Tumgik
#the boys are comfortable enough with where they’re at and providing us still with music and activities
shinwhoohoo · 1 year
Note
ugh I saw a tiktok comment the other day saying b1a4 were a nugu group... also that they never hit it big. lmao clearly someone wasn't a kpop fan in 2013/2014
I’m sure that individual is very much just in their 4th gen bubble lol. Comments like that honestly don’t even bother me anymore, it’s not even worth it. Just makes the commenter sound like a pressed 15 year old. Like ok, you clearly care enough to be bringing them up in the first place so thanks I guess 😂
10 notes · View notes
tirednerd2012 · 2 years
Note
Jonathan isn't Will's safe place. The Party is.
The Party is, at least in season 1 and 2, absolutely a safe spot for Will, but Jonathan is one of the stronger ones in my opinion.
He was the one that raised Will alongside Joyce. He loved him and watched over him and took a lot of the abuse from Lonnie and defended Will from Lonnie, something that the members of the party wouldn't do. There is a sense of security Will can have in his older brother.
I would honestly argue that one of the reasons Will survived the Upside Down was because of Jonathan. Jonathan was the one who introduced him to the song, Should I Stay or Should I Go, and that is the song Will kept singing to himself while he was in the Upside Down. We know that music plays a role in surviving the other dimension, and it helped protect Will for the WEEK that he was there. But I don't think he was singing it to keep himself busy, but it reminded him of his brother. His brother that would do anything in the world to keep him safe. In his most desperate moments, Will wanted his big brother there with him. Because he knew if Jonathan was there, he would be safe. Jonathan would have faced the Demogorgon empty handed, without a plan, if it just bought Will a few moments to get away. He willingly led it to the house, putting his and Nancy’s lives on the line, because he couldn’t just stand by. He would have gone TO THE UPSIDE DOWN HIMSELF to get to Will. And the thing is, Will knows that. Will never has to question if Jonathan loves him or not. Will never once questions the extent Jonathan would go for him.
Jonathan also makes it a point to stay with Will when things start going bad. When the Mind Flayer tore into Hopper’s cabin, Jonathan used himself as Will’s shield. He grabs Will and holds him when they’re in danger together and Will looks to Jonathan throughout the series for encouragement or comfort, even without directly saying it.
Will views Jonathan as someone who does keep him safe. He protected him from Lonnie, assured him when people were bullying him, and is the one of the people that would do literally anything for him. Jonathan helped provide for his family and tried his best to make sure Will would still have a childhood, something he lost out on. He takes on his problems himself so the attention can go to Will and he is someone who is constantly in his corner.
He also has more of an emotional safety net with Jonathan, too. They’re so in tune with each other that the sight of Will crying in the back of the van causes Jonathan to tear up himself. And, in season 2, when Will and Jonathan talked after Jonathan found out people were calling Will Zombie Boy, Will wasn’t afraid to tell Jonathan to stop treating him like a child. While Jonathan has always protected him, he became overprotective and overbearing after Will got back, which is understandable, but Will felt comfortable and secure enough to where he could talk to Jonathan about it. He did not talk to anyone else about it, but he knew he was heard and loved with Jonathan and Jonathan would respond accordingly.
I love the Party so much, but there’s just something about an older sibling’s protection and, specifically, Jonathan’s love for his brother. There is nothing that Jonathan wouldn’t do for him.
Also someone reblogged this and reminded me about how Will went to Castle Byers in the Upside Down. Who made Castle Byers as a safe place for Will? Jonathan. 
38 notes · View notes
books-and-catears · 3 years
Note
Welp, since I’m a regular now; I’mma just park my chair here and spin the idea wheel. And so the idea wheel has decided!
Let’s have the Brothers and Undatables react to MC just barging in unexpectedly while they’re busy doing whatever. Everyone’s just vibing together at Diavolo’s talking about things, playing games, and all dat jazz and suddenly MC comes in with a blank face before they get a sad expression (they’re this close 👌🏾 to having a breakdown, it’s so sad).
MC:....Can I have a hug? 🥺 *says weakly as they were seconds away from crying*
Bby needs comfort! (Let’s just say they recently lost a loved one and they want some affection)
My first ever regular. You have no idea how much I cherish you. Thank you for the funniest and angstiest asks ever. This hits too close to home. I've lost two very close people to disease and suicide in the last few years and the feeling is horrible. So this might end up being a bit self indulgent... apologies.
Please if any of your friends seem not okay, check up on them regularly. Even the adults in your life. And most importantly check up on yourself. Take care okay?
I will do my best to do this justice too. Sorry if it's a little late college and extra classes are a pain sometimes.
Tumblr media
It was not news you were prepared to receive. Not that day. It was supposed to be a day of celebration.
Lord Diavolo had announced a small party just for Council and the exchange students. Asmo had taken hours to get you ready. Everyone was excited and in good spirits, clinking their glasses and cheering for a joyous reunion. There was music, dancing and laughter so loud, it felt like it was echoing all across Devildom.
And yet here you were in the bathroom, bent over a sink, staring at yourself in disbelief. You had received horrible news from the human world.
A last message an old friend had left for you.
"Hey MC, thanks for being kind to me. Although we have a long and sweet history, it felt good to reconnect and feel wanted in my last few days. Thanks for the last hug, MC. It was the best one I've ever had."
What kind of bittersweet message was this? What was the point of making them feel wanted if they still left anyway?
No you must keep your composure, you think. The laughter keeps echoing louder. While internal screams creep up your throat. You have to go back before they start worrying about you.
The doors to the ballroom feel heavy as you push through. "Hey look! MC's back! Now we-- MC...?"
You don't know what face you were making, but everyone went quiet. Some looked horrified, some worried and some panicked. You felt your head go dizzy with the pain, tears stinging the corners it your eyes.
Looking directly at one of them, you croaked out the first thing that came into mind.
"C-could I have a hug?"
Lucifer
This man isn't a hugger. But for you he'd make an exception every day.
Especially when you asked for it so desperately.
Walk up to you swiftly, holding the back of your head and pressing it to his chest, while his other arm wraps around you.
"Would you prefer to spend some time in private?" He whispers as you break into soft sobs in his arms and nod.
"Excuse us. We'll be back shortly. Anyone who follows us will face consequences. MC needs some time alone." He calls out to the rest and whisks you away to his room.
Makes you sit in his lap as he cradles you while you cry. Keeps telling you it's not your fault and you tried your best.
Mammon
Someone save this boy, he is a mess himself.
He feels guilty already. He can't stand to see you this way. What couldn't he protect you from??
Aren't you the one who rushes to give people hugs?
He returns the favour. Sprinting towards you and engulfing you instantly in his arms.
He feels your shaky breath as you cling on to him and goes bezerk.
"Oi. I'm taking MC home." It's the most serious he has ever been.
Doesn't hesitate to bring out his wings and fly you home as soon as possible. He cups your face as you cry, his fingers wiping down each tear. His eyes are pained looking at you like this, it wasn't even your fault. You tried till the end didn't you?
Leviathan
This man's protective trigger has been switched. Who dare be the cause of this?
You're his cheery best friend. He simply won't stand to see you like this.
Runs towards you and hugs you as tight as he can, like you've done for him so many times. Embarassment be damned.
You asked for a hug, he will definitely give you one. You grab onto his jacket with trembling fingers and lean into him.
"MC would you like to go home ?" He asks softly, patting your head. You nod softly.
Takes you home as fast as possible, and lays you down in his tub. When start crying violently he starts to tear up alongside you. Losing a friend isn't easy afterall.
Satan
His first instinct was violence. His fist tightening, about to murder whoever did this to you.
But the moment you raised your arms, asking for a hug in that small voice, it was like looking at a helpless kitten in pain.
Another one who sprints towards you to hold you close. His hug feels gentle yet urgent at the same time.
He cupped your cheek, and stared as your eyes grew misty. "Don't worry we're getting out this instant." Slammed the doors behind him as he left. A subtle message to leave them be.
He took you to common room, near the fireplace to warm you up, one of his arms always around you, as you wailed and choked on your tears. He presses kisses on your head too and tells you how kind you were. You did your part. You weren't responsible for someone else's actions.
Asmodeus
He is gasping and tearing up at the sight of you. Oh you poor thing who dare hurt you?!
How could he ever say no to your hugs? Especially now when you needed him most?
He comes at you with such speed that you both almost topple over. He rubs your back and arms trying to calm you down with his touch as he hugs you.
"Would you like to be alone with me MC?" The moment you nod, his wings are out and you're soaring through the air until you find yourself in his bath.
You lean against him and cry your heart out, he holds you from behind, pressing kisses on your head whispering it's okay.
Beelzebub
Baby boy is heartbroken. Why do you look like that? Where are you hurt?
He immediately hates that look on your face. He must do something to fix it immediately.
Runs and lifts you up in his arms and holds you so close to himself, his arms providing endless protection.
"MC will food make it better?" You shake your head so he takes off. He doesn't care about the feast he missed, he just wants you to be okay.
Flies you into his room and gives you plushies to hold onto while he gets you all your favourite food. Will hold you tight as you sob into his chest and will feed you later on cause he knows how exhausting crying can be.
Belphegor
He knows that face. And he knows the pain behind it. And now he's feeling it too.
Who did this? Who dared? Tell him their name and they're gone.
A hug, huh? He's ready to give you much more than that if you ask.
Walks towards you and wraps you up in his jacket and then his arms. His hug is so warm and soft you could fall asleep right there.
"Let's go lie down together." He will take you home and put you down in his bed, bundled up in his blanket, his soft pillow under your head. Pulls you flush against him as you sob and scream into his pillow.
Solomon
He is human. Of course he knows the face of ultimate pain. He's been through it so many times he's made himself immune.
But he wasn't immune to yours. Your ever smiling face - that was what he liked. This irked him, made him restless.
He's next to you in the blink of an eye, wrapping his arms around you, cloak and all, his mouth pressing down on your head.
"Let's take it to the sky shall we? Don't worry I've got you." He says softly. You nod, your fingers grasping at his shirt.
And in mere seconds you are soaring above the clouds, the gentle air cooling your burning heart as you cry into the wind. He holds you close and whispering to make you feel better.
Diavolo
He has seen this face only once before. When Lucifer came to him Lilith dying in his arms.
He saw the look on yours and he was determined to help you however he could. And if it started with a hug so be it.
Takes big strides and hoists you up in his arms, as you wrap your shaking arms around his neck and press your face into his jacket.
"The party is over. MC shall stay with me tonight I'll send them back when they feel better." Gone was his usual cheery tone. He seemed distraught, angry almost.
Took you to his bedroom and laid you down softly, still holding onto you tightly, keeping you from falling apart as you sob into his arms. Takes the next days off to be next to you.
Simeon
His emotions mirror your own. Seeing you in such pain, makes him feel the same.
His heart is breaking seeing you this way. He can't hold you fast enough.
He swiftly runs to hold your hands first. He feels them tremble in his own and he wraps himself around Immediately, cradling your head delicately.
"Let's get you away. You'd like that won't you?" He says running his fingers through your hair. You let you a breathy yes and he's off.
You land in Purgatory hall, curled up into him on the couch, freshly brewed flower tea on the table. He holds you close as you cry into his arms. Tells you that your friend is in a better place because you healed their soul before they left.
Barbatos
You made the usually composed demon crack. Even if for a moment, he felt the need to do something extreme.
What was causing you this much discomfort? He was ready to eliminate it.
A mere hug? Is that what would make you feel better? He is ready to deliver.
He's there before you know it, holding you like delicate royalty. You could crumble at how soft he was for you.
"Would you prefer somwhere more quiet?" He asks. You only need to nod once and he's already sweeping you off your feet and into his chambers. Picks the most calming teas for you as he sits by your side holding your hand.
Luke
He knew the demons were no good. Of course it was a matter of time before MC got hurt again.
He was about to cry looking at you, ready to throw hands at the whoever caused this.
A hug? A hug will help? YES OF COURSE.
He flies straight into, wrapping his little arms around your neck. Like a baby brother comforting a distraught older sibling.
"Come on MC! Let's get away from here!" He says and flies you off to purgatory hall. He brings you to the kitchen and starts whipping up your favourite desserts to cheer you up.
2K notes · View notes
Text
The coffee and the cup (Jeong Yunho/Smut)
Ateez Masterlist                                       Group Masterlist 
A/N: You bet your ass this was inspired by the pottery video. I was also inspired by a lot of ceramics artists I follow on instagram and thought this was fun.
This is a feel good story, no bad things, just good. Just wanted a feel good thing. 
Tumblr media
Tags: Potter! Yunho x Café owner reader!, Fem! reader, a lot of pining and sweet glances, coffee, a freshly starting relationship, love confessions, Hongjoong that likes to judge
Smut tags: Very sweet, gentle, soft dom! Yunho, marking, oral (female receiving), Fingering (female receiving), scratching, Praise, teasing, Unprotected sex (wrap it up y’all)
Word count:  8046 (I don’t do short stories) 
There was something utterly comforting about the feeling a café could give you. It was something that you had always enjoyed, from being in middle school, getting cookies and chocolate milk before school, to high school and college where you did all day study sessions, cafe’s had become a safe haven for you. Therefore it was only natural that you had grown up with a dream of starting your own. 
With the little money you had managed to save up and the help from your family, your cafe had become a reality. A reality that you never thought would happen. It was even more surreal as you unpacked your first groceries and placed them in the pantry and refrigerator, looking around your place. Your place.
It was small, with only two, two persons tables indoor and two outdoors, it was more a “grab a drink and go” type of place and it was perfect for you. It was seated in a small street, filled with small locally owned businesses and what better way to introduce yourself, than to bake. 
A classic lemon blueberry muffin was the taste of coming home, the taste you wanted to sell at your store, a taste you wanted to give your fellow shop owners. You wanted people to feel comforted at your place, so you made something comforting with a little twist, so that everybody could see what type of person you were. Baking was your second love to coffee, so you went to work making around 30 muffins. The delicious smell filling your store and placing a smile on your face. Nothing could drag your day down, not that day.
Once the muffins had cooled enough from coming out of the oven, you packaged them carefully and placed them all in a little wicker basket, setting off to say hi to your neighbors. Starting with the little music instrument store right next door. The owner wasn’t what you expected at all, young, well dressed with one painted nail on each hand, going by the name Hongjoong. He greeted you with an amazing smile, wondering how he could help you.
“Welcome! Can I help you find anything?” He asked and you couldn’t help but beam a smile back at him. “No believe me you wouldn’t want me playing any instruments. I bought the café next door and wanted to introduce myself!” You said raising your basket to show him. “Oh! Welcome to the neighborhood!” He shook your free hand, smiling at you brightly. “So you’re going to be providing us caffeine from now on. I greatly appreciate it.” He said and you couldn’t help but laugh. It’s nice that people were missing a café here, gave you hope that you would do well.
You grabbed one package of muffins and placed them on his counter. “I hope you like lemon blueberry muffins. I made them from scratch and well they’re my personal favorite.” You explained and he tore into the packaging quickly. “I’m partial to anything made with bread.” He said, pulling apart a muffin and popping a piece into his mouth. “Oh, everyone around here is going to love these. You should head to Wooyoung’s restaurant down the street, Yeosang’s skate shop, Oh and Yunho’s little store next door. He might eat you out of house and home but oh boy he might become your best customer. These are delicious.” He complimented and you felt a sigh of relief. No matter how many people tried your food and drinks, you still got anxious when it came to their opinions. “I’ll head there now. Would be nice to have a customer before we even open.” You said softly and Hongjoong nodded. “He’s loyal too. If he likes what you have, he’ll never go anywhere else.” He added, making you laugh.
The sound of the door opening behind you made you glance in that direction, seeing a teenage boy looking around the instruments. “Well, I’ll let you get back to it.” You said, heading for the door. “Thank you again for the muffins and if you ever need any help with anything, don’t be stranger.” Hongjoong told you, making you feel all warm in your chest. He was incredibly kind, you could tell from the way he carried himself. “I won’t. Have a good day!” You said, waving as you exited his store. 
It was an incredibly good day out, sun brightly shining down on you as you walked to the little shop next to the music store. The bell signaled that you entered the building, but there was no one in sight. You stood by the door a moment, not wanting to overstep boundaries even if it was a store to shop in. Not only for that reason though, you were scared to knock something over and break it. 
The store was filled with shelves lining the bright yellow painted walls, on those shelves were a bunch of clay made works. From little figurines to beautifully sculpted plates, vases and mugs coated with bright paint. It was all so colorfull and bright, making a large smile pull over your lips. 
However, no one came to the front so you remained still another moment before calling out. “Hello?” You asked, holding on to your basket and leaning forward to see if you could spot anyone. “Hello?” You asked again, not really expecting a response but wanting to make sure. 
“Come on to the back, I can’t open the door back here because my hands are really dirty!” A voice called out and spotted the door that muffled it. You maneuvered yourself carefully to not knock things over as you made your way to the door, spotting a few mugs and plates you wouldn’t mind adding to the café’s collection on your way. You stood in front of the door not quite knowing what to expect when you opened the door, but you did it anyways. 
It lead to a little studio, with big windows in the back and more shelves lining the room. In the middle sat a pottery wheel with what looked like a half finished vase resting on it. But what was really eye catching, was the man washing his hands by the sink in the corner.
He was tall, with long legs, dark hair and broad shoulders. Wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt that had clay stains all over them. Then he turned around, finally exposing his face to you and you seemingly felt your knees get weak. Never in your life had you seen eyes like his, so big and full of emotion. It only made the stripe of dried clay on his cheek seem even cuter. 
“Can I help you with anything?” He asked, drying his hands before walking towards you. Lifting your basket, you had a hard time finding words for a moment as he smiled at you. “I- uh- Hongjoong next door sent me over. I bought the café 2 doors down and wanted to introduce myself.” You explained, watching his smile get even bigger. You quickly stuck your hand out to his and he looked down at it, taking it gently. “I’m Y/N.” You said, really taking note of the way his eyes sparkled. “I’m Yunho.” 
Now Yunho knew it wasn’t really all that common for people his age to make a living off of pottery and art. But he saw that as a challenge, a challenge he took head on and had managed to do it. It was his passion, it was what he was good at and well, the looks of surprise on people’s faces when they asked him what he did for a living was an added plus. 
Now he hadn’t been expecting any visitors that day so he was taking the time to create a vase he had been thinking about making. But he wasn’t mad at the interuption at all, especially not one in such cute packaging. Your yellow sundress was inviting, your pink cheeks even more so and not to mention the wicker basket with baked goods. You looked like the angel of his own personal heaven. 
“I made muffins, they’re lemon blueberry.” You said, pulling the two packaged muffins out of the basket and handing them to him. You were feeling incredibly shy suddenly, even though the man was radiating nothing but a positive energy. “Oh! You said Hongjoong sent you?” Yunho asked, taking the packaging. You nodded at his words and he let out a hearty laugh. “He knows my kryptonite, baked goods.” You couldn’t help but laugh at his words as he took one more step closer to you. 
“I hope you don’t mind my asking, but what are you making?” You asked, gesturing to the pottery wheel. Yunho’s eyes widened at your interest before moving back towards the wheel. “I was asked to make a vase specifically for calla lillies. The design needed to be ‘unique’ according to the client.” He laughed and you took a step closer to look at the clay better. Unique was definitely an accurate description for it, but beautiful none the less. “It’s really pretty.” You said and looked back at him. He was watching your response to his work, finding it endearing how focussed you were on it. 
“I have something for you.” Yunho said quickly, wanting to welcome you to neighborhood properly. He gestured for you to follow him back to the front of the shop as he scanned his shelves for something. “Something for me?” You asked, following him as looked around. “Yes, something for you. To welcome you to the neighborhood.” He said sounding incredibly cheerful which made butterflies fill your stomach.
It was funny how Yunho had taken a few looks at you and instantly had a piece of his in mind to gift you. It just seemed like it suited you, with your bright choice in muffin flavors and the sunny aura that you had radiated to him. It was just an obvious choice to him. 
“There they are.” He said, pulling 2 mugs from the back of a shelf. They were made for a large cup of coffee, with sunflowers molded onto them and painted. They were very pretty and something you most definitely would have picked out for yourself. He quickly shuffled to his counter, wrapping them with paper for protection and placing them in a little bag. Yunho was a little scatterbrained, self admittedly, but it was only natural to get a little extra nervous when there was a pretty girl in front of him. 
“I hope these get put to good use when the café opens.” He said, as he wrote something on a card and slipped it into the bag. You caught a glimpse of his handwriting, noting how messy and cute it was before looking away again. “I’ll definitely put them to good use. I’ll make sure to serve my first cup of coffee in one.” You promised and Yunho could feel his ears burning red. “Good.” He said softly, sliding the bag in your direction. “The shop opens in 2 days, I would enjoy it if you stopped by.” You said softly as you grabbed the bag and placed it in your basket. “I’ll be there for sure.” He said, simply standing and looking at you. You admittedly were doing the same, finding yourself getting absolutely lost in those eyes before tearing yourself away. “I have a few more stops to make-” You started, walking towards the door because you were embarrassed for staring. 
“I really hope you enjoy those muffins.” You finished, placing your hand on the door handle and looking back at him one more time. “I most definitely will.” Yunho smiled, watching you leave his shop before leaning down and pressing his forehead against the counter. He hadn’t had a rush from someone in a long time, you were like a shot of caffeine and he had you on his mind for the rest of the day. 
You had brought around the rest of your muffins before coming back to your shop. It was now late in the afternoon and the had calmed down quite a bit. You had discovered that your new little neighborhood was close, tight knit. Everyone seemed to know eachother and something about that was quite comforting. Wooyoung’s resaurant was incredibly home-y with delicious food (he had forced you to sit down and enjoy some food) and Yeosang’s skate shop was just adorable with a lot of custom boards there and they all seemed to know eachother quite well. It was helping you realise you had chosen the right spot, you needed the support. 
Sitting down at a table, you placed your basket down as well. The whole afternoon you had been curious about what Yunho had written down on the card. It was on your mind the whole time and well so was he. He was quite magnetic, awkward and just very cute, you really couldn’t help it. 
Pulling the mugs from the bag, you unwrapped them carefully so that you can take in the details more. You hadn’t really gotten the chance to before, you were entirely too focussed on something or rather someone else. You held one of the mugs in your hand, looking it over and running your fingers over the smooth ridges. It was all so incredibly detailed and such a sweet gift. 
You put the mug down and pulled the card from the bag. It was just simple cardstock with no design on it, only his writing and you felt the butterflies bubble back up as you read.
“I thought it was a good day because of the weather, but I guess it was because you were in the neighborhood. I can’t wait to stop by your café when it opens, but I would love it even more if you would go on a date with me, maybe let me teach you how to sculpt. I’ll leave my number for you. 
It was nice meeting you, sunshine.
- Yunho
P.S the mugs are handwash only”
You laughed at the last sentence holding the letter to your chest as you did so. A date with Yunho, it was all so sweet. Not to mention his nickname for you had you swooning. 
Pushing yourself up from the table, you placed the mugs on the counter and put the card by your store’s phone. It was too soon to call right away, but you were definitely going to call. There was no doubt about that, you could feel a connection with him instantly and you couldn’t help but mentally thank Hongjoong for that. 
-
Time had seemingly slipped away from you after that day. You had been incredibly busy the day after, getting everything ready and prepared for your grand opening. Baking what you could, grinding coffee beans and preparing mugs, plates and other items. You weren’t expecting a huge turnout or anything... but it never hurt to be prepared. 
But that coupled with your anxiety for doing well, you seemingly forgot about Yunho’s number that was just waiting to be called by your phone. It was purely accidental that it happened, that it had all slipped your mind. 
But you were quickly reminded of it when he stood in front of you, after you had given one of your first customers their order of coffee and an oatmeal cookie. There he was, standing in front of you at 10 a.m, wearing a lightly striped button down tucked into black jeans. Considerably more dressed up than the last time you had seen him, however this image of him made you think of his number and you panicked. 
“Oh my god Yunho, I forgot to call.” You said, clasping a hand over your mouth in embarrassment. You felt absolutely horrible at the realization however Yunho could only laugh. “It’s alright, it’s alright sunshine. I figured you were busy with the opening and everything so I didn’t take it to heart.” He smiled at you and you pouted. “I feel really bad. What can I do to make it up to you?” You asked, walking around your little counter because from what you could tell, there were no more customers left to serve aside from him in the café. 
Your response was just so cute to him, he didn’t think you owed him anything at all. He gave you his number and it was your choice to call him or not. However he still would have really like that date, especially seeing you again. You were wearing a simple orange, shin length, floral skirt with a black t-shirt tucked into it and an apron fastened around your waist. You were... sunny to him. 
“You don’t have to make it up to me, you don’t owe me anything. But I would still like to know if you would like to go on a date with me?” He asked and you couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief at his question. “Oh and I would love another lemon blueberry muffin. I ate both alarmingly fast the other day.” He added on quickly, laughing as he did so. He didn’t want you to feel pressure, at all. Yunho wanted you to go out with him because you wanted too, not anything else. 
You looked down to the ground in attempts to hide the blush on your cheeks, before pulling yourself together and finally looking up into his eyes. “I can definitely do a date and I can also definitely do a muffin.” You said and quickly disappeared behind your counter again. Yunho watched with adoration as you did, incredibly happy but trying to keep things cool. 
“Here is your muffin... would you like anything else?” You asked, handing him the packaged treat and his fingers grazed yours. “No, I got what I came for.” Yunho said and reached for his wallet. “No, it’s on the house.” You stopped him and he looked at you, opening his mouth to  say something. “I know you said I don’t owe you anything but, just take it. For my own sake.” You explained and he bit down on his lip to keep his smile to a minimum. “Thank you.” He said softly, back away from the counter because how much he was beaming. 
“Call me to set up the date tonight? Okay?” He said, now leaning in the open door of the café. “I will. I definitely will this time.” You said and he nodded, walking away and letting himself smile fully. 
Your first day was incredibly good, a total of almost 50 customers which really wasn’t much but still good and a date settled with an absolutely beautiful man. It was just a good day, you smelled like coffee when you got home and there was nothing better than that. Life was coming together. 
-
He had set things up in such a specific way, he wanted this to be perfect. Something about you drew Yunho in so much, he didn’t want to mess this date up at all. It meant a lot to him. 
So when you showed up to his store again, ready for your date, he had his heart in his throat. He had told you to wear something you wouldn’t mind that got dirty and well you listened, showing up in overall you deemed your “paint overalls” the ones you would wear while painting your house and some beat up Converse sneakers. Yunho was wearing the same clothes from the day you had first met and waiting inside his store when you appeared at the door. 
“You look very cute.” Yunho commented, the second you entered the building and your cheeks flushed red. “I’m used to people starting conversations by saying hello.” You said, leaning onto the counter he was stood behind. He mimiced your actions, face getting closer to yours. “Hello. You look very cute.” He teased and you looked down to avoid his gaze with a soft smile. “Anyways, what are we doing today?” You asked, standing back up fully and slipping your hands into your pockets. 
“Well, do you need anything else for your shop?” Yunho asked and you took a moment to think. “I was thinking about stopping by for some small, single flower vases. To see if you even had anything like that. Why?” You asked and he pushed himself off the counter. 
Now if you had said no, he would have sat you down to make something random just to have fun. But now he was going to give you something you could absolutely make use of and hopefully something to remind you of him. 
“I figured I could teach how to make them, something you want exactly.” Yunho said, scratching the back of his head because he was now completely questioning his own idea. “Oh!!! I would absolutely love that!” You said, needing to contain your excitement. Something about a date like this really touched your heart and even if this wouldn’t go anywhere, you know you would remember it for the rest of your life. 
He let out a sigh of relief before leading you to his studio, where he had set up a picnic blanket on the floor next to the large windows with a basket filled with treats. You couldn’t help but place your hand on your chest, your heart pounding because of how sweet he was. 
“Jeong Yunho, I do believe you are a romantic.” You said, gesturing to the blanket and he had to hold back a laugh. “Maybe just a little bit... I just thought we could talk a bit while the clay is in the kiln.” He explained, well rambled more. He was absolutely making your heart melt and there was no doubt about it. 
He sat you down behind the wheel after preparing everything for you, the damp clay sitting on top of the wheel. You looked up at him, questioning what to do because this was completely foreign territory to you. “Start spinning the wheel and wet your hands in that bowl and just start feeling around the clay a bit. Get a feel of what you’re doing.” He said, crouching down by your side. You followed his instructions, under his carefull gaze.
Yunho had guided your hands carefully from next to you, until you had accidentally placed way too much pressure on the clay and denting the form. “Oh, uhh let me see if I can fix that.” Yunho said, seeing how you struggled to get it back the way it was. You stood and he took your seat, his height when sitting coming up to your shoulders. He was mesmerizing to watch as he sculpted, eyes focussed on the wheel and lips kind of pursed. He was just so pretty. 
“I think I get it.” You said and he looked at you in confusion. “This suits you, sitting here behind the pottery wheel, working with your hands. It really suits you. You’re completely in your element. It’s really beautiful to see.” You explained further and he allowed the wheel to slow down, to look up at you. 
You didn’t even realise how close you were until you felt his breath fan over your lips and you suddenly felt excitement in your chest. So you made a split second decision, you made a judgement call. 
Leaning forward, you pressed a quick kiss to his very soft looking, plump lips. Yunho was caught off guard, not having expected that at all but not complaining either. In the few hours you had maybe spent together, there was something completely undeniable there. 
Now admittedly, the kiss was too long for it to be a peck and that was because Yunho could’ve sworn he tasted strawberry on your lips. It left him wanting more, so he deepened the kiss and for a moment you forgot your hands were covered in wet clay. You cupped his face, only for him to laugh against your lips and you realised your mistake. 
“Oh my God, I am so sorry.” You said, pulling away and looking at your hand prints on his cheeks. Yunho couldn’t stop laughing, maybe because of how ridiculously funny the situation was or maybe because of the pure joy he was feeling. “I got too caught up - I- I- completely forgot my hands were-.” You explained in frustration, really wanting to cover your face in embarrassment but deciding against it with better judgement. 
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Can you just maybe wash your hands and then hand me that washcloth by the sink?” He asked and you did as told quickly bringing him the damp cloth to help him get your marks off of him. His cheeks and ears were flushed the whole time as you did so, eyes following your movements and reading the concern on your face. “It’s really okay.” Yunho laughed, comforting you a little more but you couldn’t help but stay embarrassed. “It’s definitely a story to tell. Not my best first kiss admittedly.” You said and pushed your hair out of your face, not your brightest moment most definitely. 
“I mean, I could act like it didn’t happen. Or we could just have a do over?” Yunho suggested, placing the cloth down on the counter and looking at you with a cheeky smile. He just wanted to make sure it was really strawberry he was tasting on your lips. “A do-over?” You asked, crossing your arms and looking up at him. 
His hands came up to your waist, pulling you a tad closer by the belt loops of your overalls before leaning down to your level again. You cupped his face, allowing your thumbs to run over the smooth skin of his cheeks and smilled to yourself. “Oh sunshine, you’re just the cutest.” He said softly and closed the space inbetween you too. This was it, this was what it was supposed to feel like. Butterflies flying around your stomach and your heart pounding in your chest because of how badly you wanted to kiss someone. This was right. 
Your hands moved from his cheeks to his hair as he deepened the kiss, tasting that sweet strawberry flavor again and making a mental note to ask you about it later. His hands held your waist gently, not moving in any way in fear of overstepping his boundaries. 
Pulling away again, this time with a considerable less amount of embarrassment, you placed your hands on his chest gently. “You see, that’s what I was trying to do.” You said softly, toying with the fabric of his shirt. “I figured.” He said in response, letting eachother go in the process. “Your lips taste like strawberries, as if you couldn’t get any more sweet.” Yunho commented, just looking at you with mild disbelief as you sat behind the pottery wheel again. You knew exactly why you tasted that way, you were experimenting with strawberry creme for on top of cupcakes and had to taste test it.
“Come by the café some more and I’ll show you why.” You smiled cheekily and started to spin the wheel again, wanting to finish your vase. “Hmm, sounds good. It sounds like another date.” 
“That’ll be 7.50.” You said cheerily before going to pour her coffee and grab her 2 slices of coffee cake. You handed her, her items and waved her out of the store before letting out a sigh. There was a dip in how busy it was and you had a moment to relax. 
“I just noticed that your customer service voice is the same as your regular voice.” Hongjoong said from the table closest to your counter. He had been coming in on his breaks to hang out and talk and well this was one of those times. “Is it? I never noticed.” You asked with a raised brow, Hongjoong shook his head at you. “I can’t believe your just genuinely that sweet.” He commented and went back to looking on his phone. 
“Of course Y/N’s that sweet.” Yunho’s voice came in from behind you, knowing he came in through the back. His hands moved to your hips from behind and rested his head on your shoulder. “They even smell cake 90% of the time.” He added on before kissing your cheek. This earned a blush from you and a sigh coupled with an eyeroll from Hongjoong. 
“Disgustingly cute.” Hongjoong grumbled, standing from his seat and grabbing his coffee. “I’ll be taking this to go.” He added, leaving your cafe to give you both a shred of privacy. 
Laughing, you turned around in Yunho’s arm and wrapped your arms around his neck. “Hi.” You said softly, toying with the hairs on the back of his neck. A few months in and you were incredibly close, ridiculously in love. The whole neighborhood knew, the whole neighborhood thought it was disgustingly cute and well you were incredibly happy. 
“Hi.”  He said back, leaning you backwards to press you against your counter. He had been missing you all day, all week more like. With the school breaks on top of general vacation days, business had been going quite well. But that also meant a little less time together. Which was alright, that was healthy but God Yunho was missing you. 
He kissed your cheek, moving his lips over your skin lightly to pay you some special attention because there was no one in the cafe anyways and there was just something about getting you so flustered. 
“What’s gotten into you?” You asked, taking a deep breath as his lips moved over your neck and down to the neckline of your dress. “When can I get you alone for more than 5 minutes?” Yunho asked, pulling his lips away from you again. He could tell you were breathing a little heavier and your cheeks were flushed, exactly what he wanted. 
“I think I have more than 5 minutes of alone time after work.” You explained, only for his lips to find the base of your neck again. His hands were now massaging your sides, bunching up your dress slightly when the bell of your door rang. 
“I forgot my phone and I’m glad I saw this so that I can leave a bad review on yelp.” Hongjoong said and you both pulled away from eachother quite quickly. “Come by the shop after you close up okay sunshine?” Yunho said, trying to hide his embarrassment as Hongjoong gave him a dirty look.
“I will.” You said, quickly pecking his lips one more time before he exited your shop. You were a total shade of pink because of the way Hongjoong was looking at you. “Don’t say anything.” You said, pointing your finger in his direction the second Yunho left. He started laughing, grabbing his phone from the table. “You two are so in love it’s disgusting. Get married already, have coffee filled, artsy babies.” He teased and you shook your head. “It seems like you two were half way there already, wonder what would’ve happened if I didn’t walk in.” He added and you turned away, suddenly feeling the need to keep your hands busy. 
“Probably nothing, we haven’t gone that far. Doubt it would’ve happened in broad daylight, in an open café.” You said, now wiping down a fully clean counter to get out of your own mind. You wanted to take that next step with Yunho and he seemingly wanted to take that step too. 
So you made your way over to his shop after closing, checking the way you looked in the reflection on the windows before entering. You weren’t nervous, at all actually. Everything felt certain with him and so did this. You instantly walked to studio portion of his shop, anticipation in your chest as you pushed the door open. 
“Hey you closed early.” Yunho said as he cleaned his counter by the sink. “I did. Thought maybe we could stretch those 5 minutes into a few hours.” You said softly, walking behind him to hug him from behind. You missed him the last few days too, you were definitely realising it while holding him. “You can’t just kiss me like that in the middle of the day and leave.” You mumbled against him as his hands found your, drawing shapes into your skin with his fingers. 
“Sorry about the inconvenience.” He chuckled and pulled you to stand in front of him, wedging you between him and the counter. “Big inconvenience. I’ve been thinking about you all day.” You leaned back onto the counter as Yunho took a step forward. His thigh, wedging between your legs as he did so. He was completely hovering over you, hands finding purchase on your hips. “Maybe that’s what I wanted.” His voice was a tone lower than normal, making your tongue dart out to wet your lips. 
You grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him close because you really couldn’t wait much longer and kissed him. Yunho loved it when he brought you to that point because he found it oh so endearing when you needed him so badly. 
Using his hands, he lifted you up onto the counter fully making your dress bunch up slightly. His hands moved down to the newly exposed flesh of your thighs as his tongue slipped into your mouth. This, this was what drove him insane because everytime he kissed your lips you tasted so sweet. 
You tugged his hair as his grip on you tightened, making him groan against your lips. “How do you do it, you always taste so sweet?” He asked with his forehead pressed against yours. You leaned forward a little, making your core come into contact with his denim clad thigh and you whimpered before answering him. “That’s for me to know and you to be amazed by.” Shaking his head at your answer, he pressed his lips to yours again absolutely not caring if it was sloppy or not. 
He continued to pull your hips down, making your core rub over his thigh and you couldn’t help but pull his hair harshly. This made him nip down on your bottom lip before moving his hands to hike up the skirt of your dress. He was absolutely obsessed with how soft your skin was in his hands every new inch that was revealed, didn’t disappoint. 
Moving his lips down your neck again, he made sure to nip down on your skin and making you gasp. Yunho was going with intent to leave marks, there was just something that made him compelled to do so. His hands moved to your waist to drag you closer to edge of the counter and closer to him. His fingertips finding the hem of your panties to toy with them, making heat pool between your legs even more. 
His mouth stopped at the neckline of your dress, before he looked up at you. “Can I take this off?” He asked, tugging on your dress slightly. The little question making heat rise to your cheeks. “Yes, you can.” You answered softly, helping him lift the fabric off of your body. You were about to throw your dress to the side when took it from you, folding it before laying it down gently on a chair. You sat, kicking your legs slightly as you watched him because the action made your heart flutter. 
“Don’t want your dress to get dirty.” He said, turning back around to look at you. He could feel his heart stop a moment, you were incredibly just so incredibly beautiful to him. The dim lit room, coupled with your slightly swollen lips, pink cheeks and the fact that you were sitting there in nothing but your underwear, it was driving him insane. 
“God you look...” Yunho started, walking back to you to wrap his arms around your bare waist. You curled his hair between your fingers, looking him the eyes. “Absolutely beautiful.” His eyes sparkled as he spoke, making your whole body fill with warmth as he looked at you. You wrapped your legs around him, to pull him even closer to you. “I’m feeling a little self conscious here. Can you maybe?” You didn’t finish your sentence, just tugging on his shirt in hopes he’d get the message. He pulled it off of him and simply threw it on the ground, not giving it the same care he gave your dress. “I don’t care if that gets dirty.” He said before kissing your lips quickly and sinking down to his knees. 
Eye level with your core, he traced his fingers over your clothed slit slowly, looking at you to see your response. Your eyes were shut up and your lips were agape, body tensing as his finger grazed your clit. That was enough for him to hook his fingers into the lace, tugging your panties down your legs. You brought your hand to your face, taking your thumb between your teeth as Yunho pulled your legs over his shoulders. 
He feathered kisses over your thighs, squeezing them as he did so and inching closer and closer to where you needed him. “You’re going to tease me when I’ve already been thinking about you all day?” You asked, voice muffled by your own hand. He looked up at you again, eyes darker and blinking at you. “Yes, because it seems to be working.” He answered, dragging his fingers over your slit. “You’re so wet, Sunshine.” He finished, kissing your clit lightly and your hips bucked for more friction. 
He looked up at you one more time, taking a mental image of you with your finger caught between your teeth just staring at him before kissing you again. Allowing his tongue to move over your folds and tasting you. You attempted to clamp your legs shut at the sensation only for him to hold them open, not allowing you to go anywhere as he ate you out. Lips wrapping around your clit and making you moan out loud. Your hand moved to grip his hair, just wanting him even closer to you because fuck... he was making you feel so good. 
“Yunho-” You moaned, making his fingertips dig further into your thighs. “Sunshine, you even taste sweet.” He commented, kissing your thighs again as you tugged on his hair for more. “Baby please don’t stop.” You begged, nearly pouting as you did so because you were oh so close to cumming. 
He stood back up, face now level with yours again and you whined. “Relax.” He said softly, hand trailing down your body before cupping your core. His finger teased your hole while the other hand cupped your face, slipping a finger into and watching every expression as he did so. Yunho thrust his fingers into you harshly as your mouth fell open again. Eyes locked onto Yunho’s as he drew you closer and closer to your orgasm. Your fingers clawed at his arms as the coil in your stomach tightened. “Yunho, please.” You whined, feeling him insert another finger and stretching you out. 
He sped up his pace, feeling you tighten around his fingers and the scratching down his arms get harder. “Come on, cum for me sunshine.” He pressed his forehead against yours as you let out a small scream that faded into a whine. The coil bursting as his fingers continued thrusting into you. Your face burried into his neck as you held onto him, needing something to brace yourself with. 
He watched you slump into his arms, using his hand that was holding your face to now stroke your hair. “You’re alright.”  He cooed, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling of his hardon pressing against his jeans. You kept your face in his neck as your hands moved from his arms down his chest and torso. Trailing down the faint outline of abs as your hands went down, resting on the button of his jeans as you finally looked at him again. 
“I love you.” You said softly, as if it was a secret and you were in a crowded room. Your fingers undid his jeans, not waiting on a response from him. If he wasn’t there yet, he wasn’t there. 
“Hey.” He cupped your face again, making your focus now be solely on him. You hardly gave him time to respond to your confession before you went undo his jeans, he needed you to focus on what he was going to say because he could tell you were scared for his answer. 
“Relax, Sunshine. I love you too.” He said, taking in the way your eyes widened at his words. “I- I- can I?” You stuttered, gesturing to his jeans. “Yes, yes you can.” He laughed, continuing to cup your face as you undid his jeans and dragged the zipper down. He hummed as your fingers grazed his hard on, gripping your face a little tighter making you smile. 
“Now who’s teasing?” He asked you and you giggled, only for him to shake his head. He grabbed your hands and pulled them off of his jeans so that he could pull them down, together with his briefs. “Can’t deal with what you dish out?” You asked and he shook his head, placing his hand next to your hips on the counter. “Not nearly as well.” He admitted and you wrapped your legs around his bare waist to pull him against you. 
His free hand gripped the base of his cock as he rubbed it over your folds. You held the back of his neck, watching his actions before he slipped into you slowly. Your nails dug into his skin, making goosebumps coat his skin as he sheathed himself into you fully. The whimper you let out of was like music to his ears and the way you felt wrapped around him was better than he dreamed of. 
Yunho gave you a moment to adjust before wrapping his arms around your waist and almost picking you up off of the counter. It caught you by surprise making you hold onto him even tighter. “Fuck Yunho.” You hummed, as he started thrusting into you, using the leverage he had gotten from holding you. His pace picked up, fucking into you slowly as your sounds filled his studio. 
“You feel so good, Sunshine.” He praised, a low moan leaving his mouth afterwards as you scratched down his back. He thrusted a bit harder and faster, needing a taste of that sweet release because he too had been thinking about you all day. 
“Right there-” You choked out as he hit your sweet spot, the heels of your feet digging into his thighs. He pressed his face into your neck, placing kisses everywhere he could reach and sucking even more marks into your skin. He continued actions, making you tighten around him very quickly. He let go of your waist to place one of his hands by your side on the counter and the other down to rub your clit, giving him leverage to bring you both to the edge quickly. Your hands moved to his arms, scratching down them as well just adding to the pleasure he was going through. 
“Sunshine, I’m really close.” He moaned out, hips staggering slightly as he continuously rubbed your clit. You pet his hair, drawing his attention back to your face and that was it for him. You looked oh so fucked out and the way you were holding on to him, it was enough to send him over the edge. His hips stopped as he came inside of you, head drooping and beautiful loud moans leaving him as he did so. However, his fingers never stopped circling your clit and threw you over the edge with him. 
He was a mess, moaning at the feeling of you contracting around him and the overstimulation of it. The way you felt holding on to him, stroking his skin as you both calmed down. He was now holding you close against his chest, still resting inside you for a moment as you caught your breaths. 
“I meant it you know, when I said I love you back.” Yunho’s voice was soft spoken as he pet your hair. “I know.” You said as you traced over his arm. “Good, just wanted to make sure you knew I didn’t just say it because we were having sex.” He explained, body leaving yours and making you sigh. 
“I know I definitely didn’t just say it because of that.” You said as he handed you back your underwear. “That’s good.” He smiled at you that goofy smile, eyes filled with love. You shook your head, before grabbing his face gently and pulling him for another quick kiss. You just really wanted him to know that you meant it.  
“Come on, let’s go to my place. Maybe watch a movie, eat dinner, have round 2. All of the options are allowed.” He said laughing before handing you your dress, as you rolled your eyes at his words. 
“Ah Sunshine, I love you to bits.” 
“The back of Yunho’s neck looks like he’s been mauled by a tiger, you wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with that?” Hongjoong asked as he entered Yunho’s shop the next day. He had to run errands and asked you to watch his shop for a moment, so there you were sitting behind his counter and painting a piece of pottery you had helped him make not to long before. 
“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.” You said, needing to bite on your lips to contain your smile as you continued to paint the clay. “Uh-huh, tell that to those hickies all over your neck.” He commented and you looked at him. “Do you ever spend time in your own store?” You asked in frustration and he started laughing, pointing at you. “I knew it!” He laughed and you shook your head. “Okay, okay. Shut up about it.” You hid your face in your hands, feeling how beat red you were. 
“Fine, fine, I’ll stop teasing.” Hongjoong joked, walking around the shelves of pottery. No one else was in the shop, so the conversation wasn’t entirely inappropriate. “But it was good though? No hiccups, no awkward situations?” He asked and you could only smile at the thought of it all. “No, nothing awkward.” You said and he stood in front of the counter again. 
“I told him I love him for the first time.” You added quickly, simply going back to painting. “Wait, you did? For the first time? It took you both that long?” Admittedly Hongjoong wasn’t wrong, but you had felt love for him a long time ago. There just wasn’t a desire to vocalize it just yet, on either end. “I mean it was obvious that you too loved eachother, I’m just surprised it took you so long to say it.” Hongjoong explained and you nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. But sometimes it’s better to just wait until there’s that moment. That perfect moment to say it.” Last night was most definitely that moment for you. 
The store bell made you both redirect your attention to the door. Only for Yunho to pop his head in and look at you. “I was half way to the store when I realised that I didn’t ask you needed anything.” He said, smiling at you with stars in his eyes. “You could’ve just texted me.” You smiled back as Hongjoong watched the interaction. “I could’ve, but I would rather just walk back and see you instead.” He explained and Hongjoong laughed. 
“You two, you two are something else.” Hongjoong commented and Yunho shook his head. “But you don’t need anything?” He asked and you shook your head. “No, I got all I need.” You said and he nodded before going to leave again. “I love you, Sunshine.” He said quickly, shutting the door behind him. “I love you too.” You said smiling, knowing he couldn’t hear you anymore but still taking the time to do it. Hongjoong rolled his eyes at you and opened his mouth to say something. 
“As disgusting as you two are, how cute you are together makes up for it.” 
Tumblr media
A/N: Feedback is kind!
I’m not completely satisfied with the ending but I still like this story alot. Sometimes you just need some happy stories. I hope you guys enjoy!
633 notes · View notes
c-optimistic · 3 years
Note
Not sure if you’re still taking prompts, but I just watched Hozier’s from Eden music video and now I can’t stop thinking about Lena and Kara on the run finding and saving a kid from a bad situation...
obviously slightly different from the video and also an unambiguously happy ending
-
Alex handed over the keys to the beat up car, her eyes not straying from Kara’s for even a second.  
“Travel at night as much as you can. The tank is full, but you need to make it last as long as possible.” She blinked, bit her lip, and squeezed Kara’s hand. “No powers. Not for anything. And no contact. I’ll find a way to let you know it’s safe.”
Kara nodded, pulling her sister closer and enveloping her in a tight hug, trying to memorize the way it felt, the warmth that burrowed into her bones and eased her mind. “We’ll be fine, Alex,” she said, injecting as much confidence in those four words as she possibly could. She was glad that Alex couldn’t see the tears she wasn’t quite able to suppress. “I’ll be listening for you.”
Alex pulled away and opened her mouth to argue, probably to point out that Kara’s statement went directly against the no power rule, but then her mouth snapped shut, like she knew better than to argue.
“Don’t put on any music you like on the radio. You know it makes you want to sing, and that sort of thing is bound to attract attention,” Alex said instead, smoothing over Kara’s shoulders and tugging slightly on the collar of her borrowed leather jacket. “Take care of each other,” she added, clearly no longer able to hide her anxiety behind jokes. Her eyes didn’t stray from Kara, but the comment was undoubtedly meant more for Lena than for Kara. “I love you, Kara.”
“Danvers sisters, right?” Kara said thickly, holding back tears. She pulled Alex in for one more tight hug, taking care to listen to her heartbeat, to memorize its unique rhythm. “I love you, too. You call if you need me. Okay? Do you promise?”
“Promise,” Alex said, pulling away and wiping at her cheeks. “All right. Go. Go.”
Kara and Lena didn’t need to be told a third time. They got into the car, and drove off into the night, Kara’s eyes on the rearview mirror long after Alex had disappeared entirely from view.
-
Very quickly, they developed a routine.
Hats, thick sunglasses, hoodies, and overall easily forgettable outfits became their norm, much to Lena’s eternal dismay. Kara would pretend not to see her wince as she pulled on sneakers, and Lena returned the favor by not calling Kara out when she used her superhearing to listen for Alex every single night.
They drove throughout the night for the most part, sticking to unpopulated areas as much as they could, not speaking much to the people they ran into at gas stations and diners. When the posters with their faces began cropping up on public restrooms and outside of convenience stores, Lena suggested they die or cut their hair.
During the day, they slept. Sometimes in the car, no relief from the sweltering heat. Sometimes, if they figured it was safe enough, they’d sleep a few hours at a motel before setting off again.
They definitely didn’t use each other’s names. Not once. In fact, they didn’t speak much at all.
(One thing filled both their minds:
Keep moving, keep moving, keep moving.
As long as they were on the move, Lex couldn’t get to them.)
It wasn’t much of a life, but it wasn’t all bad either.
It meant Lena would surreptitiously take her hand out of anxiety or a desire to provide comfort when driving past other cars. It meant when Lena’s always busy mind became bored, she’d invent new games to play as they drove along.
It meant huddling up together one particularly cold desert night.
It meant becoming very familiar with the song Lena hummed as she showered.
It meant learning to decipher Lena’s mood based on tuts, clicks of her tongue, breathy sighs, and the roughness of her voice when she would break the silence between them.
No, it wasn’t a bad life, being on the run with her best friend, the only person on this planet after Alex who’d ever made Kara feel at home.
It wasn’t a bad life, with money carefully hidden in the car, under the mats and inside the seat cushions, their every need anticipated and planned for, long into the future. Theoretically, they could stay on the run for years, evading Lex’s long reach.
It wouldn’t be a bad life, but to be fair, when your only goal was survival, having a good life (or really living at all) just wasn’t the point.
-
Kara chewed on her lip as she refueled the car, her eyes on the meter, her ears on the men coming out of the gas station.
They were laughing, clearly a bit drunk despite the time of day, one of the men complaining loudly as they walked towards their car.
“Costs me a fortune to feed that boy. Clothe him. Give him a place to sleep. And if she can leave him, why can’t I?”
Kara didn’t react. She finished refueling, paid, then slid into the driver’s seat, watching as the drunk men piled into their car and pulled away. Her grip on the steering wheel was tight, knuckles white. Just a tiny bit more pressure, just a little bit more of a squeeze, and she could shatter it in her hands.
“Is something wrong?” Lena asked, reaching out and brushing her hand over Kara’s shoulder, so careful, so tentative. “You seem upset.”
Kara turned to her, still chewing on her lip.“What do you think about getting a good night’s sleep tonight? I know a place we can go. It’ll be safe.”
Lena’s eyes roved over Kara’s face for a moment. “What did you hear?” she asked finally, gesturing with her head in the direction the men had driven off to.
“Just that they’re leaving and won’t be back for a few days.”
Lena eyed her skeptically, clearly knowing there was something else, something Kara wasn’t sharing, but she didn’t comment. “Okay. Okay, if it’s safe. We can both use the rest.”
Kara didn’t respond, but her grip on the steering wheel finally eased. She didn’t speak as she inserted the key in the ignition and started the car, pulling slowly out of the gas station and down the road.
And Lena let out a breathy sigh, the only indication of her displeasure at being kept in the dark, though belied by the slight quirk of her lips.
(And as they drove, windows down and hair billowing in the wind, Kara wondered if Lena felt the way she did:
An aching need to stop running, even for just a moment.)
-
The floorboards of the house creaked under them as they stepped inside, Lena immediately wrinkling her nose at the smell—something harsh, like paint, and underneath it, the sickly sweet smell of rotting flowers.
“No wonder those men were in such a hurry to leave,” Lena muttered, distaste coloring her features as they stepped further in the home. The floor was littered with empty beer cans and filthy clothes, the smell of rotting flowers growing stronger. “This place is disgusting. Who would live here?”
Kara didn’t respond, just kept walking towards one of the rooms in the very back of the house. She wondered, briefly, stupidly, how Lena couldn’t hear what she could: the sound of a little heart, pounding furiously away in an equally small chest, body and bones rattling in fear.
“Where are you going?” Lena asked, still following dutifully. “Kara?”
It was the sound of her name that made her pause, turn around, and smile. “I had to help him,” she explained in a whisper before dropping to her knees and gently pulling a closet door open, revealing the pale, dirty face of a little boy. “Hi,” Kara said softly, heart breaking as he pressed himself against the wall of the closet in an attempt to create distance between them, his legs tangled in rags that made up what must have been his bed. (And in the corner of the closet, flowers, long dead.) “Don’t be scared,” she continued, though she didn’t advance further. She stared at him, listened to the terrified pounding of his little heart, and she came to a decision. Without thinking about it for longer than a second, she reached up and let her hair out of its ponytail, then pulled off her glasses. “Do you recognize me? Do you know who I am?” she asked, ignoring Lena’s warning hand on her shoulder, silently urging her not to do this.
The boy pushed away from the wall, approaching Kara with more than a little hesitancy. But his eyes never left her face. “Supergirl?” he finally whispered in awe, mouth falling open just a little bit. “Are you really her? Are you really here?”
“Yeah,” she answered, holding out a hand. “Yeah, I’m here.”
He paused for a moment more, as if not entirely sure she was telling the truth, but then he rushed forward, allowing Kara to pull him into a hug. “You’re really her. You’re really here.”
-
She broke Alex’s rules and used her powers to speed through cleaning the home. Lena was in the kitchen with the boy, digging through the cabinets and the fridge to make him something to eat, eventually settling on soup that Kara heated with her laser vision, much to the little boy’s glee.
Much later, when the child was wrapped in blankets and letting out soft snores as he slept in the only bed in the house, Lena handed Kara a mug of tea and motioned for her to follow her outside. They sat on a rickety bench on the porch in silence, sipping their tea and taking in the cool night air, the miles of empty desert around them. And then:
“You didn’t tell me because you knew it was a bad idea. You knew we shouldn’t have come here.”
“I wasn’t going to abandon this kid.”
“You don’t know this kid,” Lena admonished, sounding tired. And in her tone, something else. Guilt, maybe. “I know what you’re thinking, Kara. But we can’t help him. Lex is still after us. Being on the run is no place for a kid.”
“But what we found him in is?” Kara asked, turning to look at Lena. She took their mugs and placed them on the ground at their feet, then grabbed Lena’s hand. “You can’t look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want to help him. I know you, Lena.”
“It would throw everything off. All our plans, the sacrifices we’ve made,” Lena said, pulling her hand out of Kara’s grasp.
Kara felt her back stiffen. “I know you’ve planned for a decade or more, but I can’t, Lena. I can’t live like this. I don’t want to look over my shoulder running from Lex forever. I just. Life has to be more. And this kid needs our help. We can’t use Lex as an excuse forever.”
This was very clearly the wrong thing to say.
“I’m sorry to have inconvenienced you. No one asked you to go on the run with me. It was your choice, if you remember.”
(It was.
But here was the thing, the thing that Kara wasn’t sure how to put into words: she would’ve made the same choice again and again. She would’ve given everything up for Lena a hundred times over.)
“Lena, you know that’s not what I meant,” Kara said softly, reaching for her hand again, grateful when Lena grabbed on tightly.
“We can’t stay here. We’ll have to drive through the day and night for a while,” she said after a long pause. “We’ll need to get him clothes. And you need to explain to him he can’t mention Supergirl ever again,” she added, narrowing her eyes at Kara.
Kara nodded quickly and, absolutely unable to help it, leaned over and pressed a kiss to Lena’s temple.
“Have I ever told you you’re my favorite?” she asked as she pulled away.
Lena just rolled her eyes, picking up their mugs and getting to her feet.. “After Alex, maybe,” she said with a grin, holding out a hand for Kara to help her up.
“That’s different. Alex is my sister. You’re…” Kara trailed off, not noticing the tremble in Lena’s hand, “you’re you.”
“Very eloquent, love,” Lena laughed, the endearment making Kara’s heart skip a beat. “To think you’re a journalist.”
They laughed as they put away the mugs and settled for a sleepless night on the lumpy couch in the living room, Lena’s head resting on Kara’s shoulder as she slowly dozed off.
And Kara sat there, breathing in the smell of Lena’s shampoo, half of her focus on the little boy’s gentle breathing in the next room, the other half of her focus on Alex’s heartbeat thousands of miles away, her thoughts on what it meant to be a family.
-
It was after several days of driving that they found a place Lena determined to be safe enough to rest.
The boy, who had yet to tell either Kara or Lena his name, ran ahead of them, heading straight for the small garden littered with colorful flowers.
“We shouldn’t stay here long,” Lena said as she grabbed one of their bags from the car, struggling a bit with its weight. “Have you been listening for him?”
Kara didn’t ask who him was. Either it was Lex or it was the boy’s unfit father, and regardless of who Lena was referring to, the answer was yes. Of course she’d been listening for him. “No news,” she confirmed, taking the bag from Lena, swinging it easily over her shoulder. “I have heard some odd frequencies lately though. Not sure what to make of it.”
Lena, who was smiling gratefully at Kara’s help, suddenly stopped, fear taking over her features. She pulled Kara to a halt by the wrist, eyebrows furrowed. “You don’t think—”
“—no,” Kara assured her, shifting the bag so that she could pull Lena into a loose, one-armed hug. “It’s similar to the frequency on Alex’s watch. I thought it was her way of signalling it’s safe but—”
“—but it seems more like a warning?”
Kara nodded, watching as the boy raced back towards them, a handful of flowers he’d pulled from the garden clutched in his fist. “A day or two,” Kara said in an undertone. “Just to rest. Then we’ll move on to the next place.”
Lena didn’t respond, but her hands twisted into the fabric of Kara’s shirt, and she pressed her face against Kara’s shoulder, and Kara figured that was answer enough.
-
Their routine changed.
It was as if, in their determination to give the child everything they possibly could for as long as they could, the fear and dreariness of being on the run was replaced by laughter and joy.
Lena took them all on a shopping trip, letting the boy pick out bright colored clothes, even rolling her eyes and conceding when Kara got them all baseball caps.
Rather than stay at sketchy motels, Kara would constantly be on the listen for people going on vacation or on weekend getaways, feeling better about ‘borrowing’ the home by making sure the home was immaculate when they left, Lena purposely leaving behind a small stack of bills.
They ate whatever the boy wanted, from sugary snacks to cheesy burgers. There was always music, usually a bubbly pop song Kara liked and they found that the boy preferred, leading to impromptu dances in the kitchen—with one memorable time, which Kara rather thought was seared into the back of her eyelids, Lena making the boy laugh as she grabbed his hands, swinging his arms to and fro, shaking her hips in time with the music.
(And in the dark, long after the child was asleep, Kara and Lena would lay together, heads close, trying to calculate what resources they had left, how much more they could stretch it out, how much longer they could continue this way.
And every night, long after Lena had finally drifted off, her head nestled on Kara’s shoulder, Kara would close her eyes and listen to the ever-closer frequency she didn’t recognize, increasingly worried about what it could mean.)
Then Lena changed their routine again.
Every morning, as Kara would make them coffee, Lena would press a lingering kiss to the corner of her mouth. She had them play the games she’d invent on the spot, winking at Kara when the boy would win every single one. And at night, every night, rather than just fit her head in the juncture between Kara’s head and shoulder, she would tangle their legs, hold Kara’s hand, pressed so tightly against Kara that she could feel Lena’s heartbeat against her skin.
(And Rao, did Kara want to take one of those moments, freeze it in time, commit it to memory, wanting it etched into her heart, where she could carry it forever.
But mostly, mostly, all Kara wanted was to close those few inches between their lips and finally, finally, kiss her.)
One night, weeks after finding the boy, after he’d already been tucked in and reminded that the next morning they would have to move on to the next place, the next town, Lena played with Kara’s fingers as they lay in the dark, the little breathy sighs she let out every few moments warning enough that she had something serious on her mind.
So Kara shifted a little, pulling away so that they were facing each other, hands still intertwined. And she made it a little easier for Lena. “I can practically feel the gears turning in your head. Just tell me what you’re thinking.”
Lena didn’t respond right away. Instead, her eyes were fixed on Kara’s, and after a moment, she used her free hand to smooth over the scar above Kara’s eyebrow. “How do you do it?” she finally questioned, voice so soft that Kara wasn’t sure she’d even be audible without superhearing. “How are you so effortlessly good all the time?”
It wasn’t really what Kara was expecting (and if she was honest with herself, it wasn’t what she was hoping Lena was thinking about either). “What do you mean?”
“You came with me without a second thought. Then, with the boy, you didn’t even pause to help him. You knew he was in trouble, and that was all it took.” She closed her eyes, her brows furrowing, almost as if she was in pain. “But my first thought was how it would make things harder for us.”
“That’s not true,” Kara said easily, and without really thinking about it, she pulled Lena closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You know it isn’t.”
“Do I?” Lena snarked back, but her heart wasn’t in it. She allowed Kara’s closeness, even going as far as burying her head under Kara’s chin.
With her hand that wasn’t still tightly in Lena’s grasp, Kara began to rub comforting circles on Lena’s back. “Your first thought was the danger he’d be in just because of us,” Kara reminded her gently, still rubbing her back. “Besides, I don’t know if you know, but you’re incredible.”
“Kara, be serious.”
“I am,” Kara laughed. “Being good...it’s easy. It’s the default setting. But you, you’re extraordinary. You were told your entire life that the opposite was true. That the only thing you could do was evil. And yet look at you. You did good anyway.” She paused, wanting Lena to soak in her words. “Do you see how amazing that is? Every single time you make a choice, you have to go through years of noise, years of interference, years of lies, and every time, you find your way through all that,” she tugged their joined hands up, pressing it against Lena’s chest, right over her heart, “to this. A good, kind heart.”
Lena pulled away suddenly, leaving Kara wondering if she’d said the wrong thing, but then she noticed the expression on Lena’s face, the blazing look in her eyes. “Do you really believe that?” she asked, voice barely a whisper.
“I mean, yeah, I wouldn’t have said it otherwise, gosh Lena, I—”
But Lena didn’t let her finish. Instead, she swung one leg over Kara, straddling her, and after waiting for Kara’s eager nod, finally, finally, kissed her.
(It was okay, Kara thought as Lena’s hands pinned hers to the bed, that Lena didn’t let her finish her sentence.
There was all the time in the world to tell Lena how much she loved her. For now, showing her would have to be enough.)
-
The frequency only Kara could hear, the one that worried her so, got closer every day, and so they stopped staying anywhere for more than a few hours.
It was hardest on the boy. He and Lena had especially grown close, falling asleep in the back of the car as Kara drove, chancing a look at them in the rearview mirror every now and then, feeling her heart swell with fondness. But Lena’s whispered concerns, about how he was faring, how he was feeling, felt more and more serious as the days dragged on.
Being on the run was no place for a kid.
“We could fight,” Kara suggested one night as they drove through the darkness, the child asleep in the back, clutching a toy Lena had bought him weeks ago. “Just wait for Lex to find us and fight.”
Lena tugged on Kara’s right hand, pulling it out of its vice-like grip on the steering wheel, then brought it to her lips and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “We went on the run because we couldn’t fight. Nothing’s changed.”
“Everything’s changed,” Kara said, turning to look at Lena. “What do you want to do?”
“We have a two day head start on Lex, right?” Lena confirmed. At Kara’s nod, she pressed another kiss to the back of Kara’s hands before releasing it. “We’ll find a place, spend one more night with him.” She motioned towards the child. “Then we’ll take him to the police station. CPS, I don’t know. Once he’s safe, we can wait for Lex.”
“No,” came a small voice from the back of the car. Kara watched the boy slowly sit up, toy clutched to his chest, meeting her gaze through the rearview mirror. “I’m staying with you. I want to be with you and Lena.”
(They tried to argue with him, tried to make him see reason, but Kara knew it was a lost cause. There was no convincing a boy who felt he’d found his family that he’d be better off or safer anywhere else.
Kara would know: she’d felt that way after landing on Earth, after Clark sent her away.)
So they made their last stand.
With Lena’s help, Kara found a fairly sturdy home, one that seemed to have been empty for some time, and they began to prepare.
Kara put her suit on for the first time in almost a year. Lena pulled out what she’d called her ‘emergency technology’ and the boy was secured in the house, letting Lena hug him to her as Kara sat nearby, her focus on everything beyond the walls of the house.
The frequency drew closer, the sound almost maddening in Kara’s ear. But there wasn’t much of Lex’s fanfare. No explosions, no gunfire. No whirring of new Lexosuits. There was nothing except for that sound in Kara’s ear and cars approaching.
“Kara?” Lena questioned, taking her hand and breaking her focus.
“He’s here.”
(She could hear it, cars and trucks coming to a halt, heavy footed people beginning to surround the house, the sound of their weapons in their hands loud in Kara’s ears.
And also, something else, something Kara hadn’t heard from this close in a long time.)
“Kara, I’m scared,” the boy said, looking to her, still gripping tightly to Lena.
“That’s okay,” Kara told him, brushing his hair back and then getting to her feet. “But you’ve got nothing to be scared about.”
“Kara—”
But she waved Lena’s concern off. “Trust me. We’re safe.”
One of the people surrounding the house broke down the door, making the boy hide his face in Lena’s stomach. Footsteps approached. A gun was raised. And then:
“Alex. You found us.”
-
The DEO was loud. Or maybe it was that the city was loud. After being in the middle of nowhere for so long, the sudden influx of noise was a little a little different.
Different, but nice.
“So, you broke all my rules, right?” Alex said as she followed Kara out on the balcony, standing next to her and leaning against the balustrade. “I said to keep a low profile, you kidnapped a kid. I said no powers, I find you in your suit.”
“I didn’t sing,” Kara said with a grin. Lena was still with the boy, holding his hand as he was checked over by doctors, happily sucking on a lollipop that Alex had offered him. “Your watch is broken, the frequency it lets off is wrong, I thought you were Lex for weeks.”
“I had a run in with an Aellon. I knew the watch was acting fritzy afterwards, but Brainy said any changes in the frequency would be ‘nearly imperceiptible.’” She grinned a little, bumping her shoulder against Kara’s. “So, while I was busy working with Brainy, Nia, J’onn, and Kelly to bring Lex down...you and Lena started dating and adopted a kid?”
Kara snorted, turning her head, watching as Lena and the boy (who were clearly done with all the tests) walked over to where she was standing with her sister.
“Pretty much,” she told Alex, marveling at finally having her entire family together again.
427 notes · View notes
lady-literature · 4 years
Text
Accidental Crime Boss Marinette
Okay so,, I have this AU in my head, right? (not surprised) and I’m lacking any real direction for it (still not surprised) but it basically goes like this:
Marinette moves to Gotham.
She’s drawn there for whatever reason and the kwami are saying something about balance and being a Guardian and her sacred duty and something but Marinette isn’t really listening. She’s too busy trying to find a shop front where she can open a bakery without having to worry about getting mugged every time she steps outside.
Chloé comes with her, obviously, because they’re friends and Chloé has a business degree she puts to good use actually running Mari’s bakery and online boutique while Mari gets to bake and fuck around basically. Adrien, Luka and Kagami are not there, but that’s mostly because they travel too much to settle down and keeping an empty apartment in Gotham is just asking for trouble.
Kagami is a world-renowned fencer and Luka travels the world for his music company. Not touring, but soaking up cultures and ways of life so he can make soundtracks to movies and tv shows. Providing the background and life to a film is more his style than touring the world ala his father, Jagged Stone.
Adrien is having the time of his life being Kagami’s trophy husband. He has no pressing responsibilities he doesn’t take on for himself and he gets to fuck with the world’s elite with little to no consequences. He spends most of his days donating far too much money to charities and orphanages and then causing minor scandals that land him on the cover of magazines.
He has much the same kind of ‘dumbass with a heart of gold’ persona to the media as Bruce Wayne does, only without the playboy bits.
(There is a wall in the back of the bakery, where Chloé and Mari carefully cut out and frame every headline and ridiculous picture Adrien has. He is very much delighted when he learns about his ‘wall of fame’.)
Anyway, Marinette finds herself with a bakery not overly far from crime alley, much to Chloé’s chagrin.
(“What do you mean it ‘just felt right’?! I swear to kwami, DC, you’re going to get us robbed and sold into slavery.”)
They do not get sold into salvery.
In fact, despite their less than stellar choice of locale, they do pretty well for themselves. The only problems they have (according to Chloé) is the army of children Marinette accidentally attracted.
When asked, Marinette tells everyone that it was an accident. Meanwhile, Chloé, standing behind her, will shake her head and insist there was literally never any other option for them the moment that first kid came in looking to nab some cash and a few pastries.
Mari lives by the phrases, ‘kindness breeds more kindness’ and ‘do unto others’ and all that other nice person shit. Chloé just lets Mari pseudo-adopt her strays and makes sure that they don’t steal anything too important in the time it takes her to gain their loyalty.
The kwami stay staunchly out of any arguments involving the kids (and eventually the homeless all along their street and every working girl in a five-block radius). They do so with a special brand of amusement that never means good things for either of them. (After all, the last time the kwami looked that amused, they moved to Gotham.)
The first kid is named Serrure, as Marinette comes to learn over the next month after he returns again and again, getting closer and closer like a feral cat. Other kids come during that time, all of them too small and too thin and too guarded for Mari's tastes. She wants to wrap them all up and tuck them into bed but she can’t. She has to be patient, has to be gentle. These kids are just as likely to bite her hand as they are to accept help.
Serrure becomes an almost permanent fixture at the bakery after that first month. Mari’s not quite sure what she did to get through to him, but she did, she supposes. He can’t be much older than eleven and looks nine, but after getting settled, she and Chloé discover this little slip of a boy is just as mischievous as Trixx and has all the dramatics of their favorite black cat.
The kwami, when talking about him, only refer to Serrure as Loki, even after Marinette scolds them for it. She eventually gives up trying to correct them, it’s not like Serrure talks to them anyway(yet)((that she knows of)).
There’s an apartment above the bakery, which is where Chloé and Mari and all her strays that grow to trust her enough live. It’s three bedrooms, and at first, Mari just buys as many bunk beds as she can fit into the spare room and calls it a day. The kids feel safe in her home, which isn’t too surprising. Everyone thinks the bakery feels safe, feels like home or comfort or whatever else eases their minds.
And Marinette should hopes so. She certainly put enough time and effort and magic and energy into the wards around this place for that to happen. To protect her and the children and all her strays that no one else will help.
But, she eventually amasses too many kids to fit into the one room. Chloé throws a fit about having to share with Mari again—“I had enough of that in university thank you very much”—but she relinquishes easily enough.
Mari buys more bunk beds, and Serrure has taken to sneaking into her room to curl up in her bed anyway, and sometimes the smaller kids who have nightmares will come in and pile on as well.
(There are only a few that Chloé will allow to do the same with her. It is considered a high honor and breeds a playful kind of jealousy that Chloé finds amusing. Mari scolds her for pitting the kids against each other.)
That only lasts them another two months.
“This is getting ridiculous,” Chloé tells her one day before the kids wake up. Mari is at the stove, cooking and baking for a small army while Chloé balances the books. “There’s not enough room for us all, DC, and the only reason someone hasn’t come barrelling down on us about the abundance of children is by the grace of your absurd amount of luck.”
“Well I can’t just kick them out, Queenie! What do you want from me?”
“Either we need to buy more real estate in this city—which I’d rather not do—or you open up the grimoire and start building pocket dimensions. I know you can. I’ve read the chapter.”
Marinette looks at her. “That is such a bad idea.”
They do the idea.
And then Mari adds about a thousand more wards to the bakery, carved into the wood and counter and anything that’s a permanent fixture. Doorways become particularly ward heavy, what with them being the entrances and exits to the hidden realms and children’s’ rooms.
The apartment above the bakery isn’t quite infinite but it gets pretty damn close some days.
This also means, of course, that all the kids definitely know about magic now. Some of them—Serrure—have known about it for a while she knows, but it’s different now. The kwami followed her around most of the time and she doesn’t keep them trapped in the Miracle Box like Fu did, but now that the kids know, they don’t bother staying hidden.
The children, at least, love them and the kwami adore them with all the ferocity a god can give. After Chloé gets over her ‘ew children’ phase, she throws herself into their education (on top of actually running the businesses Mari keeps, mind you). She has the help of the kwami, who act as personal tutors to the children, and it’s not long before the kids start to joke about her being the Principal.
(Some tried to call her Warden, but that joke didn’t last long.)
Marinette has also been telling the kids bedtime stories ever since this started. Old stories of the Guardian and Chosens who fought back the darkness, she shares all she knows of the Orders history with these kids and it’s not until Wayzz points it out to her does she realize what she’s doing.
“Ladybugs are known for renewal. It is no surprise that you are rebuilding what was lost.”
Rebuilding the Order using children was certainly not her intention but, well. She supposes there’s no place safer for her kids than what is shaping up to be the new Miracle Temple. It’s the only haven where they can learn to harness their Gifts and powers, it’s the only place where they can be surrounded by others like them without being thrust into superhero-dom.
Context: about a month into this whole circus, Marinette had realized there was a significant—almost all of them really—amount of metas and Gifted in her little hoard of strays. Which is… odd. Especially with how few metas there are in Gotham.
She had asked the kwami about it, and they have that amused look again. “You are their guardian.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re their guardian. True, you are the Guardian of us, of the ancient ways, but you are a guardian at your soul too. You protect what is yours, and they are yours whether you realise it or not. The children can sense that, so they flock to you.”
And, huh. She supposes that makes sense but that’s also really kind of strange and weird and she doesn't want to think about that anymore actually.
So things are… fine, Marinette supposes. The bakery is doing well, and she has about two dozen-plus helpers running around underfoot to help tend to the customers or run to the store or help in the back with the baking. And every kid of hers has new clothes, their street things thrown out for being too ragged and replaced with something fresh made by Marinette’s own hands.
She embroiders little fairy wings into the clothes normally, because that’s what her cloaked wards look like most times and the kids like it and its technically the logo for the bakery and there’s a million reasons she does it.
It is, perhaps, her first mistake.
(“It was certainly not your first,” Chloé will snark one dayin the future.)
Because now Marinette has an army of magical children learning to wield their powers and not fear them and they’re all wearing what can be considered her insignia and uh oh, it looks a lot like Mari is some sort of up and coming mob boss who uses kids and prostitutes and the homeless as runners. People on the street start calling her the Pixie, start referring to Chloé—her second in all things just as Chat had been her equal—as Wasp, as Yellowjacket, as the Unseelie.
(They cannot seem to pick a name for her, but Pixie is all but engraved in stone. Mari is not sure who coined it, and she doesn't think she wants to know.)
The first time the whole situation is brought to her attention, she punches the idiot who dared even imply such a thing so hard she knocks him out.
Because look. The kids are hers right? And she watches out for the people near her, makes sure the working girls are treated as well as they can be and offers the homeless extra food and a dry place to wait out the storm. She offers her hand and gives them all a place to rest, to eat, to exist without expectations or consequences.
She does that because she’s kind, because it hurts her to see people in need, to see them suffer, not because she’s hoping to gain something from it.
The fact that most of them repay her in gossip or information or bend her ear about the newest goings on in the corrupt elite or filthy underworld is strange, yes, but it’s nice to know what’s going on in the city, she supposes. And one time, Kathy, who works on the corner of Brookes and Gilmore, warned her of a drug raid that saved her an unnecessary trip to the police station so it’s not like it doesn't have it’s uses.
But mostly, Mari doesn't really think about all the information that’s unintentionally or otherwise passed onto her. She remembers it all, because it’s rude not to listen when people talk to her, but nothing comes of normally.
Not until Serrure—now twelve and well versed in the magic of illusions and glamors and knows almost as much about this city as her or the Bats—bursts into the bakery one day and grabs Mari away from the front counter right in the middle of a customer ordering. She should, perhaps, be a little angry at that but Tony, one of the older boys and just shy of sixteen, steps into her place almost immediately, so.
And then Serrure speaks and everything is pushed aside in favour of the next words to fall from his lips.
“Someone took Sophie,” he says and she nearly sees red.
After Serrure, Sophie has been here the longest. She is the youngest of them all, only seven, but oh so clever and kind and while she looks nothing like her, everyone calls her Mini-Mari. If Serrure is her beloved first son, Sophie is her treasured daughter.
She’s out the door in the next moment, storming her way to their base. She has Sophie and a handful of extra kids back by sunset, a little frightened, but no worse for wear. She doesn’t make a big deal out of it, besides making sure that the idiots who dared cross her never do so again, but word gets out.
Soon, her kids and teens and adults begin giving her more than just information, they begin giving her problems. Ones she’s meant to fix because she’s Pixie. She’s safety, she’s protection, she’s the one the people start to turn to for help.
And enter stage left, one Jason Todd who’s all snark and charm and smiles wrapped up in a nice leather bow and tall enough that Mari likely could climb him like a tree. If that was something she wanted, she guesses.
(She wants. She just won’t admit.)
He becomes a regular at the bakery and befriends most of her kids.
Mari’s wary when he first takes an interest in them. They’ve been hurt and a lot of them are still adjusting to being safe and it doesn't matter that this man is hot enough to burn, if he steps even a toe out of line with her kids she’ll make him wish he was never even born.
But, she stops worrying eventually. The kwami like him well enough, but seem to think something’s odd about him—but its Gotham, who isn’t strange?—and both Serrure and Sophie take to him like ducks to water and they’re both good judges of character.
There’s a certain intuition they both have that reminds Marinette just a bit too much about herself and pure magic. Not for the first time does she wonder if they got such strong magic from their parents or if it cropped up in them randomly, fostered by fortune and chance and the magic that’s so deeply seeped into the bones of her bakery it’ll be here long after she’s gone.
And, okay, so she was a little right to be wary because Jason was mostly there to investigate her. Far too many people respect her and are loyal to her and she has a veritable orphanage in her pocket and also Harley and Ivy like her and it just- it doesn’t look good right?
But Jason’s a good detective and it doesn't take him long at all to see that Mari is just as sweet and kind and loving as she appears to be. Not long after that, Red Hood declares Pixie and all of hers, under his protection. She, of course, is more than capable of taking care of her and hers, and the underworld knows this, has seen it, but he does it anyway.
The news, of course, gets back to Mari and she is… confused. Why would the Red Hood do something like that? She’s heard talk of him being sweet on kids, but to claim her? They’ve never even met.
Bonus points for Jason being there when she’s told about it. He kind of raises his eyebrow at her because, huh, that was fast, and then spends the next few minutes talking up the Red Hood to her much to her utter bafflement.
He actually keeps doing that too, talking up the Red Hood. Mari thinks he has a crush on the man for the longest time because of it. Until he reveals he is Red Hood, then she just wants to punch his stupidly handsome face for being such an idiot.
Shit happens from there and things go down and the two spend a couple of months dancing around each other and intentionally and unintentionally ruling the criminal underworld and at one point Marinette definitely punches Bruce and Batman in the face—separately, much to Jason’s unending joy—and she also definitely adopts Duke/Signal as well because that poor boy needs to know he’s not alone.
And it’s just them being domestic and badass and lowkey raising an army of children and falling in love while the kwami and the kids and Chloé are all in the background just yelling at them to get together already!
Which, they do. Eventually. After all the secrets come out and Jason knows about the magic and Order and meets Mari’s other friends, ie Kagami, Luka and Adrien who are all intimidating for wildly different reasons. And Mari finds out that Jason died and came back (which earns him the nickname firebird btw) and that he was a Robin once upon a time but is now Red Hood and oh my kwami it all makes sense now.
Jason confesses like three times via classic Victorian romance novel quotes because he’s a fucking literature nerd but it’s not until he basically spells it out for Mari does she really understand. it’s all very sweet and heartwarming and then the pair duck into one of the empty pocket dimensions they have lying around and aren’t seen for three days.
(No one really goes to look for them tbh)
Chloé definitely teases them about early honeymoons and things but besides the two being even more ridiculously lovey-dovey than usual, life goes back to normal. Or as normal as it gets for them. 
And they all live happily ever after the end.
3K notes · View notes
enjennie · 3 years
Text
Stay [ Lee Jeno x Reader ]
Summary: You find yourself in a dark room at a party underneath the basketball captain Lee Jeno. And he might just have a thing for you.
genre: Smut! (minors begone!) Fluff. 
warnings: contains smut and profanity. losing virginity + unprotected sexc time (pls practice safe segz)
a/n: my second smut ... i’m still testing the waters and this isn’t proofread but i just wanted to write smth to destress. also yes there is lack of foreplay bc im not too familiar with writing that yet but i hope it's not too bad !! enjoy ♡
The room was both dark and unfamiliar, but you push yourself into it without a second thought. Jeno’s arms are wrapped around your waist securely, lips molded together in an electrifying kiss that sent waves of euphoria all over your body. Jeno wasn’t any more familiar than the room. Not to you, of course. You knew all about him, but not the other way around. You were a stranger to him. Or so you believed. But none of that mattered to you in the moment. It should have. Yes. You kissed him. Yes. You initiated it. So why were you so confused on why it was leading to a very heated make out and possibly into… sex?
The music from the party you’d both left downstairs is muffled by the shutting of the door but what was really drowning it out was Jeno taking you into another world of your own as his lips drift from yours down to your neck while his hands touch you in places you’ve never been touched before. It all felt like a dream. But his voice brings you back to reality, proving that this all was in fact real.
“Are you okay with this?” he breathlessly asks. You’d both gone from the door and were now on the bed, with him towering over you looking mighty as ever. Godlike. Jeno the basketball team captain, whom you’ve crushed on for years was in front of you, had just kissed you back. You gave him a nod, not having it in you to construct a sentence by how baffled you were. “You’re not…drunk, are you?” he tilts his head to the side, inspecting your face in the dim light the moon provided.
“I barely had anything to drink,” you shyly confessed. You’d been throwing out your drink in bushes and every shot you took were mostly infused with soda. But Jeno knew. Jeno noticed it all. He chuckled, dipping his head closer to yours. Close enough that he caught a whiff of your perfume, close enough to hear how your breath hitched in your throat with the sudden proximity between you two. “Me too,” he quietly whispers into your ear.
So why was this happening right now? If it isn’t because of the heavy alcohol intoxicating you both to make unsure decisions, why were you in a room with Jeno when you were both very much sober and aware of what was going to happen? It wasn’t like you were the only girl at this party. Why was basketball captain Lee Jeno in the room with you, student council secretary Y/N, right now? Isn’t it an odd pairing?
You couldn’t think about any of that. Not when his lips are on yours again and they’re all you could think about. It didn’t take long before his shirt was on a pile on the floor along with yours. Jeno drew circles on your waist with his thumb as he grinded against your needy area. Your fingers laced through his while the other found itself entangled in his hair. Jeno let out a low growl when you pulled on his roots, and you can’t keep the smug smile from appearing on your face at the thought of him reacting this way because of your doing.
He didn’t waste a second more, he lined his tip against your entrance after pushing your skirt up and panties aside and thrusted himself inside you, making you yelp louder than you’d intended. You forgot to mention the fact that you were a virgin. Never have gone past the third base. Jeno drew in a sharp breath at your tightness and seemed to notice that the sound you’d made was more pain than it was pleasure. The boy propped himself up to peer at you. “Are you okay? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gone so rough,” he apologized, concern flooding his face.
“I’m… I’m a virgin,” you let the cat out of the bag. It settled in the air for a while, hovering above the both of you in the dead silent room. You couldn’t look at his face. Out of embarrassment and shame. But Jeno placed a hand against your face, framing it and letting you look into his honey brown eyes in the darkness. “You’ve never done it before?” he whispers.
I ruined it. You thought. Maybe I should’ve told him I’ve already done it…
“C’mon,” he snaps you back into reality by pulling away and you see him holding his hand out to you. You stare at it, not knowing what to do in this situation. “Give me your hand,” Jeno smiled softly at you, his face completely changed as if he isn’t balls deep inside you right now.
You take his hand and he threads your fingers together, gripping yours firmly in his and pushing it down on the mattress. “Hold onto me, tell me how you like it,” Jeno shifts his body, pulling himself out of you, leaving you empty. Hollow. The friction made you gasp for air, which melted into a moan. You let your nails prick him on the hand from how hard you were holding his as he entered once again, slower this time. The stretch was painful, but so good. Jeno watched your face change from depicting pain to a mixture of pleasure. Such a sinful expression on an angelic face. You could feel him get harder inside you as he continued to thrust in a controlled pace.
“You okay” he asked softly. His mouth is by your ear and you can hear his soft panting. You let out a hum, too overwhelmed by what you were feeling to make up a reply. “Use your words, baby,” he urged.
“I feel great,” you breathlessly sighed back, just as his tip hit a new spot that felt otherworldly. “Fuck-,” you moaned. Jeno paused, biting on your neck, trying to restrain himself from going fucking you senseless.
“Keep going,” you directed. Jeno’s eyes grew dark from hearing your sultry voice telling him what to do. He pushed himself deeper, earning a delicious moan from you. Jeno bucked his hips and continuously rammed himself into you, filling you up with each thrust. He was pushing you into the soft mattress and had your thighs spread apart to give him space between them.
The sensation you felt gradually built up in your stomach as you cried out his name, your moans filling the empty room. Shutting your eyes and letting yourself indulge in the feeling Jeno gave you, the knot in your stomach tightened. He peppered your chest with kisses before his thrusts began to get sloppier, you noticed he was close. You let yourself look up at him and the sight of you was enough to send him to the edge as a string of curses along with your name escaped his mouth as he came. You clenched your walls around Jeno as you felt your orgasm hit moments after. Jeno slowed his pace down before pulling out completely and collapsed beside you, falling on the mattress of the poor stranger’s bed where you’d just lost your virginity in.
Your head was spinning and your hearts hammering as you came down from your highs. You turn to him, pushing your skirt down to cover your thighs.
“Did you enjoy th-,”
“That was amazi-,”
You both interrupt each other as you spoke, and you chuckle as he let you go first.
“That was amazing,” you finished your sentence. Jeno looked at you, his smile prominent on his face and his eyes displaying crescents. “Yeah? You’re not too bad yourself, made me forget that this is Hyucks’ parents bed,”  
That was enough to get you to spring off of the bed, looking back at it in horror. Jeno cracks up laughing, sitting up and reaching for your shirt before handing it over to you and pulling his own over his head. “Let’s go somewhere else,” he says, his tone suggestive. You knew it was to ask for a greenlight. It was surprising he even wanted to spend more time with you after the sex. The question brought a smile to your face as you put your shirt back on.
“Let’s get out of here,” you tell him. Jeno smiled at you, pushing the hair that covered his view behind your ears.
 That night, as you and Jeno sped away in his convertible with the top down, you let the cool wind run through your hair and engulfed the summer breeze. Jeno watched in awe, while he drove you to the hill with the best view of the city. He didn’t know how this was happening, when you both had never spoken before. It was always him and his little crush on you, going unnoticed. Shy glances from across the room at the girl who thought she was invisible when in fact you brought light into every room you walked into, almost like the sun followed you around.
But it was senior year. Fuck it, he thought. He’d heard you got into the college of your choice and it wasn’t in town. Jeno had decided on a whim that night, as he watched you bob your head to the song playing while mouthing the words along, that he was gonna tell you how crazy in love he was for you. When you disappeared into the hallway looking for the toilet, Jeno had followed you in a rush. To profess his adoration for you, tell you how you were the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. However, before he could spit it out, you’d kissed him. You didn’t know what came over you, in the moment it just felt right. It turns out to be the best decision you’ve ever made.
He pulled over, and you admired the view upon you. Twinkling lights from the bustling city of traffic and skyscrapers. Jeno turned the engine off, leaving you both in the sounds of nature around you. Crickets and the distant sign of life in the city. Cars beeping and music playing from different homes as seniors were having their party to celebrate the end of examinations. You looked at Jeno and he cupped your cheeks with his hand before pulling you in for another sweet kiss.
Unreal.
He pulled you easily onto his lap. How could you be so comfortable with a man you’ve technically just met? You felt like you could trust him with your life.
“We skipped all the formalities,” you murmured as you dipped your head close to his. Jeno lowered his gaze to your lips which made you subconsciously wet them with your tongue. He smiled sheepishly, leaning in and giving you a peck. “Then let’s start from the beginning,” He plants a kiss on your lips before pulling away after each one. “Hi-,”
Kiss.
“My name is-,”
Kiss.
“Lee Jeno,”
Kiss.
“Will you go out with me?”
550 notes · View notes
absolutebl · 3 years
Text
This Week in BL
March 2021 Part 4
Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. 
This is a LONG ONE, it’s been A WEEK everyone. 
Tumblr media
Ongoing Series - Thai
Lovely Writer Ep 5 - a little slow this week, but at least Gene finally flirted back, and very cute flirting it was, too. Also we got Aey’s motivation, background, and love interest. Thank goodness for that. 
Brothers Ep 8 - still pants, what can I say? Clearly I am a BL masochist. Very embarrassing for everyone concerned. 
1000 Stars Ep 9 - the conflict over Tian’s father was REALLY well done. The plot of this drama is excellent, the leads are great together, and yes I totally cried. What, you didn’t? 
Tumblr media
Ongoing Series - Not Thai
Word of Honor (China) Ep 16-18 - big battle fighty fighty stabby stabby. Ep 17 switches to “this drama isn’t big enough for two chaotic-neutral godlings!” So what do they do? Drink together and bicker... A LOT. Then in Ep 18 we all get the dubious joy of really freaky puppets. (I HATE puppets.) Also how is China letting this be so SO VERY VERY GAY?  Also, I wanna walk through the forest wearing a smanshy purple robe and waving a big fuck-off white fan around simply because I’m a pretentious fuss monger. And frankly, I feel like this is an achievable life goal for me. 
We Best Love 2 (Taiwan) Ep 4 - not gonna lie, this is looking to be one of my top 3 BLs of 2021. It’s SO GOOD. Big bonus to this ep for treating stalker behavior like the mental illness it is and not as some dumb representation of enduring love. 
The Most Peaceful Place is My Place (Vietnam) Ep 1 - finally dropped (find it under NƠI BÌNH YÊN NHẤT LÀ VỀ BÊN EM on O2′s channel). It’s got actors already comfortable with BL and looks pretty good so far. An angry tsundere uke reunited with his ex, a stoic chef, giving us lots of snap, crackle, and pop out the gate. 
Dear Uranus (Taiwan GL) Ep 2 - I want to love it, but it is just moving too fast. There’s not enough character dev and then they’re throwing flashbacks in? It feels like a treatment rather than a show, and a rushed treatment at that. Bummer. 
HIStory 4: Close To You (Taiwan) Ep 2 (AKA Ep 3-4) - let the cheesy popcorn continue! Idiot remains an idiot; ingenue remains an ice queen; nice gay guy remains nice and gay; obsessive stalker brother is getting ever more whackadoddle. Of course these last two have the best chemistry. (It’s caregiver codependency and the salvation trope. We got us a Leo/Fiat situation going on.​) Plus lots of classic BL tropes because OF COURSE there are lots of tropes. 
Occasionally, I am tempted to argue that shows like H4 or Cherry Magic or Ossan’s Love aren’t technically BL because of the office setting and age of the protags - but then they all behave like high school students anyway, so *shrug* 
Tumblr media
Stand Alones
Cute little Taiwanese micro BL Friend or Lover dropped, about bisexual realization within a friendship group. Normally these are too short for me, but this one did pretty good with its 15 minutes of charm, plus it’s abad boy + shy softy pairing. 
Tumblr media
Breaking News - Thai BL
Fish Upon the Sky released its actual trailer. The upside-down kiss is gone, which makes everyone sad, and it seems far less rivals to lovers than the first iteration, which makes ME sad. But it still looks good and a more classic BL than GMMTV has given us in a while. New trailer focused more on the makeover trope and they’ve upped Mix’s role (the object of everyone’s affection) now that he’s proved himself. (Or they are using him more to carry the trailer since he has a fan base form 1k*). Starts April 9 on GMMTV in 1K*’s time slot, probably with a 10 ep run. 
2gether the movie is apparently coming April 22 to Thai theaters. F4 Thailand must be having issues or GMMTV just wants to milk the BrightWin cash cow. It’s rumored to be a combination of 2gehter + Still 2gether with some extra scenes and ending. Also, one assumes a lot will be cut out, if it’s movie length.
Call It What You Want released its updated trailer. If anything, it looks more scary than before. What are we in for? April 9th. 
Nitiman got a release date, May 7 on One31. 
I Told Sunset About You 2 got an updated release date of May 27 on LineTV. 
Second Chance the series is coming to LineTV on March 29. I don’t know much about this one. Tons of familiar faces (mostly TharnType side dishes) and some nice looking new talent but a dearth of eng subs. I think it may take on Brothers’ time slot. Line did eng subs for Brothers so maybe they will do 2nd Chance too? 
Close Friend the series is coming April 22. This is a combination of 6 couples with 6 story arcs as music videos (maybe)? It’s an epic fan service with familiar faces like OhmFluke (UWMA), MaxNat (LBC also in Y-Destiny), YoonLay (YYY also in Y-Destiny), KimCop (GenY), and JaFirst (TT2).
Y-Destiny starts March 30, and has starting dropping couple’s trailers. I’m still suspicious given the director but it seems like there is plot (or plots) and a theme. Looks to be a series of 7 single ep vignettes (amended, see comments, might be 2 eps each for 14 eps total), different couple each time, some with supernatural elements, all with decent chemistry and acting chops. 
Sun MaxNat’s tutor/student arc
Mon jaded rich kid meets poor innocent  
Tues sports romance enemies to lovers 
Weds the messy realistic actual dating one 
Thurs hot ghost boyfriend (sad) 
Fri YoonLayPerth coping with loss and finding new love (sad). This one will all rest on Lay's acting so we know it’s in safe hands. Our boy is going to KILL it. 
Sat time-slip memory loss reunion romance 
I’m thinking we can’t expect any of these to end happy or be classic BL. They’re gonna be more slice of life-ish. 
Tumblr media
Gossip - BL Outside of Thailand 
Scholar Ryu’s Wedding Ceremony AKA Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (Korean historical BL) got a legit teaser (eng sub here). @curriculumvtae​ reports that it’s releasing April 15th on WeTV (Philippines & Thailand) and Idol Romance (South Korea), while Will of Thai Bl says it’ll be on Viki too. It’s a short run of 8 ep built on a fake relationship trope (arranged marriage variant):
Ryu Ho Seon’s (Kang In Soo from You Wish) arranged marriage turns out to be with his expected bride’s brother, Choi Ki Wan (Lee Se Jin from Mr Heart). Ryu tries to undo the marriage, but his ill mother opposes this saying the scandal would be too much. Meanwhile, Kim Tae Hyeong (Jang Eui Soo from Where Your Eyes Linger), a senior at Ryu’s school, comes to congratulate him and falls in love with Choi. Then one day, the original bride disappears.
Okay it seems a bit twisty turny for ONLY 8 EPS, but oh my goodness how excited are we? Our first intentional historical BL out of Korea!
Tumblr media
We already knew Hong Kong was doing a remake of Japan’s Ossan’s Love under the same name (not my favorite Japanese BL but so very popular) but it’s now reported to be coming to Viu in June. Who knows how the CFA will take it. Depends on whether Hong Kong bows before the NO GAY KISSES regs or if they are going to use this as a political nose thumb... things could get cray with this puppy (the original has several kisses and s shower scene). Are we back in Addicted territory only with added comedy and civil unrest?
Speaking of Japan, Absolute BL (AKA Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai vs Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko) dropped sooner than anyone thought, March 27. But being Japanese who knows how/when/if we get subs. Protag finds himself trapped in a world of BL, but being straight he fights against any hot guy that draws near, but the whole world (literally) is conspiring against him. It’s a parody adapted from a yoai.
What with Absolute BL from Japan plus Lovely Writer and Call it What You Want from Thailand, is 2021 the year of BL being ultra self referential? Sure feels like it.
Tumblr media
In Case You Missed It
Faded a gay micro film from Taiwan from 2017 deals with parental acceptance and serves up a ton of BL tropes (piggyback, forehead kiss, etc). I’m pretty sure this was a propaganda piece for legalization of gay marriage, and it’s an interesting nugget of BL history as a result. Yes, it ends happy. It’s cute. 
Next Week Looks Like This:
Some shows may be listed a day later than actual air date for accessibility reasons.
Tumblr media
Upcoming 2021 BL master post here.
Links to watch are provided when possible, ask in a comment if I missed something.
Man there’s a lot going on right now! Spring has sprung... I suppose. 
Tumblr media
P.S. I cannot believe I missed Absolute BL as a blog name. Numbnuts = me. 
354 notes · View notes
micromushroom · 3 years
Text
☼ BNHA Dorm Headcanons☼
Tumblr media
Synopsis: What I think the dorms of characters would look like 
Genre: Just general headcanons
W.K.: ~1.25k in all
C.W.: none
Characters ft: Bakugou, Tsuyu, & Shinsou
Tumblr media Tumblr media
(~450 words)
This could go in so many different directions
My first thought is that if PlanetFitness™ was condensed it would be this man’s room
But honestly I see him more as a person to workout outside and do more active things whilst being productive
It’s canon that he likes hiking, so I feel like a lot of the equipment in his room would be based off of that
If anything, he probably has a few weights (like dumbbells) that are lying around
Has most definitely kicked one on accident at night walking around his room
I feel like it’s relatively plain but over time becomes more clustered
The Bakusquad will start randomly leaving or putting things in Bakugou’s room
It can be anything from Denki leaving little dollar store trinkets on Bakugou’s desk; to Kiri making random things out of garbage in class and putting it on Bakugou’s shelf
He doesn’t strike me as someone to have a lot of pictures or memorabilia, but there’s little pictures on the wall by his bed with sticky tack photos of his friends throughout the years
He’s an All Might fanboy at heart, but I doubt he has as much physical display of this as Midoriya
I headcanon that there’s posters and like some rare collectibles of action figures and merch
Inko made him a throw blanket as a kid for his birthday of All Might and he still has it at the end of his bed
Despite it being relatively clustered with small things in some places (again, courtesy of the Bakusquad), it’s still pretty clean and spacious
His curtains are usually closed, so the only possibility for plants that he could sustain are either fake or don’t survive for long
Since his parents are both fashion designers, his closet is full of clothing that he’ll probably never wear from name brands all over
His desk serves as a multiple purpose space: homework, charging station, and bookshelf
Bakugou’s bed is always made and—as much as I hate to say it—he probably only sleeps with two pillows—three on occasion
He has a speaker that he uses whenever he’s not doing homework, but it’s probably super loud (headcanoning that he’s partly deaf from his quirk)
His closet alone could be an entirely different post
Overall, Bakugou’s room is kind of dark and a tad bit more grunge themed
Kirishima leaves Bakugou lots of little notes saying things like are either:
“Hey Bakubro, can you help with math please? :D” to
“Remember to hydrate and take a break” with a little thumbs up doodle
Lots of self notes too reminding him of what he has to do and his schedule for the day
Tumblr media
(~340 words)
Tsu canonically has all of the attributes—strengths and weaknesses—that a frog does
For this reason, I think that she has humidifiers and just temperature regulations throughout her room
Lots of plants and art prints, mainly from friends
Little lily pad shaped fairy lights strung across her room
I picture her room as having a lot of plants like ivy and vines, but also a lot of really exotic plants
Lots of pillows and blankets
Like at least five pillows and her bed is most definitely up against the wall
The blankets range from those really thin 50x50” ones to comforters to really fluffy and warm blankets
Hear me out—stuffed animals
I think that her friends go out with her to like, the mall, and end up coming back with a lot of stuffed animals
Throw pillows and rugs are main staples of Tsu’s room
Super comforting place and relaxing, but it can become kind of humid
Frequent naps at Tsu’s dorm bedroom have become so common that she has little bean bag seats that people sleep on
Color palette of greens and pinks
Think of a pastel version of kid core, with the mixed color fabrics
Her closet is also an entirely different post, but I’m picturing bucket hats and pastel overalls with different colors and patch sizes
You know those framed glass cases of bugs? Yes, those but a lot of them
Like they’re hanging up by pictures of her friends
Butterflies, iridescent winged beetles, etc.
Like the wood around them is an orangish color and honestly I might just draw this up later
I cannot stress this enough, but pictures of her friends both in and out of school as well as pictures of her family and herself growing up
Post cards from all over pinned up on her walls and cork boards
Generic, I know, but frog themed little details that are mainly jokes
Music isn’t as loud or used as Bakugou, but when she does play music, it’s most likely a shared playlist that everyone created
Tumblr media
(~490 words)
Straight up, grunge. kid. bedroom.
Gotta put aside my biases for him for the rest of this
Either looks like a vacant room or the pure embodiment of a teenage boy’s room
I’m going with the latter for the rest of this
Clothes and trash are just all over the floor, save for a few spaces
His bed has been made once, maybe twice
But it is the most comfortable shit you would ever sleep in
I speak from experience of my own bed
Posters line the wall so much to the point where there’s very little actual wall space
These range from prints he likes, bands, movies, heroes he admires Aizawa, to joke posters like, “Live, Laugh, Love <3” and, “~Home is where the heart grows fonder~”
The LED lights desperately need a battery change because it’s more of a dim light, but that’s for another time to change
Jackets and hoodies over his chairs
Has a little gaming station beside his desk
I choose to believe his gaming chair and setup itself is the biggest thing that he has splurged on
The side of his monitor and the top of his desk are covered in stickers he’s collected over the years
Tapestry over his bed
Vintage cassette and record albums
As cluttered as everything is, it’s still somewhat spacious because the clutter is grouped together to provide a walkway
Much like myself, his closet is somewhat bare because all of his clothing he wears is from piles of clean and dirty clothing on the floor
Signature purple and black bedding and overall theme
There’s always music, like no matter what, but the difference between Shinsou and Bakugou is that Shinsou’s music is usually quiet
Wide variety of music, but at night it’s his an entirely different playlist of Lofi
He may not sleep at night 9/10, but at least it isn’t as chaotic and exhausting
Collection of bottle caps and tabs by his bed
Water bottles are everywhere, but at least the majority of them are refilled
At this point I’m just naming off how my room is rn
Half of his chargers are broken or living on 1%
Hair ties that are clinging onto life have their own little dish on his desk
Usually the curtains and blinds are closed
On the back of his door there’s a coat rack that’s used exclusively for his bag and also the capture weapon
Weights and overall workout equipment are frequently used but also so easily lost
The Grind Never Stops
I think the only pictures he would have would be of like sneaked pictures of him and Aizawa training
Aizawa’s in the back doing whatever pose and Shinsou’s either hold up a blurry peace sign to the camera or painfully imitating it
They’re a little frayed at the edges most of the time, but it just makes them more sentimental and fit in with the aesthetic
11/10, would recommend vibing in his room
Tumblr media
252 notes · View notes
accio-moony · 3 years
Text
Precedented Reputation || Remus Lupin x Reader SMUT
Request: Yes: {anon} What about a Remus smut where the reader is in a skirt and maybe has a hair pulling kink?
AN: They’re both 17 (legal age for wizards) Not Proof-read
Word Count: 3.7~k
Characters/Pairing: Remus Lupin x reader, James Potter, Sirius Black, Lily Evans
Summary: [marauders era] You’ve been riled up all day, and take your opportunity while under the influence of firewhisky at a Gryffindor party.
WARNINGS: Underage drinking, public make out, unprotected sex, hair pulling, spanking, edging, slight cock warming, creampie
*not my gifs*
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
The loud chatter that fills the Gryffindor common room feels like it shakes your soul when combined with the thump of the music. It makes your head kind of fuzzy, but the Firewhisky in your hand can’t be helping with that either. Of course, like most Saturdays after a quidditch match, the Gryffindors would celebrate, whether they won, or even played, or not. Another excuse for the house to exude its rowdiness. Today is no exception, especially since they had won by more a good fifty points. Students are running around in every direction; every corner is filled with a group of friends or a couple. It is well past after hours for the castle, and this tower remains lit with excitement. If you pay enough attention, you would notice that there are a select few students who aren’t even a part of the Gryffindor house. Some students just can’t turn down the opportunity to get bashed by Firewhisky. 
On the coffee table of the center group of couches stands Sirius Black, your boyfriend’s best friend. As Sirius rambles off some nonsense no one understands and dances around on the table, you lean your head against your boyfriend’s shoulder, taking in the scene. Admittedly, if it weren’t for the extra dose of courage your drink provides you, you wouldn’t be down here. Likely you would be off reading a book or studying. You don’t even usually drink, but your friends had coaxed you into it this time. It being your last year at Hogwarts, you don’t want to be the one to say they never attended any parties.
That aforementioned extra lot of courage has you excited in more ways than one, but you aren’t the type to just hop on your boyfriend in the middle of a crowded space, unlike many of the students filling the common room. Said excitement has also been in your gut all day, for what reason you don’t know, but the alcohol on your tongue was just gasoline to the fire. You’ve stayed by Remus’ side since supper was over and the lot of you left the Great Hall. You’ve kept your arms around him, occasionally squeezing his sides in hopes that he’ll get the intended nonverbal message. Though, as most days, he was unaware of your actions, simply playing it off as your regular affection. 
You’ve been pushing your urges to the side all day, but they kept coming back. After dinner, just before the party had started, you disappeared upstairs to your dormitories with your room mates to get ready. The idea stroke you then that you should wear Remus’ favorite outfit of yours, and maybe then he’ll give you a reaction. Even with the denim skirt, the reaction he gave you when he saw you was insufficient. He merely bit his lip and wrapped his arm around you, holding you close and claiming you as his. 
By now, Sirius has tripped off the coffee table and spilled his drink all down his and some poor girl’s shirt. Jading to you and many others, he has managed to play it off to is advantage as he snogs her on a near-by couch. As Remus talks to Peter about something unimportant, his arm still protectively wrapped around you, you look for the fourth marauder. You find him, sitting in a far corner practically swallowing his girlfriend, whom he had pined for since first year. Lily had rejected him so many times, and you’re still baffled by what changed her mind. 
You think to yourself, if James can get his dream girl after six years of rejection, you can figure out how to get your boyfriend to take you to bed. It’s never been a problem for Sirius, and even though he has many characteristics you don’t, how hard could it be for just one person — the one person you’ve let have you before and that you’ve loved since you first spoke to him. 
Even as the room is stocked with sweaty teenagers, Remus manages to still wear his usual many layers. It’s no surprise, given the tokens his ill-favored condition has left him to bare for all the years to come. You’ve never shunned him for his lycanthropy, loving him and all the baggage that comes with, as he does you. 
As shrewdly as possible, you untuck Remus’ button down and sweater from his trousers. Being so preoccupied in his conversation with Peter, Remus doesn’t seem to notice, giving you the advantage. You hand you cup to some random student passing by you without a word, without even a glance, and you slide your cold hand under his button down, resting it on his flushed abs, all while turning in his arms so you’re comfortably facing him. The stark contrast in the temperature of your skin to his quickly seizes his attention as he tenses under your touch, his head whipping around as he looks down at you. The moment his eyes meet yours, he knows. He can see the need that he’s missed all day, but he decides to see how far you’ll go in such a public setting, the Firewhisky also having given him an extra ounce of courage. He lets out a breathy laugh as he relaxes under your touch, and he bends down slightly, only kissing the top of your head before turning back to talk to Peter, to your displeasure.
You huff, and before you can make a decision on how to proceed, or even if you should, you body speaks for itself as you move to stand between the two men, pushing Peter back as you face Remus. But you don’t just stand there expectingly. Your hands grab the sides of his face as you push up on your toes to get yourself closer to his height and pull his lips down onto yours in a feverish kiss. Though Remus was still playing snitch, not giving into the kiss as much as you wanted him to. You groan as your lips move across his jaw and up his neck to rest just under his ear, pulling him down by the neckline of his sweater with one hand, the other placed on his shoulder. Instinctively, his arm wraps around the small of your back, holding you close as he’s bent over to match your height. The hand one his sweater releases and slyly slides down his chest. 
“Stop being an arsehole on purpose, Remus,” you breath, your breath hot as it fans over his ear. You let your hand finally reach its desired destination, gripping him over his trousers and finding him to be just as aroused as yourself. “Or neither of us will get what we want.” Your hand slides over his length, squeezing ever-so slightly. 
Remus finally gives in to his act, his need to feel your lips overriding his intoxicated fantasy. His posture marginally straightens as he grabs your face with both of his hands, crashing his lips down onto yours in a hungry kiss, still full of passion. His left hand slide back from your cheek and his fingers lace into your hair. As his plan of action succeeds and he pulls your hair slightly, you gasp against his lips, and he’s able to force his tongue into your mouth to explore the familiar expanse. You moan when you feel his tongue press over your own, his other hand leaving your face and wrapping his right arm around your lower back, pulling you closer to him. His erection presses against your hip, and you can feel him throbbing behind the denim restraints. Remus feels your cold hands run up his sides from under his shirt, and he knows that if he doesn’t move you now, he may end up having to take you on the nearest open piece of furniture. His cock twitches slightly at the thought of everyone watching you, but he knows that no one gets to see you in your most vulnerable moments accept for him. He also doesn’t want that reputation to follow either of you through the last several months of school. 
He pulls away from you completely, not even staying by your side but instead walking away from you. You’re left standing in the middle of the common room, eyes wide and mouth ajar as you try to process the fact of how suddenly your boyfriend left you in such an intimate moment. After the moments or two it takes to regather your composer, you spin around, searching the room to find where he could have gone. Along the perimeter of the room, against the back wall, you see him. Your eyes catch his expecting look as he motions up the stairs next to him, the stairs that lead to the boy’s dormitories. Again locked in your spot to comprehend the situation, you force your feet from their spot seemingly bolted to the rough carpet and quickly maneuver your way through the crowded room to the back wall. 
You don’t stop when you reach him; you just wink at him with your lip between your teeth as you scurry up the spiral staircase. You feel him follow behind you, and once your around the first bend of the stairs, no longer able to be seen from the common room, you feel his hand fall down onto your ass roughly. You squeal and giggle as you bend over from the excitement, ascending the rest of the steps on all fours. 
Behind you, Remus throbs painfully in his trousers when he sees your panties peak out from under your short skirt, when he sees the wet mark adorning them. He growls perforce as he wraps his strong arms around you, easily picking you up as you giggle and carrying you the rest of the way to his dorm. Once in his room, he puts you down, not letting go until he’s sure you’ve got your balance, and his foot kicks the door closed behind him. 
“Colloportus,” he mumbles as he pulls his wand from his pocket and lazily points it at the door, locking it before throwing his wand down on his bedside table. 
“Muffliato,” you cast your own spell, still giggling from the excitement as you blindly walk backwards until the back of your knees hit the edge of Remus’ bed. You sit down, breathing heavily as you watch as your boyfriend quickly removes his belt, throwing it on the floor somewhere meaningless to you both in the moment.
Remus kicks his trainers off easily, then hurriedly removes his socks as he stumbles closer to you. You follow his lead and slip your flats off your feet, discarding them behind you with a heavy thunk. Once his socks are on the floor to be forgotten, Remus strides over to where you sit on his bed, graying your face in his right hand as he reconnects your mouths in a passionate kiss. His free hand quickly tugs the hem of your sweater from your skirt so he can slide it underneath, cupping your plump breasts over your bra, squeezing roughly. You moan at the feeling, releasing his mouth as your hands stealthily remove his own sweater, quickly pulling it over his head and getting to work on undoing his button down, his last layer. He stands up straight, something he usually doesn’t do, but seeing your nimble fingers working over the buttons of his shirt as you look up at him will love-blown eyes boosts his confidence. His fingers slide through your soft hair as he watches you finish with the last several buttons, his eyes full of lust. 
When you’ve released the final button on his white chemise, you don’t push it off his shoulders, instead enjoying how it hangs open, his tan chest exposed to you. Unable to resist, you begin kissing over the span of his chest, taking a moment here and there to suck your mark into his chest. As you do so, you gradually stand up, kissing up the length of his torso on the way. Once you’ve stood up straight and left one last purple bruise on his neck, just above where his collar sits, you step back, holding the intimate eye contact as you guide his hands to pull your sweater over your head, revealing your lace-clad tits to your boyfriend. You smirk as his eyes fall from yours and onto your cleavage once it’s revealed. 
He grabs them in his large hands, squeezing roughly as he drives his lips back onto yours, forcing your mouth open again to accept his tongue. He only kisses you for a moment, his member painfully rubbing against the denim of his trousers, begging to be released from the confinement. “I bet you’re ready for me aren’t you?” He smirks against your lips before attaching them again. “You’re so needy and desperate for me to fuck you, huh?”
“Yes, Remus,” you moan at his words. “Please. I’m ready.” 
“Good girl,” he groans as he spins you around, strenuously pushing you down face first onto his bed, you ass towards him. In one swift movement, Remus pushes your skirt up, bunching it at your waist and quickly rips your panties down your legs, leaving your slick heat bare to him. “Fuck,” he mutter as he takes a step back, admiring your swollen lips as he unzips his pants, pushing them down with his boxers just enough to get himself free. “You’re so wet, baby.”
You quickly grow impatient, needing to be touched, to be satisfied, and you slide your hand between your legs, rubbing your fingers through your wet folds and spreading your arousal around your core. All to Remus’ displeasure, as he grabs both of your wrists, easily restricting them behind your back in his right hand alone. His other hand grabs his thick cock at the base, rubbing his head through your folds to soak himself in your arousal, pressing it against your clit, smacking it against you several times. 
He guides himself to your begging hole, pushing just the swollen tip into you before letting go of himself. His now free hand wraps in your hair, pulling it as he thrusts into you, bottoming out in one quick movement. He moans at the feeling of your velvet walls tight around his member, and you cry out from the contentment of being filled so perfectly in an abrupt moment. Your walls clench around him, not wanting him to leave as you feel complete, but your hips have a mind of their own as you push back against him, still needy and impatient. 
Remus’ right hand releases your wrists, letting you have them back to brace yourself against the mattress. Instead his hand comes down over your ass before holding your hips still. Your yelp in surprise of the pleasurable sting quickly slides into a moan.
“You’ve gotta learn to be more patient, love,” Remus’ low voice calls from behind you just as he pulls back, almost out before ramming himself back in again, forcing against that spot inside you. You cry out his name, whining and panting with every harsh thrust he gives you, each thrust accompanied by a blow to your cheeks.
Your ass quickly glows red, leaving Remus satisfied with his visible handprint. His soft hands smooth over your plump flesh, squeezing as he relishes in the feeling of having his hands full of you. His reputation of quiet book-boy is one he’s okay with. You and him alone know this passionate side that comes out in the bedroom. And he knows how you try to bring it out of him outside of privacy, like you had tried only moments ago, successfully he might add. He doesn’t know, or really care for that matter, who saw it. You make him the most comfortable he has ever been.
He pulls your hair harder and you moan at the tension, his cock twitching inside you at the sound. “Up, baby,” he commands, and your shaky arms fight to push yourself up. His right hand leaves its hold on your ass to help you up so that your back is pressed and arching against his firm chest. His hand slides your bra strap off your shoulder, leaving him room to leave his mark on you, then slides down your stomach and between your thighs, rubbing rough circles against your clit.
You moan out, wildly pleasured by the way he knows you so well. Your hand reaches behind you, grabbing the back of his neck and holding him closer to you as the coil tightens within you. You think he’s going to let you fall apart, but he notices the way your walls are tightening and fluttering around him, and he pulls out, leaving just an inch or so in you as his finger leave your mound. 
“Remus,” you whine, feeling empty, and when he takes too long, bring it upon yourself to do the work, pushing yourself pack and forth on his rock-hard cock. Your hands leave his neck, grabbing behind you to hold onto his sides, your finger nails digging into his already scarred flesh. 
You feel that coil reform in your gut, knowing you only need a little more. But Remus seems to know your body better than you do, and he stops you, pulling away from you completely with a dark chuckle. 
“Fuck you,” you pant as he steps away from you.
“Isn’t that what you’re trying to do?” He smirks as he sits himself on his bed, his head leaned back into his pillow. 
You groan and turn to him, easily straddling his hips as he spreads his legs, giving you a wider base. “It’s what I am doing,” you try to taunt him, but you panting and breathlessness, your messy hair, it all makes you seem so desperate for him. And you are, you have been all day. Not wanting to wait any longer, you immediately sink back down on him, his length reaching a whole new level within you and your high pitched moan thrills him. His hands slide behind your back, unclipping your bra and pulling it down your arms. His hands fill with your breasts as you starts lightly sucking on your nipples, your back arching and forcing more of you into his mouth. 
Though soon, as he feels himself getting ever closer, his hands drop your breasts, one sliding back into your hair and the other lay on your lower back to guide you as you rock your hips against him. His hand in your hair pulls back, exposing the column of your throat to him on which he leaves numerous bruises from the force of his mouth on you. 
“Remmy,” you whine, barely able to form coherent words. “I-I’m so cl-close. Please.” 
He takes your warning, falling away from you and back onto his pillow as his hands hold your hips above his over. He starts pounding up into you at a relentless speed and your hand falls to your clit, pushing yourself over that edge. 
“Oh, fuck,” you moan loudly as your orgasm washes over you. Your walls create a vice on him, squeezing and gushing your hot fluid over him. Your legs shake violently as you call out his name, collapsing forward onto his chest. 
The force of your orgasm makes Remus cum, bucking his hips up into you, involuntarily jerking them as he stills, buried to the hilt within you as his balls tighten. Thick ropes of his hot sum paint your insides as he holds you against his chest with his arms wrapped around you. “Fuck, princess,” he moans into your ear, his hips moving slightly to work the last of him into you, though quickly fall to the bed as he relaxes in exhaustion. 
He stays inside you for a moment longer, still impossibly hard, then flips you both over before slowly pulling out of you. He groans as his swollen cock leaves the warmth of your cunt, and you quietly whine at the loss, your voice barely returning after having cum so loud.
He grabs his wand and mutters a spell, one you can’t hear over the white noise of the aftershock. You feel him remove your skirt the rest of the way, and then presumably his own pants, pulling his boxers back up and softly tucking his sensitive member back into them. He finds your panties from the floor, then decides that you need fresh ones. He stumbles over to his trunk in exhaustion and pulls out the extra pair of panties you’ve left in his room for such occasions and a plain black t-shirt for you to put on incase his roommate return unexpectedly. 
He helps you into the shirt as he kneels in front of you on his bed, then carefully guides you back onto the pillow. “Are you okay, baby?” He asks, concern flooding his voice. “Did I hurt you?”
“No, no,” you mutter, a lazy smile playing at your lips. “That was… oh, Merlin, I can’t even put it into words. You’ve no idea how badly I needed that, Rem.”
He smiles as he lays with his hips between your thighs, pushing the t-shirt up over your breasts. “I love you, Y/n,” he says softly before his lips wrap around your nipple. You moan softly and arch your back again. 
“What’re you doing that for now, Remmy?” You whine. 
“They didn’t get the attention they deserve,” he explains as if it were the most obvious explanation and you laugh. The laugh quickly subsides into a moan as his teeth graze over your nipple, releasing it with a satisfying pop before moving to leave more hicks over your chest. 
“If you don’t stop that now,” you pant, still breathless from your excursion, but your breath being stolen from you again. “I’ll need to ride you again, Remus.”
He hums against your skin before pushing up onto his arms. “I have no complaints there,” he smiles as he places a soft kiss to your lips.
429 notes · View notes
urdailybs · 3 years
Text
that one cracky zhongven fic
Summary: Jean gets alerted that there's a possible child predator in the city and takes it super seriously and then... the "child" in question is her god. Her 2000+ yrs old god and the "predator" is his 6000+ yrs old boyfriend.
Anna had been near the fountain, swishing her hands through the crystal waters as she watched the people of Mondstadt do their daily routines.
The guards were around the gate, Carol was at her merchant stall, some little kids were playing around with the stray dogs. Overall it was a very peaceful day, most days were since Storterrors defeat and Dvalin’s rise.
Lord Barbatos must’ve blessed them, she thought. The weather was just right, not too hot nor too cold. It cooled everyone’s skin nicely and everyone seemed to enjoy their day. Perhaps the lord was in a good mood himself, maybe this was his way of forgiving them for treating the Dvalin situation so horribly. Lord Barbatos was never rumored to hold grudges long.
Anna smiled to herself, joy creeping at her sides. How fun, she mused. But something bad is bound to happen. Maybe that Bennett boy would come in and ruin their luck once again, trouble seemed to follow the teenager and it just so happened he liked to take his daily stroll around this time.
She suppressed a groan. If he were to appear today would be rather eventful. She does not think that it would sour the mood of the Mondstadt citizens, maybe even make them laugh at the child’s poor luck but that didn’t mean the boy would feel the same.
Her grin morphed into a frown at that thought but she shook those thoughts away. Better not dwell on a future that wasn’t set in stone.
Anna’s head roamed around once again, maybe she’d see someone she hasn’t met yet.
But instead, her eyes landed on the local bard, Venti, she recalled him calling himself. According to her brother, he played at Angel’s Share frequently but also went around telling tales of the gods around Barbatos statue. He was a traveling bard, if asked he could probably sing you a song about the Dendro archon.
She stood from her spot on the edge of the fountain, patting down her dress to go greet the teenager, ask him how his day was. Venti was known for being very conversational after all. She started heading over, a grin on her face. Maybe she'd be able to convince him to play her a song, she doubts he'd protest.
Anna walked around the fountain, making sure she didn't trip over any pebbles before looking up again. But now there was someone at Venti's side. The man was tall in stature, with long limbs that had some obvious muscle on them. She hesitated in her steps, perhaps it was a bad time. But Venti didn't appear as if it was, instead he had a bright grin as he looked at the elder.
She wasn't in hearing distance, and even if she was their voices would probably be drowned out by the crowd and the happy shrieks of Mondstadt's children.
So, Anna watched. She wasn't necessarily concerned, it was probably an uncle or a family friend. Yeah, that's right.
Venti's hands traveled to grip the elder man's hands, in a firm but gentle grip. The young bard bounced on his toes as he talked avidly to the man who in return smiled down fondly at him. Unease crept into Anna's gut but she stood where she was and continued to watch.
The man's hands also wandered, moving from Venti's grip to tug on the strands of his braids that framed his face. Venti giggled at the elder but continued to talk, moving his hands to wrap around the man's neck.
Anna frowned and shifted in place, something was wrong, she just couldn't put her finger on it.
After moments of just talking and Anna's feet shifting is when they kissed. It took a moment but the elder man pressed his lips to Venti's, quickly shutting up the young teenager. Anna let out a gasp and moved her eyes away, not being able to see Venti's reaction. This was obviously some sort of child predator situation and she should tell the acting grandmaster immediately.
Running for the stairs she ignored the concerned call of her brother, Anthony, and wasted no time to tell the nearest knight she could find.
Jean sighed into her palms, rubbing at her temple. A frown rested on her lips as she stared at Lisa who sat next to her. "What do I do? Miss Anna didn't provide much information." She could tell the woman was panicked, fearful for the teen she brought up but she could've at least mentioned some names. All Jean had managed to get out was that fact it was a bard and a man in Liyue-styled clothing.
Her wife, Lisa, didn't offer much help but that didn't mean Jean didn't appreciate her appearance, nor did it mean that Lisa did not care. "There are so many bards in Mondstadt, Lord Barbatos encourages the sound of music so much that nearly anyone native to Mondstadt can play an instrument." And many have made a career out of it, she did not say. It was no use worrying herself further. She should just get to the bottom of this as fast as possible.
If there was a child predator in Mondstadt, only the archons may know how many kids he may go after next. Lisa rubbed at her leg in a comforting manner, providing as much calm as she could. "She mentioned she saw them near the fountain, no? Perhaps they're still there."
Jean nodded. Sometimes she forgot Lisa was just as much of a knight as she was. "You're right. I'll go check, stay here."
Her wife nodded, giving her a soft smile. "If you need me I'll be here." Jean smiled at that and pressed a quick kiss to her lips before heading out the door, making sure to grab her sword on the way out. Even if she didn't wish for it, things may get violent.
Huffing, she brushed past her fellow knights, ignoring Kaeya's good afternoon. She'd have to fill him in later, she's sure he'd understand.
Running into the plaza, she caught her breath leaning up against a wall. She couldn't see any sight of a bard or a man in Liyue clothing, so it was best to ask questions. Walking over to a nearby shop-owner she asked and asked but only got shakes of heads and a 'sorry' in return. She was fast to reassure them that it wasn't their fault for not noticing.
She paced across the stairs and hummed in thought. Usually bard's play in taverns, more likely the most popular ones.
Jean smiled at her lead, time for an impromptu visit to Angel's Share.
The door to Angel's Share burst open and Diluc nearly screamed. He really hoped he wouldn't need to get it fixed. Turning around he was surprised to see Jean, a determined look on her face as she walked up to him. "Diluc," She said seriously, forgoing his title. They were friends after all, and her tone was quiet enough for nobody else to hear so it wouldn't raise suspicion. "Have you seen a man in Liyue clothing and a bard around?"
Diluc raised a brow. "Do you mean Venti and Zhongli?"
Jean blinked at him. "What? No? Who even is Zhongli?"
"What do you mean 'Who is Zhongli'? He's Venti's boyfriend or whatever." He's also the geo archon, went unsaid but still heard.
He watched as confusion, shock, understatement, and relief crossed her face, all in a span of two minutes. She looks ready to cry, he thought. Good or bad he did not know.
Slowly a laugh bubbled out of her and she slammed her hand down on the bar table, making a customer next to her jump in surprise. "Of course," She muttered under her breath.
Seemingly have sensed her presence (Diluc wouldn't be surprised if he actually had), Venti walked over, Zhongli trailing after him. The elder man looked very out of place due to his clothing but did not seem to realize the stares he attracted.
"Is everything alright over here?" Venti asked with a smile before looking at Diluc and sliding over some mora. "Also, can I get another Dandelion wine? I finished my previous one like ten minutes ago."
Sighing, Diluc took the mora and went to grab a cup but kept his ears strained for the conversation.
The acting grandmaster was exhausted. Now she wasn't one to be vulgar but tonight was an absolute shit-show and she never wanted to repeat it (though she had a feeling something similar will happen, eventually).
Lisa looked up from her book when she walked in, quick to rush over and give her a gentle hug. "Did you catch the perp?" She asked.
The blonde laughed and for a second she feared she may have had one too many drinks after her realization. Could you blame her though? She deserved that wine.
"I wouldn't say I caught anything." She started, watching a grimace cross Lisa's face. "It was actually a false alarm." She didn't know how to explain it to her wife without spoiling Venti and Zhongli's secret. How shall she do this?
"What do you mean?"
"Well, turns out this 'teenager' is actually a very old adult and so is the other adult. Miss Anna had just mistaken him for a minor." She ended up saying.
"Oh! How unfortunate for the couple than, I believe it'll be a little hard to display affection in public if one is that easy to mistake as a child."
"Yes, I suppose so."
121 notes · View notes
agustdakasuga · 4 years
Text
A Place Called Home | Chapter 11
Genre: Hybrid!AU, Poly!AU?, Soulmate AU, romance, fluff, humour
Pairing: OT7 x Reader
Characters: vet!reader, Arcticfox!Seokjin, Panther!Yoongi, Goldenretriever!Hoseok, Wolf!Namjoon, Calicocat!Jimin, Tiger!Taehyung, Rabbit!Jungkook
Summary: Having saved your own injured hybrid, you were determined to try and help any other hybrid that crossed your path who needed saving. But being a vet in a small hospital wasn’t enough for you. You wanted to do more, you wanted to make a difference. You wanted to give them a home.
You wake up and realise that now, you have 7 hybrids living with you. 4 of them are yours, 1 of them is a rehabilitating patient and 2 of them are just here for the upcoming winter. You try your best to bring them together and make sure they stay happy.
Tumblr media
You wake up to be greeted by Yoongi’s sleeping face. He had requested to crash in your room and sleep with you in his arms, which you were perfectly fine with. He could stay in your room for as long as he needed to. 
“Yoongs, how are you feeling?” You whispered. It took him a few seconds to respond, stirring in his sleep and yawning. 
“I’m okay...” He replied sleepily. 
“You can stay here and rest if you want. I’m going to work.” You told him and he nodded. Chuckling, you went to wash up and change into your work clothes. When you came out of the bathroom, Yoongi stood there, rubbing his eyes like a lost child. 
“I’m hungry.” He said. 
“Then go wash up. I’ll see you downstairs.” You patted his shoulder. Once he entered the bathroom, you grabbed your work bag and headed downstairs. 
“Good morning!” You were bombarded with hugs from a tiger and calico cat. You stepped back to steady yourself. 
“Good morning, Tae and Chim.” You chuckled. Pulling away, you went to the kitchen to see Jungkook and Hoseok awake. For a moment, you had forgotten that two new hybrids came to live with you yesterday. Jungkook’s long ears twitched when you entered the kitchen. The brothers watched as you went to greet Namjoon and Jin with hugs and pets. 
“Are you working a long shift today?” Taehyung asked. You took your phone out to check your schedule.
“Doesn’t seem like it... I only have two surgeries scheduled today. Then it’s consultations all the way... I’ll end around 8pm. If you guys are keen, we can go for a late dinner together.” You smiled. 
“That’s sounds great.” Jin smiled and Jimin nodded in agreement. 
“You two can come too, if you’d like.” You looked at the two brothers. Hoseok nodded his head excitedly while Jungkook shrugged, looking away as he poked at his breakfast. 
“Go where?” Yoongi appeared in the doorway. 
“For dinner tonight. My shift ends at 8.” You relayed and Yoongi nodded. 
“I’ll be practicing from home for a while so I’m free.” He wrapped his arms and tail around you. You had to leave soon so you sat down and ate breakfast with them. Jungkook remained aloof, not really participating in the conversation but Hoseok was chatting non-stop with the others. 
“Where are you going?” Hoseok asked you. 
“I’m a doctor, remember? I work at a hospital.” You smiled as you slipped your shoes on. 
“I forgot I promised to bring you and Jungkook shopping for necessities today. I’m sorry about that. But we can go on my next day off, I promise.” You said apologetically. 
“Don’t worry about it!” Hoseok assured.
“You guys can come and pick me up tonight then we’ll go. Don’t forget your tags.” You reminded and they all came to bid you goodbye. Instead of collars, you got all of them dog tag necklaces, which looked more like accessories. 
Everyone go their unique colour. Namjoon chose blue, Yoongi chose black, Jin chose pink, Taehyung chose green and Jimin chose yellow. 
“Jungkook and Hoseok, I know you’re not officially under my care but just so you wouldn’t get in trouble when we go out, I would like to get tags for you as well. If you’re okay with that.” You told them the two nodded in agreement. Both of them wouldn’t want to be separated or taken away since they were strays with no papers. 
“What are your favourite colours?” You asked. 
“Red!” Hoseok replied. 
“Purple...” Jungkook said. You nodded and gave Taehyung one last hug before getting into the van and driving to the hospital. Indeed, today was less hectic. It was mainly consultations and lots of paper work. 
‘Don’t forget to eat. - Yoongs’
You smiled at the message and went to the staff lounge to heat your food up (leftovers from dinner). The other nurses and doctors there smiled at you as you sat with them to eat. 
“(y/n), you have a lot of hybrids staying with you right?” One of the nurses asked. You nodded your head as you chewed your rice. 
“How do you provide for all of them?” 
“I don’t actually provide everything for them. Most of them have jobs, actually. I don’t treat them as pets or properties. They can do what they want. When they decided what jobs they wanted, I told them to go for it. Two are working at a plant nursery, one is working at a library and you have all met Yoongi, he’s working at a music school.” You explained. 
“Are you going to adopt more?” Dr. Lee, who was sitting beside you, asked. 
“If they come along and fit well with the others, then why not?” You shrugged, thinking of Jimin, Jungkook and Hoseok. 
“You’re seriously amazing, (y/n).” The nurse gave you a thumbs up, making you blush. 
“You guys are just as amazing because I’m sure we’re all here for one shared reason, right?” You chuckled. They all nodded and you couldn’t be happier with all the staff that you were working with. 
After lunch, you performed your scheduled surgeries and finished your consultations for the day. You sat in your office as the nurses brought in all the files that you needed to fill in or update the charts. You checked all the x-ray films for your patients. 
*KNOCK KNOCK*
“Who is it?” You asked, not looking up from your table. 
“Head buried in paperwork again?” Dr Yu teased as she walked in. You threw your head back in laughter. 
“When I’m this tired, I prefer paperwork than 6 hour long surgeries.” You smiled, looking back down at your reports. Even if you didn’t look up, you knew she was still standing there.
“Can I help you, sunbae?” 
“I brought in visitors for you. Can you at least look at them?” She said and you finally lifted your head. Your eyes widened as you saw all 7 hybrids standing there. Suddenly, your office felt so crowded. Seeing you, Jimin immediately ran over to give you a big hug, nuzzling his cheek against yours. 
“Hey, Chim. What are you guys doing here?” You asked, pulling away slightly and opting to stroke Jimin’s head instead. 
“You said you end at 8. It’s 8:30.” Namjoon raised an eyebrow. 
“Oh no! I’m so sorry, I lost track of time.” You facepalmed when you saw the clock. Indeed, you were half an hour late. Dr Yu came over and held your arms, making you stand up. 
“Sunbae-”
“You made your hybrids wait long enough. Any longer and they might sue you for starving them. Your shift is over. No more work!” She closed your files. 
“Alright, alright. I just need to hand these in to the nurses’ station and we can go.” You smiled and Dr Yu saluted to you. As she walked past your hybrids, they all bowed to her respectfully. You sighed and gathered your things. Files in one hand, the other holding Jimin’s, you headed to the nurses’ station. You knew that everyone was staring at your group. 
“Wow, did the entourage get bigger?” Head nurse Park teased. 
“This is Hoseok and Jungkook. They’re just staying with us for a while. This is Jimin.” You ruffled Jimin’s head. This time, he didn’t shy awake from strangers but his cheeks did turn pink. 
“Hello.” Yoongi, Taehyung, Jin and Namjoon greeted the nurse with familiarity. She smiled at them as you sorted out your files on the counter. 
“I’ll do the rest. Have a good night doctor. See you, boys.” Head nurse Park waved you off. You bowed to her and all of you walked to the van that the boys came in. 
“Hoseok, Jungkook. These are for you.” You gave them their tags. 
“Wow! Cool! Thanks!” Hoseok grinned, slipping his over his head. Jungkook stared at his for a few seconds before wordlessly putting his on. You sat in the passenger seat while Jin drove. 
“Where are we eating?” Yoongi asked. 
“How about some Korean beef?” You suggested. Judging by the loud cheers that erupted from everyone, Jin took that as the consensus and drove towards your family’s favourite Korean beef barbecue place. The restaurant gave your large group 2 grills to cook with. 
“Here, Jungkook. I know you eat meat but prefer vegetables.” You handed Jungkook a bowl of stewed vegetables. 
Jungkook was shocked that you noticed that. He generally went with the flow of just eating meat but being a bunny hybrid, he was still part herbivore and still preferred to eat more vegetables over meat. 
“T-Thanks.” He mumbled. 
“Eat up boys.” You began cooking the beef. You gave them out to the boys, who gobbled it up deliciously. 
“You’re doing all the cooking and not even feeding yourself.” Yoongi held out a lettuce wrap to you. You smiled sheepishly, leaning forward to eat the wrap from his hand. The boys were all chatting happily during dinner. Even Jungkook lightened up and Jimin was able to comfortably participate in some of the conversations that took place. 
“Do you work everyday, (y/n)?” Hoseok asked. 
“Hmm... Not everyday... I mean my schedule is never the same. I do have my days off but sometimes, I can be called for 36 hours shifts or 20 hour shifts.” You explained. 
“Isn’t it tiring?” 
“It is but when you think of the cause, it doesn’t seem so tiring anymore. If I can use my skills to save as many hybrids as I can, I will. Even if I don’t get to sleep or eat.” You shrugged with a smile. 
“Actually, Yoongi, Namjoon and Jimin were my patients before they joined the family. But they only listened to me when I was their doctor.” You chuckled, nudging Yoongi, who was beside you. He  rolled his eyes while Namjoon laughed and Jimin blushed. 
“Why should I listen to a doctor that can’t even take care of her own health?” Yoongi raised an eyebrow and you scrunched your nose at him. 
“Yah. Min Yoongi.” You threatened to put his tail on the grill. 
“(y/n) allows Yoongi to speak to her like that?” Jungkook asked Taehyung, who nodded his head. 
“(y/n)’s chill with these things. She hates formality and wanted everyone to be comfortable around each other. But that being said, her and Yoongi hyung... they’re the closest since he’s her first hybrid.” Taehyung explained. 
“You all didn’t come together?” 
“Nope. Yoongi hyung first. Then Jin hyung, followed by me. Once Namjoon hyung woke up from his coma, he joined. Lastly, we have Jimin then you two. But I guess since we met Hoseok hyung first... Hoseok hyung comes before you.” Taehyung grinned. Jungkook looked at the tiger. 
“Well, we don’t count because we’re only here for the winter.” Jungkook snorted. 
“I’m sure if after this winter, you want to stay longer, (y/n) will be more than happy to accept you and Hoseok hyung.” Taehyung said before turning to join Namjoon and Yoongi’s conversation. 
“I have the morning off tomorrow. Shall we go to the fields?” You asked. 
“The fields?” 
“Kitten, no of them knows what and where the fields are except for Jin hyung and I. It’s been that long since we’ve been. Have you forgotten?” Yoongi ruffled your hair. You blushed, rubbing the back of your neck in embarrassment, remembering just how long ago it has been. 
“The fields is this big open place for hybrids to go and run. They can mingle and meet other hybrids too. Basically, a hybrid park.” Jin explained and everyone nodded. 
“Why haven’t you been in such a long time?” Namjoon asked. 
“Because Jinnie wasn’t around and there’s no point bringing Yoongi. His lazy ass just sits there and sleeps or he sits next to me and sleeps. I guess with Taehyung and Namjoon coming, it’s just been hectic that it slipped my mind to bring you guys there. But I’m sure you’ll like it.” You smiled. 
“Can I go, (y/n)?” 
“Of course, you can, Chim. Whatever you feel comfortable with.” You patted his head. After dinner, you brought the boys for ice cream. 
The boys all chose their flavours and of course, they each got two scoops. Jimin just blinked at all the different flavours through the glass, not even sure what this was. 
“Haven’t you had ice cream before?” Hoseok tilted his head. Jimin shrunk back and shook his head in embarrassment. 
“It’s okay! There’s a first time for everything. What do you want to try?” You held Jimin’s hand. He tried the flavours that appealed the most to him. In the end, he chose strawberry only. You took the cup from the shopkeeper and handed it to him with a ruffle of his head. 
“What’s your favourite flavour?” Jimin asked you. 
“Honey comb and cookies and cream.” You said. Your colleagues even teased you about adopting Yoongi and Jin as your hybrids because they remind you of cookies and cream ice cream. 
“Here. Have some.” You held out your spoon to him. He leaned in for a cautious sniff before eating the ice cream off your spoon. 
“It’s good.” Jimin’s eyes sparkled, making you laugh. Taehyung grinned as he took his ice cream cone, licking the cold treat and letting out purrs of happiness. 
“Namjoon? Aren’t you going to have some ice cream?” You asked him. He shook his head and just continued looking out the window. 
When you all arrived home, everyone split to their rooms. You couldn’t help but feel bothered by Namjoon’s sudden change in attitude. He was fine during dinner but at the ice cream parlour and during the drive home, he was oddly quiet and distanced. Slipping out of bed, you went out to see Namjoon’s door open. He wasn’t inside. 
“Namjoon?” You whispered out. Namjoon stood in the backyard, his arms wrapped around himself. He was so lost in thought that he didn’t even notice your presence. 
“Namjoon?” You called. He jumped slightly and turned around. 
“What are you doing awake? And why are you out here? It’s so cold and you’re only wearing a cardigan.” Namjoon stressed. 
“Relax, Namjoon. I’m okay.” You placed a hand on his arm with a small smile. You sat down on the bench and patted the space beside you. Namjoon slowly plopped down. 
“What’s wrong, Namjoon?” 
“It’s nothing.” He sighed, looking away. 
“It’s not nothing. You know you can tell me anything. I won’t judge. I want to be able to help you in any way that I can. If you don’t tell me, there’s no way I can help you, hmm?” You giggled. Just hearing your precious giggles made Namjoon seize up. 
“(y/n), I think you’re my mate.” He said quickly, closing his eyes in a wince. He was afraid of your reaction. 
“I see.” Was all you could say. 
“I’m sorry.” He mumbled. Seeing Namjoon all shy made you feel like laughing but you didn’t want to embarrass him further. Holding his cheeks your hands, you made him face you. You leaned in a gave him a peck. 
“Huh?” Namjoon’s eyes widened in surprise. 
“I can do that, right? Aren’t I your mate?” You teased. 
“O-Of course! I just didn’t think you would accept me...” Namjoon coughed, his cheeks turning a darker red. 
“Well, if you’re okay with Yoongi and Jin already claiming me as their mate too.” You laughed. That was the reason why Namjoon was afraid. Mates were a huge deal, especially to wolves like him. He knew that Yoongi and Jin have both claimed you as their mates and he assumed you wouldn’t want to have another hybrid mate. 
“I’m fine with that if you are and they are.” Namjoon nuzzled your cheek. 
“We did discuss the possibility of it.” You nodded.
“But you do know what happens what we become mates...” He trailed off. You nodded your head. Once you accept him as a mate, his heat will start to kick in. 
“Namjoon, did you forget that I’m a doctor? I know my role as a mate. Yes,  I do help Yoongi and Jin with their heat but some times when it gets too much for me, they try to take care of it on their own or learn to share.” Of course you would openly talk about that without any reservations. 
“It’s only a natural thing. Nothing to be embarrassed about.” It was like you read Namjoon’s mind. 
“You’re seriously such an amusing human.” He chuckled. 
“If that’s your way of calling me weird. I’m going to start rethinking accepting you as my mate.” You poked his side.
“Alright, alright. Let’s get you in first. I don’t want you getting sick.” Namjoon wrapped his arm around you and you nodded. He led you back into the house.
“(y/n)... Can you stay beside me tonight?” He squeezed your hands. You nodded again. As you laid down beside him, you yawned, making Namjoon chuckle. He pushed your hair away from your face.
“My mate, can I scent you?” Namjoon murmured. You hummed in reply, blushing slightly. Namjoon’s arms went to your waist, pulling you closer to him as he leaned into your neck. He let out soft growls and you giggled as you felt his hair tickle your jaw. You could hear his tail softly thump against the mattress. Your arms wound around him and you stroked the back of his head.
“Thank you for saving me.” 
“Namjoon, don’t thank me. You fought with your own will to live. That was all you.” You whispered. 
“Yoongi told me everything. How you took over my surgery from that other doctor, how affected you were when you came home and how you kept checking up on me.” Namjoon confessed. 
“Well, you deserved a fighting chance to live.” You giggled. Namjoon pressed a kiss to your forehead. 
“Rest, my mate.” He said softly. Slowly, your eyes fluttered close and you fell asleep in his embrace. Finally, Namjoon felt like he could get a good night’s sleep as well. 
“Hyung? Jin hyung?” Taehyung pawed at the oldest’s door in panic. Jin got up, poking his head out from behind the door, one eye opened. Taehyung thought of going to Yoongi but everyone knew that only you and Jin could wake Yoongi without getting mauled by the grumpy panther. 
“What’s up Tae?” Jin yawned. 
“(y/n) not in her room.” Taehyung whimpered. Hearing that woke Jin up. He followed the tiger to your room. Indeed, the door was open and it was empty. 
“She’s not working until later today though.” Jin scratched his head. Your scent was still there, signalling that you were still in the house. Jin went to Yoongi’s room. Of course, Yoongi woke up immediately. 
“What’s going on?” Namjoon came out. 
“Do you, by any chance, know where (y/n) is? She’s not in her room, the kitchen, the backyard or the living room.” Yoongi asked. 
“She-”
“Namjoon hyung smells like (y/n)!” Taehyung pointed an accusing finger at him. As Namjoon saw them approaching his door, he quickly jumped in front. Instinctively, he growled at them and they stepped back. Jin and Yoongi have seen this before. They were like this too when they first claimed you as their mate. The two smirked, looking at each other. 
“Come on, Tae. It’s early and we should all sleep for a few more hours.” Yoongi pulled the tiger along with him. 
“But (y/n)...” Taehyung pouted. 
“He’s not gonna let you see her. For now, at least.” Jin smirked. 
“Why?! He can’t hog (y/n)! She’s ours to share.” Taehyung whined. The two laughed but also knew that no amount of whining would make Namjoon let them through. 
“Let’s go downstairs. I’ll explain it to you. (y/n) is okay, let Namjoon take care of her.” Jin pulled the younger downstairs. 
You woke up a few hours later. After brushing your teeth in your room and changing, you headed downstairs to see the 7 hybrids gathered around the kitchen island. Yoongi was serving up the breakfast that he cooked. They all turned to you when you entered. 
“Good morning.” You greeted. 
“Morning.” Everyone replied. You missed the teasing smiles Yoongi and Jin were sending you as you grabbed your coffee. 
“So, (y/n), when can I make you my mate?” Taehyung asked. Well, that led to you choking on your coffee and becoming a coughing mess, needing Jin to come and help you. 
1K notes · View notes
yrbutchgf · 3 years
Note
hey, i'm feeling a bit insecure in my identity rn and i was wondering if you have any... tips, or anything like that. i'm a lesbian who feels more comfortable in a masc role, and i think i would identify as butch... but i feel like i'm too emotional. i cry SO often. my mental health has been less than stellar for the last 10 years or so lol, so that plays a part, but i'm also just a crier. things that make me cry: criticism, heated discussions, presentations, movie/game/book endings, all music with violins, some music without violins, christmas commercials, those miniature food clay charms... literally everything. and it's always in public too, which is embarrassing enough as it is. and i know that doesn't have to mean anything for my gender identity, but the whole "boys/men don't cry" thing kind of did a number on me lol. i always feel like a little girl when others watch me cry, even though i want to be the protector. sorry for rambling, but i feel like you always have good takes on butchness and stuff like that, so i was wondering if you have any tips on feeling more secure in my butch/masc side :)
ok before i say anything else, thank you, i’m honestly really flattered you think that highly of my takes lol <3 i do try my best, i’m glad i’m able to help people to whatever extent i do with my posts. also, bit of a length warning -- i always set out with the intention of writing succinct responses to asks, but it always gets away from me, and this time "getting away from me" meant "turning into a manifesto." well, oops. c'est la butch/femme.
now to start this answer off: i definitely relate. i’m also pretty emotional. when i get stressed i get really shaky, especially in my hands, and then after that my body turns on the waterworks. i also have a fairly exuberant personality in general, and i'm very expressive with my hands & body language. the only times i’ve ever really fit the stoic archetype have been on accident, usually when i’ve felt uncomfortable in a social situation and it’s come off as strong silence. at the same time, i also don’t like when people see me cry or be emotional in general, especially in public. it makes me feel vulnerable in a way that i don’t like to give most people, and the fact that i can’t fully control when or if i do is uncomfortable. and i think disliking that feeling is totally normal, or at the very least it’s a common boundary to have. regardless of sexuality, gender, or presentation, there’s a social urge to cover up when we’re feeling our feelings, but even beyond that there is, i think, a reflexive, self-preservation level urge to cover up what can be easily damaged. so to an extent, i think it’s natural to shy away from vulnerability.
at the same time, the urge to push down one’s tears is not necessarily a HEALTHY urge, only a COMMON one, because you’re right: emotionality has no bearing on your gender or what roles you can take up. some of my best butch and masc friends are also extremely emotional people, and they’re very open about it, and in a lot of ways that openness almost feels to me more masculine or more butch, because they’re embracing their feelings, and that’s obviously a really hard thing to learn to do, so it’s powerful, admirable, and also to be honest, it’s attractive! the ability of someone to be brave enough to be vulnerable can in many situations make the people around them feel more at ease, and i think it can become a very steady, very stabilizing sort of masculinity. in other words, someone who is very comfortable in their tears is also very good and healing to be around. so i think in a lot of ways, when you learn to own your emotions rather than push them away, that can very easily augment your butchness rather than take away from it.
now obviously everyone views butch/femme differently, whether as genders/sexuality labels/dynamics/what have you, but for me no matter what at the center of these terms there is always this nexus, this core focus, of care. in the dynamic, butch/femme is about butches & femmes caring for one another in complementary ways both in- and out-side of romantic relationships. so when we talk about butchness standalone, you and many other people reach for words like “protector,” and i don’t think there’s anything necessarily wrong with that, i think protection can and often is a key role, but my point here is, where is that urge to protect coming from? it’s from love, from caring about the people you love. and i think it’s important to remember that and to frame it that way, because when you do, it becomes pretty simple: your emotionalism is more than anything a sign of that urge to care/protect/provide in you, or a driving force to those urges, however you want to frame it. far from taking away from your butchness, your emotions are at the very foundation of what it can be. i talked about this in the butch/femme server a bit, and thren @lesbiandaemon said it perfectly:
i genuinely think i (and many others!) would feel so much safety and security being w someone who allows themself to be vulnerable and earnest abt their emotions and it definitely augments butchness, from my perspective as a femme. i envy and care deeply for the butch whose emotions and vulnerability are on display, there's a strength in that imo, even if you've been made to feel self conscious and dysphoric and "less than" bc of that. i think of phrases like "the strength to remain tender", "the violence it took to be this gentle" in the lens of trauma but if that applies and you're ok w it, i think it could also apply here too [...]
whether ppl know it or not, sometimes the way one carries themselves can be projected onto others; there's already an example in how anon mentions the "big boys/men don't cry" thing, vulnerability being shut out and dismissed/disparaged isn't going to make anyone more eager/open abt their emotions. and like, going back to the butch/femme dynamic, it does feel so much more stable and steady if someone has the courage to acknowledge and let themselves feel their emotions, it's very welcoming and validating, knowing that someone can have a strong image and show their tenderness, knowing that you're safe and free from mockery/scorn to do the same when someone protective of you knows how it feels and will care for you because they feel touched to their core and have let you know in more than one way.
and i want to add an important caveat here: obviously not everyone who cares very deeply is going to be outwardly emotional or show it in the same ways. that’s true for all kinds of reasons. i think a lot of the stoicism we see in traditional depictions of butches can come from how people relate emotions to masculinity (that is to say, how people view masculinity as inherently based around a distance from one’s “softer” side), but also, honestly, i think this may also have roots in the historical coping mechanisms that a lot of butches took on in the face of a world that was unkind to them.
in stone butch blues, for example, there’s a lot of talk about this idea of “hard” versus “soft,” or “going stone,” especially when jess is first getting into the bar scene and she’s still fresh-faced to violence. and going stone in this context isn’t just about sexuality, it's also about how so many butches learned to stop letting people in even at a basic emotional level. for them, hardening up was an inevitability of circumstance, not an inherent facet of their personality or a building block of butch identity. i’m sure plenty of old-school butches would be glad to know it’s no longer inevitable or necessary for a butch to close themselves off completely in order to survive.
of course there are also plenty of butches who are just naturally reserved with their emotions, and that’s also fine -- that doesn’t mean they don’t feel things, or that they don’t care. they care -- all of us do! some of us showing it more or less than others doesn’t reflect badly on any of us, whether we’re of a more stoic or a more open variety. but some of us really can’t help showing it, and that’s okay. that’s just how the love spills out. the right person won’t see that as weakness or a crack in the fine china of your masculinity or whatever, they’ll see it as a lovely and endearing part of your whole and warming butchness. so embrace your emotions. do your best to honor the role they play in butch/femmeness. try to love your emotions, or at the very least not to be afraid of them. and remember: you are strong. your tenderness will not destroy you. in fact, it’s what built you to begin with.
41 notes · View notes
let-the-dream-begin · 3 years
Text
In My Daughter’s Eyes Chapter 30: Family
Chapter 29
Read on AO3
Tumblr media
November 27th
Jamie felt a flutter of excitement as he rang the doorbell to the Abernathy home. It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and neither doctor had had the day off on Thursday. Claire had mentioned they’d done exactly this last year. Claire had casually asked if Jamie wanted to make a pie or pick one up, and he’d stared at her, bewildered. 
“Ehm...fer what?”
Claire eyed him as if he’d asked what color the sky was. “For Thanksgiving?”
“Oh! I...thought ye spent it wi’ Joe’s family...”
She blinked at him like he had two heads. “Yes. And you’re coming.”
And that was that. 
This was a big step for them as a couple, as a potential family, and Jamie knew it. He knew better than to make a big deal out of it to Claire, but that simple assumption that of course he’d be celebrating with Claire’s adopted family had made him fit to burst with joy. The next day, Jamie had texted her:
speaking of holidays and families, how do you feel about spending christmas with mine?
She’d replied hours later, likely during her first break of the day:
I’d absolutely love to. 
So they were there now. They were officially bringing each other “home for the holidays.” Well, Jamie’s family was coming here to avoid putting Faith through air travel, but still. If somebody had asked Jamie last Thanksgiving or last Christmas if he’d ever imagined this, with her, with them, he’d have told them they were crazy. 
That morning, they’d gone to see Moana. The local movie theater did half-priced tickets before noon, and the movie had come out the day before Thanksgiving. Jamie had told Claire that he and his family always went to the cinema on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day; since the closest one to Lallybroch was an hour away, it was a special occasion. Claire had immediately lit up, declaring that they had to go on Thanksgiving. Rather, their makeshift Thanksgiving. Claire had never actually brought Faith to the movies before, but the place was empty aside from one other family, so it was perfect. She was in heaven. She was absolutely enthralled by the hugeness of the screen, the colors, the music. They’d sat near the front in the wider aisle where the railing was, meant for handicapped viewers, so Faith could run around or lean on the railing, dangling Horsie over the edge with her mouth agape. Claire had bought the album on iTunes on the way home, anticipating that Faith would want to play the music all day, and she’d been right. Jamie already knew almost every word to “How Far I’ll Go.” He wondered if it would hold up against “Let it Go” for Faith, but only time would tell.
A gust of November wind brought Jamie back to the moment, and the front door opened to reveal Joe, white teeth flashing against his dark skin in a radiant grin. 
“Ah, there he is!” Joe enthusiastically clapped Jamie on the shoulder with one hand, and shook Jamie’s hand with the other. “It is so good to have you here, Jamie.”
“Hello to you too,” Claire said wryly.
“Come on, I see you all the time,” Joe said. At that moment, Faith slipped right out of Claire’s grip and bounded inside, humming loudly and flapping her hands wildly. 
Claire rolled her eyes at both Faith’s escape and Joe. Jamie watched with amusement as Gail appeared at the end of the hallway and exclaimed in surprise as Faith barreled into her. 
“Sweet Jesus!”
Joe ushered Jamie, Claire, and Angus, leash held by Claire, into the house. 
“Well it’s nice to see you, crazy bean!” Gail said, laughing, and Faith disappeared into the living room. “Dee-Dee! They’re here, and Faith is looking for you!”
Jamie handed off the pie (that he’d made from scratch, of course) to Gail, and insisted on helping her finish with the hors d'oeuvres and the drinks. Faith darted about, in and out of the rooms, until the pitter-patter of little feet coming down the stairs had her running back into the hallway. By the time all the adults were settled with finger foods and drinks, Delia and Faith were already in the corner of the room, engaged with dolls and a little house. Even Faith’s Horsie was involved in the game, of course. 
“They did this last year too,” Claire said as they sat down on the couch. “We got here and Dee-Dee had a whole spread. It was adorable.”
“She does it every time she knows she’s coming over,” Gail said. 
“Aye, I remember her at Faith’s party; she’s a sweet one,” Jamie said fondly. 
“Thanks,” Gail said.
“And that one got so big!” Claire exclaimed, looking at Lenny, sat in his own corner with a tablet. “Last Thanksgiving he still looked like a baby.”
“Four years old, you believe that?” Joe said, shaking his head. 
“Oh, I believe it,” Claire said, eyeing Faith. “They grow too fast.”
“Oh my gosh, Claire, I never even asked.” Gail said, putting down her drink. “Faith started school!”
“Yeah, she did.”
“You were scared shitless,” Gail dropped her voice to a low whisper. 
Claire chuckled. “Yes, I certainly was.”
Jamie put his hand lightly on Claire’s knee, and she took it, seemingly without thinking about it. They laced their fingers together with practiced ease, and Jamie squeezed. 
“You mentioned at work the first day went okay,” Joe said. “How’s she been since then?”
“Really good, actually,” Claire said. Jamie could feel the warmth of glowing pride radiating from her. “She stopped having any bathroom problems, finally, and she hasn’t had to call home or either of us at work in a while. Which is good, because it’s hard when I’m at the hospital or if Jamie’s with a client...but I think we’re finally past that.”
“That’s great,” Gail said. 
“I can tell she still doesn’t really love it. It’s a bit of a fight to get her on the bus after a weekend or a break. Monday should be really fun,” she rolled her eyes, “but she’s doing it. She’s getting her stickers when she earns them and prizes and after school treats.”
“Claire is doing all the right things,” Jamie cut in. “It’s hard to motivate her sometimes, but as long as she’s on the bus in the morning, then we’ve done all we can do.”
“Right,” Gail said. 
“Remember after Labor Day when she would not get on, no matter what I did?”
“Aye, I do. I had to leave the stables to try to get her on myself.”
“I couldn’t believe the driver waited that long.” Claire covered her face and shook her head at the memory. “If that never happens again, it’ll be too soon.”
The adults shared a quiet laugh. 
“I see she’s got a communication device now?” Joe said, gesturing to the tablet resting next to Faith. “The school provides that?”
“Yeah,” Claire said. “She’s been getting more and more comfortable with it lately. She still signs for her basic needs, and Mummy, but she loves being able to say ‘Angus,’ and all your names, and Gillian’s name, and Jamie’s. I don’t want her to lose the signing, but this is a great additional tool.”
“Yeah, of course,” Gail said. “I saw that video on Facebook that you posted, when she first figured out the ‘Mummy’ button.”
“Oh, yeah,” Claire smiled fondly at the memory, and so did Jamie. When it had first clicked for Faith that there was a word on her device for every sign, she could not get enough of saying “Mummy,” calling out to her beloved mother in a brand new way. “She did the same thing to Jamie the next time we saw him.”
“Over and over,” Jamie confirmed. “It was sweet.”
“Until the third hour,” Claire said, and Jamie could tell she was only half-kidding. He didn’t blame her at all. 
Jamie was about to ask about how Delia was doing in school, how pre-k was for Lenny, when Joe spoke again. 
“How are you guys?” He raised both of his eyebrows coyly. “I mean, it seems like it’s...going really well. Yeah?”
Jamie watched a blush creep up Claire’s neck and touch her cheeks with color. She flashed her eyes at Jamie, who felt warmth spreading from head to toe. 
“We’re great,” Jamie answered, looking into Claire’s eyes and raising her fingers to his lips. “Really great.”
——
December 17th
As Claire approached the door to Jamie’s apartment, shopping bag and leash in one hand, Faith’s hand in the other, she heard a loud shriek from the other side of the door. Faith let go of Claire’s hand to clamp her hands over her ears, and Claire’s stomach dropped.
Off to a great start.
Claire was nervous beyond all reason to meet Jamie’s family. They’d gotten off the plane from Scotland two days ago, wanting to give themselves plenty of time before the holidays, and wanting to meet Claire and Faith at least once before then. Jamie decided on a little pizza party at his place.
Claire begged and pleaded with Faith to calm down, but she would not move until presented with her headphones. Claire sighed in defeat and put them on her. She knew deep down that Jamie’s family would bear no judgement on her in the slightest, but she really hadn’t wanted their first impression of her and her daughter to be flustered mother of an irritable daughter.
The door opened while Claire was still kneeling on the ground, and she looked up in a panic, relief washing over her to see that it was only Jamie.
“Sorry about that,” he said sheepishly. “Wee Jamie is a bit of an imp.”
Claire stood up, laughing nervously. “Oh, hi, sorry.” She tried taking Faith’s hand again, but Faith recoiled, reaching up to Jamie instead. Claire rolled her eyes upward, and Jamie grinned.
“Aye, alright, let’s get ye in out of the cold.” He obliged Faith, lifting her up and settling her on his hip, leading the way into the apartment. Faith rubbed her cheek against Jamie’s, delighting in the stubble, and Claire peered around Jamie to see the face that she’d come to be so familiar with but had never actually seen in person. Jenny was sitting on the couch feeding star-shaped puffs to a toddler, and the just as familiar Ian was holding a little boy over his shoulder.
“Everyone,” Jamie announced. “This is Claire. And this is Faith.”
Jenny launched herself off the couch and handed the baby off to Ian, who expertly handled holding both children at once.
“It’s great to finally meet ye, Claire,” Jenny said, throwing her arms around her in a bone crushing hug.
Claire started in surprise at first, but then returned the embrace. Her embrace was warm, soft and solid all at once, much like Jamie. She was wearing an oversized cream sweater, similar to Claire’s own white cable-knit turtleneck. “Hi, I’m so glad to finally meet you, too.”
“I’m Jenny, as ye probably guessed,” she went on, pulling away from the embrace, but keeping a hand on one of Claire’s shoulders. “That’s my husband, Ian.”
“Hallo,” Ian gestured with his chin in greeting. “This heathen is Wee Jamie,” he turned around to show Claire his face, given that his feet were previously facing her, “and this is Maggie.” He turned back around.
“Great to meet you, all three of you,” Claire said, laughing.
Just then, Claire noticed the man that had appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, smiling down at her. Everything about him was warmth, strength, and comfort.
“Claire,” he said, his voice deep and laced with the deepest affection.
“Hi,” Claire said sheepishly, her smile hurting her cheeks. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mister Fraser. Jamie speaks so highly of you.”
“Och, I’ll no’ have ye calling me that. Ye’ll call me Brian, Da, whatever ye’re comfortable with.” He stepped in toward her and pulled her in for a hug that was somehow tighter than Jenny’s. “Ye’re family, lass.”
Claire squeezed him back, this man she had just met, and tears pinpricked her eyes.
My family.
Brian pulled away and gripped her shoulders, looking into her face. “Christ, my heart’s full to see ye.”
“Let her breathe, Da,” Jenny chided. “Here, let me take this. And give yer coats to Ian.” Jenny took the paper bag of crisps and cookies in Claire’s hand like this was her own home and disappeared with it into the kitchen.
Ian put little Jamie down and pointed a threatening finger at him, and the boy grinned impishly as his father took Claire’s coat, then Faith’s, from Jamie.
“Hi!” he burst to Claire. “Are ye my Auntie now?”
“Oh, I…”
“Jamie…”
“Oi, why d’ye no’ play wi’ the Wii, lad,” Jamie cut in. The boy bounced with excitement, planting his bottom on the coffee table right in front of the tellie. “Quietly, now,” Jamie warned, setting up a game for him with Faith in his arms all the while. She refused to be put down.
“That’s her, then? Wee Faith?” Brian watched as Jamie shifted her to his other hip after finishing setting up Jamie’s game.
“Yes, that’s my girl,” Claire answered, pride warming her chest.
“Beautiful,” Brian breathed, beaming at her as Jamie approached his father. “Yer spitting image.”
“Thank you,” Claire said. She stroked Faith’s cheek, who was still rubbing her face and arms against Jamie’s stubbled jaw.
Brian hummed in amusement. “Willie used to do that to me,” he said. “It’s comforting to them.”
“Yes, I suppose it is.” Claire’s eyes flicked nervously to Jamie, but he seemed alright. Perhaps they spoke fondly of Jamie’s brother often. She’d have to get used to that.
Jenny flitted back in from the kitchen and chided her brother for letting her son play with brain-rotting video games, but Jamie just rolled his eyes and sat down, Angus settling at his feet at attention for Faith.
“I didn’t even know you had a Wii,” Claire said, sitting down beside him.
“Aye, well,” he winked, “how else would I kick yer arse in Mario Kart?”
Claire snorted quietly and fought the urge to swat at his arm in front of his family. Ian sat down next to Jamie with Maggie, Brian sat on the leather recliner in the corner, and Jenny sat on the edge of the coffee table facing the couch.
“So! This is the wee lass I’ve heard so much about?” Jenny beamed at Faith.
“Aye, she canna hear ye just now wi’ these on; wee Jamie gave her a fright.”
“Och, I’m so sorry,” Jenny said. “I did try to explain to him — ”
“No, it’s okay. He's so young.”
“Aye, and a menace to society already.” Jenny rolled her eyes, and Claire chuckled. “I’m just grateful he didna make a run fer the dog. He retained that from our talk at least.”
She was obviously referring to the fact that when Angus was working, he could not be pet. Claire did catch a few longing glances at the animal from the little boy, but he was being very good.
After a few minutes, with Angus’s help, Jamie managed to coax Faith into taking the headphones off.
“There you go, good girl,” Claire praised. “She’d never take them off without Jamie here. He’s absolutely wonderful with her.”
“Aye, and she’s quite taken wi’ him as well,” Jenny said smiling at the way Faith was nuzzled into his neck.
“We’ve a…special bond,” Jamie said, his eyes twinkling. “Aye, princess?” He bounced her on his knee, and she giggled.
“Look, lass, this is Jenny,” Jamie said. “Can ye say hi?”
She buried her face further.
“She’s very shy,” Claire explained. “Strangers are a little tricky. But I promise the more she’s with you, the better it gets. Even Jamie was a scary stranger at some point. Right, lovie?”
Jenny and Ian laughed softly.
“I really appreciate you all coming here,” Claire said. “It can’t be easy traveling with little ones.”
“Och, ’twas nae bother,” Ian said. “Glad to do it.”
“We hardly ever get to see Jamie’s place anyway,” Jenny added. “We’ve only been to the Island…what, once or twice before?” Ian nodded in confirmation. “It’s nice to see the life he’s made here. And the stables are just great.”
“Aye, we’re very proud of the work Jamie does,” Brian cut in, the pride oozing out of his every feature.
“You should be. He’s…he’s got a special touch with those kids,” Claire said, unable to stop the heart eyes she knew she was giving Jamie. “He changes lives. I know he changed Faith’s, and mine for that matter. Even before, well…this.” She blushed, realizing she was rambling. Jamie reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze, likely sensing her embarrassment.
“Aye, well it’s good ye ken how lucky ye are,” Jenny said. “Ye’ll no’ find a better man than my brother.”
“Christ, Janet…” It was Jamie’s turn to turn scarlet.
“I’m being nice, Jamie! I could go on instead about how difficult ye are to live with…”
“Claire doesna need a speech about treating me right,” he said. “She’s doing just fine.”
“That wasna what I meant.”
But given the look that Ian shot her, that was indeed what she’d meant. Though a little uncomfortable, Claire did not blame her. Jamie was her little brother after all, and Claire knew by now how deeply he felt things, how sensitive he was. Somebody cruel could tear him to pieces.
“It’s okay,” Claire cut in. “I know what you meant.” She squeezed Jamie’s hand.
“Aye, good. Well, it’s no’ as if it doesna go both ways. When Jamie sent me yer Facebook profile, I gave him an earful about how damned lucky he was,” Jenny said, and Claire bit her lip to stifle a grin.
“Janet…”
“What! Ye’re embarrassed? I couldna very well meet her. No shame in sending me something to get to know her by!”
If Jamie could have melted into the couch, Claire was sure he would have.
“Jamie went on and on about ye last Christmas, ye and the lass both,” Jenny explained. Claire’s heart fluttered to think that his family knew about her all the way back then, when she was still so far in denial she couldn’t see past her own nose. “So I was bloody curious what was so special about ye. Didna take long to see it, I’ll say that.” She smiled fondly at Claire, her eyes twinkling.
“Well…thank you. I think.”
“What Jenny is trying to say,” Ian cut in. “Is that we’re glad ye’re here, and we’re grateful to ye fer the joy ye bring our brother. Both of ye.”
“Aye, cheers to that.” Brian lifted his whisky from where he sat and took a sip.
“You know,” Claire said. “I heard all about this little one after the holidays last year.” She looked around Jamie and Faith at Maggie. “Jamie showed me pictures of her. She’s just adorable. I mean, both of your children are beautiful, of course.”
“D’ye want to hold her?” Ian offered.
Claire’s heart fluttered. “Could I?”
“Aye, of course.”
They both scooted forward for the exchange.
“Have to pish anyway.”
Jamie clapped Ian on the shoulder as he got up to leave, and Claire sighed loudly as the small weight settled in her lap.
“Well, hello!” she cooed, smiling enormously at Maggie’s sweet face. “Aren’t you the cutest little thing.” She bounced the baby in her lap, and she smiled lazily at her before breaking into the sweetest little giggles. Claire laughed in response, her head light and dizzy from the euphoria of holding a baby.
“Oh…I haven’t held one this small since Faith,” she sighed. “She’s just so sweet. Such a perfectly behaved baby.”
“Aye, she’s night and day wi’ that one.” Jenny nodded behind her to Jamie, engrossed in the game on the tellie.
Maggie gave another squealing giggle, and Faith abruptly sat up for the first time since burrowing into Jamie’s side.
“Ye look bonny wi’ a bairn, Sassenach.”
Claire looked up from Maggie to see Jamie boring smoldering diamonds into her, and she felt herself turn to a puddle. She’d be lying if she said she’d never thought about having another baby, and she’d also be lying if she said the thought of having one with Jamie hadn’t immediately crossed her mind the second she laid eyes on Maggie’s darling face.
They maintained eye contact for a long moment, and then Faith reached forward and grabbed the baby’s face, and Claire gasped, pulling Maggie into her.
“Gentle, Faith,” Jamie said quickly, as gently as he could muster. “The baby is very wee, and very sensitive. Ye must be gentle.”
“Gentle like with Pippi,” Claire added.
Faith bit her lip and sat up again, and then she gently stroked her fingers down the line of Maggie’s nose. Claire and Jamie both burst out laughing, and Faith hummed loudly, jiggling her hands and bouncing in Jamie’s lap.
“Pippi’s her horse?” Jenny said, chuckling herself.
“Aye!” Jamie said through his laughter, and then Jenny and Brian were also laughing out loud.
“What’d I miss?” Ian returned from the bathroom and sat back down on the couch.
“Faith started petting Maggie like her horse because we told her to be gentle,” Jamie explained, laughter finally subsiding. “Good girl, Faith,” he said.
“Come here, baby,” Claire summoned her closer. Faith clambered onto Jamie’s other leg. “You don’t have to pet her nose. Look.” Claire stroked Maggie’s head, then rubbed her back, all while bouncing her. “See? Gentle.”
Faith hummed loudly again, bouncing and jiggling.
“Calm down, lass,” Jamie crooned. “Ye canna play wi’ the bairn if ye canna be calm.”
Faith managed to stop one of her hands from flapping as she gingerly patted Maggie’s little head. Maggie turned to look at her, and Faith squealed.
“Yes, good job,” Claire said.
“Oh, how sweet,” Jenny said. “Ye’re a sweet girl, Faith.”
Faith did not turn at the sound of her name, but Claire beamed at Jenny. “She loves babies,” Claire said. “One of the moms brought her baby to the stables one day, and I had to hold Faith back from throwing herself in the stroller.”
Jenny chuckled. “She’ll make a braw big sister, then.”
“Janet,” Jamie warned, but Jenny just put her hands up in surrender, and Claire’s cheeks flushed red.
Faith gave another loud hum, and then she scrambled off of Jamie’s lap. She pattered over to the bag Claire had left by the door that contained both of her tablets and some emergency snacks that Claire had packed. She reached in for the school-provided tablet and walked back to the couch, standing in front of Claire and Maggie. She clicked around for a bit, and then she pressed the word she wanted to say.
“Play.”
Claire broke into a stupid, beaming grin. “You want to play with Maggie?”
Faith jumped up and down, letting out a squeal that gave way to a hum. “Play.”
“You’re so smart, good girl, sweetheart,” Claire praised. She looked to Jenny, who motioned for Claire to follow her. Claire set Maggie down on the floor as Jenny set out some toys she had brought.
“Play.”
“Yes, darling, we hear you, one moment please.”
Before long, Jenny had shown Faith all of Maggie’s toys, and Maggie was chewing on one while Faith became engrossed with the little baby piano toy. Jenny sat beside Maggie and Claire beside Faith, each making sure that Faith remained gentle and calm. They conversed over the children and across the room to the men. Claire learned how Jenny and Ian had gotten together, learned about the antics of all three of them growing up together, and at one point, she had tears leaking out of her eyes from laughing so hard at a story Brian told about the lads and the pigsty. 
Faith would occasionally take Maggie’s hand and make her press buttons on various toys, some more gentle than others, but Maggie did not seem to mind. Little Jamie only got too loud on his video game one time, and one stern word from his mother was enough to assure it did not happen again.
The pizza delivery arrived, and there was a flurry of motion to get everyone into the kitchen. Parents all made sure that little ones’ hands were clean, and plates and cups were set out. Claire watched in awe as Jamie pulled a pizza plate out of his cabinet.
“Where on Earth did this come from?”
“I bought one,” Jamie said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “If the lass is gonnae eat pizza in my home she’ll have a pizza plate.”
Claire didn’t have the heart to tell him that Faith was not picky about what she ate off of if she wasn’t home, so she let Jamie hand the plate to Faith, both of their faces glowing with joy. Jamie turned around to grab the juice from the fridge and Claire went to help him, and by the time they both turned around, Brian was cutting Faith’s pizza on the plate, and Claire stopped in her tracks to stare.
“Ye’re family, lass.”
Jamie noticed, and he looked back and forth between his father and Claire, his eyes twinkling. He hugged her around the shoulders with one arm and kissed her temple.
“They’re as crazy about her as I am.”
Jamie crossed the rest of the way to the table, and Claire wiped her eyes quickly before following.
“I like her pizza plate,” wee Jamie announced, crossing his arms.
“Well, it’s Faith’s pizza plate,” Ian said firmly. “Ye’ll eat off yer own plate, and ye’ll like it.”
“Why do I no’ get one?”
“Because ye dinna have all the worries and troubles in yer heid that Faith has. The pizza plate helps her feel better. Now eat.”
The table was crowded, not meant for nearly as many people as were there, folding chairs squished between the wooden ones, but they made it work. Maggie was passed between laps so that her parents could eat, and everyone took turns handing her tiny pieces of saucy, non-cheesy, soft pizza to chew on. The conversation passed easily as they talked more about Jamie’s childhood; they even asked about Claire’s. She had plenty to tell about her adventures with her uncle, stories that she loved sharing with anybody who would listen.
Once the pizza was gone, Faith disappeared into the living room and returned with one of the DVDs that Claire had packed. Jamie helped her get it set up, and then little Jamie and Faith were sitting on the couch, watching Lilo and Stitch, and Ian was putting Maggie to sleep in the stroller that they were leaving in Jamie’s room.
The adults stayed at the kitchen table with drinks, and Claire held Jamie’s hand under the table, his other hand stroking her knee and thigh absently. Conversation with this family was easy and familiar, as if she’d known them her whole life. She did not feel like an outsider as she’d predicted she might. The feeling of belonging enveloped her like a warm hug. Then she’d remember Jenny helping Faith play with Maggie, Brian cutting her pizza, Ian explaining to little Jamie why Faith was different, and she would well up with tears.
Family gatherings in England made Claire sick with anxiety and made Faith utterly miserable, which just made everything worse. The Christmas before Frank left, when Faith was three, Claire had cried herself to sleep with his parents’ sneers burned into her subconscious. But this…
This was acceptance, understanding, welcoming, joy, warmth, comfort.
This was family.
108 notes · View notes
caramelcal · 3 years
Text
Fool for you {Part Two}
a/n: i was gonna write sum here but i forgot, dm me if you wanna be notified (i’m notifying in dms) for the next part besties x 
warnings: highly unprofessional interviewer, 
word count: 2.8k
Tumblr media
“So, Calum,” The interviewer started, looking up at the boy who had been pretty silent throughout the whole interview. Y/n sat away to the side, out of view from the cameras that were recording the boys. She watched with a smile on her face, fondness showing clearly on her face; she loved watching the boys talk about their music, they were all so passionate about it.
“I’ve gotta ask,” The interviewer shuffled a little bit on his seat, muddling with the headphones planted on his head. His eyes briefly cast over to y/n but she barely even noticed, her eyes glued on Calum, who waited intently for the question the interviewer was intending towards him. It was clear what it was going to be about, but he still waited anyway, “This lovely lady over to my right is your girlfriend?”
Calum dipped his head into a nod, “That would be true, yes.”
“So tell me more, how did you guys spark this romance? The people are dying to know,”
Calum licked his lips absentmindedly, leaning closer to the microphone, “Well y/n caught our eye a while back and we finally got her on tour with us. We met her and we just all hit it off right away. It’s been a while we’ve been keeping it a secret, we thought we wanted that, but actually, we’re really glad just to finally be able to do our thing in public now.”
“That’s really cool mate, I’m glad you both are happy,” The interviewer flashed Calum a quick smile before turning back to his mic properly, “Right guys, we’ll be back with 5 Seconds of Summer in a minute, but for now here’s one of their singles from their album Youngblood, Valentine!”
Soon enough, they were off air for a quick break, Ashton and Michael talking amidst themselves and Luke getting a bottle of water. Calum, who locked eyes with y/n, who smiled at him. Just as he was about to stand up, the interviewer caught him by the arm, a smirk on his face as his eyes flashed at the girl, talking to Calum.
Her eyes were trained on Calum and she certainly didn’t miss the way his smile fell off of his face and his eyebrows furrowed in anger once he heard the words that came out of the interviewer's mouth. Before long, he was grabbing his jacket and rushing over to the highly confused girl, storming almost, ignoring the calls from his bandmate and management
He grabbed her arm and dragging her behind him, giving her no explanation as to why, all of a sudden, they were leaving. The pulling wasn’t forceful as such and didn’t seem malicious in any way whatsoever, but it didn’t stop y/n from being confused as to why she was suddenly being dragged away from the room, “C’mon y/n, we’re leaving.”
“Cal, what are you doing? You’re only halfway through the interview-”
“Now,” With that, he tugged her once more and before anyone could even rush out to stop Calum from leaving, Calum had already pulled her out of the exit and away to some random diner for food.
It was clear he was mad as her eyes glanced up at him for the third time in the past few seconds. Her face held hesitance, but without even looking up at her, he knew that she wanted answers; why she was dragged out of there, what the interviewer could have possibly said to make him that angry. Calum hardly ever lost composure, even before y/n knew him so to see him storm out of an interview was a strange feeling.
She knew that he would be in trouble with management once they got back for causing a scene but at that moment she couldn’t care. She only noticed the way Calum’s eyebrows were still furrowed in anger as he ate his fries, hyperaware of the glances that y/n was giving him.
“What?” He finally asked, sighing when his brown eyes finally met hers, hand reaching for another handful of fries.
She hesitated on her answer, not sure if she wanted to press at all on Calum. He was closed off at the best of times, and he was angry. Sure, they had gotten closer over the past few weeks, even though they wouldn’t admit that, but she wasn’t at a level where Calum could trust her enough to vent to her. They tolerated each other, sure, but Calum was a closed-off guy. However, she couldn’t help herself, “W-Why did you storm out? And why did you take me with you?”
Well, the questions were certainly straight to the point. She almost winced when they came out of her mouth. His gaze was still locked on hers for a moment, almost like he was lost in time before he leaned back in his seat, head-turning around to look outside the diner window. Without looking, he picked up a tissue and wiped his hands, putting it back down on his plate and sighing.
Y/n felt nervous as she awaited his answer and after a minute or so, she felt like it wasn’t even coming. Her eyes awkwardly shifted to her lap, “He asked me if you were good in bed.”
“What?” Her head snapped up at the sound of Calum’s voice, eyes wide.
“He asked me how you were in bed, and how kinky you were,” Y/n didn’t know what to say. What could she even say? That was beyond incredibly inappropriate, and the fact that the interviewer thought that was okay sickened her to her stomach.
Was that all people thought of her as? Calum’s little sex toy that he could flaunt about? They weren’t even in a real relationship and people were thinking about how kinky their sex must be. It was disgusting and made y/n’s skin crawl, “Oh.”
Calum rolled his eyes, “Yeah, oh.”
Calum directly mimicked her awkward and uncomfortable words, shaking his head lightly, making y/n’s skin flush. She knew Calum wasn’t annoyed at her and that she shouldn’t take the way he was acting personally, but she couldn’t help b but be slightly embarrassed at his mimic.
“You know, management isn’t going to be happy about this,”
“You really think I care if management is annoyed at me? He should have kept his fucking mouth shut. Creepy bastard,” Calum spat out, anger spread thickly in his words, eyes blazing into hers. She knew that the anger he felt wasn’t directed towards her, in fact, it was for her. He was angry because someone was being inappropriate towards her, but she couldn’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable with how angry he was.
“Thank you for defending me, Cal,” Y/n spoke sincerely, her voice quiet but she knew that Calum could hear her. He looked at her with brown eyes which had softened at the sound of her appreciation.
However, he simply shrugged it off, kicking his leg down from its comfortable position over the top of his other leg and standing up, “You ready to go?”
  After that, Calum and y/n got closer. A lot closer. It was strange to see the two of them getting along so well for the boys, but they relished in the lack of arguing and screaming on the tour buses. Instead,  they were hanging out, and she even started to go out with the boys; like she was doing right now.
It was dark in the room, the strobing lights from the dancefloor providing practically the only light in the room. People were dancing around, and thankfully no one even recognized the boys so the night was going rather smoothly. Calum had opted out of shots, as did y/n but the boys were surely having a good time. Luke was drunk, trying to pull y/n up onto the dancefloor after all of the boys refused.
“Luke I can’t dance-”
“Yes, you can y/n/n! I’ve seen you,” He whined, giving the girl a small, pleading pout before feverishly letting go of her hand, eyes casting over the boys too, “You guys are no fun!”
With that, he retreated to the dance floor. It was strange to see a 6′4 man dance around so freely, he looked a bit like one of those inflatable tube men with his hands up in the air. Hesitantly, she sighed, going to stand up and join the man before she felt a hand clamp around her arm.
“Where are you goin’?” Calum asked, brown eyes looking up at her figure in confusion.
“Gonna go dance with Luke so he isn’t alone,” However, even after she replied, Calum was hesitant to let go of y/n. She waited a few moments for him to let go but it seemed he didn’t plan on doing so, so she softly yanked her arm out of his hold and didn’t spare a glance back before she made her way to the dance floor.
While y/n wasn’t drunk, she wouldn’t exactly say she was sober either. The alcohol in her system made things blur, and made her do stuff that she wouldn’t normally do if she was sober. It also made her a lot more confident.
So, when a man’s hand snaked around her waist, pulling her back to his stomach she simply smirked. The alcohol certainly wasn’t doing her any favors when she was grinding against the man either. Her mischievous nature definitely didn’t blow over when her eyes caught onto the brown of his.
He was stood over at their booth, paying no attention to his friends talking behind him, and instead was staring straight at her figure pressed up against a man that wasn’t him. His eyebrows were pinched together, a frown on his face: he looked angry. He didn’t miss the way that she pressed further against the man behind her, letting his hands travel up to her waist from her hips and suddenly he was making his way over to her.
It isn’t long before he’s standing right in front of her, his hand making its way around her wrist, speaking gruffly, “Let's go.”
Yet, it wasn’t a request or question that the bassist was asking. In fact, he didn’t even let her speak before he is dragging her out of the club, but she barely protests. Somehow, he managed to hail a cab almost as soon as they’re out of the club, taking her in the car too before giving the driver the address to the hotel that the group is staying at.
She looked over at him with a small sigh, watching the back of his head as he looked out at the buildings flying by as they drove. The silence was suffocating for y/n, “Aren’t you going to say something, Cal?”
All she was met with was radio silence and it got worse with each breath. She expected Calum to reprimand her, scold her, shout at her even, just give her something other than ignoring her. She could only imagine that Calum was angry at her for possibly breaking the stunt, and if she got caught she knew that she was going to be in serious trouble but she hadn’t thought about that at the time.
And now she’s facing something that she thought is worse than shouting. Silence.
“Really, Cal? Nothing?”
There is nothing. Not a word was spoken in the whole taxi ride back, there wasn’t a word spoken between the two when Calum paid the taxi driver, there wasn’t a word spoken when they were in the hotel lobby nor the elevator. They’re simply stood beside one another, Calum with his eyes set straight forward, jaw clenched and stony expression covering his face and y/n with careful and discrete glances over to the boy, fidgeting awkwardly just wishing he’d say something, or just acknowledge her existence.
It seemed, however, that she got her wish when Calum’s vice-like grip caught onto her hand against when the elevators opened up on their floor. The corridor is deserted, not that they would have noticed otherwise as he quickly puts his hand out, his voice assertive and leaving no room for protests, “Hotel room card. Now.”
She fumbled with her purse, pulling out the small card and putting it in his hand. He didn’t bother to say thank you and instead turned towards the door and unlocks it, pushing it open and bringing the woman in behind him.
The door is shut swiftly behind them and spun her around, back pressing against the heavy wood that he had just slammed shut. Her hands were up, pressed against the door above her head, his own hands clasped around them holding them in place, leaving her no room to move them. His breath fanned over her neck where that other man’s had been all but twenty minutes ago as he spoke lowly, “You think you can get away with that, princess? Ruining the PR stunt?”
Her breath is caught in her throat and the room fell into silence but Calum doesn’t move. His face is still tucked into her neck, hands holding her own above her head. Her heart is thudding dangerously in her chest, hyperaware of the soft breaths the bassist is letting out hitting her neck.
Her eyes cast over the dark curls on top of his head and she can’t help the feeling but want to run her hands through them. The room is dark, the only light provided is the propitious moonlight filtering softly through the window, highlighting certain parts of the silk button-up that Calum is wearing.
“This isn’t about the PR stunt, is it?”
A dry chuckle escaped his lips, his breath coming closer and closer to her neck. Suddenly, his lips are on her neck, bringing the skin between his teeth as he sucked on it, making her take a sharp intake of breath. She tried to bring her hand down to make contact with his brown curls but he still had her arms held against the door and seems that he doesn't plan on letting them go anytime soon. Soon enough, his lips were leaving her neck and he brings his head back up, brown eyes looked at her through his eyelashes. However, before he had any time to retreat any further away from her, her head is jerking forward and towards him, her lips meeting his in a kiss. The kiss was eager; need almost.
It didn’t even take him a second before he is responding to her kiss, lips moving against her with the same amount of passion; maybe even more. He almost instantly took back all control of the kiss, smashing her off of the large wooden door once more. Both of their heads are clouded and they barely even register what they are doing.
Once her back collided with the door, her mouth opened in surprise and Calum took full advantage of this, his tongue diving into her mouth. He can taste the faint smell of alcohol mixed with gum on her breath as he deepened the kiss, moaning into it. Y/n doesn’t stop him either, and she doesn’t do anything to try and hide the moan that escaped her lips.
He let go of her hands, and instead, they make their way to cup the sides of her face softly; tenderly. Her hands, now freed of their trapped position, making their way down his shoulders, tugging on the silk lightly. They continue to kiss until her hands reached the top buttons of his shirt. His hands cover hers.
“What?” Her voice is soft, eyes looking up at his brown with heavy eyelids.
“We can’t do this,” He sighed, shaking his head. Y/n’s mouth parted slightly, but before she can get a word out Calum is speaking again, “You’ve been drinking y/n, we can’t. I’m not going to take advantage of you like that.”
It seemed that whatever was clouding Calum’s head those moments before where he had been kissing y/n, acting as if their relationship was real and not a PR stunt was over. Now, he’s returning to his closed-off self that y/n had managed to crack through in the past few weeks and y/n could feel almost as if he was slipping away.
“Cal, I’m not even drunk-”
However, he didn’t even let her finish as he stepped away, letting go of her hand and letting it fall. He stood in front of her still, head ducked but far enough that he was out of reach from her, meeting her frowning face with a frown of his own, “Goodnight, y/n/n.”
Then, Calum is gone and y/n wallowed painfully in the rejection.
125 notes · View notes
amispnrewatch · 3 years
Text
SPN 1x06 “Skin”
Tumblr media
Okay, I’m gonna try to type while I watch this time instead of forgetting this blog exists until the episode is almost over.
You can tell the footage for the previously on segment was saved on a VHS copy instead of the original film that the show was shot with because even in the HD iTunes version I have it looks low quality as fuck. And jumpy in the way that brings me back to my teens watching the WB all the damn time.
I love this song. WTF is this song. Shazam says “Good Deal” by Mommy and Daddy. I… have no comment, except that it sounds like everything I was listening to in college at the time this shit was airing.
Aaaaand not!Dean turns around to face the SWAT team after obviously torturing some woman. THAT is a cold open.
Tumblr media
I wanna know what that car is in the background. It’s pretty. Maybe a convertible Impala? They have similar grills. This is not at all important.
Also, I love that with these higher definition versions of the episodes you can see that Sam’s email is lawboy and whatever dot com and that people in the fandom have started calling him Law Boy. It’s hilarious.
DEAN: Well, what exactly do you tell ‘em? You know, about where you’ve been, what you’ve been doin’?
SAM: I tell ‘em I’m on a road trip with my big brother. I tell ‘em I needed some time off after Jess.
DEAN: Oh, so you lie to ‘em.
SAM: No. I just don’t tell ‘em….everything.
DEAN: Yeah, that’s called lying. I mean, hey, man, I get it, tellin’ the truth is far worse.
SAM: So, what am I supposed to do, just cut everybody out of my life? (DEAN shrugs.) You’re serious?
DEAN: Look, it sucks, but in a job like this, you can’t get close to people, period.
Aaaaand now I have Dean and Cassie feelings again and we haven’t even gotten to her episode yet.
SAM: No, man, I know Zack. He’s no killer.
DEAN: Well, maybe you know Zack as well as he knows you.
Aaaaaand now I have Dean and Lee feelings and we’re nowhere near Lee’s episode in season 15.
YOU JUST BLEW THROUGH A STOP SIGN DEAN WTF.
Little Becky. Oi with the reusing of names.
Of course Sam made friends with a bunch of rich kids while he was at college in a desperate attempt to try to be normal.
SAM: You know, maybe we could see the crime scene. Zack’s house.
DEAN: We could.
REBECCA: Why? I mean, what could you do?
SAM: Well, me, not much. But Dean’s a cop. (DEAN laughs.)
DEAN: Detective, actually.
I love that Dean was like “how dare you call me that.”
Okay, after a bit of research, I totally want to take a day trip to Bisbee, Arizona, but it’s already in the 90s here in the desert and it’s not even May so that trip is going to have to wait until… winter or something. There is no way in hell I’m going deeper into the desert when the weather gets hotter.
It’s a historic mining town tourist trap looking place now which is exactly the kind of shit I love.
SAM: Bec, look, I know Zack didn’t do this. Now, we have to find a way to prove that he’s innocent.
I mean, not technically, technically you would 1) NOT FUCK WITH A MURDER INVESTIGATION YOU’RE NOT LEGALLY INVOLVED IN BECAUSE ANYTHING YOU FIND WOULD BE INADMISSABLE IN COURT 2) find evidence to provide a reasonable doubt for the jury that he did commit the crime. You know, like a lawyer would need to do, Law Boy.
DEAN: I just don’t think this is our kind of problem.
When I made my husband watch this show with me (he’s seen it all at least once now over the years) this is the recurring thing that drove him crazy.
Tumblr media
You guys can’t even go in through the back door? Or shut the front door behind you? Really?
REBECCA: (tearfully) Well, there’s no sign of a break-in. They say that Emily let her attacker in.
Yeah, that doesn’t even really mean that she knew her attacker. Just that it was someone she let her guard down around or got in some other way. See: The Son of Sam and Nightstalker, etc.
Love the pinup magnet on the fridge. I’d throw shade at that, but I have a pinup magnet on my fridge too so… pot kettle and all that.
Okay, both people in the next couple are gorgeous.
And oh wow those special effects changing eyes… wow.
This poor couple. I feel so bad for them in this episode.
How… how are the police gonna explain the way he was able to beat himself over the head with a bat??? I…
I love that 5:30 in the morning on TV is clearly like… 10 AM.
Tumblr media
Okay, this is a really unrelated point, but the graffiti on the dumpster here reminds me of the Teen Wolf fandoms use of the name Void!Stiles when Stiles Stilinski was possessed by a Nogitsune… I just spent way too long digging through YouTube and my Tumblr tags from back when those episodes were airing looking for a few specific videos and couldn’t find them. The TL;DR reason I bring it up here is goofball, bi-coded main character guy getting possessed by an entity set on destroying the people he loves. SOUNDS LIKE THIS EPISODE AND A WHOLE LOT OF SPN RIGHT. I love that all these monster hunting shows call out to each other.
Tumblr media
This scene haunts me years later and I don’t even WATCH Teen Wolf. I just watched the fandom on Tumblr collectively lose it’s shit then tripped down a Hale Pack fanfiction rabbit hole.
ANYWAY
Back to Supernatural, a show that also treated its fan base, cast, and characters like garbage! Huzzah!
DEAN: Well, there’s another way to go—down. (They look down and notice a manhole.)
I’m gonna be mature and ignore the double entendre there…
But I love that Dean thinks of the world in 3D. Which sounds like a dumb statement to make, but this is honestly a good example of that in action.
SAM: I bet this runs right by Zack’s house, too.
Really Sam, sewers run by houses? SO WEIRD. I WOULD HAVE NEVER GUESSED.
DEAN: You know, I just had a sick thought. When the shapeshifter changes shape—maybe it sheds.
SAM: That is sick. (DEAN puts the bloody pile back on the ground.)
Guys, there is a WHOLE ASS EAR in that pile of yuck you’re looking at. I think it’s pretty safe to assume the shapeshifter indeed sheds its skin like a snake. A much… gooier snake.
Sam’s friend is rightfully pissed at him for fucking with the crime scene.
This is before the pearl gripped guns?! Wow. I never noticed that before.
Also, this whole episode gives me feelings.
++++
Cool. Tumblr mobile ate a whole section of my notes on this when it crashed for NO APPARENT REASON. Love that.
Tumblr media
It always boggles my mind that actors can trust the people they’re working with enough to let people “tie” ropes around their neck or put them in actually dangerous positions in a scene.
SHAPESHIFTER: He’s sure got issues with you. You got to go to college. He had to stay home. I mean, I had to stay home. With Dad. You don’t think I had dreams of my own? But Dad needed me. Where the hell were you?
SAM: Where is my brother? (The shapeshifter leans in close to SAM.)
SHAPESHIFTER: I am your brother. See, deep down, I’m just jealous. You got friends. You could have a life. Me? I know I’m a freak. And sooner or later, everybody’s gonna leave me. (He backs away.)
SAM: What are you talkin’ about?
SHAPESHIFTER: You left. Hell, I did everything Dad asked me to, and he ditched me, too. No explanation, nothin’, just poof. Left me with your sorry ass. But, still, this life? It’s not without its perks. (He laughs.) I meet the nicest people. Like little Becky. You know, Dean would bang her if he had the chance. Let’s see what happens. (He smiles and covers SAM with a sheet.)
This exchange is just… so much. So many feelings. And I will forever (unless we magically get a fix-it fic mini season someday…) be SO MAD that none of this got resolved in that pointless, trash heap of a finale.
REBECCA: Okay, so, this thing—it can make itself look like anybody?
SHAPESHIFTER: That’s right. (She chuckles.)
REBECCA: Well, what is it, like a genetic freak? (The shapeshifter laughs.)
SHAPESHIFTER: Maybe. Evolution is about mutation, right? So, maybe this thing was born human but was different. Hideous and hated. Until he learned to become someone else. (REBECCA looks around, uncomfortable. The shapeshifter’s eyes glint silver, and he smiles.)
It always amazes me how much of this show is a pile of accidental queer allegories parading around in an ill-fitting toxic masculinity suit.
Vulcan mind meld! I love nerd!Dean. Also, I’m rewatching Star Trek: TOS with my husband, because that is what my life amounts to these days, rewatching comfort TV and flailing over the bits I love.
This post does a better job than I can do of pairing up screen caps with the dialogue of this next scene. SIX EPISODES IN. They’re dumping all of this character depth SIX EPISODES IN. FUCK THIS SHOW FOR NOT EMBRACING ITSELF.
Okay, I love that he screams back in her face after he threw the phone. It’s not something to laugh at because the situation is horrifying, but I can’t help laughing at it every time.
AND THE WAY THEY CUT THESE SCENES. Going from him winding his hand back to backslap her directly to him dropping the chains on the table to show how hard he must have hit her without actually making the actors hit each other. Good job editing department!
I… don’t understand the shifter’s motivation for killing people. If he can take over people’s identities without killing them, why kill them? Is it just because he’s a homicidal, rapist piece of shit? Cause that’s all it seems like.
How did the SWAT team even know she was being attacked? Why can the snipers aim no better than Storm Troopers?
Ugh, these kind of transformation body horror scenes are exactly why werewolf stories have never really appealed to me much. Like, I could do without watching your ribs move and teeth fall out, dude.
BUT.
THIS FUCKING SCENE.
I looked up the song that’s playing over shapeshifter!Dean being caught by the SWAT team and then going through the grotesque transformation. (And as far as I know, the iTunes version has the original music from the episodes.)
It’s a song called “Mary” by The Death Riders
Who's your mother, who's your mother here boy // Who's your mother, whos your mommy dear // Who's your father, who's your father here boy // Who's your father, who's your daddy dear
Silently screaming // Where everyone knows // Daddy's always watchin' // Where everywhere - everywhere I go
I don't wanna be a freak show pretty boy anymore // I don't wanna be a full time slave // I don't wanna be your midnight cowboy anymore // I just want to be Mary
This is… a fascinating choice. Here are the rest of the lyrics. The song as a whole has a weird incesty kinda vibe to it? Kinda like when SPN tries to straight-wash itself and misses the mark wildly. (Like Dean’s male siren episode.)
The midnight cowboy line reminded me of 12x11 and the bull riding scene with “Broomstick Cowboy” by Bobby Goldsboro playing over it
Dream on, little Broomstick Cowboy, // Dream while you can; // Of big green frogs, // And puppy dogs, // And castles in the sand.
For, all too soon you'll awaken; // Your toys will all be gone. // Your broomstick horse will ride away, // To find another home. // And you'll have grown into a man, // With cowboys of your own. // And then you'll have to go to war, // To try and save your home.
And then you'll have to learn to hate; // You'll have to learn to kill. // It's always been that way, my son; // I guess it always will.
Because, you know, why not add tons of feelings into the lyrics, right?
Props to the people who can embrace their rewatches and reclamations of the show with ease. Because every episode seems to remind me of how hollow and tragic Dean’s ending was and I just… struggle all over again.
Anyway, back to the episode so I can move on with my day.
REPORTER: An anonymous tip led police to a home in the Central West End, where a S.W.A.T team discovered a local woman bound and gagged. Her attacker, a white male, approximately twenty-four to thirty years of age, was discovered hiding in her home. (A sketch of DEAN appears on the screen.)
DEAN: Man! That’s not even a good picture. (SAM looks around cautiously.)
SAM: It’s good enough. (He walks away.)
DEAN: Man! (He follows SAM.)
(CUT TO: Alley. DEAN and SAM are walking. DEAN steps into a puddle.)
DEAN: Ugh, come on.
I love that we get two tiny little back-to-back vanity moments for Dean here. One commenting on the sketch artist rendition of him being broadcasted on the news and the other tripping in the puddle. There is literally someone running around the city trying to kill people while wearing Dean’s face, but Dean is still concerned with how he looks appears to others. He’s still concerned with keeping up his own performance. The shifter left him with just a t-shirt, so he doesn’t even have his usual comfort layers on and at any moment someone could spot him and call the police or try to kill him for assaulting Sam’s friend. His life is wildly out of control in that moment and the only thing he can try to focus on is his appearance (something semi-controllable) and finding the shifter before any of that other shit can happen.
One day I want to put together a like top 10 episodes focusing on / explaining each TFW character from the series. Like the kind of list you could show someone who’s never seen the show, but has OPINIONS about the characters (or who hasn’t seen the whole show and seen the growth they went through… you know, like the people responsible for the travesty of 15x20). This episode would be on that list. I’m not sure how I could manage to make a list of only 10 episodes to understand Dean Winchester by, but eh.
SAM: What are you gonna do to me?
SHAPESHIFTER: Oh, I’m not gonna do anything. Dean will, though.
SAM: They’ll never catch him.
SHAPESHIFTER: Oh, doesn’t matter. Murder in the first of his own brother? He’ll be hunted the rest of his life. (He picks up a sharp knife and examines it.)
Speaking of season 15 in general, this right here. This was Chuck’s villain story arc thesis statement. AND THEY DROPPED THE GODDAMN BALL WITH IT. I think that’s the thing that honestly pisses me off the most these days (about 5 1/2 months from when the finale aired) is that they tried making the whole thing a tragedy but did such an awful job with it that it just ended up like a deflating condom balloon at a dive bar concert. Disappointing and gross. The finale for season 14 set them up SO FUCKING WELL and it just… didn’t get there.
Becky’s parents are gonna be pissed at how torn up their house is after all this shit…
And you’re not shooting him when you first see him strangling Sam because…?????
I like that he took the necklace back. Also, is this kinda Dean death number .5 of the show? Like it wasn’t him but it was also kinda him. Eh.
At least they left the windshield on Baby this time. Reflections are better than tearing her apart.
47 notes · View notes