#not that Kate would voice that second reason out loud... | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

may-fanfic · 2 years

Text

Caving In

summary: You're on a break when Clint calls you in need of your assistance.

warning: mentions of fighting, blood, injury, cursing

word count: 3,875

a/n: got tired of writing this like halfway through so sincerely apologize if it's shit.

----------

The mug burned hot in your hand; the freshly made coffee nearly boiled within as you set it on your coffee table. The morning had seemed all too blissful for once, and you, yourself, even found it to be questionable. It was nearly Christmas, a holiday you'd hardly gotten to celebrate over the years. You told yourself this one would be different, you deserved a break, and you were determined to get one, but then the loud ring of your cell phone went off, making you recoil at the all too familiar sound. The concept of merely ignoring the call was the first to cross your mind, but it was Clint, and you knew he'd never treat you in such a manner.

"I'm on break." Letting your eyes flutter shut, you gritted your teeth; his faint chuckle sounded through the phone. "I need you."

Being in New York, standing outside some random girl's apartment was not how you imagined your Christmas. You knocked softly, hoping no one would answer and perhaps you'd get the chance to return home, but the door swung open just as your fist left the door, and there you stood in front of the beaming woman whose cheeks were lightly painted pink. "Is clint here?" you tried to look past her into the flat, but it appeared nearly empty. She looked off at you for a moment; her lips tugged into a cheery smile; you would smile back had you not just traveled to New York despite; wanting nothing more than to stay home.

"He's asleep on the couch." she noticed the scowl on your face as she nudged her head towards the living room. "Can I-" her fingers gripped at the door frame, her eyes squinted in question before it seemed to dawn on her what you were asking. "Oh right, of course," she muttered, stepping aside. She watched as you strutted over to her couch, finding the older man peacefully at rest, but then you swung your bag over your shoulders and harshly dropped it onto his stomach. He responded in a second, his shocked, sleepy gasp spilling past his lips.

"Wake up, sleepy head!" You had a grin on your lips, the look you had been giving him far different from the one you greeted her with; she reminded herself not to take it personally. Clint jumped up at the sound of your voice, his tired expression replaced with a look of giddiness and hope, and he embraced you, nuzzling your face into the nape of his shoulder; Kate could make out the heartfelt smile that tugged at the corner of your lips.

"How's the family?"

"Disappointed." Kate knew it had been her fault; she had been the very cause of the reason the two of you could not be at home. He pulled away from you, his hand still glued to your back. "This is Kate." your eyes met hers once more; her expression conveyed that she was flustered.

"I'm-"

"I know who you are." she recounted, eyes suddenly widened and cheeks a bright red. "Alright." you nodded, shooting a slight look at Clint, which he returned with a smile. "So what am I here for?" you turned your attention to Clint, raising a brow and crossing your arms. "I thought we were done with this superhero shit?"

"I was, but Kate needed me, and I need you," he answered honestly, causing a sigh to fall past your lips. "Let me guess." Narrowing your eyes, you looked back at Kate. "Rich girl can't handle her own problems?"

She was taken aback, lips parting, a look of hurt plastered over her once endearing smile. "T-That's not true."

"Isn't it?" you questioned; you didn't mean to snap at her so suddenly; you just did. Kate's head pounded abruptly; the crown of her head felt as though it had tightened completely. "No, I didn't ask for your help," she expressed, nibbling the inside of her cheek; she felt mortified.

"Then why am I here, Kate?" Kate grew silent, chewing at her lips as she shifted uncomfortably, snapping her gaze away from you when Clint spoke up; your eyes had yet to leave her, noticing the faint red in her once bright eyes, her jaw clenched.

"I can't do this without you." Clint declared.

"What even is it?"

Kate got into a real pickle; you almost could pity the girl. She stood as Clint spilled everything to you, catching your eyes a few times, never missing the judgemental glare you had been shooting at her. "Let me get this straight." Letting out a breath, you straightened your posture to look at the pair in front of you.

"You killed a gang member's father?" pointing at Clint; he wore a look of remorse. "Tracksuit mafia."

"Whatever, stupid name. You put Clint's suit on, and now they want to kill you?" you questioned, looking over at the woman who bowed her head in shame. "And you think your mother's boyfriend has something to do with all this?"

"Basically."

"I'm going to kill you both myself if I don't get home in time for Christmas. Goodnight." your tone had been oddly calm as you moved away from the pair, going to some empty bedroom you claimed as your own.

"She means it." Clint gave Kate a slight nod before giving her a reassuring pat on the back. "Get some rest, kid."

---

Kate had been awoken that morning by a loud bang on her bedroom door; she hardly could adjust her eyes before you barged into her room. "Oh good, you're up." your sarcastic tone made her whine lightly, shielding her eyes from the sun. "Katie, if you don't get up right now, we'll be wasting more time. Do you want to waste my time?" There was a sour look on her face that you couldn't quite understand her reaction, so you brushed it off as her not being much of a morning person, but then she spoke. "Don't call me that." Kate hissed slightly, rolling back over in her bed so she could look at the wall instead of your wandering gaze.

You hardly realized you called her anything other than her name; it dawned on you that you only misspoke, but to Kate, the feeling in her chest was a reminder that her father once called her that; it left her feeling sick. "Okay… I've got an idea." you ignored the weight of the air and continued as you typically would.

Kate thought the idea was stupid, but she didn't object. "This is ridiculous," she uttered softly, only then when she stood at the front door, waiting eagerly for the woman to answer. "Oh hush!" you let out a chuckle; perhaps you'd only been trying your best to get into character, but to the woman, it made her lips tug upwards into a slight smile.

The door flew open, meeting her mom's jolly expressions; you gripped the woman's hand suddenly, causing Kate to freeze altogether; her cheeks warm. "Oh, Kate! I wasn't expecting to see you." her eyes soon met yours, causing you to flash the kindest smile you could muster. "Kate, you didn't tell me you had a-" Kate only let out a huff, whispering something about not making it weird.

Sitting alongside Kate, you watched as her mother and the gentleman danced together and giggled. You felt as if you had been intruding on such a passionate time, and you wanted nothing more than disappear entirely; shooting Kate a look, she seemed to feel the same.

She rose, gently taking your wrist in the process, uttering out that she wanted to show you around, but her mother hardly seemed to listen as her eyes stayed glued to the older fellow. Her hold on you remained until you had been out of sight of the pair. "They seem…" you trailed off, not quite having the words to express what you felt towards them. "nice." you decided on; Kate only looked at you, shaking her head lightly, leading you into some office. "This is his, Clint; what are we looking for?" she questioned the man in the earpiece.

"Flash drive," stating it bluntly, you let out a gentle sigh, looking carefully throughout the office.

Kate moved quicker than you, and just as she pulled out what could've possibly been the flash drive you had been looking for, the sound of heavy footsteps sounded in the hall, and your gaze met Kate's worried one. Before you could even process what was happening, you leaped over to the woman, slipping your hands up to cover the length of her cheeks, dragging her down so her lips could meet yours. She seemed stunned for the hundredth time that day but eased into it quickly when the sound of the door handle turned lightly.

"Oh!" his heavy accent sounded throughout the room, quickly breaking away from each other as if you had just got caught unknowingly; Kate had been pretty good at pretending, you thought. Her words came out suddenly, the stuttering word mess slipped past her freshly kissed lips, and she had been fidgetting more. You couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of your lips, pressing a finger over the top of them.

"Um… We were just-" her brain seemed to go blank, looking at you for a moment and then the man. "We were…"

"Oh, just say something, Kate!" Clint's voice boomed in her earpiece; she looked at you for support, eyes begging you to say anything because right now, all she could think about was the rushed kiss and the feel of your hands. "I'm sorry, sir. We just got a bit sidetracked." you flashed a shy smile.

"Oh! No worries at all! I know exactly how that is." he offered with a quick smile and wink. "Don't worry. I won't tell your mother." he teased lightheartedly, causing the woman to go impossibly red.

"We should get going, right Katie?" you bit your tongue when you realized you had once again made the mistake of calling her something other than her name. "Katie? I haven't heard that since-" her mother slipped into the office, a look of sadness over her face. "Her father." she finished causing the girl beside you to gulp lightly. It dawned on you all at once, and now all you wanted to do was apologize to the woman, but it seemed to be no use; she hardly even seemed to wanna look at you. "Let's go," Kate spoke softly, her hand finding a home on your back; you could hardly deny how natural it felt.

"I'm sorry." Once out of the house, you spoke, eyes glued to the sidewalk. Ripping her earpiece out and tucking it away, she hardly seemed fazed by your apology. The woman had been miles away; you could tell, purely because her hand never left your waist.

----

With the flash drive in hand and all the secrets unfolded, you could tell that Kate wished she had never gotten into all this. Finding out the truth about her mother must've been heartwrenching, and you could tell by the look on her face that she felt broken. "I'm sorry, Kate." Clint offered a sympathetic smile. "Kate, Clint, and I can handle this," you reassured. The woman suddenly looked at you; her eyes had the same hint of redness from the first time you'd told her she couldn't handle her problems. Kate didn't want you to be right about her, but her heart had been bursting at the seams, and she knew you could see it. You offered a look of tenderness, reaching out to gently overlap her hand with yours.

You saw that she had been human, filled with mistakes and regret; you wanted to help her, take away any trouble. "I was wrong about you, Kate," you uttered, biting the inside of your cheeks when you noticed the single tears that dropped from the corner of her eye. "You're so brave, but you can stop right here."

Kate wasn't sure when you happened to start being so considerate to her; only a few days ago you had been huffing that you had to help at all; she knew you probably only pitied her, but the look in your gaze conveyed nothing more than care. "I need to do this," You seemed tense, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before retreating into your lap. "Let's get ready then."

In Kate's room, you watched as she fished out dresses with shaky fingers and eyebrows knitted. "Nervous?" you called out, leaning back onto her bed; she flashed you a look. "Aren't you?" she paused her actions for a moment, staring down at her choice of dresses. "I've been doing this since I was 16, Kate. I don't feel anything anymore." the tone had been off-putting, snapping her gaze back at you; she noticed the almost discouraged look; you replaced it with a quick smile. "Wear the black one."

"16, huh?" she spoke almost to herself, turning away from the woman when she ripped the sweatshirt off. She understood now why you had been so adamant on that damn break of yours. "Aren't you exhausted?" You shifted in the bed, a slight clear of the throat. Kate had been asking too much, and you were never comfortable sharing your feelings. "They're family." You shrugged. "I didn't have much before them."

"Sometimes, it's better that way." you knew the woman had now been speaking from experience. "So?" Kate questioned, clearing her throat lightly. "How do I look?" Drawing your eyes to the woman, you took in her appearance. She looked stunning in her neatly tailored dress; you offered no compliment; instead, you flashed a friendly smile, rising from her bed, motioning the woman over. Her cheeks burned bright as she took slow steps over to you until she stood directly in front. Her breathing seemed hitched as she looked at you; only now could she recall the quick kiss the two of you shared, and it didn't fail to leave her heart jumping from its place. Your hands settled on her waist, and you watched as her eyes widened; the soft giggle that slipped past your lips made the feeling of her heart worse, and then you spun her entirely.

"Kate…" you spoke into the silence. She could only hum back in question. "Are you wearing your suit under?" you teased, fingers gripping her dress zipper. "No…" she hesitated; a cheeky smile broke onto your lips, shaking your head lightly, zipping up her dress; you softly gave her waist a slight squeeze.

"You're all set."

---

You'd never been to a dinner party before, so to say you felt out of your element had been an understatement, and you wondered if Kate noticed because she kept shooting reassuring smiles your way. You found yourself at the bar, smiling lightly at the bartender. "Gin and Tonic, please." with a slight nod, the man moved quickly to make your drink. A soft hand made itself known on your lower back, looking over your shoulder and meeting her gaze briefly.

For a moment, the scene had felt all too normal. It almost felt like you had been there with Kate as nothing more than her date. "Should you be drinking?"

"It's one drink, Kate." turning to her, you leaned against the bar, meeting her wondering gaze. Clint had made himself busy in the room, scoping out the area, and all the two of you had been doing was gazing at each other; you knew Clint would kiss his teeth if he caught the two of you.

"You look really-" Her words cut short when suddenly, a loud piercing sound coursed throughout the room, the sound of the windows breaking and erupting screams. Kate reacted quickly, pushing the two of you behind the bar. Your heart pounded against your chest as the two of you pressed behind the small bar; it was never like you to feel so anxious; something was different this time.

"Find your mom." your words came out breathless as you rose slightly from behind the bar; you could deal with this. It had only been gunshots, and you've dealt with much worse. A quick hand stopped you, holding tightly at your wrist before she tugged you back into her. Her free hand carefully found your cheek, drawing you in for a rushed kiss; like the one, you had shared in the man's office. When she pulled away, her eyes were wide.

"I'm sorry… I don't know why I just did that." the woman began rambling, cheeks flushed over into an embarrassed blush. Your hand found her cheek gently, pressing a chaste kiss to the corner of her lips. "Kate, we've got other things to worry about." She seemed to be in her own world, worried about something so insignificant. You let your thumb caress the woman's cheek for only a moment before you quickly left her, eyes wide and lips parted.

-- You moved until you found yourself outside; the countless vans and men pouring out showed you how outnumbered you'd been. You had been standing there alone when the man charged at you, the knife in his hand moving vigorously, and his lips wore a cocky smirk. "Just you?" his accent heavy, and when you shrugged, his smile grew, taking a quick step toward you. You reacted quickly, dodging the man's sharp blade, capturing his wrist in your hold, and twisting until his cries sounded. He had been at your knees, mutters of apologies echoed through his screams, you kneed him in his chin to shut him up.

Releasing your hold on his wrist, you noticed the group of men heading your way. You thought you could take them if you moved quickly enough, but the man had been far quicker; his gun was loaded, and no matter how fast you moved, you could never outrun the bullet that headed your way. The warm feeling soaked up in the fabric of your outfit; you hardly noticed it hit you until the sharp pain coursed through your entire abdomen. Letting out a shaky breath, your vision blurred, your breathing hitched.

You could hear the sound of an arrow piercing the man, but all the sounds appeared so faint. your hand softly came up against your stomach, touching lightly at the damp clothes. "Fuck." had been all that you managed to mutter; you were dazed, no longer caring about the threat at hand; you just needed somewhere to rest. You found yourself at the side of the building; your fingers buried deep into your stomach; the bleeding didn't stop. "Y/N! Talk to me." his stern yet gentle voice sounded in your ear, and if you closed your eyes, you could imagine he was right beside you.

"Clint," you whined out, eyes blurring with thick tears, backing yourself against a wall. "It's bad… It's so bad." You slid down the wall until you were seated on the cold ground. "No, You're alright, just stay put." his voice came out shallow; you could tell he had been running. The soft, exhausted cry fell past your lips; your head snapped back against the wall, eyes fluttered shut. You couldn't handle the sight of your hands covered in your blood. "This can't be real." you choked out, shaking your head, but when you looked again, you were covered in blood and now so had the ground beneath you been. Your body felt numb, and you were sure that was scarier than feeling everything because the pain would remind you; that you were still here.

Kate was the first to reach you, her eyes wide, you'd been used to seeing her that way, but now it hadn't been from being incredibly flustered. Kate reached out for you, her hands gripping you tightly, but you still couldn't feel her. she wept, her eyes darting across your body, fingers holding tightly at the thin fabric. Kate wanted to help, but she wasn't sure how; she felt helpless, staring down at you as you slipped in and out. "You're okay. Just talk to me." her shaky fingers softly met your cheek, brushing away your faint tears, but all she had done was leave a trail of blood.

"We gotta get you home for Christmas." she hated how frightened you looked as you gazed up at her hopelessly. You couldn't find the words; it felt like your mind completely went empty; there was nothing; it was all quiet. All you could do was gently raise your trembling hand and settle it on her cheek, but even that was proven difficult when your hand fell against your chest. Your eyes fell closed despite her pleas for you to keep looking at her, her hand softly cradling your head against her chest, and she screamed for Clint to hurry, but everything became quiet for you.

Your fingers had been the first to move, lightly feeling the cool covers under you, and then you could feel the wiggle of your toes. Your eyebrows fluttered together in question before your eyes could even open; soft fingers found yours, cradling them with such care that you couldn't help but open your eyes. Your eyes hardly adjusted, but from the outline, you could tell it was Kate. She wore a beaming smile, although her eyes had been red and puffy; she barely looked like herself.

"That's the ugliest sweater I've ever seen." your voice had been hoarse, and only then did you realize how dry your throat felt. Kate returned a soft laugh, her gaze dropping to the Christmas sweater for only a moment before looking back at you. "I got you one."

"Oh, goodie!" Snapping your gaze away from her, you finally got a clear look at the room, overflooding with Christmas decorations; your heart fluttered. "I figured you'd want to celebrate it when you woke up," she explained. Kate knew she should probably get Clint, but she wanted to spend just a little longer alone with you. "Do you like it?" your eyes grew tearful, lips parting.

"I love it." your head settled on the soft pillow, looking up at the woman who still gazed at the room. When she looked back at you, her eyes flooded with tears; she wanted to apologize for getting you involved with her problems, but when her lips parted, all that came out was a shaky sob. "I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you." her voice had hardly been clear through her cries, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Kate; herself hadn't looked too well with all the bruises that littered her skin.

"Katie, just come here." extending an arm, you allowed the woman to fall into you, her hand settling behind your head as yours found home on her back. She held you as fragile as possible, afraid that her action would harm you. When she pulled away, her gaze held nothing but sorrow, and you couldn't stand the sight, so you reached out, drawing the woman near until her lips met yours.

You might've not gotten the break you wanted, but you found Kate, and that counted for something.

#kate bishop x y/n #kate bishop x reader #kate bishop imagine #kate bishop mcu #kate bishop hawkeye #clint barton #hawkeye tv show #hawkeye series #hawkeye spoilers #hawkeye #marvel #mcu imagine #marvel mcu #marvel movies #avengers #marvel cinematic universe #mcu fanfiction #mcu phase 4

418 notes · View notes

thewitchandtheassassin · 2 years

Text

Hidden Sparks (Kate Bishop x Reader)

Summary: Kate has had enough.

Words: 1347

Warnings: Language, the team being kinda judgy.

A/N: First story for Kate. We’ll see how I feel about her after this.

Taglist: @natasharomanoffswife @natasha-danvers @aaron-despair @username23345 @xjiasx @nowthisisliving27 @higherfurther-romanova @summergeezburr @imnotasuperhero @miscmarvelwritings @captain-josslett @onlyafewfindtheway @hayleyokami @b-5by5 @evilcr0ne @everything201197 @lostandsearching @marvels-writings

-X-

Becoming an apprentice with the Avengers – with the Hawkeye – had been Kate’s dream for longer than she was willing to acknowledge

(Because, you know, she wasn’t a creep, they were just all so super impressive and to train with the man himself? It wouldn’t look good to tell him she often dreamed about him. Not in a weird way! But getting to learn from him and everyone else. Not that he wasn’t handsome! But he wasn’t her type. And…wow, she even rambled in her brain. That’s sad.)

“Yes, you do,” Wanda joked as she passed her a plate of food, bringing Kate back into the present. “Quite loudly, in fact.”

Kate’s face went hot, staring at the delicious meal and wishing it would swallow her whole or become a portal to another planet. Whichever was the fastest option to wipe away her embarrassment.

“Be glad (Y/N) cannot read minds or your little secret would be out already.” Wanda’s tone remained teasing but the affectionate undercurrent was obvious as she chuckled at Kate’s pained groan, her powers sliding the plate away seconds before the younger woman’s head hit the counter with an audible thump.

“How long have you known?” Kate’s question was muffled but Wanda heard it clear as day.

“Since your first day at the Compound. Clint was showing you around. She exploded the punching bag in the training room and -”

“Oh god, please stop.” Kate could easily remember what thought had crossed her mind at the overly attractive display. She didn’t need the pretty, sweet witch repeating her thoughts. Especially out loud.

Wanda smirked. What Kate didn’t know was that your little display of power had been a complete accident. You’d been distracted by her appearance and lost control for a split second, sending your heated fist through the material like it was nothing.

It was also the reason you were under orders to stay away from the new apprentice. The amount of distrust directed at you by most of the team was disheartening. Wanda had once been in your shoes and she hated how little you were given still.

“Don’t give up on her,” Wanda advised after a moment of silence, voice softening noticeably.

“She hates me,” Kate whined. “I’ve been training with everyone for months except her. The longest conversation we’ve ever had was her asking if I was going up or down in the elevator, pressing the button, and then leaving to take the stairs. Like, who does that? We were going to the same floor!”

Wanda sighed heavily and Kate’s head rose, brow arching as she scrutinized the youngest Avenger.

“What was that? What do you know?” Kate inquired deliberately, gaze narrowing into a pointed stare. If there was something she didn’t know, she deserved to be in on the secret. Especially if it involved her.

Glancing away, the Sokovian chewed her lip as she considered her options. Telling Kate could be disastrous but she hated how badly the team treated you, isolating you despite the expectation that you were supposed to have their backs if something were to happen. The only person who truly spent any time with you was Bucky, which only served to garner more scrutiny from the others – aside from herself and Steve.

“Seriously, Wanda, do you know why she runs away from me like I have the bubonic plague or something? Did I do something? Or offend her? Because I know I talk a lot and I don’t always think before I speak but I never meant to upset her,” Kate babbled, her hands flailing as she grew more animated and concerned. “If you know, then maybe I can apologize for it…”

A calming hand wrapped around Kate’s wrist and Wanda squeezed reassuringly. “It wasn’t you, Kate.”

Freezing, the younger woman peered up in confusion at the redhead. “Then why?”

“Clint told her to stay away from you. Both he and Natasha threatened to speak with Fury about kicking her from the program if she dared to venture too close to you. The others either backed the threat or kept quiet, so now she –”

“What?!” Kate trembled with fury at the thought of you so lonely and defeated, staying away from her to keep your place among the Avengers. “Are you serious? And no one stopped this? Even you?”

Bowing her head shamefully, Wanda released her quaking wrist and clasped her hands together, fingers caressing her thumb ring. “I was in her shoes not too long ago. If it wasn’t for Vision, they would probably still look at me the same. I tried asking Vis to help her but he said she was too dangerous. I try but there isn’t much I can do. Her friendship with Bucky has only made her seem less than favorable in their eyes, but they have an understanding.”

Shoving up from the table, Kate’s body vibrated with unbridled anger as it washed over her in never-ending waves. She wanted to be furious with the chagrined witch but she couldn’t blame her for the position she’d been forced into.

She could blame everyone else though.

-X-

It didn’t take much to find Clint sparring on the mats with Natasha, briefly spotting you tucked in the corner of the room with the fireproofed punching bag Banner had crafted. It was apparent you’d seen her but you couldn’t escape without passing her, which kept you essentially trapped for the impending show.

Good.

“Morning, Bishop,” Natasha greeted, her smile fading at the stern expression the younger woman wore, reminding her vaguely of Yelena. “What’s wrong?”

“You two have some nerve,” Kate snarled, glancing between the former assassins expectantly. “I will have you both know that I am not a child and you have no right to threaten someone away from me! Yes, I’m younger and you seem to think I’m a naïve kid but you never should’ve endangered (Y/N)’s place on this team. She’s saved both of your asses so many times – and that’s just what I’ve seen! That’s really shitty and honestly, I had expected better from you.”

Clint’s cheeks went red while Natasha glanced away, unaccustomed to such passionate dressing-downs from someone other than Fury.

“I had to find out from someone else why she hides from me! I thought it was something I had done, but no. It was you. All of you. You trust her to keep you alive, so maybe you should trust her to be a part of this team! God!” she shouted, shaking her head in absolute disgust. “The next person I’m scheduled to train with better be (Y/N) or so help me, you’ll really find out how good my shot is now.”

Nodding his head meekly, Kate could see the silent apology shining in his eyes – the same look he often offered his children when he broke another promise – but she wasn’t the person he should be apologizing to and they both knew it.

Stomping over to you, still tucked awkwardly in the corner, Kate stopped inches from you. Arms crossed and a fire in her eye, you stared fearfully at her, awaiting her wrath.

“And you! You should’ve told me about all of this nonsense.” Her features softened slightly, gaze tracing the quiver of your lips and the worry glistening in your eyes. “You’re going to make this up to me. Starting with a date to that fancy ice cream shop a few blocks away. Understood?”

You nodded dumbly. “R-right now?”

Her silence was deafening as she playfully considered her answer. “Yes. Right now. Go shower and I’ll see you in the living room in an hour. Deal?”

“Uh huh,” you mumbled, wiping away the sweat lingering at your brow. “I’ll uh… go do that.”

Scrambling out of the room, you refused to look at the assassins as you stalked past. You couldn’t bear to see the judgment in their eyes anymore, knowing they’d probably kill you if the situation was different. But you also couldn’t stop grinning, a little bounce added to your steps as you realized something spectacular.

You had a date.

#kate bishop x reader #kate bishop imagine #avengers imagine #the avengers imagine #marvel imagine #marvel cinematic universe #MCU fanfiction #mcu imagine #MCU fic #reader insert #reader imagine

322 notes · View notes

get-lost-in-fanfiction · 22 days

Text

When You're Locked in a Hatch

Paring: Sawyer x F!Reader Word Count: 1.8k

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

For some reason, there was alcohol in the hatch. It was odd, considering you would think this Dharma thing would want you to stay vigilant at all times so that whoever was in this horrible place could push the button once it began to scream at you during the ungodly hours of the night. Nevertheless, you took it, feeling much like Sawyer, whom you had gotten close to since the stupid hatch was busted open. He often elected to go down and push the button with you, which you thought was odd, considering he previously ranted about how cramped it was in there. Still, he begrudgingly joined you once you started regularly “signing up” for the shifts.

You were easy friends, considering you were the only one who could tolerate him, and out of everyone on the Island, he seemed to trust you the most. Getting comfortable with someone like that often leads to softer feelings, which you very often push away because it seems like a dumb, girlish crush that would most definitely get you hurt in the end. You bantered with each other often and sometimes thought the teasing fell into flirting, at least on his end. You didn’t want to push it too far just in case, for whatever reason, Sawyer found you to be too much and just push you away. Except that never happened. The more time Sawyer seemed to stick to your side or hole up with you in an overnight shift at the hatch, the more you felt whatever was between you take root into the definitely-more-than-just-friends category.

Naturally, Jack and eventually Kate began grilling you to ensure Sawyer wasn’t being weird, as they put it. To be honest, it was getting pretty annoying, and you told them time and time again that absolutely nothing was wrong. Sawyer was oddly respectful of you and your privacy if the situation warranted it. It made you feel safer than you had with anyone before the crash happened, and you pretty much just barely knew Sawyer. You would hope ignoring them would get either of them off your back, which only turned into Jack in particular, verbally attacking Sawyer any time he got, making sure you were safe. Eventually, you got so fed up you locked yourself in the hatch, which is how you found the alcohol and got yourself in this situation in the first place.

It’s not like you hadn’t had it before, being of age before the crash. It just wasn’t your preferred method of partying. A couple of swigs in after checking the time on the button at least five times, a hard pounding came from somewhere outside the hatch. Thinking it was either Jack or Kate, you shouted for them to “go the fuck away,” which the person responded with:

“Well damn, sweetheart, didn’t know you felt about me that way.”

Then you felt bad because you recognized the southern drawl of the voice, seemingly yelling at you to get the message to you. You set the bottle of nondescript alcohol down and scrambled to unlock the door.

There was another loud knock, to which you responded, “Relax, cowboy. Don’t let your horse get spooked.”

When you opened the door, you were unsurprisingly met with Sawyer’s smug expression and, thankfully, no one else. Not that your little act would have been foiled by Sawyer working with anyone else.

“Is the princess done being locked in her tower?” Sawyer asked, and you rolled your eyes.

“I’m not being locked in a tower if I did it voluntarily,” you shot back, and Sawyer stepped past you and walked into the hatch. Double-checking that no one else had followed him, you closed the door and debated about locking it again for a second. It would be stupid if your strike was suddenly broken into by the very people you were trying to prove a point to, so you locked it again.

You found Sawyer eyeing up the open bottle you had left on the counter. When your footsteps approached, he picked it up and gave it a little shake.

“What’s this?” Sawyer asked with one eyebrow raised.

“Dunno, I found it and figured I needed some way to pass the time,” you shrugged in response.

“You ever drink before this?” He countered.

“What, do you really think I’m that young?”

“Nah, but I reckon you were a good girl before this place.”

“That would make you 0 out of 2, cowboy.” You snatched the bottle out of his hand and took a larger sip than you would have liked. You choked momentarily, not really proving your point. You grimaced, and Sawyer chuckled.

“Yeah, a real natural, I see,” he slipped the bottle from your fingers and tasted it but made a face as the liquid slipped down his throat.

“What? Not your usual?” You said it with a smirk, and Sawyer side-eyed you before taking another.

“You push that button recently, princess?” he said instead of answering your obvious bait to get under his skin.

“Like half an hour or so,” you shrugged again, “I really wasn’t too concerned about it until you got here.”

“You think I’ll distract you or something? Because I think this,” he held up the bottle and waved it around again, “Just might be a bigger distraction. ‘Specially if you can’t hold your liquor.”

“You underestimate me, Sawyer; I’m hurt,” you said, clutching your heart dramatically.

“If I ever underestimate you, sister, I’m in for a world of trouble,” he responds, holding the bottle back to you.

You take it back and motion for him to follow you to the sorry excuse for a living room in this place. As you settled into the living area of the hatch, Sawyer plopped down on a rickety chair, and you found a spot on a worn-out couch. The dim light from the overhead bulb flickered, casting shadows that danced across the walls. You took another swig from the bottle, feeling a slight warmth spreading through your veins.

Sawyer observed you for a moment before speaking up. "You know, princess, locking yourself in here ain't gonna solve your problems."

You raised an eyebrow at him. "And what would you suggest, oh wise one? Last I heard, they were getting on your nerves too. It’s not like you to go around and give out advice."

He leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, for starters, you could stop pretending like you got it all figured out. Ain't no shame in admitting you're struggling."

You scoffed, but a small part of you acknowledged the truth in his words. "Struggling to keep them off my back, that’s for sure. Otherwise, I’m perfectly capable of handling myself, despite what others seem to think."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I've just been around the block a few more times than you, that's all."

“You’re not seriously trying to tell me to play nice with Jack of all people,” you laughed shortly, “I was thinking you were joining me for my little stakeout.”

Sawyer motioned for the bottle, and you handed it to him. He decisively took a sip, seemingly ignoring what you said. You studied him for a moment, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled, the stubble peppering his jawline. Despite the gruff exterior, there was a vulnerability lurking beneath the surface.

As you sat in the dimly lit living area, Sawyer cleared his throat, breaking the heavy silence between you. He shifted in his chair, his expression taking on a more serious tone.

"You know, princess," he began, his voice softer than usual, "I ain't always been the most stand-up guy. Done my fair share of dirt in my time."

You looked at him, surprised by the sudden vulnerability in his confession. "I think we've all got a few skeletons in our closets," you replied, offering him a smallish, understanding smile.

Sawyer nodded, running a hand through his tousled hair. "Yeah, but some of mine... they weigh heavier than others. Things I ain't proud of, things I wish I could take back." There was a rawness to his words, a sincerity that made your heart ache for him. Despite his tough exterior, it was clear that Sawyer carried his own burdens and demons that haunted him in the darkness. "I guess what I'm trying to say is," he continued, his gaze meeting yours, "I ain't always been the best at opening up to people. But with you, it's different. I trust you, princess. And that ain't something I say lightly."

You felt a lump form in your throat at his words, touched by the depth of his confession. In that moment, you realized just how much Sawyer had come to mean to you, how his presence had become a source of strength and comfort in the midst of chaos.

"Thank you for trusting me, Sawyer," you said softly, your voice barely above a whisper. "I'm glad we found each other in this mess." As Sawyer finished his heartfelt confession, a moment of hesitation lingered. Then, with a subtle shift in his expression, he seemed to gather his courage, his gaze meeting yours with a newfound intensity.

"And there's something else, princess," he began, his voice softer now, almost tentative. "Something I ain't sure how to say." Your heart skipped a beat at his words, a flicker of anticipation coursing through you. You held your breath, waiting for him to continue.

"Screw it," Sawyer muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I reckon you oughta know... I like you. More than I probably should.” The confession hung in the air, its weight settling between you like a heavy fog. You felt your cheeks flush with warmth, your pulse quickening as you realized what Sawyer was saying.

"You do?" you whispered, your voice barely above a whisper, almost afraid to believe it was true. Sawyer nodded, his expression vulnerable yet determined. "Yeah. And I know it's probably crazy with everything happening around here. But damn it, I can't seem to shake the feeling."

A rush of emotion flooded through you, mingling with the warmth of the alcohol in your veins. Despite the chaos and uncertainty of your surroundings, there was a sense of clarity. With a seemingly new threat every single day and a jungle that was pretty much completely unexplored, this rocked your core deeper.

"I... I don't know what to say," you stammered, your heart pounding. Sawyer reached out, his hand finding yours. "You don't have to say anything, princess. I just needed you to know."

You felt a surge of emotion welling inside you, a mixture of fear and excitement, uncertainty and longing. But beneath it all was a flicker of hope, a spark of something new and unexpected blossoming between you and Sawyer. At that moment, as you sat together in the dimly lit living area of the hatch, surrounded by shadows and secrets, you knew that nothing would ever be the same again. And somehow, that thought didn't scare you as much as it should have. Because in Sawyer's eyes, you saw the reflection of your feelings mirrored back to you with a depth and intensity that took your breath away.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Please let me know if you'd like to be tagged for oneshots!

#james “sawyer” ford x reader #james ford x reader #sawyer ford x reader #oneshots #reader oneshots #lost fanfiction #lost tv series #abc lost

10 notes · View notes

broifoundher · 2 years

Text

Part One

I am simply posting this now because I’m going to sleep. And if I don’t post it and keep it in my drafts. I just know I’m going to reread this tomorrow and be changing it so much it will be unrecognizable and a disfigured mess. (Like everything else in there.) So here goes nothing.

To anybody on the team, Yelena could easily be described as the toughest, both mentally and physically.

And she was. Most of the time.

She wasn’t one to let her emotions get the better of her.

But there were these little moments where she’d let them slide pass her walls. Where she would share her emotions, even the tiniest bit, to someone.

But then again, those moments were very rare. Even rarer than when she would actually break down. Not that she broke down regularly. But more so because sharing would mean opening up and opening up just wasn’t something she could do as well as Kate did.

After all, she had been brainwashed into thinking emotions were a liability. She was trained to get rid of them, to put them aside. Like so many other girls, she was abused both mentally and physically until emotions became a vague, distant and out-of-reach thing.

But unlike her sister, Natasha Romanoff, her generation of widows didn’t undergo a training as abusive as hers. Since, after all, the Red Room’s scientists had succeeded in, not only creating the mind control formula but also implementing and using it.

That, at least, could be seen as an improvement.

In the fact she wouldn’t need as much time as her sister did to rehabilitate into functioning like an actual human being.

Not that she didn’t need as much therapy.

Though you doubt she would ever willingly seek help from a professional.

Or that she would admit needing it.

To any outside party, it would seem like Yelena would be the one ‘taking’ care of you. And it was quite understandable as to why they would think so. The reasons were so obvious that you could never truly blame them even if you wanted to.

For one, she is a trained killer for God’s sake. Literally bestowed the title of ‘greatest child assassin the world’s ever known’, or at least, according to Alexei.

Second, she was just naturally emitting those dominant vibes. In the way she conducted herself to the way she dressed, spoke, and walked.

While, on the other hand, you were simply you. A normal average and plain person.

Psst. No offence! - Author.

Without any powers or super abilities. Not even an interesting trait like being super smart or super rich. Just. An. Ordinary. Human.

Which was part of the reason why, in your opinion, this have such an impact.

And by this, I mean you holding Yelena’s small frame tightly against yours.

An ordinary human holding one of the deadliest assassins alive as they silently sobbed in their arms. An ordinary human gently treading their fingers through the same previously mentioned assassin’s hair.

“It’s not your fault.” You hushed against her temple.

“It’s not your fault you were taken as a child. Not your fault you were brainwashed, tortured and used and manipulated to be an assassin.”

There was just something about saying it out loud. Making it more real to her. Like those events couldn’t just be ignored and tossed to the back of her head like she wanted to. They couldn’t be forgotten. But that didn’t mean they had to hold as much of a grip on her as if she were still there.

“You are so much more than a killer. So much more than what they made you believe you were. You are human. You are important.”

Her voice cracked as she made a squeak. And you held her close to you.

She still hadn’t let herself grip back onto you.

“You are worth loving. You deserve happiness.”

She finally buried her face in the crook of your neck. And you held her firmly against yourself as she muffled her sobs into your shoulder.

“It’s okay.” You murmured. “I’m here.”

You stayed tangled together and on the floor for what could’ve been hours, yet you never felt uncomfortable. Focusing, rather, on the other.

And once her breathing found it’s way back to a comfortable rhythm, and she allowed you to gently and slowly pull her head out. You rubbed her cheeks with your thumb and engulfed her nose with velvety tissues.

To be continued…

#fanfic #yelena belova x reader #yelena belova x you #yelena belova imagine #fanfiction #yelena belova x f!reader

72 notes · View notes

the-widow-sisters · 8 months

Note

Can you please do “I think the power’s out” with Carol and Darcy. I think anyone would use Carol as a glow stick, and this scenario seems funny with these two.

A/N: Thank you so, so much for this request! Carol and Darcy are such a crazy combo and I love writing them 😂 Carol is definitely everyone's personal glow stick/flashlight 🤣

I hope you enjoy! 🥰

Word Count: 1.5k+

“So why exactly do you need me here again?”

“Shh! I’m trying to concentrate,” Darcy instantly interrupted Carol, attempting to avoid losing focus on her current train of thought as she typed quickly at her report.

The blonde let out a deep breath, and Darcy could hear her standing up from her office chair where she had been leaned back.

“And let me reiterate. Why exactly do you need me here if you just want silence for your concentration or whatever?” Carol questioned, approaching Darcy from behind as she craned her neck and tried to get a better look at what she was doing.

Earlier that evening, Darcy had asked Carol to join her while she worked, and since Carol had gotten there, Darcy had barely spoken at all. She had been mostly busy, but she had asked Carol to come in there with her because Kate was with Cassie and Darcy was truthfully a little lonely. She, of course, had not told Carol that, but as the blonde grew more fidgety, she realized that she was going to have to admit to her true reasoning.

Darcy let out a sigh, pausing for a moment and accepting the risk of losing her focus as she looked over at Carol.

“Look, I don’t know, okay? I guess I just wanted you to be here with me. There’s not a soul around and it gets super quiet around here at night,” Darcy confessed, trying to avoid using the exact words that involved the root words of lonely or alone.

To Darcy’s surprise, after a moment of silence, Carol placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

“Don’t worry, Lou, I’m here for you as long as you need me,” Carol assured her, and Darcy smiled softly, unable to help the warmth in her chest.

After a moment, she cleared her throat and refocused on her work. Carol remained standing there as she watched, allowing her hand to fall away from Darcy.

“But you’re definitely right about it being quiet at night. It’s like a graveyard in here after hours,” Carol stated with a chuckle.

Darcy opened her mouth, starting to reply, but it was then that there was a sudden surging sound. Following that, there was an immediate quiet and everything went dark, the lights going out.

Darcy froze, her eyes widening just a bit as the holographic computer attached to FRIDAY went dark. Carol was still behind her, and Darcy could feel her presence where it had been before the lights went out.

“I think the power’s out,” Carol finally declared in a much too obvious statement, her voice somewhat quieter than usual.

Darcy almost snorted in reply to the blonde’s attempt at humor, but she held back. Something about the darkness and complete dead silence had an effect that made the normal volume of voices and sounds seem too loud.

There were a few seconds of silence with Darcy and Carol just standing in the dark until Darcy cleared her throat, turning her body in the direction that she could feel Carol’s breaths falling upon her.

“Well?” Darcy cued, waiting not so patiently for Carol to take action. Carol was quiet for just a moment before responding to her.

“Well what?” Carol’s voice sounded uncertain as if she did not see the clear course of action as plainly as Darcy did.

“Well, isn’t it time for you to just… like light up a fist or something so we can see?” Darcy told her, reaching out as she took hold of Carol’s arm. She shook it a little in an attempt to persuade her, the entire thing feeling like she was shaking a faulty flashlight.

Carol let out a bemused huff.

“Just because I light up doesn’t mean I’m your personal flashlight,” Carol tried to tell her, and Darcy knew that the blonde was just playing it difficult because she was likely embarrassed that she had not thought of it first.

There were a few moments of silence, Darcy knowing that she had won. It was just a matter of time before Carol decided to give in.

Suddenly, the room lit up, Carol’s body glowing with that familiar golden shine.

“Pleasure doing business with you, ma’am,” Darcy told her, and Carol huffed, rolling her eyes good-naturedly as Darcy led the way to the center of the compound where the power core was and the backup power sources.

It was truly a shock that the backup power had not come on, and it made Darcy wonder what was going on that could cause the backup power to shut down as well.

“It’s kind of creepy in here with the dead silence and everything,” Darcy pointed out, and Carol nodded along with her.

“The fact that it’s in the middle of the night doesn’t help things,” Carol acknowledged.

“See, the crazy thing is that the backup power should’ve came on. Something serious or completely out of the ordinary would have to happen to get it shut down, too,” Darcy explained to her, and Carol furrowed her brow, seemingly thinking it through.

“Let’s… Just be on guard,” Carol finally replied, and Darcy was surprised at the fact that Carol seemed actually concerned about this in a manner that related to personal safety. Needless to say, that did not leave Darcy with a good feeling.

Darcy swallowed a bit, keeping her head about her as they headed through the door to the power core.

Carol shined the light in there carefully, looking around as she took in the place. There was an air of uneasiness between them as Darcy softly shut the door. They both looked around, Carol’s body lighting the room softly as they moved further in.

For all practical purposes, it did not appear that anything was wrong. However, there was an ominousness in the room that was undeniable.

“Is it just me, or do you have the feeling that something’s in here with us?” Darcy questioned, and Carol hummed noncommittally.

Darcy glanced at her, trying to discern the meaning behind her expression. Carol seemed almost less than perfectly at ease herself, and it left Darcy feeling extremely on-edge. If the strongest, most powerful being in the universe was nervous, Darcy was definitely scared.

There was a strange noise not too far from them, and Darcy stiffened. Carol turned toward it, and since Darcy was the one in front of Carol, she hesitantly continued to walk, trying to continue on as if nothing had happened. Carol remained close behind her, the both of them not speaking as they remained on high alert.

Darcy crept forward, and as she noticed another sound around the corner, she looked in the direction of the disturbance. Carol’s light was close behind her, so it illuminated the area, and as the light came in more strongly, Darcy instantly felt terror rising in her chest and grabbing her throat in a chokehold.

She only managed to catch sight of slimy tentacles and terrifying, glinting eyes, and that was all it took for Darcy to completely flip out.

Darcy let out a high-pitched squeal and Carol flinched as she instinctively grabbed Darcy to try to shield the brunette from whatever was about to attack. Darcy shut her eyes tightly, tensing up as she prepared for Carol to blast whatever she had just seen into oblivion.

However, to her shock, that was the last thing that Carol did. Carol released her and as Darcy risked opening her eyes to see what was happening, she spotted Carol approaching the creature with her hands on her hips.

“Goose, what are you doing?!” Carol scolded.

Goose sucked his giant tentacles back into his mouth, withdrawing them as he looked at Carol innocently. Darcy instantly recognized Carol’s insane cat from her previous meeting with the animal, and she let out the breath that she had not realized she had been holding. She held her chest, her hand over her heart as she tried to calm herself.

“You almost gave Lou here a heart attack,” Carol told him firmly.

Carol scooped the creature up into her arms, and Darcy looked at her as if she had completely lost her mind. She shook her head, trying to regain some semblance of calmness once more after the giant fright that the cat had given her.

“Look, I like cats, too, but your cat,” Darcy trailed off, shaking her head as she breathed deeply. Carol just looked at her with a raised eyebrow as she just barely smiled.

“Your cat’s enough to make a crazy cat lady turn into a dog person,” Darcy informed her, and Goose instantly hissed. Darcy flinched, and Carol petted his head comfortingly.

“Now, now, buddy, don’t worry. She doesn’t mean it really,” Carol assured him from where he was resting in her arms and he settled a bit, his eyes still glaring a little in Darcy’s direction as he pouted in her arms.

Darcy groaned before turning her attention to where Goose had just been. Carol’s body was still lit up so she could see what was there.

To her horror, there were wires scratched and partially eaten from where Goose had set loose those disgusting tentacles.

Carol followed her gaze, and Darcy groaned deeply and unhappily, knowing what a huge mess this was going to be to even begin to try to fix. Darcy shook her head, speaking up before starting to try to salvage it.

“I think I’m officially a dog person now.”

Carol just laughed.

#darcy lewis #carol danvers #captain marvel #goose the cat #goose #marvel #mcu #marvel cinematic universe #marvel fic #marvel fanfic #marvel fanfiction #fanfic #fic #fanfiction #friendship #platonic relationships #platonic

8 notes · View notes

littleavengerfics · 2 years

Note

“I know I messed up” and prompt 14 with yelena Kate and male y/n pls.

SECRET- YELENA KATE X MALE Y/N

Thank you for this request, hope you like it.

warnings: age regression, male y/n, bottles (let me know if there is more)

Yelena POV

We hadn’t seen y/n in a while and we were starting to worry about him, he didn’t even come over for mac and cheese movie night and who in their right mind would miss such an amazing event, So me and Kate Bishop decided to go visit him and check up on him.

“Hey y/n you okay?” Kate asked, knocking on his door, but there was no response. After a minute or two of him not answering I got bored and picked the lock.”Yelena!” Kate scolded, “you can’t just let yourself in, we have to knock and wait for him.”

I shrugged, turning the handle. “You knocked, I waited, now I’m going inside, if you want you can stay here until he comes to let you in but I have better things to do.”

I walked inside y/n’s apartment to find the tv still on so I assumed they were home. “They have really weird taste, like they don’t want to watch movies with us but they watch children’s shows alone.” I frowned, turning the volume down. “Maybe he was just busy yesterday, and who doesn’t like watching cartoons every once in a while?"

We both heard a loud sound coming from the kitchen so we followed the sound to see y/n stood in a onesie with tears streaming down his face.

“Y/n?” I asked, stepping closer to him, his head turned and he froze when he saw us. “What happened?” I asked, taking notice of the puddle of milk he was standing in. Kate didn’t say anything but just picked up the milk carton and did the lid back up making y/n whine. “What?” she asked, pausing what she was doing, he did grabby hands for the milk.

“Oh you want a drink but you dropped the milk?” Y/n nodded, reaching for the milk again. “Buddy I don’t want you to spill it again, you made a big mess. Can I help? What were you trying to pour it into?” I was slightly confused as to what was going on but I decided to not say anything.

Kate reached for the item he was holding that looked like… a bottle you’d give to a baby? Y/n shook his head backing away, before we could do anything he ran out and into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

“Y/n come out, we want to talk to you.” I tried knocking on the door but the only form of reaction I got from him was the sound of his crying getting louder. “It’s okay y/n.” Kate said before leaving. “Don lie. I know.”

“You know what?” I was really confused as to what was going on and I couldn’t even ask Kate because she left for some reason.

“I know I messed up” I heard y/n’s voice against the bathroom door. “I messes erything up an nows you gonna hates me.”

“Buddy, I promise it’s alright, we don't hate you.” I heard a familiar voice behind me and sure enough when I turned around, Bishop was standing there with a onesie draped over her arm. “Can you open the door for me please?” Kate asked, a few seconds later the lock clicked and Y/n stood there wiping his teary eyes.

“Katie mad a me?” He asked, gesturing towards his soaked pyjamas from where he stood in the milk puddle. “No I am not mad, why would you think that?” Y/n looked up with a small frown. “I makes mess.”

“It’s okay, I just didn’t want you to ruin those cool pyjamas, no one likes soggy pjs huh?” Y/n shook his head. “Is yuckies.” Kate smiled offering out the new, clean onesie. “How about we swap, I will give you these if you give me that bottle?” Y/n looked between the bottle and the onesie, contemplating his decision before nodding.

“Okay yelena will stay with you whilst I go get you some milk. Look after him, okay, he’s a little.” She whispered the last part to me and suddenly things started to make sense and I gave him a smile. “Yeah we’ll be fine.”

Once y/n was changed into the new onesie he grabbed my hand. “Len.” He smiled pulling me towards the spare room that was usually locked. “I don’t think I should.” I said when we got to the door, he always said not to go in there and I didn’t want to disobey that.

“No is otay.” He smiled, opening the door, when I looked in it was a huge playroom. “Lena pway wiv me?” He asked, grabbing two toys and offering one to me. “Yeah I will play with you, why don’t we go play in the living room and finish watching your show.”

He grabbed a stuffed animal from the floor and nodded. “Okay, do you want to hold my hand again?” He gave me another small nod, readjusting so he had a toy in one hand, the stuffy tucked under his arm and his free hand clutching mine.

"Oh hey y/n I got your milk." Kate smiled from the couch, I walked over with him helping him sit comfortably on the couch before sitting the other side of him.

Kate pressed play on the show and passed y/n his bottle. "Here bud." Y/n smiled drinking the warm milk, the toy now forgotten in his lap as his hand still squeezed mine.

Once he finished with his bottle we played a quick game with his favourite toys and he fell asleep watching the show. "Night Y/n." I smiled at the sleepy little, Kate stood up and placed a blanket over him with a loving smile. "Goodnight buddy."

#kate x yelena x y/n #littleavengerfics #little reader #sfw agere #yelena belova #yelena belova x little reader #kate bishop x little reader #little y/n

57 notes · View notes

the-killer-kit · 1 year

Text

And so it begins.

It had maybe been fifteen minutes, and half of the team was dead.

Jake didn’t know what to do. He understood some trials just went this way, that some were doomed from the start, but everything about this just seemed...off. The bodies he’d found were left marred in a way that he’d never seen before; stab marks, yes, but the Legion never left so many wounds, and no other killer carried a knife so small. His gut clenched to think that it might be yet another addition to the Fog; something that he and the rest of his campfire desperately did not need at the moment.

Now that it was only himself and Kate left alive, and four generators still needed repairing, he knew that it was more or less down to who could survive long enough to find the hatch. Still, he refused to be useless, and so he hunkered down on a generator that he found after a few more minutes of walking. While working quietly, he opted to keep his focus on his surroundings - even with his eyes trained on what he was doing. He wished the generator wasn’t so loud; it was practically an advertisement from yards away that someone was there, almost like a taunt to the killer: we’re going to get out. Some killers often did take it that way, thanks to a few cockier survivors that liked to piss off the killers for their own amusement. Jake decided that he wouldn’t consider himself unlike them, in that regard. May as well fight back in some way, right?

Jake’s fingers twitched at his work and the generator spat oil at him as he suddenly heard Kate scream, nearly halfway across the landscape of swamp they’d appeared in; so, he was going to have to trek to go and help her. He just hoped the killer didn’t stay in the area - though, they had every reason not to leave. They’d hardly made it a goal to savor their prey to begin with, after all.

But the problem was, Kate didn’t stop screaming. Her screams grew in intensity, until finally her voice cut off, and dread seeped through his body.

He was the only one left.

His mind was racing. How was that fair? Kate had been fresh into the trial. She hadn’t even been hooked yet, and somehow the killer had been able to slaughter her in seconds? Had they been carving her up in those last moments, damaging her beyond repair? At least Adam and Nea had been on death hook for their final moments - but it was as though the killer had lost patience already and was seeking to end the trial. His heart throbbed, for the first time in a while, with genuine fear. Nothing was off the table, then. He had to find the hatch quickly.

A branch snapped in the distance and it kicked him into gear. He abandoned his generator and worked to keep calm while he scanned the area, spotting nothing and deciding he could risk a run for a little while, even if it would leave heavier footprints and disturbances in the mud. The game of cat and mouse ended as soon as he was caught, so his care for being quiet and untraceable was slipping in the heat of the moment. He couldn’t stop wondering what this killer even looked like. He hadn’t heard a bell, so it couldn’t be the Wraith; no cloaking to fear. The Hag, maybe? This was, after all, her domain, and he could stumble upon a trap at any moment. His running faltered. Maybe he ought to slow down. No, he thought, she leaves gashes. The knife marks. Small, precise. Nothing that suggested the Hag could have done it.

Why can’t I calm down? His heart was racing. He felt that same dread oozing throughout his body, like a cornered animal about to be seized and taken somewhere. He felt like he was being watched. Jake never lost his cool so easily, so why was it like he could barely get a hold of himself?

He staggered to a halt when sheer white caught his eye. There, in the distance, stood a familiar face, dressed like what looked to be a groom with wilted flowers tucked away in a pocket.

“Dwight?” he croaked, his voice scratchy from lack of use. He wanted to feel relief, to relax, but panic started to set in the longer he stared. This isn’t right.

‘Dwight’ took a step toward him, and Jake instantly recoiled. His instincts were screaming at him to run, to find the hatch, to get out. Something about this Dwight couldn’t be trusted, and he didn’t want to find out.

“Jake,” he said, sounding so much like Jake’s Dwight, and suddenly he didn’t know what to do. Why was this so wrong? What was wrong with him? His voice remained stuck to his throat as though it were glued.

“Come here.” Jake didn’t want to. “Please.” No.

Dwight had gotten closer. When had he done that? Jake backed away again, but this time, the other man followed. Fear clenched in his chest as he stared into his eyes and saw nothing but affection.

That all would have been fine and dandy if he wasn’t covered in blood.

“What’s wrong with you, Dwight?” he rasped. “Why are you bleeding?” Why are you holding a knife? Jake knew the answer. He knew. He just didn’t want to accept it. He couldn’t.

“Oh!” Dwight’s voice, perky and elated, filled the air. “It’s Kit, actually. Don’t worry; it’s not mine.” I know. “It’s okay. I made sure we were alone.”

“W-what?”

“I wanted to make sure we were alone,” he repeated, “so we can be together. No one else is in our way now.” A pleasant smile stretched across his face, so serene and plain and Dwight that it made Jake’s skin crawl. This couldn’t be happening.

“Kate? And...Adam? Nea?”

“Why do they matter?” His voice wasn’t so pleasant anymore. In fact, it had hardened upon mention of the other survivors. “They’ll come back somewhere else. I said I wanted us alone.” He took another demanding step toward Jake, and that was when he saw the pocket knife. Black and yet dripping with blood, streaking it up Dwight’s arm and splattered all over the white suit he was wearing. As if he’d savagely stabbed, over and over, until his victims had stopped writhing beneath him.

Jake felt sick. He had no more words. He stared at the knife silently, then back up at Dwight - and then he ran.

Dwight barked Jake’s name and gave chase, making Jake’s panic kick into overdrive, and he put everything he had into his sprint. Find the hatch, gotta find the hatch, he thought, prey desperate to escape its obvious predator, and just in time for him to hear the distant hum, he tripped.

Jake crashed to the ground and barely had a second to push himself up before Dwight threw himself on top of him, grabbing one of his arms and bending it behind his back while he straddled him.

“Stop it,” he hissed into his ear, grabbing his hair with his free hand, and Jake went stiff. Why couldn’t he calm down? Why was he in such a frenzy to escape? It had to be some sort of effect Dwight -- no, the killer -- was putting upon him. He jerked and writhed violently to try and escape until the knife was stabbed into his shoulder, and his teeth grit to stop any modicum of sound from coming out.

“Just kill me already,” he decided to snarl despite the obvious tremor in his body, and Dwight paused before he laughed, genuine and soft like the normal Dwight did. Stop it. Please, stop. Why did he have to sound so much like him?

“Kill you? Why would I do that?” His fingers tightened in Jake’s hair and he nuzzled into his neck, breathing in his scent obsessively. “I want you to be mine, Jake. That’s all I’ve ever wanted,” he purred. Jake shuddered with disgust.

“I’d rather fucking die,” he spat, renewed vigor giving him the strength to fight once more, trying to buck and throw Dwight off of him - but he had him caught.

Dwight’s breath quivered and then heaved with displeasure, his nails scratching at his charge’s scalp, and the knife was ripped out of his shoulder. “I don’t understand,” he said, his voice trembling with disbelief. “I just want us to be together. Don’t you love me?”

He didn’t wait for an answer. He stabbed Jake again, and again, each time in a different, agonizing spot, and he writhed with his jaw clenched shut to stay silent while he clawed at the mud with his free hand and struggled to escape, to crawl to the hatch, to survive. But he knew it was pointless. He’d failed.

With each stab, Dwight let out an increasingly stressed growl of building rage, until he snarled, “I asked you a fucking question!”

Dwight pulled his head back by the hair and released his arm, only to place the blade of the knife directly against Jake’s throat. “I’m giving you a chance to answer me, darling,” he said, his voice trembling in an obvious effort to sound calm again.

Jake said nothing.

Kit heard the squelch of flesh as he finished the job, watching as Jake’s body heaved and twitched while he struggled for air, until finally, after a few agonizing moments, he fell still.

As the trial began to crumble apart around him, his cold stare melted into one of grief, and tears welled in his eyes with an awful sob as he buried his face in his hands.

This just wasn’t fair.

#the-killer-kit #intro #asks open!#his name IS dwight but his middle name is kit #throwback to furfield #sry if u could parse this urself #if youre the obsession....look out

8 notes · View notes

pasta-in-the-blender · 2 years

Text

Bigshot

Why would you be surprised i'm writng another story about Slenderman again.

Tw: gore (not heavy), murder, possession, substance use (alcohol specifically mentioned), slender is being silly again.

it's 1633 words

It was a chill-yet-still night in the forest, not a sound disturbing the peace nature brings, birds chirping, crickets buzzing, all the usual yet beloved parts of his home he loved oh-so much. Except for one thing.

He couldn’t help but be able to hear mocking laughter and loud talking from afar. The village never seems to run out of drunken teens who think they are above the rules, does it?

No need to waste his time thinking about it, he will have to get rid of them anyway.

“Come on Brandon! You’re literally a jock, you should have no problem with a little hiking!?” Bethany mocked him with an annoying voice; the girl had always been hard to deal with, especially when tipsy.

“Oh fuck off Beth, it’s literally midnight, I can’t see shit around here!” Brandon snapped back at the girl, but she seemed to care not about bothering the boy anymore.

“Should have brought a flashlight man, better luck next time.” Said Katie, leading the group at the front with a flashlight in her hand.

“Just chill out, we are almost there.” She mumbled while stopping at a small pit surrounded by stones and three logs; clearly an abandoned campfire spot.

They all agreed to set the tent there, seeing as there was no reason to keep hiking around in the dark. Once the grueling process of setting up a tent for four people was over, like the smart pyromaniacs they were, they set a few random sticks and small logs on fire, not bothering to try out the old timey girl scout techniques.

And now that they were all settled in, it was time for the cliche activities unsupervised teens would do when camping, aka make ridiculously burnt smores, drink the cheapest cider they could lie about their age to buy, share some cigarettes, tell the scary stories and gossip circulating around town, and play truth or dare, or perhaps spin the bottle. Depends on how drunk they were.

Jared started the game by diving right in, even if Brandon chose Truth.

“Sooo Brandon,,,, you got any bitches yet? Are you still married to football?”

“I still am, yes, devoted as hell to the victory, man.” He answered spitefully, knowing very well this question was solely to embarrass him.

“Don’t sweat it dude, being single is cool too!” Exclaimed Kate as she tried to comfort him after that low blow start.

“Fine Jared, your turn then. Truth or dare?” Brandon asked, ready for revenge.

“Dare.” He said, with a grin. Jared was known to be no quitter by any means, he was happy to take on any kind of challenge thrown his way.

“Brave… I dare you to,,” he pauses for a moment to think of something of equal caliber to what he got, “take off your shirt, climb that tree and tell us what you see, ok?”

Jared stared in disbelief, drank the last bits of his cider and went ahead.

Since Jared was also quite fit, it took no time for him to climb the tree.

“Allright loverboy, what do you see?” Brandon asked once they saw Jared settle on the top.

“Okay,, uh I see some lights far back in the town, lemme see what’s deeper into the woo-” He was cut off mid sentence.

The others on the ground were unaware, but Jared stopped talking because he was met with a sight not many live to tell.

He couldn’t move, words had left him, but Jared was a brave boy. He got over his fear in a matter of seconds and moved to scream for his friends’ attention.

Unfortunately, scared people are not as attentive, so they don't notice when someone pulls their leg until it is too late, and they fall easily.

Jared fell from the tree, his body twisting and tangling as he reached for some purchase, before his back hit the ground with a splitting

Crack .

He didn't move. He laid motionless, only the shallow movement of his chest indicating he was still alive.

His lover, Beth, came to his rescue immediately. “Jared, honey what the fuck, are you okay???”

He could only mumble a few words of warning in his hardly conscious state and signaled with his eyes towards the cause of the “accident”.

Everyone was horrified. They definitely expected a situation similar to this, since everybody brought their signature weapons (a bat with nails in it for Katie, a decorated pocket knife for Bethy, a machete for Brandon, and a crowbar for Jared.. Not like he will be using it though.)

All they did was stare until it stepped out of the coverage made by the branches and leaves; the moment he moved everyone but Brandon rushed to grab their weapons if they didn’t have them in arms reach already.

It took another step forward and tendrils emerged from its back. This is when everyone came to the realization they had absolutely no chance of fighting this monster; fleeing was the best option.

They took a step back in sync, then another; and they booked it.

As they ran and left everything behind, including Jared, they heard a weak scream.. Must have been him.. Due to his fall, he couldn’t get up and run with the team. Brandon took a moment to silently thank his friend for the sacrifice he made for his team, thinking with the time bought they could get away. But they ran straight into a dead end as if the forest was against them.

The team of (now) 3 formed a circle for their best chance of survival. A moment later the creature appeared in front of them again, now ready to attack and show no mercy.

Kate was a creative and quick thinking girl, though, and she had an idea.

“Truth or dare?” She shouted at him. It tilted his head in confusion. Was she seriously trying to play a game with him instead of begging for mercy?

“You heard me, truth or dare?” She repeated, while signaling to her friends it was time to slowly back away and run when possible. It stayed silent for a mere second.

“Truth.” It said, out of sheer curiosity. How surprising. Kate didn’t think this distraction was going to work at all. Cockiness and the substances took over her.

“Ya ever had a girlfriend, sir?” She asked, a grin painting her face.

How unoriginal. It’s one of the first things he thought Katie was going to ask.

“Yes, I've had several partners over the years. I hoped you’d ask something better with your only question. You disappoint me, girl.”

Kate only snickered and took a step back to be closer to her friends who no longer felt too threatened.

“Now it is your turn; truth or dare?” It asked, as the muscles on its face formed a horrifying imitation of a smile.

“Dare.” She replied with a challenging voice to her friends’ horror.

Amusing, she really lets cockiness and pride make her biggest mistake for her. But who is he to question?

It held its disproportionate hand out towards her, and simply said; “Come closer then.” Kate’s stomach dropped. She was not going to let fear humiliate her.

Something in her head is clearly loose; is it really worth it to value ego over life?

Kate grimaced and swiftly walked towards the creature, stopping only a few steps away from its “hand”.

It asks mockingly;

“Tell me, Kate. You seem to be the leader of this little group, aren’t you?”

She raises an eyebrow, then with a tone of annoyance she replies.

“We have no leader, sir.”

“So what are you then? The show off? The big shot of your little parade?”

“Positive. I am the biggest shot you have ever had the misfortune to encounter, sir.” She smugly says without hesitation.

She turned to walk back toward her friends, assuming she had completed her dare. But as if it happened in the blink of an eye, the hand wrapped around her skull; her body went completely numb, and Kate fell unconscious with only the hand holding her up by the head from collapsing onto the ground.

This seemed to be more than enough to make sure Kate’s friends ran around the dead end, and started running again without considering ever stopping again until they were safe.

Much to their fright, both the monster and now possessed Kate are faster than them. Brandon put up the fight of his life (literally) and yet still lost to the mindless puppet of Kate embarrassingly quickly. Bethany watched in horror as her best friend in the world mercilessly distorted the skull and ribcage of her other good friend.

After Kate made Brandon look practically unrecognizable, she slowly turned and moved towards Beth. She still foolishly saw her friend in Katie’s eyes and called out to her.

“Kate, girl, snap out of that shit, what are you doing?! Please stop, let’s ditch this and go home!” The plea went unheard.

Kate stopped in her tracks; she seemed to act as if she considered the offer for a moment. Possession, especially by an entity with this kind of power; is stronger than lowly human emotions.

She swung. Then again, and again. No matter the knife she had, Beth’s lifeless body with the skull shattered like an egg, brains scrambled to jelly inside, ruined by the nails in the bat cradled to the ground just like everyone else’s.

“Kate” has decided to leave the scene and move her shell of a body someplace calmer. Once she wandered to a clearing, the weapon slid out of her hand and soon she collapsed next to it as well.

But at least, unlike her friends, she will be waking up tomorrow with the worst hangover ever, as well as some nasty bruises and wounds accompanied with a horrible migraine, extreme distress, and confusion.

#creepypasta #creepypasta fandom #creepypasta writing #creepypasta fanfic #slenderman #slenderman creepypasta #slenderverse #tw gore #tw murder #tw possession #tw alcohol

2 notes · View notes

starfleetwitch · 2 years

Note

🤲🥰

Hi Nonny thanks for the ask, Like with a previous ask, I'll answer this one first and put the snippit under the cut 🥰 How do you feel about reader interaction? Are you open to receiving questions about your fics? I LOVE reader interaction. I mostly write to quiet the thoughts in my brain but like with my art, I LOVE audience interactions! Peoples comments have literally made my art (whether its a drawing or fanfiction) better in the past (Currently making a last minute addition to my Jemma Redgrave and the Multiverse of Lesbians art thanks to a comment!) Ask me questions! Suggest things! I don't bite! 😁 We can share virtual cookies and trade stories beside the ever burning tumblr dumpster fire. 🤲 Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

This is a bit of a long one and I haven't proof read it yet. We die like men with this snippit.

A sense of deja-vu hit the blonde as both men stared at her, their jaws practically hitting the floor. Bernie folded her arms and narrowed her eyes “What is up with you two today?” both men looked at each other before turning back to the blonde, their mouths shutting with an audible click as their teeth hit off each other with the force “Why are you both stood staring at me, I still have a missing patient!” The twisting in her stomach was becoming unbearable and it was only adding to her annoyance at the two men. “Usually when you two are up to something it doesn’t affect my ward but for some reason today it has. Now I don’t know what’s going on but when a patient is at risk you really ought to knock it on the head. Its wholly unprofessional behaviour and it ends now, am I clear?” Both men nodded mechanically “Between Serena upstairs and the agency nurse who didn’t turn up, I’m understaffed and over stretched. What we didn’t need today was a drunk patient roaming the hospital whilst two senior staff banter in the middle of the ward like a couple of school girls. Now… where is my patient?” Feeling suitably chastised, the two momentarily forgot why they were bantering in the first place. Fletch unfolded his arms and had the good grace to look apologetic “He’s in reception. Serena’s bringing him u-” Fletches voice broke into a squeak as the doors to the stair well opened behind Bernie. Bernie’s brow furrowed. She looked between the two men before her, their jaws once again hitting the floor as their eyes widened and their cheeks paled. The pain in Bernie’s stomach suddenly spiked and she let out an audible huff as she unfolded her arms and pressed a hand against her abdomen. All sound seemed to leave the ward and Bernie feared she’d gone deaf. Feared that the sudden sharp pain in her stomach was something bursting and she was about to die. Why was it so quiet? She expected her death to be louder somehow.

Suddenly the loud bang of a door closing behind her dragged Bernie violently from her thoughts. She jumped in shock then winced as the sound echoed within the space. The pain. She knew what this was. This wasn’t death. This was worse. This was something she wanted to avoid. She could sense it. Sense her. She turned on her heel. “Kate?” she whispered as the suited woman stood before her, back straight, shoulders back and a false bravado in play. This was her pretend-to-be-confidant stance. She knew it well. It was trait she’d picked up from their father too. “Hello Bernie” Said the woman and Bernie couldn’t help but register the second round of squeaks from the men behind her as another door closing echoed around the ward. Bernie turned around once more, her head feeling dizzy as the feeling in her stomach predicted what she’d see. Her eyes settled upon the same pretend-to-be-confidant stance of another blonde who shared her face. “Zoe?” Asked both women in unison, the sound shaking Fletch and Raff to their core. “Surprise” She replied with a false tone of joy. Suddenly the pain in Bernie’s stomach disappeared. This was it. This was the something that was going to happen, the predicted event that had her fight or flight reflexes in spasm all day.

“Mate…” Fletch squeaked as the sound of the busy ward rushed at them once more. He clung to Raff, who in turn clung to him as the tension in the air began to suffocate them “I need to sit down”

Ask me about my fanfiction through emojis

#ask thingy #Bernie wolfe #Serena campbell #Zoe evans #Kate Stewart #Kate lethbridge stewart #berena

5 notes · View notes

unsettlingconclusions · 4 days

Text

Peace of mind, or the lack thereof

Pairing: Lucy Tara x Kate Whistler (implied). Lucy Tara x Skylar (implied) Summary: When Lucy is ready to cool down for the evening, her phone seems to think differently about it. Set during the night of the Great British Bake Off. Genre: Angst Rating: G Word Count: 1049 Notes: This is not a fandom I participate in, but I listen to a lot of Norah Jones so this sort of just happened. Hope you enjoy. There's a place that I know Where the sycamores grow And daffodils have their fun

Lucy freezes mid-motion, slice of slicky pizza in hand. The melodic husky voice blowing through the speakers is one that has become unmistakable to her, try to forget about it as she might. She lets a few seconds more go by and then goes looking for her phone, sitting by the kitchen sink, to confirm what she was already kinda sure.

There, plastered on the screen, was her enemy's name: Norah Jones.

The music wasn't one she personally chose. She had just absentmindedly turned on some random recommended station on Apple Music as soon as she got home. Her whole plan for the night was taking a long shower, having some left over pizza and texting Skylar some more. It was not to be listening to Norah Jones.

Norah Jones meant she would have to think about Kate and she didn't want to have to think about Kate. It was bad enough that Lucy couldn't escape her at the job, and here she was following the brunnette home. Curse Kate for messing with her recommendations. She doesn’t even like Norah Jones!

Lucy stares at her phone now, finding herself uncapable of pressing pause. Her mind is already drifting off to another night marked by soft jazz piano. Their first real date came by unexpectedly, as Lucy had shot in the dark and scored when the blonde accepted going to dinner with her.

It felt good. It was a step forward, it was Kate openining up to her. Holding her hand, a veiled promise of a future... Or so she thought. The whispered lyrics would talk about what am I to you? Tell me darling, true., and she has to hold in a scoff at the memory. She remembers well what she was to Kate, a side peace, when to Lucy, Kate was quickly becoming the very sea.

All Kate did was fill the brunette's hearts with lies. Why couldn't she just have said the truth? Lucy grips the edge of the kitchen counter as strong as she could, bending forward and trapping her head between her arms in a weak effort to silence her thoughts. But her right foot starts tapping on the floor on its own accord, all kinds of questions jumping to the front of the woman's mind.

Why couldn't Kate just get out of her head? Why couldn't Lucy just forget the despondent look on the blonde's face when she couldn't keep herself from admitting the depth her feelings had been? Why couldn't Kate have just told her about the promotion she denied? What did that mean?

If I search deep inside Let my conscience be my guide Then the answers are sure to come

"Uuuugh", Lucy groans, raising her hand to her offending speaker, now pacing back and forth in her living room, the pizza long forgotten. She squints her eyes and clenches her jaw tightly, “No, no I will not be defeated some stupid song", and it was all she could do to keep herself from digging a hole in the ground in agitation as the last notes of the song played through. She nearly sighs in relief.

Her phone, though, had different plans for tonight.

Sweet dreams of you...

"Oh my God you have got to be kidding me!!"

Every night that I go through

As the new lyrics invade the room, Lucy strides all the way back to the kitchen. She was determined to silence that damn voice for good.

I should forget the past and start loving some-

And just as she reaches the object of her frustration, there's a loud ding. The name on the screen making her momentarily forget the reason she went for the phone in the first place.

- Skylar: found this new restaurant. You're gonna love it.

Instead of having sweet dreams abou- DING

- Skylar: open late, too ;)

Lucy just stares blankly at the screen for what feels like forever, almost afraid to move - not unlocking it, not pausing the music, not replying, not doing anything.

You don't know me, it's plain

She moves her hand to swipe on the screen, then thinks better of it. She contemplates throwing it out altogether. She'd just have to buy another one, desert the Navy, change her name and fly off to a tropical island. Another tropical island.

I should know that I'll never wear your ring

She finally swipes right and opens Skylar's text, finding herself roaming around her apartment yet again.

- Lucy: that sounds fantas-

I should hate you the whole night through

No, that's lame, right? Who says that? She erases the text and starts again.

Instead of having sweet dreams about you...

- Lucy: sure, when can-

Groaning in frustration, she erases the text again and presses the locking screen button.

Oh, instead of having sweet dreams about you...

As Apple Music finally decides to move on from Norah Jones and towards whoever else Lucy couldn't really say, she finally releases a long breath, relaxing her every muscle in turn. She plops down on the couch, phone in hand, finally finding the pause button. The room goes suddenly still, a thin buzz sound ringing faintly in the background.

Closing her eyes, she spends a few minutes relishing in the nothingness of the moment, letting her head become a simple ressonating chamber for the sound of silence. It was probably not even 10 minutes that her ears spent filled with the infamous jazzy musician, but it was long enough that her whole body threated to ache like she was just ran over by a truck. She rolls her neck from side to side to loosen some kinks, feeling the one hundredth deep breath coming replenishing her lungs.

"Ok, enough of that!"

Clapping her hands loudly, she picks up the remote control for her TV, certain that she'd be safer in that realm, and flips through channels looking for the perfect mind numbing televesion production.

As the opening theme for the Great British Bake Off comes to life, Lucy grins slightly. Yes, that will certainly be great company. The absolute best!

#lucy tara #lucy x kate #kate x lucy #ncis hawaii

1 note · View note

newtonsheffield · 2 years

Note

GG kanthony sent Tom a sex tape?!?????? 😭😭😭😭 I cant that’s hilarious

Kate did, yes.

She’s not especially proud of the fact she attached the wrong file and didn’t realize until after she sent the email.

And she didn’t! exactly think her father would take kindly to seeing his nineteen year old daughter with her legs around her boyfriend’s neck and then getting a front row seat to getting railed from behind so she knew what she had to do.

The first call she made was to Anthony who didn’t pick up because he was at work. Just a quick,

“Hey honey, it’s no big deal but I accidentally just sent my Dad our sex tape. Okay! Love you!”

And the second, she made with an even bigger sigh.

“Ahh Katie, is Anthony dead? There’s no other reason you’d be calling me like a geriatric instead of texting.” Edwina’s voice crackles through the phone and honestly, Kate wants to die.

“He’s not dead yet but if you don’t help me, he might be.”

“Go on.”

“I sent… a video to Dad’s email, I need you to delete it.” Jesus if the ground could open and swallow her that would be the preferred option.

Silence echoed on the phone for a very long moment before Edwina let out a loud cackle, her breath wheezing in her chest. “Jesus fucking- tell me you didn’t send your sex tape to dad.”

Kate’s cheeks are on fire. “I… didn’t mean to send my sex tape to Dad”

“This is the best day.”

“Edwina! Please! Just help me! I would do it for you.”

“You don’t need to do it for me. I don’t have any sex tapes.”

“I should hope- I’m not going to be shamed by you!”

Edwina let’s put a sigh, but Kate hears her making her way through the house, the door of their father’s study opening and closing. “You owe me for this. The thumbnail better not be foul- nope, of course it’s of your tits. I want 4 of Sophie’s cheesecakes for this!”

“Yes yes! Go to the bakery and pick them up, you’re the best.”

“And Anthony needs to get me a book voucher, a saw a flash of peen there!”

The third phone call Kate makes that day is to Sophie at the bakery.

“Gibbons Family Bakehouse, this is Sophie.”

“Soph it’s me, Eddie’s gonna come in a pick up some cheesecakes from you, Four of them. I need to pay for them.”

And of course Sophie knows. “What did you do that has you buying her four cheesecakes?”

Kate sighs, “I… sent my Dad a sex tape. Eddie had to delete it. Stop laughing.”

Sophie cackled, her breath coming in short gasps. “Holy Shit, so Tom’ll be in jail for Anthony’s murder by the weekend then?”

“He won’t because he didn’t see it!”

“Will Violet be getting the same treatment?”

“Will you just take my credit card details?!”

And unfortunately for Kate, the fourth call was one she received.

“Peanut, I’m really glad we’re so close, and you know I think Anthony’s a great guy, but there are some things I don’t need to see.” Her Dad’s voice sounds a little strained and she can hear Mary in the background saying Take deep breaths, she’s an adult.

Truly, truly death would be kinder. “Eddie deleted it!”

“From my computer. I’d already opened it on my phone: I have you on notifications.”

“How did you even learn how to do that, Dad?!” Not the point but she’d rather focus her attention there.”

“I’m not that old!”

“Well why did you press Play?!”

“I didn’t! It auto played when I scrolled and The thumbnail was damning enough, Katharine!”

And truly, that next visit to Kent was the most awkward experience of her entire life.

#good girls au #kathony #anthony x kate #kate sharma #kate sheffield #anthony bridgerton #molly’s asks and answers

117 notes · View notes

cattypatties · 3 years

Text

Tell Me

Silence

Noun

Complete absence of sound.

Except, that wasn’t true for this situation.

The two rivals did sit in silence, but that only applied for them. As for the rest of the world? No, no it didn’t. The bonfire crackled before them, and nature around them made noise too, the crickets mainly. The small sounds of shifting, and other things, before suddenly it was broken by a loud snore instantly getting the duo’s attention as they snapped their heads to look over to the ex-security guard DJ with an arm around Kate, snoring loudly. Daffy let out a small breath of relief before he heard the fire crackle more and a roasted carrot was brought up in front of his bill a second time that night.

“You sure you don’t want one?”

“No, like I said the first time, Bugsth.”

He said, before falling back into silence.

There was almost a tension in the air, both able to sense it, mainly Daffy who clasped his hands together resting his arms on his knees, hunched towards the fire. His hands shaking a bit, the raven feathered duck staring intently at the fire now. As he swallowed a bit, before his eyes flicked to the rabbit, teal locked with gold.

Bugs really was the perfect guy…funny, charismatic, just a bit cocky, and overall charitable. His golden eyes, like drops of honey, swirling with color and entrapping. He could get lost in them and at this rate? He already was, at least until Bugs cleared his throat awkwardly, Daffy in turn snapping out of it and backing up slightly from when his body had apparently shifted to lean towards Bugs. He looked away feeling his face heat up a bit, before shaking it off. As he turned back to the rabbit who gave him a confused look. The duck finally deciding to break the silence between the two of them

“..Bugsth?”

“..yes?”

“How..?”

He asked quietly, which wasn’t usual for the loud mouth Daffy was known as. Even surprising Bugs, who earlier that night recalled their conversation, noting specifically that..well to put it simply, Daffy had reached out to him and was extremely vulnerable, no hidden intentions, no sarcasm. Just as quiet as he was now. Though they didn’t get anywhere with it because Bugs Bunny, despite everything that he was written as, wasn’t emotional. At least not in the serious way like their rival company. Usually most conflict was solved by dropping an anvil on the other, or a pie to the face, something the audience would laugh at, that Bugs would laugh at, but he knew deep down, that wasn’t what Daffy needed from him.

After all..they were best friends.

So, hesitantly, he replied.

“Eh, what do you mean ‘How’?”

He asked, cringing at how almost dismissive and genuinely confused he sounded. He didn’t bother looking at Daffy when he did reply, after all this was brand new territory for Bugs, he wasn’t meant to be..like this.

He wasn’t meant to be vulnerable.

After a couple minutes he heard a small scoff, presumably from Daffy. The duck seemingly not happy about his response, as if Bugs was just that uncaring and unbothered.

“I mean, the conversation we just had, bucktooth.” He spat, his anger clear in his voice before he calmed down and ran hand through his hair.

Frustrated, Daffy stood up and walked off to a nearby canyon wall, pacing next to it, before leaning against it and crossing his arms, huffing. Bugs got up and followed him, after taking his roasted carrot off the stick he put it on, walking over, carrot in hand as he took a bite from it, leaning next to Daffy, facing him.

“The conversation about..?”

“You should know.”

The duck snapped at him, looking towards him again.

“Warner brothers?”

There was another silence, if only for a few minutes before Daffy grabbed that stupid carrot away from the rabbit and threw it as far as he could into the desert and before Bugs could even make a comment, the toon grabbed him by his arms and shoved him against the canyon wall angrily, as he glared at Bugs. His body was shaking as he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“N-NO! GOD- g-god no! It’s not about them!”

He yelled out, desperately.

His eyes wide now as they looked panicked, hurt, and genuinely taken aback. Causing the bunny to go dead quiet watching him, his whiskers tangled and eyes wide too.

“I-it’s about me! About you!—US.”

He cried out shaking him a bit

“Daff-“

“You don’t get it, do you?! I have been working my whole life to get to the top! I have done everything you did and better!”

The Duck said, voice breaking slightly, unbeknownst to him, the two humans sleeping nearby, waking up to see them, as they watched holding their breath.

“Everything those damn executives have ever asked of me, I’ve done! I played the role of the villain, I played the role of the dumb rival to the great Bugsth Bunny! I did E-EVERYTHING!”

He yelled louder, letting go of Bugs arms and pressing a finger to his chest.

“I know my role! But does the audience care? No! Because you’re the hero, you’re the good guy that everyone cheers for! I’m all bam! Wham! Ka-POW!”

He said smacking himself on the head, as stars flew around it.

“I’d rather work for that rat over at Disney than deal with this!”

He growled, right up in Bugs face.

Bugs backing up further against the wall, watching Daffy and although he was taller he felt a thousand times smaller.

“D-Daff..it’s..”

“Don’t say it isn’t true. Don’t lie to my face rabbit!”

Bugs felt his heart pounding crazily, his breath hitching, watching Daffy yell, it wasn’t like all those times before when they argued and then they did something funny, this was raw anger. This was..reality, it wasn’t an act and of course he knew this, he knew it the moment Daffy snapped. It just,, was a lot to take in.

Daffy upon seeing Bugs expression backed up, quietly as he looked down at his hands which were by his sides in clenched fists.

He frowned, feeling something prick at his eyes, when suddenly, a soft silky hand was put to his shoulder and his eyes flicked up towards the grey bunny.

“Daffy.. I didn’t know you..”

He took a deep breath

“I’m really, truly, sorry.”

The two looked at one another, before Daffy shrugged him off taking a few steps back.

“I’m not coming back to that studio, and I am not dealing with this, I’m gonna get that blue monkey diamond for myself…”

He looked away from Bugs

“See ya around Bugsth.”

He murmured, starting to walk off, before in one swift motion Bugs grabbed his wrist, stopping Daffy.

“Daffy.”

The duck turned to look at him and the moment he did, regret filled him because the rabbit was tearing up slightly, and of course it could’ve been an act, they were actors, but it just felt different. He watched Bugs, holding his breath, the Rabbit sniffling slightly.

“Tell me you didn’t have at least one good memory.”

He said looking to him, which in turn made the Duck look away, before Bugs got closer.

“Daffy.”

He repeated, his voice wavering as the Duck turned back again, Bugs only a few inches away. Daffy swallowed, his face heating up a bit.

The two just a few inches apart, staring. Kate and Dj looking at them, as they watched Bugs get closer

“Tell me.”

He repeated once again, his voice breaking slightly.

Daffy looking to him and sighing

“Yeah..I did have one.”

He answered softly, glancing down. Eventually moving to take Bugs’ hand in his as he rubs a thumb over his knuckles blushing more, thankful his feathers were so dark that Bugs couldn’t see. Another hand being placed over his from the grey bunny as the toon glanced up at him, as he looked to their hands again as Bugs’ hand just covered Daffy’s hand.

“…the first time we met. I swear..”

He chuckled softly smiling a tiny bit

“You were brand new and shy. Like incredibly shy and when we shook hands you were shaking from nerves, I had never seen someone so nervous and you even admitted to me..that I was..your hero…me, Daffy Duck..your hero. I was amazed, and flattered.. and it was nice for the time it lasted.”

Bugs listened, and watched Daffy’s body language, the duck having never been this genuine about something. He supposed he forgot after seeing Daffy play his role for so long, that he..wasn’t that type of guy, but because everyone thought he was, he continued playing that role. Daffy had put on a mask..and Bugs finally got to see it come off, he got to see him smile..

Daffy rarely smiled happily.

That smile..was beautiful, it lit up the world in that one moment. It even made Bugs smile a tiny bit too, even despite their situation, however, as soon as it appeared, it was gone. The duck frowning now, the two friends quiet.

Bugs felt terrible, a wave of guilt washing over him, as he considered Daffy’s words, he recalled his movements and his tone, and when he finally realized Daffy was probably going to leave, he didn’t know if he should even bother stopping him, because it was obvious that Bugs Bunny had failed Daffy Duck as a friend. He failed terribly hard and honestly? No amount of apologies could fix this.

But he wanted to so badly.

Because despite everything there was a reason Bugs kept chasing after Daffy when he did anything, there was a reason he always was willing to help him. There was a reason now why Bugs had grabbed him, and was trying to stop him.

There was a reason, He had such a soft spot for Daffy.

Bugs swallowed, as he snapped out of it and locked eyes with the toon. He stepped closer, as close as he could and pulled Daffy into a hug.

The raven feathered bird freezing up in his arms, his arms in turn raising up in surprise as his breath hitched. The duck, not moving.

“B-Bugsth?”

“..I-I’m sorry.”

He said, holding back his tears as he hugged Daffy’s thin frame tighter.

The Duck tensed up, before eventually hugging back as he closed his eyes, tearing up too. The two hugged each other tightly and stayed like that for the rest of the night, unmoving.

#bugs x daffy #bugs and daffy #daffyduck bugsbunny looneytunes #baffy #my writing #my fic #bugs bunny #daffy duck

143 notes · View notes

joyfulhopelox · 3 years

Text

Board-shorts and Choppy Waves | KTH

╰►Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

╰►AU: summer love, meet cute, surf, s2l, i2l

Genre: fluff, with a tiny bit of angst

Rating: pg

╰►Word count: 17.6k

Warnings: mild swearing

╰►A/N: This is my contribution to the Summer of Love Collab, a collab i had not intended to be in but it just so happened that i fell in love with the story and i had to write it, the banner really did not come out as I'd planned but such is life! But be prepared for two idiots to fall in love. Where The Holiday (summer version) meets Gidget! I want to thank @notyouroppar for being not only the most amazing person for reading this over for me but also for fuelling my hype! secondly i want to thank everyone in this collab for being amazing and last but not least i want to thank @hobipaint and @yoonjinkooked for helping me get through this and for believing in this Taehyung!

Did I use Umji as inspiration for Ye Won? Yes. Is Taehyung’s surfer squad the almost complete real life Wooga Squad? Yes. That being said, enjoy! 💜

Copyrights for the story and banner @joyfulhopelox

╰►Summary: A city girl through and through, not used to anything but the hustling and bustling of the streets. From people with phones attached to their hands, the only accompanying noise you had on your way to work was the honking of angry drivers. However, even someone with a devil-may-care attitude can be fed up with such a life. In a desperate attempt to escape, you embark on a crazy adventure that leads you to Hawaii - on a surfboard! Living under someone else’s roof, you find that this may not have been the break that you strived for when the annoying brother comes into play. Riding a wave is like riding the subway, he told you, yet why did his hand holding yours feel like riding a rollercoaster?

Between a job that kept you tied to your desk, and a job that required you to run around town, trying to please everyone and their mother with your projects, you would’ve chosen the former. Correction, now you would choose the former one.

As a bright eyed child though, you’d chosen the latter. And somewhere in between trying to meet the producers– your hands overflowing with a stack of papers which balanced a precariously placed cup of coffee, and a video call with the actor’s managers– who had the audacity to request a jacuzzi on set, you were beginning to regret the decision.

“Yes, yes. I got it!” Weaving expertly through the hectic flow of people coming out from the subway, you tried to grip the phone tighter between your ear and shoulder. “No, no, unfortunately we cannot agree to those requests.” Humming in response, your ears painfully assaulted from the other end of the line, you apologised as your shoulder bumped into another and carried on without waiting for a response. As much as you wanted to stay and apologise, you didn’t have the time. If you learned one thing in this job, it was that lateness was not viewed nicely. As a newbie in the field, your punctuality has been subject to disapproval more than once.

“We shall see what we can do about that.” Not bothering to wait for the response on the other end of the line, you ended the conversation thankful for your balancing skills. Phone now added onto the pile, you continued weaving through the flow of people coming your way. Realising you hadn’t checked the time, you urged your legs to go faster, cursing that you decided to wear heels on a busy day like this. No matter how nice they made you feel, a day spent in pain whilst trying to be efficient was not worth it.

The building where your fate was sealed seemed to loom over you. Gazing up at it you swallowed, your throat dry. You knew without conviction you would get nowhere in the industry, and so with new resolve you made your way through the glass doors. Show time.

It only took a few hours for your blood pressure to rise to dangerous levels. Ever since walking through that door, it felt like nothing went the way you’d imagined it to. The meeting that was supposed to start on time was so delayed, you had to postpone the following meeting with the agent representing your newest addition to the cast. The rest tumbled down with the speed of an avalanche. Not having signed up to run around in heels for coffee, and especially not when you were one of the people meant to pitch the new series, your feet were throbbing and your patience wore thin.

The cherry on top of the cake was the call you received at the end of the day from your boss. It wasn’t an unexpected call, but dare you say, untimely. The call was short and sharp, delivering the blows that would ultimately lead to accepting your friends’ invite for a bar night.

The bar where you usually met your friends was surprisingly empty, though you suspected it was because it was the middle of the week. The few groups that littered the area made it easy for you to spot your obnoxious pair of friends. It seemed they were already on their second round of drinks, judging by the number of empty glasses and Georgie’s animated talk.

“I swear that’s what happened!” As you made your way towards the group, you heard Kate declare her ridiculousness with sincerity as the rest laughed at her. With a roll of your eyes, you slid in next to her.

“What did I miss?” You cheerfully interrupted their storytelling, sharing ‘hello’s’ with them and the obligatory catch up of mundane stories.

Taking a careful sip out of your drink you silently observed the ruckus they created around the table, their cheerful loud voices making you smile inwardly. You missed this.

“So, Y/N, how is that promotion going for you?” Georgie leaned over the table, seemingly to make herself heard over the loud music. Yet, by the suspicious raise of her eyebrows you were aware of what she had been implying. Your almost-fling with your boss.

“Georgie – no.” You shook your head, your attempt to shut down the conversation a poor one at best. “We are not going there.” Taking another sip of your drink you tried to come up with something to deter them from prodding further.

“Oh come on!” Kate insisted, her eyes wide. “You live like a prude married to their work most of the time,” She waved you away when you tried to poke her. “The one time you aren’t and you have a small chance at dating!” She exclaimed and you reached out to cover her mouth.

“Shush it, will you? Any louder and everyone in the bar will hear about my dating plight.” You argued back, frustrated with the situation you’d landed yourself in.

“-He’s my boss.” You countered, knowing full well that if you didn’t explain at least part of your reasoning, there was no way this would end. “Plus –“ you held out your hand to stop them from interrupting you. “He already has a girlfriend.” You took another long sip of your drink, satisfied with the way their faces dropped.

Georgie, to her credit, decided to keep her opinions to herself, occupying her time with swirling her own drink around. However, Kate, whom you’d known the longest, stared at you, eyes narrowed as if trying to figure you out.

“So what was that dinner about then?” She prodded further and you sighed, dramatically lowering your glass onto the table.

“Look, that dinner–“ You leaned forwards fixing them both with your gaze, a small smile forming on your face. “Was definitely about a promotion.” You said conspiratorially.

Unprepared for the joyful hoots from your friends, you leaned back as they both scrambled to hug you. They had been your best friends since college and they knew you better than anyone, especially the struggles you had to go through to even break into the film industry and get the position you were in now. Let alone a promotion.

By no means were you in a bad position, it definitely kept you in the city, and you could afford a good two bedroom apartment near Central London. but remembering the way you had to run around for coffee, not being able to refuse tasks left a bitter taste in your mouth. Definitely this promotion would not only open more doors for you, but also allow you to say no. The joy you felt as soon as you got the call earlier that evening washed away the pain of your blistered feet, and with a renewed spring in your step you had gone to the bar to share your good news with your friends.

“Oh my God, Y/N!” Kate exclaimed, clapping her hands enthusiastically. “This is amazing, you definitely needed this! How soon will you be filling the new role?” She inquired and your mood dropped instantly, reality washing over you.

Disentangling yourself from her hug, you sighed. “It’s a possibility, it’s not yet certain.” Your voice sounded gloomy, knowing full well that a possibility was not a certainty. “I still have to see this project through.” Tapping your fingers to the side of your glass you continued. “It’s a long few months of waiting now. I have done my job, all that needs to happen now is for the rest of them to do their job.”

Georgie looked at you empathetically, she knew what you meant. She, herself, was in a similar position to you. The silence that followed between the three of you was not uncomfortable by any means. The bass of the music pounding around you kept you company, an unneeded headache. But worth it if it meant you got to talk to your friends.

“So…” She trailed off, her eyes scouring the fuller bar. “What will you be doing now?” Turning her attention back to you, she raised her eyebrows at you. “Date? Holiday?”

The question took you by complete surprise, drink still in your mouth in the midst of swallowing, you struggled to not choke. Kate patted your back, an almost sympathetic look crossed over her face, only to be quickly replaced by a smirk. “No but seriously, Y/N.” Glaring at the both of them for ganging up on you, you shrugged.

“I have no intentions to be dating, and you know that.” You pointed at them, eyes narrowed. “As for holiday…” You trailed off. You couldn’t even remember the last time you had a holiday. Sure, you took your required days off, but you never left your apartment during those days. And to be completely honest, you only used them to catch up on work you did not get to do during the week, respond to emails you didn’t get a chance to, and order the occasional takeaway with a film in the evenings. But even that could count more as work than relaxing. Being in the film industry, you rarely found yourself enjoying a production without thinking about the ins and outs that went on behind the scenes to put it all together. The thought of an actual holiday has never even crossed your mind.

“-I do take holidays.” You weakly argued, but when you met the girls’ eyes you shrugged noncommittally. “Look, I can’t afford to.” You simply provided. That reason seemed to be enough to quieten them both, until Kate jumped up.

“I know!” She exclaimed, her palm slapping the table hard. “How about a house exchange?”

You stared at her oddly, wondering how much she’d had to drink, but she didn’t seem flushed, nor to be staggering on her feet. Instead of insulting her with questions about her sobriety you waited for her to explain herself. “You know, like, the ones where you do it through an agency.” She supplied, but at your furrowed eyebrows she sighed. “Kind of like an AirBnB, but this one is about you contacting a person who is willing to exchange their horse for a short period of time, and you are providing them with yours as a payment.”

At her explanation, your eyes went wide with surprise, your mouth hanging open. “Wha-?” It baffled you, the idea that someone would willingly not only supply you with their house, their sanctuary, but also they would agree to come and live in a stranger’s house. “What sort of scam is this?” You finally settled.

“It’s not a scam!” Georgie jumped in, the tone of her voice betraying her excitement. “My friend did it, and she loved it!” You watched her with a careful eye, trying to decide if both of your friends had had too much to drink. At your unconvinced look, Georgie sighed.

“Look, it’s worth thinking about it, you get to see pictures of the house first, and also talk to the owner beforehand. It’s not like you have no contact with them before you even get there.” She stated, carefully watching your expression turn thoughtful. As much as you enjoyed the idea of being able to live in someone else’s house, without paying too much for it, you had trust issues. You couldn’t just let anyone in your own home, just like that.

“Is there insurance? What about a contract? Will I be able to go anywhere? What if they steal something?” Before you could continue with your incessant worries, Kate interrupted you, a hand on your arm.

“Of course, there is insurance. This is all done through an agency, it is not like you email a stranger out of the blue-” At your unconvinced expression she carried on. “And there is a contract, and background checks, and you do get to pick which place you want to choose.” She breathed a loud sigh. “Look, Y/N, this may be a good time for you to take a break.” She patted your arm as if that would have convinced you that what she was saying was true.

Well, it was true, but they both knew you were a workaholic. It would take more than that to get you to let go of your responsibilities and take care of yourself first. Georgie followed Kate’s suit, her words sealing your fate.

“And you don’t want to date, so this is the best way to make sure that you take care of your own needs first.” Your alarmed expression made her continue. “You need a break, you have nothing else to do but wait, all you will do is worry and fret.” She waved her hand around as if to disperse the worries and fears mentioned.

“And-” Georgie leaned forward as if to share a secret and you mirrored her movement. “Think about it this way, you’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii.” She smirked and you let your mouth drop, her idea already a seed in your mind.

She was right, Hawaii has always been a place you wanted to visit, never having the time or money to do so. This would be perfect for you. Still worried you nodded your head, enough for her to lean back a satisfied look on her face. She knew her job was done, but she couldn’t help but add. “And you never know, you may find your Surfer Charming there.” Georgie wiggled her eyebrows at you making Kate laugh and you narrowed your eyes at her, an offended look on your face.

“Georgie!” You then realised what she implied earlier. “Also, how does dating have anything to do with me taking a break?” You sounded indignant, and the three of you burst out laughing.

It took a few weeks for you to remember this conversation. They had been right, all you did during that period was fret, wait, and call people more than once trying to figure out if everything was going on as planned. These calls earned you more than a few groans and even some rejected your calls after the tenth time you tried to reach them within a day.

Deciding you’d had enough of your own brain, you chanced a look at the website Kate mentioned. The sight of all the reviews made you breathe out easier, of course you were going to head there first, the need to know how legit this whole business was too strong for you to get caught up in the lovely pictures littering the website. Once satisfied with the reviews you then let yourself fall into the hole, sinking in deep, and by the time dinner rolled round you had a few options you were considering as a potential. One in Europe, one in Asia, and one in Hawaii.

You bit your lip, this was one of the hardest decisions you had to make, the idea of doing this frightening. Needing more encouragement, you decided to call Kate once more to get her opinion on it, but before you could hit the dial, something caught your eye. The Hawaii exchange, the person in the bio stated they would prefer an exchange with someone from your own town, boring old London. Scrolling through the pictures once more, the airy feel of the house, along with the art that was tastefully decorating the space drew you in more and more. What sealed the deal in your eyes though, was the last picture, a view of a grand pool, the flowers that were scattered all around the garden giving you the feel of the paradise you craved. In the background the view of the ocean and the waves eased your worries and made your eyes glisten with hope. This was it.

Cursor over the email address, you read the name once more before you smiled to yourself.

‘Dear Ye Won,

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing in regards to the home exchange; I happened to come upon your one and I was instantly drawn to it….’

The morning came quicker than you expected, the sound of your alarm blaring throughout the airy beach house jolting you out of bed in an unpleasant manner. You cursed at the inanimate object for not only waking you up, but for being the reason you had to move out of your comfortable spot under the duvet to turn it off. Deciding your joints were not in pain today was an easy feat, you didn’t crumple to the ground like you had previously and you could turn your head without feeling like your head’s being pounded by a rock.

The flight over from London had not been a pleasant one, the crying child next to you hadn’t allowed you to close your eyes for a second. He was not at fault and you knew that, no one could last unscathed through an 18 hour flight; but, the throbbing headache you sported now was definitely blaming him. To make matters worse, the flight to Honolulu had been delayed enough that when you landed you had little to no time to spare before your flight over to Maui. You’d think that they would have more flights in a day towards such a popular destination, however, you were soon to find out that it was not the case.

Bags in hand, trying to multitask, desperately running towards what you assumed to be your gate, whilst checking the status of your flight as you passed by the information board– it was all a disaster waiting to happen. And when a disaster is waiting to happen, chances are it will. One moment you were skillfully dodging a passerby and the next you found yourself bumping into a solid chest, the wind knocked out of you. Derailed from your goal and with the pain of having bumped your nose into someone’s torso, it took you a good moment to realise what had happened.

“Tsk, look where you’re going.” The deep voice held the annoyance of someone who’d just been through a rough day, and normally you’d do your best to apologise. However, you’d had just as rough of a day and it was still not over, not to mention you were in a hurry. Pleasantries would have to wait.

“I’m late. And you could also look where you’re going.” You simply announced with a huff not bothering to look up, the tip of your nose still throbbing.

“Did I mention anything about your lateness, does it seem like I have time?” The man, judging by the voice, retaliated. You rubbed the tip of your nose to make sure that nothing was bruised before you glanced up, your eyes narrowed as the obvious rudeness of this person. The sight that greeted you was not what you’d expected, and once again, under normal circumstances you would have paused to gawk. He was beautiful, there was no other way to describe him. His light brown hair was quite shaggy, offering him an unkempt appearance, the bandana that tied around his head keeping his bangs from obstructing his eyes. And what eyes, his gaze locked onto yours, the ebony colour intensifying the coldness in them, you found yourself lost for words.

“Well, are you going to move out of the way?” He nodded his head impatiently as if that would simply remove you from his path. With those words, the bubble you were in completely dissipated, reality crashing down on you. You were still late. With a gasp, you didn’t bother responding to him; your grip tightened on your bag and you dashed around him, praying that those few minutes were not wasted and the flight hadn’t left without you.

Now, seated at the counter of the vast kitchen, a coffee cup in hand, you had time to think about the events from the airport. With a pained sigh you admitted to yourself you’d been the one in the wrong, not only having bumped into an innocent passerby, but also starting an argument with them instead of apologising and being on your merry way. You were certain that under normal circumstances you wouldn’t have reacted this way.

“Oh, well…” Muttering to yourself you took a last sip of your coffee thanking the stars the person who offered you the place had enough stocked to last you for a couple of days. Having arrived late last night, you hadn’t had the time to explore the area, let alone think about stocking up on food. To you, it felt like a holiday - and in a way you supposed it was, only you were without the ease of being in a hotel and having a restaurant at your doorstep.

The lack of traffic echoing in your ears felt unfamiliar, the stillness of the house reminding you of a horror film where the protagonist is only seconds away from being snatched. Only, you were not in an old abandoned house. One quick glance around told you a lot about the person that swapped homes with you. Their interest in art and interior design was clearly reflected in the way they had decorated the house. The rooms were wide and airy, yet the abundance of paintings and figurines scattered everywhere made it resemble an art gallery. Walking around trying to familiarise yourself with the house, you decided that this home would be your little piece of heaven for the next month. Especially when you reached the end of the house and stumbled upon a lovely back garden, the fence lined with palm trees and gardenias scattered all around a clear pool. Excitedly, you rushed back to your bedroom for your swimsuit. Exploring the area could wait a few more hours. You were on holiday, and what could be more holiday-esque than taking a dip in a pool, in Hawaii!

Deciding on the first suit that you came across, you debated whether or not you should cover yourself up until the pool, but before you could make a decision a loud thud coming from the front door jolted you.

With your heart pounding, you padded towards the corridor at the sound of a voice yelling “Ye Won! Open up!” as they kept pounding against the wooden door. Aware that it was not your house and afraid for the door’s hinges you ran to respond.

In a rush to get to the door before the person on the other end broke in, you had completely forgotten to cover yourself up. When the thought suddenly occurred to you, it was already too late. You had the front door wide open ready to greet whoever was one the other side.

“Thank God you responded I was ready to break the door- What the fu-” A deep voice greeted you and you couldn’t help but stare dumbfounded at the man standing in front of you. A very handsome man. His ebony eyes and light brown coloured hair looked too familiar for your liking.

“You- the airport- what?” He sputtered pointing at you, rubbing his eyes as if he was unable to believe the sight before him- and what a sight you were.

You felt as if the proverbial rug had been swept from under your feet. Once his words finally registered in your head you realised the promiscuous position you were in. Not only was the stranger you almost assaulted at the airport in front of you, but you were also standing there on display in a bikini. Your attempt to calm yourself down was futile, the adrenaline coursing through your veins giving way to your fight or flight reflexes. And you chose flight. With a shrill scream you didn’t think twice before slamming the door in his face, your heart threatening to pound out of your chest.

“Fuck.” What was he doing here?

You didn’t know how long you spent leaning on the door, heart in your throat, your mind devoid of any rational thought but when another pounding vibrated through you, it broke you out of your daze. Jumping up, you shook yourself off from any theories as to why the stranger you argued with in the airport could be there. Making sure you were presentable, with a trembling hand you reached for the door, hesitating.

“Open up!” With another loud pound against the wooden material that made you jolt away from the door, the man carried on yelling. “Open up or I am using the key, and I don’t care about whatever various states of undress you are in!” His voice turned dark towards the end, the huskiness in it making you shiver involuntarily. You weren’t a pushover, so with the intention to get him straight you swallowed your pride and opened the door abruptly, catching him mid knock.

“What do you want? Who are you and what are you doing here?” Tapping your foot impatiently, you resisted the urge to look at him more than necessary. Just like you did at the airport, you found him incredibly attractive. With his ruffled dark locks - this time tied in a bun at the top of his head, another bandana keeping the strays away from his face. His light coloured shirt contrasted greatly with his slightly tanned smooth skin and the boardshorts he was wearing were giving away a bit too much for your imagination to not run wild on you.

Mouth wide open, he didn’t offer you the same consideration, his eyes raking over your covered form, his intense dark gaze making you shift on spot. Arms crossed around your chest in an attempt to preserve your decency, you narrowed your eyes at him. “You come here, almost breaking the door down and don’t even have the decency to introduce yourself to the person living here?” You asked pointedly, your tone sharp, the annoyance clear in your voice.

“Just as you did when you bumped into me yesterday?” He was quick to retaliate, his stance mirroring yours. No one said anything for a few seconds, the air around you felt charged with electricity as you tried your hardest to not stray away from his dark brown eyes. You cocked an eyebrow mockingly, daring him to be the first one to break the staring match.

“Taehyung.” He conceded after a few more seconds, the weight of your stare too dangerous for his imagination. He had to admit you were beautiful, and the sight of your angered state made you even more attractive in his eyes. Deciding it was a biased opinion, he put it down to the fact that this is the only way he’s seen you up until then. The fiery glint in your eyes accentuated by rosy cheeks from the blood rushing to your face in anger.

Hearing his response and accepting it as defeat, you lowered your arms, a satisfied smirk on your face. But before you could loudly announce your win, he carried on, his response nailing you on the spot. “And this is my sister’s house.”

Eyes wide, you gaped at him. “This is what now?” You couldn’t believe your ears, his words ringing in your head as dread washed over you. “You mean to say, you live here?” You felt the telltale signs of anger readying a harsh email back towards the woman who exchanged houses with you.

Taehyung’s eyes widened, the preposterous idea making him guffaw. “What? No!” He was quick to refute. The clear panic in his voice at the thought was enough to make you sigh in relief, sending a mental apology towards Ye Won. “I’m here to see Ye Won, are you the maid?” He looked you up and down thoughtfully. “She did say she was going to get a maid, but if she’s not home I wouldn’t go around gallivanting–“ He pointed at the shift covering you, “up and down like this.”

With an indignant huff you wondered if Ye Won would be ok with you breaking her brother’s nose. Having exchanged emails with her for the better part of a month, you discovered she was not only a genuinely nice person but also considerate as she made sure to walk you through not only the house’s quirks, but also different customs in Hawaii and things to do to occupy your time. Though, you thought eyeing Taehyung with distrust, not that considerate.

“So–“ Taehyung glanced inside, his height making it easy for him to do so without struggling too much. “Where’s Ye Won?”

Scoffing at him you prepared to close the door in his face. “She’s not here, she’s in London.”

If you weren’t so annoyed at his earlier indiscretion you would’ve laughed at the way his face fell, mouth agape. “What do you mean she’s in London? Then why are you here?” He pointed at you accusingly.

“Look, it’s my first day here and I would like to spend it in a meaningful way.” You threw him a pointed look alluding to his behaviour from earlier. “If you want more details I am sure your sister can give them to you.” You placed a hand on his chest, pausing at the feel of muscle underneath your palm. Shaking yourself out of it, you reminded yourself you didn’t know this person, nor did you want to. “Now if you will excuse me.” You lightly pushed him out the doorway before shutting the door in his face.

“What a character.” You muttered, your thoughts completely taken over by the excitement awaiting you for the day.

“Kate, I’m telling you, it’s all fine. I have a long list Ye Won gave me of things to do.” Phone pressed to your ear, you reassured your friend on the other side of the ocean.

“And?” She inquired and paused hoping for more information from you. When the pregnant pause extended she sighed exasperated. “Y/N! Come on, you’re in Hawaii! What about any hot guys?”

You laughed at her, only for your thoughts to drift to the ponytailed devil you’ve met earlier. “Mnope.” You drawled, occupying yourself with the flowers in the garden. “Nothing worth mentioning.” At the whine on the other end, you felt the need to defend yourself. “Kate! I’ve only been here for a night! There is no way I could’ve met anyone in this amount of time. And also–“ you raised your voice trying to mask the blatant lie you just told her. “I am not here to meet anyone. I am here to relax.”

Kate snorted, the thought of you and relaxation in one sentence amusing to her. “You mean you will actually not think about work? Check emails? Fret about details?”

“Shhh, I know what you are trying to do.” You laughed at her ridiculousness. “Yes, I will rest. And no, I will not be hunting any men.” You added ending the call before she could speak her mind about your personal choice of staying single.

On second thought, you had absolutely no clue what you wanted to do. Going over the list Ye Won so kindly provided for you, you felt overwhelmed. It wasn’t that you weren’t any good with lists, you lived for them, your job relied on them more than you cared to admit. This list though, entailed you relaxing and having fun, two concepts which you’ve rarely experienced since leaving university.

“Not this,” your finger skimmed over the list, making a mental note to ask Ye Won what exactly did ‘going mental at the Sailor Jerry Festival’ meant. “Aha! Beach!” You exclaimed, face lighting up with excitement. “I know how to do that!” Glancing underneath the list of beaches your eyes caught her suggestion of what to do on said beaches. “Should I–?”

Smiling lightly to yourself, you nodded. Surfing. Look for Hyung Sik. Giddy at the thought of doing something out of the norm, you imagined what Katie and Georgie would say if they knew. Gathering your things you decided it was worth a try, if only to get yourself familiarised with the area and walk to the beach. Well, surf’s up I guess.

The road to the beach was littered with stalls ready to exhibit the best of what Hawaii had to offer, and you spent more than you had planned just in awe at the multitude of colours around you. The music and the atmosphere surrounded you fully, and you happily immersed yourself in the experience. For the first time in forever you felt free, the breeze coming from the ocean soothing your worries.

After a journey that took you an hour longer than intended, you reached the beach, your eyes scouring for the hut Ye Won mentioned. Past the showers, down towards the Surfer’s Den bar, you tried to remember the instructions written on the paper. Feet buried in the soft sand, your eyes wandered towards the way the soft waves broke as they reached their final destination, the music of the sea lulling you into a daydream.

“Yo-” The sound of someone yelling broke you out of your daze and you craned your neck to catch a glimpse of the source. “You’re gonna run into the tables.” Finally spotting the man waving at you, you stopped, your brain registering what he was trying to tell you. Looking around confusedly, you realised you were a few centimetres away from slamming into one of the tables that belonged to the bar.

“Oh,” squinting, you waved back to the man in thanks when your eyes caught the sign above his head. “Surf’s up.” You mumbled to yourself before your eyes lit up in recognition. “Oh! This is it!” You quickened your pace, hoping to reach the hut before you had the chance to change your mind. The man had his back towards you now, too preoccupied with a surfboard, the sheer size of it making you gulp.

“Uhm, excuse me.” You tried, your voice cracking. You didn’t know why you suddenly turned shy, you were used to talking to big names, people who could eat you for breakfast, you never faltered once. Why were you all of a sudden becoming a wallflower?

With new resolve, you tried again, your voice a notch higher. “Excuse me, are you Hyung Sik?” You asked as the man suddenly turned around, almost clocking you in the face with his elbow.

“Oh shit, I'm sorry.” He apologised, seeing your disgruntled expression. “No bubs, I’m not name’s Woo Sik.” Your heart sighed in relief at this, you could come another time, you promised yourself. But before you could turn around and run for the hills like you’d planned to, the man carried on, crushing your escape plan. “But he’s inside, I can bring him out for you.”

You wanted to tell him no and that it’s okay, but before you could utter a word he had already gone back inside, coming out with another person behind him. Wait. Another two people behind him. Were all the guys in Hawaii this hot? You questioned, the sight of their handsome faces making you freeze on spot.

“Here she is.” The man you spoke to before, Woo Sik, turned to one of the men following behind him. You assumed him to be Hyung Sik and you turned towards him, prepared to stick a hand out in greeting.

“Oh shit man, she is beautiful.” The man exclaimed and before you could decide whether you were flattered at the compliment or alienated by the thought of them talking about you behind your back, he rushed towards you, and pulled you into a friendly hug.

“Welcome to Surf’s up. I’m Hyung Sik, I’m assuming you are looking for a teacher?” He let go of you, hand still on your shoulder and you raised your eyebrow at him.

“What makes you think that, I could just be–“ you glanced at the sign behind him that read boards for hire. “Looking to hire a board...”

Hyung Sik looked you over for a second and you fought the urge to squirm under his gaze. “No offence bubs, but you look like a city person. We had one of them once,” he turned towards his friends and chuckled, “he’s a pro surfer now but, man, you city bros are so easy to read.”

The comical way in which he threw his hands up in mock frustration made you burst out laughing. You knew you should’ve taken offence at what he said, but you couldn’t find it in you. He seemed too genuine in his opinion for it to be an insult. And it’s not like he was wrong.

“Right, yes, I am looking for a teacher.” You nodded, sheepishly.

“Well bubs, I would love to be yours, I have a feeling you’re a cool one, but unfortunately I have some business I need to take care of.” He sighed dramatically.

“Oh don’t I know that.” You laughed, preparing yourself to leave once more, the hope in your heart rekindled. If he was busy you would definitely have to come again later. “Well– Ye Won’s suggestion will have to wait then.” You spoke to yourself.

“Ye Won.” The man whom you haven’t been introduced to spoke, eyes gleaming with surprise. Hyung Sik let out a loud laugh at his friend’s obvious behaviour. The man was handsome, his crooked smile and short hair giving him an air of youth that you deemed attractive. But judging by his reaction, he was already spoken for so with a shrug you nodded.

“Hush man,” Woo Sik laughed, slapping his friend over the back, the sound of it making you wince. “This lovesick fool is Seo Joon. He may be handsome, but he’s a tool.” He filled you in.

You laughed, your eyes tearing up. Between your pearls of laughter and the men’s bickering you missed the new addition to your group. “Don’t worry, I deal with tools more than I care to admit.” You winked in Seo Joon’s direction, your eyes catching sight of the man behind him. “Speaking of tools- Taehyung“ you muttered rolling your eyes. The men looked at you confusedly, before said man made his presence known.

“Y/N. You're stalking me?” He took a step towards you, the smirk on his face infuriated you.

“Perfect timing, Taehyung.” Hyung Sik wound his arm around Taehyung’s shoulders. “You got a new student.” He looked at his friend pointedly, and you had a feeling it was not a request as much as it was a command.

Taehyung prepared himself to object before you stepped in. “Oh no no, it’s ok. I can come back another time.” You tried to escape out of it, the prospect of having Taehyung as an instructor was not sitting well with you.

“Nonsense. He may be an ass, but he’s the best surfer we have.” Seo Joon smiled at you reassuringly before he lightly kicked his friend in the shin. “Stop staring.” He said amusedly, bringing your attention back to Taehyung.

“He may be a good surfer.” You said unconvincingly, “but that doesn’t make him a good teacher.” You shrugged at Taehyung’s now offended expression.

“Ohhhh I like her, can we keep her?” Woo Sik laughed, throwing his arm around your shoulders making you blush.

Taehyung looked pointedly at his friend’s arm around you before he grabbed your forearm and pulled you to him. “Fuck off Woo Sik. I’ll show you a good teacher.”

Before you could protest, he pulled you away, marching towards the side of the hut, you in tow. His friends’ laughter and teasing comments from behind were not lost to your ears. “Careful Taehyung, you may end up drowned in the ocean.”

“Right, first, you need to-” Taehyung started, only to realise he had been speaking into thin air, your form already ahead of him, ready to reach the water. “Oi!” He yelled after you, the panic settling into his heart. The waves were too dangerous for you to get in there straight away. Sprinting he ran as fast as he could, grabbing your shoulder right before you could reach the edge of the sand. “What do you think you are doing?” He huffed, trying to catch his breath.

Looking in between him and the water confusedly, you pointed at it as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “I’m uh, taking a dip?” You stared at him, eyes narrowed. “What do you think you’re doing?” You pointed at him, his shirt having unbuttoned after his mad sprint. You would’ve lied if you said it wasn’t distracting, the sight of his collar bones drawing imagery in your head you didn’t wish to have.

“Hyung Sik gave me you as a student, and we are going to learn how to surf. And this” he pointed at you, giving you a chastising look as if you were a petulant child, “is not how you do it.”

“Did I agree with you being my teacher?” You huffed, the idea of being alone with him, in water not sitting well with you. “You can learn how to surf, I will just enjoy my time swimming until someone else is available to teach me.”

Taehyung stared at you, your stubbornness shocking him into silence. “Y/N, you’re a bore.” He shrugged and you gaped at him, offended by what he was implying.

“I am not!” You almost stomped your foot, only stopping yourself when you remembered you were a grown adult not a child. “I can have fun, thank you very much.” Taehyung cocked his eyebrow, the unconvinced expression on his face spurring you on in an attempt to defend yourself. “I once went rock climbing!” You proudly declared, hoping that this would be enough to redeem yourself. You didn’t know why you felt the need to prove him wrong, but the impulse had been there ever since you met him.

“Oh, right. And let me guess, you’ve never done it again after that?” He teased you, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Feeling the need to defend yourself you almost lied, ready to tell him that you had done it multiple times after that, but in reality you knew it was not true. So with your head slightly lowered you mumbled a response.

“Ah, I knew it. Tell you what?” He proposed and you looked up at him, your breath catching in your throat. The way the morning sun caught his brown eyes, making them sparkle, made him look devilishly handsome in your eyes. If it was not for his attitude, you would have probably went for Georgie’s advice and tried to flirt, but this was a hopeless case. “I will make you lose that stuck up city shell in a couple of days.” He proposed, the smug smile on his face egging you on.

You didn’t know what possessed you to agree with it, it may have been your desire to prove him wrong, it may have been your guilty pleasure of being near him, but you readily grabbed his hand and shook it, sealing the deal.

“Fine. Now-” You looked at the ocean, the prospect of being on them on a plank making you gulp. “Where do we start?” You glanced at him, the defiance replaced with uncertainty. You were out of your element, and you were ready to admit that.

Taehyung stifled a laugh at your constipated expression, his heart warming at the thought of you placing his trust in him, regardless of your previous encounters. “Not here, City Girl.” He winked, his hand still in yours, he pulled you further in. “We need to get you used to being on the board first. And those waves will do nothing but swallow you whole.” He pulled you towards the sand, his board already placed on it in position.

“Oh so you are not putting me on a plank in the sea like pirates do huh?” You jokingly nudged him, shoulders more relaxed at the thought of being on land for the time being. Taehyung couldn’t help but laugh at your joke and as he motioned for you to stand on the board he added.

“Nah, we only make you walk the plank as an experienced surfer. For the moment you are a swabby.” He nudged you with his shoulder, making you lose your balance. “Oh lord, we need to work on that.” He sighed and you whined indignantly.

“I was not prepared! I swear my balance is better than that.” Trying to prove him wrong you went to get yourself back into position, only to miscalculate how soft the sand underneath your feet was. With a loud yelp you hurtled towards him, hand barely grazing his shoulder in a futile attempt to steady yourself, and you landed painfully on your knees. Mortified at having displayed such graceful behaviour in front of him you groaned.

“Told you.” Taehyung smiled at you and offered his hand to help you up. Pulling you back onto your feet, you steadied yourself and before the smell of him combined with the scent of the beach could throw you into a daze, you stepped away from him with an awkward cough.

“So what do I do?” You could have cursed yourself for sounding so shy, but the nerves that were piling ever since you arrived at the beach got the better of you. Smirking at you, Taehyung pulled you back onto the board.

“Well, now that I’ve witnessed you fall for me once, let’s work on your balance.” Gaping at his brazen attitude you bit back a snarky remark, settling for cursing him under your breath as you deliberately stepped on his feet.

The rest of the day, you spent in agonising pain, your feet on the board and the sun beating down on your back, your mind muddled with thoughts of the man who happened to have lost his shirt due to the heat, as he put it.

“So we are done?” You couldn’t help but blink at him in gleefulness. The prospect of being near him for longer than necessary made your heart beat out of your chest.

Taehyung laughed at your hopeful expression, undecided whether the small bursts of happiness he felt were because he was just about to burst your bubble or if it was something else.

“Oh no, this is not a one time lesson.” He picked up the surfboard, his warm hand on your naked lower back pushing you towards the ocean.

“We are going to be here for a while.” He smiled at you innocently, and your breath caught in your throat as he leaned down, his breath fanning over your face with a carefree expression. “Every day.” Oh shit.

The morning came too quickly, and you struggled to get yourself out of bed. The prospect of getting more bruised and battered than you were already was not an incentive. Thinking of the previous days of activities reminded you of the man that promised you a fun week. Taehyung drove you up the wall in more ways than one. Half the time you didn’t know whether you wanted to throttle him or kiss him; his demeanour giving you whiplash every time you argued with him. You couldn’t say you had a normal conversation with him since you’d met. First, the airport where he more than readily called you an asshole, then his first appearance at his sister’s house when he called you a maid. The tip of the iceberg were the surfing lessons he’d been roped into by his friends.

Lessons where he insulted you and your skills, whilst his hands were resting on your naked skin, as he tried to steady you on the board. Remembering how his slender hands held you by your naked waist as he barked at you to hold yourself up all but made you groan in frustration. How could such an attractive man have such a sour personality? You couldn’t explain it to yourself, especially when his friends seemed to be the nicest people you’d ever met.

Thinking about their interactions, the brotherly link between all of them, the way Taehyung interacted with them, his carefree attitude and boyish smirk as they teased each other about one thing or another - gave you even more of a headache. Seeing him like this made you realise that there was more underneath the front he put up when talking to you, and you would be lying to yourself if you said his blaise attitude towards life didn’t draw you in.

A knock at the door broke you out of your thoughts, and you scrambled to get out of bed, your foot getting caught. Stumbling, you didn’t think twice about the way you looked, or the fact that you had just woken up; you headed straight towards the front door, opening it.

“Are you going to make it a habit to present yourself in the worst ways possible?” Taehyung’s amused tone greeted you and you yelped, the urge to shut the door once more too strong. But before you could give into the impulse, his foot stuck through the doorway and he slipped inside before you could do anything.

Humming quietly to himself, he made his way towards the pool as if this was his own home. In a way you supposed it was. “Uh, want some coffee?” You offered and he waved you off, not bothering to answer as he slipped outside. You rolled your eyes at his behaviour and turned around towards the kitchen for a much needed coffee, but not before you made a beeline for the bathroom to make yourself presentable.

A few good minutes later, most of which was spent in the bathroom rearranging your hair, you made your way towards the back of the house towards the garden. The early morning air, spiced by the fresh smell of the ocean with floral hints from the gardenias in full bloom, made you smile. Your tense posture relaxed as you sipped your coffee. You took in the bright yellows reflecting in the sky, and the pool which housed a bare chested man.

Sputtering, you coughed out your mouthful of coffee, almost tempted to rub your eyes in case what you saw was a mirage made up by your tired brain. What was Taehyung doing in your pool? His back was towards you and you took the time to observe the way his muscles strained against his sun kissed skin. Mouth hanging open you gulped, the sight of his bare back too much for your brain to handle.

You glanced away before you cleared your throat loudly to get his attention. “Care to tell me what you are doing in the pool?” You questioned, your eyes observing the bushes of manfern. You waited for a full minute before you got a verbal reply, the splashing sounds coming from the side an indication of him approaching you.

“Care to tell me who you’re talking to?” He mocked, your stubbornness amusing him. Pushing himself out of the pool as you turned around to give him a piece of your mind was a disaster waiting to happen. Your words caught in your throat, the sight of his bare chest and water dripping down it reminding you of how lackluster your dating life had been until then.

“Fu- You of course.” You exclaimed, your brain struggling to form a full sentence without a swear word in between.

Taehyung enjoyed the way your cheeks flamed red, the sight of your flustered face made him as amused as it did aroused, with the knowledge that he had been the one to make you that way. “Then, is there a reason you are not looking at the person you are addressing?” He couldn’t help himself, the need to tease you further overweighing everything else. Your reactions were gold to him and he planned to make the most of it.

“Is there a reason you’re naked?” You shot back, your eyes narrowed.

“I went for a swim.” He replied calmly as if you were missing the obvious. “Plus I am not naked, I'm wearing shorts.” He motioned towards his lower half and you couldn’t help but follow his movements, your eyes stuck on his narrow waist and happy trail leading towards imagery you’d rather have not thought of. You redirected your gaze at him, his smirk making you want to clock him in the face.

“Amazing.” You muttered not sure exactly what you may have been referring to. “Now that you are out the pool, can you put a shirt on?” You made a point by grabbing the towel sitting innocently on the back of the lounge chair and throwing it at him. Desperate to change the subject you hurriedly added. “What are you doing here this early? I thought we were meeting at the beach.”

Taehyung struggled not to laugh at your plight and instead he shrugged nonchalantly. “We were, but the waves are wild today. There is no way it’s safe for any of us out there.” He toweled himself and you tried your hardest to keep your eyes trained on his face instead of his well defined abs. “Thought it would be best if we went rock climbing instead.”

His proposition was enough to make you forget his state of nakedness, and you gaped at him. “Definitely not!” You shook your head, arms crossed in defiance. “Nuh-uh, no way.”

“Why are you being such a sourpuss?” He demanded, hands crossed over his chest and you tried your hardest not to stare. The sunrise was casting its rays over the two of you, causing the sheen of sweat and water clinging to his tanned skin to glisten. His stance did nothing to help with your staring, or your desire to reach out and run your hands over his bicep, if only to prove whether or not his skin was as soft as it looked.

With a hard gulp, you forced your gaze away from his naked chest, praying that he hadn't noticed the way it lingered there for a second too long. Locking eyes with his amused ones, the tick at the corner of his mouth suggested otherwise and you felt yourself flush. Mortified at having been caught ogling at the person you’ve readily declared to dislike. His words barely registered in your head as you bristled, “I am not a sourpuss.” You declared, copying his stance, arms crossed over your chest a defiant glint in your eyes.

Taehyung wondered if you realised that your position accentuated your bikini clad upper body. His mouth suddenly became dry as he tried not to stare at the way your breasts pushed upwards, or think how much the blush still dusting your cheeks made him want to act on impulse and kiss you senseless. As rough and blunt as you’d been until then, he couldn’t deny his attraction towards you, your wit and honesty drawing him in.

“I am just cautious.” You were quick to defend yourself, interpreting his stare as his rebuttal towards what you’d just declared. “I don’t like heights.” You mumbled, your arms dropping to your side, turning your gaze towards your feet.

Taehyung’s gaze softened, a small smile flitting over his face before he straightened himself and with a hard tone he replied, “It’s not that high, and you literally decided to ride waves without a second thought. With this at least you have a harness and protection.” He motioned towards the angry wall of water, its height and aggressiveness the only reason why he decided to forego his lessons for the day. He looked at the waves wistfully; for him it would have been the perfect time to ride. Throwing a glance in your direction he shook the thoughts away. You weren’t ready for this, and if turning his back towards the session meant keeping you safe, then he would do it without a second thought. He wouldn’t let you know though, your clear distaste for anything remotely caring coming from him had been made clear earlier that week.

Sighing you nodded, he was right. Gathering your last bit of courage, you straightened yourself, shoulders square staring him straight in the eyes. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Taehyung nodded at you, the desire to take your hand to comfort you was strong, your quivering lip giving away the nervousness underneath the bravado. To prevent himself from further scaring you away, he stuffed his hands inside his pockets and motioned with his head towards his car. “Let’s go then.”

****

The sight of the tall wall in front of you made you gulp, rampant thoughts of how you were going to fall running through your head.

“You scared?” Taehyung asked, his eyes searching yours. At the discomfort he found in them he smiled ruefully. “You’re scared.” He declared and you huffed at him, puffing your cheeks.

“I am not!” You stomped your foot in discontent, closely resembling a child, and Taehyung couldn’t help but laugh. Realising what you’ve done you relaxed your stance before you slowly nodded. “I’m not good with heights.” You mumbled, admitting this to him made you feel ashamed and you couldn’t bring yourself to look him in the eyes.

Taehyung cleared his throat, berating himself for making you feel self conscious. His intention was to plan an activity that you would not only find fun, but also liberating, not to make you feel inadequate. “Hey, there’s nothing wrong with not being good with heights!” He said but you still looked unconvinced. He stopped, his mind trying to find a way to make you feel better. “Ah, did you know I was terrified of water?” At your surprised stare it was his turn to blush. Sharing information not many people knew about him, not even his closest friends, made him nervous.

“You? No way?” Your mouth dropped incredulously. Having witnessed him in the water, you could have sworn he was born in it. “But...you’re so good!” At his sheepish nod you smiled at him, the thought of having knowledge about something so personal to him made you feel warm, a wave of affection washing over you.

“But don’t tell the guys, I’ll never hear the end of it.” He whined and you couldn’t help but laugh at him, the tense atmosphere disappearing into thin air.

“So how did the mighty Kim Taehyung end up loving the water?” You inquired, enjoying the conversation that ensued between the two of you. For the first time since having met him, you spent your time admiring the boyish grin and carefree attitude directed only towards you instead of afar.

****

“Oh my god Taehyung, stop!” You laughed, unable to control your amusement at his actions. Taehyung smiled softly to himself, your laughter echoed in his brain like a song on repeat. Turning towards you with a silly smile he motioned towards the front.

“You ready?” The queue was getting smaller and smaller and you were becoming more and more nervous. Your palms began sweating, and you were certain the feeling of stickiness running down your spine was not just the sun beating down onto your naked back. The encouraging chants in your head weren’t doing a good job of keeping your anxiety at bay anymore and the churning in your stomach was a telltale sign of nausea.

“Y/N, seriously, please stop.” Taehyung grabbed your hands, and you jolted not having realised the tight hold you had on the straps of your bag. Ignoring the warmth of his smooth long fingers prying yours away from each other, you bit your lip, the butterflies in your stomach kicking up a flurry. You could’ve sworn they weren’t there at the beginning, the churning in your stomach feeling different from before. Refusing to glance his way, you kept your eyes locked onto the wire that could be your potential demise. The sight of it combined with the shouts from the people going down was doing nothing to calm your nerves. You didn’t even notice when you allowed Taehyung to interlink your fingers together, or when you gripped his hand tightly in a desperate attempt to ground yourself– but he did.

Taehyung’s gaze flitted towards your hands, the feel of your tight hold on his hand drawing his attention. For a second he allowed himself the illusion of hope, but as soon as he saw the paleness of your skin he quickly acted, afraid you may end up puking before the fun had even begun.

“Come on, we can leave if you want to.” He pulled at your hand gently, the action making you aware of your own deathgrip on his. You let your hand drop, acting as if his touch has burnt you. It may just as well have, the feeling of his warm hand on yours persisted, even after you’d separated.

Chancing a look at the wire and attempting to calculate the distance between it and the ground you hesitated. Your body was screaming at you to turn around, your fear of heights making you tremble on spot. Yet your brain kept reminding you that Taehyung was there, and you wanted to look brave in front of him- if only to prove him wrong. You knew how to have fun.

Hesitating to look him in the eye, you shook your head hoping he wouldn’t be able to read your body language. The urge to grab his hand for comfort was strong, but instead you satisfied it by gripping your shorts tightly. The line moved slowly, and with each step you took closer towards the front you felt the intensity of your trembling knees. Your mouth felt stuffed with cotton balls, and you prayed that Taehyung couldn’t see the way your hands were shaking.

Taehyung observed you for a few seconds, his thoughts at war with each other. On one hand he wanted nothing more than to grab your hand and lend you his strength, on the other, he knew that you would not accept it. Your pride was too strong to accept any consolation from him. However, when he caught sight of your hands almost ripping the pockets of your shorts he made a quick decision to reach out for your hand once more, his strong grip not allowing you to pull away from him even if you wanted to.

Not like you wanted to, as soon as you felt his fingers intertwined with yours, you gulped. Your first reaction was to pull your hand away, but the way his thumb absentmindedly drew patterns on the inside of your wrist made you pause. Was your pulse raised because of your fear of heights, or was it something entirely different this time?

Your fretting thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a cheerfully familiar voice shouting both your names from across the road. “Yo! What are you doing ‘round these parts?” You turned around to face Seo Joon, surprised to discover the question was aimed at you instead of Taehyung. Confused as to why he’d address you first, you pointed to yourself questioningly.

“Yes, you.” Seo Joon laughed. “This loser’s quirks don’t phase me anymore.” He motioned with his thumb towards Taehyung, whose face resembled a perfect picture of a tomato.

Before an argument could break out between the two friends you readily replied, “I uh, Taehyung decided that the waves are too dangerous today, so he brought me here instead.” You shrugged, not meeting Seo Joon’s careful gaze. You didn’t know why, but the way he stared at you made you shy away. He was a handsome man, and you thought that from the beginning. Not like any of Taehyung’s squad was anything but handsome, but Seo Joon’s good looks paired with his wit made you think of him more than the rest.

Your attention focused on the tips of your shoes, you missed the way the two men glanced at each other. Seo Joon’s lips curled into a mischievous smile. “Did he, now?” He wondered thoughtfully. “But the waves are perfect for a ride today, this sort of aggressiveness,” he stressed out the word and you looked up at him. “Is perfect for a surfer.”

With a cocked eyebrow in Taehyung’s direction, your lips curled into a smile as you turned back to reply to Seo Joon. “Oh, well, he clearly needed a break today then.” You wiggled your brows at him, mocking Taehyung’s habit of dipping out of training and his usual lateness. Leaning towards Seo Joon you whispered loudly, intended for Taehyung to hear. “Do you think he used me as an excuse to get out of it today?” You laughed when Taehyung sputtered in protest.

Seo Joon laughed along with you, the meaningful gaze towards his best friend not lost on you. “Ah, I don't think that is the case Y/N, late as he is, that boy lives riding those waves.” He pointed his thumb towards the ocean. “You should see him and how grumpy he is when we get choppy waves.” He laughed, this time it was his turn to wiggle his eyebrows at you. “I think he had something better in sight this time though.” He winked at you, and you felt the blush returning with furious vengeance. “I wouldn’t blame him.”

You knew what he wanted to imply, but the small glimmer of hope and warmth that took roots in your heart was quickly crushed by Taehyung’s rebuttal. “Don’t get ahead of yourself man, I may be able to ride the waves, but she can’t.” Before he could continue his phone beeped and he excused himself to take it.

You glanced after him, your wistful gaze making Seo Joon smirk as he elbowed you. “Don’t take him seriously, these waves are perfect for you to learn. He’s just a worrywart.”

And just like that, the warmth took hold of you once more, and you smiled hesitantly at him. “Well, if he is such a worrywart, why take me to this place knowing full well I have a fear of heights?” You shrugged, remembering where you were, the thought of hanging above ground only secured by a wire making you shudder with anxiety.

Seo Joon eyed you suspiciously and opened his mouth to say something else but before he could say anything, Taehyung clapped a hand on his back, phone in his other hand. “Ye Won asked about you.” He shrugged as if he was talking about the weather. However, the glint in his eyes and the way Seo Joon blushed made you think there was more to it that met the eye. Looking between the both of them questioningly, you decided to keep your opinions to yourself.

“Right,” Seo Joon awkwardly laughed, “it’s time for me to hit the waves.” Ducking away from Taehyung’s arm, he waved at you and did his signature handshake with Taehyung. “Oh–“ He turned to glance at you with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “To answer your question, maybe he just wanted to hold your hand and couldn’t find a better excuse.” He winked at you, disregarding the blush that took over your cheeks with a vengeance.

“Yo, what are you telling her?” Taehyung narrowed his eyes, prepared to clock his own friend if needed. He knew that Seo Joon had nothing but respect towards you, but the furious red that coloured the tip of your ears made him doubt the relationship the two of you had.

Seo Joon rolled his eyes at his friend’s possessiveness over you, and with a well placed slap landed on his back he loudly stated, “That you need to man up. Oh… and remember to tell her about the party Hyung Sik’s throwing tonight.”

“The what?” You glanced between the two, blush subsided, wondering what they had’t told you.

“Our monthly get together. Don’t worry.” He advised when he saw you bite your lip. “Woo Sik will pick you up if this one doesn’t grow a pair.” With that he disappeared as soon as he came, leaving you and Taehyung to deal with a load of unpacked baggage.

The two of you stared at each other in stupefied silence, thoughts running through your head.

“Uh–“ Taehyung mumbled, the panic of having been put on the spot by his friend rendering him speechless.

“Don’t worry, Woo Sik can come and get me.” You hurried, the heat from your blush refusing to go down. You ignored the way your heart constricted when he didn’t argue against it, and instead pulled you out of the line.

“Yeah, it’s late. Maybe we should call it a day, so you can get ready.” Taehyung didn’t know what possessed him, but hearing you accept his friend’s invite so readily made him feel bitter,

****

True to his word, Woo Sik came to pick you up, his dashing figure clad in a colourful shirt. The bright green contrasted greatly with his baby blue shorts, and you couldn’t help but laugh at him.

“What? Am I not a perfect summer vibes model?” He gestured to himself and you chuckled, shaking your head at him.

“Of course you are.” You stepped around him patting his shoulder as you went, only to come face to face with the man who occupied your thoughts earlier. “Oh–“

Taehyung smiled at you, “Hey.” He greeted with an awkward wave and you were almost tempted to pick on his lack of snark. But one look at his sheepish grin made you pause.

“Hi?” You returned the bashful grin, your heart pumping blood straight to your face, a flush making its way onto your cheeks.

“I uh, came to pick you up?” He motioned towards the car in the driveway. “Well, we did.” He added to your confused expression. “I don’t have a functioning car.” He clarified, hands running through his hair- a nervous tick you’d picked up on.

“He means to say, he totaled it earlier this month, so I'm the designated driver.” Woo Sik shook his head, turning around to walk to his car. “You coming lovebirds?” He added, smirking to himself as he heard the two of you sputter behind him. “I wanna get going before sunrise.”

****

The party involved a lot of dancing, drinking and avoiding each other. Either using a member of the squad or the toilet as an excuse, you managed to not see Taehyung for longer than a few seconds for most of the night.

Exiting through the back into the garden you took a deep breath in, the stifling atmosphere from inside felt too much to handle. The sound of crickets and birds drowned out the sound of the heavy bass coming from inside the house the further you walked away from it.

“Hey.” The sudden appearance of the man you had been avoiding the whole night made you jump and you couldn’t stop the loud curse that slipped past your lips.

“Shit, I'm sorry!” He apologised, his hand grazing yours. There was a brief awkward silence as you sat down on the bench next to him and gathered the courage to speak up.

“Thank you.” You whispered, your hand pulling at his colourful shirt. This time he chose to wear a pattern, foregoing the usual creams, and you were glad for that. Pretending to observe the swirls and shapes on his top you didn’t raise your eyes to meet his. “For earlier.”

Taehyung was silent for a moment, his eyes taking in the scenery. The sight of the unusually calm ocean, baby waves breaking onto the golden shore brought him a sense of peace. He was annoyed that the waves were choppy that day, however, he did it for a reason and that was enough for him. “It’s nothing.” He shrugged hoping he sounded impassive. “You paid for a lesson which I couldn't deliver, it would’ve been a waste of time to not do this.” He shifted in his seat, the drink in his hands suddenly becoming the most interesting thing he’s ever seen.

“O-oh right, yes of course.” He was right, and you knew it, but you couldn’t help the crestfallen look on your face as you toyed with your top.

You were a fool to think that he may have done it for you. How could he, the only reaction you’d shown him since you met was anger, annoyance, and very little interest. Your city girl, devil may care attitude making you act self sufficient. Never once have you considered that it may be a hindrance. The city was ruthless, you needed to be as strong as possible to survive in the midst of a dog eat dog world. Especially in your field. There was no place for weakness. But maybe this caused you to forget the simple joys of life.

However, since coming here a couple of weeks ago; living in paradise and having the chance to discover a life outside of pavements, and the rush of the 8am crowd trying to get to work, you visibly let down your guard. Meeting Taehyung, as much of a rocky start you two have had in the beginning, ended up being a blessing in disguise. Him and his squad showed you what living outside of your head and responsibilities meant - and you couldn’t be more grateful towards them. Especially the handsome man that decided to make it his personal mission to show you what ‘living life really meant’ - as he put it.

Truth was, despite your differences at the beginning, you knew you’d developed feelings for him. Seeing his affectionate side carefully chipped away at your perfectly crafted city girl tough act. Cautiously glancing at him, you took your time to commit to memory his calm and peaceful features, the ocean breeze blowing through his hair. And as you gazed at him, the shining dots from the city around you casting their glow over the both of you, you let yourself admit you were in love. In that moment nothing else mattered, not even the hefty amount of alcohol you drank. In retrospect, it should have been a warning sign, a signal for you to stop and think about your actions.

At the time, you didn’t care, the alcohol merely liquid courage for you to do what you had always wanted to. Carefully taking a step towards Taehyung, you reached for the hand closer to you, fingers brushing over his. As soon as he froze, you did too, your breath caught in your throat, scenarios of him walking away from you running through your head. It only took a second though, for him to alleviate your worries, his hand completing the journey of yours, fingers tightly woven together.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Taehyung breathed and you looked up at him in surprise. You didn’t know whether you said it out loud, or he was a mind reader, nor did you care. Those words were all you needed to hear. With a satisfied smile you bravely pulled yourself closer to him, head leaning on his shoulder.

****

The blissful feeling that wrapped itself around your whole being as you closed the door behind you, felt like a dream. Taehyung’s hand in yours, the two of you giggling like children as you drunkenly bumped into walls, you had never felt so carefree in your life, and you basked in the feeling, somehow aware, in the back of your mind that it may not last forever. But for that night, nothing else mattered but the two of you, and the summer evening was sweetened by the taste of alcohol on your lips.

“Shhh.” You loudly whispered bursting out into uncontrollable laughter when you realised the ridiculousness of the situation. Pulling him all the way into the garden, you settled for the bench behind the main palm tree. A bench where if you say you couldn’t see the sea, but if you dared look up, you could see the stars hanging above your head. Doing exactly that, your eyes narrowed, your whole attention onto the pitch black blanket littered by jewels.

“What are you doing?” Taehyung asked curiously, when you started counting the stars out loud.

“Counting stars.” You stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You should try it.” You turned around with a soft smile on your face as the moon and stars formed a halo around you, giving you an ethereal glow.

“I–“ he ran a hand through his unruly hair, the dark brown locks reminding you of deep rich chocolate. “You are leaving soon right?” He hesitated, the words bitter on his tongue. You couldn’t find the strength to reply, the words stuck in your throat so you settled for a light nod.

The silence that settled over the two of you felt uncomfortable and you shifted, the bench you two sat on making it difficult for you to not lean against him.

“Sorry.” You mumbled, feeling the beginning of a blush wash over you. He felt hot, the smell of sun and sea clinging onto his skin and you wanted nothing more but to bury yourself into his embrace.

Taehyung’s deep inhale brought you out of your own thoughts, finding the heat emanating off of him distracting. “I wish you wouldn’t leave so soon.” He whispered under his breath, making yours hitch in your throat. You glanced at him from under your lashes, only to discover that his whole attention was on the sky above your heads.

“What are you doing?” You blinked at him, throwing back at him his question from earlier. When he turned his attention back to you, the twinkle in his eyes seemed to shine as brightly as the lights above you.

“I’m wishing on a star.” He simply said, turning his attention back to the blanket of stars, completely oblivious to how his words had shifted your world.

****

Following your blissful few days with Taehyung, reality set in with a call that was enough to bring your world to a halt. Everything seemed to be sinking down into the ocean you had come to love. As you stared at your laptop screen, the words you wrote to Ye Won the day before about still sticking around in a hotel for another few weeks felt completely moot. The thought of having to not only say goodbye to her, but also her brother, the man who showed you that life was indeed more than pavements and pay raises, brought tears in your eyes.

It felt too good to be true, and maybe in a way, it was. You lived your summer of love, as brief as it had been, it was time to return to the real world. The words that kept ringing in your head after the call you had with your manager made you fall deeper and deeper into despair. You’re fired, the project fell through. No explanation as to why this would have been the reason to fire you, nor why they were not firing anyone else that had worked on that project, the call ended and left you empty and lifeless.

“Y/N.” Taehyung’s voice reverberated through the corridor as he made his way in and broke you out of your daze. With a sniffle, you wiped the stream of tears that continued to run down your face, but it was a futile attempt as not a second later he walked into the kitchen, catching you mid sob.

“Y/N.” Taehyung was not expecting to come in and find you looking so crestfallen, the dejected look on your face was a spear through his heart. Blissfully unaware of your situation he wondered what happened. “Are you...crying?” He cautiously approached you, not knowing what to do. His instincts telling him to comfort you, he tried to touch your trembling hand but you pulled away from him with such force he had to take a step back.

“I need to go.” You stood up from the counter, your eyes locked onto the clock ticking on the wall. A good reminder that time cannot stand still for you or your fancies. Taehyung’s pained expression did little to phase you, the panic in your heart, as reality began to set in, overriding any other thought or feeling. Despite the blissful weeks you’ve had with him, being accepted by the crew you knew it was time to wake up and realise this was not your reality.

“No.” Taehyung’s determined tone made you falter, and you looked at him eyes wide open in surprise.

“What do you mean no?” You questioned him, the weight of his words hitting you like a hammer to the head.

“You have been the better part of these past few weeks, I can’t let you go just like that. Not after that night. I don’t know what happened to make you change your mind, but it is fixable.” He explained, his hopeful expression making you resent him, and most importantly yourself. You fell into the trap of summer love, where emotions explode. But just like any other explosion, once the debris settles, there is only dust and ruin left. He had done nothing wrong, if there was one person to be blamed, it would be you. It hurt to know you were the one at fault, yet he would also be paying the price for your stupidity.

“Unfortunately my life doesn’t just revolve around you, or Hawaii, or this carefree attitude. I lost my job Taehyung.” You exclaimed, putting the necessary distance in between you and him, the distance that you should have made your heart set as well. “I have to find a job now, and all my life is back in London. This is borrowed time. Not my life.”

“Can you not see me as part of your life?” He pleaded, a last desperate attempt to grasp at smoke.

“I’m sorry.” You shook your head, the heaviness that settled over your heart almost suffocating. In fact the sight of him did little to bring any good memories that you’ve had in this place, it only served as a reminder of what you couldn't have. Of what was not yours to take. “I’m sorry, I-” You paused wondering what you were doing, why were you bartering your heart like that. You cared for him, that much you knew yet, your mind knew it wasn’t enough for you to drop what you had known for a whole life.

“My flight is leaving soon.” You whispered, the silence that followed your earlier outburst too much for your guilt to be able to handle. You knew you were damaging a budding relationship, that you dared not think, may have been the best relationship you’ve ever had.

Taehyung didn’t dare utter another word. He couldn’t. He knew you needed to get away, he was more than aware that you needed space, even if that meant he had to watch you drag your suitcases out the door that shut right behind you, putting more and more distance between him and you.

****

“Georgie, no!” You shook your head vehemently at your friend, her pleading face doing nothing to soften your resolve. “I am not going to accept this.”

You quickly paced around the room as you hurriedly unpacked your bags from your trip doing your best to ignore the other person lounging like a cat on your sofa. You’d been away for a couple of days, the old city of Edinburgh being your destination. You may have enjoyed your time there a bit too much given the workload of your new job. So much that you barely had time to breathe. But this was what you needed. Time spent not at work meant time for your brain to start thinking about an island, and waves, and most importantly, surfers. Specifically one surfer.

“Come on, Y/N!” Georgie’s pout almost reached the floor yet you still wouldn’t budge. “It’s been a while since you’ve been on a date!” She tried to reason with you. Unbeknownst to her, this only served as fuel for your rising anger.

“Look Georgie, I have been on a date, and I did tell you about it.” You angrily slammed the dirty laundry in the basket. “And before you say anything, yes I did enjoy myself but–“ you paused, the strength you had earlier waning. Suddenly you felt tired, and with a sigh you let yourself fall onto the couch next to her. Rubbing your eyes, your mind once again invaded by sun kissed skin and the smell of salt, you tried your hardest to keep everything at bay.

“Oh love.” Georgie shifted on the couch, her warm hand enveloping yours in comfort. “I’m sorry, it’s just–“ she paused, offering your desperate look a rueful smile. “I just want to see you happy. You lost your job–“ you started to protest but she held her hand up to stop you. “As I was saying, you lost your job, and lost your heart, and all in the span of two months. And then you come back, get a new job within weeks and act like nothing has happened. I’m just worried about you.” She squeezed your hand and you felt your carefully crafted mask slip away. She was your best friend, if you couldn’t talk to her then who could you talk to?

“I just, I miss him.” The admittance tumbling out of your mouth made you feel so much lighter. Not better by any means, it just reiterated the feeling of hurt and hopelessness. You were more than aware it was your fault you’ve been feeling like this.

“It’s my fault.” You whispered, the desperation causing your voice to crack. Georgie sighed, and enveloped you into a hug, allowing you to hide your wayward tears into her top.

“It’s not your fault.” She argued, patting your back in a comforting way. “It isn’t.”

“But it is!” You sniffed, another sob wrecking through your body. “He confessed for God’s sake! And I left!” Not bothering to hide your sobs, you let yourself go, crying for what may have been, crying for Taehyung and his crestfallen expression when you announced you were leaving.

“Go back.” Georgie simply said and you pulled away from her, an incredulous look on your face.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t want to hear from me again.” You shook your head, your tears at bay for now. Sliding away from her, you put some distance between the two of you and you rubbed away the last stubborn tears. “It’s ok, I can do this. It’s just another hiccup.” You didn’t know where this strength was coming from, but you weren’t going to question it. You were not back in Hawaii anymore, no. You were in London. And you couldn't afford to live the same life you did in Hawaii. Emotions would have to wait.

“Right.” Georgie nodded at you unconvinced.

“Look–“ you sighed, “I will go on this blind date. If only to get used to being amongst Londoners again.” You laughed wryly, the feel of a new resolve making you hopeful. Yet, why did it feel like your heart was shattering even further?

When you agreed to go on a blind date you weren’t expecting to find yourself in front of the Tiki bar in the middle of the city, completely overdressed for the location. Glancing up at the colourful sign you sighed, trust Georgie to set you up with someone you would most likely not click with in the least.

Entering the bar, you tried to not get overwhelmed at the overly done decorations, tempted to stop a waiter, tell them how much you hated the place and leave. Had it been you before London, you may have even done that, but now you swallowed your words and instead approached them for a table.

“What name?” He inquired, tapping on his Ipad and you paused realising you had no name to give them.

“Uh, Y/N?” You tried, but when he shook his head your face fell. How were you meant to find the table without a name? You couldn’t just walk around the whole place asking people if they were waiting for their very late blind date.

“Excuse me, it’s Kim.” A deep voice spoke from behind you and you froze. Not only did you recognise the name, but also you recognised the voice better than your own. You dreamt of that voice. You didn’t dare turn around, not wanting to get your hopes up. Kim was a fairly common name, and London was big, maybe you were wrong.

Steeling your heart, hoping it didn’t jump out of your chest with how fast it was beating, you turned around.

“Hello, I'm Kim Taehyung, I believe I am your date for the evening?” Your mouth fell, eyes wide open and you seemed to have lost the ability to speak. Only when the waiter asked you to follow him did you move, your feet carrying you automatically as your mind was too busy trying to comprehend the situation.

“This place is all wrong.” You heard the mutter coming from behind you and you would have laughed had it not been for the rampant way your heart seemed to be racing. You wanted to turn around, to ask him what he thought he was doing there, but you didn’t have the courage to do so.

Brought to a table near the open windows, you chuckled at the discrepancy between the atmosphere inside the bar and the crisp air of nighttime London.

“It’s ridiculous isn’t it?” Taehyung joined you at the table, his hesitancy to pull the chair for you sorted by the waiter. Still chuckling, you glanced at him, the sparkle in his eyes making your breath catch. You would be lying if you said you hadn’t missed this, the glint in his eyes when his boxy wide smile took over. The mole on the tip of his nose, which you couldn’t see because of the lights in the bar but you knew it was there, having been close enough to him to observe it in detail.

“You’re not a Londoner.” You whispered to yourself and he laughed lightly, having heard you. “What–“ your voice cracked and you cleared your throat, clammy hands wiping themselves onto your skirt underneath the table. “What are you doing here?” You decided to take the bull by the horns, not wanting to waste another minute with mindless chat. The two of you have been through enough to skirt around sensitive topics.

Taehyung looked at you, the smile slipping off his face slowly, until it was gone, his expression becoming thoughtful. You had the urge to poke the crease between his furrowed eyebrows, loathing the knowledge he felt like this. But you chose to stay seated, hands gripping at your skirt, waiting for his response. You didn’t know when he became the one person who could make you or break you, but he did. The power this man had over you was absolutely impressive.

“I, uh–“ he rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish look on his face.

“Better yet, how did this,” you motioned between the two of you “–happen?” If you saw the flash of hurt cross Taehyung’s you didn’t mention it. Patiently waiting for him to answer, you knew you were putting him selfishly in a tight spot. He wasn’t the one who decided to give up on you. It was the other way round.

“Ye Won and your friend may have had something to do with it.” He sighed, his attention to the bypassers across the street. He tried hard to not look at you, he didn’t want to see once more the rejection in your eyes.

Waiting for him to turn around to face you, you stayed silent. You wanted to reach out across the table, his hand conveniently placed for you to grab it. But the knowledge of what he may be feeling stopped you, you had no right.

“But, why?” You stammered, your thoughts in disarray. There was so much you wanted to tell him, ask him, but you couldn’t get yourself to utter them outloud.

Taehyung turned his gaze back to you, the intensity with which his eyes bore through you made you shiver, your breath caught in your throat. It felt as if your soul lay naked before him, and as much as you wanted to look away you couldn’t. For a few seconds neither of you dared to break the silence that settled between the two of you.

“I promised–“ he paused to gather his thoughts, and you waited breath abated. “I promised I would always be there.” He admitted and you let out an involuntary whimper, his words piercing through your heart.

Taehyung gathered all his strength to carry on with his confession, the thought of you rejecting him once again weighing heavily on his mind. Last time he bit the bullet, diving in head on not considering what you may have been feeling, his own wishes overpowering any other considerations. “So I want to be there, regardless of how you want me to be there for you.”

He tried to be as nonchalant as possible, but the pleading look he offered you betrayed the emotional storm he felt inside. His words shifted something deep inside of you. As a city girl born and raised between pavements and tall buildings, you learnt that courage to stick up for yourself was an important survival trait. Hearing him confess his feelings not only once, but twice, made you realise that courage lies in more than one aspect. And you’ve been nothing but a coward.

“I’m in love with you.” The words tumbled out of your mouth before you could stop them. Eyes wide at your own admission you waited for him to say something.

“I–“ Taehyung felt disarmed. He had a long speech planned, he knew you’d not be easily swayed so he came with a foolproof plan, that not only Ye Won may have had a hand in but also your friends. To hear you say you were in love with him, as ecstatic as it made him feel, his brain struggled to catch up with what was happening.

“Look, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have sprung this on you. But I don’t think I would've been able to live with myself if I didn’t get this off my chest.” You reasoned. “I was stupid, and inconsiderate, and I’m sorry–“

The warmth of his hand enveloping yours made you freeze, your eyes locked onto the table, unable to meet his. Neither of you said a word for a while, the tropical music playing in the background making you feel uneasy.

“Where is the waiter?” You tried your hardest to change the subject, eyes scouring the place, doing your best to not glance at the dark haired man in front of you. The subtlety with which you tried to pull your hand away from him didn’t go unnoticed as Taehyung squeezed it, his attempt at keeping you there with him.

“Y/N.” The desperate plea in his voice stopped you dead in your tracks, your eyes now searching his instead of a place to escape to. The pain in his eyes made you realise he thought you were planning to reject him once more, completely oblivious to reality.

“You think I am going to leave you?” You breathed out, shocked. Taehyung didn’t reply but he didn’t need to, the frown marring his face was enough proof. You knew it wasn’t appropriate, but the ridiculousness of the situation made you burst out in laughter.

“I just told you I loved you, you idiot.” You huffed, Taehyung’s eyes widening at your obvious annoyance.

“But–“ He stammered, trying to make sense as to why you’d ask about the waiter.

“We should go.” You supplied shrugging while still looking around for the missing person. The relief Taehyung felt at your words could be easily read in the chuckle that escaped him. “I don’t know about you, but I'd rather not cause a scene here.” You finished, and when you still couldn’t locate the waiter you abruptly got up, pulling Taehyung along with you.

“Are you saying this is going to go down with a big emotional confession?” He couldn’t help himself as he teased you, the glimmer of mischievousness you found in his eyes making your heart beat faster.

“Oh shush you, otherwise I’ll leave you here.” You said as you navigated through the tables. There was nothing wrong with leaving before telling someone, but with his hand in yours, the lightness in your heart after your admittance made you feel like you were a teenager about to jump into the neighbour’s pool for a midnight swim.

“Can’t do that,” he teased as you both made your way outside into the chillier London air. Once out of view, he pulled you to him. “You just admitted you loved me.”

Hearing him say the words out loud made your breath catch in your throat. And without a second thought you stood on your tiptoes, your palms resting on his chest for stability. “Well loverboy, I can always take it back.” You whispered, your lips ghosting over his in a shy kiss.

In hindsight, you should have known not to tease him, as the force with which he wrapped his arms around your middle and pulled you to him, his lips searching for yours took you by surprise. The heat of his lips, slightly bruising, felt familiar, like home, and you soon lost yourself in it. A satisfied sigh escaped you and you let your hands wonder, as he coaxed your lips open, his tongue searching for yours.

The loud whistle from a taxi driving past you made you remember you were still in the middle of the city, out in the open for everyone to see.

“And we still managed to cause a scene.” You laughed pulling yourself away, his hand not leaving your midriff. “Let's go, where are you staying?” You asked, quickly realising you didn’t even know why he was there in the first place.

“The office.” He shrugged as if it wasn’t an important bit of information and you looked at him questioningly. “I uh–, came here for the opening of my new branch. My office decided to extend from the US to the UK which was the perfect opportunity .” The tone of his voice was so neutral you could’ve fooled yourself he was talking about the weather instead of important information which he ought to have shared a while ago.

“You–“ you stopped yourself from chastising him, he could fill you in on this later. For now you just wanted to enjoy your newfound summer love and hopefully help it grow into something more as time went by.

“You didn’t think I only surfed right?” He laughed, his fingers digging into your hip as he glanced down at you. Blushing at his softened gaze you shook your head and mumbled under your breath. “What was that?” He cocked his head to the side, his smile growing bigger.

“Doesn’t matter, you can tell me all this when we are on the tube.” You hurriedly supplied, before looking at him with an impish smile. “Or, we could–“ you stopped walking and turned around to face him. “Just do,” you placed a suggestive hand on his chest, your voice low, “other things on the tube.”

“The tube?” His eyes widened and you laughed reaching up on your tiptoes to kiss him again. Grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze you pulled away and winked at him.

“Don’t worry, it’s like riding a wave.”

main masterlist

#taehyung #kim taehyung #taehyung x reader #taehyung fanfiction #summer love au #taehyung fluff #bts x reader #bts fanfiction #romance #kth #btshoneyhive #bangtaninn #btswritingcafe #bangtanarmynet #castlebangtan #silverspoon #btsgoldnet #summer love

121 notes · View notes

andreafmn · 3 years

Text

I'm Not Afraid - Chapter 6

Word Count: 3,753

Characters: Female Reader Argent Character, Original Male Argent Character, Derek Hale, Allison Argent, Scott McCall, Stiles Stilinski, Isaac Lahey, Lydia Martin, Chris Argent, Jackson Whittemore

Story Description: (Y/N) Argent arrived at Beacon Hills to put to rest her father’s sister, Kate Argent. For the first time, her family has decided to settle down and sustain a life in this interesting small town. After 17 years, (Y/N) has the opportunity to establish interpersonal relationships but will she be ready to face the complications that come with relating to her cousin’s, Allison, friends; especially, the infamous Derek Hale. She will face the adventure of being associated with the Derek and McCall pack as well as being faced with the discovery of certain aspects of her life she never imagined.

*DISCLAIMER* I do not own in any way Teen Wolf, all credits of the pre-established characters, script, and storyline belong to Jeff Davis and MTV Network. The only thing I own is Argent Reader insert, her immediate family, and her storyline, as well as her effects in the others’ storyline.

Chapter: 6/?

Warnings: mentions of murder, arson, and blood

A/N: The ending is dark, y'all, dark. If you enjoy my writing I’ll also be posting them in AO3 and Wattpad along with other stories (I also hope to start taking requests if ya’ll want) Hope you enjoy and all constructive criticism is encouraged.

TikTok • Instagram • Business

<- Previous | Next ->

Chapter 6

I followed my father inside the house, my hands trembling and sweating. The only topic I believed they would seriously need to talk to me about was the supernatural and the family business. Just as I had told Derek, if I hadn’t met him and Scott, I would have probably joined without a second thought. But I had met them, I had been embraced by them, and I didn’t know what I was going to answer.

I sat across from my parents on the kitchen’s island. They seemed excited, but a bit anxious. Obviously, revealing to your daughter the existence of supernatural beings and the fact that the whole family hunted them wasn’t an easy task. At least, she already knew the most hard-hitting information and she wouldn’t feel blindsided.

“Honey, what we have to tell you is very important, and we don’t want you to feel like we have been keeping this from you on purpose,” my mother started. “But you need to understand that everything we have to say today is nothing but the truth. Okay?”

“Guys, what is it? You’re scaring me.”

“You know that all Argents work at the family company, Argent Arms International, and that at some point you’d probably end up working there.”

“Yeah, dad. The reason I know too much about weapons,” I laughed. I couldn’t let on that I knew more than they thought.

“Well, the company is actually a front for the real work we do behind the scenes, and the reason we’re on the road a lot,” my father started. “Since the start of our lineage Argents have been hunters.”

“Hunters of what?”

“Now, I need you to remember that what I am about to tell you is the full honest truth.” I nodded. “We hunt supernatural creatures, but mainly werewolves. You remember the tattoo I have on my arm that you asked about when you were younger?”

“Yeah, ‘Nous chassons ceux qui nous chassent’. French, we hunt those who hunt us. I always thought it was more of a psychological phrase.”

“That’s our family mantra. All Argent generations have been trained since childhood to become hunters one day, Chris and I were the only ones that decided to give you and Allison the choice once you became teenagers to know about our world. It’s completely up to you to join us.”

“So, all the training, physical and with weapons, was all in preparation for this?” My father nodded. I could see the worry in his face of how I would take this news – a one-worded answer was going to shift my whole life. It was one thing to be knowledgeable of this life, it was another to be in the center of all of it.

“We run by a code,” my father explained. “We only hunt those who have been proven to have harmed innocent lives – only adults, no young ones, and no humans. Any hunter that breaks that code is an enemy to our cause.”

“Is that what aunt Kate did?” I spoke in a hushed tone knowing this was a difficult topic for my father, one that we hadn’t touched upon in the time we had been here.

“Yes, it is” my mother answered. Her dislike towards her sister-in-law wasn’t a secret. Mom had always thought of her as arrogant and self-centered – or so she would state when in an alcohol-induced rant.

“Unfortunately, my sister did break the code, but that’s beside the point,” dad interjected. “Sweetheart, we make sure that everyone around us is protected from the creatures that are unknown. So, what do you think? Do you want to join us?”

They both studied my face, waiting on any reaction that could arise from me. All I could think is how my decision could affect the people that had made their way into my life. Allison had accepted, and although her relationship with Scott was strained, she still managed to keep him close. But what if I accepted and all it did was deteriorate all the new relationship I was trying to build?

“Yes.”

After the conversation, my father warned me that training would start soon, after I passed some sort of test. They were happy that I had agreed to join the family trade, but I noticed a sign of worry in my father’s eyes. His whole life had been built around supernatural hunting, so what was he worried about? Whatever it was, he did not express. They had both been called away on a meeting and excused themselves before leaving. With the house to myself, I basked in my decision sitting on the living room couch, petting Brody.

“What do you think, bub? Did I make the right choice?” Brody looked up at me, his tongue hanging out, a smile on his face. A bark came after and I took it as confirmation that I had. “Maybe you’re right. We’ll see, huh? Should I call Derek and tell him?”

At the sound of Derek’s name, Brody barked out happily. I laughed at his reaction and decided to call Derek. It still surprised me that Brody had taken to Derek so quickly – probably had to do with him being a werewolf and an alpha. I clicked on his contact on my phone and waited on speaker for him to pick up.

“Hello?” His voice rang out, exciting Brody once more. “Hey, buddy!”

“He’s been very excited to hear from you.”

“I can see,” he chuckled. “I can assume you made it home safely?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“What’s wrong? You sound weird.”

“How can you possibly deduct my tone from over the phone?”

“Intuition, you could say. But seriously, what’s wrong?”

“Well, my parents talked to me about the family business,” I breathed out, nerves building up inside. I didn’t know what his reaction would be, and I hope my decision wouldn’t push him away. “They asked me to join them.”

“And what did you say?” He already knew the answer. Asking was just courtesy.

“I said yes.” He kept quiet for a second, and I truly believed I had ruined our relationship before anything had ever started. “Are you mad?”

“I can’t be mad. I understand why you did it, they’re your family. Why would you think I would be mad?”

“I don’t know. I’m gonna be actively working on hunting you and your kind, that would put a strain on any kind of relationship.”

“And what kind of relationship would that be?” He teased.

“Derek, this is serious. What kind of relationship could we have when we’re born enemies?”

“Allison and Scott seem to make it work. It’s hard, but it’s not impossible.”

“So, sneaking around, worrying every second that we’d be found out by hunters. Seems viable,” I snickered. “And in no way, shape, or form stressful. Believe me, Derek, I have enough anxiety as it is. I don’t need the stress of keeping all my relationships secret.”

“Do you have any other choice?”

“I guess I don’t.”

“The way I see it, (Y/N), is you can use this opportunity and work for both sides. You can protect us from the inside, and hunt those that are a real threat. Like the Kanima,” he stated. It made sense to work with my family to protect my friends, even if my family was hunting them. “And, as much as I hate saying this, you should talk to Allison about this. She seems to be handling this way better than I thought.”

“I will. Thanks, Derek. I’ll call you soon, okay?”

“I’ll be waiting. Sleep well, (Y/N).”

“You too, Derek.”

I hung up the phone and breathed out. My life had turned a lot more complicated than I had ever imagined, and I was sure it was going to turn a lot worse. I had just started dipping my toes in the supernatural pot we were living in, something told me that there was still so much that I didn’t know. And there was one person I knew would have the answers I was seeking.

I grabbed my jacket off the coat rack and got on my motorcycle, a clear route ingrained in my brain. The night was cold, and the breeze nipped at my skin as it blew under my shirt. There was so much I had to learn, and so little time.

The drive wasn’t long, and I was still surprised I remembered the way.

The lights in the McCall house were off, but the car was in front, so I assumed Scott was home. I would have gone to Allison, but I needed to know everything, and I was sure she would try to protect me from the worst of it. Scott seemed like someone I could trust, and being at the center of everything gave him a lot more insight that I could use. I looked around the house and, remembering which room was his, found a way to climb up the side to his window. Hopefully, I didn’t encounter something I didn’t want to see.

Looking away, I knocked on his window – loud enough for him to hear, but silent enough to not alarm his mom. I clutched my jacket tighter as I waited for an answer, the wind finding me easier on higher ground. It didn’t take long for the window to slid open, revealing a very confused Scott.

“(Y/N)?” He rubbed sleep off his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you. Can I come in?”

“Sure.” He stepped aside and let me through. His room was messier than the last time I had seen it, and the bed was disheveled. On his desk, his computer was propped open, and a disarray of papers lived atop the wooden surface.

“Sorry for waking you, but this couldn’t wait.”

“Don’t worry. I couldn’t sleep anyway,” he chuckled. A lopsided smile taking place on his face. “So, what’s up?”

“Tonight, I was asked by my parents to join the hunters, and I agreed. But, going into this, I’m the one that knows the least about this world. Apart from Lydia, that is. I need to know everything you know about what we are up against. I don’t think our parents would have asked Allison and me to join now unless we were facing something truly dangerous.”

“Okay, I get it. And please don’t take this the wrong way, but why are you asking me and not Allison or even Derek? It seems like they would be the natural choice to ask about this.”

“Because they would try to shield me from the most dangerous aspects of what’s happening. Hopefully, you being a third party you’ll be truly honest about the situation we are in.” My tone came out friendly, but the underlying threat was evidently laced with it.

“Alright, where do you want me to start?”

“I want to know everything. No detail left out.”

“For me, this all started last year…”

And everything I learned. Scott had been bitten by Peter Hale, Derek’s uncle, who was alpha at the time. Most of last year he spent learning about his new werewolf life, which he believed he was alone in, until Derek, who came from a long line of werewolves that resided in Beacon Hills. The very same family my aunt had murdered. When he explained that part of Derek’s history, I couldn’t help but tear up. How could he ever stand being near me when my own blood had done that to him? Ripped him from his family in such a horrifying manner. I knew she had killed people but knowing that Derek was one of the survivors made my stomach knot.

He also told me how Derek came to be the alpha, and how Peter had held the alpha title also. And how my aunt had truly died. Everyone’s stories seemed to bundle into the same mess of supernatural chaos.

“Then, Jackson asked for the bite, which Derek gave him. And the thing about the bite, you sometimes turn into something other than a werewolf due to internal issues you could say. So, he became the Kanima, which is a lizard type-creature that looks for a master as we just recently learned. His main objective is to do as his master commands, and in his case, it's killing a bunch of people. He also secretes a venom that paralyzes people, but it didn’t work on you and Lydia.” Me? “Which was really weird – Lydia, we think it has something to do with Peter biting her. But you, we’re not sure. Because there’s no indication as to why you could possibly be immune. Unless you’re not human, but that would mean that Lydia’s not human either, and that doesn’t make sense.”

“Okay, Scott. You’re rambling,” I chuckled dryly, stopping him in his track. How he talked for so long, I did not understand. I believed Stiles was the only one with that ability. “How could you know that I was immune though? I haven’t had any contact with the Kanima or this venom.”

“Well, actually, the day we were making rock crystals in lab, Isaac had left some venom on Lydia’s crystal. You weren’t supposed to taste it, but it was a surprise when nothing happened to you. Have you ever been in contact with any other supernatural beings?”

“Seeing as I didn’t even know my parents were hunters, it’s safe to assume I haven’t. But I think finding out why I am the way I am is at the bottom of the list with this Kanima going around.”

“Yeah, and your family is making it very hard to do so when they’re actively hunting us.”

“They can’t be, they run by a code, and you guys are innocent.”

“But your grandfather doesn’t care. He lifted the code. He’s on a rampage towards all supernatural creatures, us included. They’re even keeping an eye on us at school – with Gerard running it and Victoria being our new teacher.”

“But we have the upper hand in learning about the Kanima, right? I mean, if my family is actively recruiting the younger ones, it means they are up against a threat they don’t know about, and we have the bestiary translated.”

“Kind of. I just have a feeling Gerard knows a lot more than he lets on.”

“Can’t really give insight on a person I don’t know. But anything I find out I’ll be sure to pass it along,” I smiled. “I still can’t believe all of this was happening right under my nose. How did I not notice?”

“It’s easy to ignore when you don’t know it exists. If I hadn’t been in the forest that night, I would be as in the dark as you were.”

“I guess so,” I smiled. “Thank you, Scott. For your honesty, and for trusting me with this information.”

“You’re one of us now, (Y/N). We look out for our own.”

“Thank you, Scott. I’ll leave you now to hopefully catch up on some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow at school.”

“Of course, (Y/N). We’re gonna meet up with Allison in the library to talk about the Kanima. I think it’d be good for you to be there.”

“I will.” My body was outside the house, squatting in front of the window. “Again, thanks, Scott. It’s good to know I have a friend looking out for us.”

“Don’t mention it, (Y/N).” He smiled, scratching his neck trying to hide the blush that had crept to his face. “Get home safe.”

I felt uneasy the whole ride back home. I truly couldn’t fathom how Derek old even spend a second with me after everything my family had put him through. My stomach hadn’t stopped turning, and I felt like I could throw up at any second. He didn’t deserve to have to look at a person that resembled the person that had screwed up his life. The tears started streaming from my eyes before I could stop them. It didn’t feel right, and it wasn’t right.

Somehow I made it back home. I had blacked out at some point and was moving out of muscle memory. I was glad my parents had not made it back home yet — I could let tears cascade without having to hide them. Allison and I had always looked up to our aunt. To us, she presented herself as a confident, independent, and badass woman. I still remember how one Christmas Allison and I had gotten into her clothes and pretended to be her. When Kate found us, she couldn’t help but laugh at the two little irks in front of her. She questioned what we were doing and we told her we wanted to be just like her. I recalled how I told her I wanted to grow up to be her. There’s nothing I wouldn’t have done to take that back. Had I know back then what I knew now, I would have stayed as far away from her.

“This family is all types of messed up. Huh, Brody?” My dog looked up at me, a questioning glance on his face. “What am I gonna do, bub? I don’t think I’m strong enough to face him. I really don’t.”

Brody barked, leaving kisses on my cheeks — a nimble approach to getting rid of my tears. I snuggled closer to him, enjoying his comforting presence. There was no way I was going to be able to sleep well tonight.

I was standing in the middle of Derek’s family home, the only light coming from the moon peeking through the clouds. It was a cold night, and the low temperature was seeping into my bones. My whole body ached and the air smelled of soot. I felt uneasy standing there. Now knowing its history, my heart clenched tightly. I could only imagine the pain that had ensued in what I presumed was an agonizingly slow death. The tears that escaped from my eyes burned into my skin, and my ears rang with an unknown high pitch. I kneeled on the floor, and attempt to catch m breath.

“It hurts doesn’t it?” I stood up, the unknown voice startling me. “The smell is the worst part.”

“Aunt Kate.”

“The screams weren’t that bad,” she chuckled. “They died down quickly. There’s so much screaming you can do when smoke fills your lungs.”

“Stop,” I sobbed. “Please.”

“I can just imagine them thinking it was a normal afternoon, and then the fire starts. You know, wooden houses are a very good catalyst to speed up a fire.”

“Stop.”

“(Y/N), come on.” Kate was grinning, a sinister smile that would have anyone shivering. “It’s only a matter of time before you do something similar. You and I have always been the most alike — centered, strong, morally grey. It’s in your blood, baby girl. At first, you’re gonna believe you’re on their side, but soon you’ll see that they’re all bad. Sooner or later they all spill innocent blood. It’s better to get them when they’re fresh, it’s so much easier”

“How can you talk like that? These are people’s lives you are talking about.”

“It’s different, sweetheart. They’re not normal, they’re a living abomination,” she rationalized. “This is all a game of power. We can’t allow them to have the upper hand. If we let that happen, they’ll overtake us, and there is a natural order to things.”

“Is that why you murdered a whole family of innocent beings? The family of a kid you tricked to fall for you, leaving him alone to suffer!” I yelled, the loudness hurting my throat. “You tricked Derek and used him to end his line. Why?”

“A pack is only as strong as its number. The bigger they are, the stronger they are. I was just doing my job,” she grinned. “Just like you did.”

“What are you talking about? I would never do something as heartless as you have.”

“Are you sure, honey? Why don’t you walk through that door and say that again.”

I stared at her like a deer stuck in headlights. My body shook as I slowly made my way to the dark front door of the house. Her eyes burned into every step I took, the sinus eerie grin still prominent on her face. With every step, her stare edging me on forward. There was a scene to unfold behind that door, and she was eager for me to see it.

I stretched my hand towards the doorknob but flinched when I felt the burning temperature it held. Kate said nothing as she encouraged me to open the door, daring me to face whatever I had to with just her gaze. I braced myself for the feeling and clasped my hand around the knob, turning it to reveal whatever it was that she wanted me to see.

The scene in front of me was heartbreaking. We now stood in front of Derek’s apartment complex, his loft lit aflame. The smell of ash was more prominent and the heat was almost unbearable. I tried to run into the building, the need to help any survivors growing in me. But Kate held me back, a painful grip holding onto my arm.

“Let me go!” I yelled through tears. “I need to save my friends.”

“Darling, don’t you get it?” She chuckled. “They’re all gone. All thanks to you. Look at your hands, honey.”

I did as she told, and my breath hitched in my throat when I did. My clothes were drenched in blood, and in my hands, I carried a bloody knife and a lighter. “No, I would never do this.”

“You already did.” She pointed forward, fixing my sight on the bodies that laid on the floor of the lot. “And some of them were innocent, too. But in war, there are always casualties. I mean, your cousin sided with them, and look how she ended up.”

I walked around the bodies, trying to find a sign of life in any of them as a flood of tears streamed out of my ducts.

Scott.

Stiles.

Lydia.

Isaac.

Allison.

Even Boyd and Erica were there.

But I didn’t see one important person. “Where’s Derek?” My voice croaked, barely the volume of a whisper.

“Who do you think is inside the building? It’s a fitting end for him. Dying in the way he shucked have years ago,” she laughed maniacally. “At least he’ll relate to his family when he gets to the other side.

“NO!” Once again I tried to run into the building, needing to risk my ice to save his. But she stopped name in my tracks once more, her grip tightening. “Let me go, please. Just let me go, I have to save him.”

“Honey, he’s already gone,” she scoffed. “Don’t you get it, sweetheart? There are only two ways this will end — it’s either you or them. And the sooner you accept it, the easier it will be; you are just like me.”

Tag List: @hellowinterlane @lokisgoddesofpower @mersuperwholocked-lowlife @malar-region @sunshine-flower

207 notes · View notes