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zaceouiswriting · 6 months

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Fairy Prince - Hearts of Leviathans - Ch.15

Character: Sky x male reader, Riven x male reader, Brandon x male reader

Universe: Somewhere in Winx Club/Saga

Warnings: None

I walk through the crowd with my chest swollen with endless pride. Even if they don't like me alone, my presence forced them to make room for me, most likely so that none of them would have to touch such a despicable person as me.

Saladin watches all this with a horrified expression. However, before things got too bad, he hit his staff on the ground. The magical wave that courses through everyone draws everyone's attention to him. It quickly relieves me of the feeling that I've done something despicable when I was only trying to enter my new school.

Just as the elderly headmaster of the Red Fountain Academy began his speech, something else caught my attention. From the side of my field of vision, the building suddenly attracts my interest like a magnet.

The building is made of red brick and yellowish sandstone, with small and large windows that reveal the dark brown interior. The entire house is trembling with anticipation. It's been a long time since anyone has been here: the old academy building, which looks like a small castle. Like everything else my family built, this building was made with our magic, through which it has a mind of its own. Inside is a magical core that beats as if it has a heart that keeps it alive. There is not a single crack visible on the entire exterior of the building, even though no one has taken care of it for so long.

My gaze slowly wanders up to the second and third floors. There in a window stands a man in an old suit. A monocle hangs from his left eye, and his right ear is covered with a bandage.

But soon, the man moves away. As soon as he is gone, my gaze goes further up the building to the bright blue roof. Furthermore, I could see two towers, one behind the building on the left and the other in front on the right. While the tower on the back is much taller than the one on the front, the smaller one strikes a feeling of terror in my veins.

Cory's tight grip on my shoulder draws my attention back to him. This time, I even turn slightly to look into his disapproving eyes.

“They’re trying to get in,” he whispers to me.

Shocked and annoyed, my mouth opens without me doing anything. Not to say anything. It just happened. Sometimes, I wish people would stop trying to invade our territory. There is no magic in the universe - except perhaps the Empresses or Emperors - that makes our magic listen to anyone else.

Taking a step forward, the hand on my shoulder slowly falls off. Even though I could still feel him walking behind me, he gives me enough space to do whatever I want.

“Have you ever tried knocking?” I know the sarcastic tone in my voice is audible because almost everyone groans in disapproval. The same woman who called the specialists on me gives me a sideways glance so full of venom that I only want to slap it off her face. Instead, I push past these moral hypocrites and straight to the door.

As I suggested, I knock on the door quite forcefully. But even after a few minutes, nothing happens. I could hear people whispering, calling me “disgusting” and “disgraceful.” They laugh at me everywhere and surely think that I am not only a creep but also stupid. I completely ignore the two principals who couldn't open the door themselves. I could force the doors open if I wanted to, but it would damage the already troubled house. The spells haven't been renewed for a while.

Out of nowhere, the large double doors open. Honestly, it wasn't all that sudden because the door squeaked loudly as someone opened it from the inside. But it’s obvious that the door is difficult to open. When the doors were finally opened, the same elegantly dressed man I had previously seen in the window stood before me.

"Welcome, ho-" I could barely shake my head before he would say anymore. The man seems to understand immediately. He clears his throat, puts a hand over his mouth, and looks down for a second. When he looks up again, he shows a small smile. “Welcome, guests! Please state your intentions.”

One of the specialists suddenly pushes me aside. I immediately lost my balance and couldn't avoid falling into a group of girls. They scream and call me a pervert once again. The group even went so far as to walk away from me and let me fall to the ground. As the dirt covers my clothes, many people stand around me and laugh loudly at me.

Anger slowly grows inside me. I have never been treated so disrespectfully! I had to use all my energy to keep my temper under control so as not to explode. Just then, someone extends their hand to me. As I follow the long arm with my eyes, I immediately look into the smiling eyes of the only one of these disgusting people who treats me like a normal being.

Without hesitation, I take his hand and stand back on my feet in one swift move.

“You are not welcome here!” The same voice of the older man who opened the door from the inside echoes across the castle's forecourt. As I look around, all eyes were on me. Most of them look very happy. Because, of course, everyone believes that the man means me. Who else could he be referring to?

But I only grin back at the people. I know these words are not meant for me.

I ignore the other people and wander over to the guy who pushed me to the ground. The butler-looking man stands before him and does not allow him to enter the building.

"You have no right to keep me out! I am Artheon Papalgio, and I'm-"

“Unimportant,” the man replies before the young man can finish his sentence. Shocked, the dirty blonde stares at the man as if he had seen a ghost. “The House of Papalgio, a minor noble house of Eraklyon, known for their loyalty and skill in administration. Notable Members-"

“Stop,” the young man whimpers. He seems ashamed of his family, which he shouldn't do since most specialists don't come from aristocratic families.

Saladin desperately tries to get Artheon into the old academy building. But the other man didn't let a word get to him. Looking straight forward, without looking at anyone, the man speaks again.

“It's not me who has to let him in. He did not insult me, but another student,” he told Saladin in a hard and cold voice.

“I forgive him this time,” I say slowly, as I can feel everyone’s eyes on me again. I look sharply at the guy. Who still seems to think he is better than me.

The smartly dressed man nods at him and opens his arm to let the first person in. But when Artheon tries to be that first person, he gets pushed back.

“You will be the last one,” said the man, still standing in the doorway, harshly. Only to open his arm again so I can walk through. After me, the man lets in all the others. Even the teachers had to enter before Artheon was allowed to enter. I silently thank the man again and again.

Neither headmaster even waited for Artheon to be let in before walking further into the building. Saladin, in particular, mutters something under his breath about the size of the building, as he remembers it being much larger.

He tries again every spell he knows to make the building the way he remembers it, but nothing works.

Cory's hand grabs my shoulder again.

“What is it today with you touching me?” I ask him quietly, hissing. He doesn't back down. He only gives me a knowing look. With both arms in front of me, I finally give in after he stared at me for about a minute.

But before I do anything, I snatch his hand from my shoulder and walk away from him, leaning casually against one of the walls, mostly away from anyone's attention. The inside of my hand pressed against the cold stone of the house.

I close my eyes and let my magic flow into the house, searching for its core because the building didn't respond to my call immediately.

“Master,” an indescribable voice calls to me.

A smile even grows on my face. The voice sounds just like the one that echoes through the palace at home, which I listened to on silent nights. It has helped me a lot, from helping me out while playing hide-and-seek to giving me tips while studying.

“Can you expand?” I ask the house happily.

But the magic didn't answer me. It just left me feeling empty. Unwilling to let the house slowly die, I pump magic into it. Luckily, since I've been full of magic for so long, the reproduction happens quickly as it needs to return to a normal flow.

Soon, I could hear the interior space expanding, feel rooms being added, and even hear water splashing in a distant corner of the building.

When I open my eyes again, smiling even wider after the magic thanks me, I glance over to Cory. When our eyes meet, my body shakes before I can understand what is happening. I stumble to the side. Cory catches me barely in time, his face full of panic, so worried I could almost believe it.

But I remember he's just my grandfather's lap dog, so I push him away as soon as I'm calm enough. For a second, I even imagined I could see a hurt glint in his eyes.

I quickly turn away from him. But I still can't concentrate on what Saladin is rambling about. His voice to me is like a Toggo - a small round animal, unable to move in warmth - that my old teacher hit on the head to bring my attention back to him or to torment me.

With my mind blank, I stare at the old man, trying to find anything special about him besides his staff in the shape of a snake, even with a snake's eyes as the centerpiece.

“Are you ready to go to your room?” A sudden voice robs me of my inner silence. It even startles me a little. When I turn to the person, I see the same woman who called the specialists on me, speaking to me again like some vile creature. Her voice is so fake-sweet that I want to hit her.

With a sweet smile as fake as her voice, I look her disgustingly up and down and say, "No."

"What? How dare you talk to me like that?"

“I'm waiting at the training field to the right of the building. You have to go past some trees as the place is overgrown because no one cared about it for so long,” I tell the old headmaster, ignoring the woman's outburst.

My voice comes out in the same sweet tone, only with an underlining accusatory tone.

Before any of the teachers could answer, I walk past everyone. On the way out, I meet Cory again. As soon as I'm next to him, I suddenly stop. I look into his eyes intently. He holds my gaze and doesn't even flinch.

“Who broke the spell?” I ask him, whispering in his ear. He remains silent, his gaze never wandering anywhere else. “It was Saladin, wasn’t it?” Suddenly, he swallows hard and answers my question with it. But instead of getting angry, I smile. “The old man is more powerful than I thought.”

Now that I know what happened to my silencing spell, I walk past Cory. To the front door. The elegantly dressed man is still standing at the door, watching me with a longing in his eyes. When no one was looking, I winked at him with a half-smile. He looks at me slightly questioningly, almost sadly. I'm sure that if I had stopped right before him, it would have been a happy reaction because he and the other servants seemed to have been waiting for a long time.

But I don't want to blow my cover just yet. I'm waiting for the perfect moment to do it, and when it happens, I will apologize to the servants for my behavior.

[Masterlist]

#x male reader #male reader #winx club #winx saga #winx saga x male reader #brandon x male reader #winx club x male reader #brandon #sky #sky x male reader #riven #riven x male reader #series #fairy prince

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quietbluejay · 21 days

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A Thousand Sons 6

-magnus, reading egyptian mythology and seeing horus mentioned: i've connected the dots magnus: i had a vision about something taking over horus, WHILE I WAS AT NIKAEA magnus: instead of telling the emperor about it, i rushed back to prospero, then spent the last 6 months or so trying to research it more magnus: now, i have to figure out how to stop it magnus: if i fail i'll tell the emperor

‘It must be done, Amon. Begin assembling the thralls,’ ordered Magnus. ‘Bind their power to mine and they will fuel my ascent.’ ‘Many will not survive such a ritual,’ said Ahriman, horrified at the casual disregard in which Magnus held their lives. ‘To burn out so many thralls will cost us greatly.’ ‘How much greater the cost if we do nothing, Ahzek?’ said Magnus. ‘I have made my decision. Assemble the coven in the Reflecting Caves in three days.’

Our hero, everyone. Go and prove all your haters from Nikaea wrong with an act of mass human sacrifice as fuel for a magical ritual!

and then after this point the writing takes a sharp turn in quality…FOR THE BETTER not what you thought I was gonna say, huh

I'm not going to quote the entire oiling scene, it's everywhere by this point. All I have to say is:

‘Is this all necessary?’ asked Toron,

Toron speaks for us all

‘Yes it was,’ said Lemuel. ‘I see that now. You think you’re so clever, but you’re blinded by your belief in the superiority of your knowledge. You can’t even contemplate that someone else might know better than you.’ ‘Because no one else does,’ snapped Ahriman. ‘We do know better than anyone else.’

‘Maybe you do, but maybe you don’t. What if there’s something you’re missing? What if there’s some little piece of the puzzle you don’t know about?’ ‘Be silent,’ ordered Ankhu Anen. ‘We are the architects of fate, not you.’

HERE WE GO ALL ABOARD THE HUBRIS TRAINNNN!!!! (hee hoo architects of fate)

this really is it huh this is ahriman's first step he feels bad about sacrificing Camille to die horribly for the sake of possible uncertain knowledge but he's doing it anyways, to try and save his brothers/primarch and he's just going to keep going further and further down this path again i must stress, even though they don't know she's going to predict anything useful!

-okay I'm ngl this is one of the best parts of the book, Tzeentch showing up to talk to Magnus through shards of glass -so, at this point, Magnus knows the wolves are coming. Uthizzar (telepath) comes in to ask what's wrong, reads Magnus' mind, and immediately starts planning defences including

and issue a general evacuation order for non-combatants to the Reflecting Caves!’

magnus: oh no everyone is going to suffer because of me also magnus: stops them from having a chance to not suffer

‘Despite everything I have done, my fate is my own,’ Magnus said. ‘I am a loyal son of the Emperor, and I would never betray him, for I have already broken his heart and his greatest creation. I will accept my fate and though history may judge us traitors, we will know the truth. We will know we were loyal unto the end because we accepted our fate.’

ow okay McNeill got me good here

doesn't take away from the fact that magnus is having literally everyone else on the planet, who have done nothing wrong, share in his punishment

#bluejay reads warhammer #warhammer 40k

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utilitycaster · 2 years

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Feel no need to answer if you're done with the subject...

But fans putting Laudna on a pedestal do nothing to help her character either. I'm sure I'll enjoy her story either way, but I think the idea of her opting into a pact with her murderer willingly is much more interesting than her being a hapless victim again. What would make her do that, how will their partnership move forward? Maybe it's just that want to see a main cast CR Warlock relationship that doesn't end with the pact being broken and abandoned (If not, we'll always have Opal and Ted.)

So...yeah, I agree re: putting Laudna on a pedestal. I've been thinking about this question all day and laughing and wondering if that anon is watching all this and going "oh no...oh that's what she was talking about" or if they're fully lacking in awareness and are one of the people going "i am uncomfortable when we are not about Marisha's character?"

Now, I do actually think there's a really good chance Laudna will break the pact - she's already asked Imogen to look into it. I also think there's quite a good chance Laudna was in some way deceived, based on what she's said. But I also do think it would be extremely fun if Laudna decides to go further into the pact to get the power to find out enough to break said pact later, or if she says "fuck it" and embraces the darkness for a time. But I think you make a good point about her agency; it's a more interesting story to me if Laudna is making at least some of her own choices and, even if she didn't make the pact originally, has pursued aspects of it (what was it Oscar Wilde said? To gain one warlock level may be regarded as a misfortune; to gain two seems like carelessness?).

Of course, it's also very revealing that a rather prominent depiction of Imogen and Laudna as a ship specifically had largely been of Laudna being the one who fixed things and Imogen being this sweet little baby girl with no agency until Imogen had the audacity to get upset at Laudna and then suddenly it's all "well Imogen should have known what Laudna was thinking! It's Imogen's fault for being attached to the Rock That Makes Your Horrifying Life-destroying Nightmares More Tolerable." It's "Imogen has no agency until that would absolve her of blame for them having a falling out, and Laudna has all the agency until that would implicate her in them having a falling out" when the truth is that like, they are both flawed people who have both made some ambigous decisions in the pursuit of arcane power; and good on them both for that because I am here for the ambiguous decisions in the pursuit of arcane power.

#critical role spoilers

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minyoongees · 3 years

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comethru || myg

✧ pairing: manager!yoongi x worker!reader

✧ genre: slight angst? hurt/comfort, pathetic attempt at crack, barely there fluff

✧ word count: 2k

✧ summary: Yoongi saves you from heinous karens

✧ snip: "We have a coupon for a free meal at your restaurant and we demand you open it right now!!" this bitch—

✧ warnings: karens, oc gets all panicky, bubbling anxiety, rude af people, unhealthy relations with parents, unrequited love? (oc doesn’t really know)

This fic was genuinely fun to write! I know I did not do a very good job on this it’s lengthy with useless info but it just felt important. Let me know what you think of this!

Also, the title is inspired by Jeremy Zucker's comethru

As a new worker in a big restaurant, there are a few words one could dread to hear. For example, 'You're fired' sounds horrifying, gut wrenching, all your student loans flash before your eyes. It's scary, yes, but it's not as dreadful as the infamous —

"Can I see your manager?"

"Ma'am I already told you the restaurant opens at 11:30 am, and none of the staff arrives before 11, but I'd be happy to serve you at 11:30" you assured.

BANG!

One of the three ladies with a blonde bob cut hit at the door again.

"We don't talk to low class workers, call your manager!" Called out another from the group while the bangs continued. It was so loud you were almost afraid that they will tear this place down.

"Because of the unavailability of the manager, a low class worker is all you'll have to speak to for now," you spat, "but I'd be happiest if you don't speak to me at all"

Numerous loud gasps were heard. If the head chef heard you talking like this, you'll be out of the restaurant sooner than these karens can call your manager.

"HOW DARE YOU TALK LIKE THAT TO A CUSTOMER???"

"Ma'am since you have not walked into the restaurant yet, you are not our customer." you tried to explain, "The restaurant opens at 11:30 ma'am which is just in an hour and a half, I suggest you wait outside on one of the tables."

Even though it was kinda against the rules to sit on the tables unless you eat at the restaurant, but you desperately needed to get rid of the situation. The restaurant didn't even open yet, so what could be the big deal about them sitting on the benches outside. You were just hoping your manager would be understanding.

Anticipating another harsh string of words from them, the total silence that hit you surprised you. You pulled the blinds lower and peeked through them. The ladies were seated on the chairs outside, looking through their phones. Even though a bit shocked that they decided to do what you asked so easily, you didn't wanna jinx it. You thanked your lucky stars and moved on to getting the coffee machine started.

The day hasn't even started yet and the karens are here to disrupt the place already. Being the newbie, you have to come early to get this place started and on top of that, people like them are making it even harder. You clearly don't get paid enough for this.

Moving on to wiping all the tables, you were wishing that when your manger arrives, he'll understand the situation. To come to think of it, he's actually a good man and been nothing but nice to you since you joined here a month ago. He even covered up for you when you broke a plate. Another time he took the blame upon himself when you put a bit too much salt in of the dishes and a few people left unsatisfied. He's been sheltering you ever since you joined here and you've been enjoying this more than you should. Yet you still can't help but hope he handles it this time too and saves you from these heinous Karens.

brrring brrring brrring!!

The sounds catches you off guard not because of it's sudden penetration into the too good to be true silence, but because it shouldn't be ringing when it's the restaurant's hours closed. Nevertheless against your better judgement you pick it up and place the receiver between your ear and shoulder.

"Thanks for calling the Nile's! My name is y/n, how can I help you today?"

"We have a coupon for a free meal at your restaurant and we demand you open it right now!!"

this bitch—

"Ma'am as I explained already, the restaurant opens at 11:30 and if you walk in by then, I'll be happy to serve you and make use of your coupons too." Is it too early to quit?

"Am I talking to the manager?" she asked penetratingly.

"The manager is not here yet, but as soon as he arrives, I'll make sure you're the first person he talks to." you tried calmly hoping it would help.

The woman on the line took a deep breath but nothing could prepare you for the coming onslaught of distress.

"Missy you've been saying this to us since the morning and yet your manager isn't here. You should not open a restaurant when you do not know how to run it.”

She was so loud you couldn't even hear yourself losing the will to live.

"You do not know my husband. If he gets to know about the way you've treated me today, your restaurant will be closed forever." She threatened and you could hear her talking from the outside. Did she know that you did not own the restaurant?? "You should be grateful to me for not telling. Now open this damn door RIGHT NOW!!”

Another round of bangs started ringing and it echoed through the walls. They seemed louder than you know they should've been. And it was the trigger. The helplessness of the situation created panic. Your eyes unfocused, your stomach churned and your heartbeat escalated. You felt trapped.

Her shrill sound coming from the phone felt like it was piercing your ear drums and you could no longer understand what she was saying. So you slammed the receiver back into place, not knowing what to do anymore.

The grip on the cloth between your fingers seemed weak. You have always been a strong woman, dealing with irrational people all your life since you spent most of it around such people. But the karens have been tormenting you since the past 30 minutes and it was bound to get to you, sooner or later. Though you'd hoped for later rather than sooner. They way they started banging on the door while demanding something from you seemed so familiar to the way your parents banged on your bedroom door when you locked yourself in to save yourself from them.

Anywho, the situation is delayed for now and you have to calm down and start working again or you won't be done till the rest of the staff comes around. You don't know till when you'll be living under Yoongi's shadows and he'll be protecting you.

You put your hands on your face and let out a deep breath. Back to work bitches.

You started wiping the tables again, trying to think about something else. That 'something else' had a lot of options for you like, how are you going to repay your student loan that you took to go to college and didn't even help you land a decent job, or how your mom has been pestering you since months to get married and you haven't the found the best way to tell her yet that you wanna focus on your career for now and become a chef, or... well let's just say you had better things to worry about. But your train off thoughts was cut short when the phone rang again.

You already knew who was calling, so you decided against picking up. The ear splitting sound of the phone again echoed through the walls and it made you want to throw the phone against a wall. You know the restaurant phones should be loud enough to be heard by the staff even when the place is busy, but it did not help with the way it was making you feel.

After what seemed like forever, it stopped ringing and you went on to work again. The phone rang several times after that and with each ring, you felt your patience slipping farther away from you. You had half the mind to pick up the phone and tell them off, but you knew it would only anger them further. Yet you couldn't let this go on so after at least a dozen calls, you decided to pick it up.

"Thanks for calling at the Nile's! My name is y/n how can I help you today?" you spoke through a sigh.

"I'VE BEEN CALLING AT THIS DAMN RESTAURANT SINCE THE PAST 2 HOURS AND NOBODY HAS PICKED IT UP." she bellowed. If you thought she was loud and shrill earlier, you would change your mind now. Also, 2 hours????? you weren’t even here 2 hours ago!

"I HAVE GOT ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE ON MY PHONE AND I WILL POST THIS ALL ON FACEBOOK THE WAY YOU HAVE TREATED ME IS NOT AT ALL A WAY TO TREAT A CUSTOMER." she didn't even pause for a breath "WAIT TILL MY HUSBAND HEARS ABOUT THIS."

You didn't dare say anything for the fear that anything that may come out of your mouth right now, may anger her further, considering, you were not the manager she hoped to talk to.

There was small hustle on the other end. You could hear the ladies outside arguing a little. After a short pause, someone spoke again.

"Am I talking to manager?" this was not the woman who yelled at you earlier but someone else.

"Yes you are, ma'am"

You let out a small shriek. Surprised to see the receiver that was in your hands a moment ago, placed against Yoongi's ear. When the hell did he get here and how did you not even realize?? Even so, a strange feeling of safety filled up your chest at the sight of him and you felt like you could breath again.

"No ma'am, we cannot do that for you. As y/n here explained to you, the restaurant opens at 11:30 and no exceptions will be made for anyone." he explained calmly and it had you hoping that they'd listen to him if not you.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience caused to you ma'am."

You just stood being a witness to one side of the conversation. You could hear someone talking outside the restaurant as well, but couldn't make out their exact words.

You admired his calm even in such a patronizing situation. At least to you, it was that way. In your eyes, he seemed so serene, his lips moved to utter the most calming sounds and you felt like you'd hand over your life to him if he asked you for it.

You really needed to practice professional work ethics when it came to him.

"Yes we will take care of this in the future, thank you for your suggestion."

"Ma'am we do not accept any kind of coupons for any of the meals provided here. Are you sure it is the same restaurant?"

Wait. But we do accept coupons here at the Nile's...

"No ma'am we cannot do that for you. There is no such policy, and we do not accept coupons."

"You can totally go ahead and call the police for yourself and we'll be sure to tell them how have harassed one of our workers over here." He said in an unbothered tone, gaze floating to you and you strangely found yourself looking away.

"Sure thing. Thank you for calling!"

And he placed the receiver back, as if job accomplished.

"Are you okay y/n?" He questioned. In his deep eyes, you saw genuine concern for yourself and you wanted to stay there for some while more. His voice was music to your ears and you did not want your own voice to taint the air around.

But he asked you something.

"Yeah." you said breathlessly and cleared your throat. "Yes, I'm fine, thanks for the help Yoongi"

It was something he insisted you call him even though the rules say he is your senior and should be addressed as so.

"Such people are so irritating and do not deserve to be let out of their homes. What kind of a husband would it be, huh!" he wondered, "though I question if there is any husband at all or she was just bluffing."

"Yeah I know right?" you didn't know what to say. "Though it was really impressive the way you handled them, I could never!"

He laughed at that. Sounded so heavenly, your knees kind of gave out.

And it was another day when he saved you. Why does he do that for you? Why was he here here so early? Why does he even try to get to close to you?

These are questions you do not have the answers to yet. You hope to get them someday. But you are happy they you are right now. Or maybe you are too afraid that the answers to these questions wouldn't be what you'd like to hear. Maybe he was just being nice and you being a horndog took the hint wrong way.

But for now, you have all the time (45 mins max before some other employee comes) to enjoy this moment with him alone in the closed restaurant, surrounded by the smell of food and his cologne and you have no idea which you like better. You wouldn't have it any other way.

masterlist | fin.

#yoongi #yoongi imagine #yoongi scenario #yoongi sfw #manager yoongi #yoongi fanfic #yoongi fluff #yoonfi hurt/comfort #yoongi angst #yoongi fic

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astro-rain · 4 years

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delicate; b.barnes

chapter two - “bucky”

delicate masterlist

word count: 1.4k

summary: after arriving in wakanda, (Y/N) figures out who and what she’s there for (with the help of our fav young genius)

pairings: bucky barnes x fem!reader

[A/N]: not my photo

"Christ, you're astonishingly intelligent. How could you possibly need my help?" (Y/N) asked. "I'm kind of a joke compared to your big brain."

As the young Wakandan princess showed (Y/N) around her extremely impressive laboratory, she thought back to her conversation with Sharon.

***

"I'm needed? In Wakanda?" she said, dumbfounded. "What am I gonna do? Help them hunt for food?"

"Well, that's the thing," Sharon began. "Wakanda isn't what you think it is. The third world country we all thought we knew is just a facade to protect the true nature of Wakanda."

(Y/N) stared, not following. Sharon continued.

"It's actually a highly advanced, technologically progressive metropolis. They have some of the smartest people and most exceptional innovations in the world. It was all a cover up."

She nodded, finally understanding, "Well, I can't say that I blame them for hiding from the world. I can only imagine what would happen, especially from the hands of America."

Sharon chuckled. "Steve settled things with T'Challa, the former prince, and the royal family are allowing him and Barnes to take refuge there until further notice. Evidently, they have the tech and the minds to undo whatever damage Hydra did to Barnes."

***

"Well, I could do this by myself, but my focus is predominantly on electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and high-energy particle physics," the young princess explained, gesturing to various pieces of state-of-the-art tech around her lab. "I'm not really an expert in social sciences just yet; that would be you. I was told you were exceptional. Oh, and Captain Rogers needed someone he could trust on short notice. So, here you are, on account of a Sharon Carter, right?"

"Absolutely correct... your highness?" (Y/N) replied, though it was more of a question than anything else.

The princess laughed a genuine laugh, "Oh, no need for formalities! We're colleagues now and we're going to be working collaboratively. Please, call me Shuri."

"Got it," she nodded, smiling and slightly embarrassed. "...so, not to sound like more of an idiot than I probably already seem, but what exactly is this project we're working on? No one really thought it would be a good idea to tell me before I took the plane ride to another continent- which is lovely by the way."

"Well," Shuri started, gesturing her to follow along as they walked through the rest of the lab, "you know that man who allegedly bombed the UN conference in Vienna, consequently killing my father and forcing my brother to assume his place as king?"

(Y/N) gulped. "Yes."

"Yeah, he's here. He's the project. But don't worry! He didn't actually set off the bomb; he was framed."

Oh. Okay. What was she supposed to say to that? (Y/N) couldn't figure out an answer so she continued to nod and try not to look too idiotic.

"As you already know, he has suffered greatly. He's not in control of his own mind. Our job is to dismantle whatever programming Hydra drilled into his poor brain through years of abuse and torture."

(Y/N) remembered the horrible things she read in his file. The trauma, the cruelty, the destruction of humanity. Suddenly, she was no longer at a loss of words... or thoughts. She was going to help an innocent man. Well, the truly innocent man who was locked inside Hydra's homemade killer.

What was done to him was a monstrosity; it was, up to date, the worst thing she had ever seen done to a human being. And, if she can do anything to help take away or relieve some of that pain, she was happy to play her part. A good way to do that was probably to zone back in to what Shuri was saying.

"...and there's two main components to this. Number one is his physical pain. Meaning the biochemicals and neurons in his brain in addition to his arm and the nerve endings and anything else of his that they broke: the stuff I will take care of. Number two is his mental pain. Meaning his psyche, trauma, behavior, emotions, and all that other fun psychology stuff that you will take care of."

"So, I'm basically operating as a therapist?"

"Basically. Among other things."

(Y/N) stared at the floor in front of her, letting it all sink in. She was going to therapize the Winter Soldier. Whatever that was going to entail was a mystery to her. He was nothing she'd ever heard of. Of course she was extraordinary at her job, but this was new territory for her.

Unaware of what else to say, (Y/N) blurted out, "So... you said he's here..."

"Yes. Follow me, you can come meet him."

Maybe that wasn't the best thing to blurt. He is innocent, but that doesn't stop him from scaring her a bit... even though she's never actually met him in the person.

She followed behind as Shuri led her out of the lab and through a multitude of different rooms and hallways. She was nervous, indeed. She was in a place she'd never been with people she'd never met about to see a person with a caliber she'd of never imagined.

(Y/N) wondered what he'd be like. Would she be meeting who he was before Hydra sunk their claws into him? Or would she be meeting some hybrid of the man he used to be and the pain he's been forced to endure? She wasn't sure what to expect. But she didn't have time to imagine another scenario when Shuri opened a door and they were greeted by a freezing cold breeze.

"Don't mind the cold. It's supposed to be like that," Shuri said as she held the door open and walked inside.

(Y/N) wrapped her arms around her midsection before her mouth dropped. In the middle of the room stood a giant glass chamber holding no other than James Barnes inside. It looked so strange to her, surreal even. He was frozen? Suspended animation. She didn't think humans were supposed to look like that. He almost looked dead. The slightest shiver ran down her spine.

"He's in a state of cryogenic sleep," Shuri explained. "Completely alive, but the chamber reduces his metabolism to its lowest possible level, allowing his body to be preserved for long periods of time."

"That's... slightly horrifying. I've heard of cryogenics, but I've never seen it first hand. How does it even work?" (Y/N) inquired as she ran her hand lightly across the glass.

It's so cold. She couldn't imagine being in there.

"In cryogenic sleep, an antifreeze agent is added, replacing the water in his cells. Then, the tissue is cooled to -220 degrees Fahrenheit, but instead of crystallizing into ice, the chemicals clump together and become solid. They're actually molecularly similar to glass. This new glass form prevents the cells from bursting and, theoretically, this could hold him in stasis forever."*

"Wow," she mused, still awestruck, staring at the chamber.

"Something wrong?"

"No, I'm good," (Y/N) chuckled, "it's just that advanced science is just shocking sometimes. And when you said I was going to meet him, I didn't think you meant like this."

Shuri smiled. "Oh, I didn't."

And with that, all it took was the push of a button and the chamber came out of dormancy. It was whirring and hissing, and (Y/N) could feel the temperature slowly start to rise. She glanced up and witnessed what looked like a miracle as color began to bloom onto his previously blanched features. He too was coming out of dormancy; he was coming alive.

(Y/N) almost startled when his eyes opened, but remained completely still when the chamber door opened. James blinked a couple times, taking in his surroundings. He looked anxious; she could understand why. She tried not to meet his eyes.

I'll let Shuri take the lead on this one, she thought.

As if on queue, Shuri gave him a polite smile and started to undo his restraints.

"Hello Sergeant Barnes. Welcome back! My name is Shuri, T'Challa's younger and much smarter sister. This," she gestured to (Y/N), "is Dr. (Y/L/N). Together, we'll be conducting your treatment plan."

He stepped out of the chamber, shaking Shuri's hand. He had almost a foot over her but towered over both of them regardless. Then, he turned to (Y/N). She wasn't sure what to think.

"It's nice to meet you, Sergeant Barnes," she said with a curt smile, as she shook his hand. Cold. She pretended not to notice.

He looked down at her and for a moment she thought he looked docile. Benevolent and soft.

His eyes are very blue.

"Please," he said, a kindhearted gentleness coating his voice, "call me Bucky."

- - -

* = info on cryogenics from inverse.com

#bucky reader insert #bucky blurb #bucky drabble #bucky imagine #bucky headcanon #bucky x y/n #bucky x you #bucky x reader #bucky fic #bucky fanfic #bucky barnes #steve rogers #captain america #marvel

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kiwi-strawberry-banana · 4 years

Text

So, this post is going to be an analysis on SkekTek the Scientist, comparing his movie self versus his tv self, as well as various predictions for season 2 or onwards. I know there have been analysis of him before, but this is a big ole hodgepodge of my own thoughts.

Ok, so, I will make no secret that SkekTek is my favorite, and as such I may or may not have analyzed him a lot in many pictures from the movie and tv show, and heres what I think;

The first season is only a peek at his descent into madness, as well as the lengths he will go to gain the approval of all around him.

In the show, it is already shown that SkekTek seeks the approval of those around him, especially the Emperor. He is regarded as the weakest Skeksis and, as such, is at the end of a lot of ridicule from the other Skeksis (he is most commonly referred to as "weakling" by various Skeksis including SkekVar the General, SkekMal the Hunter, and I believe SkekSo the Emperor). The ridicule is to the point where he is often secluded in his lab with his only friends being animals and Sidetic. ("SkekTek never forgets a true friend.")

His desire for acceptance from the other Skeksis is so deep reaching that he forsakes many things, such as his friendship with Aughra.

When she is being strapped to the chair, preparing to be drained, she brings up their past friendship. There is so much nuance behind here doing so. In that moment, she is reaching out to SkekTek, reminding him of what they once had, of how she hasn't forgotten.

She is reaching out and giving him a chance to stop. And if he had simply brushed her off, I wouldn't be bringing this up. But rather than immediately ignore her or respond

He looks to The Emperor, the Skeksis that rules over all of them, and one that SkekTek has been vying for approval from for so long.

And SkekSo knows it.

(Gif credit @rabid-apathy)

He doesn't tell SkekTek to get a move on, nor does he berate him. Instead, he looks to the side, almost as in a "you know what to do" type gesture. At this point, SkekTek is in too far deep, so desperate for the approval of his brethren that don't care about him in the slightest that he forsakes the possibility of rekindling a lost friendship.

"Another world, another time."

If you rewatch this scene and watch Aughras reaction after SkekTek says that (because I can't find the gif or pic of it), she is genuinely hurt and saddened by SkekTeks response. She was being genuine when she reminded him of their friendship and was hoping that maybe it could still be there, that he could stop this.

But he didn't.

And after further ridicule from multiple Skeksis and gorging himself on essence, he does what some would say is the moment he snaps.

He kills the Gruenaks.

I know this scene has already been analyzed before, so I won't go as in depth, but that moment was a very pivotal scene. Aside from it being the moment that all the anger that has been building up inside SkekTek comes out, as well as when the idea of the Garthim comes to pass, it is also both a sad and terrifying moment for both the Gruenaks and SkekTek.

For the Gruenaks, the moment is terrifying because they were so close to freedom only for the horrifying reality to come crashing back in their faces.

And for SkekTek, the moment is horrifying for two reasons. One, because he had been going through so much ridicule and mockery for so long despite everything he did for the Skeksis that the moment of two Gruenak slaves defying him ("No slaves") was the ultimate tipping point.

For so long, I don't think SkekTek even felt like one of the Skeksis. It is commented on by the Emperor when he confronts SkekTek on how much essence will be needed for immortality (Can't remember the exact quote, but it is along the lines of how SkekTek takes solace in animals compared to being around the other Skeksis). Time and time again, SkekTek rarely interacts with other Skeksis unless they need something. So when he sees the Gruenaks have turned against him, he goes on a long spiel about how he is SkekTek the Scientist, a master of life and death, etc.

But he ends it with:

"I am Skeksis!"

A yell that is desperate. A need for affirmation, one that no Skeksis has given him. And with it, he snaps.

If the Gruenaks hadn't resisted, it's likely he still would have killed them. If not, they would have at least been severely wounded. There was too much rage and, combined with him being drunk on essence, there was nothing the Gruenaks could have done to calm SkekTek down.

And that moment with the Gruenaks? That is the point where things tip.

That moment is the first big step into his descent into insanity.

There had been smaller steps up until then, such as the draining of Gelfling, the loss of his eye, the constant ridicule, and draining Aughra. But the Gruenaks was big.

Which brings me to my next point:

I don't know if this has been brought up before, if it has I have not seen it, but SkekTek is horrifyingly different when you compare his tv self and his movie self.

Tv:

Movie:

All the other Skeksis are obviously decrepit by the time of the movie (fun fact, movie SkekOk has one extra pair of glasses compared to tv SkekOk), however SkekTek is the most different.

We see him lose his eye in the show, and while the book states that he replaced his own arm and leg with robotic prosthetics, as well as put tubes in his body to study his bloodflow, those things do not happen before the tv show.

And I know this because, if you compare the two, it is clear that Skektek does have both arms in the show where as in the movie:

You can clearly see that that arm is definitely a robotic one.

(Fun fact 2, watch his scenes from the movie and watch his arms. While he will use the robotic one, he doesn't actually move that one around all that much compared to his other arm.)

Aside from his arm, movie SkekTek has a large amount of tubes, wires, and metal pieces all throughout his body, including even more where his eye prosthetic is.

I could go on with the side by side comparisons, but I think it is safe to say that there is more that happens to SkekTek aside from him aging.

But a final big change from the time of the show versus the movie has to be his animals.

I've already stated that in the show, they are his only real companions (especially Sidetic). The animals in his lab are his only company and, frankly, are rather calm when it's just SkekTek in the lab. But by the movie? He is constantly yelling at them to be quiet, regarding them cruelly and awfully while they screech about the moment he enters the room.

Which brings me to my final point and some speculation:

It is likely that, despite the creation of the Garthim, as well as him having developed the method for creating essence, SkekTek is still going to be the subject of constant ridicule by the Skeksis, to the point where his last shred of sanity snaps and he begins the experiments on his body.

Whether those experiments are due to the Emperors demand for a solution for his own deteriorating body or because SkekTek is so desperate to no longer be seen as weak that he replaces his limbs in a desperate bid for more strength, that is up for debate.

SkekTek is one of the few Skeksis to actually think about things such as the wellbeing of Thra (his momentary plea to the Emperor that the more they drain Gelfling, the faster the Darkening will spread), as well as having moments of genuine kindness to creatures that aren't Skeksis ("Hush now, hush now. All is well."), but like the rest of the Skeksis, SkekTek is driven by a combination of greed and fear, one that sends him on a downward spiral until he meets his ultimate end.

Tldr; SkekTek has a rougher time in the foreseeable future. Someone give this vulture a vacation please.

(Also, I do not condone any of the awful things SkekTek does. Yes, killing is bad.)

(Final thing, I know there is debatable continuity between the show and the movie. Even so, I still wanted to do this. Because I can.)

#the dark crystal #the dark crystal age of resistance #skeksis #skektek #my post #analysis

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clownao · 6 years

Text

A few of you seem to be interested in my OC Mio. So I did this OC fic instead of writing Which Partner... yeah. I have no self control.

***

wasabi

Mio stared at the huge onigiri laying innocently in front of her.

Karma’s cacophonous cackles rang through the classroom. “Oy, Hikage, you know you can back out any second now,” he teased her, a wicked smirk on his face.

“I'm going to eat this,” Mio murmured savagely, glaring daggers at the offending onigiri.

Mio had been imitating Karma and his mannerisms for fun, but she'd went a bit too overboard and angered Karma. Karma, being the malicious devil he was, challenged Mio to a bet. Mio brashly agreed, and to her severe humiliation, she lost the bet. And now she had had to eat a spiced onigiri filled with wasabi. Technically, she could refuse (read: chicken out), but she didn't want her reputation to be damaged further. And besides, Karma’s smug face was really pissing her off.

“You deserve this,” Kataoka had just commented when Mio talked about it.

Nakamura casually leaned against Mio’s desk, observing the onigiri with interest. “Come on, a little wasabi can't bother our ruthless Mio-chan, right?”

Kimura, one of Mio’s best friends, happened to be watching. Upon seeing a uncharacteristic waver in Mio’s eyes, and the way her hand shook slightly, he began to wonder if the daring Mio was actually afraid of spicy food. After all, he'd never seen her eat anything remotely spicy. She even had some reservations when Kimura offered her his mom’s famous homemade curry.

So that's how this girl can be defeated… using wasabi.

“Hikage, don't force yourself if you're not up to it,” Kimura called, unusual worry for his friend bubbling inside him.

“Oooh,” Karma and Maehara drawled. They had taken up a habit of wolf-whistling every time Kimura and Mio talked, which was seriously annoying Kimura.

Mio shook her head stubbornly. “Don't worry, Kimura! I will finish this onigiri.” She grabbed a water bottle, and plopped it on her desk with unnecessary force.

“I. Am. Ready,” Mio announced, face stiffening with determination. Nakamura, Karma, and Maehara clapped boisterously and cheered her on.

“... If you say so.” Kimura sweatdropped.

Mio could feel the eyes of the class on her. She’d always been so cool and casual in front of her classmates; she couldn't afford to panic now. Her hand reached out for the onigiri, and gripped it firmly.

Jeez, that Karma had to make it plus-sized too… and he knows my favourite food is onigiri. He'd gone so far on this personal attack!

Squeezing her eyes shut, Mio slowly lifted the dreaded onigiri to her mouth. When it was around halfway there, Mio thought “fuck it”, stuffed the onigiri in her mouth, and chomped down. It wasn't like she had anything more to lose.

“Mio-chan!” Nakamura exclaimed.

For a single, shining moment, Mio could taste the gorgeous, glutinous grains of rice, which lured her in a false sense of security-

Then pain abruptly invaded Mio’s senses. She coughed, instinctively whipping the onigiri away. Her tongue was burning and sizzling, and her mouth and eyes watered. Soon, her throat began to feel like it was on fire. She blindly grabbed her water bottle and chugged half of its contents down.

“Wow…” her classmates gaped, equal parts horrified, amused, and in awe.

“Gah!” Mio burst out, her tongue dangling out, which made her look like a dog. “The actual fuck-”

“Language!” Kataoka hollered from the other side of the room.

“Hikage, you okay?” Maehara approached her and asked.

“If you can't do it, it's okay too!” Nakamura said.

“Your face is all red,” Hazama commented idly.

“Oy!” Kimura barked upon seeing the classmates crowding around his friend. “Give her some space! Hikage, don't do anything stupid!”

“Ha…” Mio wiped a few tears from her eyes. “Kimura’s finally acting like a police officer… so cool… so full of authority…”

“Hey, why did you add that ‘finally’?” Kimura cried, eyebrows pinched together. “And I was actually concerned about you!”

(Kimura usually didn't mind Mio’s jokes, but maybe seeing her so affected by wasabi of all things made Kimura a little touchy. At least he could see the wasabi hadn't killed Mio’s sassy brain.)

“Eat it slowly, will you? No one wants you to choke and die,” Hazama remarked bluntly.

Maehara coughed. “Let's kill Korosensei using a wasabi-filled onigiri.”

“Very encouraging, Hazama-chan.” Mio rolled her eyes. The girl resolved to finish this cursed onigiri as quickly as possible, or else she would prolong her suffering. She took the onigiri again and braced herself for the second assault-

“I'm going to get some water!” Kimura yelled. He grabbed Mio’s water bottle and zoomed to the water fountain outside. The other students felt a sudden breeze whoosh past them as Kimura dashed away. The panting boy ran back to the classroom, where Mio was furiously chomping rice and wasabi in her mouth. A red flush began to fill her cheeks, and he could see what suspiciously looked like moisture in her eyes.

“Take it easy, Mio-chan.” Nakamura cheerily wiped the sweat from Mio’s face.

“You're doing great, and Karma is a douchebag.” Hazama flipped through a book on curses.

Karma’s mercury eyes were dancing with mischief. “This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't had made so much fun of me,” he drawled.

Mio snatched the water bottle from Kimura, and drank it as if it was her lifeline (it probably was). The cool liquid ran down her throat, soothing her tingling tongue. “Kimura, you're a lifesaver,” she mumbled after a long drink. “I love you.”

Even though Kimura knew it didn't mean anything, hearing the words “I love you” still made his heart skip a beat. Which was really weird, because Mio was like a wacky sister to him.

“I'm sorry I had to make you go through this." Mio sent Kimura an apologetic glance. “It'll hopefully get better from now on.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but it'll probably feel worse and worse until you desperately crave the sweet release of death,” Hazama said. “Just trying to mentally prepare you.”

Throughout the next ten minutes, Mio did her best to cram the wasabi onigiri down her stomach, while Kimura became a delivery boy, and made countless trips to the water fountain and back to bring cold water. The other students were all yelling and cheering, their voices growing greater with every bite she finished.

“You're almost done!” Nakamura’s hands tightly gripped Mio’s desk, her baby blue eyes shimmering with anticipation.

“Not to sound dramatic, but I want to fucking die.” Mio’s speech was slurred due to the intense sensations her tongue was experiencing. She coughed loudly, and every hot breath that escaped her lips was a torture to her mouth. Her tired eyes found the very last piece of onigiri, and she found she had no strength or motivation to move.

“G-go for it!” Kimura’s red forehead was dotted with beads of sweat, and he solidly placed the water bottle besides Mio. He then bended and placed his palms on his knees.

Mio felt sorry for Kimura. He didn't have to do so much for her, especially when he wasn’t involved. But she could hardly form a sentence to convey that.

The class’s cheers crescendoed into a defeating roar as Mio gingerly picked up the mixture of rice and wasabi. Her lips parted and with magical resolve, she put it in her mouth and chewed. After what felt like a century, she swallowed.

“I… finished?” she muttered, dazed.

“HOORAY!” Nakamura flung her arms in the air. “Mio-chan! Mio-chan!”

Kimura practically shoved the water bottle in her face. “Drink th-this.”

Mio’s face was as red as a tomato, and strands of hair were plastered to her sweaty forehead. She gladly took the bottle.

“I don't want to eat an onigiri ever again,” Mio mumbled. “I'm so done.”

“But Mio-chan, your favourite food is onigiri!”

Mio slumped over her desk, red cheeks squishing against the surface. “I've been defeated…” Her voice was unusually soft.

Maehara and Okajima watched the girl with interest. “Is it just me, but Hikage… without her mean words… looks pretty cute now…”

That irritated Mio. “Oy, you boys-” she started to say, but broke into a coughing fit. Nakamura thumped on her back with much gusto.

Kimura himself was hot and tired after all that running. He stumbled to a nearby seat, not caring whose it was.

“Kimura-chan!”

Kimura’s head immediately snapped up, because there was only one person he knew that would call him with the suffix “chan”.

Kurahashi bounded over, a carton of apple juice in her hand. The cute smile on her face was dazzling Kimura.

“Kimura-chan worked really hard today!” Kurahashi sang. “Here, take this juice to replenish your energy!”

Kimura’s eyes widened. “E-eh? I-I-I can't d-do that-” he stuttered.

He was too late, and Kurahashi had already pressed the carton in his hands. “Kimura-chan was really cool just now~~”

Pink dotted Kimura’s cheeks, and he scratched his head sheepishly. “Ah, really?” the flattered boy laughed.

As Kimura happily sipped his apple juice, Mio said, “Thanks for helping me, Kimura. You didn't have to do that. It was all my fault.”

“No problem. What are friends for?” he flashed Mio a grin.

“Ah, you two must be exhausted.”

Kimura and Mio tilted their head to see the class mom Hara with a placid smile. She was holding an onigiri.

The old Mio would've cheered loudly and eaten the onigiri in a view bites, but now she just wanted to vomit.

“I can't have you hating onigiri for the rest of your life, so I saved one from lunch for you. I guarantee it tastes delicious,” Hara said.

“... You don't have to…” Mio was so moved, tears began to form in her eyes.

Hara took out a pair of chopsticks and divided the onigiri in two. “Here, take half too, Kimura. You need it.”

Kimura and Mio were shocked by Hara’s kindness, but they couldn't refuse.

“T-thank you, Hara-san,” Kimura looked at her gratefully. He poked Mio in the side. “Hey, say thank you too!”

“Thank you…”

The class watched as the duo munched on Hara’s onigiri, while Hara petted their heads in a motherly way.

“This onigiri… is a gift from God,” Mio announced, grains of rice on her face. “It has restored my faith in humanity. Hara, I am forever in your debt. ”

“Don't talk with your mouth full!” Kataoka reminded.

Hara just chuckled. “Now, Mio, don't be so risky anymore, okay? People may take revenge, and you may suffer.”

“Yeah, that's true,” Karma added, but from his facial expression, everyone could see clearly he was still mad at Mio. Mio noticed his look, and glared at him.

“I'm not forgiving you, red feathered dude,” Mio said icily.

“Good to know. I'm not forgiving you either.” Karma idly played with his rubber knife, but his bloodlust was obvious.

“You are playing a very dangerous game here,” Hazama murmured in her ear.

“Well,” Mio yawned. “That's the cost of having a fun life.”

***

I also filled out the assclass OC fic bingo sheet by @dr-j33 just for fun. I was tempted to add "Nagisa who?" but lmao Nagisa doesn't appear much in my non OC fanfics anyway.

#assassination classroom #ansatsu kyoushitsu #assassination classroom oc #hikage mio #kimura justice #nakamura rio #hazama kirara #akabane karma #my fic #long post

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immiesradio-blog · 5 years

Text

You’re My Best Friend ~ Roger Taylor x OC 2

Chapter 2

November 1967 Barbara's P.O.V

It had been two months since I had joined the Ealing art college and to say that I was enjoying my time would be an understatement. I loved being there so much, especially with my new found friend Stella who I had become unbelievably close with, she was an incredible roommate and person to have around.

Similarly, with Freddie, who I had also grown close with, me and him got on amazingly well and would spend a lot of time with each other in the design room, drawing illustrations and talking about fashion. Yes, Freddie was still a very attractive guy in my opinion, but the feelings that I had for him were only platonic, Stella was convinced otherwise. They were both incredible individuals and they each brought out a more confident and content side to me.

I had hardly thought about Roger this past month, I think that I began to realise that perhaps me and him weren't meant to be friends forever, to be happy with the memories that I did have of him, to be happy with his success and most importantly, to be happy for him and for myself. On the other hand, if I were to ever see him again, or have the opportunity to, I would thank him for everything that he had done for me, apologise and hug the living daylights out of him, until that moment, if it was to come, I would move on with my life.

"Has Freddie asked you to be his girlfriend yet?" I hear Stella question me from the living room as soon as I stepped inside of our apartment.

I rolled my eyes and replied to her with a hint of sarcasm, "My day was okay thanks, what about you?"

"Did you leave your hearing aids at college?"

I peek my head into the living room, glaring down at her sitting on the sofa before I chuck my wet coat over her head, "Hang that up please, I have to leave in ten!"

"Where to? A date?"

"Work!"

Recently I had got myself a part time job working at Beba, a highly recommended clothing shop, just to earn some money in order to keep my place monthly at the apartment. Stella had also got herself a job at a local coffee shop to pay her half of the rent, it wasn't too expensive, not at all, but it was still a struggle making money, it was already taking a toll on me.

That day I had quickly got myself into my uniform and rushed out due to arriving late back home, leaving me much less time to travel to work. It was definitely easy money and usually I had a relatively good time there, plus having the upper hand of having discounts on the clothes being sold there. A few others also worked alongside me, Mary Austin being one of them, who was a really kind and pleasant girl to be around. Me and her often spent a few hours chatting and spending our fifteen minute breaks together, she also went to the same art college as me and we would wave at each other when walking past each other along the corridor.

Every day that would pass was one that I would always remember, I enjoyed every single second of each day, illustrating and designing while also spending time with Freddie and Stella, sometimes Mary. Although, one day had definitely stood out to me in the few months that I had joined the college, and it was the one where Freddie had asked me out on a date.

It was so sudden, I really hadn't expected him to ask. Throughout the past two months that I had known him, we had gradually built this friendship, we got along so well and I was so afraid of ruining it. I didn't know how I felt about Freddie and I didn't want to make anything awkward. I was still longing for feeling something for someone, I was so curious about love, how it felt, or if I ever would know. All I knew is that if I didn't give it a chance, I'd be stuck feeling the doubt that I had been feeling about trusting anyone with my heart forever, and so I had answered Freddie with a 'yes', perhaps I should give this a chance.

When I had told Stella what had happened that day she squealed, so loud my ears almost exploded. She was very excited, I wasn't so sure as to why, probably because she had already been on around six dates with two different boys. They seemed to come at her from all different directions and I could see why, she was so much more open and 'out there' than I had been, I didn't get half the attention that she got.

Whenever I'd say to her about any boy who seemed to show at least a little interest in me she'd tell me to 'let go', to 'let my hair down a little'. Every time I would say 'no', reject, reject, reject, Stella would roll her eyes. 'Barbara. You're hot, you have boys clamouring for you, I'm sure one is fine for you' she would tell me, but I wouldn't listen, I just carried on working, excelling in my grades.

"You said yes?!" She asks, her voice high pitched, she seemed so shocked, "Barbara Rosabella accepted a date with one Freddie Bulsara?"

"I- I think I did," I reply, smiling a little smile as I fiddled with the ends of the sleeves of my purple jumper.

"I'm helping you get ready, you can't say no."

Stella practically dragged me to my bedroom and ran straight to my wardrobe, grabbing at certain items of clothing and chucking them straight onto the bed if they were good enough for her taste. About four dresses were laid out onto the bed as she began to pick each one up and hold them in front of me.

"Can I please wear something just a little bit more casual?" I ask, sighing as she continues to hold up one of the dresses.

"Seriously Barb?"

"Yes, seriously."

"Are you even trying to get some tonight?"

I almost spat out the drink that I didn't even have and let out a loud giggle, "I'm not sure that's what I intended."

"Here's one that you might like a bit better, but if I were you I'd choose one of the others," she advises, picking out a dress which I had been given on discount from Beba.

"Perfect," I reply, reaching for it and rushing to the bathroom.

The dress was suitable for the occasion, it reached the mid of my thighs, it was long sleeved which meant that I didn't have to worry about being too cold. Stella was still waiting for me in my bedroom afterwards, clapping her hands together when she saw me.

"Is it okay?" I ask her.

"You're looking extremely fuckable, if I was a lesbian I would be asking you on a date myself," she states, winking playfully as she laughs.

I can't help but laugh at her remark, almost falling to the floor. This is what we were like most of the time, always laughing at the most stupid things and I was so happy where I was here in London with my friends and this apartment, my job, the college. I was also beginning to feel sure of myself as a person due to Stella and Freddie, they made everything seem just a little brighter.

"What time are you going and where are you going?" She asks me, around an hour later when we were both reclining on our sofa listening to the radio.

"In about twenty minutes and we're getting food somewhere I think, you should know more since you're the one who goes on many more dates than I do," I tell her with a hint of sass, smirking at her.

"Well you'd also be going on a lot of dates if you didn't reject them every time," she was definitely speaking the truth since I had been rejecting anyone who had asked me out, "What's so different about Freddie?"

"He's interesting, but we're friends," Her face dropped when the word 'friend' left my mouth, "What? I'm sure that this is going to be more of a friendly date?"

"What's a friendly date?"

"Shut up," I answer her, smiling widely at her humour, "Look, I don't know how I feel, that's one of the reasons why I am going tonight."

"Fair enough."

Very soon after Freddie had arrived, he had stayed with me and Stella for a drink before we headed off to the local diner. The 'date' was hilarious and me and Freddie only grew closer as friends, we talked about everything, I had found out about our mutual interest in music which was the topic of conversation for most of the time. We ate, we talked, we laughed, we walked along a few unfamiliar streets, the time that I had spent with him was amazing, but I still felt the same, there weren't butterflies or sparks lighting up any kind of feeling of romantic love.

I was dreading the fact that Freddie may be on a completely different page as he reached for my hand up until the moment that he gave me a quick peck on the lips, only lasting for a few seconds. The kiss only further confirmed the lack of butterflies that I was feeling. I loved Freddie as a friend, that was what I knew. I hoped he felt the same as me and that we would still remain friends, I was silently begging, hoping that I wouldn't lose this friendship like I had lost Roger's.

"Are you okay?" He asks, stepping backwards so that he could see me clearly, "You look like you're going to cry."

"N-no I'm not, I just-," I didn't know what to say to him, he studied my face carefully, keeping his hands on either sides of my face, gently resting on my cheeks.

"Did I do something wrong?" He seemed so worried and it made my heart sink.

"I jus-, I, I don't want to lose you as a friend," I confess, frowning as I feel a single tear travel down my cheek which his finger wipes away, "I've lost too much."

I tried to hold myself together so much, but thoughts of everything had taken over me, losing the respect and love of my parents, losing the years of friendship with Roger, losing the people that I called home, I was horrified at the thought of losing this already close friendship that I had with Freddie, I connected with him in the few months I had known him.

"You're not going to lose me darling," he assures me, very confident in his word, "I promise, now stop crying like a little baby," he laughs quietly.

My face breaks out into a smile at how casual he was after I had practically friend zoned him, this was one of the reasons why me and him got along so well, we balanced each other out and he made me look at everything in a different perspective, he always made me feel more relaxed. I sniffled a little and felt completely and utterly relieved, "Okay."

For a few seconds we just stared at each other smiling. I thought about how lucky I was to have met Freddie, how considerate and thoughtful he was, I would cherish him forever.

"Friends?" I hear myself ask, muttering the word out extremely quietly.

"Close companions," he responds, grinning a cheeky grin as he pulls me close and into a hug. I felt so safe and confident that me and Freddie's friendship would only grow stronger from this moment onwards.

Freddie walked me back to me and Stella's apartment, holding my hand loosely on the way. The sudden miniature outburst that had occurred was forgotten and everything was back to normal. I did not regret coming out with Freddie, not one bit, it only solidified our relationship as friends and actually, I believe that it was important that we had spent time with each other like we did that night.

"You must come and see me at music practice. Tomorrow!" He states, clearly excited, squeezing my hand as we reach the front door of my apartment.

"I'd love to!" I reply enthusiastically, looking forward to nothing but hearing Freddie sing for the first time along with hearing his skills in piano.

"Two in the afternoon in the music department, the other building, opposite ours," He informs me.

"I can't wait!"

Freddie pulled me in for another hug and a kiss on the cheek, lasting slightly longer than the last, "Don't be late," I hear him mumble against my shoulder before pulling away to look at me again, he smiles so that his front teeth show.

"I won't, I promise Freddie," I reply with a reassuring smile, "I'll set my alarm early just for you."

"Goodnight darling," he says before leaning in for another kiss on the cheek and waving goodbye as he disappears down the road to catch a bus to Kensington, where he was staying.

I let myself into the apartment with a smile on my face, dropping my handbag onto the sofa before I also fall onto the sofa. Immediately I heard Stella's footsteps rushing into the living room and when she saw me she jumped onto the empty space on the sofa.

"How'd it go?" She asks excitedly, leaning towards me anticipating my answer.

I smile in response, "Amazing."

"I'm going to need some details," she tells me, using her hands to tell me to continue, "Anything?"

"It was perfect, Stella, but probably not in the way that you're thinking."

"Don't tell me you didn't kiss at least?"

"We did, but I don't have feelings for him. We're close companions and that's the way that it's going to stay," I state, trying to keep a straight face in order to let her know that what I was telling her was true, which it was, "Now you don't have to tease me about it."

"Alright, alright, I respect your decision," she replies, keeping a smile on her face, but she seemed curious, searching for something in my eyes, "Have you had a boyfriend before? Or had any kind of relationship with a boy before?"

The look on my face must have given it away as she shuffled closer, wanting to hear what I had to say.

"Spit it out, you can tell me anything!"

And so I did, I told her everything that seemed relevant, mainly Steve considering he was the one who had treated me very poorly. I only briefly mentioned Roger because what had happened between us was my fault, "So to answer your question, it's complicated, I wasn't in an exclusive relationship with Steve, he was just a dickhead."

"And the other one?"

"A best friend who I miss very much," I answer her before looking down towards my crossed legs on the sofa, "I fucked up and I let him go."

"Seems like he let you go Barb."

"Because I hurt him," I say, "Sometimes I don't know when to shut up. Ever since I've been trying to stop myself from just blurting bullshit."

"How old were you?"

"Fifteen?"

"And he was?"

"Sixteen."

"If I look at it from a sixteen year old and fifteen year old point of view. I think that the both of you had a bad case of 'immature syndrome' and felt like you couldn't apologise. Am I right?" She asks, reaching for her bag and taking out two cigarettes, passing one to me which I take from her quickly.

"You may well be right there, Stell," I reply, taking out my lighter from my jacket pocket, lighting the cigarette, feeling ever so slightly more relaxed after having such a conversation.

"Who knows, you may see each other again and this time, mature enough to apologise and hug it out," I hear her say, blowing out some smoke and leaning over the sofa to tap off the ash, "Or find a spare toilet and fuck the living daylights out of each other," she mutters, very very quietly.

"What? I didn't quite catch that." I ask her, giggling a little as she does the same.

She throws her hands up in surrender, "I didn't say anything I swear."

"Thought so." I say, raising my eyebrows with a large smile, "Would you like to hear Freddie's band play tomorrow?"

"Is that a command?"

"Yes, yes it is."

"Well I guess I'll have to then," she replies, putting out her cigarette.

I take a last long drag of the cigarette before also putting mine out, "Thought so, you wouldn't want to suffer the wrath of miss Barbara Rosabella."

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Hope u liked itttt, sorry for the wait. Took a while due to chapter 1 deleting and me having to rewrite it all while writing this chapter. Won't happen again :))

#roger taylor #roger taylor x reader #roger taylor x oc #oc #barbara palvin #barbara rosabella #fanfic #fanfiction #love #love story #queen #queen x reader #queen x oc #slowburn #best friend #best friends #romance #story

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