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becca-alexa · 9 months

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Ride the Lightning

Chapter Twelve: Starry Eyes

Read on AO3!

01 ┋ 02 ┋ 03 ┋ 04 ┋ 05 ┋ 06 ┋ 07 ┋ 08 ┋ 09 ┋ 10 ┋ 11 ┋ 12 ┋ 13

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Original Female Character

Summary: Will an average trip to the mall turn into something more?

Word Count: 3.8K

Content Warnings: [N/A]

Author's Note: god please forgive me for this taking so long the last update was in may?????? i have been so dead from actually having to do work at my job i am becoming a business bitch and let me tell you nobody told me it took so much work but anyway here you go 💗💗💗💗💗

and as always THANK YOU BESTIE @hellflayer for sticking with me through this 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

Lucas wrapped an arm around himself, the other holding the plasticine phone receiver close to his ear, the smile he gave to Eddie from across the street strained and painfully forced; he counted the rings – one, two, three – as he gnawed at his lip to the point of drawing blood, all as he waited for Max to pick up the phone. He couldn’t help the twinge of nervousness that coursed up his spine, chilled his hands; he couldn’t help the guilt he felt as he’d emerged from the Palace Arcade alone, hands stuffed into the pockets of his worn Levi’s jeans, head hung low in embarrassment he’d even gone so far as to jog around the back of the building, checking to see if perhaps he’d find the redhead trying out a new trick on her skateboard, or even trading cards with some of the other kids. But, alas, as the phone continued to ring, he’d long since conceded defeat.

“Hello?” Max’s voice buzzed through the speaker. “Max speaking. Who’s this?”

Lucas scrubbed a hand down his face. “It’s Lucas. You said you’d be at the arcade! Where the Hell are you?” He asked, giving Eddie yet another smile and a nod, signaling that everything was alright.

“I’m home, Lucas.” Max said simply; he could hear her moving around. Was someone with her? “I told you I’d be going to the arcade in the morning, and that I’d be home by noon.” As she spoke, Lucas let out a loud groan - she had said that, he’d simply forgotten.

“Whatever. Are we still good to go to the mall?” Lucas asked, his leg beginning to bounce.

“You’re with Eddie?”

“He’s waiting in the van. I’m using a payphone.”

“Yeah, but ask him if-“

Lucas hung up the call as soon as he’d heard her affirmative response, nearly causing an accident as he bolted across the street, pulling himself into the passenger seat of the metalhead’s rusted van with nothing – less than nothing – to show for his efforts. He was quiet as he pulled on his seatbelt, the vehicle slowly pulling back onto the main road.

“She’s back home, isn’t she?” Eddie asked quietly, his voice gentle – and, yet, Lucas couldn’t help his swarming embarrassment.

“Yeah, I... I’m sorry, man.” he began, throat tight, hands clasped tightly atop his lap, the sound of asphalt crushing beneath rubber tires filling the silence between them, the low hum of the motor a gentle purr compared to the loud screech of Eddie’s music. “I could’ve sworn she told me she’d be here...”

Eddie shook his head; wild, unkempt curls bouncing about his shoulders. His smile was easy, unbothered, his eyes warm as he spared the kid a look, the van rolling to a stop at a red light. “Don’t sweat it, dude. It happens.” He took a turn onto one of the residential streets, the entrance to the trailer park nearly in sight. “I needed to go back, anyway. Forgot my wallet.”

“You sure? I mean, you don’t have to take us-“

“Lucas, it’s fine, seriously.” Eddie drove through the familiar entrance to Forest Hills, bringing the van to a stop in front of Max’s trailer, leaving the motor running as he trotted over to his own abode. “Be back in a sec!” he shouted back, digging into his pocket for his keys as he disappeared beyond the worn, metal door, only to appear moments later with a leather wallet in hand. In truth, the wallet had simply been an excuse to keep Lucas from feeling any worse than he already did for having led him on a wild goose chase – bless his charred, cynical heart.

He all but tore open the van door, the thing creaking and groaning under the sudden strain as he pulled himself inside – but, as he settled into his seat, pulling his seatbelt on and looking to the passenger seat, it felt as though he’d sent himself crashing into a wall, his body stopping mid-motion, hands leaded, face burning red at the sight of Veronica seated beside him; Lucas and Max were huddled together in the back seat, whispering something between them that made them laugh. He blinked once, twice, swallowing against the sudden tightness gripping his throat as he gave her a rather lopsided smile. “H-Hey.”

“Hi, Eddie.” Veronica replied softly, her smile just as meek as his, her cheeks dusted with the softest of pinks, her verdant gaze brilliant as she stared at him. His eyes moved over her, noting in an instant the way her hair fell about her shoulders, soft and impossibly silky, tied behind her neck with a thin, red ribbon – he hadn’t seen it down like that since The Fling, and as memories of that fateful night bled into his subconscious, it only served to make his blush all the more intense.

“You don’t mind, do you?” Max asked abruptly, hanging in the space between the two front seats as she turned herself toward Eddie, her hands braced to keep her from falling forward. “Veronica was already at my place when Lucas called.”

“No, it’s... it’s fine.” Eddie recovered quickly, coughing a bit to hide his nervousness, flexing his hands to quell their telltale trembling as he wrapped them around the steering wheel. “That alright with you, sweetheart?”

Veronica nodded, hair flowing over her shoulders – and, had Eddie been paying closer attention to her, he’d have noticed the way her smile brightened at the name, her blush deepening nearly to a cherry-red. “Y-Yeah, I’m good.”

In a single, fluid motion, Eddie tugged on the gear shift and pealed out of the trailer park. “Alright, kiddos – our destiny awaits!”

Walking beneath the burning heat of fluorescent lights in every possible hue, Eddie swore it’d felt as though he’d been dropped into a flowing, moving current of people – at any given moment, Starcourt Mall was always busting with activity, shops and neon signage spreading as far as the eye could see. Cloyingly sweet pop music played over the place’s overhead speakers, doing little to drown out the roaring of voices all around them – and it took him a moment to center himself.

Yet, it was a moment too long. “So, where to first-?” he’d begun to say, only to watch as Lucas and Max ran off into the droves, hand in hand as one of them turned and shouted something at him he’d just barely managed to grasp – We’ll meet up with you later! Eddie let out a heavy sigh, pulling his hand through his hair as he turned, taking in a sharp breath as he suddenly realized he’d been left alone with Veronica – and in a venue he knew to be a popular spot among couples, no less. He felt his pulse quicken, his hands shaking, sweat beading along his brow. Would she want to stay with him? Would she want to walk off on her own? Follow behind the kids? He tried to find his words, certain his face was nearly as red as the ribbon in her hair as he asked, “D-Do you... uh... Is there something you want to do?”

But, Veronica shook her head, hands clasped tightly behind her back as she took a stumbled half-step toward him, someone having brushed her by mistake in their haste to get by. “I don’t really have anything in particular...” she told him, biting at her strawberry-colored lip, lost in thought – and Eddie couldn’t help but follow the movement raptly, nearly losing focus on what she was saying. God, he’d never wished to be lip gloss before, but there certainly was a first time for everything… “Maybe we can just... walk around?” Veronica asked, pulling Eddie from his revelry. “There’s got to be something cool here, right?”

Eddie smiled at her response, settling a hand at the small of her back as he led her away from the main entrance. “Sounds good to me, princess.” His answer was easy, calm – betraying nothing of the way his stomach was in acrobatics, or the way his heart was beating with so much force, he was almost certain she could see it through his shirt. “Let’s go?”

He’d offered her his arm purely in chivalry, thinking it’d be the right thing to do; he’d also didn’t want to lose her through the crowds, so the gesture had made sense in his mind – never in his wildest dreams had he expected her to actually take it, her hand tucking into the warm crook of his elbow. And, unless he was truly fooling himself, he could feel the way she pulled herself closer to him – close enough that he could smell the soft, flowery scent of her perfume. Her body leaned against his, her grip on him tightening ever so slightly as they began to walk.

Linked together, they passed store upon store selling clothing, sports equipment, home décor; Starcourt had anything and everything imaginable, much to their surprise – yet, after nearly an hour of seemingly endless window shopping and half-hearted browsing, they had yet to find a store they actually wanted to go into.

Eddie stood a step behind Veronica, peering over her shoulder as she scanned the mall’s extensive directory, his own gaze trailing over the map in hopes of finding... something. Anything at all; just a single interesting place to go into. “Eddie...!” Veronica exclaimed, turning around sharply – and she found herself pressed chest to chest with him, close enough that she could feel the rhythmic beating of his heart, the thrum of his pulse through his shirt. It took her a moment to remember what she’d wanted to say, so lost in the feeling of him against her. “They... They just opened a record store on the third floor – want to check it out...?” she finally managed to ask, a bit befuddled as to why her throat had gone dry, her hands running cold as she clenched the behind her. What was happening to her...?

Through her inner turmoil, Eddie leaned in close, his smile bright and beaming as he said, “Now you’re speakin’ my language, sweetheart!” With a laugh, he took her hand tightly in his as he all but dragged her to the nearest escalator, practically bouncing with excitement as they made their way to the shop.

He hadn’t realized he’d laced their fingers together, and the thought to tell him never once crossed her mind.

�� Once they’d found the store, they were floored to find it stacked wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling with absolutely everything – not just with music, but with instruments, recording equipment, memorabilia; it was as though they’d entered Eddie’s personal Nirvana, and Veronica couldn’t help but smile as she watched him dig through alphabetized stacks of records and tapes – a literal kid in a candy store.

She, on the other hand, kept her pace leisurely – it wasn’t as though she wasn’t a fan of vinyl or tape collecting, but she was certainly nowhere near Eddie’s level of apparent fanaticism. He poured over the Rock and Heavy Metal sections as though he were searching for gold, and she quickly realized that she was watching him more than she was browsing the store’s wares, her heart doing this curious little patter every time he found something that made his eyes sparkle in just the right way. Were she being honest with herself, he was infinitely more interesting, anyways. She never wandered too far from him, always keeping him within her line of sight, smiling to herself as something... fuzzy began to bleed through her chest, and the feeling itself was enough to tint her face the softest whisper of pink.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted him walking up to the register, a bright red vinyl sleeve tucked tightly to his chest; he bounced atop the balls of his feet as he waited in line, an unrivaled smile on his face as he made it to the front of the line. But, as he handed the cashier the sleeve, the two exchanging a few words, his face fell into a frown; he shook his head and said something she couldn’t make out as he left the line, the vinyl forgotten as he moved to another part of the store. With her curiosity besting her, she walked up to the register, and spotted the sleeve sitting on a shelf just out of reach.

“Hi... uh... Why didn’t that guy buy that?” Veronica asked, pointing to the shelf behind the cashier.

“Didn’t have enough money.” The man replied plainly, sorting through his things behind the counter. “The sale we have going on right now doesn’t apply to this.”

She nodded, sparing a look back at Eddie, her chest tight. Should she...? “Can... Can I buy it?” she asked before she could think to do otherwise, a gentle smile growing on her face as she cashier rung her up for her purchase, sliding the vinyl into a plastic shopping bag before passing it to her; thanking him, she made her way back to the front of the store, Eddie already standing there, waiting for her. He gave her as best a smile as he could, yet Veronica could still see the disappointment behind his eyes as they made their way through the mall’s carpeted corridors once more.

Distracted as he was, it took him a moment to notice the bag hanging from her hand. “You found something you liked, sweetheart?” he asked her, nodding toward it.

Again, her heart pattered. Pittered, even.

She smiled at him, her eyes bright, nearly sparkling. “You could say that.”

“What d’you mean-“ Eddie couldn’t help but ask, only to be abruptly cut off as she shoved the bag into his chest, the plastic crinkling against him.

“I bought it for you.” Had she said anything else, Eddie didn’t think he’d be as surprised. For him? How could she buy something for him...?

“For... For me...?” His face burst red, heart pounding, his spirits lifting to the highest of heights as he turned to look at her, a hesitant sort of smile stretching across his face. “Sweetheart, you... you didn’t have to...” He peered into the bag, anticipation mounting – and his mouth fell open as he realized what she’d purchased; he tried to hand the bag back to her. “Veronica, no, I... I can’t-“

“Why not?”

He floundered; it took him a moment to work through his whirlwind of thoughts. “T-This was expensive...”

“So what?” She countered, shaking her head, trying to pass the handle of the bag back into his hand.

“B-But-“ He’d pulled his hand away, holding it to his chest in a closed fist.

Veronica let out a quiet sigh as she reached over and took his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together, squeezing it gently as their gazes met. “Eds, think of this as a reward for... for doing really well at school.” As she spoke, he visibly began to relax, the tips of his ears red as his fingers flexed around hers, warmth to warmth, palm to palm; his shoulders fell, chest deflating with an exhale he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “You deserve it.”

“Y-Yeah..?” Eddie asked, chancing a look down at the bag pressed between them. “You... You really think I do?”

“I know you do.” Veronica’s voice had dropped nearly to a whisper – and, just for a moment, the world around them seemed to melt away, the sounds and sights of the bustling mall pooling at their feet like rain puddles as their hearts began to beat in sync.

A loud sound pulled them to reality, and they both looked away with matching smiles, faces red; Veronica looped her arm back through his, her touch soft as they continued walking, perhaps just a bit closer than before.

“Nope.”

“Come on, Eddie... Pretty please?”

Eddie shook his head, standing his ground against her. “Sweetheart, I’m not trying that on.”

The pair stood in front of the main showcase for a tuxedo rental store – one of the newer additions to the already-bustling mall. The mannequin displayed was sporting the latest in men’s evening wear, the sharp cut and slim fit of the suit having caught Veronica’s eye as they’d been walking by. It was a nice suit – a very nice suit; coupled with the color pairing of red and black, it’d been a no-brainer for her to ask Eddie to try it on.

She hadn’t expected him to refuse so vehemently.

The least he could do was humor her, couldn’t he?

“Why won’t you try it on?” Veronica asked, crossing her arms atop her chest, her gaze narrowing, hands set atop her hips as she gave him as best a withering look as she could – and the sight made him almost nostalgic, in a way. Eddie shook his head, his growing smile only fueling her annoyance.

“I’ll look ridiculous.” He insisted, shaking his head; he motioned between himself and the mannequin posed behind the glass window, as though proving his point – he was certain he’d look like a fool.

Veronica rolled her eyes at him. “Who says?”

“I say, that’s who!” Eddie countered, his voice rising ever so slightly.

Veronica refused to back down, her hand darting to grab his before he could even realize what was happening – and, by the time he’d managed to blink, she was dragging him into the store. “Well, I say you’ll look nice!” She exclaimed, turning around to watch as his sneakered feet left trails through the plush carpeting underfoot. Finding the nearest fitting room, she all but shoved him through the curtain divider, and returned in a moment with a suit in a size that would fit him. “Edward, just try it on!”

Eddie grumbled and groaned as he slipped off his clothes, his heavy belt buckle falling to the ground with an audible thud as he changed outfits; Veronica sat just outside, flipping through a store magazine as she awaited his emergence – like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon, so to speak.

After a few minutes, the curtain was pulled aside – and, out walked Eddie, in what he swore was the most expensive thing he’d ever tried on. “See?” He asked her, his hand making a sweeping motion down his body. “I told you I’d look dumb.”

“You don’t look dumb, it’s just...” said Veronica, rising from her seat and moving to his front, her hands tugging the red dress shirt out from where he’d had it tucked into his pants. “You missed a button, that’s all...” As though she’d done this a hundred times before, her hands worked with practiced ease as she fixed his shirt, working from the bottom and moving her way up, her touch warm as she smoothed her hands over his chest, adjusted the shirt around him. And, reaching up, she flipped over the collar of his shirt and fixed the knot in his necktie, smoothing it back down, her hands gently moving the fabric into its proper place. “See? You look much better.”

Eddie couldn’t help the way his face burned, his heart pounding in his chest, his head. He stared down at her, losing himself in her verdant eyes, his hands moving on their own accord as they laid over hers, holding them to his chest. Leaning in closer to her, his hair fell around them, a canopy pulling them closer together, shielding them from the world; his voice felt almost foreign to him as he whispered, “I could’ve done that myself, princess.”

Having him so close, his breath fanning her face, his nose just brushing hers... The pattering in Veronica’s heart now pounded like the loudest of drums, keeping perfect time to the pulse she could feel beneath her palms, strong and solid, Eddie’s hold on her tightening. She couldn’t help but gasp as she felt his thumbs sliding over the tops of her hands, caressing her, drawing her even closer to him – if that were even possible. Standing chest to chest with him, only one thought blared through Veronica’s mind with an urgency that frightened her, her mouth going dry, her lips parting ever so slightly.

“God, I wish he’d just kiss me.”

She hadn’t the time to blink before two familiar voices rang out from somewhere down the corridor outside of the store. “I found them!” Lucas called out, the thundering of footsteps following his words. As though they’d been scalded, Eddie and Veronica flew apart before either youngling came into sight, with Eddie fleeing into the fitting room before either of them could see the vivid blush painting his face.

“What are you doing in here?” Max asked, following behind Lucas as the pair entered the store.

Veronica pointed to the fitting room. “Eddie was... He was trying some things on.” The waver in her voice gave Max pause, her attention splitting between her and the rustling curtain at her side.

On the ride home, the group sat in order of drop-off – Lucas and Veronica were in the back, and Max took the passenger seat, with Eddie manning the helm; Lucas was the first to leave, thanking Eddie to high Heaven for having taken them to the mall. Eddie saw him off with a smile, waiting until he’d gotten inside before driving away.

Veronica was next; Eddie had parked in front of her house, waving her off just as he’d did Lucas, waiting for a while before leaving – but Max could tell that something was different. From the way he’d said his goodbyes, to the melting look he’d given her, to the way he’d lingered at her house just a moment too long, she knew that something was... wrong? No, not wrong – happening.

Something was happening – and whatever it was, it involved Eddie and Veronica.

“What’s in the bag?” Max asked, pointing to the plastic bag Eddie had insisted on keeping atop his lap – for safekeeping, he’d told them, the plastic crinkling every time he moved his legs.

“A gift.” He replied, his smile almost shy, the faintest of pinks gracing his cheeks – which, of course, Max didn’t fail to notice.

“You bought yourself a gift?” She sounded almost disbelieving.

Eddie shook his head. “No, I-“

“So... Veronica bought you a gift?” Max continued, quickly having put the pieces together – the pair were alone the entire trip, so if Eddie didn’t buy it…

The metalhead’s blush deepened, spreading all the way up to the tips of his ears. “Y-Yeah.” He replied quietly, his smile ever-present, perhaps even growing a bit. “She did.”

And, as Max settled back into her seat, staring out the window as they drove through entrance to Forest Hills, she was left with more questions than she’d had answers for…

Something was definitely happening.

Tag List

@lulukings92 @i-me-mine @kaitebugg03 @enchante-em

#becca.fic #ride the lightning #eddie munson #eddie munson fic #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x oc #eddie munson x original character #stranger things fic #YYYEAAHHH CHAPTER 12 #did not intend to have it take so long to write #but it's here #bone apple teeth my dudes it's real fluffy and it'll only get worse from here #💗💗💗💗💗

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mixdown01 · 11 months

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Notes from research on showreels

I was looking up tips for creating a showreel - specifically one for sound - so compiled some of the stuff I found. The first source had a lot of SD tips as well, so I included them.

Here's all my notes and sources on what I read!

6 Tips For Creating Your First Sound Design Showreel: | A Sound Effect

[mostly for game design but still useful cause doing design for games would be a shout]

Start with a Stereo bed for all generic "base" things (room tone, wind, general ambience) than add SFX in mono for stuff that makes noise - and automate that to camera position

Unique soundscape and ambience for each different camera position

(more for games) Little things matter when doing foley, beef it up - when cloth moves it should move, zippers, bodyfalls and impacts can always be bigger than you think. Each chara has different outfit, therefore have fun with deciding how that outfit sounds when it moves

Make stereo SFX mono : When things in distance sound too 'wide' due to source mats, and therefore doesn't sound like its positioned correctly, make things mono.

Related to above - if source sounds too stereo but needs to sound wide, convert source SFX to mono and add stereo reverb + widening plugins (Valhalla Supermassive and iZotope Ozone Imager are free recommendations)

For redesigns, replace what music is doing in the scene with cinematic SFX (i.e: for a horror scene, add "metal hits, drones, and risers to emphasise all of the key story beats")

Short and snappy showreels for the win - around a minute is his rec, with 15 sec clips and 5 sec filler if needed

don't start it with 5 second of silence - add a little sound effect to start/end titles!

Build the perfect showreel: 10 top tips | Creative Bloq

[tips for first showreel build - mostly for animation but still has relevant tips]

Cut Ruthlessly - only your best work

Keep it short - 1 to 1.5 minutes in length - studios look at a lot of reels

Start and End well - begin and end the reel with your best work, specifically ending with your second best piece and starting with the first. But keep in mind that the rest should still be decent work

Think of showreel as an ad; which aren't usually more than 30 seconds long. You are selling something.

(More for animation) match your reel to the studio! for instance, don't put in Orc models if a studio does architecture visualization.

(more for animation) Indicate what you created - in student films often its group work, so be clear in what you contributed

(Animation but could be relevant to film portfolio) Show inner workings: Shot breakdowns, software used

Better to go for simple and well done than complex and mid

related- Technique beats individuality (might be more for animation, but could apply to film)

Be a Sound Designer - Episode #1 - Building a killer showreel - sounDesign

[Tips and examples of reels - relevant to first reels]

Should flow well - avoid choppy fade ins and outs

using existing footage of a film trailer, animation, etc and doing a redesign is alright for an entry level position if you have no other work - Make sure to credit properly

2 minutes is borderline too much. keep it around 1 minute with a snappy edit

Put your reel in your linkedin profile

MY THOUGHTS/IDEAS

once I get a rough idea of what to put into it, going into AE and/or Blender and mocking up some transitions and short filler to design to in order to transition from clip to clip could be a good idea

movies - Whats the best way of presenting a sound design showreel ? - Sound Design Stack Exchange

[people answer the above question]

reel should depend on who views it: Musuem curator, Film producer, ad agency...

Redesign again - make it interesting and pleasantly surprising.

particles and colors - theatres and museums, maybe, but def not for film and tv. Viewers want to see something they relate to

How to make a Sound Design Demo Reel (designingsound.org)

[pretty simple and goes over a lot of the above]

Label your responsibilities - make everything you did clear.

Add details to your credits - if your doing sound design, your doing audio editing as well most of the time. Foley Artist, Recording Engineer, VO record, ADR, mixing engineer, music editor, and music supervisor are all valid credits that you probably have done.

showreel - What to put in show reel - Sound Design Stack Exchange

[another Q mostly about content]

Include what you want to work in - i.e Game audio creation, commercial based prod/post prod audio, long term linear media like film, quick contract work like logos and short SD projects.

#languages #behindthescenes #showreel tips

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junghelioseok · 3 years

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clandestine. | 03

↳ forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest.

◇ jungkook x reader ◇ smut | fluff | brother’s best friend!au ◇ 9.2k [3/6]

notes: this will likely be my last update of this fic until the new year, because i have two (2!!!) other fics that i’m planning to post in december, including another jungoo one, so! please look forward to those, and enjoy this chapter in the meantime!

warnings: jk’s massive noona kink: a recurring yet warranted warning, me absolutely fucking up everything about korea’s geography probably, semi-public? fingering???, jungkook....... shall we say, rocks the boat, there is one (1) dick pic but no one’s complaining

⇢ 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06

Monday - 11:27am

Kim Taehyung added you to the group: the great escape!!!!!! 🏝🚗💨

[11:27am] Taehyung: let’s gooooooooooo!!

[11:27am] Jisoo: ???

[11:28am] Lisa: go where?

[11:28am] Taehyung: parks lake house this weekend! we’re going on vacation!

[11:28am] You: hold up tae, we haven’t even asked our parents if we can have the house yet

[11:29am] Chimchim: oh yeah lmao

[11:29am] Chimchim: u wanna go ask noona??

[11:29am] You: nope

[11:30am] Chimchim: ugh, fine

[11:30am] Chimchim: u big baby

[11: 31am] You: 🙄

[11: 37am] Chimchim: they said yes!

[11:38am] Taehyung: LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[11:38am] Minho: sweet 👍

[11:38am] Taemin: tight

[11:39am] Jungkook: dope

[11:40AM] Jisoo: you’re all idiots 🙄

Tuesday - 2:34pm

[2:34pm] Chimchim: i’ve secured the van

[2:34pm] Chimchim: for the trip i mean

[2:35pm] Taehyung: noice

[2:35pm] You: 10 people aren’t gonna fit in mom’s van, chim

[2:37pm] Jungkook: i can drive too

[2:37pm] Chimchim: 👍👍

[2:37pm] Chimchim: see? nothing to worry about

[2:38pm] Jungkook: yeah noona, nothing to worry about. nothing at all.

Wednesday - 9:49pm

[9:49pm] Taehyung: oh my god we need FOOD

[9:49pm] Lisa: you’re just realizing that now?

[9:50pm] Taehyung: shut up

[9:50pm] Taehyung: i have a cooler

[9:51pm] Lisa: and ice?

[9:51pm] Taehyung: ………… i will buy some ice

[9:52pm] You: there’s a grocery store on the way up that we always used to go to, we can stock up there

[9:52pm] Taehyung: 👍

[9:54pm] You: you also better remember to bring your own towels. and more than one change of clothing

[9:54pm] Taehyung: 👍👍

[9:55pm] Chimchim: yes, mom

///

The day of the trip finds you standing in the foyer, rifling through your purse to make sure you have all the essentials. Off in the distance, you can hear Jimin sprinting around frantically, catching the briefest glimpse of his ruffled blond hair before he disappears again into the depths of the house.

“Chim, I swear to god. Why didn’t you pack earlier?”

“I did!” your brother whines, poking his head out from the living room where his suitcase is lying wide open, belongings scattered in every direction. “It’s just that—oh, fuck. Do you have my toothbrush?”

“Why would I have your toothbrush?” you deadpan.

He ignores you, and not two seconds later, he lets out an excited shout. “Never mind! I found it!”

You sigh and rub your temples. The trip hasn’t even begun, yet you’re already feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. “I’m going outside,” you call to your brother, who grunts in acknowledgement. Opening up the front door, you drag your suitcase out onto the sun-drenched porch, relishing the welcome breeze that caresses your cheeks and whispers through your hair.

The rare moment of peace is broken almost immediately by the rumble of a starting engine—the sound shuddery and wavering before it finally evens out into a steady, mechanical purr. It’s coming from nearby, and your gaze immediately travels to the neighboring driveway where a beat-up sedan sits, torn between exasperation and amusement when you see Jungkook waving at you from the driver’s seat.

“I’m coming to pick you up!” he calls through the open window, and you hold back your laughter as he reverses out of his driveway, rolls ten feet down the street, and pulls into yours.

“Was that really necessary?” you ask once he’s parked.

“Of course it was,” he replies, hopping out to grab your suitcase. You watch as he pops the trunk and loads it inside, and blanch when you realize what that means.

“Wait a second. Am I riding with you?”

Some emotion flashes across his face, but he wipes it away before you can identify it. “Would that be so terrible?”

It’s been one week since Taehyung’s party, and Jisoo’s warning still rings loud and clear in your brain. Still, you feign nonchalance and tamp down the uptick in your heart rate, offering him a shrug. “Just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.”

He grunts. An awkward silence settles over you as he adjusts your suitcase in the trunk beside his, and you distract yourself by fiddling with your purse strap until he slams the lid closed.

“So…” you start after a few seconds. “Are we picking anyone else up?”

“Yugyeom,” Jungkook replies, opening up the driver’s side door and climbing in. Hesitantly, you make your way over to the other side of the car, wondering if there’s any way you can avoid sitting in the passenger seat without looking like a total weirdo.

“Oh! Jungkook’s here already?” Jimin exits the house at last, lugging his suitcase and a smaller backpack. He shoves both into the backseat of your mother’s van before coming over, frowning when he sees you hovering near the trunk. “Why are you just standing there?”

You make a face at him. “We’re waiting for you, dumbass. Who’s riding with you?”

“Tae, Minho, and Taemin,” your brother replies. “Didn’t you see the group chat this morning?”

“I muted it days ago,” you admit. “You guys were annoying as hell.” Then another thought strikes you, your brain belatedly registering the names Jimin listed. “Wait, what about the girls? Aren’t they coming?”

Your brother rolls his eyes. “Jisoo’s working as a camp counselor this summer, and Lisa has other vacation plans. Maybe if you hadn’t muted the chat, you’d have known that.”

He has a point, though you aren’t about to admit that. You’re also wise enough not to inquire about the third member of the trio, remembering Jisoo’s revelation at the party. It’s no surprise that Chaeyoung isn’t joining you for the weekend—you’d want to avoid extended periods of time with your ex-boyfriend too. At the thought, your gaze reluctantly flits back over to the ex in question, who raises an expectant brow when he catches your eye.

“Ready?” he calls out the open window.

No, you want to say. But Jimin has already clambered into the van and slammed the door shut, and Jungkook’s car is blocking the van in the driveway so you suck in a deep breath and slide into the passenger seat beside your dark-haired neighbor.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

Jungkook nods and throws the car into reverse. One hand splays across the wheel while the other comes up to rest on the back of your seat, and your breath hitches when he cranes around to check his blind spots, his face suddenly too close for comfort.

He’s playing with you, you tell yourself firmly, leaning back until your back’s pressed against the door and you can safely breathe again. Chaeyoung. Think about what he did to Chaeyoung.

“Hey, I made a roadtrip mix,” Jungkook pipes up all of a sudden. He grabs his phone from where it’s resting on the dashboard, tapping at the screen until the first strains of a melody filter through the car speakers. “It should last us the whole way.”

You perk up when you recognize the tune. “Oh! I love this song.”

Jungkook watches out of the corner of his eye as you bob your head to the beat, before smiling down at his lap. “Yeah. I know.”

///

Yugyeom lives on the other side of town, in a sprawling, winding neighborhood that sends your brain—and your phone’s GPS—into a complete and total tailspin. “Wait, wait—hang on. I think you missed a turn. You must have.”

Jungkook’s face crumples in confusion as he slows the car to a crawl, drawing a few irritated honks from the cars behind you. “There weren’t any streets back there, though.”

“Are you sure?” you ask, twisting in your seat to get a better look. “The directions said to take a right in… oh, fuck, hang on. We’re not even on a digitized road anymore, apparently.”

Jungkook heaves a sigh, but when you glance up at him, he’s wearing a grin. “Come on, Noona. You’re supposed to be my navigator. I’m depending on you.”

“I only know how to get us to the lake house, not Yugyeom’s,” you sniff defensively. “This is way beyond my pay grade.”

Jungkook chortles and reaches out, extending an open palm. “Can I see your phone for a sec?” You nod, handing it over, and he clicks his tongue as he turns it upside-down—rotating it a full three hundred and sixty degrees before returning it. “We might be lost,” he declares.

“Gee, you don’t say.”

He chuckles again. Picking up his own phone, he swipes a thumb across the screen before handing the unlocked device over. “Here, call Yugyeom. Put him on speaker, yeah?”

You hum in acknowledgement and scroll down in his contacts until you find the other boy’s name, clicking it open. A photo fills the screen as it rings—clearly a group photo from the way it’s cropped, zoomed in on Yugyeom and the ridiculous face he’s making.

“Is this from graduation?” you ask curiously.

Jungkook blinks and tears his gaze away from the windshield. “Huh?”

“Yugyeom’s contact photo,” you clarify, tilting the phone screen so he can see. “He’s got robes on.”

“Oh.” He looks away again, cheeks flushing. “Yeah. It’s lame, I know.”

You shake your head. “Don’t say that. I think it’s nice.”

Jungkook doesn’t get a chance to respond, but it’s impossible to miss the grin that crinkles his face and settles there. There’s a staticky hum as the line connects, and then Yugyeom’s voice is filling the vehicle, sounding as if he’s just rolled out of bed.

“Whaddaya want?”

“We can’t find your fucking house, man,” Jungkook says bluntly, turning onto a street that you’ve driven down at least three times by this point. “Where do you live?”

On the other end of the line, Yugyeom sighs. “Okay, okay. What street are you guys on?”

That gives Jungkook pause. “Uhh, Cedar Street? Oak Avenue? It has a tree name.”

“Neither of those streets exist, dude.”

“Birch Boulevard!” you exclaim. “We’re on Birch Boulevard. I saw the sign a while back.”

“Ah, okay. You’re close, then. Do you see a sign for Linden Lane?”

You glance around until you alight on a signpost. “Yeah.”

“Turn right onto it. Then take the first left, go past the cul-de-sac, and another left. Do not pass Go, and do not collect two-hundred dollars. I’m the fifth house on the right.”

He ends the call before you can ask him to repeat the directions, and you send Jungkook a helpless look. “Did you get all of that?”

“Besides the overused Monopoly joke?” Jungkook asks.. “Yeah, I got it. Right, left, left. Fifth house. Shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to get there.”

And true to his word, you arrive at the house three minutes later. Yugyeom is standing on the front step with rumpled hair and a duffel bag at his feet, and you snort when he throws open the car door and flops across the entirety of the backseat.

“Rough morning?”

“Stayed up late packing,” he says by way of explanation, his eyes already beginning to drift shut. Jungkook immediately turns the music up, and you giggle when Yugyeom shoots upright at the bassline that’s now shaking the entire vehicle. “I’m up, I’m up! Jeez, man.”

Jungkook just sends him an innocent grin in the rearview mirror. You turn the volume back down to a reasonable level as Yugyeom directs Jungkook onto the best route to take out of the neighborhood, and it isn’t long before you’re merging onto the highway that leads toward the coast.

You’re just beginning to get comfortable, staring out the window at the passing cityscape, when your leg vibrates with an incoming text notification. Glancing down, you see that Jungkook’s phone has slipped between your thigh and the seat, the screen lit with a new message.

[10:21am] Minho: gonna be at the store in 10

“Minho says they’ll be at the grocery store in ten minutes,” you relay to your companions. “We have a little longer to go. Probably another half hour or so.”

“We wouldn’t be so far behind if Yugyeom didn’t live in a fucking labyrinth,” Jungkook remarks, but a glance at the young man in the backseat reveals that he’s drifted off despite your earlier stunt. Rolling his eyes, he turns to you. “Can you text him back, Noona?”

You nod and hold out his phone so he can unlock it with his thumb. “Hey,” you say once you’ve hit send on the message. “Do you have a contact photo for me?”

Jungkook stiffens slightly, his gaze skittering between you and the road. “Oh. Uh, yeah, I guess I do. But it’s nothing, really. It’s kinda lame. But you… you can look at it if you want.”

Curiosity piqued, you scroll down until you find your name, tapping on the image beside it. The photo is from several years ago, during a family trip to the lake house with the Jeons. You are no older than fifteen, your arm slung around a fourteen-year-old Jungkook as the two of you stand knee-deep in the lake, wearing swimsuits and bright smiles. In the background, you can just barely make out a blurry Jimin mid-splash.

“I remember this,” you murmur, zooming in on your smiling faces. “That was a fun summer.”

“Junghyun was grumpy the whole time,” Jungkook recalls with a laugh. “But we had a good time, didn’t we? We practically lived in the lake that entire week.”

“Or that old canoe.” You grin, taking one last look at the photo before locking his phone and handing it back to him. “Remember? We’d always row out too far, and our parents would scream for us to come back before we fell in and drowned.”

Jungkook snickers. “As if I’d ever let you drown. I’m a great swimmer.”

“Are you saying I’m not?”

He backpedals immediately, realizing his mistake. “Hey, don’t twist my words. I said nothing of the sort.”

“That’s what I thought.” Giggling, you turn to look out the window, propping your chin in your palm as you watch the scenery flash past. “And I want that photo, by the way. Send it to me?”

“As soon as we get to the store,” Jungkook promises. “Speaking of which, we’re getting close. Keep an eye out for the exit for me?”

“Deal.”

///

Jimin and the others are waiting in the parking lot when you arrive, perched on and around the van as they watch Jungkook expertly maneuver the car into a neighboring parking space. “Took you long enough,” your brother says once the engine is cut, hopping off the hood and landing lightly on both feet.

“We’re here now, aren’t we?” you snark as you join the others hovering near the grocery store entrance. Jimin makes a face at you, and you stick your tongue out in response. After a quick huddle—wherein you form a very haphazard game plan—everyone disperses. Jimin grabs a shopping cart and heads inside with Taehyung and Minho, the latter of whom is trying to clamber his way into the cart to hitch a ride.

Sighing, you grab a shopping cart of your own and scan the interior of the store for the produce section. They’ve rearranged the aisles since you were last here, but you quickly find what you’re looking for and begin picking your way over when Jungkook materializes at your side.

“So, what are you thinking for food?” he asks, nudging you away so he can push the cart in your stead.

You allow him to take over, gesturing toward your destination. “I know my brother,” you tell him dryly. “He’s going to buy meat and completely forget about everything else. And I don’t trust any of you to buy a single fruit or vegetable.”

“I like fruit and vegetables,” Jungkook defends.

“You like everything,” you correct, flashing him a teasing grin before leading him into the produce section.

Grocery shopping with Jungkook turns out to be surprisingly pleasant—comfortable, even. He proves adept at finding the ripest fruits and greenest vegetables, and when you ask him to find some apples, he trots off immediately and returns with a handful of sweet potatoes in addition to your requested fruit.

You raise an eyebrow. “What are you planning to do with those?”

Jungkook feigns offense, slapping a hand to his heart. “That’s cold, Noona. Don’t you think I can cook?”

“I’ve never seen you cook in my life,” you respond. “How am I supposed to know if you can or not?”

“I can,” he promises. “And I’ll prove it too, if you let me.”

You get the feeling he’s not just talking about cooking anymore, but he doesn’t give you a chance to answer. Dropping the apples and potatoes into the cart, he flashes you a crooked little smile before turning toward a display of cabbages, leaving you to wonder at what exactly is going through his head.

///

It’s nearly one in the afternoon when you arrive at your family’s lake house. The last stretch of the drive takes you through the forest along a winding, narrow road, but Jungkook is a capable driver and you know the way well enough to warn him about any upcoming hairpin turns. Piling out of the car, the three of you make quick work of putting the food safely into the refrigerator. By the time you’re finished, Jimin and the others have arrived as well, lugging their belongings inside and setting them inside the entryway.

“So who’s sleeping where?” Taehyung asks, glancing around the house. It’s modestly sized, with a living area on one side and a combined dining room and kitchen on the other. Three bedrooms and a bathroom branch off of the hallway between them, ending in a back door that leads out to the lake. Through the window, you can see the water glimmering in the sunlight, hazy and golden.

“We’ll have to share,” Jimin says. “ If Noona takes one room, that leaves two bedrooms and the pullout couch for the rest of us.”

Jungkook tilts his head. “Rock, paper, scissors?” he suggests, drawing a chorus of groans.

“I always lose!” Jimin complains. “And Taemin cheats!”

“Do not!”

Laughing at the indignant expression on your brother’s face, you decide to leave them to it and head to your bedroom with your luggage in tow. The room is just as you remember it, with a bed tucked against one wall and a dresser on the opposite. There are three doors in total—one that you just entered through, and another that opens into a small closet. The third leads to a bathroom—shared with the bedroom on the other side of the wall that usually belongs to Jimin. Vaguely, you wonder who will be sleeping there tonight, before setting your suitcase on the bed and unzipping it.

“Fuck!”

You jump at the sudden shout, poking your head out into the hallway to see what’s causing all the commotion. Yugyeom is kneeling on the floor with his head down, a crestfallen Taemin standing beside him. Meanwhile, Taehyung and Minho look supremely pleased with themselves, and you see why when they grab their bags and practically skip to the master bedroom across the hall, collapsing onto the king-sized bed.

“Have fun on the couch, losers!” Jimin singsongs, grabbing Jungkook by the wrist and dragging him into their newly won bedroom on your side of the hallway. “Lake in fifteen minutes, so get changed! Last one there’s in charge of dinner!”

The door slams shut behind him, and you roll your eyes before turning back to your opened suitcase and pulling out a book. There’s a perfectly shaded spot beneath one of the trees along the water, and you fully intend to capitalize on the last few hours of daylight before the sun begins to set.

Minho is the only one outside when you exit the house, standing on the dock in a pair of green swim trunks. He waves at you cheerily before cannonballing into the lake, and you squeak as the resulting splash sends water splattering across the front of your shirt.

“Sorry!” he calls when he resurfaces, shaking his hair out like a wet dog.

You wave off his apology with a laugh, settling down onto the soft grass at the base of your chosen tree and opening up your book. The other boys trickle out of the house one by one, but you barely notice. It isn’t until a triumphant shout pierces the air that you finally glance up to see what’s causing all the commotion, your gaze immediately landing on Taehyung standing on the back steps of the house.

“Trust me,” he says, unbothered by his apparent tardiness. “You don’t want me to make dinner.”

Minho pulls a face and straightens up from where he’d been floating on his back. “You know, he kinda has a point there.”

Murmurs of agreement all around. Taehyung gives Jimin a smug smile, who scowls from where he’s sitting at the end of the dock, his bare feet dangling over the edge. “So what now? Do we have to play rock, paper, scissors again?”

“Nah, I’ll do it.”

Every head whips around to face Jungkook, yours included. He’s standing a short ways from where you’re sitting—his approach so quiet that you hadn’t even heard him arrive. The last time you checked, he’d been diving off the dock with Minho and Yugyeom, water pooling in his collarbones and dripping down the ridges of his taut abdomen each time he resurfaced.

Not that you’d been looking, of course.

“Really?” Jimin looks aghast at his best friend’s declaration. “You can cook?”

Jungkook scoffs in disbelief and plops down beside you, leaning back against the tree trunk. “Why does everyone in your family seem surprised by that?” he asks, his lip jutting out in a petulant frown. “Do I seem like someone who can’t cook?”

“Yes,” you tell him honestly, marking your page and letting the book fall shut. “Don’t take it personally, though. Men only learn how to cook in college when they have to start fending for themselves. And sometimes, not even then.”

The noise that leaves Jungkook’s mouth can best be described as disgruntled, but he doesn’t press any further. Instead, he peers over your shoulder to get a look at the cover of your book, mouthing the title to himself before glancing at you. “Haven’t I seen you reading this before?”

“Probably,” you admit. “It’s an old favorite.”

He hums, slouching back against the tree again, and when you look over, you see that both his eyes have fallen shut. With his mouth parted and his dark lashes resting on his cheeks, he looks years younger than he is—and so much more like the Jungkook you used to know.

“Tired?” you whisper.

“Long drive,” Jungkook whispers back, his head already beginning to loll. “Lemme sleep, Noona.”

Smiling to yourself, you return to your book and leave him to rest.

///

“So, what are you even planning to make?” Jimin asks, swinging his legs. He’s seated atop the kitchen counter, taking up the majority of what precious little space there is to begin with, and Jungkook sighs deeply as he’s forced to dodge around him yet again to peer into the refrigerator.

“You’ll see.”

“I don’t think you even know yet,” Taemin pipes up from the doorway. The other boys are in the living room playing Mario Kart, but Taemin and Jimin have selflessly pulled themselves away from the game to help their friend in the kitchen—or so they say. As far as you’re concerned, they’ve been nothing but a nuisance thus far, but you don’t voice that particular thought aloud.

“Ramen doesn’t count as making dinner,” Jimin points out snidely when Jungkook pauses too long next to the box of ramen packs. “Anyone can boil water. And you don’t get to add an egg and call it fancy, like you usually do.”

“My ramen is delicious, excuse you,” Jungkook retorts, pointing a spatula at him. “And that’s not even what I’m making, so fuck off.”

Jimin shrugs, but shuts his mouth nonetheless. You take the opportunity to throw some pork belly at him, the meat wrapped neatly in paper and tied off with twine. “Here,” you tell him. “You could at least make yourself useful and start grilling the meat.”

“Okay, mom,” your brother grumbles under his breath, hopping off the counter. He and Taemin head out to the back porch where the grill sits, and you join Jungkook at the stove where he’s staring thoughtfully at an empty pan.

“Try twisting the dial. I’ve heard that helps.”

Jungkook snaps out of his daze and turns to you. “Huh?”

“The stove. It won’t light itself, you know.”

Chuckling, Jungkook twists the dial as instructed, adding a drizzle of oil to the pan. As it heats up, he turns and selects a knife from the cutlery drawer. The sweet potatoes he’d insisted on purchasing are already washed and peeled, and you watch as he begins to slice them, your gaze automatically flitting down to his exposed forearms, his muscles flexing with every movement.

“Hey, Noona? Can you do me a favor?”

You blink, tearing your gaze from the branching veins lining his arms. “What?”

Jungkook, thankfully, doesn’t seem to notice your distracted state. “Can you put the rice in the microwave?” he asks, and you can’t help but giggle.

“Why?” you tease. “Are you still scared?”

“Of course not,” he retorts, but you don’t miss the wary look that flashes across his face when you plop the rice inside and go to punch in the cook time.

The remainder of the cooking goes smoothly. Jimin and Taemin return with the grilled meat, and Jungkook rebuffs your offer to set the table, leaving his position at the stove to lay plates and utensils down on the table himself. “I’m just about done, anyway,” he tells you, gesturing at the plate of glazed sweet potatoes on the counter. “Sit down and relax, Noona.”

“Fine,” you relent, taking a seat. Jimin takes the chair beside you, and Taemin plops down on his other side. Jungkook sits down just to your left once he’s finished laying out the food, and for a brief, insane moment, you almost think that he’s going to repeat what he’d done at his graduation dinner. But the dark-haired young man remains on his best behavior, keeping his hands to himself under the table, and you aren’t sure whether you’re grateful or disappointed.

The meal flies by in a flurry of laughter and conversation. Jungkook discovers that his glazed sweet potatoes have adhered to the plate, and sends everyone into hysterics when he promptly starts spinning it around like a steering wheel.

It’s a good night. And at the end of it, you go to bed warm and content, with a belly full of food and a smile on your face.

///

You awaken to the sound of chirping songbirds and gentle waves lapping at the shore the next morning, thoroughly rejuvenated after an undisturbed night’s sleep. Stretching your arms overhead, you yawn and bask in the comfort of your bed for a few more moments before getting up and heading to the bathroom, thankful that you don’t have to fight anyone for sink occupancy. The toilet seat is even down, which comes as a welcome surprise, all things considered.

Before long, you are back in your bedroom, rifling through the contents of your suitcase. Belatedly, you realize that you’ve packed only one swimsuit—and a bikini, at that. Cheeks warming, you pull the two pieces out, holding them up against your body. Has it always been this small? You don’t remember. All you know is that Jungkook has two fully functional eyes, and there’s no way that he won’t be looking at every inch of skin you choose to expose.

In the end, you settle on wearing the bikini beneath a flowy, floral kimono-style robe, tied at the waist to form a makeshift dress. The ensemble reaches just past your knees and is sheer enough to still show skin, but you no longer feel as self-conscious going out into the view of your companions and that’s a victory as far as you’re concerned. Checking your reflection one last time, you adjust your sash before opening the bedroom door and heading down the hall for some breakfast.

Unsurprisingly, the kitchen is empty when you walk in, tiptoeing past a still slumbering Taemin and Yugyeom on the pullout couch. You savor the quiet as you start up the old coffeemaker, pulling a mug from the cabinet and rinsing it out to get rid of any lingering dust. The weather app on your phone promises that it’ll be a clear, cloudless day, and a glance out the window confirms it. Silently, you debate whether or not to crack a window.

Your musings are interrupted by the arrival of Taehyung, his brown hair sticking up at all angles. Blearily, he trundles to the fridge and grabs the orange juice, seemingly two seconds away from chugging it straight from the carton before you clear your throat and push a clean glass toward him. You think you hear him mumble a thank you.

As the morning wears on, the others slowly begin to trickle in. Breakfast is a disorganized affair that leaves bread crumbs all over the counter, and nearly causes a fight when everyone seems to want their eggs cooked a different way.

“Look, if you wanted your egg soft-boiled, you should’ve made it yourself!” Jimin grouches to Taehyung, the t-shirt over his head muffling his words. Everyone else is already in the water, splashing about, but you’re seated on the end of the dock with your brother and Taehyung, who looks thoroughly unfazed behind his tinted sunglasses.

“Maybe if I knew how to soft boil an egg, I would have.”

“Google exists,” Jimin says, finally freeing himself from the shirt and tossing it aside.

Taehyung nods sagely. “Exactly. So why didn’t you use it?”

Jimin is beginning to look positively murderous, so when Minho swims over and taps your submerged ankle, you are beyond grateful for the distraction. “Hey. What’s up?”

“Are you gonna swim, or are you gonna sit onshore the whole time?” Minho asks, raking his wet bangs out of his eyes. “The water’s not even cold, so get in here.”

Pointedly, you wiggle your toes. “Feels pretty cold to me.”

“Okay, fine. It’s cold.” Minho grins. “But you get used to it.”

You sigh at his easy admission. “All men do is lie. How am I supposed to believe you?”

He raises a brow. “Do I need to pull you in and dunk you under?”

“I will kick you if you even try,” you tell him, standing up and shrugging off your robe. An audible hush falls as the gauzy material pools around your ankles—Jungkook stops wrestling with Yugyeom and trying to dunk him underwater, and Taemin pauses mid-splash, his hair drenched and dripping.

It’s Minho who breaks the silence first, letting loose a low whistle of appreciation. “Damn, {Name}.”

Jimin grabs a shoe from the pile on the dock and chucks it at him, hard. “Dude, that’s my fucking sister!”

“Ow! What the fuck, man, that’s my shoe!”

“Quit ogling my sister!”

“I’m not!” Minho yells, just as Jimin chucks the other shoe and hits him square in the mouth. “Okay, I’m not anymore. Sorry, okay?”

Once he’s sufficiently sure that Jimin is done attacking him, Minho turns to you. “I’m sorry,” he says sincerely. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or anything. You know that, right?”

“I know,” you reassure him. “Honestly, it was kinda good for my self-esteem. And I don’t need you defending my honor, or whatever it is you think you’re doing,” you add, glancing over at your disgruntled brother.

“Men are pigs,” Jimin sniffs. “I won’t apologize.”

You ruffle his hair good-naturedly. “I know, Chim. You’re right.” Then your smile turns mischievous. “I won’t apologize for what I’m about to do, either.”

And then you grab him by the arm and drag him into the lake, the cold water submerging you in an instant and stealing the breath out of your lungs. You’re both gasping by the time you resurface, blinking water out of your eyes, and you squeal when Jimin takes the opportunity to splash you again.

Hours pass—the sun rising higher overhead. Around noon, Taehyung disappears inside the house and returns with an assortment of snacks and sandwich fixings, ushering everyone over for an impromptu lunch on the dock. You dip your feet into the water as you munch on a bag of chips, and Jungkook plops down beside you with a juice box in one hand and a ham sandwich in the other.

“Wanna go for a ride in the canoe after lunch?” he asks, jabbing a thumb back in the direction of the house. “I found it in the garage.”

You laugh. “Really? I thought for sure we got rid of that thing. Are you sure it hasn’t sprung a leak?”

Jungkook’s face crinkles into a grin. “Guess we’ll have to wait and see, huh?”

You grin back and raise your cup, the lemonade inside swishing around. “I’ll hang on to this, just in case I need to start bailing water out.”

Lunchtime winds down gradually. Jungkook polishes off his sandwich and trots off to fetch the canoe, waving off your offers to help before disappearing around the corner of the house. You watch him return a few minutes later from your seat on the end of the dock, resting your weight back on your hands and swirling your pruney toes in the water. He’s stripped off the loose white tee he’d donned during lunch, his golden skin cast in shadow by the canoe perched across his bare shoulders, and your gaze trails from his bulging biceps down to the ridges of his abdomen. The muscles flex with every step he takes, and you hastily take another sip of lemonade in an effort to combat the sudden dryness in your throat.

With a grunt, Jungkook comes to a stop at your elbow, heaving the boat into the water. The impact sends ripples across the lake and the butterflies in your belly into a frenzy, and you nearly fall off the dock when Jungkook touches your shoulder gently.

“Ready to go, Noona?”

You nod, not quite trusting yourself to speak. Jungkook holds the boat steady with one hand while offering you the other, and you gratefully grasp it as you step off the dock. The canoe rocks dangerously when Jungkook clambers in after you, but quickly steadies when he picks up an oar and jabs at the dock to push off into the lake. The glimmering expanse of blue water stretches before you, and you relax as you let your fingers dangle off the side of the boat, watching ripples form beneath your fingertips.

“I can help row,” you say after a few moments, casting a glance over at Jungkook. He’s settled into a rhythm now, the veins and tendons in his arm flexing with each movement, and you’re suddenly very aware of how close he’s sitting.

“You—” Jungkook says, fixing you with a playful stare, “—just enjoy the ride, yeah?”

Shaking your head, you smile and turn back around to admire the view. Sunlight reflects off the rippling water, lending a golden iridescence to the glittering blue depths. In the distance, the opposite shoreline rises up, crowned with rocky outcrops and majestic dark green pines.

With a start, you realize how far away you’ve gotten from the other boys. The shouts and laughter from the house are quickly fading into the background, and you nervously turn to look at Jungkook as he rows you even further.

“God, my dad would freak if he saw us right now,” you remark, trying to diffuse the sudden tension that’s settled. “I mean, we don’t even have life jackets. He’d lose his mind.”

Jungkook hums. He stops rowing, his hands stilling on the oars, and you’re just about to ask him what’s wrong when a warm hand glides up your thigh.

“You think you could maybe stop talking about your dad, princess?” Then he smirks. “Unless you’re into the whole daddy kink thing, because I’d be down to explore that at some point if you want—“

“Jungkook!” you hiss, scandalized.

“Yes?” the young man in question hums, his face the picture of innocence. It’s hard to muster up your vocabulary when he’s looking up at you with those wide doe eyes, but you somehow manage to prevail over your malfunctioning brain.

“We’re in public!” you whisper, glancing back at the shore where your brother and his friends have started an impromptu game of water polo.

Jungkook smirks crookedly at you. “Guess you better not scream too loud, then.”

And then, before you can open your mouth to protest—before you can even try to call his bluff—he’s slipped his hand into your bikini bottoms and found his way to your clit. Your entire body spasms when he presses into it experimentally, and the resulting snicker that escapes him is nothing short of infuriating.

“Careful,” he coos, laying his free hand on your thigh, his thumb rubbing nonsensical circles into the soft skin. “Don’t wanna rock the boat, now.”

Then he returns his attention to your clit, pinching the nub just to watch you jolt in his grasp and soothing you with a gentle kiss to the knee afterward. Your skin warms beneath the plush of his lips, and the pleased smile that curves them is all the warning you get before he sheathes a single finger in your clenching core. “Jungkook—” you gasp, shoving uselessly at his bare shoulders, but you can’t keep the edge of desire out of your voice. You can’t hide the growing wetness between your legs either—wetness that he most certainly feels as he slips another finger inside, pumping into you with ease.

“God, look at you,” he murmurs, his eyes trained on the way you clench around him. “So pretty like this. So pretty, getting fucked by my fingers. I could do this all day.”

“We—we don’t have all day,” you whisper. The last syllable dissolves into a moan as Jungkook eases a third finger into your cunt, and you scrabble to ground yourself when he picks up his leisurely pace. One hand settles on the edge of the boat, your fingernails digging into the wood, while the other finds Jungkook’s bicep. His arm flexes beneath your grip with each snap of his wrist, and you keen when he crooks his fingers just right and sends stars skittering across your vision.

He knows that you’re getting close. You can tell from the growing furrow between his brows and the hard set of his jaw, and you can tell that he won’t stop until he gets you off. Concentration etches across his face, and you gasp when his thumb finds your clit again.

“Oh, fuck, Jungkook—”

“That’s it,” he rasps, digging deeper and thumbing roughly across your bundle of nerves. “Cum for me.”

And you do. With one final flick of his wrist, Jungkook sends you hurtling over the edge that he’s so effortlessly built, a cresting wave of pleasure overtaking your body and spreading through your veins. Your leg kicks out instinctively, rocking the canoe dangerously in the water, but Jungkook catches you by the ankle with his free hand and presses a kiss to the inside of your thigh. He shifts his weight until you’re steadied once more, and only then does he ease his fingers out of you, raising them to his mouth to lick them clean.

“Think we can sneak away so I can fuck you properly?” he asks.

Your cheeks heat up at the lewd display, warming even more when his words register in your muddled brain. “Oh my god, Jungkook.”

“That’s exactly what you’ll be saying when I really get my hands on you,” Jungkook agrees. Flashing you a mischievous grin, he drops his hand over the edge of the boat, letting the turquoise water wash away any lingering fluids. “What do you think? The backseat of my car isn’t half bad…”

“I will literally push you into this lake,” you tell him, trying and failing to hide a disbelieving laugh. “Why are you such a perv?”

“You like it,” Jungkook defends immediately. “‘Sides,” he adds, casting a wary glance at the shore where Jimin and the others are still fully engrossed in their game, “I wanna kiss you while I fuck you. It’s not as good like this.”

At that, something dangerously close to affection blooms in your belly, winding its curious tendrils around your heart. Swallowing the feeling down, you pick up one of the oars instead, handing it over to him before hefting the other. “Come on,” you murmur. “They’re gonna get suspicious if we’re gone too long.”

Jungkook hums. “Yeah. Probably.”

And then he raises the oar you just handed him, lifting it until the paddle covers both of your faces, and boldly plants a firm kiss on your mouth.

“I’ll row us back,” he declares casually when he pulls away, as if he hasn’t just stolen all the oxygen from your lungs. As if your lips aren’t burning where he’s kissed you, your cheeks hot beneath his gentle exhalations. As if you aren’t positively thrumming with the desire to pull him back in, and maybe take him up on his offer to fuck you in the backseat of his beat-up sedan.

“Yeah,” you say instead, your voice hoarse. “Let’s go.”

///

What few remaining hours of daylight you have, you decide to spend inside. Jungkook gets roped into the water polo match as soon as the two of you return to shore, and you take the opportunity to slip into the house and clean yourself up. Safely locked away in the bathroom, you strip off your damp bikini bottoms and toss them in the sink. The top follows, and you give both a quick wash, doing your best to ignore the remaining slick from your orgasm that stubbornly coats the material.

Once everything is washed and hanging up to dry, you step into the shower. Warm water soaks your hair and slides down your back, and you tilt your head back to let the spray wash your worries away, relishing in the rare moment of peace and quiet.

By the time you’ve toweled off and gotten dressed, you can hear the boys beginning to traipse back into the house. From what you can make out, they’re making dinner plans, and you poke your head out curiously when Jimin mentions you by name.

“What are you saying about me?” you ask, narrowing your eyes accusingly at your brother.

Jimin whirls around, his cherubic face a perfect picture of innocence. “Nothing! I was just talking about your fried rice and how good it is…”

“You’re trying to get me to make you dinner,” you sigh. “I knew it.”

“No, we’ll help!” your brother promises. “I swear, as soon as I get out of the shower, I’ll chop all the vegetables.”

“Sure you will,” you snort, brushing past him and heading for the kitchen.

Much to your surprise, the kitchen is already occupied when you arrive. Jungkook and Yugyeom are at the counter—the former poised with a knife at the ready, about to slice into an onion. The latter is digging through the cabinets, and both turn at the sound of your footsteps.

“Hey,” Yugyeom says. “You probably know where the bottle opener is, right?”

You nod. “Left of the sink, second drawer down.” Then you turn your attention to Jungkook, peering curiously over his shoulder. “What’s the onion for?”

“Dinner,” he replies, flashing you a crooked little smile. “We’re making fried rice, aren’t we?”

Your heart skips a beat in your chest and races to catch up, thumping erratically against your ribcage. It’s hard to ignore the warmth blossoming in your belly—near impossible to ignore the butterflies that have made a home there—but you somehow manage to school your expression into something passably neutral and busy yourself with the other vegetables on the counter. “I see Jimin got to you, too. Is the other cutting board clean?”

Jungkook nods, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the dish rack. “Washed it last night, yeah. It’s all yours, Noona.”

You hum and skirt around Yugyeom to grab the clean board and another knife. Chopping vegetables goes a lot faster with two people, and Yugyeom does his part by cracking open two bottles of beer and plunking one down next to each of you before opening a third for himself. “Hydrate,” he orders, and you roll your eyes before picking it up and taking a sip.

It doesn’t take long to finish making dinner. As promised, Jimin joins you as soon as he’s out of the shower, plucking the knife out of your hand and nudging you aside so he can finish cutting the vegetables. You fire up the stove and drizzle some oil into a pan, and smile when Taehyung brings you the container of leftover rice and a large serving bowl.

“You know what we should do?” Minho asks as you’re all sitting down to eat. Yugyeom’s opened more beers, and Jimin’s brought out the wine as well. Jungkook is spooning out fried rice for everyone, and you accept the bowl he hands you with a murmur of thanks before looking at Minho expectantly.

“What should we do?”

“Go to the beach,” he replies, tilting the remainder of his beer back into his mouth. “It’s only an hour away, isn’t it?”

“Closer to half an hour without traffic,” Jimin corrects. “But, yeah, we should go. That would be fun.”

By the time dinner is finished, you’ve finalized plans to drive down to the beach in the morning. “Remember, we’re leaving at ten,” you tell Jimin, elbowing him in the ribs. “That means you have to wake up before ten.”

“I know!” your brother whines, rubbing the spot where you elbowed him with a grimace. “Jeez, Noona. I’m good at waking up. It’s Jungkook and Tae you have to worry about.”

“Says the punk who takes hour-long showers,” you snark. “What are you gonna do when you have to pay your own water bills, huh?”

“Shower at your place,” he replies smugly. “You can’t turn me away. I’m your brother.”

“Please, that’s exactly why I can turn you away, you little mooch.”

“You love me!”

“Really? You wanna test that theory?”

The remainder of the evening passes in a blur of booze and board games, unearthed from the closet in the hall. Despite your collective agreement to go to bed early, it’s past midnight when you finally bid everyone goodnight and crawl underneath your covers. Shutting your eyes, you will your brain to settle and your limbs to relax, and you’re on the verge of drifting off when your phone suddenly buzzes. Lazily, you roll over and snatch the device off the nightstand, taking in the late hour before your eyes flit down to the new notification and go wide.

[1:02am] Jungkook: IMG_497

You freeze, thumb hovering just above the message. Even when your screen goes dark again, you can’t erase the sight of his name lighting up your phone, the attachment sitting there like a taunt. You shouldn’t open it. You can’t open it.

But curiosity gnaws at your belly, fraying the edges of your resolve. Slowly, you wake the screen, watching as Jungkook’s name fills it once more. You hesitate, bottom lip finding its way between your teeth.

And then your phone buzzes again, several times in quick succession.

[1:04am] Jungkook: i miss you, noona

[1:04am] Jungkook: miss your pretty face

[1:04am] Jungkook: miss how tight your pussy felt around my fingers

You drop the device as if scorched. It takes several moments to gather your wits again, but when you do, pick up your phone, clicking on his name and scrolling up to the attachment. In the darkness of your bedroom, you watch with bated breath as it downloads.

“Fuck.”

The expletive slips past your lips, unbidden, but you can’t help it. Jungkook stares out at you from the photograph illuminating your screen, his eyes hooded and his lips curled into a devious smirk. He’s in the shared bathroom between your bedrooms, and even though it’s dark inside, the flash of his camera is just enough to illuminate the distinctive palm tree patterned shower curtain behind him.

But, you aren’t focused on that.

No, your focus is zeroed in on the foreground of the photo, where you can perfectly make out the head of Jungkook’s cock, sticky and leaking copiously from between his fingers.

“Fuck,” you repeat, louder this time.

And as if reading your mind, another text flashes onto your screen.

[1:07am] Jungkook: wish your pretty little pussy was stretched around my cock right now, princess

You aren’t sure what possesses you to send the response you do, but your thumbs are moving before the more rational side of your brain can catch up and stop you.

[1:07am] You: why don’t you come over and make it happen then?

You’ve only just hit send when the bathroom door swings open, revealing Jungkook standing there in nothing but sweatpants. His face is illuminated in the stark white light shining from his screen, his eyes dark and his smirk even darker. Every movement drips with intent, from the way his lips quirk upward to the way he saunters over to join you on your bed, dropping his phone somewhere amongst the rumpled sheets. The room goes dark.

And then…

“Hey, princess.”

His lips are at your ear, hot breath caressing your cheeks and sending shivers down the length of your spine. The mattress dips beneath his weight as he joins you, a hand finding your bare thigh before sliding up to grasp your hip. Only an oversized t-shirt and a thin pair of cotton panties shield you from his roving fingers, and you can tell from the pleased curve of his mouth that he isn’t going to let either stand in his way. One hand slips beneath the hem of your shirt, dancing along your ribcage, and you let out a breathy gasp when he trails up and skims along the soft skin just below the swell of your breasts.

“Been thinking about you all night, you know,” Jungkook whispers, pushing up your shirt and peppering kisses along every inch of newly revealed flesh. “Been thinking about how pretty you looked, cumming around my fingers, and how much prettier you’d look cumming around my cock.”

Your shirt is long forgotten by this point, tugged overhead and thrown carelessly over his shoulder. Jungkook hauls you closer, slotting himself between your spread legs, and you shiver when he presses the pad of his thumb against your clothed clit, the material uncomfortably damp as it clings to your folds.

“Jungkook—” His name escapes you in an airy whisper. “Please.”

Even in the darkness, you can see the satisfied, self-assured tilt of his lips. “Such a good girl for me,” he croons, leaning down to press a kiss to your waiting mouth. His free hand comes up to cup your cheek while the other remains between your legs, and you gasp sharply when he digs his thumb a little harder against your clit, circling the sensitive bud.

Jungkook seizes upon the opportunity to slip his tongue past your lips, licking into your mouth with unrestrained ardor. Your panties are peeled away, the cottony material disappearing right alongside the pressure of his thumb, and the inadvertent whine that escapes you has him chuckling darkly in his throat.

“What is it, princess?” Jungkook rasps, his voice dipping several pitches. “You have to tell me what you want, remember?”

You clutch at his wrist weakly, tugging it back between your legs until he finally indulges you and resumes his lazy revolutions around your clit. “Want you,” you whisper. “Want you inside me.”

Jungkook lets out a pleased hum, rewarding you with a single finger that he slips into your sopping entrance, your juices aiding the smooth glide as he curls it up in search of the spot that’ll have you seeing stars. “See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“No, it wasn’t,” you agree shakily. “But it looks like you are, so why don’t you let me help you out?”

Jungkook chuckles softly, his lips ghosting across the swell of your cheek. “Oh, yeah? And how exactly do you plan on helping me?”

Slowly, you reach down, letting your fingers graze the sizable bulge in his sweatpants. “You said it yourself, didn’t you? Me, stretched around your cock?”

A low groan escapes him when you give him a firm stroke, your fingers barely meeting around his length. “On your back,” he commands hoarsely, nudging you backward until you’re nestled into your pillows. Freeing his erection from the confines of his sweatpants, he settles comfortably between your spread legs, the mattress groaning in protest at the shift in weight.

“Wait,” you whisper, grabbing his wrist. “Did you hear that?”

His face scrunches in confusion. “Hear what?” he asks, as if he’s never heard that particular string of words before. “Are you sure it wasn’t just—”

He stops mid-sentence, and you both hear it again—the unmistakable creaking of bedsprings from next door. “Shit!” you hiss, scrambling back on the mattress until you’re nearly pressed against the headboard. “Oh, god. That’s Jimin. He’s going to kill you if he finds you in here—”

On the other side of the wall, the door to the shared bathroom opens, the light flickering on and illuminating the crack beneath your door. You hear your brother cursing sleepily under his breath as the toilet lid clatters open, and nearly shove Jungkook off the bed in your haste to get him out of your room.

“You have to go,” you whisper frantically, herding him toward the door that leads out into the hall.

Jungkook hurriedly pulls his pants back over his hips, and you can practically see him willing his erection to go away. “What am I supposed to say if he asks?”

“I don’t know! Pretend you were going for a glass of water or something!”

With a final push, you shove him out of your bedroom, leaning against the door with a relieved sigh when it clicks shut behind him. You hear Jungkook shuffle off just as Jimin flushes, and cast a prayer up to any deities that may exist as you listen to him wash his hands. And it seems your prayers are answered, as quiet descends over the house once more. Off in the distance, you think you hear Minho snoring.

Letting out another sigh, you return to bed, crawling beneath the covers and getting comfortable. And when sleep finally takes you, you dream of Jeon Jungkook.

#bangtanarmynet #jungkook #jungkook smut #jungkook scenarios #jungkook x reader #bts smut #bts scenarios #bts fanfic #bts fic #bts fanfiction #jeon jungkook #bts #kpop scenarios #kpop imagines #lia writes

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qitwrites · 3 years

Text

⬅ Previous || 10 || Next ➡

Some people like to keep up with sports, others love reality TV with a passion, some people voraciously consume anime, and some don’t care much for television.

Kouda is a nature documentary fanatic. The Discovery channel and National Geographic is his shit, his domain, his absolute favorite. He follows plenty of nature related content on YouTube as well, and all the accounts he follows on social media are nature and animal oriented.

He cried so hard the day Steve Irwin died.

The thing is, he’s never met anyone that likes it as much as he does, and that’s honestly ok. He talks to animals and understands them and others don’t, or rather, can’t. They don’t know how sassy pigeons are, how much fish shit-talk amongst themselves, how bugs are actually really smart, or how dogs truly are too good for humans. They don’t know animals and nature the way he does, so he doesn’t mind being alone in this.

He’s used to watching documentaries alone, so when the common room is blissfully empty one weekend afternoon, Kouda pulls up a penguin documentary on Netflix and gets comfortable on the green couch. The documentary is super informative, and the visuals are stunning, especially on the big flat screen with it’s 4k HD resolution. There’s also a side story about a gay penguin couple that he thinks is really cute.

His phone vibrates in his pocket, and he pulls it out to find a message from Satou.

>> What’s up?

I’m watching the penguin documentary in the common room! <<

>> Oh sweet! I’ll be there in a sec

Kouda smiles at his phone and goes back to the documentary. He likes Satou, likes being friends with a guy that always smells like a bakery and doesn’t force him to talk or prod about his shyness. They often hang out in each other’s rooms, and it’s always super comfortable.

Satou is down 10 minutes later, a tray of fresh cookies in hand. Kouda offers him a wide smile when he plops into the seat next to him, and they watch the documentary in silence, munching on cookies.

A few minutes later, Kaminari happens to walk by. When he spies the cookies, his face breaks into a wide smile.

‘Satou, can I have one?’

Satou doesn’t even look away from the screen, simply picks up the plate and holds it in the relative direction of the voice. Kaminari grabs a cookie and bites into it, making an appreciative sound.

‘So good,’ he mumbles. He peers up at the screen. ‘What are you guys watching?’

‘Penguin documentary.’

‘Huh.’ Kouda distantly waits to hear the sound of Kaminari’s footsteps as he walks away, but to his surprise, the man takes one of the recliners next to the couch and gets comfy.

Kouda shrugs to himself and goes back to the documentary. When they start doing the migration bit, he gets really into it, and when the segment is over, and none of the penguins have strayed from the pack and died tragically, he releases a breath of relief, and startles when he hears several others.

When he looks around, he finds Tokoyami in the seat next to him. Sero is sitting by Kaminari’s feet, leaning into the blonde’s legs. Uraraka has taken another recliner next to them, and Aoyama is on the other long couch. He hadn’t even realized they were here.

There’s still an hour left on the documentary when Satou gets up and stretches. ‘I’m going to get some snacks, you guys want anything?’

Shouts of just some juice please and more cookies if you’ve got them and chips all the way bro are thrown around, and Kouda just watches everything happen. Satou looks over at him and grins.

‘And you?’

Kouda thinks it over. He finally makes a motion indicating he wants chips too, and Satou gives him a big grin and a thumbs up.

He comes back a few minutes later, arms full of food and passes it around. There’s chatter in the room now, but not so loud that you can’t hear the TV. Things eventually pipe down, and everyone watches the breathtaking ice, the eggs hatching, the penguins swimming and weaving between massive glaciers.

When Kouda looks around again, he sees Bakugou sitting next to Aoyama, Kirishima on the floor between his legs. Even Todoroki is here, sitting next to Sero, while Midoriya sits by Uraraka’s feet. They’ve all got some kind of snacks in their hands, and it’s all warm smiles and wide eyes and soft whispers.

The documentary reaches its climax with more impressive drone footage and some great music, and when the credits start rolling, everyone groans and sits up together, stretching out their joints.

‘That was awesome!’ Kaminari says with a huge grin.

‘Yeah, when you texted Guys gay penguins come to the common room on the group, I was really confused,’ Kirishima laughs.

‘I’ve read about the gay penguin couple in New York that are currently fostering a new hatchling,’ Midoriya pitches in. ‘They’re doing really well apparently!’

A few more people join in that conversation, and Kouda is just… baffled. He’s never had people talk so much about his favorite thing, never had people show this much interest in a documentary he watched. Because nature documentaries don’t have big explosions and fight scenes. They aren’t super romantic or filled with drama or very trendy. They were informative, and visually stunning, and calming.

‘Put it on the group next time,’ Uraraka says to him, ‘so we can all prep some snacks and join in from the beginning!’

Even Bakugou says, ‘Oye, send me the name of the documentary, I want to catch the parts I missed.’

Kouda nods and puts it up on the group immediately. Everyone slowly starts trickling away, and Kouda needs a minute to just process.

‘You good?’ Satou asks, holding up a glass of water. Kouda accepts it gratefully and takes a few careful sips.

Because for some reason he really wants to cry. For some reason his heart is so full.

And when he puts up a tentative message 2 weeks later saying There’s a new documentary on snow leopards on their group and Kaminari replies with Dibs on the single couch and half of Satou’s cookies his heart squeezes in a way he’s never felt before.

He thinks its honestly quite nice.

#boku no hero academia #bnha #my hero academia #bnha: thicker than blood #kouda kouji #satou rikidou #class 1a shenanigans #class 1-a headcanons #fluff #so much fluff dammit #this week on thicker than blood #lets talk about penguin docs #this was my friends idea #and i think its so cute honestly #i dont write kouda or satou ever so its a bit harder to envision their feelings but it was fun!#also i miss steve irwin guys #what a legend he made my childhood so much better

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hsmtmts-justsomewriting · 3 years

Text

Not to be your stereotypical second semester senior but EJ Caswell is a bit too busy to be thinking about sports metaphors...

(Alternative title- overcommitted..sounds like a Caswell)

Senior year was insanely busy. Being so overwhelmed EJ had been slowing down over the last couple weeks, but he was brushing it off just fine.

EJ has arrived late that day, which was unusual in itself, as he prides himself on being on time. Holding a half eaten packet of Oreos he shuffled into the rehearsal room slumping on the bleachers away from his chattering cast mates.

“EJ honey great you could join us, you’d think a senior couldn’t get lost in the halls!” Miss Jenn giggled at her own joke as the cast were suddenly alerted to the older boys presence. EJ absentmindedly nodded and grabbed out his script.

“Yeah...sorry..um...where are we at?”

“Page 63” “Cool... thanks”

Flipping to that part in the script, he looks up to take in the scene. Kourtney, Gina, Seb and Carlos are clearly half way through blocking a castle scene- Carlos complaining his arms are tired from ‘staying in character’, Kourtney and Seb working out where they are going to come in from and how to negotiate Sebs big box costume (although it’s proving very difficult considering the rehearsal room is about a quarter of the size of the stage) and Gina is animatedly discussing the scene choices with Miss Jenn.

Within an instant, EJ is startled from the scene as Natalie is beside him rambling something about ‘needing a fill in for cogworth’ ‘went home sick’. Sauntering up with his script, EJ’s vision goes spotted as he gets up from the bleachers. But as soon as it comes it’s gone.

He just needs to get through this rehearsal, then he can; go home, finish his debate speech, go over the plays for Friday’s waterpolo match, study for tomorrow’s maths assessment, start his exam notes, memorise his lines, work on his college applications, and maybe even get some sleep.

Joining the cast he tries to hide in the back corner. Following the basic blocking directions seemed harder than usual, his head had began to pound and fatigue hit him like a wave.

However he continued on, sluggish but present helping them to finish blocking the scene.

Walking back to his place on the bleachers EJ trips over his own feet. Catching himself before a big splat on the floor he is able to avoid the attention of his cast mates. Well mostly.

“EJ are you ok?”

EJ didn’t need to look up to know that his cousin had definitely seen his little trip.

“Yep fine”

“Ok try again but this time make it the truth”

Ashlyn was caring but firm, she definitely wasn’t going to brush it off. EJ could feel his facade fading under her concerned gaze. His voice drops low.

“I-i just don’t know... Ash, I’m trying-“

“ON TO THE NEXT SCENE Gaston and Le Fou, I need you boys to start down stage right”

EJ got up slowly, subtly steadying himself against a chair not to lose balance.

“Nevermind it’ll be fine”

EJ walks off, with that any vulnerablity on face vanishing, leaving Ashlyn’s stomach to churn in a pool of worry.

Being an after school rehearsal, most of the cast heads off after they start rehearsing the next scene as it only has Gaston and Le Fou. Leaving the rehearsal room with just Miss Jenn, Big Red, EJ, Ashlyn and Gina (the latter two who were waiting on the senior for a ride home).

EJ and Big Red slowly work through the dialogue, the scene is about as smooth as a clunky old railway track. After running it twice EJ feels like his words are melding into one. But pushing through, based off his poor entrenched habits, EJ made it through another run through of the scene.

“Um can we take a five?”

Miss Jenn looks at the senior perplexed, he’s never asked for a five. Ever.

“EJ honey is everything ok?”

“Hm, yeah just need a sec”

EJ’s exhausation catches up with him, the light seems to highlight the bags under his eyes. He drops onto the bleachers, resting his head in his hands he closes his eyes for a second.

“Miss Jenn, EJ doesn’t look so good maybe you guys should wrap this up for today-”

“Ash I’m-“

“No. You look exhausted! You barely have the energy to stand up for 10 minutes”

Ashlyn moves to grab him his drink bottle but runs into his iced coffee and Oreo packet first. She flinches. Her cousin never drinks coffee unless he purely needs the caffeine.

EJ freezes she moment he realises she’s seen it.

“When was the last time you slept?!”

All eyes are on him.

“James” His head snapped up. But he couldn’t look his cousin in the eye. Because then she’d see his eyes are glassy with unshed tears. His overwhelmed thoughts race through his mind.

“Ok I think we’ll pick this up next rehearsal, please be safe getting home and get some rest”

The four students start to pack up their bags, Ashlyn asking her boyfriend to give them all a lift. Turning to her cousin, helps him finish packing his stuff.

“You can stay in the guest room, we’re having lasagna tonight”

EJ too tired to protest, walks past his Jeep in the parking lot to get in a smaller orange bug car. He’ll have to come back for it tomorrow because there’s no way he could drive safely in his tired state.

The car ride home was eerily quiet, Ashlyn day in the passenger seat next to Big Red. He drove to Ashlyn’s house like a routine he knew by heart. Gina keep flicking worried glances at EJ but the senior didn’t even notice, having closed his eyes and resting against the window the moment he entered the car.

“Thanks for the ride Biggie”

Gina gentley nudged EJ and his eyes were open in an instant.

“Thanks Red” He mumbled as he got out of the car.

“No worries, take care guys”

As the orange car was disappearing into the distance, Ashlyn unlocked the front door. Gina and EJ follow her into the house.

“James lets go the living room”

EJ follows Ashlyn to the couch, and Gina continues past to grab a drink of water from the kitchen.

“What’s going on?”

Ashlyn puts a hand on his shoulder and gently squeezes it, grounding him and reminding him that she’s here to listen. He looks at the faded colourful rug and his words begin to vomit out softly.

“I’m just trying to get it all done ...and um.. for weeks I just never seem to have enough time, and I still have to do my study notes and finish my assessment and college apps tonight... but I’m just so tired...”

His voice cracks and the wall behind his eyes begin to break.

“I have to stay up so late, to get everything I have to all done...and then polo practice at the crack of dawn... i don’t know.. I just can’t... let anyone down..”

Ashlyn pulls EJ in tightly. His body wracked with sobs, her heart breaks as she hasn’t seen him like this in a long time. Gina initially freezes entering the room just as the senior had begun to cry but soon shifts over beside them engulfing them both in a hug.

Grabbing some tissues and a sip of water he’s able to stop his crying but his tense shoulders give away his overwhelmed mind.

“it will be ok, we’ll work this out. Everyone else will understand if everything is not done right now. You’ve got to take better care of yourself, what matters is if you are ok”

Gina nods in agreeance with Ashlyn as she comforts EJ.

“But for now you need to take a break, just have a quick nap before dinner in the guest room-“

“But I have to-“

“No James you need a rest, all this stuff can come later”

He sluggishly gets up heading for the guest room mumbling a “thanks Ash” as he retreats to his long awaited rest.

After he closes the door, Ashlyn lets out the breath she had been holding. She was convinced they would have to put up more of a fight to get him to go to sleep, but the fact that they didn’t was almost more concerning.

“He did seem a little bit off earlier in the week but yeah I had no idea that this was under the surface”

Gina says to break the silence created by her and Ashlyn’s shocked worry.

“Yeah he’s always been pretty good at bottling this stuff up, definitely a Caswell skill”

Ashlyn starts to pick up the tissues heading to the bin in the kitchen. Both the girls enter the kitchen to finish heating up the leftover lasagna they made yesterday.

While cooking the veggies the girls trade stories of earlier in the day and discuss the spotting of Miss Jenn and Mr Mazzarra at Sliced on Valentine’s. Just as they’re plating up, EJ reappears. He looks somewhat disheveled, wearing sweats and his usually spiked hair is messy like a 2012 Bieber hairstyle. His contacts are long gone being traded for his wide framed glasses.

“Feeling any better?”

Bringing the plates to the table they all sit in their usual seats.

“Yeah a little...thanks guys this looks amazing”

As if on cue his stomach grumbles with excitement and they dig into the food. The three teens continue to tell stories of their day. Although exhausted, a goofy smile makes its way onto EJ’s face while telling the girls about his classmate in English that tried justify his argument quoting spark notes, instead of the actual book.

Once they’re finished, EJ stacks and clears away the plates. Grabbing her laptop, Ashlyn creates a new copy of one of her old timetables modified with all EJ’s stuff. After cleaning the dishes, EJ plops down beside her and together they start to work out.

Half an hour and a warm hot chocolate later, they manage to finish a schedule that looks like it fit a bit of time for everything while keeping a heathy amount of rest time.

“Thank you so much Ash... I really appreciate it”

Ashlyn smiles back at her cousin.

“Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself, or at least you’ll let me know if you need help”

EJ engulfs her in a hug.

“Yeah I will, thanks”

As they both move to join Gina in the lounge room, EJ grabs his laptop to start completing his speech. Flopping down onto the couch, the tv is turned onto a Brooklyn Nine Nine halloween heist episode.

Taking EJs laptop at 9:30, the older boy fell asleep within an instant. Keeping to his promise, he followed the schedule he made with Ashlyn (most of the time at least) and finally learnt how to ask for help when he realised he couldn’t do it alone. And when he asked for help, Ashlyn and Gina were always there with an extra mug of hot chocolate.

Thanks for reading! I’m open to write prompts or suggestions

(...Also if anyone can think of any better names for this please comment because all my thoughts were low key trash😂)

#high school musical the musical the series #hsmtmts #hsmtmts season 2 #hsm the series #ej caswell #ashlyn caswell #gina porter

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neo-culture-mafia · 4 years

Text

NCT 127 Mafia Dad Reaction to Their Daughter Getting in a Fight

Yes yes yes, here I am. Back with a very long...and long awaited return. Idk I hope someone wanted me back atleast lol.

I have been gone alot recently because I am getting ready for college and May 15 marks the last day for online class for my Senior Year! So I'll be graduating and needed to get some stuff sorted out. I don't want to be away so much but there's not a day I don't go on here just to read everyone's lovely comments and asks that they don't ask me to post. I love you all and will hopefully give you more stuff to read soon.

As I have stated in most of my nct mafia dad reaction (s) I will only be doing the older members because of reality and making it seem believable (??) So '94-'98 line. Sicheng, Kun, and Ten Will not be in this because...idk...maybe...WayV version...coming soon...??...possibly...

Love always,

But here we go~~

Taeyong

To say that he was pissed was an understatement. He had gotten the call that you were in the school office; a girl being hauled off to the infirmary while you sulked in anger.

"Please don't call my dad. Please." You had pleaded the principal as her phone was already next to her ear. Her finger hovered over the 'dial' button. "Then who am I supposed to call?" Her eyes squinted menacingly. "My...my uncle...Jaemin." You ran over all the memorized numbers in your mind.

"As in Na Jaemin." Her words carried his name so poisonous. Your nod had her scoffing. "He's caused more trouble in this school than you have." Her finger dropped onto the dreaded button and it sent you reeling into your office chair.

"Hello, Mr. Lee. This is headmaster Ms. Kwan at your daughter, y/n's school. How are you today?" She had this sinister smile as you stared her down across the dark wood desk.

"Well I'm afraid to inform you that I am not calling you on good terms. It seems as if y/n was involved in a fight today during the school assembly."

The principal nodded as you could tell that your dad was asking questions. "Well we can all talk about that when you come to retrieve her. Unless you send one of her family member's to pick her up." She nodded and smiled. "Thank you and I will relay the message." She said and hung up the phone.

Once the phone was down, her smile fell. "Your father is coming to retrieve you." She said and motioned towards the door.

You waited in the hall in the uncomfortable wooden chair and decided to get some shut eye. You dozed off for the best and quickest nap ever.

Flick

Flick flick

Your eyes opened to your dad infront of you. "What's with you?" He asked and grabbed your arm. You looked back to see the principal waving him off nicely.

You groaned as he dragged you out of the school. "I was in the middle of a meeting, y/n. There was no reason for you to fight." He ranted, eyebrows furrowed.

The black SUV had an empty seat next to the drivers that made you want to puke.

"Then people should learn how to keep their mouths shut." You said and he only picked up speed towards the car.

It was a long car ride home as he lectured you on fighting and the effects it could have on the mind; his position and job totally slipping his own.

(stern dad! Tae?? UGH a fan fav...also i like this gif. Concentrated boi)

Taeil

He was more shocked than anything. Not his precious daughter. No way that it was actually you. As well as he knew, you were the person usually getting picked on and slow to anger. The headmaster just got your name confused...right???

wrong

He hurried to your school to see you sitting in the office with bruised knuckles and tears threatening to spill. He opened the door and didn't even ask questions, just taking you and wrapping you in his arms.

"What happened?" He whispered as he felt you shake with cries. "I want to leave." You whispered. "Mr. Moon. Thank you for coming so quickly." The headmaster approached slowly behind him. "According to multiple witnesses, your daughter was the one who initiated. So if you take a step into my office we can discuss disciplinary mea-" "yeah. Witnesses. Yet when she's come to you on teacher referrals for class bullying, there was 'no witnesses'...right?"

Taeil's mind was racing with anger. The phrase being looped in his head when he had enough of you coming home upset from the constant teasing. He had taken it into his own hands to call the school and the phrase 'no witnesses' now seemed mocking for the situations that had taken place earlier.

"Mr. Moon. We can discuss this as civilized adults in my of-" "No what's going to happen is you are going to get withdrawal papers from your office and bring them to me." His voice commanding and as if the headmaster was programmed; walking into her office and grabbing a stack of papers and returning moments later.

Your dad gripped the stack of papers with one hand, yanking it towards his own figure and turning you both around. You both walked out in silence as his hand rested on your shoulder lovingly.

"Did you eat lunch?" His words trying to distract you from the situation. You shook your head no and he smiled sweetly.

"Let's go get some food and then go to that new dessert cafe that Jungwoo was talking about." He pinched your cheek softly, seeing your usual smile like through a little bit.

You would be okay. You were with him. No one could hurt you when he was around.

(soft taeil is also a fan fav)

Johnny

Jaehyun had popped his head in to the training room, his ear to his phone. "Y/n is about to get jumped." He was so nonchalant that it threw him for a loop.

"She's calling you in a sec- yes. honey, I told him. No. You're not gonna DRAG anyone. NO YOUR NOT GONNA DO AN EVIL DROP BY ON ANYONE'S KNEE CAPS. YOUR MOTHER WOULD KILL US BOTH ARE YOU INSA-." The boys could hear Jae as he walked off down the hall.

Your phone call already had Johnny heading in from training.

"Dad."

"What's up, pumpkin?"

"I'm about to get my ass beat."

Your cold tone died down his smile. "Why?"

"I don't know. The girl. Her boyfriend. Whatever." Your tone seemed flat and like you couldn't be bothered by it.

"What are you doing now? I can be up there in 15 minutes." He said which got the attention of Mark and Taeyong who were training with him.

"I'm eating ice cream at lunch. Just waiting with Jaehyun's daughter." He could basically hear you shrug your shoulders. "Why aren't you in the office or something?!" He asked grabbing his keys and waving the concerned boys off.

"There's no point. If I run away today then the same threat will be there tomorrow." He was already halfway to his car.

"Stop trying to be a hero. Go-"

"Don't touch her, bitch." Then a bunch of muffled and girly screams from the other side...they weren't yours.

He groaned as his engine roared and he was off towards your school.

"You have my temper and your moms attitude." He sighed to himself.

He heard the fight being broken up by what he presumed to be staff of the school.

"Someone call an ambulance!" He heard someone shout and be automatically knew it wouldn't be for you.

~~~~~

You sat in the passengers seat unscathed except for a busted knuckle.

"...that bitch ruined my ice cream..."

"That's all you can think about?!"

"That's all I care about right now!"

"You sent her to the hospital!"

"She started it! She touched my friend and expected me to just be a pushover about it?! I stick to my own and protect who I want to." you mumbled, looking out the window.

"its not my fault she couldn't finish it."

"Can you stop acting like me for 10 seconds?! You don't have 'your own' yet. You're in highschool." He spat and anger etched into your face.

"I'm your kid. I'm going to be like you, Dad. And my own is whoever I want them to be. We've been conjoined at the hip since birth. If I want to stick up for her then I-" "You'd what, y/n?!" His voice now raised.

"I'd do it again." You truthfully spoke and he could only huff through his nose, car becoming deathly silent.

"Her aim was terrible-" "ENOUGH." Your dad rarely shouted but when he did, you knew you were in deep shit.

"Why are you so angry with me?! Jaehyun's daughter was there too. She laid some hits in too. He was smiling when he picked her up!" You said looking at how his knuckles turned white against the steering wheel.

"Because he's not me. I care about you and what you put yourself in to." He said firmly.

"I gave you a heads up, though." You rolled your eyes, sinking into the seat as he pulled into the base. "She did. Not you. You should've called me or atleast told me before it happened." He was now eerily calm. You bit your tongue for any further argument.

"Well it's all over with me now. You have to answer to Mark." You turned towards him with a dropped jaw.

"No Mark."

"Yes. Mark." He smiled and got out. You turned to leave and was met with Mark waiting for you to open your door. He did not look friendly. Your beginning position in the Junior Forces was now going to be exercised.

"I would've rather just gotten jumped."

(angry dad Johnny??? No cap I think he'd be scary when angry)

Yuta

He was just overall confused about the whole situation you had told him about.

"You're doing what?"

"Run...running, dad." He looked to his advisors as if they could hear your out of breath voice in their own ears. "Okay. But, why?" He asked for more clarification.

"Boys. Alot. Jumping. Punched. Running, now." He could hear you wheeze. "Okay well I'll be there but you have to tell me where you are.

"Down street. Open gates. Please." Your voice was calm but draining. He got up and started walking with his advisors close to him. "I'll meet you out there." He had sighed when you ended the call.

"Open the gates. She's in trouble...or started it." He finished off and one of the advisors broke away to carry out orders.

"She's a handful." His advisor had said as they made it out the door and we're walking towards the opening gates. "What do you expect? She's my daughter." He smirked as they now waited.

As if on cue, your slowing form came around the corner of the alley that housed the entrance to the large house; the high and old gates giving the façade of an abandoned or old house.

Behind you was a large group of boys and some men who trailed along loosely. Yuta could tell you were tired and giving up fight with help looking so close.

"Backup at main gate, many people, possibly armed." Yuta's advisor had murmured into his earpiece. Doors opened as more armed guards came to protect their boss and his loving daughter.

While your legs had slowed, some of the group had gained. But once you crossed the path of the gate, your feet were skidding for a stop into your dad's body. He caught you and you practically fell onto your knees for a feel of relief. Your bloody cheek and bruised arms caught his attention as he could examine and treat them later.

The boys skidded behind you and stopped infront of the like of armed guards. Your wheezing didn't quit quickly as you were still facing down danger.

"Are you okay?" Yuta's hands patted your hair in a comforting manner. You nodded, holding onto his suit jacket just to be grounded to reality for a little while longer.

"What's the problem?" He asked the group. "She has our money." One of the representing boys accused. "Money for what?" Yuta has his questions laid out from the moment he had seen you running. "Yakuza fine." He huffed. "I didn't take anything. That wasn't me." You started marching towards the boys but Yuta pulled you back.

"What do you have anything to do with that group?" Yuta asked, his arm around your shoulder so you wouldn't attack.

"Pay-off. We pay them. We get to run our small organized crime unit in Kyoto." Yuta was now pissed at the group. "Why do you think she took-" "She has the tattoo of the enemy." They pointed towards your wrist, a small tattoo of neo cultures symbol on your wrist bone, in sight.

"Do you boys know who I am?" Yuta asked quickly. "And the land I own?" The group had fallen silent. "I am apart of something way larger than the group you ARE scared of." Yuta had let go of you and began walking towards the group himself. "So big infact that I only run our operation in Japan. But I own so much land here," he stood face to face with the representing boy. "I own you." Yuta stated.

The group could see their 'leader' crack. "We got bills to pa-" "Kyoto is my land. You're practically giving donations," Yuta's voice stern, "getting robbed."

Yuta turned around to start walking towards you again. "Her problems are my problems. Stay away from what's mine and don't start trouble~" he sang as he turned you around with him and began to walk towards the door. "Leave and we'll get in contact when we need to. You're on my land," Yuta continued his ramble as he opened the door, poking his head back out once more to look at the group with a fake smile,

"and you have bills to pay." the next order came towards the guards. "Get them off my land."

He shut the door and put both hands on your shoulders, examining your face intently for bad injuries. "Are you okay?" He asked and he was met with a reassuring nod.

"Good. Now let's go eat some food. You need to eat more. You're looking so thin lately-"

(I literally g i g g l e d. this man scary)

Doyoung

He knew your anger popped and sizzled at random moments. You had learned to take care of it but there were always slip-ups and...accidents.

"She did WHAT?!" The whole practice building shook with his scream of disbelief. Everyone jumped as his voice shook the walls.

Taeyong coming in quickly to check on him and was met with a red-in-the-face Doyoung. His hand was gripped onto a knife he was working on before he got the call. The knife now halfway through his work table.

"Tell her I will be there in 30 minutes. No more. No less." He slammed his cell phone down, surprisingly going crack-free.

"What happened?" Tae asked quietly from infront of his friend's desk.

"Y/n. Got in a big fight. Took. Hostages. Weapon? Hairbrush." Doyoung's voice was flat and held no emotion.

"I can go get her if you want. Give you time to cool down." Taeyong offered fearlessly. "No. Its gonna be a long drive home with lots of yelling." He sighed, rubbing his temples.

"There's a bigger issue here that we need to address though." Taeyong said and Doyoung was about to pop himself.

"What. Now." His hands gripped his chair's arms roughly.

"She's been out of her medication for the past 2 weeks. She's honestly, probably going through withdrawal." He broke the news that had been slipping over Doyoung's head.

"I just got her medication-" "2 months ago." Taeyong was firm with this matter. "I only know this because Kun called me this morning. He still has her medication for this month in China. No one wrote off the approval to send it." Taeyong sighed and Doyoung now just felt guilty.

"That explains so much." He rubbed his eyes. "Mood swings. Appetite loss. Fatigue. Rage and violent outbursts. Sweating. Throwing-up. Depressive state. " He started listing off everything he had noticed for the past 2 weeks or so that had been getting progressively worse.

"Please write it off. I'll be back with her in a little bit." Doyoung said getting up and grabbing his keys and phone. "Should I make something for her to eat?" Tae called down the hall. "Please." He sang.

You were unusually calm when he arrived. The rest of the families were there. Doyoung had to apologize profusely and try to explain on why you acted the way you did. One of the students even piped in to say that you were usually so calm and most students knew something was going on but no one knew how to help.

Now with parents and students calmed, you were next.

He walked into the hall again and saw you staring at the floor.

"Come on, sweetie. Let's go home." He held his hand out and you looked up with tears in your eyes. "We're not going to yell are we?" You asked and his heart broke into a million more pieces. "My head hurts so much."

"Of course not. I know what's going on. We're just going to go home and relax. Taeyong has some food waiting for you at home." He pulled you up and walked down the hall with you stuck onto his side.

He was in as much fault with the situation as you were. He wasn't angry at you because he knew you couldn't control it and you didn't know what you were doing. He was mad at himself for not protecting you from something he could have easily fixed if he caught it in time.

Jaehyun [longer - continuation / other half of Johnny's]

He didn't want to train today. He had a long fight with his wife the night before. No one in his house had good sleep last night.

He had woken up early to take you to school and make his wife breakfast before high-tailing it out of there before the aftershocks came.

You both sang songs the whole way to school and laughed at eachother's jokes. "Can we go pick up Uncle Johnny's daughter since it's early?" He looked at the time and shrugged. "Nothing else better to do." He revved and was off down the street of the school to Johnny's place.

You had let both of you in as it was basically a second home.

"John!" You dad shouted and you laughed as you opened your best friend's door. She was still asleep in the muted sheets, sun cascading through the window like in magazines.

"Yah. Wake up already." You nudged her sleeping form and with a groan she was up. "Morning, already?" She asked as you threw her uniform onto her bed. "Yes. Now let's go." You laughed at her expression.

"I just have this off feeling about today." She confessed groggily, wrapping the thick blanket around her shoulders.

You sat down across from her, "well I promise you. We won't face it alone. Whatever it is." You stuck out your finger and she hooked hers around yours with an amused sigh.

"Can you guys not be us for like 10 seconds?" Johnny's sleepy voice said from the door where him and your dad were having a cup of coffee.

You and she laughed for a moment before you actually helped her get ready. "Remember you both are training tonight!" Jaehyun called down the hall from the kitchen. You helped your best friend pack her training bag and get her hair done for school.

"Can you believe her? Acts like I tried to break them up." She shook her head, an anger set into her eyes. "Well I'll break her if she does anything today." You said from her bed. She became cold and gave you a hard look from infront of her vanity.

"You're not going to do anything. You'll get hurt and I'm not going to let that happen." She put her necklace on and grabbed her bags. "Besides, you're supposed to be the nice one out of the two of us." She smiled softly at you. "Your family all acts the same." You huffed and she laughed quickly. "We're caring people. Now let's go." She grabbed your hand and pulled you up.

"Breakfast." Johnny called and held out a plate towards his daughter. "Not hungry. Running late. Love you, dad." She said and ran with your hand in hers.

"Love you too. Eat something!"

"Bye dad, call you at lunch!" You called qyickly.

The front door slammed.

~~~~~

You walked with your friend to lunch. Word around your class is that she's gonna get jumped during lunch. "Please don't fight." You said taking her hand and tugging on it softly.

She only looked at you quickly. "I won't start anything. But I'll finish what I need to." She pulled yours and her seat out and both of you sat down. "I'll go get our lunch. Yell if you need me." Like that she was off into the line.

You grabbed your phone once you saw the group of agitated girls stalking on your friend like she was prey.

"What's new?" Your dad picked up his phone like usual. "She's going to get jumped." You spoke quickly. "Who? You?" "No. ..." "Oh. Well what happened?" He asked. "These girl are mad at her I guess. Go tell Johnny. She's going to hurt people if she fights." You could only hear a sigh and shuffling.

You saw your friend get approached and automatically got a rush of confidence. Your dad's voice was low. "She's calling you in a sec-" "Did you tell him?" "Yes,honey, I told him-" "Dad I'm going to drag them by their hair if they star-" No. You're not gonna DRAG anyone." "-i'm just gonna go pow right on their knees." "NO YOUR NOT GONNA DO AN EVIL DROP BY ON ANYONE'S KNEE CAPS. YOUR MOTHER WOULD KILL US BOTH ARE YOU INSANE?!" "probably." and with that you hung up.

A try was set infront of you as she sat down next to you with her phone to her ear. You ate slowly as you tried to pick up on the conversation. Her ice cream was quickly being eaten as you leaned closer to her ear. You saw her smile as she smeared the cool substance on your cheek.

You gasped and wiped it off quickly. Next thing you knew, your ass was lying cold on the ground with a welt on your cheek. You sat there stunned for a moment. "Don't touch her, bitch." And you watched in slow motion as your best friend lunged at the girl who had been at bark and no bite up until this moment.

You scrambled but were pushed back by eager eyes. You fought your way through to the front so you could pull her off of the unprepared girl who was currently getting her ass beat.

"Get off of her. Please." You were pulling but she didn't let up. Someone grabbed you and knew you had to fight for yourself first though. Your fists were leading as the girl that latched onto you was now on the ground too. But you knew you had to stop.

"Someone call an ambulance!"

~~~~~~

Your legs were jittery as you waited to be picked up. "Its okay." You kept repeating to your still worked up and angry friend. "Don't touch me right now. I love you and I'm sorry but I just don't want to pop on you too."

She stated flatly and you nodded, tears pricking your eyes as you played with your hands. Dried blood making them feel like paper.

"Are you okay though?" She asked and you nodded, wiping the beginning to fall tears with the back of your hand.

"Yo." You both looked up to see Johnny. "Let's go." He pointed to his own daughter.

"I'm not leaving till she gets picked up." She was being hard and uncooperative since she was carried down her by staff.

"No, you need to go." You sniffled and nudged her off the wooden bench.

"I'll be fine." You smiled and you could see your best friend fight against her better judgement and personal morals.

"Your dad is just in the office signing some stuff." Johnny looked at you, rubbing your head in a comforting manner. "I'll see you at training." She pinched your cheek softly and returned to a cold persona.

She got up annoyed and lead the way down the hall. Your own dad rounding the corner at the same time with a smile on his face.

The dam behind your eyes broke as your dad motioned for you to walk closer. "Don't cry." He put his arm around you and brought you in for a hug.

"Nobody is mad at you." He said but that didn't help your situation.

"You were defending yourself." He reassured you as he began leading you both out of the school. "The principal saw everything over the cameras. You're not in trouble at all." He said and you nodded, wiping the remaining tears.

"Are you okay though?" He asked and you nodded once again.

"Let's go relax before training. Knowing Mark he'll probably do team punishment today." He sighed but you didn't really care. You just wanted everyone to be okay in this situation.

Jae was super scared when he got the call from your principal saying you were involved. Yet as he watched the clips of you defending yourself and trying to break it up; proudness swelled into his chest and it was threatening to pop.

It showed how you were growing up right before his eyes and were gaining your own morals. You knew when something was too much and when to stop. He could never be happier than when you were smart, but most importantly safe.

("yo who messed with my daughter?" -mark)

Jungwoo

You got your attitude from him and your firecracker-like anger from your environment. It shaped you but it was also helpful in certain situations.

He wasn't expecting to get a call on a lunch date with his wife to hear that you had been in a fight during school.

"We'll be right there." He said and hung up, his wife looking with curious eyes. "Y/n was in a fight." Then she sighed. "Oh thank God. I thought she was going to be a pushover." She said and Jungwoo could only stare in shock. He looked to his phone to his wife and just have this shocked look on his face.

"We'll take everything to go and just. Go and see...what...our daughter...got in a fight about." Jungwoo and she didn't know what to do. They didn't teach them what you do in the situation in their parenting books.

"Do we scold her? I can't scold her. She's too cute-" "I don't know." She cut him off. "We should see what happened first." She said and he nodded in agreement. "Yes. Good plan." She laughed at his blown-away state.

~~~~~

"Are you mad at me?" Your voice spoke from the back seat.

"Well." Your mom spoke with uncertainty. "Candy?" Jungwoo asked for what felt like the millionth time. "You punched a boy in...his parts...over candy?!" He asked and you had to stifle a laugh.

"You and mom always said to make sure boys understood when I said, 'no'." You shrugged. "He kept reaching and grabbing." "No. That's for another- oh whatever." She didn't fight it anymore.

"Uncle Mark always told me to stand up for what is mine." At the red light, Jungwoo banged his head lightly against his steering wheel.

"The candy was Mine." You kept going.

I don't think Jungwoo would know exactly what to do once you all got home. Or how to explain to Mark what he indirectly caused.

Both Jungwoo and his wife would need to go to one of their parent-y friends to figure out what to do yet would have a hard time enforcing any punishment.

They both knew you didn't mean trouble. You were just a very literal kid that...quite literally did what you were told and taught.

(domestic jungwoo = best jungwoo)

471 notes · View notes

otagamerkorin · 3 years

Text

Trial by Fire (including very little actual fire and honestly just a whole lot of snow)

Merry (very belated) Christmas @blasphemousfungus! I was your secret santa for @kibasniper‘s Psychonauts Secret Santa! Unfortunately, due to a lotta stuff going on in my life, your present isn’t completely done yet, but here’s the first (honestly kinda massive) chapter of it! I plan on putting it up on AO3 as well, so I’ll ping you then too! For reference, this was highly inspired by mystery_notebook (or I think they might be @tvguts on here?) fic Like It Used To Be, But Better, which is amazing and you should totally check it out. Anyways, I really hope you enjoy it!

Edit: Just realized I completely forgot to give it a title. Whoops.

When they had gone into the asylum, none of the members of Thorney Towers had expected to come back out not only dear friends with a 10 year old, but also under the close monitor of an organization of secret psychic agents. Initially is had only been to ensure that being around Loboto while in such delicate condition hadn’t left any lasting damage. Luckily from what they’d been able to work out from the fours scattered memories of the time, the dentist hadn’t involved them in any of his experiments, but better safe than sorry. The surveillance really hadn’t gotten in the way of their new lives much. A few calls a week, the occasional in-person check in to see how they were doing, not much to write home about in the grand scheme of things.

After a time though, things had begun to get...interesting.

It was actually Boyd who kicked the whole thing off, so to say. It had been a day like any other, possibly even more quiet and domestic than usual considering they’d just hit the weekend. According to the other three, he’d simply been drying dishes after dinner that night when a wayward mug has slipped off the counter behind him. The resulting crash has two effects. 1.) The former nightguard jumped about three feet off the ground with a startled shriek. And 2.) The dishtowel in his hands promptly burst into flames. Luckily he’d dropped the flaming cloth into surprise and a bit of group panic and rapid stomping has quickly put out the blaze, leaving the four gathered in the small kitchen, staring down at its burnt remains.

The lot of them, Boyd especially, were dumbfounded by the whole event and immediately phoned up their new psychic associates, if only to make sure they weren’t all going crazy again. There had to be some mundane explanation for this, right? But after a few quick tests from Sasha, it was official: Boyd was most definitely a psychic.

Signs from the others quickly followed. Fred would frequently find papers and pens floating in orbit around him whenever he got embroiled in his nursing reinstatement exams. Edgar would sometimes find those around him caught up in a sort of bewildering mental fog, leaving them staring around in confusion. And while Gloria had always had quite the green thumb, now the plants in her garden flourished with just the touch of her hand, the woman assaulted with a hundred whispered voices of delight whenever she appeared at the gate with her watering can. Lili was especially happy about the latter, having never met a fellow connoisseur of florakinesis until that point, let alone one who was so friendly.

To say everyone, both Psychonaut and otherwise, was baffled was an understatement. None of the four had shown an signs of psychic powers earlier in life. So why now?

It was Razputin of all people who offered a hypothesis. They were all aware that the large amount of Psitanium around the camp and asylum had been less that helpful for the fours delicate mental state, what with the whole “making the sane less sane” thing and all. Perhaps though, the other half of the phrase may also be in play. What if being around all that Psitanium has brought whatever deeply buried psychic powers the four shared to the surface?

Honestly, it was the best they had to go on. There were hardly any cases of spontaneous psychic manifestation in those beyond adolescence and the four weren’t showing any of the usual symptom relating to those sort of circumstances.

Regardless, it didn’t change the fact that the organization now had a whole mess of new psychics in the mix who needed training.

Which is what brought Milla to the front gates of the Von Gouten Arts Academy for Girls (formally Hagatha Home) bright and early one Wednesday morning. The former actress had bought the dilapidated old academy around a year ago using some of the wealth she’s amassed during her glory years. (It was amazing how much interest a saving account left to sit could accrue.) Since then she’d been fixing the place up, hiring teachers and generally getting the place running even better than before, eventually joined in her endeavors by the other three Thorney Towers residents when they moved onto the grounds with her.

Milla found herself smiling up at the stylized “VG” woven into the metal of the newly installed gate in the stone fence that surrounded the property. Gloria really was doing an excellent job with the place. Rolling her window down, the Mental Minx leaned out and pressed the button of the call box installed in the fence wall. For a moment there was silence and then a familiar voice crackled to life on the other end.

“Good morning! Do you have an appointment?”

“Well, I would certainly hope so Darling.” Milla teased and she could practically hear the smile in Boyd’s voice when he replied.

“Dang, is it really Wednesday already? Well, head right on up Mrs. Vodello! I’ll let the rest of the gang know you’re coming.”

There was a buzz and the whirring of mechanisms as the gate opened and allowed access to the road beyond. Continuing on down the path, she soon found herself pulling into the large round driveway in front of the building. A group of students tending to one of the flower beds out front waved as she parked and stepped out of the car, Boyd likewise stepping out of the guard shack nearby and making his way over.

“Good morning to you Ms. Vodello! You the only one here today?”

“Not quite.” She replied with a chuckle, just in time for the back door of the car to fly open and Raz to stick his grinning face out around it.

“Hi Boyd!”

“Hey, good to see you too Raz! Come on inside, the rest of the gang should be on their way.” He replied with a grin, reaching down to ruffle the boy’s hair as he led them inside.

For as horrid as the place had apparently originally been ran, the former owner had at least had good architectural sense, and the large oak front doors opened into a soaring foyer, complete with a grand spiral staircase. One that Gloria was already beginning to make her way down as the doors closed behind them.

“Well good morning Ms. Vodello! And to you too Raz dear!” The former actress beamed, taking Boyd’s offered arm as she stepped down the last few stairs.

“You came at just the right time. I just finished up with morning announcements. Please, feel free to head right over to the practice room, the rest of the boys should already be on their way. Oh, and I’ve also had some snacks from the dining hall sent on ahead. I hope you both like blueberry muffins!”

“That sounds just delightful darling!” Milla replied cheerfully, smiling wider when she saw the stars in Raz’s eyes at the mention of food. Milla sidled up beside the actress as they started down into one of the academy’s wings, one of Gloria’s arms still linked with Boyd’s.

“So how have the plants been treating you darling?”

“Oh, better everyday! My garden is thriving and I think I’m really starting to get a good hold of this whole telepathy thing! Getting it across to all my little lovelies that there’s really no need to shout every time I come in hasn’t been easy, but I think it’s finally starting to stick. The roses and lilies are still a horrible bunch of gossips, but I doubt there’s much I’ll ever be able to do about that.” She replied with a laugh.

“They do come in useful to make sure none of the students are pulling anything they shouldn’t though!”

“That’s wonderful to hear! How about you Boyd? Have you been making any process in your off-time?” Milla asked, the guard rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Yeah, a bit. It ain’t exactly been fast progress, but one step at a time you know? But hey! At least I haven’t accidentally lit up anything important again since you taught me those exercises. There’s only so many times I can almost burn down Edgar’s classroom before it starts to get ridiculous.”

Milla smiled softly, reaching over to pat the guard on the back.

“Well, learning to fully control one’s powers can be a long path. It took me years to master my own skillset. Like you said, it’s just one step at a time. I think you’ve made wonderful progress though, and I’m very proud of you darling.” She mused and the man flushed a bit at her praise and mumbled a word of thanks, tugging his hat low over his eyes bashfully as Gloria gave him a smile.

The group of four quickly found themselves at the extra dance studio in the buildings far west they’d assigned at their practice room, and upon stepping inside found Fred and Edgar already waiting for them.

“Oh, hey Ms. Milla. And you too Raz. Sorry, gimme just a sec to finish up some papers.” The tall school counselor called over distractedly, scribbling away on a clipboard from where he was sitting on a nearby bench.

“Apologies for my rather ruffled appearance as well, mi amigos.” Edgar chimed in, wiping his hands down with a long-since-stained painting cloth. Both his hands and the old shirt he wore were splattered with the stuff, having somehow even managed to get some on his face and hair.

“You caught me in the middle of a bit of early morning painting.”

“Just be sure to remember and get some rest dear. We can’t have our best art teacher burning the candle at both ends.” Gloria replied with a smile as she strode over, reaching up to stroke away a smudge of paint on his cheek. The artist gave a soft smile as he leaned into the touch.

“Oh course mi amour.”

“Good. And that goes for your too Fred. Don’t think I haven’t noticed a certain someone sneaking out of bed early the last few mornings.” She called over, and the counselor jumped a bit at being called out, flushing bashfully as he looked at her over the edge of the clipboard.

“Right, you’re right. So, what’s the plan for today Ms. Milla? Seeing as how Mr. Dark and Serious isn’t here, I assume we’re working on our levitation?” Fred asked, setting aside the clipboard as he pushed himself to his feet, the Brazilian woman giving a laugh at his joke.

“Oh come now, Sasha isn’t that bad. But you are correct! Today we’re going to be working more on your levitation!” She replied, settling back as though sitting upon an invisible chair and crossing her legs as she floated up a few feet above the ground.

“Now, last time you all managed to manifest a “Levitation Ball” as we like to call it. This time we’ll be taking the next step and practicing our ability to balance atop them. Razputin darling, if you would demonstrate?” The Mental Minx requested and the young psychic nodded, raising a hand above his head. A large ball of swirling orange energy formed in his palm and he tossed it down, easily jumping up and balancing atop it.

“Now then, we aren’t all trained acrobats like Razputin here, so it might take a while to find your balance and get the hang of it. Consider it like balancing on a medicine ball. Remember, thinking lighter, rounder, happier thoughts can help in manifesting the ball more easily. Go ahead and give it a try! And please let me know if you need any help at all.”

Early on in these lessons the group had felt a bit silly to be using psychic instruction methods typically meant for children, but they’d gotten over it quickly enough. After all, most psychics got their powers much younger than the lot of them were, so starting at a lower level of instruction was only appropriate. It helped that the simple exercises really worked wonders too.

Though that didn’t mean it was gonna be easy. Forming the ball was one thing. Staying on was another.

A fact the group quickly discovered.

Fred gave a squeak as his light blue orb suddenly slid forward, taking the foot he’d just managed to plant atop it along with it, threatening to pull the man into a split as he hopped forward to follow it. In his defense, Edgar and Boyd didn’t seem to be doing much better. The latter had managed to get atop his off-white bubble, but was now swaying about wildly as he tried to keep balanced, arms windmilling in an attempt to steady himself. The former was having much the same troubles, quickly getting dumped back onto the floor each time he attempted to clamber up.

Gloria was the only one of the bunch who seemed to be making much progress. The woman had moved over to one of the practice room’s ballet bars and was gripping it for stability as she gingerly set one foot on her own ball. With a small grunt she hefted herself up, the orb wiggling worryingly beneath her for a moment before stilling.

“There you go! You’re doing wonderful darling!” Milla cheered her on, clapping encouragingly as the other woman smiled.

“Why thank you Milla dear. After some of the ridiculous shoes I’ve had to wear in my years on the stage, this isn’t so bad.” Gloria replied, putting her arms out to balance as her stance wavered a bit.

“Oof! Well, I’m glad one of us seems to be getting it, mi amor. This is far less easy than Señorita Vodello makes it look.” Edgar replied with a grunt, the wind getting knocked out of him as he fell to the ground once more. Milla let out a thoughtful hum, tapping her lips as she watched the struggling group. Suddenly her eyes flashed with inspiration and she snapped her fingers with a grin.

“Well, I think I may know a way to help.”

The whole group, including Raz, whom had rolled over to try and help Boyd stay upright, turned to look at her in interest.

“I’d like you all to form two, smaller levitation balls instead of one.” She directed, miming the shape of two basketball sized orbs.

“Uh, ok. But how is that gonna help?” Fred asked, already focusing on trying to reform his ball into two even as he tiled his head in confusion.

“Well, as you know, those like me, who’ve had a lot of practice, don’t require a physical representation of their levitation in order to float. Most of those who do tend to only create a singular orb to assist them, so they can don’t have to split their focus. I’ve found that others though, who have a nice grip on the psychic side of things, but are having a harder time managing the physical part, tend to prefer use two. Think of them a bit like ice or roller skates.”

“Oh, I think I see what you mean amiga!” Edgar replied in excitement, focusing till his deep red ball split into two smaller ones. Carefully, he stepped atop on, managing to balance one-footed long enough to successfully stabilize himself using the other. Cautiously, he rolled forward a few feet, face splitting into a smile as he managed to keep his balance.

“Well, well, this actually is easier.”

The others quickly followed his example, and the slight adjustment seemed to do wonders. Soon Gloria was twirling lazy loops around the room like a proper skater, Edgar trailing a bit more slowly, but no less enthusiastically, after her. Fred seemed to be doing a tad bit better than before, but was still gripping tight to a much more steady Boyd’s shoulders as the two slowly drifted in circles, Fred’s long legs doing their damnedest to keep him upright.

“Never been great at skating either, but this is a bit better I guess.” The counselor murmured, glancing up to find his partner giving him an encouraging smile.

“Hey, it just takes a little practice! I’m sure you’ll levitating like a pro in no time!” Raz encouraged, giving a whoop of delight as Gloria grabbed him and twirled him around as he glided past.

“Impressive, but I’m afraid we’re going to have to cut the class short for today.”

The whole group gave a jump at the sudden voice, Fred giving a yelp as the levitation bubbles below him popped and dropped him on his ass, and they all turned to see Sasha standing in the now open doorway.

“Sasha, darling! What are you doing here? Didn’t you have other business today?” Milla asked in confusion, drifting over to help Fred up, and the German sighed seriously.

“Yes, but I just got a call from the headquarters. It seems...that Agent Pandor has disappeared.”

Milla gave a gasp, pressing both hands to her mouth, and Raz cocked his head in confusion.

“Uhhh, who’s Agent Pandor?”

“Ms. Tanya Pandor. One of the Psychonauts junior agents and a specialist in subterfuge and information gathering. I’m afraid you haven’t had the opportunity to meet yet.”

“But isn’t Tanya on vacation right now?” Milla asked and Sasha nodded.

“Yes, she had gone skiing at a lodge up in Colorado. The HQ asked her to check in regularly for security reasons. According to what I was briefed with, reports dropped off a few days ago. After a few failed attempts to get ahold of her, eventually the HQ resorted to calling the lodge itself to check in on her, thinking maybe she’d fallen sick. When they checked her room however, the whole thing was empty. It’s as though she just vanished.”

“Oh my! That sounds troubling indeed!” Gloria gasped, mirroring Milla as she held a hand to her mouth dramatically, and the German nodded.

“It certainly is. While Ms. Pandor wasn’t one of our top agents, her skills are none the less important to the Psychonauts and her disappearing is far from ideal. Finding out what happened to her has been assigned as our team’s top priority.”

“Well, is there anything we could do to help?” Fred piped up and the two senior agents looked over at him in confusion.

“What do you mean darling?” Milla asked and the counselor fidgeted nervously with the hem of his shirt as he replied.

“Well, I mean we’re technically part of the Psychonauts to now, even if we’re just in training, right? So that means this agent is one of our buddies too. And it’s only right to try and help out our friends whenever we can right?”

“I agree!” Edgar exclaimed, clapping a hand down on his companion’s shoulder as he turned to face the assembled agents.

“If there’s anything we can do to help and find this missing girl, we’re more than happy to do so!”

Boyd and Gloria nodded along in agreement as Sasha’s gaze scanned over them, the German man’s head tilting in thought.

“Well, I suppose more eyes on the ground would certainly help. And since Mrs. Pandor wasn’t on a mission or anything, this could be a fairly safe environment for you all to get some field experience...”

“Well, I think it sounds like a great idea!” Raz chipped in, folding his arms and nodding wisely, earning an eye roll and a sigh from the older agent.

“...Very well, I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”

“Excellent! Don’t you all worry, I’ll get all the arrangements handled! Just be ready to go in a few hours and remember to pack warmly!” Milla replied, clapping her hands together cheerfully, as Raz gave out a quiet cheer.

The three agents departed quickly after that, leaving the group to make arrangements. It took a bit of scrambling to get everything organized with the rest of the schools staff, but soon enough they found themselves packing.

“I sure hope that poor gal is ok. Hopefully we can find her quick.” Boyd mused, leaning hard onto his suitcase in order to try and get it to lock around the mound of sweaters and other winterwear inside.

“Oh, I’m sure she’s just fine Boyd dear. Those Psychonauts are a tough bunch after all. No doubt she’ll appreciate your concern when we do find her though.” Gloria reassured him, folding up a thick woolen dress to tuck into one of her own bags.

“I must admit, I’m a bit excited. I’ve never been to a ski lodge before.” Edgar pipped up, an excited smile on his face as Fred let out an amused laugh.

“Can’t say I have either. Well, cept for this one time back in college. And with all the drinks that weekend, I can barely remember it. I’m sure it’s not gotta be anything tooooo over the top. Those places always talk themselves up.”

“Holy hell, they were not talking this place up.” Fred muttered, his and the rest of the motley crews jaws dropping open in shock as they leaned out the windows of the truck to stare at the vista unfolding before them.

The place was really less of a lodge and more of a small village, what with the amount of connected buildings that made it up. The whole residence was constructed of pale wood, stone and brass, all woven together into a beautiful work of architectural engineering at the base of the snowy mountain. As they pulled into the parking lot at the place’s edge, they passed beneath a large ornate arch reading “Goldsmuth Lodge and Resort”.

“Yeah, Tanya does not mess around when it comes to her vacations. No really surprised, that girl barely gets any time off.” Oleander agreed, nodding in appreciating at the sight as the car slowed. When Milla and Sasha had announced their new plan to the other higher-up, the man had been assigned to the case as an additional supervisor, as well as another pair of eyes. Raz had tried to convince Lili to come along as well, but apparently there was few things the girl hated more than cold weather, not too much of a surprise coming from a florapath, so his requests had fallen on deaf ears.

Once their oversized vehicle had stopped, their collective group spilled out to stretch, several backs popping after the lengthy ride. They couldn’t very well retain their cover if they came flying in on a Psychonauts jet after all, so they’d been forced to stash it at one of the organizations safe houses and drive the rest of the way instead.

“Well then, let’s unpack and get checked in. The sooner we can find Ms. Pandor, the better.” Sasha announced, adjusting his glasses as he scanned the large plaza for the proper entrance.

There was suddenly a yelp and the sound of tumbling luggage from the rear of the vehicle. Glancing around the back of the truck, they found a mound of bags and suitcases that had no doubt tumbled free when the hatch had opened. A moment later a bag fell away as a familiar blue head popped up out of the pile and swiveled to look at them, the figure immediately giving them a sheepish smile, a hand also emerging from the pile to give them an awkward wave.

“I still can’t believe you convinced HQ to let us bring Loboto along.” Raz mused in amusement, Oleander shaking his head as he walked over to help extract the rehabilitated (in progress) criminal from his luggage prison.

“Well, Cagliosto is certainly in desperate need of some outside socialization. A relaxing place like this could be perfectly helpful with his recovery, darling!” Milla replied with a chuckle as she watched Morry lever the skinnier man up and almost fall over himself in the process. The former mad scientist quickly grabbed the agent by the front of his coat in a panic to keep him upright, the two flushing as the motion inadvertently tugged them chest to chest. Sasha gave as an amused eyeroll as the German could feasibly manage, while Milla and Raz gave a quiet giggle at his side. The two former villains had been dancing around each other for months now, much to the amusement, and occasionally frustration, of everyone watching.

“Well, like Sasha said, the sooner we get inside, the sooner we can really start enjoying ourselves. Here, let me help you there dear.” Gloria smiled, the rest of the group trailing after her as she stepped up to help retrieve the fallen luggage, Loboto giving her a thankful, if sheepish smile in return. While the four had long since forgiven Caligosto for all the asylum business (after all, he had been cursed at the time with, as he himself put it, the “insanity of a manatee”), things were still pretty awkward between them. Gloria though, every friendly, had doing her best to help bridge the gap in the meantime.

It took a bit to gather up all the luggage, and even longer to find the right entrance, but eventually they managed. The walk there had been interesting at least. Everywhere they looked, there was some new, interesting winter activity the place seemed to offer, from ice skating to toboggan rental. Their own rather modge-podge group was also getting a number of curious onlookers, which was far from ideal, but there wasn’t much they could do about it really.

The lodge’s lobby was wonderfully warm compared to the wintery chill outside, and they could already feel the scattered flakes of snow melting on their coats as they strode up to the main desk.

“Hello there! Can I help you ladies and gentlemen?” The brunette behind the desk asked with a smile, Sasha plucking his glasses off to wipe away the fog they’d accrued from the heat inside as he spoke.

“Reservations for Nein, Vodello and Gouten.”

“Alright then, just a moment!”

The young woman’s finger flew along the keyboard in a blur for several moment’s before she paused, biting her lip in concern.

“Oh, well there seems to be a small problem. You ladies and gentlemen called for a reservation rather last minute and it seems your rooms aren’t quite ready yet. My deepest apologies. You are all more than welcome to wait in the lodges lounge till they’re ready, free of charge.” She replied, giving an apologetic bow of her head as she gestured towards a pair of open doors nearby.

“Oh, it’s no problem at all darling!” Milla replied, waving a hand nonchalantly.

“Apologies for the rather sudden reservations. Our little trip was a bit of a recent development.”

“Thank you for your understanding Ms. I’ll come and inform you once your rooms are ready.”

The lounge was somehow even more impressive than the grand lobby they’d just stepped out of. He place was lit in a dim but cozy manner, a long bar stretching along one wall. The rest of the space was filled with a number of comfortable tables, armchairs and couches that encircled a handful of square open-sided pillar fireplaces that dotted the room here and there. With an excited “ooo!”, Raz rushed off to look around with Loboto trailing after him, the bunch chuckling at his antics as Sasha glanced around.

“How about you all stay here for a bit? We need to ask around the staff and see if we can find anything regarding Ms. Pandor’s disappearance.” He proposed after a moment.

“Are you sure? Is there any way we can help?” Boyd asked, fidgeting nervously.

“No, it would be best if you aren’t seen with us too much while we’re actively investigating. To help avoid casting suspicion on you lot as well and all.”

“Keep your eyes and ears open while we’re gone soldiers! Always vigilant!” Oleander commanded, giving them a little salute as the trio went off. Shaking her head in amusement at their antics, Gloria gestured toward the bar.

“Care for some drinks while we wait boys?”

Despite the lodge’s rather bustling crowd, there were only a few people at the bar and they were easily able to find seats.

“Hello there folks, what can I get you?” The bartender, a man looking somewhere in his 30’s, asked.

“Hot Chocolate!”

Gloria’s yelp of surprise at the sudden shout quickly devolved into giggles as Raz and the former villain popped up beside her, clambering up onto the next stools.

“And a cider for me sir.”

As the bartender went to work assembling the groups drink orders, he glanced over at them with a smile.

“Don’t think I’ve seen you folks around before. Welcome. What’s the occasion for the visit?”

The group glanced at each other, all trying their best to hide their slight panic. They hadn’t exactly been properly prepped for people asking them about their motives yet after all.

“Oh, uh, we, uh, came to visit with a friend we heard was staying here.” Boyd stuttered nervously. Picking up on what he was trying, Gloria slipped straight into her old actress skills and gave a sigh.

“Yes, a Ms. Tanya Pandor. She’s one of our old students. Unfortunately, it seems that we may have just missed her.”

The bartender paused, tapping his chin in thought.

“Ms. Pandor you say? Actually, I do remember her. Very exuberant. And you heard right, she seems to have left already. Was the talk of the staff rumor mill for a day or two actually. Some of her coworkers called asking to speak with her on some matter, but when the staff went up to let her know about the call, she was nowhere to bee seen. Must have left damn late at night for nobody to notice her. Which is odd really...”

“Odd, how?” Loboto asked, the group jumping a moment at his voice, seemingly having forgotten he was there, before leaning towards the bartender in interest, the man glancing around before lowering his voice.

“Well, we’re really not supposed to divulge things about the other guests, so you didn’t hear this from me, but I may have been one of the last people to see her. You see, I was assigned as a ski slope guard that day, you know, to watch and make sure nobody got injured and needed medical attention. I was stationed on one of our more challenging hills, the Black Diamond one, when I saw Ms. Pandor go whipping by. I know it has her because she had a very distinctive ski jacket she always seemed to be wearing. This whole black, purple and gold affair. Plus she has been very kind and gracious to the staff. We tend to remember those sorts of things. Anyways, she gave me a wave as she went past and seemed to be having the time of her life. It seems so strange that she would leave so abruptly without saying anything. I do hope something didn’t upset her.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much about it, dear.” Gloria replied with a smile, waving a hand nonchalantly.

“Tanya has always been the spirited type, zipping from place to place. Just a little lightning bolt.”

“Yes, she certainly did seem like that type. I’m sure you’re right. Ah, that’s right, your drinks!”

The group was quickly presented with their fine beverages, including a healthy topping of whipped cream and sprinkles for Raz and Loboto’s chocolatey treats. Edgar and Gloria’s cider was just as delicious, rich and warm. (Fred and Boyd’s spiked eggnog was perhaps not the most professional thing to be drinking during a spy investigation, but nobody was about to call them out on it.) For a time they sat at the bar, chatting away to the bartender about the various activities around the lodge, before Raz suddenly caught the shape of their other companions watching them from a nearby doorway. Nudging Gloria, he nodded over towards them, and the woman took the hint, turning to the bartender with a smile.

“Well, I’m afraid we must be going now dear. We can’t spend all vacation here in the lounge after all. Thank you for the lovely time.”

“My pleasure Ms. I hope to see you all again soon.” He replied with a nod and smile as they stepped away from the bar, his eyes widening in surprise and delight when he noticed the generous tip the group had left tucked under one of the empty mugs.

Following their missing members lead, the group ducked over into a more private corner of the lounge to meet them.

“Did you guys find anything?” Raz asked quietly, Sasha giving a frustrated sigh in return.

“No, unfortunately not. None of the night staff noticed her leaving that day. Which leaves us back at square one.”

“Well, luckily for you, we just might have a clue.” Fred replied with a smile, the trio looking over at him in surprise.

“Wait, really?!” Oleander exclaimed and the counselor gave him an unamused look.

“Geez buddy, give us some credit. We’re not completely useless. But yeah, apparently somebody saw Tanya out on one of the ski slopes earlier that day. Whatcha wanna bet there might be some sort of clue somewhere out there?” He replied, Oleander reaching up to stroke his mustache in thought as he considered the other man’s words.

“I’d say you’d probably be right on the money. Maybe Pandor saw something out there that made her haul ass out of here, though I’ve never known her for the scaredy cat type. And that would still leave the question of where she went. But it’s a lead.”

“How’s about this?” Sasha pipped up, waving a hand to get all their attention.

“The three of us have worked out with the management to take a look in Ms. Pandor’s room, see if she maybe left some sort of clue behind. While we’re doing that, you six could head out onto the slopes and take a look around. A group of casual vacation goers, including a child, would likely draw a lot less attention than the three of us for the time being.”

“Well, I think it sounds like a marvelous plan!” Loboto replied exuberantly, pausing and rubbing his neck sheepishly when they all turned to look at him.

“If that’s alright with you all of course.”

He was met with a chorus of headshakes and “no, that’d be fine”s, so he grinned once more and nodded in satisfaction.

“Sounds like a plan then!”

“Just please all be careful.” Milla replied, eyes full of concern, and Raz gave her a comforting smile.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be ok! Besides, whenever are we not careful?”

The 50-yard stare of no doubt Whispering Rock related war flashbacks that she gave him in return spoke volumes.

“Thank god for government provided tailoring. Trying to find snow wear for proportions like mine is hellish.” Fred sighed quietly in satisfaction, adjusting his perfectly fitting ski jacket to a chorus of chuckles. The 6 of them were currently waiting in line at the equipment rental shop. Once they’d gotten their luggage up to the rooms and finally unpacked, they’d found the new sets of winter gear amongst their belongings, perfectly tailored and clearly a gift from the Psychonauts organization. How said organization knew their measurements was a mystery they neither had, nor wanted, the answer to.

“I must admit, they are rather fetching, aren’t they?” Gloria replied with a smile, giving a little twirl to let the hem of her longer coat poof out for a moment like the skirt of a dress.

Eventually the line cleared out enough for them to enter the small store displaying the various types of equipment available for rental and purchase. Splitting up to look, they all quickly selected their preferred styles. It didn’t take long for most of them to reconvene near the counter, each carrying a fairly simple pair of skis. There was no need for the super high-grade stuff, none of them were professionals after all. When Raz came running back with a snowboard, none of them were really that surprised. Skis had seemed a bit boring for the boy’s exuberant personality to begin with. What did draw their shock however was when Fred came trotting up behind the young psychic, a long light blue board slung over his shoulder.

“Uh, mi amor, are you sure that’s what you meant to get?” Edgar asked, eyeing the board in equal parts confusion and concern, and Fred laughed in return.

“Oh yeah, don’t worry about it. Never said I had been using skis when I went someplace like this back in college. Always been useless with them. Snowboards were a different story though. Used to skateboard a lot back in high school too. Now let’s go see if I’ve still got any of that old muscle memory still rattling around.”

As a group that was inexperienced, and in some of their cases completely unfamiliar, with the equipment, getting into their rented pieces ended up a tad more challenging than intended. Boyd nearly poked himself in the eye with one of his poles and Raz promptly fell backwards into a snowdrift after figuring out how hook his boots into the board, but eventually they managed to get their nonsense together enough to try and get in line for the ski-lift that would take them up to the Black Slope.

Try being the key word.

Just as they were in the process of settling themselves at the back of the line, a slightly nervous voice called out behind them.

“Hmm, now I don’t claim to be an expert on skiing, but something tells me this isn’t how it’s supposed to go.”

Turning to look back, they found Loboto had not only somehow managed to put both of his skis on backwards, but was now also slowly sliding away from them down the slight decline, ski poles digging into the snow in an attempt to stop himself. Boyd, being the closest to him, darted out to try and grab the man, but missed his hand by a hair, and he began to pick up speed.

“Whoa! Look out there!”

Someone suddenly darted behind the former mad scientist, catching him by the shoulders and stopping his uncontrolled journey. As the person carefully pushed the man back up towards the group, they got a better look at them. It was a young man in his early 20’s, with pale skin and messy sandy blonde hair.

“There ya go!” He announced, settling the dentist back in front of the rest of the group and crouching. down to look at his skis.

“Ah, here’s your problem! Here, this should help.”

With deft fingers, he unhooked Loboto from the skis, flipped them around and had him step back in, hooking him securely into place.

“Uh, thank you. I’m a bit of a beginner.” The blue skinned villain thanked him, cheeks flushing the tiniest bit of dark blue in embarrassment, the younger man glancing over at the sign announcing the coming hill at his words.

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly recommend this hill to someone still getting their snow legs, but I can’t fault you for wanting to jump into the challenge head first!” He replied with a merry laugh.

“Oh, don’t worry, we’ll be very careful. Thank you for your help, Mr...?” Gloria replied, the young man jumping to attention when he realized her pause was requesting and answer and reaching out a hand to shake.

“Oh, just call me Josh! A pleasure to meet you folks!”

He quickly exchanged handshakes with them all, Raz included, as the line to the chair lift drew shorter.

“You certainly seem to know your stuff.” Edgar complemented him, glancing over as Loboto turned his ankle this way and that to look at the ski mechanism in fascination.

“I would certainly hope so, considering all the years I’ve worked here! I know all the ins and outs like the back of my hand!”

“Well isn’t that wonderful. This seems like a splendid place to work.” Gloria replied with a smile.

“Oh it is, I couldn’t be luckier. Oh, looks like it’s you guys turn!”

Turning to look, they found the couple behind them settling into their chair on the lift, the next one incoming. As they stepped up to wait on it, Josh stepped away, giving them a wave as he turned to leave.

“Hopefully I see you guys around! If you’ve got any questions, just let me know. If want to know anything about the lodge or hills, I’m your guy!”

“We definitely will!” Fred called after him, the group raising their arms to wave back, before prepping to climb aboard the lift.

The benches ended up only being able to fit 3 people, so they ended up separated into two groups, Fred, Boyd and Edgar in the first chair, with Raz, Gloria and Caligosto grabbing the second. For the former, the ride up was honestly pretty pleasant and peaceful, the view from up so high showing them a beautiful vista.

“Wow, we really are up high huh?” Boyd, wondered out loud, glancing down over the side of the chair at the forest spread out below them.

“Si, we certainly are. Hmm, I wonder, is this the sort of view you normally have mi amor?” Edgar asked, looking at the lanky man between them with a cheeky smirk. Fred gave the painter an unamused look as on his other side Boyd let out a snorted laugh, breaking into giggles.

“Seriously? Your pulling out the tall guy jokes?”

With a grin and chuckle, the Hispanic man leaned up to give the taller man a peck on the cheek as their other partner leaned against his shoulder in a giggling fit.

“Apologies mi amor, I couldn’t resist.”

In the other chair however, things were going...less pleasantly.

Raz gazed down at the trees below as they rode along, humming some song the piano player in the lobby had been playing. Feeling something bump his leg, he glanced over, seeing Loboto’s legs jittering back and forth enough to jostle against him. Now that he thought about it, the whole man was shaking. Glancing up at the dentist’s face, he found the older man’s gaze fixed straight down at the ground. His hands were fisted in and tugging nervously at the strings of his ski hat (they’d all agreed the shower cap might be a bit too conspicuous), causing the large pop pom on top to bounce rhythmically. And judging by his harsh breathing, the guy was probably about 2 steps away from hyperventilating.

“Um, Loboto?” The young boy asked, seeming to snap the dentist out of his daze, at least partially, both he and Gloria looking over at him.

“Are you ok?”

“Now that I notice, you do seem a bit...tense, dear. Are you feeling alright?” Gloria added gently

“Oh, just fine! Happy as a clam! No reason at all to feel nervous!” He replied exuberantly, the smile on his face horribly forced, eyes darting to the drop below them every few seconds.

Raz stared at him, mind puzzling over the info. The slightly loony man was usually fairly fearless, sometimes to the point of his own peril. So what could have gotten him so stirred up?

Glancing down at the ground far below them, something suddenly clicked in the boy’s head. A memory rose to the front of his mind, one of a night at an asylum what seemed so long ago, and a certain dentist’s supposed demise at the hands of a turtle powered tank. Raz felt the pit of his stomach drop, guilt sweeping over him at the realization.

“Uh, hey, is there any way this about the time you...you know?” Raz asked gently, hand gestures miming the image of a person falling off something, and flinched when the man’s head snapped around to look at him, smile wide.

“What?! No, no, of course not!...Maybe...probably...” He replied, his vibrato visibly deflating as he tried his best not to look down.

“Oh, Loboto dear, it’s alright. There’s nothing to worry about.” Gloria fretted, catching onto the issue and reaching out to pat the blue man’s back.

“Yeah, these ski lifts are like, totally safe!” Raz exclaimed, in an attempt to help.

As though mocking them, the lift jerked for a moment, sending them swinging a bit. Loboto sucked in a sharp breath at the motion, hand instinctively tightening where it had been wrapped lightly around Raz’s forearm in a grip that would definitely be leaving bruises the next day. Gloria grimaced when she saw Raz wince, raising a hand to tap her chin in thought.

“Oh dear, well this isn’t good.”

After a moment an idea hit her, and she leaned over to catch the mad dentist’s gaze smiling gently.

“Loboto dear, have I ever told you about the first time I ever took to the stage?”

The man paused in his panicking, seeming to calm slightly as he gave her a confused look, Raz looking at her in equal confusion but seeming to roll with it.

“Um, not that I’m aware of?”

“Well, let me tell you. I’ve preformed on hundreds of stages of the years, all over the world. The theater was my lifeblood. But the first time I performed in front of people, oh, I was terrified.”

“R-Really?” The man replied, eyes widening.

“Oh, absolutely. It was the worst case of stage fright I ever felt. I was absolutely petrified. My palms were sweaty, my head was spinning. I completely froze up on stage. And that wasn’t the only time. No no, I’ve had stage fright hundreds of times in my career. I almost refused to go on stage for my own awards ceremony, I was so nervous. But let me tell you something very important I’ve learned.”

She leaned in close, taking the man’s hands gently in her own, both he and Raz leaning in in fascination.

“There’s nothing wrong with being afraid. Everyone fears something. I’m scared of messing up on stage, overwhelmingly so. Young Raz here has his own fears, as do you. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Being brave doesn’t mean the absence of fear. Anyone who says so is an idiot. No, to be brave is to look fear in the face and still continue on in spite of it.”

Leaning back, she looked out at the forest surrounding them.

“This really is a lovely view, isn’t it?”

“Yes...Yes I suppose it is.” The dentist replied quietly, gazing out at the landscape around them seemingly with new eyes. He still seemed nervous certainly, gaze fixed firmly on the horizon in an attempt not to look down, but his shaking had stopped and his breathing had steadied. From behind his back, Raz gave the actress two big thumbs up and a grin.

As they neared the peak of the hill, they could the others laughing about something in the chair ahead of them, quickly hurrying off of it to make room as they reached the landing. As soon as it was their turn, Loboto practically threw himself off the ski lift, clearly trying to reach Terra Firma as quickly as possible. Gloria and Raz followed at a more normal rate behind him, pausing for a moment when the boy looked up at her.

“Not gonna lie, that was kinda awesome.”

“Why thank you my dear.” She replied sweetly, before giving him a little grin and leaning in closer as she lowered her voice.

“I’ve had a lot of practice at that speech. You’d be amazed how many new actors and actresses get opening night jitters. Still works like a charm.”

Leaving the boy to sputter in surprise for a moment, she skied on to where the others were waiting at the hills peak.

“So, what’s the plan?” Fred asked, adjusting his feet in the snowboard as Raz caught back up with them.

“Keep together and keep our eyes out for anything suspicious I guess?” The boy replied with a shrug, earning a nod from the rest of the group.

“Sounds like a plan bud.”

After some quick adjustment of clothing, equipment and whatever else, they set off.

It became quickly apparent that none of them were even close to professional skiers, though some were faring better than others. Fred’s muscle memory did seem to be kicking in, handling his snowboard with surprisingly few complications, while Gloria’s seemingly natural graceful-ness was doing her skis well. Raz took a spill every now and them, but likewise, his acrobat training seemed to be translating pretty well to snow-sports.

The others weren’t faring quite as well. Edgar seemed to be developing a habit of falling over onto his back pretty often, his large upper body pulling him over whenever he began to lose his balance, while Boyd seemed to be having the opposite problem, having taken more than a few headers face first into the snow already. Loboto was surprisingly staying up pretty well, perhaps his long legs were to blame for his better balance, but every few second he would begin to weave wildly back and forth on the slope before correcting himself, only for the cycle to repeat again shortly thereafter. The whole lot of them were certainly getting a lot of curious looks from the more advanced skiers that would occasionally pass them, the occasional trail guard they passed seeming even more concerned.

With all the chaos, it’s a wonder any of them ever saw anything.

“Whoa, wait everybody!” Raz suddenly cried about halfway down the trail, skidding to a sudden stop. He was nearly bowled over by the others in their attempts to stop, Edgar managing to fall onto his back once more and slid a few feet past him with an exasperated sigh.

“Dios mio, this is becoming tiring. What’s the matter mi amigo?”

“Look at those trees over there.” He replied, pointing to part of the forest that lined either side of the path. Glancing to where he pointed, they spotted what he seemed to be gesturing to. A swath of low branches in a certain area were snapped and bent, as though something had run into them or pulled them out of the way.

“Yeah, that definitely looks like it could be something.” Boyd replied with the critical eye of a security guard, the whole group moving off the path and towards the woodland to examine them. Upon closer inspection, there was most definitely something amiss. While the branches closer to the path broke inwards towards the forest, others further in seemed to break outwards.

“Hey, what’s that?” Raz asked, squinting further into the woodland. Unhooking himself from the snowboard, he darted further into the trees, moving to the edge of the breakage, and crouching down, seemingly digging around near one large trees roots. After a moment he seemed to free whatever he was holding and started back in the others direction.

“Look at this guys.”

He held it up for them to see, the group leaning in for a closer look. It seemed to be a long scrap of torn fabric, patterned in thick, alternating purple and black stripes, with a flash of gold along one edge.

“What do you guys think it is?” Boyd asked in bewilderment, squinting at the piece. Beside him, Edgar gave a sudden small gasp.

“Wait, didn’t that bartender say that Señorita Pandor wore a jacket in these colors?”

The group gapped at him for a moment before turning back to the scrap with renewed interest.

“Holy hell guys, I think we just found an actual clue.” Fred sputtered in amazement, Raz’s eyes lighting up.

“Hey maybe there’s more stuff to find back there! Come on, let’s go look!” the boy crowed, moving to run back into the trees.

He didn’t get very far though, as the wind suddenly kicked up, nearly knocking him over as it ripped through the trees with a swirl of snow.

“Geeze, I though trees were good for avoiding wind. Come on!”

He tried to take a few more steps forwards, only to get knocked back by another gust, being forced to take a few steps back to the group this time. Quickly the wind began to build, howling around the lot of them and kicking up the snow into near white out conditions.

“Damn, they’ve got some crazy weather in these parts!” Boyd called over the noise, Fred replying as he threw up his arms as much as he could to block his face.

“Not the sort I’ve ever seen before!”

“Wait.”

They all quieted, turning to look over Loboto, who was currently looking around in confusion.

“Now, I may have been called crazy one or twice in the past, but does anyone else hear something odd?”

The group stilled, listening hard over the wind. All at the same time, they seemed to catch it, Fred glancing around the group in sudden nervousness.

“Does that sound like growling to anyone else?”

Indeed, the sound mixed in amongst the howling of the wind was much deeper and guttural, rumbling through the air.

Crack

They all froze at the loud sound of splintering wood, all slowly turning in unison to look deeper into the woods. A shape appeared through the blur of snow, the growling growing louder and the shape becoming clearer as it drew towards them. Eventually it stopped at the edge of the broken branches and their hearts all collectively stopped as they made out what it was.

A massive beast, easily 8 or 9 feet tall, bipedal, and clothed in long white hair, only it’s slightly darker face and palms peeking out through the thick fur. For a long, drawn-out moment, there was nothing but the howling of the wind. The only thing to interrupt it was a tiny, likely instinctual whisper from Raz.

“Holy shit.”

The beast didn’t seem to like that very much and its growl deepened. With one massive hand, it reached up and tore a branch from the tree beside it with the sound of screeching wood, before reaching back and hurling it at the group. With a collective cry of surprise and panic they all managed to throw themselves out of the way of it, the large chunk of wood landing amongst the other broken branches nearby. Its failure seemed to enrage the beast even more and it reached down, clawing and tearing a truly gargantuan chunk of snow up out of the ground. It lifted it up and above its head, clearly reeling back to launch it at them, and Raz let out another, this time very foreign sounding, curse.

“Oh, that looks like a real bad time! Boyd! I’m gonna need some help!”

With that, the boy darted out in front of the rest of the group, the security guard seeming to pick up on his plan and following along behind him. Just as the beast hurled the massive snowball, Raz threw his hands up to conjure a psychic shield, Boyd’s own hands joining just beside his to release a spray of flame outside the barrier just as it contacted.

The snow clump exploded around them. Most of it dissolved into steam under the sudden onslaught of the fire, what remained splattering against the curved wall of psychic force in a spray of water and slush, flying off on either side of the group.

“Where is it?! Can anybody see what it’s doing?!” Raz called out, trying to squint through the cloud of steam now surrounding them.

“I don’t know, I can’t see!” Boyd replied, waving his hands to put out the small flames sparking on his gloves.

As the steam was cleared by the slowly calming wind, Raz blinked in surprise at the scene before him, shield disappearing as he lowered his hands.

The beast had vanished, seemingly into thin air.

For a moment they all simply sat there, most of the group having fallen to the ground in the scramble to get out of harm’s way, the air thick with unspoken disbelief. Till finally, Fred said what they’d all been thinking.

“Was that a goddamn yeti???”

“In my professional dentist opinion...yes.” Loboto replied, staring equally slack jawed at the spot.

“What?? Where did it go?? A beast that big does not simply disappear into thin air??” Edgar sputtered, clambering back to his feet as though a higher viewpoint would somehow reveal the 9 foot tall creatures hiding place.

“I...I don’t...-“

“Oi! What are you lot doing back there!?”

The whole group let out a collection of shrieks and yelps at the sudden shout, whipping around to look behind them.

An older man armed with a hefty walking stick stood at the edge of the ski trail, staring into the woods at them with a grumpy scowl on his face.

“Wha- who are you?!” Raz asked, at a loss for words, and the old man’s expression seemed to sour even further.

“Ambrose. I’m the grounds keeper here. And I should be asking you the same thing!”

“Did...Did you see...?” Boyd asked, dazed by his seeming unconcern for the fucking yeti that had been in front of them 20 seconds before. The old man leaned to glance at the place he was gesturing to, brow creasing.

“See? I don’t see anything. All I see is a bunch of troublemakers putzing about in the woods. Get out of there! You’re supposed to stay on the trail!”

Like a bunch of scolded children, they all quickly gathered themselves and scurried back out onto the path in front of the man, who pointed an angry finger at them.

“Now don’t let me go catchin you messing about in there again, understood?”

They all obediently nodded and, seemingly satisfied, he turned away with a nod, grumbling the likes of “people these days” as he slowly hiked further up the path.

“...Ok, so we’re all in agreement that we gotta tell the rest of the gang about that right?” Fred asked, seemingly still dumbfounded, and was answered by a chorus of nods.

The rest of the trip down the hill was largely uneventful. Somehow, an encounter with a mythical creature has seemingly improved their snow-sports skills, and they managed not to have any more major spills on the rest of the way down the mountain. The sun was setting by the time they reached the bottom and, after getting their equipment situated, the six ventured back through the main lodge in search of their three companions.

They did eventually find them back in the lounge, tucked away in a corner table with their drinks.

“Ah, hello everyone!” Milla greeted them with a smile and wave as they made their way over.

“Did you have a good day out on the slopes?”

“Uh, yeah, it was, uh, pretty, pretty good.” Fred replied, sharing a look with others.

“How’s about you guys?”

Sasha gestured for them to sit, voice lowered as he spoke.

“Well, we looked over Ms. Pandor’s room and it was just as empty as we’d been told. Not a trace of her. The only things we found was the Psychonauts bug she put in the rooms phone when she got here. Which means that she likely didn’t leave willingly, if she didn’t have the chance to remove it. That or she simply forgot it when she left.”

“Yeah, and that sort of absentminded-ness doesn’t sound like her. Girl might leave her workspace a mess, but I’ve been on missions with her before, and she’s a neat freak when it comes to hotels and stuff. All the tidying she does, she probably leaves them cleaner than it was when she got there. Gotta ask her if she’s got some sort of service industry trauma from college or something...” Oleander added, trailing off into rambling at the end.

“So did you six find anything out on the slopes?”

The group glanced at each other and eventually it was Gloria who haltingly began, realizing just how insane what she was about to say was going to sound.

“Well, there may have been a bit of an incident out on the trails...”

“We got attacked by a yeti!” Raz suddenly blurted, bringing the conversation to a screeching halt. Sasha turned to look at him with a truly flummoxed expression, seemingly completely thrown for a loop at the boys’ words.

“...R...Run that by me again??”

“Well, it’s a bit of a long story.” Boyd replied with a sigh.

It took quite a while to explain the events that had befallen them all, added to by the fact that dinner arrived in the middle of it, but eventually they got the whole incident out in the open, the three senior agents staring at them in bewilderment by the end.

“Are you sure it wasn’t some sort of polar bear or something? Those things can get big as hell when they’re on their hind legs.” Oleander offered and Gloria shook her head.

“Now I know how this all sounds, Agent Oleander, but we know what we saw, and that was most definitely not a bear.”

“Plus, we found this!” Raz added, reaching into his jacket and pulling out the fabric scrap, handing it over to the trio.

“The bartender we talked to said he saw her wearing a coat like that!”

“Well, I’ll admit, this definitely looks like Tanny’s sorta style.” Oleander admitted with a shrug, handing it over to Sasha to look at.

“Regardless of what this beast you saw might be, there is most definitely more going on here than a simple wayward agent.” The german acquiesced.

“Well, how’s about we all get a good night sleep and continue the investigation tomorrow. You all must be exhausted.” Milla offered kindly and Edgar gave a groan as he stretched, back popping loudly.

“After the beating we took out there, you don’t know the half of it Ms. Milla.”

Luckily for them, their rooms at the lodge were, just like the rest of the property, amazing. They’d been separated across 4 adjacent, and connected, rooms, with the senior agents sharing one and the former asylum members another, leaving Loboto and Raz to bunk solitarily. Their mother organization had, knowing and being blessedly supportive all sorts of relationships, even been kind enough to book the four a California King, while Sasha, Milla and Oleander were more than happy to settle for a King.

“Ugh, we literally just started doing spy stuff and I already feel like an old man waiting for retirement.” Fred groaned, stretching and feeling some muscle in his back twinge.

“Hehe, implying you aren’t already an old man.” Edgar teased him with a chuckle from where he was kneeling in massage position over the lanky man’s hips, his own aching back already having been kindly tended to by Gloria before her bath.

“Hey, keep up that talk and I’ll have to revoke smooching privileges.” The counselor shot back, pointing a finger over his shoulder threateningly at the larger man, even as he melted blissfully beneath he ministrations of the artist’s talented hands. Edgar finally managed to work out the last knot at the base of the man’s spine and Fred gave a little groan of relief, going boneless on the mattress beneath him.

“You boys better not be having too much fun in there without me!” Gloria called from the bathroom and Edgar laughed, smoothing his hands lovingly up and down the thinner man’s back a few times before climbing off him.

“Alright, all done. Time to move mi amor.”

Fred gave a little grumble that sounded a lot like “Sleepy. Don’t wanna.” and the painter rolled his eyes fondly, grabbing him and, like an owner with a lazy puppy, simply dragged him out of the way, patting the spot that opened up.

“Your turn.” He called over to Boyd, who’d been looking out onto the rooms snow covered balcony that overlooked the lodge’s main square, and the guard abandoned his post with a grin.

“Oh thank goodness.” He replied, shucking his shirt off and flopping onto the bed with a sigh, sending the nearby Fred bouncing slightly. He gave another grateful sigh as he folded his arms beneath his head and Edgar set to work.

“Damn, today was a crazy day. The more I think about it the less it makes sense.” He mused, earning a snorted laugh from a slightly more awake Fred as the man reached out to run a sleepy hand through the guard’s hair.

“That’s an understatement.”

“Well, I must admit, I find it all a little bit exciting.”

The three men glanced back to find Gloria emerging from the large bathroom, dressed in a fluffy towel and currently braiding her long damp hair.

“Yes, there’s a been a bit of danger I suppose, but what adventure doesn’t have some danger?”

“Sure as hell beats grading papers at least.” Fred agreed, earning a collective laugh.

“Would you like one when I’m done, mi bella?” Edgar asked, gesturing to the massage in progress, and Gloria shook her head, stooping down to give him a kiss on the cheek regardless.

“No, but it’s sweet of you to ask.”

Soon enough they all found themselves properly prepared for bed, lights flipped off, and beneath the plush covers of the bed, tangling together in the warm heap they’d so quickly become accustomed to.

“Goodnight you guys. Love you.” Fred murmured sleepily, answered by a small chorus of similar sentiments.

Before long, the four found themselves drifting off, eager to see what new, and potentially yeti-related, adventures awaited them in the morning.

#psychonauts #psychonautssecretsanta2020 #you guys wanna split a cab #lobotoly #calimorry #sasha/milla/oleander #god knows what their actual ship name is #razputin aquato #sasha nein #milla vodello #morceau oleander #caligosto loboto #gloria von gouton #edgar teglee #boyd cooper #fred bonaparte #Plus a whole mess of OC's #secret santa #My writing

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data-demon · 7 months

Text

#pj harvey #thom yorke #stories from the city stories from the sea #as always 10 secs silence in the beginning #+

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soft-boy-writes · 4 years

Text

A Pen..?

Sero Hanta X Reader

Word Count: 2,401

Warnings: NSFW, Hair Pulling, Biting, Degradation

A/N/: Welcome to our next sever collab everyone!!! I worked really hard on this and I hope you all enjoy!!! I had a lot of fun writing this, especially because it’s Sero! Thank you so much for reading! Now, onto the text!

Delicate hands pulled the ends of the ribbon, and you watched as the bow slowly collapsed into itself. You lifted up the lid and were surprised to see pink crinkle paper. Your fingers digged around inside of the surprisingly cute packaging until your fingers grazed something thin and small. At first you jolted in surprise. You were new to this after all. It wasn't everyday you signed up for sex with a random stranger. You sighed. You needed to get your nerves under control. Pulling the unknown object out you looked at it.

A confused expression formed across your face. "A pen?..", you said aloud. That's it?.. It was a standard black ballpoint pen. Something you'd see in a bank or on a teacher's desk. You sighed and placed it onto the side of your desk. That couldn't be all there was... You dug around some more and smiled when you touched something that felt like paper. Pulling it out, you got a better look at it. It was a note and a pretty looking one too... It had a beautiful reflective rose gold colored cover and intricate details of Sakura petals could be found hidden beneath the surface of the iridescent film.

Whoever sent it clearly wanted to make an impression. After staring at it, for probably way too long, you flipped it open. It was a pretty straight forward letter that gave a thank you and listed an address along with a phone number. Your eyes widened a bit. You took another look at the address... Wait! You looked closer, wiping your eyes to double check. Wasn't it Sero's address!? As in your neighbor Sero?! As in Sero Hanta!?

Your face grew warm. What was he thinking?! What were you thinking?.. Did he know!? Oh god if he knew you'd just about die... You groaned. You would've felt better if it had been a scam. Whining, you took another look at the address. Yeah... it was Sero's... You wanted to be disappointed but at the same time... You did always think he was a cutie. His wide smile and kind attitude made it hard for him to not be. You had actually formed quite the hard crush on him since he moved into your apartment complex 7 months ago. This could be your chance. A really good one too... There was only one choice to make from here....

Your fingers trembled over the call button on your phone.You needed to calm down. It was only a call... You took a deep breath and stared at the glowing screen. What would you say? He definitely would recognize your voice over the phone! Wouldn't he? Before your thoughts persisted any further, you felt your phone begin to vibrate in your hands and jumped, causing you to drop it onto the floor. Taking a moment to recollect yourself, you looked down to see who had been calling you.It was the number you had dialed! You quickly answered the phone, flustered that you had been spooked by something like that.

"A-ah! Yes?..", you asked, the shakiness in your voice present. “Hello?..”, a familiar voice spoke from the other line. Shitshitshitshitshit! It was his number! You bit into your lip nervously. What were you supposed to say? ‘Oh hey, you’re talking to your neighbor. The one who lives two apartments down. Yeah I was just looking for a good fucking!’-No! “Hello?..”, Sero asked again after not receiving an answer. “U-um, yeah?”, you spoke anxiously. He laughed. Was he uncomfortable too. “So… uh… I got your number after receiving an email that you had gotten the package?..” It was more of a question than an answer.

“Uh, y-yeah… I… received it…” Did he know it was you?.. “Ah! Good! Sorry if it was weird to call you. I just figured it’d be easier if I contacted you… I thought it might make you more comfortable…”, he explained. You smiled a little. He was always so considerate. “So when should we meet?”, he asked. Fuck, you forgot about the sex part for a moment. Your heart raced but you took a deep breath. You were already in deep, might as well go an extra mile. You put on your most confident voice and spoke clearly. “I can meet you soon…”, you spoke as you stood up and walked into your room.

Placing your phone on your dresser, you clicked on the speaker button. You opened up your top drawer. It was filled with beautiful lingerie sets. “Oh? Really? What time should I be over? Or are you coming to my place?”, he asked. Tapping on your chin, you hummed in thought. “Maybe… In ten minutes?” He made a sound of surprise. “T-ten minutes?! A-are you close enough to get to me with that much time?”, he asked. You laughed a little. He was so cute!

“Yeah, just let me get changed and I’ll be over in a sec.”. You replied. “O-oh, should I um… Hang up?” Seriously? He was going to see you naked soon and that’s what he’s worried about. Your lips curled into a smile once more. To think, you were so nervous a few moments ago… This was Sero for crying out loud. One of the sweetest guys you’ve ever met. He was an absolute gentleman. “No, don’t worry, it’ll be quick.”

He let out a small ‘Okay’ and you began to undress. You had chosen one of your more simple sets, a short, silky, off-white slip with lace details along the v-neck neckline and bottom hemline. You paired it with a white garter set and lace stockings. To top it off, you slipped on a dusty pink a-line dress that stopped at your mid thigh. “Are you still there?”, you asked as you pulled some deep red kitten heels. “Oh! Yes! I am!”, he replied quickly. You quickly checked yourself over in the mirror and gave a soft sigh. Okay… It was finally time.

You grabbed your phone and the pen, stepping out of your apartment and closing it behind you. It only took two minutes of silence before you arrived in front of his door. “I’m here…”, you said quietly. You heard shuffling and ended the call. The door opened and there he was. “Sero…”, you spoke and looked into his eyes. He blushed darkly and his lips trembled. “Oh fuck me.”, he said in shock. You smiled. “Well that is what I’m here for!”, you said with a giggle. He averted his eyes and began to stutter. “How did you- Where did you- Me? Know?-” You stepped forward as he frantically spoke and pressed a finger to his lips. Pressing your body against his, you slid a hand up and rested on his shoulder, your other one getting dangerously close to the zipper of his pants. “Shhh… I’ll tell you later but for now, I think we should just get started.”, you whispered to him.

He sucked in a breath when he felt you press your fingers against his crotch. You hummed confidently and gently pushed him back into his unit, quickly turning back to lock the door. In an instant, you were being pressed against it and gasped when you felt his fingers dig into your thighs and hoist you up. Your back arched and you looked up at him. To think, he was so submissive a few seconds ago. He gave you a cocky smile. Shit. That was hot. You felt a heat begin to pool between your thighs and let out a surprised moan when his lips attacked your neck. Your eyes rolled back and you closed them tightly. Biting your lip, you smiled and tugged at the T-shirt he wore. “Excited?..”, you asked through a breathy moan. He only grunted and you laughed. “I’ve been wanting to fuck you since you brought cookies over in those tight pajama shorts.”, he spoke into your neck and moved up to bite into the cartilage of your ear.

Your legs tightened around his waist and tugged at his hair. “F-fuck. You mean the ones that ride up all the time?”, you asked, a shiver running down your spine. You couldn’t believe this was happening. And that it felt so good. “Yeah those fucking ones.”, he replied, this time biting into your neck. That was it, you need more. You brought your hands to the sides of his face and tugged it up to yours, messily kissing his lips. He moaned instantly and you gasped. His tongue brushed against yours and you gave him access. He wrapped his appendage around yours in a smooth motion, melting into the kiss more and more. You gripped his hair and desperately began to grind your hips against his, eager for some sort of friction. A hand of his found a way to your chest and he roughly squeezed a tit. You moaned even more and whined when he pulled his lips away. He chuckled, a string of saliva still connecting you two. Your lips were now chapped from the kiss and the lipgloss you wore had smudged, making its way onto his lips instead.

“I would take you right here but think I’ll save that for some other time.”, he spoke and lifted you up and away from the door. You held onto him and he carried you over to his room. He shut the door with his foot and placed you onto the ground. You didn’t wait another moment and your fingers jolted forward to the hem of his shirt. You tugged it upwards to remove it. He raised his arms and allowed you to take it off. You held in a breath when you got a look at his chest. “Holy hell, you’re built like an ox.”, you said without thinking and he bit back a smile. Reaching out, you trailed your fingers over his chest and brought them down to his abdomen. He shivered at your touch and you kept note of it. You brought a hand down to his crotch once again only this time keeping it there.

Your fingers rubbed against the tight denim of his jeans and you licked your lips hungrily. You hadn’t even seen it but you wanted a taste. Unzipping his jeans and pulling down his boxers, you watched as his cock sprang free. You almost moaned when you saw how big he was. You felt your pussy tighten at the thought of him entering you and wrapped a hand around him. “You’re fucking huge.”, you said and began to gently move your hand. His head fell back and he moaned. He had to be at least 10 inches and definitely girthy. “Can I lick it?” you asked. You could practically feel your mouth watering. He could only nod, his eyes shut tightly.

You brought yourself down to your knees and stared up at his swollen red tip. It looked delicious. You gave an experimental lick and he gasped. His fingers flung into your hair and you smiled. “So sensitive…”, you murmured against him. “I wonder how many times you've thought about this. About me sucking your giant needy cock.”, you teased. He whined. A good response. You licked again, starting from the base and making your way to the top. “Ah, fuck…”, he moaned once more. It sounded so beautifully sinful coming from him. Deciding against taking any longer, you took him into your mouth. He gasped. “Shit!”, he sighed and you hummed around him. He made your mouth so full. You stared up at him, a blissed out expression worn on his face.

Fuck you wanted to see more of that, but before you could move on your own, his hands tangled into your hair and he began to use your mouth. He looked down at you. “Fuck you’re taking it all.”, he panted out. “I bet you like this too, don’t you?”, he asked but chuckled. “Oh wait, your mouth is full. It’d be rude of me to expect an answer.”, he continued. You moaned around him. He was using you so well. Your fingers shifted down and under your dress, meeting your dripping cunt. You moaned once more when you finally gave yourself the contact you needed. “Fuck you’re touching yourself.”, he moaned more. You rolled the tips of your pointer and middle fingers against your clit and whined. He was so deep in your mouth. His dick slipped in and out with ease, your saliva collecting over his shaft and dripping onto his balls.

“Oh fuck..! Keep going like that!”, he groaned and pulled your head closer. His speed increased and you choked a bit. He halted for a second but watched as your eyes pleaded for him to give you more. Anything. Everything. You pulled your underwear to the side and inserted two fingers inside of yourself, humming in satisfaction. You were so helplessly wet. He grunted and watched as you fingered yourself. “Keep doing that. Ah- shit. Cum for me you slut.”, he moaned. You blushed darkly at his words fucked yourself faster. The pressure of your orgasm building up. “Come on. Keep going. I wanna see you cum from sucking my dick.”, he encouraged with a groan. Your mouth hung open as he quickened his pace even further. “Come on… Cum for me… Ah shit..!”, he moaned. Your fingers sunk all of the way in and your moaned clenching around them. You were gonna cum.. Fuck! You were so close! Sero shoved his dick all the way into your mouth and you let out a muffled scream. You curled your fingers against your g spot, eyes rolled back. You were cumming!

Sero followed you and groaned loudly. “Ah! Fuuuck!”, he cried out. You pushed him all the way down your throat, swallowing and sucking as his seed spilled into you. His thrusts slowed and eventually he pulled out of your mouth. You looked up at him in a daze and he breathed heavily. He smiled but it wasn’t the cute smile you had been used to seeing. This one was sexy, confident. It sent an excited chill up your spine. “If you think I’m finished with you, then you're wrong.”, he said and wiped his chin with the back of his wrist. You trembled at his next words.

“Cause I’m not stopping until you can’t walk. After all... you still need your night in heaven.”

#sero x reader #n*fw #sero n*fw #server collab #support other writers #writers supporting writers #im going to hell #im sorry

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hyper-super-clover · 3 years

Text

Trouble in Devildom Town, Part 1/3

In this short story, our dear Leviathan is back with another one of his “hey I teleport you Normies into a game world”- kinda games. What will the happen inside the world of the game “Trouble in Terrorist Town”??

This story contains two OCs/ MCs, so if you´d like to know more about the girls Violet and Clover, you can check out their character designs & descriptions on my blog :D

Hope you´ll have fun on this three-parted adventure!

Approximate reading time: 10~15 minutes

Words: 3.156 words

It was a calm, neat Saturday evening, when a new message hit the "House of Lamentation" group chat...

Leviathan:

OMGGGGGG

GUYS (and girls LOL)

YOU NEED TO COME OVER TO MY ROOM ASAP

Satan:

Mammon:

To your room? Seriously?!

Asmodeus:

I can't remember having Levi calling us over ever before... What's going on??

Leviathan:

LESS TALKING, MORE COMING OVER.

Lucifer:

I do hope for you this matter is worth the ruckus...

Clover:

We'll be there in a sec!

And so, the whole mansion's population found themselves in the third-born's room a few minutes later.

"Levi..." Being the last one to step inside the crowded room, Belphegor was rubbing his eyes in a tired manner. "Would you tell us what's going on now...?"

However, Leviathan wasn't really going to answer any of their questions.

Instead, he was prompting his guests to close the door, his gaze drifting over all of them.

Lucifer crossed his arms.

"This maniac expression on your face is highly worrying, Levi," Lucifer said.

Levi turned towards his computer, hectically mashing his keyboard, clicking on several pop-ups that appeared on his monitors, before finally turning around to properly face them.

He wore a crazy smile.

"Dammit, Levi," Mammon burst out, "I'm not in the mood for your weird shi-"

Ignoring him, Levi spoke in his best terrifying voice.

"I welcome you..."

Before anyone could react, he pressed a last key, then the monitors emitted such a strong light that all of them had to close their eyes.

Slowly able to see again, the nine of them suddenly found themselves in a little shack.

"What... What happened...?" Violet was the first one to take a proper look around. "Where are we?!"

Leviathan's laugh pulled them out of their confusion. He spread his arms triumphantly.

"Welllcome tooo....

Trouble in Terrorist Town, the special, virtual reality but actually it's true reality -edition!!"

"Trouble in... What?" Mammon asked.

"Wait..." Clover was searching for Levi's attention. "I know this game, I've played TTT before. But why are we... really here?"

Satan shot his otaku brother a glare.

"Is this one of your real life games that you are only allowed to leave when you win??"

"Kind of," Levi laughed. "Don't worry though, if you die here, you don't die for real. You'll get kicked into a spectator lobby and we'll all respawn together once the round is over."

The oldest brother gave a stressed sigh.

"Really, now..." Lucifer rubbed his temples in distress. "Why do you always force us into playing your games without asking first...?"

"Well... I feared all of you would say no if I did" Levi responded, actually in a slightly sad tone.

When Lucifer breathed another sigh, they heard Asmo giving a weird squeal.

"Look at our outfits tho~!" he hummed.

He was standing in front of a partly broken mirror, posing while blowing his reflection some hot kisses.

"A simple black, military look, slightly armoured just at the right places... And oh my, tight clothes just show all those curves and perfections of my astonishing body..."

As he was looking around to find someone who would agree with him, his eyes landed on Clover.

"Isn't that right, darling~?"

The girl didn't even look at him.

Instead, she was staring at somebody else with a heavy blush covering her face.

"Y-yeah... Curves and... Perf... Perfection..."

Asmo wouldn't need to, but nonetheless he followed her gaze to find the sixth-born.

Of course, Beelzebub noticed this piercing glare that laid on him, but (fortunately for the girl), he was too pure to correctly interpret the thirst behind it.

"Huh? Clover? Are you not feeling well? You look like you have a fever..."

He hurried over to check that her face was truly burning hot, and of course only getting warmer now that he was this close, in this soldier like, perfect, absolutely stunning uniform that just-

"GUYS!!"

Thankfully, Leviathan saved the girl from passing out.

"The game is about to start soon and you don't even know the rules!!"

With a little frown, Violet leaned against the wooden wall that Satan was already rested against.

"So we're really going to play this crazy game...?" she mumbled so only the blond could hear.

She gained a chuckle.

"I guess so..." Satan whispered. "Although I must say, weird and extreme as they may be, but Levi's games can be quite amusing if you just go with the flow."

She mustered him, then a smile spread on her face as well.

"Well, I guess we should take all the opportunities we can to do crazy stuff while Clover and I are here in the Devildom."

Before Satan could answer, Levi threw a pebble at them.

"You listen as well, Normie!!"

Then, he finally went to explain the rules...

"In our group of nine, there are three that are not like the rest...

They are traitors.

They work as a trio, trying to kill all the other players in order to win the game.

But who are they, you ask yourself?

Well, that is a thing only they know, and THE thing the innocent one's have to find out.

To their guidance is the almighty detective.

Unlike the traitors, the detective can, or should, reveal his role so that the remaining players, called the 'innocents', can protect him better.

Then, logically, the innocents' and detective's goal is to find the three traitors and eliminate them.

When the game starts, we may run out of this shack and will have additional two minutes to spread over the map. Keep in mind that in those two minutes it is impossible to harm your co-players, but after that, it's time for war.

The map is covered with all sorts of weapons that may help you in the epic fights we will have.

But behold!

Both, the traitors and the detective, have access to special weapon shops, where they can, any time, any place, trade achievement points for super cool, limited items to grant their victory!

On your wrists, a health bar will appear, but you can only see your own. Once your life points reach zero, you will be put into said spectator lobby and may follow the game like ghosties in the sky! Then you will also see who has which role."

Levi took a look around after having finished.

"Any other questions?"

Belphie raised his hand.

"Do the traitors know who the other traitors are? Or can they kill each other?"

"Very good questions! They know of each other, but they may also kill each other if it gives any tactical advantages. Their goal is to have at least one traitor alive at the end of the game while the rest is dead.

Ah, I forgot to say...! If an innocent person or the detective kills another innocent one, they will die as well, as a penalty."

After a round of silence, everyone looked as if they were ready.

"Good to go?" Levi checked one last time.

Gaining nods as an answer, a big smile grew on Levi's face.

"Alright!!! Then...

Let's begin!!!"

The players were just about all out of the shack when the game officially started.

A giant countdown manifested in the bright sky of day that, judging by the bright sunlight, must have been the sky of the human world.

Two minutes were slowly ticking down.

Levi was pointing up at the clock...

"After this preparation time starts the overall time of one hour. If that time is over, the innocents will win as well. But for every person the traitors kill, they gain five minutes to add to the counter."

... And then he pointed down on his arm.

"You should all see a role written on here. And the traitors will see two other player's names on here as well."

He gained a round of hesitant nods.

"Our player names are displayed above our heads. Be careful, they might reveal your position if you're not hiding well enough."

They heard Belphie snort with laughter.

He pointed above Mammon's head.

"'StupidMammon'? I like that name, it's better than your real one!"

"Huh?!" Mammon looked up to see it himself. "WhAT?! Levi, did you give me this shitty name AGAIN?!??"

"Lolololol, sorry Mammon, I had to."

Kind of automatically, everyone needed to check their names before doing anything else.

Lucifer raised an eyebrow.

"Most of our names are normal, though... We have Beel, Belphie, I am 'Lucifer' as usual..."

"Yep! I am Levi-chan, and the Normies are Violet-chan and Clover-chan."

"What an honour to have a naming scheme fitting your name," Violet smiled.

"Well, I felt kind today. Don't push your luck, or I'll change it into Normie #1 and Normie #2 for the next round."

O moment later, Satan gave a sigh.

"... Why am I called 'Stan'?"

Levi looked at his name.

"... Oh. Must be a typo lololol"

The others laughed a little, while the Avatar of Wrath tried to contain his displease, but out of all, Asmo seemed to find it the most amusing.

Which was weird, because he was completely ignoring the fact that his nickname wasn't normal either, but there was an extra fat "Ass-mo" written above his head...

After a round of getting used to the sensation of being inside a video game, Violet clasped her hands to finally get things started.

"Could we get going? There's only less then a minute left before the friendly fire wears off."

Very grateful for helping to get the game going, Levi was about to dismiss everyone, when he remembered one important detail.

"WAIT!!" he screamed.

"What?! I wanna go already...!" Asmo whined.

Levi looked around.

"The most important role!! Who's the detective?!"

Everybody shot each other glances, then, finally, a little "ah!" caught their attention.

Their gazes landed on Mammon.

"There's 'detective' written on my left arm, so I guess it's me?"

"WHAT?!" Levi pressed out. "OH, MAN....! Why does it have to be MAMMON?!"

"Well, I guess the innocents are on their own, then," Satan agreed to Levi's resignation.

"With Mammon as the most powerful innocent, the traitors have a clear advantage," Lucifer agreed, too.

"Aw, maaan, and I was hoping for an exciting first round..." Asmo pouted, of course, in agreement.

The white haired male gave a growl.

"H-hey!!! Don't be like this, I'll kill those traitor bitches in no time!!"

But no one was listening.

In a collective sigh, all the others automatically started to move, not a single soul feeling the need to stick to the one person they knew was one of the good ones.

"Hey!!" Mammon called out again. "Aren't ya innocents s'posed to guard me?! Where are y'all going?!?!"

... But no one was listening.

"Grr... Just you wait...! I'll slay this game!!"

And with that, he turned to follow behind Lucifer and Violet, whining and screaming at them to wait for him, only to see how Lucifer was fastening his step.

Walking through the deserted village and onto a wide, open area, Clover soon felt her fear of being chased kick in.

Somehow, she had ended up all by herself, but that only made stumbling about so much worse.

But now, as she turned her head to check if someone was following her, she saw how Satan had been trying to follow her in silence.

As they locked eyes, however, he greeted her with a smile and went up to her as if nothing had happened.

"... Hi," Clover mumbled carefully.

"Please don't mind my behaviour," the blond said while gesturing to continue walking together. "I still have to figure out how to properly behave in this situation. I mean, it's not every day that we suddenly face each other as maybe allies, maybe enemies... right?"

The girl shot him a sceptical glance.

"Well, that's true... But if your goal is to not appear suspicious, then... Don't to that again. Just a friendly little piece of advice."

Satan laughed.

"Yes, my apologies. You see, you have mentioned you know this game, so I found it best to stick to you."

They halted as they found a pistol laying on a boulder nearby, a package of ammunition right next to it.

Both of them were hesitating, then Satan turned around to continue.

"You take it," he said, obviously trusting that Clover wouldn't shoot his back right this instant.

Well this, or he was already bearing a weapon...

"I've seen people play this game lots," Clover continued the conversation. "I know how everything works, but I'm afraid I'm pretty bad at all the aiming stuff..."

The two reached a weird cliff that parted the land in a huge gap, no ground to be seen in the huge depths. One of those super unstable-looking wooden bridges was leading to the other side.

The platform on the other side was rather small, with only a few buildings in the middle of it.

Satan held his chin in a contemplative manner.

"I bet there must be some rare items waiting for those who would go that far and cross the bridge..."

Clover gave a nod.

"Probably... Welp, you can get the stuff, I have terrible fear of heights, so I'm not going over that wobbly bridge thingy."

The girl was about to leave again, but the male got hold of her wrist.

"No, you're coming with me."

"What?! Why?"

He searched for her eyes.

"Look. I trust that you're innocent, and I ask you to trust me, too. I could have already killed you if I wanted to, when you were all alone. But we need to work together if we want to stand a chance against the traitors and whatever special weapons they might have."

He made a little pause while the girl fought with herself to make up her mind.

"Please," he said again.

Finally, Clover gave an annoyed grunt.

"Fiiiine..." she grumbled. So, she pointed at the bridge. "But you go first... Mister Stan."

She stressed his nickname in a manner to mock him.

Satan looked at her for a moment, dazzled, then he turned around and could only give a breathy laugh.

"See, now you can be sure that I am innocent. Because if I was allowed to kill you just now, I definitely would have."

"Oooh, Leviii!"

Asmo was nearly doing little jumps while trotting alongside the third-born. His excitement was visible, but very odd, and of course Leviathan noticed that his brother was acting strange.

"Asmo, for Lord Diavolo's sake, what's wrong with you?!"

Putting on his best puppy eyes, Asmo looked at him all innocent.

"Eeh? Shouldn't you be happy that somebody actually enjoys your weird games for once?"

Levi growled in response, moving through the deserted village with such care, as if death could be waiting behind every next corner.

... Well, it could, yes, but his super secret agent act was just... a little too much...

"Sure, but... You're almost TOO excited about this. A little shady, if you ask me... Like, out of all games, why would one where we kill each other be one to wake your interest?!"

He gained a dramatic rolling-of-eyes.

"Oh, please, Levi! It's not the killing or tactical contemplation that gets me excited... But think about the potential that this scenario bears!"

They peeked inside one of the empty houses.

There were two weapons inside, a crowbar and a shotgun without ammunition.

Breaking the nearest window, Levi climbed inside to pick them up, and was kind enough to give Asmo the crowbar even though he hasn't done anything worth gaining it (as Asmo had even been too scared to get a cut from climbing through the broken window so he didn't move an inch).

"What potential, exactly?" Levi asked, more because he felt like Asmo would pressure him into asking that anyway.

Glad that he could continue his speech, Asmo placed a dramatic hand on his forehead.

"The potential for drama, Levi!! Just imagine... us lonely wolves lumbering through the streets, and our maidens Violet and Clover shivering in fear!"

He changed his pose, wrapping his arms around himself as if hugging someone.

"Oh, whom should they trust?? Their hearts, their minds, or just nobody at all?!"

Then, he suddenly grabbed Levi by his shoulders, getting pretty close to his face.

"Love blooms in times of war, Levi! And I will take every chance I can to see those flowers in their full beauty!"

Silence.

Then, Levi gave an exhausted sigh.

"... Can you please go away...?"

And Asmo let go of him.

"Tsk. Okay, if you're not mentally able to understand the depth of my words, then I shall find a better place to fulfill my tasks...!"

"Sooo, Beel, where you wanna go?"

The twins were already out of town, kind of heading towards the edge of a nearby forest.

The taller one seemed to be searching for something.

Then, he held his stomach.

"I'm... Hungr-"

"No, don't even say it" Belphie sighed. "Are you, really? Even inside a game?"

Beel only gave a pout, so Belphie continued after a while.

"Well, if we must secure you won't go on a rampage and destroy the whole game, then the forest might be the best place to find something for you."

And so, Belphie continued heading straight towards the green.

After a while, however, Belphie noticed how his brother wasn't following any more.

Turning around, Beel had stopped completely and was looking off into the distance behind them.

When Belphegor asked him what was wrong, the other male slowly shook his head.

"Where did everyone run off to?" Beel asked. "I can't see any of the other players..."

"Hm... I saw Violet, Lucifer and Mammon go into the forest as well... Asmo and Levi seemed to have stayed near the village... And I don't know where Satan has gone."

Now Beel turned his head.

"And Clover?"

"Uhm... She went somewhere... there, I think. I heard her talk with Levi when we left, but it seemed like she wasn't going to stay with him."

"So she's all alone right now?"

Belphie got a little confused over Beel's worried expression.

"Well, maybe. But she could be a traitor, so why are you so worried about her?"

Beelzebub's gaze drifted away again.

"I just... Don't like that thought." He snapped back at his smaller brother. "And by the way, you could be a traitor as well."

Belphie leaned back in a carefree manner.

"Yeah, but I told you I'm not. You don't believe me? I believe you're innocent, too!"

Beel gave a little sigh.

"But you can read me like a book, even if I tried lying to you..."

They kept standing there in a little silence.

Then, without further ado, Beel grabbed his brother by his arm, turned around, and kept going into a different direction.

"Beel, what are you...?! Weren't you hungry?! What about the forest??"

"... I sense food over there. Don't worry, and let's get going."

#obey me #obey me fanfic #obey me shall we date #obeyme #obey me oc #obey me mc #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me levi #obey me satan #obey me asmo #obey me beel #obey me belphie #violet #clover #fanfic #trouble in terrorist town

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angstysebfan · 4 years

Text

If You Love Me, Why Did You Hurt Me? 8/10

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader Other Avengers Mentioned: Tony, Natasha, Steve Warnings: cursing

Summary: You dated Bucky for 5 wonderful years! You thought he was the one! Then, without reason, he ends your relationship, and gets a new girlfriend 2 days later! While you are both Avengers, you still have to see him, and his girlfriend.

Series Masterlist

Bucky stands outside your room, after leaving. Tears still pouring from his eyes as he hears your sobs from the other side of the door. He really thought that you would forgive him and would take him back. He even had the ring he picked out for you in his hoodie pocket. But now he knows what an idiot he was. He hurt you more than he ever thought possible. He hated himself. Steve was right, if he loved you, he needed to leave you alone and be happy. He just didn’t know how long he could last without you.

____________________________________________________________

You wake up the next morning feeling hungover. But you knew it wasn’t from alcohol, since you didn’t drink anything, it was from the amount of tears you cried from your talk with Bucky. What were you going to do about him?

You told him you were going to move out and live with Aaron, but you are not sure if that is the answer. You needed advice, and you knew who to get it from. You get out of bed and head down to the lab, where you knew he would be working.

Tony was busy re calibrating his Ironman suit, when you walked in. “Hey Tony, you got a sec?” you ask as you walk in the door. Tony turns to you with a smile that turns to a concerned look once he sees your face.

“What happened kiddo? What did Barnes do now? I’m not afraid to kick his ass out of here!” Tony says angrily.

You shake your head, “No, we talked last night, and emotions ran high, and now I really need advice before I make a decision I might regret.”

“Well now I am even more concerned. Come sit.” Tony motions to the stool next to him and gives you his undivided attention. You tell him everything that happened last night. From Aaron asking you to move in with him, to your emotional conversation with Bucky. All the while tears coming down your face.

When you finish your whole story, you look at Tony. “What should I do? I think Aaron is right about living here with Bucky. I don’t think it’s healthy for me because I do love him, but how can I just forgive and forget something like that? But at the same time, I have only known Aaron a few weeks, and I am not sure if the feelings I have are more friend based or romantic based. How can I move in and give him hope when I have the potential to break his heart?”

Tony looks at you with his eyebrows raised. “Wow, kid. Your life is just one big soap opera. I really should sell it to TV stations and make some money on this.” You glare at Tony.

“I’m sorry, just trying to lighten the mood. Anyway, I don’t think you should move in with this Aaron guy. I agree that you might set him up for heartbreak, but also I am not sure how I feel about him moving so fast in the relationship. Makes me not trust him.”

You roll your eyes at Tony’s last words. “However, as much as it pains me, because I would miss you so much. I think you are right. If being this close to Barnes all the time pains you that much, then maybe we need to fix that. I will reach out to my realtor and find a suitable apartment for you close the compound, so you can still get here quickly for training and missions.”

You jump off the stool and give Tony a huge hug. “Thank you, Tony! You don’t know how much this means to me!”

Tony laughed and gave you a kiss on top of your head. “You’re like a daughter to me, of course I am going to take care of you.” You look up and give Tony a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.” You turn and head out of the lab. Tony shakes his head sadly. He really will miss you.

_________________________________________________________

You were up in the kitchen grabbing coffee when Steve and Nat walk in. “Morning Y/N!” Steve said.

“Morning guys.” You say with a smile on your face. Steve walks to the refrigerator and takes out the orange juice, while Nat comes and sits across from you at the table. Nat looks at you with a questioning stare.

“You okay? You a little run down.” Nat says concern laced in her voice. Steve turns around at this statement, also with concern. You look at Nat then Steve and release the breath you didn’t realize her you were holding.

“Aaron asked me to move in with him last night, and--” Before you were able to get another word in, Nat and Steve both started talking about how it was too fast, and you can’t leave. You hold up your hand to silence them.

“Look, I agree it is too soon to move in with Aaron, but he is right about me not living here. It’s too hard to live under the same roof as Bucky. Especially after our talk last night.” Steve came and sat next to you.

“What talk?” He said. You look at him and then down to your hands. “Bucky came to my room last night. He told me everything that happened leading up to the break up. Then he told me how I am “it” for him and that he wants to earn my trust and try again.” You heard Steve sigh.

“What did you say to that?” Nat asked quietly. You looked at her, tears again threatening your eyes. You shrugged, “I asked him if he loved me, why did he hurt me? It doesn’t excuse what he did after the break up. Having Brittney here all the time. Then I told him I was moving out and I was moving in with Aaron. When I woke up this morning, I knew that wasn’t the answer either. So... I spoke with Tony, who agreed, and he will reach out to his realtor to get me a place close to the compound so I can continue to work and train here.”

Nat and Steve looked at each other in silence. They both hated when you were gone for the 3 months, when you were in the center. Now you would be gone indefinitely. Steve always saw you as a little sister. Someone he could protect and be there for when needed. He hated that he couldn’t protect you from his best friend.

“Well... we support you, and will help you with whatever you need.” Nat said, trying to keep her own tears at bay. She looked at Steve who nodded. “Yeah, we will always have your back Y/N.”

___________________________________________________________

Bucky was lying on his bed, thinking about how much he hated himself for hurting you and losing you. He will never forgive himself for this, and he is sure no one else will either, especially you.

There was a knock at his door. A part of him hoped it was you, telling him you changed your mind, but he knew that was far fetched. He opened the door to see his best friend. Without a word he stepped back from the door and went back to his bed, sitting against the headboard.

Steve saw the redness in Bucky’s eyes and knew his friend was not taking this well. “How ya doin’ Buck?” Steve asked as he closed the door and walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. Bucky gave an emotionless laugh.

“Well, I hurt the woman I love, more than anything, so bad that she is leaving the compound and moving in with that guy. I apologized and hoped she would forgive me, but instead she wants to keep seeing him. So all in all I am fan-fucking-tastic! Thank you for asking.”

Steve scoffed at his friend. “You know you don’t have a right to be upset with her decision, right?” Bucky looked at his friend. “Yeah, I know. And I’m not upset with her about her decision, I’m upset I brought her to that decision.”

Steve nodded. “I know how much you love her, pal. But they say if you love something let it go, if it’s meant for you, it will come back, if not, then...”

Bucky wiped tears away from his eyes. “That’s what I am afraid of. The then...” Bucky closed his eyes for a moment to gain control of his emotions. “But, I am going to do right by her. I love her enough to let her go. I just really hope it is not forever. Especially to that guy. I still thinks she deserves better than him. Better than me too.” he said softly.

Steve looked at his friend with sympathy. “She isn’t moving in with Aaron. She told me that’s what she said to you last night, but she realized she it’s not the best decision. Tony is helping her get her own apartment close to the compound.”

Bucky felt slightly better with this knowledge, but still had an aching feeling in his gut. “What if I can’t get her back? What if I really lost her forever?” Steve patted Bucky’s shoulder. “You will survive. But maybe you should just try and be her friend, or teammate. Let her know you still care for her, without all the other stuff. But I would even hold off on that until she is ready.”

Bucky nodded. “Yeah, as much as it kills me, I am going to give her space. I should have listened to you to begin with, but I had to tell her the truth. She deserved to know. She deserved a lot of things.”

Steve stood up and headed toward the door. “Everything will work out the way it should in the end. It’s not going to be an easy ride for you, but just remember, after everything she and you deserve happiness. Whether that’s together or apart.” With that Steve turns and exits the room, leaving Bucky to his thoughts again.

_________________________________________________________

Chapter 7 Chapter 9

Got to love Captain Steve with the sound advice. I have to say, I have no idea how I am going to run the ending. All my thoughts are up in the air. While I agree Bucky is an inconsiderate moron who broke her heart, I still hate when he is unhappy. However, the reader deserves happiness, I just have to figure out how to get her there. Leave your thoughts!

#bucky x y/n #bucky fanfic #bucky angst #bucky x reader #bucky fic

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goodomensblog · 5 years

Text

Afterward - Part 9

A Good Omens Choose Your Own Adventure Fic

Here’s how it works:

I’ll write a scene.

At the end of each scene, you’ll be presented with 2-3 options for what the characters will choose to do next.

Comment or reblog to vote for your choice. I’ll count all votes after the first 24 hours after each update is posted.

Read: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8

(#3 is the winner! And the results are...interesting)

Afterward - - Part 9

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

“I mean,” Gabriel says, shrugging, “I always assumed demons had some way of healing other demons, but if you-”

“Yes, yeah we’ve got ways,” Crowley says with a glare. “But it’s complicated, alright? Some of them only work in Hell. And we can’t exactly pop down for a visit.”

Aziraphale’s hand is gentle, a soothing touch on his shoulder.

“We’ll find another way.”

“There is another way. Might be the best option that we’ve got, given the circumstances.”

“And ...?” Gabriel says, impatiently waving him on. “Come on. Get on with it.”

Aziraphale’s hand remains on Crowley’s shoulder, and at Gabriel’s tone, they share a commiserating look.

If Beelzebub didn’t have information on a rampaging Satan - and potentially hold the key to keeping him at bay, Crowley wouldn’t even be attempting to deal with Gabriel and his over-the-top dickery.

But considering that a crazed Satan does in fact, pose a significant problem for everyone, Aziraphale included, Crowley is willing to deal.

For now.

With a long, deep sigh, Crowley rolls his neck, and begins, “It’s a ritual. One of the ancient ones. Transfers a portion of one being’s life force to another.”

Gabriel, thin lips mercifully closed, is nodding.

“I’ll have to perform the ritual. So you,” Crowley says, nodding sharply at Gabriel, “will have to offer up a bit of angelic life.”

Silence swallows the room.

Gabriel opens his mouth, closes it, and opens it again. He tilts his head, blinking, and finally says, stiff and sharp, “Yeah, no. I’m not doing that.”

“Beelzebub is dying, you jackass,” Crowley hisses, gesturing at the burnt demon, small and sunk into Gabriel’s lavish couch. “You’ve got plenty of life to spare. Get the fuck over yourself.”

Beside him, Aziraphale has a hand on Beelzebub’s wrist. He chances a short glance at Gabriel before worriedly re-examining the fading demon.

Arms folded across his chest like a shield, Gabriel shifts, looking between them.

“Gabriel,” Crowley demands.

Twitching in a distinctly uncomfortable manner, the archangel turns a quick circle. A muscle works in his jaw. Rubbing his hands over his arms, he shakes his head once.

“Transporting you all from that church was one thing. But giving up some of my holy energy to — to —” and here, Gabriel glances down at Beelzebub, and blinking, averts his gaze. “I’m an Archangel. It would be beyond blasphemy.”

“But Gabriel,” Aziraphale starts, then stops. Carefully placing Beelzebub’s hand on the couch, he looks up. “I know you’re not on the same side, but you two have worked together. In a sense. And I don’t know the full story, clearly, but Beelzebub trusted you to—”

“Yeah, well they shouldn’t have.”

“Obviously,” Crowley drawls, lips curling back over teeth.

“It can’t be angelic to let a being just die—”

“You—” and here Gabriel stops, pressing a fist against his lips. He hisses a breath through clenched teeth. “There are rules, Aziraphale. And you never got this, but there are the right ways of breaking the rules and the wrong ways. Using one’s own angelic life force to literally breathe life into a demon is the wrong way.”

“...but,” Aziraphale says, shaking his head, “either way, it’s breaking the rules—”

“Plausible deniability, Aziraphale,” Gabriel breathes, and the sound of it is the exhaustion of ages.

“You’re really going to let Beelzebub die on your couch,” Crowley says.

Violet eyes shutter, and Gabriel turns, staring fixedly at the floor.

“My hands are tied.”

“We could make you,” Crowley says, deadly quiet.

“You could try.”

“Crowley, stop. We can’t fight here. If we’re, I mean - I assume Gabriel brought us to...?” Aziraphale halts, glancing at Gabriel for confirmation.

Arms folded, Gabriel gives a short nod.

Heaven.

It’s his second time returning to the above in the span of a few months, and Crowley feels as little this time as he did the first. And it’s - odd, considering that Heaven - or at least his expulsion from it, has been, for many centuries, a topic of particular fixation. His lack of attachment - feeling - anything - with regard to Heaven, now that he, again, stands upon it’s pristine floors, has Crowley thinking, in a vague, distracted sense, of the nature of home.

It’s Aziraphale’s voice, soft and musing, which draws Crowley from his thoughts.

“Release too much power, and they’ll sense our presence here.”

“Gabriel wouldn’t want that either,” Crowley thinks aloud as he refocuses on the problem at hand. Gaze wandering to the twitching Archangel, he adds, “Imagine, being caught red-handed, harboring two demons and an angelic fugitive.”

“It’s a moot point, because we especially do not want to be discovered, Crowley,” Aziraphale says. “I don’t want to imagine what Heaven would do to us, let alone Beelzebub.”

Pressing his lips in a thin line, Aziraphale nods once, apparently arriving at some conclusion.

“I’ll do it,” Aziraphale announces.

“You - um - what?”

“We need Beelzebub. At the very least, to find out what they know,” Aziraphale insists. “I’ll happily give up a portion of my life force to heal them.”

Crowley blinks, and there’s a stuttering rhythm in his ears, because Aziraphale was nearly d—

He can’t even think it.

“You’re an idiot,” Crowley says, tongue curling around the shape of an agitated hiss. “Look at you, still pale from your lassst guh - bloody gavotte with death. You don’t have any extra life to spare, Aziraphale.”

“Crowley,” Aziraphale says, solemn and serious, “I know myself. I know my form. I will be fine.”

Shoulders hunching, Crowley roughly shakes his head, “No. No.” Heaving a sharp breath, he shakes his head again for good measure. “Better idea. How ‘bout we off Gabriel - consequences be damned - and give Beelzebub all his miserable life energy?”

“Dear,” Aziraphale says, as Gabriel calls out—

“Fuck you too, buddy.”

And Crowley is standing, Aziraphale’s hand on his wrist as Gabriel turns, sword re-emerging from the aether-

“You are,” a halting, tremulous voice wheezes, “the actual fucking worst. And I hate... all of you.”

Aziraphale is first to react. Hands fluttering, he drops back to his knees.

“Oh, oh dear. You’d better — oh you really shouldn’t move.”

Ignoring him, Beelzebub claws the couch, attempting to rise - and promptly falls back, raking deep gouges in the cushions on their way back down.

Crowley watches the spectacle, and for Beelzebub’s benefit, lifts a single, unimpressed brow.

Baring their teeth, the demon lord manages a wheezing cough in place of a snarl.

“While you’re up,” Crowley says, conversational, “You’re in support of us killing Gabriel to feed you his life force, yeah? He’s not really in the giving mood, it seems.”

Beelzebub’s dark, slitted eyes shift in Gabriel’s direction.

“...what did you honestly expect?” Beelzebub says, matter-of-fact. “Angels don’t go... go around helping demons. And demons don’t help angels.”

It’s an echo of Gabriel’s own words, but the Archangel determinedly refuses to meet Beelzebub’s gaze. Fingering the edges of his pressed coat, he dips his chin once in silent agreement.

“...we exchange in trades...,” Beelzebub says, their voice little more than a sigh, “...and I’ve got information to trade...if, if you assholes can keep me alive long enough to share it.”

“So we kill Gabriel-”

“Stop offering to kill Gabriel,” Beelzebub snaps, and across the room, the archangel’s shoulders stiffen. “Just,” Beelzebub groans, “...it would be...bit ambitious to ask for a bit of Hellfire, huh?”

“A bit,” Aziraphale says, wincing.

Crowley and Gabriel, in what must be the first time in...well - ever, seem to have the same thought, at the exact same time.

“Now hold on a sec—.”

“Um. About that.”

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

Two angels and a demon are TRYING to figure out how to save a friend complicated acquaintance, and they’ve all got different ideas of how to go about doing it...

Gabriel’s idea: steal borrow without, uh, permission, Heaven’s super secret stash of Hellfire, squirreled away after Aziraphale was supposed to be executed. It is well guarded at the best of times, and for reasons Gabriel refuses to talk about, Heaven is on high alert today...

Crowley’s idea: Get in touch with a reliable mostly reliable contact from Hell. Crowley is sure that if he can get back down to the surface and - erm, pays his contact well enough - he’ll be able to get a flask of Hellfire, probably...

Aziraphale’s idea: Go through with the ritual and give up a portion of his life. Crowley is worried over nothing. Truthfully, Aziraphale feels fine. In fact, strangely enough, better than fine…

(AUTHOR’S NOTE - these are all possible plot threads that can and WILL be explored later, so even if it’s not picked this round, mysteries will likely be revisited as the story progresses)

Comment or reblog to vote :)

Read Part 10 Here

#my writing #choose your own adventure fic #good omens #good omens fic #good omens fanfic #good omens fanfiction #ineffable husbands #ineffable husbands fic #ineffable husbands fanfic #ineffable husbands fanfiction #aziraphale #crowley #good omens beelzebub #good omens gabriel #ineffable bureaucracy #eventually #because character development yo

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lobsterdex · 4 years

Text

beach house living (part 2)

part 1

here’s some more beach au. the google doc is at like. 8k words. oops. but here is just some of it bc i want to share it but i also want to finish it before i post it on ao3. anyways. tagging some mutuals bc give me attention @birlcholtz @tonytangredis @pieplease @fasterthanthemoon @unfairlawyer

He’s back in his and Shitty’s room hanging his clothes up in his half of the closet when he hears a loud bang, followed by footsteps and a general commotion.

“Holster,” someone says, “How many times have I said quit that, you’re going to dent the wall.”

“Dex can fix it!”

“Fuck you, you can fix it yourself.”

The voices continue, along with what sounds like footsteps going up the stairs and another loud slam that Jack assumes is the front door being closed. A few minutes later after the noise dies down, someone knocks on the bedroom door, and it starts to open before he can answer.

It’s Shitty, saying, “It’s me, hope you’re not naked.” He catches sight of Jack by the closet and grins. “Nice, yeah, make yourself at home.”

Jack stares at him. “What if I had been naked?”

Shitty laughs. “Then I would close my eyes out of respect for you and your beautiful body. We’re leaving in five to go grocery shop, just a heads up.” He starts pulling clothes out of the dresser, so Jack turns back to the closet and hangs up another shirt to give him privacy.

“You ready?” Shitty says behind him. Jack hangs up another shirt before turning around. He takes a moment to take it in. Shitty is wearing cutoff jean shorts and a neon pink tank top that’s so bright it almost hurts to look at. It says, “life’s a beach.”

Jack remembers Shitty asked a question. “Yeah, let me get my wallet.”

Shitty heads for the door. “Pretty much everyone is in the den, I’ll introduce you before we leave.”

Jack grabs his wallet from the night stand and follows him into the hall. He wonders how many people actually live here and if his father even knows. Bob had said it was a four bedroom house but not much else.

In retrospect, Jack should’ve asked more questions.

Again, too late now.

Shitty announces their arrival by cupping his hands around his mouth as a megaphone and screaming, “Silence!”

The chatter dies down, and everyone in the room turns to look at them.

Jack thinks, why.

“This is our new roomie Jack Zimmermann,” Shitty says, gesturing at him.

Jack tries not to cower behind him. He doesn’t know if they follow sports, or hockey, or if they know who exactly their landlord is, but no one seems to react to his name. Small miracles.

“You met Lardo,” Shitty says, pointing. She nods at Jack.

“That’s Ransom,” he points to a tall, dark skinned guy standing by Lardo, who is sitting on the kitchen counter. Ransom smiles at him. “That’s Chowder and Bitty,” he points to an Asian kid in a sharks tank top - so at least one person in this house follows hockey, fucking hell, who gives him a little wave, and a shorter, blond, white boy with freckles and a tan, who smiles brightly.

“That tall bastard is Holster,” Shitty points to another blond white boy next to Bitty. Holster grins and nods.“And those two are Nursey and Dex,” he gestures to the brown skinned guy with a tattoo circling his bicep and a third white guy with freckles and bright orange hair.

Why does no one have a normal name, Jack thinks.

“Hi,” he says lamely. “I’m Jack.”

“Welcome, dude,” Nursey says.

“Alright,” Shitty claps. “Anyone who wants to go to the store, up and at ‘em.”

Jack has just enough time to hope it isn’t a long drive and that they won’t ask him about himself during it before five of them pile into a gold Subaru parked in the driveway. Shitty has the keys and Bitty calls shotgun, so Jack crams in the back with Ransom and Dex. He gets the middle seat, which Dex apologizes for.

“Sorry we bitch seated you,” he says with a smile. “But since Bitty got shotty, you are the shortest.”

Jack shrugs, or tries to. “It’s fine.”

Shitty backs out of the driveway while Ransom and Bitty play rock-paper-scissors for the aux cord. Bitty wins it, plugs in his phone and starts playing pop music Jack doesn’t recognize.

“Yo, Shits, guess what happened today,” Ransom says.

Up front, Bitty twists around to face the backseat and rolls his eyes. “Are you going to tell everyone this, Rans?”

“Uh, yeah. I fucking am,” Ransom scoffs. Bitty rolls his eyes again and flashes a grin in Jack’s direction.

“So this lady comes up to my chair, right. Total white suburban mom vibes, visor and, like, Ray Bans or Tiffany shades or whatever.”

“Oh boy,” Shitty says.

“Oh yes,” Ransom says. “So I’m like, okay, benefit of the doubt, maybe she has a reasonable question about riptides or our hours or sunscreen, I don’t know.”

To Jack’s right, Dex sighs.

“But no,” Ransom continues. That would be too much to hope for. Instead, this woman--Shits. Guess what this woman asks me.”

“I cannot even begin to guess.”

“She asks if it’s safe to go in the ocean even if you can’t swim.”

“Bro,” Shitty says.

“I know,” Ransom says.

“Some fucking people,” Dex says.

Bitty, still facing the backseat, rolls his eyes again. Jack snorts, which earns him a sideways glance and a grin from Ransom.

“So I’m up there, leaning down to hear her better, and she says that, and for a sec I just fucking stare at her like I’m the idiot. Processing that. Thinking about how to phrase ‘no the fuck you can’t’ nicely. And then I go, ‘No, ma’am, I’m sorry, but it’s not safe to swim unless you know how to effectively stay afloat.’ And then she says, ‘I don’t mean swimming, I just mean going in the water.’”

Jack frowns, and Dex sighs again, shaking his head.

Up front, Shitty just says, “What.”

“Right? So I ask, ‘What do you mean by ‘just going in the water?’ and she fucking gives me this look, like I’m the dumbass. And she says ‘I mean just the shallow part, where the waves crash.’ And I try my very hardest not to look up at the sky and ask the gods for help. And I say, ‘I’m very sorry ma’am, but that’s also dangerous due to the currents. Rip tides can be very strong.’ Which like, okay, she might not be taken out by a riptide, but assuming she has kids and shit and no athletic ability herself, she shouldn’t chance it if she can’t even tread water.”

“Lot of assumptions you’re making there, Ransy babe,” Shitty warns.

“I know, I know. But in terms of safety, I’m trying to play it safe, and she’s the one who told me she can’t fucking swim.”

“Hm,” Shitty says. “Acceptable. Carry on.”

“So she says, ‘But what about just the shallow part? Where the waves come up and go away?’ And yeah, okay, she’d be fine above the tide, but again, safety and liability and whatnot. I don’t want it to be on me if she pulls some shit. So I tell her again, no, it isn’t safe. And I fucking shit you not, this lady says, ‘Are you sure? Is there someone else I can speak to?’ This bitch really asked if she could speak to a manager. On the fucking beach.”

Up front, Shitty is laughing. Bitty is grinning and shaking his head. Dex snorts, and Jack finds himself smiling, because what.

“So I fucking walkie beach patrol, and we wait 10 minutes for Ollie to roll up, and he tells her the same exact fucking thing, and she frowns and gets all huffy and has the audacity to ask us if we’re sure. Like, yeah, bitch, we’re pretty fucking sure. If you’d dug around in your brain a little bit for your common sense maybe you wouldn’t be so mad about it. Jesus Christ.”

Shitty opens the front door, and Jack realizes they’ve arrived and parked.

“What’d she do after that?” Shitty asks before getting out of the car.

Ransom opens the door and climbs out, saying, “Well, apparently, she walked to the other lifeguard stand and asked them the same fucking thing.”

Jack climbs out after Ransom, finds himself saying, “You’re kidding.”

“Bro, I wish,” Ransom says. “That lifeguard, I think it was April, also had to radio beach patrol, so Ollie went over there to check it out and had to call someone else from beach patrol ‘cause this bitch still didn’t like our answer. Ollie came back and told me about it, ‘cause he’s a bro.”

“Ollie just loves to gossip,” Bitty says.

“I said what I said. Guy’s a bro.”

“I always get him confused with Wicks,” Dex says.

Bitty grabs a cart from the front of the store. The automatic doors slide open, and they get blasted with air conditioning, which is a relief to Jack. Everyone splits up pretty much immediately, so Jack just trails behind Bitty because he has the cart and Jack has nobody’s phone number if he gets lost.

Bitty notices Jack following him and flashes another smile. “Guess you’re with me! We’re doing the shopping for the next week or so. Or so we say. Someone always ends up going again during the week for snacks or butter or because they’re suddenly inspired by the food network.”

Jack nods, and Bitty steers them into the fridge aisle.

“It gets a bit chaotic just because there’s so many of us. But we have a system now, of sorts, Shitty and Lardo shop for each other, Ransom and Holster shop for each other, lord knows they know each other well enough, and Dex or Chowder shops for the other and Nursey. Nursey, bless his heart, always forgets something.”

It’s around this point that Jack notices Bitty has a southern accent. He also notices that Bitty has dumped about 10 packages of butter in the cart.

He decides not to ask.

“I shop for just me, myself, and I, but I also usually end up buying the most. Sometimes the other boys will make a store run for me though, which is nice of them, but they get some of the goods, so it balances out,” Bitty says. He’s talking really quickly. Jack has no idea what that last bit is supposed to mean.

Bitty puts two cartons of eggs in the cart. Jack’s brain processes the “I shop for me statement” and he adds another carton for himself.

“All the people that shop for each other have a texting system worked out, I believe. There are so many group chats, I can’t keep track. I know Chowder, Nursey, and Dex have one, which I think is how they cover everything grocery shopping. There’s a whiteboard on the fridge we add to, but it isn’t very consistent. Feel free to add anything you need to it, though, I always take a picture of it before we shop! Is there anything else you need in this aisle, Jack?”

“Oh, uh, no.”

Bitty pushes the cart onwards, talking as they go. Jack isn’t really following, but Bitty doesn’t seem to be expecting answers, so Jack nods and smiles and adds things to the cart and eventually, Shitty reappears with his own basket full of groceries and he and Bitty settle into a comfortable sounding banter.

Ransom and Dex find them near the checkout lanes, adding their groceries to the cart.

The seating arrangement is the same for the ride back, except Ransom gets to play the music this time. He plays different pop music that Jack still doesn’t really recognize, but everyone - save Jack and Dex - is singing along.

Jack helps unload the groceries. He’s about to escape back to his room when Holster says, “Hey, Jack, we’re grilling tonight, do you want chicken or a burger?”

“Oh. Chicken is fine.”

“Nice. We’ll start screaming when it’s ready.”

Jack blinks at him.

“Or we can just come get you.”

“Oh. Uh, thanks.” Jack takes it for the dismissal that it is and heads back to his room. He finishes unpacking, does some sit ups in an attempt to get rid of nervous energy, and ends up lying in bed staring at the blank Safari tab on his phone. He opens his messages instead, lets his parents know he’s settled in. There’s a text from his therapist letting him know they can do phone sessions. He ignores it for now.

There are no texts from Kent. Which makes sense. There haven’t been since they fought on the phone a few days after Jack got out of rehab.

Jack can’t decide whether or not he actually wants to hear from him. Can’t decide if he misses him or if he just misses hockey.

A knock on the door stops that train of thought.

“Food,” someone says.

“Thanks,” Jack calls.

Dinner is burgers, chicken, and grilled vegetables. It’s surprisingly good, better than Jack expected from a bunch of 20 somethings. They crowd around the glass dining table on the porch and it’s loud and cheerful, everyone talking over each other and laughing. He declines the offer of beer, but not everyone is drinking, so he doesn’t feel like the odd man out. He doesn’t say much, but he’s sandwiched between Holster and Shitty, the latter occasionally elbowing him and grinning. They’re both loud and talkative, so he pretends he can’t get a word in and smiles whenever someone catches his eye.

At some point, Shitty and Holster are arguing over his head, and Jack catches Bitty looking at him. Bitty blushes, but offers a sympathetic smile and shakes his head. He says something that Jack doesn’t quite catch, so he leans forward and taps his ear.

Bitty meets him halfway. “These boys,” he repeats, and he sounds incredibly fond.

Jack goes to bed around ten. He lies awake for longer than he’d like to admit, but still falls asleep before Shitty returns to the room.

#check please #omgcp #omgcp fic #my fic #beach au #bhl

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roseinthenight · 3 years

Text

Back to town [Jughead x OC] - Chapter 2

[Summary] | [Ch1]

2| Old best friends

Later that day, around 6 pm, Archie knocked on the door of his sister’s room. April opened it rather quickly and looked up at the ginger boy.

”I was wondering if maybe you’d want to meet up with Betty, Jughead and Veronica at Pop’s?” Archie asked right away.

At the mention of Jughead April’s heart instantly started beating faster. She tried not to show too much interest, but honestly, she failed miserably.

”Yeah, sure,I’d love to! Buut... who’s Veronica exactly?” April tilted her head to the side as the question left her mouth.

”She’s new to the town, came from New York. I met her on the last day of the summer vacation.”

”I see. Well, why the hell not?” the girl shrugged. ”Just a sec,” she held up her index finger, singalling Archie to wait.

April looked at herself in the front camera of her phone. She wanted to look her best if she’s going to meet Jughead -and of course the others. After a few seconds, she put it in her back pocket, ran her fingers through her hair and turned back to her brother.

”Alright, I’m ready to go.”

----------

The red neon lights shined brightly in the warm August evening, bringing every bypasser’s attention to the diner coated in blue wooden panels. April could already see the familiar blonde ponytail and grey beanie from the window. She felt her palms beginning to sweat as she and Archie got closer and closer to the entrance. She fiddled with the hem of her flannel shirt nervously, not knowing at all what to expect from he best friends.

Finally, the bells above the door chimed, indicating that someone had entered. When the siblings turned towards their friends’ booth, Jughead was already on his feet, pacing towards them with disbelief in his eyes as he stared at April.

He didn’t change that much since April saw him the last time. He was wearing black boots, a gray pair of jeans, a darker grey T-shirt with an ’S’ on it and a thin black denim jacket. He also had a flannel shirt tied around his waist, and of course his signature beanie. Locks of his raven hair have lightly moved as he walked towards April.

She couldn’t help but let a huge grin appear on her face. She was so, so relieved to finally see her best friend (and crush, but that’s not really important, right?) again. Even Jughead seemed surprised at his own actions when he reached the girl; everyone knew that Jughead Jones was not a fan of PDA. Yet, he hugged the girl so tight and close to himself that you couldn’t even fit a piece of paper between them. April, of course, had nothing against this. She wrapped her arms around his waist and let her head rest on his chest. Jughead put his chin on the top of her head and just enjoyed the closeness of the smaller girl with closed eyes and not a word spoken between them.

They stood there, in the middle of the diner for what seemed like hours. The two girls who were still at the booth looked at them just as shocked as everyone else. The first to break the awkward silence, which seemed to have slipped the pair’s noce, was none other than Veronica Lodge.

”Excuse me for disturbing your cuddling,” she started with an edge in her tone, ”but you have your girlfriend right over here, Jughead.”

The mentioned boy lifted his head up from its previous position, but before he could even turn around and say something much likely rude as a response, Betty has already stood up for him.

”It’s okay, V,” she placed a hand on the black haired girl’s shoulder, a calming smile on her face showing that she really meant it.

”What? Are- are you fine with Jughead hugging another girl like his life depended on it?” Veronica asked with furrowed brows, not understanding the situation one bit.

”She isn’t just some girl, Veronica,” Jughead spat, every single word of his dripping with venom.

The raven boy looked at her like she had committed some kind of felony. He has now let go of April, but still stood close to her, their arms touching. His piercing eyes burned a hole on Veronica’s face. He unconsciously clenched his fists, which were slightly trembling with anger.

”Juggie, calm down,” April gently squeezed the boy’s shoulder. ”She doesn’t know me, remember?”

Jughead looked down at the girl, took a deep breath and slowly calmed down with April’s hand still on his shoulder. When it felt safe to leave his side, the brunette stepped in front of Veronica.

”Hi! I’m April Andrews, Archie’s sister. Jughead and I have been best friends literally since we can remember, so hugs like this aren’t really extraordinary. Plus, we haven’t seen each other for 2 years!”

While explaining the situation to the girl, April could feel Jughead stepping close behind her. She felt the warmth radiating off his body, his protective aura practically surrounding her. Even though she didn’t need any protection from a girl like Veronica, she wasn’t about to complain; she loved it.

”And I’ve already told you V, I’m okay with it,” Betty stood up from her spot and came over to April. ”Hi! I’m so glad you’re here again!” she smiled at the girl.

”It’s been so long, Betty,” April grinned and hugged the blonde, who returned the gesture.

When they let go, everyone sat in the booth, Jughead, Betty and April on one side and Veronica and Archie on the other. April saw that the ”new girl” still wasn’t really okay with her, but she did apologize and introduced herself as Veronica Lodge.

Pop Tate came over to their table to take their order.

”Well, well, what a surprise, little Andrews is back to town!” the man chuckled as he took his notepad in his hand.

”Hello!” she greeted him joyfully. ”Umm, I’ll have a strawberry milkshake please.”

The others also gave their order.

”So, April,” started Jughead when Pop Tate went away. ”What about your new style? I mean, you look cool, I’m just a little surprised.”

”Yeah, same here,” chimed in Betty.

”What could I say? Pinterest does wonders, especially when you have lots of freetime on your hands,” she replied with a soft giggle.

That was when the door opened again. April turned her head towards it, and saw the well-known faces of Riverdale High; the Bulldogs with Reggie in the middle. She wondered though, where could Jason be?

As Reggie scanned the place for an untaken booth, he noticed April and smirked at her, immediately starting her way.

”Wow, April Andrews,” he clicked his tongue. ”How come you’re back?”

”You know Reggie, there’s this thing called moving. Maybe you should try it,” April said. The distaste she felt for the boy was evident in her cold eyes and sarcastic tone, but her sickly sweet fake smile said otherwise.

The other people who sat at the table laughed quietly.

”Still the old brat, I see,” he laughed. ”If you change your mind, I could always take you on a ride,” he winked at the girl.

”Hey, watch it! You’re talking to my sister, for god’s sake!” Archie yelled protectively.

”Calm down, Andrews. I’m just sayin’,” with that he left and sat in a booth far away from April and her friends.

April shook her head while chuckling and didn’t notice that Pop brought them their drinks and food.

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It was about an hour later when April needed an escape from Betty and Jughead, so she excused herself and almost run to the bathroom. Until then, she could keep herself from feeling miserable and heartbroken, but it was just getting too much. They were stealing each other’s food, stealing kisses from one other and so on. It shattered April’s heart into pieces. She always thought she didn’t have a chance with Jughead, but there was at least a little bit of hope; now it only became clearer that she was never going to end up with her secret crush and she just needed to get over it. He was with Betty and April would never want to break them apart. They were so perfect together, she couldn’t even imagine how she could compete with someone like Betty. She was not an excellent student, she could never be as strong and pretty as Betty. April could go on and on about why she would never be enough for someone like Jughead, but she figured that she’ll have time for that when she gets home.

These thoughts didn’t help her hold back her tears, but at least she could keep down her sobs. After minutes of trying to dry her tears, she finally succeeded. After getting herself together, she left the restroom and went back to their table like nothing had happened.

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At 10:23 pm, April was laying in her bed, staring at the white ceiling and thinking about today’s events. Suddenly, a loud thud shook her up from daydreaming. She looked over to her window and cautiously walked over, to be greeted with Jughead’s face and a ladder leading up to her window. She stumbled back a bit, before sighing in relief and opening her window.

”You scared me, shithead,” April looked at him angrily, crossing her arms.

”Sorry,” he smirked, not at all looking apologetic. After climbing in, he casually walked over to her bed and sat down on it, April following him.

”Soo, what you doin’ here?” April asked him.

”I just happened to be walking around this part of the town, you know, like in the old times.”

”Mm-hmm,” she hummed, putting her head on his shoulder. ”Well, I’m sleepy, Jug.”

”Yeah, I can see that much,” he chuckled as he looked at her face, noticing how she could barely keep her eyes open. ”It must have been tiring, travelling for so long.”

April nodded, then put her head back to its original place. Neither of them talked for a while, just enjoying the calm quietness. In the end, Jughead broke the silence.

”I missed you, you know?”

”I missed you too, Juggie. There wasn’t a day when I didn’t think about you.”

”I can say the same. I also thought a lot about the old times. When we were still kids, with no real problems.”

”Yeah, those were nice times,” April agreed. ”Oh, by the way. What happened to Jason? I didn’t see him with the Bulldogs at Pop’s.”

”Uh... he- he was murdered. His body was found a few days ago,” Jughead thought it would be better to say it simply.

”O-Oh, I’m...” April couldn’t find the right words. She wasn’t really close to the Blossom boy, in fact, she never even talked to him, but it still scared her a little bit. But mostly, she felt sorry for Cheryl, she knew how close the twins were.

”I’m writing a novel about it,” Jughead stated casually.

”Oh, so you’re still into writing? I’d love to read it someday.”

”I guess I can show you,” Jughead grinned. ”But right now you should sleep. I’ll go, okay?”

April definitely did not want Jughead to leave, but she was just so tired and it wouldn’t be nice if her father or Archie met with Jughead in the morning in her room.

”Okay, but be careful. A murderer’s on the loose.”

”Sure thing,” he stood up and walked to the window. ”It’s good to have you back, princess,” he smiled genuinely at the blushing girl. April didn’t expect him to call her by her old nickname. Only Jughead had called him this.

”You too, Juggie,” she whispered, his words still repeating in her head.

It filled her with joy, knowing that Jughead remembered and still used it. She got this nickname when she was about 5 and Jughead was 6.

Archie, Jughead, April and some other kids were playing hide and seek and the girl hid in a small, unfamiliar wooden cabin. When she entered, she didn’t notice that the lock has slammed down. Soon, she could hear that they were about to start another round, loudly arguing about who the seeker should be. She panicked and tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. She shouted for Archie and Jughead, tears running down her red face.

Jughead rushed to the door first, but when he didn’t succeed in opening it, he went over to the side and broke in the window with a branch from the ground. He helped April climb out, then hugged the sobbing girl.

”It’s okay. You’re safe now,” he whispered.

After long moments of calming the girl down, he let go of her.

”You were like a princess from a tale,” Jughead laughed softly. ”And I saved you.”

That night, April fell asleep with Jughead’s words on repeat in her head.

”It’s good to have you back, princess.”

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Word count: 2162

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