#at least ONE of you could have been easy on me geesh

[pr1ncessm00n]

for sale or wanted • jean kirstein x fem! reader

seven.

series masterlist

prev | next

warnings: cursing, some “friends” (tv show) references, hostility towards reiner >:( and some mentions of a disrespectful relationship. slight ass staring LOL. awkwardness. lots of it. thick tension geesh

*written chapter * THE DATES ARE WRONG. THIS TAKES PLACE IN JANUARY. I REPEAT THE DATES ON THE MESSAGES ARE WRONG I JUST REALIZED. 💔 Proceed.*

[ playlist - more than friends : real life animals ]

“Y/N!” Ymir yelled.

Flinching, Y/N turned to face Ymir, who’s arm was around Historia on the non-Porco couch. That’s what they had coined the couch they actually liked and fit with their theme. Ymir and Historia were currently on it, watching a rerun of Friends. Y/N was making a sandwich. Sasha was snoring loudly on the Porco couch.

“You don’t have to yell,” Y/N rolled her eyes. “What do you want?”

“When’s Kirstein comin’?” Ymir asked.

“I’m not sure,” Y/N responded. “He said around 4.”

“It’s 4:15.” Ymir retorted.

“Your point?” Y/N placed her hand on her hip, butterknife in her hand.

“He’s not coming.” Ymir said smugly. “Typical Kirstein.”

Historia sighed, exasperated. “Just shush Ymir. You haven’t seen Jean in years and you still act rude to him!”

Ymir cackled. “It’s just fun to work you guys up.”

Y/N turned back to making her sandwich. “It’s not like we’re on time for anything either.” She grumbled.

“Defending Kirstein?” Ymir scoffed. “Sounds like you got the hots for him.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Are you 12?” Y/N snapped. “The ‘hots’? Really? Who says that anymore?”

Ymir only cackled in response.

—

Jean clicked his phone off, leaning back in the passenger seat of Reiner’s car.

“Everything good?” Reiner asked.

“Yeah, just Connie and Sasha being aggravating as usual.” Jean explained. Reiner shook his head.

“So this couch, was it really worth it or did you just see a pretty girl and get too embarrassed to say no?” Reiner teased, smirking.

Jean rolled his eyes. “It’s not the best piece of furniture out there but I am, one, BROKE, and two, it was an easy buy.”

Reiner shrugged. “I don’t know, I saw your tweet.”

Jean blushed. “I just tweet my thoughts, we all know that by now.”

Reiner’s smirked deepened. “Not everyday you tweet about a pretty girl.”

It’s not everyday I meet one, Jean thought.

Jean shook his head, looking out the window. He tried to stretch but hit his arms against the truck’s roof. His legs were cramped as well.

“How do you even fit in here?” Jean asked, irritated by the tight fit.

Reiner shrugged. “I’d trade the inconvenience of no leg room for a big pickup bed anyday. It’s useful.”

“Nah, you probably just like to show off your massive truck bed and hope girls find that kinda thing cool.” Jean said.

Reiner laughed. “That too.”

“Has it worked?”

“Nope.” Reiner replied cheerily.

“Is that Becky G!” Jean exclaimed, suddenly hearing the faint sound of “Shower” playing through the truck’s speakers.

“Shit!” Reiner exclaimed, turning red. He quickly rushed to move his hand off the steering wheel and change the song off his phone. Jean continued laughing, the sight of Reiner’s red face, embarrassment clear, only fueling his laughing fit.

“Shut up,” Reiner growled. “It’s a good song.” The thought of the huge guy jamming out to Becky G almost sent him into another fit, but Jean strained to hold it in. The ride remained silent for a few minutes when Reiner spoke again.

“If you ever mention that to anyone, I’ll run you over.” He murmured. Jean chuckled and turned to face Reiner only to see he was being serious, staring intently back at Jean. Jean shut his mouth, nodding.

A few moments after, almost subconsciously, Reiner began to whistle the tune. Jean couldn’t resist the laugh that escaped his throat, earning a dirty look from Reiner.

—

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. “Coming!” Y/N called, taking her apron off and rushing to the door. She opened the door, smiling.

She was met with Reiner’s face.

“Reiner?” She asked, somewhat in disbelief.

“Y/N, put the butterknife down,” Reiner put his hands up, backing up a few steps.

“What-“ Y/N remembered the butterknife in her hands, clenched tightly now between her knuckles. “Oh, sorry.” She went to put it in the kitchen. “Come in!” She called behind her.

Reiner cautiously stepped inside the dorm, eyeing his surroundings.

“Braun.” Ymir greeted, nodding at him.

“Hey!” Historia waved cheerily. Reiner sheepishly greeted them back.

“Ymir, Historia. Good to see you all again.” He managed to get out awkwardly. He tilted his head curiously, looking at Sasha snoozing on the couch. He gestured to Sasha questioningly at Ymir.

Ymir waved her hand dismissively. “She’ll wake up, just give her a minute.” As if in response, Sasha mumbled in her sleep.

“Um,” he scratched the back of his neck. “Jean’s on a phone call, but he’ll be here soon.”

Jean was on the phone with his mother, who called at that exact moment and decided it was a good time to scold him about not calling for a week and a half. Jean was pacing on the sidewalk, his hand in his hair.

“Oh, okay.” Y/N replied. “Um, so how have you been?” The tension in the air was thick, but since neither Y/N or Reiner were confrontational they didn’t know how to address the mood.

“Good, good.” Reiner nodded. “And you?”

Y/N nodded back. “Good, too.”

The room grew silent.

“I’m sorry, but did someone die?” Ymir blurted.

“Ymir!” Historia gasped, slapping her arm. Ymir removed her hand around Historia and sat forward, opening her hands in a What? gesture.

“Well, it feels like a funeral in here!” Ymir said defensively. “Y/N’s over here glaring at Reiner like he’s an enemy of the state.”

“I am not!” Y/N semi-shouted, her voice shrill. Sasha sat up on the couch.

“Can y’all shut up?” She snapped.

“No!” Ymir and Y/N shouted at her. Sasha groaned, throwing her hand over her forehead and falling back on the couch.

“Look, Y/N,” Reiner started awkwardly. “I don’t mean any harm, and I know it’s weird after everything with Porco... but I just wanted to say that I don’t agree with anything he did. And I wouldn’t have just shown up here if I knew it was your place.”

Y/N uncrossed her arms, trying to fix the visible displeasure in her face. She could not hide her emotions if her life depended on it. There was a few beats of silence before Y/N finally spoke.

“Reiner, I don’t hate you,” She said begrudgingly. “It’s not that, it’s just… You knew what Porco did and said behind my back and you just never told me. I always felt like his friends agreed with him that I was crazy or something.”

“No! Not at all,” Reiner reassured her. “To be honest, I didn’t really know what was going on in his life. I haven’t talked to him much since I left Marley. All I knew was that he was dating you. He just told me you broke up and that’s when he finally told me everything he did. I’m so sorry.” Reiner rambled.

Y/N sighed. “I mean, I’m not going to blame you. It was between Porco and I. But I guess that makes me feel better, like you didn’t betray me.” She chuckled awkwardly.

“No, I’d never stand for the stuff Porco did.” Reiner said.

“Did he cheat?” Sasha whispered to Historia. Historia shushed Sasha, swatting her.

“So we’re good?” Reiner asked. Y/N nodded.

“Sorry for the hostility, I just never expected you to be here.” Y/N admitted.

“No, I get it. But I wish Jean would’ve at least given me a headsup you were Sasha’s room mate.” Reiner muttered.

There was a knock on the door then. “Come in!” Y/N shouted. Jean walked in, peeking his head around the corner to where Y/N was standing in the kitchen with Reiner.

“Hey!” Jean said. He waved at Historia and Ymir. “So I assume you met Reiner?”

“Actually,” Y/N chuckled nervously. “We’ve known each other.”

“Oh!” Jean replied, eyes widening. “Even better! So he’s gonna help me move this thing.” He patted the couch Sasha was snoring on.

Y/N nodded, a tight lipped smile.

“Kirstein,” Ymir called. Jean glanced at her. “Long time no see.”

“Oh yeah! How have you been?” He asked Ymir. “And nice to see you too, Historia.”

Historia waved.

“I’ve been pretty good,” Ymir responded. “But I see you’re still late to everything.”

Jean blushed a deep red, running a hand through his hair. “Oh, yeah, I’m sorry. I got a phone call I had to take.” He looked at the floor, embarrassed. Ymir simply grunted.

“So do you want to start moving it?” Jean asked Reiner.

Reiner nodded, walking over to the couch. The men stared down at Sasha’s sleeping figure, unfazed by the commotion. “Do we wake her?” Reiner questioned.

Jean sighed, shoving Sasha. “Hey. Wake up. Wake up. Wake upppp,” He shook the side or her body with his palm.

Sasha groaned. “I’m not ready to say goodbye.” she grumbled sleepily.

“You and Ymir literally bullied me to get rid of it,” Y/N scoffed.

“I had forgotten how comfy it was!” Sasha protested, turning to the opposite side. “Five more minutes.” Y/N scoffed.

“Do you guys want a sandwich while we wait for Sleeping Beauty?” Y/N offered, tilting her head towards the kitchen with the butterknife.

“More like sleeping ugly.” Ymir snorted.

Y/N and Jean made eye contact.

“You get used to it..” Y/N mouthed. Jean nodded, agreeing.

“I heard that!” Sasha exclaimed to Ymir. “Just for that, I’m gonna fart in your bed.”

Reiner turned a deep red. For someone who liked to listen to 2014 pop, he was pretty bashful.

“I’ll take one, if it’s not too much of a bother,” Jean raised a finger, inquiring.

“No problem! Follow me. And you, Reiner?” Y/N walked back to the kitchen, opening the fridge, Jean a few steps behind her.

“I’ll take one too then, thank you.” Reiner accepted. Y/N nodded, bending over into Jean’s line of sight almost unassumingly. Jean’s eyes widened, before looking the other way, a faint blush appearing on his features. He didn’t want to get caught ogling the girl on their second meeting, possibly giving the impression he was a creep. But damn, was it hard. He felt someone staring at him, and when he focused he realized it was Historia, who was holding back a giggle. He got even more flustered, looking away from her too.

“Any specifics? Mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup? We have pickles and a wide variety of condiments and lunch meats.” Y/N listed.

“Y/N,” Ymir scolded. “Those lunch meats are for the fancy guests!”

Y/N shot her a glare. “Ignore Ymir, she’s just grumpy because she hasn’t been fed her daily sacrifice of small children.” Jean laughed a little too hard while Reiner chuckled. It was hard for Jean to focus when she smelled so good and was at a certain angle.

“Um, lies,” Ymir replied nonchalantly. “Children eating is at 12, it’s 4. That’s the senior citizen buffet.”

“Har, har.” Y/N rolled her eyes. “So what do you guys want?”

“Anything is fine, really,” Jean said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Is ham and muenster cheese good?” Y/N asked, standing upright and grabbing the two containers.

“Monster cheese?” Reiner asked, puzzled.

“M-U-E-nster. It’s so good, try it!” Y/N began to assemble both boys their sandwiches. “I’m gonna give you the works! Lettuce, mayonnaise and tomatoes!”

“Is Y/N making sandwiches?” Sasha asked from the couch, eyes tightly shut.

“Yeah, but don’t get your hopes up. There’s no children flavor.” Ymir mocked.

Y/N flicked her off without turning back.

Sasha bolted off the couch. “Can you make me a sandwich, Y/N? Pleaseeee? Pretty please?” Sasha begged, appearing at Y/N’s side and slightly shoving Jean.

“Yeah, yeah. But I’m not cutting the pickles this time. That’s gross.”

Sasha hummed happily, going to the kitchen to hand Y/N her sandwich components.

“Why don’t you just make your own, Sasha?” Jean asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Because!” Sasha exclaimed defensively. “Y/N makes the best ones! They’re so good, and they aren’t lopsided and sloppy like Ymir’s.”

“You could always just starve.”Ymir suggested unhelpfully. She suddenly joined Historia in clapping her hands along to the Friends theme.

“But hello! Cheerio!” Ymir waved frantically to Jean and Reiner. “Don’t y’all got a couch to be moving?”

“Right,” Reiner agreed, walking over to the couch. “Jean, you take that side and we’ll lift it to my truck. Can someone open the door?”

“On it!” Sasha ran over to help.

Jean got on the other side of the couch, and on the count of three him and Reiner lifted it.

“See, that wasn’t so bad,” Ymir chided. “PIVOT! PIVOT!” she suddenly shrieked, causing Reiner to startle.

“Is she always like that?” He asked, wincing.

“Yes.” Everyone in the room agreed.

As Jean and Reiner moved the couch out of the dorm, Ymir sang the Friends theme song loud enough to be heard from the hallway. Historia harmonized with her happily, leaning into her chest.

Once Reiner and Jean safely secured the couch to Reiner’s truck bed, they returned to the dorm room.

“Yay! It’s gone!” Y/N clapped her hands enthusiastically. “Thanks guys, really.”

“Thank you,” Jean replied. “I really needed a couch.”

“And thank me,” Reiner teased. “For having a truck and upper body strength.”

Y/N laughed. “Here’s your sandwiches, courtesy of Chef Y/N.”

“Five stars!” Sasha banged her first on the table, chewing loudly.

“I put some chips on the side,” Y/N pointed to Jean’s plate. “It just adds that extra flavor.” She admitted almost shyly. Jean’s heart swelled. Why was she acting so.. adorable? There was just no other word for it. It wasn’t a big deal. His friends often acted adorable. Armin, Connie, even Sasha. Eren… On second thought, not Eren.

“Thanks! I love chips!” Jean said. Y/N laughed again, the corners of her eyes crinkling, shaking her head a bit. Even Reiner chuckled.

“Great commentary,” He said, patting Jean on the back with a large hand. “Thanks, Y/N.” He made his way to the couch, where Historia scooted to make room for him, smiling brightly.

“Don’t even try anything,” Ymir warned, holding up a finger to Reiner and giving him a death stare. Reiner shook his head, eyes widened in fear. Ymir borderline barked.

“You can sit!” Y/N motioned to the small breakfast table Sasha was devouring her sandwich at.

Jean quickly glanced at the table, then at Y/N leaning against the counter. “Nah, I’m good here.” He took a bite out of his sandwich.

“Ugh, that’s so barbaric,” Y/N scoffed. “Eating standing up.”

Jean nearly choked on the bite of sandwich. “Weren’t you just thanking me for buying your ugly couch?” He sassed.

Y/N rasied her eyebrows. “Um, you should be thanking me and my ugly couch for saving you from sitting on the floor. Why’d you even buy one if you just eat standing up? You animal.” Jean shook his head, trying to contain his smile.

“That’s rude.” He stated simply.

Y/N punched his shoulder jokingly. “You can handle it.”

Jean shrugged. “I don’t know. I might just cry myself to sleep every night. Who knows how long the guilt will eat you alive for.” He said in a fake menacing tone.

“Oooh, I’m terrified.” Y/N waved her hands.

“For good reason. I’d be a pretty annoying guilt trip.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Y/N agreed. His voice is so deep, Y/N thought.

Sasha stared at them blankly, head on her hand, mouth partially open.

“Uh…”

“Sasha,” Jean rolled his eyes. “Close your mouth, I can literally see the chips.”

Like a fish, Sasha’s mouth closed with a wet sound. She finished chomping and swallowed before getting up.

“You guys are weird.” She said, walking to the couch as well.

Jean and Y/N watched her go, attempting to fit on the medium sized sofa.

“I think we might need another couch.” Y/N commented, watching Sasha try to shove Reiner off her usual seating spot.

“No take backsies,” Jean smirked, looking at her.

“I sold it for a reason, whatever your last name is.” Y/N crossed her arms.

Jean guffawed. “Like you don’t know my last name.”

“I don’t! It’s pretentious.” Y/N insisted.

“Uh, huh.” Jean replied, not believing it, more so hoping it was just a joke. “It’s Kirstein.” He said instead, opting to not find out the hard way.

“I was right, it is pretentious. All fancy soundin’.” Y/N shuddered.

“It is not!” Jean argued.

“Whatever. Do you know mine?”

“Duh,” Jean mocked, staring at Y/N and placing his empty plate on the counter.

“Then what is it?” Y/N shot back, staring just as intently.

“It’s uh- It’s um,” Jean drew a blank. He stuttered, trying to recall the memory.

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Uh huh.”

Jean waved his hand dismissively. “It’s probably just basic.”

“Sure, Kirstein,” Y/N dragged out the syllables. “It’s L/N, if you must know.”

“L/N.” Jean repeated. “Nice to meet you.” He stuck his hand out.

“You’re not gonna freeze up now?”

“Very funny. You totally froze up first.”

“You looked like a deer in headlights.”

Jean shook his head, checking his watch. It was 5:15. Connie would be home soon, hungry. “I should head out, I got a lot of stuff to do.”

“More interesting than couch transporting?” Y/N picked up Jean’s plate, moving it to the sink.

“If you can believe it, yeah.” Jean chuckled. “But hey, thank you. It was pretty good.”

“The sandwich or the couch?” Y/N teased.

“Both.”

“Probably the sandwich.” Y/N said.

“Probably.” Jean agreed. “You ready to go?” He asked Reiner. Reiner nodded, getting up from the couch. Sasha scrambled to her feet off the floor to take his spot.

“Bye, everyone,” Reiner waved. “Thanks for the food, Y/N.”

“You’re welcome! Hope you enjoyed it.” Y/N waved.

“And um,” He stepped closer to Y/N, lowering his voice. “I’m sorry about earlier. If you ever want to um, talk about it,” Reiner ran a hand through his hair. “Just text me.”

Y/N grew stiff. Plastering a fake smile on her face, she just nodded. “Thanks, Reiner. I’m okay though.”

Reiner nodded. “I’ll see you outside, I’m gonna start the truck.” Reiner told Jean. He walked out, keys jangling, and shut the door gently. Jean stared at Y/N quizzically. He decided it was best not to ask, not wanting to come off as nosy or creepy. But Y/N could tell he was curious. She figured Reiner would explain and grew flustered just thinking about the humiliation of Jean knowing what Reiner knew. She preferred to leave that to Reiner and Jean to talk about.

“So I’ll see you around?” Jean asked, making his way to the door. Before Y/N could respond, Historia piped up.

“Wait, Jean!” She walked over to the breakfast table, digging into her pink Coach shoulderbag. “Here!” She produced a small pink invite, extending it to Jean.

HISTORIA’S 21ST BDAY BASH <33

Jan. 15 @ 8 PM @ Reiss Estate

2000’s THEMED

wear ur best y2k attire!

can’t w8 to see u there ;)

<3

Jean raised an eyebrow, flipping the card to the back. It was a pic of Historia as a kid, wearing a hot pink feather boa with a pink plastic cellphone against her ear. She looked more or less the same, only more subtler. The girl did like pink.

“You should totally come! Connie’s also invited, and Eren is coming with Mikasa! It’ll be so fun, I hope to see you there.”

“Thanks!” Jean replied, glancing at Y/N. “I’ll be there. Bye guys!” A chorus of “bye!”s ensued. He stepped out the door. 

Outside the dorm, he let out a sigh of relief. Historia’s birthday bash. Another opportunity to see Y/N.

Inside the dorm, Ymir glared at Historia. “Why’d you invite him, babe?” She whined, pouting like a child.

“Many reasons,” Historia began, walking over and sitting on her lap. “One, to spite you. Two, he’s nice! Three, I can’t invite all of his friends and not him. That’s rude. And four, for Y/N.” Sasha and Ymir looked at Y/N.

Y/N’s mouth dropped. “Um, what? I didn’t say anything!”

“Oh, please,” Ymir rolled her eyes in disbelief. “We all saw you canoodling.”

“No, we weren’t.” Y/N grumbled, washing the dishes.”

Historia giggled. “It’s okay, Y/N. You can just talk to Jean at my party.”

Y/N shrugged. “Maybe.”

Pulling out her phone, Y/N found herself re-reading her and Jean’s messages. Not really knowing why, she decided to save his contact.

Just incase, Y/N thought.

—

Later that night, Y/N’s phone dinged.

—

Meanwhile:

—

a/n: hey guys!! i’m sorry for the late update but I made this chapter extra long to make up for it :D so i saw this post and it was like “fanfic authors be going thru the most traumatic shit and then come back like nothing happened with a 6k word count chapter” and LET ME TELL YOU, that is my life. Rn nothing traumatic is happening but man it’s like this fic WANTS to be delayed lol. So i broke my thumbnail and i could NOT type for a few days without excruciating pain!! then i was busy into the night time which is my usual writing time. now i am sick with a fever, sore throat and a stuffy nose!! but i’m here, hopefully i won’t be sick for my graduation lol cus then i won’t be able to go. i hope y’all enjoyed this and ahh i felt so bad being mean to reiner but i feel like this was necessary for the porco plot to develop haha. also this is not proofread it’s 2am and i literally suck at writing first meetings/conversations. can you tell this was rushed lmaoooo. there was a lot more i was going to say but i forgot omfg so tune in to the next chapter!! love you all xx

btw i literally do not know how to do that “keep reading” tab thing where it cuts off your writing so it isn’t one big post so can someone please teach me :)

taglist: @usernamehere91 @calumsfringe @tsunderehokage

#aot headcanons #aot imagines #attack on titan x reader #jean kirschtein x reader #jean kirstein #jean kirstein smau #jean kirstein x reader #jean x reader #shingeki no kyojin #aot #jean kirchstein headcanons #jean kirschtein scenarios #jean kirschtein #jean x female reader #aot anime #aot fanfiction #aot smau #aot x reader #jean aot #attack on titan social media au #attack on titan #snk smau #snk x reader #snk jean #snk jean kirstein

[binniedeactivated]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫. || 𝐲𝐣🌪

pt. 2 | m.list

─▸🖤 ❝ @[@𝐛𝐮𝐠𝐬𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠.. ]

✎𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐲𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐧 𝐱 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤!𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥

✎ 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐥𝐞

✎ 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭; 2k

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬; 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐭. 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐝 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭.

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒; 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐞

“can I?!”. she shrieked. winter sighed,

“yes baby you can give him a hug”. scurrying to his side the small girl wrapped her arms around yeonjun’s torso gratefully. yeonjun smiled a bit leaning over to hug her back. he was lucky winter couldn’t stand to see her daughter upset.

because if it was up to her, sarai would never touch or see yeonjun a day in her life.

“tommorow by together back on set in 2!”. the director shouts and yeonjun nods in his direction. He then glances over at winter.

“so? how you been?”.

chewing on the inside of her cheeks winter grows angry at the montage inside her head of her struggling with a child on her own throughout the years. words couldn’t explain the heartbreak she felt.

it was prank, I’d never seriously get in a relationship with your ugly, fat ass.

god winter just wanted to punch him where he was standing. she took Sarai and led her back into the hair and makeup chair while still staring yeonjun dead in his eyes.

“after this, I don’t ever want to speak or see you again choi yeonjun”.

and yeonjun could say something back but he gulps instead, having to be on set within a few seconds.

all in all he understood where she was coming from. he was an asshole back then and if he were her he wouldn’t speak to himself either. but the past was the past and he thought by this time she’d let it go.

and like the inevitable fate yeonjun was assigned to babysit Sarai for the day. He grew fond of the bubbly little girl who had a knack for dancing and singing which he loved the most about her. The both of them played The Michael Jackson Just dance experience game in unison being way too competitive than they were supposed to be but they were having fun.

Yeonjun made his moves smooth and sharp and she tried to outdo him of course making her moves hard and sharp as well. yeonjun laughs, “you think you can beat me huh?”.

“I can try! You’re a really good dancer!”.

“Me?! you’re a good dancer too! I need lessons from you”.

Sarai laughs, “I can teach you!”.

as soon as the song ends yeonjun collapses on the floor tiredly out of breath. he didn’t even check the score board but he could already tell he lost by the way Sarai was cheering.

“Yay!! In your face junnie! that’s what you get!”.

yeonjun laughs at her cuteness. “Fine! You got me this time”.

she cheers a bit more before hopping herself on yeonjun’s tummy, laying down on it as if she was tired also. she was so freaking cute. yeonjun had the urge to play with her thick curly black hair but he thought maybe it was too much? But he felt closer to her in a way, if that made sense.

“can we eat? I’m hungry! geesh!”.

Yeonjun hops to his feet, figuring out of all the members he was probably doing the worst at this whole “babysitting for a day” fiasco. But he was trying his best. he goes into the kitchen and begins taking down ingredients from the cabinet.

“Have you ever cooked korean food before?”. He asked. She stands beside the counter patiently with her arms raised. Yeonjun nods and assist her onto the counter top, she sways her legs as soon as she got up there. She was so lucky really, to be spending time with one of her favorite idols.

“no. my mommy says my dad is Korean. but I’ve never met him and we never do korean stuff”.

Yeonjun pouts his lips a bit, fetching things from the fridge. “I’m sorry about that Sarai. Consider yourself lucky today then. I’m going to show you how to make tteokbokki. One of Korea’s most famous dishes”.

she claps her hands gratefully, “for real?”.

“yes of course”.

“you’re lit”.

yeonjun laughs at her comment. the happiest of feelings swarmed through her chest. she then got an idea but grew a little nervous to ask.

“can you? can you teach me more Korean things too?”.

“yeah! what do you want to know?”.

she ponders for a moment letting her tiny fingers stroke her invisible beard. yeonjun thought it was the cutest thing in the world.

“maybe? Teach me how to say hi in korean!”.

“that’s easy. Say ah-nyong-ha-sè-yo”. he explained, carefully sounding out the syllables.

“Ahh nee..?”. She attempts.

“Ah-nyong!”, yeonjun repeats pointing to his lips.

“Ah-nyong!”. She repeats back. Yeonjun smiles.

“Good job! now say ha-sè-yo”.

“ha!-seyo?”.

“Good!! now say it all together”.

“ah-nyong!-haseyo!”.

“good job!!”. he enthuses raising a hand for her to slap. she smiles kind of proud of herself. besides being in korea with her mother for business ventures that’s the closest she ever got to actually being korean.

“you keep it up, you’ll be better at korean than me”.

“I hope so! I really want to be korean”.

“you want to be korean?”. yeonjun trails off bunching the food together, trying to figure out what she meant.

“yeah! my mommy teaches me black culture all the time. I want to know what it’s like to be korean too”.

yeonjun nods, “I got your back sarai. but just know that even when you aren’t with me you’ll always be korean. alright?”. 

she nods her head yes smiling at him a bit. she was thankful yeonjun was here at least to give her a little taste of her culture. and she meant that quite literally also. because after they were done with the anchovy broth they began slowly stirring the doughy rice cakes inside of it. yeonjun held a spoon up  to her tiny lips carefully, with his hand just below it, letting her taste a bit of what she was in for. 

she hesitantly but surely bit into the rice cake and sipped a bit of the broth along with it. it sparkled her taste buds more than she thought. yeonjun thought it was adorable at how her eyes lit up at the taste. “mmm! this is good! your mommy raised you right”. 

yeonjun laughs trying to figure out where in the hell she got her vocabulary from, “my mother raised me right? what’s that supposed to mean?”. 

“i don’t know my mommy says it”.

“well, being korean, this is one of the most important dishes of your life. this, and there’s also pah-p!”. 

“pap?”. 

“yes. pap is steamed rice in korean. we eat it with almost everything”. 

“so ya’ll just eat regular rice all the time? no seasoning?”.

yeonjun scoffs, not expecting her to say that at all.  “we season our food”.

she smacks her forehead in a relieved manner. “whew! good! I remember once I went over my mommy’s friends house and she didn’t season her food at all!”. 

yeonjun laughs. “what did it taste like?”. he asked anticipating her answer. 

“nothing! air!”.

yeonjun tilts his head back and chuckles while taking down a couple of bowls and two metal pairs of chopsticks. he brings it to the counter carefully and places a good amount of broth, cheese, and rice cakes into each. except he never knew how much a little girl could eat so he gave her a small bit for now. 

but she whined. 

“no! I want as much as you have junnie. you want me to starve?”,

“really? you sure you can eat all that?”. 

she nods assuringly and yeonjun was quite surprised. “wow, you eat like me”. she giggles as he give her another spoonful of the meal. she got more comfortable on the countertop so yeonjun figured maybe she felt more comfortable eating in the kitchen. he sat his bowl next to hers. he swiftly grabs the rice cake with his chopsticks and blows on it softly. but he couldn’t help but notice her using two hands eagerly chasing a piece of rice cake around with the both of them. 

he chuckles. “you use one hand. like this--”.

he places his hand over hers, “it’s kind of like you’re gripping a pen or pencil. put your middle finger in between. put your pinky and index finger under, place your thumb across them both and let your pointer finger grip the first one”. he says,one by one he adjusts each of her fingers.

“ta da!”. he exclaims at the finishing product and she smiles. “so I just grab them? like this?”. she asks, sticking her tongue out of her lips as she focused to grip the rice cake with the tips of the chopsticks. which she did perfectly. 

“high five!”. she happily raises her hand to slap his.  “period!”. she yells. yeonjun furrows a brow, 

“period?”. 

“yeah! you don’t listen to city girls? my mommy listens to city girls sometimes. they say it all the time!”. 

“city girls? no i’ve never listened to them but thank you for the song recommendation”. 

at last, she finally got a taste of tteokbokki and it’s fullness. she loved it more than anything, especially the stringy cheese. 

with her mouth still full she speaks. “do you have kids junnie?”. she questions getting the broth all over her lips and cheeks.

the camera men who seemed to be enjoying the two way more than they should’ve. they’ve been laughing at her this whole time. they thought sarai and yeonjun were the cutest duo. 

“woah! you shouldn’t speak with a full mouth”. jun laughs before grabbing a nearby tissue and swipes her cheeks and lips clean. “but no I don’t. I think I’m too young to have kids. don’t you think so?”. 

“no! I think you can have kids if you really want to. and they can be rich and good looking kpop stars like you!”.

he chuckles. “really? I don’t think I’d make my kid be a kpop star”. 

“why not?”. 

“because it’s a lot of work. it’s really stressful and you have to have tough skin to be in this industry”. he says while chewing. 

“tough skin?”. she repeats glaring at him with wonder while licking her chopsticks. 

“yeah. you have to be able to handle negative things really well. I like being a kpop star because I love singing, I love dancing, I love performing, I love my fans and I love my members. All of that is enough motivation for me to keep going. but sometimes it isn’t enough for others”.

“hm. so you wouldn’t want your kid to be a superstar? that’s cold!”. 

yeonjun laughs. “they can. but maybe they can be a star in a different way you know? maybe not kpop”. 

she thinks for a moment while munching. “you’re going to be a really good daddy someday junnie”.

he smiles again. “thank you sarai. you’re really cute do you know that? I love your skin”. 

“really?”. 

“yes, you’re like a cute little hershey kiss”. 

and with that the both of them laughed and ate themselves tired. when they were done yeonjun already had a sense that she was sleepy just by her rubbing her eyes consistently. he collected the bowls and put them in the sink just before carrying her to the couch and placing a blanket over her. she was asleep in no time. 

she’s so cute, yeonjun thought. at that point he no longer cared if he did the best among the babysitting. he genuinely enjoyed her company.

“hello? is this winter?”.

winter rubbed her eyes and pushed the phone closer to her ear. it happened to be early in the morning. very early morning to be exact. 

“yes. may I ask who I’m speaking to?”. 

“good morning. I hope we aren’t troubling you. This is BigHit Entertainment”. 

she felt her heart drop instantly. 

“ah good morning. is there something wrong?”. 

“not at all. we saw that your daughter sarai recently did a casting a couple of weeks ago with choi yeonjun from tomorrow by together and everyone loved it! we’ve been getting so many good calls about it and we were wondering if sarai was available to do another casting with choi yeonjun? payment included of course”. 

winter thought for a moment. she barely wanted sarai to be around yeonjun the first time, never minding a second time. she never wanted sarai to find about who her father was and likewise, she never wanted yeonjun to find out about her, because he was a monster and what he did was foul. he didn’t deserve a spot in her life even if he begged for it. 

“I’m glad and I’m so happy to hear that. Do you mind if I give you a call back soon? I just need time to think about my decision”. 

“sure! no worries. you have a nice day winter!”. 

“you too”. she says just before ending the call. 

#yeonjun #choi yeonjun #yeonjun imagines #txt imagines #yeonjun drabbles

[cakers-2000]

Well here’s my entry for the Konoha Simps Discord server July event! I was so excited and happy that I was able to take part in this event with all kinds of other talented and amazing writers and artists. 

I hope you all enjoy, I put a lot of time and effort into this!

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

Word count: 2.8k

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

You cringed as the wooden door to the library squeaked open, creating such a loud reverberating sound that the fellow students within turned to stare in your direction. You winced at the sudden attention and attempted to sneak your way into the farthest corner. With your books clutched tightly in your hands you weaved in between the many students studying and reading at the desks tables. A few sat on laptops, the only sound filling the room being the sound of their typing fingers. Unfortunately for you many of the desks and tables had already been taken by small groups of peers and students scramming to get their last minute projects done. You mentally cursed at yourself for waking up so late. You had told yourself that you would wake up at a reasonable time to get as much work done as possible but here you were in the middle of the afternoon, rushing to get multiple essays done by tomorrow morning at the latest.

You were screwed.

Your eyes landed on a table in the corner. It had room for at least five people but there was only one person sitting there. His hair was wrapped in a ponytail while his head lay on his arms on the table surface. With no other choice but the hard floor for seating you decided that it would have to do. You’d have to hope he wouldn’t mind being bothered.

Upon further inspection you found that the man was in fact sleeping. You slowly pulled out the chair across from him, trying not to make any noise that would wake him and pulled out your laptop and books, maneuvering your many materials around his body in an attempt to accommodate both of your needs.

You hadn’t noticed him slightly stir as your attention fell fully to the work in front of you.

“Do you mind moving your stuff?”

You slightly jumped at the sound of his voice. You peeked around your laptop to find the man was now sat up, cheek resting in the palm of his hand. He still looked extremely tired and he covered his mouth as he yawned.

“Sorry… There isn’t a whole lot of room.”

He raised an eyebrow at you and let out a small sigh. “Why don’t you just sit at a different table? I didn’t give you permission to sit here.”

“Wh-” You were taken aback. He really had the audacity to accuse you of taking his space? “I’m sorry but this is a library. We’re all here to get work done, not to sleep.”

You heard a slight growl sound escape his throat. You sat in silence for a long while, eyes glaring at each other as neither of you moved or made a sound.

And he let out a sigh and stood himself up. Your eyes followed his every movement out of pure curiosity. He knelt down to grab the bag at his side and he turned his back on you, slightly slouching as he left the library.

“Geesh what was his problem?”

You tried your hardest to put your full attention back to the work at hand. Your eyes drifted to the clock in the corner of the room.

Only a few more hours until your new class began, and here you were trying to cram for all of your other classes.

You shook your head, a small sigh escaping your lips as you stared vacantly at the laptop screen in front of you.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The door to the classroom had already been opened, indicating that people were already inside. You quickened your pace. You didn’t want to be the only one late to class but you had gotten lost on campus trying to find the correct wing of the school.

As you slightly pushed the door open you were met with a sea full of students. At first your heart sank. You couldn’t see a single seat for you to sit in, perhaps you had the wrong classroom.

The feeling of dread slowly washed away as your eyes scanned the room and you found one in the back.

And then your heart dropped when you spotted the seat beside it.

It was that man again. With the quickness you had before gone you slunk towards the chair. You pulled it out from under the table and it let out a loud squeak as it scraped on the hard floor. You cringed as one by one their eyes turned to look at you. And the man lifted his head to stare.

A snicker escaped his throat as he spoke to you. “I should’ve figured it was you.”

“U-Uh, hi.”

You were quick to sit down and dig through your bag, trying your hardest not to make eye contact with any of your fellow students. The silence between you two was deadly. You could cut the tension with a knife. Every second that passed by felt like hours.

You almost let out an audible sigh of relief when the teacher arrived and you were able to start class. For the most part you had completely forgotten about the man beside you. You were completely engrossed in writing your notes and listening to the lecture.

That is until you received the news of the class projects. Where you would be assigned a partner. The person sitting next to you. You and the man shared a quick glance with each other. Both of your eyes holding the same shocked look. This could not be happening.

Why you?

You were given time to discuss your projects and you turned to face the man, your disappointment evident in your features. You tried to wash it away and smile, holding your hand out to him for a handshake. “I don’t think I made a great first impression earlier. So, I’m (Y/N).”

He slouched backwards in his chair as he spoke to you. “Shikamaru.”

You quickly realized he, in fact, was not going to return your gesture and slowly slunk your hand down. “So Shikamaru, what are you thinking about for a topic? We get to choose any war throughout history so we have a lot of options to-”

“How about we just do something easy? Like… World War 2. Everyone knows what happened, or at least kind of knows what happened. It’s an easy A.”

“Well actually I kinda wanted to focus on a smaller war. Like… maybe the Chinese and Japanese war? It’s kind of interesting, Japan actually took over Korea to try and get closer to China and overtake that as well.”

He glanced over at you, an almost impressed look on his face before it quickly washed away and returned to its neutral state. “If that’s what you want to do then go for it. I really don’t care.”

“Uh, sure yeah let’s do that. Is there any place that you want to meet up and work on this or something? I don’t think I have any way of contacting you either so we’ll have to-”

You could see his eyes glance over at the clock above the classroom door and he raised his hand to cut you off. “Look, he’s gonna release us in a few minutes and I’ve got a ride I need to catch.” He grabbed your notebook from underneath your hands and took the pencil from between your fingertips and scrawled out a few numbers before sliding it back to you. “Just text me or something and we’ll figure out the details later.”

“Alright, I guess that’s fine.”

True to his word the professor dismissed you shortly after your exchange and you watched Shikamaru leave out of the room, not even bothering to give you or the professor so much as a glance.

As you packed your things you couldn’t help but sigh. You really hadn’t had the best luck today. Given Shikamaru’s attitude you had no clue if he was going to put in the effort for the project at all.

That was what concerned you most of all, but unfortunately only time would tell.

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

“Why did you wanna do this here?”

You glanced up at him, your eyes leaving the book in front of you to instead watch him slouch forward, head resting in his arms.

“Why not? It’s the perfect atmosphere. Quiet and relaxing like a library plus,” You grabbed for the rather large drink in front of you, taking a sip of the freshly made juice. “You can buy yourself something to eat or drink if you need it. It’s perfect.”

He didn’t seem satisfied with your response and instead slouched himself forward to stare at the notebook in front of him.

“What do you have so far?”

“Well I wrote down the five main points we want to focus on and our options for how we want to present it. “We could do a video, a presentation, some type of cardboard thing. We have lots to choose from.”

He waved a hand at you, dismissing all of the options you had just given him. “Let’s just do a presentation. It’s quick and easy.”

You crossed your arms over your chest, a slight pout on your features as you had wanted to do something more extravagant. “You seem to like taking the easy way out don’t you?”

He seemed rather offended at your question and chose not to answer you directly. Instead he stood up from his chair and started towards the exit. Before you could protest his sudden actions he held up his hand, seeming to tell you to keep quiet. “I’ll be right back.”

And with that he slipped out the door. You awaited his return, doing as much work as you could in the time being but as the time drew on and he hadn’t returned you had admittedly begun to worry.

With no option left and as much work as you could get done out of the way you left to find where the man had escaped off to.

Though you hadn’t expected to find him standing directly outside of the building. He was staring down at his phone, casually scrolling through, foot resting on the building. And a cigarette rested in his mouth. He took a drag on the cigarette, blowing out puffs of smoke and a small sigh.

“Shikamaru?”

He turned at the sound of your voice and was quick to finish off the cigarette and stomp it out with his foot. “Oh, hey, sorry I got a little distracted.”

“You’re a smoker?”

He did nothing but nod at you as he put his phone back in his pocket.

“That’s really not good for you, you know.”

“I know.”

“It could really fuck up your health in the long run, you should really quit.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

“But are you even trying to quit?”

“No, I like it, I’m not stopping.”

“But you could die!”

“Okay.”

He didn’t seem to care about what you had to say. His eyes weren’t looking at you. He seemed to almost be looking through you. Why were you even trying? It had already been made obvious that he didn’t like you and you felt the same… maybe. You honestly weren’t sure how you felt about him yet.

“I’m heading out.”

“Wha- Hey! We’re not done yet!”

Honestly his attitude was starting to piss you off but he didn’t seem to care in the slightest. He strolled past you with his hands stuffed in his pockets as a small yawn escaped his lips. “I’m too tired for this.”

He did appear to be at least a little tired. “Fine, but we’re meeting here again tomorrow same time, got it?”

He waved his hand back at you, a monotone tone in his voice. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

In all honesty your hope for the project had fallen extremely low. Why did you have to get partnered with him?

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

“And we’re done!”

You leaned yourself backwards in your chair, a look of pride covering your features as you stared at the laptop resting in between the two of you. It was slowly sliding through your almost 20 slide presentation in beautiful transitions and colors. You hadn't been too thrilled to go with the whole ‘slideshow presentation’ idea at first but you were admittedly pretty happy with the results and Shikamaru had some wonderful ideas that really made the slides pop.

“It looks nice, good job.”

You smiled at the compliment and nodded happily. “You did good too, partner.”

You didn’t know what to expect when you had originally been partnered with Shikamaru. But honestly you were pretty happy with the end result. After your little chat a few weeks ago about your opinions on smoking you had seemed to grow closer. Perhaps it was because you valued each others opinions and ability to stand for those beliefs or purely because you were being forced to spend so much time together.

Either way you were beginning to enjoy his company and you hoped he felt the same.

“Oh right, I was supposed to talk to you about something today.”

“Oh yeah? What is it?”

His hands fell behind his head in a relaxed manner. His eyes were closed but he opened one so that he could see the expression you currently held on your face.

“You know about that fireworks festival thing happening next week?”

“Yeah! I’ve been looking forward to it for months.”

“So you’re going then?”

“I’ve been thinking about it, I don’t really want to go by myself.” You grabbed for the coffee sitting in front of him and took a sip humming happily at the taste. He only smiled as he heard your hums of approval, not seeming to care much about you drinking off of his own drink.

“Problem solved then.”

“Wh-What do you mean?”

Was he going to ask what you thought? Your heart was racing faster as you awaited his response.

“I’m going, I need someone to come with me.”

“Is this like… a date?”

“No.” He was quick to shut you down, the smile on his face falling. “Just two friends hanging out.”

“Oh.” You couldn’t hide the disappointment in your voice but you quickly covered it up with a smile. “I’ll be there. Are we meeting here again?”

“You got it.”

The smile on your face only grew at the thought of the day to come. You were excited, you had grown accustomed to his presence and you didn’t want your time with him to end so abruptly.

The one thing you could be sure about was that time would be moving far slower than usual as you awaited the festival.

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

The sound of children laughing and giggling all around you was the only thing you could hear. They scampered around your legs, chasing each other with toy swords and toy guns while their mothers tried their best to wrangle them in. You could hardly hear Shikamaru’s voice beside you, though you weren’t sure if that was because it was too noisy or he was barely speaking above a whisper.

“Let’s sit over there.”

“Huh?”

He didn’t repeat himself and instead grabbed for your hand. His fingers intertwined with your own and he pulled you to the right towards a small patch of grass seeming to be untouched by any crowds. A smile curled it’s way onto your lips at the sudden contact. His hand was warm, an almost inviting feeling engulfed you just at the mere touch.

You sat down on the grass. It tickled your skin and you laughed slightly at the feeling. You chatted until the fireworks started, taking the time to discuss each others interests and hobbies. Honestly you had a lot more in common with him then you thought. You weren’t sure but you kind of felt as if you were falling for him… but that couldn’t be right. You had hated him… hadn’t you?

You were interrupted mid thought as the fireworks erupted into the sky. You were entranced by the beautiful exploding colors. The loud booms shook your entire body. You could see Shikamaru out of the corner of your eye. He was staring at you, a warm smile on his features as he rested his cheek in his hand. You turned to face him, head slightly tilted in confusion but he only laughed.

“You know when we first met I hated you.”

“What!?”

You were shocked at his sudden truthfulness but it only made him laugh more. He moved himself closer to you and before you could ask him what he was doing his lips met yours for a sweet and soft kiss. You kissed him back, smiling into it.

You honestly hadn’t expected your relationship with him to go this far, especially after the rocky start you. As you sat on the ground, sharing a sweet yet passionate kiss while the fireworks erupted behind you you could say with confidence that you loved him and you were excited to see how much further your relationship would reach.

#shikamaru #nara shikamaru #shikamaru x reader #naruto #naruto shikamaru #naruto shippuden #naruto x reader #shikamaru scenario #naruto scenarios

[404-potato]

Chapter 24 (Preview)

An excerpt from the next chapter that is not out yet for definitions of indefinable things

“As a parent, I’ve accepted you can’t run from your problems. They will find you. And they will demand fruit snacks chocolate cake.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Sunshine.”

Tony strode into the room with a bright smile, soon approaching the couch Stephen had been lounging in. He bent down, giving the other a quick kiss before settling next to him.

Stephen gave his fiancé a look over. Noting with discomfort the dark circles that were now very prominent underneath Tony’s eyes. The brunette was giving a convincing act, however, there were definite signs of fatigue.

He sighed as he wrapped an arm around Tony’s waist, pulling the other closer.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he replied softly, trying to smile himself. The sorcerer tried to bite his tongue. He really did, however, “…You haven’t slept.”

“Call me Mr. Sunshine, dammit.” Tony snapped, pouting now.

Stephen gave him an amused stare, chuckling under his breath. “Well, technically the wedding is not till months away. But considering how behind we are on planning… as Pepper and Christine keep reminding me… may not happen at all it seems like.” He paused briefly, smiling as Tony dramatically rolled his eyes. “…And again. You haven’t slept.”

“Well, there’s been… a lot of things going on. But we’ll be fine,” came the easy reply. Tony pressed his back against Stephen’s side, leaning his head back onto the doctor’s shoulder. “I’m playing chicken with Pepper. Trust me, she’ll snap first and end up doing all the boring part for us.”

“We haven’t even gotten rings.”

Tony grimaced. Feeling the sudden pang of guilt.

It wasn’t that either of them was ignorant of the fast-approaching date of their wedding. It has officially gotten to a point where Pepper insisted, every chance she got, how some of these arrangements had to have been made weeks ago.

And it certainly wasn’t that Tony has forgotten they have yet to even acquire the rings. But considering all that transpired recently, and now that they were missing a good portion of the Avengers team to god knows where... they couldn’t exactly spare the time to be sorting through color palettes or cakes.  

But Stephen didn’t seem to dwell on the whole ordeal, choosing to focus on a more important topic. At least to him anyway. “But again, back to my main point. You haven’t slept. Again.”

It was already the third day that Tony refused sleep in favor of working on the time machine, trying to get it back to running again as well as to figure out where exactly had their team members ended up in. Stephen could honestly say at this point he only got a glimpse at Tony in the mornings, like now, when the billionaire came up to see the kids off and few times he went down to the lab to check on the other.

“What are they doing?”

Ignored again. Stephen let out a disgruntled huff. Didn’t even bother turning to the direction Tony was now staring.

He could guess.

Further away in the kitchen area, the part that was not hidden by the dividing wall, were Harley, Peter, and Loki running around peering in every cabinet, every drawer, digging through every space…

He cleared his throat, “Nothing. Tony-“

“Doesn’t seem like nothing. Peter looks upset,” Tony went on before fixing his gaze onto Stephen once more. “As a parent, I’ve accepted you can’t run from your problems. They will find you. And they will demand fruit snacks.”

“…Chocolate cake.”

“What?”

Stephen had a flat expression, although no longer meeting Tony’s eyes. “Loki is currently… helping Peter and Harley look for the chocolate cake,” he muttered. “…that he, himself… uh… ate last night.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “And you’re letting this go on…?”

“…I may have been tricked to eating a bite of it last night.”

The billionaire was now giving him a wide-eyed stare.

“I didn’t know it was Peter and Harley’s!” Stephen hissed. Then as Tony’s expression did not change, “…God of lies!”

“So… he made you an accomplice… unknowingly. So now you can’t even tell on him. …Wow. Clever,” A small smirk played on his lips as Tony shook his head. Then he made a motion as if to stand. “…Well, I’m telling them.”

“No!” Stephen hastily grabbed him, pulling him back down to the couch.

Tony frowned, eyeing him in question.

“I… I don’t… want them to hate me.”

He let out a huff. “Seriously? You think they’ll hate you over a fucking cake?”

And it was Stephen’s turn to frown, giving his fiancé a stern look that clearly spelled out exasperation. “You withheld sex for a week just because I ate the last donut that one time! Considering they are not your biological children they are awfully like you. They are very vindictive over sweets.”

Tony simply blinked at the sudden seriousness. It was oddly frightening and all the while hilarious given the actual topic of the issue.

Stephen tightened his grip on the brunette’s wrist. His voice low and serious, “I am soon going to be your husband! As you said, we are partners. So help me, Anthony Stark, or I swear I will-“

“Okay, okay! Geesh- I’ll take care of this.”

It took another second and a pleading look before Stephen actually let go. Tony had to try very hard to hold back his laugh at the genuine worry that was etched on the sorcerer’s expression.

Then, the billionaire stood to his feet, walking at a quick pace towards the kitchen area. “Peter, Harley, you both are going to be late. I’ll get you more cake later.”

“I swear, I left it here!” Peter said, though seeming to have finally given up.

Harley let out another annoyed huff. “I’m just irritated I can’t find it!”

But Tony was already shoo-ing them out. “Now! Both of you. Out! Happy is probably waiting downstairs.”

“Dad?” Peter said as he rummaged through his backpack. He pulled out a couple of sheets of paper. “There are papers I need you to sign. It’s for the Venice trip.”

“Right.” Tony took them and reached for a pen from his pocket. 

He quickly spun Peter around by the shoulder, using the teen’s back as a flat surface. The kid didn’t even utter a complaint as Tony placed the forms to his back, signing his name onto the appropriate lines. “When was that again?”

“In two weeks.”

“So right after school ends. Do we need to get you anything for it? Did you pick up your passport?”

“No, I think I already got everything. And I’m picking up the passport tomorrow.” Peter turned around once he felt the papers being taken away. 

Tony was holding out the signed forms. Peter took it then placed it safely into his bag.

“That’s my boy.” He gave Peter’s hair a light ruffle before continuing to push both him and Harley towards the elevator.

But just as they were about to step in, Tony turned around, mouthing back at Loki and Stephen, “Seriously????”

At least Stephen had the decency to look apologetic.

Loki simply appeared rather pleased. Clearly all too thrilled he got away with a crime.

#Ironstrange #definition of indefinable things fic #strangeiron #supreme family #fic preview #my fic stuff

[let-it-raines]

Catch Me If You Can (29/40)

298 days. That’s how long Killian Jones was away from a baseball field. It’s less than a year, only part of a season for him, but it might as well have lasted a decade as he alternated between physical therapy and spending an excessive amount of time sitting on his couch.

But then he came back and won the World Series.

It’s something no one saw coming, and it’s certainly not something anyone who knows about his arm would predict. Now it’s a new season with new possibilities, and anything could happen. On-field reporter Emma Swan will be there to cover it all even if she is not his biggest fan right now.

Asking her out live on-air will do that.

Rating: Mature

a/n: You all remain the best! If you celebrate any holidays this week, all the best to you! This will probably be the only chapter this week because I’ll be traveling, so I hope you enjoy!

Thanks to @resident-of-storybrooke​ for her awesome work as my beta! ❤️

Found on AO3: Beginning | Current

Tumblr: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 

Tag list: @stunningswan​ @eala-captian @galaxyzxstark @xellewoods @mariakov81 @ultraluckycatnd @royalswan @shey-starsfury​ @superchocovian​ @sals86 @iam2307 @ashley-knightingale @karenfrommisthaven @scientificapricot @captswanis4vr @ultimiflos @jamif @idristardis @nikkiemms @resident-of-storybrooke @tiganasummertree @bmbbcs4evr @onceuponaprincessworld @jennjenn615 @mayquita @captainsjedi @teamhook @notoriouscs @kmomof4 @ekr032-blog-blog​ @cs-forlife @andiirivera @jonirobinson64 @qualitycoffeethings​ 

-/-

“Isn’t that your second hot dog of the day?”

Emma stops in the middle of her bite of what is frankly one of the most delicious hot dogs she’s ever eaten – apologies to all of the vendors at Yankee Stadium because Fenway Park might have them all beat today – to look over at Robin and roll her eyes. At least it wasn’t Will who said it. He hates hot dogs, and while that’s probably good for the health of his heart, she is fully enjoying the fact that she’s devouring this thing even if it does mean that she’ll end up on the Jumbotron at some point.

That sick joke is never going to end. Being shown eating ballpark food is going to be her legacy. Maybe one day she’ll write a book about it.

It’ll be a horrible book, and the synopsis will probably read something about her being the woman who was asked out live on television by a baseball player and said no so that people will recognize her. .

But with very good food mentioned.

A segment on TV where she tries out all of the stadium food would probably be better.

“And what of it?” she mumbles to Robin, covering her mouth with her hand as she chews. “I’m hungry because I didn’t eat breakfast, and this game is going on forever. I want to go back to the hotel and sleep, and you guys are keeping me from it.”

“I’ll try to play faster for you, lass.”

“That’s all I ask. Throw your strikes in quicker succession. Allow a few less hits.”

Silence settles back between the two of them as they watch Will hit his third foul in a row. She should probably be writing that down or doing something with it, but honestly, Emma’s only really hiding out in the dugout because there’s shade and close access to air-conditioning. She already did all of her pre-game coverage and can pretty much chill to the end despite the fact that this the final Red Sox series of the season. A part of her wishes that she was up in a booth commentating, but she knows that she’s not going to get to do that too often. She’s mostly going to be the on-field girl for the rest of this season.

There’s always next year, though. David said it went over really well, especially considering what happened with Killian during the game, and all Emma can do is take a deep breath and let things play out. She can’t control any of it.

Easier said than done.

“Did he really not tell you?” Robin asks. She nearly chokes on her food. Maybe she shouldn’t be eating this. “Killian, I mean.”

Emma quickly glances around and sees that no one is paying attention, nearly everyone leaning up over the railing to watch the game, but it doesn’t keep her from leaning back into the bench and making herself smaller so that she’s as far away from everyone as possible.

“He really didn’t tell me,” she whispers, her fingers fumbling with the chain around her neck. “About any of it.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Robin is shaking the conversation off, but she’s curious. “What? You have to tell me now.”

He sighs, and Emma kind of gets the feeling that Robin sees Killian more like a younger brother than a friend sometimes. He and Liam should really make a club or something. They’d probably stress themselves out too much. She knows that she does, and she’s only been worrying about Killian’s overall well-being for five months. They’ve been worrying about it for decades.

“It really is nothing. I just – I’ve been around Killian for a long time. I was there when he cut his dad off, when he and Milah broke up, when all of the women happened after her. And I have so many vivid memories of taking Roland over to Killian’s apartment after the accident just so we could cheer him up, you know? Killian was there for me after my wife passed, and I always wanted to be there for him. So, I guess, it’s simply a bit difficult for me to understand how he couldn’t tell any of us this.”

Oh.

Oh shit.

In all of her own hurt, Emma never actually seriously thought about Robin or Will or Ariel and how this was affecting all of them. She knew that it was, but she was so caught up in her own mind that thinking about this giant support system that Killian has wasn’t really her biggest priority.

Her biggest priority was that bag of salt and vinegar chips.

“I think he was scared.” Emma shrugs her shoulders, trying to play off the little bit of lingering hurt that she still has. “I think that it doesn’t matter how much he trusts all of us because his fear was taking over him. He’s always so worried about being a disappointment, and he probably couldn’t bear to disappoint you again.”

A loud cheer erupts around the stadium, and Emma looks at the monitor inside the dugout to see Will’s ball being caught in the outfield just as he runs over first base. Damn. Five more feet, and he could have scored.

“How is he?”

“Hmm?”

“Killian,” Robin continues. “How is he? Actually?”

“I think,” Emma sighs, stretching out her legs, “that he’d feel a lot better if he got a call from you instead of the two of us talking about him when there’s baseball to be played.”

“Oi,” Will mutters as he walks down the steps to the dugout, everyone slapping his shoulders and his ass, “I hate Boston.”

“You’re from here, Scarlet.”

“Yeah, well, playing here makes me feel like the damn Joker.”

“To be fair,” Emma sighs as she gets up from the bench so that she can stand to watch the game, “the Joker is one of the best characters, and you do have that creepy smile going on.”

“And for that, I’m telling Belle to not serve you dessert at our wedding.”

“You can’t take dessert privileges away from me.”

“I’m the groom.”

“Yeah, but I’m friends with the bride, and that’s all that matters.”

“Scarlet,” Al yells over at them, “stop trying to get Ms. Swan to give you a better exclusive and figure out how to hit a better ball.”

“Geesh,” Will moans, dropping his helmet to the ground and wiping off the sweat from his buzzed hair, “I guess his date didn’t go well yesterday.”

Emma’s head quickly snaps around, and she steps down from her position next to Eric to walk back over to Will and Robin before whispering, “Al had a date last night?”

Will’s brow arches. “You didn’t know?”

“How the hell would I know that Al had a date?”

“Because it was with a teacher from your sister-in-law’s school. His nephew apparently goes there, and they met at some event. Jasmine something.”

A lightbulb goes off in Emma’s head, a slight memory of meeting a Jasmine at David’s birthday party back in March. What a small world. She’s going to have to text Mary Margaret after this because there is no way Mary Margaret didn’t know about that.

“Huh,” Emma breathes out, crossing her arms over her chest and looking down at Al as he paces back and forth looking down at his phone. “Well, maybe it did go well, and he’s just in a bad mood because you guys are getting your asses beat.”

“Go back to your reporting,” Will mutters under his breath. Robin barks out a laugh at that, and even though it’s really weird not having Killian here, a little bit of the world rights itself then having the two of them teasing her like they seem to like to do.

Even if they do lose 1- 6.

It doesn’t matter. They’re 92-50 for the season with only a handful of games left. They’ll probably officially qualify for the play-offs next week even if everyone has known for a while now. Everything from here on out is basically a bonus.

A really damn good bonus.

-/-

They end up winning the next three games in the Red Sox series in what turns out to be some pretty boring games that have Emma struggling to come up with any more interesting questions to ask everyone. It’s easy to talk to the guys that she’s close to because of Killian, but sometimes it’s a struggle to talk to the others without feeling like she’s simply being repetitive. But August and Phillip smile and charm their way through their interviews, as they always do, and the three minutes that she spends talking to Arthur after he hits a grand slam are pretty much three of the most torturous minutes of her life.

There have been no more incidents with him, at least that she knows of, but a shiver still runs down her spine when she thinks of the words he said about her back in London.

Things like that change the way a person feels in their workspace, and even though she’s done a pretty damn good job at pushing the niggling fears down, sometimes they do come back to haunt her and make her worry about what other kind of disaster is lurking around the corner and waiting for her to get comfortable before it attacks.

But , despite missing having Killian to travel with even if the hotel beds are surprisingly very comfortable with just her in it, Emma would definitely count Boston as a success.

After all, their hot dogs were really good.

-/-

David: MM and I are going to Mom’s this weekend, and I know that you have the weekend off. Why don’t you come with us and ask Killian to join?

Emma’s phone dinged with that text five hours ago, before the game against the Tigers even started, and while it initially made her heart beat a little quicker than usual, she forgot about it as she got engrossed in work and trying to help Jeff with the camera issues they were having. It was pretty much a disaster, one that took about five years off of her life, and she ended up having to work next to one of the network’s cameras that films the game for the few times they went to her.

Jeff simply muttered a few curses under his breath and then said he was glad for the day off.

But the game is over now, the Tigers winning by one run in the bottom of the ninth, and even though the game didn’t really matter, it still stings a bit. Now she’s staring at this text, and even though she and Killian have talked about going to Portland so he can meet Ruth, it was supposed to be when the season was over. It wasn’t supposed to be this soon.

She wants to go, and she wants to take Killian. But the nerves over the whole thing are definitely still there. She’s no longer mad at Killian or worried about making future-type plans (okay, well, overly worried), but having him meet Ruth in three days is a bit overwhelming.

What if she doesn’t like him?

That’s a ridiculous thought. Emma knows that it is. But the demons in her mind stay active even if their presence is a little less obvious than it used to be.

Life is weird. Seriously.

And she should really bite the bullet and text David back that she’ll talk to Killian about it.

Everything will be just fine, and a weekend away full of home cooked meals and a place with a backyard sounds really damn nice even if her bed at home will have to wait for her return a little longer.

Emma: I’ll call Killian and ask him if he’s free this weekend.

David: You’ve been away for a week, and those are the days you’re coming home. He’ll be free.

Emma: How could you possibly know that?

David: Because I am a man who knows what it’s like to be away from the woman I love for a few days.

Emma: Ew, gross. Don’t go there.

David: How do you know I was going somewhere gross?

Emma: I had a feeling.

Emma closes out her messages and swipes over on her phone so that she can call Killian, pressing the option to FaceTime him since she’s apparently sappily in love and sentimental and wants to see that handsome face of his.

It’s a very handsome face. Seriously. She’s very happy with her life choices right now.

Killian answers the call, and when he comes into view, she can see that handsome face as well as the faces of approximately thirty stuffed animals surrounding him in what can only be described as a weird pop music video.

“Hello, my love,” Killian greets with an absolutely gigantic smile that has the lines around his eyes crinkling. Her heart is definitely doing that thing where it stutters whenever he calls her by that particular endearment.

“Hey.” Emma smiles into the phone and ignores how lopsided her bun looks in her little picture in the corner. “Who are all of your friends?”

“Ah, well, they all have names, but I’m remiss to say that I can’t actually remember them all right now. But I’ve been sequestered into Addy and Lucy’s playroom.”

“And where are they?”

“Elsa just came and got them for dinner. I meant to go join them, but then you called.”

“That seems like a pretty flimsy excuse. I think you just wanted to hang out with all of the stuffed animals.”

“You’ve bested me there, Swan.” He smiles again, and instead of her heart doing that stuttering thing, it aches a little bit. That’s ridiculous. She shouldn’t actually miss him like that. It’s only been a few days even if it feels so much longer since they barely got anytime to be back together before she was hopping on a plane to Boston. “What are you up to tonight?”

Emma shrugs her shoulders. “You’re looking at it. I think I might do a face mask because my skin feels gross. I also might paint my nails. Real exciting stuff over here.”

“I might help with Addy’s spelling homework, so it’s even more exciting over here.”

She laughs and shakes her head a bit before getting up from the bed and taking her phone with her to the bathroom. She might as well wash her face while she’s thinking about it instead of inevitably forgetting whenever it’s time to go to bed. Emma props her phone up against the vanity so that Killian has a particularly nice view of the underside of her chin and starts her routine by wiping of the makeup from today. Most of it has already sweated itself off, but the remaining is all of the product that likes to be stubborn about coming off. Killian tells her about his day, which pretty much consisted of physical therapy and picking the girls up from school before taking them to Liam and Elsa’s townhome and being smothered in stuffed animals.

As awful as it is for Killian to have to sit on the sidelines, he looks so damn happy just to be able to spend more time with his family. She knows that he sees them a lot, much more than most people do, but he’s always got some place to go or somewhere to be during this time of the year that the visits usually aren’t long. And Emma swears that he gets a few months of his life back every time Killian gets to spend time with Addy or Lucy.

It’s like magic.

That’s kind of how she feels when she gets to spend time with her family too.

Emma opens up the jar of her face mask and dips her finger insider before spreading the green clay over her chin.

“I didn’t know my girlfriend was secretly Shrek.”

Emma rolls her eyes. “I am not dignifying that with a response.”

“You look positively charming, love. I think the green is a very good color on you. Brings out your eyes.”

Emma scoffs and ignores the waggle of Killian’s eyebrows while she rubs the mask in the space between her own brows. “So, if you stop being an asshole for a second, I have something I wanted to ask you.”

“Is it how I stay devilishly handsome all the time?”

“No, I was saving that for our next conversation.”

“Ah, ah, gotcha,” he sighs, shifting against the stuffed animals until he’s sitting up and the hair that had been pushed behind him is falling in front of his face. “Go on then, Swan.”

Emma brings her bottom lip between her teeth before releasing it with a pop. “How do you feel about going to Portland this weekend with David, Mary Margaret, and Leo?”

“Are you not coming?”

“I was implied in that list.”

“Well, I don’t know, love. If it was just Dave, Mary Margaret, and Leo, I would of course go to spend some time with Ruth. Now that I know that you’re going to be there – ”

“Shut up. You’re lucky that you’re hundreds of miles away. I can’t slap you from all the way over here.”

“Kinky.”

Killian barks out a laugh at his own joke, his head thrown back with the joy of it all, and all Emma can do is shake her head at him. He’s in rare form tonight with his jokes and teasing and that ever-present smile on his face.

Well, no. He’s not in rare form. This is how he always is, but it’s been awhile since she’s seen him be carefree enough to actually feel this good.

It’s a beautiful sight.

“I will make it worth your while if you come.”

The downright dirty smirk that graces Killian’s face after she utters those words makes a shiver run down her spine and regret settle in her stomach for all of the things she just set him up for.

“Worth my while, then?” Killian prods, raising that brow a little further. “What does that entail, exactly? Are you going to come home early and immediately fall into bed to me? Or do you have a nice set of lingerie in that suitcase of yours that we’re about to put into good use despite the fact that you have a green face right now?” Killian gasps, something overdramatic and self-indulgent, and Emma can barely keep herself from laughing even if the tone of his voice is something close to sinful. “Are you going to seduce me in your childhood bedroom, Swan? Is that it? Is that what will make it worth my while?”

“I mean, I was kind of thinking we’d book a flight so we don’t have to spend seven hours cramped in a car together with the Nolans. They play very intense road trip games. Singing is involved.”

His face only falls a little bit. “Damn, okay. Yeah, I’m all for flying there, but I could also drive us. It wouldn’t be a big deal.”

“I’m pretty sure elevating your shoulder for that long is not what you’re supposed to be doing.”

“You make a good point.”

“I tend to.” There’s a knock at Emma’s hotel room door, and she tenses for a second before taking a step to the side and pressing up on her toes to look out the keyhole to find Ariel standing there in a pair of white pajamas with little red bows on them. Emma opens the door, forgetting about her face and Killian for a second. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

“A few of us are going to eat pizza in mine and Eric’s room, and I was trying to invite you but I couldn’t get you to answer your phone.”

“Oh,” Emma sighs, looking back into the bathroom to the direction of her phone. “Sorry about that. I was talking to Killian, and I – ”

Ariel’s shoulders perkperk s up, and she steps inside the room without asking, which Emma has learned is pretty par for the course when it comes to Ariel. Emma closes the door behind her and walks into the bathroom to grab her phone, where Killian is still waiting in the screen, and she hands the phone over to Ariel because she knows that’s what she wanted anyways.

Plus, her face mask is starting to crack, and she’s got to get this gunk off of her. The water drowns out the sound of the conversation happening in the bedroom, but as soon as she turns it off, she can hear Killian talking.

“No, A,” Killian sighs, “I am not overexerting myself. Yes, I have talked to Rob this week. No, I didn’t watch last night’s game. You know you can just text me, right? You didn’t have to steal Emma’s phone.”

“I didn’t steal her phone. She handed it to me.”

“You basically stole it.”

“I did not.”

Emma laughs under her breath before walking into the bedroom. Those two are ridiculous. Their friendship makes no sense, but Emma knows they wouldn’t survive without each other.

Seriously.

“Babe, Ariel did not steal my phone. You’re just complaining because I gave you away to her without warning.”

“I am not,” he scoffs, and when she can finally see his face again, the tips of his ears are noticeably red. “Where’d your green face go?”

“Washed it off.” Emma settles down on the bed next to Ariel who scoots over for her. “So, what is this I hear about you talking to Robin? Did you guys finally hash out all of your emotional issues about your penchant for keeping secrets?”

“I still can’t believe he did that,” Ariel tells her, an exasperated look on her face.

“I would say welcome to the club, but you’re already an established member.”

“I feel like I could be co-chair or vice president or something.”

“You might be able to be president.”

“No, you or someone from his family gets that role, I think.”

“Really, because – ”

“The two of you are never allowed to go anywhere without me ever again,” Killian interrupts, and they both turn from each other back down to the phone screen.

“It’s funny you say that because I have planned a vacation with all of the women in your life, and all we’re going to do is plot ways to make you miserable.”

“You are not funny, A.”

“I think you’re hysterical,” Emma combats, winking at Killian. “But seriously. You talked to Robin? Did you tell him the whole ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ spiel?”

“Yes, love, I used the cliché breakup line to explain to Robin that it had nothing to do with my trust in him and everything to do with me being a cowardly asshole.”

“And he accepted it?”

“Yep,” he murmurs. “He accepted it, and we’re all sunshine and roses now. Seriously. We probably talked for an hour or two this morning.”

“Good,” Emma breathes out, a smile on her face. She’s so relieved that they talked. She’s kind of been far too worried about it since she and Robin talked about it in the dugout a few days ago. “I’m going to text you later, okay? I’m going to go stuff my face with pizza with everybody.”

“Yeah, Swan, that sounds nice. Have fun. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Bye, Ariel,” Killian says, waving his hand. “Please don’t plot my death while you guys eat pizza.”

“I make no promises.”

The phone disconnects, and Emma places it on the bed next to her before scooting away from Ariel to give her some space since their bodies were pretty much aligned during that conversation.

“He’s happy today.”

“Hmm?” Emma asks, not really hearing Ariel’s words, her mind still replaying all of the craziness of her conversation with Killian.

“Killian,” Ariel says, smiling at Emma. “He’s happy. Like, he’s got that fresh glow of a man in love. It’s just nice to see is all. I like that you make him happy.”

“Oh no,” Emma protests with a shake of her head. She gets up from the bed, too flustered to stay still, and reaches down into her suitcase for her moisturizer simply to have something to do with her hands. “I don’t – that’s not on me. That’s on Killian and how he’s got a lot of really good people around him. I know I wasn’t around for the last lay-off, but I know it was rough. I think he’s in a better headspace now, even if it did have a rough start.”

Emma dips her finger into the container and swipes the cream across her forehead while she tries to regulate her breathing. She knows where this conversation is going. Ariel is very much like Mary Margaret in all of her love and hope for good in the world, and she likes to talk about these things like big emotional moments aren’t a difficult thing to talk about.

“You’re one of those people he’s got around him, though,” Ariel continues, and Emma keeps rubbing her hands in circles across her face. “Killian is one of my best friends in the world. I know him almost as well as I know my own husband, and I know that he’s so much happier now because of you. That’s a good thing.”

“I know. I’m just – ”

“Scared?” Ariel gets up from the bed and walks over to Emma so that Emma can see her face and see the hopeful smile that resides there. “Does it make you feel better that I’m still scared?”

“No,” Emma laughs, something that settles her stomach a bit. “How would that make me feel better? That sounds like a nightmare. You’ve been married for half a decade.”

“Love is always scary. You never know what’s going to happen when you wake up in the morning. Like, ever. I don’t know if Eric and I are going to have a day where it’s like we’re on our honeymoon again or a day where the sound of him chewing is going to get on my nerves. But I love him, and I love getting to have him be by my side every day. He’s not the sole reason I’m happy, but he’s a big part of it. I think it’s the same with you and Killian. That’s a good thing.”

“Have you ordered a really nasty pizza? Is that why you’re trying to butter me up?”

Ariel laughs and walks toward Emma but seems to step back from giving her a hug. “No, I’m trying to butter you up because I hear you can do all kinds of braids, and I’ve never quite been able to figure out the Dutch braid.”

“Luckily for you, I am an expert in that.”

“Good. Now, come on. We’ve got to go before the boys eat all of the pizza.”

“Who all is in there?”

“Just Will, Robin, and Eric.”

“Well, shit,” Emma laughs as she grabs her phone and her hotel key. “You’re right. They are going to eat it all before we get there.”

Emma follows Ariel out into the hall and follows her down the hallway to the stairwell so they can walk up the two flights of stairs to everyone else’s floor. Before they even enter the room, Emma can hear the three of them laughing. Sure enough, once the door is open, they’re each spread out across the room – Will on the couch, Eric on the bed, and Robin sitting in the desk chair – and pizza boxes litter the room along with beer bottles. Emma has been around professional athletes for most of her adult life, and she’s never seen a group of them so consistently break their nutrition plan like this team.

Not that it bothers her. Though, tomorrow she is eating a hell of a lot of fruit and vegetables to make up for it.

She says that a lot. It usually works.

“Emma,” Will yells as she walks into the room. He holds up his half-eaten slice as a greeting. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you. I was almost afraid I was going to forget what you looked like.”

“Am I still as beautiful as you remember?”

“Eh, you’re looking a little rough right now.”

“Asshole,” Emma laughs, walking toward the desk and opening a box to grab a piece of pizza. “What about you, Robin?”

He points to himself. “Are you asking if I’m still as beautiful as you remember since I saw you last? Because I personally think I’ve become more attractive.”

Emma snorts, actually snorts, and she doesn’t bother trying to cover it up before plopping herself down on the bed next to Ariel and Eric, squishing herself down on the mattress. It’s not the best pizza in the world, not even close, but the company is top notch and not something Emma would like to ever trade for anything.

In the past, she’s never gained friends from a relationship. Neal had all kinds of people in his life, but they were always temporary. She’d meet them once, ask about them two weeks later, and then Neal would claim to not know who she was talking about. He was always onto the next thing and the next group of people who could help him get what he wanted. Walsh had friends, a group of people he’d met through some kind of club for antique furniture, but they were all obnoxious and unfriendly. She didn’t want to be friends with them, and they certainly didn’t want to be friends with her.

And maybe it has helped Emma now that she already knew most of the people in Killian’s life because of her work, but they’re all so welcoming and supportive that she couldn’t imagine them not getting along.

Usually it helps that Killian is around, but this past week, it’s been kind of nice to get to talk to all of them simply because they want to talk to her. For someone who isn’t used to that, Emma thinks that it could become a familiar feeling.

She wants it to.

Emma pulls out her phone later that night and takes a video of everyone talking and laughing. Will is telling some insane story about a caterer who they interviewed for the wedding who wanted to serve all raw food, including meat, and it’s caused an uproar in the conversation. She sends the video to Killian, making sure that the last frame is her smiling at him.

Emma: Wish you were here.

Killian texts her back five minutes later. It’s a picture of him in Addy’s bed, his legs hanging over the end, with both Addy and Lucy draped over him asleep.

Killian: Same here. I don’t think I’ll be moving for the rest of the night. They’re not quite as good of a bedfellow as you.

#catch me if you can #cs fic #cs ff #captain swan fic #captain swan

[jonroxton]

@scratchybeardsweetmouth​:  uh-huh uh-huh. hahaha yeah the dragons being around her when the kiss happened is something that kinda makes me giggle every time. not a peep from them. as soon as she stood from her bed, she has not made note of them in the chapter, nor has she made note of their reactions during her recalls of the kiss. it may be a shocking and confusing moment for dany, but never a dangerous one.

it’s… insanely subtle and easy to miss! under a cut bc this got long!

after the kiss the feeling dany most experiences is expectancy. she tries not to think of jorah at all except as a commander and how he relates in that regard to her negotiations with kraznys. she tries. and fails completely. in fact the more she tries the harder it is to stop herself and we learn she actually HASN’T stopped thinking about how hot the kiss made her!

1. Keeping cool, stayin cool. I got this:

The gods of Ghis were dead, and so too its people; these Astapori were mongrels, Ser Jorah said. Even the Ghiscari tongue was largely forgotten; the slave cities spoke the High Valyrian of their conquerors, or what they had made of it.

2. Pff I’ve called him my bear before. Still cool. Yeah. Totally cool. Also I guess he’s not handsome but he’s so smart. My bear is so smart.

“They might be adequate to my needs,” Dany answered. It had been Ser Jorah’s suggestion that she speak only Dothraki and the Common Tongue while in Astapor. My bear is more clever than he looks. “Tell me of their training.”

3. I don’t want to think about jorah so i’ll leave him behind with my most priceless possessions, the most important weapons in the entire planet.

The old man had not wanted to sail to Astapor; nor did he favor buying this slave army. A queen should hear all sides before reaching a decision. That was why Dany had brought him with her to the Plaza of Pride, not to keep her safe. Her bloodriders would do that well enough. Ser Jorah Mormont she had left aboard Balerion to guard her people and her dragons. Much against her inclination, she had locked the dragons belowdecks. It was too dangerous to let them fly freely over the city; the world was all too full of men who would gladly kill them for no better reason than to name themselves dragons layer.

4. look at how cool i am this is not word association ok

Ask her if she wishes to view our fighting pits,” Kraznys added. “Douquor’s Pit has a fine folly scheduled for the evening. A bear and three small boys. One boy will be rolled in honey, one in blood, and one in rotting fish, and she may wager on which the bear will eat first.”

Tap tap tap, Dany heard. Arstan Whitebeard’s face was still, but his staff beat out his rage. Tap tap tap. She made herself smile. “I have my own bear on Balerion,” she told the translator, “and he may well eat me if I do not return to him.”

5. arstan lying to dany’s face since he met her: moral relativism is??? stupid?? jorah mormont is a piece of shit??? dany: wow i really never dealt with my sexual trauma i must stop this right now.

“When I leave Astapor it must be with an army, Ser Jorah says.”

“Ser Jorah was a slaver himself, Your Grace,” the old man reminded her. “There are sellswords in Pentos and Myr and Tyrosh you can hire. A man who kills for coin has no honor, but at least they are no slaves. Find your army there, I beg you.”

“My brother visited Pentos, Myr, Braavos, near all the Free Cities. The magisters and archons fed him wine and promises, but his soul was starved to death. A man cannot sup from the beggar’s bowl all his life and stay a man. I had my taste in Qarth, that was enough. I will not come to Pentos bowl in hand.”

“Better to come a beggar than a slaver,” Arstan said.

“There speaks one who has been neither.” Dany’s nostrils flared. “Do you know what it is like to be sold, squire? I do. My brother sold me to Khal Drogo for the promise of a golden crown. Well, Drogo crowned him in gold, though not as he had wished, and I… my sun-and-stars made a queen of me, but if he had been a different man, it might have been much otherwise. Do you think I have forgotten how it felt to be afraid?”

6. BUT WE’RE HERE NOW I GUESS WHAT THE FUCK

He has a good face, and great strength to him, Dany thought. She could not understand why Ser Jorah mistrusted the old man so. Could he be jealous that I have found another man to talk to?Unbidden, her thoughts went back to the night on Balerion when the exile knight had kissed her. He should never have done that. He is thrice my age, and of too low a birth for me, and I never gave him leave. No true knight would ever kiss a queen without her leave. She had taken care never to be alone with Ser Jorah after that, keeping her handmaids with her aboard ship, and sometimes her bloodriders. He wants to kiss me again, I see it in his eyes.

What Dany wanted she could not begin to say, but Jorah’s kiss had woken something in her, something that been sleeping since Khal Drogo died.

jorah’s kiss sounds like a fandom thing, like the unkiss. but yeah no it’s straight up how dany describes it. like it was something given to her, not taken in exchange for something (LIKE HERSELF TO DROGO!)

7. Listen I don’t want Jorah but here’s six to eight paragraphs of me having wet dreams and losing my shit..

The next day, it all seemed a dream. And what did Ser Jorah have to do with it, if anything? 

8. Nada. nope. Ok maybe she’s not cool but eight thousand puppies geesh...

Aggo helped Dany down from her litter. Strong Belwas was seated on a massive piling, eating a great haunch of brown roasted meat. “Dog,” he said happily when he saw Dany. “Good dog in Astapor, little queen. Eat?” He offered it with a greasy grin.

“That is kind of you, Belwas, but no.” Dany had eaten dog in other places, at other times, but just now all she could think of was the Unsullied and their stupid puppies. She swept past the huge eunuch and up the plank onto the deck of Balerion.

9. REALLY DANY? IS THAT ALL YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT? 

Ser Jorah Mormont stood waiting for her. “Your Grace,” he said, bowing his head. “The slavers have come and gone. Three of them, with a dozen scribes and as many slaves to lift and fetch. They crawled over every foot of our holds and made note of all we had.” He walked her aft. “How many men do they have for sale?”

“None.” Was it Mormont she was angry with, or this city with its sullen heat, its stinks and sweats and crumbling bricks? “They sell eunuchs, not men. Eunuchs made of brick, like the rest of Astapor. Shall I buy eight thousand brick eunuchs with dead eyes that never move, who kill suckling babes for the sake of a spiked hat and strangle their own dogs? They don’t even have names. So don’t call them men, ser.”

“Khaleesi,” he said, taken aback by her fury, “the Unsullied are chosen as boys, and trained—”

“I have heard all I care to of their training.” Dany could feel tears welling in her eyes, sudden and unwanted. Her hand flashed up and cracked Ser Jorah hard across the face. It was either that, or cry.

Mormont touched the cheek she’d slapped. “If I have displeased my queen—”

“You have. You’ve displeased me greatly, ser. If you were my true knight, you would never have brought me to this vile sty.” If you were my true knight, you would never have kissed me, or looked at my breasts the way you did, or…

OR WHAT DANY?

OR WHAT? 

10.  NOPE NOT COOL. annnnnd that’s when they come back

“As Your Grace commands. I shall tell Captain Groleo to make ready to sail on the evening tide, for some sty less vile.”

“No,” said Dany. Groleo watched them from the forecastle, and his crew was watching too. Whitebeard, her bloodriders, Jhiqui, every one had stopped what they were doing at the sound of the slap. “I want to sail now, not on the tide, I want to sail far and fast and never look back. But I can’t, can I? There are eight thousand brick eunuchs for sale, and I must find some way to buy them.” And with that she left him, and went below.

Behind the carved wooden door of the captain’s cabin, her dragons were restless. Drogon raised his head and screamed, pale smoke venting from his nostrils, and Viserion flapped at her and tried to perch on her shoulder, as he had when he was smaller. “No,” Dany said, trying to shrug him off gently. “You’re too big for that now, sweetling.” But the dragon coiled his white and gold tail around one arm and dug black claws into the fabric of her sleeve, clinging tightly. Helpless, she sank into Groleo’s great leather chair, giggling.

“They have been wild while you were gone, Khaleesi,” Irri told her. “Viserion clawed splinters from the door, do you see? And Drogon made to escape when the slaver men came to see them. When I grabbed his tail to hold him back, he turned and bit me.” She showed Dany the marks of his teeth on her hand.

“Did any of them try to burn their way free?” That was the thing that frightened Dany the most.

i haven’t completely chewed on this yet tho but THE DRAGONS WERE RESTLESS. jorah’s just agreed to change course again but dany believes completely that she CAN’T BC THERE ARE RULES DAMMIT.

jorah is a knight. she is a queen. dragons are weapons. all serve the purpose: obtaining the iron throne. everything else, wanting anything else, viserys beat it out of her. EVEN WITH DRAGONS SHE DOESN’T THINK SHE CAN HAVE THE THINGS SHE WANTS.

and this is already far too long hope this made sense!

#mystuff #dany x jorah #scratchybeardsweetmouth #LISTEN I KNOW I HAVE A PROBLEM #but this chapter is amazing #it's the rhagar fought chapter #the slap chapter #the i'm not into jorah but i am having w3t dreams ever since he kissed me chapter #it's the MY BEAR WILL EAT ME IF I DO NOT RETURN TO HIM chapter #it's the chapter missandei is introduced!

[ao719]

In Another Life (Part 3)

In Another Life (Part 3)

This is a part of a TRR A/U called Cordonians Gone Wild created with @speedyoperarascalparty, @leelee10898, @cocomaxley and myself. Thanks for the laughs ladies!

Summary: The group imagines how life might be had one moment altered the course their current lives took.

A/N: Catch up on Part 1 & Part 2

Tag List: @annekebbphotography @carabeth @moneyfordiamonds @give-me-ernest-sinclaire @3pawandme @indiacater @ooo-barff-ooo @ownworldresident @tornbetween2loves @perfectprofessorherokid @stopforamoment @editboutique @wannabemc2 @zaffrenotes @enmchoices @lauradowning29 @lodberg @smalltalk88 @laniquelove-blog @gibbles82 @heatherfilliez @drakesensworld @nikkis1983 @sweetest-marbear @classylady1234 @daniv2278 @rainbowsinthestorm @jared2612 @liamxs-world @notoriouscs @blubutterflyy @captain-kingliamsqueen @whenyourheartskipsabeat @lynne1993 @coldcollectornight08 @be-still-my-aching-heart @kennaxval @the-soot-sprite @hopefulmoonobject @emichelle @cgd03 @kate-mckenzie @mfackenthal @crookedslimecreatorpasta

Alicia woke from small streams of sunlight peaking through the window, squinting her eyes as she rolled to the side. She heard the soft sounds of breath and opened her one eye to Leo, the guy she met at Kismet last night sound asleep next to her.

“Shit...” she mumbled. She quietly slipped from the bed realizing she must be in his hotel room, grabbed her scattered clothing and got dressed before heading out of the door, slowly shutting it behind her. She turned and walked down the small hallway into the living area of the suite. “Ah...m-morning...” She stared at the group of strangers before her, only recognizing the one girl from last night. “Pam, right?”

“Heh, yeah. Good morning,” she sat next to Drake sipping coffee.

“Is your friend here too? Gwen? Gen! Genevieve?”

“No, she’s at our hotel...with Rashad,” she chuckled.

“Alicia, is it?” The one man spoke, similar in appearance to Leo, tall, blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She nodded her head. “Do you know where Anitah went last night?”

Alicia thought for a moment, some of the night a blur. “No...I remember her trying to stop a bloody nose...but after that. Wait, wasn’t she with you?”

“Ah, yeah,” he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, realizing Alicia didn’t know who he was. “I went to grab us some drinks and when I came back she was gone.”

“Leave it to Anitah to leave you high and dry,” she laughed. “She’s probably back at our apartment.”

“You’re her roommate?”

“Yup. Speaking of...I need to ask her what the hell happened. She saw Leo last night and looked as if she saw a ghost.”

“Well, she kind of did.” Alicia turned to see Leo walking out of the bedroom smiling at her.

“So you two do know each other?” Alicia asked, the night still somewhat blurry after too many drinks.

“Oh, yeah. She knows everyone in this room...except her...” Leo pointed to Pam. “I mean all the guys, she knows all of us.” Alicia quirked her brow in confusion and Leo looked over at Liam with a shit eating grin. “Alicia, let me introduce you to my brother, Liam, the King of Cordonia.”

Alicia’s eyes went wide, finally realizing who he was. “You...you’re Liam?!” Liam lifted his hand giving a nervous wave. “Now it all makes sense...” Alicia glared at Liam.

“Look, I don’t know what she told you about me-“

“Oh, she told me EVERYTHING about you,” she arched her brow with a smirk, Liam’s cheeks visibly blushing. She then looked over to Leo. “Ooooh shit. Of all the guys in that club, I had to hook up with the brother of the guy my bestfriend loves. Well, shes probably freaked out.”

Liam snapped his head up at Alicia. “Wh...What? Wait did you say loves? Like still loves, as in present tense?” Alicia looked at Liam running her fingers through her tousled hair not saying a word. “Did she say loved? Or loves?” Liam looked at Pam and Drake who just stared at him. “Well, which one?!”

“Let me take you back to your apartment,” Leo said to Alicia as she grabbed her purse.

“Can I go to? To see if Anitah is there? I really need to talk to her.”

“You can take me,” she smirked at Leo before turning towards Liam, pointing her finger at him. “You on the other hand,” she shook her head. “She told me everything, Liam. How you chose someone else, how you kept your relationship under wraps, and how you asked her to be your mistress. Do you really think it’s a good idea for you to come talk to her?“ Pam looked up at Liam wide eyed as she listened to Alicia.

Liam let out a heavy sigh. “I know I messed up. I know she was hurt, and it was never my intention. I would have talked to her last night if she didn’t disappear...and if she doesn’t want to hear me out, then ok, I’ll back off. I at least want to check on her and that nose of hers...”

“Mmhmm, sure you want to check on her nose.” She quirked her brow. “I may be suffering from temporary insanity...but fine. But the minute you upset her, I’ll kick you in the nuts myself.” Liam held his hands up defensively and nodded his head.

Leo, Alicia and Liam made their way to Anitah and Alicia’s apartment, telling the others they would be back soon. They pulled up to the building getting out of the SUV and Liam and Leo looked up taking it in. “So, this is it?”

“Yeah. I know it’s no palace, but it’s home,” Alicia chuckled. They walked up the stoop and Alicia pulled her keys out and unlocked the door walking inside, Liam and Leo behind her. “Nita?” Alicia called as they made their way further inside. “Nita?” It was silent. Alicia walked down the hall to Anitah’s bedroom and knocked on the door. “Hey sleepy head! Get your ass up!” Alicia turned the knob and peeked inside. “Huh...” she pushed the door all the way open and walked in. Liam and Leo shared a look and walked down the hall into the room, it was empty. Liam looked around the room, the smell of her perfume lingering in the air and he closed his eyes at the familiar scent.

He looked over at a small desk in front of the window and walked over looking at a stack of books and a school ID for Fordham. Alicia saw him pick up the ID card staring at her picture. “She’s back in school?”

“Yeah, she’s almost done, graduates next month. She went back to finish her degree...ya know, the one she was working on before she dropped everything to follow you...” She gave Liam a look. “That’s weird....” Alicia walked over to Anitah’s nightstand, her cell phone sitting there, her purse on the floor. “Well, we can’t exactly get ahold of her now,” she held up the phone. “That’s not like her to leave her phone...or her purse...”

“Did she have something to do today that you know of? Work?”

“No. We were supposed to go out shopping today...”

“Ok...well maybe we should go out and look for her?” Liam suggested.

“Um...you do realize we’re in New York City right? That’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack, Liam!” Alicia shook her head.

“Well there’s probably only so many places she would go, right? We can get the others, split off into groups. You can give us places you know she goes and we can all meet back at a specific location.” Alicia took a breath knowing this was going to be no easy task, but it wasn’t like Anitah to go off without her phone or bag. She agreed and while she changed Liam and Leo called the others to meet them outside of Anitah and Alicia’s apartment, Drake and Rashad bringing Pam and Genevieve.

A short time later Liam, Leo and Alicia met everyone down in the front of their apartment building. “Ok guys...I know this is no easy task, but on the push of a certain someone,” Alicia eyed Liam, “we’ll attempt to find Anitah. So we can pair off in groups of...” she counted all the people there, “groups of two.” Everyone immediately stood next to their ‘partner’, Pam by Drake, Genevieve by Rashad, Leo coming next to Alicia with a grin. “Wait...wasn’t there one more of you?”

“Yeah, my cousin, Isaiah. I sent him home this morning...pain right in my ass...” Rashad gritted his teeth.

Liam and Maxwell looked at one another, Liam rolling his eyes as Maxwell grinned. “Looks like it’s me and you, buddy!” Liam looked at the others with a pleading expression, but not one of them was budging.

“Ok,” Alicia began. “Anitah likes to walk the streets a couple blocks from here, some of her favorite cafes and stores are there, so Liam and Max you guys can head that way. Drake and Pam...Central Park, Anitah goes there running a lot. Genevieve and Rashad you guys can check the subways. Now there’s plenty of different routes, but check the ones going towards Astoria and Manhattan, those are her likely ones. Leo and I will check around Fordham, she could be wandering around there, in the library or whatever.” Alicia looked at her watch. “We’ll meet at Tony’s Pizza at 4. Everyone has their phones so we can keep each other updated.”

The groups split off going in all separate directions. Liam and Maxwell walked down a couple blocks to where Alicia told them to go, the busy sidewalk crowded with people as they began to search, Liam looking at every blonde he passed in hopes that it was her. They came to a cafe, one Liam heard Alicia mention as Anitah’s favorites. “Maxwell, I’m going to step in here and see if she’s been by. Do. Not. Run. Off.” He eyed him.

“Ok! Calm down! Geesh!” Liam stepped inside and Maxwell stood leaning up against the concrete of the building. He glanced over and saw a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk, clothes worn and dirty along with his face, holding a tin cup up out to passerby’s. He dipped his hand into his pocket pulling out some change he had, not have any bills, and walked up. “Here ya go, sir.” He dropped the change into his cup and the man smiled a gummy smile at him and nodded his head. Maxwell looked at him thoughtfully. “You look hungry? I’m gonna get you something to eat.” Maxwell turned and walked back to the cafe door as Liam was stepping out.

“They haven’t seen her. I’m gonna call Drake see how they’re making out.”

“Ok! I’m going to grab something in here real quick! I’ll be out in a jiffy!” Maxwell walked inside eyeing the small deserts. They were all too small, he thought. Wanting to get the man something that would last him he found something in the display case and smiled. “How much for that cake?” He asked the woman.

“A slice is $7.50.”

“No, I want the whoooole cake, please.” The woman’s eyes widened but she shrugged, took the cake out and put it in a box, Maxwell paying with his credit card. “Thanks! Oh! Can I have a fork please?” The woman handed him a fork and he thanked her before walking out. Liam eyes him curiously as he held the large white box and walked to the man sitting down. “Here ya go! I hope you like chocolate!” Liam chuckled shaking his head as Maxwell walked back towards him and they continued on their search.

Genevieve and Rashad walked down the steps below the streets into the subway station. “Ok, Alicia said Astoria and Manhattan.”

Rashad looked at the signs. “This way,” he pointed.

As they were walking Genevieve was looking around the grungy subway, her nose scrunching up at the sights around her. “This place gives me the creeps!” As they continued making their way down towards the stop for Astoria, she saw something out of the corner of her eye and turned, her eyes going wide as she yelped. “A rat! Ewww! Get it away, get it away!” She jumped on Rashad’s back, the unexpected collision knocking him to the ground as Genevieve scurried onto his back so her feet were off the ground.

“Genevieve!” Rashad grunted, her feet pushing his chest into the hard concrete.

“Sorry!” She looked down and stepped off his back helping him up. “Please don’t let the rat get me. I hate rats...and mice...and bugs! I really hate bugs. I hate critters. I only like puppies...and kittens...and other cute animals.” Rashad dusted himself off and shook his head laughing.

“I promise, I won’t let anything get you...nothing but me anyway,” he smirked at her and she laughed as they continued on their search.

Pam and Drake made into Central Park and began walking through the pathways scanning for Anitah. As they walked they came near the fountain where some people were roller blading through. Drake spotted a little boy, maybe seven, throwing twigs into their paths waiting for an unsuspecting victim.

“Look at this little shit,” Drake pointed the kid out to Pam as she chuckled. “I gotta see this...” They stepped over, backs towards the fountain, Drake’s arms crossed across his chest, and they watched to see if the boys plan was going to work. Just then, someone roller blading came whipping around the small bend, the wheels catching on one of the boys traps sending him flying directly at Drake and Pam. Drake grabbed Pam’s hand to pull her out of the way, but wasn’t fast enough as the man collided with them sending them both backwards into the fountain with a splash. Drake popped up looking over at Pam. “Are you alright?” She nodded her head through silent laughter and he heard the small boy chuckling. They both went to stand Drake trying to lunge to catch the boy and ended up losing his footing on the slippery bottom of the fountain sending him forward landing on top of Pam, in the water yet again.

“Drake,” Pam laughed. He looked down at her, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“Well, I wanted to be on top of you again, but this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind,” he chuckled. Pam bit her lip through a grin and Drake leaned in. Just before their lips met he felt something small hit his head and snapped his gaze over just as something else hit his forehead. “Ouch! What the-“ he looked up to see the little boy throwing pennies at him. “You little...” he grumbled as he stood and the boy took off running. Drake reached his hand down helping Pam up. “Remind me to kill Brooks when we find her.”

Leo and Alicia made it over to the campus at Fordham and began looking for Anitah. They checked the library first, walking through to see if she was there. They then checked the computer lab, nothing there either. Alicia smirked as she thought to herself and told Leo to follow her. They walked just off of campus and down the sidewalk to a large house, music blaring from the inside and she walked up the steps and inside.

“Heyyy! Alicia! What are you doing here so early? You know the real party doesn’t start until about 10.” The man spoke as he and another stood across a table from one another playing beer pong.

Leo looked at her quizzically. “I thought Anitah went to school here...how do they know you?”

“We, uh...frequent here sometimes,” she gave him a sheepish grin. “Hey Adam! I’m looking for Nita, you haven’t seen her have you?”

“Maybe I have, maybe I haven’t,” he smirked. “What’s it to ya?”

“Seriously...we’re kind of on a crunch. Can you not be an asshole and just tell me?” Alicia gave him a look as she cocked her head to the side.

“No can do, Alicia. You know the rules,” he shot her a wink. Leo didn’t know why, but he found himself feeling jealous in that moment.

“Alright fine.” Alicia took her purse off her shoulder and set it down. “Come on, Leo. We’re playing some beer pong against Adam and Brett here.”

Leo looked at her wide eyed. “Are you sure about this? These are frat guys...they basically eat, sleep and play beer pong...”

Alicia looked over at him. “Dude, are you doubting me? Either piss or get off the pot...I got his,” she stretched her arms out in front of her. Leo shrugged and stepped up next to her. They began the game, starting out cup for cup with the two guys. As the cups dwindled, the shots became more difficult. Brett threw the ball and made the cup, leaving them with only one left, while Alicia and Leo had three. “Alright...game face time,” she mumbled to Leo. She shot the ball making the first cup. Adam shot next missing theirs. Leo shot next, landing the second to last cup leaving them now tied. “Comeback kid strikes again, I just have a different partner this time,” Alicia laughed. Brett shot missing the cup. Alicia grabbed the ball and looked over at Leo. “Blow on it, it’s good luck.”

Leo smirked. “That’s normally my line, love,” he shot her a wink as he blew on the ball. Alicia shot making the final cup winning the game as her and Leo high fived. “Can you tell us where she is now?” He asked them.

“She stopped by this morning after she came from the library, said she was staying out for the day to ‘clear her head’,” he motioned with air quotes. “She mentioned going over near the beach. Don’t know if that really helps.”

Alicia and Leo thanked them and walked out of the house. “That was a pretty impressive show you put on in there,” Leo smiled.

“Impressive huh? Does that mean you got a thing for me, princey boy?” Leo looked over at her, cheeks blushing as he shook his head.

The time passed and no one had any luck on finding Anitah. Alicia had called their neighbor to see if she could knock on their door and check to see if she was home yet, but she wasn’t there. It was almost time for everyone to meet at the pizza place and everyone started making their way there, still scanning for Anitah on their way. As Liam and Maxwell were walking, Maxwell stopped dead in his tracks, causing Liam to collide into him. “Maxwell? What the-“ Maxwell shushed him and quirked his head.

“Do...do you hear that? I hear music! Come on!” Maxwell took off in a dash and Liam ran after him trying to get him to focus as they needed to head to the pizza place to meet everyone.

“Maxwell! Get back here! We don’t have time for these games! You’re worse than a little kid!” Maxwell didn’t listen and kept on going running right into the gates of Coney Island.

“Oh. My. GOSH! Look at this place! I...I’m so happy...” Maxwell looked around, the smell of the food filling his senses, the music and the the whoops and screams from the rides. “Liam! Look! A carousel!” Maxwell bolted towards the ride, Liam letting out a low growl as he chased after him. Maxwell made a mad dash, able to get on the ride before Liam got to him. Liam dropped his head back in frustration, standing there with his hands on his hips as he waited for the ride to stop, Maxwell waving to him with each circle past him. As he circled by again, Maxwell waved, but this time not at Liam. “Hi little blossom!” He called nonchalantly. Liam snapped his head around to see Anitah staring at him wide eyed holding a cotton candy stick in her hand, her mouth slack jawed.

“Anitah...” Liam stepped up to her as she continued to stare at him.

“Liam...what...” Anitah stared confused, “what are you doing here?”

“Everyone’s been looking for you all day...”

“Why?”

“Alicia said it wasn’t like you to leave your stuff at home...we were worried.” Just then Maxwell hopped off the carousel as the ride came to an end and ran over pulling Anitah into a tight hug as she chuckled. “Hey, Max...” Liam spoke, his eyes not once leaving Anitah, “text Drake and tell him that we found her, we’ll meet them back at the hotel. Then go have a round on the tea cups...” Maxwell grinned wide in excitement as he messaged Drake before darting towards the line for the ride. “He’s worse than a kid, that one.” Anitah gave him a half hearted smile. “Can we talk, Anitah...”

“Liam...I really don’t know what there is to say. I’m sorry I worried everyone. I didn’t know you would...all be together,” she creased her brow in confusion. “I just...needed to clear my head. Knowing that you were here...” she looked down at the ground. Liam looked up and had an idea and he took her hand, pulling her over to the ferris wheel just as they were loading riders and they got in a seat. “Liam, what are you doing?”

“This way you have no where to run...” he gave her a look. The ferris wheel started to move and Liam shifted as he turned to look at her. “I’ve really missed you, Anitah.”

“I’ve missed you too, Liam. But...you’re married now...it doesn’t matter. None of it matters.”

“It does matter, Anitah. It matters to me. I’ve been...miserable without you. And I wanted nothing more than to try and contact you when we first got here, but I kept stopping myself. Thinking...maybe you were happy...not wanting to upset you. But running into you...literally,” he smirked and she let out a soft chuckle, “I can’t help but feel like it was fate...I know I messed up...and I never, ever meant to hurt you, please believe that. Just sitting next to you right now, I feel happier than I have in the past year and I don’t want to lose that again...lose you again.”

“Liam...You. Are. Married.” Anitah gave him a look. “You telling me all of this...it’s not helping...because you have a wife back home.”

“Anitah, I fucked up.” Anitah raised an eyebrow in question as Liam grasped her hands nodding. “I did. I was scared and uncertain of myself, of my ability to rule...and I let my fear allow me to make the biggest mistake of my life. I let my fear allow me to let you go.”

Anitah pulled away brushing a tear from her eye. “Liam...don’t...” she shook her head.

“No, Anitah. I need you to listen. I was selfish when I asked you to be my mistress. I was scared of losing you when I asked you to stay. I’m tired of running my life by my fears. I have missed you everyday that we have been apart and now...” he brushed a stray hair from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear. “Now, being here with you, I am stronger and more sure than I have ever been of anything. Anitah, I am not staying in my sham of a marriage, I’m going to end it. I want the love I’ve always dreamed of. That’s the only way I can be the man I want to be...with you by my side. Come back with me...please...” he searched her eyes with a pleading look, a vulnerability she had never seen in him before. He leaned in capturing her lips as their seat hit the top of ferris wheel, that familiar spark coursing through both of them upon contact. They parted and Liam rested his forehead against hers. “I love you, Anitah...please...come back with me...”

The group all sat in the hotel waiting for Liam, Maxwell and Anitah, sharing their stories with one another of their searches, Pam and Drake now in a clean, dry set of clothing. The door opened and they all looked up to see Maxwell, followed by Anitah and Liam behind her. Alicia stood running up to her and pulling her into a hug. “You scared the shit out of me! And I’m kind of pissed you went to Coney without me...” Anitah chuckled as they parted.

“Sorry...I just...needed to clear my head...” she looked over and saw Drake, Rashad and Leo who all stood and walked up hugging her. “It’s good to see you guys.”

“Look...I almost killed a seven year old child because you...” Anitah looked at Drake questioningly as she heard someone laugh and looked over his shoulder to see the two woman from the night before.

“Pam...and Genevieve? Right?” They both nodded with a smile and waved. She looked back at Drake and Rashad arching her brow as they both gave her sheepish grins.

“You alright, Brooks?”

“Yeah...” Anitah nodded.

“So...I’ve made a decision,” Liam spoke as he stepped forward, giving Anitah a look before turning to the others. “When we get back to Cordonia...I’m ending my marriage to Madeline.” The three guys all went wide eyed with grins, Pam also smiling as she remembered how bitchy the current Queen was. They all then turned their gaze to Anitah curiously and then back to Liam. “I’ve asked Anitah to come back with me...” Alicia snapped her head over at her friend. “She hasn’t made a choice yet, however. And also, Pam, I wanted to mention to you as well...they’ve recently opened a new mental health clinic. Regina has been going on and on about how great it would be to have you be there to run it, and I know Genevieve here works in the same industry...they’re looking for more people to hire, there would be a spot there for her as well if she’s interested. Just...something for you both to think about.” He looked at Drake and Rashad who gave him a smile and then looked over to Pam and Genevieve who sat there stunned.

“If...Anitah comes...Alicia you should come with her,” Leo smirked.

The four woman looked to one another with shocked expressions, not one of them knowing what to say. “Wow, Liam...” Pam stated. “I mean...that’s an amazing opportunity...I just...I’m not sure.” She looked over to Genevieve in question.

“Yeah, I mean, it would be incredible, but to uproot everything on such short notice...with no guarantee of how things will pan out...” she looked at Rashad who was staring at her with a hopeful expression, wanting to be able to get to know her more, knowing it could be done if she were to come to Cordonia.

Pam looked at the woman and stood from the sofa. “Excuse me...I think the four of us need to talk...a...squad meeting of sorts, if you will.”

#trr #trr fanfic #trr au #cordonians gone wild #cordoniansgonewild #cgw world #cgw #liam x anitah #drake x pam #rashad x genevieve #leo x alicia #new york #coneyisland

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Waver 1 - 13 (FINAL) | Prisma Illya 1 - 10 (FINAL) | Prisma Illya 2wei! 1 - 3

Another (and to be honest, the last) batch of impressions from the Fate/ project.

Waver 1

Well, this’ll be interesting. I’ve been hyping this show up for a while for myself, so let’s see how it goes.

Geez, this intro is like a dang movie! I’d love to see a proper Troyca movie! (<-Says the fan of Troyca.)

Wait, if it’s Kayneth Archibald, then is Archibald relatd to Archisorte? Or am I just making thing up here…? Also note Reines refers to Kayneth as “Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald”, possibly meaning Archibald is the middle name, since El-Melloi is a shared surname (or is that a title…?). That probably means Archibald =/= Archisorte and both are similar-sounding middle names. The fact Reines is Kayneth’s niece also explains things quite a bit.

Why is Waver upside down…? Won’t the blood rush to his head soon? (Sure, it allows me to ogle his hair more, but…logic rules more than my stupid whims, y’know?)

Interesting. You can see that although Waver grew out his hair, there’s two layers to it – the longer one in the front and the shorter one in the back. (I’m just curious because I like the hime cut – which is pretty similar - and long hair on dudes in general, in part because both are fairly rare.)

Okay, that explained my gripe with upside-down Waver. Thanks, Reines. (<-genuine)

Aw, Waver buddy, even at this stage, you’re plenty cute. Don’t ever change! (<- As you can see, I am an easily pleased person in most cases.)

Melvin who now???

Troyca’s comic animation rules! It’s too bad Idolish7 Second Beat is using chibis instead of this…

Professor Kayneth. I forgot he had a formal title. I wonder, does Waver - I mean, El-Melloi II – have that title as well?

I guess I should’ve known Saber had the capability to look scary, but…I never knew Saber could look so scary…

*cut to eyecatch* - *points at eyecatch* Okay, someone tried to save budget here, didn’t they???

Aw, friendship between fiction boys is cute…until it involves the puking up on blood on one end.

Waver is the OG underdog here…don’tcha think?

“…with several demands.” – Uh-oh…this is gonna be bad, isn’t it?

You need a Tuner for Magic Crests? (…Like a tuning fork, but a person?) *brow raised in suspicion*

…is it appropriate for me to say “Oh, good lord!” now? (Okay, I did that rather deliberately, but normally in these notes I’d self-censor it to be “oh, goodness” or something like that.)

Seriously, the black-haired dude in the Ionian Hetairoi is my favourite, even if only because he looks like Waver (and he’s really easy to spot, to boot).

Why is this in first person??? I’ve dropped entire shows based on their usage of 1st person cam! Room Mate and Makura no Danshi basically scarred me for life on that front…and both of those are TV shorts!

Hey, wait a second. This “use a quote on the titlecard” thing is clearly an Ei Aoki sort of thing to do. I mean, it’s in ID: Invaded as well…

Waver 2

*new blonde girl appears* - So this is the rumoured Animusphere girl (Mary), huh?

Bounded field, huh? I’m glad I chose to watch F/Z before this, then. Now I actually understand the (rough) mechanics of how that works.

There’s assassins and then there’s Assassins…*thinks about the Holy Grail War*

As it turns out, astromancy is basically astrology.

The one thing that bugs me about “Modern Magecraft” (there’s a similar concept of New Magic in Mairimashita! Iruma-kun) is…how is the magic “modern”…? Especially in a work like this, where the magic is based in arcane rituals and bloodlines…you really need to establish how the “modern” bit works.

Gray is facing away from the Animusphere girl (Mary), I noticed.

“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” – Sherlock Holmes – Basically, the fact I’ve memorised this quote is one of the lingering impacts of my time in the Detective Conan fandom, as it can be used on things like quizzes, not just mysteries.

Can we please use proper English, Waver??? (Says me to a character whose name I still find nonsensical enough to not be proper English.) As I said previously, “whydunit” is modus operandi or motive…the new bit is “howdunit”, which would be the method.

I do believe the geocentric model was overthrown by people like Kepler.

Gray kind of looks like Saber with that hairstyle, come to think of it.

With the way Gray hides herself under that hood, it’s no mystery as to why guys love her…at least, I know ThatRandomEditor does. Of course, I’m heavily neutral on the whole affair because I don’t swing that way, but…you know…

LEMPC seems to stand for “Lord El-Melloi Production Committee”, if I’m guessing right.

I seem to remember there was a quote somewhere that said the only constant in this world was change…hmm.

Waver 3

They seem to keep calling Japan “the Far East” (or at least, Japan is part of the Far East). That’s a pretty antiquated term for a supposedly “modern” magic anime. I get vaguely peeved by the term “the Far East” because it causes people to take an oriental viewpoint on things and thus it’s kind of like people from the Anglosphere looking down on Asians. (I also get vaguely peeved by the term “Westerners” for much the same reason and “Caucasians” because it implies all people of the Anglosphere come from the Caucasus, which is false…then again, these niggles are specific to international studies, so I have a vested interest in explaining them.)

…Wow, that star-eyepatch girl is…really something, to be thirsty specifically for Waver’s Iron Claw. (Then again, with my weird tastes in things, who am I to critique her?)

Flitz von Erich. I was surprised to learn this guy actually exists…on Wikipedia, at the very least.

“Any lady should know about wrestling.” – I disagree, Luvia.

Blue furry electrical creature…I dunno how the zoology in this show works, but the fantasy series I’m reading as of the time I was typing this comment has a blue creature called a Raiju (literally “thunder beast” in Japanese, so it would suit the “Thunder” in the episode title). If it’s anything like that, I’d laugh myself silly.

This girl on the poster seems to be called Flan Noir (or something similar).

“…yellow, round, fluffy-smelling…” – What? Svin, you have no right to call a girl those words!

When is this series set if people don’t have phones as a standard? *Googles* Okay, if F/SN is set in 2004, then F/Z is 1994. That would make sense, actually. The internet as we know it was first used in 1995 and didn’t become widespread for home use until a few years later, as I remember having computers in 2004 (albeit the blocky ones with the dial-up).

I was looking at images for the source material and I think I know why I like Waver (aside from the fact he has long hair). Normally I like the boys whose appearances are hard to get right, such as En…Waver in the novels and manga for this series sometimes looks grumpy, sometimes he looks constipated and worst of all, sometimes he looks like Snape with a hook nose.

Okay, so I googled Caules to figure out who his sister was…and I got Apocrypha spoilers. See, his sister is Fiore, who is apparently in that series.

The videos got encoded funny again…

There seems to be a mystery around why Svin and Gray can’t be together…well, one deeper than just “Svin is gaga for Gray [for reasons we don’t know at this point in time]”.

Ha, the El-Melloi Class is basically just the Misfit Class from Mairimashita! Iruma-kun.

“Only the flesh was bitten off.”  

This Jupiter gibberish, I assume, is drawing upon the mythology of Jupiter – that is, Zeus – as the god of thunder and king of the gods (thus presiding over living beings).

The English is good on the bill, bar a space between “Mystics of magecraft”.

Norwich is apparently a “faculty” which the Modern Magecraft Theories guys – i.e. Waver – rule over.

Can you imagine Waver swearing? Since I had the volume off, I basically made him say “…if Sir Gueldoa had resorted to brute force, we would’ve been f***ed” in my head…and that was hilarious.

Aw, thanks 7Mononoke. “A cowardly thief sneaks away in the night. If you stride away, bursting with song, you are a conquering king.” That’s a quote from Rider himself.

So the Association has set positions for Masters in the War? Geesh…that must be hard on Waver to find out they’re closed, considering how much Waver pines for Rider.

Waver 4

I finally got the chance to listen to the ED last ep and now it’s the OP I can hear properly. This OP isn’t particularly impressive, considering it’s an instrumental (instrumentals always seem to have less impact for me unless I’m looking for something to chill to), but it does capture the London-esque spirit of the setting very well.

What’s up with this metal (?) maid off to the side, anyway?

“Good thinking to leave the door open…” – For some reason, even though it’s a completely different and much more benign context, this made me think of KyoAni and my heart sunk.  

Atrum Galliasta…I hate that man. He may look hot, but he was nothing but a b*stard to Medea.

Bolo ties…nrgh…Basically, ever since Arima wore a bolo tie, I’ve become fairly bugged by them. That’s why Bram’s bugs me.

Aw, Waver, buddy, plase don’t sacrifice yourself again. I read on the wiki you become a Servant’s vessel (specifically for Zhu Ge Liang), so keep your hopes up.

I’m seriously feeling ID: Invaded vibes from this episode, what with the lightning.

I suspect a locked room murder is going to happen soon, knowing the genre. Either that or some other crime.

Considering Fate/ was an eroge-based thing initially, these sex jokes…there’s probably plenty of them out there.

Well, it seems this series only makes sense in that non-Detective Conan way, i.e. you want to know how it all comes together and can’t necessarily figure it out for yourself until you know how the magic works. I’m randomly going to guess this is more Jupiter-based stuff and call it a day on that front.

Seriously, I never got what was up with nightgowns (or just pyjamas in general) having hats. You don’t need protection for your head at night…that’s what pillows are for, yeah? (The only reason I see a hat-like thing working with nightwear is a onesie and that’s meant to be part of the inherent appeal of the thing.)

Waver 5

I feel like Adashino is meant to be an Irene Adler-type figure…

“Peaceful Fairys” (sic)

Where did Kairi’s scar come from…?

The Black Dog was in Mahoutsukai no Yome as well, but this one looks a lot less inviting, huh?

It seems, like the name Rail Zeppelin implies (as “Demon Eyes Collection Train”), most of the people involved in this case have Magic Eyes (or whatever they’re actually called). I wouldn’t be surprised if Kairi had them as well, considering he’s wearing dark glasses in the middle of a thunderstorm.

“King Arthur is a dude, right?” - *laughs madly* They finally managed to parody their own bulls***! (Well, I’m not counting Carnival Phantasm or whatever else because this is the first time they threw a meta joke in there in the whole of this project, as far as I can remember.)  

Trimmau seems to be the maid’s name…huh. They never mentioned that earlier, I don’t think.

So what’s the difference between Fairy Eyes and Mystic Eyes?

Wait, does that even work…? The entire house is the murder weapon? That’s basically breaking the “secret passageway” thing on a larger scale.

So what’s Trevor’s motive…?

The dogs running towards the Workshop reminded me of the Hunger Games for some reason…must be the climax.

That fairy isn’t emoting much…

Oh cra-Wills is going to sacrifice himself, like Adashino was going to do! That’s the second time I’ve seen that in 2 days (the first was in the Hypnosis Mic manga about the Dirty Dawg).

Uh…Waver’s not particularly fit or fast, is he…?

Can you be paid for your case if your client is essentially dead…?

Adra? I read around and Adra seems to be a way to spell the location (or whatever it is) in the first case…which got adapted into a stage play, but not an anime. That’s probably what he’s (Waver) referring to.

Notably, the title is translated to “lance” but yari means spear…

Waver 6

I seriously wanna slap that pink-haired girl…Update: Her name is Yvette.

This is basically Gray fanservice…

If Gray = Saber and Saber =King Arthur…hmm…does it count as a girl’s party?

Homeland? Since Britain is Saber’s (aka Gray’s) home country, I think they meant “hometown”…I’d hav to listen to the Japanese to make sure, though.

I still think Waver is a stupid, or at the very least false, name for a boy, especially if he did come from Britain. That’s basically my one limitation on him as a husbando.

The red bit of the eyecatch was shapd like an eye…it did catch eyes in a sense, after all.

So Trimmau is sustained by magic.

Locked-room…or rather, bounded field…mystery time!

Luvia did mention wrestling in another episode…

I had to google that, but the Separation Castle is from the Adra case mentioned in episode 5. No wonder I don’t remember it…

“Are you suggesting there were faults…” (from Luvia) - Ooh, I was thinking the perpetrator was caught inside their own bounded field or maybe it was an outsider, but that works too, Reines.

Add calld Luvia out for her extravagance, LOL.

Catch-as-catch-can appears to be “no-holds-barred fighting”, particularly wrestling.

That case was both informative and possibly solveable by the audience. Both good qualities for a mystery.

If you summon the spirit again, is it the same Rider with the same memories? Or can you summon a different version of the same Rider with amnesia, much like Rin did with Archer? Update: Oh yeah, I did read this on the wiki at one point but then forgot about it. The next episode (7) confirms that Rider wouldn’t remember Waver if he were summoned again.

Waver 7

…C’mon, admit it, show. The glasses are not only there for plot reasons but to up Waver’s status as megane boy for the rest of this case. Not that I mind – I actually really like megane boys, but I’m nowhere near the love of Meganebu – but in the case of plausibility, I wanna poke holes into it.

Auction for which Mystic Eyes now…?

There’s a guy…with an elephant head…I know I shouldn’t be bugged by it, but I need the MST3K mantra right now.

This is gonna be a Murder on the Orient Express thing, isn’t it? All cases set on trains seem to take cues or make homage to it. (I may not be that proficient on Christie in comparison to Holmes, since Holmes was Conan’s inspiration, but Murder on the Orient Express I have read and I did secure an anthology of 4 Christie novels at one point specifically so that I could improve in this area.)

The main series never explained the bad blood between the Church and the Tower, did they…?

*sweatdrop* Let me guess…when Yvette mentions “multiplay”, she means a threesome, right?

How do anime people see out of those blindfold thing, anyway??? (Or is it that Leandra has Mystic Eyes that were sold off or otherwise tampered with?)

I believe the word is “palate”, Kairi (or subbers).

Anime characters being bagworms with their blankets is always appealing, no matter the gender. It’s funny and/or relatable, after all.

Does Gray get motion sickness…? Update: Seems I spoke about a minute too soon. She does.

Waver 8

How does Waver know that Adashino got the documents about the train? Is it because she was in all those places at all those times and he connected the dots?

This lady has heterochromia. Specifically, one is brown and the other is blue or green.

Hmm? I thought the character design was familiar for this. As it turns out, Jun Nakai (who did the character design for this) also did Gate’s, which explains it.

Dionysus is the Greek god of wine, IIRC. Hephaestion is, as (s)he explained, the confidante of Alexander the Great (had to google this one).

It’s hard to see before the brightly-lit scene where Olga reappears, but as shown, Waver seems to have cut off part of his forelocks on the left side.

What’s an Odo???...ooh, fanservice…*ogles*

The summoning of Hephaestion and Trisha’s murder may or may not be related…we just don’t know how, yet.

I think a Detective Conan Murder on the Orient Express-style mystery would be a good video ga-*googles* There’s at least one of them out there already (albeit only in Japan)...namely, this one. Spoke too soon.

Oh yeah…this is Olga’s new room, isn’t it? I almost forgot about that.

Update: I think this look at the Adra Separation Castle case is interesting. It’s similar to posts I would write, but done by a professional – namely Richard Eisenbeis of Kotaku and Anime News Network.

Waver 9

So if there’s a Servant…you have to find the Master.

Olga reminds me of Reines…kind of.

LOL, whoever thought of a zombie cooking show…?

This series really goes all-in on the zombies and the fake-outs thereof, huh? Dangit, Melvin, don’t scare us.

Melvin has a really odd relationship with Waver, huh? If you’re really insisting you’re “the only person to ever be able to hurt Waver”, I don’t quite see how you guys can be friends in the normal sense of the word.

Why would someone have a violin at a time like this…?

Interestingly, they don’t bother to do any fanservice of Caules. That scene with Gray and Yvette was fanservice for those who like them, but the only guy who’s getting to do any fanservice in this series is Waver himself…(what with him being naked and knocked out right now.)

“Sibyl” seems to be a synonym for “virgin”…(*whispers “Awkward…”*)

Update: After reading some of Marth’s posts on this series, I’m inclined to call this “Murders on a Train (with an Exploding Helicopter for Good Measure)”.

Waver 10

For some reason, there’s episode 0 – 9, then 11 – 13 on the service I’m using. Where’s 10?

I think Waver’s relationship with Rider is interesting because of the way I think of relationships myself. Waver has made it clear that he wants to see Rider again so he can basically prostrate at his feet all over again (and maybe win a wish and/or see Oceanus while they’re at it), but – hey, hear this! - I used to believe, when I was still an impressionable kid, all relationships, whether they be between friends, family or even lovers, lasted roughly in the same state basically forever (as in, friends stay friends forever, they’ll never be so far apart that they can’t kep their relationship alive etc. etc.)…Obviously, I was wrong and arguably, this change in thinking, plus the related changes in technology, are where my ability to fleetingly but passionate love both 2D boys and the series they come from comes from.

Wait, so the Child of Einasshe (sp?) is the forest, yeah? I don’t think I got that 100% straight.

I never thought the shield form of a Mystic Code could be used for snowboarding down a mountain/hill…whatever Gray just went down. I didn’t even know Add had a shield form, for that matter.

“[U]sual individual” – LOL. What a way to refer to Waver.

“Wait a minute!” – I’m just imagining Phoenix Wright all of a sudden. A Waver legal mystery series would be boring as all get out – I’m far less interested in the courtroom versions of mysteries and more interested in how the pieces fit together. (Update: Then again, I am a person who likes the action genre and courtroom mysteries don’t have much of that, which might also explain my choice.)

“…lacking the element of motive to begin with.” – Well, Waver’s not wrong…

I’m observing this apple and noticing someone skimped on the detail around the stem. Does anyone still remember Art Academy for the DS? After looking at some promo material for it, I basically learnt how to draw a proper apple (and nothing else, really). If an apple is just drawn as a circle, it doesn’t quite look like an apple up close. (Two of the main things I screw up on when drawing are perception and the colour of highlights, both of which are covered in something like an apple stem and the related indent.)

Oh goodness…I was hoping Karabo would keep his vision (or actual eyeballs)…but that’s gruesome.

I’m guessing, based on the wheelchair, that Waver’s still paralysed or otherwise not able to move around like normal. Update: Spoke too soon.

Someone encoded the video funny again…

Waver 11

What was that crossword thing…? A warding spell of some sort?

Is that an owl in the back?!

Stealth fighter…Rider wanted on, didn’t he?

Every time he appears on screen now, I basically curse Melvin. He’s entertaining to watch, sure, but he’s annoyingly prodigal (= wasteful). He’s basically Dice from HypMic at this stage (aka he’s the sort of person who’d bet away his own clothes, given the chance and incentive).

Look at the way Waver’s hair drags behind him as he walks…it’s gorgeous…

“Residual Image” (as translated in the title) is literally “the left-over image” (zanzou). Not surprising, but I find the exact combo of characters used interesting since it could be short for “nokoru eizou” (where the nokoru’s character is read as zan in the combo, as you can guess).    

Waver 12

Wow…this series really pulled something out of its butt this time, huh? “The guy without a heart”…no viewer would’ve known that actually referred to a character called Dr Heartless unless they knew of his existence somehow (the closest they would’ve been was having an inkling that this pointed to a name of the culprit).

There is an owl in the back of the auction room!

Ay? So what the heck is Pandemonium in this case?

“dotard” – Turns out this means “an old person, especially one who has become physically weak or whose mental faculties have declined.” You can’t say I don’t enrich my vocbulary through watching anime, huh?

I’m still wondering…why adapt case 7 of this series (Rail Zeppelin)? Why not case 1 (Adra)? Update: I don’t know where I pulled the number 7 from, since this is volume 4 – 5 of the series. Apparently some of the cases were anime-original though.

Waver 13 (FINAL)

Oh, Flat, you stupid…

Waver’s exasperated faces are great. No wonder Reines likes to toy with him…

I can assume Rail Zeppelin is a Ghost Liner, yes?

Can I guess that Adashino ~likes~ Waver…? Update: Turns out that’s not quite the case.

Ooh, Waver without his shirt is se-okay, I’m getting distracted. Seriously though, Waver never showed his Crest in F/Z. I never even knew what it looked like until now! The fact it’s such a simple design in comparison to his Command Seals is…kinda underwhelming, really.

I think there’s a bit of a pattern between Jakurai (from HypMic) and Waver…namely, they suck when it comes to drinking. (Also, of course, the long hair. Don’t forget it, never forget it.)

Shut up, Add!

For some reason, I felt like a lot of that last part, while getting closure for Waver, it almost had connotations of “I’ll meet you on the other side, Rider”…so it felt kind of sad, to be honest. That talk between Reines and Olga I don’t think I’d understand without Apocrypha and Grand Order, but I guess that’s to be expected in such a huge franchise. Anyways, moving right along!

Illya 1

I’ve been a bit worried about what I’ll have to subject myself to for the sake of Magical Girls…

Was that…Taiga?

Who’s Liz…?

Okusama, huh? (Okusama = someone’s wife, although it seems to be used in the plural here since I don’t think Kiritsugu and/or Iri are dead in this timeline.)

The subs I’ve got say Shiro is adopted here too (when it’s not in the Japanese), although I wonder exactly how much of UBW is going to be true in this anime…

Hmm…a bit of digging reveals Luvia’s not a Master. So throwing out Lancer is really just a joke on how Lancer gets roasted early on in Grail Wars, right?

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh…squick, much…(Thank goodness the source I was using edited out the loli fanservice, so I can tolerate this series a lot more…but still, suggesting you have a romance with your step-brother, even if it’s known you’re not related from the beginning, is…you already know my feelings on that, based on my reaction. Shiro is, what, 15? About twice Illya’s age!) Update: Okay, so he has no confirmed age in Prisma Illya, but he’s 17 in F/SN so I’d assum the same or similar, seeing as he attends the same school. It’s fine if it’s platonic, but this is clearly an Onii-chan, daisuki! thing the likes of which Oreimo throws down! Thank you for calling it out though, Ruby.

Oh my gosh, this looks like the Rhongomynaid (Detective Waver) and Excalibur (or whatever Saber’s Noble Phantasm is called) summoning beam! LOL!

Ruby, you lech! Don’t go praising the angles! *shakes fist* (Seriously, what if magical girl mascots were paedophiles…? *blank face* Welp, considering what’s out there on the internet, I wouldn’t be surprised if a hentai or something had such a concept.)

Hmm? Turns out the word for Servant means something like “celestial hero”. Makes sense.

Nice callback to Saber and Shiro!

Illya 2

I thought Illya would say that her parents are dead…turns out the show’s not that grimdark (to the point where it wouldn’t set the show after Kiritsugu and Iri’s deaths), huh?

Do the sticks have a gender? The subs said “she” for Ruby…

LOL, it’s Rider. I thought Lancer was gonna get his butt kicked all over again (thinking more along the lines of CCS).

It’s Gay Bul-I mean, Gae Bolg! (I’ve been reading TV Tropes again…can you tell?)

This episode was pretty pedestrian. I like it more than the first one.

What’s up with the CGI…?

Oh! Bunbun, who does Yuki Yuna! Update: They only did the illustrations for some of the series. They also did SAO illustrations, although that’s of less significance to me.

Illya 3

The sticks do have genders!!! That’s like claiming Jesus for kakera with Mudae! (Yes, that’s possible. I got him in one server.)

The power of fujoshi…is amazing! How did it get to a girl who’s so young?!

These angles are a bit disturbing…

“Casao”, LOL.

Magical girl nakama, huh?

Illya 4

MST3K mantra!

Whose quote is that again…? “Don’t think, imagine”? Update: It turns out to not be anyone’s quote at all, if Google results are to be believed.

Uh-oh! Saber Alter!

Illya 5

Padding the episode already…?

The mist is a quality of a Berserker, right?

Geez the angles piss me off…

These sticks have brains???

Can you call it teamwork if they’re always complaining about each other?

Illya 6

More padding…

Illya’s UBW!

Geesh, that last-minute shot of Rin and Luvia popping out of the ground scared me for a bit…

Illya 7

*sigh* It’s the sick episode…

I recognise the vacuum cleaner. I have the same one at home.

*sigh* Random fanservice of elementary school girls. This is what gives anime a bad name.

*Sapphire pulls out a USB port* - Ohhkay, is that stick fanservice, in a sense…? Because that’s awkward too.

Maids went out of fashion years ago…

“Lyrical Radical Genocide” - I think this Lyrical Radical things is parodying Nanoha.

Based on the cloak, it’s an Assassin.

“Listen, if you aren’t careful, you’ll die!” – Yep, because people die when they are killed. I almost missed that meme for a bit.

Illya 8

Illya’s still reeling from Miyu’s talk, huh?

I noticed it said tomoda(chi) in the background at one point.

Does Miyu exist in any of the alternate universes?

Ah, there’s yuujou (friendship) in the background as calligraphy.

I think the video got encoded funny again…

Geez, complaining about boobs? The series got worse…oh, I forgot Shiro was around in this series.

…who’s left? There’s been Saber, Archer, Lancer, Assassin, Rider, Caster and…who? Berserker, that’s who.

Illya 9

Ohhhhhhhh brother, not more bath scenes…

Iri looks almost exactly like she does in the Eiznbern Consultation Rooms! (I found those around and watched them today.)

Thank goodness the fanservice is censored…

I never realised Berseker had heterochromia until now…

One thing that I assume makes Saber’s outfit look nice to thos that like girls is the window in the top…but it goes to waste on Miyu, LOL.

I find it interesting Illya has all these concerns – the ones (or similar ones) Iri harbourd in F/Z.

Hey, the bridge! This is the bridge where Rider dies inn F/Z, yeah?

The ED looks different this time…  

Illya 10 (FINAL)

E-Eep…loli fanservice…

Now Miyu is basically what Waver is to Rider, no doubt about it.

Bulls***! Speak of the devil! I was wondering what Waver looked like in the Illya style, because I read on the wiki he makes a cameo in season 2, and…here he is. Didn’t expect him in season 1, though.

Another new ED animation. I find it interesting they’ve never once had to recast any VAs throughout the entire existence of Fate/ anime…not that I know of, anyway.

Hiroyama Hiroshi is the original Illya creator.

Okay, that’s the end of one season. I feel kind of fatigued since I finished the Eiznbern Consultation Rooms today as well, so I’m going to take a break from watching more Illya until it’s necessary to watch again in a few posts’ time.

Now that they’ve collected the cards, I’m wondering what the series intends to do next…

Illya s2 Pt 1 Ep 1

They clearly skimped on the budget when Shiro was leaving the house…

I keep forgetting Illya is meant to be German…

That bad English…is actually there in the ep. title…

Oh great…schoolgirls talking about erotic swimsuits…

This s*** is what you call “Class-S”! I have no interest in it, because I don’t swing that way! (Sorry, yuri fans…)

The problem with series that aren’t 100% made with you in mind is that your favourite characters might look ugly…that’s especially the case with En, Jakurai and Waver.

Ryudou Temple, eh? Let’s hope Assassin still looks good.

I don’t think I’ve seen that before…namely, being able to hear what’s going on outside the transformation while it’s happening.

Now this 2 Illyas thing…this is new, alright.

Illya s2 Pt 1 Ep 2

LOL, what a horoscope.

Truck-kun! I don’t think Illya would make a good isekai protag, come to think of it.

Who is this nurse? I feel like she’s from some other part of the Nasuverse… Update: My guess was right. That’s Caren Hortensia, protagonist of Fate/hollow ataraxia and Kirei’s…uh, daughter. I know he had a wife. We never met said wife, but seeing the daughter really drove that fact home.  

Uhhhhhhhh…okay, now the lesbian loli scene just made things go off a cliff for me. I’m not against lesbians or yuri – to each their own – but that scene was clearly meant to be pleasing to a certain audience.

How does anyone kill anything gently…?

Ohhhhhhkay, strike 2 for loli fanservice.

I seem to remember…that’s right, Alice from the [something] no Kuni no Alice series was evaluated on her coffee-making skills (by Julius, I think it was). That’s why I’m thinking of Alice when I see Luvia praising Miyu on something similar.

Wa-hey! It’s Rin’s Azoth dagger!

Well, the mechanics of the transformation are also something you have to think about. I’ll give the show kudos for that.  

Illya s2 Pt 1 Ep 3

Can we not with the whole “Onii-chan, daisuki!” thing?! That’s it! That’s the last straw! I’m finishing this episode and aborting early so that I can preserve my dignity…and get some proper sleep for once.

The fact Miyu thinks Shiro resembles her brother must not be a coincidence…(I’ve become far too Fate/ savvy, haven’t I?) Update: It seems I was right. Apparently, Miyu was taken in by Kiritsugu in a certain universe, but apparently this is a bunch of spoilers.

Genki na aisatsu was in the back.

This is just getting worse and worse…

So now Kuro’s name is Kuroe (Chloe), huh? Anyways, good riddance, loli fanservice! So long! I won’t miss you one bit!

#lord el-melloi ii-sei no jikenbo #Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files #fate/kaleid liner prisma illya #Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2wei!

[winnipegpatty]

to all the boys i’ve loved before [pt. iii] | s.m.

a/n: ummmm this baby is a little over 3k and has an entire beautiful sappy cutesy fluffy scene that is not in the movie, i love it. i’m so happy with it. pls enjoy i hope you enjoy. send me some feedback if you would, i love hearing from you!

part i. part ii.

I was used to being invisible. But with Shawn by my side, people were looking at me. Talking about me. I could practically feel Gen’s eyes searing into my back as I walked through the cafeteria with Shawn, his hand in my back pocket. And he thought that wouldn’t do the trick. He spun me around to face him, and suddenly I felt like I couldn’t breathe. But it wasn’t because the people were looking at us, it was because Shawn was looking at me. His eyes were always so intense, and how does he look like he cares so much when this is all for show?

“This is for you,” Shawn whispered into my ear, as he handed me a note. There were little music notes on the paper. My first lyrical note from Shawn Mendes. What an accomplishment. “Good job. I’ll see you in a bit?”

It was weird and almost off putting, being congratulated for doing nothing more than accepting a note, and having an ass pocket for Shawn to stick his hand into. But, I guess that’s where life has me now.

___

A knock on the front door interrupted a serious baking session that I was right in the middle of. And when I say it was an interruption, I mean it was the biggest interruption it possibly could have been. It was a Shawn Mendes sized interruption, and one I wasn’t exactly wanting to deal with currently.

“Hello to you too, Pillsbury Dough Boy.” Shawn muttered to me as he stepped into the house. It was a fair comment, I suppose. I was wearing an apron and was covered in flower. So I wasn’t a master chef, sue me.

“I’m making cupcakes for Sofia’s bake sale,” I replied flatly.

“You know brownies would be so much easier. That’s what my mom always did.”

“Shawn Peter Raul Mendes, what are you doing here?”

Shawn laughed at the name, “What did you not read my note? It wasn’t just an amazingly written lyric ya know? I’m taking you to a party.”

“What? No you aren’t.”

“Uh, yes. I am,” Shawn fought. “First off, Gen’s gonna be there. Second of, parties are in the contract. And you can’t go back on the contract. A deal’s a deal.”

I rolled my eyes at him, “I’m sorry. I can’t go.”

“Can’t go to what?” My dad waltzed into the conversation at the exact wrong moment. He knew I had nothing to do today. Tonight. Or ever, really. “Is that Shawn Mendes?” He looked at Shawn with wide eyes. “Little Shawn Mendes? You’re as tall as me now.”

Shawn laughed, “It’s good to see you Dr. Y/L/N.”

“You can call me Dan.”

“I’m just here to pick up Y/N and take her to a party. The parents will be home, and I will have her home early.” God he’s so good. Too good. He knows exactly how to work parents. What a shocker. “Is it alright if we go?”

“Yes!” Dad practically shouted in glee at the same time as I said, “Noooo.”

“I can’t go, I have to finish these cupcakes. I promised Sof.”

“I think Sof and I can handle some cupcakes, you go have fun with your friends.”

___

“Shawn really, please I don’t want to go.”

Shawn was basically dragging you up the stairs to the house party at this point. And Shawn wasn’t having any of your lame ass excused. “No, Nope. Nope. We’re going. It’s in the contract.”

We stood outside the door for a moment, and I nervously began pulling my hair into my favorite scrunchie before Shawn was grabbing my hands. “What are you doing? Stop.”

He took the scrunchie from me, despite my protest. “Stop, I like your hair down.” And if it were for his dumb stupid kind eyes, you would have fought him on it. “You look pretty, and I’ll prove it to you.” He pulled out his phone from his pocket and quickly took a picture of me before I could ruin it with some silly face.

“Fine, but you can’t lose that. It’s my favorite scrunchie.”

“Deal, now give me your phone.”

“Why?”

Shawn rolled his eyes, “Would you trust me?” Sure. Why not. Why wouldn’t I trust my fake boyfriend who up until a week ago, only spoke to me if forms of apologies for his horrible ex girlfriends behavior.

Shawn took an admittedly cute selfie and made it the background on my phone, pulling out his phone with the picture of me he’d just taken of me as his background. “Now, let’s gooooo.”

I tried one last protest, before he was pulling me into the depths of the party.

Shawn almost immediately left my side to get us drinks. I found myself floating around, awkwardly, hovering over peoples games or conversations, until Gen called out after me.

“Hey Y/N come sit with us,” one of Gen’s friends called.

Figuring this is exactly what the parties were in the contract for, I ventured over at sat.

“So, you and Shawn? Spill the deets.” Gen’s same friend said.

“Well? What do you want to know?” There wasn’t much to know, other than the fact that it was all fake, but that was obviously off limits.

“Well everything, duh.”

“Drop it,” Gen told her friend, “They obviously haven’t done anything because it’s Y/N.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Gen?” I asked quickly.

“It’s pretty simple. I know Shawn. And I know you. And Shawn doesn’t go for people like you. So you really don’t have to pretend, honey. He might have kissed you in the seventh grade, but we all know that meant nothing.” Gen laughed as she stood up to leave, “Would you like a drink? A juice box? Maybe some chocolate milk.”

“I’m good, Shawn’s actually getting me a drink. But thanks for the offer.” I threw my best smug smile at Gen, right as Shawn hopped over the couch.

“Hey babe.”

Gen was leaving now, but Shawn didn’t seem too concerned. I took my drink from his hand and took a sip, smiling up at him. In another world, where Shawn Mendes wasn’t...well Shawn Mendes, he’d actually be the perfect boyfriend. He was so pretty. The curls were irresistible. And he had this perfect mix of charm and class that just made everything about him ideal. But that wasn’t the world I lived in. I lived in the world where Shawn Mendes was hopelessly in love with Gen. No matter how horrible she was.

“Hey let’s take a selfie,” Shawn says.

I leaned in a gently kissed his cheek as he snapped the photo. If anyone ever asked me, I’d deny it, but being with Shawn was comfortably easy. I’d expected to be annoyed constantly by childish behavior. Or maybe that he’d try and push the boundaries we’d set. But...I was wrong. About everything really. It made sense why Gen had liked him, but Shawn liking someone like Gen; that was different.

___

“Where are we going?” I asked as Shawn drove away from the party.

It’d only been an hour since you’d arrived, and there was still at least a solid two hours before Dad would expect Shawn to have me home by. Shawn’s excuse for leaving: “I just can’t handle Gen’s eyes on us anymore. It’s unnerving. And annoying.” I’d been under the impression that Gen’s lingering eyes were the exact reason for our situation to begin with. But it’s not like I wanted to stay at the party, so I’d followed as he pulled me through the house without an argument.

“Just...be quiet.” Shawn huffed.

Folding my arms across my chest, I replied. “Fine, but I’m putting on music at least.”

Fleetwood Mac quickly filled the speakers of Shawn’s Jeep as he rolled down both the front windows and threw his arm out of the window. Not even a few minutes later, Shawn was grunting in frustration as he hit the steering wheel.

“Shawn, what’s wrong?” I asked quietly.

He just shook his head staying silent. I honestly didn’t know how to handle a frustrated Shawn. Especially when I didn’t know what had him in the mood to begin with, so I stayed silent, deciding to hum quietly to the songs instead.

Fifteen minutes later, and Shawn was still driving. He’d still given no clues to where, in fact he hadn’t said a single word since entering the car. But the tension in his shoulders had eased when Leather and Lace by Stevie Nicks came on. He smiled at the road, and sang the song under his breath. He didn’t know I was paying attention, but how could I not. A relaxed Shawn was something special to witness, let me tell you.

Ten minutes later, and whatever was on Shawn’s mind upon getting into the Jeep was a distant memory. He was happily, and might I add loudly, singing along to Slow Hands. He’d occasionally throw funny glances my way, and hopefully he couldn’t see the fond look that I know was creeping onto my face. That would just be embarrassing. But how could you not look at this Shawn Mendes and be fond? He was giggly and happy and just being himself? I honestly don’t think I’d ever seen this version of Shawn before, now that I think about it.

“So where you taking us, bub?”

Shawn shot up an eyebrow at the name, but said nothing.

“Geesh, Y/L/N, just let me surprise you, will you?”

You choked out a laugh, trying not to think too hard about Shawn putting together a “surprise” when this was all just supposed to be fake. (For something so fake, it had a way of feeling kind of real.)

A couple minutes later, Shawn pulls his Jeep onto a deserted dirt road, and I’m just now realizing that you’d left the suburbs behind quite some time ago. We’d been driving on somewhat country roads for a while now.

“You’re gonna kill me in the woods, aren’t you?” I deadpanned.

“And I would’ve gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids,” Shawn joked right back. Shawn rolled his eyes at me before continuing, “Seriously though, shut up for like five minutes, and you’ll see.”

Deciding to once again not argue (a novel idea really), I just leaned back and surveyed the surroundings. You know, just incase I had to call the authorities.

But really all there was to look at were trees. Like...lots of trees. And a minute later, Shawn was driving through the woods. On a somewhat paved path. And suddenly, I was very thankful that we’d taken his Jeep to the party, and not my rinky dink car. It most definitely would not have made the drive.

And as if Shawn had timed it perfectly, he came to a stop in a small clearing of the woods as Slow Hands came to a dramatic close.

Shawn turned off the car and reached into the back of his Jeep where he pulled out a thick fleece blanket.

“You just have blankets laying around back there, Mendes?”

“Actually, yes.” Shawn looked directly at me, “My mom always told me to have a blanket in my car incase I got stranded while it was cold.”

I blinked at him for a moment, not expecting a real response. “Valid,” I finally muttered, hoping not to look like the fucking idiot I truly, truly was in this moment. “So what are we doing?”

Shawn hopped out of the Jeep, blanket in hand, and rushed over to my door to help me out of the Jeep. The grass was getting wet under my feet from the dew forming. Shawn’s hand held mine as he guided me further into the clearing, and again, I’m just hit with the this feeling too real. Not fake enough. Not manufactured. This was not in the contract. But pushing the anxieties aside, I could see the moment forming around me. Almost as if I were observing from the outside.

Shawn laid out the blanket on the grass, and layed down, gesturing for me to do the same. Eventually, after standing astonished for a second too long, I followed suite. Close enough to him to feel his body heat radiating out, but not close enough to touch.

“So we’re here because…” I whispered, not wanting to interrupt the quiet atmosphere.

“Because, sometimes you just gotta get away, you know?” Shawn’s face turned to look at me. “You know sometimes I think I like Gen, but then there are days like today when I can’t understand why I bother with her,” his breath fanned over my face, intermingling with my own. “You know she cornered me, in the bathroom of all places.” He turned to look back at the stars. “She just pisses me off so much, Y/N. I wish I could just be like you, ya know?”

I didn’t really mean to laugh, but it came out anyway. “Like me? What do you mean?”

“You’re not afraid of her.”

I scoffed, “Shawn, I’m terrified of her.”

He shook his head, still not looking at me. But I was looking at him, how could I not? “No you aren’t. Like that day she was making fun of your boots. And you didn't even fucking care. You didn’t let it get to you? You told me she had a chemical imbalance,” Shawn giggled softly as his hand came to cover his mouth. Almost as if he hadn’t meant to laugh at something so rude.

“You remember all that?” I asked shyly.

“Yeah, I mean… I couldn’t say anything because we were together. But...those shoes weren’t just cool. I thought they were….you looked hot in them. They worked well on you, yeah?”

“Thank you…” I whispered.

Staring at the stars with Shawn Mendes was surreal. The night was beautiful, the stars were shining, and Shawn’s gravitational pull felt indeniable. Like, I had to be closer to him. I didn’t want to be closer to him, god, no. He’s Gen’s ex boyfriend. And Gen was honestly the last person I should have been making enemies of, and yet… There I was, laying next to Shawn. So close that our pinkies were touching, and if I wasn’t mistaken, Shawn was moments away from wrapping our hands together completely.

But it was fake. It was all supposed to be fake. So why? Why do this?

“I don’t know why you’re so obsessed with her, honestly?” I blurted out. Apparently lacking complete control over my body in this moment.

“What? I’m not obsessed,” Shawn stuttered.

“She’s your only girlfriend you’ve ever had, eh?” Shawn nodded, “And she’s left you for some other guy, yet you just wanna get back with her? Shawn, if she doesn’t see what you’re worth then she’s not worth the time.”

Shawn scoffed, “You’ve never even had a boyfriend, you can’t really be handing out the advice.”

“I just think you should move on, if she doesn’t want you. That’s her loss.” Okay, that was a little bold for my taste, but I guess bold is what we’re doing tonight.

“You know, for someone so quiet all the time, you sure have a lot of opinions,” Shawn muttered under his breath.

“I think you’re just not used to people being honest with you.”

Shawn laughed again. He rolled over on his side, completely facing me. He rested his head on his arm, propped up and said with a hint of mirth, “You wanna talk about honesty? Be honest, why haven’t you ever had a boyfriend?”

“I guess no one's ever liked my like that,” I shrugged simply. Avoidance was key here.

“Lies. I know for a fact that you were asked to spring formal and you turned it down. That is a verifiable fact. So don’t go denying it. There are no secrets between fake boyfriend and fake girlfriend.”

“Okay, well it’s simple really. Love? Dating? It’s fun to read about. To immerse yourself in a fictional world. To put all your feelings into a character or a storyline. To see something epic take place. To get a happy ending every time, in words or even just in your mind. But people are different. Real life, it’s different. Giving yourself over to someone. Trusting them. Trusting that they won’t hurt you…or leave you. That’s...Shawn, that’s terrifying.”

“Why? Why’s that so scary?”

I turned on my side to mirror Shawn, “Because...the more people you let in. The more people you let have little parts of you. The more people that come into your circle. Into your life...the more than just walk right out.”

“Just...like your mom, right?” Shawn whispered.

It wasn’t supposed to be a sad conversation. I hadn’t meant for it to turn out that way. It was all just teasing Shawn about Gen and yet here I was...pulling out the dead mom card. But it was the truth, it was my truth. When you feel the loss of someone so deeply, it changes you. And it had certainly changed me.

Shawn sighed, “You know, I’m really sorry. I don’t think I ever told you when it happened. That’s not something a kid should ever have to go through.”

“It’s just hard...without her sometimes.”

Shawn smiled sadly. I hated those smiles. The smiles that just shot pity at you. That said “I can’t relate, but I’m here for you”. Or that said “it’ll get better in time”.  

“But you know,” Shawn started, “Your mom didn’t just walk out. She loved you, but she didn’t leave you. Not the kind of leaving you’re talking about being afraid of. She’s still always going to be with you. In her heart. In your memories. That’s nothing to be afraid of, Y/N. That’s something to treasure. You hold onto the memories and the stories. That’s how you keep her with you. How she doesn’t leave.”

There wasn’t really a proper response to that. It was more of a thing you thought about, slept on, took home with you. And so I just stared into Shawn’s eyes. Wondering who made him so smart. Who made him so perfect. Who made him so irresistible that it was completely and totally too easy to realize that he was just pretending.

That it was all fake.

tagged: @rosecth @honestlygarbage @peacedolantwins2

#shawn mendes fic #shawn mendes imagine #shawn mendes #shawn mendes x reader #imagine #fic #fanfic #shawn mendes fanfic #shawn mendes writing #my writing #mine #writing

[ladyrevanhalin]

TWISTED MORALITY (PART III of ONLY LIGHT CAN CAST SHADOW) CHAPTER THREE: SEEKING SHELTER FROM THE STORM (PREVIEW SECTION 6 OF 16)

[AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a preview section from an incomplete chapter]

><><><><><

As hungry as Gwen was, Carth had insisted they seek medical care prior to seeking food. With how long she had been unconscious combined with what little medical supplies they had, he wanted to be certain there weren’t further undetected injuries in addition to the head injury that he’d been treating since the crash. Gwen had taken part of a ration bar in the meantime to hold her over. She had a lingering headache that she could not tell if it was from her injury or the fact that she had not eaten in the three days she had been unconscious. Either way, it hadn’t put her in the most pleasant of moods.

“Look, I’m fine,” she insisted as they walked. “While I appreciate your concern, I don’t need you mothering me.”

“Don’t you think we’re better off at least checking?” He said. 

“I think I’d feel a lot better if I had something other than ration bars,” she snapped. “I couldn’t eat a single thing on that damned ship it seemed without getting sick afterward!”

“Well sorry fleet cafeteria isn’t good enough for you,” Carth said sarcastically, rolling his eyes in the process. 

“Don’t you roll your eyes at me!”

“Calm down, geesh! It was only a joke. There’s a cantina close to the apartments, we’ll head back that way as soon as we finish here.” Carth added the last part as they stepped inside of a Tarisian Clinic. It was very plain, steryl… as a clinic ought to be. There were two men there who seemed to run the place: a younger one who was polishing a medical droid, and an older one who seemed to be working with chemicals at a lab station of sorts.

Carth approached the one working on the droid. “Excuse me,” the pilot said, “but can you help us--”

“Can't you see I'm busy with my duties?” the younger man snapped as he turned around sharply to face them. “Go talk to Zelka if you need something.”

“Well, nothing quite beats good old Tarisian hospitality,” Gwen muttered sarcastically. It was no sooner that she had than she felt Carth’s elbow nudge her ribs as he gave her a sideways glance. The woman groaned, rolling her eyes at her male companion’s disapproval. 

“Sorry for disturbing you,” Carth said, frantically trying to cover up Gwen’s commentary. “We’ll uh… we’ll go talk to him now.” 

She felt his hand on her back a moment, presumably to encourage her to walk away, and tensed. She quickly shrugged him away in an attempt to quickly end her discomfort. The physical contact felt strange. It had ever since… Well, there was no sense in thinking about that at the moment. Her head hurt enough as it was without additionally lingering on bad memories.

Carth must have understood her discomfort because he retracted his hand just as quickly as she had begun to shrug him away, and Gwen let out a silent sigh in relief. He left her and approached the older man at the other end of the clinic. 

Gwen folded her arms and meandered throughout the little steryl space. There wasn’t much to look at, but it gave her something to do while she waited to head to the cantina. She could hear Carth talking in the background to whom she could only assume was the ‘Zelka’ the first man had referred to. Her eyes skimmed over the walls and shelves… until they fell upon something that caused her to pause.

There was a large locked door on the West wall that read ‘Lab Personnel Only.’ While it was normal for such establishments to have areas off-limits to all but employees, something felt… different. She didn’t know quite how to best describe it. She felt… familiarity? Was that it? Whatever it was, it compelled curiosity from her. Gwen’s haze drifted from the Aurebesh lettering of the door sign to a simple electronic lock pad on the wall next to the door. It was such an easy lock….

“Gwen? Could you come here?”

She spun around at the sound of Carth’s voice to look at him and Zelka “Yeah?” she said. Her hand had quickly drawn away from the lock, she hoped faster than anyone else there could have seen. ‘Dammit, Gwen, you’re supposed to be respectable now!’ she thought to herself. ‘Just let it go….’

“I'll not have it said that Zelka Forn refused to help somebody just because they weren't a citizen of Taris,” the clinician said to Carth, seemingly in response to a part of their previous conversation. He continued, this time addressing her directly and introducing himself. “Miss Dakaal, isn’t it? I’m Zelka Forn. Your friend here tells me you’re in need of healing? I can treat almost any injury or ailment right here at the medical facility, except the rakghoul disease, of course.”

“I’m sorry… rakghoul disease?” Gwen asked, raising an eyebrow. She folded her arms as she approached them, choosing to remove herself from the bizarre urge to pick open the lab personnel door. “What’s that?”

 “A terrible affliction that has plagued Taris for many generations,” Zelka said, shaking his head. “I was just telling Mr. Polla here about it. It is spread by the rakghouls, horrible monsters that live in the Undercity below Taris' great skyscrapers. Prolonged exposure to the Undercity breeds the disease and those infected will eventually mutate into rakghouls themselves, becoming mindless beasts that feed on the flesh of others. Granted, from what Mr. Polla tells me, that would be impossible since you’ve not been down to the lower levels…”

Gwen had to restrain herself from snorting at the name by which Zelka Forn had referred to Carth. “Oh?” she said, a somewhat amused grin spreading across her face as her gaze shifted from the physician to the Republic pilot. “Now I’m curious. What else were you discussing with Mr. Polla?”

She caught Carth’s expression cracking just a bit at her dig, though it seemed that Zelka hadn’t noticed. That much was probably for the better. She could understand Carth’s choice for giving a false name, given the fact that he was a decorated Republic Lieutenant. After all, someone might recognize the name ‘Carth Onasi’... but Polla!? Surely in the days she was unconscious he should have been able to come up with a name better than that...

“Well, I heard the Republic scientists at the military base here on Taris were close to perfecting a cure for it. But the Sith have since overrun the base and are keeping the serum for the patrols they send into the Undercity.” Zelka sighed. “If I could just get my hands on a sample of that serum the rakghoul disease could be wiped from the face of Taris forever…. But nevermind. I don't see how that's going to happen now, and it’s irrelevant anyway to the situation.” He gestured for her to sit in a chair nearby.

She opened her mouth a moment to voice a protest, but caught sight of a look from Carth that made her stop. She leered back at him as she moved to the seat that Zelka had indicated.

“Well then, Miss Dakaal, I hear you’ve suffered some head trauma?” He took out a small light and shone it in her eyes, causing Gwen to instinctually squint and raise a hand to block out the excess light. “Eyes open, please,” the physician added. “What exactly happened?”

The woman struggled to keep her eyes open for him, choosing to focus her gaze passed him in order to aid her efforts. “My associate could tell you better than I,” Gwen said flatly. “I was unconscious, after all…”

“You know,” she Carth say. He seemed to be ignoring her, but she could not see him at the moment to tell for certain. He seemed to be circling back around to the previous conversation with Zelka. “There’s gotta be some way to get ahold of that cure the Republic military were working on…”

Zelka turned away from Gwen, back to Carth for a moment, and the woman used the opportunity to relax her eyes from the light, blinking slowly as strange colored phantom shapes floated across her vision. 

“ I don't see how anyone could get their hands on the serum,” Zelka said. “The military base is crawling with Sith guards. Breaking in there would be a suicide mission. I suppose the Sith patrols in the Undercity might have a sample of the serum on them, if they hadn't already used it because of a rakghoul infection. But I doubt a patrol would just hand the serum over. And nobody's stupid enough to attack one of the Sith patrols, even in the Undercity.”

“Well, as soon as we’re off, I’m sure we’ll find some way,” Gwen said, wanting very much to end the conversation so they could get out of there and head to the cantina. Most of the reports were of the escape pods crashing in the Undercity anyway, so who knew! Maybe that actually would happen across a sample of the serum… There might even be some sort of reward, and they could always use access to medical services while stranded on an enemy-controlled planet…

“Please don't say that!” Zelka exclaimed as he turned to her, frantically gesturing with his hands to say no more on the matter. “If the Sith hear you they might think I'm suggesting you start sacking their patrols. They could shut me down! I only mentioned the serum because you asked. I don't actually expect anyone to get me the serum.” The man sighed, letting his arms relax. “Tell me what symptoms you’ve had since you regained consciousness.”

“Well,” Gwen said, “I’ve had a lingering headache, but I also haven’t eaten in a couple days--at least not since before the injury.”

“I don’t see any signs of lingering damage from your injury,” he continued. “The headache you described is likely from hunger, not lingering effects of concussion. Now, is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Nope!” she said, standing promptly. “I think that about wraps things up here….”

“Not so fast,” Carth interjected, catching her arm as she attempted to walk passed him toward the exit. He then spoke again to Zelka. “We heard some rumors about Republic escape pods having crashed in the Undercity from the recent space battle overhead. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“Republic escape pods? Uh... no… That’s a strange question,” Zelka laughed. “Why would you ask me that? I don't know. Those pods crashed in the Undercity, I'm not involved in any way!”

Gwen turned back, raising an eyebrow at the man’s reaction to the question. “You seem awfully defensive about this,” she muttered. She’d seen more than enough bad liars in her time to spot it when someone was so obviously hiding something. 

“I'm not defensive! I just don't like being accused of knowing something about those Republic pods.” And then Zelka scoffed. “This is as bad as an interrogation by the Sith!”

Carth winced. It would seem he hadn’t anticipated Gwen commentary, and was disturbed by how Zelka had been suddenly put off. “Don't worry, we’re not with the Sith. We won't betray your secret if you tell us…. Uh… not that you’re hiding anything, that is.” Carth rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Whether or not Zelka would trust them with any further information remained to be seen.

“The Sith were already here,” the clinician huffed, “asking these same questions you are now. I'll tell you what I told them. I don't know anything about those pods. Now, is there something else you need?”

“We need a better answer than that,” Gwen said. If Zelka Forn actually knew anything about the crashed escape pods, then it could prove most useful in their quest to find Bastila and get off of this rock. “If you know something, you should tell us. Like my associate said, we don’t work for the Sith. But if you are hiding something, the Sith will find out eventually, and they will come here again. It’s in your best interest to help us. I think you want to…”

“I…. I want to….” Zelka said slowly. He seemed to be much calmer as he did so. “Well... you don't look like you're with the Sith. I guess… I guess I can tell you my secret. Or rather, I can show you…”

Zelka Forn walked over to the door that Gwen had seen previously and punched a code into the access pad. The large door slid open, revealing a series of kolto tanks, a few of them with familiar-looking men and women floating inside of them. 

“Hey... I recognize these men,” Gwen murmured, approaching one of the tanks. “They're Republic soldiers!...”

“You... you recognize these soldiers?” Zelka asked. “But how? Unless... unless you're friends of the Republic!”

Carth raised his hands. As if to try to prevent Zelka from doing anything rash. “Looks, I have a feeling we’re on the same side here,” Carth said. “We’re friends of the Republic.” He conveniently left out the part about them also having been on the same ship the soldiers in the tanks were from. After all, they were already putting themselves at risk here. There was no point in sharing more information than necessary… “We’re friends of the Republic. You can trust us.”

“Since the space battle overhead,” Zelka explained, “people have been secretly bringing in these Republic soldiers who crash-landed on the planet. I had to take them in. What choice did I have? Their injuries are terrible, most won't survive. But at least I can make their last days more comfortable. And at least here they are hidden away from the Sith.”

Carth let out a sigh of relief. “Well, for that you have my thanks,” he said, clasping the other man’s shoulder briefly. “It's good to know that at least some of these men ended up in compassionate hands.”

“I hate to imagine what the Sith would do if they discovered these soldiers here,” Zelka continued. “But since their initial questioning the Sith have not returned, so it may be my fears are unfounded.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Gwen asked, turning back toward Carth and Zelka. While they were in a hurry to find Bastila and get off, and while it would be easier for them to remain unnoticed if they were in a smaller group, she couldn’t help but to feel a sense of pity wash over her at the sight of her former comrades in such a state.

“I'm afraid there is nothing more anyone can do for these soldiers,” Zelka said. “Now, if you'll excuse me I should return to the front in case anyone comes in needing medical attention.”

The clinician stepped away, closing the door but leaving it unlocked for Gwen and Carth to exit of their own accord. 

“Well,” Gwen said, shrugging with a bit of unease, “at least we know we’re not the only survivors.”

“It’s a good thing,” Carth said somewhat somberly. “It means there’s even more chance that Bastila survived as well.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right…” There was a twisting in Gwen’s stomach that reminded her current hunger and she winced. “Standing here’s not going to do us any good though. I think we should gather more info--at the cantina! I’m starving.” And she let out an exasperated sigh.

A smile tugged at the corner of one of Carth’s lips as he let out a single laugh. “I guess we can head over now… Wouldn’t want you passing out on me after all!”

Gwen rolled her eyes and moved to the door, beating the switch with the side of her first, causing it to open as she walked out toward the exit of the clinic, the pilot scurrying briskly after her once he say she was leaving. They were stopped, however, by a voice when they reached the door leading out of the clinic.

“Psst. You there! Wait a minute. I need to talk to you about the rakghoul serum. I've got an offer for you you might want to hear.” it was the assistant they had seen working on the droid previously.

“Not interested,” Gwen said dismissively, and she continued to move toward the exit. 

“Oh, don't be an idiot,” the man said, moving to block them from exiting. “Just listen to me for one minute and you won't be sorry. Davik Kang wants the cure, and you'd be smart to give it to him.”

Gwen placed her hands on her hips, regarding the man with a rather unamused expression on her face. “Davik Kang? Who's that?”

“Oh, come on – everybody knows who Davik Kang is! He's the big boss around here. Gambling, smuggling, extortion – he's got a piece of all the action on Taris.”

“You mean Davik's a crime lord?” Carth said, now seemingly rather unamused by the conversation also.

“I prefer to think of him as a role model,” the man continued in a rather grating voice. “He started with nothing, and now he's got it all: credits, power, women. It's the Tarisian dream, right?”

“Why does Davik want the cure so badly?” Gwen asked, rolling her eyes as she did so.

“Davik's interested in anything that can turn a profit. He could make a fortune selling the serum to anyone infected with the disease – not like Zelka, who'll practically give it away.”

“I think we'd rather give the serum to Zelka,” Carth said. “He'll use it to help people.”

“Helping people is all well and good,” the assistant harrumphed, “but you have to help yourself first, right? I'm telling you Davik will pay big credits for the cure. More than Zelka could ever afford.”

Gwen considered a moment. Credits would be a big help if they were going to get off of Taris. After all, they would need a ship… “Where can we find Davik if we want to give him the cure?” she asked, folding her arms.

Carth looked at her a moment in seeming disbelief. She tried as best she could to ignore his gaze of disapproval. 

The assistant smirked. “Davik isn't the kind of guy you can just walk up to, you know? He likes to keep his business at arm's length. The best thing to do is take the rakghoul serum to Zax. He runs the Lower City bounty office, but everybody knows he also works for Davik. He'll make it worth your while.”

“And why do you care who gets the cure?” Gwen asked, narrowing her eyes at him. The man seemed parasitic as a mynock…

“Look, Zelka can't afford to pay me much,” the assistant explained. “If you sell the serum to Davik, I can probably get a nice finder's fee for directing you to him.”

“What if I tell Zelka you're helping Davik get the cure?” Carth interjected. It seemed he was having none of the idea, despite how lucrative it could prove.

“Hmph! I'll just deny it,” the assistant said with a shrug. “Who's Zelka going to believe – me, or some off-world stranger? Now, be smart about this. You'll get a better deal selling to Davik.”

“And then only the rich could afford the cure. Just let the poor suffer, right?” Carth said.

The assistant frowned, glaring at the pilot. “Look, if you find the rakghoul serum, just take it to Zax in the Lower City bounty office. He works for Davik. He'll pay you what that cure is really worth!” And with that, the man stepped aside, allowing them to pass.

Once Gwen and Carth were a bit a ways from the clinic, Gwen spoke first. “That guy gave me the creeps,” she commented.

“Why would you even consider something like selling a cure to a crime lord?” Carth asked her. He still seemed to be in disbelief at what he had heard. “You saw what Zelka was doing in there. He’s a good man…”

“Yeah, but we need the credits, Carth. Last I checked, even if we do find Bastila, we can’t get off Taris without a ship…”

“Look, I’m not saying you’re wrong, I just… I think we should consider this carefully before we make any decisions of the sort. I mean, who knows if we’ll even find it while we’re looking…”

“Yeah, well unless you have a better idea for how to get enough funds to get out of here, I think we should consider his offer… but enough of this. Let’s get to the cantina or I really am going to pass out on you.”

><><><><><

#Female Revan #femrevanlives #female revan and carth #Revanasi4Life #KOTOR #kotoredit #kotor 1 #knights of the old republic #Jedi Civil War #Carth Onasi #revan carth #Revan #Revanasi #f!Revan #fanfic #fanfiction #swtor #star wars #star wars the old republic #taris #my otp

[strawberrymilkgeorge]

Part Two. Jackbox Shenanigans

warnings: swearing word count: 2.6k (not including pictures) behind the screen (irl dream x reader) series masterlist ultimate masterlist

Y/n flinched awake, startled by the sounds traveling from the kitchen. Once again, the frosty air pricked her skin, trying to convince her to not move, to stay in bed under the warm blankets. Despite the feeling pulling her into her bed, she rubbed her eyes and sat up, grabbing her phone from her nightstand. Texts from Karl flooded her screen and she replied as she took her comforter off her mattress and wrapped it around herself. She pattered to the source of the noise to find her roommate was making food.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Naomi asked, eyes wide with concern as she looked at Y/n. "I dropped a pan."

Y/n, who was observing the world through one squinted eye, shook her head and she sat at the counter in the kitchen. "No, I should be awake anyway."

"You're usually awake much earlier. Late night?"

Y/n nodded. "George streamed and we all talked for a little after."

"Oh, yeah, I watched his stream this morning..." she started, eyes focused on the food in front of her but Y/n still caught the mischievous glint in her roommate's eyes.

"Of course you did," Y/n laughed through a yawn. "That's your lover."

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Maybe if you gave me his number he would be."

"He doesn't give it to many people. I just barely got it and I've been friends with him for a year. I'm pretty sure Karl doesn't even have it."

Naomi groaned, though Y/n knew it was a joke... for the most part. She got another text from Karl, and consulted Naomi for a second opinion.

"Should I post this?" Y/n asked, lazily holding up her phone with a picture on the screen. Naomi squinted as she looked back over her shoulder. "Karl keeps yelling at me too."

"Yeah! That's a cute outfit. Make sure to credit Karl or he'll yell at you for that as well."

"No chance I'm doing that."

.

Incoming FaceTime... karol <3

Y/n hit accept and held the phone up to make a face at Karl. He mimicked the position. "Hello, sir."

"Hello, ma'am."

"What are you doing?" she asked him, walking to the bathroom to brush her teeth, her comforter dragging on the floor behind her as it continued to protect her from the cold.

Karl got distracted and started messing with something out of the camera view. "Um, trying to figure out what to do for my stream tonight. What about you?"

"I'm waiting for you to give me a fit check!" Y/n yelled. Karl quickly looked at the camera and smiled. He set his phone down on his desk and ran backward so his whole body was in frame. He posed awkwardly a few different ways before running back and resuming his position.

"Yes!" Y/n hyped with a mouthful of toothpaste. "Let's go, Karl! Karl with the old man sweater!!"

He giggled. "You're the one that told me to buy it."

"Because it's sick. Doesn't mean it didn't belong to an old man before you."

Karl pouted before his face lit up. "Guess what. I met a girl."

"Oh?" Y/n cooed. "Where? Do you have pictures? Is she cute?"

"She's Jimmy's new cameraman. Camerawoman. I don't have pictures, and yes. She's very cute." His cheeks turned red and Y/n smiled, flipping off the bathroom light and heading to her closet. She threw her comforter back on the bed and tried to pick out an outfit.

"Come on, bud, elaborate. What's her name? Have you asked her out yet?"

"You don’t get to know her name, I don’t want to jinx anything. Plus, you’ll just look ‘Mr Beast crew’ and find out anyway. Also, no, I haven’t. I'm pretty sure she thinks I hate her because I have not said a single word to her. I get so nervous when she's around I freeze up and just like... act weird. And then as soon as she's gone, Chris freaking roasts me so bad."

"Aw, I can teach you how to flirt if you want!"

"Yeah, okay," he scoffed, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"What's with the attitude? I'm great at flirting."

"No, you're not. I watched Gogy's stream last night."

"What does that have anything to do with anything?"

"I heard the way you spoke to Dream."

"What?!"

"You have zero game, Y/n. Absolutely none. Zilch, if you will."

"Yeah, because I wasn't flirting with him?"

"Not successfully, at least."

"Karl, what?" Y/n laughed but she was so confused. "No part of me was trying to flirt with anyone in that stream."

"Oh, come on," Karl groaned. "Don't do this again. Don't pretend to not like a guy and then cry to me when you're wack ass attempts don't win him over."

"Karl," Y/n started, looking directly at him. "I genuinely have no idea what you're talking about. I wasn't flirting with him. I do not like him."

"I'm just saying, you talk about him a lot. Like, you always panic when he interacts with your posts because you're scared he's going to DM you right after. And you gush about him a lot."

"I do not gush. I admire the hard work he puts into his videos but I talk the same about him as I do with George and Sapnap. The only difference is I'm friends with them and not Mr. Minecraft. He's intimidating, that doesn't mean I have a crush on him."

Karl stared for a moment, trying to read Y/n's expression to detect any lies. "You'd tell me if you did, right?"

"Karl, I tell you everything. I'd tell you if I murdered your family." They both laughed. "It's impossible to hide anything from you, you're my best friend."

"Okay, sweet, but please don't murder my family, just to be clear."

"I won't. I love your mom too much."

"Well, how was meeting Dream, then? Despite apparently not being in love with him?"

"It was cool. Terrifying because it felt very forced but the four of us hung out on the call after George ended his stream and he was much more relaxed."

"That's true. Aren't we all?"

"Not you! You're the exact same person on and off camera. Just a little ball of giggles."

Karl giggled which made them both laugh more. Suddenly, as if he completely forgot until that moment, Karl sat up quickly and yelled, "What am I going to do for the stream?"

Y/n shrugged. "See if anyone wants to play Jackbox. Chat always loves those and it's relatively easy to throw together last minute. You just need to find people that are free to play."

"Genius. Who should we invite?"

"We?"

"Yeah. It was your idea, you have to play."

"But, I've never played! And I barely know all your friends so I wouldn't get half the inside jokes. I'd be a boring addition."

"Please? They're your friends too! You just talked to Sapnap and George for four hours yesterday and George was the only one playing anything. That's friendship if I've ever seen it."

"But... others.... like literally everyone besides Sap and George...."

"Things like this are how you get to know them better. Besidessss, you're never boring."

"Fine, I'll play."

"YES!" he shouted. "Okay, who should we invite?"

**********

**********

Y/n huffed and scooted her chair closer to her desk. She pulled up Discord and hovered over the voice chat everyone was in. An overwhelming number of voices chaotically spoke over each other as soon as she joined.

"Oh no," she mumbled.

"AYYEE!!" a voice yelled, the green bubble lighting around Quackity's name confirming her suspicions.

"Aye," she said back less enthusiastic. "Hi everyone."

"She's here!" George cheered.

Y/n could hear Sapnap huff. "Finally. Geesh."

"This isn't even your stream, calm down." Y/n's eyes scanned the names on the left to read who else was involved in tonight's games. She had suggested a few people to Karl but wasn't sure about the final list. Besides the boys who had already greeted her were BadBoyHalo and Dream.

"Hello, Bugsy! It's nice to meet you! I'm BadBoyHalo."

Y/n smiled widely at his voice. "Hi, BadBoyHalo! Nice to meet you too."

Her eyes slowly traveled to the last name on the list, which had yet to greet her. She wasn't bitter, but she was curious why he hadn't said anything yet. The boys hyped up him talking about her so much but she had yet to feel that energy from him. She picked at the bottom of her hoodie, eyes darting between the names as they lit up when someone spoke.

"Is Dream still AFK?" Sapnap asked.

"I think so," Bad replied.

Maybe that's the only reason he hadn't said anything. Y/n felt stupid for thinking it had anything to do with her.

"He's probably coding something or something like that," George teased.

"Haha nerdy ass man," Quackity cackled.

"Language."

"Don't you also code shit, George?" Sapnap called out. "You're probably helping him test something after this, huh? As Quackity said, nerdy ass man."

"You know what, Sapnap? I'm not sure I like your attitude all that much."

Y/n smiled. Despite feeling nervous, she was already having fun just listening to everyone talk. The real nerves would kick in when they were live in front of tens of thousands of people and she would have to be funny.

A message popped up in the general chat, notifying everyone that Karl was joining the voice call soon so they shouldn't say anything bad.

"Everyone say something weird," Quackity directed.

Discord dinged and Karl's name joined the list on the side. "AAAHHHH-!" he started yelling over everyone to let them know he was here in case they were saying anything bad. With his luck, they were going to say stuff anyway to mess with him.

"So, yeah, that's how I lost my virginity," Quackity said as if he just finished a story.

"To a prostitute?" Sapnap added quickly. "Wow, I never thought you... oh Karl!"

"Language!" Bad gasped.

"What the..." Karl laughed loudly. "What did I just join?"

"Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry," Quackity apologized, which was hard to make out since he was laughing so hard, surprised at what Sapnap added to his joke.

"Bad, you can't say language about a prostitute," Sapnap defended. "That's really rude of you. Maybe it's a little unconventional but they're just tryna make some money the best way they know how."

George laughed with Quackity as Bad sputtered. "I-I said language about what Quackity said!"

"What, virginity?" Karl asked innocently and Bad yelled again.

"Bad hates people who have had sex!" Y/n called, causing Quackity to laugh loudly.

"Bad! How could you?! That's so messed up!"

"Wait, guys, is everyone here?" Karl asked.

"Dream isn't. We don't know where he went."

Karl groaned and started typing something, presumably yelling at Dream to join.

"Let's goooo! We're popping off!" Quackity started saying, stalling. "We're popping off!" George joined him, becoming absolute fools to keep the chat entertained.

"Okay, he's here!" Karl said. "Everyone's here!"

"I'm here, I'm here, sorry. I was... yeah, sorry," Dream stuttered out.

"Welcome back, Dream!" Bad chirped.

"Hello!" he replied. Unexpectedly, his next greeting was directed at Y/n. "Hi, Bug."

Y/n instantly got shy for no discernable reason. She blamed it on his voice and its ability to manipulate emotions any way he wanted. That and she was getting attention from someone first. "Hi," she squeaked back, hoping the contrast of her icy hands would cool her face enough to focus on the game.

"Bugsy, you are adorable," Bad stated simply.

"Sapnap! What did you just send me?" George asked loudly, and just like that, the attention was off of her and she could breathe again.

"What?" Sapnap feigned innocence.

This was going to be a long game.

"Let's play!" Karl decided. "Should we warm up with some Quippy?"

Y/n focused intensely on her answers, silently hoping the others would find her funny.

"Oh my gosh," she mumbled as everyone else finished writing. "Y'all, I'm about to get Quiplashed so hard. Don't make fun of me."

"I seriously doubt it," Dream said. "You can't possibly be worse than George at this game."

"Shut up, we always-  it's like 3 am my time. I can't, like, think of things 'cause my brain isn't functioning."

"Yeah, that's why," Sapnap teased.

"Surreee," Dream said.

The first round wasn't too bad. Y/n was in 5th place but she got quite a few laughs so she didn't care too much about where she stood. She got a notification from Dream on Twitter as everyone laughed at one of Quackity's answers.

Y/n looked back at her screen and saw the new prompt and answers. She read them quickly as everyone was laughing and with a few seconds left to choose, voted for the one on the left. It was funnier anyway.

She loosened up substantially after another round, and she knew it was mostly because Dream had reached out to her. Something about him comforted her and made her feel safe, which warmed her heart.

"Bugsy! What the hell, that's so messed up. You're so messed up," Quackity yelled, laughing at the answer on the screen. They were playing Survive the Internet and her comment got taken way out of context, just as the game intended.

"Oh my gosh!" Karl cackled loudly. "Bugsy, I didn't know you felt that way. Oh my gosh? They're just kids?? Bugsy out the gang?"

Y/n hid her face in her hands and laughed. "Noooo!! Wait I never knew- I didn't know I was ever in the gang?"

"She really said, 'infant children? slaughter them all'," Sapnap joked.

"You know, I think you'd get along really well with Technoblade," Dream added. "Though his specialty is orphans, as it appears."

"No, no, no, whoever wrote that heading is SO messed up!" Y/n defended, rereading the heading that made her comment look bad. She knew it was a game but all the attention on her was making her embarrassed. "Who would think to put that?"

"Everyone cancel Busgy!" Karl yelled.

"Karl, no! You're supposed to be my best friend!"

"I don't know how I feel about my best friend killing children..."

"Karl!!"

"Nooo," Bad protested softly. "I like Bugsy. Don't cancel her."

"Everyone vote!"

The article with Y/n's name turned out to be Dream's. "Dream! What the hell is wrong with you?" she yelled, causing him to wheeze loudly.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I wanted point."

The whole night ended up being like that. Y/n had a lot of fun and by the end, she felt a lot more comfortable with all of them. Quackity, Karl, and Sapnap were loud and very high energy while George and Bad were quieter. Dream was half and half, sometimes matching Quackity's volume and sometimes going a while without saying a word. Overall, Y/n had a lot of fun and hoped to let back in the gang in the future.

**********

PREVIOUS • NEXT

**********

A/N: WOOO PART TWOOO!! Hope you guys enjoyed this part! Also thank you so much for all the love on the first part!! I did not expect it to get as much attention as it did!!!!!

we clearly haven’t got to dream and yn being close yet bc they literally met the day before this but i added a small little dream/yn moment :] pls let me know how you liked this part!!!!!!!!!!!! 

taglist: OPEN (at the time) @hydrate-tion @loraleiix @tinaswagbd @charsdummb @smileyyuta @1ghoste1 @cerberus-hellhound @gaysludge @queestionmark @carnations-red @letsloveimagines @the-fictionwriters-hairdo @boiled-onionrings @a-cryptic @fee-btheweeb @letsloveimagines @erwinss @just-a-stan

#rpf #real person fiction #dream x reader #dream x y/n #dreamwastaken x reader #dreamwastaken x y/n #mcyt x reader #mcyt x y/n #dreamwastaken smau #dream smau #social media fiction #social media au

[asterinjapan]

Peach cental

Good evening from the city of peaches!

Today was a travel day, but it was the least cumbersome of all my travel days, so I still had time to Do Stuff. So I’ve been busy, and I’m definitely going to bed early considering I have already reserved a train ticket for tomorrow at 8:30, haha.

So, from Fukuoka to Okayama! Here we go. As it turns out this entry got long, so apologies in advance...

I got up early to have breakfast in peace, had a very quick check-out, and proceeded to make my way to the station. I think this might be the first day my legs are legitimately protesting, and that’s mostly because I had to drag my suitcase with me. Thankfully, my hotel is pretty close to the station, and the entrance for the shinkansen trains is nearby as well. Of course, I was way too early, so I watched the Nozomi (the fastest of the shinkansen, which I can’t use with m JR pass) come and go before my train showed up, the Sakura.

It was a little under two hours to Okayama, passing Hiroshima and Fukuyama on the way. Fukuyama castle is a literal stone’s throw from the station, but I noticed the main tower was partially covered, so I’m glad I went to see that one last year already!

After a smooth trip, I arrived at Okayama station and all but went deaf upon exiting, because there were all kinds of events going on. Today is a national holiday (Health and Sports day I think), so I guess that had something to do with it. Also, it’s hot! I was already regretting my warm pants, but what can you do.

I’m staying in the same hotel as last year, which is very easily found from the station anyway, so that was only a quick trip. In the lobby, I took out the necessities for my ‘daily backpack’ and then asked if I could leave the rest of my luggage here, as I was too early for check-in. Thankfully I could, haha, because I had Plans that would be significantly troublesome if I had to drag my suitcase with me.

So, out of the hotel I went, following the Momotarou street down to Okayama castle! Okay, two things: Momotarou is everywhere here. He’s a character from a folk tale, in which an elderly couple found a giant peach in the river and upon cutting it open, a boy jumped out. They raised the boy as their own and he ended up becoming a hero, as he teamed up with a dog, pheasant and a monkey and went on to defeat ogres. His name is Momotarou, which basically means ‘peach boy’. The story is more or less set in the region – there’s a prince called Kibitsuhiko whose story might have inspired Momotarou, and the shrines dedicated to him can be found in Okayama. I talked about this for a bit last year too, when I stayed in Okayama for the first time. Anyway, this has a predictable result: peaches and Momotarou everywhere. So down from Peach boy Road, onto the castle!

I visited the castle last year with my friend, but there was a little something we didn’t get to do, so I was taking this chance to rectify that.

Upon arrival however, it turned out there was a festival of some kind going on. Fun atmosphere, but it did mean it was pretty busy, hmm.

Into the castle I went anyway! They want you to start the tour on the top floor, so I meekly followed that advice and made my way down. The Thing I wanted to do would start again at 1 PM, so I took my time exploring the different floors and reading the Japanese signage (not a lot was translated except for titles, but I found the general guide boards pretty easy to follow). There was also a special exhibition with works by Masago Kimiya, who has an affinity for drawing historical figures from the Three Kingdoms and Warring States eras. I had no idea what to expect, but these works were beautiful! They look more like glamorous photos than the stylized portraits from back then, and to top it off, the hall told the story of Ukita Hideie, who completed the castle after taking over from his father. He was a big name, actually. (History lesson to follow!)

The little states making up Japan until 1600 were at constant war with each other, called the Sengoku (Warring States) era. Attempts to unify the country were made by Oda Nobunaga and then Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hideie sided with them and ended up being one of Hideyoshi’s five counselors, along with a guy called Tokugawa Ieyasu. Yeah, there he is again, That One Guy. Anyway, after Hideyoshi was assassinated, Ieyasu took control and two camps emerged: the one on Ieyasu’s side, and the loyalists to Toyotomi, including Hideie. At the decisive battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Ieyasu’s side won, unified Japan, and Hideie was to be punished. He fled to what is now Kagoshima until he was eventually betrayed and exiled to the island of Hachijojima, Tokyo, where he lived out his life until his 80s (!). His wife, princess Gou, stayed loyal to him and kept sending him support (like food, since rice barely grew on the island) until she passed away.

Later the castle went to the Ikeda clan, and it was being maintained until the Meiji Restauration in 1869. The Meiji government wanted to break with the samurai era and actually tore down a lot of castles, although it left Okayama castle alone, filling the outer moats and leaving the rest as it is. In 1945, bombers destroyed the castle as yet with the exception of the Tsukimi Yagura (watch tower for moon watching), and so the current reconstruction is from the 1960s. The lion-fish on top are gilded now, but in the old days, the main keep had gilded roof tiles too. It was thus also known as the Golden Crow castle, since the exterior is mostly black.

Whew, so far for a lot of history, haha. Can you tell I really like this castle? I definitely do. So much so that I read up on it, haha, although the exhibition hall was also very informative and had information in English.

On the second floor, there were some photo spots and the Thing I wanted to do: dressing up as a feudal era princess! Okay, look, the kimono on display is really pretty and the dress up is free, come on, I’m not gonna pass up on that opportunity. I had to hang around here for quite a while, as I was about an hour early, but once it was time, I was first in line! And wow, they’re not playing cheap here even though this is free. I got dressed up in a fancy kimono, got to pose all over the special room, got a wig on, got dressed up in another fancy kimono, and overall really got to make the most out of this experience. I checked my camera; there are literally a hundred pictures on there! One hundred! Wow.

So that was a really fun activity and I’m really glad I came back for it. I got a castle parfait at the café (with peach, of course, I was surprised they even offered strawberry as a different choice), and then went back outside again. I think the festival had a stage for a Momotarou something or another, geesh…

I made my way back to the station, foregoing checking into my hotel as I had another destination in mind: nearby Kurashiki!

You might remember last year’s floodings which hit Japan hard. Kurashiki was one of the cities hit, and so we didn’t end up visiting despite how close it is. So now for a second attempt, I took the local train bound for Kurashiki, which took like fifteen minutes. Told you it was close, haha.

Kurashiki is mostly known for its Bikan historical area, which is the old merchant quarter from back when the city became a river port and was so important it was placed under direct control of the shogunate. Many of the buildings are 17th century style wooden warehouses, now filled with restaurants and shops for the most part. There are also some curious museums nearby. (There was also a little shop with a board outside for figure skater Daisuke Takahashi, and that’s how I found out that both he and Keiji Tanaka hail from Kurashiki, haha. The more you know!)

I mostly went for the views, which were definitely a treat once I found the Bikan historical area: the description ‘Venice of Japan’ is surprisingly apt. There are tourist boats going through the canal area and they’re beautifully framed by the willows here. It’s also apparently a very popular backdrop for cosplayers, since I saw a TON of people dressed up as their favourite characters and posing for pictures here, haha. Guess that’s what I get for going on a holiday. It was fun to see though!

Nearby was Ivy Square, also aptly named as it contains buildings overgrown with ivy. It was the area where the first modern cotton mill of Japan was built, and the company from back then is actually still active.

I only wandered around here for a short bit though, and then found one of the little museums I mentioned. I hopped into the Momotarou Karakuri museum! Yep, peach boy strikes again. Karakuri apparently refers to a type of doll, which I did indeed see here, but the museum itself as a strange mix between optical illusions and a museum of Momotarou memorabilia. Not the first combination I would have thought of myself, but the staff was enthusiastic and led me through the illusions (all Momotarou/peach themed of course), encouraging me to try them out and taking a picture with my head through a giant peach, so now I can pretend I’m Momotarou myself, haha. Granted, the illusions weren’t super new, but they were very open about that (‘trick first invented 150 years ago’ listed), and it was still fun going through them. Next was a delightfully trippy little maze full of ghosts and ogres, since Momotarou had gone on a quest to defeat the ogres after all. I got better scares out of this one than out of the self-proclaimed haunted house in Huis ten Bosch, Sasebo some years ago, haha.

I was then led upstairs, which was very interesting as this was the museum part, showcasing all knids of Momotarou goods dating back hundreds of years in some cases. There was also a little English book with the story on display, and apparently they made a Mickey Mouse set at one point with Donald, Goofy, and Chip and Dale as the animal companions, haha.

This was a nice little break. Parts of it were definitely aimed at kids, but that didn’t make it any less fun.

 I had another museum planned, but I was getting rather tired, so after a quick round on Ivy Square, I walked back to the station. This time just taking the main road, because I had tried to take the shopping street route on my way here, but I somehow managed to – uh, mess up on going right ahead and had to google Maps my way out, oops. So the walk back to the station was significantly shorter, ahem.

After a matcha latte at the station, I went back to Okayama and decided to reserve some tickets for trains. Of course I had to secure my one-way trip to Tokyo, as that one will take about 4 hours, yikes. I should arrive at Shinagawa station around 12:30 now, plus half an hour added to get to Ikebukuro, so at least that’s not the entire day wasted on trains, haha. Although the shinkansen are super nice. There’s enough space for me to put my luggage in front of me, although it can get a little cramped for hours on end.

And then my second ticket: tomorrow, to Matsuyama! This is also quite the trip, over 2.5 hours, but it’s just one train, so I can hop on, doze off, and hop out at the terminal station, haha. I wanted to visit Matsuyama last year, but due to the same floodings, it was impossible at the time. And so I wasn’t going to wait much longer and made it my first daytrip from Okayama this time.

Anyway, after checking in to my hotel, I went back to the station for dinner, lamented the fact that one of my favourite restaurants from last year was closed for renovations along with a big part of the food court, found a different restaurant, and promptly ordered their super cute Halloween plate, haha. And now I’m back at the hotel for tonight!

 I suspect my report and photos will be up a little late tomorrow, ahem. Have a good evening, see you!

#report #japan 2019 #report: japan 2019 #report: travel #places: okayama #places: kurashiki

[beka-kei]

Februabba Day 7 - Friendship

“Sometimes I just don’t get how you’re supposed to be friends with a guy when he spends half his time lecturing you on how stupid you are! It’s not my fault I don’t get all that brainy math shit! I mean, seriously! What’s up with that? One second, he’s saying how proud he is of me and whatnot for trying to learn, but then the next second he’s on my case and smacking me around for getting an answer wrong. I wouldn’t be learning if I got ‘em right all the time! Geesh! And he’s got the nerve to go on about how he’s my ‘friend’ and he cares so damn much. Well, screw him! I don’t have to put up with his crap!”

Leone lifts an eyebrow. “And why are you whining about this to me?” He is sitting on his own in a corner, which he thought would protect him from any unwelcome interactions. At least, that was the theory.

“I’ve already gone to Mista and Buccellati about it, but they just say the same thing they always say.”

“Which is?”

“‘Just be patient with, Fugo. His heart is in the right place. He’s just trying to be your friend’. My ass, he is. I have no friends on this team...”

“I wonder why...”

“You see, guys!” Narancia is suddenly yelling across the room at the rest of their group who are, fortunately for them, going about their business undisturbed.. “Abbacchio agrees with me!”

Narancia is turning back to him, though. “Don’t think that makes us pals or anything, though. Just because we agreed about one thing.” And he’s up and heading back across the room and shouting again. “Oi! Fugo! Get over here! I wanna show you something! It’s real neat, I swear!”

Leone watches the other boy rising, a bit reluctantly it seems, but the next second Narancia’s telling him a joke and Fugo gives him a half-smile for his attempt at humor and follows him out of the room.

Something about what Narancia has said lingers in Leone’s mind though. ‘I have no friends on this team.’ Of course, that isn’t true for Narancia. He just likes to make a big deal out of nothing. But it makes Leone wonder for a moment...if asked would any of these people describe him as a friend? Or is he just the surly, bitchy guy who doesn’t say much unless he’s telling someone off. He’s pretty sure if he were to inexplicably drop dead right now that none of these people would shed a tear over him...well, except maybe one.

His eyes have wandered over to Bruno. It’s a bit strange. His gaze is always wandering to Bruno. And he’s always catching Bruno looking at him too when there are other people around, almost as if he wants to say something, but is waiting for a sign that it’s okay to say it in front of all these people.

But when it’s just the two of them...everything feels different. Leone feels less uptight about things. More often than not he actually feels like talking. But they never talk about things they have in common or what the other likes. More often than not they talk about sad things like the people who have died in their lives and all the things they’ve lost and wish they could get back...these last aren’t actually physical things as much as places.

They’ve actually gone to a handful of these places together. Their most recent excursion was a day trip to the tiny fishing village where Bruno grew up. Leone had spent most of the day just looking and listening and not saying much.

At the very end of it all, Bruno had paused and sighed and said, “It’s really doesn’t feel anything like my home did at all. It’s just all wrong...like it was never anything to me. I’m not even really sure what I was trying to show you anymore...I think I just wanted to share a little piece of myself, but it’s not me at all. That’s not what’s here now...if that makes any sense.”

They’d finished off that day with a short trip to the cemetery. Leone had sat in front of his old partner’s grave for a good half hour, while Bruno stood by and said nothing. Then, Leone had risen silently and walked out and Bruno had followed and neither of them had said a word until they’d arrived home and parted for the night.

But what did that really make Bruno to him? The only shoulder he could cry on? But Bruno seemed pretty open with his feelings around Leone...when it was just the two of them. Could this be just something he did with everyone on his team at one point or another to help them feel more comfortable? Or was his kindness and his sympathy just a bit of cleverness he used to draw people in so that he could...could do what? Bruno never seemed like the type to have ulterior motivations...he was always straightforward with what he wanted from people. He was so easy to trust...and that scared Leone sometimes...

Across the room, Bruno turns and for a moment their eyes meet. It’s not the look of a superior to his subordinate, but something softer, something that asks ‘how are you? Are you doing alright over there?’

The look makes Leone’s heart turn over in his chest. Is this friendship? Is this man really his friend? Is it less about sharing present joys and common interests and pleasant memories and more about trying to and wanting to share their broken lives with one another and accepting what the other is and where they’ve come from? Is that really it? Is it just a matter of acknowledging that the other exists and that that is significant in itself? But as he meets Bruno’s gaze...it’s a feeling of peace, of being home. Then the real question becomes, is this just friendship? Or is this something beyond that? But what’s beyond that? It’s a precipice that Leone’s never cared to look down. But maybe he’s already fallen over the edge and just hasn’t realized it yet.

Leone is on his feet and he’s walking over toward Bruno. It’s enough to make Mista fall into a dead silence, his mouth slightly agape at the fact that Leone Abbacchio has decided to actually join the group, or what’s left of it anyway.

Bruno is patting the seat to his right and he’s smiling. And then he’s continuing on as if nothing has changed and Leone is grateful. He’s making a point of not drawing attention to Leone’s presence, as if he’s been there the whole time. And really, maybe he hasn’t ever been physically present, but he realizes that it feels like he has always been there in some sense and that there’s always been this spot for him and that it’s been Bruno who’s been saving it for him.

Mista is sharing a humorous anecdote now and Bruno is giving him his undivided attention and Leone is trying to do the same. As Mista goes on, though, Leone feels a small pressure on his hand and he’s not quite sure what it means and he doesn’t want to draw attention to it...but as he’s sitting there he’s keenly aware that Bruno has just laid his hand overtop his own.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17638013/chapters/41766977

#februabba #bruabba #Leone Abbachio #Bruno Bucciarati #Bruno Buccellati #guido mista #Pannacotta Fugo #Narancia Ghirga #Vento Aureo #Golden Wind #friendship #or is it more than than???? #long post #sorry this is over 1K words #I'm failing at this short drabble thing haha #also this is late #again #but i like how it turned out

[memeclains-blog]

thanks for sending a prompt @pixiedragon8130 <333

Lance needs glasses but doesn’t know it until Keith points out. Which is why his guesses were so far off in the game show ep

The best and worst thing about space was that in-between all the near-death experiences and hero stuff there was an inordinate amount of free time. But back on Earth, all that time had been completely sucked out of their lives. Usually, if they were quick about it, they could get an hour or less of social time between all of Team Voltron, but sometimes even that wasn’t possible. This, much to Lance’s quickly growing regret, was not one of those nights.

“I’m still baffled about how you could be so terrible at space pictionary,” Pidge said for the umpteenth time. 

“Uh, yeah, I second that,” Hunk said. “I mean, windy cave, man? Really?”

“I agree as well. Lance, I know we’ve grown quite close over our time together but I was about to rip your quiznaking--”

“O-kay!” Coran set a hand on Allura’s shoulder before she began raving again. Who knew she could have such a competitive streak. “They’re right though my boy, I haven’t seen such a perfect display of blindness since King Grogery the Infirm!”

“Alright! Geesh, I get it, Lance doesn’t know how to play space pictionary!” Lance grumbled as he flopped back onto the ratty couch he was sitting on. “I don’t get how you guys think that game is so easy though. When stuff’s that far away it’s impossible to tell what it actually is!”

“Lance, the screen was huge,” Pidge deadpanned.

Keith, for the first time that evening, piped up. “Do you need glasses?”

“Haha Keith, you’re so hilarious,” Lance said. He resisted the urge to whip the only throw pillow in the entire facility at him.

“No, I mean if you’re having that hard of a time seeing, maybe you need glasses?”

Lance peeked over the back of the couch. Sometimes, he had a really hard time figuring out if Keith was making fun of him or not. But he didn’t seem to be. Instead, he had his head cocked to the side and a slight pout that meat he was really considering something. Like a canary in a cave, Shiro confirmed Lance’s suspicions that Keith might actually be serious and wasn’t trying to damage his pride. 

“But can’t you see when you’re aiming?” Shiro asked. His brows were furrowed, now he was thinking too.

“Well, kind of,” Lance said. He closes one eye and makes a gun with his hand, aiming at his friends one by one. “I mostly just look for the moving blobs and shoot towards an area that’s probably a chest or head. I only ever see what I’m shooting at when I’m looking through a scope.”

“Jesus, you could have shot us you know,” Pidge said.

“Our armor looks so different from Galran armor though, I always know when I’m looking at you guys.”

“What about in space? You could’ve definitely hit one of our lions.”

“Same deal,” Lance said with a shrug. “Galran ships have a different shape, plus Red points out things I can shoot often. Even when we’re not fighting.”

“He does have an affinity for destroying stray asteroids,” Keith muttered.

“Alright,” Shiro held up his hands. “Enough with the interrogation, we get how Lance can fight completely blind. First thing in the morning, you’re going to the infirmary and getting a prescription.”

Lance groaned. “I can fight just fine you guys, stop fussing.”

“We need our sharpshooter in good shape,” Shiro said. “Go, first thing in the morning. If you don’t I’ll drag you there myself.”

Lance rubbed at his eyes, cursing them for how terrible they were. “My brothers and sisters are going to call me a nerd for the rest of eternity.”

“Veronica wears glasses though?” Hunk said. “Unless I’ve been hallucinating for as long as I’ve known her. Oh god, what if my memories are being tainted by some weird space fever.”

“Oh, she wears glasses alright, but that definitely won’t stop her.” Lance plopped himself down by Hunk and cuddled his arm. “I’m jealous of your siblings, at least they’re nice to you.”

“I don’t see how they’d make fun of you though,” Keith added. He was looking at the ground and kicking at it, emo as ever. “I think you’d look good with glasses on.”

Lance really tried not to implode. It was no longer a secret to himself that he probably had a little bit of a thing for their latest Black Paladin and this was enough to kill him.

The only thing he could bring himself to do was to give a choked laugh and try not to pay attention to Hunk’s too-smug smile.

“We should get to bed,” Shiro said. “We have more things to discuss tomorrow, and Lance you need to wake up earlier than the rest of us to be able to go to the infirmary.”

Lance sighed dramatically but dragged himself away from his friends and into the room he shared with Veronica. She wasn’t there when he arrived which was both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, he desperately needed to gush that the pretty boy he had been crushing on for who knows how long said he would look good with glasses on. On the other, he didn’t think he could talk about the event without melting into a puddle and possibly burning down their room with how hot his cheeks would become.

In the end, Lance had gone to bed with butterflies in his stomach and a strange eagerness to get his glasses. When morning arrived, he didn’t scrabble for the snooze button once. Instead, he leaped from bed and hurried through his morning routine, much to his sister’s chagrin.

“If you’re going to make so much noise please leave before I murder you.”

Every McClain had to wake up at their own pace. He had really missed his family.

At his sister’s words, he hurried into the hall and practically ran to the infirmary where he was greeted by a very tired looking doctor. She waved him in and immediately began a whole barrage of questions. 

“When was your last eye exam? Why haven’t you had an eye exam recently? When did you first notice your vision deteriorating? Do you want glasses or contacts? If you choose contacts it will take much longer to gather the supplies needed for them. Are plastic frames okay? They’re easier to repair. What color do you want?”

The entire appointment seemed to drag on forever. There were a bunch of tests, a bunch of questions and by the time they were down, lunchtime was just around the corner. At least when they were done, it only took the doctor a moment in a back room before she came back with the blue frames Lance had chosen, already equipped with lenses. 

“Try these, how do they fit?”

That was the last question she had to ask. With a little tweaking, they sat securely behind Lance’s ears and he was ready to head off. 

Walking back, he felt a bit dizzy. Everything seemed so much brighter and sharper and his eyes hurt by the time he made it to the cafeteria. It was jarring, being able to see everyone. They were no longer just dark-ish blobs moving across a much lighter canvas. He could actually see their arms swing as they walked and the smiles on their faces when they laughed with friends. He’d forgotten this was what the world looked like.

As his eyes darted around the tables, his gaze alighted on Keith who was walking up to him. 

“I almost didn’t recognize you,” Keith said once he was close enough. “You look good.”

Lance’s face exploded. He could barely pull off his neutral flirty attitude. “Well, I’m glad you think I look good. Am I giving off a sexy librarian vibe?”

Keith snorted. He was so cute. “Totally.”

“Awesome,” was all Lance could think to say. 

They stood there awkwardly, making eye contact and then shying away and then making eye contact again.

“Glad I was right last night,” Keith said. He cleared his throat. “They suit you.”

He scurried off, and Lance was left at the entrance of the cafeteria, feeling like he seriously needed to kiss that boy’s stupid, handsome face. 

#klance #keith #lance #vld #voltron #i forgot how to spell king grogery hopefully that's close enough as;kdf'j #my writing #oneshot #oneshot funshot #jesus what are my tags on this blog