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#i’m supposed to be freaking STUDYING not feeling all weird and heavy
threerandomnouns · 1 year
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feelin… weird
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Eddie Munson x Secret Metalhead Reader Headcanon ft. your first kiss
Suggested by the lovely @crazygalore 🥰 sorry it took so long I work so much now🙃
Eddie Munson Masterlist
Other Masterlists
You looked nothing like a typical metalhead: you didn’t wear black, or chains, or pins of your bands. It was something you kept a secret, like this bonus side to your natural personality.
I’m talking pastel skirts, frilly tops, and fluffy pastel sweaters. Your wardrobe was 90% pastels, 5% sequins, and 5% black.
Complete sunshine disposition and everything: you speak to squirrels, birds, any time creature you cross paths with on your way to and from school (which you walk for the sake of speaking to tiny animals)
So, of course, when Eddie had gone to your house for the first time, your room hadn’t been a surprise: decorated with more pastels and sequins and frilly drapes and blankets.
What was a surprise was your little music station. He saw a Tears for Fears tape, a Blondie tape, and then underneath that was the kicker. Neatly hidden away from your parents and other visitors’ wandering eyes there were some familiar tapes, and a couple vinyls hidden away between the wall and your nightstand.
He lets out this loud scream that scares the ever loving shit out of you and makes you drop the textbook you were holding as you turn around to look at him.
“YOU’VE GOT “KILL ‘EM ALL” ON VINYL?!” You blinked rapidly and looked at him and then the vinyl in his hands. “Um… yeah.” You shifted a little.
You didn’t know why you were nervous about Eddie finding out you listened to rock music, you’d been so careful to keep it a secret for so long, and he’d busted you within five seconds of being in your room.
Of course, Eddie didn’t judge, instead he got this excited little kid look on his face as he asked if he could put it on. “We’re supposed to study…. But…. Okay.” The smile on his face had grown three sizes as he rushed over to your record player and put it on.
It wasn’t long before the two of you were having a headbanging contest, sitting criss-cross from one another. Eddie insists he won but you're almost positive it was you.
After a "heated" argument about who won, you fell back on the bed. "So- I've got a question." He turned over on his side once you'd both caught your breath and you repeated the action. "What is it?"
"I know all the stigma around it but.. why hide the fact that you like heavy metal?" He chuckled softly as you shrugged a little. "Partially because of my parents... they would freak out if they saw even one Metallica tape or record, I don't want to imagine what they'd do if they saw a whole collection... other than that im not sure, i mean, im trying to make my highschool experience as easygoing as i possibly can... keeping my head down and blending in is the best way to do that... can't blend in if I'm constantly blabbering about my love for 'Kill 'em All'... I’d like to be more expressive about it but… maybe I’m scared.” You shrugged a little.
No one had ever listened so intently when you spoke. But Eddie… Eddie was completely tuned in, staring directly into your eyes, giving you all of his attention. He seemed to understand where you were coming from. “Well… probably wise you keep it from your parents if they’re as weird about it as you say.” He’d hate for you to get in trouble over something as trivial as music. “As for the school thing… Y’know I guess I get it.. people at school are pretentious… but on the other hand… that goes against.. like everything I stand for so obviously I think you should be a little more open about it at school.”
You considered what he said, it made sense. “You don’t have to constantly talk about it to make your interest known. Of course, you don’t have to say it at all, really. Carry your favorite tapes around, you’d be surprised how relaxed you’ll feel knowing your favorite songs are on hand.” You hummed in thought and nodded slowly, you were pretty loose with your backpack, it would be easy for someone to come across the tapes, and then you could casually mention they were good and not say anything else.
On the outside looking in the idea seemed stupid, why have to carry it at all? But you were tired of pretending to only like Madonna or Michael Jackson, or whoever was popular at the time. So it made sense. You shrugged and nodded. “Yeah… I guess you’re right.” You smiled softly and kissed his cheek. “I’m gonna start doing that…”
Eddie nodded and then hummed. “Y’know- you could also… sit with the club at lunch if you Uh… ever need a break from your friends or whatever.” He was trying so hard to sound casual, but there was this hopeful tone in his voice that you found completely endearing. “Tomorrow?” You suggested, which obviously surprised him because his eyes widened and then he smiled widely. “Tomorrow. Cool.”
You smiled and nodded. “Cool.”
“Cool.” “Cool.” you looked at eachother and laughed softly. “Can I ask you something else?” You giggled and nodded. “Sure, why not?”
He nodded and seemed a little more hesitant to ask this question, clearing his throat and taking just a little longer to get it out, but eventually he just nodded and spit the words out. “Can I kiss you?”
Your cheeks went bright red and you only hesitated for a second before you nodded. "Yeah." You said softly, smiling at him as you fiddled with the sleeve of your sweater.
Eddie smiled more and nodded before he sat up on his elbow, looking down at you with a softer smile before he reached up and cupped your cheek with one hand before finally leaning down to press his lips to yours.
You'd kissed guys before, but none of those could even compare to kissing Eddie. He was soft but firm, kept your head still with his hand resting on your jawbone. Rather than shoving his tongue between your lips, he coaxed them open, gave you time to pull back if you didn't want the kiss to go any further.
Instead of tangling and fighting for dominance, he worked his tongue with yours, taking note of all the noises and tiny movements you made, memorizing your reactions whenever his free hand would wander, moving away if it seemed to be too much, tightening and lingering whenever you had a positive reaction.
Kissing Eddie was... exactly like what you would imagine kissing a Greek God like Athena would be like.
Let's just say the next day, and every day after that, your signature seat was right there by Eddie (or quite literally in his lap) instead of over by your slightly snobby friends.
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scripturiends · 3 years
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gave me no compasses, gave me no signs
Read on ao3
Summary: It was the one time her hunch had been wrong.
In which Han Joonhwi is acting suspicious, and Kang Sol A intends to find out why.
Rating: T
Word count: 3,848
Notes: Title taken from Taylor Swift’s ‘invisible string’: “Time, curious time, gave me no compasses, gave me no signs; were there clues I didn’t see?”
~
As promised, here is the Solhwi fic that I had hoped to be up before Episode 7 airs. I went straight to work after receiving positive feedback from an interest check post. As I mentioned there, the story isn’t necessarily dwelling on the current timeline, but is, for the most part, still canon-compliant. I totally made up all the legal jargon, so please bear with me. And, like the show, I decided to do ‘cutscenes’ instead of one unilinear fic.
I had a lot of fun with this little project for the past two days, so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it :) I’d also love to hear your thoughts, please do send me a message or feel free to comment, it would mean the absolute world to me. Thank you and let’s all look forward to Episodes 7 and 8 this week!
The fic is under the cut. As a sidenote, this fic is un-beta’ed. All mistakes are mine.
~
I.
Kang Sol A swears she only drifted off for a second.
She had been burning the midnight oil for the past few days, well into the weekend, so much that the tension was radiating into her atmosphere, so much that the heat was starting to get to her head. Her Civil Code paper may not write itself, but neither could she if it took every ounce of her energy just to even sit up. So she plopped down on her bed, head heavy on her pillow, still fighting the urge to doze off.
She blinked, slowly, and as her eyes fluttered at an alarming rate, they eventually closed — just for a moment, I’ll count to ten and then wake up again — and stilled.
Birds were chirping outside her window when her eyes shot open, and that’s how she knew she messed up big-time. She woke with a start, frantically shaking off the books and papers off her person and frisking for her phone, silently praying that she wasn’t too late for her meeting with her project partner Seo Jiho, who she knows absolutely despises latecomers.
Sol A felt something vibrate from behind her, and an incomprehensible sound escaped her lips as she checked her phone. There were mountains of notifications that prevented her from checking the current time: self-set alarms, e-mails from her professors, reminders about today’s meeting with Jiho, and missed calls from a certain Han Joonhwi.
Clearing all of them at once, she finally reads: 9:07 AM. She was supposed to meet Jiho at 9:15. Sol A breathes a sigh of relief, but her momentary celebration is cut short when her phone starts to ring.
Han Joonhwi was calling again.
She didn’t even get a chance to speak yet when the voice on the other end asked, “Breakfast?”
Sol A put him on speaker phone as she packed up her things. “Can’t,” she replied mindlessly. “I have to meet with Seo Jiho and I’m already late. Eat by yourself.”
A few seconds of silence went unnoticed as Kang Sol A zipped up her knapsack and wore it over her shoulder. She finally picked up her phone and switched back to the handset. “Don’t skip breakfast, you hear me?”
Still nothing. “Joonhwi-ah.”
“Walk fast,” was all he said. And then he hung up.
That caught Sol A off guard, but she heeded the advice anyway.
She made it to the study room at exactly 9:13, only stopping by the entrance to catch her breath and tie her hair back into a ponytail. It was silent, so she half-hoped that no one would be there, but half-expected nothing less from Jiho. So she walks in, footsteps heavy, only skidding to a halt when she sees Jiho staring someone down, someone whose back looked all-too-familiar.
“You like her, don’t you?” she overhears from Jiho. “Kang So-”
Jiho suddenly fell silent at the sight of Sol A, and the man opposite him suddenly turned his head towards her. She was right about who it was — it was none other than the person she spoke with on the phone just a few minutes ago.
If Joonhwi was surprised, he didn’t show it.
But Kang Sol A did. She blinked once, and with a hint of dubiousness, she asked, “Who likes who?”
The men shared a look, and she was met with silence again, which was beginning to irk her. But she bit her tongue, took a seat across Seo Jiho, and grinned cheekily at him. “Sorry I’m late.”
“You aren’t...” Jiho replied, trailing off.
“I am by your standards. I know you,” she said matter-of-factly. “For Seo Jiho, ‘on time’ actually means ‘thirty minutes early’. Which means I’m late.”
Sighing wistfully, Sol A added, “I learned that the hard way.”
She locks eyes with Joonhwi momentarily, but he averts his gaze, expression unreadable. Sol A ignores this and tries her luck once more, eyes flitting from Jiho to Joonhwi and back. “Who were you guys talking about?”
This time, almost with no hesitation, Joonhwi finally spoke up. “No one,” he answered. “My roommate was just practicing his cross-examination skills on me.”
He stood up, giving Seo Jiho a final staredown. “They’re very poor at the moment. Help him out, will you?”
Then, without looking Kang Sol A in the eye, he gave her a soft squeeze on the shoulder, and promptly left.
Sol A’s eyes followed Joonhwi’s back, and stayed there even after he left. His touch lingered on her shoulder like a ghost, but instead of comfort, all she felt was fear. Suspicion. Restlessness. That maybe he was hiding something, and whether it involved her or not, she was keen on finding out just exactly what it was.
II.
“I’m telling you, Yeseul-ah,” Sol A insists. “Something’s up with him.”
They link arms, walking past the school entrance and into the lobby. Jeon Yeseul turns to her, hair falling perfectly into place as she lets out an angelic laugh. God, Sol A thinks. Even her laugh is perfect. But past the admiration for her Aphrodite-like features, Sol A feels like she’s being mocked.
She pouts. “You don’t believe me.”
“I do!” Yeseul defends. “You think he likes Kang Sol B.”
Sol A slides her left hand off Yeseul’s arm and holds her friend’s right one lightly. “So why are you laughing at me, then?”
“Unnie.” Yeseul wraps an arm around Sol A’s shoulder. “Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe Joonhwi-oppa likes you?”
Sol A almost choked on her spit. Of course she’s thought about it — after all, she’s a hundred percent certain that it was the name Kang Sol that slipped from Seo Jiho’s mouth a few days ago. But none of the evidence so far points to it being herself. And anyway, it’s not as if he’s shown any interest in Sol A as a woman. In fact, all he does is tease her. And she’s okay with that. And Sol B already likes Joonhwi. And they seem to be a far better fit than Sol A and Joonhwi. And it’s not like she harbors any romantic feelings for him, either.
She pushes the thought away before it could become bigger.
Sol A denies, deflects, and defends. “That can’t be right.”
“Why not?” her friend challenges.
“Why would he be avoiding me if that were true?” Sol A counters.
“People do that when they feel awkward around their crush,” Yeseul rebuts.
This is starting to feel like a game of chess rather than a conversation between best friends. “I think he’s just scared I’ll tell my roommate or something.” Before Yeseul could say anything else, by some stroke of luck, Sol A spots Joonhwi from her peripheral vision, walking past Lady Justice.
Yeseul smiles kindly at Sol A. She doesn’t doubt its genuineness, but she feels like it’s laced with mischief. “Should we test your theory, then?”
What does that mean?
“Joonhwi-oppa!” Yeseul shouts, waving at him from across the room.
She’s not going to ask him, is she?
Yeseul runs to Joonhwi, a light skip in her step. “I have something to ask you.”
Wait.
“Wait,” escaped from Sol A’s lips, barely a whisper before it started registering on her what Yeseul was about to do. And when it does, she finally sprints. “Jeon Yeseul, wait!”
“Oppa.” Yeseul bats her eyelashes at Joonhwi. Sol A was in tow behind her, feeling small but unsure why.
“Oh, Yeseul-ah,” Joonhwi greets. His eyes lit up at the sight of his friend and classmate.
While it pained Sol A to just sit back and watch, knowing that Joonhwi had been purposefully avoiding her, she let the scene unfold, trusting that Yeseul knew what she was doing.
“You haven’t been going to the study group sessions lately,” Yeseul starts.
Sol A hoped it would get a rise out of him, seeing as he was the one who started the group to begin with, but was barely showing up these days. Instead, all he said was, “The pair project in Civil Code has been holding me up.”
Yeah, right, she thinks. A second-round judicial exam passer and a former police academy student having a hard time in Civil Code? Why do I find that hard to believe?
Sol A scoffs, and Yeseul pinches her side. “Sol-unnie and I are meeting the others for lunch. You should come join us.”
“Ah,” Joonhwi drawled out slowly, as if coming up with an excuse to say no. Sol A expects it to be his next move. “I wish I could, but-”
Knew it.
“Kang Sol B will be there,” Sol A blurts out, fully aware that it’s a total lie. Still, she had to try.
Something in Joonhwi’s mood changed, and his face hardened. Still not making eye contact with Sol A, he excuses himself from Yeseul. “I’ll take a rain check today, okay?”
And without another word, he left again, leaving Sol A with the same emptiness that she had felt in the study room the other day.
Yeseul finally turns to Sol A, crossing her arms. “You’re right. He’s being weird.”
III.
A few more days without Joonhwi’s company, and Sol A was starting to feel its ill effects on her. She hadn’t realized just how much she took him for granted until he was no longer around to challenge her ideas, to annoy her over the littlest of things, to calm her down when she’s freaking out, to be her drinking buddy, to be someone she could tell any and every stupid story to, with the utmost confidence that he’ll keep it to himself or that he wouldn’t belittle her for it.
They’d been through too much together now, and even their fateful first meeting all those years ago didn’t faze him from her. In fact, her little scheme, no matter how deceitful at the time, brought him closer not just to her, but to Byeol, her mom, and to an extent, even Dan.
So what changed? What on earth did Seo Jiho say to him, and what on earth did she walk into, that made him close himself off from her? Proximity may not breed familiarity, but right now she wishes nothing more than to be in his orbit again.
Arguably the worst consequence of the lack of Joonhwi in Sol A’s life right now is having no one to eat with.
During one of her all-nighters at the dorm, she found herself with an intense craving for some ramyeon. She removed her earphones, partly to pull herself back to reality, but mostly to ask her roommate to have a meal with her. As if Sol B would say yes, but it was worth a shot.
“I’m going downstairs for a bite. You wanna come?”
No response, as expected from Kang Sol B. Sol A inwardly rolled her eyes, spinning in her chair to tease her roommate, only to find the desk empty.
She scratched her head while walking, wondering where Sol B could be at this time of night. And without a heads up, too… She was getting worried.
But it seems like her concern was all for naught, because Sol B was right where Sol A was headed.
And she was there with Han Joonhwi.
She was laughing. It was the first time that she saw Sol B laugh, maybe ever, and to see that Joonhwi could be someone who could do that for her, made Sol A feel proud. Like knowing Han Joonhwi was a privilege, not only because of the way he could make people comfortable around him, but also because Sol A had once been on the receiving end of it herself.
She should be relieved. In fact, she should be happy. Because it means that her guess was right, which means she doesn’t have to keep digging anymore. She could just tell Joonhwi that his secret’s safe with her, and they could finally go back to the way they were before... Right?
And yet something about witnessing the pair interact as a mere bystander didn’t sit right with Sol A. There’s a pang in her chest that she can’t quite comprehend — maybe she just misses him, or maybe it’s something else completely. Because if Han Joonhwi has feelings for Kang Sol B, and they’re together right now, then that leaves only one explanation: he must be avoiding her, and for a completely different reason.
It was the first time her hunch had been wrong.
Needless to say, Sol A lost her appetite and trudged back upstairs lifelessly, a bitter taste in her mouth and an ache in her stomach that she couldn’t quite place where it even came from.
IV.
Come Friday, Sol A was too exhausted to even think about Han Joonhwi. Between the endless deadlines and papers to write, her job in the copy room, and the Seo Byungju case, her energy had been too depleted and her social battery too worn out to even care that her relationships could be falling apart.
The only thing she has going for her now is the Legal Clinic, the one place where she could bury her nose deep in case digests and law readings and she would absolutely never get tired of it, because it’s the one place where she feels like she’s making a real difference, especially when people’s lives are at stake. It was the remaining part of her life where Sol A felt like she was in control, so these days, all her emotionally-charged passion was focused on this one thing.
But of course that had to fall apart too, when Professor Yang asked for her to stay after class.
He cut right to the chase. “I’ll be meeting with my defense lawyer today so I need you to consult with the client in my stead.”
Count on Yangcrates to always give Sol A a heart attack in under two seconds.
“M-me?” she stuttered.
The professor’s face twitched, ever-so-slightly, which Sol A took as a sign to backtrack and confidently proclaim that she’s up to the task. She knows there’s nothing Yang Jonghoon hates more than a quitter.
“Ah, yes, of course,” she accedes, with a little more verve.
He nods once in her direction. “And take Han Joonhwi with you,” he commanded.
She’s doomed. Not that she wasn’t doomed before, but now that Professor Yang had to drag her personal life into this, she was really in shambles.
Sol A clears her throat. “With all due respect, Sir,” she laughs nervously, “don’t you trust me?”
Professor Yang takes a moment to think about it. Sol A wonders if today’s the day she finally gets a definitive answer. But Yangcrates is as sly as ever. “This is your chance to get back at him for the Bad FaMa case. Make him your assistant this time.”
He walks away, leaving Sol A dumbfounded once again, but not before he adds, “Under my orders, of course.”
Sol A’s knees buckled at the thought. Normally, she would find this predicament to be absolutely funny, a chance to bicker with Joonhwi and learn something from him at the same time. But he’s angry at her, and she doesn’t even know why, and even merely approaching him has turned into a problem.
Everything in Sol A’s life right now is a problem. She wonders if it's getting Joonhwi back that would fix everything.
Upon leaving the classroom, she spots him getting a drink from the vending machine. She has to slap herself twice, just to mentally prepare herself, to muster up the courage to approach him again.
“Come on, Sol,” she whispers to herself. “This isn’t hard.”
Shaking off the nerves, she takes a step forward, but in a momentary state of weakness, takes another step back. “So what if he’s mad? That’s his problem. I’ve never given him a reason to be angry. He should suck it up. Not me. Come on. Just do it.”
A step forward.
“Just do it.”
A step back.
“Goddamn it.”
One final step back to boost herself forward, and she’s running towards him, pretending to be as casual as possible. “Han Joonhwi!” she calls out to him.
His eyes widen at the sight of her, knowing he has nowhere to escape.
“Did you get my text? Professor Yang needs our help at the Legal Clinic.” She smiled at him. “Let’s go.”
Joonhwi scratched the back of his head, and Sol A just knows it’s about to be another lame excuse. “I can’t. I’m meeting Sol B for our Civil Code term paper.”
He can’t even look at her, and Sol A wonders just how bad she had hurt Joonhwi for him to feel like this towards her. But that only lasted for a second, when she realized just exactly what he said. Then, her pity turned into irritation, as she accused, “Liar.”
Sol A crossed her arms, and glared at Joonhwi. “Did you forget that I’m her roommate? She went home today.”
V.
Sol A sat across Joonhwi inside the Legal Clinic, her eyes narrowed to slits. A profound silence enveloped the room, interrupted only by a sharp inhale from her.
“You like Kang Sol B, don’t you?”
The only response she got was Han Joonhwi’s signature smirk, playful and taunting, one that said, ‘You don’t know me, and you never will’.
She hated that.
She slammed a hand on the table, and pointed at him accusingly. “Don’t look at me like that. I would have kept your secret if you just asked. Is that why you were avoiding me? Because you think I’d tell her or something?”
The same smile painted on his face, Joonhwi exhaled defeatedly. “Kang Sol A, I thought I taught you to never make any claims with unfounded bases.”
An eyebrow perched up on Sol A’s end. “It’s not unfounded,” she argues.
“Where’s your evidence, then?” he dared her.
Sol A had been waiting for this. She listed everything he had ever done — or refused to do, which was spend time with her, speak to her, or even look at her, which was absolutely the bare minimum — since the incident with Seo Jiho up to this very moment.
He waves his hand dismissingly. “That’s all speculative.”
If his goal was to rile her up, then it’s definitely working. “Then what about what I heard Seo Jiho tell you that one time? And most importantly, you straight up lied to my face.”
“Circumstantial,” he quips. “That would never hold up in court, especially not when the only witness is yourself. How are you going to be both the defense lawyer and the sole witness?”
Han Joonhwi should be at the edge of the precipice here, and yet he has managed to flip the situation over and turn it into an interrogation for Kang Sol A.
Nothing can hide her frustration anymore. “I would never be the lawyer in my own case. Look, it’s still evidence. You asked, and I gave it. Seriously, Han Joonhwi, what’s with you?”
Instead of a direct answer, he points out, “You rely on your emotions too much.”
Almost immediately, she shoots back, “And you rely on the law too much. This isn’t a courtroom. This is a human conversation.”
He purses his lips, unable to say anything, and Kang Sol A continues. “You’re too stubborn.”
“And you’re too nosy.”
“You’ve benefited from it more than once.” Sol A’s patience is getting thinner by the second. “Can’t you just tell me what I did so that I can either apologize for it or call you out for being wrong?”
“You and Sol B are hardly friends. What reason would I have to be afraid?” Amusement gleamed in Joonhwi’s eyes; Sol A was astounded by how he could stay so nonchalant about this. “Think.”
She glared at him, but still ceded. Damn his tenacity. “Fine, I’ll play along.”
She rolled her eyes, and in a blasé manner, started to think out loud. “I overheard Jiho ask you if you liked Kang Sol, and then you started avoiding me. Yeseul asked you to join us for lunch, and when I said Sol B would be there, even though she really wasn’t, you declined. So I thought it was her that you liked. But it doesn’t make sense, because I saw you two hanging out at the cafeteria that one night-”
His arrogant expression changed to one of shock. “You did?”
“-and then you straight up lied to me about your plans. Unless you two are already dating-”
“We’re not,” he interrupts once more. Sol A eyes him with suspicion. “We’re not,” he repeats indignantly.
“-it could only mean that you do like Kang Sol…”
Joonhwi starts slowly nodding, face a little flushed, but somehow urging her on to continue.
“...just not B. You like-”
“Kang Sol A.” Professor Yang enters the room, calling out her name.
She’s sure her professor asked her to do something, but she was unmoved. At this point, she doesn’t think anything could pull her out of her reverie for the rest of the day.
A veil that covered her eyes was lifted, and she had never been so pitiful of the blindfold that Lady Justice wore. The scales Kang Sol A carried, as heavy as the burdens she was facing, balanced with Han Joonhwi holding them up with her. She wanted nothing more than to take his hand right at that moment, to feel the heaviness in its entirety, and thank him for staying anyway.
They don't talk for the rest of the day, but Kang Sol A is unbothered.
Her questioning attitude may have always gotten her in trouble in school, but this was the one time she was glad to be wrong.
Epilogue
Han Joonhwi fell asleep on his desk again.
He normally finishes up all his revisions early, but because of his agitation, the cold table seemed to be more inviting than the bed, where he simply ends up tossing and turning.
Despite the stiff neck it was bound to cause, he’s been doing it for days, only being woken up by his constant 8:30 alarms. This time, however, it was his gracious roommate Seo Jiho who finally interrupted him from his slumber.
Jiho slammed a sealed instant ramyeon pack on Joonhwi’s desk. He groggily looked up at his friend, whose hair was still disheveled, and asked, “What’s this?”
“It’s from Kang Sol A.” Before walking away, he deadpanned, “Do your own bidding next time. I’m not your messenger.”
Joonhwi took the cup ramyeon, spotting the bright yellow sticky note on it, not unlike the ones he’d put on Sol A’s notebook, or occasionally, her forehead. He smiled to himself as he read the message, walking out to heat up some water for breakfast, but not before carefully displaying the note on his bulletin board for the whole world to see.
Han Joonhwi,
For a second-round judicial exam passer, you can be so dense.
I like you back, you idiot.
Now stop sulking and have breakfast with me.
Idiot.
~
Send me your thoughts/fic requests here!
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flareish · 3 years
Text
Overwhelmed
kuroo x reader
summary: With so many deadlines coming up the reader is overwhelm and buried in work and can’t help but to lash out. However, Kuroo is always there to pull her back
genre: college AU, fluff, pinch of angst
word count: 1.5k
warnings: none I think
a/n: I have been trying to make all of my requests gender neutral but sometimes I slip up and throw in she/her pronouns so tell me if you notice any that I didn’t catch. Enjoy!
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The teachers were out to get you, you were sure of it. You push yourself every day to be the best, to be ahead of everything, all the assignments, all of your classmates just so you could possibly enjoy college as well as have good grades. But what did that get you? Impossibly high expectations. Suddenly everyone around you expected you to ace every test you did and just pull perfect essays out of nowhere. Which is exactly what just happened. You had been working on an essay all night. It hadn’t been your best work but your brain just couldn’t make anything better. That was all you had. You were almost at your limit with no end in sight. Then, despite all your hard work, your teacher handed it back to you saying that “this wasn’t the best I could do and that I shouldn’t start slacking off now”. She thought she was being helpful but right now you wanted to do was strangle her. Sure you could do better. If you didn’t have eight more assignments to do after this. Each one more mentally taxing than the next. But it’s fine, let me just rewrite this essay.
Why couldn’t you just be the kind of person who didn’t care? Or rather had given up caring. They probably learned their lesson that when you try you don’t get the reward you get more work. Why couldn’t you just not care too?
Deciding to jump back into your workload, you sit down at your desk in your dorm and begin to type. Words were kind of flowing. They weren’t exactly coherent thoughts but at least it was something to work with. As if your day couldn’t get any worse, your roommate comes barging in with three of their friends. 
“Oh oops didn’t realize you were studying in here Y/N.” Your roommate said, not actually making an effort to be any quieter though. Shooting back a quick tight smile, not wanting to be rude but also just wanting them to leave. You were hoping they were just grabbing something and then would leave but they went and sat on the bed and turned the TV on. 
You made a show of checking the time before loudly announcing that you were suppose to meet someone at the library. As much as you wanted to be petty and make them feel guilty for interrupting your study time, it was just easier to just leave. 
“I don’t think I’ve seen them do anything except study. Talk about too school for cool.” You heard one of them joke as you left.
“Ugh tell me about it. You wouldn’t believe what time they goes to bed.” Your roommate adds. You roll your eyes and trying to ignore the comments. Is it really that crazy that you’re actually trying to learn at a place where you pay crazy amounts to be taught? You were just so done.
Luckily the library was fairly quiet since it had gotten quite late. You settled into your favorite spot and got to working. Although no matter how hard you tried nothing came to you. There was one sad paragraph on your screen, you must have reread it a million times hoping to spark some kind of inspiration from it. Nothing. Your brain kept drifting off on you and you would end up staring across the library without a single thought in your head. The time just kept slipping by. The more that went the more panicky you got. This was a time that you should be working but you just couldn’t. And of course the more desperate you got for inspiration, the more it avoided you. 
You just let your head drop and hit the table. You were so done. You just wanted to scream. There was no one you could talk to either. Recently anyone that talked to you got snapped at. They were just all so calm and relaxed despite all of the work that has been coming in lately. Here you were, drowning in it, and they were happily swimming. Just the other day you and Kuroo had an argument over homework. He’s taking one of the hardest chemistry classes and he was there telling you it was going to be okay?! It just felt insulting. You knew he didn’t mean it like that but couldn’t he at least pretend to struggle? Damn you boyfriend for being so smart.
You really wanted Kuroo right now. 
As if summoned by your thoughts, you felt hands slide onto your shoulders. You tense up kinda freaked out at who is touching you until you see that it’s him. Kuroo. For a moment you wanted to just throw yourself at him and forget about your homework. But then you remember your argument and how you’ve been a monster lately and resist. He’s having none of that though and keeps his hands on you.
“How long have you been here.” He asks gently. You glance at your computer and notice that it’s almost 3 am.
“What are you doing here?! It’s 3 am.” You say startled at the fact it had gotten that late and that he was also up that late. Usually, he is asleep by ten.
“I could ask you the same thing.” He replies as he straightens and starts packing up your things.
“Uh- Hey! Wait no- give me that! I’m not done yet.” You try and snatch back your stuff but he gives you a stern look and you sink back into your seat. You suddenly realize how tired you are and surrender. He’s finished putting everything away and throws the strap of your back over his shoulder. Prepared to carry your bag for you. Now you feel drained. Your limbs all feel heavy that it’s exhausting to even think about getting up.
“Come on let’s get you back to your dorm.” He mumbles pulling you up by your hand. You let him, flying up from your seat and onto your feet. You land right in his chest and you don’t want to go anywhere but here. For the first time in weeks, you feel calm and secure.
“Can I just stay here for a minute,” Your voice cracks as tears slip down your face. He didn’t say anything, he just wrapped his arms around you and hugged you close to his body. In this moment you felt nothing but love. The relief and comfort you felt was enough to make you cry harder. You don’t know how long you were stood there but no matter how long it was Kuroo never once rushed you. He just let you let it out. Once he saw that you had calmed down he gently pull back, bringing a hand to your cheek to wipe away any stray tears.
“You ready to head back now?” He asked again, planning on walking you back to your dorm.
“I don’t wanna,” You pout, “There’s a ton of people in there and I don’t wanna see any of them.” You are still salty at your roommate and their rude friends.
“Do you want to come to my dorm?” He asks, “Kenma was passed out when I left so it should be quiet.” You nod. You feel him put your backpack on you and you’re confused. You were kind of hoping he would take your backpack for you. You know be a gentleman and all. Then he squats down in front of you. 
“Hop on.” This was pretty normal for the two of you so despite your sleepiness you bounce up onto his back. He adjusts you higher on his back before leaving the library. Waving to library worker on the late shift who giggled at the two of you. 
You snuggled your face into his neck and loosely wrapped your arms around his neck. His footsteps seemed to lull you like a lullaby. You fell into a weird state as your body sleeping but your mind was awake. Hearing everything clear as day but the thought of opening your eyes or moving a muscle seeming impossible. 
You start waking up more when you realize that you have made it to his dorm, letting him toss you down on the bed. You throw your backpack off to the side and head straight for under the covers.
“Ah ah! You’re in dirty clothes,” he gently complains, no real bite behind it. You grumble but let him pull you over to the edge of the bed. You had been so close to sleep. He slides your shirt over your head and replaces it with one of his hoodies. Only then once you’re in his clean clothes does he let you snuggle back into his bed. This time with him in there as well. 
“Goodnight my love.” You finally slip into a peaceful state. You still had a lot of work to do but at least for tonight you will rest without worry. Tomorrow you know you need to make up with Kuroo but you know he could never stay mad at you. Come the morning you know Kuroo will help you with everything. He’s finished giving you space, now you’re stuck with him.
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dayseternal-blog · 3 years
Note
OK OK OK, I know I sound kind of weird but, could you pleaseee recommend some of the kinkiest naruhina fanfics?😳
Thank you so much🤍🤍
OK OK OK, you know you came to the right place 😳
I don’t know what you mean exactly by kinky, but I was thinking...I’ll just sort this by kinks hahahahahahha
OMG
This is going to include some of the MOST KINKY Naruhina fics I’ve ever read, EVER.  SOOO majorly inappropriate.  Also this will have some of the ones I’ve recommended before, but I’ll put everything under the cut.
NaruHina Smut & Kink
um hmmmm
Everything that follows is Rated Explicit.  Some of these fics are meant to be read with HUMOR.  Please enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!
BDSM
“Echoes of Silence” by @ellaroundpanda - Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Ongoing. Hinata Hyuga was trapped. Her relationship with Toneri was leading to nowhere and she wanted to find a new Dom. Naruto Uzumaki seemed to be the answer to all her prayers, but her fiancé wouldn’t give up that easily…
“Professor Passion” by omegas - College AU, Dom!Hinata & Sub!Naruto One-shot. Naruto is a new university student with a crush on his professor; Hinata Hyuga. Shy first dates and kisses quickly turn into a relationship, and Naruto discovers his professor’s provocative secret – along with one of his own.
“Secrets of the Hidden Leaf” by Sessakag - Includes a ton of different kinks. Canon-Divergent. Multi-chapter, Incomplete. The author’s summary hints at NaruHinaSasu, but they never got that far in the story. Naruto and Hinata push the boundaries of propriety and decency in a budding relationship of profound love and wild, sexual exploration.
“Out with the Old” by agitosgirl - Includes cheating, Modern AU. Two-shot. Hinata’s been mistreated by her current Dom, Toneri. Thankfully, another Dom has had his eyes set on her for awhile now.
“dorks.” by EroPrincess - Canon-Compliant, Multi-chapter, Complete. Random sexual exploits featuring Konoha’s most innocent couple.
“I want you to cry” by Devahhole - Includes a ton of kinks and things like dub-con and graphic murder, Multi-chapter, RECENTLY COMPLETE!!! A sociopath blinded by revenge runs into his greatest opponent.
“Some Like it Rough” by Cheating Death - Modern AU, One-shot. Yet she couldn’t help the thoughts that had been racing through her mind lately. Thoughts of her fiance using less restraint than he usually did.
Clones
“Clone Present” by @carny-writings - Canon Compliant (lol), One-shot. So it’s Hinata’s birthday; does this mean a Naruto Shadow Clone Gangbang is in order for our best girl?
“Hinata’s Rose Lips” by Plump_Hinata - Includes extreme Bimbo!Hinata, Canon Divergent, Multi-chapter, Complete. Naruto and Hinata are sent on a mission to find a mysterious flower. But they will get a big surprise when they find out that the "Rose Lips" flower has a special power. A power to turn young ladies into ultra-hot, super-busty, sexy bimbos, and Hinata will be its victim!
Stamina/Multiple Orgasms/Cum Inflation/Size Kink
“Honeymoon” by Prestige Frost - Canon-Divergent. One-shot. During their honeymoon, Hinata learned something new about her husband: he was an absolute stamina freak in the bedroom. How was the beach? Why, they never even left the room!
“Adventures of the Warlock’s Apprentice” by pizzansushi - Includes lactation and furry kink, Fantasy AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. One rainy night, a warlock, finds a stray cat in alley. He takes Hinata in and breaks her curse. Turns out, his smitten kitten is actually a young lady. Naruto the Warlock allows her to stay beside him as his apprentice, although her looks and wiles will likely be the death of him.
“Sweet Love Bakery” by pizzansushi - Includes lactation kink, Fantasy AU, One-shot (but supposed to be multi-chapter?). Tender and sweet. Love makes people feel full and satisfied. Naruto Uzumaki the Warlock and his wife Hinata Hyuga open a bakery tavern.
“The Pinocchio Effect” by Silent_Soul_Ken - Fantasy/Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. Naruto goes to see a Fortune Teller for a view into his luck however after his insult he'll find that he has a big problem and it's just getting bigger and bigger…
“Lord Hokage” by EroPrincess - Canon Compliant, Series of One-shots. Naruto loves it when Hinata screams out "Lord Hokage" during their lovemaking.
“Engaged or whatever…” by Devahhole - Rated E, Multi-chapter, Complete.  Shenanigans, jealousy, and sex ensue when Naruto and Hinata decide to tie the knot.
Squirting
“Unless the World Were to End” by @bunny-hoodlum - Modern AU, One-shot.  Anonymous internet friends decide to meet up IRL and give each other their first times.
“I’m in Here” by @bunny-hoodlum - RTN!Hinata, Canon-Divergent. One-shot. Thanks to Hinata’s newly acquired boldness, she and Naruto begin to explore their boundaries with each other – partly for distraction, partly for fun – But is Hinata the same Hinata anymore or not?
Voyeurism
“Unseen Audience” by @vegebulsoup​ - Canon-Divergent AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. He wondered what she might think if she found out about his new hobby. Surely, she would be mortified, embarrassed, and/or thoroughly creeped out. But still, he couldn’t bring himself to stop.
“Caught in the Act” by HoneyWriter78 - Modern/College AU, One-shot. Hinata decides to watch one of the adult videos at her workplace, not knowing that someone is watching her…
“Let Me See You” by callmesenorita - Canon Compliant (lol), Two-shot. When Naruto wakes to an empty bed, he is surprised to discover his wife indulging in an old habit. He’s also seriously turned on.
“Money Shot” by callmesenorita - College AU. Multi-chapter, Complete. Naruto can’t help noticing that his soft-spoken, new girlfriend bears similarities to PearlPrincess…but there’s no way Hinata, of all people, livestreams those kinds of videos, right?
Cheating
“A Maid’s Responsibility” by agitosgirl - Modern AU, One-shot. It had been a year since he and Sakura had been physical. Now he had Hinata, sweet, kind, caring Hinata.
“All Kinds of Wrong” by Kieren - Crime AU. One-shot. It was ironic how something so pure had sprung from such a sordid arrangement. They were perfect for each other. But they had met at the wrong time.
Drugged/Dub-Con/Non-Con
“Side Effects” by Cheating Death - Includes graphic non-con/dub-con, Modern AU. Multi-chapter, Complete.  Naruto and Hinata decide to participate in a high-paying clinical study, but the pay turns out to be too good to be true.
“Shinobi Passions” by HoneyWriter78 - Canon-Divergent AU. Multi-Chapter, Incomplete. When a mission takes a surprising turn for the worse, only Naruto can help her through the night…
“A Love Never Seen” by HoneyWriter78 - High School AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. Hinata Hyuga attend Konoha High she is part of the athletics group. She is friends with Ino and Shikamaru but is secretly in love with Shikamaru who is oblivious and loves someone else. She tried to fight her feelings not noticing that a certain senpai has had his eyes on her…
“Warped” by BountifullyBeautifullyBlessed - College AU. Multi-chapter, Complete. Hinata can’t sleep and her roommate, Naruto, is more than willing to help her out.
“Heavy Sleeper” by InTheMist032000 - Canon-Divergent AU, Two-shot. Hinata has a peculiar way of sleeping, and a knack for sleeping through all kinds of things. Naruto is intrigued and makes it a game to see how far he can go before she wakes up.
Semi-Public/In Public
“The Lustful Maid” by HoneyWriter78 - Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. Hinata Hyuga wakes up in an unknown room on an unknown bed, after one of the most worst days of her life. Her only memory is knocking into a tall blonde handsome guy with her juice spilled over him! Was it a dream? I think not as now she has signed a contract to be his very own personal maid!
“The Superstar Falls in Love” by HoneyWriter78 - Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. Naruto Uzumaki is a superstar, he and his band Kyubi set off clubbing after their opening night in Konoha. There he meets a blue haired beauty that immediately captures his attention. Will this blonde superstar playboy finally fall in love?
“A Shirt, a Neckerchief and my Bag on my Shoulders” by @badluckbrebis​ - Summer Camp AU, Multi-chapter, Ongoing. Hinata is freezing cold as she washes up in a nearby stream despite the poor weather, until Naruto unexpectedly shows up to shelter her…
“Nighttime Workout” by Breezyanimetra - College AU, Two-shot. Shy Hinata doesn’t usually have the courage to speak with her long time crush Naruto. All she does is watch him workout wishing she can do more. A snow storm one fateful night changes that for her.
“21 Days” by @bunny-hoodlum - Includes dub-con, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. Anonymous internet friends decide to meet up IRL and give each other their first times.
Pregnancy
“Vacation” by Prestige Frost - Includes foot fetish among other kinks, Canon Divergent AU, One-shot. Their honeymoon was just the beginning. For Naruto and Hinata Uzumaki, the love they shared only grew with each passing day.
“The Art of Seduction” by katraine - Canon Compliant (?), One-shot.  ...as only Uzumaki Hinata can do.
“October Tenth” by ShiroiNoKiba - Includes lactation kink and miscarriage scare, Canon-divergent. Two-shot.  Naruto’s pregnant wife surprises him at home for his birthday.
Dark!Naruto/Demon/Kyuubi
“Calming the Beast” by Goldfishlover73 - Includes cheating, Canon-Divergent. One-shot. Naruto can’t understand why his relationship with Sakura just isn’t working. Hinata has a solution.
“Honeymoon” by DemonOfTheFridge - Includes graphic rape/non-con, Canon-Divergent, Multi-chapter, Complete. Naruto always left on a secret mission once a year for a whole month. A curious Hinata finally had enough and followed him to an underground house. A house she finds herself trapped in, with a dark Naruto. Curiosity Killed the Cat.
“Breeding Season” by BlackMajjicDuchess - Includes rape/non-con, Canon-Divergent, Multi-chapter, Complete. Completely out of pattern, Kyuubi leaks free and causes terrible destruction that Naruto cannot suppress. There is a solution, but it comes at a terrible price.
“In a Demon’s Possession” by HoneyWriter78 - Demons AU. Multi-chapter, Incomplete. Pursued by the snake demon Orochimaru for their mysterious bloodline, Neji and Hinata accidentally trespass into Lord Kyuubi’s territory.
Furry/Mating/Alpha/Omega Dynamics
“A Wild Love” by agitosgirl - Fox!Naruto and Bunny!Hinata, Two-shot. They are a mix of humans and animal. They form communities and societies with their own species. Unfortunately, Hinata from the bunny section of the wood, finds herself in danger of being eaten.
“Love at First Sniff” by agitosgirl - Fox!Naruto and Mouse!Hinata, One-shot. Finding your one true love is the easiest thing that anyone can do. Hinata sets out to find the one male who will become the love of her life.
“Drainage City Tales” by Silent_Soul_Ken - Includes mutation/gender changes, Multi-chapter, Complete. Naruto is a young man working in Fume City's mining operation recently orphaned he struggles to survive and out of desperation eats some fish. Unusually large and bloated fish eating them will cause a change he never wanted but must now accept. But when Hinata a young noble girl who loves him, finds he's missing she'll do all she can to be with him.
“Naruto’s Mate” by funkychicken67 - Canon Divergent AU, Two-shot. Naruto receives a...gift from the nine tails. And Hinata gets in the way.
“When the Devil Picks Up a Stray” by callmesenorita - Rated E, A/B/O Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. Hinata, an Omega, questions buried feelings when she decides to help a childhood friend who has adopted a new persona under the name Menma. Although their attraction is instant he is no longer the Naruto she once knew, and soon enough Hinata is thrust into a dangerous yakuza conspiracy.
“A Fate Worse than Death” by Caelestia - A/B/O Canon-Divergent, One-shot.  Naruto, improperly socialized and traumatized as a child, rejects his inner Alpha, which has devastating consequences on his family and marriage.  “A Risky Bet” is its fluffier follow-up (One-shot).
I feeeeel like I might be forgetting some, but that’s a lot! :D  Happy fic reading!!!!
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yutahoes · 3 years
Text
Devil Inside
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pairing : childhood friends! Yuta x Y/N
genre : fluff, horror au, smut but not detailed
word count: 5.6k words
warnings: fuckboy Yuta, calling someone a 'goth girl', horror movies, Yuta becomes an incubus, too much blood, raw meat eating, flesh eating, human organ eating, slut shaming a minor character, calling Yuta a whore, killing, mention of male molestation, mentioned teacher-student intercourse, shirtless Yuta, mentions of breeding, mentioned kitchen sex, mentioned shower sex, mentioned rough sex, Y/N getting wounded, skipping classes, Yuta as a murderer, a cambion. In other words, this is disturbing and problematic.
a/n: Inspired by this set of pictures and the movie Jennifer's Body. This is my first time writing a horror themed AU and this is badly written. I just can't stop thinking about this so for me to do something productive today, I had to post this. 😂 This has uncomfortable theme so please read in moderation. I went crazy over this, sorry. Feedback is highly appreciated. 😘
You and Yuta had been friends since forever, stemming from the history of your parents being friends and all since college. Your home is his home and you have your own room in his house. Staying together inside one room isn't a problem, your parents trusted you both but growing up is different. 
You had to admit that you grew up leading a boring life, too bookish, and didn't even interact with your classmates. Yuta, on the other hand, has always been the life of the party, the school superstar, the popular guy. And that huge difference created a wall between your friendship. 
You didn't know when it started, it just did. He started hanging out with the cool kids while you were left in the shadows. You can't really get mad at him, that's growing up. And he didn't change when it was just the two of you. 
When your parents would go abroad for their business trips, Yuta would check on you every night. If you have eaten dinner, if you've locked all the windows, or if you knew the number for the police station or the fire station in case something happens. He's still the same Yuta. Your childhood friend, Yuta. 
"Did you do your assignments?" He asked, not removing his eyes from the TV where he's watching a horror film. This is something that he can't do at their home or his mom would freak out. 
You rolled your eyes, answering a 'Yes, abeoji' while opening the fridge to see what to have for breakfast tomorrow then whining since there's more raw food in there than easy-to-eat foods. "I'll probably skip breakfast tomorrow." You said more to yourself, already thinking to wake up early and just get some waffles from the shop near the bus stop.
"Just leave the back door unlocked, I'll cook breakfast for you tomorrow." Yuta claimed that made you look at him. 
You raised your eyebrow at that. "Weird that you're here." You started then sat next to him on the couch, "No date?" He showed a screenshot of her photo, a different girl than yesterday. She was wearing black, with black eyeliner, and a pierced eyebrow. "She looks like a goth. Is that your type now?" 
"She's hot!" He exclaimed and you just nodded at him. "And she wants to meet at 11 pm so yeah." That was a weird time to meet up. But you didn't react and just focused on the TV just as the jump scare happened. You quickly hid your face on the throw pillow, blowing heavy breaths that made the guy next to you laugh. You hated horror, hated blood, and you're convinced that Yuta is doing this to scare you. "I'll get going." He said, standing up. 
"Can you close the TV first? Or stop the movie, at least?" You said, face still behind the pillow. He laughed then closed the TV, engulfing you in darkness that made you more scared. The bloody face from the TV earlier flashing on your mind. 
"Sorry Y/N. I promised not to scare you like that again." You heard him say then felt something warm on the top of your head followed by a smooching sound. He patted your head, "I really have to go. I'll see you in the morning." 
You waited for the sound of the door closing before you removed the throw pillow from your burning face. He kissed your head, right? You felt that. Why would he do that? Does he know that you have a crush on him? Or is it just his manwhore ways? But why you? You screamed at the throw pillow, cursing at Yuta for being the charming guy he is. 
You cannot deny the fact that each day, your feelings for Yuta had to grow. Who are you to blame when he's getting more handsome each day? And you're just a girl who has a weak heart for him. The image was still vivid in your mind, the first time you watched a horror movie and you were already crying in fright ten minutes into the movie. "I will protect you, Y/N." And you believed that. Yuta is always there to protect you. 
A loud bang can be heard that made you wake up in your sleep. You listened for other noises and heard footsteps, someone is inside your home. The first instinct is to call Yuta but what if he's in another place, you cannot trouble him. So you just took the baseball bat he lent you for this circumstance, repeating in your mind the number of the police station. 
You quietly tiptoed down the stairs and saw the light of the refrigerator open. Is it a food thief? And how did he come inside your house? You can see a trail of blood on the kitchen floor that startled you. The bat was dropped on the floor when you saw someone seated in front of the refrigerator. "Yuta?" 
He was covered in blood, eating the raw beef as if starving. His eyes were blood cold and you stepped back in fright. He looks like a monster. What kind of a crazy dream is this? You have to do something to wake up. Anything to wake yourself up. 
And as stupid as you sound, you hit your head with the bat that was on the ground. 
You opened your eyes, the sunlight hitting your eyes and your head aching real bad as if something hit you. You groaned while stretching then remembered your dream. Yuta. Your kitchen. Quickly, you ran to the kitchen to see Yuta’s mom cooking something. “I’m glad you’re up. You’ll be late for class.” 
“Auntie, where is Yuta?” She shrugged, saying that he didn’t even go home last night. It was a normal occurrence, that’s part of Yuta’s social life. “I’ll just prepare for school.” When you glanced at the couch, Yuta’s baseball bat was there. Weird, isn’t it supposed to be in your room? 
You had a nice breakfast, thanks to Yuta’s mom, and enough time to go to school. The first thing was to get your books in your locker and walk to class, avoiding some of your schoolmates who block the way. Before you can get inside the room, you see Yuta passing by opposite your way with a new girl in his arms. You knew her, the cheerleader, the basketball team’s girlfriend. Wow, she reached the soccer team now. When your eyes met with Yuta, you were reminded of him seated on your kitchen floor. Filled with blood and with dead cold eyes. You shake your head. That was a dream. You shivered. A very vivid dream. 
It was a normal boring school day, a typical day that it surprised you when Yuta wrapped his arms around you then leaned closer. “I need your help.” A curious look was etched on your face. “Math. Help me study for the exam tomorrow.” You nodded, removing his hand from your shoulder. “Why?” He asked before putting back his hand on you. 
“I just don’t want your girlfriends to misunderstand.” Yuta chuckled then pinched your cheek. “Yuta, stop it. It hurts.” 
He smiled. That breathtaking smile which makes you weak for him. “Sorry.” He whispered then leaned to place a kiss on your reddening cheek, startling you. Your eyes widened at his actions. What is wrong with Yuta? “You do know that I like you more than I like those girls, right?” What? Your heart kept on beating wildly against your chest that you’re scared he might hear it. “I’ll see you later, Y/N.” 
Once you breathe in, without realizing that you’re holding your breath, you saw everyone’s eyes were on you. Oh no! This is trouble. 
You went home early, trying to stay away from your schoolmates. You don’t want to talk to them and explain that you’re friends with Yuta, that will cause some damage to him. But why did he do that? You tried raking your brains for an answer but you can’t seem to find the right one. So you just shrugged it and maybe ask Yuta when he gets to your house. 
It’s late at night. You finished reviewing the whole chapter for your exam tomorrow yet Yuta is a no show. You lightly glanced at the house next door, seeing that the living room lights were on. Their car isn’t in the garage, meaning his parents are not at home. Then you saw the silhouette of someone making out on the couch. Oh, his ditching makes sense now. You closed the door and made sure to close the light, ready to get a good night’s sleep. 
You opened your eyes in darkness, the clock reading that it’s almost 4 am. You felt thirsty that you decided to go downstairs to get a cup of water, halfway through the stairs you can see someone on the other door’s yard digging up something. Curious, you put on a coat and exited the backdoor to check on it. The same Yuta, covered in blood, and this time you knew you weren’t dreaming. 
“Yuta?” You called but he kept digging. Blood mixed with the soil and the most horrible thing you can see, limbs. “Yuta.” You called once again, even holding his shoulder to make him look at you. He kept covering the body with the soil, even covering it up with a large pot. What has he done? This isn’t the Yuta you know and it scared you. 
“Y/N.” He called that made you look at him. The warmth of his voice is still there. “Help me, please.” He sounded broken. “I’m really scared.” The first time you saw this reaction on Yuta. He looks so fragile, so vulnerable. 
There’s a part of you that’s still wary of him. You have questions in your head that you wanted to ask him and you waited for him to finish his shower, while you make coffee for both of you, as you collect your thoughts. When he sat in front of you at the kitchen table, he looked like the Yuta you knew except there’s pain in his eyes. “Yuta.” You called, rubbing the side of your cup. “What…?” But you don’t know what to ask him. 
“I killed Miss Jang.” Your eyes widened in surprise. The assistant PE teacher? “We had amazing sex and then…” You shook your head. He had sex with a teacher? Wow, his man whoring is of another level. “You don’t understand, she’s been touching me appropriately for the past couple of months so I just gave her what she wanted.” 
A gasp escaped your throat. “She’s what?” He just stared at you. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“Do you think someone would believe me?” 
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
He shook his head. “Because it’s embarrassing.” You scoffed then rolled your eyes at him. “So you killed her?” 
“I ate her.” 
“Yuta, I don’t need the details of your sexcapades…”
“I ate her organs.” Your eyes widened in surprise. What? “It’s a craving after having sex with someone. I just want to eat something raw and her flesh can’t even satisfy me.” That explains why he’s covered with blood. 
The memory of that night came to you, when he was eating that raw meat from the fridge. “When did it start?” He answered last night and you were more surprised that it is true and not a dream. “How?” He shrugged. “What do you plan to do now?” 
“I don’t know.” He held your hand that was on the table, looking at you with pleading eyes. “Help me, please. I don’t want to kill another woman again.” You sighed. This was Yuta. Your childhood friend. The guy you like. You nodded before thinking how stupid it is to do this. 
The news of Miss Jang being missing is the talk in your class the next day but what’s more surprising is some testimony of the guys who were molested by her, like Yuta. You watched as your friend fiddled with his thumbs, obviously listening to your classmates. He actually did them a favor but something isn’t right. Why is this happening to Yuta? 
A sexual thirst, a thirst for flesh. Your phone showed a result called an incubus, a demon that pursues sexual relations with women. But why does Yuta keep on eating flesh to satisfy his craving? You stood up and decided to ditch class just to have the answers to your questions, finding yourself in the back of the library. The collection of forbidden books.  
“What are you doing here?” You immediately hushed Yuta as you got hold of a black book, opening it to reveal different pentagrams and illustrations of spooky creatures. “What is that?” 
“An incubus.” You said then sat on the library floor, Yuta following you. “Demons who attract women for sexual pleasure.” Before he could say anything else, “I think that was what is happening to you.” 
You visibly saw him gulp. “You think I’m a demon?” No, you don’t. 
“Possessed by a demon, Yuta.” You flipped the pages of the book to see about the different rituals on how to summon a demon. “Did you join a cult? Or even got drugged and was offered as a human sacrifice?” You stopped. That night. That girl. “The goth girl, you saw her that night. Do you remember what happened?” 
“We had sex.” You rolled your eyes at that, of course. “I told her I’m a virgin because she likes guys like that. We had amazing sex, mind-blowing sex.” You sighed. “Then I woke up on your kitchen floor.” That’s all he remembers? Finally, your thoughts are confirmed, it isn’t a dream. You really saw Yuta that night. “You were lying on the ground as well and I had to remove my shirt before carrying you to your room.” 
The thought of the shirtless Yuta carrying you made the blood rose up your cheeks. “You were covered in blood that time and the trail…”
“I had to clean that up before you wake up because you’re scared of blood.” You stared at him warmly. He had to think about that? “You saw me?” You nodded, sharing that he was eating that raw meat when you saw him. “Did I scare you?” If there was one person you cannot lie to, that would be Yuta. He can easily see through you. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I won’t hurt you, I promise that.”
You held his hand, giving it a light squeeze. “I’ll help you, Yuta. We can remove that demon inside you.”
The only conclusion you can come up with is to meet with the same goth girl he met before. Yuta remembered having sex with her and he was eating that raw meat as if really hungry so she might be alive, Yuta didn’t kill her. And you have to hurry because each night that passes, Yuta has someone to bury in the backyard. It's a female prostitute one night, then a drug pusher, followed by the girl in class who bullied you. 
It's becoming a huge issue in town, the disappearance of young girls, that your parents had to come home quickly worried about your safety. "From now on, go home early." Your dad ordered. "I'll ask Yuta to walk you home every day." How would they feel if Yuta was the one doing all these? 
He was worried about you joining him in meeting up with the girl, even repeating to you that he'll kill himself if something bad happens to you but you assured him that you'll be fine. It's not you who needed help now, it was him. You need to put a stop to this before another one gets hurt. 
The girl was laughing cynically when you asked her what to do to remove the demon inside your friend. "A cambion." She answered and you curiously gave her a look. "That's the goal of an incubus. Once there's a cambion, he will leave the body he's possessing." 
A cambion? All you need is to have a cambion so the demon can leave Yuta. You searched what it was and just facepalmed yourself. Fuck this! Will he be saved? 
----
"You want me to breed someone?" You shiver at his choice of words but nod, nonetheless. "How can I do that when eating them becomes part of the sexual process?" 
You shook your head then ruffled your hair. This is getting you crazy. "You know, this is your fault for whoring around. If you just had a fixed girlfriend then this wouldn't happen…" 
"Then why did you reject my confession?" You blinked twice as if it can clear what you heard. Did you hear him correctly? "I told you I'll marry you in senior year and what is your answer? I'm not marrying you, Yuta." He said while copying your voice, leaving you dumbfounded. "I was heartbroken that time so I started dating other girls then maybe you can finally notice me." 
"I thought you were teasing me that time." Your voice got louder that your mom knocked on the door asking if you two were fighting. He shook his head, smiling at your mom. When she closed the door, you just stared at him awkwardly. Once again, you had to ruffle your hair. This is so frustrating! "Just, make a baby with someone." 
You waited, biting your thumb as the clock struck 3 am. You haven't had the right sleep thinking of what might happen to Yuta then you saw movement in the yard. Quietly, you went out of the backdoor of your house and saw him outside, blood on his clothes. "What happened?" 
He shook his head. "Same." 
"Where is her body?" You removed your cardigan to wipe away the blood from his face and his neck. 
He looks tired, hopeless. "I left her body on a roadside." You gasped at that. "I can't save myself. I'll be like this forever." He can't, he needed to fight himself. Fight his urges. But even you knew that it was impossible. 
There was a flicker of light coming from their kitchen, someone was going to see you. They're going to see Yuta with a bloody shirt like this. "Remove your shirt." You ordered and he looked confused so you just ripped it from him. Shit, you just realized how this looked like when two booming voices can be heard calling both your names. Both your dads. 
"Where is your shirt?" Your dad asked, arms crossed. You're inside your house, both your fathers and mothers staring at the two of you. "And you're wearing only that outside?" You glanced at the thin nightgown you were wearing and Yuta handed you a throw pillow. "Please wear your shirt, Yuta." 
"I ripped his shirt, dad." You heard both your moms giggle. "Can we please not make a big deal of this? This isn't what you think it is." 
Yuta's dad sighed. "Our only concern is why bother doing it outside? We let you sleep in each other's room." What? 
"Are you exhibitionists?" Your mom asked and you gasped. Is that what they're thinking now? Your head aches, you didn't have any decent sleep yet and this ordeal with Yuta is making you lose your mind. Can't you just all talk tomorrow, not at 4 in the morning? 
Yuta held your hand, lacing your fingers together. "I'm willing to take responsibility if something happens to Y/N." Surprised, you glanced at him. Nothing happened, he knew that. What the hell is he saying so suddenly? "But can I please stay with Y/N tonight, uncle?" 
It was a surprise when your dad allowed you both to go upstairs to your room but you had to wait until they're in their rooms before getting your cardigan and Yuta's blood-stained clothes from the yard. Yuta was still seated on your bed when you went back to your room, staring at you with his misty eyes. 
He pulled you close, arms wrapped around your waist while his head was on your chest. "I'm scared." His hold got tighter. "I don't want to hurt anyone anymore." If you're frustrated with this, you realized Yuta might be in bigger pain than you are. You held his hair, threading your fingers along its strand. You've been together for so long but this has been the most intimate thing that you two had ever done. "You were right, this is my fault for hurting those girls. I used them for my self pleasure, to boost my ego. This is me getting punished for all of that." 
You held his hands, kneeling in front of him to see his face. "But you don't deserve this, Yuta." You held his cheeks as tears started falling from his eyes. "We'll do something, I promise." 
He pulled you up, letting you sit on his lap. The warmth of his eyes makes your heart beat rapidly inside your chest. "I love you, Y/N." Your eyes widened at the sudden confession, "I'm sorry for getting you dragged into this but I'm thankful you haven't left me yet." He hugged you, head on your shoulder and you can feel his warm breath on your neck. "I love you. I don't want you to leave me." 
You wrapped your arms around his neck. He's scared, you can feel him shaking. "I won't leave you, Yuta." You let him sob in your chest like a little child just wanting some warmth. And you realized, this might be just what he needed. 
Both of you skipped school that morning since you slept at 5 am, just laying next to each other. Your head on his chest, hands held together. It was him who first got out of bed, prepared himself, then placed a small kiss on our head before leaving your room. If only you could stay like this. But he had to go and fuck another woman tonight to satisfy his thirst, making your heart ache. Can you live like this? 
Your parents and Yuta were seated around the dining table when you went down for breakfast. "We were just telling Yuta that we have a business trip in Brazil." You nodded, used to it by now. "And because of the news around, it would be better that he stay here with you." Your mom suggested that it made you surprised. After last night, they're letting you live in one roof with a guy, unsupervised? 
"Mom. I can stay at home alone." 
"I know. But just to be safe." You're not even safe with their suggestion. "I know what you're thinking honey. You're a female and a male with raging hormones, it's alright with us." Yuta choked on the food and you hissed at your parents. 
Your dad coughed lightly. "We stacked some condoms just in case." 
"Dad!" 
"Honey, we agreed to let them have their freedom." You glared at your mom. "We really wanted a grandchild." It's your turn to choke at your food. Then it made you stop. If he breeds a human, the incubus will go away. This might just be your answer. 
---
"No, Y/N!" Yuta stated firmly after explaining what your plan is. "What if I hurt you?" 
You shook your head. You're not scared of that now but you're frightened for Yuta and the things that might happen to him if this continues on. The police started investigating the missing dead girls, it's only a matter of time before they can chase down Yuta. You held his cheeks, distress can be seen in his expression. "I trust you, Yuta." 
It was a crazy plan. When your parents left that afternoon, you stacked up some raw meat that the butcher thought you were throwing a party. Yuta didn't kill the first girl, the goth girl, and you're holding to that belief that Yuta can have some control over himself. When the night struck, you locked all doors to your house that would forbid Yuta from going out. 
"I'm giving you the last chance to back out from this, Y/N." You shook your head. "I'm sorry." He whispered, carrying you to the countertop of the kitchen. "If something bad happens, I'll kill myself. I swear." 
You giggled then wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "Then we'll be like Romeo and Juliet." He laughed at your reference before moving closer to plant his lips on yours. Your first kiss with Yuta. His lips were so soft and he tasted so sweet that made your brain hazy. 
When he slipped his tongue inside you and his fingers dug on your waist, you knew there's no way you can get out of this. You can feel his warmth in every touch, in every part of your skin his lips touched. He slowly undressed you, making sure that he's still Yuta and whispering promises that he wouldn't hurt you. He didn't at first and you refused to believe that you made love with him at your kitchen counter. 
The grandfather clock signaled that it is midnight. Yuta just pulled you down from the kitchen counter, turning you around, and thrust into you that made you scream. No foreplay, no kissing. You turned to see his eyes, those dead eyes. His hand held your neck, the other digging in your waist. You prevent making a sound, not wanting to alert his parents next door. His teeth dig in your shoulder, an excruciating pain that makes you bite your lip to prevent a sound. This is how he kills them. 
You tried to reach for the raw meat nearby, desperately trying to move out of his hold. You pushed yourself away from the counter, causing him to fall to the ground. You watched as he took the meat and ate it as if starved, like the first night you saw him in this state. Every night, he's like this. An appetite for sex, an appetite for flesh. 
And it breaks your heart that you can't do anything to help him. 
He ate five portions of the raw meat and you mentally told yourself to get some tomorrow for what might happen at night. You covered him with a blanket as he lay down your kitchen floor, kissing his forehead. You wanted this to stop, wanted him to be normal again. You clean the wound on your shoulder as well as the scratch on your side, hissing in pain as you put medicine on the bleeding part. 
You woke up with his warm arms wrapped around you, a kiss on your wounded shoulder woke you up. "Did I do this? I really did hurt you." He grazed his finger on the spot that hurt as you shook your head. He nuzzled his nose on your shoulder and you felt his warmth. "I don't know what to do anymore." 
"But Yuta this is better. We know that you still have control over yourself." You sat on the bed and he traced the scratch on your side. "When the clock struck twelve, that's when you started having that hunger. We're slowly knowing things about you now. We can do this together, Yuta." 
He nodded, watching you stand up then head to the bathroom. You were supposed to close the door when you felt him enter the same room. The warm feeling is back when his hands touch your body, in contrast to the cold water cascading down your body. You skipped class again because of the pain in your shoulder and he went to school. 
If this continues, it's better to listen to both your parents and just get married. Live together in a far city where you can start a new life, maybe you can give birth to Yuta's child and it will end his suffering. As you put new meat inside the fridge, you heard a knock on the door. Yuta came in with a distressed look on his face. "The police are at school. They were starting to suspect a student at school." 
"Did you do anything?" He shook his head, hands clasped together. "Just lay low for a while." 
"What if they found out that it was me?" You shook your head, that's the worst-case scenario. And you promise not to let that happen. 
He stayed at your house, particularly your room that night. When the clock struck twelve, you were pushed on your bed with Yuta pounding on you real rough. The moment you felt his lips on your neck, you rolled to the bed and reached for the raw meat on the bedside table. You breathed hard, you can do this. 
The police were doing their best, you had to give them that. And it scares you that they'll narrow it down to you and Yuta doing these things. The disappearance of the women stopped but the deaths were a mystery that the police remained to look for clues. It's been a couple of nights since you've done this with Yuta and every day, a new wound would appear on your body. 
Your parents came back from their business trip when they noticed the amount of raw meat in your fridge and the wounds in your body. You tried to shrug it off, saying that it's just your clumsiness. Yet, they never bought it. You cannot ask Yuta to stay over so you keep your phone in your ear, watching his room for movements. The moment the clock struck midnight, nothing happened to your surprise. He kept saying that he's fine, that he doesn't need anything, that he's still Yuta. Maybe an off day.
You slept relieved but woke up with the sound of police sirens. You glanced at the window outside and saw the yard next door being dug out by your dad and some men in uniform, Yuta's dad watching nearby. How? You ran downstairs to check on Yuta but your mom quickly told you to stay inside. "We're sorry, we trusted you to a murderer." 
"He's not." You shouted trying to see from the window. Yuta was handcuffed, a large man holding him in place. He shook his head when your eyes met and the sight of rotten decaying bones caught your attention. 
Your stomach churned and you vomited on the kitchen sink, your mom helping you by rubbing your back. "He's such a sweet child. What happened to Yuta?" Your mom asked and you itched to tell her that it's not him. A devil inside him.
Your eyes widened at the realization. Nothing happened last night. Now, you're having this weird feeling in your body. A cambion. And you felt yourself fainting at that information.  
---
It's been years, seven years to be exact when that moment happened to your life. Yuta's parents moved to a different town but you still see them from time to time, as well as your parents. When they found out that you were pregnant with Yuta's child, they immediately sent you away to give birth abroad. Your son was three when you went back to the country and introduced him to his dad. 
"Daddy!" Your son cheered seeing his dad walking outside the huge gates of the visitor's area. The older was grinning wide, carrying his son to where you are. He kissed you on your forehead and your son giggled, "Daddy, mommy said I can go to a big school this year." He nodded, letting the young boy sat on his lap. "Grandma and grandpa are going to buy me my bag." 
Yuta giggled and you noticed how the two looked very much alike. It was the exact reason why your parents warmed up on Yuta and let you introduce your son to him. "I'm sorry. But when dad gets out of here, I'm going to pick you up from school every day." 
You can feel your eyes water at that. The younger boy wrapped his arms around his neck, "When are you getting out of here?" You both sighed. It's always his question. 
"Just another three years, then we can be together." There's a lot of pain in his words. "You and mommy can wait for me, right?" Your son nodded. 
He reached out to hold your hand that was above the table. You nodded at him. You waited this long, another three years wouldn't hurt. He engaged in another conversation with the younger boy and you gazed at him, he looks better than the first few years he's here. 
"Time to get back, Nakamoto." The police officer said and your son hugged his father's neck, refusing to let go of him. 
This has always been a problem every time you visit Yuta. "Honey, we have to go. Daddy has to get back." You said quietly, taking him from Yuta. Your son glared at the big man behind his dad and he just turned his head to look at the wall. "Honey, let's get ice cream." You said quickly and the younger smiled at you. The guard turned around, asking what happened that his head was hurting. 
Yuta gave you a worried look but you just shook your head, putting sunglasses on your son. "Say bye to daddy." You whispered and he obeyed you. "I'll come to visit you soon." 
He kissed you on the forehead, "I'm sorry." Again. you shook your head. No one warned you about having a cambion and the risk it takes to be its parents. "I love you." But right now, your son and Yuta are the most important people in your life. 
"I love you, too." And you're willing to throw everything in the past just to be happy with your small family. 
210 notes · View notes
leroyzboots · 3 years
Text
you and i are trying, together.
part two.
The amount of unease that can fit into Tommy's more-than-human-less-than-god body is honestly surprising.
Tommy paces back and forth on the floor of the Lambda lab, his Beyblade whirring between his fingers and his precious immortal dog following behind him with love.
They'd arrived at around half past midnight, but it's now early morning and there's been no sign of the other two members of the science team.
Bubby leans back in their chair, crossing his knee-high laced boots over their knee, and bounces the other one out of anxiety.
"Tommy," he barks; "you're scaring the other scientists."
Tommy glances down and realizes that the Beyblade is whizzing madly in the air around his hands, suspended from nothing.
"D-dammit," He mutters, snatching his toy back and returns it to his pocket.
"They sho-should have been back by now."
Tommy stops pacing for a second and stares down the Coomers with his father's intensity.
"Surely, Benrey could have used teleportation?" Harold chimes in, his knuckles bruised slightly from his repeated stims.
"I think that's what he meant, dear," Bubby replies, patting their husband's shoulder affectionately.
"Yes, exactly!"
Tommy throws his hands into his pockets, huffing out his frustration.
"The f-fact that they're not...back yet! Means something has gone-"
A enormous thud echoes from the the floor, a piece of tile juts out slightly and scatters the scientists nearby.
"Wrong," Tommy finishes miserably, drawing his gun and preparing for Xen's creatures.
Beside him, Sunkist snarls, her hackles raised in warning.
The tile cracks and shoots into the air, with accompanying gunfire from below, and a hatch busts open from the hole.
Tommy aims to shoot, but immediately lowers his gun upon seeing Mr. Freeman's tired but happy face, followed closely by Benrey, the bags under his eyes looking darker than usual.
"G-Gordon!!"
Tommy rushes forward, embracing them both, and the knots of tension unravel in his stomach.
Benrey snuggles just a little closer into Tommy's coat, and Tommy releases Gordon to pull Benrey into a full hug.
--
Tommy planned on never admitting it to himself, but these two were the people he loved the most.
Benrey..he'd known Benrey for years.
It started when Benrey was just out of training, and Tommy had completed his certification to become a top scientist.
Benrey was 19, maybe 20 at the oldest, his hair pulled into a ponytail that ran down his back.
They weren't close, then, Benrey had been assigned to guard the G-Man's adopted son.
Benrey couldn't die, and Tommy's line of work was dangerous enough to need protection.
So it all worked out.
They barely exchanged more than a few words to eachother until that one night, that one fucking night and Benrey is tripping over himself in tears, blood pouring from the wound on his back and he's clutching Tommy, pawing at his shoulders.
Benrey trembled like he's made from glass and will break if he falls, and Tommy gripped the back of the others security vest so tightly the kevlar nearly rips in half.
And that's saying something.
That night they sat together and they're closer in distance than they've ever been, Tommy's warm and gentle hands bandaged the wound above the numbers tattooed onto Benrey's tailbone and Benrey spilled everything.
Between sniffles and the occasional sob, Benrey confessed, about the tools that somehow hurt him beyond regeneration, leaving a scar, about the men and their evil sticks of lightning that would seep into his bones and fill him with pain so intense he felt like he would break in half.
Tommy nearly broke in half himself.
He felt helpless, and so he went to the only person he knew would make the ones who hurt his first and only friend pay dearly-
His father.
Oh, Tommy had never seen the G-man so angry.
Black Mesa was a research facility, for god's sake, dedicated to the study of alien life and the progression of the human body.
So when Tommy's dad realized that the prototype imprisonment he had resolved several years ago had resurfaced with an even uglier face, he sent scientists who had never experienced fear in their lives tripping for the door in yelps of terror.
And that had been the end of it.
Benrey continued his job as a security guard, people who had previously been made in the facility were hired back on as scientists in new departments such as mixology and cybernetics, and Black Mesa cut its ties with the military.
Black Mesa, Benrey explained later in his own broken way to Tommy in the quiet breakroom during lunch hour, had been trying to create the perfect human being.
There were thousands upon thousands of prototypes that had been created, and Benrey had been the last.
But there had always been something wrong with the ones they created, whether it was serious physical or mental deformities, or simply a sense of fucked up little creature that ended up resulting in the insane amount of scientists with the ability to grow in size, and the security guards that always had a few too many rows of teeth or glowing eyes and severe anger issues.
They weren't always grown in tubes, Tommy learned, but they were always branded with their serial number on the base of the spine.
The one before him, Benrey quipped with a mouthful of sandwich, had been born to a prototype and a normal human employee, before they stripped them out with a memory wipe and sent them into normal society.
The anxious feeling that haunted Tommy in the years that followed had something to do with that piece of information in particular.
Something told him that the military and the alien planet they were studying wouldn't let go of Black Mesa kindly.
Mr. Freeman confirmed that.
He's in the hallway, on his way to get a soda, when he's met with a newer employee, only worked here about 4 or so years.
He seemed kind enough, if a little loud and stubborn. And alright, maybe it hurt Tommy's feelings when Gordon called him a freak, but that was pushed aside with the Resonance Cascade.
Tommy knew that this was it, this was the boot boys' revenge for cutting them out of the picture, but there was something else, distinctly and unsettlingly alien about the Cascade.
The whole of Black Mesa fell into shambles, with creatures of Xen integrating into their carefully built walls and lives, and Tommy kinda freaked, okay?
He'd seen Dr. Coomer around, always greeting him with a wonderful "Hello!!", and was met with a thrill in his stomach when he introduced another prototype as his husband.
Those two had been with him, in the observation room when the project exploded around Gordon and Benrey-
he wasn't supposed to be in the test chamber, what if it seriously hurt him?-
And maybe that was when Tommy realized he was in love with Benrey.
Over time, he felt a sense of conflict slowly building as he made friends with Mr. Freeman.
He seemed to hate Benrey, they hated eachother, but Tommy liked one and loved the other so he became their middle ground.
He was convinced to himself that Benrey liked him as well, until that room, that dark, dark room, and suddenly Benrey is kneeling in a puddle of Gordon's blood and Bubby is screaming, sobbing, blubbering his apologies to anyone who is listening as the soldiers drag them away and Benrey-
He says it, he says those words and it breaks Tommy's heart into a billion pieces-
"Because I love him, okay?! I'm fucking- whoop-de-doo, in love with Gordon god. G-goddamn Freeman, okay?..."
And then Benrey teleports, and he's gone, and Bubby is gone and Dr. Coomer leaves him in the cold dark sewer by himself.
Tommy cried.
Burying his head in his coat, he cried hard and long, alone on the rocky floor.
And then Mr. Freeman crawls out of the pipe, and Tommy can't help it, he holds him.
Gordon reeks of sewage and his bloody hand smells of copper but Tommy doesn't care, and alright, maybe that's when Tommy realized he's in love with Gordon too.
Alright, Tommy can deal with that.
Something Tommy can't deal with is the fact that his instincts are going fucking haywire.
Tommy's always been very perceptive when it comes to time, maybe he can't stop time like his father can, but he's definitely got a certain sense of time and reality as it surrounds him.
Being able to reach out and touch and feel certain areas, but not control them, and all of time is wrapped around him like a blanket.
So when the floor crumbles away below them and Benrey and Gordon fall deep into the recesses of Black Mesa's hellscape, Tommy freaks the fuck out.
A deep, inherent concern lays nested in the pit of his mind like a pile of cottonmouth snakes, hissing madly and snarling that something, something, is absolutely wrong with how this is supposed to go.
Tommy has a sinking feeling that something terrible is going to happen.
--
Man, Benrey really hates this place.
The scientists of the Lambda lab asked a simple request of the Science Team- go through the portal to Xen, get rid of the Nihilanth, bring back some weird space shit.
Easy as pie.
Right?
Wrong.
Benrey feels sick, feverish on this planet.
As he follows behind the group, his legs feel leaden and heavy, and he tugs at the collar of his uniform, which feels uncomfortably tight around his neck.
He's sweating, unusually warm beneath his helmet, but shivering as though chilled to his bones.
There's a tug, deep in his torso, pulling him along, but it's a nasty, oppressive feeling that makes his limbs feel like noodles.
He swallows nervously, eyes darting across the fetid, blood colored planet of Xen.
The sour smell clogs his senses, and as they trudge deeper and deeper through the portals, away from the floating rocks with little gravity and past strange barrels of highly toxic looking liquid, the heavy pull in Benrey's chest only grows stronger and more sickly.
They push through a final, puke-green portal, and the feeling inside of Benrey swells to near explosion.
A cave, with jagged and dark stone running up the walls in wicked cracks, a deep red flush to the area.
Water is flooding Benrey's boots, a putrid and decaying smell to the liquid, and it only adds to Benrey's fatigue.
The creature before them could only be the Nihilanth itself, and the very sight sends such a fucking shudder down Benrey's spine.
It's disgusting, twisted and pulsating flesh running down what must be its face, beady eyes in a cadaverous socket.
It looks like a fetus, a failed attempt of termination long after the allotted time.
It speaks, and the chorus of voices that accompanies it gives away the fact that Xen isn't just the planet-
It's the entire race.
"So. The humans have finally decided to be rid of us."
Gordon looks tired, beaten, but pulls himself upward and grunts through the pain of his broken shin.
"Get your video game dialogue out of the way," he says, with a dismissive wave of his gun-hand.
"I'm about done with this alien shit."
The Nihilanth laughs, a hideous and painful sound, and tilts its head in curiosity towards the little group of vagabonds.
"But you have brought us the very thing we need, Mr. Freeman."
Gordon groans in frustration, turning back to his friends with his teeth grinding against eachother.
"Why does it know my name?"
Xens' audience shrieks with delight, and the Nihilanth's barely feasible mouth twists into what can only be guessed as a grin.
"Xen knows everything about you, Mr. Freeman."
Benrey sways on the spot, his boots splashing the strange water, and the scene before him blurs.
"Whadda....what the hell are you..talking about, man?"
Xen's creatures seem to roar with laughter, and beside Benrey, Dr. Coomer throws up his fists protestingly.
"Xen has been all knowing, all seeing since time begun. As we grow, so do our minds, until we are forced to repopulate. Regrow."
Beneath their feet, headcrabs scuttle ominously, causing Tommy to jump backward with surprise.
"But human beings became a problem for Xen. Their flimsy bodies failed, burst open upon integration."
Benrey is only just awake enough to process this.
"The scientists of Black Mesa were so eager to learn of a new planet. So Xen took influence, and under the guise of building a perfect human being, created what Xen needed."
Gordon scoffs, his shoulders shaking as he laughs scornfully.
Xen reacts strongly, a collective hiss rising around them.
"Do not laugh at us, human."
The headcrabs stay at a distance, but raise their pincers and click them menacingly as the Nihilanth's speech continues.
"Xen required a human being who could withstand radiation, a being who could lose blood en mass and not perish."
A sense of dread washes over the Science Team, and Tommy instinctively puts himself in front of Gordon.
Bubby ignites his arms protectively.
"Let me guess," Gordon growls, revving up his minigun limb; "you needed me?"
Xen's creatures wail in joy, and Benrey takes that as a yes, and reaches for his gun, when something big and poisonous and slimy wraps around his ankle.
"Xen requires Benrey."
Benrey yelps as the Nihilanth drags him underneath the water, bubbles of Sweet Voice trailing from his mouth as his back bounces on the cragged floor beneath the surface.
The Nihilanth swings him into the air, and Benrey splutters, ears waterlogged under his helmet, which slips from his head and falls to the ground with a splash, Benrey's short black hair now dripping wet.
"Look at you, our once perfect vessel- a mewling, pathetic dog."
Hung upside down by his ankle, Benrey gasps in pain as Xen shakes him repeatedly, and for a brief, sickening moment, Benrey is forcibly reminded of the Finding Nemo movie Tommy showed him-
He feels like a fish in Darla's little bag.
"Bark, bark, bark but no bite. You were made with Xen's own blood and yet you cannot even protect those you are infatuated with."
With that, the Nihilanth throws him to the far wall, and his skull cracks on the rock.
It doesn't heal, and Benrey slumps down, struggling to stand, his eyesight swimming with tears.
"You think the Freeman human loves you? You cost him a limb. You would be perfect save for your one flaw- you kneel before a man you could kill with no effort, and you beg him to love you as you love him."
Benrey shakes, kneeling, and whimpers as he chokes out a sob, not trying to disguise his tears.
"You truly are nothing."
"No."
The word is tiny, barely audible.
Then again, louder, with a crack of his voice but more than enough power-
"No. You're wrong."
Gordon pulls himself to full height, scowling so deeply the age shows on his face.
"Benrey is everything to us. To all of us, but especially me."
"Y-yeah! We're not afraid of you!" Tommy chimes, and Sunkist howls with approval.
"If you or your alien bitches thought we'd just leave him here, you're just as stupid as you look."
Bubby grins wildly, cracking their neck from side to side, his bright and eager eyes flashing beneath their glasses.
"Don't fuck with the Science Team!" Coomer bellows, and Bubby cheers beside him.
"Now I'm only gonna tell you once," Gordon beams, turning away from his family to draw his gun-hand and point it at Xen's Nihilanth.
"Piss off."
Gordon fires, and the accompanying screams of headcrabs and peeper puppies echo across the cave, and Benrey is overtaken with an aching, sweet feeling he usually associates with Gordon.
It's love.
Benrey smiles fondly as his knees buckle and he falls to the ground and submerges in the murky waters.
--
Benrey wakes up and immediately is struck with a massive goddamn headache.
He closes his eyes and pulls the pillow over his ears, but the pain is there and clearly is not going anywhere, so he's going to have to ask for an aspirin or some shit.
Sitting up makes him so nauseous it's not even funny, so he decides it's not worth it to stand.
A loud snore startles Benrey enough to yelp, and he glances around for the source of the noise.
Sitting hand in hand on the floor, against the wall opposite his bed, are Gordon and Tommy, both bearing signs of wear and both dead asleep.
Gordon is clutching Benrey's helmet so tightly to his shirt it looks uncomfortable, and Tommy is curled protectively around Gordon's shoulders.
They're half dressed, like Black Mesa decided that the HEV suit and a bloody lab coat was not appropriate clothing but also did not have a whole lot of options for back up wear.
Benrey guesses this based on the fact that Gordon's not really wearing pants and Tommy's wearing a t-shirt that says "Birthday Girl".
Something about the fact that they're holding hands hurts Benrey, just a little.
His heart aches for a moment as he remembers the warmth of Gordon's hand and the feeling of a hug from the Beyblade enthusiast who was his best and only friend for a very long time.
Benrey shakes his head, decides he's going to repress it, and yawns.
God, his head hurts.
Benrey figures that if he stands, he's going to trip and probably break something, and since he doesn't trust his regeneration ability right now, he's not risking it.
Instead, he picks up his pillow and heaves it at the two scientists as hard as he can.
Tommy jolts awake, blinking, then smiles widely upon sighting the guard.
"Benrey!!"
Tommy shoots upward, and makes the distance between the wall and the hospital bed in one step, leaving Gordon to slump over and yell in surprise as he hits the floor.
Benrey's pulled into a crushing hug, and he wheezes for Tommy to be gentle.
"S-sorry!" Tommy cries happily, pulling back to take in Benrey's face.
"It's..it's g-good to see you awake."
Gordon stands, still holding the helmet, and wanders over to where Tommy is perched on the edge of the bed.
"You've been out for hours," Gordon adds, gently reaching out with his left hand to ruffle Benrey's hair.
"We were starting to get worried."
Benrey swallows his funny retort for once, instead choosing to spit out some clear blue song in response.
Tommy reads it almost immediately, and excuses himself to get medicine.
Gordon takes his spot on the bed, and just looks over Benrey.
Benrey feels like he's being scrutinized, with Gordon's soft green eyes just roaming over his face.
"Alright. Fucking. Get the questions outta the way," Benrey mumbles irritably, sticking out his tongue.
"I know you're fuckin. Curious about the shit Xen said."
Gordon laughs sweetly, setting the helmet down on the bed next to him and runs his fingers over it fondly.
Benrey takes a note of his new right hand, a grey-black prosthetic that clicks when Gordon moves his knuckles.
"I don't really have any questions," Gordon grins, adjusting his shirt.
"Other than, are you okay?"
Benrey's taken back by this one.
Not only did he cost Gordon his hand and almost his life about thirty billion times, but everyone (including him!) also just found out that Benrey was made with Xen DNA.
He's essentially Gordon's enemy in every sense of the word, and Gordon is asking if he's okay?
"....did the Nihilanth hit your head or somethin', man?? What the hell kinda. Question is that one??"
Gordon's smile softens massively, and it makes Benrey's heart melt into a little puddle in his stomach.
"Benrey, you saved my life a whole shit ton of times back there."
"Yeah, I also almost got you killed," Benrey interrupts, but Gordon doesn't pause.
"I've been thinking about a lot of things while you've been asleep, and I've been talking with Tommy a lot too."
Benrey's happy puddle evaporates into a heavy leaden ball inside of his chest.
"I don't need to hear this, dude."
Gordon looks a little confused, so Benrey keeps going.
"You're. I know you heard the shit Xen said about...."
Benrey pauses, unsure if he wants to say it out loud.
That'll finalize it, forever.
He takes a breath, then with a great effort, says it out loud.
"I love you. Have since we were kids, have since I first met you. Xen was...right. They were fucking right, you're happier with Tommy because he's never hurt you or..fuck. Fuck, man, you don't feel the same and I'm done pushin' it on you. We uhh, clear?"
Gordon covers his mouth with his hand, and for a split second Benrey thinks he's made him cry, but Gordon bursts out laughing, clutching his stomach and snorting in between giggles.
"B-Benny, you idiot, I am in love with you."
Maybe it's the sudden affectionate nickname, or the fact that Gordon said he loves him.
But Benrey blushes, hard, and pink-to-blue sweet voice bubbles out of his mouth in surprise.
"Whuh?"
Tommy walks back into the room, bottle in hand, and pauses at the sight in front of him.
"Oh, are w-we doing conf-confessions now?!"
Before Benrey can even speak, Tommy drops down beside him and kisses him on the cheek, putting him and Gordon's hands in his own.
Tommy doesn't say it, but Benrey gets the point.
"Fucking- FINALLY!!"
Benrey just might die for real.
Bubby leans in the doorway, a smug grin on his face, elbow resting on Dr. Coomer's shoulder.
"Ah, young love is beautiful!"
Tommy and Gordon laugh cheerfully at Dr. Coomer, and Benrey buries his face sheepishly in the blankets.
--
It takes a few days, but Benrey recovers pretty well from the Nihilanth.
He's thought a lot about what Xen said.
And he's decided that they were very wrong about him.
His love for other people isn't a flaw, it's his best quality.
He can and will protect the people he loves with his life, no matter what.
And he knows that the people he loves will do the same for him.
With time, Gordon learns not to flinch at the sight of his right hand, or gag when he drinks a soda.
Benrey learns to accept hugs and snuggles from Tommy, and figures out the jokes that Gordon likes and doesn't like.
Tommy is always there to patch up Benrey's injuries, and learns better responses that don't involve soda when Gordon needs to vent.
So Benrey feels safe, and knows that he's not the only one who's trying to be better.
Benrey and them are trying, together.
64 notes · View notes
trashmenofmarvel · 3 years
Text
Branded - Chapter 57 (Final)
Pairing: Demon!Bucky Barnes x Reader
Summary: You find your relic.
(This is a fan AU of Falling’s Just Another Way to Fly by araniaart​ . Please check out this incredible series for all of your demon Bucky needs.)
AO3
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You’d only been to the ancient Sanctum a few times, with strict access to the library for your studies and nowhere else, and normally you would be excited to visit the unofficial headquarters of the Mystic Arts.
But now, as you followed Wong to the room of portals that would lead to the Nepal sanctum, your stomach twisted and your heart raced. You couldn’t even enjoy the fact this was where Strange had gone on his near-disastrous pilgrimage. The idea of the Ancient One kicking him out on his ass was an entertaining one, though you were still glad she eventually trained him. As irritated as you were about a lot of things regarding the former surgeon, he and Wong both had taught you nearly everything you knew.
Plus, you’d seen the scars on his hands. As arrogant and egotistical as he appeared, Strange had suffered to get where he was. Not unlike yourself. Not unlike Bucky.
The Orb of Agamotto hung within the circular room where other sorcerers consulted with it, verifying that the magical Earthly shields were still intact. Past them were three doors leading to the other sanctums, including the one in Kathmandu.
You and Bucky followed Wong through, the familiar feeling of displacement shifting your stomach and throwing you off balance for a moment. Neither Wong nor Bucky were as unsteady as you were. It had been something you were embarrassed about, but according to Strange during one of your lessons, it simply meant you were more sensitive to spatial displacement.
As Wong led you both through the ancient stone hallways, past the commons where other sorcerers were in training, doubt crept along your nerves. Someday, possibly sooner than you were prepared, all of these people were going to follow you. Look to you for guidance, for teaching. For protection.
How were you supposed to become the next Ancient One if you couldn’t even walk through a portal without getting dizzy?
This wasn’t going to work. The idea was crazy enough to begin with. The Ancient One had to be wrong. You were going to step into her office and nothing would happen. You would make a fool of yourself; you weren’t any more talented or skilled than any other sorcerer. Just half a year ago, you’d had no idea demons and magic were even real.
And now, you were expected to carry on the mantle as one of the most powerful sorcerers on Earth? How was that even possible? How could you ever be worthy enough to—
Wong opened a door using a complicated series of hand gestures, and as soon as you stepped through, your panicked mind fell silent. Energy thrummed along your skin, setting the hairs upright.
“Here it is.”
Wong’s announcement was unnecessary; you would know this place in your dreams, even though you had never been.
It was a simple room with a single large, circular window pointed towards the mountains over the city. Potted plants perched on most available surfaces that weren’t covered with books, scrolls, and odd knickknacks.
There was only a single writing desk pushed to the side, humble and unobtrusive. The rest of the room was empty space with a single well-worn green rug in the middle. But the plants made everything seem alive and verdant. It felt very much like a place the Ancient One would spend her time. It was a reflection of her, in a way. Quiet, but hidden with secret truths.
“Take a look around,” Wong said, but you were already moving. Slowly and with intense focus, you circled the room, reaching out and feeling, not with your hands but with your mind.
Odd and powerful energy pervaded the room, muted by spells but still apparent to you. They were coming from the artifacts that were laid out, seemingly casually, on the shelves and desks.
Most of them seemed as plain and unimportant as the room itself. A cracked vase with the lip stained red. A golden helmet that was varnished and faded, but two glittering horns jutted from the temples. A knobby staff with a smooth, grey stone fixed at one end, as modest as any walking stick except for the melodic hum that emanated from the stone. You had a feeling neither Wong nor Bucky could hear it.
But despite all the weird, wonderful oddities in your reach, you were drawn elsewhere. You approached one corner of the room where lay a pile of old scrolls and their cloth wrappings, and moved them aside with care to reveal what was hidden underneath.
It was a sword hilt. Just the hilt. There was no blade, not even a piece of broken metal. The metal was dulled with time and flaked with rust, the pommel grey and dirty.
You reached out and hesitated. Fingertips inches away, something stopped you. The knowledge that once you took hold of the relic, everything would change.
You glanced over your shoulder at Bucky.
He was watching you with close attention, as was Wong, but when he caught your eye he gave a small smile of encouragement. He supported you, even though he had to know what this meant, or at least had a good idea of it.
Not every sorcerer found their relic within the Ancient One’s study.
Comfort and warmth, so strong it could only be described as love, flooded across the bond and washed away your fears. You returned his smile, even if it was shaky, and you held on to that feeling as you turned back to the hilt.
You closed the distance, wrapped your fingers around the relic, and lifted it.
It was surprisingly heavy; that was your only observation before it began. The hilt thrummed in your palm, vibrating so fast you nearly dropped it.
The rust flaked away from the metal, leaving it polished and silver. The grey pommel was shaken of its dirt, and you realized it was white bone, the metal wrapping around it to form the grip and crossguard.
The thrumming didn’t stop, but you couldn’t let go even if you wanted to. Your fingers seized around the metal, energy teeming up your hand and arm. When it reached your right shoulder, all the way up to your pentagram, the sigil burned in a way it hadn’t done since the ritual.
Bucky must have sensed your panic because he rushed forward, but you backed away from him fast, instinct screaming at you to put a safe distance between you now.
It was a good thing you had; the energy from your sigil exploded down your arm, through your hand, and into the hilt. A burst of red light shot outward, forcing you to turn away from the blinding beam.
When the light dimmed and you could see again, blinking away the after images, you stared at the sword. That’s what it was now. A glowing red blade, seemingly made entirely of light. The energy that came from it was purely of the demon realm, scorching and sulfuric.
“What…” You choked the words past your dry throat. “What is this?”
There were only a handful of times you’d ever seen Wong shocked. So, that was three powerful sorcerers you’d rendered speechless in the span of a day.
“The blade of Hell, or so it is spoken. None in the history of the order had been able to unlock its powers, rendering it anything more than a broken hilt.” He leveled you with a somber stare. “It is called Daemonio Vexatur. Which means—“
“—to become a demon.”
Wong raised a brow.
“Rough translation, but yes.”
“So, it’s a demon sword?” asked Bucky, eyeing the glowing blade. He was understandably wary, and honestly, was accepting what was happening better than you were. You were still stuck on the fact that you were holding a glowing-freaking-sword in your hand.
“Yes. And no,” Wong said in traditional teaching-fashion. “A demon cannot wield it, but it takes demonic energy to power.”
“Oh. So that’s why my sigil and my entire arm feel like they’re on fire.”
Bucky’s mouth opened and he took a step forward, protectiveness sizzling along the bond, and you gave him a hurried smile.
“Kidding. Sort of.” You smiled wider through your clenched teeth. “It is really uncomfortable.”
Bucky’s dark look told you he didn’t believe you, and with what you imagined was coming from your end of the bond, you didn’t blame him. Holding the sword was like holding on to a live wire that was also burning. There was a molten jolt connecting the hilt to your sigil, and you were just hoping to not get incinerated in the process.
And just like that, the connection was gone, and the relief of your arm no longer being on fire was dimmed by the disappointment as the sword was extinguished, leaving nothing more than a gleaming hilt.
“What happened?” You frowned, eyeing the relic as if searching for an on switch.
“It will take time and training to effectively control your relic.”
“How long?” You looked up when Wong didn’t answer immediately, catching the serious dent in his brow.
“It’s hard to say. No one in living memory has wielded the blade, and it was believed no one ever would.”
Wong gave a heavy sigh.
“So of course, you would be the one to wield it.”
You returned your gaze to the relic and turned over the hilt in your hand, admiring the metal and bone. You wondered if the bone was from a demon, a safe bet considering.
“So.” You carefully put down the hilt and turned to give Bucky your best serious face. “How does it feel to have a wizard girlfriend with a lightsaber?”
Wong rolled his eyes. He knew you well enough by now to know what you were doing, but he didn’t comment on your attempts to over your fear with humor. He muttered something about reporting to Strange as he left the office.
But Bucky…
Worry and fondness conflicted across the bond, struggling to coexist. He stepped forward, the green cloth tunic he’d found in one of the drawers of your room stretched unfairly tight across his chest. It was the largest he could find in a hurry, and it was nearly enough to distract you from your own anxieties.
“I think…” Bucky wrapped his arm around you, drawing you into an embrace that you melted into easily. “That I’m scared for you. I’m confused as hell what this means, and I’m guessing this isn’t going to make your life any easier or less complicated. But… I’m also proud of you.”
You could sense the pride easily, but Bucky was trying to bury the fear that was close to terror. He truly was scared of what this meant. You were too, and the Ancient One’s words weighed heavily on your shoulders.
There was a questioning feeling tugging at your thoughts, and you remembered too late that Bucky could sense the same anxiety, even if he didn’t have all the details. So you smoothed out your tumultuous thoughts and covered them the best way you knew how.
“You say that to all the wizard girlfriends.”
“You’re deflecting.”
“That is what swords do.”
Bucky pulled back far enough to stare at you with narrowed eyes, but when he touched his horns to yours it was with such gentleness that you nearly forgot to breathe. But breathe you did, drinking in his familiar, soothing scent and allowed the tension to drain from your muscle.
“We should head back.” Bucky said after a moment of intimate, comfortable silence in which you finally relaxed. “Got a bastard to catch.”
You reluctantly let go first, knowing he was right and you couldn’t stay here forever. Turning toward the sword hilt, you reached for it and paused. You took a small detour and picked up an old, ratty cloth nearby and carefully wrapped the relic within. Until you had a better grasp of how to wield the sword, it was probably a wiser idea to not handle it directly. You had no idea if it was sentient like Strange’s cloak, and it would be better not to accidentally set it off. Slicing off your own leg was a poor way to convince anyone that you were the next Ancient One.
On your journey back down the halls toward the portal door, Bucky said, “So… what are you going to name it?”
He smiled at your sideways glance.
“All cool swords get a name. It’s kind of a universal rule.”
Maybe you didn’t know Bucky as well as you thought you did, because you had no idea he was such a damn nerd.
“Yeah? You’ll have to bestow all your sword knowledge on me.”
“Is that a sexual innuendo?”
“It is now.”
Bucky’s smile died on his lips when you were no longer at his side. He paused and looked back where you had stopped at the threshold to the portal room.
“What if I can’t do this?” The doorway before you was no longer just a doorway. It was an insurmountable hurdle, and your feet wouldn’t budge from the floor. “What if I fail?”
Bucky approached slow and steady, his expression gentle and fond.
“You won’t. You’re too stubborn to fail.” A warm hand softly cupped your cheek, his human one, and you leaned into it. He laughed silently at your predictable need to be touched, but his expression faded into something more serious. “But on the very slim chance you do, then you get back up and you start again. Just as you always have.”
Your stomach fell. Bucky couldn’t understand what failure meant in your case. You didn’t even know what it meant, but you could guess. If you failed to be the Ancient One everyone needed… then there might not be any second chances.
Bucky wrapped you in his arms one more time, undoubtedly sensing his words of encouragement hadn’t hit as effectively as he’d wanted.
“Whatever this means, you finding that relic… Whatever happens when we find Zemo...” Bucky’s voice was deep in his chest, a rumbling sound that never failed to comfort you. “I’ll be here.”
You returned his embrace, gripping him tightly as you pressed your cheek against his chest.
“I know.”
And you did, too. Bucky would be there for you. Not because he was compelled to be, and not out of a sense of duty or guilt to protect you. He would be by your side by choice.
And that fact made Zemo’s escape, the Ancient One’s words, and your own self-doubt a little easier to bear. Because you and Bucky would weather it.
Together.
“When wounds are healed by love, the scars are beautiful.” –David Bowles
223 notes · View notes
bakamoonshine · 3 years
Text
Strawberries, Sunflowers, and Lemon Pie
Summary: Draco smells you, a Hufflepuff student’s, scent in Amortentia and realizes he’s in love with you. But not before he freaks out a little bit.
Word Count: 1.9k
Warnings: Swearing, OOC (soft boi Draco), mentions of food, and fluff
A/N: Thank you @brokengirl13002 for requesting this! I hope you like it and it’s super fluffy and cute and everything you could ever hope for lol xx.
 Third Person POV
           Draco huffed as he continued to stir his potion. He wasn’t sure if it was coming together perfectly, but as he added the next ingredient, his mouth turned up at the corners, feeling confident. ’Amortentia’ he scoffed to himself, ‘What a stupid potion. Who needs a love potion to make someone fall in love with them? Pathetic.’ As Draco continued to stir his potion evenly, he looked up to see his best friend Y/N, very obviously struggling with her potion. Whenever he saw Y/N, he felt his facial features soften, her clumsy tendencies lightening his mood – he supposed that’s why they were such good friends. His sharp personality was balanced out by her soft one, making a very cohesive relationship where each person was what the other wasn’t.
Once Draco added the very last ingredient and finished stirring his potion, he knew he’d executed the recipe perfectly. The mother-of-pearl sheen described in Advanced Potion Making was present in his potion, and the tendrils of steam rising from it were exactly as they should be. Suddenly a scent hit his nose. ‘Strawberries, sunflowers, and lemon pie’ he thought to himself. ‘Where do I recognize that scent from?’ He couldn’t put his finger on the smell – right up until he looked at Y/N again. ‘Shit…Y/N loves lemon pie…’ Draco opened his mouth to say something, then realized that would be a terrible idea. He had almost just inadvertently revealed what he smelled in the love potion. Draco slammed his potion book shut, grabbing Snape’s attention. Snape swished over towards his table, looking into his cauldron, and nodding appreciatively.
After taking a sample of the potion, Snape brusquely says “10 points to Slytherin. You may go, Mr. Malfoy.” Draco nods his head, relieved that he could escape to his dormitory for a few minutes to process the information he just discovered. Y/N tries to catch his eye while he quickly gathers up his supplies, but Draco studiously avoids her gaze, making Y/N feel a bit concerned. He rushes out of the dungeon, walking swiftly to the Slytherin common room before anybody can stop him. ‘When did I start feeling like this about Y/N?’ he wondered to himself, panic rising in his system. ‘What if she doesn’t feel the same? What if I ruin the friendship somehow?’ Draco could feel his blood pressure rising just thinking about the time the two of you spend together. He specifically remembers one perfect memory.
The two of you sitting by the black lake, studying together. Y/N was leaning against a tree, and Draco had his head in her lap. Y/N was running her fingers through Draco’s platinum blonde hair, massaging his scalp gently. Draco had felt his eyes get heavy, the sun shining in his face and warming his whole body. ‘No’ he thought to himself, interrupting himself mid-memory. ‘It wasn’t the sun that made me feel warm. It was Y/N’s smile. I know it. That’s when I fell in love with her, I suppose. In that moment.’ After thinking about the one perfect memory, Draco’s resolve hardened. He knew exactly what he was going to do, a confident smirk growing on his angular face. He continued walking through the castle, completely unaware that Y/N was about to crash into him.
 Y/N’s POV
           Watching Draco walk away from me, my heart sank a little bit. My best friend in the whole world had just walked away from me, clearly upset, and didn’t seem like he wanted anything to do to me. I swiftly dumped out my cauldron full of potion, too preoccupied to notice the faint scent of mint and green apples. As I packed up my supplies, finally having finished my potion about ten minutes after Draco, I hastily fled the dungeon and made my way towards the Hufflepuff common room. I was looking down at my feet, feeling self-conscious, when suddenly, I ran into something solid. I looked up and the first thing I saw were those beautiful light grey eyes. Draco. My breath hitched in my throat, confused as to why I would be so nervous around him all of a sudden. The smile on his face when he sees me makes my heart melt, my cheeks heating up, and then heating up even more once I realize I’m blushing at the thought of my best friend. ‘Oh my Merlin, I like him. Why did I have to realize this now? Ugh why does he look so cute?’
           Draco takes a breath, obviously about to say something, his hands fidgeting with his tie. Merlin, he looked so attractive. His white-blonde hair was slightly tousled, like he’d run his hands through it absentmindedly, and his pale face had a beautiful flush to it, like he’d sprinted up a flight of stairs. My gaze dropped to his lips, pink and slightly parted as he searched for the right words. His face began to get more flushed, his hand rising up to his face as his tongue darted out between his lips, which were begging for moisture. You waited for him to speak, intrigued by what could possibly have him so flustered. Had you been talking out loud to yourself about how cute you thought he was? There was no way, he would’ve had some snarky comment to say to you.
           “Draco, what is it?” you ask impatiently. You could see him getting more flustered by the minute, and you had to be honest, you were kind of enjoying it. Were you the reason he was getting flustered? Suddenly, the puzzle pieces clicked in your head. Draco smelled me in the Amortentia. You blushed, realizing he was trying to ask you on a date.
           “I was…just going to ask how you think that potion went for you?” Draco finally asked, lamely. Clearly that had not been what he intended to ask. You smirked in response.
           “Dray, you know I’m terrible at potions. I’ll be lucky if I pass the class. I’m going to go drop my books in my room and then we’ll go down to dinner, okay?” Draco nodded, looking relieved that he could have a moment alone with his thoughts.
 Draco’s POV
           ‘Merlin, I’m such an idiot. What happened to my charm, my wit…? That could not have gone worse. Potions? Ugh.’ I continued walking towards my dormitory, intent on putting my bags down like Y/N had suggested. I had just placed my hand on the door of my dormitory when a thought struck me. I knew exactly how to ask out Y/N. But in order to put my plan into action, I had to hurry.
 Y/N’s POV
           Draco and I had just finished dinner and I decided to head up to my common room. I waved goodbye to him and started to walk away from the Great Hall. I felt myself get lost in thought about the homework I had to complete that night, and then suddenly, I was in front of my common room. I let myself into the common room and headed up toward my dormitory. As I stepped into the room, I noticed something laying on my bed. A single sunflower and a small lemon pie. There was a note beside them. It read Meet my in the kitchens at midnight. -D.M. I knew immediately from the slanting handwriting that it was from Draco. My heart skipped a beat and my face flushed. What did he have planned?
           I moved the flower and the pie before flopping down onto my bed, a wide grin on my face. ‘How am I going to pass the time when all I can think about is Draco?’ I grabbed my potions notebook, attempting to get started on the homework Snape had assigned, and surprisingly getting lost in the chore. Before I knew it, midnight had rolled around. I stopped in the bathroom before leaving my dormitory to fix my hair, knowing I’d be embarrassed if I looked weird. I then set off towards the kitchen, making sure that I didn’t encounter anyone along the way. I got to the painting of the fruit bowl, and tickled the pear – it giggled back at me and turned into a door handle. I grasped the handle and pushed open the door, not knowing what to expect inside.
           I gasped at the sight that met my eyes once I was inside the kitchen. Draco was sitting on the floor of the kitchen, on top of a beautiful pastel yellow and green checked blanket. ‘Our house colors,’ I thought to myself. He was leaning back against a stack of pillows he’d obviously transported down here, ignorant to my arrival. Around him were mugs of hot chocolate, filled to the brim with marshmallows and whipped cream, with tiny chocolate kisses dropped on top. My mouth watered at the sight, but I was more interested in the boy sitting next to the drink.
           “Dray,” I whispered lightly, not wanting to scare him with my sudden appearance. He whipped his head around, and I watched as his mouth immediately shot into a smile.
           “Y/N, you came. I wasn’t sure you would.”
           “Of course, I would silly, you’re my best friend.” His smile faltered slightly at my response, his pride taking a small beating at the use of the word ‘friend.’ “Is all of this for me...?” You ask shyly, hoping he says yes. He nods, the grin back on his face.
           “I wanted to ask you a question,” he says, now looking as confident as ever, nothing like earlier today. You sit down next to him and nod your head, silently urging him to keep talking. “I was wondering,” he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, “if you wanted to go on a date with me.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he let his breath out and his eyes popped open and looked directly at me. I had known he was trying to ask me on a date earlier, but nothing could have prepared me for the explosion of butterflies I got in my stomach when it actually happened. I reached a hand up to touch his cheek softly, in awe of the beautiful boy in front of me. I traced my hand down his cheek and across his lips, eyes following my fingers. I looked into his eyes after a moment, a cheeky grin flitting across my face.
           “I thought you’d never ask,” I joked, laying my head down in his lap, hands reaching up towards his hair and running through it. He let out a breath I didn’t even realize he was holding and I took in his dazzling smile. He swooped down to my level, his hands on either side of my face, and his lips met mine. My stomach flipped in excitement, elated at the fact that Draco was finally mine. He pulled away slowly, relishing in the fact that he was kissing me, and placed a small peck on my nose.
           “You smell like strawberries, my love. I think that’s my new favourite smell.”
169 notes · View notes
peachcitt · 3 years
Text
falling, flying
a miraculous ladybug fic
for @softkwami for @mlsecretsanta
Tags: Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Ladrien, Adrinette, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, MLB Wing Au
Summary: 
“It’s not supposed to hurt,” she said softly. “Flying, I mean. It’s not supposed to hurt.”
His jaw worked. His mouth settled on a smile. “I know.”
or
in which marinette and adrien speed toward a foreseeable end on purpose. and also a little bit on accident
read on ao3
enjoy :)
=
Marinette felt, all things considered, that this situation was not her fault. 
Granted, she was the one who threw herself into the fight without coming up with a plan, but how was that supposed to be her fault when this akuma had started making problems exactly seven minutes before her chemistry exam? She’d stayed up nearly all night cram studying (that much, she’ll admit, was her fault), and she’d be damned if she didn’t show up on time to at least get a B minus on it. So she’d barreled into the fight without Chat because she really wanted to get this all over with. She could hardly be blamed for that.
And she certainly couldn’t be blamed for the fact that she was currently speeding toward the hard cement ground right outside a posh business building in the heart of the city at terminal velocity, hands, legs, and wings bound tight.
Sure, there was that comment she’d made to the already very upset akuma about his nose, but, well.
Okay, so maybe this situation was a little bit her fault. 
But, like, that was just the nature of being a superhero.
Sometimes, you ended up speeding toward a very foreseeable end, knowing that it’s going to hurt, but not quite knowing how to avoid it. And that’s just life, too.
Not that she was going to let herself become a smear of sidewalk gum. She had her miraculous to protect, after all, and she also had this Daedalus-damn chemistry test that she was going to get a B minus on - no, screw that - a B plus on. There was also the matter of dying at the tender age of seventeen, but that existential dread didn’t touch her as she watched her pissed-off reflection follow her down, down, down on the polished windows of the building she had been thrown off of.
It’s not like she could rely on Chat to get her out of this one. Who knows when he’d show up.
She twisted around in the air, trying to maneuver her bound arms to her hip, where her yo-yo was. If she could grab it, she could summon her lucky charm, and she could stop her fall with the help of a handy-dandy polka-dotted tube of chapstick, or something.
The tips of her fingers brushed against her yo-yo, and her arms ached. Icarus above, the akuma couldn’t have tied her arms in the front of her body? At least then she wouldn’t have to try and bend her left arm at a weird angle to get around her wings.
This, as it turned out, was becoming a dire situation.
She had about ten floors to go before she would eat cement. Her left arm was cramping, and her fingers could only brush up against the feathers of her bound wings instead of anywhere near the yo-yo. She tried to stretch her wings out, test the binds, and only ended up crying out in frustrated pain.
Well. She could always aim for a clumsy rolling landing.
She squeezed her eyes shut, taking a shaking breath through her nose, and braced herself for the inevitable impact. The bitter cold air whipped past her cheeks, and she released the breath she was holding.
This was fine.
She’d had more than a few landings that had left her battered and bruised throughout her lifetime, and this was just another one.
Not that she’d ever fallen off of a thirty story building before, but, like, semantics. She would probably be fine.
Unless she died.
Just as the thought occurred to her, her body connected with something hard, a jolt traveling through her bones, and she sucked in a punishing breath, eyes flying open.
But she hadn’t hit cement, like she first thought. She’d hit-
She’d been caught in someone’s arms.
There was a familiar smell - mint and spice - and she relaxed into familiar arms. “Nice of you to fly by, Cha-”
The person holding her looked down, and her words caught in her throat. 
It was Adrien who had caught her. 
Not Chat.
Adrien. Adrien Agreste. Adrien with the beautiful wings he never used to fly, Adrien her classmate, Adrien with the green eyes that sparkled in sunshine and glimmered still on cloudy days, Adrien with the kind smiles, Adrien with the nice hands, Adrien with the nice hands that were currently holding her as they soared up into the air. Adrien freaking Agreste.
“Ah,” she said, and she could feel his hand, gentle, cradling her wings, fingertips light and steady on her feathers.
“I thought you might,” he started, his cheeks coloring, “uh, need a hand.”
“Right,” she said rather weakly. They stared at each other for a moment longer, and then he looked away, looking for a suitable place to land. She bit the inside of her cheek, eyes following the strong line of his jaw, up the smooth curve of his cheek, over the sharp bridge of his nose. Her eyes caught on a little crease in between his eyebrows, and she frowned.
Her eyes flicked down to his lips, and she saw they were pinched tightly, as if he was in pain but trying to hide it.
“Are you-” she started, and then stopped, breath catching in her throat. His wings. She was only just now looking at them properly.
“Am I what?” he asked, glancing down at her as they landed gracefully on the next building over from the one she’d been thrown off of. He tucked his wings back in their normal, perfectly straight posture, and his pinched expression relaxed.
But she couldn’t get the image out of her mind. His wings - his golden, regal wings she so admired but had never seen spread - had been littered with spots that had been rubbed raw. Feathers falling, skin red. Raw.
“Your wings,” she said, and she felt his grip tighten on her legs, but he just as quickly relaxed, setting her down with a smile.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” he said, moving around her so that he could untie her hands and wings. “Not really.”
“It looks like it hurts,” she said, shaking out her wings once they were free and bending down to untie her ankles.
“It doesn’t,” he said, and she looked up at him, at his perfect posture that hid his injuries.
She stood, and his gaze followed her. She reached out a hand, shaking fingers just barely brushing along his smooth outer feathers. Her eyes met his, and he took in an unsteady breath. “Doesn’t it?” she asked, and he shrugged half-heartedly, feathers bristling.
“Not usually.”
“Oh, Adrien,” she whispered, pained, and he blinked. And she remembered.
She wasn’t supposed to know him. Sure, she’d saved him a couple times with the mask on, but she wasn’t supposed to whisper his name like she knew him, like she felt for him.
“S-sorry,” she said, stepping away, and she saw, belatedly, that his hand was reaching for her. Her heart ached. “I- you- we.” She stopped, taking a deep breath. “I have to get back to the fight. You should get to safety.”
“Yeah,” he said.
Neither of them moved.
Marinette bit the inside of her cheek. “It’s not supposed to hurt,” she said softly. “Flying, I mean. It’s not supposed to hurt.”
His jaw worked. His mouth settled on a smile. “I know.”
Chat showed up not long after that, and they made quick work of the akuma. Marinette avoided any more comments about his nose, rolled her eyes along to Chat’s dumb jokes, and tried not to think about Adrien.
During her chemistry exam - which she showed up ten minutes late for - she also tried not to think about Adrien. But he was sitting right in front of her, and every time she looked up to think, his wings were right there. Regal, golden. Raw.
How many people had seen his wings spread up close like that? Adrien never flew anywhere - he never had to. Perks of being the son of a famous fashion mogul who owned fancy cars and private jets. In gym, he always ran laps because of a daily doctor’s note - who knows what it said. He always took the stairs instead of flight paths, and his wings were always tucked neatly away, glimmering underneath the crappy public school fluorescents.
She tore her eyes away from Adrien’s wings, staring hard down at her test. Icarus, she’d be lucky if she scraped by with a C. Today sucked.
---
“I’m going to spend the entirety of winter break curled up in a blanket nest,” Alya groaned, flopping down at their picnic table. Marinette scooted to the side to make room, hardly looking up from her lunch. “These tests are killer. I think our teachers are out for blood this year.”
“Speak for yourself,” Nino scoffed. “I have my literature exam on lock.”
“Yeah?” Alya asked, raising her eyebrows. “And what about pre-cal?” Nino made a face. “That’s what I thought,” Alya replied.
Adrien looked away from his friends, eyes focusing on Marinette. She’d been acting strange ever since chemistry - she’d shown up late, no doubt caught up in the akuma attack just like half of their class, including him - but this quiet from her seemed more heavy than the quiet dejection of a student afraid of midterms. She kept on shooting him looks and then looking away, like there was something on his face that made her want to cry.
“How have your exams gone, Marinette?” he asked, and she jumped, not expecting to be spoken to. Her eyes met his, and she quickly looked away, a smile forcing itself onto her lips.
“Oh, you know. Terrible. But that’s fine, I guess.”
“I’m sure you did better than you think,” he assured. “We’re our own worst critics, after all.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” she said, and she squinted her eyes at him, as if trying to mimic a smile reaching up to her eyes, before looking away again.
Well, he was sure she hated him.
Okay, so maybe he was overreacting.
He was definitely - probably - overreacting.
It was just something about Marinette - something about her that always made him think a little too much. He supposed it was a residual rub from the way they had met a couple years ago what with them starting off on the wrong foot, and, yes, he was aware that if he was a healthy person, then he wouldn’t still be overanalyzing their first interaction every time Marinette’s face fell in his presence, but that was beside the point.
He just.
Well. He wanted to be liked by her. And that was natural, to want to be liked by a friend, to want to be liked by someone as amazing as her.
He didn’t want to see her upset. He wanted to see her smile, as much as he was able. She had a wonderful smile, after all.
Marinette’s strange behavior extended through the rest of the week, and on the Friday before break, Adrien mustered up his courage to ask. She normally flew home, so Adrien raced up the stairs to the roof, only just catching her as she was saying goodbye to Alya. Her eyes caught on him, the same color as the bright, cold winter sky, and her eyebrows twisted in something akin to pain.
Alya followed her gaze to him, and her eyebrows raised. She looked back to Marinette, said something that Adrien couldn’t quite hear, squeezed Marinette’s arm, and then lifted off the roof, rust-colored wings causing a wind to rustle through Marinette’s hair. Marinette looked after her for a moment, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, before turning back to Adrien.
“Hey,” he said as he walked closer, and a small smile twitched at her lips - almost as if on instinct. 
“Hi,” she replied, tilting her head at him. “You’re flying home?”
“Ah, no, not today,” Adrien said, shaking his head and ignoring the itch of the binds hidden beneath his feathers. “I just, well. Uh.”
This was new. He was normally very good at talking.
Marinette watched him, gaze careful. 
“I wanted to ask,” he continued, running a nervous hand through his hair, “if there was anything I’d done. To upset you.”
Marinette blinked. “What?”
“Because,” he said, clasping his hands behind his back to avoid fidgeting, “I’ve noticed that you’re more, um, quiet around me than usual, and I” - he remembered his father normally kept his hands clasped behind his back, cold, professional, and he unclasped his hands, stuffing them in his pockets - “I just wanted to know, I suppose. If it was anything I’d done. So that I could apologize.” The air was cold, and a biting breeze nipped at his cheeks and nose. He swallowed. “I don’t want you to be upset with me.”
“I’m not!” Marinette said, hardly before he finished his last sentence, and he blinked. Her cheeks, red with the cold, became a little redder - no doubt from the new gust of wind that brushed past them both. “I’m not upset or angry with you or anything at all like that, not even a little bit! You haven’t done anything wrong, you’re perfect, I promise, I just-” She stopped, biting on her bottom lip, her shoulders travelling up to her ears. She didn’t continue.
“Is there anything I can do?” Adrien asked, and Marinette’s expression travelled somewhere between a smile and a pinched frown. 
“Just…” She trailed off, and she reached over, dainty hand settling on his shoulder. He was sure her fingers flexed, brushing along his feathers. “Have a good break, okay? Spread your wings a little bit for me.” She gave his shoulder a squeeze, and then she let go, lifting off from the roof of the school. Her pretty brown wings, speckled with white, carried her through the cold winter air, and Adrien stared after her silhouette.
Spread his wings.
Somehow, Adrien thought, Marinette always seemed to say just the things that made his chest ache.
---
Marinette spent the first half of her winter break thinking. She also spent that first half of her winter break trying not to think. She made dresses and sweaters and pants from old clothes and bedsheets, trying to keep her hands busy so her mind wouldn’t take over. She pricked her fingers more times in those first few days than she had all year.
She looked forward to Morpheusmus by making her friends gifts and dropping them off at their respective houses, determined to keep her spirits high for the holiday. 
It was winter, and Morpheusmus was supposed to be all about cheer and friendship and good dreams. Giving gifts to friends and family to encourage peaceful nights through the long dark hours, while nature slept in its cold. And she was giving her gifts with a damn smile on her face, no matter how much she kept thinking about-
She held Adrien’s wrapped gift - a warm red sweater made from the softest fabric she could find - tightly in her arms as she dropped down to the ground in front of the gates of the Agreste mansion. She dropped the package in the drop box, checking twice to make sure she’d signed her name, and then looked up at the mansion. Towering and cold, colder than the winter air.
She’d done some research, on those nights when she couldn’t avoid thinking.
About wing binding.
It was a common practice in well-off families to encourage good posture and to show off wealth. In excessive amounts, it could cause pain and long-term injury to the person binded. 
She bit at the inside of her cheek.
So, she was doing something stupid.
It’s not like she decided - right then at the gates to the Agreste mansion - that she’d do what she’d decided to do, but staring up at that awful mansion had certainly encouraged her. It wasn’t her place, to intrude on family affairs, but Daedalus be damned, she didn’t give a shit.
She lo-
She cared about Adrien. It was awful to think about him hurting, every day, all the time. She couldn’t have another friend that meant so much to her living a life of pain - not when she knew  that she might be able to do something about it. If she went in and didn’t find any bindings, then she would take her leave and that would be it. But.
But if she did find bindings, then.
Well. It was a stupid plan. A disaster in the making.
But Marinette was quite used to being a step away from disaster. 
She found it quite nice, in fact, to step close so disaster for the sake of someone else. It was a nice change of pace from her own disasters. 
---
On the last night of Morpheusmus, Adrien walked into his room from a late night kitchen raid to see Ladybug standing before his bed, arms crossed. He froze.
The moonlight stumbled through his windows, reaching out for her, just barely managing to catch its fingers on her red wings, on her dark hair. She turned her head to look at him, bright blue eyes reflecting the stars of the night,  and then she looked down at his bed once more.
He realized then that there were things on his bed that hadn’t been there before he’d left for the kitchen.
His bindings.
Each one of them, their unforgiving lines of gold-colored vines, laid out on the bed. But they looked wrong, somehow. He stepped closer, frowning, and he realized, eyes wide, that they’d all been cut apart, each and every one of them.
Ladybug watched his face as he looked over his useless bindings. “Are you wearing one now?” she asked, voice quiet through the night, and Adrien nodded, speechless. He hadn’t gotten the chance to take off the one he’d worn throughout the day. “Come here,” she said softly, beckoning closer, and he followed the sound of her voice as if on instinct.
She turned him around, and he noticed idly that she only came up to his shoulder. But he felt small, smaller than her, and she seemed to know it. But she didn’t do anything with that knowledge, like other people in his life might’ve. She simply moved her hands through the feathers of his wings, gentle fingers finding the clasps of the bindings and undoing them. The bindings fell to the floor, and he turned around, watching her bend down and pick them up.
For a moment, she seemed to consider them for a moment, so little and heavy in her hands, and then she took the pair of scissors she’d left on the bed. And she slowly and methodically cut it apart.
He shivered at the freedom.
“I’ll leave a note for your father, if you’d like,” she said, setting down the remnants of the bindings on the bed and admiring her handiwork. “Say it was me who did this.”
“No,” he said, and she looked over at him, furrowing her eyebrows. He felt his cheeks heat up. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
A slow smile spread across her lips, and she touched a fleeting hand to his cheek. “He wouldn’t know where to find me,” she said, and then she looked back down at the bindings, her smile turning a little satisfied. “And besides, I chose to get in trouble.”
“Thank you,” he said, and she turned her smile to him, soft and sweet.
“Merry Morpheusmus, Adrien,” she said, and she turned to leave.
“Wait,” he said, and he caught her wrist in her hand, so small and strong. She turned, raising her eyebrows. “Why?” he asked. He didn’t need to elaborate.
For a moment, it seemed like she wouldn’t answer. And then she sighed, turning and sitting down on his bed. He sat down next to her, heart racing.
“You know of my partner, Chat Noir?” she asked, and he felt himself smile.
“I might’ve heard a thing or two about him,” he said, and her lips twitched up into a smile before it faded.
“When we first met, he was absolutely terrible at flying,” she said, and Adrien raised his eyebrows. She’d never told him that before. “He was like a toddler,” she said, and Adrien bit back a retort. She didn’t seem to notice. “He was all crash landings and giddy laughter, like he was doing it all for the first time. And his wings…” She trailed off, shaking her head.
“His wings?” Adrien prompted, and she let out a small sigh.
“Well, they looked like yours. Damaged. Raw.” She shook her head again, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “At first I thought that was just what the miraculous did to him for his disguise, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought that maybe… That maybe outside of the mask, he probably didn’t fly.”
She paused, and Adrien ached.
“I asked him once, if it hurt,” she said softly. “He told me it didn’t. Not then. Not with the magic.”
He remembered. Remembered the way her expression broke.
“Chat gets to fly - during fights, yes - but still. He gets to fly. Without pain.” She turned her eyes to him, and he saw all the weight of the world there in her eyes. “I saw your wings, when you rescued me, and it reminded me of him. And the more I thought about it, the more I thought…” She trailed off, letting out something that might’ve been a laugh. “Sorry, it’s silly.”
“Please,” Adrien said, voice breaking of its own accord, “tell me.”
“I just thought,” she started, eyes finding his again, “that if I couldn’t help him, then I might be able to help you.”
And, like, Adrien was no stranger to the rush of emotion in his chest; of course he wasn’t. But he always chose not to act on it most days because he was always afraid - afraid of losing her. 
He leaned in.
This was a bad idea. 
She leaned in, too.
But sometimes.
Well.
Sometimes it was perfectly understandable to act on a bad idea, wasn’t it? It’s not like he could be blamed for doing so, not when she was in front of him, soft and vulnerable, powerful and beautiful. She’d given him more than he could ever have asked for, and she’d done it simply because she cared. 
This was a bad idea, but that was alright. 
Their lips met.
It was a gentle, fragile thing - their kiss. It was soft and it was hesitant, and Adrien hoped even as he didn’t that she could feel how much she meant to him. His hand reached up, and he cradled her cheek, thumb tracing along the edge of her mask. She let out a small sigh against his mouth, pushing closer.
He felt, almost, like she was trying to tell him something. Something important.
And then she pulled away, blue eyes heavy on him. She stood, and she cupped his face in her hands, something sad and indecipherable travelling across her face. She rubbed her thumbs along his cheeks, and he reached up, holding on to her wrists, loosely. He wanted her to stay. He knew she had to go.
She brushed the hair away from his forehead, and she pressed a kiss there, soft and caring. “Sweet dreams, Adrien,” she whispered against his skin, and he closed his eyes. Her hands left him, and he mourned the loss. “Spread your wings a little bit for me, okay?”
His eyes flew open, but she was already gone, his window open and welcoming in the cold night air. 
He ran to the window, leaning out and letting the wintry air bite at his cheeks as he stared after her silhouette.
“Marinette,” he whispered.
He was probably wrong.
But he didn’t feel wrong.
He felt - awfully, terribly, wonderfully - right.
---
Marinette spent the next few days thinking about mint and spice.
It’s what Chat always smelled like - not that she’d, like, made an active effort to notice. It was just that in the heat of a battle, he’d catch her or she’d catch him or they’d be huddled close and she would smell it. Mint and spice. That was what Chat smelled like.
It was also what Adrien’s room smelled like.
What Adrien himself had smelled like - when he’d caught her, falling mid-air. When he’d kissed her, sweet and gentle.
Against her better judgement, Marinette was having thoughts. And feelings.
A whole lot of feelings.
So when Adrien showed up at the bakery, wearing the soft red sweater she’d given him for Morpheusmus, Marinette had done what any rational person would do.
She sprinted out the back door of the bakery.
Was it the best possible thing she could do in that situation? No, absolutely not. She knew that. And that was fine.
She was speeding toward an end, an end she wasn’t quite sure if she would like, so she squeezed her eyes shut and pretended that she was alright with free-falling just so she wouldn’t have to look down at the fast approaching ground.
“Marinette!”
Her eyes snapped open, and she looked up at the sky, following the sound of her name. It was Adrien, above her, beautiful frame backlit by the bright winter sky. His wings looked better - still a little raw, but better.
Marinette considered running.
Adrien landed in front of her, graceful and intentional, and his eyes searched her. “Why did you run away?”
“Bug,” Marinette answered immediately, her mouth providing her with a lie. “On the cash register. A bug.”
He tilted his head at her, stepping closer, slowly, carefully, like she was a flighty bird. 
Which.
Yeah.
“You mean it wasn’t because of me?”
So that was super rude of him, to look so honest. 
Marinette let out a strained sound from the back of her throat, throwing her hands up into the air and turning away from him.
“It’s because of the- the Daedalus-damned mint!” she exclaimed, whirling around to face him again. He had a confused sort of smile on his face. “And the- the stupid spice! And your wings, a little bit- no, a lot a bit. It’s all so much- which is. Which is absolutely-” She cut herself off with a frustrated groan, shaking her head and meeting his gaze.
His eyes were so green. His hair so gold, the strands wind-blown and familiar.
“It’s all just so much like him,” she said, her voice breaking into quiet.
Something in his expression cracked open, and he smiled, bright and honest as the sun. “I knew it,” he said. “I knew it!” He laughed as he said it, throwing his arms around her and pulling her close.
“Adrien-”
“You said the same thing that night,” he said, pulling away and holding her by the shoulders, grin wild. “‘Spread your wings a little bit for me.’ I didn’t want to hope I was right.”
She felt like she was falling.
She felt like she was flying.
“You know,” she said, and he nodded, excited.
“And you know, too,” he said, “don’t you?” And she realized that she did. She’d known for a while.
“Oh, Icarus save me,” she breathed, and then she grabbed Adrien - Chat Noir, her partner, her best friend - by the collar of the soft red sweater she’d made for him, and she kissed him hard. 
And he kissed her back, just as hard. She could feel his smile, pressed up close to her mouth, and she laughed, breathing in the wonderfully familiar mint and spice.
---
Looking at this rationally, Adrien was absolutely certain this was a bad idea. His father wasn’t going to be happy about him getting a girlfriend, let alone getting a girlfriend that cuts up all the new bindings he buys with a gleam in her eyes that is, quite honestly, downright terrifying. 
However, Adrien didn’t like being rational. He did like this bad idea, though, and all it was speeding toward.
And Marinette felt far from a bad idea, she felt like soft feathers and softer kisses, gentle smiles and quick laughs. She felt like everything absolutely and totally right, and he couldn’t exactly fault himself for falling - flying toward her.
It was only natural. 
That much, at least, he was sure of.
=
hey apple i hope you loved this as much as i loved writing it (can you tell i got carried away a little bit? because i did. i totally did) and i hope anyone else reading this enjoys at least one sentence. it doesn’t really matter which one
happy holidays everyone!! i hope you’re able to spend this winter, no matter what you celebrate, safe and happy and surrouned by things you love
thank you so much for reading<3<3<3
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lmao retail workers always have aces up their sleeves! Anyways, I'm in a sally face mood today and it's been a while since last time I requested something! Can I request some fluffy romantic head-canons for Sally? 💙 ilovehimsomuch I need some cliché high school crush stuff, how would he get his clueless S/O's attention, how does he confess? Kill me with fluff! *swoons*
GJAUIWKUFYVHCHEJBFILAUSOV*PUIG FHAWUIFG F:IAWOFIGAWIUA
YOU LIKE
SALLY FAC E!?#!?!
OF:AH:AWIFHOAWUFHOAWU:FHAW
I SCREECHED OUT LOUD AND I TEARED UP
OAUGIAAWI’M  BREATHING HEAVIER THAN THE HEAVY BREATHING CAT MEME
YES YES YEFS YE SYE SYES YES I WILL WRITE ANYTHING FOR SALLY MY GOD, I CAN’T STOP MY EXCTITEMENT, BLESSSSSSS, IDK IF I CAN WRITE PROPERLY, I”M SORRY BUT OMFG I”m SO ENTHUSIASTIC ATM ;AWIHFAWOF:HAWO
---
HE IS SO SWEET AND BEAUTIFUL
And yes, now I can write properly, got a 15 minute walk with my puppy and now I’m calmer.All good x
---
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Poor Poor Sal, if it wasn’t for Larry and his other friends that he met, his Highschool experience would have been a living nightmare...Not that most of his life wasn’t already pretty tragic as it was.
Thankfully, he wasn’t a dumb person, contrary to what his bullies thought, but he wasn’t a genius either, so there were a few times where he might have needed some academic help, and you were there to help, which is how you became friends.
He was absolutely shocked that you treated him so kindly, as if there wasn’t nothing wrong with him - Or rather said, as if he was just a normal kid with no mask, no weird long blue hair with 2 pigtails and a girly nickname or a pretty short stature.
Sal was even more surprised when you suggested going to a nice and more private cafe to study, claiming it would be a much better atmosphere for studying and relaxing, which would eliminate any shyness and nervousness either of you would have, and honestly, he was incredibly grateful for your intuition and kindness with everything.
Your voice was so warm and kind, you were so patient, helping him out with every little thing that for you might seem easy, but he was struggling with...
Your smile was dazzling, looking like literal sunshine, your hair was draping and framing your face like you were a renaissance painting made by da Vinci, and your vibe was so soothing that he felt as safe as if you, a guardian angel, was wrapping her pristine wings around him.
His heart was beating so fast, and at first he didn’t understand why - Or rather said, he didn’t want to admit that he actually fell for someone.
I mean...He’s Sally Face...Who’d ever like someone as weird and disfigured as him...?
That day, when you were done studying, he walked you home, and you smiled so sweetly at him when you waved him goodbye, that he felt his knees weaken.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Sal.”
It wasn’t a goodbye, it was a see you later - You actually were okay with seeing him again.
Larry is the first person who hears about everything and you bet he’s super happy about the whole idea, and he’s going to play match-maker no matter what.
His bro’s happiness is the most important thing in his life, after all, and if you showed him so much kindness and were so passive about his looks and everything, then that can only mean you have the potential to be such a great match for the blue haired soft baby.
From then on, Larry is going to make sure you are one of the group and you hang out with them more often, and as often as possible, would get everyone away from there, leaving only the two of you alone.
Sal would try to use some gaming flirt lines or pick up lines, but you’d merely laugh at how funny, cute and imaginative they were, not picking up the hint.
He would give you little gifts, with some occasions even flowers, but you’d only play it as him being a sweetheart with his friends.
He would even write songs for you and will give them to you, but you only thought he was trying to write love songs to express himself.
Everything he tried to do, all the little, subtle...Not so subtle hints that he tried to give you, when he tried to test out the waters...They only made you think he was a nice friend.
He couldn’t realise how you could be so clueless to his affections towards you, and it was driving him crazy.
Not only him, but Larry as well, would groan and hit his head on the desk, annoyed at how blind you could be and how you were forcing Sal to outright confess his love for you, so after a long enough time, when the blue haired boy finally managed to muster the courage, Larry started helping him create a love confession.
He would hype up Sally a lot and help him rehears how to ask you out, what to wear, what to say, what to gift you and so on...
But honestly now, when do plans E V E R work the way they are supposed to?!
He’s a mess, he’s stuttering and blushing like crazy (not that you can see it), he somehow managed to grip so hard on the flowers out of anxiousness that he destroyed them and he basically had to run away so he wouldn’t make an even bigger idiot out of him and make you hate him.
You tried to access his walkie talkie a lot, but he kept it shut out of embarrassment, so Larry was the next best option, and he mentioned a place where Sal would go sometimes when he needs to feel better, so following the directions, you saw Sal playing his guitar while staring up at the cloud, his voice expressing the beautiful sorrow that he felt in his heart.
You listened attentively to the sad lyrics and you realised that he himself wrote the lyrics, and you approached him as soon as he was done with the song.
“That was beautiful, Sal. I never knew you had such an angelic voice. And your guitar skills are really something...Will you teach me one day?” you walked next to him, unintentionally scaring him out of his wits.
That only made him let out a small shriek, jolting in place and hitting his head on a tree branch, and in result, making his mask fly away.
He didn’t realise it at first, especially because you didn’t sketch any kind of reaction when you went to fetch him back the mask, and he only realised it when you kneeled next to him, offering to help him put it back.
Poor Sally freaked out big time, covering his face, saying how you shouldn’t look at someone like him, that you’re too perfect to stay around him, and you could feel his voice wavering, breaking, his eyes glistering with tears.
It took every ounce of power you had to put away his hands and kiss him as gently as possible, only to leave him speechless, powerless, unable to hold the tears from streaming his pale cheeks.
Once you reassure him that he is in no way ugly, and that he shouldn’t ever downgrade his worth the way he did, the only thing he can say is a short and genuine love confession, so soft and genuine that it made your heart skip a bit, seeing the love and innocence in his beautiful eyes.
From then on, you, Sal and Larry would be the terrific trio, but this is a request specifically about Sally, so here goes that.
He’s still going to feel insecure, since you could do SO much better, he says, but you wouldn’t hear any of that shit.
He would let you play with his hair, styling it in any way you want, and hell, if you want to, he could style your hair in any way you want, and yes, that means braiding too.
Sally would absolutely MELT if you’d want to match clothes or hairstyles with him, oh god, how cute would that be?!
He honestly looks at you like a Goddess or something since you’re always so sweet with him, even during the times when you’re sad about something, which is when he knows he must step in and make sure you’re okay, trying his best to at least make you smile, if you can’t feel a genuine laugh.
Sal loves to gift you plushies for some reason and when he sees you cuddling with it on a night when you have a sleep over...You killed this boy.
Overall, he’s...Like...The sweetest person in the world? Would care about you, your heart and your well-being literally above anything else?
Would be okay with hugs and cuddles and kisses of any kind at ANY time you want, no matter the place or occasion.
If you’re in public, he would blush a bit, but as long as it made you happy, it didn’t really matter.
And, I mean, it kinda made him be filled with a certain sense of pride and confidence whenever you’d so freely flaunt your relationship in public because -
YOU WEREN’T ASHAMED OF BEING WITH HIM!!!
And
HE WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE AN ANGEL AS HIS LOVER!!!
So basically
He got the Jackpot.
715 notes · View notes
cactusnymph · 3 years
Text
Prompt fill #1 for @dimension20alphabet:
Alone
Riz knows that he’s a good detective. He has solved many mysteries, big mysteries even. He solved the case of his missing friend Penny, he solved the case of his dad, he solved—or well, helped solve—the puzzle of The Nightmare King. He’s good at his job.
 But there is one mystery Riz has trouble solving, and that is the mystery of himself.
 He’s not good at asking for help even though he’s sure he could need some. Maybe he could talk about this with his mom. The thought of that alone makes him break out in a nervous sweat. It was already kind of the worst to talk to his dad about it. Jawbone is probably good at this, but Jawbone is poly and had sex with many people just like everyone else he knows.
 Everyone else he knows is just so goddamn horny. All the damn time.
 Riz stops pacing in front of his desk and stares out of the window for what feels like two minutes straight but is probably only a millisecond.
 Finally he decides to be brave. He managed to walk through the forest of the nightmare king, this is going to be a piece of cake. No big deal. As easy as stabbing a huge dragon, probably.
 His mom is sitting at the kitchen table buried in a bunch of papers and thick textbooks.
“Hey mom. Can I—uh. Can I ask you something?”
His mom looks up from her work and she seems a little disoriented for a split second until her eyes focus on him and she nods.
 “Sure, sweetie. What’s up?”
 She pushes away a stack of papers from the second chair at the table so he can sit down. Riz feels the need to start biting his nails, so he stuffs his hands into his pockets and sits down on the chair, his leg bouncing and his throat dry.
 “So. Uh—“
 He searches for the right words. Words are hard and he’s never been very good at them. He knows clues. Feelings are just weird.
 “Have you ever—uh. Did you ever, like—um. Feel. Totally alone about something? Like, something that makes you you?”
 Sklonda blinks for a second and then her gaze softens as she stretches out her hand to reach for his. Riz hopes that she can’t feel how sweaty his palms are as she squeezes his fingers.
 “Honestly? I think that is a very integral part of being a teenager. You think you’re really weird and no one would ever feel the same way and then somewhere along the way you find out that there are actually tons of people who are going through the exact same thing”, she says.
 Riz stares at the only spot on the table that hasn’t been covered with papers or books.
 “So, what you’re saying is... I have to look at the clues again and—and find out who else fits the profile?”
 His mom ruffles his hair and Riz can see her shake her head fondly.
 “I wouldn’t have put it like that, sweetie. But. Sure, yeah. Find another suspect and interrogate them until you find the truth.”
 Riz can work with that.
 “Thanks, mom”, he says and flees from the kitchen to leave Sklonda to her studies. Back in his room he looks at his pin board that, during the last two weeks, has been carefully prepped with Riz’ most difficult case yet—the case of Riz.
 His eyes follow the differently colored threads across pictures of his friends and notes that he took.
 All his friends are on the board and Riz looks at all their picture, one after the other.
 Everyone is horny. Everyone.
 Everyone except—
 Riz grabs his crystal. He knows that, if he thinks about it too much and starts making plans, he is not going to do it because this is scary. And if he learned one thing on their quest for the Nightmare King’s crown, it’s that sometimes scary things are easier if you just rush ahead without a plan.
 “Do you have time to talk?”, he texts.
 Riz chews on his bottom lip without realizing that it started bleeding because his teeth are too sharp. He looks at his crystal and tries to will his beating heart to go slower but he fails miserably and as soon as he sees the three small dots that indicate typing on the other end of the line, he sucks in a breath and stares at the display as if he might will the answer to appear faster.
 “I have free time. Do you want to come over? Is everything alright?”
 Riz sucks the blood off his bottom lip and weighs the options. He loves the manor, but it’s loud and noisy. Noisy in a way that sometimes makes his skin crawl. He swallows, lets his fingers hover over the keyboard for a second.
 If everything goes to shit he can always leave the manor, but it would be awkward to throw a friend out of his office.
 “I’ll come over. Be right there.”
 Riz stuffs his phone into his pocket and rushes out of his room with adrenaline pumping through his veins. Maybe he isn’t such a great detective after all if he never really connected the dots about one of his closest friends.
 He remembers a conversation about “please don’t have sex in our tent when we’re also in there” and “this is too much information and I’m very uncomfortable right now” now that he really thinks about it.
 Adaine isn’t interested in dating anyone. Just like him. Well. No, that’s not correct, Riz thinks, as he rushes down the street to catch the bus. Maybe he would consider dating someone. But sex. Sex seems. Well.
 Maybe Adaine doesn’t want to talk about sex. Maybe she will look at him the same way Aelwyn looks at people sometimes. Riz really doesn’t want to think about Aelwyn, because that makes him think about Fabian and that on the other hand makes him think of them together and how much Riz wishes they weren’t a thing.
 If Riz cannot solve the mystery of Riz, maybe Adaine can help him like when they were investigating her mom’s room back on spring break. He goes through his pinboard in his mind and comes to the conclusion that Adaine is on there, but she has only been connected to Biz by a green threat, meaning one-sided sexual interest.
 He is so occupied by his own oversight that he barely registers getting to the manor. The thought of going through the whole house and potentially risking questions about why he’s visiting makes his skin crawl uncomfortably, so he uses his sword and teleports directly into Adaine’s bedroom. A loud shriek accompanied by the sound of a heavy book dropping to the floor makes him turn his head.
 “Was it really necessary to do this? We have doors”, Adaine says and Riz looks around to find her sitting on the bunkbed she shares with Aelwyn. Thankfully Aelwyn is nowhere to be seen so Riz can freak out in peace about what he’s supposed to talk about.
 “Yes. Sorry, uh—I thought maybe I might meet Kristen or—or Jawbone or. Someone else. And then they might look at me and ask questions or maybe Kristen would joke about something sex related and then I might have to vomit all over the stairs and—“
 “Riz, slow down. Do you want to hold Boggy?”, Adaine asks and scoots over on her bed to make space for him. Riz doesn’t really feel like sitting down so he starts pacing instead but he does take Boggy into his hands. His brain has gone into overdrive, he knows it as soon as it supplies him with the question of whether or not frogs feel conflicted about sex.
 “What’s wrong?”, Adaine asks, her pale blue eyes following him as he walks through the room as if the movement could calm his nerves.
 “So—uh. You know. I was wondering if maybe... I could talk to you about. You know. Sexandstuff.”
 “Sorry, about what?”
 “Sex. And... stuff”, Riz repeats and he can feel his face burning as he stares down at Boggy so he doesn’t have to look at Adaine’s face.
 “Oh, um. Well, I’m not sure if I’m the best person for that—“
 “I know! That’s why—that’s why I wanted to talk to you. Because. Like. You know. You think it’s icky when Kristen talks about sixtynine and stuff.”
 Riz takes a quick glance at Adaine and is relieved to find that she doesn’t look at him the same way that Ragh looked at him the first time they met each other. That is certainly encouraging. She actually looks a little thoughtful. Maybe even understanding. Maybe he’s reading her all wrong. Maybe she’s about to punch him out of the window because he mentioned Kristen and sixtynine and—
 “You mean because I’m probably asexual.”
 “Yeah, you’re—what?”
 “Asexual. And aromantic, but I suppose this is about the sex part, not the romance part.”
 “You’re. Wait. Ohhh—“
 Adaine pulls up her shoulders and gestures to the free space on the bed beside her. Riz’ brain has frozen over because he’s heard a term he hasn’t heard before and now he wants to find out what it means.
 The truth is that he considered searching for stuff like this on the crystalweb, but the thought of typing anything sex related into a search engine had him almost vomiting all over his office floor because it made him feel so terribly embarrassed and nervous that he quickly put the thought aside.
 “So—uh. What’s... that?”
 “Well, I talked about it to Jawbone and he gave me some things to read and I’ve been doing some research, because... you know, everyone is going on dates and talks about kisses or masturbation and all that and—um. Well. This stuff mostly just always makes me uncomfortable. And I thought, you know. It’s maybe because elves are a bit prudish, but Aelwyn is certainly not like that and she talks about sex like it’s no big deal, so I... I wanted to figure out what it means.”
 Boggy makes a sound like a squeaky toy as Riz accidentally squishes him a little too hard in his sudden excitement in the face of new clues and he quickly hands him back to Adaine.
 “So. You’re saying that—that it’s like... normal?”
 Adaine shrugs.
 “Probably not normal, if you’re going by the textbook definition of normal. But not normal doesn’t equal bad, you know. Just how being poly isn’t necessarily normal but that doesn’t mean it’s inferior to monogamy. It’s just a thing that some people are.”
 “So. So, uh—can I read that stuff? That you read?”, he asks, trying very hard not to keep chewing on his bottom lip again.
 Adaine gives him a smile that makes warmth spread all through his body.
 “Sure. I can lend you the book”, Adaine says and gets up from the bed, hands Boggy back to Riz and goes over to one of her numerous bookshelves to pull a small, purple book out from the top row.
 “It’s really interesting, from a strictly scientific standpoint, you know”, she says as she hands it to him. Riz looks down at the book. A whole book. Just about feeling weird about dating and sex. His mom was right after all.
 “Thanks”, he croaks and blinks rapidly.
 “I’m really glad there’s at least one other person who isn’t so terribly horny all the time”, Adaine says and Riz looks up at her, his heart twice its normal size.
 “Yeah. Me too.”
43 notes · View notes
jpegjade · 4 years
Text
Purple Scarf Problems - Spencer
WE HAVE THIS WEEK’S FIC! me and @goldentournesol​ were literally screaming to each other about this idea and i wrote it instead of studying for my business law class. i have the next story drawn up already!! 
synopsis: what happens when a purple scarf goes through it’s own trasformation?
warnings: none. it’s literally just fluff. 
__________
“Baby, you’re hogging the scarf.” You said, tugging the scarf in your direction a little bit more. 
“Okay, okay.” Spencer chuckled as he loosened the scarf from around his own neck to give it more slack for you. 
Spencer’s favorite purple scarf was so incredibly long that it’s able to look big on Spencer, as tall as he is. It was a cold and chilly day, the breeze very strong, and both you and Spencer were supposed to take the day off. It was relaxing to go into the park and take a walk with your boyfriend without the fear of something interrupting the two of you. Sure, Spencer still needed to grade papers from his last class session but he was more than happy to spend a day off with you. 
“I think we should go for a snack somewhere. Maybe at the coffee shop you love?” Spencer asked, shuffling forward a little. 
Since the scarf was wrapped around the two of you, he couldn’t walk as quickly as he normally would. He had to shuffle while you walked normally since your legs were shorter than his. 
A beautiful day outside, you and Spencer were overjoyed when you both had the day to yourselves. You were going to go to the library and check out some books but Spencer offered to walk the city with you when you woke up that morning. You knew the offer wasn’t because he wanted you to get some exercise, it was really because he wanted a reason to wear his purple scarf around since the chilly, fall air was moving in. He loved that purple thing almost as much as he loved you, no matter how much he tried to deny it. You knew better.  
Pushing open the door to the coffee shop, the long scarf around the two of you, you took in the smell of coffee grinds, the sight of the people working and conversing, and the sounds of the busy shop. It reminded you of the work you needed to get done when you got back home but what you needed right now was time with your boyfriend. You missed him so much lately that it was weird not to miss him when he was standing next to you. 
“Know what you want to drink?” Spencer asked, shuffling into the door. 
You were following him closely, trying to squeeze into the doorway when you felt something tug at you. Glancing around, you didn’t see anyone around you so you walked forward and felt more resistance. You tried one more time and finally broke free, much to Spencer’s horror. 
“What’s wrong, babe?” You asked, looking at Spencer’s paler than usual face. 
His expression was more along the lines of heartbreak and shock than it was fear so you turned to see what happened. When your brain put it together, your heart broke just as much. 
Spencer loved that longass purple scarf with all of his heart. It used to be his mom’s scarf but he started wearing it when he was in college to remind himself of what he was fighting for. You hated how long it was on him but you didn’t mind the scarf. 
You turned back to Spencer with tears flooding your eyes. 
“I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to.” You whispered. 
The scarf caught on a nail when the two of you were squeezing through the door. The resistance you felt wasn’t a person, it was the scarf being caught, pulling you back as it ripped. You knew how much the scarf meant to him and now that it was basically ruined, you felt responsible. 
Your eyes stayed on Spencer, who walked over to detached the scarf’s thread from the wall. He was quiet as he turned towards you again. He slowly unwrapped the scarf from around you then himself before he rolled it up and put it in his coat pocket. Wordlessly, he pulled you into a hug and wrapped his arms around you. 
“It’s okay.” He said, almost whispering back to you. 
His voice didn’t crack. He wasn’t angry in the least bit. He wasn’t disappointed in you. What was he? This was his favorite scarf. This was the closest he could get to his mother sometimes. This was something that kept him grounded. And you just ruined it. 
The two of you walked up to the counter, got your coffee and left in silence. The entire walk back to the apartment, Spencer kept his arm around your shoulders, occasionally squeezing you gently to reassure you that things were okay but you were still so broken up about what happened. If things were okay, he would’ve said something, right? 
Pushing open the door to the apartment, you walked through with your head hung low, shrugging Spencer's arm from your shoulders. You didn’t want to feel like you were okay when you weren’t. You ruined his favorite thing that reminds him of his mom. He probably hates you for it. 
“It’s not your fault, y/n.” Spencer said, following behind you. He basically read your mind sometimes but this wasn’t that hard to read. 
“Yes, it is my fault.” You said, a fresh set of tears coming to your eyes. You were slowly making your way to the bedroom. 
“You didn’t know the nail was there. You didn’t intentionally do this to hurt me.” Spencer said, following closely behind you. You heard the concern in his voice, something your voice should be filled with but you were just full of anger. 
“You didn’t know the nail was there.” Spencer said, walking over to his side of the bed while you climbed into yours. 
The sun was still high in the sky but you just wanted to get into bed and curl up for a while. What you needed was to curl up into Spencer and cry it out. You were the reason that his heart broke so silently back at the coffee shop. You couldn’t fix this so easily. 
“I have to fix it. I’ll make it up to you.” You told Spencer, curling into yourself on your side of the bed, back facing Spencer. 
“There’s nothing to make up to me. It’s just a scarf.” Spencer said, followed by a yawn. 
“It’s your mom’s scarf. Your mom’s friend made it for her when she was pregnant with you, long enough to keep the two of you warm. You love that scarf and I ruined it. I ruined something that keeps you together better than I ever could some days.” A sob caught in your throat. 
“Love, come here.” Spencer gently wrapped his arm around your waist, nuzzling himself into your back. 
“You are being way too nice, Spencer.” You were so disappointed in yourself, knowing you couldn’t fix it. 
“I know you’re going to blame yourself for this but you didn’t do this on purpose. It was a freak incident. I wish I had a statistic for you regarding the probability that something like this would happen but that’s incredibly specific to know. Although, I have more specific facts for you…” Spencer nuzzled his head in the crook of your neck and you felt some of the tension in your shoulders release. 
Heaving a big sigh, you stayed quiet. Soon, a single moment turned into minutes and Spencer’s breathing turned heavy. His grip around your waist slackened and you knew he was sleeping. 
You knew you had to do something about the heavy feeling in your stomach but you didn’t know what. So you carefully slipped from under Spencer’s arm, replacing your body with a pillow. You watched him grin in his sleep as he cuddle up to the pillow. You felt a sadness in your heart remind you that you needed to fix what happened somehow. Anything was better than nothing. Pacing the living room for a couple minutes, racking your brain for answers, you got a single idea. 
Grabbing your phone, basic emergency sewing kit, and the scarf out of Spencer’s coat pocket on the couch, you got to work sitting on the living room floor. Taking your scissors, you started snipping the end of the scarf where the nail got caught. It seemed to go on forever, more of the thread coming loose as you worked on it, fabric everywhere. The video wasn’t as helpful as you thought it would be but it worked well enough. You had to modify some of the instructions through some trial and error but by the time you were done, you were positive that everything was going to be okay again. 
Spencer slowly woke up, noticing that you were smaller than normal. His eyes felt so heavy but he knew he needed to get up and see if you were feeling any better. 
“Love?” Spencer said, opening his eyes more. 
He noticed you weren’t there anymore. A pillow was in his arms instead of you and that worried him. It was rare that he woke up from a nap and you weren’t there, especially since today was your off day. He rolled out of bed, looking for you outside of the bedroom but you were nowhere to be found. 
“Where’s my phone…” He said, walking to the kitchen for a snack. 
Grabbing a pack of scooby doo snacks, he poured all of the snacks in his hand and threw away the wrapper. He noticed something that caught his eye in the trash: a heap of purple fabric. 
His mouth dropped open, his brain unsure how to process what he was seeing. You threw away his scarf… You were the same person who was broken up about how much the scarf meant to him and you just threw it away the first chance you got. Spencer couldn’t believe it as tears came to his eyes. He couldn’t believe this at all. His emotions were colliding at this simple action and he didn’t really know what to think.
Spencer felt a couple tears roll onto his cheeks when he heard the door unlocking. Quickly wiping his tears, he turned towards the door, fruit snacks in hand. 
You pushed the door open carefully, hoping not to wake Spencer. You also didn’t want to tip the coffee over from the drink tray in your hands. Almost there…
“Oh my god.” Spencer expelled all the breath in his lungs as he saw the only thing that mattered. 
Rushing over to you, taking you by surprise, he lifted the scarf from your shoulders and brought it to his cheek. He gently rubbed the soft fabric on the side of his face, a smile slowly appearing. 
“I missed you so much.” Spencer muttered to the scarf. 
“Love you too, babe.” You chuckled, bringing the coffee to the table. 
Judging by his reaction to the new and adjusted scarf, he was more than excited about what you had done. He held the scarf out in front of him before wrapping it around his neck and frowning. 
“You did this?” Spencer said, his hands fiddling with the ends of the scarf. 
“Yeah… Spencer, I’m so sorry. I tried so hard to fix what I had done and I mean it’s a normal scarf now, just long enough for one person but...” You looked at your feet. 
You didn’t see Spencer coming as he enveloped you in a warm, tight hug. 
“Thank you, y/n.” Spencer mumbled. “Thank you. I love it.”
Your heart swelled. You knew he was saddened but he cared so much about you that he didn’t let it show too much. Now that he could let it out, you felt so much better about the whole situation.
167 notes · View notes
peaceoutofthepieces · 3 years
Text
Sink Or Swim
tag list: @cleocc @feeling-kinda-so-so @hopelessromanticvirgo @dreamy-slytherin @adora8 @lockerfivethreefive @painfully-oblivious @poeticinemaa @jjustonemorething @saraben00 @wedarkacademia @coolguyssyndrome @hischbabe @suckerforsobbe @tayspots @starmansander @theah0lt @zoenneforever @invisibleme @chibibanane @odi-et-amo85
~^~
Saturday, 11:32
Song: Jon Bellion - Guillotine, Troye Sivan - What A Heavenly Way To Die
Jens doesn’t remember the last time he felt like this.
He doesn’t know if he’s ever felt like this.
He isn’t even sure what he’s feeling, really. He feels light, but his limbs are relaxed, heavy. There’s a pleasant warmth in his chest. He feels content. At peace.
He feels happy.
In another boy’s bed, with said boy wrapped around him, kissing him, he feels happier than he ever remembers being.
Lucas mumbles, “I can’t kiss you when you’re smiling so much,” and Jens doesn’t bother responding, because Lucas is just as bad.
They’d spent a little longer than expected at their skatepark last night, hands going numb from the cold and lips from the kisses. It had distracted them to the point of almost forgetting Lucas’s curfew—and he would have gladly ignored it in favour of keeping Jens a little longer, he’d assured, but Jens had convinced him. He didn’t want to be the reason Lucas was locked away from him for longer—especially with these new developments.
Lucas had only relented under the condition that Jens come with him. It had seemed natural, at that point, and it had taken little (no) convincing for Jens to agree. Even though it meant standing outside for longer, with his hands stuffed in his pockets and his shoulders hunched and his nose beginning to run while Lucas said goodnight to his father and then had to wait before sneaking Jens in.
It has been more than worth it.
They’d spent another few hours locked together, trading kisses around smiles with increasing sleepiness. Jens had had to sneak to the bathroom, where Lucas thankfully had a spare toothbrush, and change into the sweats and t-shirt Lucas had given him to sleep in, a little short and a little tight for Jens.
Lucas hadn’t seemed to mind. He’d smiled and wrapped himself around Jens and kissed him senseless with the little energy he had left, and then he’d curled right into Jens’s chest before falling asleep.
Jens has been having trouble sleeping. He’d expected last night to be no different. But it was already late, when Lucas dozed off, and the thoughts that usually consumed him seemed absent. Though he expected them to grow louder, more urgent, with the source of all his worrisome developments right in front of his face, it had worked the opposite. He couldn’t bring himself to worry. About his feelings for Lucas, or what that meant about him, or what the boys would think, or what his father would have to say if he knew where Jens was really spending the night.
Instead he’d looked down at Lucas and felt, finally, a return of his inner peace. Lucas is beautiful in all stages and forms and lights, but he’s an angel when he sleeps. His curls suddenly take on a nature of their own; his brow softens; his lashes caress his cheeks; his lips part around his breaths; his chest rises and falls evenly, warmly, alive right next to Jens’s. Jens had fallen asleep with the image printed on the back of his eyelids and the comforting weight on his chest, a sure hand gripping his waist. He’d fallen asleep with the knowledge that Lucas was there, finally with him in the way Jens had been yearning for in the past few weeks despite his best attempts to ignore it. He’d slept with the memory of Lucas’s kiss and the surety that he would feel it again.
It was the best sleep he’d had in weeks.
Awakening had, for once, been equally pleasant. They’d moved during the night, and Jens woke with Lucas’s back pressed to his chest, his own arm wrapped tightly around the boy’s thin waist. It had made it easier to press his smile to Lucas’s skin and litter kisses over his nape, until Lucas was coming alive under his touch and shifting around to give him his first proper kiss of the day.
Since then—almost two hours ago—they haven’t done much else. Lucas had reassured Jens on waking that his father would definitely be already gone, and he simply knew better than to wake his son on a weekend. It had made it easier for Jens, when they got up to use the bathroom and brush their teeth. Then they’d crawled right back into bed and each other’s arms, picking up where they’d left off. Jens hasn’t had any opportunities to think, to worry, with the line of Lucas’s body pressed against his and his hands grasping Jens’s hair and their lips unrelenting. They pause on occasion, to catch their breath and admire, but they have yet to say much.
It’s Lucas who is finally brave enough to break the barrier.
With his hand still in Jens’s hair, running through it absently, he breaks away enough to say, “I thought I’d wake up to an empty bed. Realise it was just a dream.”
Jens’s heart clenches. He thinks he would have had the same fear, if he hadn’t spent so long on his study before drifting off, cataloguing every twitch and weight until he was sure Lucas was real. He shakes his head now, and it makes their noses brush in a vague butterfly kiss, and this makes Lucas smile. So Jens does it again with more purpose.
Then he kisses the mole above his lip, because he’s wanted to since first noticing it, and now he can.
“But honestly I don’t think I’d even be capable of dreaming you,” Lucas adds, in barely a whisper, and Jens gives him another soft kiss, light and slow.
“No?” Jens questions. He’s surprised by how gravely his voice is, but he supposes he shouldn’t be. It’s only right that he sounds simultaneously as wrecked and relaxed as he feels. “Not even in that artist’s head of yours?”
Lucas shakes his head, smiling. “How are you always so chill?”
At that, Jens takes a breath. He rolls onto his back, but doesn’t let it distance himself from Lucas, pulling him along. Lucas tosses an arm over his chest as he settles against his side, but keeps his head next to Jens’s on the pillow. “Honestly? I’m usually a lot more freaked out than I look.”
“Is that what’s happening now?” Lucas asks, and it isn’t judgy or probing, just genuinely curious.
It’s what allows Jens to answer with an honest shake of his head. “No. You help me chill. Even when you’re making me nervous.”
“Do I make you nervous?”
Jens rolls his eyes at the other’s clear amusement, but he’ll indulge him. He would be lying, otherwise. “A little.”
Lucas grins and reaches up to brush Jens’s hair off his forehead. “Why?”
“I think you know why,” Jens points out.
Lucas’s grin widens. Before he can say anything else, or tease the words out of Jens, Jens leans in to kiss him again. He’s met with no resistance, Lucas moving to hover over him slightly as he cups Jens’s cheek, not wasting any time before deepening the kiss. Jens grips his shirt at his side and pulls him closer and thinks of his question, noting the hammering beat of his heart now. Lucas makes him nervous frequently, but not in the way he’s used to. Lucas makes him nervous in a way that’s almost pleasant. Exciting. He makes his heart race and his palms sweat and his breath catch and Jens, for once, enjoys all of those feelings.
Lucas trails his lips down until he can press a kiss to his neck. “You make me nervous, too. But it’s weird. I like it.”
“Me too,” Jens admits. Then worse. “I like you.”
Lucas lifts himself up onto his elbow to gaze down at him, eyes flickering over his face as if expecting to find a lie. Jens looks back at him unflinchingly, even as his pulse has reached a worrying speed.
“I like you too,” Lucas says quietly, almost cheeky with his smile as he gifts Jens another peck. “In case it isn’t obvious.”
Jens hums, fully cheeky. “It’s a little obvious.”
Lucas retaliates with a sharp tug to Jens’s hair that has his mouth falling open, only for Lucas to claim it once more. It’s so easy—too easy—to get lost in it. Jens feels his mind go pleasantly blank every time Lucas kisses him, leaving him in a state of simple bliss. He doesn’t know why he spent so long fearing this, when it’s easily the most natural thing he’s ever experienced. Right now, kissing Lucas feels easier than breathing.
“You seem pretty chill, too,” Jens points out, in a lapse in their affection, when Lucas has taken a pause to lay down against him and let Jens run his hand through his curls. Jens is growing fond of them, he realises, quite quickly. He has always admired Lucas’s hair and wondered if it would still sit so perfectly after a little ruffling. He’s oddly pleased to find that it doesn’t.
Lucas tilts his head to look up at him, resting his chin on his sternum. “I think,” he says carefully, “that I’m just happy.”
Jens’s smile comes slow, but he’s sure it’s unbearably soft. Lucas’s grows to match it. “Me too. And relieved.”
“Very relieved,” Lucas laughs. “I could never be sure if you…”
“Me either.”
Lucas gives him a look.
Jens laughs. “Seriously. How should I have known?”
Lucas shrugs. “I think it was pretty obvious.”
“Maybe, but I thought I was being obvious, too. I couldn’t help it.”
“Does that mean you’ve done this before?” Lucas asks, after a moment, and it takes Jens a minute to figure out what he means.
Jens shakes his head, finding it easier to be honest with Lucas’s gentle eyes on him, locks of his hair twisted through Jens’s fingers. “Have you?”
Lucas gives his own denial. He licks his lips before making another admission. “I’ve always known I wanted to, though.”
It takes a moment for Jens to find the courage to say his next words. Even then, he isn’t sure he’ll manage it, but once he starts it comes easy. “I don’t think I ever wanted to, until you.”
Lucas pushes up onto his elbow again and stares down at him, lips parted in surprise.
“You’re very hard to ignore, though,” Jens says simply.
“Wait, so you didn’t know you were into guys at all?”
Jens shakes his head, lips pursed.
“Wait,” Lucas repeats. He pushes himself right up onto his hand until he’s sitting next to Jens with wide eyes and a growing smile. “Am I your gay awakening?”
Jens snorts and shoves him to the other side of the bed.
Lucas laughs as he lands against the pillow, catching Jens’s arm and using it to draw them side to side again. “I’m serious.”
“Bi awakening, maybe,” Jens allows. It’s harder, having to speak it all out loud, no matter how much he’s thought about it already. No matter how much time he’d spent looking it up, googling quizzes and tests and then abandoning them in favour of researching the words themselves and coming to his own conclusion. Still, it feels heavy on his tongue. He wishes this could all have been conveyed clearly through their lips in other ways. Kissing Lucas is fine; talking about what it means is very different. “I don’t really know yet. The only thing I’m sure of is you.”
He watches Lucas nod, sees the process as his expression morphs into something more serious—something softer. “That’s okay.”
Jens has been trying to tell himself the same thing for weeks. Ever since he’d first seen Lucas and felt that pull, ever since he’d followed him to the bathroom, he’s been telling himself that the tug in his gut, the thrum of his pulse, the flutter of his heart, is okay. With all the new ideas bouncing around in his head, all these familiar-but-changed urges and desires, confusing terms and labels and curious research, he’d had to tell himself that it’s okay. Especially as he remained confused, unsure, fearful. It had become his mantra.
He hasn’t quite believed it until now. Now, he thinks he would probably believe anything Lucas tells him.
Lucas brushes his hand through his hair. “Sorry for joking. It still scares me too.”
Jens simply shakes his head, dismissing the apology and then smiling, stealing another kiss. “There’s nothing scary about you.”
“No? Not even the first time you saw me?”
Jens strokes his thumb over his jaw. “What would have been scary about that?”
“Finding a random guy when you just went to the bathroom to...what were you doing there?”
“That couldn’t have scared me. I knew you were going to be there. At least, I hoped.”
Lucas blinks at him. “What?”
“I followed you.” It seems easy, to admit all these things. It certainly isn’t the scariest thing he’s done. After kissing Lucas, after spending the night with him, after hearing Lucas say that he likes him, Jens doesn’t think anything could scare him. He’s sure it’ll come back, when he allows himself to think about it again, or when they’re forced to part, all that lingering fear. But for now he’s willing to ride this high they’re on, safe in the little bubble they’ve created for themselves.
“You followed me? How? I didn’t even see you.”
Jens smiles, shrugs. “But I saw you. You came in with Luca. I hoped that meant I’d get to meet you, but then you walked away. So I followed. You couldn’t have scared me because I was looking for you. But that wasn’t the first time I saw you, anyway.”
“Okay, wait,” Lucas places a finger on his lips, wide-eyed. “Slow down. You followed me at the party. Okay. Where did you see me before? At school?”
Jens shakes his head. “You know how you said you walked around the city, the first weekend you came here? When you saw the mural?”
Lucas nods slowly.
“I saw you there. You didn’t come close enough to really get a good look, but I saw you. You didn’t see me.”
Lucas shakes his head as his lips begin to curve up in a smile.
“I thought I’d never see you again. I didn’t know you went to our school. Then I recognised you at the party and I knew I had to take the chance.”
Lucas stares at him for a moment longer, marveling. Jens wants to kiss him again. Instead, he gives him his time to process. He regrets it slightly when Lucas flops onto his back, taking him a little distance away from Jens, but still smiling so wide that Jens can’t be disappointed completely. “Fuck. You had an actual, legit crush on me. What the fuck.”
Jens laughs, reaching up to flick his cheek. “Fuck you. You had a crush on me too.”
Lucas looks over at him and his smile softens. “I did. Since the first day of school.”
Jens freezes. “What?”
“That was the first time I saw you. At lunch. I was talking to Amber and Luca in the courtyard and I saw you and Robbe walking past. You missed me.”
Jens’s lips part. The urge to kiss him strengthens, and this time he doesn’t ignore it, pulling himself over Lucas and letting their lips mold together. Lucas responds instantly, easily, kissing him back deeply, and Jens is overwhelmed with how happy he feels.
“You didn’t look for me after that?”
Lucas shrugs. “I didn’t know where to look. I always watched, at lunch, in the hallways. But I knew I wouldn’t have had the guts to speak to you if I saw you, anyway.”
Jens shakes his head. “That school’s ridiculous. I can’t believe I didn’t even hear anything about you until the party. And Luca and Amber met you on your first day. Fucking unfair.”
Lucas snorts. “Very.”
“What would you have done? If I hadn’t followed you that night?”
“What would you have done if I hadn’t showed up? Maybe we never would’ve met.”
Jens shakes his head again. “I don’t believe that.”
“No?” Lucas raises a brow, laughing slightly when Jens vehemently shakes his head. “Okay, me neither. I think we were always going to meet. It could have happened in different ways, but it was meant to happen. I like how it went in this universe.”
Jens’s brow furrows even as his lips twitch. He’s still hovering slightly over the other boy. “This universe?”
Lucas hums. “Yeah.”
“Are there other universes, or something?”
“I think so. Parallel universes? Don’t you think about that?”
It’s an idea that has crossed Jens’s mind before. He thinks he may have even discussed it once, with Robbe, when they were both high and his friend did most of the talking. He’s sober now and the thought somehow settles deeper, taking root in his mind and giving him pause. “No.”
Lucas winds his arms around his neck and taps his fingertips against his nape, eyes looking past Jens as he thinks. “Don’t you think about how well it works? Nothing’s ever left undone. You don’t have to think about, what might have been if it’s happening out there somewhere, right now. In a parallel universe I didn’t leave Utrecht. In another, I moved but went to...New York, or something, to become an artist. In another, there’s a Jens and a Lucas, exactly in the same position we are right now but with—without the moving boxes.”
Jens’s lips twitch. “I like the boxes. Matches your chaotic artist vibe.”
Lucas huffs and scratches lightly over his skin. “Have you really never thought about it?”
Jens settles back down on his side and lets out a sigh. “I have,” he admits quietly. Slowly. “But I think it just makes me sad. Like maybe it should help, when you’re down. Thinking there’s another version of me out there who’s doing better, who got it right. Or another that is worse off, so at least I still have this or that. But then I just kind of feel insignificant. Like I can’t figure out what I’m supposed to do in this universe. I don’t know what this version of me has to offer.”
Lucas strokes the back of his fingers over his cheek in a light, repetitive motion and smiles softly. “I think you have a lot to offer.”
Jens allows himself to smile back, eyes closing under the gentle ministrations of the other, and Lucas kisses him lightly. Meaningfully. Jens never wants this to end.
“Maybe in another universe you and the Broerrrs are YouTube famous and I’m one of your fans.”
Jens pulls back and blinks at him. “What do you know about me and the Broerrrs and YouTube?”
Lucas’s cheeks flush with colour as he realises he’s given himself away, and he attempts to shrug it off. “You know your Instagram is full of it, right?”
“Have you watched the vlogs?” Jens asks, amused.
“Maybe.”
“When?”
Lucas gives him a look, but Jens doesn’t relent. “Tell me,” he pleads.
Lucas blows out a breath. “The day after I met you.”
“No. That Saturday?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh my god. You’re adorable.”
Lucas shoves his face away as Jens snorts. “Shut up. I had to see if you were worth—“
“What?” Jens grins. “Pursuing?”
Lucas groans and covers his face with his hands. Then he peeks through his fingers, and there’s a new mischievous glint in his eyes. “There was a makeup video. What did you expect me to do?”
Jens’s grin slips away as terror begins to seep in. “Fuck. You’ve really watched all the vlogs.”
“Mmhm.” Lucas drops his hands to show his shit-eating grin. “Some of them twice.”
“Oh my god,” Jens groans, dropping his face against Lucas’s chest. “I’m the one who should be embarrassed, aren’t I?”
“But you’re so adorable.”
“God, shut up. I hate you.”
“That’s not what you said earlier.”
At the realisation that Lucas won’t be silenced easily, Jens decides he has to resort to other methods. He simply has to kiss the cheeky smile right off his face. Lucas laughs slightly at the beginning, but that’s muffled, too, so Jens lets it go.
“You tease, but you’re the one who called yourself a fan,” Jens mumbles, moments later when it should be forgotten.
Lucas, however, is unfazed. “I think it’s clear I’m a very big fan of your work, Mr Stoffels.”
Jens laughs quietly. “Is that so?”
Lucas hums, smile wide and easy, and kisses Jens again, soft and quick.
“How do we meet in that universe?” Jens asks.
Lucas gives a drawn-out shrug. “Maybe I’d post one of my drawings of you and you’d wanna know who I was.”
Jens draws his head back slightly. “Have you drawn me?”
Lucas bites his lip, shifting his gaze away, and Jens puts a hand on his cheek to pull it right back. They gaze at each other for a moment before Lucas grips his hand, turning his face into it to kiss the palm before slipping away, off the bed entirely. Jens rolls onto his back and watches him as he moves to his desk, to the items that are unpacked. His room is mostly organised, Jens realises, only one or two stray boxes remaining. There are books and small knick-knacks on his shelves, his clothes are all packed away in his wardrobe, and there’s even a photo frame here and there as well as a few drawings taped to the wall. Jens hadn’t noticed them last night, with it so dark, and he hadn’t noticed it this morning, with Lucas providing such an easy distraction, so he pushes himself up to examine them now while Lucas has his back to him. He’s too far away to really see them properly, but he can make out outlines of hands in one and the portrait of a woman in another. Jens wants to get up and examine them closer, even though he’s sure Lucas will likely protest.
Before he can, Lucas is already returning, having found what he was looking for in the form of a simple sheet of paper. Instead of climbing onto the bed next to Jens again, he sits on the opposite side and flops back, head almost hitting Jens’s thigh. Then he holds the sheet out to him.
Instead of taking it, Jens adjusts himself so he’s next to Lucas, twisting around so they’re head to head with their legs dangling off opposite sides of the bed and pressing a kiss to Lucas’s cheek as he settles down. Lucas huffs, but smiles as he passes Jens the paper and Jens holds it above himself to examine.
It’s a drawing of him. He’s looking off to the side, not directly at the viewer. It’s a simple sketch, an outline with the shading only quickly done, but there’s still a noticeable brightness in the eyes, still a glint to the curve of the lips. It’s easily recognisable, utterly ridiculous in its detail. Jens can’t believe Lucas has managed to capture him so perfectly—so effortlessly—from what must have only been memory.
“You seriously drew this?”
“Before you say it’s weird, I’ve also drawn Sander and Luca a few times. I like sketching new faces.”
Jens turns to him and raises a brow, putting them almost nose to nose. “You’ve drawn me more than Sander though, right?”
Lucas huffs again, and his hand lands back in Jens’s hair and gives another gentle tug. Jens thinks he might also be gaining an affection for Lucas’s hands, and this seems even less surprising. Especially when they’re being placed on him. “Yeah, I’ve drawn you most.”
Jens grins and nods to himself, pleased, even as Lucas rolls his eyes. He examines the drawing for another moment before carefully setting it aside and turning his head for yet another kiss. It’s a little more difficult, like this, a little sloppier with their heads placed in completely opposite directions, but they manage. Lucas already has his hand in Jens’s hair, helping guide him, and Jens lets his fingertips play with the ends of the other’s curls, still floating about unstyled. Jens decides he likes it that way.
He only gets to enjoy it, the pleasant high, for another few moments. Then his phone buzzes in his pocket and snaps him out of it.
He sighs even before he checks it, with Lucas’s lips still pressing against his, before he pulls away to slide it out of his pocket. Lucas presses a string of kisses down his cheek as he reads the message. It somehow works to soften the blow and sadden him further all at once.
“My dad wants me home,” he mumbles eventually, turning his pout to Lucas, letting him kiss it away.
Lucas sighs. “That was bound to happen eventually.”
Jens knows that. He just hoped that he would be allowed this for a little longer. He doesn’t want to think of his father. Their last interaction hadn’t been on the best terms, and Jens is surprised now at the neutrality of his text, the lack of any animosity. He supposes staying with Moyo turned out to be the best excuse.
“I don’t want to leave yet,” he admits, because it is the truth. He doesn’t want to step out that door and have reality set in again. He doesn’t want to have to think about all of this without Lucas there to reassure him with his touches and his kisses, to remind him that he’s making the right decision. He’s worried, that his mind will pit him against this idea of them when it isn’t something concrete.
“Is everything okay with your dad?”
It isn’t, but Jens doesn’t want to ruin this with that discussion right now. “He just needs me to watch Lotte. I don’t know why Lies can’t, but there’s no arguing with him.”
Lucas nods, understanding even in his disappointment. “This isn’t going to disappear with you when you leave, is it?”
“No,” Jens promises, instant and earnest, sliding his hand into Lucas’s hair as he shakes his head. “It won’t be like that. Promise.”
It’s enough to make Lucas relax, melting back into the bed as he smiles in return, giving Jens another easy peck.
Jens’s chest hurts. It aches to bring him back to Lucas, even though he hasn’t put an extra inch of physical distance between them yet. “Do you think if I ignored him, you could hide me in here forever?”
“Do you want to stay forever?” Lucas asks, amusement tinged with genuine surprise.
Jens nods. “Can I?”
“You can,” Lucas whispers. “Another Jens can deal with it.”
Jens huffs, but can’t deny how good the offer sounds. “Deal.”
Lucas’s smile grows as he leans in to kiss him again.
Jens can probably spare another few minutes.
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kidney9-9 · 4 years
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No Teammate Left Behind (Peter Parker)
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Anonymous asked:
ok so this is an idea i’ve had in my head for awhile. the reader is an Avenger, the same age as Peter. for whatever reason they don’t like each other, but then maybe she saves him on a mission and gets really badly hurt and goes into a coma and doesn’t remember him when she wakes up. if you could write something based off that that would be great, and your writing is beautiful!!
hi sweetie! thank you so much for the kind compliment! and i hope you enjoy this one! thank you so much for sending this in! feel free to send in any requests you guys would like to see! please read the warnings!!
Masterlist
Peter Parker x Reader (Angst!) Enemies-to-strangers!  Warnings: violence, cursing, medical problems, mentions of death, blood, and intense upsetting emotions Word Count: 2.3k 
You rolled your eyes as Peter took a seat across from you. Peter glared at you, “What do you want now?” He questioned harshly, not caring the others were starting to stare. You and Peter have always gotten along just horribly. It started when he accidentally hit you and didn’t say sorry; then continuously leading to arguments and insults.
“I just don’t want to look at you, Parker. Move it.” You demand, making Peter scoff at your mannerism. Steve moved uncomfortably next to you, suddenly wanting to jump out of the plane, like all those other times. Peter opened his mouth to respond, but Sam cut him off, “Hey! No fighting here, you guys can do it some other time. This mission is important.” Sam’s words moved sense into Peter, calming him down as you shook your head back to Peter, annoyed.
The flight was quiet. It was only twenty minutes, but with Steve and Sam occasionally whispering to each other, it was too long. You kept your head down, keeping to yourself and so did Peter. You had no idea what you were in for. The silence was much more forgiving this time for you, before you knew what would be out there.
When the four of you finally got there, it was so much worse than imagined. When the entrance lifted, showing the extent of the battle, all of you gasped. Debris was flying everywhere; yells and screams tore out over the violent scene. And most importantly, you could see Wanda was already down. Her foot was stuck by a wire, that wrapped around and attached itself to another piece of the wall. You could see the wall moving and shaking, about to collapse and you freaked out.
You immediately ran out, with Peter chasing after you, after spotting Wanda as well. You ran fast and straight, with one mission on your mind, to get her away from that wall. Peter ran after you, knowing you might need backup while lifting Wanda up, from the other machines and soldiers. Steve went his own way, as Sam yelled after everyone, trying to find a way to strategize during the mission. “Wanda!” You screamed, terror hitting you when the large wall fell over her body. Peter yelled out after you, trying to stop you from running straight to Wanda.
You weren’t aware of anyone or anything else around you, as you sprinted to Wanda. You were almost there, when you saw the red glow surround the wall that fell atop of her, and you stopped in your tracks, watching as she stumbled back up, sending the fallen wall straight into a group of soldiers.
You sighed in relief, smiling, “Wanda!” You yelled out again, about to run back to her. Peter screamed out in horror as one of the machines leaned over him, pointing the weapons straight into Peter. You turned back in the last second, watching as it powered up and you pushed Peter down quickly. It was a quick decision you knew you had to make. No teammate left behind.
Peter stared back at you in dread, as you huffed out a breath before slightly turning to run away, but it got you. The weapons fired at you, a weird electronic pulse sent into your body, blasting you harshly into the ground. Your body indented into the ground, echoing out across the battlefield. Peter could feel the waves of energy rolling off you and screamed. Smoke covered where your body was, and Peter couldn’t see you, as he started to scream your name again.
Wanda swiftly snapped out of her stance, rapidly firing energy into the machine, making it fall and explode. Before it exploded, she lifted Peter, and flew him out the way, but not you. She forgot in the last second, and Peter yelled out again, terrified for you. He stood back up, sprinting straight over to your body as the battlefield continued, with no one taking much notice of your fallen form. Your body was covered in burns, and weird rashes from the electric pulse they hit you with. Peter felt sick, confused, and angry.
“Wake up! Fuck, why did you do that!” Peter screamed down at your body, slapping your face, trying to get you to open your eyes. You didn’t bulge, you laid limp into the ground, making Peter tremble from fear, anxiety, and anger. “Open your fucking eyes!” He screamed again, shakily reaching to the side of your neck, trying to find a pulse.
He couldn’t concentrate, or pay attention, he couldn’t feel anything. “Please, wake up!” He sobbed out, suddenly reminded of Tony. You weren’t moving and Peter started hyperventilating, shouting out for help, from anyone. You weren’t supposed to die, not like this. Peter would never forgive himself; how can you save him like that when he was so mean to you? He wouldn’t live with himself, “Please! Help!” He screamed out again, picking up your body with numb arms. You limped in his arms, and he was sobbing louder, looking at your face, noticing the weird indents that the machine made.
Steve was the first one to see the two of you. Peter walked numbly, not aware of his surroundings as war raged in and out all around him. Steve sprinted in front of him, grabbing him by the shoulders, “Peter! Take her to the jet now!” Steve yelled out, quickly pulling his shield out and throwing it into one of the machines behind them.
Peter only nodded, now becoming a little more aware, and he looked down at you with another sob. “Okay,” He whispered to himself, you and Steve. He walked faster back down to the jet, and when he walked in, he placed you on the floor suddenly. He looked down at your features, and then back to your hands, feeling how cold they were and started to sob even more. He stood back up, numbly reaching for the med-supplies, dumping them on the floor.
He couldn’t focus. He needed to focus, the syringes and bandages in his hands started looking weird, as his eyesight started to pulse in and out.  He fell to the floor, trying to read the medicine names but he couldn’t. He looked back down to you with another, “Fuck!” He glanced back to the console, suddenly remembering there was an emergency exit-shuttle.
He stumbled back up, dragging your body to the shuttle, carefully setting you in, before getting in after you. He closed the shuttle doors, buckled you in, and pressed the emergency button. Instantly, the two of you were up in the air, speeding straight back to the Compound, alerting the others. The emergency signal sent back from the shuttle to the rest of the team, back at the Compound.
Peter gazed at you with dried tears on his face. He didn’t bother wiping it off or away, as he tried finding your pulse again. He grew frustrated, now with new salty tears rushing down his face, “Fuck, wake up, please!” He cried out, pressing down onto your wrist now, trying to find the pulse there.
He still couldn’t feel it, he dropped his head, stuttering in a deep breath, trying to focus and calm down. “You can’t fucking die like that, you fuckin’ weirdo! I won’t let you! We were supposed to be friends! I wanted you to- I need you alive!” He yelled out, moving to your chest, pressing down to feel your heartbeat, but nothing.
It’s been five minutes now. Peter huffed out heavy breaths, quickly recalling how to perform CPR, and started. “Please! Wake the fuck up right now!” He yelled down, as he started seeing the familiar shapes outside the shuttle, and his hands kept repeating the motions into your chest. He couldn’t even tell if it was working, or that maybe he broke your ribs, he was terrified. Your eyes were closed, and the electric pulses that hit you started to draw into your skin more, making Peter scream again, “Stop it! No!” He couldn’t see you die like this, not how Tony died.
The shuttle came to a stop, and Peter glanced up, seeing it was the Compound. He instantly banged the door open, as people rushed out, ready to take out to the med-room. He tugged you up, and sprinted out, putting you into someone’s arms before collapsing to the grass with a loud uneven breaths and hiccups of cries.
Arms wrapped around him, carrying his now limp body as Peter stared down at the floor, confused. You weren’t dead, you couldn’t be. He rolled his head back up, looking at the people dragging him up inside, “Where is she? Is she okay?” He questioned, letting the tears roll down his face freely. The two people carrying him glanced at each other with worried looks, making Peter choke on his breath, “Fuck! Fuck, no- she can’t be- you better save her! I’m fine! Go, fuck!” Peter thrashed around, getting out of their grip and screaming at them.
Hours passed before they talked to Peter again. The rest of the team already came back, looking miserable and remorseful, seeming to already know the news. “She’s… the amount of electricity that passed through her is inhuman. She shouldn’t have survived, and she barely did, she’s,” The doctor paused, clearing his throat as Peter listened intently.
“She’s in an induced state, we’ve decided it was best, for the next few weeks of treatment.” He finished up as Peter shook his head in disbelief, not knowing whether to shout in joy or cry again. He felt like both. Wanda, instead spoke up, “What treatments?” Her question made Peter look back up to the doctor as he scratched his neck.
He sighed out, “Burn treatment, and we’re placing her through a rapid-repair study that’s been underway for quite some time. Her heart has been through intense damage, so has many other organs, as well-” Wanda cut him off, feeling guilt eat away inside. “She’ll be okay?”
“Yes, eventually, but there are still some worries.”
Some worries? Peter felt like shit. Weeks have gone by and he visited you every day, feeling multiple emotions. Anger- why did you risk yourself to save him? It made him feel sick, and he couldn’t help but compare you to Tony again, how he would save Peter in any situations. Guilt- It dug into him, and he felt himself spilling into the dirt, bleeding out this raw emotion when he saw you. He could barely even touch your hand without feeling the sickness of guilt hit his throat. Fear- it clawed straight into his mind and heart. It tore out feelings of safety just like a wild animal, hunting for its prey.
Your twitches in your sleep gave him small measures of hope, he refused to call it a coma, knowing you would awaken soon. The results were getting better every day, making Peter feel the tiniest bit of happiness. He noticed how Wanda felt as well. She hid it well, unlike Peter. Her remorse and guilt hit her hard, as she started training more with her powers. He tried talking to her, but she shut him out.
The day the doctors decided to lift you out of the induced sleep, Peter was feeling anxious. It took longer than expected, and only Peter was allowed in the room. Everyone decided it was best not to overwhelm you when you woke up, and the feeling of dread hit him, when you first started fluttering your eyes.
Your head lulled around as you started blinking away the dizziness. You had no idea what was happening, but you felt different. You glanced around the room, seeing someone sit next to you, watching you. A clock ticking made you lose attention, but you shook yourself quickly. “What…?” You quietly mumbled, trying to lift your arm up to itch your face. But it was too heavy, and you moved your neck down to stare at it.
You gazed back to the person seated next to you, “What’s happening?” You questioned, as you finally lifted your arm up, seeing the IVs and frowning in confusion. “How are you feeling?” The person asked you and you blinked at them, confused on how to answer. You had no idea how you were feeling, small worry hit you, but a lull of quietness hit you again.
You eyed the person again, with doubled confusion, “Who are you?” You asked, trying to think of people.
Peter felt his heart drop. “I-I’m Peter, you don’t remember?” He questioned, feeling anxiety double in him. What was he supposed to do? You couldn’t remember him, and it was starting to burn in his stomach, rolling in waves as he sipped in a shaky amount of air.
“Peter?” You asked, scrunching your eyes again, muddled at the name. A spike of hope hit him, only to be crushed again. “I don’t know a Peter. Where- where am I?” You questioned, as you looked around again, not understanding that Peter was going through heaps of emotion.
Peter sank into the chair as your heart rate started rising into unstable numbers, as you tried getting up and yelling. Doctors and nurses flooded the room as you continued your actions, while Peter covered his face with his hands, plummeting even further. “No, no, no, fuck, please…” He mumbled to himself, as he felt the sob build up.
Yelling from everyone in the room erupted into Peter’s ears as you tumbled off the bed, groaning out from pain. Peter couldn’t move, as the sob exploded out of his mouth, out of his mind and body. It was painful. The emotions from Tony and you, doubling harshly in scale, starting to attack him as another sob ranked through him.
You watched as the stranger fell apart. They pushed you back down, using the restraints built into the bed, as you stared. You had to help him, feeling the thought hit you- no teammate left behind. “Peter, please, it’s okay. You’re going to be okay.” You exclaimed to him, as he pulled his hands away from his face. He stared dully back to you, blinking through the tears.
No, he wasn’t.
-- tags: @lozzypoz321 @itscaminow​
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hp-imagines-07 · 4 years
Text
Who Better Than The Love Of My Life?
Sirius Black x Fem!Ravenclaw!Reader
Universe: Harry Potter; The Marauders era
Type: lil angst but really fluff
Summary: being Sirius' best friend isn't easy, but it just get worse when [y/n] fall for him and keeps thinking if they could ever be more then just friends...
Request: YES|no - "Hey sweets! I was wondering if you could do a young!Sirius X reader with 14, 21, 10, 41 please? If possible, could you put y/n in Ravenclaw? Thanks so much for creating such lovely reading material ❤️" @approved-by-dentists | Thank you so much for all the love and i'm so sorry it took so long...
Prompts: 
10 - "I can't do THIS anymore."
14 - "Why are you awake?" "I could ask you the same."
21 - "When was the last time that you slept?"
41 - "We never were just friends, and you know it." "I know it, but you deserve someone better than me."
Warnings: cursing, kiss maybe and a lot of arguments.....
Song: xxx
Word Count: 4.5K
Posted: 2nd of September 2020
A/N: i am so proud of how it ended, i thought that it wouldn't be as good as i wanted it to be, but i fell for sirius and i don't wan to get up anymore, so yeah (don't forget to read the bonus........) and thats a daffodil if you don't know
My Others Accounts: @imagines-07 (Principal Account) | @mcu-imagines-07 (Marvel Comics Universe) | @stit-imagines-07 (Stranger Things & IT) | @obx-imagines-07 (Outer Banks) | @cm-imagines-07​ (Criminal Minds)
MY MASTERLIST
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"Why Potions Class is so hard?" You said and sighed, while dropping your head at your book, making Remus just roll his eyes at the way that you were being as dramatic as Sirius. Oh, this boy was so tired of you two making such a scene by nothing.
"It's not that hard. You just have to pay attention!" Remus said the last part a little louder and everyone at the library looked at the two of you, Moony just smiled trying to act normal and pretend that he wasn't feeling his cheeks becoming warmer by being embarrassed.
"I am paying attention, but I just can't understand." You said already giving up and closing your book. Anything was supposed to be so hard to understand, you're a Ravenclaw, you thought that you would understand everything and explain it to the others just like everyone else from the same house as yours, not the other way...
Remus opened his mouth to answer you and probably make you continue to study anyway, but before he could say anything, a pair of hands covered his mouth and another one covered your eyes, while Peter just sat at the other side of the table with a bored expression by Sirius and James' idea.
"Who am I?" A voice asked behind you, but it was obvious that it was Sirius trying to use a deeper voice and you would have rolled your eyes if it wasn't for his hands stopping you.
"I don't know, probably Wormtail..." You said and heard someone sitting at the chair between you and Remus and you just knew that it was Prongs, and Sirius sighed behind you. He took his hands out of your eyes, letting you see again the not so lightly library and your friends rolling their eyes to Sirius' reaction. It was obvious that you were trying to mess with him, and looked like you got it.
"You knew that it was me." Padfoot said while sitting at the chair at your right. You smiled at him and Sirius felt his knees going weak with your beautiful and radiant smile.
Moony asked something to all of you and before you knew, your Potions' book had been already forgotten and you five were chatting about one of the unbelievable gossips going around Hogwarts.
"You really think that this girl is pregnant?" James asked with furrowed eyebrows, looking at you, that just giggled at him and the rest of the Marauders by believing at all of those rumours. But you were too focused on James and Peter arguing if it's true or not, that you didn't notice Sirius bringing his chair closer to yours and putting his arm around your shoulders.
It felt natural, it was like his arm was supposed to be around your shoulders every moment, it was like you were made for it... Sirius' touch was warm against your cold skin and his scent was the best one.
You tried to act normal because he does it - and a lot of other things that are related to physical touch - a lot of times, but since the girls noticed the different way you acted and asked for you if you had feelings about Padfoot a few weeks ago five to be more specific, you couldn't help but also notice that recently you were feeling weird things around him... All the cliche feeling that you had read so many times at a few of your favourite books like butterflies at your stomach, cold and sweaty hands, loud and fast heartbeat, dry throat, warm and red cheeks... You were starting to feel so much of those stupid feelings that you started to involuntary act weird when he's that close to you.
And it all would feel just normal and ordinary if he felt it too when you were together, but how could you know if he felt anything? 
Before you could stop yourself from daydreaming about it, your mind takes you to a universe where you and Sirius were together, where he felt the same about you and you or he had the guts to tell each other about your true feelings - doesn't matter who did first... At this universe, you could call Sirius yours, you didn't need to hide any of those stupid feelings around anyone. Flashes of his arms around your waist, while your back is pressed against his chest, with tangled legs at the grass, just looking at the sky full of stars, passed through your mind, just like the ones where you could feel his body next to yours, with his arm around your shoulder, while flirting with you in front of some boy that was trying to take you to his dorm... You could even feel his kisses on your neck, cheek, lips or anywhere else.
Moments where he called you his girlfriend, and you called him your boyfriend.
"[y/n]?" You blinked a few times and shook your head to send all of your unintentional thoughts to the back of your mind - where they should stay and never get out -, with the hand that was passing in front of your eyes, trying to get your attention.
As you looked around, you noticed that all of your friends were staring at you with confused expressions and all of his foreheads frowned. "What are you thinking about, sunshine?" Padfoot asked you and you turned your head to his direction, feeling various goosebumps going up and down your body with his strong gaze focused on you and no one else - something inside of you even could tell that if someone fell in front of you, he wouldn't even flinch his eyes from yours. The way his arm around your shoulders made his face stay so close to yours, caused you the neediest to kiss him at this exact moment, with all of your friends watching, in the middle of the silent library... 
But you knew that it would be worse for you. He didn't feel that same way about you, he just sees you as his best friend and nothing more than this. And if your heartbeat wasn't so loud and strong in your ears, you would be able to listen to the way your heart started to break in various pieces just with your thoughts. 
You couldn't stay here any second more, you just needed to be able to breathe and organize your mind, you just needed to be alone, you just needed to cry without anyone seeing, you just needed to freak out by yourself while hugging your pillow from your favourite muggle band... You had to be far from anyone, especially Sirius Black.
So, you got up from your seat as fast as you could without passing out, and just ran out of the library as fast as your legs could take you and with everyone looking at you by the sound that your chair did when you got up, the sound of your shoes frenetically tapping against the floor, the voices of your friends calling for you and the fact that you left everything behind (being one of the people that most care books to anywhere you go).
You just stopped when your eyes met the entrance of the Forbidden Forest and then you finally noticed the way that you ran all around Hogwarts to be away from your own best friend. 'What's wrong with me?'
You took this time to breathe a little bit, then started to walk inside the forest. You had been here plenty of times before, just walking around and feeling the cold wind with the all the shadows from the trees, both hitting your body in harmony and union. This never felt so great as now. You feet started to drag you through the trees and as the first shadow got to you, you felt your tense body become way more relaxed. Your thoughts that were running around your head making you go crazy, were completely forgotten, until-
"[y/n]! Wait!" The known voice coming from behind you followed by several footsteps, made you stop on your tracks and turn around, seeing the last person you wanted to see at the moment. "What happened there?" Sirius asked and he felt his heart ache with the vision of your red face with tears running down your face.
"I'm sorry, Pads. I can't talk right now..." You whispered and you even thought that he would be able to listen to your weak and low voice, but you noticed that he had heard you when he just shook his head and tried to walk closer to you, completely ignoring what you just said, because he knows how you always try to hide what you are feeling to anyone. "Please, just leave me alone."
Black took a heavy breath so he could try to control his thoughts and try to connect them to his body, so he wouldn't do something that his heart was screaming at him to do. Sirius' mind was telling him to just go away and let you have the space you were asking for, but his heart was saying that he should go there and hug you, just hold you and confess his feelings to you... But he couldn't.
"Can you just tell me what's wrong? I want to help you!" 
"It's nothing, Sirius." He felt his heart ache by how you just called him. "Just let me be." Your voice was starting to raise with your anger by him not listening to you, and you knew pretty well that the unique one more stubborn than you, it's him.
"I won't just walk away. I won't let you alone right now." Padfoot whispered with a weak voice. All he ever wanted to do was to help you, but you never let him do anything for you, like right now.
"Why?" You screamed.
"Because I love you!" He screamed back and your eyes just watered more than before. Your lip started to shake, your eyes were burning more than ever, your throat became a huge knot, you felt your nose becoming warmer, and the tears starting to run down your already wet face.
"See?" You screamed back, with your voice ruined by the run and all the crying. "That's the problem. I can't do THIS anymore." Your heart was burning, aching, breaking... everything together, but you couldn't pay attention to it right now.
"What are you talking about?" Sirius just started to scream with you, he couldn't understand what was happening and what got you so upset. And if you weren't with a broken heart, a stubborn Sirius and crying, you could've had noticed how his strong accent got so hot at this sentence.
"Me and you." Your voice failed and you couldn't feel more embarrassed to confess your feeling for him in this way. "I'm sorry. I just can't be around you anymore." And you left.
-
Sirius' eyelids wouldn't close for anything in this world.
He was feeling so tired, but he was trying to sleep since '9:28 PM', by his clock. He turned around again and looked again at the clock beside his bed.
'2:52 AM'
An involuntary groan got out of his throat, while he turned to the other side of the bed, probably for the thousandth time this night. But it didn't matter what he did to sleep - he tried everything literally everything - but nothing seemed to word. So he gave up.
Carefully and without doing a single noise, he got out of his bed and started to draggle himself downstairs. As he got to the common room, he saw that anyone was there, but even with all this 'homey' and warm feeling coming from the couch in front of the little fire, Sirius couldn't catch himself to sit there and watch the different ways the fire can be, just like the other nights.
His feet started to take him out of there, and it even seemed like he was in some kind of a trance, because he just noticed where he was when his eyes saw one of the secret passages to Hogsmeade. But this was one of the most far from the Gryffindor Tower, it's on the other side of the castle. Yeah, looked like he walked all the way here.
His eyes flinched away from the door of the passage as he heard a few light footsteps, or he thought he heard because Sirius looked at everywhere around him and everything he saw was the dark corridors of Hogwarts. And then, he focused on the portrait in front of him, it was a beautiful flower, a daffodil, your favourite.
"Pads, what are you doing? Why are you awake?" A voice came from behind Sirius and, if he didn't know the voice, he would've cursed himself by having forgotten his wand at his dorm.
"I could ask you the same, Prongs." Black turned around and saw his best friend, actually just his face and neck, the rest was covered by his invisible coat. But he noticed the fingers of his right hand holding the map, explaining what he was doing here, at the same moment as Padfoot, at this hour.
"I got anxious about the match against Ravenclaw next week." James said and dropped his head a little bit to the side, silently asking for his best friend the same question, but Sirius just rolled his eyes as an answer. And that was when James noticed the dark bags under Sirius' eyes. "Wow, mate. When was the last time you slept?" Prongs asked and even chuckled a bit, but stopped at the second he saw that Sirius wasn't laughing with him. And by Black's guilty facial expression, he knew pretty well the answer to his question. "Wait, you're telling me you haven't slept since the fight you had with [y/n]?"
"Of course, James! I'm in love with her, how do you want to sleep knowing that I was the one who caused her pain?" Padfoot said a little bit louder, which made James shush him and sight.
"But it's been a week." Potter whispered to his best friend and letting pass the first time that Sirius told him that he loved anyone, with a face full of concern and sympathy.
"So what?"
"You have to talk to her, mate." James just shook his head while giving his advice to Sirius. But both of them knew that that was the thought that was haunting him by the past days.
"No, I don't." Sirius answered and Prongs felt like he could kill his best friend right now (but if he did it, Sirius would never talk to her). "And she doesn't want to talk to me, anyway." Pads finished and it was James' time to roll his eyes by the childish of Black.
"But you love her!" James said louder than he should and looked around to see if any professors or prefects were around to catch the two of them out of bed at this time. But as Sirius opened his mouth to fight with him about it, Potter didn't lose even a second to interrupt any bullshit that was going to come out of Black's mouth. "And don't even try to deny it, because you just said it."
Padfoot sighed, defeated and said the first thing that came on his mind. "But that's why I'm struggling!" His head was starting to hurt by the intense argument and he knew what was coming next. Sirius knew James was right about everything.
"So talk to her! You won't struggle anymore."
-
James' words have been passing around Sirius mind since the day he first said them, three days ago.
'So talk to her! You won't struggle anymore.'
Black has been wanting to talk to you since then, but he doesn't seem to be able to create the courage to go and talk to you. And he couldn't feel more stupid. He's the unique one from the hole Black family to be sorted into Gryffindor, and the Sorting Hat doesn't make mistakes, does it?
Well, he would have time to think about it at detention.
Sirius opened the door, seeing an empty Transfiguration classroom 'perfect, more time alone with my fucking stupid thoughts' and saw Professor McGonagall writing something in a few papers while sitting at her desk. "Hey, Minnie." Sirius said and the professor looked at him with a hard glare by the nickname.
"Hello, Mr Black." She said and pointed at one of the tables, silently saying to Sirius sit. "We'll just wait a second until the other student gets here, so I'll tell you both what to do." Sirius frowned his eyebrows with her sentence.
"There's someone else coming today? Who would it be, Minnie?" He asked and by the look she gave him, Sirius knew that she wouldn't tell him who it was. "Well, what they did to have to pleasure to spend two hours with me?" The professor just looked at the door, probably thinking that it would make the lucky person walk through it, but it didn't actually happen.
"She shouldn't have stayed until too late studying at the library." That was that Minerva said and her gaze still didn't flinch from the door. As Sirius was looking at the professor, he got too lost on the thoughts of how she could wear the same clothes every day - like, does she has a lot of clothes that look the same, or does she wash the same cloth every day and wear those at the next day? - that he just noticed that the door had opened and the person had walked in already when McGonagall moved. "You're finally here, Mrs. [y/l/n]."
Wait-
"I'm so sorry, Minnie. A first-year stopped me on the way here, he was lost and needed help to find our common room, but it's kinda far from here..." Your soft voice echoed through the almost empty classroom. They were pretty sure that you would start to babble about the reason you were late, but when the professor pointed to the chair next to Sirius, you stopped to talk. Maybe it was because you knew that explaining yourself wouldn't be something really important for McGonagall, or it was because you noticed Sirius.
His eyelids were swollen, with dark and deep bags under his eyes, his hair messier then the usual, a paler look on his face, but he was still so handsome. 
A knot formed at your throat with the sight of him so close to you - because those days you were avoiding him, but you still noticed him from afar - and you gulped it while taking deep breaths. You were refusing yourself to cry alone at your dorm, you wouldn't cry or show any weakness near to anyone else that could notice and comment about it. You sat at the chair beside Sirius, but your eyes didn't flinch to any single part of him.
"So, you two stay here, I have more things to take care of, and I'll be right back." Minerva said and started to walk out of the class. Sirius looked at you and your confused expression (was so cute) matched with his, but before the professor went out of the classroom, she looked behind and saw the two of you looking at her. "Just do a few essays, I don't know. Just don't make anything that could give you more detentions." And then she left. But not before locking the door behind her.
"Great." You whispered with your voice full of sarcasm and you hoped that Sirius haven't heard you. 
"[y/n]." Sirius called your name and looked at you, that was taking your things out of your backpack. He wasn't surprised that you would finish the essays you weren't able to finish the day before, but you were surprised with the way your name rolled easily against his tongue and lips. You even had to think about something else so your body wouldn't get shivers all around it. "Can we talk?" He asked and you continued to ignore him. But Sirius doesn't give up easily. "I really need to talk to you, sunshine." Sirius tried to grab your attention again with the nickname he used to call you before all of the chaos that you created.
"Detention is not to talk, Sirius." You whispered and he just huffed at your words, he knew you were going to say some bullshit to try to not talk to him about whatever you were feeling, but he really needed to have this conversation with you, even if he was the only one talking and you listening. "We're supposed to do essays or whatever, but not to talk." Your sassy tone was better than Sirius had ever seen it and if it wasn't for him in another situation, he would be so proud of you learning all he taught you over the years being friends. "If you want to talk, look me at any other place at school, I don't care."
"That's the point! I can't find you anywhere." Sirius was starting to get mad at the way you weren't listening to him or even caring about what he wanted/needed to say to you. "And I'm gonna talk, even if you don't say anything" He said and got up from his chair, that fell back with the abruptly that Sirius got out of it and did a horrible noise at the before quiet classroom, but his harsh movements grabbed your attention and you finally looked at him. "Can't you see that I feel the same way about you?" He said loudly and it almost looked like the whole air was taken away from your lungs.
But you needed to be sure about what feelings he was talking about, you couldn't just act because of a sentence that could have multiple ways to be understood, but you just wanted one of them. "You don't even know how I feel, how can you feel the same?"
"So, tell me." Sirius said softly and stared hard at your eyes, you even though he could see your hole soul from the stare he was giving you and your body trembled under his gaze. "Tell me how you feel."
You don't even know why, how, when or anything, but you just got up and stared back at him, with angry tears starting to blur your vision - sometimes you just wanted to end the way you were so sensible, even about little arguments like this one. "You wanna know how I feel?" You asked at him, with a frowned forehead and closed hands to try to control yourself and not cry in front of him again. "Well, I fell for you." Your voice wasn't on the way you had dreamed that it would be while saying those exact words to Sirius, but you found out you don't have any control over the future so, what can you do? "I fell so hard, that I didn't know who I was anymore. All I cared was about you and the way I could make you happy if we were together. But we never were." Your voice started harsh but it was becoming softer with the seconds you talked. "And it broke me."
"We were never just friends and you know it." Sirius said you felt your heart ache. You knew his words were true, he knew his words were true, your friends knew his words were true, fuck, the hole Hogwarts knew his words were true, and that's what hurt the most. Because even if you were never just friends, whatever the two of you were, never passed from it. You were friends, always.
"I know it, but it was always like this, and neither way you deserve someone better than me." Your voice becomes just a little whisper that no one would be able to hear if it wasn't for the empty class. But Sirius ignored your words and walked to you before you could think of anything else or try to walk away from him, his hands were holding your hips and you couldn't move away from his chest pressed against yours (even if you actually wanted to).
"So, enlighten me." Sirius whispered and his breathe was hitting against your face, with his lips brushing against yours while he talked. "Who better than the love of my life?" His smirk was so big, but you couldn't focus on his beautiful teeth, all you were looking at was his grey eyes. Sirius got afraid that you would walk away from him or break his heart as he had broken yours, but he knew you were going anywhere when you smiled at him, giggling at his words.
Your hands went to the back of his neck and brought his face closer to yours, selling your lips in the most passionate kiss you had ever thought and Sirius could just dream of. You didn't need words to show for each other how you were happy in the arms of each other. It was even being hard to kiss with the smile that fought to appear on your face - by being finally able to run your hands through his soft hair - and on his - by holding your body so close to him that all the times he needed someone to hold him like this, were filled.
Neither of you knew how long you were kissing but you were becoming exhausted with your lungs screaming for you to stop, but you didn't want to, so you just broke the kiss. You were both breathing heavily, but your arms, legs, hands or anything else moved. You and Sirius stayed like this, with your foreheads together, your hands lost on his hair and his arms around your waist, just feeling each other this close, for a while. But you didn't care.
You finally had him. You could call him, yours and he could call you, his.
☀︎︎☀︎︎☀︎︎☀︎︎☀︎︎
+ bonus:
McGonagall, James, Remus, Peter, Lily, Alice and Marlene were watching by the magic mug that Minerva left at the classroom, so they could see what was happening.
"Are they going to kiss?" James asked, for what felt like the millionth time, when Sirius got closer to [y/n] and everyone shushed him, seeing Sirius walk forward and kiss you.
They all cheered seeing them kissing and when they got apart smiling, they all knew the plan had worked. Marlene was even crying for her friend that finally told Padfoot about her feelings and James couldn't stop smiling while looking at his friends happier than ever together.
"I can't believe your plan worked, Minnie." Lily said and everyone nodded at the professor, that was smiling just like them.
"As I already told you, I'm pretty good at getting couples together..." Minerva said and winked at the students that laughed at her and looked at their friends again through the magic spot on the Black Lake that gave them a perfect vision of what was happening on the classroom.
They were so proud that their friends and students we together and happy.
☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾
Taglist:
@cheapglitter​ @weasleysmuch @missmulti​ @writtenbypics @littlemaladaptivedaydreamer​ @dralf0yy​ @buff-bork @rd155 @seppys-return-to-madness​ @luciferedits​ @old-soul-young-mind​ @pxtrickhxckstettxr @sleep-i-ness​ @marauderswhisperer​ @liberty01 @gweaslvy​ @weasleytwins-41 @siriuslysirius07 @turtlepad​ @ilovewinter101​ @monimillion​ @simonsbluee​ @smokey102​ @yourlevanter​ @aberette13​ @yourbloodyqueen​ @loverboyreid​ @eeshea @susceptible-but-siriusexual​
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