but that the circumstances weren’t ideal. Before the two women could press any further on the matter, the backdoor swung open, revealing your other sister and her husband and eventually, trailing a couple steps behind; your father. Your tall form shrunk a bit upon seeing him, the smell of beer working its way over to your nose within seconds. Your older sister, Lisa-Jean and her husband had also greeted you, both of them seemingly excited to see you. Your dad had ignored you, which you didn’t necessarily mind, you’d rather he’d give you no attention at all.

Dinner was nothing short of awkward and uncomfortable. There was a conversation going but you hardly participated, too worried to really say anything. It wasn’t until your helped your mother clearing the table that your dad finally addressed you.

“So, got sick of killing the druggies?”, he asked, opening a new bottle.

You quietly cleared your throat, looking him square in the eyes as you answered: “We took down a good chunk of Escobar’s cartel and are on the brim of negotiating a deal with him.”

“Kill anybody of that ‘good chunk’?”, he continued.

“Does it matter? Besides, I’ve been assigned a desk job for the foreseeable future”, you retorted, tone a bit harsher than before.

Your dad let out a dark chuckle at that, the three other women disappearing into the kitchen. “Shot the wrong ones, huh?”

The grip on the wine glass you were holding tightened, knuckles straining at the pressure. “No. Unlike some people I’m actually good at my job.”

“And unlike some I don’t think of killing other souls as a job”, your dad shouted across the table.

“It’s more than just pulling a fucking trigger, this shit is about protecting the innocent, but you wouldn’t fucking get it, would you now?”, you yelled back.

Your dad pointed a finger in your direction. “Watch your tone lady, you’re in my house!”

“Oh fucking drop the act already, will you? You’re just some sad alcoholic fuck who can’t even bring himself to love his second daughter.”

He stood up from his chair, taking a few steps towards you. “You’re no daughter of mine, you devilish whore!”

You dropped the glass you were holding onto the wooden floors, eyes glossy with tears of frustration. “You think I want to be the daughter of a drunk who beats his wife and kids?”

He lunged forward, grabbing a hold of your hair and yanking you down to the ground. “Don’t you talk to me like that, you ungrateful bitch!”

There was an advantage to being a DEA agent, you knew how to defend yourself now. You elbowed the back of kneecap, making him fall backwards. He hit the ground with a loud thud, grabbing a hold of your shirt in the process. He flailed his fists at you and delivered a good set of punches. You could only think to brace your stomach, some maternal instinct kicking in and wanting to protect your baby. He stood back up when you didn’t fight back, leaving you on the floor, landing kick after kick against your trembling form. Your sisters and mother watched from a distance, cheeks stained with tears but nonetheless not interfering. It was your brother-in-law who tried to talk some sense into your father, eventually just grabbing a hold of his shoulders and dragging him away from you. You scrambled to your feet, ignoring your mother’s extended arm.

Your face was covered in blood, but when your mother tried to wipe it off you just stumbled back. “Don’t fucking touch me.”

“Hun, please, just- let’s all calm down, we can get through this”, your mother sniffled.

You let out a laugh, eyeing the tree woman with a look of disappointment. “You didn’t even try to help me..”

“Sis, I-“, Diane started.

“Just save it. I fucking knew I shouldn’t have come back.”

Your dad spat onto the floor before speaking: “Then why did you.”

You gritted your teeth in sheer anger. “Because I’m pregnant.”

That made the whole atmosphere shift. Your mum took another step towards you, sobbing as she rested a hand against your face. But your dad grabbed a hold of whatever he could reach and chucked it in your direction. “Fucking whore! Get out of my house!”

You pushed past your mother, only looking back at your father to tell him what you’d been wanting to for a while. “I hope you fucking die.”

As soon as the door fell shut in the lock you burst out into tears, quickly walking back to your car and speeding off. The first half of the drive was spent just crying and processing what had just happened and the second half was when the pain settled in. Somewhere along the way you’d looked in the rear-view mirror and pulled over to quickly wipe the blood of your face.

Once you arrived at the hotel you just threw everything in your bag and checked out, not even bothering to call anyone. You drove yourself to the airport, paid for the car and booked the next flight back to Bogotá. You were able to catch the late night flight and were back in Columbia that same night, just before midnight. You took a taxi to your apartment. As you unlocked your door all the lights were on and when you closed it, a sweaty, worried-looking Javier came into view, eyes going wide as he took in your bruised face and ripped clothes.

“¿Qué pasó?”

Taglist: @pedritomando @peterhollandkait @ophelia-ingenue @radiowallet @phoenixhalliwell @diogodxlot​ @rosiefridayrogersunday​

#javier peña x reader #javier peña #narcos #pedro pascal #imagine #illicit limerence

[suituuup]

pieces - chapter seventeen

Five years ago, Chloe dropped off the face of the Earth. Beca didn’t expect to see her again dancing in a strip club, out of all places.

rating: E (drug use and emotional abuse in early chapters)

ao3 link

*

A shrill cry pulled Beca out of her slumber with a startle. It had been a month, but she had yet to get used to being awoken by baby cries. Tonight was her shift, and she swung her legs to the side and she pushed back the covers, her bare feet hitting the carpet floor and carrying her across the hall. 

“It’s okay, Bean,” she soothed as she picked Marleigh up, cradling her against her chest as she headed down the hall towards the kitchen. She fished a pouch of breast milk from the fridge and expertly poured it into a bottle with one hand, all the while trying to soothe Marleigh’s cries by rocking her lightly. Setting the bottle inside the warmer (best purchase they had made), she hit the button and paced the living room while it heated up, pressing soft kisses over Marleigh’s velvety hair. 

Once the milk was at the perfect temperature, she padded back to the nursery and settled into the rocking chair, shifting Marleigh to the crook of her elbow and bringing the teat to her lips. 

“Here we go,” Beca murmured, her tone full of love and affection for the three-month-old as Marleigh’s cries subsized to coos as she fed, her big blue eyes locking with Beca’s. She was a carbon copy of Chloe, and Beca was truly obsessed. “Much better, huh?” She smiled. “Listen MJ, tomorrow I have to go back to work. It sucks big time, and I’m going to miss you so, so much, but I’ll come back at night, okay? I’m not abandoning you, or anything. I’ll never do that. I promise.”

Once Marleigh was done, Beca changed her and sang her a lullaby, gently lowering her in her crib. Marleigh had the habit of sleeping with her arms up by her head, and it was the most adorable thing. 

Come morning, Beca was definitely reluctant to go back into the office. Chloe and Marleigh were doing tummy time in the living room when she rounded the corner to pour her coffee into a travel mug. 

Chloe smiled and picked Marleigh up, carrying her over. “Ready for your first day back?”

“No,” Beca mumbled as she screwed the lid back on, pouting a little. “Send me photos and videos, alright?” 

Chloe giggled. “I will, don’t worry.” 

“Come here, Bean,” Beca said, plucking her from Chloe’s arms. She kissed her forehead. “I love you.”

As though sensing her sadness, Marleigh wailed as soon as Beca transferred her back into Chloe’s arms, making Beca’s departure a thousand times more difficult. She spent her first meeting of the day with her mind wandering to the two people she left at home, daydreaming about going back home later that day. 

“Knock, knock.” 

Beca looked up from her computer, grinning at the sight of Chloe and Marleigh. She was just about to leave for lunch. “Hey! What are you guys doing here??” 

“We thought we would come to have lunch,” Chloe said as she stepped inside and placed a bag on Beca’s desk. 

“Oh my god, she’s a bear,” Beca gushed as she walked around the desk to take Marleigh from Chloe once she was out of the chest carrier. The baby was clad in the most precious bear fleece winter suit, complete with a hood sporting round ears. She kissed Marleigh’s cheek. “Hi, Bean. I’ve missed you.” 

“How was your first morning back?” Chloe asked a few minutes later once she was settled down in the chair opposite Beca’s desk, nursing Marleigh. 

“Busy,” Beca said once she’d swallowed her mouthful of poke rice. “But good. It’s nice to get back into it, even though I miss you guys.” 

“We’ve missed you, too,” Chloe murmured with a soft smile. “Maybe we’ll do this lunch thing regularly. It’s nice to be outside. We can meet at the park when it gets warmer, too.” 

Beca smiled. “That sounds like a great idea.” 

*

It was strange, for someone as workaholic as Beca to be looking forward to the weekend, now. She and Chloe had a pretty good routine down. During weekdays, she would wait for Beca to come home to start Marleigh’s nighttime routine: bath, feed, and playtime. On weekends, Beca usually spent her mornings entertaining Marleigh so Chloe could have a lie-in and she and Marleigh some bonding time. She also made sure to come home earlier on the days Chloe had therapy or NA meetings, so she could watch Marleigh. 

Her absolute favorite thing was whenever Marleigh fell asleep sprawled out on her chest while she lounged on the couch. 

“Oh my goodness,” Chloe murmured the first time she was there to witness the scene. She whipped out her phone. “Don’t move.” 

Beca chuckled. “Couldn’t even if I wanted to. She’s been passed out like this for an hour. Sorry, I didn’t get a start on dinner yet.” 

“Don’t worry about that. Did everything go okay?” 

Beca nodded. “Yeah. We did tummy time, then had a snack, and then decided we were too tired to do anything else, so we passed out on the couch.” 

Chloe smiled as she sat down next to them. She brushed a kiss to Marleigh’s forehead, then one to Beca’s cheek. “You guys are so cute. Oh, I went to pick up the birth announcements from the photographer, check this out.” Chloe pulled out a stack of pictures, handing one to Beca. 

“Oh my god, she’s adorable,” Beca said, smiling fondly as she gazed at Chloe. “You really said copy and paste, huh?” 

Chloe laughed. “I know. It’s pretty crazy. Part of me is glad she doesn’t look like him at all,” she admitted. “Not that I would love her any less but, yeah…” 

“I get it,” Beca murmured. 

When Marleigh woke up, they let her play on her own on her mat for a bit while they worked on dinner, singing along to the music playing. At now four months old, Marleigh was able to start eating solid food, which they were trying for the first time tonight.

“Tonight’s menu is a carrot, sweet potato, and parsnip puree,” Beca commented as she stirred the homemade concoction with a spoon. “Doesn’t sound too bad, does it, Mar?”

Chloe had her phone ready to record, and Beca scooped half a spoon, blowing on it then presenting it to the baby. Marleigh closed her lips around it and paused, a perplexed expression flashing on her features once she seemed to realize this definitely didn’t taste like milk. Beca chuckled and backed away a bit, half expecting Marleigh to spit it right out, but the baby ended up swallowing and opening her mouth for more. 

They gave her a bath afterward, and read her a story. Marleigh usually woke up for a feed around ten pm, which Chloe handled while Beca washed the dishes after their own dinner. She changed and washed up for bed afterward, messing around on her phone for a bit. 

A knock on the open door made her look up. 

“Hey,” she murmured. “All good?” 

Chloe nodded. “Yeah, she’s down.” She padded over and laid down, shifting to her side. 

Beca set her phone aside, mirroring her position. “What’s up?” 

“You’re amazing, you know that?” Chloe said. “Like… since the start. With taking me in, paying for rehab and my dad’s treatment, being by my side through my recovery and pregnancy, and now this-- raising Marleigh like she’s your own. You’re…” she shook her head. “I want to find the words to tell you how grateful I am, but I don’t think those exist.” 

Beca’s heart swelled with Chloe’s words. She smiled, blinking back the tears burning behind her eyes. “I know you’re grateful, I promise. And since we’re telling each other what we think…” she grabbed Chloe’s hand. “I’m in awe of you. Since day one. Accepting to go to rehab, keeping the baby, being a kickass mom. Marleigh is incredibly lucky.” 

“Thank you,” Chloe murmured. “I just hope I won’t mess up.” 

Beca nodded, squeezing her hand. Chloe had expressed concerns about being able to remain sober once she would stop breastfeeding a few months from now. “I know you’ll do your best not to.”

“Can I…” Chloe hesitated. “Can I sleep in here tonight?” 

A soft smile curved Beca’s lips and butterflies flapped in her belly. “Yeah, of course. I’d love that.” 

As Chloe got settled under the covers and turned on her opposite side, Beca waited for a few beats, then draped an arm across her middle, shuffling closer. “This okay?” 

“Yeah,” Chloe breathed in the darkness. Her fingers loosely laced with Beca’s. “Goodnight, Bec.” 

*

“I’m home!”

“We’re in the kitchen!” Beca called out as she stood by the island, Marleigh propped on her hip. Today was an important day, but the five-month-old didn’t seem all that aware. “Happy one year of sobriety!” 

Chloe’s eyes widened, taking in the sight of the cake that bore the same sentiment. “Oh my god,” she breathed out, tears pooling in her eyes. “You remembered.” 

Beca rolled her eyes. “Duh. Of course, I did.” She glanced at Marleigh. “Can you say happy one year of sobriety mommy?” 

Marleigh reached out for Chloe in response, emitting the cutest cooing sound. 

“Close enough,” Beca decided with a soft laugh. She smiled at Chloe. “How do you feel?” 

“Good. Proud,” Chloe said, beaming. 

Beca nodded. “As you should. I’m also freaking proud of you, Chlo.” 

Marleigh rested her tiny hand on Chloe’s cheek when a tear slid down, big blue eyes focused on her mom. Chloe exhaled a watery chuckle. “It’s okay, Bean. Mommy’s alright.” 

Beca grinned, taking the knife. “Shall I cut this bad boy?” 

“One sec,” Chloe said, stepping closer to pluck the knife from her hand and set it on the table. Before Beca could ask her what she was doing, Chloe’s lips were on hers in a soft kiss that stole the breath from her lungs. 

It was short, chaste, but sent Beca’s mind for a spin. 

“I love you,” Chloe murmured as she pulled away, brushing her nose against Beca’s. “Thank you for being so patient with me and going at my pace. But I feel ready now. To start something real, with you.” 

Beca blinked. “Can you say that again?” 

“Which part?” Chloe asked with an amused smile. 

“The… love part.” 

“I love you,” Chloe repeated, resting her forehead against Beca’s. “And I want to be with you.” 

Beca closed her eyes, basking into the pool of happiness spreading inside her as those words danced in a loop in her mind. She reached up to cup Chloe’s cheek, cradling her face tenderly. “I love you, too.” 

*

“Hey. Breathe,” Beca coached, taking Chloe’s hand at the red light. 

Today was Marleigh’s six-month-check up, and as always whenever they went to the doctor’s, Chloe was terrified something might be wrong. 

It had been two weeks since Chloe’s kiss and confession, and they’d been taking things slow. They hadn’t had sex yet, but Beca was in no rush at all. She knew Chloe would probably be more reluctant with that aspect of their relationship given everything she’d been through (Beca guessed, as Chloe never broached the topic), and she was once again following her lead. 

Chloe nodded, puffing out a breath as instructed. “Thanks.” 

Beca couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous as well as they waited in the doctor’s office. Marleigh seemed and looked healthy; she rolled over now, made different sounds, and reacted to her name. Nothing indicated a failure to thrive, but something could be wrong with her heart, her lungs, or her liver without any physical sign showing up. 

“Good afternoon,” Dr. Gazzola greeted as she stepped inside the exam room. “Hello, Marleigh. Wow, you’ve gotten big since the last time I saw you!” 

Chloe chuckled. “She eats really well.” 

“Good. Are you still nursing?” 

“Yes. Once in the morning and in the evening before bed. The rest is solid food.” 

Over the next twenty minutes, Dr. Gazzola dotted down Marleigh’s weight and height, inquired about the milestones, and listened to her heart and lungs. Beca’s eyes widened when she said it was time for the shots. 

“Shots?” She asked, paling slightly. “Again?” 

Marleigh’s three-month-check up had been traumatizing for Beca, as she had felt powerless against Marleigh’s distress after getting two shots. 

“Want to hold my hand?” Chloe teased, though Beca knew it was hard on her, too. 

“Shut up,” Beca muttered, throwing her a glare. 

Chloe held Marleigh in her lap while the doctor administered three shots. Marleigh cried, but it wasn’t as bad as last time. 

“You were so brave,” Beca gushed as she put her onesie back on while Chloe asked the doctor about any signs of defects because of the drugs having passed in the placenta the first three weeks of pregnancy. Marleigh cooed, holding on a chunk of Beca’s hair and pulling it to her mouth. Beca chuckled and picked her up, propping her onto her hip as she focused on the doctor’s words. 

“I see no signs of defects so far. She hit all the six-month milestones, her weight and height are good. She’s as healthy as can be.” 

Chloe’s shoulder slumped, and she mustered a smile. “Okay. Thank you so much.” 

They strapped Marleigh back inside her car seat and carried it out to the car, Beca’s hand finding Chloe’s on their way out. 

“Wanna stop at Chick-Fil-A for lunch?” It felt deserved after that emotional hour. 

Chloe grinned. “Heck yeah.” She leaned in to kiss Beca, and Beca wasn’t sure when or if she’d ever get used to that. 

After lunch, they hung out at the park as it happened to be one of the first warm days of the year. Marleigh was getting a lot more curious and talkative, and putting everything within reach in her mouth, including rocks, they soon found out. 

“And that’s a dog,” Beca said as Marleigh sat in her lap. “Can you say dog? Or woof?” 

“Da!” 

Beca chuckled and glanced at Chloe to find her snapping a picture or filming. “Are you capturing more material to further destroy my reputation, Beale?” Beca asked, narrowing her eyes. 

Chloe giggled. “Don’t worry, I’m keeping this one for myself.” 

On their way out of the park, they ran into someone Beca never thought she’d see again. 

“Oh, hi.”

Beca blinked. “Hey, Sarah. How, um, how have you been?” 

“I’ve been good.” She cleared her throat, her eyes falling to Marleigh as she chilled in her stroller, munching on a teething toy and seemingly unaware of the awkwardness surrounding her. 

“This is Marleigh,” Chloe provided with a soft smile. 

“Wow, she looks just like you,” Sarah said. 

“Can I… talk to you for a minute?” Beca found herself asking, pointing over her shoulder. She sent Chloe a smile before she and Sarah stepped away. Beca rubbed the back of her neck. “I uh, wanted to apologize. You were right about my feelings for Chloe, I just-- I was oblivious. I’m sorry I unconsciously led you on more than I should have.” 

Sarah nodded. “Thank you for saying that. And it’s okay. The first couple of months were a bit rough, but then I met someone, and…” she smiled, glancing at the ground. “I’m really happy.” 

Beca’s shoulders slumped as that last bit of guilt she wasn’t aware she was carrying until now dissipated. “Good. I’m really glad to hear that, Sarah.” 

Sarah looked back to where Chloe was, crouched down in front of Marleigh and talking to her. “You guys make a beautiful family.” 

Beca smiled. “Thanks. It was good to see you,” she said, meaning every word. “Take care of yourself, Sarah.” 

She headed back to Chloe and Marleigh, taking Chloe’s hand as they resumed their way to the car. 

“You okay?” Chloe asked after a few beats. 

“Yeah,” Beca breathed out, lacing their fingers as she kissed Chloe’s cheek. “More than okay.” 

#bechloe

[ofbardsandmonsters]

Fill for square N4 - “family dinner” for the @stb-bingo ! read it here on ao3

***

Bucky’s leading him through a careful instruction on how to be sure the grooves and plates of his prosthetic are thoroughly cleaned when Steve comes looking for them. Tony’s not sure how long the blonde had been standing in the doorway of the workshop before they notice him, but they both look up when Steve clears his throat. Bucky sets down the tools, and Tony starts putting them away.

“Hey, Stevie. Did we miss our alarm?”

The smile on Steve’s face is soft and fond.

“Only by a couple minutes. Thor’s just finished cooking. It actually smells pretty good.”

Thor had, to everyone’s surprise, taken a shine to cooking meals since giving over leadership of New Asgard to Valkyrie. And despite growing up with what was likely close to an army of cooks and kitchen staff, the thunder god seemed to have a talent of his own in the kitchen. He had cooked mostly small meals for one or two of his fellow Avengers so far, and this was his first foray into a full family meal.

Tony shifts to stand, knowing he has to give himself ample time to prep his body, but Steve is there at his side before he has to put forth too much effort. Years ago, he would have rebuffed the need for assistance. But letting others, especially the people who care about him the most, help him without being concerned about the hit to his pride is something he’s been hard at work on with his therapist. And being Tony’s crutch, for lack of a better word, has been the focal point of his recovering relationship with Steve. Steve likes to feel needed by Tony, and Tony needs to know that Steve cares.

Having Bucky as a bridge between their differences has been almost as helpful.

He leans gratefully against Steve’s bulk, smiling down at Bucky when the brunette snags his right hand and presses a quick kiss to the metal palm before letting go. To his left, Steve pouts dramatically.

“Where’s mine?”

Bucky huffs and rolls his eyes, reaching for Steve’s hand that isn’t wrapped around Tony’s waist. He dips his head, looking for all the world like he’s going to repeat the process and drop a kiss onto the back of it. But instead, he sticks out his tongue and drags it over the back of Steve’s hand like the child they all know he really is.

Steve yelps, tugging his hand away and swatting at Bucky, who cackles and dances out of reach, knowing Steve won’t chase after him when he’s holding Tony close. “Jesus, Buck! That’s disgusting. What would your ma say if she saw you still goin’ around lickin’ people?”

The former assassin just shrugs, a cheeky smile still on his face as he gets close enough to steal a giggling Tony away from Steve and tuck him against his own side. 

“She probably wouldn’t be as scandalized as she would be if you told her what else I’ve been lickin’.”

The two brunettes nearly collapse with laughter as they make their way into the elevator, leaving a sputtering and red-faced Steve behind.

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

FRIDAY opens the elevator for them on the communal floor of the rebuilt compound, and they’re immediately hit with a wave of unfamiliar smells that make Tony’s mouth water. “Damn, Steve wasn’t kidding when he said it smelled good.”

Bucky steers them toward the dining room where most of the others who are currently on world and in town are already seated. Clint’s daughter’s visiting today, as is Scott’s. The two teenagers have their heads bent together in whispered conversation over their phones in between their dads. Hope’s on Scott’s other side, one arm around the back of his chair while she chats with Pepper across the table. Rhodey sits to Pepper’s right, and Tony can see them holding hands under the table. Bucky takes the open seat next to Pepper, guiding Tony to the chair to his left. Tony’s been noticing that they’ve unconsciously started sitting like that on a regular basis: Tony always to Bucky’s left, metal arm to metal arm.

There’s an unspoken agreement between all of them that the empty chair to Clint’s left is always left open.

The elevator dings, signaling Steve’s belated arrival. He takes the seat at Tony’s left just as Thor and Bruce start carrying in dishes loaded down with food. Everything looks amazing, and smells even better. Most of it is unfamiliar, so Tony suspects most of it is traditional or at the very least typical Asgardian fare. But it all smells like heaven, so he takes a little bit from each plate as they get passed around.

As they all settle in to eat, conversation flows easily around and over him. Tony is content to eat his fill without contributing anything, basking in the warmth that being surrounded by his family provides. 

Every so often, his eyes will stray to the empty seat across the table, Nat’s visible absence a reminder of what they’ve lost. The loss resonates in his chest, but it’s soothed when Steve’s fingers close around his own. The blonde leans close, dropping his voice so only Tony can hear.

“You okay, sweetheart?”

The endearment sings in his blood, and Tony offers him a soft smile. They’re still recovering, still relearning each other after so much hurt between them, but Steve is still as in tune to him as he ever was. Tony brings their entwined hands up and presses a kiss to Steve’s knuckles. His smile widens as Steve’s cheeks color.

“Nothing gets past Captain America, huh?”

Steve snorts and rolls his eyes, but there’s fondness and love written all over his face as he squeezes their hands together. Bucky leans back so he can catch Steve’s eye from behind Tony.

“Better not be makin’ goo-goo eyes at my fella, Rogers.”

Both of Steve’s eyebrows go up and gently tugs Tony toward him, making the brunette chuckle. “He was my fella first, Barnes. So I’ll make whatever eyes I like at him.”

Tony’s still giggling between them as the two super soldiers mock glare at each other. Down the table, Rhodey leans forward and gives them both an I’m watching you look. “I had him before the both of you, so don’t make me come over there and snatch him right back.”

Both men sit up straight like they’re in the principal’s office, which just makes Tony collapse into a louder fit of giggles, nearly falling off of his chair. The rest of the table joins in as well, laughter filling the room as Bucky and Steve turn bright red. It settles after a few minutes, and Tony presses a kiss to the cheek of first one of his lovers, and then the other.

Conversation picks back up around them, and Tony watches each person seated at the table in turn. Despite everything that’s happened to this group as a whole, those they’ve lost and regained or lost for good, the majority of them are still standing. And they’re stronger together for what they’ve been through. Things between him and Steve aren’t perfect, but they’re getting closer and closer every day. And there’s a part of him that thinks their dynamic together is better and stronger than it ever was before with Bucky.

Tony turns sideways in his chair, reaching out to take Bucky’s metal hand in between both of his own. He presses a kiss to the cool metal, then tucks it against his own cheek and looks up at the other brunette. “Thank you.”

Bucky raises an eyebrow in confusion, but the soft smile on his face doesn’t waver. “For what, doll?”

“For loving me. For loving Steve. For bringing out the best parts in both of us.”

“Hell, sweetheart. Easiest thing I’ve ever done, lovin’ the two of you.”

He feels Steve crowd up against his back, and the blonde wraps one arm around his waist. The other he holds out to Bucky, who takes it without hesitation, blue eyes watery as they bounce between the two men. Steve presses a kiss to the top of Tony’s head.

“Thank you, Tony. For letting me love you again.”

Tony closes his eyes, letting the sounds of his family wash over him. Family. The one thing that he had always wanted, a real family that loves him for exactly who he is. And this crazy, unconventional, mismatched group of people does. They love each other with a warmth and a fierceness that could only be possible in a family forged by fire.

And that love makes every fight, every scar, every hunk of metal he’s forced his body to accept worth it.

Family makes it all worth it.

#stb bingo #stuckony #stuckony fic

[m-o-o-n-s-g-o-o-n-s]

IT’S MUSIC TIME MY GOONIES PT. 4

Ah, welcome back! It’s Music Time everyone! I do miss doing these, and I’m glad to do another one! Just like always, playlist will be on shuffle, except for the first song & the FINNEAS song I want to talk about :D. The first one I got sent, and I wanna review it, and the FINNEAS song- well it’s FINNEAS. Must I say more? 😂 Without a further ado, let’s talk about some music!

People I feel like who would want to see this: @weirdcharacter @loth-wolffe @ahsokasleftbicep @eyecandyeoz @monako-jinn-stories @chaoticvampirejedi

———

So-

My lovely friend, Mes, sent me this song.

I have been looking for it for so long, it’s not even funny how long I have been looking for it.

So- so- soft.

Novo’s voice is incredible, the acoustic is incredible. THAT ENDING OMGGGGGGGG

The power and emotions he has in his voice.

I am going to learn this on my ukulele.

The beginning is soft, the chorus is immaculate.

The lyrics too are just so-

Emotional, but they work so well. The cover art is so great too, just-

10/10.

No words, only Anchor.

:’)

*this might be blooming a fic idea in my head*

Where do I start with this one? I mean- I love jazz music. It’s a recent love I discovered about a year ago, but I also love lofi. The remix, the beat, the way the song sounds completely new but also the same. Jazz + Lofi? That is the best combination. This song is so soft, but it sounds so much like the original, yet all the same. It makes me want to go out into a nice lil field and eat some cookies :D solid 8.5/10, so nice, very good for sitting out and eating cookies in the warm sun :) AND THE SLEEPY FACE COVER ART HAAAAA-

WELL HOW CONVENIENT THAT A JAZZ SONG CAME ON-

oh that start up piaNo-

Okay, Nat’s voice is so soft, and I love this song. It just makes me think of swaying with your lover in the kitchen while you two are supposed to be washing the dishes. The lyrics are wonderful, and every time he says “darling” HaA that’s so sweet and soft- AND THE COVER ART IS SO COOLLLLL

Sentimental reasons- such a wonderful part of the song, and that whole solo for the piano, mmmmmm, so lovely. Piano Lover ™️

His voice just works so well with the piano, and the blending of it all together works wonderfully-

And the end. :’)

So lovely.

9/10, solid, so lovely and nice.

YES.

I LOVE THIS.

So this is just a repeat of the words, it’s like a loop-

BUT IT IS SO GOOD.

The deep parts and the soft parts, the background deep singing, and the female parts-

Aaaaahhhh just so good. And when it goes muted, it’s so COOL! the thumbnail is so pretty, I love the whole moment ™️ we are having there. It’s a really good song to just vibe to, and chill- AND THE FUNKY PART RIGHT AFTER THE MIDDLE- YESSSSSSS! I just love the drastic differences throughout the song, I feel like that weird and chaotic feeling really is what pulls it together. 9/10, just a nice chill beat to listen to!

Well, it seems like my playlist just wants me to show off my love for jazz :)

This beginning is extremely soft- that’s the thing I love about, is it starts off so soft, and just is calm but so well working together with the different instruments. Oh his voice is so nice! Once again, I just love the blending of the voice (Tommy or Frank I’m assuming) and the instruments is so good, and I also really like the consistency of the instruments in this one, it works very well with this song. ASAAAJDJSJAJSJ THE SAX SOLO MOMENT YESSSSSSSSS, y’all the urge to just go buy a saxophone is STRONG- and the ending is so short and sweet! 8/10, very nice and good for if you want to listen to a softer jazz song!

Let’s Fall In Love For The Night - FINNEAS (clean, 1964 version)

I mean the start.

OBSESSED.

af;dskjf;lfkjasf;lkj I love this song so much, FINNEAS as such a soft and clear voice, and I’ve always loved him for that. The lyrics he has for his songs are always fitting for the music. ALSO THE COVER ART IS SO PRETTTYYYYYYYYY. He just- so good. This song I wanted to talk about because it’s so soft and lovely. Like yes- get me someone who will take me for a night drive and sit out under the stars and fall in love but then the next day be like- “who are you.” 😂 maybe a long lost lover, or a lover that is from your enemy family and you aren’t actually supposed to be in love, but you are, and you meet up in secret at night and do couple things, and the next day when they come in your family’s bakery, you act like you don’t know your lover.

…

Mhm so anyways, overall 9/10 for for if you want to just randomly spew out the trope idea about the two forbidden lovers. 😂 Good to listen to for a softer love song, but with a clear singer :)

OMG IT’S CAROOOOOOOOOOO

This girl- I SWEARRRR

Her voice is so pretty, and though I consider this a summer song (yes. songs are for different seasons OKAY), I still really like it, even though it’s like- 20 degrees outside rn 😂 Cover art is literally- *screams* it’s literally STRAWBERRIES. SO CUTE?????? But seriously, I love the way her voice matches with the beat, and her lyrics are so good, and she actually starts singing low and moves higher throughout it, which is really cool! This most definitely makes me want to go out to a strawberry field and munch on some strawberries and also just jam to this song. Overall, 8/10 for just wanting to eat strawberries and jam 😂 (haha strawberry and JAM get it?? because strawberry jam. honestly, like red raspberry the best- I AM GETTING DISTRACTED)

…

So- another song sent to me by Mes.

*cries*

I love this song. Her voice is beautiful- it goes deep at different points- and goes back up. I just am imagining your lover and you (*coughs* Ram’ser for me) dancing in a town square or something as this plays from some random lil band or speakers. The cover art is- beautiful. Just- the harp too is so wonderful. This song- aaaaaahhhh- I am- honestly speechless at this song, I don’t have a lot to say other than it’s truly beautiful. 10/10. Dancing with your lover. 100000000/10 No other words. :’)

Oh! A new song!

I just got this recently in my playlist, it as a suggestion made and I added it! So good! The beginning is so good! His voice is so nice, I like it a lot! The cover art is so pretty, I love the peachy colors! Bittersweet- just- a good song to put on in the car, turn the volume all the way up, and drive and vibe. I like how it gets faster and the- AAAAHH THE HIGHER PART BEFORE THE CHORUS- WHICH THE CHORUS BTW IS GREAT- I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH AND IT’S ONLY BEEN IN MY PLAYLIST FOR LIKE- A FEW DAYS. the ending is so- SOfT. I love when singers do that final note where the music goes out and it’s the soft final word just- haaaa. 10/10, I love the beat on this one, incredible, good for full bass booming drives :)

YESSSSSSS

I CAN’T STOP THIS FEELINGGGGG

DEEP INSIDE OF MEEEEEEE

GIRL YOU JUST DON’T REALIZEEEEE

WHAT YOU DO TO MEEEEE

But seriously, this song is great, I love it, nice and chill, the lyrics are great, just a good song to stand on your bed, dance like crazy, and sing your heart out. THE COVER ART IS GREAT, I LOVE THE VIBESSSSSS. It’s just- such a good song??? Blue Swede has good music, and though this is the literal only song I have from them, I still think it’s great in every way. Beat is great, music is great- it’s just a great song. 10/10, love, obsessed, “scream the lyrics and dance on your bed like crazy kinda song” ™️ (ALSO THE FADE AT THE END HAAAAA)

So good. The guitar at the beginning is wonderful. The cover heart is beautiful, I love the way it matches the autumn vibe.

Lyrics are so pretty, chill song, and I didn’t actually like this song when I first listened to it, but then I gave it a few more listens, and really liked it. I got this one from another playlist that someone made me (have all the songs, literally still cry about that, because I LOVE MUSIC AND THEY MADE ME A P L A Y L I S T). I just wanna go to a small town, get some hot chocolate, and sit and watch the sunset as I sit by a campfire. Maybe make some s’mores. The lyrics are so pretty all throughout, and the voice is wonderful, I like it a lot, his way of singing it is just- like you know a singer fits a song when they sing like this. Beautiful, poetry, wonderful- *chef’s kiss*. 9/10, just go out during fall and drink some hot chocolate and listen to this song :’).

Alas, I have reached the amount of songs I can put on here, but I do hope you all enjoyed it! For the next one, I’m not quite for sure what I’m going to do- but I think I’ll have another theme-

And-

Well-

The band I’m thinking of doing it off of is-

Only made of two letters, spelled with four.

:)

I’ll just leave you with that :)

lots of spells (& hopes you liked my music!),

moony

#Spotify #the mcc #moony’s christmas celebration #it’s music time my goonies #hope you enjoy ☺️

[lynyrdwrites]

long story short (KC)

This is based off the request for frienzoline + Klaroline, and long story short by Taylor Swift from @ofthedirewolves. It’s more Frienzoline than anything, but really? That should be expected.  It’s sort of disjointed, but I hope you enjoy.

---

Pushed from the precipice

Clung to the nearest lips

Wrong story short it was the wrong guy

“My story can be split into a series of losses.”

Enzo blinked at the solemnly spoken words.  He hadn’t thought vampires could get drunk, but he and Caroline had spent the past twelve hours proving that, actually, they very much could.  Apparently they had moved from the karaoke singing stage to the sad reminiscing.

“My story basically just consists of an Augustine cell and a lot of bloody, bloody experiments,” he said after a beat of silence, figuring that he needed to give an appropriately serious response.  Caroline moved her gaze from the roof, where she’d been staring as he spoke, to look at him instead.

“That’s sad,” she said at last.  “Forget my story.  Yours is just sad.  You deserve French fries to make up for that sad story.”

“Will they actually help with anything?” Enzo mused, and Caroline wrinkled her nose and shrugged.

“I dunno.  But they’re tasty.  Do you think Matt would bring us some, if I called him?”

After a long debate, they decided that, no, Matt Donovan wouldn’t deliver French fries to his ex and the crazy vampire he hated.  But it turned out there was a bag of frozen wedges in the Forbes’ freezer, and Caroline declared they were good enough.

Another debate then occurred, where he convinced her to bake them in the oven, instead of heating up the deep fryer.  Enzo had been in an overly destructive building fire once before, thank-you very much. He’d rather not repeat the experience.

So it was, twenty minutes later, Caroline was perched on the counter, nibbling on a still frozen wedge as the rest heated, while Enzo sat on a chair, bottle of tequila dangling from his fingers.  He had decided he hated tequila, but it did do an awfully good job of getting one drunk.

“Okay, so back to your series of stories.”

Caroline blinked at him, gaze fuzzy with alcohol, and Enzo sighed.

“Remember? My story can be split into a series of losses.” He gave the sentence the proper intonation, one of surly seriousness.  

“I didn’t sound like that,” she muttered, reaching for the tequila.  Enzo handed it over. After all, getting drunk had been her idea.

They were at almost thirteen hours after her mother’s funeral.  

“You kind of ruined my sad story,” she said at last, after swallowing a mouthful of the alcohol.  “With your whole sad, locked up vampire schtick. No one can stand up to that level of tragedy.”

“We’re not playing a game of who’s trauma is bigger-”

“Yeah, cause you would win.”

Enzo ignored that and pushed on, “We’re playing a game of share the trauma.  Share yours, Gorgeous.”

“I don’t have trauma.”

“The dead mother says otherwise.”

Caroline looked thoughtful for a moment, and then shrugged.

“Did you know that she tried to kill me once? After I was turned.  Mommy tried to kill me and daddy tortured me.  I’m not sure what that says about me.”

“Probably that your trauma is much larger than you think.  Okay, dead mommy and daddy.  What would your other losses be?  Hit me.”

The timer of the oven went off, and Caroline pulled the wedges out.  She immediately grabbed one, and hissed, tossing it between fingers as it burned her skin, until she finally got it in her mouth.  She followed it almost immediately by more tequila.

“Be careful.  They’re hot.”

Enzo snickered, but helped her dish the wedges out onto plates.  Once they sat at the table, Caroline spoke again.

“I mean, my humanity.   That’s a pretty big loss, right?”

“Meh.” Enzo shrugged. “I think humanity’s overrated, but if you want to say it’s a loss-”

“No, you’re right!” Caroline poked a victorious finger at him.  “You are so right!  Like, how was being human really so great for me?  I was Damon’s dumb, compelled blood bag.  Everyone lied to me.  No one took me seriously.  But Stefan is all sad eyes about vampirism, and Elena is absolutely miserable, even if she tries to lie about it.  And I’m like, okay, maybe I’m missing something.  Maybe it is the worst thing… but see, you get it!  You’re, like, the only person who gets it.” She looked thoughtful for a second, and gave her head the slightest shake.  “Maybe, like, the second person who gets it.”

“Okay, so that’s a loss that’s not really a loss.  What else?”

“Mommy and daddy,” Caroline pointed out around a wedge, she reached for the tequila, then wrinkled her nose again.  “We need actual glasses for this.  Back wash is gross.”

In just a few moments, they both had glasses filled to the top with just tequila, because that was apparently who they were as people, and Caroline was brandishing a wedge again.

“Okay, so then there’s my relationships.  Matt and Tyler, and the total demise of my friendship with Stefan, because he is such a dick.  And did you see how he looked at me during the funeral? Like, really?  I bare my heart to the guy, and he can’t be bothered to care until he decides I look hot next to my mom’s casket?  Who does that?”

“Wankers,” Enzo replied, when Caroline paused and he realized she actually wanted an answer.  “Absolute wankers.  Of which Stefan is one.”

“Thank-you.  And I mean, we also lost Bonnie in there, even if we got her back.  And Jeremy. And Alaric.  Those are the fake deaths.  They probably get their own sub genre.  And there was Klaus, who fake died and then left, but I couldn’t really be sad about his fake death, you know?  Like, I was, but I couldn’t show it. Can I tell you a secret?” She leaned towards him, and Enzo leaned in as well, because that was what you did when there was a secret.  “I cried. When I thought he was dead.  When no one else was around.  I cried.  But if you try to tell anyone, I’ll lie, and say you’re a dirty liar who knows nothing. So don’t tell.” She leaned back in her chair, and gazed up at the ceiling again.  “I cried when he took off for New Orleans, too.  And a little bit after his bang and run. But it’s not because its, like, him in particular.  I just… hate not being good enough.”

“Gorgeous, if Klaus thinks you’re not good enough, he’s as big a wanker as Stefan.”

“I mean, he’s a bigger wanker.  He’s Klaus.  But he left. So obviously I can’t be good enough, right?”

“I dunno.  Maybe he thought he wasn’t good enough for you?”

Caroline threw a wedge at him, and looked vaguely impressed when Enzo managed to catch it between his teeth.  He smirked at her as he chewed on it.  They were surprisingly good.

“Really? Would you choose to abandon someone because you felt you weren’t good enough for them?”

“No, but I’m not a wanker. I thought that went without saying.”

Caroline laughed, and Enzo would admit it did his old heart some good, to see her actually show genuine mirth after all the tears and sadness that had followed her since her mother had died.

“That’s lame,” she said at last.  “Anyone who does that is lame.”

“And a wanker.”

“We already figured that part out.”

She looked out the nearby window, thoughtfully nibbling on a wedge, and Enzo finally nudged her knee with his foot, drawing her gaze back.

“Have you ever considered telling him that he is worth it?”

She looked away, and shook her head slowly.

“Well, maybe you should. I won’t help you with Stefan.  We both agree that he’s the biggest wanker, but I’ll help you with this other bloke.  Consider it a road trip.”

“Are you trying to get me laid, Enzo?”

“Of course, Gorgeous. That’s my job,” he gave her a careless grin that made her laugh again, before giving her knee another nudge.  “Or maybe I’d like to get you out of this hellhole of a town.”

“That would be nice.” Caroline closed her eyes, and laid her head on her arm.  “That would be nice.”

“Just say when.”

She didn’t respond to that. She didn’t acknowledge their conversation in the days that followed as Enzo followed her about, helping her to finish settling her mother’s estate.

She didn’t say anything as the rest of them made plans that, to Enzo, seemed entirely too insane.

She didn’t say anything until he took her out to the graveyard, with some daisies that made him think of Caroline, so he thought Liz would appreciate them.  He hadn’t known the woman, but he figured she must have loved her daughter, even if there had been that awkward attempted murder.

As he put the daisies down, Caroline knelt next to him, tracing her mother’s name on the stone.

“When.”

Send me a ship + a song

#Klaroline #Frienzoline #ofthedirewolves #Klaroline fic #Frienzoline fic

[crystalninjaphoenix]

First Journey

Fantasy Masks AU: Chapter Four

A JSE Fanfic

Another one :D Chase continues to get to know everyone, and soon goes on his first mission as an official Phantom. There’s a bit of a time skip in between that, but hey, I don’t think it would’ve been too interesting to hear about every single day Chase spends at Wyvernlair. Anyway, yeah. Don’t have much to say, so just read on and enjoy ^-^

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

By the time the sun set and everyone started to head towards the cooking fires for dinner, Chase’s arms were aching from the effort of shooting a bow for hours. They felt less like part of him and more like useless things hanging from his shoulders. He was glad the day was over. The whole thing had been a lot to take in, and that training at the end had just made him exhausted physically as well as mentally.

Just like the previous night, Chase lingered around the edges of the cooking fires, instead of actually doing much mingling. It looked like almost all of the Phantoms were here, either getting food or doing the cooking themselves. Most had taken their masks off and had them in their hands or around their necks as they chattered in groups with each other. Chase, however, just waited for more people to clear up so he could feel comfortable getting food. He headed over towards the dragon leg bones that were in the area and sat down near the end, on one of the smaller bones that could serve as a bench. Some time passed, and more and more people arrived.

“Are you actually going to get something, or just sit and stare?”

Chase yelped, and twisted around to see Henrik standing behind him. “Oh. Hello.” He’d almost forgotten that Henrik had said he’d meet up with him at dinner. “How are you doing?”

“I am alright.” Henrik sat down next to him. “I would ask you the same, but I think I can tell everything by the expression on your face.”

“Do I look that bad?” Chase groaned.

“No, not bad. Just tired.” Henrik paused. “Am I right?”

“You’re right.” Chase rubbed his eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m still...trying to understand everything. All this about medicine and magic and everything else. And having to prepare for combat, you know? I may be a hunter, but I’ve never fought a person. Unless you count getting into squabbles when I was a kid, and even then, it never came to blows.”

“Oh.” Henrik looked away. “Maybe I should not have insisted you do everything at once. I’m sorry. I thought it would help you to be part of the group, if you knew what you needed sooner, instead of later.”

“No, it’s fine, it’s not you,” Chase hurried to say. “It’s the whole situation. I just need time.”

“Right.” Henrik hesitated, looking like he wanted to say more. But then he shook his head a little, and said nothing.

“What? What is it?” Chase asked.

“Nevermind, if you are feeling overwhelmed, I do not want to add to it—”

“No, please, if there’s anything else, say it now. You’re right, I’d rather have everything laid out at once.”

Henrik sighed. “Well...you see, now that you are all caught up, we usually have you choose where you want to fit in. We have these—here.” His mask was hanging off his belt, and he reached down and picked it up. “You’ve noticed the symbols on the forehead by now, yes? That tells everyone what you do. It’s a helpful shortcut, since we all have different skills.”

“Ah.” Chase nods, recalling the different symbols he’d seen. There was the straight line with the curved lines wrapped around it, the circle with two dots, the X with two dots, and the card suits. “There are four, right?”

“Five, actually,” Henrik corrected. “You probably haven’t seen the fifth up close, ah...” He turned towards everyone else gathered around the cooking fires. “See, look, over there. It’s on Ana’s mask.” And he gestured towards a nearby redheaded woman, wearing a mask in the shape of a floppy-eared dog. The symbol on her forehead was a five-pointed star.

“Alright, five,” Chase nodded. “What do they mean?”

“The one I have here means medicine,” Henrik said, tapping his mask. “Or otherwise, support. We are also all birds so that we can be picked out easily in an emergency. Then the circle and cross are for combat, those are the types who go out on missions.”

“Why are there two?” Chase asked, raising an eyebrow.

Henrik shrugged. “Different skill sets. I’m not sure on the specifics, that is Jackie’s area of expertise. But circles are more direct, I believe. Like warriors. Then the star is for organization, things like records and messengers. And the card symbols mean you are a magic-wielder.”

“And why use the card suits for magic?” Chase pressed. “To my knowledge, card games aren’t magical.”

“Ah—well—w-we didn’t choose that particular symbol,” Henrik said, and then quickly moved on. “Of course, you do not have to choose now. We can put this on the shelf and you can think it over. Oh, but I should tell you now, you cannot have your own mask just yet, with your own chosen animal. You will have to use one of our extras until we get some plaster.”

“That’s fine. I don’t know what animal I’d want to be, anyway.” Chase fell silent for a minute, watching the others gathered around the fires. Someone had started playing an instrument, and the sound of strumming was soon joined in by a few people singing along. Many of them were clearly missing the notes, but they made up for that with the joy in their voices. “Yea, I’ll think about it.”

Henrik nodded, and said nothing, joining him in on watching the others. After a moment, he took a small flask out of a pouch on his belt and drank.

“That can’t hold that much ale,” Chase said. “You wouldn’t get anything out of that.”

At that remark, Henrik spluttered, and almost choked before managing to swallow the mouthful of liquid he’d just taken. “It’s not ale,” he said, voice a bit hoarse. “I-I do not—drink anything of that sort.”

“Oh. Sorry,” Chase said, embarrassed. “I was going to joke about having some, but, um, sounds like it’s...just water, then?”

“No, no.” Henrik capped the flask and put it back in the pouch. “Is medicine, actually. You would not want any.”

“Oh,” Chase repeated. He could tell that Henrik didn’t want the issue pressed any further. And who could blame him, really? Something like that was fairly personal. “Hmm...you know, I was thinking, and...I don’t actually know that much about you, do I?”

“I assure you, you know more than anyone here except Jackie,” Henrik said drily. “Most of the Phantoms know I am a doctor, but not that I travel.”

“I don’t just mean your occupation, I mean a lot more than that. Like, for example, how old are you? Do you have any family? Are you courting anyone? Things like that.”

Henrik started to smile a bit. “I am twenty-nine years old.”

“You’re a year younger than me?!” Chase gasped.

“Hey, I don’t look that old, do I?” Henrik nudged his shoulder.

“No, you don’t, really. I just...guess you seem it,” Chase said slowly. “You sound and act like you have a lot of experience.”

“Well, thank you,” Henrik said, flattered. “As for family, my parents still live in Alterde. I used to write to them, but not anymore.”

“Why? What happened?”

“Hmm.” Henrik pursed his lips. “It is a long story. What about your family?”

Chase shook his head. “Mam and Dad are gone, have been for years now. I don’t have any siblings. Stacia had a sister, but she went down into the flatlands to become a merchant. So, really, it’s only been me, Stacia, and the kids.” His heart was starting to sink the more he talked, so he quickly moved on. “Can’t help but notice you changed the subject just before you answered my last question.”

“Hmm? And what was that?” Henrik asked, clearly feigning ignorance.

“Ohhhh, I see.” A wide grin spread across Chase’s face. “So, you’re not actively courting anyone, but you’re pining. Is that it?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Henrik said, not looking him in the eye.

At that moment, someone approached the pair from the side, recognizable even from a distance because of that red cloak. “I’m missing some context, but I think I can figure out what’s going on here,” Jackie said. “Come on, Henrik, everyone knows. I thought Chase needed to be on page with everyone, riiiiight?”

“I—not like—this is—” Henrik stammered for a while, then tried to change the subject again. “What are you holding?”

“Well I saw you two being lonely out here on the edge, so I thought I’d bring you some food.” Jackie was awkwardly holding three plates, two in one hand and one in the other. “Here.” He set two of the plates down on the bone next to each of them. “I hope you like venison, Chase.”

Chase scoffed a bit. “You remember you’re talking to a hunter, right? I was raised on venison.” He picked up the nearby plate, noting the fork balanced on top of the meat. “Elders, you guys must have a lot of dishes.”

“Oh you have no idea,” Jackie muttered. “We rotate cooking and cleaning every week, so remember to check the chore notice by storage to see if it’s your turn to wash them all.”

“I’m already dreading it,” Chase assured him. “Also, I can’t help but notice Henrik still hasn’t answered my question about if he’s courting anyone.”

“Shush,” Henrik said, face slowly growing red.

Jackie chuckled. “Nothing official. He just happens to like a certain someone. But he’s not at this camp, so Schneep’s just been waiting, and I’m sure the moment they’re reunited he’s going to run right at him and profess all his feelings in a poetic—”

“Schwestern verdammit, Jackie!” Henrik threw his fork at Jackie, who just laughed and let it hit him. “Can you not do this?!”

Jackie couldn’t speak, he was too busy laughing. The best he could do was hand him his fork again.

“Well, then,” Chase muttered. “I guess that’s an answer.”

Henrik sighed. “Do not—tell anyone. I suppose everyone...knows already, but please don’t. I am not sure if he’ll...feel the same. And I want to be more sure before he finds out through rumors.”

“Alright, Henrik,” Chase said cheerfully, shrugging. “I understand. Besides, I don’t even know who you’re referring to, so I wouldn’t even know who to talk about.”

“...thank you.” Henrik let out a breath, and glared at Jackie.

“Aw, you love me,” Jackie grinned. He pushed his wolf mask off, and turned to Chase. “And if you’re going to ask me that question, the answer is no, I’m not courting anyone. Don’t have my eye on anyone either, but I don’t have a preference, so I’m sure I’ll find someone eventually. Maybe once things are less busy.”

“Good luck on that, then,” Chase nodded.

Jackie smiled wider. This was the first time Chase had seen him without the mask covering the upper half of his face. There was a small scar next to his right eye, short but straight, probably caused by a blade. And he looked...younger than Chase expected. Much like Henrik, he thought Jackie would be older than him, but he seemed to be the same age as him, if not younger. For a moment, Chase wondered how these two got mixed up in this whole rebellion situation. Were they affected by the King’s actions like he was? Or in some other way? Or something else he couldn’t come up with? And why were their masks the only ones that had color?

Before he could ask any of these questions, Henrik decided it was once again time to change the subject. “Ah, Chase, I have been meaning to ask you.” He cleared his throat. “Would you like to...learn how to read better?”

“Huh?” It took Chase a moment to return to the present. “Well, I guess. It would be helpful to know more. Why, do you want to teach me?”

“A-ah, I don’t know if I would be a good teacher,” Henrik mumbled.

“Don’t be ridiculous, you were pretty good at teaching me,” Jackie said. “And that was while you yourself were still learning the language!”

“You know most of that wasn’t me, it was—” Henrik suddenly stopped, glanced at Chase, and abruptly moved on. “There is more to teaching than just knowing the language.”

“I know, and you were pretty good at it.”

“I was going to say that we would find someone who would have more time on their hands, we are busy—”

“Not as much now that you’re not travelling anymore. Besides, I think it would work best with you two together, you already sort of know each other, and you’re getting along well. It’d just be complicated to shove Chase at someone new, he already met enough new people today.”

Henrik tried to argue further, but Jackie just looked at him, his expression a strange mix of pleading and stubbornness. So, Henrik just sighed, and turned to Chase. “Would you want me to teach you?”

After a moment, Chase nodded. “Yea. Jackie’s right, w-we already know each other, it’ll be easiest.”

Henrik looked up to the sky. “Alright, then. I will find some time, Sisters willing.”

“Great!” Jackie gave Henrik a quick one-armed hug. “Now you two should actually eat the food I brought you. It’ll get cold fast.” And with that, he disappeared back into the rest of the crowd.

Chase watched him go. “He’s...something, isn’t he?”

Henrik laughed quietly. “You are right.” Then he looked at Chase. “So, is that it, then?”

“Reading. Yea.” Chase paused. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Of course it is not. It’s my schedule that is the trouble.” Henrik shook his head. “Now, please. We should eat.”

They ate quietly, and afterwards, Chase went back to his tent. The moment he laid down, he was asleep, too tired to do anything else.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time passed. Days, at first, and then weeks. Frost started to linger on the ground, and people started wearing two jackets or cloaks to block out the cold. Personally, Chase was content with his one jacket and hat. Maybe he was more used to the cold than the other members of the Masked Phantoms. Or maybe he was just too busy to feel the chill.

It took him a few more days than expected to decide where he’d fit in. Obviously, he didn’t have any magic, so he couldn’t help with any magic-related tasks. And after thinking about it, he didn’t really have the mind for medicine. There was just so much to remember, not just about medicine itself, but also how the body worked, and he’d have to look after so many people. Sure, he might know a bit about simple injuries and common illnesses, but just the extent to which Henrik and Nemet and all the other doctors had to remember and learn...he didn’t think he was cut out for it. It was a similar case for the more administrative tasks. He’d never been very organized. It didn’t seem like a good fit.

So, instead, he turned his attention to his skills. He was a hunter. So, on some level, combat made sense. It was also the one that involved the most action. Groups and individuals were frequently leaving and returning to camp, many of them wearing masks with the circles or crosses that indicated they were fighters. That was what Chase wanted to do. Direct action. But not too direct. He wasn’t a warrior, after all. And Henrik had described the circles as being like warriors...given the process of elimination, the result was obvious.

But he figured that out quickly. The reason he hesitated to commit to that particular branch of the Phantoms...was because of Lukas. Chase picked up that Lukas and Holly were in charge of the two combat-based branches, with Lukass leading the crosses and Holly leading the circles. And Lukas continued to show a deep mistrust of him that was honestly unnerving. He brought it up with Jackie and Henrik, but they each reassured him that Lukas would learn to get along with him. But...that didn’t seem to be happening. In fact, Chase felt like Lukas was going out of his way to keep an eye on him. Every time Chase went out to the combat fields, Lukas was there, insisting that he show off his bow skills. And sometimes, Chase even thought he could see the fox-masked man following him around camp. But that last part might just be paranoia and mistaken identity. After all, there were many different animal masks at Wyvernlair.

Eventually, Chase realized he might be taking too long to decide, so he gritted his teeth, and told Jackie about his choice the next time he saw him. Jackie was excited, as he usually seemed to be, and took him to storage to pick up one of the spare masks. There were three spares marked with the crosses: a wolf, a mouse, and a hedgehog. Chase didn’t want to choose the same wolf theme as Jackie, so he went for the hedgehog. Stacia had always thought those were cute.

Of course, it turned out that his anticipation of difficulties with Lukas...was entirely correct. He seemed a bit surprised to hear that Chase had decided to join the branch he was in charge of, but he quickly got over that feeling and doubled down on his obvious distrust. Every day, he’d meet Chase at the combat fields, and give him a target range to shoot at...over and over and over. And they got more difficult each day. He said he was trying to improve Chase’s mediocre shooting ability, but Chase got the impression he wanted him to fail.

On the bright side, once he got a mask of his own, even if it was only a spare, everyone else quickly accepted that he was part of the Phantoms. And once that happened, it was easy to get to know everyone. Nemet was already familiar with him, so she’d stop by every so often to check on him, and to insist that he keep his tent in order. Holly regularly intervened when Lukas started to go a bit too far in his ‘archery practice,’ and every so often, gave Chase short lessons in self-defense. Tripp, the sorcerer, kept popping out of nowhere to strike up a conversation about some random topic before disappearing. And of course, Jackie and Henrik were always around.

Somehow, the fact that Chase was getting to know all these people seemed to upset Lukas, making him even more suspicious.

Though, there was something strange that Chase was noticing. As he became familiar with other Phantoms, he got the distinct impression that...something was missing. He wasn’t sure how else to describe it. When he talked to people, they’d sometimes start to say something, then change the subject. How’d they manage to find these dragon bones? Who came up with the idea to make the masks animals? Are there quite a lot of magic-wielders in the group? Questions like that got glossed over, and soon, Chase began to realize there was an empty hole in the Phantoms that nobody wanted to talk about. An empty hole...where a person might fit.

This realization only made him more curious about whoever-this-was who was missing. But if nobody was giving him the answers to the small questions, he doubted they’d say anything if he just bluntly asked about this person. But the thought just wouldn’t go away. Maybe...he could ask Henrik? He seemed the most likely to give him some sort of answer. Perhaps he could bring it up during one of their reading lessons.

The lessons weren’t too bad, really. Chase already knew a fair amount, so they weren’t starting from scratch. He already knew how to put together sentences and could read most commonly-used words. But oftentimes the lessons were short, as Henrik got called away to do something or other really quickly. This meant that progress was still slow, even with Chase practicing on his own.

Where he struggled most was with the new words. He recognized every one so far from speech, but his mind couldn’t match up the spelling with the sounds. Mostly because they were, in his opinion, not spelled how they sounded at all.

In one lesson, he threw the chalk he was using away and exclaimed “Why do they combine the letters?! It would be so much easier to have one letter for every sound!”

“Oh, I do not disagree with you there,” Henrik said, standing up to retrieve the chalk. They’d taken to holding the lessons on the edge of camp, where the trees of the forest once again started to appear. The chalk had hit one of said trees, and Henrik found it quickly. He walked back to his spot next to Chase, sat on the ground next to him, and handed him the chalk

Chase grumbled and pressed the chalk hard into the board they were using. Copying the letters and words was easy, even if his handwriting was a bit crooked and looked like a ramshackle hut next to Henrik’s solidly built houses of letters. But recognizing the words? “Why don’t they change it so it makes more sense?”

Henrik shrugged. “Alphabets do not just change automatically. It is something that happens slowly, over time. From what I understand, the one that most nations use today is put together by combining symbols from many different places. Of course, many nations that are farther away use their own. And even some close by are stubborn to keep their own letters.”

“We should’ve kept our own letters,” Chase muttered.

“Hmm?” Henrik’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing. That doesn’t even make sense. I’m just frustrated.” Honestly, Chase wondered if Glasúil ever had its own alphabet. The single kingdom was once home to several different clans, each with their own customs. They probably each had an alphabet, and when the kingdom was united, decided it was too much trouble to pick one or combine them, so they brought in an alphabet from beyond the island.

“Ah, I see. Well, I think you’re doing very well.” Henrik looked up towards the sky. “But unfortunately, I will have to leave soon.”

“Aw.” Chase erased the words on the board with his jacket sleeve. “Tooooo bad.”

Henrik scoffed. “Well, remember you have to practice words with those combined letters—”

“Yea, I got it, Henrik. Ancient elders, you can be a stick in the ground sometimes.”

Despite Chase’s tone, Henrik smiled briefly. “Before I go, I have to tell you something. Or, well, I should ask first. Are you ready to go on your first mission?”

Chase perked up. In the weeks he’d spent here, he hadn’t gone on one mission to help the Phantoms. The timing was perfect; he was starting to get restless. “Of course. What is it? What do I have to do?”

“Nothing too risky, not for your first time. But recently, we heard that there were...unusual visitors in the surviving mountain villages. The ones more...downhill. Farther from the Greatwoods. It may be nothing, but we should go see. Since you are familiar with the mountains, it seemed a good idea to ask you go to along.”

“It’s a group?” That made sense. If they didn’t want too much risk on his first mission, there would be safety in numbers. “Who else is going?”

“Jackie—”

“Jackie’s going? He could’ve asked me himself.”

Henrik huffed. “He was going to tell you, but he got sidetracked by business, so he asked me to tell you, since I would be seeing you first. Elin is also going, she is a sorcerer. And Kenneth, who is a doctor.”

“Four people.” Chase nodded. “Maybe you should come, too, round it up to five for luck.”

“I am delighted that you’d want my company, but...well, must I really repeat my scheduling problems?” Henrik sighed. “Besides, if Jackie is gone, someone has to be here to make sure everything goes well. I assure you, Kenneth is a wonderful doctor.”

“I’m sure,” Chase nodded. Though he was a bit sad Henrik wouldn’t be coming, he knew it would’ve been difficult. At least Jackie would be there. “When are we leaving? Did Jackie tell you?”

“Two days from now,” Henrik said.

“Oh. That’s sooner than I expected,” Chase admitted.

“You have to account for travel time,” Henrik explained. “I understand the village is three days from here, if you go straight. Possibly four.” He once again glanced up at the sky, and stood up. “Alright, I really must go now. Remember to practice.”

“Yea, I hear you. Be seeing you.” Chase waved Henrik off as he headed back towards the main body of Wyvernlair, passing in between the distant—but still large even this far away—bones of the dragon, and disappearing from sight.

Two days, huh? Chase supposed that was enough time to prepare. Sighing, he stood up, grabbing the board and chalk. And maybe enough time to finally get a hang of some of these letter combinations. He might as well get started now. Once he left for this mission, it would be a few days before he’d see Henrik again for another lesson.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later, Chase met up with Jackie and the two others, and they set off before the morning frost started to melt. The journey itself wasn’t too exciting. Just a lot of traveling through the woods. The other two people on the mission, Elin and Kenneth—a pair of siblings wearing near-identical goat masks—weren’t very talkative, so Jackie filled most of the silence. The most surprising thing was the number of animals Chase was seeing. The area of the woods around his town had been so empty, even for late fall. But as they moved farther from camp, he saw all kinds of woodland creatures, even a few deer. That was strange.

Something that wasn’t strange, but took some getting used to, was that everyone was carrying weapons. Chase was used to having a bow on his back and a quiver by his side, but it was strange to look at his companions and see them armed as well. Elin had a pair of daggers dangling from her belt, while Kenneth had a single, broad-bladed sword that he carried on his back. Jackie had two swords, one on his back and one on his hip. Chase found that odd, but he was sure Jackie knew what he was doing. Jackie had insisted Chase carry a knife as well as he bow, just in case. So one of the swords must’ve been a spare, ‘just in case.’

But the journey passed surprisingly quickly, and the next thing Chase knew, three days had gone by, and Jackie was gathering the three of them to talk about their approach to the mountain village, called Skytown.

“Alright, we’re going to circle around so we’re approaching from the east, that way it’ll look like we just came from downhill instead of the forest. That won’t be unusual, I understand this village gets a lot of visitors from farther down. Everyone alright with that?”

Everyone nodded slowly. “We would blend in more as visitors if we had horses,” Elin muttered. The few times she’d spoken up on the journey had all been talking about horses.

“Damn it, Elin,” Kenneth sighed. “Do we have to talk about the unsuitable terrain again?”

“No, no, I was just pointing it out.” Elin paused. “But I still don’t understand why people bring horses up into the north mountains, but not here. They’re both mountains. And the Northavens are much rockier.”

“It’s not about rocks, it’s about sudden ups and downs and the steepness of the slope. People can climb, horses can’t.”

“Alright, you two, break it off,” Jackie said. “Chase, are you on board with us?”

Chase nodded. “Um...can I say something, though?”

“What?” Jackie asked.

“I think I should stay back. If you’re planning to pretend to be visitors from the flatlands, that is.”

“Hmm?” Jackie tilted his head. “Interesting. Why?”

“Well, something I’ve noticed is that all of you from the flatlands talk differently than me,” Chase said. “Not too much, but it’s noticeable. See, just the fact that I call the rest of the kingdom ‘the flatlands’ would give away that I’m actually from the mountains. So, if you’re going to pretend to be visitors, I should stay back, because I’d give it away.”

“You could just not talk,” Elin suggested.

Chase considered this. “I guess that could work...but it might be hard.”

“Let’s talk about it again when we’re out of the forest,” Jackie said. “C’mon, get moving everyone. We’re almost there.”

By now, the colorful autumn foliage of the trees had mostly fallen off, making a carpet of brown leaves on the forest floor and leaving the branches above bare in many places. And Chase had noticed that the trees were starting to spread out, less close together like they were deeper in the forest. Jackie was right; they were almost to the edge of the forest. Though the area itself was unfamiliar to Chase, it felt similar to home.

While looking around these surroundings, he saw something move. He almost missed it, on the very edge of his vision. Chase stopped, turning to look. Was that...a deer?

“Chase! Keep up!” Jackie called.

“Sorry!” Chase looked away for a moment, hurrying to catch up with the others. When he glanced back, the deer-shaped thing was gone.

Soon, the trees thinned out, and the four of them stood on the edge of the forest, overlooking the mountain village Skytown. It was quite a bit bigger than the Hilltown Chase called home. All the buildings were solid stone, large enough for at least four rooms, with thatched roofs that hadn’t been present back in Hilltown. People still bustled about, but their clothes were a bit nicer, with less patches. Was this because Skytown was downhill, closer to the rest of the kingdom?

“Nothing looks strange from up here,” Kenneth said, shielding his eyes against the sun. “What would these unusual people look like?”

“The reports said they were dressed nicely, almost nobly,” Jackie said. “And there was at least one of them wearing the royal crest.”

Elin raised an eyebrow. “I see.”

“Alright. Chase.” Jackie turned to look at him. “Do you still want to stay behind?”

“Um...” Chase hesitated. Stalling for time, he once again looked around the forested surroundings. Back home, the trees almost curved around Hilltown, leaving only one side that was open. Here, it was the opposite. Most of the area around Skytown was open, covered in grass and rocks, and the forest was only to the west. It felt a bit strange, seeing all that wide, clear space.

Idly, Chase looked over his shoulder. And froze. There was a deer there. Some ways away, blending in with the brown forest, mostly hidden by the trunks of the trees. But its antlers...they drew his eyes. Gilded. Golden. And from there, he noticed that the deer was looking right at him.

His heart stopped.

“Chase? Is everything okay?” Jackie asked, concerned.

“Y-yes.” Chase turned back around. “I...think I’ll stay back here. I’ll be the cavalry. If something happens, just send me a sign, I’ll come running.”

“Are you sure?” Jackie asked. “You don’t want to get closer, at least?”

“No, this is the only place nearby with cover,” Chase insisted.

Jackie looked unsure, but he nodded. “Alright. We’ll send you a sign, somehow.”

“I could do that,” Elin said, wiggling her fingers.

“We won’t be long, though. Be on the lookout.” Jackie turned to the others. “Alright, masks off and hidden. We want to look normal. If there’s an emergency, put them on first before anything else.” The other two nodded, and he looked back at Chase. “We’ll be back soon.”

Chase nodded, taking a step back into the forest. “Good luck.”

He watched as they hid their masks behind their cloaks, then headed out, circling around the village, eventually shrinking into the distance. The moment they were gone, he turned back around.

The deer was still there.

In fact, it was closer.

What was he supposed to do? “Is this...is this because I almost shot you that night?” he finally asked, voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t know it was you. Had I known, I never would’ve taken aim.”

The deer’s ear flicked. Its head moved side to side, as if shaking ‘no’ in response to his question.

“Then...what? What is it?” Chase waited, but didn’t get another response. He blinked. And suddenly, the deer was even closer. “I-if I’ve done something to wrong you, or any of the Elders, I-I sincerely apologize, and assure you it was done in ignorance, not malice.”

Another shake of the deer’s head. He blinked again, and suddenly it was right in front of him, close enough that he felt hot breath on his face. It was an unusually large deer. Most of the ones he’d encountered had their head reach his chest, not counting the antlers. But this...the deer’s eyes were level with his, large and unfathomably dark.

His head started to spin. The ground tilted beneath his feet, but he didn’t fall. For a moment, everything was alive. The forest floor was breathing, the rocks were mumbling, the trees were staring at him, the sky above was filled with a foreign presence. The world was vast, it was living, and he could reach out and touch the soul of everything.

Then the deer blinked. And Chase gasped, staggering backwards, losing his balance and landing hard on his back. Groaning, he sat up again. Wait a minute...had the sun changed position? He could’ve sworn it was closer to the eastern horizon a few seconds ago. The difference wasn’t large, but it was noticeable. Confused, he looked back at the deer.

It blinked again, slowly. Then it looked away from him, towards something behind him. Its head moved up...and down. Like a nod. Chase, turned around.

There was a plume of smoke rising into the sky from the village.

Chase gasped, and scrambled to his feet. He glanced back over his shoulder, but the deer was gone. What had that all been about? No, this wasn’t the time. If anything was a sign, that was it. He made sure that he still had his bow and quiver with him—of course he did—and pulled the hedgehog mask onto his face. Then, he ran.

The town wasn’t quite in chaos yet, but it was getting close. The townsfolk were shouting and pointing, but not fleeing in panic. He got more than a few baffled looks as he passed through, but he ignored them, and headed towards the fire, near the village center. And the closer her got, the more people he ran past who were, in fact, fleeing in panic.

By the time he reached the center, the air was filled with smoke. He skidded to a halt, taking a moment to breathe through it.

The center was taken up by a wide square, with a well in the middle. It was the buildings around this square that were on fire, their thatched roofs aflame...as well as the stone walls. Chase was taken aback by the familiar, strange sight. But then he turned his attention to the few people in the square.

A fight had broken out. Or, more accurately, three separate fights, one for each of his masked companions. Nearest to him, Kenneth had pulled out his sword and was dueling with a man. A man wearing a black tunic with the royal crest on the back. And it looked like this man considerably outmatched Kenneth in skill, because he kept forcing him to back up. Across the square, Jackie was also in a battle of swords, but his battle was very different. Three people—two men and a woman—were attacking him, but he was easily holding his own, dancing around them in a whirl of scarlet cloak. And he was using both swords. Chase had never seen or heard of anything like it, but the way Jackie was moving, you’d think there’d never been any other way to use a sword, other than in pairs.

The strangest fight was happening in the middle of the square, around the well. Strange because there were no weapons being used. Instead, this was a battle of magic. Elin and another woman were circling each other, with the well in the center. The strange woman had something in her hand, something glowing, and she’d pull some of that glowing light away from the object and hurl it towards Elin. The moment the glow left her hands it became a raging ball of fire, but Elin was expertly drawing water from the well in fluid streams, shaping it to shield her. She kept glancing back at the burning buildings, but when she tried to send water that way, the strange woman would throw another fireball that she had to deflect.

Nobody had noticed Chase yet. Taking advantage of that fact, he quickly pulled an arrow from his quiver and nocked it on his bow. He got ready to loose the arrow, but hesitated. He’d never shot at a person before.

At that moment, Elin glanced back at the fire again, and her shield of water wavered. The strange woman threw another fireball, hot enough to fly through the weak shield without disappearing. Elin screamed as it hit her shoulder.

And Chase snapped to action, shooting his arrow towards the strange woman. It landed in her back, and she screamed as well.

The man in the black tunic stopped his duel with Kenneth, spinning around. “Lady Tinechroí!” he shouted. And the moment he was distracted, Kenneth turned and fled. He ran towards Elin, who had fallen to the ground, clutching her shoulder.

The other three strangers attacking Jackie also stopped to turn, and in that moment, Jackie brought one of his swords down on one of the two men, wounding him in a splash of red. The other two cried out, and Chase nocked another arrow, shooting towards the other man. That arrow hit him in the leg, causing him to bend over, and Jackie hit him in the back of the head with the hilt of his other sword. Then he turned quickly to block an attack from the woman, the last attacker.

“You.”

The single word was filled with venom, and Chase immediately knew it was directed at him. He turned to look. The strange woman, the one he’d shot in the back, was now leaning against the well for support. In that moment, Chase managed to take in a few details about her. Pale blonde hair, pulled back in a braid. Unnaturally bright blue eyes. Wearing a purple tunic and trousers that were embroidered with gold, looking very fine. In her hand, she held a silver brooch with a red gem in the center. And then the gem started to glow. In a split second, that glow ran up the woman’s arm and into her body. She glowed bright white, and pointed her other hand at him.

Chase immediately turned and leaped behind the nearest building. A bright white bolt hit the corner near where he’d been standing, breaking off the stone, showering him in pieces of broken wall. “Shit!” he shouted, covering his face just in time to block a fist-sized stone piece.

“We need to get out of here!” Jackie yelled. Chase peeked around the broken corner at the sound of it. The man in the black tunic and the woman who’d been fighting Jackie were now helping the other, strange woman stand, supporting her. A similar situation was happening with his own companions. Jackie and Kenneth were helping Elin up, as she weakly directed streams of water from the well onto the burning buildings nearby: not fully putting them out, but making the flames smaller.

Jackie saw Chase peeking around the corner. He pointed to the left. Chase nodded, and ran, heading away from the burning.

Townfolk were also running, but they were heading towards the burning, many of them carrying buckets. Chase noted them briefly, scanning the area for Jackie and the others. He spotted them a few minutes later, heading towards the three of them as Jackie and Kenneth carried Elin between them. The moment he was within earshot, he shouted, “What happened?!”

“Later,” Jackie said, tilting his head towards the edge of town.

“Oh. Yes.” Chase glanced back towards the blaze, uncertain. The townsfolk could handle that, right? They seemed prepared. And it wasn’t that big a fire, comparatively. But still, he felt uneasy as the four of them turned away.

They reached the edge of the forest and kept going. And going. Once the town was out of sight and the trees were close together once again, they relaxed a bit. Kenneth started digging through his bag, pulling out small bottles of salves. Elin sat by one of the trees, wincing at the burn that covered most of her shoulder. Jackie sheathed the sword he still had out and breathed a sigh of relief. “That was bad.”

“What was all that about?” Chase asked once again. “You were in town for one minute and suddenly there was fire!”

Jackie gave him an odd look. “Um...we were in there for much longer than one minute.”

Really? It hadn’t seemed like it. “Well, still, what happened?”

Jackie’s expression darkened. “They knew we were coming. I’m not sure how, but they did. Maybe they saw some of our scouts a while ago? Either way, we went into town and started searching. We looked over the whole place a couple times, but didn’t go inside anywhere. Then, out of nowhere, they burst out of one of the houses and attacked us. That wizard started throwing fire everywhere, it was a disaster.”

“A wizard, huh?” Chase whistled. “Wow. Who was she? They called her Lady—”

“Tinechroí,” Jackie muttered, bitterness lining his expression and voice.

“Um...well, yes. So she’s a noble.”

“That’s not surprising, the King has many of them in his pocket.” Jackie sighed. “Thank the elders you decided to stay in the forest. Though it must’ve gotten boring, being out there for that long by yourself.”

“...no, it wasn’t, not really,” Chase said uncertainly. “To be honest, I...lost track of time. How long were you in town?”

“Not sure. An hour, maybe.”

“Ah.” That...didn’t make sense. Chase could’ve sworn he was only waiting for a minute. But...in that minute, the deer had done something strange to him. Was it possible that more time had passed, and he just didn’t realize? “Well, thank the elders.” Quite literally, perhaps.

Jackie nodded. “We should start heading back now. I think Elin is stable now, but we should get her back to Wyvernlair quickly, just in case.”

“Yea. Let’s go.”

As they headed back, Chase remained quiet, thinking about his encounter with the deer. This was the second time he’d seen it, and the first time had been the night Hilltown burned. What did the deer want? What was its goal?

He stayed silent for the entirety of the three day journey back to camp.

#jacksepticeye #jacksepticegos #jacksepticeye fanfiction #septic egos #septic egos au #jacksepticeye au #chase brody #dr schneeplestein #jackieboy man #brigid writes fanfiction #fantasymasksau

[wintrcaptn]

It’s You Ch 2 | Chris Evans 🖤

Summary : moving to a new place, not knowing a single person, wasn’t what you had in mind. But wanting a fresh start was the main goal. Little did you know, you were now living next door to none other than Chris Evans.

A/N : I am glad you all enjoyed the first part! It really means the world to me! I don’t know where Chris lives or if he even has nearby neighbors but it’s called fan fiction for a reason. Lol. Please don’t be afraid to leave feedback! Good or bad!

Also, sorry if there are errors. I’m writing on my phone and I’m too lazy to proof read my stuff 😩 I do this to myself. Anyways, ENJOY!

Part One

It’s been months since you moved into your new house, and thingns we’re finally coming together, just the way you wanted it.

Moving to Boston was something you were nervous but also excited for. You were tired of your hometown, tired of seeing the same faces and being reminded of past loves who only ended up hurting you.

So you wanted to start a new chapter in your life. Find passion in yourself again and just be happy with being alone. Something you haven’t felt in such a long time.

But then Chris came along.

As hard as you tried to focus on your life, you couldn’t help but constantly think about him. Think about the way he licks his finger after playing with the rim of his cup when he comes over for coffee on your days off. Or about the way he sings off key to Disney songs when you both get drunk and have a marathon at his place.

Your feelings were growing deeper and deeper and it was beginning to scare you. But of course, your mind would start to work overtime, and you would begin to overthink everything. Wondering why he would waste his time with someone like you when he could literally have any one else. Maybe because you were there? Living next door, made it convenient for him?

Whatever it was, you tried to enjoy it either way. Before it was over.

Chris liked spending his time with you.

Sure, he thought you were attractive but actually getting to know you, made you even more attractive.

Being with you wasn’t hard. It wasn’t scripted or felt forced.

It was as if he had known you all his life.

Then out of nowhere, one day when he was over, spending a casual Saturday at your house, he finally realized this was more than just platonic....

“Okay, so it’s my turn to cook for you!” You exclaimed, walking over to your kitchen.

Chris followed in pursuit, watching you with a soft smile on his lips.

“I don’t think I want to die tonight.” He teased.

You stopped in your steps and turned to face him, with your eyes so big, trying hard not to laugh.

“Excuse me, I’m one hell of a chef. Thank you very much.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” He walked over to the sink, to wash his hands. “I’ll help—“

“Nope! I got this.”

You scrunched you’re nose at him before turning your back to him once again. That little banter was one of the things Chris loved.

Even though, it had been months of hanging out with Chris, it was still so surreal to be around him. Around the guy you had loved watching on movies, and hoped to one day meet.

Your life was a literal fan fiction, but you didn’t seem to mind.

Even though it all felt too good to be true, you wanted to bask in every moment of it.

You looked over the recipe and grabbed what you needed, except for the salt.

Chris thought it would be funny to put it on the top shelf in the cupboard every time he came over, so you had to climb up on the counter to get it.

Letting out a sigh, you looked at him and all he could do was smirk.

“I’m tired of this shit, Chris.” You chuckled. “Come over here and get the damn salt.”

His soft laugh, the one that was barely loud enough but still able to reach your ears, always made you swoon.

“Wait, are you asking me for help? Is this really happening?”

“Chris, you know damn well that if the salt was in the right place, I wouldn’t have to ask.” You muttered, pulling your hair up into a messy bun. “Now please, walk your giant ass over here and put it where it belongs.”

Chris had a rag in his hands to dry off the water from washing his hands. He tossed it over to the other side of the kitchen, before walking over to you.

Once he was by your side, he caught your attention. “You said you got it—“ he muttered as he placed his hands on either sides of your hips, forcing your breath to hitch to the back of your throat. “So get it yourself.” He whispered.

Before you knew it, your feet were off the ground, and You were now able to reach the salt. With Chris holding you up, you knew at this very moment, you were screwed.

The way his fingers curved around you, and how your body leaned against his, it was almost like torture.

You were fighting yourself from giving in. Fighting to keep your fantasies to a minimum and not let any emotion show.

Once you grabbed what you needed, he carefully put you down, not taking his hands off you. But you were so close to each other, you swore you could hear his heart beat.

His gaze held yours, making you feel like he could undress you with those eyes of his.

It was beginning to make you hot just by the thought.

You were able to snap out of it, and clear your throat, breaking the tension between you.

Chris realized he made a tricky move, something that could have made things worse.

He took a step back, to lean on the counter and control his thoughts of you.

‘Keep it together’ he repeated to himself.

“Now stop moving my shit around.” You forced out, glancing at him.

Chris nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips. “Yes ma’am.” His voice was low.

‘God damn it. Keep it to-fucking-gether!!’

A few hours had passed. You were both laughing once again, not letting that moment from earlier ruin the night.

Things were back to normal again.

Scott decided to join the two of you, which he did almost every other weekend, even if Chris couldn’t make it.

He became someone you could trust. And that was hard for you.

“I swear Chris had no secrets with our mom. He literally ran home to tell her he lost his virginity.” Scott cackled, before taking a sip of his beer.

“I was excited!”

“Aww that’s so cute! You were such a mommy’s boy.” You teased.

“Were? He still is.”

Scott looked at his phone and couldn’t believe the time. “Shit, it’s already midnight!” He exclaimed. “I have to wake up in a few hours for my flight.”

With that, he propped up to his feet and gave both you and Chris a quick hug, before walking back to Chris’ house.

“I didn’t realize it was that late.” You yawned, walking the plates over to the sink.

“Guess you lose track when you’re having fun.” Chris said, helping you with the dishes.

You stopped and looked over at him, your eyes slightly bloodshot from exhaustion and the alcohol.

“I need to get this off my chest because it’s been killing me.” You muttered, feeling a bit delirious.

Chris cocked his brow, and focused his full attention on you. “Is everything okay?”

This was it. Word vomit. The thing you did when you had no control over yourself and acted before you thought it through.

“I’ve read fan fiction about you.” You confessed. “And I know that makes me sound like a stalker or whatever, but I promise you that I never in a million years thought I’d be living next door to you.”

Chris stood there, baffled and slightly amused as you went on.

“Yes I think you’re attractive, but I didn’t buy this house because of you. I honestly didn’t even know where you lived!!” You said. “I’ve had shitty relationships and shitty friends and—I just needed a fresh start. My job was able to transfer me out here and this was the second house I looked at and just fell in love—I promise—“

“Hey, hey. It’s okay. I believe you.” He chuckled. “I have never thought of you as a stalker or creepy. Weird? Yes but that’s okay.”

You could tell he was trying to lighten up the mood.

But once the realization of what you had just said, dawned on you, you were mortified. “I can’t believe I just told you that.”

Chris belted our into laughter, as he pulled you into him. His arms curled around your waist while you laid your head on his chest.

This was the place you loved being in. Being in his arms, it felt like nothing could ever hurt you again. And it was honestly exactly what you needed.

“So—“ he drawled out. “Do you still read fan fiction about me?”

You took a step back to lock your gaze with his. “Out of all the things I said, that’s what you cling on too?”

“I’m just curious!” He chuckled. “Were they dirty stories? Or—“

“I’m NOT telling you! It’s bad enough that I embarrassed myself telling you I read anything at all!”

Chris could only laugh, clutching his hand over his chest.

You playfully swatted his arm, trying hard not to laugh with him.

“I hate you.” You said, hiding your smile. “This stays between us! If you tell anyone, I swear I will kick your ass!”

“Can you even reach my ass?”

“Are those fighting words, Evans? Because I can throw hands, real quick.”

He took a short step closer to you, his eyes looking darker than usual, with desire. He glanced down at your lips, then back up and locked his gaze with yours.

“I’d like to see you try.” He whispered.

‘Is this really happening?!’

You wanted to kiss him right there and then. To grab his collar, pull him in and taste those plump lips of his that you had been craving to taste.

But you were frozen, lost in his trance.

It wasn’t until The sound of Chris’ phone going off, you were finally able to snap out of it.

It was a text from Scott, asking where he had put the suitcase.

“I got to go.” He muttered, looking slightly bummed about having to leave. “I’ll come over tomorrow to help you with your new book case.”

You swallowed hard, and nodded. “Sounds good. Give Dodger a kiss for me.”

“Will do.” He pulled you in for a tight hug, which lingered longer than it should have. “Good night Y/N.”

Chris turned on his heels and started toward his house, leaving you speechless yet again. He always knew how to do that to you.

“Dammit Y/N.” You mumbled to yourself. “Why don’t you ever learn to keep your mouth shut.”

As Chris walked into his house, all he could think about was you. And even after blurting out everything, it didn’t seem to faze him.

“Oh damn.” Scott said, catching his brothers attention.

“What?” He asked, confused.

“Nothing, I’ll tell you when the times right. But for now, please help me find that damn suitcase! This is what I get for packing last minute!”

——

Chapter Three

#i hope this was okay #if not then oh well i tried lol #marvel #chris evans #steve rogers #marveledit #marvel imagine #the avengers #marvel fanfiction #mcu #mcu imagine #andy barber #chris evans imagine #chris evans x reader #cevans #defending jacob