#then the last one is calmer and not shouted but in a normal tone

[gravedigginbbydoll]

pencil shavings and shared smiles {pt.1}

Fem! Teacher Reader x Teacher! Eddie

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AN: Heyo! So I was watching Abbott Elementary and got sad, so there’s that. Hopefully, this will be a multiple-part thing but do not expect regular updates. I am a busy gal, lol. Also not heavily edited!

WARNINGS AND CONTENT: Minors DNI!!!, Noncanon, Hawkins AU, Normal Hawkins, Rumors about Eddie, Eventual Smut, Very fluffy, Outcasts and Bullying, Mentions of Loneliness, Flirting, Fem!Reader, use of Y/N, older! Eddie, short-haired Eddie, 1995/1996 Hawkins, F! Reader has a dark past, angst.

Summary: The last thing anyone expected Eddie Munson to do once he graduated was to go off to get an Education degree. Now he’s approaching 30 and the coolest music and drama teacher in Hawkins. Enter you, a new teacher at Hawkins Middle School. You moved to the little sleepy town of Hawkins from the city, hoping to give kids joy in learning while also settling into a calmer town. You meet Eddie while moving your stuff into your classroom, and he piques your interest. But people talk, and you can’t help but wonder…Is he the monster they claim he is?

You walk through the doors, arms heavy with the large box full of posters and decor for your classroom. You walk briskly through empty hallways, cursing yourself for not asking the nice older woman working the front desk for some assistance. Finally, you turn one of the labyrinth hallways into what should be your hall. English. You sigh out of relief. For such a small town and school, you felt as though the hallways went on forever. You’re about to turn into your room when you hear rambunctious laughter and shouting from a nearby hallway. Your curiosity is peaked. It’s late in the summer. Most teachers are here to set up, but some are home, enjoying the days before the school year starts. 

You scurry to put your box haphazardly in your classroom, the only one devoid of posters and books. You then walk as quietly as you can in your heels, the soft clicking against the tile almost silent with all the excitement in the classroom. Finally, finally, you reach a point where you can peek into the door, seeing the back of a man dressed in a dark flannel, the sleeves rolled up so you can see the tattoos littering his skin and rings on his hands, his nails painted a chipped black. His hair is wild and wavy, cut shorter on the sides and longer on top. He speaks animatedly to a group of young kids, all of them seemingly 13 or 14. They look at him with stars in their eyes, and it tugs at your heartstrings. 

“So upon the last blow by Lady Eda,” He gestures to the petite girl to his left, her hair in colorfully beaded twists, her shy grin with a mouthful of rainbow braces. The rest of the kids sit on the edge of their seats, awaiting the following words. “The mighty and powerful dark wizard is laid to rest!” The kids erupt in joy, shouting and jumping out of their chairs, a few members hugging the petite girl you assumed was ‘Lady Eda.’ The mysterious man clears his throat again, and the kids rush to their chairs and sit intently. “You are cheered on by the crowd of townspeople, all leading you to the tavern, where you sing and dance the night away. The town is now free of his evil. Congrats, heroes.” He speaks warmly in his raspy tone, the kids in front of him beaming and seeming to burst with joy. “And with that-” He puts down a folder and folds up some journals, “We finish the campaign.” He gets up, showing you the distressed and torn jeans and combat boots on his lower half. “Now get out of here, twerps. I’ll see you with the new fish soon. You can show them the ropes.” The excited chatter continues; the kids grab their bags and stuff their things in them. They all hurriedly leave the classroom, finally noticing you and seeming to tone their excitement, nodding a ‘hello ma’am’ to you, except for ‘Lady Eda.’ She sticks behind, enveloping the man in a tight hug as he chuckles and hugs her back, leaning down and gently telling her to enjoy the rest of her summer. She nods excitedly, running out the doors after her friends, barely noticing you. 

You peer out of the shadows, knocking on the door frame, seeing the man gather up his stuff and mutter at a volume so low you almost miss it, “Fucking Doyle.”

You furrow your brows and smile a bit, amused by the mystery of this man and his evident hatred for a teacher you knew was in your hallway. “I’m no Doyle, but it’s nice to get a feel for who I should avoid,” you joke, your tone light. 

The mystery man attempts to stand up quickly from his bent position of picking up things, hitting his head on the edge of a desk, “Oh- I- Shit!” 

You fight a smile, biting your lip at this man who’s quite a character. You expected mostly bored housewives and businessmen in Hawkins, but it was shaping up to shock you quite a bit. 

He carefully got up this time, holding a hand against his head and spinning on his heel. His big brown doe eyes and a slight smattering of freckles make your heart jump a bit. He had smile lines and a shy smile, his facial hair short and scruffy. You feel your cheeks heat. Fuck. You didn’t expect a young man around your age who was so damn attractive at Hawkins Middle School, of all places. 

His face broke out into a shy crooked grin as he walked towards you, a hand held out towards you. “Hi. I’m Eddie Munson. You can just call me Eddie. I teach music and drama. I also run the DnD club here- that’s what the kiddos were doing here.” 

You shake his hand gently, feeling the calloused fingertips against your palms. “Hi. I’m Y/N Y/L/N. You can call me Y/N. I’m teaching English. I’m down that way,” you point back towards your hallway. 

He nods, smiling, removing his hand from yours gently. “Well, nice to see someone younger than the dinosaurs in that hallway.” 

You snort, feeling heat creep across your skin immediately and covering your mouth. “Sorry- Is it really that bad?” 

He nods, and his face molds into a false sorrow and pity expression. “I heard that Mrs. Winnow was around at the birth of Christ.” 

You snort again, another laugh bursting as you smile at Eddie. “You’d think with that kind of life, she’d be teaching history, wouldn’t you?” 

Eddie grins devilishly, shaking his head. “Nah, she’d immediately make all the other teachers obsolete. They need their jobs.” 

You grin, your heart pattering with joy at the young coworker. You were glad to find someone in a similar age range. So far, you only met your neighbors in your rundown apartment, who were around 40, and a few coworkers, who were above 50. 

Eddie cocks his head at you, leaning against the doorway, his arms crossing his chest, covering his distressed Metallica concert shirt. “So, you’re new to Hawkins, huh?”

You laugh humorlessly, sighing, looking up at him. “That obvious, huh?”

He smiles softly, an expression reading I’m sorry. “Eh, most of us grew up here. It’s not a town that people are really flocking to. So what brings you here?”

You fiddle with a loose thread on your blouse, biting your lip. You don’t want to say too much, so you shrug and smile. “I wanted some change from the big city. So I closed my eyes, spun around, and pointed at a map. Lo and behold, fate decided Hawkins.” 

He nods and still has a crooked smile as he turns, grabbing up his messenger bag full of items you assumed he used for the campaign. “Well, let me know if you want to meet some living humans, not fossils. I have a few friends here, and none are quite at retirement age yet.” He grabs a piece of paper he had about, jotting on it quickly, then handing you the parchment, smiling. “My number. In case you want to take me up on the offer.” 

You pocket the number, looking up to thank him. You look up, and his back is turned toward you as he exits the school, lifting his hand and waving while calling over his shoulder, “Bye, city girl! Good luck with the fossils.” 

You fight a smile as you walk back to your classroom, your fingers brushing the parchment in your pants pocket. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once you set up your classroom, sweat dripping down your forehead, you realize you have no books for your bookshelf. You frown, biting your lip. The classroom looked terrific, with posters for books you felt were classics and a few inspirational ones. With soft lamps and lights along with the desks arranged, you should be satisfied. You curse yourself, knowing a teacher’s salary is not enough to splurge on books, but you can’t help but hate how only the textbooks are on the shelf. You head out of the school, determined to get more leisure reading books for your future students. 

You head to a local bookstore, fondly named ‘Hit the Books.’ An older man with small glasses is behind the counter explaining to a very disinterested edgy teen how to use the register. You look at the expansive store, surprised how it could stay open in such a small town with so few customers. Next, you head over to the Young Adult and Children’s section. You grab a few books, holding them in your arms as you walk from aisle to aisle. Eventually, your stacked up to your chin with books, struggling to hold them. You hear a chuckle behind you and cautiously turn, waddling like a penguin to avoid spilling novels everywhere. 

There stands Eddie, his grin clear as day. He’s missing his flannel, now just in a short sleeve, his tattoos in full view and adding to his grungy look. “You need help? It seems like you’re carrying a library there.” 

You feel heat travel across your skin and shake your head, backing up a little, “I got it-” You almost trip, Eddie catching you by your shoulder, and his eyes twinkle with amusement. 

“I think I’ll help anyway,” He grabs half of the stack of books, his own at the bottom. You spot ‘Merlin’s Woods,’ a book you recognized as one that had been among the fantasy books for teens and children. You fight a bit of a smile at this, Eddie helping you to the register. The young teen girl lights up at his appearance, her thick black eyeliner exaggerated by her wide blue eyes. The older man, however, looks on in a bit of disdain, making you frown slightly.  

“Mr. Munson! How’s it going?” The young girl asks, clearly more alert than before, ringing up your books along with Eddie’s. You’re about to interrupt her and let her know you’ll pay for your own when Eddie squeezes your hand without looking at you, smiling and catching up with the girl. Eddie then looks at you after paying, a smile on his lips. 

“Do you need help lugging out this library to the car-”

The older man, still gruffly bothered by Eddie’s presence, shoves a box in the young girl’s arms and hands Eddie his book. “Don’t worry, Mr. Munson; Julia can handle it.”

The young teen Julia looks at the older man in protest, her brows furrowed. “Mr. Munn, I’m supposed to work the -” 

He cuts her off, holding up a hand. “Shush. Go help the missus with her books.” 

She groans, mumbling as she stacks the books in the box. You look to Eddie, his smile faltering as he looks at you, holding his book. Something tells you the bookstore worker does not like Eddie. Something else tells you that Eddie knows. You open your mouth to say something before Eddie clears his throat, glancing at Mr. Munn. 

“I guess I better head out. I’ll see you around,” He says softly, smiling at you gently before turning and quickly jogging to a motorbike outside. You watch him sling a leg over the bike and drive away, feeling a twinge of hurt and sadness. It may not have been your fault, but you couldn’t help but feel for Eddie. 

“Careful with who you surround yourself, Miss. That Munson boy is trouble. He may have straightened out a bit since heading to college, but he is still a bit delinquent. Be careful,” The old man gruffly tells you, pointed looking at you over his glasses. “You look like a nice girl.” You feel your skin prickle with disdain and heat travel from the back of your neck across your chest. Nice girl. You hate that phrase. It meant docile. Obedient. You ignored the older man’s stare, turning towards Julia. 

“C’mon, my car is out here.” You lead the young disgruntled teen toward your modest, rundown car, opening the trunk. She huffs as she places the box in the back, clearly heavy for her small frame. You close the trunk and turn towards her, about to utter a thank you, when she stares hard at the floor and kicks a small pebble before sighing. 

“Mr. Munson isn’t a bad guy. Just so you know,” she softly says, looking up at you, her big eyes full of sincerity. 

You nod and smile softly, “I figured. But do you mind me asking why Mr. Munn is so set against him?” You tilt your head at her, and she huffs out a breath, annoyance at the older man clear across her face. 

“Some dumb old rumors the geezer still believes from the ’80s. Mr. Munson was the town’s troublemaker and outcast. There are a lot of crazy rumors about him. I don’t think they’re true, but he never tries to disprove them. He came back to help outcasts feel safe at school. Give them a teacher to trust,” The young girl’s voice is thick with emotion, and you can picture she was one of the outcasts Eddie helped. It pulls at your heartstrings. 

“Well, thank you, Julia. I appreciate your help. And don’t worry, I won’t listen to the rumors,” You playfully wink at the girl as she weakly smiles and waves goodbye before retreating into the small shop. 

You climb into your car, starting up the engine as you bite your lip and wonder… 

Who really is Eddie Munson?

#eddie munson #stranger things #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson angst #eddie munson smut #eddie munson fic #eddie munson x f!reader #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson older #teacher!Eddie #stranger things AU #stranger things au fanfic #older eddie munson #eddie munson au #pencil shavings and shared smiles

[sugarushsuga]

In Your Own Words - CH. 20

Genre/Au's: Rom-Com, fluff with bits of angst - Coworkers!AU; enemies to lovers; Journalist!AU

Paring: RM x Reader

Words count: 4.019

Rating: 18+

Warnings: Cursing; Gun; Robbery; Kidnapping; Police;

Tigering: Mentions of guns; Description of robbery; Descriptions of kidnapping; Stupid actions; People been held at gun point; Character expresses the intention to kill people. (Please never react to a robbery)

Synopsis: After graduating your dream was to become a journalist and work to one of the biggest magazines in the country. But that pretty dream does not translate perfectly to reality. The magazine is on verge of bankruptcy, great journalists are moving the rival magazines and not being replaced, your boss is a jerk who doesn't even know your name. Fate seems to be toying you around to its own pleasure, can you take control of your life and achieve your dreams, or you are going to be carried away by fate's plans?

Author note: This fanfic follows the world of the Brazilian production Procura-se um marido series. I do not own the series or original content.

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The guy in the cap in front of you look normal, but if you weren't so consumed by the latest discoveries, perhaps you'd left the store before the all the drama happen. Thinking about it now, there was something about him, an unease, a nervousness that clashed with a customer looking for a bottle of water or anything else. You don't notice that he kept his hand on his waist, under his shirt, until it was too late.

"Nobody moves. Give me the money!" He orders in a fierce tone suddenly to the pale boy at the cashier.

“Shit,” you hiss softly and freeze like a statue, even though the weapon isn't pointed at your face.

The store is silent, no one dares to move. The robber putts a backpack on the counter.

"Put it all in there and don't even think about making a joke. I kill you and everyone else before the alarm goes off."

As getting out of there doesn't seem like a good idea, you followed the robber's advice and stays very quiet. The cashier boy, scared, tries to open the cash register to empty it, but you suspect that first he will faint.

A movement in you peripheral vision makes you turn your head.

“Oh no!" You groan.

"Drop the gun!" shouts a police officer outside the store, already with a gun pointed at the robber.

In a quick movement, the boy pulls you by the arm, putting you in front of him and locking the gun to your temple. Your pulse race, making you dizzy. You look at the cop, begging silently for help. Another cop gets out of the car leaning against the gas pump and joins his partner, gun in hand.

"Let go of the girl," the older, taller, wider police officer warns.

"If anyone moves, I'll blow her head off!"

By this, you are already shaking. The robber put his arm around your waist, holding you tighter. The latte threatens to make the journey back out of you.

“No one needs to get hurt,” the police officer argues, but his voice sounds calmer. “All you need to do is let go of the girl and drop the gun."

The attacker groans, repositioning you so that you are reduced to a human shield.

“If anyone enters the store, the woman dies. If anyone moves, the woman dies."

You would have felt better if he had presented an option in which the woman -you- did not die in the end. But he's the one in control of the situation...

For the next three minutes, even the air seems still, waiting for the worse, and all that tension almost makes you throw up. Or faint. by the way, your stomach has been a little weird for the last few days. Maybe the whole situation with Namjoon has given you a nervous gastritis. What's not relevant now that you have a gun to your forehead and a man out of control with the finger on the trigger.

“Let the girl go, boy. You don't want to hurt anyone."

"And how am I going to get out of here?" he yells in your ear. "In a wagon straight to the jail or the morgue? Not even in dreams, buddy."

Eight police officers appear behind the first two. Everyone wears bulletproof vests and wielding guns, but pointing at the ground, the guy with a mustache seems to be the most patent, as he tries to approach. The robber shouts at him to be quiet, or the killing will begin. You think is in that moment you start to cry. The cop then began to argue, calling the boy to reason, but it's useless. He wants to run away, he is so scared as much as you or more, and he doesn't seem to trust what the police officer is saying.

“I want the press here,” he demands. "I won't leave before the TV guys appear."

Never in all your life have you wanted so much to be a librarian. Or mute.

“I'm a journalist,” You hear yourself saying between sobs.

"Are you?" He presses you even tighter against his thin body.

Well no. Not exactly, but almost one. And at the moment, the almost journalist could calm a madman with a gun until the police finds a solution.

You nod slowly in agreement.

“Then call your friends and tell them to come here. I want the TV. Many TV people."

"I worked... I work at a magazine."

"I told you I want the TV," he growls, pressing down on the barrel of the revolver in your head.

"All right. TV, got it."

You reach into your pants pocket for the phone, but he yelled at you.

“I need to pick up my phone to call,” You explain. He watches you closely, and very slowly you reach for the device. You sigh of relief to remain alive a few more moments. The boy too.

"Now call," he orders.

You want to call Namjoon, but you don't know if he will answer. You think about Jungkook, only he can be far away, and he doesn't even have that many contacts. Yoongi has. He knows everyone, work offers always fall into his lap.

"Hello."

"Yoongi, it's Y/n." Your voice comes out rough.

"Hey! I missed looking at you, doll. We were talking about you to the guys. I can't believe you were able to solve the..."

"Listen, Yoongi," You interrupt. "I'm at a gas station, inside the convenience store. It's on City Hall Street, a little further on. There is a group of armed police outside. I'm inside the store with five more hostages and there's a gun pointed at my head. He's demanding the press here to free us."

"The television!" shouts the robber. “Or I shoot everybody."

“He wants the TV here,” You repeat, swallowing hard.

"Y/n, wait a minute!" asks Yoongi, this time serious and anxious. "You are kidding, aren't you?"

“I'm not kidding. Please be quick..."

“Give it to me." The boy takes the phone from your hand. "Listen here, buddy, you better get going because I'm getting impatient. if it takes a long time to arrive, you may find your little friend cold as ice cream, with her brains scattered on the floor." He hangs up. "Now stay quiet and here by my side, baby, and let's wait for the TV people to arrive."

Your phone rings seconds later. Namjoon's name and photo flash across the screen. You don't get a chance to find out what he has to say, as the robber shoves your phone into his pants pocket, stealing in your face.

The next ten minutes felt like ages. It's with relief that you see a bald man, with a huge camera on his shoulder, make his way between the crowd of onlookers in the middle of the street. You don't know the cameraman, nor the reporter who goes with him, but you are grateful that Yoongi acted so quickly.

Moments later, Yoongi himself appears with Jungkook. The two throw you worried looks. Jungkook even more than that, looks panicked, and takes a moment to start doing his work, photographing the scene a few meters behind the line of police in front of the store.

More and more reporters, photographers and cameramen arrive, and one of them, with disheveled hair and horrible glasses, is trying to overcome the isolation barrier. You frown. Namjoon is pale as a sheet of paper, arguing with the police to enter the store. His eyes meet yours, and that makes him try even more to open space between the armed men. Funny, it even seems a man in love terrified of the possibility that the woman he loves is going to walk out of there with a bullet decorating her brain. But no, everything he wants is to get close to Yoongi and, after practically putting the credential in the police's nose, joins the reporter and the small battalion of journalists.

"Turn on the TV," the robber orders the cashier.

You are on almost every channel.

The mustache police officer continues to negotiate the robber's surrender, who sweats. That's the problem. He's too nervous. Uncontrolled people usually do things they later regret. Just look at what you have done with your life.

Wanting some comfort, you look for Namjoon and finds him talking to the police. Your eyes meet, and he gives you a discreet nod, as if to say, “It's okay, everything will turn out okay. Keep calm". One of the police officers next to him slips out of sight, while the other makes his way towards the guy with mustache.

Oh, let it be a plan! You pray.

The robber seems to notice the subtle change in the police confidence and turns around. His head slightly towards the man approaching the commander, so, afraid that he'd realize something is afoot and, you don't know, out of control and kill you, you open your mouth and let out the first thing that comes to your mind.

“You already have the press, the guarantee that no one is going to kill you. Why don't you just end it?"

"Are you in a hurry to die, baby? Because it looks like it to me." He presses the barrel against your skin.

“No, no, but think about it. The longer we stay here, more time for the police to come up with a plan to catch you, understand?" Fuck, shut up, Y/n!

He frowns, realizing the logic of the thing.

"The thing is to be quick," he nods, loosening his gun a little. "You're right."

“There are a lot of people in here,” you continue "I think you should free people. To make your escape easier. You don't think the police will let you go with six hostages, right? Nor would everyone fit in a car."

"A car. That, baby! A car!" He smiles, a little wildly, and shouts, "I want a full-fuel car here."

"I can't do this if you don't cooperate with me, son," the police officer warns, glaring at you, as if he'd overheard the conversation. And probably he had.

"The car! With a full tank!" he points out, pressing the gun into your forehead. "I'll see if I release anyone."

Okay, your plan isn't to give the robber ideas, but that's okay. At least he has agreed to release someone.

Six and a half minutes later, a black car with the doors open park in front of the store.

"Now do your part," ask the police officer.

The boy looks at the five people inside, deciding who will gain freedom. He chose the girl who had made you the latte. She gets to her feet, shaky but steady enough to stand in front of the robber and you, as he has ordered, and walks slowly to the exit. A police officer supports her as soon as she sets a foot outside the store.

"Excellent!" you say, more excited. “Now one more."

"So, without demanding anything in return?" he asks you, astonished.

You fight not to roll your eyes.

"What else do you want besides getting out of here in one piece?"

He thinks for a moment. "The money I came for. You.” He points his nose at the boy in the cashier. "Fill the backpack and don't try anything funny. Put some cigarettes too. And those truffles. Put them all."

The boy doesn’t try anything. You doubt you could do anything else as well as sob and shake. When he finishes filling the bag, the robber ask him to hand it to you, which you think is a bad sign, but you take it without argument. Then he orders the young man to leave the store, always walking in front you, blocking the police's sights, in case they decide to do something.

"Is this the first time you've tried to rob?" You ask.

"A shop, yes. Car is easier. No witnesses, no victims. just steal the cars on the street."

"Why did you decide to change?" You want to know, the journalist in you popping up in an unexpected way.

"Shut up."

"I'm just wondering if you have a family and what a fright they must have taken, watching you on TV robbing up a store and... taking hostages."

He's silent, pushing the gun against your head, and when you think, you are going to die, he relaxes a little but keeps you in his sight.

“I only have a sister,” he tells you. “She is sick, doesn’t work, and has a bunch of kids. The kids' father died a while ago."

"And you help her any way you can," You guess.

He nods.

"She must be very worried about you..." You keep saying, trying to distract him, as two more police officer exchange gestures, and one of them disappears shortly after.

“Seeing you on TV with all these people pointing guns at you and stuff. I also have a brother, you know?"

He doesn’t answer, just huffs into your neck and fixes his eyes on a camera. You cast a quick glance at Namjoon. He has his eyes fixed on you, panic still dominates his features. He's watching you so intently, as if he could get you out of there. You have the impression that he's asking you: “What the fuck do you think you are doing, my angel?”

"You, get out of here," the robber say to the short-haired woman, who has been crying silently since the beginning of the robbery, hiding behind a shelf.

Half an hour later, there's only two people in the store. You and the burglar.

“We're going out,” he yells, alerting the police. "No one will follow us, or I'll kill the woman on spot."

“Okay, just keep calm, son."

“Come on, baby. Be good and help me out of here."

He starts pushing you towards the store exit, his sweaty body stuck to yours. Then, in the midst of your fear, you realize something that at first seems insignificant, but it changes everything. The barrel of the gun is not cold. It's almost warm.

“Oh, you son of a bitch!" You turn so quickly that the boy, taken by surprise, doesn't have time to react.

You attack him with the backpack full of money, cigarettes and truffles.

"No!" You hear a chorus behind you.

Namjoon's voice is the loudest.

You jump on the robber, who, without waiting for you attack, loses his balance and fall with you. He tries to point the gun at your face, but you hit his nose and punch his head in rage while yelling, furious: "You jerk! I will finish you!"

Someone takes you off him and you kick some more, disgusted. A police officer throws himself on the robber, another is trying to snatch the gun from his hand.

“I almost pissed my pants in fear, and you had a fake gun all the time? You stole my phone, you... Let me go!" You complain, wanting to join the other men and finish him off.

A deafening noise sounds inside the store, part of the plaster comes off the roof. You look at the hole above, not understanding. You stop kicking, and that's it. You understand that the weapon is... it's... It's real!

Fear and shock leave you numb. Who, who, in sane conscience, go up against someone with a gun?

You are dragged out of the store by one of the police officers. Everything gets confused. You hear screams, shiny handcuffs gleam under the camera flashes, but you can't understand anything.

Someone pulls you back, away from the commotion. You come to think that it's a police officer, but no. Crazy brown eyes stare at you from behind horrible glasses.

"Wh-what the-shit y-were you thinking?" "He grabs your shoulders and shakes you. Your teeth chatter. "Wh-what were you w-t-trying to do?"

"I thought the gun was fake."

Namjoon buries his fingers in your flesh, close his eyes, groaning, and pulls you to the safety of his chest, squeezing you so hard that you think he breaks your rib. Which you think is wonderful. You don't even need of all these ribs, after all.

"N-never seen so much stupidity and c-c-courage together," he stammers in your hair. You find that strange. You have never heard Namjoon hesitate, let alone stumble over words like that. What was wrong? "Y-you should b-be forbidden t-t-to go out on the street without h-h-having someone by your side to-to stop you o-of d-doing stupidities."

Funny, your grandmother had said almost the same thing.

"I am really sorry. I thought that..."

“N-n-no, no need to explain. B-be quiet. Just let me hold you, my angel. Just... s-stay here."

When they invite you to enter paradise, it's crazy to refuse, so you hug him. The tremor you feel in your chest begin to spread through your anesthetized limbs and your knees give way. Namjoon supports you before you collapse, murmuring affectionate words.

It's the best day of your life...

Until someone pulls you from that heaven on earth, sending you to hell again.

"I will kill you!" Hoseok says through gritted teeth, bumping the wheels of his wheelchair on your leg and pulling you down so your face is in the same height of his. He's furious. "I'm going to kill you, then I'm going to ground you for the rest of your life! I almost had a heart attack when you jumped in that guy. Holy shit Y/n, I thought you were going to die!"

He pulls you so hard, you almost fall into his lap. Hobi suffocates you with a hug like when you were kids, and he took care of you. You turn to reset your head on your brother's shoulder and finds Namjoon's gaze fixed on you. He's a few steps away, his arms at his sides, his gaze still tense.

"You almost got shot!" Hoseok mutters in a choked voice. "You could have died, Y/n! Hell, you could have died!"

"I'm so sorry."

You hug your brother, rubbing his back and trying to make him stop crying. You haven't seen your brother cry since dad went to live in Argentina and left you with grandma. Hoseok hated the place.

Someone pulls you back.

"I thought I was going to have to photograph your brain, you... you crazy..." Jungkook starts to say but doesn't finish. Instead, he kisses your forehead and presses against his. "Irresponsible!"

OK, you already understood. Everyone is mad at you. Even you are.

The exact second you understood the gun was real, everything changed. it was there that you realized how fragile life is, that one second can change everything. There are so many things you still want to do, say. Starting with your grandmother and the culture that you have denied all your life. And ending with Namjoon, to whom all your thoughts belong to. That's how you know he's your guy.

That moment when you realize you could have died with a bullet in the middle of your forehead, all you wished was that he was far enough away not to watch the scene.

Jungkook is pulled away by one of the police officers trying to keep the press away of you. More than stunned, you turn to Hoseok, who's sending killer glare at Jungkook.

You look for Namjoon, wanting to return to the warmth of his arms, but he's no longer there. Stretching out, you search the crowd but can't see him nowhere. Before you can find him, you are taken to the police station to provide a testimony and give details of everything. It isn't pleasant. Especially because Hobi is not allowed to go in with you, and the sheriff keeps asking you why what the hell you had given the robber ideas. When it's all over and the sheriff is convinced that you are no expert in robbery, you find your brother outside in the hallway, your sister-in-law is standing behind the wheelchair with him. Yoongi is with them, to your surprise.

"Finished?" Hobi wants to know, turning the wheels of the chair to approach.

"For today, yes. They can call me if you still need me, but I'm released."

"Excellent!"

You turn to Yoongi.

“Thank you so much for acting so quickly."

"You don't have to thank me. My heart was in my hand to see you there, it was the worst news I have ever covered."

"Thanks." You smile lightly. Looking around, you force yourself to ask, "Are you alone?"

Yoongi checks the time. Your brother shrugs. Lorraine nods. Namjoon didn't come after you. And why would he? He's a committed man, as he had made clear at the dinner last night. Furthermore, it would be too easy to believe that, that hug was more than it really was an act of solidarity. Namjoon is one of the most compassionate people you know and will never deny comfort to someone —or an animal, whatever. That gesture was nothing more than a way to calm someone who was going through a bad time, someone who was part of his life for a short while. It wouldn't be Namjoon if he acted in a different way.

"Can I ask for an exclusive?" Yoongi tries, raising his eyebrows in that seductive way.

You reach for the badge on his chest and turn it over. You frown upon seeing the known Just Facts logo.

“I thought you went to TopNews."

“No way, doll. There is no money in this world that makes me switch to the dark side of the force. So, can we book the exclusive?"

"I don't know if it's a good idea... after everything that happened..."

Namjoon, you want to add, but in not necessary. Yoongi understands.

"Everything that...?" Hoseok demands, craning his neck.

"Yes, it is, and you know it," counters Yoongi. "He would never interfere in my article."

"He who?" your brother grumbles.

"Besides," Yoongi continues, "I received nine calls from magazines and newspapers asking me for your phone number. Nobody believes that a courageous journalist like you, with a natural gift for tricking people, is unemployed. Maybe I can give them your contact..." He crosses his arms, smiling cynically.

"Are you serious?" You blink. "Does anyone want me?"

Yoongi rolls his eyes.

"At the risk of losing my job, I rather not to answer this question."

You stare at him without understanding, and he smiles before asking: "So, do we have a deal? An exclusive in exchange for a dozen job offers?"

You don't need to think to answer.

"Deal."

"I'm going to talk to Jungkook so we can take some pictures. Tomorrow at the newsroom of the magazine, maybe?"

"Ah... I'd rather it be somewhere else, if you don't mind." You mutter, lowering your eyes. Going in there again would be even worse than being held at gunpoint. Even more if Alexia decides to show up. "Any other place will do."

"How about the restaurant across from the magazine, then?"  You agree, and he gives you a long hug. “Glad you got out of this in one piece, doll." then he kisses you on the cheek.

"Why does everyone keeps kissing you?" Hoseok huffs while Yoongi leaves the police station.

"Oh, Hobi, for God's sake!" Lorena moans. "Leave your sister alone. We can go? Y/n must be exhausted."

“Gee, you have no idea,” you tell her.

"Let's go," agrees Hoseok. "But why isn't Namjoon here now?" He looks disappointed.

You swallow hard. “He got back with his ex-girlfriend."

Your brother frowns. "I can fix him if you want. Don't think that a leg and a few broken ribs will stop me."

"Don't do anything to him, Hobi. I don't want you to fix him, or the bike or anything else related to Namjoon, am I being clear?"

“You always screw up,” he grumbles, taking your hand and pressing your fingers against his hot cheek."

Thinking about what Grandma had said a long time ago, you reply, laughing: "You're absolutely right."

Only this time you had crossed all the limits.

We are coming to an end.

Ⓒ 2022 Sugarushsuga, do not copy, translate or repost.

#RM #Kim Namjoon #Namjoon #btswritingcafe #btshoneyhive #btscarnivalnet #bts #bts writing #namjoon fanfiction #kim namjoon fanfic #rm fanfic #bts rm fanfic #kpop fanfic #kpopwriter-sky #namjoon writing #kim namjoon writing #namjoon au #namjoon x y/n #namjoon x reader #kim namjoon x reader #rm x reader #sugarushsuga #15/07/2022

[smolthealmighty]

Spinaraki Week Round 3 Day 5: Mess

To Love This Mess We Make

Someday in the future, Tomura will tell the story with Spinner nestled neatly into his side and he’ll laugh alongside everyone else, but fuck if it wasn’t absolutely horrifying to experience in the moment. You’d freak out too if you thought you accidentally killed the love of your life.

~~~~~

It was just supposed to be a pat on the shoulder.

Between all the war plans and the squad managing and the doctor’s health screenings, moments like these where Spinner and Tomura could just sit on the couch and work their way through a gauntlet of LOL matches together were frustratingly hard to come by.

With the power of teamwork (and a couple illegal mods but mostly teamwork), their champions had successfully defeated the opposing side despite the larger numbers and objectively better stats, and as a result they gained more XP than they had ever seen before. So of course Tomura was gonna playfully slap his buddy’s back and lavish him with the praise he damn well deserved…

It was just supposed to be an encouraging pat on the shoulder… and now Spinner’s skin was falling apart in flakes.

“Ah shit,” said Spinner nonchalantly, as if he wasn’t slowly dissolving into dust. “Looks like it’s time.”

That was the line of dialogue that caused Tomura’s thought process to switch from buffering mode to full panic what have you done mode.

“No no no no no no it’s not. It’s absolutely not your time if I have any say in it- don’t touch it!” Tomura screeched as he began to tear his room apart in a frenzy. “You’ll make it spread faster! Just don’t move, stay calm, yeah? You’re gonna be okay, you’re gonna be okay- dammit, where the fuck did I put my emergency knife?!”

“Knife?” Spinner whipped around, his attention diverted enough to stop fiddling with the skin that was still cracking why was he making it worse on purpose?! “Boss I don’t need a knife for this. What’re you-”

Spinner paused as he was temporarily blinded by the gleam of the knife Tomura had found, giving the still-rattled villain time to respond as he also pulled out a roll of bandages from the same spot in the closet. “If we don’t amputate then at this rate it’ll reach your jugular and some major arteries and-”

“Amputate?!” Spinner yelped, starting to scooch backwards and away from the frightened mess that was trying to return to his side. Said mess was stalled somewhat by the bandages that had tangled around his legs, but those would not stop him from reaching his friend to save him from the crawling decay on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, it’s my fault,” Tomura whined while struggling against the wraps, “I should’ve been more careful and now you’re taking the de-buff because I fucked up the-”

“Tomura stop!” He froze at his friend’s command but was visibly shaking, like he was using all his panicked energy to keep himself from rushing over anyway. Sensing this, Spinner quickly continued, “Tomura talk to me, what do you think is happening right now?”

“I touched you,” Tomura wheezed, his breathing uneven and cycling far too fast as his volume picked up, “I touched you and I must’ve forgotten to lift a finger and you’re falling to pieces right in front of me and you won’t let me help!”

“I’m sheading my skin!” Spinner shouted, then lowered his voice to a softer and calmer tone. “I’m just sheading my skin. This happens every two months or so, it’s normal for me. I’m not in pain, I’m not hurt, you didn’t hurt me. Boss breathe, please please breathe, you’re gonna hurt yourself if you don’t breathe.”

Spinner waited for Tomura to get his breathing under control to slow it down, at long last hearing it even out for good before telling him, “I trust you not to hurt me, you know that?”

Tomura took one more long breath, then replied, “Yeah, you do trust me.” And I’d rather die than do anything to lose it.

“Hell, if anything I’m sorry,” Spinner sighed, crisis and potential shoulder loss now averted, “Now I’m gonna have to spend the next hour or so tearing this dead skin off of me instead of strategizing for the next match.”

Tomura made his way closer, getting a better look at the peeling skin and the scaled pattern it retained. “Would the work go by faster if I helped? Consider it some amends for freaking you out like that.”

“You sure? I mean it is kinda gross I guess.”

It was little one-off lines like this that made Tomura want to hunt down and kill every moron who ever made Spinner feel uncomfortable in his own skin.

“Spinner please. We’ve slaughtered countless people and left bloody carnage behind. I can’t for the life of me remember the last time either of us took a bath. We’re currently sitting in a room piled high in expired food and candy wrappers and who knows how many spilled cans of soda. We are probably the grossest people this side of Japan. A little dead skin isn’t gonna freak me out.”

Spinner blushed and smiled, before turning his head to the side and mumbling, “Even if I eat it?”

Oh what would I do without you, you beloved disgusting boy of mine, Tomura thought as he sighed and replied, “Even if you eat it.”

#spinarakiweek2022 #spinarakiweekround3 #spinaraki #shigaraki tomura #spinner #shuichi iguchi #smol’s stuff #smol's stories

[lollypopsx]

Hi :D Just wondering, will there be a part 2 for "I wasn't drunk, I'm pregnant" blurb??

Drabble Request

Drabble Masterlist

Read Part 1 Here

Warnings: Swearing, angst, mentions of drugs and alcohol, addiction.

——————

“Wait, what?” Harry was stunned, that as one thing that definitely hadn’t crossed his mind.

“I wasn’t drinking last night because I’m pregnant Harry! What do you think I am?! A fucking alcoholic?!” You snap angrily. You couldn’t believe he would accuse you of lying when you were being sick.

His tone had instantly softened as he tried to swallow down the lump of guilt in his throat. He’d just accused his pregnant girlfriend of lying, his regret was instant. “A-angel I...”

“Don’t Harry!” Holy shit you were furious. “I can’t believe you! I’m so mad at you right now that I don’t even want to look at you!” You shout, your fists balled up tightly as you flush the toilet and leave the bathroom.

“Woah...woah...hey” He frowns, reaching out and grabbing onto your wrist. “We need to talk about this...I’m so happy I can’t believe you’re-”

“Harry! I need space! Let me go!” You shout, you felt like a red mist was fogging your brain and you knew that you just needed some time for yourself to breath. This wasn’t how this morning was supposed to go.

“Baby I’m so sorry...come on let’s get you back to bed” he frowns, sliding his hand gently onto your stomach.

You grabbed his wrist and pushed him away, which if you weren’t so angry, you would never have done. “Don’t fucking touch me! I said...Give. Me. Space.” You clench your teeth and in that split second, Harry could see that he had royally fucked up.

Sadness and guilt flooded his eyes as you turned on your heel and stormed downstairs, grabbing your phone, jacket and car keys before he could even get another word in edgeways.

The door slammed shut behind you as the 6am morning chill hit you. “Fuck” You mutter and get into your Range Rover, flicking on the engine and straight away turning the heating up. You pulled out of your spot and through the security gates, with no plan of where you were going. You just needed your own time.

You flicked on the radio to drown out the silence “Next up on Radio 1 we have Kiwi by Harry Styles!” The presenters voice exclaimed as the first beat came on.

You tut your head and groan “Fuck off” You mutter, turning it off in seconds. Minutes later, you pulled into the car park for the deserted park. The sun was bright already and the trees were in full bloom. You took a deep breath and laid your head back.

Harry: Baby please, please come back. I’m so sorry

Harry: I’ll make it up to you I swear

Harry: Please just come home so I know you’re safe

Harry: I love you so much, both of you

Harry: I can’t believe there’s a baby inside you. I love you so much

Harry: Please tell me you’re okay

Harry: I’m so sorry. I know the way I came off was wrong, I shouldn’t have said what I said

You groan and flick your phone onto silent. Maybe you should have replied, just so he knew you were okay and safe. But you just wanted to calm down, you hated being angry at Harry, but right now, your hormones were everywhere.

It was 6am, and you didn’t want to go back just yet, you didn’t feel sad, you were just angry. You decided to bite the bullet and text Harry.

Y/N: Harry I’m fine. I just want space. I’m going shopping and I’ll be back at lunchtime.

You take a deep breath. “Silly man” You mutter as you pull your car out and drive to the nearest Tesco. You got some groceries that you knew you needed, then you headed to Starbucks before deciding to wander the high street to do some normal shopping. It was a Saturday and still early so the calmness was nice.

——————

Once it got to midday, the streets were getting busier and you honestly couldn’t really be bothered to mooch around much more. Although you had found a few nice new bits in Zara.

You took a slow drive home and pulled in to the familiar security gates. You had definitely felt much calmer than you did before, but he wasn’t off the hook just yet. You sigh softly, the keys rattling in the front door were enough for Harry to shoot up from the sofa, standing nervously.

You chucked your keys and bags onto the kitchen side and pulled off your jacket, wandering into the living room to be met with a very nervous Harry.

“Hi...You’re okay...you’re...okay right?” His hand ran through his hair as his eyes gazed down to yours.

You give him a gentle nod. “I’m okay...but you’re still not totally forgiven yet...” You mutter softly. You had noticed that the kitchen and living room had been tidied, and were pretty spotless.

“I know Angel, I just-”

“Harry...you of all people know how I feel when I’m angry and how I just need space. I wouldn’t of reacted like that and stormed out if you had of just let me have some time alone. Also, you of all people should know that I wouldn’t lie. Not even over something as silly as drinking last night...”

“Can you really blame me for having doubts?” He frowns softly, you could see a hint of pain behind his eyes.

“I’m sorry?!” You step back from him. “What the fuck Harry?!” Your arms cross over your chest, just when you thought you two were over this.

“Angel, please just listen to me...you have been clean of drinking for 8 months, and I just-”

“-What?! You were just waiting for me the relapse?!” You yell, that anger bubbling back up your chest once again.

“Y/N. Will you let me speak for one minute?” Harry huffs softly. You could see he was so desperate to speak, it looked like this conversation was paining him too. You took a deep breath and sat down on the sofa, with your elbow on your thigh and your chin in your palm. Harry paced slowly in front of you.

“I’m so proud of how far you’ve come, you’ve gone through so much to get to where you are now. And you know I’m never going anywhere, I didn’t before, I’m not now and I won’t ever leave you. No matter what happens. But you don’t remember the mornings we used to have Y/N” Harry explains softly, his eyes much softer than they were. Your throat felt dry and tight as you swallowed back the tears.

“And I don’t mean that to upset you Angel...but you would promise me you wouldn’t go out drinking, be black out drunk and come home sick, and then tell me you didn’t drink. Or you’d be sneaking into the toilet to drink because you couldn’t take it without a drink for an hour...and you’d promise me again that you hadn’t had a drop. The first three months of trying to get you fully clean, you lied the whole time baby.” He whispers softly.

You frown, turning your gaze to the floor. “Darling, this doesn’t mean I don’t trust you. I do. I really do, more than anything else. But I...I came home and you were passed out on the sofa, in last nights clothes and alcohol bottles around you. I was scared...and I know I went about it all the wrong way. I shouldn’t of shouted, I was just so scared that I’d lost you again. I just...I tried to smell your breath when you were asleep and it didn’t smell like you had been drinking, and you looked peaceful...not like you had totally blacked out...so I thought I’d wait, but I was up all night worrying. Then I heard you sick this morning and I...well I panicked and it gave me all these flashbacks...”

It was now your turn to feel guilty. You could understand exactly why Harry was feeling this way. You used to drink a lot at parties...because it made you forget how it felt to be so lonely in a crowded room. Then those parties were quite a regular occurrence when you met Harry...then came the all nighters up in the club rooms, with alcohol and drugs. One night, when Harry was working, you went out to a party, left with way too many drugs in your system and you ended up in a hospital bed. But the drugs always made you feel worse, so from then on, you ditched the drugs and continued to drink, however you’d end up drinking way more than before.

The party scenes died down when they became too much for Harry, so instead of drinking a lot throughout the night, you decided just to have a drink or two here and there throughout the day. Those one or two glasses soon turned into a bottle...then two...then three per day. Bottles full of whatever you could get you hands on. When Harry was away working during the day, you never quite noticed how much you were going through. Until the day you began hiding the empty bottles in your neighbours bins, in your wardrobes, in the garage. That’s when you realised you needed to stop this habit.

But it wasn’t just a habit. It was an addiction. It wasn’t until you were screaming at Harry while sat on the kitchen floor, slumped against the cupboards and screaming about needing just one more drink. That night, you were inconsolable, and that night, Harry made it his mission to do everything he could to help you.

“I’m sorry my angel. I never meant to upset you, I just...It never crossed my mind that you could be pregnant...” He whispers, his eyes brimmed with tears, and you could see he was trying so hard to keep it all in.

“Do you want to keep it?” Harry blurted out, your eyes locked onto his and you nodded.

“I do...” You mutter gently. “That wasn’t how I planned on telling you either...” You whisper, slowly running your thumb under his eyes.

“How did you plan on telling me?...” He whispers softly, closing his eyes and nuzzling his nose into your hands, his lips gently kissing over your fingers.

“...I think I’ll keep that a secret for next time” You whisper softly.

“Fuck...Y/N I thought you wasn’t going to come back and I just...I don’t know what I would do without you...” He mutters, kneeling down and pressing soft kisses to your belly, his fingers still locked onto yours.

“This better not be your idea of a shit proposal just because I’m pregnant Styles” You tease lightly, a small smile playing on your lips.

“Not at all. It would only ever be the best for you” He whispers. “Come here...let me apologise properly” He whispers, pulling himself and resting his hands either side of your face, his lips dancing against yours and his arms wrapping around you tightly.

His touch melted you and your lips moved in sync with him. How could you ever stay mad at him? Before you knew it, he held you bridal style and was carrying you up the stairs, his lips attached to your neck, “Harry!” You squeal.

——————

Make up sex was always the best sex. “I might have to get mad at you more often...” You mumble breathlessly, the duvet covering your bodies and a light layer of sweat glistening on your skin.

“Mmm, maybe you can just pretend next time” You smile softly, feeling his arms pull you back into his chest. His nose tickled the top of your ear, the scent of your hair was intoxicating to him. His lips pressed sweet kisses behind your ear and up your temple.

“...you’re having a baby...” He whispers, the disbelief in his voice was a confusing sound for you.

“What?...Yeah I know H...” You furrow your brows and turn round to look at him.

“You’re...having a baby. We’re having a baby...” His squinting eyes grew as his smile did. It was almost like it had finally hit him.

You couldn’t help the giggles falling from your mouth. “Have you only just realised...” You grin widely.

“I just...It didn’t sink in til now” He mutters, crashing his lips instantly upon yours. “I’m so happy” He whispers against your skin.

“You are?” You whisper softly, your eyes soft and tired.

“Always...Always happy with you.” He whispers.

“H...” You mumble softly, taking his fingers and linking yours back through them. He hummed gently as he continued to press sweet kisses against you skin, trailing them along your shoulder and through your hair. His curls were softly tickling your neck. “I never apologised...” You whisper.

“You never need to apologise-...” He interrupts, with a hint of firmness.

“I do. I overreacted too, and I didn’t help the situation” You whisper.

“I can let you off this time...blame your pregnancy hormones...” He teases sweetly.

“Haz...I wouldn’t of made it this far in life without you. A-and I-I’m so grateful...” You mumble, feeling a slow tear drip down your cheek. The tear was instantly swept away and your body pulled tight to Harry’s bare chest.

“Shhh, it’s okay...you did it baby” He whispers, rocking you slowly. “I’ll make sure our beautiful baby knows just how incredible you are...”

——————

Tag List: @harryhoney-bee - @sunandherflores -  @beachwood-cafe - @damnasstyles - @awesomebooklover17 - @hazgoldenstyles - @evanjh - @harrysbracelet - @nerdypartytrashpsychic - @harryssweatcreaturee - @hibaiqbal12 - @ayeshathestyles - @michellekstyles - @rach2602 - @randomwriter1021 - @elizabethrosecresswell - @izziestyles

-

Part 2 Tag List: @officialfictionalwreck - @sophiaedits - @pracsstyles - @razzledazzlekitty95 - @iknowtonystark01 - @http-isabela

#harry styles #harry styles imagine #lollypopsx #harry styles x reader #hslot #harry styles blurb #harry styles x y/n #imagine #one direction #boyfriend!harry angst #boyfriend!harry #harry styles fan fic #harry styles fanfiction #dad to be harry #harry styles angst #harry styles fluff #harry styles oneshot #harry styles fic #boyfriend!harry x reader #boyfriend!harry x yn #harry styles boyfriend imagine #boyfriend harry imagine #harry styles drabble

[fabricated-misslieness]

pairing: james bucky barnes x male reader

req: yes | wc: 1.37 | cw: enemies to lovers, slight nsfw ending, swearing | 16+

anon: Can you write an enemies to lovers with Bucky Barnes and male reader with a slight nsfw? 👉👈❤ (if not then just an enemies to lovers👉👈❤)

a/n: enemies to lovers are amazing but hard to write

James Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier and bane of your existence. 

You don’t know just why you hated him; in fact, you had some similarities, yet he still managed to piss you off just by breathing.

Everything about him was so damn irritating.

You’re sure he hated you too, but he never showed it as much as you did. You suppose that’s one of the ways he wins your arguments, he’s always calmer than you, less affected. He makes your blood boil but you can barely even make him mad.

Pathetic, really.

“What are you doing here?” You just wanted to train, you just wanted to go to the gym and work out in peace. Was that too much to ask for?

“Can’t I workout?” He responds with a roll of his eyes.

You despised that. Still, you had no real excuse to kick him out of the gym, nor did you want to leave just because of his presence.

As you do your thing, your weights, you can feel his stare on your back.

“What the fuck do you want, Barnes?” It’s until he’s looked you up and down that he snaps out of it. However, this time, unlike other times, he looks ashamed.

But he still bites his damn lip. “Spit it out.”

He looks back at you, eyebrows furrowed. “Spit what out?” His voice doesn’t give you any hints as to what he feels, and shit, you hate it.

“Whatever you have to say.”

He scoffs, “I have nothing to say.”

“Clearly, you do.” He groans frustratingly, pissed off by your bullshit. Still, he says nothing, gives you no insult, doesn’t tell you how angry he is.

“I don’t.” Even if he doesn’t voice it, his actions say everything. “Look, if my presence bothers you that much, I’ll just leave.”

“Good!”

“Good.”

“It’s his damn stare, Sam.”

“I know, right?!” Sam laughs. The Falcon had as much of a grudge as you did with Bucky, except they could cooperate with each other much better than you could. Still, you bonded over it.

“But, be honest with me, (y/n). It’s not just the stare, is it?” His tone is suggestive, in a flirty kind of way. You’re repulsed at the thought of being intimate with the Winter Soldier, but as much as you despise him, your chest also warms up. You hope for hatred.

“What ever do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.” He replies. The warmth in your chest increases.

“Shut up, Sam.”

“Come on!” He gives you an accusatory look, with a smirk that you want to punch off his face. Why is Sam your friend, again? “He pisses you off on a whole nother level than he pisses me off. Even I can tell.”

“Ugh, well…” You began relaying everything you hated about him and what he did.

He was serious and headstrong, although humorous and reckless at the same time. All the things you hated about him were silly, but dammit you would stick with them.

His vibranium arm, it felt like a cheat code. You’re sparring, he beats you, you’re arm wrestling, he refuses to use his normal arm, you’re arguing, he threatens to slap you with it. It’s all because of his damn powerful arm.

At times when his voice is so expressionless, yet his face gives away everything. If he’s going to glare at you, he might as well straight up tell you everything he feels about you.

The way he bit his lip when he was holding back an insult, you just wanted him to say it. What’s holding him back? Is it that bad that he thinks it’s going to affect you?

And most of all, his stare. You hadn’t noticed it since Sam brought it up but every time you noticed it, it never failed to anger you. Without fail, he looks you up and down, sizing you up as if you were about to throw hands; hell, you wanted to throw hands.

“(y/n), buddy, pal, dude... I’m pretty sure that’s sexual tension.”

“What the fuck, Sam?”

“Hey!” He raises his hands in a surrender motion. “I hate the guy too, but that’s a different kind of stare. He’s checking you out.”

“Sam-”

“Ey, ey, hear me out here.” The statement is usually followed up by a lengthy and logical explanation, but Sam isn’t the most logical of people. He puts his hands on your shoulders as if he’s about to tell you his whole life story before saying, “You’re emotionally constipated.”

“Sam!” You groan.

He gives you an all-knowing look. “You know it’s true.”

You roll your eyes, shake off his hands and walk out the room angrily. As you do, Sam shouts at you, “You can’t run from the truth, (y/n)!”

You don’t know how you ended up here. You don’t know when you and Barnes got so close that you could see every little detail of his face. You don’t know why you needed to be up in his face in the first place.

All you knew was that you were angry and you wanted to punch the Winter Soldier.

“It’s not my fault you pushed me under a literal bus!”

“It’s not my fault you’re a literal supersoldier!”

This was why you shouldn’t be put in the same mission without a mediator, hell, just together! If it wasn’t for his mistakes, and if it wasn’t for yours, the mission would’ve been fulfilled.

Any other person would’ve been good for the job.

At some point, he slapped you - with his non-metal arm. At some point, you balled up his shirt and pulled him towards you so that you scream in each other’s faces even closer. 

At some point, you stopped shouting.

Your talk earlier that week with Sam sprung back into your mind. God, that motherfucker was right. Bucky glanced down, at your lips. His eyes snapped up to your eyes just as quick but they kept trailing down then back up.

Normally, this would’ve pissed you off, but at the moment, you were doing the same thing.

“Fuck.” He mutters. The movement of his lips causes them to brush against yours… this was torture, it really was. You wanted to lean forward, kiss him; every fiber of your being told you to pull away, but everything told you to lean in at the same time.

“Fucking kiss me, coward.” That was your pushing point.

Despite you initiating the kiss, he kisses you with a fervor surely fueled by his anger. You don’t know how long it lasts, but by the time you pull apart, you’re both desperate for air.

“I like you, you idiot.” Bucky’s voice is softer now. His eyebrows furrow, though the gesture is no longer irritating to look at.

Instead of giving a reply, you kiss him again. His lips are gentle and tender, yet they’re chapped at the same time. It’s not a nice texture to be kissing, but you weren’t being nice either.

As you get lost into the kiss, your grip on his shirt falters. He takes both your hands, delicately, and brings them together to hook around his waist. His own settle on your hair, tugging you as close to him as possible.

“Do you like me too?” He sounds desperate. 

“I-” Your chest warms up, like it always does around him; and fuck, you realize it’s not anger, but attraction. He looks absolutely beautiful. “Does the kissing not tell you enough?”

“No,” He doesn’t banter with you. “tell me how you feel.”

Your heart tells you yes, your brain tells you yes, you like him and you want him. “I like you.”

Bucky smiles genuinely, but it’s not long before his face changes entirely. His eyes are half-lidded, and he smiles lazily yet playfully as he hooks a leg around your hip and pulls you closer to him. The grunt you let out as your pelvises press against each other only spurs him on.

The only space between you two is now between your lips, but he’s soon to seal that too.

Neither of you care that you’re at an alleyway out in public, despite that, neither of you bother to move. 

He wants your right here, right now, and nothing’s stopping him.

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #winter soldier x reader #winter soldier x male reader #bucky x male reader #bucky barnes x male reader #enemies to lovers #🧵nsfw⚠️ #anonymousrequest

[andypantsx3]

defiant | bakugou/reader

pairing: Bakugou Katsuki / Reader

status: complete

length: 4,485 words

summary: There are a lot of benefits to managing your pro hero boyfriend, but dealing with the PR nightmares he generates is not one of them. After Katsuki gets way too mouthy with a hapless reporter, you take it upon yourself to put him in his place.

Katsuki, however, has other ideas.

tags/warnings: smut, arguing, possessive sex, light bondage, aged up characters, reader attempts to dom bakugou (keyword: attempts)

notes: This is based several years after the events of my fic savvy though you do not need to have read it to enjoy this one!! This is also unedited because I am too lazy, my apologies for the various mistakes within. I will come back and fix them at some point. Dedicated to @bobawithpomegranate​ for reminding me I was supposed to be working on this.

It was a Friday afternoon at approximately three p.m. when Bakugou Katsuki lost his fucking mind.

You knew this information because you had been watching the press coverage of your boyfriend’s latest fight, an operation in which he and Kirishima Eijirou had paired up to defeat a villain with an earthquake quirk.

Katsuki and Kirishima had taken the man down in record time, mere minutes after the reporters showed up. You’d watched them pound the villain into the very street he’d ripped up in the first place, and now Kirishima was puttering around in the background of the news coverage, smiling as he chatted up civilians against the wreckage of the city street behind him. Which left Katsuki to saunter over to the gaggle of field reporters and give the customary interview.

His blonde hair was disheveled, and his mouth was quirked up into a sharp smile, the way it always was after he’d just come out of a good fight. But he looked otherwise unharmed, just as intense and savagely handsome as always. He even looked like he might be in a good mood, pleased with the results of his fight, and you thought he might actually keep the swearing to a minimum this time.

He ducked under the police tape, flaxen hair glinting gold under the afternoon sun, and stalked over to the nearest reporter, already opening his mouth to crow over his latest victory.

Which is when something off screen caught his attention.

There was a muffled question from one of the reporters--not from the network you were watching or the mic would have caught it--and Katsuki’s scarlet gaze cut to the side. You watched in horror as his expression slowly morphed into one of apoplectic rage.

“You fucking piece of shit,” Katsuki snarled, eyes narrowing, an explosion already crackling between his fingers.

The camera jerked to the side, catching the startled expression of another reporter. He looked vaguely familiar to you--tall, handsome in a bland kind of way, teeth bleached for his job as a television personality. You thought you might have met him briefly at the last Hero’s Gala, but you didn’t have time to linger on the memory--Katsuki was already on the move, fighting his way through the pack of reporters, looking ready to commit a murder.

“--think you can just fucking talk to me, asshole?” you heard him shout.

“What did he say?” a voice murmured off screen.

“--he just asked Dynamight how he feels about his success today,” another voice uttered, closer to the camera, sounding bewildered and more than a little alarmed.

“You’re gonna wish you had never fucking been born, asswipe!” Katsuki shouted over them.

He’d nearly reached the reporter when there was a blur of red and Kirishima was there, one bulky arm seizing Katsuki around the middle. He hauled Katsuki out of the sea of journalists, even as Katsuki struggled, spitting and snarling like a wet cat.

“You fucking try that shit again and I’ll fucking blow your teeth straight into your brain!” Katsuki hollered, drowning out whatever Kirishima was muttering to him.

Your phone screen lit up next to you, several notifications pinging simultaneously. You let out a gusty sigh, glancing down at the contact names. News outlets, looking to scoop their competitors by getting the first statement from the Dynamight Agency on Katsuki’s behavior.

You swiped over a screen and dialed the number for the PR department, watching Katsuki continue to rage on screen, struggling against Kirishima’s hold. The crags in Kirishima’s skin told you he was close to going Unbreakable, and the sight sent a hot bolt of irritation through you.

You had no idea what the hell Katsuki thought he was doing, launching himself at a reporter like that. A reporter who had apparently done nothing but ask him how he felt about the success of his fight, a question Katsuki--the smug fuck--typically reveled in answering.

It had been a long time since Katsuki’s last PR disaster (tackling pro hero Deku over the side of a buffet table after an innocuous comment at one of their first Hero’s Galas), and you’d gotten him to promise you to be more careful after that. You’d honestly thought he’d pretty much moved past that sort of thing now. He’d grown somewhat calmer with age--though not less foul mouthed--and as his girlfriend, you were able to exert some level of influence over his actions, as each year, your understanding of how to play him grew deeper and deeper.

So what the fuck he thought he was doing right now was absolutely beyond you. And also absolutely not appreciated, as you had much better things to be doing than cleaning up after him for a shit fit that he definitely could have controlled.

If there was something bothering him, you were going to make him tell you. And if he was up to his old tricks, maybe he needed a refresher on exactly why it was inappropriate to go off like a bomb at every little thing.

As Katsuki’s primary PR rep picked up on the other end of the line, already speaking to you in a brisk tone, you resolved yourself to the task. You were going to get to the bottom of whatever had sent Katsuki into a fit--and you were going to remind him how and why to behave himself.

Whether he wanted to or not.

The trickiest part of your plan was catching Katsuki off guard.

That kind of a feat was nearly impossible, as Katsuki had reflexes honed by years of experience, an alarmingly keen intellect, and a single-minded determination that was frankly terrifying to contemplate. It had been years since he’d been outmaneuvered by anyone in the field, and the odds were against anyone who thought they could get the jump on him.

Luckily for you, you knew that his single-mindedness was the one thing that could also be used against him.

You left the agency slightly earlier than normal, shooting off a message to Katsuki to let him know you’d meet him at home. And then you yanked open your proverbial bag of tricks.

You helped yourself to a long shower, lathering on some of Katsuki’s body wash instead of your own, a trick that--you’d learned after once running out of your own--sent him into something like a possessive frenzy, knowing you smelled like him, that anyone you encountered would know you’d helped yourself to a man’s personal effects and understand that you were already spoken for.

Then you rustled around in your drawers for a nicer pair of lingerie--not anything super fancy that would suggest you were up to anything special, but nice enough that Katsuki’s interest would be piqued.

And then you dug around in the closet for the most essential element of your plan--handcuffs. Your face warmed with the memory of the last time these had been used--a blur of rough palms and sharp teeth all over you, while you all but sobbed for more--but you frantically quashed the thought. Tonight, if all went according to plan, you wouldn’t be the one strapped helpless to the headboard.

You weren’t the one with a lesson to be learned, after all.

The scrape of keys in the door sent you dashing to hide the handcuffs underneath your pillow, and then the stomp of boots in the hall told you your boyfriend had made it inside. You hastily yanked a sweater and jeans over your lingerie, then went out to meet Katsuki in the kitchen.

He clearly hadn’t had time to change after his fight, still slightly disheveled, blonde hair mussed and scarlet eyes sharp as they narrowed in on you. His handsome features were twisted into a suspicious expression.

“The fuck’re you up to, ditching early? Thought I was gonna get fucking screamed at when I made it back to your office,” Katsuki growled, watching you intently as he stripped off his gloves and boots. They hit the ground with a dull thud.

Your heart shot into your throat, but you pasted on your best placid expression. “I ditched because I didn’t feel like dealing with every outlet in the entire country blowing up my office line. Thought I could get more done here where it’s quieter.”

You didn’t mention exactly what you planned to get done here, hoping Katsuki would assume it was all PR and damage control.

In a way, it was damage control. Just...not via traditional methods, exactly.

Katsuki’s eyes tracked you closely. He still looked skeptical. “You gonna let me have it then, princess?”

Oh you were gonna let him have it, alright. He just had no idea.

You watched him for a while, pretending to contemplate unloading on him the way you wanted to. “Just...not now. I’m too tired, I don’t even want to deal with it.”

He scoffed. “Bullshit. You live for giving me shit. Fucking out with it.”

You glared at him. “I don’t think you’re in any position to be giving me orders. And if I was gonna say anything before I’m certainly not now. Now go clean yourself up. I have work to finish, thanks to someone.”

You retreated back into the bedroom, smothering a grin.

Nothing got Katsuki jumped up like defiance. Years into your relationship, he knew on some level that he wasn’t actually in charge of you, but he still got just as worked up when you got mouthy with him as he had on day one. It wouldn’t be long until he came back in, trying to pick the same fight, altogether too interested in the attitude you’d give back to him.

He was such a boy.

You lounged around on the bed, pulling out your work laptop and firing off a couple emails while you waited, just for something to do. Katsuki’s PR rep seemed to have things well in hand, but you helped where you could.

Soon enough, Katsuki was stalking back into your room, hair dark from a shower, looking like he hadn’t even bothered to dry off before stomping back in. He wore only a dark pair of sweatpants, the hard planes of his chest on full display--you suspected he’d foregone a shirt on purpose, knowing how the sight of him usually distracted you.

Which it still did, somewhat, but you were too heady with your own plan to truly be diverted.

You smothered a laugh at the way Katsuki’s eyes immediately honed in on the lace of your bra strap, strategically peeking out of your sweater as you had arranged it.

Two could play at that game.

“Think you’re real fucking smooth, don’t you, princess?” he demanded, stalking over to loom over you in a vaguely threatening manner. You caught the clean scent of his body wash, just a hint of his syrupy sweet quirk under that.

Your thoughts fogged a little with his proximity so you pretended to ignore him, typing out some nonsense notes into your calendar for something to keep your attention off of him. The less you looked at him, the easier this would be. You were weak to his appearance, it was true, and nothing riled him up like not having your full attention.

“I don’t know what you’re on about,” you said vaguely, doing your best to sound distracted.

A rough palm shoved your laptop closed. “Oh I think you fucking do, princess. Think you’re gonna get all dressed up for me and then ignore me?”

You looked up into his face, just as his arms came down around you to cage you against the mattress. A thick spike of arousal jolted through you, but you pushed it down. Much as you were into this, he was not going to be in charge for much longer.

“And if I did?” you asked, victory surging through your veins at the dark look that entered his eye.

He leaned down, putting his face near to yours. “Gonna be real hard to ignore me when I’m fucking you so hard you’ll feel me for weeks.”

“You’re awfully confident for someone on such thin ice,” you breathed. You didn’t even have to pretend at being affected by his choice of words, your stomach fluttering with anticipation.

Katsuki wasted no time covering your mouth with his. The weight of him pressed you back into the mattress, your laptop tumbling to the floor with a loud clatter. Rough hands trailed up your sides, gathering up the fabric of your sweater and pulling it over your head.

Carefully, you eased him over, kissing him as hard as you could, so that you were the one on top, your knees braced on either side of his slim hips.

Katsuki swore, pressing you down on him with a rough palm on your back, evidence of his interest hard between your thighs.

And that’s when you struck. Using his momentary distraction, you pulled the handcuffs from beneath your pillow, weaving them through the headboard. You grabbed his hands as firmly as you dared, pressing them up over his head.

Katsuki noticed what you were doing the second before the handcuffs snapped shut over his wrists.

“The fuck you think you’re doing, nerd?” he demanded, flexing against the tight hold. You watched with interest as his bicep pulled with the effort. “Unlock these or you’re in for it.”

You sat back on his hips, smirking down at him the way he usually did at you. Triumph swelled in your gut like a symphony.

“No, you’re in for it, Katsuki. What the absolute fuck did you think you were doing today?” you asked, raising an eyebrow. “You think I was just gonna let you get away with throwing a tantrum on national television for no discernable reason?”

“That’s none of your business,” he ground out. A bright spark lit up the skin of his palm, a sharp crackle slicing into the silence of your room. “Now unlock these while I’m still asking nicely.”

You trailed absent fingers down the warm skin of his abdomen, watching appreciatively as the muscle tightened under your touch. Katsuki hissed out a sharp breath.

He might be threatening, but he ran the risk of blowing off his own hands if he resorted to using his quirk right now. You didn’t think he’d chance his own skin just to get out of this situation.

“I’m your manager and your girlfriend--it’s one hundred percent my business. You’re not getting out of those until you tell me what the hell you thought you were doing,” you promised darkly. You let your nails scrape over the skin of his hip, just under the band of his sweatpants.

You felt his hips shift in interest.

“You’re really asking for it, huh, princess?” he said, his voice rough. “I’m not gonna be gentle with you when I get out of this.”

“Keep avoiding the question and you’ll never get out of this,” you said. You let yourself lean over him, reveling in his minute intake of breath as you pressed a kiss over his neck. “You want something, I’ll give it to you. But only if you tell me why you did it.”

“It’s between me and that fucking slimeball and that’s all you need to know,” Katsuki snarled.

You let your teeth scrape over his skin, the way he usually did with you. “Not good enough,” you said.

Katsuki’s hips shifted again as you pressed back harder onto him. You felt your own abdomen coil tight with hot excitement at the unconscious little circles he was making. But you couldn’t be distracted--you had a mission to accomplish.

“Mind your damn business you fucking nerd,” he growled, defiant to the last.

Well, you hadn’t thought this was going to be easy.

“You are my business,” you informed him tritely. “And if you ever want me to take care of your business again, you’re going to tell me exactly what is going on.”

“Fuck,” he said instead. “You’re so hot when you get mouthy.”

“Not the answer I was looking for,” you told him. You shoved down the hot flush that tried to rise through you at his admission. Even years later, you were weak to his praise and he knew it.

He bucked a little under you, like he was unable to help himself. “Let me touch you, princess.”

“Still not an answer,” you intoned. You held very still, careful not to squirm like he was making you want to, even as his thrusts grew more deliberate.

If he would just hurry the fuck up and give you an answer, you both could be getting what you wanted. But everything had to be a production with him, as usual.

He was lucky he was so hot, and so charming on the rare occasion when he wanted to be, because he really was a piece of fucking work. You deserved some kind of sainthood for your service to him.

You slid forward on his chest a little when he gave a particularly strong thrust, bracing your hands over his sternum, and the abrupt show of strength had you clenching your thighs unthinkingly around him.

Katsuki’s mouth twisted in a savage grin, like he knew exactly how he was affecting you. “This is your last warning, princess. Let me out or you’re fucking in for it.”

You frantically schooled your features back into some form of haughty disregard, reaching down into your nightstand for the keys. You twirled them absently around your fingers.

“I don’t think you understand what kind of position you’re in,” you said firmly. “The only way you’re getting what you want is if you tell me what kind of stick that reporter stuck up your ass. Or maybe he didn’t, and you’re just being a fucking brat. Either way, you’re not in charge here--I am, and you are the one who’s in for it.”

No sooner had the words left your mouth, however, than the tang of hot metal met your nose. Katsuki’s savage smile was bordering on feral now. You looked up in alarm to see that above his head, he’d worked his palms over to press to each opposite wrist, but he wasn’t blowing through the cuffs like you’d known he couldn’t. Instead, he was melting them.

You swore, scrambling off of him. You threw yourself off the edge of the bed, racing for the door like the devil himself was behind you.

You weren’t fast enough.

The world upended, the white of your ceiling paint swirling up over your vision. The next thing you knew, you were thrown flat on your back in your bedding, bouncing a little from the impact against your mattress.

Katsuki braced himself over you, hands firm around your wrists, eyes alight with the challenge.

“You were saying, princess?” he asked smugly.

You wiggled underneath him, trying to work a leg underneath his hip to kick him off you the way you’d learned in self-defense. Katsuki just shifted into the cradle of your hips, huffing out a rough laugh.

“I fucking taught you that move, nerd. Think you’re gonna get me with it?”

His hips pressed forward, his body a hot line all along yours, and you suppressed a groan at the feel of him hard against your core.

“That’s right, princess,” Katsuki breathed, pressing his face into your shoulder to bite at your throat. “Now I’m going to remind you who’s in charge here, and you are going to be good for me and take every single thing that I give you.”

He gathered your wrists in one hand, reaching down with long fingers to work off your jeans.

You shivered in delight at the thought of his dark promises, but some other, more stubborn part of you resisted. You had a fucking job to do, and no way was he going to reroute you so he could get out of talking about things.

“You’re not giving me shit until you tell me exactly why you tried to blast some innocent reporter into the sun,” you said hotly.

Katsuki paid you no mind, too focused on pulling your jeans off over your ankle, so you leaned in and bit his shoulder.

“The fuck--?” he demanded, reeling back.

“I’m serious, Katsuki,” you said, irritation rising. “You tell me what is going on this second or it’s just you and your hand for the next month. I’m not fucking around.”

“He’s not some innocent reporter, he’s a piece of shit,” Katsuki said. His fingers worked at the clasp to your bra, like he thought that was enough of an answer.

“And you know this how?” you asked, trying to shift to crush his fingers underneath your shoulder.

He glared at you for a long moment, red eyes hot on your face, looking like he was strongly considering just abandoning the conversation altogether and stalking off to blow something up instead.

“I know,” he finally ground out, looking like every word cost him, “because I overheard him in the men’s room at the last Hero’s Gala.”

So you did know the reporter from the Hero’s Gala. A dim memory came to you of shaking his hand, leaning over to get Katsuki’s attention to get him an answer to some question he’d asked. You were fuzzy on the details, as you’d had other things to worry about that night--the Hero’s Gala had ended with Katsuki in some kind of mood with Kirishima, the arm of Kiri’s suit burnt off, and Katsuki had refused to say more on things. They’d patched things up almost immediately after so you hadn’t pried, but now you wondered if there wasn’t more to the story--more including this reporter.

“Overheard him what?” you asked.

Katsuki’s fingers resumed their questing, releasing the back of your bra with the ease of constant practice. You let him, considering he was still giving you answers.

“Overheard him fucking talking about you,” Katsuki growled, his fingers digging into your waist, his touch turning more possessive.

You froze. “What?”

“Saying the nastiest shit about how you looked in your dress, what he’d like to do with you if you didn’t already belong to me,” Katsuki said, sounding disgusted. “Wanted to incinerate him but fucking Kiri got in the way. Told me I’d lose my license if I attacked a civilian and he took me to court.”

“Which you would,” you pointed out, your tone going breathier than you wanted when Katsuki slid his fingers up to pluck at your nipple. “That--um--that was still the case today, too. What did you think you were doing?”

“Didn’t think,” he grunted, palming your breast. He didn’t look like he was thinking a lot now either, eyes turning on your chest with that single-minded focus he was famous for. “I just saw him and saw red.”

You were starting to see colors too--white, mainly, as Katsuki released your wrist to trail his other hand over your panties with obvious intention.

“Oh, um. Well I’m glad you didn’t kill him and have to lose your license,” you said, your breath hitching when Katsuki found his way into your underwear. “I’m gonna--have to--ah--thank Eijirou.”

“You belong to me,” Katsuki announced imperiously, leaning back in to bite at your throat again.

You couldn’t bring yourself to be annoyed with him, now. Instead, his words relit some fuse within you, your arousal sparking back to life behind your navel.

Katsuki’s fingers curled within you and you couldn’t hold back a pleased little noise, shifting your hips to allow him better access.

That was all the affirmation he needed. In mere minutes, he was working you up to the edge of your pleasure, fingers hot and skilled and exactly right inside you. He trailed soft bites and hot kisses all over your neck and shoulders, looking supremely satisfied with himself every time you caught sight of his face. His thumb worked tiny, maddening circles over your clit, just like he knew drove you fucking insane, and he had you writhing and squirming underneath him embarrassingly fast.

Soon, he was hitching your leg over a broad shoulder, sinking into you right where you wanted him.

“That’s right, princess. You’re mine. Gonna fuck you so good you’ll never forget it,” he promised, already working up to a brutal pace that left you short of breath.

Your vision swam as he ground into you. He leaned down to catch a nipple in his mouth, sucking softly, in sharp contrast to the wicked thrust of his hips.

“Look at you,” Katsuki said around your breast, scarlet gaze burning into yours. “Spread out and trembling. Look so fucking good for me, only for me.”

“Katsuki--ah!” you barely managed the syllables of his name.

“So fucking hot when you think you’re in control. So fucking mouthy--” his fingers brushed over your mouth “--I’m gonna fuck you so stupid you can’t even string together a sentence anymore.”

You rather thought he’d already achieved that, considering you could barely manage anything other than single syllable words now--nothing but there and more and please and oh!

Katsuki gave a particularly hard thrust, snarling your name--and your climax hit you like a truck.

You cried out, writhing, and his hands came up to hold you down against the mattress, still fucking into you hard like he meant to fuck the sense right out of you. He fucked you straight through your orgasm, and only when you were gasping from the aftershocks, shivering and near tears, did he follow you, flooding your insides with warm heat.

“That shut you right up, didn’t it, princess?” he said smugly as he rolled off of you, leaving another love bite over your shoulder on his way.

You groaned. It had been fucked up but kind of romantic that he’d attempted to murder a guy for you, but he was really killing the mood now.

“Is there anything that would shut you right up?” you replied, still catching your breath.

Unexpectedly, a smirk twisted your boyfriend’s mouth, and his hand trailed carefully down your thigh.

“There is, princess. Too bad it sounds like you can still string together a sentence,” he said, watching you intently.

You stared at him, wondering where he was going with this.

Until he moved, shifting backwards until his chin met your thigh, still watching you intently with those scarlet eyes.

“I can think of something that would fix both of those problems,” he said, his voice rough even as his hands came up to gently pry your thighs apart. “Now you have thirty seconds to call out of work tomorrow before I finish punishing you for that little show earlier.”

Your breath caught in your lungs again. You didn’t waste precious time defying him.

This time, you obeyed.

Deleted scene: What did Deku say to Bakugou that got him tackled over a buffet table at the Hero’s Gala?

#bakugou x reader #bakugou katsuki x reader #bnha x reader #bakugou katsuki #my hero academia #katsuki bakugou

[bentobarnes]

『𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮』

note : my requests are OPEN! Feel free to send me story requests

pairings : bucky barnes x reader

word count : 1.3k

summary : bucky never thought he would ever start liking you but then he realizes that he not only likes you. He loves you and you love him, too. Both of you denied your feelings until one day...

warnings : enemies to lovers, slight mention of loss, shouting, arguing, lots of fluff

*feedback is appreciated. please reblog so it can reach more people♡

*a few months ago*

Two people who hate each other can’t fall in love, can they? What was that feeling building inside him? Bucky asked himself. He hated you, he hated you from the bottom of his heart but recently something in him, no not in him, in his soul changed. You didn’t seem so dark, angry, and annoying somehow your features got a softer and calmer look. Was this true or was he crazy? Probably the second. You never liked him. If you did you would never argue all the time or shout at each other. God, he hated you so much. How was he supposed to finish this mission with you and Sam? You would always be angry with him that little piece of trash.

‘’Can you for a moment stop thinking about yourself and come to help us!” You raised your tone at him. ‘’Don’t stare at me as if you don’t know what I’m talking about! You should have come on time!” This time he fucked up.

‘’And can you stop treating me like this for at least a minute! I was surrounded what could I possibly do!’’ He shouted back at you pointing his finger towards your face.

‘’You know very well that if it was about you, I and Sam would come immediately without hesitation even if we were surrounded!’’ Your voice was starting to get croaky from all the screaming. For a brief moment, he thought of your normal voice. It was lilting and soft-spoken. When you weren’t screaming at him or fighting in battles, you almost seemed like a normal girl but even then your features were pained and sullen. He always wondered why? You were beautiful, you were strong but why did you consistently look sad. All these thoughts were rushing through his mind. Y/N was right he was selfish if it was about him they would have come immediately. No, he couldn’t let you win.

‘’If it was about me I would never get into a situation where I need your help. Who would even want your help? All you can do is use elements and shoot with a gun! There is nothing special about you but you think you are better than everyone!” Did he just say that? He was staring at you. You had deep cut inches under your eye and another above the eyebrow. Why did he see them just know? Why did he allow his happen to you?

‘’Special? No, the word special never even crossed my mind, Barnes. I’m no one in this world and so are you!” With these words, you turned around and headed to your room.

You opened the door to your room and dropped on the bed. It was cold. You looked at the clock, which not only showed the time but the date, too. 6th November. Today was the day your family was killed. Your parents and your two brothers. Only you escaped. Sam knew because of Steve but Steve never told Bucky and neither did Sam. You missed them every day of your life. Some part of you wished you could just talk with him about it but he hated you, didn’t he? Of course, he does. You always look so dejected, you argue with him all the time and you can never have a peaceful conversation with him. He deserves someone better than you. Someone who is not broken into pieces.

*present days*

Sam called Bucky to come over for his sister’s son's birthday in Louisiana. He hated the thought that you would probably be there, too. Your last goodbyes ended up in a heated shouting session with words he never talked to say but you were driving him crazy how could he not say such words? He was walking through the crowd of people searching for Sam or you.

‘’Hey, man. Glad you made it!’’ Sam gave Bucky a quick hug while Bucky was still looking around for you.

‘’Can’t believe the little devil isn’t here.’’ Bucky laughed referring to you.

‘’You still don’t know, do you? She won’t come, Buck.’’ Sam told him the saddest in his words made his heart drop into his feet.

‘’What do you mean? Where is she?’’ He was confused. Where were you?

‘’After our mission, she went to another solo. Got pretty beaten up and she still hasn't woken up yet. It has been a few weeks now. The agents told me they couldn’t believe it. They told me she was the best agent they have ever had but this time something was wrong.’’ Sam was looking at his feet. James had never seen his friend soo down. His words sank into his throat unable to form a sentence.

‘’Where is she?”

‘’Buck I think it’s bet-‘’

‘’Where is she!”

Sam gave him the address and Bucky immediately jumped into his car the party long forgotten. He had to be there for you. He failed to protect you once again and this time it was more than just knife cuts on your face.

He was sitting next to your bed for a few days now. Refusing to leave you alone. Not now after everything, after every time he let you alone not now. He was holding your hand for dear life never letting it go. When we first reached and touched your hand, he was amazed by how soft it was. For an agent who had one of the best if not the best sniper rifle skills he never thought your hands would be this tender. That made him fall more in love with you.

While he was sleeping holding your hand, he felt a little squeeze the action woke him up. He looked at the clock. It was 3 am. Again. Was he dreaming or you just squeeze his hand?

‘’James is that you?’’ Your voice barely above a whisper. His heart started racing like a racecar into his chest. This time your voice wasn’t filled with sadness. There was a tone of hope and love or maybe he is just still sleeping.

‘’I’m gonna call the nurse.’’ He was going to get off the chair but your hand stopped him.

‘’Please don’t go. Please. Let’s stay for a bit before you call her.’’ He was in love with you, wasn’t he? Your wish was his command.

‘’Of course, my love.’’ The words slipped off his mouth like a waterfall from a cliff. Now there was no coming back.

‘’Buck I’m soo sorry for everything. I was afraid of losing you and I tried to distance myself away from you. Make you hate me. I didn’t want to lose you like my parents and my brothers. I just can’t imagine a life without you in it.’’ A few tears sparkled into the dark room. Was this a dream or did you just told him that you love him? The motion of your hand slipped him out of his thoughts. Your hand was warm and gentle on his cheek. He leaned into your touch.

‘’You are my love too Buck.’’ You smiled even though he couldn’t see it. He put his metal hand on yours that rested against his cheek and kissed the back of it.

‘’When Sam told me you were here my heart skip a beat. I don’t want to lose you Y/N. I want to be your family.’’ You felt the coldness of the tears falling from his cheeks.

‘’Come here. Lay with me.’’ You patted the space next to you. He obeyed resting his metal arm around your waist pulling you into his chest. Your smell filled his nostrils smell he wanted to feel every day and warmth that he would never get tired of.

After everything you both have been through you finally found your peace at the most complicated time and the most unexpected person.

Tag list: @lovie-barnes , @littlecanadianlani

#tfatws!bucky #bucky fluff #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #james bucky buchanan barnes #bucky imagine #bucky fic #bucky fanfic #james bucky barnes #fatws bucky #bucky barns fanfiction #bucky #bucky x female reader #bucky x y/n #bucky x you #james barnes #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x original female character #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barns x you #bucky barns x y/n #bucky barns x reader #bucky barns imagine #sebastian stan fluff #sebastian stan #sebastian stan characters #marvel #sam wilson

[anime-grimmy-art]

Told you guys I’d ramble in due time.

I absolutely adore Bravely Default 2. It came at a really bad time cos I can’t waste 70 hours on a jrpg, but well, it’s too late to be concerned about that now. And as is tradition with me obsessing over a new game / show / whatever, you’ll basically find a fullblown review disguised as ramblings right under the cut. Be aware that I’m gonna talk about EVERYTHING, so spoilers are a given. Some maybe even for the previous Bravely Default games.

Also, if you wanna talk about this game in any capacity, hit me up, I’m DESPERATE to talk more about it.

Just for reference on how long this is gonna be, I made a voice recording while driving to remember all the points I wanna make, and that recording is almost 2 hours long. I did cut it down but still, this is gonna be a lot.

I’ll start off with the things that actually bugged me about the game, since there are only 3 things that really bothered me. First of, I really don’t like that you can name Seth. He has too much personality to be a self insert and player integration is not that big of a part in the game that this decision can be justified. It wouldn’t bother me that much if it didn’t leave a bad mark on the ending. First of all, we were robbed of Gloria desperately shouting for Seth, which makes the impact work less, and it’s just so prevalent that the name can’t be said because you have all the normal sound design going. If they’d just let the credits still play I wouldn’t have batted an eye, but because every other sound comes in it’s so obvious they’re just silently shouting in this scene, which makes it look silly. Like I said, this decision is more a detriment than an addition, and it’s a shame it casts a shadow on an otherwise heartfelt ending.

Speaking about lost potential, the other thing that really bothers me is the lost potential in certain plot points and character conclusions. I mainly mean Adam and Edna here. Both of them have been built up to be these formidable foes but they just, die. If it was just Adam I’d be fine with it, since you expect Edna to backstab him and be the actual big bad of the story, but I cannot fathom why they dropped Edna this HARD. If not Edna herself, I don’t understand why we don’t get more of a reaction from the Fairies and especially Adelle. I mean, Edna was her sole reason she left for her journey in the first place, then Edna dies and that’s it? No part where she grieves for a second? No concern from the others about Adelle? Mind you, I haven’t finished all the Sidequests, so maybe there actually is one in which this is addressed, but I think even just a Party Chat after Bad End 1 would have been sufficient to show how Adelle suddenly feels about the loss of Edna. It would have made Bad End 2 / The Secret Ending even more impactful, because, yeah, of course, you kinda know Adelle isn’t going to turn her back on fairy kind, but one of the reasons she doesn’t leave is because if Enda didn’t get a happy ending, then she shouldn’t either. It would have been amazing foreshadowing if she showed this sentiment before this scene happened. Other than that, it’s a shame that we know so little about Edna, or rather, how she became “bad”. I get she’s supposed to be corrupted by the Night’s Nexus, but how did it even come to this? It can’t have been a gradual thing, after all, Adelle says Edna was always good natured and then just disappeared one day. Really would have loved seeing more of that plot point.

Ok, last gripe I have, some choices in the soundtrack and sound design. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the OST, and I will get to that, but damn, whatever Revo used for the lead instrument in Wiswald hurts my ears. It’s a really good track, but I always have to turn down my volume because these high pitched sounds physically hurt. And for sound design. Dude, the Night’s Nexus is the least threatening, nightmare fueled abomination that ever existed. I get that its growl is kinda supposed to be layered with Edna’s or sth, but it, it just sounds silly. If they went the route of just swinging between different voices or began distorting it from phase to phase, it would have been fine. But the choice they made really made an otherwise creepy design just absolutely silly.

Ok, enough jammering, on to the good stuff. Like I said, there’s going to be a lot, so I’ll try to be brief in each aspect.

Gameplay

I honestly like the new battle mechanics more than the old ones. This individual, turn based system feels way more dynamic and it’s easier to strategies in battles. Because nothing made me more angry than setting up for a heal and the enemy suddenly being faster than me and killing my healer. Now it’s easier to plan ahead a bit.

I also found myself experimenting more with the jobs. Not sure what it really is, but none of the party members leaning more towards certain types of jobs and the job leveling being way faster probably helped.

And I know some people get up in arms because the boss sometimes can be a real pain in the ass (looking at you pope dude), I still found it very interesting getting around counters or even using these counters as a benefit. As an example, I made Adelle my main physical fighter and gave her lots of counter abilities to help her profit from being countered by enemies themselves. Now, she can attack enemies, get countered, automatically evade that counter and earn a BP at the same time. Made a lot of boss fights way easier and fun to exploit.

Music

Ok, I will try my best to be really, really brief, because in my recording this part takes up almost 40 minutes. Anyways, Revo might have just become one of my absolute favorite composers ever. I don’t know what kind of magic he used, but I initially wasn’t that impressed with the OST, but every time I listened to it, I just fell in love harder and harder. Before getting into specifics, I wanna highlight the two things that made me love this OST overall. First of all, this soundtrack almost seems like a refinement of BD’s. While losing some of that fairytale vibe, it sounds even more fantasy now. And in contrast to the original, this almost sounds more balanced? Like, BD’s OST felt high energy throughout, BD2’s on the other hand manages to find a good balance between high and low energy pieces. Like, the character themes or battle themes are absolute hype, but the overworld themes are a lot calmer and easier to listen to while exploring. Second big point that makes this soundtrack amazing is that Revo is an absolute god at using emotional progression/storytelling and leitmotifs in his songs. And heck, do I love myself my leitmotifs. You’ve got some obvious ones, like the final battle theme in which all the character themes and other leitmotifs are integrated. Then you got some maybe more subtle once, just like how the overworld themes are just the main theme, just a lot calmer and using the lead instruments of the towns of the areas.

But my absolute favourites gotta be the character themes and the main theme. I love how fitting the themes for the characters are and in general, each of them is such a bop. At first I prefered Elvis’, because I sure am a sucker for jazzy vibes, but over time Adelle’s became my fav. It’s just something about the trumpets, and how the theme almost sounds a bit melancholic and bittersweet, that drew me in. And considering her story, mostly her bad end, that the bittersweet tone really fits.

Then there’s the main theme. Just like BD’s it shouts “triumphant anthem” and it definitely gives you a very familiar vibe, but I’d argue it has even better emotional progression. Heck, the first time I heard the music start up in the reveal trailer, I didn’t have to look at the screen to know this is gonna be a BD game. Also, the credit song version had me weeping at the true end. I’m someone who’s very easily affected by music (if me shouting about soundtracks on this blog wasn’t proof enough) and just hearing that ending song, getting the after credits scene, just for the second credits to start as a freaking duet. Dude, at that point I just started sobbing, I’m not gonna lie. Just this little part showed how much Revo knows how to put emotion in a song and also write it in such a way that he can elicit strong, emotional reactions from you too. 

Story

People have been complaining how the story is too boring and kinda disappointing in comparison to the last one, but I just think the games tried to accomplish different things here. Since the BD series is a celebration of old, classic jrpgs, “cliche” storytelling is a given. Though, BD did throw a lot of meta stuff in there too. BD2 in contrast just feels like a direct execution of that initial idea. It feels familiar, it feels comfy and it feels safe. Except for the little things with the endings and then overwriting the Nexus’ “save file”, BD2 doesn’t really get that meta, which is totally fine. It doesn’t try to reinvent or innovate anything, it just wants to be a fantasy story, that might be cliche, but still fun and enjoyable in its own right.

I’d also argue that the pacing is a lot better than the old game, because with BD I sometimes found myself skipping through scenes to get on with the story. Not that this game didn’t have me rushing through stuff as well, but I found it kept my intrigue way better than the original.

Characters

Next to the music, this is the part that I absolutely love the most. While, yes, they did lose a lot of potential with some characters, mostly with the villains, the main cast is just so much fun. I love these 4 dorks so, so much.

I honestly can’t stand how much people compare them to the original cast. Yes, ofc, I’ve been doing my fair share of comparisons too, but calling these four a more boring version of BD’s party physically hurts me. Because except for some initial impressions, the Heroes of Light are completely different from our beloved Warriors of Light.

While yes, Seth and Gloria give off strong Tiz and Agnes vibes at first, they both grow into such different characters that they’re not really comparable. I think this shows with Adelle and Elvis even more. I do understand how people could compare Adelle and Edea, since they’re both the feisty girl type, but I can’t understand how people can see Ringabel and Elvis as the same character type. While those two are the “suave” party members, they act so differently from another. And that’s honestly apparent the first time you meet them. 

Anyways, I love these 4 so much.

We technically don’t know a lot about Seth at all, but they manage to pull so much out of just the fact that he’s a sailor, that it makes him really endearing, really fast.

I was kinda disinterested with Gloria at first, because again, the initial impression was Agnés2.0, but she grew on me a lot. Gloria is way more hard headed and honestly sassy in comparison to Agnés and I absolutely adore it.

Elvis. Elvis, my man. I love this fantasy scottosh wizard so, so much. He’s such a ridiculous character but so endearing at the same time. You got all this dorkiness, with him setting himself on fire as a student, him doing god knows what for a good drink or just laughing danger and prejudice in the face. But then you got his super empathetic and caring side. Mind you, most of his wise moments come from quoting Lady Emma, but still, as much as he’s hopeless with certain social situations, he’s actually still really good at reading the room and playing things smart. He’s a smart and powerful idiot, which makes him a danger to everyone and himself, and I love him for it. (I also can’t believe they called him Lesley I MEAN COME ON)

And then there’s Adelle. I liked her from the start, but I didn’t think she would stick out to me. I think now she’s my favourite character. Not even talking about all the stuff that happens in chapter 3 and onward, because these story threads are awesome in their own right, but there’s just something about her personality that’s interesting and appealing to me. Like I said, I’m not surprised people compare her to Edea, I did too at first, but while Edea walks very close to the line of a Tsundere, I was really surprised that Adelle is, well, not a Tsundere at all. Yeah, of course she’s putting Elvis down a lot, but that stems more from her preventing his ego from going to his head than her being all embarrassed. No, Adelle is actually really well adjusted when it comes to communication. While it’s hilarious that she and Elvis met with her chucking her shoes at him, the two just got along well right from the start. Adelle in general has this really open and helpful personality, but also doesn’t shy away from putting her foot down, even if that sometimes comes out as an embarrassed sputter. She’s also the mother hen of the group. She looks out for the other three and gets concerned about them real fast. 

I dunno, Adelle just really grew on me over the course of this game, and then her kinda being paired with Elvis too, as partners and as partners, makes me like her even more. Because as much as I like their personalities individually, I like their character dynamic even more. I honestly love the relationships between all four of them a lot. You really feel them grow closer as friends and all the little character sidequests just always made me really happy.

Conclusion

You might not believe me, but I really held back there. This could probably have been 3 times its length. As much as I love this game, it’s of course not perfect. It struggles and flails in some parts a lot and it certainly has some aspects that might turn people off. But for me, it was just a very familiar and comfy game that didn’t necessarily deliver anything new, but that told its story in such a way that it still got me excited to keep going. The soundtrack is absolutely amazing and the conclusion of the story actually got me to cry. While not groundbreaking, this game is highly enjoyable and leaves you absolutely satisfied at the end.

Also, I would like to iterate that I am desperate to get more content about this game, so if you wanna chat about it, hit me up.

Anyways, anyone else felt like having a fever dream when everybody in chapter 2 started talking fantasy scottish? Cos I sure did.

#bravely default #bravely default 2 #bd #bd2 #fanart #review #ramblings #seth #gloria #adelle #elvis #elvis lesley

[ijustwant2write]

The Miracle Question-Bucky Barnes x Reader

(GIF credit to @sebastianruinedme​)

Summary: When Bucky doesn’t tell (Y/N) that he missed his appointment, nearly getting into trouble with the government, she becomes furious and upset with him. She demands to have a session with him, wondering if their relationship is as stable as they thought it was, and if it’s actually making Bucky worse. To add to her anger, the new ‘Captain America’ decides to step in.

Characters: Bucky Barnes x Reader, Sam Wilson x Reader (platonic), John Walker x Reader (acquaintances), Lemar Hoskins x Reader (acquaintances)

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name

(Y/L/N)=Your last name

Warnings: Mentions of therapy, arguing, slight violence, fluff

                                  *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Why would he do something like this and not tell me? He was doing so well with his appointments, and although I knew he wasn't enjoying them, at least he was going so he could get them over and done with. We hardly spoke of them, he was never the one to bring up the topic, it was always me; I just wanted to know how he was doing, I cared for him so much, and it was hurting me to think he wasn't able to open up.

"Sam." I got his attention as I briskly walked into the police station.

"Hey," he could see I was upset, immediately using a calmer tone,"he's alright. His therapist is here, she's got everything sorted."

"But why did it take me watching a video on twitter of my boyfriend being arrested to know about this?"

No one had called. Surely I was one of his emergency contacts? And if I (bizarrely) wasn't, why hadn't Sam called me?

Sam sighed."He didn't want you to know. He missed an appointment he had to go to and-"

"Didn't want me to know?!" I raised my voice, not caring if I grabbed the attention of anyone around us.

Sam held up his hands, trying to quieten me."Look, I'm not getting involved with your personal matters. That's up to you two. Just keep your voice down, we are in a police station."

I scoffed in disbelief."Why didn't he want me to know? He knew I would be angry, but I would never argue about it with him, or make him feel bad about it. I would support him."

"I know you wouldn't, and so does he. Bucky is still getting used to opening up, even with you. He just doesn't want to hurt you."

“Sam,” an older woman interrupted us,“I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Doctor Raynor, I’m James’ therapist.”

They shook hands.“It’s so nice to meet you.”

Raynor put her attention on me, also shaking my hand.“You must be (Y/N) (Y/L/N), the girlfriend. I’ve also heard a lot about you.”

“You have? Oh, didn’t think he would talk about me that much.”

“Thank you for getting him out.” Sam quickly interjected. 

“Oh, that was not me.”

“Christina!” another voice called out.

We all turned to see who called, and I almost rolled my eyes when I saw who it was. John Walker, the new ‘Captain America’, was headed our way, almost swaggering. People immediately wanted pictures which he agreed to, and although I know Steve might have done the same in some cases, it wouldn’t be a priority for him, nor would he look like was was enjoying it. Although I didn’t want to judge others before knowing them, America had given the title to some random man, forgetting that Steve was not only a hero, but a friend and family to people like us. 

“It’s great to see you again.” Walker said as he shook someone’s hand.

“You gotta be kidding me, you know him?” Sam mumbled.

“Yeah, we did some field ops back in the day.”

“Heard you were working with Bucky so I thought I would step in.” he said as he approached.“Bucky’s not gonna be following a strict schedule any longer.”

“We haven’t finished our work. Who’s authorised this?”

“Um...” he smiled as he gestured to himself.

Who was he to come in here and change everything? Bucky was doing well in his therapy sessions...or at least I assumed he was, we never spoke about it. And I hated the way he called him ‘Bucky’; only close ones were allowed to call him that. 

A loud buzzer sounded throughout the station, and I whipped my head around, relieved to see Bucky walking out with two police officers. I no longer listened to Walker, running towards my boyfriend. He easily caught me as I threw my arms around him, not caring that the policemen escorting him out were watching.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, seeming both worried and annoyed.

“Bucky, you got arrested! I had to come see you, make sure you’re OK. Why didn’t you get someone to call me? Also, why did you miss your session anyway?”

“It’s a long story. And it’s not worth telling.”

“What are you talking about?”

Bucky’s eye line was now on Walker as he shouted over his shoulder,“I’ll be outside.”

Before I could say anything else, Dr. Raynor spoke,“James, condition of your release, session now. You too, Sam and (Y/N).”

“That’s OK. I’ll be out here with-”

She interrupted Sam.“That wasn’t a request.”

Bucky was silent as he slid away, reluctantly following the doctor. I tried holding his hand, but he was making it difficult to even grab it in the first place. My heart sank at the thought of Bucky not wanting me there, not even wanting to be comforted. When these sessions first began, he would come home and want to be held, be comforted; sometimes he asked if he could hold me, just to ensure that I was there with him, that I could feel safe in his arms. That was happening less and less now, it scared me to think he didn’t want this relationship anymore. 

We were sat in an interrogation room, Dr Raynor on one side and two chairs on the other. She told Bucky and I to sit first, and that she would deal with Sam later. Nerves suddenly washed over me, petrified of what sort of answers Bucky was going to give.

“OK, so we can all sense a lot of tension in this room. And although I’m going in a slightly unprofessional route, I feel that we all need to do this to ensure you are all OK, that is my job after all. So, who wants to go first?”

She looked between me and Bucky. Part of me wanted to get the confrontation out of the way, perhaps that would make things go quicker and we would get out of here sooner. But my fear held me back. 

“No volunteers? Wow, that’s surprising. Okay. We’re going to do any exercise. It’s something I use with couples when they are trying to figure out what sort of life they wanna build together. Are you familiar with the miracle question?”

I nodded.“Yes.”

“No.” Bucky answered at the same time. 

“OK, it goes like this. Suppose that while you’re sleeping, a miracle occurs. When you wake up, what is something that you would like to see that would make your life better?”

Shit, that was deep. There’s a million things I could think of that I wanted with Bucky. We used to talk about it all the time. He wanted security in knowing that I wanted a life with him, and I wanted the same, hoping that one day it would happen. Glancing at him, Bucky was slouched in the chair, staring at his hands folded together on his lap. It didn’t look like he was going to be saying anything soon, so I took the first step.

“Um...” I started, unsure how to word this.“I would want to take away any suffering Bucky has gone through, so that he could have a somewhat normal life, and didn’t have to force himself through things like this. No offence doctor. That way he wouldn’t have to feel pressured into opening up and he would tell me anything that was on his mind.”

“That’s a good start.” Raynor slowly said.“And it’s a very sweet sentiment, but it’s what you want, (Y/N).”

“That is what I want. All I want is for Bucky to be happy, I love him.”

“Again, very sweet, I know you care about him very much. But let’s try looking at it a different way. You want your miracle to be that James opens up more. That he lets you into the side of his life you don’t get to see in person.”

“I...I guess.”

“You feel left out of the equation, because James won’t express how he’s feeling?”

“Yeah, when you put it like that, that’s what I want. I want my boyfriend to be able to feel like he can tell me anything, no matter how gruesome, traumatic or even little it is.”

“Right. Glad we got there in the end. OK James, your turn.”

I watched in anticipation for Bucky to speak. What if I had messed things up? What if that was the opposite of what he wanted? 

“My miracle would be...not having you involved in that side of things.”

He didn’t even look at me as he spoke. He also didn’t look phased by his answer. So his miracle would be to not have me know about a huge part of his life? He was a hero for god’s sake! Why was he shutting me out? What had I done to deserve this? Had I hurt him in some way that made him feel that he couldn’t talk to me anymore?

“What? Bucky, have I done something to upset you?”

“I just think it would be easier for both of us.”

“You know I’m always here for you, right? We’ve spoke about this before, I don’t understand why you’re only expressing this now.”

Raynor tried to get us back on track.“Alright you two, I think we need to dissect this-”

“I’m sorry doctor but I would like Bucky to elaborate more on this matter, because I’m not fully understanding.”

“What’s not to understand?” he finally looked at me, but I hated this expression. It was as if I had asked the stupidest question in the world.

“Bucky, why are you being like this? You used to tell me about everything, what’s changed?”

He didn’t answer. I just scoffed, hastily grabbing my handbag and coat.

“(Y/N), please sit down.” Raynor asked. 

“I can’t. I can’t sit here and wait for an explanation that I’m not going to get. Just focus on the two heroes, I’ll find out about all of this never.”

I rushed out of the room, breathing heavily as I tried not to cry, but my eyes were already watering. Ignoring looks from people in the waiting room, I couldn’t stop myself from starting to cry. Although I had every reason to be upset that my boyfriend wasn’t communicating with me anymore, I also felt slightly guilty for just storming out of there. Maybe we would have resolved it. 

“Miss, you OK?” 

Oh, I did not want to deal with Walker right now. He would only piss me off.

“Do you need help? We can provide assistance if you need it.”

Although I had wanted to walk away, I knew I should have, my feet were already leading me towards him. I was embarrassed that I was still crying, but I tried to block that from my mind by now. He was leaning against a police car with his friend, who’s name I hadn’t bothered learning.

“You don’t look so good, shall we get a cop to drive you home?”

“Who do you think you are?!” I snapped.

“Well, I’m Captain America-”

“No, you’re someone who thinks they’re anything close to what Steve was. He didn’t go around introducing himself as Captain America, He didn’t care about the title. I understand you’re under a lot of pressure Walker, Steve has a huge legacy to live up to. But don’t you dare come waltzing in expecting those two amazing men to immediately work alongside you like nothing has changed.”

“You got all of that out of your system?”

My eyes widened at him.“Are you serious right now?”

“Look,” his friend butted in,“we just don’t think it’s a good idea for you to get mixed up in this. We’re dealing with something major here, it could effect the whole world.”

“Sorry, but who are you?”

He rolled his eyes.“Come on man, how many times? It’s Battlestar.”

My face remained emotionless.

“Lemar Hoskins? You know, the new Captain America with his-”

“I don’t think she cares.” Walker explained. 

“You think I don’t know anything about trying to save the world? My friends are part of the Avengers, my boyfriend fought against Thanos. He disappeared in the Blip and I was left by myself wondering if he would ever come back. I’ve been targeted, I’ve seen aliens close up. Nothing could effect me now.”

“Well, I’m sorry you’ve had to endure that.”

“Do you two just not listen to anyone but yourselves?”

“(Y/N), listen,” Walker dared to put his hand on my shoulder,“you’re a normal citizen like us. No super powers, no hidden strength, yet here you are with a super soldier that’s over a hundred years old! I mean, do the maths here, you could have walked away from all this danger. And yet, here you are, by yourself at a police station, whilst your boyfriend cares more about his ‘job’ than making sure you’re safe.”

That was it, the last straw. I slapped his hand off of me, preparing to punch him square in the face, when someone pulled me back.

“No (Y/N)!” Sam raised his voice as he made sure to distance me away from Walker. He quickly stood in between us. 

“What did you do, Walker!?” Bucky quickly stormed over.“Did you touch her?!”

Sam was desperately trying to diffuse the situation, knowing that people could be watching.“Bucky, calm down.”

“Did he do anything to you?” Bucky asked me quietly, his hands cupping my face as he looked over me.

My heart raced at the gesture, forgetting for a second that I was upset with him. I shook my head with his hands still on me, and they slid down my arms, one wrapping around my waist to keep me close to him. 

“I didn’t touch her Bucky, I was just trying to....you know what, it’s not even important. Can we talk, privately?”

“(Y/N) is staying.”

Walker sighed.“Look, if we divide ourselves, we don’t stand a chance, you guys know that.”

“So what do you got?” Sam said.

“Well the leader’s name’s Karli Morgenthau. We’ve been targeting civilians who’ve been helping Karli move from place to place.”

Lemar spoke up.“They geotagged a location, then scrambled the signal. But our satellites have found their symbol popping up in various displaced communities all across Central and Eastern Europe.” 

“We think she’s taking the medicine she just stole to one of these camps.” Walker added.

“Well, there are a lot of those all over the planet since the Blip.” Bucky pointed out.

“Hundreds probably.” I said. 

“So I guess you’ll have to look real hard.”

Walker smirked.“Good thing I have 20/20 vision, huh?”

“Where is she now, Walker? Do you know?”

“No, we don’t know, Bucky.” Walker was agitated.“It’s only a matter of time before we find out.”

Bucky had to push his buttons even more.“Things are really intense for you, aren’t they, Walker?”

Sam came to stand between us and Walker.“Take it easy. Look, Walker’s right. It is imperative that we find them and stop them. But you guys have rules of engagement and all kind of authorization you have to get. We’re free agents. We’re more flexible. So it wouldn’t make sense for us to work with you.”

Sam and Bucky turned away, Bucky guiding me with him. Walker called after us.

“A word of advice, then. Stay the hell out of my way.”

I instantly became defensive.“What the hell is that supposed to mean-”

“It’s OK.” Bucky reassured me, making sure I didn’t go back. Frustrated that Walker got the last word, I hesitantly followed my boyfriend. 

“Hold up,” Sam stopped us,“I think you two need a quick chat before we delve into anything else. You both know that this is something big, we don’t know what we’re fully dealing with yet or how to fix it. Before we do all of that, you two better resolve whatever happened back there. I’ll be waiting Buck.”

We both watched Sam walk away, unsure how to start this conversation. He clearly showed that he still cared for me back there, but should I still be worried that our relationship was headed in a rocky direction?

“You OK?”

“Honestly? No, not really.”

“(Y/N)-”

“Do you realise how much you hurt me back there? I don’t want you to feel like you can’t speak to me anymore. And about me not being involved; what do you think the last years have been like? I know everything, you’ve expressed so much to me, opened up about your past. Why has that suddenly changed?”

“Because we have a chance now. The world is...relatively back to normal. I got an opportunity to make sure you’re safer, keep all of these nightmares away from you, not pass on my torture to you.”

“Bucky...what have the past years been for? Nothing needs to change. Just because things are getting back to how they used to be, it doesn’t mean we need to forget about the past. If I don’t know what’s going on with you, how can I look after you? How can I help you?”

“You shouldn’t have to do this-”

“I already made that decision when I knew I wanted to be with you. But we can’t revert back to how it was Bucky, not after all the work and effort we put in.”

“I’m sorry. I really thought I could make everything better.”

I sighed, reaching out to hold his hand.“They already were. I know whatever you’ve got yourself into is big, but I’m here for you Bucky, I always will be.”

“I’m sorry again, I’ll make sure I keep opening up to you. That’s the least you deserve.” 

I went on my tip toes to kiss him, still worried despite everything he had said. Bucky was still fragile, but now he was on another mission. I wasn’t sure if it was the best thing for him, something for him to focus on. Or it could send him in a spiral, and I wouldn���t know anything about it. I had to stay close to this mission, even if it meant I was in danger. Though what would change there? I had to keep an eye on him, I had to make sure he was OK. I loved him too much to let him slip back into the dark.

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky barnes fan fic #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes fan fiction #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes imagines #bucky barnes one shot #james buchanan barnes #winter soldier #winter soldier imagine #winter soldier imagines #winter soldier one shot #winter soldier x reader #the falcon and the winter solider spoilers #the falcon and the winter soldier

[remmushound]

2012 casey being friends with 2018 donnie. Just think about it, please.

@assanmaharielsreblogs Casey poked his nose into Donatello’s lab to sneak a peek at the dorky turtle. At least, the turtle was dorky in his world. Here, he didn't know what the turtle was like. All he knew was that April seemed to have some sort of obsession with this Donatello (probably because of the eyebrows) and that couldn’t stand! Not while he was around and had been trying to woo April for years! He wasn’t going to lose her to a mutant turtle from another world, of all things!

“HEY!” Casey puffed out his chest and stomped into the room with a cocky bravery.

Donatello didn't look up from his screen, his three-fingered hands working a mile a minute on codes Casey didn't bother trying to decipher. “Hello, genderbent Cass who doesn’t live here nor sleep in this room.”

“I…” Casey was at a loss for a moment, an exhale making the exaggerated size of his chest fall back to normal as the cogs in his brain stuttered. “I have something to say to you, mister—!”

He walked up to Donatello and pointed an accusatory finger in his direction, but when Donatello stood up, the young human quickly flinched away.

“Oh god you’re taller than I expected.”

Donatello raised a painted-on brow and motioned to Casey with a bored expression on his face.

“And what, dear knock-off Jones, do you have to say to me?”

For a moment, Casey truly forgot why he was there. Come on! He told himself, this is Donnie! Sure, this version was taller and calmer (and frankly hotter) but it was still a Donnie! And no man of the Jones family would be afraid of some dorkish, sewer-dwelling mutant!

“Now you listen here, foureyes!” Casey shoved his finger in Donatello’s face. “April is my girl! Not yours!”

“Okay.” Was Donatello’s only response.

“Okay?” Casey repeated with a frustrated growl, “That’s all you have is an ‘okay’?!”

“What do you want, exactly?” Donatello crossed his arms.

“What I want is for you to leave April alone!”

“Alright.” Donatello shrugged and sat back down in his chair, immediately getting back to work as if nothing had happened.

“Wait, really?” Casey’s voice fell to a soft whisper as he didn't know what to do.

“Sure.” Donatello shrugged, “Don’t really care for your April much, anyway.”

“Hey-” Casey started to growl a warning.

“Don’t get your hockey pucks in a twist. I’m not interested your April.”

“You’re not?”

“No. I couldn’t care less if she or anyone else is interested in me, because I’m not interested in them. Unless their name is Atomic Lass, at which point I would gladly settle down and have three point five kids, any questions?” He said the last part so fast that Casey could hardly keep up.

“I have several.” Casey raised his hand.

“You get one.”

“Okay.” Casey took a moment to decide in his head which question to ask, before he finally pointed beyond Donatello, “Is that a jetpack?”

~~~~

“WAHOOOOOOO!” Casey didn't care that he had absolutely no idea what he was doing. It was fun, and that was all that mattered. The freezing wind buffeting his face, the feeling of weightlessness. Nothing beneath his feet— nothing to support him apart from the purple jetpack strapped securely to his back.

Donatello zoomed after him with far more skill and prowess than the young human, but with no less free-willed enjoyment as they flew around the skies of new york.

“THIS IS AMAZING!”

Casey gave a surprised shout and laughed as he flipped over awkwardly, and Donatello flew over to easily right him.

“Ohhhhh!” Casey looked down and his body gave a dangerous shudder at how high they were.

“Careful.” Donatello drifted past him casually, “If you get sick up here, it might reach terminal velocity by time it hits the ground.”

“Wait, really?”

Donatello narrowed his eyes. “No. But we will have a very angry vomit-covered New Yorker on our hands.”

“Oh.”

“And nobody wants that.” Donatello crossed his hands behind his head as he flew, “If you think flying is cool, then just watch this— oh, and don’t try to copy it or we’ll have to scrape you off the pavement.”

The wings of Donatello’s jetpack retracted and the turtle fell with a scream of Fibonacci! His body naturally positioned into a dive, as if jumping from a board into a pool. Casey watched Donatello closely and roared cheers of encouragement at the daring fest, but when Donatello just kept falling with no signs of starting to pull up, Casey couldn't help the anxiety that grew in his chest. Halfway down, and further still. Lower than birds flew, and lower than buildings. Just as Casey was about to brace himself for an imminent impact, Donatello started to grow once more as he pulled up just before hitting the ground and accented in seconds

Donatello was back where he started in no less than two heartbeats. He shot past Casey and even higher than the Jones as he gave a whooping cry.

“And that’s how you do it Hamato-style babyyy!”

“Dude!” Casey flew higher to meet him, “That was wicked cool!”

“Well, I don’t like to brag— oh, who am I kidding? Yes I do! Praise me!” His eyes shimmered with excitement as he beamed and stared straight into Casey’s eyes.

“My Donnie could never be this cool.” Casey laughed at how adorable Donatello was with his pleading eyes. “He’s too busy trying to impress April to do anything like this! He makes charts and everything!”

“Hey, never discount the power of charts, my black-eyes fellow. They can be very useful. Though I must admit that Simp Me is rather disappointing.”

Casey almost choked on his spit as he laughed, clutching his stomach as his sides came into stitches.

“I mean, with a mind as big as a Donnie’s, why would he use it to impress a girl of all things? Seems kinda obsessively creepy, yeesh.” Donatello shivered.

“Well, he may be creepy, but you’re pretty cool, Dee.” Casey gave Donatello a playful punch on the shoulder as he annunciated the nickname in a teasing tone

Donatello brushed his shoulder off, but the smile on his face betrayed his enjoyment at the touch. “And you’re tolerable, Jones.”

#rottmnt donnie #Casey Jones 2012 #tmnt fic #tmnt crossover #tmnt one shots

[imaginethathaikyuu]

tis the damn season

atsumu miya x fem reader 

the first fic in a series i like to call “Me Writing Whatever The Hell I Want” (a working title) hope u like it or dont idk im not ur boss!!!!!!!!!!

synopsis: Running away was easy when you were chasing hazy dreams of a big city that was destined to be yours, when your rear-view mirror showed nothing but your hole in the wall hometown. But now it’s all waiting tables and failing auditions. You were still running, but somehow, these winding roads always lead you back to Miya Atsumu - a man you’ve loved and left, until you return home for the holidays. 

tags: friends to lovers, exes to lovers, angst without a happy ending, established pre-relationship, friends with benefits, reader lives in Undisclosed Big City lmao who has celebrity dreams, atsumu is ur good ole southern boy (sort of), canon divergent, not edited, light nsfw, beginnings of sex but isn’t very detailed 

word count: 4220

song inspo  (tis the damn season by taylor swift)

-

i won’t ask you to wait if you don’t ask me to stay… 

. . . 

The soundtrack of this early morning replayed in your head as you made a hazy drive to the neighborhood’s hardware store, cutting left onto the correct street and forcing the car’s back tire over the curb you couldn’t miss. 

The replay of events looping in your mind? A whirring, then a splashing, then your father’s booming voice shouting curse words at anyone who could hear them. Your name was laced in there somewhere with demands for you to get to the kitchen, and you couldn’t tumble down the stairs fast enough to see what in the hell was going on. 

It was your first day home for the holidays, and already it was a catastrophe. 

Somehow your dad had busted a pipe underneath the kitchen sink and a strong stream of water was spraying halfway across the room because of it - your feet landed in a shallow pool when you finally reached the first floor. You didn’t have time to think of any questions before the man at fault, who was on his knees with his head hidden under the sink relentlessly trying to turn the water off, sent you out the door with more shouts, telling you to go to Miya’s Hardware and buy… something. 

“A connector?” You were talking to yourself, thinking out loud as you finally parked, but it didn’t help you remember. All you could do was walk inside the store and hope someone knew what you needed. 

It’d been years since you had been in this shop, but it looked just the same as when you were following your dad through its isles. You didn’t even bother browsing now, though - you went straight to the back of the store to the counter, expecting to see a familiar, perhaps older, face eager to help you. 

That isn’t what you found. 

“Well, hey stranger.” 

That voice rang in your ears like you’d just heard it through a megaphone pointed directly at you. Something about it was so warm, but it left you with a shiver down your spine and goosebump ridden skin. You could feel the hair on the back of your neck standing up, and you hadn’t even turned in the direction the words came from. 

But you didn’t have to look in order to know just who it was. “Atsumu.” 

“What in the hell are you doing back in town?” His voice rang with excited confusion; it carried the same inflection as anyone who’s happy to see you. Like nearly forgotten family members at a reunion before it all goes to hell, or the way the tone of your father’s voice changes when you tell him you’re doing well and mean it. People don’t speak that way often. 

He pulled you in for a hug and you gladly reciprocated, already forgetting that you were supposed to be in a hurry. 

“Home for the holidays. How have you been?”

“I’ve been alright,” he replied. “I’ve missed you.” 

His voice felt more like home than your four bedroom walls did, the charming drawl and depth in his words immediately reeling you in. It was familiar. You had spent a long time trying to forget about that familiarity; too long learning how to straighten out your words and lose any hint of the small town you came from. But Atsumu - he sounded like the epitome of this place. 

He didn’t give you time to reply, for one reason or another; instead he decided to push you back by your shoulders and get a good look at you. Up and down and up again, likely noticing every change you had made to your appearance in your time away. 

“Are you still wearing your pajamas, or is this a new… trend?” 

You looked down at yourself, “Shit,” and closed your jacket tight over the old graphic t-shirt you wore, but nothing could cover your pink polka-dotted pants. And you’d have been hit in the face with embarrassment if the image of your dad and the broken sink and a flooded kitchen didn’t smack you first. “Shit, no, um… I need something to fix a broken sink. Are you… do you work here now?” 

“I do - and you’re gonna need to be more specific.” 

“I don’t know, Atsumu,” you laughed, slowly realizing the bizarreness of what you were about to tell him. “I woke up to my dad shouting and water shooting out from under the sink, literally flooding the kitchen. He told me to get a part for the pipe… a connector, or a couple, or something - I don’t know.” 

“...A coupler?” 

“Yes!” 

“...He didn’t happen to tell you what size to get, did he?” 

The look on your face must have been a good enough answer for him, because he took off into a random aisle and left you wondering just how many sizes of couplers there could be. 

“This one will probably do the job,” he said as his path rounded the counter. “If it doesn’t, then, I can ignore the return policy for you. Just this once, though.” 

“Thanks, ‘Tsumu.” You made your payment and he slid your product over the counter as his elbows landed on it, leaning down to make himself comfortable. Like he thought he’d be there awhile. 

“How long are you gonna be in town?” 

“Two weeks. Why do you ask?” You knew why - you just wanted to hear him say it. 

“We should catch up.” 

He was grinning and shrugging and fidgeting with his fingers, just like he always did, and you would never turn down any offer he made you. 

“We should. I’ve got to get home, but are you free tonight?” 

“We close at six,” he said. “I’ll pick you up at seven.” 

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” you said, meaning every word. You wondered if he knew that. 

“So will I,” he replied, and then you made your way out before you convinced yourself to stay. 

It’d been three years since you last spoke to Atsumu. In that time, you had done a lot that felt like nothing, living in a different city that felt worlds bigger than this town - that city was a place you had once convinced yourself was all yours. You had pulled off running away effortlessly. 

But it didn’t matter how much time goes by between your meetings with Atsumu. There was something there that you could never shake, the hold you had on each other was anchor tight. Ten years could pass and you would speak to each other like it had only been one day. You’d have world ending fights and one of you would always come crawling back, letting the other win as long as it meant things would go back to normal. 

You couldn’t describe it. You never tried, you didn’t need to. The unspoken acts between the two of you didn’t need to be explained. It was something akin to a best friend with all the benefits included and most of the strings attached - confusing and nerve wracking but still so comforting. 

Atsumu was the closest thing to home you had in this town, and somehow every road always leads back to him. With a few detours on your part, of course, because you just couldn’t stay away too long. Even moving across the country didn’t change that - not like you thought it would. 

You just barely missed the turn into your driveway, being so distracted by your thoughts. So much was rushing back, so much that shouldn’t be - it isn’t a big deal, it’s just Atsumu, but it felt grand, like this was some massive reunion. 

But it wasn’t. You were only here to celebrate Christmas with your family. You weren’t even planning on seeing Atsumu, let alone meeting up with him or rekindling any kind of flame that was once there. 

And it was such a rush that you couldn’t even question why he was working at his father’s store - or why he was even in this town at all. What happened to the dreams he was chasing? 

For what felt like the first time in your life, you had questions for him. But you’d have to wait all day to ask them. 

. . .

You were thankful to come home to a dry floor and a calmer father - he finally figured out how to turn the water off and decided to fix the pipe later. You knew he’d inevitably be paying someone more qualified to repair it, but your mind had no space for that problem. 

You were still trying to figure out how you’d meander the night with Atsumu by the time he was picking you up, and when the two of you arrived at his home you still hadn’t found your answer. 

Easing into this would be best, and once alcohol was introduced to the equation it would turn into a slippery slope. 

Nothing was hard with Atsumu. You knew that - that’s why you couldn’t figure out why you were having such a hard time talking to him. 

A lot had changed. Not between the two of you, not exactly. You were right back where you were three years ago: on his couch, sitting too close to him, laughing at something he had said that was only funny because he said it. 

But your lives had changed. Your worlds had changed. His mind had very obviously changed, and because of it all, you couldn’t keep pretending that the two of you were teenagers again. 

You had to bite the bullet and ask the question that was on your mind, completely knowing that he could throw a hard hitting question back at you.

It came out more effortlessly and lighthearted than you expected. “So… what happened to playing volleyball?”

Atsumu scoffed. “You still remember that pipe dream? Nothing happened, it was just childish.” 

You didn’t like his answer, so you pressed him. You worked up the courage to start this conversation, so you were going to get to the bottom of things. “You said you wanted to catch up - I know you, Atsumu. You get what you want and you wanted to play volleyball. You were going to be a pro, you were good.” 

“I know you know me,” he said, and the smirk on his lips didn’t go unnoticed by you. “I wanted to get drunk and chat, not start up a fucking therapy session.” 

You sat patient and waiting, eyes on him, refusing to go without the answer to your question. You were teasing, really, eyeing him up and grinning as you watched him struggle. The problem was: you didn’t expect the answer you’d get. 

“I - I had the chance.” There was a scratch in his throat that wasn’t caused by the whiskey he’d just swallowed. “I was being scouted and playing my ass off and there were talks of being on an Olympic team one day, but… shit happens, and that’s it.” 

“What shit, Atsumu? You didn’t just give up, did you? Were you scared or something?” 

You didn’t realize how close you were to him until his hand came down to rest on your knee, and both of you focused on that touch as his next thoughts became words. “Dad got sick. And ‘Samu had just opened the restaurant, and… there were bills to pay and the store to run. Even though I wasn’t his preference, Dad had no choice and left the legacy of Miya’s Hardware to me, so - that’s where I am.” 

“Oh. I… I had no idea - I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s fine. You were already long gone by then - don’t say sorry.” 

“I’m sorry,” you said, and you hugged him without thinking, but he hugged you back all the same. “I’m sorry, ‘Tsumu.” 

“It’s okay,” he told you, but you didn’t feel okay. You were sure he didn’t, either. “It’s not your fault.” 

You pulled away from him just enough to look at his face, and you hadn’t noticed the distance in his eyes until just then. As you looked at him, you realized it was only familiar to now. It wasn’t there years ago, when you got to look into those eyes every day. 

“I should’ve been there for you.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, but his words were dangling on an edge. He didn’t quite mean them. “You were off in your own dream. I got through it.” 

You only nodded. You weren’t sure what else to say after that. 

As Atsumu sat back against the couch, he brought you with him, tucking you under his arm against his chest. His lips on your forehead made you close your eyes and for a second, it was like you were both nineteen again. You could’ve been, if time would only slow down or freeze or go back - what wouldn’t you give for that? 

“I’m done talking about me,” he mumbled. “I wanna hear about your life now.” 

You laughed, but quiet, “My life’s been fine.”

“Only fine?” 

“You don’t see me on the big screen, do you?” 

He laughed this time. “Not yet. One day, though. Have you gotten used to the city yet?” 

“Oh… I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it, but… it does feel like home now. It’s so different from living here.” 

“I bet.” 

“I try not to romanticize it, but - I don’t know. It feels good, even if it’s not what I thought it’d be. The lights are pretty bright. Blinding compared to here.” 

His response was a nod, and that was it. If he had any questions or comments, he held them back. 

A break in the silence came soon, though. “You know,” he said, quiet, with a small laugh that was humorless, “I’m not as good at getting what I want as you think I am.” 

“That’s not true,” you replied, and you were setting up an argument you weren’t ready to make. “You got me.” 

“Did I?” 

“What do you mean?” 

Silence lingered, and after too long you sat up and looked at him, and that got him to talk. 

“Nothing,” he insisted. He pulled you closer with two fingers holding your chin, and you didn’t resist. “Nothing, baby. Let’s just… just be quiet for a while.” 

There wasn’t time for you to say anything else. His lips were on yours the moment he got his last word out. And even though you expected him to kiss you, it still made you gasp. 

You couldn’t describe how much you missed kissing someone you wanted to, and Astumu’s kiss was like finding home. His lips were like candy, sweeter than sugar; his bite was a freezing shock that always pulled a giggle and a whisper of his name out of you. He knew how to kiss you, slow and deep with a hand on your jaw to keep you there, never leaving you wanting more because he gave everything you could ever need. 

It didn’t take long for his kisses to trail down your neck, or for his shirt to come off, or for your back to land on the couch. You had already reached euphoria just seeing him hovering over you, eyes soft and hair askew; you didn’t need anything but this. You’d never want anything but this. 

You did what you always did - trailed your hand down his torso, over his golden skin, stopping just after every freckle or scar or mark. This time, you were looking for something new. You didn’t find anything. You didn’t stop until your hand landed on his waist, and there, you squeezed - 

“Stop, you little shit,” and he laughed, right along with you. A real and genuine laugh - you hadn’t heard that song in a long time. “Why do you always do that?” 

Finally he moved down to press his chest against yours, his hips locking in place between your legs. A perfect combination. 

“Why do you always give me the chance?” You were still laughing, not able to get over the cute sight. Atsumu was always so ticklish there, right on his waist, and when you made that discovery you swore you’d never forget it. And he sure as hell wished you would have. “You’re so cute. I’ve missed that smile.” 

“I’ve missed you,” he replied. Somehow you just knew that he meant it. 

“Don’t. I’m here.” 

“You’re here,” he repeated. Like he was reassuring himself. 

You took the initiative to unbutton your shirt yourself, so that there was no way for him to think that you wanted this to stop there. It couldn’t, not when you had him this close. And his eyes followed the popping buttons like stalking prey. 

“And you’re still the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Fucking hell.” 

You cringed - you couldn’t help the feeling in your gut when he gave you those sweet words. You knew he meant them in some way; you knew Atsumu wouldn’t lie to you. He’s never told you anything just for the sake of it. But how many times, in the last three years, had someone done just that? Told you just what you wanted to hear so they could get inside you? It was vile the first time. The second, it made you ache. But now, you’re used to it. Nobody means what they say. You’re used to it. 

And Atsumu could snatch up any girl he wanted. A girl who’s used to blinding lights and expensive wine and lying - or a girl who would stay with him, who wouldn’t push his buttons, who would be effortless in her charm and wit and beauty. 

You couldn’t put yourself in either category. 

“You haven’t seen many, then.” 

“Why would I even need to when I’ve got you? You’re a fucking dream. All I ever think about.” 

You shook your head, not even noticing you were doing it. Atsumu wouldn’t have it. 

“Don’t do that,” he said. “Not when you know what you do to me. You’ve got my heart beating out of my chest, for fuck’s sake - it has been since you walked into the store.” 

You never knew him to be so open with his feelings, or maybe you had just gotten used to being lied to. You weren’t sure and you didn’t care - all you could think about was kissing him, so you pulled him in, and you were sure he would devour you. You’d have no problem with that. 

It was desperate when you said, “I need you.”

And reassuring when he replied, “I’m right here.” 

He wasn’t close enough. You didn’t think he ever could be. And it was right then, when you were swimming in desperation, that you realized you shouldn’t have been doing this. It would only make leaving even harder. Doing it the first time was hell, letting him watch you leave and be okay with it. You hated yourself for wishing he wasn’t. And you were drowning. 

You hated yourself for leaving. 

You hated yourself more for coming back. 

And you didn’t want to be there, all of a sudden, despite the ache in between your thighs and the addicting warmth he had you trapped in. You didn’t want to be there and you didn’t want to leave, either - you only wanted something easy, but you’d never have it. Not here, and not in the city, and not with Atsumu. 

You felt him freeze, felt things shift. You hadn’t even noticed the way your energy had completely dropped. 

“Something wrong?” He moved up to hold your face. He noticed the tears in your eyes before you did. 

It was hard to look at him but you held his gaze, and his touch hurt more than it healed but you yearned for it. The concern on his face was genuine, the gentle strokes of his thumb on your cheek weren’t forced, and it all was making your stomach turn. 

He cared for you - obviously he did - but not enough to ask you to stay. Not enough to find trouble in letting you leave him. So maybe you shouldn’t have a problem with it, either. 

“No,” you said through a sore throat and a locked jaw. “Sorry, just…” 

“We don’t have to do this,” he told you. “We can just talk - I want to talk. If it’s too much -” 

“It’s okay,” you said. You tried to mean it as much as, “I miss you, Atsumu. I want you - touch me, I miss you.” 

“I know,” and he was wiping the tears off of your cheeks as he kissed your lips, “I’ll take care of you, baby, just let me. Stop thinking so much. Let me take care of you like I always do, yeah? You want me to help you feel good?” 

You always had a problem with that - thinking too much. He never hesitated to call you out on it. You nodded your head, strong and fast, like you were trying to knock the thoughts right out of it. 

“Please, ‘Tsumu.” You were crying for him, pulling him closer. “Need you. Make it better, please.” 

“I’d do anything,” he said. “You gotta quit crying, baby. You’re acting like our first time again.” 

You laughed at that, wiping your own tears and knocking his hands away. “God, that was so embarrassing.” 

“It was cute.” 

“It wasn’t.” 

“It was kinda hot, too.” 

“Atsumu!” 

It was his deep grin that made you relax again, and so did another blissful kiss that took your breath in a way that you enjoyed. 

“You can cry, baby,” he said, popping buttons on both of your pants, “as long as it’s because of how good I’m making you feel. That’s what you need, pretty girl. Let me show you how much I’ve been missing you - get these pants off, baby, let me see you.” 

He didn’t give you the chance to cry any more, at least not in an emotional sense. Your mind was stripped with your body, filled with nothing but him, no space between the two of you left for insecurities or questions. 

It wasn’t until he coaxed you into his bedroom that those things had the chance to creep back. 

Atsumu was out cold, cuddled into your chest and holding on tight to your waist, after smothering you in soft kisses and sweet sleepy words. You were comfortable there, warm and safe and content, but the pit in your stomach only grew. You watched him sleep, his mouth slightly open and eyes softly closed, and you wanted to reach down and kiss him but you resisted. 

It was late and you should be asleep but you couldn’t rest. You couldn’t stop loathing yourself long enough to close your eyes, and the more you thought, the harder it got to breathe. Your throat was sore again. Your eyes were watering again. And every word you wanted to say to Atsumu was tumbling out of your mouth and falling onto sleeping ears. 

“Why didn’t you ask me to stay?”

He didn’t stir. It was still rumbling breaths and the whir of the air conditioner filling the silence. 

“Everyone else did. But you. Why… You of all people should know I’m just as worthless there as I am here - I’ll never make it - I’ve changed everything and still…” 

You sucked a hard breath into your lungs to stop a wracking sob, just barely holding it in. 

“I just ended up here again. With you. I’m so alone without you but I can’t - fuck.”

It didn’t even matter what you were trying to say anymore, because you had no clue. You didn’t know why you couldn’t just stay with him regardless of his choice to let you go, but something in you made you run. Maybe it was worthless pride or a childish desire to be something more - you didn’t know. 

You didn’t belong in any industry you dreamed of working in. You weren’t born to be a star. You should know by now - should accept your failure and come back home for more than just one night. 

But you couldn’t. 

There was still a chance, wasn’t there? 

A chance to belong somewhere.

A chance to be led home.

A chance to make it. Would you die trying? 

You would leave in the morning. And you wouldn’t ask Atsumu to wait for you as he started getting ready for the day. And Atsumu wouldn’t ask you to ditch your own plotted destiny just to stay with him. 

But this would happen again. Every time you would swear it off and every time, you would travel roads that take you right back to this town, this bed, these arms. 

Running away would never get easier, but this is all it would ever be with him. He would never stop you leaving - and you would never ask him to.  

. . .

...so i’ll go back to LA

#i researched how to fix pipes for this #by research i mean i went to hope depot dot com and looked at Pipes #my friend actually busted his sink pipe the other day exactly like i wrote and our other friend (who works at lowes) said he needs a Coupler #in conclusion i dont know how sinks or pipes work. do not perceive me or my writing. #miya atsumu #atsumu miya #atsumu x reader #miya atsumu x reader #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu imagines #i forget what other tags i need to use lmao

[whump-a-la-mode]

Nemesis - Part 2

I’m so glad that you guys are enjoying this new series! Work was pretty hectic for me today, but here is the next part, albeit a little late.

For the last vote, A won out, meaning that Hero is going to attempt to a more direct approach to aiding Villain. Though, the things they see in this part may just change their mind.

CW//Shapeshifting, cartoon violence, insults, being called ‘worthless,’ interventions, residential medical facilities, flashbacks

The blow came out of nowhere.

It was a rhetorical statement as much as it was a completely literal one. That didn’t matter in the moment, however-- the fist had very much struck Hero in the back of their head, causing them to stumble forwards.

Before them, their assailant rematerialized from thin air, gasping with a smirk upon their face. They blew on their knuckles, as if blowing smoke from a firearm’s muzzle. Stupid, arrogant kid.

“Come on!” The villain taunted. “I thought you were supposed to be good.”

Hero didn’t bother to transform before they leapt; they did that mid-air, curled fingers turning into canine claws before them. Said claws were aimed truly at the villain a few feet ahead, directed at their panicked expression.

Suddenly, Hero felt to be on the edge of a roof. Facing a completely different foe.

Throwing themself to the ground was not a conscious choice, but it was the action that they took.

The hero in lupine shape skidded to the ground, head spinning as it struck concrete. By the time they were back to all four paws, their opponent was long gone. In their wake, the door slammed closed.

Why did they...

No. This villain looked nothing like them. They shook their head, turning back to human form in order to begin tearing out the door.

The laboratory was a nightmare to navigate. White walls stretched far further than they had any right to, all looking terribly identical. Had it been any other situation, Hero would have found themself hopelessly lost.

But they could make a pretty good guess where their target had run off to. It was probably the hall where the shouting and banging was emanating from.

Hero skidded about a corner, forgetting momentarily that in human form they lacked dewclaws, causing them nearly to fall. They did not, however, turning the corner and stopping before they collided with the active battle.

Leader swore loudly as they failed to land a blow on the villain. However, their attacker missed in turn, putting themself in such a position that allowed Teammate to grab them from behind.

The villain yelled and struggled. Almost as if they’d just fallen from the roof of a building, and were now screaming, fighting back against those trying to hold them down.

Hero was on a collision course with Teammate before they so much as realized it. Halfway through the movement, their body turned from human to that of a far more formidable wildcat, easily sending their friend sprawling on the white tile. In turn, the villain their friend had been restraining freed themself.

Leader was too stunned, in the moment, to react. By the time everyone in the corridor had returned to their senses, their opponent had long since dematerialized and left.

Leaving only the three Heroes in the hallway. Two heads turned to stare at the third.

Hero’s feline ears turned back a moment, an expression that was translated to flushing as they returned to human form. Teammate pried themself off the floor, brushing dust from their uniform.

“Sorry.” Hero dipped their head.

“Why the hell did you do that?” Leader snapped. In comparison to the quiet building, it sounded like a gong being struck. “We almost had them!”

“I was, uh, trying to get them on the ground.”

“I had it handled.” Teammate commented in a far calmer tone of voice. “I don’t think we have any chance of catching up to them now, though.”

“No. Probably not. No thanks to someone.” Leader shook their head. “We were so damn close.”

“And they got the medicines too.” Teammate added.

“They what?”

“The medicines?”

“I thought those were secured.”

“Well... They were. And then they took them.”

“Oh my god, you two are stupid.” Leader hissed through gritted teeth. “Hero, what happened in the other room? I thought you had them pinned.”

“They got away.”

“You two are so stupid. I asked for a team, and this is what I get... Worthless. Well, it’s a lost cause, now. Let’s get back to the car.”

Hero and Teammate hung their heads, but weren’t about to argue. They began their walk out of the building in silence, a silence that continued until they had traversed a few flights of stairs. That was when Leader spoke up, once again, some of the most acute venom seeming to have left their voice.

“Hero... You seem nervous.”

“I’m not.”

“I know you can fight better than what I just saw. I want to know why.”

“I guess... I guess I’m not sure.”

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

No. Of course they weren’t sure, because it was a lie. The night prior, after their diner meeting with Hacker, they had not succeeded in getting a single second of sleep. Now, they felt like their legs-- however many they happened to have at the moment-- were made of jello.

“I’m sure. I just need some sleep.”

“And then you’ll be back to normal?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I need my best fighter back in shape. Villains don’t catch themselves, y’know.”

Except, sometimes, they did. Sometimes they tripped, right off the edge of a roof. And, sometimes, their fall haunted the dreams of the hero who had caused it.

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The dorms at HQ were a lot of things. They were cramped, and cluttered, and the thermostats never seemed to work quite right. All of that, though, was normal. A life spent living in apartments and dorms had gotten Hero plenty used to making themself comfortable in small quarters.

The bad thing about them was that, living in an enclosed space with the same people for years on end, it became just about impossible to pretend they weren’t home when someone knocked on the door.

That didn’t mean they didn’t try every single time, however.

Hero nestled themself further under the blankets that covered them, burying their head beneath their pillow in an attempt to block out the incessant knocking. Eventually, they gave up, shouting back:

“Hero isn’t home. You can’t come in.”

“If Hero isn’t home how are they talking to me?” Came Teammate’s joking cadence.

“This is a recording. Please come back later or not at all.”

“Well, can I at least come in and talk to a recording of Hero?”

“Fine.”

Hero rolled over, staring at the ceiling a moment before getting off the bed to let their friend inside. They were smiling, which was automatically a red flag.

Teammate found themself a seat on the couch shoved into the corner of the dorm, while Hero returned to their bed, collapsing dramatically onto their back.

“I have a feeling that you know why I’m here.” Teammate started, in that weird voice they used when trying to calm down a civilian.

“What are you, my therapist?”

“No. But I am worried about you.”

“I told Leader already. I’m just tired.”

“Is that why you tackled me out of nowhere?”

“I was trying to tackle the villain.”

“While I was already holding them?”

“Can you just drop it? I’m fine. I just need to go to bed early tonight.”

“it’s not just today, though. You’ve been acting weird all week. Maybe longer.”

“Have not.”

“When you froze up on that roof?”

“Nope.”

“When you pretended to be sick so you didn’t have to go to that ceremony at the university?”

“Had a cold.”

“When you just let a villain punch you in the face?”

“I- Why do you have to be right all the time?”

“Not all the time. But I think everyone has been getting a bit worried about you. You haven’t been acting yourself... We just want to help. Are you sick? You can be honest with me.”

“It’s not that. I’m fine. Physically, I’m fine. So I should be fine and dandy.”

Teammate nodded.

“The anniversary.”

“You remembered?”

“They had it on the news. Though I have a feeling you didn’t need any help remembering.”

“No.”

“How many days has it been, now?”

“374.”

“Nine days since the anniversary of Villain’s capture. Nine days you’ve been acting weird. That’s an awfully interesting coincidence.”

“I’m worried about them.” Hero dipped their head. “I can’t- I can hardly sleep.”

“You’re worried about Villain?”

“Well- I’m not worried about them. Of course I’m not worried about them, they’re a villain. But...”

“But?”

“It’s been over a year, and there’s been no news. You’d think they’d be like, fighting back, or trying to escape, or something.”

“Is that what you’re worried about, them escaping?”

How were they supposed to escape when they couldn’t even open their eyes?

“I guess so, yeah. It doesn’t seem right for them to be so docile like that.”

“The rehabbers are very good.”

“I know they are. But Villain is... they’re the worst! When they were captured the city threw a parade! They’ve hurt so many people. And now they’re just gone.”

“You think they’re planning something?”

“I guess.”

“Well... why don’t you go see them?”

“What?”

“It’s not like they’re being held on some secret Alcatraz. The rehab place is just across the city. They’ll probably let you in if you just go up and ask.”

“You really think that would work?”

“Why not? Villain is probably just going to like, spit on you or something, but if it’s worrying you this much, just go see them. You’ll see that they’re under control, and then maybe you won’t tackle me anymore?”

“I’ll try not to.” Hero chuckled. “You think that’s gonna work?”

“It’s worth a try. Besides, maybe Villain will be better, this time. Those rehabbers are crazy good at their jobs. I don’t think a single villain has come out of their still being, like, evil. They have a one hundred percent success rate, as far as I know.”

Almost one hundred percent.

Almost.

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This was stupid.

It was the only thing Hero could think about, sitting there in the parking lot, staring at the building with its cute little picket fence and brightly-colored exterior.

It was a stupid plan. They had spent so long the night prior, overthinking the few brief words they had exchanged with Hacker.

Villain needed to leave that place.

At the very least, they needed to... Hero didn’t know what they needed. They needed to be contained, certainly. They were dangerous. Too dangerous to be free. But they at least deserved to be awake.

Did they?

Yes. Of course they did. If asked, Hero was unsure if they could truly defend their position on the matter, but they knew that Villain did not deserve to be in the state that they currently suffered. It wasn’t right.

That wit. That tongue. Those sharp, intelligent eyes.

Villain did not deserve to be drowned in sedatives until they could no longer remember their own name.

It did not matter where they went. Where they were contained. So long as they were allowed to be awake. Allowed to live.

They at least deserved that much.

But... Hero had no power over such things. Every possible plan they had concocted fell apart as soon as they tried to think it through. Certainly, despite its cutesy exterior, this building was heavily guarded. Even if they did manage to get Villain out of the facility, where would they take them? Hell, as soon as they were out, Villain would probably tear their throat out!

They should have just gone right back to the HQ and forgotten the whole affair. But that image of their foe, dead to the world, would not leave their mind. It was burned into their eyelids. They saw it when they blinked.

Hero had no plan. But, they had a car, and a near complete lack of self restraint.

They had no intention of going in guns blazing. They’d be taken out in seconds, and would probably land in the very same facility, being “rehabilitated.” But, if they could at least get in, then that was a significant hurdle leapt.

And they had the perfect plan to achieve that step.

Hero’s hadn’t even realized just how white their knuckles had grown from having gripped the steering wheel with such force for so long. Their fingers ached as they removed them from the wheel, exiting the vehicle.

For a moment, they stood there.

The only sort of barrier between the facility and the outside world was a white picket fence, only a few feet in height. A moderately athletic cat could jump it. A villain would have no difficulty.

Beyond the fence, the building looked almost like any medical clinic. Decorative windchimes hung from the awning overtop the entrance, which was little more than a pair of glass doors. There wasn’t even a visible lock. From either side of the main part of the structure, wings of patient rooms stretched, their windows decorated with childish crafts made of construction paper and glue.

It looked more like a civilian hospital than something holding the city’s most dangerous criminals.

Hero hated just how nervous they felt, opening the gate to the picket fence and approaching the front door. Their suspicions were correct-- the doors were unlocked, and a bell above them even chimed as they were opened.

The lobby beyond was small, consisting of only a single desk, at which a lab-coated person typed on a computer. As Hero entered, they looked up. Their eyes widened.

“Hero?” Their mouth was almost agape. “I didn’t think we were expecting a visit from you.”

“Sorry about that. It’s kind of a more... spur of the moment thing.”

“Oh? How can we help you?”

Hero approached the desk, trying to hide the way their finger refused to stop twitching.

“I...” Their shoulders slumped. They weren’t an actor by any means, but they had gotten plenty of practice in lying to Leader about how long they had spent in the gym. “A bit over a week ago, it was the one year anniversary of Villain’s capture.”

“Was it? Time flies, I suppose.”

“I was wondering if I could see them.”

“Oh? Any particular reason?”

“I’m just a little... suspicious. I want to make sure they’re doing alright. That they aren’t planning anything.”

“Hm... Well, I can understand your concern, but I assure you that Villain has been a model patient.”

“Even so... Can I see them?”

Hero could see the tips of the Labcoat’s ears growing red.

“Let me talk to the head doctor.” They stood from their desk, notably turning off their computer as they did so. “I’ll be back in just a moment.”

“No need.”

At the back of the small lobby area, a door opened, revealing a man wearing a pair of blue scrubs and a warm smile.

“I’m right here, Labcoat. Is there something you need- Oh my goodness, Hero in the flesh! For what do we get the honor?”

“Um-”

“They want to see Villain.”

That dropped Head Doctor’s smile pretty quick.

“I see.” They nodded, nearing the desk. “Wanting to visit the old nemesis, hm?”

“I just want to make sure they’re doing alright. That they aren’t... planning anything.”

Head Doctor frowned a moment, before sighing.

“I’m sorry, Hero. And to think you came all this way. But I’m going to have to say no. You see, Villain has had a hard day, today. Usually they’re very well-behaved, but they had some trouble today. I don’t think it would be the best idea to rile them up like that, right now. I’m terribly sorry.”

Hero put their hand in their pocket, ensuring that the doctors could not see as they balled it into a fist.

“I understand.” They nodded, trying their best not to grit their teeth. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s terribly unfortunate. If you had just come another day... But I don’t want to waste your time entirely. And it’s such a terribly long drive across town.” Again, Head Doctor’s countenance was brightened by a grin. “You won’t be able to see your nemesis today, but how about a tour? You can speak to our other patients, if you would like. They’re eating lunch right about now.”

A tour.

Hero could work with that.

“That would be great. Are you sure it’s... Are you sure it’s safe? Not that I’m worried or anything, but.”

“Of course it’s safe. It’s always safe, here. Come on. I’m sure everyone will be delighted to see you.”

Yeah. Delighted.

Head Doctor’s blue scrubs rippled under the bright florescents as they turned, heading back towards that door at the rear of the room. It felt almost too good to be true, but Hero wasted no time in following suit.

This door, unlike the others, was metal, and required a key to be passed through. It opened with a rather heavy creak, and clicked solidly as it closed behind Hero. They almost jumped.

If they were being quite honest, they had never really thought about where villains went after they were locked up. Like a hunting dog, they had little care where their prey ended up, only that they retrieved it. If they had to guess where their fallen foes ended up, they would have likely described a well-secured concrete building, complete with snipers and barbed wire.

Not a cute little hospital ward.

The door from the lobby opened into a wide-open, carpeted space, decorated by several sofas and a television, alongside a few well-stocked bookshelves. Beyond it, three hallways sprouted-- one to the front, and one to the left or the right.

Every door was wood.

“We call this the commons.” Head Doctor explained with a smile. “A sort of... hang out space. And those two halls lead to the patients rooms. Not much to see there.”

In an awfully hurried manner, they lead Hero forwards, into the hallway that led straight out from the commons. It was wide, with several doors on either side. Yet, not a single window.

“This is where me and my colleagues work, most of the the time. It’s mostly offices for our therapists. And that one, there, is my office.”

During the whole explanation, they did not stop walking forwards. They only did so at the end of the hallway, where a door was embedded.

“Um... This is the dining hall, just past this door. Everyone is eating lunch right now. I assure you that it’s perfectly safe, but I understand if you don’t want to see some of your, um, old foes.”

“It’s fine.” Hero did their best to smile. “Is Villain in there?”

“No. They decided to eat lunch in their room today.” Head Doctor chimed, opening the door. From behind it, there was no sound.

Nothing that Head Doctor said had been untrue. The dining hall was clean, immaculately so, scattered with plastic tables and chairs, both painted to look as though they were made of wood. Each table only sat two people, and most of them were full.

Full of the city’s worst. Villains who had hurt people, who had killed dozens.

They seemed happy enough, at least based upon the expressions on their faces. It was just about as typical as a cafeteria during mealtime could get.

Except for the quiet.

Even with the two dozen or so people sitting and eating, not a single one spoke. Each and every one of them seemed intent on sitting and eating the food before them. 

Hero scanned the room a moment, gaze eventually setting upon one of the few tables with an empty chair. They didn't recognize the villain very well. They may have had ice-related powers, or something of the like. But they had fought, at least once. And Hero didn’t remember them being that horrible.

It was something. It was the best they were going to get.

“Head Doctor?” They spoke up.

“Yes, Hero?”

“There’s someone else here, I want to speak to.” They gestured towards the villain, sitting alone. Staring at their food. Engrossed. “We used to, um, we fought a lot. I want to talk to them.”

“Oh? Well, that’s just fine by me. It’s always good to reconcile. They’re a model patient. Do you want anything to eat?”

“No thank you.”

“Alright, then. I’ll be back at the end of lunch, if that sounds alright?”

“That’s just fine.”

“Splendid! I will see you then, Hero.”

Hero ducked their head in agreement, waiting until the doctor had left before approaching the table. They moved slowly, taking a seat across from the villain that they couldn’t so much as remember the name of. Even as they sat down, the person across from the table did not so much as bat an eye.

They only did so when Hero spoke up:

“Um, hello.”

It was oddly slow, the way in which the villain raised their head. They placed down their fork gingerly, smiling.

“Hello, Hero. I haven’t seen you in quite some time.”

“Uh, you neither. How are you doing?”

“I am doing just fine, Hero.” It was terribly stilted, the way in which they spoke, as though they had to carefully consider each word. “How are you doing?”

“Fine.”

“Did you come here to visit me?”

“Um, not you specifically. I came here to visit Villain.”

The edges of the villain’s smile flickered a moment, as if continuing to keep them upturned was quickly becoming a major effort.

“You should leave this place, Hero.” Even as they said it, their smile never fell. “It’s not worth it.”

Their hand gripped around the handle of their fork.

“Do you know where they are? Where Villain is?”

“Yes I do, Hero. I did not think you would care. It is you who put them here.”

“I didn’t do anything. Are they-” They looked around, expecting to see at least one guard, one nurse, one orderly. But the dining hall was barren of every person except villains. “Are they okay?”

“If I tell you that, I will end up like them. You do not want to be in this place, Hero. You should leave this place.”

“Um-” A single drop of sweat dripped down the side of their face, tracing their jawline. “I really suddenly need to use the bathroom.”

“It’s right there.” The villain raised a hand, pointing to a door labelled ‘16 - Restrooms′. “The bathroom is in room 43.”

Hero didn’t have to be given the hint twice.

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Thanks so much for reading! Just like last time, there are two options along with every part of this story. Alongside each options is a question, so that you guys can give more specific suggestions if you so wish. The option that receives the most votes will be the choice that our Hero makes! 

A.) Risk it all and attempt a prison break - Should Hero attempt to free the others, as well?

B.) Don’t take the risk. Leave and reconsider - Should Hero tell anyone what they saw?

#whump #whumpee #whumblr #nemesis #hero villain whump #whump community #villain whumpee #hero villain prompt #hero villain #choose your own adventure #choose your own whump

[buckybabybaby]

café d'amour

A/n: my entry to @firefly-in-darkness 's challenge. Thank you for letting me enter! I left it to the last minute once again, but! This time it's not late so... fingers crossed next time I'm early xxx

Proof read with a text-speech device.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/reader (gender neutral)

Word count: 3537

Warnings: none! :]

Plot: Maybe covering a friends shift in a city park coffee kiosk won't be too bad if it means running into a certain super soldier.

coffee-shop sort of au, fluff and more fluff.

Masterlist

*****

The machine humming quietly in the corner of the tiny hut seems to be mocking you, a constant reminder of just how out of your depth you are. People who think working in a coffee shop, or in your case, a take-out kiosk, is easy, should try it for a day and see if their opinion changes. This is so far away from your usual job, safe and warm re-shelving books in the colleges library, but a promise is a promise, so you've just got to suck it up for the next few weeks and hope you don't mess anyone’s orders up too badly.

Peter is going to owe you big time after this.

When he'd asked you to cover for him in his small business, you had agreed without properly thinking about what time of year it is, and how cold the wind can be when you're stood still in it for hours on end. Two days in and your hands have aged about ten years from the combination of frequent washing and the icy air, and the layers of thermals you've got on under your uniform fleece and matching joggers are making you look a little rounder than you actually are, you couldn't care less though as long as you are warm. The water heater provides a little warmth, leaking through to your skin if you press up against it, but you've found the best way to escape the freezing gusts is to crouch down below the counter when the queues have diminished.

That's where you are now, half heartedly straightening the packets of treats, getting distracted by the many different types of cookies and brownies, and not keeping an eye out for potential customers.

“Hello? Is this self-serve or what?”

The voice startles you, so close without warning, almost like they crept up on you. Hopping up quickly, you hover your hands under the sanitiser and rub them together as you collect yourself and prepare your speech.

“Hello! Sorry! Hello,” You start again, marginally calmer, “Welcome to-”

That's as far as you get, not even able to ask what they 'fancy today?' before the customer interrupts.

“Just a coffee. Black. No fancy milks or syrups or anything, no cakes or anything extra. Just coffee, okay?”

Finally looking up from your now dry hands, you take in the man who has placed such a blunt order. He's attractive enough, the little you can see underneath his hat, something about him familiar to you, his tone definitely one you've got used to over the past day or so, though he's not anywhere close to the rudest person you've served.

You smile pleasantly, in the disarming way you've learnt. “Okay, just coffee, got it. And a name for the cup?”

He looks around at the lack of other customers. “Is that necessary?”

Laughing self-consciously, you say, “Probably. If it gets busy I'd hate for it to get mixed up. I'm new.”

“Ah.” He tuts. “James.”

“James, cool. That'll be a few minutes.”

As you grab a pen to write his name on the sleeve of a cup, he shuffles off to the side, adjusting his hat as he does, and when his coat slips a bit down his left arm your mind goes blank. He's not paying attention to you so your staring goes unnoticed as you realise why you thought he was familiar earlier, wondering how it didn't click when he said his name, but then again wrapped up in his scarf and gloves it's not surprising. You're guessing he doesn't want to be recognised right now, hence the use of his real, less known name, so before he can catch your mild freak-out you look away and messily scribble on the side of his cup.

Even a simple order can be a struggle for you, and now, slightly flustered from serving the Winter Soldier, you make sure to double check the measurements before you start, concentrating hard to make the greatest cup of coffee he's ever had. There's a reason this kiosk has a reputation for the best hot drinks in the park and you aren't about to ruin it by messing up the order of Captain America's best friend.

Breathing a sigh of relief as you place the lid on top of the perfectly brewed coffee, you tap it against the table to get his attention. “Here you go. The machines ready.”

Pulling his hands out of his pockets, he swipes his card to pay then grabs the cup off the counter, murmurs something that could have been a 'thanks' and takes off along the dim path leading him deeper into the park.

“Well.” Huffing as you lean against the glass front of the booth, you watch his retreating form with a small frown. He wasn't anything like you thought he might. The media has built him up to be some sort of tragic figure, one to be feared and pitied in equal measure, but all you saw was yet another city dweller on a quest for caffeine.

At least now you have a story to tell from your time working in the coffee kiosk, aside from the ones about frozen fingers and half-spilt drinks.

*****

The next day he's back, around the same time in the afternoon, as the daylight is dying and the street lights are flickering into life, about an hour before closing. You're finishing up a complicated order for a group of friends when you notice him standing away from the small crowd, waiting for them to leave before he approaches.

“I want a coffee like yesterday,” He says, adding as though an after thought, “Please.”

“One black coffee?” You confirm.

He nods, watching closely as you locate the pen to write on his cup. Before you can even open the cap, he's butting in. “Why don't you have a name tag?”

You freeze, confused. Meeting his eye, you flush under the intense way he's staring you down. “Why don't I-?”

“You see, I have a very good memory, despite my age. I distinctly remember telling you my name is James, so imagine my surprise seeing my nickname written on my cup when I looked properly.”

His expression is not giving away any clues on how he feels about this invasion of privacy. Heart racing, you search for the right words to apologise, and convince him you're not some crazy stalker.

There's no chance to speak as he's continuing. “So I thought I'd come back today and find out your name, then we'd be even. But you don't have a badge on. Why not?”

“I'm so sorry,” You breathe, unsure what more you can say. “I swear I'm not a weirdo, I just recognised you yesterday and I must have written the wrong name by accident.” A beat of silence, then you propose a way to make it right, “How about free coffee for life?”

He laughs, a glorious sound in the crisp air, and your shoulders relax at the genuinely happy noise. “Aren't you new? Are you allowed to make promises like that?”

Wincing, you admit, “Probably not. But when I explain it to Peter I'm sure he'll understand.”

“Peter?”

You start working on his drink as you talk. “He owns this place. And normally works this shift, I'm only covering whilst he's away.”

“Oh.” The hissing of steam drowns out his next sentence, you only catch the last half, “-here how long?”

“Couple of weeks, maybe? Not too long hopefully. You'll have a professional barista back soon, don't worry.”

“I think you're doing fine.”

The words are spoken so softly, such a contrast from how you thought this conversation would end, and the shock has you fumbling with the finished cup of coffee, nearly spilling the scolding liquid all over your fingers.

“Careful.”

Taking the cup from you, his hand lingers against yours for a moment too long and you force yourself to stand up straighter and away from his touch. The last thing you want is to become a horrible cliché, falling for a customer after a few sweet lines.

He grabs a few napkins to wipe the cup dry, then looks expectantly at the card machine.

“I meant it, free for life,” You say, determined.

Shaking his head, he roots around in his pockets, pulling out a couple of notes and sliding them across the counter towards you. “Old fashioned money it is then. I didn't mean to come across as angry earlier, or yesterday, thinking about it. Sorry about the whole,” He waves his hand around vaguely, “Murderous vibe I give off, or whatever Sam calls it.”

He rolls his eyes fondly when talking about his team mate, and you giggle as you reassure him. “You didn't look murderous, just a bit like you might sue me.”

“Ugh.” He wrinkles his nose. “Not really my style.”

Your bank balance is thankful. “And to answer your question, I'm Y/N.”

Blowing on to the top of his drink, he takes several steps back, all whilst keeping eye contact. “Well then Y/N, I guess I'll see you tomorrow.”

“I'll be here.”

With that, Bucky waves goodbye with a wide smile, disappearing into the dusk as you wonder just how much trouble he's going to be.

*****

The kind of trouble you don't mind, you find out when you run in to him again the next day, a lot earlier than you imagined. In an attempt to keep yourself warm for the long hours stood in the open, with only a waist high counter between you and the frozen air, you've taken to walking around the park before you are due to start, so the heat generated by the exercise keeps you warm for at least a proportion of your shift.

The sunshine is deceptive this afternoon, doing nothing to raise the temperature as you wander around the edge of the lake. Lost in thought, a sudden shout from behind makes you jump.

“Hey, Y/N! Wait up.”

Turning around, you struggle to place the voice as you scan the few people also on this side of the park. None of them are even looking in your direction, let alone trying to draw your attention, and you're about to continue on your way thinking you must have misheard when a body nearly crashes into yours. This is not an image you ever thought you would see; the Winter Soldier panting to catch his breath after jogging up to you, all because you're on first name terms and not because you've suddenly turned to a life of crime.

“Bucky?”

At your bemused tone, his face drops. “Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. If you want to be alone, I can go, I just thought-”

“No! No, it's okay. I don't mind a bit of company.”

You share a smile, and he lets you take the lead back along the small track, winding its way between the trees and the water.

He breaks the silence a few meters along. “So, what do you normally do?”

“Me? Err,” You pause, trying to think of how to make yourself sound interesting to someone who spends his life side by side with superheroes and literal gods. Sighing in defeat as you conclude you're always going to be boring in comparison, you mumble, “I work in the library where I'm also a student.”

Bucky doesn't appear to think you're dull. “That's cool!” He says, like he means it. “I miss being in school.”

“So did I, so when I got the chance I went back. I'm a bit older than most of the students-”

He snorts. “I know how that feels.”

“But I'm determined to get my degree this time.”

“I'm sure you will.” He grins at you and you're inexplicably filled with hope that he's right. “And after? Do you know what you want to do once you've graduated?”

You shake your head. “Right now all I'm focused on is passing exams and submitting essays on time. I'll think about the future when it's closer.”

“That's fair. Nothing wrong with waiting to figure things out.” More reassurance from this relative stranger. You didn't know how much you needed it until just now.

“Most people say I need a ten year plan or something.”

“Most people are wrong. But,” He pauses, and you hold your breath as you anticipate his words. “Can I suggest if you go into business, maybe don't start off by offering life time free supplies at the drop of a hat?”

Two minutes in to this 'friendship' and he's already teasing you? What is going on? Turning your face away so he can't see your stupid grin at this turn of events, you really would believe this is some sort of perfect daydream if it wasn't for the all too real frozen mist clinging to your coat and the ends of your hair.

“I'll try to remember that, thanks.”

Dodging a puddle in the middle of the path, you're trying to come up with a witty retort to impress him when your phone buzzes in your pocket.

“If you need to get that-”

“Oh, no. It's only my alarm to remind me not to wander too far from work before I need to start.”

“Soon?”

“Yeah.”

“I'll walk you back, then.”

Not wanting to leave his side quite yet, you let him accompany you back through the trees, but you refuse his offer to carry you across a muddy part of the path where the stream has burst it's banks. Flushing as he laughs at your careful steps, you manage to get across without completely ruining your shoes, informing him you've learnt the hard way that these trails aren't exactly 'white trainer friendly' as the kiosk looms into view.

Relieving the worker from the morning shift, you rearrange the counter back to the way you like it before any customers turn up, watching Bucky hovering nearby until you give him a questioning look.

He clears his throat. “If I came this way the same time tomorrow, would I bump into you then?”

The hopeful look he gives you would be enough for you that, even if this walk wasn't part of your daily routine already, you would have made it so in order to see his again.

“Uh huh. Are you planning too?”

“Whenever I come with Sam, we always end up getting recognised with the way he can't keep his voice down. It's nice not having that sort of attention. So if you don't mind?”

“I don't mind.” A patron approaches and reluctantly you turn away, sending a quiet promise to your new friend. “See you tomorrow, Bucky.”

*****

The days past so fast now they're full of work, both at the kiosk and in the library, trying to study, and, most importantly, walking with Bucky every afternoon. Some days the two of you talk the whole way, conversation flowing so easily you're amazed at how honest you are, like you've never been with anyone before, and other days you walk together in relative quiet, completely comfortable in each others presence.

Falling for him is the quickest and easiest thing you've ever done. Dealing with your feelings, however, might be somewhat harder.

With the lighter evenings comes the message that Peter is finally on his way home and soon you'll be free of your second job. It feels like a bolt from the blue, to be reminded that this is only temporary and in not too long you will no longer have an excuse to see Bucky.

You mention it to him a week before your last shift.

“Isn't that good?”

“I guess.” Your reply is short and unenthusiastic, changing the subject quickly to hide how heartbroken you are.

Time moves too fast, and before you know it you're greeting him on that last day, taken aback as he presents you with a small cardboard box, which when you take it, is much heavier than it looks. “Natasha gave it to me for you. Apparently it's really good for your hands. I thought you could try it? Now you won't have to wash them constantly?”

Scanning the sides reveals that it contains a moisturiser, from some luxury brand you've never even thought to try, too far out of your price range. “Oh, this is too much, I can't take-”

“Yes you can.”

“Let me give you something-”

Gently tugging your hand back out of your bag, he stops you from grabbing your purse by enclosing his gloved fingers around yours. When he doesn't let go, instead pulling you along and down towards your now usual route, you let him, gaping at the back of his head before coming to your senses and squeezing his hand in a kind of thanks.

“This is a very kind present.”

He shrugs it off. “It's nothing. When it's your birthday or something, then I'll get you a proper present. Presents, plural,” He emphasises as your eyes widen at the thought. “Nah, this is just one of the hundreds of products Natasha gets sent in the vain hope she'll provide the companies with some free advertising. Better you have it than it go to waste.”

It still feels like a gift to you. “Well then, thank you for thinking of me.”

“Always.” The implication of that one word would have been entirely missed if it wasn't for the panicked look on Bucky's face as he corrects himself. “I... I mean, of course.”

Stopping in the middle of the path, your joined hands cause him to halt too and the atmosphere grows tense as you stare at each other, unsure where to start. The minutes haven't stopped ticking down until you're due on your last shift, and with the implication that comes with hanging over you like a dark cloud, now seems just as good a time as any to bring it up.

You hesitantly begin. “Bucky, can I say something?”

Mutely, he gestures for you to proceed.

“Right, so you know today's my last day at the kiosk, at least until Peter goes away again, so, that means I won't have a reason to walk around here any more. Or I won't, unless...”

“Unless?”

“Unless I do. Unless you still want to come around the park with me, even if it's for no more reason than simply going for a walk?”

“I'd love that.”

The relief that flows though you as he agrees is almost physical, gripping onto his hand in yours just a little tighter.

Feeling brave, you dare to push your luck. “And if it was more than just a walk?”

It takes a moment, but then you see the realisation dawning on his face, a slow smirk appearing as he takes a step into your space. “More?”

You know he knows what you mean, that he's playing with you. That doesn't soothe your doubts though, hoping beyond hope that you're not misinterpreting his teasing.

“Yeah. More.”

Letting go of your hand in order to bring one arm around your waist and pull you closer, your own come to rest against his lapels as he dips his head down.

“I think I'd like more,” He whispers.

You swallow as his gaze slips to your mouth, sinking in his embrace as his lips brush against yours, so soft and brief it barely registers,

Moving back to put a bit of room between the two of you, his thumb brushes over the corner of your mouth as you pout sadly.

“You can have another one once you've finished tonight. Maybe. Or maybe you'll have to wait until after our date tomorrow.”

You frown. “Tomorrow?”

“Yep. If you're free?”

“Always.” Repeating his earlier phrase with a sly smile, you turn around to continue along the track, leaving him speechless for a second before he rushes to fall into step.

His arm slides through yours. “So, is it okay to wait for you tonight?”

“You've just kissed me and you're still asking that?”

“I'm just checking.” When you don't answer he presses, “Is it? I don't want to impose.”

'Too late for my heart', you think but don't say, not wanting to scare him off, instead nodding in reply and leaning into his side as you wind your way through the woodland path. The fear you had felt this morning at potentially having to say goodbye to Bucky feels like a distant memory, and as you watch the sunlight dance across his hair you realise you could never have let today be the last. You started this job reluctantly and now, instead of Peter owing you for the favour, it seems you owe him.

Peter doesn't needs to know just yet, you decide.

That usually particularly muddy part of the path has become even muddier after the overnight rain, and this time you allow him to pick you up in his arms and carry you across, feeling its finally appropriate now your relationship has changed. Setting you down on the other side, he presses a kiss to your forehead almost absent-mindedly, and your tummy does a flip as you take a second or two to admire his profile.

You sigh happily. So much for not becoming a cliché.

*****

Thank you for reading!! Masterlist

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky imagine #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes fanfiction #buckybabybaby

[shysnowflake]

Hello~ would like to request Xiao X reader which he was on bad day , give cold shoulder and tell them to get lost , then reader just smile sadly . Agreeing his wish and really didnt come meet , how will he fix the situation ? angst abit and fluff at the end please Thank u ~~~~ One shot pls 🙏🙏🍀

“Mistakes”: XIAO X GN! READER

YAY! my first ask, I really hope you like this one and that I meet up with your expectations🥺❤️

btw,any feedback or constructive criticism is welcome✨

““Summary: to hurt is as human as to breathe.””

Certain days are tougher than others,for the Adeptus today were being extremely frustrating, he had met Signora and her men trying to sneak in Lyue,Xiao fulfilled his duty to protect the area,but the woman was much stronger than he'd ever expected, the intense and unknown negative emotions were too much for him to cope with and he felt vulnerable for the first time and like he was not good enough so he decided to just drive those feelings away and not think about it.

{name} were free today so they decided to spend the day in the Inn and give the chief in the kitchen a little hand, the afternoon was fun, a lot of swearing and shouting on the part of the chief, but still fun. Now the Sun was kissing the moon goodbye while they waited patiently for their lover to come back with a warm almond tofu dish they had baked earlier.

When they heard footsteps they went to the balcony and saw Xiao standing there,they take notice that he seemed mad which made them worry about what had happened “welcome back Xiao!” They welcomed him as they stopped next to the man who just nodded, but didn't even look at them, "Did something happen?" Although they knew the answer, they wanted Xiao to tell them because he felt to “nothing that matter to you” {name} were surprised by the sharp tone that the Adeptus had used,it hurt a lot but they tried their best to cheer up the man,even if he didn't want to talk right now they still could try to comfort him “Xiao,I’m sure that whatever happened today it must have been especially hard on you,but don’t worry I'm always here for you when you need-” they said as they tried to reach out for the man’s shoulder but getting their hand slapped away before they could “need you? Why would I ever need a human like you? Do you really thought that you could help me? Don’t say such naive words” Xiao were out of himself,the feeling of being insufficient and not being able to protect his beloved one crossed his mind at the moment and the best choice for him was to push them away,this way they weren't going to get hurt “Leave me alone...{name}” he said in a cold and distance voice as he finally looked at them,but what he saw was somenting that he never even though he would see,{name}were crying but still held a kind and soft smile on their face “I’m sorry,I won’t bother you anymore” they said in a frail and broken voice turning around and leaving.

Xiao was paralyzed,he had made them cry,he had hurt them and he didn't even try to stop them from leaving. The feeling of regret pilling up and leaving a bitter taste in his mouth as his chest felt as it was about to burst,an panic attack,{name} normally would hold him close and help him calm down but this time he were alone,he leaned in the balcony and took deep breaths trying to calm himself down and don't listen to his own thoughts,when a voice called “Xiao? Is everything okay?” it was the inn owner,the Adeptus didn't respond it so she got closer and analyzed the situation,the man were clearly having some sort of panic attack and she had just seen his s/o running off while crying “okay,Xiao focus on my voice,take deep breaths and don’t listen to your thinking,it doesn't matter what they are saying it’s not true or real” she tried to help him using the experience she had from other customers “Verr Goldet... it hurts” the man said and the boss lady were aware that he was referring to the fight with {name} not the physical pain “I’m sure it does,the pain we all feel it’s just another proof that we are alive so use that chance to get yourself together and go fix whatever it is you did before it's too late.” the boss lady of the Inn cared about Xiao a lot and had grown to like {name} just as much,so seeing the state they both were just broke her heart “thank you” and with that he ran off the Inn with his heart calmer searching for his loved one, just before he left, something got his attention, a plate of tofu thrown in the trash at the door, he walked closer and the remorse he felt only intensified but he was determined to get them back and apologize, they were his safe place and had always been there for him but how would he tell them those things?!

It's been two days since the fight and since then, Xiao hadn't seen them, he had searched everywhere and nothing, there was just one spot where he didn't step his foot in the land of Barbatos, Mondstadt. The adeptus was not supposed to leave Lyue,however he went to Zhongli and explained what had happened,the archon felt bad for his guardian so he allowed him to go but he had to come back with  {name},that was Zhongli condition which Xiao accept it and now found himself standing at the great gates of the city of freedom “wait for me,{name}” he thought as he walked into the town. 

Xiao was uncomfortable with the staring he was receiving and even considered going around the roof, but that could get him into trouble, so he just had to endure the whispering while walking in the direction of the headquarters of the knights.

The adeptus knew that you were there since many times you had told him about your best friend being part of the knights,as he entered the building after escaping the guards he heard the voice he had missed so much in the last days “Xiao?” he looked up and saw {name} with a blue pirate looking man standing by their side “{name},can we talk?” he cut the chase because he wanted to leave that place and have a moment with his s/o alone however the knight didn't seem to like that idea “oh? So you are the famous Xiao huh?! I’m Kaeya captain of the knights of favonius-” “I’m not here to talk to you” "Well then I'm sorry to break it to you but {name} is staying right here with me," Kaeya said as he pulled them closer to his body,Xiao was getting angry by the man’s snarky attitude but deep down he understood it “{name},can we please talk?” he asked one more time and before Kaeya could let out another comment {name} responded it “Xiao wait for me at the garden,then we will talk” the adeptus turned without any other word and went to the garden obediently.

“You can’t seriously be considering going” Kaeya said as soon the adeptus left,“look Kaeya,I know you’re mad at him because of how you found me that night but I know that wasn't Xiao that time,and just the fact that he came to Mondstadt when he wasn't supposed to prove how much he regretted it.” {name} was still hurting from those words but they knew that something extremely serious must have happened to Xiao for him to react that way, however they still wanted their questions answered “fine,but if he says or do anything like that again I'm sending him back to Lyue by force” {name} giggles by Kaeya sentence “well then I’m off”. 

When they arrived at the garden, they saw the man standing by the fountain “Xiao” he looked back and got closer to them,he was relieved and glad that they were unharmed but the tired expression and red eyes from crying made him look down in shame from his actions “I’m sorry” that was the first thing he said to them before explained the whole situation with Signora 

“I know it doesn't excuse what I said that night, but if it weren't for you, I'd be so... hollow, when I said that I didn't need you, that was such a huge lie, you're the only person I need! I feel so ashamed for my actions but I still couldn't give up,not on you,so I’m sorry for everything I said.. I’m so sorry” his voice went quiet at the last line but still had the same tone of remorse,Xiao knew the feeling of being left alone and he was scared of going back to that,{name} walked closer to him and cupped his face to make him look up “I'm not asking you to tell me everything Xiao,just rely on me more all right?” they said with a warm smile on their face,Xiao seeing that there was no one around,he gently wrapped his arms around their body pulling them close “I love you..{name}” The sudden confession took them aback because he was definitely not the type to say or do this kind of thing in open spaces, but everything had been so problematic over the last few days that they just wrapped their arms around him and whispered back “I love you too.. Xiao”

#genshin impact #genshin headcanons #genshinfanfic #genshin impact headcanons #xiao x reader #genshin xiao

[caesthetix]

KIDS IN LOVE — Pt. 3 Old Friend

↪Porco Galliard mini-series

↪content; canon universe, description of violence, unrequited love, admiring from afar, season 4 spoiler, manga spoiler 127

"Hoi, (Y/n)! Can you help me with this stew?!" Hange shouted even though you were just a few metres away from them. "I know I said I will cook today, but I think something is missing!" You could only shake your head in amusement before plucking some rosemary and edible mushrooms that you could find.

"I'll be there in a few minutes, Hange." You answered with the same enthusiasm, yet a lot calmer tone compared to the rowdy brunette. Someone from the survey corps assisted you in your task, searching for some oyster mushrooms or morels that grew nearby. The name was Connie, if you were not mistaken.

"You know, I used to do this with my best friend." He spoke up, it was the first time he tried to initiate a conversation with you. "She was a good hunter, her aiming was like something out of this world, and she knew a lot of things about woods too." He looked so excited as he shared a piece of his life, but you could hear the melancholy lingering there in his voice.

In this endless war between Marley and Paradis, you wondered how many people lost their loved ones. Everyone was fighting their own battle inside their heart, setting aside all the grief so they could continue to devote their heart to the war. And a small moment shared like this was the only normal thing that could be found.

"She seemed lovely." You answered with a gentle smile on your face, putting the mushrooms to the basket.

"Oh, she is not." He snorted as he dismissed the compliment. "She is anything but lovely. A prankster, gluttonous, she only had one goal in her life and that was to reclaim our freedom so she could do nothing but eat."

You chuckled at that, even letting out a snort too at how he grumbled under his breath.

"Well, at least she seemed fun to be around with." He didn't argue with you on that and shared with you a few memories that he had with her. How she ate a warm potato in front of the Cadet Corps instructor, even giving the old man half of it, not caring that everyone looked at her with horror.

You learned a lot with just a simple story that he shared with you. Connie could be a prankster, somewhat reckless too, yet he would do anything to protect his friends. The two of you spent time together plucking mushrooms and sharing past lives, holding on to the new comfort that was found before getting back to duty.

"By the way, I think I remember where I heard your name before." He grabbed the basket in your hand as he walked beside you to the camp. "Niccolo, the other chef from Marley was close with my best friend, and he told us that he had a fellow chef who could cook even better than him."

"You know Niccolo?" You whipped your head to face him, ignoring the fact that your friend just praised you so easily. You couldn't contain your excitement, someone from Paradis knew your friend after all.

"Yes, I could say we are pretty close. Since Sasha, that gluttonous best friend of mine, kinda had a thing with him." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully, making you chuckle in an instant knowing the implication. Now you wanted to meet her for real, it would be lovely to see your friend being flustered over a woman.

As the laugh between you died down, silence followed you once again, but it was not one that made you want to excuse yourself out from. He started to loosen up around you, and it was good to know that at least some of them didn't set a deadly eye upon you like how it used to.

"I will take it from here." You snatched back the basket from his hand before rushing ahead to Hange, making him bewildered with how sudden it was. You didn't stop your pace, but you turned for a while to wave at him. "See you later, Connie! I will cook tasty food for all of you!"

The scout was taken aback by your words just now. Knowing that someone who days ago was his enemy by nation, now would cook for them was something that even he couldn't believe. He didn't know what drives you to fight, you mentioned that it was freedom, but somehow he felt that it was a little more than that.

But it didn't matter what it was anymore, he was happy to know you now.

"I wish you could meet her, Sasha."

〄

You were not really surprised that something like this would happen. One second everyone was eating stew together, another Jean was tackling Reiner to the ground for telling the truth about something that happened a few years ago when he was here. There was so much rage inside Jean's eyes, something that you never saw from him since he always seemed to be the calmest among all.

Well, you only knew him for a few days, of course, you wouldn't know much about the rest of them.

You flinched when you saw Reiner getting beaten up, his face was now covered with his own blood. It was no secret that he could heal himself, but anger like this was dangerous to be kept alive. Everyone started to get along, this was not something that you wanted to see, because now, it felt like a drawback on both sides.

You couldn't take the shouting anymore, you couldn't bear to see two people that were supposed to be friends like this because of these circumstances. From the corner of your eyes, you saw how Gabi wanted to throw herself on top of Reiner.

But you stopped her, pushing her petite body out of the way before replacing her place.

"Jean!"

You gripped Reiner's shoulders so tight as you felt Jean's feet kicking your ribcage. Tears build up in your eyes, either it was from the guilt of wanting freedom by killing the Eldian in Paradis or because of the pain, you didn't know anymore.

This was too much for you, violence. Porco warned you that someday you would see more than just someone hurting an enemy. In war, even friends could turn into a foe. You let Gabi do the talking, yet all she said was left unanswered as Jean wriggled himself free and turned around.

"Hey, I think we should do something for you." You heard Annie's soft voice as she put her hand on your back. This gesture was enough to make you lift your face, teary eyes staring back to the blue orbs. "It hit right on your rib cage, right? We need to check if it is broken or something."

Gritting your teeth, you slowly moved your body to sit. Everyone was watching you carefully, even the rest of the scouts were looking at you with worry in their eyes. You tried to keep the expression on your face as neutral as possible, didn't want to show them that it hurts.

"I am fine, Annie. You should take care of Reiner." You answered her with a monotonous voice, blinking back the tears that were threatening to spill before. "It was nothing that I couldn't handle."

Annie didn't look convinced at your response, she narrowed her eyes a little, observing your face who was now averting her gaze by looking down.

"You are not a titan shifter, you can't heal yourself." She stated, not wanting to back down knowing how stubborn you could be. "You didn't grow to be a warrior or a soldier, you are just a chef."

"I am not weak!" You knew that she didn't mean any harm by saying that. "And I am not a kid either!" But that didn't mean it hurt any less.

"Hey, I didn't say that you are weak, and no one said that you are a kid—"

"Porco did!"

You balled your hand into a fist, sucking a deep breath as you wanted to keep your emotion in check. Annie was taken aback by your sudden outburst, even mentioning the dead comrade. Letting out a long sigh, you relaxed your hand.

"Porco always said that, Annie." You continued, still looking down as you felt so vulnerable. "And I am tired. I want to be stronger so I can keep on living, so I could reach my freedom." Then you lifted your head, now finally looked at her. "Our freedom." Something that your old friend couldn't get to see in this world.

You gave her a small smile before looking down to see Reiner, feeling relieved that he started to let out some steam, notifying that he had started to heal. Suddenly, you felt something pushing at your back, making you yelp as you didn't expect someone trying to put pressure on your body.

"Becoming stronger doesn't mean you neglect any pain that you felt." You widened your eyes as you saw Pieck, who was now in titan form, now sitting beside you. "You need to take care of your body, keeping your mind and emotions in check, don't be reckless and let Annie take a look at your rib cage."

You frowned at this, feeling like a little kid being scolded by her parents. Pieck could always change your heart despite some hurtful truth that she always spouted. She pushed you once again with her mouth so now you stumbled on Annie's arms.

Annie let out a small chuckle when she saw the pout on your face. She hoisted you up slowly, making sure that the gesture didn't hurt you more. You were still reluctant at first, but you knew better than to argue in front of them. She grabbed your arm and guided you further to check you up, and as you walked, you could see from the corner of your eyes how the scouts were all worried about you.

"Come on, soldier, let me see how your wound is." Annie pulled you back from your thought, her eyes fixated forward. Even if she was always detached when you were a kid, she tends to have a soft spot for fellow warriors and close friends.

"Alright." You answered softly, letting her take care of you. "Thank you, Annie."

"It's nothing." She shrugged her shoulders, and you were grateful that you had comrades who could get through your stubborn head. "After all, if Porco was here and you neglected the care, he would be the one who threw a tantrum at us for not convincing you better."

"Annie, not cool!"

〄

The sun seemed to be so cruel today, the sweats on your forehead didn't seem to stop as you sat on the wooden cart. On your left was Falco, he seemed to cling into you so much as Gabi did the same on your right, though careful not to put much pressure on your rib cage where you took Jean's hit last night.

You thanked God that it turned out to be nothing. There were some bruises on your skin, but your bones remained intact. Though sometimes you would still winch as the cart passed some bumps on the road.

"Miss (L/n), how are you feeling?" Falco asked softly, his big hazel eyes staring at you. You blinked, somehow seeing his big brother inside those beautiful orbs. He was caring, an optimist, no wonder Colt would sacrifice his life if that meant this little kid would not feel abandoned.

"Ah, it's nothing to worry about, Falco." You raised your arm that wrapped around his shoulder before patting his head. "It was just a scratch." Your orbs eyeing the man across you, Jean, who now had his head hanging low. You didn't want to worry anyone, and a little bruise was something that you could handle.

He nodded, seeming satisfied with your answer, and you thanked God once again that they were not too pushy like Annie and Pieck. His little fingers grasping on your green cloak, somehow didn't want to let it go.

The cart was filled with silence, and if only the sun was not cruel today, you bet that those two kids would be asleep in no time.

"Miss," Falco spoke up once again, earning a single hum from you, telling him to continue. "I don't mean to bring this up now. But," He hesitated, a look of conflict written all over his face. "I-I just want to say thank you."

"What for, dear?" You locked your gaze on him, now confused since you felt like you haven't done a lot in his life.

"For everything!" He exclaimed. "For making that tasty stew last night, for giving us warrior candidates free dessert when we passed by the restaurant, for telling us it's okay to be just a kid sometimes." Ah, you remembered that day. "And most of all," He trailed off before clearing his throat. "Thank you for making my brother happy."

Your lips parted, eyes never left his face as he gave you a beautiful smile. You could feel Reiner glanced at you with a knowing look, while Annie just raised one of her eyebrows in confusion. You felt like you stopped breathing as you processed the information, your mind suddenly played some of the memories that you had with the older Grice.

His never-ending smile when the kids were around, his serious expression that occurred when the talk of war was brought up, his gentle gaze that loved to settle on you —

"What are you looking at?"

You couldn't help but call him out as he stared in your direction. It was not like you were irritated, but more like you afraid his gaze would affect you in any kind of way. Though it seemed like your question just in from one ear and out from the other. "Colt, stop it, I swear."

"What?" He protested, a smile that tugged on his lips showing you that he knew you were not angry at him. "Is that so wrong to look at you?" So he did look at you.

"Well, I am here just to bake them some cake. Shouldn't you keep watch of them? What if they were missing?"

The warrior candidates; Gabi, Falco, Udo, Zofia, and Colt himself, were visiting your workplace before continuing their journey to the headquarters. They still had an hour before a meeting with the warriors, and Udo was begging for a free dessert that he would get if they stopped by your place.

While waiting for the cake to be done, the kids were running around the huge restaurant where you mainly served the Marley Military and the Warrior Unit. They were off the instant you told them to explore, saying that they should enjoy their time before getting drilled by the Commander.

You expected the big brother to follow them, but he ended up just sitting on one of the stools near the kitchen island, deciding to accompany you instead. When you prepared the ingredients and baked, you could feel his hazel eyes lingered on your form.

"They wouldn't like it if I go with them." He scoffed, feeling a little bit hurt. "Falco would shout at me to be with you instead, saying I am such a coward for—" He cleared his throat then as he realised his mistake. "Nevermind, those kids just didn't like to be accompanied by me all the time after all."

"Hm, that's an acceptable excuse." You chuckled softly, your words making him blush a deep shade of red at your accusation.

"I am not lying! Falco really said—"

"Calm down, Colt." You walked towards him and patted his shoulder lightly. "I am just messing with you, you know I trust you with anything." A gentle smile appeared on your lips as you gazed at him, and you could feel him stiffening in an instance.

Remembering something, you retracted your hand, somehow feeling guilty. You cast your gaze down as you recalled what Porco said about him a few nights before, something about how the older Grice took a liking to you. And no, not in a platonic way.

"You know, you don't have to think about it," Colt whispered, enough for you to hear. "I know who you set your eyes on, and I never expected you to look at me like that." He said it carefully, and you wondered how come he understood what you were feeling.

"But, Colt—"

"There was nothing for you to worry about." He chuckled, though you could hear a hint of sadness lingering there. "I never expected to have this kind of feeling too. But I am alright with that, I am grateful that when I feel like this, it was with you."

He looked up, giving you his signature smile. However, you knew this time it didn't reach his eyes, and you didn't dare to say anything. "I understand my place, (Y/n)." He continued, now reaching out his hand to ruffle your hair, the gesture felt so bittersweet yet comforting as it lingered even after he withdrew his hand.

"I am happy enough to have met you."

"It was nothing," You swallowed a huge lump, letting the tears blinding your vision as you ruffled the light blonde hair that belonged to Falco, doing the same thing that Colt always did to you to give comfort. "It was nothing."

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[zootopiathingz]

Inner Demons

The subconscious is a mysterious place.

As he searched his surroundings, all he saw was darkness. Nothing but a black empty void surrounded him on all ends. He wasn't sure if he was walking forward or back, and if he was walking toward something or further from it. Nick wasn't afraid, not anymore. He was quite familiar with this dark place. It was part of a recurring nightmare he had every now and then, ever since he was a child.

It never used to bother him that much after a couple years. He'd grown accustomed to its strange occurrences, and it usually played out the same every time so there was hardly any surprises. Nothing scared him or stressed him out. He just dreaded it every time, mostly because of the voice that would speak to him. It sounded like him, but with a much deeper and more disturbing tone. He just assumed it was what most mammals called the "inner demon".

But this time he was a bit worried. He hadn't been in this place since meeting his girlfriend two years ago, so now he didn't know what was to come from this dream. Maybe it would just be the same old, same old. But Nick had a terrible feeling that wasn't the case.

"Alright, let's just get this over with." He said aloud to whoever was listening. "What do you want now?"

He heard a small chuckle that echoed around him, causing a slight breeze to pass by.

Well, it seems we meet again.

Nick sighed wearily, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. You say that every time. Let me guess, you're here to tell me everything that's wrong with me and that I'll never be good for anything so there's no use in trying."

Silence was followed.

He scoffed, feeling a bit smug now. The voice had never not had a response before. Perhaps this was a sign he was finally conquering it. "Yeah, that's right. You've said it all before, it doesn't bother me anymore."

You're a lot more confident this time. But your smell..it's off.

"My what?" Nick asked, raising a brow. What the hell did it mean by his 'smell'? Did he give off a scent that the voice was used to?

Yes, you reek of...rabbit.

Nick's face went blank. "Wh..what do you mean?" He dared to ask.

Oh, that's right. You have that little partner of yours now. I had forgotten about her. No wonder you seem softer now.

"Softer?" He asked, putting his paw on his hip. "You know what, it doesn't matter. Can you just get your little speech over with so I can wake up and get back to my life?"

It was true, there was nothing it could say that Nick wasn't used to hearing. Hopefully this was the end of this nightmare, for good. Now that it's words didn't affect him, it would no longer have power. And that would be it.

But it seemed the voice had other plans.

Mmm, no. I say let's make this a little more interesting.

Nick's brows furrowed in suspicion. But before he had the chance to ask questions, he saw the blackness beginning to crumble. It shook the area, but it wasn't enough to make him need to duck and cover.

As the walls fell down, a much different scenery appeared around him. It was brighter, greener, and calmer. Once all the debris was gone and faded, he looked around to see he was somewhere in Zootopia, somewhere he actually recognized almost right away. There was some grass patches and rocks, and above him was an old stone bridge with moss growing out of it.

"Ah, geez." He said dreadfully. "Look whatever you're planning isn't gonna work!" He pointed upward, assuming that's where the voice was hiding. "I'm onto you!"

"Nick?"

His ears jolted up as he heard that familiar voice. It wasn't his inner demon, that was for sure. This voice was softer and more gentle. He would know it anywhere.

"Carrots!" He said, turning around to find the bunny standing on the opposite side of the under bridge. She looked so real and lifelike, almost like he could actually touch her. And maybe he could, but he knew this was no doubt a trick, and he didn't want to fall for it.

"Nick, what's going on? Why are you standing over there?" Judy asked, gesturing for him to come closer to her. "Come over here."

Just as Nick took a step toward her, his suspicions rose again. What if he got too close and the inner demon hurt him again? What if this was just another trap set for him to fall in? Most twisted of all, it was using Judy as bait to lure him in.

"Uh, I'm sorry but I um, I can't." He said, reluctant to get any closer to her, so he kept his feet perfectly still on the ground.

Judy frowned, "Why not?"

Now he felt bad. That look on her face was all too real. It looked exactly like her actual frown. And he hated seeing her upset. "Normally any other time I would, but right now there's something going on and I just can't."

She sighed, "Why do you always do this?"

"Do what?" He asked, feeling his nerves starting to creep up on him.

"Distance yourself." She answered, holding her arms. "Whenever I think that you've finally gotten used to being around me, you go and push me away. I understand you need space sometimes, but you don't need to act like it's the worst thing to let me help you."

Nick could hardly form a sentence in response to what she said. It was her voice, and it sounded just like her. But it didn't seem like her at all. She wouldn't ever actually say that to him.

Would she?

"Wh-what are you talking about? I don't push you away." He said, making it clear how much more nervous he was feeling.

"Yes, you do." She said, turning away. "It's like you're afraid to get too close to me. I just don't know if I can take it anymore, Nick."

His breath hitched for a second. He feared letting out another exhale, as if somehow breathing was going to make her walk away and leave him. "Wait, what? What are you saying?"

Judy sighed again, relaxing her shoulders from the scrunched position they were in. "I'm sorry, Nick. But I need to be with someone who's not afraid to talk to me, someone who won't push me away when they need my help."

"Wait, Carrots, don't!" He said, becoming desperate. Now he knew where this was going, and he didn't care for it one bit. Why would she do this? He didn't push her away that much, did he?

Then again, it was pretty hard to get close to others ever since the incident with the junior ranger scouts when he was little. The mammals he thought were his friends ended up hurting him in more ways than one. But Judy would never do anything like that him. So why did he still not fully trust her?

You're not good enough for her, anyway.

There it was. The voice from before, the voice from all these years starting to torture him again. Why was he not surprised?

Nick ignored it and dared to take a step closer to the bunny. "Carrots, please. I promise I'll try harder. You just have understand that it's hard for me to trust others."

It’s no use. She’s gonna leave you just like everyone else.

"I know, I know. But you've been saying that for two years." Judy said, tugging on the sleeves of her shirt. "How much longer do I have to wait?"

She deserves better than you. After all, you're just a no-good, lying fox.

Nick groaned in frustration, trying to shake away its words the best he could. But the voice was getting louder and harder to tune out. "Ugh, just stay out of this." He gritted his teeth.

You were never good enough. You never will be. And it's clear that she knows it, too.

"Just stop! You're lying!" He exclaimed.

"I'm not lying, Nick." Judy said, catching him off-guard. He didn't realize she could hear him talking to the voice.

Nick shook his head and paws, "No, no, I didn't mean— I, look I don't know what to do, okay? This is just..it's really hard for me! I know it's hard for you too but if you give me a chance, I promise I'll do better."

Judy sighed sadly, lowering her head. "You've said that before. Now I just don't believe you." She turned around, facing her back toward him. "I'm sorry, Nick."

He felt his heart sink to his stomach as she started to walk away. With every step he took, he saw the ground beneath her turn darker, creating an unsettling path. Even the grass within close distance turned brown and crinkly.

It was never going to last. How could a bunny ever love a fox?

Nick couldn't bare to see her go. Tears started forming in his eyes as he stepped out from under the bridge. "Carrots, wait! Don't leave!" He called out in desperation. "Just give me one more chance, I promise it'll be different! Carrots!"

Don't bother. She's gone, as she should be.

"This is all your fault!" He said angrily, looking up at the sky. "If you didn't torment me all these years, I could've given her what she deserves! I wouldn't be so afraid of getting close to everyone! And now you've taken away the one thing I care about most!"

Oh, you thought that was me taking her away?

It laughed. Nick didn't like that sound, it was spine-chilling. It made him uncomfortable beyond description. He never heard the voice laugh before, and something told him he wasn't going to like whatever followed.

Then, something else caught his attention. He gasped as he looked up at the bridge, spotting a red fox—that looked exactly like him—on all fours, growling deeply. As if that wasn't disturbing enough to look at, he also noticed that the fox was staring at something in the distance. And Nick knew exactly what it was. Or, rather who it was.

"No.." He whispered, turning around to glance at Judy again.

Immediately, the fox leapt down from the bridge and bolted toward the bunny at lightning speed.

"Judy, RUN!" He shouted loudly, making a run for it toward the scene. If he couldn't stop Judy from breaking it off with him, at least he could try and save her from whatever savage clone this was.

Judy didn't hear him, though. In fact she only realized what was happening once she heard a loud growl from behind her. She turned around and gasped, coming face to face with an angry fox that was darting toward her faster than the speed of sound.

Before Nick could catch up in time, the clone pounced on the rabbit and raised its paw up to slash its nails right into her face. She let out a horrific scream, unable to do anything to stop its assault.

Nick had to force himself to keep running, even though he almost froze for a second. The sounds of her agony made both his heart stop and his blood boil. And seeing a clone of himself hurting her in such a way only made it worse. He quickened his pace and eventually caught up to them before any more harm was caused.

He jumped onto the clone, pushing it off of Judy and pinning it to the ground. It squirmed and snarled, but otherwise was unable to fight back. Honestly it barely tried. "You son of a bitch!" He spat angrily, keeping its head against the dirt. "Stay away from her!"

It bared its teeth in response, now going still beneath him. Nick wasn't sure why it wasn't trying to escape, or why it hadn't just somehow disappeared, since this was obviously just the inner demon's creation. But that didn't matter right now.

He turned to look at Judy, who was sitting up and holding her face where she had been scratched. "Carrots! Are you okay?" He asked worriedly.

Judy slowly removed her paw, revealing the large gashes of blood over her eye and on her cheek. Oh god, it was worse than he thought. How could three claws cause so much damage to another animal?

She sniffed, as if she was about to cry. But when she opened her eyes to look at him, all he saw was resentment, and a hint of fear. She tried to scoot away, keeping a distance between them with the little strength she had.

"You really are a monster!"

Her words hit hard, like a knife to his chest. They rang in his ears to a point where it was all he could hear. They repeated, over and over until they were the only words he knew existed. He felt his whole body go numb, and his entire world crashed. The once calm and peaceful landscape around them went dark, and eventually turned to blackness again.

"N-no." Nick whispered, his eyes becoming watery. "No, I-I'm not a monster!"

He glanced down to look at the clone again, only to see that it was no longer there. In fact, the place he was in had changed. As it turned out, he was the one on the ground in the pinned position. He was the savage fox now.

"No, no, no, no. Wait, I- I didn't mean it." He said, starting to feel panicked and afraid. Judy just turned away, her figure turning into a silhouette of his cruel imagination. "Judy, wait please! I would never hurt you! You know that! Come back!"

No amount of begging was able to stop her from fading away. Now he was alone yet again in the endless void of darkness and isolation. He tried to move, but he was stuck. It felt like there were invisible chains holding him down—which knowing his imagination, that was probably the case.

"Judy wait! Please!" Nick shouted, even though he knew it was pointless. He heard the voice laugh yet again, this time it was louder and painfully obvious that it was up to no good.

It said nothing. Just laughed and laughed in a sickening taunt. The laughter only grew louder the more Nick struggled and squirmed in place, trying to flee from whatever trap he was in. And most cruelly of all, a muzzle was somehow making its way onto his face, right over his snout.

"No! No!" He cried out, feeling the muzzle straps tighten behind his head, which was starting to prevent him from opening his mouth anymore. He was stuck, helpless, and alone with nothing to stop his suffering.

Before the muzzle was completely strapped on, he tried one last time to call out for help. Despite the voice's laugh being obnoxiously loud, he knew deep down someone would hear him, somehow.

"JUDY!"

…

"Nick?"

Nick opened his eyes, letting out a small gasp. He sat straight up, taking a look around him, and taking in the fact that he could actually move. He observed his surroundings as he came back to reality, realizing he was in the safety of his bedroom with Judy sitting next to him in bed.

Even though he knew it was a dream in the beginning, it gradually felt more and more real to him. That had to have been the most disturbingly twisted dream he ever had.

"Nick, what's wrong?" He heard Judy ask, sounding quite concerned. "You were talking in your sleep."

He nodded, rubbing the side of his head as he tried to grasp everything that just happened. It felt like a blur, yet it played out so vividly in his head as he recapped it all. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" She asked, scooting closer to him. "It sounded like you were having a nightmare. You were saying my name; my actual name. And you never do that."

Nick nodded again, keeping as little eye contact with her as he could. He honestly didn't want to get into it. Talking about the dream would just feel too weird. He never openly discussed his nightmares with anyone. And telling her that he heard a voice every now and then? She would think he was insane.

"Yeah, I'm good. Trust me." He said. But despite his efforts to hide it, he knew she didn't believe him.

Still, she didn't want to pry. If he wanted to talk about it, he would, at his own pace. She had to respect that.

"Okay, if you say so." She gave him a nod.

However, now that Judy had agreed to leave him be, something didn't feel right. He did tend to push this like this aside like it was nothing, when in fact it did bother him. Maybe he really did push her away when he needed her. Maybe he had this dream for a reason. His subconscious was trying to warn him.

He didn't want to be the reason Judy felt useless. He didn't want to push her away and make her feel like he didn't trust her. It was the opposite, actually. He trusted her more than anyone. She had to know that, right?

Before Judy could lay back down, Nick wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close against him. She was surprised at first, but didn't hesitate to give in and return the affection. As a matter of fact, she felt relieved that he was able to be more open with his actions.

"Actually I— I'd like to talk about it, if that's okay." He said quietly, resting his chin on top of her head.

Judy smiled softly, nuzzling her face against his fur. "Of course."

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