#pulling up to my shitty job with a dark cloud over my head listening to this

[misty-missdee]

#The Plan (Fuck Jobs) #The Front Bottoms #Flashback its 2015 #listening to this album every day #pulling up to my shitty job with a dark cloud over my head listening to this #it hit #its also just great musically #brings me back #anyways gm #Spotify #Music

[muertawrites]

The Dark of the Moon (Zuko x Reader)

Summary: Late night insomnia turns into a conversation about love, and Zuko makes an interesting discovery about his feelings for you.

Word Count: 2,100

Author’s Note: You can thank Avatar being on Netflix and rekindling my childhood obsession for this one. I wrote this mostly as a dialogue / pacing exercise, but it’s also a bit therapeutic since I can actually relate to Zuko more than I realized or could have ever foreseen watching this show as a ten year old. Enjoy a little emotional romantic fantasy on behalf of a preteen crush and all the toxic friends I’ve ever had. ✌

~ Muerta

Zuko usually slept with you. It started one late night during a mutual bout of insomnia, in which you ran into him as you both wandered the halls of the Western Air Temple. You hardly knew him, but he sat with you and talked about everything that night - anything that wasn’t related to the war or either of your pasts that had been torn apart by it. He surprised you with his dry, even-toned sense of humor, as well as with his intelligence in not only combat but literature and philosophy as well; being a healer and a fortune teller by trade, you found a lot to talk about with him.

As the nights awake became more common, you and Zuko spent more of them together; sometimes you’d wait until you happened upon him in the halls, others one of you would designate a place to meet. Eventually, one of you would go directly to the other’s room and you’d sit, sharing whatever light or heavy thoughts happened to plague your minds. You learned a lot about him in those nights, and grew to feel proud of how far he’d come in such a short time - you often helped others, those much older than yourselves, over months to scale the internal struggles he had, and he’d managed to do so on his own. The more you gave to him, the more he gave back, and it soon became commonplace to fall asleep to the sound of his breathing as he lay in his sleeping bag on the other end of your room. 

And that’s exactly what woke you up - the strange, still energy of your bedroom that indicated his resting place was empty. You rolled over, unable to spy his silhouette under the moonlit windowsill, and you rose, your feet carrying you to where you were certain he would be. 

It was a gorgeous night, with a gentle breeze ruffling the crisp air. You found Zuko in the courtyard, gazing out over the fog veiled landscape under the swell of the full moon. Without a word, you sat beside him, watching the clouds roll by like ships on a silent ocean. His chest churned in turmoil, so intensely you could feel it in your own.

“Apparently, I can’t sleep without you anymore,” you said. “How selfish of you to have problems that keep you up at night.” 

Zuko huffed out a soft chuckle, though the weight in his chest didn’t lift. He leaned back onto his palms, craning his neck backward and allowing the wind to tousle his ash-black hair. 

“You didn’t need to come out here,” he told you gently. “It’s not your job to help me fix myself.” 

“It never has been,” you replied. “I’ve never fixed anyone. All I ever do is listen and recite a few proverbs; everyone comes to their own conclusions in the end.” 

“That’s not true,” Zuko retorted. “I’ve seen you heal. You can do things not even Katara can do, just with whatever happens to be growing nearby. It’s incredible.” 

You smiled, your heart fluttering in your chest. 

“Physical healing and emotional healing are two super different things,” you told him. “Emotional wounds can only really be healed by the people who have them. I mean, unless you want me to crack open your chest and poke around at your heart for a little while.” 

Zuko chuckled again, the tenseness of his muscles easing up just slightly. He opened his palm and spawned a softly glowing flame, both of you watching it flicker in the cool night air. 

“I wish I’d been born a water bender,” he mused. “Something that would do good for others. All fire does is destroy.” 

You were silent for a moment, watching the thoughts swirl, tormented, behind his eyes. You thought of all the times you’d seen him smile, how his happiness made his handsome features all the more radiant and caused your stomach to bubble with joy. The memory shot a spike through your chest.  

“... You know, we only ever see one part of the moon,” you commented, breaking the quiet. “Everything behind that - the dark side - we don’t really consider, even though it’s always there and is as much a part of the moon as the side that’s in front of us.” 

Zuko smirked at you, distinguishing the flame in his hand. 

“Reciting a proverb at me?” he teased. 

You grinned. 

“This one’s more like a metaphor,” you admitted cheekily. “That tea I make, the one that tastes awful but makes pain completely disappear?” 

Zuko nodded. 

“I need fire to make it,” you continued. “I have to roast the ingredients over an open flame before boiling them. Without fire, I couldn’t do most of my healing; it would be too painful without the tea to help.” 

Zuko said nothing, but you could sense your words sinking into the cracks in his troubled thinking. 

“Fire is heat and light,” you added. “It’s just as important to life as water or earth or air. Every element is capable of destruction or creation - there isn’t a single one that’s inherently good or bad. The person that controls them is the only one who determines that.” 

There was another long pause, in which you busied yourself noting the different wild plants growing between the stones that paved the courtyard. You listed the different medicines you could make with each, the process calming you. 

“I’ve done some pretty shitty things to people I care about in order to embrace my goodness,” Zuko finally spat. The bitterness in his tone stung you. You turned to him, and for a split second you caught a familiar, rageful glimmer in his eye; the sight made your own temper flare. 

“Zuko, don’t do that to yourself,” you said. “It wasn’t just your father who hurt you and you know that.” 

“I know,” he snapped, cutting off the end of your words. “I still care about her, though. I don’t even know if she really ever cared about me, but I still… I still miss her.” 

Your ribs seemed to cave in, crushing your heart and lungs. He’d told you about Mai many times, and all you ever saw was that the darkness in her drew out the darkness in him; it even hung over you, clouding out the comfort you felt with Zuko and replacing it with unease and doubt. You feared there was no place in his heart for you - not while Mai still remained in it, no matter how badly her memory made him bleed. 

“It’s hard,” you choked out. “I still miss some of the people who hurt me, too.” 

That was all you could manage to say. You pulled your knees to your chest, half-burying your face in the fabric of your night dress as you forced the tears welling in the corners of your eyes not to flow. 

This is what you get, you scolded yourself. This is what you get for feeling things for people you know could never feel the same about you. 

A sensation of warmth curling around your shoulders made you jolt. Instinctively, you inched away, glancing in Zuko’s direction as he retracted the arm that had draped around you. You expected him to look away, but he didn’t - his pale amber eyes instead locked with yours. 

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “You hold your head so high… I forget sometimes that you’re trying to heal, too.” 

His words caused your tears to spill, though you didn’t cry; your face remained stony, and no sobs shook you. Your tears fell as easily as water from a cliff’s edge, impeded by nothing but the will of gravity. 

“... The cards you lent me,” Zuko said after a pause, almost blurting the words. “I’ve been reading them, to help me let go of everything I left behind. I don’t think I’m doing it right.” 

A few weeks ago, you’d given him a deck of cards you used for fortune telling. Each card depicted a different object, element, or scene, and were laid out in combinations that gave insight into a person’s spiritual path. You liked them more than other forms of fortune telling, as it encouraged its readers to make their own assumptions and drive their own fates instead of having it simply told to them. You gave your deck to Zuko so he could reflect on something finite, instead of getting consumed by his own thoughts. It was exactly what you used them for, and you knew they would help.

“Why?” you asked softly. 

“I drew a card that didn’t make sense,” he told you. “I laid down the Tides, then the Crossed Blades, and then… I pulled the Badger Mole. The other two I understand - one is for movement and change, the other is for strength in allies, but I… can’t figure out what the Badger Mole is supposed to mean.” 

“Badger moles are strong, powerful,” you explained, speaking dispassionately from memory, “but they’re gentle. The card represents the duality of both. They mate for life, too, so it also represents love and companionship.” 

As you spoke, you felt a meteor crash between you and Zuko. His face fell, dumbfounded, as he looked at you, his eyes darting minutely back and forth as you watched the pieces mend together in his head. 

“What do you feel?” you whispered, part of you terrified of his answer.

“... I feel like I’m fighting the tide,” Zuko replied, his tone awestruck. “It’s pushing me to shore, but I keep trying to swim back out to sea.” 

The corners of your lips curled upwards slightly, your cheeks still sticky with tears. 

“It’s really scary, huh?” you said. “Loving another person.” 

“Yeah... especially when you’ve never known what it feels like before,” Zuko added softly. 

You reached out, tentatively resting your palm against his cheek. His hand rose to close over yours, the sensation trembling you to your core. 

“How many times have you pulled the Badger Mole?” you asked. 

“Every time,” Zuko breathed. “I’m so stupid for not realizing. You make me feel wild and calm all at once. I get this crushing feeling in my chest when I see you or even think of you, and I thought it was just fear or sadness. But… you don’t make me want to lash out like I used to, with my father and Azula and Mai… just the thought of you makes me want to be the best person I can be. Even though I know you already accept me for not being that person.” 

You couldn’t help but laugh, somewhat defeatedly, your knees falling away from your chest and crossing in front of you. Your body was heavy, but your head felt light. 

“I love you, Zuko,” you murmured. “But I’m afraid.” 

Zuko wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you closer. His forehead fell to rest against yours, his eyes closing as he steadied his erratic breathing. 

“If you’re scared, I’ll protect you,” he said quietly. “That’s what I think lovers are supposed to do.” 

The word made every organ in your body jump to your throat. Lovers. Your limbs felt weak, but your heart felt strong with Zuko holding you. 

Without thinking, you took his face in your hands and kissed him. It wasn’t hard and passionate like you expected, but firm, gentle, his lips pressing to yours like two palms grasped in an assuring embrace. He lay one of his large, able hands on the back of your neck, his thumb tenderly stroking your skin. 

When you finally broke apart, Zuko gazed at you with a soft, forlorn expression. His fingers reached to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. 

“I’m sorry I talk about her so much,” he said. “It must kill you.” 

You shook your head, a soft smile forming on your lips, still red from where Zuko had kissed them. 

“Don’t worry about it,” you told him. “I know some people from my past you’d happily drive a knife into.”

Zuko chuckled, the light, airy smile you saw when he was truly happy spreading to each of his cheeks. The spike that drove itself through your heart when you thought of it earlier was gone, replaced by the sweet warmth of a low flame on a cold night. With him, you were safe. 

“Let’s get some sleep,” Zuko suggested, taking your arm to help you stand. 

His hand slipped easily into yours, your fingers twining together. He leaned forward and kissed you again, his lips only grazing yours, causing your skin to buzz with the sensation. 

“... Do you think we’ll have to talk to Aang about this?” you asked as you walked back to your room. 

Zuko raised an eyebrow at you, confused. 

“He is your great-grandfather,” you elaborated with jest. “I should probably do the chivalrous thing and ask for his blessing or something.” 

Zuko laughed, nudging you with his shoulder so that you stumbled over your feet. You shoved him back, to which he took you by the waist and wrapped you tightly in his arms, kissing your cheek. 

“He probably won’t care,” he replied. “But my uncle will love you.”

#muerta's works #zuko #zuko x reader #zuko x you #prince zuko #prince zuko x reader #prince zuko x you #zuko fanfic #prince zuko fanfic #atla fanfic #avatar fanfiction #self insert fanfiction #lmao when you don't know how to end a fic

[you-show-me-love]

🏠or 🫂

You know what Ima give you both @ianandmickeygallavich1

🏠 - for a place of their own headcanon

Ian entered their apartment on the Westside and was hit with a heavy, fragrant cloud of pot and cigarette smoke. Mickey was exactly where he left him, lounging in his boxers on the couch, but now noticeably high. Ian rolled his eyes and took a few giant steps to stand before his husband and yank the half smoked cigarette between his slack lips earning him a displeased whine.

"Come on Mick, you know we can't smoke inside."

Mickey rolled his bloodshot eyes and leaned his head against the back of the couch, tilting it to follow Ian's path to the balcony door. The redhead slid it open, waving large hands uselessly in an attempt to clear the air quicker.

"Who gives a shit, man. Weed's legal."

"Still can't smoke inside, Mickey." Ian admonished. 

Mickey raised his head against the floaty feeling causing it to weigh more than usual. Ian settled into the cushion on the other side of the couch, his long arm stretched across the back almost touching Mickey's shoulder. 

"See I'm fucking handcuffed over here! Fuck the Westside, man!"

It was a tantrum Mickey threw every time something inconvenienced him. Blame the Westside instead of just following the rules. Ian loved his husband but the man was stupidly stubborn. 

"Well when we buy our own place you can smoke inside all you want. For now smoke on the balcony."

Ian thought he had said the right thing, something that would appease Mickey and ease his brooding brow, but as Ian spoke Mickey's expression grew darker and Ian could read the warning signs of the oncoming storm he just summoned.

"Listen Princess, you might think we're one day going to live in a fucking castle but the reality is we'll be renting from gentrifying fucks until we're either too poor or dead. We'll never own shit, never do what we want, always be under someone's fuckin boot!"

Mickey leaving Ian speechless was just as common as the pair finding themselves in petty squabbles. The redhead could only watch the smaller man stomp into their bedroom, knowing from the constant stream of swear words and insults that he didn't plan to stick around. 

"Mickey…" he called fruitlessly after his now-dressed husband made his way out. The only response he received was the slam of their front door.

Ian gave Mickey a few hours to cool off before making his way to the Gallagher home on N Wallace. Mickey was exactly where he expected him to be, behind a shitty accordian door on a mattress older than both of them smoking another joint and fucking around on his phone. Everything about his body language conveyed nonchalance, but Ian could see in the tight, downward turn of his full lips that Mickey was still ruffled. Ian leaned against the doorway, waiting for bright blue eyes to meet him and let him know Mickey was ready to talk. The dark haired man sighed heavily and rubbed intensely at one eye before he looked up.

"Fuckin tired of this shit, Ian."

Ian crawled onto the dirty mattress next to the man he loved, hurting to see him like this, knowing it was his job to make this better, knowing he was happy to do it.

"I know." He wrapped an arm around Mickey's shoulder and planted his lips into his dark hair. He very much knew how exhausting it was just to exist against all the things trying to push them out. They stayed quiet together, ruminating with only themselves on how tough life had been for both of them. 

"When we buy our own place," Mickey began, and Ian's heart jumped into his throat at the implication, "I'm putting six deadbolts on the door so no one can bother us about any dumb shit. And we're getting a guard dog."

"What about a moat? Maybe a guard tower?" Ian joked, receiving a shoulder to the ribs for his trouble. But Mickey was smiling and Ian thought the pain was worth it.

"Alright princess." Mickey snorted. 

And so they sat on a bed they no longer slept on, in a house they no longer lived in, and envisioned a place of their own. A place they could be free together.

🫂 - for a hug headcanon

"Meeting Lip for coffee!" Ian shouted from down the hall to the bedroom. He was dressed and ready to go, but his other half was still dead to the world.

He didn't expect a response more eloquent than a sleepy groan so he moved to the entryway and put on his shoes. Righting himself he caught sight of Mickey.

The man was ridiculously cute in his half asleep state; eyes pinched shut against the light, hair matted in places and spiked in others, expression grumpy in that way that only endeared to Ian, chest bare and boxers scrunched high up on his pale thighs.

"Where's my hug motherfucker?"

Ian's face went dopey at the irritable request and easily responded to it, wrapping his long arms around his husband and holding the man tightly against him. Mickey was still sleep warm and pliant, fists barely grasping the shirt on Ian's back. They held each other for a long moment, saying goodbye and good morning and I love you and so much more in one hug. 

Mickey eventually pulled back, letting Ian move his hands to cradle his head and plant a kiss on his full lips. They stayed content in looking at each other a little longer, letting soft loving eyes take it all in. Ian pulled a hand away and cuffed his husband's cheek harmlessly, a non-verbal end to their moment. Mickey sniffed and stepped backwards toward their bedroom.

"Give Lip these for me." He offered up two proud middle fingers. Ian laughed and promised Lip would in fact get Mickey's message.

#ian gallagher #ian x mickey #gallavich #mickey milkovich #shameless #gallavich fic #gallavich headcanon #headcanon requests #domestic gallavich

[timextoxhajima]

The Misadventures of Ares: Vinculum

HOSTIS MASTERLIST

Taglist: @sunqnyu​​ @taesty-wander-lust​​

“What?”

“Dr. Kyung- He said- The blood test- I-”

“Christ’s sake, give me that-”

Stomping over, you snatch the device out from his grasp and press it to your ear. 

“There’s no way that’s possible. I’ve been on the pill for the last 3 months.”

“I’m sorry, Dr. l/n, I just don’t think a blood test would provide unreliable results.”

“Well- Check it again!” 

“I’ve checked thrice, Dr. l/n. You’re 7 weeks in.”

The device in your hands begins to warm up, but you’re not sure if it’s from the electronics of the thing or that your body temperature was beginning to sky-rocket. Fatigue begins to set in, like you were about to faint. The giddiness clouds your eyes and your brain and before you know it, Hyunjae’s voice was muffled in your ears. 

“...Kitten... Give me the phone... Are you... Do you need to... I’m sorry, Dr. Kyung... Right back...”

The lines in your vision are blur when your lids first open. Inhaling the scent coated all over the bed, which was an embarrassing mix of yours and Hyunjae, you rub your eyes in a bid to clear your vision. 

The room was dark, besides the amber-orange light emitting from the scented humidifier by the bed. Which means it’s not morning. Rolling over, you note the emptiness in the other half of the queen-sized bed, and the coldness of the sheets tell you that he hasn’t even stepped anywhere near the--

Click

The door swings open slowly, revealing a shirtless Hyunjae with tousled wet hair and baggy joggers. With his phone in one hand, the other was busy ruffling through his wet strands with a towel. His eyes gleam in the dark when they look up from his phone, minding to check on you, but he realises you’re already awake. 

“Hey,” He immediately locks his phone and places it by the humidifier on the bed stand. “How are you feeling?”

The mattress by your right arm sinks when he sits down, the citrus scent of his body wash filling your nose when he presses his fingers into your hairline. Drawing gentle lines into your forehead and hair, his eyes are filled nothing but concern. It kind of irks you, when you catch yourself falling for his little ministrations time and time again, even though they have all been for different reasons; under different circumstances.

His soft chuckle jerks you out of your trance when he finally pokes your nose. “Staring in this kind of shitty lighting, huh?”

An annoyed but accustomed groan cues you to swat his hand off your face. “Don’t you ever get tired of that?”

“Nah,” Wrapping his fingers around your wrist and bringing them up to his lips, he presses some light kisses into your hand. “I’ll never get tired of anything as long as it’s you.”

The litter of kisses begin to trail from the back of your hand, down to your shoulder where his light breath tickles your neck. You can’t help the soft giggles that run off your tongue, and his smile is pressed as a kiss into your jaw and then your lips. 

He sighs, pulling away to rest his head on your chest with his arms supporting some of his weight atop you. His damp hair gets tangled in your fingers, just before they trail down to his back to trace his shoulder blades. 

“So... what happened to the pasta?”

“I tried to finish most of it,” He speaks loud enough for you to hear, though you felt most of it as vibrations through your body. “Why, hungry?”

“...No.”

Then your tummy decides to refute and releases the loudest groan you could ever hear. 

Hyunjae laughs as he lifts his head to look at you. “I’m sure the baby isn’t big enough to make that kind of sound yet.”

“Oh, God,” The reminder sours your nose unexpectedly. Your hands come round to cover your face, letting out a soft but frustrated sigh. “I was hoping it was a dream.”

The mischief in Hyunjae’s eyes wear away when he processes your words. The competition in his blood is no longer. Not when there was an other, godly being involved now. Something that he’s given to you, something that you were made to carry, something that’s meant to bond you both. 

Something that would become part of his world, as if you weren’t already his. 

“A dream? You don’t want... it?”

The thoughts well your brain. It feels like you’re drowning on the inside. 

“I’m not saying I don’t want it... I just--”

He sits up and grips onto your hands like his life depended on it. The physical contact sends shudders up your fingers, not because his hands were cold but because they felt hot, like clothes when they just came out of the dryer. The overwhelming sensation forces you to shift and sit up against the bed board, eyes coated with tears and scanning his. 

Two beautiful star-studded orbs look deep into yours before they look down, almost like he was ashamed of himself - then you realise he’s not even breathing. He’s holding his breath because he might just break out into horrid sobs. 

“Jae...” Your hoarse voice sounds like a croak when it comes out, layered with all the effort you needed to stop yourself from bawling too. His cheeks are cupped in your hands as you try to pull him closer, but he refuses to leave your hands. His eyes are plastered to your stomach before he can look you in the eye with all the love he has in himself. 

“You are... everything I ever needed. You are... my life, my world and you have my heart,” His voice is barely recognisable now. It’s so low, it sounds like a whisper, but you know his vocal chords are just strained from his need to control his feelings. “And this... Changes nothing.”

“Jae, I-”

“No,” He shakes his head, still unable to look at you. The emotions that he’s feeling in that gusto chest of his is slowly being translated into thoughts and then words in his head, and even as a doctor, that wasn’t easy. “I know... I know you feel like this isn’t the right time. You’ll think that this comes in the way of your promotion and that things will get harder...”

“Oh,” The ache seeps through you. Guilt surges through your veins and the tears finally fall. “I just... Jae, I worked so hard for this...”

“And I know you did. I swear to God, I know in my bones you did,” His hands find yours that are holding his face, and he finally looks up. He shifts, pushing you further into the middle of the bed so he can fit his body onto the mattress next to you. The strands your hair must’ve gotten the stains of your tears as you wipe his away. 

“But I can’t-” The crack in his voice as he wraps his arm around your lower back feels more like a crack in your heart. He rests his head against your heart, attentively listening to the thumping against your chest. “I can’t... I won’t forgive myself if anything happened to you, or the thing inside you. I don’t care if you want the next promotion, you can have it. But what I care about is you, your safety and whatever’s in you right now.”

Sniffling and barely chuckling, you gently trace his hairline, fiddling with the stray strands of hair off his face. “Are you really gonna keep calling it a ‘thing’?” 

Hyunjae coughs some kind of sorrowful laughter, inhaling back all the mucus stuck in his nostrils. “I mean, we can’t tell what the gender is until your second trimester.”

“Fair.” 

He lifts his head again, and now you can see the pink in his nose and eyes. Your thumb reaches over to his cheekbone and brushes his skin, but he keeps your hand on his cheek and presses a kiss into your palm. 

“Are you sure... about this?”

He shakes his head. “No, I’m not. But it’s your body, and as much as I’d die for you to keep it... I want you to decide... Whether you want to keep it.”

A frown gently forms in your forehead as you wipe your tears away, and Hyunjae gives himself time to climb over you, pulling the blanket over his legs and sliding his arm behind your neck. Resting into his shoulder, your eyes rest on the vapour pouring out from the humidifier. 

“Will you hate me if I said I needed to think about it?” 

A pause. 

“No,” He pecks the crown of your head, resting his nose in your hair. “Your body... and... it’s your kid as much as it is mine.”

“You can’t say that it’s a kid when you can’t even tell the gender.”

“It’ll be a kid if you decide to keep it for the next 8 months, kitten.”

A gulp forces its way down your throat. 

“I’m scared.”

“What about?”

“Whether I’ll make the right choice. Will I regret it if I keep it? And even if I do, how shit of a mother am I going to be?”

His free arm circles around you to turn your torso towards him, and he tightens his embrace with your nose in his collar bone. “Whatever you do, I know you won’t regret it. You’ve worked your entire life to get where you are today, so nobody can blame you for wanting to be reward yourself. And if you do keep it, parenting is a two-man job.”

Another pause. 

“Whatever it is, I’ll always be here. Regardless your choice, regardless the outcome. Even when you don’t want to see my stupid snot-face, I’ll still be here. Okay?”

The facial muscles in your forehead relax, and you sigh into his skin. “Okay.”

Hyunjae massages your scalp with his fingertips, moments before he pulls away and slides off the bed abruptly. 

“Alright, enough of that crap,” He picks up a shirt from the single sofa seat in the corner of the room and throws it on. “Come down when you’re not about to faint. I cooked you chicken and clam chowder soup.”

#hyunjae #the boyz hyunjae #the boyz #tbz #lee hyunjae #tbz hyunjae #timetohajima hostis

[warmau]

☆ [nostalgic] summer romance!au jaemin i am once again late for his birthday but, happy birthday prince na! find others here: johnny | haechan | taeil | taeyong | mark

there’s a bright pink post-it note on your mailbox on the first day of summer. it says there’s a letter inside

you don’t understand who put it there and why

and of course there’s a letter inside, it’s your mailbox - what else should there be?

you open the letter as you’re sitting criss-cross on the edge of the lake, right in the patch of grass that’s tall enough to hide your figure when you lay down

it’s short and it isn’t signed by anyone

it just asks you to meet ‘him’ at the movie theater in town next week for the eight pm showing of some b-rate comedy film

you pop one of the strawberries you brought with you in your mouth as you try and figure out who ‘he’ is

he must know you somehow, if he doesn’t - that’s just creepy

you look at the handwriting 

it’s neat, so you roll over on your stomach and make a little list to yourself

renjun? no, he’s spending this summer in paris

haechan? no, he’d never write a letter and not put his name on it

jeno? no, he’d never write a letter in the first place

jaemin? your hand hovers over the next strawberry and you rest your cheek against your palm

na jaemin? why would na jaemin ask you out to a movie date?

you only know each other through mutual friends

you’ve hung out with him once or twice

each time, barely sharing two or more words due to his popularity with just about everyone else in the room

and the fact that you weren’t much of a talker

and he wasn’t much of a listener

you shake your head, no - it’s definitely not na jaemin either.

when the day of the movie comes around, you pace around your room wondering if you should go or not

a part of your mind, logical and sound says of course not. this isn’t the 1940s who is writing letters to ask people on dates that is normal

why can’t they just send you a facebook message or a text

but the other part of your mind, curious says you have to - at least to see who this secret admirer is

you decide, at 7:45pm to throw caution to the wind - it is summer, and the movie theater will be crowded, if you need to make your escape you’ll be able to

there’s nothing to lose

you get there five minutes late and look around for anyone familiar, anyone at all 

when you feel someone tap your shoulder

you turn and blink

“jaemin?”

“you got my letter!”

the movie isn’t good, you aren’t paying attention during most of it, just eating the popcorn jaemin bought and pretending you’re not sneaking peeks at him every five minutes mulling over the same thought

why did he ask me to go to the movies? does he want to be my friend? is this a date?

he turns, when the credits roll, and ask if you have to be home by a certain time

you shake your head, so he asks if you’ll come with him to the lake

you walk through the grassy patch where you’d read that letter he sent - there are some teenagers out and about, a family bbq somewhere nearby 

so you two stroll till you’re at the edge of the quietest part of the lake and jaemin pulls something from his back pocket that he hands to you

it’s another letter

you start to open it and he makes a sound

in the dark summer night you don’t see his face go red

“don’t read it now-”

“why not? i want to.”

you state bluntly, pulling the folded paper from the envelope and fishing your phone out to use the flashlight

as you start to mouth the words outloud

jaemin shakes his head, turns and runs straight toward the lake

“jaemin!?”

you chase after him, stopping short of the water as he wades in till he’s hip deep

“jaemin?!?”

“it’s embarrassing, i said don’t read it now!”

“fine, fine i won’t - come out of the water!”

you and him walk down the road, his jeans sopping wet and a big smile on his face as you roll your eyes

“that was a dumb thing to do.”

“you were going to read my own letter out loud to me, what did you think i would do?”

you stop a street down from your house and suddenly, even with his wet jeans and that dumb grin on his face

you can’t help but be honest with yourself about jaemin - he’s handsome and he’s sweet 

and this wasn’t weird at all

which makes it weird...........if that makes sense

“can i read it now?”

you ask and wave the letter with one hand, he says ok - in three seconds

when you want to ask what happens in three seconds, he’s already running down the block and away from you counting, 3, 2, 1 -

you sit on your bed, open the letter and read it outloud

i like you, i hope you’ll spend this summer with me. if you don’t believe that i like you, i can prove it. remember right after the fifth football game of the season, in haechan’s dorm, when he was tipsy and we had to hid when the ra came to check on us? you hide with me, under the bed. it was maybe two minutes. just us, alone, listening to haechan lie, trying not to laugh. you smelled like honey and strawberries. i wanted to kiss you under that bed, but i was scared you’d slap me and the ra would catch us. i mean actually that might not prove anything to you. but i like you. if you have nothing else to do, do you want to spend this summer with me?

you set the letter down and get up to grab your phone

you want to text jeno for jaemin’s number but you stop yourself

instead, the next morning you show up on your bike in front of his house

he’s in the yard doing some kind of chore and when he sees you he almost trips over the hose in his hand as he runs over 

he’s going to say something, but you drop a letter in his hands and ride off before he can make a sound

when jaemin opens it

all it reads is

yes, i want to spend this summer with you. 

and you do spend everyday of it together. sitting at the lake, trying to fish or listening to music or just watching the clouds go by

jaemin can talk for hours and usually chatty people rub you the wrong way, but his voice can almost lull you to sleep

and when it does, he pulls you into his chest and runs his fingers through your hair even though when you wake up he pretends he’s just counting passing butterflies

you visit him at his part-time job at the main street florist, where he does a lot of bouquet wrapping and flower decorating

he brings some of the unused flowers over to your room and teaches you how to weave them together or press them between the pages of your books

you see more shitty movies, you ride your bikes together, you ignore the jealous glares at the mall from other people who wish they were dating jaemin

and jaemin distracts you with silly jokes and general goofiness that you wouldn’t expect from someone so handsome

the first time he tries to kiss you, in your backyard while your parents are away

you mumble for him to stop because you’ve never done it before and he smiles and says ok

if you want him to stop, he’ll stop. he’ll wait forever if he has to.

you shake your head and explain no, it’s not that you want him to wait forever it’s that you don’t want him to be disappointed when you kiss back and sparks don’t fly or whatever it is that happens in love stories

he laughs, he says

don’t worry, the sparks fly for me when you’re just standing next to me. im sure kissing you will feel like the whole parade.

the line is corny and you push him a little, only to curl your hands around the fabric of his shirt and pull him in

his lips are soft and he mumbles again, that you smell and taste like strawberries

as the summer dwindles down you start to panic a little, because his letter had said 

do you want to spend your summer with me

but now that it’s ending you are scared to ask if this will continue - or if jaemin will act like it never happened

on the last day of august, you are walking hand in hand with him from the mall and you stop and look up and jaemin waits

“are you going to leave me when fall comes?”

his smile falls a bit and his features grow serious

“no, are you going to leave me?”

“your letter just said you wanted me to spend this summer with you-”

“i meant this summer, the next, and the next, and the next - every summer. from now until forever.”

you try to hide your smile and you try again to tell him to stop being so romantic

but this time, you are the one who brought it up

you lean up and press your lips to his and jaemin whispers

“i mean it - forever.”

now, so many summers after that one - you come home and there’s a pink post it note on your mailbox

just like there is every first day of summer for the last decade

you open it and there’s a letter inside

meet me at the movies at 8pm?

you tuck the letter into your bag and trot up the stairs to your apartment, the doors open and you push through

jaemin is sitting at the tv and waves without looking when he hears the sound of the lock

you sit down beside him, his arm coming around you

“so what movie are we gonna see this year?”

“oh you know the usual, some bad comedy - but hey.”

he turns to you with the same gleaming smile he’s had since he was a young boy

“the popcorns on me.”

#jaemin scenarios #jaemin au #nct scenarios #nct au #nct dream scenarios #nct dream au #sfw #na jaemin #nct dream #nct imagines #nct dream imagines

[babyboy-cody]

‘ ‘ chapter | 01 ’ ’

complex desires. ( prologue ) ( masterlist )

SUMMARY: It’s the first week of classes after winter break, but you’re not exactly used to seeing new faces - teachers and students in between.

WARNINGS: explicit language, mentions of mental disorders, anxious thoughts, anxiety attack

WORD COUNT: 2.8k

NOTES: i’m currently writing this chapter while drinking a big ass mug of hot cocoa. also, hunter’s pronouns are they/them! this series is one i’m most excited for. hope you kiddies enjoy <3

It was still early when the clouds gave off their rain to the grass and trees, when the road became alive with more splashes than your eyes could appreciate. Yet together they brought such a soothing sound, a natural melody every bit as beautiful as a mother's soulful hum. You felt each splash that touched your skin, watching as your cardigan become a deeper, more rocky hue. It was as if earlier the street had been a matte photograph, only to be washed as glossy as any magazine page.

Each raindrop is a kaleidoscope, if people could only see more closely. You wonder as you walk how it would be to stop time, to suspend this watery gift and peek through each one. Perhaps it would be fun to sit inside those raindrops and take that gravity propelled ride to the earth, as you imagine it you feel your inner self laughing – a little at the crazy daydream and a little at your own silliness. You see the rain beads upon the cars, upon each leaf and washing your outstretched fingers. Soon they will pull together, forming the puddles, opening up a whole new avenue of rain-related fun. Perhaps it isn't normal to love a rainy day so much, but who cares about normal anyway? You’re pretty sure "normal" is a made up thing.

Upon the umbrella come the playful sounds of dancing drops, and from it's rim comes the sight of their more relaxed cousins, dripping as if their soul purpose was to bring a sense of ease and calm to the day. And as the rain became more intense, it began to soak the bottom of each dark blue jean leg, deepening the denim to a stronger hue, bringing your brown boots to a glossy water-shine, becoming a kind of natural cocoon.

Each raindrop is a doorway into nature's heart, an invitation of sorts, a request for your soul to rejoin creation. In the rain there is a serenity, a sense of peace that offers to resonate with the peaceful elements of the soul. Walking among those drops is your meditation, a way to fully become present in the moment, a way to feel free.

There was a vibration coming to life in the back pocket of your jeans, cutting you out of your peaceful daydream in the rain. You stepped to the side to allow a cyclist to pass by and gave him a brief smile when he nodded his head in thanks. When you pulled out your phone to read the contact, you instantly smiled when seeing Mickey’s name on the screen.

“Okay, first off, hello. Second off, where the hell are you? Me and Hunter – okaayy – Hunter and I have been in the cafeteria since 7:15 in the goddamn morning,” she immediately went off as soon as you put the phone to your ear. “Also, did you take your meds today? My alarm went off as a reminder.”

“First off, hi back, Mick. Second off, it’s been 15 minutes and I’m five minutes away from the school. It’s fine if we don’t have breakfast today just once,” you laughed as you heard her scoff. “And thirdly, yes mom, I did take my meds. I actually have to get another refill for my BPD meds. Thank you for asking.”

“Yeah, yeah. Well, you better hurry. We have the last of your favorite yogurt and Hunter’s close to eating the damn thing,” you heard Mickey laugh as she shushes her significant other. “Also, be careful coming around the usual entrance. The school is doing some bogus construction to add a statue of the principal.”

“You’re shitting me!” You exclaimed, earning a dirty glare from a tiny senior citizen as she slowly walks passed you with her small cane. “What the hell did this prick do to earn that? Also, can you grab me a fruit cup too? I’ve been craving kiwi’s for some odd reason.”

“Well, he’s wicked rich and can basically do anything in this school and get away with it, literally. And there’s no fruit cups today, but there’s a bag of sliced apples and tangerine slices,” Mickey told you as she huffed, which you assume is her getting out of her seat to go back to the assortment of breakfast foods. “Ooh, there’s bagels too. I think they just added these.”

“Jesus Christ, this statue is stupid as hell,” you groaned and stood in front of the half built statue, your principal’s name on a gold plated plaque attached to the marble. “This guy really needs an ego boost, huh? And just tangerine slices then. I’m heading inside.”

“Alright, see you soon, baby doll.” She annoyingly kisses into the phone as you snorted and rolled your eyes at her antics.

Sliding your phone back into your pocket, you stood outside the entrance doors and shook the leftover raindrops from your yellow umbrella before closing it. You inhaled the fresh rain water for one last time before grasping onto the freezing cold and disgustingly wet doorknob and pulling it open to head inside. There was a small litter of students here and there; some reading new announcements on the bulletin board in the main hall; some sitting in the lounging chairs with laptops or textbooks open on their laps; some sitting on the ground with a half empty bottle of water beside their laps and phones in their hands, headphones in their ears. You terribly, annoyingly, and oddly missed this. You missed the bustle of students laughing and running down the halls. You missed it all, even if it has been two weeks.

You hear loud chatter coming from just ahead, so you know you’re about to enter the cafeteria area. Just as you’re about to do so, you stop in your tracks in front of a bulletin board. There were a few posters for new clubs, as well as study groups, upcoming announcements, room changes, and more. But one that really struck out to you was a new story writing group, specifically for writers or English majors. You felt a burst of excitement spread throughout your chest and settle into the pit of your stomach. You made sure to take a quick photo of the sheet beforr moving on into the cafeteria.

Almost immediately, you spotted Hunters straight platinum blonde hair and fiery streaks on one side while the other was icy blue. Sitting in front of them was Mickey, her hair curly and unruly, making you wonder if she rolled out of bed, threw some clothes on, and called it a day. You felt your cheek mucles twitch as your lips pulled up into a bright smile. Hunter was the first to notice you. They looked up at you passed Mickey’s shoulder and smiled so brightly that it made you reciprocate. They adorned bright orange eyeshadow with white eyeliner, making their eyes pop out even more. You loved how they didn’t cake on makeup, they kept it simple, yet so drop dead gorgeous.

“There she is, the man of the hour,” they announced and got up from their seat to pull you in for a warm, tight hug. “I missed you so much. I’m so sorry for not messaging you the entire break. We didn’t have any service whatsoever.” There was a crestfallen look on Hunter’s face and you held their cheeks so they wouldn’t look away.

“Look at me, don’t stress about it, okay? Did you at least have fun?” They nodded with a pout. You grinned and gave their forehead a kiss before pulling them in for another hug.

“Okay, first you’re late. And now you’re stealing my person. I see how it is,” Mickey smirked as you gave her the bird behind Hunter’s back as you both pulled away from the hug. “Hi Y/N.”

“Hi Michelle,” you responded in the same tone as you sat in an empty chair around the table. “Give me my tangerine, please.” She passed you the small cup of tangerine slices with a grin when you began eating them.

“You been eating three times a day?” She asked you, looking at you through her mane of curls rather than pushing her hair away. You shrugged and kept your eyes on the half empty cup in your hands. “Y/N..”

“I’m doing it little by little, Mick. And I’m starting to drink water too,” you blushed and laughed softly when her and Hunter began praising you. Praise was something you weren’t used to, but hearing it every now and then really gave you butterflies. “It’s nothing..”

“Are you kidding me?” Hunter laughed and reached over to lay a hand over yours. “This is amazing. This is progress and we’re both so very proud of you.”

“You’ve come a long way,” Mickey lightly bumped your shoulder with her knuckles as Hunter pulled away. “You should do a meal plan like I did when I had to get my weight back up, so that way you don’t forget to eat three times a day.”

“I don’t know.. I don’t exactly have the funds to buy a lot of groceries. I had to use over $100 of my food stamps cause almost everything in my kitchen was old,” you huffed and popped another tangerine slice into your mouth. “Plus, I’ve been busy with finding a job and paying for my therapy appointments and doing school work, and it’s all so fucking overwhelming.”

The first bell rang, signaling students to begin their walk to class with only a few more minutes to spare. You grabbed your shoulder bag and stood beside Mickey while she held onto Hunter’s hand. The three of you passed by a swarm of students; freshman’s and sophomores running by to get to the lecture halls early; juniors having their books and laptops already out and pressed to their chests; seniors loitering in the halls with their friends. Thankfully, you, Hunter, and Mickey had your first English class together.

“How about this?” Mickey began. “Hunter and I will help pay for your groceries.” She hushed you as you began to lightly protest. “Listen, you already got a lot on your plate. I’d be a really shitty best friend if I allowed you to deal with all that. So every week, we’re gonna swing by your place to drop off some stuff, okay? I’ll create a meal plan for you with your favorites, so that way we’re taking that worry for money off your back.”

“Mick, you don’t have to do that for me. Like I said, I’ll find a way,” you mumbled and shrugged as you walked up the long staircase to head up to the lecture halls. “I couldn’t do that to you guys.”

“Y/N,” Hunter stopped you three in the middle of the hallway. “We care about you and we don’t want you going down that negative route alone. We both have jobs and enough money to cover Mickey and I, and it’ll seriously make me the happiest if you let us do this, please.”

“Two more minutes until class begins,” the voiceover on the speaker spoke.

“Fine,” you sighed, feeling a smile pull your lips as you all continued walking to the English room. “I love you both. And I’m very grateful for you to do this for me.”

“We know,” Mickey told you as she kissed your cheek obnoxiously, causing you to groan and Hunter to laugh. “But in all seriousness, don’t be a stranger to asking, okay?”

You nodded and gave her a reassuring smile as you made your up the steps to your seats in the bottom middle row. Mickey sat in between you and Hunter as more students filled the class. There was light chatter and soft clatter as seats were pulled down and the folding desks were pulled up. You set your bag between your feet, being cautious of not getting it dirty from your boots. Pulling out your spiral notebook that had four sections, you neatly wrote the course name, your name, and the date. Nervously clicking your pen, you tried to block out the noise that had started to get a little too loud. Nibbling on your bottom lip to distract yourself, your feet began tapping on its own while you tapped your pen on your book. Mickey and Hunter were having a conversation of their own, so they didn’t notice the early signs of a small anxiety attack.

An invisible hand clasps over your mouth; an equally ghostly hypodermic of adrenaline pierces your heart, unloading in an instant. You feel your ribs heaving as if bound by ropes, straining to inflate your lungs. Your head is a carousel of fears spinning out of control, each one pushing your mind into blackness. You want to run; you need to freeze. Sounds that were near feel far away, like you’re no longer in the body that sits paralyzed in the cold seat. Your breath comes out in rapid, shallow breaths as you shake your head at yourself.

“No, no, no,” you harshly whisper as your bobbing knee gets almost frantic.

You felt the panic begin like a cluster of spark plugs in your abdomen. Tension grew your her face and limbs, your mind replaying the last attack. You held onto the sides of your head, your elbows digging into the hardness of your desk. Your only movement was the trembling of your limbs and salty tears darkening your sleeves. There you stayed, unaware of the numerous eyes watching you until Mickey turned and noticed your frantic state.

“Shit,” she hissed and slung her arm across your desk as the other wrapped around your shoulders. “I’m here, Y/N. It’s okay.. sshhh.. I’m right here.” She noticed a few students staring, to which she narrowed her eyes and snarled, “What the fuck are you looking at, dipshits?!” They immediately looked away after being caught. She turned her attention back on you. “What’s going on, huh?” Her voice was soft and soothing as she smoothed her hand down your hair.

“It-It’s so.. loud,” you hiccuped and covered your face even more when a sob escaped your lips, spit flying onto your hands as you felt your neck, cheeks, and ears heat up out of embarrassment and shame. “I can’t stop it, Mick. I-I can’t!”

Hunter sat on the other side of you, reaching down to get your back, shuffling their hand inside to pull out your earplugs and inhaler. They handed the earplugs fo Mickey while pressing the opening of the inhaler to your lips. “Come on, babe,” they quietly told you and tucked a few strands of hair behind your ears, lightly blowing on your flushed skin to cool it down. “There we go,” they gently said when you took two deep puffs of your inhaler while Mickey made sure your earplugs were snug inside your ears. You felt your lungs open up as the cold, bitter medicine settled on your tongue.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper and shook your head, wiping away the last of your tears. You sniffled and looked at Mickey and Hunter. “I-I don’t know what happened.. it just... happened.”

“It’s always unexplained, but don’t be sorry for something you can’t control, okay?” Mickey told you firmly while making sure you were looking into her eyes. “This doesn’t make you any less of a person.”

Hunter smiled and sat your bag back between your feet before moving to their seat next to Mickey. All the students had settled down, their conversations now a quiet murmur. You felt relieved as you pulled your earplugs out and slid them inside your protective case, making sure the lid was closed tight before shoving it into your bag. Mickey kept an eye on you the entire time, making sure no one triggered you. She sat with an elbow resting on the back her chair with her legs lightly spread.

“You’re man-spreading,” you quietly told her, laughing quietly when she flipped you off.

Suddenly, the metal doors opened and a man hurriedly walks in with an expensive looking leather messenger back over his shoulder. Your lips parted and you sat up straight in your seat when he gave the class a guilty smile. You’ve never seen him in the school. Not even before break. He must’ve been in a different department and just got transferred to the English center. He deeply intrigued you. You noticed the other girls in the class twirling their hair in a cliché way with the tips of their pens between their teeth. He wore all black, and it was so very different compared to what other professors wore. There was no sweater vest or button up shirt. He just wore a comfortable and soft looking black sweater with black jeans and black boots. His dirty blonde - almost brunette - hair was perfectly styled. He looked devastatingly handsome.

“Hello, my name is Professor Shepherd and I’m going to be your English teacher for the rest of the semester. Professor Winifred recently had her baby during winter break and shall be back for the next semester,” he gave another knee-weakening grin as he clapped his hands together. “Shall we get started?”

#AAAHHHH FIRST CHAPTER IS OUT!!! #we’re just getting started 😏 #duncan shepherd x reader #bill skarsgård x reader #professor!bill #professor!duncan #love triangle #complex desires series

[erza-haninozuka]

Broken

Characters: Eijiro Kirishima x Reader

Words: 1,459

Warnings: Angst, hints to depression and suicide. 

A/N: This was inspired by the best duet. Honestly, I didn’t mean for this one shot to go the direction it did. It happened to go this way once I started writing cause my first intention was to make a comfort fic but this happened.... Sorry. 

You hadn’t left your room in what seemed like days, making the worry bubble up even more inside Kirishima’s mind. A type of curiosity had him seeking out your room, standing outside your door with this uncertainty that you would answer.

But he took a deep breath and knocked anyways, the sound of his hand hitting on the wood practically echoing the hall. 

His senses seemed as if they were in overdrive. He could catch the slight stir in your room, your feet gently padding against the floor before you unlocked the door and revealed yourself.

Your hair was disheveled like you just rolled out of bed. Exhaustion was painted all over your face and your eyes were red and puffy. 

He frowned softly, taking in your full appearance, “Y/N, what’s wrong?” 

You opened your mouth to speak but all that came out was a choked sob.

His eyes widened and he quickly wrapped you up in his embrace, lifting you up, gently closing the door with his butt, and carrying you back to your bed. 

He immediately sat down with you in his arms, rubbing your back. 

“Hey, what’s going on? Talk to me?” 

You still hadn’t spoken a word as the tears came out, cascading down your cheeks and into his shirt. 

Kirishima waited patiently, letting you cry into his shoulder as he held you, replacing the rubbing sensation on your back to gently rocking you instead.

He gently placed a kiss to your head, listening to your sobs as his heart began to break from your pain. 

Kirishima wanted nothing more than to take away the burden plaguing your heart, he wanted to help you stand and face whatever it was together.

He was bracing himself for every possibility that you might utter, but when you told him it still seemed to catch him by surprise.

Your voice broke and cracked between sobs as you told him you couldn’t keep it up anymore. You were just so tired and over it.

He gently cupped your face in his hands, looking into the withered sea that was held in your eyes.

They were dull from mental exhaustion and he placed another gentle kiss, this time to your forehead.

“Please, stay right here. I’ll be right back. I promise. Please, just don’t leave me okay?” 

All you could do was nod and curl back up into a ball as Kirishima hurried from your room.

It was the fastest he had ever moved, borrowing speed from Iida he mentally thought.

He quickly gathered some of your favorite things and one of his hoodies before hurrying back to your room with all the items in hand.

The Sunny D Smooth was placed on your bedside table, the sour straws set next to it, and a few chocolate bars. He handed you his hoodie to hold or wear before taking his place next to you. 

Again you were wrapped up in his embrace. His voice was so low and gentle as he gave you words of encouragement, telling you he would be here no matter what. When you felt like you could no longer fight, he would fight for you and carry you through. 

Kirishima even turned on your favorite show, doing everything he could in his power to make you smile. 

But his powers weren’t strong enough to erase the pain and the weight that clouded you so darkly.

That night he stayed in your room, remaining by your side. 

As the days began to wear by you seemed to be getting better, he thought. So Kirishima began to give you some space, thinking it was what you needed and that he had smothered you.

But it was the wedge that drove you away.

That looming darkness in your head had convinced you he no longer cared and that you were just a burden to him to begin with. He must’ve finally grown tired of you.

The sense of rationality knew otherwise, but that monster had won. 

Your darkness won.

The monster’s sick, twisted smile was all you could picture, thinking of how much better everyone would be once you were gone. Convinced you were just a burden and everyone just pretended to care. So you said goodbye to the silence of your room before leaving.

You were gone.

The news broke out like wildfire, and all Kirishima could do was sit there in disbelief. It couldn’t have been true, you were just here the day before. 

You had been smiling and laughing, you appeared to be better so he had given you some space. 

But you had slipped right through the cracks between his fingers, there would be no way for him to fight for you anymore because you had lost the battle. 

The class had erupted into whispers, everyone asking each other questions and were painted with disbelief.

Kirishima’s face seemed to mirror that same feeling, questions swirling through his mind as tears began to blur his vision, practically making everyone in the room seem to be blobs. They began to flow down his face like a river that he couldn’t stop. 

He thought he was helping- did he not do enough? Was he not strong enough to help you through? 

I didn’t do enough. 

I wasn’t strong enough.

I didn’t do a good job.

I’m not fit to be a hero.

I couldn’t save you.

Those thoughts swirled his brain, crushing him with the reality that you were no longer here.

He let out a loud sob that startled the entire room, Bakugo looking over and knowing instantly.

Kirishima lost one of his best friends, and more importantly his partner. 

Guilt was looming around him and clouding his mind.

Bakugo broke through the bystanders, quickly yanking the redhead into a tight hug, surprising everyone around them.

“It’s not your fault, I’m sure you did what you could. You don’t need to blame yourself.” 

Kirishima couldn’t respond as he cried into Bakugo, holding onto his friend tightly.

Bakugo’s jaw clenched, “Shitty Hair! I mean it, don’t fucking blame yourself for their actions. It’s not your fault. It sucks that they’re gone, I hate it too. But we can’t just sit around asking ourselves what we should’ve done differently! Instead we should remember them and the life they lived.”

“Bakugo is right,” Aizawa said as he appeared in the room.

Their eyes fell on their old home room teacher. 

Aizawa didn’t care, he pulled the young man in for a tight hug too, knowing his past with you and how your lives were intertwined.

Aizawa knew his pain to an extent, the blame and guilt tangling inside his head- he had felt it many years ago when he lost a friend during a fight. 

“Bakugo is right,” he reiterated. “Grieve how you see fit, but don’t let that guilt win. You’ll end up making yourself miserable. I know you couldn’t save them, but that’s why you go out there and you save everyone else that you can. You do it for them. Live your life for them.” 

Kirishima could only nod and attempt to dry his face. He kept their words in mind as he got through the next few days. 

He had his chance to finally say goodbye. He was there long enough to do so, but he left before they put you in the ground.

That was something he wasn’t quite ready for.

So the next few weeks drug by, Kirishima sailing through his emotions before he finally gathered the courage to go to your gravesite.

The dirt was still piled up, not yet leveled back out and currently unmarked still as they waited for your headstone. He was careful to stand between the graves and not over someone as he sat down, the tears began to flow down.

The only sound he could hear was the wind rustling through the trees and the plastic break on the lid as he opened up the Sunny D Smooth, a drink you always claimed it was hard to feel sad when you were drinking it.

He opened the cold liquid to help ease his heart and bring a smile to his face even if for a moment as he drank it.

And you were right. Despite all these emotions swirling around it was a bit difficult to feel so sad with this going into your system. Something about it’s color, taste, and smoothness bringing a sense of comfort. 

He let out a gentle, pained sigh as he hugged his hoodie closer to him, catching your dying scent that lingered in the threads. 

“I love you Y/N. I miss you and I’m gonna do what I can to fight for you. I’ll live for you, you can rest easy now.”

#kirishima #eijiro kirishima #kirishima x female reader #kirishima x male reader #eijiro kirishima x reader #eijiro kirishima x female reader #eijiro kirishima x male reader #kirishima x reader #tw: depression #tw: suicide #trigger warning depression #trigger warning suicide #mha kirishima #mha eijiro kirishima #mha kirishima x reader #my hero academia #my hero academia one shot #my hero academia kirishima x reader #kirishima one shot

[vesuvian-american-fics]

better with time. Ch 9

you're not normal.

Lunch with the scouts goes just about as planned, awkward. A meeting with Erwin leaves you feeling fearful of tomorrow.(AO3)

Words: 1,836

As the comfort of sleep faded away, regretfully you opened your eyes and sat up on your bed. You stretched your weary muscles and groaned at the popping sounds your bones made with the movement. You lazily patted your hair back into its usual form before straightening out your clothes and opening your door. Just as you did you were met with Levi’s irritated glare.

“That’s the last time I go without locking your door.” He said before sighing and walking off. You followed without a word, too sleepy to reply to the man.

“You will sit at the same table as Hange, the other superiors and I. Don’t speak unless spoken to, if you do good today this can be regular. If any scouts come up to you, ignore them. It’ll be hard because those brats are chatty, don’t answer any of their questions. Got it?” He rattled off. Right now, he was seeming like more of the chatty type, more than usual you suppose. However, it's to be expected you imagined. He’s giving you a lot of trust allowing you to eat with everyone as if you were normal. You were thankful but that can go without saying.

“I got it.” You replied, within the next few steps the two of you were standing in front of the canteen you had cleaned just hours before. Suddenly feeling shy and self-conscious your stomach sank. You hadn’t been in a social setting like this since you’ve been human again, to be honest you were scared. No one was expecting you to speak though but you knew all eyes would be glued to the back of your head as soon as you entered. It was nerve wracking.

“Stand up straight...” He snapped before opening the door an walking inside, leaving you to trail after him like a lost puppy. Just as you hypothesized, the once loud and rambunctious canteen had fell silent. Silent save for Hange still tittering off about one sciencey thing or another to the other men at their table, that made it less awkward for you but you couldn’t help but feel a few beads of cold sweat forming at your brow.

Levi cleared his throat dramatically to grab your attention toward the meal tray he had already filled with your lunch for the day, boiled potato and soup again. With that the two of you made your way towards Hange and sat down, you next to them and Levi across. The men at the table, Mike and Moblit, eyed you over in acknowledgement before properly greeting Levi. You gave them a curt nod and lifted your fork to take a bite of your food. Hange roughly hooked an arm around your shoulder before loudly bringing you into the conversation.

“Moblit! This is the one I’ve been talking about! Y/N! Hi!” You winced at their volume and a shy blush warms your cheeks, as if all the attention in the room wasn’t already on your neck, it surely was now. You could hear your name floating about the room as people began talking about you.

“Y/N huh?”

“She’s that titan?”

“Is it safe having her here?”

“I’m sure they know what they’re doing...”

“You think she’s like Annie––”

“Don’t mention that one!!”

That last part greatly disturbed you, but you decided to ignore the voices around you and just focus on the people at your table and your food. Levi looked at you over the top of his tea cup, reading your worried expression carefully. Setting his cup down gently he addressed Hange sternly.

“Shitty glasses... Keep your voice down you’re giving me a headache.”

Hange being as intelligent as they are quickly realized Levi said that more for your sake than his made-up migraine. Hange gave a short glance your way before quickly giving you a squeeze and lowering their voice as told. Instantly a bit of your anxiety ebbed away though the gossip didn’t die down much.

The rest of the lunch period went without much incident, Hange did well to distract you from the background chatter and made you feel normal. Moblit was a sweet fellow, the only person you imagine could handle Hange on 100% at all times, Mike was quiet but from time to time he would chuckle at the commentary. Levi remained stoic and unchanging, sipping his perfectly brewed black tea, and picking away at his meal. It was a nice change in pace in contrast to eating alone in your room with your nose in a book.

Your thoughts were interrupted when a boy you recognized instantly came stumbling up towards Levi. His large teal eyes staring into yours. However, this time, two others followed after him. A taller girl with brilliant black hair and a soft red scarf over her shoulders, and a timid looking blonde boy with even bigger baby blue eyes.

Without taking his eyes off of his plate Levi addressed the three scouts coldly.

“And what do you brats want?” His voice made the blonde jump, and to make him feel a little less on edge you returned your gaze back to Hange and Moblit, watching the two interact and trying to ignore the scouts and whatever they needed to give them a semblance of privacy.

“C-captain, we were just wondering-–” Eren was interrupted by Levi speaking over him.

“If you’re wondering anything about Y/N, its none of your business for now. Dismissed.” With the mention of your name, you jumped a bit and your shocked yet confused eyes met Levi’s even and dark ones.

“It's dangerous having a titan at the base with Eren. What if she’s after him like Annie was?” The girl responded, she had a confidence about her that told you she was strong and not to be trifled with. Almost on par with Levi, however, she lacked the outward intimidation.

“Do you think I can’t do my job, Mikasa?”

“But for Eren–”

“Do you think I can’t do my job?”

“It’s not that.”

“Then you’re dismissed.” Levi ended the conversation once again with a tone of finality. After a moment of tense silence, the three of them walked off as the blonde pulled tirelessly on their sleeves away from the table.

“Also, the three of you have kitchen duty for the week.” Levi called after them, you could hear the three kids bickering amongst each other as they got back to their table. Eren and some taller boy teasing one another as soon as he sat down.

You looked back to Levi but he was already standing from his seat, taking your tray and his to be disposed of. Before he could make it back to the table the door of the canteen opened, you couldn’t see who was on the other side but Levi went to them quickly.

He was gone for just a few minutes before Erwin stepped through the door. Everyone stood and saluted to him, and you felt awkward for sitting.

“At ease.” He said, everybody retook their seats as his eyes scanned the crowd for yours. He gave you a small smile before he spoke again.

“Y/N, come with me.” Your eyes widened just a fraction before darting towards Hange, they nudged you and waved you off.

“See you later Y/N!” With that, you stumbled towards Erwin and he opened the door for you. Outside you were met with Levi and the three of you walked towards what you imagined to be Erwin’s office at the base.

You were nervous, they must have decided what to do with you. Or maybe they want to conduct another interview now that you could talk, but you don’t remember anything new yet. Anxiety pricked at your skin; you weren’t prepared to be berated with questions.

What if, because of your lack of memory they thought you were lying? What if they didn’t trust you? What if–

“Go inside.” Levi said, ripping you from the cloud of your invasive thoughts. You stepped inside the office and took a seat, Levi remined standing by the door. The large wooden desk was decorated with a name plate reading Erwin Smith.

The man in question cleared his throat before shuffling a few documents before him and addressing you.

“Y/N...”

...

Experiments? Are they serious?

“I can see the distress on your face. I assure you; the experiments will be nothing invasive, and all led by Hange and Moblit.” Still, you were unsure about the prospects of being tested on like some animal to the slaughter. Your lack of response urged Erwin to continue explaining.

“We need to test your titan abilities, if you can shift like the other titan shifters we’ve encountered. What are your strengths, are you a unique case? Things of that nature, and if we’re to trust you to the best of our ability, we need to know these things. I’d like to ask for your consent, however, if you’re to stay with us there is no other way, I’m afraid.” He rested his chin atop his clasped fists and we patiently awaited your reply.

Levi however, was never one for such pleasantries, and gave you no extra time to think it over before he spoke.

“If you don’t want to stay, we can always drop you off outside the walls and watch you fend for yourself against your friends out there.” He commented, pointing his thumb out towards the windows. The thought unnerved you, and you wouldn’t put it passed him to stay true to his word.

With a defeated sigh you gave the men your answer.

“I’ll do anything. I can’t lie I’m afraid, I don’t want to be a titan anymore. I don’t want to be a shifter. This is all so confusing but I’ll do what I have to to gain your trust.”

“Well then that settles it. We’ll start tomorrow.” Levi said, quickly heading out the door and leaving you and Erwin alone. Your shoulders dropped; this was all so sudden but you could understand their dilemma. They needed to have answers and quick, you’ve already been here for quite some time inconveniencing them with your silence and memory loss. This is the least you can do.

It’ll give you the answers you’ve been hoping for yourself, can you even turn again? You prayed to whatever god that was listening that you didn’t have the ability to shift. You signed your name on the pages that Erwin slid across to you.

He gave a knowing smile, before dismissing you. When you exited, Levi was there waiting to lead you back to your room. The walk back was silent as expected, and when you entered your room he lingered in the doorway before speaking.

“Rest up. I’ll bring your dinner here later.” You nodded weakly before falling over into your pillow. He stayed just a second longer before you heard the soft click of the door shutting, and the quiet jingle of his keys locking you inside.

The uncertainty of tomorrow scared you.

#better with time. #attack on titan #aot #snk #levi ackerman #levi x reader #Levi

[radishaur]

Hi there! can I request a Fire Lord Zuko x reader please? she’s his top advisor and yet 1 day before a super important meeting she fell sick, when Zuko saw the state that she’s in he doesn’t even think twice about cancelling said meeting and decided he would spend the rest of the day taking care of her instead (he got an earful from her though sort of like ‘why would you do this? this meeting has been planned for months and you cancelled it just because i’m sick?’)

“Sorry I ran out of wordcount, also Zuko is secretly in love with her because she has saved his ass many times in diplomacy! Thank you”

I love this idea! I do vaguely remember reading something similar so I’m going to do my best to make this different. I apologize for this taking so long but I was with family for the weekend so I’ll be writing more often again now. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

- Zoe

•••

Sick Days (Zuko x Reader)

Warnings: None

Genre: Fluff

Part: 1/1

Summary: See request

•••

Things had been tough since Zuko’s coronation. It had taken a long time for the citizens of the Fire Nation to trust him. Half of them hated him because he overthrew Ozai and half of there were weary of what he would do. Would he be like his father or something else entirely?

It was quite safe to say that he had proven to be nothing like his father. Unfortunately this pretty much split the nation’s support of him. Most of them loved him for it, but there were still a fair amount of people who missed the days of Ozai’s reign. Nevertheless, Zuko continued doing what he thought was best for the nation.

The very first thing he did as Fire Lord was appoint me as his number one advisor. I had been hesitant about accepting his offer. The Gaang had assured me that I would be amazing at it, but I pointed out that I weren’t nearly as qualified as I should have been. Despite that, Zuko had eventually talked me into it. Turns out it was the best decision he ever made. I was an absolute powerhouse.

There had been countless times where my suggestions had saved his ass from a political disaster and many more times that simply just my presence on his council calmed him down. Plus, I actually loved the job.

To me, it came easy. Despite having no previous experience with being a political (and admittedly sometimes a life) advisor, I had proven to everybody that I was a perfect match for the job. I was punctual, polite, and smart while also being incredibly passionate and persistent. I knew what battles to pick and which to let go.

That was, until it came to my own well-being.

As I sat in the throne room, trying desperately to listen to what the other advisors were saying, I realized that it was a lost cause. I knew without a doubt that I was sick, but I didn’t care. My duty to the nation came first.

“Y/N?” I heard someone ask.

My eyes shot to the voice and I immediately scolded myself when I saw Zuko’s concerned gaze.

“Sorry, I missed the question,” I admitted sheepishly.

“I asked what you thought about the nation’s educational budget. I believe you were the one who brought up some concerns?” he repeated.

“Oh! Yes,” I said, immediately shooting into my detailed explanation about how many of the schools in impoverished areas were incredibly defunded and led the council through your redistribution plan.

The conversation continued from there, but I had to do everything in my power to sit up straight. I was beginning to feel light headed and I could feel myself sweating buckets. Even without the flames burning in front of the throne, the room had never felt hotter to me. I only prayed the meeting would end soon.

All I needed was to spend an hour or two in my room to recover. I needed to recover. Later today there was another meeting scheduled that had been planned for months. It was regarding the Fire Nation colonies and what to do about them, which I knew was a pressing matter. Zuko would definitely need me to be there, so I had to get better. And fast.

Finally, the meeting was over and I scrambled out of the room. I was making my way down the hall and using the wall to brace myself. My head felt light and I was beginning to see spots. I held my head up in my left hand and felt my knees get weak.

The last thing I remembered was someone calling my name as I succumbed to unconsciousness.

I woke up in my bed, still feeling extremely hot and uncomfortable but no longer faint. I cracked my eyes open and looked over to the side of your room where Zuko was talking with a few nurses. Upon realizing I were awake, he rushed over to my side.

“Y/N, are you insane? Why didn’t you tell anyone you felt sick?” he asked angrily, but you could tell it wasn’t directed at you.

“I’m fine,” I said, trying to shove the heavy comforter off of myself.

Zuko pushed my hand away and pulled the comforter back into its original position, muttering under his breath about how stubborn I was. I could tell he was worried and decided to let it go instead of picking a fight.

“I’ll be fine, Zuko,” I insisted, rolling my eyes and propping myself up on my elbow, “I just need to rest before the meeting later today.”

“There’s no meeting. I cancelled it,” he said, sitting down on the bed at my side.

I shot up at his words. Cancelled? I felt my stomach drop as dread began to fill me.

“Tell me this is a sick joke,” I begged.

“The meeting can wait. Your well-being is more important,” he insisted, pushing softly on my shoulder as a signal for me to lay back down.

“You could have just had the meeting without me. This has been planned for months!” I protested, moving his hand off my shoulder.

“Well, it’s impossible to be in two places at once,” he joked, signaling for the nurses to leave.

I watched them leave with a confused expression. I looked back at Zuko with my brows furrowed.

“What are you talking about? And why did you send away the nurses? I would have thought you would insist they take care of me,” I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest as I spoke.

“I would have if I wasn’t going to,” he answered, standing up and grabbing a wet towel from the table beside me.

“WHAT?!?” I shouted, my body immediately going tense as I glared at him before snapping, “Are you the one that’s sick? Because clearly something is clouding your judgement.”

Zuko rolled his eyes as he wrung out the extra water from the towel before placing it on my forehead and forcing me to lay down.

“I’m not just going to sit around while you’re unwell,” he scoffed, sitting back down on the bed.

“You have a nation to run! This meeting is beyond important, certainly at least more important than me being sick. You can’t just cancel it to take care of me! That’s just selfish,” I protested once again, although I still allowed him to pull the covers up once more.

“So what if it is? Can’t I be selfish just this once?” he asked, sending me a glance that filled me with guilt as he said, “You’re my best friend and my most trusted advisor. Without you, I wouldn’t be doing half as good as I am at being Fire Lord right now if not for you. You’ve saved my ass more times than I can count and I’m not about to walk into an important meeting without you there.”

I sighed. Zuko’s stubbornness could rival my own at times and I knew this would be one of them. He had a habit of doing incredibly stupid things to prove things and help those he cared about. I decided this was not a battle I wanted to fight. I rolled my eyes as he continued fussing with the covers.

“Fine. You can take care of me,” I huffed, watching him smile happily before continuing, “But,...I don’t want you making me any of your shitty tea. I’m not feeling well enough to pretend it’s improved.”

I giggled as he pouted and grumbled about how he was being unnecessarily criticized. I smiled as he finally relaxed once more. He shifted slightly so he was facing me and then coughed awkwardly.

“So, um....do you need anything?” he asked nervously, clearly realizing he had no idea what he was doing.

“I could use some soup and a nap,” I admitted, my throat beginning to feel dry as I added, “And maybe some soothing tea.”

“I’ll get right on that. And I promise I’ll have Uncle make the tea,” he teased, standing up to leave.

I laughed slightly at his joke. He smiled pleasantly before bowing with a teasing smile and then turned to leave. As the door shut behind him, I found myself drifting off to sleep.

When I woke up once more, I saw it was dark outside. The doors to the balcony were open and let in a soft breeze as the stars twinkled brightly outside. I had slept for a few hours. I sat up slightly and turned to my side to see Zuko asleep in a chair.

He must have pulled it up to my bed when I was asleep. By his side on the table was a tray with now cold soup and tea. I looked back at Zuko and couldn’t help but smile. He must have changed out of his Fire Lord garb before coming back because now he was wearing casual Fire Nation attire. He still had the Fire Lord’s headpiece in his topknot, but as his head was leaning sideways against the back of the chair, it was tilting slightly out of the knot.

He looked peaceful as he slept, snoring quietly due to his position in the chair. Some hair had fallen out of his top knot and was falling lightly around his face, framing it perfectly. I decided not to wake him up. He always overworked himself and I knew the sleep was well deserved.

I grabbed the tray of food and carefully brought it into my lap. I heated the soup with my fire bending and waited until it began to steam. I began to eat it eagerly, only now realizing how hungry I had been.

“You’re eating like you haven’t eaten in days.”

I smiled at Zuko as he repositioned himself in his chair. He looked incredibly tired as he smiled lazily at me.

“You should sleep. You look tired,” I said, now heating my tea.

“No, I said I would take care of you and I intend to keep true to that promise,” Zuko insisted, scooting his chair closer to my side.

He checked my temperature by pressing the back of his hand against my forehead. I waited obediently as he thought. I blushed slightly as I let myself relish in the warmth emanating from his hand against my forehead.

“You’re still hot,” he murmured, causing me to blush before his eyes went wide in realization of what he had said and stuttering, “I-I mean like you’re burning up.”

“R-Right,” I replied, a small smile breaking out on my face.

Zuko avoided my gaze as he grabbed the towel from my side and getting it wet once more. I continued sipping my tea as he laid the towel on my forehead again. The cool feeling against my skin felt nice, but I couldn’t help but blush as Zuko’s fingers grazed my own as he laid his hand down on the bed.

I let my pinky wrap around his and waited with baited breath to see what he would do. To my surprise, he took that as an invitation and held my hand in his. It was warm and soft in my own and I smiled.

“You’re warm,” I said softly, leaning back against the pillows.

“So are you. We’re both firebenders,” he pointed out with a smile of his own.

I chuckled but didn’t say anything more. I was still tired and sipping my tea to hopefully calm my nerves. Holding Zuko’s hand and laying in bed sick wasn’t exactly what I imagined my night to look like, but I wasn’t complaining.

Zuko was my best friend and, admittedly, the person I loved more than anyone in the world. To say I had a crush on him was an understatement. I wanted to tell him how I felt many times, but it just never worked out. Something always stopped me, wether it was his search for the Avatar or Mai. But now, I had an opportunity and I was too scared to take it.

“It’s nice to relax for a moment,” he finally said, breaking the silence.

“Yea, it is. Sometimes I forget what it feels like,” I joked, setting my empty tea cup on the tray.

Zuko unlatched his hand from mine to take the tray off my lap. I thanked him as he set it down on the bedside table.

“I’ve missed just spending time with you. Being Fire Lord is incredibly time consuming,” he sighed as he brought his hands back to his lap.

He looked at my hand, seeming to hesitate as he debated wether to hold it again or not. His nervousness made me smile. He had always had a hard time knowing what was comfortable or not in social situations.

I moved so my hand was palm up and wiggled my fingers a little bit to give him the nudge. He blushed, clearly embarrassed at being caught debating, but moved his hand into mine nonetheless.

“I’ve missed you,” I said, smiling while meeting his amber eyes.

I saw an unrecognizable feelings flash across his face before he covered it with a small smile. I could see a tint of red on his cheeks and neck.

He was clearly just as nervous as I was.

“I do too. I’m sorry it took you getting sick for me to spend some time with you alone. I’ve just been so busy,” he apologized sincerely.

I scoffed.

“I’m not sick,” I protested, “I’m just off my game.”

He cocked his eyebrow and shot me a look that made me roll my eyes and smile. I sighed, admitting my defeat.

“Ok, fine. I’m sick. But seriously, it’s ok. I know you’re busy. I know you still care about me,” I assured him, squeezing his hand slightly.

“But still. You deserve a better friend than me. You should befriend someone who can give you the attention and time you deserve,” he said, a sad glimmer in his eyes as he spoke.

“Zuko, I don’t want anyone else to be my best friend. You just cancelled a meeting we’ve had planned for months the second I needed you. You’re the best best friend I could ask for,” I responded, forcing myself to sit up slightly as I spoke.

“Y/N, that’s not-“ he began to say, but I cut him off.

I brought my free hand up to his face as I looked at him. He was shocked into silence at the contact, but didn’t move or protest.

“You’re the most important person in my life. I’m not going to replace you because you’re the Fire Lord. In fact, I’m so proud of you for everything you’ve done. The fact that you’re so dedicated to your job just makes me even more sure I picked the right friend,” I said, letting my thumb graze slowly across his cheek.

Before I knew what was happening, Zuko had moved up to meet my face and kissed me. His lips were warm and tasted vaguely of the jasmine tea he always had before bed. I didn’t get a chance to kiss back before he frantically pulled away.

“I’m so sorry. That was stupid. You literally just called me your friend, I just- I got caught up in the moment and-“ he hurriedly tried to explain before I cut him off with a kiss.

I cupped his face again as I kissed him, effectively cutting off his explanation. He melted into me immediately and didn’t hesitate to bring his hand up to my neck, his other hand still holding mine.

“I’ve been waiting years to do that,” I whispered against his lips.

“So have I,” he whispered back.

When he finally pulled away, we both had the widest smiles on our faces. To finally admit our feelings for eachother and have them be returned was so relieving. I would finally get to be with him.

Zuko spent the next few days nursing me back to health, much to my protests that he needed to get back to work. As soon as I was feeling better, Zuko finally scheduled the meeting.

It went fantastic. There were a few hiccups, but ultimately everybody left happy. A plan had been set in motion for the uniting of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation citizens that would satisfy both sides. Zuko was so proud of himself for standing up for what he thought was right and I was the luckiest woman in the world to be the one he kissed in excitement.

Life had never been better.

#zuko #prince zuko fanfic #prince zuko fanfiction #prince zuko fic #zuko imagine #zuko x reader #prince zuko #prince zuko x reader #fire lord zuko #fire lord zuko x reader

[asexualerror]

Whumptober No. 28

🛑⚠️Warnings⚠️🛑- blood, death, language

———————————————————————————————————

This can’t be... I’ll be fine... just need to get back...

Anti’s breath was ragged as he stumbled to the front doors of the large home. He took a deep breathes, he leaned against the wall leaving a wet and black hand print against the red bricks. He fumbled with the door handle trying desperately to get it opened.

Open... fuck! Please just open!!

His mind still rolling over what happened just moments before.

Nothing more than another night on the town. He was of course pissed after the others, another fight with all of them and he left to get some fresh air. Those damn bastards never listened to him. They treated him like some fucking child! And that damn doctor with his stupid cure shit... mostly just a pain in the ass.

He growls to himself. He wasn’t paying attention, until his hoodie was pulled and he was sent stumbling into an alley way. Anti felt the brick wall scratch up his hoodie and arms as he hit against it.

He groans, what kind of fuck ass had decided to mess with him now?! He was not in the fucking mood to deal with some punks

“What the-“

He was cut short as he began to turn around. A blade sinking deep into his side. Piercing the beating heart there. His eyes widen significantly. The pain flowing through him as he sunk to the grimy floor of the alley way.

The mugger shifted through his clothing stealing his phone and his wallet. Well one of Henrik’s old ones he had stolen a long time ago. The man ran off leaving the entity to gasp in pain clinging to small knife sunk deep into his skin.

No.. not like this... he wasn’t going to die in a place like this!

With the last ounce of strength he could muster, he glitched.

The door handle finally budged. He stumbled into the home. Come on come on! Someone still had to be awake... Henrik..! Fuck please still be awake!!

He stumbled using furniture to keep himself up. He headed to the lab doors. Trying them. Locked. Fuck..

He banged on the dark wooden doors.

“Henrik?!”

“Go zhe fuck avay! I’m not speaking vith you tonight!”

The doctor snapped back to the glitch, and loud music began to play. The glitch growled.

“Henrik please!!”

No reply. The plea fell on deaf ears. He cursed and looked around. Maybe the hero..?

He leaned against the wall, leaving a trail of blood. Black spots clouded his vision, which he blinked away.

No I have to keep going... someone will help...

He made it too the hero’s room. He was going to open the door but a note caught his eyes. He strained, trying to get his eyes to focus on the writing.

‘Out patrolling, Anti don’t come bother me, pack your shit and leave’

The note stung, right the fight...

“We are sick and tired of your shit, Anti!! Another almost near death situation again!!”

“I didn’t- I wasn’t trying too! It just happened he got in my fucking way!”

The hero’s fist balled in the glitch’s shirt more. His white eyes glaring daggers into the entity’s black ones

“Trying?! Anti you almost fucking killed Jameson!!”

Anti breathes heavily blinking away his tears. Now is not the time to waste energy crying. Fuck one of them has to help... he needs, chase and Marvin..?

Where were they. Rooms open but no one was inside.

Were they...?

He tripped, mind lost he wasn’t paying attention to the stairs. He hissed in pain, laying there for a moment. He was getting tired... but adrenaline was keeping him going.

He pulled himself back up. Taking caution to lift his feet even though it was like lead bricks. All the way to the room, Jay’s.

“Hey Jay, let’s do something fun ok?”

{yes? What do you have in mind?}

“It’s a little game I thought of!”

He knocked on the door. Fuck he hoped one of them was in there.

The door opened. There standing was Chase and Marvin. Looks of hatred clear on their face.

“What do you want Anti? Here to finish off the job?”

“You disgust me.. to think you would actually come back here. Grab your damn shit and get out of here!”

Marvin pushed Anti away from the door, before it slams closed. Anti fell back hitting the wall, driving the blade in deeper. He gasped, coughing up blood. Tears finally fell down his pale skin.

“Please... help... me...”

He looked at the door, his voice no more than a whisper. He didn’t mean for it to happen... it was an accident.

“Wait Jay watch out!!!”

He screamed, glitching to get to the Dapper in time. But he was too late, everything went to fast. The blood, the body falling. The door opening and screaming. The others coming to help.

Only snapped back to reality when the hero was screaming at him.

Anti struggled to get up where he had fallen against the wall. Black hazy was clouding his vision. Was there a point now..? To keep going... well a hallway is a pretty shitty place to die..

He half dragged, half crawled up the stairs to the attic. Leaving a trail of black blood in his wake. He was panting and shaking as he made it up to the wooden attic. His eyes landing on the canopy there. A hiding spot the egos had made together. A nice place for them to hangout.. when things were still ok... or at least getting better..

He sat there, the strength finally leaving him. Green eyes turned to the skylight. The stars Twinkling. A small smile on his face. At least this was a nicer view...

He looked around the canopy. Looking at the pictures there. Remembering the fond memories... the times he wasn’t trying to kill them...

He reached out with a shaky hand tugging one picture away from the string. One of his favorites. Everyone was there smiling, pumpkins freshly carved. Just enjoying being in the fall times with all of them. He chokes out a small laugh blood bubbling out from the corners of his mouth.

What he would give to return to this moment...

He fell to his side the picture still in his hand. A black pool forming around him.

I didn’t get to say it... but I’m sorry Jay.. guess karma has a sense of humor... what a bitch... enjoy your lives... it’ll be peaceful now...

He felt a small smile tug on the corners of his lips. Before the light faded from the black and green eyes. His body finally calming down, no more glitches, no more pain they caused. the black tipped claws relaxed and the picture laid in the demon’s hands... a final black tear slid down his cheek. Dripping into the pool of darkness under him. Echoing in the quiet. No more static... just silence.

———————————————————————

If you guys cried as much as I did I have done my job. I keep seeing the glitchy bean as the villain (superb, I love them) but after all those times of messing with the others. Now he is the boy who cried Wolf. And the tables have turned on him.

Tags!~

@10ths-writing-corner @10th-no-name-person @inspiredrawaw @miishae @dmnfox @n-anon @gum-xx-drop @therealjacksepticeye @randowaffle @ryan-godkin03 @just-silly-liv-things

If anyone wishes to be tagged for later, let me know!

Please do not repost this anywhere. If you take inspiration from this please ask for permission, though I would absolutely love to see any continuation or art to this writing! Thank you!!!

#jacksepticeye #jse fandom #jse egos #jse community #jse communnity #henrik von schneeplestein #jackieboy man #antisepticeye #chase brody #marvin the magnificent #jameson jackson #major character death #whumptober #whumptober day 28 #angst #blood #stabbed #mugged #rejected #writing

[prismatales]

Fragile

Word Count: 2K

Bingo slot: Crying in the rain.

Pairings: Kirishima Eijiro x Reader.

Tag/Warnings: Angst with a happy ending, Comfort, TW: Depression.

Summary: He’s always thought of you as somebody incredible, strong, and reliable. Until one fateful day, he finds out not everything is as it seems.

Here’s entry No.2 for @bnhabookclub ’s bingo event, and weekly prompt challenge “Please, don’t do this.”! Thank you @pixxiesdust and @wakaoujisenhime for helping me out with some parts of the plot! ❤

The day Kirishima met you, it was during the entrance exam; Watching you take down robot after robot with the aid of your super speed quirk. That look of pure determination as you kept dashing around the whole place, wrecking havoc upon the machines, was something memorable in his eyes. 

You could say, it was like love at first sight.

So when the first day of class finally comes, and he walks into the new classroom, finding the same girl that caught his eye during the exam, sitting at the other side of the room while getting to know their classmates, he was over the moon.

And he didn’t think twice about approaching her right away, befriending her instantly much to her initial confusion, and yet she accepted his friendship with open arms. After all, there’s no such thing as having too many friends!

You may be absent-minded sometimes, but that doesn’t change his opinion in the slightest. He’s always thought of you as somebody incredible, strong, and reliable. Until one fateful day, where he finds out not everything is as it seems.

“Hey, y/n!” He calls out to your limp self, laying face down on the couch with a facefull of cushion. “We’re having a study session with Bakugo, do you wanna join us?” 

Your head barely moves an inch to glance at the two guys standing at the other side of the common room. Kirishima’s smile is so bright, it could easily light up a whole room. Bakugou however, is terribly quiet. His eyes narrow suspiciously, like he knows something his friend doesn’t.

“Thanks guys, but I’m not feeling so good…” You smile weakly at them, lifting an arm to give them a thumbs up. “Good luck though! I heard this exam is going to be a hard one!” 

They both watch as you get up from the couch, and start heading towards the girl’s side of the dorms with slow strides. Something unusual from your regular hyper self.

“She’s hiding something…” Bakugou grunts, eyes still narrowed as he watches you walk away. Kirishima only raises an eyebrow at his friend’s attitude.

“I don’t know man,” He rubs the nape of his neck with disdain, “Maybe she’s just sick?” But the look his friend gives him says otherwise. “I’ll check up on her after we’re done studying.”

Both males head to Kaminari’s room,where they meet with the rest of their study group. During the whole time they spend studying, Kirishima’s thoughts can’t help wandering back to you, and he starts thinking that maybe Bakugou’s right, and there’s something bothering you.

“You’re thinking about her, aren’t you shitty hair?”

Everyone stops in their tracks to look at the red head sitting on the floor. The rest of his friends have a teasing glint in their eyes as soon as they heard the word “her”. 

“Ooooooh! Does somebody have a crush? Who is it, Who is it?!” As always, Mina’s the first one to ask, as the rest of the group keep staring intensely at Kirishima, more focused on the guy’s crush instead of their calculus homework, much to Bakugo’s annoyance.

The blush spreading across Kirishima’s face is so bright, that it almost makes his hair look dull in comparison. In a nervous fit, his quirk ends up activating on its own, and he unwittingly ends up breaking a pencil in half, much to his friend’s hysterics.

“It’s nothing like that! I’m just worried about y/n!” He drapes a hand over his mouth, realizing he just blurted out exactly what his friends wanted to hear. Judging by the spontaneous chorus of ‘Oooooooohhhh!’ that can be heard all across the room. 

His next words however, make everyone quiet down in an instant.

“You know how cheerful she is, right? Well, she was really quiet when we found her, and she said she wasn’t feeling so good, but...ugh! I don’t know!” He closes his eyes in frustration and runs a hand through his hair, completely messing his spikes out of frustration. 

“Most people would call that a crush, dude.” He looks back at Sero, who’s sitting in front of the small table right in front of him. “If it makes you feel any better, maybe you should talk to her.”

“Besides, you do have point.” Mina places a finger on her lips as she remembers something. “The other day the girls and I had a sleepover, but y/n also said she wasn’t feeling so good and locked herself in her room.” She turns back to the group of boys looking at her with eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “And she never turned down a sleepover before.”

“Did you forget what happened the other day during training practice?” This time it’s Kaminari who turns back to look at his frustrated friend. “She was so distracted she almost got hurt, and don’t forget how Aizawa scolded her for that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so dejected before.”

“Maybe you should go talk to her, you two are really good friends, aren’t you?” 

For an instant, Kirishima doesn’t move from his place, thinking about his friend’s words. But after thinking it over, he stands up and with a determined look, he starts heading to the door. “Alright! I’ll go talk to her!” He looks back at his friends with a smile “Thanks guys!” 

Walking through the hall, the slight ‘taps’ on the window slowly increasing their pace eventually catches his attention, turning in the direction of the noise, Kirishima notices the sky has become darker, gray clouds letting out a downpour that quickly drenches everything outside.

And when he sees a certain someone standing outside, trembling, and getting soaked by the rain, with their back turned on the dorm’s building. Worry and panic begins to seep through his whole body. So he begins dashing towards the main entrance. he doesn’t even pay attention to the class president yelling at him to stop running in the halls, and finally, he pushes his way out of the dorm. 

Just to find you looking up at the sky, not caring in the slightest about being soaked to the bone by the cold, harsh and heavy downpour. Completely focused on the dark sky to even bother listening to the voice coming up from behind.

“What are you doing outside in this storm y/n?! You’re going to catch a cold if you stay here any longer!” 

He doesn’t even care about being soaked too. Approaching your unresponsive self, and placing a hand in your shoulder, slowly turning you to face him. But what he sees, makes Kirishima stop in his tracks and it sends a chill through his body, even stronger than the frigid droplets falling down from the sky.

That glimmer of joy, that used to fill those beautiful eyes he fell head over heels for, with life...it was all gone. Taken over by pure suffering, strong enough to feel like a punch to the gut from Kirishima’s point of view.

“H-hey, what’s wrong? Are you alright y/n?” This time he grabs you by the shoulders, holding your numb self in front of him with nothing but concern.

And when the only thing that appears on your face, is a heartbroken smile filled with anguish. His eyes become wide open in dread, and the panic becomes evident.

“It’s all pointless….isn’t it?” 

“What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know what I’m doing with my life...I just...I don’t trust my head anymore!”

You don’t struggle in the slightest when he pulls into into his strong arms, hugging your shaking body closer to his with a strong, but delicate grip. It feels so nice, being held closer to someone like this. It could almost melt all your worries away if they weren’t pulling you down with the strength of a thousand bodies. 

“Listen, I may not know what’s going through your head right now. But you’re an amazing person, one that deserves the world and more.” Kirishima can feel the weight of your face burying itself on top of his shoulder, nuzzling itself against him in search for warmth, at the same time the rest of your body begins trembling against his.

“Please, don’t do this.” The meek, broken whimper being muffled by his shirt is almost unrecognizable from the cheerful voice he loves so much. “Don’t give me false hopes. It’s not worth it.”

He can’t stand it, He really can’t stand just staying there, listening how much you hate yourself, while he does nothing. The grip on your body becomes tighter, and his hand brushes the back of your head in comfort.

“And you expect me to leave you hurting, all by yourself? That’s not a manly thing to do.” He pulls away softly, holding you at arm’s length to take a pained look at those heartbroken eyes and quivering lips. 

The rain makes a good job at hiding the flowing tears. He can only guess that’s the reason you’re standing outside this storm to begin with; To let everything out, without the risk of alarming anybody.

“Come on. Let’s get you inside, you’re going to get sick at this rate.” 

Carefully, Kirishima guides you by the shoulders, towards the dorm’s entrance. He notices there’s nobody else around anymore, so he takes advantage of it and guides you towards the bathrooms.

When the both of you go inside, he helps you sit down in a small bench before starting to look around for the spare towels. 

He sighs with contentment once he finds a pair of brand new, fluffy towels. Turning back he sees you sitting still in place. And at least, your eyes don’t look like those of somebody who lost all hope. Right now, they’re just full of exhaustion.

Delicately, he dries your face with the towel, before wrapping it around your teetering shoulders. The second towel, he uses it to start drying your head with gentle movements. 

“Look y/n, I know you’re hurting. But I want you to know, that you have people out there who genuinely care for you.” His hands keep tracing circles with the towel, trying to dry the your hair as much as he can. “If you ever need someone to make you feel safe, I’ll always be there for you.”

Satisfied with his work, he lets the towel rest on top of your head, brushing some loose strands of hair covering your cold face, tucking them to the side and away from your eyes.

“You tired?”

“...Mhm.”

“Alright then, let’s get you to bed, but first you gotta change out of those clothes, don’t want you to get sick, okay?” 

You only nod in response. In return, he pulls you up by the wrists and walks you all the way to your room, rubbing your shoulders reassuringly along the way. Though when he feels your head rest on his shoulder, he can’t fight back the blush spreading all over his face.

“Well, here we are!” His hand grabs on the doorknob to push the door open, allowing you to step inside. Kirishima can’t help looking at the room nervously while staying at the doorway. Considering he’s looking at his crush’s room, and they’re not even dating to begin with.

“I’d help you get changed, but I don’t think that would be manly of me. Haha.” His awkward chuckles pulls out a tiny smile from you, much to his surprise.  

“It’s okay. I’ll take over from here...and Kiri?” 

He looks back when you call him. And when you approach to give him a small peck on the cheek, the gesture leaves him frozen in place.

“Thank you.” 

That night he walks back to his room, touching his cheek with a lovestruck smile on his face. It’s only after he already changed out if his damp clothes and gets ready for sleep, that he realizes he completely forgot about his study session with his friends.

@bnha-ra @bnhabookclub @gallickingun @godtieruwu @hanniejji @mysticalite @samanthaa-leanne @savagetrickster @shoobirino @songsforbnha @sugacookiies @t-amajiki @unbreakableeiji @undead0relived @wesparklebitch

#bnhabookclub #mha imagine #bnha imagine #bnha imagines #mha imagines #kirishima eijirou x reader #eijirou kirishima x reader #kirishima ejirou #kirishima x reader #bnha kirishima #TW: Depression #Angst #angst with a happy ending

[unabashegirl]

Enticing (25)

Author’s note: LOTS OF DRAMAAAA. Hope you like it!

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WORD COUNT: 2K

They lay in the pure intimacy of their bedroom after their lovemaking session. He has just asked her to travel with him to a country that she has always dreamt of visiting. She is a bit surprised by his sudden proposal. He has gone on business trips alone before. So, what has changed?

“I don’t even own a passport.” David groans as he raises to his feet. He faces Y/N from the end of the bed before bending down and reaching down for his phone. He begins tapping on his phone, clearly texting someone else.

“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll fix that for you” David has enough connections to be able to get her a passport before they arrive back in the city. He is still pretty surprised that Y/N hasn’t had the opportunity to see the world. That single fact instantly makes the trip more important to him. He is going to be able to show her the world.

“What about Henry? Is he coming with us? Who is going to take care of him?” She sits up in bed and begins readjusting her top and tying the bottoms that David had undone.

“He is staying in New York. He is still too young. I’ll get a babysitter” Y/N perks up at the mention of the babysitter.

“He already has me, David. It’s my job to take care of him. That’s what you are paying me for” Y/N gets off the bed in search of a mirror to fix her crazy hair.

“That’s something I need to talk to you about” David has given it a lot of thought. Ever since he first asked her to be his. He doesn’t want her to work for him anymore. It all feels wrong. “Although we’ll talk about that when we get home” He dismisses, not sure how that particular conversation is going to go. He feels they should be in the privacy and coziness of the penthouse before he drops the bomb on her. “Henry is not coming babe”.

“But…”

“I just said no” His voice is rougher like the one she hears him use towards his employees. “Period. Henry is staying and that’s final” She bites her own tongue, stopping her own fingers from continuing to go through her hair. She can see him through the bathroom mirror. He is frowning as he finishes tying his swimming trunks.

“Fine” She snaps back as she tries her best not to feel offended by his sharp and demanding tone. “When are we leaving?” She exhales as she turns to face him, leaning against the bathroom counter. David’s frown softens and his demeanor instantly changes. The dark cloud over his head seems to evaporate in seconds.

“A week from today” He hates using that tone on her, but his temper runs short when people defied him. He still feels shitty because he knows that she only meant well. “Come here” David reaches out. She cautiously walks up to him. His hands make their way around her waist before nudging the side of her head with his forehead. He puckers his lips asking for a kiss. She can’t stop a smile from spreading at his soft gesture. She gently gives him a chaste kiss. “Let’s go upstairs. My mom is probably waiting for us”.

The rest of Dobrik’s clan is waiting for them. The food has been served on the big table on the sun deck. All types of meat including lamb and a bunch of sides have been placed on the table. Y/N grips his hand tightly as they approach the table, she can’t help feeling like everyone knows what they were doing.

“There you are! I almost went looking for you” Mrs. Dobrik calls out, “Please sit and enjoy” David pulls Y/N’s seat out for her before sitting beside her. They quietly start serving themselves meanwhile Y/N tries to ignore Mr. Dobrik’s hard stare.

“Is there something you would like to share, father?” His stare certainly doesn’t go unnoticed by his oldest. Mr. Dobrik looks over at David with pursing lips.

“I don’t think it’s a dining table conversation son. It’s best if we leave it for later” David raises an eyebrow at him as he tries to figure out what he is referring to.

“Then I suggest you stop starring at my girlfriend and making her uncomfortable” Y/N’s eyes widen as she turns to look at David, wanting to smack him for his bluntness. If she wasn’t feeling uncomfortable, she certainly is now. The entire table is completely quiet. It is a staring contest between the men of the family aside from Nathaniel, who seems too invested in his food to participate.

“Forgive me, Y/N. I didn’t mean to be rude” Mr. Dobrik tears his eyes away from his son’s that look so much like his mother’s. He is apologizing, but Y/N could see that he didn’t mean a single word.

“There is no need, Mr. Dobrik. It’s no big deal” Y/N fakes smile at him before staring down to her food. Mrs.Dobrik exhales loudly as she tries her best to thinking of something quickly to break the awkward tension.

“Snorkeling or tubbing next, Y/N?” It is Allison who finally interjects as she reaches out for the giant bowl of cold pasta salad.

“Tubbing? On what?” Y/N giggles; thankful to have Allison around.

“On a hot dog or burger. It’s your choice” David’s younger sister knew how uncomfortable her brother and father can make guests feel. Allison is reliving the same situation that she endured when she had brought Nate home. Her father had treated him like shit. It wasn't until Allison put her foot down and David almost threw himself on his father that he stopped his snarling and condescending comments towards Nate. Either way, he still treated him unkindly at times.

Allison knows that it’s worthless to stay mad at her father. He has always been this way. They have all tried to change him, but they haven’t had much success. Allison just doesn’t understand why her mother never says anything and allows their father to walk all over them.

“Hot dog sounds fun” Y/N smiles as she looks back down at her food. The altercation had honestly ruined her appetite.  David seems to have no problem eating. He looks unbothered by it, but in reality, he is fuming from inside. He is beyond pissed. He just can’t wait until everyone leaves and he can have a moment alone with his father. Mr. Dobrik was going to get a piece of his mind whether he likes it or not.

Allison and Nate are the first to excuse themselves after coffee and dessert. Mrs. Dobrik rises to her feet and looks over at Y/N who seems uncomfortable.

“Let’s go honey” She stretches out her hand for take. Just as Y/N pushes her seat away from the table, Mr. Dobrik’s hand smacks against the table. All the plates, silverware, and porcelain shake; startling the women.

“You leave,” Mr. Dobrik says as he looks at his wife. “This has nothing to do with you”.

“Excuse me?” Mrs. Dobrik asks back with her hands on her hips.

“I told you to leave. Don’t make me ask you again because it won’t be nice” He snaps at her, causing her for her demeanor to instantly changed. That tone is too familiar to her and hearing it only brings dark memories. Horrible memories enough to make her feel scared and bite down her tongue. 

“Do not talk to my mother like that” It’s David’s turn to snap at him. He can’t sit back and watch how his father verbally abuses his mother. He might not be hitting her, but he knows that his words have the same effect. His words sometimes hurt her more than his fists.

“She is my wife! I can talk to her however I please!” Mr. Dobrik responds. Not fone bit aced by his son's harsh tone.

“Honey, just listen to your father. I am fine” She feels like a fool for believing her husband's promise. He had promised her that he wouldn’t cause a conflict.

“Go with my mom, babe” David can change the tone of his voice for her as he sees his girlfriend’s concern expression. Y/N quickly stands up to comply with his demand. 

“NO! This is concerns her therefore she should be here” Mr. Dobrik exclaims making both women shake. Y/N stops moving as Mrs.Dobrik continues walking out and gives her a reassuring nod.

“I just told you to leave, Y/N” David’s protecting side arising. He doesn’t want her around just in case it gets uglier.

“It’s okay” Y/N knows that his father won’t back out and whatever he has to say she can take it. She isn’t going to hide behind David. She is a strong, independent woman that could take the ignorant opinions of an abusing man, especially with her boyfriend by her side —at least that what she thinks. David purses his lips and looks back at his father.

“It’s funny how your girlfriend has more balls than you, David” Mr.Dobrik sarcastically chuckles as he looks over at Y/N. “I am surprised, Ms. Y/L/N. I didn’t think you had it in you”.

“You don’t know many things about me, Mr. Dobrik. You would be astounded to know that I am not like other women” She snaps back as tries her best not to feel intimidated.

“That is certainly true. I was surprised to find out that you aren’t who you say you are, Ms. Y/LN. Did you know that, son?” He asks as he looks over at his oldest. “You have no idea who you are sleeping with”.  David chuckles but continues to listen to his preposterous statements. “Is Y/N even your real name?”. 

“It is Mr. Dobrik and I’ve been nothing, but honest with your son. Therefore, I would love to hear an apology coming from you” She kindly smiles at him. 

“She is a fucking nanny, David!” He snaps, Y/N calm demeanor is easily getting under his skin. “She doesn’t work for Alessandro. Is all bullshit. “She is probably some gold digger” He looks at her with disgust. 

That was enough for David.  

“Don’t you fucking dare to talk about her like that” Mr. Dobrik smirks pleased with the reaction has he has just gotten out of him. “I am well aware that she is a nanny, father” David chuckles as he crosses his fingers with one another, entertained by the show that his father has just put on.

“She doesn’t even come from a proper family. How do you think that the media will react when they find out that she is nothing, but your son's nanny?!” He spats. 

“I took her to the gala, father. They already know. We were seen by hundredths and a bunch of pictures where taken of us” David rolls his eyes before rising to his feet. “Instead of making a big altercation of this, you could have just asked me about it and I would’ve told you. I am not hiding her”. David takes Y/N hand, ready to leave. 

“Her father is dead, David.  God only knows who and where her mother is!” Mr.Dobrik says just before they can leave the room. The small comment is enough for Y/N to let David’s hand go and turn back.

“You have no right to talk about my father, Mr.Dobrik. Let alone about my mother or anything that concerns my family. You might have all the money that anyone could dream of, but not everything can be resolved with money. You are an abuser and at least my father never touched or thought about hurting any of us. Instead of continuing to mistreat your family maybe you could thank them for all the abuse that they’ve had to endure. You should also worship the ground that Mrs. Dobrik walks on because she deserves an award for keeping up with your horrific personality and cruel attitude”  His snarly comment about her father had been enough to set her up in flames. No one would ever mess up his memory especially when she was around. She loves her father and all she has left of him is the fun-loving memories of him and she isn’t going to allow anyone to change that.

TAGS: @getmepizzza​, @yourwonderbelle​, @nohalohoseok​, @lavendercuddles​, @2007rh​, @jeezkiddo​, @beeechhh​, @duh-dobrik​, @kllycole​, @meanlopz817​, @snazzydobrik​, @frickin-bats​, @wonderlandlovelove​, @millie-753​, @cubanidiot​, @itsdaviddobrik​, @justlikehufflepuff​, @clarissahunter​, @saltysebastianstan​, @galaxy-moon​, @alyssajunell​, @crowdedimagines​, @pineappledobrik​, @roxyedobrik​, @owenniasstars​, @didyouheartherain​, @marvelgirl2118​, @daviddobrikssflamethrower​, @kennedyf16​, @meleniearaujo9​

#david #david dobrik #dobrk #david imagines #david imagine #david dobrik imagines #david dobrik imagine #david dobrik fanfic #david dobrik fanfiction #david x you #david x reader #david x y/n #david dobrik x you #david dobrik x reader #david dobrik x y/n #david fluff #david angst #david blurb #david dobrik fluff #david dobrik angst #david dobrik blub #vlog squad imagines

[doginshoe]

What You’d Do To Me Tonight

summary: Lucy had been in a blooming high school romance, but now that the love has wilted between her and her husband, she searches for a solace. However, she finds it in an already broken man that manages to set her alight in more ways then one. When her secrets spill, she finds her world begins to crumble from beneath her feet as the two men in her life torture her already broken heart.

tw: Brief mention of abuse, mention of blood, aggressive language

tag list: @shadyhydrathesnekqueen @lovelyluce @trollka21 @sobatsu @millennial-star-gazer @celestialspiritqueen @loveandlucky @theanxiouscupcake @mautrino @sereniii @celestialtitania @otaku-daydreamer-4673 @theweiszguy @samanthaa-leanne @sevenlaila @albinoclifford @darkwingpegasus21 @i-live-off-pina-coladas

chapter 9 :)

Hearing the sound of wheels crunching against the road had never filled Lucy with so much fear and unease. It was the crunch as the taxi reversed, tyres smoothing over unsettled bitumen near the driveway before the car picked up speed and took off down the street. Each crackle had her feet tingling, the shivers climbing all the way up her back while she tried to swallow down the lump in her throat.

“Deep breaths.” Natsu squeezed her hand beside her. “I’m right here with you.”

The blonde didn’t tear her eyes from the house in front of her, taking in a deep steady breath to try and calm her nerves. “Okay.”

It didn’t help. Lucy felt cold, fingers numb in his grasp as he held onto her tightly. The world was dissipating from around her. The only focus being the building in front of her and the nerves that were sending a prickle from the bottom of her spine all the way to the base of her neck. She resisted the urge to shiver, to shake the feeling away. She knew that it wasn’t going anywhere.

Natsu stood firm, anchoring her in place. He felt like a heavy shadow more than anything else. A shadow that Lucy didn’t want. She had tried to tell him that she needed to do this on her own, but of course he hadn’t listened. Natsu had made a promise and he intended to keep it.

Even though it only increased the jitters that she was feeling.

He waited until she took the first step, not pushing her or pulling her back as he waited for the woman beside him to make her move. Silence passed, neither took a step forward. She tried to psych herself up as she kept her eyes locked on what was in front of her, but the clouds of doubt were already hanging over her mind. Lucy grit her teeth.

“Are you sure?” Her voice was meek, uncertain as she asked the question that was holding her back, seeking permission on whether she was allowed back into the place which she had called home.

“It’s your decision, Lucy, but you’re going to have to do it eventually. Your whole life was here and you can’t just leave it there.”

She pulled her lip between her teeth, sinking further into the large hoodie that she had changed into. It was a lot larger than the jacket he had given her that night, covered more and allowed herself to hide in its comfort. She made sure to push the hood up, concealing the bruises around her face and neck in its shadows.

Lucy sucked in a breath, feeling her heartbeat quickening inside her chest.

He was right. She couldn’t run away. Yet, it was all she wished she could do. The dark circles under her eyes were witness to that. A sleepless night alone in Natsu’s bed as she went over all her options. Lucy had wanted to scream. Though, only silent tears fell down her cheeks, wetting the pillow as she curled in on herself and wept. Her family photos, her car, cellphone, documents, laptop… Every single one of her possessions were there - stuck with him. The man she had married, who she thought she would be spending the rest of her life with.

This wasn’t how she wanted to go about things. It was all fucked up. Her plan to leave, every thought or lead she hung onto were tossed out the window. Lucy didn’t even take a step into independence. She was stuck in her corner. Scared, pathetic and ruined. This was going to make her lose everything. Her job, the house that she had and -

“Lucy.”

She blinked, eyes turning down as Natsu called her name. Her shoulders shook, taking in a deep breath before trying to pull herself together again. Lucy took a step forward onto uncertain ground, ankle throbbing with the weight of her step.

None of that mattered though. Not when Jackal was what she was facing. She had to know that this wasn’t going to be easy, that she would have to struggle and fall whilst picking up the pieces, but…

Her hand fell out of his when they came to the door, shaking Natsu off of her as she positioned herself in front of him. Her heart knocked against her ribs in time with her fist on the door. She didn’t even realise she was shaking, her arms coming to wrap around herself as she waited to be face to face with him. Again.

  Lucy wanted to tell herself that this was just like every other time, but the looming presence behind her was all she needed to remind herself that it wasn’t. She wasn’t crawling back to Jackal again. This time was different and that was a good thing. Change was what Lucy hoped she needed, but it didn’t help that she felt like she was going to be sick. Her stomach churning with every second that passed, feeling like an eternity as Lucy pushed her gaze to the floor trying to steel her resolve.

“Is he home?”

Her body stiffened at Natsu’s voice, heart almost leaping out of her throat before she took a deep breath. She turned her brown eyes to him, his face already fixed to her as she pulled her lower lip between her teeth. An answer was close to falling from her mouth, yet she hesitated.

Yes, of course he’s home. It’s a Saturday. We would watch shitty TV every Saturday.

That was a pastime that Lucy hadn’t done in years. The memory was vague and dated, barely scraping the surface of her mind when she was cuddled into his side as they laughed at the corny jokes with the stereotypical crowd applause in the background of reality shows. It hurt, a foreign pain that always lingered in her chest that restarted and Lucy had to swallow it down.

“I don’t know.”

The man that Jackal had become was a stranger to her. Only wearing the aged face of the person that she had once been so in love with when they were young. She couldn’t tell anyone how he spent his morning - probably with a hangover if she were to try guessing, but she couldn’t tell them how he would wake up and groan from the shining light or if he would take himself straight to the toilet where he would be sick from the lingering alcohol. Lucy couldn’t answer with a smile that he loved his eggs sunny side up or hard boiled or scrambled. He used to be so easy for her to read, but now she doubted that she ever really knew him at all.

Natsu sighed, his brows pinching inwards and Lucy fixed her eyes on the way his lips thinned as he pulled at the hair near the base of his neck. At least Natsu didn’t like eggs. That answer was simple, letting her brain become distracted from the feelings that were surfacing. They made her uncomfortable, the queasy feeling in her stomach increasing as they stood at her doorstep.

“What are we going to do then?” He asked.

She kicked her feet on the ground before huffing and let her eyes pull towards the side of the house. “Well-”

“Please tell me we’re going to have to break in.” His smile broke on his face before he finished, the first she had seen today and she couldn’t help the twitch of her own, rolling her eyes as she turned back to him.

“No.” Lucy started walking, investigating the bush around the corner of the house. Sticks poked into her side and leaves caught in her hair but soon she was picking up a small garden ornament in the shape of a grandfather clock. It was odd looking, but she had thought it was cute at a garage sale when she was twenty-one and it had found its use soon enough. The spare key was right where she had left it, underneath the weird character, and she made her way up to Natsu, jingling it around in her fingers. “You really think I would break into my own house?”

He shrugged, though the disappointed look was clear on his face. “Hey, I wouldn’t mind smashing a few windows. Let the guy have to pay some damage fees.” Natsu pinned her with a pointed stare before looking away. ”It’s not like he doesn’t deserve it.”

Lucy chose to ignore him, shaking the keys off before leading to unlock the door. It wasn’t that he had said something wrong. The blonde knew that many people would agree with that statement and she did too… He did deserve to suffer because of what he did to her. Though, it wasn’t something that she wanted to speak out loud, voice feeling constricted in her throat as she heard the familiar click of the front door.

She sucked in a breath as it opened just a fraction. It was enough to make Lucy falter, her trembling hand stopping as she tried to take in more deep breaths. The nerves doubled and there was a weight hanging from her chest that settled in her stomach making her feel like turning away.

“Do you want me to -” Natsu started but Lucy shook her head, her voice coming out a bit firmer than she intended.

“No! No… It’s- I’m alright.”

Speaking it out loud helped. Natsu was here with her and they would be out of this place before she knew it. This was the last time she’d be opening up this door. The last time that she would come home to the house where she spent some of the worst years of her life. Opening up this door was like taking the first step on the road that she had only spoken the truth of in the last remaining hope of her mind. Granted, the path was broken and barely constructed for proper use, but it was the only way she would move forward.

She stepped through, leaving her key in the door as she was met with the same mess that she had left the house in. The blood on the kitchen floor was what immediately caught her attention. Dark dried splatters that looked like someone had attempted to clean before giving up with a red soaked paper towel tossed beside it. The glass was still shattered on the floor, half folded washing on the table and a pile of dishes that were left unrinsed in the sink - a kitchen knife left to the side.

Her chest tightened, but there was no sign of Jackal and her eyes immediately turned to Natsu as his footsteps settled beside her.

“Jesus Christ,” He spat, the anger spilling into his tone and she didn’t have to follow his gaze to know what he was staring at. “I swear if I ever…”

Her face felt hot, embarrassed as he brought a hand to his face to cover his mouth. He pulled his face away and settled instead to turn to face the doorway to the living room. At least that was still intact. Though, it still looked like a war zone with beer cans littering the coffee table alongside more dirty dishes.

“I’m sorry you have to see this.”

The words left her before she could stop herself. Her arms curled around herself, feeling insecure whilst her lower lip quivered. She hated that Natsu had to look at her, the bruises and cuts on her face, and she hated that he was seeing the reality that was her life. The shame gripped her, grabbing at her entire being. She felt sick. Lucy felt sick with herself and she couldn’t change that. There were no more cover ups and no more lying. This was everything that she was.

A mess.

“It’s fine,” He grumbled. “Come on. Let’s wrap this up quickly before fuckhead comes back. It’ll be better if we aren’t here.” Natsu turned back to her, shaking his shoulders as he offered a strained half smile. “What do you want me to grab?”

Her mind couldn’t help but wander to when she had last stood here with Natsu, the memories immediately making her eyes glassy as that heart ache returned in full force. It seemed it was ancient history but a week hadn’t gone by since he had walked away from her. Now, here he was. Natsu was standing beside her. She couldn’t imagine how she had hurt him, but he… he was supporting her.

Lucy couldn’t stop that guilt from swallowing her whole.

She tore her gaze from him to instead find her bag. It had been thrown onto the floor, pushed off the kitchen bench with its contents spilled and adding to the disaster “Upstairs. I-In the hallway… There’s a door that should have a cabinet in front of it… Don’t bother asking why.” Her lips tugged even further down, that memory making her sour and Natsu nodded briefly. “We can probably start putting my clothes into trash bags so they can go into the back of the car… I’ll look in the office.”

“Alright.”

She moved to the kitchen, pulling open the cupboards under the sink to pull out a roll of garbage bags before looking down to scoop up her car keys on the floor. “Catch,” Lucy started and then tossed the two items towards him that he caught with ease. “Let me know when you’re finished, okay?”

He nodded before he made his way upstairs, his feet moving quickly as Lucy watched his retreating figure. Though, she didn’t let her mind wander before she kneeled back down to continue putting back the items inside her handbag. Natsu was right. They needed to get this done quickly otherwise they’d have a bigger problem on their hands.

The blonde had barely started to look through the piles of papers in the office until she heard a knock on the wall. Her eyes flickered up from the pile she had started to find Natsu standing there, holding a black bag that he had tied off whilst he leaned against the doorway. It ruffled as he twisted in place.

“Lucy.” He sounded hesitant, unsure of his next words and he eyed her from where she sat on the floor surrounded by paper and files. “I need you to come look at this.”

She gave him a puzzled look, but he only shook his head before waiting for her to stand and follow him. They passed another half full bag that Natsu had dropped to the side of the hallway and Lucy was confused as to what he wanted her to look at if he hadn’t finished packing her clothes away. Her hands felt clammy, palms sweating as he held open the beaten door and Lucy walked into the bedroom.

“In the bathroom,” Natsu added as he let her walk ahead.

As soon as she walked in the blonde could see that Jackal had turned their room on its head. The bedside table had been flipped over, the lamp was shattered on the floor with rumbled blankets tossed hazardously to the side. Her heart pounded in her chest, beating its pulse in her ears as she made her way further in. There was some type of mess on the floor, but she couldn't tell what it was, some of her clothes were ripped near the entrance way - Chester draws toppled over in the corner of the room.

Lucy didn't know what she had expected, or why she felt surprised when she saw the majority of her clothes piled up in the bathtub, ruined. She pushed forward, coming to stand over it to see just what he had done, but Natsu’s voice was quick to stop her in her tracks.

“I wouldn’t touch it,” He started, watching her as he had followed close behind. “Smells like it’s covered in bleach. The stuff stinks.” His nose twitched, lips turned down into a deep frown. “Sorry, Luce. But I don’t think we can do much.”

Her shoulders shook, eyes stuck staring at all her clothes that were covered in nasty orange spots. There were cuts in her jeans, tops pulled and stretched as they sat in a soggy heap in the bath. Maybe it was the smell of the chemicals finally reaching her, but her eyes stung, fresh tears lining the corners as she bit down on her lower lip to stop it from trembling.

It wasn’t just her clothes. Her blurry vision finding cracked foundation bottles and liner pens with broken eyeshadow palettes in the mix. It had all been ruined. Everything of Lucy’s he had trashed, either cut up or smashed to pieces. Not even her bras and underwear had been spared. Jackal had destroyed all of it. She wasn’t even sure how Natsu had managed to salvage some clothing - the little of it that must’ve been left.

She felt Natsu’s hesitant touch on her shoulder, his hand beginning to rub soothingly across her back as her hands tightened into fists. Though, it didn’t help as she stared at so many of her possessions discarded and treated like shit.

“Luce?” He called her, his voice soft and quiet as she sniffled.

“It- It’s f-fine,” Lucy sobbed, tears finding themselves sliding down her cheeks but she quickly pulled up her sleeve to wipe them away. “It’s just… I-It’s on-only…” She swallowed, trying to take in deep breaths before she started again. “It’s only c-clothes. No big… no big deal.”

His brows drew together, expression pained as he watched as she tried to calm herself down. “Do you wanna take five minutes? I’m pretty much done in here. We could get a breather outside.”

Yet, Lucy was already shaking her head.

“No. I have to get this done. Just… Could you take what’s left into the car please?” She turned to face him, her hand finding his and holding it as she grounded herself, squeezing it tight as she looked at him through a teary gaze. He stared down at where they touched, frown deepening as he nodded.

“Sure thing.” He pulled himself away from her, detaching himself from the contact. “I’ll help ya out when I’m done.”

She let out a shaky breath, not moving for a few moments as she tried to collect herself. Lucy tried to repeat her own words through her mind. It’s only clothes, it’s only clothes, it’s only clothes… It’s only things, Lucy! Though she couldn’t help as another sob bubbled up and pushed past her lips, failing to choke it down as a few more tears escaped her eyes.

Jackal was always steps ahead of her.

She pressed her hand into her face, trying to drown out her cries as she fell apart slowly. It just wasn’t fair. He hurt her in every way, but there was always something more.

A bitter laugh left her instead. Of course there was always more.

She brought her hand down, sucking in a large breath of air before her shoulders dropped. Lucy just couldn’t let it bother her, the blonde walking forward and not turning back. The hurt spun inside her chest, but she swallowed it down. The blonde wouldn’t let it. Anger began to take shape in its place from the constant whirl as she stormed into the office, huffing as she ripped up pointless letters and grabbed files to order her papers.

Her eyes were still red and puffy from the night before, the new tears only making them sting, but she didn’t care - whipping her runny nose on her sleeve as she continued to sort through everything around her. It didn’t bother her and she wouldn’t let it.

Lucy was too tired. Pushed past her breaking point as she blocked out everything around her and let the world fall silent. It wasn’t until Natsu came to join her that she looked up, his bright smile nearly blinding her as he asked where she needed him.

She tried to work quietly, but he had other ideas. The stream of questions from him gathering one word responses until the blonde finally cracked a goofy grin when he decided it was time to play basketball with everything that had Jackals name printed on it. His eyes practically shone when she laughed, making the time pass a little bit brighter until they had nearly gathered everything Lucy needed.

“You sure you don’t mind taking this down to the car?” She asked, her face twisted into concern as she eyed Natsu with an old plastic box in his hands that was full of paper and books. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

He rolled his eyes, an easy smile spreading across his face as he shifted it into one hand, keeping it up by balancing it on his hip. “These muscles aren’t just for show, ya know? Honest, Luce. I’m not sure if I should be ah-ffended by this.”

“Off-ended, Natsu.” Lucy emphasised the O, her brows raising as she shook her head. “I swear we’ve been over this.”

“And it won’t be the last time either,” He hollered, giving her a thumbs up as he walked out of the room but not before winking at her with his cheshire grin beginning to crinkle the corners of his eyes. “I’ll meet you downstairs!”

Lucy sighed, exasperated. “Unbelievable.” Though, her own soft smile had made its way on her face as she looked around at the mess they had made in the office, but glad that they had managed to nearly shove the most important things in her car.

It had been hard for Lucy to let some things go. She had already felt that she had tried to bring more than what was necessary with her, a pang resonating in her chest when she thought about how she would be leaving it here until she could figure something out. Natsu hadn’t been much help either, always picking up things that she had set down with a heavy heart and thought that she would have to part with.

He had stated it simply. “If it hurts to leave it then bring it with you.” Yet, Lucy had replied with a deep frown. It was bad enough that she was intruding on him. She didn’t need to clutter up his house with her junk, especially since he was a bit of a hoarder himself. Natsu’s house had bits and pieces left hazardously around in every nook and cranny of his small home. Each one he could talk for hours about, a story attached that left her hanging off every word.

Though, hers… It wasn’t nearly as dear. Her favourite books, a pen that was branded with her old University logo and an old envelope that was missing the card from her mother that was given to her on her 4th birthday. Lucy had put it down with a sad look and he had collected it straight after and packed it up. Even arguing with him was pointless as he shrugged his shoulders and kept mindlessly talking or asking her questions about if she needed something or not.

Her chest felt warm and tight, smile stretching further as she pulled albums off the shelf. Her hands kept weary of her wedding photos, doing her best to ignore the burning feelings that she distracted herself from, and instead pulled her own family pictures out. She had kept all the volumes, even her mum and dad's pictures of when they were younger that were given to her after their deaths. They had been tucked away and she piled them in her arms to put away in the car.

She knew she couldn’t leave them. If what Natsu had told her was true, then she would never be able to split from all of the memories of her parents. It would be too painful for her. Not that  they weren’t safe here, her heart already soaring that Jackal hadn’t had the thought to burn the last remaining thing of them she had left. Lucy knew she had to protect it, her smile widening as she eyed the cover of an old scrapbook that had a photo of their time in Acalypha.

Lucy was only young at the time, but it was one of few pictures of their family together - when her mother was still alive and her father hadn’t been as busy with his company. She pulled it close, piling it into her arms before her fingers traced over their smiling faces.

She missed them.

Her lips thinned, desperately trying not to cry as she studied the photo. They were a lot happier back then. Foggy reminiscents of times in her childhood when her family was complete. She could only wish that she had them with her now, brown eyes blurring with tears as she thought about how badly they would think of her, but at least it was someone. Lucy would gladly listen to her father grumble at her then to do this alone any longer. How angry they would be at Jackal, her mother asking why she hadn’t talked to them sooner… Having someone care about her again.

Lucy wiped at her eyes, taking in a long breath of air as she looked up. Her heart ached in her chest and she felt the lump begin to form in her throat as she tried to breathe deeply. Though, she quickly reached for the last album, not letting herself get lost in the pain as she turned around and squeezed her eyes tight.

There were only a few things left and then her and Natsu could leave. Her arms slumped as she felt the weight crush down on her, struggling to hold up the albums whilst she sniffled. She was exhausted, the stress of the day catching up to her with every step she took down the hallway as she dried a stray tear with a shrug of her shoulder across her cheek.

Yet, Lucy nearly lost her balance as she felt a shudder rock the house, a loud bang coming from downstairs as the front door slammed shut.

“Where the fuck is she?”

The yelling that reached her ears sent tingles down her spine, freezing her in place as her eyes blew wide - ears catching onto every word as she stood completely still in the hallway.

“Lucy!” Jackal screamed. “Lucy, come out here now you fucking bitch!”

Her stomach felt like it dropped to her feet, heart thundering against her chest and she struggled to breath - feeling a panic swarm in her chest as her legs started to shake. Lucy didn’t want to believe it, but the heavy footsteps were echoing throughout the house making her hands sweat as the photo albums started to slip in her grasp.

It couldn’t.

The tears were back, blurring her vision as she continued to stand stock still. She couldn’t move, her muscles tensing painfully as they locked in place. Lucy felt like her chest was going to explode and her lips quivered downwards as he continued to shout.

This wasn’t happening.

She looked down, mind racing. She had to hide them. Otherwise- She choked, a pained gasp leaving her as she hyperventilated. Otherwise he would take them away from her. As soon as he saw her he was going to rip it all up, the last piece of her parents. He was going to beat her. He was going to teach her a lesson.

What was she doing?

Her legs gave out as the door slammed again, more shouting following it as she clutched the photos closer to her chest and closed her eyes shut.

“Luce!”

Lucy jolted, looking up as another voice followed - an icy chill filling her chest as her mouth parted in realisation.

“Stay the fuck away from her!”

Natsu.

The chill swept through her body, pushing up as she felt her heart in her throat. She didn’t realise she was running until she was bolting down the stairs. Her legs wobbled as she took them two at a time and she felt like she was going to fall as her injured ankle buckled, but her hand caught herself on the wall before she stumbled.

The adrenaline shot through her, the tears falling as desperately made her way to him.

She righted the album in her arms, feeling the weight pull her to the side. Though, it didn’t stop her as she leapt to the bottom floor, panting as she came down hard on her feet. The pain was even worse, erupting from the sole of her heel as fire lit up the nerve endings and stretched to her shin. Lucy grit her teeth, grimacing before quickly searching the room.

#fairy tail #fairytail #what you'd do to me tonight #nalu #Nalu fanfiction #nalu fanfic #Lucy heartfilia #Natsu dragneel #angst #ft fanfic #fairy tail fanfiction #doginshoe #wydtmt #my writing #ft jackal

[kaweeella]

Hi, if you still want writing requests, a Danganronpa idea would be Himiko's magic going awry and making Maki swap bodies with Miu for a day.

Thank you for requesting! I hope you like it!

~~~

It started as a good day, it really did.

Maki sat at a bench, Himiko was showing off her magic to Tenko and Angie across the path, and Miu was talking to Kaede by the stairs. It was one of the only times she let herself lower her guard.

Never again.

“And for my next trick,” Himiko said. “I will make Miu and Maki switch places!”

Maki stirred only a little at the mention of her name, but she kept watching the clouds. It was likely going to be a warm training session that night.

Himiko spun her stave, a dark red glow appeared on one side and a pink one on the other. She twirled it faster as the two lights snaked down to the other ends.

She excitedly looked over to them, only to be met with disappointment. Maki was still on the bench and Miu was still by the stairs, though she stumbled some, holding onto Kaede so she wouldn’t fall over.

“Nyeh…”

“It’s alright, Himiko! It still looked cool!” Tenko tried to reassure her.

“I’m sure you’ll get it next time!”

“Hey, what just happened?” Maki walked over to them.

“I tried to make you and Miu switch places, but-” She tried to explain but quickly got cut off.

“What are you, a dumbass?”

“Maki!” Tenko stood up. “That’s really rude!”

“Are you blind? I’m not Maki.” Not Maki said.

“What’s going on?” Miu said coldly as she and Kaede approached them.

“What the fuck?!” Not Maki exclaimed.

“Himiko, I think your spell did really work!”

“Nyahahaha!” Angie laughed. “Good job, Himiko! God smiles upon you!”

“What the fuck did you do?” Not Maki asked.

“Well I tried to cast a spell to switch Miu’s and Maki’s places, but if Tenko’s right, then I guess it didn’t switch you physically.”

“If you’re going to use me in one of your shows, at least ask first.” Maki- real Maki- said, venom in her voice.

“So you can fix this, right?” Kaede asked.

Himiko nodded and spun the stave. It started glowing again, though the lights didn't move.

“Enough with your shitty glowstick, I don’t want to be stuck as this flat fuck.”

“Do you want to die?” Maki looked at her. Even if she wasn’t in her body she’s scary as hell.

Himiko tried to block out the talking. If she strained her eyes she could see the lights moving towards the other ends at a snail’s pace. She stopped spinning it and examined them. Even though she stopped she could still see the light moving down at an agonizingly slow speed.

“What’s wrong, Himiko?” Tenko asked.

“Nyeh…” She shuddered and looked at Maki to read her expression. There were none. “I have good news and bad news.” She shrank in on herself a little. “I can’t undo it right now, b-but it’s temporary.”

“Fucking dumbass! Try harder!” Miu reached out to grab the stave.

“Nyeh! Stop! You might make it worse!”

“Nothing could be w-aaa!” Maki grabbed her by the pigtails and yanked her back.

“When are we going to be back to normal?”

“When the two lights reach the other side.” She pointed at the stave.

Maki hummed. “How long do you think it’ll take?”

Himiko looked at it in thought. “At the rate it’s going, maybe about a day?”

“Maki-Roll!” Kaito ran up with Shuichi not far behind him.

“Great…” Maki muttered.

He wrapped Miu in a bear hug. She panicked and…

“Ow!” … she kneed him. “Maki-Roll why’d you do that?”

“Because that’s Miu. I’m Maki.”

The two look confused. Like they were doing a hundred calculations at once in their heads.

“Himiko fucked up her spell.” Miu said.

“It’s temporary!”

It was quiet for a minute before Kaito spoke up again. “So are you still on for training tonight?”

“Training, huh? What kind of training do you do together late at night, huh?”

“Me and Shuichi exercise. Kaito mostly just sits there.”

“Hey!”

“Riiiiight. Well whatever it is, leave me and my body out of it.”

“It’s probably for the best. It’s going to be warm tonight and I’m not in the mood to listen to Kaito whining. And…” She looked down at ‘herself’. “I’m not quite used to training in these conditions.”

Miu snickered some before coming to a realization.

“Miu what are you thinking?” Shuichi asked, though he had a pretty good idea of the answer.

“Why don’t you try some training with me? I’ve always wanted to know if I’m good in bed.”

“Do you want to die?”

“Oh come on, it felt so nice when you pulled my hair.”

Maki stared daggers into her.

“What, you got nothing?”

“I’d strangle you but you’d like it too much.”

“Now, now, we should not resort to violence. As long as we have God on our side all will be well!”

“Right! Besides, it could be worse. You might’ve switched with a degenerate man.”

Maki sighed. She was right, there were worse people but Miu wasn’t a great option to be the one piloting her body.

“Don’t think I’m happy to be in this situation either. I want to be back in my own gorgeous body.”

“This is so weird.” Kaito whispered to Shuichi.

“Nehehe~! What do we have here?” Kokichi strolled over.

“Not now, Kokichi.” They told him.

“Just go away, we’re busy right now and the last thing we need is a little shit fucking around.” Miu said.

“No I…” He paused. “Maki, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you swear before.”

“Do you want to tell him?” Kaito whispered.

“Tell me whaaaat?”

“No, he can figure it out on his own.” Maki said.

“Come on, Miu. A dumb slut shouldn’t be-” Before he can finish Maki grabs him by the neck. “Hey,” He stammered, “I’m not into that. Or you.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“What, dumb or slut?”

“Both.”

“Why~? They fit you so-” She tightened her grip.

“Maki-Roll, calm down you might actually kill him!”

“Maki?” Kokichi asked with strained breaths.

She dropped him. “Yeah. Maki, and never call me a dumb slut again.” She leaned down to his eye level.

“It’s kinda hard to take you seriously when you look like this.”

“Maybe you’ll take this seriously.” She grabbed his scarf and headbutted him, the goggles left marks on his forehead.

“Damn, don’t break my shit!” She looked at the goggles. When she saw that they’re unbroken she nodded before breaking out into laughter. “You got him pretty good. Serves you right you little bitch.”

“So,” Kokichi sat up. “Maki is Miu and Miu is Maki. What. The fuck.”

“It’s magic!” Himiko said.

Maki sighed. “I’m going to go lay down.” She grabbed her key off of Miu and headed off to the dorm.

“See you, Maki-Roll!”

“Hey Miu,” Shuichi said. “Did Maki give you your key?”

She thought for a moment. “She has my fucking key!” Miu ran after Maki.

“No matter what she looks like, she’s a dumb bitch.”

“Hey!” Miu yelled as she reached Maki. “Give me my key.”

“Right.” She paused. “Where do you keep it?” She dreaded the answer.

Miu reached down into her shirt and took out her key. Maki looked at the shirt.

“How do you keep it in there? I could hardly feel it.”

“An inner shirt pocket. With it you can sexily and comfortably store things in your cleavage.”

Maki thought for a moment. “That’s pretty clever.”

“Huh?! I mean… of course it is! I thought of it.”

“You can’t even see the stitches. This could’ve been pretty useful in my missions.”

“I’m gonna take that as a good thing!”

“Yeah. Honestly your inventions don’t really make sense to me but they do tend to be pretty good, when it isn’t used for sexual purposes.”

“My inventions are always incredible!”

“I feel like the underwear remover is a bit unnecessary.”

“Everything I make is entirely necessary!”

“Ah! Maki!” They saw Tsumugi running toward them. “Maki, I have a photoshoot, do you have a weapon I could use?”

“Are you planning to use a real weapon for a photoshoot?”

“No! No! Of course not. I just wanna be as authentic as possible so I’m gonna use it as a reference point. So can I?”

“No.”

“Huh? But I’m asking Maki-”

“Alright, here's what’s happening, Four Eyes. Himihoe fucked up her spell and now I’m Maki and she’s me.”

She stood for a moment then gasped. “This is like something straight out of an anime! How do you reverse it? A special item? Words of true caring? A kiss?”

“Himiko said it would likely take roughly a day.”

“Of course! A timer. In most anime the pair have to pretend to be each other, leading to weird situations that some find hard to watch, but instead of that you two hardly have any hesitance telling me. Though even if you did try to act as each other it’d still be plainly obvious, no offense.”

“Right.” Maki said. “I’m going to bed.” With that she continued to the dorms.

Kirumi was cleaning in there and looked over when she entered.

“Ah, Miu, you look tired. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No.” She went over to her dorm and Kirumi gave her a strange look.

“You do know that is Maki’s room, right?”

“I know who’s room it is.” She didn’t look back at Kirumi before she went in and closed the door. She fumbled taking off the boots and laid down. She wasn’t even going to bother with anything else.

“Strange.” Kirumi muttered to herself.

It felt like an eternity. She stared at the ceiling, just thinking, until there was a knock at the door. It was Miu. She looked behind her, noticing that Kirumi was no longer there and it was dark out.

“What is it.”

“Well, I was hoping you’d let me stay in here… with you?”

“Why?”

“What does that matter?”

“It matters a lot if you want to sleep in my room.”

“Well if you really care that much… being in my room when I look like this upsets me.”

“It upsets you to be in your room when you look like me.”

“Well…” She fidgeted. “I base a lot of myself and my life on how I look, and my room is a reminder that I’m no longer that.”

Maki wasn’t expecting that. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but it wasn’t that.

“Fine. I’m going to need help taking these belts off anyway.”

“Oh you wanna undress me~?”

“I can’t sleep with them on.”

“Really? You slept just fine when Kaito came by to get you. Had to be physically restrained to stop pushing the fucking button.”

“I didn’t realize I went to sleep.”

“Well you did. Wow, your room is pretty empty.”

“I don’t keep many things. Not where I live.”

“Right, your assassin thing. Have you ever seduced your mark?”

“No.”

“Well of course, no one could have my sex appeal.”

“Miu. Miu we are teenagers.”

“What of it?”

Maki threw a pillow at her. “Just go to sleep.”

The night was uneventful. Miu had some trouble adjusting to the pigtails but when she did she fell asleep quickly.

When Maki woke up, she found she was on the other side of the bed when she tried to get up. She looked over and saw Miu. Miu as Miu.

“Hey, get up.”

“Huh? What the fuck do you want?”

“For you to go back to your own room. We’re back to normal.”

She grumbled some. “Fine.” She dramatically got up, grabbed her key and boots and headed out the door, though she paused in the doorway. “Hey Maki? Thank you for letting me stay over.”

“Yeah.”

“I mean it.” Maki smiled, though she had her back to Miu so she couldn’t see. “You can be the first to test my next invention!”

“That’s unnecessary.”

#danganronpa #danganronpa v3 #danganronpa miu #danganronpa maki #danganronpa fic

[morningfears]

Rose Tattoo [Chapter Three]

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Calum regrets not getting Stevie’s number when he had the chance. He’s not a big believer in fate but he’s hoping that the universe will see it fit to bring them back together. What he doesn’t know is that while the universe works hard, Ashton Irwin works harder.

Word Count: 5k

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Series Masterlist!

Calum tried his best not to let his mood influence his work. Though he sometimes had no choice but to let his personal and professional lives overlap - his job wasn’t exactly the typical 9 to 5 and his home life wasn’t exactly Leave it to Beaver -, he tried to keep the influence of one to a minimum on the other. He had always, for the most part, been able to keep his composure despite any personal turmoil.

Regardless of what was happening in Calum’s life, he always tried to check it at the door. He only spoke openly in the shop about his feelings when the neon blue open sign in the window was switched off and the plate glass doors were locked. Although Calum was often a sounding board for his clients, listening intently as they spoke about their problems or discussed music with him, he never delved too much into his own life. He had pictures of his son on his station and would answer the odd question about him but talking about Tāne made him happy. The negative things, the issues that popped up every now and again, never made it inside the shop. It was easier that way, to keep that boundary up, and it was easiest to keep that boundary in place when he pretended to be unaffected by whatever existed outside of the four walls of the shop.

The situation at hand, however, was not one that he felt capable of ignoring.

Calum had been in a bad mood when he arrived at the shop. Though his moods weren’t always discernible to those who didn’t know him, there was an obvious dark cloud hanging over his head. He wasn’t exactly known to be a chatterbox but he remained stoic and somewhat sullen as he tattooed his few clients. Some of the regulars, the ones who would return no matter how he treated them, chalked it up to him being overworked. They knew that he had to put in overtime after dealing with Tāne’s illness and imagined that it was just taking a toll on him. Those who were visiting Calum for the first time just imagined that was his personality.

None of his clients took it to heart and none of them really worried about the shift in attitude. His friends, however, could tell that this wasn’t related to overworking or even to a typical bad mood; something was wrong. Ashton had a feeling that it was related to El and the impending custody battle, there was nothing else that could upset Calum that much, so, when the last client of the day left the shop, Ashton bolted the door behind him and gestured for Michael and Luke to join him in the studio where Calum was cleaning up.

“Okay,” Ashton stated as he leaned against the counter near Calum’s station, “what happened?”

Calum, who had been so focused on cleaning one particular spot that he hadn’t noticed the boys surround him, flinched at the sound of Ashton’s voice so close to him but didn’t bother looking up from his work. Instead of answering verbally, he nodded in the direction of his coat and, curious, Ashton reached out to grab the pile of black fabric from Calum’s station. He almost asked why Calum pointed out the article of clothing but, before he could open his mouth, he caught sight of an envelope sticking out of the pocket.

Michael and Luke crowded over Ashton’s shoulder, Luke easily towering over the other two, as they read over the document. It was a court order, one that outlined the details of El’s suit against Calum and why she felt the need to file for primary custody, and Ashton felt a flash of anger on behalf of his friend as he read through the document.

The shop fell silent as Ashton, Luke, and Michael processed the typed words they’d read. It was surprising that she was attempting to not only step back into Tāne’s life after several years but to gain full custody when she was the one who left in the first place. Calum lifted his head, his expression weary and his shoulders slumped, as he watched Luke lean against the doorframe and fold his arms over his chest. Michael, one of Calum’s oldest friends, breathed a deep sigh as he took a seat on an empty stool.

“They came this morning,” Calum offered as an explanation as he returned his attention to the mess at his station. Calum looked like he wanted to say more, he looked like he had so much on his mind, on the tip of his tongue, but he kept quiet as he pulled off his gloves and shook his head.

“I can’t believe she’s actually going through with this.” Ashton, who was usually the most levelheaded among them, was fuming as he paced the floor of the shop. He held the papers that Calum had been served, the ones indicating that the first hearing in the battle for custody of Tāne was fast approaching, clenched in one hand as the other ran through his inky black hair. “She has no right! She gave him up. She can’t do this.”

“She never officially gave him up,” Michael, the one most likely to play devil’s advocate, pointed out as he shifted from side to side on a stool.  “She never signed the papers giving up her rights as a parent so, legally, she’s still got rights. Doesn’t mean it’s not a shitty thing for her to do, though,” he shrugged as he pulled his cap off and tossed it onto the desk beside him. “Why now? Why not two years ago?”

“Said it’s because she feels she’s in a better place in life now,” Calum answered, his tone detached and his face void of emotion as he dropped his garbage into the can before spinning to face Ashton.

“That’s bullshit. El is the same person she’s always been. And she’s not fit to take Tāne from you. If she wanted to be in his life, whatever. She’s his mother, fine. But you’ve raised him. She can’t do this.”

Calum watched as Ashton glared at the paper in his hands. He understood what Ashton was feeling because he was angry, too. He was angry that after several years of radio silence, of no birthday presents or greetings or attempts to see their son grow, El was trying to step back into Tāne’s life as if nothing happened. He was angry that she was trying to uproot their son’s life, as imperfect as it might be, only to throw him into a situation that he didn’t know and might not be comfortable in. He was angry that she felt he was an unfit parent even when he was trying his hardest.

But, most of all, he was sad. He was sad that his son wouldn’t grow up with two loving parents - or, at least, not with his mother and father. He was sad that his son wouldn’t have the same childhood that he did, one that he took for granted. He was sad that his son would someday learn the reasons behind El’s disappearance and that he would likely blame himself.

He was sad that his life hadn’t worked out the way he imagined it would.

Calum, however, didn’t want to dwell on the sadness. He wanted to move on, to get the custody battle over and to prove that he was the one who deserved to keep Tāne. What scared him, though, was the realization that, in most cases, the mother won. Whether they should or not.

“It doesn’t matter,” Calum finally said, cutting Ashton off mid-rant as he stood from his stool. “It doesn’t matter why she’s doing it, she just is. It doesn’t matter what she hopes will come from this. I just want to keep my son. If she wants to be a part of his life, fine. But she can do that here in the city. I don’t want to fight her, not anymore, but I’m going to.” Calum paused, staring at his closest friends for a long moment. It was easy to see the exhaustion on his face. He looked weary, worn from battling his thoughts and conjuring up ‘what-if’s’, and it hurt to see him that way.

Calum reached for his coat, ready to leave the shop, but he hoped that his friends would stop him. He knew that he didn’t need to be alone but he also didn’t need Tāne to see him this way. He needed to put the dealings with El out of his mind for the night, clear his head, before he even attempted to formulate a plan of action. And Ashton, the intuitive being that he was, realized this. Calum watched as Ashton grabbed his own coat.

“You’re not going home. The babysitter’s staying late tonight, remember?” Calum vaguely remembered arranging for the babysitter to stay later than she normally did but he couldn’t remember why. When he fixed Ashton with a confused stare, the older man shook his head and gestured for him to follow. “You’ll remember when we get there,” he offered, unhelpful, as they headed to the entrance. “See you guys tomorrow,” he called over his shoulder, waving goodbye to Luke and Michael before he guided Calum out of the shop.

It took Calum four blocks and several bouts of laughter from Ashton to remember that they were headed to a party one of his clients invited him to. He knew that the client, Noah, was a reporter and that he wanted to do a feature on both him and Ashton and while Ashton was thrilled for the publicity, Calum hadn’t exactly been receptive to the idea.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t flattered. He was. But he didn’t believe in the idea of celebrity when it came to his work. He was just doing what he loved and was glad that he’d been able to make a career out of it. He couldn’t imagine why anyone would be interested in reading about him and wasn’t particularly keen on opening up to the world. So, every time Noah asked, Calum refused and Ashton, the good friend he was, refused with him. However, the party was one thing that Ashton hadn’t let him say no to.

“It’s going to be fun,” Ashton assured him as they approached the bar the party was being held at. “You can get a few drinks, forget about El for the night, and then tomorrow, we can figure out what we need to do.”

“You really don’t have to get involved, mate,” Calum assured him as they checked their coats and lingered just outside the entrance for a moment.  “It’s going to be a mess and I don’t want you to have to deal with that. This is my problem.”

In true Ashton fashion, he rolled his eyes before he fixed Calum with a glare. “Like I would let you deal with this on your own. I love you, man, and I love Tāne. You guys are my family and I’m not going to just stand by while something happens to that family. I’m just as much a part of this as you are.”

Calum knew that his friends loved him and his son. He knew that Ashton, as well as Michael and Luke, had his back and would never let him down but to be reminded of it so explicitly was a feeling that he couldn’t describe. It made his heart ache in the best way and he only hoped that he could adequately convey his gratitude someday. However, before he could open his mouth to thank him, Ashton shook his head.

“Come on,” he laughed, nodding toward the bar, “let’s go get a drink.”

It was only then, as they entered the actual venue, that Calum remembered who Noah worked for. He saw the red Rolling Stone logo and a few prints of more recent covers lingering around the room. It was also in that moment that he remembered who else worked for Rolling Stone.

“Seriously? Ash, mate, come on,” Calum sighed as he glanced around the bar, not so discreetly scanning the crowd for a mop of green curls.

“What?” Ashton questioned, a grin on his lips as he nudged Calum in the direction of the bar. “I’m just here to see a few friends, network a little. No ulterior motives.” He paused for a moment, his gaze locked on someone Calum couldn’t quite see, before he added, “Oh, wow. Would you look at that? That looks like Stevie. You remember? The girl you tattooed. What are the odds?”

Calum rolled his eyes at Ashton’s obviousness and craned his neck to find Stevie. It took him a moment, there were more people with green hair in attendance than he ever imagined would be the case, but he finally spotted her sitting at the bar. He felt his mood lift as he caught sight of her and it surprised him just how excited he was to get the chance to talk to her again. He’d tried not to think about her, had tried not to consider the ‘what-if’s’, but a few thoughts crossed his mind. And now, looking at her once more, he was determined not to let her get away again.

However, his short lived confidence and determination were dashed as he watched the man beside her place a hand on her jean covered thigh. “Looks like I’m too late,” he sighed, hoping his voice didn’t give away exactly how heartbroken he was.

He didn’t have the right to be upset, not when he hadn’t even expressed proper interest in her, but he felt a burning in the pit of his stomach that he likened to sadness. It was unfortunate, he would’ve liked to have gotten to know her, but he didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes.

“Um, I don’t think so, mate. She doesn’t look like she’s into that guy at all,” Ashton stated, interrupting his thoughts and drawing his attention back to where Stevie sat at the bar.

Calum could see where Ashton was coming from. Stevie looked annoyed as she nudged the man’s hand away from her thigh and shifted to face away from. He could see her place her hand over her drink and tense as the man got closer to her. He didn’t have to think about it, he knew that he needed to step in. So, without even glancing at Ashton, Calum said, “I’ll find you later,” and began pushing his way through the crowd of people to get to Stevie.

                                                     *******

Stevie bit her lip as the man to her left - some asshole from accounting that couldn’t take a hint - continued talking. He’d zeroed in on her the moment she arrived at the bar and had stuck to her like a shadow. She didn’t particularly want to be at the party in the first place, she was only there because it was a celebration of Noah’s promotion, and the man (Malcom, maybe?) was only making her mood worse.

“Lighten up,” he huffed, reaching out to touch her thigh once more even though she’d shifted away from him and stopped pretending to listen to his rambling. “Don’t be a bitch. I’m just trying to be nice. It’s not like you have anyone better to talk to."

Stevie felt her skin heat and knew that her ears were red in both humiliation and anger as she tried her hardest to ignore him. She wanted to reach for the abandoned fork on the counter and stab him in the hand in hopes that he would leave her alone, however, violence was not the answer - not if she wanted to keep her job - and she didn’t want to cause a bigger scene than necessary.

So, she pulled out the oldest line in the book. “I’m waiting for my boyfriend. Leave me alone.”

“Boyfriend? Where is he, then? Stuck in traffic?” Stevie had hoped that telling him she was waiting for someone would be enough. It usually was. However, this guy seemed persistent and she imagined that it would take an actual miracle for him to leave her alone unscathed.

She opened her mouth to retort, to tell the man that it really didn’t matter, but before she could say anything, she felt an arm wrap around her waist. “I’m sorry I’m late, love,” a voice that she immediately recognized as belonging to Calum - it was hard to mistake the raspy voice and hint of an Australian accent - cut through the din of the music. “Traffic was a nightmare.”

Stevie glanced up and caught the look on Calum’s face. He looked as annoyed as she felt - she knew he’d overheard the taunting from the accountant - and she felt him squeeze her side as a gesture for her to play along. However, she didn’t need any prompting as she melted into his embrace. He was warm, warmer than her even though she’d been trapped in the stifling heat of the bar for over an hour, and he smelled like cigarettes and a cologne that made Stevie want to bury her face in his t-shirt and get lost in the scent.

She decided that that would be taking Calum’s kindness too far and simply leaned into him as she sent the accountant a sickeningly sweet smile. “It’s no problem,” she assured Calum, glancing up at him with a real smile, “I had company.” She paused for a moment, wondering if she should be as petty as she wanted, before she decided that she had nothing to lose. She shifted her gaze from Calum to the accountant and asked, “What was your name again? You told me but I didn’t care to remember it.”

Stevie felt Calum’s chest reverberate with a stifled laugh as the accountant turned a garish shade of purple and sputtered a response. She couldn’t make out what he said as he slammed his glass onto the counter and left his stool but she imagined that it was for the best as she watched him stomp through the crowd and away from her. She and Calum remained intertwined for a moment, him with his arm around her waist and her with the back of her head pressed to his chest, before they both moved away from one another.

“Um, thanks,” she mumbled as she turned to face him with a sheepish smile. “He wouldn’t take no for an answer. I don’t know why that’s so hard for some people.”

Calum frowned at her response and shook his head. “No, you don’t have to thank me. That guy shouldn’t have been an asshole.” Calum hesitated, his eyes narrowed in thought and his eyebrows furrowed, before he added, “The name thing was brutal, though. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“Yeah,” Stevie laughed before she took a sip of her drink and shrugged. “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”

Calum smiled at this and shrugged as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Maybe I can get to know some of them.” Calum glanced around the room, Stevie wasn’t sure at what, before he returned his gaze to her. He scrutinized her for a moment - his stare should have made her feel vulnerable, his eyes were intense and his gaze was heavy, but it didn’t. She felt oddly at ease with him and wasn’t surprised when he added, “I don’t really feel like partying. You want to go get some coffee?”

She knew that she had seen something in his eyes when she was leaving the tattoo shop. She knew that there was something lingering beneath the surface, something that he hadn’t been able to bring himself to say, and she had had a feeling that he’d wanted to ask her for her number. She’d been mildly disappointed when he hadn’t asked but she didn’t let herself dwell.

She was a firm believer in letting the universe find a way and it seemed as if it had.

“I’m not a big coffee drinker,” she hummed, biting back a smile as she watched Calum’s face drop. She paused, letting the slight sting of rejection linger for a moment, before she added, “I could go for a chai latte, though.”

Calum blinked, surprised at her agreement, before he released a deep breath and shook his head. “That was mean. Now I’m not sure I want to leave with you,” Calum teased as he moved to fold his arms over his chest.

“I feel like you want to be here exactly as much as I do,” Stevie pointed out with a laugh as she reached for her bag and stood from her stool. “There’s a really good cafe right down the street. What do you say?”

Calum remained silent for a moment. Stevie met his gaze, her eyebrows raised, and watched as a small smile quirked his lips. “I say, lead the way.”

Stevie shot Calum a bright grin as she gestured for him to follow her. The pair weaved through the crowd - neither of them spotted Ashton and Noah grinning at one another as they did so - and gathered their coats before they stepped out into the cool night air. Nothing was said as they wandered down the sidewalk, still busy despite the time, in search of the cafe Stevie loved. The bar they were in wasn’t very far from the Rolling Stone office and she felt comfortable here, wandering her neighborhood.

Calum looked like he belonged there, beside her, but it felt strange to be accompanied by someone who wasn’t Noah as they stepped into the cafe. She hadn’t really attempted to make too many friends in New York, she hadn’t exactly been in the mood for companionship, but something about Calum felt right. He felt natural, as easy as breathing, and Stevie didn’t want to let a good thing pass her by.

“I take it you’re getting the chai latte,” Calum hummed as they stood in front of the counter and glanced up at the menu boards. When Stevie nodded, a small smile on her lips as she could already smell her tea being brewed - some might call it a problem when the staff knows you well enough to prepare your order the moment you walk in, Stevie called it convenient - Calum nodded himself. “I think that’s what I’ll have, too.”  Calum stepped to the counter to order and, to Stevie’s surprise, added her drink to his tab.

“Wait, no. Don’t do that! I can buy my own drink,” she protested as she pulled her wallet out of her bag and attempted to hand the barista her cash.

“I’ve got it,” Calum laughed as he nudged her hand away. “Think of it as an apology for putting you through twelve hours of pain. How’s the tattoo healing, by the way?”

Stevie glared at him for a moment but, upon realizing he wasn’t going to relent about the drink, huffed and shoved her wallet back into her bag. “It’s good,” she nodded as they took seats at a small table beside the window. “It looks great. Thank you, again. I don’t think I could’ve gotten a better artist for the first tattoo. Angela would’ve loved it.”

Calum smiled at this, a sincere look of happiness on his face, as he shrugged. “I’m sure you could’ve but I’m glad you think so.” He paused, thinking back to their first meeting, before he asked,  “You said it’s part of a bucket list, right? What else is on it?”

“A few cheesy things and a few very Angela things,” Stevie answered with a shrug as the barista placed their drinks on the table before disappearing to the back. “Go ice skating in an outdoor rink, go to the top of the Empire State building, go for a walk in Central Park, play roller derby, be in a race of some kind - she didn’t specify. A pretty even mixture of super cheesy New York things that I’m excited to do and a few kind of terrifying things I wish she was here to do instead.”

Calum’s eyes widened at Stevie’s description of the bucket list and he nodded appreciatively as he sipped at his latte. “That’s a lot to take on. I don’t think I feel so bad about the pain I put you through the tattoo anymore. Roller derby sounds rough.”

“Eh, it’s not so bad,” Stevie shrugged before she took a sip of her own latte. “I went roller skating ever weekend when I was a kid. There wasn’t much else to do. Funny thing, the Empire State Building is the one I’m most afraid of. I’m terrified of heights.”

Calum laughed at Stevie’s admission, somehow not surprised that a girl who wasn’t even slightly nervous about roller derby was terrified of visiting the observation deck of a tourist attraction. “It’s not that bad,” he assured her with a light laugh as he met her gaze again. “Tāne’s terrified of heights and he liked the view. You kind of forget about how high up you are and just have to appreciate how beautiful New York is from there.”

“How is he, by the way?” Stevie asked, referencing Calum’s son who had been dreadfully sick the last time - which was also the first - she’d seen him.

“He’s better,” Calum nodded, a small smile on his lips, “thanks for asking. He’s still coughing if he gets too hot but,  otherwise, he’s back to himself.”

“I’m glad,” Stevie nodded.

After that, the pair lapsed into a companionable silence. It wasn’t awkward, not like Stevie imagined it would be, and that only lended itself to her theory that there was something about Calum that was comfortable. Something about him set her at ease, it made her happy. She wasn’t sure why she felt so carefree in his presence but it worried her slightly. She wasn’t the type to relinquish her anxieties without a fight. It was a problem she’d faced her entire life and she knew that. 

However, she also felt wary about anything that made her too happy. Things had never quite worked out for her. No matter how well they started, no matter how promising they seemed,  somewhere along the way everything ended up taking a nosedive. She wanted to believe that Calum would be different, that if she let him in and opened her heart to him, he wouldn’t destroy her. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t bring herself to believe anything other than what she’d experienced throughout her life.

Happiness was not hers to attain. 

She felt the drop in her mood as she reminded herself that nothing good ever stayed in her life. It wasn’t Calum’s fault, though. She had just always been unlucky. So, instead of letting him know that she believed herself to be cursed, she placed her best fake smile on her lips and carried on as if nothing had changed.

They sat and drank their lattes, talking about music and art that they loved, until the cafe closed. Stevie contributed enough to the conversation to say that she spoke but she felt herself waning as the night went on. She excused it as exhaustion, she had been working overtime to complete a draft for her editor, and Calum - who didn’t have any reason not to believe her - bought it. As they stepped out of the shop and into the cool night once more, he smiled at her.

“Today started off as a bad day,” he admitted as he shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at her. “But it ended up being alright.”

Stevie smiled at this, genuinely pleased that she could help turn Calum’s day around. He was sweet. He had a good heart and a kind smile. He seemed like the kind of person that would do whatever he could to make others feel at ease and she wanted the best for him. “I’m glad,” she said and she was. She was happy that he was happy,  it was just a bonus that she was involved.

Calum smiled sheepishly at her as he said, “I would love to offer to take you on that walk through Central Park but I should get home. The babysitter has to head out soon. Maybe we can hang out again sometime?” When Stevie made a face, one that she didn’t mean to make, Calum grimaced. “It doesn’t have to be a date,” he amended. “No labels just two people, occupying the same space.”

Stevie wasn’t keen on getting his hopes up - though she desperately wished she could, she didn’t see herself having a happy ending with him or anyone else, for that matter. But she realized that spending time with him couldn’t be all that bad. If anything, it would get Noah off of her back about having friends outside of work. So, after a moment’s hesitation, Stevie nodded.

“Sure,” she agreed, “that sounds noncommittal and like something I can handle.”

Calum smiled at this, pleased that she was willing to see him again, and tugged his phone from his pocket. “Could I get your number? I’ll text you and maybe I can help with something on the bucket list,” he offered as he watched her type her number into his phone.

“Roller derby is planned for next week, if you want to join,” Stevie offered with a grin as she watched him pocket the device. When Calum’s eyes widened, she laughed. “It’s a girl’s only league,” she assured him, calming his nerves. “But maybe we can find something else to do.”

“Yeah,” Calum nodded. “We’ll find something else. Be careful on your way home.”

“I will,” she nodded, a small smile on her lips as she watched him hesitate to walk in the opposite direction of her. “I’ll see you later, Calum.”

“Yeah,” he smiled, grateful that this time, he knew that there would be a later. “See you later, Stevie.”

Although Stevie was hesitant to open her heart and Calum wasn’t sure what he was doing other than trying his best to move on from his past, they were both hopeful. The universe had worked in their favor - with a little help from Ashton Irwin - and they only hoped that it would continue to favor them both.

_____________________________________________________

Author’s Note: I’m so incredibly tired. Sorry for going MIA. Sorry for not answering any asks or messages. I’m honestly just not in the mood to socialize. I’m exhausted and my brain is fried, tbh. I’m working on my thesis (like, actually finishing it up!! So, if I disappear for the rest of the week, that’s why. It’s going to clock in at a whopping 75 pages. Pray for me) and my grandfather died on Saturday. I’m fine, I only met him a few times, but my mom is upset and I live right down the road from where they’re holding the funeral (funny that I’ve only met him a few times when I lived less than five minutes from him for two years, I know) so she’s staying with me and that is. Stressful. But it’s okay. If I can survive the next three weeks, I’ll be fine. Anyway, thoughts on Stevie and Cal?? I love them. I hope you do, too.

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#5sos imagine #5sos imagines #calum hood imagine #calum hood imagines #5sos fanfiction #5sos stories #5sos fanfic #5 seconds of summer imagines #5sos au #5sos fluff #5sos fic #5sos fics #calum hood fanfiction #calum hood preference #calum hood fanfic #calum hood x oc #5 seconds of summer fanfiction #5 seconds of summer fanfic #5 seconds of summer preferences #5 seconds of summer preference #5sos smut #calum hood smut #calum hood blurbs #calum hood blurb #5 seconds of summer smut #mine #rose tattoo

[the-hotter-otter]

Strangers || ATEEZ Fanfic

Seonghwa X OC

Mafia/Crime AU

3.7k words

Part 3 || chapter list || previous chapter || next chapter

Hyejin can’t fully commit to Seonghwa’s tempting offer, meanwhile Hongjoong continues to keep secretes.

Warning: blood, minor death, injury, violence, knife use

Angst, fluff, smut, cussing, violence, death

note: ayo shit will start moving soon I promiseee, I seriously don’t know where this story is gonna go but fuck it we’ll see. 

No pov

Hongjoong wasn’t at all surprised when Seonghwa came into his office late at night. He could tell there was a lie in between the lines Seonghwa spoke when he confronted the two last week. Being best friends for years with a bit of blood, death and guns on the side really did bring people together. 

“What’s her name?” Hongjoong asked, he couldn’t stay mad at Seonghwa. Hongjoong knew punishment wasn’t necessary on the eldest who was already racking his brain on it, as a leader he could tell when further discipline was needed and when it was best to leave it to their own self conscience. “If she’s staying here, I should at least know.”

“Lee Hyejin,” Seonghwa said, cursing the weird feeling of familiarity he felt after saying her name. 

“Lee hyejin?” Hongjoong quirked an eyebrow, he’s definitely heard of the name from somewhere, he just couldn’t pinpoint where. “Sounds familiar.”

Seonghwa merely nodded, somewhat glad that Hongjoong didn’t directly question him. “I’ll take responsibility for her.”

Hongjoong liked the sound of that, though it didn't change the fact that he was overlooking one more person. “That means a lot of things hwa, keeping her in line, taking care of her, watching her and protecting her if shit goes down.”

“She isn’t 5.” Seonghwa sighed, “I’m not spoon feeding her.” 

“But she knows.” Hongjoong reminded him, “and she knows she has you wrapped around her finger, people take advantage of that.” 

“I can always shoot her.” Seonghwa said as if it were so simple.

Hongjoong looked him up and down, silently judging the older one. Hongjoong sighed, he wasn’t exactly up for this kind of conversation at 2:30am, “Dramatic much... Aish don't waste the bullets, the suppliers have been shitty to us lately.”

“What I’m saying is you won't have to worry,” Seonghwa said, “you’ll barely notice her.”

Hongjoong looked Seonghwa up and down, “you want her to stay that badly?” 

Seonghwa was taken back by the other’s awkward perspective, “yes? There really isn’t any ulterior motive.”

Hongjoong gave a dawdled nod as he chuckled, “I’m playing with you hwa. Bring her in, I’ll let the others know of our latest addition.”

Seonghwa was about to step out of the office when Hongjoong suddenly spoke up again, “don’t forget about that task I gave you.”

Seonghwa gave a sharp nod, “I'll see to it by the end of the day.”

“Dont fuck up!” Hongjoong noted loud enough for the other to hear, he could imagine the rise he got from it. Deep down he was just joking, after all, Seonghwa never fucks up. 

Hongjoong enjoyed the tease he gave his best friend, more often than not, the former was in tight situations with serious consequences, loosening up was often the last thing he’d find himself doing. 

His smile was short lived when he suddenly felt the vibrations of his phone, and it wasn’t from the bold red one that was sprawled on the desk with the many papers. His face dropped drastically upon realizing that someone was calling the phone hidden deep in his pockets. There was only one person who’d be ringing. 

Mazaki Meiyo.

“Yes?” Hongjoong cautiously spoke up, his eyes darting around the office. He got up and opened the door to check if anyone was giving his conversation a listen. 

“They moved the deal.”

Hongjoong pinched the bridge of his nose, “when?”

“In an hour. You know just as well as me that this isn’t going to end smoothly.”

“Your deals rarely end well.” Hongjoong scoffed bitterly, he pulled the phone away from his ear when the other line went dead. He had to go now if he were to make it in time, he couldn’t afford to be late, not for these kinds of deals. 

Hongjoong pushed off his seat and swiftly buckled his hidden artillery onto his thigh and around his torso, making sure that his best weaponry was in close reach, ready for whatever conflict he was about to get into. Pulling the hood over his masked face, he checked the location Meiyo had sent him. 

The leader eyed the pile of paperwork that was due in a matter of days, he dreaded the inevitable all-nighters we’ll have to pull because of it. 

As Hongjoong left the household in silence, he turned his main phone off completely and stowed it in a hidden compartment. No one was going to find him tonight.

-

Hyejin pov

I stared at the phone screen in dismay, the loan shark has been after my ass for the debt I’ve yet to pay. I've been trying, but even after much struggle I only possess half of what I owe. 

I hated to take that offer from Seonghwa, the money from that deal would have covered my debt and rent from my residence long enough for me to make something out of a scrubby part time job, he just had to ruin me once more.

Then again, what other choice do I have? I leaned back on the wall of the alleyway, I don’t know anyone in this world. I was forgotten years ago, Seonghwa is the last person I’d go with, but he’s also the only one. 

My eyes drifted to the tall buildings around, they blocked the sunlight from ever entering these shabby alleys with large bins and locked deserted gates and doors. I met with the gazes that had been watching me for a while now, in a building a few blocks away yet still in perfect view, two middle aged men who most likely reeked of cigarettes and alcohol admired me from their apartment which could easily come off as an abandoned building left to collect dust and grime.

I squinted my eyes as I felt my vision start to give into fatigue, unrealistic hues of blue and neons started bouncing around. Every now and then, the migraine in my head would dust my eyes with a cloud of grey that blurred my sight ever so slightly. I sighed as I began seeing four instead of two weird men. I tried to refrain from focusing on anything, the lack of good sleep and food had me feeling all sorts of murky effects. 

Their stalkerish behaviour had been creeping me out for the past few days, despite it, I never saw a proper reason to leave the little spot I've claimed for rest. Plus, the odd duo hadn’t made any advances that had worried me thus far. 

The day continued, and the city had been busy as usual. Bikes raced down the side of the roads and paths, scaring the uptight mothers into a slur of curses. Teenage girls carelessly skipped around in their tiny croptops, powdery make up and flaunty shoes with boys their parents have no idea existed. Cars drove with their temperamental owners honking and anything and everything, then there were the workers who were either strolling around after their shifts or sprinting in swerves around people in effort to not be late.

Yet here I was sitting in a slump not so far from the hoards of people, absorbing the natural noises of the city that started to sound more like blaring megaphones instead of white noise. 9pm had crept faster than I expected, truthfully I wasn’t sure whether or not to go through with Seonghwa’s offer. I still had a chance to reconsider, perhaps I could deal with the information for money? After all, a controversial topic surrounding Seonghwa would no doubt bring in a big sum. 

I shook my head from the ludicrous thoughts, there was no guarantee in shady business, ever. It's a far-fetched plan, and the fact that I didn't have a name to my face meant I was that less convincing. 

Though I knew this offer would mean gambling my safety and if I were to stretch the possibilities, my own life. I still wasn’t 100% on board with the whole moving in with Seonghwa and whatever team he’s apart off, neither could I fathom the thought of that sinful man working with people, and that’s without mentioning his sudden change in attitude towards his victims.

It was yet another reason why I’m so reluctant to associate with him, because this isn’t the Seonghwa I was familiar with, he was a stranger, and no one is at ease when they’re affiliated with someone they don't know, especially when that person had guns, knives and all sorts of deadly possessions in their grasp. 

I groaned as I got up with a hazy mind. I looked up and to my suprise the stretchy men were back to watch me, it started to feel uncomfortable now. “Nice knowing you too I guess…” I keep my voice to a murmur. Soon I found myself heading to the meeting spot. 

My heart feels enraged with regret, and it’s impossible to ignore. There was a mere few minutes till the clock struck 9, I can get out of here now or never. 

The Central Train Station was quite grand. With multiple steps just to get to the entrance, neatly trimmed gardens surrounding the place and ancient pillars that held up the building. It was one of the older buildings that turned into a modern utility. 

“Fuck...” I muttered under my breath, “no, fuck this.”

Before I could think I was already speed walking to get the hell out of here. I had pride, I could at least preserve that after losing everything else. 

-

No pov

Blood coated the blade and splattered across the floor and walls of the office, the books on the shelf were drenched and soaking up every bit of red fluid. If only the man had just followed through with the deal, he wouldn’t have ended up dead. 

“What a hassle.” Seonghwa sighed, as he wiped his blade clean on his way out, though it was satisfying seeing the horrors painted on his face as Seonghwa taunted him, revenge for the knife he flung at Hongjoong during their last deal not long ago. 

Seonghwa analysed the slash along his shoulder area, it wasn’t serious at all but it sure did look ugly and soaked his dress shirt in a dark red, in the midst of the tension it felt numb but as his heart rate came down he could slowly feel the stinging pain emitting from the open flesh. He let out a relieved sigh after knowing that none of his own blood had ended up dripping anywhere. 

If it weren’t for the man’s sleeping family in the other room, Seonghwa could have easily finished it off with a bullet but he had to move silently. In turn, it cost him when the man felt fit to fight back with his own blade.

Seonghwa felt Hyejin was partly accountable for his injury. 20 minutes was a bit of a rush for a mission like this, but he had no choice if he was going to make it to the station in time. There was a chance that Hyejin wouldn’t even show up, and that chance made seonghwa unsteady and tense. 

As he pulled up to a red light he felt a distant memory unfold, one that brought a sense of discomfort.

Laughter bubbled up in the front of the car, toothy smiles that twinkled despite the gloomy rain outside. The lull of the music had been turned down for a while now as the soft chatter continued. 

“Hyejin, I told you I don’t need anything for my birthday.” Seonghwa insisted once more with a light chuckle, his one hand on the wheel while the other tried to hold her hand back. He watched in helplessness as she clipped the dangling toothless charm around the rear mirror of the car, her little laugh escaping her lips as it dangled between them.

“It’s cute! I’m telling you, you look just like him.” Hyejin insisted, “and that’s not even the best part.”

Seonghwa couldn't help but smile when the toothless unclipped in half to reveal a small photo framed inside, the details were minuscule but clearly contained the two of them on one of their more memorable dates. 

“Ya, this looks expensive, how much did you spend on me.” Seonghwa diverted the conversation as he observed the matte black of the green eyed dragon. 

“It wasn’t much, don't worry hwa.” Hyejin patted his hand, “I’ve got something else, it's more personal since I made it myself.” 

“So you have something else now?” Seonghwa sighed, though his stupid grin betrayed the annoyed look he tried to show.

The red light cascaded from red to orange to green and before hyejin could whip out the other half of her gift seonghwa sped off, “fine! I’ll accept your gifts, love.”

Seonghwa sneered at the Toothless charm he had yet to take off, if anything it became part of his car’s identity, making it slightly easier to navigate the garage of small black cars, specially on the days when all the vehicles would be together. 

Seonghwa had pulled to a slow stop in front of the station, hiding the charm was his first and foremost priority, Hyejin would most definitely recognize it. 

As he was about to yank the chain off, the corner of his eyes caught a sudden shadow appearing at the window.

Completely forgetting about the charm, Seonghwa halted in his seat, his hand already clasped around the gun latched onto him. It wasn’t until a hesitant Hyejin peered through the window did he relax his grip. On the other hand, Hyejin was feeling anything but relaxed, especially after seeing the bloodbath of a man in the driver's seat.

“So you’ll take my offer?” Seonghwa asked as if it wasn't already obvious enough, Hyejin scoffed. Her response was seen through the way she snuggled down into the passenger seat in a strained sigh of relief after being situated on the hard concrete for days on days.

Throughout the ride Hyejin had kept a careful observation of the roads they had been speeding across, if worse came to worse, she could make a run for it. 

Hyejin silently and subtly glanced around, the car itself hadn’t changed at all, not even the peppermint scent it gave off from the gum Seonghwa had been loyal to for most of his life, though it was currently heavily overpowered by the stench of blood. Hyejin didn’t want to know how and what got him that gruesome injury.

However, the most prominent and unusual feature that had still existed in the car was the all too familiar charm that dangled and swung around underneath the rearview mirror. The dragon's bright green eyes and toothy smile didn't go unnoticed, especially since Hyejin was the one who got it for him years ago. 

Hyejin had the decency to stay silent about it, the stiffness of the air was already far too overbearing, there was no need to intensify it’s sour atmosphere.

“It’s not just me who lives here.” Seonghwa brings up, 

“I figured.” Hyejin sighed, she had heard the many rumours over the years of how a certain group had been overturning the criminal world with unrivaled skill and accomplishments, they became big in the industry. This group of young, skilled men made a name for themselves and it became one feared by many, ATEEZ. 

Though it wasn’t just their skill that had made them the talk of many circles, it was the people within the group, the majority of which already had a reputation high on their shoulders. Hyejin had heard of the promising sniper who had joined their ranks, the insanely witty dealer who knew how to smooth talk his way to riches, the stealthy man who snuck into and claimed dangerous possessions without a single sound. 

Then there was the hitman who possessed the skill of 100 men, he was a young and promising lone wolf who had been rumoured to have joined ATEEZ.

Hyejin didn’t want to believe it was Seonghwa, in fact she didn't want to hear about anything related to Seonghwa, but it wasn’t possible when she was involved with loan sharks and illegal exchanges for the money she was in dire need for. Of course, because of her interactions with others, Hyejin was aware of Seonghwa’s growing skill and relevant changes, it disgusted her to say the least, how much better he had gotten at taking lives.

However the failed deal from last week confirmed her denial to be wrong, Seonghwa was well and truly closely associated with a group, and that group was no doubt ATEEZ.

“Dont try anything stupid.” Seonghwa warned, Hyejin rolled her eyes slightly, “I’m serious, I see the way you're memorizing these roads.”

Hyejin froze momentarily, she eyed Seonghwa who had removed his eyes from the road after stopping at a red light. Hyejin had forgotten how sharp he actually was, the intellectual from highschool still existed within him.

Hyejin got the chance to really see how much Seonghwa had changed, even underneath all of that stained blood and light smears of dirt, she could easily tell that his facial features had sharpened immensely, he wasn’t the same soft faced charmer that made highschool hearts throbs on a daily. If anything, Seonghwa now resembled a high class heartbreaker with a body count worthy enough for a world record. 

Of course some things don't ever change, like his lush lip and stunning eyes that stared back at her. Before the awkwardness could settle, Hyejin looked away, subconsciously glancing at the toothless charm. Seonghwa noticed the glare she gave it, his hands went to take it off but was ultimately stopped by the swat Hyejin gave.

“What’s the point of taking it off now? You had years to do that.” Hyejin raised an eyebrow. 

Seonghwa did not respond and merely sighed as he began moving on the road once again. Hyejin was taken back when they suddenly verged off into a bush area, what was a simple scenery of grass turned into a splatter of greenery. Trees towered high, vines and dense bushes had taken over, it was an untouched forest and they were driving right through it.

Hyejins eyes squinted in growing concern, she wanted to believe they were just passing through to get to another town, but her panic only continued to rise as they got deeper into the maze of nature. Her eyes glare at Seonghwa who seemed to have already expected her to build up doubts.

“Jump out and you’ll be as good as dead.” Seonghwa warned, as he quickly glanced at her stray hand reluctantly reaching for the handle.

“Where are we going Seonghwa….” Hyejin glowered at the driver who was rather unfazed. Even when the subtle sound of a knife being drawn was heard, Seonghwa didn't look away from the road.

The driver pushed his head back against the seat as soon as he caught sight of the fast approaching knife. With the blade a finger's length away, Seonghwa sighed, “I’m not gonna hurt. We’re going to the house, so put the knife down and have a little faith.” 

“Who the hell lives in a goddam forest?!” Hyejin hissed in a raised voice, her eyes teared up from staring so intensely into his side profile. 

“Put the knife down or we’ll both die.” Seonghwa lowered his voice, and Hyejin did not comply. The male halted the car to connect his eyes to hers, in one swift and unnoticeable movement, he grasped her wrist tightly, causing the knife to be let loose and drop to the pit of the car. Hyejin suddenly let a sharp exhale out as Seonghwa pinned her hand down in between them. She cursed her hazy headaches for causing the drastic disadvantage against Seonghwa.

“Stop panicking, we’re almost there.” Seonghwa said as he began driving once again, Hyejin didn’t attempt to squirm out of his hold.

“Your a fucking joke,” Hyejin hissed, “I’ll never put faith in you, not after all the shit you’ve done to me.” 

Soenghwa pinched his lips together at the indirect upbringing of her family’s murder. He wasn’t about to smooth that mess out now, it’ll require a calmer Hyejin and a better situation to explain. 

Hyejin tried to compose herself, but she knew the only way to soothe her panic was to see proof of what Seonghwa was saying.

As they pulled into the driveway of Horizon, Hyejin's tense shoulders melted into the seat. Seonghwa scoffed as he got out of the car first. The jerking of his head signalled for her to get out, hyejin sneered at the man, “give me a damn second will you?”

Seonghwa rolled his eyes before heading inside momentarily, most likely to check if anyone was still up in the early stages of the night. Hyejin took the time alone to get a good grasp at what she had just gotten herself into.

A house, full of dangerous men, in the middle of a forest and a single long ass road back to civilization. 

This wasn’t ideal at all, and Hyejin started to regret this more than ever.

As she took in short breaths her eyes trailed back to the rear mirror charm. All of a sudden, curiosity had her fiddling with the Toothless till it unlatched. She furrowed her eyebrows at the sight of the blank frame. It wasn’t that she was disappointed, it was merely confusion.

“But you keep the charm…” Hyejin glared at the Toothless that was once a gift of love. In the back of her mind she wondered if her other gift was still intact.

Hyejin could worry about that later. Right now, she needed to stay sane and alive, she knew well enough that she would never be guaranteed a way out of death's grasps. Relish in the house and slowly pay off her existing debt? Yes. Get comfortable and trust that your back will be safe in a distant place full of criminals? Hell no.

#ateez #ateez ff #ateez fanfic #alternate universe #crimefiction #kpopidol #kpop #ateez seonghwa #ateez hongjoong #park seonghwa #kim hongjoong #choi san #Seonghwa #seonghwa ateez