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hansolmates · 4 years

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here comes the bride, all dressed in pride

summary; You and your cousin Doyeon have had beef with each other since the sandbox. When she plucks the last straw, you decide to end your long-simmering fight by claiming that you and her ex—Jeon Jungkook, are now boyfriend and girlfriend pairing; jungkook x reader (f) genre/warnings; fake dating!au, fluff, crack, mentions of cheating, lang, alcohol, mc eats meat, tw sexual harassment, toxic family, dick talk, making out, if u have that one family member that pulls bs on you constantly this is it, this fic is for all the people who have a huge ass family who wont leave them alone w.c; 17.3k a/n: my second fic for gcn’s 23 birthday project! the fact that wedding szn zoomed by us like that... and so bc im sad that so many weddings had to be postponed this fic was born! a huge thank u to vivi @eerieedits / @chillingtae for creating this BEAUTIFUL fic banner and separator pls check vivi out to make your fics all purty

prompts used: “You’ve always been beautiful to me, don’t you know that?” and “I never knew love could be like this, feel like this.”

if you enjoyed this pls consider giving a like and a share💕💕

Doyeon likes to call Jungkook, “the one who got away.”

You like to call Doyeon, “the one who drove him away.”

In secret, of course. In fact, the only person who knows how much you loathe Doyeon and her behavior is your father. And all your co-workers. And your boss. And your boss’ ex-husband.

And Jeon Jungkook, but of course you haven’t seen the man in two years and back then he was far too polite to address his concerns of your hatred of his then-girlfriend.

Okay, so everyone and their mother knows how much you don’t like your cousin. Kim Doyeon and you have had beef since the sandbox, and for whatever reason is always out to one-up you. A strange competitive nature in everything, academics, family, and even boys. The sick, twisted part of you has come to enjoy it. While you’re not a fighter as devout as Doyeon is, you have your own callous tendencies farmed from the seeds Doyeon has planted in your brain. She gives you a comment? You can’t help but throw one back. Since you’re a painfully mature soul you don’t have any mortal enemies as far as you know, Doyeon is the perfect amount of hot water to keep you on your toes.

“I’m really sorry that you couldn’t be a bridesmaid,” Doyeon cooes next to you, swirling her champagne glass with a too-jutted pout, “but if I did there’d be an odd number of pairings and you’re a little too old to be walking as a bridesmaid, am I right?”

Your nails. Are digging. Through your dress. Alas, you’re in public and you have class. Doyeon smiles at you with all teeth, reminding you of the Beldam from Coraline. Aside from that she looks absolutely stunning in that Lirika Matoshi strawberry dress that has her Instagram aching with likes and love from her baseless followers.

“I don’t know,” you reply lightly, leaning back in your seat, “I mean, if Yoojung and Rena can be bridesmaids and they’re three years older than me, wouldn’t I make the cut? It’s okay to be honest and say you just didn’t want me in the bridal party.”

Doyeon laughs, slaps your thigh like you told her the most hilarious joke in the world. Anyone passing by would think you’re best friends. You laugh too, incredulous at the amount of power she thinks she holds.

“Nice party,” you tack on, surveying the room. It’s filled with pastels and beiges, bright and airy. It’s Parisian themed, and while you’re not a fan of theming cultures, you can’t deny that you’re loving the infinite supply of macarons.

“Oh, yes. This is just a taste of the real wedding,” she laces her fingers together, as if she thinks she’s living an Elizibethean love story, “speaking of, you put on your RSVP that you’re bringing a plus one. Am I allowed to know who’s the unlucky date?”

“As if you care.”

“I care if you’re bringing Jimin. That tiny thing nearly gave Aunt Lillian a heart attack when he gave a striptease at Yoongi’s graduation party.”

You smirk softly at the bold memory. That was the plan.

Doyeon sighs dramatically, crossing her legs and popping out a cherry red heel. She plays with the back on the balls of her feet, letting the little pearly rhinestones glisten in the candlelight, “I should really commend you, cousin,” she drawls, “I mean, how kind of you to be so charitable and give your dopey friends a chance to have fun. After all, I’m sure it is difficult for someone like you to find a date.”

It’s no surprise as to how you end up with a date at any family formal gathering. You say you bring a plus one, and then between Jimin, Taehyung and Hoseok. The three of them draw straws as to who gets to gorge on free alcohol and food for that night.

“Difficult?” you arch a brow, “I get plenty of dates.”

Doyeon giggles. She must be feeling extra vindictive today, high on her impending marriage and the taste of bubbly champagne. “By taking turns with those three? You gotta be kidding me,” she snorts, tipping back her crystal, “please y/n. Don’t get so defensive because I’m getting married first. Your time will come. That is, if you stop dicking around with your friends.”

Normally you’d smother any attempt at Doyeon to call out your friends, but now she’s just done that and insulted your ability to get some, and you are livid.

“Actually,” you quip sharply, “I’ve been dating someone. It’s been a couple months, actually.”

“Oh?” Doyeon’s genuinely interested, face falling slightly, “you’ve never mentioned anyone, I don’t see anyone on your social media.”

“Yeah well,” you feign sympathy, pressing your lips together and tilting your head accordingly, “I’ve had to keep it private for a couple of reasons.”

“What, is he ugly or something?” she chuckles, “but really, who’s the person who has the misfortune of being in a committed relationship with you?”

Maybe it’s because Doyeon’s right, the both of you are too old. The two of you have been running around each other for years, with no end in sight. Maybe, the words that linger on the tip of your tongue will be the final nail in the coffin.

“Jeon Jungkook,” you state proudly, clear as day. “Jungkook and I have been dating for three months.”

And you pick up the vanilla macaron that sits innocently on your plate, ravishing it up like it contained all the tension in your table. Between you and Doyeon’s bubble, you could hear a pin drop.

“Jungkook?” her smile is concrete-solid, “my Jungkook?”

“My Jungkook,” you correct, giving her a puppy-eyed look, “I’m really sorry I never told you. I mean, is there ever a right time to tell your cousin they’re dating their ex-boyfriend?” you laugh, either to lighten the mood or because you love the way Doyeon pinches her face, you don’t know.

“How did you two even meet?”

“We reconnected through Seokjin. You know how the two of them play Starcraft together, I just ended up joining the call and he was so funny and nice. We just sorta… felt it.” Doyeon nods like a slow bobblehead, still comprehending in her pea-sized brain, “I just hope it isn’t too awkward. I know it’s been awhile but, if you really don’t want Jungkook to come I can always take Hoseok or something.”

“No, it’s fine,” Doyeon says a little too quickly, masking on her picture-perfect smile. “I’m with Namjoon now, and I’m totally happy. Water under the bridge, it’ll be totally fine.”

“Really?” your eyes practically sparkle, thankful for the amount of glitter and highlighter you’ve dumped on your face today, “I really appreciate it, Yeonie.”

And she quickly downs her champagne glass, and gets up from her seat. It’s haunting, the way she gets up, pink tulle billowing around her ankles. “I have to attend to the other guests,” she says.

“Of course,” you raise your glass.

“But, be careful,” she gives you a little smile, one filled with a last-ditch attempt at a jab, “Jungkook, he’s a little hard to deal with.”

“Oh don’t worry. I know how to deal with Jungkook’s hardness,” you wink, and Doyeon’s face falls like a ton of bricks.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know,” you shrug loftily, “that’s what I meant, though.”

And you don’t bother watching Doyeon stomp off the metaphorical stage, double fisting two new glasses of champagne from an awaiting butler as she finds some other poor guest to pick on. Now, the matter of securing your date. Conveniently so, the most important man in the room is walking your way, and you manage to snag his tie just as he passes your table.

“Ow—ow! I’m choking!” Seokjin grabs, nearly throwing his tall body onto your lap, hands grappling to release the tension on his neck. “Leave me alone, woman! I just wanted to get some chicken tenders!”

“Jin,” you say sweetly, opening his blazer to retrieve his phone, “I need Jeon’s number, now.”

“Jungkook?” your favorite cousin pales, eyes widening as you take out your phone of your own, copying down the digits, “what did you do?”

“Don’t ask questions.”

Seokjin says your name again, firmer. “You’re playing with fire.”

“It’ll be fine, it’s the last time,” you quell, already knowing how much Seokjin hates being in the middle of your fights. Once you’ve secured the phone number, you place Seokjin’s phone back into his pocket, patting his breast. “Thank you. You know you’re my favorite cousin, you know that?”

He grumbles a “damn right I am” before stomping away, resuming his race for his chicken tenders.

You: hey jeon it’s y/n. I see you’re doing great, i saw on instagram that you released your first app w/yoongi! Totally amazing, been playing for weeks, really upset that i can’t get past the flaming frog boss :((

You: Feel free to ignore this, i won’t blame you if you do. Im at doyeon’s rehearsal dinner, and she basically snubbed my friends and said i couldn’t get some prime dick even though im?? Me??? Anyway, im tired of her shit so im gonna throw it back at her, one last time before she ties the knot. I told her you and i have been dating, and im bringing you as my date to her wedding. Really sorry, the demons took over my brain and made the worst and best comeback of my life. So… if you’re up for being the hottest couple on the floor in three weeks and showing how madly in love we are, please text me back? Or not. You might think this family is crazy and i accept partial responsibility.

You: I’ll buy u every meal for every practice date we have if u agree.💕💕💕

Jeon Jung-boo-thang: thanks, i appreciate that. To defeat the frog boss, go back to the coconut cave and find the garnet garter. It absorbs his fire and u can easily defeat froggo w any level 15 weapon

Jeon Jung-boo-thang: and as for the real reason u texted me. Im in. let’s get pork belly tomorrow.

Two years ago, you were surprised that Doyeon could manage to snag a man as fine as Jeon Jungkook. Also unsurprised, because Doyeon is gorgeous and could snag any man she wanted, and has snagged every man she wanted.

Jungkook was different though. He had an air of innocence to him. He loved her, a little too much to be safe. Your heart would betray you every time you would find him at a family gathering, making her plate and counting the calories she so meticulously measured. How can someone so sweet be with someone like Doyeon?

Your heart ached for Jungkook when they broke up a year later. From what you heard, Doyeon was Jungkook’s first serious girlfriend. And then you wanted to rip your heart out a week later when you caught Doyeon smooching with her favorite graduate professor Kim Namjoon, wanting to erase any possibility you’d have at love. At that time, you never wanted to feel the pain you imagined Jungkook was going through.

“Y/n! Over here!” you’re a little taken aback at how much has not changed in Jungkook. His eyes still sparkle like fresh dew, his smile is still pearly white and infectious. He’s even early, snagging a table at his favorite barbeque place and waiting for you as if he is the one organizing your first date.

At the same time, there’s so much that’s changed about him. He’s confident, even going so far as to walk over to you and slip your jacket and purse in his grasp like a gentleman. He leads you by putting a hand lightly at the small of your back, making you feel impossibly small in comparison to his Dorito-shaped body, broad shoulders and a deliciously trim waist.

“How was the walk over?”

“Not too bad,” the conversation is casual, easy. You wipe the sweat off your forehead with a napkin. “Could use a little exercise now and again. I did eat a whole tray of macarons at that rehearsal dinner.”

Jungkook laughs from his belly, causing you to smile. “Nonsense. You look great, by the way,” you don’t mind it, actually, you enjoy it when his eyes rake over your body. After all, he’s now your boyfriend and he needs to get familiar with all the important bits. He leans his arms forward, bracing him against the wooden table so his face is closer to yours.

“You’re not doing too bad yourself,” your eyes gloss over the veins and intricate tattoos that paint his muscled upper half. Your smile morphs into a smirk, letting him know you’re enjoying the view just as well as he is.

And as soon as the tension sparks, it ends just as fast when your waiter comes up to light your grill.

“So,” Jungkook wastes no time in decorating your stove, making sure to add all the appropriate aromatics and infusions to season your lunch, “do you know why Doyeon and I broke up?”

“Cheated on you with Namjoon, I assume,” you keep your eyes trained on the darkening meat.

Jungkook slips a piece of meat in his mouth. Any expression of pain (whether it be from Doyeon or the barely cooked meat) doesn’t reveal itself as he stops to take a sip of water. “Who else knows?”

“Just me and Seokjin. The family loved you too much and Doyeon made up some sob story about how you two were going different life paths.”

He chuckles to himself, taking great care in flipping the meat. “I really was a fool in love, wasn’t I?”

“It… was mildly cute.”

“Tell me the truth, you have no reason not to.”

“Okay, you made me want to vomit rainbows and glitter every time I saw you.”

The two of you laugh, faces crinkling shamelessly as the two of you busy yourselves with setting up the table. Most of the food is done and the aroma of fresh onions wafts around your grill. As you place chopsticks on his side of the table, you think about all the times Jungkook made it abundantly clear how much he loved Doyeon: the love letters tucked into her purse, 100 day anniversaries, even just a simple Americano for her in the morning.

“Is that why you never hung out with us?”

“No,” you reply lightly, “Doyeon made it clear that I shouldn’t talk to you.”

Jungkook frowns, “You really don’t like each other, do you.”

You shrug, “Just always been like that,” you quirk a smile when Jungkook places the freshly cooked meat on top of your rice before serving himself.

“So what’s the plan?”

“We go to the wedding, make out a little, get Doyeon boiling. Even if she’s not interested in you, she’d still be upset knowing we are together.”

“And why is that?”

“Because it’s me,” you grin into your glass, staring at a water-stained Jungkook through the blue tinted glass. “And all you have to do, is enjoy your night and look pretty.”

His eyes crinkle, chopsticks pressing between his lips. “You think I look pretty?”

With a roll of eyes you don’t respond, preferring to dig your chopsticks in your rice. No need to inflate Jungkook’s ego too soon.

Pinning the main theme of your hangout to the side, the both of you dig into your meal. You throw conversation back and forth like pebbles, grains of sand that build and build until you’re caught up with each other’s lives. It feels so strange to admit it’s been two years since you’ve spoken to the man, and all of a sudden the once luscious meat feels dry in your mouth.

“Jeon,” you put your chopsticks down, “are you sure you want to do this with me? I mean, I know it’s all my fault and I dragged you into it. Don’t feel obligated to agree to this.”

“I’m a hundred-percent sure,” he doesn’t stop eating, shoving two spoonfuls of rice in his mouth. His cheeks puff up considerably, and your eyes trail down to his neck as he swallows, “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t wanna.”

“Right,” you don’t need a big explanation or a personal confession from Jungkook, just his consent. “Partners, Jeon?” you hold up your glass.

“Partners,” he agrees easily. The smile on his face disarms you, a full-fledged grin decked with pearly whites. Clicking his glass to yours he adds, “And it’s Jungkook, babe.”

Oh, this is going to be interesting.

Seokjin thinks the two of you are the most boring fake-couple.

His eyes dart back and forth between your spot on the couch and his desk, where Jungkook is currently seated. Seokjin is hovered over Jungkook, who’s typing and clicking furiously over his PC game. You’re on your phone, feet pulled up to the coffee table while some old Netflix movie plays in the background. To top it all off both of you didn’t even try to dress like it’s daytime, nearly matching in sweatpants and an oversized hoodie. It doesn’t look like a couple coming to visit Seokin, it looks like Jungkook is playing video games with Seokjin while his cousin hangs around like she owns the place.

“Shouldn’t you guys like, I don’t know, go on dates or something?” Seokjin feels like he’s talking to the air. “Maybe get to know each other before the big day?”

Pulling your phone down to your lap and Jungkook taking off his headphones, the two of you shrug at each other, “No, we’re good.” Jungkook says.

“We know enough,” you agree cooly, “Jungkook likes Valorant.”

“I do like Valorant.”

“He likes pork belly.”

“I do like pork belly.”

“He’s ripped as hell.”

“I am ripped as hell.”

“Okay but have you guys kissed yet?” Seokjin interjects, probably compensating for the nonchalance in the room with his own brand of freaking out. You two only see each other when you’re hanging out at Seokjin’s apartment, and while he’s happy that you two aren’t doing the whole 9-yards and creating an elaborate scheme, the both of you are almost too relaxed. His anxiety is spiking.

“Yes,” Jungkook answers, “at the barbeque place we went to.”

“It was nice," you tack on, "Jin, we got this. Don't worry."

"How can I not worry when you're trying to upset our cousin on her wedding day?" he's sweating in his fully air-conditioned apartment. “I get that she’s the devil’s spawn and everything, but she’s still a human being.”

“In second grade she pushed me on the treadmill because I was going too slow. I got caught on the roller and got a bald spot for two months.”

“Okay yes one bad example—”

“And in senior year she accused me of plagiarizing her essay just because we chose the same topic. I almost didn’t get into college!” Seokjin sighs, crossing his arms. All valid points, and arguing with you isn’t a route he wants to take. “Jin, the point is that she’s constantly pushing my buttons. I’ve always been the bigger person and now that I’m old and confident I just want one jab.”

“That’s valid,” Jungkook pipes up, pressing the spacebar a few times, “I want a jab too, she cheated on me.”

“See? It’s a mutual decision.”

Seokjin asks, “Why aren’t you more worried about this?”

"Because Doyeon isn't going to chew me out on her wedding day," you checked your aunt's seating chart last week and you are far, far away from the bridal table. "We're just going to show off a little bit. Get drunk, eat some bomb steak. Break up in three months or less.”

"You don't have to just convince Doyeon, it's your entire family! Not to mention you also have to go to the bachelor party!"

"Oh I almost forgot," you reach under the couch for your laptop, "Jungkook, in two weekends from now we're flying to Las Vegas for the bachelor party and wedding. I'll buy your ticket now."

"Thanks, babe!” Jungkook sends a cheeky grin to Seokjin, who is unimpressed. “See? I remember to call her babe.”

“Alright, get out of my house,” Seokjin tugs Jungkook away from his computer, causing the younger man to swivel around in his plush gaming chair.

Jungkook frowns at the monitor, “But I’m still bronze one. I’m aiming for silver one by this weekend.”

“Don’t care. As much as I don’t like this plan, I’m not letting you two slip-up.” Seokjin pulls out his phone, revealing Doyeon’s Instagram story, “Doyeon and Namjoon are at the mall buying swimsuits for Vegas. Go to the mall and ‘accidentally’ run into them.”

You sit up straight, tilting your head to the side. “That’s not a bad idea, actually,” you bound over to grab your jacket, giving Seokjin a big fat kiss on his cheek, “Thanks Jinnie, do you know you’re—”

“I’m your favorite cousin. Yeah whatever, bye.” He waves you off, plopping in his own chair so he can enjoy his games in peace.

“I’m driving,” Jungkook declares, swiping your keys from Seokjin’s opal dish.

“Oh, hell no,” you jump on your tippy toes to reach Jungkook’s grasp on your keys, but he’s so freakishly tall there’s no way you can reach. “I drive my car!”

“I’ve always wanted to drive your car back then,” Jungkook cooes, leaning in so your noses touch. “C’mon, you can trust me.”

“You two are gross already,” Seokjin admonishes from the other side of the room, “see, it’s working!”

Poking his cheek so he gives you some space, you whip your head to hide the flush that burns on your cheeks. “Fine, but if you crash you’re buying me a new one.”

“They’re over there,” you hiss between the racks, shuffling between the plastic hangers to point to Doyeon and Namjoon at the women’s section of the store. They look disgustingly adorable together, with Doyeon pointedly telling Namjoon which swimsuit suits his stature better while Namjoon nods along and goes with whatever she says. You crouch down lower, fearing Namjoon’s tall frame would catch you. “Now we just gotta act all couple-y and they’ll notice us. Or maybe we can walk over to them? What do you wanna do?”

“Do you think we should get matching swimsuits?” Jungkook pays no mind to your sleuthing, holding up a red pair of swim trunks to his thighs, “we could pretend to be sexy lifeguards.”

You tilt your head away from the pair, only because Jungkook has been genuinely interested in this store since you’ve arrived. Putting a hand under your chin, you scrutinize the dark red cutoff shorts. “They’re cute,” you nod appreciatively, “It’ll make your thighs look thick.”

Jungkook’s grip on his hanger lowers, and he regards you with dark eyes. “You think my thighs look thick?” he asks, leaning in and putting one hand on the curve of your waist. His fingers dance on the surface of bare skin between your top and jeans, and while you’ve agreed beforehand that you two could touch each other wherever in public, it still surprises you when gooseflesh rises to the surface.

“Easy there, tiger,” you chuckle, putting a hand on his chest to stop his sudden bout of flirting. “I’m just stating the facts, we get it. You lift.”

“You’re so cute when you try to put your guard up,” he’s brushing noses with you now, and you feel the plastic of the hanger crumple pathetically between you two as the gap closes further. “But you can’t hide from me.”

And just as his lips move to press against yours, a shrill “Jungkook!” echoes throughout the large store.

You nearly flop over the boardshorts rack if not for Jungkook’s arms secured around your waist. Oh right, you think dumbly, this is all for show. Doyeon and Namjoon are right in front of you, purchases already made and looking at you two in curiosity. Well, Namjoon is definitely curious, because you know for a fact that Doyeon speaks very little of you to him and you’ve only conversed with him a handful of times. Doyeon on the other hand, looks a little stiff in the grin.

“Hello to you too,” you remark to Doyeon, who’s barely acknowledged you. You reach over to squeeze Namjoon’s arm, “Hi Joonie,” you crinkle your eyes, and you fight back a squeal when he smiles back with dimples. Doyeon has such a cute fiancé, and if you’re keeping score he’s way too good for her.

Doyeon’s eyes glaze over to where you’ve touched Namjoon, and she links her arms with his. “What a coincidence, you two are buying swimsuits where we’re buying swimsuits.”

“Well, there’s only one mall in this town and we’re going on the same trip in two weeks,” you reply blandly, and you feel Jungkook pinch your side. “Oh, Namjoon. Have you met my boyfriend Jungkook?”

“Can’t say that I have,” Namjoon reaches over to clasp Jungkook’s hand, “nice to meet you, man.”

While Namjoon and Jungkook exchange small talk, you pointedly ignore the waves of negativity Doyeon sends your way in favor of observing the two large men. Namjoon just said it was nice to meet him, therefore he has no clue who Jungkook is. Interesting, considering Doyeon two-timed in favor of Namjoon. It gets you a little antsy, and you wonder if Namjoon is faking this whole interaction or if Doyeon is hiding something.

“Baby,” Jungkook rests a hand on your shoulder, regarding you with concern, “you spaced out there, are you okay?”

“She’s like that, Jungkookie,” Jungkook gently presses your shoulders down, blocking your view of Doyeon as she regards your not-boyfriend as Jungkookie. “My cousin’s a bit of an airhead,” her tone is sweet and jesting, the backhanded jab going right above Namjoon’s head.

“I’m just hungry,” you say, forcing a tight-lipped smile.

“Well, that’s perfect,” Namjoon clasps his hands together, “Yeonie and I were just about to go grab some dinner. Why don’t you join us?”

Doyeon and you both reply immediately, “That really isn’t necessary—”

“Nonsense,” you don’t even have the heart to be upset at Namjoon because he looks so damn genuine, “It’s been two years and I haven’t even bought you a meal, y/n. After all, we’re going to be family at the end of the month.”

“Right,” you answer reluctantly.

“We’re gonna make reservations at the Cheesecake Factory,” he pulls out his phone, ready to make a call, “but you and Jungkook can finish shopping, okay? The wait will be a little long but by the time you’re done our table should be ready.”

You and Jungkook wave off Doyeon and Namjoon as they make their way to the restaurant. Your hand is caught in the air by Jungkook, who regards you with worry in his eyes. “I wasn’t kidding when I said you looked spaced out,” he says, “tell me what you were really thinking.”

Subconsciously, you squeeze his palm for comfort. “I don’t know, it just feels weird knowing Namjoon doesn’t seem to know you at all. Normally Doyeon loves to talk shit about her exes.”

Jungkook scoffs easily, “I mean, if she’s marrying the guy I’m sure she doesn’t want to let him know the details of how they ended up together.”

“True,” you decide to let it go, and follow Jungkook to the register to pay for his swim trunks.

“So,” the little ‘ding’ of the register opens up the money box, and Jungkook quickly hands the clerk his cash, “we’re having dinner with them after this?”

“Only if you want to.”

“We need to, right?” Jungkook thanks the clerk, holding the bag in one hand and threading his fingers through yours as you head out the store.

“Well, do you want to?” you ask again. Jungkook stops the two of you on the sidewalk. It isn’t a fast stop, but a slow down that makes his walk a little more thicker, more deliberate as he trudges you down the lane. You move in front of him, clutching your hands between his. “Are you okay? You barely even acknowledged Doyeon.”

“I’m fine,” you flinch at his harsh tone, and he immediately moves to remedy it by squeezing your hand back. “I’m sorry. It’s just been awhile and I’m definitely over her but,” he bows his head, feeling embarrassed, “she hurt me, you know?”

Going into this is definitely one of the more selfish plans you’ve put your mind to. Your heart pangs thinking about what must be going through everytime he sees her. If he’s reminded about all the good times they shared, or how much he’s over thought every single conversation he’s had with her up until this point.

“Of course,” you completely understand, knowing from the beginning that this whole mess would end up with some dicey feelings someway or another. “I’m just thankful you chose to stick by me. And we can talk about it if you’re comfortable,” both of you being victims of Doyeon’s brand of torture, you hope the two of you can at least be friends after all of this is over, “we don’t have to go have dinner with them.”

“But, Namjoon got us a table—”

“Namjoon will be fine. We can always have dinner with him another time,” you smile softly, “what matters is that you’re okay.”

His gaze melts, and you feel his grip loosen in your hold. He regards you with weak eyes, betraying the confidence he held himself to moments before. “Thanks, y/n,” he says, “I really appreciate that.”

“Anytime,” you reply honestly. “We can go to Cheesecake and order to-go. I can make some excuse about how my stomach hurts and that we should do a raincheck.”

“Sounds good.”

“Do you wanna eat at one of our places or eat at the park or something?” you’re already pulling up your phone, checking out the menu. “We could invite Jin too.”

“The park sounds nice,” neither of you acknowledge the fact that you’re not inviting Seokjin, and for some reason that’s okay.

“Yeah,” you agree simply, “the weather’s beautiful.”

Under any normal circumstances, you would’ve been friends with someone like Jeon Jungkook, easily. A little part of you wishes that you could’ve met Jungkook first, but Doyeon has better connections than you and always had a good crowd around despite her inner motivations. No awkward exchange happens when you suggest to Jungkook to eat together. Even though you’re not technically dating, the two of you know that eating together is better than eating alone.

And you have to admit Jungkook’s great company. The two of you drive to a reserve nearby, overlooking a tiny lake. Instead of a fancy Italian tablecloth the two of you move your car seats down and set a spare picnic blanket in the trunk. Instead of a candlelit dinner the two of you find some emergency electric tealights in the glove compartment, lighting it up between you two as you dig into your to-go boxes.

You’re a little envious that so much time has passed by. You could’ve been a little sneakier and made a better effort to communicate with Jungkook when you saw him regularly at family parties, and maybe you two would have a better friendship today. Nevertheless, the two of you mesh like peanut butter and jelly, exchanging conversation that has your cheeks sore from smiling too hard.

By the time you get to dessert, the moon is out and the stars are floating above your heads. The two of you are at war, fighting with your forks over the last strawberry in your cheesecake slice. After some careful stabbing Jungkook manages to nab it with his fork.

He almost puts it in his mouth, but instead swipes up some whipped cream to press the last strawberry to your lips.

“I think it’s working,” Jungkook says randomly as you chew the sweet fruit, “you could see it on Doyeon’s face today. She’s unsettled.”

“Yeah,” you agree, lying down on the lavender gingham picnic blanket.

“Do you know why she fights with you all the time?”

“That’s a question I’ve been asking myself since the dawn of time.”

“I think I know why.” Jungkook looks down at you with his large doe eyes, licking innocently on a spoon of whipped cream.

“Pray tell.”

“She’s jealous of you.”

“No,” you disagree easily, “she’s jealous that I have you.”

“Bzzt! Wrong,” Jungkook puts his empty container in your makeshift trash can, falling beside you and knitting his hands under his head. You have a little window on the roof of your car, so both of you are able to stare at the navy sky, “she’s always been jealous of you. Think about it. The two of you have similar lifestyles: same career path, confidence, taste, education. But even after all of that? People still like you more.”

You scoff, hands immediately reaching to fiddle with the frayed corner of fabric next to your fingers. “I don’t think so.”

“I’ve met all of Doyeon’s friends,” he informs you, “they’re weird. Like yeah, they care about each other on the surface level. But they’re nothing of substance. They’re not like your friends.”

“Please, Doyeon has everything she could ever want,” you don’t know what kind of complex you have supporting Doyeon’s life, but something deep and insecure wants to separate you two as far away from each other as possible. “Like… she’s Malibu Barbie and I’m Polly Pocket.”

Jungkook turns to face you, resting his head between his palm and leaning on his elbow. “Do you not think you’re beautiful?”

“Yeah, but compared to Doyeon—”

“You’ve always been beautiful to me, don’t you know that?”

You choke on your saliva, feeling small and skittish at the implication behind his words. It’s been two years. You’ve only been friends for two weeks. How can he possibly say that?

“I uh, saw you once,” Jungkook coughs, and you watch the way his pale cheeks unmatch the moon and instead flit to a crimson hue, “we were at some party and you were wearing this really cute black dress with a white bow in the middle. Doesn’t even matter what party because it was random, y’know? I was gonna go talk to you but Doyeon got to me first and well, the rest is history.” He breaks eye contact with you, unable to handle it.

You remember that party, vaguely. It was random, some sort of poetry slam in a shady part of town. Doyeon and you didn’t even go with each other, you were with Taehyung and she just happened to stumble in there from another nearby party. You didn’t even know Jungkook was there that night, or how you were a hair's breadth away from meeting him before Doyeon.

“Don’t ever think you’re lesser than her just because out of all the people she chose to pick on, she chose you. It’s why she never lets you get to know her boyfriends. She’s threatened by you because you’re just as special,” something low sparks in your chest at his words, “and now that you’ve finally decided to stoop to her level and fight back with a taste of her own medicine, she doesn’t know what to do.”

Feeling like your body is on a beach and you’re sinking in sand, you soften over your picnic blanket, mulling it over. “Did I make the right choice? Stooping down to her level.” Your voice is quiet, comparable to the chirping birds and buzzing gnats outside.

“We won’t know until after the wedding,” Jungkook answers honestly, “but I do know I’m sticking with you until the end. We’re friends now, got that? You have no excuse to ignore me anymore.”

You don’t want to ignore Jungkook, never in a million years. Now you know that you are envious of Doyeon, for having an opportunity to love and care for an amazing person like him. So in a sudden bout of emotion, you roll over to straddle Jungkook’s waist.

He’s shocked, hands flying to your waist to make sure you don’t wobble off. But you’re determined, and lean down to press your lips against his. He tastes like cheesecake and strawberries, the taste melding with your own as you relish in the feeling of his soft lips against yours. You melt a little when he squeaks, breaking into a soft moan as he reciprocates the gesture. He’s warm and large and he makes you feel safe. Once your brain returns to your body, you break for air. You only pull back a few centimeters, and there’s no way for you to get off because Jungkook has locked you in place.

“What was that for?” he asks breathlessly.

“Don’t know,” you’re whispering against his lips, unable to pull away, “just felt like we needed a little more practice.”

He blinks, before relaxing in a silly smile. “I agree,” he says simply, dipping you on your back so he can be on top the second time around.

“We’re in Vegas, baby!”

Every single terrible comedy movie set in Las Vegas has brought you to this very moment. You’ve always wanted to say that line. Dumping your luggage next to Jungkook’s, you flop on the nearest mattress. Thank goodness you only wore leggings and a t-shirt on the flight, it’s the optimal sleeping outfit after a long day. Feeling something hard and plastic dig into your brain, you hold up the culprit and squeal excitedly. “Look, Kook!” you wave the crinkly confection in your hands, “they put mints on the pillows!”

Despite your room being a square with two queen beds, the hotel does not skimp on quality. The decor is ornate, the white and gold trim on the doorknobs and metal appliances shimmering beautifully. The beds feel like clouds, as you try to imagine what a cloud could possibly feel like, this is it.

Jungkook immediately follows suit, ripping off his outer clothes until he’s left in his undershirt and boxers, flopping next to you on the mattress. He immediately opens his mouth when you shoot a mint, catching it easily. “I feel like we’re in a deleted scene of Crazy Rich Asians,” he says, letting the hard mint clink around his teeth, “is this the part where you tell me your family comes from old money and I’m gonna be your sugar baby?”

“Don’t be so hopeful,” you narrow your eyes, booping his button nose with your finger.

“I’m just saying, the first class flight threw me off.”

You giggle, slapping his chest, “No. If that was true, we wouldn’t be sharing a room with my cousin. Sorry you have to share the bed with me, I got the hotel with Jin and he doesn’t want to sleep with you.”

“S’okay,” Jungkook replies softly, leaning closer to make grabby hands at you, “you’re softer.”

Tentatively, you scooch over so you can lean on Jungkook’s chest. You two have a little time before Doyeon and Namjoon’s combined bachelor and bachelorette party. The past two weeks have been nice—scratch that, the past two weeks with Jungkook have been wonderful. You never cared to measure how much time passed before meeting him, but now that you’ve begun fake-dating, time is the only thing you regard. You’re already beginning to miss him, knowing that in a week, this whole arrangement will be over.

Well, not exactly over. Jungkook says you’ll remain friends after this, but you don’t really want that. You want more, and it scares you to think he may not feel the same.

But right now you’re snuggling like an old couple, sleeping comfortably between pillow-like sheets and minty breath. Your pretend boyfriend, now your pretend boyfriend with benefits, looks soft and huggable and you want to bottle up this moment forever. You say benefits because, well, the cuddling is an added bonus. Practice practice practice, Jungkook sing songs the words you used that one night under the stars, excuses to seal his lips to your lips. You’ll never argue with that. So when Jungkook’s hand tightens around your waist and pulls you closer, you relent.

One second, you’re closing your eyes and the next, you’re waking up to Seokin’s wide eyes staring back at you.

“Eep, you creepo!” you shriek, scrambling away from him. That’s when you realize Jungkook’s missing from bed, the scent of his laundry detergent lingering between the eggshell Egyptian cotton.

“Jungkook’s in the shower,” Seokjin immediately reads your mind, pulling away so he can unpack his luggage. “My flight just got in two hours ago, you both were out like a light when I arrived.”

“Ugh, I’m really not ready to party.”

“Doyeon just texted the family group chat. She reserved the rooftop, the party starts in an hour,” he talks mindlessly, rifling through his stuff. Seokjin is fiddling with his clothes, despite the fact that you know Seokjin prepares his outfits days in advance so he doesn’t have to choose. He looks concerned, pulling out a flamingo pink boardshort and setting it down on his mattress. Finally he says, “I’m worried about you.”

“Why?”

“Because. It’s clear that you’re starting to fall for Jungkook.”

The words strike you straight in the place you’re trying to avoid. You’ve been living in a fantasy these past two weeks, thinly veiled by the whole reason you two are together in the first place. Doyeon’s wedding is just around the corner, and what then?

“I’m not saying that he doesn’t feel anything for you either,” that gets your heart skipping a beat, and you secretly hold a hand to your chest under the blankets, “but do you really want to start off a relationship like this? A relationship all messy and morally objective because it’s built on revenge?”

“Don’t worry about me,” the words easily fall from your lips, “I can take care of this.”

“I hate it when you say that,” the words are curt and harsh against Seokjin’s plush lips, “I’m allowed to worry about you, y/n. You know why? Because, because you’re my favorite cousin too,” he bites his lip, walking over so he sits on your side of the bed. “So don’t tell me what I can and can’t worry about. I want you to be happy, I want you to stop holding in this anger you have for Doyeon and move on.”

“I’m sorry,” you whisper, leaning over to press your cheek against Seokjin’s shoulder. “You’re right.”

“For the first time in a long time, you’ve finally decided to lean on someone,” and both of you know who that someone is. “I don’t want you to lose him over some petty family issue. You should tell him how you feel.”

“I will,” you wrap your arms around your cousin’s slim waist in a silent thanks.

“Am I interrupting a tender family moment?”

The two of you pull away to stare at Jungkook, leaning against the doorframe that leads to the bathroom. He’s in a plain white t-shirt and the red board shorts that you bought at the mall, cutting off mid-thigh and revealing the bulky muscle underneath. You were right, the shorts do make his thighs look thick.

Seokjin groans exaggeratedly. “Yes, yes you did.”

Jungkook immediately goes to replace Seokjin’s spot, and some stray droplets fall fresh from the shower due to his slicked-back hair. “Do you wanna get ready? First party’s soon.”

“Not really,” you admit, “you’re gonna meet the family all over again.”

“Second time’s the charm,” he winked, “I’ve already met your parents and everything. Not feeling nervous at all.”

“Oh, really?”

“Really,” and the facade cools down a little, “well, maybe a little nervous for your Aunt Lillian. Her stares give me the heebie-jeebies.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from Aunt Lillian.”

“God the two of you get worse every day,” Seokjin has magically changed into his shorts, tucking himself into the bed, “don’t wake me up until we pre-game.”

Doyeon and Namjoon don’t skimp on the festivities, although in taste the ideas are Doyeon’s in its entirety. It’s lavish and colorful, with a beautiful infinity pool in the middle decorated with lavender and pink headlights. There’s a buffet table overflowing with tasty food. There’s petal pink champagne overflowing from fountains, decorated with fresh strawberries bobbing around the fizzy drink.

“I don’t know,” Namjoon and Jungkook have been talking for well over an hour, and it’s clear how well they mesh together. Heck, you’ve accepted that Jungkook may like Namjoon more than he likes you. Jungkook’s eyes sparkle as Namjoon discusses the various genres of rap and hip-hop music, explaining the potency of mature themes in a young community, “but I will say music is like another language, knows no boundaries when it comes to sending their messages to others.”

You fight the urge to chuckle when Jungkook sighs dreamily at the music theory professor. “Wow, that’s so deep.”

Getting up from your cabana, you nudge Seokjin, who’s currently flirting it up with one of Doyeon’s bridesmaids. “Hey, wanna get a drink?” you ask, throwing your wrap on the cushions to reveal your strappy red bikini.

“And chicken tenders,” Seokjin presses a kiss to the bridesmaid’s cheek, bidding her goodbye as he follows you out of the shaded area.

“Do you two lovebirds want anything?” you stare pointedly at Namjoon and Jungkook. While Namjoon’s eyes stay in contact with you, you can’t help but smile a little more when Jungkook has a hard time keeping his gaze in one place.

“I think we’re fine,” Namjoon answers for both of them, swirling his beer bottle. “I’ll meet you two at the bar once I’m done.”

“Sure thing,” Seokjin puts a hand on your back to lead you to one of the open bars. As much as you like being in a handsome hotel with money to burn, nothing beats the fact that your entire family is here to celebrate. The elders have corroborated two cabanas for poker and other games, while your younger cousins are playing ping pong and air hockey on the other side.

“Namjoon sure is a dreamboat,” Seokjin bemoans, handing you an electric orange drink. You take a sip of it, and bug out when you realize it tastes nothing like alcohol. You’re definitely in for a night. “Like I can hear him wax music thingamajib any day.”

“I thought you were into that bridesmaid.”

“A mere diversion,” he sighs, leaning his tanned arms against the bar, “can’t ignore the deep voice Namjoon has, it’s intoxicating.”

“I’m sure Jungkook would agree,” you egg on.

“What are you two talking about?” you straighten up when the man of the hour shows up at the bar, absolutely glowing under the sunset. He orders a round for the three of you, and you immediately chug your own drink to get to the next one.

“Talking about how you’re stealing Jungkook away from me,” you joke, accepting another fruity drink from Namjoon. Damn, this stuff tastes like candy.

“Oh, never,” Namjoon replies brightly, waving the thought away, “do you see the way he looks at you? Hopelessly in love.”

Maybe it’s the copious amounts of alcohol, but you feel your stomach flip-flop at the thought of love. You’ve always known what love felt like, the warmth of Namjoon’s cheeks whenever he sees Doyeon, when your mom takes care of you when you’re sick, when Seokjin makes sure you’re not emotionally constipated 24/7. But the thought of Jungkook and you in love? It’s a feeling you secretly yearn for.

“Right? It’s disgusting,” Seokjin groans with an eye roll, “like, Jungkook wasn’t like that with Doyeon at all when they were together.”

The slip up has the three of you choking on your own thoughts, staring at each other like the three have just been told you’re on a prank show. But it is no prank, and you look at Seokjin who’s absolutely horrified.

“Oh shit,” he squeaks, looking at Namjoon guiltily, “did I say something I shouldn’t have said?”

“I don’t know,” Namjoon replies coolly, “did you?”

The ominous response gets you going, and you quickly place a hand on Namjoon’s arm, placating him. “They dated, yes. But it was only for a short time and we’ve sorted everything out. Nothing for you to worry about.”

“Oh,” Namjoon quirks his head, and regards you two with pursed lips. “I’m not one of those guys who freak out over other people’s exes. I’m just surprised that I’ve only heard this now,” Namjoon takes a slow sip of his drink, and despite your drink also being cold and refreshing, you’re absolutely sweating.

“Well, I’m sure Doyeon didn’t want to worry you.”

At the mention of his future wife, he beams. “You’re right, she’s considerate like that,” and the conversation ends just like that. He holds up his drink to the two of you, and you and Seokjin do the same. With a sharp clink he leaves you two to mull, happily conversing with the next round of guests he needs to entertain for the week.

“That guy is too nice for his own good,” you shake your head, asking the bartender for your third drink within ten minutes.

Seokjin leans over you and warbles, “So you’re telling me that Namjoon has no idea that Doyeon cheated on Jungkook in order to date him?” he’s sweating just like you are, following suit to your actions and asking to make his drink a double.

“I don’t know,” you bite your lip, your teeth worrying the dark skin, “I’ve been thinking about it for a while though. I just don’t want to get involved, you know?”

“But this is different!”

“But Doyeon’s family!”

“And all of a sudden you care about Doyeon’s feelings?” Seokjin gripes back, “it’s not about Doyeon, it’s about the both of them. And if we know something that Namjoon doesn’t, wouldn’t it be in our best interests to warn him before he seals a marriage deal that costs him over a zillion dollars?” he gestures to the extravagant wedding party.

“But we don’t even have any proof that’s the case,” you frown, “Doyeon could have changed—a little, not a lot—since meeting Namjoon, maybe she thinks it’s best to reveal as little as possible.”

Seokjin wonders what kind of family he has. One as chaotic as his takes a lot to stomach, and Seokjin likes to pride himself in his strong appetite. “Fine, let’s just keep a close eye on both of them this week. And if anything remotely fishy happens, we strike.”

“Deal.”

You return to the cabana alone, with a plate of fries for both you and Jungkook. Jungkook is also alone, laying on the lounge chair with his eyes closed. It gives you a chance to ogle your fake-boyfriend a little bit, reveling in the sight of his toned body.

Setting down your plate with a sharp rap of the glass, Jungkook opens one eye. “Hey,” he smiles, drinking in your muted expression, “you okay?”

Damn Jungkook for being able to read you so well. “I think so. It’s nothing, really.”

“Well, will you tell me if it’s something?”

“Yeah, I will.”

“So, I do have something to tell you though.” Jungkook sits up, regarding you wearily. “Can you… stand in front of me?” Confused, you shove a fry in your mouth and walk up to him as directed, your back blocking the entrance as you stand in front of him. “Okay, come closer. Now bend down,” you bend your back 90 degrees, and he presses a hand to your shoulder to stop you, “no, no. With your breasts out, just a little—there! Arch your back. Like you’re doing the Sorority Squat.”

“Excuse me—”

“The music isn’t even that loud,” he mutters to himself, “no one would need to push their boobs in my face to hear me.”

“Jungkook, is someone pressing boobs to your face?”

“Why,” he breaks into a playful grin, “jealous?”

“Not if it’s Aunt Lillian.”

“Unfortunately it wasn’t,” he twiddles with the drawstrings of his shorts. “It was Doyeon.”

Doyeon? She didn’t walk by your cabana all day. Heck, she barely greeted you when you arrived with Jungkook. But when Jungkook’s alone is when she decides to pounce? And with what motive?

“I don’t know,” he’s rambling to himself, “maybe I’m overthinking it. It was only half a second.”

“Jungkook, I have something to tell you,” you say instead, panic in your features.

“Is it something urgent?”

“Well, no but—”

“Then tell me when we get back to the room,” Jungkook easily pulls you onto his lap, and you instantly heat up when you feel your bare butt press against Jungkook’s golden thighs. “Like you said, we’re in Vegas. Let’s have fun while we can.”

“Okay,” you tuck your head between his neck and collarbone, reaching to press a kiss to his smooth jawline.

Relaxing against the plush lounge chair Jungkook feeds you fries while talking about the things he wants to do this week. It’s his first time in Vegas and he wants to make the most of it. He wants to visit all the buffets he sees on Buzzfeed compilations, relax at the pool, maybe catch a show. The thought of spending all week with him and your family is nice, and suddenly you don’t feel so awkward sitting on his lap, and eventually he pulls you between his thighs so you can lay on his chest.

“And between you and me,” he fake whispers against the shell of your ear, as if he’s telling you the biggest secret, “we’re the hottest couple here.”

The next three days leading up to the wedding are relatively uninteresting.

Uninteresting in the best way possible. On Monday you and Jungkook spend time with your little cousins, taking them to The Adventuredome, one of the resort's indoor theme parks. On Tuesday you and Jungkook go shopping at the outlet malls with your parents, blowing hundreds of dollars on cheap Levis that have your luggage bursting with a new wardrobe. In between all of that Seokjin and occasionally Namjoon joins you two in your buffet journey, hitting up the top spots and filling your tummies to the brim with delicious food.

On Wednesday, Jungkook brandishes two gold-foiled tickets in front of you, waving them around like a fan. With one finger, he pushes away your Pokémon battle, “I got us tickets to Cirque du Soleil,” he announces proudly, “waited in line for an hour.”

You gape, scrambling off of your bed and throwing your Nintendo Switch to the side. “Jungkook,” you marvel, “these are so expensive. How’d you manage to get a show for tonight?”

He shrugs, “Looked around.”

“You’ve been impulse buying a lot this week,” you tease, “like really, you don’t need three pairs of the same ripped jeans.”

“This wasn’t an impulse buy,” he says, “I’ve been looking around for shows. Just managed to pick them up today, so go get dressed for our date.”

Did Jungkook just call it a date? Giddy with excitement you throw the covers off, running into the bathroom to get ready. What a surprise, you didn’t think Jungkook would be into spontaneous things like this.

Seokjin left the bathroom open, so when you walk in the room it is steamy and warm. Your dear cousin is still in the shower, probably waiting for his conditioner to pass three minutes of set-in time.

“What are you getting ready for?” Seokjin asks over the rain shower.

“Kook got us tickets to Cirque du Soleil,” you chirp happily, looking through your skin care products.

“I wanna come!”

“Nope! Jungkook called it a date.”

“Oh, a date,” Seokjin drawls, putting his head under the water to rinse his hair clean. “Well then, should I vacate the room for tonight?”

“What, no!” you’ve closed the door, so thankfully Jungkook can’t hear you talking about him. “We’re not doing anything. We’re just two friends who are fake-dating going on a date.”

“Sounds like a real date, though,” Seokjin wraps a towel around himself to cover all his important bits before getting out of the shower, bumping elbows with you so he can brush his teeth. “Either way, I’ll be gone tonight. It’s my turn to watch the baby cousins. Don’t have too much fun while I'm in their room watching Despicable Me for the millionth time.”

“We’ll be sure to stop by with some pizza or something,” you tease, a little wiggle in your hips when you vacate the bathroom.

By the time you and Jungkook are ready, you two are dressed impeccably. Jungkook is wearing one of the ripped black jeans he bought on Tuesday, combined with a white button up and black blazer. A classic outfit with a little bit of Jungkook-themed flair. And to Jungkook’s surprise, you’re wearing the dress that he first saw you in, all those years ago. You’ve gained a little weight since college, but you still fill out the little black dress beautifully, the little white bow in the middle adding a simple yet adorable touch. It took a little sleuthing and searching through your old college clothes, but you were determined to find it when Jungkook reminded you how much you love the design.

Clearly from the way Jungkook is currently gaping at you like a bloated fish, he loves it too.

The show is beautiful and colorful, leaving you speechless and in tears by the end of it. Jungkook lets you hold his hand the entire time, feeling a bout of anxiety anytime the acrobats fall gracefully despite the large height.

Overall, it was a wonderful show, paired with your equally enamouring date. It’s getting harder and harder to distinguish what’s fake and what’s real in your heart, and throughout the night you’re sorely reminded that you should tell Jungkook how you feel.

But by the time you get to the room your parents are calling you, asking to get their suit and dresses out of the car so hotel service can do a last minute press and dry clean.

“I’ll be back,” you say to Jungkook, “I need to go get their clothes out of the car. They’re always so forgetful.”

“Want me to come?” he offers, hand shying away from inserting the keycard in.

“No, I’ll only be fifteen minutes, tops.”

“So I guess this is this the part where I get a goodnight kiss?” he asks cheekily, leaning on his heels so his tall frame reaches yours. You don’t hesitate to give a short peck to his pretty pink lips. He pouts at the brevity, “that was too quick.”

“Go inside,” you insist, “the sooner you get ready for bed the sooner I can get ready for bed.”

“Then more kisses?”

“Then more kisses.”

Jungkook breaks into an all-teeth smile, unable to control himself when he dips down and steals a longer, more lingering kiss to your lips. “I had a great time tonight,” he says, mimicking every single teenage rom-com protagonist who’s deeply in love with the popular jock. “Don’t take too long, okay?”

You nod, pushing him inside, “C’mon, if you stopped talking I’d be back by now!”

Once the door closes shut, you let yourself do a little dance in the hallway, wiggling your butt and giving yourself a mini-celebration. You quickly text your group chat that you just came back from the Cirque show.

Jimin: what, a date with your fake date?

Hobi: jeon jungcock? 👀👀

Jimin: whaaaaaattttt. U’ve gotta have sat in his lap at least. 3 times since you’ve started this ting

Hobi: i’ve heard things in college…

Taehyung: u are all gross and i hate u

Taehyung: but so am i bc im very curious

Just as you’re about to send a heated reply, the elevator dings, revealing a pissed off Doyeon. She’s bare-faced, in a fluffy lilac bath robe and matching puff ball slippers. You slip in right beside her, making sure there’s a comfortable amount of space between you two.

“You’re going to the parking garage too?” you ask, eyes lingering on the lit button.

“Yeah,” she’s looking at her phone, a few stray hairs from her mahogany bun falling onto her forehead, “Aunt Lillian left her medication in the car. I don’t know why she has to send me, I’m busy getting married.”

“My parents left their formal clothes in the car,” you shrug, “you know, my parents and Aunt Lillian share the same brain cell. Gotta help them out once in a while.”

The icy silence in the elevator is probably the calmest you and Doyeon have been since you’ve announced your relationship status with Jungkook. You fight the sigh, opting to take out your phone and open some unread messages.

Jeon Jung-boo-thang: hurry up, the bed’s cold without u

You: lool, why do u look constipated

Jeon Jung-boo-thang: because i am, hurry up. Im bringing ur switch to the toilet and playing on your profile

You: JEON WAIT YAMPERS AT 5HP GO TO THE POKEMON CENTER U HEATHEN

You tilt your head a centimeter, feeling Doyeon breathing down your neck like Puff the Magic Dragon. You look at her with wide eyes. Her long, slender neck manages to snake its way next to your head, “Can I help you?” you ask amusedly, clutching your phone to your chest.

“Are you two really together?” she asks, batting her lashes. All this week she’s left you alone, and you’ve been wondering when she’s going to make herself known. It’s a little self-absorbed you have to admit, but ever since Namjoon’s ignorance to Doyeon’s previous relationship, you’ve been on edge.

“Of course we are,” you spit back, “I love him.”

And you must be very convincing, because Doyeon’s gaze falters just a fraction. You glare at her, staking your claim. Ever since Jungkook told you the reason Doyeon hates you is because she’s jealous, you’ve started to feel a bit of sympathy for her. Doyeon is beautiful and smart, she has no reason to feel this way. But the brain holds fickle thoughts sometimes, bringing darkness to the mind.

“He loved me first,” she bites back, lifting her chin.

“And why do you care?” you laugh tonelessly. The elevator dings open, and you’re met with the open air and concrete of the parking garage. “He may have loved you first, but he’ll love me last.”

You leave the elevator first, a little pep in your step as you make your way to the rental car to gather your parent’s things. While the words you uttered are white in nature and may not hold any sort of weight to them, it manages to bring Doyeon to her knees, absolutely quaking in the elevator.

You’re tasting revenge, and it’s sweet.

“Okay, you need to leave,” Seokjin pulls away the shot glass from your lips, “I didn’t spend days planning the itinerary for you to mess it up. Bridal party in Doyeon’s suite and the groom’s party in Namjoon’s parents suite.”

“That’s dumb,” you chastise, crossing your arms, “we’re all meeting at the same club at 10. Why can’t we pre-party together?”

“Because it’s tradition!”

“Screw tradition,” you stumble on your heels as you purse your lips at Jungkook, “Kook, when we get married I don’t wanna do a whole boy-and-girl party. We’re equals, right?”

“Of course, baby,” he cooes, being careful not to smudge your makeup when he presses his lips to the crown of your head. “But for the sake of Seokjin’s sanity, you should probably go to Doyeon’s. It’ll only be an hour or two.”

You gasp exaggeratedly at the blatant betrayal. He only grins cheekily in response, dipping down to press a wet kiss to your cheek. “Fine,” you cross your arms, snatching back your drink from Seokjin’s grasp to knock it down.

Leaving the bachelor pre-party pains you considerably. They’re having such a good time joking around the suite, telling each other fun stories and relaxing in chairs as they watch TV. This is your kind of crowd, not to mention that you can peacefully check out Jungkook’s ass in those tight dress pants without any crazy club lights distorting your vision.

From past family party experience you already have a feeling what’s coming for you in the ladies’ suite.

Loud music pours from Doyeon’s suite, and it’s completely unlocked. The bridal party is raving, ten seconds away from being completely drunk and immobile. The lights are being manually shut on and off like some sort of cheap rager, and you have to tell Yoojung to tone it down before you get a seizure.

The stench of acidic drinks and the tang of alcoholic air is palpable, and instead of a shot you opt for a glass of peach champagne to slow you down.

As you walk deeper into the suite, you notice a crowd forming by the balcony. Tapping your cousin Nari on the shoulder, you regard her with a hug and kiss. “What’s going on over there?” you ask, heels not helping you see any better.

Nari’s all blushy and pink, hiccuping as she gestures to the balcony. “Her maid of honor got Doyeon a very special gift!”

Managing to weave through the women blocking your view, you fight the urge to gag when you have a clear view of the scene in front of you.

You really don’t understand the purpose of bachelor and bachelorette parties. “One night to be single all over again!” they all say, even though they’re not actually single? Like why does the couple suddenly get one night of forgiveness when you’ve already spent years being in a committed relationship?

Why is it okay that Doyeon’s dry humping a stripper on the balcony? Her white silk dress is ruched dangerously high, soon close to flashing her family. Aunties and friends and the like are cheering her on, and she flips her head perfectly to all the phones shoved in their faces, making sure to get the perfect angle.

Fighting the urge to roll your eyes, you turn back in the hopes that your other family members would be willing to have a good old-fashioned tip back with you.

You squeal when your hands accidentally land on a bare, oiled chest. You look up, mortified at the large man covered in black harnesses. “Hey babe, I’m Wonho,” he says, faking a sultry gaze as he looks at you up and down, “you’re part of the bridal party too? Wanna dance?”

Feeling naked, you push past him, careful not to get anything on your dress. Wonho? Wonno.

Jungkook loves your family.

(Except Doyeon.)

As much as he told you not to worry about him, and he’ll be completely fine when he meets your family, he couldn’t help be a little wary on the flight over. After all, it’s been two years and he didn’t know how things would be different.

Chaoticism and all, your family is a thing to be cherished. Even though Yoongi has been on mood swings that make Jungkook question his sanity from time to time, and Seokjin is secretly breathing down Jungkook’s back every time he so glances at you, he thinks things are right where they should be.

But despite all that they regarded him with familiarity, hugged and kissed him like old friends, something is different. They’ve turned over a new page for him. They don’t bring up Doyeon. They ask about his family, his job, his life in the city. They ask about how you and Jungkook met, and how happy they are for you. How happy they are for him.

Oh, how he wishes everything could be different. In another world, you two would already be together.

He wasn’t lying back at the cabana when he said you two are the hottest couple at the resort, including the bridal party (but don’t tell Namjoon). You look absolutely stunning in your sparkly red dress, accentuating all the right parts and lighting up the whole room.

When he finds you in the club you’re sitting down with your Aunties, keeping the elders company while the younger ones are flagging down the bartenders. He thinks it’s cute, how well you fit in between them, coddling you like you’re still a child in their eyes.

“Dear, your boyfriend is here!” your one Aunt yells over the loud EDM.

You lift your head up quickly, giving him the prettiest smile. Your teeth glow purple under the neon lights, and he fights the urge to laugh when he holds out a hand. “Mind if I steal her from you?”

“Of course, she’s gotta live a little!”

You pout, a little wobbly but nevertheless still in the right mind as you shuffle out of the booth to meet his awaiting arms. “Hey handsome,” your voice is thick and sweet-smelling, “come here often?”

“Only when my girlfriend does,” he replies cheekily, hands immediately coming to your butt to smooth out your dress. He shys a bit when your Aunties hoot and holler at his public display of affection, but all he wants to do was pull the hem down a little bit. No way is he going to let anyone get a flash of your goods.

“Let’s dance!” you take your hand in his, leading him to a comfortable corner of the dance floor.

Clubs aren’t really your scene, aligning with Jungkook’s sentiments towards the loud generic music and terrible smell. But you’re in Vegas, and he feels that it’s all part of the package to experience the nightlife at least once. He puts his hands on your waist and you giggle like you’re in prom, hands coming to rest on the collar of his button down.

“Hey,” he says with a lopsided smirk, “wanna make out?”

“Sure,” he notices that you don’t even check if anyone’s seeing, and it makes his heart flutter when you don’t hesitate to get on your tiptoes to meet him halfway.

He’s always hoped for a moment like this, a moment where the room stops spinning and both your minds click into place. It’s almost comical, how he distinctly notes that the music fades once his lips touch yours. The kiss is hot, yet intimate. Even though he makes excuses to kiss you all the time because of practice, it goes to show that you two definitely never needed it. Your tiny hands grip the collar of his button down, bringing you two impossibly close despite the hot air. His larger hands grip at the strings that hold your measly dress together, grappling at any excuse to get to your soft skin. The two of you are a natural when it comes to each other’s intimacy.

The two of you pull away, mesmerized. You haven’t kissed like that before. He melts under your stare, his thumb reaching to nick off any lip gloss that’s moved in the process.

Seokjin comes down the floor to haul you both by the shoulders, “C’mon lovebirds, they’re taking wedding shots!”

The two of you follow your cousin to the crowd of people that is your family, already with their own drinks in hand. Doyeon and Namjoon are sitting atop the bar, making a very loud toast that consisted of a quick “thank you!” and “we love you!” before downing their drinks with their arms linked together. The room is thrumming with excitement for tomorrow’s festivities, and surprisingly, you and Jungkook included. He tucks himself in your body like a puzzle piece, hugging you from behind while he watches Namjoon’s eyes sparkle with love under the neons.

The nightclub gets a little blurry after that, with the copious amounts of alcohol and shameless actions from your family and friends. By the time it’s twelve Jungkook notices you swaying at a rate that you can’t handle. He knows your limits and knows when you have to urge to pee every five minutes, it’s time to go. With a chaste kiss you leave him at the bar, deciding to make a pitstop to the bathroom before telling Jungkook you want to head up.

You’re locked in a stall when you hear Yoojung’s voice.

“Ugh,” she groans, voice echoing through the tiny room. “Jungkook is so sexy. Do you see the way he’s dancing out there? He’s a literal babe magnet, I can’t believe he ended up with someone like y/n.”

You don’t move a muscle, pressing your ear against the door that hides you. The silly slander isn’t news to you, Doyeon has been feeding her friends all sorts of bullcrap so they wouldn’t bother talking to you.

“Yeah, Jungkook’s a real treat but he dated Doyeon first. Sounds like she’s into sloppy seconds,” Elly replies, another bridesmaid you’ve met in passing. “But I don’t know, they do look happy together.”

“Please, I’m sure Jungkook’s just using her so he can get one more chance at Doyeon before she ties the knot,” you bristle, the thought of Jungkook still having feelings for Doyeon makes your heart thud painfully against your chest, “like, what a downgrade. Namjoon and Doyeon do not deserve this drama. If Jungkook ever liked Doyeon at all, he wouldn’t have come. Period.”

You slam the door open, causing Elly to squeal and Yoojung’s YSL lipstick to fall onto the sink. You’re the epitome of relaxation, walking towards the sink to wash your hands. The bridesmaids simply stare at you, unable to formulate a comeback. When you finally dry your hands, you say your next words.

“Jungkook is here because he loves me,” an act act act. This is all an act. You shouldn’t be this offended because you know it’s all false. “And you’re wrong. It’s not Jungkook that doesn’t deserve Doyeon. Jungkook was too good for Doyeon.”

And you slam your heels against the tile, stilettos pounding to the beat of the music. Your exit is full of anger and frustration as you ignore the burn in your step and the ache in your heart, flagging the first bartender you see to get you a double.

Shot for shot, that anger soon melts into guilt as Yoojung’s words sink in. The thought of Jungkook using you to get to Doyeon is terrible, you can barely stomach the thought. But that’s exactly what you’re doing, right? You’re using Jungkook to get back at Doyeon.

Why did you even want to get back at Doyeon anymore? Why do you have to prove anything to her? If she just continues to push you around, isn’t that more on her than it is on you?

Jungkook soon finds you after you’ve nursed a few drinks, leaning unceremoniously against a barstool. His eyes widen at your state, and he immediately sheds his jacket to wrap it around your waist.

“Why did you drink so much?” he chastises, “it’s the night before the wedding.”

“Jungkookie,” you warble, clutching your stomach, “I don’t feel so good.”

He sighs, bending down. “Get on my back. Make sure the jacket covers you up, okay?”

He doesn’t even grunt when you put all your weight on him, feeling like a ragdoll as he hoists you up. You wrap your arms around his shoulders, letting him carry you to your room. Most of the older family already went upstairs to sleep, so none of your cousins could care less when they see you get hauled away by Jungkook.

You inhale, he smells like sweat and cologne. “I like putting my head between your neck,” you babble, and you feel Jungkook chuckle through his chest, “you smell so nice there. It’s the bestset! Comfiest place ever, ‘specially when m’sleepy.”

“Are you sleepy now, baby?” You love how smooth the petname falls from his lips.

“I will be when we get upstairs,” you reply, happy to see the elevator is empty. “I’m just all up in my head.”

“Is that why you were drinking so much? You said you were gonna stop earlier.”

“Yeah, but,” you shamefully tuck your head in his shoulder, “I was frustrated.”

“Frustrated? At who?” concern laces his tone as he struggles to hold you with one hand and fumble for his key in the other. You tighten your legs around his slim waist until the door clicks open, and he immediately walks over to your bed to plop you down. “Babe, are you crying?” he finally has a good look at your face, horrified to see the streaks of tears mixed with mascara running down your face.

“I wa-was jealous,” you confess tearily, clutching your face in your hands, “some girls in the bathroom were calling you sexy and that you were only here so you could try to win over Doyeon. I know it sounds ridiculous and you would never do that but. The thought of you getting back with her makes me so jealous and I hate it! I’m starting to feel so guilty about this, all of this. I put all of this on ourselves and I’m ruining it.”

“Ruining what? You’re not making any sense.” Jungkook places a hand on your knee, crouching down so he can look up at you.

“I’m ruining us,” you gush despondently, “I’m ruining any potential of us before we even start.”

Jungkook freezes, hand clutching your knee like a lifeline. The potential of you two together? You’ve thought of that? Jungkook didn’t drink much tonight, so his mind is definitely running on all cogs.

Coming to a conclusion, he rubs slow, soothing circles on your knee, his other hand reaching up to wipe the tears from your face. “You’re not ruining anything,” he declares firmly, “that’s impossible. I may have agreed to fake-date you because of Doyeon, but I stayed because of you.”

His heart aches seeing you so upset, and he decides to take initiative to get you out of your clothing and ready for bed. You don’t have any words, opting to let Jungkook take care of you as you try to calm yourself down. He finds a spare t-shirt, a long one so you’ll be comfortable. He doesn’t bat an eye when he unzips your dress, in favor of balling up the shirt and getting you clothed as fast as possible. He rifles through the bathroom to find your makeup wipes, and he’s gentle when he scrubs up the once pretty makeup you spent half an hour doing. Barefaced and fresh, you look sleepy and ready to crash.

But before Jungkook can tuck you in, you clutch his arm.

“Jungkook,” you murmur sleepily, “I think I lo—”

“I know, baby,” he doesn’t want a confession like this, and he’s sure you wouldn’t want it either. You still look a little green and you’re not sober, so he makes the executive decision to pin these feelings for later. “I’m not trying to invalidate you, I promise. I want you to tell me this, all of this in the morning. We’ll talk then.”

“Okay,” you melt in the sheets, pulling the blankets up to your chest. When you see Jungkook move away from the bed, you jolt, “Where are you going?”

Jungkook smiles, reaching over to tuck you back in, “I left my blazer in Namjoon’s room. I’ll be right back, okay?”

He walks out of your room as quietly as he can, making sure to close the door slowly. Once it’s sealed shut, he leaps up, giving himself a silent cheer as he bounds down the hall. You like him back!

The smile on his face is tired but full of fervor as he makes his way to Namjoon and Doyeon’s suite. He doesn’t even care that he probably has to talk to Doyeon to get his jacket back, thoughts filled with the excitement of his requited feelings and going back to his room to cuddle up with you.

He doesn’t even have to knock when the large double doors swing open. Dumbfounded, he looks down at Doyeon, wearing a tiny black nightie and dangling his jacket with one finger. It’s an outfit that leaves nothing to the imagination, and he feels his neck heat up at the feeling he’s encroaching on an intimate moment.

“You left this,” she says slowly, a tiny smirk on her lips.

“Uh, thanks,” he says, making sure not to touch her when he grabs his blazer.

In her other hand she holds up her room’s designated ice bucket. “Could you also get me some ice, please? Namjoon’s fast asleep and I really don’t want to walk out all… exposed.”

He swallows his sigh, knowing it’s going to take significantly longer to get back to you when Doyeon drawls like this. “Of course,” he replies tersely, “after all, you are the bride.”

“Thanks, Jungkookie.”

He makes quick work of getting Doyeon the ice, pumping his long legs down the hall. The ice room is cold and cramped, barely enough for his tall frame to fit in. He jabs the container in the holder, pressing the button ten times per second to get as much ice out as possible.

As soon as he turns around with the ice, he drops the whole bucket.

Like glass, it shatters onto the ground, hundreds of little clear pebbles skimming across the floor like marbles. Doyeon’s pushing Jungkook against the ice machine, freshly manicured hands splayed across his chest. Her body is flush against his, making sure that he feels all of her with her thin silk gown.

“What the fuck, Doyeon get off of me!” a little part of him hopes she’ll come to her senses on her own so he doesn’t have to put his hands on her.

“C’mon, Kookie,” her voice is a sickly candy sweet, her eyes wide with hunger as she takes in his form, “just one more night, you and me. Like old times. One more night before I tie the knot.”

“You’re crazy,” he balks, running his hand through his hair, “this is sexual harassment, do you know that?”

“You don’t mean that, Kookie,” Doyeon dips a red-tipped nail down his chest, “why settle for someone like y/n when I’m right here?”

He grabs her wrists, firm. She winces at the contact, but doesn’t say anything when Jungkook delivers her a scary glare. It gets her quiet, fearful of this version of Jungkook. Doyeon’s never seen Jungkook like this before, so unwilling to bend at her whim and emanating all his power against her.

“Why settle for your cousin?” he whispers like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, “because, I love her.”

Her lip curls in disgust, nails digging into the palm of his hand. “But you loved me first.”

“And I’ll love her last,” he spits pack, letting go of her. His anger splits for a brief second, regarding Doyeon with sorrow, “this is low, even for you.”

Jungkook pushes past the ice, wobbling out of the ice room. He doesn’t look back, he just knows that he needs you right now. He needs to tell you everything, figure out a plan to cancel the wedding or something.

But when he crashes inside the room, you’re dead asleep. He can’t find the courage to wake up Seokjin as well, who returned and is sleeping in his club outfit. He groans, feeling useless as he stares at the two of you, ignorant of what just conspired ten minutes ago.

And Namjoon, what is he going to tell Namjoon? Poor guy doesn’t deserve any of this.

Walking up to your side of the bed, he tucks your loose hair behind your ear. You look so peaceful now, so beautiful.

It’s just going to have to wait until the morning.

The morning of the wedding, you wake up alone.

The first thought that runs through your head is that Jungkook has rejected you. The little, insecure bug that will never go away in your brain fills you with rash thoughts. He’s on a flight half way back home and he regrets this whole week.

But after that exaggeration, you notice two aspirin and a bottle of water on your nightstand, along with your phone that’s fully charged.

You pull up the screen to check the dozens of messages that flood your app.

Jeon Jung-boo-thang: morning babe, im sorry i had to leave early. Namjoon showed up at our door freaking out that his suit is the wrong fit and shade. Now im running around vegas trying to find a replacement that doesn’t look like an elvis presley extra

Jeon Jung-boo-thang: but i didn’t forget what you said last night, i promise! Just go get ready and i’ll meet u at the chapel outside the resort.

Jeon Jung-boo-thang: i also have something to say to you

Jeon Jung-boo-thang: wow i didn’t realize how ominous that sounds. Dw, everything will be fine

When someone tells you something will be fine, it’s a universal agreement that no, things will not be fine.

So you get dressed, and put on your makeup mindlessly. You don’t really know what to make of Jungkook’s cryptic message, but you decide to leave those thoughts in the back of your mind as you go to the other rooms to help your family get ready.

Seokjin is busy tying the ring bearer’s tie, looking handsome with his slicked back hair and polished grey suit. “Morning, cousin,” he sing-songs, “you look beautiful today!”

You smooth out your dress, a cascading silver number with starry sparkles. You feel like you’re living out your magical girl fantasies, wrapped up in layers of tulle and a sparkly sweetheart bodice.

“Right back at you. Say, you didn’t see Jungkook this morning, did you?”

“No, but I heard he’s with Namjoon hunting for a new suit. Why?”

“Nothing,” you lean against the guest table, “he just said something really ominous over text.”

“I will never get a peaceful day so long as I’m in this family,” he says this directly to the ring bearer, a toddler who’s obviously confused at his uncle’s weird sayings.

Your phone beeps conveniently, displaying Jungkook’s name.

Jeon Jung-boo-thang: just got his suit. We’ll be there in fifteen. Meet me at the garden behind the chapel, please. It’s urgent

Now you’re just worried. So you tell Seokjin your sentiments, and that he should have his phone on hand in case you needed him. With a confused nod, you leave him to go down to the garden.

The groomsmen and bridesmaids are already at the chapel taking pictures. Only the wedding party is really allowed at this time, but you manage your way through the gardens virtually undetected. Jungkook’s already waiting for you, hiding under a white gazebo overlooking the hotel’s fountain.

He looks gorgeous in his all black pinstripe suit, hair pushed back and pants fitted perfectly around his waist and thighs. When he sees you he gets up, full of skittish energy. You note that his hair isn’t even styled, only washed and curling slightly at the ends, as if he’s in a rush.

“W-wow,” he marvels when you rush up to him, “you look gorgeous.”

You drop the handful of silver tulle, letting it fall to the floor. “Jungkook,” you clasp his hand in both of his, guilt flooding your eyes. You’ve been thinking about this all morning, and you need to cut to the chase. Jungkook tries to open his mouth but you silence him with a finger on his lips. “I can’t—I can’t do this. I know this sounds really stupid and you probably don’t want anything to do with me after this, but I shouldn’t have made this elaborate scheme,” you bite your lip, feeling even more antsy as Jungkook squirms in his grip. He however, is trying very hard to focus with his eyes, confused at your sudden confession. “I like you, Jungkook. I don’t want to parade you around like a revenge plot anymore, it isn’t fair and it’s wrong in so many ways—”

“That’s great,” he says simply, brown eyes swirling with thoughts, “um, ditto. But—”

“Wow,” you frown, “I pour my heart out to you and this is what I get?”

“It’s great that you want to be selfless right now,” Jungkook takes your hand, firm and tight, “but without this elaborate scheme, we wouldn’t be saving asses like we are right now.”

“What are you talking about?” You thought Jungkook rushed you down here so you could talk about each other’s feelings before the wedding.

“Doyeon just threw herself on me last night. I got her ice and she took that as an invitation to seduce me like an episode of Sex and the City. Namjoon needs to divorce her, like yesterday.”

Your face then morphs into something dark and ugly, and you fling your whole confession out the window. The thought of Doyeon going as far as throwing herself on Jungkook as a last ditch attempt to get back at you, has you seeing blood red. “What? Why didn’t you tell me this sooner!”

“You were asleep!” he shoots back, putting his hands on your shoulders. He rubs warm strokes up and down your bare arms, “please relax. You’re shaking.”

“And why didn’t you tell Namjoon when you were driving around all morning?”

“I tried to!” he retorts, hands swinging in the air. You huff when his hands land back on your shoulders, preventing you from running to the chapel to extract Doyeon out yourself, “but he just kept talking shit about how much he loves Doyeon and he can’t imagine being together with anyone but her and I felt so bad! I’m sorry I chickened out. I really don’t wanna be the one to break Namjoon’s heart. I’m just the plus one!”

You pinch your brows, mulling it over. “Fuck it, let’s crash a wedding,” you declare, “where’s Namjoon and how can we get him alone?”

Jungkook exhales, a hand carding up to loosen his thin silver tie. “He’s taking pictures with the groomsmen right now. It’s gonna be awhile before we get a chance to talk.”

“Fuck,” you curse, sitting down on the white bench. Jungkook presses soothing circles on your back. “We have no choice, we have to get to him before the ceremony starts.”

“You’ll have to get through me, first.”

Doyeon’s not even in her wedding dress when she strides up to the two of you. She’s in ballet flats with her hair and makeup done, but the only thing she’s wearing is the thin underdress of her actual ball gown, a simple silk negligee that reaches her ankles. You don’t even know how she’s managed to escape the bridal party, especially without her dress.

Feeling protective, you step in front of Jungkook. “Before you say anything,” you murmur, “I’m not ruining your wedding, and I never wanted to. You’re ruining it because of your mistakes.”

“Oh, boo-hoo,” Doyeon rolls her eyes, playing with her nails, “I didn’t even do anything wrong, everyone knows that on the bachelorette’s night she can do whatever she wants. Namjoon could’ve fucked whoever too if he wasn’t so faithful.”

“Namjoon is ten times the partner you are and would never do that,” You’re seeing red, unable to comprehend the complete garbage spilling from Doyeon’s lips. “You touched my boyfriend without his consent, and I will never forgive you for that,” your voice is scarlet, angry and thin.

“It’s not like he isn’t used to it, I—”

“NO!” the sound that comes out of your mouth has all three of you flinching, and you’re thankful the gazebo is far enough so that the rest of the wedding party is oblivious to your actions. “You’re not allowed to justify yourself anymore, Doyeon. What you did was fucked up, what you’ve done to all of us is fucked up!” You realize now that you didn’t need to get back at Doyeon with a fake date, what you needed was this. You needed a reprieve, a chance to lay down your law. “Jungkook was right all along. You are jealous. You’re jealous and selfish and have no shame. You think you own whatever you set your eyes on, but you’re wrong. We’re not objects, we’re people.”

You walk up to Doyeon, eye to eye. You jab a hand at her chest, pushing her back slightly. You soak up your cousin’s expression, and you watch as Doyeon’s eyes pop out in surprise at your act of boldness. “So you have a choice here. You can either swallow your pride and leave Namjoon at the aisle quietly and save whatever dignity you have left. Take your pathetic ass on the next flight back home and pack up your apartment. Or, we can start a big scene at your ceremony,” you probably look manic, filled with freshly injected power, “I know Seokin’s always wanted to yell ‘I object!’ at a wedding.”

“You have no proof,” Doyeon glares right back, taking a step closer to you. Your noses are practically touching, but you dig your heels in the white-stained wood, puffing up your chest and standing your ground.

“Doesn’t matter,” you bite back, “what matters is that Namjoon will doubt you. Namjoon knows we’d never do anything to sabotage a wedding without a valid reason. Even if you do get married tonight, we have Jungkook’s word and proof of a relationship that overlaps with his. I find this option to be far worse because it’s prolonging the inevitable,” you shrug, “I hope you two didn’t sign a prenup.”

Hot, angry tears mess up her meticulously done makeup. Black rivers carve through her porcelain skin, showing the feelings that have been dormant since been hidden under a facade. Doyeon’s eyes dart back and forth between the two of you. She’s practically vibrating in combined fear and rage, seeing blurry images and memories and regrets of what could’ve been if not for her self-absorption. And finally, your cousin comes to a decision.

“I hate you,” she emphasizes each word with the most concentrated of venoms in her tone. WIth one last look at the two of you, she stomps away. Instead of going to the direction of the chapel however, she takes the shortcut back to the hotel.

Her grave words are unsurprising, but nevertheless disappointing. A thinly veiled smile grazes your lips, sadder than ever as you watch your cousin go. “And I pity you.”

As soon as she’s gone Jungkook doesn’t hesitate to scoop you up, hugging you tightly as you fight the urge to cry again. “Oh babe, that was really hot. The way you stood your ground? That was amazing!” Jungkook takes out his silver pocket square to wipe the stray tears that threaten to ruin your makeup. “You’re so strong, don’t you know that? You did it and I’m so proud of you.”

As much as you want to revel in the affection, go back and bed and fall asleep until noon, you can’t. Grasping Jungkook by the hand, you tug him to the chapel. “C’mon,” you say, “we have to corner Namjoon.”

The groomsmen photos are done by the time you get there. Thankfully, the to-be-groom doesn’t look too occupied. His eyes widen upon seeing you two stumble from the garden of all places.

“Oh, y/n. Jungkook,” Namjoon tilts his head curiously at how winded you two look, equally flushed and out of breath. From your state, Namjoon muses that it must've taken a lot of effort to finally get to the groom unattended, save for a few random family members he’s making small talk with, “The wedding isn’t for another hour but I must say, you two look radiant together. Doyeon always thought you’d end up an old spinster-catlady, but I always told her that you’re too beautiful to be single for long,” he pauses to send the aforementioned man a wink, “Jungkook’s a lucky guy. What were you two doing back there?”

“Uh, things?” Jungkook scratches the back of his head, not wanting to reiterate the fiasco between Doyeon moments before.

Namjoon smirks at the ebony-haired man, “Couple things?”

You can’t take this needless small talk anymore. With a teary groan, you throw yourself at Namjoon. You hug him tight, and you don’t even care when you feel a slosh of his water bottle sprinkle your hairstyle.

“Joonie,” you bemoan, “please, please don’t leave me. You’re the best not-cousin ever. I know it’ll be a pain to face Doyeon after today but you’re a strong independent man and when you’re ready Jin is single and ready to mingle—ow! Jungkook! Did you just pinch my ass?”

“Do you really think setting him up with the next cousin is the best idea right now?”

“I figured a little humor would lighten the blow,” you sulk.

“I’m sorry what—what blow?” Namjoon frowns, pushing you away from him. “Y/n, have you been crying?”

The tears resurface at that moment, like a kettle on overboil. Namjoon’s face is knitted together, unable to grasp at any conclusion. Namjoon feels something grave is upon the sky as he tenderly brushes away your tears with his thumbs before releasing you. Instantly Jungkook pulls you to his chest, patting you soothingly. As much as you two do not want to be the bearer of bad news, the time is now.

“Namjoon,” Jungkook says, finding the strength that was previously stuck in his throat, “we have to tell you something.”

Needless to say, Las Vegas is very forgiving when it comes to last minute wedding cancellations.

The whole wedding party, both Namjoon and yours, collectively feels like a whole ice bucket has been dumped upon your families. You would like to say that the whole issue was handled mess free, but that would be a bald-faced lie.

There was screaming, crying, hysterical laughter from all sides. Doyeon’s parents were of course furious, embarrassed, unable to calm down a hysterical Doyeon as they haul her on the next flight home. You have a feeling they won’t be showing up to family events anytime soon.

Namjoon’s family leaves quietly, frustrated, but classy. After all, they know at the back of their heads they dodged a bullet. Everyone leaves except Namjoon however, who isn’t quite ready to go back to his and Doyeon’s apartment. Namjoon invites Seokjin and some other close cousins to stay in his suite until their flight tomorrow afternoon, wanting to be surrounded by close friends and (almost) family.

As for your family, they decide to find the silver lining. While the chapel was able to cancel the wedding, the reception wasn’t as easy to sway. At the very last second, your grandparents decided to make use of the reception and renew their Golden Anniversary vows instead. The ceremony will be a quick, sweet affair. At this very moment, your cousin Yoongi is getting officiated online.

And for you? You’re in the place where you’ve wanted to remain all week. A fluffy hotel bed wrapped up with your not-boyfriend.

Or?

Would a not-boyfriend be snuggling against your chest like you’re the softest teddy bear in the toy shop? Would a not-boyfriend be hooking your leg atop his lap, forcing you to latch onto him so his hands can roam freely against your soft thighs?

“We have to get ready for the wedding,” you whine against his hold, to no avail when he only holds you tighter.

“But your grandparents are already married,” Jungkook whines right back, nuzzling his nose in your head. “This is like an afterparty fifty years later.”

“I wanna get dressed,” you insist, pushing yourself up, “and we still need to talk.”

Without Seokjin staying with you, the hotel room feels much bigger and freer for the two of you. Your clothes are scattered on the floor, uncaring of any wrinkles or smears that would get on the delicate fabric.

All that matters is that Jungkook is still here with you. Doyeon’s wedding is called off, but he’s still lying in bed with you. You want to burn this image to memory, and keep it forever. Jungkook laying in only his white undershirt and boxers, looking at you dreamily as if he’s still in nap-mode. Hair that was previously windswept and exposing his forehead is now out of place, fluffy and sticking out in all directions. His cheeks are flushed with coral-colored warmth, and a little puffy because you two have been sleeping most of the afternoon.

“Right, talk,” he repeats, letting you hand him his black button up so he can clothe himself.

You throw off your shirt somewhere behind you, not wanting to face him as you walk to the full-length mirror. “So, I think my feelings for you are pretty clear and out in the open…”

“Same, I think I made it pretty clear as well.”

“What? You turn around, looking at where he’s still half-covered in bed. “You did not. I distinctly remember almost confessing my love to you last night. And then this morning, only for you to cut me off and say ‘that’s great’.”

“Oh,” he stares at the white sheets that cover his lower half. “I guess I didn’t then.”

You smile wryly, turning back to face the mirror so you can slip into your dress that’s been pooled around your ankles like a silver halo. “Maybe you thought it in your mind and forgot to tell me.”

That seems about right. Jungkook has a tendency to be a little too passionate for his own good, windswept in thoughts and feelings until they consume him. He hops out of bed, walking only in his dress shirt and socks as he makes his way to the mirror. “Then let me do all the talking,” he says softly against your neck, hands on your hips.

You shiver when you feel the cold silver of the zipper whirr up your body, Jungkook’s large hands splaying across your back to smooth out the waistline.

“You of all people would know that being with Doyeon is a trip,” he chuckles into the crook of your neck, “I thought that was what love felt like. Being codependent, jumping through hurdles, trying so hard to please someone who can’t be pleased.”

Jungkook’s hands wrap around your waist, hugging you tightly. He squeezes you and holds you like the most precious thing in the entire world. Through the mirror, you two are quite a pair.

“But with you, I never knew love could be like this, feel like this.”

“So… are you saying you love me?” you fight the urge to bounce around in his grip, the biggest smile on your face.

“You really just want me to say ‘I love you’ and be done with it, huh?”

Within seconds he’s pulling you from behind, whirling you around to the edge of the bed. He manages to flouce up your skirts to billow around his lap, sitting you down on his bare thighs.

“You look like a cupcake, all sprawled up like this,” Jungkook says cutely, peppering kisses in a trail from your chest all the way to your lips. “You look like a huge, silvery cupcake and I love you. It’s so easy to love you.”

Maybe it was kismet that Jungkook didn’t get to you first all those years ago. Maybe the right time is right here, right now.

“I love you, too,” you say happily, dipping down to press a long, passionate kiss to his lips. He tastes like love and a happy future. When you pull away, you encapsulate his face in both your palms, regarding him like the sun and stars. “But you know, if we date you’ll never get away from my crazy family.”

Jungkook snorts, pressing his forehead to yours, “And miss Yoongi re-marrying off your grandparents tonight, the next year of Seokjin and Namjoon running circles around each other, and a lifetime of happiness?” his hands snake under your dress, finding purchase in your soft skin, “not a chance.”

#jungkook x reader #gcn23 #goldenclosetnet #btsghostie #kwritersworldnet #jungkook fic #jungkook fluff #jungkook angst #bts fic #bts fanfic #bts fluff #bts angst

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falseroar · 4 years

Text

Is This Your Card? Part 16: Alone with the Seer

((The table quickly turns on the District Attorney, but Celine proposes an idea, a way that the attorney could help her discover what’s really going on in this house. Despite some objections from the others, Y/N decides to take her up on her offer if it means possibly getting to the truth.

(This part contains a couple of references to Silent Watch, and changes up the relationship between the DA and the Seer from canon.)

Here’s a link to the masterlist for the whole au and to the most recent part.))

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall

Watch as I betray them all”

The words on the card had an immediate effect on the table, and feebly you said, “I don’t…This isn’t—”

“Isn’t what?” Celine asked when you hesitated, and you swore you could hear the taunt in her voice.

But you couldn’t answer her, couldn’t just admit that your card was the bloodstained one lying in the middle of the table, the word “werewolf” an accusation and condemnation all in one.

“You’ve been awfully quiet this whole time, Y/N,” Celine pressed further, and you could feel the energy ripple around the table, the accusing stares that you met one by one as the others piled on.

“With those beady little eyes,” Chef said, his gaze going to your bruised eye in particular.

“And wearing those rags?” Benjamin scoffed, leaving you to fight the urge to look down at your wrinkled and disheveled clothes from last night’s party.

Your gaze went to Abe next, saw his eyes flicker over you before he said, “Maybe I shouldn’t have trusted someone so god damn gorgeous.”

Wait, what?

In between you and him, the Colonel seemed to realize that it was his turn to speak up, but he only waved a hand and said, “I’ll pass.”

On your other side, Damien remained silent and tense, his eyes on the card in front of you. You couldn’t be sure what was going through his mind, whether he would have spoken up for you if he knew a way to do so without causing more trouble—or if his sister wasn’t here.

“This card doesn’t mean anything,” you said. “It sounds more like a taunt than an accusation, doesn’t it?”

“…True,” Celine said, surprising you. “It’s as though someone singled you out, to observe what’s happened here this weekend. As I suggested earlier, I believe this is just one part of a bigger story, and I sense that you have a far greater role to play in all of this. I trust you can help me find an answer, Y/N. Will you help me?”

“…I want to know what happened to Mark, the same as everyone else at this table,” you answered, and she smiled.

“Perfect. Come with me.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Abe said, before she could rise from her chair. “How exactly do you expect them to ‘help’ you?”

“There are ways to find the answers we seek. I am a practiced seer, and with that comes experience with the arcane arts. Believe me when I say that I have seen things that you could not possibly begin to understand,” Celine said, drawing herself up to her full height to better glare down at him.

“Try me,” Abe muttered under his breath, before raising his voice again as he stood. “So what, you’re going to drag my partner off to do some ritual that will most likely lead to their death?”

“No one said anything about dying,” you said, ignoring the way the butler and the chef both looked at the “Death” card lying right in front of you.

“This isn’t up for debate, partner,” Abe said without looking at you, his eyes still locked on Celine.

Partner. Abe’s second card was just barely visible underneath his “Hermit” card, but you didn’t have to see it to remember the long list of names typed on it.

Before you could think of anything reassuring to say to him in front of everyone else, the Colonel stood as well, both hands flat on the table.

“Well, I trust Celine with all my heart! I don’t see any reason why anyone should doubt her!”

While Abe and the Colonel glared at each other, Benjamin raised a finger and said, “Well, I have to agree with our hunter. This just doesn’t seem natural.”

“Yeah, like any of this is ‘natural,’” Chef countered. “We might be dealing with a werewolf, have you all forgotten that?”

You wished you could forget, same as you wished half the table wouldn’t look at you when he said it.

“If it makes you feel better, you guys can stand watch outside the door,” Celine said. “But my work cannot be interrupted.”

“Oh, believe you me, I’ll be keeping a close eye on every single one of you.” Abe stared around the table. “Doesn’t matter how natural or not all of this is, I’m sure I’ve dealt with worse.”

That apparently settled, Celine gestured for you to follow her and walked out of the room, but you weren’t the only one to rise from the table.

Damien, who had been silent this entire time, passed you at the door frame and caught up to Celine at the foot of the stairs with a cry of, “Celine, wait!”

“Yes, Damien?” Celine asked curtly, her tone suggesting that she only stopped because her twin brother had blocked the way up the stairs.

“Are you alright? I know this news can’t be settling well with you.”

Celine brushed past him, her voice empty of emotion as she said, “I’m fine for now.”

You and Damien locked eyes, briefly.

Celine had been Mark’s wife, up until the fallout earlier this year. You didn’t know the details, you doubted anyone outside of the couple and perhaps Damien did. Even the tabloids had failed to pick up anything beyond baseless rumors and swirling gossip as Mark retreated away from the world at the same time. You’d barely seen him after the divorce.

Of course, you had barely seen him before the divorce, too.

Leaving it up to Damien to chase after Celine and try again, saying as he went up the stairs, “But all of this talk of the occult, I thought you had—”

“Given it up after I married Mark?” Celine answered as she paused at the top of the stairs.

“Well, yes,” Damien said. “I just thought…you wouldn’t become wrapped up in all of this. We don’t know what’s going on here, Celine, someone sent those cards, they knew us and they mur—Mark is dead.”

“There’s more to this world than you could ever hope to imagine. I just had my eyes opened to a small portion of it, and I can’t just close them now, little brother,” Celine said. “Especially not now, when it could help us find out who killed Mark.”

She turned and continued on down the hall without waiting for a response, and after a moment to sigh and run his hand through his hair, Damien called after her, “Just be careful!”

You reached the top of the stairs and glanced at Damien, who failed to meet your eyes. You could have asked him why his sister would be here, or if he knew why Mark’s card said what it did. You could have asked him why he had said nothing at the table, when everyone else turned against you.

But you didn’t ask, and he didn’t offer any answers.

Instead, he just added softly, “You too.”

Like you would follow Celine into yet another small room that you had never seen before or shut the door behind you if you were trying to be careful.

“It has been a while, hasn’t it, Y/N?” Celine asked as she opened a black leather bag and began placing a series of items on top of the small table in between you, starting with a tattered, square piece of fabric whose corners hung down over the side of the table. “Since we had a chance to talk alone like this.”

“Couldn’t have anything to do with what you said you would do if I ever set foot in this house again, would it?” you asked. “Something about a fur rug, wasn’t it?”

Celine gave a fond smile at the memory as she lit the last of several candles, which did little to break the darkness in the room. The flickering flames caught her eyes and sent a shadow over her face as she said, “Well, it certainly didn’t stop you, now did it?”

“I didn’t think you’d care, all things considered. Why should it bother you who your ex-husband chooses to invite to some party?” You crossed your arms and sat back in your chair, fighting to appear calm and collected even though every hair on your body felt as though it were standing on its end.

“What bothers me is that I warned you, I warned you something like this would happen when I told you to stay away from Mark and my brother,” Celine said, her voice rising slightly before she regained control of herself. “And you didn’t listen to me.”

There were more items on the table now, besides the candles. A large crystal ball, several strange, wooden shapes covered in markings you couldn’t understand, a couple of dark, pitted stones that seemed to absorb the light from the candles. And, clenched tight in her right hand, a silver amulet.

“I had nothing to do with Mark’s death—”

“Oh, and it’s just a coincidence that he had your cards on him, just before he took a silver bullet to the chest?” Celine asked. “I knew, as soon as I saw you for what you were, that you would mean nothing but pain and ruin for Mark and Damien if I didn’t—”

“What does Damien have to do with this?” you interrupted, your own hands clenched tight to fight back the urge to change, to get out of this room.

“What do you think would have happened, if someone had found that werewolf card on you? If your little secret left this house?” Celine asked, her voice lowered and trembling. “The district attorney, friend to Mark Iplier and the mayor himself, revealed to all the world to be a werewolf. And suddenly everyone’s wondering how much they knew, if Damien was simply ignorant of the true nature of the monster he backed and helped put into office, or if he knew. Everything he worked so hard for, ruined in a single weekend because he just wouldn’t listen to me.”

“You told him to stay away from me, too,” you said. It wasn’t a surprise, just another confirmation of how much the Seer hated you.

“For all the good it did,” Celine muttered. “Instead, he just went and offered to hide you away in his own home every full moon. Like keeping you safe was the problem here.”

“…What about Mark?” you asked. “Did you ever…?”

“Tell him you were a werewolf?” Celine laughed without a trace of humor. “No, it never came up. His work kept him busy enough that he didn’t have time for anyone else, so that was never a problem.”

Was that a trace of bitterness in her voice? Or maybe you just imagined it.

Your eyes ran over her fingers again, noting that there wasn’t even a line to mark her missing wedding ring anymore.

“Why are you here, Celine?”

Celine paused and then sighed, her breath nearly extinguishing one of the candles closest to her before she opened her eyes again and met your stare.

“I couldn’t shake the feeling I had about this party, ever since I heard about it. I felt, I knew that something terrible would happen this weekend, I tried to warn...But it happened anyways, and I don’t think it’s stopped happening, not yet.” She ran her hand over the two cards in front of her, and with a start you recognized the bloodstained cards Abe had placed on the table earlier. “You can feel it, can’t you? There is something at work here, a presence that…that reminds me of you.”

“What?”

She pointed at your chest with the hand still holding the silver amulet and said, “That curse that clings to you, it reeks of the same darkness that lurks in these walls. It’s how I knew there was something wrong with you, the moment I met you.”

You reached up and gripped your shirt, remembering that night in the woods. Those solid black eyes that had taken your friend, the silver touch that left you reeling until the moonlight changed your life forever. The night you learned that there were things out there, entities that would do anything to enter this world, cruel beings that didn’t care who they hurt along the way to whatever goal they set their sight on.

There was something that clung to the air of this house, that pressed down at every moment, leaving you with the itch in the back of your spine that screamed it wasn’t safe, that left you feeling so close to changing at every moment. If there was even a chance that Celine was right, that there could be something like that in this house…

“What do you think we could do?” you asked. “To stop it?”

Celine tapped the crystal ball with her finger and said, “To start with, we need to know what we’re dealing with. I believe that your curse means that you already have a connection with things not of our world—”

She cut you off before you could protest and continued, “Whether we like it or not, you’re the best option we have right now. I’ll do what I can to help, but I need you to concentrate and tell me what you see.”

She waited until you reluctantly nodded and then spread her hands out over the cards, the silver amulet still tucked between two fingers as she closed her eyes. Her lips moved, but you couldn’t hear any words, only feel the darkness begin to gather in the corners of the room, threatening to snuff out the light of the candles, whose sputtering flames illuminated the swirling mists within the crystal ball at the center of the table.

You found your eyes drawn to the crystal ball, to the images that flickered within the mists inside echoed by the shifting shadows in the corners of your eyes.

The images grew stronger the longer you looked, until it was like you were there again, standing in the foyer looking up the stairs as Mark spoke to the small gathering with his drink in hand.

“—surrounded by such close and trusted friends—”

His eyes met yours, his words twisted and broken by the memory of his body on the floor until you wondered if they had always sounded so hollow and bitter.

“I locked the door to your room once I was sure you were safe and sound in bed,” Damien’s voice said in your head, contradicting the image in your mind of reaching the open bedroom door just as the butler rounded the corner, tray in hand.

The next image that floated up was Damien and Abe arguing in your bedroom, their voices muffled and distant. You watched in confusion, wondering when this happened until Abe’s voice swam into focus and you heard him say, “—have a little voice in the back of your head that whispers every time you’re around the attorney that maybe today’s the day they—”

His words drifted back into the muffled haze that surrounded you, leaving only another layer to the sick and twisted ache in the center of your chest and you shut your eyes, not wanting to see the words on his lips or Damien’s response.

You stepped back and found yourself looking down at the Colonel, seated on the bench outside with his eyes hidden behind his glasses, his smile wistful as he said, “I guess we both needed someone to keep us this side of sane. I had hoped she would help me—”

You saw the Chef, knife in hand as he spoke of his failed restaurant, heard Benjamin’s lament about a partner who betrayed him, too many voices swirling together until, suddenly, you found yourself standing outside again, this time in darkness.

You could hear a voice, muffled and going in and out too much to make out any individual words, only the rise and fall of the speech of a man you had never seen before, leaning on a shovel as he spoke to you and Abe and the Chef, his eyes alight with urgency. Something important, something…

You blinked, the room returning to focus as you whispered, “The gardener.”

“The what?” Celine asked, her biting voice cutting through the mist that still seemed to fill your head. “Did you see something? Someone? Tell me!”

“The gardener, he’s seen this before,” you said softly, dreamily as though you were still half-asleep, but you felt certain you were right about this. The gardener would know what to do.

Celine, on the other hand, only seemed to grow angrier at the sound of your words, like you hadn’t given her the answer she was looking for. “Is that it?! No, you need to go back, there has to be more—”

It must have been the remaining haze in your mind, that made you ignore the obvious presence in the room growing stronger with her every word, how the darkness in the corners had left the flames of the candles like pale echoes of any real light, that made you think now was an okay time to ask your next question.

“The Colonel’s Lovers card. Who else knew you two were having an affair, besides Mark?”

There was only a moment, barely a second to register the surprise on the seer’s face, before it quickly turned to rage.

((End of Part 16. In Celine’s defense, she genuinely wants to do what she believes is best for the people in her life. The DA just...doesn’t line up with her idea of “what’s best” though.

Link to Part 17: The Groundskeeper.

Tagging: @silver-owl413 @skyewardlight @withjust-a-bite @blackaquokat @catgirlwarrior @neverisadork @luna1350 @oh-so-creepy @weirdfoxalley @95fangirl @lilalovesinternet-l @thepoolofthedead @a-bit-dapper @randomartdudette @geekymushroom @cactipresident @hotcocoachia @purple-anxiety-blog @shyinspiredartist @avispate @missksketch))

#markiplier #fanfiction #wkm au #werewolf au #monster hunter au #wkm district attorney #wkm celine #wkm detective #wkm damien #it's almost like #everything they saw was designed to make the da distrust everyone

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tentoriwrites · 3 years

Text

Lunar Eclipse: Chapter One

Chapter One: The Betrayer’s Cage

AO3 Link

7490 words.

After thousands of years of playing warden, Maiev and Illidan come to know each other in a particular way. But what is the feeling between them and is it strong enough to overcome their circumstances and their fate? Who will break first if either of them breaks at all? How will Maiev fare after her time with the Betrayer? How will his time with the Warden change Illidan?

Notes:

This was inspired by a piece of art by AlexaelArtworks on Twitter and Instagram. It's amazing. 10/10. Highly encourage you to check them out!

I thought it would be interesting to approach this from the angle of Maiev once being a priestess and how that would still have lingering influence over her. I also thought it would be interesting if Illidan at least knew of her from her time in the Sisterhood with Tyrande. This explores Illidan's motives a bit in an attempt to reconcile his two seemingly incongruent lines of lore and how they wrapped things up in WoW.

This may get more spicy in the future so additional tags may be added.

Playlist

A single drop of water fell from a gap between two stone blocks in the ceiling. The room was small, wide enough for an average sized Night Elf to barely miss the walls if they reached wide. It was slightly deeper from the barred door to the back wall. A single torch crackled to the left of the door, but it did little to illuminate the dark space. A ragged breath followed the drop, almost a growl from a feral animal. Maiev’s eyes burned with anger as she stared at the hunkered form before her. Leather bound fingers curled tighter around the leather binding of her chakram handle. “You feel nothing for what you did…” She hissed under her breath before backhanding the prisoner with her free hand.

“With your narrow sense of virtue and justice you could never hope to understand…” The prisoner answered in a mocking tone even as blood trickled from his busted lip.

“Do not speak to me of justice,” she yelled losing her last bit of composure. The chakram blade flashed to his exposed neck. “You killed so many innocent lives in your pursuit of power! Then endangered us all with your recklessness!”

“Lives that would have been lost to the Legion. I did them a… service,” he answered nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders as best he could.

“Or they may not have died at all,” she seethed as she pressed the blade just a bit harder into his flesh. “But do go on about how our brethren sing the praises of Illidan the Merciful.” Her voice lowered to a growl as she leaned in just a little closer, put just a bit more weight on her blade.

“Does anyone truly survive a war like that? Clearly you came out the other side unscathed, Priestess. A model of the goddess herself.” A cocky smirk quirked one side of his lips up as a small trickle of blood seeped from the wound on his neck.

“Elune forgives all for those who seek it. She’ll forgive me leaving her temple to protect her people.”

“Do you really think such things as gods exist and they care about us?” His voice drawled on sarcastically to the sound of leather clenching around leather filled the room. “If they do exist, surely they abandoned us. Why else would this have happened?”

“Perhaps because the foolish abandoned them first.”

“And yet the faithful suffered in measure with the faithless.”

“The faithful retained their original forms. That is more than I can say for the faithless.” She grabbed one of the horns at his forehead and pulled his face to meet her gaze head on.

“I really thought too highly of you, Priestess. Blinded by the radiance of your baseless faith you cannot see the darkness of this world. All you “Sisters” are alike in that…” He maintained eye contact and every part of his cockiness as he spoke.

“Do not confuse me with HER.” Maiev’s voice took a much more even tone of hate as the blade drew a long, thin cut across his neck. Deep enough to be noticeable but shallow enough not to kill him. “Tyrande isn’t coming to see you, to tell you all the pretty words you want to hear.”

“Do you think bringing HER up will give you any sort of advantage?” For the first time his façade cracked in the form of some disdain in his voice.

“No… just reminding you how alone you are. How no one thinks you a hero, a savior, or whatever it is your delusions would lead you to believe. All you have left to look forward to is me. For… a… very… long… time…” She gently tapped each side of his face. Then, with a smirk of her own she healed the wound on his neck, but still left him weak enough to remain restrained. There she left him on his knees cocky smile still on his face.

“You think to comprehend what I’ve seen. What I’ve come to know. There is nothing you can do to me worse than the Legion.”

“Perhaps not.” The cell door closed with a dull thump before a magical barrier surrounded him. “But I have far more time with you than they did.”

Days passed and ran together in darkness and quiet. The only light the faint glow from the fel-scar tattoos covering his body and the light of his eyes. It had been so long since he had anything to eat or drink and weakness was starting to dull his senses. He pulled on the blessed chains that secured his arms. They rattled dully but did not budge. His reward for his efforts a burning sensation on his skin. Though, he had to admit, the burning had lessened recently. He couldn’t be sure if that’s because he had become numb to the feeling or the blessing was weakening.

The chains on his ankles and wrists were the same. The chains on his wrists running through a massive ring anchored deep in the wall before wrapping around his ankles. The more he tried pull the more he only hurt himself. Standing was impossible. So there he kneeled, for so long her had lost any sense of time.

“I wonder why they didn’t just kill me.” He said it a loud but he didn’t expect an answer.

“The High Priestess and your brother thought it in ill taste to kill you.”

He looked up to the bars only to “see” Maiev there in no armor and apparently weaponless. The hubris to presume she could enter the cell of the Betrayer as if he were nothing more than a saber kit. He kind of like that bold confidence. Perhaps he could use it against her.

“I thought it foolish myself. But I do not lead the Kaldorei. So here we are.” She sat a wooden tray with bread and water in front of him just far enough away that he couldn’t reach it for the chains.

“Something we can agree on. No robes today? No sacred armor to mark your false righteousness, Priestess?” Illidan scoffed at her turning his head away from the sustenance his body clearly craved.

“I’ll give you a little lesson.” Maiev sat a stool down inside the cell before closing the door and the barrier came back up. “Perhaps the hardest lesson to accept as a priestess or druid is that life and death are not separate entities. One cannot exist without the other.”

“Then we agree some must die in order for others to live.” He interrupted her with an air of vindication in his voice and that same smirk on his face.

“Likewise, there are two sides to the moon. The bright side we see and the dark side we cannot.” She sat down on the stool and leaned against the bars completely ignoring his statement. “Up until now all we have ever seen, all we have ever known, is the bright side of the moon. The side that promises life and hope. But the old texts speak of a way to invoke the dark side of the goddess. A warrior cloaked in shadows and driven by vengeance. Do you know why I’m telling you this?”

“Because you want me to know you still prescribe to bedtime stories told to children?”

“Tyrande is the light side of the moon. The side that believes in life and hope. But someone has to be the dark side of the moon and do that which the light side cannot.”

“And that’s you. The lapdog doing the dirty work so she can keep her righteous hands clean.” The words tumbled from his mouth as if he had been given poisoned food by a trusted friend. The betrayed and not the betrayer.

“As you said, no one truly survives a war the likes of which we’ve seen.”

A long silence settled between them. Illidan finally glanced at the tray but quickly looked away.

“Answer my questions truthfully and I’ll give you some food and drink.”

“We could do this for a thousand years and you’ll never understand my motives.” He scoffed and looked her in the eyes.

“I don’t give a shit about your motives. I want answers.”

“What good are answers now? Answers won’t change anything.” Defiant even now, he challenged her. “Why don’t you just kill me and tell them I starved to death?”

“Shall I give you the same mercy you gave the innocents you killed?” Maiev donned her own cocky smile. “Sorry, I’m not feeling very merciful today.” She got up only to crouch in front of him. “I have a different kind of mercy in mind.” She grabbed his dirty ponytail and yanked his head back.

“I had no idea you harbored such proclivities, Priestess.”

“Disappointed you outlived my chastity, Betrayer?” She didn’t give him the opportunity to answer. Instead she poured the water down his throat as soon as he opened his mouth again.

He only managed to swallow part of it, the rest falling down his dirt caked face and chest. He choked and coughed causing some of the water to spit back in her face.

“The bread won’t go down as easily, but I’m willing to try if you are.” She forced his head to one side.

“I’m not hungry.” He managed as defiantly as he could through continued coughing.

“Funny your stomach growling earlier would suggest otherwise. Luckily for you, I thought this might happen so I took the liberty of liquifying the bread for you. She reached to the tray for the other wooden cup.

“I won’t fall for the same trick twice…”

“I counted on that…” She smirked as she released the matted strands of hair from her hand. A balled fist struck him in the side. He gasped just enough for her to force the cup to his lips and force the contents down his throat.

After another coughing fit that left him covered in bits of bread she leaned in close and whispered an incantation he didn’t recognize. The chains around his wrists, neck and ankles felt burning hot against his skin eliciting a muffled scream.

“This is your idea of mercy?” He attempted to mock her through grit teeth.

“I never said it was a mercy for you.” She took up the tray as the bars opened for her and the barrier fell. “Until next time, Betrayer.” She kicked the stool out the opening and the bars swung shut behind her.

“I look forward to it.”

Days bled together once again until Maiev finally returned. Dim eyes met her as the blessed shackles drained more of his strength each day. No greetings were exchanged as a group of wardens came in and cleaned up the cell. Once it had a modicum of cleanliness, they left Maiev and Illidan alone with a tray of food and a stool. After a long silence Maiev forwarded an ultimatum.

“Food or a bath?”

“Is this some kind of joke?” He couldn’t hold back the indignation in his voice.

“Both it is.” She moved to take up the liquified bread.

“There will be no need for your previous tactics.” Illidan’s voice was weak but still maintained a certain level of cockiness despite it all. “Just do what you came here to do and…” His voice trailed off as his brow furrowed in anger, nostrils flaring. “Satyrs. The true betrayers of our people.”

“The Watchers and I cleaned up a group of them several days ago. I bathed since then…” She sounded almost impressed.

“It is a stench I will never forget. The smell of cowardice and shamelessness.” More and more disdain seeped into his voice. Despite his long imprisonment, speaking of it seemed to give him strength. Or his rage did, eyes flaring brightly to emphasize it. He pulled against his restraints in a show of his desire to be free to fight the demons he once hunted.

Maiev plunked the stool down in front of him and pressed a cup of water to his lips. “What makes you any better than a satyr? You sold yourself to demons to become stronger.”

“But I did not become one, contrary to what you may believe.” Illidan answered her only after he had drunk all the water she offered him. “I pretended to serve them only long enough to understand them. Understand how to use their own weaknesses against them.”

“What did you really accomplish in doing that? Who did you save?” Maiev’s voice was tired, there was no hiding it. It lacked all the usual bite from the previous times she had come to see him.

“If the Sundering had not happened it would have saved many more. That blood is not on my hands.”

“No… I suppose it isn’t. But we are also assuming the Highborne could have abided by not continuing their ridiculous machinations that started all of this in the first place.” She sighed outwardly as she tore a piece of bread off and offered it to him.

“It’s more than just satyrs you’ve been fighting.” He almost sounded thoughtful before taking the bread in his mouth.

“It is none of your concern.” She tried to sound more awake and sharp but it came off as forced.

“I can help you.”

“You’re not leaving this cell.”

“I can help you from this cell.” He smirked just a little bit.

“I’m not some naïve fool as to trust you.”

“Then I’ll answer one question as a show of faith.” The smirk got just a little bigger, hidden only by chewing the next piece of bread she offered him.

“Why did you take water from the Well of Eternity?”

“The Well of Eternity was the most powerful weapon we could have wielded against the Legion going forward. The power it contained would have been more than enough to help us destroy them.”

“Destroy them going forward?”

“That’s a second question for another day.” His cockiness turned grim signaling something unsettling.

Maiev sighed again, with frustration this time. “That isn’t enough for me to trust you.” She pushed his cheeks together forcing his lips to part for the last piece of bread.

He smiled as he chewed it. “Never let your guard down, do you?”

“I can no longer afford to be complacent.” She offered him one last drink before getting up.

“Heavy is the burden of the strong to protect the weak.”

“How very ignoble of you,” she mocked as she cleaned up the tray. She muttered the same incantation again before turning to leave the cell and Illidan’s pained groans behind her.

“You need a bath and you’re getting it next time whether you want it or not.”

“Does the smell offend your delicate senses, Priestess?”

“I haven’t been able to smell anything but death in weeks.”

Illidan didn’t have a comeback for that. Instead he looked thoughtful a moment through his pain. “The Well was our greatest weapon against the Legion going forward.” He repeated what he had said earlier. “You possess something those foolish Highborne do not.”

“Oh? What might that be?” She leaned lazily against the bars while she waited for him to answer.

“A noble purpose.” There was no sarcasm in his voice. No cocky attitude. Just sincerity for the first time.

Her brows furrowed harshly and she pushed off the cell bars. “There’s nothing noble in bathing in the blood of demons and traitors every day. It’s a job that needs to be done. That’s all.” With nothing left to say that day, she left him.

After she left, he shook his head. “It is not what you do, but why you do it that is noble…” He let out a long, frustrated growl accompanying a stiff tug on the chains. “I should be the one out there fighting them… not you…” One more strong, but futile, pull and every muscle in his body relaxed on a ragged breath.

It took much less time for her to return again. As promised, she came with buckets of water and other various bathing supplies. Once they were all arranged, she sat down on the stool and got to work on his hair.

“I fail to see the point in this,” he muttered as she sat behind him cutting the binding from his ponytail.

“It’s psychological.” Maiev was clinical in her response, tiredness still creeping in her voice.

“I fail to see how making me look and smell pretty will change my attitude,” he scoffed with the same damnable smirk.

“I know. I know. You cannot fathom the horrors I have seen. I am not so easily broken,” she mocked him as she worked a brush through the ends of his hair giving it a solid yank in a particularly nasty knot. “I never said it was for you.”

“I overestimated you, priestess, to have been so easily swayed by my charms.” A teasing swagger filled his voice now but it was quickly replaced by a grunt of pain.

“I am well and truly aware of your status as Azeroth’s biggest ass,” Maiev hissed as she lodged the comb in his hair and pulled with a great deal of force. His head tilted back as a result to meet her sharp gaze. “But the others will start to doubt the threat you pose if they continue to see you in this decrepit state.” The knot untangled and his head shot forward again. “You deserve no sympathy and so you shall receive none.”

“A poor excuse.” There was something in Illidan’s voice that she had never heard before and couldn’t quite place. It was cocky as ever, and yet there seemed to be something else there.

“I told you before, didn’t I? You have no one to look forward to but me.” Her subtle way of telling him no one put her up to this was not lost on him.

Silence fell between them again as she continued to work the comb through his hair until all the knots were gone. She set to work wetting and cleaning his hair next.

“Do you have a family?” Illidan finally broke the silence as she blocked the soap and water from getting in his eyes with a hand to his forehead. He went on when she didn’t answer. “Besides your Brother.”

“No.” She ran her fingers through his hair making sure all the soap was out of it.

“Yet another thing your faith denied you.”

The cynicism in his voice elicited a sigh. “It was not forbidden, clearly. But my duties kept me too busy to pursue such frivolities.”

“Duties such as washing the hair of prisoner of war?”

“The sick and injured.” He was starting to raise her ire despite all her best efforts to not let him get to her.

“Ah yes… the grace and mercy of Elune bestown upon the faithful through the hard work of her devout priestess.”

“You would mock such experience even when it benefits you?” She grasped one of his horns and gave his head a yank to one side.

“I… did not… ask for you to do this.” Defiant as ever, he gritted his teeth to speak through the pain. The pleasantly scented soap did nothing to hide the smell of searing flesh filling the cell.

She finally released him and went back to the task at hand. She braided his hair to keep it out of the way so she could wash the rest of his body. When she stood and released the shackles on his ankles he gave her a momentary, questioning look over his shoulder. “I can leave your ankles restrained and cut those filthy rags off but then you’ll get to sit here naked for the rest of your miserable existence.”

“Is that the only reason?” Cocky Illidan was back again.

Maiev started to close the shackle around his ankle again.

“I don’t think I can stand on my own.” Illidan pointed out more seriously this time. “It has been too long.”

“Then sit on the stool.” She pulled him back on to the stool with seemingly no effort at all. As she handed him a tray of food and water, he could appreciate for the first time her physique.

“You’ve been training.” He grabbed her wrist and held her fast.

“Of course I have. You didn’t think I could wield a blade so well from lifting sacred tomes, did you?” She snapped trying to yank her arm free.

He held fast to her arm and traced one of the scars with his thumb. He seemed fixated on it for some reason. “You could have healed this easily, yet you still have it and others.”

She finally wrested her arm free and rubbed her wrist with her free hand. “They are a part of my past and so a part of me. These scars are a reminder of what is required of me. A reminder of the sacrifices I made so they will not be forgotten. A reminder of what will happen if I fail.” She turned away from him after she explained this.

Illidan touched a glowing scar on his chest lightly. “You are your scars and your scars are you.” He seemed thoughtful as he said this. His hand came back to the edge of the tray he was no staring at. “Perhaps we are not so different in that regard.”

“Perhaps not.” Maiev went back to work cleaning up her prisoner. "I suggest you eat quickly." Maiev's skilled hands cut a swath down the middle of his back. She didn't seem the least bit put off negotiating around his slumped wings. In fact, she picked one up and made quick work of cleaning it. "In a hurry to be rid of me? Where is your virtue of patience?" Though he teased her, he couldn’t deny he felt the slightest bit touch starved after so much time feeling nothing but decaying clothes, burning irons, and cold darkness. "I'm in a hurry to get you locked back up again. Besides, it'll be difficult to clean everything with a tray in your lap." She was completely nonplussed as she said it, not even hesitating as her hands wiped the last diaphanous pane of a wing. "You were serious?" "Have you known me to be anything but serious?" She moved on to the other wing. In another time, he did. Back when she was a priestess. There was a time when she could even laugh. Now he wondered if she even knew how. "I had no idea you harbored such proclivities, Priestess." Illidan cocked his head to the side as a wash cloth slid across it. The wet cloth wrapped tightly across his throat. Maiev leaned in close to one ear. "Let's be clear on one point. If I wanted to have my way with you, I could have at any time. All your suggestive comments would lead one to believe you would like me to have my way with you." "Only someone denser than a moon festival cake would assume that from my comments." He sounded almost offended as he scoffed at her assertion. "Besides... you are far too refined to handle the beast inside me." "Big talk for the chained tiger." She stood and glanced down at the tray in his lap. "And coming from the man who seems hell bent on keeping his pants on."

Illidan looked down at the tray of uneaten food. He huffed out a chuckle in the face of her challenge. “I’ve underestimated you in more ways than one, Priestess.” He took his time eating and drinking while she finished washing his other wing. Staring at her every move intently in an effort to throw her off. Without saying a word, he sat the tray aside and waited for her to crumble.

“Lean back.” It was an authoritative command.

“As you wish, priestess.” He lounged back on the stool casually, invitingly.

Maiev rolled her eyes momentarily but didn’t break eye contact for a single moment. She stared directly into the burning green lights as she bent down next to him and worked off his dirty pants and underwear. Not once did she look away while she washed his waist and legs. Especially not when she finally got around to cleaning THAT. All with an expression of absolute seriousness. When it was all said and done, she got up and dumped a whole bucket of now ice-cold water all over him.

“You almost made it.” He teased with a smirk. “You almost convinced me you could keep this professional.”

“If I didn’t think you needed to cool down, I wouldn’t have a reason to do that.” She crossed her arms over her chest in triumph as the bucket dangled suspiciously over his crotch.

“A physical reaction to stimuli is hardly cause for celebration.” He picked the bucket up and sat it aside leaving no further way for her to avoid seeing him in all his glory, or lack thereof, as the case may be.

Her eyebrow quirked momentarily, but otherwise she bore no outward reaction to the sight. Instead she looked away quickly to pick up the change of clothes she brought. A strange noise behind her made her turn quickly. Illidan had managed to stand and was using his wings to maintain balance on unsteady legs. But he had his back turned to her.

“Suddenly feeling embarrassed?” It was a tease more than anything.

“You said you had no family. Not that you didn’t want one.” He was uncharacteristically serious. “One day you may have one and I wouldn’t want to ruin that for you…”

For a moment she thought he was trying to say something, trying to make her understand something more. Then she remembered this was the Betrayer and he was trying to play mind games with her. Every word carefully crafted and deliberate to get her to let her guard down. After realizing that, she started to laugh. It wasn’t the same laugh he remembered, but it was a laugh nonetheless. It sent a wave over his very being almost like happiness.

“One steamy night of passion with the Betrayer and I’ll be ruined for life? Is that what you’re getting at? The evidence would suggest you are in far more need of me than I am of you.” She threw a long tunic over his head, one that laced together at the sides to accommodate his wings.

He grabbed her wrist again when she came to the side to tie one set of laces. He looked down at the scars that riddled her arm again. “You deserve to be someone’s first thought, not enjoyed for a moment then lost to eternity.” He slowly released her arm. “I haven’t been capable of giving anyone my first thought in a very long time.”

“What are you trying to say?” She cocked an eyebrow at him suspiciously.

“Nothing… nevermind…” He let go of her arm completely and stared straight ahead. “I grow tired of this game, Warden. And time is not on our side. Do what it is you came here to do and leave.”

Maiev was thrown by this sudden change in attitude but didn’t let it deter her from the task at hand. Without any further distractions, she was able to reclothe Illidan quickly. He kneeled down again and allowed her to clasp the shackles without a struggle. Before leaving, Maiev uttered a different incantation this time. The chains rattled violently as they changed configuration to force Illidan to stand. Chains crisscrossed his torso, arms and legs. Now chained to the wall he had to use his legs or face the burning blessings cutting into his whole body. He growled louder than usual to suppress his pain this time. It wasn’t clear if it was from his unused legs revolting or the new blessing.

This was the rhythm of Illidan’s life in the Warden’s prison. Long periods of darkness punctuated by Maiev’s succinct deliveries and reinforcing the bindings on him. More often than not, they said nothing. Every once in a while, she would be in a mood to talk about things other than extracting a confession from him.

On one such occasion, his hands were shaking from atrophy as they had been secured behind his back for some time. The bowl of soup slipped from his hands and splashed all over his face and hair. Something about the scene caused Maiev to crack just a fraction. She couldn’t help the slight smile on her face. Seeing it made Illidan smile a bit.

“Is my plight amusing to you, Warden?” There was a playfulness to his voice where there would have been harshness otherwise.

“I suppose it…” A piece of potato that had been stuck in his hair suddenly dropped back into the bowl sending more soup flying into the air. Maiev tried to hide her smile and laughter behind her hand.

“Yes, take joy in the suffering of your prisoner. You will pay for this transgression in time, Warden.” Though Illidan made a big show of the threat, it felt more than somewhat hollow.

Maiev cleared her throat and tried to put her serious mask back on. It was still smiling a just a little. “I’ll bring something to clean that up.” She left the cell and Illidan could hear laughter echoing off the stone halls just before the barrier closed.

If it had been anyone else seeing him like this, let alone laughing at him over it, he would have been mad. “It’s your fault I have grown incapable of even the most childish of tasks as feeding myself!” He would growl at them with fierce eyes. But for some reason, he was rather pleased to have seen that smile for the first time in so many years.

“I had forgotten how beautiful she is when she smiles.” He muttered a loud to him himself. “She always did rival Tyrande in her own way… To see her like this now.” He lifted his face towards the ceiling. “I had hoped to save more…” His fingers wrapped around the chains at his wrists until his knuckles turned white. He yanked at them as hard as he could, arms trembling under the force he was suddenly exerting on them. His efforts yielded no results. “I will escape this accursed prison and I will finish what I started. Complacency is no longer an option…” He brought his head down and stared at his reddened wrists.

The bars opening again did not draw his attention. He didn’t stir as Maiev started to clean the soup off his face until she reached for the tie to his blindfold. “Do not touch it.” He grabbed her wrists as he growled out the warning.

“It’s disgusting. Thousands of years with the same piece of cloth over your eyes.”

“It is for your protection.” His hands tightened around her wrists.

“Then close your eyes.” She started working the blindfold again. “I… I can’t kill you, you know. Tyrande and Malfurion would likely remove me as leader of the Watchers if I did.” The last bit felt like it had been added as an afterthought.

He heaved out a sigh as his hands slowly, hesitantly slackened. Eventually, he let out another tight breath before his shoulders relaxed. The green light that once seeped through the blindfold disappeared and she knew it was safe to proceed.

“I have seen everything more times than I can count and the one thing you can’t stand for me to see is your eyes. Is that because of the abomination you’ve become?” She removed the blindfold and tossed it aside. She ran the wash cloth over his face and into his hair gently.

“All power comes at a price. One I have paid is to see many things you could not even begin to fathom. Things that would drive weaker beings mad.”

“Are you suggesting I’m weak?” She couldn’t help but challenge him at the merest suggestion he was stronger than her.

“You would survive the visions of that I have no doubt.” He took her hand when she got too close to his eyes. “But you have already lost enough in this life. I would not presume to take more from you.”

“How very noble…” She scoffed as she turned for a new piece of cloth to put over his eyes.

“This is…”

“It was a scrap the tailor had left over. Don’t think too much of it. Silk is more durable anyways and will stand up better to the conditions in here.” She retreated after the explanation so she could hand him another bowl of soup. “Try not to wear it this time.”

He chuckled and smirked as he pondered how much of her explanation was truth and how much was a cover. He didn’t say anything though. Once he finished eating, she took everything aside and prepared to leave.

“This cell cannot hold me forever. I will escape and continue my work.” It was a declaration, gravity etched into every word.

“If that ever happens, I will hunt you down and bring you back here. As many times as it takes for you to see justice for what you have done.” Also a declaration.

“It is unwise to make promises you cannot keep.” A ghost of a smirk.

“How many times have you said you’ve underestimated me?”

Illidan’s smirk grew a fraction wider. “Thank you for the bath.”

He couldn’t deny he looked forward to her irregular visits. Especially taunting her during bath days. But she became increasingly less fun as the years wore on. He watched as her once vibrantly colored hair and bright eyes faded. A tinge of regret wheedled into the back of his mind that she had to keep fighting and caring for him. She could just as easily torture him for the information she wanted. Yet, she had not. That was the puzzle he kept coming back to over and over again. If she truly was the dark side of the moon, to Tyrande’s brilliance, surely she would not be above torture. Had she been forbidden from its use?

He had plenty of time to think about that later. It was time to focus on his mission and how to escape the prison again. One thing at a time. First the blessing, then the chains, then the magic barrier. Then… her. He surmised Maiev would be the most powerful deterrent of them all. As well she should be. Death wasn’t an option, but perhaps he could fight his way out. The sense of urgency within him grew stronger each day as he felt tendrils of darkness seep into the very earth beneath him. He started to formulate the thousandth plan, the millionth contingency, when Maiev appeared before him. She stood tall as ever, but there was no hiding the blood-soaked bandages all over her body.

“You are… injured…” He sounded genuinely surprised. It was clear she had just freshly bathed. Hair loosely tied and still dripping onto the linen shirt made the many bandages underneath even more apparent.

“It is no concern to you.”

“You wreak of demons.” He growled.

“All your friends are dead.” She replied flatly as she sat the tray down. Today he had his hands bound behind his back as he sat crossed legged on the floor. She released his hands so he could feed himself and made to retreat to her stool by the door.

“I would not starve to death in a day or two.” He grabbed her arm before she could leave and pressed his other hand to a seeping wound on her arm. Felfire danced from his fingers incinerating the bandage and cauterizing the wound.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Maiev growled painfully between clenched teeth as she wrenched her arm away. The act a painful reminder that he was dangerous and she always needed to be on guard. Her hand reached instinctively to the dagger she always wore hidden on her person. For a moment she chastised herself for being so foolish as to come here in her current state.

“An open wound is apt to fester.” Illidan’s flippant response was accompanied by a slight shrug before he started eating.

“How long has it been now?” She sighed as she stared up at the ceiling while clutching her burnt arm. “Still you refuse to answer any real questions.” Maiev tiredly let her inward thoughts spill from her lips. Feeble rays of light radiated from her palm to heal the wound.

“You would have a much better idea of that than I. There are no days or nights down here.” A casual enough response but the bitterness couldn’t be ignored.

“Several thousand years of this same song and dance has grown quite bothersome.” The bars rattled gently as she settled against them.

“Then change the cadence.” Illidan smirked up at her for the first time in centuries.

It was more attitude than the weary warden could handle. She vaulted from the stool and threw a fist into the stone wall right next to his head. The impact splintered off a piece of rock and sent it shearing into the hair that exploded from its binding. A few cut strands wafted slowly on to Illidan’s hand.

“JUST TELL ME WHY YOU DID IT! Why did you steal water from the Well and open up the possibility of them coming back?! Just what did you hope to do?!” There was a wild desperation in her voice as if the last strands of her patience, or sanity, were about to snap.

Though she had nearly hit him and screamed in his face, Illidan looked completely unfazed. But the smirk on his face drifted to something listless.

“Have you ever loved something so much you would give up everything, even your very soul, to protect it?” Illidan’s question was sincere in tone, his face a vision of seriousness.

Maiev’s eyes shifted back and forth rapidly as they searched his face for the meaning behind the question. Unable to determine it, she answered truthfully. “I would die to protect my people.”

“That’s not the same.” The chains rattled softly as he pushed a hand against her cheek. “You have given so much of yourself to everyone else are you even capable of loving as deeply as…?”

Maiev’s eyes narrowed as Illidan trailed off. She wrenched his hand away and slammed it into the wall. “You cannot hide what is already well known. And your pretty lies won’t work on me. You said it yourself centuries ago, you haven’t been able to give someone your first thought in a very long time.” She pushed herself back and slowly stepped away, never taking her eyes off him.

He just shook his head and looked back to the tray. “I also seem to remember telling you your narrow sense of virtue and justice could never hope to understand my motives.”

“I can’t even begin to understand them if you never tell me!” She roared with her whole body before grabbing the now loose hair at her temples. “All you seem to allude to is that you did it for love. I call saber shit on that.” She pulled on the hair for a moment then abruptly pulled her fingers free of the strands.

“Even though it’s been thousands of years, you still don’t seem to realize we are two sides of the same coin.” Illidan’s low voice harbored no cockiness. Only straight forward truth.

“I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!” Maiev roared with her whole body again this time punching the wall adjacent to the one Illidan was chained.

“We both gave up all the comfortable and good things in our lives to fight an endless war.” He gestured to the cell. “We sacrificed our bodies, a very piece of ourselves.” He gestured to his eyes. “We gave up on old paths to pursue ones that would better serve us in our battles ahead.” He tapped his arm where the wound he cauterized on her sat. An indication that he understood she was growing incapable of using the Light to heal herself. To say he knew she had been away from the Sisterhood too long to remember its lessons. “We both chase after an illusory dream to lengths others cannot understand. But we do so with complete conviction in ourselves.” He pulled the blindfold from his eyes of his own accord for the first time since he had been imprisoned though he kept his eyes closed to shield Maiev from the dangers that lurked in their depths. “And it would seem... we both gave up any hope of happiness in this life.”

Maiev’s hands fell heavily at her side. Her weight grew too much for her tired legs to hold. She sank slowly down with her forehead to the rock wall she had just maimed. She breathed in the stagnant air of the cell on heaving breaths.

“You wasted so much time and strength running from this truth. But the moment you stepped into the shadows you stepped closer and closer to it.” There was a soothing quality to his voice as the chains rattled gently. “But there is one crucial thing that separates us.”

Maiev twisted her head to look at him from behind a veil of hair. Her heavy breaths caused one section to move in and out in time. “I can think of plenty, but what did you have in mind, Betrayer?”

“The only person you were willing to sacrifice for your noble cause was yourself.” Illidan gave her a pressed smile as his head tilted to look at her better.

Maiev’s eyes narrowed slightly as the acknowledgement of his confession settled over her slowly. “Then you admit your sin of using the lives of innocents to further your goal?”

“I will not apologize for what I did.”

She rolled her eyes at the expected response. “Why are you suddenly so forthcoming with information?”

“Because I have been thinking about you a great deal lately, Maiev. Let me go so I can help you put an end to all of this.” Illidan reached out and brushed the hair out of her face.

For a moment the way he said her name and not some teasing title made her feel… something. But it was short lived as the voice in the back of her mind screamed danger. “Do not toy with me, Betrayer.” The dagger she kept hidden found its way to his throat. She muttered an incantation and Illidan’s body was sucked back against the wall. It sent the tray clattering leaving the remaining contents splattered on the floor. “I know… I know the only thought on your mind is how to escape this place.” She approached him on slow, purposeful steps. “And the only name in your heart is Tyrande Whisperwind.”

“It is true, I will never love someone else as much as I love Tyrande. But…” He pulled against the chains with all his strength. They seared into his flesh twisting his face in pain but he still didn’t relent.

“There are no buts with you, Betrayer. You lost the right for me to trust you millennia ago and I will not ever trust you again.” She shook her head as if she was trying to convince herself of the words. “Struggle all you want, all you’ll do is hurt yourself.” She set out about cleaning up the dishes off the floor.

“Your hair at least…” Illidan finally relented and stopped pulling again the restraints. “Let me fix it for you.”

“You?” Her eyebrow quirked up slowly. “You know how?”

“I do not profess to have the skills of Azshara’s handmaidens but I can braid hair.” He dangled the blindfold in one hand.

“The what about your eyes?” She sounded unsure, but not unwilling.

“You can bring it back to me next time.” He drew a sly smile, despite the burns on his body.

Maiev let out a long sigh. “It would do me no favors for my subordinates to see me like this.”

“As a leader you should inspire confidence. An unkempt appearance would sow doubts,” he offered encouragingly as he swayed the blindfold again. When Maiev didn’t answer or make any move he frowned and sighed. “You let yourself very open multiple times. Did I ever make a move to hurt you?”

“Yes. Just a few minutes ago.”

“That wound was bleeding far too much.” That was true at least.

Maiev sighed again and walked over to him, dagger in hand. “I will know if you try anything suspicious.” She gave a word and the chains loosened. “Can you stand?”

“So considerate. Yes, I can stand.” He gave her a coy smile.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this…” Finally, she turned around. “You can open your eyes.”

#world of warcraft #warcraft fanfic #maiev shadowsong #illidan stormrage #enemies to lovers #slow burn #denial of feelings #angst #solitary confinement #nudity #bathing/washing #hand feeding #power dynamics #emotional hurt/comfort

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vengfulfate · 4 years

Text

Both of Them, and Only Them, Ch. 10

Story Summary - Melanie and Miltiades Malachite have trouble with love. They share everything, and this has either scared people away or made them think their relationship was more open than the twins would wish. Then along came Ruby Rose… could she be the one the sisters have searched for?

Chapters: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine

I apologize to everyone who looks forward to this story for the extended gaps between updates. This is kind of a side project for me. It's getting a chapter now because I haven't settled on my next project yet and wanted to get some writing done. It might get another chapter or two in the next few weeks, or it might not. It all depends on how things go.

Please enjoy!

---

The morning came, and neither Weiss nor Ruby knew how to breach the subject. They prepared for their mission around each other in uncomfortable silence. The tension between them only grew along side the silence, and Yang and Blake feared it would boil over badly. As much as they wanted to avoid it, neither of them knew how to get the former ‘BFFs’ to an agreeable conclusion either.

Even the arrival of Zwei, Ruby and Yang’s corgi from Patch, did little to lessen the anxious air. The subject was all that was on their minds, but none of them had to courage to breach it. Not until they were almost on the airship, anyways.

“Hey, Yang?” Ruby asked for her sister to get some words in the air, “What are the details of the mission you guys picked, anyway?”

“Oh yeah, about that…” Yang began cautiously, “We tried to pick a mission that turned out to be restricted to first-years…”

“Then Ozpin came out of nowhere, basically told us he knew exactly what we were up to, and approved us for the restricted mission,” Weiss finished matter-of-factly.

“So… our mission is to actually look for the White Fang?” Ruby asked, confused.

“Not officially,” Blake answered, “But I’m pretty sure that’s what was implied.”

“And… our thing?” Ruby finally directed to Weiss. Getting a conversation out had exactly the effect she hoped. “It won’t get in the way, right?”

“Of course not,” Weiss stated sharply, her classic cold demeanor reemerging.

Yang wouldn’t exactly call it progress, but at least the team knew they would still work efficiently together. It was enough for the team, at least for now.

---

Their mission brought them to the ruins of the township of Mountain Glenn. A failed expansion of Vale, Mountain Glenn was a concrete jungle of crumbling buildings and wandering grimm. The concentration of grimm had spiked in recent weeks, which was not unusual on it’s own, but it still lined up with the information Blake had obtained. After a long afternoon with little progress, RWBY and their chaperon set up camp for the night in one of the many collapsed buildings.

Ruby was keeping watch when Doctor Oobleck, their history teacher and huntsmen chaperon clad in safari clothing, approached her. “Good evening, Ms. Rose.”

“Hey, professor,” Ruby greeted in turn in her usual cheerful demeanor.

“Doctor,” Oobleck warned.

“Right, sorry,” Ruby giggled.

“You team is very impressive, for first year students,” Oobleck complemented.

“Thank you!” Ruby smiled. After a pause, she added, “Doctor.”

“But there is a tension here, isn’t there?” the teacher pointed out.

Ruby’s smile failed. “You see it?”

“I do,” Oobleck nodded.

“It won’t get in the way,” Ruby promised, “we’ve talked it over.”

“But not resolved it?” Oobleck pressed further.

Ruby sighed. “Doctor, how do you feel about… polygamy?”

“Hm...” Oobleck thought. That seemed a lot more complicated than what he initially assumed teenagers would argue over. “I believe there is too much negativity in the world deny someone something that makes them happy.”

“One of my team mates doesn’t believe it can be real,” Ruby explained.

“And another is partaking in a polygamous relationship?” Oobleck deduced.

“I am,” Ruby confirmed.

Oobleck couldn’t help but think back on the various observations he had made that day. “Not to be inconsiderate, but Ms. Schnee...?”

Ruby did a double take, panicking for a brief moment. She felt like confirming such was akin to bad mouthing her behind her back. “I… shouldn’t gossip.”

“Of course,” Oobleck nodded, understanding. “I admit I don’t have any advice for you. Much as he may seem it, Professor Ozpin is not omnipotent. Teams are not always a perfect storm of friends and confidants. Being able to work together regardless is part of being an adult.”

“We’re trying,” Ruby nodded. “I just wish I could make her see she’s wrong.”

“She may be wrong in this specific instance, but her fears are not entirely unfounded,” Oobleck defended. “There are those in this world who would prey upon the young, hopeful and niave. If she is concerned for you, it proves that she indeed cares about you.”

Ruby cast her gaze behind her, landing on the heiress’s figure bundled in her sleeping bag. She smiled. “I guess it does. She’ll come around. I can feel it.”

“You are her leader and friend, and would know her better than I,” Oobleck explained, “if you feel as such, I’m sure it will be so.”

“Thank you, professor,” Ruby nodded. Oobleck opened his mouth, but Ruby quickly cut him off, “Doctor! Heh, sorry.”

Oobleck closed his mouth and smiled. With a nod, he left the young leader to resume her watch.

---

Weiss gazed over the city with blank eyes. It was her turn to watch camp, but her mind was engulfed by other thoughts. Truth is, she was wide awake when Oobleck prodded Ruby about the tension in the team. She heard the entire conversation, and it gave her plenty to think about. She knew her upbringing was oppressive, to say the least, but there had to be a line somewhere?

“Hey, Weiss?”

Her concerns weren’t baseless, that much Oobleck agreed with

“Um, Weiss?”

But was it really true that Ruby’s relationship could be fine? Healthy, even?

“Weeeiiiiissss?”

Weiss was ready to wait in the wings with an ‘I told you so’, but maybe-

“Weiss!”

“Huh?” Weiss spun around, finally broken from her train of thought.

“Finally,” Ruby sighed in relief, having finally gotten Weiss’s attention. “Are you still tired? We can swap watches if you need more rest.”

“No, I’m fine,” Weiss insisted.

“Alright,” Ruby shrugged, “anyway, I wanted to say I think I noticed something. It’s probably nothing, but I’m gunna go check it out.”

Weiss nodded, “don’t rush into something, okay? Call us if you need us.”

“I will,” Ruby promised.

Weiss nodded and cast her gaze back over the city once more. Ruby may not be a genius, but she was far from stupid. Crescent Rose alone could attest to that. And she is training to be a huntress, so it wasn’t likely the twins had physically overpowered her at any point.

I was ready to standby with an ‘I told you so’, but maybe that’s not how I should be thinking. And it won’t help Ruby should that come to pass. Perhaps I should support her now, and be there for her later if the worst indeed happens. And if it doesn’t happen, if Ruby’s relationship is valid…

“I don’t want to lose her as a friend,” Weiss finished her thought aloud.

The sunrise wasn’t far away, and soon the light and warmth of morning was rousing the sleeping hunters.

“Well!” Oobleck stretched and took a swing from his portable mug, “Who’s ready for a brand new day!?”

“Wait a minute,” Blake looked around, “something’s not right...”

“Yeah, where’s my sister!?” Yang noticed.

“What do you mean?” Weiss asked, “Isn’t she back?”

“Back?” Blake questioned in turn.

“She told me she was going to check something out,” Weiss explained, “and she promised to call in if it turned out to be, well, something. I never got a call.”

“And you didn’t notice she never returned!?” Yang shouted, “How long has she been gone!?”

“Girls!” Oobleck quickly took control of the situation, “now is not the time for anger. Whatever lessons this mistake can teach must be pondered later. First, we resolve the mistake itself. You leader may be in danger, and we must stay calm as we search for her.”

Camp was packed hastily and the group set out with no delay. Blake was the first to spot Crescent Rose, folded on the ground in front of a large sinkhole. Oobleck began a rant about sealed subway lines underneath the township, but Weiss could barely hear it.

She was looking forward to telling Ruby about her change of mind and hopefully mending their friendship, and subsequently the connection with the rest of the team, in the process. Now the girl was in danger and Weiss would regret it the rest of her life if she never got the chance to repair that particular bridge.

“Well, Weiss?” Blake broke through the heiress’s haze of thoughts, “You with us?”

Weiss quickly deduced what they were asking, not that it was very hard. They needed to go down into the dark. Weiss picked up Crescent Rose, steeling her resolve. She looked to the others and nodded, “Let’s go save our fearless leader.”

---

Melanie yawned as she leaned across the bar. “Why on earth are we awake again?”

“Because Junior agreed to host a wedding reception and he needed hands,” Miltiades reminded her sister.

“Who the hell has a reception at a nightclub?” Melanie stifled a laugh, “They’re probably under 20. I give them two months.”

“Don’t be rude,” Junior scolded, “They’re paying customers. Well paying customers.”

Melanie sighed. “Can you at least turn that off?” she pointed to the television currently displaying the morning news. “It’s putting me to sleep.”

Junior nodded and picked up the remote.

“Wait!” Miltiades stopped him, staring at the screen.

“What?” Melanie looked up and read the screen.

BREAKING NEWS: Explosion! Huntsmen and Grimm brawl in downtown Vale!

“Holy shit...” Junior read, “Don’t think that’s near us, though.”

“Mel...” Miltiades pointed again as the ‘huntsmen’ came into frame.

Black hair. Combat boots. Red cape. “Ruby!”

Now wide awake, Melanie dashed out of the club. Miltiades made to follow, but stopped short. The less brash twin didn’t want to leave without her boss’s blessing.

“Go,” Junior told her. Miltiades nodded and ran after her sister.

By the time the twins reached the battlefield, the chaos had already passed. Someone in handcuffs was being loaded onto an airship and a tall blonde the twins recognized as a Beacon teacher from the dance was talking to a man in safari gear. Ruby and her team stood close by. Blake spotted the twins first, nudging Ruby’s shoulder.

“Girls!” Ruby’s eyes lit up as she jogged over to them, “what are you doing here?”

“What are you doing here?” Melanie turned it around, “I thought your mission was outside the kingdom, not blowing up downtown Vale!?”

Ruby, perhaps still high on battle adrenaline and victory, giggled.

“What?” Melanie asked, confused.

“I’m sorry,” Ruby continued to grin widely, “but you acting all super concerned like is adorable.”

In another rare display, Melanie stuttered and struggled to respond, simply crossing her arms as her face lit up.

“She does has a point,” Miltiades defended, “What happened?”

“Well...” Ruby searched for where to begin.

Before she could, the three were interrupted by an approaching Weiss. “So,” the heiress cut in, “Which of you is ‘Miltia’?”

The twins shared a silent conversation, quickly deducing this was Weiss. They crossed their arms defensively before Miltiades answered, “I am Miltiades.”

“And I don’t believe I have heard your name?” Weiss looked to the other twin.

“Melanie,” the white twin answered.

“I am Weiss Schnee,” the heiress introduced herself elegantly.

“We figured,” the twins answered in unison.

“Right...” Weiss nodded, slightly unnerved. She pushed through regardless, saying what she wanted to say. “I have made some comments recently that I have come to regret. And I apologize.”

Melanie raised an eyebrow at this while Miltiades cautiously lowered her crossed arms. Ruby placed her hand on her partner’s shoulder. “Weiss?”

Weiss lowered Ruby’s hand before continuing. “The team is trusting Ruby would let us know if anything untoward is happening, and I can’t deny you are making her happy. I won’t attempt to disguise that I still have my doubts… However, I look forward to the three of you proving me wrong.”

“Was that… acceptance?” Melanie looked to her twin.

“It sounded like it to me,” Miltiades answered.

“I knew it!” Ruby drew her partner into a crushing hug, “I knew you’d come around!”

“Off! Ruby, get off!” Weiss panicked, trying to pry herself away. “Get off me! Down! Down!”

Ruby let herself be peeled off, retaining her grin. “You like it.”

The heiress huffed, but made no real rebuttal. Instead, she turned back to the twins. “As much as I’m sure Ruby would love to run away with you right now, we’re still ‘on the clock’, so to speak, until we debrief at Beacon. I’m glad to have finally met the two of you.”

“Wait, we still haven’t heard what happened?” Melanie recalled.

“I’ll call you the second I’m free!” Ruby promised as she and Weiss walked back to their team. “I should be going before Professor Goodwitch gets angry. Well, angry-er. I love you both!”

Melanie frowned at missing the story. Miltiades supplied, “We love you too.”

As Ruby and Weiss fell back in line with the team, Ruby offered a, “Thank you, Weiss.”

Weiss smiled. “I know I don’t show it well, but I do appreciate our friendship. Same with Yang and Blake as well. You constantly show me how to better myself, really better myself and not just… well, you know.”

“Don’t worry, Weiss,” Ruby smirked, “We’ll have you wearin’ PJ pants all weekend with some wicked bedhead like the rest of us lazy commoners before you know it!”

“As if!” Weiss defended. “I will hold on to some decorum, thank you very much! There is a difference between elitism and harmless class.”

“You’re definitely a class act,” Yang jabbed.

Weiss turned to the blonde. “Yang, I-”

“Stop worrying,” Yang cut her off. She flashed a smile for good measure. “Just messin’ with ya, shortstack.”

Weiss returned the smile. “Brute.”

#rwby #fanfiction #rwby fanfiction #ruby rose #Melanie Malachite #Miltiades Malachite #malachite twins #Ruby x Twins

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moodyvalentinestories · 5 years

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Something Just Like This Series: Part 3 – An Unlikely Alliance | Thomas Hunt x Rachel Fields

“Hey, do you think you could help me with something?”

Summary: I’m telling you, they’re being idiots. Even though they miss each other terribly, they’re not going to admit it. Like, at all. So maybe… maybe they need a little nudge in the right direction.

Pairing: Thomas Hunt x Rachel Fields

Word Count: ~ 2,400 words

Notes: Oh-oh. Is that… is that a ship waiting to happen?

❥ Moodyvalentine’s Masterlist

❥ Something Just Like This: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Epilogue

Rachel taking a leave of absence from school to work on her film was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it meant he didn’t have to see her in his class every day, a curse because the more time she spent on set, the more the speculations about her and Mr Winters’ relationship flourished. And as much as Thomas told himself he didn’t care, as much as he tried to ignore the front pages of the tabloids whenever he passed the three newsstands on his way to and from the university, as much as he avoided thinking about it by burying himself in work… it would never be enough. It would never work. Because he did care. Deeply. These last two weeks of not seeing her – not once – had been, for lack of a better word, hell. A hell he himself had created.

Even now, as his focus should have been solely on the essays of his Hollywood 101 students, she weaselled her way into his thoughts. He’d hoped staying in his office on campus late would help, as he would at least not have any reminders of her lying around – because despite how untidy it made the place look, he couldn’t bring himself to put away the necklace she’d so carelessly abandoned on his night stand before joining him in bed or take off the little note she’d pinned to his fridge when she’d left the next morning – but it was no use. She was right there, even when she wasn’t. He wondered when that would stop, if it would ever—

His train of thought was interrupted when he heard a faint knock on the door. He looked at his watch – it was late. Too late for any student to come by, especially on a Friday. Unless… His heart picked up speed. What if it was her?

“Come in,” he called out, trying to keep his voice steady. What would he say to her?

It didn’t matter. Because the girl that walked in was not Rachel. Though she may have very well been sent by her.

“Miss Sinclair, what can I do for you?” Thomas asked, clenching his jaw. How much did she know? Had he truly hurt Rachel enough for her to talk? To try and get him fired? He wouldn’t have thought she’d stoop so low. Maybe he’d given her too much credit.

The young blonde sat down across from him, folding her hands in her lap to keep them from shaking. She was scared – unlike Rachel, she wasn’t one to look for trouble – and Thomas knew then that he didn’t want to hear whatever she would say. But he would. Because if he was right, and this did have to do with Rachel, he needed to know. Anything he possibly could, he’d soak it all in.

“For me? Nothing. I lost all my respect for you when I found out that you’re the reason my best friend is crying herself to sleep every night,” she said in a hostile tone he’d never heard from her before, and it felt as if she’d put her hand right through his chest and ripped his heart out. He’d known Rachel wouldn’t have taken it well. But he’d hoped that, unlike him, she would have found a way to forget by now. Even if that way came in the form of a certain Hollywood heartthrob.

But he couldn’t let her know that. He stood up, putting both his hands on his desk as he spoke. “You should leave, Miss Sinclair. I will not let you throw around baseless accusations and—”

“No,” she said, showing no inclination to stand. She sat, looking calmer by the second, and stared him down. “I’m not leaving until I’ve said my piece. You would do well to listen. Because I’m very protective when it comes to my friends. And Rachel is my best friend, Professor.”

Thomas swallowed hard but felt inclined to obey as he sat back down. “Very well. What is it you wanted to say?”

“You’re going to make things right with her. Because, regardless of what I think of you, she cares about you. Far more than you deserve, honestly,” she said. As if he needed anyone to point that out for him. “And you’re going to do everything in your power to make her happy. Or I will not hesitate to call up my bodyguard friends and send them after you, understood?”

_____________

It wasn’t like she didn’t love what she was doing anymore. She still did. She still had her passion for it. But it was hard for her to enjoy anything when her stupid brain spent every fucking second of every fucking day thinking about him. The cast and crew all noticed, but they left her alone as long as she was on set and did her job. Except for Chris. Because Chris was just too damn nice to ignore his former friend’s suffering.

Luckily for her, he’d accepted her constant I’m fine’s and Don’t worry’s without much of an objection. Until tonight, that was. Because tonight, it seemed, he’d finally had enough. As they waited outside the studio for their respective drivers, he turned to her and said, “I’m sorry about the tabloids.”

“What?” Rachel asked, surprised that he’d even tried to start a conversation. Usually, they’d just stand next to each other in uncomfortable silence after she assured him she was fine. There wasn’t really much they could say to each other, after all.

“It’s what’s bothering you, isn’t it?” he said, tilting his head to one side. “That people are talking about us. As in us, being together.”

She had to suppress a laugh. As if she gave half a fuck about what the general public thought. Though, he wasn’t entirely wrong. The tabloids did bother her. Because, despite everything, she wondered what a certain professor of hers must have thought. He probably thinks I’m a slut for moving on so quickly. “Yeah, it kinda sucks.”

“Kinda sucks?” Chris raised an eyebrow. “Excuse my French, but you’re not acting like it kinda sucks. You’re acting like you’d rather die than work with me.”

She sighed. She didn’t want him to feel like she had an issue with being in this movie together. Because she didn’t. Starring in a film alongside him was something many – including her not long ago – could only dream of. “That’s not it. I don’t… I don’t have a problem with you. I’m just… there’s just a lot of stuff going on in my life at the moment and—” Her phone rang and she couldn’t have been more relieved. It was the perfect excuse to get out of this conversation. “I should take this. It’s probably important.”

“Of course. Yeah, sure,” Chris said and stepped away to give her some privacy.

Rachel answered the call, unsure what to expect. It was a number she didn’t recognise, but that probably just meant that Ethan had given her contact information to someone who may be interested in working with her. Why anyone would make a call about work at this hour, though, she couldn’t fathom. “Hello?”

“Are you Rachel?” someone said on the other end of the line. His voice was vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on where she knew it from.

“Who’s asking?”

“This is Ryan Summers,” the man said and Rachel nearly dropped her phone. Holy crap! Of course the voice had seemed familiar – the guy was a legend! But why would he be calling her? “I got your number from Hunt… well, it’s not like he gave it to me. But I went through his phone when he wasn’t looking and I… never mind. Do you have a moment?”

Oh, for fuck’s sake. Of course this was about Thomas. How could it not have been? “Not interested,” she said, about to hang up.

“Wait! Wait, don’t… please. You’re going to want to hear this, I promise.”

She bit her lip. Of course she wanted to hear it. She wanted to hear whatever she could about him. How was he doing? Had he moved on? Of course he had. He never felt the same way about you, remember? “Fine. But make it quick.”

_____________

Addison couldn’t believe she’d just threatened her professor. Who had she turned into? This was so not her thing. Sure, she didn’t always follow the rules, but, unlike her best friend, she also wasn’t hellbent on breaking them. Damn. She was tempted to apologise immediately after but, remembering that she wasn’t doing this for herself but for Rachel, she bit back the apology and continued to stare at Professor Hunt with a stern look in her eyes.

“Miss Sinclair, I do not appreciate being threatened by a student,” he said eventually, glaring at her.

Christ, how does Rachel do it? How could anyone not be deterred by that cruel, icy glare? She would just have to try. Because she wasn’t going to give up. Remember, you’re a good actress. Just pretend this doesn’t scare the ever-loving shit out of you. “And I don’t appreciate seeing my friends in pain.”

His expression changed at that statement, and he faltered for a moment. “I—” His features hardened again. “I’m not discussing this with you. If Miss Fields wants to speak to me, tell her not to send someone in her stead next time.”

“She didn’t send me. She doesn’t even know I’m here.”

“Then I’ll assume she doesn’t want to see me,” he said and while Addison couldn’t see any emotion on his face, she heard it in his voice. It had hurt him to even say that. She opened her mouth to speak again, but he shut her down. “This is your cue to leave, Miss Sinclair. You would do well to take it.”

She huffed but got up anyway. Fine. So that had been a bust. All she’d accomplished was getting on Hunt’s bad side. But that didn’t mean she’d let this go just yet. She’d just have to try harder.

_____________

Ryan was surprised at how young the woman that had picked up the phone sounded. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if he had the right number. He’d simply chosen the number Thomas had called the most, but maybe that wasn’t right. Maybe he should have gone through his texts to be entirely certain that this Rachel woman was the right one.

His doubts disappeared soon enough when she told him she wasn’t interested. Her voice had sounded like it was laced with thousands of tiny needles. Yes, this was the woman who’d been deeply hurt by his idiot of a friend’s words. And if there had been any doubts left, they would have been entirely gone by the time she’d agreed to listen without much convincing on his part.

“Look, I don’t know who you are. Nor do I know what happened between you two. But I’ve never – or, at least not in a long time – seen him this way. I think—”

“If you’ve got something to say, just say it,” she said. “I’m tired, and I’ve got neither the time nor the patience to deal with his shenanigans.”

Ryan held back a chuckle. She sounded like a woman Hunt would go for alright. For a moment, he wondered where he’d found her – though, in the back of his mind, he already knew. He just couldn’t believe it yet. “My point is, you two should talk. I’m sure—”

“Does he want to talk to me?” she asked. Her voice sounded almost hopeful.

He swallowed hard. “Well… I…”

“That’s what I thought. Good night, Mr Summers.” And with that, she hung up.

Damn it, Ryan thought to himself as he looked out the window of the car. And then he realised where he was. Hunt’s place was less than two minutes away. Fine then. If that hadn’t worked, he’d just have to try to knock some sense into him again. He quickly told his driver the new destination. Unfortunately, he was out of luck – Thomas wasn’t home. But he wasn’t simply going to give up like that. There was another place he could try. He would find him tonight and he would get him to see reason. Somehow.

_____________

As she brainstormed how to possibly go about this endeavour on her way back to her dorm, Addison didn’t pay any attention to her surroundings and promptly crashed into someone.

“Oh, I’m sorr—” they both said at the same time and laughed.

She looked up and it took her a few seconds to recognise the man in front of her. It was dark out, after all. But once she did, she nearly had a heart attack. “You’re Ryan Summers.”

He let out a good-natured laugh. “And you are…”

“Really, really sorry. I was kind of lost in thought and… well…”

“Oh, tell me about it,” he said. He hadn’t been particularly attentive, either, as he tried to figure out how on Earth he would get Hunt to listen. “I’m pretty sure this was my fault.”

“No, no,” she said, letting out a nervous chuckle. Even after years in Hollywood, after hanging out with A-Listers left and right, she was still in awe whenever she met someone famous she had not yet talked to.

“Let’s say we’re both at fault then, hm?” She was positively adorable.

He probably just said it to make her feel better, but it would have been a stupid thing to argue about. “I can live with that.”

Before they both went their separate ways, Ryan asked, “Hey, would you happen to know if Hunt’s still in his office?”

Addison grimaced. “I mean… yes, he is. But I have a feeling he’s in a really bad mood so you may not want to talk to him.”

“What, forgot to hand in an essay on time?” he joked.

“Something along those lines,” she said with a shrug. She couldn’t very well tell him the truth, could she now?

Ryan smiled. “Well, thanks for the warning. Have a good rest of your night.”

“You too,” she replied. “And good luck. I hope I won’t read about your murder in the papers tomorrow.”

He laughed again as they continued on their ways. After taking a few steps in opposite directions, they both turned around at the same time.

“Hey, do you think you could help me with something?”

Tags: @lilyofchoices @trappedinfandoms @flyawayboo @alleksa16 @silversparrow02 @hopelessromantic1352

#wherefore art thou my professor #wherefore art thou my student #rachel #hwu #hwu hunt #thomas hunt

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vgckwb · 4 years

Text

ML: Are They Worthy? Chapter 64: Faith and Understanding!/Deputizer

The next day, Roger was pouring over his notes at his desk. He was looking through the Hawk Moth case, and looking through previous victims, and the notes he took yesterday. He picked up one piece of people, and then another, and another. He then smiled, like he figured out something.

He told his quad his plan, and his squad looked concerned. “What’s the matter?”

“Are you sure about this?” one of them asked.

Roger sighed. “I know. It’s risky, but I have confidence. Besides, I’m not arresting him. I just want to ask some questions.”

“But sir, if you’re wrong about this, who knows what he’ll do to you,” another officer said.

“Yeah, he’s not the most welcoming person” another officer chimed in.

“Oh, so you don’t think I can do it? Is that it?!” Roger asked.

“No sir, it’s just…” another officer said.

“Well, I’m not a Lieutenant for nothing!” Roger said. “I’ve been on the force for 15 years! I know a thing or two about talking to potential suspects. OK?!” He stormed off to his car.

He arrived at his destination. He got out, and hesitated about ringing the doorbell. “Calm down Roger. It’s going to be fine.” He pressed the doorbell, and out popped the camera from the Agreste manor security system.

“What do you want, Lieutenant?” Gabriel said. “I’m a very busy man.”

“I understand sir” Roger said. “I just have a couple of questions for you.”

“Alright, but make them quick” Gabriel said.

“Uh, I was hoping I could come inside” Roger said. “It’s kind of important.”

The camera just stared at Roger. “Alright” Gabriel said. He opened the gate, and Roger walked in.

Roger sat down in Gabriel’s office. Gabriel sat across from him. “What ever you have to say, say it” Gabriel said.

Roger took in a breath to calm his nerves. “Well, sir, I was going over my notes on the Hawk Moth case, and I have some questions to ask you.” Gabriel became curious. Roger took out his notebook. “According to the interview I did yesterday with your son, he explained that he had no idea why he wasn’t akumatized. I was looking through all the information we had, and it didn’t add up either. Then I had a thought.” Roger grew more serious in tone. “Mr. Agreste, could it be that you are somehow working with Hawk Moth and have reached a deal where he doesn’t akumatize your son.”

Gabriel turned sour. “Is this a joke?” he said. He stood up. “Not only did you think my SON was working with Hawk Moth, but now I AM too?! What kind of officer of the law are you?!”

“Hawk Moth has been known to blackmail people, sir” Roger said, also standing up. “With all due respect, he could be blackmailing you.”

“Do you have any evidence?” Gabriel asked.

Roger faltered somewhat. “Well, no, but-”

“Then I suggest you leave” Gabriel said. “I don’t need your baseless accusations cluttering my house.”

“Sir, I’ll have you know I am a Lieutenant!” Roger said. “I am an experienced police officer, with a vast knowledge of criminal cases!’

“What you are is the mayor’s lap dog!” Gabriel threw back. “You wouldn’t have your position if it wasn’t for him! And you won’t by this time tomorrow, if I have anything to say about it! I’ve been restraining myself, but honestly, your worthlessness has driven me to this emotional state! Now LEAVE!”

Roger had never been threatened like that before. Between this, and the lack of confidence from his officers, he was questioning his merits as a police officer. He sadly turned around, and walked out of the office, out of the manor, and back to his car.

Gabriel then flashed an evil grin. “Sir?” Nathalie said. Gabriel walked away from the couch. “Sir?” Nathalie continued. He walked toward his portrait of Emilie, and pressed down on the buttons. “No!” Nathalie yelled.

“Yes.”

“NO!”

“YES!” Gabriel said. “Couldn’t you feel it? He was carrying so much emotional baggage. He’s perfect for re-akumitization!”

“Sir, this is a bad idea” Nathalie said. “What if he catches you? What if he finds out you ARE Hawk Moth? What if Ladybug and Cat Noir somehow find out?! What then?!”

Gabriel sighed. “I know it’s not ideal,” he began, “but I can make it work. I can manipulate it so if it works, and I get Ladybug and Cat Noir’s miraculous, I’ll get my wish. If it doesn’t work, Roger doesn’t think I’m a suspect anymore. We win either way.” Nathalie continued to stare him down. “Look, it IS a bit rash, but you heard Adrien yesterday. He’s growing used to the idea of his mother not being here anymore. I need to do something before Emilie becomes nothing but a faded memory to him.”

Nathalie finally relented. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Gabriel smiled. The two walked into the elevator and went off.

Meanwhile, Roger was driving around the city. He looked around. He saw everyone living their lives and he thought to himself I protect all of these people. This badge and uniform prove it. It doesn’t matter if my officers don’t have confidence in me, or if some people don’t like me, I can count on the respect of others.

He stopped at a stop light. He looked and saw a kid playing on a tree. Suddenly, the kid was falling off. Roger quickly set his emergency lights and ran out. But before he could go over and help, Ladybug swung over and save him. “There you go.”

Cat Noir quickly joined her. “Remember to play it safe from now on, OK?” he said. We wouldn’t want to see you getting hurt.

“Of course Cat Noir” the kid said. “Thanks Ladybug! You’re the best!”

Roger just stood there frozen. Of course, since Ladybug and Cat Noir came on the scene, people have admired them a lot. And who could blame them. They were real life superheroes. They had the ability to do things that Roger could only dream of.

He couldn’t be them. He couldn’t be a good leader who inspired his officers with his confidence. He couldn’t stare down a potential suspect without cowering to him because he threatened to call the mayor. What good am I?

“Oh my” Hawk Moth said. “It’s gotten more severe since I last left him. Fly away, little akuma, and evilize this broken man!”

The akum flew to his whistle, and Hawk Moth began talking to him. “Hello, sir,” he said.

“Hawk Moth!” Roger said. “No! I’m not going to let you do this to me again!”

“Of course not” Hawk Moth said. “You’re an officer of the law. Yet, I feel like you don’t think of yourself as the hero you are. So, I’ll make you a deal. If you bring me Ladybug, and Cat Noir’s miraculous, I will let you arrest me.”

Roger was shocked by this. This was a means to arrest Paris’s most wanted. It’s right there on a silver plate. He couldn’t just pass it up. But at the same time, he’s become a villain again, and he didn’t want that. He couldn’t do that again. It was all too much for Roger. “So, do we have a deal?” Hawk Moth asked.

Roger struggled some more, but eventually he gave him. “Good” Hawk Moth said. “Rogercop! You know what I want, and you know how to get it! What are you waiting for?!”

“Affirmative, Hawk Moth!” Rogercop said. He took aim and fired his handcuff ray at the little boy, confusing him, Ladybug, and Cat Noir.

The heroes looked at him and exclaimed “Rogercop?!”

“You are arrested for reckless endangerment” Rogercop said. “I sentence you to sitting down.�� He blew his whistle, and the kid sat down.

Ladybug and Cat Noir readied their weapons. “At least we know where the akuma is!” Cat Noir said.

“Let’s make this quick!” Ladybug replied. The two charged at him. Rogercop blocked every attack with his sheer sturdiness, and attempted to fire his handcuff ray at the heroes, but they dodged it.

Hawk Moth smiled in his lair. “Perhaps the Lieutenant could use some assistance.”

Nathalie stood there for a second, sighed, and then aid “Fine.” She walked out.

Vlad was out walking about, when he spotted Mayura overhead. “Mayura!” he said. He hid and transformed. “Beyyo! Fangs Sharpen!” He chased after Mayura.

Ladybug leapt to attack Rogercop, but he grabbed her and threw her at Cat Noir. Mayura landed on a nearby roof, plucked a feather, fused her energy with it, and blew it off to fuse with Rogercop’s whistle. “Hello Rogercop. Mayura’s the name, and I can sense you feel alone. Like the whole world has left you behind. If you permit me, I will create you an ally who will respect you, and create more allies for you. What do you say?”

“Affirmative Mayura!” Rogercop said.

“Excellent” Mayura said. A blue-lack aura formed next to Rogercop. Once it dissolves, a lanky robot with a security camera for a head, wearing a police uniform appeared. “This is your new associate: Deputizer!”

Ladybug and Cat Noir got up, shocked at this new development. “Laybug! Cat Noir! Hand over your miraculous! I will be Paris’s righter of wrongs from now on!”

“Come from a villain, I doubt that” Cat Noir chided.

“Whatever Hawk Moth is promising you, it won’t make you a hero!” Ladybug said.

“Really? Because he is allowing me to arrest him once I deliver your miraculous to him!” Rogercop said. Cat Noir and Ladybug were further shocked. “That’s correct. You two haven’t come close to finding any details about him, and Hawk Moth is giving himself up to me. I guess that proves who is superior! Ha ha ha!”

“Can’t you see Hawk Moth is lying to you?” Ladybug said.

“Yeah! That’s just an empty promise!” Cat Noir said.

“You can believe that if you must” Rogercop said. “But in the end, you will hand over your miraculous!”

“Don’t count on it!” Cat Noir said.

“Deputizer! Activate your protocol!” Rogercop ordered. Deputizer saluted Rogercop, scanned the area, found someone, and hit them with a beam that came out of its lens. The person in question turned into their own version of Rogercop. Ladybug and Cat Noir gasped. “Soon, Paris will be nothing but criminals and cops. Hand over your miraculous now before we have to force you!”

“Never!” Ladybug shouted.

“Very well” Rogercop said. “Deputizer! Let’s go!” Rogercop stepped into his car.

Deputizer followed. Cat Nour tried to stop them, but Deputizer noticed this and knocked Cat Noir off of his feet. Ladybug caught him, and Rogercop and Deputizer drove off.

Mayura smiled. Maybe this will work out after all. She then heard something from behind her and raised her fan to defend herself. Judgement Wolf was there, sword drawn, but being blocked by Mayura. “So, you’ve come back.”

“Ready for round 2?” Judgement Wolf said. The two began dueling.

Ladybug and Cat Noir spied this. “Should we stop them?” Cat Noir asked.

“No. Let him be” Ladybug answered. “He’s doing his job. He’ll come when he’s ready. Right now, we need to focus on Rogercop and Deputizer!” Ladybug leapt into action.

“Of course” Cat Noir said, following behind Ladybug.

Rogercop drove around with Deputizer. Rogercop would arrest “bad” citizens and Deputizer would deputize “good” citizens. And in turn, those deputies would arrest more “bad” citizens.

Ladybug and Cat Noir landed and saw the chaos ensuing. “This is horrible” Ladybug said.

“We’re gonna need help, and fast!” Cat Noir said.

“You called?” said Rena Rouge from behind. The two original heroes turned around to see her and Carapace.

“I’m here too, ya know?” said Honey Bee, appearing on the scene.

Ladybug smiled. “Let’s go!” The team went into the streets, and one by one by one, they started fighting deputies. They were kind of hard to fight, since they had similar abilities to Rogercop himself. Despite this, they didn’t use their abilities, because they knew they had to save them for Rogercop himself. After taking out a handful, the heroes were growing tired quick.

“Ladybug!” Rogercop said, standing next to Deuptizer. “For every deputy you defeat, another one will take its place! I suggest you give up before I have to force you!”

“What makes you so sure that you can even FIND Hawk Moth to arrest him?” Ladybug asked.

“That’s easy. I will just arrest his associate, Gabriel Agreste. Then he will have to come forward once I’ve taken your miraculous.” The heroes were concerned.

“How do you know Gabriel Agreste is an associate of Hawk Moths?” Cat Noir asked.

“I interviewed him this morning” Rogercop said. “I suspected he made a deal where he would help Hawk Moth, and Hawk Moth would not akumatize his son, Adrien. He kept dodging my questions and yelled at me. Now we’ll see who has the last laugh. Ha ha ha!”

The heroes were even further shook. Rogercop and Deuputizer took off. “Well, at least we know what set him off” Carapace said.

“Yeah, he’s pretty good at that” Cat Noir said.

“Do you really think…?” Rena Rouge asked.

“I don’t want to…” Cat Noir said.

“Well, Rogercop is right about one thing” Honey Bee said. “That robot thing will continue to put more people under his will so long as we give him a chance! We need to stop Rogercop!”

Ladybug smiled. “You’re right Honey Bee. Lucky Charm!” A pen appeared.

“I know your Lucky Charm is usually mundane, but how are we supposed to defeat an army with a pen?” Honey Bee asked.

Ladybug gripped the pen. “We don’t!” Ladybug said. “Keep track of Rogercop! I’ve got to get help!” Ladybug left. The other heroes nodded and ran off.

After another clash of fan and blade, Mayura and Judgement Wolf slid back. Mayura grinned. “Hm. My work here is done!” She turned around and started running away.

“Get back here!” Judgement Wolf called.

After a few minutes of running, Mayura looked back to see that Judgement was still on her tail. She blew some dust in the air, blinding Judgement Wolf long enough to take her leave. Judgement Wolf leapt to another building. “Where’d she go?!”

Mayura was hiding and observing this. She giggled to herself. She had escaped Judgement Wolf once again. “What a fool.”

“Reveal Claw!” she heard. She turned to see Judgement Wolf right next to her. “Reveal your true form!” The Reveal Claw hit Mayura, knocking her to the ground, forcing Duusu out of the miraculous, and revealing Nathalie. The two of them both looked sickly. Nathalie coughed.

“Mayura? MAYURA! SPEAK TO ME!” Hawk Moth demanded. “GAH!”

Judgement Wolf was confused, but picked up the peacock miraculous. “Normally, I would keep your kwami to watch,” he said, “but according to Hawk Moth, it’s broken.” Nathalie groaned. “Don’t worry. I’ll have it fixed. Then I’ll test you to see if you’re worthy. And if you are, you might just get it back.”

“How?” Nathalie groaned. “How did you do this?”

“Hm. I’ll at least grant you that” Judgement Wolf said.

We flashback to when Judgement Wolf first started chasing Mayura. He pulled out his communicator and called Rena Rouge. Rena answered “Hello?”

“Good. You’re active” he said. “Meet me at my position.” He hung up.

Rena met him soon after. She ran alongside him. “What’s up?” she asked.

“I need you to make an illusion of me” Judgement Wolf said. “Have them follow Mayura, and when she attempts to make her escape, I’ll follow her then. Stay behind. We don’t want her suspecting anything.”

Rena nodded. She blew on her flute, and then called “Mirage!” She unleashed her illusion, and another Judgement Wolf was running to chase Mayura.

“Thanks” Judgement Wolf said. He went off to hide.

“And you know the rest” Judgement Wolf said, back in the present.

“Does she know?” Nathalie asked.

Judgement Wolf looked around. “I don’t see her, no.” He looked at the struggling Nathalie. “I suggest you make a run for it.” Nathalie was then deputized right in front of him. “Or that could happen.”

“What’d I miss?” Rena said, joining him.

“Rena Rouge! Judgement Wolf. Hand over your miraculous!” Rogercop said. “Or prepare to be arrested or deputized!” Rogercop and Deputizer began shooting their beams. Rena and Judgement Wolf started dodging. Deputy Nathalie also started shooting her beams. A few more deputies showed up and started unleashing their attacks.

Rena and Judgement Wolf met up again. “This isn’t good” Rena said.

Their miraculous started beeping. “And it’s about to get a lot worse” Judgement Wolf said.

As a beam was about to hit them, Cat Noir came in and deflected it. Carapace and Honey Bee came in and defeated more deputies. “We’ve got you covered. Now hide!” Cat Noir said. The two nodded and hid.

Marinette burst into Master Fu’s. “Master! I believe my miraculous sent me here! We need help.”

Master Fu nodded. He opened the miracle box. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, pick an ally you can trust to fight alongside you on this mission. Choose wisely; such powers are meant to serve the greater good. Once the mission is over you will retrieve the Miraculous from them.”

Marinette looked over the box. We don’t need to over complicate things. We just need one thing that can change the tide of war. Wait! I know! She grabbed the dog miraculous. “Thanks Master!” She said, running out.

While Cat Noir, Carapace, and Honey Bee were defeating deputies, Cat Noir looked around. “Oh, we lost Rogercop again!”

“Well let’s find him, dude!” Carapace said. He fended off some more deputies.

Rogercop broke into his home, where Sabrina was busy making lunch. She looked at Rogercop. “Dad?”

“You were always such a good little girl” Rogercop said. “I will have Deputizer here deputize you. So you can help me on my quest to defeat Ladybug, Cat Noir, and Hawk Moth!” Deputizer aimed his lens at Sabrina and fired. Before it could get to Sabrina, Ladybug came in through the window, grabbed her, and left.

“Ladybug!” Rogercop said. “You will be arrested for kidnapping my daughter!”

Once they were far enough away and hidden, Ladybug said “OK, we’re safe now.”

“Thanks Ladybug” Sabrina said. “But, what were you doing here?”

Ladybug gently smiled. “We need some help, and I think you’re just the girl to help us.” She held out a box. “Sabrina Raincomprix. Here is the miraculous of the dog, which grants you the power of support. You will use it for the greater good. Once the mission is complete, you will return the miraculous to me. Can I trust you?”

Sabrina looked at the box with wonder. She then nodded and took the box. Once she opened it, Barkk appeared. “So Ladybug decided to give me to you?” she said. Sabrina nodded. “Oh this is SO GREAT! She gave Sabrina a hug. “I’m going to like you, I can already tell!” She let go. “Now just say ‘Barkk! Paws Up!’”

“Barkk! Paws Up!” Sabrina said. She transformed into a hero with an orange bodysuit with a white collarbone area and white forearms and back of the calves, dog ears, a belt, and a tail. Attached to the belt was a pair of nunchucks. “Cool!” she said.

“Listen” Ladybug said. “There’s something about the dog miraculous you need to know. It gives you the power to boost the powers of someone else. BUT if you use it on yourself, you will pass out for a little while and damage yourself. Do you understand?” Sabrina’s hero form nodded. “Great” said Ladybug. “Now, what should we call you?”

She thought about it for a moment. She then had an idea. “You can call me Chienne Reaction!”

Ladybug smiled. “Alright. Let’s go!” the two leap in the air to group up with everyone else.

Soon, the seven heroes met up with each other. “Sorry, but we lost Rogercop” Cat Noir said.

“Don’t worry about that” Ladybug said. “He’s after us just as much as we’re after him.”

“Who’s the new girl?” Carapace asked.

“I’m Chienne Reaction!” she said.

“Very good, very good” Cat Noir said. Ladybug rolled her eyes.

“So, what are we doing?” Honey Bee asked.

“Ladybug!” Rogercop said, his army behind him. The heroes peered out from their hiding spot. “I’m giving you one last chance! Surrender!”

The heroes hid once again. “OK! Here’s the plan!” Ladybug said. “Chienne Reaction! Power up Honey Bee!”

“Seriously?” Honey Bee said. “Wouldn’t it be better if you got powered up?”

Ladybug shook her head. “My power is to create stuff. If I create more stuff, it’ll become more complicated than it needs to. Your power to subjugate people is more direct. We need you to slow down as many of the deputies as possible. Then we can get to Rogercop and Deputizer!” Honey Bee looked concerned. “Hey” Ladybug said, putting her hand on her shoulder. “You’ve got this.”

Honey Bee smiled. “Alright, let’s do this!” she said.

“Do you got this?” Ladybug asked Chienne Reaction.

“Of course” she said. She started twirling her nunchucks around generating energy. Once enough had gathered, she unleashed the power by hitting Honey Bee and shouting “Kiss of Luck!”

Once the energy hit Honey Bee, it flowed through her. “Cool!” she said.

“Alright, now let’s go!” Ladybug said.

Ladybug and the rest of the heroes peered out from the shadows. “Ladybug! Are you here to surrender?” Rogercop said.

“I will never surrender!” Ladybug said.

“Very well!” Rogercop said. He aimed his lasers at Ladybug and the other heroes dodged and began attacking the deputies. “There are too many, Ladybug! We have you surrounded!”

“Well WE have a secret weapon!” Ladybug shouted. “Honey Bee!”

“Venom!” Honey Bee shouted, but instead of the usual pulsating top, and legion of bees appears and start stinging the deputies.

“This is just like when Chloe was akumatized as Queen Wasp” Cat Noir remarked.

“Yeah, but now it’s being used for good!” Ladybug said. “Let’s finish this!”

“You forget Ladybug. Queen Wasp had a weakness!” Hawk Moth said. He then began instructing Rogercop. “Rogercop! Head for the Seine! The bees won’t follow you in the water!”

“Affirmative Hawk Moth!” Rogercop said. He started booking it toward the Seine.

“After him!” Ladybug called. She, Chienne Reaction, Honey Bee, and Judgement Wolf managed to follow Rogercop. However, Cat Noir, Rena Rouge, and Carapace were blocked by Deputizer.

Ladybug looked back. “Don’t worry! We can handle this!” Cat Noir called out. Ladybug nodded.

Cat Noir cracked his knuckles. “You ready?”

“Of course” Rena said.

“I was born ready!” Carapace said. Deputizer aimed at Carapace and fired, but Carapace dodged it. Rena smacked it with her flute, cause its head to spin. They stopped it, and readjusted. Deputizer attacked Rena, but she dodged. He began firing his beam, but Rena kept outpacing it.

Deputizer looked around and saw that none of the deputies were moving It felt backed into a corner. It looked around trying to spot someone, anyone, that it could turn. And then it did. It spotted a family. It readied its beam and fired a large blast at them.

“Shell-ter!” Carapace called, shielding the family, and deflecting the beam to the sky. Deputizer grew furious. They stopped their beam, and ran over to the family, jumping on top of the Shell-ter. They aimed at the family in midair and fired again, but before it could hit them, Cat Noir got in the way and called out “Cataclysm!” Cat Noir jumped and his Cataclysm met the beam and it began disintegrating the beam. The Cataclysm eventually reached the lens itself, and Cat Noir landed on top of Deputizer. Deputizer motioned weakly and faded from existence. Cat Noir breathed heavily.

“Good job” Carapace said.

“Way to go” Rena said.

“Yeah” Cat Noir, halfheartedly.

“What’s the matter dude?” Carapace asked.

“It’s just… I didn’t want to have to do that” Cat Noir said.

Rena put her hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be OK.”

Cat Noir smiled. “Yeah.”

Meanwhile, Ladybug, Chienne Reaction, Honey Bee, and Judgement Wolf were following Rogercop, subduing any deputies they found on their way. They eventually caught up with him and spotted him turning a police boat into his own submarine, and get into it. The sub submerged, and a hologram projected Rogercop’s face. “Your bees can’t get to me!”

“He’s right! What are we going to do?!” Honey Bee said.

Ladybug used her power. “Lucky Charm! A wok?” She looked around and saw the Seine, the submarine, a bunch of stuff on the sides of the Seine, a bridge, her friends, and the wok. “OK. Got it. Hey Rogercop! It’s true that the bees can’t get you! But you also can’t get us!”

“Think again, Ladybug!” Rogercop shouted. The submarine came up just enough for a small blaster to start blasting at the heroes. Ladybug used the wok to deflect the blasts to the different things on the edge of the Seine. The heroes began their chase, and the submarine took off.

“Judgement Wolf! Chienne Reaction! Create a ramp out of what I’m knocking into the Seine!” The two nodded and began working on restructuring the debris falling into the Seine as a ramp. Ladybug continued to redirect the beams. Soon, the ramp was complete, and the submarine flew up into the air. Ladybug threw the wok at the submarine with great power, tipping it over. It landed on the bridge, knocking Rogercop out of it. Before he hit the ground, a swarm of bees had already immobilized him.

The three other heroes me up on the bridge as Rogercop landed in front of Honey Bee. Ladybug picked up the whistle and destroyed it. The akuma and amok flew out. “No more evildoing for the both of you! Time to de-evilize! Gotcha! Bye bye you two! Miraculous Ladybug!” She threw the wok up in the air and the magic ladybugs fixed everything!

Roger came back to himself. “What happened?” he said.

“Pound it!” said the four heroes.

Hawk Moth got an alert on his phone. He checked it and it was two messages, both from Nathalie. “Judgement Wolf knows who I am and has the peacock miraculous.” “Told you so.”

Hawk Moth sighed. “You might think you’re that much closer to stopping me, but I have a new deputy of my own that I’m bringing into the mix! Let’s fix as much of this mess as we can and begin planning for the future.” He left his lair.

Roger got up. Chienne Reaction sprinted over to him and said “Are you alright da-uh-sir?”

“Yeah. I should be fine” Roger said, dusting himself off.

“You don’t look so fine” Ladybug said. “Did something happen?”

“Well, I thought I had a break in the Hawk Moth case” Roger said. “So, I went to interrogate them. They got angry with me, and degraded me.”

“That’s awful” Ladybug said.

Roger sighed. “Earlier that morning, my officers lacked faith in me. And then to top it all off, you and Cat Noir saved that boy from falling before I could even get there. I thought to myself, ``If no one believes in me, or needs me, why am I still here?’”

Chienne Reaction hugged Roger. “You’re still needed,” she said. Roger was surprised.

Ladybug giggled. “Sorry about my new partner’s upfront approach. She does the the miraculous of support though. But it is true. People rely on you every day. Sure, we heroes help. But we can’t be everywhere at once. The police are there to help whenever they can, and as a leader among them, you are very important.”

“Yeah, some might say you’re the beating heart of the city” Honey Bee said, trying to play it cool.

“And I’m sure your officers just want what’s best for you” Judgement Wolf added.

Roger smiled. “Thanks.” I needed that” he said.

Chienne Reaction’s miraculous started to beep. “We should go,” she said.

“I assume you’ve got a handle on things?” Ladybug said. Roger nodded. “Great! Bug out!” she saluted Roger, and the four heroes left.

Roger got a phone call. He answered and said “Hello?”

“Hello, Lieutenant Raincomprix” said Gabriel on the other end.

Roger was panicked. “Mr. Agreste I-”

“I’ve called to apologize,” he said. “I acted rude and belligerent. I am sorry.”

Roger smiled. “That’s alright Mr. Agreste. Anyone would be upset if they were accused of being an associate of Paris’s number one public enemy.”

“Still, you were just doing your job” Gabriel continued. “I shouldn’t have lashed out at you. I saw on the ladyblog that you had gotten akumatized yet again. I’m terribly sorry.”

“It’s OK” Roger said. “We all have off days, you know?”

“Of course. Take care” Gabriel said. He hung up.

Nathalie, who had returned at that point stared him down. “Well, I don’t think he suspects you of anything,” she said. “But we still have a problem.”

“I’m aware” Gabriel said. “It’s only a matter of time before Judgement Wolf figures me out. But by then, I believe our little protege will have taken my place.”

“You’re not worried he’s going to tell Ladybug?” Nathalie said.

“Not really” Gabriel said. “He’s interested in seeing if I’m worthy. I don’t think he’d do anything to disrupt his test.”

Once the four heroes were secluded, Ladybug said “OK. I’m going to need the miraculous back.”

“Wait, in front of me?” Honey Bee said.

“Yeah, shouldn't she leave?” Judgement Wolf asked.

“It’s OK Chloe” Chienne Reaction said. “Barkk! Paws down!” She transformed back into Sabrina.

“Sabrina?!” Honey Bee said.

“Hi” Sabrina replied, waving.

Honey Bee hugged her. “Thank you” she said.

“Well, this is both shocking and yet not surprising” Judgement Wolf said.

“So, now what?” Sabrina said.

Ladybug smiled. “You should probably get back to what you were doing.”

“Got it. Thanks Ladybug! See you for my test, Judgement Wolf!” She ran off. “Oh. She came back. “I almost forgot. Here you go.” She took off the miraculous and gave it to Ladybug.

“And don’t worry” Barkk said. “I have complete confidence in you.”

Ladybug glared at Judgement Wolf. “What? No snarky remark?”

“I mean, she’s the kwami of support. I’d be surprised if she didn’t give off encouraging words” Judgement Wold responded.

“Fair enough” Ladybug said. She took the miraculous back.

“Thanks again!” Sabrina said.

“So, how long do these powers last?” Honey bee asked.

“Until you de-transform” Ladybug informed her.

“I see” Honey Bee said. She smiled. “The old me would have probably tried to stay a hero forever. But now, I know I’m a hero in or out of costume. Seeya!” She left.

Ladybug was about to leave, but Judgement Wolf stopped her. “Before you go, I have something else for you,” he said, holding up the peacock miraculous.

Ladybug was in shock. He tossed it to her. “Thanks…” she said. “I can’t believe it! So wait, you know who Mayura is, right?”

“Yea, but I’m not telling you yet” Judgement Wolf replied.

“Wha?” Ladybug said. “Oh, because you want to test her as well?”

“Bingo!” Judgement Wolf said.

Ladybug smiled. “I hope you at least understand her better,” she said. She left.

“So do I” Judgement Wolf said. He left as well.

Marinette burst into Master Fu’s place. “Master! I have great news!” Master Fu and the other were confused. She held up the peacock miraculous and the room lit up.

“How did you manage to do it?” Master Fu asked.

“Actually, Judgement Wolf did it,” Marinette said.

“So, do you know who she is?” Master Fu asked.

“No. Only Judgement Wolf knows” Marinette answered.

Everyone became confused again. “Why did you force it out of him?” Master Fu said.

“Because, as you said, a doubt’s greatest weakness is confidence” Marinette said. “If Hawk Moth and Mayura are as bad as we think they are, then there’s no reason to believe they’ll pass Judgement Wolf’s test. So we just have to wait for his conclusions, and we’ll know.”

“She’s got you there” said a voice unfamiliar to Marinette. Two kwamis Marinette had never seen before popped out of the woodwork. One was golden and looked like a scorpion, and the other was purple and looked like a spider. The scorpion kwami continued “It’s that kind of wisdom that makes her an excellent Ladybug.”

“I agree” said the spider kwami.

“Um, who are you?” Marinette asked.

Tikki’s face glowed. “It’s been so long!” she went up and hugged them both. “Marinette. These are Arakk and Scorpii.”

“I am the kwami of locks” said Arakk.

“And I am the kwami of keys” Scorpii said. “It’ a pleasure to meet you, Ladybug.”

“Oh. Nice to meet you” Marinette said.

“Anyone who can make Tikki as happy as you do is OK in my book” Arakk said.

“Thanks, but how can you tell?” Marinette asked.

“It’s a kwami thing” Arakk said.

“Marinette. Let me take the peacock miraculous” Master Fu said. Marinette gave it to him, along with the dog miraculous. He looked over the miraculous. “Oh my. It’s worse than I thought. Once Judgement Wolf is through testing whoever you gave the dog miraculous to, have him stop by. I need to ask him something. We’re probably going to be up all night trying to fix this thing.”

Marinette bowed. “Thanks Master.” She left.

“Are you ready?” Master Fu asked. Marianne, Hao-yu, and Corina all nodded. “Then let’s get started.”

Once Marinette was far enough away, she gave Adrien a call. “Hey Adrien. Are you, Alya, and Nino alright?”

“Yeah” Adrien said. “We’re fine. Great job saving the day as always.”

“You alright?” Marinette asked. “You don’t sound like yourself.”

“Oh” Adrien said. “Well,” he sighed, “I had the cataclysm that sentimonster. I feel really bad.”

“Do you want to meet up?” Marinette said. “You know, to talk about this?”

Adrien smiled. “Sure” he said. “Place des Vosges?’

“Sure” Marinette said. “I’ll see you in a few.” She hung up and walked over.

One she got there, she saw her boyfriend sitting on a bench. “Adrien” she said, sitting next to him.

Adrien smiled. He looked at Marinette and blushed. He then sighed. “Marinette, I feel conflicted.”

“How so?” Marinette asked.

Adrien held up his hand and looked at his ring. “When I fully understood my powers, I promised never to use them on a living being. And yet, I had to. I had to use it on a sentimonster to protect a family from becoming deputized. I know it’s created, and the sentimonsters go away when you purify them, but it still feels bad.”

Marinette put her hand on his shoulder. “You did the right thing,” she said. “It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.” She sighed. “One of the best things about knowing you’re Cat Noir is that whenever I feel like I’m uneasy about my decision making, you’re always there to tell me that I’m doing good. That’s just the kind of person you are.”

“But, what if I have to use it on a person? Like Hawk Moth?” Adrien asked. “What will I do then?”

Marinette leaned on him. “I’m sure you’ll know what to do when the time comes,” she said. “You always do.” Adrien smiled. He leaned in for a kiss, and she held his cheek and kissed him.

Later, Roger was out walking the streets on patrol. He got a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Amber, holding an ice cream cone. “Um, Lieutenant Roger?” she said. “You’ve been very helpful to me since I got here. So I wanted to give you this as a thanks.” She held up the ice cream cone.

Roger smiled. “Well, how can I say no to this?” he said. He took a bite and spit it out in disgust.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Amber said.

“No no, it’s alright,” Roger said. “It’s the thought that counts. Where did you get this?”

“...Sheri’s Sweet Shop?” Amber said.

“Well, you are new here” he said. “So I’ll forgive you for not knowing that that place isn’t great.”

“Oh,” said Amber. “Well, where can I get great ice cream for someone?”

Roger smiled. He checked the time. “I have a few more minutes on my shift, and then I can show you.”

“Sounds great,” she said.

Once Roger was done, he checked his phone, and instructed Amber. “Follow me.” The two walked to Andre’s. “This little cart has the best ice cream in Paris.”

Amber took it in. She giggled. The two walked up. “One each please.”

“Coming right up” Andre said. “For you ma’am, a real treat. Sherbet on blueberry to make it extra sweet. And Lieutenant, I have just the thing for you. Blackberry and vanilla, with some fudge so you won’t feel so blue.”

Amber and Roger looked at each other and took a bite. “Mmmmmmmm! This is amazing!”

“I know!” Roger said. “Andre is amazing!” The two sat down next to each other and continued eating.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug fanfic #Marinette #adrien #Roger #vlad #sabrina #Chloe #gabriel #nathalie #alya #nino #master fu #andre #barkk

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tintinwrites · 5 years

Text

tonight | Poe Dameron x Reader | Part Two

A/N: I am so glad you guys are hyped for this story! I loved working on it and I’m so excited to share it with you. I plan to put out a chapter every Sunday, so stay tuned each week! Please enjoy!!

Rating: T

Warning: Descriptions of injuries. Reader realizes she has more than likely been manipulated her entire life.

Word count: 2,072, apparently!!

Summary: You, a First Order officer, and Poe Dameron, the best pilot in the Resistance, are drawn to each other from the moment you meet. Very loosely based on West Side Story, which is obvs based on Romeo and Juliet.

Masterlist

GIF credit: No idea, but it’s not mine.

Tags: @yana-versio @bobateaandchocolatepudding @yeeterbenjaminparker @aroseamongthestars @unicorntrooper

You'd been confused ever since you met that rebel. Why did he think you were a murderer just from looking at you? Had you looked too angry? Sure, you'd been a little upset that he was about to hurt the group of stormtroopers you were overseeing, but you thought you were fairly calm about it.

Maybe you shouldn't have taken out your blaster. You hadn't intended to use it unless you really had to.

But he had his blaster, too, and you'd heard stories of the Resistance. He was far more likely to happily kill you, so why was he calling you a murderer?

It had been a couple weeks since you met him and you still wondered why he had made such baseless assumptions about you. You found yourself unable to concentrate on your duties, you were thinking about it so much.

So when you were doing checks and saw the rebel being dragged into the base — for questioning, you'd been told when you asked a trooper — you decided that you would pay him a visit. If others were questioning him, you could, too.

General Hux was more than pleased that you would be joining their efforts, not even hesitating to give you access to the room they were keeping the man in.

It was very dark and very quiet when you entered. He was strapped to a device, just barely gazing up at you, looking like it took all his strength not to simply pass out.

"I tell them to try harder and they send in you?" His words were slurred with what sounded like pain and exhaustion. "I knew you weren't all innocent."

"I came to question you, just like them." You kept your distance, just in case, and didn't notice his look of bewilderment. "Why did you call me a murderer? And a monster?"

He stared for a brief moment. "Because I know firsthand everything the First Order is capable of. I know that it takes someone evil to be a part of this."

"I've been taught all my life that the Resistance and rebellion are the evil ones. We want peace over the galaxy, while you thrive on its chaos."

"—you really think they're just questioning me?"

"Yes."

"Come here."

You shrank in on yourself a little, eyeing him cautiously. "I don't think that would be wise."

"I'm strapped down tight. I can't do anything to you." He shook his arms to show that the metal around his wrists was secure.

Biting your lip, you nodded slightly and started towards him, stopping with some space still between the two of you. "Why am I here—" Your words ended with a gasp as he tilted his head forward, allowing you to see the bleeding injuries on his face. Was he trying to imply that this was done to him? "You...you've hurt yourself."

"No. No, you know the truth, I can see it." He let you see his bleeding temple, which had you frowning in sympathy. "They're questioning me, yeah, with a little extra encouragement added in. You know why?"

You opened your mouth and then shut it upon realizing that no one had actually told you what they wanted him to tell them. "No."

"They want to know where the map to Luke Skywalker is. So they can find him and kill him, and rid the galaxy of Jedi."

"No! That—" You hesitated. Why would your colleagues want Luke Skywalker? You knew the Jedi were bad and that he would never join your side, so if they weren't going to get him to join you, then...

You shouldn't have come in to question him, because now you were even more confused.

"They're good...they wouldn't..." Yes, some members of your group were a little overzealous, but did that mean they were cruel? That murder was easy for them? You recalled one day when you had witnessed General Hux's anger, but that had been far different.

"You really don't know, do you, kid?" His voice was full of wonder; tired eyes full of complete perplexity. "You've really never killed anyone?"

"No. No! I just want peace. I thought that was what we all wanted." You looked down at your feet, berating yourself for second guessing all you had grown up with, and the man stared at you.

"I'm about to put a lot of trust in you, so if it turns out that you're lying to me and you're some evil mastermind, I'm gonna be really pissed off." He waited until you curiously met his gaze before continuing, "My name is Poe Dameron. I'm a pilot for the Resistance, and we want peace. We only kill if we have to — like you were going to when you saw me going after those stormtroopers. The First Order has been manipulating the hell out of you. They're the ones who make chaos, they're the ones who kill without a second thought, they're the ones who want to take over the galaxy, and they're the ones who want everyone to be like them."

You shook your head. "You're lying to me."

His eyes were too honest. Too honest. Why couldn't there be a flicker of doubt or malice in them? Then you could have hope that he was lying and that your whole upbringing hadn't been manipulated.

"I'm not. Look, if you let me out of here, I'll take you with me." His tone was also honest and that only made your fears grow.

Your fear also felt like some strange hope you hadn't realized you needed, and that feeling had you eyeing his restraints. You felt like you were floating closer, touching the metal and then his hand.

But it was all too much. To be told that everything you knew was a lie was far too much and seemed like it was an easy lie, and you felt too scared to set him free.

"I'm sorry." You had never held anyone's hand before. Was that some wrong thing that only happened when you were part of the First Order? Did members of the Resistance hold each other's hands? You forced yourself to pull yours away from his, even though it was warm and the kind touch relaxed you both.

"Especially if you're telling the truth, but I...I cannot risk losing everything I have for a man I should be against." You swiftly turned and made your way to the door.

"Do you have a name?" His question made you pause, but you didn't turn. "Or are you not worth a human name? Are you Officer Number 107 or something?" You couldn't tell if he was curious or taunting.

"I...I shouldn't tell you."

"Come on, I told you mine. I told you the truth. The least you could do is tell me your name."

It was a simple request from a possibly honest man. All he wanted was your name.

There were so many thoughts swirling through your head that you didn't tell him, instead running out of the room and leaving him alone.

Your confusion was strong, but your newfound suspicion was stronger.

You should have forgotten what Poe said. He could have easily been lying to you, but he sounded so truthful.

And now you were watching your colleagues closer. You noticed how quick their tempers were, how the stormtroopers got in trouble for the smallest mistakes, how they spoke of rule and power, how General Hux had ordered a group of troopers to 'strike down anything that speaks against us' before he sent them off to a planet.

That one had scared you the most. It made everything you were told seem especially true, and you didn't know how to deny it.

You felt so...lost. Everything you were taught, everything you knew was steadily crumbling around you. All you wanted was peace and you thought that was the First Order's goal, that the Resistance was full of true evil, but it suddenly all felt wrong.

You were wandering down a corridor rather aimlessly a couple days after your forced epiphany when you nearly walked right into a stormtrooper and Poe Dameron.

"Oh! Uh...officer—"

"FN-2187." The name-that-wasn't-actually-a-name felt wrong after Poe's comment of 'not being worth a human name'. Poe seemed impressed by the fact that you knew who it was so quickly, but you meant it when you said they were your friends and not your subordinates. "What are you doing?"

"I was just...uh..."

"He's not going to be executed, is he?" You said the words before you could stop yourself, eyes widening. That was never something you would have assumed would happen before.

"No. I'm...transporting him. Yeah, yeah, that's good."

"What?"

"—I'm transporting him."

It didn't take a genius to know what he was doing. FN-2187 had always been a bit hesitant when it came to his duties — you understood why now — so it was easy to figure out that he was leaving. That he was probably going to join the prisoner, whose words were probably true, and whose world was probably better for him.

You could have gotten General Hux. You could have been a good officer, done what was right, and helped your good cause.

But your cause seemed to be selfish now. Cruelty hidden beneath convincing words to get its way.

Your heart pounded at the thought of turning them in. You were afraid they might be killed if you told someone, and you were also afraid that you were defecting. At least on the inside, as truly defecting seemed like a terrifying thing to do.

"You had better transport him fast. You know how the general feels about wasting time." You spoke softly, purposefully, to let them know that they were safe.

"Yes, ma'am." The relief and appreciation in FN-2187's voice was as clear as the surprise and slight fondness in Poe's eyes. "You could come with us."

"No, I couldn't." Your response was immediate. You couldn't because you were scared of getting caught, and you couldn't because what if it really was some intricate lie? What if you ended up in the hands of a group more sinister than the one yours was described as just a couple days before?

"Thank you." That was Poe, looking at you gratefully as FN-2187 continued to lead him down the hallway.

You watched them walk, for a second, before you became overwhelmed with the need to tell him something. You weren't sure why, but it seemed important that he know. "Y/N."

"Huh?" He looked over his shoulder.

"My name. I do have one. It's Y/N."

"Y/N." The way he said your name — with this little smile that you found charming, which was odd since you'd never stopped to find a smile charming before — made you feel human in a way that you didn't realize you hadn't felt. You had a name, unlike stormtroopers, but you were so used to only hearing your surname, and it was always out of respect or right before you were given some order. "Thank you, Y/N."

You watched them go with a pang of regret, but your fear was enough to keep you from going after them. Even if your world was a lie, you weren't meant for something different when it was such a risk.

Poe Dameron didn't know you, anyway. He would forget. And FN-2187 would likely have a life more suited to him, and be happier out there. They didn't really need you along for the ride just to give you possible freedom.

What you didn't know was that, as Poe made his escape, your name kept repeating in his head, over and over. It was a name he'd heard before, so why the hell did it seem so beautiful now that he associated it with a First Order officer? Sure, you were surrounded by evil and somehow existed without a hint of malice, but you were part of the First Order. You were his enemy.

But, stars, that name really never had been so beautiful before.

Neither of you would be forgetting each other any time soon, you thinking of the kind rebel that said your name like it was gold, and Poe thinking of the gorgeous name that belonged to a woman who was benevolent against all odds.

A connection was formed before either of you would realize it. You both assumed you wouldn't meet again.

You were both wrong.

#poe dameron imagine #poe dameron x reader #star wars imagine #poe dameron fic #he likes u ok #and you like him #also if your name is rare #this is star wars #so maybe he's heard it before!!#your name is beautiful #tonight

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symphonemonies · 6 years

Text

Today was going to be the best day of your life.

After your phenomenal debut as Aurora in your company’s production of Sleeping Beauty, the fall season approached rather quickly. Not like it caught you off guard or anything- in fact, you hadn’t really stopped thinking about ballet at all, even if you weren’t dancing every single day. You certainly had caught the eye of the snobby critics that breathed anything and everything from the culture section of the San Francisco Times. Everyone thought your performance was great. The critics, the audience, and most importantly, the creative director, who told you that you were the best decision he’s ever made in his career. Ticket sales for Sleeping Beauty were much higher than anticipated, and you were the reason why. If the company didn’t know how much of an asset you were before, now they did.

You were making them money in the down season, for Christ’s sakes. Who cared about ballet in the summertime before you came along? Hardly a soul. Now everyone cared.

Which is why you weren’t surprised when last week you received an email to meet with the director. You were supposed to see him as soon as you returned on the first day back. Plenty of ideas flit around your mind when you made your way down the hall to his office. What did he want? Maybe you got a sponsorship offer? Or somebody asked for an interview? Or another really big project? He mentioned in the email that it was something confidential, that you absolutely had to discuss in person. Whatever opportunity was there, you were going to take it. You’re pretty excited when you open the door, even more so when you see somebody else you don’t recognize in there with him.

“Good morning, director. You wanted to see me?” “Yes, miss Moreno. I’m glad you could make it.”

“Nice to meet you.” you say to the well-dressed man who stood next to the director’s desk. He hadn’t introduced himself, but you wanted to make a good impression regardless, so you offer your hand for him to shake with a polite smile. “My name is-”

“I know who you are already.” he says gruffly, and your eyebrows furrow as you glance back towards the director. He looks embarrassed, but he doesn’t say anything in your defense. You drop your hand.

“Okay then... who are you?” “Please take a seat, Nadia-”

“I’m good, thank you.” You say, gaze hardening as you stared down the man in front of you. He was a little shorter than you were, but then again you were taller than most of the people in the company anyway. He and the director exchanged looks, before he unfolded his arms and revealed a manilla folder that was tucked away in his suit jacket.

“I’m Detective Ward.” he says finally, and your heart skips a beat. A detective. Why the fuck did they need a detective now? Your mind instantly leaps to Margot’s bloodied corpse in your arms. But that was months ago. You’d already given your statement to the cops. You had your alibi. You were cleared of wrongdoing already. What was the issue here.

“...what is this about?”

“Nadia, I hope you know that we, as a company, care about you and consider you a part of our little family here.” The director pipes up, much to the dismay of Ward. He looked annoyed that the director was even in the same room, let alone speaking. You’re a little annoyed that the director was speaking right now too, because it seemed that all he wanted to do was blow sunshine up your ass. Soften a blow that you sensed was coming. “You are a kind girl and a wonderful dancer, possibly one of the best I’ve seen in my entire career, and-”

“I want to know what’s going on.” you reply tersely.

“Well. We... hired this investigator after Margot’s unfortunate disappearance. Just to check in on all our employees and dancers, safety reasons, you know. And we discovered your... how do I put this-”

“What the director’s trying to say is, we found out you’re a monster, kiddo.” Ward interrupts, tossing the folder onto the desk. What. They knew what you were. What??? You’re deathly still, thoughts reduced to a jumble of radio static for a moment. Honestly, you don’t even feel like you’re in your body anymore; this situation was just a shitty movie and you were a captive in the audience. You’re not even looking at the folder (you don’t even want to know how they found out.) you’re looking at the director, who seemed like he was on the verge of tears. God, what a performative kiss ass. He probably wanted to think he was a nice, woke, monster supporter.

"And I wouldn’t dare imply that you had anything to do with Margot. But if the public ever found out that you weren’t... human... we can’t stop them from coming to that dreadfully stereotypical conclusion. And we can’t have any controversy on our hands during our busiest season-”

“...you’re going to get rid of me because of what might happen.” it wasn’t a question. The Director looked pained by the suggestion, and your hands itched. You really wanted to break something. Him, probably. That detective next.

“It sounds awful when you put it like that, but. We can’t risk having you dance for us anymore. It’s out of my hands.”

“Bullshit it’s out of your hands.” you snap, and Detective Ward shifts defensively where he stands, like he actually could stop you if you were going to do something. “I didn’t fucking kill her. I promise that-” you jab a finger at the folder on the desk. “-has nothing to do with her. She disappeared. You can’t just leave it at that because of what people might think?” You’re lying through your teeth. This has everything to do with you. But you’re clinging to the fact that they’re certain it doesn’t.

“Nadia, public opinion just... doesn’t allow for it. We’d be ruined if anyone found out. Do you remember what happened to that poor ballerina at that other company in New York?” He was talking about the ballerina from years before, the wildly successful dancer who was discovered to be a siren and had her career destroyed. The very one Margot mentioned to try to blackmail you a few months back.

“The company she danced with knew the whole time. They weren’t taken seriously ever again after that story broke. And you know I would change the rules for you if I could.” He couldn’t. “If I could just take all of... this and make it go away, I would.” He wouldn’t.

Of course they were worried about saving their own asses. At the end of the day, they really didn’t give a shit about you. Not when you could put their money and reputation at risk. Your spot in their little family was as good as gone.

“Sirens just... don’t dance. Not in this lifetime. Professionally, anyway.”

You hated what that implied. You could feel your vision start to blur. You needed to get out of there.

“Is that all.” You ask, your voice just above a whisper. The director shakes his head no. You take that as your cue to leave anyway, snatching the manilla folder from the desk and turning to head out of the office. The room was spacious, but it felt like the walls were closing in on you.

“Nadia, wait- it’s still possible for you to work here, with us. As an instructor!” he calls out after you. You freeze in your tracks before the door. Was he actually being serious? So you couldn’t publicly be with the company but you could make their dancers better instead. Churn out Prima Ballerinas with no credit to your name. “We’d have to be smart about it, but you could help our dancers be the best they can-” You’re out of the building before he can even finish.

You’re moving on autopilot, now. It feels like no time passes at all before you’re back at your place, past one of your sisters, shut in your room with a loud slam of the door. You still couldn’t believe that this had happened. Was happening. One minute you were on top of the world, certain you’d realize your dream in just a few months, and now all of that had gone up in smoke in just a moment. The tears that prickled at your eyes flowed freely now, and you did nothing to stop them, throwing your ballet bag in the corner of your room with a frustrated shout. One of your pointe shoes arced in the air before the bag collided harshly with your wall. You plop down on your bed, listlessly staring at the folder in your unsteady hands until you finally opened it.

To see nothing.

The pages inside the folder were empty. You flip through them one by one, brows furrowing when you realize there was nothing but plain white computer paper in there. Your search becomes more frantic as you try to find something, anything in the folder that would make this make sense, give you a solid reason they did this, an explanation, but you’re drawing nothing but blanks every single time. Eventually, you reach the end, and the folder slips out of your grip, papers fluttering uneventfully to the ground.

Something about this reminds you of a conversation you’d had with your sister Zoe. She told you about management pulling something similar at her own job; they’d psych out an employee with a baseless accusation and see if it stuck. They did it to weed out non-humans from their companies. Nothing about it was legal, you were sure, but nobody would be on your side. Especially now. You were careful, so fucking careful, meticulous in everything you ever did to be sure that nobody would think you weren’t human. Then they blindly called your bluff, and you took the bait. They never had found you out in the first place. You were an idiot.

You kept your emotions in check for a reason. Humans could cry and cry all they wanted, sirens couldn’t at all without affecting everything around them. Something burns in your chest, and you let out a sob before you slap a hand over your mouth in an attempt at stifling yourself, squeezing your eyes shut. You were sick and tired of stifling almost everything about yourself- and for what? Where did that get you? Obviously nowhere good.

The sheer effort of staying quiet is shaking your frame, and the white hot sensation in your lungs beg for you to do otherwise. You felt like you were on fire, like you were getting smothered out. Your gills were incredibly flared at your neck, and you knew eventually you’d have to breathe properly, so you drop your hand from your mouth. One shuddery breath is all you can take before a scream claws its way from your throat. The noise is the worst you’ve ever sounded, all you yet nothing like you at the same time, a darker, venomous edge to your voice that rendered you inhuman. It’s loud enough to shake your windows, loud enough to crack your vanity mirror, until you get the sense to harshly bite down on your lip, blood running down your chin before you press your face into your hands. You’re curled up on your bed when your sisters barge into your room; all worry because they heard you, knew that none of you cried so easily, that something was definitely wrong. You could only answer their questions with a pathetic wail.

For the first time in your life, you could hardly speak.

#ic #action post #spoiler: it wasn't the best day of her life :/#this is long but ANYWAY... things are lookin bad folks!

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patriotsnet · 3 years

Text

How Many Republicans Would Have To Vote For Removal

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/how-many-republicans-would-have-to-vote-for-removal/

How Many Republicans Would Have To Vote For Removal

The House Just Voted To Impeach President Trump Here’s What Happens Next

How Many Republicans and Democrats Have Been President – Brief History #4

From CNN’s Zachary B. Wolf

The House has just voted to impeach President Trump for the second time making him the only US president to ever be impeached twice. The resolution passed 232 to 197.

The impeachment resolution the House voted on charges Trump with;a single article, “incitement of insurrection” for his role in last week’s deadly Capitol riot.

Ten Republicans, including the House’s No. 3 Republican, Liz Cheney of Wyoming, joined with Democrats to impeach Trump.

There is no such thing as a routine impeachment but this one is unprecedented in all sorts of ways.

The overall impeachment process laid out in the Constitution is relatively simple:

A president commits “high Crime or Misdemeanor”

The House votes to impeach

The Senate conducts a trial

This impeachment process will feel entirely new and different from the one we saw in late 2019 around the Ukraine investigation, most notably because the Senate trial is expected to occur after Trump leaves office.

Here’s why that’s important:

New President Joe Biden will be asking the Senate to vote on his Cabinet nominees and act on legislation to address the Covid pandemic as well as relief for Americans hurt by the troubled economy.

In 2020, Senate business ground to a complete halt during the trial. This time, incoming Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is hoping to pursue a half-day schedule to conduct the trial part of the day and business the rest of the day.

Watch the moment:

Trump’s Iron Grip Loosens

With just a week left in his term, it now appears all but certain that Donald Trump will become the first president to be impeached twice.

Unlike his first go through the process, this vote will have the support of at least a handful of Republicans – including Liz Cheney, a member of the party’s House leadership team. There is also, unlike January 2020, a chance the Senate has enough votes to successfully convict the president. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s recent signals of approval are evidence of that.

Of course, the primary consequence of Senate conviction – removal from office – seems of limited relevance with so little time left in the Trump presidency. Democrats, however, view impeachment as a formal way of marking their outrage at the president’s behaviour, not just last week, but during his months of challenging and undermining November’s election results.

A successful conviction could also result in Trump’s being banned from ever holding federal public office again and stripped of the privileges enjoyed by ex-presidents.

That prospect alone, in the minds of Democrats , makes impeachment worth the effort.

Liz Cheney Vote Count Latest Elise Stefanik Could Replace Wyoming Republican After House Gop Voted To Remove Her

8:30 ET, May 13 2021

GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik is favored to take over the position formerly held by Liz Cheney before her ousting on Wednesday.

Stefanik, the 36-year-old lawmaker from New York, originally criticized former President Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign for his “inappropriate, offensive” comments on the notorious Access Hollywood tape.

Since then, her stance has flipped, and when she voted against Trump’s impeachment, he called her a “new Republican star.”

Stefanik was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress in 2014, and the first woman to serve as the recruitment chair for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Cheney, 54, lost her post as House Republican Conference chair due to ongoing comments against Trump.

Cheney has often been vocal against former President Donald Trump and politicians from her own party.

The Republican was also facing backlash from colleagues as she has criticized them for promoting the big lie of baseless election fraud back in 2020.

Trump and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise have backed Stefanik.

On Tuesday, Cheney gave a speech on the House floor firing back at Trump and blasted fellow Republicans for backing the former president even after the attack on the US Capitol earlier this year.

Read our Liz Cheney live blog for the latest on the vote…

You May Like: Why Are Republicans Wearing Blue Ties

House Republicans Join Democrats In Voting To Impeach Trump

Washington Ten Republican members of the House, including one of its highest-ranking leaders, joined Democrats in voting to impeach President Trump for inciting the deadly attack on the Capitol last week by a violent mob of his supporters.;

The final vote was 232 to 197, as the 10 Republicans joined all 222 Democrats in voting in favor of the impeachment resolution.;

The article of impeachment will next be delivered to the Senate, where Mr. Trump will be placed on trial. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said after the House vote that there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week.

Mr. Trump is the first president to be impeached twice. When he was;impeached;in 2019 over his attempts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe and Hunter Biden, no House Republicans voted in favor of impeaching him. But this time, 10 members of his own party determined his actions warranted impeachment.

Here are the Republicans who voted to impeach Mr. Trump:

Liz Cheney of Wyoming

Tom Rice of South Carolina

Fred Upton of Michigan

David Valadao of California

Cheney, the third-ranking Republican in the House, said in a statement on Tuesday that she would vote to impeach Mr. Trump after he whipped up his supporters Wednesday at a rally not far from the Capitol.

A Majority Vote In The House Is Needed To Impeach Trump But 20 Republican Senators Will Need To Join A Vote To Remove Him

GettyTrump at the Social Media Summit

Impeachment proceedings are more complicated than they might sound. If you recall, in former President Bill Clintons administration, there were enough votes to impeach him but there were not enough votes to convict and remove him. This could happen again with President Donald Trump. You can read all the laws on impeachment proceedings here.

A simple majority vote is needed in the House to impeach Trump. This might not be difficult since the Democrats have a majority in the House.

If all 435 House members vote, they would need 218 votes for a majority to be reached and for Trump to be impeached.;There are 235 Democrats in office in the House, one Independent, and 199 Republicans, Reuters explained.

So getting a majority of Democrats wouldnt be difficult, since a majority of House Democrats already supported impeachment earlier this year. But even with an impeachment vote, Trump would still not be removed from office.

With a majority vote in the House, articles of impeachment would be approved that lay out all the impeachable offenses. Treason and bribery qualify as crimes warranting impeachment, as do other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

But this is not all that is needed to remove a sitting President. They would then need 2/3 majority of the Senates 100 members to vote to for the President to be removed from office. That means a total of 67 Senators would need to vote to convict and remove the President.

Don’t Miss: Did Trump Say Republicans Are Stupid

Ten Republicans Joined Democrats In Impeaching Trump A Historic Second Time A Move That Was Quickly Met With Condemnation Back In Their Home States Theyve Been Publicly Scolded Pushed To Resign And Warned That Local Organizations Will Mount A Strong Push To Oust Them From Office In The Primary

After my last election, I had decided not to run again. But the vote by Congressman Valadao to impeach President Trump with no witnesses, evidence, or without allowing any defense was too much for me to stay on the sidelines, Chris Mathys, a former Fresno, California, city council member, told;Newsweek.

Valadao, who represents Californias 21st district, wasnt in office during Trumps first impeachment, as he had been ousted from office in 2018 by Democrat TJ Coxx. In November, Valadao won back his seat from the Democrat who beat him in 2018 by less than a point. The Republican placed blame on Trump for the Capitol riot, saying that his rhetoric was un-American, abhorrent and absolutely an impeachable offense.

That vote in favor of impeaching Trump violated the trust of the millions of Americans that voted for Trump in the November election, according to Mathys, who unsuccessfully sought a seat in New Mexicos House during the 2020 primary. The decision was so egregious, that Mathys doesnt think voters will forget it.

Whit Ayer, a GOP strategist, told;Newsweek;it was a very gutsy decision to vote in favor of impeachment because they knew they would likely draw challenges. However, it remains to be seen how much the impeachment will play in the 2022 primary and one of the factors that is still up in the air is how much of a political powerhouse Trump will be in 18 months.

The 7 Republican Senators Who Voted To Convict Former President Donald Trump Explain Their Rationale

Donald Trumps second impeachment trial came to an end Saturday with 57 senators voting to convict, falling short of the two-thirds margin required to find him guilty of the charge of incitement of insurrection in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol that resulted in five deaths. Seven GOP senators broke with their party voting along with all 48 Democrats and both independents in the body.

After the 57-43 vote, the Republicans who defied Trump explained their decision.

Richard Burr, North Carolina

The facts are clear, Burr said in a statement after the vote. The President promoted unfounded conspiracy theories to cast doubt on the integrity of a free and fair election because he did not like the results. As Congress met to certify the election results, the President directed his supporters to go to the Capitol to disrupt the lawful proceedings required by the Constitution. When the crowd became violent, the President used his office to first inflame the situation instead of immediately calling for an end to the assault.

Burr originally voted that the trial was unconstitutional, but said in his statement that the Senate is an institution based on precedent, and given that the majority of the Senate voted to proceed with this trial, the question of constitutionality is now established precedent.

He has already announced he will not be running for reelection in 2022.

Bill Cassidy, Louisiana

Lisa Murkowski, Alaska

Mitt Romney, Utah

Recommended Reading: How Many States Are Republican

Why Most Gop Senators Are Likely To Oppose Conviction

Despite strong bipartisan elite fury and dismay over Trumps conduct leading up to and during the January 6 crisis, the base hasnt abandoned him in any significant way. Yes, hes losing some support across the board, but not enough to embolden Republican rebels. A new Axios-Ipsos survey dramatically shows the current public opinion dynamics: A majority of Americans now favor removing Trump from office, but a majority of Republicans still think Trump was right to challenge his election loss, support him, dont blame him for the Capitol mob and want him to be the Republican nominee in 2024. Among the more than one-third of Republicans who appear to identify with Trump more than with their party, support for Trump 2024 which of course conviction in the Senate would make impossible is at an astronomical 92 percent.

Republican senators will be reluctant to fight that sentiment, particularly since there are so many ways they could vote against convicting Trump without condoning his conduct. As his presidency quickly recedes into the background, Senate sentiment for formally burying him may recede as well.

House Democrats To Vote To Remove Gop Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene Of Committee Assignments

Panel: Will 17 Republicans ACTUALLY Vote To Convict Trump?

House Democrats are set to push ahead with stripping Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments after Republicans opted not to punish the Georgia congresswoman for past comments shes made in support of harmful conspiracy theories.

Greene has claimed that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and high-profile school shootings like the Sandy Hook Elementary attack are hoaxes and has called for the execution of prominent Democrats.;

The Rules Committee Wednesday voted to bring the matter to the full House for a vote Thursday that will decide whether Greene can stay on her committees for the rest of her term.

More:Donald Trump’s backers failed to take down Liz Cheney. But the GOP’s ‘civil war’ is nowhere near over.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one of the Democrats Greene had said should be killed, denounced Republicans for not expelling Greene from the caucus. “McCarthy has chosen to make House Republicans ‘the party of conspiracy theories and QAnon’ and Rep. Greene is in the drivers seat,” Pelosi said in a statement Wednesday that identified McCarthys party identification as Q.;

We had hoped that the Republican leadership would have dealt with this. For whatever reason, they dont want to deal with it. And that’s unfortunate. So we are taking this step,” said Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass, who chairs the Rules Committee. “The question we all have to ask ourselves is what is the consequence of doing nothing.

Matthew Brown

Read Also: What Is The Pin The Republicans Are Wearing

Security Concerns Among Trumps Supporters

Trump doesnt appear to want to go away quietly, which is also a cause for concern from a security standpoint.

This week, a leaked internal FBI bulletin warned that armed protests are planned for all 50 states and Washington DC in the days before President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration on January 20.

Some state capitol buildings have begun boarding up their doors and windows, while 15,000 National Guard troops have been mobilised for deployment to the nations capital ahead of expected violence and unrest.

This is an unfortunate sign of how many expect Trumps supporters to respond to both his impeachment and Bidens inauguration even with Trump finally urging against further violence and unrest.

Most presidents aim to leave office with the nation better off than when they entered, but Trumps legacy appears to be cementing a more divided country, where his brand of aggressive conflict politics may be the new norm.

This is a no-win situation for the country. And Republicans are still trying to figure out which side of history they want to be on.

Republicans Gear Up To Oust Liz Cheney As Punishment For Criticizing Trump

Goaded on by the ghostly figure of Trump, House Republicans are poised to eject Cheney from her number three leadership post

Infighting within the Republican party is set to come to a head this week, goaded on by the ghostly figure of former president Donald Trump in his Mar-a-Lago hideout in Florida.

House Republicans are gearing up to oust Liz Cheney on Wednesday from her position as the partys number three leader in the chamber.

Her removal would come as punishment for her public criticism of Trump with regard to his role in inciting the 6 January Capitol insurrection and his big lie that last years presidential election was stolen from him.

Cheney was one of 10 Republicans to vote in favor of impeaching Trump for incitement of insurrection.

Leading Republicans took to the political talkshow circuit on Sunday to express support or opposition to the congresswoman from Wyoming. Critically, Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader who has in the past stood up for Cheney, made their break-up official when he told Fox News that he was endorsing Cheneys rival Elise Stefanik for the number three post.

What were talking about is a position in leadership. As conference chair, you have one of the most critical jobs as a messenger going forward, McCarthy told Maria Bartiromo on Sunday.

Jim Banks, an Indiana congressman who chairs the largest Republican caucus in the House, attempted to justify the action against Cheney on grounds of party discipline.

Recommended Reading: Who Gives More Democrats Or Republicans

Liz Cheney Booed On Her Way Out

Republican lawmakers booed Rep. Liz Cheney when she criticized Trump in her speech responding to her removal from leadership.

“We cannot let the former president drag us backward and make us complicit in his efforts to unravel our democracy,” she said. “Down that path lies our destruction, and potentially the destruction of our country.”

Are There Enough Senate Republican Votes To Convict Trump

The brisk and successful drive to a second impeachment of Donald Trump and his ebbing power in Washington have raised some hopes that this time around the U.S. Senate might actually convict him of high crimes and misdemeanors and bar him from future office . Predictions that this could happen appear to be based largely on the relatively low level of Senate Republican support for Trumps electoral-vote protests on January 6, and a surge of questionably sourced claims that Mitch McConnell might actually support conviction.

Its worth taking a closer look at how many Republican senators might reasonably be expected to throw Trump into the dustbin of history. Seventeen GOP senators would have to break ranks to convict him on the incitement to insurrection impeachment article, assuming Democrats stick together . After conviction, only a simple majority would be needed to prohibit Trump from holding future office. Who might these Republican defectors be, in theory?

Recommended Reading: Where Do Democrats And Republicans Sit In Congress

Here Are The Republicans Calling For Biden’s Removal Amid Afghanistan Fallout

The fall of Kabul on Sunday and the resultant emergency evacuation of U.S. citizens from Afghanistan have triggered a wave of outrage among lawmakers, with numerous Republicans going beyond mere criticism of the Biden administration’s drawdown of U.S. troops to say that the president ought to vacate office.

The invocation of the 25th Amendment, resignation, and impeachment have all been promoted in recent days as possible solutions by a growing number of Republican officials, who say Biden’s actions since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban call into question the president’s fitness to serve.

Here are the GOP members who have called on Biden to leave or be removed from the Oval Office so far.

25th Amendment

Multiple lawmakers have said the use of the 25th Amendment may be in order.

Sen. Rick Scott: “After the disastrous events in Afghanistan, we must confront a serious question: Is Joe Biden capable of discharging the duties of his office or has time come to exercise the provisions of the 25th Amendment?” Scott wrote in a tweet Monday.

Rep. Claudia Tenney: Tenney, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was less equivocal, saying it is “clear” Biden is failing to perform his duties.

Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sought during the previous Congress to establish a commission within the body to participate in 25th Amendment proceedings during the waning days of President Donald Trump’s administration.

Resignation

Impeachment

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javi150190 · 6 years

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Fanfic: The Robin in the Eagle’s Nest

(Final Haikyuu Quest-Ancient Magus Bride Cross Over)

Summary: Once upon a time, a baby robin grew surrounded by voices only she could hear, much to the disgust of other birds, who saw her with disdain and left her unhappy with life. One day, flames appeared before her, but before she thought she could finally die, they showed her the way back to a home she had forgotten, where now a white eagle had built his nest and now needed the fire to see, otherwise the dark would eat away his own house.

Notes:

Good afternoon-or evening depending on your time zone-. This isn’t my first time writing fanfic. You can find some of my older works here. This is, however, my first shot at a crossover and my first attempt to use both the Haikyuu and TAMB franchises.

Now, I had thought of doing this for a looooooong time, but this turned into a brainstorming nightmare due to the problem of merging a sports/slice of life setting with a fantasy heavy setting, Eventually I decided to use the Final Haikyuu Quest scenario, as it allowed me to get away with some of the more fantasy heavy aspects of Chise’s backstory and gave me an excuse of including Celtic folklore into the fic.

Also, before I started writing this, I read several fics and doujins that used the FHQ setting and it seemed that neither Wakatoshi nor the rest of the Shiratorizawa gang have fixed roles in the setting. Some have them as army officers, some have Wakatoshi as a paladin, there’s even Smough!Ushiwaka (no really), so I just went with royalty, because I think it fits him not only as a character but also as a foil to the demon king Oikawa.

Also, I was not the first to notice that Wakatoshi shares voice actors with bone daddy Elias, although I am 99% sure that I’m the only person that ships him with Chise, since essentially Elias is a derpier (yes, really) Ushijima with an even worse understanding of social conventions, and let’s be honest, a relationship between 18 year old Wakatoshi and 15-16 year old Chise is 100 times easier to sell than in the case of 100 years old (at least), bought a girl from an auction and told her he wanted her as a bride in the same day he purchased her and forcibly undressed her-Elias (-_-).

As for the fanfic, this is essentially a prologue. The rest of the fic will be told mostly from Chise’s perspective.

Prologue: Right under our noses

He wasn’t sure when he first started to notice that he wasn’t alone anymore in the stone hallway anymore.

Wakatoshi had spent a good couple of hours -Was it three, four, the entire night?- trying to process his thoughts following the events of that evening. He -they- had anticipated this event for months, prepared to be as secretive as possible, planning ahead in case the news broke out before he wanted and making sure that generals and advisers he was most suspicious of were as far away as possible from the old stone castle he had chosen as a hideout.

An event such as this couldn’t take place in the imperial palace, too many ears in that place made the walls feel like paper.

On the other hand, this place, made of old stone and almost forgotten in a warm corner of the Shiratorizawa empire, was the last place anyone could expect to see the Emperor, much less so in semi-regular clothes and sat in the floor, leaning against the wall and intensely looking at the ceiling.

“My, my, I never thought I would see you this stressed out, Ushiwaka-chan”

Wakatoshi didn’t have to speculate much about who could have found him. If the musical pitch of that voice wasn’t enough, the infantile nickname would be.

Turning his head towards the end of the hallway, he saw him.

Smiling at him with a grin that reflected so many things Wakatoshi disliked of him -baseless confidence, joy at the expense of other’s disgrace, shameless mockery at those he felt below him- was the demon king of Aoba Johsai.

“Maybe I’m having a fever dream and you just are a peasant,” the horned imp mocked while making dramatic arms gestures, which only cause Wakatoshi’s frown to deepen.

At that moment, the Shiratorizawa emperor was also berating himself for not taking the demon king into account when he planned his hiding place.

“Well it would be useless to lament now,” he corrected himself mentally. Taking a deep breath, he rose from the cold stone floor, ignoring the slight protest from his muscles as they had grown stiff following hours crouched against the wall.

“What are you doing here Oikawa?”, he growled lowly as he made his way towards the grinning demon. “I thought you would be glad that I haven’t tried to convince you to join my court for a while,” he added as he was face to face with the imp.

Oikawa, still keeping his joyful grin, merely nodded like a child about to receive a treat. “And I’m so thankful for that! You have no idea how peaceful it is not having to deal with your obnoxious invitations!” he all but shouted while widely opening his harms.

Wakatoshi’s frown deepened even further when he received the childish response. He was about to counter Oikawa when, like a flash, the Demon King’s grin changed from childish mockery to sharp venom, making Wakatoshi’s jaw tighten as he recognized the challenge in the imp’s face.

“But let’s just say that even I found that a bit suspicious, Ushiwaka-chan” he whispered, his voice now carrying a hint of challenge towards the emperor.

Oikawa seemed satisfied in the level of alert and uneasiness in Wakatoshi’s face, even if he knew that he wasn’t the main cause of it.

Feeling emboldened, the demon king took a step forward, lightly pushing Wakatoshi to the side.

“It was very welcome at first, as I was dealing with Shrimpy, Iwa-Chan and the other parade of idiots. You actually made dealing with them easier, so thanks!” he said, hoping to irritate the emperor.

“I must admit though, they are like cockroaches” he added with a false sigh.

“But then I started listening whispers, gossipers around my castle speaking of castle intrigue in the halls of power, of an emperor pressured by the old guard that wanted to force his hand,” he continued.

“There’s nothing new about that,” Wakatoshi cut in sharply, starting to lose patience with Oikawa’s theatrics.

“I’m not ashamed to admit that I want to reign without the baggage of elderly advisors” he added, his voice now echoing slightly in the stone halls.

“How rude Ushiwaka-chan”, Oikawa pouted like a child. “Haven’t your elders told you that it is rude to interrupt somebody before they finished talking?” he teased as if he were a mother nagging her son.

“There were also other rumors, not spoken at the town market by women anxious to share that little bit of knowledge without fearing sermons from the priests or angry gazes from possessive husbands, instead it traveled through the forest. Isolated from human ears, and even the incidental hunter that passed through wouldn’t be able to hear it, even if it were right at his side. Do you know why that would be, Ushiwaka-chan?” the demon king said with a teasing grin.

“Because it wasn’t spoken by human beings” the emperor thought with a shiver running down his back “I thought the fae preferred to avoid you,” he said, his voice now carrying both a deep note of frustration and a lingering sense of caution.

Oikawa just nodded while crossing his arms over his chest. “Indeed, they don’t like having me around and they normally keep themselves out of my castle, but I have to tell you, those critters sure are loud when they gossip!” he cackled while jokingly picking his ear with his pinkie.

“I must admit I first ignored them when they started wailing about a robin,” he paused of a second, enjoying how the Shiratorizawa emperor visibly tensed at the last world, yet not enough to break the stoic frown that Oikawa hated so much.

“They said that their robin was prisoner to a dangerous rat, and that it was going to be fed to hungry pigs. Admittedly back then I didn’t care, but then they said that a big scary eagle had found the rat”

Wakatoshi didn’t budge at the teasing narration, his mind going instead to that eventful evening, a year and a half ago.

His eldest advisors had advised him not to attend that audience, arguing that the emperor shouldn’t concern himself with such scum. But he was determined to make an example out of this incident.

In the two years since he inherited the crown from his now retired grandmother, he had quickly learned that administrating an empire required both pleasing the stubborn nobility and constantly reminding them that he had the power, the drive and the strategic capacity to sack them if needed without threatening his power base.

When it came to the second part, this incident was a gift from heaven for Wakatoshi, but even knowing that he couldn’t help but feel a rush of disgust at the facts presented before him.

Just a couple of nights before, a breathless lieutenant had arrived as the latest council meeting was finishing. At first, the eldest advisers scolded poor Tsutomu for barging in without even knocking the door, but Wakatoshi had knew the eager officer for long enough to know that he wouldn’t do such a protocol breach without reason and, most importantly, he knew that the lieutenant was currently stationed outside the capital, so that could only mean one thing, whatever news he had were highly urgent.

And he was right. The letter, carrying the seal of his old friend and current spymaster Tendou Satori, was brief but to the point.

Wakatoshi:

I’ll skip the formalities. I just caught a slave dealer who claims that he’s working with a general.

You really need to see this in person.

Satori

Tsutomu added that an arrest had been made in the border. A man had been caught trying to pass through a guarded gate as fast as possible, going as far as knocking the guards down using magic. Unfortunately for the impulsive traveler, the knocked down guards were discovered by the imperial spymaster, who just happened to be there collecting information alongside one of the court sorcerers regarding rumors of suspicious magic activity. Despite not being a sorcerer himself, it only took Satori an evening to catch the slave dealer.

Wakatoshi, now with Tsutomu and one of his court’s sorcerers Shirabu Kenjirou in tow, rode to a separate guard post to meet up with Satori. But before that, he also made sure of sending a separate letter to the general that was mentioned by Tsutomu (in private, as Satori wisely decided not to disclose that information in his letter in case it was intercepted before Wakatoshi could see it).

The Emperor only told the general that he wanted to see him in person and demand an explanation regarding how a slave dealer was running around under his nose. Wakatoshi knew that issuing an arrest order against the elder official would only result in an expensive manhunt and putting other military heads in alert.

The arrived at a provincial post near the edge of one of the border provinces. Still within the area in which the incident had occurred, yet far enough from the main road to difficult any escape attempt once Wakatoshi had the accused general in his presence.

The emperor made quick way to the center of the garrison, where Tendou and his investigation partner Semi Eita seemed to be waiting for him.

It was close to midnight, yet the guards appeared ready at arms, in case the prisoner attempted a similar trick to make them sleep, although Semi had already taken care of that possibility by confiscating any magic craft material the slave dealer carried, going as far as to gag him and blindfold him in addition to the iron shackles.

“Has the general arrived yet?” Wakatoshi asked as he approached the two.

“No ´hello´ or ´good work´? You are getting colder by the second, Wakatoshi,” the spymaster replied feigning hurt but keeping his teasing smile.

“I planned to say that after we’re done with this,” the emperor countered bluntly. “Where’s the general?” he repeated.

“The old creep is making his way here, according to my spies in the area. It seems that your invitation has left him quite shaken” Satori added. He was about to add something when Semi, seemingly irritated by the long wait, cut in.

“We also intercepted some of his communications. We already have the evidence to link him to the trafficker and some of the soldiers we gathered info from said that the general has been rather impatient during the last couple of days,” he said.

“Gathered info from? That’s an odd way to phrase ´threatened with incineration on the spot if they didn’t talk´ Semi-Semi,” Tendou teased.

That last part made Wakatoshi’s eyebrows rise in slight surprise. It also granted a loud gasp from Goshiki and an exasperated sigh from Shirabu.

“Is that true Eita?” the emperor asked calmly.

Semi only took a deep breath. Tendou’s teasing accusation left him a bit shaken, but soon he put himself back together.

“Wakatoshi” he started “if you had seen what we found, you would be as harsh as we have been” he said looking the emperor in the eye.

Wakatoshi knew that Eita was more akin to following protocol when talking to him in the open, so the fact that he was calling him without using his royal title at a border military post rose a slight alarm within the emperor.

“How bad are the slaves?” Kenjirou cut in.

“There’s only one slave” Tendou intervened in a flat tone.

“That bad?” the younger sorcerer replied

“We’ll explain later, it seems the guest of honor has arrived” Semi said, Wakatoshi turned around to see the general arriving hastily to the garrison gate, passing through with such a hurry that he was still taking off his helmet when he was approaching the emperor’s traveling party.

Slightly breathless -Wakatoshi guessed if it was because of his advanced age and the fear of being discovered- general Kota Hideaki made his way to the sovereign.

“Your majesty,” Kota stated while bowing slightly. “I’m really sorry that you have to bother yourself with this lowly scum,” he added while still bowed, his voice betraying his insecurity.

Wakatoshi could only narrow his eyes at the elder officer. Slavery had been banned from the empire ever since his family took the throne many generations ago. Its abolition had been a staple of his lineage, a fact always highlighted in history books as one of the empire’s brightest moments.

However, that didn’t stop some unscrupulous snakes from incurring into the business of human trafficking, whether be to obtain forced labor, satisfy some unspeakable lust or gather ingredients for some occult ritual.

For that same reason, Wakatoshi and his predecessors took it as a personal offense against them. An act against his crown’s most notorious achievement.

But no matter how furious he was right now, law was the law. The execution would have to wait until both the slave dealer and his customer were before the court.

“I wouldn’t have to be here if you had followed your duty,” he all but growled, trying not to let out his fury.

Kota tensed when he heard the emperor stern voice, and then he finally rose to meet Wakatoshi’s steely gaze.

“May I ask why there is a slave dealer running around the province? I already sent word to the governor and he’s quite displeased, and I’m even more so,” Wakatoshi stated. The general attempted to cut in, but it turned out that the monarch was just getting started.

“Specially because you’re his partner,” Wakatoshi cut to the chase. He wasn’t interested in stretching out this matter, although he got some satisfaction when he saw the general visibly tremble at his accusation.

“Yo-your majest-ty, I-I do-don’t understa-“, the officer’s voice trembled as he tried to answer back. The emperor’s stare hardened even further.

“Don’t waste my time with your lies” he countered coldly. He then gestured to Tendou, who revealed a folded piece of paper from his robes.

The spymaster jokingly cleared his throat before he started talking.

“M.I

As you can notice, there are two payments before you. The first is yours, as a reward from the council for your services,” Tendou then gave a small pause and gave a glance to the emperor, whose eyes had widened slightly.

“Council?” Goshiki gasped.

“So apparently we just uncovered an entire rat nest” Shirabu added.

Wakatoshi then looked at Eita, who seemed more tense than normal.

“The second is a payment is for the subject’s caretakers,” Tendo continued, although everyone had noticed that he had suppressed his normal teasing pitch, now speaking with a flat, slightly saddened tone.

“Our sources indicated that they are tired of it and would seem to be eager to get rid of it”

Wakatoshi didn’t let the general see it, but his breath had completely caught in his throat. This wasn’t the first time that he was part of an interrogation involving slave dealing, but he had yet to come across such a grisly scenario.

Tendou gave a side glance to the emperor, the corner of his mouth curving upward slightly, almost as if he were amused at the sight of the distressed monarch.

“It seems that we are going to arrest way more people than we originally planned,” Shirabu said.

“However, if the locals refuse, then you are authorized to make use of force. I will take care of the official reports. Although if you do silence them, please inform me of the method of disposal, so I can know if to rule it as banditry or a monster attack. I will leave the details of the ordered ritual to you and your partners”

“Ritual?!”, Shirabu exclaimed, turning his attention to Semi “Is this about the magic activity you were investigating?” he asked his fellow court sorcerer, who only nodded slowly.

“Once you are done there” Tendou carried on, “make your way to the garrison indicated in the map. As you can see, there’s a gate in the way, but it is lightly guarded. Your magic should take care of it, but do it quickly”

“I bet you didn’t count on Tendou-san and Semi-san to be there, you scum!,” Goshiki spat at the general, unable to contain his anger any longer. Wakatoshi rose a hand between the lieutenant and the accused. Tsutomu understood the emperor’s que and took a deep breath to regain his composure.

Wakatoshi then gave a nod to Tendou, asking him to continue.

“Once you make it here, you will receive a second payment. Then I will take care of transferring the subject to the capital for the auction.

Remember that we have a very tight schedule. If you don’t make it by the tenth midnight after this letter is given to you, then the council will track you down to retrieve the subject themselves. Punishment will be severe.

Good luck with your journey

K.H”.

Once finished, Tendou placed the paper back in his robes and looked teasingly at the general, who was shaking and clearly red with fury.

“YOU INSOLENT RAT. THERE’S NOTHING IN THAT PIECE OF PAPER THAT COULD PROVE THAT I’M INVOLVED. A PAIR OF INITIALS PROVES NOTHING!!!”, the elder official had started howling at this point, slightly startling the emperor and the other officials. Tendou only giggled gleefully, which made the general clinch his hands, as if he were readying himself to strangle the spymaster.

Kota only managed to take one step towards Tendou however, when Semi placed himself between them, his glare shooting daggers at the general.

“Do you believe that we would have summoned the emperor if we didn’t have more proof than that?”, he cut in. Wakatoshi then realized that Eita was gripping his staff -cleverly disguised as a short walking baton- and almost seemed ready to snap at the official.

Just what was done to the captive that made him so mad? This wasn’t Semi’s first time apprehending slave dealers, after all.

“Semi” Wakatoshi call was also a warning. He didn’t want to cause a bigger scene, despite the gravity of the crime.

The court sorcerer took a couple of seconds to stabilize himself. Once he slightly clamed down, he turned his back to Kota, clearly not wanting to spend any other second looking at his eyes.

“We also intercepted your communications, and I interrogated the dealer and the soldiers under your command. Personally,” he said, putting clear emphasis in the last word.

“Isn’t hypnosis forbidden in interrogations?” Tsutomu whispered to Shirabu, who only nodded in response.

Semi seemed to have heard this, though. “It turns out you not only are a criminal, but also a weak general. Your soldiers are weak willed. I only had to point my staff at them and they started to sing like birds”, he added while clenching his jaw.

“It was really funny, though” Tendou giggled.

The court sorcerer only spared a side glance to his partner before turning back to face Kota, who was visibly pale by now.

“When I showed them the portrait of the slave dealer, they all said that they saw you with him before the gate incident. I didn’t even tell them what we were looking for. They also said that you gave him two bags of coins,” he continued.

Kota was about to answer when Tendou cut in.

“We also spoke with the neighbors, they said that the same wagon that we stopped was seen at your command post,” he said with joy.

“Tha-t-that doesn’t-“ Kota couldn’t finish, as all of a sudden the sound of coins hitting the ground was heard. Looking down, he saw an opened sack of coins at his feet.

“This isn’t one of the bags that you gave to the dealer. Last night we intercepted another messenger,” he then retrieved an envelope from his sleeve. Wakatoshi could only watch as the general seemed to become petrified as he recognized the seal.

“General

The council would want to solicit extra safety for one of our traders” Semi said bluntly.

“Now I don’t see any other general around here” Tendo chimed in “Also I forgot, this is the envelope the letter I just read came in”, he added waving a similar slip of paper. “The rat had actually burned it as soon as we busted into his wagon but leave it to our Semi to put ashes and burnt wax back together”, he added while playfully elbowing Eita.

Both Semi and Tendou passed the envelopes to Wakatoshi. He appreciated the blood red seal in both. A Two Headed dragon with one head spitting fire and the other holding a human body in its jaws, a symbol clearly meant to intimidate.

The emperor had never seen such design, but it was clear that both envelopes shared the same stamp.

“Goshiki” he signaled.

The young lieutenant made his way to Kota, who seemed frozen. However, once Tsutomu grabbed his wrist the old man seemingly came back to life, attempting to release his arm. It only took one sharp kick from Tendou to the back of the general’s knee to stop him from struggling further.

“General Kota Hideaki” Wakatoshi addressed the disgraced military officer as Tsutomu handcuffed him.

“You are under arrest for aiding slave dealing activities, benefiting from slave dealing practices, associating with slave traffickers and conspiring to falsify public records. You are now removed from your post and barred from ever associating with any official, civil or martial, within the borders of the Shiratorizawa empire”, he stated in an ominous tone. “Anything to say in your defense?”

“Psst,” Tendou playfully whispered at the now handcuffed Kouta. “If you want to keep your head, I would start talking about that council right now,” he added with a devilish smile.

The now-former official looked at the emperor’s face, trembling more than ever now when confronted with the furious gaze, reminiscent of an eagle glaring down a helpless rabbit.

“I-I’m just. I don do-don’t” he started babbling, looking around and only finding more angered glares being shot at him. Even Tendou’s eyes held the promise of unspeakable pain behind his teasing smile.

“I—I w-was ju-just an-an inter-inter-int-intermediary. I’v-v-v-ve ne-ver seen them,” he managed to get out between hiccups.

“DO YOU EXPECT US TO BELIEVE THAT?!”, Semi had finally snapped, menacingly pointing his staff at the older man’s face. “THE PRISONER TOLD US THAT THIS ISN’T EVEN THE FIRST TIME YOU WORK FOR THIS COUNCIL!”

Wakatoshi’s eyes narrowed.

At the sound of the sorcerer’s shouts, the disgraced officer dropped to his knees and bowed.

“I NEVER SAW THEM, I SWEAR!” he began to cry out “I WOULD JUST DROP WHATEVER THEY NEEDED TO A STABLE NEAR A GARRISON IN THE CAPITAL AND THEN THE STUFF WOULD JUST DISSAPEAR!!”

Some of the members of the group gasped, Semi was one of them.

After taking a few deep breaths to stabilize himself, the court sorcerer crouched and grabbed Kota’s head, forcing him to look the very furious mage in the face.

“Disappear?” he hissed “What do you mean by that?”

Kota only managed to gulp before answering. “I would drop anything inside the stable, then some smoke would come out, and after a couple of seconds everything would be gone, no matter what big. Aside from that, I only spoke with some messengers and some traders.”

“A transportation spell” Shirabu stated. Wakatoshi nodded at the observation, but the emperor now had a few questions of his own.

“Kota” he took a step towards the detainee “How many times have you delivered people to them?”

The prisoner was visibly shaking at the steely gaze of the monarch, which now looked 10 times more intimidating since Kota was on his knees.

“I-I only this time. I-I swear. Most times it was monster parts or stuff for sorcery. I c-can’t remember a-all of them”

The emperor took a deep breath, now even more disturbed. Not only had he uncovered an attempt to sell a person like a piece of meat, but there was also a smuggling ring running around the empire, with at least one trading point at the capital. “There are probably way more”, he thought.

“For how long do you did this?” he asked.

“E-eight years”

The garrison fell silent.

Wakatoshi felt both enraged and embarrassed. It was his duty to prevent such things from happening, and here he had a military official, a general non the less, admitting that he had helped smuggle contraband material for nearly a decade under his and his grandmother’s nose. And there was now unmistakable evidence that pointed out to a wide network that could have easily operated for decades.

Despite having such power, Wakatoshi felt weak now, and he hated it.

He wondered how his grandmother would take the news. Tightening his fists and swallowing a barrage of insults that threatened to leave his mouth, he ordered Tsutomu to carry the prisoner away.

“Take him to the army’s main quarters in the capital. The martial court will dictate his final punishment, and tell the judges that he attempted to lie to my face” he added.

If Kota was pale as a ghost before, now he certainly looked like a bone, and only could drop his head down in defeat as the lieutenant carried him out of the courtyard.

“Good job, you two” he mentioned to Tendou and Semi.

“Finally! He said it!” the spymaster squeaked, much to the sorcerers’ annoyance.

“Your majesty” Eita started, approaching Wakatoshi with a concerned expression “There’s another thing to discuss”

“Indeed,” the emperor now looked at the chained dealer, which was almost forgotten amidst the heated exchange with Kouta.

“I’m not talking about him”

“Hmm?” Wakatoshi looked up to Eita.

“I was very thorough with my interrogation, and I made sure to restore all documents he tried to destroy in the fire. I doubt we can get more info from him. I wanted to talk about the victim”, he explained, although Wakatoshi could notice how his eyes saddened when he changed the subject.

“Right”, the emperor didn’t feel like asking Semi about why he seemed so concerned about this case, maybe he was more shocked by the existing of this trafficking network than he let on. “What can you tell me about it?”

Semi visibly tensed, and Wakatoshi could notice him trying to avoid making eye contact with him for a split second. He looked like his thoughts were frozen for a moment.

“I think you should see it in person”. The sorcerer gestured to a door in the garrison that seemed like the entrance to an infirmary. “Please let me check is she’s awake first, I’ll come back when she’s ready”. He then made his way to the door in a hurried manner that seemed strange for Wakatoshi and Shirabu.

“Right, they mentioned a ritual”, the younger sorcerer said, “How bad is it Tendou?”

“Not that bad all things considered”, Satori said calmly, much to Kenjirou’s annoyance.

“Coming from you that’s not reassuring at all”-Tendou pouted at the response-“What ritual did they perform?”

The spymaster took a second glance at the chained-up dealer, then back to the other two men.

“The documents we retrieved from him said ´Ritual succeeded. Life essence was transferred to objective, but all my assistants were scorched alive. Not even ashes were left. Must request compensation to council” he stated in a matter of fact manner.

Wakatoshi just stood there with eyes wide open, trying to process what the bloody hell did he just listen to, while Shirabu eventually went from stupor to agitation.

“WHAT? How can you say something like that so calmly?!” the young sorcerer shouted.

“Easy there Kenjirou”

“Easy? You just said that someone performed a life transference ritual that resulted in several casualties!! And you dare to say that the victim ´isn’t that bad´?!”, by this point though, Shirabu’s exasperation had only resulted in the spymaster’s amusement.

Wakatoshi had remained stationary for the time being, knowing full well that getting information out of Tendou would be difficult when he was this entertained, to say the least. The emperor looked back to the infirmary door, wondering why Eita was taking so long, not to mention, he had noticed how the sorcerer had seemed more agitated than normal during the interrogation.

Just as he thought of going to retrieve Semi himself, the door opened revealing a seemingly relieved Semi, who quickly made his way to the other three.

“She’s awake now and ready to see you, your majesty,” he said. Eita then looked at the other two, who were still stuck in their one-sided argument. “What did he do now?” he asked referring to the spymaster.

“He told us that there was a ritual involving life transference and that there were multiple casualties,” Wakatoshi answered plainly, making Semi sigh in defeat.

“I wanted to explain that myself,” the sorcerer said in an annoyed tone “Tendou!”

“Yes Semi-Semi?” the spymaster replied, only upsetting his partner even more.

Semi only tightened his fists. “Get this guy out of here” he said gesturing to the chained-up dealer. “Kenjirou, you are coming with us”

“Ah? Sure”, the younger sorcerer gave one last angry glance at Tendou, who calmly tugged at the chains of the prisoner, who slowly got up as the other three made their way to the infirmary.

“Could you be so kind to explain this ritual business to us?” Wakatoshi said as they walked.

“We did retrieve some information on the matter, but we can discuss that later” Semi answered without looking back to the emperor, much to the latter and Shirabu’s concern.

Before Wakatoshi could press the issue further, Semi hurriedly opened the infirmary door, revealing a candlelit row of beds. Most of them were empty, although some had injured and sick soldiers, but one of them, which was at the end of the room, had a figure sitting on the bed instead of laying down.

It was small, very small. Wrapped in blankets, to the point only a small turf of bright red hair was made visible by the candle light.

“A child?” Wakatoshi whispered, slightly horrified.

“No, she’s about our age. Please walk slowly, we don’t want to wake up the other patients,” Semi explained before stepping forward.

Once the three reached the bed, the figure shifted slightly, and at that moment, Wakatoshi saw two bright green orbs looking at him.

At first, the color reminded him of emeralds, but then he decided that this shade of green seemed way to warm to be associated with cold stones. No, this seemed more like freshly cut grass-

“I don’t want to leave, Wakatoshi”

The words seemed to come from the back of the emperor’s head, and for a moment his vision seemed to be blocked by a very different scene.

Instead of a dark room, he was in the middle of a field with the sun shining brightly on his face. Poppies reaching for miles and tickling his calves. But his attention was now in the tear stained face in front of him.

“But my mom says that my dad is gone, and we can’t stay anymore”. Fiery locks framed glassy jade eyes, whose owner’s fingers were tightly gripping the edge of her dress.

Wakatoshi was about to answer, but then he blinked, and the illusion was broken. He was once again in the candlelit infirmary, only this time he -somehow- was kneeling in front of the bed.

The girl was looking down at him, and for a second the emperor could see a spark of recognition in those green orbs, which he was sure was also in his own eyes as well.

The face in front of him seemed much different of the one he’d seen in his head though. Those green eyes were not weighted down by tear tracks, but deep eyebags instead. The round childish face from before now seemed bony, and he feared to see how much weigh the rest of her body lacked beneath the thin bed sheets she was wrapped with.

“Wakatoshi…”

It sounded gentle like a breeze, sweet like a bell chiming.

Yet, both seemed to forget they weren’t alone.

“Excuse me miss,” Shirabu interrupted with a slightly annoyed tone. “You shouldn’t address the emperor by name”

The girl broke contact with Wakatoshi, who felt a strange pang inside his chest when she looked away. The poor woman looked at the two sorcerers beside the monarch, one of them looking seemingly irritated and the other….

Semi was visibly facepalming.

“Sorry about that, my lady” he said, emphasizing the last word and making Kenjirou and Wakatoshi turn their heads at him in confusion.

“I-I’m so-so sorry!” the girl replied, blushing a lovely shade of pink and bowing her head, leaving only her red hair visible.

“Is all right miss. Let me explain first,” Eita gave a nod to Wakatoshi, who stood up and returned to the spot he was at before he had that strange flashback.

The court sorcerer then sat down next to the girl, only making her look even smaller.

“Your majesty, you might not fully remember her, but this is Hatori Chise, the daughter of our former court sorcerer Hatori Yuuki” he stated, at that statement, Wakatoshi could feel his breath getting caught in his chest.

TA-DA

That’s all for now. For reference, canonically Chise is REALLY SMOL compared to these volleyball giants: She’s only 5.1.

Next: Chapter 1: Life kills me.

Comments are always appreciated.

#final haikyuu quest #haikyuu #Ushijima Wakatoshi #hatori chise #chise hatori #fanfiction #fanfic

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