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deliciousangelfestival · 2 months

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Underworld Insomnia | 4 - B.Barnes

Character : Bucky × Psychiatrist Female!Reader

Summary: As a ruthless contract killer, Bucky is feared in the underworld of criminals. His opponents freeze when they see him, as he is feared among them. However, they don't know that he could be warm to only one person: his psychiatrist. The only person who could make him fall asleep.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2 , Chapter 3 , Chapter 4 ,-

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Thank you to everyone who has read this chapter. Please let me know what your thoughts are. I'd love to hear your feedback. Thank you once again.

"Frosty longed for companionship, but no matter where he drifted, he found himself alone in the icy wilderness," the soothing voice of the story lulled Bucky into drowsiness. Just as he began to succumb to sleep, he heard your urgent cry, "Bucky!"

His body relaxed upon hearing your voice, but his eyelids felt heavy, weighed down by exhaustion. As he fought to keep them open, he sensed a peculiar sensation—something cool and tingling on his face. With a struggle, he managed to crack his eyes open, greeted by the sight of a small figure with oversized glasses hovering over him.

Bucky rubbed his eyes in confusion. "You... Ahh!!! What is this?" he exclaimed, noticing Conroy holding a tube of toothpaste.

Conroy, ever matter-of-fact, explained, "Because you're not awake. Seems like your body lack of iron."

Bucky narrowed his eyes at Conroy, feeling a mix of amusement and irritation at the kid's audacity. "Bah! I'm still in my prime," he retorted, trying to maintain his tough demeanor despite the situation's absurdity.

You were in another room when you heard an adult male voice, and you approached them, relieved to find that Bucky was no longer asleep. "You're awake," you remarked, noticing the toothpaste under Bucky's eyes. You knew it must be Conroy's doing.

Moving closer to Bucky, you reached for a cloth to wipe away Conroy's prank. "Conroy, you have to apologize to Bucky," you insisted firmly.

Bucky was taken aback by your actions. First, as the best contract killer in the industry, he could evade guns, knives, poisons, and other threats, but he never expected your voice to act as a lethal weapon. Second, he was surprised by the sudden tenderness in your gesture. He had never experienced such care before.

Conroy put his hands on his hips defiantly. "Why? If it's not because of me, he would still be asleep," he argued.

You clicked your tongue, feeling the need to maintain respect for the homeowner who could also protect you both from the group.

Bucky waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine," he assured, standing up to put some distance between himself and you. Perhaps it was your perfume that made his heart race. Clearing his throat, he asked, "How long was I asleep?"

You replied, "12 hours."

Bucky closed his mouth in disbelief. Twelve hours? That was a new record.

Concerned for his health, you suggested, "Bucky, do you need to go to the hospital? Perhaps something is wrong with your health?"

Bucky crossed his arms, feeling a bit irritated that both you and Conroy seemed to underestimate his health. He shook his head. "No. I've been there multiple times, and they found nothing wrong with me. Besides..." His conversation was cut short as he received a call.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Where the heck have you been?" the voice on the other end demanded.

"Sleeping," Bucky replied simply.

"What?! I don't even want to know. Just get your ass over here. Our situation is not good in the Caribbean Sea. Pirates tried to steal our client's ship."

Bucky's response was nonchalant, "Sure. Prepare the plane for me."

"But there's nowhere to land," came the urgent reply.

Bucky smirked, unfazed, "Who said the plane has to land?"

***********

At an altitude of 40,000 feet inside the cargo plane, Bucky surveyed the situation below. Miguel, one of his colleagues, filled him in on the mission details, "Our client hired us to rescue his son. Pirates are attempting to capture the vessel because they know our client is wealthy."

As Bucky prepared his parachute bag and checked his guns, Miguel asked him, "Are you sure you want to go alone?"

Bucky nodded confidently. "Yup. It'll be quick. See you later." With a salute, he jumped from the plane, disappearing into the night sky. Watching his fearless departure, Miguel chuckled and shook his head. "Crazy dude," he muttered to himself.

Once airborne, Bucky opened his parachute and descended gracefully toward the pirate-infested ship below. As he landed on the deck, he swiftly drew his weapons and sprang into action. With precise aim and lightning-fast reflexes, he took down each pirate one by one, dodging their gunfire with ease.

In a matter of seconds, the deck was cleared, and Bucky secured the area before moving to rescue the client's son. Amidst the chaos, he located the young man and ensured his safety, escorting him to a secure location on the ship.

The client's son, shaken but unharmed, looked up at Bucky with gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you," he said, his voice trembling with relief.

Bucky's work was clean and efficient, a testament to the positive effects of his recent restful sleep. He nodded in acknowledgment as he received praise from his agency's boss. "Great job."

However, when the boss mentioned wanting to introduce him to someone, Bucky politely declined. "No, I need to head back," he explained. He remembered that you and Conroy were relying on emergency food supplies back at the safe house. While Conroy might have a sharp tongue, Bucky couldn't forget that he was still just a 4-year-old kid.

With a sense of responsibility, Bucky prioritized your well-being and Conroy's comfort over any additional meetings or introductions. He needed to ensure that you both had enough to eat and were safe while he was away.

Bucky returned to the safe house to find you and Conroy engaged in making origami, a sight that amused him. It seemed that neither of you found entertainment in TV or movies.

Upon hearing the door open, you looked up and greeted him, "Welcome back."

"Hm," Bucky acknowledged, feeling a warm sensation at being welcomed home for the first time.

Conroy abandoned his Godzilla origami and rushed over to Bucky. "Is that the same chicken I had?" His hand reached out eagerly for the plastic bag, but Bucky raised it just out of reach, prompting Conroy to pause. "Hey."

Bucky raised an eyebrow playfully. "Don't 'hey' me. Ask me nicely."

Conroy's cheeks puffed up with a pout. "Can I have some of the food, please?"

Bucky chuckled, lowering the bag. "It's all yours."

Conroy dashed to the table, exclaiming, "Yes!"

Left alone with you, Bucky expressed his gratitude. "With 12 hours of sleep, I was able to finish my work quickly. Thanks."

You smiled warmly. "I'm glad I could help."

Bucky glanced around the safe house, noticing the origami creations scattered around. "What are you two making?"

You chuckled softly. "Conroy wanted to learn origami, so we've been practicing."

Bucky observed the colorful paper creations with a hint of admiration. "Looks like he's getting pretty good at it."

You nodded proudly. "He's a quick learner."

Just then, Conroy returned to the table, devouring his fried chicken with gusto. Between bites, he grinned at Bucky. "Thank you for the food!"

Bucky ruffled Conroy's hair affectionately. "You're welcome, kiddo."

As the three of you sat together, enjoying the simple pleasure of a shared meal, Bucky couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging he hadn't experienced in a long time. Despite the dangers lurking in the shadows, there was a sense of peace and camaraderie within the walls of the safe house.

Bucky leaned forward, his eyes focused on you with a seriousness that caught your attention. "Do you have a plan to put Conroy into kindergarten?"

You paused, a thoughtful expression crossing your face. "At the moment, no. With everything that's been happening, it hasn't really crossed my mind."

Bucky nodded, considering your words carefully. "If you want, I know of a safe kindergarten that's highly secretive. It's attended by children of parents in similar lines of work, like myself. To ensure Conroy's safety, we could even consider changing his name."

As you listened to Bucky's suggestion, you couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for his concern. Despite his tough exterior, he genuinely cared about your well-being and Conroy's.

After you answered, Conroy interjected excitedly, "I want to go!!!" He hopped down from his chair and dashed over to Bucky, his eyes wide with enthusiasm. "I want to join the kindergarten. Please,~"

Bucky chuckled at Conroy's sudden burst of energy, finding his eagerness endearing. "You can, if you behave," he replied with a playful grin.

Conroy puffed out his chest proudly. "I am a good kid," he declared, his determination evident in his stance.

You couldn't help but smile at Conroy's excitement, feeling hopeful for his future despite the challenges you faced. With Bucky's support and the promise of a safe place for Conroy to learn and grow, you felt a sense of relief wash over you.

***********

The next day, Bucky continued his day with a brand new energy, grateful for the restful sleep he had gotten. This newfound routine eased his anxiety, allowing him to approach the day with a clearer mind.

He decided to visit the bar, a usual haunt where killers often gathered. As he entered, the dimly lit ambiance greeted him, familiar and somewhat comforting.

To his surprise, his boss approached him, accompanied by a figure clad in a custom suit that exuded an air of mystery and intelligence. The man's demeanor suggested he was no ordinary individual; perhaps a member of the CIA or a special undercover agent. His sharp gaze bore into Bucky, assessing him with keen interest as if dissecting his every move and thought.

The person introduced himself to Bucky with a firm handshake and a confident demeanor. "It's an honor to meet you, Barnes," he began in a voice with authority and a hint of intrigue. "I'm August Walker, and you have something that I want."

Author Note:

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bookishfeylin · 1 year

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I know you don't usually do these kinds of posts, but you're probably one of the most implicated in black history month people that I follow so I wanted to ask you, as I already value your opinions in Acotar, what do you think of the documentary where actual historians claim Cleopatra was a black woman? Lately, this has been a pretty active topic on my fyp on TikTok, and I wanted to know a black woman's perspective on this.

Thank you in advance, and if you usually don't answer these questions or don't want to answer this one, I'll totally understand, and there's no problem at all.

I didn’t know there was a new documentary out, but when I saw the name Cleopatra I automatically sighed because I knew what was coming. This is a subject a know a little 🤏🏾 about, actually, because I researched it a bit myself in my last year of high school (and stopped because of the uh. NASTINESS associated with this particular subject) and though it’s been a few years I remembered some main, basic things, and I wanted to check a few things first.

At best, in the most CHARITABLE interpretation as far as I in my limited knowledge can tell, it would be correct to say that’s it’s POSSIBLE that she MAY have been mixed Black because, though she was part of the GREEK Ptolemaic dynasty that ruled Egypt (Ptolemy being one of Alexander the Great’s generals who got the Egyptian portion of his empire after Alexander died), that’s on her fathers side; her mother’s exact ethnicity isn’t known. Not that this won’t stop the hoteps from running off and claiming her and all of ancient Egypt as Black though So some have ***speculated*** that her mother—and thus Cleopatra—may have potentially been part Egyptian (and that goes into the issue of deciding that the “Egyptian” in this instance had to have been Black rather than MENA but that’s again a whole other can of worms). BUT it’s more likely that her mother was Greek due to the uh, PRACTICE™️ of inbreeding and it not being common for the dynasty to marry Egyptians. So it’s more probable that she was fully Greek/Macedonian and not part Egyptian, much less part Black. (Also some historians speculate she may have had Persian blood? I guess? Again it’s a can of worms, not something i’m digging deep into because of the nastiness that you often stumble across) Unless there’s a new study confirming her mother’s identity or something that I missed, it’s simply incorrect to claim that Cleopatra was undeniably Black, because though it is ***possible*** she most likely ***wasn’t.***

But this topic really upsets me, because there are LEGITIMATE Black kingdoms and empires who were mighty and well developed and powerful like the Aksumite empire and kingdoms of Kongo and Loango and the Great Zimbabwe empire and the empires of Ghana and Mali and Songhay and the Ashanti kingdom and the WHOLE SWAHILI COAST THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE INDIAN OCEAN TRADE ROUTE and they had their own great rulers, their own kings and queens and emperors and empresses, their palaces and castles, their own cities and towns, their own complex civilizations and dynastic royal families that deserve the attention Cleopatra and ancient Egypt get. They were erased—and Egypt was not—by white people to prop themselves up as the only race capable of forming civilizations and advanced societies as a means of justifying colonization and imperialism to “civilize” the rest of the world and as a result many of those other empires have been erased from our education system here in the states and many people cling to ancient Egypt as proof that we’re not inferior and aren’t savages like white people claim due to believing that since Egypt’s in Africa it had to have been mostly Black when Egypt, and the Ptolemaic dynasty and Cleopatra in PARTICULAR, are literally the worst example that could’ve been chosen and were the only African kingdom spared erasure FOR A REASON.

Anyway, I don’t like it, it’s disingenuous and does US wrong because we need to give that energy to other African kingdoms that need and could use the fame Egypt + Cleopatra get, and we deserve a better education system to teach us this stuff. I hope this answers your question? And I don’t mind any kinds of asks 🥰

#I get the desire to claim Egypt because I remember in high school a racist white guy asked why Africans didn’t build their own civilizations #And that’s what sent me researching in the first place so I truly get the frustration but black women we can do BETTER #ask #anon #cleopatra #egypt #africa #racism #Don’t come at me in my inbox yall #antiblackness

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thisismeracing · 10 months

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His protector | CL16

Pairing: Charles Leclerc x fem!comedian!reader (she/her)

Word count: 0.4k

Genre: regular imagine + smau (overall fluff)

Warnings: not proofread; mentions of Ferrari's disastrous strategy; fluff;

Summary: Yn is a comedian, who happens to date the f1 driver Charles Leclerc and who loves to joke around about how horrendous Ferrari is, but beware: she is the only one who can laugh at her boyfriend’s disastrous races. No one pokes fun at Charles in front of her, especially not on live TV.

A/n: This request has been sitting in my inbox forever because I'm a freaking perfectionist who loved the idea but wanted to get it to be perfect. It's my first time mixing social media au and regular images, I don't know if I'll be doing it again, but I hope you guys like it! Anon who requested: thank you sm for being so patient and kind with your request, it means a lot. I hope it's a bit like you imagined it to be. Every piece I write here it’s a new experience, so your feedback, comments, and asks are more than welcome. *mwah* 🤍

A/n2: A huge shoutout to Leri ( @elitebarzal ) for helping me with this (she was the one who sent me the jokes and helped me with the story's structure). ILY, Le!

A/n3: None of these jokes are originally mine, they're all from the internet, just like all the pictures used are from Pinterest. The writing, however, is all me, and I do not consent for it to be published anywhere else!

Based on this request.

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you can support my writing by liking, reblogging, and leaving a comment

“Why did Charles Leclerc take up gardening?” Yn asks eyes focused on the main camera in the studio, ready to deliver her joke. Anthony, Yn’s colleague, and part of the Saturday Night Live cast, was already trying to hold back his laughter when she added, “Because he wanted to be in "pole" position at least once this season.”

The crowd hollered in laughter, and Anthony almost couldn’t hold his own back.

“This one got me, I gotta give it to you that this is way funnier than whatever I had for tonight,” he bantered.

“It’s a live show for a reason, right?” she winked and turned back to the camera.

Yn was dating Charles for over a year now, and he was a constant topic of her jokes, the audience, and fans were used to her always roasting him, but everyone knew it to be just part of their relationship. Yn being sassy and playful as she was would make fun of whoever she was close enough to know her jokes wouldn’t come off as offensive.

Charles loved that side of her. It was nice to have someone who would cry with you but also make you laugh and take the hardships of life with a degree of lightness.

It was race week, Yn was in the paddock and it wasn’t uncommon for some channels to call upon her for a quick interview about her thoughts on the race. She usually wouldn’t mind, she would be polite as usual, answer their questions, sometimes even tell a joke or two and then follow her path back to Charles if he was free to have her around.

This time, however, this interview seemed to stress her more than to amuse her.

“We all know he can do better-”

“Can he?!” Yn asked, brows furrowing a challenging look on her face. “With Ferrari’s current strategy, I don’t think he can.”

“Well, most people seem to think he could, and I tend to believe that maybe that’s right. It’s not always the team’s fault.”

“Eric, have you tried driving a formula one car?”

The reporter gaped, taken aback by Yn’s question, before answering, “Well, no, I’m a journalist.”

“If you’re so sure he could do better, then maybe you should go there and try driving the car. See which position you get,” she kept her instance, lips pursed in a tight line.

The reporter chuckled, trying to light the situation, but Yn didn’t, and everyone watching the live interview saw the tension in the air. Everyone got the message: nobody downplays her boyfriend in front of her. There’s a line between making fun when it’s known Charles is comfortable and openly talking about how he could do better in a sports program.

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#f1 imagines #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc imagine #charles leclerc social media au #charles leclerc #social media au f1 #f1 x reader #op: smau #millie writes #black!reader x f1 #black!reader f1 #black!reader #charles leclerc x black!reader #cl16

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angelicvity · 4 months

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slipped away, huh yunjin x fem reader

genre : fluff + angst

req : yunjin losing yn to another le sserafim member

a/n : sorry it took so long anon, pls forgive me i was occupied w exams + writer block got me 💔 also this is kinda shitty tho, i'm so sorry in advance 🤕

it was another day of intense rehearsals for the girls. yunjin couldn't help but steal glances at le sserafim's main dancer, y/n as they performed practice together at the practice room. yunjin's heart skipped a beat at the sight of y/n's radiant smile every time.

the latter has no idea why her heart did that every time she glanced at the younger — or is it because she has feelings with her?

"no, it can't be." yunjin whispers. "what can't be?" a voice appears. yunjin broke out of her thoughts and searched for the source of the voice and she found y/n who's staring at her with a curious look. "huh?"

"-yunjin" y/n continues with a giggle following after. "you get it? huh? yunjin!"

and there, it happened again. yunjin's heart skipped a beat hearing the sound of laughter coming from y/n. again yunjin wondered why she felt like this.

"unnie." y/n said softly. "are you okay? is there something on your mind? you keep staring at the distance. you know you can tell me anything right?" the latter continued.

yunjin feels her heart race at the younger affection. "i'm okay y/n. just feeling tired." yunjin said softly. "hmm if you say so." y/n hummed even though she knows the latter is lying. "i'm gonna go to kazuha unnie. tell me if you need anything okay?" yunjin hummed in response.

yunjin watched as y/n strolled towards kazuha and back hugged the latter. yunjin felt her heart dropped at the sight. these past few months, y/n have been annoyingly close towards kazuha. not like it's a problem but for some reason yunjin do not like it — whenever kazuha makes you laugh, the way you cling to kazuha's side and the way you always cuddle with kazuha during movie night.

and there she thought, "do i have feelings towards y/n?" it hit her like a tidal wave, leaving her breathless and confused.

during a short break, as the girls gathered in the dressing room, yunjin found herself lost in her thoughts. the sound of laughter and chatter faded into the background as her mind replayed their moments together. the way y/n's eyes sparkled when she spoke, the warmth of her touch during group hugs, the way her voice resonated through yunjin's soul during their performances — it all became clear to her.

yunjin's heart raced as she tried to come to terms with her newfound emotions. she knew that confessing her feelings could potentially jeopardize their friendship and the group bonds.

that evening, after rehearsal, yunjin mustered up the courage to seek solace in the comfort of her favorite spot — a secluded bench in a nearby park. the moon hung low in the sky as she sat there, her thoughts consumed by y/n.

"i never expected to feel this way... y/n has become the center of my universe. how did i not realize it before?"

as yunjin pondered her next steps, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"unnie, there you are. i've been looking all over for you."

yunjin's heart skipped a beat as she turned to see y/n standing before her, concern etched on her face.

"y/n, can i ask you something?"

y/n sat down beside yunjin, her eyes filled with curiosity and genuine care. "of course, unnie. you know you can ask me anything." y/n replied.

taking a deep breath, yunjin gazed into y/n's eyes, her voice trembling but determined. "how do you know if you like someone?"

y/n's eyes widened, a mix of surprise and confusion crossing her face.

"oh well, for me, if i like someone, I can't stop thinking about that person and how i want them to be mine. also my heart will beat so fast whenever i'm with them and spending time with them is something that i'm looking forward to every day."

yunjin nodded. "why do you ask unnie? do you like someone?" with curiosity y/n ask. "yeah, there's someone that i like, a lot." yunjin said while staring at y/n with loving eyes.

"and you, how about you y/n?" yunjin asked. "yeah i do have someone that i like." y/n said with a blush on her cheeks. "ooh, and who is that lucky person?" yunjin teased.

"well, sorry unnie that's a secret!

yunjin laughed at the younger antics but soon replied with a question "do you think i should confess?"

"of course unnie, what if they like you back? wouldn't that be great!" yunjin hummed. "maybe i will, thanks y/n."

"you're welcome unnie." y/n said and gave the older a warm hug. "i'm gonna go back to practice. don't stay here too long unnie!" y/n said to remind yunjin.

a few days have passed and yunjin still hasn't confessed her feelings towards y/n. the fear of rejection has been consuming her mind. "what if the person that y/n likes is someone else?"

but today is different, today is the day huh yunjin gonna do it.

the rain poured relentlessly as yunjin stood at the doorstep of y/n's house. hybe give the group holidays break after finishing their latest comeback promotion.

yunjin knocked on the door of the house and her voice quivered as she spoke, her words laced with softness. "y/n, i... i need to tell you something. please hear me out."

the door opened and y/n's eyes met yunjin's, filled with a mix of surprise and apprehension. "yunjin unnie? what are you doing here? it's raining? let's go inside first."

yunjin bit her lip, as she sat on the couch. "here." y/n gave the older a towel to wipe the wet rains off her soak body.

"so... unnie, what's the important thing you need to tell me until you need to soak yourself in the rain?" y/n asked.

yunjin can hear her heart pounding in her chest "remember when we had a conversation about confessing my feelings to the person i like? well actually the person i like is—"

"babe?" yunjin whipped her head to the source of the voice and was surprised to see kazuha.

"babe? what do you mean by babe zuha? w..what is going on?"yunjin said while looking back and forth between kazuha and y/n.

"unnie." y/n audibly called. "zuha and i, we are seeing each other."

"i know we should've told you and the others and i swear we're going to do it after our break ends." kazuha continued.

tears welled up in yunjin's eyes as the weight of her unrequited love crashed down upon her. "i..i don't know what to say — but i'm happy for you guys and i'm not going to tell the others, i promise." y/n reached out, their voice filled with appreciation. "unnie, thank you so much."

"now about our conversation earlier—what about the person you like?" y/n ask as kazuha leave to give them some space. "oh, nothing. it just—i found out that she likes someone else and well" yunjin's voice trembled, her pain evident.

y/n's eyes glistened with unshed tears, her voice filled with sadness. "oh unnie." she reached out to hug yunjin and she whispered softly in the latter ear "i'm so sorry unnie, i know it hurts but i promise you will someone's that will love you the same."

yunjin nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "i know, y/n. i just... i love her so much. if only i can turn back time to confess earlier."

as the rain continued to pour, y/n comfort yunjin as the older sobs on her shoulder in silence, her heart heavy with the weight of her shattered heart. the echoes of what y/n and her could have been lingered in the air, haunting yunjin.

"do you feel better now?" y/n pulled away, her voice filled with concern. yunjin forced a weak smile, tears streaming down her cheeks. "i am, thank you, y/n. I'll try my best to move forward, even if it feels like my heart is breaking."

her heart ached with regret and longing, knowing that she had realized her feelings for y/n far too late. she had finally mustered the courage to confess her love, only to find y/n in the arms of her best friend, kazuha.

with a final glance, yunjin eyes filled with unspoken pain as yunjin parted ways. the rain continued to fall, washing away the remnants of what could have been, leaving behind only the fading echoes of a love that was never meant to be.

#angelicvity #gg imagines #gxg #gxg imagine #kpop gg #huh yunjin x you #huh yunjin x fem reader #huh yunjin x reader #huh yunjin imagines #huh yunjin #jennifer huh #le sserafim imagines #le sserafim x fem reader #le sserafim #le sserafim x reader #gxg angst #yunjin x reader #yunjin

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eyestrain-addict · 9 months

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I just realized why lestat marked Tom, like the big stupid idiot I am

(I know everyone else probably already figured this out, but this is MY blog and I get to post whatever deranged thought crosses my pea brained mind.)

When I watched that scene in episode 5 where they're at the bar talking to Tom, I was confused as to why exactly. Why does Lestat mark Tom? If he's marked to kill, why does he wait almost 2 decades later? Well I realized, as all realizations come, in the shower.

Lestat has been planning on killing Tom the whole time.

(Warning before you click read more, this post is a lot longer than I first intended holy fuck)

Well not the whole time. Just right when Louis realized that Anderson and Fenwick had screwed him over. Maybe even longer if he knew it was a trick ("ridiculous of you to mix human and vampire business it always ends poorly"). Notice how he's upset with louis when he kills the guy who's microaggressive with him, cus lestat wasn't there (even if he was there I have my doubts Lestat would understand microaggressions, but he would have definitely killed him for touching Louis.) But tells Louis he's proud of him for killing Alderman. I think this has to be because he witnessed the disrespect first hand. He didn't give a fuck about the money, what he DID care about was that those two disrespected not only him, but Louis.

Even with Lestats little understanding of race relations of the time in America, he did understand hierarchys. He's from 1700s France for God's sake. It's no coincidence wanted to be king of mardi gras. Lestat came to New Orleans and saw himself as the king, even if no one knew it. And he wanted Louis to be his queen. Honestly I could make an entire other post about how Lestat almost literally saw himself as if he was a King and Louis his beloved Queen, which is why he thought it was okay for him to sleep with other women (mistresses and playthings of the king should mean nothing compared to the queen in lestats eyes) but that's getting off topic. I only bring that up because I'm trying to paint a picture of how I think Lestat sees disrespect done to Louis. To him that goes beyond disrespect or rudeness, it's irreverence.

You begin to notice if you watch scenes with them together. Because while I wouldn't say lestat is good at controlling his anger, he's definitely great at concealing it until it erupts (props to Sam Reid have to be given here) lestat is always on the verge of fury when talking to Tom. It starts as a distaste then as he begins to fall more in love with Louis and become more protective of him, his anger builds. Claudia was wrong about one thing, it was no petty slight that was the reason Lestat killed Tom first, it was a loooonng time coming.

I could list every detail I think supports this but I'm sure you get the gist by now. My main point is really the layer of complexity this adds to not only the story, the characters, but also lestat and louis' relationship. Consider it for a second, Lestat saw all his violence as justified, everything he did one can see it through the lense of him punishing the disrespectful (take a shot every time I say disrespect in this post jesus christ). "I bring death to those deserving" indeed. Lestat has a god complex out the wazoo, and every attack, torture, and death he caused was righteous to him and thus enjoyable. Louis on the other hand didn't see himself so highly. He may seem confident but if you look through the cracks it's apparent Louis's self worth in near nonexistent and he's horribly insecure. I think lestat thought when Louis was made a vampire he would see himself as Lestat saw himself, and as Lestat saw Louis. But again, another post for another time.

Despite Louis' insecurities (or perhaps because of them) louis revels in the violence lestat commits for his sake. That's probably why louis is so quick to forgive lestat about the priests. For a brief moment Lestat truly said the truth to Louis and Louis could forgive him because of it. As lestat says, he doesn't kill the priests to intimidate Louis, nor does he do it just because he enjoys it. He does it because he sees them as humiliating Louis, charlatans that don't deserve Louis' sorrow. Louis didn't want the priest's to die, but he could understand why lestat killed them, simply because for once in his goddamn life lestat told the truth, and louis loved that truth. That truth being that lestat killed and mutilated and committed such horrors not just because he liked it, but because he did it out of a fucked up sense of protection. Him killing the priests was essentially a knight killing a dragon to earn the princess' hand in marriage.

The worst part is that Lestat doesn't even realize it. Not fully anyway. Let's be honest with ourselves, lestat doesn't understand Louis. Obviously there's the race, background, culture differences that lestat doesn't understand nor seems inclined to try, but there are better posts about that made by smarter people than moi. I'm mostly talking about lestat doesn't understand louis' mind itself (louis' mind in a vacuum I suppose you could say) he understands Louis' desire for violence sure, but he doesn't understand the core of that want. Honestly I'm on the fence of if he ever understood that Louis loved it when lestat was protective in the first place. I guess it can be dumbed down to Louis wants Lestat to kill to protect Louis and to protect the family (and anyone who deeply disrepects them), lestat perhaps understood a little at one point, but since he sees everyone as a threat and everything is a slight to him, he has no trouble and qualms with delighting in the torture of people Louis views as innocent. Louis' heart is a bit dark, but ultimately human, so he's disgusted by lestats violence towards the undeserving. Lestat can no longer read Louis' mind and even if he could, Louis doesn't quite understand the difference himself (that's why he tries to hunt for criminals briefly) so the cracks of miscommunication starts to form, and neither of them even realize there is miscommunication.

Therein lies the importance of Tom Anderson for season 1. Not much of a character, more of a plot device in human skin. Claudia can see that Lestat hates him, but doesn't understand why, nor does she care to get to the depths of that. (*Mr house voice* understandable) I think it's notable that Louis rarely brought him up, he didn't understand the depths of lestats love. Nor did he know about Lestats 3 decade long grudge, all because Tom disrespected Louis.

Now I'm not excusing Lestat's actions, I just think it's interesting how this one throwaway character reveals a whole level of complexity to the relationship between him and Louis, and better sheds light on not only Lestats personal philosophy but louis' as well. Even Claudia to a degree.

Anyway, uh. End of essay. Bye.

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www-jungwon · 7 months

Text

between the lines . yjw

[fall_ing for the cute guy who works at the bookstore]

pairing ! jungwon x bookworm!gn!reader

1/7 of elena’s autumn enhypen series !

genre ! strangers to lovers, bookstore trope, mainly just fluff

summary ! the love story between you, a bookworm, and jungwon, the cashier at your local bookstore. (it starts with a book recommendation)

tw ! mentions of drinks (coffee), addictions (only to caffeine), money, jungwon actually being the cutest thing ever

wc ! 3k

ft. coworker heeseung

୨♡୧

the guy behind the desk is unfairly pretty. he must be new; you’ve never seen him working at the bookstore before and you definitely would’ve remembered the way the autumn light highlights the details of his face, teeth sliding over his plump lower lip. his elbow rests on the wooden desk, silver cash register gleaming to the right. he leans his chin on his fist, head tilted forward interestedly as he reads his book on the desk. you watch him flip the page, delicately resting his fingers on the side with less pages to hold it open. he reads something that makes him smile softly, eyes round and innocent, and you wonder how someone can look so ethereal just reading a book.

turning back to the new releases shelf with your heart racing slightly, you scan the rows of books. this past month has been one of the worst months of new releases you’ve seen since you started coming to this bookstore. against your will, your hand hovers over the shelf, sliding off a romance book. you can’t talk to him without a book, right? that would be weird. you pretend to read the back even though you already did when you came here last week, eyes retracing the same dull words. you drag your thumb over the paperback cover, sneaking a glance at the desk again.

he’s talking to a customer now, smile soft and easy on his lips as he hands them their book.

you swallow, trying to look away as he opens his book again, the customer leaving out the windowed door. he settles back into the same position with his chin resting in his fist, following the words like a cat chasing a laser pointer, eyes big and focused in a way that makes you want to scream into your hand. taking a deep breath, you walk over to the desk, weaving through the large number of people squeezed into the bookstore and gently place the book onto the counter in front of him.

he looks up, eyebrows raising naturally and you try not to smile at how cute he looks.

“oh, sorry, would you like to buy this?”

“yes, please,”

he nods, sliding the book over the scanner and your eyes fall onto his nametag. jungwon, it reads, handwritten letters traced on. it matches him, you decide, the way he writes, the way the script slants to the left and how the thin lines that indicated the way he didn’t pick up his pen drag between the letters.

“is that everything for you today?”

you startle out of your thoughts slightly, “oh, um, yes, thank you.”

“it’s, um, a good choice.”

“sorry?”

“it’s a good choice.” he nods at the book. “i liked that one.”

“oh,” you say, “oh, um, really?” it’s confusing, the way he makes your thoughts mix, in thrall of him, but it’s also the most lovely feeling you’ve ever experienced.

his smile envelopes you in softness. “yeah, it was really good. i liked the character dynamic and…yeah.”

the back of the book described the main character to sound stupid and unlikable, but you nod anyway.

leaving the store with your unwanted purchase, you step into the fall-kissed street, swipes of red and orange littering the tops of the trees. as a leaf falls through your view, softly swaying from side to side in the breeze, you think of him, a smile falling onto your lips almost involuntarily, except you want to smile, thinking of him.

୨♡୧

you didn’t read the book. in fact, you came back to return the book, which was bought under duress. sure, the duress happened to be wanting an excuse to talk to the prettiest person you’ve ever seen, but duress is duress, right? it’s not until you see the aforementioned pretty cashier from last time that you realize it’s a thursday. his shift day. this is not good.

“oh, um, hi again,” he smiles.

your eyes flick down to your book bag, which is holding the book. the one he liked. the one he said was a good choice.

“hi,” you smile.

“did….did you like the book?”

“oh, uh, yeah, i- i did. i really liked it. the character dynamic was really good, like you said.”

you hear a snicker, gaze shifting over to his coworker, who grins at jungwon teasingly and then turns to look at you.

“sorry, just ignore me.”

jungwon’s gaze snaps over to him, glaring.

“heeseung, don’t you have to go restock one of the fantasy shelves?” he narrows his eyes.

you and heeseung look back at the fantasy section simultaneously, which is completely full.

heeseung laughs, furrowing his brow in fake concern,“definitely, yeah, no, totally. i mean, how could i forget? gotta restock the fantasy shelves because they’re so empty.” he strolls off to the shelves, grinning at you as he leaves.

“um, sorry about him, so, how can i help you?”

you open your mouth, and your lips stay parted for a few seconds as you realize you don’t need help with anything.

“oh, uh…could you give me a recommendation?”

“sure! so,” he pauses, blinking. “you liked that book?”

“um, yeah, i- did,”

he pauses, thinking about something.

“well, the author has written a lot of other books that are kind of similar-”

absolutely not. “oh, i was looking for something a little different, just because i’ve kind of been reading a lot of books like that recently.”

“well, in that case, this is my favorite book, which i recommend to everyone, but it’s almost incomparable to that, uh, book.”

“oh, that’s totally fine. how much is it?”

he opens his mouth, then pauses. “oh, uh, we’re- we’re actually sold out…but you can have my copy…”

he holds out a worn paperback to you, golden lines stretching over the cover.

“sorry, i know it's kind of old..it’s okay if you don’t want it, but i thought i would offer it to you. we’re getting another shipment next week.”

“oh, i can’t take your copy, that’s-thats yours-”

“no, it’s totally fine, i have other editions, but this one i was just rereading at work, ‘cause i like to read my notes.”

great. so he’s smart and pretty. not a big deal or anything.

his fingers fidget with the pages as he pushes it closer to you.

heeseung walks back behind the desk at that moment, freezing when he sees the book on the countertop.

“jungwon?” he asks, tone incredulous.

“what?” jungwon sighs.

“is that- your copy?”

“obviously?” he raises his eyebrows exasperatedly.

heeseung gapes, laughing slightly in shock, gaze sliding over to you. you shrink slightly in embarrassment, although you’re not sure of what.

“go. away.” jungwon hisses.

“what do you want me to do, restock the sci-fi section?” he grins, and you glance back at the sci-fi section, packed full of people.

“shut up,” jungwon slides his hand over his face and heeseung holds his hands up, turning and going into the back of the store.

“sorry about him. again.” jungwon slides the book towards you again.

“oh, i-” you hesitate, knowing how sacred your own books are to you, but your fingers close around the edges. “thanks, i’ll- when do you want it back?”

“oh, you can just bring it back whenever.”

you smile, and it isn't until you’re long out of the store that you realize he remembered you, out of the huge crowd of people from last time and the specific book you bought. and that today was the last day for returns, so you just wasted 10 dollars. but talking to jungwon is worth it, to you.

୨♡୧

you haven’t stopped thinking about his book the entire week, or him.

you watch him blow hair out of his eyes, lower lip folding over the upper one. he curls his fingers into his cheek, chin resting in his palm as he serenely reads another book on the counter.

you read his book in one sitting, curled into your couch for three hours as you pored over his little annotations, thoughtful notes penned into the margins in his perfectly messy handwriting. there was something so personal about seeing his notes on his favorite book, like a piece of his soul, and they make you want to protect him with your whole being. they were so intelligent, your mind keeps drifting back to your first encounter, imprinted in your brain.

“i liked the character dynamic and….yeah.”

odd, for someone who wrote about the symbolism of the wind in specific contexts for each chapter and small hints of foreshadowing that built throughout the novel, but maybe it’s harder for him to say his thoughts then write them.

you set the book down on his counter, watching the way he blinks cutely in surprise as he looks up, being taken out of his book.

“oh, hi,”

you smile, “i brought your book back,”

his eyes widen in excitement, although he tries to mask it, “did you like it?”

you take a deep breath, the power of the book consuming you. “i need a moment.”

he laughs at your dramatics, putting his chin back into his hand so he’s looking through his lashes at you.

“you liked it, then?”

you nod wordlessly, watching his eyes light up.

“oh my god. finally. i’ve been trying to get my friends to read it forever but they won’t because it’s so long. it's so good, right?”

you laugh at his excitement, something about it seeming so precious, “i read it in one sitting.”

he grins. “me, too, the first time i read it.”

you rest your hands on the counter, becoming enraptured by your conversation, ranting over your shared opinions and the absolute crime it was for the author to kill off that one character. you’re not sure how you end up sitting behind the counter next to him, talking in between him checking out customers’ books.

he laughs at your sarcasm over details of the book, grinning so cutely when you become passionate about the decisions of certain characters, and you watch the way his eyes light up when he talks about the genius moves of the author. at some point the conversation shifts, and you talk about everything. your hobbies (aside from reading of course), how autumn is both of your favorite seasons, why the author absolutely needs to release the sequel sooner than the scheduled date, and you’re so swept away by the conversation that you don’t notice the time.

you’re not sure how long you’ve spent talking to him when you leave, the sky having dimmed into the glow of dusk.

୨♡୧

you step into the bookstore, eyes landing on jungwon sitting at the counter, watching as he flips through a book again, looking up at the sound of the door clicking behind you. he makes eye contact, catching you staring at him and you turn away quickly, hiding behind the new releases shelf again. you don’t actually have any books you want to buy, you’re really not sure why you even came to the bookstore today. you definitely didn’t go out of your way to make sure you could go on a thursday, his shift day, and you’re only holding the coffee that he mentioned he wanted to try last week because you were going to the coffee shop anyway. but now that you’re in the bookstore, you can’t even get a book off the shelf because you’ve got both hands holding coffees, so you shyly step around the shelves, walking over to the counter.

“i was, um, i was gonna get a book- well, i brought you coffee, and now i can’t get a book because, my hands are, um, full,” you set down his coffee on the desk.

he gasps, “pumpkin spice latte! you remembered!” he looks up at you, eyes big and innocent and precious. “i have a gift for you, too,” he pulls out a new copy of his (and your newly) favorite book from under the desk, “we got the restock, and they tend to sell out pretty fast, so i saved you a copy.”

you blink, “oh my gosh, thank you so much,” you reach for your bag.

“oh, i- um, already paid for it.” he pushes the book towards you and you look at him incredulously.

“let me pay you back!”

“no, it’s okay, you bought me coffee,”

you shake your head at him resignedly, watching his softly cheeky grin expand. “now i have to buy you coffee, like, every day, though,”

“i mean, it’s only actually worth, like, two coffees-”

“books are worth ten coffees, especially books that someone saves you when he thinks they might sell out, those are worth at least twenty.”

he grins at you, “it’s okay, i promise! you’re going to get me addicted to caffeine,”

“how are you not already?”

୨♡୧

you stretch up to the top of the shelf, fingers grasping at the book, but you can’t pull it off, letting your hand drop to your side as you lean back onto the ground off your toes.

you feel a warm arm wrapping around your waist, fingers tightening into your hip securely, causing you to fall back into the figure behind you in surprise. you look up to see an arm effortlessly sliding a book off the highest shelf. your book. you turn around, gaze falling on the nametag in front of you, and it’s jungwon, the one handing you the book. he smiles shyly.

“hi,” he mumbles, cheeks flushing slightly.

you swallow, “hi,” you say, breathless. his face is so close to yours you can feel his breath falling over your lips.

his arm slips off your waist like an afterthought, his proximity lingering on your mind the rest of the week.

୨♡୧

“you weren’t, um, here last week,” he closes his book softly, your eyes drifting distractedly to his fingers slipping off the edge of the cover.

“oh, um…” you snap back to him, “oh, yeah, i was sick,” you had tried to go but you literally couldn’t get out of bed, and when your friend came over she looked at you like you were crazy when you said that you wanted to go to the bookstore, insisting that you were much sicker than you actually were because there was no way you in your right mind you would want to go to the bookstore while ill.

recently you can't be sure whether you're even coming to the bookstore for books anymore.

he nods at you. “well, i’m glad you’re feeling better now.”

you nod, “thanks, it was kind of a rough week.”

he nods, swallowing and then looks down at the counter. he fidgets with his book, running his finger over the edge of the pages. “i, um, i was wondering-” he looks back up at you, licking his lips.

“god, finally!”

you jump slightly, looking over at heeseung. “i’ve been waiting for this moment this whole month. it was so annoying, hearing him go on about you every single shift. and last week he was so worried-”

“heeseung!” jungwon hisses.

“wha-oh,” heeseung says, seeing your confused expression. “sorry, i only heard the first part of your sentence and got excited. go on,”

jungwon glares at him until he leaves, slipping into a crowd of customers.

“um, what were you gonna say?” you ask.

“oh, um, i was wondering,” he pauses, “i mean- i actually really hated that book.”

“what?” you squint slightly in confusion.

“the romance one. when you first came in, i just wanted to talk to you. i really hated the character dynamic, but for some reason it was the first thing i could think of to compliment” he blurts, “and- and heeseung was making fun of me for giving my book to you, because i guard it with my life, i won’t even let him touch it, and i- i just gave it to you, which is kind of crazy, i’d only talked to you once before but i memorized your eyes and your smile and then i just gave it to you, and i think you’re really pretty and i really, i’ve really enjoyed our conversations? and i was, wondering if you- if you maybe wanted to go out with me? maybe to a cafe? or something?”

butterflies rush into your stomach, warmth enveloping you comfortingly.

“i would love to,”

he smiles, wide and genuine, and you melt, drowning in him, in the eyes of the pretty guy behind the desk.

end.

୨♡୧

a/n ! OMGGGG i stayed up late so many nights to write this and now i'm sleep deprived so if no one reads this i will shed actual tears also i think im in love with bookstore trope jungwon/this readerwon dynamic 😭😭😭😭

this fic is part of my enhypen autumn collection ! send an ask or comment to be added to the taglist <3

taglist :

@mrchweeee @aureliaxuuu @miyseung

#🍂 FALLing for you : by elena !#jungwon x reader #enhypen x reader #jungwon x fem!reader #yang jungwon x reader #jungwon x you #yang jungwon x you #jungwon imagines #jungwon fluff #jungwon drabbles #enhypen imagines #enhypen reactions #enhypen drabbles #enhypen #jungwon #enhypen jungwon

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sofipitch · 1 year

Text

I can't stop thinking about how well they portrayed Louis in the show. I think the change in race also really helped solidify the "vampire with a human soul" part of his character. Bare with me for what I mean by this; a lot of readers of the book tend to "not get Louis" and this was especially true of the movie, even AR said where it just seems like Louis is being annoying and whiny, go be a fun vampire. But Louis main conflict is that becoming a vampire changed nothing about him internally. The issues he has, primarily a concern with consumption and damnation don't go away. Louis is afraid of sin and also his own desires for indulgence. To some readers this may seem abstract, but they are often clear metaphors for being gay or alcoholism, Louis is very concerned with regulation, and not because he has any issues with drinking blood but more with how he is judged. He is very concerned about being seen as a monster (see Babette and portrait painter scenes). His big fight with Paul is also about Paul telling Louis that their family wasn't being holy enough. You can quickly see how Paul saying that they need to change their entire lifestyle is a judgement on Louis, the head of the household. Louis also said that he didn't want to believe his brother could have been visited by saints, bc it would be proof his brother is somehow a better person than him. Louis's internal conflict is often easily summarized by his Catholic guilt, which again can be abstract to audiences who have never experienced internalized homophobia or just a large sense of shame/feeling you are being watched

Anyways, why is the change in race smart, it's another way we can see Louis continues to be human governed by human rules, despite being a vampire. We can see it very clearly in how he is treated by society in the show, he is still treated as "lesser". Lestat thinks Louis should be above such things because he is a vampire, and while being gay and being an alcoholic are to some degree things you can hide, Louis's race is not. The opera being the last scene in Ep 2 where the schism between Louis and Lestat begins to get worse, is also where Louis has to act like Lestat's valet in public. If they were both gay white men they could at least act as equals, friends business partners, whatever. But even Lestat "we are above society" has to go through with this act but is notably not upset by it while Louis is. So to audiences that didn't get his issues, Louis desire to basically just be "normal", not an alcoholic, not of a sexuality that would be remarked upon, (while both real these two in the books are not shown overtly and exist in Louis's fear of damnation, which is still fear of judgement by others, but it isn't something that has a scene of a random accosting him in the street, it's more a persistent fear in his head, in the show they showed both these more overtly in the confession scene and the police officers in their home) not of a race treated as inferior, not having to act up his masculinity, by mixing all of those together at least one should make you GET it. I think even Jacob Anderson said it in the podcast that Louis really just wants to have a domestic family life like anyone else, and in the book while it is glossed over Louis says the time he spent being happy was that domestic family life. He just wants to be loved and not judged

In a lot of ways vampirism should suit Louis, and the book IWTV often romanticizes Louis pouncing on his prey from dark corners of the street. And that is what fits Louis the best, the desire to be left alone to be himself

#vc #vampire chronicles #iwtv #amc interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire #amc iwtv #louis de pointe du lac #i love him so much chewing on him like a piece of gum #a lot and i mean a LOT of readers don't get Louis bc he is kind of shrouded in metaphor #the stupidest analysis ive seen that lives in my head rent free is someone saying that louis doesn't hate lestat bc he's gay #but bc he kills ppl #what not paying attention in literature class does to a mfer

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twistedwonderlandimaginesblog · 1 year

Note

Hei! I'm new here and on this fandom two questions can I ask from the kissing prompt #4 with Idia? And how many characters is the limit for each ask in this case? Thanks in advance ♥️❤️

(For the kiss prompts it’s only one character per ask and one prompt per request!)

Idia Shroud:

4. An accidental brush of lips followed by a pause and going back for another, on purpose.

Idia was cornered.

The look on Crewel’s face told him all he needed to know; he would not be exempt from this project, regardless of his avoidance of people. It might be just fine for him to send technology to class instead of himself but this was still something that required two heads, no matter how intelligent Idia insisted he was. He was cut off time and time again with a cruel glare that sealed his fate, a main quest that had first been thought of as a basic side quest.

“We could be partners, if you want. You know me better than most others in the class anyway.” You had offered yourself up so casually, Idia suspected you had no clue that he was on your romance route at the moment; perhaps you were the perfect companion for this quest, just so he could raise his affection with you and unlock more interactions for the future.

This option being presented to him was also assuredly leading him down a certain path, and if he were to deny your kindness… a bad end surely awaited him. He could see the words dripping with blood and ink as your head tilted, awaiting an answer. All he could do was vigorously nod his head yes before disappearing, knowing there was quite a bit of work to do before he could let you step foot in his disaster of a room.

After hours of necessary prep work to not lower your affection you received the all clear from Idia to come over, your notebooks in hand as you prepared to settle down and finish the project in one night. You figured it would make it easiest on Idia but you had failed to notice the difficulty of the prompt Crewel gave, almost as if he purposely made it so Idia would have to have longer human interaction. He’s cursing his teachers name as he researched alongside you, sweating as time marched on.

“Ah, wait!” You pointed at one of his many screens, Idia glancing back to see what had gotten you excited. “I think this is the piece we’re missing! If we add that in, then it’ll all make sense, and we’re done!”

“…! You’re right!” You had found the missing puzzle piece, the final component that would have you both racing to the next cutscene. “There, it’s been added in… We’re done!”

After countless hours of reading over text and desperately problem solving to make the assignment work properly, you’d finally reached the finish line. You’re giddy as you come to sit next to Idia to admire your work, turning to him with a smile so bright it was more blinding than his screens in a dark room.

He must have missed the QTE, hit a wrong button somewhere in his brain, because his body moved before he had any idea what he was doing. In a move that was far bolder than his courage stat could possibly allow he pressed his lips against yours in celebration, the move so quick that you didn’t have much time to react to it. He must not have known the stun effect his lips had but you must have some sort of shield that bounced magic right back at him, as he suddenly became frozen in his spot staring at you.

The excitement that had given a brief boost to powers allowed him to melt the ice that had encased his body, his face and hair becoming a light shade of pink mixed his normal blue. If this were to go poorly he would have lost all your friendship points anyway, so what was one more for the road? He dipped down to steal another kiss, the very last kiss he would ever have in his life, before he pulled away with a concerned look on his face.

Maybe he shouldn’t have gone back for round two.

Maybe he should’ve hit the apology button.

Nothing he could do now except wait for your response.

#Idia Shroud #TWST #Twisted Wonderland #TWST Imagines #Twisted Wonderland Imagines #TWST x Reader #Twisted Wonderland x Reader #Twisted WOnderland Imagines #kiss prompts #scenario #Idia Shroud x Reader

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tonyspank · 9 months

Text

CHAPTER ONE | RECKLESS

Tara Carpenter x G!P Reader x Female OC

Warnings: zombies, fighting, thats all i think

A/N: twd helped me with this

series masterlist | main masterlist | previous chapter | next chapter

Once you get close enough to the woman, she starts running as well, leaving you no time to ask questions. You chase after her, desperately trying to keep up with her pace. As you follow her, your mind races with curiosity, wondering why she chose to help you. And was she the one who shot the gun?

You feel a mix of fear and intrigue as you contemplate the mysterious circumstances surrounding her involvement. Despite the unanswered questions, your instinct tells you that sticking with her is your best chance at survival.

The two of you run for a while until you reach the middle of the woods. She stops, looking around.

You take this as a chance to talk, "Where are we going?" You ask, trying to catch your breath. She turns to you with a determined look in her eyes, "Get in the car, and then I'll explain." She begins jogging, and you follow her, behind a few trees there's an old pickup truck.

Its worn exterior suggests that it has been abandoned for quite some time. As you both climb into the truck, you speak again.

"Okay! Now, can you explain? I'm lost on what's going on, where we're going, and who you are." She starts the engine, and the truck roars to life, its rusty parts groaning in protest. She glances at you before turning her attention back onto the dirt road.

"We're going to turn around for my sister, then we're going back to our home base. And my name is Tara Carpenter, there." You furrow your eyebrows, holding onto the door handle as the truck bounces along the uneven terrain. "Wait, your sister? I didn't see anyone," you say, trying to make sense of the situation.

"How do you think you're still alive? She was the one who shot that walker." Tara's eyes narrow as she recalls the intense encounter. You open your mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Tara's words hang in the air, leaving you speechless.

The realization sinks in that your life was saved by someone you never even saw.

"Wait, wait, wait! Did you just call them walkers?"

Tara sends you a confused look, "Yeah?"

"What about the ones that jog?" You ask, then mumble to yourself. "Joggers..?" Tara raises an eyebrow, clearly perplexed by your question. "Joggers? What are you talking about?" she asks, her confusion evident in her voice.

You quickly realize that your attempt at humor fell flat, and you awkwardly laugh it off, trying to change the subject. "Never mind, forget I said anything."

"Also, you said something about a home base? I appreciate you and your sister saving my life and all, but groups never do any good." Tara looks at you with a mix of concern and curiosity.

"I understand, but think about what could've happened if we didn't find you," she responds, her voice gentle yet firm. You ponder her words for a moment, realizing that she's right. You could've gotten bit.

"I'm not going to beg you to come home with us. Just think about it." You nod, acknowledging Tara's point. The thought of the potential danger you narrowly escaped lingers in your mind. Soon, you see a group of walkers and another woman in a tree, a sniper on her back.

Without thinking, you hop out of the truck, yelling, causing some of the walkers to turn their attention towards you. You take your knife out of your belt and start slashing at the approaching walkers, adrenaline coursing through your veins.

The woman in the tree notices your bravery and starts picking off the remaining walkers with her sniper rifle, providing you with much-needed backup. As you both fight off the horde together, you realize that this unexpected partnership might just be the key to surviving this terrifying ordeal.

With each swing of your knife and each shot from her rifle, the walkers are slowly but surely being taken down. The adrenaline-fueled teamwork gives you a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos, making you believe that maybe, just maybe, there is a chance for survival in this post-apocalyptic world.

The woman makes her way down the tree, quickly entering the truck. You stand there, looking overtop of dead walkers, wiping a bit of blood that got on your face. "What the hell are you doing? Get in the truck!" the woman yells, and Tara quickly nods in agreement.

You snap out of your daze and quickly jump into the bed of the truck, Tara wastes no time pulling off, leaving the gruesome scene behind. You lay on your back, spread out like a starfish, as the wind rushes past you, providing a brief moment of relief from the chaos.

Tara glances at you through the rear view mirror with concern before focusing back on the road ahead, her determination evident in her eyes.

As the truck speeds away, you can't help but wonder what you're about to get yourself into. Tara's sister knocks on the truck's back window, gaining your attention before she opens it. "I'm Sam, by the way." You give Sam a faint smile, grateful for the introduction.

"Y/N." You simply say. As the truck continues down the road, you feel a mix of anticipation and nervousness building inside you. The unknown awaits, and you can't help but wonder how this journey will unfold.

Your eyes snap awake at a loud slap against the metal truck. It's Sam. "We're here." You quickly gather your belongings and step out of the back of the truck, taking in your surroundings. A brown-haired man with a scruffy beard makes his way toward the three of you in a sheriff's uniform.

He introduces himself as Sheriff Dewey Riley and welcomes you to the small town. "Before you settle down, I'm going to have to take your weapons." You exchange a wary glance with Sam, unsure of whether to comply.

Sheriff Riley notices your hesitation and reassures you, "It's just a precautionary measure for everyone's safety. You'll get them back once everything is sorted out." Reluctantly, you hand over your weapons, hoping that this small town holds more than meets the eye.

Tara glances at you before whispering something in Sam's ear. You strain to hear what Tara is saying, but her words are too quiet. Sam nods in response, her expression growing more serious. Curiosity piqued, you wonder what secrets this small town might be hiding and what role Tara and Sam might play in it all.

"C'mon kid." Dewey says, nodding his head in the direction of the town. "Let's get you checked in." You follow Dewey, your mind racing with anticipation and questions about the mysteries that lie ahead.

As you walk towards the town, you're truly shocked. Everything looked so peaceful, as if there wasn't an apocalypse happening on the other side of the walls.

The sight of the seemingly untouched town only deepens your intrigue, making you even more determined to uncover the truth. As you approach the entrance, you can't help but wonder how this place has managed to remain unscathed amidst chaos and destruction.

Dewey took you to the doctor to get yourself checked out before introducing you to his wife, Gale.

She seemed like the leader of this place, with an air of confidence and authority that commanded respect. Her eyes held a glimmer of resilience, as if she had seen it all and still managed to keep the town thriving. "I'm Gale Riley, sit, please."

You sit listen to Gale's voice as it carried a sense of determination and compassion, instantly drawing you in.

"We've faced countless challenges over the years," she explained, "but we've built a tight-knit community that supports one another through it all."

"What is this place?" you asked, unable to contain your curiosity any longer. Gale smiled warmly, her eyes lighting up with pride.

"This place," she replied, "is a sanctuary for those seeking refuge, a haven where people come together to rebuild their lives and find hope amidst adversity, or the start of sustainability. Which is what the brochures we found say. This was a planned community with its own solar grid, cisterns, and eco-based sewage filtration."

Gale continued, "Me and my husband were led here. See, I'm a news reporter, and my husband was a sheriff in our old town. He was investigating a series of corruption cases that led to dangerous threats against our lives. We had to leave everything behind and start fresh, and this place seemed like the perfect opportunity for us to do so."

You nod at her words, still in disbelief about the place. As you take in Gale's story, you can't help but marvel at the foresight and ingenuity that went into creating such a self-sustaining community.

The idea of a solar grid, cisterns, and eco-based sewage filtration all working together seamlessly is truly impressive. It's clear that this place was designed with both environmental consciousness and the well-being of its residents in mind.

There's a knock at the door, interfering with your thoughts. You turn to see another woman, "Hi, I'm Sidney." She introduces herself with a warm smile. Sidney explains that she is a longtime resident of the community and offers to give you a tour, eager to share more about the innovative solutions and sustainable practices that make this place so unique.

Intrigued by her offer, you gladly accept, curious to learn even more about this remarkable community.

Gale gives you a tight-lipped smile before you walk out of her living room, following Sidney closely. As you walk behind Sidney, you notice her enthusiasm and passion for the community radiating from her every word.

She points out various landmarks and explains how each one contributes to the community's commitment to sustainability. As you continue the tour, you can't believe you were going to turn down this place not too long ago.

"Are you serious?" You ask Sidney, who quickly nods. "You're just giving me a house?" Sidney chuckles and replies, "Well, not exactly giving it to you. Gale will give you a job, and you'll have to earn your keep." Everything about this feels too good to be true.

"I know you're still feeling us out, but I'm glad you're here, Y/N." Sidney says sincerely, her eyes filled with warmth. "We believe in creating a sense of community here, and having you join us adds to that spirit, you know?" You nod at her, sending a slight smile her way.

"Well, then. I'll let you settle in, but if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask, I'm just a few houses down." Sidney's authentic warmth and offer of support reassure you, easing some of your initial skepticism. Her words about creating a sense of community make you feel more hopeful about this opportunity. "Thank you," you say.

Sidney sends you another smile before leaving. You slowly open the door to the home, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. The space is cozy and inviting, with warm colors and comfortable furniture. As you step inside, a sense of excitement and anticipation fills the air, mingling with a hint of nervousness.

You make your way into the kitchen, resting your hand on the faucet before turning it. The sound of the rushing water is soothing, and you laugh, overwhelmed with amazement. It's been a while since you've been in a place like this, where everything is new and refreshing.

You take a shower, cleaning off the sweat, blood, and dirt that's been on you for the past couple of months. The tension in your muscles begins to melt away, and you can't help but let out a contented sigh. It's a small luxury that you've missed dearly during this apocalyptic time, and you relish in the simple pleasure of being able to wash away the remnants of your journey.

You quickly put on your bra, grabbing a towel as you hear a knock on your front door. Curiosity piqued, you wrap the towel around yourself and cautiously make your way to the door. Wondering who it could be. You open the door, revealing a redhead girl and a curly-haired boy.

The girl whistles at the sight of you, admiring your freshly washed hair and the towel wrapped around you. The boy, on the other hand, looks slightly embarrassed and averts his gaze. "I'm Quinn, and this is my brother Ethan," the readhead says, a small smile on her lips.

You feel a mix of surprise and self-consciousness as you quickly tighten the towel around yourself. Quinn's compliment on your appearance brings a blush to your cheeks, while Ethan's shyness makes you wonder what could have prompted their visit.

"Our dad is Officer Bailey, so whenever we get newcomers, he makes us introduce ourselves." You nod understandingly, realizing that Officer Bailey must take his role as a community liaison seriously. Though you start to realize you haven't been introduced to him yet, "Officer Bailey? I don't think we've met."

Quinn chuckles and replies, "Oh, don't worry! Our dad is always busy with his duties, but he'll definitely come by to meet you soon. He's not really the friendly type, but he needs to know everyone in the neighborhood." You hum, giving her a nod.

"Oh! Did Gale tell you about the get together that's happening?" Ethan speaks up, raising an eyebrow. You smile and shake your head, admitting that Gale hadn't mentioned the get together yet.

Ethan continues, "It's going to be a fun event with games, food, and a chance for everyone to socialize. You should definitely come, it'll be a great opportunity to meet everyone."

"Sure, I'll be there." You reply, genuinely intrigued by the idea of getting to know your new neighbors better. Plus, it sounds like a fun event that you don't want to miss out on.

"Great! Well, we'll see you then." He responds, smiling and giving you a friendly wave before heading off. Quinn follows behind him, giving her own wave and smile.

The event was your average get together, with people mingling and chatting in small groups. You were in a corner by yourself, drinking as you observed everyone.

"Socialize." You hear someone say, you turn to be faced with Sidney.

You smile at the woman, whose mouth drops dramatically. "Look at you! You look nice, cleaned up!" Sidney compliments your appearance, clearly impressed by your transformation.

"Thank you. It felt nice to have a hot shower again." You reply, grateful for the simple pleasure of feeling clean after a long time. Sidney nods sympathetically, understanding exactly what you've been through.

Your eyes leave the woman beside you, glancing over only to find Tara talking to someone else her age. Sidney's eyes fall to your point of view, and her smile widens. "Tara's a sweet girl."

Your eyes flicker between Sidney and Tara, letting out a chuckle. "I don't think she likes me." You admit taking another sip of your drink.

Sidney chuckles softly, shaking her head. "Oh, don't worry about that. Tara can be a bit reserved at first, but she warms up to people once she gets to know them better. Give it some time, and I'm sure you two will get along just fine."

"Sam told everyone how you helped her." Sidney says. You shrug, "She helped me first. Plus, we took down those walkers together, it wasn't just me." Sidney nods, a smile playing on her lips.

"That may be true, but teamwork is key in this world. But still, not everyone would have stepped up like you did. You've earned Sam's gratitude and respect." You blush slightly at the compliment, grateful for Sidney's kind words.

"Tomorrow morning, go talk to Gale. She has a job for you." You raise an eyebrow in surprise. "Why can't you just tell me?" Sidney chuckles, shaking her head. "Gale likes to give out the details in person. She's old-fashioned like that. Plus, I think she wants to see the look on your face when she tells you."

You can't help but laugh at the thought of Gale's mischievous nature. "Alright, I'll go find her tomorrow then. Thanks for the heads up, Sidney."

Sidney squeezes your bicep before walking away. "Y/N!" Someone calls out from Tara's group. They stand up, ushering you off. You smile at Ethan before deciding to walk over, curious to see what he wants. "Oh, it's pretty girl." Quinn smiles, you now appearant in her sight.

You return Quinn's smile and join Tara's group, wondering what Ethan wants to talk about. As you approach, Ethan greets you warmly and introduces you to the rest of the group. "Guys, this is Y/N. Y/N, this is Chad, Amber, Wes, Mindy, Anika, Frankie, Liv, and you already know Tara."

You exchange greetings with everyone in the group, feeling welcomed and curious about their dynamic. "It's nice to meet you, I heard you saved Sam's life." Mindy says, causing you to shake your head. "It wasn't that serious. She saved mine, to be honest." You brush off the compliment modestly, not wanting to make a big deal out of it.

Mindy just hums, and Chad takes this as a chance to speak. "Did Gale give you a role already?" You shake your head in response to Chad's question. "Not yet," you reply. "She's supposed to give me one tomorrow, though." Chad nods, looking intrigued. "I'm sure she'll find something perfect for you. Gale has a great eye for talent."

Wes chimes in, adding, "Yeah, she's really good at matching people with roles that suit them." You can't help but feel a surge of anticipation for what Gale might have in store for you. "That's good to hear."

"How old are you?" Liv asks, and you turn your head to her with a smile. "21." Amber then speaks, "Really? You look younger than that." "Thank you, I guess it's good genes," you reply with a chuckle. Wes joins in, saying, "Age is just a number anyway. What matters are your skills and passion."

"Wes, what the fuck are you talking about?" Amber questions, squinting her eyes at the blonde haired boy. Wes shrugs, unfazed by Amber's reaction.

"We're going to go get some more drinks." Frankie announces to the group, interrupting his own conversation he was having with Tara. Tara and Frankie both get up, and you watch the two disappear from sight before turning your eyes back to the group, only to have everyone staring at you. "What?"

You ask, feeling a bit self-conscious under their gaze. Mindy chuckles and leans back in her chair, saying, "You like Tara." You blush slightly, shaking your head. You didn't even know the girl! But Mindy's comment makes you wonder if there was something about Tara that caught your attention.

Though you couldn't help but admit she was absolutely beautiful. Her long, flowing hair and radiant smile were captivating, along with her freckles that dotted her cheeks, adding a touch of playfulness to her overall appearance.

There was an undeniable aura of confidence that surrounded her, as if she knew she had a magnetic effect on people. It was intriguing to think about what it would be like to get to know her beyond just her physical appearance.

"No?" You mutter, furrowing your eyebrows, trying to convince the group. You couldn't understand how anyone could resist being drawn to her. There was something about her that seemed to defy explanation, making you even more curious about the person behind the captivating exterior.

Mindy just shrugs, "Whatever you say." Anika rolls her eyes at her girlfriend, "Ignore her. She believes she can sense people's crushdars! She does it with everyone."

You chuckle, and Mindy immediately defends herself. "I definitely have a sixth sense when it comes to matters of the heart," she playfully retorts. Anika smirks, teasingly adding, "You couldn't sense my crush on you."

Mindy thins out her lips and says, "Because you give off straight girl, babe."

Anika's jaw drops as she lets out a dramatic gasp. No, I don't!" Mindy laughs and says, "Oh, come on. You know it's true." Anika playfully pouts and replies, "Well, maybe I just wanted to keep you guessing."

Mindy leans in, kissing away her girlfriend's pout. "Guessing or not, I'm glad we're together now," Mindy whispers softly, their lips still touching. Anika smiles and pulls Mindy closer, savoring the warmth of their embrace.

"You guys are going to make me sick." Quinn says, earning a nod of agreement from Chad. Quinn rolls her eyes playfully and adds, "But seriously, you two are disgustingly cute." Chad chuckles and says, "Yeah, it's almost nauseating how in love you two are."

You smile at the group, happy to fit in so well. But your smile is gone once you see Frankie leading Tara to the front door of the house, obviously drunk.

You feel a pang of concern as you watch Frankie struggle to keep Tara steady. It's clear that Tara has had too much to drink, and you worry about her well-being.

You quickly stand up, earning confused looks from the group. You follow Frankie and Tara outside the house, not even sparing the group a second glance. "Hey guys!" You call out to Frankie and Tara, trying to get their attention.

"Are you guys okay? Tara seems really drunk, maybe we should get her some water and make sure she's alright." You offer your help, hoping they will listen and take care of Tara's well-being.

Frankie shakes his head, laughing. "She's fine, dude. Just go back to the group." You glance at Tara before squinting your eyes at Frankie. "Nah, dude, I think she should come back with me."

"It's fine. Y/N." Tara mumbles, her words slurring together. "I can handle myself." Despite her protests, you can't shake off the concern you feel for Tara's well-being.

"See. It's fine." He harshly grabs Tara's arm, dragging her down the few remaining steps of the home's entryway.

Tara mutters out an, "Ow." You shoot Frankie a disapproving look, but he ignores it. You quickly push Frankie away from Tara, placing yourself between them. "Tara, I don't think it's a good idea for you to go with him," you say firmly. "Let me take you home instead."

"⁠She's fine," Frankie seethes, reaching for Tara, but you push him, maybe a bit too hard, because he falls to the ground. Frankie's face contorts with anger as he scrambles back to his feet. "The fuck?"

He rushes to you, tackling you. As Frankie tackles you, you struggle to defend yourself, trying to keep him at bay.

The situation escalates quickly, with both of you grappling on the ground, desperately trying to gain the upper hand. You straddle Frankie, attempting to punch him repeatedly, but he manages to block most of your blows.

"Guys! Stop!" You hear Tara's panicked voice, but the adrenaline is pumping too hard for either of you to listen. The fight continues, with neither of you willing to back down.

You don't notice people starting to exit the house, drawn by the commotion. Some onlookers attempt to intervene, shouting for you both to stop, but their efforts are futile as the intensity of the fight consumes your focus.

You're roughly pulled off of the man, your heart pounding and your breath heavy. "Alright, alright, that's enough." A voice says from behind you, holding you back by your bicep.

You look around at the crowd, and Quinn mouths, "My dad." You shut your eyes for a second, realizing that on your first day in the community, you were already about to be put under arrest.

As you open your eyes, glancing over to Tara and then her friend group, Quinn's dad begins to handcuff you. You feel a wave of embarrassment wash over you as the handcuffs click into place. Tara's friend group watches in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief.

"Fighting on the first day, really?" The gray-haired man says, shaking his head. You try to explain yourself, stuttering out an apology. "I didn't mean to start a fight, sir," you manage to say. The gray-haired man raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical of your explanation.

"He was going to take advantage of her!" You continue, desperately trying to defend your actions. "She was obviously drunk and he was trying to take her home. I had to intervene."

The gray-haired man's expression softens slightly as he considers your words, but he remains cautious. "Well, we'll have to sort this out," he says, slightly pushing you to walk in front of him.

You take one last look at the crowd, your heart dropping when you notice a familiar face.

"Iris?" You mumble to yourself. She looks just as shocked to see you as you are to see her. Memories of your past together flood your mind, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.

#reader insert #wattpad #tonyspank #jenna ortega #jenna marie ortega #jenna ortega x reader #jenna ortega x y/n #jenna ortega x you #jenna ortega x gn!reader #jenna ortega x g!p reader #tara carpenter #tara carpenter x reader #tara carpenter x y/n #tara carpenter x you #tara carpenter x fem reader #tara carpenter x gn!reader #tara carpenter x g!p reader #zombie apocolypse au #tara carpenter scream

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koishiro · 8 months

Text

𝑨𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑶𝒅𝒅𝒔 | Choi San

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ — 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 : two former high school rivals, now attending the same college, unexpectedly reunite. Football player San is trying to win your heart, but you’re hell-bent on never talking to him again. After many trials and tribulations, will you open your heart?

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ — 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 : jock!san x quiet!reader

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ — 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄 : fluff

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ — 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒 : swearing

=͟͟͞͞ ⌧ 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒍 : this starts off in San’s pov :)

main masterlist | kpop masterlist | upcoming anon asks

Complete opposites yet I couldn’t help but be enamoured by you.

Especially now, when the light shining in through the tall windows of the building surrounded you with a glimmer only you could hold, even while stood in the middle of a run down college hallway.

The hallway we stood in, made from yellowing lime bricks, was wide and lined with arched windows that stretch from the ceiling to the worn carpet beneath our feet. There were few people here, only a handful lingering in doorways or sitting atop hard wooden benches built into alcoves in the wall. It feels like a long forgotten hallaway filled with secrets just waiting to be discovered if one should take it upon themselves to explore its hidden depths and abandoned regions of study.

The only modern attributes were the bright blue lockers lining the corridor’s walls and the tall glass cases encasing the college’s trophies.

And then there was you, who looked just like you had in school. Your hair that I used to pull was still long, the large framed glasses that I would hold above your head still enhanced your doe eyes, those freckles that I would stupidly call acne scars decorated your cheeks, and the hatred that continued to lace your eyes.

Except now you wore a nicely fitted suit — the buttons on your shirt were holding on for dear life, your hair brushed behind your ears, pin-striped skirt to your knees, short black heels and holding your books to your chest while the other held what looked to be a briefcase.

I remember overhearing you wanting to study law.

Other than your appearance you hadn’t changed in the slightest and neither had my heart which still raced a mile a minute when I looked into your eyes and saw the mix of emotions there — a combination of anger and confusion, but also curiosity and oddity.

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?” It was expected of me to go on to a scholarship but everyone was left surprised when I’d told them that I’d be staying and going to a community college not too far from the school, you included.

It had been seconds which felt like minutes since you uttered those words, I knew I had to say something as I stood there looking like a complete fool playing with the straps of my bag, so with trembling lips, I spoke,

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘞𝘩𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦? 𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨?” I titled my head, voice laced with my usual cockiness - only for you.

“𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭”

That’s all it took for my words to slip out like second nature, “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭”

I hadn’t expected much of a reaction considering you were used to my antics from school where I wouldn’t miss a chance to flirt and fluster you although this time I caught sight of the faint flush on your cheeks causing my grin to widen.

Trying, and failing, to cover your reddened cheeks, you looked at me in annoyance before rolling your eyes where they landed on the books I held “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥? 𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘪 𝘚𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩?”

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯’ “ it felt just like before, when we were both back in school, arguing over anything and everything.

How I missed those years. The days when I’d ask you for a pen only to leave teeth marks on the end just to see what reaction you’d give me that day or the times where I’d sit behind you in class and plait your hair without your knowledge only for you to storm your way towards me at the end of the day and scream at me for making you look like an idiot. Even though to me, it made you look prettier, impossibly so.

“𝘗𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘪, 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰?” You spat out, venom in your tone as you brushed past me, presumably walking towards your class.

“𝘐’𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶!” I turned my head and raised my voice causing an echo to bounce from the walls. We both knew I meant what I said but for two different reasons. You probably thought I just wanted to get in your pants, oh how wrong you’d be.

The next few weeks went by just like that, with San religiously keeping to his routine of annoying you or in his eyes; flirting.

After all those years of having to put up with his relentless bullying and confusing actions you thought you finally escaped. You thought he’d gone with that scholarship he was offered, anyone would take that chance — it was a free ticket out of this crap neighbourhood.

And now not just was he no longer taking that stupid scholarship but he’d also chosen to attend the exact same college you had — which was your ticket away from him.

He’d take any opportunity to make your life hell with his burning stare, looming figure and overpowering confidence, his head was stuck up his own ass more than half the time, always thinking he could get any girl he wanted with just one compliment — granted, you never physically saw him with any other girl but oh could you imagine and the rumours weren’t much help either.

And to hell if you reject his advances, which in this case — you had, suffering years worth of teasing and hair pulling. Even going as far as to ‘accidentally’ kick a multitude of footballs your way on more than one occasion — it was safe to say you never used that path as a shortcut ever again.

But what made it more infuriating was his inhuman good looks. As much as you wanted to hate him, you couldn’t. Not when he looked at you with those puppy dog eyes that begged for forgiveness, that he didn’t mean what he said.

But it didn’t matter, he’ll never know. You just have to get through 3 years of college and you’ll be free — again.

Although that apparently seems too much to ask for when the Choi San made it a constant habit to follow you around like an attention deprived dog with his constant snarky comments and confusing actions.

As soon as you stepped foot out of your lecture there he was in all his damn glory, Choi San, waiting for you.

He claimed he waited for you so he could walk you to class which baffled you at first but then came the comments. You came to the conclusion that he only followed you to taunt you. Whether that be on your outfit, hair, makeup or attitude that day.

“𝘠/𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱!” When you finally thought you caught a break, your hopes came crashing down once more. San was nowhere to be found when you left the lecture hall and seeing an opportunity, you quickly skipped in the opposite direction hoping you’d somehow avoid him.

Clearly you were given false hope when you saw a dark haired figure barrelling his way through the crowd of students. You probably would’ve looked the other way had he not been screaming your name the entire way.

Maybe if you slowly turned around and faced the lockers he wouldn’t see you.

Another hopeful thought crashing down when you felt the weight of an arm on your shoulder.

“𝘠/𝘯~ 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘩𝘶𝘩? 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘢 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦��𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨?” San said with a clear pout on his face causing your own to turn away.

“𝘠𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵” that’s all it took for San’s pout to grow deeper, almost making you feel bad.

Almost.

“𝘈𝘩𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦! 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘮𝘦, 𝘩𝘶𝘩?” The answer was plain and simple, no. You had no intentions of opening your heart, no less to San of all people. Why would you?

Even after the many confessions you received from San, you took them with a pinch of salt, pinning it down to his usual taunting.

Taking my silence as an answer, San continues, “𝘐 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵~”

“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶? 𝘌𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦?” Sure a cat cafe sounded nice and all but with the person I despise the most?

“𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘥𝘰” this almost made me chuckle at the absurdity. Did he honestly think that you two were friends?

Was that what this was to him? Friendly banter?

Turning your head towards him, prepared to reject his ‘kind’ offer when you were faced with those puppy dog eyes of his,

“. . . 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦”

Which led to where you were now, sat in a cafe opposite Choi San surrounded by cats — granted that was the sole purpose of the cafe.

Every detail in the room was meticulously attended to, and every item seemed just so. The furniture had been placed exactly where it needed to be for maximum efficiency and aesthetic beauty, the many shades of pink offsetting each other perfectly while never vying for the same attention from customers. Even the rugs were stylishly arranged in a geometric pattern that made them appear as if they had always belonged there.

Calico kittens scampered across tabletops as others lounged lazily over armchairs, basking in streams of sunlight that shone through wide windows looking out onto city streets below. It was truly an oasis from everyday life.

While San sat with a smile stretched across his cheeks as he swayed side to side with a cat balancing on his lap, you were sat there with a looming cloud over your head and dark expression plastered on your face.

“𝘐 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰!” He was practically jumping in his seat with excitement, the poor cat was hanging on for dear life.

Seeing how happy he was, was almost contagious. I nearly let a smile slip at the mix of expressions on his face, it was kind of — cute.

The Cat Cafe was a bright and airy establishment, with high ceilings and tall windows to let in as much natural light as possible. A wall of shelves held toys, treats, and supplies for the cats that roamed freely throughout the cafe. There were cozy couches dotted around where visitors could cuddle up with friendly felines or watch them play from afar. Soft music wafted through the air along with faint smells of coffee brewing behind rigid plexiglass barriers meant to keep both customers and cats safe during their interactions.

The boy, usually so cocksure and self-assured, seemed to have taken a step back into himself. His confident manner had vanished as if someone flipped a switch; his shoulders hunched inward with shyness, and he glanced away from me frequently.

There was something hesitant in the way he spoke now that we were alone – almost like whatever impenetrable armor of arrogance that usually surrounded him had unexpectedly dissolved away in my presence.

“𝘞𝘩𝘺’𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺?” I said, cutting the silence.

“𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘯𝘰?” How in the world did Choi San come to the conclusion that we were friends?

Baffled, I stared at him for a second or two, “𝘴𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸?” This seemed to make San nervous, confusing me even more.

This reminded me of school again, where he would pick on me but then follow it up by pulling out my chair for me or lend me a pencil when I miss-placed mine. Choi San was confusing, that’s for sure.

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺. . . 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭, 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 — 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺” really?

“𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺?” I voiced out loud, followed by a blank expression.

San just sat there, his eyes locked onto the cat on his lap as he mindlessly twirled it’s fur around his finger and a nervous look on his face, “𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘩. 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 — 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘶𝘱 𝘒𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘪𝘥”

We were abruptly jolted out of conversation, as we saw the waitress standing in front of us with our orders – two plates laden with French toast and maple syrup. She carefully placed them on the table between us before giving a polite nod and turning to leave.

As she disappeared from view, I turned my attention back towards my thoughts.

I knew who he was talking about — Kang Yeosang, the perfect schoolboy, or at least as close to perfection as one could get. His grades were exemplary, never less than an A on a report card, and he had mastered every lesson within minutes of it being taught.

But it wasn’t just his intelligence that made him so admired — he was also blessed with the face of a model and stature unlike any other boy in class. Friendly and well liked by all who encountered him, he could do no wrong in anyone’s eyes; even teachers seemed to favor him above others when discussing matters relating to academics or conduct.

That’s what made me like him so much.

I remember San starting a fight with Yeosang — over what I don’t know. But it was big enough to grab nearly the entire school’s attention.

That fight made me hate San even more after Yeosang took it upon himself to avoid me at all costs, as if I had the plague. What could San have told him to cause him to avoid me like that?

Allowing my curiosity to take over, I voiced my thoughts, “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺?”

As if what I said offended him, he quickly whipped his head up, “𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮? 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘶𝘱, 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘶𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘦”

I could practically see the steam seething from his reddened ears before he continued, “𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘮” he grumbled.

San was a walking mass of contradictions—the kind each and every one of us has tucked away somewhere. On the outside there was an air of confidence, but on the inside lay a rich vein of jealous insecurity.

His intense eyes glimmered as he talked about Yeosang, even as his furtive glances betrayed him. There is never comfort in knowing that someone desires what we cannot have; watching San I felt like it had been magnified to its fullest potential for him.

“𝘏𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨-“

“𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮, 𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘕𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳, 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘐’𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘣 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥”

His chocolate-brown eyes were blazing with unspoken emotion, a heat that seemed to penetrate my skin from across the room. His jaw was set firmly in a line of anger and he clenched one hand into an angry fist at his side as if it had suddenly become unbearable for him not to be involved or acknowledged. “𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦”

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦”

It was almost as if he’d been living two lives in parallel; the version I saw and the one of hidden jealousies. Jealousy that he had kept tightly locked away, like a closet full of secrets. Until now. The rage in him seethed with such force it felt sudden yet inevitable, at once both foreign and all too familiar.

His expression was open and vulnerable, like he was afraid to lay himself bare before me.

San’s hand tightened around the cat’s fur which he quickly moved to the drink he had in front of him as if it became all too real, his feelings and emotions now in the open for me to see.

So caught up with my thoughts, I barely caught the whisper that left San’s mouth, “𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦? 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘠𝘦𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨, 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦. . .”

The guilt was like a leaden weight on my heart. For once in my life, I felt something other than anger and resentment — remorse for someone who had treated me badly. It felt strange but strangely liberating to accept that he was now sat in front of me, shifting in his seat as he released his pent up anger he kept hidden for all those years.

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺,” San’s head shot up from looking at his mug, clearly surprised by my apology, “𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺”

Now shifting in my own seat , the pounding in my chest was relentless, and with each pulse I felt like it would burst.

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳, 𝘪𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘦 “

If I was told that I’d be sat in a cat cafe in front Choi San while we apologised to each other for all those years, I’d laugh and walk off.

All I could do was stare at him. The Choi San, the star of the football team and my biggest rival, apologising to me.

“𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺-“

“𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘢 𝘥𝘰 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶”

That’s all it took for us to waste what was left of the day talking about anything and everything followed by the occasional apology while we moved to the floor to entertain the cats.

He watched me with an inscrutable expression, his gaze trained on me as if transfixed. It felt strange, almost alien to have him watching like that without any verbal judgements or harsh criticisms accompanying it.

I fiddled with the cats’ ears and nuzzled their heads for a few moments before glancing up at him again; he hadn't moved an inch from his position – still sat next to me studying my movements as if he couldn’t believe this was how we were interacting: civil and non-combative.

He reached forward to stop me from petting the cat, taking my hand firmly in his. Then, gently turning me towards him, he looked deeply into my eyes with an intensity I hadn't felt before and quietly said “I meant what I said before,” his words hung in the air between us like a challenge: An unspoken conversation that needed no further input or explanation; only acknowledgment of something greater than ourselves. “𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 ��𝘰𝘶”

“𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘺𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸. 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦, 𝘠/𝘕. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵”

↳ a/n: idk where I was going with this —

— 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘰 𝘹𝘰

𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵

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s-creations · 2 months

Text

Comes in Waves - Canon Divergence

Entries for the 2024 RadioStatic Week.

Fandom: Hazbin Hotel Rating: Teen and Up Audience Relationship: Alastor/Vox Additional Tags: Cursing, Angst, Fluff and Angst, I'll try and write a good mix of both happy and sad, They're both idiots when it comes to love.

For the record, Vox thought this was a fucking stupid idea.

He and the other Vees should be back at the tower. Watching what was about to go down instead of being on the front line. But Velvette just had to put her foot in all of their mouths. When Carmilla had ‘graciously’ informed the other Vee what was going to happen at the hotel, finishing with “Surely your attitude could lend some help on the field.” ,Velvette just had to make her stand. Which also meant that Vox and Valentino were roped into this as well.

Fucking Hell, this was horrible. But there was little Vox could do about it now as he watched the portal to Heaven open up. Heart racing as numerous Exorcists poured out and headed directly to the hotel.

“Here they come.” Someone unhelpfully provided, but Vox didn’t turn to find out who.

He was already charged, fangs bared as the first Exorcists engaged. The Cannibals took down the first few easily. Those flying after directed to the main group.

Vox barely dodges the sword’s arch, gaining enough of an open to dig his claws into the angel’s skin. Delivering a high voltage to his attacker that caused them to scream in pain and step away.

Leaving their sword stuck in the ground.

Vox didn’t waste time. Picking it up and plunging it straight through its original owner's heart. Taking small satisfaction in watching them drop.

That was forgotten for a moment as a dark dome encompassed the area. Vox watching as those Exorcists who were about to enter were either cut in half or squashed when they ran into the obstacle.

“Step one is lowering numbers and separation. They’ll be sending their fastest fighters first to deal out quick damage before the heavy hitters come in. Alastor will create a barrier around the hotel to cause that separation. While it’s up, focus on taking down the numbers that got in.”

Vox let out a huff as he scanned the battlefield. It was a mess of different fractions struggling to survive and come out on top. Velvette and Valentino had teamed up, the former providing cover while Valentino shot his way through. The same could be said about Charlie and Vaggie, just replace the gun with a spear. Husk was providing arial support, with Angel Dust and Cherri Bomb delivering massive ground coverage.

Niffty was running around, gleefully stabbing angels that had already fallen. Sir Pentious barked orders from the balcony while his Egg Minions rushed around to offer aid. The Cannibals were honestly just biting the closest thing that moved. Thankfully, it seemed to alway be an Exorcist.

And Alastor…

Vox’s attention flicked to the top of the hotel, where he knew the Radio Demon stood. Watching. Waiting. Eyes no doubt trained on the largest angel up there. A small part of Vox felt that he shouldn’t be so worried. It was Alastor after all, the Radio Demon. He could handle himself. He’d proven that time and time again. This was just another stoll for him.

Except he’s never fought an angel before. Let alone fucking Adam of all souls.

“Oi, Vox!”

The Media Overlord winced as an Exorcist was shot in the head. Taking a step back to avoid being downed by the dead angel. Heart hammering, he looked back to find Valentino blowing the smoke from the gun barrel. Velvette glaring at the Media Overlord, clearly pissed.

“Get your fucking head out of your ass and focus.” She shouted before they went off to take down a few more angels.

Taking a few deep breaths, Vox attempted to find a target or someone to help.

Only for his attention to go do the barrier after a loud ‘crack!’ sounded around them. Worry grew as the protection started to crumble away. Adam’s face cracked into a triumphant smile as he instantly went for the rooftop.

“Fuck…” Vox whispered out.

Alastor was by himself.

By himself facing Adam.

“If the barrier is broken, and it probably will be, Alastor is our best bet to keep Adam busy. No offense to the rest of you Overlords, but I’ve never seen you in battle before. I know Alastor’s power. Plus, with him making the barrier, Adam will be gunning for him, no doubt. All you have to do, Alastor, is keep him busy.”

“Are you saying I can’t take this angel down on my own?”

“I’m saying that we need to play this safe. Especially if you’re taking him on, alone.”

“Fuck.”

Before he could really think about what he was doing, Vox was running towards the hotel. The brick and mortar on the side of said building crumbling away as live wires sprouted from the newly created hole. The Media Overlord grabbing onto them the next second and launching himself up to the roof.

It wasn’t the most graceful of landings. Having to do a random tuck roll to avoid smashing his screen. But he was saved from the embarrassment given the fact everyone was too focused on their own fight. Vox ducked behind the hotel’s sign and rooftop windows as he searched for Alastor.

Well, ‘searched’ wasn’t the best word. More watched in fascination as Alastor faced Adam. While it was pretty clear the angel was used to just swinging his weapons around at random, Adam wasn’t used to an actual fight. Against someone who could fight and had to fight on an almost daily basis to survive.

Even the dialogue swapped between them wasn’t comparable. Alastor was smooth and to the point, able to hit right where it hurts.

Adam continued to flounder, grasping at such basic insults that all he could really blurt out was, “Fucking Red!”

Between the barrage of attacks and his inability to focus, Adam wasn’t prepared as a familiar shadow tentacle to wrap around him. Sending said angel in the hotel’s sign.

Vox was very happy that he had inched away from there as that impact almost split the sign in half.

Alastor didn’t hold back on the mocking laugh, “Poetry! What a way with words you have.”

Emerging from the floating debris and electrical sparks, Adam got back onto his feet easily. Ax held tightly in hand, he took to the skies once more. “I’m going to wipe that shitty smile from your face. Because radio is fucking dead!”

Vox barely had time to duck down behind his cover before Adam’s attack landed. Feeling the actual building beneath him shake. Taking a deep breath, the Media Overlord peeked out again…only for his heart to stop.

The roof of the hotel now carried two deep gashes in the roof, dug out on either side of Alastor. It was clear that whatever the Radio Demon had done was enough to keep himself safe. But his microphone had not fared as well. Completely in half with black essence dripping from it, which hissed softly when it made contact with the building.

“What just happened?” Alastor asked to the open air, eyes eventually landing on his broken tool. “...Fuck.”

To caught up in his loss, Alastor seemed to have missed the point where Adam was winding up for another attack. The angel’s ax sparking with more power than the previous charge.

But Vox saw.

He was fully aware as to what was about to happen.

Alastor’s not going to survive this.

Why wasn’t Alastor looking up? He was still in the middle of a fight. Look up you idiot!

This is going to kill him.

How can you claim to be so powerful yet so oblivious during such an important fight!

He wouldn’t survive this if it landed.

Was Alastor really going to let himself be taken down by an angel after that show?

Wait…if it landed.

That moron.

He’s a moron.

Fuck it.

With clarity like he’d never held before, Vox ran out from behind his barrier. Neither of the other occupants had seen him. Which was a small blessing as he now held an element of surprise to use for his advantage.

Just as Adam swung his ax, Vox had wrapped his arms around Alastor. The Radio Demon finally looked up from his broken toy to fix Vox with a look of confusion. Unable to get out his question before a barrier of wires erupted between the Overlords and the angel.

Vox knew it wouldn’t be enough. But it was the best he could make.

Adam’s attack sliced through the wires like it was nothing, but did thankfully reduce the damage it could cause. It didn’t make it hurt any less when Vox’s back was sliced open. At least he and Alastor were still alive.

The blow caused both Overlords to fly back, hitting the back of the hotel’s roof with a pained grunt. Vox found he couldn’t move. Either because the attack damaged something vital or he was in too much pain. Left to lay against Alastor uselessly as the Radio Demon attempted to recover quickly.

“What the fuck did you just do?” Was the first thing out of Alastor’s mouth.

Vox just let out an exhausted laugh as he looked up. He couldn’t catch his breath. “W-What? You upset you c-can’t cause this kind of…d-damage to me? …F-Fuck this hurts…”

The Media Overlord let out a groan as the world shifted around him. Now cradled in Alastor’s arms as he frantically looked the injured demon over. Who noticed how pinched the smile was, how Alastor’s hands gripped him tightly.

“H-Hey, don’t freak out Bambi, I-I’m okay.”

“Your back is sliced up and you can’t move,” Alastor hissed, “You expect me to believe that.”

“...Kind of?” Vox smirked back. The uncomfortably familiar taste of copper filled his mouth. That’s not good. “I-I’ll be okay, really… You need to f-focus…”

“I’m not leaving you like this.”

“I-I think you have to…”

“Aww, well isn’t this fucking cute? NOT!” Adam landed on the roof before the two demons. Pretending to gag before continuing. “This your little boy toy? Little sacrifice for you, turning you on? …Demons are into that, right? Sacrifices and what not.”

The air around them became filled with static. Vox watched as the familiar dials replaced Alastor’s eyes as the Overlord glared the angel down. The Media Overlord pulled closer as if to get him further away from Adam.

“I̳̿͟͞ w̳̿͟͞i̳̿͟͞l̳̿͟͞l̳̿͟͞ m̳̿͟͞a̳̿͟͞k̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞ y̳̿͟͞o̳̿͟͞u̳̿͟͞ r̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞g̳̿͟͞r̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞t̳̿͟͞ t̳̿͟͞h̳̿͟͞i̳̿͟͞s̳̿͟͞.”

“Oooh, big tough guy got his feelings hurt cuz I broke two of your play things?” Adam laughed, “If you actually put up a decent fight, maybe this would have turned out differently.”

Alastor let out a hiss, teeth bared at the angel. Vox tensed slightly, feeling a cooling sensation beginning to envelope him. Worried that he’d been further injured than he’d originally thought. Only to relax as shadows began to enclose around him and Alastor.

“I hate to take a break in the action,” said Alastor with as much disdain he could squeeze into his words, “But we’ll have to take a short commercial break before the show can resume.”

As they sunk into the shadows, Vox heard Adam’s condescending “Bye bitch!” before being swallowed by the darkness. When he could see again, he found they’d been moved to the entrance of the hotel. Mainly at the top of the stairs, tucked away in a dark corner.

Vox couldn’t help but hiss in pain as a hand just barely touched the gash. “E-Easy, I’m already in enough pain.”

“Shut up.” Alastor snapped back.

“I’m fine-”

“Stop talking.”

“Seriously, I just n-need to-”

“W̳̿͟͞i̳̿͟͞l̳̿͟͞l̳̿͟͞ y̳̿͟͞o̳̿͟͞u̳̿͟͞ b̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞ q̳̿͟͞u̳̿͟͞i̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞t̳̿͟͞ f̳̿͟͞o̳̿͟͞r̳̿͟͞ o̳̿͟͞n̳̿͟͞c̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞ i̳̿͟͞n̳̿͟͞ y̳̿͟͞o̳̿͟͞u̳̿͟͞r̳̿͟͞ m̳̿͟͞i̳̿͟͞s̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞r̳̿͟͞a̳̿͟͞b̳̿͟͞l̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞ e̳̿͟͞x̳̿͟͞i̳̿͟͞s̳̿͟͞t̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞n̳̿͟͞c̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞ a̳̿͟͞n̳̿͟͞d̳̿͟͞ l̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞t̳̿͟͞ m̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞ t̳̿͟͞h̳̿͟͞i̳̿͟͞n̳̿͟͞k̳̿͟͞!”

Vox snapped his mouth closed as Alastor glared down at him. Okay, so, maybe the Radio Demon was more upset than he’d originally planned on. Which, to be honest, he didn’t think Alastor would be upset period over seeing his rival in pain. Vox fully expected to be tossed aside to let Alastor get his second wind while the Media Overlord escaped to lick his wounds.

This…was not in his original plan.

Mismatched eyes flickered up to Alastor’s ears. Which were pinned back as far as they could go. “Y-You’re really upset…”

“...You fucking idiot.” Vox didn’t fight it as he was pulled close once more. Even allowing himself to relax into the hold as Alastor pressed his forehead against the flat screen. “What were you thinking?”

“T-That you weren’t going to s-survive that…”

Alastor let out a humorless chuckle, “And you were?”

“H-Hey, I’m still breathing.”

“Barely.”

“I’ll b-be fine.”

“You keep saying that.”

“Because it’s true.”

They fell silent as an explosion sounded from outside, quickly followed by a roar.

“You n-need to get back out there.” Vox said, trying to prop himself up.

“I need to make sure you’re okay first.”

“This isn’t up for discussion Bambi.”

“You’re right, it’s not. So stop moving so I can see how bad it is.”

“Would you-”

The moment was interrupted once again when something large and heavy came barreling into the front of the hotel. Vox was pulled back against Alastor as the shadows swallowed them once more. The former just making out a downed winged beast and Vaggie falling into the lobby proper before he was consumed into the darkness once more.

Light returning showed they were now in the surrounding forest. Vox still able to see the hotel and battle, but far enough that he doubts he’d be in further danger. Unless the Exorcists won and left the confines of the hotel.

“Alastor-”

“You’ll be safe here. At the very least…you’ll be far enough away that I can focus better on the fight.”

Vox let out a hiss as he was laid down. Watching as Alastor removed his jackets, folded it up, and placed it behind the other demon’s head. A hand lingering to rub a thumb along Vox’s screen. Who had no issues leaning into the touch.

“...Kick their asses, yeah?” Vox offered in a small whisper.

“That was the plan,” Alastor replied with a gentle smile, “I’ll be back for you once this is over.”

“You’d better be…” Reaching up, Vox gently took the hand resting against his screen and brought it closer to his lips. Pressing the back of Alastor’s hands to them before letting go. “I’m expecting a show until then.”

“Well, I’d hate to disappoint.”

Vox could only watch as Alastor sunk into the shadows once more, alone this time. Leaving the other demon to rest against the tree. Who was fighting to remain conscious, eyes following what was happening below him as best he could while his vision blurred.

A strange chirping pulled Vox away from the battle. Finding a familiar formed shadow hovering over him.

“Ah…Alastor sent you, didn’t he?”

The shadow didn’t reply back.

“Okay… I’m okay…”

He fell into the awaiting darkness.

He let out a small groan feeling something touch his back.

“I have you…”

He heard people talking. About what, he couldn’t say. But he couldn’t seem to care.

“I wish you could hear this nonsense…”

He felt something brush against his screen.

“You can wake up now… Please.”

He was warm. Comfortable.

“Don’t make me wait too long for you…”

He felt someone holding his hand.

“Vox… You need to wake up…”

Vox let out a small groan as he powered on his screen. His limbs felt heavy as he moved them to rub his eyes. As best he could anyway. The whole screen thing made it rather difficult. Moving slowly, he sat up, barely paying attention to the sheets that slid off him and pooled into his lap. Taking a deep breath, Vox finally opened his eyes to look around.

He was in a bedroom. It was decked out in varying hues of deep reds with accents of black. He was currently resting in a large canopy bed, the curtains drawn and tied back with gold rope. Large armchairs faced the fireplace, which was currently unlit. An overstuffed bookshelf had been placed opposite from the foot of the bed. Next to it was a large wardrobe with a full length mirror.

The walls were filled with numerous pictures and mounts of both animal and demon heads. Only bare for the furniture and the ornate black door that no doubt led to some kind of exit.

“Not my first choice in decorations…” Vox muttered softly. He pulled the blankets off and shuffled over to the large mirror.

He looked horrible.

The wound had been dressed, with wrappings covering his entire middle, leaving just enough room for his arms to be exposed. His skin, which was usually a deep navy blue, was ashened. The embedded lights flickering weakly. His face was barely visible, due to how low the light on his screen was. He didn’t have any more energy to light it further.

Giving a small scoff to himself, Vox made for the door.

He paused before gripping the handle when he heard music coming from the other side. Jazz, Vox guess, songs that he’d not heard before.

There’s no way he was…

Vox opened the door and stepped into a parlor. Same design as the bedroom, deep reds with black accents. It was spacious and comfortable, homey. The closest you could get when in Hell. A small kitchen that was connected to a dining area. Enough room for two to three people at a time to move around comfortably. Further along, the room changed to that of an open bayou. Vox smells the damp earth and even hears the chirps of creatures that he knew weren’t actually there.

Sitting at the small dining table, cup half way to his lips, was Alastor. Red eyes wide as he stares Vox down. Who can only look back, frozen to the spot.

“Um…hi?” Vox weakly offered.

“...Hello. Care to join me?” Alastor offered, gesturing to the chair across from him.

Realizing he didn’t have much of a choice, Vox took it. Closing the bedroom door behind him. He cautiously approached the table, eyeing Alastor before sitting down. Thankful that the chair was padded and didn’t bother his wound.

Vox twitched in surprise when a plate appeared before him. It was filled with small tea cakes and sandwiches made with ingredients that he couldn’t recognize. Picking one up, Vox looked it over before casting his eyes over to Alastor.

“None of it is sinner meat,” was the quick reply, “I’m not that cruel.”

That was enough for Vox. His composure to look put together fell away when he took the first bite, stomach squeezing and moaning as if to signify how long it had been since he’d last eaten. He didn’t care how he looked as he tried to stuff as much into his mouth as possible. All Vox could focus on was keeping his mouth full. Unaware that the plate continuously filled itself back up with every piece that was eaten.

The music continued on.

Vox only slowed down long enough to down some water, by some it was a few glassfuls worth, before going back to eating.

Alastor didn’t say a word as he nursed his own cup of tea. Eyes pointedly looking away to let Vox eat without an audience.

Eventually, Vox leaned back into the chair, hand on his stomach as he finally reached his fill. Eyes closing as he settles in to let it all digest.

“Feeling better?” Alastor asks, placing his cup down.

“Yeah… Thanks.”

“Good. With that out of the way.”

The calming atmosphere suddenly disappeared when Vox found himself trapped in the chair. Wide eyes going up to the Radio Demon, whose face was already beginning to twist. Alastor leaned closer with his hands digging into the chair’s arms.

“Where do you get off,” Alastor hissed out, “Taking an attack for me.”

Vox frowned back, “You’re telling me you wanted to die?”

“You have no proof that would have happened.”

“That attack only did the damage it did to me because I was able to make a barrier. You didn’t even have your magic raised! You were just a sitting duck, you moron!” Vox’s bravado fell away when Alastor let out a hiss, inching closer.

“Mind your words.”

Vox frowned softly, turning his attention away from the other. “...Why are you upset?”

That caused Alastor to pull away, putting on an air of standoffishness. “I’m not.”

“You almost went full Radio Demon on me and you expect me to believe that? Why are you upset? Is it because I stole your thunder?”

“No.”

“Because I saw you lose?”

“I didn’t lose.”

Vox rolled his eyes. “Sure, whatever…”

He shifted to sit better in the chair, involuntarily letting out a small hiss of pain. Looking back up, Vox froze, finding Alastor’s eyes had returned to him. Ears flat on his head while red eyes darted around the Media Overlord.

“...Were you…scared for me?”

“Yes.”

Silence.

The music continued on.

“...Alastor…I said I was fine-”

“Do not.” Alastor hissed out. Not out of anger towards Vox, but out of fear. The Radio Demon turned away so his back faced Vox.

The record scratched. The music stopped.

“You were…passed out when I returned to the forest. I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know how deep that gash was. You didn’t respond to anything I tried. We didn’t have a hotel to return to, it had been destroyed during the fight, but you needed somewhere safe to recover.”

Vox slowly stood and cautiously made his way over to Alastor. Whose back was still facing him.

“I overreacted, I know I did. Your business partners wanted to take you back to your stupid tower. I should have let you go, but the thought of you being so far away from me was… I hated it. So I fought for you to stay here. More like threatened to bite their hands off if they reached for you. But the warning did its job well.”

Still moving cautiously, Vox moved to stand next to the other. Turning to look Alastor in the face as best he could. Finding the other demon’s eyes closed, a comforting smile weighing on him.

Alastor’s eyes snapped back open, causing Vox to take a tentative step back. The Radio Demon followed until the other had his back pressed against the wall. Holding back a flinch as a hand reached up to brush across his screen. Involuntarily, Vox closed his eyes as he leaned into the touch, sighing softly.

“If I was…scared…how would that make you feel?” Alastor asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“...Confused?” Vox weakly started, “Because I have no reason to believe that you should be worried about me.”

“I should say the same about you. You left the battlefield specifically to oversee my fight against Adam. I fully planned on facing him alone, I was ready to handle the outcome delivered to me. Yet here you come, racing over to act as a shield for an attack meant for me. Someone you called a rival.”

Vox looked away, still allowing the hand to rest on his screen. “You broke us off all those years ago…and then left… I thought you wanted to get away from me. I thought you hated me.”

“...I don’t.”

A heavy sigh sounds, “Sure feels like it.”

“...Have I ever told you why I smile?”

Vox looked back up at that, brows furrowed in confusion. “No…”

Letting out a small hum, Alastor gently pulled Vox away from the wall. With a wave of his hand, the music returned once more, filling the air with a slow waltz instead of jazz. Vox didn’t argue as one of his hands was claimed, flushing slightly when Alastor’s other one rested on his waist. The Media Overlord resting his free hand on the Radio Demon’s shoulder.

As if they’d only done this just the other day, they easily fell into step. Vox felt a little tense at first but relaxed as the second song came around.

“I smile because it’s a weapon like anything else,” Alastor said softly, “I keep everyone on their toes when I’m around because no one knows what I’m thinking. A smile makes everyone assume that I’m in control of the situation. A smile can offer comfort or terror depending on who it’s directed to.”

Vox frowned, “Okay…”

“I always hold my cards close to my chest. Always. I never like anyone having something over me. Manipulation is my tactic, no one else’s.”

“What point are you trying to make here?”

“I thought I was playing my game as safely as I could. Perhaps in my stubbornness I became a little…short sighted.”

Vox frowned, “Is…someone blackmailing you?”

“In a way.”

That caused the Media Overlord’s heart to freeze. “Wha- Who? Who in all of Hell would be dumb enough to tangle with an Overlord. More specifically, you.”

Alator’s smile thinned as his eyes flickered away.

“...Is it not someone from Hell? Did you run into an angel? Alastor-”

“I left because I became…short sighted. In my attempts to appear untouchable, I loosened my grip…and someone stole a card from my hand. Yes, I left our relationship and I disappeared because of you. But not from hate or displeasure. The time I had with you is not something I would trade for anything.”

“Then…why?”

Alastor turned his attention back to Vox, “Come now, you’re not that dense. I can’t always spell things out for you.”

“You never have.” Vox argued back, but muddled over what had been said. Figuring Alastor wouldn’t be ‘allowed’ to offer more insight to his predicament.

His eyes widened slightly in understanding. Raising his screen to stare Alastor down.

“Did…someone threaten me?”

The tight smile returned. “I had unknowingly painted a bullseye on your back.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because, I’m ashamed to admit, I panicked. I just had a desire to put as much space between me and you. When I returned, I figured it would be better to have you hate me to keep that distance. …I didn’t think you and your business partners would have joined this fight.”

Vox rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, that’s what happens when Velvette runs her mouth… You were really okay with me hating you for all eternity just to keep me safe.”

“Yes.”

“You…fucking idiot.” Vox laughed softly, shaking his head. “How can you be a serial murderer yet a martyr at the same time?”

“I care for only a few lives in this place. I will always act as a shield for them.”

“Bleeding heart.” Vox couldn’t stop the yelp that left him as he was suddenly dipped down to the floor. Shifting his hand on Alastor’s shoulder to now wrap the whole arm around the other demon. The Media Overlord looked up with wide eyes.

“Those are the best kind to devour.” Alastor commented smoothly.

“Yeah, I remember that…”

Vox was slowly brought back up onto his feet once more. Relaxing as he found his balance. Both demons were content with just swaying slowly where they stood.

“I hope you understand that, now that you’ve told me a bit as to what’s going on, you’re not getting rid of me.” Vox stated definitely.

“I figured as much.”

“And you’re not going to run away again. Are you?”

“It was not in my immediate plans, no.”

“I suppose that’s the best I’m going to get…”

“Suppose so. …How about this as consolation?”

Vox tensed suddenly feeling lips cover his, relaxing the next moment as he kissed back. Arms moving to gently wrap around the other, eyes closing as Alastor’s hands rested on his hip. Both didn’t seem to hear the static as the music paused in its progression.

When they pulled apart, Vox kept his eyes closed. Content in allowing Alastor to press his forehead against the screen.

“How was that?”

“Better than I remembered.”

“Good.”

And the music continued on.

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