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theofficersacademy · 2 years

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TEAM DIVA

Nanna Laslow Yuri Shez (M) Ingrid Azama Elincia Letizia Ignatz Edelgard Merric

RISE [August 4th - August 10th]

Tag: #UnscriptedDiva2022

After your respective performances, all of you are ushered into a ridiculously long metal carriage (one for each team). This is your first glimpse of the book’s world outside of the studio, and it’s an overwhelming one at that. Buildings tower all around you, flashing bright lights and signs and pictures at you. Buy this! Available now!, for everything from bright candies to clothing to badminton racquets.

Your destination is yet another studio: bright lights, cameras, a stage. This is the first time you will meet the other half of your party. While you all may be happy to see familiar faces... Delancey and Julian aren’t. They eye each other with a certain intensity, the animosity between them so thick you could cut it with a knife. “Let’s go,” Julian orders gruffly to his team. “Same here,” says Delancey to hers.

The crew arranges you all into straight lines and assigns you a colored accessory: Red for Nanna, Elincia, Ingrid, Letizia, and Edelgard, Blue for Laslow, Yuri, Shez, Azama, Ignatz, and Merric. A woman struts out on stage: brunette, in a glittering silver suit with a plunging neckline. Some of you may recognize her as “woman from backstage that just Cannot with you.”

“Welcome, welcome!” The woman claps her hands, trying to stir up energy. “Congrats on making it this far, y’all! Welcome to Stairway to Stardom, Season Seven! I’m sure you know all about me, but I’m Nessie Gardner, your gracious host. Now... are you ready to make your debut?”

Things to know:

You have all entered in Stairway to Stardom in order to make your mark on the world and win the grand prize of an exclusive deal with a prestigious record company. Careers have been made through this show, and both Delancey and Julian are keen to win.

For this season, the contestants have been officially split into a “Red” team of primarily women and the “Blue” team of primarily men. Each team is sponsored by a different talent agency and may have a hand in this, given Delancey and Julian’s apparent rivalry...

By the end of this week (Rise period), your team will be making their live debut on national television with a grand performance! Not only will you have to sing, but you’ll have to practice your choreography as well.

You all have sleeping accommodations on set. Each team has their own bedroom, bathrooms, and living spaces. However, both teams have access to a common room with bigger couches and a kitchen. Cameras are mounted on the walls of every room except the bathrooms.

You have also been given your own smartphones to make calls and check social media. To simplify things, everyone participating in the competition has everyone else’s number.

What to do:

Decide on a game plan for the debut, starting with the song you’ll be singing! Delancey prefers hard rock and Julian says that he’s “stuck with mainstream-friendly genres” like pop, but otherwise they welcome your opinions and suggest that you all search through YourTube.

Speaking of, @toa-diva is open and ready for named NPC interactions!

There’s lots to do this week! Small, quick threads may be the way to go. Some suggestions:

Practice, practice, practice! Do choreography as a group! Practice your duet with another team member! Your performance on stage will have a great impact on how you are received by the audience.

With the power of the Internet in your hands, you can try using social media to your advantage.... though you’ll have to figure out what the fuck To-witter and Snapgram are....

Talk to Mod Bren for additional information.

#TOAUnscripted2022 #UnscriptedDiva2022

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a3theatrejunkie · 3 years

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Autumn Troupe plays Laser Tag (Long Post)

-This is all happening because Sakyo won some tickets in a giveaway, he was gonna use the tickets as a form of reward for good behavior, but Autumn troupe and the director convinced him to use the 'practice' since they use fake guns in their plays.

-When they arrived Sakyo already regrets this decision, the screaming children and the bright neon lights are bad for the oldman. Doesn’t help that the floors are all sticky for candy and soda.

-The rest of the Autumn are loving it though. Juza and Taichi’s run off to the snack stand for hotdogs and an extra large slushy. Banri and Azami are in line for an arcade cabinet, the former taunting and jeering at the players in front of them. Omi actually stuck close by and is talking about doing a photoshoot under all theses cool lights.

-”OI! You brats get your asses back here! We’re here for one thing and one thing only. Laser Tag.”

Omi chuckled at how serious Sakyo sounded. “I’ve never heard someone talk about Laser-tag so seriously.”

“Fushimi you’re not helping, Nanao and Hyodo hurry up and finish that food so we can go in.”

“If Hyodo gets a snack I want one too!” Banri. “I packed some oranges in the ca-” “Fushimi.”

*Gasp* “How’d you know?! Have you seen any of our plays?! Are you a fan?!” Taichi barked. “Ya’know....” Banri slid in “For a few....I don’t know like a hundred? game tokens, we could give you our autographs, maybe even a picture with yours truly?”

-”Hello! And Welcome to the DANGER ZONE” the Autumn troupe are approached by an employee, “You must be Mankai Theater’s Autumn Troupe.”

“No....I’ve never seen your shows...” The Employee said “That’s the name I put down when booking the appointment you dumbasses.” Sakyo Spoke up.

“Whadaya mean you haven’t seen an-”

“Anyway! Here’s some rules you need to know before entering: Hold Laser With Both Hands. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah. NO PHYSICAL CONTACT. Players must be careful when maneuvering around interior arena walls. Blah, Blah, Blah, And Have FUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNN!”

- The Autumn troupe got geared up. “Alright while we’re in here it’s every man for themselves. No crying in Laser-Tag got it?” Banri declared. “And don’t even think about ganging up on me, I’ve dealt with hoards with hundreds of enemies.”

“This ain’t one of your video games Settsu.” Juza spoke up. “Wanna say that again blue mouth?” Banri taunted. Juza only glared at him. “That’s what I thought.”

-”You’ll have thirty seconds to run and take cover, after that you’ve entered the Danger Zone! Points will be tallied at the end and we will declare a winner. Your thirty seconds...begin.....Now!”

-”Tsk, you act all grown up Izumida, but you’re still clinging to me for protection.” ”Shut it old man, make yourself useful and be my meat shield.” “Your mea-?!” Sakyo looks down and notices something squishy in his hand. “Is this a diaper?!? Ugh! This place is hell!!” “Great. Your cheap-ass can save it for when we send you to a nursing home.” “Boy-”

- The Autumn troupe all took off in different directions, Juza, Omi, and Taichi ended up together, Banri went off on his own, and Sakyo and Azami went in the same direction. “You may begin firing!"

-On Juza, Omi, and Taichi’s side of things, they’ve sort of banded together. Juza is on a blue raspberry fueled mission to shoot Banri in his god damned face. Taichi’s having the time of his life, "Pew! Pew! Pew! HA! I GOT SAKYO!” Omi’s having some difficulty hiding since all the covers aren’t really designed for people his size, but he’s doing his best as a spotter. “Juza! Azami’s coming up on your left!”

-”30 seconds left!” If you thought this was a battlefield already well now it’s a warzone. Nobody cares about taking cover for themselves, everyone’s just shooting at each other. There’s no such thing as troupe mates in the Danger Zone.

-Banri is maneuvering like a frickin’ pro. Ducking and rolling, practically sniping his troupe mates. “Haha! I told I was gonna school all of you N00BZ! GG EASY PEEZY.” “It’d be great if you would put this much effort into being a leader Settsu!” Sakyo yelled. “G.G. EASY!”

-”10.9.8.7.6.5.4.3.2.1! Please put your Lasers down and make your way to the exit you entered in so, we can announce our champion!”

- The Autumn Troupe, Exhausted, made their way to the exit. “What a shootout! You all did great but there can only be one winner! Here are the final results! Omi- 29 Points! Azami- 32 Points! Juza-48 Points! Banri-52 Points! and Finally Sakyo! with a whopping 58 Points!”

“WHATT SAKYO??!!” “The hell?!” “Hmph, ‘grats.” “Congrats Sakyo! Didn’t know you had it in you!” “This is a load of bullshit! I got way more shots than that old man, this game is rigged.”

“It should be obvious why I won, I have more experience than all of you. So G-”

“Don’t. I’ll never be able to live this down.”

“Congratulations Mr.Furuchi, as our big winner you win a very special prize! A photoshoot! and a Keychain charm to commemorate the win. Would you like to be the savior? Or the Destroyer of worlds?”

-Sakyo sighs really considering the option to just leave and never comeback or get his money worth out. He chooses the latter, he gets his shitty little keychain and takes a photo shoot with the Autumn troupe as the “Savior of Earth.”

#a3! act! addict! actors!#banri settsu #omi fushimi #juza hyodo #izumida azami #Sakyo Furuichi #a3!#long post

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sircnss · 4 years

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So, you want fill out a bracket

[insert captain america gif here]

attn.

@nctphx @acetrainermj @violagoth @chocolatspring @noonachronicles @uwunnie @little-writing-worm @aerislulu

HELLO AND WELCOME TO KPOP MARCH MADNESS: SEPTEMBER SONG ALBUM SHOWDOWN

I have made what I hope is a cohesive tutorial on how to fill out your brackets and whatnot. If you do have any further questions, please feel free to message me and I can always help out.

Everything will be under the cut to save your dash

But FIRST, why am I doing this again?

We lost all our concerts for the year (ty stray kids and eric nam for being the only in person concerts I got this year), I lost the opportunity to do poorly in the actual college basketball March Madness and we all need a tiny bit of fun in some form this year! All without having to actually leave and it is SUPER low stakes.

In fact, I do all of the work and you guys just campaign your little hearts out for your favorite album because the more votes (voting will take place on a google form, which will be covered later) the better and it makes the races more fun for me to watch.

The idea of a fandom March Madness started from a livejournal community waaaay back in the day and I never did well in that either lmao so the idea is 1,000% not mine originally.

tl;dr I participated in this back on LJ in the 2010s, it was fun and low stakes, I added the prize element in the middle of the March Edition.

WELCOME TO MY WORLD LET’S DO THIS

---

For purposes of this tutorial, I’ll be using a shortened version of the March Madness bracket.

Step one.

I will send you a link to the main bracket which is being done through Google Sheets, what I need you to do is to make a copy and title it [YOUR NAME]’s Bracket and then fill out the entire thing and then share it with me with editing access. I will most likely be making a copy for myself but I will only be editing yours to strike-through the loser of the round and bolding the winner so you don’t have to! Once you make the copy and shared it with me, all you have to really do from there is sit back, relax and vote/promote.

The first bracket, I believe it says Round of 64 on the bottom tab is the one we will be using!

Step two.

Below is what the contenders list looks like! In the case of song showdown, it’s done in groups and then ARTIST - ALBUM TITLE. This gets generated into the brackets!

Step three.

Click on the little check box for the choice you want, it will automatically move that choice to the next round.

Here it is again with the entire second round picked out, notice that nobody has been selected yet for the following rounds

Step four.

Repeat what you did in step three for the remainder of the rounds. Pick your favorite for each round and then repeat until it’s all filled out and you get a champion, your champion. The pick you know is that bitch and everyone else is wrong.

Step five.

Vote! How? You say? I will be obnoxious for approximately 3 days with reblogging a link to a google form where you can cast your votes.I’ll be tagging you in the initial post so you don’t get surprised when you see it the fifth time and your name suddenly has appeared. Share that post, bribe your friends, family, dogs. Campaign if you want! If you do campaign I will reblog it and come up with a tag to follow so you can see the cool campaigns. If I was graphically inclined I would do it for you but...I’m not. Anywho

The points!

If you look at this spreadsheet, you’ll see how many points each round is worth and how I let the spreadsheet do the math from there.

I believe that covers everything! Again, if there’s any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me.

My goal is to have the first round officially start on Tuesday, September 8th. So please expect a message this weekend with the link to the main bracket! Please remember make a copy, fill it out through the end and then share it with me again so I can make my own copy to keep track of the points and make the appropriate notations (bold and strike-through) with each round.

FAQ (these questions aren’t frequently asked but they could be)

1. March Madness made sense, why are we doing albums when it’s called September Song Showdown?

I was going to do this in April as a song showdown and now I realize it could have been April Album A-Something, but albums are easier to pick than songs and it’s September now. Maybe next September it’ll be a song Showdown.

2. You mentioned prizes???

Yes! I had a couple of friends who aren’t into kpop participate and I bribed them with a prize if they won and stuck to it when @chocolatspring won! Even though Gaby didn’t get her prize until like 2 weeks ago but it’s fine, I’ll be more on top of it this time just in time for the December holidays!

3. How do you know who goes in what spot?

Random.org/lists! I shuffle them 5-10 times and then go through and put them on the main spreadsheet, shown above in the actual tutorial.

4. How do you figure the points?

Spreadsheets, baby! Each round is worth a certain number of points, each album you pick that goes on to fight the next round will earn so many points, those points are then added up and triple checked before I put them on a separate spreadsheet. The spreadsheet does the math from there.

5. I won, so now what?

Congrats! You have the best intuition and convinced enough people to vote for your fave! On top of being announced as a winner on the final post, I’ll message you and you let me know what your choice of prize is (an album of your choice, a gift card or something else).

5.2 Wait, is this free?

20 bucks, venmo me. Kidding. The only person this will end up costing money for is me. Which is why when I say an album of your choice within reason, I mean I’m not going to say you're limited to a price range, but like...I can’t do a crazy expensive album.

6. What happens if I end up tanking just after the first round?

There’s no coming back after a bad round so welcome to...a second chance bracket! I don’t know how to do that yet, but you can continue to vote, promote, whatever your heart desires, but there will be a small thing I haven’t figured out yet for the person with the least amount of points.

7. Are you participating?

Yes! I don’t gain or lose anything from this so my points don’t really count. So if I do end up winning, the next highest amount is the actual winner.

8. Just to be clear, can people not filling out the brackets vote in the polls?

Yes! Share it on your twitter, reblog the post on your tumblrs! The more votes the merrier! Heck, I got my mom to play in March and showed her pictures and she chose based on that alone for her voting.

9. How long is each voting round going to remain open?

5 days. Rounds will be open Monday-Friday, I will make the initial post Monday and share it again throughout the day, a reminder on Wednesday and then finally on Friday with plenty of time before the form closes. Results will be shared Saturday afternoons and I will spend Sunday getting the new round ready.

#September song showdown #kpop March madness #dia makes a how to

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shhh-no-ones-home · 4 years

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crap shoot (3/3) vinny mauro x reader

+++++++++

part 1 part 2 part 3

Party/announcement after about a month as well as after first Dr apt

Song: nothing else matters by Metallica covered by Lissie

tag list: @thisplace-ishaunted @ryansitkowskiswifey @alilpunkrock @theoneandonlykymberlee @cynic-spirit @svintsandghosts

+++++++++

I walked around the room and talked to some of my family members. Most of them just wanted to know why the hell I was throwing a party with someone they had only met a handful of times. Every answer was a little different though, ranging between "it's a secret" to "guess you'll just have to wait and find out" to even "aliens made us do it" to a few of my friends that would actually get a kick out of that. It had mostly been a social gathering so far, just taking and things with family but we had games planned and oh was it gonna be wild. I sat at the table and watched Vinny get things ready. When he was done we had everyone sit down at their tables and get ready to play. It was simple.

"Okay so we know traditional party games can be kind of stupid but we thought this would be funny and it gets everyone to kind if work together. Each of you has a few different puzzle pieces and you have to put your puzzles together with the other people at your table. Talk to each other and figure it out and we'll be around to see if you guys need help with them."

They all chatted as they started. Vinny and I waited, send each other knowing glances. The puzzles were pretty simple, ones we had made for our guests that had different things on them. A few had stuff that we liked, a few of Vinny's were different drum, a few of mine also music related but were my own art. And one of them, the picture ended up being a congratulations banner. But we didn't want to give anything away to early so the table that for done first we decided would get a prize. I looked at vin.

"Wanna walk around now?"

He nodded.

"I think that's a good idea, yeah."

We both split off in opposite directions. I wound up at a table first with my mom and a few of Vinny's friends. We had told everyone to sit with people they'd never met or talked to before so they'd be forced to network. I stood behind my mom and looked down.

"Things going good over here so far?"

A few of them frowned, moving pieces around.

"I think so, can we ask you for help?"

I smiled.

"We decided we can tell you what the picture is supposed to be but we can't actually put the puzzle together with you."

My mom looked up at me.

"And what's this supposed to be?"

I leaned down.

"What did I try to play in highschool?"

She thought for a second before it hit her.

"It's a guitar!"

I laughed a little before standing up.

"Good luck."

I snatched a quick glance from vin from across the room as we both moved to new tables. I made my way over to the congrats table, standing behind Vinny's mom now.

"You guys doing alright over here?"

She had a wide smile on her face as they worked quickly to out the pieces together.

"This is a piece of cake."

One of my friends said cockily.

"Look, it says congratulations!"

She said loudly. Then she looked up at me confused and I raised my brows at her.

"That it does."

I looked over at vin.

"Well it appears we have a winner. You all can keep putting your puzzles together if you want but we do have a prize for our first place when all of you are done. Second place too."

Then my mom's hand shot into the air.

"We're done too!"

Vinny and I exchanged knowing glances as I went over and looked at it.

"Guess that clue really helped."

I nudged and she smiled widely at me.

"What's the prize?"

I laughed.

"Wait till everyone else is done."

I continued walking around, helping tables out until everyone had their puzzles done. After we finished vin and I walked back to the front table and grabbed two bags, one blue and one pink.

"Okay, since the tables with our moms were the winners we're gonna have them two come up here and open the gifts. Don't worry, it's a gift for everyone but we want all of you to see what they got."

I smirked as our moms sent looks to each other, walking up to us. I handed my mom the pink one and Vinny handed his mom the blue one.

"Okay mommy, open it."

He said, looking between them. In all honesty we had rigged the game so they would win but had back up gifts in case they didnt. They both pulled out a t-shirt each.

"Read it out loud."

I said looking at their reactions.

"I love my grandbaby."

They both said at the same time. My mom's mouth dropped open immediately.

"You're not?!"

I nodded, laughing a little bit. She jumped up and down before pulling me into a hug.

"Oh my God!"

She pulled away and looked me up and down before giving me another hug.

"I'm gonna be a grandma!"

I nodded, looking over at Vinny's mom.

"I'm gonna be a grandma?"

She asked with a wide smile on her face and he nodded.

"Yeah mom."

He had a wide smile on his face too. She looked back over the shirt before she pulled him in for a hug.

"Now we get to show a new generation how to make fresh pasta."

She joked, sending me a wink. We had made home made spaghetti and meatballs every Christmas since I met him. When they both pulled away from us Everyone started clapping. Then our moms turned and hugged each other.

"We get to be grandma's together!"

My mom said excitedly, pulling away and putting the shirt on over the one she was already wearing. I laughed at her as she hugged Vinny.

"Thank you for giving me a grandbaby."

He rubbed her back gently before she pulled away, his mom coming and giving me a hug too.

"It was bound to happen eventually right?"

He joked and I shook my head. My mom nudged his arm.

"Well you've only been friends since you were five, no big deal."

I looked around the room at people taking pictures and smiling at us and chatting amongst themselves.

"So the cats out of the bag. We wanted to tell you all at once. Yes Vinny and I are expecting. We had the first doctors appointment two weeks ago and our expected due date is November."

Vinny pulled me into his side as our moms went back to their seats.

"We also don't really have any other big games planned but you're welcome to stay and socialize and eat more."

He joked, motioning to the table of food that hadn't been emptied yet. They all went back to talking amongst themselves and Vinny looked down at me. Kissing the top of my head.

"I can't wait to co parent this baby with you."

I looked up at him and kissed him gently, looking endearingly at him.

"Me too."

#wattpad #x reader #miw #imagines #oneshots #vinny mauro #vincenzo mauro #vinchenzo mauro #chenzo mauro #184

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killmongerdreams · 7 years

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open letter

summary: tell me how a heart breaks || bucky x reader || A N G S T

warnings: sad sad sad sad saaaaaad

note: this is my entry for chels’ (@marvelous-fvcks) writing challenge! congrats on your milestone, babylove! My prompt was #14. “I’ve got you.” I hope you guys like this! And please don’t kill me for breaking your heart. Feedback is appreciated always. This is short and quite bad and I am so sorry.

How does a heart break? Does it chip away slowly, piece by piece until there’s nothing left? Or does it break all at once? Does it suddenly shatter into a million pieces, exploding in your chest without so much as a warning?

No matter how the heart is lost, the pain it leaves behind is all the same.

The apartment seems daunting without him in it. You sit on the bed in what used to be the room you shared with Bucky, scrapbook sitting open in your lap. It was a gift from him for your second anniversary, a trip down memory lane that he so meticulously put together.

Bucky was not the most creative of people, and arts and crafts was his ultimate downfall, but he worked hard to present you with this token of love. You stared down at the somewhat messy pages, trailing a finger over the edge of a photo.

It was of you and him on your first date at the carnival, him holding you with one arm and the other clutching the truly enormous teddy bear he won for you at one of the booths. He was grinning, eyes crinkling at the corners as he gazed at the camera. You, on the other hand, were looking up at him, eyes full of unfiltered adoration.

“You’re seriously not going to try and win that, are you?” You eyed Bucky incredulously as he marched up to the shooting booth, his eyes trained on the giant blue teddy bear hanging among the other prizes. He handed the attendant a five dollar bill, winking at you from over his shoulder. “These games are impossible to win, Bucky.”

“I used to be a sniper, doll.” He laughed, toying with the plastic gun in his hands. “I can win this. Easy.”

You raised an eyebrow, as did the attendant, stepping back a few steps, waving him forward. “Alright then, doll,” you giggled. “Win me the damn bear.”

Bucky smirked, raising the gun and aiming. He wasn’t even looking at the little target, still staring at you with those piercing, beautiful blue eyes of his. “Watch this.” he said. The next thing you know, he’s firing, all three of his shots hitting the bulls-eye one after another.

You don’t know who gasped louder, you or the attendant.

Bucky gleefully pointed up to the bear he wanted, smiling like a kid in the candy store. “I’ll take that one, please. I want it for my girl over there.

Whatever happened to that love? You think back to earlier that day, remembering the hatred in his gaze, an expression you know you mirrored as the two of you screamed at each other.

Turning the page, you sigh quietly, flipping through the scrapbook and taking a trip down memory lane, back to where everything was right, when everything was easy.

The photos left a stinging in your eyes and a bitter taste in your mouth, yet you kept on, torturing yourself with the reminder of how amazing your life with Bucky used to be.

You turn to the very last page. There’s no photos, no decorations - just a plain piece of paper with words written on it in his slanted, loopy handwriting. Reading his letter used to give you a sense of joy. He was a man of few words, and to see his heart laid bare on a piece of paper like this was astounding.

Only this time his open letter only made the ache in your chest worse.

Hey, doll. Happy Anniversary.

We’ve come a long way, haven’t we? We’ve been through a lot, seen a lot, fought a lot, cried a lot.

You’ve put up with my demons, held my hand when my days were dark and a storm cloud loomed over my head. You’ve held up my six since the day we met, looked out for me and kept my head above water.

I could never fathom how someone like you could love a man like me. I’m a killer - I’ve got blood on my hands, and yet somehow you looked past all of that. You reached into the river I was drowning in, pulled out the man I used to be and showed me that I wasn’t what I was created - forced - to be.

You helped me find myself, baby, and I could never accurately express with words how thankful I am for you. I love you.

I want you to know that I’ll always be here for you. I’ll be there at the end of a bad day to listen to you rant, to give you back massages when you’re sore from the gym. I’ll be there to catch you when you fall and help you stand back up on your feet. I’ll be there to make you smile and to make you laugh, even if all you want to do is cry.

I’ll be there to make you happy, to make you feel loved.

I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you like you’ve got me. We’re in this together. Forever and always.

Sniffling, you slam the scrapbook closed, shoving it to the floor. It lands with a thud, echoing throughout the disturbing silence of your empty apartment.

“You lied,” you whisper, body trembling as you started to cry. “You lied to me, Bucky.”

How does it feel to have your heart break?

Your chest feels like an open wound that will never close. Your head spins and your eyes burn with the never-ending stream of tears. You seek comfort in the arms of the one that broke you, only to realize you’re all alone, that you’ve been abandoned by the one who claimed to love you.

You feel like you’ve lost not only a battle, but the entire war. Your heart and mind are battered and torn to shreds, and you feel as if the wounds will never heal, no matter how long time trails on.

Putting yourself back together is a waste of time, for you will only go through the cycle once again.

TAGGING:

@retroasgardian @riskybarnes @sanjariti @rotisserierogers @persephone-is-here-omg @thewinterswimmer @stevnsbucks @bootypoppinbarnes @221bshrlocked @charliexowrite @marvelous-fvcks @thecrownedrose @4theluvofall @caplanbuckybarnes @imsecretlyromanburki @feelmyroarrrr @givemethatgold @ivartrash @captainpoopweinersoldier @plumfondler @minervaem @simplyme8308 @papi-chulo-bucky @kindnesswins @waywardimpalawriter @duskshadowz @sexylibrarian1 @asifblackmagic @just-call-me-your-darling @magellan-88 @pineapplebooboo @supernaturaldean67 @hollycornish @thinkwritexpress-official @nativesebby @whothehellisbella @cassandra-munn @sebastian-stans-thighs @bi-diana-prince @zombiewerewolfqueen @chaoswandas @beebossinner @fandomlyawsome @lovelynemesis @nataliarxmanxva @lostinthoughtsandfeelings @barnesvogue

#bucky barnes angst #bucky barnes smut #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky barnes imagine #bukcy barnes x reader smut #amarvelousfvckingwritingchallenge

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justsomebucky · 7 years

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The Friendly Wager (Part 4)

Summary: AU. Reader and Bucky Barnes are neighbors and best friends. After yet another bad date, reader comes home to find Bucky with his typical weekend target. They decide to make a wager about dating, but is there more on the line than reader cares to admit?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Word Count: 2,578

Warnings: language, fluff, sarcasm, unrealized romantic tension, drinking

A/N: This is my submission for the lovely Kait’s ( @bionic-buckyb) 5k AU Challenge. Congrats on the followers, friend! My prompt was “Can you please come over so I don’t feel so alone?”

I’m really behind on posting my parts for this challenge, I’ve got a long weekend, I wanna move this along because I’m dumb and entered another challenge, and I don’t wanna be a PIA for Kait, so I’m posting more frequently. Tags are closed.

Part 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7

“So, are you nervous?” Wanda asked, adjusting her sunglasses.

The two of you had decided to wander across the street to a food truck, and were now eating lunch on the bench outside of Stark Tower. The sun was bright again today, but you forced yourself to work and catch up on everything you missed yesterday while you were out having fun with Bucky.

“Me? Nervous about something really trivial? Never,” you deadpanned, scanning the busy street for nothing in particular. You didn’t have your sunglasses with you, so you couldn’t hide your expression from your coworker.

“You know, squinting causes wrinkles.”

“And worrying causes inflammation, but here we are.”

Wanda laughed, shaking her head once. “I can’t believe the two of you did this, anyways. Let me see this Peter guy again?”

You dug into your bag and found the picture that Bucky had texted you on your phone, then handed it over. “He’s very handsome.”

“He is,” she agreed, eyeing the stranger’s face. “But what’s he like?”

“I imagine that’s why I’m going on the date, Wanda, to find out what Peter is really like.” You stared straight ahead as something red caught your eye.

Oh, of course, the world’s most perfect woman would choose to make an appearance today.

“Is that Natasha?”

Wanda lowered her sunglasses just enough to have a look. “Yep. And she’s spotted us now. Aaaannd she’s coming this way.”

“Great,” you muttered, sinking a little lower on the bench, but keeping your eyes averted.

You had been giving yourself little pep talks all day about your own date, so hyper-focused on Peter and trying to win, that you’d sort of forgotten that Natasha was the prize for Bucky.

“Hey guys, I see you’ve found a way to avoid the cafeteria for lunch now?” Natasha smiled brightly at you both.

See this was another thing…you couldn’t hate Natasha if you tried. She was so nice, so smart, so helpful, so funny…so utterly, annoyingly perfect for Bucky…ugh.

“We’re trying out some of the new food trucks,” you explained, gesturing to your delicious Thai food.

“Any good?” Her eyes flickered to your tray, and a new feeling crept into your brain.

Why was she always encroaching on what was yours? First Bucky, now your lunch?

Could she let you live?

You blinked up at her, knowing full well that your attitude needed to be fixed, that she wasn’t purposefully trying to be an obnoxious thief.

Anyways, Bucky wasn’t yours, and the food trucks were for everyone.

“Very.”

“How about that?” Nat nodded to Wanda’s food.

“This was pretty good,” Wanda told her, holding up the plate of what was left of her falafel. “I think you’d like it.”

What was she going to talk about next, the nice weather you’ve been having? Small talk made your skin crawl. Everything was so forced, so awkward, and hardly ever sincere. It was one of the reasons why you hated first dates. Being polite and kind to others was one thing, but this?

Natasha nodded, then looked back at you curiously. “Is your mother okay?”

Wanda didn’t know this part, so she looked at you in utter confusion.

You knew she’d see right through this, because you were a terrible liar. “Uh…she’s fine. Just had a little scare.”

“Glad to hear that she’s doing well. I know that about half the floor was very concerned, since you almost never leave early. When I heard about what happened, I felt so bad.”

“Well,” you shrugged sheepishly. “When it’s your family, ya gotta…ya know…” Your voice trailed off as you realized you had no clue what to say.

Natasha didn’t seem to mind. Of course she didn’t.

“Right. Well, I actually came over here to ask about another rumor? My friend Peter says he’s taking you out tonight?”

You cringed, immediately feeling that same dread you had yesterday. What the hell? Does she know everybody? “That’s right. Just a first date. Just seeing how things go.”

“I thought you and Bucky were together for the longest time, you know, but Peter said that Bucky’s the one that fixed you two up. And then I heard from Rosie that she’s going out with Bucky tonight, and that you set it up?”

“Yep.” You didn’t know what else to say about that. Talking about Bucky with his perfect connection made you uncomfortable. “We’re best friends, just looking out for each other.”

“Well in that case, Bucky’s best friend, make sure you add me to the list, okay?” Natasha winked at you. “I’m single again, and I’ve had my eye on him for a while.”

“Will do,” you said, standing up with your tray of half-eaten Thai food. “I have to get back to work, I’ll see you girls later.”

You made your way to the nearest garbage can to throw the tray away, then with one last smile at the two women, you headed back inside.

“Text me about tonight,” Wanda called out as you made your quick getaway.

Once you were back in your neighborhood after work, you decided to stop at a shop that you pass on your way from the subway station every day.

It wasn’t one of those fancy stores with dresses that are more expensive than your rent, and frankly, you wouldn’t have bothered to look in one of those anyways. Not until some of your student loan debt was paid down, at least.

No, this was sort of like a vintage shop, and the lady that owned it would travel someplace new once a month to restock by personally selecting items she’s found at other shops or yard sales or the like. You wandered in there a lot, sometimes buying something small for yourself, and had gotten to know her pretty well.

Everything was cheaper there than it would be in Manhattan, but it was still expensive, because let’s face it, it’s Brooklyn. Hipsters made everything expensive.

This little venture was to try to find something that was new to you to wear tonight, as long as it was in your budget.

“Can I help you, Y/N?”

You whirled around and came face-to-face with Christine, the shop’s owner. “Hi, Chris. Actually I think you might be able to help me. I have a first date tonight with a guy I’ve never met, and I don’t know his personality, so I’m not sure if he’s conservative or not.”

Christine nodded, her eyes flitting around the room. “First date dresses are usually better if you go with a normal black dress, in my opinion. I think I have a couple options that would work for you, let me go dig them out. You wait right here, okay?” She smiled at you before heading toward the back of the room.

With a small sigh, you turned to the jewelry display. A silver necklace with a tiny red star caught your eye, and you moved over to get a closer look, letting your fingers brush the chain gently.

“Ah, that’s new as of yesterday,” Christine told you, coming back into the room. “I found it at an estate sale in Montauk. Isn’t it pretty?”

“It is,” you agreed, flinching at the price tag. “But not for eighty-five dollars.”

“Tell you what? I’ll sell it to you for five bucks if you end up buying a dress here today, just because I know you and like you.”

You looked up at her in surprise. “Really? Well, hell, now I’m definitely getting one. Let’s see what you got there.”

Christine motioned for you to follow her, and the two of you went to the dressing room in the back. She laid out three black dresses on the sofa, then gestured to the mirrors. “Now, try each one on, and whichever makes you feel the best is the one you should go with. Don’t even worry about what your date will think. If you’re feeling good, the date will be much better, okay? I’ll leave you to it.”

“Thanks, Chris,” you called to her retreating back.

The first dress had long sleeves, and a puffy skirt that went mid-thigh. It would have looked perfect on someone built like Florence Welch, but not you.

Dress number two was a little prettier, with a halter top and a belt, but it was a little too old-fashioned looking for tonight.

The third option was by far your favorite. This had an A-line skirt and three-quarter length sleeves, with a V-neck that wasn’t too scandalous, but let everyone know you meant business. Plus, it wouldn’t look overdone with a certain star necklace.

You couldn’t help but smile at your reflection.

Maybe tonight wouldn’t be so bad after all, with the right outfit and the right attitude.

Forget what you thought earlier.

This was bad, this was so so bad.

You were freaking out. Your face and palms were sweaty, and your hair was trying to do its own thing, and your makeup was just not the way you wanted it to be (because of all the sweat). Nothing was going right so far.

A loud knock sounded on your door. You knew it was way too early for Peter to be at your place, so you rushed out into the hall. “Who is it?”

“It’s Bucky!” The muffled voice was unmistakably his, but you didn’t have time to wonder why he would want to come over when the two of you were in wager mode.

“Door’s open!” You scurried back into your bathroom to try to make sense of your hair.

The only thing that was working out for you was your outfit.

You found yourself staring at your reflection for the second time that day, but this time you weren’t smiling. Why the hell were you putting so much effort into a date with a probable douchebag, one you didn’t even pick for yourself?

Why should you worry so much?

Who cares?

Slowly, you fixed your hair and makeup, and then wandered into the kitchen to put your head in the freezer for a second. Surely, that would cool you down.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I’m sweaty and nervous, so I’m trying to cool down.” Your tone let him know that it should be fairly obvious to him, since your freakin’ head was in the freezer.

“No, I meant, why are you sweaty and nervous?”

You moved away from the freezer and closed the door before turning to Bucky. The second you laid eyes on him, you froze.

Bucky must have had the same idea as you, to try a little harder with this date for the wager, because he looked so damn handsome. He was also wearing black on black, right down to his dress shirt and tie, and his hair was slicked back but somehow still fluffy.

Your stomach fluttered a little at the sight.

He, too, looked a little stunned at your appearance. You tended to wear comfy clothes around him. “I’ve never seen you dress up so much for a date before, Y/N.”

“Well, I’ve never seen you dress up ever for a date before, Bucky. You look great! If I knew you were so competitive, I might have made the terms a little crazier!”

Bucky moved to stand in front of you, a small smile playing on his lips. “You look really pretty. Actually, that word seems a little inadequate to describe you in this moment.” He reached for the star necklace that was around your neck, inspecting it carefully. “Is this new? I like it.”

“Yeah, Christine down at the shop on Bayard sold it to me for five bucks. She’s unreal.”

He nodded, and his fingers carefully set the necklace back down, brushing your skin so gently in the process that it sent shivers down your spine.

You figured you were finally, thankfully, at room temperature instead of a sweaty mess.

Bucky always did have a calming presence, after all.

“So,” he said with a small grin. “Any last tips for trying to woo your pal Rosie?”

“I got nothin’,” you replied, turning away to your fridge. “She’s a coworker, not really a pal. Wanna have a drink with me for good luck?” You reached in for your bottle of cheap moscato, sighing in relief that you’d remembered to stock up.

“No, I’m good. I’m more on my game when I’m sober.”

“Funny, I’ve got much more of a personality when drinking,” you quipped, using the corkscrew to open the bottle. You poured some of the light liquid into a wine glass.

Bucky frowned as he watched you down half a glass in seconds. “Don’t drink too much tonight.”

“Yes, Dad.” You rolled your eyes at him. “I’m just trying to stay loose. I don’t want to have that anxious feeling where I leave the table in five minutes because of something douchey. Not when your cooking is on the line.”

“Not too loose, though,” he muttered, pushing the wine bottle out of your reach.

You let that one slide. “So are we supposed to text updates to each other during the date?”

Bucky shrugged. “It might make it more entertaining.”

“Right, well I’ll be sure to-“

Another knock at your front door made you stop mid-sentence and stare at Bucky with wide eyes. “That’ll be Peter, then.”

“I’ll get it,” he offered, backing away from you slowly. “I have to get going, anyways.”

“Okay.” You stared at him as he opened the door and greeted the man outside, before you hesitantly walked over.

When your eyes met Peter’s, you were pleasantly surprised to find he didn’t seem douchey at all.

Bucky introduced you both, and you gave him a look that clearly said what the hell?

He merely shrugged at you, clearly catching your drift, his blue eyes unreadable. “Go have a nice time, you guys. I’ll see you tomorrow, Y/N.”

“Have fun on your date, Bucky.” You offered him one last smile, before closing your door, accepting Peter’s arm, and heading down the staircase.

“So, Y/N, I thought we could go to this little place downtown tonight. I know the owner, and…”

Peter’s voice trailed off as your thoughts strayed back to your best friend.

The deal had been for him to set you up with a douchebag to see if you could make it an entire date without freaking out and leaving. But now, you couldn’t help but wonder: did Bucky just throw the competition again?

What did this mean?

Maybe he just really wanted to you meet and date a nice guy. He was always looking out for you like that, after all, and he even said he hated that you kept going after the same kind of guy over and over. You always brushed off his concerns, telling him that you’d listen to his romance advice when he stopped sleeping around so much.

Your heart sank a little; there was no way you could keep Nat’s number from him now. He deserved to be happy, too, and what kind of friend withholds that information, knowing that Nat was perfect for him?

Peter stopped and looked at you expectantly, and you realized that you hadn’t heard anything else he said. “That all sounds great, Peter. I’m looking forward to it,” you said quickly, trying to make your tone of voice sound convincing.

It worked, because he smiled happily. “Great. We’re definitely gonna have fun tonight, Y/N!”

As you were getting into a taxi with Peter, you turned and spotted Bucky heading out to hail his own cab.

He waved at you, his expression blank. As the taxi pulled away, you lifted your hand to wave back, with a small smile on your face and a nervous feeling in your stomach.

Part 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7

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ben-booker · 7 years

Text

Stuffed Animals and a Little Something Else || Ben & Alex

TAGGING → Ben Booker and Alex March.

TIME FRAME → Saturday, April 15, 2017.

LOCATION → Rockford County Fair.

GENERAL NOTES → Ben and Alex go on their first official date, and much adorableness ensues, including one very important milestone in their relationship.

Ben: Ben wasn’t quite sure how they had ended up here at the Rockford County Fair when Alex was the furthest from the carnival type, but here they were, walking side by side through the fair. He was far too nervous to hold her hand, although he really did want to. They had already played a handful of games, neither one of them really winning anything that big. And that’s when Ben spotted it. “Hey, look! It’s that one game with the guns and the balloons.” He had a glint in his eye as he turned to Alex. “Are you ready to go down, champ? Cause I’m a pro at this.” He walked over to the booth, motioning for Alex to follow suit, and plopped down on one of the red stools, forking over a dollar bill to the attendant. “I’m so ready for this.”

Alex: While she was one to usually find events like a carnival silly, Alex had really been enjoying herself. It was just some simple fun, and with Ben she had found herself laughing, and smiling the whole day. While the nerves were always there, there was an ease with being with him. The heaviness she sometimes felt seemed to disappear, as she got lost in the fun of the games, and just being in his presence. When they reached the desired booth, she pressed her lips together, as a smile pulled at them, finding the boyish look on his face as he mentioned the game, amusing. She sat down next to him, her hands gripping the gun. “Be prepared to eat your words, Booker.”

Ben: While he was usually a gentleman, there was no way in hell he was going to let Alex beat him. Call it his manly pride, or perhaps he just really wanted to win a tiny stuffed animal for her––the prizes for this game were never all that big––but he was intent on being the first one to pop his balloon. He watched as a few others settled into their places, and he could only grip his gun in anticipation. He looked over at Alex, who seemed as determined as ever to defeat him. Smiling, he chuckled and shook his head. “You look cute when you’re about to lose.” The attendant signaled that they were done accepting any more people before starting the count down. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… RINGGGG!!! And with such focus and precision, Ben shut his left eye, using his single right eye to skillfully aim the stream of water into the tiny hole in the distance.

Alex: Though her speech was confident, Alex had never in fact played this game. She wasn’t sure what her chances were of actually winning, but her competitive nature would never admit that to Ben. That grin on his face, and his sweet smack talk, was enough to urge her on. After all, how hard could it be to pop a balloon? She gave him a slight glare, a barely-there smile placed upon her lips, just before the bell rang. Concentrating on the game, Alex shot at the hole, frustration seeping in as she realized her aim was not as spot on as she hoped. She couldn’t help but look over at Ben, who looked like he was more at a shooting range and not just a carnival game. She laughed to herself, before putting her attention back to her shooting. Ben: Growing up in Iowa, he most certainly had had his fair share of experiences with guns. Granted, he wasn’t playing carnival games all the time. He was shooting more tin cans in an open field than water to pop balloons, but the concept was the same. He didn’t even have time to worry about what Alex was doing because he was far too focused on his own performance. He knew that he was in the lead, but some other guy was right on his tail, probably hoping to get a stuffed animal for his girlfriend. Ben’s balloon was getting bigger and bigger, and he could swear that in just a few more seconds, it was bound to pop. Alex: Alex had no hope of winning, she knew that for a fact, so she focused on not getting last place. For she couldn’t have Ben teasing her about letting the children competitors beat her. Focused on her balloon, she jumped in her stool as a loud pop sounded off, and she realized Ben had won. She put her gun down in defeat, taking a moment before looking at him. Swinging her body towards him, her lips pursed as she gave a slow nod. “Nice shooting there, Farm Boy.” Ben: Once the balloon finally popped, Ben felt a wave of accomplishment course through his body. Victory was sweet. He could see the other guy looking thoroughly disappointed, his girlfriend trying to cheer him up and telling him there were other games. He turned to Alex, grinning as he playfully joked, “Congrats, you didn’t finish last!” He stood up, happily taking the medium-sized teddy bear from the attendant as a token of his big win. He motioned for Alex to follow him out of the booth, stopping when he got to the middle of the road. He held the bear up. “Hmmm. What should we name him?”

Alex: “Shut up,” She leaned over, giving him a small push in the shoulder. “I’ll have you know, I’m pretty sure the game was fixed. There was totally something wrong with my gun.” Small bits of laughter left her lips, and she shook her head, unable to accept how poorly she had done. Standing up she followed close behind Ben, stopping as he did. Staring at the bear, she pretended to study it hard, looking deep in thought, before reaching Ben’s eyes with her own. “Teddy? Isn’t that like the rule of thumb?” Ben: Ben pretended that her little shove hurt him, a playful “ow” escaping his mouth as he rubbed his shoulder. “Oh, of course. Of course. They rigged it so that your gun squirted less water than everyone else’s.” He nodded his head, going along with joke. He was holding the bear up, wondering what sort of creative name Alex would give him, but only to laugh when she finally decided on the generic “Teddy.” He couldn’t help but shake his head, still snickering at her choice. “Now, Teddy. Isn’t that short for Theodore Marshall Roosevelt the Fifth?” Still chuckling, he held up the brown bear, right in front of his face. “Here, Teddy’s yours, but first, you gotta give him a kiss.”

Alex: “You noticed it too,” she put a hand up, the smile she was trying to hold back, forming onto her mouth. “I bet you paid the guy extra to make sure I got the faulty gun.” Her brow raised as she looked up at him playfully. A quiet chuckle escaped, and she shook her head, running a hand through her hair. “What can I say, I’m just really into history,” she laughed again. Alex crossed her arms, as he mentioned the needed payment for the bear. She looked down at the stuffed animal, then back up at Ben, her right eyebrow arched. “You have got to be kidding if you think I’m going to kiss a teddy bear out here, right now.” Ben: Ben nodded his head vigorously. “Oh, yes. I most definitely set you up so that you’d get the dysfunctional gun. Yes.” He was grinning from ear to ear now, thoroughly amused by all the excuses Alex was making to explain her dreadful loss. He watched as she folded her arms over her chest, refusing to give the necessary payment to claim her prize. “Oh, come on. I did the hard part. I won the bear, and now, all you have to do is kiss him.” Ben had a slight twinkle in his sapphire blue eyes. “It’s not like you’re going to make out with it. It’s just a little peck on the lips.” He continued to hold the bear right in front of his face, now talking in a cute little bear voice. “Kiss me, Alex. Kiss me!” Alex: A playful glare settled into her eyes, “I knew it.” She pointed at him, shaking her head at herself soon after. “No, I’m gonna look like such an idiot,” she tried to protest, but he was already wearing her down. What he was asking her to do seemed stupid and cheesy, but the girlish grin upon her face did nothing to discourage him. She looked around the carnival, before her eyes settled back on him and the bear. The way his eyes shone, sent a flutter in Alex’s stomach, and she couldn’t hold back the small giggle that escaped as he did the silly voice. “Oh my God, fine. I’ll do it if that means you’ll shut up.” Pushing up on her toes, she moved up towards the bear, laying a small kiss on the brim of it’s nose. Ben: Ben had a feeling that Alex wouldn’t be able to resist any longer. The bear was so freakin’ cute. With a goofy grin still plastered on his face and his eyes still shining brightly, he watched as Alex finally gave in, tiptoeing to plant a quick peck on Teddy’s nose. He wasn’t quite sure what possessed him to do it, but as her lips rested on the bear’s nose, he slowly pulled the bear aside to replace its nose with his own lips. He’d been wanting to do this for so long. Maybe it was his victory that had given him the courage to do it. He wasn’t really sure, but his lips were finally on Alex’s and that’s all that mattered right now. Alex: Just as she was about to pull away from the bear, Ben took her by surprise, as he moved it, and she found herself now kissing him instead. Her heart went a flutter as his lips made contact with hers, and she let her eyes close with ease. Her hand fell lightly upon his chest, as she pressed her lips firmly into his. She had imagined what it would be liked to be kissed by Ben. Wondered about the softness of his lips. The warmth of his mouth. This kiss, in this moment, didn’t compare to what she had only thought of. It was better. God, so much better. Ben: Using his free hand, the one not preoccupied with the teddy bear, Ben gently cupped Alex’s face, allowing him to deepen the kiss ever so slightly. This kiss had been a long time coming. He had waited for so long, and he was definitely happy he did. All the waiting leading up to this moment just made it that much better. Her lips were so soft, her mouth so warm. He allowed himself to get lost in the kiss for just a second, completely engrossed in her scent, her taste, her everything. Alex: She loved the feel of his hand upon her face. His touch so strong, yet gentle. He deepened the kiss, and she gripped on to his shirt, pulling her own body into his. The world around them was completely lost on Alex, as he became her only focus. Never had she experienced this. Never had she known a man to handle her with such care. Never had she known a kiss that could reach down inside her and make her heart race the way it was now. Kissing, for Alex, had always been just a physical act, but this… This was more, and it terrified and warmed her at the same time. Ben: It had been a long time since he’d felt something like this. After David, he’d shut out everyone else, fully convinced that his heart was no longer capable of feeling that kind of love anymore. And while he didn’t love Alex (yet), she did make him feel things, as if there was still hope for him to find someone in this crazy world and that even after getting his heart stomped upon, he could still care for someone. He didn’t want to pull away, but his lungs were sorely missing oxygen, so he slowly disconnected their lips. Immediately, the absence of her lips made him feel like something was missing. There was a silence between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. He looked straight into her eyes and said in all seriousness, “I think Teddy’s jealous.” Alex: How could something so simple as him putting his lips against hers, put such a hold on her? What was it about this man that made her long for all the things she never knew before? All the waiting had been worth it for this kiss. She was glad for this moment. Glad to share it with him, like she had never done with anyone else before. Peeling his lips off of hers, she found herself yearning for the warmth that his mouth had brought. Her eyes were slow to open, and it wasn’t till he spoke up, that Alex’s mind was pulled back into reality. “Hmm?” Her brow raised, eyes big as she looked up at him. The teddy bear had been long forgotten until this moment. “Oh,” quiet laughter left her lips, as she remembered. “Yeah, I think so too,” her voice was quiet as she responded. “I could give him another kiss… to be fair,” A smile reached her brown eyes. Ben: He loved Alex’s smile, and he was happy to be the reason for it right now. The teddy bear, previously neglected, now had all the attention once again. Ben lifted the brown stuffed animal back up in front of his face, doing his best little bear voice once more. “Don’t forget about me, Alex! Kiss me!” He waved Teddy right in front of her face, snickering from behind the stuffed animal. Alex: A gentle laugh made it’s way through as she shook her head. “You are such a dork,” she looked away for only a moment, before snatching up the bear in her hand. Pushing up against him, Alex moved her hands, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You said I only had to kiss him once. So I did, and now he’s mine.” A playful expression from earlier returned to her face, as she stared up at Ben. Ben: Ben was mildly surprised when Alex took the teddy bear out of his hand. “Hey!” he laughed as he surrendered control of the stuffed animal to his date. Her hands were still draped around his neck, not that he minded. “That, I did,” he agreed. “And I’m a man of my word.” Still smiling, he looked down at Alex. “But I never said anything about you and me.” He wanted so badly to kiss her again, but at the same time, he wanted her to just grab him by the collar and plant one on his lips. Alex: She titled her head, a small smirk placed upon her mouth. The smile soon disappeared though, as that familiar feeling of yearning to feel his lips on hers returned. “And um,” she held his gaze, eyes wide. “How many kisses do you think that will that take?” Her mouth inched closer to his with every word she spoke. Ben: Ben watched as Alex’s face moved closer and closer to his, and he so badly wanted to kiss her. He returned her smirk with one of his own before managing to whisper, doing his best not to laugh, uttering in a most serious tone, “At least one every single day.” With that, he was unable to resist the urge any longer, and once again, for the second time that day, their lips collided. This kiss was slightly needier than the other one because Ben knew that both of them wanted this. There was no need to be timid anymore. Alex: With his answer, a sweet, small smile tugged at the corners of Alex’s mouth, but it was soon hidden, as Ben’s lips reached hers again. He kissed her with an urgency this time, and she kissed him back with a need that matched it. Her free hand ran up the back of his neck, fingers sliding into his hair. She had wanted this for so long now––ever since that dinner at his place where he cooked, and sang to her––and for some reason he seemed to want it back, though she had no understanding of why, but she was glad he did. Ben: Usually, he wasn’t one for public displays of affection, but something about being around Alex brought out another side of him, a more adventurous Ben that didn’t care so much about the audience. Now that both of his hands were free, he was able to let one rest on the small of her back, pulling her body closer to his so that there was no space between them, while the other one rested on her hip. All he could think about was how good it felt to kiss her, the amazing feel of her soft lips and her tongue grazing against his. It was heavenly. Alex: Her body pressed completely against his, and she loved the feeling of his hands on her. She felt cared for in his arms, not just lusted after. Though, the physical attraction was quite present as well. His tongue met hers, and Alex completely melted into the kiss. And she kissed him until she absolutely had to pull away. Resting her forehead against his she took a moment to catch her breath, and in that moment she realized for the first time, her nerves were completely gone. “I think I could handle doing this every single day.” There was a slight tone of humor to her voice, but Alex knew her words to be true. While she had never been kissed like this before, she knew now she didn’t want to go without it. Ben: Ben had been joking when he’d teased that they should kiss every day, but he really wouldn’t be opposed to doing this regularly. This time, she was the one who pulled away, so he smiled at her, thanking the heavens that he’d found the courage to ask her out on a date. “I have no problem with that,” he raised his hands, chuckling as he took her free hand into his, lacing their fingers together. “Come on. Let’s go win you an even bigger bear.” Alex: Feeling his hand encase hers, she felt unsure at first, but she relaxed her hand his. It didn’t seem like a big deal before, but Alex realized as she stared down at her hand in his, that no man had ever held her hand before. Not like this anyway. Never had a man walked side by side with her and entangled his fingers with hers. She stared up at Ben as they walked, almost in wonder of him. He was like a dream, as she had never met anyone like him. But without her even realizing it, he had been her dream, and somehow, just somehow, he was real.

#para:all #para:alexandra march #para:stuffed animals and a little something else

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