#i have it in the tags please check it out at your nearest convenience

[wolfythewitch]

btw what fandom is this?

Star trek

#this is a joke #itd the odyssey #i have it in the tags please check it out at your nearest convenience #wolfy tedtalks #maybeiwasntthere2

[seosracha]

BOYS LIKE U! - special mission + 0.3k

synopsis- getting invited on an idol reality show where two groups have to live with each-other for a month seemed.. awful. but at least you got to bond with your long time crush and fellow leader over taking care of your own grown ass members?

PREVIOUS < MASTERLIST > NEXT

"Gyuvin really is something" you comment, Hanbin by your side holding an umbrella to protect the both of you from the awful rain.

"He's a menace, like literally, but no matter what I don't think it could ever be the same without him" he looks straight into your eyes and gives you the brightest smile ever.

God does he have a GORGEOUS smile.

"I have the same thing with Emiko, she's just everywhere but somehow I think she's the best thing that could have happened to us" you reply and Hanbin looks like a proud father who's daughter just won the math olympiad.

"You're a really good leader, you know that right?" Hanbin says out of the blue catching you off guard.

If only he knew you'd repeat that moment in your head for the rest of the day.

"Thanks, that means a lot" you smile avoiding eye contact since your cheeks display the brightest shade of pink now"I think it's because I've always been the mom of any friend group. I really like taking care of people I love" you add after you calm down from Hanbin's previous compliment.

"It's the same for me. You know, I wish I'd met you earlier" he never stopped smiling, compliments he didn't know meant more than the world to you constantly spewing out of his mouth.

"I've been a fan since Boy's Planet, you were my top pick, but please don't tell anyone" you say and put out your pinky to make sure he keeps the promise.

He laughs lightly and intertwines his pinky with yours.

As your journey to the nearest convenience store continued you discovered that you and Sung Hanbin had so much more in common than your shared leader positions.

taglist- @kynrki @harperwasstaken1 @jiaant11 @igotkpoops @cosmicwintr @lovefooi @mioujon @thisisnotjacinta @beomibeom @francinethings23 @jwisbby @iriisssq @enhaz1 @s0urpatchkids @deafeningtyrantmilkshake @wtfhyuck @trsrina @chaerybae @j1nniee @channiesjuice (bold couldnt be tagged! please check your settings!)

#sung hanbin #hanbin #hanbin imagine #hanbin x reader #zerobaseone hanbin #hanbin imagines #sung hanbin x reader #zerobaseone x reader #zerobaseone smau #zerobaseone #zerobaseone imagines #zb1 x reader #zb1 imagines #zb1 #zb1 scenarios #zb1 smau #ricky #jiwoong #taerae #han yujin #yujin #gyuvin #gunwook #zhang hao #seok matthew

[petalruesimblr]

Hello Simblr community!

I'm happy to be back with my second #Followers Gift and I'm amazed by the growth I've seen in just a few weeks since I shared my first one. The increased number of followers and interactions with my recent posts has been beyond my expectations and I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you!

To show my appreciation, I'm excited to share a small gift with you which will be posted in two parts. This first part features a starter apartment with three fully furnished units, priced in the range of §16,400 to §21,000.

It's not much but I hope you all like it and I really appreciate all the likes, reblogs and downloads! For new visitors, welcome and feel free to browse my Tumblr by checking out the pinned post for easier navigation. Comments, feedbacks, follows or just to say Hi are are always welcome!

Click on ’Keep Reading’ below for more information and pictures of the starter apartment.

XOXO, petalrue 🌺

Econo Apartments

Download Link:

Sim File Share

Description:

Welcome to this modest apartment building, offering three units for your Sim's convenience. Despite the occasional charm of peeling paint and the faint aroma of mystery, these spaces provide a cozy retreat amidst the chaos of city living. So, whether you're dodging rogue pigeons or enjoying the rustic ambiance, there's never a dull moment in this urban abode.

Lot Details:

Lot Size: 20x20 Version: 1.42 Store Content: None CC Used: None Packs used: The Sims 3, Late Night (Apt/Elevators/Mailbox and Trash Chute), World Adventures (Window, Wallpaper), Pets, Generations, Seasons, Ambitions (Tree) File Type: Package

First Apartment:

Price Furnished: 16,404 Price Unfurnished: 1,486 Features: Suitable for 2 Sims, 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen Dining area and Living Room

Second Apartment:

Price Furnished: 19,447 Price Unfurnished: 2,605 Features: Suitable for 3 Sims, 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen Dining area and Living Room

Third Apartment:

Price Furnished: 20,993 Price Unfurnished: 3,349 Features: Suitable for 4 Sims, 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen Dining area and Living Room

📣Please note that there are Hidden Room Markers placed on the second and third apartments thus once you place the lot in your game, the available room for purchase will be the first apartment. I have also set the second and third apartment doors to NPC so any homeless/service Sims will use those to 'go home'.

If you prefer the second or third apartments, please enable “testingcheatsenabled true”, “RestrictBuildBuyInBuildings Off” and “buydebug on” after to remove the Hidden Room Markers and place it to the other room you will not be using. Don't forget to remove the NPC Door tag by holding CTRL + SHIFT and click on the door to select the "Unmake NPC Door" option.

This lot has been play-tested however I noticed that Sims tend to prioritize using nearby objects. For example, if you're on the first floor and select the elevator to go up, the Sim will opt for the nearest option, which is the stairs versus if you select the third floor, Sims will then choose the elevator.

I’ll be sharing the second small gift with you shortly, likely just a few minutes after this post. Stay tuned!

#petalruesimblr #residential lot #lots #followers gift #the sims 3 apartment #the sims 3 #ts3 apartment #ts3 #ts3 simblr #sims 3 download #sims 3 screenshots #ts3 download #ts3 screenshots #ts3 simmer #sims 3 lots #sims 3 #ts3 community

[bobgasm]

kingpin ⦾ five

pairing: robert “bob” floyd x ofc!emery young word count: 2476 warnings: self-doubt, grown up conversations about boundaries,

summary: in which she has strong reservations that she’s doing the right thing

author’s note: remember to join the taglist if you want to be tagged when i post the hangman oneshot, gun for hire!

four | kingpin | six

Emery had almost forgotten the interview on Friday, at least, she desperately tried to forget it. She’s been tense all weekend, replaying every single moment of the interaction with Mr Floyd. He seemed truthful about why the previous accountant had left, although he hadn’t offered any further explanation. Emery had sensed it was deliberate – sticking to as much of the truth as he could in case he accidentally revealed something he didn’t want her to know. 

She’d felt tense during the interview, but the feeling of dread had slowly started creeping up on her. She’d been truthful about moving to LA for work and also needing a place to live, but she feared that she’d revealed too much. She feared he’d been able to hear desperation in her voice, see it in her eyes. The question about what benefits he could offer her had pretty much confirmed her suspicions, which was why she’d made such a hasty exit.

Either he was going to offer her the job or not, she simply had to wait and see.

She was woken up early Monday morning by her phone ringing. She groaned and reached for the device on her nightstand, opening one eye to see who was calling. The number was unknown and she was in half a mind to send the call to voicemail. Then she remembered she’d applied for almost fifty jobs, so she cleared her throat before answering. 

“Hi, this is Emery,” she greeted, hoping like hell she didn’t sound like she’d just woken up. 

“Good morning, Emery, this is Bob Floyd from Floyd Construction Limited,” Mr Floyd, Bob, replied. 

She removed her phone from her ear so she could check the time. It was a little after eight, which meant most businesses were already up and operating. She couldn’t fault him for his early call. 

“Good morning, Mr Floyd,” she replied, silently cursing her luck. Of all the résumé’s she’d sent out, he was the first one getting back to her. “I’m surprised to hear from you so soon.”

“Pleasantly surprised, I hope?” He asked. 

Emery forced a small laugh. “Of course,” she lied, rubbing sleep from the corners of her eyes. 

“Good,” he said. Emery could practically see the smirk on his face. “I’d like to formally extend an offer of employment. I understand that you’re required to give a two week notice to your current employers, but I’m hoping that if you agree to come and work for us, that you’d be willing to work from home until you’re due to start. We’ve been left in the lurch a bit by our previous accountant’s sudden retirement, and unfortunately, my knowledge of Wiler is very limited. It’s taken me a week to figure out how to pay wages and bills.”

“I understand, Mr Floyd,” she told him, taking a breath before continuing, “I’ll need some time to think about it and read over the paperwork, but I’m willing to be flexible and accommodate this change until my notice period ends.”

“That’s excellent news.” Emery could hear the smile in his voice and she hated that she knew what it looked like. “And please, call me Bob. I’ll send through the paperwork for you to read. Please take your time.”

“But not really, right?” She couldn’t help but ask. 

“If, for whatever reason you decline our offer, I’ll need to make arrangements to find someone else. Obviously, that’s my problem to worry about, not yours, so I’ll say it again. Take your time. I’d rather you be 100% on board than halfway out the door.”

Emery swallowed thickly, sensing hostility in his voice. “I understand, Mr Floyd,” she said preemptively. “Thank you for this opportunity. I’ll reach out at my nearest convenience.”

“Have a great day, Ms Young.”

Bob Floyd ended the call before waiting for her response. Emery groaned, rubbing a hand over her face. She waited a minute before checking her emails, finding a new one from Bob himself. The email body thanked her for her time and again implored her to think about her decision. If she agreed to the offer and the contents of the contract, to please sign it and return it at her nearest convenience. 

She scoffed at his choice of words, her own words, that he’d thrown back at her. There were also three attachments; one was a letter of offer, one was a contract, and one was a job description. She clicked on the job description first, sitting up in bed and resting against the back of the couch to properly read through.

It was pretty much as expected. She’d handle all monetary transactions for the Floyd’s construction company, as well as their strip club and casino. It outlined her responsibilities for each individual business, as well as a section about payroll. Wages were to be paid fortnightly from the designated accounts for each business. 

Monthly reports were to be run and any unexplainable discrepancies should be brought to the CEO’s attention. It was pretty straightforward, and the system Bob had mentioned they used in her interview was able to handle all of that and more. 

She clicked next on the letter of offer, which again was pretty straightforward. She’d have her own office to work from, with set hours Monday to Friday. Her official role was Chief Financial Officer, which had been described in the job description she’d finished reading. 

Next was the contract. It outlined her salary, which was more than generous, any leave entitlements, who she reported to, regular performance reviews and any obligations the role had. 

She took the time to read each section thoroughly until she reached the section about benefits. There were multiple paragraphs for healthcare, dental and vehicle use. The part she was almost surprised with, however, was the added benefit of an apartment being offered. It detailed that her living expenses would be covered by the business pending acceptance of the offer, should she require the assistance. 

Emery knew it had been added in there purely to sweeten the offer and sway her into signing that much quicker. She’d mentioned she was planning on moving to Los Angeles in her interview, which she’d hoped hadn’t shown her desperation for work. Instead, this benefit showed her Bob’s own desperation. If they were willing to provide accommodation, they needed someone to fill the hole of their previous accountant immediately. 

She sighed, knowing she’d have to call Natasha and talk to her about it. Obviously, she wouldn’t sign if Nat wasn’t willing to live in an apartment that was paid for by Emery’s potential new employers. The whole plan was for them to make the move together, so it was a conversation they needed to have. If Emery got a wriggle on, she’d be able to stop in at the gym where Nat worked before she had to make her way to her own job.

Emery was quick to get changed into her cleaning clothes; a simple black polo with the company logo and workout leggings. She brushed her teeth and combed her hair, tying it up into a neat ponytail before washing her face. She pulled on a pair of simple trainers before grabbing her phone, keys and vacuum, making sure to lock up behind her as she walked downstairs to her car. 

When she arrived at the gym, she made quick work of finding Nat who was almost finished with her client. Emery didn’t mind waiting since she knew the chance of Nat being in the middle of a session was likely, and she still had time before she had to be at her first house of the day.

Almost twenty minutes passed before Nat was finished and able to see what Emery was doing. It was Monday, they didn’t have anything planned that she knew of, and it was rare for her to set foot inside the gym outside of her spin class timetable.

“Hey, you’re up early,” Nat observed. “Everything okay?”

“I really need to talk to you,” Emery confessed. “Do you have a minute?”

“I have ten,” Nat replied with a smile. “Come on, we can use the office.” 

Emery got up and followed Nat into the back office behind the reception desk. She waited until the door was closed before answering Nat’s first question, was everything okay?

“I’ve received a job offer,” Emery told her. “Don’t celebrate yet, this is the job I had my reservations about applying for.”

“The one you interviewed for on Thursday, right?” Nat asked. Emery nodded. “Okay, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know, I have a bad feeling about it,” she replied. “Like why their previous accountant retired so urgently. Why they’re desperate enough to hire someone as soon as possible, and even offering a fucking apartment if I sign right away.”

“What?” Nat asked with a shake of her head. “Back up a few paces. So, their accountant retired, what, effective immediately?”

“At least that’s what I got told,” Emery said. “It’s kind of weird, right? That a company wouldn’t know one of their employees was planning on retiring so that they can try to find a replacement before they left?”

“I mean, it is weird, but maybe the person had some kind of illness? Maybe they woke up one day and said, ‘you know what? I’m out.’”

Emery nodded though she didn’t buy it. “I said I was in the process of looking for an apartment so I could move out there, since that’s where most of the jobs were. I tried not to sound desperate for work or anything, I even told the guy that I’d have to hand in a notice. Then I get the offer and in the contract one of the benefits they’re offering me is an apartment and my living costs covered if I can work part time while I work out my notice.”

“So, they’re desperate,” Nat concluded with a nod. “That’s not necessarily such a bad thing. It means there’s room to negotiate.”

“I don’t want to take the job,” Emery blurted out. She took a deep breath before meeting Nat’s gaze. “Something feels off about this whole company. On that note, the job was advertised for their construction company, but they also own a strip club and a casino!”

“I think you’ve read too many steamy mob boss romance novels,” Nat replied with a laugh. “This could be a great job, Em, but only if you give it a try. If it still doesn’t feel right, then you can resign. How long do you have to think about it?”

“As long as I need.”

“Think about it some more,” Nat urged. “It could be that they really are stuck and desperate to get someone started right away. You can always turn down the apartment if it’s too much. We can find something ourselves.”

Emery waited until the end of Tuesday to get back to Bob. She spent hours thinking about the offer and the benefits, trying to weigh the pros and cons of both. Her decision wasn’t an easy one to make, but Natasha had made some sense. She’d opted not to tell her about the man at the diner and what she’d overheard, so she chose to keep it from swaying her decision. She knew that if she hadn’t heard anything that night at the diner, her decision would’ve been made the second Bob had called to offer her the position.

“Ms Young,” Bob greeted.

“You saved my number?” Emery asked, confused by the prompt answer and that he seemed to know exactly who was calling.

“Wanted to make sure I didn’t accidentally miss your call,” he replied smoothly. Emery heard his chair creak slightly and knew he must’ve meant back in it. “I only hope you’re calling with an answer for me?”

“I am,” she said. “I’d be honoured to take up your offer.”

“That’s excellent news!” He sounded relieved. “You’ve really saved my ass, here.”

Emery allowed herself to laugh at his honesty. “I’m thrilled to be given the opportunity to with with you, but I do have to ask about the apartment benefit.”

Bob hummed. “I thought you might,” he said. 

“I’d like to respectfully decline the offer. My sister and I are hoping to make the move to Los Angeles together. I’d rather travel into the city each day until we can find a place of our own,” she told him. “It’s a very generous offer though, so thank you for extending it.”

“Ms Young,” he started but she cut him off.

“If you’re making me call you Bob, then I’m making you call me Emery.”

Bob chuckled. “Alright, Emery.” She liked the way her name rolled off his tongue. “You have every right to decline it, but I’d feel bad making you travel hours each day just for work until you found something. Is there any way we can both get what we want?”

“I wasn’t raised to accept handouts,” she confessed. “They always come with strings attached. I read the contract three times trying to find some kind of fine print with the terms and conditions. Obviously, I couldn’t find any, but I’d feel like I constantly owed you something.”

Her confession left him speechless for a moment. She let him take a second to mull over her words while she tried to figure out why she’d told him the truth. Blind trust wasn’t an easy thing for her to come by – trust had to be earned. She hoped he saw it that way. 

“I have connections with a couple of great realtors here,” Bob mentioned. “If you were more comfortable with it, they could help you and your sister find a place. The only part I’ll play in it is making the phone call to them on your behalf.”

Emery breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, that would be fine with me. Thank you for understanding.”

“Of course, Emery. I don’t want to step on any toes here, so thank you for telling me I was crossing a line.”

“I don’t think you were crossing a line,” she found herself assuring him. “I mentioned moving for better job opportunities and you saw it as a way to help us both get what we want. In this case, the solution was a conversation about how this could work in our favour.”

“I appreciate the reassurance,” he said with a laugh. “When are you available to come in for an induction?”

“I have some time free tomorrow afternoon,” she told him. “I could meet you around half two?”

“Perfect,” he said. “I’ll see you then. And thank you again, I look forward to working with you.”

“You too,” Emery said in lieu of a proper farewell. When the call ended she blew out a deep breath, hoping that she hadn’t just made a huge mistake. 

#robert bob floyd #bob floyd #robert bob floyd x ofc #bob floyd x ofc #robert bob floyd x oc #bob floyd x oc #bob floyd fanfic #bob floyd fanfiction #robert bob floyd fanfic #mob!bob floyd #mob!au

[gojo-x-reader]

And That Just Takes the Cake

Relationship(s): Gojo Satoru x M!Reader

Warnings: none

Tags: none

AO3 Link: here

Words: ~1k

Request:  “Could you please write something for the prompt: "they're both going about doing Adult Life™ things, and Gojo just grabbed the last item on the shelf that m!reader needed to complete his shopping list; shenanigans of your choice ensue, and reader somehow ends up getting Gojo's number out of the whole ordeal"”

It had been a long week at work; between the overtime you put into a project you were in charge of (against your company’s better judgment, honestly) and your coworkers who couldn’t get proposals in by your deadlines, causing you to get yelled at by the higher-ups, it had been a long week. Even worse, you opened up your fridge to find nothing in it besides two eggs and a piece of molding meat. There was a reason why you had been eating convenience store meals and cup ramen all week, with all their sodium. 

Sighing, you threw away the piece of meat and cooked the two eggs real quick; you skipped lunch so that you could get off of work an hour earlier, but look where it got you--starving at 8 pm with a practically empty fridge.

After hoovering down the eggs, you grabbed your suit jacket and keys, then put on your shoes and walked to the nearest grocery store. 

Grabbing a basket, you began filling it with food for the next few days. You didn’t even bother making a physical list, relying on your brain to add whatever looks good to the basket.

After nearly overflowing the basket and mentally checking off everything, you decided to treat yourself to a little something extra. This grocery store was locally owned by a little old lady who made some of the best cakes you had the pleasure of trying. She often ran out about this time, but you decided to try your luck. 

Turning the corner, you saw one neatly packaged slice left on the shelf and speed-walked over as fast as you could without jogging. It was your favorite lemon flavor, almost like your luck had finally begun turning this week--

The same second you put your hand on the slice, as did someone else, with hands nearly twice the size of yours. You turned to your left to see who would dare come between you this wonderful slice of cake, not expecting a mountain model of a man beside you. You considered yourself to be a man of above-average stature, but even then, he was a head taller than you. He was dressed in gray sweatpants, a black sweater hanging off of his shoulders, exposing those wonderfully carved collarbones. He wore black sunglasses, even though the sky was dark and they were inside, so you wondered if he was blind or something. And his hair--it was white as snow, kind of messy, in a cute kind of way. You wondered if that was natural or he just had a hair dye obsession. 

“Excuse me,” he said, tugging on the cake slice his way. You held your ground, tugging it back your way. “I saw this first.” 

Oh, so it was going to be like this. Two adults arguing over the last slice of cake while an old lady watched them from the register. 

“I think you’re wrong about that,” you answered back. “I saw it first, plus I have been a customer of this establishment for over five years. It’s mine.”

“Oh? And what makes you think you deserve this cake more than me?” The handsome man grinned devilishly. Unfair, he had super glossy lips and tiny dimples. You didn’t even know what this guy looked like behind those dark shades, nor his name even, and you were already whipped for his looks. Ugh, you were a disaster of a man. 

You cleared your throat, readying yourself for a winded explanation. You were known to be a talker, so maybe if you talked long enough this guy would just leave and let you have the cake. 

“First of all, I’ve had a horrible week, sir. I could tell you about it for hours and it wouldn’t even be the half of it. So, instead of being an alcoholic, I’ve decided to become a sugar addict.”

“A wise choice,” the man mused. 

“Second of all, this is my favorite flavor. Tatsuki-san makes some of the best cakes I’ve ever tasted in my life. The lemon one is particularly good because it’s not too sweet, not too sour--a perfect balance that leaves you wanting me.” 

“I see,” he stated, empty hand brought up to his chin in thought. You weren’t so sure if he could see. 

“And third of all, I’m probably older than you, so respect your elders and hand over the cake.”

“Hmmm,” the man hummed. “How old are you?”

“Thirsty--I mean thirty.”

“Well, what do you know!” He grinned widely. “You are older than me. I like you and your spunk.”

HUH?! 

“Anyways, I’ll do you a favor and hand over this cake. But in return--” he let go of the cake you were fiercely holding onto and rummaged in one of his pants pockets “--you have to buy me a slice another time.” He handed you a card from his pocket. “Here’s my number. Text me when you want to meet up with the slice and I’ll be there.”

You stared at the business card he handed over. It was a simple white, with an embellished silver of his name (“Gojo Satoru”), his occupation (“First Year Teacher at Tokyo Metropolitan Magic Technical College”, whatever the hell that was), and his number. “And if I just pretend this encounter never happened? And never text you, Satoru-san?”

“Aw, we’re on a first-name basis already?” He teased. “And there’s nothing I can do about that,” he shrugged. “But c’mon.” He reached for his sunglasses, taking them off. Behind those dark shades were the brightest and most beautiful pair of blue eyes you’d ever seen. Not even some of the brightest eyed foreigners that visited came close to his particular shade of blue. It was mesmerizing, almost like you could get lost staring at them. 

You felt your face warm up as you realized you were staring too hard and averted your eyes. 

“I have a face few can resist.” He gently caressed your cheek, bringing your gaze back to his. “I’ll see you later, (Y/N)-san.”

Your face heated up more as you sputtered a goodbye and watched Gojo Satoru saunter out of the grocery store empty-handed. It was only after you paid for your groceries did you realize you never told him your name.

#gojo satoru x reader #gojo satoru #gojo x reader #male reader #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #jjk x reader

[jaycewrites-192000]

Growl: Chapter 2

Warnings: None.

Tags: @etroman @theravencawsatmidnight

Once Mad Dog got back, practice began. As usual it was just the casual practice game full of serves and passes. Nothing that interested you whatsoever. Though you had to admit, they were a pretty good team, especially Oikawa. You could understand why he had so many fangirls, but not so much that you would become on yourself. He was good, but not that good. (I don't hate Oikawa btw, please don't kill me)

You continued to watch the practice match, all seemed to be mo different, that is until Mad Dog was up to serve. He took a running start, leaped up into the air, and smacked the ball as hard as humanly possible over the net. The loudness of the ball slamming onto the hard ground made your eye widen in shock.

"Holy shit..." You breath. So that's what Oikawa was talking about earlier, turns out it was worth the wait. That had to have hurt his hand! And yet, Mad Dog just shook it off and continued to play casually. Was he showing off or was he just not aware of how cool he was right now? As the game played on, you grew slightly more interested in the match. And before you knew it, it was over. You didn't even notice that it had gotten dark, or how many hours had passed. Your mother was most likely home by now and probably wondering where you were. You grabbed your bag and tan over to Oikawa and Iwaizumi, catching them before they could go where you couldn't, the men's dressing room. "So uh. That was really cool. Way cooler than I thought it would be." You admit. "I told you so." Oikawa smirks. "So, have you made up your mind about being our manager?" He asks.

"Not quite. But watching you guys actually help me one step closer to making a decision. By the way, that Mad Dog guy, what's his deal? Why is he so...intense?" You asked. "Who knows. He's always been like that." Says Iwaizumi. "He never listens to anyone, except for me really." Oikawa says something about how that's bs under his breath. "Why is that? If it's cause you're his upperclassmen than why doesn't he listen to Oikawa as well?"

"He challenged me to a bunch of stupid games, and I won them all so yeah, he kinda just, listens to me." It still didn't make much sense, it might if you could actually talk to Mad Dog, but there is no way you're gonna risk a beating from the dude. You weren't entirely sure if he would actually do that to a girl, but still...

"Huh ok. Well, I'm gonna get going. Thanks for letting me watch you guys practice." You wave the two boys off as you walked. "See you later L/n-Chan." Oikawa waves.

You made it home not too long after that, and stopped by the nearest convenience store and brought yourself your favorite snack/drink with the money your mother lent you. See, you knew you would make use of that money. "I'm home." You say as you remove your shoes at the front door before walking in. "Welcome back, I made your favorite." Your mother called from the kitchen. "And where have you been?" You made your way into the he kitchen, readying yourself for the lecture you were about to receive. "Why didn't you call me? We're you somewhere you weren't suppose to be?" Your mother eyes you, her stern voice sharp. "No mom. I was at school, a friend of mine wanted me to stay and watch them practice volleyball." You sit down the table. "I didn't think to call you cause I was distracted. Otherwise I would have."

"Distracted? Distracted with what?" She asks as she places a plate down before you. "My friend wanted me to be the manager of their team. But I don't even like volleyball all that much, so yeah, having a hard time deciding. Today was pretty different though, there was this one guy who was so cool! It's like, all of his intensity goes into playing, like it's an outlet or something. Whatever it is, it sure did change my perspective a bit." When you finished explaining you noticed your mother was, giving you one of those looks. Damn. One of those looks. The look she gives you when she thinks you've found a boy to swoon over. But that was not the case here. That boy could rip you into shreds. That's nothing to swoon over! That's something to consider doing a background check, just to make sure he doesn't have a criminal past!

Well, maybe that's going a bit too far. But what else could you think other than "I better not piss this guy off or I can kiss my sorry ass goodbye".

"It's not like that mom." You groan. "Far from it." Your mother was clearly not believing it, choosing to ignore her, you confused to eat. Afterwards you thank your mother for the meal and got ready for bed.

After a long relaxing shower you changed into your pajamas then brushed your teeth before heading to your room. You flopped down on your bed before grabbing your phone, you decided to watch a few videos from your favorite Youtuber. Your enjoyment was short lived, as you got a notification from a certain annoying pest.

Shittykawa: Heeeeey L/n-Chan~😘

You: What do you want? 😒

Shittykawa: Just wondering how my favorite lady is doing 😉

You: I'm gonna block you now.

Shittykawa: No wait!!! I have something important to tell you!!!

You: Out with it.

Shittykawa: I talked it over with the rest of the team and they think you would be the perfect fit for our manager. (Also the only fit tbh...)

You: I told you I have made up my mind yet.

Shittykawa: I know, I know. But weren't you impressed by my excellent skills? Don't you wanna see more of me everyday? 😉😘

You: No. But I wouldn't mind seeing the others more.

Shittykawa: So mean! 😭 But you're still willing to right?

You look up from your phone for a minute. We're you willing? You didn't have any club to go to after school. You also didn't do much outside of school either. Maybe it would be a nice change of pace? Your mother would stop complaining about you needing to make more friends, that's for sure. You sigh before continuing to type.

You: Fine. I'll be your manger. But if I'm not feeling it, I'm quitting got it?

Shittykawa: Yaaaay! Thank you so much L/n-Chan! I promise you won't regret this! I'll let the rest of the team know! ttyl~

You set your phone down and lay on your back. "I hope this doesn't blowup in my face." You mutter before drifting off to sleep.

(Whoa hey, this chapter came out faster than I thought it would-)

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#haikyuu!! #kyotani kentaro #kyotani kentaro x reader #mad dog #mad dog chan #haikyuu mad dog #haikyuu kyoutani

[asahipleaseloveme]

Love is Always Lovely in the End ~ Yamaguchi

Yamaguchi x reader

Warnings: none (please let me know if I missed something)

Word Count: 1.2k

Author's Note: this is partially based on an experience I had in college, only I didn't admit my feelings lol. Also, idk if Humanities is a popular course at Universities outside of the US, but it was what I was somewhat familiar with. (As always, feedback is appreciated 😊)

Tagging: @goldenshoyo

Based on: Love is Always Lovely in the End from The Drowsy Chaperone

Love sneaks up behind you Love drops from above But love would never consciously offend Love has certainly been kind to me and my true love Love is always lovely in the end

But... your late husband was a brute!

I don't mean him, you silly coot!

“Yams! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!” You yelled across the courtyard of campus while waving your arms hysterically. Yamaguchi looked up from his book and stared at you, ears burning red. You ran over to meet him at the table he occupied.

“Yama...guchi…” you huffed, out of breath from your short sprint. “You were supposed to meet me in the library for our study session an hour ago, you goob!” You were half way teasing in the way you spoke to him. You knew that he tended to get carried away with his own studies.

A bright pink flushed across his cheeks.

“Wait, I thought we were supposed to study at 2?” He asked as he checked his watch. “Oh. Oh, no! I’m sorry, ______! We can go right now, if you want! Agh, I can’t believe I lost track of the time, again,” he started to trail off.

But you didn’t mind. You knew that his heart was in the right place.

“Yamaguchi, I don’t really want to go back to the library. I just sat there for an hour,” you laughed. “But, we can go back to my dorm! We can pick up some snacks and maybe some dinner and pull an all-nighter! I have a test tomorrow, did I mention that?”

“Test?! ______, I thought we agreed that after the last time you had to give me two days' notice of any tests you might have?”

“Well, yeah, now that you mention it, we did agree to that,” you say sheepishly.

Last time was a disaster. You had begged Yamaguchi to help you study for your math test. He agreed. Only, he didn’t realize how hard it would be for you to actually focus on the task at hand. You would both end up off topic and end up on the floor laughing your asses off over something stupid. It somehow took you five hours to study, and you only managed to make it through two topics.

The grade you received wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t your best work either. Yamaguchi felt partially responsible for your grade (even though you reassured him that it wasn’t his fault at all; you were the one who had to take the test after all and you knew your limits). He made you agree to tell him at least two days in advance if you had a test, so he could make sure he was able to cover all of the topics with you.

“This one just slipped my mind, I guess. I can understand if you don’t want to help me study, Yams.”

His cheeks started to turn pink again. He would never admit it, but he loved the way that nickname sounded when you said it.

“No, no. It’s okay. I want to help you. I was supposed to meet up with Tsukki tonight, but I can cancel it, no worries,” he said with a smile.

He texted Tsukki, to which he received the reply “Nerd.”

“Tsukki says good luck on your exam,” he chuckled.

“Well, then. Let’s go!” You grabbed Yamaguchi’s hand and dragged him to the nearest convenience store. You hastily went through the aisles and got what you deemed necessary for an all-nighter. Yamaguchi also picked up some things for the evening. You offered to pay for everything, especially since he had to cancel plans on your account. He insisted that you didn’t have to, but you insisted that you did.

“Yams, I’ve got this! You’re already doing me a kindness! I can make a scene if I need to,” you said in a low tone that made him a little scared.

“Um, okay. I guess I can let you get it this time.”

“Wonderful! Now, we’re all set for tonight! This is going to be so much fun!”

“You mean it’s going to be serious. We’re going to be studying, ______.”

“Right, right. Boring. Intense. Rigorous. No fun, only studying. Serious,” you reply with a smirk.

Back at your dorm, you kick your shoes off, dump the snacks on your desk, and dump your backpack on your bed. You’re humming to yourself as you find your humanities books, notebook, and pencil when you notice that Yamaguchi is still standing next to the door.

“Make yourself at home, Yams!” you exclaimed as you slapped the chair next to your desk.

He shuffled over to the chair and plopped into it. You pulled out your study guide that you had half way finished and handed it to Yamaguchi.

“Okay, it looks like you have a good start on this. I can help you finish it out and then go over it with you again. But, ______, I really don’t think pulling an all-nighter will help you get a better grade. Getting a good night’s rest is just as essential as getting in a good study session.”

You take a minute to ponder what he’s said and you have to agree with him.

“You’re right, Yams. So let’s stop talking about studying and actually start studying, goob!”

A slight tint of pink brushed across his cheeks.

“Uh, right! Where are you guys at in your studies?” He was speaking more to himself as he scanned over your study guide.

“I don’t know. Something about the Baroque and Renaissance periods. We had to read Romeo and Juliet. It’s a pretty weird take on romance if you ask me.”

“Uh, Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy, ______,” Yamaguchi said with slight confusion in his voice.

“Yams! I haven’t finished it yet! You’ve gone and spoiled it for me,” you said with a playful huff.

“Oh, uh. I’m sorry...But, hang on! Your test is tomorrow and you haven’t finished it yet? ______?!”

“I’m only messing with you, goob. I know how it ends. I just forgot it’s classified as a tragedy. That’s the main literature piece we need to know for the test. The rest is just art and music. It’s all pretty weird if you ask me.”

You pulled up all of the music and art you learned about in class and it took a few hours, but you and Yamaguchi were able to buckle down and study (minus a couple of off topic conversations). From Bach to Vivaldi to Monteverdi, from Carvaggio to Rembrandt to da Vinci, he helped you with all of it.

“Huh, that didn’t take too long, Yams! And the more that we looked over this stuff, the more it reminds me of this person I really like,” you begin to blush as the words flow from your mouth.

“But, ______, I thought you were over your ex?” Yamaguchi questions so innocently.

“I don’t mean him, you big goob!” You grabbed his hand and interlaced your fingers with his.

His whole face turned bright pink, “Oh! I...I really like you too, ______! I never thought you would like me too,” he said with a look of embarrassment on his face.

“It’s getting late, Yams. Do you want to stay over tonight? I’ll sleep on the futon and you can have the bed.”

“N-No, I really should be going and you should really get a good night’s rest. But,” he paused ever so slightly. “How about we meet for lunch tomorrow after your test? You can tell me all about it,” he smiled.

You smiled back and nodded in agreement. You were so glad that you waited to study for your test.

#Yamaguchi x reader #Yamaguchi Tadashi x reader #Yamaguchi #Yamaguchi Tadashi #Haikyuu!! #HQ #Karasuno and Broadway #I hope I did Yamaguchi justice

[moonflower-31]

I Won’t Forget You - Spencer Reid x Reader

Masterlist 

Part 27 

Pairing: Spencer x Reader 

Words: 5.2k! 

Please comment what you think of this, I'm proud of this one. 😊

Warnings: Severe degrading language, description of violence, talk of rights and misogyny 

 Tags: @dra-reid, @eevee0722, @ceeellewrites, @anotherr-fine-mess, @ssahoodrathotchner, @egg-boy03, @helena-way07, @l0ve-0f-my-life, @serendipity-imagines, @kaelyn-lobrutto24 , @thatsonezesty13, @bihoeofmanyfandoms, @rewindlr 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"And when he smiles. I find a reason to live a little more" - Nehwish 

Spencer’s knee bounced as he felt the turbulence of the plane getting ready to land. He'd never had trouble with planes in the past. Especially the landing. He supposed it was his nerves. 

Spencer bit at his nails nervously and looked out the window of the jet, catching the interest of Rossi and Emily. 

"Don't worry, there's a bathroom." Rossi jokes, smirking at the young genius when he finally turned his head towards the voice. 

Spencer sighed, deciding not to add fuel to the flame and shut his mouth. They all knew at this point that he wanted desperately to get back to you. His feet were itching to break into a run to head back to his apartment, but unfortunately he did not have the ability to glide on air.  

Emily smiled and leaned closer to Spencer. "Come on, Reid. It's okay to be worried." She assures, shrugging softly. Spencer looked away, thinking her words over. 

"I-I… I know I can be worried." He exhaled. "But the probability of Peter getting back to her before I do increases by each minute I'm away from her." Spencer felt an urgency welling up inside of his chest, and he couldn't get rid of it. 

Garcia popped up on the screen and sighed. "Hey, tell you what. How about I call Morgan and have him bring her to the BAU? So you can see her when you guys get unloaded?" Garcia suggests. 

Hotch nods. "That's a good idea, Garcia. I need to speak with Morgan as well so this will be convenient for the both of us." 

Garcia nods and clicks off her computer with some random farewell. Spencer felt a bit of his apprehension fall away at the idea of being able to see you sooner than originally planned. He could finally be in your presence and hold you when you wanted him to. He could comfort you. He could be there physically. For you. 

Reid looked down at his hands, noticing how diminished his fingernails were with how much he'd been biting. He knew it was just a nervous tick, but it wasn't good for him. 

"Try pinching the skin on the back of your hand instead. It gives the same effect." Rossi spoke up, moving over to sit across from Spencer. 

Spencer looked up at Rossi in interest, confused as to how that would be any better. "Pinching the taut skin of the back of the hand would cause more injury than biting nails. Did you know that our nails are made up of the same material in our hair? It's actually quite interesting-" 

Rossi raised a hand. "I took anatomy in highschool. I think I know what makes up my greying hair." He smirked, making one appear on Spencer’s face as well. 

Spencer smiled and began to look around, then back at his watch to check the time. Rossi adjusted his posture before he began to speak again. 

"Kid, let me tell you something about what I learned with all three of my ex wives. Don't wait to say it." 

Spencer furrowed his eyebrows, confused as to what Rossi meant. "I-I don't think I follow, Rossi. Don't wait to say what?" 

"Don't keep her waiting on those three little words. If you keep pushing it off, she may move on without you." Rossi advised. "Tell her how you feel. Most women love hearing how you truly feel about them. They love honesty. That's why we're often the ones doing the asking." 

Prentiss looked back at Rossi with a teasing look. "'Most women'? Hell, I enjoy honesty. Who really appreciates lies? My exes maybe." She shrugged, making JJ laugh. 

Spencer exhaled a tired sigh before running a hand through his messy hair. "I suppose that makes sense. B-but she's still recovering Rossi. What kind of person would I be to try and tell her now? I'd be taking advantage of her. That's the furthest from what I want." 

Rossi shrugged, sitting back into his seat as the jet began to touch down. "Whatever you say." 

Spencer looks out the jet's windows, thinking of you. And of Morgan. 

A few moments later, two agents opened the jet's door and stairs, allowing them all to unload from inside. Spencer was the first to his feet and out the door. 

JJ and Emily shook their heads, smiling knowingly. Rossi sighed as he got himself up from the jet seats. "Kids these days." He grumbled to Hotch, who smiled softly. 

Spencer tried not to make it obvious how hurried he was to get to you, his pace a fast walk instead of a run. It was hard not to race towards the back entrance to the BAU where he knew you'd be waiting for him in the bullpen. But he could do this. You were okay. He was going to see you. 

"Geez, excited much? You'd think a limited time showing of the original Doctor Who was playing in theaters." Emily teased beside him, hurrying in front of him to unlock the entry. 

"Forgive me for wanting to ascertain the safety of (Y/N)." Spencer expressed, the words coming out colder than he meant. 

Spencer hurried into the building once the door was open, rushing to the stairwell; the elevator was just too slow.

All he could think of was seeing you. Once he did, then maybe he'd consider doing his reports. 

Thinking about it now, he most definitely had it bad for you. 100.00% There wasn't a moment where he was near you that he didn't feel his heart beating a little faster. That he didn't feel a squeeze on his heart and his words got stuck in his throat. There was never a time that he wasn't thinking about what you might say if he were to kiss you in that moment. 

Finally, after three minutes and five flights of stairs, he burst through the door and hurried into the bullpen, slowing himself down once he saw you.

You smiled happily once Spencer entered your field of vision, putting the bag of food you had in your hands on the nearest desk to your right. It wasn't long after that you felt Spencer’s arms wrapped around your waist and pulling you tightly against him. 

"Spence," you smiled, hugging him back just as tight. Spencer put his face in the crook of your neck, reminding himself that you were indeed safe and not in danger. 

"Thank God you're safe," he exhaled, beginning to calm further as your hand met his hair. 

"Yeah, I'm okay Spence. Why would you think otherwise?" You were confused as to what was making him so worried over you, but even then you were glad he cared. 

"It… it doesn't matter right now. Just-" Spencer once again exhaled sharply, releasing you from his hold as the rest of the team entered the bullpen. 

Morgan smirked as he returned with a drink tray from the other room with Garcia in tow. "Was the case really that bad, Lover boy? Couldn't wait to get back to your pretty lady?" Derek teased, his eyebrows wiggling as he smiled his signature smile. 

Reid rolled his eyes, not as annoyed as he usually was with Derek's antics. 

"Hey, I bought food for everyone. Hope fast-food is good enough." You spoke up, picking up the paper bag to lift up for everyone to see. 

Hotch nodded, while Rossi and Emily smiled thankfully. "Sounds perfect. I didn't feel like cooking anyway." Rossi joked, walking over to take his share of the food. 

"It's a nice offer, but Will's got something at home for me. We rarely ever get home in time for dinner anymore, so when we get the chance we take it." JJ says, grabbing her go bag once it was dropped off. 

"Alright. Just send me your reports in the morning." Hotch says, getting a nod in return from JJ. 

"Junior G Man," Garcia spoke up. Spencer turned around, facing the eccentric hacker. "Don't you have something you wanna tell (Y/N)?" She asked,

Spencer’s face lit up in a bright blush, thinking Garcia meant something else entirely. This blush also effectively caught Morgan and Emily's attention. "Well? Do you pretty boy?" Morgan teased. 

You sighed. "Leave him alone guys. If he's not ready to tell me what happened that's fine." You settle. Truthfully, of course you wanted to know. But if it was something business related or something about the case you knew it could wait. 

Spencer sighed with relief. He'd tell you once the two of you were home. Maybe then, you'd be able to react without fear of judgement. 

Garcia sighed. "Well, still. I've got something to announce." She insisted, her smile returning bright and bubbly as ever. 

Hotch raised an eyebrow, pausing his conversation with Derek. "What is it, Garcia?"

"Well, since we all didn't get a chance to celebrate her rescue, I'm inviting everyone out to have drinks in a couple days in (Y/N)'s honor!" Garcia smiled, cheering to herself. 

You smiled happily, reaching into the paper fast food bag and pulling out a few fries. "Thank you Pen. You don't have to though." You insist, putting the fries into your mouth. 

Garcia waved you off. "Nonsense! We're gonna celebrate finding you! And we'll all have to get taxis cause we'll be too drunk!" Garcia insisted, hurrying over and giving you a hug. 

You hug her back, smiling at her happily. "Okay, okay, I give. Will you be letting us know the place soon?" 

"Why of course my fine furry friend!!" Garcia giggles. "Of course I'm gonna let JJ know too. Everybody's gonna be there." She says before she waves goodbye to everyone, scurrying back to her den. 

Spencer laughs and shakes his head. "I guess we just made plans?" He asks out loud. 

Hotch, Rossi, Emily, and Morgan all laugh along with you. Hotch even cracked a smile. "I guess we did. I'll see if I can get free for that night. She was right, you deserve to be celebrated whether your case was a priority for the BAU or not." Hotch explained, giving you a genuine look. You couldn't fight the blush that slipped onto your face, but you did smile at him. 

"Thanks, Hotch." You answer. Then your attention shifted to Spencer. "I'm going to head to the bathroom real quick then we can head home." You then began walking away from him towards the bathrooms, unbeknownst to you being checked out by Spencer himself. Hey, he's got eyes. 

"Reid." 

Spencer jumped and looked to Hotch, blinking a few times. "Yeah, Hotch?" He asked. 

Aaron walked over, clearing Morgan to go ahead and head to his office for them to continue their conversation. "Garcia sent me a message saying you both had information on Peter Calvin. What do you have?" He asked, his tone and volume lowered. 

Spencer sighed, and rubbed the back of his neck again, finding it worrying that he was developing it as a nervous tick. "Garcia and I saw him on some nearby traffic cams. I spoke to JJ and Emily about it. I assumed they would have told you by now." 

Hotch sighed, taking his mental notes. "Which direction was he headed?" He asked. 

"Southwest, towards Quantico." Spencer replied. 

"I'll let the police know to keep an eye out for the license plate number and the car Garcia got on the footage. For now, keep (Y/N) safe. We cannot afford him getting his hands on her again. He may not stay nearby this time. And she may not be as lucky." Hotch warned before he stepped away from Spencer and then began walking up towards his office. 

Spencer let out an exhausted sigh, closing his eyes for a moment. When he reopened them, you were standing near him, smiling gently at him. "Hey stranger." 

He smiled at you, his mood immediately improved by your presence. "Hey." 

"You wanna head home or get some dinner first? I know you probably don't want fast food. When I was getting this I was thinking about what you'd say. 'Eating junk-food has a-'" 

"A link to higher rates of obesity, depression, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and in some cases early death." Spencer finished, his smile wide as he looked to you. You giggled playfully and nodded. 

"Yep. Exactly." You smiled. "So I made sure to buy some extra healthy food to make at home." 

Spencer smiled back even wider. "That sounds great. But I think eating something healthy we can already buy ready-made will be good for tonight. This last case wasn't an easy one."  

You smirked and nudged his arm. "Is that so?" You teased. Spencer smiled and looked down somewhat bashfully. 

You smiled and looked up triumphantly. "Well, then you'll have to tell me about it on the way home." 

Spencer chuckled as he gave into your teasing, nodding his head a little. "Yes, I suppose I will." He replied, a bright smile on his face. 

○●♡●○ 

"Okay, you have got to tell me how you narrowed that hunting zone parameter down. I don't think I could've done it even if you were paying me-" you expressed gleefully, dropping the soup kitchen bag on the dining room table with two neatly placed chairs on either side. Spencer then walked in past you, dropping his go bag behind the couch as he turned back to face you. His face was brighter than a string of christmas lights and his smile whiter than a cloud. If he wasn't so focused on your beauty he'd notice the pain in his cheeks. 

"I'm sure you could've. I could help you if you'd like. It's actually quite simple." Spencer nodded his head and smiled at you teasingly, earning a playful and teasing glare in response. 

"Yeah, and I went to school for Geometry instead of Psychology." You joke, digging into the bag for one of the styrofoam containers of soup and placing them on the table. 

"Which makes me wonder why you didn't take Geometry. I know it wasn't for a lack of smarts, you're very skilled with that aspect-" Spencer began to ramble on, walking over to the table and putting napkins under the soup containers as you put them down to act as coasters. 

"I just suck at shapes, okay? Sure I can remember the damn perimeter formula and the area but give me variables and a word problem? I can't figure out how to do shit." You expressed, handing Spencer the plastic spoon that came with the food. Instead, he handed it back to you. 

"I prefer using my own cutlery. Reduces the chance of any chemicals remaining on or inside the plastic being used to make the spoons." He explained, pulling out a drawer and selecting two intricate spoons before closing the drawer with his hip casually. 

You smirk and giggle. "I never thought I'd see you do that." 

Spencer raised an eyebrow as he began to hand you a spoon. "Do what? I don't see what I was doing that was unusual behavior for my personality-" 

"Closing the drawer with your hips, Spence!" You expressed in a loud, happy laughter. "Seriously, you never seemed to me like the kind of guy who'd do that." 

Spencer raised an eyebrow and smiled happily at your cheerful face. "Well I guess surprises do happen on a day to day basis. Even in our line of work." 

You smiled brighter as you finally opened your soup and took a first spoonful. "Amen to that." You giggled, grabbing another napkin to wipe your chin from the stray soup that leaked onto it. 

"Guess I'm still a clutz. Not even being kidnapped and raped is gonna change that I guess…" you mutter, causing Spencer to half choke on his soup. His eyes widen as he looks to you, his eyebrows furrowed after a moment. 

"(Y/N), do you… wanna talk?" Spencer asks, slowly approaching you as he places his soup down on the table. He didn't even care where. You were more important. 

You sniffle and shake your head. "No… no I'll be okay. I just wanna eat and go to bed. And… and hope that I don't see his face again tonight-" you choke on a sob, lifting a hand to your face and wiping desperately at rapid tears. 

Spencer rushed over and hugged you tightly, cradling your head softly as he held you. He whispered gently into your ear, letting you deal with your emotions while he was there to listen. He was good at that, he thought. 

You pressed your forehead against his shoulder, your hands clutching at his vest. "S-spencer I-" you hiccuped. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't-" 

Spencer shook his head. "No, you should. You're allowed to express how you feel, (Y/N). I will always be here for you. No matter how many times you need me to be." 

You sniffled, sucking in your bottom lip anxiously as you looked up at him. "Promise..?" 

Spencer smiled down at you, caressing your cheek. "Promise." 

You let your lips curl into a hesitant smile as an idea crosses your mind. "Do… do you think…" your bottom lip quivers as you ponder your own question. 

Spencer’s head tilts and his face softens as he looks down at you, being patient with your feelings. "Yeah?" 

You take in a sigh and grunt at your pathetic-ness. "Do you think maybe I could share a bed with you tonight? Just in case?" You asked, a bright blush accompanying the slight voice crack that added to your awkwardness. 

Spencer’s eyes widened at your question and his cheeks blew up a firey red as he began to fluster. "U-uh-uh…" Spencer scrambled to reply in a timely and polite manner, but he was so caught off guard. 

You bit the inside of your cheek and grunted. "Forget it, I knew it was a long shot…" you let go of Spencer’s vest and began to move away to go back to eating. 

What surprised you was the sudden grasp of your hand once it fell to your side. You swear your head swung towards Spencer as soon as you felt his touch, almost as quick as a sword. 

Spencer looked down into your glossy eyes, red rimmed from crying. He saw beauty in them. He saw a genius, a comedian, a model, and saw perfection. All in the oceans of color that were you're irises. 

He would be a fool to reject your proposal. 

"Of course, you just shocked me a little." Spencer insisted, squeezing your hand. He wanted nothing more than to see your lips curl into their familiar smile and see you laugh again. At least he'd see one thing tonight. 

You smiled gently at Spencer’s reply, blushing softly in response. "You… you mean it? It's… not too terribly weird?" You brushed a strand of stray hair behind your ear, trying not to freak out. 

Spencer tried to make a face that said 'don't worry about it' but instead managed to make an altogether new look instead. One that gave him a chance to see the other expression he loved on you. 

You snorted at his expression and began to laugh. Your eyes were full of joy as you laughed, even with a care in the world. Spencer couldn't be more in love. 

You laid your head on his chest for a moment, sighing as you began to calm down from your laughter. You looked up at Spencer, who's face somehow had managed to grow even redder from your placement. 

"What?" You ask, moving back as you assumed you'd done something wrong. 

"It's nothing, (Y/N). Promise. W-why don't we just eat and then we can head to bed?" Spencer suggested, not knowing if he'd be able to handle another moment without kissing you. 

You took in a heavy, but relieved sigh. "Yeah… yeah…" 

Spencer then took his seat, moving the chair closer to your side. He picked up his now lukewarm soup and began eating it anyway. You watch him for a few moments before you begin to do the same. 

And it was just like that, just you two. 

○●♡●○ 

"You done in there yet? I still gotta brush my teeth. Studies have shown that if you don't brush your teeth it can lead to erectile disfunction, inflammation, head and neck cancer-" Spencer began to ramble, knocking against the bathroom door gently. 

You swing the door open with a toothbrush in your mouth. "I know, Spence. You just gave me that speech 10 minutes ago." You tease, a smile pulling onto your toothpaste stained cheeks. "Come on, get in here and brush those damn teeth." 

Spencer chuckled to himself and walked in beside you. "I don't believe that kind of language is supposed to be used when talking about the bones inside our mouth." He teases, raising an eyebrow. 

You roll your eyes and elbow his arm. "Shut up!" You smile playfully. "Compared to you, I'm a cranky old grandma, you old sailor." 

Spencer laughed as he put the toothbrush in his mouth and began brushing. You finished up and washed your toothbrush in the running water before heading into Spencer’s room to get into the covers. 

Spencer finished up a few minutes after and washed his toothbrush. "I am not a swearing sailor. If anything-" he starts, walking into his room to find you falling asleep under the covers with a pillow in your arms. 

Spencer softly chuckled and turned off the bathroom light, closing the door behind him and closing the bedroom door as well. 

He walked over and sat down on his usual side of the bed. He looked over at you again, smiling at your peaceful form. If he could give you eternal reassurance that you'd be okay, he would. Even if he had to do time for manslaughter. 

He sighed and turned back towards his lamp and turned it off once he plugged in his work phone. See, he knew technology. He just didn't prefer it to paper copies of things. 

He then adjusted the covers and climbed into them, trying not to convince himself that staring at you sleeping for a whole night was a good idea. 

A sudden crash echoed into the apartment and startled Spencer awake. It didn't sound like glass, more like wood breaking. He took heavy breaths and looked beside him, finding you stirring awake. 

Spencer reached into his nightstand and picked up his spare work pistol. He didn't know who or what it was that just broke in, but he wasn't going to let it get to you. 

"Spence…" 

Spencer looked back over to you, seeing your eyes opening slightly. "Shh… hey, I'll be right back. I'm just going to check what happened. Stay here, okay? No matter what you hear." Spencer whispered, putting a gentle hand on your shoulder. 

You murmured a few inaudible sounds but nodded. That was good enough for Spencer. 

He then got up from the mattress and began to fumble with his gun. Once he had it aimed, he snuck out into the main area of his apartment. 

The windows provided plenty of moonlight to see, so Spencer wasn't worried about seeing the intruder. He didn't want to let them know he was awake. That would cause violence that didn't need to happen yet. He had the element of surprise. And he needed to keep it that way. 

Rustling of pages, and of books echoed into the room as Spencer slowly looked around the corner to see who was the invader of his home. 

The intruder was bent over the couch, looking through the books that laid there as if looking for something. Proof of something. The intruder was definitely a man. He was definitely at least 6'2, and his voice was a little deeper. 

"Dammit, how can she hide so damn well?!" The man cursed, letting the book hit the couch with a dulled thud. 

Spencer looked a little farther past the corner, swearing he'd heard this voice before, if not had heard it described to him before. He had an idea of who this was, a damn good one. But he needed proof before he decided to make his presence known to this devil of a man. 

Spencer’s foot made the wood beneath him creak for a moment, causing the intruder to look his way. And that's when Spencer knew. The man had green, piercing eyes. Ones he'd definitely seen on one Peter Calvin. 

He had enough evidence to do what he planned. Spencer hid behind the bookshelf for a few more moments, hearing Peter's footsteps approach his position. 

Then, just before Spencer knew he'd be in him, he turned and faced Peter with his gun facing him and his finger dancing with the trigger. 

"Give me one good reason not to shoot, you son of a bitch?" Spencer glared, his aim never wavering as his anger swirled around his head. 

Peter grinned. "You…" he began to laugh maniacally. Spencer’s composure wavered only a smidge. Why was he laughing? 

"You-!" Peter cackled, his face turning into one of victory. "Out of all the men in the world she could choose to protect her whore-ass--" Peter sneered, reaching behind him. "She chose you."

Spencer refocused his aim, his eyebrows furrowing. "What does that have to do with how you treated her? How badly wounded she was when we found her?" Spencer retorted, spitting out the words like they were poison. 

Peter rolled his eyes, putting his hands in the air as Spencer refocused his aim. "Please, she's my damn property. I can do with her as I wish-" 

"She's no one's property-!"

"Why do you say that? Have you been inside her yet? If you had you'd never want to let another man have her." Peter taunted, his smirk ever so large on his face. 

Spencer’s face and sneer never shifted, even as Peter was determined to get under his skin. "It doesn't matter. She doesn't belong to anyone. She's a human being. She has thoughts, feelings--things you can't take away from her. " 

"We'll work on that. Once she has my first child she'll have no feelings of her own. It'll all be about our little boy." 

"I don't care how much money you fucking paid for her--" Spencer’s voice raised as his finger fiddled with the trigger. "She is not yours! I will never, ever let you get your filthy hands on her again!" 

Peter rolled his eyes as Spencer roared his declaration. "Men like you disgust me. You let the women walk all over you. You give them rights to shut them up and then suddenly you start giving them the freedom to take power. Then we're suddenly the ones being undermined. We're the men! We should be in power while the women give us children-"

"No!" Spencer yelled. "You’re wrong." He breathed, hoping that you would stay where you were until he could be sure you were safe. 

Peter sneered and looked to the ground. "You seriously are gonna take the side of a woman? A walking pussy?" Peter asks, getting threateningly close to Spencer. 

Spencer re-aims his gun, making sure his first shot would be the only one he'd have to fire. "Yes. Because she's a person." 

Peter smirked and briefly laughed. "You wanna die? Or are you gonna step aside so I can reclaim what's mine?" He asks, his hand gripping Spencer’s gun tightly. 

Spencer scowled as he looked slightly up at Peter. "I'd rather lose my life than give you what was never yours." He growled, not daring to instigate the conflict.

Peter then forced Spencer to the ground with a roar of anger, slamming his head into the floor. Spencer scrambled and pushed against Peter’s shoulders, managing to bite his shoulder. 

Peter let go of Spencer briefly to gasp in pain. He was strong, but not as strong as Morgan. Why else did he need to injure Morgan to abduct him then? 

"Damn it-! You string-bean bastard!" Peter spat as he began to charge at Spencer again. Spencer narrowly dodged and grabbed Peter’s arm and shoulder, forcing him into the floor. 

"String Bean? That's the best you've got-?" He asked as Peter rolled him back around and held his shoulders down against the floor. 

"Why must you be so damn difficult-!? She's mine you cunt-!" Peter spat into Spencer’s face. Sending a punch into his face. Spencer spits up at Peter the blood from the impact, only earning him a second punch in return. 

Spencer grunted as Peter raised his fist to give a third punch. Spencer leaned his head back just far enough that he could headbutt Peter hard. 

The impact sounded throughout the small apartment as Peter staggered off of Spencer from the onset of the pain. Spencer scrambled to his feet and tried to race towards his gun. Peter unfortunately managed to regain his control and grabbed Spencer’s arms and spun him around. 

"You really thought you could win that easily?" Peter hissed, slamming Spencer’s face into the corner he'd previously been hiding behind. Spencer let out a cry of pain before he was spun right back around and thrown across the room from a shove. 

Spencer landed onto his back onto the go bag you had placed behind the couch. He winced at something hard hitting him in the back. Peter was slowly moving towards the bedroom now, a smirk on his face. 

No, Spencer grunted, reaching behind him through his blurring vision. He wasn't going to lose this. He wasn't going to lose you again. 

When he reached behind him, he found what he'd needed. It was his usual pistol. He must have mispacked it when he was getting ready to head onto the jet. 

"Hey Peter," Spencer called, surprising himself with how loud he still could be. 

Peter scoffed and turned back towards Spencer, who was managing to stand up on two feet. "What now? You can barely hold your own-" 

Spencer smirked. "You know what?" He asked, pulling out the pistol from behind him. Peter widened his eyes, glancing from the second pistol to the one he had knocked away. 

He was speechless as he listened to Spencer’s next and final words. 

"I can't say it was a pleasure to meet you." Spencer replied eerily before he fired his pistol, shooting Peter in the chest and shattering the glass of the bookcase behind him. 

Spencer exhaled a long sigh of relief once Peter fell against the floor, blood beginning to pool around him. With Spencer’s injuries, he'd be able to convince any judge that he'd only killed Peter in an act of defence. 

You were safe now. 

Suddenly footsteps raced out into the living room. Your figure entered the room and turned on the lights. What followed was a shriek of terror from you at both Peter and at Spencer’s condition. 

Spencer hurried over to you and wrapped his arms around you, not caring whether or not the two of you were together at this point. 

"S-spencer… W-what d-d-did-" you began to stutter, still breathing heavily and beginning to panic. 

Spencer instead cradled your head and softly shushed your worries. "Shh… it's okay now, I promise." He breathed, kissing your forehead protectively. 

You stayed silent, still in shock and horror of who laid dead at your feet. Instead you let him hold you, and you breathed in his cologne and his natural scent. It still managed to calm you, even after that night's events. 

"I promise, he's never going to hurt you again my darling…" 

And you believed him. 

#spencer #spencer reid #spencer reid fanfic #Spencer Reid fic #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x you #spencer reid x reader fic #spencer reid x reader fanfiction #spencer reid x y/n #spencer x reader #spencer x you #spencer x y/n #spencer x reader fanfic #spencer reid x fem!reader #Criminal Minds #criminal minds fanfic #Criminal Minds Fanfiction #criminal minds family #CRIMINAL MINDS FANDOM

[7wanderingpaws]

Simply, yours (10)

Pairing: Baekhyun x reader

Genre:  family AU, hapkido teacher AU, PhD AU

Word count: 6.5K

Warnings: cursing

A/N: Hello, hi! Welcome back! This chapter has a LOT of stuff happening... But at the end of the day, we all want to have a pleasant read, right? I hope you will like this one, I enjoyed writing it a whole lot... 😊💖 Pls let me know what you thought, it helps me so much! Have a good day/night! ^^ Btw what did you think of BBHs cover of BoA? I LOVE IT! Original was already so good and he just made it more speacial by adding his sweet flavor... 💕

tags: @milky-baek @itsbaekhyunsbutt @luvhtears @shesdreaminginoverdose @cynthbee @jummyjammy @junmyeonnoona (if you want to be tagged/untagged please let me know!)

MASTERLIST

1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10

-

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

That was what you've been muttering to yourself for the past two hours on your way back home and basically ever since you turned your back on him. Literally. Because you are that bad at controlling your emotions for some reason.

So as a way to punish yourself, you ended up popping into the nearest convenience store to your apartment and getting chocolates and sweet bakery because you… needed it. You had been dying to put something sweet into your mouth, so it could be hardly taken as a punishment, but you did find it as unnecessary expense, plus you were already halfway through looking like an elephant. But wow, what a sucky day, yucks.

It was one thing to be a little jealous about that girl, and a completely different thing to become cold towards Baekhyun and not even tell him what was bothering you. He didn't deserve that and you felt extremely guilty, to the point that you just entered your quiet, loving home and felt like crying like a baby.

Changing into comfy clothes, you didn't even bother with folding them, instead throwing them into the laundry basket, too preoccupied with your own guilt. Plus, your sweat pants felt tighter and uncomfortable around your thighs. How annoying. You needed to spend even more money now for the stupid XXXXXL size that you were slowly becoming.

You could bet that Jiyoung girl had the smallest size waist-

“Ah, stop it!” you shouted into nothing, tired of yourself and the whirlwind of emotions that you became. How was it possible to switch between emotions this fast? Your period wasn't the kindest but thankfully it was rarely painful and you only had terrible cravings instead of mood swings but this pregnancy was too much.

And in that moment, everything was getting on your nerves. You losing your job. You wanting to surprise your boyfriend. Him smiling like that at another woman. Him smiling. Seriously, why was he even smiling?! You weren't even there, so how dared he smile? Oh, and yeah that woman next to your man! You declining his request to stay until he was done. You should have stayed. You should have stayed and support him, enjoy the way he was doing his passion and maybe you would have understood what that Jiyoung girl was doing. Was she even a student?

You sighed. You wouldn't know. If she would have been a student, you didn't think she would dare to come collect him from his girlfriend like that.

You threw yourself into the softness of your pillows, chocolate bar in your mouth as you took a small bite and let your angry tears fall. This was so not you. This wasn't the strong, independent woman and if you would keep up this game, Baekhyun would notice too. He would see the faults in you.

“Stop thinking, you brat,” you warned yourself. “Stop it! Don't think! Just don't!”

And the worst?! You couldn't even touch your bump in that moment, you were that disgusted. It was all fault of the babies; they were making you like this, creating problems where there weren't any!

Before you could wallow even more, your phone rang. Scrambling quickly to get it in hopes to see Baekhyun's photo as your caller ID, you were surprised to see your mother's name dancing on the screen. That could only mean some bad news as you rarely talked. The last time you talked was nearly a month ago when she was checking up on you and your pregnancy and making sure Baekhyun was there for you.

Ignoring the way your hands were shaking, you answered the phone, feeling a bit of adrenaline rush in your blood causing slight dizziness. It'd been a while you felt lightheaded like this.

“Mum?”

“Hi, daughter,” she gasped, her voice gentle as always. “How are you? It's been a month almost, thought I'd check up on you.”

And there it all went. You started to wail at that question right away, unable to bear your mother's gentle voice. You didn't even realize how much you missed having a mother figure in this period of life, when she could give you advice, guidance and especially deep understanding.

“Are you crying?” she quipped, surprised at the sniffles that would soon follow with stifled sobs. “Oh, my, why are you crying? Is it the hormones?”

Well, was it the hormones? you asked yourself, but you were so incredibly clueless and so incredibly frustrated because of everything that you couldn't get a proper reply. “Ye-yes,” you hiccuped as hot tears streamed down your face. It was that type of crying where you just couldn't stop, the hysterical sobs needing to be let out, tears seeming to have an infinite storage somewhere inside of you.

Your mother sighed, but you imagined her affectionate gaze. “I understand. Although I don't know to what extent is having three babies burdening, any pregnancy is extremely difficult on your body, honey. Just let it all out and don't dwell too much on what is the reason. You don't need it now, so just let it out.”

At that you had to hide your face in the pillow and let out a little wail, because her words were warming you up so much, yet she was far away from you. Oh, dear, she had no clue what a rollercoaster of a ride you had put yourself and your boyfriend through, so you basically had every reason to have these feelings. She didn't even know you had been sacked. That was the reason you were crying, right?

“Is Baekhyun there?” your mother kept on going when she knew you wouldn't give her a coherent answer.

You hiccuped again, trying to make your mouth move. “N-no. Wo-worki-ing.”

“It's almost late evening, though,” she muttered to herself.

It was just 6pm, but the elders always had the specialty of saying “it's late in the night” when it was barely 8pm. You tried to smile at her antics, but it was painful. Because your boyfriend wasn't home. He was at that stupid training of his with stupid women that had to take the stupid hapkido class.

“What did you have for lunch-”

“I got sacked today,” you blurted suddenly and sniffed back big time, not even listening to her words.

“What do you mean you got sacked today?”

“Just exactly what I said. I am jobless.”

“How did you get sacked? You were promoted not long ago.”

You let out a loud breath, your lungs aching from all the crying. It just made more tears well up in your eyes again. “I had an idiot of a boss.” You should have definitely said it was all your fault, but currently you were feeling like the biggest loser in the world. “So it was better like this anyway. I can't even do much, soon I will be huge and… useless.”

Your mother tsked disapprovingly as you heard some shuffling in the background. “What is this silly talk, daughter. What did Baekhyun say?”

You gritted your teeth. “Why do you always ask about him?! He was happy I got sacked, okay?”

“Alright, alright,  no need to shout at your mother.”

“But I don't want to talk about Baekhyun right now, so stop asking me!”

“Oh, I understand now,” she replied back nonchalantly, and some creaking noise provided just the perfect background. “As long as you think you can manage…”

“Yes, I can manage.”

“You and Baekh-”

“Don't.”

She sighed and you heard fire. She was probably warming up dinner in the kitchen. “Did he do something?”

You opened your mouth to retort but were stopped, because YES was your personal answer but NO was the fact. You wiped your tears quickly. “No. I mean... “ you trailed off and rolled yourself on your back, staring at the ceiling. “No.”

“Well then why are you so sensitive? I am trying to see what is wrong and you clearly have an issue with him. You can tell me honestly. Or don't.”

Just then you heard the code being typed in the entrance door, sign of Baekhyun arriving. You groaned loudly and stood up quickly to close the bedroom door before he could get in and have an easy access to bedroom but it was a wrong idea. Seeing black spots everywhere, you felt like your entire body just gained another 40 kilograms as an invisible weight pulled down on your shoulders making you stumble back into the mattress, the world spinning with along with you rather fast.

“I'll call you back,” you murmured softly into the phone and threw it away into the blanket somewhere, trying to make your head calm down.

Baekhyun called out your name, announcing his arrival but you felt like throwing up. You groaned as quietly as possible, scrunching up your face in hopes of stopping this terrible attack. Cold sweat made its way down your neck and you shivered as you felt a huge bulge in your stomach. But you were so extremely disoriented you could barely open your eyes let alone make it to the bathroom in time.

“Baekhyun,” you called out, “please bring me the bucket from the-” gulp, gulp, gulp.

Baekhyun walked into the bedroom but when he saw you his eyes went wide. “What is wrong? Hey, hey, what's- shit,” he cursed when he heard the familiar noise, and ran to the bathroom to get the little pink bucket as you gagged, trying to get on your fours, looking extremely shaken up. Tears were streaming down your face, your knees and arms trembling violently before you saw two feet clad in white socks and then bucket pushed into your face as Baekhyun reached for you with his other hand to keep your balance up. “Shh, c'mon, let it out. Don't keep it back,” he murmured urgently and sweeped the hair that was plastered to your forehead and cheeks away, noticing the snot and flushed cheeks. Just then, finally, you let it all out. Your throat was on fire but your head kept pulling you in one direction into which you would have easily fell if it weren't for the safety of Baekhyun's arms. “Shh, you're doing well.”

Although not seeing his face, you knew he was tense and probably wondering what made you this terribly sick when food and spit kept constantly coming out until it became just violent gagging, nothing able to come out anymore, only caused by your head spinning so much it triggered your stomach. Wasn't it just today that you were thankful for not having to go through this again?

You calmed down after another couple of minutes, completely spent. “Baekhyun,” you murmured, afraid to open your eyes. He hummed as he took the bucket to the side, and looked at you closely as he brought his other hand to your pale face, wiping the tears away. “I'm very dizzy.”

“Look at me, baby,” he murmured, frowning a little and wanting to check the focus in your eyes.

You shook your head ever so gently before your lower lip trembled. “I can't… please,” you said just as you were about to crash on him again, the invisible pull still there.

“Okay. Lay down for me, can you do that?” he asked gently. “I will help you move now, don't get startled.” And he did so, pushing on your shoulders a bit, helping you lie down. He took all the pillows on the bed and put your head under them, by then knowing very well what to do when you got into this kind of situation. “Keep your head up for me, and your knees too,” he whispered and patted your straightened-out legs. You did as he said and heard him move around the room before he came back with the little machine, pushing your arm through the hole to measure your blood pressure.

“Don't cry, sweetheart,” you heard him whisper as he tried to catch every single teardrop while the machine was working. He looked around for a glass of water which, of course, you didn't have.

“I feel like hell,” you said, your voice raw.

Baekhyun was thankful your eyes were closed, for he didn't want you to witness how worried and scared he was. Yes, you did get dizzy and many times sick, but to this extent? Never. He was already thinking three steps ahead, fishing his phone out of his pocket.

Beeping sound brought you back to the reality and Baekhyun checked, murmuring the results out loud, his frown now deep. “We are going to the hospital,” he decided.

“No!” you shouted, opening your eyes to look at him but you almost saw three Baekhyuns. Usually, you wouldn't mind but it made you want to throw up again. You were fast to close them, scrunching your face. “Please,” you sobbed, scared. “Make it stop! But don't call anyone!”

Baekhyun was already calling ambulance, leaving the room in case you would have a tantrum. He knew your blood pressure was skyrocketing and it made him worried sick; he didn't know what to do. Plus, he was told by your doctor that if your blood pressure reaches a certain level, you were eligible to call for ambulance.

As much as he hated you crying and going through this, he was there with you, every single step at a time.

-

“She will be alright,” said the doctor that was in the emergency room, checking your vitals on his clipboard. “She needs to rest for now, but,” he shook his head gently and looked up at Baekhyun whose eyes were bulging in fear of what was to come. “Her blood pressure was too high. It isn't good for the patient, neither it is good for the pregnancy.”

“What does that mean?”

He shrugged. “Well, it is very likely that she will have to endure this until she gives birth. Triplet pregnancy is a bit different than the usual ones. Since premature birth is highly possible to happen, which also may affect the health of the children,  her not monitoring stress levels or taking good care of her body may also influence the health of the kids.” He sighed. “She is bearing a lot right now, so there are high risks of her fainting if this continues. As you told me, she had been struggling with high blood pressure this whole time, correct?”

Baekhyun nodded quickly.

“Well, she is in the fifteenth week which means almost half-way through till due date… It should have subsided by now but we can't do anything to change it; only give medication, unfortunately. Multiples' pregnancy is full of surprises.”

Baekhyun felt so helpless in that moment. Why did he get the feeling the doctor was clueless in a way too?

“Will she survive?” he asked seriously.

The doctor smiled gently. “She is completely healthy, so there is no risk of her losing her life, but this was definitely a dangerous situation. She shouldn't be left alone for too long as this occurs unexpectedly. It is rare anyway to have such strong reaction to high blood pressure, but this is what it takes to live for three more lives, I suppose.”

Oh, how Baekhyun wished he could take at least half of the burden you were bearing.

The doctor patted him twice on the shoulder before leaving. He looked at you, your sleeping figure so peaceful compared to couple of hours ago when you looked white as death and just about to pass out. 

Sighing, he reached for your hand, gently squeezing it before murmuring a soft I love you. You were going through all of this because of him. He made you pregnant and now here you were, fighting for four lives: the unborn babies and your own.

His phone vibrating was what interrupted his train of thoughts. Quickly searching for it in his winter jacket, he saw your mother's name flashing on the screen, bad feeling already eating him away. Should he tell her where you were now? He would only make her worried.

“Hello, mother,” he answered, trying to make his voice as normal and even as possible while stroking your knuckles with is thumb.

“Oh, thank God you picked up, Baekhyun! I've been contacting my daughter for the past hour and she wouldn't answer. Are you with her now?”

Gulping, he said: “Yes. She is, uh, sleeping now.”

“Silly girl. I called her earlier today to check up on her and caught her in a bad state of mind,” she explained, her voice sounding exasperated. “She kept crying but wouldn't tell me why. This is none of my business, my dear, but did you two have a fight?”

Surprised was an understatement to Baekhyun. First of all, you didn't necessarily fight, it was your weird mood that created negative tension between you two but it was certainly not a fight; second of all he had no clue you were having such a mood prior to his arrival although he did see your swollen face and eyes. “No, we didn't have a fight. She has been acting strangely today, that is true. She lost her job and maybe the hormones and all…” he trailed off, trying to justify your actions though he himself wasn't sure.

“Yes, she told me she lost her job, but to me it didn't seem like that was her main issue. Let me be honest with you, Baekhyun,” she said and Baekhyun didn't have a good feeling about what was to come. “She didn't even want to hear your name. I don't know what exactly happened between you two, but it would be healthy if you both talk. You know she cannot get this upset while being pregnant. She was choking on her own sobs.”

Baekhyun closed his eyes and left your hand so he could pinch the bridge of his nose. Just what the hell was up with you? “She came to visit me at the university today, but she had such a change of mood, mother. I was shocked myself and I try to understand, I really do but it has been difficult recently.” Let alone she was lying to me, he thought but kept quiet.

Your mother sighed again; she trusted Baekhyun and wasn't doubtful about him at all. She also knew what pregnancy mood swings meant, so she was not blaming entirely you just as she knew Baekhyun could have been falsely accused. She knew him ever since he was a baby after all. “I understand, sweetie, and I am not blaming you at all. I will let you rest. I know you also don't have it easy, dear,” she added, affection lacing her voice, “so please I just ask you to have some patience with her for now. She can be a handful.”

“I do, mother, you know I do,” replied Baekhyun right away, looking at your sleeping face. “I can't get mad at her even if I want to.”

At that she laughed. “My sweet boy. I hope I can call you my son-in-law very soon.”

“Actually yes. Sooner than later.”

-

You found yourself seated on the wooden bench, a book about multiples' pregnancy perched on your thighs while you tried hard not to stare at your boyfriend clad in his hapkido uniform.

He was currently leading his class with Jiyoung, the girl because of whom it all went downwards. Bitterly, you stopped yourself from blaming it on someone like her. It wasn't her fault. Why, you ask? Because…

Few days ago

“Can you explain to me what happened on Monday?” murmured Baekhyun as you were both lying in bed, the dimmed light on his side still on, as he just finished going through his notes from the previous lectures. It made you resent yourself even more knowing how much he had on his plate, yet you couldn't even control your emotions as soon as he stood next to a pretty lady or he looked at you weirdly.

You sighed, rubbing your temple as you were lying on your back. Baekhyun turned his head to look at you, pausing, contemplating. Then, he slowly changed positions, lying on his right side, his hand slowly dragging on the surface of the mattress, reaching your hip and sliding it up over your belly that was sticking out, giving it gentle rubs as he waited patiently for you to talk.

“I won't get mad,” he had the need to add which made you scoff, and him chuckle.

“It's so fucking stupid, Baekhyun, and don't say I can't swear while being pregnant.”

He frowned gently. “Well, it obviously made you upset,” he argued, “so it cannot be fucking stupid.”

He saw you gritting your teeth, and he slid his gaze over your profile, how the light was illuminating the part of your face to which he was turned to. He honestly thought you looked breathtaking and would have kissed you whole night if it weren't for the confusion he was currently feeling. In that moment, he wanted answers more than anything.

“What is Jiyoung-” you trailed off and Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, “to you? To your class? To… hapkido?” Asking, instead of answering him. Great. Although, you weren't expecting silence that followed. You imagined him chuckling at your ridiculousness but he didn't. He didn't and it almost made you lose yourself once again, but he spoke: “She is a master like me,” he spoke softly, and you focused on his warm hand sliding over your belly. You turned your head a little to catch his gaze that was already burning holes on your face. “I didn't tell you until I was sure, which I became on Monday, but then things happened…”

“Sure about what?”

“I am leading the hapkido universiade team with her, but I am the main master,” he revealed, his face still in a gentle frown. “She was assigned to do it together with me, so that is why she was there during practice, too. And she will be from now on until July.”

“But is she like a teacher at Sungkyunkwan or something?”

He shook his head. “She is from Kyunghee university where she is the head of department. There was a  joint alliance with them for the hapkido team and also, if we win this, I might have a chance to work with the National team later on,” he explained patiently, not tearing his gaze away from yours.

So many things you were founding out, so many good news. That meant Jiyoung was older than Baekhyun! That was definitely good news! And you ruined it all on Monday and you completely misunderstood the entire situation.

“Baekhyun,” you whispered, closing your eyes. Humming in response, he now caressed your cheek, his thumb making slow circles. “I'm so sorry. For being the way I was. What you just said,” you stuttered, opening your eyes, urgency in them, “is all amazing news and I couldn't be any more proud of you.”

“Shh, it's okay, princess,” he whispered, scooting closer to your side.

“No,” you shook your head, “I thought… I was… jealous, so jealous. I shouldn't have let the emotions control me like that. I shouldn't have just left you like that. I apologise,” you said sincerely, staring into his eyes that were now casted in shadow as he was with his back towards the light. Yet, the burning behind his eyes could hardly go unnoticed by you.

“You are so mean when you are jealous,” he blurted, intending to make you chuckle which he succeeded in, but then it disappeared just as quickly and you nudged his cheek with your nose to get more out from him. He sighed, eventually. “You know you can trust me, right? You know I would never want to lose your trust despite you lying to me.”

At that, you whimpered, pouting and widening your eyes at him, still terribly ashamed for what you had done.

“It's okay, I am not holding grudges,” he insisted, “but you know I can't stand you not trusting me, hm? I already know I want to spend the rest of my life with you and with our kids,” he murmured and at that he caressed the belly yet again as he buried his face in your neck, sending goosebumps down your spine. “So why do I have a feeling you keep doubting me?”

You stiffened, but his caresses didn't cease, which meant he wasn't upset. You raised your hand, playing with his hair as you mumbled: “No, I don't doubt you at all. It's the hormones. It's the babies. You know that before getting pregnant we were just fine.”

“I know,” he whispered, his hot breath fanning the skin on your pulse point, “it is always the babies fault, right?”

“Please.”

“Please, what?” he asked, curious as he pulled back to look at your face.

“Just… I apologise, Baekhyun.”

His eyes searched your gaze. “And I forgive you. But you need to promise me you won't get so worked up over nothing in the future.”

“I won't.”

“By nothing I mean anything. If it isn't a life or death situation, I don't want you to pay it too much attention.”

You watched his mouth move as he spoke, going on about what the doctor said, what the books said about triplet pregnancy, what he thought would be the best for you. And you tried to listen, you really did, but you were head over heels for him; he was mesmerizing and he understood your crazy whirlwind of emotions, and you loved him. So much.

“Are you listening?” he asked, snapping his fingers two times in front of your face. “Young lady, you keep zoning out on me.”

You smiled at his playful manner and he reciprocated the gorgeous grin as he leaned in closer. “I am listening, I am. I just realised once again how much I love you, Baekhyun.”

His grin turned into an affectionate, lopsided smile and he eyed your lips before flicking his orbs back to yours, murmuring your name. “And I love you. Do you understand? I love you. Only you. Can you actually understand?”

“No,” you whispered, dreamy look on your face as you were bewitched by him. He shook his head, and reached for your face, brushing the baby hair out of your forehead. “It's difficult to get it through my thick head that someone like you loves someone like me.”

“How would I make you understand then?”

“Show me. I want you to kiss me, it's been too long.”

He leaned in more, his eyes constantly flicking between your lips and your eyes as he muttered with narrowed eyes: “You're horny again, aren't you?”

You let out a breathy laugh as you sneaked your hands around his neck, bringing him closer. “For you? Always.”

He chuckled just as he kissed you, smiling widely into your mouth before playing with your lower lip, going straight for a gentle bite that he knew would ignite the fire in you.

“Are we doing another make-up sex?” he murmured between kisses, slowly climbing over you and you gladly widened your legs for him.

“Uh-uh, you're making love to me because you need to show me you love me.”

He kissed your neck, laughing quietly. “You're shameless.”

“So are you. Now, do your magic, honey.”

And now here you were, as per his order, watching him. As you would be every week whenever he wasn't home. If he could have, he would have dragged you to all his lectures as well, but you managed to talk him out of it. Honestly, you didn't mind this at all, as you really enjoyed observing him teaching hapkido and doing all the cool moves he was so smooth at doing. It was true you would get tired and wooden bench was only so comfortable for you to sit through couple of hours.

During the break, Baekhyun jogged to you with an energetic smile and leaned in to give you a quick peck. “You good over here?” he asked as his team erupted in big laughters, everyone enjoying their break time.

You beamed up at your boyfriend. “Yes, all fine.”

He smiled even wider at that, ruffling your hair as he looked down on the book in your lap. “Is it any good?”

“Well, for sure although I'm learning some disturbing stuff,” you muttered, worry flashing through your eyes that made Baekhyun raise his eyebrows.

“We will finish in 50 minutes and then you can tell me all about it, how is that?” he asked gently, and grabbed your cheeks to observe you closer.

You giggled and he seemed satisfied. “Alright, let's do that.”

He was just leaning in for another kiss when someone cleared their throat muttering a little excuse me, making Baekhyun move away from you. “Jiyoung.”

“Sorry to disturb, but I think it would be better if we stay longer today. For practice, I mean,” she said, her eyes wandering over to you and a bit lower, obviously looking at the baby bump. She snapped her eyes back at Baekhyun's questioning face. “It's better if we start going through basic kicks now, just so the kids can remember each technique correctly and from then build on it.”

You watched Baekhyun's back, but he was relaxed. “The kids are black belts, 4-5 dans in at least, though,” he replied diplomatically, “I don't see the point in going through basic kicks. Techniques should come to them as second nature by now.”

“I still think we should start having longer practices,” she insisted. “So your girlfriend might be a bit uncomfortable sitting here for such a long time.”

Wow, you thought, she was actually dragging you into this somehow. Interesting.

“I don't mind,” you heard yourself say before you could think twice. “So do whatever you deem correct.”

“Not today, no,” Baekhyun decided. “After December we will be good with longer practices if necessary,” he emphasized. “If we don't slack off, we can manage just fine.”

She gave a confident smile. “Alright then. I suppose you won't mind if we start the class now.”

What a bitch, you thought again.

“I won't mind. You may start,” was Baekhyun's curt nod and he turned around to face you, his actions heating your cheeks up as he crouched in front of you and took your hands in his before bringing them up to his lips.

“Alright, master.” And she was gone.

“What are you doing?” you whisper-shouted, but the excited glint in your eyes told Baekhyun you loved what he just pulled.

“Prioritizing you.”

You smiled graciously, and leaned in, pecking his lips.

-

Couple of weeks went by, you following Baekhyun to his practice, while you were found your way back to knitting that you so diligently used to do when you were younger, your mum teaching you as a little girl. Trying hard not to sound annoyed or desperate for any activity, you made sure you were always smiling and at peace in your mind. You promised your boyfriend you would look after yourself and that was what you had been trying to do. You even managed to sell some of the scarfs and gloves you knitted, given it was now nearing the end of December.

You smiled up at Baekhyun who dismissed the class, not waiting until Jiyoung and the students leave. “Ready to go?”

“Yes,” he replied, some perspiration on his forehead glistening in the practice room. “Can't wait to have a rest.”

You stood up to your feet slowly, minding your blood pressure, and reached for a handkerchief before grabbing his hand so he wouldn't move away. “Let me,” you murmured as you reached up and tapped the textile gently along his hairline.

His eyes focused down on you, affection and love melting his features into the softest smile. “Thank you.”

“We don't want daddy to catch a cold, right?” you chirped enthusiastically.

Baekhyun quirked an eyebrow at you, never hearing the nickname leave your mouth before. You would always get extremely embarrassed when he called you mummy, so this was a new discovery. “Yeah, otherwise how would daddy protect mummy, hm?”

Just as expected, you grew red in your face and quickly looked around, making sure no one was too near to overhear.

“What? You started,” he laughed quietly before leaning in to kiss your cheek, leaving it with a loud smooch and moisture on your skin. “Mummy.”

Your eyes widened and you laughed along with him before he moved to pack up his stuff. All the students who were now leaving farewelled cheerfully, always enjoying how flustered you would get from the attention, because master Baekhyun's girlfriend is so cute! and of course, he would encourage them, showing you off, which always warmed your heart.

“Not tired?”

You turned to the right to see Jiyoung approaching, a glass bottle in her hand as her high ponytail swung with each step she made. “I'm okay, thank you. Aren't you tired?”

“Nope,” she said, the p sound bopping like a bubble. “Master Baekhyun has been a bit slacking off with the workouts, eh?” she chuckled, nudging Baekhyun who was putting on his jacket with her elbow.

“Well, I can always make it especially hard for you, Jiyoung,” was his confident reply.

Oh my god, he was so hot you actually had to cross your legs while standing.

She smirked. “I would love to finally find out what does this especially hard mean, master.”

Well, you definitely didn't find her confidence hot. If anything, you wanted to warn her not to challenge Baekhyun too much.

“Alright, especially hard it is then,” he concluded just as he zipped up his jacket and took his gym bag, slugging it over his shoulder.

Jiyoung's eyes sparked with excitement, you could see that. It was always there, actually. Coming to the practices with him for two weeks, you kind of learnt to read her. She was a professional, you knew that much. She wasn't openly hitting on your boyfriend, no. It was in these subtle talks that irked you because you couldn't do anything about them, just tolerate and trust Baekhyun. Which, he really not once made you doubt - his trust. He would always prove you his love to you, and you to him. It was so obvious. He only had eyes for you.

Even now, as he stood in front of you, touching your hip gently and sliding his hand to your lower back to lead you out and saying his bye to the disappointed face of his hapkido partner, you knew it.

“Baekhyun,” you said once outside on the half-dead campus as you were making your way to the bus stop, the dark sky not showing any clouds which only meant another freezing night.

“Yes, angel.” He intertwined your fingers and pushed the connected hands into his pocket.

“I was thinking… What if I just went home?”

He stopped walking, looking at you a bit taken aback. “What do you mean?”

“I feel a bit useless, you know. But also quite tired from all of this,” you said showing your belly that was sticking out. “So I thought I would visit home.”

“But we have regular check ups at the clinic,” he replied, his eyes wandering over your features. His nose was growing a bit red which you found adorable, which is why you stood on your tippy toes and gave him a little peck on it.

“I know… but if I would miss one appoint-”

“No.”

“Baek-”

“You are not missing an appointment, baby,” he said, this time more sternly as he looked down at you, his hair that was trapped under a red beanie made his soft hair fall into his eyes.

You pressed your lips together, understanding his choice. “So, I would go only for two weeks.”

Something flashed across his eyes, something that you couldn't decipher. “What about me?”

Yes, what about Baekhyun? “You have lots on your plate right now,” you reasoned, squeezing his hand that was trapped in his pocket. “You could study better, and focus more on the practices. And, you could totally go and have a good time with your friends, or even invite them over, hm?”

“You actually think I would let you travel alone? With your blood pressure?”

“C'mon, by KTX it takes an hour and a half and then taxi just twenty minutes out of town.”

You felt like you were contradicting yourself. You, the one who was always trying to save up money was willing to pay a lot just to travel. KTX tickets were already very expensive. Taxis as well. But there was very little public transportation going to your village and you didn't feel like taking it with your big belly.

Baekhyun didn't say anything for a while, just staring at you. “Why this sudden- need?” is what he asked eventually.

“You know I miss mum,” you mumbled, averting your gaze. 

“I know it's difficult,” he sighed, the action condensing his breath. “But I can't let you go by yourself, no way. Besides,” he added eagerly, “it's Korean new year soon. Can't you wait just a little longer? We both will be going home for that, you know that.”

He was right. It was literally around the corner.

“It's just in two weeks time, hm?” he asked, quirking his eyebrows at you, pleading to say yes. When he saw you contemplating, he mumbled: “I am not letting you go alone, anyway, so you better agree.”

You huffed in disbelief and dragged him towards the bus stop. “Let's go home. I will think about it.”

“Tomorrow we have a double-date with Chen's, did you forget that too?” he said as he let you drag him after you.

“No, I didn't. I would have gone the day after.”

“Well, you wouldn't leave me alone for such a long time, right?”

That made you stop and turn to him just to witness the puppy eyes and a prominent pout that made you smile softly at him as you walked even closer, resting your forehead on his jacket-clad chest. “I hate even the idea of not being with you for two weeks, Baekhyun.”

“Exactly. So just wait until we can go together, hm? Please? I don't want you to go. I can't even sleep without you anymore.”

You chuckled and leaned back, catching his small smile. “Alright. I think.”

He whined your name before he grabbed you by your waist with his free hand and brought your hips closer as he hovered a bit over you. “Alright, I won't go is what you wanted to say,” he muttered before kissing you hungrily. It was such a contrast; outside, the air was freezing, but your hot mouths pressed together, his body glued to yours as he breathed in loudly before tilting his head, asking for access with his eager tongue was hot, burning up. You moaned quietly, just for him to hear and he growled in response, a satisfactory hum leaving his throat while he circled your tongue, sucking on it, making you gasp because you were in public. He kissed you, and kissed you until you were completely breathless, until you were fully convinced that he didn't want you anywhere far from him. Even if it meant he could focus more on his practice, studies and whatever else you just listed. Even if it meant a short time.

He didn't want you away. And that was final.

#baekhyun fanfiction #baekhyun fluff #baekhyun angst #baekhyun smut #baekhyun fanfic #baekhyun oneshot #baekhyun scenario #exo fanfiction #exo fluff #exo au #baekhyun au #exo angst #exo smut #kpop fanfiction #kpop au #kpop scenario #mywritings

[tarlosbuddie]

CapSwap - Chapter 2

Read on AO3

Summary of the fic:  Bobby and Owen exchange their station and team for show called CapSwap produced by Taylor Kelly.

Chapter summary: New captain, new rules. Owen Strand arrives at the Station and the 118 is ready to have get to know him and to have some fun.

Word Count: 2478

Chapter: 2/?

Hanging banners has been a tradition in the 118 since Chimney, Hen and their former teammates hanged one to congratulate Bobby on winning the bet his first month here. They have had so many captains quitting after a few weeks that they wanted to celebrate, mostly by pranking him. So, before he arrived, they used the biggest ladder they could find and hung a white banner that read “You’re still here!!” and threw him a bunch of confetti as he walked in. Buck got his first one a few months only after he arrived. He came for his shift the day after being fired and the red letters formed the words “You’re not fired! (yet)”. It was one of the first times that he felt like it was a real family. Chimney had a few ones too, the most recent one was from when Bobby came back from his suspension and it read “Your reign is over Interim Captain Han”. It was Eddie’s idea. He knew Buck was on sick leave but he filmed the whole thing to cheer him up. They bought enough cakes and banners to be known by the local stores at the point.

This time, Chimney comes to work early, with the biggest smirk on his face. He is not about to break the tradition, especially with everything being caught on camera. Taylor and her crew are getting ready and Chimney waves at them.

“You guys don’t wanna miss this.”

“Get the camera ready.” She orders her team. “I need a strong clip for the promo of the show.”

Buck and Hen are already next to the ladder, ready to hang what Chimney always described as their best one yet.

“You’re sure it’s a good idea to prank the new captain?” Eddie asks. Taylor directs the camerawoman to film his reaction as she starts taking notes in her little notebook. “Maybe he’s not as cool as Bobby is” the firefighter adds.

The second person directs her camera toward Chimney who’s grinning. Taylor circles his name in her notes, hoping that by the end of the month, she will get the juicy reason behind his nickname.

“Trust me, when you’ll see this, you’ll know he’s not really shy,” Chimney promises.

“Okay Eddie, now move your pretty ass on that ladder,” Hen says. 

Both Eddie and Chimney climb the ladders on opposite sides of the banner. Buck is not allowed to do it anymore since he proved he’s not capable of hanging a banner straight. So he just stays behind Eddie, having his back from the bottom of the ladder where he thinks about Hen’s comment. She is right, he can’t deny that.

The banner is a lot heavier than the ones they usually buy. Chimney insisted that it must stay rolled up until Captain Strands arrived. They climb the stairs, eager to start their shift. They all wait on the balcony, the oldest holding on the strings of the banner. 

A car finally arrives, and Taylor keeps one of the cameras on the crew when she directs the second one toward the car. She has seen pictures of him and she picked him for her reason, the man looks perfect. She knows the public will love him and she’s counting on him making a grand entrance. 

Owen gets out of the car, with his Austin Fire Department jacket as she requested in the contract. She was not expecting him to wear such a fit white tee-shirt underneath but she appreciates it. It would look great on the promo. He doesn’t bother to take his sunglasses off, he only moves them down a little to wink at the camera she asked them not to look at. She can cut it off, but she is not sure she will want to when she will check the footage. 

He makes his way toward the inside of the house. He is about to take up the stairs when he hears whistles coming from the balcony.

The banner unfolds as he walks under it. It’s a huge picture of him from a firefighter calendar, wearing his NYFD pants, with the suspenders touching his bare chest. The text on the banner reads “Welcome to the 118 Mister December 2003.”

Everyone is laughing, including the man staring at a shirtless picture of himself taken 17 years ago. He runs toward the stairs to introduce himself. One of the cameras follows him when the other is on the opposite stairs. 

“Welcome Captain Strand,” Eddie says first. He stands straight and shakes the captain's hand. The other members do the same, and Owen memorizes everyone’s favorite nickname. Chimney is the last member of the team to introduce himself. 

“I’m Chim-” he starts but Owen cuts him.

“Mister April 2019. I’m guessing you’re the one I owe that great surprise to?”

“Huh, yeah.” He answers. 

“Can one of you show me my office and the nearest shower please? I just spent the best part of the weekend in my car and I would kill for a shower, and a coffee.”

“You drove here, Captain?” Eddie asks.

“I was not gonna miss an opportunity to take a road trip to our beautiful country.”

“I’ll give you a tour” Eddie offers.

- - 

Owen is taking the longest shower, so the crew decides to rest. The cameras are off, or at least off their faces so they can take a break. They are all sitting on different couches and there is still a free one when Eddie arrives toward his friends with a bowl of popcorn. Taylor walks toward them with a gentle smile on her face and Eddie walks faster to arrive before she does. He hurries up and sits next to Buck on the couch. It’s just more convenient to share the popcorn with his team, he tells himself while he looks at Taylor who’s sitting down on the last couch.

They are eating in silence, not daring to speak while she is here. Buck offers her some popcorn but she politely refuses. She looks even more uncomfortable than they are. Hen notices and invites her to the kitchen.

“Do you want a coffee?” she offers. “It’s bad but it will keep you awake for a long shift.”

“Yes, please,” Taylor answers shyly. “I know you guys all hate me. But I’m just trying to do my job.”

“We don’t hate you, girl,” Hen replies. “We are not fans of having cameras around though.” 

“I thought Buck would be the one hating me after what happened between us.” Taylor says. She looks down at her coffee mug, taking one sip and confirming what Hen told her, it really is a disgusting beverage.

“Buckaroo is a golden retriever. I don’t think that boy is capable of hating someone.”

“What’s the deal between him and Eddie?” she asks while turning to face the couches where the three boys are chatting. Eddie is throwing popcorn in the air for Buck to catch them with his mouth. “I feel like he’s gonna murder me.”

“He’s just having Buck’s back,” Hen says. “We should go back to the boys before Buck chokes on a popcorn or something.”

They walk back toward the couchs, grimacing as they drink their coffee. Taylor explains some ideas she has and then she tells them that they will turn the cameras back one while they talk about Owen. She sits somewhere off camera and directs her team to start filming.

“So, what do you guys think about the new captain?” Buck asks. It’s not his natural tone and he has to force himself not to look at the camera. But then Eddie starts speaking and Buck has something more interesting to look at.

“He seems nice.” Eddie simply says.

“It’s hard to judge a book by its cover” Hen answers.

“We all did it with Eddie on his first day” Chimney says. Buck takes a handful of popcorn and sends it on his eldest friend who’s happily catching half of it with his mouth while the rest ends up on the couch. “What? I was talking about Hen’s comment, not about your jealousy.”

“Okay, first of all, I wasn’t jealous,” Buck clears, shifting a little on the couch to look more at Eddie. He can feel his face turning red from remembering that day. “And second, we were talking about Captain Strand.”

Eddie chuckles and adds “The man seems okay, we should give him a chance.”

“You okay Buck?” Chimney asks. “You look like you’re praying for an emergency right now”.

“Huh. I.” He starts, but Owen is finally out of the shower, wearing another tee-shirt that compliments his body. Buck wonders if this man already took a DXA scan to measure the fat in his body. He stands up and walks toward Owen.

“I think this is for you, Captain” Buck says. He holds an LAFD blue shirt, with the Strand name written on the metal name tag on the pocket.

The captain puts his long sleeves shirt on with the help of his youngest team member. He read a detailed file about these people but he still doesn’t know them like he knows the 126. He chose his entire team, learned to work with them and even though the idea of the show seemed interesting, Owen misses his team.

“So” Owen starts, he claps his hand and takes an enthusiastic tone. “Let’s get to know each other a little.”

“What would you like to know?” Eddie asks first.

“Come on, guys, this is not a job interview. I just wanna get to know the people who I’m working with.” Owen says. They all look at each other, it’s like the first day of school and no one wants to be the first to introduce themself to the new teacher. 

Buck lets himself fall back on the couch and sights dramatically. He wouldn’t know where to start. So much has happened to them lately. Every person in this room could use some serious therapy and there’s a lot you can’t tell a person you just met. So how can the 118 introduce themselves without talking about all of the trauma around them?

“Okay, I’ll start” Owen says when it becomes clear that no one else would. “I’m from New York. I’ve been a firefighter there for two decades.”

“So, you were there when…” Eddie starts asking.

“I was.” Owen answers briefly before continuing his introduction. “My son and I moved to Austin a few months ago. He’s a firefighter in my station too. He’s about your age, Buck. Does your captain have kids?”

“You mean besides Buckaroo, here?” Chimney jokes. 

“Bobby’s not my dad.” Buck pouts. He looks at Eddie, hoping he would take his defense but his friend just holds his hand up and pretends to zip his mouth shut.

Hen laughs at the three boys and answers Owen’s question “His wife has 2 kids.” 

“Oh she remarried too. I have something in common with his wife. Do you guys have kids?”

“My wife and I have a son and we are fostering a baby girl,” Hen says. 

“I have an 8 years-old son.” Eddie answers.

“His name is Christopher,” Buck adds, holding his phone up to show Owen the picture of Eddie and Chris he has on his lockscreen. “He’s the smartest kid!”

“Hey!” Hen cuts, pretending to be offended.

“I'm sure Denny and Nia will grow up to be as smart as Superman.”

“Are you two…” Owen starts. He felt like he might have missed some information in his files.

“Oblivious” Chim whispers and Hen laughs.

“Buck is helping me a lot with my son. Christopher loves his Buck.” 

“And you, Mister April? Do you have any kids?” 

“He’s dating my sister” Buck answers for him “So if he ever knocks her up, I’d better be the first one to know.”

Chimney almost chokes on the food he’s eating. Hen gently pads his back. He tells her everything, even the things Maddie made him promise not to talk about. She is his best friend and he can’t keep big news to himself. So she knows Buck won’t be the first one to know about the Hans’ new secret. 

“You are dating his sister? Family dinners must be interesting.”

“She’s a 9-1-1 dispatchers. So you might get to talk to her while you’re in L.A.”

“Okay, bonding time is over for now.” Owen declares. “Probie, you start cooking while the others clean the rigs” he orders.

“Huh, probie?” Eddie asks when he sees his Captain looking at him. “My probation period ended last year.”

“According to your files, you’re the last one who arrived, which in my eyes, makes you a probie” Owen half jokes. He knows he misses his probie, and he’s probably trying to find a replacement for them. Judging by Chimney’s and Buck’s laughs, he knows the nickname is gonna stick for a while.

“Huh, the Cap was usually the one cooking.” Eddie says hesitantly. 

“My house, my rules. Everyone takes turns in my house.”

“Then you’ll probably talk to my sister soon Captain, cause we are definitely going to call dispatch to report the entire house suffers from food poisoning.”

Everyone but Eddie takes down the stairs to clean up the trucks. Eddie looks at the kitchen, terrified. Even his kid that never complains about anything told him that he can’t cook. He doesn’t want to poison his captain on the first day. And the show is gonna be broadcast on national television, his whole family is gonna know what an awful cook he is.

The alarm goes off and puts him off his misery and he runs down the stairs. The team was already cleaning the truck so they climbed before he could even get to them. He’s the last one to arrive so Owen ends him the key.

“Heard you can’t cook” Owen says and everyone pretends they didn’t say a thing while they were cleaning the rig, “but I hope you can drive, Probie.”

Buck and Chimney’s phones buzzed from the back seat. Hen looks at the both of them, assuming it might have something to do with Maddie since they both got a text at the same time. She forgot her phone at the station, like she always does. Buck shows her the texts they received. It’s from a new whatsapp group they’ve all been added to.

Unknown Number: How’s the new cap treating you?

Unknown Number: Please, go easy on my dad.

Unknown Number: Yeah, we kinda like the old guy. 

By this point, they’ve all guessed what this group chat is about but they get the final confirmation when they receive a picture of 5 firefighters doing funny faces while Bobby has his back turned. 

Unknown Number: Thanks for lending us your Captain for a month. We'll try not to drive him crazy!

#Emilie writes #owen strand #evan buckley #eddie diaz #howard han #hen wilson #taylor kelly #prodigalleverage #captainstennerstar #userbeff #tell me if you want me to stop tagging you in this #CaptainSwap #(my english is not perfect I'm sorry!!)

[submissivekillers]

Hmm can we get some headcanons on what The Lost Boys would be like in a polyamorous relationship with someone please? Thank you for your time!

ok fools let’s get Wholesome

honestly i don’t think it even occurs to them not to have a poly relationship with you

they’ve all been together for so long that they’re pretty much a package deal once you’re part of the pack. Sharing Is Caring

they’re a l w a y s touching you. someone’s always got an arm around your waist or a hand holding yours while y’all prowl the boardwalk, and when you’re all chilling in the lair it’s just a constant cuddle pile. they take turns having you sit on their lap so it’s nice and fair (and Marko and Paul definitely will sit on yours)

you’re all together, but that doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate a little one-on-one time with you on occasion. they’ve all got different date preferences: 

David likes the classic wine and dine date - even if the wine is usually in the range of 4 bucks and the dine is restricted to the short list of restaurants where he and the boys haven’t been banned from for life (heh.) after he’ll take you for a stroll along the quieter side of the boardwalk, checking out the little shops or just enjoying the sound of the sea. most of the time he’ll give you something at the end of the date as a little memento, ranging from a stuffed animal or piece of jewelry to particularly striking shells or sea glass

Dwayne brings the Romance. Santa Carla might be a party town, but he has a knack for finding the quiet places where nature still rules, and what’s better than a little picnic and looking down on the ocean from high above, with the stars above your head? it’s about a fifty-fifty split if Laddie tags along, but if he does Dwayne’s happy to give you plenty of extra attention once the two of you can find some privacy

Paul’s the one who’s got a finger on the pulse of the music scene in Santa Carla. he’s always keeping an eye out for who’s playing at the boardwalk, and if it’s someone he likes (or that he thinks you’ll like, even if they’re not his taste. that’s love bitch!) he’ll drag you off to jam. not a fan of dealing with a big crowd? no problem! Paul will just fly you up to a rooftop and you’ll have the best view in the place - plus plenty of privacy for when his hands start wandering

Marko’s not big on crowds when he’s not hunting, so his dates are usually chill hangouts at the cave (or at your place, if they haven’t convinced you to move in.) he’ll swing by rental store to grab some cheesy horror movies, you’ll order some pizza, and the two of you will settle in and spend the night critiquing effects and laughing at jumpscares (and making out, of course) 

they’ve always got your back, but they also think it’s hot as fuck if you can handle yourself. if you get into an altercation with some douche and you’re not outnumbered or obviously outclassed, they’re happy to hang back and watch you tear the bitch apart 

surf nazis trying to needle them for letting you fight their battles or whatever completely doesn’t work - like damn, are you jealous bc you don’t have a hot partner who kicks ass? sucks 2 be you ;)  

if you’re human it’s just a constant war between their inclination to pull dumb stunts all the time and the fact that they will Flip Out if you get hurt. they love the way you scream when y’all are speeding down along the cliffs or even just going on one of the rougher rides on the boardwalk, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have you in a death grip in case anything goes wrong 

are you also a grody lil punk? you have come to the right boys. they know all the best places to pick up cool clothes on the boardwalk and they have a huge stash of pins, patches, and various other bits ‘n bobs for you to chuck on your jacket - not to mention a lot of their clothes are actually legit vintage pieces, so they’ve got a lot of practice with repairing things if you get a little too enthusiastic with your diy-ing

if you’re not into the punk scene they’re unbothered - you look hot as hell to them no matter your personal style, plus this means they get to watch your cute reactions when they play you new records or drag you to concerts (and also respecting peoples preferences is Punk As Fuck.) paul still wants to stud up at least one of your jackets though 

are you sad??? they are On The Case. the moment that you let on that you’re even slightly upset they’re ready to Fight and also to Love

they’re willing to roll with whatever you need. in the mood for cuddles and kisses? they’ve got all the time in the world. feel like screaming and breaking things? they’ll put on their loudest records and there’s plenty of old cups and shit around the cave, go nuts baby. just want to wallow for a bit? they’ll cover you in blankets and leave you be while they raid the nearest convenience store for your favorite food 

if it’s a person who made you upset and you’re not squeamish (which like. you kinda have to be with these boys, even if you’re still human), they’ll bring you back a trophy after they’re done with whoever hurt you - a bloodstained shirt, a hat, something like that

paul, handing you just a straight up human hand: hey babe i got u a present   

if you aren’t already an immortal of one variety or another, they’re definitely going to convince you to vamp out eventually. they don’t do things halfway; if you’re with them now, they want you with them Forever. and they won’t play with you like they did with Michael - as soon as the blood’s done working it’s way through your system, they’ll be whisking you out to the beach to find your first victim 

#the lost boys x reader #lost boys david x reader #lost boys dwayne x reader #lost boys paul x reader #lost boys marko x reader #sfw #dwayne looks so fucking Good in this gif like sir..... please

[itsyourchoice-hp]

Year 2: Intruder in the Castle

The sound of a door being closed very suddenly caused Cath to wake up with a start. For a moment she was very confused as she realized she was wearing her school robes.

“Cath!” Ginny said urgently stood over her bed, panting.

As she rolled over, she saw a textbook lying open beside her and the crumpling of parchment under her. Cath sat up, remembering that she had stayed up until around 2:30 trying to finish a Charms essay that was due the next morning. Then panic hit her like a jolt of electricity.

“What time is it?” she asked, her voice hoarse from lack of sleep.

“You’re late!” Ginny replied.

“Bollocks!” Cath cursed, leaping out of bed. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Well, I thought you were just going to sleep past breakfast! When you didn’t come to class, I realized you probably hadn’t set an alarm or heard the bell… I told Professor Flitwick that I left my wand in the dorm so I could come to wake you up,” she explained as Cath threw on a spare school blouse and her shoes.

“I can’t believe I slept in!” Cath moaned, gathering her bag and collecting the crumpled papers on her bed. “Ugh, my essay is probably ruined.”

“As long as you’ve got all the papers, let’s go! You can sort it out once we’re in the classroom,” Ginny said.

Cath tried to comb through her hair as they hurried down the staircase. She groaned in misery, and her stomach groaned right back. All the work she had put into her essay last night was certainly not paying off.

Luckily, the Charms class was the closest to the Gryffindor Common Room, and just before they arrived at the closed door of the classroom Ginny stopped her.

“Go in a minute after me, or else we’ll look suspicious,” Ginny instructed in a whisper. Cath nodded, and watched from around the corner as Ginny opened the door and entered the classroom.

“Welcome back Ms. Granger,” Professor Flitwick said in his squeaky voice. “Did you manage to find your wand?”

“Ah — well, I think it actually might be in my bag after all,” Ginny replied. A few classmates snickered. “Silly me.”

“Well, anyhow, please take your seat so that I may continue the lesson,” he told her.

Cath heard the scraping of a chair on the ground and then Professor Flitwick continued the lecture. She waited for a few beats, dreading walking into the classroom and interrupting him. She hadn’t even gotten a chance to look in the mirror before she left, or even brush her teeth.

Drawing in a deep breath and trying to muster as much confidence as she could, Cath opened the door. All heads turned to her. She quickly took the nearest empty seat, beside a Hufflepuff boy named Winston McCarthy.

“Ms. Malfoy,” Professor Flitwick addressed her from atop his stack of books, looking slightly put off that he had to pause his lesson once again. “I see you’ve decided to join us this morning.”

“I’m so sorry, Professor,” Cath began. “I was up so late finishing my essay, and I—”

“I don’t need an excuse, Ms. Malfoy, but I do need your essay,” he interrupted, gesturing to the stack of completed essays on his desk.

Cath, feeling quite embarrassed, opened her school bag and pulled out her wrinkled essay, trying to quickly put them in order. Her face went very red as she felt the student’s eyes on her.

“We’ll sort this out after class,” Professor Flitwick said. “Now, where were we?”

Cath sighed, pulling her textbook and wand out of her bag as he resumed the lecture. She made eyes with Ginny, who gave her a sympathetic smile.

“At least it’s not Potions class,” Winston whispered to her with a wry smile.

She nodded in reply. Winston had a point; if she had shown up late to Professor Snape’s class with a crumpled-up essay she would have been embarrassed in front of the class and most likely given detention.

After the class was over, Cath stayed behind, smoothing out her essay and putting it in order. There were a few splats of smudged ink on the last page and an unfinished concluding paragraph, presumably where she had fallen asleep.

“Here’s my essay,” she said to Professor Flitwick, handing him the parchment. She could see him flip through it and pause at the last page where the ink smudges were. “Again, I’m… really sorry.”

“Did you complete it?” he asked her.

“No, Professor,” she replied, picking nervously at a loose thread on the sleeve of her white blouse. She noticed as she looked down that she had a run in her stockings. Could this day get any worse? she thought, groaning inwardly.

“Well, if you spent so much time on it, I’m sure it will be an excellent essay,” he said, placing it on the stack on his desk. “Now I suggest you don’t be late for your next class.”

“Thank you, Professor,” she said gratefully before collecting her things and leaving the classroom. Ginny was waiting for her outside.

“Cheer up,” she said to Cath. “At least we’ve got Defence next. And you won’t believe what happened at breakfast.”

“What?” Cath asked, perking up as she remembered that they were about to see Professor Lupin.

“Harry got a Firebolt in the mail!” she replied.

Cath’s eyes widened. The Firebolt was the newest and fastest racing broom in the world. Draco had been begging their father all summer for one who had in return told him that his only chance of getting one was if Draco could get top marks in their year.

“Who sent it to him?” she asked Ginny eagerly. “Has he tried it yet?”

“That’s the thing — there was no letter, or tag, or anything! We’ve got no idea who could have sent it to him,” Ginny said.

“That’s odd,” Cath frowned.

“Hermione insisted he turn it in to get it tested for curses or hexes,” Ginny continued. “But he obviously wasn’t too keen on that.”

“But who would want to curse Harry?” Cath asked.

“Besides You-Know-Who?” Ginny pointed out in a low voice.

“You don’t think he’s back, do you? I mean I thought after what happened last year…” Cath trailed off, noticing that Ginny was beginning to look a bit uncomfortable.

Both entered the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, expecting to see Professor Lupin smiling at them. Instead, they were faced with the sour glare of Professor Snape who loomed over them as they took the remaining seats, conveniently at the very front of the classroom.

“What are you doing here?” Ginny blurted out.

Cath elbowed her in the side.

“Take your seat, Weasley,” Snape replied sharply.

Ginny obliged, not bothering to hide her unhappy expression. Cath sat down beside her, feeling thoroughly disappointed that their lesson wouldn’t be taught by Professor Lupin.

“Where’s Professor Lupin?” asked Colin Creevey from the back of the classroom.

“Professor Lupin is… ill for the time being,” Professor Snape replied. Cath thought she saw his lips curl in what looked like a sneer. “Take out your textbooks.”

The sound of students shuffling around in their schoolbags filled the classroom, which was thick with disappointment and dismay.

“Wonder what’s wrong with him,” Cath heard Penelope Dawson whisper to Dan Hadfield from behind her.

“I sure hope he gets better soon,” Dan muttered in reply.

The whack of Snape’s measuring stick against the blackboard caused everyone to jump. “Silence,” he snapped. “I don’t know what kind of a classroom Professor Lupin keeps, but I do not tolerate students talking out of turn when I’m about to begin a lesson.”

Nobody made a sound.

“I see that your content for the year is very… simple,” he continued. “The curses you are to learn about this year are ones that I would teach first year students. Were it up to me, you would be studying more advanced things, such as dark creatures. Vampires, werewolves… the like. But since Professor Lupin seems to have such low expectations of you, we will pick up today on chapter 4.”

As the words Chapter 4: Basic Curses and Countercurses appeared on the blackboard, Cath and Ginny exchanged grim looks.

For the remainder of the class, Cath was distracted both by the thought that the lesson would be far more interesting if Professor Lupin were teaching it, and by Ginny drawing rather rude doodles of Professor Snape on the corners of her parchment paper when he had his back turned to them and then quickly scribbling over them before he noticed.

***

Cath and Ginny were studying in the Great Hall, trying to get a head start on the essay that Professor Snape had assigned to them. Ginny, who had become bored quite quickly, had made a paper airplane out of a spare piece of parchment and had levitated it into the air, making it fly in circles around Cath’s head.

Cath heard the sound of running coming towards them and saw Hermione approaching them, her wild hair bouncing at her shoulders.

“Cath,” she said, looking concerned. “Draco is in the hospital wing.”

Cath frowned. “Is he alright? What happened?”

“He’s fine… he was injured in Care of Magical Creatures. Class was dismissed early. I just thought you’d want to know,” she explained.

“Thanks,” Cath replied. “I suppose I’ll go check on him. We weren’t getting that much done anyway.”

“It’s just so boring,” Ginny complained. “I know Snape’s been after the Defence position for years, but he’d be horrible at it.”

“Our lesson was strange too,” Hermione replied. “He skipped past what Professor Lupin was teaching us and went way ahead to our second term curriculum. He taught us about werewolves today…”

“He must have an obsession with them,” Ginny snickered. “because he mentioned them in our class, too.”

“I hope Professor Lupin gets well soon,” Cath said, standing up from the table.

“So do I,” Hermione replied, though she was frowning slightly as if in thought. “Anyways, I’ve got to get started on my essay. See you both later.”

Cath saw her pull an astronomy textbook out of her bag and flip to a diagram of the moon cycle as she walked away. “Well,” she said to Ginny. “I suppose I should visit my brother and see what happened to him. I’m sure he’s making quite a fuss about whatever it is.”

“I’ll be here,” Ginny sighed, sending the paper airplane zooming around the Great Hall.

Cath walked over to the Hospital Wing. It was empty, save for the bed where Draco lay. His arm was bandaged up and in a sling. “Draco,” she called, hurrying over.

He looked over and gave a wave with his other hand. “I guess you heard then news,” he said weakly, as though he were quite sick.

Cath raised an eyebrow. “They’re amputating your arm?” she asked sarcastically. Draco was known to be overdramatic about nearly everything, especially injuries. Cath suspected it was how he got attention from their parents.

“Hope not,” Draco replied, looking mournfully out the window.

“Well? What happened, then?” she prompted.

“That stupid oaf Hagrid,” Draco said. “He thought it would be a good idea to bring Hippogriffs to our first class.”

“Hippogriffs?” Cath said in surprise.

“Yeah,” he replied. “Harry made a big show of how easy it was for him to gain its respect. I thought I could do it too. But when I approached it, it just attacked me!”

Cath suspected that Draco wasn’t telling her the full truth, but she couldn’t ignore the fact that it would be extremely painful to be attacked by the razor-sharp claws of a Hippogriff. “Well, it could have been a lot worse.”

“It nearly killed me!” Draco snapped.

“I’m glad your alive,” Cath said, feeling frustration and annoyance toward her brother. She didn’t understand how they could be so different.

“I’ve already written a letter to Father and Mother,” he said. “He’ll be furious when he finds out that Dumbledore let that giant teach at Hogwarts.”

Cath felt slightly defensive. Although she didn’t know Hagrid very well, she could tell from their one visit that he had a heart of gold and extensive knowledge about magical creatures.

“I’m sure it wasn’t Hagrid’s fault that the Hippogriff scratched you,” she said reasonably. “It’s not like he set it on you or anything.”

“Who’s side are you on?” he snapped.

“Well, if you weren’t constantly trying to one-up Harry maybe you wouldn’t have been scratched at all. You know it could have been a lot worse,” she replied angrily.

“I see,” he said coldly. “You’re taking his side. You just want the Chosen One to notice you, don’t you?”

“Draco,” she said. Part of her felt embarrassed, but most of all she was angry at Draco for being so selfish. It seemed that every year he found some reason to let his jealousy of Harry get in the way.

“Pathetic,” he shook his head.

“Why are you so jealous of him?” Cath asked. “You’re his friend.”

“Did you come here to visit me or to rub it in your face that you like Harry more than me?” he asked.

“For Merlin’s sake, Draco! That’s not what any of this is about,” Cath was almost at a loss for words.

“Get out,” he said.

“Come on—”

“Leave!” Draco nearly yelled.

Cath sighed in frustration. Draco turned his head away and refused to look at him. She knew he’d come around, as always, but she wished that he didn’t have to be so jealous all the time. Knowing that there was no chance of Draco speaking to her, she turned around to leave without a single feeling of sympathy towards him.

Merlin’s beard, he can be stubborn, Cath thought angrily. Draco could sulk all he wanted, but Cath knew that if she didn’t give him the reaction he wanted, he would come around and act as if nothing had happened. Draco loved being the center of attention, and he loved to be able to influence people who listened to him. If he wasn’t, he acted out like he’d just done to Cath.

As she walked through the doors of the Great Hall, she scanned the table for where she’d left Ginny. She had moved a little further down the table and seemed to be talking to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. Ginny saw Cath approaching them and waved.

“Well?” she asked as Cath sat down next to her. “How is he?”

Seamus and Dean, sitting on the other side of the table, exchanged looks as Cath heaved a frustrated sigh. “He’s fine,” she replied. “It’s not as bad as he made it look.”

“Gave everyone a right scare, that’s for sure,” Seamus commented. “Hagrid tried to warn everyone to be careful around Hippogriffs.”

“He just went right for it,” Dean said.

“I guess he underestimated how dangerous they are,” Cath said, firmer than she intended. As soon as she said it, she wondered why she was defending her brother when she was so upset with him.

Seamus and Dean became very quiet, and Ginny awkwardly cleared her throat. “Well… at least he’ll be okay, I suppose,” she said, clearly trying to help diffuse the tension.

“Yeah,” Cath replied. “I think I’m going to go back to the dorm. I need my Transfiguration textbook.” Before anyone could reply, she stood up and collected the homework that she had left a few seats down. 

Cath had always assumed from what Draco had said in his first year that he was well-liked and popular. She’d never considered the fact that some people might think poorly of him, or dislike him. She’d certainly never had to come to his defence, or feel that she needed to prove him to other people. For what felt like the hundredth time, Cath wondered why her and Draco were so different, and why she was the only Gryffindor in her family when the rest were Slytherins in every sense of the word.

***

The Great Hall was lined with thick, plush sleeping bags, and without the long tables and chairs, it suddenly looked so cavernous and empty. Cath and Ginny huddled close together, as the murmuring students made their way to where their House usually sat at meals. There seemed to be a collective sense of fear and worry, for what had happened earlier that day had nearly sent the school into a panic. 

From what Cath had pieced together from different students, the portrait of the Fat Lady had been slashed to bits earlier that evening. When she was found, she had claimed that Sirius Black had attacked her when she had refused him entry into the Gryffindor Common Room.

“You don’t think he’s really here, do you?” Ginny whispered uncomfortably.

“I don’t know… but I think we have a good reason to think so, if we’re all sleeping in here,” Cath replied. She felt nervous, despite the fact that teachers were keeping watch over them. “What I want to know is why he tried to get into our Common Room.”

“It’s strange, you know,” Ginny said slowly as if putting pieces together. “Dumbledore ordered Dementors, of all creatures, to protect Hogwarts. The same creatures that guard Azkaban. And then Sirius Black breaks into the castle… How did Dumbledore know that he would come here?”

“Maybe there’s something inside the castle that he wants,” Cath suggested.

Both fell silent. Thinking about it would only frighten Cath more, so she turned her focus to the ceiling of the Great Hall, reflecting the dark, swirling skies outside. Now that it was mid-October, the sun set much earlier and although it was only eight o’clock, it was pitch dark out. Cath stared up at the stars, and the nearly-full moon as she drifted off to sleep.

She slept rather restlessly, partly because she wasn’t used to sleeping on the hard ground of the Great Hall with the entire student body around her, and partly because she didn’t want to be caught unaware by a mass murderer.

Cath felt as though she had only just closed her eyes when she awoke to the chatter of students and the rustling of sleeping bags. She had to blink for a moment as she looked up at the sunlight streaming through the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall. Students were beginning to wake up and gather with their houses.

“Gryffindor students, please gather around me!” Percy Weasley called loud and clear, waving his hand in the air.

“Shut up Perce,” Ginny muttered from beside Cath, sitting up and yawning widely. She looked at Cath. “How’d you sleep?”

“Not great,” Cath replied. “I feel like I hardly got a wink.”

“Me too,” Ginny said.

They both got out of their sleeping bags and made their way over to the group of Gryffindor students. Chelsea Bingsley, the Gryffindor Prefect, waved them over.

“Morning girls,” she said with a bright smile. The blue smudges under her eyes betrayed her bright attitude; it looked as though she had hardly slept either. “Breakfast is in the Common Room today. Classes have been canceled.”

“Brilliant!” Ginny said.

Cath heard Ron a little ways off. “I’m starving.”

“How is it that you’re always hungry?” Hermione rolled her eyes.

Cath and Ginny both made their way over to the three of them as the Gryffindor students began to exit the Great Hall.

“Have you heard anything?” Cath asked them.

Harry shook his head no. “Nothing.”

“I suspect the teachers are trying to keep things under wraps,” Hermione said in a low voice. “Just imagine how poorly it would affect their image if the whole school was in chaos. I don’t think we’ll be hearing any details.”

“I imagine Dumbledore’s under a lot of pressure to keep everything under control,” Ron speculated. “I don’t envy him, that’s for sure.”

“Do you think he was actually in the castle?” Ginny asked. “How could he have gotten past all the security measures and the Dementors?"

Cath realized the gravity of what Ginny had just said. If it was true that Sirius Black had entered the castle, gotten through the enchantments on the perimeter of the castle, and survived the Dementors, he had to be one of the most powerful wizards alive.

“You should have seen the Fat Lady,” Ron said. “We were there right after it happened. She was hysterical. I’ve never seen anyone so frightened.”

“That’s enough,” Percy interjected, appearing beside them. “I won’t have you spreading fear among the students.”

Ron rolled his eyes. “Lay off, Percy. I’m only telling them what happened yesterday.”

“What happened is none of your concern,” said Percy sternly.

Ron muttered something very rude under his breath as Percy pushed past them to get to the front of the group. They had arrived at the entrance to the Common Room. Cath and the others were too far back to see the portrait, but they could hear what was going on.

“Greetings, brave comrades!” came a voice from the portrait.

“Good morning, Sir Cadogan,” Percy said. “Everyone, we have decided to appoint Sir Cadogan to… guard the Fat Lady’s post while she is taking a much-needed rest.”

“It is my duty to serve and protect Gryffindor House until death,” the voice said again.

Cath craned her neck to see what was going on. She caught a glimpse of the new portrait and saw a knight in full armor, brandishing a sword and sitting on a very fat and tired-looking pony.

“If you wish entrance, you must present the password,” he said as though it were some sort of dangerous quest.

“Yes, we know,” Percy said shortly. “Oddsbodkins.”

“Bless you!” Fred said, handing Percy a handkerchief.

“The password is oddsbodkins,” Percy repeated.

“I grant you entrance, brave soldiers,” Sir Cadogan said, bowing and swinging open.

“They must have gotten him from the loony bin,” Ron muttered.

One by one, the students crawled through the portrait hole and into the warm Common Room. It was nice to be back in such a familiar place. The fire was roaring, and against one wall was a table full of food.

“Please form an orderly queue!” Percy instructed. He was unsuccessful in his attempts to form a line, as hungry students nearly knocked him over trying to get to the table.

Hermione shook her head in disappointment, giving disapproving looks to students who were trying to budge past each other.

“Cath, would you do me a favour?” Ginny asked. “I’m so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open. Do you think you could save me some food while I go take a nap?”

Cath nodded and Ginny thanked her before heading up the staircase towards the girl's dormitory.

Ron pushed through the crowd, holding his plate piled with food above his head so it didn’t get knocked over. When he saw Cath he walked over to her.

“I’m so glad classes are canceled,” he remarked. “I’ve got this stupid Divination assignment due today that I haven’t started on yet.”

“I was really dreading Potions today,” Cath agreed.

“Gryffindor is having a practice for the match tomorrow. Fancy coming to watch with Hermione and I?” he asked before taking a huge bite of toast and marmalade.

Cath nodded. “I’d love to.”

Despite last night’s events, the students seemed to be in good spirits. Having the day off of classes put nearly everyone in a pleasant mood, and much of the day was spent in the Common Room playing games, studying, and talking excitedly about the Quidditch match a few days away.

#hpff #harry potter #harry potter fanfiction #wizarding world #ao3 writer #ao3 feed #ao3 fic #wattpad #writing #fanfiction #dramione #slow burn #ron weasley #original character #au fic #sirius black #remus lupin #wolfstar #severus snape #malfoys #draco malfoy #It's your choice #fanfiction writer #magic

[the-fox-populi-says]

Written & directed by Fangirl Quarantino

Ao3 has been very Foxphobic in that first I had to wait a whole day for an invite once I decided in the spur of a moment I should really make an account, and then telling me my username did not follow requirements (...it really did?? I swear!). So. Ao3 link might follow when that is fixed but for now, have a direct copy-paste of my latest one-shot. Summary: After an Order meeting runs late during a curfew, Shiro is stuck in Faust Mansion. Mephisto offers to poof him home, but had a few glasses and Shiro does not trust drunk magic. He also doesn't trust drunk opportunist Mephisto conveniently having no guest rooms available, and goes in search of alternative beds. Characters: Shiro, Mephisto, Belial, Ukobach Tags: #There was only one bed #which may have been by design #omg they were curfew mates #adult language #nudity #violence #banter #humour #alcohol #mature #Suggestiveness #no out-right smut #But the Thought is there #and a little #erotic aesphyxiation #never killed anyone #oh wait it did actually #Not this time though #dubious consent #or however you call relocating an unconscious naked person for your amusement but without actually feeling them up #well maybe a little #but with a towel

Enjoy~

“What do you mean, I can't go home?!” Shiro yelled at the unmoved face of the butler.

“Curfew, sir. It's past 9 pm.”

Fuck. That was right- there had been a surge in demon activity lately, and as a counter-measure, the Order had issued a strict no-going-out-after-dark policy. “Oh come on- I'm a professional! Any demon encountering me is in more danger than I am.”

“Even unarmed?” A smug, slightly lilting voice inquired behind his back. Shiro balled his fists, surpressing the urge to use them on the face that voice belonged to.

The same face and voice that had informed him a couple weeks earlier he was no longer allowed to bring firearms to Order meetings. Not since he'd emptied almost an entire magazine into the back of Mephisto's chair after the Osaka incident. Insufficient informants his ass. As if that mission hadn't been payback for the whoopie cushion the week before. As if a round of bullets would even kill the bastard. Wimps.

“Could neither of you have informed me sooner?! I was only sticking around because captain naggy pants over here-” he threw out his entire arm to gesture; “-insisted it would be bad form to leave with all the high-ups still here.”

“Bitte do not yell at my butler- it's not hisch fault you don't know how to use a watch.”

Shiro again considered the use of his fists, but instead opted for a look of Promise over his shoulder at the grinning demon getting up from behind the fancy desk.

“Oh relax, Shiro. I can juscht teleport you home.” “Oh nononono- There will be no. Poofing.” He switched from fists to pointing, and waved a warning finger at Mephisto's raised eyebrows.

“May I ask warum nicht?”

“Because you just had to serve prosecco at your stupid meeting and you have the poorest alcohol tolerance in the world. And a sweet tooth.” The eyebrows shot down, along with the corners of his mouth in an affronted expression.

“I had three glasses!” “Yes, and I can see you swaying from where I stand.”

Not to mention the increased use of German. Shiro folded his arms.

“Last time you looked like that and poofed me somewhere, I ended up in the middle of a rice field because you had sake on your brain.”

Mephisto made a dismissive motion with one hand. With the other he pretended not to grip the edge of the desk for balance.

“I'll juscht concentrate very hard on your apartment, it'll be fine.”

“Oh hell no- I don't wanna end up half inside my shower cabin, or inside a wall. I'm staying here. You have like five hundred rooms anyway.”

He turned around. “Yo Belial, point me to a guest room, would ya.”

No response. The butler looked even stiffer than usual, but bounced his eyes back and forth between the two men as if following a tennis match.

Shiro growled. “What?”

Finally, Belial mustered the courage to speak. “I'm afraid there are currently none available, sir.”

“...What.”

He shot a venomous look at Mephisto, who avoided his gaze and uncharacteristically fumbled with the buttons on his vest.

“I may have... clearedthelaschtonetomakeroomfurmeinecollectionofPokémoncards.”

Of course.

“So make a new one!”

Wrong move. Never order Mephisto around. The somewhat apologetic pout was gone in an instant and replaced by silken lechery.

“Oh now Shiro, you don't want me to use my magic while drunk, do you~?”

“...Seriously.”

“You know, there is another option...” The green eyes briefly slid sideways, returning to the exorcist's face to serve up a very clear and satisfied Suggestion.

Funny, how those three glasses of pink bubbly suddenly seemed to have left his system. Even funnier how there suddenly was a direct, open door from his office to his bedroom.

“...You wish.” Shiro planted his feet firmly on the ground. “Allow me to decline that offer with a resounding Fuck No.”

Mephisto rolled his eyes. “Oh please- I'll likely won't even use it tonight. There's a Voltron marathon on channel 12.”

“Ever heard of the phrase 'tying the cat to the bacon', because that's what me sleeping in your bed would be.”

“You overestimate this cat's interescht in your bacon.”

Waddayaknow. Little bubbly left in there after all. But apparently not so much that he couldn't poof himself into a shimmering baby blue chamber robe.

“Bullshit.” Shiro scoffed. “I've seen you checking out my bacon since the moment it turned legal and probably a good bit before that.”

“Very well.” The demon shrugged, and assumed a leisurely walk towards the pillow nest in front of the tv, with the obvious intent to install himself there for the rest of the night. “You're welcome to find yourself the softest spot of floor, then.”

Shiro sauntered after him, a smirk creeping up on his lips. “Actually, I have a better idea.” The moment Mephisto's satin-clad butt would have touched the pink bean bag, Shiro yoinked it from under him, causing the bony structure to make sudden, harsh contact with the marble tiles.

“Ow! What in-”

“Bed aqcuired. Goodnight.” Bean bag under one arm, Shiro marched off.

Mephisto crawled out of the surrounding pillows, rubbing his back with one hand and carrying murderous intent in his eyes.

“Give that BACK, the show's starting in 2 minutes!”

“If you're so confident about your magic, why don't you make me.”

Wrong move again, yes. But too delectable to pass up on. Shiro grinned, tossing the bean bag back and forth between his hands.

“Unless of course, you feel a bit nervous about your aim while I'm standing right in front of your precious figurine collection.”

A hesitation. Mephisto wavered. Little bubbly left in there after all. ...Dare he? He dared. Shiro stuck out his tongue.

Terrible move. The demon's eyes narrowed, and out of nowhere a yellow rubber ball with red stars flew off a shelf, bounced off the floor and hit Shiro square under the chin. He instantly dropped the bean bag to clasp both hands over his mouth with a pained groan.

“Told you there's nothing wrong with my aim.” A poof, and the bean bag was back in its rightful place: under Mephisto, who took his merry time wiggling himself into the most comfortable position.

“Stop being a crybaby and let me take you home, or enjoy the floor.”

Shiro lowered his hands and scowled at the back of Mephisto's head, and that oh so annoying flippant hand motion illustrating this fight was clearly over and he was the victor. As it should be.

When met with a display that level of self-assured superiority, one can only respond in either of two ways. Admit you lost... Or get petty.

“...Fine, swew you.” Fuck. Difficult to sound convincingly stubborn when his tongue wouldn't work.

“Thewe's bound to be a couch somewhewe. Hey Belial, help me out here, would you.” Finally. “Where's the nearest bed-like structure?”

“Belial, do absolutely not help him.” Asshole didn't even look up, just tapped at the remote.

Belial froze, looking extremely unhappy about being involved in their dispute.

“...Dude, seriously, you're a butler. Helping guests is just as much your job as pampering his childish ass.”

“...” Merely a gaze of concern at his master, and an apologetic look in Shiro's direction, pressing his lips tightly together.

Shiro growled. “Fuckin' bootlicker.”

-Some 25 minutes later-

Mephisto's bedroom doors were thrown open, and a dishevelled Shiro unsteadily leaned against the doorway.

“Back so soon?” Mephisto grinned over his shoulder, a drinking straw clasped tightly between his fangs, but his glee evaporated and he took it out when he caught a better look at the exorcist's state. “What happened?”

Shiro tottered in, bits and pieces falling out of his torn clothes, and rubbing the various cuts on his cheek with the back of his equally mangled hand.

“Wound up in kitchen. Dark. Accidentally knocked over a bowl. Side dish or sum'thin. Ukobach did not appreciate. Told him to calm down. Rain of pasta. You wouldn't believe how sharp uncooked penne can be.”

“Tragic.” The grin returned. “Try not to bleed on any fabrics if you're going to take refuge in here.”

Heartwarming. Shiro was too worn out to dig up some choice insults, but addressed Mephisto with the foulest look he could still muster.

The demon chuckled. “...Or perhaps, just let me send you home?”

Silence. There was probably no alcohol in the glittery cinema soda cup, but who was to say for sure. Also, leaving the mansion somehow felt like a greater defeat than staying in Mephisto's room. Like he hasn't just lost the battle, but was too afraid to even remain on the battlefield.

The demon kept his eyes fixated at the colourful robots on the tv screen, but his ears were perked up attentively, waiting for Shiro's response. When that failed to happen, he closed his eyes and gave another nudge-

“...Or use what might arguably be the best bed in the world~”

Bait? Definitely. But also a lifeline. Shiro bit.

“You mean that bed you do God knows what in? Yuck, no thanks.”

Dramatic sigh for effect before deigning to look him in the eye. “Have you met me? My bed is clean, I assure you.”

Shiro smirked. Such a diva. And a dweeb. “Yeah alright, you probably only ever hump anime pillows anyway.”

The corners of his mouth curled upwards. “Justify your choice however you like, Shiro-pon.”

Boxers and t-shirt wouldn't be too bacon-y for the cat, right? Not while there were still mechas on tv to distract it, at least. Shiro began peeling off his tattered clothes, until Mephisto's ears twitched at the click of his belt unbuckling and he turned sharply towards the exorcist.

“...Excuse me, what do you think you're doing?”

Shiro kicked off his pants and flipped back the blankets. “Using your goddamn bed. Happy now?”

“Absolutely not. Get out.”

What. Shiro stared at the piqued face in disbelief.

“...Are you for real? What the fuck is it now?! In the bed, not in the bed, get in, go away-”

“Oh, you're welcome to sleep in my bed.” Mephisto squinted eyes slid up and down over Shiro's post pasta-fight body and the dirty clothes on the floor in a most disapproving manner. “AFTER you take a shower.”

Shiro's shoulders dropped. “...Really now?”

“Like I said.” He decidly turned back to the screen. “I like my bed clean.”

Shiro had no doubt the demon could sense the middle finger aimed at his back, but there were no bouncing balls or other items interfering with his gesture while he strode into the bathroom and yanked a towel out of the closet.

Frankly, it was not exactly a terrible ordeal to use Mephisto's shower. If he hadn't been that tired, be might have opted to wait for the bath to fill up instead- he eyed the pool-sized structure with a mixture of envy and disgust. Filthy rich bastard.

Filthy rich bastard with a royally equipped shower cabin, though. Shiro turned the knob and waited for the water from the various shower heads to heat up, when a voice from the bedroom yelled over the sound of the streams: “You better not use my expensive shower gel!”

Shiro sighed. “Which one?! They all seem expensive!” They probably were.

“...The gold and pink bottle. Do not touch it.”

Definitely touching it, he picked it up and turned it around in his hand. “Oh lord save me, you know how much I'd like to smell like- vanilla tenderness?? ...Is that how you lure in prey?”

“I'll have you know the ladies love it.”

Shiro snickered. “Oh, I don't doubt that. On them.”

“You bet they do~” The smug retort came drifting from under the door.

Shiro shook his head.

“Are you sure they can't sue you for false advertising, cuz there is nothing vanilla nor tender about you.”

“How would you know?”

...Walked straight into that one.

“...Care to find out~?”

“Eat my ass.”

“Maybe after you washed it.”

Shiro didn't know it was possible to choke on your own tongue while standing. Thank God or whomever that the demon couldn't see how red his face was- though judging by the giggling noises, the shower wasn't enough to drown out his coughing fit.

“Really, you are so wonderfully talented at putting your own foot in your mouth, Shiro~”

“Keep it up and I'll put my foot in your mouth!” He scowled, stepping into the shower while Mephisto burst out in a full-blown laughing fit, fuck knows why. Shiro shrugged it off. This was probably one of those better-off-not-knowing times.

Ah, such a wonderful story~ Heroism, friendship, impossible odds, fantastic machinery... The show had ended and Mephisto zapped away from the commercial break to search for something more interesting. Hm, not much, this late. He shook his cup, the decorative re-useable plastic ice cubes rattling about. All out of drinks. Snacks too. Maybe switch to other entertainment. Come to think of it...

He turned towards the bathroom door. He could hear the water still going. How long had he been in there by now? Five episodes? Seven?

“...As much as I appreciate cleanliness, don't you think you're overdoing it just a scooch?”

No response.

“Don't go telling me you dropped the soap and need help finding it.”

Still nothing. No change in sound whatsoever. Not even one of Deliberately Ignoring You. Odd.

Mephisto rose from his pillow nest and knocked on the bathroom door.

“...Shiro?”

Nothing but the running water. And a strange, light ...grating sound? He opened the door.

“I'd suggest you make yourself decent, but given how much water you're using as well as your general behaviour today that is word obviously not in your dic-”

Oh. Oh dear.

Semi-sitting on the floor of the shower cabin, slouched into a corner, was one sleeping exorcist. Mildy snoring.

Mephisto cocked his head. Strangely adorable, but also annoying. He briefly studied the naked, scratched-up figure. Not a bad look, not at all~ But too easy.

He sighed, and peeled one of his sleeves back to turn off the water. Honestly, rude. He should ask Belial to take care of it. On the other hand... being this troublesome warranted some payback. Payback that would take some effort, but be so much more satisfying than just turning on the cold water right now. Especially since Shiro was known to have a habit of getting violent when woken up suddenly. He didn't fancy risking a cold shower as well. Plus, the mere idea of the face Shiro would make when- He snickered. Yes, a much a more rewarding idea. He snapped his fingers.

“Hmmnnggh...” Shiro rolled over, the filtered light making him vaguely aware that it was morning. He hadn't slept this well in ages, and wasn't planning on letting it end just yet. He pulled the sheets along with him. Comfy. His bed wasn't usually this comfy. Smelled different, too. Did he use a new a laundry detergent? Nope, nope- do not get tricked into thinking just yet. That would wake him. Back to sleep. Savour it.

He pulled the sheets a little more, intent on going full burrito mode. Hm. A little stuck. He groaned at the incooperative blanket, and gave a better yank.

“Don't hog all the covers, please.”

A more effective waking method than a needle in his butt. Shiro shrieked -much to his embarassment- and bolted out of bed. A bed, he now realized, was indeed not of his usual comfort level. In several ways. His embarassment rose even higher when he met the incredibly satisfied eyes of the creature inhabiting the bed. Mephisto's face was about sixty percent teeth as he soaked up the image of the severely shocked man, who was still coming to terms with the fact that no, this was not still part of a nightmare, he was, in fact, awake.

And naked.

Upon that realization, Shiro's brain short-cirquited so completely he did not even attempt to cover himself up. Instead, he just froze, blinking fervently as if hoping the next time he opened his eyes, the lecherous monster, half-dressed in an untied silk gown and lying there as if posing for his portrait as a Roman emperor, would somehow have disappeared.

It took a couple minutes -or hours, by Shiro's reckoning- for the demon to get his fill of this view and bestow the smallest amount of mercy upon him.

“As much as I'd love to hang up a story about tequila, I'm afraid you just fell asleep in the shower. So I dried you off and placed you in here.”

Shiro rebooted.

“You... dried me off??”

“Wouldn't want my best exorcist to catch a cold- or soak my sheets.”

Lanes reopened, the backed-up thought traffic in Shiro's head now started honking impatiently to gain first access to his mouth.

“And you- I- but- it didn't- occur to you- that you could have just WOKEN ME UP?!”

“Frankly I hoped you would wake while I was toweling you off, hovering six feet off the floor... But as usual, you were disappointing.”

Mephisto managed to shrug leaning on one elbow, resting his jaw in his hand. He did not quite manage to look genuinely disappointed.

“You really should work on your comedic timing.”

Shiro's face was bright red, but no longer with embarassment. He was seething, fists and jaw clenched, his white bed hair sticking up as steam rising from his forehead.

“I. am not. your entertainment.”

Mephisto grinned. “Aww, no need to throw in the towel just yet~” His eyes glanced down. “You've got such potential, Shiro...”

WHACK. Instead of a towel, Shiro chose to throw in a pillow. And his full weight and strength to press it over Mephisto's face.

-Epilogue-

Oof. Goodness. Mephisto remained lying down, running a system check on his body. Everything was still there and working, it seemed, but he really should not have let Shiro have his little revenge for quite so long. He had to admit he underestimated the man's strength and how long it would take for his body to pass out from lack of oxygen. Too sidetracked by certain pleasant side-effects, perhaps. He should be more careful about that- Shiro probably hadn't noticed, or he might have indeed woken up with certain parts missing. Or at least damaged. Something still seemed wrong, though. Cold. He sat upright on the mattress. But not in his bed. Or bed chamber.

He blinked. Then shivered. As one tends to do when one wakes up soaking wet, outside. Because someone had dragged the entire mattress, demon included, out to the balcony. In the rain.

“...Oh REAL mature, Shiro!”

He teleported indoors, into a warm, fluffy bath gown, and stared at his expensive mattress through the glass doors of his bedroom. Blasted exorcist. Still...

He summoned his phone, flipped it open, and smiled at his new background picture. Dozens of carefully arranged plushies, and in the middle-

“...Best toy I ever had.”

~The end~

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Curfew: Not at all Corona-inspired~ But isolation makes no sense from an exorcism point of view. However, most demons in canon prefer the dark, so when there's an increase in numbers/reported attacks, a curfew is a logical counter-measure to protect the population. And since exorcists aren't supposed to work alone (*casts stern look at Shiro*), only teams on mission would have permission to walk around at night.

Poor alcohol tolerance & increased German: I strongly headcanon Mephisto's host body is in fact that of the original Faust, and it reverting back to its mother tongue when its language cortex is compromised somehow. I also strongly headcanon all strong demons having an insanely fast metabolism, going by the way Mephisto & Amaimon are always snacking yet skeletal, and this got in fact sort of confirmed by the recent manga chapter where Shiro complains about it in regards to baby Rin. So Mephisto gets drunk easily, but it also wears off rather quickly, unless he keeps drinking.

Don't drink and do magic/ rice fields: For more information, read The End of the Beginning by Superior Dimwit, arc 2: Inferno, chapter 39.

Tying the cat to the bacon: this is a literal translation of a Dutch expression. I cannot justify how exactly Shiro got to know about it, but I sure as fuck can justify its use here. It just fits too well.

Yellow rubber ball with red stars: Also known as a Dragon Ball, of course.

Ukobach: I know he hasn't shown up in the manga (yet), but this is one of those very rare times (maybe the only time) where I think the anime changed something for the better, and there is a good chance Kato is the one who told them the name in the first place, since it's an actual known demon. Either way, Mephisto should totally have some mad monkey five-star chef, in my opinion.

The thing about feet you're better off (not) knowing: Words can have interesting double meanings in other languages. For more information, read chapter 17 of Between the End and the Beginning, once more by Superior Dimwit. Technically, you could argue that the majority of mankind has a foot fetish.

Dropping the soap: I trust everyone to know this one. If not, google it at your own risk.

Violent awakenings: Based on Shiro punching little Shura in the face when she kissed his forehead while he was napping.

Pleasant side-effects of lack of oxygen can include popping a boner and light-headed euphoria. Especially when there's a naked exorcist on top of you. Shiro was right: false advertising indeed.

Plushies & pictures: Y'all remember Rin waking up in Mephisto's bed after going full demon mode in the manga? Although he may have sent his butler to pick up the kid and had the common decency to not him in there naked as he did with Shiro in this fic, there were a number of plushies surrounding Rin when he woke up. All facing up and some placed on top of him. Meaning that they didn't accidentally rolled their way there as he tossed and turned in his sleep- someone definitely placed them there. Cute for now, blackmail for later. Always handy.

#aoex #Ane fanfic #Mephiro #ao no exorcist #fanfiction #mephisto pheles #shiro Fujimoto #scribbles #Fox Populi #oh my god they were curfew mates #Belial #Ukobach

[skia-oura]

Closing Costs

A/N: Just a fun lil fic about the Ben Trio going house hunting :)

ao3

___________________________________________________

CORDALINE GABLES

Senior Sales Associate

[email protected]

Phone  HomeStar Inc. Messaging

 Originally from Fairfax, Old Jersey, Cordaline Gables made her home in Norfolk over a decade ago, and has worked in real estate for nineteen years. She double-majored in Business and Transcendence-Age Architecture at the prestigious University of San Antonio. Her expertise is in finding gems hidden in the crooks and corners of suburban Norfolk, but she is additionally skilled at scouting lovely apartments and homes further away from the city center. When she isn’t matching clients to their dream homes, Cordelia enjoys playing recreational badminton with her partner and taking long walks together with their beloved dog, Sniffles. Please place your trust in Cordelia!

Audio Version             Non-English Versions             Font Adjustment

 -

 New Automated Message: New Customer Application Form

NAME: Torako Lam

PARTNER: Yes [2] ; NAME: Bentley Farkas ; NAME: Tyrone Pines

CHILDREN: No

AGE: 27 ; DOB: June 17 3016

PHONE  EMAIL

PRICE RANGE: Up to $350,000  flexible inflexible

LOCATION: Within [75]km from [Niklakka Labs]

SIZE: 450—600 m2

BD: [3+]        

BTH: [1.5+]    

K: [Yes]          

LR: [No]

GRG: [No]

BY/GDN: [Yes]          

à SIZE: 125—175 m2

ADDITIONAL REQUESTS HERE:

--No dimensional subspaces

--Away from magically-charged hotspots

--Customizable Security Systems

--Garden Shed on premises, please

--Large Windows a Plus

Thank you for accommodating us! We look forward to hearing back about the properties under your purview and making our viewing appointments!

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: Hello from Homestar Realtors!!

RECEIVED: July 19th, 3042

 Dear Torako Lam,

           It’s a pleasure to make your virtual acquaintance! My name is Cordelia Gables, and I’m your HomeStar Inc. appointed estate agent. I look forward to working with you and fulfilling your needs in this new chapter of your life. I have attached a list of five properties that I think may fit your needs. Please view them with your partners and let me know if there are any that don’t fit your specifications so that we may get them out of the way before viewing the homes in person. I await your reply at your earliest convenience!

 Sincerely,

Cordelia Gables

HomeStar Inc. Realtors

 House Profile 1/5:

1345 16th Avenue

Norfolk, VA 68C 22980

4 Beds  | 2 Bath  |  529 m2  | $298,000

[49 img]

 A lovely four-bedroom family home, this property includes high-quality faux-wood flooring, recently renovated wallboard, and a lovely spiral staircase straight out of a 2500’s property magazine. The kitchen boasts a brand-new stove and oven set as well as a state of the art StayFridge™ made from the finest recycled materials from North Africa. The front garden is already blooming with the loveliest daphnes, and the entire property is fenced in by rosebushes. The backyard is perfect for the smallest feet, whether those be of children or beloved pets. Don’t forget the stylish and practical EverExpanding Cabinetry installed in every part of the house—you will never run out of storage space! Each bathroom boasts a shower-tub combo, and the upper floor bathroom comes with gorgeous hand-tiled floors.

House Profile 2/5:

195 St. Phillip’s Crtwy.

Norfolk, VA 68C 22980

3 Beds  | 3 Bath  |  501 m2  |  $311,000

[12 img]

 This three-bedroom, three-story property sits in the center of the city, a mere five-minute’s walk from two elementary schools and ten minutes from the nearest junior high school. While the original structure dates back all the way to 2258, its most recent renovation was completed less than five years ago in 3039. You are certain to love the open kitchen-dining-living room setup that comprises the bottom floor, leaving the remaining three beds and two baths on the upper two floors. Each bedroom has a Magical View Window, with settings that include worldwide destinations as well as the default ‘Real’ setting for those who prefer to stay close to home. Comes with a Laundry Room in an AltBasement. Gardening space and shed included.

 House Profile 3/5:

98 Summer Estates 29¾ th St.

Norfolk, VA 68C 22981

5 Beds  | 2.5 Bath  |  598 m2  | $253,000

[28 img]

             Don’t let this house’s exterior fool you! This customizable and generous home is sure to make you feel a sense of belonging inside with its cozy ethically-sourced carpets, warm ReelWoodTM paneled walls, and burnished staircase leading to a second floor. This home includes a basement for any storage needs as well as an attic! An antique kitchen with a real non-stasis fridge are sure to fill you with longing for older, simpler times away from the busy heyday of modern life and modern worries. While the garden needs some tender love in the front (perfect for those who love a project!), the back hosts two sheds and plenty of space to grow your own produce!

 House Profile 4/5:

637 S. Felicity Dr.

Norfolk, VA 68C 22982

4 Beds  | 2 Bath  |  645 m2  | $290,000

[118 img]

             Comfortably situated in the hilly outskirts of Norfolk, this property will let you live out all your rural life fantasies without sacrificing the conveniences of urban living. Located close to a municipal transport station and within a ten minute’s bike ride of a small neighborhood shopping center, this two-story house boasts an expansive front porch and a balcony off the master bedroom. Each bedroom is larger than average, and each bathroom has a shower/tub room separate from the toilet and wash sink. The kitchen is recently renovated with state of the art appliances included in the price of purchase. The grounds around the property are large enough for both a garden and for outdoor activities such as badminton or good old fashioned tag. A basement provides adequate storage space without the hassle of dimensional subspace installment or upkeep.

 House Profile 5/5:

12841 NE 112th Pl.

Norfolk, VA 68C 22981

3 Beds  | 1.5 Bath  |  398 m2  |  $215,000

[56 img]

             Boasting a reasonably large garden, this cozy home is at the southern end of the city, within convenient distance of a major hospital, a police station, and several schools. Public transportation is not an issue! And neither will be cooking in the quaint kitchenette, set directly across a furnished dining room. One bedroom and half bathroom are on the bottom floor, and the remaining rooms are located on the second floor. Please see the attached images for more information!

 -

 July 19th

KoraTora

I’ve forwarded you the message the realtors sent me. Objections to any of these before I comb through them for my own preferences?

 DipTipTyrone

i still vote we just shack up with the sheep

 KoraTora

Oh my stars dips that’s

we agreed that’s not a possibility

we would literally go insane

 Bentley:

No, we would go mad almost immediately

Yes what Tora said

Um, looking at them, House 1 is out for sure. You sure you specified no extra-dimensional subspaces?

 KoraTora

You know I did

 DipTipTyrone

i got a perfectly good house up there. antique. ud love it. historians dream. excellent neighbors too. dont pry. no drama.

also protip house3 has some srs bad vibes. I think I actually recognize the basement wallpaper, on second thought.

 KoraTora

????

 DipTipTyrone

Yeah, that striping—oh, that was a pretty good one. Didn’t need to answer a call for the following five years.

 Bentley

In that case, I think we’re not going to do house 3, Tora.

 KoraTora

Ohshit

Whaddya mean, Ben?? Don’t want to live there?? It could???? Be fun!!!!

 Bentley

Yeah no

 KoraTora

Roger that, no worries.

So no to 1 and 3, any others problematic?

Oh wait Ben, u might want to take another look at 2 if u haven’t already.

 Bentley

?

What do you mean, it looked fine?

3 stories are good by me

Sure the counters in the kitchen are ugly in the photos but?

 DipTipTyrone

AltBasement and Magic Windows

u wont like them

 Bentley

Oh

Okay, then 1-3 are all out. You good with 4 and 5, Tora? Dip?

 KoraTora

Yeah I hated 2’s counters too

So I’m good with checking 4 and 5 out for now.

We can always see others after this too!!

 DipTipTyrone

youre the ones actually living there

 KoraTora

Don’t u start on that mister

ur living with us, even if you’re not always around

 Bentley

It’s gonna be your home too, you know

Anyways, I can make time for an appointment next week, Tora, so don’t worry about timing on my end too much

They keep trying to send me home early anyways. Keep talking about PTSD and resting and whatever.

 KoraTora

What happened??

I will drag you home

And lay on you

And make you rest

 Bentley

Nothing happened!! They’re just worried

All the time

…Dipper you did not show up at the front desk.

This is not a good place for you

Dipper

 KoraTorako

Dipper yes!!

But also no!!!!!!

 DipTipTyrone

We’ll be home soon.

Love you.

 KoraTorako

<3

But also that was dumb shit you just pulled

 -

Appointment Notice

7/21/42

SSA: Gables, ID 980039385

CLIENT: Torako Lam +2, ID 64239

PROPERTIES: House #4428, House #6609

START TIME: 10:30, from HomeStar Inc. HQ

END TIME: 12:30, SPECIAL ALLOWANCE Late Lunch Hour, Gables, ID 980039385

NOTES:

Will initially view House #4428 before venturing out to the outskirts of Norfolk to view House #6609. Hopefully one suffices; if not, consider suggesting Houses #1103, #4345, and #3327.

Potentially choosy clients.

 -

 Shari Ndadia, 11:28 AM

Cords, I heard you’re back early?

What happened?

 Cordelia Gables, 11:29 AM

My intuition was right, they are uncannily choosy clients

We didn’t even make it into 4428 before one of them stopped still and said ‘No.’

 Shari Ndadia, 11:29 AM

Holy shit

What??

What was it?? It couldn’t have been the exterior. It was so nice in the pics I’ve seen.

You always snatch up the nice ones.

 Cordelia Gables, 11:30 AM

Apparently

The InvisiFence was too magical

 Shari Ndadia, 11:30 AM

What the?

But, like, almost all the houses in Norfolk proper have InvisiFences?

 Cordelia Gables, 11:30 AM

Exactly

Which is why I thought ‘oh thank God we’ve got 6609, no InvisiFence’

And it went well at first, but then I told them about the security system

And the tall one was like ‘oh no’

And I was also like ‘oh no’

 Shari Ndadia, 11:32 AM

Wait

Wait

You’re still at square one with these clients?

 Cordelia Gables, 11:32 AM

Yes.

 Shari Ndadia, 11:32 AM

You? Queen of Sales?

She Who Strikes Yes On At Least One Initial Property?

 Cordelia Gables, 11:33 AM

Like I said: choosy.

 Shari Ndadia, 11:33 AM

What was wrong with the security system?

 Cordelia Gables, 11:33 AM

Not customizable

Though to be fair

They probably were only going to give that house a maybe

They weren’t too thrilled about the stasis fridge

 Shari Ndadia, 11:35 AM

…choosy.

I wish you luck with them. You going to go through our backlog of communal properties yet?

 Cordelia Gables, 11:36 AM

I’m not that desperate yet.

 -

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: Issue with Client Lam [64239]

RECEIVED: July 30th, 3042

Mx. Pinkflax

           I regret to inform you that I have truly exhausted all of our listed properties for Client Lam and her partners. They have refused everything I have offered; I wonder myself if the property they want even exists within Norfolk. Between their confusing and adamant disdain for any kind of dimensional subspace (including things as mundane as storage spaces) and their insistence on customizable security systems, as well as their avoidance and hesitance around any kind of technology that involves stasis in any way, shape, or form, it has been impossible to fulfil their needs with the properties available to us.

           My suggestion moving forward is to either assign them to another Realtor within HomeStar, or to transfer their entire application to another company. If I recall correctly, you are on friendly terms with Lindquist Realtors. Perhaps something in their directory will suffice.

 Sincerely

Cordelia Gables

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: RE: Issue with Client Lam [64239]

RECEIVED: July 30th, 3042

Cordelia,

           Are you sure there’s nothing? You’ve gone through the communal backlog? I’ve looked over the application and I have some thoughts. What about House #7421? Or #8577? They’re a bit above price range, but I believe they could work.

 Olive Pinkflax

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: RE: Issue with Client Lam [64239]

RECEIVED: July 30th, 3042

Mx. Pinkflax,

           With all due respect, I have met with this trio every day for the last week. I dug into the backlog. I have recommended over 50 properties and shown them about a third of those. I was close with #4443, but the damn pet flap and subspace pet room killed it. If I don’t get a break from dealing with these very nice, very terrible clients, I will explode. The brown haired one has taken to very poorly concealed laughter whenever the hoodie-mask one refuses to set foot on the property. I cannot.

           If you have ideas of properties that would suffice, please be my guest. It would be nice to get back into the practical side if things, wouldn’t it?

 Sincerely,

Cordelia Gables

 -                              

 OLIVE PINKFLAX

Senior Realtor

[email protected]

Phone  HomeStar Inc. Messaging

 Born and raised in Norfolk, Olive Pinkflax hasn’t always wanted to be in the real estate business. They studied History of Architecture and Design in Georgia at the University of Savannah with the intent of pursuing a career in either graphic design or interior decorating. They then went abroad to work at non-profit agencies for a total of five years—in which the job market back home changed, largely at the fault of the Recession of 2978. Due to a lack of job openings, however, they eventually took a secretarial position at UniqNorfolq, a small real-estate business. There, they learned the tools of the trade due to insufficient staffing. By 2995, UniqNorfolq had become HomeStar under Pinkflax’s capable hand. While still small, they have grown the company into a name synonymous with quality, perseverance, and dedication to their clients. When not busy at their company, Pinkflax enjoys painting at home and doting on their pet rat, Squeakums.  

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 Client Transfer Notice, HomeStar Inc. Realtors

7/30/42

CLIENT: Torako Lam +2, ID 64239

ORG SSA: Gables, ID 980039385

NEW SSA: Pinkflax, ID 980012114

REASONING:

Client Lam and her partners have proven to be challenging cases. As this is the case, I have decided that the current best course of action would be to handle their properties personally. Attached to their case file are a list of all the properties that they have been recommended and shown, as well as notes describing their reasons for discontinuing interest. I am open to collaboration and ideas.

Pinkflax

 -

 July 31st

KoraTorako

We’ve been transferred to another Realtor at HomeStar, guys. Apparently it’s the owner of the company.

Bentley

I was afraid this would happen.

We’re being so picky.

DipTipTyrone

Better to be picky now and end up with what we want later!

A quickly made deal is always worse for the receiving party. Better to bide our time.

KoraTorako

Yeah, what Dip said

Also, of course we’re picky??? We’re traumatized.

We’re allowed to be picky, even if they don’t know why.

Bentley

I mean…I could live with a subspace we’d never use, I guess

KoraTorako

No

DipTipTyrone

No

Bentley

Why??

It’s my hangup

KoraTorako

You’re already compromising on stasisware

Bentley

We can always replace that!!

KoraTorako

So?? It still makes you super uncomfortable for completely valid reasons.

I still think we shouldn’t compromise on that.

Bentley

If we didn’t compromise on that

There would be nothing in Norfolk

I’m starting to think there is nothing with our current demands

The house on Clement was cute, wasn’t it? It was nice!

DipTipTyrone

It had the subspace pet flap

Bentley

That we’d never use!!

KoraTorako

You looked ready to start sparking

Or glittering

And also you had that ‘I’m on the edge of reexperiencing all of my recent traumas’ face on

Bentley

If I can deal with everything in daily life

I can deal with a pet flap

KoraTorako

But it’s our home

You shouldn’t have to deal with it at home

This is supposed to be a safe space.

DipTipTyrone

Home isn’t daily—ok Torako got me.

Bentley

It’d be better than the apartment we’re living in right now

Which

If you remember

Is where I got kidnapped from

DipTipTyrone

I do keep mentioning we can live with the Sheep

KoraTorako

You make a fair point, Bentley But also, this is a house we’re going to be in for a long while

Let’s make it worth it, ok?

Bentley

I

Fine, whatever

KoraTorako

I don’t want us to live here either

If we need to we can, I don’t know, AirDrop an apartment for a couple months

Keep our stuff in the apartment so that we don’t have to move it all immediately

We can make this work, Ben. We can have our steak and eat it too.

…

Bentley?

 -

Appointment Notice

8/03/42

SSA: Pinkflax, ID 980012114

CLIENT: Torako Lam +2

PROPERTIES: House #7421, House #8577, House #2468, House #1697

START TIME: 12:30, departure from HomeStar Inc. HQ

END TIME: 15:30, departure either from House #1697 or from HomeStar Inc. HQ in best case scenario

Starting with Houses #8577 and #7421 on the very outskirts of Norfolk, we will work our way into the center of town where both House #2468 and #1697 are located. None of the properties have any listed subspace technology integrated into the premises, none of them have magically-powered fences or windows, and only one comes equipped with a stasis fridge. Will make offer to replace fridge with an older but still highly functional device free of charge if the property is accepted.

 -

Client Profile Update

DATE:8/03/42

CLIENT: Torako Lam +2 [Bentley Farkas, Tyrone Pines]

CLIENT ID: 64239

CLASSIFICATION: Buyer

SPECIFICATIONS: Listed below

…

PROPERTY RECORD:

SSA: Gables, ID 980039385

 House #1212: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: Extra-dimensional installations and heavy reliance on Magitech Appliances. [detail: Kitchen Appliances, Cabinetry]

 House #3958: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: Extra-dimensional installations and heavy reliance on Magitech Appliances. [detail: Alternative Basement, Windows]

 House # 2249: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: Basement wallpaper and house history. [detail: 2950’s owners were heavily involved with the Cult of Futures Past, Decorative Preferences]

 House #4428: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Heavy reliance on Magitech Appliances [detail: InvisiFence surrounding property. Client Farkas refused to cross the boundary, saying “No” nearly immediately. Apparently sensitive to magical energy. Caution moving onwards is advised.]

 House #6609: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Security System installed in the property is incapable of being customized. [detail: Client Lam has expressed that a non-customizable security system is out of the question. Furthermore, Client Farkas expressed discomfort with the Stasis Fridge. Caution moving onwards is advised.]

 House #1033: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: Interior did not align with Client Decorative Preferences. [detail: shag carpeting, loud wallpaper, windows too small]

 House #3290: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: Security System installed in the property is incapable of being customized.

[detail: Client Lam somehow pieced together the security code engraved around all the doors and windows, researched it, and discovered that the code is unalterable without starting over completely from scratch. IE, a warding expert carefully sanding down the inscribed code and then re-installing it to customer specifications. The House Profile has since been updated. Client Lam has since expressed that she would be open to having an initially insecure home to make secure herself. Uncertain if actually qualified to do such work.]

 House #5533: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Household Electrical Wiring is too reliant on MagiTech. [detail: Client Farkas, again, expressed his distaste with the whole affair immediately upon entering the house by saying, “No,” and walking out again. How he noticed the wiring through solid wall is a mystery for the ages. Sensitivity to magic alone cannot explain it.]

 House #7567: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Interior did not align with Client Decorative Preferences. [detail: Upon seeing the decoratively engraved floorboards up close, Client Pines recoiled and uttered, verbatim, “The day I spend any significant amount of time in this accursed home is the day I lay waste to the whole of humanity.” Apparently the script contains excerpts from the original Twin Souls literature. Housing detail has been accordingly updated.]

 House #2675: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: Interior did not align with Client Decorative Preferences. [detail: Apparently, Clients Lam, Farkas, and Pines are not fans of rooster-themed kitchen décor.]

 House #1181: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Basement too reliant on MagiTech and extra-dimensional subspace technology. [detail: The basement was a secret basement. Client Pines stared at the living room floor for an uncomfortably long time before raising his head and telling the SSA, “You might want to be careful opening that.” Property Owner has since been alerted and advised to proceed with caution.]

[UPDATE 7/29: Property has been pulled from the market while police reopen a case and conduct an investigation.]

 House #4482: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: Interior did not align with Client Preferences. [detail: 3 bedrooms minimum is non-negotiable and the bathrooms were too cramped]

 House #5319: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: Interior did not align with Client Decorative Preferences. [detail: They don’t like the color of the walls. Note to stay away from overly bright greens and yellows in the future.]

 …

[scrolling]

…

 House #5497: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: House Address. [detail: like many other clients before them, the prospects of living at 6969 Dickinson Straightway appear to have caused the clients to decline this particular property.]

 House #9569: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Building Materials not up to Client Standards. [detail: After showing the clients around the property for fifteen minutes, Client Lam hummed, squinted her eyes at the nearest window, and said, “Does that window look like somebody could break through it to you two?” The next five minutes were spent by Clients Lam and Pines discussing the fragility of triple-reinforced glass against various potential weapons, tools, etc {not limited to but including demonic powers, a bazooka, and a thumbtack} while Client Farkas sat down on the floor, put his gloved hands over his face, and muttered a nearly unintelligible “I’m sorry” to presumably the SSA. These clients are hopeless.]

 House #4443: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Pet Flap and Pet Room are too reliant on extra-dimensional subspaces. [detail: Client Farkas stared at the pet flap, turned around, and put his hand on the SSA’s shoulder before saying, “No,” and walking out. Housing information has since been updated to include the unlisted Pet Room.]

 House #3944: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: Unclear. [detail: Client Lam, in the emailed response, simply said, “Look, we’re all tired and this house is too square(?) for {Client Pines}, so we’re just gonna give it a couple days before trying again.”]

[SSA is going to file for a transfer of client.]

 SSA: Pinkflax, ID 980012114

 House #7421: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Distance.

Detail: Too far from nearest transporter station.

SSA Comments: Clients appeared pleased with most aspects of the house. As per SSA Gable’s consultation, Client Lam appears most concerned with matters of household security. Client Farkas is harder to read, due to constantly wearing sunglasses, a hoodie, and a surgical mask despite the weather, but does not hesitate to make his opinions clear. Client Pines is…a mystery.

 House #8577: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Décor, House Layout, Location.

Detail: Housing does not come with security, but the spackled walls and ceiling are apparently difficult to do the variety of warding Client Lam is used to. Layout is, according to Client Pines, confusing. House 8577 is also apparently on the edge of a minor magical hotspot, as Client Farkas has confirmed.

SSA Comments: The difficulty in getting the clients a suitable home is evident. Client Farkas appears to be the biggest wildcard, despite his consistency in what he refuses. There simply does not seem to be a reliable way to ensure that the properties will not set him against them and are simultaneously up to other standards shared by all three clients.

 House #2468: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: House Size, presence of Extra-Dimensional Subspace, Décor.

Detail: At 780m2, the premises were too large for upkeep. While Client Pines seemed to disagree, offering to do more cleaning in exchange for snacks and ice cream, both Client Lam and Client Farkas weren’t convinced enough to ignore the décor (the elaborate crown molding is too “ostentatious” and “creepy,”) and certainly not when the non-disclosed extra-dimensional subspace was discovered in a false wardrobe.

SSA Comments: After the clients left, I investigated. Inside the subspace, kept pristine likely only by the fact that time does not pass quickly within those places, was an additional bed and a luxurious bathroom. The style of bedsheets and drapes indicates that the subspace was installed nearly a century ago, which seems odd seeing as subspaces in those days were unstable and tended to disintegrate. On a different note, this time it was both Clients Pines and Farkas who balked at the presence of the subspace. Take note to pay more attention to reactions in the future, and to survey properties properly before visitations.

 House #1697: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Security System.

Detail: Client Lam disagreed with the validity and effectiveness of the existing security system, and upon a close study of it (25 minutes), declared that it would be too difficult to properly alter and that removal would only be slightly easier.

SSA Comments: I would pay for the removal myself if it made these clients buy the house. There were no other issues with it. Upon my making the offer out loud, Client Lam laughed and said, “No, no, that’s all right! I’d rather find something a little more ready first!”

 House #2292: Declined w/o viewing.

Reasoning: House Layout.

Detail: House is built like a townhome, with a main room and bathroom on each of its 5 levels; Clients professed concern regarding the kitchen being on a separate floor from the living and dining room.

SSA Comments: Unfortunate. The building fit all of their specifications—the security system installed is simple to both customize and remove, there are miraculously no extra dimensional spaces on premises, and the only significant presence of magical technology in the entire property is the mailbox, which can be replaced at a very low cost. We investigated ourselves. Client Lam, their partnership’s point of contact, did say that it was a close call, but that ultimately they would only purchase when completely satisfied.

 House #1357: Viewed, but declined.

Reasoning: Décor.

Detail: Client Pines felt the colors were too ‘smorple’ and ‘floreen’ and several other descriptors that do not appear in any dictionary. When asked if he had noticed the issues when viewing the profile sent to them, he confessed that the colors simply ‘were different in person.’ Client Lam agreed that she didn’t appreciate the tile flooring in the kitchen. Client Farkas was quiet.  

SSA Comments: I hate to admit it, but I know a lost cause when I see one. Do they even want a house?

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Attached: ClientRecord64239.qbf

SUBJECT: A Professional Request

RECEIVED: August 7th, 3042

Dearest Qilar,

             I hope that this message finds you well. How is your family doing? I (and Squeakums, for that matter) look forward to our bi-weekly dinner and movie. I know you’ve discussed that the last full moon has left you feeling worn out, and I look forward to relaxing with you for a night.

           I write this message in the hopes that you would be amenable to taking on a client of ours. Unfortunately, we have been incapable of finding a property that would completely satisfy their desires. We have exhausted our listings. I know that you have several properties in Norfolk, and even those close to major terminals outside of Norfolk. I also know that you like a challenge.

           Attached is the client file for your information. Names and personal information have, of course, been redacted. They will be readable upon your agreement to take these clients on. The clients have of course been notified about this possible course of action. Should you decline this case, I would be more than understanding.

 Well wishes to you and yours,

Olive Pinkflax

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: Welcome to your experience at Lindquist Realtors!

RECEIVED: August 10th, 3042

 Dear Ms. Lam,

           Hello. My name is Qilar Lindquist. You and I have not had the pleasure of meeting, but I am sure that when we do, it will be wonderful. As you may know, my good friend Mx. Pinkflax conveyed to me their concerns that they didn’t have the property best suited to you in their register. However, with access to a larger company such as Lindquist Realtors, they hoped that you would have more success. If you are still obliging, I am more than happy to take you and your partners on as clients of Lindquist Realtors. It would be thrilling to find you the house you and your partners have been dreaming of. Please respond to this message as soon as you are capable, so that we may begin the process.

 Sincerely,

Qilar Lindquist

Lindquist Realtors

 -

 QILAR LINDQUIST

Senior Realtor

[email protected]

Phone  Lindquist Realtors Homepage

Alternative Display Options

             While not born and raised in Norfolk, Qilar Lindquist has been settled in this fine city for the past 20 years. A born werewolf, Qilar has always wanted to follow his parents’ footsteps. He succeeded as well, opening up a new branch of Lindquist Realtors in Norfolk at the tender age of 28. He studied business, architecture, and chemistry at the University of Des Moines. Intelligent, quick-witted, and charming, Qilar Lindquist is dedicated to serving his clients in any way he can. Outside of work, he is involved with the local community theater and can be found volunteering at various non-profit goodwill organizations around the city. His husband often joins him in these endeavors.  

 Back to Realtor Biographies Homepage

 -

 August 13th, 3042

Chat with Saint Akuapem

6:36 PM

Thank you for the scones the other day. Hepsa enjoyed them.

So did I.

How is house-hunting going?

6:59 PM

Sorry, still working that Thompson case.

Thanks for working with me on it.

And the house hunting’s not going so great.

7:12 PM

Of course. You’re bright. I like hearing your input.

Just not situated to be a public officer of the law.

What with your friend.

7:13 PM

I know.

7:13 PM

I’m sorry to hear it is not going as well as hoped.

Would you like to talk about it?

7:14 PM

The realtor company you recommended couldn’t find anything for us

So we’ve been transferred to another realtor.

7:15 PM

Nothing? Really?

What realtor?

7:15 PM

Yeah, nothing. Lindquist Realtors.

7:16 PM

Hepsa says they are good. You are in good hands.

7:16 PM

Yeah, we had our first house hunting today.

I’m just worried it’s going to go nowhere here as well.

7:18 PM

Sorry for saying but. I find that hard to believe.

You will find a house.

What are your specifications?

7:19 PM

Ummm 3 BR 2 BTH Defs LDK

450-600 SQM

Garden with like 100-200 SQM?

No Magitech if possible, no exdim subspaces at all

Security system gotta be customizable or not there at all

We can be a little picky with décor sometimes

And house gotta be sturdy

There’s probably something else

7:26 PM

I see.

That would be difficult.

Are you willing to compromise on anything?

7:27 PM

Price. I put down 350k but if it gets me the house I want

Then I’ll pay more.

7:27 PM

Understood.

Where are you staying now?

7:27 PM

Still in the apartment

Got the lease to finish

Hate it but until we have somewhere else

7:29 PM

…how is Bentley?

7:29 PM

He’s stressed.

With the house, and being here

He’s always having nightmares

So tired all the time

Insists on going to work though and I cant talk him out of it

I want to get a house for him

But I don’t want him to have to deal with all the shit he is in the apartment

He doesn’t see himself as important enough to take care of, sometimes

So I have to take that into account

7:32 PM

What exactly is going on, Torako?

How is Bentley not taking care of himself?

7:32 PM

Like, it’s not that I don’t understand where hes coming from

I get that I might be being a bit unreasonable

But he keeps saying ‘oh I can just DEAL with having an exdim subspace in the house’

‘never mind that it’s a huge trigger for all my trauma’

‘and that I sometimes cant stop looking at it just to make sure its still there and im still on the reality side of things’

‘ill just wear my magic-cancelling glasses all the time’

‘and be unable to sleep from the headache’

‘it’s not that big of a deal, torako, let’s have the magitech here that hurts to look at too much’

‘who cares, it’s just a fridge torako!! Not like it was used to TRANSPORT ME to a FOREIGN COUNTRY so that a MADMAN could CONDUCT EXPERIMENTS ON ME to the point that I almost took FATALLY DRASTIC ACTION’

He keeps saying he’ll just put up with his trauma like it’s a minor inconvenience!!

And he shouldn’t have to do that.

Not in a house that’s our own.

7:36 PM

Bentley was what now.

7:36 PM

Oh right

You didn’t know that part

7:36 PM

You went to get him.

7:36 PM

of course

I love him

7:36 PM

Therapy?

7:36 PM

Bentley? Yeah.

Hell of an NDA.

7:37 PM

No, you.

7:37 PM

She’s the only other person who knows everything.

Like, everything everything.

wait what?

7:37 PM

Torako.

I think you’re not doing as well as you think you are.

7:37 PM

Bentley was tortured

I wasnt

7:38 PM

I’ll believe you on that.

But you still devoted yourself to finding him.

And he was tortured, and you have to deal with the consequences of that too.

7:38 PM

???

7:39 PM

You sound stressed, Torako.

And scared.

7:39 PM

Maybe a little

But Bentleys more important rn

7:40 PM

I would say you’re both equally important.

Sorry, Torako, Hepsa is calling me; we’re going to a late night movie.

I’ll keep my eye out for you.

7:40 PM

OK

Thank you

I really appreciate it

 -

 Client Profile Update

DATE:8/15/42

CLIENT: Torako Lam +2 [Bentley Farkas, Tyrone Pines]

CLIENT ID: IMP64239

CLASSIFICATION: Buyer

CAUTION: PICKY, SPECIFIC, UNCOMPROMISING

SPECIFICATIONS: Listed below

…

LINDQUIST REALTORS PROPERTY RECORD:

SSA: Lindquist, ID 109A854D

…

…

NEW UPDATES 8/15/42

 HOUSE ID: 798A 209X

ADDRESS: 389 West Hampton Drive

SELLER: Mx. Adelaide Hanson

STATUS: DECLINED

NOTES: Unfortunately, despite attempts to the contrary, the clients were not impressed with the security system. We discussed it at length at Lindquist Realtors and felt it sufficient, but Client Lam insisted quite sternly that she needed to have full control over the system. RapierSolutions is a top of the line system. I tried to convey that to Client Lam, but she refused to hear sense. “I need to be able to alter it,” she said. “If I can’t alter it, it’s a no-go—especially with those weak windows and the shallow hinges on the entryways.” Mx. Pinkflax was not kidding around when they said Client Lam was a bit controlling over safety specifications. Possible paranoia?

 HOUSE ID: 665D 187L

ADDRESS: 9821 NW 4736 PL

SELLER: Mr. and Ms. Nakatani

STATUS: DECLINED, INACTIVE

NOTES: We combed the premises for subspaces personally. Nevertheless, Client Farkas quietly pointed out that there was a secret bunker hidden under the premises, and that it spanned the entire property. While he hastened to assure us that it wouldn’t be that much of an issue, Client Lam overheard and insisted that they wouldn’t buy any property with extradimensional subspaces. When Client Farkas attempted to tell his partner that they weren’t going to use that garden gate anyways, Client Lam shut him down. Client Pines also wandered over from where he was inspecting the brick wall of the garden, said “This place might be cursed,” and waved his partners cheerily off of the premises.

Upon notifying the authorities as required by law that there may or may not be a curse on the premises, the police shut down the premises. Any attempt to contact Mr. and Mrs. Nakatani beyond alerting them to the existence of the subspace has been unsuccessful.

UPDATE: the extradimensional basement is now the scene of a crime. 665D 187L is now under government jurisdiction.

 HOUSE ID: 278K 396V

ADDRESS: 421 Wildstar Avenue

SELLER: Mr. Fegelhorn and Mr. Gil

STATUS: DECLINED

NOTES: Client Lam, predictably, criticized the ‘astounding lack of security’ in the warding system, the ‘structural instability’ of a perfectly good cellar window, and the presence of a stasis fridge on the premises. Client Farkas was silent. Client Pines said that he ‘liked the staircase’ but that the upstairs bathroom tub was ‘too small for his preferences.’ Naturally, the clients declined the home.

 HOUSE ID: 525P 792S

ADDRESS: 98 Maplefarm S. Street

SELLER: Mrs. Polinski

STATUS: DECLINED, INACTIVE

NOTES: Surprisingly, it was not Client Lam or Client Farkas who had reason to decline the property. This is probably because Client Pines, five steps past the garden gate, hissed and bodily hauled his partners away from the grounds. When asked what the matter was, he snarled out in the most terrifying voice something about unquestionable evil and the screams of the undead. As required by Law, we have notified the authorities.

UPDATE: Property is now under police jurisdiction. Norfolk Government Demonologists and Exorcists evacuated the entire block for a full 48 hours. It seems Mrs. Polinski was being possessed by a terribly old demon, Hyutgen the Voracious and had been for an undetermined amount of time.

What is up with these Clients and finding horrific crime scenes?

-

August 15th, 3042

Chat with Handsome <3 <3 <3

5:28 PM

Darling, what’s up?

You seem to be staying late at the agency today

As of late, really.

Is it The Clients?

5:57 PM

I’m so sorry.

Yes, it is.

This is much more difficult than anticipated.

Olive called it a challenge and I was foolish enough to think I had it in the bag.

The Clients are insatiable.

There’s always something wrong with the properties. Always.

And they keep uncovering properties as crime scenes??

6:03 PM

I’m so sorry darling.

6:03 PM

I don’t know if I can do this anymore, Bayani.

I’m so tired.

I’ve shown them over 30 properties, personally.

6:04 PM

Do you want to talk it out?

I can get your favorite dinner together

We can curl up on the couch

Put on some Strandson

6:05 PM

You know what?

Yeah.

Yeah, that sounds nice.

I’ll be home in 10 minutes.

6:06 PM

See you soon <3

6:06 PM

<3 <3

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBKECT: Realtor Change Notification

RECEIVED: August 16th, 3042

 Dear Ms. Lam,

           My apologies in advance for the contents of this email, though I hope it finds you well. Unfortunately, due to my position as head of company, I am unable to continue being your Realtor. I have transferred you to the care of one of my very capable senior agents. Mx. Ya-en. I hope that you understand, and that Mx. Ya-en can see to your needs better than I have.

 Sincerely,

Qilar Lindquist

Lindquist Realtors

 -

 HARLEY YA-EN

Senior Realtor

[email protected]

Phone  Lindquist Realtors Homepage

Alternative Display Options

             Harley Ya-en, despite xir elderly age of 84, is one of Lindquist Realtor’s most capable senior Realtors. A psychic who can read auras, Harley Ya-en is capable of anticipating the client’s needs and emotions. This allows Mx. Ya-en practical insight into which properties will suit a buying client’s needs. Xe also has a wealth of knowledge regarding the Norfolk area due to living here for the past 50 years, and is a font of trivia sure to satisfy the most curious of souls. Xe lives with xir husband and wife, and enjoys taking road trips—

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: LOL NO

RECEIVED: August 17th, 3042

 Qilar,

           Holy fucking shit you do not pay me enough for this. You have to transfer them. I cannot work with these clients.

Sincerely,

Harley

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: RE: LOL NO

RECEIVED: August 17th, 3042

 Harley,

           What happened?? What did they do??

 Qilar

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: RE: LOL NO

RECEIVED: August 17th, 3042

 Qilar,

           They didn’t do anything in particular. They’re just impossible clients—I’m thinking it’s not even their fault, entirely—and I have read their file. Even with that, I was hesitantly down for the challenge until I saw their auras and interacted with them today. I am Not Doing It. I am too old for this. Give me another assignment.

 Sincerely,

Harley

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: RE: LOL NO

RECEIVED: August 17th, 3042

 Harley,

           I’m sorry, I need more explanation than this to take you off immediately. I handled a week. So can you. You can’t use your age as an excuse all the time.

 Qilar

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: RE: LOL NO

RECEIVED: August 17th, 3042

 Qilar,

           Fine: here it is.

           I only got the two Clients. Client Pines was, as they said, out on important business, who knows when he’ll be back. Something was fishy about that but okay, I won’t pry, and these two are setting me off on edge a little as is so maybe it’s just that.

           Then the more I interact with them, the more I realize that Client Farkas’s aura is just fucking weird. Bananapants, CocoNutPuffs, whatever you want to call it. It’s all muddled and patchy and a headache and a half to read. It’s like somebody took his aura, threw out most of it, and stuffed a bunch of excess aura in to fill the gaps. There’s no way he was born like that, and there’s no way whatever happened was pretty (or probably even painless). He’s definitely trying, though, so I figured aight, we’ll see if we can’t compromise with this whippersnapper.

           The problem is Client Lam.

           Client Lam doesn’t want to be pleased. Client Lam, for whatever reason, is terrified. And overprotective of Client Farkas. And she’s absolutely looking for reasons to be disappointed, or she’s at least seeing shadows where there are none. We could present Client Lam with a fortress and she wouldn’t be satisfied. My bet is that whatever happened to Farkas’s aura was traumatizing, and Lam was impacted by that trauma. I showed her two viable properties at excellent prices with wonderful locations and an astounding lack of extradimensional pockets or Magitech gadgets, and she found fault with them. Neither were crime scenes, thankfully.

           You may want to assign them with somebody who has experience—but you could also use this opportunity to show some junior realtors how tough clients can be. Also, the junior realtors might not be so entrenched in the practice, and they could have some excellent ideas.

           Or you could just…send these clients to somebody else. Your choice. I’m just not dealing with it. They’ll drive me into an early grave if I take this too seriously, and you know how I get.

 Sincerely,

Harley

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: Realtor Change Notification

RECEIVED: August 18th, 3042

 Dear Ms. Lam,

           Hello! What a pleasure it is to meet you. I’m writing to inform you that unfortunately, Mx. Ya-en is unable to continue handling your case. The upside is that I am able to do so in xir stead! My name is Amar Shirvani, and I’m going to be handling your case from now on. I’m excited to work with you and your partners, and hope that you are as excited to work with me! I promise I will do my best to help you achieve your housing dreams!

 Yours,

Amar Shirvani

Lindquist Realtors

 -

 AMAR SHIRVANI

Junior Realtor

[email protected]

Phone  Lindquist Realtors Homepage

Alternative Display Options

             Native to Norfolk, Amar Shirvani is the youngest member of Lindquist Realtors at 22 years old. He recently graduated from the Offet University of Business with honors. While not the most experienced, Amar brings exuberance and creative thinking to the team at Lindquist Realtors. He has been involved with volunteer work from early childhood due to his parents—

 -

 TweetyFlaps Trending

#clientwoes

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself

@Silverforks

So I’ve got a kind of sort of customer service job, right. And so far it’s been fine! I’ve had ok clients. And then Bossman slides me a paunchy one cross the table and I start to understand #clientwoes for the first awful real time. 1/ 10:48 AM        23 AUG 3042

______________________________________________________________________

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself                            

Replying to @Silverforks

2/ i know from the start its gonna be a Ride. Like, chalk and candles intensity. Client file is thicc w/rejected properties (im in housing). But I’m game!! Im always game, you know me haha. Unfortunately… 10:50 AM        23 AUG 3042

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself                            

Replying to @Silverforks

3/ these are clients from hell. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were actually demons in disguise. Here to torture me. For something. I aint actually ever summoned nothing. But like, it’s unreal how BAD this exp has been. 10:51 AM        23 AUG 3042

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself                            

Replying to @Silverforks

4/ for 1, they all look normal expt one of them. Head to toe, covered. Would think was vampire, but that’s usu specified in reports. Nobody’s seen his skin other than flashes. Aight, tho, I aint prejudiced, i’ll roll with it. 10:53 AM        23 AUG 3042

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself                            

Replying to @Silverforks

5/ so they super picky clients, right. I thought nah, they cant be that bad!! Just haven’t hooked the right worm yet. So I pick out a coupla worms (houses) that I think they might enjoy and hoo boy was that a chore, but im satisfied! Spoiler: they aint. 10:56 AM        23 AUG 3042

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself                            

Replying to @Silverforks

6/ they aint never gon be satisfied. #1, not-vampire client mentions v v quietly to me that sorry, theres a thing he cant deal with on premises, but mb they can still keep it in mind?? But (super good hearing???) another client hears and squawks about it. he aint having it, apparently.   10:58 AM        23 AUG 3042

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself                            

Replying to @Silverforks

7/ and then third client (Harpy) hears bc squawk, and she SUPER aint having it, so we just go to the next house. And the next one. And—u get it already.   10:59 AM        23 AUG 3042

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself                            

Replying to @Silverforks

8/ and like, im patient. Im pretty lowkey. But today’s house was—perfect?? There was nothing wrong with it. Client Hoodie didn’t say nothing bad. Liked the rooms. Client EllieEars don’t complain bout no weird curses or dead bodies or bad décor. But Client Harpy?? Client Harpy is impossible. 11:02 AM        23 AUG 3042

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself                            

Replying to @Silverforks

9/ u kno what she said?? She said, and I repeat: the front door is too thin.

The front door. Which is a solid 5 cm of wood (real!! Wood!!). is too thin. It’s “Insecure”. 11:03 AM        23 AUG 3042

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself                            

Replying to @Silverforks

10/11 I didn’t say it bc im a good worker, but I really wanted to go off on her. She’s impossible. This is the worst assignment ever. Ive worked so hard my soul’s gonna feel it 5 carnations down.   11:05 AM        23 AUG 3042

 world aint gonna end til I end it myself                            

Replying to @Silverforks

11/11 srsly. 5 cm of solid wood!! Insecure. Unbelievable. #clientwoes 11:05 AM        23 AUG 3042

 -

 August 23rd  

Bentley

Sally Mihn at work sent me this.

You might want to take a look.

https://tweetyflap.com/silverforks/status/1199679934986810752

 DipTipTyrone

oh boy

that’s about us alright

 Bentley

Yeah

It is

Torako

We need to have a fucking talk

 KoraTorako

We do need to have a talk with the realtors

That’s unacceptable

 Bentley

What we need to do with the realtors is apologize

What we three need to do is discuss what the fuck we’re doing

 KoraTorako

No, that was completely unprofessional

And what do you mean, what are we doing?? We’re looking for a house.

 DipTipTyrone

I’ll take care of the tweets for a pack of gummies

 Bentley

No, Dipper

Torako

We have been house-hunting for a month

We have looked at over 200 houses by this point

 KoraTorako

Thanks dip but probs not

 Bentley

And you have said no

To all

Of them

We need to fucking compromise

 KoraTorako

Compromise on what?? Our safety?? Our comfort?

 Bentley

No, on your unachievable standards

 DipTipTyrone

Oh

Oh no

 KoraTorako

Who says they unachievable??

 Bentley

The 200+ houses we’ve looked at to dismiss out of hand!

 DipTipTyrone

This is a fight, isn’t it

 KoraTorako

I’m just making sure that whatever we get will be safe!

 Bentley

Most of them HAVE been safe!

You’re just being STUPIDLY overprotective!

 DipTipTyrone

oh no im the

im the middle party aren’t i

 KoraTorako

I am not!

 Bentley

Yes you are! You need to trust me to make choices for myself!!

 KoraTorako

Well, I would if you weren’t so insistent on ignoring your own wellbeing!

 DipTipTyrone

How does one mediate

 Bentley

I’m just trying to find a fucking house! I’m trying to meet them in the middle!

 KoraTorako

Not on that you shouldn’t!

 Bentley

It’s MY choice!

 KoraTorako

And it’s MINE TOO!

You shouldn’t be in an environment that causes you to have so many fucking nightmares!

Like you are NOW

 DipTipTyrone

Uuuhhh shit shit shit um

You’re both right and both wrong?

 Bentley

Love you, but Shut up dip

And maybe I’m having nightmares because we’re still in this fucking apartment

 KoraTorako

I told you we could stay at another Rental until we found a house!

And shut up dip, im the right one here

 Bentley

You’re the right one???

We can’t solve everything with money, Torako!! And at the pace we’re going, we’d be in that rental place until our current lease is up Next January

 DipTipTyrone

…maybe this is an in-person convo?

 KoraTorako

I just want our house to be safe!! What if something happens again?

 Bentley

It won’t fucking happen again! Fantino was a one-off. I haven’t pissed off any other researchers overly invested in their research lately!

 DipTipTyrone

What about that one guy at work?

Wait no ignore that

 KoraTorako

But it MIGHT! We! Don’t! Know for sure!!

 Bentley

We don’t know that it WILL happen, Torako!

You need to just let this stupid fucking paranoia go

 DipTipTyrone

Uh

 KoraTorako

Stupid?? Fucking paranoia??

 DipTipTyrone

Bentley that was not uh

Not good

 KoraTorako

It’s not paranoia if it could happen again. It happened once.

I can’t forget that, Bentley. I can’t forget going to open that door and finding it unlocked. I can’t forget opening the apartment to you being gone, and to the wards being destroyed, and to everything I thought was keeping us safe not actually keeping us safe.

I’m not doing that, Ben.

The house we’re getting?? Is going to be fucking safe, and I am going to make it that way.

 DipTipTyrone

Torako…

 Bentley

Look, I get that

But there were ways of making the houses we looked at safe that you weren’t willing to entertain.

That one, with the green roof and the cute staircase?? That was totally viable. We absolutely could have torn the security system out with no trouble.

We literally have Dipper to do that for us.

But you said no! Like you said no to the one with the nice garden, and the one with the really big open windows.

I just want a house, Torako.

It’s not even like we’re necessarily going to live here forever? So if it’s not perfect, I’m ok. I just want somewhere to live that’s not the apartment.

 KoraTorako

And I just want us to be safe, Bentley.

I cant do this right now.

I have to go.

 DipTipTyrone

Is it over?

…fuck it isn’t, is it.

Fuck.

 -

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: Important

RECEIVED: August 23rd 3042

 Dear Mr. Lindquist,

           Hello. I’m writing to inform you that one of your employees—I’m assuming our current agent, Mr. Amar Shirvani—vented about my partners and I on a public forum. Here is the link: https://tweetyflap.com/silverforks/status/1199679934986810752

           While I understand that we have not been very accommodating clients—myself particularly—I don’t believe that this appropriate behavior. Venting is important, but the place where Mr. Shirvani chose to express his frustrations wasn’t the right one. Please convey this to him for me.

           I don’t want him to lose his job. He’s young and hasn’t learned this particular lesson yet. But I also find myself hesitant to keep working with Mr. Shirvani. Would you be willing to either transfer us to another realtor, or recommend us to another company like Mx. Pinkflax did? I would really appreciate it.

 Sincerely,

Torako Lam

Private Investigator

.

-

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: RE: Important

RECEIVED: August 24th 3042

 Dear Ms. Lam,

           I’m very sorry to hear about what Mr. Shirvani did. We’ve discussed the incident and he understands the impropriety of his actions. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

           While I believe that we have exhausted our properties here at Lindquist Realtors, I am happy to recommend you to a few other businesses in the Norfolk Area. They’re smaller, but perhaps they have the specific kind of property that you are looking for. I will do my best to put in a good word for you. Should that fail, I will personally endeavor to find you the house you need.

 Sincerely,

Qilar Lindquist

Lindquist Realtors

 -

 August 24th

Chat with Reynash Pines

11:01 AM

Hey Reynash

Can I ask you a question?

11:02 AM

What a surprise to hear from you via text!

Usually you just pop in and scare my soul out of my chest.

But for your question-- please ask

There’s nothing to do at work at the moment.

11:02 AM

Wouldn’t you usually leave?

Or have things changed again without me realizing it?

11:03 AM

Oh no, normally I would

But I have an appointment at 11:45 that I have to stick around for.

What’s your question?

11:04 AM

Torako and Bentley are fighting over housing.

We’ve told you about the house-hunting, right?

11:04 AM

Oh dear. Yes, I know.

Why are they fighting?

11:05 AM

Trauma. I think. They didn’t say themselves.

But I think it’s trauma.

Anyways, that’s not the important part.

What’s important is how do I help them?

11:06 AM

From the incident back around May?

Oh dear.

Are you sure that’s not the important part?

11:06 AM

Mostly.

Anyway. I just need to know how to mediate.

I haven’t mediated in…

In forever?

I can’t remember.

11:07 AM

…why are you even asking me?

11:07 AM

Because not many people know me as me

And you’re one of the only people who has known me as me for a significant amount of time and are also NOT ben or tora

And also you’re pretty calm mostly except when I show up and scare you

11:09 AM

Well

In my defense, I think most people would be scared if you showed up out of thin air and yelled strange things like WHAT YOU CRAVIN or whatever.

11:10 AM

Are you…sassy?

11:10 AM

Possibly

Back to your predicament: mediating

Have Bentley and Torako been able to talk to each other in person about this?

11:11 AM

No :(

They’ve been very quiet around each other at home.

And Bentley’s going on a trip soon.

So they won’t have a chance for a while.

Do they have to??

11:12 AM

It’s just easier to mediate when you’re all there.

Basically

They have to have the conversation, right?

Your job as mediator is to make sure they stay on task

And that no thoughtlessly cruel words are said.

11:12 AM

So they can say mean things

But they can’t mean the mean things?

11:13 AM

Okay, let me rephrase:

They’re mad at each other. They might say mean things that just hurt each other. Words that are meant to hurt each other.

They should not do that.

That does not help the conversation.

11:13 AM

Oh

Hm

So if one says the other is being stupidly paranoid

That’s where I say no, stop?

11:13 AM

Right.

11:14 AM

And if the other says one is being needlessly reckless with his own mental health

That’s where I say no, stop?

11:14 AM

Er

Maybe not, depending

Is he being needlessly reckless with his own mental health?

11:14 AM

I don’t know? Maybe? How do I tell?

11:15 AM

I can’t believe I’m saying this but

We might need to have this conversation face to face.

Please come he0-awekjhwel

11:39 AM

And remember what we discussed

And the pamphlets I sent you

And also please remind Torako and Bentley that Lata would like to see them sometime next month if they’re able to.

11:39 AM

Thanks Ray!

I really appreciate everything

Sorry for making you scream!

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: RE: Professional Request

RECEIVED: August 25th, 3042

 Dear Qilar Lindquist

           Thank you very much for the request. I’m honored that you would consider sending us clients that you yourself could not satisfy. It honestly instills an incredible, renewed sense of capability in us here at Khoohoo Realtors.

           Upon viewing the file you sent, however, one of my junior realtors raised concerns that these particular clients may be too difficult for a firm of our moderate size to adequately deal with. Between yourselves and HomeStar Realtors, these three clients weren’t satisfied. That, to us, is a bit of a red flag. We reviewed their specifications in comparison to our own catalogue, but don’t believe we have anything that they would be interested in actually buying. Therefore, in the interest of saving everybody a great deal of time and energy, I must admit that we cannot at this time take on your clients.

 Have an excellent day,

Simon Khoo

Head of Khoohoo Realtors

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: RE: Professional Request

RECEIVED: August 25th, 3042

 Dear Qilar Lindquist

             Thank you very much for this request.

           Unfortunately, we don’t have the time or patience for clients that would require a great deal of energy. From the looks of the file you attached, that seems to be the case with these clients. Therefore, in short, no.

 Yours,

Lance Fraiser

Senior Realtor

DreamHome Realtors

 -

 To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Attachment: 2042-PoliceRecoverKidnappedManwithHelpFromCivillian.qbf

SUBJECT: RE: Professional Request

RECEIVED: August 27th, 3042

 Qilar,

           Long time no talk, friend!! Wow it’s been a while, I guess we’ve both been busy. I know this is a professional request and all, but we should get drinks or something!! I hear there’s a great alfree bar that’s just opened up downtown. Apparently it has killer drinks, and it of course it doesn’t have alcoholic stuff so you’re good to drink whatever.

           I took a look at the client rec you sent me, and hoo boy they’ve sure got a record! RedFin usually takes whatever, and you know that, but I don’t actually think we can get them anything?? I’d feel bad chucking properties at them that I know they won’t like. I think they’ve already checked out like three quarters of Norfolk lol. Talk about trying to summon with a broom and a lighter!

           Also, they really remind me of this one tweety I read recently? Oof, if that was one of your kiddos who posted it, you should really tell them that’s a bad call—both for them and the clients. These clients aren’t going to get anything in Norfolk, not with that popular tweety paired with that record. And if it gets out that your kiddo was the one that posted that??? Aint nobody gonna hire them, not with all this client confidentiality and all at stake. Gotta be careful what you post online, even when it is venting.

           Yo, but hey, hope you find somebody for these clients! They seem like they got some scary baggage. The one who nopes around magitec and exdims reminds me of something I read in the news a while ago—it was an article that was hushed down p quickly out of respect for the victim, but I still got the doc. I’ve attached it if you want to read! It might even help you figure stuff out with your clients, even if they aren’t the same.

 Let’s meet up for drinks sometime!

Naita Fellen

Owner of RedFin Realtors, Norfolk

Senior Realtor

 -

 August 27th

KoraTorako

I just received an email from Qilar that he’s going to continue to handle our case, but that it may take a while to comb through what properties they have left.

I said it was fine because Bentley’s off on a trip.

 DipTipTyrone

Great!!

This seems like a good time to have a heart to heart, don’t you think?

 KoraTorako

I, uh, what?

 DipTipTyrone

Bentley’s doing nothing right now! Bentley, talk

Bentley, talk or I’ll make you talk.

Bentley I know you’re at your hotel.

 Bentley

Oh my stars dip

What??

 DipTipTyrone

You guys argued a lot last time we really had a discussion

And you’re angry

And you need to talk about why you’re angry

So that you have a healthy conclusion to your argument

And so that you understand each other’s viewpoints better.

It’s important!

 KoraTorako

But why…now?

 DipTipTyrone

Because you sent that message

And I’m sure Bentley’s feeling vicious about it

 Bentley

No I’m not!

 DipTipTyrone

Yes you are

I can see your aura, and while it’s difficult to read, you’re very dlskajlkwjelkjewnsd;nlab

Aslkdjgwaelkl;kwa;ljk

Dlkjaw-000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

 KoraTorako

What the fuck

 DipTipTyrone

You can’t take my phone away from me!! Ha! I win!

 Bentley

You can’t just half slide through the wall so that I can’t tell you’ve blipped in!

What the hell??

 KoraTorako

Okay okay so youre serious about this

Fine

What do you want us to talk about

 DipTipTyrone

Your feelings, I guess?

Like, Bentley. Tell us how you feel about Torako’s latest message.

 Bentley

You’re not my therapist

 DipTipTyrone

No, but we’re family

Which means communication

So tell us.

 Bentley

Uuuuuggghhh

Fine

Torako, that email proves why it was stupid to just dismiss all the properties as soon as we saw them and I feel vindicated but also tired

 DipTipTyrone

Hey, um, you gotta cut all the negativity against the other person out of your message

Try again!

 Bentley

…

The email proves that it was wrong to dismiss the properties without really thinking further about them. I feel vindicated. I feel tired.

Happy?

 DipTipTyrone

Better!

Torako, your turn!

 KoraTorako

Oh my stars are we really doing this

This is so stupid

 DipTipTyrone

Do it

 Bentley

Yeah tora, do it

If I have to, so do you

 KoraTorako

Fine

I’m just tired, ok?? This has taken so much longer than I thought it would. And I know I’m at fault for some of it!!

But I’m sick of Bentley falling to the pressure of ‘picking’ because it’s what’s expected of us. I don’t want him to feel scared or uncertain or uncomfortable in whatever house we pick, even if we’re only there for a couple years until we can pay off the place.

 DipTipTyrone

Thank you Torako! I don’t see any unnecessarily hostile language in there, so that’s A-OK, you pass. Bentley?

 Bentley

I just feel bad because everybody’s trying so hard

And we’re being so hard on them

And sometimes I just don’t understand why you reject the houses? So what that the security system isn’t perfect. I don’t mind going to the effort of pulling it out and starting it again. Heck, I would pay Dip to do it easy!

 KoraTorako

But that’s not your problem

That’s a me problem

I just…I want it to be good from the beginning. I want it to work from the start so that we don’t have to worry about it.

 Bentley

But that’s not going to happen

Sometimes you have to work to make something work for you

And if we gotta do that

I’m fine with it

 KoraTorako

I…I guess

I’m still not completely comfortable with that

 Bentley

We can work on it together

And hey

If I promise to not say yes to houses that make me uncomfortable will you promise to give things like security systems and house integrity a chance?

Like, not dismiss them immediately?

 KoraTorako

…yeah. I can do that, I think.

 DipTipTyrone

Good!! I’m glad we had this discussion

You know, I’m a pretty great mediator!

 Bentley

Dipper I watched you leaf through those pamphlets during the discussion

But yeah

Thank you, dipper

 KoraTorako

Thank you, dipper <3

 Bentley

He’s blushing!!

Compliment him more

 DipTipTyrone

No!

Stop ganging up on me!

 KoraTorako

You’re so cute, Dips!!

 Bentley

The cutest

Aw, he’s glowing

 DipTipTyrone

I should have let you keep fighting

 -

 August 29th, 3042

Chat with Saint Akuapem

4:12 PM

Torako, how are you?

Hepsa says hello

Are you still looking for houses?

4:15 PM

Yeah, we are

Say hello back for me

I’m ok, but a bit tired.

4:15 PM

Excellent

A parent of one of Hepsa’s students mentioned that their mother passed away recently

And that they were willing to sell the property

It seems the mother was afflicted with a curse that prevented her from using most Magitech

And she didn’t trust extra-dimensional spaces

It was a family home, so there are 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a nice garden.

Would you be interested in looking at it?

4:17 PM

Are you fucking serious.

Yes please, a thousand times yes

When can we look?

4:18 PM

Let me ask Hepsa to ask for me.

4:49 PM

Would you be available tomorrow afternoon?

3:30 PM.

 4:51 PM

Oh gosh oh yes

What’s the address?

4:51 PM

Just meet me at our apartment.

We will walk you over.

4:51 PM

Officer you really are a saint

I could kiss you

4:52 PM

Bring some more of those brownies. It’ll be even then.

 -

 “So? What do you think?”

           Torako trailed her fingers across the mantle for the fireplace. It was a real one; apparently, pure electric fireplaces were hell to install and more hell to maintain. There were no runes carved into the rough brick, no faint thrum of magic that Torako could now pick up if she closed her eyes and concentrated really, really hard.

           The whole house had very little by the way of magic.

           “It’s…” Torako looked down at the fireplace proper. It had been cleaned, recently, shiny in the way that old things gleam when properly taken care of. The house had been loved, she was sure of it. “It’s not bad.”

           A touch to her elbow. She looked over at Bentley, whose eyebrows were quirked. “Torako. Please. Be honest.”

           She hummed, turned to lean against the mantle and look out the big windows that provided a view of the garden space. Unmaintained, a little wild. They could put a vegetable patch there, she thought. Maybe a couple fruit trees.

           “I’m not a fan of the front porch steps,” she said, “or the ramp. It’s a bit rickety.”

           “We can fix it up,” Bentley said. He paused, tilted his head, then gave her a sly little grin. “Or at least, we know somebody who works cheap for that kind of thing.”

           “Hey, you can’t let me hear that,” Dipper said from the other room, where he was laying flat on the ground with his ear to the floorboards. “My prices might go up.”

           “Is it all good over there?” Bentley asked in lieu of answering. Torako looked up at the ceiling, where runes or wards or protective magics would be. Magics that would be hers, so they would hurt less to Bentley’s sensitive eye.

           “No creepy basements filled with cadavers or slaughtered cultmembers, if that’s what you’re asking,” Dipper said. Thankfully, Illya had left them to look over her dead mother’s home one last time, so there were no surprised gasps or queer glances. “Though we may want a couple rugs. I think this floor gets cold in the wintertime.”

           “Windowpanes are a little thin,” she muttered to herself. Her fingers tapped against her leg. “Could stand to be a bit more reinforced—though the French doors are probably okay, they seem sturdy enough—”

           “Torako.”

           Bentley’s warm hand slid over the one on her leg. Torako looked at him again. He peered at her over the rims of his oversized sunglasses, golden eye shimmering just a little. “Is there anything seriously wrong with this place? Anything that can’t be fixed?”

           Torako pressed her lips together. The aching anxiety in her chest pressed against her sternum. She tried to ignore it, and the thoughts of shadowy figures cutting through the glass panes, burning through the front door, squeezing through the cracks in the floorboards to steal Bentley away from—

           “Hey,” Bentley said, soft.

           “Hey,” Dipper said, a little brighter and brasher. He took her hand in his human hand. “We’re here, okay?”

           Torako turned her head to Dipper, brown eyes crinkled at the edges (and when had he put wrinkles on?) and grin still just a little too wide for human mouths to stand. She took a deep breath, and exhaled.

           “No,” she said. Bentley inhaled, sharp. “No, not no no! I just meant, ugh, there’s nothing I don’t like about this house that can’t be fixed. That no. Not the ‘let’s not do this’ no.”

           Both of her boys relaxed on either side of her. “Yeah,” Bentley said. “Yeah, I thought this was a good one, too.”

           She twisted her hand in theirs so that she could hold them.

           “Plus, it’s like, dirt cheap,” Dipper said. “Who knew that buying a house without a Realtor handling fee would result in such a bargain?”

           “Okay,” Torako said, a grin starting to pull at the corners of her mouth. The sunlight from the window was warm against her feet, reaching up to soothe the phantom pains in her shins from all those months ago. “Let’s tell Ilya.”

           It would be a good home.

 -

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

SUBJECT: FWD: Thank you for your help

RECEIVED: August 31st, 3042

I don’t know whether to be furious or relieved. Mostly I’m just tired.

You up for dinner tonight?

Qilar

 >>To: [email protected]

>>From: [email protected]

>>Attached: NewHouse+US.png

>>SUBJECT: Thank you for your help

>>RECEIVED: August 31st, 3042

>> 

>>Dear Mr. Lindquist,

           >> I email you to thank you so much for all your assistance. I don’t think we would have gotten as far as we did without you. Due to this journey, my partners and I realized some very important things.

           >>As you might have realized based on the name of the attachment, my partners and I have found a house through one of our acquaintances! It was lovely and off-market, and I probably wouldn’t have said no if it weren’t for our experiences with everybody at Lindquist Realtors and HomeStar Realtors. Thank you so much for your time and effort and energy, and I hope that you have a chance to relax now that we’re out of your hair.

>> 

>>Thank you again,

>>Torako Lam

>>Private Investigator

 -

 From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

 Qilar,

           What the fuck, even. Truly. What the fuck.

           I’ll bring the sparkling apple cider.

Olive

#transcendence au #tau fic #my fic #bentley #dipper #torako