#there were a lot of funny moments but the chain of events that led up to daiki-san’s adorably confused ‘hen—??????????????’ | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

endlessdreamworld · 1 year

Note

Hey hey! Since your requests are open at the moment. What would any yandere genshin character's Interact with a Very clumsy Reader. Just imagine. The yandere watching the reader walk before tripping on their feet. Or maybe accidentally slipping onto leaves? That would be funny and I would definitely love to see their interaction!

Sorry to make you wait. I wanted to do a few shorter form responses, but this came out on accident. If you want more, please feel free to send in a request. Clumsy Reader X Diluc Ragnvindr

It started like any typical day in Mondstat. Markets were bustling, bards were performing, knights were patrolling, and the city was thriving. The sky was filled with a growing amount of storm clouds that were a welcome addition to a sweltering hot midsummer day.

For you though, this was a very irregular day with one unfortunate event chained after the other. A bag of flour went rogue in the bakery and you ended up completely covered in the stuff. Of course the bakery gave you bread as compensation for the situation – a lot of it. Ironically, this made everything much harder because the sheer amount of bread made the trip home cumbersome. Because of this delay and new handicap, by the time you were able to get your errands finished and your affairs in order it started pouring rain when you had just started the trip home. The flour that still coated your skin and clothes had turned to watered down sodden slime.

By the time you finally arrived at the front door of your home the compensation bread was ruined, and your clothes were heavy and cold with dripping rain. All you could think about was taking a nice hot bath and changing into dry clothes and climbing into your dry warm bed. You almost fainted though, when you reached into your pocket to retrieve your house key and found nothing. Your bones itched, your nose burned, the stress was transcendent. Honestly if you died at that moment you’d be fine with it, because you certainly wished you were dead.

You did your best to take a breath, though you were borderline crying at this point. The sun had set long ago, and it was pitch black. You had no idea where your keys could be, and worst of all, it was still fucking raining.. You dropped the bag and it landed with a wet heavy flop. You’d just have to deal with that in the morning.

You started retracing your steps back to the bakery. It’s incredibly likely you left them inside, which would be the worst possible scenario because you didn’t have enough money to stay at the inn. Then it finally dawned on you that there was no happy ending here, and you might need to find a place and just wai—

Air, vertigo. You fell.

You’re not sure if you slipped on something, or if you misstepped outright, but what you did know is that you were in the elevated part of town, and you had a long way to go. Could it be? The death you wished for? You accepted this ironic, tragic fate with a sardonic smile.

And just like that…

A sharp tugging on your wrist. Something – no… someone grabbed your hand before you fell too far. You opened your eyes, and saw someone holding you up by the wrist, but between the rain and the ambient darkness, you couldn’t get a proper look at them.

“You know, you really need to be more careful.” You felt a firm tug and then you found yourself on solid ground. The stranger who had saved you stood before you. “What are you doing outside during a rainstorm in the middle of the night?”

You were about to answer, but your savior tugged on your wrist again. The figure led you to The Angel’s Share bar which, luckily, was nearby. Now you had the protection of the bar’s awning to shield you from the rain. The shadowy figure looks at you expectantly. “Right, so it all started when…” You took your time to explain the situation step by step as to how you got here.

“So you’re locked out of your own home, and have no money for an overnight stay at the inn. Does that sound right?”

You nod. The shadow figure put his hand to the bottom of his chin in thought. “Very well, I understand the situation completely now. And... I have a solution.”

You could scarcely believe what you were hearing. “It’s simple really,” You could hear the sound of light jingling ever so slightly through the heavy droning of the rain. The mysterious figure handed you something, a pouch filled with… mora. So much mora!! This is way more mora than you would need for the inn.

You look up at your shadowclad mystery knight slack jawed. “Think nothing of it.” He sounded flustered. “Now come along, the inn is this way.” The figure walked with you the entire way to the inn, and then a thought crossed your mind. ‘Did he think you were going to take the money and run off?

No.

Absolutely not. Your mystery knight just wanted to be sure you made it safely to the inn considering you could have died if you took the fall intended for you earlier. Speaking of your knight… Was he one of the Knights of Favonius? He certainly wasn't dressed like one. You walked in comfortable silence, or as comfortable as it could be when you’re so cold you were in physical pain and your teeth were chattering as loudly as the falling rain.

You arrived at the inn. You turned to thank your mystery knight, but when you did you saw nothing, just empty darkness. He must have left silently when he saw you made it safely to the inn. It was frustrating, because you really did want to thank him, but you were unfortunately left unsatisfied in that department. The rest of the night was a blur that ended with your face planting into a lush feather bed.

You woke up the following day, miraculously not sick. though you weren't going to complain about that. You returned to the bakery which was in fact where you left your key and headed back home. FINALLY, you were home, but you saw something unexpected on your doorstep.

Where you expected to find a gloopy pile of paper and gluten was instead a basket with a replacement of all of the ruined goods that got trashed in last night’s storm. Your mind wandered back to your mystery knight, but it’s not like you were going to get an answer so you cut your losses and moved on.

And so it was yet another typical day in Mondstat. Markets were bustling, bards were performing, knights were patrolling, and the city was thriving. You had plenty to do today, but there was an extra pep in your step. The mora you received from your mysterious hero was going to be a tremendous boost to your quality of life.

Unfortunately, it seems like there was simply too much pep in your step since you missed your footing – again. And found yourself plummeting towards the lower part of town… again. Then you felt a sharp tugging on your wrist….. Again? A wave of deja vu washed over me.

“You know, you really need to be more careful.” Today was almost a mirror image of the previous day, but unlike yesterday, the view of the person holding you by the wrist was bright and clear. His head was backlit by the sun, looking fittingly, just like a shining halo.

Holding you by your wrist was Diluc Ragnvindr of the Dawn Winery.

#diluc x reader #diluc ragnvindr #yandere x you #yandere x reader #yandere x gn reader #diluc x gn reader #yandere diluc x gn reader #yandere diluc x you #yandere imagines #genshin x you #genshin impact #yandere genshin impact

323 notes · View notes

yuurivoice · 5 days

Note

Ever since I found out that you’re a Black Butler fan as well I have to ask do you like the anime or the manga?

And which voice actor do you like J. Michael Tatum or Daisuke Ono for Sebastian?

I personally like both anime, manga and voice actors 😁

Sorry if it sounds like I’m excited. I just happy to know that my favorite ASMR voice actor likes Black Butler too.

I tried to catch up with the Manga years ago but I sorta just gave up lol my introduction was the anime when it came to Netflix back in the day!

It wouldn't have been something I'd watch at the time, I was buried deep in the closet in a long term relationship...but old girl was TOTALLY the type to watch Black Butler and I was along for the ride. I ended up loving it, and it was definitely responsible for me shedding a lot of my typical masculine bullshit. Silly that it could lead me in that direction, but sometimes it just takes a nudge.

Sebastian was everything to me. Dub was my exposure to it, and Tatum is one of my VA goats, so it was awesome. Ono is obviously godlike in his own right so you really can't go wrong.

Obviously there's SO MUCH wrong with the fandom's ships, etc and so forth, and in my older age and maturity I don't feel like wading back through the ick just because I love sexy butlers and the Victorian aesthetic, but the series really marked a huge turning point in my life so it has a special place in my heart. 😭

Also, Grell was probably my gateway character to wanting to learn more about trans folks and breaking out of a lot of the ingrained phobias that young men are conditioned into. Not sure what really made the light bulb go off, but I'm pretty sure that it was me hopping on Tumblr and seeing how people felt about Grell (despite the problems with the depiction as well) and realizing...oh shit this is a thing. It's been a thing and I didn't really get it. Then I got it. Or at least got it enough to want to learn more and be more considerate. It's funny because maybe nowadays the concept of having to have an aha moment about gender issues seems like you must live under a rock, but I was a lil baby when Ace Ventura came out. If you know what I mean by that, then you know 90's kids were raised on trans issues being a punchline at best, but usually outright hateful. So yes, the silly little hypersexual trans anime character did in fact have a positive impact despite being imperfect. 😂

Sorry for the yap session, I just have a lot of feelings about Black Butler. It's so flawed, but so special to me at the same time. It set off a whole chain of events that led me in a much more positive direction. That's dope.

20 notes · View notes

kyotarou · 3 years

Text

title: a little more noise

pairing: kyōtani kentarō x gn!reader

synopsis: in a world of constant silence, he’s the noise you need in life, even if he’s a bit quiet.

warnings: fluff, angst, mutual pining, slowburn, strangers to friends to lovers, lotta tropes and cliches, two swear words if i counted correctly

word count: 4.8k+

a/n: i wrote this in two days which i’m very proud of, go me! always wanted to write a kyōken fic and here it is. kinda scared to post this bc he’s quite tough to characterize imo and i’m terrible at writing longer pieces. oh well :,) no indentation because that’d be such a pain. hope you like it, feedback is always appreciated! (this is also my first time writing slowburn so please lmk if it’s still too fast)

Your parents were not bad people—that was a fact. They were kind, and you did everything an ordinary family would; eat dinner together, go on trips, attend school events. Things were quiet, a little too quiet for comfort. It never felt… right. You heard stories of parents arguing, nasty divorces, and custody battles. They tore your friends apart, made them feel a pain you could never understand. You knew how terrible it was, yet sometimes you wished you went through that to fill the silence in your home. The same monotonous, “good mornings,” and “hellos,” became sickening to hear. You told yourself to push on until after graduation where you’d escape. As the years dragged on, you weren’t so sure you could keep your sanity intact.

It was how you met Kyōtani Kentarō, a second-year from your school who was in a different class. Your friend told you of a gym nearby that was secluded at night. With a sly grin, he said he met up with students from other schools to smoke, and sometimes as a hookup spot. You wrinkled your nose at his comment and flicked his forehead. These were the people you hung out with; not so bright, but easygoing and fun. They were the ones who satisfied the need for noise, the bit of excitement in your life.

You snuck out after your parents had gone to bed. It didn’t hit until halfway through your walk that several things could happen. You were alone with nothing to defend yourself with except your phone and bare hands. Looking down at your outfit, an old dark hoodie and some sweats, you hoped it was ominous enough to ward people away. Besides, the last thing you wanted was to go home and wallow in its emptiness.

To see the lights on in the gym was a surprise. Upon closer inspection, you heard the squeaking of shoes and the cannon-like sounds of balls slamming the floor. You peeked your head through the door. The only person inside was a boy, no older than you. The first thing you noticed was his oddly dyed hair which resembled a tennis ball. The second was his piercing gaze as he turned his head and stared at you. You jumped. He looked as though he was going to charge at you. Instead, the boy huffed, walked to the other side of the gym, and picked up the ball. You spotted a familiar white and blue jacket on the ground.

“Seijoh?”

The boy turned to you again. “Yeah.” His voice was low, but powerful enough to rumble the earth.

You swallowed. “I go there, too.” This was a waste of time, you thought. You should’ve gone home, and you almost did until he spoke again.

“Never seen you before.”

The ball flew into the air with the boy tailing it. His body bent in a way you didn’t think was possible, face pinched in concentration. It hit his hand then the ground with the loudest smacks you had ever heard. It was incredible, but also scary. He picked up another ball behind him and did the same, and again, and again, until his side was empty and yours was strewn with several blue and yellow volleyballs. The more you watched, the more mesmerized you became.

“Can I stay?” You felt stupid for asking, but if he was trying to concentrate, you didn’t want to disturb him. Surprisingly, he nodded. You sank to the floor with your knees to your chest and listened to the constant thwacks and smacks all night.

You only learned his name a little while after. It was by accident. You were walking by a group of boys at school when one of them called him Mad Dog-chan, and you bit your lip to stop your laughter. Luckily, they didn’t notice. It was kind of cute the more you thought about it. It fit his appearance quite well, too. That night, you found him at the gym once again. Instead of a curt nod, you waved.

“Hey, Mad Dog-chan!”

You immediately regretted your words when he stopped bouncing the ball and flashed you a murderous look. You muttered a hurried apology and sat on the floor in your usual spot. He whacked a ball a couple of times then came over to grab his water bottle. After a few quick gulps, you expected him to get back on the court, but he stared at the spot beside you.

“It’s Kyōtani. Kyōtani Kentarō.”

Some nights, he didn’t practice. You sat in a playground nearby with soda and snacks from home. Originally, they were meant to replenish his energy when he overworked himself. Now, you were the one eating most of them, with Kyōtani nibbling on a custard bun as you wolfed down chip bag after chip bag. One thing you could say with confidence was Kyōtani was a great listener. At first, you sat in awkward silence. Then, you started rattling off all the things you did that day. It led to you talking about anything and everything, including the funny-looking dog you saw on the street last week. You hoped he didn’t think he reminded you of it.

Talking to Kyōtani was equivalent to talking to a wall. If anything, you were talking at him. He barely looked your way, and if you asked a question, he responded with a grunt or a simple, “Yeah.” Even though you wished it was two-sided, it felt good. You could finally break the silence that shrouded you for years, something you yearned to do but never had the confidence to. With Kyōtani, because of how quiet he was, you felt you could say anything without judgment. You did this for a while, rambling to him in the playground while he sat and listened.

Together, you sat on the swings with fruit sandwiches you made earlier that day. Your feet dragged against the sand and dirt as you swung back and forth. It seemed like Kyōtani enjoyed it. You noticed him eyeing your sandwich while licking his lips. You laughed and handed the rest to him. You started your daily tangent; woke up, ate a meat bun for breakfast, went to school, did homework, then came here. Somewhere along the way, you mentioned how you were home alone since your parents had lots of meetings to attend. You wished it was a little more lively. It was why you left the house every night, to find some noise in the suffocating void of it all.

You talked some more about your family, which you never did. You were too distracted to see Kyōtani’s head perk up. He stopped munching on the fruit sandwich and leaned forward, trying to look at your face. You continued to ramble, feeling your irritation slowly rise.

“Am I a bad person? I mean, they’re really nice, and I adore them. But it’s unbearable sometimes, and then I end up feeling like an asshole.”

You let out a dry laugh, ignoring the pain of the metal chains holding up the swing as they dug into your palms. You pressed your lips together in a thin line, unsure of what to say next. You chose to draw circles in the sand with the tip of your shoe.

“I understand how you feel.”

You looked at Kyōtani in surprise. You waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. The night felt a little brighter.

The last thing your “friends” expected was for you to ditch them for him. “Looks like a tennis ball,” one of them said. You chuckled since it was your exact thought when you first met him. You were relieved but also disheartened when they didn’t seem to mind too much. At least you knew where they stood.

Hanging out with Kyōtani was much different compared to your nights at the gym or the playground. You got lots of stares from the third-years who never thought he could behave like this. Some people in your class whispered about the two lone-wolves banding together. You pretended not to hear.

“You’ve been cheery lately.”

You stared at your mother, trying to process her words. They never asked about you, which you grew to appreciate. It meant not having to force out a conversation. You almost brushed it aside until she spoke again. Your chin rested in your palm as you picked the vegetables on your plate, stomach full with snacks.

“I met a new friend.”

Your mother raised her brows, impressed. “Oh? Tell me about him.”

“How do you know he’s a boy?”

“Just a hunch.”

You sighed, continuing to stir your food. “He’s quiet. A little weird, but he’s nice. I can talk to him about anything.”

“That’s good.”

Your father glanced at her, and she shot him a strange look. Don’t, it said. He backed off and ate as if nothing happened.

You managed to weave yourself with the other boys from the volleyball team. They were a scary bunch at first, most of them glaring at Kyōtani the moment he walked through the door, but they were nice to you. He had left his jacket at the playground one night, and you made a mental note to return it to him the next day. Except, like Kyōtani, you also forgot about it. When you saw the boys flood to the gym for practice, you raced home then back to school and shyly followed a group of girls to the gym who were there to gawk at the captain.

During their break, you nervously approached Kyōtani and poked his shoulder. They watched you return his jacket but didn’t expect his, “Thank you,” afterward. When you left, Oikawa bugged him to invite you back. Kyōtani shrugged. He usually ignored him at all costs. Oikawa took it as a good sign.

Hanging out with them was a lot more fun than you anticipated. They were better than your previous friends, and even though most of them didn’t like Kyōtani, they seemed to be warming up. Your favorite moment was the movie night at Oikawa’s house. The living room was packed, with little room to wiggle, but it was comfortable. That night, you laughed so hard your stomach hurt, and the tensions between you, Kyōtani, and the rest of the boys dissolved. You belonged here.

Yahaba caught him staring at you outside your classroom. You sat across from another classmate, helping her with a few assignments for her art class. You posed and let her take pictures. Some were silly, but the others captured your features perfectly. In one of them, you rested your cheek in your palm with the tip of your pencil wedged between your teeth. You looked at the camera through your lashes as your classmate continued to snap more shots.

“Cool it.” Yahaba clapped him on the shoulder.

“I’m not jealous.”

“Never said you were.”

You helped your classmate pack her things. While you followed her out the door, she twirled a lock of hair around her finger and fiddled with the hem of her skirt. You bid her goodbye as her friends called her over, then turned to Kyōtani and Yahaba.

“Ready to go?”

Yahaba nodded, as did Kyōtani. You walked ahead of them, listing off that day’s menu. Behind you, Kyōtani’s eyes zeroed in on your moving form, the shift of your hips as you took each step. From an outsider’s perspective, it looked like he was honing in on a kill. Yahaba prodded his arm.

“Don’t be a pervert.”

You swore you heard a slap.

Friday after school, your parents were home from work much earlier than anticipated. A game show played on the television. They barely noticed your arrival until you called out. The TV turned off, and your mother looked over the back of the sofa with a wry smile. Your father drummed his fingers on the arm of the sofa. His eyes stayed glued to the empty screen.

“Welcome back,” your mother greeted. She glanced at the boxes in the kitchen, filled with old plates and cutlery you hadn’t touched in a while. You assumed they were throwing them out.

“So…” she drawled. “What do you think of Tokyo?”

“Tokyo?”

Your hands shook as you set your school bag down on the kitchen table. The boxes made more sense. You remembered your father talking about a school his friend’s son attended. Nekoma, was it? He told you how great it was there, that it’d be easy to make friends in such a populated area.

“Tokyo…” you repeated. A heavy lump formed in your throat. “It seems… nice. Why do you ask?” You couldn’t stop the waver in your voice. Your mother caught on too.

“Dad’s company moved areas. It’s a big shift, but it’s too good to lose. So-”

“We’re moving.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you were about to.”

Your head hung over the table. There was a crushing weight in your chest. Of course they wouldn’t tell you. They never did. It was too much to not expect this betrayal. If you told them how happy you were at Seijoh, maybe things would’ve been different. I could’ve prevented this. You shook your head. You couldn’t stop an entire company from moving, nor could you convince your father to find a new job in Miyagi. You had to follow them like you always did.

“If we can stay, we will, but most likely-”

“I’ll start packing.”

You grabbed your school bag and stomped to your room, vision obscured by your tears. Why now? Why did it have to be when you were starting to fit in, when you found real friends who made you happier than ever? Just when things looked like they were turning around, you were back at square one. You’d be there for a while, stuck in a new city far away from Seijoh. If you were with your old group, you wouldn’t have been this upset. But to not see them again—Yahaba, Hanamaki, even Oikawa.

You opened your phone and stared at the lock screen: a picture of you and Kentarō from the movie night at Oikawa’s. His arm was slung over your shoulder, a scowl on his face, but the peace sign he held up made it worth it. You remembered taking it and everyone gasping that Kentarō would even allow anyone to take a picture of him, let alone save it. Your heart fluttered. When did he stop being Kyōtani and become Kentarō?

Kentarō faced the empty playground. He sat in the right swing as he always did, scanning the area for any sign of you. In his hand was his attempt at a fruit sandwich, messily covered in cellophane with whipped cream oozing between the bread. A bandaid wrapped the tip of his finger where he accidentally cut himself. Damn those strawberries.

Kentarō kicked at the dirt. He waited, and waited some more, but after twenty minutes, you didn’t show. He pulled out his phone and sent you a quick text. Your absence made his skin crawl. His phone lit up with a response. Sorry, was all you said.

He couldn’t shake the heaviness as he trudged home.

The view outside the window gave you an excuse to be distracted. The voices of the boys were loud, but you chose to focus on the birds circling the courtyard. Two of them swooped down and landed on the thick branch of an old tree. They ruffled their feathers and nuzzled their beaks. You saw your old friends walk out of the main building. The one who introduced you to the gym glanced up. His eyes met yours momentarily. He went back to talking to someone you didn’t recognize and led them to the other side of the campus.

You stared out the window until Mattsun shook your shoulder. You turned and put on a faux smile. Your classwork was still strewn across your desk even though it was lunch. A few drops of chili sauce had landed on your math homework. You scowled at Hanamaki, his face stuffed with food.

“Oops.”

You wiped it off with an eye roll then stuffed it into your bag along with your other notebooks.

“What’s buggin’ ya?” Mattsun asked.

You shrugged. “Nothing. I’m ready for the day to end.” It was the last thing you wanted. There was a bit of time before you left for Tokyo, but the countdown moved fast. You ignored Mattsun’s opposing look and ate. They couldn’t know yet.

Kentarō knew there was more than what met the eye, but he bit his tongue. He was paranoid, he told himself. The guilty look on your face as the boys laughed, unaware of the shift in attitude, said otherwise. He threw his arm over the back of your chair. You relaxed, but the sad look remained. Remembering the fruit sandwich he made, Kentarō grabbed it from his bag and slid it across your desk. You raised your brows.

“What’s this?”

“I made it.”

You unwrapped the sticky mess of whipped cream and strawberry jam. Kentarō watched you take a small bite, followed by a bigger one.

“This is delicious!”

He showed you the tip of his finger. “The price I paid for it.”

Your knees knocked against his under your desk. He flinched. You pressed your finger to your lips, then to the bandaid. “Thank you. Hope it feels better.”

Your cheeks swelled as you took more bites than you could chew. Pink syrup stuck to the corner of your mouth. Cute, Kentarō thought.

“What was that?” you mumbled. A crumb lodged itself in your throat. Mattsun rushed over and slapped you so hard on the back it echoed. A handful of other students looked over. Hanamaki scolded you for gulping down your bottle of water without taking any breaths. Kentarō cheeks turned a darker shade than the strawberries when you gripped his arm for support. You didn’t ask again.

“Cute,” he whispered anyway. He knew you wouldn’t hear over Mattsun’s teasing. “You’re cute.”

Kentarō invited you to the movies. He planned on having it at home, but his parents occupied the TV, and his laptop was too small to enjoy anything. He met you at a plaza a walking distance’s away. He let you pick the movie, curious about your tastes. Action? Romcom? When he looked at his ticket, it was for the latest horror movie. Critics raved about it, calling it the best of the decade. Impressive.

The movie started a while ago. The critics were right, it was scary, a lot scarier than he expected. You enjoyed it like a comedy movie, clapping your hand over your mouth when the entire theater shrieked at the killer, including Kentarō.

“You’re a sadist,” he whispered.

“Am not, just think it’s funny.”

He shook his head. Another jumpscare happened, this time worse than before. Several people jolted in their seats and bits of popcorn flew into the air. Kentarō didn’t realize he had sank into his seat—your seat, actually—until you nudged his foot with yours.

“Scared?” Your breath was warm against his ear.

“Sorry.”

You patted his hand which clutched the armrest with a vice grip. Kentarō’s heart beat faster.

“It’s okay,” you said. “I’m right here.”

The movie ended and the lights switched on. People left the theater with wobbly legs and pale faces. You headed to the exit holding your empty cups and popcorn bags with Kentarō in tow. He wished the movie was longer. Not because he enjoyed it, but because the smile on your face made it worth it.

Your room was bare besides your bed and desk. Most of your stuff was packed neatly in the many cardboard boxes piled inside your now empty closet. It’d been a few weeks since that Friday, and you still hadn’t told Kentarō or any of the boys. You weren’t sure how to break the news. He noticed how clingy you became, tailing him wherever he went at school. Not that he minded. You talked less at the playground. It was him who filled the silence instead, though his daily recaps weren’t as interesting as yours.

Next week was the last with Kentarō. In your shaky hands was an envelope, the edges indented from how hard you gripped it. You took out the letter inside, read it over, then slipped it back in. You thought about sealing it for the umpteenth time that day. Before your tongue swiped against the flap, you quickly scanned over the letter once more as if the words would disappear. You’d seal it later, you told yourself.

Your over-the-top cheeriness was so evident it was painful. They asked what was up, and you said you were simply having a good day. Kentarō knew better than that. At lunch, when you were away from everyone else, he prodded your shoulder and asked what was wrong. You frowned at him, then smiled.

“Everything's fine.”

Before he could probe further, you grabbed his wrist and led him to the cafeteria.

“There’s chicken! It’s your favorite, right?”

Something slipped out of your pocket. Kentarō thought it was your school notes. He bent down to pick it up and saw it was a white envelope, unsealed. You were already gone, dragged away by his teammates. He didn’t want to pry, but curiosity got the best of him. Turning the other direction, he grabbed the note inside. His name at the top caught his eye.

Dear Kyōken-chan,

He snorted.

Sorry for not telling you this sooner. I’m still trying to process this too.

A crease formed on his forehead as he squinted. The letter was quite long, the handwriting messy. He repeated the phrases in his head over and over, but he couldn’t fully understand what they meant. He flipped it to the back and sighed when there was more. He decided to scan it this time, except a handful of words made him reread it in depth.

“Kentarō!” In your arms were several wrapped buns from the cafeteria. He tried to stuff the note into his pocket, but you already saw.

“Oh.” The buns fell to the ground. “Oh no.”

Kentarō’s face was a mix of frustration and hurt. The hand holding the letter shook, the other balled in a fist. You wanted to run, but if you moved, you swore you’d collapse.

“(Y/N),” he murmured. “What is this?”

A weary laugh escaped your lips. “Um. Can we go somewhere else?”

Not waiting for an answer, you grabbed his wrist and led him to the school’s courtyard.

“One week,” he huffed.

“One week.”

You sat beneath a large, shady tree in the farthest corner away from the main building. Kentarō rubbed his temple and sighed. He held onto your letter. You fiddled with your fingers in your lap.

“For how long?”

“Probably forever. Not literally, but it’ll feel like it.”

“So you’re graduating from Nekoma?”

You nodded. Kentarō tapped his knuckles against his cheek.

“Wished you told me sooner.”

You blinked at him wearily. “You’re not mad?”

He shook his head then turned away. You grew quiet for a moment. He took it as his chance to butt in.

“So, you like me?”

“It’s all in the letter.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

You looked away. Your hands were clammy, and the air felt ten times hotter. The word you used was stronger, much stronger than he anticipated. It made his cheeks burn and a smile threatened to pull at his lips. He wanted to hear it come to life.

“I love you, Kentarō.”

It sounded sweet, almost tooth-rotting sweet. Kentarō chewed the inside of his cheek. He liked you, he really did. He just wasn’t sure if it was the right moment to say it. Would there be a right moment? After this week, you’d be in Tokyo in another school—a rival school, to make matters worse. He wanted his words to hold weight, and in that moment, they didn’t. Not as much as he wished.

“If you don’t feel the same, I understand.”

“I do.”

You opened your mouth to speak, but the bell cut you off. Kentarō hoisted himself from the ground then held his hand out. His palm was rough under yours, but his touch was gentle. Once you got to your feet, you let go, but he kept his pinky locked with yours.

Friday arrived quickly. Sadness filled the air as you said your goodbyes, thanking your classmates and teachers for the short, but pleasant year. After school, the team led you to the gym with your eyes covered. The boys’ gym was decorated with a banner and a table with food. There was even a cake, the word Seijoh iced and crossed out on top. You let out a hearty laugh before inviting the boys to dig in.

“Of course,” said Oikawa. “I paid for it.”

On one side, Mattsun smeared frosting over Hanamaki’s cheek. On the other, Oikawa tried to spoon-feed Iwaizumi only to be smacked on the head. You sat on the floor next to Kentarō and looked around with a big smile. His thumb reached out to wipe a dollop of frosting from the corner of your mouth. The phrase, “Time flies when you’re having fun,” held up its end of the bargain. When you looked outside, the sun had begun to set.

You thanked your friends, took one last photo, and managed to hold in your tears until your walk home. You promised to visit and to cheer them on at nationals, even if you were on Nekoma’s side. They laughed, waved with sad smiles, then watched you leave.

Kentarō caught up with you a third of the way home. His hand slipped into yours, a habit he recently picked up. It wouldn’t last much longer. You stopped a few houses down from yours. You didn’t want to let go, not yet.

You learned many things this year. One, life wasn’t fair. It never was. Two, people weren’t as shitty as you thought, proven in your new friendships. Three, seeing Kentarō cry made your heart ache in a way you never wanted to feel again. His head fell against your shoulder with a hard thump, tears soaking through the uniform you’d wear for the last time. You rubbed his back and pressed your lips to the top of his head.

“Stay,” he pleaded.

“I wish I could.”

“Please don’t go.”

“I have to.”

Kentarō looked up through his watery lashes. Your lips connected. Who initiated it was a mystery. His kiss was slow but fervent. You leaned in, deepening it until you swore your teeth clashed. Kentarō’s hands rested on your hips, yours on the nape of his neck. His kisses were magnetizing, drawing you closer with each movement. You broke apart for air, foreheads pressed together. He still had tears in his eyes, and so did you. You stayed like that for a bit, wrapped in each other’s arms until you knew you had to let go.

“Call me everyday, please,” he whispered.

“I promise. I swear on my life.”

You kissed him again.

“Goodbye, Kentarō. I love you.”

“Goodbye, (Y/N). I’ll be waiting.”

“So will I.”

Kentarō didn’t say it, but he didn’t have to. You knew he loved you, proven by his daily text messages and calls thereafter. Even if it only lasted a couple of seconds, you never missed a day. Sometimes, you heard his teammates' voices in the background. The audio would become crackly before a new voice replaced your boyfriend’s: Mattsun, Yahaba, Oikawa, and even Iwaizumi.

Boyfriend. The fact made your stomach fill with butterflies. Kentarō was yours, and you were his.

It’d been months since you last saw him in person. You finished your second-year at Nekoma, a school that welcomed you with open arms. You met lots of people, found new friends, but the boys from Seijoh never left your mind. The picture you took hung on the wall of your new bedroom, a space you were still getting used to. Summer vacation was here, and you promised to come home to Miyagi for a week or two. On the train, you checked your phone to see how many kilometers were left. Just a few more minutes.

When it came to a halt, you burst from your seat, duffle bag in tow. You sent Kentarō a text, only to be face-to-face with him the moment the doors opened. You leapt into his arms, knocking him back a few steps. His chin rested on your shoulder as you hugged, swaying side to side.

“I missed you so much, Ken.”

“Missed you, too.”

Your fingers clasped around his, resting perfectly in the dips between his knuckles. Hopefully, he hadn’t dropped his habit. The months you were apart flew by, but they were also the longest you had ever witnessed. Seeing Kentarō for the first time in a while felt like a breath of cool, fresh air.

You tugged on his wrist, ready to head to town. He stayed put.

“What is it?”

“I love you.”

He grinned shyly at you. Kentarō brought color into your dull life, your source of noise in the thick silence. The summer wouldn’t forever, and you had another year left to endure. But as long as he was there, even kilometers away, you’d get through it together.

284 notes · View notes

thoughts-on-bangtan · 3 years

Text

Vmin cut - BTS on Game Caterers - Main Game

by Admin 1

It’s been a little while, hasn’t it? Feels nice to be writing a post again, but instead of a full breakdown of the episode of RUN x Game Caterer’s which was uploaded on their YouTube channel, I thought I’ll just talk about some of the cute vmin moments we got thanks it since there is quite a lot to get through. Sound good?

Before I get into it, can we just briefly talk about Tae’s look for these episodes because honestly...! I certainly did make a joke toward Admin 2 that Tae must’ve forgotten his shirt at home or something, but I’m fairly certain absolutely no one minded. At all. I’m not quite sure what was up with the hat he wore on and off, but it suits him very nicely.

Really, as vminnies we’ve just been spoiled recently, and especially in this episode on YouTube where the main part of it was spent on them trying to complete their tasks while also stopping the other members from succeeding with theirs. While we knew what tasks the hyungs had--Yoongi wasn’t allowed to speak, laugh or eat; Namjoon was supposed to place 300 dominos; Seokjin had to peel 100 quail eggs; Hoseok was to make a dish despite the members just having eaten--we initially didn’t know at all what the maknaes were supposed to do. But due to the nature of Tae’s task, it became clear rather quickly what it was, for us as viewers but also for the other members which led to hilarious and cute moments of them (and especially Jimin) trying to stop him.

The first little funny thing actually happens right as the members all go back into the house to start the game with Jimin singing the melody to IDOL, which Tae asks him about and then comments how it sounded familiar. Later in the episode it became clear why that melody in particular made Tae perk up.

I’m sorry Jiminie for the unflattering screenshot BUT the point is that Tae was walking around trying to find a good place to hide Seokjin’s quail eggs (not knowing which member they belong to) while the others watched him until Jimin decided to intervene and stop him. Tae wanted to hide them in a room that was off limits so Jimin wanted to take them from him (as proof that they really aren’t Tae’s task) but in the end Jimin and the others just got Tae to simply put them back where he got them from--the kitchen.

Just like he said to Hobi a little earlier, as the game begins Tae lies down ‘in the sun’ but immediately Jimin approaches him to stop him, in case that somehow really is his task. But quickly everyone turns their attention on Yoongi quietly sitting in the background looking like he might sleep while Hobi goes to the kitchen and asks the others if they are hungry making everyone immediately suspicious of him.

More below the cut:

Unsure how to inconspicuous get to his own task, Namjoon directs everyones attention back onto Tae lying on the floor with Jimin quickly joining him, Joon taking Tae’s hands while Jimin takes his ankles so they can move him across the room.

Similarly, a few scenes later we also have a moment where Seokjin and Namjoon try to get Tae off the floor or make him laugh (?) since Namjoon decides to tickle him. As someone who is a Kim line bias/bias wrecker, this was very lovely. Once Namjin leave, JK approaches Tae and asks him what he’s doing, to which Tae merely says he’s ‘just chillin’.

We also had two scenes in which Jimin helped Tae put his mic pack back on since it fell out once after he got up off the floor and then again after playing around with Jimin later in the episode. Honestly these two are like adorable magnets throughout this episode, it kind of reminds me a little of the RUN episode for Hangul Day I believe where they had to collect little plastic (?) hangul and make words out of them while also sticking stickers onto their target member where vmin decided to stick together (Jimin’s idea because, as he said himself, he loves Tae) but unbeknownst to Jimin, he was Tae’s target. Oops. Why it reminded me of that will become clear later in the episode.

As everyone was trying to make Seokjin’s hard task even harder, Tae and Jimin came by with a similar idea ending with Tae eating the two eggs Seokjin had so far peeled while Jimin laughs very amused. Cute!

Their next target was Yoongi, whom Tae previously dragged across the room by his ankles toward Seokjin. One thing I’d like to mention is how gentle and careful everyone was with Yoongi, and especially in this moment with how Jimin pointed out (even if it wasn’t subbed) that they should be careful with Yoongi’s left shoulder and as he lifted him, he didn’t put his hands/arm under Yoongi’s armpit, but instead Yoongi crossed his arms and Jimin grabbed his arm on his left side to avoid hurting him in any way. This pattern continued throughout the entire episode whenever the other members tried to “mess” with Yoongi to get him to fail his mission, like JK picking him up by the butt.

Eventually Dynamite starts playing and JK, Namjoon and Jimin see Tae start dancing and swiftly come in to stop him which kicks off an adorable chain of events when it comes to vmin with Jimin being very determined to stop Tae.

Tae just casually holding on to Jimin’s leg, as you do. Cute!

Can we talk about how delicately Tae is holding Jimin’s ankle? And also how slowly his socks are more and more dirty lol.

(Also, if you noticed in the gif, Tae did wear his ring in this episode, which according to RUN episode 140, was filmed a day after Let’s BTS aired so it truly appears as though Tae started to wear the ring after that show. Make of that what you will.)

During the reveal at the end of the episode we also got the moment when Jimin and Tae fall to the floor again from another angle which revealed to us that it looked like, while falling, Tae could’ve potentially hit his back on Jimin’s knee, which Jimin realized. To keep it from happening, Jimin put his hand on Tae’s back to soften his fall and keep him from hurting himself. Truly they care so much about each other and want to do whatever they can so the other doesn’t get hurt. Like that time on the Anpanman slide during the Love Yourself: Speak Yourself Tour where Jimin held on to Tae so that once they reached the bottom of the slide and fell off of it to the floor Tae wouldn’t hit the ground so hard and thus wouldn’t hurt himself.

And just as Tae managed to get off the floor again and it seems like Jimin will move on to mess with another member, Tae starts dancing again and Jimin swoops in again to stop him, both of them being all giggles and smiles just having so much fun. A little while later Namjoon also swoops in and stops Tae in a similar manner with Tae simply sinking to the floor to get Namjoon to stop and move on before trying again.

The episode continues and eventually Tae moves on to his actual task, which yes, was dancing, but not to Dynamite. Unfortunately for him, Jimin was still watching him and quickly caught on, realizing that the choreography he’s now trying isn’t Dynamite but instead we know it’s IDOL. So he stops him again.

Honestly Jimin rubbing his back against Tae like they’re in a club (or they’re back on stage during that one music show where Tae had that black vest and the pink bunny ears and those famous vmin ‘you come here often?’ pictures are from) is something I certainly did not expect. And of course Namjoon is there as well since what would be a moment of vmin wildin’ if Namjoon weren’t somewhere close by.

Eventually Jimin calls for Tae and JK and offers that they should put Yoongi outside. Meanwhile Tae attempts to continue dancing to IDOL to which Jimin tells him that they don’t have time for that and proposes a deal: if Tae helps him, Jimin will leave him alone. To which Tae just says that sure, perhaps he will let him dance, but JK will not, therefore rejecting the deal.

While Namjoon searches for his bag of dominos, we get this glimpse at vmin doing...something? Also while the camera continues to follow Namjoon, in the background we see Jimin continuously follow Tae and try to distract and stop him, the two of them giggling and smiling at each other for most of the time. Told you happy magnets.

Soon, continuing their team work against Yoongi, Jimin and Tae make another attempt together to get him to fail his mission with Namjoon joining in soon as well, along with JK, crowding in on Yoongi and tickling him, but it’s all in vein since Yoongi doesn’t break his quietness.

Eventually the 30 minutes are up and the game is over. Even if Tae managed to dance all the parts of the IDOL choreography, he did them in parts which did not count. Then the question is what Jimin’s mission was--put coins in the pockets of all the members. Here we have a cute scene where outside Jimin sits down and one of the coins falls from his pocket and Tae the kind soul bends down to pick it up to give it back to Jimin. Afterward we get a montage of Jimin’s attempts to fulfill his mission. I won’t reveal if he managed to do it or not since some of you might not have seen the episode yet. I also won’t reveal what JK’s task was nor who won in the end.

And with that, the episode was over. It was honestly so, so funny! If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out even though it’s cut into three parts making it a little more ‘tricky’ to find on YouTube than just clicking on the episodes on Weverse/vlive.

Here’s part one:

youtube

#vmin #BTS #Jimin #Taehyung #Vmin gif #BTS x game caterers

71 notes · View notes

ryqoshay · 3 years

Text

Putting on Hairs: Monster Manual

Summary: Short descriptions of the monster types of each girl and the role they play in the theater or in association with it. Warning: This Manual may contain ***SPOILERS*** for characters not yet mentioned or explored or for scenes that have not yet been written, though I will try to keep things limited to what has been revealed.

This chapter also may end up being edited. A lot. This whole thing is a work in progress, so unrevealed or unexplored characters may have their monster types or roles, or both, changed if a better idea presents itself.

----------

Name: Yazawa Nico Race: Weredog Werewolf Role: Star of Putting on Hairs Background: Inspired to be an actress by her father, who wanted her to share her smile with the world. She has been acting pretty much as long as she has been able to talk. She had many lead roles back in high school and college, but was unable to land one upon becoming a professional, despite her popularity with both critics and general audiences. She earned enough to hire an old high school friend, Nozomi, to be her agent. It was Nozomi that found a newly opened theater willing to give Nico her first shot at stardom on the professional stage.

Name: Nishikino Maki Race: Salamander Role: Costar of Putting on Hairs Background: Maki was born into a family of famous and wealthy movie stars. However, she grew up falling in love with live theater, instead of the silver screen. Still, she obeyed her parents' wishes and became a child star in a television series and appeared in many commercials afterward. After college, she manged to persuade her parents to let her try performing in live theater and they made the connections that landed her costar role alongside the rising star, Nico.

Name: SakurauchiRiko Race: Demon, formerly of Amdusias' legion Role: Pianist in the orchestra Background: Fearing facing an eternity of playing the cacophonous music of Hell, Riko fled to Earth in an attempt to find something else. She was quickly drawn to the piano and was able to earn a meager living playing in bars and other small venues. She applied many other places and was eventually accepted at a newly opened theater.

Name: Tsushima Yoshiko Yohane Race: Angel, Fallen Role: Assistant in the costume department Background: Cast out of heaven and cursed, Yoshiko has spent years trying to find her place in the mortal realm. Somehow, she found herself in Tokyo and stumbled into a kind woman, Kotori, who offered to teach her how to weave her own feathers into garments that could be sold at a premium. When Kotori accepted a position at a theater being opened by her childhood friend, Umi, Yoshiko decided to follow and continue her apprenticeship. Name: Toujou Nozomi Race: ??? Role: Nico's agent Background: Nico's closest friend since high school where they were in the same drama club. They moved in together in college and have lived together since. Nozomi majored in business and began her own talent agency with Nico as her first client.

Name: Minami Kotori Race: Crane Role: Head of costume department Background: Childhood friend of Umi and Honoka. Has always had an affinity toward clothing and design. When Umi started working with Dia to open a theater, Kotori jumped at the chance to make outfits for the cast. She is quite skilled at using her own feathers to imbue exceptional qualities in the clothing she creates and is happy to pass this knowledge to Yoshiko, her assistant. She is also capable of using other materials derived from other beings, e.g. Phobetor's fur or Riko's wings. Favors are her preferred currency, particularly those that will benefit the theater.

Name: Sonoda Umi Race: ??? Role: Co-founder and Co-owner of the Sonoda Kurosawa Theater Background: Childhood friend of Kotori and Honoka. Daughter of the renowned Sonoda family who already have a theater in Tokyo. However, as her elder brother stands to inherit the family theater, she has decided to open one of her own in a different district.

Name: Kousaka Honoka Race: ??? Role: Owner of Kousaka Catering Background: Childhood friend of Kotori and Umi. Took over the family catering business when her parents retired. Happily contracts with Umi's theater as often as possible.

Name: Hoshizora Rin Race: ??? (cat something) Role: Delivery girl at Kousaka Catering Background: Childhood friend, now girlfriend of Hanayo. Happily supports her girlfriend's theater obsession, even if she doesn't share it.

Name: Koizumi Hanayo Race: ??? Role: Cast member Background: Childhood friend, now girlfriend of Rin. Obsessed with theater from a young age, Hanayo has always dreamed of becoming an actress. However, she lacks courage. Rin's encouragement and support were the driving force behind her joining the theater club in high school and eventually earning a degree in acting. It was also Rin's connection with Umi through Honoka that led her to be brought on at the new theater.

Name: Ohara Mari Race: ??? Role: Heiress to the Ohara chain of hotels and patron of the theater Background: Childhood friend of Kanan and Dia. Lost track of her best friends when she moved to the United States to finish high school and then Italy for college. Returned to Japan but was only successful in reuniting with Kanan. Both moved to Tokyo when they heard Dia was opening a theater there. She owns a sizable penthouse apartment near the theater where she lives with Kanan. She leaves a room open for Dia, should she ever wish to accept the offer.

Name: Matsuura Kanan Race: Kraken Role: Owner of a dive shop and driver for Mari Background: Childhood friend of Mari and Dia. Lost track of Mari when she moved to the United States to finish high school and Dia when she moved to Tokyo for college. Reunited with Mari upon her return to Japan and agreed to move to Tokyo with her when they heard Dia was opening a theater there. She lives with Mari in a sizable penthouse apartment. As Mari refuses to charge her rent, she contributes to the household in other ways, like driving for Mari.

Name: Kurosawa Dia Race: ??? Role: Co-founder and Co-owner of the Sonoda Kurosawa Theater Background: Childhood friend of Mari and Kanan. Lost track of Mari when she moved to the United States to finish high school. Then she moved to Tokyo for college and lost track of Kanan. She is not entirely sure how Mari and Kanan learned she was opening a theater, but she is grateful for the generous donations made by Mari. She is also grateful Mari has not attempted to use the donations as leverage in her repeated efforts to get Dia to move in with her and Kanan. As for the theater, she has not openly discussed her reasons for moving to Tokyo instead of staying in Numazu where her family was already established in the industry. Upon opening, she extended an offer of employment to her younger sister, Ruby.

Name: Kurosawa Ruby Race: ??? Role: General staff at the theater Background: Younger sister of Dia. Grew up obsessed with acting, though has never had the courage to try becoming an actress herself. She moved to Tokyo when Dia offered her employment at the theater she was opening. Her best friend, Hanamaru, has suggested trying for a few minor roles, but time will tell if she does so.

Name:Kunikida Hanamaru Race: ??? Role: Theater crew Background: Best friend of Ruby who she met in middle school. Raised in a temple with few modern amenities, she has limited experience with technology. However, the temple did host many events over the years, most of which included some sort of theatrical performace. As such, Hanamaru decided to join Ruby in moving to Tokyo and applied for a position in the crew for Dia's theater.

Name: Emma Verde Race: ??? Role: ??? Background: Born and raised in Switzerland, she moved to Japan to learn more about the country's culture by way of its theater production. At least that is what she would say if asked in a public interview. In private, among those she trusts, she would admit she wanted to learn more about the differences of public perception and acceptance of monsters in Japan compared to the rest of the world.

----------

Notes: So, that's what I have at the moment. I'll keep adding details as they come to me.

As mentioned above, I will attempt to keep this chapter spoiler-free. However, as spoilers personally do not bother me, if the interest is there with my readers, I will put everything I have here, not just the details revealed in the story, up to wherever I have managed to write. This probably will result in more edit notifications, as I will undoubtedly change things, right up to the point of it being used in the story. And I'm not opposed to possible retcons if better ideas come later.

Also, many of the ??? entries are due to me not having assigned that monster type or role to that girl, though some I have assigned, but have not yet revealed. I am still working on filling my spreadsheet and bouncing ideas off several fellow authors.

However, I am more than happy to accept suggestions from my readers as well. Feel free to comment over on AO3 or send a suggestion anonymously here, or message me directly here, on twitter or Discord. If I like the idea or your reasoning, I may end up using it, and as always I will do my best to credit the sources of my inspiration.

Also, the idea doesn't necessarily need to be a perfect fit. Koto's is probably the best fit out of all of them; I really don't think I will end up doing better. WoofNic is shamelessly stolen from daily-nicotine. Krakanan was too funny not to use, though I knew she had to be some sort of sea critter. Maki started as an Ifrit and was changed to salamander because I love the idea of her being smaller than Nico. Riko is a demon to be an opposite to Yohane's angel, but I'm also amused by the contrast between Riko's canon traits and those stereotypically assigned to demons.

#Putting on Hairs

1 note · View note

realllllfangirllllll · 5 years

Text

Beyond Lovers || Chp. 8

{ More than Friends Sequel }

Chairman!Jaehyun AU x CEO!Reader AU

Summary: You find yourself falling deeper and deeper in love with the former CEO after overcoming your fear of love. Although there were rough patches, both of you are now stronger than ever. However, you realize that maintaining a relationship and a company at the same time can be very difficult, especially if someone is out to destroy the both of you.

Masterlist

{ Previous / Next }

A second ago, you were making an anxious entrance into the familiar SM building. A second later, three large men surrounded you in a blink of an eye, roughly and hurriedly dragging you to an unknown place. You frantically texted Yuta, scared of what he was plotting. He was Emily’s cousin, after all.

When the men finally let go and disappeared through the two large wooden doors, you relaxed a little. Wandering around the mysterious place, you realized that it must be Yuta’s office. The room was covered in old, vintage style furniture and decor. It looked beautiful and you wondered how you’ve never come across this room before.

Suddenly, you tripped over a slight bump on the rug and knocked down a painting that was hung on the wall. A loud thump was heard and you looked around in panic. You then recovered from the shock when your eyes landed on a large lump that hid behind the painting. You laughed to yourself when you realized what room you stood in. The large lump gave it away that it was clearly Jaehyun’s former office. You remember the vivid details of the day the lump was created.

On this very day, you were going to surprise Jaehyun with a night out to his favorite restaurant. Of course, you waited until all the interns have left your cubicle area, including your boss, before heading your way to his office. You heard a commotion inside his office and snuck around the side of the room, peeking through the glass. You saw two, very tense-looking men shouting at Jaehyun. Jaehyun seems unaffected by the commotion, sitting with his two feet on top of his desk. However, you knew he was on the edge of cracking. You knew him too well. His slightly ruffled hair, his sleeves rolled a little above his elbow, and his tie untied, hanging on his shoulders. These were all indications of your stressed-out boyfriend. You knew his facial expressions and behavior were all but a facade.

Looking back towards the two men, you almost felt bad for them. It was only moments before Jaehyun would explode on them, not able to contain his anger anymore. Sometimes, you’d wonder how half of the SM employees were still working for him despite his intimidating nature. If you hadn’t met Jaehyun with alcohol coursing through your body, you would’ve never even been within a 100 feet radius from him. But then again, he was always so different around you. He was a lot more relaxed, funny, and caring.

You were snapped out of your thoughts when you heard Jaehyun slam his hands on the desk. The two men immediately stopped shouting and held their breaths. Jaehyun held a few papers up to their faces, yelled something you couldn’t interpret, and shredded them. The men were speechless. You felt bad and wanted to go inside to calm him down before something worse happens, but you were too late. You saw Jaehyun continue to shout some more before he took a heavy decor off his desk and chucked it towards one of the men. Your eyes widen in shock only to find out that he purposely misaimed and sent the hard solid flying to the wall behind the man. The men were beyond intimidated and left through the doors immediately, almost forgetting their suitcases.

You quickly walked inside the room, looking at Jaehyun with a shocked face. “You almost kill them Jaehyun! They’re your employees! Are you insane?” You yelled at him as concern laced your voice. He looked taken aback that you were there to witness what happened.

Softening his expression, he explained to you that the men were one of Emily’s so you quickly forgave him. You then laughed at Jaehyun’s ridiculous breakdown, unsure as to why he resorted to throwing one of his awards towards them. He chuckled and told you it was his way of saying, “kiss my successful ass.”

You were then reminded of Emily and remembered why you were here in the first place. Although the room was redecorated beautifully, you were angry at the way Yuta nicely approached you and then have you roughly dragged to the room. What was supposed to take a few minutes became an hour as you waited for Yuta’s arrival. Anger started to build up inside you and you decided that you’ve waited long enough. Giving up on the idea of a “nice” closure you scribbled furious words onto a notepad on top of his desk and push the double doors open.

A loud groan echoed through the hall as you stepped out. You turned your head to the left and flinched slightly at the view. A man sat on the carpeted floor and had his hand covering his head. A sudden realization dawned upon you as you quickly apologized to him. Kneeling down, you muttered quickly, “I’m so sorry! Are you ok? I was mad and flung the door too hard. Can you stand up alright?”

The man lightly chuckled and stood up, taking his hands off his head. “It’s fine. Really. Did I keep you waiting?”

Your eyes widened with anger again when you realized the man was Yuta. Trying your best to sound harsh, you said, “I don’t know. Did you? Because I spent an hour in there doing absolutely nothing but thinking about how three men dragged me in here like I was a criminal.”

Running his hand through his hair, he casually walked into his office as if nothing was wrong. You scoffed at his behavior, feeling ridiculous to have thought that Yuta would act differently. Anger took over you and you spat out, “You’re no better than Emily and I would never want to associate myself with someone like you.”

After you said those words, Yuta seemed to stiffen up. He turned towards you and spoke in a low intimidating voice, “Don’t you ever compare me to that bitch. Get the fuck out of here.”

You scoffed and was going to walk away before he spoke with a sigh, “Wait.”

You stood in your tracks and turned around to give him a skeptical look. He walked closer towards you with a distressed expression. “Look, I’m sorry for keeping you waiting and for the men to handle you like that. I specifically told them to be careful but I guess someone told them otherwise.”

Crossing your arms you waited for him to continue. He continues to speak as he rubbed the back of his neck almost timidly, “And sorry for exploding on you like that. I just fucking hate when someone compares Emily to me. Like that bitch would ever be better than me.”

You loosened a bit from your tense position and chuckled, “That makes the two of us.”

Your eyes then looked at Yuta’s body, gazing curiously at his casual outfit. He wore ripped black jeans with a chained belt and a simple tee with chains wrapped around his neck. You chuckled again and tilted your head to the right, “So this is how the CEO of SM dresses for his formal event. Interesting…”

He looked down and let out a huff, “Shit…”

You giggled as he frantically shuffled around the room to find his clothes. He pulled out an ironed suit and started to take off his shirt. Pausing, he turned to look at you, “I know you want to see if this CEO’s body is what the magazines say but-”

Realizing you were still staring, you immediately turned around. He chuckled at you and continued to get changed. You heard shuffling movements as he spoke to you in a deep voice, “You know, I thought you were going to be a soft and fragile girl. I guess I was wrong.”

You rolled your eyes and asked, “What makes you think that?”

Chuckling, he sarcastically told you, “Maybe it’s because of the pounding in my head or the painting that fell to the floor or maybe just the fact that you left me a note that says ‘Disclosure my ass. Fuck you and your cousin. Stay the hell away from me.’”

You groaned at his response. “I was in the heat of the moment ok? Also, I am done with Emily’s shit. After having her attack me with red paint and paying people to throw food at me, I’ve had enough of her. I’m not going to let her be the cause of NCT’s downfall.”

Suddenly, you felt Yuta whisper next to your ear in a husky voice, “So NCT isn’t doing well.”

As if it were the most obvious thing in the world, you told him, “Don’t act like you don’t already know. I’m assuming you have to know everything that goes around in this business for Emily’s father to appoint you.”

He turned you towards him and clicked his tongue, “Smart girl. Now,” he held up his tie next to your face and asked, “Does NCT’s CEO know how to tie a tie?”

You laughed as you grabbed the tie and helped him. Teasing him, you said, “You know, the big bad wolf doesn’t seem to be as scary as I thought.”

He gave you a playful look and replied, “Well the innocent lamb isn’t as weak as I thought.”

Giving him a slight glare, you finished his tie and pulled it up a little too tight around his neck and smirked, “All ready Mr. Nakamoto.”

He coughed slightly from the choking and you let out a chuckle. Sitting down on the comfy lounge chair you told him, “Anyways I’m not here to be your assistant Yuta. Let’s talk business.”

Regaining his composure, he sat across from you and said in a serious tone, “Ok. First things first, I’m willing to work with you if you agree to help me get Emily out of this industry.”

“I’m more than happy to help. She doesn’t belong here in the first place.”

Yuta nodded his head in content, “Great, so we’re on the same page.”

He continued, “Second, let me tell you how much I hate being in this rigid business.”

You chuckled, “I can tell Mr. Ripped Jeans and Chains.”

~~~

Yuta led you out of his office and back to the event. After a series of twists and turns, both of you finally made it to the loud crowd. You turned towards Yuta and whispered to him, “Even though you apologized to me, those men didn’t.”

He stared at you with questioning eyes and you returned his stare with a sneaky one. You leaned closer and said cunningly, “I’m going to make them pay.”

Yuta smirked and replied, “Go get them innocent lamb.” You chuckled before a familiar voice stopped you in your tracks.

An aggravated voice called out, “Y/n? What are you doing with him?”

Confused and surprised, you dumbfoundedly replied, “Jaehyun?” The figure beside him made you even more dumbfounded as you turn towards his left, “Taeyong?”

———

• I miss Jungwoo ( ･᷄ὢ･᷅ ) •

• on a happier note TYSM FOR 1.2K FOLLOWERS 🥺💜 •

161 notes · View notes

sanoiro · 4 years

Text

Lucifer 5x06 - BluBallz - Spoilers & Speculation

Warning! There is always the possibility that certain scenes might have been mixed up under their non-respective episodes.

Written By: Jen Graham Imada Directed By: Richard Speight Jr.

Jen Graham Imada has written/co-written the episodes:

3x07 - Off The Record

3x15 - High School Poppycock

3x25 - Boo Normal

4x07 - Devil Is as Devil Does

Cast: Tom Ellis as Lucifer, Lauren German as Chloe, DB Woodside as Amenadiel, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Maze, Kevin Alejandro as Dan, Scarlett Estevez as Trixie, Rachael Harris as Linda Martin and Aimee Garcia as Ella.

Season 4 Recurring Characters: None Officially Announced Guest Cast:

Andrew Steven Hernandez...Dax

Alexandra Hoover...Belinda Roberts

Alveraz Ricardez...Raul Blanco

Behind The Scenes Videos:

youtube

Locations

LUX

Marina Del Ray (Different scenes day & night)

WB Jungle Backlot & Neighbourhood Area

Precinct

Linda’s House

Penthouse

Imada, as you can tell, knows how to reach us at that point where we believe that everything is up to be resolved and for Deckerstar to begin only to be halted mid-way. What you shouldn’t forget is that in 3x25 - Boo Normal this writer introduced us to Azrael and who knows it might be time for Ray Ray to make an appearance again although that’s an extremely wild speculation so treat it perhaps as a wishful thought than anything else.

Okay so, the sixth episode of Season 5 is called Bluballz and many may have hinted yet another unsuccessful Deckerstar ‘moment’ yet it is clearly also connected to the case so it is possible to carry a dual meaning.

First, some had mentioned that it might be a drug and in an episode where a rave happens, it’s true that it would have been a plausible explanation. The other explanation is the crime scene blue led balls. Unfortunately if swallowed they can be toxic but a bts says something about shooting so at the moment no matter of how the title is connected to the episode let’s keep in mind that A) Lucifer & Chloe were not lucky in 5x05 and B) that it’s directly related to the death of this episode’s victim.

As we have several locations to explore I believe for 5x06we need to start from the case and then how the story is progressing through that murder case.

We do know 4 things about the case.

First, we have the rave at night where the murder happens in the wee hours.

Second, almost before the sun is up Ella, Lucifer and Chloe are on the scene asking questions.

^As you can see there is some stiffness in both of their bodies and as we know that Ellis and Lauren can act that in a very good way I would assume that they are keeping their distance or they are perplexed.

^if you see the video she does not meet and hold his gaze.

Third, for some reason, LUX is used for a rave party either as a sting operation or most probably because Lucifer decided to step in and help. The other possibility is that the rave at the end happens after the case has been closed but as they were shooting for days and almost 16h per day I would say it most probably be placed in the middle of the episode.

Fourth, the arrest happens back to the Marina Del Ray where everything started so the story of that case comes in a full circle, yet we do not really care about the case itself but how it relates to our main story.

We have to note that in the bts we have Chloe and Lucifer seem a bit distant during their questioning on the murder scene. Chloe is uncomfortable as is Lucifer and Lucifer is almost too afraid to approach her in my opinion while she does not really hold his gaze. Whatever happened in 5x05 didn’t work on the contrary added a slight tension in Deckerstar. Nothing major in my opinion but it is enough for Chloe to need her space and her friends.

^Prencinct scenes in between!

Now we do know that the questioning also led Chloe and Lucifer (Lucifer had his Vette there) at a house at the WB lot yet what is more interesting for me is that they were close to the Jungle Backlot. It’s where the show “The Cabin” was shot in 4x02 but the vegetation is so good that it can be used for other projects as well. For example, if you go to the tour they will always mention that it was used for Jurassic Park :)

The reason why I’m so interested in the Jungle is because in a bts I saw some props that made me wonder if they were just there because they didn’t have any other space to put them or they mixed shots from the Jungle backlot and the stages. As the camera is turned to that golden object I would be wary and add it in my “They are still searching” speculation. For what you may ask but all I can tell you is that everything is connected. Unfortunately, their quest may turn an unexpected factor to the mix. If my speculation is correct then the “Our Mojo” also involves Charlie.

Now DB has been very excited with these episodes as I have as well mainly because it seems that Amenadiel is back in the very core of the series as he was in S1 while Charlie is growing and with crawling and teething other things come up as well. Perhaps wings, or powers. Perhaps… both.

^Linda’s house shooting Kevin is probably the one on the left side.

The scene though showed that it involved Amenadiel, Lucifer, Dan, Linda and Maze. Maze, as you may have noticed as a character, has remained quite elusive in the bts and the role it plays in this season but Charlie’s existence might be the key there or perhaps the 5x04 is. We shall see!

Speaking of Charlie we had him in a wonderful lion top and there have been some scenes at Linda’s house. Now while the girls are busy at LUX which we will talk about in a bit, the boys or more specifically Amenadiel and Dan have some scenes together. Perhaps the reason for the bracelet was not Lucifer’s idea but Amenadiel’s and as such you should be prepared on Dan knowing early on that something is off if not the whole truth.

Now one of the photos that make me wonder is the bts with their director and writer where Kevin has a weird doll on how left shoulder. Somehow it seems that time is running out and that makes sense as like with every other midseason finale or season finale the 3rd episode from the end gives us the route the next will follow. It sets the foundations if you like. Think of 1x11, 2x11, 2x16 or 3x08 & 3x22… The same happens in 4x08. There is always a chain of events that lead to the end and 5x06 will be no different.

We do know we have some Penthouse scenes due to Rafferty and Graham but the content of these is a bit unclear. During a tour the couch was a bit roughed up with the cushions displaced and all that but we simply have no idea why or what will happen there. Also the book we saw in 5x03 during the Clarkson interview it’s still there on the coffee table so I would once again place my money on that one.

^ I bet you didn't know that we have a new closet as it seems or even a bathroom as this may be either a towel hunger and to the left the shower curtain or an outfit hanger. I would bet on the bathroom set as for a hanger it seems a bit tall. ;) So... a shower scene is coming our way? Who knows...

Edit: I was thinking about this and I now believe it’s an outfit valet it’s just that the wall is drilled on is also a hidden door to the penthouse set...

Moving on we get to what caught our eye on this episode the Ladies Night Out. It’s the third time we see them getting together and this time they are determined to have fun. The theme seems to be dress as crazy as you can something that is supported by Maze’s choice who perhaps consider Ella a lunatic so she decides to dress like her… I do wonder if they they just went and took everything from Ella’s closet to be honest… Although the net stocking might have been too much for Ella so no idea.

Yet what would drive Chloe and the girls to go out? I expect that Linda needs a break from motherhood even for one night while Maze explores another side of her. As many may suspect I suppose she is growing a soul there somewhere so keep an eye on her. Now Ella was always quirky if you remember the wigs in S3 so do not see anything wrong there but why Chloe?

Episode 5x05 must have left Chloe with a lot to think about herself. Whether she finds out about her miracle status or not she seems to be in her own path of self awareness and as we have seen the only time she takes rush decisions of that kind is because of Lucifer. So whatever happened in 5x05 as been interrupted but I do expect that by the end of 5x06 she will have reached a decision once again but the timing will not be perfect in 5x07 as more problems arise.

I should also mention that the setting of this episode does suggest that whatever Amenadiel, Lucifer and Kevin are up to is probably not known by Chloe and possibly by the rest of the leads aside perhaps Maze and even that is a big if. The reason of perhaps excluding Maze is because of a tangible connection that may aid or disrupt their plans yet that’s once again a speculation, yes based on actual spoilers but still a speculation on how an act will affect the rest of that plot. It is also why I connect in this episode Amenadiel with the Jungle set as well as with that set prop.

And finishing 5x06 it is funny as by the end of it a new set of problems will have begun and that includes of course a new threat. One supernatural in nature and the other as mundane as Earth killers come.

^Last but not least up to 5x06 the Hell set was still standing so they have plans for it... For which episode we simply do not know but always keep it as a Joker card and you never know in which round it will drop...

^I do love Rafferty!

#lucifer spoilers #lucifer speculation #lucifer 5x06 #Lucifer 5x06 - BluBallz #Sanoiro S&S

64 notes · View notes

euphorianyx · 5 years

Text

Daddy Issues [Sunset] -29-

Pairing: JungKook & Reader Genre: Smut, Fluff, Angst Summary: A top student, marks always high. College was not a dream for her…Except she didn’t have enough money. Her parents never earned much so they literally took care of themselves. Her boss acting like a dick towards her she quit her job. Even though she had no idea what she let herself into this was her only option.

Other Chapters

Cha Kwon raised from his seat.

“Us dealing white is already the talk here and Kim NamJoon has evidence so we are done!”

Soon police started to walk around their side of the building and people were side-eyeing Kwon Cha and Kwon YoonHae. They were being taken to the police station and the press was already lined up to take pictures of them. The social media blew with their news. Pictures and thoughts were everywhere.

Seeing the mess and being informed about everything Father Jeon stormed into JungKook’s room. He was shooting bullets from his eyes.

“Care to explain what the hell are you doing?”

With the victory, JungKook had a big cocky smirk on his face.

“Why father? You did not like the way I took care of things?”

Father Jeon slammed his hand on JungKook’s mahogany desk.

“There is no way this will not rub on us. The kingdom will be ruined because of your impulsiveness.”

Trying to please his father literally all his life JungKook learned a lot. If he got the company into this he might as well get it out. He did not lose the smirk on his face which made his father even angrier than he already was.

“Do not worry father. Trust me for once, will you?”

Not being able to follow JungKook, Father Jeon arched an eyebrow at him.

“Don’t do anything reckless.”

It was the only threat he could throw since he had no control over this. JungKook called YugYeom to arrange a press conference. Sooner than expected reporters took their seat in the room. They left their microphones on the stand one by one. Standing by the door JungKook fixed his tie then casually walked in. Within his dark grey suit and black shirt, he managed to look chill yet intimidating. As soon as he stepped in, the room fell silent.

“Following the current events in the name of our company I felt the pressure to clarify a few things. We are surprised as much as everyone else. As an honest citizen of this country, we have done anything with utmost care but even we made mistakes. We could not notice the dirty games that were played beneath the surface. Trust is a crucial point in our work and sadly we trusted the wrong people. To assure you I would like to remind, we have everything under record and will accept to go under investigation if its seen necessary. I hope everyone understands and keeps in mind we are not related to alleged crimes. Thank you for your consideration.”

When he returned from the press conference his father greeted him by the door with his hands in his pockets.

“Playing the victim, huh? I really underestimated you but have you ever thought what if society wants an investigation? What are we going to do?”

JungKook arched an eyebrow at him.

“Did we do anything that we would be ashamed of?”

Without waiting for any response JungKook walked past his father.

NamJoon was all prepared when the investigation started. He worked with police and pointed out every single fault one by one. Soon he was meeting with YoonHae. With handcuffs and no make up on her face she lost all her glory.

“I know why you did this NamJoon.”

Fixing his light beige jacket NamJoon stared down at YoonHae behind his glasses then sat down across her. The small square table was the only thing separated them.

“For revenge, you think?”

YoonHae simply nodded.

“Ever thought things could be all different?”

YoonHae looked down.

“I should not have played with you.”

NamJoon bit down his lip.

“Have you ever loved anyone other than JungKook?”

Not like her usual bossy self, she tore her eyes from NamJoon. They were all teary when she looked up again.

“Listen if there is a way for you to bail me out I will do anything you want.”

NamJoon squinted his eyes. It was the first time YoonHae seemed this desperate. NamJoon paid a cold stare with no sign of pity.

“Funny because you are exactly where I want you to be so I would rather you stay there.”

With that NamJoon left his seat and YoonHae behind him as he walked out.

The council requested an emergency meeting which JungKook was going to lead. Hair perfectly pushed back and glasses fixed JungKook was all ready. He checked his Armani watch before it all started. When he walked inside the elderly men were all sat by the oval glass table inside the meeting room.

“Gentlemen”

JungKook greeted them all with his deep voice. Their eyes sharply followed his every single move like a hawk.

“In the light of current events our companies are all under the pressure but I suggest you stay calm.”

Jang Ahn Hyo spoke with a mocking tone.

“Calm?! Our stocks are all dying...”

JungKook let out a cool smile.

“I reassure you it will not take long.”

Jeon Sang let out an annoying chuckle.

“Even if they go back to their old rate our economic loss is nonnegligible.”

JungKook kept his poker face but reminded himself to get rid of them as soon as the storm died down. Voice calm he explained.

“If your brilliant idea is splitting up I suggest you think twice. Our stocks support each other and if we split them up there won’t be a pool for support.”

With the endless complaints, the meeting was sure tiring for JungKook. When the elders were finally convinced and the foxes still thought their benefit is keeping the chain, he sighed in relief. The weight was not completely gone but you were waiting at home to take the rest off.

Greeting him by the door you could tell he was tired. You have seen the news and it was easy to tell it has been rough. When you walked towards him JungKook wrapped his arms around you and buried his head to your neck. You could feel his deep inhale.

“How about a massage?”

You asked as your melodic voice filled his ear. JungKook simply nodded without talking. Taking his hand you led him upstairs. Making the way to your so-called room you gently sat JungKook down on the bed. Undoing his shirts buttons one by one you peeled it off. His eyes were following your every single move as you unbuckled his belt. Letting your fingers ghost on his thick thighs you pulled his pants down.

Licking his lips JungKook, faced down on the bed. Grabbing some oil from the drawer you let a few drops of it lubricate your hands. When your fingers touched his shoulders a small smile took place on his lips. With slow yet steady moves you felt his muscles relaxing under your fingertips. Utmost care on his strained shoulder blades you slowly made your way down.

With kisses on his shoulder, your hands slowly moved down to his waist. Soon it was hard to keep his eyes open. You stopped for a moment then realized he fell asleep. Seeing him in peace next to you was a relief. You let your fingers travel within his dark hair.

With a sigh, he turned and literally threw his arm around you. Making yourself comfortable under his weight you drifted into a sweet sleep. By the morning the sunlight woke you up only to find JungKook watching you. His hand was on your hip while the other was supporting his head. Confused you arched an eyebrow.

“This bed seems more comfortable than mine lately.”

He kept a poker face but your bright smile still touched his heart.

“I hope you do not mind having breakfast here.”

JungKook shrugged but was surprised when you slipped away from him. His hand grabbed the empty air while you giggled.

“I will prepare.”

With that, you rushed out. Swaying around the kitchen you cooked eggs with bacon, sliced some tomatoes and cucumbers. Picking three types of your favorite cheeses you put them on a separate plate. Picking two small bowls you put honey and strawberry jam. Lastly, you added black and green olives.

JungKook had his breakfast regularly but he was surely picky. You were not sure if he would like what you have prepared but hoped he would. Placing his coffee next to the plates you grabbed the tray but were almost dropping it when you saw JungKook by the door. You pouted.

“I told you to stay in bed.”

JungKook arched an eyebrow.

“Should I remind you are the one that will listen to what I say.”

Then he grabbed the tray to place it on the table. When one of the maids saw him like that her eyes were twice their size. She literally runs towards you, looking down in embarrassment.

“Sorry, sir we were going to prepare breakfast.”

Her fear was flowing from her pose. Though JungKook just told her to leave so you could be alone. The breakfast passed within a comfortable silence until JungKook broke it.

“I still don’t know how this all will end Y/N.”

You placed your hand on his.

“I am sure you will find a way.”

JungKook played with your fingers as he sighed.

“What if I can’t”

He was surprised to see a small smile playing on your lips.

“Then we will leave. A small house in a quiet town is more than enough.”

He placed a kiss on your forehead then wrapped his arms around you. In the end, you were still the woman he fell in love with. Not even thinking of losing anything and ready to go anywhere with him.

Watching the news Jimin caressed his jaw. Not drifting his eyes away from the big screen of the tv he grabbed his phone. When he checked the stock he realized Jeons’ were still high. Not pleased Jimin pulled his tie harshly.

“He found a way out huh?”

Hugging him from the back Ji Hyo tried to calm Jimin down a little bit.

“Don’t you think its time to pull out the old weapons?”

Jimin arched his eyebrows.

“The contract is terminated already its no use.”

Ji Hyo sighed.

“Legally yes but imagine if it spreads around that he practically has a slave what would people think?”

Jimin grabbed his phone to call someone so he could give the big news.

Next Chapter

219 notes · View notes

cat-with-a-tie · 5 years

Text

A DenNor analysis of sorts

Hello, sweet chirping crickets! I’ve been shipping this ship for literal years now but have never plucked up the courage to actually interact with anyone or anything, so I’ve no idea why I’m doing it now, in the year of our Lord 2019, but hey, it’s never too late to get dragged back into aph hell.

I plan on posting a series of long ass rants that absolutely no one asked for in which I attempt to discuss the dynamics of DenNor and the Nordic characters in general, drawing mainly on Himaruya’s portrayal, historical facts, and my own headcanons, so welcome to the first installation of Stuff Nobody Really Cares About that I Wrote in a Fit of Boredom and Self-indulgence!

Before we start, if anyone’s reading this at all then please bear in mind that this is mostly just IMHO. And since there’s no correct way to ship a pairing (this cannot be stressed enough), my interpretation is just that—my personal interpretation, and it is by no means impartial because there’s definitely a healthy dose of my own preferences in there. Actually, I haven’t got any mutuals to talk to at the moment, so if my interpretation’s terrible, by all means go on and yell at me, I will love you to death for it.

In this post I’m going to rant about Norway’s personality (or his lack of it, thereof; don’t worry I’ll get to it later), with just a tiny segment on Denmark thrown in the mix, because hey, I do need to sleep.

“Anko” and its implications for Norway’s character

So, as most people probably already know, in the Japanese version Norway calls Denmark “anko”. In the Northeastern dialect he speaks, this is something like a diminutive form of “big brother” or “boss” (yes, Norway calls Denmark big brother!). In East Asian cultures, it is commonplace for younger men to address older ones (related or not) by honorifics ranging from super courteous to super casual, such as “aniki” in Japanese, “hyung” in Korean, and “da-ge” or “ge” in Mandarin. “Anko” also falls under this category, although it is still more casual than the more ubiquitous “aniki”. I struggle to convey its exact denotations in English, but all you need to know is that this is an affectionate way of addressing a man older than you.

But here’s a funny thing: Himaruya once stated that Denmark and Norway are “like classmates” （同級生）. Now, the Japanese term actually has a somewhat different meaning from the English one; “doukyuusei” does not strictly refer to people who are/were in the same class, but to people who belong in the same school year and therefore, in most cases, share the same age. This actually makes sense, because if we consider history, up until the 14th century or so the three Scandinavian kingdoms developed at much the same pace, so it would be reasonable to assume (despite Himaruya’s being abominably vague on nation mechanism) that the characters are of similar ages as well.

Why, then, does Himaruya have Norway refer to Denmark, who should be about the same age as he is, as “anko”? The thing is, aside from denoting age difference, this sort of honorific can also denote a difference in status. Even if someone is not significantly older than you, you may still refer to them with an honorific if you feel their status is above you or wish to pay them respect in an affectionate way.

So, consider this: Norway does not disrespect or look down on Denmark at all, in fact, he respects him enough to call him something akin to “boss” or “older brother”. Bear in mind that this is Norway we’re talking about, Norway of the onii-chan obsession! There’s no doubt that he sees a great deal of significance in this sort of thing, otherwise he wouldn’t be so bent on having Iceland address him as such. And he calls Denmark “big brother”. Just… just take a minute to let that sink in, will ya.

So this brings us to the main subject of my essay, and that is that Norway, for all his sass, is a bit of a doormat.

Now, before anyone starts yelling at me about how his people are perhaps the most fiercely patriotic out of all the Nordic countries, please let me finish my theory. You don’t get independence after centuries of being a glorified trophy bride and not feel the need to vent all that pent up frustration, after all.

First, if you look at strips such as the Denmark vs. Sweden frozen lake fiasco, you’ll see that Norway basically goes along with anything Denmark does, even when he’s actions are outright harebrained (and, to be fair, they often were). He might nag, and he might throw in a word or two of complaints, but at the end of the day Denmark calls the shots, and Norway seems pretty content to let him do so, even when sometime it’s him who has to bear the consequences of Denmark’s brashness (historically, during the many conflicts between Denmark and Sweden, many of which Denmark initiated, Sweden would often bypass Denmark and invade Norway instead, since its lack of military prowess meant that Norway could be used as leverage to force Denmark into accepting all sorts of outrageous conditions; meanwhile, any sort of military action Denmark engaged in was exceptionally taxing—no pun intended—on Norway due to its small population and frequent food shortages).

Also keep in mind that compared to the strips set in modern times, Norway’s treatment of Denmark was considerably milder in the medieval era. My theory is that his attitude towards Denmark only soured after the chain of events that eventually lead to his independence in the 19th century, buuut that’s an essay for another time! Right now I’d like to discuss a personality trait of Norway’s that fascinates me a lot and directly ties into his tendency to be pushed around: his standoffishness.

This is a character inclined to keep on the sidelines and just watch things unfold, even when said events concern his very own person. He doesn’t seem to give a fig when Denmark and Sweden are fighting to the death—hell, not even when they are fighting over him, something that happened a lot in history.

Now, I can think of two main reasons for this passiveness, the first being that Norway, unlike Denmark, probably knows his own limitations to a degree that I believe must have been painful for him at times (not that he shows it, anyway). Although of course being able to see and communicate with magical creatures could result in one being a little less interested in the mortal realm, I find it unlikely that he was always this disengaged. He was once a Viking, after all, and up until the 13th century his kingdom was arguably the most powerful and expansive in all of Scandinavia.

But then, of course, came the Black Death. Norway’s decline in the late Middle Ages was in fact facilitated by a myriad of factors including civil war, incompetent politicians, and either a shortage or a surplus of kings, but having three quarters of its population decimated by the plague was perhaps the heaviest blow of all, and by the time the Kalmar Union took place the prospects of competing with Denmark or Sweden were pretty bleak.

From there on was what 19th century Norwegian nationalist poet Wergeland dubbed the “four hundred years of night”. Although most modern historians agree that Norway was far from destitute under Danish rule and may even have benefitted considerably from it, in terms of Norway’s development as a character, I reckon it could be said that he was, in fact, shrouded in night. The night in question, however, as opposed to being a symbol of Danish tyranny as Wergeland probably intended it to be, would be more of a metaphor for Norway’s own willingness to “fall asleep”, thereby shutting out a world in which he knew he has no say. In this way, he turned a blind eye on Denmark’s ill-fated endeavors, on Sweden’s budding ambition, on the animosity brewing between his two friends, and probably even on Denmark’s mistreatment of him.

During the Kalmar Union, he must have known that he was the weakest of the three kingdoms, and that it was better to just let things take their course instead of joining the fight for hegemony along with Sweden and Denmark. During the union with Denmark, he knew too that life would be far easier if he just went along with things; after all, he knew Denmark, he knew he was stubborn and that he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. He also knew that Denmark meant well and that, despite everything, he cared a great deal for his family, as shown in the tax raise strip where Norway tells Denmark that “[it’s OK] because you’re trying your best”.

It’s possible that Norway also derived some degree of consolation from Denmark’s affection, in that even though as nations they stood on uneven ground, as friends and as people he could still trust Denmark to have his best interests at heart. Also, by telling himself that he and Denmark were “in this boat together”, Norway could avoid the sense of relative deprivation that arose from being a nation in an unequal union, and subsequently avoid feeling resentment towards Denmark, whom he’s always cared for and perhaps even looked up to despite everything. His referring to Denmark as “anko” despite being roughly the same age as him can perhaps be interpreted as a sign of this (arguably unwarranted) trust.

So in short, a prolonged sense of powerlessness led Norway to become emotionally detached as a form of defense mechanism, while affection for his childhood friend made him reluctant to put his foot down when Denmark’s arrogance and blind optimism threatened to get out of hand. All this serves to expedite the standoffishness I mentioned earlier that is typical of his character.

Thus, if we accept the theory (note the italics) of Denmark once upon a time being abusive, I personally find it plenty believable that Norway would just, well, lie back and take it. In part because he cares deeply for Denmark and is dependent on him in a bit of an unhealthy way (there’s already a wonderfully insightful post right here on tumblr addressing Norway’s shyness and how his trust in Denmark sometimes manifests as crassness, so I’m not gonna go into that here), and in part because he knows being submissive is the path of least resistance. Taking whatever Denmark the person inflicts on him would still be far more ideal than going to war with or losing the support of Denmark the nation. So yeah, lie back and think of yourself, I guess.

In this regard Norway’s mentality is drastically different from that of Denmark and Sweden’s, which is that one should always fight a losing battle if the alternative is being trod on. He acts more according to strategy, while the other two act more according to pride and passion. The upside is that, being more pragmatic and knowing his limits, he knows better where and how to deploy his strengths; the downside is that he can at times come off as a bit of a pushover.

Incidentally, this is why I find WWII history to be so damn interesting in terms of the Nordic’s characterisations, because we get to see the Viking Trio seemingly go against everything that had until then defined their personalities. To be fair, this is way after all that fucked up shit with the treaties of Fredrikshamn and Kiel, which I consider a major turning point (or mental growth spur, if you will) for all five Nordics, so I reckon it all still kind of makes sense because of the wonderful mechanics of character development? But then again, that’s an essay for another time!

A bit on Denmark

I like to think of Denmark’s behaviour during his youth as the result of a misguided desire to “play house”—out of love for his family (arguably for Norway in particular) he wishes to keep them safe, and what better way to do that than keeping them all under his wing? Sure, I’m ready to believe at least some part of him was fueled by bloodlust and a thirst for power, as is often the case with nations, but in general he simply didn’t know better.

In the mean time, Norway’s docile compliance did nothing to curb this misconception; worst case scenario, it only served to fuel it, make Denmark feel like he really was the leader and that it was his obligation to be in charge for the sake of them both. I consider their relationship in this time period to be quite toxic, even though related strips show them to be closer than ever.

For me, a significant part of Denmark’s character development is him realising that the happiness of his loved ones should not have to depend on him, and that one can be loved without being needed (in terms of DenNor, it’s him learning to love Norway as an equal and not just someone to be protected/coddled).

For Norway it’s the opposite—he learns to regain control over his own life, to stand up for himself and to love Denmark without taking any bullshit from him.

#dennor #aph #hetalia #aph nordics #aph norway #aph denmark #rant

64 notes · View notes

lovelyirony · 5 years

Note

Ironwidow fake dating and cousin Sharon matchmaking

Nat and Tony have been friends since seventh grade, when Tony made fun of her drawing and in retaliation, Nat stuck a pencil in his thigh.

He grinned at her after sneakily getting a tissue from the front desk.

“You’re pretty good, Nat.”

“My name is Natasha.”

“Not to me, it’s not.”

So it becomes Nat and Tony. Tony and Nat. They do everything together, from attend the eighth grade pool parties and hate all of them to the freshman orientation in high school where they make fun of the senior leaders and sneak into the admissions office to make sure they have at least one class together. (And then change the schedule when they don’t.)

Tony has been in love with Natasha Romanoff since the first eighth grade pool party, when she showed up in a full wet suit because she didn’t like the way that their classmate Ivan liked her.

But, he hasn’t done anything about it. Why is that, everyone asks? Just ask her out!

Well, Tony has a special talent that is medically known as “anxiety,” but he also has common sense.

Natasha Romanoff is beautiful. She has gorgeous red hair, eyes that know everything about you before you even think they do, a wicked sense of humor, and a sense of self that is beyond anything Tony’s ever encountered.

Tony stays up until three a.m., doesn’t give a shit about his appearance so he is frequently rushing to school with the worst bed hair imaginable, and also wears possibly the most out-of-style clothing ever.

Like right now. A pair of jeans that’s too short and he cuffed only on one leg, a shirt that’s advertising some college Howard made him visit, and he’s pretty sure that the plaid he layered it with has a coffee stain down the back.

He’s proven right when Sharon wrinkles her nose.

“Dude, you seriously haven’t done laundry since two weeks ago, have you?”

“Do I smell bad? Do I?”

She leans in.

“No, just like old coffee. So regular. We’ll see when Nat comes. Or you could confess your love to have her not roast your choice of apparel.”

Tony scowls, adjusting his backpack.

“Do you have another topic, or are you just that boring?”

“I could also tell you about World War One,” Sharon adds. “I just read about it in one of those stupid textbooks I have to carry around. Did you know that the French are actually the worst at war?”

“Yes, everyone knows that. I think they know that too.”

Nat’s already at her locker. She looks gorgeous with her jean jacket, the new patches sewn on.

“Looking cute,” Sharon says appreciatively. “Do you think you’re gonna get dress-coded for the ‘fuck men’ patch?”

“Not if they want me to write an article on how the club fund got cut but the football team got another new field within four years,” Nat says.

“Still a good article,” Tony says. “If you could still get into a college without a reputation ruined. You know how much schools care about sports.”

“More than education at times!” Sharon cheers.

Nat snorts, bringing Tony into a hug.

“Nice to see you, dude. Ready for history?”

“Not in the slightest. We’re probably talking about government procedure again while our teacher waxes poetic about the justice system. I think I might try to change the FDA’s home screen again.”

“You know, they might catch on after the fourth time of you inserting random YouTube videos to different links.”

“It’s the Federal Department of Agriculture, I highly doubt they care,” Tony says, rolling his eyes. “Besides, I’ve already proven that I’m probably better with technology than the government itself.”

This was true; Tony had hacked into the official website of the White House with shitty hotel Wi-Fi and half his sanity. (It was flu season, he’d had way too much Ny-Quil.)

School passes by with little incident, all things considered. A classic Monday, with the only real excitement being an announcement of no school the following Monday for a staff meeting.

It isn’t until Tony gets home to find both of his parents home and in the same room, waiting for him, that he starts to panic.

“Is this an intervention?” Tony asks. “Did I do something bad?”

“Not yet,” Howard says. “Although I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Dear,” Maria reprimands. “No, there’s an event that we want you to attend.”

“Want or need?” Tony asks. “I was supposed to hang out with my friend Bruce to work on his genetics lab.”

“I’m sure the lab can wait,” Howard scoffs. “You’re in high school, for god’s sake.”

“Bruce is doing lab work for Culver,” Tony says. “He got early acceptance, so he’s doing a weird deal so he gets college credit and a year off early.”

“Impressive, dear,” mom says, smiling. “But this event is something that you can’t miss.”

It’s a goddamn family reunion. Maria’s side, but still. At least Peggy and Sharon would come.

Family reunions on the Carter/Carbonell side are…interesting. A lot of loud people, aunts that couldn’t stop cooking, and at least one uncle that would say something marginally horrible and cause a rift for at least six hours where everything was tense.

Sharon had to take this advantage carefully.

So she got her own email into the family chain of them–a mistake by all accounts, but one that should be committed sooner rather than later–and tells the family that Tony is bringing his girlfriend, Natasha.

They both love each other, she knows that much. Tony looks at Nat like he could give her anything in the world, and Nat looks at him with so much vulnerability that she always says she doesn’t have.

They’ve liked each other for a while now. Sharon wishes that it wasn’t at her family reunion that she was doing this, but it was either that or a dance for high school, and that’s far too much work.

Tony, understandably, is stressed.

“Does she even know she’s going?!” Tony yells. “Holy shit Sharon, she’s going to meet like eighty of us!”

“Yeah,” Sharon says. “She just doesn’t know that she’s supposed to be your girlfriend.”

“Sharon.”

“Yes?”

“Run.”

Sharon squeals as she skids out of the room, Tony chasing after her. He’s not really going to do anything about it, but he still has to text Nat.

i am. so sorry

lmao it’s fine. sharon just said i’m going to the reunion. why?

funny story…

fuck what’d she do

she emailed everyone that i was bringing you as a girlfriend. and i’m not really going to spend the whole weekend correcting it.

gotcha. operation: fake dating commence!

thank you nat. seriously love you

Nat reads the message, but doesn’t respond. Of course Sharon would pull something like this. She knew that Nat liked her cousin, probably since they were kids.

And now she had to pretend to be his girlfriend, something she actually wanted very much to do.

She gets a text from Sharon.

Please don’t wear your jean jacket with all the patches. It’s very cool, but you will start a fight in my family and win. But then you aren’t allowed to come back :(

Natasha sends her back the middle finger, but then promises not to bring it.

This brings up the subject; what do you wear to a family reunion?

Tony’s fidgeting in the car as he goes to pick up Nat. His mother was very surprised.

“You got your father’s distinct habit of not shutting your mouth,” she says with a chuckle. “But I do suppose the gazes say it all. Every Carbonell man looks like he’s in love before he says it, so–”

“Mama, not now!” Tony hisses. Natasha’s making her way to the car, backpack slung around her shoulder and an elegant handbag in the crook of her arm.

“Hey Ms. Carbonell,” Natasha says. “How are you?”

“Doing good, better now that I get to have you with us,” she teases. “Anthony over here never told me that he was going to have you on as a special guest.” Natasha sends a raised eyebrow over to Tony.

“Oh?”

“I forgot,” Tony lied smoothly. “You know how I get in the labs. Just completely forget everything I’m supposed to remember.”

The conversation is easy after that: just a few little anecdotes that Nat and Tony have gone over last night over the phone. They had confessed that they liked each other a year ago, had kept it extremely low-key since both didn’t want to fuss with it, and that was that.

“How come Sharon knew but I didn’t?” Mom pouts.

“She’s an imp,” Tony answers. “An imp who doesn’t know how to keep business to herself.”

Their family fills up a small inn out of the way, and Tony sighs as he sees three of his aunts already conspiring at the bar.

“Be prepared for a barrage of questions.”

“Roger that.”

Natasha is whisked away by the ladies with a few compliments to the cute flats she’s wearing and her favorite type of perfume. Tony gets led over to Sharon, who is playing darts with Trip and their kind-of-but-not-really-cousin, Ricardo.

“What have I missed out on?” Trip asks, grinning. “Heard some girl was crazy enough to come and date you. She’s a looker, Tony.”

“Thanks,” Tony says. “But yes, crazy enough to date me. Sharon knows how crazy it is, I practically get the same gene from her.”

Sharon rolls her eyes, landing another bullseye. Ricardo curses.

“How do you always manage to do this?”

“Practice for this exact moment,” Sharon says with a grin. “Go get me a drink. One of the good ones.”

“You seriously get him to do your bidding every single time,” Tony says with a laugh. Trip excuses him to see Uncle Erik, leaving Sharon and Tony alone.

“So. You liking your new status of boyfriend?”

“You seriously need to stop meddling,” Tony scowls. “Just because I like her doesn’t mean she should be in on this.”

“She doesn’t mind,” Sharon scoffs. “Besides, I think Aunt Angie is going to tell her about the cardboard incident.”

“Oh my god–”

Natasha saunters over, grinning devilishly.

“So. Naked and a cardboard box for modesty? Why am I not surprised at the innovation, Tony?”

“Dammit,” Tony swears. “I’m going to learn something embarrassing about you. I’ll ask Clint.”

“Like he’ll tell.”

The reunion goes about as well as expected. Uncle Daniel finally spills the beans and says that his son who couldn’t make it was going to bring his girlfriend that no one likes, but they canceled at the last minute.

“They’re horrible,” Tony says. “I’m serious. They’re the kind of people that take advantage of old people.”

“Gross.”

They gravitate closer to each other. While Natasha doesn’t have a problem with this, it’s bittersweet. Every time Tony casually puts his arm around her and tells another story about how they snuck into the office to match schedules and his family coos and says it’s so cute, and Sharon smiles at them.

It stings, to be this close and yet knowing that it isn’t at all real.

Tony lies awake at night. Becuase this is nice. All of his family loves Nat, so does he, and it seems…possible almost. To have her this close, smiling at him like she has.

So it’s not a good idea, but he goes to her room at three a.m. She’s still awake.

“Why are you still awake?”

“Watching funny videos. Why are you awake?”

“That’s why I’m here. Follow me.”

They go into the courtyard. It feels…nice outside. Tony’s wringing his hands.

“What’s got you so nervous?” Natasha asks. “And why at three in the morning?”

“I think this is literally the only way I could do it,” Tony says. “Only time my family shuts up.”

“Go for it then,” Natasha says. “You have until four, when your baby cousin wakes up. Lorenzo?”

“Got it,” Tony says, smiling. “Um, well, I–”

“What?”

“Oh fuck,” Tony curses. “Listen, I’m just going to say it. I’m just going to say it.”

“You’ve said that twice.”

“Iloveyou.”

“What?”

“I…I love you,” Tony says, sighing. “I’ve loved you I think since eighth grade, and I’m now telling you because I don’t think I can just go on with life without telling you. I also realize that you’re stuck at the family reunion until this is over, so now I realize I’ve put stress on you and I’m sorry, I can fake my death if you really want me to, so–”

Natasha envelops him in a hug. She kisses his cheek, looking at him in the dim light of the lanterns.

“You absolute fool. I love you too.”

It’s the first of many “I love you’s.”

Sharon takes credit for the relationship, and Tony and Nat let her. She’s also the maid of honor and meets her future wife, Maria.

Tony and Natasha don’t go to the same college, but compete against each other in the trivia clubs that both schools have, and so they spend other time together. Natasha shows him her favorite tea shop downtown, and Tony shows her all of the hideaway spots he uses for studies.

(And to hide her away from Rhodey, who will tell her anything and everything that’s embarrassing about Tony.)

Right after college, Tony and Nat move into an apartment.

About a year later, Natasha holds out a gold ring for him to put on, asks if they really have to get married in a fancy church, and watches as Tony tears up and hugs her.

“I told you!” Sharon crows when they reveal the rings. “I told you that you would get married!”

“Okay loser,” Natasha says. “Then you’re the maid-of-honor. Congrats on throwing my bachelorette party.”

“I’m making us go paint-balling.”

Tony rolls his eyes, but looks at his now-fiancee.

Things will be good. Aren’t they always?

#holy FUCK this is long and it's not showing me my read more link #oh well!#lovelyirony writes #long post #this is long as fuck #ironwidow #sharon carter #iron man #black widow #natasha romanoff #tony stark #i love them okay #so much #i did this instead of read about the protestant reformation but all you need to know about that is martin luther hated the church #and everyone else hated martin luther #so that was fun #fake dating au #i love how i search up teh characters name to find this nad i can't #that's so sexy ;)

48 notes · View notes

blueboxesandtrafficcones · 4 years

Text

The Nuptial Necessity - Chapter 11

A 12xRose Human AU

Despite an unglamorous job description, Rose loves the work she does with The Thistle Foundation, a charity founded by her best friend’s great-uncle. It doesn’t hurt that her boss, her friend’s father, is easy on the eyes. With a great job, wonderful friends and a loving family, life couldn’t be better – except for having someone to share it with.

All of that is threatened, though, when the great-uncle dies – and sets a strange condition for his nephew to inherit, jeopardizing the Foundation and Rose’s future, sparking a chain of events that might just get her everything she dreamed of and more.

Chapters will be posted on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Many thanks to my beta, @stupidsatsuma

Rated: Explicit, for eventual smut

@doctorroseprompts

AO3 | Masterlist

—

Saturday (1 week to wedding)

Rose straightened with a groan, grabbing her wine glass and taking a large gulp. She’d spent most of the day alternating between packing and questioning her life choices, as she prepared to move. It wasn’t the most exciting way to spend a Saturday, her last as an unmarried woman (or, inevitably, a divorcée), but she had put it off for long enough.

Tomorrow Malcolm, Mickey, Danny, and Pete would move out anything she wouldn’t need in her final week here; most of her clothing and some knickknacks would be going to Malcolm’s townhouse, while the rest returned to her parents’ house for storage. Clara and Danny had more than enough in the way of furniture and furnishings, and she’d decided to clear out everything to allow it to truly become their own space, instead of making them feel like guests in what was now, essentially, their own home.

What they would all do in five years was anyone’s guess; so many things could happen between now and then Rose refused to dignify it with any thought – except for when the questions haunted her in the middle of the night.

She took another large swig of wine, unable to bring herself to regret skipping dinner as warmth rushed through her.

A knock on the door made Rose frown, and she hesitated until a second, more forceful bang on the door convinced her to move towards it. “Who is it?”

“It’s me, open up,” Clara called.

Rose sighed, glancing between the door and her wine glass, finishing it off in one go before opening the door. “What?”

She realized her mistake too late, as she found her mother, Clara, and several other female friends smiling on the other side, dressed up for a night out.

“No,” Rose said firmly, then spotted the ‘Bride’ sash tucked in the crook of Clara’s elbow. “Oh, fuck no.”

Clara caught the door before it slammed in her face, wriggling her way inside. “Oh, fuck yes,” she shook her head, artificial curls bouncing. “C’mon, it’s your last weekend as a bachelorette, you should live it up!”

“I don’t want to, and I have a lot of packing to do,” Rose whispered, giving her friend a pleading look. “Don’t make me do this.”

“It’s tradition!” Clara tried and failed to match her volume, telling Rose that the partying had already begun. “It’ll be fun. We’ll go out, have a few drinks, maybe one last one-night stand?”

“I’ve never had a one-night stand, and I don’t intend to start now. Besides, I’m getting married – to your father – next week,” Rose hissed back, conscious that Clara was the only person in the proposed party to know the truth. “Stop it.”

“Rose,” her mother said firmly, eyes crossing slightly as she tried to focus, “stop being a wet blanket. We want to celebrate you finally getting married. This isn’t for you, it’s for us. Now, get tarted up and let’s go. You owe it to us.”

Rose sighed, not convinced but knowing she wasn’t going to win. Jackie had made everything about this so far a Thing, whining over every choice Rose and Malcolm had made, first and foremost that she wasn’t being included in any of the decision-making. Malcolm had insisted on footing the bill, letting Rose have whatever she wanted, though she’d insisted they make their choices together. They’d decided the fairest thing would be leave everyone out of the planning, making all the decisions and arrangements themselves.

I know I should just be grateful she’s still talking to me, but still…

“Fine.” Scowling, she opened the door wide and stepped back. “C’mon in, I’ll just go get dressed.” Not waiting until they entered she stalked off towards her bedroom, cognizant that Clara trailed behind her. “What?”

Her friend was silent, settling herself on Rose’s bed as Rose opened her closet and started flipping through the dresses still hanging there. “You know, if you’ve changed your mind, Dad would understand,” Clara said quietly. “He wants you to be happy, and so do I.”

“I made my choice.” Rose clucked at the options in front of her; what twenty minutes ago she’d deemed too slutty for work were suddenly seeming perfectly tame. “Really, I’m good.”

“Dad says you’ve been in a shitty mood all week.”

I’m marrying a man I love who doesn’t love me. I’m scared that I’ve wasted the last five years of my life waiting for someone who will never want me, and that I’m going double or nothing on something that could never be anything. I’m scared of missing my chance at real love, and happiness, and a family.

“I’m just stressed,” she sighed. “With moving, then the wedding and the Gala… There’s a lot going on right now.” Picking a dress at random she started undoing her jeans; after four years of living together at uni and more than a decade of friendship, she had no issue with changing in front of Clara.

“If you’re sure,” her friend said cautiously. “For the record, I think Dad’s really excited about having you in the townhouse. He’s been fussing over everything, insisting it has to be perfect for you. It’s cute.”

Rose smiled wistfully to herself, backing out of the closet and otherwise ignoring the comment. “Zip me up?”

Clara rolled off the bed, and by the sound of it, it was a less-than-graceful move. “Comin’.” A moment later she zipped her up, and Rose turned for inspection. “Is that what you want to wear?”

Rolling her eyes, Rose moved towards her bathroom. “Yes. Give me five more minutes.”

It was almost midnight when the first text came in.

Never been so bored at a club. Am I getting old?!?!

Malcolm stared down at his mobile in bafflement, double checking that the message had come from Rose.

I thought you were packing tonight? he sent back, before setting it back on the sofa next to him. The movie playing out on screen faded to the background as he waited for a response, worried- and somewhat concerned he was overreacting.

She can go out if she wants, he reminded himself firmly. She doesn’t need me fussing over her.

To that end, he picked up the mobile again, hesitating a moment before sending another message.

Forget my last message. Have a good time.

He hit send and immediately regretted it. I don’t know how to do this. A month ago if she’d texted him something like that they’d spent the next hour or so joking back and forth – but that was a month ago, and this was now, a week before their wedding.

Can I tell you a secret? was her response after an agonizing wait, and nothing like what he expected – he had, in fact, given up hope of any reply at all.

Of course.

It took seemingly forever for her to answer, but he daren’t give up – if Rose Tyler wanted to confide in him, not even death itself could stop him from being there for her. Dramatic, much?

I’m… actually really happy we’re going to be living together. Officially Clara’s my best friend, and she always will be, but… so are you. I’m looking forward to spending more time with you out of the office, hanging out. Watching a movie, dissecting the latest ep of Game of Thrones as it airs, cooking dinner together.

I just think it’ll be nice.

Sitting on his couch, Malcolm stared at his mobile, in equal parts awed, confused, and heartbroken. Awed, because that was exactly how he felt, confused because how could someone like Rose, so caring and warm and sweet and funny and wonderful want to spend more time with him, and heartbroken because… she doesn’t love me. That much was clear. Obviously she cared for him, maybe even loved him, but that didn’t mean she was in love with him.

Eventually his brain rebooted enough to realize that was not a message to leave unanswered, and hurriedly pecked out, I wholeheartedly agree. Really looking forward to it.

He fell asleep waiting to hear back.

Malcolm knocked on the door again, harder this time, and checked his watch. Rose had strictly instructed him to be there at eight, and he’d been knocking off and on for several minutes – it was only a matter of time before her nosy neighbor rang the police, which was the last thing he needed or wanted.

Is she even here? he was starting to wonder; after not hearing back the previous night he was worried if it was just a hangover, or something more.

His mobile buzzed then, and he pulled it out to see a new message from Rose. Clicking it open, he was confused to just see the word key. What? A moment later he understood, and found the spare key she’d given him years ago, just in case.

He’d never used it before.

Juggling the bag of baked goods and a tray of coffee he let himself in, dumping his backpack by the door and making his way through the flat. “Rose?” he called quietly, sidestepping the veritable maze of mostly-full boxes. “I brought coffee.”

A pitiful moan led him to the living room, where he leaned on the back of the couch and looked down to find a mess of blonde hair splayed out. She was face down in the pillows, half falling off the couch, and he had to fight back a laugh at the adorably pathetic vision she made. Out of habit his eyes flickered over her, down the back of her tight black dress, only to stop, breathless, at her bum.

Her bare bum.

By the time his heart restarted he realized she was, in fact, wearing a scarlet thong, which was visible because the hem of her dress had ridden up at some point. His full senses returned then and he spun on his heel, stalking away and resisting the urge to adjust himself in suddenly uncomfortable trousers. “I’ll be in the kitchen.”

Once there he relinquished his death grip on the paper bag and carrier tray, setting breakfast carefully on the countertop. The more he tried not to think about what he’d just seen the clearer the image was; her soft skin, the delectable curves- Stop perving on her, he told himself firmly, even as he wondered what other skimpy knickers she might have and- heaven help him- might even bring to the townhouse. BEHAVE.

In an effort to distract himself he looked around the kitchen wildly, spotting a few gift bags down the other end of the island. Mostly out of desperation he stuck his hand in the bag, closing around something and pulling it out, staring down blankly at it, blood rushing in his ears – and other bits.

“Um…”

His head snapped up in horror to find Rose, now with her dress lying flat on her thighs blimey could that be any shorter? standing in the doorway watching him.

“I can… this is not what it looks like,” he stammered, heart now racing in embarrassment. “Really.”

Rose licked her lips, giving him a faint smile as she ran her hand through her hair and padded towards him. “So you’re not standing in my kitchen holding a massive dildo my mates bought me?” Her voice was raspier than normal, further evidence of her night of drinking, and he had to swallow twice before he could attempt an answer.

“Okay, maybe it is what it looks like.” Glancing down at it again, he frowned. “I dunno if I’d say it was massive.” Then, face flushing further, he gingerly dropped it back into the bag. “Sorry.”

She just hummed, reaching for one of the cups but hovering her hand just over it. “Mine?”

“Yeah.”

Lifting it to her mouth she drank greedily, and he watched her throat work as she practically inhaled the coffee. For fuck’s sake, did you wake up eighteen? Pull your shit together he reminded himself firmly, pressing against the countertop to alleviate some of the pressure.

It didn’t work.

“Rough night?” he managed, inching down the island towards the as-yet untouched bag. “Brought you a bear claw.”

“Mhmm, thanks,” she accepted it, ripping off a big bite. “Yeah, you could say. I was gonna just stay in and pack but Clara and Mum and a few mates showed up and dragged me out for a hen night. Didn’t get in until two.”

He just nodded, entirely inappropriate thoughts swirling through his mind. “Erm, can I ask- why the…”

“Dildo?” she finished helpfully, dragging herself up onto a barstool. “That was Shireen’s gift. She thought it might come in handy… just in case.”

“Just in case what?” He knew the answer before he even finished asking, bristling. “I’ll have you know, I have no trouble in that department,” he said stiffly, thinking of his current predicament. “Believe me.”

Her smirk just grew, her eyes coming alive with a twinkle. “If you say so.”

“I do!”

They stared at each other for a long moment, her look teasing, his indignant, before the reality of the conversation settled around them.

“Uh…”

“I need to go clean the club off me,” Rose stood. “Thanks for the coffee. Give me ten minutes, then we can get started.”

“Okay.” He watched her go, studying the way her skirt clung to her hips, before turning a glare on the gift bag.

“That may never happen between us,” Malcolm told it quietly, checking to make sure she was out of earshot, “but if it does, she sure as fuck won’t need you.”

#bbatcfic #ficandchips #Doctor Who #doctorroseprompts #Human!12xRose #Human!Twelfth Doctor #Rose Tyler #Human AU #AU #The Nuptial Necessity

5 notes · View notes

ofheroesandvillains · 5 years

Text

Changing Gears 2 - Tony Stark

Tony Stark/Fem!reader Words: 3.8k Warnings: None really, mentions of “The Cave”. Summary: I said one for each movie and I lied. Don’t trust me…ever. Here’s another for Ironman 1! It’s kind of all over the place. Let me know if it’s trash, it’s been a loooong time.

(not my gif!)

Fear.

Fear wasn’t foreign to you. Your earliest encounter with it came at age 4. Now remember, you stay where I can see you, your father had said, and under no circumstances are you to go in the water without letting an adult know. He’d given you a stern look, one that seemed more at home on Howard’s face than his own. Understood? He’d asked, and you’d nodded.

But things never really go the way they’re supposed to. One minute you’re on the shoreline, digging a little pool into the wet sand, the next, the water is sweeping you away into its cold embrace and you’re left bobbing between the waves. The floaties kept you up, sure, but with each passing second the tide had carried you further and further from the shore, and your desperate cries for your father went unheard.

Or at least you thought they had.

“Hey, it’s alright, I got you. Just- just hold onto me, okay?”

He had no idea how to comfort a wailing child, but even at age 12, Tony Stark did the best he could. What seemed like miles to you (and was more likely a few feet), was quickly wadded through by the boy you’d only met once before.

He didn’t tell your father. It was a lesson learned and you were just a kid, he’d be damned if anyone punished you for their own neglect. You looked terrified and clung to him like a koala, he hadn’t left your side for the rest of the day. That was the day you became his friend. That was the day he became your hero.

---------

That seemed so silly now…drowning. How could the fear of drowning possibly compare to this?

If you took every fear you’d ever felt, stacked them on top of each other and played them in a never-ending loop in your mind for the rest of your life, it’d be a welcome change to the absolute terror that had seized your heart the moment you’d been notified of Tony’s disappearance.

Naturally, the media had lost its mind as soon as a statement was released. Posters, social media, tabloids, the news; everyone was talking about Tony Stark - the billionaire, the genius, the national icon, in the hands of ‘the enemy’. Activists were saying ‘good riddance’, and weeping fans littered the daily news channels, mourning a man they’d never known…a man who you couldn’t -wouldn’t- believe was really gone.

He’s Tony Stark, you’d remind yourself, there’s nothing he can’t do.

Realistically, you knew that the chances of his survival were slim. Your overactive mind had already tried to calculate the odds before you forced it to focus elsewhere. There was still a company to run, reporters to avoid, a billionaire to find.

Pepper took care of the first two for you, but only you could help with the last. She’d been great, Pepper. A godsend. There were hardly any fumes left for you to run on. Sweeping the planet for any sign of Tony was draining; mentally and emotionally. If Pepper hadn’t been there to all but spoon-feed you and tuck you into bed, you likely would have ended up in the ER weeks ago. I’m turning into Tony, you’d wryly thought. But the thought itself just made you miss the man even more.

If anyone had it worse than you, it was probably Rhodey. He’d been more distraught than you’d ever seen him, and after all he’d experienced in his life and his career, that was certainly saying something. But it gave you someone who understood, someone who’d work long into the night with you to try and find a man you both refused to live without.

---------

“Why do you always make this so hard?”

Glassy eyes, pursed lips, drooping shoulders. You looked broken.

Maybe if he hadn’t been so drunk that night he would have understood what you meant. The alcohol never bothered you, not really. You’d scold him for it, take him home, tuck him in, leave Advil and a glass of water on his bedside table, and then repeat it all the next weekend. He’d take advantage of your kindness, because that’s what he did. He hurt the people closest to him.

He loved them, he’d do anything for them…but sometimes his self-depreciation outweighed that love. His whole life had been built on money and fame. He was used to getting what he wanted and the moment something threatened the status quo, he lashed out.

Years later, he would look back and barely remember that night. You hadn’t spoken to him for days afterward and that was the only reason he even cared to remember it at all. There were snippets of memories in his head; a man - a good-looking one, standing a little too close to you at an event, an irrational anger, an argument, and a bruised jaw the morning after.

He’d made excuses and begged for forgiveness, how could he not? Deep down Tony knew what emotion had fuelled him that night, and it was one he’d never expected to feel when he looked at you with someone else. It didn’t change anything, he told himself. In fact, he was hellbent on ensuring it didn’t. You’d told him to stop bringing his flings home, and he’d tried, he really had. But if he didn’t have them then he’d think of you, and he couldn’t ruin you like that.

So, he ignored your warnings and descended even further into his playboy lifestyle. The less he saw you, the more distant you became, and while it tore at him day in and day out, it was for the best. You’d both drifted from each other, but alcohol was the band-aid he slapped on that particular bullet wound.

You were the straight-laced, responsible one. You worked hard and saved face in the media when he inevitably screwed up. You looked after him even if it made your life harder.

Tony was a lot like you in the early days. He wanted to make his parents proud, but that all changed when he realised that no matter how hard he tried, it would never be enough for his father.

Somewhere along the road you’d both diverged from each other. A fork in the road that led you closer to heaven and him closer to hell.

But after that night, Tony had realised that this was more a crossroad than anything else. You were too good for him, he’d never hurt you by pursing a relationship. He didn’t do relationships. But god, did he hate the thought of you with anyone else.

He’d be okay with not having you, as long as nobody else could have you either.

“What the hell is your problem? What did you say to him?”

“I dunno what you mean…we were all ou’ here havin’ a good time, weren’t we girls?”

His entourage chirped like silicone baby birds, desperate for their mama’s attention. Your jaw clenched so hard at the smug grin Tony shot your way, that you almost chipped a tooth.

Ten minutes ago you’d been so close, so close, to finally taking that first step out of the hold he had on you and agreeing to a date. He was a nice boy, a handsome boy, one your mother would have gushed over. But like a vulture circling its next meal, Tony somehow knew just where to find you. His hold was iron. Sometimes you thought that his heart was too, because no matter how much it hurt, he’d never release you.

“Oh come on, sweetheart…” Tony tried rolling his eyes but his entire head followed. “What, you think you were gonna live happily ever after with the baby-faced real estate agent? Really?” He scoffed. “You could do better.”

“Sometimes you can’t help who you love, Tony.” You’d snapped. You’d said too much, but he wouldn’t remember it anyway.

Tony barked a laugh, and his baby birds followed.

“Love? Who’s talkin’ about love? There’s no love here, no ma’am!”

They all laughed again.

Your shoulders dropped, your lips pursed, and you felt the familiar sting at your eyes. You felt broken.

“Why do you always make this so hard?”

--------- Time was a funny thing. All of those nights he’d spent drinking and partying and hunting his next bedmate seemed to flash by in the blink of an eye. But here, in the dark, in the cold, in the wet, he could have sworn that it had been years since he’d arrived.

He’d wasted so much time.

The pain in his chest hadn’t eased up, he didn’t know if it ever would. The Doc had done an incredible job considering the circumstances, and Tony struggled to think of a single one of his own employees who would have had the brains and balls to do what Yinsen did (mainly because he didn’t deal with his employees, but the sentiment was the same). Yinsen had saved his life, and if all it cost him was a bit of pain, then that was a pretty great deal.

The only problem was, that this place was hardly a place he wanted to spend the rest of his life in - however short that may be. The trauma was there, physical and mental, but he’d wrapped it up in chains and thrown it into the deepest pits of his mind. He didn’t have time to fall apart, not when they had a plan.

“I have this friend…”

It was dark, but Tony could still see Yinsen’s head turn in his direction. So far when they settled in for some sleep - if either of them could even manage to muster a few hours - it was Yinsen who had done most of the talking. He spoke of his wife, his children, his home…better days. If anything went wrong the following day, then it was likely that one or both of them would be killed. If ever there were a time to remember what was waiting for him at home, it was now.

“Oh?”

“Yeah…she’s, well, the only real family I have left now that I think about it.”

Yinsen was silent for a beat.

“Do you love her?”

Tony huffed a derisive laugh.

“No. No, it’s not- not like that.” He shook his head, even if Yinsen could barely see it. “She’s different, y’know? Better than this, than- than me.”

Glassy eyes, pursed lips, drooping shoulders. You looked broken.

It was silent again.

“I’ve known her my whole life. She uh, man…”

Yinsen smiled softly. There was a genuine smile in the billionaire’s words.

“She’d know exactly what to do. She’s smart, focused. Probably searching the whole damn planet for us.”

You. Yinsen didn’t bother correcting him.

“She sounds special.”

“She is…I still hear her sometimes. That little voice inside my head, you know the one?”

Yinsen nodded, his eyes slipping shut as he pictured his family.

“I do. I call it hope.”

Tony heaved a shaky breath. “Yeah…hope.”

He smiled. If he closed his eyes he could see the pleased look his words would give rise to.

“She’d get us both out of here with a paper clip and a double A battery.”

Yinsen chuckled.

“I’m sure you’d do the same for her.”

Anything. I’d do anything…

Yinsen hummed thoughtfully, and Tony had to wonder if he’d said that aloud.

“Do you love her?”

Another silence stretched between them as Tony looked over to their workspace. If he squinted he could make out the shape of their creation. The suit of armour that would take them to safety, to freedom…home. Or, maybe it wouldn't.

“Yeah.” He inhaled sharply. “Yeah, I do.”

--------

Tony had taught you many things in life, but this was one of the most important lessons.

You remembered your first day at high school. A child genius, they called you.

A prodigy, that kid’s goin’ places, I’m tellin’ ya!

They were right and you were young, but they also seemed to think that despite the label, your age must have brought with it a certain degree of naivety. The only way they could outdo you was with experience, and they used that to their advantage.

“Watcha doin’?”

“Homework,” you’d answered, tiny hands moving a mile a minute to finish up before dinner.

Tony had frowned then, not that you could see it. You didn’t see him all that often, and when you did, he could barely go to the bathroom without you trailing after him. This was…new.

Even more unusual were the papers strewn all over the desk beside you. Louisa, Thomas, Jake, Allison…Homework, huh? Tony’d thought dryly.

“Woah, slow down there, Speedy Gonzales,” He’d plucked the pencil out of your hand, and couldn’t suppress a smile at the wide-eyed look you’d given him.

“Tony!” You’d shouted, launching yourself at him.

He’d laughed; you hadn’t known it at the time but that was a rarity in those days. You wouldn’t understand it until you were much older, the way he changed around you, even then. The way he hid his sadness, his anger, his bitterness, from you. His childhood may have been miserable, but he’d never allow himself to be the reason yours suffered too.

He would never let anyone hurt you. Except himself, you’d both go on to realise.

“What’s all this?” he’d asked, finally prying your little arms from around his neck.

“The kids at school said that the only reason I was moved up was because my daddy paid for it. They said if I was really that smart, then I’d be able to write their essays and get A’s for all of them.”

You’d looked down at your feet. Why did it suddenly feel wrong? Why did Tony’s smile suddenly look so forced and bitter. He’d scrubbed his expression clean before he looked back at you.

“Did you doubt you could do it?”

“No, I knew I could!” You’d defended.

“Right…so why prove something you already know is true?”

His eyes had softened when he noticed your sad little pout. Decades later it still had the same effect on him. That damned look, I swear it’ll be the death of me one day.

“Hey, look…I get it. I really do,” He’d squeezed your shoulder. “It’s hard, and big kids are assh- ehem, they’re meanies,” his lips had twitched upward, “but you don’t have to prove a damn thing to them, okay? The only person I want you to worry about impressing in this world is you. Can you do that for me?”

You’d nodded.

“Promise?”

“Yes, Tony.”

He’d cocked a brow.

“What, you think I’m going to take your word for it?”

Your fist had shot up immediately, pinky finger at the ready.

“That’s right,” he’d nodded. “You break this very official agreement and that’s it, it’s all over for us.”

---------

So, when he decided to put an end to the weapons manufacturing sector of Stark Industries, you gave him your full support. It was his choice and the world would have to deal with it. Tony had been different since his return. There was a certain blankness that would settle in his eyes sometimes and he seemed more aware of the world around him. He didn’t talk about what happened to him, and you wouldn’t force him to, but the effect it had was evident.

When he’d landed on that tarmac, looking worse than you’d ever seen him, you’d told yourself that it was okay. That he was safe. He was alive. It was more than you could have ever hoped for. Then you’d proceeded to burst into tears, and clung to him the entire way to McDonald’s, like you had that day at the beach so long ago. A press conference was called and he’d left you in the car with a wink that was entirely too confident for a man who’d been through hell.

I promised you a souvenir…

The stoppered tube he’d given you almost sent you into another bout of hysterics. But you were quick to get it together when you’d heard his announcement. You spent the next few days turning off the news whenever he entered the room, but despite your efforts he knew all about the world’s criticism.

“You okay?”

You lingered in the doorway of his bedroom. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees and head hanging between them. He straightened at the sound of your voice, but the charade was already broken.

“Peachy,” he didn’t even bother forcing a smile. You made your way over to sit beside him.

“You ever just…? I mean, am I doing the right thing here? I gotta be, right?”

He looked at you with wide-eyes. They’d take in every inch of you for signs of a lie, or eagerly lap up your reassurances. You’d seen those eyes before; eyes desperate for direction, for a guidance he usually didn’t need. He was Tony Stark and he paved his own way in life…but the world was so far behind him these days, that he sometimes needed the only thing tethering him to it - and that was you. It always had been, and it always would be.

“You are.”

He’d released a sharp breath, relieved, but irritated. He’d been watching the news again.

“Then- Then why are people treating this like some kind of PTSD-induced phase that I’m supposed to snap out of?”

Did you see that? Those are your weapons…

“People are dying-”

In the hands of those murderers…

“-I know-“

Is this what you want?

“-my weapons are killing them-“

Is this what you wish the legacy of the great Tony Stark to be?

“-I know-“

“Do you?!” He snapped. “‘Cause I had no idea!”

His chest was heaving, anger simmering beneath the surface. You’d let him have this, this moment to just yell and vent and get it all out without having to worry about who would see or who he’d hurt with his words. He’d never hurt you, not really.

Slowly, the stern lines of his face evened out, his shoulders slumped, and that familiar look of regret bled into his eyes.

“I’m sorry. God, I’m sorry...I just…” he drew in a sharp breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I need to know that I’m doing the right thing, no matter the cost.”

“You know why they want you to doubt your decisions? Why they want you to ‘snap out of it’?” you asked.

“It’s not because you’re wrong, but because admitting that you’re right doesn’t work in their favour.” You grasped his hand. “People will never value life as long as they continue to profit from death, Tony.”

“It’s not their names stamped on the shell…” his jaw clenched.

“I know, hon.” You offered a sympathetic smile. “But you’ve taken the first step in a direction even Howard wasn’t brave enough to take. So, we’re going to do what we always do. We’re going to fix this, okay?”

His dark, glassy eyes met your own and you smiled softly at the first trace of a small spark in them.

“Huh…”

You forced a shaky laugh, almost squirming at the foreign look in his eyes.

“What?”

He just smiled and shook his head. “Nothing. Just…I missed you, y’know?”

“Right back atcha,” you huffed a more genuine laugh this time. “I mean it, Tony. I’ve never been more proud of you in my life.”

You pulled him into a tight hug, and by the time you’d pulled away and risen to your feet, a pained look had clouded his features.

“Tony?” You couldn’t help but worry.

“I’m fine,” he smiled. It was entirely fake.

“Do, uh…do you mind just…” He glanced down at the floor as if ashamed to ask, waved his hand to the other side of his bed, and looked back up at you through his lashes. “Stay with me?”

The question caught you off-guard, but you couldn’t blame him for asking. When was the last time he’d gotten a good night’s sleep? Probably the night of the Apogee Awards, and that seemed so very, very long ago. You gave him a reassuring smile.

“Of course.”

He’d settled into bed like a skittish animal, eyes darting to his bedroom door and to the wide expanse of tinted windows that lined his wall. The cave had been claustrophobic, but all he saw now were too many points of entry. He’d have to fix that.

Your head settled on his shoulder, and all -most- thoughts of kidnapping were tucked away for later.

“Y’know…Pep told me you barely slept while I was gone.”

“Snitch,” you mumbled, and he chuckled. “Yeah, I was a little stressed. Didn’t take care of myself as much as I probably should have.”

“I’m sorry…”

You squeezed his side, a silent reprimand.

“Don’t. You’re the last person who should be apologising. You have no idea how relieved I am, Tony.”

He was quiet for a beat. Usually he’d fire back a quip to lighten the mood, but not this time it seemed.

“I’m happy to be home.”

And he was, he just couldn’t quite voice that it wasn’t the safe and warm mansion that he’d considered home while he was in that cave. There were arms he wanted wrapped around him. There were eyes he imagined shining up at him. There was a smile he wanted to trace with his lips. There was a woman, right there at the forefront of his mind, begging him to come home…and he never could deny her.

It was jarring. He was supposed to be smart. He was supposed to be smarter than smart, and it had taken a kidnapping, a haphazard surgery in a dank cave, losing a man -a friend- worth more than any of the snobs he’d met Stateside, a fire-fight with terrorists, and a crash-landing in the middle of the desert, to open his eyes to the world around him.

Don’t waste it…don’t waste your life…

They could take his money, and his fame, and his company, and even his brain. He’d still have all he ever needed. Yinsen had lost that, it was why he urged him not to do the same.

But no, he couldn’t say that. Not to her, not yet. So he did what he always did.

“Pep also said that you slept in here most nights.”

You hummed absentmindedly.

“Kinda hoping you never outgrew that habit of sleeping in your underwear…”

Your brows furrowed, eyes snapping open to spy a grin out of the corner of your eye.

You slapped his chest lightly, mindful of the new addition.

“You’d only be so lucky, pal.”

Feeling his chest shake in silent laughter brought a smile on your face, and though you thought you heard his response, you were too far gone to care about it in the moment.

“Don’t I know it…”

#tony stark #tony stark x reader #marvel #marvel fanfiction #Iron Man #iron man x reader #ironman #tony stark imagine #changing gears

108 notes · View notes

technohumanlation · 4 years

Text

Whumptober Day 30

The ever so lovely @whumptober2019 made a list of prompts to complete every day for the whole month of October and I’m giving a shot at it this year!

Recovery

Characters: Leo, Carl, Markus

Warnings: None

"Hi, Dad. I'm getting out of the hospital tomorrow. They told me you stayed with me while I was asleep. I...I'm really sorry about everything that happened. I'm gonna stop all that shit. It messes me up. It turns me into somebody that I hate. I-I'd like to come by and see you tomorrow, if that's alright with you? I... I just want to let you know, I'm...I'm proud to be your son."

One year later

Things had changed. To Markus it was a slow progression of time and yet it felt like it was gone in the blink of an eye. A whirlwind of meetings with humans and androids, coming to disagreements and agreements alike. Countless nights staying awake with swirling thoughts, preparing speeches that grew lengthier and lengthier with time, the growing threat that he could be killed at any moment if in public was now a paranoia he couldn’t fight off. The android was at his breaking point.

So when, from out of the blue, the man he had once taken care of every single moment of his pre-deviancy life, the human he was proud to call father had called him, the world suddenly came to a halting stop.

He answered hesitantly listening to the raspy voice with interest upon the proposition that he gave to him.

Dinner. He wanted him to come over for dinner. Carl Manfred left the conversation open purposely. Spoke as if they had spoken yesterday and not a year ago when he had asked for his advice during the revolution.

“What time?”

“Saturday, after four, Joey can cook a mean meatloaf.”

Markus smiled upon that. He was glad that his new caretaker was still getting along with the spirited old man.

“I bet he does.”

“So what d’ya say, Markus?”

“Well,” he smiled even more. Hearing his raspy voice felt like a balm over his aching heart, encompassing it with warmth and familiarity he once knew. “I’ll have to clear my scheduled.”

“Tough. See you then.”

The hung up the phone only after his father did.

He had been out of touch with his father. A short voice message here and there telling him how he was on his mind and hoped he was doing well had been said. The human had spirit and wouldn’t be bowing down at life any time soon.

He was too hard headed to give up that easily.

When Markus arrived at 8941 Lafayette Avenue the feelings of bitter-sweetness rose in his chest. The soft glow of the light within the house drew him close to familiar warmth. With each step it felt more and more like he was coming home.

He stepped up to the front door and rose his hand to knock but the security system chimed, welcomed him, and allowed him to enter. A soft chuckle came from his lips as he lowered his hand.

Knowing that Carl didn’t change the setting on the A.I. made that sensation return again. Slowly, he entered the house and the smell of, as promised, meatloaf wafted past. He closed the door gently.

He slid his wool coat off his shoulders, hung it on the coat rack by the door, and made his way towards the dinning room.

“Is that so?”

“She’s real nice. She loves your work too.”

Markus stopped in his steps upon the familiar, additional, voice. His thirium pump froze in his chest and climbed into his throat.

Leo.

Leo was here. Tonight? There had to be some sort of mistake. He thought-.

“She has shitty tastes.”

“She does.” Leo agreed and there was a soft chuckle from the old man. There was a moment of silence before Carl’s voice rose again. This time louder.

“Well, it’s not nice to eavesdrop,” His voice traveled to the hallway and he felt embarrassment for being discovered so cleverly. “Come in.”

Markus hesitantly revealed himself and took a step forward before meeting his sheepish gaze with Carl.

“Even in your old age your hearing is still sharp.” Markus murmured.

“If androids are sneaking into my house, then yes, I do.”

He flicked his gaze to Leo who refused to make eye contact with him. His eyebrows pinched together in confusion before it occurred to him why he was so submissive to his sight.

The leader of all deviants stood before him. For a moment he felt powerful and hungry in all the wrong ways. This human that dared to threaten him so long ago and ruin his life as he knew it. He dared to-

Markus stopped those thought sin their tracks. They were nasty and terrible things. Instead he looked towards the facts. He wouldn’t be here without him as well. Those chain of events. Those choices he made led him to where he was in this moment.

In a way, deep down, perhaps he was grateful for him.

“H-hey, Markus...” He looked up finally and offered a short wave. He also noticed that the motion wasn’t jumpy. It wasn’t hectic or hyper.

As a matter of fact, the son was sitting rather still and silently at the head of the table. He had gained some weight around his face and abdomen but he looked relatively healthier. He wore presentable clothing and the bags under his eyes were less darker. He flicked his gaze back to elderly man and saw his was merely observing as if he were watching a gentle debate.

He wasn’t taking sides, not yet at least. And Leo wasn’t raring to jump down his throat with threats and curses.

He seemed...meek and timid.

“Hello, Leo.” Markus nodded. “You look well.”

“Y-yeah.” A nervous laugh escaped his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, took some time off to uh...get better.”

Markus blinked, ticking his head upward ever so slightly. “I see...”

“Sit down, Markus.” Carl finally spoke and immediately the android obeyed. He took the remaining steps forward and sat across from his father. He offered a polite glace to Leo before taking the cloth napkin and placing it on his lap. He couldn’t ingest human food but having manners was always a must.

Joey came from the adjoining kitchen and present Markus with a glass of thirium. “Hello, Joey, glad to see you.”

“You as well, Markus.” He turned to Leo and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Dinner will be out shortly, just finishing up on the potatoes.”

“Take your time.” Carl nodded patting his hand.

It was silent between the three as the caretaker android slipped back into the kitchen. Carl took a sip of his wine and Leo shifted uncomfortably for the first time since Markus had made his appearance.

Carl was as ease this whole time. “I invited you both for a reason.” He started out. “No mater what, even if you two bleed differently you two will always be brothers. When I’m gone all you will have is each other.”

Leo looked down to the table listening to his father’s words intently while as remained submissive. Markus agreed with his wisdom and truth.

“Both of you are new born people. A lot can happen in a year. It can change someone for the better or for the worse. Both of you have come such a long way. And I’m proud to call each of you my sons.”

Carl smiled to Leo taking his hand in his own. “I am so proud of you for the strength you had to recover.” He reached forward and Markus held his hand not quick enough to fight the automatic urge to disable his artificial skin. The elderly man brushed a thumb over his knuckles in assurance that the reaction was quite alright. “And Markus, you have come so far since the day you came to me looking for words of wisdom to make your final choice.”

“Leo,” Carl spoke lightly, his voice cracking ever so slightly. Leo smiled a bit exchanging a glace from his dad to his own hand. “You were always the son I wanted. Always have been. I am sorry If I wasn’t there so long ago and I’m sorry if I treated Markus with favor, because I did.”

“I am growing older now and it may be too late for me to change my ways. But in the light of these days, it seems like we have all turned over a new stone. Changed our outlooks. Looked deep within ourselves.”

Joey came out of the kitchen holding a freshly made meatloaf. He ignored the android and shook both their hands once in insistence. “I think it’s time to learn us all over again. As a family.”

Markus felt the familiar warmth take over his pump once again.

He released both their hands and placed his hands on his lap, a cleansing sigh being taken in deeply. “Now then, let’s dig in?”

Markus chuckled softly. “By all means.” He took a sip of his thirium and set it down gently as Joey served out portions. He eyed Leo carefully, willing to extend the olive branch. “So tell me, Leo. Who’s the girlfriend?”

Leo smiled bashfully accepting it. “Funny story actually...”

#Whumptober2019 #no.30 #Recovery #no warnings #leo manfred #carl manfred #Markus #DBH #Detroit become human

13 notes · View notes