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xiaonesis · 3 years

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Ghosts We See // Chapter 6

Summary:

When a volleyball was spiked into your head, you did not expect it to be powerful enough to send you into another dimension completely.

As you look for a way to return home, the powers and politics of this new world are each intent on keeping you for themselves for their own gains, purposes, and motivations. Everyone wants something, and you are at the core of it.

The line between the world you know and the world you are discovering blurs, affecting not just you but the two worlds too.

As you hold on tight to the ends of the strings that keep everything together, your mind, body, and heart unravels at the seams as the two worlds begin falling apart.

This must be how Spider-Man felt in Homecoming as he tried to keep two halves of a breaking ship together.

Genre: Reverse Harem, Slow Burn, Isekai, College/University AU, Fantasy AU, Worldbuilding, Angst, So Much Slowburn The Whole Forest Is On Fire

Pairings: F!Reader X Kuroo/Bokuto/Suna/Atsumu/Osamu/Kita/Oikawa/Ushijima

All chapters can be found on AO3 (27 chapters as of this post; link on pinned post) I recommend reading on AO3 as Tumblr messes with a lot of the text formats I use in many of the chapters.

Ghosts We See // Chapter 6: The Forest Chase

“Mornin’!”

“Morning.”

“Good morning!” You greeted back, round cheeks full with a happy smile as you ran up to the twins at the kindergarten gates, the yellow uniform hat bouncing on your head haphazardly. Good, easy days like this with the twins were the best and most fun.

“Stop copying me every time I greet her ‘Samu!”

“I wasn’t copying ya’, we’re both just greeting her, ya scrub!”

“Well, I said it first!”

“We said it at the same time!”

Or not.

“Ya' finished the last piece, so ya' clean the dishes ‘Tsumu.”

“What, ya’ ate more than two of us combined so ya' clean it up!”

“The person who used something last should clean it.”

“No, the one who used it more cleans!”

“I-It’s okay, I'm the guest so I’ll clean it…!”

"That makes no sense!" They said simultaneously.

“Why’d ya’ make her cry for ‘Samu?”

“I didn’t make her cry, ya' threw the snowball too hard ‘Tsumu.”

“It was yer stupid bag she tripped over!”

“I-I’m not crying, it just hurts a little...I slipped on the ice...”

“I want to sit in the front!

“Ya' sat last time ‘Tsumu.”

“No, I didn’t, stop making up lies!”

“The both of ya’ will sit in the back!” Their mother reprimanded as she ushered you into the passenger seat of the car instead, off on your way to the nearby supermall.

"Hee-hee!" You stuck your tongue out at them and they scowled back in return.

“This is stupid, I don’t wanna do it!!”

“S-Same here! Let’s just not!”

“I’m telling you guys, this will work! This was how my dad pulled my brother’s loose tooth out too!” You told the twins as you held onto the doorknob with two strings attached, the other ends leading to a tooth of Atsumu’s and Osamu’s each.

“It’ll be over before you know it!”

“NO--!”

“AHH-!!”

“G-Guys...I-I think I’ll just wait for my parents to take me to the dentist…”

“What do ya’ mean, remember when ya' helped us? Ya' remember don’t cha’, ‘Samu?”

“I sure do ‘Tsumu. We really appreciated yer help then. We’re just returning the favor.”

“P-Please DON’T--!!”

“Heh, ya’ better be grateful! We don’t show this skill to just anyone .”

“Yea, we especially don’t show it to girls .”

They simultaneously remarked proudly to you.

“What are you guys talking about?”

They proceeded to do a setup and spike that they learned on their own.

Then came junior high and actual volleyball.

“My spikes are so much better than yers.”

“What, no they aren’t. Stop being delusional.”

“Whose spikes do ya' think are better?!”

“I’m...not the best judge for these things?”

“Ya’ joined dance classes?”

“Do ya’ even know how to dance?”

“Yer such an idiot ‘Tsumu. That’s why she’s going to go to classes. But you’re clumsy though, so it’s gonna be hard.”

“You guys don’t have to be so blunt about this.”

“Listen, yer piece of shit! I told ya' over and over I didn’t touch yer filthy stuffs nor do I even want to look inside yer stinkin’ bag!!”

“Then tell me why my favorite sports bottle is missin’ if ya' didn’t take it!!”

“The hell would I know! Ya' lose yer shit all the time!!”

The old lady next door hushed loudly at the twins, squinting wrinkly eyes at them. You bowed deeply at her three times, before forcefully pushing the twins along, slotting yourself in between to separate their flying arms.

“Oi, are ya’ actually still going to dance class?”

“Do ya’ even like it?”

“She’s just doing it cause she can’t play volleyball with us.”

“That’s such a lame excuse. You’re lame.”

“H-Hey! I like it just fine, thank you very much!”

“My mum asked if you guys wanted to come over for dinner.”

“Is yer brother going to be home? I want a rematch with him on FIFA.”

“Ya’ know yer suck at FIFA so why do ya’ even bother?”

“Speak for yerself!”

“Maybe I’ll tell nii-san to eat out tonight…”

“So where’s our valentine chocolate?”

“Oh right, ya' didn’t give any to us today yet.”

“You already got a bunch from the other girls, do you even need any from me?”

“The more the better…”

“Those are like, giri-chocolates to us! Yers is honmei right?”

“Who would ever want to give ya’ honmei chocolates?”

“...whatever, here. I just thought you guys didn’t need anymore...They aren’t honmei though. You two better get me something for White Day.”

“How long are ya' guys gonna hog the televi-”

“Shhh, he’s sleeping.” You whispered, motioning at a sleeping Atsumu who was sprawled across the couch, head on your lap, lightly snoring. You closed your book as Osamu approached.

“Ya' can just push him off ya’ know,” Osamu said but kept his voice low despite his words as he sat down on the floor in front of the couch.

“I know, ‘Samu.”

You spent the next hour reading at the Miya household whilst Osamu played Winning Eleven on mute, a box of animal chocolate biscuits shared between the both of you. Atsumu blissfully continued his afternoon nap.

“Uhm...my family is moving to Tokyo.”

“What?!”

“Why?”

Then the dreaded move.

“Well, you’ll visit us right?”

“Of course! And you guys should come to visit Tokyo too! We can go to Disneyland together!”

“Disney is lame. We should hit up Fuji-Q instead!”

“Let’s promise to always keep in touch!”

For as long as you can remember, your relationship with the twins has always been an extreme cycle of sorts, ranging from them arguing with one another, teaming up against you, you playing peacemaker, and the once in a blue moon peaceful days.

Those days were your favorites.

Despite the gap of several years in between due to your moving away, they have always been a big influence during your most formative years and remain a big part of your life now. If it wasn’t for them, you would never have discovered dance. If it weren’t for them, you wouldn’t have met so many new friends at university.

You were very glad you threw mud on Atsumu that day in kindergarten.

“‘Samu,” you breathed.

That girl had been Miya Osamu.

She had been your childhood friend, one of your best friends, ‘Samu, all along.

She had been ‘Samu all along.

Your mind was both a blank and a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings, your eyes glued to that familiar face you have missed so much in recent days.

Those grey eyes you knew so well flickered down to glance at you, a brief frown pulling at his brows. But then it was gone and in its place, a broad, confident smirk you were more used to seeing on Atsumu appeared, his attention back on Kenma whose eyes were wide with shock at the sudden transformation.

“Sorry lil’ cat but we’ll be taking her with us. No hard feelings, eh, distant cousin o’ mine?”

Before either you or Kenma could react, ‘Osamu’ threw you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and jumped off the branch with one powerful push of his legs, beginning a fluid rhythm of leaps as he hopped from tree to tree.

You yelped as you flopped nauseatingly against him, scrambling to grip his clothes in your hands to keep yourself from repeatedly imprinting your face into his back. Looking up in front of you to where ‘Osamu’ left Kenma, you saw a large cloud of orange smoke filtering amongst the green leaves of the forest.

From that cloud came Kenma’s fully transformed feline form, his lithe body of white with patches of brown and gold soaring through the air as he bounded after you and ‘Osamu’.

“Kenma!!” You called out for him, even as your mind tore itself apart from indecision, not knowing if you should be so complacent with the one who looks like your childhood friend or struggle to get back to the one who has been your friend during this entire ordeal.

You have no idea what is going on but it was obvious that they were not on the same side of the court.

The decision was made for you however, when you felt ‘Osamu’ slap a hand on your back, and thick, red rope slithered out from the sleeves of his clothes and up your body, binding your arms together in front of you.

‘Wha-?!’

Then with the same arm, Osamu lightly waved it out in an arc and several branches behind him shimmered and disappeared into thin air. Kenma’s figure faltered, slowing down as he adjusted midair to find footing against the trunk of a tree instead, but did not stop in his pursuit as he switched to using tree trunks as his propulsion board.

Osamu grinned viciously over his shoulder, eyes almost glowing a bright silver instead of their usual tranquil grey. He looked like he was enjoying this.

“I guess what they say about cats landing on their feet every time is true!” He barked out in laughter, whether to you, to Kenma, to himself, or someone else entirely, you did not know. Each branch he leaped off wavered and disappeared, along with several others in its proximity, confusing and disorienting Kenma who was trying to catch up.

‘Shit .’ Kenma cursed to himself.

Even in his full feline form, he was having trouble catching up to their retreating figures; the fox-male was without a doubt superior to Kenma in physical capabilities. Kenma himself wasn’t much for physical battles in the first place, as his role with The Dominion has always been tactical, preferring strategy and long-range magic rather than close combat. He makes the plans whilst soldiers like Lev and Yaku carried them out. He wished they were here right now, acknowledging with dismay that if it was them, they would have caught up immediately.

The disappearing illusions the fox left behind in his path didn’t make things any easier for Kenma to find footing for him to jump off. Even if he knew the branches were still there, it was hard to keep track of what was originally there or absolute thin air, not at the speeds the fox was going at.

Why were the foxes here? Were they the ones behind the attack on Nekomata Mountain? Did they act alone or with another party? Was it separate events?

There were too many questions and too few answers.

His mind raced to cover all the possibilities, but as he slowly lost pace to the fox and his captive, he decided he had to focus on the present and figure the rest out later.

Kuroo entrusted her safety to him. He will not allow himself to fail.

His stamina reserves are on the lower side, so he needs to finish this quickly and decisively. Yet he couldn’t risk using any powerful offensive magic lest he hurts you as well. His only other option would be containing them.

Concentrating his magic into his legs, his next jump brought him to the forest floor where the magic zapped out from his forelegs and traveled rapidly across the ground towards its target. A large wall of earth rose high, towering above the treetops in the fox’s path.

The grey-haired male barely stopped, continuing to run up and across the wall at a diagonal path instead as he made to cross it.

Kenma kept up, chasing after them from the ground before he raised several pillars of earth at staggered heights, creating make-shift stairs.

With his magic essence that still lingered in the earth wall, he manipulated them to raise as blocks of cages in swift succession, aiming to catch the fleeing male in them and sealing him in. But the light-footed fox managed to dodge or escape their confines with quick jumps, scaling up the wall and getting closer to the top.

With a snarl, Kenma channeled magic into his four legs, using surges of earth to give himself an extra push forward with each step he took on the erected wall.

He was catching up, but it wasn’t enough!

You watched with panicked eyes at Kenma’s figure bounding after you, white fur soiling with the dirt of the earth, noticing the strain and frustration pulled across his expressive golden eyes as he tried to keep up. You want to do something, anything, to help him but there was nothing you can do.

Arms bound or not, it took all you could to keep yourself from hurling and losing consciousness as you were bounced roughly against ‘Osamu’s’ back, blood rushing and sloshing up around in your head. The speeds they were moving at was too much for your regular body to mentally and physically keep up with.

You tried kicking him (mentally muttering an apology to the Osamu of your world), but with another tap to your legs, more red rope tied themselves around you, binding your legs together.

‘Oh my god, I’m going to be sick,’ was all you could think as your body flailed to the side, flopping like the carp banners you hung up with the twins as children in the wind, unable to resist gravity as ‘Osamu’ ran up the wall. You squeezed your eyes shut and clenched your teeth.

Then your axis suddenly righted itself and you opened your eyes at that moment when it felt like you could finally breathe right. It was a bad decision on your part as ‘Osamu’ had jumped off the top of the wall, leaping up high into the air, the wind gushing and whipping through your hair, and your stomach lurched at the sensation of weightlessness overtaking your body.

At the same time, your heart dropped down to the dirt far below you as if pulled by an anchor descending to the ocean depths.

Your body went numb at the view.

Nekomata Mountain was burning.

The mountain that had sheltered you for the past week with its kind denizens was covered in red flames that spewed thick, black smoke into the equally scarlet sky. Bells were ringing across Moggie Boroughs, and the city was in an uproar at the state of their beloved mountain, flames licking at the once beautiful trees and pagodas that covered the center peak.

Columns of dark fumes belched from the tunnel holes all over the central peak where your room with your belongings was, where Kenma’s, Lev and even Yaku’s room was, where Kuroo’s pagoda was, where you had recently enjoyed dinner with everyone, where Kenma made your favorite milk tea and where the tearoom you relaxed with Kuroo was.

‘No…’

Tears pricked at your eyes, pure white anger rushing through your entire body and your body trembled, knuckle-white fists clenched tightly on ‘Osamu’s’ clothes.

You screamed sharp and loud, without words, just madly and agonizingly, yells and cries of frustration and pain for the people who called that mountain home.

It felt as if you were watching your own home burn.

At your thrashing and tormented expression, Kenma looked behind to find the cause and his breath stopped, golden eyes widening in pure shock.

His home was in flames.

Despair constricted around his heart. He wanted to desperately turn around, to go look for Kuroo, for Lev, for Yaku, for his companions and friends, all the people he loved and cared for; your screaming voice ripped into his ear and he knew without a second thought that turning around was not an option he could take. Not just because Kuroo trusted him to look after you, but because they had just barely begun to unravel the unknown that was a cure to The Rot.

His head was already thinking, planning, strategizing for the long road.

Homes can be rebuilt, nature restored...but The Rot was an impending issue that they have to find a solution for before it got any worse. And if you even had a sliver of potential to do more of what you did for that young girl this morning, then they absolutely could not lose you.

And most of all...

You are his friend too.

He gritted his teeth, his jaws contorting themselves over his protruding fangs in agony. With newfound vigor, he vaulted far into the air with a piercing cry after the only person he could hold accountable at this moment in time.

“ARGHHH!”

His one powerful leap fueled by fury closed the last gap between them, and his jaws opened and his stretched arm rose to hurt the grey-haired male.

At the last possible moment, right before you thought Kenma’s claws would rip into ‘Osamu,’ he twisted in the air and your world spun with his movement.

“You’re surprisingly persistent, aren’t cha?!”

Suddenly, your body was flung away from him like a weightless doll. In the hazy vision of your panic and terror, you saw a large grey fox tackle at Kenma’s much smaller white figure. You heard your own shriek ringing in your ear as you flew through the air, before feeling that dreaded pull of gravity on your entire body and you started hurtling towards the trees and ground.

Dead. Dead. She’s dead.

Destiny coming to finish its work.

A flash of gold and red darted at you from the surrounding greenery below, colliding into your plummeting figure, and you were propelled up into the air once more, your eyelids slamming down tight at the jolting change in direction. You thought your neck would snap.

Is this what a volleyball feels like?

“Say somethin’ next time will ya’ before ya start tossin’ shit!”

Atsumu’s painfully familiar voice rang in your ears, and your eyes snapped back open to look up at a mess of golden-hair and caramel eyes; the hair that used to muss up endearingly in your lap as its owner habitually napped on you in your younger years.

A pair of equally golden fox ears mixed with a short layer of red was slowly forming on the top of his head; unlike the smoke that accompanied the shifts of the cat-folk, strands that seemed to stretch out from his hair twisted and coiled themselves together to form the ears. By this point, you were unable to even will yourself to feel surprised at seeing this.

The part of your chest where your heart resided writhed, twisted and clenched on itself horribly.

The other half of your pair of childhood friends that you have been missing.

And yet…

The image of Mt.Nekomata burning has been emblazoned in charcoal black in your mind; the scent of chrysanthemum tea now the smell of acrid smoke.

You told yourself, repeated to yourself, that even if they looked the same, they were not the twins you knew and missed.

You don’t know how, you don’t know why- but these two are part of the reason Kuroo’s and Kenma’s home is blanketed in flaming red. The coincidence was too great not to be.

Your intense gaze- filled with anger, frustration, sadness, confusion, helplessness- brought ‘Atsumu’s’ attention down to you.

His eyes that you always thought was a pretty shade of honey that complemented Osamu’s pearly grey looked at you in a way you have seen before.

It was the narrowed look that he sometimes had when it was a close match and it was his turn to serve, or when some idiot said something terrible about Osamu behind his brother’s back, or that one time the members of his fan club who didn’t know any better cornered you and threatened you for being too close to him; it was the same look he gave those two boys from the opposing school when his team lost at the Spring High Nationals Tournament in Tokyo years ago.

Only he has never set those eyes on you before. And it punched the breath out of you.

He blinked and it was gone, in its place, a smug smirk that fit all too well on his face appeared instead.

“Sorry doll, no hard feelings, eh?”

And then in the same manner ‘Osamu’ had carted you, ‘Atsumu’ threw you on the opposite shoulder his twin had carried you mere moments ago, and you were back to being bounced carelessly around as he dropped back down into the cover of the trees and continued leaping away.

“Let me go!!” You screamed at him as best you can while being manhandled.

“No can do!” He quipped back lightly, very much like the Atsumu of your world.

This isn’t Atsumu. He is not Atsumu.

Something shone from the shade of the forests, and then two gleaming knives flew at your figures, one nearly taking off a lock of your hair as Atsumu dodged away.

“Woah, that’s a bit dangerous, isn’t it? Nearly poked my cargo here too.” The Atsumu-Not-Atsumu laughed gleefully, obviously enjoying himself.

Menacing gold and striking silver flashed from the shadows of the trees, and you watched with a mixture of hope, appreciation, and lingering fragments of fear as the figure of Bokuto expertly weaved through the trees towards you.

An intimidating grin not too different from the one that was surely on ‘Atsumu’s’ face was pulled across his lips. His naturally intense eyes were blown wide, golden pinpricks focused on you and your captor; his head scarcely shifted from its extended forward position as his body turned and twisted behind him amongst the trees.

Like a true predator of the night.

“Hah, so long as it isn’t fatal, she can handle a few cuts!” Bokuto said, teeth showing in a callous sneer.

That...was not reassuring at all, Bokuto!

You grunted when there was a particularly hard jab into your stomach from where ‘Atsumu’s’ shoulder dug in as he jumped up to higher leveled branches, hoping to disorient Bokuto’s movements with the increase of branches. The forest was already a clear disadvantage to Bokuto and his wings, but years of training and practice were evident in his motions as he dived up after you, wings folding, spreading, and spinning as he navigated the dense forestry.

Gusts of wind blew from his wings during a small break in the trees, and you yelped, burying your face into your tied arms and your kidnapper’s back.

‘Atsumu’ rolled forward with the harsh winds that tried to topple him over from behind, using the added momentum to his advantage instead, his excited laughter ringing around you as his other arm came up against your back to secure you to him as he rolled through the air. You were unable to keep your eyes open as everything spun in rapid circles, losing track of which way was up and which was down.

“This is pretty fun!”

You did not share his sentiment as your stomach reeled on this horrendous roller-coaster ride that was the shoulders of ‘Miya Atsumu’.

‘Oh god, I-I think my n-neck might really break!’

Another dagger aimed at his leg flew at ‘Atsumu’. It grazed him as he side-stepped, and Bokuto’s lips pulled back in a provoking smirk.

“Did you know owls hunt foxes?” Bokuto’s taunt echoed in the trees, reminding you of the night he found you in the forest.

“Well, did ya’ know foxes eat baby owls?” The golden-haired twin teased back loudly.

No, you don’t know either and you don’t care! These two were more intent on playing chase rather than actually duking it out, and you did not know how to feel about it! On one hand, you were glad you did not have to watch copies of your friends hurting each other, on the other, you were passing your maximum discomfort limit. Thank god you had a light dinner.

“It must really suck to be unable to use magic well! Have you ever seen fox-fire before?!” ‘Atsumu’ called back as floating orbs of golden-red fire, sometimes flickering purple, began appearing around him; the wisps chillingly conjured images of ghosts and spirits in you despite the heat radiating from them. These wisps launched towards Bokuto who evaded expertly, resulting in the orbs colliding with trees that instantly combusted into flames.

What did he say? Bokuto was unable to use magic well? Weren’t the winds he kept blasting out part of his magic?

“Us sky-folk don’t need magic when we got wings!”

As if proving his point, a gust of wind so powerful whipped forward with the beating of his large silver wings, culminating into a column of tornado as tall as the trees, gouging up a path through the forest in its fast approach.

H-He remembers that you are here right?!

A curse resounded from beside you. “It’s like he doesn’t care if you’re collateral damage, does he?!” There was a snicker in 'Atsumu’s’ voice.

You resisted vocally agreeing with him.

‘Atsumu’s’ speed picked up as he raced to outpace the tornado that was hot on his heels, cutting through the forest at an angle in an attempt to get out of its path. But as if the tornado had a mind of its own, it changed its course in the same direction, gradually gaining on ‘Atsumu.’

The gales whipped wildly in the air, your hair flying about you just as madly, painfully lashing at your face. It was starting to get difficult to breathe as the surrounding air was sucked away by sheer force.

Dirt, rocks, branches, and bushes from all around were uprooted and pulled up into the devastating tornado, some nicking and scratching at ‘Atsumu’ as he barely swerved around them.

You felt something scratch across your cheek and arm as well.

Up in the sky, out of reach of the tornado, you saw the figure of Bokuto gliding along as he watched with excitement at the destruction his tornado was causing.

“Ah, damn it, if ya' weren’t just gonna get sliced up like a leaf in that tornado, this would be no issue for me to handle!” ‘Atsumu’ complained as he continued to manhandle you, arm tightening harshly around your body. “You humans are so fragile.”

Was he seriously blaming you??

“I didn’t ask you to kidnap me!” You snapped, unable to resist as your head whirled around to glare at the back of his head as best you could from the uncomfortable angle.

Aghh, it looks like he kept the other Atsumu’s infuriating attitude and the ability to irk you with it.

“Watch yer mouth. You’re the captive here.” He said threateningly, turning narrowed gold eyes on you. His hair blew violently around him, and he looked almost savage with the dangerous glow in his eyes.

“Well, you’re doing a great job of kidnapping me.”

“Why didn’t ‘Samu tie up yer mouth too.” He lowly grumbled, before he darkly grinned, the ears on top of his head perking up.

“Speak of the devil~!”

You were suddenly tossed forward again without warning, a scream leaving your lips before you even realized you had been thrown into the air once more. Like a goddamn volleyball!

Your body collided into the arms and hard body of ‘Osamu’ as he caught you mid-air, paying little attention to you as he turned to frown at his twin a little ways behind.

“Say somethin’ before tossin’ ya' piece of lug!” 'Osamu' threw his brother’s words from earlier back to him.

“Took the words right outta my mouth there ‘Samu!”

You want them to tell you before they threw you around! Better yet, you want them to stop passing you back and forth like a ball!

Then it hit you with dread that if 'Osamu' was here, then where was Kenma?

Slung like a sack once more over 'Osamu's' back, you saw ‘Atsumu’ stop fleeing from the rampaging tornado, turning around to face it head-on instead, diving into its center.

Immediately, scarlet flames combusted from within the twister, and it was quickly pulled up into the gales, turning it into a blazing pillar of vermillion flames. Your eyes bulged out of your head as now not only was everything in the area being uprooted, it was burning.

Fiery images of Nekomata Mountain flashed into your mind again, and you bit your lips harshly as the heat of the fire-tornado spread through the air.

“That bloody idiot.” ‘Osamu’ hissed from below you. With a wave of his hand, a transparent bubble that shimmered and refracted in the light formed around both of your figures just in time to shield your skin from the flames that rapidly expanded in a large radius, momentarily engulfing you in a ball of red.

When the flames dispersed from around you, the pillar of flame had continued to burn brighter and stronger as if fire was continually being pumped into it, and you gaped as the fire soon overtook the height of the tornado, swirling up higher than the forest trees and reaching Bokuto who corkscrewed in the air to avoid it.

There was one last loud and blazing discharge from within the tornado, containing enough force to cancel out the winds with its shockwaves. A spear of purple fire shot up from the smoky aftermath to Bokuto at a blinding speed.

You heard yourself yell something garbled as the flaming spear struck Bokuto who was caught off-guard on one end of his wings, watching in horror as he started to plummet from the sky.

Just as he was about to hit the trees, his falling figure wheeled in the air, righting himself and once more propelling towards the three of you, smoldering smoke emitting from his struck wing.

"Wah, he's persistent too." 'Osamu' grumbled. “‘Tsumu!”

“Yo!”

“Don’t you dare--!!!” You squealed when you were flung to the side where ‘Atsumu’ appeared to receive you.

“Nice pass!”

You screamed not from being thrown like a ragdoll for the umpteenth time but from pure unadulterated frustration at the treatment as ‘Atsumu’ pulled ahead of his twin, slinging you over his shoulder yet again.

‘Osamu’ whirled back to face Bokuto’s oncoming onslaught. He had his blades drawn as he went charging at ‘Osamu’ from above, the trees doing nothing to dissuade him. This guy was either crazy or did not give a shit. 'Osamu' focused, spreading his magic and energy out to the surrounding area, smirking to himself.

He raised the same transparent shield he used to shut out ‘Atsumu’s’ flames moments ago, this time as a wall that moved with his arms as he deflected Bokuto’s fast attacks.

Grey eyes narrowed at Bokuto’s vicious golden eyes, the shimmering shield between them distorting their visions of one another. For a split second, the image of the female cat-folk with round ears rippled on the shield, and Bokuto snarled.

“You’re that nasty one from the market.”

“Thanks for paying my way out.” A mocking smirk played on ‘Osamu’s’ lips.

“I should have cut you down then.”

“Well, I have the girl to thank for stepping in for me then.”

The metal of Bokuto’s blades screeched as they slid on the surface of ‘Osamu’s’ unwavering shield wall, both of them caught in a deadlock as they tried to overpower the other.

“The hell you want with her?” Bokuto bit out lowly.

“Ya' don’t think we’re going to allow ya' to keep the cure all to yerself, are ya'?”

If Bokuto was surprised, he didn’t show it. However, in his mind, he wondered how it was that these foxes found out when they only discovered it today? How did they even have time to plan out an attack? How long have they already been planning? How long have they been compromised?

“As much fun as I am having,” his opponent speaking once more brought Bokuto’s focus back to the grey-haired male before him, “-we’re unfortunately in a hurry. Please have fun with our snake friends instead.”

And with that, Bokuto toppled forward into thin air when the foe before him suddenly flickered and disappeared completely. He realized with a frustrated shout that it had been an illusion the whole time! When did that bastard even manage to switch himself out?

The forest area around him scintillated, and he suddenly found himself surrounded by more of the snake-men that had attacked the mountain. He wasn’t sure when he got caught in the illusionary trap, but even when knowing that these were only illusions, he knew he had to defeat them to break out of it.

He laughed to himself sardonically. Damn foxes really knew how to play.

They certainly were not Master Tricksters for nothing.

When he finally broke out of the surprisingly strong illusion he had been caught in, Bokuto could not help the pinch of fury and frustration that licked at him; they were too far now to give chase, and he would be unable to track them at this point, especially not with that grey-haired illusionist who will most likely have masked their trail expertly by now.

He begrudgingly admitted that they were strong opponents. He might have been able to handle it if it was only one of them but he did not expect a twin to pop up from nowhere.

And he knew the combination of their illusions and fire-based offensive attacks was the absolute worst for anyone who had the misfortune of facing them, and he had only seen the surface of it. Who knows what other abilities they might have been hiding.

Clearly, they needed to update their information on the Inarizaki foxes but they were elusive as all hell and constantly proved difficult for any spies to locate, even his spies. And they were one of the best in the realm.

If his sky-dwellers and owl-folk are the best at espionage and digging out intelligence, then the Inarizaki foxes were the best at camouflage and hiding it.

It was going to prove difficult to get the girl back if that was the path they chose, as he doubted even Kuroo knew where they were based. The West side of the realm is large enough as it is, without the added mess of all the warring powers there.

As he flew back towards the home of his allies, the fires mostly placated, his sharp eyes spotted the figure of Kenma in his human form, lying on the forest floor and he dove down to the younger male. He checked his pulse and breathed a very small sigh of relief to see that he was only unconscious.

When he had finally emerged from the smoking tunnels of the mountain earlier, he had seen the massive earth wall rising over the forest top and instantly knew it was Kenma’s doing. There weren’t many in The Dominion that could raise a wall like that on the spot, and the other ones who could have had just emerged with him from the tunnels, chasing after the snake-soldiers that attacked and bombed the mountain.

Looking around at the damage, he could tell that Kenma fought hard against who he assumed to be the grey-haired half of the twins, as he had been engaging the golden-haired one when the other interrupted.

Kenma was smart and magically talented, but when faced with even just one of the twins who were both physically and magically gifted, Bokuto was not surprised that he lost. Heck, even he got trapped in the bastard’s damn illusion.

Lifting Kenma in his arms, Bokuto took off for the mountains once more, silently brooding over the events of today.

“Why are you doing this, Daishou?” Kuroo trained impressively calm eyes on the male standing a short distance away from him.

Although his expression was composed, Kuroo was raging underneath.

His home is in flames.

His people have been hurt, and so are his companions in this uncalled for and cowardly sneak attack.

Daishou scoffed angrily, his slitted eyes glowing madly, flickering between its natural silver and the tinted yellow of the setting sky.

“You know better than anyone else why!” He yelled at the Dominion leader, and continued his rampage of weakened attacks, despite having been deflected and thrown back by Kuroo countless of times during this battle.

The winner was clear but he could not stop, could not let him get away with it!

He was thrown back by a boulder that was flung at him by Kuroo.

“What are you talking about?” Amber eyes focused on the leader of the Snake Tribe. For the leader himself to come all the way out here to battle, he must either be desperate or had completely lost it. Perhaps both, he mused, as he noted the crazed glint in Daishou’s eyes.

“Mika!! You are responsible for Mika’s disappearance!!” Daishou howled in unbridled fury. A little ways off from where the two faced off, several of Daishou’s underlings appeared, rushing towards their leader.

“Give her back!!”

“Mika?” Kuroo’s eyes narrowed. Daishou’s lover?

“I don’t know what you are talking about. We have nothing to do with her.”

“Lies!! It was your people that took her!”

“For as long as we have feuded with one another Daishou, I assure you, on my honor as the Leader of Nekoma Dominion, we did not take her.”

“I don’t care about your honor, give Mika back!!”

“Leader!!” Numai, one of Daishou’s top soldier, pleaded with him as he neared with the others. “We need to retreat! Now!”

Daishou hissed lowly, wrath coursing in his veins. They had snuck into The Dominion to look for Mika but were unable to locate her, so they must be keeping her elsewhere. It was supposed to be a quiet mission, to go in undetected and leave with Mika. They did not have the numbers to take on The Dominion in a straight battle. But when he did not find her at their holding cells, he lost control of his temper and emotions, seeking out Kuroo to get the answers directly from the man himself.

And yet the devious feline keeps to his disgusting lies!

Then that damn fox just up and left amid the chaos after setting things off, abandoning them! He never should have trusted a fox.

Kuroo gripped his sword tight in his hand and exhaled harshly, reigning his boiling emotions in, pushing them deep down under the still ocean surface of his heart.

It was clear to him that Daishou, as vile as the snake can be sometimes, is acting on pure desperation out of love for Mika. His people and the Snake Tribe had never gotten along, despite Kuroo’s efforts on many occasions to mend relations; they were a vengeful group and held onto old resentment with a vice and diplomatic talks had consistently proved unfruitful.

It was a true shame, considering that even Bokuto and his sky-folk were able to try and put the past behind them for a more peaceful path forward.

...One time. He can afford it one time.

“Go, Daishou. My people will not follow.” His eyes glowed threateningly as he trailed his gaze across Daishou and the men that now surrounded him. “But if you do something like this again, I will not show you mercy a second time.”

Daishou howled wordless sounds at him, moving to charge him again but his men held him back.

“Let me go!!”

“Daishou! We are not equipped for this! We need to go!”

“Y-Yea! If anything happened to you now, who will save Mika?!”

As if that was the magic words he needed to hear, Kuroo watched as Daishou’s men forcefully dragged him away. One of them, Kuguri if Kuroo recalls correctly, looked at him with a small nod, silently thanking him for his mercy.

Kuroo sheathed his weapon once he sensed they were clear of the area, fists clenching as he mulled over Daishou’s accusations. It was easy to deduce that someone is setting them up, but who? And why? How did they slip past their guards? Did someone help them?

He rather not have to fight Daishou and his Snake Tribe under such circumstances if they are being manipulated, but as he looked back out at the dying flames and smog blanketing his home, he meant his last words to them.

There were a lot of questions that Kuroo needed to find answers to, but as of this moment, helping his people get through this was his priority.

Off in the distance, his sharp eyes picked out the form of Bokuto flying in the sky, carrying...Kenma?

If Kenma's there, then where was....

There was a ripple on the ocean surface, and Kuroo breathed deeply.

Once. Twice.

The ripple subsided and the ocean stilled once more.

With powerful strides, he made his way to where Bokuto landed with an unconscious Kenma in his arms.

You stared silently into space in a jumble of dismay, simmering anger, sadness, and confusion as you were carried further and further away from Nekoma Dominion over the shoulders of ‘Osamu.’ It was the only assumption you could make, as you have never gone beyond Mt.Nekomata or Moggie Boroughs before.

‘Osamu’ had caught up to you and ‘Atsumu,’ who promptly tossed you back to his brother, saying something about being too tired to carry anything or anyone. Without the chaos that dogged them during their escape with you, you finally got a good look at the twins of this dimension.

‘Atsumu’ wore a red sleeveless robe- partially open and loose on the front- that stopped at his thighs, with an inner layer of black that lined tighter underneath the upper red layer. A wide, black obi secured the robes around his waist, with a thick, red rope running through the center of the obi-belt.

Black leather armguards started from the middle of his forearms and ended halfway on his upper arms, covering his elbows, and he donned fitting black trousers that ended right below his knees. Black leg guards with platings of the same shade of red ran up his calves, and black socks covered his feet, protected by dark sandals with white straps.

Where Kuroo, Bokuto, and the others of Mt.Nekomata were garbed in what you attributed as fantasy medieval western-styled clothes, the clothes of this world’s Atsumu leaned towards an eastern-style, blending between a Chinese and Japanese flair; you half-expected him to have a fox mask on. Ironic, considering their home was to the West of the continent.

‘Osamu’ was dressed similarly, only his outer robe was short-sleeved and a deep shade of blue, and was fastened more securely compared to his flashy twin. The obi tied on his waist was the same as ‘Atsumu’s’ with the same red rope, but the platings on his leg guards were the blue of his robe.

Much like Kuroo and the rest, they were exact carbon copies of the Miya twins of your world. But…

Your lips trembled as you thought about Nekomata Mountain burning, of Kenma fighting hard for you, and even Bokuto as he chased after you.

They are not the Miya brothers you know.

You don’t know what their situation is, but they were obviously involved in the fire engulfing the home of the cat-folk- having witnessed ‘Atsumu’ using fire only added fuel to your assumption- and there is no excuse to ever lay such destruction upon other people.

You wanted to lash out at them, at something!

You were just feeling so much pain and anger at them, at your helplessness, at your situation, at everything!

Why are you here in this world?! What did they want with you?! Why did they take you away?! What was that stupid white light? Why was your other self dead?! What’s happening at Nekomata Mountain?!

....are Kuroo and the others at Mt.Nekomata alright?

A low, quiet sniffle escaped you as you hung limply over ‘Osamu’s’ shoulder, bound hands dangling down wearily, defeated by your impossible situation.

You were so tired. So, so tired. Physically and mentally.

So tired that you didn’t even have the energy to argue or struggle when one of the twins made a snarky comment about you being a surprisingly good captive, or to even ask them the barrage of questions that you know you have but are too exhausted to sort out.

You just want to go home.

Through the mess of your fatigue and your mixed emotions, you never realized that your thoughts at this very moment were filled with not only memories of your family and your university friends, but also with vivid images of Nekomata Mountain and even Moggie Boroughs.

You were suddenly lifted and with an “ Oof-,” was dropped ungracefully onto the grass, back planted against a tree. Unconsciously, you brought your bounded arms and legs closer to you, curling into yourself.

‘Osamu’ looked down at you with frosty eyes, and you shivered, wondering where the ‘Osamu’ that bantered with his brother mid-battle from earlier went.

Frosty Osamu’s grey eyes looked darker than it ever did under the dimming light of the sun, the shade of night slowly creeping over the skies and his somber eyes.

This Osamu chills you.

“‘Samu, what gives?” ‘Atsumu’ complained, wondering why his brother suddenly stopped and threw their captive to the floor. “We don’t have time for a break. We have to get back.”

Caramel eyes glanced at you and you swallowed. The way he looked at you with those eyes earlier was still fresh in your mind; it had been a vicious gaze.

Frosty Osamu sighed, turning dull eyes to his twin. “I’ve been carrying her more than half the time. I’m tired.”

“I didn’t know ya’ were that weak.”

“You carry her then ya’ slug.”

Your lips pursed at the sight. It was almost like watching the Miya brothers of your world.

It made you squirm uncomfortably.

So far, your experiences with Majestic Kuroo, Energetic Kenma, and Scary Bokuto had been complete opposites of how you knew them to be.

Watching the two twins before you now, there was hardly a difference in their mannerisms and how they act but you just know that it is different. Besides the obvious of him having less of a filter compared to the Osamu you know, and that chillier attitude, there was something else that you weren’t sure about. Vicious Atsumu was very much the same and you could not pinpoint what it was that gave you this strange feeling in your gut.

You’ve known the twins long enough to be able to understand their weird and dynamic mood cycles most of the time where others would falter. And that read that you usually had on them was just...barely off.

“Oi.”

Osamu stared down at the girl as she blinked out of her reverie, his voice pulling her back from her thoughts.

It surprised him a little when she helped him out with that annoying shop owner, he will admit. The sludge that he called food was disgusting and Osamu would rather die a thousand times over than pay for it. Atsumu chewed his ear off for dragging so much attention to themselves but whatever. It didn’t change anything in the end, and the piece of information that he caught that she was a guest of the Dominion's leader had been good to pocket.

It did surprise him a lot more when he saw her and that- what did she call him? Kenma?- and what transpired with the infected girl at the outskirts of the city. He distinctly saw the black veins disappear when she made contact with the tainted cat-girl.

His spying on her had not been intentional; it was pure coincidence on his part but he wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. He had been in fact following the tainted girl (he was the one who let her out after all, mainly out of spite and vengeance on The Dominion), to see if she will be able to bring him to any leads to answer their questions but alas, he didn’t find what he was looking for.

He found something even better.

It was like fate stepped in and placed her in his path. And though someone with their history absolutely abhorred the idea of fate, he would be stupid to let that go.

Atsumu had been dubious and did not believe him at all.

“Are you sure ya’ weren’t just looking at an illusion?”

“How the heck am I supposed to put myself under my own illusion?”

“You tell me. Maybe you triggered yer own traps.”

Atsumu had been infuriating about it but considering the fact that they were in Dominion territory, sneaking around on their own...well, those were not the actions of people who had a reign on their emotions.

After that, it was only a matter of using the snakes they had found sneaking around the borders of The Dominion (The Dominion was really attracting the wrong kind of attention, weren’t they?) and using them as a distraction.

It was easier than expected, but he supposed The Dominion had been completely caught off guard; Atsumu went a bit overboard with the flames and the explosives given to the snake-men though, and could have been a bit more inconspicuous.

However, something else had been bothering him since he picked her up…

“Why do ya’ know my name?”

Her doe-eyes looked back up at him, confused.

Atsumu gave him a similar look, but less innocent. “What are ya’ talkin’ about?”

“When she saw my real form, she said ‘Samu.” Osamu’s eyes narrowed intensely at her, daring her to try and lie.

A visible gulp traveled down her throat and he could see her try to make herself smaller, pulling her knees further in.

“I-I…”

Shit.

What are you supposed to tell them? The truth?

As it stands, you were clearly on the side of Kuroo and Nekoma Dominion since they took care of you. You didn’t know who these twins are, at all.

They are not the Miya twins you know.

You chewed on your lips, trying to think of something to say, to feed them. But you had zero ideas.

Why would you know his name?

It was the same with Bokuto; your mentioning of their names had only brought about negative reactions so far (well, except for Kenma) but it was all spur of the moment! You uttered his nickname without even realizing it, bowled over by the shock at seeing your childhood friend’s face!

“Well?” He pushed, taking one sinister step forward, towering over you within his shadow.

“I-I...I-...” Ahhh, dammit, think of something.

“I…”

A cold nervous sweat started to gather at the tips of your temples and your palms.

You...you had nothing. You had absolutely nothing.

Lips beginning to tremble, you felt the familiar telltale pricks at your eyes.

You wished you were smarter. You wished you were better with words and able to talk yourself out of situations. But you weren’t and you have one of the worst poker faces you’ve ever seen! Why are you in this situation anyway? You never should have gone to that awful practice match! You wished this never happened to you!

You gasped and bit down on your bottom lip, resisting the urge to cry. You don’t want to cry in front of these...replicas!

“Ah-, ah--, ya’ made her cry ‘Samu. Just what we need.”

“Why’d ya’ make her cry for ‘Samu?”

“Shut up. I just asked her a question.”

“Yea well, as much as I want to know too, we need to get back before we get in trouble and I’m tired! We can play questions when we’re back home.”

“...tch, fine. Ya' carry her this time.”

“Wha- hey! I used a lot of energy dealing with that tornado back there!”

“And ya' still didn’t manage to take the guy down. But I did, so ya' carry her.”

“Ugh, fine!”

Vicious Atsumu approached you with a languid smile and you withdrew from him. The ropes around your arms twisted further, reddening the surrounding skin and you winced.

His caramel eyes flickered to that small movement and sighed boredly.

“‘Samu, we probably can let up on the ropes now. They bother my skin too.”

“If she escapes, you’re going after her alone.”

“Oh come on!”

With a loud sigh, Frosty Osamu walked back to where you sat with Vicious Atsumu crouched before you. He looked down at you with a squint, waving his hand and gesturing lazily at the bindings. You momentarily entertained the thought that the twins of this world were...more abrasive?

“You’re a magic-user aren’t you? Can’t ya’ tell these aren’t real?”

You definitely were no magic-user, at least, you still don’t believe that you are but what?

“W-What…?”

He scowled at you, much like he did when he was disguised as the petite girl you inadvertently helped and tugged at the rope on your wrists.

“They’re illusions.”

“....” Is he for real?

He waved his hand and sure enough, the bindings around your limbs shimmered and flickered before vanishing completely.

...He has got to be shitting you. You have been bound by an illusion the whole time?! But it felt so real...

“What?! I thought ya' used real rope ‘Samu!”

“Are you an idiot? Why would I when illusions work just as well? And you should be able to tell they are illusions too!”

“I don’t pay attention to everythin’ ya’ do!”

“Ya’ shouldn’t need to pay attention to notice this!”

You reminded yourself once more that they are not the twins you know.

You weren’t sure how long it has been since the alternate twins continued on their trek, taking turns carrying you though Vicious Atsumu was forced by Frosty Osamu to do it more comparatively.

During a short break they took, you stupidly tried your luck at sneaking off but got caught almost immediately by Frosty Osamu, who put the bindings back onto your legs. They had let you walk up till that point and now you were cradled in Vicious Atsumu’s arms, who was whining about being tired again for the 11th time that hour.

You can’t blame him, you weren’t the one walking after all.

“Finally! We’re back!” Vicious Atsumu breathed an exaggerated sigh of relief, and you curled your hands around his neck with a yelp when he suddenly stretched his arms out with you in them.

“D-Don’t drop me!”

“Have some faith, I didn’t drop you the past few hours did I?” He squinted at you and you grimaced uncomfortably at the feeling in your chest.

“Can ya’ not be so loud for once?” Frosty Osamu drawled dully, slouching where he stood. “We don’t want everyone to know.”

“Yea, yea.”

You looked around in confusion.

They said that you've arrived but...

You’ve left the forest some time ago and have been walking (in your case, carried) along a narrow beaten path of dirt and rocks, and for as far as the eye can see, there was nothing but stretches of abandoned farms and fields. Multiple, large swaths of land have been flooded by muddy water with insects buzzing incessantly overhead, and brown weeds grew in abundance.

Two tall, skinny and barren trees stood on either side of the equally deserted road, painting a pitiful image of desolation and abandonment.

...this doesn’t look like a place the greatest threat of the West resided.

Vicious Atsumu rolled his eyes with a smug smirk that was also on Frosty Osamu’s face when they saw the confusion on your face.

“Ya’ better be grateful. Not a lot of outsiders get to see this.”

“Heh, ya’ better be grateful! We don’t show this skill to just anyone.”

“Not a lot of humans especially get to see this.”

“Yea, we especially don’t show it to girls.”

They simultaneously remarked proudly to you.

“What are you guys talking about?”

“W-What are you talking...about…”

You trailed off as Osamu brought his palms flat together horizontally in a resounding clap, and then slowly separated them, as if he was gently lifting the lid off a treasure chest, languidly revealing its precious contents to your ignorant eyes.

And oh, how ignorant your eyes truly were.

I know you’re there.

Fox-Folk: Master Tricksters and experts of camouflage, their ability to shapeshift and talent for illusions is a deadly and troublesome combo that is difficult to counter. With the proficient application of these gifts, they are capable of chipping down and overturning entire hierarchies of their enemies from within.

Fox-Fire: Manifestations of the magic of the fox-folk. Adept magic users of the fox-folk can manifest them at will, allowing for a wider scope of attack options with the added range and mobility. It takes away the need for the presence of their controlled element as it can be conjured with fox-fire, for example, fire or water; it consumes a lot of energy due to this than if they used magic regularly like the other races who rely on the element being present. Looks like Will-O’-The-Wisps.

Bird-folk/Sky-folk/Sky-dwellers: Denizens of Owl Vale, the realm under the leadership of alternate Bokuto Koutarou. They are naturally adept hunters and many of the best assassins and spies of Hyquile hail from this region. Their gifts for magic are low compared to other races, with a few exceptions; they typically rely on magical tools and artifacts instead, like the Nox-Gloom Talon Bokuto Koutarou carries. Consists of mainly owl-folk and a mix of other avian-folk.

Mayhaps spare a reblog/comment on AO3 if you enjoyed this? <33

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gingerpeachtae · 5 years

Text

Concentric [3]

masterlist

Words: 8.9k

Genres: fantasy!AU, angst, fluff, enemies to lovers, eventual smut (?)

Warnings: blood, decapitation (yikes), violence

Summary: You had been ready for the end of the semester. You had been ready to spend time away from your best friend, Jimin, and finally move on from the feelings you harbored. Yet, after your friend was forced to reveal a secret, you found yourself in a new world that was chock full of magic, war, and wonder. So, here you were, basically thrown into your own fantasy novel, with your best friend on one side, and six male warriors on the other.

A/N: here ya go ya peach heads! pls engoy & I would luv to hear any feedback you have for me!

“…and then he tried fighting with swords, but he would either completely shatter the blade or the handle would fall off!” Tae was laughing so hard while he told the story that he fell on his side, clutching his stomach.

“Don’t forget the time he threw the knife behind him instead of at the target when I tried to teach him!” Hoseok chimed in.

“I-it’s not-it wasn’t that bad!” The male of subject tried to defend his actions before looking to you with pleading eyes. “I swear! It wasn’t my fault!”

You tried, you really did, to withhold your laughter for his sake. But one look at Tae rolling on the ground and you couldn’t hold back any longer.

Sounding defeated, he proceeded to whisper, “I would pick them up and they’d just break or go flying on their own.”

“Nope, you’re just a god of destruction. Our leader is too strong!” Tae exclaimed.

He had been explaining why Namjoon was the only one who fought with a mace. Apparently, the other members of the kiela refused to let him fight with sharp weapons because of how clumsy he was. There had been quite a few accidents until they finally got the sense to ban him from anything with a pointy end.

You shot Namjoon a comforting look through your giggles, and the emergence of his dimples showed you that he appreciated the gesture.

Then, looking toward the fire in the middle of the group, you asked, “Jin, are you sure you don’t want any help? I can cook fairly well, you know.”

You had finally met the eldest member of the kiela when you began setting up camp, which consisted of picking a designated sleeping spot and getting a fire rolling. When the Saeni you had yet to meet started chopping up what looked like carrots, celery, and some other familiar ingredients, you had approached to introduce yourself and offer your help. It would be an an understatement to say that your offer had been immediately and forcefully turned down.

Now, the black-haired male shook his head as he tossed another ingredient into the pot over the flames. Once he stirred it into the pot he turned his dark brown eyes to you, his hoop piercings shaking slightly from the sudden movement.

“Ya! I already told you, I’m the caretaker of this kiela, okay?” He shook his spoon at you in what you hoped was fake aggravation. “Just because you’re a female doesn’t mean you can steal my position!”

“I don’t know hyung… Y/N really is a good cook. Maybe you should let her help just a little bit.” Jimin said.

Jin’s jaw dropped. “How dare you Chim!? How dare you betray me like this?” He moved to point the spoon at Jimin’s apricot head and threatened, “Don’t make me smack you!”

“Aish! Calm down. I know you take care of all of us, but...”

“What?” Jin crossed his arms, finger tapping against the wooden spoon.

You quickly muttered, “You’re not my dad…

“Ugly ass fuckin’ noodlehead.” Jimin finished with you, laughing and giving you a high five.

Jin blinked twice before sighing, rolling his eyes, and returning to his steaming pot. The rest of the Saeni gave you both confused looks, obviously not knowing what you referenced.

Poor lads. Living in a world without Vine.

“But seriously Papa Jin, if you ever want or need help, let me know. I would love to give you a hand.”

The male just huffed and continued to stir his food.

“For Exia’s sake, you’re all so loud. Some people are trying to rest,” the lump curled on the ground complained.

“That would only be you, Yoongi.” Tae chuckled.

“Don’t be such a grouchy pants,” added Hoseok, but it lacked any real bite.

You watched as his eyes traveled over Yoongi’s form with an emotion that was quite familiar to you.

Interesting.

“Yeah, well Kookie is over your babbling mouths too.”

You shifted to look at the burgundy-haired male, noting that he was sitting stiffly, eyes on the ground. You realized he hadn’t said a word since Namjoon decided to stop for the day, which had been over an hour ago. His pea green eyes shot up and locked with yours. They narrowed before he stood up and walked into the trees, mumbling about how he wasn’t tired and wanted to go for a walk.

“Kookie’s been acting so weird.” Tae stretched his arms over his grey head and adjusted his headband.

Not necessarily wanting to get into Jungkook and his poopy personality right then, you asked to no Saeni in particular, “Who’s Eshea?”

“Exia.” Namjoon corrected you.

“Exia…?” You slowly said back and grinned when his yellow eyes brightened at your proper pronunciation.

Tae jumped into the conversation. “She’s the goddess of battle and strategy! BTS Saeni tend to pray to her more than the other gods.”

“BTS? Other gods? Jimin told me that Illain is named after Illai, but there are more?”

Hoseok groaned at Tae’s comment. “He has some fixation on calling us BTS Saeni because we’re-”

“Battle-Trained Soldiers!” Tae interrupted proudly, clearly pleased with his made-up acronym.

You glanced at Jimin out of the corner of your eye, who just shrugged as he decided to let his brothers handle the explanations.

“Okay, BTS. I can dig it Tae,” you tell him, and he beamed. “So, there’s Illai and Exia… what other gods are there?”

Namjoon took the reins once more. “There are seven ethereal beings. Illai, the mother and life goddess. Her siblings, Exia and Juufa. The latter is the god of harmony and accord. Then, the mother goddess has four children, each taking claim to a season: Ilto is spring, Vebah is summer, Keoth is autumn, and winter is Opitax.”

“Who fathered her kids? Was it her sibling?” You supposed the idea should’ve made you squirm more than it did, but you’d read enough mythology in your life to know that it wasn’t exactly a rare thing for deities to do.

“I…” Namjoon paused, thinking hard before frowning. “I don’t know.”

Hoseok began praising you for finally finding something that his leader didn’t have the answer to.

“I heard she was pregnant when she came to be.” Jin piped up.

Tae proceeded to voice his own opinion. “Nah hyung, it was definitely a self-impregnation.”

“Oh! I think there’s a species of lizard that does that on Earth!” You excitedly claim, looking to Jimin for confirmation.

“Why do you think I would know?” He said, making your face drop into a pout.

“Well, clearly, none of us know the answer. I’m sorry Y/N,” The kiela’s leader spoke up before the conversation could totally go sideways. “But anyways, many Saeni worship a particular god or goddess based on their birth season as well as occupation like in our case.”

You didn’t really know what else to say besides a simple “wow.” You weren’t the religious type, but you were intrigued by the various beliefs around the world. You enjoyed learning about them, so it was amazing to hear about the Saeni’s. Although, you did find it odd that none of them knew who fathered the four seasonal gods. Maybe somebody could bring Maury Povich over to Illain and have him do his paternity test segment with Juufa. You could just imagine his “You are not the father!” declaration to the god. Or maybe it would be “You are the father!” Who knows…

That’s why they need Maury!

You were brought out of your thoughts of bringing the American talk show host on a cross-world adventure when Jin announced that dinner was ready. Excitedly jumping off the ground at the Saeni’s words, you pulled Jimin up by his arm.

Pondering missing information from the Saeni culture would have to wait until food got into your belly.

Laying on the mat rolled out underneath your body, you couldn’t find it in you to close your eyes and drift to sleep. Your mind would not shut off and you kept wiggling around like a worm in the hopes of finding a position that would lull your ass to Snoozeland. It wasn’t working. Flopping to your other side once more, you stared at Jimin sleeping next to you. His plush lips were pursed, and he was expelling soft puffing noises.

You’re not going to get any sleep if you keep staring at his cute face!

You sighed before turning your head away. Cursing yourself for not being able to hit your internal power button, you sat up and ran your hands down your face. You cradled your head in your hands as you listened to the bugs in the dark.

All of the sudden, you perked up when you heard a melodic sound drifting through the forest. It was a beautiful, low-pitched song. Curious as to what animal was making it, you removed the blanket from where it was draped over your legs and rose to go find out. You crept around the Saeni silently, not wanting to wake them, and you paused when you made it to the perimeter of their snoring forms. The next round of pretty sounds came from your left, so you angled your body in that direction and tip-toed away, not noticing the pair of green eyes that followed your movements.

Glancing up at the moonlight filtering through the trees, you smiled to yourself. It was so peaceful here. So quiet yet filled with an orchestra of sounds. It wasn’t the buzzing of electricity, the honking of traffic, or the thumping of music escaping past closed doors. It was only the sounds of nature. Plain and simple and nothing else.

You had been looking for that mystery animal for around seven minutes. You hadn’t heard it in about three, so you halted your feet to listen carefully.

Bugs clicking.

Trees creaking.

Leaves rustling.

And was that it? You heard a faint noise, so you held your breath and leaned your ear forward in hopes of catching the sound again.

“What are you doing?”

You gasped at the unexpected voice behind you. You jerked your head over your shoulder and raised a hand over your heart to steady its rapid pace when you recognized the person who startled you.

“Fucking hell Coco! You scared the shit out of me!”

“What are you doing?” He repeated himself, and you were shocked when you noticed his voice didn’t carry its usually venom.

He almost sounded… nice.

Taken back, it took you a few seconds to respond, “Oh, um. I couldn’t sleep, and I heard this really pretty sound, so I wanted to check out was it was. And now that I say it out loud, I realize that that’s the opening scene from every camping horror movie ever, so that was probably super dumb on my part so-”

“I get it. You can stop rambling now.” The male interrupted you before sighing. “It was the call of a tilqua, they’re nocturnal so you don’t hear them during the day.”

“They’re a type of bird,” he continued after seeing your blank face.

“Oh! Cool! Uh, thanks for telling me.”

It fell to an awkward silence after that. Neither of you saying anything and avoiding looking at each other. You shifted your weight foot to foot as the painful quiet continued for another minute.

Not able to take it any longer, you blurted out, “Why are you being so cordial with me all of the sudden?”

You really should have just kept your damn mouth shut because, almost instantly, his entire demeanor toward you changed. He flinched at your question, as if it awoke him a trance. Then, he narrowed his eyes, any hint of warmth they might’ve had was now gone.

“I’m not being nice to you. I was on watch and saw someone leaving camp. I came to check why.” His voice was void of any emotion.

“I… but you... the sound-”

“It’s your fault,” he talked over you, his tone now carrying anger.

“Wh-what? What’s my fault? I haven’t done anything.”

You saw his hand descend to grip the handle of his dagger. Shit. You’d annoyed him, and you didn’t even know how or why.

“Just go back to camp. Go lay down next to Chim, and go to sleep already,” he said through his teeth, hand squeezing the dagger.

Not wanting to be around such an aggravating person anymore, you found yourself following his demand by promptly marching past him, making sure to bump into him as you did. He growled as your shoulder checked his but didn’t retaliate further.

You couldn’t believe it. The audacity of that male! He was the one who had followed you like some creeper. You let out a quiet scream of frustration as your stomped through the forest back to the camp and did exactly what he told you to do.

You woke up to Jimin gently shaking you and saying that it was time to get your ass up.

You moaned. “Mmmmmm-kay Slim Jim, just give me fi-“

“I swear if you’re about to say five more minutes…”

“-ive more minutes.” You rolled over and tugged the blanket closer to your chin.

You vaguely heard Jimin say something about not being sorry when, out of nowhere, a heavy weight plopped down on top of you, making you grunt from the impact.

“Slim Jim, I will personally shave your head if you don’t get off me!”

“Are you always this grumpy in the morning?” A deep voice that was definitely not Jimin’s murmured in your ear.

Cracking an eye open, you saw that it was Tae who had jumped on you. His handsome face was squished against yours and his long limbs were wrapped around your curled-up body. Seeing your eyes open, he gave you his signature boxy smile, which you returned with no hesitation. You couldn’t bring yourself to be mad at the guy when he looked so damn adorable.

You accepted your defeat. “Alright, alright. I’ll get up, but you gotta get the hell off me first.”

He immediately scrambled up, pulling you vertical with him. He gave you a big hug that lifted you off your feet before setting you down and skipping away to talk with Jungkook. You averted your eyes, not wanting to see the burgundy head’s glare this early in the morning.

You yawned and stretched your entire body. The sun was just beginning to peak out over the horizon and you were glad that you didn’t have a clock to see how hellaciously early it must’ve been. After gathering your belongings and shoving them into your backpack, you walked over to join the rest of the Saeni. Jin handed you what looked like an apple and tasted just as refreshing and sweet.

“Aren’t you going to apple-aud me for making sure you eat the most important meal of the day?”

You swallowed your bite before replying, “This is an apple?”

“Uh, yeah? What else would it be?”

Sorry for not knowing ya’ll had apples over here, damn.

“And what about my joke!? None of you appreciate peak humor! Ugh, you let me down Y/N.”

Before you could compliment his atrociously great dad joke, the Saeni walked away in exaggerated disappointment. At least you hoped it was exaggerated.

Lifting your shoulders in a shrug, you continued munching on the tasty, green fruit as you watched Jimin join Tae and Jungkook’s conversation. You had to admit that if you weren’t aware of who these people were to Jimin, you would have been feeling just a wee bit neglected. Your best friend had been spending more time speaking with the Saeni than with you. Granted, he always checked in with you to make sure you were doing okay, but he hadn’t really talked to you. But, you couldn’t be upset at him. He was probably just taking the time to catch up with everyone since it had been about nine months since seeing them last. Plus, you did sort of invite yourself onto the trip, so you were just happy to be here. You had also been getting to know Tae and Hoseok more, since the two of them walked beside you most of the time. They were both loud and eccentric, but they had kind souls. You really enjoyed talking with them and they loved hearing your stories about Jimin on Earth.

Just as you took the last bite of apple, Namjoon called you over. Tossing the core behind a tree to give a forest animal its own breakfast, you hurried over to the tall male who handed you your two daily petals. Tossing them into your mouth to dissolve, your body momentarily froze as the experience of consuming them together hit you in full force. It was almost overwhelming, but once it passed and your vision cleared, you gave Namjoon a smile and wave before bounding over to Hoseok who was leaning against a tree. Seconds later, Tae joined the two of you, thankfully without a certain coconut-headed asshat.

You had been walking for around three hours. Three hours of stepping around trees, leaping over logs, and being the only damn person making a sound as you stepped over foliage. Three hours before finally giving in and voicing the question you had been dying to ask.

“Do you guy carry around hair dye or does Yoongi color your hair with magic?”

When the Saeni striding next to you gave a look of confusion you expanded your question. “Well, you both have dyed hair so how do you maintain it in the field? Doesn’t it wash out? Or sweat out?

“Our hair isn’t dyed Y/N.”

“What? But you have grey hair, Tae! And Hoseok, yours is silver white! You’re not old enough to have grey or white hair!” Your eyes widened as a possibility you hadn’t considered came to you. “Oh my gosh. Are you guys old geezers? Do Saeni age differently than humans?”

Tae snickered at your panicked tone and you went to smack his shoulder, but he easily evaded your hand.

“Okay first off, can you please stop calling me Hoseok? It’s so weird to have someone use my real name.” The male himself asked.

“Uh sure, but you told me that’s your name, so I don’t know what else to call you?” You winced as your foot snapped yet another twig on the forest floor.

“Just call me Hobi, little scorja. Secondly, like Tae said, we don’t dye our hair. None of us do. It’s all natural, baby.”

“All natural my ass. Yoongi has mint-blue hair! That shit at natural, honey.”

At the mention of Yoongi’s name, Hobi’s eyes twitched over to the Saeni and faintly smiled.

Tae then filled in for Hobi since he was distracted. “Yeah, and Chim has orange hair and Namjoon’s got yellow eyes. We’re all born with it, little scorja. Our eye and hair color come from our birth season.

“Hobi, Jin, and I were all born when Opitax had control, so we have winter-esque features, hence the grey and white hair.

Chim and Joonie were during Keoth’s months, so they have autumn coloring.

Kookie has Vebah’s summer tones. And Yoongi is-”

“Ilto. Spring.” Hobi returned to the discussion.

“Hold up.” You raised your hand to emphasize your words. “Jimin had black hair when we were kids though.”

“Oh yeah! I remember when he first showed up, we all though he was an Opitax baby.” Tae laughed while giving Hobi a nudge with his elbow.

“He dyed his hair black to blend in with humans. I’m guessing that vibrant orange is not a normal color for your people, especially kids.”

You looked up to where Jimin was walking with Namjoon and Yoongi, his apricot tresses standing out among the greenery of the forest. Those same tresses that had just showed up at the end of summer one year and never went away. You always inquired how he got his dark roots to never pop up and he would give you a sly smile in return every time. You had thought he was just keeping his superb dyeing technique a secret, but apparently, the only secret was that it was his natural hair.

“And to answer that last part,” Hobi continued, “we age the same as humans do.”

“Well… that’s a relief,” you said as you tilted your head up to catch a patch of sunlight filtering through the leaves.

The conversation died, but it was a comfortable silence. Unlike last night with Jungkook. As the three of you hiked on, Tae would occasionally point out a flower or plant he thought you would find pretty and Hobi would advise you to be more careful when you stumbled over some obstacle. Overall, though, you let the forest do most of the talking. You could slightly hear Namjoon, Yoongi, and your Slim Jim making conversation ahead of you as well as Jin complaining to Jungkook behind you. As you grabbed a hold of a tree trunk to swing yourself around it, a strong gust of wind blew past you, causing your hair to go wild. Blowing the pieces out of your face, you glimpsed Tae’s feather earring swaying in the wind.

“Okay another question, please don’t hate me. Why do you all have ear piercings? They look badass, don’t get me wrong, but couldn’t they be a liability in a fight?”

“How could they be a liability?” Hobi answered your question with a question.

You explained that they could get caught on something or their enemy could yank on them or rip them out if they got close enough.

Both Saeni let out a laugh before Hobi said, “That may be true, but I highly doubt it would happen. Especially our enemies yanking on them.”

“We actually wear them to symbolize what kind of fighter we are!” Tae added as hopped over a fallen log.

“Huh?” You opted to go beneath the fallen tree, briefly pausing to curiously look at what seemed like a black hand print on the bark.

“Feather for archers like me. Metal for swords, daggers, and knives like Hobi, Kookie, and Jin. Dark beads for blunt weapons like Namjoon and his mace, and Yoongi has bone for magic users!”

“That’s what they’re for!? I thought they were just some Saeni fashion statement. Don’t they sort of… give you guys away?”

Hobi snorted as he swatted a branch out of his face. “If the weapons literally strapped to our backs don’t give us away I don’t think our ‘fashion statements’ will be the thing to do so.”

His sassy remark caused you to fake pout. They cooed at you, poking at your cheeks and sides until you giggled at their antics. Pleased they had you back to smiling, they dropped their hands and moved back to a respectful distance.

“That reminds me, I need to give Chim his!” Tae suddenly gasped out.

“Give him his what?”

“His earrings! He’s an archer too, but he leaves his earrings with me when…” He was gone before he finished his sentence, running up to where Jimin was.

You blinked at his rapid departure. For a strict, “battle-trained soldier” he sure was in a world of his own sometimes.

Thankfully, the dagger and knife enthusiast next to you finished for him. “Chim gives them to Tae so that he doesn’t lose them on Earth.”

So Jimin was an archer? Damn, you’d love to see him knock an arrow back, you bet he’d look sexy as heck. You turned your head to ask Hobi how good Jimin was, but you saw that his eyes were focused on where Tae had run up to. Focused on one Saeni up there in particular. Not the first time you had caught him staring at the other male. You had noticed that Hobi’s eyes went to find the other Saeni whenever his there was a pause in conversation. Or he would try to fight back his smile when the other’s name was mentioned. He did it so many times during dinner last night that you were about to smash their faces together and say your godly work was done. But for now…

“Does he know?”

“Hmm?” He replied still staring at the other male.

“Yoongi. Does he know?”

“What!?” He squeaked as he whipped his head to you. He coughed to try to return his voice to its normal pitched. “Ah, I mean what are you talking about?”

You smirked to yourself as you saw his face grow warm, but he obviously wasn’t ready to talk about it. “Never mind. It’s nothing.”

He visibly relaxed at your words. You wished you could help him out somehow, but it wasn’t your place to interfere. Especially given your own shitty situation. Unrequited love was quite the bitch, so you truly hoped that that wasn’t the case for Hobi.

You sent him an understanding smile and the two of you walked on.

Namjoon finally called it for the day when the group came across a wide river. The roar of the white rapids was almost deafening as they churned the water and interrupted the otherwise peaceful landscape.

You, Tae, and Hobi stayed at the designated campsite, watching Papa Jin prepare the evening’s meal, while the rest of the boys went to scout a calmer part of the river to wash off in.

Currently, you and Tae were doing your best to annoy the other Saeni as you tossed small nuts at them. You laughed as Jin shook his knife at you in a threat. Calling his bluff, you simply stuck your tongue out in return.

“Exia give me strength,” the eldest Saeni muttered, turning back to his pot.

“You were already a brat, Tae, but with her… aish. You two are the worst.” Hobi tried his best to sound serious, but the smile tugging at the corner of his lips destroyed any hope he had.

You fell into Tae as your giggles consumed your body, his arms wrapping around you and holding you close. As your lungs calmed down, you heard footsteps approaching.

“Thank Illai you guys found someplace to wash off. I need to get away from these two tyrants.” You saw Jin point to you and your partner in crime.

Ignoring his comment, you turned your head to great the returning Saeni, but your hello died in your throat.

Namjoon, Yoongi, and Jimin were in the process of putting their shirts on and you caught sight of their defined muscles. You slowly closed your mouth and gulped. You’d obviously seen Jimin without a shirt on plenty of times before, but it hit on a whole different level to see him semi-shirtless and wet.

Not to mention that both Yoongi and Namjoon clearly worked out too. It was… a lot of take in. You didn’t think you could withstand any more pure, male hotness, but the gods of Illain must have wanted you to suffer because Jungkook decided right then would be a wonderful time to show up. Completely sans shirt.

All you could do was look at him as he whined to his hyungs about something that was absolutely no concern to you at that moment. Your eyes took in his physique that was muscular but still lean. The strength of his biceps was evident as he waved his arms at the others, causing the muscles to flex. You softly gasped when you noticed that his stomach was so cut that he had a freaking eight pack. Eight! Your eyes trailed lower and… oh my…

His. Fucking. Thighs. Due to the dampness of his skin, the fabric of his pants clung to his legs, effortlessly showcasing the prominent muscles. Every step he took had them bulging and you swear you almost fainted from the sight. You couldn’t tear your eyes away as you squeezed your own thighs together.

H-holy fuck. Coco was freaking ripped.

“Why is she staring at Kookie?” You heard Tae whisper to someone.

Your eyes widened and before you could look away, Jungkook’s head swiveled to you and saw that your eyes were locked on him.

Fucking hell. Why Tae!?

To your utter shock though, was that instead of bitching at you, he blushed and ran to hide behind a tree. As he yeeted himself out of there, you caught sight of a tattoo on his upper, middle back.

“Why’d you say that out loud? You know he gets shy!” Jin lightly smacked the offending Saeni on his arm.

“Hey, the little scorja was practically drooling! We were all thinking it, I just happened to be the one t- Ow!”

You gave him a smack of your own on his leg while your cheeks heated up in embarrassment.

“That’s not nice!” He complained.

“Neither is voicing when someone is checking someone else out, Tae.” Namjoon pointed out as he sat down next to the fire.

Completely humiliated, you hid your face in your hands. Although, you did peek through your fingers to gauge Jimin’s reaction. The boy was folded in half, cracking up as his eyes squished closed.

Stupid cute squishy eyes.

You knew it was hopeless, but a small part of you had wished he’d be just a tiny bit jealous. Clearly, that was not the case.

Attempting to change the mortifying subject, you coughed before saying, “Uh, I didn’t know Coco had a tattoo.”

“What!? That kid has a tattoo!?” Jin shrieked in alarm before catching Yoongi’s “are you serious?” expression. “Oh, you must mean our draeva marks.”

“Drai-Draiva marks?”

“Drae-va.” Jin pronounced slowly for you. “Saeni are all connected to Illain. This connection can sometimes be accessed and converted to magic by certain individuals like Yoongi. Majority, however, only have the standard draeva marks.”

You didn’t notice the smiles from both Jimin’s and Tae’s faces dropping since you were transfixed on Jin’s words. “Each Saeni is born at the same time a tree begins to take root. These trees are called draeva, though they can be any species. At seven years old, we feel the connection emerge in our souls and we feel a pull to that tree.”

As he talked, you noticed Jungkook come out of hiding, thankfully fully clothed this time. He went to sit next to Tae and put his arm around the Saeni’s shoulders as Namjoon started to elaborate on the subject. He said that every Saeni goes on a journey to find their draeva when the connection is established. Once the tree is found, the connection permanently takes root in the Saeni’s soul when they rest their hand on the trunk. The Saeni’s hand print is forever embellished on the bark, and in return, the Saeni gets a mark that replicates the tree’s inner rings. Every seven years, another ring appears, and the mark provides them with heightened senses and reflexes as well as the ability to feel the state of the draeva and surrounding area.

As you absorbed the information, you realized that the mark you saw earlier on the fallen tree must’ve been a Saeni’s hand print. You wondered what happens to the Saeni when their tree collapses like that. And although you were delighted to have learned more about Saeni culture, something jumped to the forefront of your thoughts.

“Slim Jim, you don’t have one.”

He looked down at your comment. “I don’t, um, I haven’t found my draeva.” His eyebrows pulled together, and his voice was shaking slightly. “I probably don’t even have one since I’m not fully Saeni.”

“Shit. Jimin, I’m sorry I didn-”

“You didn’t know, it’s okay.” He sent you a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes as Jin reached over to give his shoulder a squeeze.

Fuck, I lied. Your squishy eyes aren’t stupid. Bring them back.

“For the second night in a row, people are trying to sleep and you’re keeping them awake with all your emotions.” Yoongi grumbled.

The magic user had been quiet throughout the entire ordeal. Until now. You hadn’t even noticed that he’d gone straight to the fire to lay down on the ground. Though you were beginning to recognize that was standard behavior for the mint-haired Saeni. When he did finally speak up, he kept his usual, annoyed tone, but you could tell he was trying to lighten the atmosphere in his own, slightly questionable way. Trying to distract Jimin from his sadness.

Tae shot to his feet, preaching to Yoongi something along the lines of how emotions are what connect people together and yadda yadda yadda.

You watched as Jimin’s face lifted in amusement and you silently thanked Mr. Sparkle Hands.

Once again, you were having a difficult time finding sleep. Or rather, sleep refused to find you because you’d tried every position and trick you could think of. Expelling the air in your lungs in a fast manner, you rose to your legs and shuffled over to where Tae was on watch.

He gave you a big smile as your approached, but it morphed into a frown. “You know I love talking to you, Y/N, but you should really get some sleep.”

“Trust me, I wish I could, but ya girl’s got insomnia.”

He hummed to express his empathy before grabbing your hand. “Well, if we’re going to talk, let’s walk the perimeter so we don’t wake the others.”

Waffling your fingers with his, the two of you started walking the circumference of the camp, far enough that nobody would hear you, but close enough to keep an eye on the area.

The two of you had been circling the camp for a decent amount of time, discussing absolute nonsense such as why you considered Steak and Shake fries to be on the bottom of the french fry totem pole.

“They’re skinny little shoestring fries! I like my fried potatoes to be girthy, you know. Give me some thick, crinkle cuts instead.”

As you argued in favor of girthy fries to someone who had never had one, Yoongi appeared out of the shadows. His face was not very happy, and you wondered what was wrong.

“Uhhh, hey Yoongi! Do you have insomnia too?”

He stopped and took you in with a judgmental face. “No. Only the small-minded get insomnia.”

“Oh, piss off.”

Disregarding your request, he turned to address Tae next to you.

“Hey! What are you doing? I wake up to take over watch and I don’t even find you at your post!”

Tae rolled his eyes. “Hyung, you know I can still see everything just fine from here, there’s no need t- Shit!”

Yoongi must have seen it a split-second before Tae had because he was the one that knocked you out of the way when the giant, black shadow of a thing came charging out of the dark.

You hit the ground hard with a grunt, scraping your forearm against a rock. Rolling over, you screamed Yoongi’s name as you saw him get tackled by the creature, the blue glow of an almost-finished spell fading as he went down. All you could do was watch in horror as wild jaws snapped at his head and claws raked down his body. Suddenly, an arrow thumped into the thing’s neck, but it only growled and continued ravaging the mint-haired Saeni who struggled, and failed, to push it off.

Hearing Tae curse, you looked in his direction and saw him running at the beast. He held his bow in both hands and defiantly yelled as he swung down. You gaped at you watched the sharp edge of his bow cut straight through the creature’s neck, causing the head to decapitate and the body to sag. The head hit the ground and rolled away from its previous owner until it came to a halt beside you.

You stared at it, blood still pumping out of the severed end in thick spurts. Midnight-colored skin that seemed rough and leather-like stretched across its skull. A thin, purple tongue hung limply out of its mouth, which was filled with rows and rows of teeth that looked like needles. You just stared at the gruesome head until you heard Tae calling Yoongi’s name.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

You wobbled to your feet and stumbled as fast as you could over to the Saeni, doing your best to ignore the headless body as Tae heaved it off Yoongi. You exhaled in relief when you heard Yoongi’s low voice responding to Tae and saw his pink eyes open and alive. Your reprieve was short-lived, however, as you lowered your eyes to Yoongi’s arms and torso.

They were… not in good shape. Deep gashes were twisted all around his arms, pouring out tiny rivers of blood that soaked the ground beneath him. Luckily, he had his main armor on, protecting his vital organs, but the creature had still found an open chink with its claws. You felt a tear run down your cheek as you saw where it had dug into the flesh on his left side. He was breathing weakly and his chest was spasming as Tae moved his hands to press against the wound.

You dropped to your knees and whispered Yoongi’s name, your voice and hands trembling as you took in his damaged body.

There was just so much blood. It was everywhere. Your vision was only red, red, red.

What do I do? What do I do!? Oh god…

“Y/N. Y/N! Y/N!”

You broke out of your crimson-filled trance.

“Y-yes?” Your chin quivered.

“I need you to go back to camp and wake up the others, alright?” You could tell he was trying to speak as calmly as possible to not panic you further. “I need you to bring Hobi back, so he can help me move him. Can you do that for me, little scorja?”

You nodded as confidently as you could before shooting to your feet and sprinting back to camp, the image of Yoongi being mauled and his wrecked body burned into your brain.

Somewhere else, hundreds of miles away from a frantic you, an injured Yoongi, and a shocked kiela, was a male sitting inside of a large tent, which was erected within his own encampment. Most of his face was shrouded in darkness, only the bridge of his nose and peak of his cheekbones were visible in the light of a few burning candles. He looked up from the map spread out before him when someone entered his tent. The wolves beside the male lifted their heads in attention at the intrusion.

“Sir? We’ve gotten word that he is back in Illain.”

The three wolves regarded the subjugate with aggressive eyes, causing him to gulp in fear.

“Anything else?” The shadowed male inquired.

“Their magic user was attacked by a lupinx.” He replied without looking away from the massive canines.

The male leaned back in his chair, a sinister smile creeping onto his face while his eyes twinkled in satisfaction.

“Perfect. Tell them to proceed with the plan.”

You felt horrible as you watched five of the Saeni train the next morning. You hadn’t been able to defend yourself last night, and Yoongi had paid for your weakness. You fisted your hands and dug your nails into your palm.

You couldn’t forget how pale he had been. How odd it was to see such a complexion smeared with bright crimson.

You couldn’t forget the Saeni’s faces, who were already on their feet by the time you’d arrived, when you stammered out what had happened in choppy, broken sentences.

You couldn’t forget the way Hobi’s expression had gone from concerned to utterly terrified in an instant.

Nor the way he’d rushed over to you, eyes unnerved as he grabbed your arm. You had wanted to whimper when he clawed into the sensitive skin around your scraped forearm. He begged you to tell him where Yoongi was, and without even telling him to follow, you had turned and run back to the bloody scene.

You loosened the pressure on your hands, but a throbbing remained where your nails had almost punctured small crescents into the soft skin. You sniffled as you observed Jimin practicing with Tae’s bow while the grey-haired owner critiqued his technique. Following the sounds of ringing metal, you shifted and saw Jungkook and Jin sparing with their swords. And behind them was Hobi, who was throwing his blades at a tree with much more force than was likely necessary. Your eyes burned as you watched them.

Expelling all the air in your lungs, you hung your head. You were so thankful that Yoongi would be okay. He as currently resting back at the camp with Namjoon looking after him.

But what if it had been more serious? What if he had died because you had needed to be protected?

What did you expect when you came to a new world with a bunch of warriors? To just skip by joyously and never be in danger?

You felt pathetic. You were a liability to the entire group. All you did was get in the way. Feeling a lump grow in your throat, you swiveled and walked away from the clashing of swords and thumping of arrows. When you could no longer hear them, you let out a frustrated roar and punched the rough trunk of the nearest tree. Your knuckles scraped against the bark, opening bleeding wounds. You brought your right hand close to your face to inspect the torn skin before shaking it out and punching the tree again and again and again, each hit eliciting an increasingly louder yell from deep inside you. Finally, your legs gave out and you slumped down while cradling your bleeding and splinter-filled hand. You felt exhausted.

“Your form is terrible.”

Raising your gaze from your damaged hand, you saw the last person you wanted to see.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m just saying that your form is completely fucked.”

Why the hell did he have to come berate you on your shitty punching technique. Was there anything you could do around this guy that wouldn’t have him talking down to you? And why was he even here? Shouldn’t he be back with the others?

On a normal day, you would’ve given him a smartass’ response. But this was not a normal day. You felt like crap and this was the cherry on top of your self-depreciation milkshake. Your breathing went from strained to erratic and you felt the wall barely holding yourself together start to crumble. Taking a deep breath and closing your eyes, you tried to shut Jungkook out in a last-ditch effort to keep yourself together.

“Your hand is thrashed because you can’t even throw a punch properly.”

Welp.

“Why!?” You screamed at him. “Why do you hate me!? What did I do to you!?”

You started to cry. You were so overwhelmed. “You said it was my fault, but what was my fault? I’ve never done shit to you!”

Truly crying at this point, your breathing was now stuttered and gasping. You lowered your head to try to hide your vulnerable state. As sobs wracked your body, you wrapped your arms around your torso in a desperate attempt to find comfort.

Not taking pity on you, Jungkook responded in a vicious tone, “You want to know what you did? You’re the reason my kiela is broken.”

“W-what?” You lifted your head to look at him through your tears.

His right hand grasped on to his ruby-hilted dagger and his other was clenched tightly.

“We’re supposed to stay together. We’re not supposed to leave each other, but Jimin does. He always leaves! And why? Because. Of. You. He doesn’t stay because you’re on Earth and he doesn’t want to leave his precious best friend, so he leaves us, his brothers, his family, instead.”

“What-I-Jungkook, I never asked him to do that. I didn’t even know you guys existed.” You defended yourself, but it came out weak.

“My family is never whole because of you. I almost lost my hyung last night because of you. It’s all because of you. Because of a stupid little human.” He spat the words out.

He was breathing heavily as he towered over you. “It’s. All. Your. Fault.”

Your heart ached in pain as what he said fully resonated with you. He was hurting because of you. Because Jimin would rather live on Earth, would rather abandon his kiela for most of the year, partly so that he could keep you in his life. You felt your stomach drop at the thought and you gripped your arms hard, curling into yourself again. You felt so frustrated, so lost, and so… human.

You’ve been hurting his family and you hadn’t even known. The others might not have been so up front about it, but they must have been hurting too. They had to be. A new wave of tears erupted over your cheeks as you considered how much the Saeni must despise you. How much they must be pretending to be fine with you for Jimin’s sake. You continued to sob as your mind shifted to think of how you’d been keeping Jimin away from them. You’d been keeping your best friend and the person you loved away from the most important people in his life.

And Yoongi…

“Kook! Y/N!”

You hastily rose to your feet and stepped back from Jungkook while you wiped your tears away, hissing as you moved your injured hand. It was a futile effort, though, since you knew there was still evidence in your meek disposition and red, puffy eyes.

“Hey hyung,” Jungkook said without looking away from you, but he stiffened and turned to his brother when he noticed that Tae was panicking. “What’s wrong?”

Gasping for air, he looked at you and Jungkook, obviously taking note of his heaving chest and your red eyes, but he didn’t comment on them.

Instead he said in a stressed, frantic tone, “They got him, Kook! They got Chim!”

You were pacing back and forth in front of Yoongi, who was laying down on his mat. You ran your hands through your hair, the crappy self-wrap job you did on your knuckles catching on the strands. You gripped fistfuls of your hair and yanked at the roots in frustration.

“Y/N. I swear to Exia if you pace in front of one more ti-“

“Yoongi! They’ve been gone for so long! What if something happened? What if they’re hurt?

“Okay, firstly, it’s only been like twenty minutes, so you can calm the fuck down.” He rolled his eyes. “Secondly, as Tae would put it, we’re BTS Saeni. This is literally what we do for a living… so yet again, you can calm the fuck down.”

You stopped in the middle of taking your next step as you considered his statements. Deciding to agree with him, you placed your foot down, but stopped moving around.

“Fine! Fine. But I want it to be known that I hate having to just sit here and wait.”

“You’re not sitting, and you didn’t have to say that. It was already obvious.”

You glared at the Saeni but your eyes softened after taking in his wrapped arms and torso. The bandages didn’t seem to have any blood staining them, so either they were freshly changed or Saeni’s bodies healed extremely fast. You still dropped your head in sorrow at his injured body.

“I-I’m sorry Yoongi. For what happened. It was my fault.”

He scoffed at your words. “It wasn’t your fault, idiot. Stop blaming yourself.”

“I really don’t know whether to take that as an insult or not, and I’m not sure I believe you, but… okay.”

Sitting down on the ground next to him, you thought back to the events that occurred after Tae had shown up.

---

“They got Chim!”

While you asked Tae what he meant, Jungkook had immediately reached out to grab ahold of the other Saeni’s shoulders.

“Where?” His demand was filled with anger, but it was controlled.

Contrary to how he’d been a minute ago.

“Chim saw you leave to follow, uh, Y/N.” He glanced at you. “So, he followed you¸ Kook. That’s the last I saw him.”

He stepped away from Jungkook, causing the latter’s hands to fall off his shoulders. You had never seen the usually aloof Saeni so serious before. It worried you.

“Namjoon came running over a few minutes later saying he saw them dragging Chim away unconscious.”

“You’re telling me that Namjoon saw them… AND DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!?”

You were so goddamn confused at what was going on. All you knew was that someone apparently hurt and kidnapped your Slim Jim.

“Can someone please tell me what in the fuck is going on!?”

Ignoring you, Tae said, “Jungkook, come on, use your coconut head for a minute.”

You would have snickered at his use of your term, but it definitely was not the time or the place to do so.

“He was by himself and he didn’t know how many there were. You know he did the right thing to get us all together to get him back,” Tae continued.

Without another word, the Saeni turned and started running in the direction of camp, Jungkook following without missing a beat. You stared, dumbfounded, for a second before sprinting after them.

Your lungs were burning by the time you caught up with everyone at the camp. Your burst through the trees and abruptly stopped due to the five standing Saeni having their weapons drawn and pointed at you. You blanched and stammered out that it was just you, raising your hands to show you were unarmed for good measure. When they recognized your face, they collectively sighed and lowered their weapons.

“Sorry Y/N. We’re just a little on edge right now,” Namjoon apologized as he returned his mace over his shoulder.

Giving him a timid, but understanding nod, you replied, “Noted. Um, so can someone finally explain to me what happened?”

It was Yoongi, still laying down to recover, who spoke up. “Some very bad people took Chim.”

“Yeah, I got that much, but… but why?”

Hobi filled in. “We have an idea as to why, but we aren’t completely sure.”

So that was absolutely not informative. Thanks.

“Okay? Well, what do we do now? We gotta get him back!”

“You will do nothing, except stay here and look after Yoongi. The rest of us will get him back.” Jin firmly said.

You tried to protest, but one look at Yoongi and your breakdown from earlier came rushing back to you. Taking a deep breath, you slowly nodded your consent as you exhaled. Then, you asked how they were going to get Jimin back.

Surprisingly, it was Jungkook who answered, “Just leave it to us. You do your job by looking after Yoongi and we’ll do ours.”

Again, that wasn’t very informative.

Namjoon backed up his words. “Honestly, it would just waste time explaining it all, so like Kook said, leave it to us. Trust us.”

“Alright,” you hesitantly agreed, “I trust you guys, so just… just please bring him back.”

“We aren’t sure where they took him yet, so we don’t know how long we’ll be gone,” Namjoon informed you as he glanced to Hobi. “Since Yoongi shouldn’t access magic right now, Hobi will cast a glamour over you two in case anyone is still lingering around.”

Hobi can do magic too!?

Seeing your bewildered expression as he came up to you, Hobi sent you a small smile. He raised his hands and they began to glow a blinding white while he muttered under his breath. As the light faded, he stepped back.

“Yoongi and I grew up together,” he explained softly. “I can tell you more about it later, but for now the short version is that he’s taught me a few things about harnessing Illain’s energy. I can’t manipulate it to his extent, but I can do some basic things like this.”

“Well, you better come back to tell me the long version.” You demanded through your shock before turning to the others. “You all better. With Jimin.”

They each gave you some sort of acknowledgement before running off into the trees. You watched their backs disappear one by one behind the foliage, except for one. Instead of leaving with the rest, Tae jogged up to you, gave you a hug, and whispered into your ear, “We’ll be okay, little scorja. And we’ll bring Chim back safe and sound, I promise.”

With that, he turned and sprinted away to catch up to the others.

---

You sighed, praying that Tae would be able to keep that promise. Looking at Yoongi resting underneath the blanket covering him, you had to let out a dry chuckle.

“Well, since you’re hurt, at least you have an actual excuse to lay around now.”

You were lucky he couldn’t use a lot of magic right then, because his face told you that comment might’ve pushed him to use it on you in a not so pleasant way.

“And why do you think I’m tired all the damn time?”

“I thought you were just a natural slug.”

“Partly true, but I’m exhausted from making those petals for you. They’re not big, but they require a lot of fucking energy to make.”

“…Oh.”

“Yeah. ‘Oh.’ So, don’t call me out for wanting to res-”

He didn’t finish his sentence as his entire body perked to attention.

“What?”

He quickly and sternly hushed you, bringing a finger first to his lips, then to his ear. Telling you to listen.

And then you heard it. Or, you should say them. Voices. Ones you didn’t recognize and neither did Yoongi, it seemed.

Briefly, you panicked before remembering that Hobi had put a glamour over the two of you, so you were essentially invisible to the outside eye.

You sent Yoongi a questioning look and he gave you a serious one in return. He opened his mouth to say something, but snapped it closed when the voices grew loud and three armed strangers appeared around a tree.

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paigenotblank · 5 years

Text

Home Sweet Home

For @sunniebelle who prompted 31 (Blame Me) and 36 (That Hurt) and for @fleurdeneuf who prompted: Coming Home. Hope you don’t mind that I combined both prompts into one story, but I started writing one and used the prompts from the other in the story, so I thought it fit.

Pairing: Nine x Rose

Rating: Teen

tagging: @doctorroseprompts for providing the prompt list.

AO3 TSP

“Mum!”

Rose rushed toward Jackie and flung herself into her mother’s arms.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” She looked over Rose’s shoulder and glared at the Doctor.

“Nothin’ just missed you is all.”

Jackie glanced sharply at her daughter. “Has it been another year for you? Rose, have you been gone a year!”

The Doctor backed up a step and shook his head at the same time as Rose said, “No. No, Mum.”

“‘S only been three days, Jackie.”

“Well, then what all this about? And don’t ‘nothin’ me.”

“I…I met Dad.”

The blood drained from Jackie’s face. “You what?”

“It was me. I was the girl. The one you told me about. I held his hand while he was-” Rose broke off with a sob and buried her face in her mother’s shoulder.

Jackie for once was stunned into silence and rubbed Rose’s back. She caught sight of the Doctor backed up against the front door. He was the picture of guilt.

He met Jackie’s gaze and she could see the self-hatred and shame in his eyes.

“This is your fault then? Takin’ her to see her dad when he-”

Rose got herself under control and sniffed back the tears not yet fallen. “No, Mum. I asked him...it was me, all my fault.”

He shook his head in denial. “Don’t be silly, Rose. I’m the Time Lord. I knew it was a bad idea-”

“Mum, can you make us a cuppa?”

Jackie eyed the both of them and before Rose could argue with her, she nodded and headed for the kitchen.

Rose walked over to the Doctor and laid her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. I asked to go and you warned me and then I didn’t listen to you and I got both you and my dad kil-” She choked on the word and the Doctor swept her into a hug.

“Rose, it wasn’t your fault. Blame me.”

“I almost destroyed the world and you were gone and that hurt so much.” She looked up into his eyes. “I felt like...like I couldn’t breathe when I thought you were dead.”

“I know the feeling. That’s how I felt when I thought the dalek had...in Utah.”

Rose gave the Doctor a wobbly smile. “I...Doctor, I-”

“I know you’re sorry. You won’t do it again will you?”

She shook her head vehemently. “No.”

He cupped her cheek. “There. That’s settled then.” He gave her a daft grin of his own. “You okay now?”

“Yeah.” She leaned into his touch. “But that isn’t what I was gonna say.”

“No?” He dropped his hand and waited.

“No.” She took a deep breath. “I was gonna say that I...that I love you.”

He stepped back and crashed into the door. “Ah, right. Good. Well, I, erm, guess that I should just be going now.”

Her brow crinkled and she whispered, “That’s...you...you’re leaving me here?”

“Well, I just thought...you’d like some...with your mum. It’s all a bit too domestic. ‘Sides the TARDIS could use a bit of maintenance after-” He cut himself off.

“I tell you I love you and now you’re gonna abandon me?”

His eyes widened. “What? No! I’ve got maintenance to do...just while you visit with your mum. Then we’ll go somewhere relaxing...no running.”

“You’re not gonna swan off without me?”

“No! Rose, I- I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Rose released the breath she’d been holding. “Okay.” Rose chewed on her lip. “And, erm, the other…is that...okay?”

“Yeah. And Rose, I...I feel the- I do, too. I mean your dad could see it, even the bloody dalek could see it, but I can’t...the words. It feels like tempting fate...and I can’t lose...you mean...I don’t know what I’d do if-”

Rose reach out and cupped his jaw. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say it back, it’s...it’s enough to know it’s reciprocated?”

“It is.” At his nod, a bright smile broke out over her face.

She reached up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be home in a few hours, yeah?”

Hand resting on his cheek where her lips had just been, a wave of pleasure washed through the Doctor. Home. Rose thought of the TARDIS as her home. His home was her home. His lips kicked up in a mad grin. “Yeah. That’s…that sounds good.”

The Doctor walked into the TARDIS and headed for the control panel. The lights were low and a gentle hum permeated the room, but it still felt so...empty. Unthinkingly, he found himself listening for Rose’s soft breathing and her singular human heartbeat. He hadn’t realized how much life she brought to his previously lonely existence and he didn’t like the reminder. He’d seen her only moments ago, but he still found himself missing her.

He sighed and took off his jacket, tossing the leather garment onto the jumpseat. He rolled up his sleeves and opened a hatch under the console, before sliding under it.

He tried to focus. He really did, but the wires began blurring together and all he could she was Rose. Rose smiling teasingly at him with dancing eyes. Rose chewing on her lip and fluttering her lashes. Rose blushing as she told him she loved him. Rose Rose Rose. The third time that he crossed two wires that should never ever be crossed, the TARDIS shocked him with a cascade of sparks.

“Oi!”

More sparks fell on him.

He pushed himself out from under the console and hugged his knee. An’ what ‘m I supposed to do now? Rose won’t be back for ages.

The TARDIS hummed a warning. Tinkering was off limits.

The Doctor shivered with uncharacteristic cold and he pushed himself to his feet. Slipping his jacket back on, he flopped onto the jump seat and stared at the ceiling.

He lost himself in fantasies that he’d never admit to having.

Taking Rose to Ponjaroo and standing in the shadows of the cliffs, while promising each other ‘forever.’

The two of them rushing through the TARDIS doors after a narrow escape. Rose laughing and breathless at almost getting arrested again. His efforts to keep her breathless that have nothing to do with running.

Slowly undressing her by the light of the time rotor, before shagging her up against the console. The TARDIS hummed sharply in the back of his mind. He blushed. Oi! Fine. Not against the console. Before taking Rose back to his room and worshiping her for hours.

He imagined Rose stepping out of the TARDIS onto Barcelona (the planet not the city) and showing her the dogs with no noses. They’d walk hand in hand along the beach, before making love under the stars amongst the dunes. She’d look so beautiful, not that she didn’t always, with her hair spread out under her, a flush to her cheeks, and her chest heaving with-

The Doctor shifted in his seat at the tightening in his trousers. He reached down to adjust himself, when he heard a creak from the door opening.

She slipped inside and the control room immediately seemed warmer and brighter, even the hum of the TARDIS changed in pitch to welcome her back.

“Rose!”

The room crackled with life. How could one small human have such immense power over him and his ship?

Rose ran her fingers over a coral strut and gave him a crooked grin. His heart twinged. Is she sad? Why is she sad? She should never be anything but radiant.

“Wha’s wrong?”

“Hmm?” She glanced up at him and noticed his worry. “‘S nothin’. Mum was just disappointed we weren’t staying for tea.”

“Do you want to?”

Rose dropped her gaze to the grating and shrugged.

“Well, if I'm honest, ’m a bit peckish. What’s she makin’?”

Her eyes rounded in shock. “You...you’d sit down and eat my mum’s cooking?”

The tips of his ears reddened and he stammered, “Well, I...we don’t...I could bring you to…if you’d rather-”

Rose took his hand in hers and he snapped his jaw shut. Examining his face, she asked, “You really don’t mind?”

The hope he saw in her eyes had him shaking his head. “Nah. ‘Course not.”

She threw herself into his arms with enough momentum that it nearly knocked him to the ground, but he wrapped his arms around her and steadied them both.

Head buried in his neck, she whispered, “Thank you.”

He pulled back and his eyes zeroed in on her mouth. He swallowed and took a bracing breath.

Rose lifted onto her toes as the Doctor leaned down to meet her lips with his. For the first time since he ended the Time War, the Doctor didn’t feel the acute loss of his people. All he felt was Rose. Her presence filled the empty space in his heart and mind.

When they finally broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers and they stood panting. Content to simply breathe the same air.

She reached into her jacket for her mobile. “Mum, hi. Yeah, the Doctor an’ I’ll be up in a mo’ for tea.” She nodded her head to something her mother had said and bit her lip. “No, the Doctor too. Well, we can stay a little bit longer…’K. See ya in a few.”

She pocketed the phone and held out her hand to him. Their hands slid together, fingers interlocking, and they shared a smile.

He wasn't quite sure how this beautiful, brave, impetuous little ape had become his everything, but she had. And there was nothing he wouldn’t do to keep the smile on her face, including dinner with her mum.

“C’mon, you, the sooner we go, the sooner we can come back home.”

His hearts soared. She didn’t just make his home feel like a home, she was his home.

“Alright, Rose Tyler. Lead the way.”

#nine x rose #doctorroseprompts #fleurdeneuf #sunniebelle #prompt list #coming home #blame me #that hurt #emotional hurt/comfort #fluff #romance #falling in love #asked and answered #my fic

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supernatural-book · 5 years

Text

Philophobia

Title: Philophobia

A/N: And finally I release the fic that’s been sitting in the back of my mind forever, but I never had time to work on. I hope that after all the time you’ve waited it’s good enough.I’m sooooo glad I could finally get this out.

Summary: After the reader saves Dean and accomplishes her first djinn kill, the drive home in a celebratory mood, pushing aside the fact that Dean almost died. But later on, the dream the djinn gave him is still haunting Dean, and each of them shares more than they would’ve normally wanted to. Word Count: 3,010

He had never been good at feelings, and he knew it all too well. It was one of the many imperfections in his character. Whenever he sensed someone getting close to him- aside from Sam and eventually Cas- it was his natural instinct to push them away- no matter how churlish and tragic it was- before they got to close for their own good.

“In this lifestyle,” his father had told him “there’s no room for chick-flick moments.” he spat the words out like poison. And with those words, the old man had stunted his motherless son of ever having a true, caring anchor in his life. It would have been different. He had told himself night after night. If mom hadn’t died.

But then he met her. He couldn’t even begin to describe what she was like to him. A maternal figure, a sister, a hunting partner, and his best friend all rolled into one. One moment he would wake up to the aroma of apples, and she’d tell him with a flushed face that she had been baking a pie just for him, and the next she would be decapitating vampires by his side and laughing at his corny, less than appropriate jokes. Not really romantic, he knew. But still enough to make him feel something. Because even with his near tattered flannel shirt hanging loosely from her frame, splattered in blood and dusted with the dirt and grime that comes with this life, she was still more beautiful than he could ever begin to imagine. And as she dragged his drunk, sorry ass home from the bar, he felt his heart flutter in his chest, even with the alcohol in his system. She made him feel things he had never imagined he’d ever feel. And he knew it needed to stop before someone got hurt.

By this case, however, was already too late.

You both knew that you were biting off more than you could chew, working on this case, just the two of you. Sam had insisted on coming along, but you only scoffed, telling him he needed a break, and you were happy to get to see a new monster. Despite how long you’ve been working with them, you had never dealt with djinn before, though Sam and Dean had, and you were excited to get lessons from the elder Winchester brother. So you and Dean set out on your road trip, laughing and singing, trying to push back the fear of what could very possibly happen.

This morning, you had woken up before Dean, stolen one of his flannels, and knocked on the door to his motel room. He had opened the door, still groggy with sleep, and you handed him a cup of instant coffee you had made. He couldn’t stop the smile that lit up his face at your sweet gestures.

“I’d get you pie, too, but it’s not like this place has any.” You soon set off to the warehouse you suspected the djinn was hiding out, unaware of what was to come.

Now, Dean sat, tied to an uncomfortable chair, hands tied behind his back as the djinn holding him captive walked slowly in circles around him. His nose was already dripping with a bit of blood due to the strike to his face that knocked him out for only long enough to give the djinn time to tie him down. Somewhere along the way, the two of you split up to try and find the monster, and he couldn’t help his mind wander to you, wondering if you were okay. Part of him was glad that he was the one here and you were most likely away from harm. But he also worried that, while tied up here, he couldn’t protect you from danger. God knows what he’d do if you got hurt on his watch. He flashed a smile at the female djinn, hiding his fear with charm. “So, what’s going on here? You gonna kill me or what?” The djinn only smirked, stopping her walk around him.

“Oh, deary, eventually. But first, let’s see what scares you the most.”

“Oh, so you’re one of those bastard offshoot versions of a djinn. You feed on fear, huh?” He forced out a laugh. “Go ahead. I’m not scared of you.” The djinn leaned down, a finger on Dean’s chin and eyes examining his face closely.

“Ha. It seems like your deepest desire and your worst nightmare are connected.” Dean was about to open his mouth with a snarky comment, but the djinn cut him off by slapping a piece of duct tape over his mouth. “You talk too much, ya know?” Dean grunted behind the tape. “Who’s this precious (Y/N) on your mind?” A malicious smile ripped across the djinn’s face as she saw the look of fear shatter his once confident face. Before he could cover up his worried face, the djinn’s poisonous touch washed over him, sending him into a dreamy state.

“Dean!” You laughed as he spun you around, pulled you into his body, and pressed your mouths together with a smile. You laughed against his lips. “I made pie.” You nodded towards the counter, presenting him a slice of the fresh apple pie- his favorite.

“Oh, baby. You’re the best.” The bunker was illuminated in a slightly gold light from an unseen source as Dean held your hips firmly against his own, backing you against the counter in the kitchen and diving into your lips again. “I love you.”

“Dean. Oh, Dee, baby. I love you too.” He smiled and dug into the pie, happily, watching your eyes light up, hoping for compliments.

“This is really freaking good.” You only smiled modestly, face flushed at his compliment.

“Thanks, I made it just for you.” His felt heart swell, more full than it had ever been before in his life. It felt as if he was about to burst. “Dean? What’s up?” He snapped back into focus, seeing your big, beautiful eyes watching him with worry.

“Nothing. Just… don’t ever leave me.” Dean smiled down at you, and you smiled back, relieved that nothing was wrong.

“I’d never think of it.” Before he could capture your lips in his own again, the scene twisted manically, and suddenly you were lying in the dark, a few feet in front of him, blood pooling around you as demons circled you, taking their turns torturing you. Their blades sliced at you delicate skin, leaving deep cuts that bled and bled without stopping, and they mocked Dean with their black eyes, grabbing you in ways only Dean should be able to. He tried to hurl himself at them, ready to fight but found himself unable to move. He was frozen- metaphorically and literally, and could only cry out for you.

“(Y/N)!”

“Dean… Help! Why can’t you help me?” The torture got even worse, your cries became raspier, louder, and more desperate as the wounds become more severe. Dean felt his throat close up, his eyes filling with the hot tears that he has held back for so long. Your arm bent back in an unnatural position, a sickening snap filling the dark room, shortly followed by cries of despair. Dean tried to call out, but his voice failed him once again. “It hurts! Why can’t you end it, Dean? Dean!”

“Dean?” Your voice was just under a whisper, as you looked around nervously.

You rounded the corner, gun gripped tight in your hand, ready for combat. You’d tried calling out for Dean, but he never responded, so there was only one explanation. He was captured. Wherever the djinn had taken him, you’d find him, you knew you would.

“Night, night, lover boy.” You snapped into attention, hearing a sickeningly sweet voice coming from a door ahead. That must be them. You crept forward, keeping as silent as possible and going over your plan in your head. If she was in here, you’d shoot at her to distract her from Dean, and then you’d get up close and stab her with the blood-dipped knife, killing her. You took one last breath and pushed open the door, taking aim at the woman- djinn- across the room, firing at her shoulder.

“Stay away from him!” She looked up, hardly phased by the bullet wound.

“Oh, you’re the little (Y/N) that Dean cares about so much, huh?” She circled you slowly, like a cat stalking its prey. Ignoring the glow in your heart at the thought that he cared about you, you lunged forward, taking the Djinn by surprise and grabbing her, lamb’s blood knife at her throat. “Oh, it doesn’t matter if you kill me now, I’ve already got him in a dream. And guess what. You’re the star.” You couldn’t stand listening to her any longer, plunging the knife into her throat and looking towards Dean.

“Dean.” He had a pained look on his face, suffering from whatever dream- or nightmare- the djinn had him trapped in. You rush to him, untying his wrists and shaking his shoulders, willing him to wake up from whatever fantasy world he was trapped in. “Dean, wake up!” You felt him trembling under your touch and continued to call out to him, unsure as to what to do. This was your first time dealing with anything djinn related. Dean had mentioned something about an antidote earlier, but he must’ve kept it on him. You dug through his pockets furiously, finally pulling out the one thing that could save him. You were quick to inject it to him, watching him intently for any signs of him waking up. His expression softened, and he stirred slightly, eyes fluttering open. “Dean…” You let out a breath of relief, dropping your head into his shoulder and wrapping your arms around him. He returned the hug slowly.

“(Y/N)...?” He sounded broken, scared, even. He took a moment to examine the room, a question in his eyes, before realizing what must have happened. He smiled at you, eyes red with tears. “Damn, you did good kiddo.” And just like that, his walls were back up, as if seconds ago he wasn’t near breaking down right in front of you. You wondered what could have been so bad that he was crying, but you didn’t want to pry, especially considering the circumstances.

“Damn it, Dean. You had me so fucking scared.”

“Well, it looks like you had it all under control on your own. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling particularly homesick right now. Let’s get out of here.” You smiled, helping him up.

“Please. But maybe we could stop for food? I’m starving.”

“Oh.” He chuckled, as if everything was suddenly perfect, draping an arm over your shoulder softly. “You read my mind.”

The night dragged on slowly after that. You had gotten back to the Impala and cleaned each other up, not wanting to walk into a 24-hour diner covered in blood and dirt before you settled in the passenger seat and your trip back home began. The first part of the drive was quiet, a nice quiet. You slept through most of it, finding the sunset and early dusk calming. By the time you woke up, the stars were out, and Dean was listening to classic rock on a low volume. Finally feeling energized for the first time since the hunt, you sat up, cursing your fucked up sleeping schedule.

“Woah, look who’s up!” Dean laughed from his side.

“How long was I out?”

“Only two hours. But I think it’s time for food, don’t you? Gotta celebrate your first djinn kill.” He smiled over at you, and you felt a burst of happiness through your body that he was proud of you. You had come so far since you first started hunting with them. “There’s a diner up here, wanna check it out?”

“Yeah, let's do that.” Half an hour passed, and you were finally clearing out of the neon-lit 24-hour diner after devouring some of the most unhealthy food you’d probably ever eaten, laughing hysterically at Dean’s cheesy jokes and funny stories. Stories about pranks he had pulled on poor Sammy had you snorting your drink. “Yeah, times were simpler then…” His sentence trailed off, but you didn’t want it to dampen the mood and cheered him up quickly. With your stomachs full and a celebratory mood filling the night air, you left the diner with a burst of energy and drove for a few minutes, blasting classic rock the whole way.

Your eyes fixated on his face, studying the features of his jaw, the day-old stubble and the cuts from the most recent hunt. You wanted nothing more than to curl into him and cry, try to forget the feeling in your gut when you thought you may have lost him. You were both far too young to die. And as you looked over at the man beside you, belting along to the music blaring out of the stereo, you felt the same giddy excitement as you had the moment you sat across from him in a booth at the 60’s era diner, cheekily sipping from his milkshake. You knew this feeling, and you knew you had to do something. “Hey, Dean-o. Pull over here, please?” He looked around, trying to figure out why you’d want to pull over here of all places. It was practically the middle of nowhere, just plain open land, the moon casting a soft glow over everything. Beautiful.

“Pull over? I thought you would be in a rush to get home.” Even as he questioned you, he agreed, pulling to a stop at the grassy side of the road. You cast a glance towards him, searching for the right words.

“I… I just wanna look at the stars.” ...and tell you something… Pushing the thought aside, you justified your claim. “It’s not often I get to stargaze, ya know?” Dean laughed, opening his door.

“Stars? Aww. You’re a nerd, (Y/N).” You smiled and exited the car, walking around to lean against the front of the hood with Dean. “Hey, come ‘er.” He helped you to sit on the hood, and you couldn’t help but laugh giddily. It was as if your teenage fantasies were coming true with the man of your dreams.

“We’re gonna sit up here? Really? I didn’t expect you to let me do that. This is your baby, after all.” He smiled, scooting himself back and leaning back against the windshield.

“Well, you get special privileges, alright?” You leaned back with him, your heart pounding in your chest. “So this is what you find fun, huh? Looking at the stars?” You looked up. It was a perfectly clear night, crisp with autumn breezes, and the stars glistened far above your figures. In your head, you imagined them cheering you on. Come on (Y/N)! If not now, when? You might never get the chance.

“Actually, Dean. The stars aren’t why I wanted you to pull over.” Deciding it would just be easier to keep talking, you continued quickly. “Tonight, I thought I lost you. And I realized that I don’t want to lose you.” You took a moment to compose yourself. “I… I love you, Dean.” You didn’t expect a reaction, let alone an answer, and you weren’t waiting for one. But, after a moment of letting it sink in, he shocked you by sitting up and turning to look you in the eyes with urgency, uttering one small word.

“Don’t.”

“What?”

“(Y/N), please. I care about you so, so, so much. You couldn’t even imagine it. But, for your safety...”

“Dean…”

“No, (Y/N), I care about you, I really, really do! Hell, I don’t think I ever cared about someone romantically as strongly as I do about you. But have you met me?” He laughed, such a bittersweet noise. “Do you even know what you’re getting yourself into? Have I ever had a good relationship? Do you know how long it takes me to open up to someone? Shit, (Y/N), I’m horrible. I’m scared of love, of all things.” He was breathing heavily by this point, obviously stressed out about just the thought of it. Not knowing what to do, you lay a hand on his knee in a consoling manner.

“Dean, I’m sorry. You don’t need to respond at all. I just needed to tell you. I wanted to tell you in case anything happens and you…” you couldn’t even bring yourself to finish your sentence.

“But I want to give you a response. You deserve one. I just need you to understand this. Do you know what happened in the dream the djinn had me in? We were together. God, it…” His voice cracked and the sound of it broke your heart. “It was great, (Y/N). We were so in love. But you got hurt. I let you get hurt. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.” He stopped his reflecting and looked back up at you, eyes filled with tears. All the emotional barriers were torn away, and you were seeing what he really felt. “So baby, I want to love you. But you need to help me break down the walls, okay?” You leaned into him, wrapping your arms around his broad shoulders and letting his face rest between your shoulder and neck. You could tell he needed this. After a moment, you pulled back, and he promptly pressed his lips against yours softly. It was a short, sweet kiss, unlike anything you expected from him. You couldn’t help but giggle a bit, and Dean’s face lit up.

“Dean, I promise. I’ll help you, alright?” He smiled through his tears. You’d never seen the eldest Winchester so vulnerable, and you felt special that he would trust you enough to let his walls down. “I’m yours, Dean Winchester. And you, and all of your mess of emotions and fears are mine.”

Taglist:

All: @theredheadedwinchester , @solis200213, @music-lockscreen , @bella-ca

Dean: @samanthaharper2018

#dean winchester #spn #supernatural #dean x reader #reader insert #dean x you #dean x y/n #philophobia #dean

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pvnthcrc · 6 years

Text

“I’m Mariposa Vivienne, not just anyone, but A QUEEN. Ask whoever you want, and they will say the same.” Mari’s cheeks sunk in exposing her sculpted cheek bones as she sucked in the smoke from the thin cigarette. A dry, sarcastic chuckle lest her lips as she didn’t bother to look at her friend, Anne. “I gave him everything, I gave him best years of my life, I taught him how to be a man, a King.” She spoke way too calm, almost nonchalant, yet the venomous smirk remained on her full lips. “Now, I’m Mariposa Vivienne Panthere, Angelo Panthere’s wife and a mother of his child.” Her eyes, eyes of a lioness threw a piercing shot at the 5 year old boy who played a slow melody on his father’s white Bösendorfer grand piano. She took a pause as if she listened to the melody, her long, black coffin nails brushing through her long, raven hair. Mari was deep in her thoughts as the cold stare stayed on her son. Anne noticed the way Mariposa was looking at the little boy, and just to hide the pinch of uncomfortable feeling she dipped her eyes into the glass of wine as she took a sip. “I’ve carried that child for nine months. And this motherfucker still fucks every dirty hole he sees on his way.” Mariposa said through her teeth and warmed her mouth with the liquor that was in her glass. “I was too stupid to get pregnant by that unfaithful ass cheater.” She stated lowly and only then Anne decided to speak up. “Mari, darling, you know how all men be... And Angelo, he’s one of the most known musicians in the world, I know he loves you but-...” Anne didn’t had a chance to finish, she got interrupted by Mari’s sudden shout. “Jahseh, stop playing that damn piano and go to your damn room!” Anne bit on her lip as she watched the boy who’s dark, cat shaped eyes looked at his mother. He had her eyes, his baby face seemed to be emotionless but somehow Anne felt bad for the boy. “Go to your damn room, Jahseh, or I’ll beat your ass in front of this white bitch. I said go!” Mariposa said in French to her son; he understood every word while Anne had no idea what Mari just said. He got up from the piano stool and without saying any word he left the huge living room. “When I see him, I see Angelo. They both make me sick.” Mariposa kissed on her teeth as her lighter flicked to fire up another cigarette.

“How could you embarrass me like this, Jahseh?” Mariposa was furious; she dragged her 10 years old son to the empty room and pushed his body against the wall. “But what did I do, mom? I haven’t done-...” Jah tried to explain himself but instead his cheek ended up burning from a loud slap that her hand left across his face. “How could you tell The Willson’s about your father not being at home right now? How dare you open your mouth you little piece of shit!” Mari wasn’t loud, but her low, soft tone stabbed her son harder than a dagger could. “But dad’s on tour, I haven’t said nothing wrong!” Jah wanted to rub on his cheek and just leave, but he remained emotionless and held his mother’s stare without even blinking, which pissed Mari even more. “Your bitch ass father is not on tour, you idiot! He’s living with that bitch right now, but you be talking too much!” She rose her hand again, and another slap touched his soft skin. Nothing changed in his face. “You told me he went on tour.” Jahseh replied as his mother was on flames. She opened her mouth to drop another hurricane on her son, but she changed her mind and smiled at him. “Now, fix your damn face and go back to guests.”

“Mari, I haven’t been home for 3 fucking months. I been on a damn road, I’m fucking tired and now you pulling all the bullshit on me when I just want to get a damn rest, at my own house.” Angelo tried not to raise his voice as he eased his tie that now hung over his neck. He picked up a heavy, crystal decanter and filled up a glass with his favorite cognac. “No, Angelo, you will have to listen to me, I don’t care if you’re tired or not!” Mari hissed as he approached her husband and took the glass away from his hands. Angelo sighed heavy and shook his head while rubbing on his nose bridge. “Posa, tomorrow’s Jah’s birthday, let’s just act like a normal family, ight? I’m fed up with your drama, let me celebrate my son’s 16th birthday, that’s all I’m asking right now.” He made a step closer to Mariposa and opened his arms in attempt to get her closer and hush her down, but instead Mari threw his own drink right in his face. “Fuck you and your son, you motherfucker! I know you’ve been with that bitch!” She kept yelling, and this time, for the first time after all these years Angelo wasn’t able to deal with his wife’s hysterics; he grabbed her by her shoulders and gave her a hard shake. “Shut the fuck up! Say anything ‘bout me but don’t ya dare to say shit ‘bout your own son you psycho ass bitch!” Like a wild cat. Mariposa began scratching and pushing Angelo but he held her as tight as he could. “I hate you! I hate you both! Get your hands off me, fucker! Ya’ both ruined and keep ruining my life! Burn in hell!” She kept yelling and to shut her up Angelo’s palm landed on her cheek in a slap. A dead silence filled the living room. Angelo pushed her away from himself and left the room before leaving the house. Mari fell across the couch and exploded in a loud cry. A few minutes later two hands gently wrapped around her shoulders. “Ma... Don’t cry..” Jah said softly bringing his mother closer to himself. “GET THE FUCK OFF ME!” She pushed Jahseh away and got up from the couch pointing his finger at her son. “You and your father, I hate you both! You two are the same! You’re a fucking monster just like he is!” Jah clenched his jaw and got up as well. “Ma, ya need to calm down..” Although, she was thinking otherwise. “Don’t tell me what to do! Get out the house, I don’t wanna see your stupid ass anymore!” Grabbing Jah by his dreads he dragged him towards the main entrance while sending kicks to his body forcing him to go faster. “Get out!” As she kicked him out, she shut the door right in his face. It was a chill night, Jah had only his shorts and flip flops on. Shaking his head and rubbing on his shoulders, he began to walk away from the mansion. Where the fuck should he go now? He didn’t had his phone with him, his father probably at some fancy ass hotel right now. He just kept walking, aimlessly. He couldn’t go to his friends, what would he tell them? Plus, he had to keep that perfect picture of their family. What if everyone gonna laugh at him because of all this bullshit? All he could do is to walk. “Yo, Jah, is that you?” Jah didn’t even notice a black Benz that pulled up besides him. Jah had to squint his eyes due to the lights of the car just to figure out it was his plug, Kevin. “Why ya half ass naked walkin’ ‘round here?” The plug laughed some as Jah smirked and shook his head. “Bruh, I went outside for a smoke and dat damn security system locked the whole house, I can’t get in.” Jah was that great ass actor who deserves the damn Oscar’s because when he lies, he lies. Kevin chuckled and leaned over to open the passenger door. “Hop in, I got new stuff ya might like.” Jahseh got into the car and the plug drove off. They had a chat about this and that before Jahseh asked. “Yo, do you have something that would KO my ass? My mind goin’ crazy right na’, fuck lean and weed bruh, this shit ain’t able to shut down my mind.” At that moment, Kevin parked the car and both stepped out. Now, they were on the way to Kevin’s appartment. Jah’s question caused the male to chuckle. “What, no more xannies for you, Jah? I got something if you’re not pussy..” He opened the door letting Jah in. “Let me try bruh, I just need whatever. Just put it on my check.” Jah said plopping down on the couch. “Well, okay.” Kevin went to the other room and after some while he came back with a strap that he threw at Jah. “Wrap it just a little beneath your shoulder.” Jah let out a laughter. “Ya trynna gimme a shot bruh?” Although, he did what he was told. For right now, he could care less. “Ball your fist up.. relax it... ball it up again.” Kevin instructed as he watched the vein bulging up on Jah’s forearm. Jahseh’s curious gaze followed after Kevin’s actions. He saw a syringe, then felt a light pinch, and then... he flew away, far far away, to the lands of euphoria where everything seemed so peaceful and easy. And he didn’t want to get back to the real world, so he didn’t.

Warming up the substance on the spoon turned into a daily basis for Jah, he was able to do it with his eyes closed since it’s been a while of his relationship with heroin. Being more than sure he’s all alone at home, Jah sat in jacuzzi where he tightened the strap around his arm and held it’s end between his teeth as he aimed the needle to his vein. Another shot, another dose of a paradise. His head fell back as his eyes closer, his arm with the trail of red marks from the numerous shots fell over the jacuzzi border. “JAHSEH!!!” What the fuck her voice is doing here, in his fairytale? What the fuck is wrong with this high? Why he could hear his mother? Why it feels like her arms touching him, why it feels like her nails dug into his skin? Why his face burns as if it gets hit after hit? You know what, not today mother satan, you not gonna appear in his fantasy and ruin it for him. At the end of the day, everything is a fantasy, right? Jah threw a hard punch and his fist felt like it hit it’s target. He heard a scream, his mother’s scream, and it made him feel good. He threw another punch. And another. His vision cleared up a little and now he was able to see the silhouette of a woman. Well, today he’s on a weird trip if he can see his own mother in his own heroin dream, but if it’s only a dream he can do what he want, right? Climbing out of jacuzzi, Jah grabbed the woman by her hair and pulled her closer. “I’m fuckin’ tired of ya shit, bitch.” His hist curled up and smashed against the beautiful face. The woman fell down, Jah hovered over her and continued throwing hit after hit over her face and her body. And it felt so good.. All these years of being hated, humiliated, beaten up and terrorized by her, it felt so good to release his hurt and anger in this heroin dream of his. Suddenly, as by a snap of the fingers, Jahseh sobered up as if he never took his shot. His chest rising high, up and down from a hard breathing, his knuckles bleeding and when he looked down he saw Mariposa who tried to crawl away from him. “Ma...” He muttered not really believing in what his own eyes showed him. Grabbing his phone, he dialed 911. That’s how Jahseh Panthere ended up in a rehab, that’s how he got on probation, and that’s the secret The Panthere’s had to pay a good check for to keep it unknown and hidden from every single soul.

#ﾟ+* d e v e l o p m e n t #ﾟ+* p a r a #WARNING!!!#first of all THIS IS A LOT #plus shit is triggering #idk who's in their right mind to read it all tbh #don't waste your time on trash

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girl-next-door-writes · 7 years

Text

Anything But Typical

Characters: Gabriel x Reader

Summary: A few days stuck in the bunker on research duty can be very boring. Lucky for you a certain tricky angel decides to keep you company.

Word Count: 1345 words

Prompt: She’s Every Woman by Garth Brooks. ‘Flaws’ Weight issues, Irlens, being a really fucking irritating archangel (does that one count?).

A/N: This is my offering for @little-red-83 Love Your Flaws Writing Challenge. I am currently in a big Gabriel hole so here ya go.

You couldn’t believe you had been benched. Dean Winchester was such a self-righteous asshole but you’d thought Sam would have had your back. Instead you were relegated to research monkey. It was no secret that you were a major geek and could wax lyrical about several fandoms in great depth, in fact give you a laptop and you could research for days but sitting in the library with actual books… that was a different story. It was fairly easy to hide your Irlens syndrome but without your lilac tinted glasses or even your filter there was no way you could read what was on these pages. At least you were on your own so the chances of someone walking in on you were zero. Putting your earbuds in you blasted your music, took a large sip of coffee and slipped on your glasses to begin work.

He knew you would be alone in the bunker, knew full well the Winchesters were away on a hunt. Standing in the doorway his eyes ran over your form as you pulled yet another tome from the shelf, your head bobbing in time to the music. You were his favourite. He had decided that from the first moment you had met and you displayed just as much sass as himself. Somewhere along the way his feelings had grown more romantic and he was a little unsure what to do about that. You turned and nearly dropped the book as his presence startled you. “Gabe, what you doing sneaking around here?” you pulled your earbuds out and smiled at your friend. He smirked and you felt the butterflies in your stomach. Looking away from him you tried to push those feelings back down, there was no way he would feel the same way.

“Nice glasses. Very retro, rose tinted?” He smirked and with a click of his fingers your glasses appeared on his face and all the years of schoolyard teasing came flooding back causing your hackles to rise.

“Give them back Gabriel.” Your tone was measured but firm as you held your hand out to him.

“But they look so good on me sugar.” He pouted but when you didn’t even crack a smile he tilted his head and studied you, wondering why you were so worked up.

“I will only ask you one more time. Give. Them. Back.” He simply shrugged and with a click of his fingers the glasses were back on your nose and you folded your arms across your chest. The defensive posture didn’t go unnoticed and if you had been anyone else then the cheeky angel would have pushed a little but he had learned his lesson about that over the time he had known you.

His mind flitted to the incident where you had borrowed Deans shampoo only to end up with bright green hair. Yeah, when you had discovered whose fault that was you had shown him a rage that he had not experienced from any other human being in his entire. Although your outburst had surprised him he had to admit that it only fueled his affection for you. You were the perfect blend of contradictions and he adored spending time with you, your brand of crazy fit perfectly with his own.

“So where are dumb and dumber?” He enquired, his eyes still on you.

“Gone huntin’.”

“How long for?”

“They’ll be back in a couple of days.”

“So we’re all alone then? Me and you, alone in the bunker for a couple of days...” He was stood right in front of you now, his hand came up to tuck your hair behind your ear and his fingertips lingered for a moment. “…you thinking what I’m thinking?” he practically whispered.

“Are you thinking we should put saran wrap over the boys toilets and put stock cubes in their shower heads?” you purr with a twinkle in your eye. Gabe dropped his head as a huge smile broke out and he chuckled.

“I knew there was a reason we’re friends.”

“Hey, the classics are the best.” You shrug before heading to the kitchen to grab the saran wrap.

Gabriel spent the next few days just hanging out with you, keeping you company and even helping with research. Okay, so by helping he would just drop the book with the answer on the table to save time so you could get back to watching films and setting up pranks. You’d even stopped being as self-conscious about your glasses and after you caught him staring at you with curiosity written all over his face you had explained that you found it easier to read things with a lilac tint, it stopped the letters moving around and the words merging. You had even gone on to talk about the bullying at school and the times a certain group of boys thought it would be funny to hide your glasses, usually before a test. That had caused Gabriel to go really quiet before demanding names which you reluctantly gave, knowing this meant he had put them on his ‘list’ and that was a dangerous place to be. You couldn’t deny that Gabriel made you feel safe and as the days wore on you found yourself opening up more and more and, to your surprise, he stuck around and listened as if everything you said was fascinating.

Resting your head back against the sofa cushions your placed your hand on your rounded tummy with a groan. One of the downsides of spending so much time with your favourite angel was the never ending supply of snacks and treats which had led to your already curvy figure to expand a little more over the past six months. The problem was temptation. Not necessarily the temptation of the many sweets and chocolates and desserts… they were just a distraction from the real thing tempting you which was the gorgeous, funny, witty blond who was currently sat beside you stuffing M and M’s into his mouth. “I can’t believe you have spent the past three days just hanging here, you could be out seeing the world, experiencing everything life has to offer. Not that I’m complaining, I have enjoyed your company but isn’t all this a little boring?” You quirk an eyebrow as you glance at him and his expression becomes so earnest you find your brow furrowing as he began to talk.

“Sugar, you are unpredictable and fun and the most beautiful being I have ever laid eyes on. You are anything but typical and I am completely crazy about you.” Both of your eyes widened as you realised what he had just said. He wondered if he clicked his fingers he could erase those words from your memory and he felt a panic rising in his chest as he wanted to just disappear.

“Crazy about me huh?” you smiled softly at him and just like that he felt the panic melt and give way to a nervous anticipation.

“Sweet thing you have no idea.” He smirked as he wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you close. “I can’t explain it, being with you just makes perfect sense.” You reached up and brushed the hair out of his face and you had to admit you knew exactly what he meant. You adored his little quirks and it turns out he felt the same about yours.

“I’m gonna have to cut back on the treats though Gabe or I’m gonna pile weight on now Dean won’t let me hunt.”

“Or we can find another way to work off the calories.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and you laughed, the sound of which caused his face to light up. Gabriel loved being the reason for that beautiful laugh that was like music to his ears. As his lips met yours it was as if every fantasy he had ever had paled in comparison. He knew you were a mixture of every woman he had ever loved combined into the perfect partner and he never wanted to let you go.

Tag: @deanxfuckingadorablexwinchester @thewhiterabbit42 @nicolesyneah25 @trollhunter94 @wayward-mirage @summer-binging-spn @feelmyroarrrr @theblackenedsky @cojootromuelle @like-a-bag-of-potatoes @chaos-and-the-calm67 @its-my-perky-nipples @mysaintsasinner @percywinchester @neeadinghugs @imamotherfuckingstar-lord

#Love Your Flaws Writing Challenge #myfic #something I wrote #Gabriel

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hale-of-stiles-heart · 7 years

Note

So for the meetcute prompts could you do number 7 please? 💖

This was so much fun! Thanks for the prompt! And, as always, also on ao3!

Truth be told, Derek had never actually kissed anyone before. Not really.

Sure, he had kissed Paige on the cheek once or twice back in their sophomore year, kissing her farewell when he dropped her off back home after one of their handful of dates. And he might have kissed the back of her hand while asking if she wanted to dance at the winter formal, but that was all.

They had only gone out a few times, gone to a few dances together, but that was before she had officially come out. A few days before winter break, she had sat Derek down and explained that while she’d had a really nice time with him on their dates and at the dances, she was one hundred percent into girls not guys.

Derek had done everything he could to be supportive, hugging her and thanking her for feeling comfortable enough to share something so personal with him, even offering to throw her a coming out party. She had declined, but shortly afterwards she had started dating his younger sister, Cora.

So, he and Paige had never really kissed. And he had never gone out with anyone else after Paige, either, preferring to focus on his schoolwork. He put all of his effort into maintaining his spotless GPA and honing his skills for the basketball team, hoping to be team captain one day.

Besides, he constantly had to worry about keeping the fact that he was a werewolf hidden so as not to draw any unwanted attention from hunters or worse. And so as much as his friends teased him about being an asocial nerd, dating and kissing just weren’t that high on his list of priorities.

Which was why he was still upset with himself for letting Erica and Isaac drag him to some raucous party at Jackson Whittemore’s palatial house. On a school night, no less!

With Boyd out of town visiting family in New York, Erica was without a ride to the wild party, the same one she and Isaac had been talking about nonstop for weeks. Derek being the only other person in their little group of friends with a car, the sleek black Camaro that Laura had passed down to him when she had left for Princeton his freshman year, the scheming duo had turned to him for a ride.

He was helpless to deny them, especially when they both gave him their best puppy dog eyes. How Boyd managed to resist giving Erica whatever she wanted when she jut out her bottom lip and batted her eyelashes oh so innocently, Derek would never know. So, he agreed to drive them to the party, Erica’s promise that Stiles would be at the party perhaps influencing his decision a bit, too. Just maybe.

Because while dating wasn’t very high up on his lift of to-dos and kissing wasn’t something he dedicated himself to pursuing, it didn’t mean he never thought about them. He did. Quite often, as a matter of fact. And the person starring most prominently in his little daydreams and half-baked fantasies he usually reserved for late at night when he couldn’t sleep, was none other than Stiles Stilinski.

Stiles was infectious. Not in a bad way, it was just that everything about him was positively contagious. His enthusiasm, his laughter, his sometimes twisted sense of humor, even his unique way of looking at the world around himself. It was all just contagious.

Derek didn’t know a single person who didn’t laugh when Stiles made some kind of horrendous yet clever pun about whatever time period they were studying in history of whatever formula they were going over in calculus. Even people who, somehow, didn’t like Stiles always cracked a smile at his well placed one liners and sly innuendos.

Except Mr. Harris. But Derek was pretty sure he didn’t have a soul so he didn’t really count.

Stiles was like a ray of sunshine, ushering forth light and warmth to brighten up even the gloomiest day when he strolled into class fashionably late and took a seat in the front row. He never failed to make Derek’s day just a little bit better, whether it be with an offhand joke or a conspiratorial wink in his direction, or even just a smile or wave in greeting when they passed each other in the hallway.

And he was just so genuinely nice, it almost hurt.

He always asked people about how their day was going and actually listened when they answered, sometimes just sitting with someone he barely knew and letting them rant about school or their family or their favorite TV show. When someone was upset, he would just wrap them up in a tight hug or squeeze their shoulder, tell them that he was there if they ever needed someone to talk to.

He never let any bullying go unnoticed, sometimes charging right up to the perpetrator just to divert attention away from whoever was being bullied. He had ended up with his own fair share of black eyes and bloody noses for his troubles, serving weeks worth of time in detention, but it never stopped him.

A few years ago, he had actually smashed Matt Daehler’s phone when the little creep had recorded a video of Erica having an epileptic seizure. Stiles had wrenched the phone out of Matt’s hand and slammed it onto the ground before stomping on it a few times for good measure as he directed his friend Scott to call the nurse.

He was caring and considerate, alway carrying an extra inhaler in case Scott had an asthma attack, keeping an Epipen on hand should anyone have an allergic reaction, his backpack stocked with pads and tampons for people who unexpectedly had their period. He even carried different sized condoms around so no one had unprotected sex if they were too embarrassed to go out and buy their own, giving them away without charging anyone.

Stiles was amazing. And Derek really, really wanted to kiss him.

So, when he saw Stiles sitting down in the circle of people gathering in the living room to play spin the bottle, he threw caution to the wind and took a seat directly across from him. He could feel his ears burn at the curious looks he received from the rest of the people in the makeshift circle, Stiles cocking his head to the side as he scanned his eyes over Derek in blatant curiosity.

“Hey, Derek,” Stiles greeted with a soft, inviting smile as Jackson grabbed an empty bottle of beer from off the coffee table that had been shoved aside into the corner to give them more room. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

Derek just scratched the back of his neck and shrugged, feeling his face flush even more under Stiles’ undivided attention, not sure what he did to deserve such rapt interest. Stiles was the first to break eye contact, turning his head to look at some guy Derek didn’t recognize, probably someone from the swim team given the logo on his sweatshirt, who had cleared his throat loud enough to draw everyone’s attention.

“Aight, here are the rules,” he started, giving the empty bottle a test spin on the hardwood floor, the glass rattling a bit as it twirled around a few times. Stopping the bottle’s rotation when it pointed at himself, he continued, “We start with Jackson and go around the circle to his left. Ya spin the bottle and whoever it land on, ya kiss. Any questions?”

Derek raised his hand. A chorus of laughter greeted the gesture, almost everyone in the circle throwing their heads back and laughing loudly. Stiles, sweet Stiles, was one of the only ones who didn’t, along with the new girl Kira and the girl Derek recognized as Scott’s on-again off-again girlfriend, Allison.

Waiting until the laughter died down before speaking, Derek ducked his head and nervously scratched the back of his neck. Voice shaking as he tried to defend himself, Derek managed to squeak, “Do we have to kiss them?”

“What’s wrong, Hale? Too much of a pussy to play spin the bottle?” The guy who had explained the rules gasped out breathlessly, another round of laughter following Derek’s quiet question. Elbowing Jackson in the ribs, the guy continued his cruel ribbing, demanding, “Not man enough to do a little kissing?”

“Maybe he just doesn’t want to have to kiss you, Brad,” Stiles retorted, seemingly out of nowhere, cocking a brow as he leveled the other guy with a downright icy glower. Pointing an accusatory finger at the guy, apparently named Brad’s, face, Stiles charged, “Probably doesn’t wanna catch anything. We all saw that cold sore on your lip last week!”

The cacophony of laughter was almost immediately silenced, a few people audibly gasping at Stiles’ sharp words as everyone gawked at him, eyes darting between Stiles and Brad. Eventually, Brad wavered under Stiles’ intense glare, slumping his shoulders and turning his head away, looking like a pup who had just been reprimanded by his alpha, Derek feeling a rush of affection and secondhand pride swell within him.

Huffing deeply to himself, Stiles turned to face Derek again, hard expression melting away, a soft smile stretching across his face, handsome features softening. He reached over to gently pat Derek on the knee, the innocent contact making the latter’s face flood with heat and color as Stiles explained, “You don’t have to kiss anyone if you don’t want to. You can just answer a truth or dare kind of question. Okay?”

Derek nodded, mustering up a grin that Stiles enthusiastically and wholeheartedly returned, sitting back up and cracking his knuckles. He sent Derek a wink as Jackson grabbed the bottle to officially start the game, spinning it with a twist of his wrist before letting it go, the entire circle of people on the edge of their seats on the floor.

The bottle spun in a full circle a few times before gradually slowing down, swirling around sluggishly before coming to a complete stop. It pointed directly at a pretty brunette a few spots away on Derek’s left, directly between he and Stiles, Derek extremely grateful it hadn’t landed on either of him.

The girl beamed excitedly and shuffled forward as Jackson did the same, meeting in the middle of the center of the circle, Jackson nearly crushing the bottle with his knee. Their lips met with a sickeningly wet, sloppy sound, Jackson burying his hand in the girl’s curly brown tresses as they kissed each other deeply before pulling away from each other.

Derek was a little shocked to say the very least. He honestly hadn’t expected such deep kisses. He had thought there would be quick pecks on the lips, not tongues down each other’s throats.

He was sorely tempted to leave the circle. But if he did, he would no longer have a chance of kissing Stiles. And he would be damned if he gave that up.

He watched the next couple rounds with a bit of trepidation, worried that someone might land on him, terrified he might not be able to muster up enough courage to decline kissing whoever the other, hypothetical person was. And he really didn’t want to squander his first kiss with some drunk jock at a high school party. He would rather have his first kiss with a specific sort of jock at a high school party.

Kira and Allison ended up kissing, both of their cheeks glowing bright pink as they a shared a chaste, lingering kiss. Allison stroked Kira’s cheek gently during the fleeting liplock, brushing a lock of curled black hair behind Kira’s left ear as they pulled away from each other.

Derek watched with a brand new spark of hope, wanting his first kiss to just as sweet and intimate and wonderful as theirs. The way they continued sharing little glances with each other throughout the rest of the game was one of the cutest things Derek had ever seen, aching to have the same thing with Stiles.

There were a few other kisses, people Derek didn’t know kissing people he only knew in passing, people he had known for years kissing each other. They all seemed to blur together in one giant series of mostly meaningless kisses. It was only Stiles’ kisses that he paid any real attention to.

He watched helplessly as a cute blonde girl, whose name he was pretty was Heather, spun the bottle and landed directly on Stiles. She squealed in excitement, enthusiastically cupping his face in her hands while she pressed an eager kiss to Stiles’ pretty pink lips. She pulled back with a loud giggle, Stiles looking a bit dazed.

Derek tried not to feel too let down, tried to tamp down on the niggling sensation of jealousy that rose up inside of him at the sight of Stiles kissing someone else. He forcibly reminded himself that Stiles didn’t owe him anything just because he had a massive, pathetic crush on him.

It was even worse when it was Stiles’ turn. He spun the bottle with a flourish, watching with bated breath as it landed right between Jackson and Danny. Rather than spin again or simply choose one of them to kiss, Stiles beckoned them both over, all three of them meeting in the center of the circle to press their lips together, tilting their heads at awkward angles to reach each other’s lips, Derek noticing more than a bit of tongue.

As awful as it was to watch Stiles kiss two other people simultaneously, Derek was distracted from the three-way kiss when the girl beside him spun the bottle, the lip of it pointing directly at him. He swallowed heavily as the girl actually clapped her hands together and nodded her head enthusiastically.

“Umm… Can I just answer a question, please?” Derek asked shakily, glancing over at Jackson and Brad whom no one had agreed to kiss, everyone apparently not wanting to catch anything as Stiles had said. Derek didn’t want to offend the poor girl who crossed her arms over her chest and scoffed, but at the same time he really did not want to kiss her, either.

“Alright,” Jackson agreed, nodding with a cocky smirk that someone really needed to smack off his too pretty, model-like face. His smirk stretching into a cruel looking grin, he pressed, “So, Hale. Tell us about your first kiss.”

Well, shit.

“Uh… Well, um…” Derek fumbled with his words, anxiously scratching the back of his neck as he tried to formulate a response that wasn’t humiliating. He couldn’t come up with one.

“No way!” Jackson crowed obnoxiously, looking way too pleased with himself. “You haven’t kissed anyone before, have you?!”

Stiles tossed an empty red solo cup at Jackson’s head at the same time as he snapped, “Shut up, Jackson!―” he turned back to Derek, soothing his voice “―Go ahead, Derek. It’s your turn.”

Derek took a deep breath and reached forward to grab the bottle, the glass cool against his fingertips as he spun it. He was tempted to close his eyes but he forced himself to watch as it spun around in tight circles until it slowed to a crawl, pointing straight at…Stiles.

Derek jerked his head up so fast he was surprised his head didn’t fly off, gawking in disbelief at Stiles who was actually blushing ― Stiles, blushing! ― while scratching the back of his head. With an almost shy shrug, Stiles chewed his lip and asked, “So… What d’ya say, big guy?”

Derek just nodded, waiting for Stiles to make the first move before crawling towards him in the middle of the circle, feeling his palms begin to sweat and his mouth go dry as he moved a bit closer. Fortunately, Stiles took the lead, curling a hand around the back of Derek’s neck, scratching his fingernails through the hair on the nape of his neck.

“Is this okay?” Stiles mumbled in a hushed whisper, biting his lower lip as he waited for some sort of answer. Derek simply nodded, not trusting his words. Stiles just smiled and moved a little closer. Stiles leaned in slowly, pressing his soft lips against Derek’s slightly chapped ones, squeezing the back of his neck reassuringly. He kept the kiss short and sweet and chaste until Derek began craving more.

Still internally freaking out about the fact that he was really kissing Stiles, yet feeling oddly bold because of it, Derek pressing his lips harder against Stiles’, silently asking for more. Stiles, quite possibly the most perceptive person Derek had ever met, hummed and opened his mouth to run his tongue over Derek’s lower lip, the mere touch sending a shiver of arousal through him.

He could feel his eyes flash behind his eyelids, glad he had closed his eyes the second their lips touched, saving him from traumatizing an entire room of human teenagers with his bright yellow eyes. Feeling much more confident than usual, he opened his own mouth a bit to nip at Stiles’ bottom lip, coming dangerously close to growling in pleasure, somehow containing the sound that threatened to spill out.

“Oww!” Stiles yelped, abruptly yanking his head back, pulling his hand away from Derek’s neck to touch his lips, fingers coming away from his mouth with a dab of deep red blood. Mind racing, Derek raised a hand to his own mouth, finding a drop of blood on his own lips, taste of copper filling his mouth.

A moment later, the realization that he had done it washed over him. In his delirious, kiss-obsessed haze, not only had his eyes flashed but his fangs had unbiddenly dropped, catching on Stiles’ lip and inadvertently cut him.

“Yo, did Hale just bite Stilinski?!” Jackson exclaimed incredulously, drawing everyone’s attention to the fact that Stiles’ lip had a tiny cut that was steadily dripping blood. It was only a small trickle but it was heart shattering to Derek nonetheless.

“Stiles! I― I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!” Derek babbled, holding up his palms as he apologized profusely, the fact that Stiles was hurt because of him beyond distressing. The possibility that Stiles might be upset with him, terrified him almost as much, eliciting him to continue apologizing, “I’m so sorry!”

“It’s fine, Derek,” Stiles assured, shaking his head at Derek’s desperate apology, shrugging it off. Poking at his lip with the pad of his index finger, he advised Derek, “Really, don’t worry about it.”

But Derek couldn’t accept Stiles’ calm toleration of the fact that Derek had just bitten him. Though, instead of apologizing any further, Derek did the only other thing he could think of. He ran away.

Pushing himself to his feet, he made a mad dash for the front door, at that point not caring if he used a little bit of werewolf speed in his haste to get his ass out of the house. Racing across the manicured front lawn littered with red solo cups, he made a beeline across the street to where he had parked his Camaro in front of Isaac’s house.

He wrenched the driver’s side door open and climbed into the driver’s seat, fully prepared to drive home and hide in his room for the rest of his life, or at least until the whole thing blew over. But when he realized that he would be abandoning Erica at the party, stranding her there without a ride, he groaned and rested his forehead on the steering.

He yelped in surprise when someone knocked on the passenger side window, hitting the horn with his elbow by accident as he looked up to see who it was, hoping it was Erica ready to go home. It wasn’t. It was Stiles.

He pointed at the door lock on the passenger side, gesturing for Derek to unlock it for him, flicking his thumb in imitation of a lock. Unable to deny Stiles anything, especially after hurting him, he clicked the unlock button on his own door, letting Stiles in.

Stiles slid into the passenger seat, closing the door behind himself, looking at Derek with a furrow in his brow, clearly confused. Scratching the side of his face, he asked, “Hey, what’s wrong? You high tailed it outta there pretty quick.”

“I bit you,” Derek grit out, his hands curling into fists around the steering wheel that creaked under his crushing grip, not caring one whit if he damaged the car. It was just a car, after all. Not precious or irreplaceable the way Stiles was.

“Yeah, so?” Stiles wondered casually, giving a nonchalant shrug. He tapped his fingers against his thigh as he commented, “I mean, the full moon is in a couple days, right? You’re bound to a struggle a little with control.”

“What?!” Derek squeaked, ignoring how embarrassingly high pitched his voice became as he whipped his head to the side to gawk at Stiles who just shrugged. Frantically, he tried to cover for himself, scoffing, “Full moon? What are you talking about, Stiles?”

“Uh, werewolves. Duh,” Stiles answered, looking at Derek like he was the one who was spouting off all sorts of stuff about werewolves and full moons. Stiles just rolled his eyes, pinning Derek with an unamused cock of his head, claiming, “Dude, I know you’re a werewolf. My dad’s the sheriff, remember? We’re on the up and up.”

Oh. That made a lot of sense, actually. His mother, as both the alpha and the mayor of Beacon Hills, made it a priority to establish connections with the humans in influential positions in town, making them aware of the existence of werewolves to ensure her pack’s safety and continued well-being. And as nosy and clever as Stiles was, he was bound to know if his father knew. Derek wasn’t sure how he could have missed something like that.

“So…” Stiles drawled, pursing his lips and glancing around the interior of the car. “About that kiss…”

Great. Stiles was going to make things weird. Well, weirder than Derek had already made it himself. He was going to explain that the kiss was just a one-time aberration. A pity kiss for the pathetic loser who had never kissed anyone before.

“I was wondering if maybe you’d wanna do it again?!”

Wait, what? Derek frowned at Stiles, trying to decipher if he was just toying with him. But he couldn’t hear nor scent any indication of deceit, blinking a few times in astonishment. Stiles actually wanted to kiss him again? Him? Derek? Derek Hale?

“I get it if you don’t want to,” Stiles murmured, rubbing his arm as he hunched his shoulders, huddling in on himself as he braced himself for rejection. He wouldn’t get any from Derek.

“You really do talk too much, sometimes,” Derek sighed, reaching out to grab Stiles by the front of his Star Wars t-shirt, tugging him into a deep kiss, despite the fact that he didn’t possess any ounce of finesse necessary to make it better than a clumsy little liplock. He laved his tongue over the small nick on Stiles’ bottom lip, experimentally sucking his entire lip into his mouth, feeling his eyes flash again.

But he was careful not to let his fangs drop this time. He would save the biting for later.

Meetcute Prompts: Werewolf Edition

#sterek #sterek fic #eternalsterek #high school au #first kiss #awkward derek #biting #accidental biting #werewolf derek #past derek/paige #minor cora/paige #minor allison/kira #my fic #seareyes

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