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shintin · 2 years

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Forget Me Not: Chapter 25 (Promises)

↳ Gojo Satoru x Female Reader

Description: Imagine that from the moment you opened your eyes into this world, you had no choice but to kill and shed the blood of others, that you had to fight alongside Toji Fushiguru and die with him.

What would you do when they force you to do something you don't like? When the torment of conscience presses on your throat, will you give up? Now think about a day that life gives you another chance; how would you use it?

This is the story of a murderer who seeks salvation. Will she find it in the arms of Satoru Gojo? Or will pain find her sooner than redemption and drive her out of heaven forever?

Genre: heavy angst, sad love story, maybe tragedy, violence, lonely hearts, broken souls, +18.

Tags/Warnings: Slight NSFW.

Author Note: OK. I have news for you. I will be out of the country in the coming weeks (I have a medical issue), so I will probably not be able to update this story, but I will try to write the second chapter of my other story (Her: A Memoir). My maximum hiatus will last 3 weeks.

Song Recommendation: Secret love song - Little mix

Chapter index -> Next chapter

Year: 2019

Yuji saw it all.

He saw how his Sensei began to run through the dim hallways of the school on that cold winter day. He saw Satoru standing in front of Y/N's room, calling out to her, panting. But there was no response. Yuji watched as he reached into his pocket and pulled a key to open the door with trembling hands.

'Why does Gojo Sensei have the key to Y/N's room?' Yuji's eyebrows curved upwards, wrinkles formed on his forehead, and the whites of his eyes became visible.

At that point, nothing came to Yuji's mind, so he followed his Sensei into the room and stood at Y/N's door. Satoru quickly turned his head, and Yuji was able to see his sleepless eyes and drawn-back lips.

'Why is he worried?' With a smile, Yuji walked inward and greeted Sensei to say hello, but it was as if somebody else had stolen Satoru's body. He didn't have his usual grin and turned to his student with wide eyes and tensed body.

"Where is Y/N?" As Satoru spoke, his voice was sharp; then, he was on the verge of tears before Yuji knew it. He tried desperately to hide it; he kept his face straight and stern words.

Today, Satoru did not have time to sugarcoat his words. His heart was not far from tearing off his chest and leaping out of it.

No later than yesterday, he received a message from Shoko while he was on a mission. Y/N had been injured on a mission, accompanied by Yuji and Maki, exorcizing a high-ranked curse in an orphanage.

The physical injuries weren't something Y/N couldn't handle herself, but when they were about to leave, the orphans surrounded them to thank them for their help, and the tragedy began just down there. Without knowing what they were causing, the poor kids had started to embrace Y/N and clung to her arms.

According to Ijichi's report, he and the others had tried to distance the kids from her. Still, she had pointed them to stay away, "They don't deserve all this grief!" was her statement. She voluntarily stood there and absorbed the load of negative energy into herself. As a result, she passed out.

'My silly little angel! She sees salvation in the sacrifice.' Satoru thought as soon as he heard the news.

But what bothered him the most was that, according to Shoko, her injuries hadn't healed. Why? Why wasn't she able to heal them the way she was before? Why was she wounded when faced with the first-grade curse? On missions, he had seen how Y/N overcome the special-grade curses in the blink of an eye. There was something wrong with her, and the lack of knowledge about it had added to his anxiety.

And now Satoru - standing in the middle of her room and looking at Yuji's shocked face- hated himself for not being able to be with her yesterday. He was on a mission, but he exorcised all the curses during the night to be with her today. But she was nowhere to be found. 'Why on earth did she hide her cursed energy between school walls?' Satoru hated this.

By the way, about a month and a half had passed since their secret relationship. Oh, sorry, did I say relationship? As far as I know, a relationship refers to the way two or more persons feel and behave toward each other with their desire.

But as far as we knew, Y/N's feelings for Satoru probably stemmed from the binding vow between them. That's why he was found in the library years later to find a way to break the stupid vow. Death seemed to be the only way out from it. So there was no way for him to find out about her real feelings. So what did he do? Nothing! He chose selfishly to keep that fact to himself and not share it with Y/N. Why?

Because of

Obsession.

Fear.

Love.

Three words tormented him day and night the past few weeks.

When Y/N held his face between her hands and looked at him with a smile, Guilt whispered in his ear: "You don't deserve this love, liar!"

She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest, and all Satoru heard was the deep, grating voice of Fear saying, "She's going to leave you as soon as she finds out everything."

He held her in his arms at night, as if hiding her between his wings, but Guilt had sharp eyes. "You can't hide the truth forever. Her eyes and ears won't be blind and deaf, you will lose her eventually."

Satoru knew that he was no longer a lover; he was a liar with a messed-up brain. A coward who couldn't confront reality.

Yuji scratched his neck, but fear took Satoru's mouth to speak before he could answer. "Did she leave?" Oh boy, he was addicted to a losing game.

"What? No ..." Yuji raised his eyebrows. "She's probably gone for a walk. Why, did something happen to make Y/N want to leave?" But before waiting for Yuji to finish, Satoru stuffed his hands into his pockets and passed by him, leaving her room.

The sound of a disgusting laugh filled the room. "Only love can make you that crazy, and that's damn stupid!" The mouth under Yuji's eyes had begun to speak. "You sorcerers are the dumbest creatures in every era." Yuji frowned and slapped himself hard. "Shut up, Sukuna!"

'What was Sukuna talking about? Why did Gojo Sensei seem scared of not finding Y/N here? Why the possibility of Y/N's absence is upsetting me?'

Yuji took a deep breath, shut the door to her room, and went away. Gojo and Sukuna got him worried. Was Y/N in danger? He didn't know, so he took the path to the backyard as well.

Satoru had not yet walked a few steps up the hill when his eye fell upon Y/N. She was sitting on the same bench as five months ago, staring at the view. When he saw her, a warmth took hold of his heart. Some things haven't changed. But Fear was there to slap him hard in the face. "And there are things that change forever. Like when someone leaves the other and never comes back."

The ache in his chest prevented him from taking a deep breath. He slowly approached Y/N; She would make everything alright; after all, she was his guardian angel, right?

"You love this scenery..." After hearing Satoru's voice, Y/N turned her head and looked at the white-haired man walking toward her. Quickly a smile appeared on her lips; She got up and walked to her lover.

His blue eyes met hers. As he leaned to kiss her, his hands moved to her neck, fingers spreading across her chin.

"Shame on you!" The Guilt awoke and crushed Satoru's heart—Pain... pain... pain.

Satoru clung to Y/N's arms, even more than before, and pressed his lips tighter as if she could save him. Like she would want to hold him after all of his lies...

Satoru's hands were strong, and Y/N could sense the pain in her arms, but she didn't object. She had missed him a lot, and a little pain wasn't something worth ruining the moment they had.

Satoru pulled away and looked at her, memorizing her curly eyelashes, the shape of her smiling lips, the curvature of her chin, the cuteness of her red nose. "She will never touch you again." Fear sent shivers down his spine.

"I missed you, Satoru." She stood on her toes and embraced her arms around his neck.

'No... No... Everything was a joke. Y/N is mine. See... she actually loves me.'

Satoru's arms tightened around Y/N, and he dipped his head into the crook of her neck. She smelled like the ocean on a summer day. Just like the first time. Like when he was sitting here, without knowing she was his missing piece. He rubbed her back, pressing her towards himself. He needed her to hold him.

"Your wounds, do they hurt a lot?" He asked with a gentle tone, brushing her hair.

"Not anymore." She ran her hand through his hair and felt the roughness of his undercut with her fingertips.

"You can't save everyone, Y/N." He whispered in her ears.

"I wasn't trying to save everyone, just the ones who are wronged by the Gods." She kissed his shoulder, his neck, and his throat.

Satoru lifted his head from her grip and brushed a piece of hair from her face. "This world doesn't deserve you, Y/N. I don't deserve you." Then he kissed her again, without waiting, without permission, without deciding to do it, because he couldn't do anything else to ease the pain in his lungs. He needed to breathe her.

She was there to save him. Once she kissed him back, his breath returned. His heartbeat slowed down, and every muscle in his body relaxed. He was terrified of the way he needed her. She had his sanity in the palms of her hands.

He leaned back, something welling up in his chest every few minutes. "Better liar, worse lover," Guilt mocked him.

"I want you, Y/N, you know that, right? I want all of you, I want you inside and out..." He looked at Y/N as if waiting for confirmation from her. It was as if she was the only one who could save him from the guilt he was drowning in.

Y/N took a deep breath. What sadness did Satoru feel in his heart? Why was he upset?

"Damn you, Y/N! Why do you keep quiet? Is it too much that I want you to ache for me as I do for you? Don't you have any affection for me?" He shook her shoulders. He was acting like a drug-seeking junkie. Crazy, impatient, and ferocious.

Y/N looked into his eyes. No, he didn't look normal. "Satoru, why are you in pain? You've been like this for the past few weeks. What's eating you alive? Why do you avoid talking every time?"

She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "I'm here for you, always, you can talk to me, Satoru." A worried smile painted delicately across her face.

Y/N's hand slipped out of Satoru's shoulders toward his heart. "Let me make your sorrow mine, that you might have help in bearing it. Let me have my share of it, just as you share your happiness with me."

She had a weakness for him, a desire to make him happy, a longing for his smile. He was something she couldn't resist.

"No!" Satoru removed her hand from his chest and held it firmly in his. She wasn't afraid of Satoru's behavior. 'No, he would never ever hurt me.'

"My sorrow is mine! I'm the responsible of my pains! I'm the one who has to bear my plights, not you!" His voice was heavy with shame, the same way his guilt weighed down upon his shoulders. "The pain of others is killing you! Look at yourself Y/N, you can't heal your wounds, but you want to help me! How is this fair?" His chest contracted.

"Satoru...you..." Her voice trembled. "Satoru, you are not yourself."

"Why? I can't fucking care about you?" How did anger find his way to his words? He didn't know, but he frightened Y/N because she took a step back from him. She couldn't recognize the man before her, anymore.

"I'm sorry, Y/N; Please...please don't walk away from me." His voice was soft, almost fragile as if it and his heart would break any minute. Perhaps his heart was already broken. "Let me be the owner of your sorrows tonight, keeping your worries out of sight. Take all of my hopes and have a peaceful sleep. Let me mourn for you tonight and weep. Let me see how it feels to have others' pain in the heart. I want to take you to the world of sweet dreams. Please let me take your pains tonight." There was a bitter smile on his face.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be okay, I'm the strongest, I can handle everything, I can fix everything, you trust me, right?" A rain of despair poured upon his words.

Y/N looked at Satoru hesitantly, but he unzipped his uniform, kissed the palm of her hand, and placed it over his heart. It was cold, but he didn't care about anything. His sins were about to find him, and he was willing to accept whatever would come from her—what a way to punish yourself for biting the forbidden fruit.

Y/N surrendered, closed her eyes, and it was at that moment that Satoru's heart twitched with pain.

Have you ever felt like even your lover's pain is sweet? Satoru did.

His greatest moment of intimacy wasn't the day he took all of her clothes off, but it was now when she shared her pain with him and let him witness the most vulnerable part of her being. She showed her cursed nature to a jujutsu sorcerer. She revealed her most hated side, her ugliest scar, and despite all of this, he leaned and kissed her even harder, arms winding tight around her...

"She trusts you with her life, and you misuse it." Guilt shook their head.

"Y/N? "Enough is enough. He had to confess everything to her.

But she grabbed the lapels of his uniform, whispering: "I'm dying for you, Satoru...make me come to life again."

Satoru's eyes widened. Before he could say anything, she kissed him. But he pulled her away and looked at her eyes and the strands of hair on her cheeks. She meant everything to him. He kissed her like he was about to die. Licking, sucking, and retaining the very taste of her.

And Yuji saw it all! Standing far away from them, frozen in his spot.

Anger permeated his being. He liked his Sensei, but he knew that Satoru Gojo was nothing but a heartbreaker, and he didn't want that for Y/N. Yuji's fists clenched, but he felt another hand on his shoulder before taking a step. He turned around and noticed Megumi.

"Calm down! This has nothing to do with us. They love each other." Megumi said softly.

"But ..." Yuji turned his head, but there was no sign of Y/N or Satoru anymore.

Suddenly, Y/N felt the air around them shift, and her back hit a wall. She blinked a couple of times. It was dark all over. 'Where are we?' But before she could think any further, he grabbed her by the throat but didn't choke her. He was kissing her so deeply to make her forget whose air she was breathing.

"Sato..." He was all heat and desire, and she wanted more. Her voice rang like Beethoven's Moon Walk Sonata in Satoru's heart. All pain.

'Just for the last time... just once more,' He repeated to himself.

He kissed her again and again. Each time stronger than before; after all, it was his last chance to have the feeling of her lips against his. "I wish you were mine," he murmured, brushing his nose to her cheek, taking a deep breath.

"I'm yours, Satoru." She leaned her head to the wall in pleasure. Satoru raised his head and looked at her eyes. Lust? Love? What was in her eyes? He couldn't point it out.

He grabbed her hands tight. She knew this was where he wanted her tonight. Against the wall, hands pinned above her head.

His hands opened the buttons of her coat, curving them beneath her shirt. He wasn't thinking straight. All he wanted to do was feel every curve and edge of her body. His palms reached under her bra, and his fingers touched the softness of them. Suddenly his hands stopped. 'What am I doing?'

She lowered her hands and started to unbutton her own shirt. Her hands were shaking. She didn't know that she had yearned for his touch this much.

To be honest, Y/N never liked to be touched; it was a strange dislike. That was not the case with Satoru. She craved him too much that she was willing to let him have her in every way he liked. She wanted to be held by him like he was the only one who could prevent her from breaking while trusting him not to shatter her into pieces.

She unbuttoned his shirt, too, and grabbed his collar, dragging him closer to herself. Now she could feel his hardness through his pants. Her fingers hooked around the waist of Satoru's pants, moving her hands to unbutton and unzip them.

Satoru followed the movement of her fingers with his gaze. He was going to miss these hands. No one knew how soothing was her touch. Her touch was only meant for him, and now he was on the verge of losing it.

Every bone, every muscle, every nerve in his body wanted her. "Don't continue, idiot! She's gonna hate you! Do the right thing for once in your lifetime." Fear brought his senses back. He took Y/N's hand and stopped her. He raised his head and looked into her eyes.

He brushed sweaty hair off her forehead. "Kiss me like you'd do if you loved me, Y/N..." he said. Her face in between his large hands, his thumb doing this circling motion on her cheeks, making it hard for her to concentrate. His eyes were pleading and begging for something she couldn't pinpoint, and suddenly, she felt like she was holding his life in the palms of her hands. She could crush him with just a word, kill him, stab him...

"I can't," she said. The pain that crossed his eyes shot directly into her heart. She pressed her lips lightly on his. "I can't, for I already do."

In the darkness of the room, she saw his sad crystalline eyes. It was the kind of sadness that transformed him into someone else entirely. She realized that she'd never seen him like this before. He looked so soft and vulnerable.

His hand brushed her cheek, holding her like it was their last time together.

"What is wrong, Satoru?" She loosened her grip and looked at him with worried eyes.

"The wrong is that I love you too...Y/N." The impact of his words hit her. He continued. "I have loved you since the day I was laying on my death bed. Ever since, what I've felt has only grown. My thoughts can't fucking move without constantly being drawn back to you!" His voice cracked, his hands dropping.

What was this feeling? Why was he the most beautiful thing she had ever seen? She could feel something inside her was ripped apart, and it felt like fear, tasted like anxiety and depression. Were these Satoru's feelings?

"You're it, you're my world," he met her eyes. "But you are not mine, nor will you ever be. All your feelings for me are because of this goddamn binding vow! I made you unconditionally loyal to myself; I forced you to love me!" He even took responsibility for the binding vow that he did not know its consequences.

Y/N was speechless and didn't know how to understand the portrait in front of her.

She just stared with wide-open eyes that she couldn't shut while the whole world was breaking apart around her. She didn't even shake; she stood there in total paralysis without realizing what would happen after this.

"Forgive me, Y/N. Believe me, I didn't want that..." The words that had been burning inside of him finally came to the surface. "I love you. I love everything about you, but you don't belong to me..." his voice trembled.

Y/N looked him in the eye, disbelieving. 'What is he talking about? Is this one of his stupid jokes again?' And her gaze searched his face. 'No, he is not lying.'

"How long have you known this?" When she spoke, it sounded like her voice was made of sadness. Her teary eyes closed, and a single tear, as clear as spring rain, flowed down her cheeks.

"Three weeks." Satoru lowered his head. He knew Y/N would never forgive him.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" She grabbed his chin and raised his head. 'How could those ever-smiling eyes be so sad and begging?' And suddenly, her heart ached with pain. 'Was that the same sorrow that kept him from sleeping?'

"I didn't want to lose you." He couldn't look at her eyes—shame... shame... shame.

She had no idea how hard it was to see someone you loved with a sad face. She always knew about the burden he was carrying in his heart; she just didn't know what it was, or where it would lead.

Memories of those few weeks were in front of her; she remembered how he could make her heart tremble with just a smile, but she realized the amount of pain hidden behind those happy moments. And the reality broke the glass of happiness. Now breathing felt like a choke, and her eyes fell to closed. She waited a moment as if she was in extreme pain.

"Y/N?" Satoru worriedly reached out to take her hand, but it stopped a few inches away. He couldn't see the courage in himself to contaminate her pure soul with the filth of his lies.

Hearing her lover's soft voice, she opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and started to talk, words tripping and stumbling out of her. "I'm a black ship Satoru, and I'm not a human, and that was what I missed the most. I'm something you can exorcize. I'm a fucking half-curse, for God's sake..." She tried to pull herself together before speaking again, but suddenly her eyes saw the movement in his throat. The effort he was making to keep still. His eyes were terrified.

"But you treated me equally. You were the only one who saw my half-human side, and for a long time, I felt that is the reason behind why you are the only one who can touch me without causing me pain. You don't consider me as a curse. In a world where everyone is trying to kill me, you were the only one who saved me, even if you didn't do it for me ..." Satoru opened his mouth to object but promptly closed it.

"Maybe what I feel for you isn't love. I'm not used to love, I don't know how it feels but I know that it wasn't nothing either." Satoru felt the warmth in her voice, and the rays of hope appeared on his face, shifting the corners of his lips imperceptibly upward.

"And perhaps it was just stolen glances in the long corridors of the school, and laughing a little too much at each other's ridiculous jokes; But... but I know that I paused every time before breathing your name. I thought about you before I fell asleep, the things we said, the way you looked at me... about the silent moments we shared... your laughs... after years I dreamed, and it was all about you, Satoru."

She raised her hand and took the face of the man she loved between her hands. "It doesn't matter to me if those feelings are true or not. They are real to me."

A tear slowly ran down his face as she stared into his ocean blue eyes. He could see that she was on the brink of crying as well. He leaned his forehead on hers.

"You're the most caring human being on earth, the most selfless, loving person I will ever know." He kissed her temple. "You're gorgeous, you're sweet, you're beautiful in so many ways. Not just the way your hair looks like in the wind or how people stare at you while you walk. You're beautiful for who you are, and I love it." His eyes were red.

"Satoru..." She looked up at him with tears in the corner of her eyes.

"Let me finish what I started. You think you're less than everyone else. You think that because you have flaws, you're some type of mistake, you think that you're worthless, and that's not true!" Eventually, she stopped trying and lowered her head in a quiet sob.

Tonight, she was maybe the luckiest woman in the world! Hearing things that no one had ever whispered in her ears.

He ran his fingers through her hair and brushed it back. In the darkness of the house, they stood half-naked facing each other, staring into each other's eyes. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "You're the only one that I will ever want; I belong to you. You're my home. I need you. You're the only thing that matters."

His hands circled her waist. He had finally found the peace he was looking for in the arms of a veteran murderer, a sinful angel, and she was his.

Y/N's hands wrapped around his neck. She had finally found her redemption in the arms of a miracle, a blessed devil named Satoru Gojo, and she was happy.

"I love you, Satoru, I will love you always and forever..." She promised.

"I love you, Y/N. You're my forever." He promised.

But they didn't know promises are like hearts; they are meant to be broken.

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darthwheezely · 3 years

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let me - f.w.

Summary: Fred will always choose you, even if you don’t know and wouldn’t choose him back. Even in the worst of times, Fred would do anything to let you know how much he loves you.

This is based off my recent break up which was supremely awful and I’m going to be picking up the pieces for...a while. This is kind of self-indulgent, I’m sorry about that!

people that might like this: @whiz-bangs78 @monoscandal @gcdric @theweasleyslut @thehufflepuffwife @vogueweasley @loony-loopy-lupinn @oh-for-merlins-sake @slytherinsunrise @lupinsclassroom @durmstrange

Warnings: angst, but slightly fluffy??? mentions of cheating and light homophobia it’ll be ok basically lol and cussing and bullying...oops? PROLLY FUCKING AWFUL WRITING PLZ I TRIED IM JUST EMO RN SKSKWKWJWKKSK

It wasn’t that Fred Weasley hated your boyfriend, it was actually that he had really liked him. Kind of really enjoyed his company. Even went as far to say that he considered him a friend.

And because of that, he told himself, he wasn’t able to see exactly what was happening.

Everyone had known that you and Sam Tuckson had broken up, to be honest, drama at Hogwarts was dulling and unfortunately for you, you and your relationship had fallen prey to the lull of gossip.

Sam Tuckson had basically slid his way into your life at the beginning of fifth year, and to you he was everything you had wanted. The Hufflepuff Keeper was tall, tanned, smiled, and laughed like everything that came to him (including you) was easy, and something in that carefree sense of a walk and talk he had was more than enough to satiate your feelings. You were for all intents and purposes madly in love with him, and everything up until your break up five days ago led you to believe he was as well.

To say Fred had been a little jealous at first was taking it a bit lightly. It didn’t take a whole lot to figure out that Fred had been pining for you since second year, and to make matters worse? He was your best friend. For the first couple of months or so in your new relationship, he found himself at night silently wishing and pretending he was Sam, not needing to steal glances across tables in the Great Hall, being able to hold onto your hand a little longer than he was allowed, and to finally be able to taste your lips on his whenever you wanted him to.

For the first time, he wasn’t your number one boy anymore and it killed him - but the only thing able to bring him back was the joy Sam brought you day after day. It was starting to eat at him past month 2, and with that brought George:

“Freddie. Mate,” he sighed looking at his older twin. Fred hadn’t left bed at all that day and knew he wouldn’t leave it for another day unless he did the inevitable-

“-you have to either tell her or wait. She misses us...she misses you.”

“I know, Georgie.” He looked at George, longing for peace evident in his angular frame. Fred nodded and sighed, sitting up.

“I know.”

Fred had made it his personal mission to befriend your boyfriend, and while it was painstakingly murderous for the first week or so - he eventually became to warm up to the Hufflepuff boy, even going as far as hanging out with him and letting him in on pranks with George when he wanted. Honestly? The guy was starting to grow on him, the idea of a friend of his dating you seemed to lessen the emotional blow of knowing it wasn’t him, and he felt himself over time starting to possibly lighten his own load on you.

And then the rumors started to fly around.

Fred had been walking to Transfiguration and had rounded the corner-

“I heard he’d been slipping it to Astoria and Daphne!”

Who the hell are they talking about?

“Nah, he doesn’t like Slytherin girls-“

“But have you heard about him with Slytherin boys!” They snickered loudly.

Fred continued to walk, the high pitched giggles of the younger Ravenclaw girlsinging in his ears.

After class he made his way to the Great Hall for lunch when a gaggle of Hufflepuff ladies crossed in front, (they always take so damn long when they’re in a line across, he thought)

“Anyway, I heard he hates her guts now.”

“Sam could never hate her! They were together for soooo long you know.”

His heart stopped. No. No they couldn’t be talking about-

“It’s because she’s frigid that’s what I heard.”

“Y/N? Frigid? Please have you seen her with him, she acted like a slut around him! Disgusting really.” She wrinkled her nose.

He felt his knuckles whiten and a lump in his throat begin to rise.

“I heard he’d been doing it the whole time!” The last one said as they hitched a left to the courtyard.

Fred hadn’t ever known what it’s like to be frozen or paralyzed with anger, but he learned it then.

You were sitting in your navy and golden dorm, the only sanctity and safety you felt surrounded by the colors you knew so well. You hadn’t felt the strength to go the Great Hall for anything today, not after breakfast. Not after you waltzed in after what felt like a normal morning and heard tinny laughs and stifled giggles from the Hufflepuff table.

You’d been made the fool by the boy you loved. And there was nothing at this point that could get you past that realization now.

You’d heard the rumors in the hallway. You’d heard them when Pansy Parkinson sat next to you in Potions and whispered in your ear, “maybe just dip yourself in amortentia next time. Might last longer.” You’d seen the way Sam Tuckson, Hufflepuff Golden Boy, looked over at you with nothing but pity in his eyes before he trudged to the Ravenclaw table, looked at the ground and murmured-

“I’m sorry it ended like this. I’m sorry I didn’t know how to love you sometimes.”

And scurried back to his own seat.

You hadn’t had the strength to find the twins. You could barely find the strength to move from your bed, to get more tissues. You simply didn’t have it. And then.

There was a knock on your door.

“Please, Cho, not right now, okay?” You croaked, turned away from the door. You could barely hear the door creak open to see your best friend’s head creeping from the other side.

“Knock, knock, princess.” He said softly, showing your turned frame a small smile.

“Can I come in? Please?” You nodded. Fred came through, shutting the door as quietly as possible behind him. He looked at you curled up in your bed with your uniform still on. Your favorite throw blanket draped over you as you laid on top of the covers and all he could think of was how.

How did he let this happen?

“Freddie, you couldn’t have known.” Fred blinked realizing he had spoken out loud and froze in place.

“Yes, actually I could have”

“Fred-”

“No, I don’t think you understand.” he almost growled it, it was so low that you could barely register it was him saying it. You turned him to look at him then, pulling your knees to a criss cross applesauce position. He clenched his jaw feeling tears and the lump in his throat finally erupting.

“See, Y/N, I’ve always been there to protect you. It’s never been a job, or a chore, because I’ve been so blindingly in love with you ever since you hurled a bezoar at me in Potions when we were 12.” You choked out a small giggle at that, your heart pounding in your chest. He looked up at you then tears on his face.

“I know this isn’t fair. Because this is a really shit time to be selfish and tell you how much I love you, but I was his friend, Y/N. I willingly sat and enjoyed his company and I could’ve seen what he was doing to you because I’m a guy I should know what guys do and quite frankly? You deserve so much” he swallowed and readjusted his jaw again feeling more tears as he watched you crying to, wanting to stop but something in him told him this was it he couldn’t hold in it he couldn’t-

“-so, so much more. Than me. Than him. Jesus, than everyone. And, love, I am...so sorry I didn’t tell you this sooner. Please know our friendship wasn’t a lie and we never have to discuss this ever I just...you’re so bloody fucking perfect and knowing I watched him do that to you without knowing I just-”

“Freddie.” You held out your arms. It was his turn for him to choke then as his knees buckled and fell towards you on the bed.

You couldn’t be mad at him or angry or upset. You weren’t. You were just,,,

“Fred, I need time.” You whispered against his shoulder, his body engulfing yours in a tango of arms and legs and breaths that only you two knew this well.

“Angel, I didn’t mean to make it seem-” he pulled away to look into your eyes.

“I know you weren’t asking me of anything, Fred. I love you I just...I need time. For a lot of things.” He swallowed and nodded moving to get off the bed and give you the space you needed. However, you pulled him back.

“I love you, Freddie. That isn’t changing.” And out of force his arms seemed tighter as he breathed out, meeting your forehead.

“And I’d wait every second of everyday to hear you say it again.”

#fred weasley #fred weasley imagine #fred weasley x reader

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possiamo-andare · 4 years

Text

Midsummer: JJ Maybank

JJ x Reader

word count: around 6k

MASTERLIST

a/n: took a long time writing this and I've never done anything like this (where its y/n) so any feedback would be greatly appreciated <3

You had never technically been to the Midsummer festival. Of course, since you were a Kook, your parents were invited and tried to make you go but every year came a new excuse. First, you had the "stomach flu." Then, there was that time you said you had "strep throat." Another time, you had a "fever." You had so many excuses for not going to Midsummer every year, you had become a pro at lying.

Only this time, you had an actual reason not to go and, out of all the times, your parents didn't believe you.

You had told them the truth. You and Rafe had just gotten into a huge argument and had technically broken up. It wasn't official or anything but you both knew it was the end. You wanted to stay home and binge watch 'New Girl' from the beginning and maybe order some food. You just wanted to indulge yourself for a moment. You had lost 170 pounds (aka Rafe) and you kinda wanted to celebrate.

Rafe loved keeping up appearances and you were just another way to do that. You were the "perfect" girl next door. You surfed, played soccer during the school year, and it helped that your parents were loaded. You and Rafe looked like a great couple on the outside, but the reality was you were both broken in one way or another. You were struggling with your mundane life, finding every day one endless loop. You were desperate to break free but didn't know how. Rafe was struggling with addiction and wouldn't admit to you that he had a problem.

Finally, you were at your breaking point. This morning, while you still had the courage, you started to talk to Rafe about getting help. You had kept this secret for him for too long and keeping it any longer wouldn't help anyone. Rafe, as you expected, flew off the handle and said the most horrible stuff. He called you a bitch, a slut, and basically every thing that could hurt a person. And you took it because that's what you always did. Then he said something that you couldn't forgive.

You're gonna die alone.

All of those words before never hurt as much as this one. You think it hurts the most because there's a possibility that it's true. You have never had an honest conversation with anyone in your life, including Rafe. You let people in, but not all the way. You were scared to get hurt, but even more scared to die alone. Rafe knew that.

So, you told him you're done and then left. No, you're here, talking to your parents and telling them you couldn't go because you had broken up with Rafe.

"I just don't understand what happened. Rafe is such a nice young man." Your mother said, going through her jewelry box to find the right earrings to match the dress that was laying across her bed.

The Midsummer party was not to start until the sun set in about three hours but your mom loved getting ready early and this party was no exception.

"I just don't want to go. Rafe is escorting me and I don't wanna put on a smile and pretend like everything's okay when it's not."

You didn't understand your mother sometimes. She was fine with letting you stay home from the party for years now as long as there was a physical reason like a cold. Now that you're telling her it's a mental reason, she could care less. You watched her by the frame of her bedroom door. She continued to look in her jewelry box and not for one second check on you.

"It's just for tonight sweetie." She smiled, but not at you.

At first you thought it was directed at you even though she wasn't looking at you. Then you realized she had found the matching earrings and that's why she was smiling. She held them up to her ears and looked in the mirror for a second.

You wondered if she remembered she had a daughter. It felt like she didn't remember sometimes.

You couldn't change her mind. You knew this now. She was picking out her jewelry and accessories now and the room for anything other than the talk of jewelry and makeup was not interesting to her. You decided to cave, not wanting to plead your case again.

So, you returned to your room and called the only person that ever listened to you. Your best friend, Sarah Cameron. She had recently met a Pogue named John B. and also didn't want to go to the Midsummer party where Topper, her soon-to-be ex boyfriend, was escorting her. She had planned to break up with Topper to be with John B. but hadn't gotten the chance yet. Although she wanted to end things with Topper, she didn't want to cause any drama and breaking up with him at the Midsummer party was definitely not a good way to avoid drama.

Sarah understood. She always did.

"Hey girlie." Sarah chimed as she answered the phone.

You instantly smiled, sitting down on your bed. "Hey."

You could basically hear the frown in Sarah's voice as she spoke. "What's wrong? Did Rafe text you?"

You hummed a no. Just hearing Sarah's voice made you feel better. "I tried to tell my mom I don't feel like going but she refuses to listen."

Sarah sighed. "I'm sorry Y/N. I'll look after you tonight. Make sure Rafe doesn't talk to you. He'll escort you to the party and then that's all you'll see from him. I promise."

You chuckled. "And who is gonna make sure Topper stays away from you as you go meet up with your new boyfriend?"

"Ah, my friend," Sarah chides. "That's where you come in. We'll help each other out tonight."

You laugh, the plan sounding ridiculous but it made enough sense to actually work. "Okay, I'll see you then."

"See you there sister." sang Sarah, hanging up the phone soon after.

After you put your phone down to charge, you decided to take a shower and start getting ready for the Midsummer party. You showered quickly, scrubbing your hair so that it wouldn't smell, as your mother says, "like the sea."

After you got out, you washed you face with a cleanser and towel dried your hair. You then brushed your teeth for the second time today and popped in a mint. You put your hair up in a bun while it was still wet so it could dry on it's own. That's when you picked out your dress. Your mom had bought it for you a week ago and it had been collecting dust in your closet ever since. You laid it out on your bed and finally got a proper look at it.

It was a yellow, spaghetti strap dress that fell to your ankles. It was made out of silk and shined even with your bedroom light. When you had tried it on, your remembered how tight it was on the bodice and how it dainty it looked on you. You did like it and it made you feel like a princess, you just wished you didn't have to wear it for the Midsummer party.

You started your makeup first. You applied a tinted moisturizer to give yourself a natural glow and then applied some concealer to lighten your under eyes. Once ever was evenly applied, you filled in your brows and brushed them back and applied some mascara. You added blush and some highlighter to give you a brighter glow. You finally finished off the look with a nude lip.

You let your hair down and it was stil damp. In an attempt to get your hair to dry faster, you got a blow dryer and dried the rest of your hair. Once it was all dry, you brushed it through once and let it stay down. It had turned out nice, the natural curls in your hair giving you the volume you needed. Why change something that already looked so good.

With your makeup and hair done, you finally got changed into your dress. Once it was own, you gave yourself a proper look in the mirror.

You did look beautiful. You had to admit, when you put effort in, you cleaned up well. Although you liked how you turned out, your heart still hurt. Not because of Rafe, but because you can't imagine doing this every year for the rest of your life. Your parents were always okay with doing the same things everyday. You weren't. You wanted to go out on adventures and experience all life had to offer. You wanted to travel by yourself. You wanted to have something different to do everyday. This mundane life you saw your parents do was not for you but you were scared if you lived any more days like this, it was going to be your future. That's what scared you the most. Not being able to get out of the bubble your parents and your life as a Kook put you in. It's one of the reasons you envied the Pogues. Sure they might not have as much money but they had adventures and didn't lead a mundane life. Everyday was different. You sometimes wished you were a Pogue.

You slipped on your heels and looked into the mirror one last time. You looked good but still couldn't smile fully. You didn't hate how you looked, you hated the person looking back.

You didn't know if that ever would change.

Sarah always looked beautiful and you hated it. Even on days when she woke up, hung over with bed head, she just had to smile and she'd look beautiful.

When you entered Sarah's house, she was waiting for you in her bedroom. Her dad, Ward, told you where she was and you basically rushed upstairs. You hadn't seen her in two days since before she went on an adventure with John B. and you needed to know all the juicy details.

Now, as you looked at her in that perfect white dress, you didn't feel self conscious, but you certainly felt like you had to change.

"Holy hell." Sarah said as she stood up from her bed. "You look so sexy."

You rushed to her and hugged her for a moment before saying anything. "I look sexy? Look at you. You look like an angel."

Sarah laughed, grabbing your hand and squeezing it. "How are you doing?"

You shrugged. There wasn't much to say. You weren't really torn up over the situation. "I'm fine. We both knew it was coming."

Sarah laughed. "You should've seen my brother. He was totally freaking out when he called Topper."

You frowned. "Sorry. I know he's your brother."

Sarah waved her hands in the hair. "Are you kidding me? Someone needed to knock Rafe down a few pegs. I'm glad you guys are done. He doesn't deserve you."

You hugged Sarah again. She really was the most important person in your life right now. You didn't know how you got so lucky.

"Speaking of which, are Topper and Rafe here?"

Sarah sighed and nodded. "Waiting for us downstairs to escort us to the Midsummer party."

You rolled my eyes, grabbing onto Sarah's hand again. "Ugh. We can't just keep them waiting."

Sarah smirked, playing along with your sarcasm. "God forbid."

As you guys made your way downstairs, you talked. You knew you couldn't ask her all the details right now but you made sure to let her know that once you were alone, you'd pressure her to tell you all the information. You had seen John B. and his friends around OBX but had rarely talked. The only time you ever encountered each other was when you and Sarah slept on the boat overnight and John B. had come in the early morning to drop off the scuba gear. They seemed to not get along at all so you still wonder what changed.

"Just one question?" You pleaded as you and Sarah made your way to the sliding glass doors, leading you to the backyard where the party was taking place. The sun was setting now and the party would be starting any minute.

"Fine, shoot." Sarah nodded, whispering to you now since Topper and Rafe could see you and Sarah now.

"Is he a good kisser or not?" You leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"What are you beautiful ladies whispering about?" Topper asks as he approaches you and Sarah. You instantly pull away, acting very suspicious.

"How to please a woman. Not that you would know." You smirk at Topper, being very mean. For good reason though. He had made Sarah feel very bad about not sleeping with him and you were glad she had moved on. Now, hopefully Topper would too.

Topper rolled his eyes. "Hello Y/N. How are you?" You know he's only being so nice to try and impress Sarah and show her he's changed. Of course Sarah doesn't buy it.

"I'm spectacular." You gave Topper a wide smile. Maybe if you stared at him long enough, his head would explode.

"Good." Topper grumbled, looking at Sarah. "You look amazing."

Sarah frowned. "Yeah, thanks." She seemed so unenthusiastic it was almost funny.

Topper extended out his hand, ready for Sarah to take it. Sarah looked at you and tried to smile but you could see her discontent. Sarah unwilllingly reached for it and smiled again at Topper.

Here's the thing; if you have to smile so much at everyone all the time, you're probably not happy.

Just as Sarah and Topper move away, Sarah stops, tells Topper to wait one moment and turns around to you. She smiles, for real this time, and says, "To answer your question; yeah, really well."

You giggle, trying to make sure Topper does not ask too many questions. That smile that you had, though, is now replaced with a frown.

You can see him lurking near the door, finding the courage to come up to me.

God, I wished he would just leave me alone, you thought.

You decide against confronting him and instead walk to Sarah's kitchen to grab some water. The doors to Sarah's backyard can be seen if you stood in Sarah's kitchen so you can see Sarah walk out with Topper, smiling and waving. People who don't know Sarah well won't know the difference but you do. Her shoulders are slightly droopy and her smile is not as wide as it usually is.

You watch her quickly depart from Topper soon after he's escorted her around and you can see Topper stay behind, a little shocked she's gone. You don't know why he is, but that's the thing with guys like him. They never think they're the problem.

Speaking of problems, Rafe has followed you into the kitchen and is just standing there. You pretend not to see him. Maybe if you ignore him, you thought, he'll take the hint and walk away.

Of course, he doesn't and as you try to walk past him, he stops you from leaving the kitchen. He's standing in front of you. So, you move to the right and he follows, blocking you again.

"Can we talk?" He asks, reaching out for your hand.

You move my hand out of the way. "Don't touch me."

"Y/N..." He's looking at you with those puppy dog eyes and granted it would've worked at one point but not anymore.

"No." You say sternly. "This is what's gonna hapen: you're gonna escort me out and after that we'll never talk again."

Rafe frowns even harder. "I don't want that. I said things I shouldn't have but -"

"No." You cut him off. "There's no more excuses. We're done."

Rafe's brows crease together. You can tell he's pissed now. "No. You're not giving up on us."

You scoffed, his confidence misplaced. "Trust me, you gave up a long time ago." You then grab onto his elbow, surprising him a little. You could tell he was confused and so you rolled your eyes and then spoke again, "you're escorting me."

Rafe's eyes widened and quickly nodded, guiding you to the glass doors. As you walked, you felt a weight lifted. It had been a long time for you to admit this but you wer glad you guys were over. Your relationship was not aware near perfect and very toxic. The weight lifting, you realized, was definitely Rafe's link to your life.

As the doors opened, you put on a smile and stared waving. You looked around and smiled at your family and friends but you were looking for Sarah. You saw your mother, who was clapping and had a proud smile on her lips. She gave you a thumbs up but you looked away. Could she seriously be any more annoying?

Finally, you spotted Sarah near table. She was looking at you and clapping. You could tell from her facial features that she was being sarcastic. You stuck your tongue out quickly as you walked and waved and she quickly flipped you off.

Once you were done, Rafe let go of you. You turned to him and gave him a half smile.

He did not smile back. "I'm sorry."

Your smile dropped. "Are you?"

And with that, you walked away. Once you got to Sarah's table, she was already standing you give you a hug. You hugged her tightly, sighing as you did. It was finally over. You never had to speak to him again.

"How are you feeling?" Sarah asks, the boh of you sitting down at the table beside each other.

You shrugged. "Surprisingly, I'm good."

Sarah smiled. "It's cause you know it's for the best."

You nodded. You hoped so. "You want a drink?"

Sarah nodded. "Thanks so much."

You got up and went to find a waiter. There were so many around you but each one was speaking to someone and you didn't want to bother them. It took a little of a walk but you finally saw a blond boy in a waiter's suit, standing there. He seemed to be doing nothing so you approached him.

"Excuse me." You said politely, causing the blond boy to turn around. You knew who it was.

JJ Maybank. A Pogue. Specifically, one of John B.'s friends. More specifically, the guy who pulled a gun out on Topper. You were there and saw it all. He had never liked him. Although you hated Topper as much as the next sane person, he didn't deserve that.

JJ looked at you, up and down. He then smirked and crossed his arms over his shoulders. "Yes princess?"

You scoffed. "Not happening. I need a ginger ale and Sprite."

JJ scoffed back, imitating you. "A 'please sir' would help. Or do you Kooks not know how to say please?"

You glared at him. "I know how to say please to people who deserve it."

"And I don't?" JJ asked, bemused.

"No." You said coldly.

"You don't even know me."

"I know the type." You retorted.

JJ grabbed ahold of his chest, faking being wounded. "Wow, that stings Y/N."

You rolled your eyes, ignoring the fact he knew your name. "You don't need me to explain it to you?"

JJ nodded, a smirk adorning his lips. "I really do, miss."

So you did. "I've heard stories about you JJ. You pulled a gun out on Topper, use girls left and right, and get into trouble with the law for fun. Trust me, I don't wanna get to know you."

JJ frowned, maybe for real this time. "Ever heard of don't judge a book by the Kook's stories?"

You tried to suppress a laugh. "Just get me those drinks."

JJ nodded at you and then you turned away and made your way back to Sarah. To be honest, he wasn't anything like Rafe had said. Yes, you had been there the night he pulled the gun but he was completely different now. He had a personality. He was more than a meathead Pogue like Rafe had said. Maybe you should stop listening to what Rafe and try to decide for yourself who JJ was.

When you returned to you table beside Sarah, the drinks where already there. You were confused. How did he get there before you?

"Took you long enough." Sarah joked as she sipped on her drink.

"Sorry." You sat down, confused. You looked at your drink, then at Sarah. "Who brought them here?"

She shrugged. "Some girl. She said that you had told her to hurry up. What did you say?"

You looked around for JJ. Finally, when your eyes found him, he was already looking at you. He smiled and gave you a small wave before walking away.

You smiled. You wanted to tell Sarah what happened and why JJ had made such an impression on you but you didn't get a chance.

Suddenly music came from the dance floor that had been decorated for this party. You looked to the dance floor were people had stared dancing and then you looked back to Sarah.

"Can for a dance?" You extended you hand out to her.

Sarah smirked. "Of course."

And so, as the sky turned to dark, you two danced.

You had been consecutively dancing for about an hour and your feet ached. You were wearing heels and although you were skilled in the art of wearing heels, you were completely overwhelmed by the aching. You had to stop.

You looked to Sarah, who was holding onto both of your hands as she swayed to the music. You smirked at her. She was a terrible dancer but her confidence made her seem like the best dancer ever.

Once you stopped moving in the middle of the song, Sarah noticed almost instantly and stopped along with you. She looked at you face and instantly knew.

She frowned. "Just until the end of this song."

You sighed, easily swayed when the music was so good. You nodded, swaying to the music again. Sarah picked up where she left off and you both smiled again. The song seemed to be in the middle so you only had to wait a few minutes. You trudged along, the soles of your feet aching so badly you chewed on the inside of your cheek to distract yourself.

"Hey, if you need to stop me can -" Sarah was about to stop but she was cut off by a tap on her shoulder.

A blond boy you now knew as JJ, danced beside Sarah. "Val?"

You frowned. Maybe he thought she was someone else and you thought that was true when you saw Sarah's face, who was confused for a moment.

"JJ?" She questioned and your eyes widened.

"What do you want?" You ask defensively. You wanted to keep up the impression you were still cautious around him.

JJ looks to you and perks up a little. You do the opposite. The other side of his face is badly bruised. You hadn't seen it before because of the darkness before, but now it was all you could see. It looks like he got punched over and over again. You suspected he probably got into another stupid fight. You almost felt sorry for him. The only way to boost his ego was for him to punch someone.

"Well, hello m'lady." He said, bowing.

You took a step back, bemused. As he bowed, he extended his hand for you to take. To indulge him, you grabbed it and he then stood up straight and pulled you close. One had rested, surprisingly, respectfully on your back and the other intertwined with your hand. You looked to Sarah, who was laughing. Your hand rested on his shoulder as you tried to contain your laughter.

"Madam, who you be so kind to get a note for Sarah out of my pocket for me?" JJ asked, swaying with you to the music.

You pulled away only enough to look at him the eyes. "Can't you do that yourself?"

He smirked. "Yes but I'd have to take my hand off your back and I don't wanna do that."

You rolled your eyes, swaying with him. Although he was a tad annoying, it was a comforting type of annoying. Your past presumptions of him yelled to you in your head about the gun and the fights but you quieted them. For this moment, he was being nice and you would look the other way. Maybe you had been wrong.

You nodded to him and reached to the back pocket on his pants and pulled out a note, handing it to Sarah.

Your hand soon returned to his shoulder as he smiled. "Thanks."

"Were you flexing your ass?" You laughed, shaking your head. You were embarrassed. Never had you done that but you couldn't help but laugh. JJ was one weird guy.

"Trying to impress you." He smirked, making you laugh. He then looked to Sarah and nodded at her. She was blushing so hard, and you were about to ask her what happened but she was already running off.

You looked to JJ. "What's going on?"

JJ leaned towards your ear as you swayed. You felt his lips touch your ear and you shivered. "She's meeting JB."

You smiled at JJ as he looked back at you. "I see. Star crossed lovers."

JJ shrugged his shoulders. "Didn't see the appeal of macking with a Kook but now," JJ says, looking you up and down. "I see the appeal."

You gasped and laughed, embarrassed again. "I'll slap you, I swear."

JJ smirked. "Please do."

You rolled you eyes. The next song had already started but you continued to dance. Your feet hurt no longer. "And why shouldn't I just smack you right now?"

JJ smirked. "Because I'm about to dip you and if you slapped me, I would drop you."

You shrugged. "Good enough."

And with that, he dipped you. You leaned your head back as he did and you felt the pressure of his hands on your back. You felt so secure. You knew he'd never drop you.

Once you came back up and looked at him again, you spoke. "I'm sorry for earlier."

JJ smiled. "Are you kidding? Probably the sexiest thing that's ever happened to me."

You rolled your eyes. "Really?"

JJ shrugged, continuing to sway. You had never felt like this. It felt as if you and JJ were the only two people on his dance floor. Not even with Rafe. This feeling was new and you didn't think you'd feel it with JJ. Someone who, before today, you never would've wanted to spend time with.

"So," he started as you continued to dance. "Have I impressed you?"

Before you could answer, you were pulled apart by two hands you recognized immediately. It was Rafe. Topper was right behind him, ready to fight. But this fight wasn't fair. It was two against one. How would JJ ever stand a chance?

"Rafe -" You started but Rafe silenced you by speaking over you to JJ.

"What're you doing dancing with my girlfriend?"

"Actually ex girlfriend." You corrected, standing between Rafe and JJ. "You have no right -"

"No right?" Rafe scoffed, his glance shifting to me now. "Until three hours ago I was your boyfriend and now you're grinding against this Pogue?"

You glare at Rafe. "Get away from me."

"Oh, I will." Rafe gritted through his teeth. As he spoke, his arm went around you and he tried to grab onto JJ's collar. JJ was quicker though and dodged his grasp.

"Run!" You yelled, turning around and pushing JJ our of the way.

JJ was fast. You were in heels so you weren't exactly the fastest person at this party but even as you ran, JJ was miles ahead of you. He looked back for a second, to see where you were and stopped to wait. You were surprised.

"C'mon." He said, grabbing onto your hand as you both ran into a closet and hid.

You heard Rafe and his goons tun down the same hallway you had just run down and they missed you completely. They were such idiots that they didn't even check the closet.

As you both caught your breath in the closet, you couldn't help but smile like an idiot. You had never felt so alive and you still couldn't believe you felt like this with JJ. He was the last person you ever thought could make you feel like this.

Soon, your dumb smile made JJ smile like an idiot and soon you both were smiling at each other. No longer did you guys have to catch your breath but you both still were breathing heavily. You were chest to chest and you were sure JJ could feel your heartbeat pick up.

He looked to your lips. "Why're you smiling?"

You shrugged. "Never done this."

JJ raised his brows. "What? You never ran from your ex with a boy you just met and ended up in a closet?"

You covered your mouth as you laughed. "You have?"

JJ shrugged, obviously joking. "Yeah, like five times."

You nodded, suppressing your smile. You were afraid if you smiled too much, your happiness would be taken away too quickly. You didn't want this to end. "With your rap sheet, I believe you."

JJ gasped, grabbing his chest again and falling an injury. "Another shot. I'm starting to think you're jealous."

You scoffed. "Jealous? No."

JJ raised his brows. "No?" His hand reached up from his sides and came to the hair in front of your face. He brushed it to the side and tucked it behind your ear. "Never thought about kissing me?"

Your smile was gone and replaced with butterflies. "Nope."

"I'm hurt." JJ confessed, fake frowning.

You smirked. "Why?"

"Because," JJ whispered, leaning forward. "I've thought about kissing you ever since you spoke to me for the first time."

Your breath hitched in your throat. His face was so close, his lips even closer. All you would have to do was lean forward and your lips would definitely meet. So, with a deep breath, you leaned forward to meet JJ's lips.

The second you kissed, you felt heat move through your entire body. JJ's hands came up to cup your face as your hands rested on his chest.

Your lips were on fire. For about the millionth time since you met him, he had proved you wrong. You were so glad he did. This kiss was like your favourite song. It was a beautiful sunset on a summer night. It was everything. You never kissed anyone like this. Whether it was adrenaline or the fact that he was someone you barely knew, this kiss was passionate. Your heart felt like his hands were around it. You didn't know how to act when this kiss would come to an end.

You angled you head so that your kiss would deepen. He tasted like mints and liquor and it tasted divine. You seriously couldn't get enough.

But sadly, you had to part. You needed to take a deep breath and you couldn't when his lips were on yours. You were the first to pull away and take a breath.

Once you did, JJ was the first to speak. "Um, wow."

You nodded, wiping your mouth. Your lipstick was definitely smudged. JJ saw your struggle and moved your hand to help. Except he didn't. Once he touched your lips again, your stomach dropped and you leaned to kiss him again. He instantly closed the space and kissed you again.

God, he was addictive. You definitely got it now. Sarah was right. The way Pogue boys kissed was so different from any Kook boy. Kook boys were careful and soft but JJ was the exact opposite. He was passionate but slow and everytime your tongues touched, you felt your stomach flip.

Finally, you both pulled away again. This time he actually helped you rub away your lipstick without kissing you.

"Wow." You said this time.

JJ nodded, catching his breath. He held onto his chest dramatically once more, making you giggle. "Who the fuck are you Y/N?"

You shrugged. Then, you remembered something. "You wanted to kiss me even when I was ripping your head off?"

JJ chuckled, shaking his head. "The first time I met you was when you smiled at me at the station."

You tried to remember that. Finally, you did. You were interviewing Sheriff Peterkin for the school newspaper and that's when JJ walked into her office. He plopped himself down as you said your goodbyes to Peterkin and you hadn't spoken to him at all. He had sarcastically waved goodbye to you and you genuinely smiled. You remember feel bad for him. You barely remembered his name but you saw him around school, always pissing someone off. You wondered why he wanted to kiss you then.

So, you asked. "Why'd you want to kiss me then?"

JJ rubbed his good eye and smiled at you. There was no arrogance under this smile, it was just pure happiness. "You smiled at me like I wasn't a delinquent like everyone else. You just saw me, a regular person."

You were so surprised. You hadn't thought anything of it and never thought of that day again. Until right now. How could JJ remember that?

"I'm surprised you remembered that." You confessed, grabbing ahold of JJ's hand.

JJ smirked. "If you ever tell anyone that, I'll embarrass you."

You giggled. "How?"

"I'll tell everyone you kissed me." JJ joked, squeezing my hand.

"That's not embarrassing." You gave JJ a fake frown, suppressing a smile. "Tell them I once peed my pants in ninth grade."

JJ cackled as you said this. Scared we'd be found, you covered his mouth. "Don't."

It was too late. Someone had heard you and JJ.

Only seconds later, someone opened the closet door. You squeezed JJ's hand to brace yourselves for Rafe but instead it was another waiter. He looked disappointed but not surprised.

"You gotta get out of there." He deadpanned, making way for you to leave.

JJ exited first, you following him shortly after. After you exited, he let go of your hand and looked to you. You were standing in a hallway now and you were too busy looking out to see if Rafe and his goons were around, you didn't realize he was trying to get your attention.

"Y/N." He said, finally getting your attention. Once you looked to him, he spoke. "You wanna pretend like this never happened?"

Your heart sank. Maybe you were wrong in giving him the benefit of the doubt. You sure decided to be honest. You never wanted to go back to never knowing JJ Maybank.

You shook your head. "Do you?"

JJ smiled. "No."

You both just stood there and smiled at each other for a moment. You were just content in being together. You wondered that maybe this is how relationships were supposed to be; easy. It seemed so easy with JJ.

After a long period of silence, JJ leaned forward and kissed you once more. As you pulled away, he spoke."I should go. Don't wanna get my ass handed to me by those goons."

You laughed, shaking your head at him. "I'll see you around then?"

JJ shrugged. "Let's just say, I forgot my keys in Sarah's closet and I'll come by tomorrow at three to get them. If you're there, then I'll see you then."

You shook your head, smiling so wide. "I'll see if I can make it."

JJ nodded and then let you go, making his way farther and farther away from you. At first, you watched you as he walked but when he got to the door, leading him in the opposite direction of the party, he turned around and opened the front door of Sarah's home. Then, JJ was gone. He was gone before you could even say goodbye.

But you knew its wasn't goodbye. This was just the beginning.

2K notes · View notes

maxdark158 · 3 years

Text

OOOH two chapters in one week??? damn even i’m jealous. of myself. though this also isn’t edited so i might read it tomorrow morning and regret life, soooo

Angel in Gotham: Part 1 ~ Part 2 ~ Part 3 ~ Part 4 ~ Part 5 ~ Part 6 ~ Ao3

Demon in Gotham: Part 1 ~ Part 2 ~ Part 3 ~ Part 4 ~ Part 5 ~ Ao3

Fanart for AiG: Riddler ~ Joker thank you @thegreysman

Please tag me in any fanart you draw for this guys ^^

oooOOOooo

The large plant in the street wasn’t promising.

Neither was the very loud scream of pain they heard as they arrived to the scene.

Damian might’ve popped some knuckles when he clenched his fists, he wasn’t fully paying attention. What the ever-loving fucking hell in a fuck was Ivy doing? Harley best not be here too or Damian may strangle both of them for coming near his Angel.

Deep fucking breaths I’m going to fucking lose it-

When they arrived, father signaled a quick “to first two follow” plan and he and Grayson went ahead, leaving Damian and Drake on the roof. Damian itched to jump and move forward. The worry was awful, filling his mind with the most unrealistic of thoughts. He tried to correct them, prove them wrong, but they were overwhelming.

What if I check through her window to make sure she’s in there and oka- he didn’t know which room she had and it would take too long.

What if the scream was hers- It was deeper, male sounding.

What if she was crushed under that plant- She wouldn’t be, right? There wasn’t any evidence of someone being under there-

What if she’s hurt? Afraid? Dying?

He heard yelling. Angry yelling, in a male voice. The constricting worry reminded him of every dangerous male villain in Gotham right now. He went through a list of those currently MIA, those who might’ve yelled. It didn’t make sense, no villain sighting was reported aside from Ivy…

But it was possible.

And the possibility made Damian want to puke.

He had to move he had to do something. He jumped down. It hadn’t been enough time yet but he didn’t care. He heard Drake hiss something in warning about Batman’s orders or something Damian didn’t fucking care about, because he had to see for himself. He had to walk in there and he had to make sure she was okay.

Before he could go in, he saw Ivy walk out through the door. What?! he moved to intercept her before seeing the blood going down her leg- What the fucking fuck happened?! Why was she bleeding?

Ivy raised a brow when she saw him. “I got a pass this time, bird. Might want to help them in there.”

The sick feeling returned. He didn’t want to trust a villain, a criminal… but Ivy wasn’t the most horrible.

He eyed the blood, the worried weeds supplying images of his Angel bleeding in the same way. Ivy was not the worst that could happen… His mind went through that handy list of villains again. Many much worse than Ivy.

Damian turned away from Ivy. Father and Grayson shattered the window the plant hadn’t gone through, he made a motion toward it before Drake grabbed his shoulder.

“Let go of me you-“

“If you’re going to disobey Batman, at least let me go with you,” Drake looked exasperated. “You’re focused on your friend, right? Someone needs to watch your ass then.”

Damian glared before prying Drake’s hand off his shoulder. If he wanted to follow, fine. Damian wouldn’t stop him. He went through the broken window and finally entered the hotel.

The vending machine was unplugged and face down on the ground, glass surrounding it. Ivy’s giant plant was in the middle of the room, steam thicker than the pot it previously inhabited and petals as big as the Batmobile’s tires. Other miscellaneous things were strewn across the room, including cut hair near the elevator.

But what had Damian’s heart pounding was the playing cards. Playing cards that were embedded in the walls and the front desk and the floor. Razor sharp playing cards. A certain villain’s playing cards.

Fucking fucking shit fuck bitch ass fuck-

“Father,” Damian’s voice was surprisingly level as he spoke. His eyes landed on the fucking purple suited clown mother fucker himself. “What is Joker doing here?”

Father however seemed to be answering something Grayson must have said, “It appears she was rescuing…”

Ivy was rescuing.

Ivy was helping.

Damian’s eyes scanned the room right as someone else made themselves known.

Marinette!

The air left his lungs. She looked worse for wear, dark circles under her eyes and blood- fucking hell blood on her person. She was shaking like a leaf in the wind, and Damian wanted nothing more than to comfort her. Help her.

He opened his mouth to speak, stepping toward her.

She began to sob.

As if Damian somehow needed to panic even more.

“I’m sorry,” the words were quietly choked out between hics and sobs. “I’m a hor- horrible person and-”

“Hey now,” Grayson took a step closer, trying to comfort her. Damian’s feet were stuck to the floor, the words stuck in his mouth, preventing him from doing the same. “I’m sure you’re not-”

She held up her hands, showing the blood on them. Damian inhaled sharply when he saw the bits of glass embedded into her palm – the green haired fuck hurt her.

“I broke his leg,” she took a big gulp of air. Damian bit back the words and he deserved it. “With a rock. And I threw things at him. A chocolate bar, a cookie, a phone, a lamp, a vending machine-”

“A vending machine?” His father glanced at the vending machine on the ground. Damian didn’t bother trying to decipher his expression, Marinette was turning red and gasping between her sobs. She needed to breathe.

“Miss, please calm down,” Grayson began to step toward her. Damian’s feet finally moved, and he began surging toward her as well.

She fell, nearly hitting her head on the way down. Damian caught her before she could though, barely. Fuck, she needed to breathe like yesterday.

“I’m terrible, horrible, I shouldn’t have done this,” the words used the last of her breath and were only a whisper.

Panic made his throat feel stuck and his voice thick. “Angel,” Damian spoke as calmly as he could. “You need to breathe.”

She didn’t breathe.

oooOOOooo

Usually, lack of sleep was associated with the coffee obsessed Drake, but it seemed Damian’s own mind was determined to show him what it was like to live like a lunatic. He wasn’t able to sleep even when he tried, though he didn’t try that much either. He’s pretty sure he spent an hour staring at his weedkiller order – an order that somehow got lost in Kentucky – wishing it to suddenly appear at the front gate. Then again after coming home, most of the night was a blur.

He rubbed his eyes and let his thoughts wander through the memories of last night. Or, early morning technically.

Marinette looked delicate and broken on the stretcher as she was loaded into the ambulance. Damian had to turn his head away. He saw Drake and Todd looking at him, but he didn’t want their fucking pity.

She’d be fine.

She had to be.

After Angel had passed out, she began to breathe again. She immediately got medical attention for her injuries, riding in a different ambulance than Joker, who also got medical attention at Arkham. Damian wanted nothing more than to skin him alive as he left, but he avoided doing it for the time being. Barely.

“There’s some of Joker’s laughing shit over here, B-man.”

“Have Red Robin neutralize it. We’ll have to check the tapes and see if anyone was affected.”

“Besides the guy who’s body we found behind the desk, I don’t think anyone else got hit. But good call. Red Robin, over here!”

Drake got the security camera feed and Damian saw the entirety of what happened in the hotel lobby. His Angel fought bravely and intelligently, though he couldn’t say he was a fan of the bitch who left her behind.

“Why did she go for the elevator? I’d hate being stuck in there with the Joker. And she let her classmate just fight?”

“Maybe she called for help once she got away. And even if she didn’t, we can’t judge a teenager for panicking in this situation, Tim. Damian’s friend is an anomaly.”

“I don’t know… too bad the cameras don’t have audio, I wonder what she’s saying before they realize that Joker is there.”

“Are you able to read her lips?”

“Golly jee I wish I fucking thought of that! Thanks for reminding me to read her lips on this old and grainy camera footage where you can barely tell her eyes from her nose!”

“Jesus Replacement, no need to bite my head off.”

Damian looked into it,and found that no calls were made to the police until the plant fell through the window. The calls then were about Ivy appearing, deduced by people nearby who saw the plant. That good for nothing bitch left my Angel with the Joker-

“No calls were made by anyone within the hotel. All the calls were made by people on the street or living nearby who saw the plant.”

“Hmm… Odd…”

“…I’m sorry but how the fuck did someone sleep through a giant ass plant breaking the main floor windows? How?!”

“Maybe it’s a French secret.”

He shook his head. After they got all the information, father decided to send the French children back early and pay for it himself. Damian, internally, knew why. He painted a target on Angel’s back, if she didn’t have one before.

“You realize he heard you, right?”

“What do you want, Todd?”

“Fucks’ sake demon spawn, listen to me. Joker heard you call her Angel.”

“…”

“I was already aware of that. I’ve made plans to have the class moved back in Paris. If it gets around, She’ll be an ocean away and more difficult to harm.”

“Alright, B. Was just trying to warn Demon Spawn.”

“Maybe next time he won’t fuck up.”

“Tim, no need to be harsh.”

“It’s vigilante 101, Bruce. Damian’s been doing this for years.”

“Perhaps instead of being berated for a mistake he didn’t intend, you should let Master Damian retire to his room to rest.”

Damian grumbled to himself, trying to push the intrusive awful worrisome thoughts out of his head. The ones that said maybe going back to Paris wouldn’t be enough to protect her. The ones that said Joker would want revenge, the ones that-

The ones that he wasn’t fucking listening to right now thank you very fucking much!

Damian sighed to himself. He needed some sleep. After handling the news, getting the class handled, and looking into everything involving Joker’s break in at the hotel he was told to get to bed as the sun began rising. It hadn’t really worked, as now a few hours later he was debating stealing some of Drake’s coffee to make it through the day.

Because he did have one very important task to do today. He needed to check on his Angel, and say goodbye to her. He had her number of course, and they could text as often as possible for the two of them, but he still needed to see her. See her and apologize for how horrible this trip must’ve turned out for her.

I’m bad luck, being near me ruined her trip.

Damian went to the bathroom to brush his teeth, ignoring that train of thought.

Riddler attacked her when I was there. Joker appeared after I dropped her off. I made her unlucky. I got her hurt.

It’d be easier to ignore that train of thought if it weren’t so fucking loud.

Time felt blurry right now. Probably because he was tired. But soon he was dressed in a hoodie and sunglasses, disguised so he didn’t get mobbed by paparazzi while visiting his Angel in the hotel. He was pulling his shoes on when there was a knock at the door.

“What do you want?” The knocking bounced in his head and made it hurt. Maybe he had a migraine, he wasn’t sure.

“Such a nice way to say good morning Demon Spawn,” Todd strolled in like he fucking owned the place and leaned against the wall next to the door. Damian wondered what it’d be like to have Jon’s laser sight so he could glare at Todd and kill him.

“You didn’t have permission to come in.”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“That doesn’t mean you get to.”

“Tough shit,” Todd rolled his eyes. “…You… alright?”

Damian narrowed his eyes at him. “Why are you asking something like that?”

“Your friend got attacked and is leaving the city because of a target on her back. Which, while I did point out that you called her a petname in front of Joker-“

“It isn’t a petname-“

“-It isn’t your fault.”

The words starkly contrasted Damian’s internal beliefs and he had to blink a few moments to make sure what he heard was real. Because what the fuck? Why would Todd try to convince him his fuck up somehow wasn’t his fucking fault!?

“It’s… not my fault that I stupidly revealed a relationship connection to a civilian in front of one of the worst villains this city has suffered?”

“Okay, that was all you, smartass,” Todd sighed. “but the other shit isn’t your fault. You didn’t hurt her, the fucked up clown did. You didn’t put her in danger, her fucking teacher and class did by abandoning her. You’re at fault for your actions, not other people’s, so if you’re blaming yourself then fucking stop. Freckles’d probably get upset if you were using her to hate yourself.”

“What on this planet makes you think I’m doing that?!” Damian’s voice rose in a snap, hypocritically, because he realized as he spoke the words that he… kind of was doing that.

Fucking feelings and fucking worry and fucking weeds in his head were the reason, of course, but he… was… fuck, he’s tired isn’t he?

“I died, Demon Spawn.” Damian raised a brow at Todd, waiting for the halfwit to continue. “Bruce and I… aren’t on the best of terms, but I did realize he… he did that. Where what Joker did was his fault. I’m not happy the fucker is still alive, but that doesn’t mean Bruce was the one who killed me. No that was all Joker.”

“What does that have to do with anything again?” Damian really just wanted Todd out of his room and not talking about things in the past. He totally understood his point and everything, but it wasn’t anything a gallon sized bottle of weedkiller wouldn’t fix.

“Wow, you must be really tired, damn,” the fucker smirked before his expression changed into something less asshole-ish. “I’m saying that if you’re blaming yourself for what the Joker did to Freckles, stop it. The fucker lost a leg and she’s on her way to the hotel from the hospital now.”

Wait.

Wait what?

“Wait what?!” Damian wasn’t even sure which one he was reacting to – the news that Angel was okay or the news that the Joker was permanently damaged.

Angel’s self defense might’ve permanently helped Gotham?!

Okay maybe he knew what he was reacting to.

Todd turned to leave like a fucking dickhead and Damian could hear the smirk in his voice as he walked away. “Check the news for the Joker thing and ask Alfred to take you to Freckles in like an hour.”

Damian was smart enough to realize that not checking out of spite for Todd would only disadvantage himself.

He still only checked a couple minutes later though. After glaring at his phone willing himself to somehow know without checking.

He needing headache pills.

oooOOOooo

The Unnamed Teenager That Defeated The Riddler Cripples Joker!

Just days after beating The Riddler at his own game, the same teenage girl holds off The Joker until Batman arrives!

“We had to amputate him below the knee,” Arkham doctor says. “There was too much glass in the wound, it cut several muscles, tendons, and arties. The shattered bone didn’t help.”

French Teenager Unavailable for Comment.

[Read More]

oooOOOooo

Damian had snuck through the lobby up to his Angel’s room. Some of her classmates were downstairs, but he hadn’t paid much attention to them, not caring at the moment.

The last memory he had of her was the blood on her hands and tears in her eyes before she fell to the floor. He wanted to change that, wanted to maybe even see if he could get her to smile. Though that felt ambitious…

He just… needed to make sure she was okay.

Damian knocked on Marinette’s hotel room door.

#daminette #maribat #damimari #maridami #marinettexdamian #damian x marinette #Damian Wayne #Marinette #joker #joker mention #he's pretty quiet in this POV #the badassness is in AiG #rip mari's health #in a week alfred be like master wayne #why is there a delivery for weedkiller in your name #damian takes it from his hands #and chugs

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league-of-thots · 3 years

Text

YeeHawks

Pairing: Hawks x female reader

Word Count: 3.3k+

Warnings: 18+, alcohol, riding, is cowboy kink a warning?

A/N: not the way y’all wanted me to return, but the way y’all deserve lol. i didnt really have the energy to give it an in depth edit but sometimes it be like that

You wipe the sweat from your brow, the sun is high in the bright, cloudless sky. It means that the heat is just pouring down in waves from the sky though, and you curse the fact that you’d agreed to switch shifts with one of the other farmhands that had asked you the day before. Part of you wants to find Kirishima and reem him out, but you know he’s a sweetheart and wouldn’t have ever done something that would make things harder for you on purpose.

Having said that, imagining giving the man a piece of your mind makes it easier for you to grit your teeth and put your back into heaving large packets of grains into a wheelbarrow for the pigs, so that you wouldn’t have to make as many trips. Instead, it would just be one hellish trip, and a lot less walking in the heat.

Wiping the stray dirt on your pants you sigh. You feel sticky and can feel the grit on your face, on your arms. You must smell something fierce, though you know compared to the pigs you’d be feeding in a few minutes, you smelt like a bed of flowers.

You feel the strain on your back as you finally finish loading the wheelbarrow and start to haul it over to the south side of the Academy farm. The ground is rough, and you feel the jarring of the weight in your shoulders, you’re going to be so sore tomorrow.

After you finish feeding the pigs, you take the supplies back to where they belong and head off to start some of your final tasks of the day. One is milking the cows, and the other being your favourite, plowing some of the dirt to prepare for the new season.

Is it a bit stupidly cliché that you love riding the big tractor while the sun lowers in the sky? Maybe. Is it worth it? Absolutely. It’s one of the best views you’ve seen in your life. Plus, it always helps clear your mind from a day of hard work so that when you enter one of the farmhouses, you’re ready to do whatever else you need to get done.

When you park the tractor back to its spot in the barn, you see a few of the other farmhands talking together. They’re laughing with one another, and you wave to them as you walk out with your overcoat and keys.

You’re in a daze until you realize you’ve somehow already started up a warm shower, standing under the steam to relieve your body from the stress of the day. Your muscles feel so much better with the hot water on them and the steam makes you feel as if you’re in stasis. It’s good because tomorrow is going to be a big day, the August festival, a celebration that the community holds as a sort of last hurrah before the season gets busy once again.

After you’re clean and put together, you head downstairs to have a quick conversation with the couple other farmhands that share the house with you. You need to check if there’s anything else you need to do to help with the final preparations for tomorrow. The four of you had made some homebrew cider to share with the other townspeople, and it tasted quite good, despite being a little heavy on the alcohol. But nobody would be complaining about that, of course.

“Mmm, I think its fine.” Mina says, faced scrunched up in thought. “We did pretty well with it for sure.”

“I agree,” you reply. “Just wanted to make sure I could pass out for the night. I’m fucking dead.” She laughs a little at that.

“Gotta make sure you have the energy for tomorrow. I hear that it’s going to be extra wild.” She waggles her eyebrows. “You know that there’s going to be a horse-ridin’ performance from our sheriff’s department, but there’s also gonna be some cowboys over here to show off some of their skills too.”

You’re slightly intrigued at that. Maybe, you’ll even get to see him again… but, better not get your hopes up too much. Instead, you say, “That would definitely be a treat for all the hard work that this year’s been.”

Mina nods sagely at that. “If I see that blonde, twink of a cowboy I’m goin’ to make him my bitch. Because I deserve it.” That brings a snort out of you, but you pray a little for Denki if you do see him tomorrow, because lord knows he’s going to need it.

The two of you chat for a little while longer before you wish her a good night and head up to get some rest. You do have a busy day to get ready for after all.

You wake up early the next day, ready to quickly get your tasks done so you can let loose with friends and community members that night. You wish that you don’t have to do any work, but you can’t have everything you want.

So, you drag yourself out of bed, muscles tight and body sore, to quickly grab a protein bar and a cleaner pair of working clothes. Your overalls are starting to sport holes and there are some dark stains that just won’t ever come off. You need new ones, you think, as you walk towards the horse pen.

You love the horses, how sweet most of them are and how peaceful it is in their separated area. It’s especially nice in the early morning, with a crisp breeze and the sun peeking out on the horizon. You grab the feed mix that someone had mixed the day before and drag it over to the troughs, where there are already some of the animals waiting for you to arrive. The horses have learned to expect people in the morning, and some of the more assertive ones wait at the fence to be the first ones to get to eat.

While they feed, you prepare the cleaning tools inside the small stable that is connected to the fenced off pen. You take each horse that’s finished eating into the small shelter to clean their hooves, brush out their mane and body, and then your favourite part, riding them for a few laps of the enclosure to make sure they run a bit each day.

It’s while you’re dismounting a cute mare named Starlight when you hear a low whistle from behind you. Someone’s obviously been watching you, and sitting there just outside the enclosure.

“Damn, baby, wonder if you could ride me as good as those horses there.” You feel a vein ticking in your head as you recognize the voice. He’s supposed to be getting ready for the group event, not bothering you while you try to get some fucking work done before you can finally relax and celebrate.

You turn your body and inwardly groan as your suspicions are confirmed, sitting there waiting is a certain cowboy who’s always managed to piss you off greatly every time one of his short visits brings him to the UA farms.

“Hello, Hawks.” You grit your teeth as you move towards the next horse that you’re about to take care of.

“I’m wounded, really, that you don’t sound pleased ta see me, angel.” There’s a satisfied smirk on his face. He really does get off on toying around with you and seeing how much he can piss you off. So, you take a deep breath and calm yourself.

“Now, why would you expect anything different? I haven’t forgotten the last time you came aroun’-“

He waves you off. “You’re bein’ ridiculous. It was a harmless joke.”

“I had to clean the stables for TWO WEEKS.” He just laughs at your anger, totally unphased. It grinds your gears more, the cheeky grin on his face that charms everyone around him, whittling down your intense irritation.

“Well, if anythin’ everyone else certainly enjoyed it.” You grumble out some choice words about him, making sure they’re loud enough for him to here, as you start brushing out the mane of the mare in front of you. He seems pleased with himself, leaning on the fence, head on his hands.

“Do you not have somewhere to be? Something you should be practicing for?” He lazily waves away your attempts to get him away from the work you’d like to finish up.

“Who needs practice? I know exactly what I’ve gotta do so there’s no real reason for me to waste my energy before the actual performance.” He says it with a casual arrogance, that you know comes from years of experience and absolute confidence in his abilities. “The only thing I wanna do right now is try all of the good I know y’all made for the party tonight.”

You give him an unimpressed look. “Just because we know each other does not mean that I’m going to just give you the cider meant for the community.” He pouts “You can try it when everyone else does later.”

“Yeah, but we have a special connection.” He grins and you splutter, embarrassed and trying to put away the memories of your bodies pressed together and calloused fingers in your cunt.

“Jesus, Hawks. Shut up.” You look around furtively, checking to see if anyone would’ve overheard.

“You like me loud.” God, his smug look makes you feel hot and bothered.

“Get outta here so I can finish my work, damn it.” He just laughs, turning around before turning back.

“You better save me some of the goodies y’all made up for after the performance.”

“Yeah, whatever,” you grumble, face flushed and mind now distracted with memories of Hawks’ hands tangled in your hair.

“Well, now. This is delicious.” Your eyes follow his tongue that darts out to lick the drop of the cider that had dripped onto his lips. You’d made sure to fill a plate up with the treats that had been spread around the outdoor tables, lanterns hung up around them not only for ease of finding them, but also to light up the evening. “You helped make this?”

“Yup. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it was between never having done it before and Mina’s enthusiasm. God bless Momo, without her we wouldn’t have gotten it done.” He laughs, and you can’t help that you can’t keep your eyes off of him.

He was slightly sweaty from his earlier performance, which had been perfectly executed, tank top tucked into worn jeans with a feather-like buckle. His eyes are scanning the crowd around as the two of you lean on the outside of the saloon, the inside being too filled with inebriated or high adults to even try to squeeze into a seat.

“So, how’s life been around here since I last visited?” he asks between bites of some spicey brisket, obviously enjoying it.

“Ah, not much. Just the usual social drama. Actually, Shinsou almost got his dick sliced off by some machinery someone had fucked around with. I swear to god that man has the worst luck I’ve ever seen.”

“Holy shit, sure does sound like it.”

“But yeah, it’s just living day to day for me now. Not much new happens out here, as you very well know.” He shrugs.

“Might as well see. What’s even keeping you here, then?”

“Not everyone needs to be on the road their whole life to be happy, Hawks.”

“I suppose. More cider?”

“Sure.”

You’ve drank way too much, you know that. But the fuzziness in your head just makes you want to keep going, to have fun and make up for all the time you lose working long hours every day.

Besides, Hawks is there beside you, egging you on and matching you drink for drink. His hands always seem to be on your body, either squeezing your ass, wrapped around your shoulders or waist. It makes you feel warm, and you know he’s teasing you, trying to rile you up. He wants to see how bothered he can make you before you snap and drag him off to some private place.

You’re determined to beat him out though. So, you lean into his body space and trace your hands over his arms, the insides of his wrists. You hear his breath hitch, though his attention is kept on whatever conversation is happening in front of you.

Of course, this is Hawks, who has just as much patience as a saint, despite being as far from one as possible. But you’re drunk and turned on and the teasing is too much for you to handle, so when there’s a brief pause in the activity around the two of you, you pull him down so you can whisper in his ear how much you want him.

He grins, “Might as well head back to your place then.” You agree and drag him with you.

The moment you’re in the house, you wrap your arms around his neck so you can bring his lips to yours. Its messy and rushed, but it’s relieving at the same time. The two of you have done this enough in the few times that he passes through that he’s comfortable enough to let you take charge for a bit.

“You can’t even wait ‘til we’re upstairs, sugar?” he chuckles, drawing out each word. You feel the rumble of them, pressed up as you are against his chest.

“Shut up, Hawks.” You grumble, pulling him towards your room if that’s what it’ll take to get his dick out faster.

After rushing in the room, you kick the door shut behind you and immediately get back to kissing him. This time, he makes more of an effort to assert himself, holding your face in his hands and licking into your mouth. You sigh into him, your hands finding his heated skin beneath his shirt as the pace slows down from the frantic rush it had been. It becomes sensual, and you can feel him getting more aroused as he slowly shifts his hands, starting to grind into you.

You pull away from him, getting some air as you start to take off his shirt. He enthusiastically moves to help and you get to admire his muscles stretch as he does. Obviously, life constantly on the road does wonders for your abs.

“You too, sugar. You’re gonna make me feel underdressed.” He says as he moves to take off the rest of his garments. A laugh slips out of you as you hastily get out of your outfit. When you turn your attention back to him, he’s sitting on the bed and he gestures for you to join him.

When you do, he kisses you again, intensely, as he guides you onto your back. You sigh as he kisses down the side of your jaw to mark your neck, reaching blindly for the lube and condoms beside the bed.

He quickly slides it on and you hear the squelching of lube as he moves in a rush. You don’t have time to make fun of him though, because as soon as he’s finished, he spreads your legs and puts the head of his dick at your entrance.

He groans, closing his eyes as he enters you, and its uncomfortable for a little bit. Soon enough though, you relax, and start to feel great as he moves his hips slowly against you. Hawks fucks deeply, you know this from your times before, but each time it feels just as tantalizing as the last.

“Hawks, please.” You pant, trying to wiggle a little bit just to get some friction, some tiny relief for the edging you’ve been through. He just gives you a smirk, as he keeps you completely locked between him and the mattress. You tense so hard he groans on top of you, but he doesn’t let you move, dick still sitting snug inside your cunt.

“Well, let’s see those barebacking skills you were showin’ off earlier then, hmm?” he says, his voice low and gruff. With ease, he gets the both of you turned around so you’re now sitting with your ass on his thighs, hands clamped tight on your waist keeping you in place while he lays back on the headboard. He nods satisfactorily, looking you up and down with lidded eyes. “Y’know, I like this view much better, baby. What a pretty picture you make right on top of me.” Part of you wants to roll your eyes, but the warmth that his words give you makes the impulse disappear.

“You know, Hawks, in order for me to show you said skills, you’re going to have to let me move.” He laughs as you try and lift yourself against the pressure he’s putting, obviously unable to really do anything. “Seriously, you dick, lemme move.”

“But the face you make when I play these little games with you is so cute, sugar.” He’s got a faux innocent smile across his face and you pout and cross your arms in response. “Okay, okay, I’m done. I promise,” he says, letting off all the pressure, but keeping the two of you connected at the hips.

“Thank you.” you quip, starting a quicker pace than the one Hawks had been setting, gravity still making it just as deep as before.

Being drunk obviously makes Hawks that much louder, or maybe it’s the change up in position, you can’t be sure. But, his praises, his deep moans, the lewd noises from the slapping of your body against his hips, it all makes you feel hot as hell.

You look down, seeing Hawks’ eyes widened and excited, he grins when he notices your look and begins to rock up into you. You throw your head back in as he hits deep within you, crying out his name. Hearing it obviously enthuses him as he grunts in exertion, starting to thrust upwards harder, and you feel your body responding, muscles tightening as you get closer to your climax.

“God, you’re gorgeous like this, y’know?” he gets out through gritted teeth. “I’m not going to be able to last much longer…” He’s panting, fingers digging into your hips sharply, sure to leave marks.

“Please, I wanna cum Hawks!”

“Tell me what you need, sugar, I’ll give it to you.” Hearing that makes you smile, he was always so attentive to your needs.

“Touch me…”

“You gotta tell me where for that.” Even when so close to his climax, somehow, Hawks manages to be cheeky. However, when he’s fucking you this well, it’s much easier to let the teasing roll off your back.

“My clit, Hawks. You do know what that is, right?” He lets out a genuine laugh at that, before sending one hand down towards the bundle of nerves.

It’s enough, between the stimulation and the deep thrusts into your cunt, that you feel yourself tighten and cry out, cumming hard onto his cock. You lean into him, kissing him hard as pleasure courses through your body.

He works you through it, breathing heavily, you can feel his pulse skittering under your hands. You feel him twitch within you, and an idea forms in your mind. Mind wrapped up in pleasure, you act on the thought immediately, bringing your hands to his chest to play with his nipples.

He loves it, making keening noises as you work, legs shaking with effort to stay up and keep pace with him. You let him take the lead and you hear him shout and arch up as you pinch his buds, feeling him release.

He thrusts a couple more times, lazily and slowly, kissing the top of your head as you settle down to lie on his chest for a few minutes.

You breath deeply, content in the moment. You know after you clean up and rest, he’ll be gone on the road once again, so you relax, enjoying the presence.

#jays writes #Smut #hawks x reader

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house-of-cakes · 3 years

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Jamais Vu

Masterlist || Series Masterlist

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Chapter 17: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme

Jungkook x Reader: enemy to lovers AU

Word count: 2164

Warnings: Swearing and mentions of slight bullying

Premise: “There’s an opposite to déjà vu. They call it jamais vu. It’s when you meet the same people or visit places, again and again, but each time is the first. Everybody is always a stranger… Nothing is ever familiar” – Chuck Palahniuk, Choke

AKA Jungkook goes in search of the girl who got him expelled.

I feel so bad posting late that I wrote a bonus chapter 😅 the extra chapter will be out this weekend.

If you would like to give feedback or be tagged in this story please send me an ask/message 😊

Tagged list: @inspinkyring @betysotelo18 @kardia-apo-marmelada @casspirit0705 @preciouschimine @therealsugababe @lucedelsole97 @deolly @lexy9716 @thesweetest-peas @sannsia

Bright flashing lights…catchy retro theme songs…the loud cheers of victory from teenage boys and girls defeating their opponents – these were the ingredients that made up Y/N’s favourite place in the world. While Namjoon found comfort on the stage, she felt most at home under the glowing neon lights of Reload.

A few years ago, Y/N had found the arcade a by chance after she had “run away” from home. She had just had an argument with her mother about her appearance and after countless moments of nagging and insults she had finally snapped and left home without permission…it was her first act of rebellion.

Y/N’s mother was fixated on looks and how a “lady” should behave and present themselves. She always claimed that Y/N she be focusing on her physical imagine instead of having her face hidden behind a computer screen. It killed her mother that her youngest child spent all of her free time working in a place she deemed to be so juvenile. Y/N knew this for a fact and if she was being honest it only added to the appeal of working there. The job didn’t pay much nonetheless she loved it just as much as she did the Magic Shop.

A young boy runs through the arcade and finds Y/N sat on top of an air hockey table (a privilege that only she was allowed). Her attention is focused on her phone, trying to keep tabs on her best friends who are working a job without her. It was not very often that she could not attend an appointment however her elderly boss had caught a cold and there was no one else to cover the busy Friday night shift.

“Noona.” The soft whimper of the young boy catches her attention. “What’s wrong, buddy?” She jumps off the table and kneels so that she is eye level with the child “A-an older-r b-boy…” his words are choppy as his small body shakes with sobs “Stole my game.” “That wasn’t very nice of him. Can you point him out so Noona can have a chat with him.” The little boy continues to whimper but with some comforting words of reassurance and 5 free game tokens, she is able to convince him to point in the direction of the most popular first-person shooter game towards the back of the arcade.

“Thank buddy, that was very brave of you. I promise you in 10 minutes the game will be free for you to play.” She wipes the last of his tears and ruffles his hair for good measure “Come find me soon, ok?” The boy sniffling boy nods as Y/N quickly makes her way to the other side of the room.

At the game Y/N stands off to the side of the machine and pauses to analyse the teenage boy and his skill. The teen would get easily flustered each time a surge of villains would rush after his character and he would frequently let out a string of cuss words whenever he missed his mark, he was an amateur and it showed.

Suddenly his life bar at the top right of he screen started flashing, indicating that his game would soon end if he was not careful with his energy. This must have been enough motivation for him to focus better because his kill streak went from 3 to 9 in almost an instance. A wicked plan formed in Y/N’s head as she he went in for the last shot of the level.

“Hey!” she called out to him causing him to flinch and miss his target. This caused a fatal error as the enemy on screen took the opportunity to shoot his character right in the face. The teen let out a sound of frustration as the screen read ‘Game Over’ in giant letters and request more tokens to continue. Y/N waited for him to insert the coins before making her presence known in front of him.

“You stupid bitch! You made me lose my game.” He grumbled and lift his gun to continue playing. Y/N reached over to the power point behind the game and switched it off.

“Get the fuck out of my arcade.” She spat and point towards the exit “Reload has a strict no bullying policy so don’t think for a second you’re getting a refund on those tokens.” The teen didn’t bother arguing, he has realised his mistake when he figured out who she was and walked away looking rather embarrassed he had been called out in front of everyone on a busy Friday night. He was sure his class mates would all be talking about it come Monday morning.

The screen of the machine flickered back to life as Y/N switched the power back on, she waited to make sure that the unexpected reboot did not affect the game. The download bar reached the end of the bar and loaded the high score screen. She read over the listed and frowned when she got to a name that had been annoying her lately – Nochu.

This Nochu person had climb two positions high on the leader board since the last time she had checked this game and the achievement displeased her. That name was popping up on the leader boards of many games recently and while she did not feel her abilities were being threatened, she was annoyed that she could not put a face to this person.

Hours later back at the Kim residence, the two cousins enjoy the cooling weather on their porch as Jin attempts to tune his guitar by ear.

“The Basement wasn’t closed tonight.” Jungkook states when he scrolls through his Instagram feed and comes across a new post by the club “I never said it was.” Jin pays no attention to his cousin, instead he fiddles with the knobs at the head of guitar and plucks at a string once he believes he’s tightened the key enough. The sound rings out and the pitch is too high. “So why did we go to Reload instead?” Jin repeats the process with the chord again, the pitch is closer to where its supposed to be however the sound is still off. “None of the guys had a battle or a performance tonight.” He explained as he plucked at the string again and again, trying to pin point why it sounded wrong “And Y/N had to work, so we decided to hang with her instead.” “So we went for Y/N?” Jungkook tone was accusatory “No one forced you to tag along.” Jin fired back, he had stopped trying to tune the guitar to face him “She’s always supports the guys at the Basement, sometimes we repay the favour by making an appearance there to help drum up business.” Jungkook scoffed “You told me Reload was popular because she attracts people with her skills…if that’s the case why would she need you guys?” “She doesn’t need us at all.” Jin moved his guitar from his lap and lent it against his seat. He was frustrated with it and this conversation was adding to the stress. “That’s the thing about having a good relationship with people…you do things to support them, even when they don’t ask.” “Oh yeah? If she’s so good why is she only ranked second on all the high scores.” Jin rolled his eyes at his cousin, he was being petty again and completely missed the point he was trying to make. “Mr S.K?” Jungkook nodded in confirmation.

Jungkook was becoming a regular at Reload and it was evident to him that Mr S.K was clearly the real champion of the joint. The guy had dominated every game of the arcade by holding highest score and while Y/N’s name always sat below his, her score was always miles away from meeting his. To Jungkook this was clearly another instance of Y/N receiving praise and adoration where it was not merited… it was Mr S.K who deserved to celebrated and yet it was Y/N who stole his popularity. If he had to come up with an explanation as to how this occurred, he would bet all his money it was because Y/N was considered to be “beautiful”.

“Mr S.K has held the top for as long as anyone can remember. There’s no mystery to who he is…He’s obviously the owner of the arcade.” Jin windshield wiper boomed out and filled the stillness of the night as his cousin’s face fell.

Jungkook pondered on the last few weeks, there was so much background information he didn’t know and for some reason his brain chose to fill in the gaps by somehow hating on Y/N.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car blaring loud music as it sped up and down the street.

“What the fuck is going?!” Jungkook exclaimed as he stood from his seat and made his way to the top of the porch stairs to get a better look at car. “Ah my Angel is home!” Jin jumped up and went to stand next to Jungkook. “Does she always carry on like this? She drives like a dipshit.” “Nah, that’s not even her driving. You see a while back she got caught at the illegal races, her parents made her sell her car as punishment... She must have gotten into a fight with her mother, this is how she always gets back her.”

The car finally stopped doing laps down the street and pulled up into Y/N’s drive away. The pair watched as Y/N jumped out of the passenger side of the car and wave to the driver as they pulled away from the house. She was still unaware that she was being watched by them

“Hey Brat!” Jin called out, capturing her attention “Didn’t your mother ever tell you not take rides from strangers?”

Jungkook’s breathe hitched at the thought of Y/N allowing herself to be in a car with a stranger, especially someone who drove like a lunatic. He didn’t catch a glimpse of the driver but surely, she wasn’t reckless enough to put herself in such a dangerous situation…was she?

“She did, that’s what make’s it all the better.” Y/N bantered on smugly, Jungkook couldn’t figure out if she was joking or not. “Well it’s past your bed time young lady, you march right on inside and get right to bed.” Y/N let out a sound of fake indignation and clutch her hand to her check overdramatically. “To think I raced all the way here with a surprise and this is how you treat me? You really are such a punk!” “A surprise?!” Jin’s eyebrows shot up in excitement, the façade dropped immediately. Everyone knew she gave the best surprises. “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” he demanded and waved her over to them. Y/N laughed at his eagerness and rummaged through her bag as she closed the distance between them.

“Sorry I didn’t have time to wrap it.” She purposely handed him a grey game cartridge face down so there was some kind of element of surprise to the gift. His eyes widen comically when he turned it over and read the title of the game. “Y/N…is this…??” For the first time in Jungkook’s life he had seen his loud mouth cousin speechless. “Yah! Don’t make a big deal of it.” She tried to brush it off “Consider it an extremely late birthday gift.” “Not a big deal? This is the original Super Mario Bros 3! I played this game every day as a kid then this idiot blew it up somehow.” He nodded his head in Jungkook’s direction who rolled his eyes in response.

The incident happened years ago and he still hadn’t heard the end of it, he pretended like it didn’t bother him but deep down he felt so bad for accidentally destroying something his cousin held so dear to him.

“I’ve been trying to find it ever since! This must have cost you a fortune.” “Like I said…it’s no big deal. I was cleaning out storage at work and found it packed away, we never got round to fixing game console for it so the boss-man was nice enough to let me have it.”

That was a bold-faced lie.

Y/N had known about the sentimental significance this game had to Jin and went in search for it many months before his birthday. She only managed to get the game after she traded a set of mint condition baseball cards, she had acquired as collateral when a client fell through their end of a deal.

“Y/NIEEE this is why you’re my angel! Thank you so much.” He pulled her towards him and wrapped her up in a big bear hug. Jungkook felt out of place as he watched Y/N shriek and attempt to struggle out of his grip as he showered her with love…he could help but feel jealous of the fact that she could fix a mistake that he had made so long ago.

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infinitegalahad · 3 years

Text

HOW TO SAY I LOVE YOU (WITHOUT SAYING I LOVE YOU)

Summary: Everybody in Easy Company can see that Shifty is like a love-sick puppy with a cute truck driver. He loves her, but he's too shy to confess. Popeye, his best friend, can no longer stand to see it. Floyd Talbert is the man of the hour and knows how to get Shifty, who can barely say I love you", to say those three words without actually saying the words. The way to solve this pining? A classic carnival date.

Word-Count: 7.4k

Notes: Howdy y'all! Once again, I am back from the dead! School has been a little crazy lately. I'm still working on requests and opening up some prompts, but I have two essays that are due in a month and aka-my life is a mess but...writing. I hope you guys will forgive me for dying and take this tooth rotting fluff of Shifty and cheeky tab! Shifty basically has a phd in being adorable. It's pure fluff, not a single ounce of angst! Once again, fem reader. Also unbeta read, we die like idiots. Enjoy!

Taglist: @tvserie-s-world @easy-company-tradition @liebgotttme @50svibes (add yourself to my taglist)

“Oh, it’s hopeless!” Popeye sighed, his face landing into his hands. It had gone on for too long. At that point, it was sickening to watch Shifty. As much as Popeye loved him, he couldn’t stand to watch him attempt flirting, or whatever he was doing with his crush. Something had to be done, and the infamous playboy Floyd Talbert was the perfect person for the job.

Floyd had a smirk sprawled across his face as he looked behind Popeye, seeing the interaction blossom between Shifty and his crush. Shifty towered over them, shining his pearly whites and saying something inaudible, earning a sweet chuckle. His sun tanned cheeks turned tomato red as he rubbed his nape.

“I love Shifty, but that poor boy doesn’t even know he’s in love with her.” Floyd remarked. Being a serial dater, he knew how to charm people, with his dashing looks and personality. Floyd studied the Virginian, struggling to hide his obvious affections. His bright smiles, rosy cheeks, spotting them within the crowds-the boy was enamored with her.

Not only was Shifty in love, but so was y/n. Shifty and y/n were both quiet, and shy people. They were adored by the company as being the nicest people alive. You were a truck driver assigned to the company in Aldbourne. Being the only girl donned in pants, the men of easy company were both intimidated and intrigued with you. When you weren’t driving trucks, you were either subjected to Floyd’s advances or the mortar trio attempting to flex their muscles. Y/n eventually eased her way into the company, becoming “Easy’s girl”. Even though you felt welcomed, you didn’t really have a friend you could rely on.

That was until you met Shifty Powers. You met him by accidentally running into him with a box full of mountains. He, being the kind soul he was, offered to help you reorder the thousands of bullets. In exchange, you offered him a ride to a location he was running late to. He introduced himself by Darrell, insisting that you called him by his real name with a smile on his face. He was an undeniable gorogues with sun tanned skin, a smile to die for, and chocolate hair that was golden in the sun. Not only was he attractive on the outside, but within. You were convinced that Shifty could do no wrong whatsoever. Heck, you also believed that he was legally not allowed to curse.

Ever since that encounter, you and Shifty had begun to hang out more. The two of you would talk for hours on end, explore the town of Albourne, escape the bars and find a little bookshop or peaceful space to talk. It was soothing to sit next to Shifty and simply hear him breathe, talk, or smile. It always makes your bleak world a tad bit better. But you were convinced that Shifty wasn’t interested in you, he was too innocent. So you decided that the farthest you would be is friends. And yet, it didn’t sit well with you.

Floyd had noticed that y/n was in love herself. Whenever she was around Shifty, she’d become a mess as well, being clumsy and blushing red. She’d twist a strand of hair in her fingers every time Shifty looked at her, batted her long eyelashes, and looked in the distance to find Shifty, intent on his target, letting out a dreamt sigh.

Floyd was in love with y/n. After all, it was rare to find a female in a company full of men. However, Floyd was Shifty’s best friend, and he wanted what was best for both of them. Popeye could see this too and he was sick of seeing two people who didn’t even know what they were in love with each other.

Floyd, Chuck, and Popeye watched Shifty and you say something to each other. It was pouring outside. Attempting to find your rain jacket, it was nowhere in sight. Shifty, seeing your frustration, took off his jacket and gently put it on your shoulders. You turned around and tried taking it off, but Shifty insisted that you stay warm.

“My pa’ always made sure my ma’ would stay warm. It’s the best I can do,” He reassured.

“Oh Shifty, thank you. This is too kind. How can I repay you?” You offered, wrapping the jacket around your body.

He shook his head, smiling, “I don’t need a single thing from you, miss y/n.”

“Boy, the world truly doesn’t deserve someone like you.” You stated, standing on your tippy toes. “Let’s get out of here so I can sneak you a Hershey bar, or two. How does that sound?”

Shifty froze and looked side to side. It felt like the devil was tempting him. But he could never see y/n as a devil. She was a beautiful angel in his eyes.

“Well,” Shifty put a finger to his lips, “That does sound mighty fine, Miss y/n.”

You took his hand and dragged him to the door, your laughter echoing in the door. Shifty held the door open and let you exit first before closing the door, making your way to the supply room to eat chocolate.

Once Shifty was out of sight, Popeye turned back to Floyd. “I’ve tried to ask him, trust me. He won't say a dang word on it.” He explained, “He thinks miss y/n wouldn’t like a fellow like him. But I’m pretty sure she loves him.”

“You kidding?” Chuck added on, “She spoils him with free food, contraband, whatever. Anything he wants, he gets. She doesn’t do that to any of us.”

“Well, miss Y/n did give me hershey bar last week,” Floyd proudly smirked.

Chuck looked unashamed, “Yeah, because you were trying to convince her to go to the amusement park with her this weekend.”

The Boy from Kokomo playfully rolled his eyes, “Shifty’s not her only favorite.” For a second, he froze, a thought finally coming in his mind. “Wait...the amusement park…”

“She already said no to that one, and all the other dates,” Chuck said.

“I know that,” Floyd replied, rubbing his chin, “I got an idea. For Shifty and Miss y/n.”

Chuck and Popeye looked at eachother, and then Floyd. They could already see the idea forming, but it would take a lot of work.

“I’ve known Shifty all my life. He’s too shy to ask a girl out,” Popeye acknowledged, “He’s too scared of being rejected.”

“I know that.” Floyd pointed his finger as he stood up and fixed his belt, “I’ve got a plan.”

“For once?”

“Yes-be quiet,” Floyd teased, “All those two need is a little push.”

-----------

Shifty looked up and down at the brightly colored paper and at y/n, who was loading up the back of a supply truck. His mouth hung open as his eyebrows rose in diseablief.

Floyd, Chuck, and Popeye stood all in front of him, waiting for an answer. Shifty shook his head and shoved the paper back in Floyd’s hands.

“Oh, I can’t do that. No way.” Shifty denied, his cheeks growing red.

Popeye let out a defeated sigh as Floyd clicked his mouth, walking up to Shifty. “Yes way! Have you not seen the way y/n looks at you?”

Shifty looked in the distance and then back at Floyd, “What? No! She looks at me like I look at you-like a friend. Besides, you’ve seen miss y/n,” Shifty’s gaze turned back to you as the butterflies fluttered in his stomach, “She made it clear ‘dat she ‘dun needa’ man, and I wanna respect ‘dat wish. ‘Sides, she wouldn’t be into a guy like me.”

Popeye shook his head, “God darn it Shift! You gotta realize dat your-”

“In love. L-O-V-E.” Floyd teased, budding shoulders with Shifty. “Based on the dames I’ve been with in Kokomo, I know how women work. She looks at you like a lovesick puppy. The two of you are meant for eachother.”

Shifty looked at Floyd, blinking his eyes like a child looking at a math equation. He still wasn’t understanding. “But...oh, leapin’ lizards! Miss y/n would be into a guy like you. You get all ‘da pretty ladies...how do you dewit?”

Upon hearing Shifty’s pleas for help, Floyd let out a chuckle and slapped Shifty’s shoulder, who looked like a lost lovesick puppy.

“Shifty, Shift, my dearest friend,” Floyd reassured, giving him a double pat, “That’s why I’m here. You’re getting the best advice from your best man.”

Chuck rolled his eyes, “Fan-fucking-tastic Shifty, you boosted his ego. This is going to be great.”

Floyd looked at an unassumed Chuck, giving him a pout. “Oh come now, Chuck! Look at him, he’s in love.”

“But you like Miss y/n! I don’t wanna steal her. I mean, I want someone who can treat her right,” Shifty said, resting his hands on his cheeks.

“Shifty, as your friend, I’m pretty sure everybody in easy company wants Miss y/n to accompany them at the bar for a dance or two.” Floyd explained, trying to encourage Shifty. “I know how much you love her, and I think it’s fair to give you a shot. The only way you’ll get what you want is by working for it.”

He saw Joe Toye walk by you. And even Joe Toye, one of the scariest people in the company, gave miss y/n a subtle nod. She smiled back and gave him a wave, a bandanna in your hair and dirt smudged on your cheek.

Just your mere presence made Shifty melt like an ice cream cone on a hot summer’s day. No matter what you were in, your uniform or covered in pig guts, you always found a way to be absolutely gorgeous. When Shifty had first bumped into you, he was convinced you were a fallen angel. You were too beautiful and bright in the rainy, gloomy Albourne. Yet there you were, always by his side with a smile on your face and story to tell.

Shifty let out a dreamy smile, a crooked smile on his face. “I wanna say I love her…” Shifty added on.``...without sayin’ I love her.”

The boy from Kokomo cracked his knuckles, “Well, don’t I just got the plan for you too. How does nice and slow sound?”

----------

“What are you doin? Stop pushin’ me! I can’t dewit!” Shifty whispered in a hush as Floyd and Popeye pushed him towards the truck where you were loading supplies for easy company.

“Boy, quit being afraid of anything. Take that leap of faith!” Floyd called out before pushing Shifty near the truck before he and Popeye hid for cover.

Shifty turned around to find them before he heard a familiar voice call his name.

“Shifty?”

The Virginian sharpshooter turned his shoulder and hid his hands behind his back, smiling with a piece of his golden chestnut hair falling on his forehead. “Miss y/n! Pleasure to see ‘yah. I hope I wasn’t interruptin’ anythin’ too important.”

“Shifty, you’re too sweet. I was just finishing the last load of K-bars…” You explained, lifting a large box and shoving it into the back of her full truck, unable to see. Finally, done after a long day. Wiping the sweat off of your forehead, you walked towards Shifty only to be greeted by a variety of poppies.

“ ‘ere, got ‘em for you. You said you like the color red…” Shifty blushed, looking to the side. Floyd and Popeye hid behind the side of the truck, giving him a thumbs up.

You took the flowers and examined them, a smile growing on your face. “Oh, these are so sweet! Thank you..” You put the flowers in the pocket of your overalls to retrieve a few hershey bars from the back of the truck, “I’ll getcha’ somethin-”

“Wait, miss y/n!” Shifty announced, following after you as he grabbed your soft hand, pulling you back. You tripped on your own feet, almost falling to the ground before Shifty catched you, his hand on the small of your back. The two of you stared at each other, cheeks both burning with desire.

Shifty coughed and lifted you up, neating your ruffled shirt and cap with your hair messily tucked into. “S-sorry, I…would like to ask you somethin’. Not chocolate, ma’am.”

You raised your eyebrows, insisting that he go forward with his response, his hand still in yours. He didn’t even notice, but you did. You could recognize his soft, tan skin from anywhere.

“Would you go to the amusement park with me? As my date?” Shifty blurted out like word vomit, “I mean, only if you want. If you don’t wanna go with somebody like me, then I understand.”

“Yes, of course I would!” You also blurted out, your face red like a tomato. You took your cap off and hid your face, embarrassed by yourself. Inhaling, you let out an exhale before pulling yourself together. “Shifty, I would love to go with you. I wasn’t even planning on going at all until you asked me.”

Shifty’s eyes sprinkled with happiness, like a child on Christmas morning. “Really? You wanna?” He squeezed your hand, realizing that he was still holding it.

You looked up at him with a warm smile, placing your dirty hand on top of his. “Yes, I would love to.”

Shifty looked speechless. The rumors were true; his smile was infectious. Perfect and bright like the sun of a warm summer day.

“Sufferin’ succotash!” He cried, “Miss y/n? Can I ask you one last thing?”

“Yes, Shifty?”

“Can I give you a hug?”

It was definitely not what you were expecting. But then again, you weren’t hesitant. Shifty could do no wrong-he simply seemed over the moon about asking you out. You were as well, but seeing Shifty’s excitement made you smile and accept it. He was too cute for his own food.

“Yes, you can.” You opened your arms only to have long hands pull you up and spin you around. It was a quick welcome as you spun around, heartfelt laughter escaping from you and Shifty. Shifty could do no wrong, whether that be at shooting or giving the best bear hugs. They were bear-like, but affectionate and protective. He trapped his arms around your waist as you held the back of his necks, your fingers tangled in his soft hair which shined in the sun. Shifty looked amazing no matter what, always glowing.

Babe threw the clown nose off of his face along with the roses Guarnere had picked out for him. Eugene was walking by, mortified to see Babe dressed (apparently) as a clown and a disappointed Guarnere. Not an unusual sight.

“Heffron,” Eugene walked towards a sad Babe, scanning his figure. “What are you doing…”

“I’m heartbroken! Look at them!” Babe mourned, pointing at you and Shifty in an embrace, happily giggling. “I was gonna ask miss y/n out and give her these roses. I dressed up like a clown since I thought we could both be clowns together.”

Eugene simply blinked, perplexed by Babe’s logic. All he could think of was the word Yikes. He would’ve most likely scared away y/n instead of winning her heart over. “Pardon?” He looked at Guarnere for answers, who simply shrugged at him.

“Don’t look at me like that. I tried, the kid wouldn’t listen. He’s a lovesick puppy with that damn dame.” Guarnere explained, crossing his arms as he looked at the happy couple.

The Cajun medic, along with Babe the sad clown and Guarnere, observed you and Shifty. A small smile crooked at his lips. He normally wasn’t one for gossip or dating, but he was happy for the two of you. Even someone as quiet as him didn’t deny the obvious chemistry between the two of you. It was like the two you were destined to be together. Humble, adored, and both beautiful in your own, respective rights.

“Yeah…” Eugene slowly bopped his head, “There sure like lovesick puppies…”

-----------

The Carnival brought light into the gloomy Alborunte with it’s bright rides, laughing children, and joyful ambience. Shifty could recall his childhood with Popeye. Every year, they’d have a carnival during the dog days of August. He loved the shooting games, winning thousands of plushies and eating candy with Popeye until he was sick. He was sure his Ma still had the plushies tucked away in the attic.

But instead of feeling overjoyed, he felt like he was walking on eggshells.

He waited at the entrance with Floyd, Popeye, and Chuck. Chuck kept looking down at his watch, keeping lookout for y/n as Floyd gave Shifty a final pep talk. They were all dressed in fresh uniforms with showers and fine cologne. It was a refreshing change, even if it was for one night.

“Remember, play it cool. You’re sweating’ like a damn dog!” Floyd said, fixing a stubborn curl into his cap.

“Oh, I don’t think I can do this. I mean, miss y/n deserves a real man. I mean she’s so…” Shifty rambled on before Popeye swatted him on the shoulder, gardening his attention to y/n in the crowd. You were far away but to Shifty, you were still recognizable. The girls in the crowd wore plain and monotone colored dresses but you wore a beautiful floral button up with sheer sleeves and ruffles, your makeup done. It was the first time Shifty had ever seen you without your flap cap and dirt on your face, and he wanted a better look.

“Beautiful…”

Floyd smirked and patted Shifty’s shoulders, letting out a dreamy sigh, “God damn it Shifty, you’re lucky I’m being nice to you. Hottie on the dot. Go get ‘em, tiger.”

Giving him a push on encouragement, Shifty’s friends eventually faded into the crowd. Gulping, he began to walk forward towards y/n, who stood in the crowd, waiting in the exact location Shifty told her to wait in. Catching him the corner of his eye, she smiled with her red lips and walked over.

“Shifty!” Y/n exclaimed with glee, looking at his clean uniform and quivering an eyebrow. “Thank goddess I found you…and you look handsome in your uniform.”

“Says the pretty lady talkin’,'' Shifty commented back as he looked down at your tinier form. Now that you were up close, he could admire every little detail from your rosy cheeks, red lipstick, manicured hands, and glimmer in your eyes from the fairy lights. “I mean, you always look very nice but tonight you look stunning’.”

“Oh quit being’ nice to me, Shifty.” You playfully swatted his shoulder, “Every guy’s in the company’s said that to me. Not half of them even acknowledged me before I got dressed up.”

Shifty, like a confused puppy, tilted his head. How could someone such as y/n, who he considered to be the prettiest lady he had ever seen.

“Whaddya mean? You always have been very pretty, ma’am.” Shifty acknowledged, his hands fiddling behind his back. He could feel his palms sweating, seeing the moon reflect onto your glowing skin. “You always look beautiful. It’s just tonight that you look even more beautiful than you usually do.”

You shook your head as you looked down, fiddling with the sides of your dress. Nobody had said those words to you in years. They were truly heartfelt and not some cheap way of getting into your pants. “I may not see it, but thank you Shifty.”

“Well, my ma’ has always told me that I’m one bad liar. I like to say it how it is,” Shifty insisted with a finger in your face, “and I’m saying that you are one hecka’ ova’ pretty gal.”

You smiled at Shifty, amazed by how cute he was. He didn’t even have to try, it was all natural. “Oh Shifty….” You looked down at your shoes, seeing your feet brush against his boots. Clearing your throat, you looked up to talk. ‘I…”

Before you could say a word, you could see Floyd Talbetr in the back. He noticed you talking to Shifty and upon seeing you, had a devilish smirk sprawn over his handsome face. You clicked your tongue, shaking your head. “Oh goodness, doesn’t he see I’m on a date?”

Shifty turned around and bit his lip. He gently grabbed your hand. It felt natural in the moment too, his larger work in your pretty manicured hand. “That son of a gun! I’m sorry ‘bout him, miss y/n. ‘Ere, let’s go. I’m sure he’ll find another lady, but not as pretty as you. I mean she would be very pretty, but not the miss y/n typa’ pretty.”

The two of you walked side by side, hands together. You looked at Shifty, raising an eyebrow. “Are you gonna keep callin’ me pretty the whole night?’

Shifty nodded his head like an enthusiastic child, “Like I said, if it’s true, is true.”

---------

Once the two of you escaped the infamous playboy, you and Shifty walked around the amusement park. The two of you had eventually let go of your hands since something had caught your eye, causing you to mindlessly wander. Shifty followed you like a puppy dog, whatever you wanted to do he wanted. Besides, anything with you was time well spent. Carnivals were something he always enjoyed with their bright lights and shiny attractions, especially with a pretty girl he was in love with. He forgot he was in a raging war whenever he looked at you; with your soft smile and calming words. Just for one night, Shifty could escape into his fantasy world with you, which to his surprise was the reality he was currently standing in.

You were full of life in the park, dragging Shifty to every ride, whether it be scary or for toddlers. The two of you first stopped at the Haunted House, which Shifty was terrified to go into. You were scared, but it was the rush of adrenaline driving you. Shifty wanted to impress you, so he held your hand hand for “safe precaution” and walked in front of you. It was adorable to see him jump back at the slightest scares and mumble under his breath an alternative curse word, such as “leapin’ lizards” or “great scott!”

As the two of you exited the haunted house, lost in conversation, the two of you had been jumpscared. Shifty jumped and grabbed your waist, pulling you in for protection. You felt his stomach on your back and his firm grasp on your waist. You looked up and Shifty, who immediately realized what he was doing. The two of you broke into laughter, a few snorts in the middle. Shifty slowly let go of your waist, wanting to hold on longer.

“Sorry miss y/n.” He apologized, bowing his head. “Jus’ got a lil’ scared in the moment. I don’t mean to be a coward.”

“A coward? Nonsense,” You smiled in reassurance and grabbed his hand, “Your no coward to me. Now come on! There’s more rides to go!”

Shifty was distracted by your beauty as you dragged him along. Once again, the two of you trekked around the park. He was lost in your gaze. How did a guy like him end up with a lady such as yourself? It was hard to deny the butterflies in his stomach. He had never dated in the past. Yes, he had crushes, but they never acknowledged his feelings. He’d do anything for his crushes whether to be holding their books, walking them back home, anything for them, yet he never had his feelings returned. He always felt like he was the second choice. But with you, it was different. You were truly his best friend, and he wanted you to know it, but he still had no idea how to say it.

The two of you decided to take a break and ordered a sugary milkshake to boost your energy for another hour of rides. The two of you sat at a small table in the back, watching the happy couples and children in the distance. The waiter had brought over a milkshake, interrupting your peaceful little silence. Shifty wasn’t even looking at the crowds, he was simply staring at you. His long legs brushed against yours until they finessed each other, making his cheeks go red.

He looked down and saw one milkshake with two heart shaped straws. You raised an eyebrow and fiddled with the straw.

“Odd,” You remarked, examining the milkshake, “ I thought we ordered two…”

Shifty raised his head to see Floyd Talbert in the back, a smirk as he winked, two girls leaning on his shoulders giggling. Was he following them this whole time? Wasn’t he too busy with those girls on his shoulders?”

Shifty tilted his head back down and muttered a curse under his breath, “That son ova’ mother trucker…”

“Shift?” You questioned. He looked up at you, to see that you were already taking a drink. “You okay?”

Shifty rubbed the back of his nape, “Yes ma’am. Ma’ apologies.” He looked at the milkshake and your manicured hands holding the cup down. “Hey! Leave a lil’ for both of us.”

You cutelty giggled, “I haven’t had one of these in a while! I can’t help it. After all,”

“Strawberry, it’s the best flavor,” Shifty had said, and you had followed along in his words. The two of your eyes met, both leaned in close to the milkshake. To cut out the awkarenedess, both of you let out chuckles. A small snort emerged from your mouth, in which you soon covered in.

“Sorry,” You mumbled, hand over your mouth. Your chuckles became faint, another snort escaping your mouth, “It’s not very ladylike.”

Shifty looked puzzled, “Whatcha’ mean? What’s not ladylike?”

“My laugh,” You answered, “I always snort. It’s horrible. Whenever I’d laugh, these girls in my school would make fun of it. I can’t really control it, sorry.”

“Why would they laugh at you?” Shifty looked saddened at your insecurity. You were perfect in his eyes. You truly couldn't do anything wrong. “I think your laugh is very pretty, miss y/n.”

“As sweet as you are, you don’t have to lie.”

Shifty scooted up towards you, his hand sliding onto yours. He had a small smile in his face, his thumb caressing the inner part of your hand. “Well, I am bein’ honest. I ain’t a good liar, you know ‘dat. I’m sure ‘dose girls were jealous of you. ‘sides…” Shifty looked down and back at you with his hazel orbs, “I like your laugh a lot, miss y/n. ‘S pretty, ‘jus like you.”

Oh god, It was happening. Whether it was his cuteness, his Virgianian accent, he was luring you in. You looked up at him as your cheeks grew rosy. The two of you sat there, hand on hand, sipping on a milkshake with the lights glowing in the back. You always had the tiniest crush on Shifty, but it had finally hit you like a bus that it wasn’t some tiny schoolgirl crush-but it was truly love.

You had told yourself over and over that the only reason he liked you was because he was nice to you. You were a cheery person, but deep inside, you had been hurt in the past. Always feeling you were the second choice, you shut yourself out from love. Especially in war. Sure, you were friendly towards the men, but you told yourself you wouldn’t grow close to them. If they died, it would be better. As cruel as it sounded, it was kinder to them are you. It was for the better, right?

That fateful day you bumped into Shifty Powers changed your aspect. You were officially stupid with love, sitting there at a bright carnival, hand in hand as you sipped on a milkshake. He was too kind for you and the world you lived in.

“You’re not gonna stop being nice to me, are you?”

“No ma’am.”

----------

After the milkshake incident, you had noticed you clung onto Shifty more. You were a little taken aback when he asked to hug you. Not that you didn’t enjoy it, you truly did, and it was something that infected your thoughts. Your cheeks would go red and you’d cover the lower part of your mouth. Whenever Shifty walked into the room, it felt like the sun was shining in the dreary Albourne. Just looking at him made your IQ drop to single digits.

And Floyd had caught onto it before you had even noticed.

Instead of holding Shifty’s hand, the two of you walked arm and arm, chatting the night away. The two of you exchanged stories of your childhood, home, and how you ended up where you were. He truly was an angel with a bright smile. He wasn’t like other guys you had met who bragged about themselves. Whenever you would compliment him, he’d deny it with his cheeks all red from embarrassment.

“You’re the best shot I’ve ever seen!” You announced, in disbelief. You had seen him practice a few times, and he would hit every target with grace. “You make it look easy.”

“I’m not a good shot,” Shifty doubted, “But Pa was a good shot. The best shot I’ve ever seen. I think you’d like Pa a lot.”

As the two of you walked in the crowd, you noticed a shooting booth in the corner of your eye. It was a classic paladone duck shooting game. You smirked and pulled his arm to the side, “Well, prove it then.”

Shifty let out a sigh and stood straight, saluting like you like you were Sobel, but much less intimidating. “Yes ma’am.”

You saw him stand there, his fingers curled around the trigger and the butt resting against his shoulder. He took a breath and exhaled, and let the bullets blue. Every duck fell to the ground within a matter of seconds. A minute later, Shifty returned with a large stuffed animal and a smile on his face. He handed it to you. It was a tiny, stuffed bear with button airs.

“For you.” He commented, “I wish they had bigger ones. But I can get you more, if you want.”

You looked at the plusive. You felt juvenile, but it was Shifty. Besides, the two of you weren’t in the army in the moment; you were two lovesick puppies, running around a carnival without a care in the world.

“No, this is...perfect.” You held it close to your chest, “I’ll name him Popeye, a good luck charm.”

Shifty had taken you to every booth he could find, effortlessly shot the gates, and won you more stuffed animals. Whenever he’d give you one, you’d smile like a child on christmas. He loved to see you happy, so he kept doing it more and more. In his mind, it repeated like a broken record, “for y/n”. Wherever you went, Shifty went. Whatever you wanted, Shifty wanted. He was truly a lovesick puppy.

After Shifty’s a thousandth win, both of you walked side by side, arms full of plushies. Each of them were named after members of your company. A racoon named Luz, a black cat named Roe, a cub bear named Liebgott, a fox named Babe, a rabbit named Dick, and so many more. You held up a medium sized shark and nudged Shifty’s shoulder.

“Alright, this one?”

Shifty put some thought into it, “Webster. Doesn’t he like sharks?”

You let out a dry chuckle, “Yeah, he won’t shut up about it.”

The two of you giggled until hitting the next booth and running into a familiar playboy and his newest addition bound to be one night stands. Floyd noticed you and Shifty arrived. He crossed his arms and walked over, faking a cough.

“Look at what we have here,” Floyd scanned you and Shifty, the both of you with wide eyes and stuffed animals overflowing in your hands, “Y’know Shift, I’m proud of you. The whole company hates you for it, you lucky son of a gun.”

Shifty softened his eyebrows, “Wait, they hate me? What did I do wrong?”

Seeing Floyd’s cruel teasing, you interrupted the two. “Floyd, don’t be so cruel,” You put a reassuring hand on Shifty’s shoulder, “Don’t listen to him, he’s just being himself.”

Floyd did a fake pout, “Oh, come on hon. All due respects, but Shifty hit the jackpot before me. After all, he doesn’t miss.”

Shifty and you both went as red as tomatoes, looking sideways. Floyd’s armcandy giggled at his comment and playfully slapped him in the chest. He reassured his sweetheart and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her away.

After Floyd had disappeared to do god knows what, Shifty still looked perplexed and concerned. His thoughts were once again racing. Not about the company disliking him, but Floyd’s comment. Even though he and Floyd were best friends, the two of them were different. He was a playboy in the spotlight, and Shifty was in the back, always tagging along. Growing up, Shifty considered himself to have a loving family. He saw the way his pa treated his ma; giving her his coat, bringing her presents, and treating her like she was a queen. Shifty had never been with a lady before, and he considered you his first real one. Twenty years of age and this was his first rendezvous with a girl, he couldn’t believe it. And he wanted to make sure you were loved and not some jackpot, trying to be won like a competition.

“Miss y/n?” Shifty asked, gaining your attention. He cleared this throat, “I just wanted to tell you that I don’t think of you in ‘dat way.”

“In the Floyd way? That’s alotta’ guys, Shifty.”

“Well, I don’t want you to think I’m doin’ this because of him. Since you’re a very pretty lady, a lot of guys wanted to ask you, and be there arm candy. I just wanted to letcha know now that you're not some kinda prize to be won. I hope to god I ain’t makin’ you feel ‘that way.” Shifty exhaled, letting all his words come out like word vomit. They came out so quickie that he didn’t even know what he was saying.

“Shifty, I know you. You’re a sweetheart,” You kindly affirmed, “Any dame would be lucky to get a guy like you. This has been such a wonderful night, so thank you for that.” The two of you were close to each other, your hands hovering against his chest. His uniform looked perfect on him, you didn’t want to mess it up. Your fingers sucked in as they laid at your side, resisting the temptations that were filling your mind. “But, I do have one request.”

“Anything for you, ma’am.” He vowed, letting you take the floor.

“Teach me how to shoot.”

Shifty look behind you at the booth, a shooting gallery, and then back at you. It was an odd request for sure, especially considering the tender moment the two of you shared. “Like here, right now?” He coaxed. Out of the people, him? He was flattered. No lady had ever asked him something such as that.

You nodded, shrugging your shoulders, insisting, “You are the best shot in the world, after all.”

“Alrighty, if you insist.” Shifty grabbed the small of your back as the two of you walked to the booth. Once you were given the prop gun, you placed the butt on your shoulder and closed an eye, the other looking out of the iron sight. Shifty got right behind you, his chest against your back. He leaned on your shoulder and moved your hand to the trigger and bottom while getting a sniff of your perfume. He never missed, but being around you was definitely a distraction.

“Don’t aim for what you're shooting’, aim’ for where you shootin’,” He instructed, your eyes focused on the moving targets. Shifty hadn’t realized he had put a hand on your waits to turn you over slightly. It wasn’t like you minded his gentle touch.

The moving target came up, and with Shifty’s hand upon yours, you pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the middle of the target, slamming to the ground. However, the two of you didn’t stop. Every target that came, you shot and didn’t miss once. While you were focused on the red targets falling to the ground, you could also feel Shifty’s breath on you and his firm grasp on your hips. His fingers were on top of yours and the trigger. Whenever you were to get a target, he’d mutter “ ‘atta girl…” or “aim a lil’ higher, darlin’.” It made you lose focus, making you thankful that Shifty was right by your side. You lowered the gun, his hands still resting on your hips. When the clerk had announced you had won, you shook it off and walked over to claim your one hundredth stuffed animal. Shifty had a pout as you walked away. He truly enjoyed being close to you.

“Hey,” You called, a smile on your face, “Thank you. I’d like to do that again.”

“Shooting’ again?”

“Of course. I’d like to learn how to do it.”

“Oh miss y/n, I’d love to help, but I ain’t a good shot.”

“Stop denying it,” You affirmed, holding his hands in yours, bringing them to your chest. You looked up at him, the fairy lights glimmering in your eyes, “That you’re a bad shot and not a gentleman and that I deserve to be with someone who can treat me right. You are an amazing shot. This night has been amazing. You are someone who can treat me right. I…” Freezing on your words, the butterflies in your stomach crippled you. You knew what you wanted to say, but how could you word it into a coherent sentence. His hands scrunched in your chest as you still held them close, like a child with a stuffed animal.

“Well, stop denying’ you're not pretty'. Because I think you're the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen,” Shifty confessed as he moved closer to your tinier form, “Not only on the outside, but inside. You're kind, always putting others before yourself. You also sneak the company Hershey bars, even though they don’t need them. You're so interesting to talk to, you can just...light up a whole room when you walk inside of it,” Shifty’s cheeks were burning like a fire as he pulled you close to his body, both of your breaths heavy. “I...oh gosh darn it…”

You looked over to the side and turned back to Shifty, “Ferries Wheel.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s go. It’s the last ride of the night before they shut the park.” You exclaimed. Maybe the two of you needed a private place to talk. I love you, it was three simple words. You couldn’t say it and he couldn’t say it. Maybe it would work, maybe it would be a disaster. You had nothing to lose at

this point.

Shifty and you both walked over, seeing that there was no line for the ride. It was late at night. You only had an hour left on your night pass, and you wanted to make sure you used the most of it. What if always lingered in your mind. You knew not to get close to the men in the company, it was for the better. But now, with Shifty holding your hand, it was undeniable.

The two of you boarded onto the small cart, still hand in hand. No words were spoken between you two. You looked at the bright lights, which were getting smaller as you moved upwards. You could feel Shifty’s gaze burn into you. Although the two of you

“Miss y/n?” He broke the silence.

“Yes, Shifty?” You said, turning to look into his Hazel eyes. He smiled and shook his head, using one of his hands to cup the hand he was holding.

“I don’t know how to say this but, I want to be honest with you since we only got a little bit of time to do so. I remember when I first met you and I was speechless, and I still am. I’ve had feelings for you for a long time now but tonight...made me realize them more. It made me realize what a foot I am for not knowing’ sooner. But now, I know. I gotta say it. Miss Y/n, I love you.” Shifty declared, “more than anything in the world. If you don’t like me, ‘dat’s okay. But I can’t hide it anymore. I wanna help you learn how to shoot, I wanna go on more dates with you, I wanna be around you every single day.”

It had finally hit you. You looked at Shifty and chuckled, “You said it. I love you too. I couldn’t find the words for it...but now, I have. I love you, Darrell. ”

You moved to Shifty’s side of the cart and leaned on his shoulder, nuzzling into it as Shifty wrapped an arm around you, pulling you close to his body.

“Have you always loved me?” Shifty questioned, his fingers trailing against your bare arms.

You nodded your head, playing with his fingers. “Since day one. You?”

“Since I first looked at you,” Shifty confessed, “Floyd and Popeye always teased me ‘bout it. I didn’t have the courage to say it before, but they…”

“Helped you. I guess you're not the only one here,” You sighed, just knowing that Floyd had something to do with this. Of course, it made sense for the playboy to make a matchmaker. “I told Luz by accident and you know Luz. Floyd had overheard our conversation and had to include himself. He helped me get a dress and prepare for this all. So yeah, I guess we both liked each other...but we didn’t know it.”

“Well, know we do it. We both love each other,” Shifty said into your hair.

“Yeah…” You looked at the night sky, the stars and moon sparkling. “I like that a lot.”

The cart had stopped on top of the ride. In that moment, you felt on top of the world. Shifty had you in his arms, the temperature wa sprague, the sky was beautiful. It was all coming together now-but there was one missing detail.

Shifty’s arm pulled you in closer before he asked gently, “May I kiss you, miss y/n?”

That was it, the one missing detail. A kiss to wrap up the perfect moment. You turned your body towards him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. “Yes, you can Shifty. You can do it as many times as you like.”

“Yes Ma’am,” He chuckled like a child. Wrapping his arms on your waist, your lips collided with each other. Your heart began to pound as you felt a desire run from your heart, to my chest, and down toward my inner thighs.

Shifty touched your neck, and the hair as it was moved away nearly gave me the chills. His hands went from the sides of your head and down to your neck, out to your shoulders and down to your hands. He grabbed your hands gently yet firm. You felt safe, he spoke no words. Your heart is about to beat out of your chest as you shut your eyes and took a deep breath out.

Shift kissed my shoulder, and ran his lips on my skin towards my ear, but didn't quite make it that far. It doesn't hurt, it only makes me want more.

Shifty turns you around, and we are facing each other. He stares into my eyes and smiles. Shifty’s two hands grab your left hand as he places your open palm on his heart, and he holds it there. His eyes exude love, protection, security, safety, patience, and respect. You smile and he lets go of your hands, with one hand he runs his fingers through your hair and gently guides your face closer to his, eventually leaning me in to rest my head on his chest.

His other arm wraps around me, and you hope he never lets go.

And in that moment, the world was still. It was you and Shifty, on top of the world.

#shifty powers #shifty powers x reader #shifty powers imagine #band of brothers #band of brothers x reader #band of brothers imagine #we all need a little shifty in the world

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deberiaestarescribiendo · 3 years

Text

The Lost Children #Writer Wednesday Din Djarin Modern Day Bounty Hunter x f!reader

For #Writer Wednesday created by the amazing @autumnleaves1991-blog and tagging @clydesducktape (thanks a lot for the hard work of compiling everything each week)

Summary: This a part 2 of a fic I wrote a few months another Wednesday, read it here. After you scape with Din and your child, you try to find a life again even if that means he has to leave you.

Warnings: Language, talking about neglecting children or abandoned kids, guns. This is fluff with angst and Din being a softie but a dumbass expressing feelings

A/N: I'm super tired, so be ready to find many grammar and mispellings I didn't have the time to really read it through.

The lost children

For a bit, that’s what he said, what he promised until you’re safe and settled.

“So you can keep your little kid in the babycare with the rest of the kids while you’re working. One of the cabins to the right of the front office we’ll be entirely yours. We only ask that you keep clean and in a good state”

“Of course” you’re shining, happy and excited

“You heard that Greg, we’ll have a place on our own” your arms hold the baby tightly, rocking him softly until he giggles. When you turn to Din, he can see your eyes glowing, kissing little Greg’s head, you whisper thank you

Thanking him? what for? He just pointed out that small, almost entirely ripped from the wall, announcement of a local hotel in the middle of the woods that looked for personnel willing to work and live in the resort when they were stopping at a gas station.

It is a perfect place to hide and live a peaceful life and let a baby grow up in the middle of nature. Greg and you could be happy. So why is he thinking that he should make up some excuse so you don't stay, so you don’t leave him. He should be selfish and grab your hand and run away again like you’ve been doing for weeks now, but that’s not life for a baby, and you deserve it, leave the past behind. And him, even if he doesn’t want to admit, it’s part of your past of that runaway woman that commited many mistakes.

But Din’s a bounty hunter, his life on the road, from one job to the next would only make you unhappy, and at the end, you would hate him; and that’s it’s not an option.

Nothing has made Din happier than seeing you smile at him, the little comments here and there you tell him praising him and thanking him one, twice, a thousand times for helping you, the way the baby caresses his face with his small hand and those big eyes looking at him intently until he smiles with only those two little teeth. The way you look perfect, almost like a Madonna from the Renaissance, when the street lights hit your face while he’s driving and you hold your baby against your chest, both of you sleeping in the car.

Would you think he’s a creep for staring? There’s a warmth that grows inside him when he stares at you and baby Greg. A warmth he doesn’t want to let go. He cannot offer you a good life and Din doesn’t want to force you to live like he does, just because he’s so selfish to let you go.

“So what do you think?”

The manager leaves them to think about the offert. And Din balances his big body from one of his legs to the other, hands on his hips, he sighs

“I think”

I think you should be with me

I think I should protect you

I think I should protect Greg

I think I want to be with you, the both of you, forever

I think I love you

But he doesn’t say it

“I think you should take it. It is a good place for a kid”

You frown, even baby Greg looks at him puzzled from the crook of his mother’s neck

“Yes, it seems great, quiet...And I like that Greg could be with other kids. But what about you?”

Your eyes look big, pleading, there’s a question, a petion in them but you don’t say it with words so maybe Din is imagining it, he wants so bad that you will stay with him that maybe he’s making that up

“I will go and…”

And miss you

And miss Greg

And be alone again

“Start the business again somewhere else” he shrugs, and he sees the light flicking in your eyes, the idea in your head being shattered, you’ll never ask the question and he will never answer.

“But you can stay a few days, right? Rest, eat properly for once and repair the car”

“I don’t know…”

What would hurt more? leaving already or prolonging it?

“I don’t want to be this direct, Clint...” he likes that you keep using that nickname you gave him when you’re in public. You only use his real name when you’re alone. Making it even more special, it’s intimate, more anything he has ever felt.

“but you need a shower. And I do too and this stinky baby” you bury your nose on little Gregs neck and it makes him laugh out loud that angelic and sweet giggle hits him hard and before he even knows it, Din is nodding

“A few days won’t hurt”

It’s surprising how they fall easily in a routine. How they seem to find a perfect way around each other, a perfect model like the stars and planets always circling around each other and never colliding. You, dancing softly in the kitchen humming while you stir the soup, baby Greg chasing his little frog while Din holds his back so he doesn’t lose his balance

“Hey, you want this?” Din smiles fondly to the baby and with his long arm places the soft toy far away from him “C’mon like before “ his big hands on his side while the babe excitedly starts crawling towards his frog

“Hey! look! he’s getting faster!”

You smile at them, that big and serious man has the proudest smile, so bright and pure watching your baby grow before his eyes.

It’s been almost a week and he’s still repairing the car, or so he says. The manager hasn’t asked any questions and just assumed they are a family. And you must accept that you do look like one, a broken and weird one, but more than anything you have ever experienced.

And you wish he stayed forever that he could be a father to Greg, he certainly acts the part.

“Dinner is ready.”

The scent of the pines, the bugs chirping and the soft crackle of the fire is the perfect lullaby. Your baby has taken the habit of falling asleep against Din’s wide shoulder while the three of them enjoy the small porch outside the cabin.

“I think the car is ready”

The words you fear the most float in the air and you’re almost tempted to ignore them

“Hmm” you don’t face him yet, just look at the trees and try to swallow the pain “And where will you go?”

“Don’t know yet”

“How will I contact you?”

“I…”

“Do I have to search on Craigslist? Some old codewords in the newspaper? How do you even find a bounty hunter?” you’re laughing, but it really doesn’t hide the pain in your tone

“I have a phone” Din rolls his eyes at you but he’s amused, surprisingly he’s smiling more since you met him, he’s not that stern or cold as you pictured him when he caught you

“That would have come in handy when we were lost in the desert”

“I mean a fixed one”

“You have a house then?” you turn to him, lowering your voice midsentence as you see your son sleeping peacefully on Din’s arms

“Sort of”

“I will need you to expand that a little bit more Din”

Din in the quiet of the night, the moon, the stars and the fire illuminating your face he admires you pronounce it: The tip of your tongue showing softly between your teeth and he wishes to see you repeat it one, twice a thousand times.

“My family, my...it’s difficult to explain, anyway, it’s my safeplace, where I go to rest, I get the information for my next jobs, etc”

“Oh...okay, so I call you there?”

“Yeah you could, and write if you want” he offers with pleasing eyes

“Penpals, great” you answer and it sounds more sarcastic that you intended

“You could send me pictures of Greg”

Din lowers his eyes to the soft crown of the baby, that soft place on his head where he smells so sweet and tender. He can believe that he’s going and there will be no nights like this.

“I will do”

Your eyes get teary watching him softly kiss you babe, carrying to his crib whispering sweet words so he doesn’t wake up.

“So I’ve packed many water bottles, and those protein bars in case you get yourself lost in the desert again, cowboy. Sadly you won’t have my unparalleled company” you joke tapping him on his arm

“No, I won’t” Din forces a smile “I...Take care” he awkwardly squeezes your forearm

“You too-Shit!” you scream slapping your forehead “The sandwiches! I knew I forgot something. I made you something for lunch. I’ll be right back”

You press little Greg to Din’s arms before running away leaving them with wide eyes and a confused look

“Take care of you mother, kid, sometimes she can be a lot to handle”

“Hi, Ken” you say breathly as you storm inside the reception and get inside the staff meeting room.

“Hi! Has your boyfriend left already?” He asks while writing something on his agenda

“Not yet” you say looking for the lunch bag you had prepared inside the fridge. You hand stops midway when you heard her voice

It is horrible, we have not consolation, our baby has been kidnapped and we have no information

Her fake cries fill the room, some national tv is making a report on the kidnapping of little Greg. The tragic zoom at her face fades away when they show a picture of your baby.

“Fuck…” you mutter

I need him back. He’s my baby

“He’s not your baby, you bitch” you spat under your breath

“What did you say, hun, you need something” Ken raises his eyes to you, one eyebrow arched, he follows your eyes to the TV

“That baby looks exactly…” and then you know

You grab your sandwich bag and strom out as you did before. Din is holding Greg on his hip while he finishes loading the trunk with his bags

“We’re out of here”

You cry when you reach to him, pushing him away, you close the trunk door

“Wait what happened?”

“No time, let’s go”

How has this man trusted you so much as to run away with you? For all he knows you could actually be a kidnapper, that story about leaving your son with someone you trusted and that eventually you discovered that they were assholes could be fake. But he doesn’t. He runs away, drives and drives without asking a question.

“She had the guts to say it was his son, he isn’t. She barely had it for a few months until I could settle my life. And then she asked me for a crazy amount of money because children are expensive you know I fucking payed for a a new pool in her stupid house, while my son was always dressed in old clothes, too big or too small. They didn’t care for him”

And on top of trusting you, he lets you rant away all you anger

“There’s no way I’m giving him back. I rather die!”

He stops the car, the road again is silent, dressed in the colors of the sunset

“Calm down, you’re scaring him” Greg looks at you with trembling lips not knowing why he should be scared or angry, he just knows that his mama is upset “He will stay with you, I promise”

“The police must be searching for us” your warm tears cloud your eyes

“They won’t find us where we are going”

He ditches the car somewhere and you see him burning it. He carries the big bag on his back and hands you water and snacks from time to time.

“Just a few miles more”

The red stone looks like some ethereal cathedral around you, a palace in the middle of nowhere almost like another world, magical and eerie. If there’re marks or signs you don’t see them, but Din walks among the rock so sure of his steps searching among the labyrinth of rocks. And suddenly…

You hear the soft clicks of many guns' trigger locks going off at the same time. But Din softly whistles some tune and from all over: up the rocks, between them, children come out. Kids, all different from one another, some really young, others tall and weirdly looking teenagers in that mixed age where they are not a child nor an adult and others already grown to be young adults.

“Din” a curly haired girl dressed with camouflage clothes runs towards him with open arms, she has a crooked smile as she has lost some of her front teeth

“Hey, gumball!” Din bents down when she hugs him, her sweet face pressed against his belly

“Who are they?” a boy, holding a shotgun to his side, his face full of red dots, frowns at you

“They’re friends who need help” Din explains raising one of his arms trying to calm down the group

“Are they lost too?” Gumball asks

“Yes” Din nods

“But she’s a mum” some kid screams from above

“Mums can be lost too. C’mon, we’ve been walking for hours, can we go home?” he answers

“Of course, let’s go. Boba will be happy to see you” Gumball grabs Din’s hand and smile widely jumping happily through the stone corridors

“Wait, Din, what the fuck? who the fuck is Boba? What are these kids doing here?”

Gumball fires a concerned look at you

“She said two bad words”

“Gonna let it pass, Gum, she’s a bit scared and tired” Din smirks your way and you question in silent muttering the fuck again and again

“I see you pronouncing it, you know?” Gumball rolls her eyes “No bad words or you pay the price”

“Yes, understood, sorry” you close your lips hard trying not to ask more questions until you arrive home or whatever that is.

After a few minutes of turning left right, left right, right left you’re completely lost until the stone towers open up a way to a plain and on it, a ranch.

Some horses roam around nibbling on the pale green grass that grows on the land. A house on the centre is painted white but the paint looks old and chipped.

Now in the clear you count the children that surround you, ten, ten kids in the middle of nowhere.

“Welcome to the Watch” Din smiles at you, he almost look shy and earning a upset look from Gumball, he releases her hand and holds you with his big palm on your back

“What is this place, Din?”

“Home” he simply answers

The kids run through the porch screaming and opening without a care the door to the house

“Yeah, I heard you, little heathens” a masculine voice screams from the interior

His hard steps clack on the ground and you hear the spurs before you see him arriving with his leather boots, his used jeans and a low cowboy hat covering him from the sun

“I thought something must have happened to you” he says, evaluating Din. His tanned face is covered by a long and twisted scar from his lip to his forehead, he has dark eyes like Din but colder in a way, very deep and when they fall into you, you hug your baby tightly without thinking it

“I see” he says “C’mon on in, that baby can’t stay too long in the sun”

The house is nice, surprisingly tidy given the fact that there are ten kids living in it. The furniture looks like the exhibit of an old auction house, each one of them completely different of style, color or age from the other.

The man that everyone call Boba gives some orders to the group and they efficiently start doing what he asks

“Prepare a room for our guests”

“Bring water and food”

“Prepare some fresh fruit for the baby”

You sit, little Greg with eyes wide open. As any baby he’s absorbed by all the children around him, and he reaches with his little hands trying to grab them

“Little fella wants to play, you can leave him on the rug if he wants to”

“He’s fine here, thanks” you say holding him although Greg is already removing your hands from him wanting to explore

“Boba, we have nowhere to go” Din explains sipping on his cold water

“I guess, you have never brought anybody here” He reclines himself on his rocking chair watching Din intenly

“We need to protect them for a while, until we can find a solution”

“You’ll be safe here, you know that, you can stay as long as you want, just respect the house rules” and he points to a wood board, engraved in them are a few rules

Be respectful of yourself and others

I finish my tasks as promised, ask for help if I can’t

I will not curse

Be clean of yourself and your environment

Protect your family and your house above all

“They seem...pretty logical, won’t be a problem to follow them” you smile uncomfortably

“Well, somebody said you have a potty mouth, young lady. So watch it, but for the moment, you may rest, we will see for the rest tomorrow” He sighs when he gets up and taps on Din’s shoulder before he goes to the kitchen

“Let’s make dinner” you hear him scream, before the rumbling of pans and chopping and children screaming start

“Din…” you say after a moment

“I know you have a million questions”

“Duh!” you laugh nervously

“This is my family, we’re not related by blood but by circumstances. Lost kids, abandoned, neglected; we have a safe place here and in time we go out in the world and make our own life but we always have the Watch over us. A place where we’re watched over, taken care of, listened…” his caramel eyes glow and you see his strong and stern facade crumble before your eyes, in this place he can relax. He feels safe so you can too, right?

“We’ll be fine here” He reaches for you hand, the one that holds little Greg caressing him with your thumb, and covers both of you squeezing softly

We, it’s the second time he has referred to you as a group, you and me and Greg, We.

“We’ll be fine” You smile back, lowering your face, you kiss his knuckles, leaving a warmth there Din will be holding for hours.

You don’t notice, but the whole time during dinner he passes his thumb over that small place of his skin where you kissed him.

(Hey! remember when you read that fic in May? I continued it...so sorry that it took so long, I've taken the liberty of tagging you since you were interested in a follow up from the first one @fangirlalexia @childrenofthewatch )

#writer wednesday #din djarin #din djarin x you #din djarin x reader #The mandalorian #The mandalorian fanfiction #the mandalorian au #the mandalorian fanfiction #pedro pascal #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal fanfiction #jose pedro balmaceda pascal #din djarin x f!reader #din djarin x female reader

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hermannsthumb · 3 years

Note

If you’re still doing summer prompts, could you do graduation for newmann?

15. Graduation

from (the very old) summer prompts meme here

enjoy some awkward pre-canon jaeger academy ~ROOMMATES~!! also I am pretty sure this message/prompt is from at least a year ago (if not TWO) but it was only today that I really thought about what I wanted to write for it and wrote in like a FRENZY. content warning for alcohol (no like intoxication tho)

--------

It was hardly to be expected that Newton would be mature over the whole thing, but Hermann finds himself in a perpetual state of agitation the final weeks of their enrollment at the Jaeger Academy anyway. Newton was very young, Hermann knows, when he graduated from university (at least he was young the first time he graduated), and he can only assume the man took it rather hard that he didn’t get to have the proper send-off he thought he deserved—all-night parties with kegerators and beer pong, one-dollar shots at dive bars, trips to the seaside with classmates. One wasn’t likely to invite someone who’d barely breached his teens and still had braces to those sorts of things, after all. It’s the only reason Hermann can think of as to why Newton has spent the month—the whole month—popping open champagne at all hours and organizing spin-the-bottle in the base rec room and generally being a great bloody nuisance to everyone they have the misfortune of sharing their graduating class with. Over-compensation is what it is.

Having Newton as his bunkmate adds a special level of unbearableness to it all. At least—and Hermann does thank the stars above for this—tomorrow marks the end of a very miserable month. A very miserable two years.

“Everyone is going to be there,” Newton says. He’s wearing an oversized pair of neon sunglasses over his regular glasses, for some reason, those abhorrently dated kind with the slatted lenses, and dangling from his left hand are two bottles of pink champagne. A bag of plastic cups dangles in the other. “Everyone. Not even just the k-scientists—the techs, the ranger trainees, the—”

“That all sounds very thrilling,” Hermann says, hefting a stack of button-ups into a cardboard box he’s labeled Clothing – Gottlieb. “You’re aware, I assume, that we’re meant to be moving out tomorrow, and you’ve not touched anything on your side of the room?”

“Dude, I have sooo much time,” Newton says. Hermann realizes now the seal on one of the champagne bottles is broken—which might explain some of Newton’s suspiciously carefree mood. “Besides, I barely even have that much shit here.”

This is patently untrue. Newton’s clothing is overflowing from his dresser; manga and monster action figures and vinyl records clutter up every inch of its top surface; there’s laundry under his bed, on his bed, his guitar picks on Hermann’s bedside table, dirty mugs on his own, half-finished reports and articles scattered over his desk… “Fine,” Hermann says. “But I haven’t finished, at any rate, so I won’t be joining you.”

Newton flops down next to him on his bed; the stopper on the opened champagne bottle wobbles dangerously, and Hermann moves quickly to push it in more firmly so he doesn’t have to add a load of bed linens to his To-Do list. “I think you need to unwind, roomie,” Newton says, grinning up at him. Both pairs of his glasses have slipped off his nose and onto Hermann’s bedspread. “We’ll have all day tomorrow after the dumb ceremony to pack, and you haven’t taken a break in, like, seven years. You’ve earned one.”

Hermann doesn’t want to take a break, or at least not in the way Newton is suggesting. Hermann wants to finish packing up his half of the room, then his designated workspace in the large k-science laboratory, and then take a shower to wash himself of the experience of being Newton Geiszler’s roommate and labmate for two years too many. Noticing his reticence, Newton adds, pleadingly, “Come for one hour? Just to do two shots with me? One shot?” He blinks, half-blind without his glasses, as if trying to discern whether or not Hermann looks likely to give in. “No shots? C’mon, Hermann, you owe me.”

“Owe you?” Hermann says, frowning.

Newton nudges him with the stack of plastic cups. “Y’know—for the sake of your ol’ penpal,” he says.

The reference to their letter-writing days jars Hermann, and despite his best efforts not to show it to Newton, his hand trembles as he deposits an unopened pack of white socks into his laundry box. He thinks it may be the first time either of them have brought it up in the entirety of their time at the Academy. It’s certainly the first time either of them have admitted to even the slightest notion of a shared history since—a week into their first year here, at an ice-breaking event for their kaiju-science peers—Newton had rolled his eyes exaggeratedly when someone attempted to introduce him to Hermann and said “Yeah, Dr. Gottlieb and I go wayyyy back.” Hermann did not admit so at the time, but the use of the honorific in place of his first name had been unexpectedly wounding—ridiculous of him, considering he made a point of referring to Newton in precisely the same way. Perhaps that little slip of the tongue had been why they were assigned as roommates scarcely a week later. An assumed friendship.

Hermann picks up Newton’s thick eyeglasses and carefully slips them back onto Newton’s upside-down face. Newton wrinkles his nose when Hermann’s thumb accidentally brushes against its tip. “I just don’t like parties very much, Newton,” he says. He’s not sure when Dr. Geiszler became Newton to him, or rather, became Newton to him again.

“Then we can do something together here,” Newton says.

He sits up and pushes the sealed champagne bottle at Hermann’s chest. “This is for you, anyway. Graduation present. Bury the hatchet, you know—odds are pretty fucking high we’re never gonna see each other again, so there’s no use hating each other forever.”

In spite of his better judgement, Hermann takes the champagne bottle. One drink won’t hurt him. And anyway, it might be a little relaxing—so long as it’s one drink only, because he still has an entire two years’ worth of research to pack away in his laboratory desk. “Do you know where you’re being assigned already, then?” he says. He was under the impression they wouldn’t find out until after the ceremony tomorrow—bit last minute, he supposes, but it’s not as if they’re making their own travel arrangements, and nearly all of their colleagues have already brought their families along with them to the Academy base.

“Nah,” Newton says, “but I wrote down a lot on my request form.” He motions for Hermann to hand him back the bottle, and he begins unscrewing the wire holding down the cork. “Tokyo—Peru—" He moves the bottle away from the bed as he pops it open with a grunt of effort, and a small bit of foam spills to the cement floor. Hermann grits his teeth and tries not to worry about cleaning it up later. “—Los Angeles. I worked on one of my PhDs in California, you know, a few weeks one July. Sea sponges. I learned how to scuba dive, I loved it—I think that’s one of the first things I’m gonna do if—once this is all over.”

He looks strangely maudlin as Hermann pours himself some champagne into one of the plastic cups and suffers through a sip. Too sweet. Hermann’s never liked sweet wines—bloody awful hangovers the next day, if one isn’t careful.

“Their entire ecosystem would be destroyed now, I guess,” Newton says. “Kaiju blue poisoning.”

“Whose?” Hermann says.

“The sea sponges’,” Newton says.

Hermann sips more of the champagne so he won’t have to respond. “I requested Anchorage,” he offers. Among plenty others, but he knows Newton will get a kick out of ribbing him for the dreary Alaskan climate. It seems to work—Newton lights up at once with a loud snort.

“Of course you did, ya weirdo,” he says. “Have fun freezing your ass off.” He takes a sip right from his bottle, then holds it out to Hermann. “Well, Hermann—you were an annoying lab partner, an even more annoying roommate, but a decent penpal, and I’m—well, I’m not gonna miss you, but I guess I can’t say I hate everything about you. Good luck with the jaegers. Good luck to whoever gets stuck with you next, actually, yikes, don’t envy them! Here’s to never seeing each other again.”

Hermann rolls his eyes, but knocks his plastic cup against Newton’s bottle. “Best of luck to you, as well,” he says. “And here’s to—well, surviving.”

“That’s cheerful,” Newton says.

They drink to their toast. Down the hall, someone puts on loud music to a chorus of equally loud cheers. Hermann reckons that’ll be Newton’s party. “You ought to head over there,” he says, turning briefly to glance at their door, which Newton has left cracked open. “Otherwise, they’ll miss—”

Newton kisses him.

Hermann doesn’t necessarily kiss back, but he doesn’t push Newton away, either. He’s more bewildered than anything. He might’ve expected this sort of thing to happen years ago—years, and years ago, before that dreadful first meeting in some dingy little Berlin coffee shop, back when a new letter from Dr. Geiszler slipped through his mail slot could make his heart thud like nothing else—but they’ve hardly been anything to each other but colleagues these past two years. Not even quite colleagues—that implies a civility they don’t possess. Professional academic rivals. He was under the impression that the man hated him, that the data when they underwent standard tests for drift compatibility was merely a fluke.

His empty cup falls from his hand and clatters to the floor. Newton slides a hand up Hermann’s jaw and keeps kissing him; he makes a small, needy noise into Hermann’s mouth.

“Newton,” Hermann finally mumbles. “What are you doing?”

Newton pulls back. A brilliant red flush is creeping steadily across his face, and he opens and closes his mouth a few times before anything comes out. “Oh, shit,” he says. “I didn’t mean—”

He stumbles to his feet. “Shit, dude, I’m sorry, I like—”

“Newton?” Hermann repeats. He feels about as dazed as Newton looks; he’s not quite sure what he’s meant to say. His lips are tingling from the kiss. “I—?”

“I’m gonna go to the party,” Newton stammers. “Sorry, dude, I—misread signals? I guess? Um—” He steps on Hermann’s forgotten cup and skids slightly, catching and righting himself on one of Hermann’s bed posts. The movement knocks Hermann’s cane (hooked there) to the floor, and Newton must bend down twice before he succeeds in picking it up. “Just—um—okay, bye.”

Hermann stares at the door for a long time after Newton leaves. Tomorrow marks the end of their two years cohabitating and working together—as Newton said, odds are high their paths will never cross again. Hermann had been counting down the days to their graduation in a little calendar he keeps pinned neatly to his wall, daydreaming endlessly of the first thing he would do once he was free from the suffocating cloud of Newton Geiszler’s presence—daydreaming of the like-minded non-Geiszlerian colleagues he would meet at his Shatterdome assignment, of a neat and orderly laboratory devoid of kaiju residue over every communal surface, of his own living quarters. He should be excited. He should be ecstatic.

Hermann touches his mouth and feels nothing but strange sort of hollowness in his chest—a black hole enveloping all else.

---

He doesn’t see Newton until their graduation ceremony the next day, an affair made all the more awkward by the seating chart’s alphabetical arrangement ensuring Drs. Geiszler and Gottlieb will be knocking elbows for the full two hours. Newton is late by nearly twenty minutes, and rushes in with badly unkempt hair and a backwards tie: Hermann has a feeling he’d been lurking outside their quarters and waiting for Hermann to leave before he dared dart in to get himself ready. He wonders where Newton spent the night. He wonders why he even cares. Likely passed out on the rec room floor after the party, judging from the confetti stuck to his left cheek—or perhaps he’d finally made a move on the fellow kaiju-biologist Hermann recalls him extolling the physicality of on more than one occasion, and spent the night with him—or perhaps he did neither, and merely wandered the base for hours, sleep evading him as it’d so entirely evaded Hermann. They don’t acknowledge each other for the whole of the ceremony.

Hermann is summoned to the office of the jaeger science program head (a severe woman with short hair) later that evening, shortly after he finishes taping up his very last box of papers in the vacant laboratory. He’s handed a small manila folder containing the details of his Shatterdome assignment: Hong Kong, as it turns out. One of his requests. “Since you and Dr. Newton Geiszler have displayed a strong work ethic when partnered together,” the woman begins, “as well as a very high level of drift compatibility—”

Hermann’s eyes snap up from his folder to her face.

“—we’ll be assigning him to Hong Kong’s kaiju science division along with you, under the assumption that together you will only continue to produce positive results.”

“Pardon?” Hermann says, weakly.

Newton has finished boxing up a majority of his belongings when Hermann drags himself through the door to their quarters an hour later. He glances at Hermann briefly, embarrassedly, and says, in a small voice, “Hey, Hermann.”

“Newton,” Hermann says.

He walks over and sits down heavily atop the pile of sheets on his stripped bed. Something pokes at his thigh, and he sets aside his cane to fumble through the sheet bundle to discover what: Newton’s forgotten neon shuttered shades. The sight of them sends his stomach twisting up in knots. “Oh, hey,” Newton says, as he wraps a Godzilla action figure with bubble wrap. He nods at the manila envelope clenched between Hermann’s fingers. “Where are they shipping you off to? I’m going to Hong Kong—should be cool. I’ve never been before.” He places the little Godzilla in a carboard box. Newt - Junk! the side says in purple Sharpie. “My flight leaves tomorrow afternoon—you’re right, I definitely should’ve started packing earlier, I have no idea how I’m gonna get this all done by then.”

Hermann stares at Newton in poorly-concealed amazement as he continues to ramble on about how to pack up his instruments and whether or not they’ll let him bring his first-ever kaiju sample with him (he’s attached to it, even though he knows it’s technically the academy’s property, but maybe he can find a way to smuggle it out in his checked bags or something). Does he not know? Did they not tell him? How could they let this fall on Hermann? “Newton,” he says, slowly. “I’ve been assigned to Hong Kong, too.”

Newton freezes. “No fucking way,” he says.

#newmann #maria's fanfiction tag #Anonymous

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