#it's fine it's fine they're alive and they should be happy about that n they *will* be happy about that so stop thinking about what happened

[hjparisian]

you're losing me- theodore nott x reader

p: theodore nott x gn!reader w: kinda sad, angst summary: Theodore Nott and (Y/N) (L/N) have been close friends since they were kids. Realizing their feelings for each other, they pursue a relationship. Theodore begins to change and (Y/N) feels that they're losing him. a/n: i wanna apologize for how long it's taken for me to get this out, but i hope its still enjoyable. also do you guys like the summaries before the story? not sure if i should keep them or not

Theodore Nott and (Y/N) (L/N) have known each other since they were young. Being purebloods, they were put together with the other pureblood kids at parties. The first party they ever been to, the two clicked, deciding they were designated party buddies at these boring functions.

Aside from the Malfoy's, the (L/N)'s also threw numerous elegant parties. The (L/N)'s never cared for where the kids were as long as they were exhibiting proper sophisticated behavior when present. At one of the (L/N)'s parties, young (Y/N) dragged young Theodore to one of the many rooms in the manor, wanting to escape the adults. The room had rows of books from floor to ceiling, a fireplace, and big windows that brought in beautiful sunlight during the day.

From that day forward, that was (Y/N)'s and Theodore's room. (Y/N) would always bring Theodore to the room whenever he was over, whether it be during parties or the holidays, and Theodore would bring more books to add to the shelves. Sometimes they would invites some of their closet pureblood friends like Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, Blaise, and the Greengrass sisters, but to them, it was their room only.

Once the two began going to Hogwarts, they felt closer than ever, and the fact that they were both placed in Slytherin helped. If (Y/N) was in the library studying, Theodore was next to them helping. If Theodore was chilling in the common room with his mates, (Y/N) was sitting right next to him.

In fourth year, the Triwizard Tournament was taking place and the Yule Ball was announced. Everyone was scrambling to find someone to take. Theodore had only one person in mind though, (Y/N). He told them to meet him at the astronomy tower, where he stood there holding their favorite flowers, ready to pop the question.

"(Y/N) (L/N), will you make me the luckiest man alive by being my date to the Yule Ball?"

Much to his pleasure, (Y/N) said yes.

The day of the Yule Ball finally came and everyone was excited. Both (Y/N) and Theodore were nervous, not wanting to embarrass themselves in front of the other. The moment the two laid their eyes on each other, they didn't even notice the other people around them, all they saw was each other. Toward the end of the night, Theodore told (Y/N) his feelings, sparking a new relationship at Hogwarts.

Everything was going just fine, sure they may have small arguments, but Theodore and (Y/N) would always be able to patch things up. But things start to change in the sixth year. Theodore started to be more distant. He would either be late to breakfast or not show up at all. Everytime (Y/N) would ask if they could meet somewhere, Theodore would always reply with "Can't, I'm busy right now." This change was putting a strain on their relationship.

To everyone else, it seemed that Theodore and (Y/N) were fine, but in reality, there's an unknown battle going on. (Y/N) tried to appear happy in front of their friends, not wanting to worry them, but there was one person that could see through their facade. Pansy.

Every time Pansy would confront (Y/N) about this, (Y/N) would defend Theodore with their life.

"(Y/N), I can see things between you and Theo aren't okay."

"No! I mean, we're fine. Theo's just busy right now with school."

Pansy knew that they really cared for Theodore and don't want to face the facts that their relationship is starting to fall. But by doing so, (Y/N) is slowly bleeding out from the pain he is causing them.

Before winter break, (Y/N) was invited to Slughorn's Christmas Party. Those who were attending were encouraged to bring a date. They decided to take a chance and ask Theodore to be their date, not wanting to go with anyone else.

(Y/N) was able to find Theodore in the common room reading, and decided to take chance.

"Hey."

Theo looks up at them. "Hey."

"I was wondering, if you weren't busy, if you would be my date to Slughorn's Christmas Party?" There was a slight pause. "Blaise and Pansy are going. I think Daphne too."

(Y/N) looks at Theodore, slightly scared for his response. The man took a breathe before answering.

"Sure."

"Good." (Y/N) said. "It's on the 20th at 8 o'clock. Dress nice."

Theodore Nott said yes to going. So why was (Y/N) disappointed by his response? It's because his response wasn't what they were expecting. Theodore's responses were typically more energetic, telling them there was nothing else he'd rather do than spend time with them.

Was this the beginning of an end? Is (Y/N) starting to lose Theodore? Or is it the other way around? Will Theodore lose (Y/N) by pushing them away?

The night of Slughorn's Christmas Party was not an exciting one. (Y/N) was deciding if they should just ditch it and leave Theodore waiting for them, if he even bothered to show up. But of course, Theodore wouldn't ditch them nor would (Y/N), having been taught manners all their life by their parents.

The two met up in the common room, deciding they could walk together to Slughorn's office for the party. The walk was painfully silent, until (Y/N) decided to break it.

"So. How have you been?"

"Fine." Theodore responds. "You?"

"I've been alright. Mainly doing school work."

Theodore hums in response, ending the brief conversation.

Luckily, they had arrived at Slughorn's office. Theodore opened the door and as they walked in, it felt like they were transported somewhere else. It seemed as if the Potions professor really out did himself, with all the gold, crimson, and emerald hangings, it definitely did not feel like they were in his office.

(Y/N) spotted their Slytherin friends and dragged Theodore towards them. Pansy stood with Blaise, who was holding her waist while Daphne Greengrass was chatting it up with Adrian Pucey.

"Hey, Pansy!" (Y/N) called out.

Pansy turned towards the two Slytherins at the sound of her name. "(Y/N)! Theodore!" She ran to give (Y/N) a hug, Blaise joining her to give Theodore their so called 'bro hugs'.

"You look stunning," Pansy says.

"Aw thank you Pansy," said (Y/N). "You do too!"

"And what about your other favorite Slytherin? Don't I look hot?" Blaise asks with a sly grin.

"Ah Blaise," (Y/N) begins to say. "You look absolutely terrible." A small 'Hey!' leaves Blaise's month as he looks offend. "Joking, joking!"

A voice calls (Y/N)'s name. It was Professor Slughorn.

"Ah (Y/N)! I'm so glad you're here. Come with me, I've got a couple people who are want to meet the (L/N)'s heir!"

"Oh er, sure Professor," (Y/N) tells him as he begins to drag them away.

"Worry not dear (Y/N) you'll be back with your friends soon!"

As Slughorn was bringing (Y/N) to meet some of his friends and alumni, (Y/N)'s eyes looked at Theodore, who wasn't even aware or concerned about their temporary departure. In fact, he was more focused on the seemingly wonderful conversation he was having with Daphne Greengrass.

While being forced to talk with numerous people, thanks to Professor Slughorn, (Y/N) couldn't help but keep looking for Theodore, hoping he was looking for them but to their disappointment, he was staring still staring into the eyes of Daphne, smiling as she was talking. He hadn't looked at them like that in ages.

They had to talk to Theodore.

(Y/N) turned to the lady that was currently chatting with her. "My apologies, I must be heading now, if you could excuse me." They began walking towards their supposed lover and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hello Theodore, Daphne. I hope you don't mind if I talk to Theo about something, do you?" (Y/N) asks.

"Oh no, go ahead," Daphne tells them.

(Y/N) had already begun to drag Theodore outside the party, pulling him into an empty corridor. As soon as they stopped, Theodore yanks his hand out of (Y/N)'s grasp.

"What is it you want, (Y/N)?" Theodore asks. "Daphne and I were in the middle of a conversation."

"What I wanna know is what is up with you? Since the start of this year, you've practically been ignoring me! Everytime I've asked to do something, you always say you're busy!"

"That's because I am busy-"

"Doing what? Spending time with Daphne? Avoiding us?"

"(Y/N), no. It isn't-"

"It isn't what, Theodore? I see the way you look at Daphne. It's how you used to look at me."

At this point, (Y/N) was struggling to hold their tears back, releasing all the anger, frustration and pain they've been holding in.

"This whole time I've been pretending everything was fine, but in reality I was waiting for you to do something to save us. To show that you still love me."

"(Y/N) I still love you."

"If you still did, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Theodore took a deep breath, obviously starting to get frustrated.

"Listen (Y/N), let's just go back to the party and talk about this later." Theo tells them.

"Oh? So you can avoid this whole conversation and me the rest of the night? To spend your night with someone else?"

"Honestly (Y/N), you're over exaggerating," Theodore scoffs. He turns and starts walking away from them.

"And where are you going?"

"Away. I think we need space right now. I'll see you after break."

Theodore leaves (Y/N) alone in the corridor. All (Y/N) could do was sob, feeling heartbroken. The next day, they took the next train and returned to the (L/N)'s manor.

"How has school been? Are you passing all your classes?" (Y/N)'s mother asked during lunch.

(Y/N) swallowed the piece of food in their mouth before responding. "It's been alright. I'm doing well in all my classes. I have O's and E's."

"And how are your friends?" (Y/N)'s father chimes in. "Oh and Nott's boy! How could I forget? How is he?"

"Oh Theodore! That boy is so sweet." (Y/N)'s mother said.

Of course they'd have to bring up Theodore. "Everyone's doing alright. We're just all busy with classes and preparing for NEWTs next year." said (Y/N), trying to avoid the topic of the Slytherin boy.

"You know," their mother begins. "I wouldn't mind if you and Theodore got married once you graduate from Hogwarts."

If (Y/N) had anything in their mouth, they would've done a spit take.

(Y/N)'s father agreed. "I think it would be wonderful! Uniting the Nott and (L/N) families."

(Y/N) didn't want to let their parents know what happened between the two. It would only cause more harm and could ruin any business going on between the two families. Besides, who'd want to marry the insecure heir of the (L/N)?

Not wanting to discuss this anymore (as well as losing their appetite), (Y/N) handing their plate to the families house elf before standing up.

"If you'll excuse me, I would like to do a bit of studying."

(Y/N) began walking straight to their room, until a specific set of doors caught their eye. They decide to take a detour and enter it. It was the room where Theodore and (Y/N) would spend their times hiding from the adults at the elegant pureblooded parties.

It looked about the same since they were last in it near the beginning of summer. Shelves of books filled from floor to ceiling, the fireplace was out, books strewn about on tables, and their most favorite part of this room, the large windows that shined sunlight on them. It was one of the major things that Theodore and (Y/N) liked about this room.

On one of the tables was a handkerchief with the initials T.N. embroidered on it. It was Theodore's.

One summer afternoon, (Y/N) and Theodore sat across from each other reading. Theodore heard small sniffs and looked up to see (Y/N) with tears welled up in their eyes.

"(Y/N) are you alright?" He asked them, concerned for their wellbeing.

(Y/N) looked up at him. "Oh, yes, sorry. I just got to a really emotional part in my book, but I'm alright."

Theodore put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a white cloth with the letters T.N. on it in gold.

"Here, (Y/N)," Theodore says as he hands it to them. "So you can wipe the tears. I hate to see you cry."

(Y/N) immediately takes the handkerchief and dabs the tears away. "Thank you so much Theo."

The boy gave them a smile. "Anything for you (Y/N)."

All (Y/N) could do was cry at the memory. The Theodore that they once loved, was practically gone. The love they had for each other has faded. They could no longer find the pulse leading to their love.

All that remain was the room that Theodore and (Y/N) had loved because of the light.

#harry potter #harry potter x reader #theodore nott #theo nott #theodore nott x reader #theo nott x reader #theodore nott x y/n #theo nott x y/n #theo nott imagine

[symp4nat]

Deep Questions?

Clarisse La Rue x fem!reader

authors note: guys its a quarter past midnight i needa sleep i have church tmrw help

word count: almost 700 words hoorayy

Clarisse laid in her bed, with you laying on top of her, as she stroked your hair. "Don't you think we should be productive tod-"

You clapped a hand over her mouth. "Shut up. Today's one of the only days we don't have to do anything, so please, let's just stay in bed."

You buried your face into her neck and she tried not to giggle as your breath tickled her neck. "C," you quietly questioned.

She hummed in response. "Where do you see yourself in 10 years," you asked. She gave you a funny look and then answered, "Why?"

You shrugged. "Just answer it." She nodded and said, "Well, hopefully done with college, maybe I'll work at Camp Jupiter... hoping I'm alive till then." You slapped her arm. She continued, "And maybe I'll get an apartment at Jupiter."

You lifted your head. "On Jupiter?" She laughed and shook her head. "At Camp Jupiter." You nodded as you understood what Clarisse meant. "What about kids," you asked. Clarisse laid there in complete silence for a minute and then she shrugged, "Married to you, a few pets and kids later on."

You tried holding back a smile. "You'd wanna get married?" She shrugged with a nonchalant look on her face, "Yeah?"

You went back to your previous spot next to her neck and she asked, "Y/N/N?" You kissed her neck softly. "What's your favourite part about me?"

With an eager look on your face, you lifted your head. You fully sat up as your body straddled her waist. You gazed into Clarisse's gentle brown eyes. "Um... physical or personality?" Clarisse grinned and cooed, "Aww, you're the sweetest..."

You averted your face. "Shut up," you said as you tried to cover your blush.

Clarisse placed one hand at the bottom of your back and used the other to tilt your head towards her. "Both."

You gulped and said, "I guess... your eyes? They're very pretty. Or maybe your arms, they give very good hugs. Personality.... you act tough, but you're a softie, I think it's very cute."

Clarisse made eye contact with you. "First off, I'm not soft. Secondly, thank you, you're very kind. Then what's your favourite part of me that you like to kiss?"

Your face turned red. "Your nose? Or neck?" You looked down at her stomach and then whined, "Why am I the one answering all of these questions, why can't you?"

Clarisse gently laughed. "Fine, what do you wanna know?"

With a grin, you answered, "All of it!"

She laughed and said, "Well, for starters, I enjoy kissing your forehead-" You cut her off, "I like when you kiss my head." She nodded, "I know, that's why I do it. I'd say... I love your hands. I know that sounds sexual, but I love holding them, it's just so... it makes me happy, y'know?"

You nodded and tried to hold back a smile. She continued, "I love your kind and giving personality. And how you love hugs."

"You're so cute," you cooed as you cupped your girlfriend's face. "I'm not cute," Clarisse grumped. You giggled, "You're just proving my point right now.."

You scooted your body down and laid back in your spot next to Clarisse's neck. Her hands found their way under your shirt soon and she rubbed your back. You gently closed your eyes and she quickly noticed, especially as you shook your head.

"Go to sleep, mamas, you deserve it," Clarisse mumbled against your hair. You shook your head. "We barely get days off, this is our last one for what, 7 months? I wanna stay up and hang out," you said with a yawn.

"Bed time, goodnight," Clarisse commanded. You whined, "Please, I wanna hang out.."

Clarisse shook her head, "Nu uh, we can hang out another day, this is sleep time. We're still hanging out, just sleeping." She kissed your head and you pouted. "Fine. Night night."

You both quietly drifted off to sleep, just for Clarisse's siblings to see you both in her bed in the corner, snoring away. Her reaction to seeing the pictures they took was funny. But she can tell you another day.

#clarisse la rue #clarisse la rue x reader #clarisse x reader #clarisse la rue fluff #clarisse la rue x y/n #clarisse pjo #pjo #pjo tv show #pjo tv series #pjo series #pjo fandom #percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson #disney plus #dior goodjohn

[dunmeshi-darlings]

eeee i love your writing!!! could i get chilchuck comforting a crying reader (who's normally very bubbly and happy)? Bonus if they're crying bc they think their feelings for chilchuck are unrequited 🫣

Thank you kindly dear anon, i hope your day is going well and that you have rested well and ate well.

Chilchuck was never good with emotions, both his and other peoples. He kept his own emotions hidden so as not to appear vulnerable. And when it came to other peoples emotions he was fine with the positive ones...but quickly became awkward when things turn negative.

In fact he might be the worst (well second worst possibly) when it comes to dealing with emotional issues. So when he walks in and sees you crying he freezes up like a deer caught in the headlights. Its such a foreign sight to him he wasnt even sure if he was seeing it right.

You have always been such a bright cheery person, No matter the situation you were always the one that had the biggest grin across your face telling everyone its going to be ok, to not give up and push on. That was one of the things chilchuck liked about you the most, even if he would talk about how a situation was impossible or that it was to dangerousm you were always the one reassuring him that things were going to be ok. He never said it but it really meant alot to him, usually he would just ignore it or blow it off but he knows deep down it helps him more than he lets on.

He stares at you sobbing, wide eyed for a few moments before quickly making his way over to you. "WOAH woah hey Y/N hey hey its ok! its ok, whats wrong are you hurt?"

He says quickly sitting down beside you putting an arm around you instinctually. He normally isnt one to get physical when it came to comforting people but it was just something he did before he even realized he was doing it.

"Im fine...im just stupid..a stupid stupid idiot...an idiot that should have known better" You said through tears before breaking into sobs again, chilchuck looked around awkwardly before pulling you into him to cry, he sat there patting your back trying to comfort you as best he could. patting your back and repeatedly saying it was ok softly.

Eventually when you finally manage to calm down he wipes away some tears from your face before speaking up. "Now tell me whats going on? what do you mean know beter?" You want to tell him the truth, it had been eating you alive for days and days now. But tonight you realized what the actual truth was, and it was to much and broke you to pieces, it was a truth you had tried to ignore but couldnt and it broke your very being. You dont want to tell anyone about it, let alone him...but you know he wont let you hide away and pretend like this wasnt happening. so you take a deep breath and speak.

"im sorry chilchuck...i know this is going to make you feel awkward...and i know..i know you dont feel the same way.....but i like you, i REALLY like you...i care about you more than anyone else. and i know its stupid and i should just get over it but...it hurts.." you admit to him, not even looking at him, With how you feel right now your sure you wouldnt want him seeing your face right now. He didnt say anything, he only stared wide eyed at you. You should have known this was how he was going to react, you know how he felt about inter group relationships so you know he wouldnt want any part of being with you. However your miserable thoughts were interrupted as he pulled you into a tight hug.

"hey dont talk like that...if there is anyone here thats an idiot its me. I do care about you, I really do. You mean alot more to me than you realize, and you help me stay sane down here." He says squeezing you tight, you sniffle softly as you cant believe what your hearing. "Im not great with emotions...both dealing with other people and my own. Whenever you would be so positive and cheery it would make me genuinely happy, but i didnt want to get to attached so id play it off or something but genuinely you have helped me so much down here. I also have....other reasons on why im so hesitant to show emotions that im not ready to talk about just yet...but i do care about you...in fact i think i might like you the same way you like me. I just struggle being open about things you know? i should have been honest with you and open about my feelings back...that way you wouldnt have to deal with this. Im sorry, But to make it up to you, once we rescue falin and leave the dungeon why dont i take you to dinner?"

You couldnt believe what you were hearing, he had feelings for you to?! you couldnt believe it, you could feel yourself hugging him close as you smiled into his shoulder. "That sounds great, id love to."

#dungeon meshi #dungeon meshi x reader #chilchuck #chilchuck x reader

[ahgasegotarmy116]

The Art of Etiquette Part 2 | Jeon Jungkook

Summary: You try to back out on being a debutant so you can stop taking lessons with Mr. Jeon but your mother is going to do everything she can to make you follow through Paring: f!reader x Etiquette instructor Jungkook Word Count: 2k~ Warnings: Like one cuss word but thats about it lol a/n: Let me know how you guys are liking this! I was planning on posting this later but I wanted to see if posting around this time would be better :) p.s. roughly edited lol

"Mom! Mom! Where are you?" I yell as soon as I get home. "I'm right here so please stop yelling, you know that there is no yelling in this household" she scolds. "Okay, then why did you yell at me when I got a bad grade on my midterm paper?" I throw in her face. "Watch your tone y/n I am still your mother" she retorts. "Now what is it?" she says quickly turning the conversation back to it's intended course. 

"I can't do this" I say and start making my way to the living room with her soon trailing behind. "Do what?" she sighs once we've both sat down. "This whole debutante thing, it's not for me" I say hoping it would pacify her but knowing for a fact that would never happen. "You're doing it!" she says, wanting to end the conversation already. 

"No I'm not!" I argue back "I'm not cut out for this thing. This life of high society and playing nice with strangers, pretending like you actually care about what they're talking about. I just can't pretend to be someone I'm not" I explain but unfortunately she'll have none of it. "Did something happen at your lessons today?" she asks, hoping to find the cause of my anxieties.

"Nothing happened" I huff, standing up and making my way to my room. "Obviously something happened since you always seem to have something to say about everything even at the most inopportune times" she says, obviously exacerbated by the memories. "Are you talking about the time I added staying alive to the set list at grandpa's funeral?" I question chuckling at the memory. 

"See this is exactly why you need those lessons. It's time to grow up, and if you're not ready to do that yet then I'll just have you get a job and start paying your own tuition so you can learn on your own what it means to be an adult" she threatens. "James said that he would pay for my tuition if I decided I wanted to go back to college. You can't take that away from me!" I argue and stop in my tracks, surprised and upset that she would even stoop that low. 

"Since you still feel the need to whine over small sacrifices such as these then it looks like we should probably start giving you some more responsibilities so you will grow up. Just take the damn lessons y/n, it would really make your father and I happy if we could introduce you to everyone properly" she explains softening her tone towards the end.

"But he-" I start, wanting to tell her what my instructor made me do but we're cut off by the sound of James getting home. "How are my two lovely ladies doing?" he asks while giving my mother a kiss on her temple. "Oh we're fine, y/n was just telling me how much she enjoyed her first lesson right?" she says giving me a stern face, daring me to say otherwise.

"Oh yeah they were great Mr. Jeon seems like a very nice man" I say giving him a half smile, forcing the answer out of myself. I hate lying to him, especially since he's been nothing but nice to me so far. A lot nicer than my mother that's for sure, so I would hate to mess things up with him. 

"Well that's great news! Especially since he called me just now and asked if you would like to take more lessons with him. It seems like he's taken a special interest in you and wants to really make sure you're set up for success. Would that be something that you would like?" he asks, thankfully leaving the decision up to me but with the glare my mother is giving me it seems like from her point of view there's only one obvious answer for this question.

"That works for me. Whatever you both think would be best is be fine by me" I say, doing my very best to sound as genuine as possible even though I'm dying inside. 

"Wonderful! He's asked if we could do three days of etiquette and two days of dance lessons during the week and on days closer to events we should do dance lessons on the weekend before the event as well. That schedule work out alright for you?" he asks while taking out his phone to no doubt sending a message to Matthew to contact Mr. Jeon tomorrow morning so he's prepared for my newly scheduled lessons as well.

"Yes that's fine but where will I be taking my dance lessons?" I question now confused as to why Mr. Jeon would speak to James about them as well. "Oh I didn't tell you?" he's your dance instructor as well" James says and leaves to his office to take a phone call. 

"No fucking way am I dancing with that man" I say turning back to my mother once he's out of earshot. "Did he do something that made you feel uncomfortable?" she asks, just now deciding to finally ask why I didn't want to take the lessons. "No he's just a dick" I huff, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Really, that's the reason? What did you expect? He's meant to teach you to act like a lady and let's be honest, a nice sweet approach isn't going to work on you" she says and makes her way to who knows where, to do who knows what. With how big this house is it could honestly be anything. 

~~~~~~~~

"So is he hot?" Jesse asks, clearly interested in how things went yesterday. "I mean I guess but he's too rude for me to even begin to pay attention to that" I huff, frustrated at the thought of him alone. "What's his name?" he asks, taking out his phone to look him up.

"I don't remember but his last name is Jeon" I say taking a bite out of my sandwich. "J-o-h-n?" he questions, confused at the unusual surname. "No J-e-o-n. I'm pretty sure he's Korean" I say and slide over to his side to see what he can dig up on him.

"Jeon Private Etiquette Tutor" he types in and hits enter. "Woah" both of us say, seeing how many articles and pictures of him with actors, CEOs and public figures. "This guy must be loaded" Jesse says, clearly stunned at who he's worked with. "And he's hot! Damn girl you really won if this Jungkook guy wants to see you five times a week" he says and keeps on clicking through everything he can get him hands on about him. "And seven days a week when there's some stupid event I have to go to" I groan just thinking about how many hours of my life I'm going to waste with him. 

"He's only 27, I wonder if he's single" Jesse says winking at me. "For me or for you because you can have him" I scoff making him laugh. "No take backs! Well, unless he's straight. Then you can have him back. No matter how heartbreaking that might be" he says, wiping away fake tears. "Sorry to break it to you babe but he probably wouldn't go for either of us" I say placing a hand on his shoulder and getting up to leave.

"Hey! Where are you going? We don't start class for another half an hour" he yells after me. "I gotta go change since he wants me to be 'dressed like a lady' when I come and I won't have time after class" I yell turning to face him as I walk backward for a second. "Alright, have fun Barbie" he yells as I get further away to which I respond with a shake of my head as I make my way over to my car. 

"Acceptable" he says taking in my form. "Although the hem is far too short" he says looking down at my legs again before looking back up and making eye contact with me. "It was all I could find on such short notice" I explain but unfortunately he isn't satisfied with my answer. 

"Excuses will get you no where, you either do it or you don't. I'm sure you could have put in a little more effort into finding something more suitable if you had tried. Let's remedy the situation by the next class shall we?" he finishes off sarcastically before turning his back to me and walking over to the sound system in the corner of the room and I take the chance to stick my tongue out at him in retaliation. 

"You do you realize there are mirrors in this room correct?" he asks, clearly not amused with what he had seen me doing. "My apologies Mr. Jeon" I settle on, not bothering to give an excuse this time. "But are you really?" he asks, walking back towards me slowly, his voice an octave lower, catching me off guard. "N-no" I answer truthfully, nervous with the way he stalks towards me with clear displeasure enveloping his entire existence. 

He leans towards me talking directly into my ear, clearly using tactics to show his dominance over the situation. "Let us be honest with each other then. It would be a waste of both of our time if we were to do otherwise" he say sending shivers down my spine and I hate that it's something I couldn't have controlled even if I wanted to. "Is that clear?" he asks, his warm breath hitting my neck making my mind feel clouded, leaving me confused on how to respond to him leaving me only being able to nod in response.

"Good" he says leaning back, giving what I had hoped for was a little more room to breathe. "Next time use your words" he says tilting my chin up just as he had done at my last lesson. "Yes Mr. Jeon" I say quietly, leaving him satisfied with my cooperation and straightening back up to go back to what he had been working on.

'What the fuck was that? What the fuck was that? What THE FUCK was that?' I ask myself over and over and over again. I'm startled out of my circular train of thought and am met with what I can assume is some sort of waltz music running through the twin speakers on either side of the wall that the sound system is placed against. 

"I can't dance" I voice out, sticking to my word and answering the question before he bothered to ask. "I thought as much, ballroom dancing is a lost art amongst the youth of your generation" he says adjusting a few more things before coming back over to me. 

"You speak of my generation as if it was much younger in comparison to yours" I respond crossing my arms over my chest in defiance. "Were you perhaps curious enough to inquire about me?" he asks finally turning around to face me, making his way back over to me as he had done before, having caught me red handed leaving me changing my position, holding my hands together and having them rest against my thighs.

"I had just assumed based off of how youthful you look" I respond, giving him a forced compliment, not wanting to admit to what I had done. Well, really what Jesse had done but again he would see right through me. "Haven't we agreed to be honest with each other?" he questions reaching his hand out and easily pulling my hands apart. Placing one of mine on his shoulder and the other held in his hand, leaving his free one to rest on my waist. 

"Do as I say and hopefully we'll come out of this without any injuries" he says practically daring me to make a mistake. "But of course" I say and straighten my posture to match his and follow his lead as best as I can. 

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[mackjlee9]

Not sure if you already got an ask for this but

Leon and werewolf reader? 😱

How about... Vampire!leon x werewolf!reader also I have no idea what this genre is tbh

Vampire!Leon Kennedy x Werewolf!Male!Reader [?]

Masterlist.

Resident Evil

An unspoken rule had been established in this world. Each agency holds a specific type of creature to avoid conflicts, these agencies go out of their way to never meet up, only under impossible circumstances they could work together as one.

So no one is happy when they're squeezed together in the conference room under the President's command.

Everyone wondered how serious the situation had to be to have them mixed in a room like this, but not a single one of them could refuse the job, especially when they were under the President's orders.

Vampires and Werewolves were natural enemies, it was just how their instincts worked. Witches and Wizards had the same issue, they were similar, but so different as well. And here they were, vampires and wolves in the same room, breathing the same air, it was suffocating.

"I need everyone here to listen, this mission is essential for humanity's survival, and you have to work together on this," well, there was a reason by working under the President's orders meant neutral ground, no conflict should even exist under these conditions.

Everyone could work with anyone, and they had no right to refuse.

"Agent Kennedy, Agent (L/n)," both males watched how the president signaled for them to approach his seat. They stood on either side of him, while President Graham grabbed a pile of paper sheets next to a rather smaller one, and handed them to his bodyguards, "If you have a paper, you may leave."

(M/n) and Leon looked at each other for a moment, before watching how everyone left the room, only leaving them two with the president, both bodyguards standing by the closed double doors.

"Your abilities are needed, gentlemen," he stood up from his chair and reached to the whiteboard behind him, turning it around, and showing images of people and maps with paths marked. A close follow-up on times, when they arrived, when they left, and with who, "You have been paired on this mission because of your physical abilities, skills, fighting style, and solo efficiency," the president grabbed the smaller pile, only containing four sheets, two for each.

Everything they needed to know was there. They read silently, realizing that this job could turn out horribly wrong.

//////

Even if the mission was anything but smooth sailing, they had managed to get the first half of it done and were now heading to the next destination. But something was... Off.

They immediately realized that they had entered wizard territory, and they planned to immediately turn around and leave, but that wasn't something they could do anymore.

Their ankles had vines wrapped around them, preventing them from moving an inch, and soon, wizards of all kinds and elements began surrounding them. With gritted teeth, (M/n) raised his hands up, not wanting to shake the beehive any further, and Leon released his knife, doing the same as his wolf partner.

"Well... This is gonna be a problem."

And being chained to the walls, confined in a single room together was definitely a problem.

"That it was," (M/n) sighed and looked around the room for the thousandth time, never seeing anything different, never noticing any changes. Neither of them knew how long they'd been kept locked there, they would've tried to escape but they figured they will be fine soon... Hopefully.

Whether they had been there for hours, a few days, or a week, they didn't care, they had been trained to be able to survive these types of situations, but one was doing better than the other.

Every now and again, someone would toss them a bottle of water and a piece of bread, something that didn't work to give them energy or strength, but kept them somehow alive. The wizards knew what they were and were giving them things they knew wouldn't satiate their hunger.

And (M/n) noticed that he was holding better than Leon was, he was getting hungrier the longer it passed, but he was doing alright, but Leon? He kept licking his lips, his eyes had turned a bright red and he was avoiding eye contact, adding the fact that he had drowned that water bottle in an instant, looking still just as thirsty as ten seconds ago before he drank that bottle whole.

Even so, Leon was able to hold a small conversation with (M/n), although there wasn't much to talk about, and well, a little teasing to distract him wouldn't hurt, would it?

"So, is it true that a vampire's bite works as an aphrodisiac?" (M/n) asked with a smirk on his face, only making the blond scoff, looking into his (e/c) eyes with his once blue ones.

"Is it true that all male wolves have a knot on their cock?" Well, he wasn't expecting that question.

He cleared his throat for a moment, looking away, staring at the roof above their heads, feeling his face heating up a bit as he thought of a way to change the subject.

But the chain rattling behind Leon caught his attention. He looked down at him again, noticing how he had leaned forward, his pupils dilated and sweating quite a bit, his eyes fixated on him- on his neck.

(M/n) laughed and shifted on the floor, finding a more comfortable position as he observed Leon with amusement.

"Oh~?" (M/n)'s tone of voice made Leon snap back from his trance, huffing when he made eye contact with him, glancing away, but still able to hear the sound of his heartbeat speed up, "I thought us wolves always smelled like wet dogs, as those of you so kindly say, and it's not appetizing."

Well, Leon wasn't gonna tell him that he actually smelled kinda nice and didn't stink, otherwise, he would've commented on it after being locked in that room for however long it's been.

"Beggars can't be choosers," was all he responded, his jaw clenching right after when (M/n) laughed, his nose picking up the sweet scent of his blood, his eyes staring right where his pulse is, and the chains holding him back rattled again as he moved forward.

Leon tries to hold onto his sanity, but the way (M/n) continues to tease him about him being hungry, is making him mad. (M/n) feels in control, and he enjoys watching Leon slowly lose control over himself, but the feeling of superiority didn't last long.

With a loud grunt, Leon's arms shot forward, the chain breaking off the wall, hanging around his wrists as he launched himself to (M/n), keeping the wolf pinned against the wall, bearing his fangs at him, drool dripping down the corners of his lips.

Despite obviously being hungry and losing most of his self-control, Leon was still not latching onto his neck to drink his blood, and (M/n) could hear the sound Leon's nails made as they scratched the wall behind him.

"I don't wanna... Do something I... Might regret..." He mutters with gritted teeth and ragged breath, (M/n) looks into his red eyes, the crimson color covered by the black of his pupils and he sees the blond swallowing his saliva way too often.

He can smell Leon's desire, his hunger, and his need for him, for blood- for his blood.

Leon closes his eyes tight and groans when he hears (M/n)'s heart beating faster, his scent getting stronger.

Leon held his breath and slowly commanded his body to back away, but the small rattle of chains made him open his eyes. (M/n)'s neck was right in from of him, his nose almost gracing his pulse.

"I'm gonna rip your head off if you don't stop when I tell you to stop," his words were threatening, but his voice was so sweet and gentle that Leon almost couldn't understand what he had said.

He licked his lips, releasing a whine when his tongue touched (M/n)'s neck, his hands wrapping around the chains still holding the wolf captive just as a way to be able to ground himself. Leon took a deep breath through his mouth, almost moaning as he tasted (M/n)'s scent on his tongue. He dragged his tongue across his fangs and leaned closer, piercing through (M/n)'s sensitive skin, not caring about the pathetic whimper he released at the warm and sweet taste of his blood.

(M/n) frowned at the pain, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle, and soon his body shivered, making him bite his lip to hold in the growl that wanted to escape. He felt his body on fire and the little nudge he felt of Leon's knee in between his thighs let him know why.

"So it... Does work as an... Aphrodisiac, eh?" He mumbled trying to make humor of the situation, but the way Leon continued drinking his blood wasn't helping, "Fuck- Leon..."

Tightly gripping the chains, Leon ripped them off the wall, hearing them hit the floor as he wrapped his arms around (M/n), straddling his hips and slowly retracting his fangs, licking the blood dripping from them. He leaned down to lick the blood around the wound, and he watched how it started healing by itself.

Of course, wolves have enhanced healing, he should've known.

He nuzzled in the crook of (M/n)'s neck, the wolf sighing and leaning against the wall, his hand lazily resting atop Leon's thighs.

Extended ending.

Hours later, the door was pulled open, revealing the unexpected sight of those two cuddled together. And the wizard looked up at her superior, wondering what she should do.

He sighed and signaled her to make a portal, it would be a way quicker way to get them out, they couldn't disobey the president's orders after.

"Send them away, Amelia." She nodded and started casting her spell, watching them being consumed by the purple portal.

As soon as they woke up, they realized they were outside. They weren't sure why or how, but the scroll floating in front of them told them what they needed to know.

"Well," (M/n) made eye contact with Leon, and he saw his cheeks pink, his eyes back to their pretty blue, shining under the sunlight, the sight almost left him breathless, especially when he saw Leon's shy smile, "We- we have s-stuff to do..."

They got up in complete silence, I didn't know vampires could blush...

"Leon..." He called the blond, turning toward him, and he looked at him with wide eyes, "Do you wanna... Go out sometime?"

Leon's giggle caught him off-guard, but a smile grew on (M/n)'s face when he saw him nodding.

#leon kennedy x male reader #leon kennedy x reader #re x male reader #re x reader #resident evil leon #leon kennedy #leon s kennedy #male reader #x reader #reader insert #.mackjlee9 writes

[escha-evenstar]

Mafia AU Series

Chapter 4: Can't We At Least Try?

Pairing: Mafia!Azul x F!Reader

Word Count: 1.3K

CW: minor angst, I guess?

A/N:

Hi hi! I am back and still alive!! I'm feeling a bit sick but I'm slowly getting better! I just heal slowly 🥺 I hope you guys are faring better than me. Anyways, it's been a while since I wrote something and I'm glad I finished this! Looking forward to writing the next part because I plan to put more romance hehehe 👀

Divider by @cafekitsune

The following night came too quickly for Azul. He paced around the front of the cabin, walking back and forth incessantly, while being drowned in his thoughts.

How do I tell her? Should I beat around the bush? Or just tell her directly? What would she say? How will she react? Will she.. will she still see me as the same?

He suddenly stopped pacing around. A sigh escaped his lips as he feared that his nightly escapades with you would cease, and that he wouldn't see you anymore.

Azul was completely lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice you have already arrived. You noticed how still he stood, an arm crossed across his chest and his chin with between his fingers. His serious expression showed how deep he was in his thoughts. You gave him a few pokes on his shoulder and he jumped at the sudden contact.

"Ah!" Azul yelped.

You giggled at his surprised face. "Hehe~ You seem to be thinking about something pretty hard. What is it?"

"Oh. Uhm- Y/N, I.." he trailed off.

Azul considered himself to be a smooth talker, yet currently the words were caught in his throat. He couldn't even speak a single sentence.

"Oh wait! Before I forget," you trailed off as you showed him a small bag. "There are cookies inside! I wanted to share it with you and the twins, though I haven't seen them around yet. Are they busy? Let's go take a seat!"

You grabbed his hand and led him to the bench on the porch. The two of you took a seat beside each other and you placed the bag of cookies on your lap, opening it.

"Jade and Floyd are currently.. occupied with something. So they're not here today. Also, you know I'm still doing my diet, right?"

"Of course I do! But a little snack won't hurt you. Please? I'd feel lonely if I have to eat by myself," you pleaded with a pout.

Ah. Why do you have to look so cute?

"...fine. Maybe just a little," Azul sighed, giving in to you.

You cheered happily as you each grabbed a cookie and ate together.

"So, what was it you were thinking about earlier?" You asked while munching on the cookie, looking at him curiously.

Azul swallowed the chewed piece of baked dessert as his blue eyes stared at the lake in front.

"Y/N, what do you think of me?" He asked.

"Hm? Why do you ask?" You said while your eyes blinked in confusion.

"Just because. So?" He shifted his gaze to look at you.

"Well, uhm, I think you're very... sweet," you said bashfully. A pink blush dusted your cheeks and your eyes darted to and away from his eyes.

"Sweet? Me?" He was stunned. Azul could describe himself a lot of things. Smart. Cunning. Dangerous. But sweet? Really?

"Mhm!" You hummed and giggled at his astounded look. "You're always here for me. You listen to me, take care of me, and as you said before, you make exceptions for me. You're a very sweet person Azul, and I feel very happy because of you, so thank you!"

Azul saw your pretty smile and he instantly found himself blushing from your honest words and lovely expression as his heart pounded faster. He averted his eyes and quickly moved his hand to his face, partially covering the pinkish hue on his cheeks.

"I see." He wasn't sure how to respond to such genuine praises and compliments, especially coming from you. You made him a flustered mess inside.

You were so kind and pure. Honest and sweet. A bundle of joy and sunshine in his dark and cold world. Suddenly, the more Azul thought about you, the more he grew afraid. Thoughts that being with him would cause you hurt and pain in the future. It was dangerous to be with someone like him. He didn't like the idea, but maybe...

Maybe I should just let you go.

Azul shifted his position as he hunched his back, elbows rested against his thighs and hands clasped together by his mouth. "Y/N. What if there was more to me than just this.. sweet person you know?"

"What do you mean?" You said, confused by his question and sudden seriousness.

"What if I'm not who you think I am?" He continued to ask you questions that didn't make any sense to you.

You tilted your head to the side, growing even more befuddled. "I don't understand. What are you saying, Zul?"

Azul sighed deeply before slowly turning his head to look at you. "Y/N, I'm part of the Mafia."

Silence filled the air of the night. You tried to say something. Anything! But your mouth couldn't utter a single word. Lips parted to try and speak, only to close again when no words came out. You were completely taken aback by his words as your e/c eyes continued to stare back at his own blue ones. A few more seconds passed before you were able to say something.

"..okay," you said slowly, though the bewildered look in your eyes was still present.

"Okay? Y/N. I'm being completely serious here. I'm with the Mafia, and that's a fact we can't change." He sighed once more as he casted his gaze downward to the floor. "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

"What..?" You said in disbelief as his words pierced right through your heart.

"I said that we should stop seeing each other. This was a mistake, Y/N. I never should have gotten you involved with me. I—"

"Don't say that!" You shouted. "You.. you don't mean that. I- I don't care if you're part of the Mafia. But don't say that this was a mistake!"

Tears flowed down the corner of your eyes and it hurt Azul to see you like that.

I'm sorry, but I'm doing this for your own good.

"Y/N, please—"

You immediately wrapped your arms around his waist and buried your face on his chest. The cookies previously sitting on your lap now lay on the floorboard, but you couldn't care less.

"Please don't say goodbye. Please don't say you'll leave me," you cried.

You're breaking up my walls. Stop this.

"You might get hurt because of me. There are dozens of people out there for you to meet. I'm sure your mother isn't going to forever keep you in your house and—"

"I don't want to if I'm not seeing you anymore. I don't care about meeting new people. I don't care if I can't see the outside world. I don't want to let you go."

No. Don't say that. Stop.

"You're acting like a spoiled child. I'm doing this for you."

"I don't care if I'm spoiled. You can call me selfish but I'm not letting you go." To put emphasis on your words, you hugged him even tighter.

"Y/N. Let. Go." Azul was getting frustrated as he tried to push you away. Unfortunately for him, you wouldn't budge.

"No." You only buried yourself deeper in his chest as you continued to cry.

Why must you be so difficult?

"I said. Let. Go."

"NO!!"

"Why are you being so stubborn?!"

"I'm not stubborn! You are!!"

Azul let out an exasperated sigh. He was getting nowhere with you. It's not like he wanted this either.

"Why are you being like this? I don't like this either, you know?"

"Then let's stay together." You lifted yourself from his chest and looked at him through teary eyes. "Don't let go. We'll.. figure something out."

If you keep being like this, I might just get selfish with you.

"I- I don't know exactly what you do, but I believe you're not as bad as you think you are. And, if ever we come to a dangerous situation, then we'll protect each other. We can do that, right?"

"It's not as easy as it sounds."

"I know that, but.. can't we at least try?" Your voice quavered and your eyes were puffy from shedding so much tears.

And just like that, Azul was done for. His walls crumbled and crashed down, and he immediately wrapped his arms around you. Tightly. Not wanting to let go.

I guess I just can't let you go after all.

Did you like my work? If you did, you can check out my blog for more! ^^

Masterlist here!

Thank you for reading! 🩷💜

Taglist: @lucid-stories @triforce-holder

#escha writes🩷 #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #azul ashengrotto #azul ashengrotto x reader

[smokersbaby]

Request text: Hey, I saw you are hosting an event now and I really really liked the prompts :^ May you write the #6 of the SFW list with Brook, with a Fem! Reader, please? (romantic relationship) Thanks for your patience. How are you btw?

Written for: anon Character: Brook Reader: female reader  Prompts:  SFW - #6 - comparing hand sizes Total word count: +600  Author's note: I LOVED writing something with Brook, I honestly think that is one of the characters that deserves so much love! So thank you for the request! I hope you enjoy it! (I'm fine thank you for asking!) 💕 -Every reblog is highly appreciated!-

The sun was setting as you and Brook sat on top of your favourite treehouse at the edge of a meadow. At 8'9", Brook was tall and slim, with white bones that gleamed in the fading light. Because of his height, it didn't matter if you were short or tall, he'd have been way taller than you either way.

Despite the height difference, the two of you had managed to make the relationship work. But that wasn't the most difficult part of being a boyfriend and girlfriend: as a living skeleton, Brook felt like he couldn't give you what a "normal, alive man" could have given to you, like warm hugs and kisses.

You could sense that today Brook was not feeling as happy as always, he didn't tell you even one skull joke of his during the day. As you were sitting next to him admiring the sun setting on the mountains in front of you, the question that was wandering in your head slipped out of your mouth.

"What's on your mind, Brook?" you asked with a smile. He was looking down, not enjoying the view nor looking at you. "Am I enough, Y/N?" he asked. "What do you mean?" you tilted your head.

"Y/N… you should know exactly what I mean. A man in flash and bones could give you more than I, a man in just bones, can give you." That wasn't one of his skully jokes, he was so damn serious about that.

After all, he was right: the differences between him and a normal human being were evident, but you didn't care. Brook was something else, being different from the others wasn't a problem for you, since it was his uniqueness that dragged you to him that much.

His way of laughing, his silly behaviours, but also how much of a protective boyfriend he was towards his partner were undeniable facts of how sweet Brook was. When he revealed to you his past story about his crew and how he lost every single one of them you felt so touched by his past, making you realize that it didn't matter if he was just bones. His heart was pure and you didn't want to love anyone else but him.

Smiling a bit, you took his hand in yours, making him look at you in the eyes (it's an expression, he doesn't have them). Then he looked down at your hands, palm to palm against his.

"Your hands are so tiny compared to mine!" Brook exclaimed. He watched as your fingers wrapped around just one of his, making the size difference even more noticeable now.

You chuckled, "It's true, your hands are huge compared to mine. But they're always so gentle, and I love the way you can hold me so securely."

Brook smiled, "I love holding you too. And I love comparing our hand sizes. It just reminds me of how much our differences don't matter.".

As he said that, your smile became bigger. "That's exactly what I was thinking. Differences don't matter between us, I don't care if you're "a man in just bones" as you said, this is all that matters to me." you pointed at his chest, as to indicate his heart.

"How sweet, but I don't even have a heart, yohohoho!" you chuckled with him, that contagious laugh of his was everything you needed, seeing him happy was the thing that made you fall in love with him first. Now he was smiling again, as he regained his usual mood back knowing that you loved him no matter your differences, his hand still holding yours.

"Y/N?" Brook asked looking at you. "What is it?" you asked curiously. "May I see your panties now?". You laughed, you loved that silly and bit of a pervy man with all your heart.

#one piece #one piece fanfiction #fanfic oneshot #brook one piece #one piece brook #brook x reader

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Great Hunt! Chapter 26: Discord

Gather around everyone and I'll tell you a tale. It's a tale of my reactions to someone else telling me a different story in book form. Many book form, to be technical. And I already know the story, so my reactions will be very spoilery for all the books. Every book. If that's gonna be a problem, plug your ears or something I guess.

This chapter has a harp icon because it's Thom time! I'm as happy as Rand is to see him.

Rand, I may have been too hasty in leaving Stedding Shangtai the way I did. When I do go home, I may be in a great deal of trouble.

Not sure why you couldn't just lie about being a young Ogier from Saldaea or something, Loial. You all can't keep that close a set of tabs on each other. Or is the unbearded look a dead giveaway?

When they came pounding through the common room, Rand winked at the innkeeper, then laughed at his startled look. Let him think I’m off to play his bloody Great Game. Let him think what he wants. Thom’s alive.

What is it about needing to keep a low profile in inns that makes Rand so reckless? First Baerlon and his channeling sickness, now this when he doesn't even have that excuse.

The innkeeper was a woman with hair as white as Thom’s, and sharp eyes that studied Loial as well as Rand.

Innkeeper size, and therefore loyalty, uncertain.

The slender woman sitting cross-legged on the bed with her skirts tucked under her was keeping six colored balls spinning in a wheel between her hands.

Dena meanwhile has to be small so that Jordan can fit her into the fridge more easily.

“I have never heard of a woman gleeman,” Loial said.

And this frankly makes Dena's fridging all the more exhausting. Why are there no gleegals anyway? Surely there'd be a good source: women who go to the Tower to become Aes Sedai and then get put out again when it's clear they're not worthy but who don't want to go back home now that they've tasted the world. Especially since this world seems to be pretty low on sex work, you'd think that gals who don't have much else in the realm of prospects would pick up the job.

But also, it's infuriating that Dena is intro'd in this way and then killed off and then we never have any other woman who tries to take up the mantle later. One can hardly blame Thom for being in a hurry to pick up a lady apprentice given what happens to Dena and the events of the next few months, but by the time he ended up in Ebou Dar it should have been going again. It's a wasted opportunity.

They hang a scrap of painted canvas behind them, supposed to make the audience believe these fools are in Matuchin Hall, or the high passes of the Mountains of Dhoom. I make the listener see every banner, smell every battle, feel every emotion. I make them believe they are Gaidal Cain. Seaghan will have his hall torn down around his ears if he puts this lot on to follow me.

And here's another apparent revolution in the world's culture that doesn't seem to go anywhere. Theater exists; there's a play held in Andor much later, but apparently Gleemen will stay the preferred style for now. I suppose after the circus it's probably for the best we didn't pick up a subplot of players.

“She listens to a tale once—once only, mind!—and she has it right, not just the words, but every nuance, every rhythm. She has a fine hand on the harp, and she played the flute better the first time she picked it up than you ever did.”

Yes yes, we all know she's too pure for this sinful Earth.

She��ll be court-bard to a king or a queen before she’s done.

Okay but for real Thom, there's only so many monarchs in the world and I doubt many more nobles besides their immediate subordinates could afford court-bards so what are all the women in the world who aren't mind-bogglingly talented supposed to do in the performance arts? They can't all just give up their dreams and move on. Why are they absent?

“Your clumsy sheepherder’s fingers were never meant for the harp.”

There is something very sad in Rand not being meant for the sophisticated forms of art (and science) that he'd really rather be a part of than conquering.

There is even a lord in the city has what he claims is the Horn locked up inside his manor. He says it’s a treasure handed down in his House since the Breaking.

You know, I'm willing to believe that this lord really does have a 3,500 year old horn in his basement. Obviously not a magic one, but still. Stranger things have happened.

“Moiraine says it’s the Horn,” Rand said. Thom’s mirth was cut short.

Thom takes Moiraine as gospel even now.

“I don’t suppose you are talking about simply riding to Shienar and handing the Horn to—who?—the King? Why Shienar? The legends all tie the Horn to Illian.”

I suppose this must be one of those myths that grew in the telling. That or there was some confusion with a Foretelling and the sea that the Horn gets tossed into is off of Illian's coast.

“Thom,” he said at last, “are there any books that have The Karaethon Cycle in them?” Easier to call it that than the Prophecies of the Dragon. “In the great libraries,” Thom said slowly. “Any number of translations, and even in the Old Tongue, here and there.”

Thom of course has to answer slowly because Rand's question has given him a heart attack and he needs to take deep breaths. This might well be one of the more terrifying moments of Thom's life, having a young boy taken from his home on suspicion of channeling asking about the Prophecies while waving the sign of their imminent fulfillment around. Or at least this would be the case if Thom was taking it at all seriously (he's not, not yet).

For a moment, Rand could only gape at him, and when he could speak, his voice was unsteady. “The sword makes five. Hilt, scabbard, and blade.” He turned his hand down on the table, hiding the brand on his palm. For the first time since Selene’s salve had done its work, he could feel it. Not hurting, but he knew it was there.

Moiraine of course thought she was fulfilling prophecy but as Rand points out the coat counts for nothing, though funnily enough the sword and the coat are echoes of the later, true markings: the sword setting Rand on his path away from home and the coat being Moiraine naming him among the candidates as the real deal.

Thom's got to be happy Rand's denying it though.

I suspect Aes Sedai would want to make events fit the Prophecies as closely as they can. Dying somewhere in the Blasted Lands would be a high price to pay for going along with them.

Thom's a very kind mentor for actually telling Rand straight out what the price of being the Dragon is and suggesting that if he's just doing it for the Aes Sedai that it's time to do something.

“Then why ask about the Prophecies? Why send the Ogier out of the room?”

One of the problems of being an expert player of the Great Game is that when a novice shows up and starts blundering around, you're going to mistake his idiotic moves for strategic ones. Thom correctly identifies Rand's got an ulterior motive for his behavior and skips right past the obvious, simple, and true answer in favor of a conspiracy theory.

“I’ve learned a few things since we parted, Thom. They will come for whoever blows the Horn, even a Darkfriend.”

I'm not sure you've learned that at all Rand, and I suppose we should have taken Thom not knowing that detail as warning enough that it wasn't true.

“Owyn held it off almost three years. He never hurt anyone. He didn’t use the Power unless he had to, and then only to help his village. He. . . .” Thom threw up his hands.

The taint on saidin was an absolutely masterful counterstroke if you think about it. The perfect way for the divisive paranoia of the Shadow to worm its way into the minds of Light aligned individuals. Thom knows that Owyn was a danger to society but he still tries to make excuses out of love.

If Moiraine’s let you go, then you are well out of it.

While Rand outplays Thom through naivety, Moiraine outflanks him legitimately.

“A clean break is best, boy. If you’re always coming around, even if you never mention it, I won’t be able to get the Horn out of my head. And I won’t be tangled in it. I won’t.”

A cruel move by Thom, but one can hardly blame an old man for trying to refuse the call. One can blame the Wheel for how refusing the call plays out for him though.

Ruefully, he realized he was considering whether to tell Zera the truth or let her continue thinking as she did. All it takes is to think about the Great Game, and I start playing it.

Politics as a whole are a rather infectious way of corrupting the Light too, and the fools do it to themselves. It's no wonder part of Rand's coming is resetting the whole damn board on the players.

Coat or no coat, Rand was still only a shepherd. If he had been more, if he had been what Thom once suspected—a man who could channel—neither Moiraine nor any other Aes Sedai would ever have let him walk away ungentled.

Frankly, I think Thom's very much hiding in denial here like Rand does. He has to know that the facts don't add up in any way that's good but he pretends he can send Rand away and not have to worry about it.

Ah well. We have to part ways here too. See you next chapter!

#let's read #wheel of time #wot #robert jordan #wheel of time spoilers #wot spoilers #rand al'thor #cuale #loial #hurin #zera #dena #thom merrilin

[etherealspacejelly]

ERM

ok so

anonymous bc no way am i showing my url on this Jhshsheheh

so like all my friends at school. they seem. so much more mature than i am???

like even the ones who are younger than me. they're already thinking about partners. and dating n stuff. like some of my friends already have partners

but i. just am not interested in that rn??? and sometimes i feel like there's. something Wrong with me. yk

like im year 9 but. i feel like i should be thinking about this and it feels like im not mature enough that i don't want to worry abt that now

- 🐉

there is nothing wrong with you. listen to me. there is absolutely Nothing wrong with you.

it is perfectly normal to not be interested in romantic relationships, i wasnt at your age and im still not. i am in a platonic relationship with my best friend, mostly because it comforts us both to know that no matter what happens we will not be alone. even if all of our other friends get into romantic relationships and prioritise them over friendships

desiring a romantic partner does not make you more mature than anyone else. having a romantic partner or a partner of any kind is not a requirement for happiness, fulfilment, or maturity.

focus on what You actually want. ask yourself what would make You happy, what would make you feel fulfilled and satisfied with your life. set aside these notions of what we are Supposed to want, of what it is ""Normal"" to want, and focus your attention on yourself. this is your life, and you owe it to yourself to follow your own path.

i think it would help you to research aspec identities, especially aromantic ones, and talk to aromantic people about their experiences. you might not be aromantic! alloromantic people can still have no desire to be in romantic relationships, and that is perfectly fine and normal. and likewise aromantic and arospec people can want to be in romantic relationships despite their lack of romantic attraction. what i think researching this community will do for you is show you that romance is not the be all and end all of human beings. it is not a requirement for existing and being happy.

i think even progressive parents can fall into this trap of telling their kids "when you grow up and get a girlfriend or a boyfriend" or "when you get married to your spouse", and like, yea its great that they arent assuming you will be straight, but they are still placing the expectation on you to Want a romantic relationship and that you will have one no matter what. and that doesnt have to be the case!

your "happily ever after" does Not have to involve riding off into the sunset with your One True Love, it can in fact be a freezeframe of you and your best friends jumping into the air together and pulling silly faces!

idk this is. a long and rambling answer to what was a fairly simple question but. this ask hit me very close to home. i know how you feel. i felt Exactly the same way when i was your age. i felt wrong and broken and different and i didnt understand Why everyone was so excited about dating and kissing and relationships. so. im telling you what i wish someone would have told me.

take a deep breath. and let go. you dont need to have it all figured out Right Now. you can in fact just enjoy life as it happens! you dont have to know exactly what you want at this age. you can figure it out as you go. you have So Much Life ahead of you to learn and grow make mistakes and change your mind and figure things out and just. live.

the world wont end if you never want a romantic relationship. life will go on. you will find out what Really matters to you. and thats the beauty of being alive! please do not force yourself to do anything you dont Really want to do, just because thats what it feels like you're Supposed to do.

you are unique and beautiful and so so alive. you are doing just fine, and im so proud of you. you belong here.

you are loved.

#inbox #ask #inbox open #ethereal space dad #aromantic #asexual #advice

[izzuku]

sweet aftertaste─ 4 a.m

summary: one night after the off-collab your thoughts hunt you, except for this time there's someone there to break them apart.

characters: ike eveland x gn! reader

c/w: mentions of smoking (reader), bad mental health, dealing with depression, intrusive thoughts, kinda angsty at first, angst to fluff, first kiss, night confession (not proofread cause it's late & I'm tired)

a/n: something I wrote while listening to The Neighborhood cause it's my favorite band and my favorite way to self-destruct

The clock was almost hitting 4 am when you decided to step out on the balcony for some fresh air. You didn't expect to feel like shit when you met Vox, Mysta, Nina, Ike, Mika and Luca in person. Don't get me wrong, they're the best people to hang out with; sweet, caring and funny.

The only problem was your own head, reminding you of all the things you did in the past, reminding you that maybe you didn't deserve this happiness. Your actions, your self image and how everyone saw you from the outside only caused you more anxiety. You were aware of yourself all the time and you couldn't avoid thinking about what others might think of you. You told yourself you'd look for help, you told your audience that you're taking care of your mental health but now everything feels like a bitter lie that you made everyone believe.

With a shaky exhale, you closed your eyes, letting the smoke of the almost finished cigarette in your mouth disappear in the darkness of the night sky. “Maybe I should cancel the stream tomorrow with a vague excuse..” you mutter under your breath, catching the salty tears on the corners of your eyes. Another glance to the far ground from the balcony made you bite a sob back.

“[Name]?” A soft-spoken voice appeared in the silence of the city, catching off guard. It was Ike.

As fast as you could, you got rid of your tears, sniffing and squeezing the used cig before turning around. “Ikey, what're you doing here this late? You should be sleeping by now.” “I could ask the same question you know” he took a look at you, his expression turning into one of concern. “Is everything okay?”

"Bet you look stupid right now" you inner laughed at your comment, depicting once again as a failure. At least, you tried to hide it from everybody else. “I'm perfectly fine, why do you ask?” You could hear him exhale, taking some steps in front of you so he could have a better view. You knew Ike wasn't an openly affectionated man, but feeling his own palm on the flesh of your cheek made you shiver. “You can talk to me...you know that, right?”

Your eyes never left his, so caught up in the moment you didn't even notice the tear falling down your cheek, the same cheek he was holding. His eyes softened, pulling slowly into a hug to comfort you. “I always feel like I don't deserve anything...and I can take it anymore Ike” you mumbled on his chest, gripping the shirt tighter each time you recalled the awful memories. His hand found your head, stroking really slow and the hand that was holding your waist pulled you even closer to his body.

“I'm here...don't worry, love...” his words felt like a dream. You thought to yourself: how can someone like him make me feel so alive yet pull me into a sweet slumber. He always made sure everyone was okay, even you, and you couldn't thank him enough for everything he's done.

“Why are you so fucking perfect for fuck's sake...” you sighed with your head low. “No wonder I fell in love with you” you blurred out without noticing, laughing while cleaning your wet cheeks with the sleeve of the jacket.

“You fell... In love with me?” It stuck out to you the fact that an accidental confession spew out of your mouth, making you launch your head up in hopes to not be met with a disgusted face. For your luck, Ike's eyes were bright open with almost the reflection of the moon on them and cheeks flushed red.

You took the matter slowly, gently grabbing his hands while standing straight in front of him. “I guess..you now know it but yeah...it happened a long time ago. I don't know how it happened,I just know that you made me feel loved when all I could do was destroy myself...” your eyes wandered anywhere but his face, afraid to hear a cruel comment.

“If I had known you felt the same... I'd have confessed earlier” his hand raised your chin, a small smile graced his lips before adding something. “I'm really glad that I made you happy [name], you're really important to me”. With a silent question from him you nodded before letting him taste your lips, softly turning into a candy-coated first kiss.

Maybe your nights won't be as lonely as before.

#gn reader #izzuku #soft headcanons #nijisanji x reader #ike eveland x gn reader #ike eveland x reader #ike eveland #nijisanji en

[nicoline1998enilocin]

I'm totally still willing to request for your young!tony with fem!reader. I like to live in a place where tony's parents are alive and they're the best parents in the world 'cause tony deserves all the happiness in the world. So, my request is for college tony totally in love with his colleague/parter and he's nervous about asking her out and he asks his parents for some advices, they gladly help him. And then he asks her out, the date is a success, they start officially dating and tony introduces her as his girlfriend to his parents, and they absolutely love her, thanks ❤️

The love of my life

PAIRING | College student!Tony Stark x College Student!Female!Reader

WORD COUNT | 3.4K

SUMMARY | Tony has been in love with you for as long as he can remember, but he is afraid to ask you out. Every time he attempts, the two of you get interrupted or he gets so nervous he can't think straight and the words tumble out of his mouth. When he finally decides to ask his parents for help, they come up with an absolutely foolproof plan.

WARNING(S) | None.

A/N | Thank you so much for this sweet request, Nonnie, I love the idea of Tony’s parents being there for him in this way! I hope you enjoy the route I took with this 🖤

Likes, comments and reblogs will be very much appreciated 💚

Divider is made by @firefly-graphics | 18+ banner is made by yours truly

Main Masterlist | Tony Stark Masterlist | AU Masterlist

"I can't believe you still haven't asked her out, man!" Bruce said to his best friend, Tony. "Everyone can see you're head over heels for her, and it wouldn't surprise me if she does, too, at this point."

But Tony hasn't asked you out for a reason - a good one if he says so himself. He can barely talk with you when you're working on an assignment together; how will he ask you out without embarrassing himself with these nerves?!

Deep down, he knows he should ask you out. That there is nothing to be afraid of. But you're so beautiful that he can't get the words out. Not that he hasn't tried, however.

Each time he tried, the two of you either got interrupted, he changed his mind at the last second, or he stumbled his words so much you couldn't even make out a single word he said, so he gave up asking you out. He is perfectly content with admiring you from a distance.

"I'm fine, Bruce. I don't need to ask her out. She's probably not going to say yes anyway," Tony sighed, resting his head on his fist, his elbow leaning on the table. Bruce doesn't need to look at him to know where Tony's line of sight will lead.

"You know, you could ask her to the spring dance; I believe she has yet to be asked. It's the "is all Bruce can say.

"Can you not just shut up about it for once?!" Tony says as he raises his voice, his hand slapping the table, making everyone look at them, including you.

"Do you have a date to the spring dance yet, Y/N?" Your friend Natasha asks you when you are walking to class.

"I don't, but if it's going to take too long, I am going to have to ask someone myself," you sigh, adjusting your backpack just to give yourself some distraction from your thoughts.

"Why don't you ask Tony? He's a nice guy, and the two of you are already partners for acting class, so why not?" Wanda chimes in.

"I don't know. Sure, he's a nice guy and all, but I just find him a bit… odd," you say, and you shrug. "He always seems embarrassed to work with me," you say, blushing a little.

"He's not embarrassed; he likes you! I heard from someone he's been trying to ask you out a couple of times, but he doesn't know how," Wanda says. Nat nods in agreement.

"No, you must be wrong. There's no way someone like him would ask me out!" You say as you're finally walking into the classroom.

"All we're saying is that you should give him a chance. It's the least you can do," Natasha says before sitting down at a table with Wanda, her acting partner.

You walk over to an empty seat so you and Tony can sit together, but to your surprise, he doesn't attend today's class.

When the class is done, you head back to your dorm room, so you can just do your homework in peace and not think about why Tony suddenly decided not to show up.

Tony doesn't go home to New York often, but he decided it might be time to do that this weekend, mainly because he wanted to talk about something with his parents.

"Tony, hi! What a nice surprise!" Maria says as she walks out of the kitchen, wondering who opened the door.

"Hi, Mom, I'm sorry for showing up unannounced, but I need a weekend with you and Dad for once," Tony smiled, and his mom pulled him in for a hug.

"Well, I'm glad you did, and you know you're always welcome back home," she says.

"Thanks, Mom. I have to do some homework now, but I'll be back in time for dinner," Tony says, walking up the stairs to his old bedroom.

He lets himself fall back on the bed with a deep sigh, his eyes closed while his mind wanders to you. God, all he can think about is you.

He lays like that for a while and just lets his thoughts wander. He thinks about what it would be like to dance with you, what it would feel like to hug you, how your hands would fit perfectly together, how your lips would slot together like they were made for each other.

You. There's nothing else he can think about, but you and his mom are starting to notice something is up.

"Tony? Can I come in?" She asks after she knocks at the door, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry," he says as he sits up, watching the door swing open.

"Is everything okay? I called your name a few times, but it would appear you were lost in your own thoughts. What has my perfect son thinking about, lying like that?" She asks, sitting down next to her son.

"I don't want to talk about it yet; maybe when Dad's home. I need your advice," he says as his head leans on her shoulder. It's good to be home again, he thinks to himself.

"Alright, I love you. But I was calling you because dinner is almost ready," she says.

"Thank you, I'll be down soon," he says, and with that, his mom stands up to go back to preparing dinner.

You, Nat, and Wanda are having a girl's night with movies, face masks, and gossip at your dorm. Lots and lots of gossip. The most burning piece, though? You and Tony.

You have told them countless times nothing is going on between you and that you are just partners in acting class; they won't drop it.

"I seriously think he will ask you to be his date for the spring dance!" Wanda said as she got another bag of microwave popcorn out of the microwave. She pours it into the bowl that's on the counter before turning and walking back to the couch.

"Well, what if he doesn't? I'm not going alone and won't ask anyone, either. So if no one asks me, I'm not going," you shrug, trying to act like you don't care. But you do care, more than you'd ever like to admit.

It's not like you didn't want to be asked; you like Tony a lot. But you're not the kind of person who would ask someone out, not after all the rejection and heartbreak you've received over the years.

Little did you know, however, that Tony was working on a plan to ask you out after the countless times he has been unsuccessful at that task.

"So, your Mom told me you wanted advice about something?" Howard said as he put some of the dinner Maria had prepared onto his plate.

"Yeah, I do actually need your advice about how to ask out a girl. Well, not just any girl, but Y/N. We're partners in acting class, and I really like her a lot, but every time I want to ask her to go on a date with me, I get so nervous I can't seem to get the words out; I just become a stumbling mess," he confesses as his cheeks grow more and more red with every word.

"That's sweet, Tony! I'm honestly glad you came to us for help because we would love to help you," Maria says, and Howard nods in response.

"Did you have a specific date planned for the two of you?" Howard asks, and Tony nods slowly.

"Well, I am either thinking of asking her out to dinner or to the spring dance that's coming up soon," he says, his mind secretly wandering to you in a gorgeous dress on his arm as the two of you walk into the party.

"Oh, the spring dance is the perfect opportunity to go for a date; the two of you can dance, talk, have fun, and let go for an evening. I think you should ask her to the dance," Maria said with too much enthusiasm for Tony's liking, but he knew she was right.

And with that, the rest of the evening is spent planning ways to ask you to the spring dance. When all three finally agree on the perfect way to ask, Tony lets out a sigh of relief. He knew coming home was the best thing to do.

The following week it is finally time for Tony to ask you to the dance, especially since it is only 3 weeks away now. And as luck would have it, you have to prepare a scene together for an acting class.

Tony invited you to his dorm room, and you gladly accepted, eager to get every bit of attention he would give you. Little did you know what would await you on the other side of the door when you arrived.

The weather is nice today, so you opted for a light and airy outfit, which frames your body perfectly, your hair hanging loose around your shoulders.

When you knock on his door, Tony says it is open, and when it swings open, you softly gasp at the sight in front of you.

In the middle of the room stands Tony with a small bouquet of red roses, ready to ask you on that date like he and his parents discussed. Nothing over the top, just the two of you, absolute perfection.

"Hi, Y/N. I, uh, I have been wondering about something for a while now, and uh… Would you, maybe - you can say no if you want - willyougotothespringdancewithme?" he asks in a single breath.

"Excuse me?" You say with a slight giggle; you find it adorable how he suddenly gets so shy and nervous, especially since he's always the most outspoken and loudest person in the class.

"I'm sorry, I-I'm just nervous because I have been trying to ask you multiple times, and it never worked. But would you like to go to the spring dance with me?" He asks, his cheeks and neck turning almost as red as his face.

"I thought you'd never ask," you say, walking towards him, taking the roses from his hands. You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him in for a hug; his arms happily wrap around your waist to pull you closer.

"How many times exactly have you tried to ask me out?" You ask, and Tony turns even more red now, his complexion sporting a deep crimson color.

"About 7 times…?" He says it's a question, and your jaw drops to the floor.

"7 times?! How have I not noticed that before…?" You say, wondering to yourself, but you decide to let it slide. You text the girls that he finally did it and say yes before sitting next to Tony to work together on your scene.

You scooted a little closer to him, and your shoulders were touching while you worked. It had never felt more right to be in his presence than it does right now.

Ever since Tony asked you to be his date to the dance, the two of you have been spending more time together. Where you usually didn't see each other besides classes and assignments, the two of you now gravitated toward one another outside those moments.

Nat and Wanda have picked up on this and are now trying to get every bit of information out of you that they can possibly get.

"How did he ask you?" Wanda asks as she's rummaging through the dresses.

"We were going to work on an assignment together, and he invited me to his dorm room. So when I walked in, he was standing there with a small bouquet of red roses, and that's when he asked me," you said with a big smile and flushed cheeks.

"Oh my god, that's so romantic! And did you kiss him?!" Wanda asks now that you have her full attention.

"No, we didn't kiss Wanda, but we did cuddle a little, so I guess that's something. But no, we haven't kissed - yet," you say softly.

"Did you just say yet? You're planning on kissing him, aren't you?!" Nat said as she grabbed your shoulders.

"That's not-"

"Oh my god, you totally are planning on kissing him! This is so cute!" Nat almost shrieks out, and suddenly a few people are looking in your direction.

"Can we just drop it and go on the hunt for a dress? I told him I'd let him know what color it is, so he can dress accordingly," you say as you wiggle out of her grasp.

"Fine, but this is definitely worth talking about later!" Nat says, and she goes back to looking at the dresses.

When an electric blue dress suddenly catches your eye, you immediately walk over to it and grab it off the rack to look at it.

It has a normal neckline in the front but a deep cutout in the back, which is the perfect moment for you to show off your back tattoo.

"I'm going to try this one on; I'll be right back," you tell Nat and Wanda before heading to the dressing rooms.

You step into the dress, and when it's on, you turn around to look at yourself in the full-length mirrors. It fits perfectly, and every curve is accentuated beautifully just the way you like, and you go to show the girls.

"Nat? Wanda? Where are you?" You call for them, but they don't answer; you assume they're too far away to hear you. When you're about to turn back, you hear a soft 'wow.'

Your head turns towards the sound, and you suddenly see Tony standing outside the store, looking at you through the big window. You smile at him and wave before returning to the dressing rooms; now you know this is the dress.

When you've changed, you find Nat and Wanda again, letting them know you found your perfect dress. They reacted similarly to Tony when they saw it, saying a soft "wow" when you show it.

The night of the dance is here, and you're ready to go; only waiting for Tony to pick you up now. You're seated at your desk, reading your book.

It doesn't take long for him to arrive, and he softly knocks on your door, a smile appearing on your face instantly. When you open the door, you find Tony in a deep black suit, a tie that perfectly matches your dress, and his hair perfectly styled.

When he smiles, the look is complete, and he takes your hand and kisses it softly. "You look gorgeous tonight," he says. He twirls you around a few times to take you in from head to toe before twirling you into his arms and kissing your temple softly.

You feel the butterflies in your stomach go crazy when he holds you, and you secretly wish he would never let you go so that you can stay in his arms for all eternity.

"You look gorgeous right now," Tony sighs as he untwists you. He's gotten a bit bolder with his affection towards you for the last week and a half, and you are reveling in the attention he's giving you.

"You look nothing short of amazing yourself," you tell him, and the flush that appears makes your insides melt a little.

The two of you walk to the gym together, and when you arrive, Tony leads you in by putting his hand on the small of your back, right above the fabric of your dress.

You immediately spot Nat and Wanda in their beautiful dresses, accompanied by Bruce and Clint, their dates. "You look beautiful, Y/N, and I'm glad he finally listened to me," Bruce says, which makes you laugh.

"Well, I'm glad he finally did. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here right now to enjoy this evening with all of you," you say, all six heading towards the main party.

After many drinks, dancing, laughter, and talking, it is time for a few slower songs.

"May I have this dance?" Tony asks as he extends his hand to you. You gladly take it as he leads you onto the dance floor, finding a spot where the two of you can dance without bumping into anyone.

"I'm glad you asked me to be your date tonight; I'm having a lot of fun," you tell him, and you move to rest your head against his cheek, giving him a soft peck before pressing your cheek to his.

"I'm glad I finally dared to do it, but I was thinking of a way to make this night unforgettable," he says as one of his hands leaves your hips and finds its new place on your cheek.

Your eyes meet his, and he gives you a soft, reassuring smile; your eyes flutter shut as you see him leaning in, and his lips brush softly over yours before capturing yours in a breathtaking kiss.

The around you seems to slow down, and fireworks appear to go off around you as you get completely lost in each other. You don't notice the song is over, and more upbeat music is playing again, but suddenly you hear Nat, Wanda, Bruce, and Clint cheering as they see both of you kiss.

When you pull apart, you get a shy smile on your face, your cheeks are flushed, and you're looking at Tony with nothing but love and adoration in your eyes. He has that same look on his, and he takes you off the dance floor to sit down for a little bit.

"You guys are so cute together? Wait, are the two of you together?" Nat and Wanda ask, and you look at Tony, who gives you a reassuring smile.

"We are," you tell them, and they couldn't be happier when he holds your hand, stroking the back of your hand with his thumb.

The rest of the night went by in a blur, and when Tony dropped you off at your dorm room again, you parted after a long, sweet kiss. No one was there to interrupt the two of you, and the moment was perfect.

"I can't help it that I'm nervous; it's not every day I meet my boyfriend's parents," you say as you squeeze Tony's hand. He just turned into the driveway at his parent's house, and you are invited for a summer barbecue.

"They're going to love you, so there's no need to be worried," he said as he leaned over the center console to give you a soft, sweet kiss.

You get out of the car and fix your dress before taking Tony's hand as he leads you towards the garden at the side of the house.

"Tony, Y/N, welcome!" Maria says as she walks over to both of you. "It's so nice to finally meet you; Tony has told me a lot about you. I'm Maria," she says as she envelops you in a big, bone-crushing hug.

"It's good to meet you, Mrs. Stark," you say as you let go of Tony's hand and hug her back.

"Please, no need for formalities here. You can call me Maria and-" She's looking for Howard, but he appears nowhere in sight.

"Ah, Y/N, you're even more beautiful than Tony described you to be," Howard suddenly says as he walks out of the house towards you.

"Howard Stark, it's an absolute pleasure to finally have the chance to meet you," he says with an outstretched hand, and you gladly take it.

"It's great to finally meet you, too; Tony has also told me a lot about the two of you. Nothing but good things, of course," you say, and you and Howard both let out a burst of laughter.

When the introductions are done, Tony leads you to a bench after getting you a drink, and the two of you sit down. His arm is lying across your shoulders, and you're snuggled into his side.

"Thank you for taking me here; it's great to finally have met your family. They're even greater than you described them to be," you say.

"I'm glad you decided to come with me today. I love you so much, and I can't wait to have many more days like this," he says, and he softly kisses your lips.

"I love you too, Tony. More than you'll ever know."

#tony stark #tony stark fanfiction #tony stark fanfic #tony stark one shot #tony stark imagine #tony stark request #tony stark x female!reader #tony stark x reader #tony stark x y/n #tony stark fluff

[littlewinter1917]

Groupie Love

Chapter One ✿ Touch Down

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Series Masterlist

Series Summary: Your best friend’s band has been taking off, ever since you’ve both started uni. But when you come back from a semester abroad, you find yourself confronted with both: Your lingering feelings for your best friend Eddie, and unexpected ones for their new drummer, Billy; someone you also have quite the past with…

Words: 6.9k

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader, Billy Hargrove x Fem!Reader

Chapter Summary: You finally come home from your semester abroad to reunite with your best friends. Yet there's more than just your lingering feelings for Eddie that await you, as you're faced with the sudden appearance of a guy you never expected to ever see again.

Chapter Warnings: Fluff. Secret mutual pining and a pinch of angst. Swearing, teasing and some suggestive talks. Very brief mentions of Billy's past abuse. Idiots in denial about their feelings and some longing.

A/N: In order for this story to make sense: None of the Vecna and Mindflayer events happened; so Heather and Chrissy are still very much alive and thriving (as they should!! 😡)

Also every main character in this story is above the age of 18! They're all an appropriate college age, just to make this very clear!!

The first one of your friends you notice is Heather.

She’s hard to miss with her dark brown hair thrown into a dramatic messy bun that’s flopping around vigorously on the top of her head as she speaks, and the bright red jumper she’s wearing certainly makes her stand out even more.

She’s saying something to the slightly smaller person standing next to her, and that’s your other friend you immediately notice: Chrissy. 

The blonde’s dressed in a soft pastel color, holding a little sign close to her chest, her eyes scanning the arrival area of the airport repeatedly while listening to whatever Heather’s currently talking about.

She’s also the one who notices you first, her eyes lighting up instantly, before raising her sign up in excitement, pointing it in your direction, smile bright on her pretty face.

God, how you’ve missed them. 

You decide to quicken the pace of your steps, as you push your little baggage cart as fast as you possibly can, without threatening to injure all the different pairs of busy feet scurrying around you. 

Which, to be honest, isn’t particularly fast. 

But that doesn’t really matter, because both of your close friends manage to run up to you excitedly, and it’s Heather that engulfs you into a big hug first.

She can’t help the little squeal that leaves her lips as her arms wrap tightly around you, and neither can you before she starts swaying you both from side to side. 

“I’m so happy you’re back!” She states, voice overflowing with joy.

“How was the flight? How was the-“

She’s interrupted rudely by some careless businessman, who’s just bumped into the two of you, before hurrying off without even a second glance or a single worded apology, and you both give him a death glare. 

“Hey! Watch where you going!” Heather calls out after him, but he’s either too far off to hear or to care. 

Asshole.

But the small scowl on Heather’s face is quickly replaced by another smile as she turns her attention back to you. 

“You look good!” She observes, and you can’t help but feel a little shy under her gaze and at her words. Because after a nine-hour flight you feel anything but. 

“She sure does, bur could you stop hogging her, Heath? I want to hug her too!”

You don’t need to see Chrissy as she says those words to know that there’s a small pout forming on her lips, one she’s probably not even aware of doing, and it makes it even cuter. 

“Fine, fine,” Heather agrees reluctantly, detangling herself from you with a sigh.

And as soon as your out of Heather’s arms you find yourself back in Chrissy’s. 

“Missed you so much,” she mumbles, her voice a little softer than Heather’s, and you mutter a hushed, “Missed you more,” back. 

“Impossible,” Chrissy huffs, and you smile into her shoulder. 

You really, really did miss those two. 

In fact, you’ve missed all of your friends, but especially your dear roommates: Heather, Chrissy, and Robin. 

And Eddie, of course, except he isn’t your roommate, and you try hard not to notice his current absence. 

“Fuck, what exactly did you bring back from Europe, huh?” Heather’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts and back to reality.

Raising your head out of the crook of Chrissy’s neck, you watch your brunette friend with an amused smile, as she tries to pull on of your suitcases from the baggage cart, but fails miserably. 

“Don’t bother,” you state with a laugh, “I needed like two guys to get that bitch on the cart.” 

“Geez, seriously?” Heather scoffs, hands on her hips in that typical mom-pose she must have started to pick up from Steve in your absence. 

It’s endearing. 

“Yeah,” you emphasize with a nod, arms still wrapped around Chrissy, because neither one of you wants to let go first.

As always. 

“Okay, so how are we going to get that thing off then?” Heather questions, and for a split second your thoughts drift back to Eddie. 

“I’m so sorry! I won’t be able to make it.” His apologetic voice still rings in your ears. 

He had told you about it on a phone call two days ago. Those were exciting news for him, really. Not the part about how he won’t make it to the airport to pick you up, of course, but the reasoning behind it. 

“We’ll be playing at the Blitz! can you believe it?! The fucking Blitz wants us to perform for the night, last minute!”

The excitement in his voice had been so incredibly clear, even through the phone, that it was almost palatable in your room despite being thousands and thousands of miles away from him, on the other side of the world. 

“The goddamn Blitz, that’s like our chance!”

Eddie had repeated, voice just as excited as before, and the smile on your face was bright as you congratulated him, saying he deserved it. 

Because he did. 

The Blitz being a rather popular bar downtown; some might even say the most popular bar; at least when it comes to the scene of the college kids crowd. It’s a bar known for incredibly good music and live acts, as well as that one place where quite a few popular music groups have first been discovered. 

Getting to play there had been a dream come true for Eddie, so of course, you were beyond happy for him, even if the silent realization, that he wouldn’t make it to the airport stung ever so slightly.

But you didn’t want to focus on it then, like you don’t want to focus on it now, because you really want to be the most supportive friend that you can be.

And besides that, you’ll get to see Eddie at his concert tonight.

So, who cares that he didn’t manage to make it to the airport? 

You do, you silently have to admit to yourself feeling somewhat ashamed. 

You know it’s foolish and slightly selfish, but there had been a little, secret hope buried and growing somewhere deep within your chest, that he’d show up anyways.

That he might steal away in between all of the preparations for this night’s concert, to join Heather, and Chrissy in their excited airport pick up commotion.

But he didn’t. 

And even though you have no real right or reason to be disappointed, you still are, and it hurts. 

Because you had foolishly hoped he’d come anyways, yet here you are without him.

And you can’t even blame him for the pang in your heart because you knew, because he told you.

Because he had even asked you if you were okay with this.

And of course, you were. 

What else were you supposed to say? 

No?! 

No, I don’t care about your maybe once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to play with your band at the coolest venue in town? Come pick me up instead? 

Of course not! 

Because you love him, and you want to see him thrive and succeed and-

Wait.

You love him? 

Okay, that just came out wrong.

You don’t love him.

You just care about him a little more than maybe the rest of your friends, but that’s a totally normal and Platonic thing to do, right?!

So, why does his absence still sting so much then?

Chrissy notices the pained look that crosses your face briefly, and the hold she still has on you tightens in a comforting manner.

“You know, he feels really bad about not being able to come.” She states softly, her green eyes searching yours, and you sigh. 

“I know.”

You also don’t want to be ungrateful for your two best friends who did show up, driving out to greet you and pick you up from the airport. 

And so, the smile you give Chrissy isn’t forced or fake; it’s earnest, because you really are happy to be reunited again with her and Heather, and the slightly bitter taste of disappointment is quickly swallowed down, disappearing somewhere in your stomach.

Gone for now, but not completely forgotten.

The aftertaste is going to rise up again at some point, but not right now, and that’s what matters.

“Oh! I completely forgot!” Chrissy exclaims suddenly, before handing you the little sign she’s been holding on to tightly. 

“Here!” She states, proudness clear in her voice, and you curiously take the piece of paper from her hands. 

Welcome home, Buttercup, it states in neat, glittery letters, but it isn’t just a welcoming sign.

It’s a welcoming card. 

One that you’re able to fold up, and you can’t help but smile at what greets you inside.

There are little welcoming notes written from all of your friends. 

There’s Chrissy’s unmistakable handwriting, and Heather's, of course. 

But there’s also Robin’s and Nancy’s.

The first one is unable to come because she’s a vital part of Eddie’s Band; the second one is cursed with an unskippable journalism class. 

There’s Steve’s handwriting and Argyle’s, as well as Jonathan’s and of last but not least Eddie’s. 

Wait, that’s not true.

There’s even a ninth one, you don’t really recognize. 

Can’t wait to meet you! It states, in a scribbly fashion, signed with the name Billy.

You know that name. It’s the new drummer guy that joined Eddie’s Band Hellfire roughly two months ago, after one particular big dispute with the previous drummer Jakob. 

You never really liked Jakob, he had always been a bit of an entitled douche, and so you’re quite excited to meet the new replacement tonight.

Because he joined the band after you had already left for Europe, you never had the pleasure of meeting him, relying only on the hearsay from your friends.

Eddie’s especially. He had been telling you a bit more about the new guy, voice always switching from amazement to exasperation at the thought of him.

“He’s really talented, but he’s also a lot.” You remember Eddie stating with a sigh. “I’m not sure you’ll like him, but he’s way better than Jake by a landslide.”

You don’t doubt that, but you still want to see it for yourself. 

Your eyes flicker over the notes once more as you feel yourself getting choked up and a little teary. 

“Thank you,” you mumble, voice emotional, “that’s such a sweet idea.”

“Well, we all felt a little bit guilty about not being able to show up at the airport as your little harem of love.” Chrissy jokes, making you and Heather laugh.

You pull her into another tight hug, whispering little thank you’s against her skin, before you move over to Heather, doing the same. 

You really, really missed them both a lot you realize once more; and as the three of you walk towards the exit of the airport, you and Chrissy pushing the cart, laughing, while Heather’s sitting proudly on top of the heavy suitcases ordering directions and driving instructions like a royalty being paraded around, you feel a warm feeling flutter inside of your chest.

You’re home again. 

And as fun as your months abroad in Europe had been, you’re glad to be back home.

Back home with your friends.

The drive down to your shared apartment is filled with avid laughter, giggles, and excited stories that you didn’t get to share before.

After being away for months, you’re eager to be up to date with everything again.

Of course, you all called and had spoken to each other via phone, but those calls were incredibly expensive, and so for the most part only the biggest and most exciting stories would get exchanged, and the little, less pressing ones simply had to wait till you were all reunited. 

And so, Heather fills you in on that new good-looking doctor from one of her nursing classes, who’s apparently so hot he had some students faint in class multiple times.

And Chrissy tells you about the kids in her new school class, that she gets to supervise as a more practical part of her endeavor to become an elementary school teacher.

They tell you about how Steve failed one of his classes again, and how Argyle and Eddie are currently trying to grow some rather unusual cannabis plants, but somehow keep failing. Either watering them too much, or too little.

They tell you that Robin’s currently seeing a new girl she met through the music scene she’s involved with, and after meeting her both, they’ve come to the assessment that she’s apparently the absolute cutest. 

“You’re definitely going to love her,” Heather swoons, “She has the cutest Bambi eyes, and she can actually sing not like-“

“Tami Thompson!” The three of you exclaim at the same time, giggling.

God, it had taken Robin a while to get over her, and you’re glad to hear she’s apparently doing better now. 

“Maybe you’ll meet her at the concert tonight,” Heather exclaims excitedly from the backseat, hands clapping together for emphasis.

“Oh, I’d love to!” You honestly state.

“And you’ll finally meet Billy!” Chrissy adds, “I’m really curious what you’ll think of him! You’ve never got to actually meet him, right?”

Her question is paired with a quick glance over to you from behind the steering wheel, before focusing her gaze back on the road again. 

“Not that I know off, no.” You say earnestly.

“He joined Hawkins High right after you’d left and moved away,” Heather summarizes.

“God, he used to be such an asshole back then. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still somewhat of a pain in the ass, but it’s nowhere near as bad.”

“Yeah,” Chrissy agrees with a nod, “It’s funny that you never met though.”

You hum, as you look out the window, taking in the familiar scenery again. 

“I think Eddie and Steve mentioned him sometimes in passing back then, when we were still in high school, I mean.” You explain, eyes still transfixed on the passing houses outside. 

Your family had moved from the West Coast to Indiana right after you had finished elementary school. You had started middle school with Chrissy and immediately made friends with her. With her and Eddie, of course, who was a grade or two above you then. 

You consider both of them your absolute closest of friends, and growing up together for so long only sealed that incredibly tight bond. 

By the time you started high school, you were still completely inseparable from those two, even when you found yourself exploring different social circles.

Eddie had started a D&D club; you joined the orchestra and made quick friends with Robin and Steve, and Chrissy became part of the cheerleading gang.

But after two years at Hawkins High, right before starting your junior year, your parents had to move again, this time to the much bigger city of South Bend.

So, you left Hawkins and your previous school behind, but not your friends.

Not really, anyways.

You stayed in avid contact for the next two years, calling and visiting each other any time you could.

And by the time college rolled around you all found yourself reunited again. 

It’s a bigger circle of friends now, but you love them all the same, with the exception of Eddie maybe.

He’s someone you’ve had a terrible crush on ever since starting high school.

But unfortunately, those feelings are almost as strong as the denial you find yourself in anytime one of your close friends points it out or brings it up. 

You try hard not to like him like that.  

And you had actually, secretly, hoped, that your time away from him would clear your mind and your heart from at least some of those lingering and interfering feelings, but to no avail. 

Each time he’d called you while on your stay in Europe, your heart would pick up its pace at the mere sound of his voice, and the gentleness that slipped through whenever he was talking to you.

Being away from him only made you miss him more as those persistent feelings simply grew stronger, and you hate yourself a little bit for it, because he’s your closest confidant and there’s nothing you’re more terrified of than losing him. 

It’s not that big of a deal, you keep telling yourself, because you’re actually terrified of losing all of your friends, if you really think about it. 

Maybe Eddie a little bit more? 

But what’s a little bit more, in a purely Platonic sense? 

You try not to fidget in your seat too much at the mere thought of seeing him again later. 

Hear his voice again, see his bright eyes and his even brighter smile again. And those curls. You’ve missed running your fingers through them so, so much. 

But most of all, you’ve missed those comforting nights together, curled up on either one of your couches, sometimes high, sometimes not. 

You’ve missed his little giggles and the gentle rumble of his chest when he was laughing while you were lying curled up closely on top of him, listening to his steady heartbeat and high ramblings.

You simply missed Eddie.

Your best friend Eddie, whose been by your side as an avid supporter ever since middle school. 

Eddie, who you cried to, when the first boy had broken your heart in 6th grade.

And then you ended up crying even more when Eddie came home hours later with a broken nose, because he tried to fight that bastard, and, uh, didn’t quite succeed.

“It was a draw,” Eddie’s still adamant about that, even now, though you both know that that isn’t really the truth.

But it’s the thought that counts, and the determination to protect you, completely and wholeheartedly.

And Eddie certainly did that, when he was putting his fucking nose on the line for you, something he still gets lovingly teased about by the rest of your shared friends. 

Eddie, the boy who taught you your first riffs on his cherished guitar.

Who would learn some of your favorite songs, just so he could teach you the cords and watch your face light up with excitement, like when you found him playing Heart of Glass or Sister Golden Hair, two songs he supposedly hated, but not enough apparently; not enough when it comes to you. 

Eddie, the guy who, unbeknownst to him, had become the protector and owner of your heart, ever since you can remember; but especially since high school, when he started to get his first little tattoos and grew his hair out, while simultaneously growing more into himself at the same time.

And now, he’s the man you utterly adore - on a solely Platonic level, of course; or at least that’s what you keep telling yourself and your shared friends, but neither one really believes you. 

“So, Billy,” you state, because you want to change the direction of your thoughts and talking about a random guy might help. 

Though, you did know a Billy at some point in time, but that’s also not something you’d like to think about, and it’s not something you’ve ever really shared with your friends either, nor do you want to. 

“He joined Hawkins High right after I left for junior year, right?” 

“Yeah, he was a grade below Steve, I think? Or maybe he was a senior then too? Fuck, I don’t remember.” Heather mutters, “But hey, we can ask him about it when we see him in a bit.” 

“Oh no, it’s not that important,” you refuse quickly, voice soft. 

The avid talks between the three of you start picking up again, when Heather wants to know your opinion on the latest Bananarama single, and it escalates quickly into a passionate discussion about the latest music releases. 

By the time Chrissy steers the car towards the parking spots near your apartment complex, you and Heather are still completely lost in a deep and serious debate about who the better Roger Taylor is;

Heather’s convinced it’s Roger Taylor, the drummer of Duran Duran, and you adamantly swear that this is blasphemous, because it's obviously Roger Taylor, the drummer of Queen, who’s superior.

Not just over the funky little Duran Duran guy, but superior over all drummers in general. 

The god among the drummers, if you will. 

Your drummer god. 

“You just say that because you think he’s hot and you want to get dicked down by him,” Heather huffs, and you scoff in return, folding your arms over your chest defensively. 

As if her assessment of the best drummer isn’t led entirely by lust either. 

“Well, who doesn’t want to get dicked down by Roger Taylor, the drummer of Queen?!” You exclaim incredulously, before adding, “Like, excuse me, but have you seen him? The hair, the arms, the voice, the passion, the attitude … And you know he has the fucking stamina to hold a decent pace and tempo while-“  

“Okay that’s enough!” Chrissy quips up with a laugh. 

“You’re both unbelievable.” She states with fake exasperation, “Besides, isn’t it obvious that the best drummer mankind has ever been blessed with is Animal?”

You furrow your eyebrows in confusion, as you try to whack your brain for a drummer named such an odd name, but can’t think of any band that would- 

The sudden realization that hits you like a punch in the gut has your eyes going wide.

“But Chrissy,” you almost yell in surprise, “That’s the drummer from the Muppets!”

“Exactly,” she chirps while getting out of the car, and you and Heather share a confused and slightly concerned look, before Chrissy pokes her head back into the car, her eyes narrowing in sternly on the two of you. 

“And no, I don’t want to fuck him, you animals. I just think he’s neat.” 

If you thought getting your luggage out of the baggage cart earlier and into the car was difficult, getting it into your little apartment on the fifth floor proves itself as even more challenging.

By the end of it, all three of you are completely sweaty and exhausted, lightly bickering about who gets to shower first. 

As usual you play Rock, Paper, Scissors. As usual Chrissy wins (at least while Robin isn’t around.) And as usual, you go last – it’s a fate that you’ve already made peace with.

You don’t really have the time to unpack everything from your heavy suitcases, nor do you have the energy to, if you’re honest.

So, instead, while Chrissy’s occupying the bathroom, singing a gentle cover version of Sweet Child O’ Mine, that flows softly from beneath the door like the warm steam that’s slipping through, you and Heather decide to get the outfits ready for tonight.

Heather decides on a sparkly dress. You decide on a cute skirt with a flowy top that’s a bit more 70s, and for Chrissy you end up laying out three options.

One that you think is cute, one that Heather thinks is cute, and one that Chrissy would probably think is cute. 

Once everyone has showered, the three of you help each other get ready just as always.

It’s the same routine as before you left, and you’re amazed at how easy it is to fall right back into that again.

You currently tease Heather’s hair while Chrissy picks out the perfect jewelry for you, slipping the necklace and the earrings on you carefully. 

“Thanks,” you mumble between the hairclip you’re currently holding in between your teeth, as you need both of your hands to finish Heather’s ponytail; while Heather’s swatching lipstick after lipstick on the back of her hand, her annoyed huffs increasing by the minute, because she can’t find that one shade she swears she owns. 

“It would be perfect,” she swoons, “And it would really bring out the color of your eyes. I bought it with you in mind, barely a month ago, but I just can’t find it.” 

She does find it, half an hour later, when you’re all about to slip through the door to get to the venue. 

And you can’t help but laugh because it really is like always. 

The Blitz isn’t too far off, and despite having visited it numerous times before, you squirm away anxiously in your seat again.

You’re excited, of course, to see all of your friends again but you can’t help but also feel a little bit nervous.

It isn’t just the thought of Eddie, that has the pace of your heartbeat increasing. It’s also all the other guys you’ll be reuniting with; because after having been gone for a few months, you can’t help but feel a little out of the loop.

Sure, Chrissy and Heather had welcomed you back with arms wide open and filled you in almost immediately on all the newest developments.

But those talks also made you realize how much you had missed out on while you were gone.

Of course, you’ve had your own little adventures in the meantime in Europe, but those were only shared with yourself and some casual friends you made along the way, while the rest of your friends, your closest friends, had been bonding about things you had no clue about, and you notice that you’re a little scared about the prospect of not getting every single inside joke like you used to, before you left.

You know it’s a little silly, but the knot in your stomach still lingers. 

“Hey, listen, it’s your boyfriend!” Heather calls you out of your thoughts, voice teasing, before turning the radio up with a smile.

It’s Queen’s One Vision, and the laugh that leaves your lips is earnest and warm, and while it’s not your favorite Queen song, you still hum along, taping the beat softly on the exposed skin of your thigh, as you feel yourself be more at ease.

“Did you watch the making of video of that song?” You question, a teasing smile back on your lips because you know this will rile both of your friends up.

Not waiting for an answer, you continue:

“Roger Taylor looked simply to die for in his funky little dad-shirts, with the sunglasses behind his big set of drums, which surely aren’t the only big things he owns, and doesn’t it just make you want to curl up into his lap and-“ 

“How the fuck do you manage to come back from Europe more horny?” Chrissy interrupts you amused. 

“It’s what the French will do to you,” you joke, poking your tongue out at her and subsequently making her laugh. 

“Uh-huh, I bet Eddie would want to hear all about that.”

“Except here’s where you wrong,” Heather chimes in, “Because Eddie doesn’t really play the drums, does he? But if he would hear the way you keep talking about Roger Taylor, I’m sure he would kick Billy out in a heartbeat and play those fucking drums himself, just to impress you.” 

“Oh, shut up!” you exclaim, feeling your cheeks heat up and getting rather flustered.

“He doesn’t like me like that anyway.” 

“Bullshit!” Chrissy and Heather exclaim at the same time, but you’re still unconvinced. 

They’re your best friends, after all, they’re supposed to hype you up.

But you’re not going to risk it.

You’re not going to risk the year-long friendship with Eddie; you just won’t. You might not know a lot, but that’s something you’re quite sure about. 

When you arrive at the venue, there’s still a few more hours to go till the concert, and the sun hasn’t quite set yet either.

Heather holds the door open for you and Chrissy to slip through, and the latter takes your hand, without a second thought once she notices the slight tremble of your fingers, thus instantly making you feel more at ease again. 

She gives you a supportive smile and you try to mirror it, heart pounding away in your chest with quite the intensity.

You’re going to see Eddie again, and all of your friends you love so much. 

The first person to notice you is Jonathan, ever the uttermost attentive one. His hair is a bit longer since the last time you’ve seen him, but it suits him well enough.

You wonder how Nancy feels about it, though.

He smiles brightly at you, once he sees you, dropping the cables he’s been working on unceremoniously before hoping off the stage, his camera dangling from his neck as always.

You sometimes wonder if he wears that thing to bed as well. 

But you digress. 

As both, unofficial roadie and band photographer, his help is very much needed, and he tries to do his best where he can, in between his studies and his work at a small photo lab.

But right now, everything else can wait, because he has a friend to welcome back. 

He’s missed you, and he tells you that while his arms wrap around you softy, and you can’t help but notice how he smells very much of weed; Argyle’s and Eddie’s continuous influence undoubtfully. 

“Look at you, you’re beaming!” Jonathan observes with a laugh, as he lets you go carefully before adjusting his camera back in place once more.

He had swung the object over the back of his shoulder quickly, so as to prevent it from poking either one of you during your prolonged hug, but now that there’s even the slightest distance between you two again, the beloved object is back in its semi-secure place.

Before you can lovingly tease him about it, you get jumped by Steve, who’s laughing loud and hearty and almost has you speechless with his bright smile and warm eyes. 

“You’re back! You’re back!” He exclaims, jumping excitedly up and down while hugging you tightly from behind, thus rendering you to the ungrateful fate of bopping along like a ragdoll in his grip. 

That guy is seriously underestimating his strength, you think, as you get lifted up and down once more, moved around like a fucking saltshaker. 

“Geez, dingus, you’re gonna give her moving sickness!”

Robin chides, before encompassing you in a big hug herself, saving you from Steve’s unyielding grip, and you let out a small, relieved huff, as you can actually breathe again.

She still sounds and smells exactly like she always does, and it’s something you didn’t know you’ve missed that much until you’re faced with it again, and it hits you like a brick in the teeth, how very much you longed to hear her raspy laugh and teasing voice, and just everything about her.

You hug her a little tighter as you cherish the feeling of it all a moment or two longer. 

“Our little jetsetter is back!” Argyle exclaims from the back of the room at the same time as Robin inquires about the quality of your flight, and he almost stumbles over a few carton boxes to get to you quicker.

He simply joins Robin in her current hug, his body soft against yours, and his lush hair flowing around with every bop of his head. 

How did it manage to get even longer, and silkier, you think. 

“Now my amigos are all together and complete again,” he hums with content, and you agree with a soft laugh.

You sure are all gathered around together again. 

Everyone except Nancy, who’s still at Uni, and Eddie. 

Eddie, who’s apparently the last one to get the fucking memo, as he’s stepping out of the backstage area onto the stage, deeply in thought, headphones on top of his curly hair and his beloved guitar tightly in hand.

When he looks up to see you getting absolutely swarmed by all of your shared friends, he almost drops his guitar. 

Fuck, you look stunning. 

You’ve always been the prettiest girl in all of Hawkins. No, scrap that, all of Indiana, to him.

But after not seeing you for months, and longing for your return every fucking day, being finally faced with you hits him in the chest like one of those kick-boxer-moves he keeps seeing on late night TV with Argyle, when they’re both high as a kite, and he can almost feel himself stumble a few steps back at the intensity of it all. 

God, he’s in deep.

But how could he not be, when you’re standing there glowing, smiling brightly from ear to ear as you try to answer each and every one of the rapid questions that your friends currently throw your way.

And then your eyes find his on the stage, and that’s the thing that pushes him out of his previous stare and rigidity.

He’s jumping of the stage even quicker than Jonathan did earlier, sprinting towards your direction and colliding with you with a force that has you actually tumbling back, and you probably would have fallen too, if it wasn’t for Eddie’s steading grip on your waist, as he hugs you as tightly to his chest as humanly possible and then he spins you around like a child. 

“You’re back!” he exclaims, voice emotional and a little raw, and he repeats those words until he stops spinning you around, curling himself around you instead, as you both come down from the overwhelming feeling and dizziness of it all. 

“Fuck, I’ve missed you so much!” he mumbles, as he hides his face in the crook of your neck, taking in the soft fragrance of your shampoo, and your perfume, and those other notes that just make you smell utterly like you. 

God, how he’s missed you!

“Missed you too, Eds.” you admit in a hushed whisper against the exposed skin of his neck, and a little relieved sigh falls from Eddie’s lips, because that means he wasn’t the only one. 

Wasn’t the only one who thought of you each and every single day and night of your absence. 

Or at least that’s what he’d like to think, because your shared friends have been more adamant in their pursue of convincing him to finally make a move on you, because supposedly you feel the same way about him as he feels about you.

Something that seems Entirely far-fetched and impossible in Eddie’s mind; but the idea does sound very nice.

But he simply doesn’t want to risk it. 

You’re the bestest friend he could ask for, and he values you too much, to let you slip away because of some stupid butterflies he’s felt for you, ever since he saw you for the first time in middle school, many, many years ago.

You’re not sure how long you two stand engulfed like that; but there’s still a concert to set up, so it’s probably not as long as either one of you wants it to be. 

But nevertheless, Eddie takes the time to show you around, eyes beaming with excitement, and you feel so incredibly proud of him. 

And fuck, you’ve really missed his smiles, and his overdramatic enactments as he parades you around the space, eager to so share this special moment with you. 

A moment he’s been working towards for such a long time. And knowing he gets to have this with all of his closest friends around, most of all you, means the uttermost world to him.

He’s also rather nervous, but how could he not be.

This night is going to be big.

For better, or for worse.

He watches the rest of his bandmembers, Steve and Robin, scurry around, while lost in thought, before he suddenly remembers something. 

Billy.

He’s not sure where that guy is currently hiding, but he’s eager to introduce you two. Curious what you’ll think of each other, because as much as he says he’s exasperated by that mullet-haired dude, he’s also come to like him quite a little bit. 

Maybe it’s because he’s moved in with him and the other guys, granting Eddie the chance to peak behind that cold exterior of Billy’s personality, that used to keep everyone at twice the arm’s length. 

Maybe it’s Billy’s talent – because, fuck, that guy sure is talented. And maybe that’s what smooths over some of the sharp edges of his personality for Ed.

Either way, that guy he used to dislike during high school is steadily growing on him.

Steve says, it’s probably just the fact that they’re the only ones in the group with the same horrible music taste, but Eddie can just scoff at that.

It’s a bold statement coming from someone who unapologetically sings Cyndi Lauper at the top of his lungs in the shower.

Eddie shakes his head at the memory before scanning the venue for Billy. 

He sees the guy in question walk in with an amplifier completely on his own. 

That guy really is crazy, Eddie thinks. 

No matter how often he’s told him not to carry those heavy electronics by himself, he still does it. 

Stubborn little fuck. 

He’s about to call out his name, scolding him once more, when he notices one of the in-house sound technicians running up to him, trying to help. 

Eddie doesn’t need to see Billy’s face to know that he’s wearing the biggest scowl right now, fuming about not getting his way. 

And Eddie decides to let go of your hand that he’s been holding ever since you two reunited, and makes his way over to Billy quickly.

Slapping him so hard on his shoulder it almost has him dropping the amplifier again. 

“Geez, Munson, what’s the deal with you today?” Billy huffs as he turns around, but not before putting the amplifier down carefully.

Eddie instead gives the technician a gentle smile. “We’ve got it from here, thank you.” he states, before grabbing Billy carefully by his arm. 

“I told you to stop carrying those by yourself, idiot. You’ll just strain your already tense back, and that won’t help your performance while drumming at all.”  He whispers, while giving Billy a pointed look, before leading him back towards you. 

“Billy, I want you to meet someone-“ 

“Oh, yeah?” the guy in question asks with a suggestive smile, “But the groupies haven’t even-“ 

There’s another hearty slap on Billy’s back to render him speechless and get him to shut up again, though the slap itself might not be the only reason for his sudden lack of words.

Because as his eyes finally find yours in the middle of the fucking venue, you feel like your brain is short-circuiting at the actually sight of him.

It takes you a second or two to realize where exactly you know him from, and why his features seem so oddly familiar to you.

But when you finally do recognize him, putting two and two together, you feel like your legs are going to give out, and you can’t help but exclaim, completely and utterly surprised:

“No fucking way!”

And Billy looks at you, just as stunned, blue eyes big as saucers, eyebrows raised almost comically behind his wild curls, mouth slightly aghast, because this simply cannot be. 

Because right here, before you stands no other than William fucking Hargrove.

Your childhood best friend, William Hargrove.

Billy Sunnyboy Hargrove; The guy you met in kindergarten and never let go off, until you moved to Indiana, after your shared and chaotic time in elementary school together. 

Sure, he looks different. 

Fuck, he looks very different, you can’t help but notice, but it’s unmistakably him.

The piercing blue eyes, the slightly freckled skin, the bright smile and lush lashes. 

It’s him.

The boy you befriended at the tender age of three and a half after complimenting his dolphin-decorated lunchbox. 

The boy you would hide in your closet, in the hopes that his parents wouldn’t find him when they’d come to pick him up again, because you knew what his dad did to him. 

Because you knew that the bruises on your body only ever came from falling too hard on the playground, like jumping off from the swing-set to soon; but Billy’s mostly came from a darker and much more sinister source.

A source you can’t shake of as easily as you could the dust from your hands after falling down, and picking yourself up again, and maybe running off to your dad, so he would kiss the wounds and lingering bruises better, while Billy’s dad was the reason for his.

For the violent blue and green outlines that have always bloomed on your best friend’s skin, ever since you’ve first met him. 

Billy, the boy who you tried to cheer up desperately, after his mother just left out of the blue, by bringing him his favorite sweets to school, and sneaking him secretly into the girls bathroom, dragging him to the uttermost hidden and final stall, just so you could hold him and let him cry against your shoulder and yell in grief, despair, and anger. 

And hurt.

So much hurt. 

Billy, the boy you had your first ever kiss with, in an act of complete and utter innocence, because you both just wanted to know what it would be like, with nothing but childlike curiosity. 

The boy who taught you how to surf, while you taught him how to make the perfect necklaces out of the prettiest seashells – or as perfect as a 7-year-old can make them anyways.

It’s Billy. 

Your Billy.

The Billy you left in complete and utter tears, when you told him you’d move away come the end of summer, a long, long time ago.

Billy, the boy you wrote so many letters to, but never heard from again. 

Never spoke to again.

Never even saw again.

Until this very moment. 

And when he says your full name in complete surprise and disbelief, you don’t know whether to laugh or to cry. 

Next Chapter

________________

And that's it! Sorry for the little cliff hanger, couldn't help myself with that one! Also, if you made it this far, thank you! I really appreciate you reading my little series! And I hope you enjoyed it!

#eddie munson x you #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson fanfiction #billy hargrove #billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove x you #billy hargrove imagine #billy hargrove fanfiction #billy hargrove fluff #eddie munson fluff

[mlfywsly]

My Best Friend...

Summary: You were friends with Harry. You both had a crush on eachother but no one wanted to say anything, until this happens...

Pairing: Harry Greene x OC!Fem

Warnings: Strong language

A/N: I'm actually going to use this to my Wattpad story, but I was literally needing to write this asap 😭

I got up pretty early that day and sighted. There was not even a week since school started again and I was sick of that. I went to the bathroom to brush my hair and put my uniform on. I went downstairs and have breakfast.

"Hey, Livia" Nick greeted me "You ready for school?"

"Honestly no. But what can we do?"

"True"

I took my bag and we started walking to school. I meet my friends at a table and started talking.

"So... how's everything going with Harry?" Imogen asked

I looked at her and shrugged.

"It's like... everyday. Why?"

"He didn't declare to you yet?"

"Oh my God"

I sighted tired.

"Don't start again, please... it's like 7 a.m., i don't wanna die yet"

"C'mon, you're overreacting" Sahar said "But you know, it's pretty obvious you both fancy each other"

"I do not!" I blushed

"You said it yourself. You like him"

"Well, of course I like him but he just d-"

"Hey"

I screamed. I turned around and saw Harry.

"Shove off, man, you scared me!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to"

He sat next to me.

"So, how you doing?"

"Pretty great until you came in" I smiled

"Rude"

I laughed.

"Should we leave?" Imogen said smiling

"Oh, no, I'm sorry" Harry got up "So... um... well..."

I looked at him confused. He shaked his head.

"See you in class"

He leaved.

"That was... weird" I said "Anyway, I wanna die because I have history today... it's not fair"

"Is not it the only class you and Harry shared?"

"Yeah..."

Sahar made a sarcastic sound.

"I would be jumping if I were you then"

"Pipe down"

She started laughing and we went to class. After the break, I went to my history class and sat on my desk. Harry came in and sat next to me.

"Hey"

"Hi"

"So... I'm sorry about what happened later, I mean..."

"Don't worry" I said fixing his tie

He blushed.

"Oh, um... great"

"You're acting weird recently" I looked at him concerned "You know you can count on me, Har, what's wrong?"

"I'm alright, don't worry" he smiled "It's just that... being a teenager is so fucking hard, I'm so confused about myself"

"Why?" I laughed "Do you like a boy or something? It's totally fine if you do"

"No, God. I mean, yes, I like someone. But not a guy"

"So what's the deal?"

"The deal is that I shouldn't be having this feelings about her" he sighted sad "She was like my little sister, you know? I didn't though that I would end up falling in love with her"

"Well, that's love blondie. You never expect to fall in love with someone you didn't expect to"

"Yeah... I guess you're right... but it's so complicated everything, I just..."

He looked at me and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Harry. Everything is going to be fine, promise. And if it's not... you will move on soon. That's how teen love works..."

"How am I supposed to move on, Livia? I don't want to, but I love her since a while ago. A long while ago"

I sighted

"Guess we're feeling the same right now..." I whispered

"What?"

"You know how hard love is? At least it is so hard to me. I'm always falling in love with boys that don't even care about me or that don't even know I exist. Even if we have like... the minimum contact it was like everything to me, it makes me happy for the rest of the day. And if he's my friend I'm literally the happiest girl ever. But it's also hard, because sometimes they just see me like her little sister, or like a very good friend and I can spend nights and days crying and crying and crying. And if they're not my friends I try to do my best but it's never enough. And we end up always like... them talking shit about me and bummed me out. Always. So i'm kind of sick of love, but at the same time it's the only thing that makes me be alive"

He didn't say anything. He just kept looking at me. I sighted and focus on my books.

"It's kind of weird to me to think how... everything changed between us. I mean..."

I looked at him

"We used to hate each other... I would never though about talking to you anytime I was upset and I would never though about vent to you..."

I looked down. It's pretty obvious that wasn't going to happen... we were so different and we hated each other...

"Yeah... you're right. I would never though about telling you stuff I won't tell nobody... it's weird but... you're actually my biggest support since what happened with my dad..."

He smiled. We didn't talk again until the class was over.

"By the way... do you mind coming to my home today after school? I mean, just so we can do history together"

I picked my bag and looked at him. I smiled.

"Sure! I will text you"

"Great! I have to go, see you"

He gave me a kiss on my forehead and leave. I smiled to myself. After school I went home with Nick and we ate. Around 5 p.m. I picked my bag and went downstairs.

"Where are you going?" Nick asked

"I'm going to Harry's to do history"

"Oh, lovely. I will walk you"

We leaved home and started walking to Harry's house. When we arrived, Nick knocked on the door. The door was opened by a sleepy Harry, with his pyjama and his messy hair. God, I love him...

"Nick, mate! How you doing?"

"Pretty fine. You're kind of a sleepy beauty, aren't you?"

"Pipe down, man. I'm tired as fuck"

"Right, right... well. I just went to accompany Livia so... I'm going back. Have fun"

"Shove off"

I got in and he closed the door.

"I'm sorry" he said rubbing his eyes "I fall asleep, actually"

"Don't worry, you're kind of cute with your messy hair"

He blushed.

"Yeah, well..."

I smiled and we went to his dorm. We lay down on the floor and we started doing history. I groaned.

"Man, I hate history so much, it's not even funny"

"Hey!" Harry smiled "What's wrong? I can help you"

"I don't understand anything. And when I say anything it's ANYTHING"

He laughed.

"Give me that, I will help you"

We started doing homework together but I swear he didn't stop looking at me. I looked at him and smiled.

"What?"

He looked down and lick his lips. I blushed, that was actually hot... He looked at me with his bright eyes and I felt like dying. I can't stop myself for feeling that. He started to lean in and I didn't even think of going back. Our lips finally touched and it was magical. He kissed me softly and then pulled out. He looked at me completely red.

"Uh, oh my God, I'm so sorry, I-"

"Don't worry..." I comforted him "It's okay"

"Shit. I didn't mean to..."

I looked down and we finished homework. I got back home and I sighted with sadness. The next days everything between us were so akward.

"What happened with Harry?" Imogen asked one day while we were leaving school "He used to came and greet you at morning but now you barely talk..."

"I don't wanna talk about that..."

"Did he do something? If he did I swear to God I will-"

"No, Sahar, he didn't do anything. It's just... well, something very akward happened between us and... well... it's weird"

I went home without saying anything. The next day it was the same. Harry didn't even look at me. I was entering to school when suddenly someone grabbed me and push me into a wall inside an empty room.

"What the hell are y-"

He shutted me out kissing me so hard. I opened my eyes but slowly kiss him back. His hands started going down from my back to my hips. I put my arms around his neck and we deepened the kiss. He moved his hands to my tights and I wrapped my legs around his wrist. He moaned and I bite his lip. We pulled out slowly, but his lips were at inches from mines.

"I'm sorry..." he said trying to breath "I... honestly I wanted to do this since the prom dance"

"You're messing with me"

"I'm not! I'm in love with you, Livia. I swear to God I am"

"Since when?"

"Since I know you. You're the most enchanting girl I have ever met... and since we became friends I fell harder for you every single second"

I didn't know what to say. I was in shock. He started to step aside.

"It's alright if you do-"

I took him by his cheeks and kissed him so hard. It took him by surprise but he grab my wrist and pulled me closer to him while he deepened the kiss. I wrapped my hands on his hair and I started stroking his hair. He introduce his tongue on my mouth and we started making out like two crazy teenagers in love. 'Cause it was what we were, two teenagers crazy for each other.

Masterlist

#harry greene #harry greene x reader #harry greene imaginas #heartstopper #heartstopper x reader #netflix #fanfic #one shot #imagine #lgbtq

[cainluvr69]

Surely, We Can Make Miracles Chapter 17

Previous Chapter

Borda Island Resident: Open the castle gate!

Borda Island Resident: Bring out the new lord…!

Borda Castle Guard: Stand down! If you break the castle gate, you'll be arrested for treason!

Borda Island Resident: Treason?! Just for asking her to help us?!

Mitile: … Everyone's in an uproar outside the castle… And when Leno's in so much trouble, too…

Riquet: I'm worried about Shylock, too. And about Lord Snow in his painting… …And Lord White, too…

Mitile: Where is Lord White…? Maybe we just can't see him, and he's right next to us… No, he should be at Lord Snow's side, right?

Riquet: Oz said he couldn't feel his presence anywhere…

Mitile: Oh no…

Mitile & Riquet: …

Nero: It's gonna be fine.

Riquet: Nero…

Nero: None of 'em are that fragile. Once Snow's all healed up, White's gonna show up again, too. That's why Arthur and Rutile are out searchin' for medicine for him. Just believe in 'em and be patient.

Riquet: …Okay.

Mitile: …Alright. Nero, is there anything that the two of us can do? We were told to wait here in the castle because it'll be dangerous in the ocean, but I really did want to go with them, too.

Riquet: Me, too. So if there's anything we can do for our allies…

Nero: … I wanna tell you kiddos you don't need to worry about that kinda thing, but this whole island really is in a tizzy right now… I ain't gonna pretend things aren't real touch 'n go right now. Something bad really might happen.

Mitile: Something bad…

Riquet: Nero… Why are the people at the gate so angry? I can understand being scared of the dragon and the natural disasters it might cause. But neither of those have anything to do with the people in the castle, do they? Why did they come to the castle, and why are they so angry at those within it?

Nero: It's 'cause the new lord ain't listenin' to what her people have to say. No one can trust someone who won't listen to 'em. But even if they don't trust her, they still have to rely on her. So they're all mobbin' her 'cause they're scared she's gonna up 'n abandon them in their time of need. Ignorin' their voices when they're scared and desperate is the same as ignorin' that they exist at all. So they're here to say, "We're here, we're alive." Y'know how Arthur and Rutile listen to whatever people have to say to 'em, even if they don't agree with it?

Mitile: Yeah…

Riquet: They'll even hear out people I think are perfectly fine to ignore…

Nero: Haha… Yeah, I get where you're comin' from. But the people who're spendin' their time listenin' to you on a regular basis… Aren't the people you're gonna be worryin' about up and ditchin' you when somethin' happens.

Riquet: … …I suppose that's true. Oz also didn't talk about himself for a long time. He wasn't someone I thought would come to help me when something happened. I thought it was wrong of him to be unwilling to help others despite holding such great strength. I didn't think he was really seeing me, and so I often made a big fuss about it. "Are you listening, Oz? Make sure you respond! Be sure to say things clearly!" Just like the island residents are doing now. Oz is just bad at talking to people. He isn't doing these things on purpose to spite people. But once Oz began meeting my eyes and listening to me, I stopped feeling the need to make such a fuss about it.

Mitile: … …I understand how they feel, too… I always want to make sure people are listening to what I have to say. I always feel childish and ashamed of myself when I say that kind of thing, so I don't like to, but… When busy grown-ups look back at me and nod and listen to what I'm saying… It feels like my words…and I myself really matter… So I was really happy today. Dr. Figaro really talked with me… It made me feel like he was really acknowledging me and putting his faith in me…

Nero: …Yeah, I know what you mean…

Mitile: You do?

Nero: Back when I was younger, there was someone I wanted to stop and look at me. I don't think I wanted him to praise me, but at the same time, I really wanted him to… I wanted him to see there was value in where we were. I wanted him to think there was somethin' worth keepin' his interest.

Riquet: Are you talking about your father?

Nero: I mean, no, but…

Riquet: Was it someone who guided you?

Nero: …Yeah, I guess you could say that…

Mitile: Did he ever stop and look at you?

Nero: Maybe halfway… But I never let my frustration with that bubble over. Because he did look at me. He was workin' hard and held himself back. He did listen to what I had to say to him. …The new lord here was prob'ly the complete opposite when she was talkin' to the head chef. She didn't listen to what anyone was tryin' to tell her. So everyone, the island residents, the wizards in the market, even the people in her own castle… All of 'em expect her to cut and run at the first sign of trouble.

Riquet: … Dianne said that it's her job to guide the people living on the island. So why doesn't she do that when her people are in so much distress?

Nero: Beats me… Maybe there's some kinda circumstances we don't know about… But anyways, there's way too much bad stuff all lined up in a row out here. Even a single misstep could end up with a full-blown riot on our hands. That guy'd be good at unifying everyone at a time like this, but…

Mitile: Ah… My brother and everyone else are about to leave!

Riquet: Let's go see them off!

Nero: Yeah, let's.

✦✧☾✧✦

We were about to dive to the bottom of the sea, to where Balthazar was lying in wait. The ones meant to wait in the castle--Nero, Riquet, and Mitile--came to see us off. Figaro didn't, but he couldn't let himself pause in Snow's treatment for something like this. Snow had been poisoned, White had vanished, Shylock had been kidnapped, and Lennox was being manipulated… And to heal them, to bring them back, we had to face off against a Northern wizard and a sea dragon. Going against that sea dragon in particular… Thinking about that made my chest ache.

Akira: (…Hwylryn…)

But I could only let myself think about him for so long. We didn't have a moment to waste right now. More than anything else, I didn't want to lose Snow, White, Shylock, and Lennox. We finished up getting ready to depart, and left the castle, standing just before the castle gate. On our way, someone from the castle called out to us. Everyone was in a rush around us, anxiety plain in their movements.

Castle Butler: Master Sage, Prince Arthur, how did your investigation into the disappearances go? In truth, I have something else I wish to pass on to you as well…

Cain: We'll need you to tell our comrades about that later. We've got stuff to talk to your side about too, though. Three corpses were found without their heads, right? Can you tell us why we didn't get informed of that particular detail?

Castle Butler: W-well…

Cain: I'd appreciate it if you could make time with Lord Dianne for us. I'd like to talk to her more in depth…

Nero: I'll take over from here.

Cain: Got it?

Castle Butler: Y-yes, sir!

✦✧☾✧✦

Shino joined our group with his scythe on his shoulder and his bag stuffed full of Rutile's medicinal herbs. Murr turned back to the rest of us while walking towards the front.

Murr: Okaaaay, let's get this show on the road! All of you can use magic that'll let you move freely underwater, right?

Arthur: I can, yes. How about the rest of you?

Shino: Yeah.

Heathcliff: I'll probably be okay. I put a good amount of practice into it during lessons. I haven't been able to put it into practice for a particularly extended period of time, though.

Rutile: Same here. I've played around in rivers and lakes before, but it'll be my first time going this deep.

Chloe: Um, I'm not super confident I can.

Murr: Rustica, can you help him out?

Rustica: I believe I can keep him breathing under the waves, yes.

Chloe: Wh…what else is there to worry about?

Rustica: I cannot swim, you see.

Chloe: Huh?!

Arthur: Really?!

Murr: Have you drowned before?

Rustica: Who knows? But I'm very certain I can't swim.

Chloe: Now that you mention it, we've never gone swimming during our travels…

Cain: Just leave the swimming part to me. As long as you can both breathe underwater, I'll take point and you can follow my lead.

Arthur: There's a big river in your hometown, right?

Cain: Yeah. You should come swimming with me sometime, your Highness.

Murr: So the Sage should be with Oz, Faust, Rustica, or me. We'll make sure they're covered.

Arthur: Thank you. The deep sea is not only dangerous, but also draining to navigate. If you start getting tired, please feel free to separate from the rest of the group and take a break. If you can float up to the surface and get to the sky, it should be simple enough to find land again. If you've completely exhausted your magic, though, you won't be able to fly. Lord Oz's magic will be more than enough to bring us all back to land, but at the same time, that will be difficult to do until dawn breaks.

Faust: That's true. Murr and I should be able to aid the rest of our students, but… We should have contingencies in place, just in case. All of you should keep a close eye on how much magic and physical exertion you're using.

Heathcliff: Understood.

Cain: Gotcha.

Shino: Yeah. Can I ask something?

Arthur: What is it?

Shino: How are we gonna kill the dragon when Oz can't use magic? If the Sage is with him, he should be able to use it, but he failed at killing it just earlier today.

Shino was staring at me, and I kept my mouth shut. I remembered what I'd done only a short while ago. I didn't want to hurt Hwylryn. The moment I'd thought that, the moment I'd let go of Oz's hand, he'd stopped being able to use magic. Eleven of my dear wizards bore an injury from <the Great Calamity>, a burden that restricted them terribly. When I, the Sage, touched them, the weight of that burden was lessened. We'd done this many times over now. Oz, who could no longer use magic at night, could use magic. The sleepless Mithra could rest… But there were also many times it hadn't gone so well. No matter how many times I desperately pray for it to work, those prayers are never answered… I still don't understand why it works some times but not others. But as of this last incident, I had a feeling I'd made the first step towards understanding that mystery.

Akira: (…It's because of my own heart…)

It took me a moment to realize I was clenching my hands.

Akira: (Wizards cast magic with their hearts. This must be the same principle…) (I think that if both I and the wizard in question aren't wanting the same thing, then I can't do anything to heal their injury from the Calamity…)

But even if we said that, there were still some points that didn't cover. For instance, I wasn't very good at letting Oz use his magic again during the Umbra Volans incident, at least at first. Nor when Shylock was suffering from his heart being set aflame, even when he was in so much pain right in front of me…

Akira: (…Even though Nova was able to do it…)

Though I was at a bit of a loss, I still put my thoughts into words.

Arthur: I see… So you don't wish to attack the sea dragon, Master Sage. That's why Lord Oz isn't able to use his magic right now… That's what you're trying to say, yes?

Akira: I mean, that just has to be it, I can't think of any other reason why… That's definitely how it feels to me.

Murr: Then while we're in the water, Oz, you need to keep your desire to protect us in alignment with the Sage's. Normally I'd want to do some proper experimentation to verify things, but we sadly don't have the time for that right now.

Faust: At the very least, we should be able to make sure the younger wizards all stay safe… Oz.

Oz: What.

Faust: If you feel that your heart and the Sage's aren't matching up, take the younger wizards back to shore. Can you do that?

Oz looked at me. I looked away, feeling like I was trying to run away from the intensity of his gaze. It wasn't a comfortable feeling.

Akira: (Oz must be really troubled by not being able to use magic…) (Normally everything works out just fine, but because of me…) (When Snow and White were in danger, I started getting all wishy-washy because of a dragon I'd only just met…) (That's what he must be thinking about me right now…)

I felt terrible that I couldn't meet the expectations everyone had placed on me.

Oz: Sage.

Akira: Yes…

I responded to Oz when he said my name. The voice that spilled from my lips was unbelievably small. But Oz's voice contained no blame or accusation within its thunder.

Oz: I believe I once told you to not let your role confine you.

Akira: …

I looked up at him, startled. He had said something similar to me before. Those words, too, had felt very precious at the time. I mustn't forget my own name. The weight of my role was such that it could blot out my personal identity. And now… I was the one who had begun to forget who I was. I'd started to think that if I couldn't fulfill the role I was supposed to play, then there wasn't any point in me being here in the first place. It wasn't that anyone had told me that. But still, the weight of responsibility had made my heart begin to curl in on itself. Akira didn't need to be here. The perfect, flawless Sage should be standing in their place. I took a moment to once again look around myself. Everyone's expressions were tense, taut as a drawn bowstring. Arthur, Cain, and Faust were staring at me, their gazes focused… As was Murr, with his wandering gaze, as well as Heathcliff and Shino, after they glanced at each other. Rutile and Chloe were too, both looking worried. And then there were Nero and Rustica, who looked like they were watching over me from far away. Riquet and Mitile were holding hands, but they were looking at me, not at each other. I could tell. All of them were desperately thinking about what they could do for me. "It wasn't all you sole responsibility. We can help, too." That's what it felt like they were saying to me. I took a slow, deep breath in, exhaled, and then opened my mouth.

Akira: It's not like I can be 100% about it, but… I think I can work with Oz to let him use magic as long as it's not for violence. If it's to help any of you, then I definitely think I'll be able to help.

Faust: Got it. Thank you.

Shino: I don't want to get dragged back to shore. I'll figure something out on my own.

Cain: I'm pretty confident in my diving ability. I dunno exactly how well that'll hold up in the deep sea, but…

Chloe: But, um, isn't that gonna be pretty bad in the definitely super small chance that we got forced to fight the dragon…? Oz can't use his magic for that, and none of the Northern wizards are here, either… I mean, this is totally hypothetical, okay?! I definitely don't want us to have to fight against a dragon that the Sage is friends with!

Arthur: You have a point… Master Sage, do you think opening a dialogue with this "Hwylryn" fellow would be worth a try?

Akira: A dialogue…

Arthur: Yes. If it's possible to avoid any conflict by talking with him, then…

Arthur's words made me feel a faint sense of hope.

Akira: …I don't think it's impossible, at the very least. Hwylryn didn't strike me as being super into violence. He was more playful and mischievous, if anything…

Chloe: A mischievous dragon…

Rustica: What a wonderful prospect. I hope we can become friends.

Akira: I hope so, too.

My tone had sharpened a bit, though I hadn't meant it to.

Akira: Actually, Hwylryn said a bunch of times that his brother was more predisposed to being aggressive. So I figure that means Hwylryn himself is a lot more mild-mannered than his brother was…

Oz: …I have never heard of a mild-mannered dragon before. Though they may not be needlessly aggressive, their arrogance and wariness are both very defined. I do not believe conversation will be an option.

Akira: H…Hwylryn can definitely be talked to.

Oz: …

Arthur: Your own wariness is entirely understandable, Lord Oz. But the one who has had direct experience in speaking with this dragon named Hwylryn and flown at his side through the sky is the Sage. Can we not have faith in what they say and make an attempt at negotiations?

Akira: Negotiations… That's right, he also talked about wanting to negotiate with me! It was when we first met… You remember too, right, Rutile?

Rutile: Yes, I do. In exchange for gemstones, he wanted us to share our torta di cocco with him…

Heathcliff: A dragon that wants to eat sweets…?

Shino: That's surprisingly humble.

Oz: …I understand. If that is what the Sage wishes.

Murr: So, what about Balthazar? Are we gonna try to persuade him, too? If he wants a proper apology from Oz and Figaro, will he get one?

Murr's words were as sharp as a blade, but I didn't see any intention to pick a fight or start an argument in his eyes. He was just simply trying to get a straight yes or no answer. Arthur hesitated for a moment before turning to Oz. Oz greeted him with a steely gaze.

Oz: I see no reason to. Being unable to control my magic as I desire is putting needless strain upon the younger wizards… For that, I will apologize. However, Balthazar has no understanding of his own sins. Power is everything in the North. Bowing my head to him will do nothing but spark his fury.

There was no hesitation whatsoever in Oz's words. Murr shrugged his shoulders and looked back at Arthur.

Murr: Well, there you have it. So we're not going to be persuading Balthazar to do anything, and instead we'll just take him out. I don't really know very much about him. But I do know he's got a real thing for Shylock, and that he was the one who sank Adams Island. That means he's got both the inclination towards and means for sinking an island. We can't say for certain he won't make the same decision again if he gets pushed far enough!

Chloe: So he might sink Borda Island?

Murr: Full marks!

Arthur: Then it'd be best if we made arrangements for evacuation and rescue operations ahead of time, just in case.

Nero: Gotcha. I'll make sure I talk to the new lord about it.

Faust: Sorry, and thanks.

Arthur: Now for our next point of discussion… What precisely will we be doing once we're underwater? Heathcliff. Can you tell us what you learned from Vespa?

Heathcliff: Yes. Balthazar has taken the other mermaids captive, and rules over them like a tyrant. He works them like slaves, imprisons them in a cage at the bottom of the sea…

Oz: …I have seen this cage.

Heathcliff: You have?! When…?

Oz: Before sunset.

Heathcliff: According to Vespa, several of the mermaids know where to find a sunken ship.

Murr: Is it Melissa's ship?

Heathcliff: She doesn't know for sure, but Balthazar seems to think it is. Apparently he's been trying to threaten the mermaids into guiding him to the ship so that he can get the cintamani stone of medicine.

Faust: And so he confined some of the mermaids to that end. Why are they refusing to show him where it is?

Heathcliff: Vespa told me to keep this a secret, so I can't talk about all of the details, but… It seems to be very close to a location of great importance to the mermaids.

Murr: I see! But she doesn't know where the sunken ship is?

Rustica: Oh my. She raised one of her hands and tilted her head.

Chloe: Maybe she knows…?

Nero: Nah, this is what she does when she doesn't know.

Cain: It'd be pretty bad if we got lost at the bottom of the ocean. Can you introduce us to anyone who does know where the ship is?

Vespa: …! …!

Cain: She raised her right hand.

Heathcliff: Apparently her sisters know. They're some of the mermaids trapped in the cage, though.

Faust: It's probable that one of them knows where Balthazar is, too. We should ask them after we've helped them.

Arthur: Then let's head for the mermaids' cage!

Rutile & Shino & Cain: Yeahhhh!

That was a chorus of voices I knew I could rely on. As we drew closer to the castle gates, we began to hear the voices of angry, desperate people.

Cain: What should we do? Should we take to the sky and fly to the ocean?

Arthur: No, wizards flying off the island right now when Lady Dianne has yet to address the people would only make them more suspicious of her. So we're going to leave through the front gate. I will talk to the island residents.

Arthur's expression grew serious. Cain put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and Shino adjusted his grip on his scythe. Oz and Faust both looked like there was something they wanted to say as they watched Arthur. And then Murr did a somersault through the air with catlike grace.

Murr: One last thing! We all gotta have fun on our upcoming expedition!

Everyone raised their heads to watch Murr as he tumbled through the sky. A golden moon hung in the cloudless sky, as if the torrential rains had all been a bad dream. <The Great Calamity>. It illuminated the darkness of our world just as surely as it would destroy it. And yet, for some reason, it felt like it was watching over us tonight. It was like it knew we were heading to the bottom of the sea, where its light wouldn't reach, its gaze a peaceful and gentle one… Murr narrowed his eyes like a contented cat, though he was embracing the moonlight and not a warm sunbeam.

Murr: It's a lot easier to take it easy when you're having fun. And taking it easy opens up more options than when you're taking things too seriously! The goddess of victory is gonna run away if you've got a frown on your face! Besides, you guys won't believe how pretty the sea is at night!

He was right. I steadied my breathing, and then opened my eyes. My field of vision that had been swallowed up by the darkness slowly began to expand. The moon's light reached out to all of us, all throughout the world, embracing us in its rays. I heard the sound of the waves from the vast, mystical place we called the "ocean" so easily, never considering how little we knew of what lay beneath its waves. And thus, surely we'd see sights we'd never seen before.

Cain: Open the gate.

Castle Gatekeeper: B--but…

Arthur: I will take full responsibility. Please, open the gate.

Castle Gatekeeper: You are…?

Arthur: One of the Sage's wizards, as well as the crown prince of Central Country. Arthur Granvelle.

Castle Gatekeeper: Y-yessir…!

✦✧☾✧✦

There were many people gathered beyond the gate, anger, anxiety, and frustration clear on all of their faces. This mob was clearly motivated by more than just petty irritation. They couldn't just stand around doing nothing, not when they were worried about their families, their coworkers, their friends--and so, their legs had carried them here. But as Arthur took his place before them, their angry yelling was quickly silenced. It wasn't because he looked every inch the noble prince that he was, no. It was because his eyes, the same blue as the sea and sky, were truly pure. He regarded them with the same expression as if he were addressing his friends.

Arthur: People of Borda Island, I cannot apologize enough for having caused you worry. I am Arthur Granvelle. One of the Sage's wizards, and the crown prince of Central Country. The local lord, Lady Dianne, has asked us to look into the strange incidents taking place on this island.

Borda Island Resident: She asked you to…? So she isn't just trying to cover things up for the wizards here.

Arthur: While our investigation has yet to conclude, we have reason to believe that these incidents involve Adams Island, which sank below the waves many centuries ago… And the wizard that sank it, Balthazar.

Borda Island Resident: The wizard that sank Adams Island?! Does that mean this island is going to sink, too?!

Arthur: We won't let that happen. In fact, we're presently headed to the bottom of the sea to prevent exactly that. I want all of you to help each other. I imagine that some of the wizards that do business in the market may be familiar with similar past incidents. Listen to what they have to say. Ask them what you should do to prepare yourselves.

Borda Island Resident: B… But will the market wizards even want to work with us?

Arthur: Of course they will. As long as all of you intend to help them, too.

Chloe: A… And because Shylock's in real big trouble right now! If you tell them it's for Shylock's sake, the older wizards will definitely help you with what's going on! I think!

Borda Island Resident: Alright… Then… We should find this "Balthazar".

Cain: Borda Castle should also be coming up with countermeasures. You should contact them when you've figured out what you want to do.

Nero: Yeah. I'll make arrangements for all that.

Heathcliff was smiling as he watched their exchange. He took a small, nervous breath and straightened his back. When he noticed I was looking at him, Heathcliff told me something.

Heathcliff: I started feeling like Shylock and the others who aren't here are still at our sides somehow… Shylock taught me a lot about how to enjoy myself. Lennox taught me how to be more stubborn… Lord Snow and White taught me how to have the courage to face a strong foe… So, it just feels like they're here with us right now…

Heathcliff gazed at the ocean's dark waters. I was reminded of something. Although Heathcliff was normally a shy and gentle person… It was his desperate plea that had first moved my heart after I'd arrived in this world. Heathcliff's desire to help his comrades and kind feelings had touched me, and made me put my faith in the wizards. I felt like I was seeing the same scene now that I'd seen that night.

Cain: Riquet, the rest is up to you!

Arthur: Please don't push yourselves.

Riquet: I should be the one saying that to all of you. Please take care and come home safe. Lord Arthur, Cain, I'll see you soon! You too, Oz!

Oz: Yes.

Nero: Shino, Heath, take care of Teach for me.

Shino: That's the opposite of what you usually say.

Heathcliff: You can leave him to us.

Vespa: …! …!

Heathcliff: Vespa'll do her best, too!

Faust: I'm already calm and composed. I'll be fine.

Mitile: Rutile, please make sure to get Leno back.

Rutile: I definitely will. Mitile, take good care of Riquet and Dr. Figaro, okay? And be sure to listen to what Nero tells you. …Mitile, let me see your face.

Mitile: …Please be safe, Rutile…!

Rutile: Mhm…!

Arthur: Now then, it's time for us to depart! <Pernoctant Nixzo>!

Cain: <Gladius Procella>!

Shino: <Matzah Sudipas>!

Heathcliff: <Repsev Aivulp Sunos>

Chloe: <Suispicibo Voitengok>!

Rutile: <Ortonik Setomaouge>!

One by one, my wizards chanted their spells and stepped into the water. First were the younger ones, and then the more experienced ones also sank into the water after them. The moon's light shined off the surface of the water. Seeing such a beautiful sight made me remember something with a gasp, and all of the wizards still on the shore turned back to me. I looked at Mitile and shouted to him.

Akira: Mitile! Can you ask the owner of that one shop to bake a torta di cocco, please?!

Mitile: Torta di cocco?!

Akira: Yes! And if Mithra comes back… Tell him to bring it with one of his doors through space, please! Hwylryn really wanted to eat it! So maybe it'll help with negotiations…

Mitile: Okay, got it! I'll find the shopkeeper as fast as I can and ask them!

Riquet: If we get turned down, we'll have Nero make it instead!

Nero: Man, I don't wanna try makin' a cake with so much ridin' on it on the first go… But I'll make it happen somehow! Take care of yourself, Sage!

Akira: Yeah…!

After responding, I turned back around to the ocean. I took Oz's hand in mine and held it tightly. He reciprocated the gesture, his fingertips pressing against the back of my hand.

Oz: <Vox Nox>

And we jumped into the water together.

Next Chapter

#.mhyktl #.eventtl #.main story tl #4th anni

[echantedtoon]

Charlastor Week Day 5

Day 5 (3-5): Date

What does one get for someone they like? And then what would you do if she had something you already got her? Yeah. Teddy bears were something she had a lot of and honestly she deserved better than that. So really what could he give her? Something that couldn't be found in hell. Something that wasn't easy to get. Something rare.

Flowers!

Ladies loved flowers. They're colorful, alive, and smell nice. A great change up from the usual gloom n doom around here. The only plants that grew down there were the venus fly traps that grew in Mr. Baxter's labotory, and those weren't as lovely or enjoyable as flowers. Of course, the surface world was forbidden to demons so he had to pull some strings. And waited for a couple days before finally being able to get what he needed. And they were better than he could imagine. Honestly they were more smelling and brightly colored than the pictures he's seen or the rose perfume Angel insists on wearing, but his crush was a girl. So she should like these, right?

His footsteps and heartbeats were the only things that rung in his head right now as he stepped closer towards the room she resided in. A million thoughts and worst case scenarios played through his head at light speed. What if she didn't like them? What if they were too brightly colored? An eye sore. Maybe she wouldn't like the smell. Many demons didn't like the things that reminded them of life on the surface, he didn't know if she would be the same. She did visit a giant rose garden with him not too long ago.....SH*T! What if he got the wrong kind of flowers?! He didn't even ask if she had a pollen allergy. He heard about this but never witnessed it. Too late now though. Each step brought them closer and closer to the room and every step felt like his legs were wobbly and it was getting hard to breath. His nose felt like it was full of this sickening sweet smell and his lungs were burning with the sensation. Too soon he found himself in front of the forbidden door.

Hand raising shakily to hover above the door. The burning hot sensation in the back of his throat getting worse by the second. Weakly he moved his hand to make the slightest tapping sound against the wood-

"Just a minute," a voice called making him jump, "I'll be right there!"

The sweet voice set the blazing feeling further as it pooled up his spine and into the back of his throat. Hopefully his voice wouldn't sound too static-y.

Too soon the door opened and the princess stepped out, happy and then confused to the sight of beautiful brightly colored flowers inches away from her face. Thank goodness he had so many years of practice keeping such a calm composure and smile on his red features, he held them out to her and she silently but confusedly accepted them from him. Well, now was the moment. Just be your usually self old boy! Chin up!

"You're probably wondering why I've come here at your doorstep with such a meaningful gift!" She blinked back up to him with those wide doe eyes of hers. How perfect. "You see my dear. Not many catch my eye and not more so my heart that barely beats! So rather than ignore the pesky thing, I've decided the best course of action was deal with the problem and court you myself! Aren't you a lucky one!"

She stared there flabbergasted. Probably not sure what to say about the whole situation besides to blink and stare still holding the flowers.

And so he made his move. "How about you and me take a trip to a picture show first thing tomorrow? I have heard many things about this Bate's Motel they're showing. Perhaps it'll help with ideas for our own fine establishment. Whaddya say?"

In her still blank state she could only mutter out, "....ok??"

"SPLENDID!! Now off to bed you. And be up and ready with the clock strikes! We have big things ahead of us now! Big, big, big!!"

Without another word, he spun on his heel and walked away down the hall, leaving a very confused princess indeed.

#hazbin hotel charlie #hazbin hotel alastor #hazbin hotel #charlastorweek2020 #charlastor #charlastorweek #charlie x alastor #alastor x charlie #hazbin alastor #hazbin charlie

[crazybagelbitch]

SORRY I FORGOT TO GIVE A PROMPT!! I’m clinically stupid. But for Hotch and Garcia as father/daughter platonic duo; “You came?” “You called” is my favourite prompt ever. Maybe Hotch rescues Garcia from an awful date or from Strauss’ wrath over something garcia definitely did but does not deserve punishment for

Penelope knows this is stupid. She knows that she could probably handle this herself and not have to interrupt her sleeping boss with this nonsense. Derek would normally be the first person she would call in a situation like this, but while they'll always be close friends with a deep adoration for another, it's different now that he's left the team and he has a new baby. He needs some space, and as much as she hates it, she has to respect it.

She could call JJ or Emily and they would come in a heartbeat. They're two kickass women who she knows would do anything for her, but something about it doesn't feel right. As much as she doesn't want to admit it, there's a certain comfort she needs at the moment and only one person, at least one person who is still alive, can give her that.

Wincing, she pulls up his contact and hits dial.

It's 3 am but she knows they all sleep with their ringers up high, a consequence of the job they work.

"Garcia?" he picks up after a few rings, sounding somehow both sleepy and 100% alert, "What's wrong? Do we have another case?"

There was a time when his second question would only ever be directed at JJ and not her, and it makes her feel sad and happy and proud and nostalgic all at once.

"N-No," she whimpers, "No, I'm sorry it's much less important than that. I shouldn't have e-even called you, I'm sure it'll be fine. Go back to sleep. Goodnight, sir!"

"Garcia."

It's not just her name, it's a command.

"Yes?"

"What's going on?"

"I-I lost him, but I was walking home from a bar and this drunk guy was following me. I ran him off b-but I uh, I was running in heels and now I slipped and my ankle is-- well, it's not broken but it hurts and could you please come and get me?"

She's met with silence for a long moment and is worried she's going to get told no and to handle things herself like a big girl, but then she hears movement and shoes being put on in the background and her heart swells with gratitude.

"Where are you? Drop me a pin. Are you laying on the ground somewhere?"

"Sitting on a bench," she mumbles pitifully, sending him her location, "I really am so sorry, sir."

"Stop apologizing. I'll be there in ten; stay on the line."

On instinct, as a woman alone in the dark of night, she feels scared when she sees a car approaching, before the car gets close enough that she recognizes it.

"You came!" she exclaims in relief when he opens up his car door, rushing over to her.

"You called," he says simply, gently probing her ankle, "Garcia, I know I may be incredibly rough around the edges at times, but you have to know I would never leave you hurt and alone in the middle of the night."

"Where's Jack?" she sniffles, overcome with a mix of several emotions and the physical pain of Hotch touching her sprained ankle.

"He's still with Jessica, and even if he hadn't been, I would have still come to get you. He's still at the age where he'd forgive me for anything, even a 3 am field trip, if I bribed him with McDonalds."

"Thank you."

"I'm glad you called," he says with a nod, "I don't think it's broken, either. You still should get it looked at by a doctor, but that can wait until it's a decent hour of day. Come on, I'll help you up."

"You're my hero, sir."

#criminal minds #aaron hotchner #hotch #penelope garcia #i hope this is okay!