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chaninfused · 4 years

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And the Mountains Will Kneel | Han Jisung

◤"I don't want to be separated from you again."

When greed breaks the Guardians of Light apart, eternal night befalls the three tribes, and the only way to restore the balance is through reuniting them.

◤Disclaimers: female reader insert. the usual of fantasy, featuring a scrumptious mix of fluff and angst (mostly angst, though). magical abilities. none of these tribes reference or represent current or past tribes or people. pay special attention to the first paragraph!

◤Word count: 6.6K

◤Note: This idea is a 100% mine and any case of similarity with someone else’s is purely coincidental. Events are pure fiction. Please do not take my content without my consent. masterlist.

"Spiriters, Rainmakers, and Night Souls; for the three tribes of Olcen to live in harmony, the Fire would bind two souls from birth, partners for eternity. Together, they would guard the land's peace and through their unity, the balance shall be restored. For as long as the Guardians of Light are not separated, day will visit the people once more."

❦

"Go on. Don't be shy."

You snapped your head in the direction of the voice, finding your cousin standing at the entrance of the cave, and you froze, caught red-handed. Wasn't he supposed to be in the village? What is he doing at his hideout so early in the day?

You glanced around awkwardly as he made his way toward you, staff meeting the rocky ground with each step. As he approached you, his blond curls and handsome features became clearer in the Fire's light. You fought the urge to take a step backward.

You'd snuck into your cousin's abode, a secluded cave in the mountains, to see the Fire that burned bloody red between the rock. He was the only person who knew how to tame it, along with tribe elders. Curiosity got the best of you and that's how you found yourself crouched in front of the angry flames, eyes as wide as a full moon.

You wanted to try taming the Fire for yourself. Chan is a Spiriter like I am, you thought, if he could do it, then so can I.

He tilted his head at you. "What are you waiting for?"

Your throat felt dry. "I-"

What would you tell him without making a complete fool out of yourself? What would the people think when they hear that their Light Guardian crept away to meddle with the Fire?

You decided to stay silent.

"I know you want to speak to the Fire," he said, oddly gentle, and pounded the ground with his heavy staff, making the fire reach for the roof with a terrifying screech. You flinched, instinctively taking a step away. You could've sworn it sounded like a group of human screams.

"See? It wants to speak to you too." The smile on your cousin's face was cryptic. You found yourself remembering the tales whispered around the village about him. They called him a sorcerer, a devil, and a magician. Some claimed he spoke to the dead. All the tales ended with the same moral; stay away from Chan.

But you couldn't help it! Your tribe's Fire was off-limits, and so was Jisung's. You couldn't perform your curious experiments on it, and the only unguarded Fire was Chan's.

Looking back at the fierce flames, you wondered if it was a bad idea. Chan's Fire was savage, burning so red it seemed to be fueled by blood. The more you stared into the alluring blazes, you thought you imagined faces flicker in them.

That Fire was a predator waiting for its prey. Perhaps, you shouldn't try anything on it...

You cleared your throat, "I, uhm, have other places to be. Excuse me, cousin."

"Are you running away now?"

"I'm not-"

"Then stay. Finish what you intruded into my home for." Chan's tone was grave. You knew you had no choice but to comply, do what the little voice in your head wanted.

"Sing to it like you would a dying deer," he prompted when you begrudgingly crouched near the flames, clasping your hands.

Call its spirit back to life. He wanted you to reawaken the Fire. Even the thought of it sounded dangerous. With the fascinating performance Chan just showed you, you were sure the Fire would devour you whole.

Just a few whispers, you tried reassuring yourself. Just a few whispers and I'll walk away and never return to this cave.

So you closed your eyes, choosing the chant you'd gift to the Fire's wild soul. Your voice was barely above a whisper, and the first few syllables didn't get to settle in the air before the Fire roared, a deafening sound.

It stood, suddenly filling the entire cave. You could no longer see Chan, only the red, hot blazes that seemed to trap you in a ring of death.

You looked around you frantically, breaths becoming shallow and forced. The Fire was closing in. You screamed, calling your cousin's name, trying to sing to the Fire to die out. But no one answered, and the Fire only cackled devilishly.

Your purple robes stuck to your body, moist with the sweat trickling across your skin, which began to itch uncontrollably.

"Chan, help me!" You pleaded, but your voice drowned in the Fire's mocking jeers. Meager. Little. You thought death was finally approaching your bare nineteen years of life until you heard a clap of thunder, so loud that even the burning demon faltered for a moment.

Only one Rainmaker could make a thunderclap that great, you knew.

❦

"Are you not going to get ready?"

Seungmin's nagging voice invaded Jisung's room. The latter didn't bother to look at his friend, preferring to keep his gaze on the mighty mountains outside his window. Or at least, what could be seen from them. The blanket of night hid the rocky structures well.

Night. Jisung was so tired of the starless, cold night. When was the last time he'd seen the light of day and felt the warmth of the sun? He couldn't remember how long it had been.

"I don't want to."

"Jisung," Seungmin sighed, "You have to. Or are you planning to show up in those plain blue robes?"

"I don't want to," Jisung repeated, which evoked another sigh from his friend as he sat next to him on the bed.

"Look, I know it's hard. It hurts me too," Seungmin placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, voice becoming degrees softer. There were many things the boy expected in life, but this wasn't one of them. Losing you, losing a Light Guardian, and plunging Olcen in endless darkness — never in his life did he imagine that happening. And to none other than his closest friend? He wondered how the universe could be so cruel.

Your sudden disappearance shook the three tribes and sent Jisung's life tumbling downward. It was a mystery. One day, the people woke to the pearly moon and they knew something was extremely wrong.

The searches began. Scouts covered the mountains, houses were turned inside out, and people were questioned until it was as clear as day, you were gone. With the light of day.

The news left Jisung in utter heartbreak and misery. He, who only knew the sound of your voice, the warmth of your embrace, and the taste of your lips — who only knew how to love you, could not live without you. It was as if life had lost all meaning.

And as if his shoulders weren't sagging with enough misfortunes, the Grand Rainmaker, Jisung's mother, hadn't returned from the mountains. Missing. Or dead, as the Elders announced with creased foreheads.

Seungmin took it upon himself to look after Jisung since he couldn't trust him to keep himself alive. Not in that desolation. When he couldn't find him in his room, Seungmin would find his friend somewhere in the mountains, screaming at the sky and the nonchalant moon. It pained him to see Jisung like that. He knew the Guardian of Light to be strong and collected. The broken, vulnerable soul that stared back at him was nearly unrecognizable.

But the hurt boy was not allowed to dwell in his sorrows for long. It took weeks, Seungmin approximated, for the Elders to decide to move on, follow the ancient teachings, and choose someone from your tribe to take your place.

The only way to bring back day was for Jisung to accept another Spiriter. The only way that didn't include killing him.

So, there they were, a few hours before the ceremony, and Jisung still hadn't changed his blue robes. Stubbornness, the last defense he had.

"We're not asking you to love Chaeryeong. Just take her hand, get the Fire's approval, and bring back day to Olcen. You can be friends," he tried to reason with the Guardian of Light, who only shook his head, holding back a sob, "I can't."

"But it's your responsibility as a Guardian of Light. I know you hate this, I do too, but you have to. Shouldn't that be your utmost priority?"

"Seungmin, I can't do it. You know I'd rather chop my hands off before taking someone else's."

Seungmin's gaze softened. "I know."

"But I also know," he paused, eyeing the fine blue robes hung in the corner of the room, "that she would want you to do this."

Jisung shut his eyes, hating that he was right. Seungmin was always right. If you were there, you would tell him that the people were more important. You'd hold his hand and smile at him, a smile so gorgeous it never failed to take his breath away each and every time. You'd want him to do what's right, even though everything in him told him it was wrong.

After a moment of silence, Jisung finally sighed, "Get out."

"What?" Seungmin was taken aback by his friend's sudden rudeness.

"I said, get out," he repeated, louder and firmer.

Seungmin stood up. "Fine, you don't have to be so rude about it-"

"Do you want to see me change? I'm asking you to leave," Jisung looked at him for the first time that day and Seungmin didn't know if he wanted to whack him or laugh.

With a tiny, relieved smile, he made his way out of the room before abruptly stopping, "Jisung?"

"Yes?"

The boy turned to face him again, smiling genuinely at his selfless friend. "Thank you."

❦

"Han Jisung, take Chaeryeong's hand."

The Elder's voice pulled Jisung out of his daze and he swallowed, hoping his face didn't betray him as he held out a hand for the Spiriter to take. Even his muscles screamed against the action, but he had to ignore their protests, remembering Seungmin's words. She'd want you to do this.

Chaeryeong was what anyone would agree to be perfect. Kind, well-spoken, skilled, beautiful; but she wasn't Jisung's type of perfect. Even she seemed to understand that as she smiled at him sympathetically.

A crowd of members of the three tribes watched tentatively. It was a fateful moment. The Fire would either burn blue and accept Chaeryeong as the substitute Guardian of Light or burn black and reject her. The latter only meant one thing, and the people were on their toes with anxiousness.

Her fingers barely brushed the palm of his hand when a bolt of lightning struck the ground between the two of them, followed by an ear-splitting thunderclap.

Chaeryeong stepped away instantly, retracting her hand as if he burned, and Jisung held his breath. To his right, the Fire was roaring in black, mighty flames.

A warning.

The Elder leading the ceremony muttered to himself in disbelief, "It can't be."

But it could. Jisung was weightless with joy. The Fire rejecting Chaeryeong only meant one thing. For as long as the other Guardian of Light was around, no one shall come in between.

It was a sign. You were out there.

The crowd stilled, processing what had happened. The ceremony was meant to assign a new Guardian of Light for them and bring back daylight. Clearly, they weren't getting the ending they wanted that easily.

No announcements had to be made. They all understood the Fire's warning.

But not everyone seemed happy with it.

Jisung heard someone shout, somewhere within the crowd, "There must be something wrong!"

A familiar blond Spiriter pushed his way through the crowd, waving his staff haphazardly, before finally coming to stand before the Elder. "This doesn't make sense!"

Through the light of the torches surrounding the clearing, the Elder's displeased expression was defined, "What is it, Chan?"

"Something is off with this ceremony. It makes no sense!"

"It makes perfect sense," Jisung responded, slightly ticked off. Was the rogue Spiriter trying to kill the hope that spread in his heart?

"To you, of course it does! This was your plan all along!" Chan glared accusingly and Jisung frowned, "What?"

"People of Olcen! Your Guardian of Light is hiding something from you!" He turned to the crowd, where murmurs began to spread like wildfire. "Didn't we search the sky and earth in vain? How could the Fire react this way, unless tamed as part of a bigger plan?"

"What are you doing?" Jisung whisper-yelled. He couldn't believe his ears. Who did Chan think himself to be to accuse him of conspiring against the people? Unbelievable!

"The crazy Spiriter is right!" A shout of agreement came from the crowd and Chan masked his triumph, tossing more logs into the fire, "Don't you see? It's far too much of a coincidence that both the Grand Rainmaker and y/n disappeared together. Both happen to be close to Jisung, and both held high ranks."

He turned to face the horrified Guardian of Light with a cryptic smirk, "What have you got to say for yourself, Rainmaker?"

Jisung glanced helplessly at the Elder, who only looked at him expectantly. He felt his throat go dry, he couldn't be believing this nonsense! Even Chaeryeong, who now stood behind Chan, looked at him as if his biggest and darkest secret had been told. As if she was looking at a monster.

He exhaled quietly. "I did nothing of what you're implying. The Fire warned you clear and loud. Y/n is alive. Your scouting must've lacked."

"Lacked?" Chan scoffed before searching the crowd for a certain Night Soul. "Where is Hwang Hyunjin?"

The mentioned Night Soul stepped out of the crowd, clad in his black robes and wearing a frown on his pretty face. He walked up to them, jabbing a finger at Jisung threateningly, "Are you implying I did my job poorly?"

The shorter boy stepped away, mildly intimidated as he clutched the staff strapped to his belt. "If the Fire says she's out there and you say she's not, one of you is clearly lying. We all know the Fire doesn't lie."

The Elder did not interject, deciding to watch from the side instead, for he too believed that they've lost one of their Light Guardians.

"Well then, that means you hid her somewhere to secure the rank for yourself," Chan concluded. "And with the Grand Rainmaker gone, you're currently the most powerful Rainmaker. Greed makes people do the unspeakable."

That was the final strike. Jisung pulled out his staff, raising his voice, "Stop with your nonsense!"

Hyunjin's hand went to the small crystal ball dangling from the chain around his neck, ready to use his powers, and Chan raised an eyebrow, feeling the Fire's rage in his blood, "So you're trying to start a fight now? We all know you don't stand a chance against us, Rainmaker. You don't have your precious Spiriter to help you this time."

Jisung gritted his teeth, "I don't need a Spiriter with me. You said it yourself, I'm the most powerful Rainmaker as of now."

"You monster!" Hyunjin gasped as his eyes turned into depthless pits of black. A puff of smoke left his lips and shot through the air, toward Jisung, who did not hesitate to slam the ground with his staff and shock the black cloud with a lightning bolt. It returned to Hyunjin quickly, and the Night Soul scowled with his terrifying eyes.

That attack was enough to light chaos in the crowd. Spiriters singing curses, Night Souls invading bodies, Rainmakers calling storms to their aid; all because a certain blond madman couldn't let the Fire ruin his plans.

Jisung didn't miss the dark smoke coming for his soul once more and took off running, summoning a whirlwind to rid him of it. Somewhere in the discord, he heard his name and turned around, just in time to see his friend, who had a panicked expression on his face. "Jisung! Watch out!"

A fireball grazed his hair, barely missing his head, and he turned around to find its source. A Spiriter with a staff.

Chan's gaze was fixed on him, from his place in front of the Fire, as he pounded the ground with his staff. Balls of fire sprouted from the earth, all slicing the air towards the alarmed Rainmaker. With a pound of his own staff, Jisung summoned rain to put out the fire as he tried to make his way out of the fighting crowd.

A body crashed on him and he didn't bother to check who it was, pushing the weight off and getting on his feet as fast as possible as a cry caught his attention. "Kill the traitor!"

Traitor. He could not believe he was framed like that. A Guardian of Light! All he had ever done is protect Olcen and its people. How could they turn their backs on him so quickly?

Another swarm of fireballs chased him as he desperately summoned one cloud after another, hoping to lose Chan and his evil Fire. If his mind was clearer, he would've noticed your brother, Jinyoung, running up to him. He only noticed him when he grabbed his wrist and dragged him along.

Jinyoung was muttering something under his breath, some kind of chant, Jisung suspected, as he led him away from the meaningless fight unfolding in the heart of the village. He couldn't help but ask, in a hint of fear, "Where are you taking me?"

Jinyoung did not stop to look at him. "Away. They're trying to kill you."

"Won't you try to kill me too?"

"No. I know better than to believe that lying, greedy moron."

At least someone is still in their right mind, Jisung thought. He'd never been more thankful for your brother's rationality.

Chan's attacks stopped, he noticed and guessed it was Jinyoung's work. "Why aren't they following us?"

"Veiling chant."

The two were now on the edges of the village, before the mighty mountains, and Jinyoung stopped, panting as he faced the younger boy. "You need to escape."

"Where? They'll find me!"

"I don't know. Find y/n, she hid from them perfectly."

"Seriously-"

A screech cut him off and when he looked behind them, a blood-red flame stood, reaching for the mute sky. Chan found them.

The Fire seemed to regard the two before lunging at Jisung, who dodged it with an angry rain cloud. There wasn't much time left.

"Go! Fix this!" Jinyoung shouted above the Fire's confused hisses. "Find her!"

The Rainmaker bought himself a moment to give your brother one last glance before running toward the mountains, leaving a storm in his wake.

He'll find you. He'll bring back day to Olcen.

❦

If the moon were to be a person, Jisung thought he wouldn't want to be friends with it. All it did was watch from its place in the sky, nonchalantly, as if the mortals below weren't living miserably.

It wasn't any different as it watched the lonely Rainmaker trudge through the rocky ground, occasionally calling your name and seemingly heading nowhere.

Jisung didn't know what to look for exactly. Find you, that's what Jinyoung wanted him to do. You were somewhere out there, that's what the Fire told him. But how, and where?

He decided to search the valleys since Hyunjin and his teams scouted the mountains to the grain. Knowing you, you'd chose the most secluded place to hide. If you were trying to hide from them.

Jisung still needed to find an explanation for that.

He couldn't tell how much time had passed since he'd run away, but when his stomach grumbled in hunger, he knew it had been a while. All that surrounded him was rocks, and the occasional wild bush, as far as he could see with the moon's faint light. He debated stopping to take a rest when a rustling noise caught his attention. He had purposely stilled the air to make the search easier, this noise could only mean that something, or someone, was lurking around.

He froze, listening intently. The rustling did not stop, and the source seemed to be getting closer. It was almost as if the noise came from-

Jisung looked at the ground just in time to catch a rodent scurrying by and sighed. It was nothing.

Walking further into the valley, he encountered more little creatures, more rocks, more bushes, but no sign of you. He was beginning to regret his decision to step into the valleys when another sound caused his ears to perk up. It wasn't a rustle or a squeak, but the sound of a bowstring being stretched.

He held his breath. Someone is near.

When he dared to look around, he found no one, nothing but the rocks and the hostile darkness. He called, "Is anyone there?"

A snap, a whistle of air, and he felt a sudden pain in his shoulder. An arrow.

It punctured the skin, but his thick robes hindered the stab. With a grimace and a hiss, Jisung pulled out the arrow to look at its bloodied, wooden tip. It was handmade. Not by a professional, he could tell.

"What in the name of-"

"Jisung?"

He stopped, head slowly turning to the source of the sound. That voice. He recognized it. Stars, he knew it like his own. Even then, it didn't fail to soothe his nerves and calm his heart.

He dropped the arrow as a figure materialized in front of him. Almost as if stepping out of the shadows.

His mind went black when your weight crashed on him, fresh blood mixing with hot tears. Your arms were wrapped around his torso, so tightly as if afraid he was only a fabrication of your imagination. It wasn't long before his arms found their way around your figure, shaky and hesitant. He, too, seemed to be in disbelief.

He'd been so tired. So weak. He crumbled in your arms, pulling you closer and burying his face in the crook of your neck.

The moon watched, almost in tears as you stayed in each other's arms until your breaths evened. Until all you could hear was Jisung's heart, beating as if it had never been more alive. You couldn't trust yourself to speak, only clutching his blue Rainmaker robes tighter until you dared to pull away, just ever so slightly to look at his face.

How long had it been? Weeks without him felt like years. You couldn't quite believe that was him. Perhaps you missed him so much you started hallucinating.

But his little sniffles sounded more real than you could dream, and you brought a hand to rest on the blooming patch of red on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to- I thought you were... I wasn't supposed to let the arrow go-"

"Y/n." It was the tremble in his voice that made you stop, stare at his eyes, then realize something with a sharp gasp. You were too immersed in your emotions to notice.

"What are you doing here?"

❦

Jisung exhaled, closing his eyes as he rested his head on the rough wall of the cave and focused on the rhythmic hum of your voice. You had a hand placed over the wound on his shoulder, repeating a chant until the skin mended.

A lost sense of peace settled in Jisung's heart. Almost naturally, his hand came to cover yours. He'd missed holding it.

Healing spells made their recipients drowsy, or so you informed him once, and he couldn't tell how long it took you to fall silent. It felt like a short while.

You didn't want to pull your hand away, but each passing second seemed to suffocate you more. He shouldn't be here.

"You must be hungry," you broke the silence, attempting to stand and naturally slip your hand from his grasp. "I tried to hunt for something today but... I have some fruits if you'd li-"

A tug, and when you looked back, Jisung was not letting go of your hand. You raised an eyebrow and he shook his head. "I'm not hungry."

The Rainmaker couldn't brush off the strange feeling that plagued his soul. A feeling that told him you were trying to get away. On other days, he wouldn't bother much, but now, he knew something was off. Why would you want to be away?

"Just... stay here." He intertwined your fingers, not really giving you a choice, and your shoulders fell, giving in. It was hard not to, especially when your body reacted to his touch with a mind of its own, yearning to hold him closer and never let go. You sat back down, tugging the left side of his robes up to cover his bare, now healed, shoulder. "You need to rest."

"I don't want to."

"Doesn't mean you don't need to."

He didn't respond, preferring to brush his thumb over yours as he gazed at your interlocked fingers. Your hands had always fit each other so well and Jisung treasured that minuscule detail. It was yet another reminder that the two of you were chosen for each other, and no other pairing could be as perfect.

The words left his lips in a broken whisper, "I... I thought you were gone," and everything came tumbling out of them in a rush, "I thought I lost you and I-I've never hated life so much. I felt... dead, but then the Fire-"

He paused with a sigh. "Just w-why? Why would you do something like this to me?"

Were it not for the tremble in his voice and the tears threatening to spill out of his eyes, you might've been able to answer him. But you couldn't. At least not then. You didn't want him to hate you just yet.

You didn't speak and he shifted in his place to face you, concern creasing his forehead. "Is it something I did? I know I can be rash sometimes, but you know you could always tell me-"

"It's not you, Jisung." You avoided his gaze, which only seemed to worry him more.

"Is it the village? Did someone hurt you? I can-"

"It's not that either."

"Then...," he trailed away, shoulders sagging as his hold on your hand loosened. "Do you... Do you not love me anymore?"

At that, you inhaled sharply, eyes widening in shock. "No! Stars, Jisung, what would ever make you assume something so untrue?"

You grimaced at your own words, for even after all you did, you still loved him with every fiber of your being. You were a horrible person, you realized.

"Then why?" He was visibly relieved, and his tone became gentler as he asked. He wasn't just curious, but he had to know what made you run away like that and force endless night on Olcen.

"It's nothing."

If Jisung wanted to say anything, he forgot about it as his gaze traveled from your face to the sky peeking through the cave's opening. The sky, which was now a few shades lighter.

His features morphed into an expression of surprise as he pointed behind you, "Look!"

You turned around and held your breath. The sky was no longer the depthless darkness you'd gotten used to. Jisung scrambled to his feet, pulling you up with him as he rushed to the mouth of the cave to admire the sky.

There was light.

He looked at you, lips curled in joy as he exclaimed giddily, "Dawn! It's dawn! Day is back!"

You smiled tightly. Of course, day came back. The two of you were no longer separated. It only served as a reminder that you couldn't have your happy ending.

Jisung didn't seem to notice your dull reaction. "We can go back now! We can go back to Olcen, everything is fixed!"

"Go back?" You repeated and he nodded, only then catching your sour expression. "Why? Don't you want to go back?"

"I can't, Jisung." You shook your head, making him frown, "What do you mean? They're waiting for us to return. Your brother is waiting."

"I just can't- I shouldn't."

"I don't understand," his voice dropped to a whisper. He couldn't understand why you, a Spiriter elite and a Guardian of Light, shouldn't return to Olcen.

You only shook your head, pulling your hand out of his, now loose, grasp. "You should return, however. The people need their Light Guardian."

"The people need two Guardians of Light, y/n."

"I'm sure the elders will choose someone to fill in my place." The words tasted bitter on your lips, but that was for the best. You shouldn't return to Olcen with him. Better off, you shouldn't be with him, if your heart allowed it.

"Are you being serious? You know they can't do that as long as you're alive, and I don't want to either way."

"It's fine. I'll eventually die out here, you'll be paired with someone else."

"What has gotten into you?" As if he was speaking to himself, he reached for you, but you stepped away, shaking your head. "You need to return without me."

"I can't. Do you know how hard it was, being there without you?"

Another step. "I know you don't like the way this sounds, but I have no other choice."

"Who's to tell? Why? I should at least know."

Your back touched the rocky wall and you looked away. The sky was a melancholy shade of purple. "It's better this way. I don't want you to hate me."

"Hate you? Love...," he sighed, not moving any closer, "you and I both know I'm incapable of that."

"You would if you knew what I did."

"Then what did you do?" He pressed and you gulped, "Something horrible."

"Enough to make me hate you?" Jisung scoffed. The two of you had been through so much together, he doubted anything could break you apart, no matter how horrible. "I'm curious."

You bit your lower lip, fighting the tears that had been pushing against the dam you'd built for yourself. You'd never uttered your terrible crime to the universe, leaving it a secret for the cave, Chan, and you to keep. You braced yourself for Jisung's reaction. "I wanted to... try and tame the Fire..."

So, you retold the events of that fateful day; how you snuck into Chan's cave to see the Fire and sang to it begrudgingly; how the flames rose like a mighty dragon and trapped you; how the Grand Rainmaker pulled you out of the blazing ring.

With a heavy heart and tears that had already begun to spill, you described to him how his mother met her fate, and he wiped your tears away with the soft pad of his thumb. The flames reached for her like the hands of beggars, desperate. She told you to run and get to safety, and you did. But when you turned around, you saw the Fire swallow her, and her screams became indescribable amongst the rest.

Your cousin came up to you then and told you to run away, hide where no one could find you, away from the horrible crime you'd committed.

Night had befallen Olcen ever since.

When you finished your tale, your hands trembled, and you didn't notice Jisung holding them for you. You expected him to step away, to scream and throw things, to tell you how much he hated you, but he only stood there, silently comforting you.

"The Grand Rainmaker is dead because of me, Jisung. I-I killed your mother. I can't go back," you sniffled, shaking your head, "I shouldn't- You shouldn't even be with me right now."

"You did not kill my mother, it was an accident, y/n. You were curious. It’s not a sin." Jisung wouldn't deny that his blood ran cold for a moment there. To hear of his mother's cruel end... It was a lot to take in. But he knew it wasn't your fault, and you shouldn't be blaming yourself for what happened.

"Yes, but if I weren't there-"

"The Grand Rainmaker knew what she was getting into when she decided to rescue you. You didn't kill anyone, Chan's Fire did." You let him pull you closer and tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. His smile made your heart break. You could see the pain beneath that facade. "Don't blame yourself for something you had no control over, alright?"

"I still can't go back," you mumbled, resting a hand on his outstretched forearm. "You should go."

"If you're staying here, I'm not leaving."

"Jisung-"

"I don't want to be separated from you again."

The look he gave you was enough to tell you that he wasn't planning on changing his mind. Not now. Not ever. You could see the crashing waves of the ocean in his eyes. All the pain he'd undergone during the last days, all the emotions that threatened to break through.

You, too, didn't want to be separated from him again. The two of you weren't to be separated, even the universe knew. You were afraid of what the people would say, but you knew your duty. It was your and Jisung's responsibility to be there. To keep the balance.

“You’re all I have left now,” he muttered, and your heart clenched at the vulnerability in his voice. His thumb was tracing your jawline as his eyes trailed over every crease and feature of your face, almost as if he were trying to imprint your face in his memory. It was all that took up that space.

You could understand his unspoken words and you smiled, ever so faintly, bringing your hand to cup his cheek instead. The promise left your lips in a hushed whisper, and you sealed it with a delicate kiss. “I won’t leave you.”

Not for yourself, you would return to Olcen for him.

❦

Chan woke up that day to a horrific sight. Birds chirped, people laughed, and the sky was no longer dark. He bolted out of his home, clutching his staff angrily as he stormed into the Elders' house. "Are you seeing what's going on outside?"

The three Elders looked up from their scrolls at the rogue Spiriter, briefly, before going back to their work nonchalantly, successfully enraging him. "Day is back, the people are celebrating, and the murderer is still alive!"

"Murderer?"

He recognized that annoying voice.

"Says the one who told a Guardian of Light to run away and never come back?"

Chan's head snapped to his right, where he spotted you and Jisung, seated with the Grand Spiriter, Hyunjin, and a few other Elites. Fear crept into his heart for a fraction of a second before his lips curled into a dark grin. He turned his attention toward you. "You should ask the Light Guardian about what made her run away."

Someone closed the door behind him. "Y/n has told her story. You, on the other hand, have questions to answer." The Grand Night Soul tapped his crystal ball, eyes turning black as a puff of smoke left his mouth and flew into Chan's staff.

Chan glared at the people in the room and noticed that they were expecting him. Every Grand, Elder, and Elite of each tribe was there. Without his staff, he was a rag for them to throw around.

"The Grand Rainmaker died by your Fire, which is not only murder but misuse. You know how to tame the Fire, why did she die then?" The elder Rainmaker questioned, and Chan rolled his eyes, slightly irked by the heaviness of his staff, "I couldn't save her because I couldn't tame the Fire. It was awakened by a Spiriter's spell, how was I supposed to know?"

"Fair enough," the elder nodded thoughtfully. "You framed a Guardian of Light when you clearly knew it was a false accusation. You kindled hatred and conflict between the people. You disrupted an official ceremony. What have you to say for yourself?"

"The people are gullible, it's not my fault they believe anything said to them. And an interruption is required when something is wrong."

"You seem to not understand the question," Jisung stood, stepping towards the unarmed Spiriter, "Let me simplify it for you. Why did you lie?"

Chan didn't answer, choosing to lean closer and whisper into the Rainmaker's ear, "You should've seen your mother's terrified face. The Fire fed well on her power."

"Why, you son of a-" Jisung shoved the Spiriter away, making him stumble and almost lose his balance. Yet, Chan had a triumphant sneer on his face when the Rainmaker cried, "You could've saved her!"

As if on cue, everyone in the room sprung up. Dark clouds of smoke left the Night Souls and shot towards the blond culprit, Rainmakers summoned lightning to strike him, but he only shook his head, "You people sometimes forget I'm a Spiriter Elite."

With a short whisper, the room stilled, Night Souls fell to the ground as they clutched their throats, coughing as if choked, Rainmakers froze in place, staffs unable to create lightning. Only one remained standing.

Chan. And his fellow Spiriters in the corner.

He laughed, stepping towards Jisung's frozen figure and poking his shoulder. He fell like a statue. "I've always been more worthy than this incompetent fool. Who's to pair the lowliest of the three tribes with the highest?"

He didn't expect a reply, but he turned to where you stood with Jinyoung and six other Spiriters and shook his head, "I told you to run away and never come back, didn't I, Guardian of Light?"

He picked up his staff, now free from the Night Soul's curse, and juggled it between his hands. "What made you return? Your dimwitted lover, or your short will to live?"

Only when you remained silent did he notice the restless movement of your lips. His gaze traveled from you to the other Elites surrounding you, and his heart dropped. You were all chanting.

Then he felt it. The ground rumbled. The walls shook. Scrolls flew into the air. He pounded the earth with his staff, but it was of no use. The flame would barely form before blowing out. He tried whispering all the chants he knew, but it didn't stop.

His whispers soon became desperate cries as numbness began to spread through his body like the plague. First, it was his feet, then he couldn't feel his arms. His tongue became heavy and keeping his eyes open was a draining task.

Swiftly, yet surely, he slipped out of consciousness, only feeling the last beat of his heart after his ears tuned out the world.

Once he crumbled to the ground like a worn-out doll, unconscious, the curses he lay on your friends and fellow enchanters were lifted. Hyunjin stood up, coughing as he clutched his crystal, followed by the other Night Souls. Rainmakers took a short while to break out of the frosty shell cast on them, but you didn't miss a beat when Jisung stood, ruffling his hair and blinking repeatedly as if confused.

You ran up to him before you could realize it, smiling genuinely for the first time in weeks, "Jisung!"

His gaze landed on you, and as if the sky cleared of all clouds, his lips broke into a grin and he opened his arms for you to fall into.

To finally be embraced without the worries that had nagged you for weeks was liberating. You'd almost forgotten how that felt.

Leaving Jisung was never on your mind, for wherever you imagined yourself to be, he was by your side. A match written in the stars. Guardians or not, you knew that if you were reborn, again and again, in this world and the next, it would always be Jisung.

It was the love you carried for each other that kept you alive. It was the company that comforted you on your loneliest nights — a power even the Fire recognized and the mightiest mountains would kneel before.

If you have read this far then you are contractually obligated to tell me your thoughts! Well, not really, but do drop by sometime! Thank you for reading and I hope you have a beautiful day! ♡

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ghostofviperwrites · 4 years

Text

Jay White Masterlist

Fics marked with * are 18+ only, more than likely featuring sexual content

Jay White

Retribution *

Choices *

Decompressing *

Solitude *

Teasing *

The End

Come Back

Bold *

Fireworks *

Taste *

Forever

Something Missing *

Hate You *

Moving On

In Lieu of the Rainmaker *

No Regrets *

Redirection

Runaway *

Little Push

Can’t Wait *

Betrayal

Dognapping

Relief

Mutual

Belt *

Distractions

Balance

For the Best

Disastrous Choices

Good Morning *

Thank You *

Jay White/FC/Kazuchika Okada

Welcome to Chaos *

Hiromu Takahashi/FC/Jay White

Caught

#masterlist #jay white masterlist #jay white fanfic #mywriting #ghostofviperwrites

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bigtreefest · 1 month

Text

Outta Nowhere AU

Main Masterlist

Decks vs. Honeybee reader distinctions

You Catch More Bees With Honey

(Mob! Bucky x Farmer! Reader)

Handiwork

(Mechanic! Farmhand! Curtis x Bartender! Reader)

The Rainmaker

(Mob! Steve x Forensic Scientist! Reader)

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crashdevlin · 5 years

Text

Cassie’s 600 Follower Writing Challenge

That’s right, this crazy chick hit 600 followers! I can’t believe so many of you actually give a fuck about my content! I figure I can host a challenge to celebrate. I’d love to read what you guys come up with for some of my favorite songs and quotes from my favorite shows and movies!

Here’s the rules:

1) You don’t have to be following me to participate, but it’d be shiny if you were.

2) Send me an ask with your chosen prompt and a backup, just in case. (And if you could reblog for a signal boost, that would be awesome!)

3) This is a reader-insert challenge. You can have ships, but they’re gonna be ships with the addition of the reader (Example- Destiel x Reader or Stucky x Reader)

4) This is a multi-fandom event! Supernatural, MCU/Marvel comic (X-men included), Doctor Who, The Walking Dead, Harry Potter, Buffy, Star Wars, Star Trek…. I am a well-rounded geek. I just have to know enough about it to recognize the characters and know enough about their backstories to know what’s going on. If there’s a fandom you wanna write for that’s not listed here, just shoot me an ask and I’ll tell you if it’s something I’m cool reading.

5) Any genre is welcome! You wanna try to make me cry? Hit me with the angst! You wanna write me some warm and fuzzies? I love some good fluff. Almost any kinds of smut are gonna put me in a good mood, send it!

6) I’m totally cool with dark fics (dub-con/non-con included), but underage is a no-no. Tag your triggers, people! Warnings make everything run smoother.

7) If you don’t use your READ MORE links, I will not reblog your post. I’ll link you in the masterlist at the end, but you won’t get a reblog.

8) The due date on this challenge is 3/14/2019. Masterlist will be posted 3/21/2019.

9) Tag me in your fic and use the tag Cassies600celebration. And hit me up if I don't respond within a week. ‘Cause Dumblr.

Prompts below the cut!

Movie/TV Quotes

1 “It’s only forever, not long at all.” @bamby0304

2 “Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I’ll be your slave.” @castielslittlestbee

3 “I don’t like boats. I don’t like water. I’m a man, not a fish!” @bamby0304

4 “I apologize for calling your wife a bloated warthog, and I bid you good day.”

5 “It looks dead. It smells dead. Yet, it’s moving around. That’s interesting.” @brokencasbutt67-writer

6 “So, I guess it’s true: scythe matters.” @acreativelydifferentlove

7 “Sorry about the chains. It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s… Actually, it is that I don’t trust you.” @bamby0304

8 “The moment you think you know what’s going on in a woman’s head is the moment your goose is well and truly cooked.”

9 “If you have something to say, right now’s a perfect time to keep it to yourself.” @mariekoukie6661

10 “Gimme a scotch. I’m starving.” @wegoddessofhell

11 “Why aren’t you wearing those pajamas I got you?” @winecatsandpizza

12 “You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting. In what world could you possibly beat me?” @jerkbitchidjitassbutt

13 “Your men love you. If I knew nothing else about you, that would be enough.” @deanwinchesterwitch

14 “Change your stars and live a better life than I have.” @brokencasbutt67-writer

15 “Rainmaker, how wet do you want it?”

16 “All hail the goddess of information.” @flamencodiva

17 “Who brings a gun to a knife fight?” “The winner?” @summer-binging-spn

18 “I can’t tell whether he’s brilliant or nuts.”

19 “Isn’t it against the superhuman code to use your powers to take advantage of we mere mortals?” @acreativelydifferentlove

20 “What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve.”

Songs

1 Lips of an Angel- Hinder @deanwinchesterwitch

2 You and I- Jason Mraz

3 Written in the Sand- Old Dominion

4 Everywhere- Michelle Branch

5 Believer- Imagine Dragons @castielslittlestbee

6 Brokenheartsville- Joe Nichols

7 The Scientist- Coldplay

8 The Last of the Real Ones- Fall Out Boy @ gloriouslobster

9 Youngblood- Green Day

10 I Can’t Make You Love Me- Bonnie Raitt @allonsy-yesiwill

11 Bloodstream- Ed Sheeran @impala-dreamer

12 Present Time- Louden Swain

13 You’re Such A- Hailee Steinfeld

14 She Keeps Me Warm- Mary Lambert @peggingpadalecki

15 You and Me- Lifehouse @waywardnerd67

16 Come On Get Higher- Matt Nathanson

17 My Church- Maren Morris

18 Meant to Be- Bebe Rexha and Florida-Georgia Line @tumbler-tidbits

19 Stilettos- Kelsea Ballerini

20 Take Me Home Tonight- Eddie Money @covered-byroses

#cassie600followercelebration

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lgbtincomics · 7 years

Note

What are the canonical bi chars in the DC verse??? I only remember Harley Queen (tho some places say she's pan, I'm not sure which is true) and Constantine

You can consult our masterlist, but in case you’re on mobile I’ll write them up for you:

Alysia Yeoh (bisexual trans woman)

Ayla Ranzz/Lightning Lass (bi)

Berenice (bi)

Comet (bi and genderfluid)

Dawnstar (bi)

Diana of Themyscira/Wonder Woman (bi/pan)

Eiko Hasigawa (bi/pan)

Frankie Charles (bi)

Grace Choi (bi)

Harley Quinn (bi/pan)

Harper Row/Bluebird (bi)

Jenny Sparks (bi)

Joey Wilson/Jericho (bi/pan)

John Constantine (bi/pan)

Kani/Porcelain (genderfluid) (i think they’re bi)

Kay/Knockout (bi/pan)

Nimue Inwudu/Madame Xanadu (bi/pan)

Priscila Kitaen (bi)

Salu Digby/Shrinking Violet (bi)

Sarah Rainmaker (bi)

Selina Kyle/Catwoman (bi)

Shen Li-Min (bi)

Sigrid Nansen/Icemaiden (bi)

Thomas Blake/Catman (bi)

Traci 13 (i think she’s bi??)

Bombshells

Mera (bi)

DCTV

Barbara Kean (bi) - Gotham

Sara Lance/White Canary (bi) - Arrowverse

Tabitha Galavan (bi) - Gotham

Young Animal

Violet Paige/Mother Panic (bi) - Mother Panic

Vertigo

Agent 355 (bisexual) - Y: The Last Man

Lucifer Morningstar (bi/pan) - Lucifer

Mazikeen (bi/pan) - Lucifer

#replies #mod: lalla #anonymous

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park-hyoshin · 7 years

Text

PHS fansites masterlist

Notice: all accounts listed here if they appeared on the blog, aka it may contain personal (and public!) accounts; most PHS fansites using instagram, I’ll try to update all contacts if they have it

bold - PHS only fansites (none or very little amount of personal posts)

_purple_tree (ig) - went private

106018_ (ig) twitter

19810901_ (ig) - went private

aaraa_kkk (ig - went private)

Ai Kyo* (ig)

Alice in Wonderland (tw) instagram - went private

amelberga24 (ig)

Amore (ig) - went private

anne_treetree (ig) - went private

ara527 (ig)

ASRAI_KYO (tw) instagram

bboooo_7 (ig)

bihyun_kyo (ig)

bje0524 (ig) - went private

Breathin’ (ig) twitter

Cantando (ig)

captain kyo (ig)

dal_backup (tw)

ddoobi (ig)

fantastickyo (ig)

florimong (ig)

gom0126 (yt)

haewoul_tree (ig)

happysooni (ig)

happy_together_jju (ig)

hjhjhj_92 (ig)

j.i.k_tree (ig)

JinY (ig) *went private

jisusu_tree (ig)

joil2772 (ig) *went private

judylee (ig)

Kinesis (ig)

kyobara (ig) twitter

kyobuin (ig)

kyodabang (ig - went private) twitter youtube

kyomansae (ig)

kyomesan cheese (ig) naver

kyo_st08318 (ig) *went private

kyotree_hj (ig)

kyour_light (ig) - was kyo_bom - went private

light in my eye (ig)

lollita92 (ig)

lookathyo (ig) - PHS wardrobe

lovekyo (ig) - went private

lovelettertokyo (ig)

lovely__kyo (ig) - went private

lullaby03am (ig) *went private

Ma Lumiére du Soleil (naver)

merrykyo (ig) *went private

milkyo_way (ig) *went private

minhakoo (ig)

mimpooh (ig) *went private

min_treee (ig)

mirager6 (ig) naverblog

moontree (ig) *went private

mulra (ig) - private - naverblog

my.kyo.bly (ig)

Nei (tw) - deleted

nicekyo (ig)

ninaknownilerea (ig)

onegh_tree (ig - went private)

Onlyutree (ig - went private)

pajamajina (ig) *deleted

paris_h_park (ig)

park_kyoshin (ig)

pm_03_14 (ig)

RAINMAKER (ig) twitter

reall_tree (ig - went private)

remember.hyo.shin (ig)

Reve Arbre (ig)

rupinss (ig)

saekomdalkom_ (ig) - deleted

shallwekyo (ig) twitter - deleted

shin_0901_ (ig) *went private

shining_kyo (ig)

smilekung.official (ig) - fanart+merch

smy_1216 (ig) *went private

Special You Cloud (ig) *went private

SOKSAJUNG (weibo) - originally Kim Soo Hyun fansite

soultree0 (ig)

ssoul_lee (ig)

Starlight Tree (ig) - went private

su_dalkyo (ig) *went private

ukkopuda (ig)

wgh37 (ig)

with.kyo (ig) - deleted

wonder.kyo (ig)

Wonderland (tw) instagram

Wonderwall (tw)

y_cho_r_s2 (ig) - deleted

yesilss (ig)

#Park Hyoshin #Park Hyo Shin #박효신 #fansite masterlist #links

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bigtreefest · 15 days

Text

Chapter 1: Shuffle With Me, Houston Stranger

From: Handiwork Series

Pairing: Mechanic! Farmhand! Curtis x Bartender! Reader

Summary: Curtis keeps a busy life between helping out on the farm and running the garage. There are some moments and places that give him reprieve, though, and one of them happens to be a bar where a certain sweetie works.

Word count: 3,386

Content/warnings: not many, mentions of drinking and alcohol, bar setting, weird vague emotional states, another guy hopelessly head over boots (what else is new, y’all should know this is how I write all my love interests at his point), menacing foreshadowing

Author’s Note: this takes place at the same time as chapters 3, 4, and 5 of YCMBWH and chapter 1 of The Rainmaker. You can technically read it alone, but the other stories help fill in some gaps. Check out the rest of the AU!

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Outta Nowhere AU | Series Masterlist | Next >

Curtis walked into the shop with sore shoulders and a slight ache in his heels from a long day of unexpected work and standing. His cousin had called him in to help out with a few chores at the farm since she had to run the Friday farmer’s market, so the day was long and tiresome.

The last thing he wanted to do right now was go through and double check his books for the auto body shop, so he decided against it. Even if he went through everything tonight, it’s not like it would be quality work.

He figured he’d just quickly make sure everything was in its place in the office and the garage to make paperwork easier for him on Monday and work easier for the guys in the morning. Then, he’d be able to join his cousin and her new farmhand at the bar.

Curtis was organizing his socket wrenches by size when he heard a rattling sound become louder behind him. He turned as he sensed it coming closer, seeing an old truck pull into his garage.

He looked down to check his watch. The shop had been long closed by now, and he had places to be. Based off the noise though, he couldn’t deny something was definitely wrong with the vehicle. If Curtis weren’t such a good man, he would’ve turned the patron away, but there was no saying how far a truck that sounded like that could possibly get.

He tilted his head, examining the vehicle and attempting to peer through the glare in the drivers side window when the engine turned off and he saw a pair of old, comfy shoes step down from the cab. His eyes traced up the body before him and Curtis was speechless. Your hair was just tucked under an old ball cap, nothing fancy.

“Hi, I hope you don’t mind, I’m not sure what this sound means and was hoping you had time to take a look at my truck. I know you guys are closed, so it’s no rush, but I’d really appreciate it. I’d rather know where my car is than get stranded out in the middle of nowhere.”

Curtis continued to stand there, mesmerized by you until he shook his head back into the present. “Oh, um, sure. I think I have the evening free, so let me just check on a few things real quick and I can take a look at it.”

Curtis pulled out his phone to text his cousin that he wouldn’t make it to the bar tonight.

He stuffed his phone in his back pocket, going to grab a chair from the front office as you followed. “Never good when a truck that old makes a sound like that.”

You nodded along. “Oh trust me, I know. Darn thing’s even older than me. Usually I’m able to figure out the minor stuff, but this is beyond what I know.”

Curtis nodded when he went to set a metal folding chair down by where you had pulled the truck onto one of his lifts. It scraped against the concrete floor, and he was surprised by the way you simply looked at it, as if you were offended that he’d want you to sit down.

“Oh, by the way, I’m Curtis, I own this shop.” The mechanic stuck out his hand, cleaner than you would’ve expected, and you shook it, introducing yourself.

“Ah, it’s nice to meet you. One of my coworkers actually suggested I come here when the truck started acting up. Said his best friend was the big cheese.”

Curtis laughed. “Um, he used those exact words? Or are those yours? Where are you from?”

You shook your head. “Oh no, sorry, those were my words. I think he just called you the boss, he’s the bouncer at the bar?”

Curtis clicked his tongue as he walked over to the hood of your car, propping it open. “Okay, you’re talking about my buddy, Edgar. Yeah, I’m glad he sent you to me. He works some shifts for me now and then. So you’re new to town? I go to the bar pretty often, I’ve never seen you there.”

You nodded your head tentatively. “Yeah, didn’t think it would be so noticeable I just moved here from Houston, but I’m really from here and there, lived almost everywhere. Been working at the bar for about a week now.”

Curtis nodded as he looked deeper into your engine, testing the tightness of parts and how full each fluid was. “Well how about that. Yeah, we don’t get too many people moving here, but I’m sure it’s a nice change from the city.”

You nodded and hummed, walking over and leaning under the hood of the car with him. “Agreed. I don’t think many mechanics would be this patient with me out there.”

Curtis lightly chuckled as he looked up at you over his shoulder. “Well I’ll be honest with you, patience is one thing, but you probably won’t think I’m very kind when I tell you this truck probably wont survive the next time you take a far journey if you plan to move…”

His small smile was replaced with a grimace. Maybe if he knew you were leaving soon like you seemed to do so often, he could hold himself back more. He could tell himself that there was no point in being attached, being himself for you to see. He’d hold off on the kindness that poured out to everyone he knew and loved, because it would hurt for you to take it and leave.

Your face held a small smile, though, despite his look of worry. “Well what if I planned on staying?”

Curtis looked back into the engine in an attempt to hide the redness in his cheeks. He was warm at the thought of you sticking around. He jiggled the loose part he found, grunting from leaning over so far, before he spoke up, partially avoiding your question.

“Well, you see this right here. I’d replace it and say it would be good for another couple of years.”

You beamed. “That’s good news!”

Curtis stood up to his full height and for the first time, you noticed just how towering his stature was. Anyone else would be intimidated from a distance, but from this proximity, you could see the kindness in his eyes.

“Yes and no.” It came out softer than he had intended. “I’ve gotta make a special order, and it will probably take at least a week to come in. Do you have another way to get to work?”

You nodded. “Yeah, my apartment isn’t too far from the bar. Walking shouldn’t be an issue.”

He looked at you skeptically. “Are you sure? I know you guys have some pretty late shifts.”

“Curtis, I’ll be fine. I’m tougher than I look.” He sighed in response.

“Alright, if you say so. I’ll put in for that part and in the meantime, your truck can stay here.” He walked over to the workbench and scribbled on a piece of paper, tearing it off and handing it to you.

“Here’s my personal number. In case you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me. I could even set up a ride for you if you change your mind.”

You took the paper, creasing it in the middle and stuffing it in your pocket. “Well, I’ve got a shift tomorrow and I think I might get there on time if I start walking now. Bit of a ways to my place from your shop. Any chance you could drive me home so I can sleep?”

Curtis sighed and checked his watch. “Yeah, I guess so, considering I’m holding your car captive. Come on, I’ll close up and we’ll get you home.”

As you waited for the new car part to be delivered to the shop, you kept working. Bills had to be paid. You had to keep living.

You were surprised the next day at work when Edgar had offered to walk you home after your shift, and every night after then, but didn’t question it. You were just appreciative to have a nice coworker you could trust.

Another surprise was the amount of take out orders that you’d have to give out from the bar. Most of which were going to a certain handsome mechanic.

It was Wednesday night, and the fourth time he’d come to pick up dinner this week. The man must really like cheese curds. You didn’t question it, though, as you handed him his order, asking for updates and waving goodbye with a somber smile as he left too soon, and spoke very little.

What you didn’t know was that Curtis had food at home, sitting in his fridge as he opted for the extra opportunities to see you. You also didn’t know how much he feared opening up his mouth and exposing himself by saying the wrong thing to the first person to make him nervous in a long time. Curtis was generally steady, driven, easygoing, but he could feel that world, that demeanor, start to tilt.

Curtis had a long week. A week much longer than he expected with the extra work he had to do out on the farm instead of in the shop. Sure, he was getting along better and better with Bucky, but that didn’t change the fact that there was too much going wrong.

Cole, that little shit from high school, was back and Curtis’s cousin had gotten stuck in a mine. There was no time for sleep, let alone stopping by the bar with this much of a crisis going on.

As soon as the rocks collapsed in the mine, Curtis was freaking out. “We have to call the police, the fire department, someone to get her out of there. She might not be injured now, but I can’t say the same if there’s a secondary collapse. We need to do something. Now.”

Bucky grabbed him by his collar. “No. No police. It’ll ruin everything.”

Curtis put his hands up in surrender. “Okay then, what do you suppose we do, big guy?”

Bucky paced back and forth, biting his thumbnail with worry. “Gimme a second. I’m figuring it out.” He stopped in his tracks. “Who all knows about the mines?”

“What? What does that ha-“

Bucky cut Curtis off. “Who. All. Knows?”

Curtis shook his head and shrugged. “I-I don’t know, not many people. Me and her, her college roommate, and Jake. That’s it, I think.”

Bucky rapidly reached into the pocket of his jeans and handed Curtis a card from his wallet. “This is my associate Sam. You’re going to call him and tell him those names. We’re gonna need all the help we can get.”

Curtis immediately pulled out his phone, trusting the judgement of his new friend. He called Sam, telling him everything he could about those who were close enough to have heard of the mines. After that, he got to work.

He assessed what all would need done in the next day and did as many small tasks as he could, staying up until he could greet the helpers on the way.

All Curtis wanted to do was sleep, this was taking a toll on him, but he did his best to not let it show, to not become a grump. He just put his head down and made himself useful while Bucky waited back at the mine. At the first available opportunity, he was going to drop into a bed and nap. This week was stretching him thin.

Meanwhile, you continued to work at the bar. After seeing him for several days in a row, it was concerning that Curtis seemingly fell off the face of the Earth. Surely that wasn’t your business, though. Maybe it was just a coincidence he was ordering food so often before. He had better places to be, like work, or maybe on a date.

Why would you care, though? He was just the nice guy fixing your car. There was no way he was going out of his way to visit; probably just had some late nights at the shop and that’s why he picked up dinner, not to see you. Anyway, work was always busy enough for your mind to be occupied. You’d at least see him again hopefully once that coveted car part came in.

After a much easier Saturday at the farm, Curtis was ready to have a nice, relaxing time at the bar. As the crew he came with went inside, he hung back to talk to Edgar. He clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey man, how’s it going?”

Edgar patted him back. “Good, I’m good. Been walking your girl home like you asked. She’s working tonight.” A smirk crept onto his face as Curtis looked down.

“But besides that, what’s going on with you?”

Curtis sighed and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. He turned a picture of Cole Turner towards Edgar.

“Um, I’m alright. A little stressed, but I’m hoping you can help. I’ve got something for you.”

Edgar looked up from the piece of paper. “What’s this?”

“Someone who we need to make sure stays out of here. And if you see him, you let me know, okay?”

Edgar nodded. “Sure thing. Have fun with your girl.”

Curtis rolled his eyes and walked through the door to catch up with everyone else.

You were pouring out drinks for the group that came in when a familiar tall, broad form approached from the doorway. You took in the way his shoulders pushed at the flannel fabric of his shirt as he sauntered into the room. You couldn’t help the way the smile already on your face grew to see him again.

“Oh hey, if it isn’t the big cheese.” He laughed at the nickname, shaking his head as he moved to take a seat at the bar.

“Yeah, sorry I haven’t been in for awhile. Had some family matters to attend to. Speaking of which, that’s them over there.” He gestured toward the group who had just ordered food and drinks from you before heading towards the booths on the far side of the room.

“Ah! Okay, in that case, this is for you.” You grabbed a short rocks glass from the lower counter in front of you and set it up on the bar top in front of Curtis. The glass made a small thud against the finished wood as you looked at him.

Curtis tentatively grabbed it and sipped. After swallowing he hummed.

“Sweet. Like a cherry.”

You nodded. “Oh yeah. That’s because it’s got extra cherries. Your buddies over there said you’d drink whatever, so I made you my favorite.”

Curtis lowered the glass and looked at you deeply with his warm, burning sapphire eyes. His voice grew low and raspy. “I wasn’t talking about the drink.”

He winked at you and you had no idea how your legs didn’t fail you right then. You were able to quickly recover, though, shooting a remark right back.

“Maybe if you’re nice, I’ll let you test that conjecture.” You could see his cheeks grow warm at the suggestive statement. You grabbed your rag and threw it over your shoulder, leaning closer to the towering man who was just confident, now evidently bashful.

“Curtis, are you…blushing?”

His eyebrows were quick to arch as his attempt of a scowl failed to break through past a shy smile. “No! Blushing is fake. It doesn’t exist. That’s just an old wives tale.”

You looked at his skeptically, not even attempting to hide the laugh that burst out. “What do you mean you think it’s fake? You’re so red right now.”

Curtis’s eyes shifted around the room, unsure of how to respond. “I just feel really…warm…when I look at you.” He muttered so low you could barely hear it.

You wanted to keep pushing before his embarrassment made him turn away from you.

“Hey listen, I’ll be back. I’ve gotta check in with the group, but keep this stool saved for me?”

You nodded. “Sure thing.”

As soon as Curtis returned, he was glued to his chair. He spent the entire evening chatting with you, asking about your life, and telling you about his on the farm and at the shop.

You were honestly grateful for the one bit of peace on a busy bar Saturday night. Every chance you got, you were leaning against the counter by him to take a breath, watching his friends ride the bull and dance together. What a group of great people.

“So, have you been able to make it home alright this week? I’m sorry that truck part still hasn’t come in yet.”

You nodded as you poured a line of shots for a group of girls waiting on the corner. “Yeah, it hasn’t really been a problem. Edgar’s been insistent on walking me to my door, which helps me feel better when it’s that dark out. Just makes me feel bad, though, because I think I finish a little later than his shift time is supposed to be.”

“Well that’s nice of him. If you want, I can drive you home tonight. Might take some of that load off if you’re worried.” Curtis’s eyes watched you slide the shots to the patrons as you came back to his seat and sighed.

“Are you sure? I don’t want you staying here later than you have to, either. It’s really okay. I can definitely take care of myself.”

Curtis shrugged. “I don’t doubt that at all, Cherry. But I’m offering. And I’d be a fool to prematurely end one of the best nights I’ve had in awhile. I really don’t mind.”

“Okay, then. Sounds like a plan.”

As the night was winding down, and Curtis’s group had already come over to close out the tab, the two of you watched the remaining people prepare to head out. Who was Curtis that he knew someone with a black card? Supposedly they were business associates of the farm. Was farming really that lucrative? You guessed so.

You rejoined the present as the last few slow songs came on the juke box and Curtis held out his hand.

“You know how to dance?”

You scoffed, “Curtis, I’m still working. But yes, do you think I could’ve gotten by all this time without a little bit of knowledge?”

He shook his head. “I would’ve been worried if you did. Come on, there’s hardly anyone left. Shuffle with me, you little Houston stranger.”

You sidestepped the bar and walked out the small half door to join Curtis on the dance floor, holding both his hands and looking up into his eyes. “I’d say we’re hardly strangers now. You don’t learn nothing after hours of talking like that.”

You began to swing to the twangy music, holding each other close. Curtis twirled you and pulled you into his chest where your ear could hear his racing heart. The warmth and the scent of his cologne were comforting. His arms blanketing you, shielding you from all other thoughts besides this moment. As the song faded out, you realized you two were the only ones left besides the other employees doing the final tidying up before shutting down for the night. You reluctantly pulled your body from Curtis, left only holding each other’s hands.

“I should probably go help with the closing duties. Can you wait for me by the door?”

Curtis nodded. “Of course. I’ll be ready whenever you are.”

Curtis watched you go back to your cash register as he walked back towards Edgar, keeping an eye on you the whole time.

“So, anything interesting happen tonight?”

Edgar nodded with with wide eyes. “Um, yeah. That guy you gave me a picture of, he came by. Threw a fit when I wouldn’t let him in. Some dude in fancy clothes and a mustache was with him, too. Not sure what that was about, but they at least respected the badge.”

Curtis huffed and nodded. “Okay, thank you.”

This was not good. Curtis pulled out his phone and texted Bucky.

Next >

Bonus A/N: Tbh, even I don’t know where this story is gonna go, but I love Curtis a lot and will need some time to find a niche plot that will do him some justice.

I hope you enjoyed. Comments, reblogs, and likes are sooooo appreciated.

#Curtis Everett #curtis everett fanfiction #curtis everett x reader #curtis everett x you #mechanic! farmhand! curtis x bartender! reader #mechanic farmhand curtis x bartender reader #mechanic! farmhand! curtis #mechanic farmhand curtis #mechanic curtis #farmhand curtis #outta nowhere AU #handiwork series #handiwork chapter 1 #shuffle with me Houston stranger #bartender reader #bartender! reader #old truck #snowpiercer #Chris Evans

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bigtreefest · 22 days

Text

Chapter 1: Fix Your Shoelaces

From: The Rainmaker Series

Pairing: Mob! Steve x Forensic Scientist! Reader

Summary: Two simple pleasures in life include sleep and chocolate milk. You just never thought they’d both be ruined in one weekend.

Word count: 3,862

Content/warnings: Swears, curdled milk, riding a horse, alcohol consumption, suspicion, dancing

Author’s Note: This takes place at the same time as chapters 5 and 6 of YCMBWH.

This is the first installment of The Rainmaker storyline in the Outta Nowhere AU. This is also a very different environment from where we will usually see this pairing, but that’s the fun in it.

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Outta Nowhere AU | Series Masterlist | Next >

You were awoken from your deep sleep to someone pounding on your door. As you put on your robe and shuffled through the living room, you caught a glance at the clock on the stove. 10:43pm. Who in their right mind would be at your door this late? A better question: why were you on your way to answer it? You didn’t even answer calls from unknown numbers.

You opened the door and immediately squinted at the bright fluorescent light of the hallway as it hit you in the face. Standing there in a full suit was a man with tall, broad shoulders and kind blue eyes under a tuft of blonde hair you assumed had lost its styling from a long day. If you asked your best friend, her evaluation would be ‘totally your type.’ He was a gorgeous, pretty boy….yeah….pretty seemed like a fitting description. Good looks or not, though, he woke you up hardly two hours into your sleep schedule.

“What do you want?”

“Um, good evening. You’re…” he looked down at a sticky note in his hand. “…Decks, right? I’m here to talk to you about a matter concerning Honeybee-I mean-“

You cut him off, grabbing his arm to drag the handsome man into your apartment and out of the hallway so you wouldn’t get another noise complaint from the old lady next door. Although, it was probably already too late for that since he had been banging on your door for who knows how long. “Yeah, yeah, that’s me. I know what you’re talking about, come in.”

Steve gently closed the door behind him as you moved to turn on a lamp by the couch. You flopped down in an arm chair while he perched himself on the couch cushion closest to you. Even with your messy hair in the dim light, there was something intriguing about you to him.

You leaned back and squinted at him. “So what’s going on? Are you Bucket? I’ve been told about you.”

Steve straightened in his seat. Bucky was going to love that he was the topic of one of Bee’s conversations outside the farm.

He smiled and shook his head. “No, actually. I’m Steve. I work very closely with Bucky, though. I was sent here to take you over to the farm. There’s been an emergency and we need all the closest people there to help out.”

You looked at him skeptically. “Why didn’t anyone call first? Why were you sent here?”

“Well, from what I’ve heard, you probably wouldn’t have picked up if I called, and time is of the essence. I can explain more on the way there.” He shrugged.

You looked at him with confusion. “Listen, I love my friend and all, and I’m willing to be there for her, but I’ve got work tomorrow. What am I supposed to do about that?”

Steve waved his hand and closed his eyes in reassurance before speaking softly. “It’s already been taken care of. Just, if you could go ahead and pack a bag, grab only essentials because we need to get going.”

You groaned. At least you’d heard of Steve before, your bestie had described him as pretty decent, and you hated that she was right, in more ways than one. You grabbed a bag off the back of your door and tossed it at Steve. “Okay, fine. Pack some snacks, it’s a long way to go at this time of night.”

He simply nodded and walked to your pantry, packing up everything that could easily be eaten on the road, along with a few bottles of water.

You emerged from your room with a duffel on your shoulder to see him waiting for you on the couch, food bag in his lap.

When Steve saw you, he was captivated. You’d changed into an old college sweatshirt and sweatpants, hair in a messy bun, but your face looked like it was ready to take on the world, despite the premature rise from sleep.

He got up and followed you to the door, turning off the lamp on the way over. As you locked your apartment, you whispered over to him. “What did you bring here? Let me see your keys.”

Steve dug into his pocket, pulling out the keychain with a jingle. “Range Rover.”

You grabbed them out of his hands. “Perfect. I’m driving.”

It had been awhile since you’d been all the way out to the farm. You used to come and help out over the summers during college, mostly baling hay and feeding animals. It was fun, but it wasn’t your life. Your degree and passion had drawn you to the city and kept you there for all these years.

You explained that to Steve on the drive over, in between the times you made him feed you the snacks. You noted that you were proud you could still drive this route by heart, too. Steve told you a little bit about how he did business in the city and how he knew Bucky, along with a story about why Bucky was out here in the first place. You had already heard the story from your roommate, so it wasn’t a surprise, but you were confused as to why they hadn’t called some sort of law enforcement to help. Something didn’t quite add up, but if someone you trusted so much trusted these men, that was good enough for now.

As you were nearing the end of the drive, Steve continued in his attempts to make conversation. “So how did you get the nickname ‘Decks?’”

You laughed dryly. “It’s a-“ you cut yourself off. “Hold on, I need to make sure I make this turn. It’s kind of hard to see at this time of night.”

You heard the wheels hit gravel as you pulled into the driveway and in front of the house, the headlights briefly lighting up Curtis leading a couple horses and tying their reins to the posts of the front porch in the darkness of the moonlit night.

Your eyes adjusted as you moved to get out of the car and watched Curtis jog over to the passenger side of the vehicle where Steve had just stood up, sticking out his hand.

“Hey, I’m Curtis, you must be Steve. Buck hasn’t left her side yet, so I’m gonna take you on back.”

Steve shook his hand “Yeah, good to meet you.”

Curtis gave him a slight nod and patted his shoulder, then ran around the other side of the vehicle to greet you by the driver’s side door. He reached his arms around your shoulders to give you a big hug with a tight squeeze. “Good to see you, Decks.”

“Yeah, you too, Curtis. Steve told me what’s going on. We should probably get back there.”

You rubbed his back before Curtis freed you from the hug and nodded in response, then looked back at Steve.

“You know how to ride?”

Steve couldn’t help the scoff that came from his lips. “Not one bit.”

Curtis sighed and looked between the two of you. “Okay, no worries. You’re with Decks, then. I’ll help you up. We’ll talk over all the details on the way there.”

Curtis led you over to the porch and helped you up onto the bigger of the two horses, then helped to prop Steve up behind you before getting onto his own horse and leading you toward the mines.

As your hips swayed back and forth with the horse’s footsteps, you could feel Steve clinging onto you for dear life. “You can ease up your grip a little, ya know. We’re not even going that fast. And you’re like, five feet off the ground. I promise you won’t get hurt.”

You could feel Steve nod in acknowledgment, his head resting against your shoulder, but nothing changed. If anything, his hold tightened. You laughed through the vice of his arms that was squeezing your diaphragm and continued on to the caves in the distance.

“So Steve told me one of the caves collapsed, and I’m not surprised because I know how old these things are, but why were you guys even back there? How did it fall so suddenly?”

You looked over at Curtis and he met your eye. “I want so badly to say it’s Bucket’s fault, but I know it’s really not. Your dear bestie insisted we go for a walk to show him the mines, and when he kicked one of the supports, the whole thing came crashing down. Could’ve happened to anyone at any time, though.”

You nodded. “Well, I’m glad she’s okay at least, but being trapped in there must suck. Either way, we’re happy to help with whatever’s needed.” Steve hummed against your shoulder in agreement.

You stopped the horses at the mouth of the cave and yawned from the early hour, stretching as Curtis helped Steve, then you, down from the horse. A man with brown hair and broad shoulders sauntered over to the three of you, greeting Steve with a hug and you and Curtis with a handshake. He wore a hard look on his face, but you could see the lace of concern through his forehead and eyes. Ah, this was Bucket.

“I’d take you guys in, but it’s sort of unstable right now. I’ve got direct orders from Honeybee, though, as to what we’re all supposed to do.”

He went through the plan, but in your tiredness, you barely caught his words. “I’ll go back over it in the morning, but the general gist is that we need to keep everything running smoothly and draw as little suspicion as possible.”

You looked between the men. None of them had caught on to one important detail. “I’ve still got Steve’s keys, but Buck, you’ve gotta tell your guys to move their cars, then. I’ve never seen that many in the driveway. People will notice. Move them into the hay barn. It should be empty enough this time of year before the next round of bales gets made. Can probably fit most of them.”

You all looked at Curtis and he nodded in agreement. “Yep, just as she said.” Bucky snapped his fingers and a young kid in a suit came running over to him, ready to take the command. What an odd interaction. You shrugged it off, though. Your brain hardly had any power at this point. It was just enough to ride back to the house and move the Range Rover into the pool barn behind the garage before flopping down into one of the guest bedrooms.

You woke up with a jolt to one of the roosters crowing. You forgot how loud those little bastards were, but something about it was comforting. You got dressed and brushed your teeth before making sure your hair was out of your face. You could smell breakfast and followed Curtis down the stairs to see Bucky making plates already.

That was surprising. As far as you knew from your conversation last week, he was struggling to get out of bed, and now he was up early enough to gather eggs and cook for everyone? Weird.

The steps creaked behind you as Steve matched them with his own groan, flopping into a chair. He wore a set of farm clothes you believe he’d borrowed from Curtis and his hair was a floofy mess. It was kind of cute, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy the casual wear in juxtaposition to his suit from the night before.

Bucky pulled out a sheet of paper and explained your tasks again. You were so excited to be put on animal feed duty. You loved petting the little goats and sheep, they were so adorable.

As Bucky explained Steve’s tasks to him, you watched an almost unreadable expression grow on his face. He looked almost scared, daunted, intimidated? Maybe it was just dread? Eh, he’d probably be fine.

You finished up your plate and set it in the dishwasher before getting on with your day.

At mid-morning, you rolled up to the farmers market to help run sales with Bucky. You caught the sight of Steve carrying in his last wagon load of produce crates. His biceps bulged as he placed them all in the right places, and you couldn’t help but drool a little. Not only did he look good while being put to work, but he didn’t complain while doing it. Sure, you knew Bucky was technically his boss, but something about his willingness to help out did you in. Made you feel warm.

You watched as Bucky gave him a final set of instructions, and Steve walked back into the field. Man, did his ass look good in those jeans.

Hours passed by running the market with Bucky. You could see that a few repeat customers were happy to see him, some even trying to go in for hugs and offer him free drinks. You could see the charm you’d been told about.

As things began to slow, you found yourself standing next to Bucky, the both of you watching an older customer leave with some produce and a small jar of honey.

“Mrs. Jensen is definitely a talker. I think she needs someone else around.” He leaned towards you to say it lowly.

You laughed in response. He demeanor now was the same as when he was dealing with her, but somehow she was still so happy with their interaction.

Bucky continued. “Maybe I’ll let Jake see his mom later if he’s good.”

That caught your attention. “Wait, Jake is here? Why? Like, the Jake that broke my best friend’s heart? I thought they haven’t talked since before college.”

You could see Bucky trying to avoid eye contact with you. He was hiding something. Why would Jake be here?

“He’s done a lot lately that has made business difficult for both me and Bee. Since we are business partners after all. My people reached out and he came to apologize. Also happens he’s able to run some pretty complex calculations on his computer. He was more than happy to help out down at the mine when he heard she was in danger.”

You looked at him skeptically. “Okay…”

After you and Bucky had finished cleaning up the farmers market, you headed back to the house to relax some. You slipped off your boots and laid down on the couch, pulling a blanket up to your chin.

You were shaken awake and opened your eyes to see a pair of blue ones before you. It was Steve. He smiled.

“Hey, Decks. It’s time for dinner. You want some?” You nodded, stretching to sit up, seeing Curtis and his cousin, your best friend, bringing food to the table. You scrambled to toss the blanket off of you and ran over. You’d never hugged her so tight.

“You’re not dead! I’m so happy to see you.” Was muffled into her hair.

She laughed and rubbed your back. “It’s good to see you, too, Decks. Now let’s get some food. I’m starving.”

You nodded your head, still not letting go, as she waddled you to your chair next to Steve. He looked at the two of you, noticing you felt for each other the same way he felt for Bucky. There was a deep trust and appreciation that could rarely be matched.

As you were eating, you hardly realized Bucky wasn’t at the table until it was brought up in conversation. After a long day, and frankly, a long week, you all went upstairs and straight to bed.

You woke up to the sunshine, somehow sleeping through the roosters, probably from sheer exhaustion, and changed into your college hoodie and sweats. You walked downstairs to search through the fridge and find something decent to eat. As you were making toast, Steve came down and pulled out the pitcher of milk along with chocolate syrup.

“Ooh! Can you make me one, too? It’s been forever since I’ve had chocolate milk.”

He leaned up into the cabinet above you, abs brushing your back to grab another glass. You shivered slightly at the touch. You weren’t around people much, let alone people who looked like that.

“Sure thing, Decks, as long as you promise to make me toast.”

Your eyes narrowed, looking at him for a second. “Deal.”

After eating, you sat on the couch with Steve, sipping your chocolate milk and making small talk. He stayed vague about his everyday business dealings, and you felt like you didn’t have much to add since a lot of your work was confidential, and you didn’t have much time to do things outside of it.

You watched Bucky run down the steps and peek his head in the office before closing the door behind him.

You were about to offer to play a card game to pass the time with Steve since Curtis was due to be done any minute and could join, but there was a knock on the door.

You opened it up to see a ridiculously large vase of hydrangeas and a delivery driver already retreating back up the driveway. Oh great, what sorry guy sent these? She’s gonna hate them.

You picked up the vase to bring it inside, not expecting the sour smell that came off of it. You held it at arm’s length, fast walking to the office before knocking on the door with your foot. You held the vase in one arm to quickly open the door, showing the flowerpot, your face blocked by the large bouquet.

“Ugh! Decks, get that out of here. Where the hell did those come from?”

You ran back towards the front door, where Steve was holding it open, to set them on the porch. “Just got delivered. Don’t worry, I’ve smelled worse. There’s a card here.”

It’s true, you had smelled worse at work before, but it still didn’t mean it was very tolerable after some time. Everyone else stood back, hands covering their airways as you plucked the small piece of paper from the petals and read it out loud.

“Peach, can’t wait to milk our deal together. -Cole”

Everyone exchanged glances, disgusted by the weirdly suggestive statement, as you pulled the hydrangeas out of the vase and tossed them into the yard. You peered into the vase and gave it a sniff. In the bottom was a white goop, which you assumed had once been a liquid before a chemical reaction took place.

“He put the flowers in milk…and,” you sniffed again, “lemon juice?”

You fought a gag while you carried the vase out into the yard and did your best to get all the chunks out of it, eventually opting to spray it out with the garden hose. It still was a nice vase.

In your attempts to clean it, though, you knew some of the spoiled milk had splattered back on you and you’d need to get it off as soon as possible. So much for enjoying chocolate milk with Steve, because you were going to remember that smell for months.

You turned off the hose and grabbed the vase, stomping back into the house and slipping off your shoes.

Now frustrated with the situation, even though the mess was partially your fault, you were done. Most of it was probably due to the fact you couldn’t finish sipping the delicious beverage Steve had made for you. You shoved the vase into Steve’s chest and he cradled it with an oof.

“Finish cleaning that. And dump out my glass. I won’t be able to drink milk again for months.” You grumbled, moving towards the steps.

“Where are you going?” You heard behind you.

“To take a shower.” Your head whipped back around.

You continued to stomp up the stairs before gesturing aggressively with your arms above your head. “WHY DO GUYS ALWAYS SEND YOU WEIRD SHIT LIKE THAT!?”

You could hear Steve as you reached the bathroom. “I think I’m gonna need a shower, too, after this.”

Steve and Curtis chatted while they waited for you. “So like, what’s the deal with the trucks?”

Curtis shrugged as he opened the back door for Steve to get in, seeing you coming from the house. “Good for hauling stuff. You’re not gonna see many people out here without trucks, so it’s a good thing your fancy SUV is hidden away.”

Steve nodded, thankful you were on your way to end his awkward conversation-making skills that were not working very well on Curtis. Well, either that, or Curtis wasn’t very talkative, however, he never saw that same issue when you were around.

After a nice long, hot shower to remove the scent, you were relaxed and ready to go. Steve could smell your perfume, causing him to smile to himself.

Curtis opened the passenger door for you to hop in, and the two of you talked in the front seat on the way over as Steve sat in the back, watching and listening.

After spending hours at the bar, you were standing near the edge of the dance floor, chatting with Bee.

“So what do you think of him?” She tilted her head to gesture toward the blonde, wearing a hat that looked entirely too good on him.

You thought for a second before answering. “He’s a charmer, alright, in a really weird, awkward way. Kinda reserved, but very helpful. I respect it.”

“Yeah, I thought so.” She nudged your shoulder with her own.

“Well hold your horses, there, Honeybee. Some of us need a little more time to see what’s going on under the surface. Not everyone seems to fold so fast like your tall, dark, and handsome Bucket. Steve’s got something to him I just can’t figure out.”

“You will. I’m sure of it. That’s why you’ve got your job and I’ve got mine. You’re meant to be a scientist. An investigator.”

You laughed and rolled your eyes. “Yeah, okay.”

The music began to blare up above your conversation. Well, that’s a familiar tune.

“Oh! You love this one! You remember the dance I showed you in college? I think you’ve got some new guests to teach!”

You looked over to the pool tables to be greeted by Steve’s gaze directed right back at you with a dopey grin. Must be the alcohol, you thought to yourself. Bee had already left your side to go get Bucky.

“Do you want to dance?” You mouthed to him across the bar. He shrugged and mouthed back “I don’t know how.”

You gestured your arm for him to come towards you “I’ll teach you. Come on.”

Steve set down his cue and made his way through the crowd, only able to see your hat through the sea of people. He crouched down to reach your ear so you could hear him in the loud bar. “Don’t make fun of me if it’s bad.”

You laughed and shook your head at him as you set him up to stand in front of you. “No promises,” you yelled back.

Next >

Bonus A/N: Thank you for reading! Comments, likes, reblogs, and asks are soooo appreciated.

What do you guys think of Decks? I love imagining her take the vase out to the yard, so fed up with the shenanigans that always happen around Bee.

Series Taglist:

@evie-119

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