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justagalwhowrites · 2 months

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Halcyon - Ch. 7: It'll Be Nice to Feel Wanted for a Change

You and Joel decide your next steps. A continuation of Halcyon from the prologue through Ch. 6, a modern no outbreak AU TLOU fic found on Tumblr here.

^I keep using Pedro gifs instead of Joel gifs because Joel is such a baby in this fic I'm sorry 😭

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: Diet culture type language. Modern No Outbreak AU, No use of Y/N, Slow burn, 18+ only, Minors DNI

Length: 7.3K

AO3 | Main Master List | Prologue | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

“Told you, I have connections.”

Joel rolled his eyes and took a sip of his coffee, watching as the kids on the soccer field changed directions.

“Still feel like business school is overkill,” he said, putting the travel mug in the cupholder of his folding chair. “Especially at this point… GET ‘EM BABY GIRL!”

Sarah stole the ball from a girl on the other team and dodged another girl before starting to charge up field, a serious look on her face.

“GO SARAH!” You jumped up and screamed, cupping your hands around your mouth. Sarah got pinned down and looked around before passing the ball, sending the it between two defenders to another player. Her teammate got the ball and sent it careening toward the goal before the other team could change direction. It sailed in and Joel leapt to his feet, the two of you jumping and clapping. “HECK YEAH!”

Sarah beamed at the two of you before she went to hug the girl who scored. You and Joel sat back down as play started back up. The coffee had spilled some in his excitement, the fabric arm of the chair wet.

“Now is the time to do the business school thing,” you said as you leaned forward on your thighs, watching the game intently, your hands clasped together and tucked between your knees. “And besides, it’s not actual business school. It’s… business school light. Enough to help you draw up a business plan and that kind of shi…stuff. The kind of stuff that you’ll need if you need to take out money from the bank to get started.”

Joel sighed. He knew you were right, he just wasn’t crazy about the idea.

After you’d had dinner - and nearly devolved into an argument that, in hindsight, Joel really was not ready to have no matter how hard he was pushing for it - the two of you had gone back and forth about what to do next.

Your call shouldn’t have surprised him. You’d always been an academic sort of person, the fact that you’d gotten into some fancy college had come as no surprise to Joel. Of course your first idea involved formal education.

You reached out to a friend of a friend at the business school and got some of his recorded lectures from the era of virtual classes during COVID. He was happy to share them once you explained it, compiling some lectures, notes and guides for Joel to use.

Joel felt bad about putting some stranger out like that but you said he was happy to do it in exchange for an autographed copy of your book.

“I know, it’s crazy,” you’d teased when he looked at you in disbelief. “Should have let me draw on your face that one time, think of how valuable it’d be now…”

Joel just snorted and shook his head.

“Get in there!”

You were on your feet again, watching as Sarah tackled the ball away from another girl. You screamed and jumped when she succeeded and Sarah smiled as she clambered back to her feet.

“Good job, kiddo!” Joel called, still seated but smiling. You got really into Sarah’s games, Joel had quickly learned. He wasn’t about to admit it to you, but he loved it. It reminded him of when you were both in high school, when you’d watch from the front row of the stands during football games, screaming so loud that he could hear you over everyone else at the game. You drew his number on your cheek and bleached it onto a t-shirt. You’d even made Tommy a matching one, something the 10-year-old had taken as a profession of undying love and devotion back then.

The next time you were at the house after giving him the shirt, Tommy sauntered through the kitchen where you and Joel were having a snack, topless, drenched in cologne and hair slicked back. Joel watched you try not to laugh as Tommy leaned on the table in front of you, giving you a cocky smile.

“Hey Goldie,” he said, his voice artificially deep. Joel choked on his Coke and covered it with a cough. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Really?” You asked, brows raised. “Even though I’m here every Saturday afternoon?”

His smile faltered.

“Well… uh…” his eyes darted to Joel, like he was looking for help. Joel just held up his hands. “Just… didn’t expect you to be here looking so good.”

“Oh,” Joel could see the edges of your lips pulling up. “So I don’t normally look good? Darn…”

“No, wait…” he stood up from the table, eyes darting to Joel again. “I don’t… you…”

“Don’t you have a matchbox car to crash or something?” Joel asked. “Stop tryin’ to pick up my girl, little man.”

“Fuck off,” Tommy muttered before stomping back off toward his room.

“I’ll tell mom you said that,” Joel leaned forward and watched his little brother go.

“So I’m your girl now?” You teased once he was out of ear shot. “News to me. And be nice to him, he’s just a kid and he’s a sweetheart.”

“He thinks he’s Don Juanito is what he is,” Joel muttered, sitting back in his seat and taking a sip of his Coke. “You being my girl might be the only way he leaves you alone.”

You rolled your eyes but smiled a little anyway.

“All this trouble because I wanted to support my best friend as he fucked up in the red zone…”

“I’ll tell my mom on your language, too,” he said. “Don’t think she won’t smack you upside your head just because she didn’t birth you. You’re her favorite kid, but don’t push it.”

Tommy had, thankfully, gotten over his crush on you. A fact that Joel was endlessly thankful for now that his part in helping you complete your list included finding you a fucking date.

There was a guy on his team at work he thought would at least be something besides a total waste of time. Blake was a decent man, one of the few on the site who didn’t say disgusting shit about women the second they believed they were among other assholes who thought the same way. Joel had caught him reading once on his lunch break, something that he was sure would be important to you. You’d want someone who read. Joel should read more.

Blake, Joel thought, would be a decent enough guy to set you up with. Not good enough for you - no one was good enough for you - but at least a damn improvement over fucking Brad.

He just hoped it wouldn’t stick.

Not that he wanted you to be alone. He didn’t. He wanted you to be happy. More than almost anything else he wanted you to be happy. He wanted you to have whatever it took to make that happen. But he wasn’t sure how he’d get past working with someone he knew got to kiss you, touch you, fuck you. He’d hear about dates with you and things you enjoyed with a boyfriend and not just your friend. He’d have to hear all about what someone else was doing for you because he couldn’t.

Which was fine. Should be fine. You were his friend, you’d always been his friend. He could love you as a friend, he did love you as a friend, he could get past the other shit. He could.

And if Blake ever decided to try to talk about you the way some of the other assholes they worked with talked about their girlfriends then, well, at least Joel could fucking deck him for it.

“She’s killing it out there,” you settled back into your folding chair and glanced over at Joel.

“She always does,” Joel nodded. “She’s got skills, that girl.”

“She seems to really like it, too,” you said, eyes back on Sarah. “Which is the important thing. If she’s good enough, she could get scholarships and shit. But that really only matters if she also likes it, there’s no use in her being miserable because of the demands of being a student athlete because she happens to be good a sport she doesn’t enjoy…”

“She loves it,” Joel said. “And, honestly, I’m hopin’ that sticks and that she can get a scholarship, lord knows I can’t afford to shell out for college…”

“You can’t now,” you corrected him good naturedly. “But once you become Joel Miller: Entrepreneur and man about town, that’s another story.”

Joel scoffed.

“What?” You asked.

“You’ve just got a lot more faith in me than I do.”

“Aren’t I supposed to?” You asked, looking at him again. “You’re my person so that’s part of my my job. Recognizing your potential.”

“See, just the fact that you think I have potential to recognize…”

“Oh shut up,” you swatted his arm and he laughed a little, watching you watch his daughter run back up the field.

No, Blake didn’t deserve you. No one did. Least of all Joel.

Sarah’s team won the game and she was beaming when she ran over to you and Joel after the post-game huddle.

“Did you see that one steal I did?” She asked, leaning between the front seats of the truck. “It was so cool, I almost missed it but then I got it to Sophie and she was able to score and it was so COOL!”

“Seatbelt,” Joel said. Sarah rolled her eyes but flopped back into her seat and buckled up, anyway. “Thank you. And yes, we saw, Baby Girl! You kicked ass out there.”

“Can ass kickers pick lunch?” She asked.

“Ass kickers can pick lunch,” Joel said. “But ass kickers can’t say ass until they’re at least 13, sorry kiddo.”

“Aw man,” she huffed but then smiled. “I’m gonna swear so much on my 13th birthday…”

“Yeah I bet you are,” he shook is head and caught you trying not to laugh out of the corner of his eye. “Alright, kiddo, where for lunch?”

Joel watched her in the rearview mirror, a serious look on her face as she considered her options.

“Dairy Queen,” she said eventually, nodding seriously. “Because then I can get a Blizzard.”

“Whatever the ass kicker demands,” Joel said.

Sarah ordered a burger with her blizzard before going to find a table. Joel got the steak fingers and a shake and you just stood there, staring up at the menu board with a slight frown on your face.

“What?” Joel asked. “C’mon, it’s a limited menu, can’t be that hard.”

“It’s just been forever since I’ve been to a DQ,” you said absently. “Not sure what to really get…”

“Goldie,” he said, voice serious. You looked at him, frowning. “We both know what you get at Dairy Queen.”

“Yeah, when I was a teenager,” you looked back up at the menu. “Little different now…”

“Not gonna find a salad up there,” he said.

“Yeah, but…”

“Remember how the number one thing on your list was finalize your divorce?” He asked. You looked at him again, brows raised. “Well, this is one part of that you can control. You can ditch all the stupid shit that asshole put in your head, starting with the idea that you can’t get chicken fingers every once in a while.”

He didn’t give you a chance to reply, instead looking to the cashier.

“She’ll do the chicken fingers basket,” Joel said. “With fries. And a medium Reese’s Blizzard.”

“Small,” you corrected him.

“Medium,” he said, looking over at you. “Because we both know I want to eat half of it.”

You laughed a little.

“Medium,” you said.

“Alright,” he said, going to pay.

When the food came out, he took one of your chicken fingers and your eyes went wide.

“Hey!”

“Oh sit tight,” he rolled his eyes and dropped one of his steak fingers in your basket.

“What makes you think I want one of your steak fingers?” You asked, incredulous.

“You always want one of my steak fingers,” he said. “Every time.”

You glared at him for a second.

“Shut up.”

Joel laughed before dropping an onion ring in your basket and swiping a few fries.

“So you guys really hung out all the time before, huh?” Sarah said, eating a fry and watching the two of you from across the table.

“We did,” you smiled at Joel before looking back at Sarah. “We basically lived together, probably drove our moms crazy…”

“Your mom, maybe,” Joel teased. “Mine loved havin’ you around all the time. Said you were a good influence.”

“Because I was,” you teased back.

“So,” Sarah watched you both closely. “Why didn’t I meet you until now? I mean, I met other friends of my dad’s. Did you guys have a fight or something?”

The two of you looked at each other for a second. How the fuck was Joel supposed to explain this to his kid? Yeah, we were friends, and then the two of us decided to have sex and then just stop talking for a decade and a half? Not quite age appropriate.

“Well,” you said, dipping one of your fries in your Blizzard before popping it in your mouth.

“You’re so gross,” Joel said and you rolled your eyes and elbowed him in the side.

“Shove it,” you smiled a little and looked back to Sarah. “We finished high school and I had to move for college and we just kind of stopped talking quite as much, we didn’t do a great job of keeping in touch. We were busy, it just kind of happens when you’re a grown up.”

Sarah crinkled her nose.

“That’s dumb,” she said.

“You’re right,” you smiled a little, looking at Joel. “But adults do dumb things sometimes.”

Sarah nodded slowly, taking a fry and dipping it in her Oreo Blizzard before taking a hesitant bite and chewing thoughtfully. She frowned for a moment before her eyes lit up and she dipped the fry again.

Joel groaned.

“Not you, too…”

“Just gotta get on the French fries in ice cream train, Miller,” you smiled smugly. “Sweet, savory? It’s the best.”

“She’s right, Dad,” Sarah said, dipping another fry. “This is better than ketchup.”

“I’m surrounded by weirdos,” Joel muttered but he couldn’t help smiling a little to himself, watching you and his daughter together, a strange pull at the base of his chest at the sight. This, he thought, was how it was supposed to be. You were meant to be with the two of them, it was obvious. It was almost strange, how clearly he fit with you. He hadn’t felt like there was something distinctly missing over the last decade. He’d gone about his life, raising his daughter, trying to get ahead at work. He bought a house, kept his brother’s nose clean, buried his mother. There had been no distinct sense of absence. He thought of you often - every day, really - and it hurt but it was a dulled pain, a longing for what he had before. He hadn’t known what he’d really been missing, the way things would be with you at the stage of life you were both in now.

But now that he had you here, he wondered how he hadn’t noticed this gaping hole at the center of his reality before. There would be no excising you from him now, it wouldn’t work, the ragged edges of your absence would be too clear in everything he did.

He’d just have to do whatever it took to keep you in his life. Even if that meant setting you up with some guy from work.

“So Sarah,” you said, ripping your chicken finger in half and reaching over to dip it in the gravy in Joel’s basket.

“Hey!”

You ignored him.

“Do you think you can do me a favor?” You continued, eating the chicken tender.

“Sure,” she shrugged. “What do you need?”

“Well,” you said, brushing your hands free of crumbs before taking a sip of your drink. “I was thinking about getting a cat but I have no idea how to pick a cat. Do you think you could come with me to the shelter and help me look? Just make sure I’m finding the right one?”

Her eyes lit up and she looked at Joel.

“Can I Dad?” She begged. “Please? I love cats, they’re so cute, and…”

Joel laughed, draping his arm over the bench behind you. You’d already talked with him about this, seeing if Sarah wanted to go to the animal shelter this afternoon. He knew she’d love it.

“Well,” he sighed, pretending to consider it. “If you promise to behave this week…”

“I will!”

“And do all your homework the first time I ask,” he said.

“Deal!”

“Then alright,” he conceded. “We can go with Aunt Goldie to pick a cat.”

“Yes!” She punched the air in victory and Joel smiled and shook his head, settling back in the booth with his shake in his hand.

The three of you went back to Joel’s and gave Sarah a chance to get cleaned up before heading to the shelter to look at cats. Sarah took over the radio in the car and insisted on playing Taylor Swift and you learned the chorus to one of the songs she was belting in the back seat, singing along the last time through, windows rolled down, your hand tapping out the rhythm of the song on the outside of the door.

“So what kind of cat do you want?” Sarah asked, turning to face you and Joel as she walked backwards down the row of cages.

“I don’t really know,” you shrugged. “Never really had a pet. One that wants to sit on my lap and purr?”

“See what not having a pet as a kid does to you, Dad?” Sarah said, looking at Joel with wide eyes. “Leaves you totally unprepared for picking a pet later in life. I should get a cat, too, while we’re here.”

“No,” he said. “Watch where you’re walkin’.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically but obeyed, leading the way through the cages.

“Oh, look at this one!” She stopped in front of a cage and laced her fingers through the bars, a black and white cat on the other side of it watching her from the back corner. “She’s so pretty!”

Joel stood at your back as you paused, looking at the cat for a moment.

“She is pretty,” you said. “But I want to see all of them first before I see if there are any we want to really meet.”

Sarah stopped outside of a gray and white tabby’s cage, the cat rubbing its face over the bars.

“Aw!” She reached a finger out and brushed along its cheek. “She’s so cute! And she seems so sweet!”

“She does,” you agreed, reaching around Sarah to give the cat a haphazard pet.

“Dad!” Sarah looked back over her shoulder at him. “Her name is Swiftie! She’s perfect!”

“We’re not here for us, Baby Girl,” Joel said. “C’mon, more cats to see, don’t get attached.”

“Well we have to meet that one now,” you said, looking at Joel and very clearly trying not to smile. “It’s required.”

“It’s really not,” he replied. “God, you’re such a bad influence…”

“Nah,” you replied. “I’m just always right, you should get used to it.”

You found another cat you really wanted to meet, an orange striped one who stood on his hind legs in his cage and reached a paw through the bars while meowing loudly for attention.

“Alright, Baby Girl,” Joel sighed, hands in his pockets. “Why don’t you go find someone who works here, see if we can meet some of these guys…”

She squealed before running out to find someone, Joel watching her go before turning his attention back to you.

“You’re never gonna have another moment’s peace with that thing in your house,” he said, watching as you reached your fingers through the bars and scratched its head as it purred loudly, arching into your touch.

“That’s alright,” you smiled, watching the cat. “It’ll be nice to feel wanted for a change. Totally worth it.”

Joel just looked at you for a moment, an odd twinge in him. Maybe you were lonelier than he realized. Maybe things had been worse with your fucking ex than he’d known. Maybe you didn’t understand that he wanted you. In so many fucking ways, he wanted you.

He just had no idea how to say that to you, not without fucking up everything else.

“Hi there,” a woman with a name tag walked up, Sarah at her side, before Joel had a chance to say anything at all. “I hear you want to see some cats?”

You told her the ones you wanted to see and the woman led you to a small room with a bench and some cat toys before going to get the first cat.

Joel should really have known what was going to happen after that. The three of you settled on the floor, you and Joel sitting beside each other, backs against the cinderblock wall, letting cats climb over your legs and throwing little bell-filled balls for them to chase as Sarah pulled a feather on a string across the floor. You were already attached to the orange cat but Sarah was obviously in love with the gray one. Joel sighed, leaning his head back against the wall, watching as his daughter held the little cat on her lap, talking to it all soft and gentle.

“I really should’ve known better than to do this,” he muttered and you laughed a little, leaning your head on his shoulder and watching Sarah, too. “Jesus…”

“At least it’s a cat and not a dog,” you patted his thigh twice before letting your hand rest there near his knee. His heart beat faster. “Could be worse.”

“So,” the woman came back in, carefully closing the door before the cat on Sarah’s lap could escape. But it didn’t look like there was any risk of it, the little thing seemingly content to stay there for the rest of time. “What are we thinking?”

“Please, Dad?” Sarah looked at him, her eyes so wide. “I’ll do all the work, I promise. I’ll clean the litter box every day and I’ll feed her and play with her and…”

Joel sighed.

“You’d gotta actually do it, Baby Girl,” he said. “I mean it.”

“I will!” She said, holding the cat close. “I promise!”

He sighed again.

“Alright, we’ll take that one…”

“Fantastic,” the woman smiled. “I’ll start the paperwork…”

“Oh, and I’m going to get Garfield, the orange one,” you said as she turned to leave. “But I’ll be changing his name…”

“That’s great,” she said. “But we will have to check and make sure the cats are compatible before we send you home with two…”

“No,” you laughed. “No, sorry, no, we don’t live together. He’ll be coming with me and this one will be going with them.”

“Oh!” She laughed back. “I’m so sorry, I just thought you two were married. I’ll get started on the paperwork for both, I’ll be right back.”

Joel watched the woman go and glanced at Sarah to make sure she was still totally absorbed with the cat on her lap before lowering his voice.

“Could have denied that a little harder, I think…”

He practically heard you roll your eyes.

“What, did you want to see if we could save on adoption fees by filling out one set of paperwork?” You asked.

“Always said we’d make good roommates,” he replied. “Seems a good a reason as any.”

You scoffed.

“Yeah, sure,” you said.

“What?” He said, turning his head just enough to see you, still leaning against him. “I’m serious. You really tellin’ me that the idea of living with me is that terrifying?”

“The inevitable fallout is terrifying, yeah,” you said.

“Here we go,” the woman came back in with two clipboards and you lifted your head from Joel’s shoulder. “Once you fill this out and pay your deposit, we can run a few checks and you can come back in a few days for your new best friends!”

“Ah, the truth comes out,” Joel smirked a little as he started completing the paperwork. “You were looking to replace me the whole time…”

“Well clearly yes,” you said absently, working on your own documents. “Furry, loud, opinionated… You’re basically twins, why do I need you to keep coming over when I’ll have Puck?”

“Puck?” Joel frowned. “Like hockey puck?”

“Puck like the fairy from Midsummer,” you replied. Joel must have still looked confused because when you looked over at him, you rolled your eyes. “The mischievous one from Midsummer Night’s Dream? The Shakespeare play? I know you read it, we had to read it sophomore year…”

“C’mon Dad,” Sarah looked up from the cat in her lap. “Even I know that one.”

“Alright, well,” Joel said. “You two are the smartest people I know, not fair to judge me by that standard…”

Joel caught a glimpse of you smiling out of the corner of his eye as he finished the paperwork.

***

“I have a question for you.”

You opened your eyes to see Joel looking down to you, your head in his lap, his thumb brushing your temple in a soothing rhythm. It was late. Sarah had gone to bed hours before, worn out after her game and suckering her dad into adopting a cat and going to Target to pick out every toy under the sun for her new pet and yours. You were pretty sure you weren’t going home that night, too comfortable in your position against Joel.

“No,” you said, closing your eyes and settling into him and the couch again. “I can’t convince Sarah to give up the cat. My position as the cool aunt is too tenuous, I’m going to side exclusively with Sarah in all conflicts for the foreseeable future…”

“I could just refuse to pick it up in a few days,” Joel mused. “Tell her the shelter denied our application because of my history as a cold hearted killer with no mercy.”

“Ah yes,” you smiled a little. “I forgot, Joel Miller, heartless killing machine.”

“Cold hearted,” he corrected. “Get it right.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry…”

“But no,” he continued. “Not what I was going to ask.”

You opened one eye, looking up at him, trying not to think about how soft his eyes were.

“Shoot,” you said, closing your eye again.

“Was thinking about the lists…” he trailed off.

“That wasn’t a question, Miller,” you said after a moment.

“I’m gettin’ there, don’t rush me, woman.”

You opened your eyes just enough to see him over you. His hand slipped around to cup the crown of your head. He was so handsome. There should be rules about that, there should be rules about men who are that beautiful. They should need licensing or something, they shouldn’t just be allowed to freely exist, endangering women everywhere.

You closed your eyes again.

“Take your time, Miller,” you said. “Not going anywhere.”

“Anyway,” he said and you could hear his eye roll. His thumb stroked your hair. “Both our lists have relationship shit on ‘em…”

His voice trailed off and your heart beat a little faster.

“Yes?” You said when he didn’t continue.

“Well, you were sayin’ you didn’t know how to do the whole… app thing.”

“Right…”

“What if…” he took a deep breath. “We tried going out together. You bring someone for me, I bring someone for you…”

Your breath hitched. You couldn’t help it. You knew the kind of relationship you had with Joel, the kind of relationship you’d always had with Joel. He’d made it perfectly clear that anything beyond that was totally out of the question for him and you’d accepted that. It had taken a long time - and a failed marriage - but you accepted it.

That didn’t make the concept of picking out a girlfriend for him sting any less.

“Just… then you don’t have to fuck around on apps,” he said quickly when you didn’t reply. “And I don’t have to waste my time on someone who wouldn’t work in a million years because you’re doing my thinking for me…”

“Instead of your dick?” You asked, opening your eyes. He smiled a little. Goddammit, him and his fucking dimple.

“Exactly,” he said, cocking his head so it was more in line with yours. He looked a little uncertain, his eyes searching yours. “So… what do you think?”

“Well,” you sighed. “Makes as much sense as anything else, I suppose…. When were you thinking?”

“I did say we should move ‘get laid’ to the top of your list,” he smirked a little. “So maybe next weekend?”

“Next weekend?” You sat up so fast that you almost smacked into his nose, your head spinning for a moment. Joel grabbed you to steady you as you twisted haphazardly to face him again, legs crossed in front of you. “Doesn’t that seem fast?”

He looked at you, puzzled, as he turned to face you, too.

“Goldie, you and fuckin’ Brad…”

“Gale.”

“…Split up a year ago. You gotta get back out there, it’s not fast.”

“No, I mean,” you closed your eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before looking at him again. “Isn’t that a little fast to find someone for each other? I wouldn’t even know where to start…”

There was something about the sheepish look on his face that made your eyes narrow.

“What.”

“I… might have someone in mind for you already,” he flinched as he said it.

“Seriously?”

“Look, I just don’t want you dating some random asshole, alright?” He said. “He’s a good guy, think you’d have at least some shit in common, feels like I could trust him with you…”

“Gee, thanks,” you rolled your eyes.

“I’m being serious!” He looked down at his lap for a moment, absently picking at a seam on his couch. “I worry about you. I know shit’s dangerous for women, alright? Much rather you be out with someone who I know isn’t gonna hurt you than some guy I don’t know that I can trust…”

“Careful Miller,” you said wryly. “Someone might think you care about me or something.”

“Well, can’t have that now can we,” he looked up to meet your eyes again, small smile on his face. “I’m already worrying about this shit with Sarah and she’s years off from dating. Outside of her, you’re the most important person in the world to me. Want to know you’re OK out there when I’m not with you. And I’m assuming that you wouldn’t want me to tag along on every damn date you have…”

“Bold assumption.”

He glared at you.

“And this way I can know,” he said. “So yeah, alright, it’s crossed my mind.”

“Have you talked to this guy?” You asked. “He might want nothing to do with me.”

“I ain’t worried about that part,” he waved you off. “You’re you and he’s a smart guy, he’ll see what’s on the table. Much more worried about you conning someone into goin’ out with me…”

“Oh ha ha,” you rolled your eyes. “Because you’ve ever had a problem landing women…”

“The kind that stick?” He raised his brows. “Yeah, I have.”

“Fair enough,” you sighed, thinking about the few people you knew in Austin. There was an adjunct professor in your department who you thought might be Joel’s type that you wouldn’t vomit at the thought of seeing him with. “I think I have someone who will go for it. Next weekend?”

“Next weekend,” he confirmed and then laughed a little. “C’mon, don’t look so miserable about it. Whoever you end up with it’ll be better than fuckin’ Brad.”

“Gale,” you corrected again and then slumped forward until your forehead was pressed into Joel’s shoulder. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms gently around you. “This sucks. I got married so I wouldn’t have to date anymore. This is bullshit, I want a refund.”

He laughed once.

“Don’t think that’s how it works, Goldie,” he said, giving you a little squeeze. “Refund part, I mean.”

“Yeah,” you sighed. “I’d just like the best years of my life back.”

Joel was quiet for a moment, one hand finding a gentle, easy path over your back.

“Come on,” he said eventually. “You feel tired. Let’s get some sleep.”

“Yeah,” you sighed. “Assuming you mean here at this point?”

He scoffed.

“Ship sailed on you goin’ home hours ago,” he said. “I know who I’m dealing with.”

“Yeah yeah.”

You pulled away from him slowly and followed him up to his room. He loaned you a t-shirt and you got changed in his bathroom, taking your makeup off as best you could with the world’s most basic facial scrub and water before going to find him in bed. He was sitting up, his back against the headboard, scrolling through his phone. He glanced up at you for a moment when you came in and looked back at his phone for a fraction of a second before looking back at you again, his mouth open slightly.

You frowned.

“What?”

“Nothin’,” he said quickly, plugging his phone in and putting it face down on his nightstand. “Just forgot what shirt I gave you.”

You looked down at it, a faded shirt from the Houston Space Center. You frowned for a moment.

“Was this from when we went when we were kids?” You laughed. “On a field trip?”

“It is,” he said. “I wanted something that would fit as I was bulking up. Might have been a bit ambitious on the size…”

“You’ll have to model it for me sometime,” you said, climbing into bed next to him. He turned out the lamp and you heard him lay down. You gave him a second to adjust before you slipped against his side, his arm gong around you. You could feel the warmth of his breath on your forehead as your cheek found its place on his chest.

“You’re sure about this dating thing?” You asked quietly into the dark. He was so warm next to you. Warm and big and firm and safe. You tried not to think about how desperately you wanted him to say no, in fact, he wasn’t sure. That all he was sure of was that he wanted you.

He sighed instead.

“Think so,” he said.”You really that worried about it?”

You shrugged against him.

“Goldie.”

“Just…” you sighed. “I fucked up one marriage already. Why should I think I’ll get it right next time?”

“You realize that shit isn’t all on you, right?” He asked. “I don’t even know what happened but… I can just about promise that it’s not all on you. Be surprised if any of it is. You gotta stop letting that asshole determine your whole life, Goldie. He’s not worth it.”

“Yeah,” you said, moving closer to him. “You’re probably right.”

Joel made sure both of you were up before Sarah in the morning, sparing you both from any of her prying questions, and you spent the morning with them before going home again and trying to write but getting nowhere. You wasted hours on an outline this time before hating the story so much that it made your stomach clench to even look at it. It was so pathetic, a lost woman clinging to a past lover so hard that she couldn’t chart a path forward, and you couldn’t seem to chart a way toward a satisfying end. You started a fire in your fireplace for the first time just so you could burn the paper you’d wasted on this one. You had a glass of wine as you watched the flames devour it, ash floating to the hearth like snow, white and dead.

Part of it, you were sure, was the fact that you were dreading the idea of talking with Natalie, the adjunct you were going to try to set up with Joel. She’d like him. Of course she’d like him. It was Joel, everyone liked Joel, that was the problem. She’d like him and you’d have to sit there and watch him like her. Love her, eventually. If not her then someone else. You hadn’t been able to handle that when you were 18 and the fact that you were in your 30s now didn’t seem to have changed much. That’s part of why you’d done what you’d done after prom. A small part, perhaps, but a part.

But you were a grown up now, no longer a girl trying to find her way through the maze of the adult reality you found yourself thrust into. Things were going to be different this time.

They had to be.

May 2008, the Tuesday after prom

“Honey?”

You could hear the frown in your mom’s voice as you stumbled to your bedroom.

“That you?”

You caught yourself on the door frame. Your head was still spinning, why was it still spinning? It felt like you were going to throw up.

“Yeah,” you managed. “Just me.”

“You’re home early,” she said, her voice closer. “No Joel today?”

“No,” you said, hoping you sounded normal. “No Joel today.”

“Oh,” she sounded surprised. “Hungry? I can make you something…”

“I’m fine,” you said. “Just… tired. Going to lie down, I think.”

You didn’t wait for a response, just going in your room and closing the door behind you. Your walls were covered in movie posters, the faces of strangers you felt like you knew through their films an odd comfort as you sat on the edge of your bed.

It’s Goldie. I wish it were anyone else. It’d be better if it were anyone else.

That’s what he’d said. Anyone else. Anyone but you.

You weren’t sure how long you stared into space. How were you supposed to face him now? How were you supposed to go back to your life now?

You’d never been a particularly social person - writing all the time didn’t lend itself to vibrant friendships - but Joel had been your person for almost three years. He was who you had, who you told everything to, who you wanted to do everything with. Leaving him behind was going to be the hardest part of going away to school - so hard that part of you was still in denial that it would work that way at all. Part of you thought that he’d find some way to come with you over the summer and it’d be the two of you against the world the way it seemed like it always had been.

But he wouldn’t. He didn’t want to. He didn’t want you.

I wish it were anyone else.

“Fuck,” you whispered to yourself, your voice wet.

Graduation was soon but it was still three weeks out. Three torturous weeks of being next to the person you loved most in the world when they didn’t love you, not really, not at all.

You weren’t sure how long you stared at the wall when it occurred to you.

You forced your body to move, joints stiff, and went to your computer, scrolling back through your email history to one from Dr. Gale Newton. An invitation to a summer creative writing workshop, one you’d decided to pass on because it meant leaving Joel months earlier. You hadn’t been ready for that before. You’d gone about checking with your counselor at school to see if it was even possible before deciding you weren’t ready for it.

You were ready now.

You called the number in his email signature and the phone rang twice before a woman answered.

“Dr. Newton’s office,” she said. “This is Florence.”

“Hi Florence,” you said, sniffing a bit, hoping it didn’t sound like you’d been crying. “Is… um… Is Dr. Newton available?”

“I can check,” she said. “It’s a bit late in the day… Can I ask who’s calling and what this is about?”

You gave her your name and told her that you were a candidate for the summer program.

“Ah, right,” she said. “You were the one denial. Can’t say I remember that happening before! Let me see… yes, one moment, I’ll transfer you back.”

It didn’t take long. Dr. Newton answered on the first ring, saying your name before you had a chance to say anything at all.

“I was wondering if I’d get to speak with you directly,” he said. “I’ve never had a student turn down the intensive before.”

“Yes, I’m sorry about that,” you said, voice trembling a little. “I thought I had some things I needed to finish up here before I moved but, as it turns out, I can come up sooner. I was wondering if my spot would still be available?”

“Well,” he sighed. You could hear the rustle of pages on his end. “The program did already start and you are the only incoming freshman I invited - your online portfolio was quite impressive - I wouldn’t want you to fall behind. How soon could you be here?”

“I could be there for the start of next week’s sessions,” you said. “And I can try to keep up with some work in the mean time if you want to email me some prompts or assignments…”

“No, no need for that,” he said. You heard the click of a mouse. “I’m going back over some of your work now, I think this will work fine for what we’re doing next week. There’s a short story here, Golden Boy, that we can workshop alongside the fresh pieces for the coming sessions.”

You quickly clicked over to the simple blog you’d made to showcase your writing for college applications. You scrolled past one of your senior portraits and bio at the top down to the work and found the story. You couldn’t remember if you’d put the whole piece up or just parts but it was the whole piece, one you’d written about Joel.

It’d be better if it were anyone else.

Your chest got tight.

“Perfect,” you said. “That’s great, thank you so, so much…”

“I hope to see some more dedication out of you when you arrive here,” he said, voice a little more stern now. “I reviewed your portfolio personally and you show a lot of promise but so does every student who comes through this program. If you’re not willing to make sacrifices and work for it, I can’t help you hone that raw skill into what it has the potential to become.”

“I understand,” you said quickly. “I’ll do whatever you want, whatever you think I need…”

“I’m willing to work with you one on one,” he said. “Get you caught up over the next few weeks, both because you missed some of the intensive but because you haven’t had any classes here yet. It’s going to be a lot of time and a lot of effort but I’m happy to put in the work if you’re willing to do the same. I expect you to be devoted to this program, do you think you can do that?”

“Yes sir,” you said. “Absolutely.”

“Good girl,” he said. “I’ll email you my personal cell phone number, call me there when you get to town. I’ll make sure you get set up in your dorm and we can get to work. Sound good?”

“Yes,” you said, your eyes falling on a picture of you and Joel laughing on his couch that glared at you from its place next to your computer monitor. You turned it to face the wall. “Yes it does.”

Next Chapter

A/N: So we now know at least SOME of Bambi's side of the story. Not the whole of it yet but some!

What do you think? Teenaged overreaction? Totally makes sense? Neither? Both?

Also... I hope you caught that Gale had a picture of her before he met her and picked up on how much he'd selected her to be a pupil of particular interest from the get go. He's so slimy. Or, I hope he comes off that way, anyway. He's slimy in my head, at least!

Thank you, as always, for reading. I hope you're enjoying the ride as Joel and Goldie navigate their tangled friendship!

Love you!!!

#fanfic #joel miller x female reader #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller x oc #slow burn #friends to lovers #halcyon

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baddieladdie · 1 year

Text

In my Sanctuary, Valentine

Chapter 1 Rating: G

Part II Link

Nick Valentine sat upright on a red crushed velvet chaise. The brim of his hat disguised his eyes as he looked down at the hands that hung in his lap. Waiting.

"Hey, Valentine" I gave a half hearted wave as I walked towards the gen-1 synth I was fortunate enough to call friend. His somber glowing eyes slowly met mine as I stopped still before him.

"Hope you got what you were looking for inside my head. Heh. I was right. Should've killed you when you were on ice." The usual milk of human kindness Nick’s voice possessed was gone. Only the familiar voice of the murderous bastard who took my son. Kellogg.

"You… feeling alright Nick?" Panic crept up my spine as my mouth went dry. He knew the risks. He was so insistent…and without him-

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?” Nick responded in his usual gruff, but tender tone.

"You sounded like Kellogg just then."

"Did I?” Nick blinked. “Amari said there might be some "mnemonic impressions" left over…Anyway, I feel fine, so let's get going.” He paused, noticing Preston across the room chatting with Irma. “Or I could head back to Diamond City, since you've got company already."

"Thanks for offering, but I want you with me on this, Nick.” I waved over to Preston, motioning for him to approach.

“Preston, could you head back to the Castle? There's more than anyone’s fair share of work needed there to restore the Caste to its former glory. I can meet you there after I take Nick to sanctuary. I’m not sure how long I will be gone, but there’s more than enough to keep you busy. If you run into any trouble, broadcast it on Radio Freedom. I’ll have my pip boy tuned in as we travel to Sanctuary.”

"Good plan, General. I know I'm leaving her in good hands, Nick." Preston smiled, tipping his hat slightly in respect. "Be careful out there"

"I'll keep out of trouble if she does" Nick chuckled in response.

I extended my open hand, ready to finally hit the road. "Let's get going, Nick"

"Been one heck of a ride so far." Nick took my hand and I pulled him to his feet. "Let's see where it takes us next."

----------------------------------------------------

"So why make a detour to Sanctuary? Need something?" Nick asked, his stride parallel to mine. I looked up at the towering Red Rocket sign that blocked the sun, casting a cool shadow on us - an already chilly autumn day. "Yeah, you could say that." I shrugged.

"Well, alright. What are we looking for?"

"Remember when I mentioned I had served in the military before I had Shaun?" Nick gave a slow, apprehensive nod. "I didn't mention which division. I worked in R&D as an electrical engineer. Some of my research may very well have ended up in the wrong hands. Perhaps the hands of the institute. We closely worked with C.I.T.. I had a workshop in my basement, stocked with supplies for my engineering hobbies. Some of it undamaged by the nuclear fallout."

"Sure, sure. But why send Preston to the Castle? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to be back on the road with you, but you two seemed like you were in the middle of something."

I swallowed my concern as we passed the signature welcome sign, now barely legible after 200 years of neglect. Kellogg was frightening. But the thought of losing my first and most trusted friend in this hellscape of a wasteland was worse. I killed Kellogg. He died like any man, if you could still call that cyborg a man. To lose Nicky - it wasn’t a tangible fear or mortal foe. Just a reminder that the loss of my pre-war life couldn’t stop my ability to love. Frightening but exhilarating all the same.

"You sounded like Kellogg, Nick. His voice...it's unmistakable. His cold voice coming from your body.” My fingers dragged along the rusty tip of the empty mailbox leaving orange dust on my finger tips. “I need to know you’re okay."

"Amari mentioned side effects-" Nick started before I interrupted him, pausing to face him at the doorway of what remained of my home.

"And I want to make sure that's all they are. I can't have my best friend turning into my worst enemy - or worse - because he wanted to help me find my son."

“I certainly hope that never happens. If you think you can help, then I’m all for it. Lead the way.” He paused for a moment, following me inside. “And - Thanks”

-------------------------------------------------------

"Please, have a seat," I motioned to the cushioned, armless chair I had dragged into the center of my workspace. It had survived the blast relatively well. I thanked my lucky stars I moved my equipment out of Shaun’s room and into our cement basement.

“You sure you know what you’re doing?” Nick seated himself comfortably, watching me sort through my equipment. Electrical lubricating oil. Magnifier. Circuit tool set. Soldering iron. Few more things...I piled my things onto a surgical tray I placed next to the cushioned chair. “Alright, that should be everything. Shall we take a closer look at those circuits?”

“No time like the present. Where did you have in mind?”

My eyes darted from the exposed steel on his face to the skeletal aluminum hand that drummed on his thigh. The exposed circuitry by his ear there…If the institute created synths based on human design, then the motherboard should be accessible from there…But Nick’s sitting in my one good chair…

"Mind if I sit on you? I need to get a good angle to check you out."

"I-um…sure." Nick raised his arms slightly to make room for my waist as I lowered myself down on him, our faces inches apart. His arms found a resting spot just behind my ass.

“Comfortable enough for you?” Valentine chuckled. “‘Suppose I can add ‘chair’ to the list of services I provide.” I stifled a smile, acutely aware that this is the closest we have been together. It was only from here I noticed the distinct smell of burnt copper. A circuit must have shorted out. Easy fix, just need to redirect from the damaged part. A seared circuit should be easy enough to see… I clicked my flashlight on and gestured to the right. “Look over here, Nicky. I'm gonna take a look through this crevice in your neck here."

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Nick Valentine : POV

He couldn't find a place for his hands. Nick Valentine-the-synth hadn’t been this close to a human woman yet, there never was a reason to. Between the anti-synth rhetorique and his own complicated existence, it wasn’t something he had sought out - despite the institute being ‘generous’ enough to ensure he could pass as human - parts ‘n’ all. Nick Valentine-the-human, however, remembered exactly what it was like. Jennifer Lands had been his girl long, long ago.

Nora's soft breast pressed tightly against the well worn fabric of his dress shirt. Her bosom tenderly brushed between his suspenders as she observed the inside of his metal mind. She mumbled frustratedly under her breath, searching for any damage.

Her weight suddenly shifted down on his member, sending an electrical shock of pleasure and surprise up his spine. A groan broke through his lips from the sensation, guttural and primal. Nora’s warm finger guided his face directly to her worried gaze. Those eyes…Nick hadn’t noticed she had brown in those emerald green eyes of hers.

“Am I hurting you?” She asked, her voice was soft and caring. So unlike the wasteland her vault had protected her from.

“Not at all, far from it. Please continue.” He smiled in return.

“Good, I’m almost finished here. Turns out Kellogg’s memory chip wasn’t completely disconnected. Now, hold still please, this requires precision.”

Nora pivoted Nick’s head to the side and reached for the magnifying glass and tweezers kept on the surgical tray. She pressed herself tightly against him, pinning him to the chair. He could feel each subtle motion of her breasts, hips, and ass as she adjusted to work in the narrow exposed face. Pressure began building against trousers as her hips jerked forward into his. Trying to get a closer view, most likely. But damn…did it feel like something else…something the old Nick remembered and his subroutines understood.

“I - Nick please, I’m trying to focus,” Nora teased, her delicate thumb stroking Nick’s cheek, the other holding the tweezers.

“I can’t help it,” The words stumbling out of his mouth awkwardly.

“I - Oh, Really? I didn’t know you had feelings for me.”

“With your son…your husband…I figured it was in bad taste”

“Believe me, Nick, there is nothing I want more. The last thing I want is to be alone right now”

“Well then…what would that make us? Are we still partners or something more?”

“Anything you want to be, Valentine,” She flirted back.

Nick took a moment to process, feeling out the gravity of the conversation. She was human, after all. A woman out of time, unsoiled by 200 years of mayhem. He could hardly say the same for himself. He’d say his body had seen better days, but he wasn’t even the institute's best work. Nick rested his skeletal hand on her exposed thigh, it was cool to the touch. The ratty skirt he had bought for her from Fallon’s had quickly become her favorite. Nick wouldn’t admit it directly, but he admired how lovely she looked too.

“But..a body in tatters and a head full of memories belonging to another man…might make things though sometimes. So…knowing that…are you in?” He asked hesitantly, begging her to say yes but willing to let her go at a simple no.

“Of course I am. I’m not a simple case either. And, Nick, I can’t help the way that I feel…I’m in love with you”

“I, uh…uh well, I love you too. Maybe that's all that matters.

Soft lips pressed against his in the dusty basement. Hands, delicate and whole, held his face tenderly against hers. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug, completing the embrace.

Accompanying music, if you'd like: The Nearness of You

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^ This is also published on my ao3.

Geeze, time just flies by when you're writing. I didn't get to the spicy content yet, but I'm at least at that point now. Ready to continue next weekend!

#nick valentine #Fallout 4 smut #Smut #ao3 #ao3 fanfic #fanfiction #fanfics #Fallout 4 #Fallout fanfic #fo4 #Sole Survivor #nick valentine x reader #nick valentine fanfic

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jurassicsickfics · 2 months

Text

"Call if You Need Me"

Mentions of vomiting and PTSD

*Based Around The Time of Halloween 2018*

It was one of those nasty, foggy and wet mornings. Laurie Strode was just starting to wake up as the morning sunlight filtered in through her curtains, disturbing her less than peaceful slumber. She'd been up half the night, plagued by nightmare after nightmare, a panic attack, nonstop shaking, and a partridge in a pear tree...

She was absolutely exhausted by the time morning rolled around, and as if the situation couldn't get any worse, her stomach felt...off. Although annoying, this was no surprise. After a night of crippling anxiety, a little queasiness was to be expected. Laurie dragged herself downstairs where Allyson was already awake and getting ready for school.

"Morning Grandma." The teenager said, her voice cheerful. Laurie managed a smile. "Morning hun..." she said, pouring herself some coffee before taking one sip and immediately deciding that she was too queasy for that, and putting the mug down. "You feeling ok?" Allyson asked. Laurie faked a reassuring smile. "Yeah, baby, I'm fine. Just...didn't sleep well, that's all."

Allyson gave the older woman a sympathetic look and hugged her. "Well...I've gotta get to school. I wanna have a few minutes to study before my first period test. Call if you need me!"

And with that, she disappeared out the front door. Laurie smiled; she admired how caring her granddaughter was. She made her way to the pantry to try and find something that she thought she could stomach eating.

A few bites of plain toast later, she pushed the plate away and wrapped her arms around her middle, cursing under her breath. Picking up her phone, she checked the weather. It was warm out today, so, Laurie decided that maybe some fresh air and shooting practice may do her some good.

Now changed into a t-shirt and leggings, Laurie stood in the woods, blasting away at her plastic targets. The hope that the fresh air would settle her stomach was quickly dying. After emptying her shotgun into the mannequins, Laurie placed a hand on her cramping stomach and sat down on a stump. Her muscular arms wrapped around her stomach, she glanced to her cellphone on the log beside her, and Allyson's offer flashed through her mind.

"Call me if you need me!"

Laurie reached for her phone, but stopped herself.

"No...don't bother Allyson. She's at school. " she scolded herself. "Besides, she probably just said that to be nice. I'm not gonna call my granddaughter at school because I have a tummy ache." Laurie mumbled aloud with a pained chuckle.

Laurie rocked herself in her seated position as the cramping worsened. The final girl clutched her stomach, a pained grimace etched into her aging features. Her stomach rolled and gurgled as she came closer and closer to tears. These cramps reminded her of her teenage years, struggling with painful periods. It'd been years since she had that distinct, "I want my mommy" type of feeling. She was so tempted to call Allyson for help, but something in her mind still made her hesitate.

"Maybe I should call Karen..." she thought, then laughed. "Oh, heck no...I'd never hear the end of that. No way."

Laurie was just about to stand up to go back to the house, when her stomach lurched. Without any time to think, she doubled over and was emptying her stomach violently onto the forest floor. She yelled in pain as her chest muscles contracted with the force of her heaving. The poor woman could barely get a breath in between retches, but in the midst of the panic, she managed to grab her phone. Tossing her pride aside, she slammed Allyson's contact.

Allyson was in the middle of listening, or at least trying to listen, to a droning lecture about the history of medicine. Her phone rang in her pocket, and when she saw that it was Laurie, she quickly apologized to her teacher and left the room to take the call. She stepped into the empty hallway and answered the call. "Hey grandma. Everything ok?" Allyson asked. The girl's eyes widened when she heard her grandmother's tearful voice beg, "please...please come home...I'm really sick..."

"I...ok, I'll be there in just a few minutes, just sit tight. " Allyson said, before hanging up. She went back into the classroom and explained the situation to her teacher, and, thankfully, the teacher was understanding and gave her permission to sign out.

Allyson rushed home as quickly as she could, and when she didn't immediately find Laurie in the house, she assumed she was in the woods. Sprinting out the back door, Allyson called out to her grandmother. When she reached her, Laurie was sitting on a log, doubled over, clutching her belly and sobbing, a pool of vomit at her feet. Allyson crouched beside her. "Oh no...not feeling good,huh?" She cood, wiping the older woman's tears. Laurie shook her head and took in a sharp breath. "I-I'm so sorry...to call you at school...you..probably missed that test..." she sobbed. Allyson shook her head. "No no, it's ok. I already took it. Made an A." Laurie gave a tearful smile. "That's my girl. " she said, going to give Allyson a kiss on the forehead then stopping herself. "Um..yeah, you probably don't want me kissing you right now."

Allyson chuckled, "believe it or not, I don't mind. C'mon, let's get you back up to the house. "

The two women made their way back to the house, Laurie leaning heavily on Allyson. Once inside, Laurie collapsed onto the couch, and her granddaughter plopped down beside her. As Laurie cuddled up to the teenager's side, Allyson wrapped an arm around her and asked, "so...you wanna tell me exactly what malfunctioned?"

Laurie let out a tearful, yet heartfelt laugh at her granddaughter's attempt to lighten the mood. "Well...I don't know, I just...I had an awful time last night and I woke up feeling sick. I figured it was just anxiety...I mean it still may be, but...anyway, it just kept getting worse. I couldn't eat, couldn't drink coffee; and you know me, Allyson, I love my coffee."

Allyson smiled. "Yep, you sure do. Although I don't know how you call it coffee with all the cream and flavoring you put in it."

Laurie gave the girl a teasing bump on the shoulder. "Anyway, I thought maybe some fresh air would help, so I went shooting. But, then..well."

Allyson sighed. "Well...sounds like a stomach bug to me." She suggested, and Laurie shrugged.

"Allyson...can I just...vent for a moment?"

"Of course. "

Laurie took a deep breath. "I don't know what to do about the trauma anymore...the medications don't work anymore, I try meditation, ASMR, white noise...nothing helps..."

"I'm so sorry..." Allyson said, stroking Laurie's silver/blonde hair.

Laurie started to cry again. "It...it's getting so bad...it's making me sick...I-I can't take it anym..." she stopped, clamping a hand over her mouth as Allyson sprang up to grab a trashcan. The teenager thrust the container under her grandmother's face just in time, as she reached around with her free hand to hold her hair back. Laurie leaned back once she was finished, panting and wiping her mouth with the back of her wrist. "Jeez...this is horrible..." she moaned.

Allyson gave the contents of the trashcan a disgusted glance before setting it to the side and sitting back down. "Feeling any better?" She asked, and Laurie nodded. "A little, yeah."

The two women sat in silence for several minutes, before Laurie spoke up. "Sorry again for pulling you out of school. "

Allyson gave her a reassuring smile. "Oh, don't worry about it. You got me out of algebra, I owe you a thanks."

Laurie chuckled. "Your mother is gonna freak." She said. Allyson shrugged. "She'll get over it."

#sickfic #tw emeto #vomit mention #ptsd #ptsd fic #laurie strode #allyson nelson #karen nelson #halloween 2018 #halloween kills #halloween ends #family fluff #anxiety #hurt/comfort

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ruthserbel · 1 year

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Fanfiction Information [x] Chapter Title: Some Kind of Disaster Release Date: Dec. 7th, 2022 Word Count: 4.1k Content Warnings: N/A Summary: On route back to Anatol, the Remdragon Knights run into a run down village - although, wasn't this place not run down when they past it last? The group quickly realized that there had been a monster attack on the village. Ruth searches for wounded, while the knights check the surrounding area. Notes: I'll try to keep this short... First, I'm sorry if this sucks. Second, it's finally done - well... Chapter one is. I have my general ideas laid out, and where I want to take this fanfiction, and how I generally want it to end. If you like this, please drop a like, or send me a message and let me know! The more people that like it, the more likely I am to actually finish this without dropping it. Anyways, enjoy! LAST THING, I will say, this song's theme 'Some Kind of Disaster' is going to come back in a later chapter. So consider this Some Kind of Disaster pt. 1!

Previous Chapter (N/A) | Next Chapter

Aria’s POV

Aria puttered around the kitchen, gathering supplies she would need for lunch. Before she started to prep anything, she tossed her hair back, wrapping it around itself so it would stay up. "Alright," she whispered to herself, grabbing her knife.

The girl hummed as she prepped all the ingredients, setting them into the pot once they were ready. When everything had been set into the pot, she put the lid overtop, closing it, and moving it over to the stove. While Aria waited for the food to cook, she grabbed the plates and set them on the table. Once the plates were set, she tossed a cloth down in the middle of the table for the pot once the food finished cooking.

“Jasper, lunch is almost ready.” Aria called out to her brother who had went to tidy up their bedroom.

“Coming,” Jasper called back from the other room. After a few moments, he emerged from the doorway, carrying blankets in his arms. His hair askew from cleaning the room.

“Once we’re done eating, I was figuring we could go give these a clean, so they'll be dry before tonight.” He said as he tossed the blankets down in the basket by the front door.

“Sounds good,” Aria said in agreement, making her way across the room to her brother. She lifted her hand up, fixing his hair. “We can also trim your hair once we're done,” she added, her hand falling back down from his head.

“Yeah, yeah,” her brother said with a chuckle. “My hair is fine.”

“Summertime is coming, and you will have to help with some of the farming again this year.” Aria pointed out said, walking back into the kitchen. Aria lifted the lid off the pot, checking on the food in the pot. “It’ll be another minute, sit down.”

Jasper nodded. “I guess you have a point there… I’ll let you cut my hair,” he said after a moment, moving to the table, pulling out a chair.

Thud.

Both of their heads turned to the front door, following the source of noise.

Thud.

“What the heck?!” Jasper said, walking towards the door. Aria followed a few steps behind. Once they reached the door, they heard screams.

Jasper opened the door, stepping outside. Jasper’s gasp was barely audible to Aria, who was stepping outside of the house. “What is it?” she whispered grabbing onto his shirt with her hands. Soon after she questioned him, she herself saw the source of the noise. Her hand moved from holding his shirt to cover her mouth, as if holding in a scream.

The house that had once stood a few down from theirs – fallen to the ground and was set ablaze. “Aria, get inside. I’ll be back.” Jasper said, looking down at her. Placing his hands on her shoulder, he pushed his sister back into their house. “Do not come outside until I’ve come back,” he said before closing the door.

Aria stood in front of the door for a few seconds, not able to command her legs to move. Once she was able to move, she placed her hand on the wall, using it to keep her balance. Aria's head was starting to spin. Out of her 34 years alive, she had never once thought anything like this could happen to their village. 'Calm down,' she thought to herself.

Aria moved along the wall, walking to a corner of the room. Once she reached the corner of the room, she spun around, pushing her back into the corner. 'It's okay,' she repeated in her head, sliding down the wall so she was crouching in the corner.

She moved her hands from the wall, covering her ears, trying to block out the noise from outside. “Please, let no one get hurt. Please,” she pleaded, closing her eyes. Once the words came out of her mouth, she felt a sob emerge from her chest. ‘Don’t cry’ she thought, biting her lips to hold herself back.

After 10 minutes, but had felt like an eternity, everything outside seemed to fade. She lifted her hands off her ears. All she could hear was wood burning. She kept herself low for a moment, listening for any other sounds. ‘Is it done?’

After only hearing wood burning for a minute, she lifted herself off the ground. Her feet crept towards the door again, keeping her hands on the wall as she walked to stabilize herself.

Aria cracked the door open, trying her best not to make any noise. She peered outside of the small crack she had made. There didn’t seem to be many buildings left standing at this point. But she also couldn’t see what had done the damage. ‘Brother… Please…’ Fear overcame her, and she opened the door more. She could go and find him, make sure he was okay. She hadn’t heard anything in a while, so whatever had made this mess had moved on.

As the door opened it creaked a few times. Aria hadn’t even heard it, her ears filled with the sound of burning wood. She stepped outside of the door, leaving it open behind her.

She scanned the area, trying to spot her brother. "Jasper..." she whispered, taking a few more steps. Her eyes kept scanning the area around her, not seeing her brother.

"Jasper!" she yelled this time. She started to walk further away, scanning the area still. She had to make sure he was okay. She couldn’t lose another person. She refused that reality.

Thud.

Aria staggered, as a massive rush of air came from behind her, accompanying the sound. She turned around, meanwhile she heard a large inhale.

Darkness. Confusion. Heat. Pain.

Aria tried to shuffle through her feelings. She couldn’t hear anything, nor see anything. What was happening? She tried to open her mouth to scream, but her body wouldn’t allow her. Darkness enveloped her.

‘Mom, Dad, is this... Is this it?’ she thought to herself.

Aria stared off into the darkness for what seemed like a decade. She didn’t couldn’t hear anything. All she had was her thoughts. ‘Please body, wake up from this never-ending dream. That’s what it is right? I’m about to wake up soon, and the day will have never happened. C’mon Aria, wake up!’ Aria pleaded with herself in her thoughts.

As if her brain had listened to her this time, a voice came through her muddled head. “Look for anyone else that is still alive, I’ll deal with her first.”

“Brother…?” she managed to whisper, although her voice was hoarse. The person didn’t even understand her, even though it was only one word. She swallowed, her throat burning, almost causing her to scream out of pain. “Brother…” she tried again.

Her eyes fluttering open, now seeing the person the voice belonged to. It wasn't her brother, but instead an unknown male. Her mind went blank as she looked at the boy in front of her. All her previous feelings vanished.

Aria let out a small laugh, expecting to feel pain from the movement, yet she felt none. "You're not him," she whispered, her eyes fluttering closed again. Sounds vanishing as soon as her eyes closed.

Ruth’s POV

Ruth let out a yawn, gripping the reins with his left hand. “How much longer?” He asked, which was – as he expected, met with groans from the knights.

“I’ve said it a few times already, Ruth… around one to two days… Unless you don’t want to sleep. I’m okay with that,” Riftan replied, grinning at the end.

“No, Commander, please…” a few of the knights in the back cried out.

“Well, you heard them I guess,” Ruth said with a slight chuckle. Although he knew that he himself wouldn’t be able to push through a full day and night of ridding. He was already sleep deprived before this trip, and it hadn’t gotten any better.

Ruth hated visiting the capitol. Normally he would get out of it, but this time he wasn’t able to. Maxi wasn’t in Anatol so he couldn’t use ‘protecting her’ as an excuse this time to stay behind. The trip and being in the capital caused his sleep deprived state from before to duplicate.

“When I get home, I’m sleeping for a week straight,” Ruth mumbled under his breath. He was sure Riftan heard what he had said, although Riftan didn’t comment.

“Right, then let’s keep going. We will stop soon, there should be a village along the way we can stay at. It’s small, but we can stay there for the night.” Riftan informed the group of knights before the group started to move along the trail again.

While moving along the trail, Ruth looked up at the sky, and around the forest. At least there were generally good views on these trips. That was the only solace he had when forced to go to the capitol.

The knights chatted amongst themselves as they traveled. Ruth pushed their conversations out of ears. He tried to focus on staying awake, although the rocking of the horse was fighting to also put him to sleep. “Soon,” he mumbled, yawning again.

Ruth zoned out trying to keep his mind busy while they moved along the path. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but all the knights had sped up. They were heading towards, what looked like a run-down village. ‘That’s weird, there was a village here on the way up, it must be a bit further up…’ Ruth thought to himself.

Ruth sped up his horse, trying to get beside Riftan. Before he even reached Riftan's side, he heard one of the knights' yelling.

“There’s been an attack!”

Everything made sense now. Ruth gave a slight kick to his horse, speeding up so he could get beside Riftan. “Ruth," Riftan said once Ruth was beside him. "Deal with looking for the injured," Riftan instructed as they reached the front of the village. Both men jumped off their horses, handing the reins to a few knights who were taking care of the horses.

Ruth grabbed the medicine pouch that hung from his horse's saddle. “Send someone to me when you have the bodies to spare,” he said to Riftan before walking towards the village. His eyes scanned the village as he walked up. Not only were the houses knocked down, but whatever it was also set fire to the houses.

Whatever had done this was surely long gone. The fires around had died out. Ruth started down the main path of the village. Looking through the rubble of houses for humans. He had found a few, but upon inspecting them, they had already passed away.

Ruth let out a heavy sigh as he checked the 20th person, who had also seemed to be dead. “Is there anyone that survived this?” He questioned aloud.

“There’s still about ten more houses, don’t assume the worst yet,” a voice said behind him.

“I’ll take it as you're done already?” Ruth asked, knowing it was Riftan behind him. He stood up, walking together towards the next house. "We can split up, and search. Cuts down the time," Ruth said as he walked along the pathway to the houses. His eyes scanned the remaining houses, counting them up.

“One, two, three, four, five, si…” Ruth’s counting petered off as he noticed a body close to one of the houses. “Over there,” Ruth said, breaking out in a sprint towards the body. Riftan following behind him a few feet behind him. Ruth could tell when he got closer to the body of a female that she was still breathing. “She’s alive,” he exclaimed before he crouched down beside her. Started to inspect her body for any wounds.

“Keep looking for anyone else that is still alive, I’ll deal with her first.” Ruth instructed as he pressed his hand against an open wound on the girl’s side, assessing the wound.

“Brother…”

Ruth’s hands froze. Was he imagining that sound? His eyes moved to Riftan who had stopped in his tracks once he had heard the noise. 'Alright, I'm not imagining the voice,' Ruth thought.

“Brother…” the voice said, in a raspy voice as if it was all she could do to get the word out. Ruth’s eyes met her eyes when they fluttered open. He wasn’t sure what he should say, so he kept quiet for a moment.

Ruth kept his hand against the wound on the girls side, reducing the bleeding.'Probably doesn't realize that she's injured yet,' Ruth thought to himself.

His thoughts confirmed when he heard the girl let out a soft laugh. "You're not him," he heard her say before her eyes fluttered shut again.

Ruth waited for a moment. He wasn't sure if the girl was going to wake up again. Once her breathing slowed down again, he lifted his hand from her side for a second, looking at the wound. “The pain should go away in a moment,” he said to her, although she was knocked out again. He placed his hands back on her side, starting to heal her using his mana.

Ruth could feel the girl’s body relax as the healing worked. “There,” he said, although the girl hadn't regained continuousness. “You'll be fine.”

Ruth stretched his hands up, untying his cloak from around his shoulders. He pulled the cloak off, folding it around his arm a few times. He lifted his head seeing Hebaron walking in his direction. “Look after her please. She should stay asleep, if she wakes up, call for me and I will come as soon as I can.” Ruth instructed as he placed his cloak on the ground, moving her head to lay on it.

Ruth pulled himself up off the ground, brushing some of the dust off his pants. He scanned the houses, finding Riftan walking around one. "I'll be back," he said to the knight, walking towards Riftan.

Ruth made his way over to Riftan, who had entered a house at the end of the path. He followed behind Riftan who had no issue maneuvering the rubble of the fallen house. Ruth used his feet to kick some of the rubble to the side so he had a clear pathway.

Riftan held his hand up, stopping Ruth from kicking the rubble for a moment. It was then that they both heard it clearly. Both turned to look around for the source of the sound.

Sitting in the corner of the room was a little girl. She was leaning over another body, crying. Ruth started to walk towards the girl, slowly trying not to scare her. "Are you okay?" He questioned, stopping when he saw the jump.

She cautiously turned around, looking at the two men in front of her. Tears streaming down her face. "Help," she sobbed. "He's hurt," she added, looking back at the boy who was laying on the ground in front of her.

“I will help him, but are you yourself hurt?” Ruth asked, starting to walk towards her again. Once he reached the two people, his eyes scanned the boy, seeing a wound on his back, and some minor burns.

Ruth used his foot again to move some pieces of wood that was laying on the ground around the two of them. Once the area around had been cleared, Ruth knelt on the ground, getting to eye level with the girl.

The little girl fidgeted with her hands, then pointed back to the boy that was unconscious on the ground. “I’m not hurt. He’s hurt… because of me,” she said quietly, letting out another sob.

“Alright, I can help him,” Ruth said, as he placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder, using his healing magic again. He could feel the strain on his body this time, his tiredness coming back as he used his mana. He was nowhere near mana depletion, but his body didn’t have enough energy to do this much longer.

Ruth lifted his hand after a moment, “There, he should be all better now.” Ruth said, looking back at the girl with a small smile on his face. “No more crying, you’ll give yourself a headache,” he said, giving the girl a small smile.

Ruth pushed himself up off the ground and turned towards Riftan again. “If the knights are done making the tents outside, we can move the wounded to there for the night. I'll have a knight help me move them if you can take the girl," Ruth said quietly to Riftan, who nodded in response. “Okay,” Ruth said, walking out of the remains of the house.

“Sir Hebaron,” he called as he walked back towards the knight. “Can you help me move this girl, and the boy that is in there?” He asked, walking towards the knight.

“So, you mean I carry them while you make it look like you’re helping,” Hebaron said jokingly before nodding. “Yeah, I guess I can.”

Ruth collected the cloak that had been under older girl’s head, putting it back on. The two of them then worked on moving the two unconscious wounded into one of the two tents.

Once they had both been moved into the tent, Ruth moved over by the makeshift fire that had been set up.

Finally getting a chance to relax, he let out a sigh, and threw his body down against the ground. Ruth closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the fire burning. ‘Maybe I could get away with taking a nap,’ he thought, draping his arm over his eyes.

Crack.

A few minutes after he had started to nap, Ruth heard a small twig beside him break. He removed his arm from his eyes looking in the direction of the sound, seeing the small girl sitting close to him.

“The big man told me to come over here,” she said quietly, pointing her finger behind Ruth. Ruth turned his head and sat Riftan talking to the group. ‘I’ll curse that man for not letting me sleep,’ Ruth though, holding back a sigh.

Ruth pulled himself back into a sitting position, rubbing the back of his neck. “What’s your name?” Ruth asked the girl, scratching the back of his head.

“Lily,” she replied.

“How old are you, Lily?” Ruth asked, looking at the girl now. He watched her as her fingers traced through the grass. Her finger traces left marks in the grass for a moment before the grass moved back into place again.

After a moment, the girl held up five fingers, answering his question.

“What about those two in there?” Ruth inquired, pointing towards the tent where the wounded were.

Lily lifted her head towards the tent, then turned her gaze towards Ruth. “The girl’s name is Aria, and the boy’s name is Jasper. He is her brother.”

“Hmm…” Ruth hummed. ‘So, we found her brother,’ he thought to himself. He wanted to ask further questions, but he knew it wasn’t a good idea to be asking the child any other questions.

Ruth and Lily sat silent for a while, not saying anything. Ruth watched the fire burn while the girl traced things in the ground. A few of the knights made their way over to the fire, setting up an area to cook.

As the fire started to get more surrounded, Lily moved closer to Ruth, hugging her legs up to her chest. Her teeth started to chatter after a while, as it started to get darker and the air chilled.

Ruth looked over at the girl as he heard the chattering. He looked at the progress of the meal that the knights had worked on. “I’ll get you something to eat,” Ruth said, standing up. Before he walked away, he slid his cloak off and draped it over Lily. “This should keep you warm,” he said.

Ruth made his way over to where Riftan was standing. “So, we found the brother,” he reported to Riftan, who looked over to him.

“And the names, did she tell you them?” Riftan asked, looking at Lily, who was now playing with the corner of the cloak that Ruth had given her.

“She is Lily, the other two are Aria and Jasper,” Ruth replied. “For tonight, I’ll sleep in the tent with the wounded. I'll keep an eye on them throughout the night,” Ruth said.

Riftan nodded, and pointed towards Lily, “You get to look after the child for now. She didn’t seem too keen on talking to anyone else other than me or you. Although she barely wanted to talk to me.” Riftan said, shrugging a bit. “You and the child should eat then go to bed; she has to be tired.” Riftan said.

Ruth nodded, ending the conversation there. He turned and grabbed two bowls of the food that had been made. Ruth walked back over to where Lily was, her eyes watching him as he got closer. “Here you go,” he said, setting it down in front of her on the ground. “It is a bit hot still, so let it cool down first,” he said as he sat down again beside her.

Ruth ate for a bit, looking at the fire. He could feel his body warm up after eating, and the tiredness came back. After a few moments, Lily picked up the bowl, and started to eat from it as well.

The two ate quietly, meanwhile the knights had conversations around them. Every few minutes Ruth could see a few knights glancing over in the direction of the girl beside him. After a while, Ruth set his bowl down on the ground once he had finished eating. He looked down at Lily as she ate.

Lily's eyes were looking around at all knights around her. She absentmindedly took bites of her food as she looked around. Anytime her eyes met another knight, she ducked her head down again, taking another bite.

Ruth stayed silent, listening to the knights around him talk. After a while Lily leaned forward, setting her bowl on the ground in front of her. "Let me know when you're ready to go to sleep and we can go inside." Ruth said to Lily as she curled her legs up again under the cloak again.

“Someone got put on babysitting duty,” Hebaron said, sitting down beside Ruth. “Lucky you,” he added with a smirk before his eyes shifted to the little girl beside Ruth. “Is she one of the wounded?” He asked, pointing to her.

Ruth felt Lily freeze beside him when Sir Hebaron’s finger pointed towards her. After a moment of sitting still she moved closer to Ruth, hiding herself against him. The knights who had seen the exchange laughed. Ruth joined them after a moment, laughing. “Don’t worry, a lot of girls feel that way about him,” Ruth said to Lily, still laughing.

Once the laughing around the fire had stopped, Ruth turned to Hebaron before he spoke. “Yes, I did get put on babysitting duty, but alongside that, I also get to sleep,” he said, grinning. “I would trade you, but alas, sleep…” he trailed off, laughing again.

Hebaron rolled his eyes as Ruth spoke. “If you keep bragging, wizard, you’ll have to heal yourself soon,” Hebaron grinned. Ruth knew there was no actual malice behind his words, so he ignored them. “So,” Hebaron continued. “What’s the child’s name?” He whispered.

“Lily,” Ruth replied, turning his head to look at the girl who was using him as a shield. “She’s a bit scared of anyone but the other wounded, Riftan and I,” Ruth said, turning back towards Sir Hebaron.

Ruth and Hebaron talked for a bit, other knights joining in and out of the conversation. After a while the conversation started to die down, and it was then that the sound of feint snoring was heard. Ruth looked back down at Lily, who was leaning against him, now asleep.

“Well, I guess it’s time for bed,” he said, moving so he was able to stand up, then pick Lily up without waking her. “If anything happens, don’t wake me.” Ruth said jokingly before he walked away from the rest of the knights, carrying Lily.

Ruth entered the tens with the two wounded people in it, and a few extra makeshift beds had been placed down. He laid the Lily down on one of them, rearranging his cloak so it was still covering her. He walked over to where Aria rested. Grabbing the blanket that had been set on the corner of her bed and covered her bed, doing the same for Jasper.

Ruth finally sat down on one of the makeshift beds himself. “Finally,” he mumbled, laying down, closing his eyes. Falling asleep instantly.

#under the oak tree #ruth serbel #touch utot ff #{written}

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dancer73333 · 2 years

Text

Library ladles

Warnings: none

This is a nonromantic Phoenix x reader .

I walk into the Miramar public library with a feeling of sensitivity but I ignore it. I pull out my laptop, sit in the seat, and get to writing. Aside from being a WSO when I have time I like to read and write so have a few stories saved to my computer and I am currently working on one right now.

As I continue typing in the almost empty library as I feel someone tap my shoulder and I look back.

" May I help you?" I ask looking at the put-together girl in an identical khaki uniform to the one I have at home.

" I um, I was just reading what you wrote you're a good author."

" Oh, thanks. Hey, odd question. Were you called back to Top Gun to fly on a new mission?" You asked thinking because she was in her uniform.

" Yeah, you?" She asks.

"Yes sir!" I chuckle.

"Cool! I'm Phoenix." She shakes your hand.

" y/c/s." I introduce. " What book are you reading?" I ask.

" Beach Read, by Emily Henry."

" Oh my Gosh, I love that book! What part are you on!" You exclaim.

" Just after the bet. This book is so good. I am not a fan of romance but my girlfriend suggested this to me and it's awesome!" She smiles.

" Yeah, I hope you continue to like it! " I smile.

" Yeah, I gotta go settle some stuff in at my apartment but do you wanna meet me at the hard deck later? Like 4 o'clock?" She suggests.

" Sounds awesome I'll see you at four."

"Bye!"

"So long sucker!"

I then keep typing on my computer but decide to put it away when I just start looking at my phone for Beach Read content and realize I am not getting anything done. I go to the grocery store, then to my apartment and I set up where I want the stuff in my kitchen. After that, it's about time to get ready and go to The hard deck. It's been a while since I've been there, the last time I did go was after our last flight when I went to train at Top Gun and now I'm being called back. I put my hair into my normal braids and head out the door.

I walk into the hard deck and immediately spot Phoenix and Payback.

" Hey, y/c/s over here!" Phoenix calls.

I then rush to the back of the bar.

" Hey, Pheonix! Oh, Payback it's been so long good to see you!" You say. You then get interrupted by a tall blondie.

" Who do we have here Phoenix?" He says.

" Bagman this is y/s/c." My fellow Pilot Phoenix says.

" Why is she here?" He says with a snotty look.

" Because I'm one hell of a pilot that's why," I say confidently knowing he needs to tone his ego down. Phoenix then high-fives me.

" We'll see about that." He smirks.

I then just ignore his antics and make small talk with Payback and Someone named Fanboy while my hopefully new friend is playing pool with a few other guys.

" So how do you two know each other?" Fanboy asks.

" We were stationed together, for about a year we were like brother and sister." Payback says.

" He was the best fake brother I have ever had that's for sure," I say and they chuckle. It's gonna be nice having Payback again for the next few weeks he has always been cool.

After that, Phoenix and I get back together and start to chat.

" Hey, how do you know Fanboy and Payback?" I ask her.

" Fanboy was my WSO when I was here a few years ago and Payback and I were stationed together early in my career."

" Ahh cool." I say " Payback and I were also stationed together a few years ago as well. I don't know Fanboy at all really but he seems super sweet too." I say and then feel a blush creep up on my cheeks. I I didn't even mean for that to happen what the heck!

" y/c/s are you blushing for one of them?" She smiles and nudges you.

"What no, I mean I guess I don't know?" I say confused.

"Hey I think I'm gonna head out now I don't wanna get wasted before tomorrow. " She laughs.

"Sounds good I was gonna head out anyway," I reply.

We then both walk to our cars and I drive to my new place.

I get out and get my keys to my apartment door and see Phoenix unlock her door across the way.

" Phoenix?" I question.

" Y/c/s? Oh my gosh, no way! " She smiles.

" I think this is gods sign of telling us were meant to be friends." I chuckle.

" Well in that case see ya tomorrow bestie." She giggles. And that night I walk into my apartment with a smile on my face feeling comforted and ready for tomorrow.

#top gun 2 #top gun maverick #top gun maverick x reader #phoenix trace #top gun #natasha trace x reader #phoenix top gun #payback #fanboy #hangman #writer #beach read #january andrews #Augusts #emily henry

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winterfireice · 2 years

Text

Sokeefitz pumpkin picking

“Wait, are you telling me that I have lived here for five years and neither of you told me elves have PUMPKINS!! I yelled at my boyfriends as they nodded sheepishly. “How could you not tell me?” I'm mostly joking about being mad but there's some serious annoyance about multiple years missed out on awesome autumn things. “We thought you knew.” Fitz says putting a hand on his neck and looking down like he always does when he's embarrassed. “Sweetheart, I love you both so much but it took me two years to fully even realize that one, I liked you guys and two, that you also liked me. I am not very observant of stuff that doesn't involve me almost dying. So how the heck was I supposed to notice pumpkins.” Keefe and Fitz look at eachother and an agreement seems to pass over their faces “You know shes right, especially after all the autumn stuff she talked about and missing it.” Keefe says “Yeah that was a mistake on our part.” Fitz replies, “How about this we go pumpkin picking in two hours and make it a special date.” i stare into his very teal eyes and and ask “Why two hours?” “Well that's a surprise.” Keefe says tackling me onto the bed and give me a hug. “Ok, ok two hours I can wait but you two better being wearing something orange.” “Perfect we will pick you up at,” Fitz checks his watch that his partners gave him for one of his birthday gifts, “noon for our fun october date.”

A few hours and an outfit change later I was ready. I decided on a simple multicolor autumn colored sweatshirt, frayed jeans and some boots with a rusty colored beanie that she had in the back of her closet, last year she was feeling nostalgic and convinced her friends to come with her to the forbidden cities and buy some fall outfits well actually the plan was to get an outfit but she went with Biana so they ended up with way to many clothes most of them not fit for autumn but it was a lot of fun and a great stress reliever. “Hello, there are two very attractive guys standing outside your door with treats.” I hear Keefe’s voice coming through the door, opening it I see him with flowers in his hand and Fitz holding a red box, “Aww, guys you didn't have to do this, I was just being dramatic when I said I was mad at you.” I say looking at my amazing boyfriends. “Oh we know but we wanted to make up for the lost time so we have flowers in a big pretty bow and if you open that box you will find, duh dun dun dun” Keefe signs pointing to the box that has been handed to me and I open it seeing caramel bursts and “Are these mini pumpkin pies?” Fitz nods, “I love you two so much.” I put the food down onto my bed and pull them into a hug “Ok but I can't hold this off,” I step back looking at Keefes head “What is that hat” “You said wear orange!” Keefe says smuggly “Sweetheart, it's a bright orange cowboy hat.” Fitz's crisp accent mentions reaching up to straighten the hat. “Oh like you weren't blushing when you first saw me.” Keefe smirks at Fitz “You were wearing a scarf! You know I'm weak for you guys in scarves!” Fitz says. I chuckle leaning in to give him a kiss of affection “Ok should be heading out now?” I ask while grabbing the baked goods.

A light leap and a few minutes later were at a pumpkin patch and I see an apple cider stand or at least something that looks like an apple cider stand. “It's so adorable!” I'm still holding Fitz, and Keefe’s hands so I shake them a little, rattling their arms in a swaying motion. “I think you're more adorable.” Keefe is looking at me and I can feel my face blushing, “Agreed, where should we start?” Fitz turns so he's standing in front of us and I voice my wonders about the drink stand and it turns out that it's pumpkin juice with some elf ingredients that I don't know, not apple cider but it tastes good and that's all that matters.

“Now the question is, how many do we need?” Fitz asks in a light tone while we stand in what is the biggest pumpkin patch I've ever seen and the most pumpkins I've seen. There is such a variety of sizes and colors including pinks and blues. “I have no idea, I say we just keep going until we have too many.” Keefe responds “I don't think you can ever have too many pumpkins.” I joke, “We may need a cart or something to make this easier.” We end up with twelve, a small orange one for Keefe’s nightstand table, two for Fitz’s house, three for carving and three for painting which apparently elves don't carve pumpkins and only paint them so we decided to do both, and then three for different recipes Fitz wants to try.

“That was amazing, thank you guys. I think that may have to become a yearly tradition for us.” I say lying on my bed. “I'm down with that.” Keefe is lying on the other side of my bed with his pumpkin on his lap that he named George. “What if we add on to that by tomorrow coming over to my place and making some pumpkin treats?” Fitz asks, he's sitting by my desk writing down ideas. “That sounds perfect. I think I may have a recipe book around here somewhere from my human parents and there is this great pie recipes we can try.” “Ooo that sounds amazing, I love pie!” Keefe sits up excitedly “Ok perfect well make some pie.” Fitz laughs. “I'm excited best date ever expanded.” I say meaning every word.

#I know it’s late sorry I meant to post it earlier #winterfireice writes sometimes #kotlc fic #Kotlc #sokeefitz #also yes I suck at naming things

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magnoliabloomfield · 2 years

Text

Garden of Heathen 44- Trauma Central

The one where Gally wants to yeet a b*tch and drinks his respect women juice

Love? LOVE? Did he just shucking say Love? Aussie felt like stabbing him with a fork just to change the subject. She didn't want to hear those words from him, she didn't want to be near him, she didn't even want to share the Garden with him.

The fact that everything he did that was nice and sweet turned her stomach instead of making her feel closer to him was a bad sign. He could be straight up lying to her. Now, if Gally had told her he knew her from before the maze, she'd believe him. And even if he told her he'd been madly in love with her before hand, she didn't think she'd freak out the way she was now. Heck, if she'd been in love with him before the maze then a lot of things would start making some shucking sense!

"Aris," she finally spoke up carefully, avoiding his gaze. "I am sorry, this must be hard for you too, but I don't remember you. I have none of these memories you talk about, and I don't have any of the feelings either. So can we just not talk about it?"

"But if I don't talk about it how will you ever remember?" He asked, his dark eyes becoming glassy. "I can't just let go of a second chance with you."

Gally bent his fork. And if he knew that Aris touched her knee under the table he would have found a new home for that fork.

Aussie sprang up and away from his touch, knocking her chair over. She just stood there for a second, everyone looking up at her except for Gally who'd stood up half a second after, ready to chuck this guy in the maze as soon as she gave the word. She didn't bother to say anything, she just turned and walked away as fast as she could toward the house.

"Aussie!" Aris called after her as he stood up as well, frozen by her outburst at first.

A heavy hand fell on his shoulder and pushed him back down into his seat. Gally leaned down so only Aris could hear him, squeezing his shoulder painfully.

"If you go near her, I'll break every rule in this place as far as you're concerned," he whispered threateningly in his ear, pulling back to give him a hard stare to make sure he understood before going after Aussie.

Gertie was halfway to the house, also following after her, so Aris was left with Joan, Georgia and Rachel.

"I am sorry for you, dude," Georgia said around a mouthful. "But you need to rethink your technique."

"What do you mean?" Aris asked.

"Well, think about it. If you were in her shoes how would you react to someone you don't remember, therefore you don't know, coming and trying to tell you who you are?" Georgia clarified for him.

"Also, you need to be careful of Gally," Joan added quickly since Georgia forgot the most important point. "They've grown quite close and he is fiercely protective of her."

"Yeah, I noticed," Aris mumbled unhappily as he rubbed his neck. "So, what do you think I should do?"

Georgia and Joan shared a glance. They really didn't want to advise this guy on how to get between Aussie and Gally.

"Aussie told you what she wanted," Joan reminded him. "Listen to her."

Aussie hugged a pillow as she curled up on the bed, sitting up still in case that psycho followed her in there, she didn't want to be vulnerable. The anxiety was making her stomach roil and she wanted to stay close to the bathroom just in case. Gertie came in just behind her, crashing next to her on the bed.

"Aussie are you alright?" She asked as she touched her arm.

"No, I'm not alright," Aussie almost groaned. "I just want him to stay away from me!"

"Given the fact that Gally isn't here yet, I don't think you're going to have to worry about that now," Gertie pointed out.

"Oh, bless him!" Aussie sighed.

They heard the door open and close and unmistakably heavy footfalls.

"Back here!" Gertie called with a small smile.

Gally came through the door looking concerned and ready to murder, which only made Gertie smile wider.

Gally was surprised to find Aussie in the room where she discovered her second dead body in three short years. Given how she was so freaked out by the basement for so long he didn't think he'd find her in this room either. That seemed like a sign something was really wrong. He slowed down and tried to move softly, not wanting to set her off anymore. She seemed jumpy.

"Hey," he said as he came over, sitting at the foot of the bed to give her some space.

He didn't dare ask if she was alright, she wasn't, or what was going on, he knew, but he had to check on her.

"Did you put the fear of God in him?" Gertie asked. "Or better yet, the fear of Gally?"

"If he has a functioning brain cell, yes," he said, earning a small smile from Aussie.

"Thanks Gally, I appreciate it," she said, uncurling a little bit.

"Yeah?" He asked, fishing for clues as to what he should do.

"Yeah," Aussie nodded. "I don't want him near me for a while."

"I can manage that," Gally nodded.

"Hey, while you guys are here and the newbies aren't, should we talk about the big problem?" Gertie asked, looking between them.

The big problem was that, when the box came up with Aris, it didn't go back down. Usually it retracted by now, but it stayed hours after Aris came out of it.

"Maybe the whole "last one ever" was more about the box than the boy," Gertie pointed out.

"That's probably why the note Gally came with said we'd have to get out once the white rabbit showed up," Aussie concluded. "If we have no more supplies coming we will definitely have problems sustaining ourselves here."

"Any clue how we're going to do that yet?" Gertie asked with forced hope.

"Not yet," Aussie sighed after she shared a look with Gally. "We'll have to work with Rachel a little more I think. She's gotta have some kind of important or else she wouldn't have had the rabbit clue."

Aussie shrugged and Gally thought it was cute how she did it, blowing a lock of hair out of her face from her sloppy bun.

"Alright," Gertie nodded. "Well, we're burning daylight on that then. What if I distract the new guy, tell him he's dehydrated or something and keep him laid up in the house while you guys, Joan and Gertie take Rachel to the map room?"

"That's not a bad idea," Aussie pulled a face as she nodded. "But! I don't want you alone with him either, get some one to help you- get two other girls to help you."

Gertie snickered. "Shouldn't be hard, the chuckleheads all seem to think he's gorgeous, they'll jump at the opportunity to hang around him."

Gally's brows furrowed in a slightly sad way at that. Oh, what was he thinking, after his experience with Hedy this guy could have all their attention. Still, it stung a little though.

"Ok, maybe Gally and I can sneak around him so he doesn't know what we're up to," Aussie suggested.

"You're just trying to avoid him," Gertie deduced correctly.

"So what if I am?" Aussie shot back.

"Aussie, you're practically the Queen here, don't let the first jerky guy you meet control you like that," Gertie gently grabbed her shoulders and gave her a shake.

"Hey, I think you just complimented me," Gally observed.

"Well, of course you're not a jerk. You're an idiot," Gertie clarified for him, making his expression go flat.

Aussie rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile as she got up from the bed.

"He's neither," she told Gertie sternly as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to ruin a girls life."

Gally was just thankful that he still had touch privileges.

"I'll come and collect the bozo as well," Gertie sighed, and they all left the house.

Gally felt a sense of relief finally as he watched Gertie and two other eager girls lead Aris back to the house, his furtive glances over his shoulder directed at Aussie being completely ignored by her. Aussie couldn't stand him and Gertie couldn't stand him either, as long as those two were on his side shuck the rest. He stood with his arms crossed, his body blocking Aussie from his sight as she talked to the other girls. He was not ignoring Aris and the attention was not favorable.

Even with Aris holed up in the house, Gally still walked close to Aussie, shoulders squared, being the best bodyguard he could be. Even when they got to the map room he gently put his hand on Aussie's waist to lead her to the other side of the table, that way he could sit next to her and also watch the door. He may even have moved his chair closer to hers, who's to say.

"I want to be a runner," Rachel informed them as soon as her cheeks hit the seat.

Aussie paused in the middle of pulling her chair in closer to the table, brows raised high as she stared at the new girl across the tarp covered table.

"Ok... and why is that?" She asked her, finally settling in to her seat.

"I know this is gonna sound strange, but I really feel like I'm supposed to be one," Rachel explained, her hand going to her chest to emphasize the depth of that feeling.

"You understand that there's things in there that attack people, right? We went over that, do you remember?" Georgia questioned her as if she possibly caught a second case of amnesia.

"I know, I know," Rachel assured her, the expression on her face plainly saying she couldn't believe it either. "But that obviously means we can't stay here, right?"

"And you believe you can solve what we haven't been able to in three years?" Joan spoke up from her other side.

"I think my time is best spent at least trying-"

"Do you believe you can solve it?" Joan repeated, her tone and volume slightly antagonizing.

"Yes," Rachel blurted, her hands lightly coming down on the tables edge as she admitted it. "Yes, I do."

Joan looked looked to Aussie after that. Aussie was not the calculating type, she could read emotions on someone's face but she could not fathom what Joan was trying to telepathically convey to her in that look. Forget wavelengths, they had different oceans.

So Aussie did what she'd never recommend anyone do. She winged it.

"Listen," Aussie said, leaning forward with her elbows on the table, fingers clasped in front of her. "I know how traumatic it is to come up in that box, not remembering anything, so my inclination- naturally, is to be as kind and gentle as I can with everyone who comes here. The last thing I want to do is further traumatize anyone unnecessarily."

Rachel sat there listening intently but also looking confused.

"So my question for you is basically..." Aussie trailed off with a sigh as her gaze floated and shifted, searching for the right words. "If I assure you it's necessary, how much can you take? I mean, in terms of outlandish and crazy information that may or may not make any sense to you, and could in fact put a heck of a lot of pressure on you. Can you handle more trauma?"

Rachel looked at each face that was now staring at her, waiting for the answer. Finally her eyes landed on Aussie again. This girl looked like the maze had chewed her up but she would not let it swallow her. She was a tender, loving force that would not be destroyed, and she would get as many people out of here as she could. Whatever she had to say, Rachel could take.

"Yes, I can take it."

Masterlist

@a-ravenclaw-into-tardis-221b @sweetseunghyun-poulter @mrbillymontgomery @crazysheeplyca @frequentlychangingfandoms @massivechaos @rllych

#gally #tmr #maze runner #fanfic #garden of heathen #will poulter protection squad

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parallel-selfs · 4 months

Text

Ghost Bride

Followed Mewshi Q's playthrough.

"But you were rather do this than have Vil lecture you, right?"

Fighting ghosts with a broom.

They just grab her arms and throws her out. "Hey! What the hell?!"

"Time of year? This is a normal thing that happens yearly?"

Glares at Crowley.

"Crowley, we're in the middle of the training camp for the VDC, what was the point of it if we're staying at Pomefiore anyway?"

"Kidnapped?"

Idia just got jumped.

Fist fights ghosts.

Feels weird at Azul being concerned for her.

"Crowley, even if she had unrealistic standards, the fact a student can die if she sees him as her prince should have been enough of a reason to do something before it gotten to this point."

"Damn."

"Crowley, the news would be getting on your ass, not theirs considering you're the headmage. Why does your students have to save a classmate when it's your job to protect your students from situations like this?"

"Rook, what the heck..."

... How old are you?

"That's kinda messed up..."

Oh, honey.

"Floyd, stop bullying Riddle."

Winces at the yelling.

"Oh damn. I didn't expect a slap." "I mean, if you randomly start singing, I doubt anyone would join you."

"He got slapped because he doesn't have a dog. Damn."

"Say what?"

"You can totally rescue someone without a sword."

"He deserved that."

"Trey, come on..."

"He didn't stand a chance."

Sighs in disappointment.

Team tall?

"Now what?"

Alice thinks to herself. "You know what, I'm coming with. I'm curious about something."

"-if it slapped them in the face." [Charmer]

The boys are now pissed off for a different reason.

Huh, he looks nice. Though, why is he on a stand?

>:/ Idia, they were trying to help you.

Aw shit.

"Oh! The young woman can be my bridesmaid. She can help me get ready."

"Um, my apologies, Your Highness. I unfortunately have to meet up with companions of mine for private arrangements. But I will return before the wedding."

"Aw, okay, I promise to save a spot for you. Please remember to dress your very better before your arrival."

"Of course, Your Highness."

"Of course you're the only one on this campus can woo the ghost bride." -Ace

Waits under the tree as Crowley runs around the school for anyone who can rizz.

"Out of the question. You didn't even participate in the croquet tournament yesterday, Ace." -Riddle

Riddle played you, Ace.

"I doubt I can be any help, plus you have Rook so you don't need me." "Ortho, I'm not going to be any help." "Are you kidding me?" "Fine."

Crowley hands her the suit. "I believe this suitor suit will look perfect on you, Miss Winter. Go change in the backroom."

"What? Why am I changing clothes? I'm a woman, she wants a prince."

"Yeah, but you were the only one able to rizz the princess. Beside, you need to wear something nice as the bridesmaid or else you'll get slapped too." -Ace

"Fair enough."

"You look like Cater with your hair up like that."

"I wish you guys the better of luck."

"Good thinking, Epel. And Ace, she slapped Jack for not having a legendary sword, does any prince have a legendary sword?"

Do any of us need to be here? (At hearing Rook's proposal)

Damn, Rook.

Places a hand on Riddle's shoulder. "Riddle, calm down."

"Enough talk, we gotta fight our way through now."

"We have to go."

Rook, what is wrong with you?

"Come on, guys!"

"He can handle them."

"So you're going to let her kill a random guy just to fulfill a dream instead of actually finding a husband."

"She's forcing Idia to marry her."

Alice is dragging them instead of rolling them.

"Seriously?"

"How is everyone's cheek?"

Winces at yelling again.

Sneaks over the cake and takes a slice.

#twisted wonderland #alice #facts about alice #twst event

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cc-cobalt-1043 · 5 months

Text

recollections

*Joey and Daniel both woke up after passing out at a new year's day party at town hall*

Joey: *groaning and lying under a table* where are we

Daniel: *lying on top of said table* I seem to be lying on a dining room table, I can see cutlery, I've either died and come back as a succulent pig, or we're still at town hall...what can you see

Joey: nothing, I think I've gone blind *he sat up and hit his head on the table* OW

Daniel: heck of a party *he rolled onto his side and fell onto the floor with a thud

*the two sat together*

Joey: heck of a party

Daniel: yeah

Joey: you remember anything that happened last night

Daniel: no idea, everything went dark around the commissioner's speech, the last thing I remember is my head in the cold, unforgiving lavatory bowl

Joey: Danny, that wasn't the lavatory bowl...it was the punch bowl

*Daniel's eyes widened in horror and he facepalmed*

Daniel: hark Mr memory man

*Joey yawned and suddenly noticed something red on his hand*

Joey: oh my god...I'm bleeding

Daniel: no you aren't, that's just red lipstick

Joey: oh...Danny why am I wearing red lipstick

Daniel: cause maroon would have clashed with your eyeshadow

*Joey rubbed his eyes and noticed it, gasping in horror he wiped it off*

Daniel: *shaking his head with a grin* you should know better than to pass out unconscious while I'm still awake

*Joey nodded*

Daniel: you know, last night I think we made one or two, teensy little mistakes, starting with a few drinks of juice, great, a few glasses of milkshake, lovely, but the soda and lemonade drinking race...that may have been a bridge too far...and our second mistake, was letting Boba convince us that you could mix a nice cold coke, with a bit of redbull

Daniel: and our third, final...crowning mistake *Daniel suddenly screamed in horror* something horrible is coming back to me

Joey: *turning pale* and me, Where's that punch bowl

*Daniel jumped up and frantically searched his suit pockets and trousers, he found a a bit of paper and stared at it in horror*

Daniel: it's true

Joey: Danny, while your up there get me the punch howl

Daniel: well thats it *he sank down next to Joey* I might as well leave town, my life's over, it was very nice knowing you Joey...you were hanging from the light fitting, Will was having a lie down in the cold buffet...and I was dancing the lambada with the daughter of the commissioner of the metropolitan police...commissioner Boyle's daughter

Joey: how'd I get onto the ceiling

Daniel: me and the others formed a human pryamid, but that is not the point...I did the lambada with the commissioner's daughter...I took her out to the cloakroom...*looking ready to cry* JOEY, I SNOGGED HER

*he looked at the paper again*

Daniel: *gasps* I've got her telephone number

Joey: *confused* 999

Daniel: that's her emergency number, her regular number's on the back

Joey: you sure it was the commissioner's daughter

Daniel: yeah, I remember it clearly, our age, white dress, green eyes, blond hair, kept smiling at me half the party

Joey: and that was her

Daniel: *groans* Joey Joey Joey

Joey: *groans* Danny Danny Danny

Later:

*the twins were walking together*

*Daniel's phone started ringing*

Daniel: *awnsering it* hello

Boba: hey Danny, me and the others have a question

Daniel: go on

Everyone: *singing* WHO WERE YOU WITH LAST NIGHT

*Daniel hung up the phone*

Joey: okay, what are we doing now

Daniel: I just want to grab a few things, I wrote it all down here *he hands Joey the paper*

Joey: *reading it* to the naughtiest young man I ever met, kiss kiss heart heart, all my love and hair ruffles, Lilac

Daniel: underneath that, what's underneath that

Joey: PS, call me Friday, misery guts is at a conference

Daniel: UNDERNEATH THAT

*Joey covered his mouth trying hard not to laugh*

Joey: oh Danny, you are in trouble

Daniel: you think I didn't know that

*later Joey and Daniel are approached by a very angry Cobalt*

Joey and Daniel: oh hi dad

Cobalt: dont you, oh hi dad me, do you two have any idea who I've just been talking to on the phone

*the twins shook their heads*

Joey: no dad

Cobalt: commissioner Boyle

*the twins gulp nervously*

Cobalt: apparently the commissioner's beloved daughter Lilac woke up this morning with a smile on her face...smiling and whispering the same name ocer and over, Joey she kept saying, Joey, Joey, Joey...Joey Stryker

Daniel: *in shock* Joey

Cobalt: yes Daniel, but from what I hear you're both as gad as each other, first you lambarded her down to the the cloakroom...and then Joey dropped down on her from a chandelier...she hasn't been the same since *looking at Joey* APPARENTLY SHE COMPARED YOU TO ERRROL FLYNN

*he sighed and rubbed his eyes*

Cobalt: look, I know what these parties are like, we all have one or two too many, even I've done that myself when i was younger, I did some fairly dumb things too, but I didn't start swinging from the lightbulbs and kissing women I barely even know, THE COMMISSIONER WAS ALMOST IN TEARS

#star wars #the bad batch #clone force 99 #Bad batch Cobalt (oc)#Joey stryker (oc)#Daniel stryker (oc)#joey and daniel are chaotic twins

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dravid-writes · 10 months

Text

"Hey Snivy? Um, has something been bothering you lately?"

Ah. Guess I wasn't hiding it very well. "Yeah. The road we've been on, it's... pretty close to my old hometown."

"Oh." We both go quiet for a while. Jamie's never been good with touchy topics, and I'm not eager to talk about it either. "Were you thinking of... visiting?"

"... I don't know. I could just... not. Heck, I've been doing doing that for a few years now. But I'm curious, you know? I've grown and changed so much... maybe they have too? Don't they deserve a second chance? Your parents were so worried about you when you suddenly disappeared, I kinda... have to let them know I'm okay, right?"

Jamie looks down, thinking it over. "... I don't think it matters what they deserve. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. If you don't want them to worry, you could talk to them, but... Do what's best for you. If you never want to see them again, that's your right, right?"

"... Right. Thanks. But, still, what if I'm missing out? What if we could try again, start fresh? What if it's better this time? It's possible, right?"

"Well... Yeah, it is. But it's also possible that they're the same as before."

"Yeah... I've made up my mind. I need to know for sure."

I stand at my old front door, terrified. I've been lifting my hand up and down, getting ready to knock and then chickening out, for a good five minutes now. What if they shout at me? What if they're even meaner because I ran away from home? What if it's all messy and emotional and complicated? What if... What if they actually ARE nice now? That'd be good, but...

The door is opening, THE DOOR IS OPENING!! Before I have time to panic and run away, I'm face to face with one of my serperior parents: Pen.

They look me up and down (hopefully appreciating the fancy shirt I put on just for them), eyes getting wider and wider until they finally whisper, "Snivy?"

I AM NOT READY! "Uh... H-hi, parent Pen..." I say with a nervous smile.

"Snivy! Oh, Snivy, where have you been? Quill! Quill, come here, Snivy is home!"

"WHAT?!" I flinch at the shout, for a sec I'm not sure if they're angry or just shocked. But when parent Quill rushes into view, the disbelief on their face turns into a teary smile. "Snivy! Oh thank Arceus, we were so worried!"

"What happened? Are you alright?"

"I'm okay," I assure them, "I'm fine. You're not... mad at me for disappearing for so long?"

Parent Pen looks at me with kind, caring eyes. "We're just happy you're safe."

"We missed you so much!" parent Quill says. "We were so terrified that something horrible had happened to you, we looked everywhere for you! And now you're finally home..." They're crying. Oh jeez they're CRYING!

"I'm sorry..." I had no idea they were so worried about me! That they cared about me. That they... missed me... right? "Do you... Do you love me?"

Parent Quill looks surprised, but it fades into a smile. "Snivy, of course we love you! We're your parents."

"Now come inside," parent Pen says, "I'll get you some food, and you should say hello to Red and Blue."

"O-okay, but, first..." Okay, here goes nothing, moment of truth! "... Can I have a hug?"

Parent Quill slithers forward, wrapping around me. "Oh of course you can, my darling Sni-"

PPPPFFFFFFFFTTTTT!!

Everything stops. All the tearful joy in my parents' faces freezes into shock. And despite how nervous and terrified I am, I can't stop myself from snickering. Then giggling, then laughing out loud! I throw off my shirt to reveal a whoopee cushion taped to my chest. "Oh my gosh," I say through my laughter, "it's been too long! I think the last time I pranked you was when I was like 10! You should see the looks on your faces!"

But the longer I laugh, the more their expressions turn to frowns. Parent Quill slithers away from me, turning with a glare. "Unbelievable! All this time, and you still haven't learned a drop of respect for your own parents!"

Parent Pen sighs, familiar disappointment spreading across their face. "And here I was hoping you might have grown up a bit. You haven't changed at all."

"I can't believe that my own child is still so hopelessly immature!"

Immature... The word harmlessly slides off me just like everything else they say. As my laughter dies down, I sigh with relief, and smile. "You haven't changed at all," I echo. Still getting so angry over a harmless joke. I was feeling so conflicted before, thinking I might want to try spending time with the people who used to make me feel so bad. Thinking it would be complicated. But the moment I start acting like ME... They didn't miss me. They missed the person they've always wanted me to be.

They look at me with confusion at my response. I can't blame them, I wasn't expecting to feel this way either. Pen says, "Why are you smiling? Are you proud of yourself, acting like you're five years old?"

Quill shouts, "Apologize right now, or you're in trouble!"

There's so much I could say. I could tell them how much their words used to hurt me. I could explain that maturity isn't about just following rules. I could bargain, tell them to treat me better. I could try to fix this. "Thanks for making this easy." I turn and walk away.

"What- Hey! Get back here this instant, young 'mon!... Stop right now, or else!... That's it!"

I'm already prepared as a vine wraps around my left arm. The moment I feel it, I bite down on it, and it recoils back with a yelp. I turn to meek Quill's familiar furious glare... but for the first time, I don't feel even a bit of fear staring into their eyes. I just smile, and watch Quill's authority and power over me crumble. "My sincerest apologies, it appears as though I wasn't entirely clear. I'm leaving. Forever."

Pen slithers forward. "Snivy... Why? Why are you leaving? Why did you run away?"

Options, options, so many things I could say! 'Are you stupid?' comes to mind. I could tell them that they treat the things that make me happy as shameful. That they don't show me any respect despite how much they demand from me. That I found people who love me for who I am, not despite it. But if they can't figure it out themselves, then I have better things to spend my time on, so I make it quick with one last chance. "There's one thing you can say that will make me reconsider. Do you know what that is?"

Pen and Quill look at each other, uncertain. It's nice to be the one with power for once. Finally, Pen says, "We... we love you? Please stay?"

I shake my head. "Wrong answer." I turn and walk away.

They come after me, pleading with me to stay, telling me all the reasons why running away from home is a terrible idea, but not once do they say the magic word. They chase me, and I run, I run away as fast as I can, and I leave them behind, laughing all the way! I'm free! I'm free and I never have to look back! I can finally leave it all behind for good...

Finally, I arrive at camp, panting for breath and grinning like an idiot. I collapse on the ground, staring at the sky.

Jamie sets down their lunch and stands over me. "Uh... How'd it go?"

"It went amazing..."

"Oh! So, you talked it out with them? They're gonna be better now?"

"Oh, no, they're just as bad as ever. I'm never coming back here again. I finally know for sure."

"... Huh. Well, I'm glad you're, uh, happy with the result. And okay. I was kinda worried they might hurt you or something."

"Psh, if they tried I could've beat them both with my tail tied behind my back. What does their formal combat training have against my raw skills?"

Jamie giggles. "Yeah, they've wouldn't have stood a chance against you!... Uh, hey, it looks like we might have to test that claim..."

"What?!" I sit up and spot- Oh thank Arceus it's just Blue, jogging into our camp. We can totally beat up Blue together... Wait a sec. "Wait, Blue, what are you doing here? What, did you and Red 'miss me' too?"

Blue pants for breath, having just run the whole way here after me. "Wait... I..." They stop and breathe for a second. "Chill, I'm not gonna try to drag you back. I just wanted to say two things. 1: I'm sorry for being such a dick to you, and 2: That was HILARIOUS!"

I freeze in shock. "Wait... Say that again?"

"Your prank! That was hilarious! Oh my gosh, you made them SO mad, and then you just- You just didn't even care! They were threatening you and everything and you just SMILED! And you just walked away, and then you BIT parent Quill, that was so-"

"No, no I mean... What was that first thing?"

"Oh. Yeah, I'm really sorry. I was a total jerk to you, and you didn't deserve that. I'm sorry I stopped playing with you, and said all those awful things. I totally get why you left..."

"... GAAAAH, why'd you have to go and make things difficult!?"

"W-what?"

"You said the magic word, and now I'm reconsidering!" I sigh. "It was so much easier to deal with my ex-parents since they're just dumb jerks who don't know the word 'sorry'. Now I don't know what to do..."

"... You want to get some fries at the Fat Emboar while you think? My treat."

"They're still in business?"

"Yup, much to our parents' dismay."

"... Yeah, that sounds nice. Oh, and this is Jamie!" I grab Jamie and pull them beside me. "They're my best friend! I met them after I ran away to become an explorer and now we're a team called Team Playmates!" Jamie just stands there and smiles awkwardly.

"... You are so much cooler than me."

#my writing #pmd

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spideyspeaches · 3 years

Text

Roller-coaster ↬ p.p

gif’s not mine

A/N: My take on What if Peter was in Wandavision? But with a twist ;) Beta read by my wifey @stars-aligning 🥰🥰

Warnings: canon typical voilence? mentions of death. Also the timeline doesn’t really make sense, just pretend everyone is of the same age. OH and Wandavision spoilers :)

WC: 9k (longest one shot I’ve ever written 😭)

Pairing: Peter Parker x ex!Reader

Masterlist || Taglist

"Ben? What's wrong? Why are you looking at her like that?"

"I- I don't. I don't know. She seems familiar."

"Familiar? Familiar how?"

"Like her and I don't belong here. Like we're from another world."

Working with Tony Stark as his intern, then head of the R&D and now working in the labs as the head of the department felt surreal, a fresh breath of air every time he looked at his desk, with his name written on it. It had been Peter’s dream to meet Tony Stark, maybe work with him too.

And then he got bit by a radioactive spider, giving him super strength, super eyesight and apparently super luck too, because though he liked to think that he was working in SI due to his intelligence, the spider bite did play a role in becoming his mentor’s favourite intern, without which he might have not had a chance to meet him hands on.

Tony kept reminding him that even if Peter had not been bit by the spider, he would have still secured a high position in Stark Industries, with his disarming intelligence that rivaled Tony’s own and charmingly trippy personality.

Peter begged to differ. But then again, he wasn’t one to look a gift horse in it’s mouth. Ever since he was a bushy haired, rosy cheeked jittery teenager, he had always worshiped the ground Tony walked on.

Peter remembers the day he got an anonymous letter, which turned out to be SHIELD's handiwork, asking him to join them in their base in New York, even if he insisted that he wasn't interested in being a superspy wannabe. He was skeptical at first, why would the most paranoid of paranoid agents send him a letter in mail? Him, twenty three years old Peter Parker, who lives in a shitty one bedroom apartment in Brooklyn with termite issues and smokes weed like the government is going to ban tobacco and is barely able to take care of himself with the overload of work.

Maybe it was just his Parker luck, or the fact that he was a freelance vigilante who looked after New York in a skintight spandex suit, because the safety of the people was apparently second in priority to the government. They'd rather have people die than have an illegal protector.

Yeah so Peter was salty, and what about It?

Slinging his satchel higher, he saw the sleek black car in confusion, trying to get a look at the number plate before the lift binged on arrival, walking into the open door. He swore he was either hallucinating or in midst of an intense flashback of the events that lead to what people dubbed as the 'Civil War', back to when he had been shaken out of his mind watching Tony Stark eat his aunt’s homemade walnut date loaf that had more salt than sugar.

His thoughts were put to a halt when he entered his and his aunt's old apartment in Queen’s after a long week of Spidey on mission and nearly getting (illegally) fired, footsteps coming to a pit stop. It's not like it's everyday you come face to face with Agent Coulson, Nick Fury and your ex not- really- girlfriend, somehow all in one day all together.

"So… um. What are you- What are you guys doing here again?" he asked, folding his hands on his chest defensively, leaning into his aunt's side as he whispered, "how long have they been sitting here?" from the corner of his mouth.

Fury raised a non-existent eyebrow, looking at him with a dagger for eye, making Peter shift nervously. Agent Coulson looked uncomfortable and You, You looked strangely in your element, sitting on the couch with one leg over the other, a neutral expression on your face.

Back when he was still in high school, when he'd first met you, he used to be in awe of how outgoing you were, seemingly adjusting in whichever situation you were thrown in. You had always accommodated to your surroundings, but with a start he realised that he had never seen you so… You in a while.

Not during your visit to the Avengers tower, not during the first time you came into his bedroom, all alone. Not when he had seen you take down a mugger on your way home from your first date without even as much as batting an eye.

"They were here ten minutes or so before you came home. It's creepy, as if they knew you were visiting," May answered with a whisper, wearily eyeballing them before moving towards the kitchen, leaving Peter unattended to Your and Fury's piercing gazes.

"I'm sure they know my monthly schedule before I do," Peter said, turning to look at the aforementioned agents. "So... you like, work for SHIELD, too?" He asked, wringing his hands to abate the tension in them.

"Yes, she does, but that's not what we're here for, Mister Parker," Fury said in his gruff voice, sitting back with a sauve expression. Peter gulped as Agent Coulson looked him in the eye, finally noticing the thin file he held in his hands.

"Well what are you here for?" Peter asked, mustering up some confidence as he tried not to look at You or the eye that Fury had that wasn’t covered by the patch.

"We need you to come to Westview, New Jersey with us," You said, a final no nonsense undertone in your voice. He shuddered when he heard you, remembering how soft and sweet you used to be. But that was before you disappeared out of nowhere, and apparently that nowhere was with SHIELD.

"Me as in Peter Parker or Spider-Man?" he asked, looking behind his shoulder to make sure May wasn't listening. It's not like she didn't know about his… nightly whereabouts, he just wasn't comfortable with making her worry. She already had too much to deal with, with the nephew by day and vigilante by night thing he had going on.

It was also a little concerning that the three in front of him knew that he was visiting her today. He wondered if his apartment was bugged (well, more than the daily roaches and ants) or if SHIELD had been keeping an eye on him after he had denied their offer, instead opting to stay in SI.

It was probably the second one, although the first one was entirely a possibility. He was going to need to talk with Mister Stark about debugging his shitty one bedroom apartment in Brooklyn.

"We need Peter Parker and his tech skills for this one," Fury said, before shoving the file in Peter's hands and crossing his own, “and my offer still stands.”

"For the last time, I'm not joining your little murderous boy band," Peter grumbled, scrunching his eyebrows as he looked at your twitching lips, as if holding in laughter. "I'm perfectly content with working with Dr. Connors in his little laboratory in SI."

Fury didn’t look convinced and opened his mouth to probably threaten Peter, when Aunt May came in with a tray of cookies. They smelled amazing, too good to be made by her, she probably brought them from Delmer’s.

“Oh- Were you…? I just thought you guys might want to eat something,” She said awkwardly, looking at Peter with pleading eyes.

“That’s very thoughtful of you, May! I would love to eat some of those, I’m famished,” You butt in, taking the tray from her with a smile.

“Um, May, you can um- you know?” Peter gestured, shifting on his legs, hoping that May would get the message before she stood for a minute too long. He didn’t like the way Nick Fury’s eye was looking at him, his tranquilizer gun suddenly visible from his leather jacket.

“Don’t be rude Pete, here May, I’ll help you get that.” You smiled, winking at him and dragging May by her arm, who was mouthing “she’s such a sweetheart” behind her shoulders.

"What if I told you that his man accidently got evicted due to some legal issues? And that now you're legally unemployed with severe financial issues that need to be looked after because the government suspects something illegal brewing?" Fury continued, looking him dead in the eye.

"Are you seriously blackmailing me? Threatening to unemploy me after all that shit you put me through with Mysterio?" Peter defended, raising a disbelieving eyebrow, watching you strutt back into the room, distracted by the sway of your hips in your mom jeans. He tried to shake the image, rolling his head to crack some tension that had built at the base of his skull.

"Mysterio was a mistake, Parker. This one is not; and we really need you for this one. Besides, remember that you're still a vigilante that hasn't signed the Accords of Sokovia."

Peter stiffened that the mention of the Accords. He thought the government was over it after the second amendment after the arrest of Thaddeus Ross, but apparently not.

"You said that last time and I almost died! My ex-girlfriend almost died, my best friend nearly died, heck half of Europe almost died because you Director Fury, apparently trust some superhero wannabe in a green and purple costume and overlook facts that could potentially harm someone. So the answer is clearly no!" he retorted, flopping the file on the table as he resisted the urge to sit on the floor flat on his back.

The three agents were looking at him with an unreadable expression, making him uncomfortable in his skin.

"Well, it's all up to you then." His voice had a finality to it, one that irked him to no end.

"Do I have a choice?" He sighed after a beat, looking at the three of you with a forlorn expression.

"Get your equipment ready, Mr. Parker. We'll be leaving for the camp tonight. You can read the details in this file." He heard Agent Coulson say (he was pretty sure his name was Phil), trying to make sense of how fast everything was going past the chronic tinnitus in his ears.

"It's Dr. Peter Parker," he muttered fruitlessly, blushing under your raised eyebrow.

***

"So, I didn't know you got a PhD. I knew you were smart, still are, considering that you're a PhD at twenty two," You said, sipping on your virgin mojito, and placing the mug in front of you.

Peter had taken you to a cafe after the confrontation, wanting to know more about your whereabouts and how he had not noticed that you were a superspy all of his high school years. You had retorted with a simple "I'm a spy, that's why,” which he found pretty badass.

"Well, yeah, I did my undergraduate and PhD together." He shrugged casually, looking out of the window to avoid looking at you.

You had always been beautiful, but somehow, you had become even more beautiful than the last time Peter saw you.

"That sounds brutal. Only you can manage that," You joked. You weren't going to admit it, but you had missed being with Peter, joking with him and watching his beautiful side profile as he blushed under your scrutinizing gaze.

"So, um. This thing, what is it about?" Peter asked, snapping you out of your daze.

"Huh? Oh it's a long story. Like really long, if this was a TV show it would take five episodes for me to explain." You gestured, dismissing his scowl. "Okay, so you remember that time when that super high security facility was broken in back in december 2019?"

"Which super high facility? There are a lot of break ins happening in high security facilities in America, and it's more than concerning, considering they're supposed to be super high security." He said, fiddling with his own drink.

"Okay, Yeah that's true. It was a S.W.O.R.D facility, and long story short, Wanda Maximoff kidnapped her corpse husband to reenact the dad-knows-best suburban lifestyle with an entire town held as her hostage." You said, looking over your shoulders to make sure no one was listening.

"Wanda stole Vision's corpse? Wait, is this about Westview? 'The Town that ceased to exist'? Is that what happened? Is this some sort of mind control thing? Cause I know she can make people believe what she wants them to..." Peter whispered, leaning in to show that he was interested. You took a moment to admire his front profile, his broken nose and dimpled chin, rosy lips and sharp cheekbones, accidently zoning out on his theories.

Leaning forward, you brought a hand up his face, pushing a stray curl behind his ears, cutting him short of his rambling.

"W-what?" He stuttered, his breath hitching, making the table shake with a wince.

"You have nice hair." You commented with a smirk, caressing his hair one more time.

"You said that in the senior's party too, and well, there's no sex happening anytime soon." He said, rolling his eyes, sitting back in his hair with his hands folded on his chest.

"I like being optimistic." You rolled your own eyes, heart beating a mile a minute at the reminder of your relationship- ex relationship with Peter, "so what were you saying about Westview? I kind of zoned out."

You watched him roll his eyes again, trying not to let your eyes wander around his biceps and the little bit of his collarbones peeking from his shirt, unbuttoned from the top, also exposing the thin chain that he always seems to be wearing. With a start you realised that it was the one you had gifted him on his eighteenth birthday.

"So this town, Westview, it just disappeared right? Behind a barrier of sorts? Is it like, coming from an energy source? Was it created by Wanda? " he asked, ever his inquisitive self.

"Yeah, apparently she's created an alternate reality, sitcom style, with the people of Westview trapped in it."

"So she's basically starring in a fanfiction alternate reality of sorts but a sitcom format? Wouldn't blame her, poor woman's been through a lot." He nodded, shifting in his seat. He could feel your eyes burning a hole in his skull, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "Are you staying in a hotel? Or a shield facility?"

"Nope," You answered, leaning back on your chair. "Am I still allowed to stay in your room? With the doors open?"

He watched you with narrowed eyes, tilting his head with a smirk, replying to you with a nod, "alright."

***

"Did you pack your mittens? The extra warm ones with a built in heater? You know you're susceptible to frost bites-"

"May! I packed my mittens." Peter murmured, ducking his head in embarrassment as he raised an eyebrow at your amused smile.

"Okay, okay, that's great. Socks? Painkillers? Extra pair of glasses?" she asked, fumbling around the room like she did whenever he went on field trips.

"Yes, May!"

"Great. Stay safe, okay?" Her eyes softened, holding his cheeks in his hand like he was a seven year old, living with them with a knowledge of death no seven year old should have. Sighing, he leant into her palm, holding his own hand encompassing her small one. Giving her a smile, he kissed her cheek. “Ti amo, May. I’ll call you once I get there, okay?”

She nodded, pulling him into her embrace, though she knew full well that he’s going to forget to call her, too excited to be in the vicinity of multiple certified geniuses and other figures of authority.

***

"Is there anything I should know about? Like anything unexpected?" Peter asked, looking at the camp in awe as the jeep pulled over makeshift gates, a bunch of soldiers surrounding them.

Peter was used to seeing the hustle and bustle of camps, considering all the missions he had gone through with the Avengers, back when Steve wasn’t retired and the newer generation of avengers hadn’t entered.

“Your blood’s radioactive, right?” You asked, turning to face him with a smile.

“Yeah. Why? Is that relevant?” he replied, raising an eyebrow as he saw someone carrying his bags before he could protest.

“Well, Dr. Lewis found out about this hexagonal anomaly, no one really knows what it is, but the source seems to be emitting huge amounts of radiations,” You said, getting off the jeep, pulling Peter out with you. Walking towards the crowded camp, you came face to face with the tent where everything was set up.

“Doctor Darcy Lewis?” Peter said, looking at the place in awe. It wasn’t extravagant, but the technology surrounding the tent, the vans and what seemed to be a broadcasting antenna were all way beyond the regular one used in tech companies, which is funny, considering he’s been working with Mr. Stark his whole teenage life.

“Yup, that’s her, nerd.”

“So, what exactly is this Hexagon? Is it, like, a barrier of sorts? Can everyone go in?” He asked, looking around with glinting eyes, lips twitching in a smirk as he saw the barrier in question. His super hearing caught the static sound it emitted, wincing at the sharp noises. His boots crunched under the snow as he felt the thing pull him towards it, your voice muffled by the noises of the hex.

It was something he had never seen before, like the static of a TV with a lost signal, glowing red in places as if reaching out to him. His senses seemed dull, the world greying around the way it had before he was bit by the radioactive spider. The spider bite had enhanced his vision in a way that he saw colours not visible to the human eye, a technicolour wonder that even Bruce couldn’t solve.

He felt a tug, looking down at his shoes, wondering if he had just imagined it.

“Mom and dad have been, not fighting, just like different.”

He swore he felt a white light flash in front of him, his spidey sense buzzing at the base of his skull, tingling all the way to his spine as he straightened up to dissipate the feeling, shifting awkwardly.

“Only Captain Rambeau has gone in and come back intact so far. It’s emitting a colossal amount of cosmic microwave background radiation, also known as CMBR, and once you get into it, your mind doesn’t really stay your own, so no one has volunteered other than her. Everyone knows the risk,” You said, startling him, a sharp contrast to the voices that seemed to have suddenly accumulated in his brain.

“If you’re going to break the sound barrier, please just take your brother with you!”

‘Sound barrier?’ he thought, looking back at the hex as it flashed red, the tug strong enough to make him stumble in his place. You looked at him weirdly, asking if he was okay, but he wasn’t listening, turning to ask you what the red flash meant, distortion evident in the barrier.

“Captain Rambeau? The daughter of the director of SWORD?” he asked instead.

“Yeah, that’s her.”

“Damn.” He sighed, running a gloved hand through his hair, and dragging it down his face.

Walking inside the tent, Peter was hit with a face full of cold air, and the hundreds of monitors nearly gave him a sensory overload. The people running around didn’t help, either. “Where do I keep this?” He asked, pointing to his bag full of equipment that Fury had asked for.

“You can set up over here, newbie,” A new voice said chirpily. Turning around, he came face to face with the Darcy Lewis, eyes widening as he took in her smiley presence, another human who he didn't recognise standing behind her. “Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself! I’m Doctor D-”

“Darcy Lewis, I know- I’m a fan!”

“Aw look at you, you have a fanboy at your hand,” Captain Monica Rambeau said, strutting in and keeping a hand on her shoulder, confidence radiating off of her every pore.

"And… You are?" he asked awkwardly, looking pointedly at the FBI agent. He saw Darcy hide a snicker behind her hand, patting his shoulder and shoving him forward.

The man fell forward, steadying himself on the table before he flicked a card seemingly out of nowhere. "Agent Jimmy Woo, FBI,” he said proudly, a smile on his cute little baby face. Peter was left staring in awe, wondering how he had done that.

"Wait, can you do that again? How did you do that?!"

"It's cool, isn't it? I could teach you if you want."

"Yes, of course, but how did you do it? It appeared out of nowhere and if you take in consideration the law of conservation of mass, it can neither be created nor be destroyed and it just seemed to have accumulated-"

"It's a trick of illusion. You see, when I opened my palms, I-"

"Peter, let's set things up shall we?" You interrupted their session, a smirk on yours and the other women's faces, shaking your head.

Ditching the bag on the counter, he nodded, willing his heart to stop beating out of his chest. This was the coolest thing that had ever happened to him next to Tony Stark sitting on his aunt’s old futon. And the magic trick.

“This is the coolest day of my life,” he whispered, shrugging when you chuckled at his excitement. “Ned’s going to freak out.”

“Wait until you see the schematics and control panels.” You smirked, making him raise an eyebrow as he blushed, the flush apparent from his neck to his ear. The others scattered just as he finished setting his station up, fidgeting with the radio, when the voice of Hayward boomed across the cubicle.

“Ah, Mister Parker!” he says, a faux smile on his face as he looks at the station, making Peter shift uncomfortably. The weird tingling of his spidey-sense came up again, his hand automatically reaching there to scratch at the itch.

“Here we go again,” Darcy muttered, patting Peter’s back, her eye roll loud enough for him to glance at her.

“It- It’s doctor,” he muttered, hearing a “he gets me” from Darcy.

“Very well, Doctor Parker it is, then. I’m Hayward, welcome to SWORD.”

“SWORD? I thought this was a SHIELD thing?”

“...Fury didn’t brief you?”

“He did! He was just very vague, hence why I’m asking. What exactly have I been called here for?”

The silence that took over was palpable, with you shifting awkwardly as Hayward eyeballed them all, looking at the five of them morosely before saying, “Brief him Monica,” and leaving.

“God, is every higher official such a dick here?” Peter grumbled, watching him retreat, shaking his head as he threw the ball of paper he hadn’t noticed he had been fidgeting with.

“See? He agrees, I like him.” Darcy nodded, pulling him with her towards the briefing table.

“This all started when the town of Westview disappeared after the second blip,” Monica said, pulling up holographs that showed the image of people reappearing from the snap, his breathing increasing in pace as he remembered vaguely of his own reappearance.

The whole situation was fucked up. After stealing Vision’s corpse, Wanda had basically resurrected him, holding and controlling thousands of people, an entire fucking town. Looking at the list of all the missing people, his eyes zeroed on to one particular face. He racked his memory to remember who exactly it was, mouth hanging open when he realised who exactly she was.

“Is that… is that Agatha Harkness?” Peter said, pointing at the woman who had no name written under her photograph.

“You know her real name?” Darcy asked, looking at him with raised eyebrows as he nodded, wringing his hands around.

“Yeah, Wanda told me about her, she’s the witch from the Salem trials!”

“How is she significant to the plot, though?”

“She... she mentored Wanda, before she went to the dark side."

In the time he knew Wanda, she had been the sweetest person ever. She was like an older sister he didn’t know he needed, empathising with him on a cosmic level. They had come close before the events of Thanos happened. She was his person, and they shared a lot of secrets, this one being one of them.

“That’s one connection to her. What about the others? She keeps telling Vision that she doesn’t know what’s happening, but when the drone strike happened, she looked straight at the camera, like she knew,” Monica intervened.

“He tried to deploy a drone strike? In front of her children, after knowing very well that she saw her parents die in the Sokovian attack when she was ten? Is he fucking insane?!” Peter seethed, nearly crashing his fist on the table hard enough for cracks to appear on it.

“Peter, hey, calm down! You breaking things is not going to make the situation any better, okay? He already tried to chuck us out of this, you don’t go around breaking things now!” You said, holding him still as his body shook. You had never seen him this angry, and frankly, you would never want to see it again.

Peter was a sweet person, respecting people’s boundaries and always so understanding. He was the embodiment of good, even after living a fucked up life, he never projected his trauma on the other. He wore his emotions on his sleeves, and your heart clenched every single time, seeing him in pain.

"Listen, that's my sister in there, and she has no idea what she's doing. She needs our help and I'll do anything to help that woman and if you guys even think of hurting her I will make sure each of you regret it," Peter hissed, staring daggers at the silent team members of the room.

“Is there any way to reach there?” he asked, more softly than before. Darcy exchanged a look with Agent Woo and Monica, opening her mouth before knowing better and shutting it. “What?! Is there a way to communicate with her?”

“Follow us,” the brown woman said, breathing deeply as she looked at the other two silently.

"Where are we going?" Peter asked, fidgeting with your fingers. He hadn't noticed himself holding your hands, your lips twitching when you realised he had done that unconsciously.

“Trust me, I don’t know half the things these ladies do,” Woo whispered, and Peter nodded along seriously.

“Whoa, I feel like there’s a secret underground base here! Is there a secret underground base?”

“Well, it’s not underground, and not really a secret anymore,” Captain Rambeau said, unravelling a curtain, revealing a small space with a million monitors and a wooden desk littered with laptops and too many empty coffee cups.

“This is so cool,” You whispered, watching in awe as Dracy lit up the screens, revealing various codes and stuff you didn’t really understand. Peter was already invested, babbling about codes and addresses and hidden files within hidden files, things that flew over your head at the speed of Darcy’s fingers on the keypad.

Leaning on the table with one hand, Your eye caught a flat round metal looking thing on the ground, picking it up and tracing it with your fingers. “Is this… a bullet?!”

“Yeah, it was hit on that suit, which turns out to be 87% kevlar. That happened when Captain shot at it,” Jimmy answered, giving you a smile as you dropped your jaw.

“She went in wearing a bulletproof vest right? Wanda just… manifested a dress made of kevlar?” You wondered, your words interrupted by Peter’s yelp.

“So, remember how Director Douchebag ordered a drone strike on Wanda?” she said, contemplating her words next as everyone turned towards her. “Turns out he’s been planning something else.”

“What’s that?” Jimmy asked, pointing at the screen, which displayed two boxes full of what seemed like cells.

“That’s Monica’s blood work, he’s been tracking it the whole time. The first time you travelled to the hex? It changed your cellular structure on a molecular level, twice.” She said.

A sombre expression took over the older woman’s face, pursing her lips. “He thinks I’m gaining powers.” Monica nodded.

“I may not be a genetic engineer, but from what I’m seeing here, he’s most likely right,” Peter interrupted, a silence taking over everyone. “He’s keeping track of the enhanced, if I’m not wrong.”

Shaking his head, he clenched his eyes when he heard another voice. You watched him weirdly, reaching to ask him if he was okay, before retracting your hand.

“Chill out sis, it’s not like you can kill your dead husband twice.”

“You’re right. He’s been tracking everyone who’s enhanced, including Vision.” Dracy said, typing something on the screen to show you the map of Westview, pulsing red and blue dots appearing in your sight.

“Do you know what his endgame is?”

“Yeah. Rebooting Vision.”

Peter inhaled sharply, trying not to let his face show the anger inside him as he looked at Monica with wide eyes, both of them looking at each other dangerously, both of them realising same thing.

“Then, I’m going in. Someone needs to tell her,” he said, looking at the others for affirmation.

You took a step back, gulping in anticipation of his words. Reaching out with a hand, you stared at him, hoping he wouldn't lash out. "Peter, you have to know, the hex is a dangerous place. You won't even remember who you are so there’s no point in you going in. You won’t be able to convince her to magically leave her hostages, she’ll just see you as an outsider and throw you out-"

"Captain Rambeau went in and she was able to get out!" he argued.

"Peter, I was tossed out because she saw me as a threat. She might not do that to you but going in that thing is dangerous, especially with your mutations-"

"I don't give a fuck about my mutation! You of all people should know how it feels like to lose family, Monica," Peter said, looking at her. The fire in his eyes spoke volumes. No one dared to intervene.

"Peter, your mutation could potentially kill you. You know the risks of going past the barrier due to your enhancements. The radiations are altering DNA to a molecular level, your cells-”

"-are already metastasizing! My spider DNA is going to get me killed some day because my body won’t be able to handle it anymore, so I don't care, I'm going and that's final." He nodded, puffing his chest to show that he wasn't going to step down.

"Fine, I'll come with you then," You said, looking at him as you said that. A lump formed in your throat as you realised that he was so willing to sacrifice himself, and blood pumped in your veins as determination set in along with a rush of adrenaline.

"Do as you please." He shrugged, pursing his lips, but his eyes were a different story. You felt sick, insides tearing themselves up as you took a good look at him and his pallor, the artificial lights illuminating the scar tissues on his face. Ones that you knew were inflicted by his years of being the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.

***

“Maximoff is never gonna negotiate with us,” Hayward said, circling the table as Monica looked at him with disbelief in her expression. “We’ll need all the guns we have here to stop her.”

“We can’t outgun her, but what we can do is try and talk her out of this. Antagonising her is only making things worse. If Wanda is the problem, she has to be our solution!” Monica argued, looking forward.

“She’s already killed thousands during the Sokovian attack. How do you guarantee that she won’t kill another person she finds threatening?!”

“She was guilty about it. It wasn’t her fault, do not bring that into this.”

“Yeah? Well, the guilt isn’t going to bring back the dead children is it?”

"The dead children aren't coming back, but those people trapped in Westview? They can, if you fucking let us!"

"Fine. But someone will be monitoring you."

Negotiations with your boss and commanding team of SWORD concerning the ship was a tough feat. you had finally convinced them to let you and Peter go across the border, but Darcy and Monica were to be on the radio in case everything went amiss.

Sitting in the (illegally acquired) van, you watched Jimmy, who was trying to teach Peter the card trick, invested in the trick yourself. Leaning forward to get a better view, you tried not to let the rush of blood in your cheeks get to you at the close proximity with Peter, heart pounding with every step you took closer to the hex.

“I did it! I finally did it, Y/N, look!” Peter said, showing you the trick, smiling at his childlike enthusiasm.

“That’s great! You should show it to Morgan, she’ll like it.”

“How do you know about Morgan?”

“I know everything.”

You may have been bluffing, but he seemed to have caught on your cue, the awkward tension reappearing as he shifted in his seat, twisting and turning and going back to the magic trick. You tried not to smile, but your mouth never did coordinate with your brain.

��We’re here,” the driver said, parking the van.

“Okay let’s go through this again: Captain Rambeau and Dr. Lewis will be on the radio while you try and get in, stay near a radio as much as you can so we can try and communicate, and do not try to meddle with Wanda,” Jimmy said, going over your checklist.

You were skeptical of the plan, thinking about how successful your mission was going to be, considering how powerful she had become in her own little sitcom. You had heard of her expanding the borders just after you had started driving near it.

“You ready?” Peter asked, taking your hand as you nodded, and wrapped your fingers around his knuckles, before taking a deep breath.

“I’m ready.” You nodded, looking over your shoulders to see the FBI agent giving you a thumbs up, muttering something into the comms. Looking back at Peter, you felt dizzy with the buzzing anxiety, the pull of the barrier strong.

Stepping close to it, you felt electricity buzz in your veins, shuddering at the chilling sensation and sudden exposure to stimuli, your gut twisting the more your hand went in the hexagonal anomaly. You swore you felt your physical being tear apart, your life flashing in front of you in a white hot light, your brain was practically mush with how much force you needed just to get in.

"I thought we would be able to get in easily!" Peter shouts, his screams echoing in your eardrums, mixed with your own screams.

"She's becoming more powerful the longer she stays inside, and so is the hex," You replied, gasping for a breath as you tried to move forward.

With a final scream, you closed your eyes at the static sound bombarded your ears, you couldn't fathom how loud it must be for Peter, sending a look towards him. His eyes were scrunched, hands curled around his head and ears to stop the sound. Before you could comment on his state, your own vision doubled, bright green and magenta lights appearing out of nowhere, the coiling of your gut intensifying, and before you knew it, the strong force pulled you inside, throwing you off on the hard concrete of the road, and everything went dark.

***

“I’m okay. I’m okay. Everything is alright,” Wanda said, repeating the phrase like a mantra as she sat on the couch.

She repeated the phrase like clockwork, just like being a mom to two half synthezoid pre-teens and the gatekeeper of Westview. Snapping out of her daze, she felt something in her brain stir, realising with a start that something had been messing with the barrier-- or, rather, someone.

Closing her eyes, she willed her powers, similar to the ones Tommy had, to look past the barrier, opening her eyes with a flash when she saw a familiar face.

“Peter,” she muttered, the brown eyed boy who she had come to think of as a brother materialising in front of her, dropping on the carpet with a thud as his unconscious form fell on top of Yours. Wanda remembered you from all the stories Peter had told her about.

Crouching down, she reached out to touch you both. Her eyes glowing red as she held a finger to your and his forehead, scrunching her eyelids as she navigated both of your heads.

A lonely young girl was seen sitting on a rock, the wind blowing wisps of her dark hair along with her dress. Suddenly, the noise of clucking of horseshoes could be heard, a woman coming into view as she got off her horse.

“Feeling lonely and afraid at the middle of the night when you’re a young and beautiful teenage girl?” the woman in the cowgirl shoes said, holding her hip as the girl nodded. “Well, don’t worry, every young girl must have a sword at her disposal!”

“A sword?” the young girl asked, tilting her head as she took the object in her hand.

“Yes, a s.w.o.r.d, my dear. Fear not, for the sword will protect you from all the hexes around you.”

The girl smiled, looking at the camera with the cowgirl’s hands on her shoulder. “A sword to protect the young!”

Buy now at your nearest convenience store, terms and conditions apply.

“What are you two doing here and not at school?” Wanda chortled, startling the two who were now very much conscious. The boy moved, fisting his eyes, and he curled his hands to stretch the kinks that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, the varsity jacket scrunching underneath his fists.

“Babe?” the boy groaned, messing up his hair, looking at the general direction of the girl.

Putting on a smile, Wanda folded her arms, biting her lips at how adorable the two of you were.

“Ben? Is that you?” the girl asked, looking at her disheveled frock with a confused expression, finally noticed the woman standing in front of her. “Oh my god, babe, I swear we were at the bleachers not long ago. Did you manifest teleportation powers now?”

“Miss Maximoff! You’re Billy and Tommy’s mom! Babe, we’re in Billy and Tommy’s house!” The guy, Ben said, his voice rising up an octave as he looked at his surroundings.

He couldn't remember much about the Maximoffs, except that his neighbours talk about the weird mom and dad almost everyday in the gossip sessions. Whatever, he wasn't interested in them.

"She turned them into teenagers."

"Well there goes our plan. Do we still have back up ready?"

“That’s right, kids. Now, what were you two naughty children doing out of school?” Wanda asked, helping the two kids get up as the boy blushed, stuttering an apology.

“We- we weren’t ditching, I swear, Miss Maximoff! We were just-”

"-Doing homework! Because… because Ben's a nerd and he doesn't like that he gets behind because of the baseball team!" the girl said, stuttering as Ben nodded along with her.

“Yeah! We weren't making out or anything! Even if we're totally dating."

Their relationship wasn't exactly your normal relationship. It was more of a… mutually beneficial relationship.

Well, so far they had the entire town fooled, having them all think that a guy such as Benjamin Fitzpatrick would ever date a girl like her, who liked her books more than her siblings.

"Hmm, well, thankfully, I'm a cool mom and I will not tell your parents about this… thing. Whatever it was. Anyone want cheesecake?" Wanda smiled, clapping her hands once as she looked at the two teenagers.

Ben's stomach growled at the thought of food. "You don't have to do it, Miss Maximoff, but I would love some," he said, sheepishly looking at the ground, and wincing at another growl.

Wanda chuckled, patting the boys back kindly. "Oh honey, it's alright. Come on, don't be shy, the both of you!" she said, looking over her shoulder and saying, "and it's just Wanda! Miss Maximoff makes me feel old, you know."

They followed her to the kitchen, taking in the interior of the house. Ben's eyes caught something from the corner, it was almost as if it was… flickering? Shaking his head, he dug his fingers in his eyes, wondering if he was still feeling the effects of the time he had hit his head during the baseball practice.

"You okay?" the girl asked, keeping a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

"Yeah, probably the aftereffects of a concussion." He nodded, burrowing his brows in confusion.

"Hmm, should probably get that thick little noggin of yours checked by the nurse." She snickered, hitting his shoulders playfully. Her heart was beating fast, he noted, wondering how he could hear it so clearly. The thought that he would have to leave her after she gets a date for prom made him sad.

They may be faking their relationship, but he had caught on very fast and realised that he wanted it to be real. As real as the town of Westview.

Wait, what?

"You know we don't have to pretend anymore, right?" Ben said, looking at the girl as she came to a halt. Miss Maximoff was nowhere in sight, the house eerily silent with her heartbeat echoing in his ears.

"This is the best ship SWORD could ever make."

The awkward silence was interrupted by the opening of the front door, a loud jingle as Agnes came strutting in, a big smile on her face. It made Ben's neck sting weirdly, slapping his hand at the base to nullify the feeling.

"Hello, children! What are you doing, skipping school like the little troublemakers you are?" She grinned, pinching each of their cheeks as her voice took a baby-like tone to it. Ben took a step back, grimacing as she continued pinching his cheeks.

"Um, we weren't- we have no idea actually-"

"Agnes! Oh, what great timing! Were you here for Billy and Tommy?" Wanda came in, a plate full of cheesecake and crackers in her hand.

"Oh, Wanda, Wanda, Wanda! Your little troublemakers are already in my house, or did you forget?" She chuckled, the sound of her laughter taking a higher pitch.

Wanda furrowed her brows, opening her mouth to say something, before closing it, a grin taking over. "Right. Yeah, of course! They really love it there with you, huh?"

"That's right, everybody loves Auntie Agnes!"

Ben looked at his girlfriend again, feeling strangely out of place between the two women.

"Um, Miss Ma- Wanda? C-Can we go now? I feel like-"

"Oh, Ben, don't be ridiculous! Why don't you sit down and take a breather? You look pale, hon." Wanda smiled, setting down the plate and ushering the two kids on the table, both of whom looked at the table with hunger in their eyes. Well, it had been long since lunch break.

"Thank you for the cheesecake Mi- uh, Wanda, we appreciate it," the girl said, promptly digging in after the affirmation.

***

Vision knew something was wrong the moment Agnes showed signs of knowing what was going on. The first time it happened, he was sure his paranoid wife would do something, but she had continued to act as if nothing was wrong with Agnes' behaviour.

Walking down the road in his ridiculous costume, he nearly sighed in resignation, before he realised that he wasn't capable of such human actions.

One more thing that perplexed him to no end was his strangely human behaviour. It was as if someone was forcing him to act more human, some weird force that was so unlike Wanda's warm presence, something more foreign and way out of his realm (like the gum incident. He sure did remember Wanda chastising him for doing this atrocity, surely she couldn't have been the one controlling him? Right?).

His mechanical heart ached for his wife. She had gone through a lot, from what he had read from her thoughts; losing a brother (twice, if the absence of Pietro was anything but a confirmation), and then him (it didn't bother him much. He was a synthezoid, there was entirely a possibility that he could be revived).

He just really missed her, he realised. Their relationship had been strained ever since the boys were born. He didn't blame the drift on his boys, of course. He loved them to no end, would sacrifice himself for them, but he couldn't help but notice the change it brought in Wanda.

The arrival of Pietro 2.0 didn't help either.

His thoughts were interrupted as his feet halted their movements, and with a snap he realised that he had somehow made it to Ellis avenue, the border's static buzzing through his entire being.

"You look lost, buddy," a strange man said.

Looking at the man, Vision tilted his head, looking through the database of Westview to see that the man seemed to be nowhere in the records. How had he made it here?

"I- I'm sorry, who are you?" He asked, leaning against the car door to peer inside, the man sitting rigid. It was only then did he realise that the man's eyes seemed… glazed, almost like he wasn't aware. Looking back at the barrier, Vision gaped at the view in front of him.

The man's car was half inside and half outside the barrier, the slow moving particles seemed to be disintegrating the vehicle, watching in awe as sparks flew the closer the barrier came to the man.

"Listen, you have to get out of here before that thing destroys you." Vision tried shaking the man, but to no avail. His attempts were in vain as the man simply grunted. "Listen! Can you hear me? What's happening? Why is the barrier moving?"

He tried opening the door, but it was shut firmly. Groaning, he punched the door, nearly falling to catch the falling man, who was mumbling some incoherent mumbo jumbo.

"Wanda, what are you up to...?" Vision muttered to himself, realising with a start that the barrier was expanding and the man had come from outside the barrier.

Looking at the muttering man, he quickly moved them both away from the barrier, propping him up against the grass.

"I'm sorry," Vision said, his hands gliding yellow as he touched the man's forehead, his own circuits being bombarded with incoherent noises.

"Oh god! I'm sorry, please save me! Please, this hurts, this- you- you're the Vision!" the man screamed.

"Yes, I'm the Vision! Now, can you stay still? I'm trying to help you!"

"-Please! She's in my head!"

His hands lit up again, the yellow light smothering the man's forehead as he went still again, as Vision retracted his hands regretfully. Opting to leave the man there, he stood up again, startling once again that day when he heard a shrill cry, the body of… Geraldine? Appearing out of the barrier. Shaking his head, he was convinced that he was hallucinating, if that was even possible for a droid, and turned around to walk back home.

(Agatha gave a satisfied chuckle, purple sparks erupting from her fingers as she turned back to Wanda, pretending that that didn't just happen.)

***

"Do you think our school is a little… solitary?" Ben asked, inhaling a puff of smoke from the blunt in his hands. His girlfriend and him were sitting on the rooftop of Westview high, their feet swinging against the edge as she clutched at Pe- Ben for dear life.

Peter? Who was that?

"Did you see that?? Peter was right, that was Agatha Harkness and she's been the one manipulating the people, it never was Wanda! It was meant to be a plot twist, but I totally predicted it."

"Um…"

"What? I'm invested."

Peter?

Y/n? Can you hear me? Please say yes if you can hear me.

She noticed the static sound of the radio speaking to someone. The static noise increased, and Ben didn't seem to have noticed the small portable radio malfunctioning. Shrugging it off, she went back to passing the blunt from her boyfriend.

Boyfriend. The word ignited a flame in her chest. Ben, who she faked her dates with once upon a time, now was her actual, real boyfriend, who she was ditching homework to smoke a blunt with, uncaring of her nearing curfew. Her parents would have her head if she found out.

"Do you hear that?" She asked, exhaling the stale air from her lungs. She knew it was more of the deep breathing than the weed, but it made her feel serene.

"I've been hearing a lot of things lately." He croaked, clearing his throat, sniffing the air as he leaned back, his Adam's apple bobbing with every gulp. His glasses were sliding off his face. She reached to push them back up, smiling at the flush of his face.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, slipping her fingers through his, rubbing a hand on his back. His life had been difficult, she knew about him being an orphan, but she didn't know he was having a hard time with life at the very moment, her heart aching for the poor boy.

"I don't know, I keep hearing these voices in my head. Children screaming, people crying, and this… this buzz at my neck, I can't ignore it anymore! I feel like I'm going insane and I can't keep them quiet! I've tried, but it's like they're trying to communicate with me."

Her eyes softened, hands running through his thick, straight hair as he leaned his head on her shoulder. Suddenly, the height at which they were sitting on didn't matter, she had him in her arms.

"He broke the fourth wall. He's been hearing things, just like Billy."

Wiping away his tears, she kissed his forehead, rubbing her hands gently on his back.

"It's gonna be okay. You're okay, they'll go away soon." She reassured, folding her legs to get up, and pulling him up with her. "It's getting late, and mom will have my head if I'm later than curfew."

"You've broken curfew before." He chuckled, stepping closer to Her, his hands on her hips.

Moving forward, she enclosed her hands around his shoulders, intertwining her fingers at the nape of his neck. Standing on her highest tip toes, she crashed her lips into his, their bodies swaying with the cold wind.

"Awww, they're so cute! Exes to lovers, I like it."

"I agree. Didn't see the fake dating coming though."

"Right?! Wanda should start a production company."

"If Agnes lets these people go."

***

Meanwhile, Monica had managed to find an abandoned shack in the backyard of Wanda's neighbour's house, her body buzzing with a familiar tension.

Opening the shack, she saw the trails of purple, vein like thing running their tracks until they reached somewhere she couldn't see. She didn't notice another person creeping up on her, too busy looking at the trails.

"Snoopers gonna snoop," the voice said, making her jump out of her skin, and keeping a hand on her heaving chest to stop her from hyperventilating.

"Pietro?!" She startled, looking around to see if anyone had heard her. The neighbourhood was eerily silent, leaning against the wall, before deciding against it and squared her shoulders, looking at the man in front of her.

"Yeah, that's me. But who are you? And what are you doing in Margie's backyard?" he asked defensively. She would have found the expression comical if it wasn't for her racing heart and adrenaline filled brain.

"I could ask you the same thing," she said, folding her arms to show a defensive stance.

"I'm here because… I live here?" he muttered, borrowing his brows as his eyes glazed over again, "Yeah, wait, no... I live with my sister! Who lives two houses from here! What am I doing here?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

"God, this is so weird. First Wanda was being weird, now I am."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing."

***

Billy was afraid. He knew that he should be stronger and braver, if not for himself, then for Tommy. His momma always told him that the only thing to fear was fear itself, and he didn't know what that meant, but he knew that he had to be braver to get back to his mom and dad.

"Billy, I'm scared," Tommy whimpered. "I'm hearing voices again."

"It's gonna be okay, Mom and Dad will be here soon," he reassured, just as scared as his brother. They were only twelve minutes apart, but he still felt a responsibility for him.

Mom said that they both reminded of her own brother- Uncle Pietro.

Hearing the door open, he felt a chill crawl up his spine.

"She's here! Billy, she's here!"

"I know! I know! Shh!"

Her footsteps came closer, the cackling of her laughter making his heart pound. His brother buried himself in his shoulders, both of them huddled next to each other, as if the inevitable could be avoided.

"How are my best boys doing?" Agnes' shrill voice rang, making Billy breathe faster.

"We want Mommy," Tommy whimpered, sounding as small as Billy felt.

"Oh, I'm sorry honey, that's not happening anytime soon." She tsked, sounding as apologetic as the villains in the action movies his mom forbade him from watching.

"Why's that?" Billy asked, squaring his shoulders as much as he could.

"You didn't hear? Mommy's dead."

And his world crashed, his brain crowding with darkness.

A/N: Lemme know what you think! 😁😁

#wandavision #wandavision au #wandavision spoilers #peter parker x avenger!reader #peter parker x reader #peter parker smut #peter parker x reader smut #peter parker x stark!reader #peter x reader #dark!peter parker #wanda x vision #jimmy woo #darcy lewis #monica rambeau #spideygirl writes #queue tea

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reddie-fangirl24 · 2 years

Note

Me again, can you also potentially do

"All I wanted was us."

For Reddie also?

Feel free to take it however you want, but I'm kinda seeing a hurt/comfort. Maybe with a dash of angst?? A dash of jealousy??

Up to you!

NOTE: This is based on a crossover fic I am going to write based on the 1972 film, The Poseidon Adventure. I hope you enjoy!

“All I wanted was us...” Richie sniffled, his head buried into Eddie’s shoulder. He’d been so brave for his boyfriend’s sake during this whole ordeal. Eddie wouldn’t blame him. They were starting the new year in the worst possible way on an upside-down ship in the middle of the ocean!

Eddie brushed his fingers through Richie’s hair, which was knotted. He felt Richie’s shoulders calm down more. Slowly, his breathing regulated to its normal pace. Good. Richie looked like he was ready to pass out from that awful panic attack.

“Oh, Rich, nobody expected this to happen,” Eddie whispered in his ear. He rocked him in slow motions like a baby. The other Losers were still asleep in the hallway in all that clutter. The lights kept blinking on and off. It was amazing that the ship even had electricity still. Water dripped everywhere creating little floods.

Battling an evil clown was nothing compared to being trapped on a capsized ship. Even though it was dead, the Losers still felt like he was there.

“It was all so perfect,” Richie’s voice cracked, wiping away tears on his torn sleeves. That always got on Eddie’s nerves. Since he didn’t have any tissues, Eddie laughed mixed with a groan. He brushed the tears away for him.

“What do you mean?” Eddie asked him, fixing Richie’s glasses. That always made Richie smile like a dimwit whenever Eddie did that.

Realizing what he said, a look of pure warmth and love appeared in Richie’s eyes. That look made Eddie’s heart sore. Everything about Richie made Eddie feel all warm inside. It’s crazy to think he’d do just about anything for Richie. God, even after five years he still felt overwhelmed about how much he loved Richie.

“Oh, nothing.”

“Rich...” Eddie warned, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m not making any sense. I bonked my head when we turned over yah know!”

“That’s not saying much.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Eddie pulled him close, kissing his forehead. “I’ve lost count on how many times you’ve lost your head.”

Wrapping his arms around Eddie and putting his ear to his chest, the sound of his beating heart was music to Richie’s ears. Heck, this was the quietest moment they had all evening. What a way to start the new year. They were probably the only ones still alive on this ship. And thankfully Eddie was one of them.

Years ago, the Losers almost convinced him to leave Eddie behind in the caverns believe him to be dead. Just like then, Richie was going to get Eddie out of this ship alive.

“I’m never going on another ship again when we get out of here,” Richie stated, clinging to Eddie.

“I was already hesitant about coming on this trip,” Eddie said.

Richie pulled away and looked up at him. “You were?”

Realizing what he said, Eddie looked away, embarrassed. “Oh, um, yeah...”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Eddie shrugged, still avoiding Richie’s eyes. “Because all our friends were going. I didn’t want to be the party pooper.”

Softly putting his hand against the unscarred cheek, Eddie finally looked at him. “Honey, you know you could have talked to me. I didn’t know that you had mixed feelings,” Richie told him gently.

“I know, I know. It just sounded like fun, too. And I was having fun, Richie,” Eddie told him with a sincere smile.

That was the first time his eyes sparkled all night. Richie missed that. He loved everything about Richie. “We never got to have our New Year’s celebration in bed,” Richie smirked, slipping his hand up Eddie’s shirt.

“Don’t get any funny ideas, Mr!” Eddie couldn’t feign the smile. “We’re only behind the corner from them! Besides, we ruined camping for them that one time. Poor Stan’s tent was right next to us!”

Richie howled in laughter, his voice echoing throughout the empty halls of the ship. “I almost thought Stan and Patty were going to challenge us!”

“You’re such a horndog.”

“Only with you, baby,” Richie looked at him with those baby blue eyes. Eddie’s insides squirmed. Oh, he really wanted him, he really did.

They stayed quiet, holding one another. Mike had been gone a long time. Just as long as he was okay, the couple wanted to stay like this for however long they could. As long as they had each other, they were happy.

#reddie #reddie fanfiction #it chapter 2 #it movie #the poseidon adventure #reddie crossover #richie tozier #eddie kaspbrak

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seyaryminamoto · 3 years

Note

my school works are piled up this past few weeks (graduating tingz) and i just started reading the deadlock novel it feels like i'm reading a sokkla fic every time Mcashe has a scene because they just give off the vibes skskskskksksks. BTW, what's your top5 fav scenes from the novel? PS: I'm smiling like an idiot while reading the novel ughh i hate myself

I KNOW, RIIIIIGHT?! *-* and don't hate yourself, my anon friend, I spent the whole novel smiling and laughing and losing my goddamn mind because I was having the time of my life xD enjoy this beautiful content as best you can!

I mean, frankly, Reunion already had all the Sokkla vibes I could've wanted/needed to ship these two like FedEx and I always knew I wasn't getting off this ride anytime soon. But gosh, this book... it gave me everything I wanted and MORE! Their dynamics are soooo similar to Sokkla team-up dynamics, two power couples kicking ass and taking names... oh, I just love it so much. I probably will end up reading the book a third time soon x'D

As for my favorite scenes, damn, this is tricky xD

KEYCHAIN! HE MADE HER KEYCHAIN!! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!! God, it's just amazing how the book explains the "vintage" look for Ashe's hoverbike the way it does, and that they literally built it together *screams!!!*, but then he gives her that keychain for her birthday present, and the implications!! THE IMPLICATIONS!!! He gave her a keychain she's held onto for TWENTY YEARS?!?!?! Ships in the OW fandom have sailed far and wide with less than breadcrumbs: we literally have been granted a boon from the GODS with all this extra context for the little things in Reunion xD

Ashe going to hell and back to save her kidnapped BFF-for-whom-she-totally-doesn't-have-feelings-yeah-yeah-sure-Jan. I love the fact that McCree is, in a way, Ashe's damsel in distress and not the other way around xD Of course, it's what you'd expect from an Ashe-centric story, but it's still an amazing sequence, all around. Gotta highlight how she loves the way he smiles like a madman when they have that shootout at the end, and how he worries so much over Ashe's injury when he took an even worse one than she did (the Sokkla vibes in that particular situation were SO STRONG! I SWEAR!).

"Jesse McCree, are you trying to make me say you're handsome?" "Am I?" ... do I need to say more. That FLIRTING. These two were on fire already and they'd only known each other for like... weeks, at this point? x'D He has no sense of moderation, he's soooo into her and doesn't hide it at all. Ashe is so busy trying to plot all the crime and Jesse's practically like a shojo heroine, "oh I can feel it, this is how my love story begins!", basically xD

Finally I pick a not-McAshe scene... to bring up the one where Ashe picks up the Viper on her last moment in Lead Rose Manor. That moment was just... POWERFUL. The feeling of epicness in that scene just overwhelmed me when I was reading it xD

The ending of the book :'D the fully formed Deadlock Gang ready for business, down to the explanation for the Est. 1976 in the logo... *sobs* the fact that so much about the character design choices in these two characters is a shoutout to the past they share is just... *gross sobbing* oh, I just love it to pieces, I'm not even sorry.

Ashe's bike race to save B.O.B. x'D that whole situation was bonkers but I looooved how fierce she was about protecting her one and only buddy while growing up (AND THAT JESSE BLUSHED WHEN SHE TAUNTED HIM WAS JUST THE CHERRY ON TOP!). I appreciated learning more about the Omnic War and its consequences, how Ashe reflects on having escaped it practically untouched in virtue of her money and societal privilege while her new friends all faced many hardships to survive. But I can't help but also love that, however uneasy others could have been about the Best Omnic Butler, Ashe was so fiercely loyal to B.O.B. that she nearly broke Julian's nose herself over his ridiculousness x'D That's HER big omnic buddy and she's not about to lose him to anyone, not her shitty parents, not a bet in a race, NOTHING! (and it's so cute that B.O.B. is just as loyal to her, too *sobs*)

Ashe grabbing McCree's arm to explain things to him on their first heist and him being all "you gonna leave that there?" and only then does she realize her hand's still on him x'D what a McCree line, and he was absolutely enjoying the attention, he doesn't even pretend otherwise.

Everything poetic McCree says or does... meanwhile Ashe's like "um yeah I don't care about poetry I want money", right until his poet soul totally smashes her square in the heart with the KEYCHAIN!!! But damn, I swear I thought McCree would hold back a lot more, and yet there he was, saying things like Calamity was brilliant and mysterious... you could practically hear B.O.B., Julian and Frankie going "I can see what's happening..." in the background xD

The conversation about what they wanted to do once they were loaded with all the cash they could possibly want. That one was a real number on my heartstrings. It ties up to what I said earlier with Ashe finally being in touch with people who are completely removed from the ridiculous social circles of her parents and her school, people who really lost a lot in the war. But where Julian and Frankie seem to look at the past a lot, I loved that Jesse is basically just thinking about the future. The fact that he says he wants to chill out in a farm and that this is what he wants in life... many, MANY, shippy wheels have turned in my head since I read that <.< maaaany...

WHEN JESSE NEARLY FALLS AND ASHE CATCHES HIM!!! UNDERRRATED AS HECK!!! The fact that he's taunting her about fear of heights, then he nearly plummets to his death because ironies are beautiful xD and Ashe pulls him back to safety only to say that she's not afraid of heights but afraid of ~FALLING~??? I mean, okay, sure, maybe I'm reading too much into that line... or maybe I'm not <.< either way, the truth is I just love how absolutely broad of interpretation that scene and that DIALOGUE are :> ehehehe.

Oh, their first encounter. The fact that it's so cute and fun, and that it's this low in the list tells you how GOOD this book was x'D "You've got an awful lot of grit for a rich girl," first words he spoke to the love of his life xD then how they talked and laughed together about the crazy stories he shared (she was crying of laughter for the first time in her life! precious girl!), and then how she sat in the car thinking about the strange feeling she was left with after meeting him... they seriously had a meetcute in prison, how can a ship get any better? xD

WHEN HE COMES BACK TO HER WHEN THEIR FIRST HEIST GOES WRONG!!! That Ashe expects him to just leave after she falls off their getaway vehicle, but Jesse saves her and goes "pfft that's just not my style", basically... *sobs* without realizing it she ends up picking up that particular philosophy of his, saving her friends no matter the cost...! Honestly, though, the fact that every time something like this happens it hits Ashe like a truck racing downhill with no brakes because she's NEVER been cared about by anyone but B.O.B. and she's completely new to friendships and bonding with people... and in the mean time, Jesse immediately is "ride or die" with her because that's how he rolls... beautiful relationship dynamics between characters who influence each other for the better are just beautiful :')

A silly one here: Jesse enjoying the good life in Lead Rose. That description of him looking like a marshmallow in the CHAISE LOUNGEEEEE!!! (the one he references in their in-game interactions *CRYING SO MANY TEARS*), was just too cute to bear x'D Ashe just jumping back into work mode... while he was just thrilled to be a marshmallow in a towel xD

... So, um, I went overboard because I love this book a little too much for my own good :> what can I say? When things I love are good, I go wild xD There's probably more scenes I loved, but these... thirteen? XD are the ones that came to mind.

I think one of my favorite things now is reexamining Reunion with all this extra context in mind. The first time I watched that cinematic I, of course, fell in love with these two outlaws because how could I not? But while subsequent rewatches revealed a lot of things I didn't pay enough attention to the first time around, the book has done even more than I could imagine possible for a short that was already as shippy as could be xD

Ooookay so, shippy ramblings about Reunion, coming up! (simply because I have to put these down SOMEWHERE XD and your ask was a good idea for that, anon!)

First off, Jesse very much staged the whole rodeo in Reunion. He sent the tip to Ashe, he wanted Echo's crate specifically. He thought they could work together, basically, despite knowing it was entirely possible that those hopes wouldn't pay off. This train, according to the wikia, was a government train, so Jesse is very much telling Ashe to give a finger to the government for all he cares, all he wants is one (1) crate.

Ergo, Jesse, for all his "nice guy bountyhunter" deal, doesn't disapprove of Deadlock's actions. If anything, he counts on them to be exactly what he needs in order to get what he wants. He practically trusts Ashe to pull off the train heist disaster perfectly and only steps up when it's time to collect Echo.

Then the wacky shoot-out happens, it's veeeery charged (the UST is so thick, I swear...), and Jesse wins. He ties up Ashe, floats her off on the payload with the rest of the gang, and he sets Echo free. He's helping her out very nicely and everything, but the context in question is... he received the recall notification thingy XD Winston called him back to Overwatch, and Jesse...

... Jesse doesn't want to go back.

Jesse says "they want me", and the displeased tone of his voice, paired with the look on his face when he says that line, speak for themselves.

That, in my humble opinion, isn't the sequence of expressions you'd expect from someone who intends to return to the group where he thrived, had the time of his life and found his true calling. To me, he actually looks irritated about the recall (the sequence of expressions during that line is much better when you watch the full thing x'D), as though he REALLY doesn't want to return. He's not against Overwatch, I'm not quite saying that, otherwise he wouldn't have set Echo free and told her to go back at all... but this isn't remorse. It's not "Oh, I'm not good enough for Overwatch anymore". Nope... this is "My time with them is over and I don't plan on going back unless I have no choice", as far as I can tell.

If OW2 does bring him back into the fold and he's a perfectly chill and happy guy about it, I'll seriously be surprised. I mean, he could have set Echo free and, once his business is over, returned to Overwatch with her, he could have been in the Paris cinematic if he'd done that...

But he's not there.

Which outright says he didn't do that :> oops.

Basically, I think Jesse's reaction in Retribution (where he's markedly the most morally correct one of the bunch, and he's the former outlaw :'D) tells you his displeasure with Overwatch ran very, very deep. And someone can very easily say he felt the same way about Deadlock and that's why he left them for Overwatch... but that's conjecture. His displeasure with Blackwatch (and, in consequence, Overwatch), however, is FACT. And the previous conjecture falls flat pretty quickly considering he's perfectly fine with Ashe's train heist, even sets it up himself, from what the story suggests, so... how ~appalled~ was he over her choices and actions? Not appalled at all, if you ask me, and after you read Deadlock Rebels, you actually understand why: Jesse trusts Ashe.

From the first moment she enters the same prison block he's in, he's drawn to her. He wants to impress her, he absolutely enjoys her company and making her laugh (just as much as she enjoyed laughing at his wacky stories), and he's plain thrilled that she comes back for him when she does. Ashe manages the gang with inexperience but she's always willing to improve, and you see Jesse sticking with her through thick and thin, supporting her at the best and worst times alike, always putting his faith on her and constantly watching out for her (he protected and shielded her from attacks with his own body sooooo many times *sobs*). Ashe starts out intending to keep most profits for herself, and Jesse doesn't care much at first... but then she starts to share profit equally between their team. She works on her own bike herself, her own ride, and she plans and solves problems as best she can, to a point of even going overboard with planning too much. She's wild, reckless and takes insane risks... and this guy loves every second of it. The matter of morality regarding the actions of a criminal gang is, of course, something to think about... but as far as the book goes, Ashe mainly targets her own family, their specific brand of bullshit, and in the process she ends up helping lots of people and even saving lives that might not have been saved otherwise. I'm not going to put my hand on the fire here and say Deadlock never ever did anything absolutely wrong to people who didn't deserve it... but for a criminal gang? They're honestly the most wholesome one the OW team could have come up with, if you ask me.

So where you see Jesse is very much antagonistic with Reaper/Reyes, where he loses his temper with the guy's choices, he doesn't ever do that with Ashe. Overwatch ARE supposed to be the good guys... so how weird that Jesse McCree, reformed outlaw, ends up so disappointed with these guys when he was actually thrilled with Ashe's managing of their gang, as far as we saw. So much so that, when it came down to it, Jesse McCree, 20 years later, still counts on Ashe to give him a hand (without her full awareness) with a little operation to help out an old friend of his. Also worth pointing out: he doesn't want to fight at all, while Ashe, of course, does. Deadlock for life, is what Jesse said... and he's not Deadlock anymore, hasn't been for who knows how long. Worse yet... his tattooed arm is gone. It's like all his ties to Deadlock have been severed.

And even so, he came to Ashe and hoped she wouldn't want a shootout with him. Even when he knows she might be beyond unforgiving because of the betrayal (he has seen directly how outraged she was about a certain someone betraying her in the book...), Jesse goes back anyway and hopes it won't come to this.

THE IMPLICATIONS, MAN!!!

Carrying on: Echo is surprised that Jesse shows no intentions of going back to Overwatch. She asks him what he's going to do... and what does Jesse say?

He puts his cowboy hat back on (the symbolism in this short, I swear...), and when she asks him what he's going to do, he tells her "I've got some business to attend to."

THE MUSIC PICKS UP.

AND THEN HE CLIMBS ON THE BIKE HE BUILT WITH ASHE.

YOU GET A DELIBERATE CLOSE-UP TO THE KEYCHAIN.

THEN THE CAMERA PANS UP TO FOCUS ON THE PICTURE, TORN AND TAPED BACK TOGETHER, THAT ASHE CARRIES ON THIS BIKE, A BIKE WHICH, LET'S BE REAL, IS BASICALLY A MCASHE BABY CHOPPER/HOVERBIKE HYBRID, AND AS SHE PUTS IT LATER, IS...

HER

BIKE!!!

When Jesse says he has business to attend to, he could pick up any bike he wants (since it'd stand to reason that the other guys Ashe came in with would have bikes of their own). He could escape on horseback for all we know xD so there are lots of options... but no. He takes HERS. Right after saying he has "business to attend to".

Look, I could be wrong. I could be dead wrong. I can absolutely be digging around and going INSANE because nothing I ship EVER gets this much content.

But we literally get a guy saying he has "business" to take care of, and the cinematic focuses exclusively on elements that, even BEFORE Deadlock Rebels, all point towards Ashe?! You could easily say that taking her bike is just the final nail on the coffin, his last trolling idea to mess with his one true love... but that picture is right there. That picture, with them in their youth. The picture, btw, was bigger than just them: B.O.B.'s hand is there. The top of the picture is uneven, suggesting Ashe probably tore it to shreds in a fit of rage... and then specifically put together THEIR PART. And then she taped that to her bike's dashboard. Meaning, she carries the goddamn memory of Jesse with her EVERYWHERE SHE GOES. And she does it WILLINGLY.

Which, in turn, answers why Jesse expects MAYBE Ashe wouldn't go full-on hostile when they meet: this trolling cowboy knows exactly what he means to Ashe. He's not surprised when he sees that picture on the bike. He doesn't toss it away, which he could have, if he were saying "we are history now, forget it gurl" (and let's be honest, what a dick move that would have been @_@), he doesn't flinch after noticing and then goes "yeah, no, I'm picking another bike".

NOPE. The familiarity with which they talk, the way he hopes she'll just let him walk away, the fact that she DIDN'T change the keychain and bike in all those years and he's not even SURPRISED...

Jesse knows how much she loves him, point-blank. He's completely aware of it... and he's very much okay with it.

So much so... that I'm something of a 90% sure that the business he intends to deal with is ASHE HERSELF.

And no, I don't mean he's going to go on another shootout with her... I mean, evidently, that Jesse wants to come home. That he's tried the life of Overwatch, and he's decided to leave it behind. He's turned bountyhunter now, vigilante, pretty much... but he comes back to Ashe all the same. He's come back for the first time in who knows how long (going by Ashe's expressions and sarcasm with the "you promised you'd write" line, it miiiiiiight be they haven't seen each other since he got recruited into Blackwatch), and he expected a peaceful encounter, no less.

A good question to ask here is... what did Jesse hope would happen, if the encounter HAD been peaceful? He would've released Echo, sent her away to her business, and stayed behind anyway because he had business to deal with. Which business? :'D why... the business that would've been standing right in front of him.

There's no other, logical reason why this cinematic would put Ashe and McCree's picture into focus right when McCree says what he does to Echo. There's no other reasonable choice why McCree would turn his back on Overwatch quite so firmly. We know he had two important ties in his life: Overwatch and Deadlock. And Overwatch stole him away from Deadlock for a VERY long time. Well over half the time Deadlock has been in operations, as far as I can tell. He picked Overwatch over Deadlock once before... and now, it seems he's picking Deadlock over Overwatch instead :')

The follow-up short, Roadtrip, doesn't do anything to change my mind. The trolling jerk, Jesse McCree, hovers past Ashe's payload, where she's just... complaining, as she hovers xD going by what I know of the game and that map, the payload may just be en route to the gang's hideout, so that, I'd say, could explain why she hasn't climbed off it or escaped in any way (which she reasonably would have, if Jesse was trying to, I don't know, send her and her people to the authorities).

My point here is, however, that Jesse is headed the same way the payload is. If his destination is the same one, he'll beat it there for sure. Maybe, yes, he'll go away and drive well past the hideout... but maybe that's exactly where he intended to go.

Maybe, in the end, Reunion is about a man who's finally coming home :D

In addition, goes without saying, Ashe's rant about how everyone falls to pieces over Jesse showing his "stupid mug" (uh-huh, stupid, ANGELIC mug, we know what you really think, girl xD) ends with her saying she should have "put a bullet in him the minute he showed up".

Which begs the question of why didn't she.

Then, of course, she says she hates McCree when he drives past her while listening to some really ridiculous honky-tonky-sounding music x'D I cannot even help but imagine him deliberately picking that radio station or whatever it was just to annoy Ashe when he drove beside her, and so that she can get extra pissed when she retrieves her beloved bike, turns on the music and it's just more honky-tonky stuff x'D but anyway, the thing is she shouts after him, tells him that's her bike and says she hates him. B.O.B. wordlessly speaks for us McAshe shippers by giving Ashe the most "sure, Jan" side-eye in the history of side-eyes, and Ashe notices and is outraged enough to knock B.O.B.'s little hat right off his head again.

Again... this is renowned outlaw Elizabeth Caledonia "Calamity" Ashe, sitting on a payload, groaning about the guy she once very much had feelings for (and that doesn't even begin to cut it, if you ask me x'D) and for whom she tooooootally doesn't anymore, that picture on her bike doesn't MEAN that, OBVIOUSLYYYY!!, and so, she sits up, complains and doesn't do much of anything to get out of her current situation, right? :>

So, summing up my current understanding of EVERYTHING, thanks to Deadlock Rebels and my obsessive rewatches of Reunion + Roadtrip:

Jesse deliberately sought out Ashe so she would indirectly, unknowingly, help him set Echo free from the government's clutches.

Jesse hoped for a peaceful encounter despite knowing he might not get one.

Jesse has no intentions of returning to Overwatch but was willing to perform one final act of service for them by releasing Echo so she'd go give Winston and co. a hand.

Jesse is NOT surprised to see that Ashe: 1. Didn't change bikes at some point in the twenty years since they built it. 2. Didn't swap the ignition key for a button, the way she says she thought to do it in the novel until he gives her the keychain. 3. KEPT THE POETIC AF KEYCHAIN, despite resenting Jesse for his betrayal. 4. KEEPS A PICTURE OF THEM IN THEIR YOUNGER YEARS PASTED ON HER BIKE'S DASHBOARD.

Jesse claims he has business to deal with: he doesn't clarify said business verbally, but every shot after he says those words focuses on elements related to Ashe... and then, along with the novel's context, it's elements related to their BOND. Everything in that shot, EVERYTHING, is connected to the two of them. Elements that weren't shown before or during their shootout, and that are only introduced in that final moment when McCree is off to deal with his "business".

Ashe doesn't climb off the payload or stops it (which, going by how McCree simply pressed a button, and Ashe isn't immobilized in the least, she easily could have done it too if she had wanted to). Suggesting that, wherever the payload is heading, it isn't anywhere dangerous for Ashe and her crew, ergo, she is 100% sure McCree isn't trying to screw her over by turning her in to the authorities or so (or, at worst, she's completely confident that, even if he is going to do this, she'll be able to get out of it easily).

Jesse drives in the same direction the payload is headed. Another hint that suggests he might intend to head to the Deadlock hideout and that, whatever business he has left to deal with, it involves them.

If his intent ISN'T to go to the hideout... Jesse is still guaranteeing that Ashe will come after him by stealing her bike, the 18th birthday gift he gave her, and the picture she keeps of them. That he takes that very bike practically serves as painting a target on his back for her to hunt down, and he KNOWS IT.

In short: Jesse will have plenty of business with the Deadlock Gang in his future, and going by how pleased he seems to be when riding the bike, he's perfectly happy to handle that business on his terms, whenever he wants to handle it.

Extra tidbit: there's nothing in Deadlock Rebels about Jesse's smoking habit, something he definitely did pick up at some point while in the gang because, hahaha, he IS smoking in the picture Ashe keeps of him :> Which makes me wonder why, of all pictures Ashe chooses to keep on her bike's dashboard, she picks one where he's smoking.

Then, it makes me wonder about the fact that Jesse deliberately starts smoking when he's standing right in front of her (and then he winks at her!). He tosses that cigar after things get kind of dangerous for him because B.O.B. does something, and then... then he goes back to smoking.

RIGHT WHEN HE'S CLIMBING ON THE BIKE.

Like... seriously...

*unintelligible fangirl screaming*

I could be looking too deeply into this. I know I could be. Maybe Blizzard just wants me to go CRAZY with little symbolism and hints charged with SO MUCH MEANING that maybe don't have as much meaning as I thought it did...

... But man, I've sailed into the depths of the shippiest oceans for many ships that have gotten actual breadcrumbs from canon. I've gone wild over ships that have zero opportunity to become a thing in canon continuity. I've written a nearly 3M words story based on a ship that is just UNEXPLORED AMAZING POTENTIAL and ngl, I love exploring it myself, so I don't even begrudge canon that much for not giving it to me anymore.

But the fact is, no ship in OW, as far as I've seen, has remotely as much content, hints and strong ties as McAshe does -- at least, no ships between heroes. We had a cinematic that was CHARGED with significance, with little gestures, with even the smallest facial expressions that carried soooo much more meaning than whole episodes or even seasons in TV shows. And then? We got a novel. A full novel depicting their origins and exploring their dynamics, how tight their friendship was, and how some strong feelings were certainly brewing there, even if neither one was ready to act on them yet (as far as we saw...).

Finally... I'll say I did start working on a Sokkla Western AU ages ago because the idea I had for one was pretty amusing. Then Reunion dropped, and I said "Why would I need to finish that story anymore when the Sokkla Western AU is RIGHT HERE?!"

And that's it, I will stop rambling now because this got insanely long x'D but thank you very very much for giving me this chance to go WILD on everything I can see, within all those canon hints, with these two *-*

#anon #mcashe #the fact that canon is treating me right for once #is blowing my mind and always will #look I can end up crying in a heap when OW2 drops and we find out that nothing I thought of was real #it's entirely possible #... but we already got so much #SOOOOO MUCH #that I can't even say I'd be mad x'D #I am one happy camper on this ship #and I love them to pieces #I wish I had the time/chance to make all the art I've been inspired to about them *cries ten rivers*#one day... one day

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starlit-serenade · 3 years

Text

Rosebud

🌹 Summary: You come home from a long and exhausting day of work to spend time with your family: your 6 year old daughter and your husband, Kim Geonhak.

🌹 Word Count: 2,115 words

🌹 Pairing: Reader x Kim Geonhak (Leedo) / Characters: GenderNeutral!Reader, Parent!Reader; Kim Geonhak (Leedo); Kim Hwayoung (OC) {Age: 6};

🌹 Rated: E / Warnings: Food (Ice cream) / Genre: Fluff; Parent!Reader!; Dad!Geonhak;

🌹 A/N: 'Neny', the term used in the fic to refer to the Reader, is mom in Malagasy, but it's gender neutral here ok? I couldn’t find a good Gender Neutral title, but if I find something better I might change it. Also, in this, Geonhak is still an idol and a member of ONEUS, but they're a bit older? Idk, he's still Leedo of ONEUS but also a dad. Who needs timelines anyways? Might make this into a series, who knows?

You sigh, your back sore from a long, tiring day of work. You've been standing all day for work, talking to people you wish you didn't have to talk to. You wish you were home, lying in bed with your family, but you still have a few minutes until your bus reaches the stop near home.

When the bus finally comes to a stop, you dismount and make your way into your apartment. You unlock the door, and hear laughter inside. You smile to yourself and open the door, and are met with the beautiful sight of your husband, Geonhak, dressed in a nice, casual outfit--jeans, a T-shirt and glasses--with your 6 year old daughter laughing, sitting on his shoulders, holding his hands tight. He must have changed after work, before he went to pick up Hwayoung.

You smile brightly. Work is hard as heck, and your day was exhausting as hell. Coming home to your husband and your daughter is always the highlight of your day, and today is no different.

"Hello, my love," Geonhak says, grinning widely. "How was work?"

"Hi honey," you say, walking over to kiss him on the cheek. "It was tiring, as usual." You then stand on your tip-toes while Geonhak bends down a bit so you can kiss your daughter on the cheek. "Hi Hwayoung. How was school?"

"Hi Neny! It was gooooood," Hwayoung says. "We did reading and drawing! I wanna show you my drawing that I drawed! And then when Dada picked me up from achool, he said when you got home, we could all go out for ice cream together and to the park!"

"Oh really?" You can't stop yourself from smiling so widely that your cheeks hurt, and honestly you don't want to not smile. You haven't smiled a lot today, so this is a nice breath of fresh air.

"Alright, Hwayoung, down time," Geonhak says, looking up and reaching up to put his hands on her in preparation to lift her off of his shoulders. "Don't you wanna show Neny your drawing?"

"Yeah, but don't wanna get down. Pleeease?" Hwayoung whines, pouting down at him, and you can see Geonhak give up, cracking a smile. He's never a match for you or Hwayoung's pouts. Or yours.

"Alright, rosebud, you can stay up there. Let's have you show Neny what you made, okay?"

"Okaaaaaay!!!” Hwayoung sings. “Neny, it’s in my room! Let’s go!!!" She points forward, and Geonhak starts walking quickly, while you follow. You can see, from his smile and the joy in your husband’s eyes, just how happy he is. As you follow him to Hwayoung's bedroom, which is right next to yours, Geonhak ducks down so Hwayoung doesn't hit her head at the top of the doorframe. She giggles as he does, and looks back at you to make sure you're following them into her room.

"Look, Neny!" Hwayoung points at her tiny table from her seat on Geonhak's shoulders. You look down at the drawing, a cute scribble of a happy family of three--you, Geonhak, and Hwayoung herself, her dark hair tied up in two pigtails.

"Hwayoung, my rosebud, this is so good!" you say. "Amazing job, rosebud, well done!" You raise your hand up and ruffle her hair, smiling first at her, then Geonhak.

"Thank you, Neny!!!" She giggles, beaming. "I knew you'd like it! Dada said you would."

"Well Dada was right! I love it, rosebud!" You stand on your tip-toes and Geonhak bends his knees so that you can then press a kiss to Hwayoung's temple. "Alright, let's go get ice cream and go to the park, okay?"

"Yayyy!!!"

You raise your eyebrow at Geonhak, and see that he's grinning so widely, eyes up toward Hwayoung. Your little rosebud.

"Strawberry ice cream, please!" Hwayoung says to the worker of the ice cream parlor. "One scoop please!" she says, holding up one finger. They nod and scoop the ice cream into a cone, and hand it to Hwayoung as Geonhak pays.

"Ready to eat your ice cream, Hwayoung?" you ask. She nods excitedly, licking her lips in anticipation as she stares at the ice cream cone in her hand.

"Alright, done," Geonhak says, a cone of rainbow sherbet ice cream in his hand. "Ready to get walking to the park?"

"Yeah!!!"

"Hwayoung, ice cream's dripping," you say, pointing at the cone. She quickly licks around the top of the cone, catching the ice cream drips. "There you go, rosebud. Can I have a lick?"

"Mmhmm!" Hwayoung raises up her ice cream for you to lick a bit of her ice cream from her cone. "D'you like it?"

"Mmm, yummy. Good choice, rosebud," you hum, reaching up and ruffling her hair.

"Thank you, Neny!"

"Do you want some of mine?" Geonhak asks you, offering you his ice cream cone.

"No thank you, baby." You shake your head and he scrunches his eyebrows and pouts at you.

Hwayoung tugs at Geonhak's hand, and he looks down at her. "Dada, can I ride while we walk?" she asks.

"Alright, rosebud. Y/N, my love, can you hold this for me?" Geonhak asks, and you take his ice cream from his hand.

"Yayyyyyy!!!!!!" Hwayoung hands you her ice cream as well, and Geonhak squats down and lets Hwayoung clamber up his back and onto her seat on his shoulders. You then hand her her ice cream, and she starts licking it wwith her free hand, using the other to stay up on her dad's shoulders.

"Don't drip any of the ice cream onto me, okay Hwayoung?" Geonhak says, laughing. "My love, can I have my ice cream back?"

You quickly lick some of his rainbow sherbet ice cream and his eyes widen.

"Ya! Earlier when I offered, you said no!" he scolds, and you giggle. You and him tease and mess with each other like this all the time

"I changed my mind," you hum, winking and grinning as you hand him his ice cream back. Before he can say anything, you plant a kiss on his cheek. "Love you, baby."

He can't hide his smile, or the way his cheeks get a bit rosy from the kiss.

"Dada, say I love you back!" Hwayoung says, kicking her feet a little bit on his shoulders.

"I love you, my love," Geonhak says to you, his smile soft. "I love you too, Hwayoung."

"Love you too, Dada!!!"

You smile, so content and happy at the sight. Your daughter perched up on her dad, your husband, Geonhak's shoulders. The two of them grinning happily, both with an ice cream cone in hand. Geonhak scrunches his nose and raises his free hand to adjust his glasses. You're so happy with your little family.

The three of you head to the park, Hwayoung giggling from her spot. She finished her ice cream cone within ten minutes. Geonhak, however, only managed to get halfway through his ice cream cone before letting you finish it off.

"You finished your ice cream?" Geonhak asks Hwayoung, holding her legs to keep her steady on his shoulders.

"Yeah," Hwayoung says. "Sticky fingers!"

"Alright, down time for a second," Geonhak says, reaching up to grab her. You see Hwayoung is about to pout when he continues. "Don't worry, rosebud, you'll get to be tall again. I just need to wash your face and hands."

"Mmkayyy!!!"

Geonhak squats down so that Hwayoung can hop off of his back. He brings her off to the side of the sidewalk and pulls out a pack of wipes to clean off the ice cream at the corners of her mouth.

"Sti-cky hands," she sings to herself, and Geonhak laughs gently. "I got sti-cky hands!"

"You do, rosebud," Geonhak says, wiping at her cheeks. "Done with your cute cheeks, Hwayoung. Now I'm gonna un-sticky your fingers. Hand." Geonhak holds out his hand, and Hwayoung gives him her hands to wipe them clean.

"Thank you Dada," she says loudly, grinning widely as Geonhak throws away the wipes in a nearby bin.

"Of course, rosebud. Up?" he asks, bending down.

"Up!" Hwayoung climbs up Geonhak's back and back onto her spot on Geonhak's shoulders. "I'm so tall!" Hwayoung yells, throwing her arms up, and you smile up at her. Geonhak holds her feet to keep her steady.

"Yes, my little rosebud, you are," Geonhak says fondly, and you can feel your heart melt. He looks so content and happy and satisfied.

When you arrive home, you start winding down for the day. Today is your turn to cook dinner, and though Geonhak offered to cook instead--"You had a tiring day at work today, my Love, I don't mind," he had said--you declined and insisted on cooking.

As you cook the rice, you're able to listen to and watch Geonhak as he helps Hwayoung with reading a book to practice reading. He has her sitting on her lap, and she tries to read aloud, and he gently corrects her pronunciation of the hard words.

You smile to yourself. They're so cute together. Geonhak has always loved to coddle Hwayoung since she was first born. He loves her--and you, the whole little family--with his whole heart, and you can see it in every smile he gives you or her.

Geonhak always wanted to have a kid or two, and when Hwayoung was first born, when he first laid eyes on her, he cried even more than you did. He was so happy to first meet his daughter. As Hwayoung grew older throughout the years, Geonhak only grew happier.

After you finish making dinner, you call Hwayoung and Geonhak over to eat. Hwayoung excitedly jumps out of Geonhak's arms and runs over to help you set the table, while Geonhak comes over to stand next to you. He presses a gentle kiss to your cheek.

"What are you thinking about, my love?"

You sigh. "How much I love you and Hwayoung. Our happy little family," you murmur.

He grins and wraps his arm around you. "I love our happy little family, too." He leans forward to press a kiss when he's interrupted by Hwayoung saying--

"Ewwwwww!!! Neny and Dada, no kissing before dinner!!!" she says, sticking out her tongue and scrunching her eyes closed. You grin at Geonhak and he wrinkles his nose at you.

"Go help Hwayoung set up the table, I'll serve up portions on plates," you say, pushing Geonhak away. He blows a quick kiss to you before going to Hwayoung to help her set the table.

"Goodnight, Hwayoung," you say, tucking your daughter beneath her covers. Geonhak stand behind you, waiting for his turn to say goodnight to Hwayoung. He usually goes last because he always takes the longest to say goodnight to her. You press a kiss to her forehead and her nose.

"Goodnight, Neny," Hwayoung says.

"Sweet dreams, mmkay?" you say, poking her nose. She giggles and grins as you stand up and steps away so that Geonhak can kneel down next to the bed in your place.

"Hwayoung, my little rosebud," he says. He picks up her stuffed fox toy, Tamarack, which lays next to her, and touches its nose to hers, before handing it to her. "Tamarack will protect you from the bed bugs and the monster under your bed tonight."

"Mmhmm!!!"

"Goodnight, my rosebud," Geonhak says. "Sweet dreams, dream of . . ." He pauses to consider. "Ice cream. Strawberry ice cream with chocolate drizzle. And Tamarack. And dance parties! Dance parties with your uncles."

"Yes, Dada," Hwayoung says. He presses a kiss to her forehead, and walks with you to the door. "Goodnight Neny! Goodnight Dada!"

You close her door and smile to yourself.

"It's bedtime for us, too," Geonhak says, taking your hand. "I have a schedule tomorrow, and you have work early in the morning."

You nod and cringe. "Yeah . . . work. As Hwayoung would say, 'Ewwwwww!'" You make a disgusted face at the word and Geonhak laughs, leading you by the hand to your shared bedroom.

"I love you, Y/Nie."

"And I love you, Geonhak."

You and Geonhak get ready for bed and climb beneath the covers to get to sleep. You notice Geonhak is staring at you, smiling, and you raise your eyebrows at him.

"What're you smiling at, Hak?" you ask. He closes his eyes and wrinkles his nose a bit, smiling contently.

"You two are my whole world, Y/Nie," Geonhak says. "You and Hwayoung. You're my whole world, and nothing can replace you two. I love you, Y/N."

You lean forward and kiss the tip of his nose. "I love you too, Geonhak. Sleep. Work tomorrow."

He hums and wraps his arms around you. "Goodnight, my love," he says, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

#kdiarynet #oneuswewriters #oneus #leedo #kim geonhak #kim gunhak #oneus fanfic #oneus fanfiction #leedo fanfic #leedo fanfiction #kim geonhak fanfiction #kim geonhak fanfic #kim gunhak fanfic #kim gunhak fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction #myfic #oneus fluff #leedo fluff

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misfityong · 3 years

Text

STRIPED CARNATION

↳ In which two best friends love each other, but their timing is off.

pairing: Jaehyun x fem!reader

warning: lots of angst, mentions of anxiety

word count: 2.4k

a/n: hello! I hope you enjoy my first nct fanfic this was a revamp of an old fanfic I wrote years ago! Please let me know if you’d like a part 2 or epilogue sort of thing <3 also requests are open!

You and Jaehyun have been friends since you were little. He was your special person and you were his. Your friends always used to joke that the two of you would end up getting married considering how joint at the hip you were, and for a while you truly believed it until one day she came into his life.

She was radiant.

The kind of girl you always aspired to be like, long beautiful hair, a smile that could outshine the sun and the worst trait of all... a genuinely nice person. You think it was this quality that made you hate her the most, she was perfect for Jaehyun and you couldn’t deny it one bit. That's why you shut your mouth and held back your tears when Jaehyun came to you one day and handed you an envelope.

You are invited to the wedding of Jung Jaehyun and…

Your first instinct was to pinch yourself which earned you a strange look from Jaehyun. Your second instinct was the laugh, how ironic. Your third instinct was to cry, to beg him not to get married.

But as you looked back up at Jaehyun who was eagerly waiting for your approval, you decided it was best to smile as genuinely as you could and congratulate him on getting someone as perfect as her to be his wife. Little did Jaehyun know, that you went home and cried yourself to sleep that night.

The day had arrived, from today onwards Jaehyun would officially be yours no longer. You could no longer call him anymore in the middle of the night when you felt anxious and needed someone with you to lull you to sleep. You could no longer ask him to be your date to work functions where all your coworkers would showcase their happy relationships. You could no longer be even the tiniest bit selfish and just want to be around him. He no longer needed you, so you had to learn to no longer need him.

“Hey…” you spoke, opening the door to Jaehyun’s old room, a room filled with so many memories of your childhood. A gasp left your mouth as you saw him in his suit, of course you always thought he was attractive but there was just something about him today that left you speechless. Hearing your voice, he spun around, that all too familiar smile appeared on his face showcasing his dimples as he embraced you in a hug. Oh how you adored his dimples. “Y/N, you’re here.” he spoke almost breathlessly, which confused you slightly.

“Of course I'm here, I couldn’t miss my best friend’s wedding.” That was the first lie of the day. You had been pondering all night as to whether or not you went, but you know that by not going Jaehyun would have a lot of questions.

“Still can’t tie a bowtie?” you laughed softly, moving over to help the man out. After a moment of silence you decided to distract yourself from the close proximity that you stood to him. “Are you nervous?” Jaehyun let out a shaky laugh at this as you finished his bow and took a step back.”It’s totally normal to be nervous you know, Jae. You’re getting married!” moving to sit on his bed, you let him keep getting ready as you watched him begin to pace.

“Am I making the right decision, Y/N?” eyes wide, tears begin to brim your eyes as you prepared yourself for the second lie of the day. “Yes, Jaehyun. You’re making the right decision.” Suddenly the bed dipped next to you and Jaehyun’s head was on your shoulder, face burrowed into your neck. Slowly you began to stroke his hair, trying to calm him down as you felt him starting to panic. His head quickly shot off your shoulder as he turned his body to face you. “I don’t think I can marry her. I-I love you, Y/N!”

“W-what?!” you yelped, quickly standing up and beginning to pace around Jaehyun’s bedroom. You moved back over to Jaehyun and whacked the back of his head. “WHAT THE HECK Y/N?” he rubbed the back of his head which had begun to throb. You turned around fuming and pointed angrily at him “WHAT THE HECK? JAEHYUN, YOU’RE ABOUT TO GET MARRIED!” breaths starting to become short you rushed into Jaehyun’s ensuite bathroom and lock the door. Luckily you had made it into the bathroom before Jaehyun could see the tears fall from your eyes. “Y/N, let me in…” Jaehyun spoke from the other side of the door as you moved towards the sink and splashed your face with some water.

“Y/N…” Jaehyun spoke softly, you could hear him moving to sit with his back against the other side of the door. “Do you really love me Jaehyun?” you spoke wearily, trying not to get your hopes up. You knew it was just his nerves talking but a small part of you was hopeful that he really did return the intense feelings you had for him. A soft chuckle could be heard before Jaehyun replied “Why are you questioning it? We’ve been friends since we were kids, of course I love you.” You let out a bitter laugh at this “I’ve seen love in different forms, Jaehyun. What you feel towards me is familiar love, I’m the safe option…” more tears left your eyes as you began to grasp what was happening.

You sat in the bathroom in silence for a few minutes, silent tears falling as you tried to muffle your sobs. “Do you love me?” Jaehyun spoke breaking the silence, his voice evidently sad. Here came the third lie you would tell today “I loved you. Loved, past tense.” you only hoped that he wouldn’t pick up on you lying through your teeth, but you knew better than that.

“…Maybe if you looked me in the eyes when you said that, I’d actually believe you.” he choked out. Moving towards the door, you leant your ear against it. Jaehyun at this point had moved away from the door which was your cue to quickly leave the bathroom and his room. Slowly you move your hand towards the handle and open it, but before you could escape Jaehyun had pulled you into a tight hug which you couldn’t break free of. “J-Jaehyun, let me go.” you pleaded, trying to push at his chest to separate the two of you. “Do you love me, Y/N?” Jaehyun asked again, this time he loosened his grip to look at you.

Mustering as much courage as you could, you look at him with a serious expression “I loved you. Loved, past tense.” the fourth lie of the day. A single tear slipped down Jaehyun’s cheek. Sighing deeply, you pull one of the flowers you had neatly placed in your hair and pinned it to his jacket pocket. “Good luck, I’ll see you out there.” smiling weakly you move out the door. Looking over your shoulder, you watch as Jaehyun inspects the flower.

A striped carnation.

I’m sorry I can’t be with you, I wish I could. This is what a striped carnation symbolises. I can’t have him. But I can’t stop thinking about him.

Quickly walking out of the room and down the hallway, you take a moment to support yourself against the wall, “I do love you, Jaehyun. So damn much.”

“Y/n! There you are!” a voice spoke from down the hall as the figure rushed towards you. Quickly wiping your eyes, you came face to face with Johnny, your other best friend. Noticing your tears, he spoke knowingly “He told you didn’t he?” with the single nod of your head, he pulled you into a tight hug.

“I love him, Johnny.” you begin to sob into his chest as he pulls you down the hallway to somewhere more private, which ended up being his car. “So he told you, huh…” Johnny spoke, before running a hand through his hair and sighing. “You told him you loved him back right?” Johnny asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Shaking your head no you begin to cry more, prompting Johnny to take his handkerchief out of his jacket pocket and hand it to you. “No. Just- just please get me out of here.” nodding his head, Johnny put his seatbelt on.

“Y/N!” The front door slammed open as Jaehyun yelled after you. “Johnny, please start the car.” Johnny looked between you and Jaehyun before sighing sadly and starting the car. You slump back into the seat, eyes flickering over to the side mirror of the car, heart shattering as you spot Jaehyun standing in the driveway, shoulders slumped and eyes staring longingly in your direction.

“I can turn the car around...” Johnny spoke softly. You open your mouth about to cave in but were cut off by the buzzing of my phone.

Jaehyun 💘 I have so much I need to say, please, please come back.

More tears ran down your face as you read the pleading message. “Why’d you do it?” Johnny spoke up, eyes never leaving the road. “Why’d I do what?” you responded, locking your phone and putting it in the cupholder. Ignoring, the continuous flash of your screen which you assumed to be new messages from Jaehyun “Everyone knows you love him back, Why’d you tell him that you didn’t?” Taking a deep breath, you close your eyes. “I never intended to hurt him... but I will not be a homewrecker. I thought that I’d be alright, that I could handle being around Jaehyun. But I underestimated how strong my feelings were…”

“I saw it. The carnation, Y/N. I know what it means...” Johnny spoke sadly, waiting to see how you would react. “It matched his suit, that’s all.” you spoke nonchalantly, pretending your heart wasn’t hurting at the thought of the flower. You thought you could give it to him today and finally be done with your feelings for him, but that’s not what ended up happening.

“Yeah, whatever you say. Are you ready to go to the church?” After driving around for a while, your tears had finally dried. Nodding your head slowly, you lay back in the seat replaying everything that just happened in your head. If only you had told him how you really felt, maybe it would’ve saved the both of you from heartache.

“I can’t do this!”

Arriving at the church and after a lot of convincing, you finally get out of Johnny’s car. Johnny walked over to you and crossed his arms “What do you mean, you can’t do this?”. Grabbing you by the shoulders he looks you in the eye sternly. “You can do this. You will do this. You said it yourself, Jaehyun deserves to be happy and I know for a fact that he’ll be heartbroken if you’re not inside that church when he gets there.”

Shaking your head stubbornly, you remove his hands from your shoulders and close your eyes briefly before opening them. “Okay.” Gently, you intertwined your hand with Johnny’s and moved into the church, heart breaking with every step you take.

Not long after, Jaehyun arrived at the church, his eyes immediately scanned the room and stopped on you. He began to quickly move towards you, but was stopped by Johnny who shook his head. “Man, it’s time.” Eyes going wide, Jaehyung moved his gaze over to you before looking over at the pianist who had begun to play the Bride’s entrance song. Nodding his head defeated, he moved to the altar, eyes never leaving your face.

Hearing the music, reality set in and you began to feel sick as you watched Jaehyun’s bride walk down the aisle. Once she reached Jaehyun, you turned to look over at Johnny and shook your head, mouthing to him “I can’t do this.” Quickly, you stood up and rushed out of the church as quietly as you could. Once you were out the doors you kicked your heels off, leaving them on the hood of Johnny’s car. Not knowing where you were going, you just began to run. Focusing on getting as far away from the church as possible. Tiring quickly, you found yourself on a bench, your ragged breaths forming into hysterical sobs.

“Y/N?…” a familiar voice spoke gently. Furrowed eyebrows you shook your head, trying to clear your mind. You were just imagining things, Jaehyun was at the church right now probably just about to say ‘I do’.

“Y/N…” a man sat down next to you and wiped your tears, looking up you let out a gasp as you realised that your brain wasn’t playing tricks on you. Jaehyun was really sitting next to you. His hair a bit dishevelled from the wind and his bow that you had tied perfectly hours before loose and untied around his neck. Wiping your eyes you looked at Jaehyun and shook your head disapprovingly “What the hell are you doing here?!”

“I’m- I…” he let out a defeated sigh and ran a nervous hand through his hair. “I-I know my timing is awful and that you don’t feel the same-“

“I love you too, Jaehyun.” Your sudden words made Jaehyun’s eyes go wide. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. You breathed out, pulling one of the other flowers you had in your hair and twirling it.

“Jaehyun, you shouldn’t be here…”

Closing his eyes, a single tear slipped down his cheek as he gingerly interlaced his fingers with yours. “I know.” he spoke, taking off his wedding band and twirling it between his fingers.

“Our timing was off.” you spoke, looking ahead at the cars that passed by, trying to focus on not breaking down again. “Yeah.” he replied letting out a bitter chuckle and squeezing your hand.

You knew the answer to the next question would break your heart, but you still asked it anyway. “Do you love her?” there was a moment of silence before Jaehyun nodded his head yes. You knew deep down that you weren’t fated to be together and there was nothing you could do about it.

“Then that’s all that matters.” you spoke calmly before taking the ring out of Jaehyun’s hand and sliding it back onto his ring finger.

“But I love you too-” Jaehyun interjected, grabbing your face in his hands. Tears brimming his eyes as he gently caressed your face. Smiling sadly you removed his hands from your face and moved over a bit. “You can’t”. The two of you sat on the park bench in silence, looking ahead at the cars that drove past.

Oh, what trouble a simple four words could cause.

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