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#god if toast joins its over....absolute JOKES
pressforlove · 3 years
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sykkuno, jae, rae & jodi are playing w mark today !! at 11pm est they’re gnna play among us
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bastillewolf · 3 years
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Hello idk if the requests are still going but if not then its okay ignore this and if they are please don't over work yourself and you don't need to do my request if you don't want to just stay healthy and eat well and drink lots of water we all live your work (and are simps for corpse-)
The ask : could I ask for a corpse husband x reader where they used to get shipped together before they even meet each other and when they meet each other corpse goes soft for reader and they play two rounds In among us together where they are imposters together and corpse is an imposter alone in the other round
Reader info : reader has a very soft voice and is a softie and the pronounce is she/her or they/them ( as you wish)
Again you don't gotta do it if you don't want to
Thanks so much for the ask, An. I was feeling like shit and this was a lot of fun to write. I’m sorry though, I completely read over the part where the reader was supposed to have a soft voice. I’ll see if I can make another one with this specification sometime. Also, I wrote this rather quickly because I’m watching Twilight for the first time and now my feelings are hurt.
#CorpseBride - Oneshot
Pairings: Corpse / Reader
Twitter wasn’t really your forte, but you knew how to get around. It’s just that you never really had the time to check it, let alone to see what’s on the trending page every single day. At the very least, you were capable of replying to your friends’ stuff and letting your viewers know when you were streaming or when a new video would be up. Again, you weren’t a pro, but you got by.
Until you didn’t.
“Hey, everyone,” you greeted, and immediately went to change your Among Us figure to its usual colour and outfit before someone else took it.
Everyone welcomed you, while it seemed Toast was still busy trying to get a last person to join.
“Whaddup, baby,” Corpse’s shot out from the rest of them. It was pure teasing, something he’d grown quite comfortable with ever since people had blatantly started simping for his voice. “Nothing much, honey. How’ve you been?” You cheekily replied. “Pretty good. Streaming still makes me nervous, though.” “You greeted me with ‘Whaddup, baby’ and then proceed to tell me you’re nervous? Don’t get upset when I say that I don’t believe you.” He chuckled at that.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Impostor
“Ha!” you called out, “I doubt this will soothe your nerves, Corpse. You’re teamed up with me now.” You sneaked in a glance at chat. “We are not an old married couple! If anything, he can be my bitch for this round. I’m just not gonna murder anyone.”
And that’s basically how it went. He managed to kill three people and still wasn’t being sussed. “Alright, I think I’ve tortured him enough,” you laughed, “I’ll even spare Sykkuno for the man.”
You managed to corner Toast and killed him in a corner where the water wheels were, before heading out into admin. You vented until you found Corpse in Labs and jumped out. It was right when Sykkuno walked in.
“Oh, god no. Please, Sykkuno.”
Your kill count still wasn’t down yet and he was obviously planning to run straight out the door to hit the emergency button, but he was stopped. Corpse had murdered him in an instant.
Your mouth was hanging open. “Did… Did he just kill Sykkuno for me?” Chat was going absolutely wild. “What the fuck just happened?” You decided to report the body anyway.
“I can’t fucking believe it,” Corpse growled, “Not my best friend, Sykkuno.”
You had to mute yourself to keep the laughter at bay. Corpse evidently vouched for you, saying you’d walked in on the body together. Felix was sussed and voted out.
“Corpse, you killed me!” Sykkuno cried out.
“I’m so sorry, Sykkuno! I wanted to spare you but you walked in at the wrong time!” You pleaded.
“Sacrifices had to be made,” Corpse merely responded.
“Wait, what happened?” Sean asked.
“I walked in on one of them venting and then Corpse killed me!”
“Collateral damage. You watched me get killed one time, too.”
“Blame me, Sykkuno. It was my fault,” but you were laughing as you said it.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard such regret coming from an imposter,” Sean laughed along, “Also, why the fuck were you two being so slow? Three meetings in and you’d only killed three people.”
“Corpse was simping for me,” you replied.
“I was not.”
“Yes, you were. Otherwise you would’ve asked me what the hell I’d been doing that entire time.”
“Fuck off,” he laughed.
“Corpse is an UWU-boy!”
“Oh my god, you guys are already trending.”
“Wait, what?”
Your phone was being blasted off to space, getting tons of messages with the hashtag #CorpseBride. It was number 1 trending on Twitter.
“So… whaddup, baby?”
“Oh no, you better buy me a drink first.”
“Sure.”
 You hadn’t thought he’d been serious in that moment, until he’d asked you to meet up after the game had ended. You hesitantly agreed, but reminded him that he absolutely did not have to participate in this just for the meme. “I’m not doing this for the meme,” he’d said, “I’ve been wanting to ask you out for a while, I just never knew how. It seemed like the perfect timing.”
You met him at his apartment, knowing how he was about going out in public, and feeling extremely nervous. You’d brought takeout, and because you hadn’t been sure what he wanted you’d ordered way too much. Upon opening the door, he looked at you, down at the bag, and said, “Shit, you got food?” Not really knowing what else to say, you simply replied, “Uh, yeah.”
“Well, I guess we’ll have lots of leftovers, then.”
He smiled, gave you a hug that ended way too fast and left you paralyzed for a minute, and then invited you in. It turned out he’d already ordered food, too. “Plenty to choose from,” he laughed awkwardly. “Uh… You got any neighbours who might want some?” you asked.
“I-I don’t really talk to anyone outside of my friend group.”
“Oh, of course. I could go around, if you’d like.”
“You’d do that for me?”
You furrowed your brows. “Of course I would. Why not?”
“Alright, but let me at least come with you. You just do the talking.”
Three knocks at three different doors later, and someone accepted the offer and took over some of the food. “Hang on a minute,” the elderly man said, clad in only his pyjamas and a bathrobe, managing to make the situation even more uncomfortable, “Aren’t you my neighbour? You always scurry off before I get the chance to talk to you!”
You looked at Corpse, and he back at you, and you turned back to the elderly man. “He, uh… He’s very people shy. He has anxiety. I’m trying to help him cope. Also, his vocal chords are damaged.” Nothing you’d said so far had been a lie, technically, but the man still remained sceptical. “Then why didn’t you just leave a note or something?”
“Uh…” you jumped at the small voice appearing from behind you. It’s just that his ‘small voice’ is still nothing close to small. “I know, I’m terribly sorry, sir. I also just wanted to let you know that if you ever need anything, I’m just a few doors away.”
This seemed to please the man enough.
“I can’t believe you made me do that.”
“I made you?!” You gasped, “I didn’t make you do anything, you filthy liar! You’re just as bad in real life as in Among Us, when you’re the impostor and I’m the innocent crewmate.”
“No comment.”
“I didn’t even ask you a question.”
“No comment.”
“Deadass?”
“Deadass.”
You both laughed. Corpse hesitated for just a moment, but decided to ask anyway, “Were you nervous when I opened the door?”
You chuckled awkwardly, admitting, “Yeah, I was. I always get anxious meeting people. Well, we’d met before, of course. But just, you know, in real life.”
“I get it.”
You stood there in silence for a moment, until you noticed the rest of the takeout in your hands was getting cold. “Come on, wife,” he joked, linking his pinkie finger with yours, “Let me get you that drink.”
If he hadn’t dragged you along then and there, you could’ve sworn your knees would’ve given out.
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camping hc’s w/ the feral boys <3
AYO LOOK AT THESE : implied smut if u look hard enough , but really just some cute , fluffy feral boys content lol . these ended up being really fun to write so let me know if u have any other ideas for more hc’s !! ily , starlight ☁
reblogs are always appreciated !!! <3
all as a group - 
god help us all this would be a MESS
you guys would get one of those massive tents that have separate rooms for everyone
s’mores are a guarantee
alex and clay would light their marshmallows on fire
and chase each other around with them
karl is FOCUSED on getting the perfect golden roast
sapnap keeps nudging him to mess the marshmallow up
george literally has his marshmallow in the fire for .2 seconds
clay would give him so much shit for it and the two of them would “argue”
but george would end up breaking his smore in half for clay
and feeding it to him most likely 
alex would bring his guitar and play it while everyone sat around the fire
sapnap would definitely start singing ‘campfire song’ from spongebob
everyone would pick up
and dissolve into laughter
clay would be the first to bring up telling scary stories
you’d be scared as shit from the words he was crafting
youd sandwich yourself between karl and alex
alex would poke your waist , jumpscaring you
and you’d pout saying you’re going to bed
youd walk into the tent
they would all C O M P L A I N but eventually join you
at least one of them pees on the fire “to make sure its completely out”
george would ‘knock’ on the tent to see if you were dressed
because they’re respectful , your honor
everyone would meet in the main part of the tent with sleeping bags and pillows and blankets
completley abandoning all the separate rooms
you’d all take turns talking about nothing at all really
making stupid jokes
if you fell asleep first , clay and george would make everyone whisper
you need your beauty sleep
they’d all fade pretty fast after that
but karl would wake everyone to watch the sunrise together
dream -
would have the top of the line camping equipment
even if it was for like
a two day trip
he’d go to an outdoor store and come home with an entire car full of camping shit
a portable grill
a blowup mattress
the nicest two person tent money could buy
the full nine yards
would put you in charge of planning meals
which is probably a good idea
has had the campsite booked for months
somewhere by a lake
“clay , we literally live by the ocean”
“it’s not the same , baby”
he’s right , its not
would take a mini road trip to get there
he’d make sure to stop at all the tourist traps along the way
you two would end up with a bunch of fruit from a roadside stand
once you finally got there
the tent would essentially pitch itself
he’d do the car salesman slap on the nylon
“best tent money can buy”
you’d probably take a nap , tired from the drive
by the time clay shook you awake the sun was setting
so he'd fire up his little camping grill
pls he’d geek out so hard over it
you’d be awake from the nap
so clay would light a lantern and the two of you would just 
wander around the campsite holding hands
you two would absolutely go swimming at midnight
clay would pick you up in the water 
and have you wrap your legs around him like a koala
he’d pepper your face with kisses
then dunk you under the water
once you two got out you’d get in pajamas
and clay wouldn’t be able to inflate the air mattress
he forgot the pump
but you brought sleeping bags just incase
you two would fall asleep as close as two people in sleeping bags possibly could
sapnap -
would insist on being the manliest man
like would collect firewood and everything
he’d show off the axe he brought
then would chop the wood
he's gloating smh
and would get 125670 % more overprotective when you wanted to try
would stand behind you and show you how to swing
would guide your arms and everything
but would stand like
10 feet away
when you went to actually swing
spooked by how hard you chopped
but also proud ???
would build a fire as it got dark
and tell you how pretty you looked in the light from the flames
he’d be pretty old school w camping food
would stab a poker through hotdogs
he’d help you roast yours , rotating it so it cooked even
would forget the buns and condiments
“i thought we had everything!”
the two of you would die of laughter
just eating ur hotdogs
off of the pokers
however
would remember a stash of candy and snacks
so you end up eating those too
nick would have the tent up in less than five minutes
“fastest tent pitcher on this side of the mississip” 😎
would bring it up 13790 times
he would find a way to zip your sleeping bags up together so it's one big franken-bag
he’s so warm
keeps you toasty
George -
camping was most likely your idea
but gogs is all for it
gets really excited and buys a two person sleeping bag
“so we can still cuddle”
you’d bring all your camping equipment so you had a pad to sleep on
“sleeping on the ground hurts , baby”
“isn't that the whole point ?”
would have his hand on your thigh as he drove to the campsite
and would play loud music the whole way there
with all the windows down
you two would set up camp while it was still light
both struggling™
to get the tent up
it would take y’all like an hour
and both of you would be all sweaty after wrestling with it
so george would change into swimming trunks and wait on you to put on a bathing suit
then he would piggyback you to the lake
running straight into the cold water while you scREAMED
you’d smack him so he’d let you down
then you’d splash him
a splash war would ensue
george would grab your hands , threading them through his
“be nice to me >:,(“
you’d get all soft and wrap your arms around him
the two of you would swim for h o u r s
until someone got hungry
you’d show gogs how to make a campfire
he’d knock over your demonstration
“i want to try”
would nail it on the first shot
you'd be baffled but entirely impressed
after dinner he would show off the oversized sleeping bag
you two would get in together , legs tangled
would probably download movies on his phone beforehand for you guys to watch
he’d fall asleep first , lulled to bed by the sounds of outside
Karl -
loves camping so much
just loves outside in general
would already have a bunch of gear
but would insist on finding a way for you two to be able to sleep together
we all know this boys love language is touch
even in his sleep he needs some sort of skin to skin contact
would buy a camping bed
i feel like karl would want to make “real camping food”
so he’d do hotdogs
and those foil packet thingies with potatoes and corn
he’d show you how to seal they foil and bury it in the coals properly
would scrunch his nose at you while you messed the wrapping up on purpose
“let me do it for you , baby”
would proceed to do it for you
he’d take 100000000000 pictures of you 
in the sunset lighting
the campfire lighting
the moon lighting
because he cant help how beautiful you look
would feed you bites of vegetable in between your hot dog
“are you staying hydrated?”
brought juice boxes , too
he’d set up a place for you guys to stargaze
and would point out all the constellations
yall would make up your own too , giving them full backstories
he’d slow dance with you under the moon until it got too cold to be outside
the two of you would … take advantage of the camping bed
crossing ‘outside’ off the bucket list 😌
by day 3 he was tired of his traditional camping food
would beg you for some of your snacks
you’d feed him oreos and fruit snacks while you guys hiked
Quackity -
was not down™
at first
but once he saw how excited you were 
he would be all in
would go to a camping store with you and pick out equipment
alex would insist on getting the stereotypical camping cookware
“we have to !!!”
“no we dont???”
“yes we do 😤”
would refuse to sleep on the ground
buys one of those camping pad things
would buy a two person sleeping bag as well
“if im doing this im at LEAST sleeping next to you”
you’d beg him to bring his guitar and play it at the campfire
he’d sing you soft songs while you toasted marshmallows
and you’d feed him s’mores
but you two would end up just eating the chocolate bars instead
he’d bring some sort of card game
and you two would get way too competitive
probaby uno
you’d be screaming at each other at like 1 am
“yOU DIDN’T SAY UNO”
would get a noise complaint
but alex does not care
not one bit
would make a joke about you screaming his name instead
ends up loving falling asleep to the sounds of nature
somehow finds his way into being little spoon
you two fall asleep holding each other
and wake up a tangled mess
begs you to stay another night
because he actually likes being away from it all
and getting uninterrupted one-on-one time with his girl
next time you guys get a free weekend , he’s the one who suggests camping
because he loved it so much
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bilingualfreak · 3 years
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Title: It’s Implied
Part: 1/?: Prologue
Author:  bilingual freak
Characters:  Chris Evans x Asian!Reader
Word Count: 1,533 words 
Warnings:  Fluff, slowburn
Song Inspiration: Need You Tonight - INXS
Date posted: 23rd March 2021
Author’s Notes: I can’t be the only Asian chikadee out there that wants a series she can relate to, right?! Please leave me comments, I love feedback and human interaction 😍Feel free to listen to the song inspiration behind the chapter, every chapter has a song inspiration that I think would be the background music if it were to be a movie, haha.
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Prologue
2010
“Blimey Y/N! You look absolutely smashing in that dress! Is that the one we went shopping for last year?” Natalie piped up and waved her lanky arms as she saw you walking towards her. She wrapped her arms around you pulling you in for a tight a hug, as you both let go of one another you grabbed her hand and squeezed it lightly.
Nodding your head, you finally replied, “It finally fits in all the places I want it to fit, thank God. All that yoga nonsense that Craig had been raving on about for years – if I had known I would have joined him earlier.”
You plopped your personalised black clutch on the bar and helped yourself onto the stool next to Natalie. Natalie continued staring at her friend while signalling the bartender for another drink, “I’m guessin’ fifth date didn’t go so well?”
The bar was brightly lit with the warm gleam hitting the hardwood flooring, it was scattered with people amongst good company. Today, the bar wasn’t crowded, which was unusual for a Friday night. Sounds of glasses clinking and laughter, men making toasts and yelling cheers filled the air. Natalie and yourself frequented this bar after a long day of study, most weeknights you would bring along your notebooks and laptop to jot down notes from their lectures while nibbling on pistachios and drinking a cold beer.
You shook your head, “Obviously dating a cute obstetrician, slash gyno, has its perks. Fancy dinners and expensive wine. But he got a call and had to rush off to deliver a baby - I don’t even think Dave is ready for a relationship. His work comes with round the clock demands and it must be so stressful. I mean come on, five hours of sleep a night? And on top of that, ninety-five percent chance he could be called in? I don’t think our lives mesh well at all, remind me to call and break up with him tomorrow?”
The two of you have been best friends for years now; Natalie was born and raised in the UK but relocated to Boston with her mum after her parents divorced. She had a hard time adjusting without her father and was constantly reprimanded in school due to outbursts and strong defiance against her teachers – a ploy set about to have her mum give up and have Natalie deported back to London. Natalie’s Italian background made it hard for most to get acquainted to; she was known to be hot headed and swore profusely on the playground. To be honest, it use to scare you.
None the less, you befriended one another after hearing Natalie read a self written poem as part of a speech assignment in eighth grade English. The two of you had a mutual understanding of the importance of words. Your friendship only blossomed from there, spending your afternoons in libraries studying together, weekends watching movies and playing soccer in school sports.
“I don’t think the chap would like to be called cute, but right-o. I still don’t understand what prompts blokes like Dave to study to become gynaecologists. Vaginas aren’t that interesting! And as if you’d even want to have sex after seeing a baby come out of a vagina, blood and all!” Natalie took a swig of her whiskey.
Natalie reminisced about how hard it was for you to get your parents to allow you to move out at such an early age. You come from a strict Vietnamese-Chinese background and are filial in every way expected. Natalie always spoke of how you have come out of your shell after moving out, how happy she was for you and that you have become more sure of yourself. More confident. And Natalie was proud of her best friend to say the least.
Natalie prompted their bartender for another two drinks, she had told you before your date that she was going to get smashed tonight, but you could tell she was getting tired. Natalie covered her yawn and looked at you with watery eyes My best gal looks gorg, but she definitely does not fit in at this bar, Natalie thought.
You chose to wear a strapless cinched royal blue midi dress and black heels to co-ordinate with your clutch on your date. Dave is the type of guy your parents would love for you to settle down with, he isn’t a bad catch either; tall, handsome and extremely intelligent - with a degree that earned a lot of money, which would help you settle down and live a very pampered life. You haven’t mentioned Dave to your parents yet, fearing they would push you to marry him.
It had been a very long 52 hours. You have consumed four coffees, three red bulls and now a straight whiskey, all these drinks were finally getting to you and the feeling of regret rushed over your body as you remembered you had only turned in an English paper on American Literature right before your date with Dave, which you left until the very last minute to finish. Why didn’t I ask him for a raincheck? You tilted her head back and ran your lightly shaking fingers through your black hair.
“Okay missy, we got to get home. I have not laid in my bed in over two days, all I want to do is sleep for the next three days.” You down the rest of your whiskey and squinted at the bitterness.
Natalie shook her head, “Uh-uh. Your get-up is killer, so we’re not going to waste it by heading home. It’s barely 10! Come on.”
“I’m so tired! Do we really have to scan this room? We honestly need to start focusing on you” you whined, sliding your head down to meet the bench.
“I know you’re thinking of breakin’ up with that chap tomorrow, we gotta find you another.” Natalie scanned the room, “Shit, I can’t see jack. Let me put on my glasses.”
You laughed and grabbed onto Natalie’s arm, “What?! I was joking about that. Why are you so eager to throw me in the deep end?”
Natalie shook off your grip and dug into her handbag in search of her glasses. She knew that you were going to regret not living your best life while out of your parents sight. Though Natalie loved your parents, they were over protective and completely oblivious towards your unhappiness, “Acronym. YOLO.”
You rolled your eyes, “You do that whole YOLO thing while I go to the loo.”
You hopped up off the barstool and beelined to the women’s lavatory. Once finished, you looked at yourself in the mirror and straightened out the creases around your waist. You had put on a little weight since landing moving out here but you didn’t mind, you looked healthier. You pulled on the door handle, swinging the door open while yawning and swiftly walking back to the bar. You had only closed yours eyes for a second when you bumped into someone.
“Oh! I’m sorry! I should have stayed in one spot while yawning.” You yawned again, quickly covering your mouth - a telling sign to head back to the apartment.
The gentleman laughed, “No worries. Aren’t you a little overdressed for this bar?”
He was wearing a black bomber with an overly tight grey t-shirt and jeans. His blue eyes and long lashes caught your eyes, you quite frankly haven’t seen a better looking man in the years you have attended college. You shift your eyes back to his after they had quickly travelled to his broad shoulders and prominent biceps. Staring at his overall physique in awe, and though the question itself was quite rude, you didn’t hear a tone of offensiveness in his speech. “I, uh, just came from a date at a fancy restaurant, just meeting my mate. Can I buy you a drink as a sorry for bumping into you?”
You pointed at Natalie, with your eyes still watery, who now was scanning the room with her prying designer frames. She knew that this man fits Natalie’s description of the typical man Natalie would fall for. The gentleman looked in the direction she was pointing at, “Sure.”
“My name’s Chris.” He introduced himself as they walked towards Leena.
“I’m Y/N and this gal here is Natalie, Natalie, meet Chris.”
“You are so fucking fit! Nice to meet you, Chris.” Natalie gaped at the sight of Chris, “Blimey! Aren’t you Johnny Storm?”
“Excuse her cussing, she’s very British.” You glare at Natalie, piercing her with your brown eyes. She shrugs and smirks.
Chris laughs it off, “It’s alright, if its any consolation, I cuss all the time.”
Natalie nudged you and whispered while Chris ordered a beer, “Oi, he is THE Chris Evans. Johnny Storm. Flame on! Ring a bell?”
“O-oh!” You gaped, “No way!”
Chris brought his attention back to the two of you, “Yes, I played Johnny Storm.”
“We had the hots for you in highschool.” Natalie blurted.
You couldn’t take your eyes off Chris. It dawned on you that you had just bumped into a Hollywood man, outside the bathroom, at a bar. How didn’t I recognise him?
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hale-13 · 3 years
Text
Euarthropoda
By Hale13
For the Summer of Whump Day 9 - Bugs
Peter enjoys visiting Tony out at the lake house - even though his mentor insists on going hiking.
Words: 1924, Chapters: 1/1 (Complete), Language: English
Fandoms: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Rating: Gen
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Characters: Peter Parker, Tony Stark
TW: Light Discussion of Mental Health
Read on AO3 or below the line break.
“A hike?” Peter asked, his voice dubious and still heavy with sleep. Tony had dragged him out of bed at an ungodly hour to shove a homemade breakfast with all the fixings down his throat before their supposed foray into the ‘great outdoors’.
“A hike,” his mentor confirmed, putting an ungodly amount of ketchup and sriracha on his omelet, making Peter crinkle his nose in disgust. “Eat up! We want to get out there early so we aren’t out in the hottest part of the day.”
“Maybe you haven’t noticed,” Peter pointed out, talking around a mouthful of hash browns with grilled onions – it still blew him away that the Tony Stark he remembered severely burnt or set everything on fire before the Snap but now was perfectly capable of cooking a delicious meal. Wild. “But neither of us is what one might call ‘outdoorsy’,” Peter pointed out, air quotes included, adding another mound of bacon and sausage to his plate when Tony nudged the platter closer.
“Sure we are!” Tony protested. “You spend most of your day outside and I live at a lake house.”
“First of all,” Peter said imperiously, using his fork to point at this mentor and speaking with his mouth full. “Living at a lake house doesn’t mean that you’re suddenly a skilled outdoorsman. It just means that you have money. And second,” Peter continued, speaking louder over Tony’s spluttering, “I spend no time outside at all whatsoever.”
“Lies and slander,” Tony argued. “I’ve seen the logs for your suit so I know just how much you aren’t in your apartment no matter what you tell May.”
Peter threw his arms up in indignation. “Time in the suit does not equate to time spent in the wilderness! It’s climate controlled for fuck’s sake.”
“Language,” Tony admonished with a glance toward the stairs. Morgan had a penchant for creeping around to eavesdrop and had picked up lots of new… vocabulary… that she was all too pleased to teach her multitude of friends at school much to her teacher’s anger, Pepper’s embarrassed rage and Tony’s chagrin. Peter just rolled his eyes – he had super hearing, he would know if Morgan was creeping up on them. “Finish your breakfast.”
“Ugh,” Peter groaned but gave in. He knew a losing battle when he saw one – he was pretty stubborn but, if anyone could beat him out, it was Tony Stark. “Where are we even going?”
“Just around the lake,” Tony answered, spreading Nutella liberally on his toast. “It’s a few miles and I realized I hadn’t shown you the trails yet.”
Peter hummed and looked out the window where the watery light from the early morning sun was cascading over the kitchen and leaving long shadows. It was so much quieter here than the city, the only noise coming from the birds and the gentle lapping of the water from the lake onto the shore. It really was a beautiful place and, despite his verbal protests, Peter actually wasn’t that upset about spending a quiet morning walking around the shore of the lake and relaxing – it had been a rough week of Spider-Manning and he was ready for a break.
“Pete?” Tony asked, pulling him from his musings. “We don’t actually have to go if you really don’t want to. You know that right?”
“I know,” Peter reassured him. “I think I do want to.” Tony gave him a bright smile before grabbing his empty plate to put in the dishwasher.
“Go get changed,” the man said. “I’ll meet you by the dock in a few minutes once I get this put away,” he gestured to the few dirty dishes left on the table, completely empty due to Peter’s voracious metabolism.
“Sure,” Peter agreed. “I’ll do my best not to wake up Mo.”
“Oh God,” Tony groaned. “Please do. We’ll never get out of here if she wakes up.”
Peter laughed, leaving the kitchen to climb up the stairs and enter his room. It was supposed to be a warm day so he pulled on a pair of shorts and a worn out tank top along with a pair of beat up sneakers. Tony was already down by the dock when Peter made his way outside, stretching out his calves, two HydroFlasks sitting in the dirt next to him.
“Ready?” Tony asked, tossing him a bottle which Peter caught easily.
“Yep,” he agreed, stretching his own arms over his head to pop his back and release the tension in his shoulders that was a constant from all of his web-slinging. Tony set an easy pace, following the dirt trail around the lake and Peter fell into step next to him, their conversation light and lulling into comfortable silence in some places as they hiked, just taking in the scenery.
The area truly was stunning; an uncovered gem that Tony had been lucky to find. Land like this didn’t sit around unoccupied for long in the upstate area and Peter could see himself – one da, hopefully – retiring somewhere similar. Maybe Tony would let him build a house out here someday, he was certainly developing a taste for peace and quiet.
“May said you’d had a tough week,” Tony finally brought up lightly, confirming Peter’s suspicions for the alone time away from curious and meddling ears. The two were the absolute worst gossips at their bi-weekly co-parenting lunches – Peter was just lucky Happy hadn’t started joining them since he and May had started dating. Peter wouldn’t get away with anything if all three of them were involved.
Peter mulled the question over for a few minutes before shrugging, deciding to try for nonchalant. “It wasn’t great but I’m okay,” he finally conceded, voice carefully light.
“You can talk to me Webs,” Tony said carefully, his tone neutral. “If anyone knows what this business is like its me.”
They continued in silence for a minute more before Peter stopped in the path and leaned against one of the trees overlooking the lake, watching a Great Blue Heron wade in the shallows a few hundred feet from them pursuing its next meal. “I lost somebody,” he ground out. “I was right there and I’d already webbed up the bad guy but I guess one of his arms was free enough to still aim and fire his gun and…” Peter sniffed, eyes dry but stinging.
Tony sighed but didn’t offer any platitudes. “It sucks and it’s not fair,” he agreed, reaching out a hand to squeeze Peter’s shoulder quickly in solidarity. “And its going to happen again; all that matters is how you handle it. How are you handling it?”
“Mostly by punching a brick wall until I break my knuckles,” Peter admitted, carefully not looking at his mentor’s facial expression which he knew would be disapproving – Tony wasn’t really a fan of Peter’s penchant for using pain and violence to work through his emotions. He held up his right hand though, allowing the man to inspect the unmarred skin and healed bones without protest knowing he would be fighting a losing battle.
“I think we should talk about healthy coping mechanisms again,” Tony joked without humor. “Because this isn’t it.”
“I know,” Peter admitted.
“You give any more thought to my offer?” And Peter had. After the ‘Blip’ both Tony and May had tried to talk Peter into seeing one of the therapists the Avengers had on retainer. His identity would remain secure and he could vent and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Work through some of the issues he knew that he was repressing. Figure out how to deal with the PTSD WebMD told him he had. He had refused them a couple times over the months he had been back but now…
“I‘ve thought about it,” he admitted.
“And?” Tony asked, voice patient but with a hopeful undercurrent he couldn’t quite hide.
“I’ll try it,” Peter agreed, grunting in surprise when Tony pulled him into a firm hug that Peter leaned into, returning it with equal force and closing his eyes to rest his forehead on Tony’s flesh shoulder, tension he didn’t know he was carrying releasing from his muscles.
“I’m so proud of you kiddo,” the man whispered into his ear and Peter felt a watery smile pull up his cheekbones.
“Thanks,” he said as he pulled back to meet Tony’s eyes only for his mentor to be looking at Peter’s shoulder instead of his face. Peter knit his brows in confusion. “Tony?”
“Hold still Pete,” he said, gesturing to Peter’s shoulder. “Got a little wolf spider on you. I’ll get it.”
“A WHAT!” Peter screeched, jumping backwards and yanking his tank top off, ripping it to shreds and tossing it before running his hands over his arms, hair standing on end and skin crawling like he was covered in bugs.
“Uh,” Tony said, looking caught between laughter and confusion. “You okay bud?”
“I HATE spiders,” Peter said, shuddering and climbing halfway up the tree behind him to get away from his shirt on the ground and the arachnid that may still be in it. He was taking no chances. “Aren’t you going to kill it?”
“Kill it?” Tony asked faintly before letting out a snort. “Hate to break it to you Pete, but we’re in his territory not the other way around.”
“He lost the chance to live when he climbed on me,” Peter spat out venomously, eyes still locked on the shirt. He wasn’t letting the little bastard escape. “Can you please just kill it?”
“Pretty sure you flung him halfway to the city already,” Tony choked out around his laughter, picking up Peter’s discarded shirt and shaking it out to check it. “Think your shirt is toast.”
“You’re sure its gone?” Peter asked suspiciously, still perched on the trunk of the tree and feeling over his arms to make sure it wasn’t still on him.
“Yes Peter, Christ. Can you get down from there?” Peter narrowed his eyes but dropped back to the ground, scanning the area nervously. His Spidey sense was tingling uncomfortably from the adrenaline that was working its way through his system. Tony looked him over for a second to make sure he was okay before letting out a snort and then bursting into laughter. “Spider-Man afraid of spiders. Oh this is good!”
“Yeah yeah,” Peter grumbled, crossing his arms over his bare chest and feeling his cheeks heat up. “Laugh it up.”
“Aw its okay buddy!” Tony said, draping his arm around Peter’s shoulders and pulling him back down the path toward the cabin. “We all have at least one irrational fear. Say,” he said, voice teasing, “does May kill them all for you at home?”
“Hell no!” Peter said, shaking his head. “She’s worse than me – Ben always had to handle the various vermin that would come in the apartment uninvited.”
“So what do you two do? Go ask a neighbor?” Tony teased, lightly elbowing Peter in the ribs and causing him to scowl. “Scream until someone comes running? Call Happy?”
“We just… leave. You know, let it do it’s thing. Then we come home and are just really uncomfortable for a few days,” he said squirming a little in discomfort at the thought.
Tony let out a bark of bright laughter, pulling Peter into a side hug. “We can work on something to help you with that later in the lab I think.”
“Please,” Peter agreed in pure relief, following along back towards the house and keeping a weary eye on his surroundings… just in case.
7 notes · View notes
Conversation
Oh, Incorrect Quotes Generator
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Alana: Anyone d-
Connor: Depressed?
Jared: Drained?
Evan: Dumb?
Alana: -done with their work... what is wrong with you people...
-
This one's a bit more?? Um?? Non-kid friendly TTvTT
Zoe: Guys, is having a penis fun?
Connor: It has its ups and downs.
Evan: It's gets a little hard sometimes.
Jared: IT'S A PAIN IN THE ASS!
Zoe: Jesus fuck, you guys.
-
Evan: You're a loose cannon, Jared.
Jared: No, I'm not. I'm a cannon, maybe. But a loose cannon? Is that what you think of me?
Alana: I think you play by your own rules.
Zoe: No way, he thinks rules were meant to be broken.
Evan: Those are all attributes of a loose cannon.
Jared: No, I'm just a reckless renegade. Connor is the real loose cannon.
Connor: *Smashes a chair*
-
Evan, trying to convince Connor to join the group: You know... I just thought it'd be good to have someone to come along who's... strong!
Alana: And loud!
Zoe: And grumpy!
Jared: And oblivious to reality!
Connor:
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Alana: What did you guys get in your yearbooks?
Zoe: 'Prettiest smile!' :)
Evan: 'Nicest personality!' :)
Jared: 'Most likely to start a bar fight.'
Connor: 'Least likely to start a bar fight, but most likely to win one.'
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Zoe: Bridge the generation gap by combining old and new slang into one!
Evan: Tubular AF!
Alana: Mood to the max!
Connor, annoyed: Groovy, I hate it.
Jared, just as annoyed: If she breathes she's a square.
-
Evan: You KIDNAPPED Connor?! That's illegal!!
Jared: But Evan, what's more illegal? Briefly inconveniencing Connor, or destroying our dreams?
Evan: Kidnapping Connor, Jared!!
Zoe: Evan, listen, whatever I may think of you right now- these people need you to inspire them!
Evan: What, to KIDNAP PEOPLE?!?!
Zoe: To work together!
Evan: TO KIDNAP PEOPLE!?!?
Jared: Evan, I thought we both agreed, a stoner is not a people.
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Alana: Evan, stop! This isn't you! You've gone mad with power!
Evan: Well, of course I have.
Evan: Have you ever tried going mad without power?
Evan: It's boring.
-
Evan: .. .----. -- / ... --- .-. .-. -.--
Jared: What was that??
Evan: Remorse code.
Jared: I'm even angrier at you now.
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Connor, high off his ass: I'm at least 10 times funnier and sexier than you.
Evan: But 10 times 0 is just 0.
Zoe: Then I guess the jokes on you, because he can't do math.
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Jared: I can explain.
Evan: Can you?
Jared: If you give me 30 seconds to think of a lie.
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Jared: If you were to vacuum up jello, it'd make a neat noise.
Evan: I beg to differ.
Jared: Then beg.
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Jared: This is such a bad idea.
Evan: Then why are you coming along?
Jared: One of us needs to be able to talk the cops out of arresting us when this all goes terribly wrong.
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Connor: *Accidentally hits Jared in the face*
Connor: *Can't decide between saying 'I'm fucking sorry', and 'Are you okay'*
Connor: ARE YOU FUCKING SORRY??
Evan: What is wrong with you?!
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Evan: This is bothering me.
Jared: Well, you are digging up a corpse.
Evan: No, not that. That's, uh, pretty par for the course, actually.
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Jared: You're the love of my life, and my best friend. I would do anything for you.
Evan: I want you to eat three meals a day and have a decent sleep schedule.
Jared: Absolutely not.
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Jared: I was arrested for being too cool.
Connor: The charges were dropped due to lack of supporting evidence.
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Jared: Name a more iconic duo than my crippling fear of abandonment and my anxiety. I'll wait.
Evan: You and me.
Jared, tearing up: Okay.
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Jared: God, give me patience.
Connor: I think you mean strength.
Jared: If God gave me strength, then you'd be double dead.
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Connor: I prevented a murder today.
Alana: Really? How did you do that?
Connor: Self control.
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Jared: I am not out of control! I am a law abiding citizen!
Evan: Name one law.
Jared: Don't kill people?
Evan: That one's on me. I set the bar too low.
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Alana: Whaddaya call a fish with no eye?
Jared, not looking up from his phone: Myxine Circifrons.
Alana:
Alana: A fsh
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Evan: I turned out perfectly fine!
Zoe: This morning you thought a ghost made your toast!
Evan: I DIDN'T PUT THE BREAD IN, Y O U DIDN'T PUT THE BREAD IN-
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Jared: WHAT'S YOUR TYPE
Evan: Anything, honestly. But nerds especially.
Jared, desperately as Evan bleeds out: YOUR B L O O D TYPE
Evan: Oh! B positive.
Jared: DON'T TRY TO CHEER ME UP, JUST TELL ME YOUR BLOOD TYPE
Evan:
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Evan: It's dark in here...
Jared: Don't worry dude, I've got this
Jared: *Stomps his foot on the ground*
Jared: *Heelies light up*
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Evan: Treat spiders the way YOU want to be treated!
Jared: Killed without hesitation.
Alana & Evan, simultaneously: nO-
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Miguel: Let's watch Sharkboy and Lavagirl.
Connor: Okay?
Miguel: And make out during the scary parts.
Connor: The-
Connor: The scary parts-
Connor: Of Sharkboy and Lavagirl?
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Evan: Can you PLEASE be serious for 5 minutes??
Jared: My record is 4, but I think I can do it.
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Evan: So that's my plan.
Jared: Are you fine with constructive criticism? I don't want to sound mean.
Evan: Sure, go ahead.
Jared: It fucking sucks.
Evan: That's not constructive criticism.
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Jared: Fuck.
Alana: We've got to work on your cursing.
Jared: Why? I'm pretty good at cursing already.
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Connor: Lol heads up if you try to make a candle with food coloring, the food coloring will just sink to the bottom of the glass, and when the flame eventually reaches the bottom all the food coloring will catch fire and become one giant tall flame that you cannot possibly blow out and the glass will start to crack and then you'll throw your tea on it in a panic and then the extremely hot food coloring will boil and sizzle horribly and then the glass will shatter. Please take my word on this lmfao
Evan: What did you do-?
Connor: A MISTAKE-
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Larry, with his back turned: I've been expecting you.
Connor: How did you do that without turning around?
Larry: I'm gonna be honest, the first couple of people I did that to were not you.
-
Evan: How petty can you get??
Jared: I once edited a Wikipedia article to win an argument I was wrong about.
-
Jared: Today is a day of running through hurdles.
Alana: Aren't you supposed to jump OVER hurdles?
Jared: Whatever. Fear is only something to be afraid of if you let it scare you.
-
Jared: May I sit there?
Evan: That's my lap.
Jared: That doesn't answer my question, Evan.
-
Jared: So.. are we flirting right now?
Connor: I'm LITERALLY stabbing you.
Jared:
Jared: That does not answer the question
-
Aftermath of the last one- lmfao-
Evan: I'm begging you, please go to the hospital-
Jared: Oh, i'm sorry, is this OUR stab wound? Stay out of it.
-
Jared: Do you have any skeletons in your closet?
Connor: Do you mean literally or figuratively?
Jared: The fact that I have to specify...
-
Evan: Jail is no fun. I'll tell you that much.
Connor: Oh, you've been?
Evan: Once. In Monopoly.
-
Evan: Your right.
Jared: That's... an unusual phrase for you. Did you just learn it?
-
Jared: Petition to remove the 'd' from Wednesday.
Connor, high: Wednesay.
Jared: Not what I had in mind, but i'm flexible.
-
Alana: Man.. I only ever see you awake. Don't you ever shut down or stop running?
Jared: Oh, i'm always running.
Jared: The question is from what.
-
Evan: Top 30 reasons why Evan is super sorry! ..Number 5 might surprise you!
Jared: Top 30 anime deaths. Number One: YOUR FUCKING ASS RIGHT NOW!!
5 notes · View notes
thiswasinevitableid · 3 years
Note
68 from the winter prompt list seems Very sternclay and I would love to see your take on it, nsfw if it fits would be great too, thank you!!!
Here you go, it is indeed NSFW!
68. you’re obsessed with my homemade soup that I serve at my cafe and I’m too embarrassed to tell you that I’ve only been trying out new recipes to see you get excited for the soup of the day
Stern tries to avoid being rude in public, or in general, really. But right now he’s wondering if he can get away with shoving his face into this soup bowl and licking out the bottom. The food at Amnesty Lodge has always been stellar, but lately the soups are the highlight of his day.
Reluctantly, he leaves the last delicious dregs at the bottom of the blue ceramic bow and heads to the counter to pay his bill.
“How was everything?” Dani rings him up with a smile. 
“Incredible. I swear, Barclay out does himself every time I come.”
“Great! I’ll tell him you said so. I know he loves getting feedback on new recipes.”
-------------------------
“You did not say that.” Barclay drags the rag down the counter top. 
“Okay, so I didn’t add ‘especially from guys who he thinks are hot,’you got me.” She smirks as she clocks out. 
“It’s not my fault he’s so cute when he gets excited about food.”
“Barclay, just ask him out already.”
“But he’s a customer!”
“Who you also see once a week at game night at Duck’s. He’s for sure in friend territory at this point.”
“She’s got a point. Besides, sometimes flirting with customers ends well.” Aubrey leans against the kitchen door, twirling her car keys and winking at her girlfriend, “right, honey?”
“Absolutely, firebug.” Dani loops her arm around Aubrey’s waist, then levels Barclay with the look that routinely makes people mistake her for his little sister, “ask him out, or I am going to leave your number on his check the next time he comes in.”
“Okay, okay” He holds up his hands, chuckling, “you win.”
He waves goodnight, finishes locking up once the two women are gone. Then he climbs the stairs home. Amnesty Lodge was a real lodge, once upon a time. But as the city grew and buildings were divided and repurposed, only the restaurant and the rooms above it, plus the small house next door, remained. Mama, the owner, lives in the house, and Barclay has the apartment. It’s nice; he has no commute, he can run up and change if he gauges his layers wrong, and he likes being able to hear the river running nearby and the traffic humming through his window. 
Maybe Joseph would like to come up here after closing some night for coffee? Or is that too forward? Would he be interested if it was forward, or if they took it slow? Would he be interested in Barclay at all? Does he just like him for his soup?
God, the soup. He never meant for it to become a thing. His usual menu had three or four soups of the day in rotation, but then Joseph ordered a bowl of the corn cheddar chowder to go with his club sandwich and ate it so joyfully that Barclay caught him licking his spoon. Which did nothing to quash his budding crush on the guy. So he started trying out new recipes just to see Joseph get excited, and now it seems like Joseph is coming in just for the soup, and the upshot is he may be stuck forever in a soup-loop because of the way Joseph’s eyes crinkle when he’s happy. 
He knows that Joseph agreeing to a date would make him happier than a fresh produce delivery. But he has no clue if he really stands a chance with a guy who’s always well-dressed and friendly, when he himself is an often quiet, scraggly looking cook. 
Well, if nothing else, he has to try. Dani is not a woman of empty threats. 
------------------------------------------------------
“How do you do it?” Joseph rests his chin in his hand, spoon sitting in his empty bowl. He’s at the counter seating, so he can see Barclay working at the grill. 
“Do what?”
“Come up with such good recipes. And don’t try to say it’s cookbooks; you said last week that you’ve come up with a lot of them on your own.”
“It’s, uh, it’s nothing special, just a lot of tinkering.” He gets an idea, one that flashes over him so hot and fast he’s afraid the stove caught fire. 
“Would, uh, would you like to help me out with the newest one? I get off in an hour since I was on the early shift today.”
“I’d love to! I have some errands to run downtown, so as much as I’d like to hang around for an hour and watch you show off, I’ll see you at seven.” He sets down the cash to cover the bill and a tip, winks, and heads out the door. Barclay really hopes he stays in the suit when he comes back.
“Uh, dude?”
“Yeah, Jake?”
“Toast’s on fire.”
“Fuck!”
-------------------------------------------------
Barclay finishes setting out his mise en place right as there’s a knock on the front door. He swings it open and finds Joseph waiting patiently, a grocery bag slung over his shoulder. He’s still in his suit; Barclay can just spot his black tie with little ufos on it peeking out of his winter coat. 
“Dani said I should just come on up.” He slips off his shoes, revealing socks with Bigfoot on them, “and I brought some wine, and a fancy beer I found at Jenny Street Market, since I wasn’t sure what kind of soup it is.”
“My take on a traditional Irish stew, so let's do the beer.” Barclay grabs two pint glasses and pours as Joseph finishes hanging up his coat and joins him in the kitchen. He’s down to his dress shirt and slacks, eagerly rolling up his sleeves before taking the glass. 
“Right, what do we do first?”
Barclay takes a prolonged sip to avoid blurting out his real answer, then starts explaining that they need to figure out the right ratio of vegetable to lamb and which spices work best in the stock. 
They talk as they work, Joseph sharing his theories on the plausible plot twists in this season of Agent X and Barclay teasing him whenever he gets going on a tangent about the monster of the week episodes. The easy back and forth, the warmth of the apartment as the air fills with spices and butter, the way the kitchen lights plays off Joseph’s face; it feels like a home, and his stomach twists whenever he remembers that the other man will leave in an hour or two. 
“Barclay, I have to ask; why the sudden zest for soup?” Joseph sets his glass down, still half full because they’re talking too much to drink more than a sip at a time. 
“Uhhh, just, uhh a good fit for a winter menu.” Barclay sets the lid onto the dutch oven; it’ll take at least forty-five minutes for this batch to thicken and develop flavor. When he hazards a glance at Joseph, the man is studying him, one eyebrow raised. 
“Is that all?”
He washes his hands to buy time to build up his courage, then sighs, “Nope. It started after the first time you ordered it. You just got so excited whenever I had a new soup of the day, and I liked making you feel that way, so I just kept finding or making new recipes I hoped you’d like. Heh” he rubs his wrist, anxious, “sounds hella weird when I say it out loud like that.”
Turning, he finds Joseph with his hands covering his mouth. 
“Fuck, sorry, probably shouldn’t have confessed that when we’re alone-”
“What? Oh, Barclay,” Joseph steps forward, taking his hands, “I’m not upset, I’m shocked. That’s, um, that’s one of the sweetest things anyone’s done for me, going to all that trouble, you didn’t have to.” The words are a bit stuttery and jumbled, Joseph going pinker after each one. 
“I wanted to. I’d make a whole new menu every day if it’d make you smile that way.”
His lower back bangs into the counter as Joseph crowds him, fingers digging into his hair so roughly that it starts coming loose from its tie. He tastes like beer and stock he kept sampling, and Barclay licks it up, pressing his tongue between his welcoming lips, desperate to bring them as close together as possible. 
Joseph pulls away, resting their foreheads together, as he undoes Barclay’s shirt with ruthless efficiency, “Do you have any idea how hot that is?”
“The...doing nice things for you part?” He cups Joseph’s cheeks, trailing his thumbs over the hints of five o’ clock shadow. 
“You went to all that trouble, just for me.” Joseph drags his mouth up Barclay’s neck as he continues, “just to make me happy.”
“I mean, made me happy too.” He mumbles into black hair.
“I’m trying to compliment you, big guy.” Joseph nips his bottom lip. 
“Oh fuck.” He whimpers at the nickname, at the way the other man doesn’t hesitate to shove his hands up his now-bare chest, demanding and adoring, “guess all those jokes about the way to a man’s heart being through his stomach are true.”
“While the food helps, there’s so much more about you that I like. For instance” he drags his hands down to Barclay’s stomach before palming his hardening cock through his jean, “you’re the most handsome man in town.”
He whimpers louder this time, Joseph keeping up the light pressure on his cock. 
“Bedroom?” It’s both an encouragement and a question, the ton letting Barclay know he’s welcome to continue but not obligated to.
“The, can’t, can’t leave the stove unattended.” He gropes Joseph’s ass through his slacks, kisses his neck as he tries to calculate if turning off the stew will mess up the recipe. 
“I love how responsible you are.” It’s another compliment, a dead serious one, “and I have an idea.” He steps back, hurries over to the grocery bag, and pulls out a small, rectangular box. 
“I couldn’t tell if this was a date, so I decided to be on the safe side.” He surveys the kitchen, “feel like picking a surface to bend me over?”
Barclay practically knocks a stack of cookbooks off the tiny kitchen table, dragging a laughing Joseph over to shove him across it. 
“This okay?” He pants as he covers the back of his neck with kisses. 
“Better than okay. Barclay please, I’ve, um, I’ve been thinking about this for weeks, and basically non-stop for the last two hours.”
“Fucking-A” He’s amazed there isn’t a cartoonish boi-oi-oing  when he gets his pants and boxers down, his cock--his whole being, really--aching for the chance to fuck the man in front of him. Getting Joseph’s pants down takes two tries, and opening the condom takes three because he’s shaking so hard from excitement. 
“Need a hand, big guy?” 
“Nope. Just need this.” 
“FUCKohfuck, shit” Joseph reaches forward, gripping the far edge of the table as Barclay sinks into him, “yes, need it too, need you so bad.”
“You got me babe” he loops one arm around Joseph’s hips, sets his free hand next to his on the table for balance, “and I got you.” He starts slow, relishing every little sound he gets in reply to his thrusts, kissing any exposed skin he can find, then rucking Joseph’s shirt up his back to find more. 
Joseph’s hand moves down towards his cock, but Barclay gently guides it back onto the table, “No need to babe. Like I said, I got you.” 
He doesn't mean to start railing him the instant after his fingers find his cock. It’s more that feeling him soaking and hard, all because of (and all for) him, the grateful moan he lets out at the contact, the way he grinds his hips back and forth, it sets off every part of Barclay’s brain at once, and all he wants to do is take him, make him cum, break the fucking table showing him how much he wants him. 
“Ohmylord” Joseph gasps, raising his head, “oh my fucking--Barclay yes, like that, lord you don;t disappoint.” His smile is ecstatic, more than the worlds clumsiest hand-job deserves, and Barclay forces his fingers to find their professional finesse, rub and stroke in the ways that make Joseph beg for more. 
He growls as he feels his orgasm building; not yet, no fucking way, he wants to feel Joseph cum around him. With Herculean effort, he stills his hips and focuses, growling again as Joseph tightens around him. When the man beneath him cums, the last of his restraint evaporates and he hammers into him, table scraping forward inch by inch in time with his grunts and Joseph’s weakening moans. 
His climax doubles him over, and he spills with a muffled moan, mouthing at Joseph’s shoulder through his shirt. 
Then his legs give, ten minutes of furious fucking after a ten hour shift enough for them to peace out. He lands with an “oof” on the floor, and Joseph is laughing again as he turns to stare down at him. 
“Are you okay down there?”
He gives a thumbs up, “Cute guy just shorted out all my circuits, no big.”
Joseph fixes his pants and shirt, joins him on the floor and pulls him into his arms, “I’d say it was very big.”
Barclay snickers, rests his head on his shoulder, “Walked into that one. Gimme sec, then I can make us some dinner. Don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
“We’re not having soup?”
Barclay kisses his cheek, “Nah, you can have that for dinner tomorrow at the Lodge.”
Joseph’s smile is full of delicious trouble, “How about for breakfast?”
He holds him close, smiling at him, “Babe, you got yourself a deal.”
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silence-burns · 4 years
Text
Please Hate Me //part 23
Fandom: Marvel 
Summary: Based on "Imagine having a love/hate relationship with Loki." by @thefandomimagine​
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Loki felt alive. 
With newfound energy surging into his bones, he felt shaped anew, his personality finally dusting the Earth's dirt off its magnificence for all to see. 
Loki marched back into your room, clad in the familiar, asgardian fabrics, tailored to fit into Earth's fashion better. All was good again.
You eyed him from head to toe with a look suggesting an utter lack of interest. To his dismay, you seemed more focused on the itch on your back, and finding a way to reach it, than his rebirth. 
"I didn't expect you to understand, but this is saddening, even coming from you." Loki crossed his arms, picking some invisible fleck off his black suit. 
"Sorry," you muttered, almost bent in half backwards while sitting on the bed. "I'd clap, but I need that hand for a moment longer." 
"Forget it. I don't need your approval." 
Relief softened your features when you finally scratched the itch. "Okay, I'm done. How do you fancy some coffee before we wander off to the streets?" 
"Only if you promise not to add anything 'special' in it." 
"Your lack of trust breaks my heart." 
One look through the window convinced you to put on some warmer clothes. The snow started to fall only yesterday evening, but you could already see it piling on the streets. Taking a car in such weather could turn into an unpleasant surprise, if roads were blocked because of it. 
You winced while getting ready. "I have no idea how you can be so full of energy, princess. Every part of my body hurts as if I were fighting monsters all day yesterday. I'm getting too old for this crap." 
Loki scoffed, leaning by the door. "I can't imagine you in retirement. What would you be doing? Knitting socks for the poor?"
"Or I could babysit villains. I feel I have a knack for it." 
"You're overestimating your capabilities," Loki said, but there was no malice in his words. 
He watched you pull on shoes, struggling with bending far enough to reach the laces. It must have been the bruises you mentioned. His own healed through the night, and Loki was more than happy to discover that. He couldn't imagine living like that. 
A tiny part of him almost offered to help you, but he leashed it before the words escaped him. Why, he couldn't say. Confusion clad his thoughts while you finished and marched to the door. You fished a metallic card out of your pocket and held it in front of Loki's eyes. 
"I really shouldn't be telling you that you need one of these to enter or leave people's private rooms in this Tower, and a few other sections not meant for the public. And I really shouldn't mention that most of the important residents have one of these on them at all times. Security protocol and all that, you know."
With a soft click to the panel, you left the room with Loki following your steps. He had enough reason not to thank you for the thing you never said. Although, Loki had to admit, his confusion only deepened. 
The walk to the kitchen area was blanketed in a silence Loki was surprised to find comfortable. It was a thrilling concept that he might start getting used to his companion, but Loki was saved from delving into that by a voice he might not have expected, but would always recognize. 
He froze, instinctively sneaking closer to the wall. You frowned, turning to him. 
"What's wrong? We're almost there—”
"I'm not going." 
"...is there any reason behind this sudden change of that brilliant mind of yours, or…" 
You gestured wildly to the right, but the answer came to you with the next burst of voices from the kitchen area. It was close by now, and close enough for you to recognize its newest occupant. 
"You don't want to talk to him?" you asked, though it sounded more like a statement as you tried to keep your voice down, stepping closer to the shadows Loki was lurking in. 
"Why would I want to do that? He always brings the worst news, looking for people to plaster blame on—" 
"Hey, man. Chill." You put your hand on his shoulder in what you hoped was a reassuring gesture. "You don't have to flood me with reasons. If you don't want to talk to him right now, don't. I'll just make some coffee and we're off." 
"It's not going to work, he's—" 
"Loki, he might be a god, but in this Tower, he's just a man. I'll be right back." 
Loki made to grab you and explain very thoroughly why exactly that was a disastrous idea, but you shook his hand off and walked away. 
For a moment, he debated following you, if only to make a statement. He didn't, cursing his brother for ruining the day without trying. 
"Hello, my fellow residents!" You marched right into the kitchen, heading for the coffee machine. 
Clint muttered something from over his toasts, Natasha sitting next to him by the counter. They seemed to be in the middle of a conversation with Thor, clad in his armor as if it were a second skin to him. It smelled rightfully so. 
The sudden silence echoed through the room. With all eyes on you, you stopped with two cups in your hands. You raised your eyebrows. 
"Is there a bomb in this room, or is it always so nervous in the mornings? Not that I would know much about it, given how rarely I make it here in time." 
Clint took his time with the toast. You'd never seen anyone mutilate it so thoroughly. 
Natasha was looking at you, but didn't say anything. Her face was unreadable as always, but something deep beyond the usual expressionless mask seemed to be very aware of every gesture made by the people around. 
"Where is he?" Thor was first to break the tension. He crossed his arms over his chest, one of them wrapped in a bandage. It seemed like he was right back from his duty of sealing the breaks the Avengers mentioned earlier. 
"Excuse me?" You turned the coffee machine on. Hopefully, it wouldn't decide to break in the next ten minutes. 
"Loki. Where is he?" Thor stepped closer, walking around the counter in the center of the kitchen to stand on your side. Clint and Natasha observed you from beyond it, the toast now cold and forgotten for good. 
"I have no idea who you’re talking about." 
"This is not the time for jokes," Thor rumbled, his voice deep and strained. "I have already heard about his little venture, and I'm less than happy about it. I need to talk to him. We had a deal—" 
"What if he doesn't want to talk to you?" you shrugged, stepping in closer too. Just because he was taller than most people, it didn't mean you'd be intimidated so easily. 
Thor let out a barked laugh, cut short by the temper you could already see rising in his eyes. 
"I don't care what—" 
"Maybe that’s the actual problem?" 
"We had a deal and he broke it." 
"Technically, that’s not what happened," Natasha cut in, eyeing Thor. It was not the savior you expected, but you appreciated it nonetheless. "He kinda helped with saving the city and trust me, I was surprised too." 
You sent her a kiss. 
Thor sighed. "He was not to leave the Tower." 
"He made a choice to save people. I didn't force him," you said. The smell of fresh coffee filled the room. "He had my back and didn't run away. You brought him here to give him one last chance. I won't let you punish him for doing just that." 
Clint smirked, pushing his plate away. It was more crumbs than the actual toast. "Looks like someone is finally enjoying their job. Did you get the bag I brought you? I only noticed yesterday Thor left it here." 
"Yeah. Thanks, Clint." 
You took the cups, the warmth spreading to your fingers and the delightful smell making it difficult not to drool. You sent another kiss to Natasha now smirking openly. 
"You should be careful around him," Thor warned you on your way out. Thankfully, he didn't follow you. 
"Thanks, Thunderboy. You know how much I love your life-saving advice." 
Loki, still where you left him in the corridor, couldn't help but enjoy that last remark. 
He wasn't eavesdropping, of course not. But it wasn't his fault that the voices were too loud to be ignored, and so he couldn't do much but follow the conversation involuntarily. He couldn't help but enjoy its outcome, either. Especially when it was clear enough that his joy of a brother would be off his back for a while longer—something always worth appreciating. 
You joined Loki not a few moments later, with a smile shining bright on your face. He followed as you took a path that would spare him crossing the kitchen. Thankfully,  the Tower was full of elevators. 
Loki took the coffee you handed him, assessing it carefully. 
"Don't worry," you patted his hand. "I made it as bland and boring as I could." 
"My stomach rejoices with relief," he assured you. He wasn't even lying. 
The ground floor welcomed you warmly with an open area filled with people focused on their own lives. You sometimes forgot how many people were actually employed and working on various floors of the building. 
"So." Loki sipped his coffee as you neared the same exit you last rushed through under very different circumstances. "I can't help but wonder, what's the ingenious plan that's gonna get us out of here unnoticed?" 
Your lips curved. "A good, old blackmailing, my friend." 
"Oh, dear, now you piqued my interest." 
"Listen and learn." 
You fished your phone out of the pocket of your thick jacket. The call was picked after the third ring. 
"Tony, dear, in about twenty seconds my best friend Loki and I are going to leave the Tower and have a nice little walk around the town. If you let the alarm go off, I'm gonna tell Ms. Potts exactly what kind of an accident happened to her absolutely favorite Valentino bag and where you threw the evidence away. Have a lovely day."
Loki had his eyebrows raised. You wondered if he'd get wrinkles because of you. 
"As much as I'd be delighted to hear that story, are you sure this is going to work?" 
"Nope," you admitted before linking your arm with his and crossing the exit. 
Nothing happened. You stepped a few steps farther onto the sidewalk, just in case, looking up at the Tower. 
"You see?" You shot Loki a smile. "Everything's fine." 
"Indeed, although could you please indulge me on how you are going to stop people around from recognizing me? I have some doubts they have heard of the whole 'Loki's not here to destroy your planet this time'. 
You pursed your lips into a thin, intense line. Loki looked around. He wondered when the first scream would sound. 
"I've got an idea." 
"I dread hearing that…" 
Loki wasn't happy as you handed him your half empty coffee, but he held it anyway. His mood gradually lowered as you took a long, thick scarf off your neck, and got to devastatingly low levels when you put it on him instead, successfully covering half of his face. The upper half expressed his opinion perfectly clear, he was sure of that, although it did not seem to make you falter one bit. 
"You know what," you looked at your work of art proudly. "It actually suits you." 
He should have killed you in your sleep. 
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nosferatyou · 4 years
Text
If I Can Be So Bold: Chapter 1 (Jack White x OC)
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Summary: Rosalie and her band “By Elliston” move from Nashville to Detroit to continue their music careers and move away from their demons. Rosalie notices an unhappy face in the crowd of their first show, and is instantly drawn to him. While she doesn't mind that hes easy on the eyes she does mind his less than stellar attitude about their music. 
Word Count: 3K
Warnings: Drug use, language, and mentions of abuse.
Notes: Well this has been brewing for A WHILE. I’ve been everywhere deciding on a plot, but after tedious planning this is finally a reality. I hope the 5 Jack White fans on here enjoy this. This will be a series so strap in folks. We got young jack. we got old jack. we got everything in between. (also series names are hard) Enjoy! Appreciate all the research i did!
Chapter Two
“Do you want another?” 
He holds his hand above me, his dark eyes burning holes into me, he pulls back more as if ready to strike again. As if on command, I recoil from the movement, feeling smaller than I ever had.
My head shoots up, suddenly back in Zoot’s coffee house. I blink a couple of times, trying to wake myself up. I couldn’t remember what she asked.
“What?” I asked her, phasing back into reality again, and not what was a horrific nightmare.
Sat next to me was my best friend and singer in our band was Harry, or Harriet if you want to be technical. Her head was held high, and she was practically jumping out of her skin with excitement, she seemed more than ready for our first show in a new town.
 She moved one of her two shots in front of me and asked again. 
“Are you deaf, Lee? I asked if you wanted another shot before we go on.” 
I quickly sat up and grabbed it off the makeshift bar, anything to shake off what I was feeling. 
We clinked our drinks together, and she yelled out a toast over the crowd of people behind us. 
“To fresh starts and new stomping grounds!” 
We clinked our drinks and quickly downed them, both of us coughing from our burning throats, but as soon as we saw our red faces, we burst out into laughter. 
“We are horrible at shots, aren’t we?” I said in between wheezes of laughter.
“We truly are.” She paused and grabbed the bottle. “One more for good luck!.”
It seems like this is the night, if any, to drink. 
We’d just gotten to Detroit. Like just got here a week ago and are already booking shows. We all decided to move her for reasons I won’t mention, but I’ll just say that we needed to switch up our scene a bit. 
Our band “By Elliston” had grown pretty big in the Nashville scene, we played pretty frequently at the Exit/In. Which is not the biggest venue in the world, but it means something for the Nashville scene. I mean, we technically shared a stage with Muddy Waters and BB King, so that’s at least something to brag about.
 We were known in the Nashville punk scene and had made some significant headway, but thanks to shitty people and our big egos, we decided to move to Detroit. Known for its great music and cars.
 And here we are at Zoot’s Coffee shop, which is arguably a coffee shop honestly. Off a dark street, that no person with money would venture down, and the outside seems like nothing is out of the ordinary, it’s just a house on a street. But the inside. Its a home, its a coffee shop, and venue for anyone who has an instrument. 
Its packed wall to wall with people, barely any standing room, especially near the stage, which is just a raised corner of the living room. Its the perfect venue for any rock band. Small and loud.
We (being the band and me) all lived for music, and it is our life’s blood.
 I grew up in a very southern home and was always surrounded by music, thanks to my dad. Id never met a man who loves Johnny Cash more than him or country music for that matter. Cash would always play through the house, or Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings. That kind of thing. However, I can’t stand to listen to any of them now. Overplayed and over appreciated is what I always said.
 That did spark something in me. I started playing guitar, thanks to my dad… and then I picked up the bass and then drums. And so on and so on. The moral is that If you hand me any stringed instrument ill know how to play it.
The other girls. Jo, Harriet, and Ezra. All got into good music when they were in high school, which also when we all met. Thanks to the high school band or orchestra. I played violin, as did Jo and Harriet, Ezra played the stand-up bass and continues with the bass to this day.
 Now we’ve all moved on the from hot cross buns and into a world of rock and roll. We used to be terrible, covering a lot of Alice in Chains and Nirvana. 
Graduating class of ‘93 for all of us, and we lived in a world of grunge. Five years later and we’ve since moved on from our teenage ways. We’ve embraced the blues and everything around it. However, we get a bit heavier than our inspirations, with my heavy fuzz and Harriet’s raspy yelps. With the look of punk dads (a lot of fun button-ups, dark makeup, and Dr. Martens boot) and the sounds of 4 angry ladies, we tore up Nashville.
We played a lot of house shows, met many a band, lost many a group, met a dumb boy who won’t be named (its John), and had a lot of fun tearing up the Nashville scene. 
As we grew, we played bigger venues, the show of ‘96 at The End being the staple of our career. We’d never played as good as we did then, and none of us are convinced we’ll play as well as we did that night.
 Either way, we were thrust forward, and our movement grew, we were making money from our shows, plus we played bigger venues. The Exit/In and The East Room, to name a couple. Last month we felt we needed a change of scenery to grow. As incredible, the Nashville scene is, its also quite small. Few venues and fewer people. That’s the other girl’s excuse, at least. 
We scrounged up what we could, found an apartment here, and moved as soon as we could. Unlike the others, I had to burn some bridges to get here, but more will be made here. We scooped out the scene the moment we arrived and set up a show here, and we are all buzzing to perform again. 
“So, who are we opening for again?” I asked as we headed to our van to start and unload our gear. 
“The White somethings.” Jo absentmindedly answered, wrapping her jacket around herself for warmth.
Harriet quickly cut in, “The White Stripes, you mean.” Correcting her.
We all arrived at our shared van and started grabbing our mess of cables and cases.
Harriet continued, “I’ve been asking around all night about them, you know. To learn about the enemy and such.” 
Jo popped her head up from the front seat and asked, “When have you had the time to ask around? I was with you literally all night.” 
Harriet picked up her small load for the night and parked a seat on the car next to ours, lighting a cig while she sat.
“I have my ways.” She said, wiggling her eyebrows before taking a long drag.
“Anyways, here’s what I’ve learned. They’ve been around a year, the drummer learned when they got together, and guitarist leads the show.” She spoke with her ever-present dramatics, waving the cig around after every word. 
“They can’t be that good if the drummers new, and they’ve only been playing a year.” Said Ezra, who was effortlessly carrying what seemed to be the world’s most massive bass amp. 
“I don’t know, Z. It seems agreed that they know how to rock a room.” Harriet pipped up.
“What does it mean for us then?” Asked Jo who’s joint was lit and already in her mouth, and arms were full with various drums. Explains why she was digging around the front seat.
I quickly cut in, not about to let them get nervous over a baby band. “Absolutely nothing. We’ve got six years on them. These Detroit kids won’t know what hit them, we’re from music city for god’s sake.” 
“That’s the spirit, Lee!  Now get your asses inside so we can set up.” Harriet popped off the car and started walking towards the door, beckoning us towards her.
“Feel like helping us speed up the process, Harry?” Joked Jo.
“You’re big girls. I’m gonna go try and spot the enemy.” She yelled back to us.
“Oh, have fun, we will just be here carrying your band!” I yelled out.
“I knew I could count on you, darling!” She called out, throwing a wink and cigarette butt our way. 
When we had finally reached the stage, the already crowded room had doubled in bodies. While most bands would be shaking in their boots, it only spurred us on more. While we all have our fair share of disagreements, we have one thing in common. Our shared headspaces before a show. All ready to take on anything, and our confidence is unwavering. The bigger, the better. It’s honestly what’s kept us together this whole time. 
Now all eyes were on us, and it was a tough crowd, it was dead silent. The girls and I all exchanged a look and nodded. I always started us off. We had a set opener, it never changed and worked every time, but after that was a free for all. I usually took charge and just chose whatever I was feeling, but if not me, then Harriet. The other two just flowed with whatever we threw their way.
I always started first with the heavy riff, joined in by Ezra, then Jo, and finally Harriet. 
The riff is what pulled them in, and it was always quite the sight. I got fully into it every time. It was dark, straightforward, and full of fuzz and feedback. 
By the time Harriet joins in its mayhem, I speed up and play power chords. It’s not slow, but it’s not so fast that it’ll make your head spin. 
As the short show progressed, we felt like how we used to feel every night. Pure joy, which is what we all fucking needed. 
We improvised. I mashed up whatever songs I even threw in a little Stooges to thank the locals for letting us play. Though I did notice the gaze of one oddball in the back, who was just… watching.
 While that doesn’t sound weird, it was sure out of the ordinary. He sat in the back, arms crossed leaned against the wall. The whole mysterious boy schtick was down pact. He wasn’t scowling, but he didn’t seem happy. It was off-putting and kept my focus over towards that corner of the room, but didn’t hinder the performance. Maybe it fueled it. 
The show couldn’t have gone better, though. The crowd did not hide their whoops and hollers when we finished our last song of the set. I was already riding that performance high and will be for the rest of the night. 
“Thanks for a great first night, Detroit! We’re “By Elliston,” and we hope to see you next time!”
Screamed out Harriet for a final goodbye as we headed off the stage, their applause carrying us off the small stage. 
The moment we put down our instruments, we about took each other out, tacking one another to the ground.
 As tradition carries, after every show, we used to just aggressively group hug, but over time we’ve grown more and more… excited. At one of our last shows at The Exit/In, I accidentally knocked out Jo by slamming into her too hard. If that gives any frame of reference to what our dog piles look like now.
“Ladies. If every show goes somewhat like that here, I think we will rule this scene.” Ezra said from the bottom of the pile, her words garbled from the mass of bodies. 
“Alright, Lee, get your ass off the top, you’re gonna snuff me out down here.” 
Without much warning, she slid out from underneath us, and the rest of us went down to the ground, causing all of us to erupt in laughter. 
Once we all straightened ourselves out, we went to the van and had a celebratory cig, the first of many “celebratory” cigs of the night, 
To my right was Harriet leaning against the tail light, and Jo and Ezra were sitting in the van next to me. Harriet broke the silence.
“You know I missed this, Lee. I’m glad you’re back.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean Har-” While talking I’d noticed three figures a few cars over walking to their own. My eyes widened in surprise. I grabbed Harriet’s arm suddenly and dragged her in with the rest of us.
“Shut up. It’s him.”
“What I wasn’t even talking-” she stopped and sat up to face, she wasn’t upset, but she sure looked confused. “Wait, who is “Him?” 
I looked around to check to see if he could hear. 
“I saw him when we were playing. He kept just… staring at me. It was weeeird.”
“Why’d you pull me in the car then??” 
“I panicked! It was just weird!” 
Ezra peaked her head out of the car in curiosity and asked. “Which one is it, the young blondie or the black-haired beauty?”
“Gah Jesus, not the child, Ezra! It’s the hot one.”
Harriet whipped her head out of the car to look at them, speaking a bit too loudly.
“Lee, you need to start off saying it was a HOT stranger! You have my interest now.”
“I’m going to kill both you. Get your dumbasses back in the car.”
We huddled back up, Harriet has a look in her eye that I don’t like.
“So, what’s the plan of action here, Lee?” Asked Harriet.
“Nothing. He’s a scowler. Sure a hot one at that, but if he can’t enjoy what we make, then what’s the point? When we played that stooges song, he looked like he was going to blow his top.”
“I think you’ve missed the point here, Lee. Point one,  You’re fresh out of a toxic sludge of a relationship. Point two, hot stranger. And finally. Point three, he’s a hot stranger in a band. I’m not passing up this opportunity.”
She gave us a wink, took a final drag of her cig, and hopped out of the car. She was going over to them.
“Harriet, you fucker don’t you dare,” I said with gritted teeth. “I’ve tackled you once today, and  I’ll do it again.”
She chuckled. “You’re all talk, kid. I’m off to make friends!”
“Bastard!” I yelled, leaping out of the car and towards her. I was too late, she just about ran over to them, and I was quickly in tow behind her. 
“Well, look at that, Lee! New people. Hi there, I'm Harriet, but you can call me Harry. and this is Rosalie.” She extended her hand towards the three strangers.
“Its Lee actually, she’s just an asshole.” 
All of them looked slightly taken aback. They were sure as hell wasn’t expecting her hand in their face, or two random ladies in their space. The newly named “hot stranger” was the first to speak up. He seemed rightly hesitant.
“I’m Jack, and this is my sister, Meg. This over here is my nephew, Ben. He’s our pinball wizard. Or Roadie in technical terms.” 
“Well, good to meet Y’all!” Once she shook ben’s hand, he spoke up. Man he was young. Was he maybe 16? Not over 18 is the point.
“You guys played a hell of a show. The Stooges? Blues? You’re going to give these two a run for their money.”
Jack shifted on his heels when ben mentioned this. Same face as before, and little less friendly than introductions.
“Well, its all that Tennessee blood in us. Now we arent from Memphis, but Nashville’s close enough, right?” Harriet winked at the kid. His cheeks flushed a deep red. 
Jack shifted his eyes back to me, but they wander somewhere else. 
I clear my throat, he snaps his head up and makes eye contact with me, a small smirk falls on his face. 
“Well, you all seem busy, so Harriet and I are going to go back over there. Have a good show.”
I grab her arm and try to drag her away casually.
“What the fuck are you doing?” She whisper yells to me. We find ourselves on the other side of our van, out of their sight.
“Lee, You have never been one to shy away from new people. Especially men. Remember us, fresh out of high school? You practically had a different man in your bed every night. That whole nervous persona is new. Go seduce a hot stranger!”
“Jesus, Harriet! Lower your goddamn voice! First off its Jack, And yes I know. Different times though. I’m not going to go over there in front of his sister and prepubescent nephew to try and get in his pants.”
“Aw, come on, Lee! It’d be fun! Plus, you need a fucking rebound, girl.”
“Okay, well, talk me into this when its not a family reunion.” 
“You got yourself a deal, Rosalie.”
We started to make our way back to the other girls.
“Alright, ladies, let’s go catch our headliner,” I said, opening the van doors. A plume of smoke rolled out of it the moment the doors opened. I grabbed the joint from Ezra, taking a hit before going inside. I handed it back to the faded bass player and headed back inside.
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dangerouslcve · 4 years
Text
Unforgiven - Taron Egerton
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Pairing: Taron Egerton x reader
Warnings: None.
Summary: There is something so achingly familiar about Taron Egerton. He captures your attention from the moment you see him at Rada, your new acting school. He is the one bright spot in a place where people are constantly judged, the students and staff are rude, and security cameras watch your every move.  
Except Taron wants nothing to do with you- he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But you can't ignore nor shake the feeling that you know him. You were being drawn to like a moth to a flame. You need to find out what Taron is so desperate to hide, even if it shatters you...
Read previous chapters on Wattpad @ kayegerton
Disclaimer: I do not know what college is like.. Yet. But I did some intense googling. This story is for entertainment purposes only, it is considered an AU. With that being said, hope you enjoy the story.
Chapter Six - Inner Circle
    "People who are always late never understand the many ways in which they screw up the schedules of people who are punctual and normal," Emily explains to you as you both walk through the muddy grounds.
"Ha." a laugh erupted behind them, you looked back and felt your face light up when you saw Azaleas tan, skinny frame jogging to catch up with you and Emily. "Which twat said you were normal Emily," Azalea says to Emily narrowing her eyes before she pokes your arm. "Watch out for the puddle!" you come to a halt before landing in the big puddle on the yard.
"Can someone please tell me what is going on?"
"Wednesday night. Social night." Emily says flatly messing with her grey t-shirt. You look over at Azalea.
"I thought you said Social night was on Friday?" you asked and Z laughs pulling the hood of her black sweatshirt over her head.
"I told you, don't listen to me. I'm certifiably insane."
"So is this like a dance or..." you ask already imagining how graceful and confident Cam would be moving across the dance floor. Azalea hooted.
"A dance with boredom. This 'social' night is where group A performs for us - group B - and we will then have to judge group A on whether or not we liked the play or not." Azalea explains as she stuffs her hands in the pockets of her sweatshirt.
"This got its name ya know 'social night', because we do get to socialize but only to your group when judging group B. Normally group B loses now because their best actor just switched to group A this semester." Emily elaborates on what Azalea just said and Z nods along. "God do you remember last semester?"
"The one where group B chose Little Shops of Horror and when they performed it they won?"
"So strange." Emily shakes her head.
"Tonight, my dear." Azalea drawled looking over at you smiling "We get off easy, all we have to do is snore through one of three acts performed by group A and then judge them on something they left out so when we perform Friday we will win." Azalea smirks before taking a quick glance at Emily. "Which one do you think it will be tonight Emmy? Romeo and Juliet, Mamma Mia, or Hair Spray?"
"It's Romeo and Juliet." Emily Groans and Azalea sends you a baffled look pointing at Emily.
"She knows everything."
"Hold on." you say tiptoeing around the puddle lowering your voice to a whisper as you make your way to bliss. "If you know you are going to make them lose without even watching them already, why rush to get there?"
Emily pulls open the door to bliss, inside was a beautiful comfortable area and the smell of pine filled your nose as you stepped across the threshold into the theater following Emily and Azalea to the third row in. Most of the kids were leaning against the wall chatting with each other or filling the seats. "This is why we rush to get here, I am certainly not sitting on the floor to watch a two hour long boring play." Azalea says taking a seat in a plush burgundy seat, Emily and you follow taking a seat on each side of her looking around. The theater was small but absolutely gorgeous.
"And not to mention if you are late you have to pass out weekly theater class notes that you also have to grade after this." Emily says leaning over her lap to talk to you.
"Thereby missing," Azalea says with a grin slapping the pamphlet down on your leg before she whispered, "The after party." Finally they got down to the heart of the matter. You laugh.
"I heard about that," you say leaning back in your seat crossing your legs. "The one in Cam's room right?" you still remembered the conversation you had with him this morning where he invited you to the party he was having tonight and during that time Taron had been walking down the hallway ignoring you - like always - but when Cam asked you to come to the party Taron glanced over his shoulder before he left the hall and nodded.
Azalea ran her tongue over her teeth narrowing her eyes at you but then she looked past you, almost through you. "Hey Zane!" She calls waving over at the tall boy stopping at your row of seats. Florence was seated three seats down from you, Azalea patted the back of the seat next to the teacher. "Come sit with us man."
Zane who had been shifting on his weight looking at the stage looked immensely relieved moving down the row taking a seat next to Florence pushing his glasses up on his nose no sooner than he sat down Florence looked at the boy with a smile on her face and began talking, "Zane I'm glad you are here. I'm wondering if you can help me with a small favor after the play. You see, the theater notes we give out are a very useful tool for ..."
"Rude!" Emily says popping her head up at the end of the row of chairs. Azalea shrugs taking a bag of popcorn she grabbed from her room before leaving for Bliss out of her bag.
"I can only look after so many new students here," she says opening the bag of popcorn throwing a piece into her mouth before tilting the bag to you. "Lucky you." you take a piece from her shaking your head smiling popping it into your mouth as the lights begin to dim you look around until your eyes land on Cam, you thought back to short dish session you had with Allie once and how she always said watching a movie with a guy was always a good way to get to know things about him, things that may not come out during conversation. Looking at cam you thought you knew what Allie meant. Their was something thrilling about glancing at cam out of the corner of your eye that made your heart soar, to see what jokes he thought were funny, to join his laughter with your own. When his eyes met yours you felt embarrassed being caught staring you felt the urge to look away but before you could Cam's face lit up with a bright smile. It made you feel unabashed at being caught staring, he put his hand up and waved at you. At least he didn't flip you off like Taron had done when he first saw you.
Taron had walked in the door with Roland late enough that the play had already began, late enough that the only remaining seats were on the floor. He passed through the beam of light that came from the stage where the actors were walking across stage speaking in posh accents. You noticed a sliver chain around his neck and some sort of medallion tucked safely inside his black T-shirt under his blue plaid shirt. Then he dipped completely out of your view, you couldn't even see his profile if you tried.
As it happened, Group A were really good during the play. It was hard for you to stay focused on the plot when Emily and Azalea were fighting in low whispers over who was better or worse. You on the other had felt this chill go down your spine as you watched the play but kept glancing at the two bright lights that lit the stage for the kids. It reminded you of something but you couldn't remember what.
An hour later Azalea stood banging on the door looking through the peep whole on Cams bronze painted colored door. "Yoohooo!" Z sings loudly laughing. "The festivities are here!" she took the rainbow boa off from around her neck and lifted her foot in the air. "Give me a boost." she says dangling her foot in the air. You hook your fingers together and positioned them under Azalea's converse as Azalea pushed off the ground using the boa to cover the hallway camera as she shuts the device off.
"That's not sus or anything." Emily says to Azalea.
"Does your allegiance lie with the after party or the authority party?" Azalea shot back.
"I'm just saying there are smarter ways to do it than how you just did it." Emily snorts as Azalea hops down slinging the boa over your shoulders smirking. You laugh and start to shimmy to the George Michael song you hear through the door. "Classic." Emily says and you laugh taking the Boa off your shoulders wrapping it around hers before she could say anything a whoosh of talking, blasting music and cams opens arms greeted them.
"You made it!" he says to you smiling excitedly, even in the dim lighting his lips had that berry stained glow. When he folded you in for a hug you felt safe and tiny, it was short lived. He turned to Azalea and Emily and nodded a hello, you felt proud that you were the only who got a hug. Behind Cam, the small room was cramped with people. Roland was in one corner at a turntable looking through records as a song from Motown begins to play. Azalea and Emily wasted no time shooting across the room towards Cam's desk which looked like to was a bar. Almost immediately Azalea had the champagne between her thighs laughing with emily as she tried to pull the cork off. You were shocked, Cam had only been back to the school for a couple of days and already knew how to throw a huge party the whole school attended and somehow everyone inside thought this was normal.
"Oh Y/nnnn," she sang climbing up on the table Roland stood looking through the records. "Get in here! I'm about to make a toast!" you laugh stuffing your hands in your pockets on your leather jacket. You blinked a couple of times so your eyes could adjust, students huddled over to the table, you couldn't see Emily but you could hear her laugh. Cam shut the door behind you and tugged on your hand so you hang back from the heart of the party making you smile.
"I'm really glad you came," he says laying his hand on the small of your back and bending his head so only you could hear him. "I jumped up every time someone knocked hoping it would be you." those lips looked almost tasty especially when they said things like that. Whatever had drawn cam to you, you didn't want to mess it up. He was popular and thoughtful and his attention made you feel more than just flattered, it made you feel comfortable with him. You knew if you tried to respond to the compliment you would stumble over your words and embarrass yourself so you just laughed which made him laugh before he pulled you in for another hug. You rest your hands on the back of his neck smiling as he hugged you tighter lifting your feet off the ground slightly. When he put you back down you smiled turning to the rest of the party as Cam's arm snaked around your waist. The first thing you saw was Taron but you didn't think he liked cam with the dirty looks both of them were sending each other during detention. Still, he sat cross legged one the bed, his black shirt clinging to his muscles. As soon as your eyes found him it was hard to look anywhere else, which made no sense because an absolute gorgeous and very kind boy was standing next to you asking what you would like to drink and the other infinitely less friendly guy sitting should not be the one you can't stop looking at.... And he was staring you. So intently with a cryptic squinting look in his eyes you thought you could never decode even if you tried.
All you knew is that everything else seemed to melt away and fall out of focus. It was just you and Taron. Staring at each other. You could have stared back at him all night if Azalea hadn't called out to you raising her cup in the air.
"To Y/n," Azalea said giving you a playful smile. "Who was obviously zoning out and missed my entire welcome speech and who will never know how utterly fabulous it was. Wasn't it great R?" She asked looking down at Roland who nodded giving her ankle a pat. Cam slipped a cup into your hand smiling never letting his arm drop from your waist. You blushed trying to laugh it off as the whole room echoed.
"To Y/n!" they all cheer and you smile nodding holding your cup up looking at Cam who was staring at you with a soft smile on his face. At your side Charlotte came up behind you and whispered a longer version of the cheers in your ear.
"To Y/n, who will never know." A few days before you would have flinched away but tonight you simply rolled your eyes and turned back to Cam excusing yourself as you made your way across the room taking a sip of the champagne Cam had handed you. You felt Taron's eyes on you as you made your way through the crowd taking a seat on the counter next to Emily who was chewing on a piece of licorice talking with Zane.
"Can you believe it, I'm actually having fun!" Emily says chewing happily.
"I'm Zane." the boy introduces himself extending his tan hand. You smile taking his hand in yours shaking it.
"I'm Y/n." you introduce yourself and he nods.
"I know, we have theater together." he says letting go of your hand and you nod before looking back at Emily. You take a licorice and bite down on it watching the party as you take a sip of your champagne. Not a great combination.
"So is Charlotte that evil to everyone or am I just a special case?" for a moment you thought she was going to give a different answer but then she pats your back smiling. "Just her normal demeanor my dearie."
"I wonder where they get all this stuff?" you wonder aloud looking at Cam's expensive vintage spin table, the spinning disco ball above everyone casting squares on everyone, and the free flowing champagne.
"Roland can smuggle anything into this school, ask and you shall receive type shit." Emily says looking over at you smirking. That was exactly what Azalea said.
"Okay all you rejects." Roland says loudly to get everyone's attention. The record player had been turned down so only faint could be heard as the room got quiet. "We're going to start the open-mike portion of the night, and I'm taking requests for karaoke."
"Taron Egerton!" Azalea hooted through her hands
"No!" he hooted back without missing a beat.
"Awww, the silent Egerton is sitting another one out." Roland says into the mic and you look at him smiling. He glances at you. "You sure you don't want to sing Tiny Dancer by Elton John?"
"I believe that is your song, Roland." he says a faint smile spreads across his lips but you got the feeling it was an embarrassed smile a 'someone else please take the spotlight' smile.
"He's got a point folks." Roland laughs "Though some of Elton's songs are known to clear the room." he plucked one of Elton's albums that read 'Don't shoot me I'm only the piano player'. "Let's go down south instead." he smirks. As the piano and guitar picked up the pace for crocodile rock Roland took over the stage making you laugh as you place your cup of champagne behind you clapping along with the beat. Emily cheered for him which only encourage him more. You looked across from you at Taron who was looking down at something, you kept remembering the image of him nodding to you in the hallway when Cam asked you to come here tonight. Of course now that you show up he made no attempt to acknowledge you. If only she get alone with him. Roland had everyone's attention captured so much no one had noticed Taron stand up from his spot edged himself around Cam and Charlotte and slipped silently out the door. This was your chance, you clapped for Roland before standing from your spot.
"Encore!" Azalea yells, then notices you standing from your seat. "Oh shit. Is that my girl stepping up to sing?!"
"No!" you laugh waving her off. "I need to go get something."
"Hurry back!" she calls as you scooted your way past cam where he crossed his arms.
"Want company?" he asked hopefully and you look at him for a moment. On any other errand you would have loved his company but not right now. Right now you needed to know what Taron's problem was and why you felt like you knew him.
"I will be right back." you say smiling before you could see the disappointment on his face you slip out the door shutting it quietly behind you taking in a huge gulp of air closing your eyes relaxing before they snap open when you hear his voice.
Taron. You would recognize that voice anywhere but you were less certain who he was talking too.  A girl.
"I'm sorry hun." the very familiar posh accent you recognized.
Olivia? Taron was sneaking out to see the dictionary definition of perfect Olivia?
"It won't happen again." she says "I swear to-"
"It can't happen again." Taron whispered his tone practically screamed lovers. "You promise you would be there and you weren't." Where? When? you were in agony but you continued to inch along the hallway as you did the two of them fell silent. You could picture Taron leaning in to her for a long deep kiss. A consuming envy spread through your chest. Around the corner one of them sighed.
"Your going to have to trust me Taron. I'm all that you got." Olivia said in a sickening sweet voice and you decided once and for all you hated her.
Tag list: @primaba11erina​ @turkish276​ @hitmeonmytspot​ @fuseburner​
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softlass27 · 4 years
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So... I had a couple of comments on my Robron foster parenting fic from last week, asking for more of this universe. I don’t know if I’ll ever properly write it as a full story, but what I do have are some little character profiles for each of the kids mentioned, as well as their ages when the Home Farm move takes place :)
Seb (11)
So Aaron and Robert had many (so many) discussions about – and with – Seb before they started fostering. They were initially very worried about the risk of Seb feeling neglected or sidelined by them bringing more children – some of whom may require extra care and attention – into the home. Robert was especially concerned about this, considering his own bad experiences when his parents took in Andy.
But Seb, being the good (fantastic) kid that he is, takes it all in his stride. For the most part, he loves having a big family, even if its not the most conventional. He was already pretty mature for his age, so he understands why sometimes the other kids might need some extra support with things. Before he came to live in Emmerdale permanently, his home life with Ross and Rebecca wasn’t exactly stable (thank god his dads got him out of there – he has a feeling that’s what gave them the fostering idea in the first place), so he knows a little of what it’s like to come from a difficult environment.
As much as he’s cool with his living situation, he does occasionally ask for a bit of one-on-one time with his dads, which they will go above and beyond to give him no matter what’s going on with the family.
Rather enjoys being the eldest – and therefore the leader – of the bunch. Aaron says he gets that from Robert.
Very witty for his age, and never without a good comeback. Robert says he gets that from Aaron.
Really likes cooking with Robert, and has been ever since he was just a wee boy.
Once showed his parents a 10-slide powerpoint presentation on why he and Eddie should get a super-cool race car bunkbed from Ikea.
Eddie (10)
Eddie is, well… loud. A chaotic boy. But a very sweet one.
He has ADHD, so he struggles a little at school and gets into trouble every now and then (mainly for talking), but for the most part his teachers can’t help taking a liking to him. 
Eddie loves attention, but he’s harmless in the way he seeks it. Telling jokes, presenting pictures he’s drawn (he loves comic books and often likes to create his own), showing off a new trick on his bike or skateboard. It’s rare for his foster family to go longer than a day without someone hearing him shout, “Hey, watch this!” Aaron and Robert often have to gently remind him to use his inside voice, and not to railroad the others when they’re trying to say something or pick an activity.
More than anything, Eddie just wants to be noticed. He never got much of that with his mum, who fails to turn up for their supervised visits more often than not. It’s agonising for Aaron and Robert to watch him be let down by her over and over again, trying so hard to cover up his hurt by shrugging and saying it doesn’t matter, then acting like there’s nothing wrong by throwing himself into playing video games with Seb as soon as they get home. But one of them will normally find him curled up crying a few hours later, and it takes lots of cuddles, ice cream and a super hero movie to make him feel better.
Eddie’s only six months younger than Seb, which Robert was initially worried about (again, his memories of Andy coming into play there), but the two of them are thick as thieves. They’re kind of chalk and cheese personality-wise, but they actually balance each other out pretty well.
Will do literally any dare he’s given. This has led to more than one trip to A&E and more than one grey hair for Robert.
Theme parks are his favourite places in the world.
Would live on pizza if he could.
Clumsy as hell. Never put anything breakable in Eddie’s reach.
Lottie (7)
Lottie is by far the shyest, quietest of the kids. She didn’t bring any toys or games with her, but she did bring a small backpack of books that she clung onto like a lifeline. This gave Robert (as we all know, an avid reader) something to bond over with her, and he soon discovered that a way to get Lottie talking was to ask her which books she likes.
The answer, as it happens, is anything fantasy-based. The Narnia series, The Hobbit, Peter Pan, most fairy tales… anything with some magic and maybe a princess and she’s sold. They have a feeling her books have been a bit of an escape from reality for her in the past, so they make sure her bedroom has a nice little bookcase so she can keep them close.
Her favourite thing after reading is playing in the garden or around the village. Sometimes with the others but again, she’s quite happy in her own little world. Before coming to live in Emmerdale, she’d been brought up in a cramped flat in a city centre, surrounded by traffic and concrete. So living in somewhere like the Yorkshire Dales (and all the space that comes with it) is a total novelty to her. She takes to it like a duck in water though, loves the green fields and the streams and the animals. She’ll spend hours running around in the dirt (usually spreading it all over the house when she gets home, too) and becomes a proper country girl. Robert gets her the complete Beatrix Potter collection, combining her two loves.
Because she’s so content with her nose in a book, Aaron and Robert do have to prompt her to join in with the others sometimes. But once she’s been given a nudge, she’ll usually put down whatever she’s reading and interact with her foster family. She does like having fun with the others, she just likes to have her space, too.
Aaron and Robert have lost her in Waterstones more than once.
The biggest cuddler, and the most likely to crawl into Aaron and Robert’s bed on a weekend morning.
A huge fan of beans on toast, and therefore prefers Aaron’s cooking to Robert’s.
Cannot do maths. Will never be able to get the hang of maths. Thinks maths is the stupidest thing ever invented.
Has just one or two friends at school and likes it that way.
Takes it upon herself to be the one to read Tasha’s bedtime story most nights.
Mike (6)
Mike was initially the most… difficult in terms of behaviour. He was too small to do much damage, but his first few weeks with them involved a fair bit of biting and scratching, and he got very easily wound up. Lots of tears and mood swings.
Aaron was so good with him. Robert was too, but from the beginning Aaron had a real knack for calming Mike down when he was distressed. It took several months to really get him settled (he tried to run away more than once – not that he got very far in their tiny village), but with a lot of patience and the right support, they figured it out in the end.
Now Mike is much calmer, and much happier. He still has his moments, but he never lashes out like violently like he used to. He gets some additional help from the school, and Aaron and Robert both have a lot of meetings with his teachers to check in on everything.
As mentioned in the original fic, he’s really not great with the dark. But they’ve managed to work their way from him needing the big light on at night, to his bedside lamp, down to a single nightlight, so he’s getting there.
Absolutely idolises Eddie, and tries to copy everything he does. Aaron and Robert are both praying this hero worship will transition from Eddie to Seb, just so they can have a slightly easier life.
Also adores their ginger tabby cat, Pumpkin (named by Seb when they got her one October). All the kids love her, but she and Mike have a Special Connection, and when he gets home from school, he will not rest until he’s tracked Pumpkin down, snuggled up with with her and told her all about his day. He finds her purrs very calming.
Loves a good LEGO model. Him and Robert will spend hours on them.
Karate-obsessed. He’s been into it every since his first lesson, but has to be told more than once that he is not to try out any moves on his foster siblings.
Will inevitably lose most things. Toys, gloves, crayons, homework, shoes (one time while he was wearing them – Aaron and Robert still can’t work that one out)… he simply cannot keep track of where anything is.
Hates reading and never picks up a book unless he has to for English homework. Lottie is scandalised by this. Scandalised. 
Natasha (Tasha) (4)
The baby of the group, and the youngest Aaron and Robert have ever fostered, which they were initially a little hesitant about. When they first brought her home just after she’d turned 3, she had very limited speech for a child her age. Even her crying was near-silent.
But with time, effort, and some speech therapy, she comes along leaps and bounds. Once she starts picking words up from her foster parents (as well as the nonstop chatter from the other kids), she doesn’t stop, it’s amazing how fast she gets the hang of it. Now it’s a miracle if they can get her to stop talking.
A very big fan of Postman Pat.
Will do almost anything for a chocolate biscuit.
Steals Aaron’s hoodies and uses them as blankets.
Has the biggest eyes anyone has ever seen, and her foster parents are dreading the day she works out that this helps her get away with stuff.
Can usually be seen wearing fairy wings.
Likes to sit on the floor and watch the washing machine when it’s on.
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Matter of National Emergency- Liam x MC
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Pairing: Liam x Riley
Summary: Liam and Riley are in Isolation in Valtoria...and one of them may succumbed to the almightly Tik Tok! <-- can you tell im bored? 
Word Count: 1,667
Masterlist
 ASK IF YOU WANT TAGGED! SORRY IF I MISSED ANYONE!
I always notice every single spelling mistake or issue after I’ve posted…so apologies in advance! 
Tags aren’t working so I will be tagging in the comments.
Liam sighed as he entered his and rileys quarters at Valtoria, shutting the door behind him. It was just hitting seven o’clock when he returned from his last meeting. Liam and Riley loved coming to stay at Valtoria, it felt more like a home than the palace did, after they got married they stayed at the palace whilst they had some renovations at Valtoria done, they had the royal quarters basically  turned into a reasonable sized apartment.
“hey, how was your meeting?” Riley called from the en-suite, she was just coming out as Liam had walked into the bedroom, she made her way over to him, moving to her tiptoes to press a kiss against his lips.
“it was…stressful” He sighed as he placed his hands on her lower back, nuzzling his head into her shoulder
“so…what happened? What’s the decision?”
“Lockdown, as I assumed would be the result, people aren’t listening to how serious this is, they don’t understand that the more they go out, the more people are going to catch this thing and more people are going to die from it,  it’s really the only solution if people aren’t going to listen”
“I understand, so when are you announcing it”
“this evening, I’m going to shower and change then head to my office. ive sent everyone home, Bastian insists he is staying in Valtoria with us, so it’s just me, you and Bastian, he is currently setting up the camera for the live feed”
Once he showered, he dressed in a crisp white shirt and black dress pants with a blazer.
“I won’t be long my love” Liam smiled as he kissed Riley then headed out for his office.
Once Liam reached the conference room, he greeted Bastian then sat himself down at his desk across from the big camera sitting in front of the desk.
“is everything set up?”
“yes, your Majesty, you go live in just under a minute, your statement is written out for you, just in case you need it”
“thank you, Bastian,”
“alright, you go live in 10 seconds” Bastian informed him from behind the camera.
Liam quickly fixed his collar then straightened up. as soon as he seen the light change on the camera he began.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of Cordonia. This is an Emergency announcement from your King. As you all know the corona virus is sweeping the nation. last week I gave the orders to self-isolate if you are a vulnerable person, and many people did, but not all, a few days ago, I gave orders to shut all non-essential business’ and to stay home where possible but again not all listened so as your King, as your leader, I have decided that the best course of action is to go into lockdown, you must know, I hate that I have to do this but if people aren’t going to take this seriously then more people will become infected and more people will die. I am going to lay down some rules that every person in Cordonia MUST follow until further notice. Number one…you must only leave your homes if absolutely necessary, this means, if you need supplies such as food, essentials that you most definitely cannot live without! Number two, you may leave your homes for exercise, once a day for one hour! if you need medications, I have organised for all medications to be delivered to homes, if you need to see a doctor…call the helpline that is on the screen right now, you will speak to qualified nurses, if the nurse decides you should be seen in person, you will then be allowed to leave your home and attend a doctors surgery or hospital. All in all this means you should only be leaving your homes if absolutely necessary The sooner the public follow these rules, the sooner this will start to go away, I don’t want to see groups of kids walking around outside, meeting up with their friends, I don’t want to see people joining in groups for any reason what so ever. Queen Riley and myself are self-isolating along with you, we know it’s going to be hard, sitting in your homes, not able to go outside, when it’s lovely and warm or going to see your friends, but spend this time wisely, be with your family’s, spend time with your husbands, your wives, your children and your parents, time that you wouldn’t be able to spend with them if you were out working or at school, we have seen what this virus has done to other countries, please don’t let this vile virus take control, I wish you all the best, stay healthy.”
Once Liam finished, he bid Bastian goodnight then headed back to his and Riley's quarters. Once he entered, he shut the door behind him, making his way towards the kitchen where Riley was getting herself some water. Liam walked in, wrapping his arms around her from behind.
“hey, I was thinking we could go to bed and put a movie on?” she smiled sympathetically as she seen how tired he was.
“you know I think that’s the best idea ive heard all week” he smiled
The two made their way to the bedroom, they done their usual night-time routines of washing their faces, brushing their teeth and such then the two took themselves to bed. it didn’t take long before the two of them were out cold.
Liam woke to a giggle coming from beside him, he opened one of his eyes just enough to see the time on the alarm clock on his bedside table. 3:00 am. He groaned as he turned over to be blinded by the light from Riley's phone.
“what are you laughing at? Its 2am Riley.”
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t sleep” she laughed as she carried on watching the video on her phone.
“are going to sleep at all tonight?”
“yeah I’m just putting it down.” Riley pressed the screen off then placed the phone on her bedside table then shuffled over to Liam, she yawned as she cuddled into his chest causing him to instinctively wrap his arms around her. “I’m sorry I woke you up” she whispered before placing a kiss to his skin.
“It’s alright, sweetie” he placed a kiss on top of her head before the two fell into a deep slumber
The next morning Liam awoke to an empty bed, he frowned at the empty space that his wife should have been in, she had no reason so be up this early as the country was currently on lockdown, they had no meetings or obligations, they would have the odd conference call but that was it. He stretched as he removed the duvet and climbed from the bed, pulling a pair of lounge pants on before heading towards out of the bedroom.
“Riley sweetie?” he called when he didn’t see her in the living room.
“I’m in the kitchen”
“Morning beautiful what are you doing up?” Liam asked as he made his way to her wrapping his arms around her from behind as she finished fixing the mugs of tea she was making.
“I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep, I hardly slept a wink all night.”
“oh really?” he asked as he nuzzled his head into the crook of Riley's neck.
“yeah, hey I’m sorry I woke you up this morning, I feel awful.” She sighed as she passed him one of the mugs of tea
“I told you this morning and I’ll tell you again now, it’s fine, don’t worry about it” he replied as he gently pressed a kiss to her lips. “I love you” he added
“I love You too” she smirked, the two made their way into the living room where they curled up on the sofa whilst catching up with the morning news on the television.
“I don’t know who pissed 2020 off but whoever was I hope karma comes around and kicks them in the ass!”
“I’ll toast to that!” Liam chuckled as he tapped his mug against Riley's.
“hey…I heard a joke on tiktok last night, when I couldn’t sleep oh my goodness…what was it again?” Riley went quiet for a minute then started laughing “oh god that was it…”
Liam smirked at how funny she found the joke; he sipped his tea as she went on to tell him.
“so little johnny’s sitting in class and the teacher says she has a math problem for him, she says, if there’s 5 birds sitting on a wire and little johnny shoots one how many’s left? So little johnny says none, the teacher says no, the answers four and johnny says no, the answers none ‘coz If I shot one the rest would fly away, the teacher says, I like the way you think.”
Liam looked at Riley confused but laughing at Riley trying to get her words out in between laughing.
“okay…” he smirked
“little johnny says, I got a question for you, if there’s three women sitting in a store eating ice cream cones and one of them is licking it, one of the is sucking it and the other is biting it, which ones married…so the th-the teacher HAHA the teacher hesitantly replies, well I guess the one sucking it and little johnny…oh my god…” just as Liam took a drink of his tea Riley finished the joke, “little johnny goes no, the one with the wedding ring, but I like the way you think.”
Liam spat his tea out as he went to laugh, he chuckled as he wiped his chin where his tea ended up.
“is that why you were laughing this morning?”
“yeah” she chuckled
“that’s hilarious”
“what times your conference call?” Riley asked him
“1pm”
“okay, do you want to have lunch out on the balcony before your meeting, it’s supposed to be really nice out today”
“I would love to”
By the time half 12 hit Liam and Riley had just finished their lunch and were sitting outside on the balcony, just getting some fresh air.
“y’know even though the reason the countries on lock down is bad, I’m so happy we get to spend some time together and it’s not rushed or last minute, we can just sit and be together” Liam smiled as he took Riley's hand across the table.
“I totally get it, the reason behind it is bad, but the time we’re gonna get to spend together is a blessing and we can’t take it for granted.”
When it was time for Liam to go, they both headed inside, he placed a gentle kiss on Riley's lips then headed down to his office, whilst Liam was at his conference call Riley curled up on the sofa scrolling through her phone.
It was just a short 45 minutes later that Liam returned to the apartment, Riley had fallen asleep on the sofa, with Bash, their protective corgi, curled up sleeping at her feet. Liam decided to get some paperwork out of the way whilst, Riley was sleeping.
It was just after 5 when Riley woke, she heard Liam in the kitchen, so she got up and made her way to him. when she walked in her was stood boiling the kettle to make some tea. Riley approached him from behind wrapping her arms around his torso and cuddling into his back.
“I love you Liam” she whispered tiredly
“I love you too” he smiled as he turned into her hold, placing a kiss on her lips. “do you want a cup of tea?”
“that would be great” she smiled
“did you sleep well?”
“I did! Better than last night anyway”
Once Liam made the tea, he passed Riley one of the mugs then the two sat at the kitchen table with them.
“I found another funny tik tok” Riley grinned
“alright, hit me with it” Liam smirked
“so…there’s a family with a little boy, driving behind a trash truck on the highway, suddenly a vibrator flies out and hits their windshield. To try and save their sons innocence the woman goes, oh that was a huge bug! And the little boy goes, damn mom how does a bug fly with a dick that big!”
Liam nearly choked on his drink; he slapped his hand on the table as he threw his head back laughing. “damn, who do you even follow on this thing” he laughed
 Riley climbed out of the shower, wrapping her towel around her, she dried herself off just as she went to lift the nightgown she had brought into the bathroom with her, she remembered she seen a trend of people walking out in front of their wife or husband naked to see what their reactions would be on tik tok, now of course, she wouldn’t be filming it but she knew it would be a lot of fun for the two of them, she smirked knowing what it will result in after Liam sees her. she walked out of the bathroom with her towel around her, she walked out of the bedroom and stood on the other side of the living room, Liam was sitting on the sofa with his back to her just about to finish up his call. Riley smirked as she unwrapped her towel, she slowly walked over towards the kitchen throwing the towel at Liam as she walked causing him to turn around. She smirked as she seen his face go from confused at the towel to his jaw dropping and nearly hitting the floor “damn baby” he mouthed as he watched her bare behind walking into the kitchen. She grabbed a glass of water to quench her thirst then as she turned around she seen Liam leaning over the end of the sofa so that he could see into the kitchen, Riley smirked with a wink as she headed into the room, swaying her hips as she walked past him, Liam stuck his arm out to stop her from going any further, he wrapped his arm around her legs gently pulling her closer to the sofa, he ran his hand up and down her leg.
“i-im…I’m sorry…I have to cut our conversation short” he quickly spoke into the phone. “I know but…it’s a matter of national emergency” he replied as he stood from the sofa, eyeing Riley's chest.
“ok…goodbye” he hung up then flung his phone onto the sofa with a grin on his face.
“are you ready?” he asked putting his hands on her waist as he leaned his head down, placing kisses along her jaw.
“ready for what, baby?” she sighed contently as she ran her fingers through his hair.
“for the wildest night of your life” he smirked as he reached down, hooking his arms at the back of her legs as he lifted her over his shoulder, receiving a happy squeal from her. He gently slapped her backside as he made his way to the bedroom with her.
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as a classic cats fan what did you think of the 2019 movie?
FOREWARD: i have full respect to those who enjoyed CATS 2019 and show their support and engage in that part of the fandom. rock on. very truly, honestly, sincerely, i hope you have a blast and create and share and have the best of times. welcome to the fandom, it’s great to have you here; thank you for joining us and i really, really do mean that from the bottom of my heart and soul. it really makes me happy that CATS has become something good for you like it is, and has been, for so many of us. i’m ecstatic to see the fandom expanding and i’m so very serious about that.
unfortunately this is the time to jump ship if you don’t want to hear any more complaints about it. thank you and ilu all and once again, welcome to the fold, i love that you’re joining us and y’all being here honey butters my toast xoxo
there was a 2019 movie?
runs hands down face
from the very first sneeze of an idea of doing a CATS movie went around being speculated in what.. 2012?? i have been against it because i knew it wouldn’t be done right. what i really wanted, really hoped for, what the fandom very honestly deserves and STILL does to this day and beyond is another honest, no dances cut, full on professionally shot video of the stage production again.
i’m still putting my hand to the cold glass and pulling my thin shawl around my shoulders as i gaze past the rain blurring the dreary world outside and sighing a tremendous, weary sigh because Hamilton is getting a full professionally-shot stage movie...... and CATS likely won’t ever.. and how cruel that is.
(not hatin on Hamilton, btw; im just old and bitter LOL i have zero hard feelings towards Hamilton and honestly good for them for getting that done, they deserve it)
so...... listen. i appreciate the thought and commitment to making a CATS movie. i think the biggest thing that busted my balls about it was the use and execution of the CGI cat people. ofc this is a big thing in a lot of opinions. but i’ve always been sitting here like....... 
there are... decades of fanart. decades of productions and photos and costume design. but the fan. art. did anyone go in and look at it? artists have been drawing these characters a wide variety of ways, but when it boils down to the anthropomorphic take on it, i thought it was pretty damn clear how good it could look. i feel like they should have been diggin in the CATS art trenches all this time, all these years, and really taken all these artistic interpretations very seriously to heart. 
it felt like a slap in the face when they overhauled nearly everyone’s design/look to the point where i don’t even know who i’m looking at. and listen, i’m here for redesigns, don’t get me wrong. i dug Jason Derulo’s Tugger design. i dug Idris Elba’s Macavity base idea because he was made a shorthair and clearly all source material says otherwise? and where’s the ginger, mate?? 
(NOTE: in the b’way revival the new Macavity costume is easily 99% black in contrast to the original design in which the costume was 95% red and orange. stark difference. “Macavity’s a ginger cat” contradicts the revival costume a bit since, again, it’s largely black. so in its defense, the costume’s red/orange accents are well placed and the black pays more tribute to the “very tall and thin” aspect he’s supposed to have. (the old costume was wild and hairy, it kinda puffed him out a bit, esp with the much fuller and taller wig.) the revival wig is more on par with main wigs, and it has that coppery color, the makeup is simplistic (as it needs to be added on to Plato) and the color use FOR base Plato brings out the red and etc etc etc. i like the revival costume; it didn’t go overboard on the reds and oranges, it was sleek and powerful, and oh my god you’ve got fingergless gloves with fucking fringe there is a MANE wiht FRINGE who designed that bc i gotta kiss em and offer a piece of my heart and soul)
everything felt muddled, disorganized, foreign, and god why did we do Jennyanydots that why please why are the cockroaches people please are you all ok in production? blink twice if you need help
oh yeah and the fat jokes. i think we were supposed to be getting over that but ok
very interesting thing with Macavity kidnapping the potentials. kinda dug that. fuck it up, Skimbleshanks
and speaking of fuckin Skimbleshanks you have no idea how much of my shit i lost when he started the tap number. i was over the MOON. GOOD shit, FUCK yeah, GO OFF and it was brilliant, absolutely beautiful
ALSO when i heard Judi Dench was gonna be in it i was really hopeful she’d finally play Grizabella. what a fucking treat that would’ve been. she was set to debut the role in the West End, then she tore her Achilles, so Elaine Page replaced her and the rest was history. i’ve really wanted to hear/see her Grizabella. :(
(and briefly on the topic of Grizabella i’m kinda not here for the trend of younger actresses in the role just hhhhhhhh kinda takes away and misplaces her whole vibe and story imo)
i just.. i didn’t understand some of the plot changes like how Macavity was up in everyone’s bs tryna force himself up to the Heavyside Layer, it was silly, and yeah i shouldn’t take CATS so seriously even with the longtime fan background but 
gestures helplessly
y’all fr?? 
there were a lot of super questionable decisions across the board and all that has already been gone over by so many people a dozen billion times. on one hand, i’m glad CATS got some exposure. on the other, :( not like this
however, on a very good note (other than skimbleshanks bless him): let me tell you how EXCITED i was that they used the original Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer arrangement. what a fucking pleasant surprise. HELL yeah. i LOVE that arrangement and i’m tickled to pieces that it was chosen.  good shit. good shit.
tbh as Serious and Bruh Calm Down this might all sound, it’s honestly no skin off my teeth. it’s a frustration, sure. i’m so very tired.  i’m disappointed. i didn’t have any specific expectations about it, just a lot of hopes. maybe too many hopes.
being a longtime CATS fan i know as well or even better than other people what a fucking dumpster fire the show is LMAO it’s wild and it’s ridiculous and god it doesn’t make any sense, it has a plot and it has no plot and everything about it is so horny and it’s the greatest fucking thing to ever happen to me
i obviously have a lot of feelings and history with CATS, and 2019 did not “ruin” anything for me, it didn’t “taint” anything about it, despite everything i’ve complained about i don’t consider myself a purist. (ok. except about the revival choreography. some things are more sacred than the vatican.)
i don’t dig 2019 as a whole. i don’t want to completely disregard it. there are bits and pieces i did like and that i can appreciate. i wish it wasn’t done that way. i just wish we had gotten a true blue professionally shot, no dances cut, honest portrayal of the stage production. 
but hey it is what it is. at the bottom of it all i’m just glad there are new people coming in and taking a look around. it’s nice to see a resurgence of the fandom. it feels really good to see more people here and loving it. i missed CATS and the CATS community. it feels so good to be home.
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myaekingheart · 4 years
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104. Seijo Seika
Anata wo ikebana ni shite shimaimaseu Itsumo soba ni ite itadakemasu yo ni Anata wo ikebana ni shite shimaimaseu Soto no kaze ni taorarete shimawanu yo -Seijo Seika, Kazuhiko Inoue
               So this was it: twenty six. Rei furrowed her brows as sunlight poured through the windows, feeling around for her fiancé. She swallowed back the lump in her throat as the realization hit her: he was already gone. Of course. With a groan, Rei buried her head beneath her pillow and cocooned herself even further into the blankets. As if she hadn’t already been tempted enough to isolate for the day. There was no point in celebrating without Kakashi.
               A part of her cursed Tsunade for even assigning him to a mission on her birthday but Rei knew it really couldn’t be helped. One cannot will the ninja world to stop turning whenever they feel like it. Besides, it wasn’t like she care to make a big spectacle of her birthday anyway. What part of getting old was even worth celebrating? It’s just another year closer to death. Rei’s fingers involuntarily twitched against the pale scars lining her forearm. She squeezed her eyes shut tight and willed herself back to sleep.
               Within a matter of seconds, however, Toshio shook the mattress as he jolted toward the bedroom door. Rei watched as he scratched at the carpet and barked incessantly. Clanking and banging echoed from the kitchen. Perfect. Just how she wanted to start her day: with a home invasion. Who the hell even broke into someone’s house at 8am? Rei didn’t have time to wonder. In a flash, she grabbed the kunai from her nightstand and ripped the blankets back. The knob slowly turned. The door creaked open. Rei was suddenly highly aware of the fact that she was wearing no pants. With a battle cry, she launched her kunai straight for her opponent’s head.
               Kakashi’s eyes widened as he ducked just in time. The knife just barely missed his head, whizzing past his ear to stick in the living room wall. Plates and silverware clanked as he attempted to steady the tray of food in his hands. “I thought you did your killing after breakfast!” he exclaimed with a hint of exasperation. Toshio happily gobbled up a stray piece of fruit that had rolled onto the floor, his previous defense vanishing.
               Rei stammered as she tried to form the proper questions. Why are you here? What happened to your mission? Is something wrong? Did you get fired? The confusion on her face was almost tangible.
               “My assignment got cancelled at the last minute” Kakashi explained, sitting on the edge of the bed. He placed the tray before her with a soft smile. He had really outdone himself: fluffy tomagoyaki, fresh fruit glistening with juice, toast dripping in silky butter and honey, and her favorite pastries, flaky and fruity and drizzled with glaze. Steam wafted lazily up from a cup of green tea, the warmth of which was perfect for a March morning such as this. “So it looks like I can spend your birthday with you after all” he added happily.
               Rei could hardly contain her joy. She leapt forward, wrapping her arms around him with a laugh. Kakashi abruptly reached out to steady the tray, the mattress rocking with her movement. That was twice now that he nearly lost all of his hard work. “You better eat before a meteor crashes into your breakfast” he jested. He glanced to Toshio begging at the side of the bed before adding, “Third time’s a charm.”
               Rei could hardly keep the smile off her face as she leaned back and started on her eggs. Perhaps her birthday wasn’t going to be so dreadful after all. She watched as Kakashi carefully shifted so as to sit cross-legged before her. God, he was so cute. “I hope you didn’t leave the house looking like you do” she joked, sipping her tea. “Forgetting the mask is like the equivalent of walking around naked for you.”
               Kakashi chuckled and shook his head. “Are you trying to tell me something?” he smirked. “Because I can take my pants off if you want.”
               “Ooh, breakfast and a show?” Rei replied. She poked at his thigh with her chopstick and giggled.
               “Well, it is your day” Kakashi replied. “You’re in charge.”
               “That’s dangerous” Rei laughed, taking another bite of her food.
               “Why? What did you have in mind?” Kakashi asked. “Tightrope walking on telephone poles? Hunting down rogue shinobi?”
               Rei shook her head. “Not even close.”
               “So what do you want to do for your birthday, then?”
               Sucking in a deep breath, a small smile crept onto Rei’s lips as she looked him dead in the eyes and replied, “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
               Kakashi gave a single, definitive nod then as he affirmed, “Alright, then. Nothing it is.” He grinned wide as she leaned over the tray to kiss him. They both knew that nothing really meant anything. That nothing was a simple promise of possibility, a liberation from obligation. The ability to do whatever you damn well pleased when you pleased to do it. That was the kind of birthday Rei had always preferred—to not be tethered by the dullness of parties and people but rather to live unhindered for once in her life. No rules, no responsibilities. Just pure, absolute freedom.
               As she finished her food, Kakashi cuddled up beside her and pulled the book from her nightstand. The pages were yellowed, the edges jagged, and the cover was nearly falling off of the shoddy spine. Rei watched suspiciously as he flipped through it, wondering if he was judging her for her literary tastes. As if he was one to talk. Before she could question him on it, however, he flipped to where her bookmark was and began reading aloud. At first she thought he was mocking her—the way he read had so much personality, so much depth of voice—but it was clear in his facial expressions and body language that his intent was quite the opposite. He wrapped his free arm around her as she snuggled against his chest, picking apart the pastry as she listened to his narration. Toshio had since reclaimed his spot at the foot of the bed, resting his heavy head on Rei’s calves. She reached down to scratch behind his ear and he sighed contentedly. In a moment like this, suddenly that bright sunlight that awoke her wasn’t so unwelcome anymore. Instead it bathed everything in a warm and cozy hue, every edge highlighted with an angelic glow. It took all of her strength to not fall back asleep. This must be what heaven is like, she thought to herself.
               Once she was finished eating, Kakashi set the book aside and carried the tray of empty plates back to the kitchen. Rei watched him through the doorway, catching the faint notes of a song that felt familiar but she couldn’t quite name. Anata wa ikebana ni shite shimaima seu, itsuma sobe ni ite itadakemasu yo ni, anata wo ikebana ni shite shimaimaseu, soto no kaze ni taorarete shimawanu yo…
               His calming voice yet again nearly put her to sleep. Her eyelids grew heavy and she felt her head slowly fall back onto her pillow, only for her to snap herself awake. After three close calls, she peeled the covers back and slithered into the bathroom. The sound of water rushing from the showerhead nearly drowned out Kakashi’s voice completely and for a moment, Rei genuinely regretted it. But then the door creaked open and there he was, leaning against the doorway. “Need some help?” he asked. Rei’s cheeks burned. She could never say no.  
               He drew her oversized t-shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor, then hooked a finger into the waist of her underwear. He paused a moment there, smiling down at the cartoon dogs on the fabric. To think: an elite ninja like her, with a high kill count to boot, wearing such cute—and, dare he say, childish—panties. He chuckled before sliding them down her thighs and watching her kick them into the corner. He undressed himself as she stepped into the shower, testing the water temperature with her foot and then curving herself around the stream so as to adjust the knob accordingly.
               “You know” she said, watching him tug the curtain closed as he joined her, “Didn’t you already get a shower this morning?”
               Kakashi simply shrugged and replied, “There was never any harm in being clean.” Then, with a slight smile, he added, “Besides, it’s nicer when it’s with you.” He rested his hands on her hips and rubbed her sides, then brushed her hair back as she tilted her head under the showerhead. He lathered shampoo into her hair and kissed her shoulders as he soaped her body up. His fingers traced her scars and caressed her cheek. And when she wasn’t looking, he’d open his mouth beneath the showerhead so as to squirt her in the face when she turned back around. She would blow soap bubbles at him in retaliation only to be captured by his strong embrace seconds afterward, both of them hunching over in uproarious laughter.
               As they dried off and got dressed, Kakashi approached the window and surveyed the village below. It was truly a beautiful day with the clearest of skies and cherry blossoms like cotton candy lining the streets. “We should take advantage of the cherry blossoms before they disappear” he said wistfully.
               “You think so?” Rei asked, shaking her hair dry like a dog. She considered the idea for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, I think that would be nice. I’m sure Toshio would appreciate a long walk anyways.”
               The minute the word walk fell from her lips, Toshio’s ears perked up. They made eye contact for a split second before he leapt to his feet and began circling her excitedly, barking and jumping. Kakashi watched as she tried to simultaneously calm him and slip into her sweater, but her head got stuck in a sleeve and Toshio was only growing more excited by the minute.
               “You might want to choose your words more carefully next time” he joked, attempting to redirect Toshio into the living room. The dog immediately went to the front door, stamping his feet and whimpering impatiently. Rei wiggled and writhed before her head popped out of the appropriate hole, her hair frizzy and face flushed. She stuck her tongue out at Kakashi playfully before rushing to slip on her sandals. The moment Kakashi opened the door, Toshio booked it down the hallway, spotted tongue flapping out of the side of his mouth as he went. Rei and Kakashi locked eyes and laughed before chasing after him.
               Konoha felt so peaceful and warm. Children raced and laughed in the streets as cherry blossoms floated leisurely on the breeze. Rei intertwined her fingers with Kakashi’s as they walked along, Toshio strolling ahead of them to sniff every tree trunk and bark at every passerby. The sweet smell of spring hung in the air.
               “So now that we’re out” Kakashi started, “Is there anything special you want to do?”
               Rei shook her head. “Not particularly” she replied. “Why? Is there anything special that you want to do?”
               Kakashi chuckled and replied, “Like I said earlier, it’s your day so you call the shots.”
               Cocking her brow, Rei gazed back at him suspiciously. “But…?” she asked.
               Of course she could see right through him. Sighing, he replied, “But there is one thing I think we should do while we’re here.” Rei had been so enthralled with the ambiance of the village that she had scarcely realized what direction they were walking in. The two of them stopped outside of a row of shops, the largest of which had a green awning and displays of new publications outside.
               “Oh no, absolutely not” Rei said, shaking her head and recoiling. The last thing she needed was to see her parents today. They were always so weird on her birthday—so passive aggressive and sentimental. Another year where you haven’t been killed. An excuse to convince her to quit her job.
               Kakashi frowned and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m sure they would be really disappointed if you didn’t at least stop in to say hello” he replied. “After all, they did give you life.”
               “Yeah, and they’ve spent every waking moment of it trying to tell me what to do” Rei fired back. “I just want one day where their bullshit doesn’t hang over my head. Is that too much to ask?”
               “I suppose not” Kakashi sighed. He toed the ground before turning to walk in the opposite direction, muttering in sing-song, “Though I’m sure Grandma Teiko will be really sad you didn’t stop by.”
               Rei pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes as he glanced at her over his shoulder. He knew her weaknesses all too well. After a moment’s stalemate, Rei threw her head back with a groan, grabbed Kakashi by the wrist, and stomped inside Kaminoki. “Just know I’m only doing this for Grandma Teiko” she muttered under her breath. And really, that was all Kakashi needed.
               Hana was checking out a customer when Rei and Kakashi slipped inside, the bell above the door signalling their arrival. A wide grin spread across her face as she hurried the young man out of the store and then rushed to her daughter with arms open wide. “I’m so glad you stopped by!” Hana cooed, hugging her daughter close. “Happy birthday, sweetheart.”
               “Thanks, mom” Rei muttered. She could feel her mother’s cheeks grow hot and her chest rising and falling unevenly to alert of impending tears.
               Hana sniffled and leaned back, brushing the long bangs out of Rei’s face. You shouldn’t hide your pretty face, she always said. A bittersweet smile touched Hana’s lips. “I can’t believe you’re already twenty six” she croaked. “It feels like just yesterday I was pushing you out of my—”
               “Okay, mom! That’s enough!” Rei interrupted, her face turning bright red. Kakashi couldn’t help but chuckle, earning him a sharp glare from his fiancée. The faster they got this over with, the better. “So, uh, where’s Dad and Grandma Teiko?” Rei asked.
               Hana and Kakashi locked eyes for a moment, the Copy Ninja giving a single nod. “Your father” Hana started, skirting around the checkout counter, “is upstairs doing what he always does.” She knelt down and began rummaging around in the counter drawers. Toshio leapt up onto his hind legs to sniff around the countertop, hoping for treats.
               “What a surprise” Rei rolled her eyes. She reached out to take Kakashi’s hand in hers, a silent plea for support, before abruptly adding, “Well if you guys are busy, I certainly don’t want to hold you up!” She patted her thigh for Toshio to come.
               “No, really! It’s fine!” Hana exclaimed. She reached across the counter to take Rei’s free hand in hers, a pelading smile touching her lips. “Please, you only just got here. At least go upstairs and say hello.”
               Rei blinked, instantly suspicious. She began fearing balloons and banners and birthday cake awaiting her. “O-okay…” she stammered quietly.
               Hana glanced to Kakashi before motioning toward the back door. “I’ll be up in a minute!”
               Rei squeezed Kakashi’s hand as he urged her to go first. The staircase was so rickety and narrow, they could really only go single file. Toshio followed close behind, close enough for Rei to keep her hand atop his head as they ascended. A lump rose in her throat and her hands felt shaky and numb. The further they went, the more compelled she felt to rush back downstairs and bolt out the front door or jump out of the nearest window.
               Quiet muttering echoed from behind the door as Rei reached the top of the stairs. Her hand hesitated on the knob, shaky and unsure. Toshio nudged the back of her leg in encouragement before Rei sucked in a deep breath and stepped inside.
               Her eyes immediately landed on Grandma Teiko. Crouched down in the kitchen, she hummed a familiar tune as she pulled a small cake from the oven. A single strand of wrinkled crepe paper hung wistfully across the doorway and there was a small stack of presents in the corner. “Well, if that’s not perfect timing” Teiko chuckled, turning her gaze to her granddaughter.
               Rei shook her head and laughed in disbelief. This was exactly what she had feared and yet, because it was Grandma Teiko, she couldn’t even be mad about it.
               “Your mother wanted to do more but I told her ‘now listen, Rei doesn’t like anything fancy so you better dial it back’” Teiko explained. Rei watched as she skirted around the counter and began setting out small ceramic plates and colorful napkins. “Now if I was in charge of all of this, I wouldn’t have done anything more than a single pastry with one candle and no decorations but you know how your mother is.” There was a twinkle in her eyes, a shared understanding between the two of them. At least someone was sane. Rei had never been more grateful for Grandma Teiko.
               As they chatted, Kakashi slipped inside quietly. Rei glanced at him over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of something hidden behind his back. Hana followed close behind. “You really didn’t need to do all of this” Rei commented, looking to her mother.
               Hana smiled softly and shook her head. “Yes I did” she commented. “What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t celebrate the day that made me one? I’m just grateful you’re happy and healthy and can celebrate your birthday to begin with.” Rei winced at the sentiment. Though vague and slightly underhanded, she knew exactly what her mother meant: another year you haven’t gotten yourself killed. Before anything more could be said, Grandma Teiko hobbled into the office to retrieve Rei’s father.
               Rei huffed her bangs out of her face and sunk down onto the living room couch. “So I guess we’re doing the whole nine yards here? Offkey singing and shiny wrapping paper included?” she asked.
               Kakashi settled beside her and rested a hand on her knee. “We’ll sing extra loud so the nieghbors can hear” he jested. Rei grimaced and playfully punched him in the arm, eliciting nothing but laughter from her fiancé. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, but this only emphasized the fact that he was still hiding something behind his back. As she leaned nearer, she peered around to try to sneak a peek but it was no use. Kakashi blocked her attempt with a cheeky grin, the kind that silently whispered not so fast. Rei frowned and leaned back in defeat with arms crossed. She was so cute when she was pouty, Kakashi couldn’t help himself from kissing the tip of her nose through his mask. He loved how deeply she blushed from the surprise affection, especially in front of her parents.
               Yuruganai trudged into the room just in time, gagging at the sight of such public displays. “Save it for the bedroom” he grumbled, sinking down into his favorite armchair. Hana cupped her hand over her mouth, her face bright red, as she tried to avoid the thought of her daughter’s relationship being anything other than puritanical.
               “Let the kids have their fun!” Grandma Teiko exclaimed. She turned off all the lights as Hana finished icing the cake and set it upon the coffee table. She lit the candles and then guided everyone in singing Happy Birthday.
               Of all the traditions Rei had to suffer through, the singing was probably the one she hated the most. Everything about it was hell: the volume, the melodic dissonance, being the center of attention. She clenched her jaw a little too tightly when she smiled, tightening her grip on Kakashi’s hand. Toshio howled along imperfectly.
               The cake was phenomenal, per usual. It was Hana’s secret recipe, the one she used for everyone’s birthdays. Her cooking always delivered even if Rei could’ve done without the globs of icing. Toshio licked a dollop from Rei’s finger as she asked, “So what kinds of presents does twenty six get me? Crippling debt? Crotch goblins? Angina?”
               Grandma Teiko snorted. “That’s not until twenty nine” she corrected. She reached into the pile of presents and handed over a small box wrapped in red foil. Rei took it gratefully and carefully unwrapped it to find a small handpainted flowerpot. “For the chakra plants” Teiko elaborated.
               From her mother, she received a packet of wildflower seeds—“To match the flowerpot” she said—and a new cardigan she had found at the boutique around the corner. Her father gifted her a paperweight that was just as dull and unsuspecting as one would imagine. And then it was Kakashi’s turn.
               Rei cocked an eyebrow and said in fake suspicion, “Now what else could you have possibly gotten me?” She held up her left ring finger to emphasize her point. And really, what more could she ask for when he had already pledged his commitment to her?
               “Oh” Kakashi said in quiet, mock disappointment. “Then I guess you don’t want this after all.” Here, he finally revealed the package he had been hiding behind his back. “Such a shame. I really thought you were going to like it, too.”
               “Well, seeing as you went to all that trouble…” Rei replied sheepishly, before quickly turning and reaching her hands out, demanding “Gimme!”
               Kakashi handed the present over mercifully, watching with a careful eye as she set it in her lap. Wrapped in unassuming parchment, Rei knew immediately that it was a book. She was careful not to tear too violently through the paper as if it was a precious treasure that must be handled as such. Her breath hitched in her throat as the cover began to reveal itself.
               “Kakashi, you didn’t” she gasped, looking at him in questionable disbelief. It was a leatherbound first edition of her favorite book, the very same one he had read aloud to her earlier, in mint condition. “This must have cost you a fortune.”
               “We all pitched in” Hana chimed.
               “I’ve been in contact with a seller in Amegakure who claimed he had one” Yuruganai replied. “Traded him for ten shipments of the newest Icha Icha crap. Apparently it’s super popular over there.” Yuruganai scrunched his face up in disgust at the thought.
               Rei traced the embossing on the cover, admiring the detailed tree branches and frolicking fantasy creatures. “You guys really outdid yourselves” she whispered, smiling. “Thank you for this.”
               Grandma Teiko hobbled over and pulled Rei into a tight hug with her free arm. “It was really no trouble” she said. “But I will say I should get some credit for coming up with the idea.”
               “You would understand the trouble if you had to correspond with Amegakure” Yuruganai muttered. His tone seeped with underlying disdain for the Rain Village’s politics.
               Kakashi took Rei’s hand in his and added, “This doesn’t mean you have to get rid of the old copy, by the way.” He brushed the bangs out of her face and smiled. “I know how sentimental your original is for you.”
               “I didn’t get that impression at all—that this was supposed to be a replacement” Rei assured. “If anything, I’m happy to have two! A sentimental one and a fancy one.” For a split second, the thought of settling down to read from the new copy with her future children flickered in the back of her mind and Rei grew suddenly woozy. She rested a hand upon Toshio’s head, who was vying for more icing, in an attempt to steady her thoughts.
               “So, do you two have plans tonight?” Hana asked over her shoulder, carrying the dirty dishes to the sink. “If you’re not doing anything, you should stay for dinner.”
               Rei, still slightly unhinged, glanced to Kakashi and it was clear the sirens were sounding in her head. “Actually” Kakashi stepped in, “we already made dinner plans with some friends.”  
               “Oh” Hana said, slightly dejected. “Okay then. I hope you both have fun. Perhaps if it’s not too late, you can stop by for tea and dessert instead?”
               “We’ll, uh, we’ll think about it, Mom” Rei replied. “But thank you.” Despite the formality, her and Hana were both well aware that if she was meeting up with Sekkachi, Rei was going to be shit-faced drunk by the end of the night. Another matter Hana did not want to think about.
               “Let Rei enjoy her birthday” Teiko shouted into the kitchen. “After all, you’re only young once!”
               “Yes, but you also only have one family” Hana added, slightly peeved.
               Grandma Teiko chuckled. “Not if you get a jump on procreation” she replied, winking at her granddaughter. Rei’s face turned bright red, forcing a polite smile as she swallowed back her anxiety.
               Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck nervously, adding, “Let’s take one thing at a time.” He panned the room to find Yuruganai shaking his head and rising to his feet, evidently done with the whole conversation. The mood was fizzling out. That was their cue.
               By the time they left, it was nearly sunset. Rei burst out into the street and keeled over with hands on her knees, gasping for breath. “Thank god that’s over with” she sighed.
               “That suffocating, huh?” Kakashi chuckled. Deep down, he hated to admit that he felt it, too. Rei’s parents may have given him their blessing for the engagement but he knew full well the reservations they still held toward him. Feelings like that are, unfortunately, not so easily shaken.
               Rei puffed out her cheeks and nodded with wide eyes, hands firmly on her hips. Toshio nudged her hand, licking whatever sugary residue still clung to her fingertips. “Let’s go” she said after catching her breath, motioning for them to follow. “I need to try and salvage whatever’s left of the day before I lose my goddamn mind.”
               Kakashi trotted to catch up with her, readjusting the canvas bag of her gifts on his shoulder. “So what else would you like to do then?” he asked. They walked along the winding pathway through the park. Old men sat at the lake’s shore fishing and reminiscing, parents carried sleepy toddlers in their arms. A family of ducks travelled downstream, their quacks echoing off the water’s surface.
               “I don’t know” Rei sighed. It was clear she was steadily growing overwhelmed with her own thoughts. “Something distracting, I guess. What was that thing you said about dinner plans with friends? Is that actually a thing or did you just pull that excuse out of your ass?”
               Kakashi shrugged. “Guy had suggested we get together tonight, and I did mention that takeout place you like” he replied. The thought of her favorite greasy fast food immediately put Rei in a brighter mood.
               “I would love that” she abruptly replied.
               Smiling, Kakashi gave Rei’s hand an affectionate squeeze. “Alright then, takeout it is.” Despite the promise of such simplicity, it was clear to Kakashi that there was still something bothering her. When Rei smiled back at him, he could tell she was tense and preoccupied. “Is everything okay?” he asked.
               “What? Yeah! Of course!” Rei lied. Kakashi narrowed his eyes in suspicion. It took all of ten seconds for Rei to crack. “I mean, I don’t know, seeing my parents just kinda kicked my ass” she admitted.
               “Was there something that I missed?” he asked. “What did they say? Or do?”
               Sighing, Rei shook her head. She was too scared to bring up all the overbearing thoughts in her head. If she could even formulate them into words in the first place, that is. “It’s really nothing” she insisted. “The whole thing just gave me a lot to think about.”
               “Like what?” Kakashi asked. “If something is bothering you, you need to tell me what’s going on. Please.”
               “Okay…” Rei said slowly, cautiously. She raked her bangs back and tried to prepare herself. “I mean, I guess part of it just has to do with how I’m still trying to adjust to the fact that we’re engaged, you know? And our future, I mean—”
               Before she could finish her sentence, a loud splash interrupted the conversation. The couple whipped around to find none other than Toshio paddling toward the center of the lake.
               “Toshio, what the hell are you doing?!” Rei shouted after him, but it was useless. If he could hear her, it was clear he had chosen to ignore her. Rei watched as he swam nearer to the family of ducks, correctly predicting exactly what was to happen next. Sighing, she rubbed her temples as the birds squawked and scattered.
               Kakashi couldn’t resist laughing. He should’ve expected as much. “Well, they don’t call him a retriever for nothing” he jested.
               “Very funny” Rei sighed.
               Once Toshio returned, he dropped the duck at Rei’s feet and grinned happily, spotted tongue lopping out of the side of his mouth. Rei lifted the duck up by the neck with her index and thumb, cringing. The bird hung lifelessly in her grasp.
               “At least he thought to get you a present” Kakashi laughed. “Happy birthday, here’s a dead duck!”
               “Well, I guess we have a backup plan for dinner tonight” Rei replied. Then, smirking to her fiancé, she asked, “Do you know how to make duck a l’orange?” Toshio, apparently pleased with the idea, barked joyfully and spun in circles so quickly his tail whacked him in the face. Kakashi and Rei smiled at each other before they both erupted into fits of hysterical laughter.
               Tubes of various colored lipstick and palettes of eyeshadow littered the bathroom counter. Rei stared intently at her reflection, her features a jigsaw puzzle disassembled and strange. The harsh vanity lights highlighted every imperfection: the freckles dotting her shoulders, the depth of the scar across the bridge of her nose, the thickness of her eyebrows and her uneven smile and her frizzy copper hair. For a moment, she didn’t even recognize herself. She gripped the edge of the bathroom counter and sucked in a deep breath. If she wasn’t careful, she was certain she was going to be sick. Perhaps going out wasn’t such a good idea after all. The weight of her own intrusive thoughts would surely prevent her from enjoying herself. Her eyes skated down to the ring on her finger, the way the pearl caught the light, and she shuddered. The future was so big and blinding and intimidating.
               “Rei? Are you okay in there?” Kakashi called from the other side of the door. Rei jolted, his voice snapping her from her silent breakdown.
               “Y-Yeah, I’m fine!” she shouted back. It was clear to Kakashi, however, that she was not, in fact, fine.
               “Can I come in?” he asked.
               “Um, I mean…w-why?” she asked back.
               Kakashi chuckled uneasily under his breath. “Because we only have one bathroom” he replied. Rei, suddenly feeling very stupid, creaked the door open. He slipped past her, casually unzipping his pants so he could go to the bathroom. She tried to ignore his presence and make herself look busy, shuffling through her five different tubes of lipstick in an effort to look busy. Anything to avoid suspicion. Not that Kakashi wasn’t suspicious already, because he was. “You’re taking a while to get ready” he commented.
               “Yeah, and what about it?” Rei snapped, whipping around to shoot him a sharp glare. Kakashi blinked as his trickle slowed to a halt, zipping his pants up. It took her all of two seconds to realize she had made a terrible mistake. Rei’s face turned bright red and she dropped her eyes to the floor, muttering “Oh god, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”
               “Rei” Kakashi said, voice firm. For a moment, she was certain he was angry with her. He approached and placed his hands on her shoulders, willed her to look up at him. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
               Rei chewed her bottom lip and nodded hesitantly. “Y-yeah, I’m just…I guess I’m just kind of tense and stressed or something.” She knew she didn’t sound convincing. She couldn’t bring herself to try any harder. Her energy for such things was rapidly depleting.
               Kakashi dropped his hands and approached the sink, turning on the water and pumping soap onto his palm. “You’ve been kind of off ever since we visited your parents. Did something happen that I don’t know about?” he asked. She watched him lather the soap on his hands, the way the bubbles caught the light and filled the sink. They popped and crackled as Kakashi rinsed his hands and then reached for the towel. “I know how stressful seeing them always is for you. I’m sorry if you’re upset that I insisted we drop in in the first place.”
               “N-no, it’s not that at all!” she assured him. “I could never be mad at you for that.” She knew how important family was to him. It was so easy to cherish what you no longer have. Sighing, Rei sank down onto the edge of the tub. “I just wish my family didn’t make me think about things I don’t have the guts to face yet.”
               “Like what?” Kakashi asked. He crouched down in front of her and brushed the hair back out of her face. Rei couldn’t bring herself to look at him and in her silence, he connected the dots on his own. “Is this about what they said about having kids?” he asked.
               Rei’s face paled and she coughed on her own saliva. “Well—I just—I mean…” she stammered. When she couldn’t bring herself to produce any more words, she groaned and drew her knees up to her chest, nearly falling into the tub in the process. Kakashi reached out and caught her, stifling a laugh as he pulled her close. “Kakashi…” Rei sighed. She buried her face in his sleeve. “I’m just scared. I don’t know what it is. It just feels like there’s all this pressure, like there’s so much ahead of us and it’s…it’s daunting. I don’t know what to do.”
               “I know” Kakashi whispered. He cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead. “I feel like birthdays always bring out the sentimentalist in people. It’s so easy to get caught up in these ideas about family and the future, and about what you should accomplish by what age.” Taking her left hand in his, he toyed with the ring on her finger as he added, “Being engaged only makes those expectations feel that much heavier.”
               Rei gazed at him empathetically. She hated how comforting it was knowing he was feeling the pressure, too. “I just want to numb it all out. Do things on our own terms. It’s only been two weeks” she replied. And really, how were they supposed to have the entire rest of their lives planned out in only fifteen days? None of it made any sense. If only everyone else could be so empathetic.
               “We will” Kakashi assured her. “We don’t have to follow anyone else’s rules but our own.” He smiled down at her and caressed her cheek. Whatever imperfections she saw in herself were, to him, a masterpiece. Her cheeks were so soft and warm and when she smiled, she lit up the whole room. His heart swelled. “For now, I don’t want you to think about it anymore” he continued. “This is your night and I want you to enjoy every second of it.” A small smile touched her lips as she nodded and drew his hand up to kiss his knuckles. At least if she had to be here, face to face with her own future, she could take solace in knowing he was right by her side, hands and hearts intertwined until their dying breath.
               Chukaryori Inn was an unsuspecting little place around the corner from Ichiraku. It was not necessarily known for it’s food or it’s atmosphere and therefore was always nearly empty. Rei wasn’t sure why she liked the place so much—perhaps the liminality of it made her feel concealed and therefore safe. The ominous flicker of the neon sign through evening rain instantly calmed her as they ducked inside.
               Despite being a takeout place, the lobby of the restaurant housed a handful of mismatched tables and chairs where patrons could eat if they chose to. Guy and Sekkachi had already settled into a spot backed up against the potted bamboo sagging in the corner. Directly above them was a speaker fixed to the mirrored wall through which fuzzy shakuhachi music played.
               The moment the little bell above the door jingled to signify their arrival, Rei locked eyes with Might Guy and suddenly knew what it must feel like to be a small animal spotted by prey in the wild. Without a moment of hesitation, Guy triumphantly leapt up onto the table. “There’s the birthday girl!” he shouted, pointing directly at her. The table wobbled beneath him.
               Sekkachi looked up at him sharply, tugging on his legwarmer and muttering “Get the fuck down before you break a leg.” Whether she meant one of Guy’s legs or a table leg wasn’t important. The waitress behind the counter eyed them suspiciously before slowly ducking into the back.
               “Oh god, please, no” Rei muttered under her breath, her cheeks burning. Kakashi placed his hand on the small of her back as he guided her toward the table. She shielded her face from her own reflection as Kakashi pulled her chair out for her. She sank down graciously.
               With legs already propped up on the table, Sekkachi smirked and tooted a dorky little paper horn. “Congratulations: you’re one year closer to death!” she exclaimed.
               Rei narrowed her eyes but her lips pursed into a smile. “You’re one to talk” she quipped. “Aren’t you turning thirty in a few weeks?”
               Sekkachi swatted at the air as she took a swig of her drink. “Let’s not talk about that” she dismissed. “Tonight is all about Y-O-U.”
               “Unfortunately” Rei chuckled, self-deprecating.
               Kakashi rested a hand on her back, leaning down so that they were almost at eye level. “I’ll go order our food, just let me know what you want” he smiled. Then, turning to the others, “Have you ordered yet?”
               Guy nodded emphatically. “I’ve never eaten here before but everything looked so good, I couldn’t help but try a bit of everything!” he replied excitedly. Whipping out the paper menu at their table, he pointed to the picture of his dish and exclaimed, “The perfect meal: a pupu platter!”
               Sekkachi rolled her eyes, muttering, “And with all the grease in this shit, you’re gonna be having pupu all week.”
               Rei smirked, asking, “And what did you order?”
               “The same thing she always orders!” Guy exclaimed. He shoved the menu haphazardly back into it’s plastic container. “White rice and ice water. You know, Sekkachi, I really think you ought to expand your horizons! Indulge! Experience the power of food!”
               “Mm, yeah, no thanks” Sekkachi replied. “I experience the power of food every time it hits my guts. I’ll just stick with the usual.”
               Shaking his head, Kakashi then turned to Rei and asked, “Do you want your usual?” Rei smiled and nodded. She loved that he knew her well enough to know exactly what she wanted. It wasn’t like they had even been regulars here for very long. Rei had only really just discovered Chukaryori a few months ago on Mikazuki’s recommendation. And yet there was something so comforting and casual about the food, she fell in love at first bite.
               Rei shook the rainwater from her hair as Kakashi approached the counter. “I have a feeling that storm outside is going to get a lot worse before it gets better” she commented.
               “Well, you know what they say” Sekkachi replied, leaning back in her seat. “April showers bring May flowers.”
               Rei stared back at her dumbly, blinking. “Sekkachi, it’s March.”
               “Eh, fuck it, close enough” Sekkachi swatted at the air.
               Guy grinned at the two of them before asking, “So, Rei, how has your birthday been so far? Have you done anything special?”
               Shaking her head, Rei replied, “Not really. We just kinda hung out. Stopped in to see my family for a little bit.”
               “Hana made cake, didn’t she?” Sekkachi chuckled. She knew Rei’s mother all too well. She remembered how desperately Hana Natsuki had tried to get her to eat during childhood sleepovers, the softly offended glares at nearly-full plates of food. Whenever Sekkachi felt especially bad about this, she always ended up having to trudge home at 2am with a stomachache. It wasn’t worth it. Sekkachi could handle disappointing her if it meant saving her digestive system.
               Rei nodded, sucking in a deep breath. “Of course she did” she replied. “With all the nauseating icing you can imagine.” The way she said this, the telling wink, was a clear indicator that icing was merely a metaphor. Luckily, Sekkachi had known her long enough to know exactly what icing meant: well-meaning but overbearing comments that only emphasized how hopeless you were.
               Sekkachi shuddered. “Heaven have mercy on your soul.”
               Because it was predominantly a takeout restaurant, Chukaryori didn’t bother with plates. Their food was served in lidded aluminum pans and paper pagoda boxes dripping with grease. Guy’s order was so large, it required three containers. Crispy egg rolls, spare ribs, juicy chicken, beef teriyaki, wontons, crab rangoons, and fried shrimp towered before him, threatening a night of indigestion. He snapped his chopsticks apart, murmured a mouth-watering itadakimasu, and dove right in.
               Kakashi watched in concerned awe, cocking an eyebrow and pursing his lips. “Guy, that’s a lot of food” he commented warily.
               “Yeah, are you sure you can eat all of that?” Rei asked.
               Guy grinned as he stuffed his face. “My body needs all the delicious energy it can get!” he exclaimed. “And if I can’t eat it all, then Sekkachi will help me!”
               Sekkachi paused, mouth full of bland white rice. “Not on your life” she muffled, swallowing hard and chugging her ice water.
               Laughing, Guy’s eyes then skated to Kakashi’s plate. The copy ninja squeezed a complimentary lemon wedge over his kara-age, perfectly crispy. “Hey, Kakashi” Guy commented, cocking a brow, “I thought you didn’t like fried food.”
               Kakashi shrugged. “I like kara-age sometimes” he said. “We don’t really come here often enough for me to get sick of it, but for what it’s worth, everything on the menu here is fried. At least this comes with salad.” He reached for a bottle of ginger dressing on the table and drizzled it across a bowl of leafy lettuce, crisp cucumbers, and shredded carrot.
               As Rei dug into her own food, she felt a surge of welcome happiness within the pit of her chest. Rain pattered on the roof and the fluorescent lights overhead hummed and flickered but their collective laughter drowned everything else out. While she never grew up eating subuta, each bite filled her with a warmth usually reserved only for nostalgic comforts. Her pork was sweet and tangy and the vegetables retained their crunch. The way the cook cut her carrots into the shape of flowers reminded Rei of her mother. That night, like every other night they ate from Chukaryori, Rei did not have any leftovers.
               Guy, on the other hand, started confidently but was bested by his own hubris. Sekkachi shrugged, capping her container of rice. She’d eat the other half later, perhaps as a midnight snack. “At least you tried a little bit of everything” she commented.
               “Wow” Rei replied, eyes wide and mouth agape, “I’m surprised by your optimism.” Sekkachi rolled her eyes, a silent threat to reach across the table and slap Rei on the shoulder.
               Guy snapped the lids onto his containers in defeat, his stomach bloated and his face pale. “You know what this means?” he said. His comrades gazed back at him in anticipation. “I just need to train harder! One day, I’ll defeat you, you formidable pupu platter!” Rei clapped her hands over her mouth, stifling her hysterical laughter.
               Though the rain had picked up by the time they all parted ways, Rei and Kakashi took the long route home. The streets were empty and the sky overhead was littered with stars. Rei spread her arms out wide as she strolled, tilting her head back so as to catch raindrops on her tongue. The moon was full and the air was cool. Kakashi couldn’t fight the grin on his masked face as he watched her inhibitions disappear. It was like they were young children again, carefree and candid. Nothing could hurt them.
               Kakashi’s ardor grew the nearer they came to their apartment. He watched with a tender gaze as she kicked her shoes off at the front door, shook the rainwater from her hair, and the great care she took in stepping over Toshio asleep on the floor. It was when she approached the bookshelf, eyes focused as she considered the best place to put her new book, that Kakashi’s love became completely uncontainable. Without a moment of hesitation, he crept up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She gasped but fell into his embrace almost immediately. He rubbed her sides, lifting her shirt up slightly in the process.
               “Kakashi, are you trying to tell me something?” she smiled. Her laughter was like paradise as he tugged his mask down, planted kisses along her jawline and down her neck.
               “Not particularly” Kakashi lied. His fingers toyed at the hem of her pants, caressing the indent of her hipbone. A jolt of excitement coursed through his veins. She was right here in front of him, real as could be, and yet in moments like this he couldn’t even fathom how he had gotten so lucky. This was his future, snuggled up right in his arms. He couldn’t imagine devoting his life to anyone else. “Is it so wrong to want to give my future wife a little affection on her birthday?” he then asked, his lips curling into a smile.
               Future wife. Those words were like a shot of morphine straight to her veins. “I like the sound of that” she whispered. Her hand skated down to rest atop his pressed against her stomach, melting into his embrace. Kakashi kissed her cheek as he toyed with the ring on her finger, turning it this way and that as if to confirm it still existed. His touch brought her a sense of peace unlike anything else. All of the anxiety that had built up within her throughout the day began to evaporate and in it’s place came a certain confidence, a solidification of thought. “Kakashi…” she sighed.
               “Hmm?” he gently turned her face toward his. There was a tender sweetness in his eyes that only further confirmed her plan.
               A soft, almost apprehensive laugh broke past her lips. “At the risk of sounding greedy,” she whispered, “I…I need to ask you for one gift for my birthday.”
               “Oh?” Kakashi asked, cocking a brow. “The book wasn’t enough?” She could tell he was joking but that didn’t stop her anxiety from mounting.
               Averting her eyes, she shook her head and muttered, “Actually, nevermind. Forget I said anything.” She broke away from his grasp and slipped into the bedroom. Perhaps it was better that she kept her mouth shut anyway. This was a bad idea.
               “Rei, wait, no” he called after her, reaching for her wrist. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”
               “No, it’s fine” she shook her head. She couldn’t stand to look at him. She hadn’t even posed her question and yet she was far too embarrassed she had ever thought of it in the first place.
               Kakashi’s gaze softened as he brushed the hair out of her face. “I’m sorry. What is it? Please tell me.” She had only enough strength to glance at him but his apologetic smile was enough to break down her weak walls.
               “I just…” she started, voice cracking. She could feel his anticipation rising. Sucking in a deep breath then, she finally said it. “Kakashi, I want you to cum inside me.”
               Kakashi drew back slightly, blinking. They had never done that before. Of all the years they had been together, he had always been so devoted to pulling out—perhaps a little too devoted. And yet here she was now, asking him to empty himself inside of her. To give her every ounce of himself. “R-Rei, but what if you--?” he started, but she quickly cut him off.
               “I know” she said. “We’ll be fine. I don’t care. Just…please. I-I want to feel you.” Her cheeks were burning at the proposition, and she suddenly felt so stupid and shy.
               A shiver ran down Kakashi’s spine as he swallowed hard. His mind raced as he considered this unexpected request, a part of him wondering what brought her to want this in the first place. Earlier she had been so panicked, so overwhelmed. The abrupt turn of thought was so jarring. Did she truly want this? Or did she just feel pressured? The look on her face, however, told him she was genuine. He tilte her head up and pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes in the hope that he could somehow silently transmit to her a sense of peace and clarity. She was ready. She was willing. She no longer feared the risk. Kakashi caressed her cheek, considered the ring on her finger. They were in this together now, whatever the future brought them. And if it unexpectedly brought them a child, then so be it. They could handle it. Perhaps that realization was what changed her heart’s direction, too. A small smile touched his lips as he drew her hips against his to emphasize his growing erection. “Okay” he whispered. “I’m all yours.”
               Rei’s heart leapt into her throat, searching his face for any sign that he may be leading her on. She felt so guilty for wanting this, so hypocritical even, yet she found no hint of malice in his gaze. He pressed his lips to hers sweetly, tenderly, as they both migrated toward the bed. They broke their kiss for only a moment as Kakashi slid Rei’s shirt up over her head.
               He straddled her hips as she fell back against the mattress, his gentle touch tracing the curvature of her breasts, her toned stomach, her plush hips. A small smirk touched his lips as he toyed with the hem of her underpants. “You’re wearing one of your nice pairs” he commented. Rather than the usual rips and tears, these were soft and pink and floral with teasing lace trim. “Are they new?”
               “New enough” Rei whispered, running her hands through Kakashi’s hair. Her breath hitched as his lips traveled down her chest to her pelvis. He removed her underwear slowly and tossed them aside, then locked eyes with her as he spread her legs further apart. She loved the way he was looking at her, the hunger in his eyes, the slight smirk of his lips. She closed her eyes as he eased his way into her, hooking his arms beneath her legs so he could perfectly hit that spot she liked.
               His pace began slow and steady but Rei could tell there was something about him that was different this time—every motion more powerful, more meaningful. She bit her lower lip as he thrust harder and faster, tightening his grip on her thighs.
               “Rei...” he whispered, his voice breathless. “I-I’m close. Are you sure…you still…mm, want to do this?”
               Rei dug her nails into his back as she considered his question for a moment. There was still time to back out. There was so much risk, and yet…
               “Yes” she said definitively. “Yes, Kakashi. D-do it.”
               With a single nod, Kakashi replied, “Okay.” His voice was so low, almost even a growl. He held her close as he picked up the pace, thrusting deep and fast inside her. His breath grew shaky and he prayed he could hold out, that he could withstand the instinct to pull out at the very last minute. She planted a few small kisses along his collarbone before gasping and burying her face in the crook of his neck. It was then that he knew she would make this so easy for him. How could he deny her when she was so vulnerable like this? When her body was racked by every buck and swerve of his hips?
               Rei’s heart pounded as her body electrified and somehow it felt like the first time all over again. All she could think about was him: him on top of her, him inside of her, him holding her and fucking her and filling her. And then she felt his dick pulse inside her and his shaky breath against her neck and her entire body quivered. “K-Kakashi…” she whispered, her back arching against the mattress. He groaned and tangled his fingers in her hair, the ejaculation bringing on equal parts rapture and relief. And god, it was so much better this way. For a moment, he didn’t even care or consider the potential consequences. All he knew was the sweet, raw bliss of that perfect union, of a smooth finish, uninterrupted and real.
               He stayed there, towering over her, for a long moment afterward before he could finally catch his breath. And then slowly he maneuvered himself out of her, sitting upright before her. He ruffled his hair with a breathy laugh, sweat beading on his brow. “How do you feel?”
               Rei’s chest rose and fell quickly as she stared up at the ceiling, her face flushed and damp with sweat. How did she feel? It took her a moment to figure out the answer. “Good” she finally replied. “I feel…good.” She propped her hand behind her head and smiled softly back at him and he was immediately weak. He lunged toward her to press his lips hard against hers, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.
               “I’m glad” he whispered as she settled against his chest. He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead and in that moment, she was at peace—more than she had expected to be. Rei’s eyes quickly grew heavy as Kakashi snuggled her close and then once again he began to sing. Anata wo ikebana ni shite shimaimaseu, itsumo soba ni ite itaadkemasu yo ni…
               “Mm, Kakashi…” Rei moaned sleepily. “Why does that song sound so familiar…? I feel like I’ve been hearing it…all day…”
               A small smile touched Kakashi’s lips as he brushed the hair back out of her face. “Don’t you remember?” he asked. “My mother used to sing it to me when I was little. It’s one of the only things I remember about her.” His heart skipped a beat as he remembered their childhood, the way he, in turn, would occasionally sing that very song to Rei when she was young and scared or wouldn’t stop crying or fall asleep. It had been so long since he had sang to her, so long since he had uttered those sweet lyrics at all. He wasn’t sure what made him remember them so abruptly—perhaps it was how peaceful she looked when he returned home that morning, riding the high of a last-minute day off. If only every day could be spent just like this, doing whatever they pleased, always together. Come morning, everything would be back to normal. He would go on missions again, leaving her behind, as she would to him. The world would start turning yet again and their careers would bring them to the brink of death, challenging that promise he had made to her so many years ago. But he didn’t want to think about that right now. For the time being, all that mattered—all that existed—was him and her and the little life they had built within this tiny apartment. Kakashi kissed the tip of Rei’s nose and cupped her cheek in his hand, then asked quietly, “So did you have a good birthday?”
               Though exhausted and nearly unconscious, Rei forced her eyes open ever so slightly to look up at him, sleep drunk and sweet. “The best birthday” she murmured, smiling. “How could it be anything less when I got to spend it with you? My first birthday as your fiancée. Knowing I’m going to be your wife…that’s the best present I could’ve ever asked for.”
               Kakashi’s heart swelled; he was so overwhelmed with love for her. He swallowed back the faintest threat of tears as he took her left hand in his, turning the engagement ring back and forth on her finger. If he was honest, he still couldn’t believe she had said yes. He still couldn’t believe that after all those years of distance and defiance, that she still promised to spend the rest of her life with him. He would forever be indebted to her boundless grace—he truly did not deserve her forgiveness. And yet her undying love for him was proof that perhaps he was never as irredeemable as he feared he was. That he still had hope and a purpose. That he still had a promise to her to uphold: to protect her until his dying breath, and in doing so forge a life with her that they could be proud of. He truly couldn’t ask for anything more. Kakashi drew her hand up so as to kiss her fingertips, his heart overflowing as she interlaced her fingers with his. He held their hands against his chest, the steady beat of his heart lulling her to sleep. Just before she slipped into complete slumber, she heard his voice whisper in her ear, soft and sweet.
               I love you more than anything, Rei.
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oh-theatre · 5 years
Text
Objection!: Chapter 2
Chapter title: Morning Chaos
A/n: I wrote a lot more family!Patton than I expected too but I think it's fine. Also, I hope I'm doing ok, let me know! Also, I have been doing a lot of research for this fic but I might get things wrong so I apologize.
First | Previous | Next
words: 2858
summary: Patton tries his best to get his kids ready for the morning, and Virgil receives some unsettling news.
pairings: Eventual logicality, eventual prinxiety, platonic demus
warnings: Murder mention
Ao3 Link
“Yo Virge! Someones at your desk!” A familiar voice calls to Virgil as he steps into the precinct early morning. Virgil turns grumbling to face his partner Remy, glaring at him. Remy shrugs it off and points to their desks. Virgil's gaze follows his point and his annoyance grows seeing a figure hovering over his desk, messing with his things. “Yeah, I thought you might like that” Remy teases before dragging a very tired Virgil over to their desk. 
“Hi, hello what do you want?” Virgil wastes no time interrogating the figure. The man stands tall and faces away from the pair. Virgil sighs and pushes the man aside slightly before sitting down. He feels a weighted pressure push his chair down and a voice brought his ear.
“Is that really any way to treat a judge?” Virgil spins around pushing the man away from him frightened.
“Roman! God! What are you doing here?” Virgil takes a moment to steady his breathing glaring at the now snickering Judge and his partner doing the same. Roman notices his glare and promptly stops his giggle fest. “Look I had a rough morning, I'm really annoyed right now so just… what are you doing here?” Virgil begs it's true. His morning had been less than ideal trying to get his son Damian to the daycare was a test. He had gotten absolutely no sleep last night fretting over the murder trial and to make things worse Roman Reial was standing in the precinct laughing at him. So not ideal.
“Sorry..” Roman sputters through his returning laughs, he clears his throat “My apologies Virgil, I'm here to retrieve the final evidence files for the trial this afternoon.” Virgil nods and gestures for the judge to follow him. They walk through the dimly lit precinct in awkward silence. They make their way through the array of desks, past the break room into the evidence locker.
“Case 203” Virgil requests, the lady at the desk nods and disappears into the plethora of file cabinets behind her. Virgil feels a buzz in his pocket and reaches for his now ringing cell phone. “Detective Tormine, what can I do for you?” Virgil's hears Roman stifle a laugh, he shoots him another glare, Roman puts his hands up innocently. Virgil listens his face slowly falls and he sighs exasperated “I'll be there as soon as I can, thank you Cindy” He slams his phone shut and rubs his temples. Roman eyes him with curiosity. 
“Is everything alright detective?” The judge asks, his voice softening at the clear state of distress the man is in. Virgil shakes his head biting his lip.
“Its Damian, apparently he's not doing so well and he threw up.” Virgil scoffs “How does a father miss when their child is sick? I mean...I'm an awful parent” He curses himself. Damian had begged all morning not to go today, telling his father he felt ‘icky’, Virgil wanted to kick himself. Roman puts a reassuring hand on the smaller man's shoulder, he uses his other hand to lift Virgil's face so they stand eye to eye. 
“You are not an awful parent” Roman says firmly, his tone has shifted. Virgil recognizes the sudden change, it was Romans court voice. “You are a single dad, who work practically 24/7 in the field of law and still makes time for your kid. I can't tell you how many times Patton has felt the same, it doesn't make you awful parents. You are under an incredible amount of stress, so you missed some signs that's ok because you can go now and take care of him. He will appreciate that so much more than you being upset with yourself” Roman soothes. Virgil simply stares, Roman was right but Virgil also knew it wasn't that easy. However, Virgil needed to go so he simply nods. The lady comes back, handing Roman the case file, and remaining evidence. They thank her before making their way back to the desk. “Why don't I drive you? It's on the way to the courthouse anyway” Roman offers, Virgil knows for a fact the daycare was in the opposite direction but he doesn’t think Roman was one to take no for an answer. 
“Ooo! Roadtrip” Remy exclaims joining the conversation. Virgil rolls his eyes smiling softly at his partner's antics. “Can I come?” 
“It's not a road trip Remy” Virgil insists “I'm going to pick up my sick son” Remy backs away face apologetic, Virgil shoots him a reassuring glance before turning back to Roman. “Fine but only because I don't want to take the bus” Roman claps victorious, Remy snickers before returning to his work. 
What did I get myself into?
~~~
“What?!” Patton cries into the phone, he rubs his temples frustrated “No, no, no please Cindy-” He listens aggravated. Finally, he sighs resigned “Yes, ok fine, thank you Cindy” He hangs up the phone and buries his face into a pile of files on his desk. He groans and sits up thinking. He looks around his musty study examining the darkroom. The curtains were closed except for a tiny slit of sunlight gleaming through. The lamp on his desk flickered making a sizzling sound. Patton shut it off and stood opening the curtains. Sunlight flooded the room giving Patton a calm feeling. He turns to the bookcases that surrounded his desk staring at the empty spots. Furrowing his brows he took the books he pulled out the previous night and places them back into their rightful spots. Once the last book was home he faces the mess of files on his desk. Patton began organizing the files and his notes. He grabs his briefcase and smiles opening up the old thing. The richness that pours from it is enough to make Patton swoon. He carefully places his files, notes, laptop and anything else he might need into it. He latches it closed and heaves it out into the kitchen, shutting off the lights and door behind him. He places the briefcase onto the counter and turns to the stove. The time flashes 8:00 AM. Patton lets out a huff of relief, not late, and begins making breakfast. He uses what he can find seeing as they had just arrived home and Patton hadn’t gone grocery shopping yet. He turns on the radio and listens as he cooks up breakfast for three.
“-new case to bless the courthouse today Jolene!” A cheery reporter sounds through the radio. Patton feels his stomach collapse to the ground. He leaves the bread to toast and listens intently to the reporters. 
“You are absolutely right Adam!” Another voice joins the mix. Patton takes the now toasted bread and spreads even amounts of butter and crofters jam on to them. “It seems that the Florida police have finally found a leading suspect for the ‘Alphabet Murder’ case!” Jolene hollers at the name joined by Adam. Patton bites his bottom lip. There are families, children who suffered, He thinks, this isn't a joke. The reporters continue, discussing things Patton is already aware of. He turns the radio off and serves breakfast at the dining table. He pours two glasses of orange juice and begins brewing coffee for himself. He hums as he cleans away the small mess, twirling around slightly. 
“Papa…” A sleepy voice calls from behind him. He finishes the last dish securing it safely on the drying rack before turning to face his young daughter. She stands in the archway between the kitchen and dining room rubbing her eyes and holding her prized plushie. Patton feels himself melt at the adorable sight, he kneels in front of the young girl. 
“Good Morning angel face” Patton coos at his toddler. Valerie gives a smile before jumping into her father's arms wrapping her small arms around his neck. Patton stands hugging her back and planting small kisses all over her face. Valerie shrieks delightfully before begging to be put down. Patton obliges and sets her down softly. “There's toast at the table if you want some” Patton offers, she nods excited and runs to sit down. He watches as she munches on her food. Patton’s coffee finishes and he joins Valerie at the table. “Is your brother still asleep?” Patton asks wiping crumbs off the side of her cheek. 
“Mmhm” She chimes “But I woke him up! I said we had to go see our friends!” Valerie explains gesturing wildly. Patton feels his heart twinge. “And then he got right up!” She finishes taking the last bite of her food. “He’s so messy Papa” Valerie whispers as though spreading gossip “And icky, boys are icky” Patton laughs and ruffles her hair. He takes her empty plate and brings it over to the dishwasher. She helps him by bringing over her empty glass. They make their way back to the table sitting down. “When can we see our friends?” Valerie asks bouncing on her chair. Patton sighs disappointed.
“Not today kiddo, I’m sorry” Patton admits, Valerie sits still in her chair and pouts. “Cindy said they had an accident and had to shut down for the day” Patton explains pained by the sad eyes Valerie gives him. 
“But I wanna see my friends” Patton nods understandably. 
“I know kiddo, but hey think about this! Today you get to come to work with me and hang out with Papa!” Patton plasters on a big smile. Valerie looks up hopeful. “How's that sound?” She nods, her bubbly mood returning. “Now why don't we check on that brother of yours ok?” Patton takes her hand as they walk upstairs into the twin's room. Valerie groans at the sight of a snoring Remus sleeping in his bed. Patton chuckles making his way over to the boy. He strokes the boys head lovingly. “Remus buddy, it's time to wake up” Patton says softly “I made you some food, aren't you hungry?”
“No Dada, I don't want the mashed potatoes” Remus mumbles turning over, clutching onto his pillow. Patton suppresses a laugh before carefully lifting Remus causing him to stir awake. He opens his eyes and looks around before softly hitting Patton's chest “Put me down!” He exclaims squirming “Put me down, y-you… heathen!” Patton obliges through fear of dropping the boy from laughing. He helps Remus change while Valerie packs her things. 
“Ready to go? Both of you?” Patton pleads after finally getting everybody ready. Valerie nods, while Remus lets out a grumbling huff. “What's wrong crab cake?” Patton asks his grumpy son. 
“Nofin” He replies before climbing into the backseat of the car and letting Patton buckle him up. He places a quick kiss on the boy's forehead before getting into the driver's seat. He checks the mirror before pulling out and smiling at the excited conversation the twins are having. 
~~~
Logan yawns walking into the courthouse sipping his coffee. He’s always amazed by the beautiful architect the building held. The arches placed neatly around leading to different courtrooms. The front desk tying the room into a half-circle. The ceiling dripping with meticulous art and flattering light. The stained windows complimenting them. Everything fit perfectly, it was his favorite place. Was being the operative word. It was until he heard the unruly shriek of laughter and giggles of children. He didn't hate children, let's make that clear. In fact, there were some select children that he cared for very dearly. However, it was incredibly early, and this was a courthouse. The one place a child should not be. He didn't hate children, he turned around ready to pounce but immediately melted, Oh...he especially didn't hate these children. 
“Val! Remus! Remember what I told you about volume in the car” Patton warned. Logan watched as the very exasperated man took his children's hands and led them to the front desk. Jenny, the receptionist, helped him check in all while swooning over the twins. Patton smiled brightly at her words and Logan watched as he got visitors passes for the kids and said goodbye to Jenny. “Ok now remember, we are going to go to my office and stay there for a little bit, then Papa has to work so you guys are gonna hang out in the children's room, and then we can all eat lunch together, hows that sound?” Patton was kneeling now, why? Logan thought, he watched as the twins burst into simultaneous enthusiasm about their father's plan. Patton stood when he heard his name called, he began a conversation with another judge. Logan watched as the judge asked him about his trip, he was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a small pressure push against his legs. He looked down to see a very embarrassed Remus. 
“I'm sorry mister” The boy mumbles, too scared to look up. He rubs his head bothered and stuffs his play truck into his pocket. Logan tilts his head slightly.
“No worries Remus” He speaks calmly, his face remains “I'm sure it was an accident” Remus looks up gaining a quick smile as he recognizes the man.
“Logan!” He cries out drawing Patton's attention, as well as a few others. Patton finishes his conversation and races over to the other two, followed by Valerie. “Look Dada it's Mister. Logan!” Remus exclaims to his father, Patton chuckles lightly. 
“It's actually Mr.Tolentino, Remus” Logan corrects, gaining a disappointed glance from Patton. Remus pouts, followed by Valerie. He feels a small flutter in his stomach but ignores it.
“Your no fun” Valerie points out, Remus nods. 
“I apologize” Logan begins adjusting his glasses “But this is a workplace, I'm not here for fun” He explains. Patton looks down at his children then back at Logan. His face is riddled with a disheartened look. He kneels down once more in front of his children. He's doing it again...Logan furrowed his brows examining the man's posture.
“Logan is right kiddos” Patton speaks finally. Logan feels an unfamiliar sensation when his name flows from Patton's mouth, yet it feels uneasy. “Why don't I have Jenny take you guys to my office while I finish up some stuff, ok?” The twins nod still discouraged and are led away by Jenny who follows along with all of their antics. Patton watches them go before standing once more. 
“Why do you do that?” Logan inquires suddenly. Patton turns to him curiously. 
“Do what?” 
“Kneel, why do you kneel when you speak to them. Are you not perfectly capable of standing and looking down?” Patton bites his lip questioning whether Logan is being serious. Logan remains silent, Patton nods slowly. 
“I kneel because then I can speak to them at their level. I'm creating an equal dynamic that says ‘I am listening to you, I care about what you are saying, and you matter to me’” he pauses, Logan processes this. “If I look down on them I am silently telling them the opposite of all those things. Children who feel seen and heard not only behave better but grow up to keep those values instilled in them. They feel respected, which in turn also makes me feel respected. They are more likely to listen to what I am saying If I show them that I am willing to do the same.” Patton finishes calmly, Logan stares in wonderment. 
“That...is… incredibly smart and...amazing” Logan manages still gazing at Patton. Patton giggles lightly, only pulling Logan further into his amazement. “You are… a g-good parent” Logan curses himself. I don't stutter.
“Thanks, Lo!” Patton bounces, Logan feels a sudden relief at the return of his nickname. “I sure hope so. Whatcha up to today?” Patton inquires, releasing Logan from his thoughts
“Its ‘What are you up to today’ and as for my work-” Patton rolls his eyes at the correction, the men seemingly fall back into their familiar routine “I was placed on the ‘Alphabet Murder’ case, as they so annoyingly call it” Logan says, something changes in Patton's demeanor that he can't quite describe. Patton looks… bothered?
“Oh” Is all he replies, his cheery tone washed away by a flat voice. “So your… the prosecutor?” Logan had expected to feel pride, or amusement once Patton had noticed who he was going up against but just felt… bad. The father’s face was infested with mixed emotions. 
“Yes I will, and what will you be doing today?” Logan inquires, knowing the answer. Patton shuffles his feet and fidgeting nervously with his briefcase.
“I'm the defense actually” Patton says, he examines Logan's face “But you already knew that, didn't you?” Logan's face falls.
Damnit
“I… yes I did. Ho-”
“I told you, you have to learn how to read your client's emotions” He says. Logan expects a teasing manner but is puzzled by the still present sadness the man conveys. “I should go, I need to prepare and check on the kids. See you in court Logan” Patton dismisses himself walking away. Logan jerks at the return of his full name.  
“See you in court, Patton” He whispers to himself, feeling the adrenaline of a new case drip away.
91 notes · View notes
mirohed · 5 years
Text
han jisung | better off dead (i’ll be juliet)
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{ HAN JISUNG + GENDER NEUTRAL!READER }
zombie apocalypse au, college au, best friends to lovers
fluff, angst
10.5k
playlist / title insp (yes it’s a thg fansong from 8 years ago)
content warning: this work contains the following: copious amounts of swearing, the mention and underage consumption of alcohol, the mention and use of weapons (guns, knives, blunt weaponry), descriptions of violent acts, and character death. read at your own risk.
a/n: happy 100 (technically 107) days to me and jisung 💓💓 special thanks to @tyongu for screening this fic and giving me the motivation i needed to pick this fic back up from its 5 month long hiatus && to @offonoffs for being a fellow member of jisung nation & expressing interest in this fic ,, it means a lot. 
reviews are greatly appreciated !
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You used to think that zombies weren't a realistic sort of monster—not as real as climate change or capitalism, anyway. They were better suited to being enjoyed from the comfort of your couch as you curled up with a bag of chips on a Friday night.
This, of course, all changes the night you get that fateful emergency alert.
You're at Chan's house when it happens. He's invited you and the rest of campus to his frat house for one of his famed end-of-semester ragers. He spots you not long after you enter, catching you in a one-armed embrace, full cup of beer in hand.
"Hey, glad you could make it! The night's still young, but Felix said he'd set his Switch up for some Smash up later. You should join them if you get the chance." A girl from your communications class (Ryujin?) calls out to him, waving him to join her and a few unfamiliar faces for a game of beer pong. "Sorry, duty calls. If you ever get tired of the beer, you know where to find the good stuff," he says, shooting you some quasi-finger guns and leaving you to fend for yourself.
You slip past a few couples pushing themselves up against the walls on your way to the kegs, and fill a cup of your own. Minho's there, leaned against the refrigerator and taking small sips of his drink. "Surprised you haven't switched to Woojin's vodka yet," you joke.
"Usually, I have no qualms about...sampling, but taking from him's a death wish." Taking another sip, he grimaces. "If that means putting up with the cheap shit all night, I'll take it." You mumbled an "amen," knocking your matching red cups together in a toast. You both regretted the swig you took.
"Yeah, I can't do this." You dump the shitty alcohol in the drain. "You know where Jisung is?"
"No clue."
"Damn. Well, if you manage to find something to sample, give me a call. I'm gonna go find him."
You scour the entire first level of the house, weaving through clouds of marijuana and vaguely cotton-candy scented vape juice. Unfortunately, your best friend is nowhere to be found. You don’t bother trying his phone; if he was drunk (which he probably was), all you’d get in response would be unintelligible cheers as he “gets his party on.” You ask around for a bit, but each new set of directions sounds more ridiculous than the last. (You're still not sure if Yukhei was drunk and fucking with you or being completely serious when he said Jisung wasn't at the party at all. You wouldn’t be surprised either way.)
You call it quits after about a half hour, trudging upstairs and feeling both hungry and a little sorry for yourself. Sure, you had other friends, but the one person you wanted to get wasted with was nowhere to be found.
As you head upstairs, you notice the bathroom door is wide open. A glance to your left is all it takes to see Hyunjin kneeling on the bathroom tile, puking his guts out as Jisung rubs his back in a feeble attempt to provide comfort. You make eye contact with Jisung, and he nods his head in the direction of Chan's room at the end of the hall. "'Lix set the Switch up, but Hyunjin's busy being a lightweight." He shoots Hyunjin a withering look, but Hyunjin's too preoccupied to notice. "Take over for me? He picked Isabelle, and we both know how bad I get my ass kicked when he does," he grumbles, helping Hyunjin stand on both legs. "We'll join you guys in a few."
You're planning your victory against Felix (Jisung probably picked Lucario for the "cool factor," which didn’t mean much when all he did in rounds was button mash and hope for the best) when your phone goes off, loud and insistent. Jisung's goes off less than a second later, with Hyunjin's buzzing on the bathroom counter. Based on the way Felix pokes his head out of the door, phone in hand, you can only assume he got it too.
The official alert glares up at you, a few simple sentences in all capital letters.
EMERGENCY ALERT
ZOMBIE OUTBREAK. THE DISEASE IS CONTAGIOUS. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
You exchange a look with Jisung and Felix, all seeming to share one thought: This is bad. You had heard news of this disease before; highly contagious, with nonspecific symptoms that were often misdiagnosed until it was too late and necrosis set in. Scientists had found out that it was a mutation of a disease that was supposed to have been eradicated a century ago. 
Even people that were updated with their vaccinations could catch it; it was transferable via bodily fluids. If someone infected so much as got a drop of saliva or sweat on you, you were at risk.  ("Just goes to show you what happens when people don't vaccinate their fuckin' kids," Minho had said, changing the channel to a rerun of Friends.)
Chan shuts the party down, kicking everyone sober enough to walk out and housing the wasted. He urges them all to find shelter and head for safety as he waves them out. "Listen, if you ever need anything, I'm just a call away," he tells you as you return to your dorm.
Seungmin, the frat's designated driver for the night (that’s a lie—it was supposed to be Changbin, but he conveniently “forgot” and left the job to Seungmin), gives you a ride back at Jisung's request. ("I'm not letting you walk back and get infected," he had insisted, arms crossed.)
The first thing you do after getting home is call him. You spend most of the video call packing your bags, just in case, tossing cans and clothes into the biggest bags you can find.
"I'm starting to think those apocalypse planners had the right idea," you say, trying to cram another bottle of water into your bag. "I could use an apocalypse bunker right about now."
Jisung dries his freshly washed hair, draping the towel around his neck. "Maybe we should beg them for shelter."
"Maybe."
“Remember when we had that plan to build our own bunker back in high school? I wish we never threw those plans away.”
“Wasn’t it you that was like ‘we’re never gonna use these, what’s the point?’” you tease, voice dropping an octave to mock Jisung. “I, for one, always thought they were a good idea.”
“But you let me throw them away!” You put down the shirt you’re folding and plug your ears, shouting that you can’t hear him. He calls you a child, but the conversation makes you feel better about what might happen after tonight.
You’ll be fine, you tell yourself as you lie awake that night. This is just in case things go to shit.
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Surprise, surprise, it doesn’t even take a full week before things go to shit.
"Get in!" Jisung shouts, driving down the road at a reasonable enough speed for you to keep up with. You don't bother asking why he has a horde of zombies chasing (hobbling, really) after him. Instead, you sprint behind him, tossing your bags into the truck bed before leaping on yourself.
"Where'd you come from?" you ask, panting as he hits the gas and barrels down the road. There are a few bags, full to bursting, in the trunk with you. "The city?"
"Yeah. We're going back." Your head cranes to look at him from the glass window at the back of his hand-me-down pickup truck in surprise. "Felix is out there somewhere, and we're not leaving him behind. Chan took the others, and we're meeting up with them after we pick 'Lix up. I called Chan earlier, so the cell towers should still be up by the time we get there."
"Can't we meet him halfway? No offense, but if we go back, we're gonna fucking die."
There's no compromise. The ride's silent, save the wind whistling in your ears as Jisung drives as fast as he can (it takes him awhile to realize he can go way over the speed limit; what are the cops gonna do, stop him?) Going back might not be a bad idea anyway; he needs more fuel to keep his truck up and running, and you don’t know about him, but you’re not exactly prepared to hunker down for the long term.
It's absolute chaos in the city. Buildings burn in the distance, smoke billowing out into otherwise clear blue skies. Corpses of the undead (who are now, with any luck, actually dead) litter the streets. People have already gone feral, welcomed the lawlessness of the new world with open arms. You turn down familiar streets and see families in a hurry to leave their homes and get out of the city as fast as possible.
"You stay here," Jisung says, parking across the street from the nearest megamart. You can barely make out the action going on outside the store, but you don't think there'll be much left for Jisung to take by the time he gets there. "Call Felix. I'm gonna see what I can take."
You sit on the roof of the truck, Jisung's worn old baseball bat (now outfitted with barbed wire) in hand. Trying not to cut yourself on the sharp edges, you call Felix.
"Hello?"
"Oh, thank god. I was scared the cell towers were already down. Where are you?"
"I made it to the outskirts of the city. There's a house up here. Jisung'll know where it is, we come up here all the time.”
“Alright. You doing okay?”
“Yeah, just a little shaken up, of course,” he laughs. “Didn’t think this was how I’d be spending my time after finals.” You murmur an agreement, and he continues talking. “Don't waste your battery, alright? See you guys soon." He hangs up, and your fingers itch with the urge to text someone, make another call, but Felix was right. It's not like Instagram's up right now; everyone's got bigger things to worry about.
After what feels like an eternity, Jisung comes running with a full backpack and...a suitcase?
"Where's Felix?" he pants, handing you the heavy suitcase and tossing the backpack in the back of the truck.
"He's in a house on the outskirts of the city? He told me you'd know where it was."
"Should've known. We gotta haul ass, though—I might've pissed off, like, a ton of people." Your eyes widen; there is, in fact, a group of angry people headed your way as you take a seat in the truck bed. Jisung floors it before any of them come close, letting them eat his dust.
“Where is this house anyway?” You’re yelling over the wind, but Jisung catches it nonetheless.
“The frat’s been going there for years, I heard. It’s some tradition to get shitfaced there for initiation, so we all had to go and drink whatever Minho gave us. I must’ve blacked out, because I barely remember it. We go up there sometimes, when we need to get away.”
You leave the city and go off-road, running over new grass. There's a house you've never seen before at the top of a small hill, and it's there that you see Felix. He's managed to attract one of the damn things, but he's definitely holding his own against it, landing a few impressive roundhouse kicks on it. He's whacking at it with a metal rod when you drive up the hill, but the zombie catches on and turns it into a game of tug-of-war.
Wrenching the rod away, he returns to kicking at it, staggering the zombie with one good hit to the ribs.
But the zombie seems to have caught on to that too, and it's as you pull up to the house that it grabs onto his leg and sinks his teeth into him. Felix cries out, his skin punctured and blood dripping onto the grass underfoot. He tries to yank his leg back, but can’t seem to summon the strength, his other leg hopping about to maintain balance.
Now that he's injured, the zombie drags Felix closer, clawing at his head before—
You can't watch, and neither can Jisung. There’s a sickening crunch, and you squeeze your eyes shut.
The next thing you see is Jisung running the fucker over. A distant part of you wonders if that's bad for the car, but it doesn't feel like you're there in the moment at all.
It's like you're watching the whole thing from a third-person view. You see yourself leap from the truck bed as soon as Jisung shifts the truck into park. You can almost see the seed of unease, of we're-so-screwed begin to sprout in the pit of your stomach. 
You can’t tear your eyes from Felix’s body. He’s lying face down (thankfully), but he’s stained the grass red, his leg twisted at an odd angle. You can make out the scratches along the side of his cheek from here, skin broken and bleeding. 
It’s red. It’s all red. Everywhere you look, it’s—
And then you're back in your own body, throwing the car door open to yell at him. "You fuckin' idiot!" you hiss. "Why'd you do that?" Definitely not the right thing to say, but you can't take anything back now.
"What do you think? I killed it before it could kill us." He ventures into the house, purposefully shoving past you with a harsh bump of his shoulder. You follow despite his clipped tone and tense shoulders. Together, you loot the house. Jisung seems to know where everything is, handing you everything from bags of chips stored away to bottles of whiskey. (You're about to ask about the alcohol when he mutters "Molotov." You figure it's not the only use they've got.)
You come upon Felix's pack. It's the backpack he used during the school year, most of the space taken up by his clothes. Jisung shoulders the bag wordlessly before turning to leave. All you can do is follow behind.
You watch the sun set as the busted speakers play some playlist he must have put together. (You admit it'd be a good road trip playlist if not for the fact that you were in the middle of the zombie apocalypse.) His knuckles are white against the wheel, and part of you wants to talk about what happened, but you take one look at his clenched jaw and hold your tongue.
Night falls. The two of you camp out in some crop-bearing fields. He starts a fire and speaks for the first time in hours.
"Do you want to take the first shift or should I?" He's looking right at you, but there's none of the usual light in his eyes. 
You think that when Felix died, part of Jisung died with him. 
You end up taking the first shift, judging time based on the occasional glance at your phone. You keep an eye and an ear out, watching the fire frame Jisung's sleeping face in subtle orange.
He doesn't want to talk about it, you tell yourself. And who would? You're not exactly eager to bring the topic up yourself. You lean back on your hands as you try to think of anything except what happened to Felix.
Before long, you nudge him awake. He's a little disgruntled, but you bug him until he sits up. "Yeah, yeah. I'm up. Get some rest." You curl up in the sleeping bag (Felix's sleeping bag, but you're still trying not to think about it) and shut your eyes.
The fire crackles lowly. You hear Jisung's bones crack as he stretches. You don't sleep.
When you crack your eyes open after god knows how long, the sky is still dark. "Can't sleep?"
"What do you think?" The corner of his mouth quirks up, just a bit. You swear you hear a faint chuckle. "You know we have to keep going, right? Without..."
"You can just say it, you know. Without Felix. Without our best friend."
"Yeah. Without our best friend." You cast the sleeping bag aside, staring at the flames. He pats the grass next to him, and you crawl over to his side. When he wraps an arm over your shoulder, traces meaningless patterns and letters into your arm, you don't complain. Maybe you even lean into his touch, knowing that it might be you and Jisung versus the world for awhile.
You think you're fine with that.
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When the sun rises, you and Jisung make plans to meet up with Chan and the others; there's some safety to be found in numbers, after all. Neither of you mention having to tell them what happened to Felix.
Jisung calls Chan. Then Minho. Then Woojin. Then Seungmin. Then Changbin. Then Jeongin, who's still in his last year of high school, but is an unofficial member of the fraternity regardless. Then, as a last resort, he calls Hyunjin. Nobody picks up. Changbin and Minho's phones don't even ring, instead kicking him straight to voicemail. "Maybe their phones died," you offer.
"Disappointed, but not surprised." He pockets his phone with a huff. "The cell towers are probably down. How's the radio?" You've been playing with the radio while Jisung tried calling his friends, trying to find a signal.
"I'm about to rip out the stupid dial and crush the damn thing under my foot, but other than that I'm good," you snipe, throwing him a look and a fake smile. You turn the dial all the way in one direction, more than a little annoyed at all the static you seem to be catching. To your surprise, you hear broken, unintelligible chatter. You move the radio between you two, chasing after the signal.
"-vivors...proceed to... -ary base...infec... -on entry...supplies will be rationed...gates will close once maximum capacity has been reached." The message cuts out less and less as you fiddle with the radio, and once you wait for the announcement to repeat, the full message plays.
"Attention, all survivors. If possible, we ask that you proceed to the nearest military base or encampment. The military will be on patrol to execute zombies and the infected as well as rescue clean civilians and bring them to the nearest base. All civilians will be checked for infection upon entry and routinely throughout their stay. Supplies will be rationed for as long as possible. Gates will close once maximum capacity has been reached."
You and Jisung exchange a look as the message plays once more. When he breaks into a wide grin, you mirror it with a smile of your own. "We're saved!" he cheers, wrapping you in a big hug and knocking the radio on its side. You relax in his embrace, sighing into it. You don't make any moves to break the hug, and neither does he, even after it stretches on longer than a hug between friends should.
"One problem…” you start, voice muffled as you speak into his shirt, “where's the nearest military base?"
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There’s a small hospital up ahead, the white building stark against all the browns and greens you two have been seeing the past few days. “Should we check it out?” Jisung asks, eyes flitting to you. “You never know when we’d need medicine or bandages.” 
“No. Before you ask why, I know we’re gonna run into zombies. I can feel it in my bones.” Jisung flattens his lips into a straight line, clearly unhappy with your verdict.
“Your bones don’t know shit.”
“Picture this: first semester of our freshman year of college, right before midterms. You’re barely passing your world history class because you don’t go to lecture. I help you cram for two days straight and tell you I can feel you getting an A in my bones,” you say, clenching your fist to emphasize your point. “When you get your midterm results back, you got an A, not only on the test…”
“...but in the class,” Jisung finishes with a roll of his eyes. “Okay, fair point. But what if you got hurt and I couldn’t save you because I didn’t have the medicine for it?” He’s pulling into the parking lot, but doesn’t shift the truck into park. You can still talk him out of it.
“Then you just let me die? It’s not that deep. Like yeah, it’d suck, but at that point there’d be nothing you could do.” 
His voice is so earnest that it forces your eyes to snap to him. “We both know I can’t do that.” There’s something behind his words, an undercurrent carrying a feeling you can’t name. Carding dirty nails through his hair, he gnaws on his bottom lip. “I think I’m gonna risk it. Besides, it’s out in the middle of nowhere. I doubt there’ll be too many zombies. You sure you don’t wanna come with?”
He stares at you, and you groan, giving in. “God, park the truck somewhere more discreet. We both know I’m gonna have to bail your ass out anyway,” you sigh, opening the glove compartment and withdrawing the knife Jisung had nabbed from the frat house’s kitchen. “Might as well come with and save myself the trouble of going in there to find you.”
“That’s the spirit,” he grins, and you feel like you’ve been played.
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The inside of the hospital’s dark and completely devoid of that sterile scent you don’t want to admit you liked. Instead, there’s a musty smell that pervades the building, and your nose wrinkles as you take deep breaths in an attempt to get yourself acclimated to it. “Stay close to me,” you tell him. “I don’t want you wandering off.”
“You think I’m gonna get lost? What kind of idiot do you take me for?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?”
He doesn’t respond, instead muttering something under his breath. “Whatever. Let’s see if we can find something.”
You creep along the corridors, breathing as light as possible. The whole hospital seems to be moth-eaten and abandoned, but you’re not sure if you and Jisung are alone or not. The rooms you enter are a mixed bag; you manage to get to the small cafeteria and bag some soon-to-be stale chips as well as several bottles of water, but you don’t get much in the way of medicine.
“Where do they keep all the medicine anyway?” you ask, turning away from the spoiled ice cream in the mini freezer, nose wrinkled. The light bulb goes off in Jisung’s head, and he smacks his face with his hand.
“The pharmacy. They keep the medicine at the pharmacy.” You take a water bottle and make as if you’re going to whack him with it when you hear a noise. Both you and Jisung tense at the clattering of equipment from outside the cafeteria. You two stick your heads out the door, Jisung scanning the left side and you scanning the right. The coast looks clear, so Jisung leads the way out the way you came.
You’re almost home free when you spot a zombie ambling about at the end of the hall, back turned to you. Jisung holds up his palm, signalling for you to stop moving. “Okay, what now?” you ask.
“It’s just one zombie,” he starts. “Give me the knife, I got this.” He hands you the backpack with everything you’ve looted, and you hesitate before giving him the only weapon you two have. He sneaks up on the zombie, getting closer and closer…
And then it rears its ugly head, letting out an ugly gurgling noise that scares the shit out of you. One arm’s in a sling and the other hangs limp; you don’t think broken arm would bother the undead too much. It charges, quicker than either of you were expecting (did zombies that were athletic as humans keep that athleticism?) and almost smothers Jisung, who loses his balance and falls hard on his hands. He manages to roll to the side in time for it to knock its head against the smooth tile floor.
“Change of plans,” he says, zombies dressed in scrubs and hospital gowns alike beginning to come out from the corner of the hall, “we’re leaving!” You help him up, slamming your heel on the neck of the zombie that almost attacked Jisung. There’s a satisfying crunch, and then you two are off, turning corner after corner trying to escape. 
You don’t stop running until your feet hit cement instead of tile. You don’t stop moving until you’re both in the truck, trying to catch your breath. “You were right,” his voice is shaky, and you take his hand in yours, squeeze it in an attempt to calm him down. “We shouldn’t have gone.”
Even after his breathing returns to normal, he doesn’t let go of your hand.
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You're not sure when things start to change between you and Jisung. Maybe it's when you catch yourself staring at him as he drives, right hand on the wheel and the left resting on the lowered window. (He insisted on keeping the windows down as much as possible; the air conditioning in his truck was busted, “just like the rest of the damn thing.”)
Maybe it's when you stop bothering with arguments over who takes the couch and who takes the bed. You've slept in the same bed before, sure, but that was when you were children. You remember the night it started, not long after the trip to the hospital:
You wake up with fingers already tangled in the sheets, a cold sheen of sweat on your forehead. Every blink of your eyes treats you to the sight that haunted your nightmares: Felix, one of your best friends, with eyes gouged out and flesh hanging from his cheek as he opens his mouth so wide his jaw unhinges. His tongue sits lamely in his bloody mouth as he lets loose an unending wail—
You can’t stay here. You force yourself out of bed and find Jisung still awake, staring down at his hands in the darkness. He seems to hear you coming, because he says, “You too?” before you’re even in the living room proper.
“Yeah.”
“Wanna talk about it?” He feels around for the lantern that was left behind when the former residents evacuated and flicks it on, the warm yellow light a welcome sight. You both take a seat on the couch Jisung had been sleeping on as you try to find the words to describe your nightmare.
“It was Felix. We were at school and I...I saw him from behind, and it’s like we were all alright again. I was calling out to him from across campus, but he couldn’t hear me. Then I turned him around and then…” You shudder, and Jisung’s quick to wrap the blanket he took for himself around you. “He looked like he did after that day we found him. His mouth wouldn’t stop opening. I-” You don’t even notice your hands are shaking until he takes them in his own.
“It’s okay,” he murmurs. “Take your time.”
“I miss him, Jisung. I miss when the three of us would fuck around and spend all our money on food and video games and have to cram just to pass our classes. I miss having to kick his ass in Smash because you never could. I miss our group calls where we make fun of him for playing Fortnite because it’s not relevant anymore.” 
“I know,” he shushes, pulling you into his arms. “I miss him too. He was in my dream, at the very beginning.” He tucks your head under his chin. “It was the night of the party and he told me not to do something stupid because I could lose you. Next thing I knew, we were at the hospital and it was you facing those zombies and not me. They,” he swallows heavily, “they got you. All I did was stand there. And then I was all alone.” You stay silent, twisting the ends of his hair between your fingers.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I miss college.”
“You and me both.” Before long, you switch the lantern off, breathing becoming steady. Your eyes get heavier and heavier until you let yourself fall into a deep sleep.
Sleeping by his side wills away most of the nightmares. You get the best rest you've gotten since the night it all started, so good that after that night, you rarely sleep apart.
(You ignore the twinge of...something in your heart when you wake up first. There's something about his sleeping face that makes him look at peace, something about the way his arms snake around you as soon as you lie down next to him, that makes you feel something you think you shouldn't be feeling.)
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"Do you think we'll make it?" he asks one night. You're both sitting cross-legged in the back of his truck, taking inventory. He picked up a map from one of the houses you've been squatting in on the way; you're halfway to the base. "Survive, I mean. Not just long enough to get to the fort, but...you know. In general." You glance up from the knife in your hands, humming.
"I hope so. Besides," you start, dragging the knife along the sharpening stone, "we've made it through everything so far, haven't we?"
"Yeah," he says, the corner of his mouth quirking up a bit, "we have." The stars wink down at you as you work under the light of the moon and a small lantern. With any luck, things will get better once you've reached the safety of the base.
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You open and close the drawers of the house you and Jisung have stopped at to gather supplies, trying to find something to take with you. The house hasn't been ransacked yet (or at least, you don't think so; the locks were in place and everything looked tidy before you broke in), but the owners sure did a good job of clearing the place out. No canned goods, no bottles of water, nothing except for some office supplies and a worrying amount of rubber duckies in the bathroom.
The lights are all off, and you're pretty sure that the house's supply of running water ran out a long time ago. The midsummer heat makes your clothes stick to your skin just as uncomfortably as the duct tape you and Jisung have taken to wearing along your arms and legs. After what happened at the hospital, Jisung didn’t want to take any risks, no matter how much you both sweat under the adhesive.
You're poring over the drawers in the bathroom when your eyes get drawn to a small box in the corner of your vision. It's a little beat up, but the saccharine pink and white box grins up at you all the same. You're not quite sure what use Hello Kitty bandaids would serve—they're not even that big, really, the most they could do is patch up a paper cut—but you do know they'd make Jisung smile.
And if you're being honest, you've come to miss that smile. It's been hard to come by recently.
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Nobody breathes a word about the change in dynamic. There's no angsty "what are we" talk that threatens both your friendship and your budding relationship. It's just you and Jisung, the same as it's always been. 
You get used to resting your head on his lap, to having his hand interlaced with yours as he drives. You throw away the excuse of sleeping together “to get rid of the nightmares” (though that’s still a very compelling reason). The word boyfriend is always on the tip of your tongue, but at this point, labels like that don’t mean much.
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You learn to enjoy the little things, the way the blues and blacks of night fade into pinks and purples with streaks of pale orange to greet the world each morning. You learn to enjoy the little things, like the weight of Jisung’s head on your shoulder as you run your thumb down the side of his hand. It’s humbling, you think, how the sun rises and sets, how the world keeps spinning despite it all. No matter how much has changed, some things stay the same.
”You ever realize how insignificant we are?” you ask one morning, eyes focused on the sky above. “Life goes on, with or without us.”
”Yeah,” he shifts to look up at you from his place in the crook of your neck, “but you know what?” You hum as the birds begin chirping, signifying the start of the day, eyes closed as you bask in the morning glow. “I don’t think I could ever feel too insignificant when I’m with you.”
You scoot away, causing Jisung to start whining. “We’re in the middle of the zombie apocalypse and you’re flirting with me?” you scoff, incredulous.
“And you’re surprised?” He’s got this cheeky smile on his stupid face that you swear makes the world, your world, a better place. You lean in, pressing your lips to his for just a second. With your eyes closed, it feels like you’re a normal couple watching the sun rise on a normal world. It feels like nothing is wrong, and you’re right where you’re meant to be.
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You’re digging through your backpack to find the beat up paperback you were planning to finish reading and use as fuel for the occasional fires you and Jisung would light when camping out when a set of Polaroids fall out of your bag. You’d crammed them in there long before the thought of a zombie apocalypse ever crossed your mind. There’s one that catches your eye from the night you celebrated your joint graduation with Jisung. (Seungmin and Hyunjin went to different high schools, and Felix was still in Australia at this point; you’d meet all of them on the day of orientation.)
It was the largest party you’ve ever been to, with your families and your friends taking up all the parking in the neighborhood. Avoiding awkward conversation with aunties and uncles was your specialty, and you spent much of the night dodging questions like “So what are you planning to major in?” and “Are you dating that Jisung kid?” 
There were drinks in the cooler that you were expressly told not to touch (not like that stopped you both from sneaking out two beers and chugging them in your room, away from prying eyes), music playing from the Bluetooth speaker you’d never used, and laughter everywhere you looked. 
“Can’t believe we’re adults now,” you said, one arm dangling off the side of your bed. “Feels like I only met you yesterday.” You set the bottle down on your carpet, eyes focused on your ceiling fan as it did its rotations.
“I’m glad we’re going to the same college,” he confessed, setting his bottle on your nightstand before you barked at him to put it on the carpet lest the condensation damage the wood. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Jisung’s parents had brought out a cake, the icing congratulating you two on graduating from high school. All eyes were on you as you held the knife just above the cake, and you felt weightless as the blade divvied up the dessert.
“Wait, I wanna do it too,” Jisung whispered, bumping shoulders with you.
“What? No, this is my house.”
“Well, my parents were the ones who bought the cake!”
You try to think of a retort, but when none comes, you hand him the knife. “Here. Don’t mess it up.”
“I never mess up,” he said as you took the biggest chunk of cake for yourself. You watched him cut the cake into what were initially equal portions, but grew less and less balanced as the cake went on.
“See,” you told him once the cake was all gone, “what’d I tell you?” You take a dollop of the cake’s whipped cream and planted it on his nose.  “You never listen, Han Jisung.” 
It’s then that a flash went off, stunning you both. Yeji grinned as she handed you the developing Polaroid. “Save it for the wedding,” she joked. (It makes you sad to know that although you stayed relatively close in high school, you lost touch in college. You smile when you see each other on campus, but it’s not the same.)
“What are you looking at?” Jisung asks, pulling you back to the present. You stare down at the image, the almost child-like smiles on your faces. It feels like a lifetime ago, when things were easier and the unknown was something you thought you were ready for.
“Remember our grad party?” He takes one look at the picture and you swear you see the lines of stress on his forehead fade away as he laughs at the face he’s making in the photograph.
“God, I miss those days.”
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"There it is." The base stands tall, barbed wire promising shelter from the uncertainty of whether you'd spend the day forced to fight for your life or not. You drum your fingers on your thighs as you approach the entrance, chest full to bursting with anticipation. You're half listening to Jisung's stupid hour-long playlist, half relieved that you managed to find a base so close.
He stops at the gate, waiting for a guard to emerge and check you two for signs of infection. He takes your hand in his, squeezing it tight. This is it, the gesture says, we're gonna be okay.
You wait.
You wait some more.
Your hands get sweaty.
"Is anyone there? You'd think for a military base, they'd have someone come out by now." Jisung turns the volume of the car speakers all the way down. He's met with the noises of his truck's engine...and an incessant scratching at the gate.
Exchanging a look, you hop out of the car and try to peek through the slits of the covered chain-link fence. Your first mistake is getting too close; they all seem to catch your scent and greet you with a chorus of grunts and groans as the horde focuses their attention on you.
Your second mistake is looking too closely at who's behind the fence. You make eye contact with the husk of a man, a glazed look in his eyes and skin broken along one side of his face from where he’s been clawing at it. He's dressed in all black, and when you take a second glance (you really shouldn't have), you realize he looks like someone you know. You're almost certain that if he smiled, you'd see dimples. You're almost certain that if you could see his hair—torn out in clumps, his scalp bloody—it would be curly since he wouldn't have access to a straightener in the middle of nowhere.
"Chan?" you whisper. There's no response, but a taller figure pushes into him, forcing his way to the front. When his mouth opens, all you can see are swollen, bloody gums and blackening teeth from weeks of neglect. Despite that, you know exactly who this is. You've tag-teamed toilet duty with Jisung at enough parties to know what Hyunjin's neck and back look like as he lurches forward, trying to ram the gate. "Oh shit." Felix and Jisung did say that Chan took the rest of the boys somewhere, didn't they?
That conversation feels like a lifetime ago, when the term "zombie apocalypse" was just the name of an overdone genre. It was better suited to being viewed from the comfort of your couch on a Friday night and Han Jisung by your side to complain about the shitty effects and act like he wouldn't need to sleep over because he'd get too scared to drive home.
You creep back to the truck, taking slow steps backward to avoid alerting the horde more than you already have. Releasing a heavy breath when you slip into the passenger seat, you try not to think about what you saw. Jisung looks at you expectantly, and you can't bring yourself to break his heart even more. He's already lost his best friend; you don't have the heart to tell him that the rest of his friends, his found family, are most likely locked behind that gate as well.
"You okay? What'd you find?"
"Just some zombies, nothing important. Let's go."
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The first time you kill a zombie with a gun, it doesn't end well.
Sure, the deed is done and the zombie's dead (like really, fully dead), but it's what comes after that sucks.
You’re on a supply run, a hunting rifle you jacked from an abandoned house in your hands. You guess the house must not have been as abandoned as you thought, since there are two zombies in front of you and Jisung. You've come to notice that zombies get slobbery. The sight of decomposing flesh slick with saliva isn't very appealing, and that's not including the stench of it all. 
No matter which way you slice it, eau de zombie just isn't for you.
You don't have much experience when it comes to firing a gun. (Or any experience, really.) But you figure it's an aim-and-shoot sort of situation, right? You've seen Felix play video games before, and he's always made it seem simple. So you line the barrel of the gun up with their heads and pull the trigger. One. Two. Three.
The shots echo, and for a moment, you feel on top of the world as the first zombie falls backwards, blood oozing from the bullet's exit hole.
But in that moment, you also realize that recoil is a bitch when you're not prepared, and the second shot misses the other one entirely, the gun skewed too far to the left. You stumble back into the kitchen island, but Jisung's quick enough on his feet to decapitate the remaining zombie without much trouble.
"Hey, you know what I remembered?" he asks, wiping zombie blood from his brow.
"What?"
"Guns make noise."
"Yeah, no—shit." With those gunshots, you gave away your location to any unfriendly forces, human or not.
"You don't think zombies have working ears, do you?" You hit the kitchen with renewed vigor, gathering some essentials—a few knives, some canned goods left behind—and set the rifle down.
"I don't wanna find out. And even if they don't, other humans sure as hell do." He turns the house upside down looking for more bullets. If there is a higher power out there, you guess they must be looking out for you, because the former owners of the house left their safe unlocked. You decide to relieve them of their two pistols and every bit of ammunition you can get your hands on.
Of course, if there is a higher power out there, you guess they must be fucking with you, because minutes after getting back on the road, you hear the roaring of motorcycle engines. They surround Jisung's truck, and their leader stares you both down before yanking his black mask down and rapping two knuckles on the window Jisung forgot to roll down.
"You two should've known better than to wander 'round here," he tuts, running a finger through his hair. "So young, too. Almost makes me feel bad for what I'm about to do." To one of his cronies, he barks, "Mingi! Take what's in the trunk." You don't see this Mingi person, but you feel the truck get weighed down as he leaps on and loots everything worth taking. "Don't take it personally. At the end of the day, it's all about survival. I've got eight mouths to feed, and you've only got two. Only makes sense that we should, ah...relieve you of some of that weight you’re carrying."
Jisung's fuming, fists clenched in his lap, but you know he sees the guns slung along their backs and holstered at their hips and stays silent. The pistols you two picked up are in the glove compartment, and the ammo's strategically buried underneath a pile of clothes at your feet. It's okay, you try to tell him, meeting his eyes. We prepared for this.
One of the leader's other cohorts pulls his own black mask down and whispers into the leader's ear. When he's given permission to speak, the young man looks straight at Jisung and asks, "Are you Han Jisung?"
"Who's asking?" Jisung shoots you a look, but you can only shrug in response.
"There was a group of guys looking for their friend. Their description matched your face, but I guess it doesn't matter now. They went to the base a couple miles south." The young man nods in the direction of the base you were at only a couple days before. "Probably more undead than alive at this point."
"What...do you mean by that?"
"He means," their leader snaps, "that the military base down south got infected. Don't know when. But it was a group of seven, led by some guy named Chad or Chan or something. We tried to get 'em to join, but they were deadset on finding shelter.” He snorts. “Their funeral."
Mingi's finished taking your things, so the leader and the younger man (you catch his name when the leader calls out to him—Wooyoung?) pull on their masks and take off, leaving you and Jisung in the middle of the road. He's silent again, driving down the vast expanse of nothingness with only his playlist to serve as background noise.
"Where to now?" you try, eyes searching his face to gauge his reaction.
"Did you know?" It's a whisper you almost don't hear over the wind in your ears.
"Did I know what?"
"Did you know that they were..." He doesn't finish his sentence. The way your mouth clamps shut, gaze falling to your lap, tells him everything he needs to know.
His grip tightens on the wheel, and you jolt forward when he comes to an abrupt halt, throwing open the door and walking off, slamming it behind him. "Jisung?" You follow him out, but he whirls around to face you, face scrunched as he crooks a finger in your direction.
"You lied to me!"
"Look-"
"I fucking trusted you! You were the only person I had left! I saw my best friend get murdered with my own two fucking eyes!” He’s blinking back tears as he shouts at you. “I've spent god knows how long hoping that the rest of my friends were alive, and the fact that you saw them on that base...the fact that you fucking lied to me..." He takes a deep breath, eyes screwed shut. It’s silent for a long time. His shoulders loosen, hands falling flat, but when he opens his eyes, you feel a chill run down your spine. He's built a concrete wall between you two, locking you out with four simple words: "You're on your own."
"Jisung, what-"
"You heard me." The sentence is curt. He's wiped away years of friendship and whatever romance you might've had all in one fell swoop. (But maybe you did that yourself when you lied to him.) "You're on your own." He enunciates each syllable as clearly as possible, lacing them with as much venom as possible. You wither under his gaze.
He tosses one of the pistols at your feet. No extra ammo; you only get what's already loaded. He drives off without you, and you're left with nothing but the bag you packed that first night, a pistol, and the clothes on your back.
So yeah, the first time you kill a zombie with a gun, it doesn't end well.
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You learn how to get by alone, rationing what's left in your bag and clinging to the shadows to avoid a fight. You learn to ignore the rumble in your stomach in favor of focusing on other things, like the distant noise of motorcycles. (You hold your breath when you hear them, pray they don't come close. They’ve taken enough from you already.)
It's lonely. You and Jisung might not have always agreed on everything, but the weight of solitude, real solitude, drags you down like a ball and chain fastened to your ankles, making each step forward unbearable. Some nights, you see his truck parked in the distance, in the garage of old houses or partially masked by foliage. You want to approach him, beg for forgiveness, beg for what you had back.
Instead you tiptoe past, giving the vehicle a wide berth.
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You spend some mornings thumbing through the rest of the Polaroids you have. Most of them (unsurprisingly) are of you and Jisung. There’s one of him posing in front of the most expensive cheesecake shop in town (he’d been drooling at the window displays for weeks), one of you facing the ocean, back turned to the camera (you begged him to go for spring break), and one Hyunjin took of you two playing beer pong at one of the frat’s many parties (you were never quite sure why drunk Jisung had better aim than sober Jisung; you ended up losing these matches).
You don’t know why you do it. You know that taking a trip down memory lane is the single worst thing to be doing, but you do it anyway. Maybe you’re lonely. Maybe you miss Jisung. 
Maybe you miss yourself.
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The next time you see Jisung, you're in a convenience store infested with zombies. You weren't planning to enter, having heard the tell-tale noises of confrontation, but you caught a glimpse of who was doing the fighting and couldn't walk away.
Jisung's backed up against a corner, trying to beat away the zombies surrounding him with a hatchet. (Keyword being trying: he's just one guy against five disgusting bags of meat trying to kill him.) You see blood all over him, dripping onto the floor, and decide to intervene. He should be grateful when you bash their heads in with his barbed baseball bat, left discarded across the store, but—
"I had that under control."
"Jisung, I-"
"Save it." He wipes the blade of the hatchet on the ragged pants of one of the creatures that attacked him. "Thanks. And keep the bat. You look like you need it."
"Jisung, just listen to me."
"What could you possibly have to say to me? The damage has been done."
"I was trying to protect you!" He rolls his eyes, and you're worried he'll walk away, but his feet stay planted. "How was I supposed to tell you that all your friends got infected, huh? How do you tell someone that? Hell, I wasn't even sure if it was them!" He refuses to meet your gaze, refuses to respond. "Dammit, Jisung..." You screw your eyes shut, but there’s not even a hint of reaction from him.
“You know what, if you’re not gonna listen to me, then fine. I’ll go.” Swivelling on the balls of your feet, you make to walk away, to return to solitude. You don’t look back.
“Wait!” There’s a desperate tone to it that almost makes you want to cave, almost makes you want to return to what life was before you reached the base. You barely manage to keep your head forward, even as you stop in your tracks.
“What?”
"I'm sorry.” His voice comes out soft, something above a whisper but far below his normal speaking voice. “I thought about it after I kicked you out, and you were right. I wouldn't have told me either. Guess I was too stubborn to admit I was wrong," he chuckles. "If you don't forgive me, I get that. You can take some of my food, and we can part ways again, but for what it's worth...I missed you."
You sigh, looking out the cracked store window. "Look, I'm sorry too. It was a tough choice, but I should've been honest with you." It's kinda gross to be trying to make amends here, what with one foot stepping in zombie excrement and all, but your head hangs low in apology anyway.
Your head snaps up when you hear him sniffle, and his eyes are struggling to hold back tears. When you open your arms, he's quick to wrap his arms around you and crumple into your embrace, voice muttering broken apologies. "I'm so sorry," he mumbles. "I missed you so much." You two stand there and let the moment drag out, let Jisung dampen your shirt for what feels like hours.
There might not be much hope left in the tumultuous reality you've found yourselves in, but as long as you're together, you think you stand a chance at weathering the storm.
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"Shit," Jisung hisses that night, wiping blood off his arms with a damp cloth. He should've taped himself up before going on a supply run, but he'd been running out of tape; that was the reason he risked entering the infested store at all. The bite marks on either side of his forearm run red and raw, and Jisung fixes his gaze to the popcorn ceiling to avoid throwing up then and there.
A glance is all it takes for him to gag, and he washes the cloth off, red water spiraling into the sink. He caps the water bottle he used and takes a good look at himself in the mirror.
There's blood across the right side of his face. (He's not sure if it's his or not.) There are deep lines in his forehead from months of stress, dark circles underneath his eyes. He figures he should've gotten more sleep while he still could, remembers all the times you bugged him about going to bed early.
He never listened.
He never listens.
If you were with him, he wouldn't have gone in alone, wouldn't have gotten surrounded, wouldn't have gotten bit. Maybe he wouldn't have even gone in at all. Lord knows you've always been his impulse control.
That's it, then. I've got a day or so left then... He wraps the clean(ish) cloth around the bite and resists the urge to squeeze until he bleeds out on the bathroom floor. There's only one thing left to do.
You're in the middle of shaking the dust off the former tenants’ couch cushions when you notice Jisung emerge from the bathroom. "I did some digging around, and I think these'll fit you." He catches the clothes you toss him wordlessly. "You good?"
"I need you to do me a favor."
"Yeah, what is it?"
"Kill me."
Okay. Well. You were expecting something more along the lines of "check if the truck is locked" or "kiss me."
"Wh-" The word gets lodged in your throat when he lifts his hand to show you the bite. His whole forearm's red at this point, blood trickling from it despite the sopping red cloth in his hand. He tries for a lighthearted grin.
(It doesn't work. Jisung's never been a good liar.)
"Please. I want to die on my own terms." To himself, he mutters, "You always deserved better, anyway. All I ever did was get angry and leave you behind." He's focused on the way the blood runs down his arm and fingers before falling down, down, down. The hardwood floor takes it like a champ, he thinks. 
It's really kinda funny how he can think things like that when he knows he has to die, and he has the audacity to laugh. Maybe he’s only laughing because he’s losing a lot of blood.
You cup his face with both hands, the couch cushion tossed to the side, and he hesitates before leaning in. "How- how do you get to decide what I deserve? Decide what I want?" your voice breaks, vision blurred from tears. "You're all I want." Your foreheads touch as you sob, tears mingling with Jisung's blood as they hit the floor. "This isn't fair! I just got you back and- and-" The cry that rips itself from your throat is guttural, a bubbling noise produced from the back of your throat. This time it's Jisung who lets you cry into him, your face buried in the crook of his neck.
"You're so fucking stupid! I hate you!" you scream, nails digging into his shoulders. You may as well be telling the world where you are, but your mind doesn't bother registering it. Before you know it, you're slipping, legs unable to keep you up. You're so tired. It's been a long, arduous few months. "I hate you so much!"
But you don't mean it. You never could.
You weep at his feet, clutching at his jeans in an effort to pull yourself up. "I hate you..."
Maybe it's the look on his face when you pull away to gulp down air like your life depends on it; broken, beaten. Maybe it's the crushing hopelessness that hits you; when Jisung's gone, so are you. Hellish as this world may be, Jisung's the only thing that makes you feel like your last moments might not be so bad. He's your home, your tiny shred of sunshine and hope.
When he tugs you back to eye level, you smash your lips onto his, hand on the back of his head. He responds immediately, mouth moving against yours, hand tugging at your waist (closer, closer, closer).
But then his brain catches up to his body. "Wait," he turns so you're leaving wet kisses along his jaw, down his neck, "wait, this- this isn't right."  He steps back, eyes wide as he puts distance between you. "Now you're-"
"Infected." You think back to the news coverage of the disease. All it took was a drop of saliva for someone to be at risk. You wring your hands, tear your eyes from his forearm (his veins bulge as if they're fit to burst). "I guess I just realized, you know?" A nervous chuckle escapes your lips. "Who else...who else is gonna..." Your voice breaks again, eyes brimming with tears. "Who else is gonna put up with you in the afterlife?"
He's in front of you again in a heartbeat, wiping your tears. With a scoff, he says, "God, what would I do without you?"
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You bandage him up properly after that, spend the night talking until you're asleep, head rested on his chest. It's comforting, he thinks. He wishes he could have held you like this back when your only concerns were your uptight Calculus professor and the stress of finals.
"Better late than never, I guess," he whispers, breaking the silence. Your chest rises and falls in a steady rhythm, your cheek smashed against his chest as you sleep. "Though I guess we might've been a little too late, huh?"
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The sun rises, golden light in your face forcing you to blink your eyes awake. Jisung stirs at your movement, his good hand tightening around you as he tries to stay asleep.
"Wake up." You press a kiss to his knuckles. "We don't have much time."
His voice comes out deep and gravelly, speaking for the first time in a few hours. "I know. Just five more minutes like this, I promise. Five more minutes..." And he's asleep again, mouth open in a little "o." You curl into him, listening for his heartbeat; weak, but still there. He’s still alive and so are you.
You think five more minutes wouldn’t hurt.
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"Ready?" you ask. The pistol shakes in your hands; you might not be the best shot, but you can't afford to miss now. You try to will your nerves into complacency. (It doesn't work.)
"Wait!" he says, eyes wide. His veins are clearly visible along the infected arm, snaking up his shoulder and kissing his collarbone. You raise an eyebrow, and he gives you a stupid, million-watt grin. "I love you. Even, uh, even if I am pointing a gun at you." He waves the other pistol a bit to prove his point. "I just wanted you to know before we, you know. Blow each other's brains out."
"Hey." You catch his attention, match his smile for the last time. "I love you too. Just thought you should know before I blow your brains out." He laughs, and it's a real, genuine laugh blooming from his stomach; it’s a loud, hearty sound and makes your heart feel so full that you can't help but laugh with him, laugh at the fact that you're about to shoot the boy you love, laugh at everything that landed you here.
Then the laughter calms down. The wind itself holds its breath, refusing to let even a slight breeze slip through. "On three. Ready?" Jisung nods, starting the count.
"One."
(It's sad you two will never get to see the end of it all, or if there's an end to begin with. Who knows, maybe there are enough true leaders left in the world to make something out of nothing. You hope that this world learns to heal from its wounds, no matter what. But in the end, you guess it doesn't matter. The sun will rise and set regardless. 
“No matter how things change…”
“...some things stay the same.” With those words, you and Jisung taped up the cardboard box labeled “TIME CAPSULE” in black Sharpie. “Man, I hope future us doesn’t hate past us too much for this,” Jisung said, managing to find a space for the large box in his closet. “It’s gonna be a long four years.” Right below the time capsule label read “OPEN AFTER GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE.” 
You’d nodded, hiding the box from view by moving Jisung’s clothes in front of it. “There we go. Now we won’t be tempted to open it.” The rest of the day was spent getting ice cream way too close to dinner to be healthy and trying to find out what the other wrote in their letter to their future self.
You don’t know why you’re remembering the makeshift time capsule you two spent half a day filling, but knowing that you’ll never get to open it makes your toes curl with an unpleasant sadness.)
"Two."
(In a way, you think you're almost grateful for what happened. Despite how twisted and fucked up it all was, you doubt you and Jisung would have ever found each other, truly found each other, without it. In your final moments, you think back to a conversation you had with him the week of the announcement.
"You know what I realized?" he had asked, making himself comfortable on your bed.
"What?"
"Parallel lines stay so close to each other, but they never meet. That's so sad."
"Jisung, are you crying over lines?"
"You know what else I realized?" he asked again, wiping tears from his eyes. "All the other pairs of lines meet once and then drift apart forever."
You ended up comforting him, leaving your homework behind. "Promise me we'll be like parallel lines. Promise me we won't start drifting." His eyes were shiny with tears as he held his pinky out to you, your pinkies interlaced in eternal promise.
Staring down the barrel of the pistol in Jisung's hands, you start to think that this is the part where you start drifting.)
"Three!"
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