#tries to be a composed and mature grown up...gives up as soon as no one's looking

[katherinezeetajones]

Core

Summary: you've been together with Andy for almost a year, but when your toxic ex comes to Seattle looking for you, who knows what Andy could do?

Andy Herrera x f reader, depicted violence and emotional abuse, mature audiences only

Prev. Parts can be seen in this mega list

You've been together with Andy for almost a year. You've been working at station 19 roughly around the same time, and you couldn't be happier. Everybody enjoys your company as you enjoyed theirs, they shared their secrets as you've learned to share yours. Andy opened her heart to you, and you to her.

Neither of you have said the L word to each other yet... But you know you have been feeling it for quite some time for Andy, and you want to say it out loud, proclaim it from the rooftops, sing it to Andy, the list goes on.

But it's not gonna be today. Your heart drops at the sound of her voice over the phone call, beguiling and disarming—everything you've tried to run away from when you transferred away to Seattle.

Your ex girlfriend, Bonnie.

"baby, listen to me. I'm in town, and I want to meet up. Just hang out, y'know?" Her voice crackles over the line, luring you with her intoxicating allure, though now you feel that she's toxic, more than anything.

"that will never happen. Who gave you my number?" You pinch your eyebrows, trying to keep your voice even as you look for a hidden corner in the barn to continue talking.

She's quiet for a while, and you can feel it. Bonnie is pissed, but she hides it with a sweet voice, like so; "I have my ways, baby. I know where you work, I'll drop by and say hi soon,"

You hang up without saying anything, shoving your phone into your pants pocket a little too roughly. you sit in the back of an open aid car, hands on your head.

"is... Everything okay?" A voice calls out from behind you.

You immediately whip your head around to see Andy, in the middle of restocking the medical supplies. You compose yourself, shaking your head a little too vigorously to be believable. "It's, it's all good, Andy, I..."

Andy gives you a concerned smile, and she immediately put her task aside, sitting down next to you. She gently squeezes your thigh, making you sigh. "No, no... You promised me that you will be honest with me, remember? We can be honest with each other, so tell me,"

You look into her eyes, your whole being reflected in them, and you hate it. You hate being vulnerable, you literally became a firefighter a decade ago so you don't have to do all the touchy feely stuff. But you love Andy, and you promised her. So you sigh. "I... My ex is in town,"

"is that the problem?" Andy asks, a little confused. She knows you well enough not to be miffed, and instead asks you with curiosity.

You shake your head... And sigh. "yes and no. Bonnie was... I guess, still is, in a way, toxic,"

"toxic how?" Andy follows up, taking your hand in hers, her warmth making you feel like you're on fire, yet completely okay.

"like... She was so controlling, I... I met her when I was 16, and she was... 23," and now that you say it out loud, you wince to yourself, wondering why you ever let yourself date Bonnie.

Andy's eyebrows raise, and she takes a deep breath. "Okay... Not a good start of the story..."

You nod, if not a little pained at having to tell Andy one of the lowest points of your life. "I thought she was the one, y'know? She... Made me feel special, treated me like I'm a grown up, we... we got into so much trouble together, and I was feeling weightless in the middle of it all, like I'm flying in the clouds... I thought I loved her, but it turns out she... What's the word, she was... Uh, brushing—"

"grooming," Andy corrects you, smiling a little at your mishap. You can't help but smile at how easy it is for her to know your thoughts, for better or worse. "And then what?"

"and yeah, she was... Grooming me to be her child bride or something... So I gathered the courage to uh, to move to a new city, applied to be a firefighter, and... Here I am, ten years after," you shrug, not really knowing what else to say about the matter.

Andy looks at you with nothing but affection in her eyes, and it only solidified after your story. She takes your intertwined hands and put it up to her chest, keeping it there. "I'm glad you're here, with me,"

"me too," you purse your lips, leaning your head on her shoulder.

"...did she hit you?" Andy asks, with a quieter volume... But a louder emotion she can't quite place.

You shake your head. "No, never... But she was always making me feel terrible when I couldn't spend time with her, like I always have to be available to her... I skipped so much school because of that,"

You can feel Andy's muscles tensing from her shoulder you're leaning on, and she huffs out a grunt. "Don't tell me you're going to meet her,"

You laugh, almost a little offended. "Fuck no,"

Andy relaxes a little, but she doesn't let go of your hand. "I'm... sorry, I... I hate the idea of you seeing her again,"

You grin to yourself, sheepish from Andy's protectiveness. "I won't," you look up to her, giving her a peck on the lips—which she welcomes.

"Engine 19, aid car 19, requested to..." The alarm sounds out the rest, and you two reluctantly part, getting ready for the call.

—

Later that afternoon... it's an empty station, save for Travis in the barn, mopping the floor from grease. Nobody is manning the receptionist desk, and a woman walks in.

Travis looks to the source of the sound, and he makes his way to the front. He greets the nondescript looking woman, who's looking at the pictures of station 19 crew smiling with kids on the bulletin board. "Hi, can I help you, ma'am?"

She turns around, smiling disarmingly. "not at all... I'm looking for..." She looks at the pictures, pointing at a person smiling next to Andy, and points at her. "For her? Is she in today? I have something I needed to talk about with her,"

Travis shakes his head no. "No, sorry... She's out on a call. But maybe, if you want I can deliver your message to her...?"

The woman shakes her head no, with a devastatingly charming smile. "No, it's okay. I'll come back later, thank you,"

Travis nods with a courteous smile, then goes back to the barn, resuming his mopping.

After seeing Travis gone, the woman looks around again, and seeing as nobody else is present, she takes the picture she was pointing at earlier, off the bulletin board.

She leaves the station with a memento.

—

You and 19 finished the call, nothing you can't handle together. You walk with Andy back to the aid car, as you're on driving duty. Andy nudges your shoulder with a cheeky smile.

"so... You wanna fool around in the aid car for a bit?" She asks, giving you a sly expression.

You bite your lower lip...

"yeah," you said easily, amused yourself by how Andy is 90% of your impulse control but also the cause of your impulses.

She speeds off to the aid car, leaving you in the dust. She beckons you to speed up, which you do with a small smile.

-

You're kissing Andy in the back of the aid car (with the doors closed), straddling her lap as she cradles your face in her hands, your hands all over her back, and your clothes are starting to feel really bothersome.

"rookie... You want...?" Andy asks, panting inbetween kissing you, her hand at the buckle of your belt all of a sudden.

You groan. "No... Andy, remember the last time we did that...? We got caught and was turned into a meme in the group chat,"

Andy chuckles, but she doesn't let go of your hips, as you're still sitting on her lap. "The memes were funny,"

You give her a look.

She sighs. "Fine... Let's stick to just making out then,"

You comply without a second's hesitation.

—

In the evening, as the engines and aid cars park back inside the barn, A shift is getting ready to go home for the day. You're just about finished taking the last of your things out of the locker when you feel a hand wrapping around your hips, making you instinctively grin.

"Andy, stop..." You turn around with a cheeky smile, and rightly so, Andy is biting her lip, pulling your hips flush with hers in the middle of the empty locker area.

"wanna grab dinner at our usual food truck?" She asks, giving you a conspiratorial smile.

You sigh a small smile. "We can just call it by its name, y'know. nobody's around,"

"you don't know that, rookie. They have ears everywhere, and I want to gatekeep the food to ourselves,"

You caress her cheek with one hand, amused at her immaturity you only recently discovered her having. "You make a good point. But... I need to go to the self storage tonight, finally found a buyer for the couch,"

Andy nods, if not a little disappointed. "Right. That's $150 for me, $30 for you, right?"

You scoff in disbelief. "Oh, and when did we come up with that agreement?"

She shrugs with a devious grin. "Last night at my place, after... I don't know, the fifth round?"

You let out an involuntary laugh. "That doesn't count, that was post-orgasm talking—"

"what are you lovebirds talking about?" Vic suddenly comes into the locker area, a knowing smile on her face as she takes her fine toothed comb out of her duffle bag.

Andy doesn't let go of your hips, but her grip slacken. "Just sex stuff,"

Vic nods without much thought. "Huh, y'know, at first you two were such a hot topic when we all first found out, but now you're just overwhelming us with your PDA that it becomes boring,"

You protest. "Hey. We're not boring,"

Andy shrugs. "We kind of are,"

Vic laughs on her way out. "When's the wedding?"

She leaves the question to die in the air, making you both swallow the sentiment without talking about it.

"right, I gotta go," you remember your couch situation, and Andy lets you go. You give Andy a quick kiss on the lips, and she hugs you goodbye.

—

You enter the self storage space in downtown Seattle, a good twenty minute drive away from the station. You wave the manager lazily sitting behind the counter, who doesn't acknowledge your arrival other than giving you a grunt.

After walking a bit, you stand in front of your storage space, fish your keys out from your bag, but you accidentally fumbled and dropped it.

"still clumsy like the old days," a voice dryly chuckles, alarming you.

You whip your head around, begging to the gods that it's not who you think it is.

It's who you think it is.

It's Bonnie, your ex, in the flesh.

She gives you a charming smile, but it quickly drops, and as it drops—you feel something heavy hitting you on the side of your temples...

And everything goes dark.

—

You don't know how much time has passed. Everything in your vision is spinning as you slowly come to, though you're slowly starting to be able to focus on what you're looking at.

"Bonnie," you sit up groggily on the ground, clutching the side of your temple and feel something wet. Blood.

Bonnie sits on the couch you're trying to sell, and now you realize she's locked you both inside your storage room. She looks at you with nothing but calm on her face, but you know she's never calm. "I tried looking for you earlier at station 19, but that sweet freckled guy told me you were out on a call,"

You sit up, fully come to, head throbbing and your heart pounding a mile a minute. "So you followed me,"

She shrugs, leaning back on the couch. "You ran away from our hometown, our friends, you ran from me—what the hell happened, baby? Why the sudden move?"

You feel like you're going to throw up. Bonnie has never been like this. Back then, she was emotionally immature, yet manipulative—impulsive, yet scarily calculating when it comes to her own best interest; but this? This is serial killer level behavior.

You try looking for your phone, but it's in your bag... Your bag, sitting pretty right next to Bonnie. Bonnie looks at where you're looking at, and she looks back at you with a thin smile.

"I'm not a serial killer, baby. I just wanna talk,"

"then open the doors, let's talk," you bargain, but you know it's futile. When Bonnie wants something, she always have to have what she wants.

"the last time I let you talk, baby—you left me and our whole town, and I couldn't find you for ten years," Bonnie mutters rather sharply, her tone spiking at the end, however still calm and composed.

You sit up straighter, trying to think of your options. You could talk to her now, see what she wants, maybe she wants to hang out like she said!

But you know better than that. Bonnie was malicious then, but judging from the way she bludgeoned your head and locked you both in here without a way for you to escape, Bonnie is volatile now.

"talk, yeah, okay... Talk about what?" You ask, at the same time trying to think of a way to call for help.

Bonnie thinks for a moment. "What about this?" She takes out a paper from her shirt pocket, and it's a photo. A photo of you, smiling with Andy, big toothed grin on your faces. "Who is she?"

You swallow nervously. "Just someone I work with,"

She clicks her tongue, seemingly getting agitated. "Doesn't look like just a co-worker, baby. Who is she?"

"that's not why you came here, is it? You came here for me," you try to distract her, eyes scanning your storage space, trying to remember where you put things.

"yes, that's true," Bonnie nods, getting up from the couch, walking around your space. She then whips her head around at you, face scrunched up in confusion. "What the fuck happened to us, baby? It used to be just you and me, huh? And now you... You just... Ran away?"

You're terrified for your life. You truly, truly are. But you've watched enough true crime documentaries and observed Bonnie for so long to know that if she walks out of here after killing you, she's gonna go after Andy next.

So you breathe.

"Bonnie, what's between us was... It was great, y'know? But... We got into so much trouble, and, well... Our time has passed, Bonnie. We gotta move on with our lives, doesn't mean that I ran away,"

Even though you actually did ran away.

Bonnie doesn't want to accept that as a valid answer. She shakes her head, and grabs you by the collar, dragging you to your feet. "We were in love,"

"our time together has passed," you insist on the sentiment, trying to keep yourself calm.

She roughly let you go with a grunt, looking away from you. "Does your new girlfriend make you feel like you're flying high? Like when you're with me?"

"no," you shake your head, spotting your gardening tools at the corner of your eye, sitting on the corner of the storage. "She makes me feel like I'm standing on solid ground."

"and how is that better?" She scoffs.

"she makes me want to be a better version of myself. Firefighting is my calling, Bonnie—we were never meant to be together,"

"don't fucking say that," she sneers, visibly displeased with your choice of words.

It's now or never.

You dive sideways, snatching a lighter from the corner of a nearby table. You skid into the corner where your gardening supplies are, grabbing a bottle of pesticide.

Bonnie's eyes widen at your actions. "What do you think you're doing?"

You flicked the lighter open. "Run, Bonnie. Get out of here,"

She only scoffs. "You don't have the guts. You think you have what it takes to kill me? You think that'll work?"

You keep the lighter open near the pesticide bottle, holding them both up. "Get out, Bonnie."

She shakes her head in disbelief. "And what if I don't? What if, instead, I take you home with me, back to our hometown, and we live happily ever after?"

"and what if I don't come with you?"

"then I'll go for your girlfriend," she shrugs easily. "Clearly, she's the reason you don't want to leave Seattle,"

You've made up your mind. You're not gonna let that happen to Andy.

So it should only happen to you.

You opened the pesticide, poured it onto the ground around you, and you drop your lighter, and everything goes ablaze.

Bonnie's wide-eyed expression of shock is the last thing you see as you stagger backwards, the fire creating a wall between you and her.

—

Andy hasn't left the station, as it turns out. She's busy talking to Maya about shift changes in her office, when the alarm suddenly rings out.

"engine 19, aid 19, requested to..."

Andy can feel her heart drop. She turns to Maya, expression horrified. "That's where rookie is at right now,"

Maya doesn't waste time. She nods at Andy, and they both get out of there, and onto the destination.

-

"...you don't think it's her, do you?" Warren asks as he drives the engine, Andy sitting shotgun in the senior man spot.

Andy's growing restless, failing at trying not to show it. "I hope not,"

Warren sympathetically nods, eyes still on the road. "I know we make jokes and memes about you two being a thing, but... I think you're both..."

"...meant to be?" Andy finished Ben's sentiment with a small smile, despite herself.

"yeah, something like that," Warren shrugs.

"I know," Andy leans her head on her hand, as her hand leans on the engine window frame. "Because I feel it too, and yet... I haven't even told her I love her,"

"call her, then,"

Andy doesn't even argue. She pulls out her phone, and dials your number.

Nobody picked up.

Andy sighs, focusing her gaze on the road instead.

They drive the rest in uneasy silence.

—

As 19 arrives on the scene, the storage space lot is halfway engulfed in flames, but luckily, nobody is found injured so far.

Maya talks to the manager of the space, trying to remain focused. "Excuse me, can you tell me if anybody is still inside?"

The manager thinks. "Uh... There's the... The ditzy kid, the firefighter? She hasn't come out,"

Maya nods uneasily. "Which number?"

Andy hops off the engine, taking the hose down, getting ready to kill the fire.

Maya approaches Andy, face somber. "She's in there, we're gonna send a team to get her,"

Andy's eyes widen, dropping the hose without hesitation. "I'll go in there,"

Maya shakes her head, holding Andy back from rushing in to the active fire. "No, you're too close to this, Andy—we'll send in a team,"

Andy feels red in the face. "No, not when the woman I love—"

Maya doesn't budge, though her microexpression sheds a shred of sympathy. "I get it, Andy, but you can't go in there—"

And as luck would have it, the recovery team steps out of the entrance, carrying an unconscious you on a backboard... And Bonnie.

Andy immediately rushes to your side, tears free falling from her eyes as the team walks on. "Rookie? Rookie, oh my god, rookie, wake up!"

"Herrera, you can ride with her in the aid car," one of her colleagues carrying the backboard nods at Andy, which she doesn't pay attention to, too preoccupied at the thought of losing you.

"rookie, wake up, rookie, my love..." Andy pleads, cradling your face in her hand.

You slowly come to at the sound of Andy's voice, echoing in the back of your mind. "... Andy,"

She let out a choked sob, a relieved laugh escaping her lips. "Hey, yeah, yeah, I'm here... I'm here... Your, your head is pretty banged up, too, aside from these burns,"

You lift your head up slightly, and see Bonnie loaded up into a different aid car. "That's... That was my ex, Bonnie,"

Andy's face darken, despite her tears. "What...? Did she set fire to the place...?"

"no, I... I..." Your head hurts so much, and everything else hurts too.

You feel yourself being loaded into the aid car, and Andy rides with you.

They close the doors, and the aid car is on its way to grey sloan.

"what the hell happened, rookie?"

"well..." You groan weakly, the drip of saline being infused into you not really kicking in just yet.

You manage to tell Andy the full story, and her face journey fluctuates between saddened and angered... But as your story ends, she's just so relieved you're still here.

She squeezes your hand in hers, her face full of unsaid things. "I'm just... I'm glad you're okay, rookie..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry anyone—"

"you should know by now that you have people that care about you, rookie,"

You slowly nod, fully understanding the weight of her words. "I guess I'm just starting to really accept that,"

"I... I love you, rookie," Andy said slowly, but surely. "Our job is dangerous, and... I don't want another day to go by without me telling you this,"

You feel your cheeks splitting from the smiling you're doing, though part of that is also from the burns you've suffered from the fire. "Really...?"

"really," Andy nods, resolute. "I don't even know why I didn't say it sooner,"

You bashfully sigh. "I... I love you, Andy,"

Andy grins brilliantly, radiantly. "Yeah?"

"I think that's kind of obvious," you offer with a sly smile.

"...maybe. but it's nice to hear it out loud," Andy chuckles softly, kissing your knuckles.

—

You were given a four week leave due to your injuries, and you were discharged after week one. The night you were admitted into grey sloan, detectives question you, and you told them the truth.

It took some convincing from your captain, but the detectives decided that you're not found guilty in lieu of self defense, while Bonnie will be charged with assaulting a firefighter, and will face time.

You persuaded the detectives to also give Bonnie a psychiatrist beforehand, as your ex also showed symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder, and they shrug out a maybe.

It's been three weeks into your paid leave, and you decide to use your day off to visit Bonnie, still in the hospital.

"hey," you slowly walk over to the edge of her bed, and she watches you without any expression.

Her heavily bandaged limbs makes you feel almost sorry for her, if not for the years of emotional violence you've suffered under her hands. She scoffs at your arrival. "Came to take a gander at your work?"

You purse your lips. "I told you to run, Bonnie. That it didn't have to end this way,"

"and I'm going to prison today, right after they discharge me. And all I wanted was your love,"

You swallow. You're not falling for this again. "You don't want my love. You wanted somebody to control, but I outgrew you."

She chuckles dryly. "Why'd you do it, then? Why ask some psychiatrist to counsel me and shit if you hate me so much?"

"I don't need to like you to give you a helping hand, Bonnie. I'm a firefighter. I save lives,"

Bonnie doesn't answer. You tap the metallic edge of the bed railing with a nod, giving her a goodbye.

You exit her room, immediately bumping into Andy in her civilian clothes. You raise your eyebrows. "Andy? Why are you here?"

Andy shrugs. "I thought I'd find you here. I also heard they're gonna take your ex to jail,"

You nod with a small sigh. "I'm glad you're here,"

Andy gives you a small smile, hugging your sides. "Give you a ride back home?"

"perfect," you nod, content.

"but... You go first," Andy gives you her keys. "I have to use the bathroom,"

You nod, leaving grey sloan with Andy's car keys in hand.

Andy wordlessly watches you leave, and after your silhouette is well gone from the view, she enters Bonnie's hospital room.

Andy stops at the edge of her bed, getting an eyebrow raise out of Bonnie.

"so you're the girlfriend," Bonnie mutters amusedly.

"I'm not just the girlfriend," Andy exclaims, hands in her pockets. "I'm the girlfriend that's going to make her so unbelievably happy, that you will be nothing but a decade long bad dream,"

Bonnie scoffs.

Andy leans forward, no sort of sympathy in her eyes. "I hope you rot in jail."

And with that, Andy walks out of the hospital.

—

After a long while, Andy finally gets into the driver's seat, with you shotgun.

"took you long enough," you softly chuckle.

Andy shrugs. "I got a little side tracked,"

"ready to go home?" You ask her.

She nods. "I love you,"

"I love you too," you say it back without hesitation.

"let's go home." She smiles at you, and drives you both home.

—

Tagging: @geekyandgay98

#wlw imagine #station 19 #station 19 x reader #andy herrera #andy herrera x reader #andy herrera x you #station 19 x you #andy herrera x female reader

[anna1306]

2/13

Yeah, I would finish this '13 thing' I planned, even if I blew up every schedule I had

Peace and quiet

Mcspirk

He always knew that without him this ship would blow up to dust. Even if Leonard wasn't engineer or in science group or security team - he did something much more valuable. He held these two idiots back from death decisions or any stupid moves.

Listen to Jim ranting about his new girlfriend? Done. Look at proud Spock's wound? Done. Playing the mediator between them two, including sitting back and listening without any words? Done.

So if anyone asked, Bones needed a day off. Or better - week off. Because as soon as the state of "dead danger, you would die because you in shit" wore off, they came in. Two idiots with emotional problems and obviously errors in their developments. Why didn't they talk was beyond him. They were communicating so well when in danger. But in real life - nope.

"Do you think he'll love it?" Kirk looked at some Vulcan thing, reminding McCoy of simple vase. The man sighed, filling in reports.

"How do I know. Go to him and ask if he likes vase." Doctor wasn't in the mood for advices, especially these stupid.

"No! I need to give him something. I... Messed up and he's angry."

"Ah, that's why he's pouting and turns green every time I mention you." Bones scoffed. These two and their lovelife was obvious to everyone. Except for them. "Not that I am curious, but... What did you do?"

"Well... Remember our last mission?"

"He's mad at you because you risked your life and came to save him by jumping on the aborigens with knives, while having no other weapon?" Bones raised his brow. Kirk nodded slowly. "Surprisingly, I'm on his side on that one."

"Hey! You are supposed to be my friend!"

"And you are supposed to be a grown mature captain of this ship and talk to him and still here you are asking me about stupid vase." McCoy leaned back in his chair and looked at his best friend tiredly. "If he didn't care for you, he wouldn't be worried, go talk to him."

" Oh, sounds logical." Kirk looked at a wall, probably building some different strategy. Bones sighed - genius and great leader in danger, he sometimes was oblivious to normal relationship. Though this was strange, he had a great list of his ex-lovers.

"Yeah, logical. Like Spock. Get some nice temperature for him going in the cabin, talk to him, no innuendos, no nothing. Just talk. Now get out, you are distracting me." Bones threw some rubbish, that he forgot to throw away, in him, and Jim laughed, taking this Vulcan mess and going to the exit. Though he stopped in doors and looked at his friend curiously.

"So... When you are worried for me and cursing, does this mean you like me?" The next thing that flew in captain, was doctor's mug.

***

"I expected this from Jim, but... You?" Bones still tried to calm down from the sudden appearance of Spock. In his bathroom. "Get the fuck out, goblin, can't you see I'm busy?!"

"You are in the bathtub, I supposed you could at least talk to me." Spock seemingly wasn't even phased and Bones couldn't see his face clearly in the nearly dark room. "I need your advice."

"Advice my ass, Spock, I'm in the bath, get out and come later. Or preferably never!" The doctor finally reached out for the towel. Only when he stood up, Spock turned away, making McCoy scoff. Apparently, this green goblin couldn't bear the image of naked person in front of him.

"Advice your ass to whom?" McCoy froze, slowly looking up at the Vulcan. He still found words to laugh at him. This little shit...

"You..."

"It's about captain. He behaves... Rather illogically." Spock changed the theme very fast, sarcastic prick. McCoy rolled his eyes.

"It's his normal state." Bones growled, wiping himself with the towel and tying it on his hips.

"No, captain is..." Spock turned to him and stopped for a second, but quickly composed himself. "He is, I think, sad. He does all of his work, doesn't answer to any comments from Mr.Sulu or Mr.Chekhov and just goes back to his room."

"Oh, it's this stage again. Why are you here, again? You know the basics of human emotions, right? So just make him more happy. He is like golden retriever when he sees you." Leonard pushed the button to drain the water from the tub. They wouldn't let him rest normally.

"Why do you compare Captain with a dog?" Spock raised his perfectly black brow. "I came here because you are his best friend, you know what can help him."

"You can help him. And some rest. I'm not gonna tell you obvious things, you can use your famous logic yourself. He works non-stop. As far as I know he hasn't had a day off for a while. So, when we are at some station, take him to... I don't know, cinema? Some park? Somewhere you would rest in, but with more noise and colours for kids."

"I haven't thought about. Thank you doctor." Spock nodded and left his cabin with thoughtful expression.

"Next time ask before enter, you emotionless freak!" Leonard sighed. Both of them were annoying, but they were very close to him. Sometimes he even asked if it was really worth it helping them or just wasting his time to listen to them. But when he saw Jim, happy and not so tired coming back from the transporter with Spock, he nodded to himself. Worth it.

***

The ship was buzzing, he himself was busy as shit. They had encountered some mind controlling, aggressive race and that was nightmare. He was among those who descended on a planet and witnessed himself how the talk between Jim and the leader of that race wasn't really good. They thought Enterprise was interfering and breaking their laws. Another downside was that they didn't know much about that race. Word after the other and the fight started. He himself almost got under attack and wounded but Spock got him out of there. They all went back, but the aftermath still shook them.

"So... Jesus Christ, Jim, go away!" Leonard went to the bed with Spock, sitting on it, and noticed Kirk, standing right next to him.

"Bones, he needs help!"

"I know it without you." McCoy pushed Kirk aside and looked closer on very silent Spock. "Are you alright?" Silent nod. "Can I come closer?"

"Yes." Barely heard whisper as the answer. The doctor sighed, stepping closer and getting out the tricoder. He scanned Spock and closely watched the scannings. He didn't like to work with Vulcans, all their psychology aspects and everything else, but... He was the only free medical personnel who could tend to him. M'Benga was busy with others and the rest of his personnel didn't know the medical history of Spock. Besides they wouldn't know how to work with half-human, half-Vulcan.

"So? What is it?" Jim was very impatient. And that was getting to Bones' nerves.

"Can you shut it?" He snapped at him and noticed out of corner of his eyes that Spock shivered. McCoy sighed. Vulcans and their freaking mental empathy. "There is some minor head damage. Spock, I'll wear gloves and check it, is it alright?" He asked, while already putting on the gloves. The brunette didn't react, and Leonard sighed. "Spock, did you hear me?" He was as patient as he could with this type of situation, but hell he needed a drink.

"Yes. You can." Spock looked at him, and something inside McCoy tightened. He was so helpless right now, he hadn't seen so much emotions in him ever. Leonard carefully touched his head, checking the wound. Thankfully, nothing opened, just bump and light concussion. He pulled away, taking his gloves off.

"You need to rest. Nothing serious. Jim, take him to his room, but!" He pointed a finger in his friend. "Don't touch his skin, you like to forget that he's Vulcan. And be quieter than usual."

"Thank you, Leonard..." Spock said very quietly on his way out, almost whispering. But McCoy heard it, almost freezing. He never called him that before. "Doctor", "Mr.McCoy"... Not by his first name. Right now, when they had nearly escaped gravely danger it was... Strangely warm somewhere inside. So he didn't even find suitable words to respond to him. Jim nodded as well, going out with him.

***

"I don't understand." Jim paced the cave they were trapped in. "How the hell did we end up here? Still no connection?"

"In the past two minutes since the last time you asked? No." McCoy looked at Jim tiredly. He hated it all. Hated space, hated Kirk with his stupid adventurous nature, hated himself for agreeing to go down on this planet. Now he was locked under some blockage with Jim.

"I'm just... What if Spock is wounded? Or Uhura? Why did I brought her here?"

"We can die here if we don't come up with the idea to get out. And you are worried for others?" McCoy scoffed. Jim sat on the stones near his friend, sighing. Oh no, Bones knew these eyes all to well. Any possible words or jokes wouldn't reach to him.

"It is my fault. If I wasn't so curious and stupid, we wouldn't have been in this situation, they wouldn't have been in that situation, we would be on a ship and far away. I should have known, I..." Bones put a hand on his arm, knowing that this was the optimal way to stop him. Kirk raised his teary eyes on him. "I am such a child. I am a disgrace. I shouldn't be captain."

"I wouldn't serve under anyone else." McCoy answered to that. "You are the centre of out crew. Who taught Sulu that nice punch, that he landed on some arrogant ambassador?" Kirk sniffed, some tears already spilled.

"Me."

"Who taught Chekhov this freaking song that he sang for a week, annoying the shit out of me?" Jim snickered through tears.

"It was me."

"And who helped Uhura when she accidentally almost got married to one of the aborigens on that water planet by pretending to be her elder brother and lying that every other child in human race change skin colour?"

"Me." Jim completely calmed down, and Bones smirked at the success.

"You are not a burden, Jim. You are the captain that every weirdo on this ship deserves. That everyone loves."

"Everyone?" Oh no, there it was, this classic smirk of Kirk. Bones smacked him on the shoulder.

"Don't include me in your marital games with Spock."

"You are mean."

"I am rational." McCoy responded and leaned on the stone behind him. "You don't need old grumpy alcoholic doctor with ex-wife and father-daughter problem. You need a honeymoon on Vulcan, so you would finally get it down with every possible tradition."

"You are stupid." Jim scoffed.

"Look who's talking." They got out in couple of hours, saved by the others, leaded by Spock. The look of relief on his face, when he saw both doctor and captain well was totally well-played. McCoy wouldn't believe this goblin felt relief for his return. Maybe just that the crew didn't lost their medical officer.

***

"All I wanted - quiet evening with whiskey. And what are you doing here?" Leonard needed a vacation. Because he came in his cabin justto find Spock calmly sitting on his bed, while Jim walked back and forth.

"Hey! How was your day?" Kirk smiled at him, while McCoy turned the thermostat up, placing his bottle on the table.

"Don't sweet-talk me, Jim." Bones crossed his arms on a chest. "What do you want?"

"There is no need to be so hostile." Jim laughed awkwardly, smacking his shoulder. Spock was a lot calmer, but nodded.

"We just wanted to talk and... Offer... Something." Seeing Spock carefully picking his words was very pleasing, as he usually never was so lost, but Leonard didn't trust it.

"If you are convinced that robbing some bank with Kirk is a good idea, it's not, he is lying." Bones scoffed, looking at the Vulcan. The latter looked between him and Jim and shook his head.

"I may be foolish around some emotions, but I am not an idiot." At least that was good news for the situation.

"So what is it then?"

"Well... You remember how you told me that I should talk with Spock or how you told me that I should just speak to achieve anything?" Kirk started, looking a bit awkward while at that.

"Kinda."

"So we... I... No, we decided to speak with you. I'd prefer much better way for dealing with this, but Spock said that you wouldn't be glad." Kirk didn't like that conversation, he would prefer to just act instead of talking about emotions and true feelings. Words meant nothing to him, and McCoy respected that. But now he wasn't glad that the situation was going to the dead-end as it meant more time spent on the gathering right words and thoughts. So he decided to take a leap of faith. Maybe he was wrong about... Everything these two were trying to do.

"You wanted to talk about your affection towards me?" Doctor sighed, taking all of this in his own hands. Jim froze and looked at him a little dumbfounded. He slowly nodded. "I guessed that much."

"I told you Jim, that doctor McCoy isn't foolish and he would get that we try to court him." Spock said very calmly. At least one of them was. Though... Leonard looked a bit attentively at the Vulcan. Yes, his ears were a bit green. He was ashamed, how funny it would be, if Leonard didn't try to push away his emotions.

"I know your look when you want to sleep with someone, Jim. And no, Spock, I don't like flowers, throw away every single advice he gave you on dating." He added, going to his bottle of whiskey. He needed a glass.

"I will keep it in mind." Spock nodded, now his cheeks were green too, but his face stayed in this calm-neutral expression. Bones took couple of sips from the glass, looking between them too.

"If you noticed, why didn't you tell us?!" Kirk snapped, striding to McCoy and grabbing him by the shoulders. Finally he understood the situation and now his emotions were stronger than his awkwardness.

"Because you are together and I am not in the mood of becoming your new side fling or third wheel." Leonard calmly answered to that, putting away his glass. Strange, Jim's face was too serious for the talk about threesome. And Spock stood from his place, now absolutely calm, even greenish tone disappeared. "What?"

"We have no intention of just... Sleeping with you, doctor." Spock said, stopping right near them. "We have the most serious intentions of starting a... How do you call it in human culture... Polyamory relationship with you."

"Starting a wha..." He was interrupted. Jim decided that enough words, he should act and he... Did just that. Kissed Bones passionately and hard like he always wanted to. McCoy was frozen for the whole kiss, even if inside was fire spreading in the chest.

"We love you and we know the feeling is mutual." Kirk licked his lips, smirking at him.

"You care for us both. And when one of us doesn't understand the other one - you explain everything. You know us sometimes even better than we know ourselves." Spock said quietly, not even doing anything, but his calm support of everything that was going on was creepy to say the least. It added to the feeling that Leonard was wrong about them, they wanted something and he just thought about it otherwise.

"And that is why we love you so much! Even if Spock is trying to bring logic in here... You know us, understand us, support us. I can't imagine going further without you! Plus you are a good kisser and I wonder..." Kirk's smirk became more sly, as his hands slowly came lower from the shoulders, but Bones slapped his hands away.

"Keep wondering." He sighed. What he felt towards those two idiots probably didn't have the right word for description. Love? You don't want to kill your loved ones even sometimes. Friends? He would be lying if he said he didn't imagine any of them together with him. But... It was weird. Like everything else on this ship. Well... It couldn't be worse than that. "Alright, we can try. But talk first! I won't jump in your bed tonight, Jim. And even no hands holding with Spock."

"Technically this is your bed, doctor." Spock corrected him carefully, making Jim laugh. McCoy only rolled his eyes. "But I understand. I'll make sure Jim won't try anything."

"You think I don't know how he can be?"

"Not in this field, Leonard." Spock scoffed. And from that alone Bones knew - he was in for a treat. His calm days were seemingly over. But it still was better than to just stay away from them. Why not try?

#star trek #aos #bones #leonard mccoy #jim kirk #spock #mcspirk

[oreos-and-pastels]

Your blog is super cute and I'm so glad I stumbled upon it! I just queued a whole bunch of stuff from you 😊

Oh wow! Thanks so much! It's totally fine to queue and reblog. I'm glad you're enjoying the posts!

#this made my morning! #i hope it was ok to answer this? #tries to be a composed and mature grown up...gives up as soon as no one's looking #eeeeeee!! #kc rambles

[icyteaa]

TCF HEADCANON

[Being alive is the best, isn't it?]

Part 1

White Star, their worst enemy that tries to bring despair to the world, have been defeated. Everyone on the battlefield saw his body slowly fall from above with root as big as a dagger stabbed his heart. And without them knowing the reason, the body gradually disappeared; like ash that swapped away by the wind. Left beautiful white embers in the air.

But there is no one who could shout to celebrate their victory. Nor they can hug each other out of the overwhelming feeling. It's like there is something chocking their throat and their body stiffly stands as their head focuses on the body that falls together with the enemy; it's their hero, Commander Cale Henituse.

The weak and pale body slowly fell after smiling when he finally defeated the enemy. But there is not a single one who was happy to see their dear hero fall as the last thing the alliance armies could see was the closest comrades of the hero shouting his name while rushed toward the unconscious body.

The one who was always beside Cale, Raon, panicked when he saw the body falls. But grown up to be more mature and composed in this kind situation, he didn't just freeze as he cast his human body so he could fall smoothly while Raon tried to communicate with all his family that rushed toward Cale to find the person that maybe could heal him soon, Saint Jack.

They were all transported toward one of the buildings in Puzzle city where Saint Jack healing the allied armies who were wounded while clashing on the battlefield. Everyone was crowded in the room where Cale tried to be healed by Jack. They felt as much pain as they saw their idiot young master that always sacrificed himself wail in pain while he fainted. All his body was filled with his own blood. There is a hole in his chest, where exactly the root had stabbed to his heart before; the sacrifice Cale should endure to make the weapon to kill White Star.

No, they didn't even know it was possible. And again, Cale always makes himself take all the heavy responsibility in his weak shoulder.

The only ones who didn't present there were Alberu and Rosalyn, because they should let all his subordinates, armies and mages know their victory. Calm the innocent citizen that felt terror because of this battle, and announce to all people that they had killed their worst enemy that could make this world filled with despair.

"I... couldn't heal him." All eyes move toward the Saint that uses his power in the last fifteen minutes to heal Cale. His body slumped as his breath got messy and irregular; his face and back full of sweat, but his eyes focused toward the red head that still didn't get any better even if Jack had used all his power. Why?— he felt so frustrated. Jack can even heal creatures with death attribute now, then why can't he heal the one who has the righteous qualified to be healed? Why is someone who always helps everyone, someone with a very good deed, should endure this pain alone?

Jack can feel someone putting their hand on his shoulder. He turned towards the person. It was Choi Han who was mute himself until now. He could feel the cryptic tremble in the man's hand, but Jack shut himself when he saw the serious look on Choi Han's face. "What do you think, Eruhaben-nim?" Everyone's eyes turned again toward the golden hair that just standing in front of the bed side with eyes just focuses toward the unlucky kid that he is always fond of. He sighed and closed his eyes tightly, "We can't do anything about him."

Everyone gets chaotic when they hear it. Especially the kids: Raon, On and Hong, who are already crying as they surrounded their beloved parental figure. But Eruhaben makes them shut again with his magic. They can see the same frustrated looks in the ancient dragon as he explained more, "I thought because the Saint's power gets stronger than before now, he can do something about it. But it looks like Cale needs to heal himself."

Eruhaben continued as he saw serious looks in everyone's faces focused towards him. "The situation in his body is really a mess right now. All his ancient powers were deemed because they tried to let his restoration power work as fast as possible. But because his heart, where the restoration power is placed, got damaged, it will not be easy." He turned toward Cale again when the man grunted with pain, "What we can do now is wait. He will pass out as long as he needs to heal himself. Just like anytime he fainted before."

Everyone wasn't satisfied with this situation, of course. But just like Eruhaben said, there is nothing they can do. Even after Alberu came with the best royal doctors Roan Kingdom has, the only thing they can do is treat the wound in Cale's chest with the hope that it will make the progress of Cale's restoration get faster.

The banquet was held as a celebration of their victory a few days later. As a face of the kingdom that contributes the most, Alberu the Crown Prince, Rosalyn as commander of mage brigades and a few commanders of their armies, as well as the head of another kingdom such as Toonka, Valentino, Litana and Jopis, need to attend the banquet even if they don't feel like they are winning already. Not before their hero woke up from his long collapse.

Everyone wants to know what their hero, Cale's condition is, especially because rumours have circulated about what sacrifice Cale's pull to kill the enemies. But Alberu keeps the information just for a few closest comrades and Cale's family. Cale's body is transported to the royal palace so the doctors can keep in check with Cale's condition, and Alberu lets the children as well as Cale's other comrades; Choi Han, Molans duo, Eruhaben, Mary, Rosalyn and Lock to stay in the palace as long as they want.

They felt worried, of course. But because this case—where Cale fainted for a very long time isn't the first time they have gone through, they can feel a bit calm now. Because Cale always woke up. Their family still breath. Their precious young master started to heal himself. They can wait as long as needed if it means they can see the tender, lazy AF but caring Cale waking up one day. That's too what makes the children still eat their meals properly and take care of their own health. They didn't want Cale to see them sick when he woke up.

One month. Cale is still in bed, fainting; breathing slowly and healing slowly too. The wound healed slower than the doctors predicted. It was assumed because the root Cale stabbed to his chest, not just any roots. But still, Cale makes progress.

The children are always beside him. Just wake up when they need to take a bath or get their meals. They like to feel a vague warm Cale gush from his body. Not as warm as he woke up, but still made them comfortable. Give them hope he will wake up someday.

Ron always takes care of Cale's body. Keeps him clean and changes his clothes once a day. He keeps Cale nutrients with infusion the doctors gave. Take care of Cale's hair as it is and cut it when the hair gets longer. Ron and Baecrox too were the ones who take care of their family who want to stay on Cale's side.

Choi Han always stands beside the bed or in front of the room to keep Cale safe. Alberu said Choi Han didn't need to do it because the guard had protected this palace, but he felt uneasy. Choi Han worried about Cale that it would make him want to stand or do something. The only thing he can do now is stand guard, to keep away from the bad thought about why he can keep Cale safe and why Cale never told them about his extreme method of stabbing himself. Choi Han had firm his resolve to keep Cale in check more thoroughly, so Cale can't do the same thing again in the future.

Eruhaben just stays still on the bed side. His eyes turned toward Cale or the window nearest him. Cursing the kid that always had unlucky fate but still refused when they told him to take a proper rest. He felt dumbfounded by himself; the thought of losing someone he is fond of really makes me uneasy. He was contemplating their conversation when Cale said, someday he will want to be healthy and have a long life. And now, Eruhaben wants it. He wants to see the children as well as the family formed—the gods know from when—and stay on their side. It's an amusing feeling, but Eruhaben admitted it's not bad.

Rosalyn, Lock and Mary did not stay as long as the others did. Rosalyn, as one of the heroes with the most contribution, is accepted as the new head of Magic Tower that will be built in a free city between Roan Kingdom and Mogoru Empire. That is why she is very busy right now. But still, she will take time to stop by in Cale's room.

Lock went back to the Forest of Darkness after a week. He still has siblings he should take care of. But everyone who stayed told him they would take care of Cale well so he could rest assured. That's the case for Mary too. She went back to the Underground City to help the dark elf to build another city on the surface because Valentino had agreed to give the restricted place for elves under Roan Kingdom territory.

Alberu is one of the busiest person right now. He wants to change the kingdom into an empire and there are lots of administrative things he should arrange to do it. He will keep busy with the coronation as the first emperor of the Roan Empire too after that. It makes him have migraines sometimes, but he always had time to stop by Cale's room with a box full of cookies. He felt a bit easier when he saw the cheerful looks on children's faces. Of course, as a sworn brother, he felt worried about his stupid sacrificial dongsaeng, but he would just stare at Cale and curse in his breath without sound. He didn't want the children to feel down if he mentioned all his complaints to their father figure.

Everyone who fought with Cale on the battlefield stopped in Cale's palace as much as they could. It just shows how much Cale had reached everyone's hearts without him even realizing. Saint Jack and Hannah come by often too. One day they brought the news about the coronation of Rex as the first emperor from a commoner family. It was controversial but at least the citizens of Mogoru Empire themselves had accepted it because there is no one who qualified more than him when it comes to saving them from the incident made by their former Imperial Prince, Adin.

Three months. It was very long for them, but Cale still remains the same. The wound in Cale's chest is closed now, but Eruhaben said inside Cale's body is still a mess. The clashes between ancient powers when he fought with White Star affected Cale's body and needed time to heal. It's okay, they tried to assure each other. They remember too, when the incident where they met White Star for the first time, it took Cale 3 months too to wake up. And Eruhaben said Cale was getting better. So it should be okay.

Everything except that remained the same. Everyone stopped by and went again. They have conversations, especially with children, to make their high spirit not go down and tell them to take care of themselves. Cale's family came by too with Raon's help. But time goes by and Cale is not awake even if everyone waits.

Six months. It felt too long already. Cale never fainted for this long time. It makes them worry. But doctors said his condition is getting better. But until when?— the older ones keep their worries on their own, because they know it will just make Raon, On and Hong feel more down. The children keep asking why their human is still not awake, but there is no one who can answer. They miss—miss Cale so much; the caressed Cale gave when they went to sleep, the warm Cale illuminated, his tender voice, and everything. They miss them all.

But still, Cale remains silent; laying down in bed with a slow breath. Still not move one inch or open his eyes. Cale was transported to the Super Rock Villa after six months. The main reason is because there is nothing royal doctors can do because Cale's body condition is at his finest already. His inside is the one that still needs recovery and it's not the thing medic can help.

The other reason is, they want Cale to feel as if he is at home. The children said maybe it will make him awake. Because he will miss their home, as much as others miss him.

>> continue <<

Next to part 2

#trash of the count's family #tcf #lout of count’s family #cale henituse #the end of tcf headcanon #white star death #raon miru #on #hong #choi han #ron molan #baecrox molan #alberu crossman #rosalyn #lock #almost everyone mentioned #cale fainted so long it makes everyone go crazy #tcf headcanon #mary #hannah #saint jack

[delu-jean]

hi! so I just wanted to send in an Erwin x reader ask where basically Erwin survive shiganshina and they basically end up becoming parental figures for historia and guide her. thanks!

𝐄𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 (𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚)

(Erwin x fem!/reader) -> Mentions of Historia! -> Fluff -> 1.6k 

Request: hi! so I just wanted to send in an Erwin x reader ask where basically Erwin survive shiganshina and they basically end up becoming parental figures for historia and guide her. thanks!

Notes: After the interaction the two had (somewhere in season three), I literally head cannoned him being her father! The chemistry between the two would be so sweet if they were!! The concept for this request was so adorable!! Thanks for the request, and enjoy! ^^

“We did it...we have the colossal now,” you’d say, knees shaking after all of the casualties. Erwin then caught you. Seeing how shocked you were, he tried to calm you down the best he could. 

“Yes Y/n...we did...but at a great cost.”

“Was it really one worth all of this trouble?” You said being unsure with such a loss. 

“Of course it was. For the sake of humanity.” 

“Right...for the sake of Humanity.” 

---

Many had died during the mission to Shiganshina. A lot of your comrades lost, along with your dearest friends. You mourned over such a thing, but ultimately, were glad for the ones who had survived. Levi, Hange, your dearest and most closest friends, still breathing as you spoke. And Erwin, your lover for gosh knows how long. Even after the stunt that was pulled, he still managed to survive. You were relieved that such a chaotic man...had escaped such a brutal mess. 

You were also glad that he saw what he had eagerly wanted to see. The basement that Eren had the key to. After hearing about some vague details from the commander, along with the other four who had entered, it gave you a mix of emotions. Both ecstatic to know there was more out there, yet terrified that such things were most likely forgein obstacles. Ones that would be hard to get rid of. 

Regardless, you were now heading back. Delivering both the books, along with yourselves, and whatever else you had left. At the entrance of wall Sina, there you see Historia waiting. She seemed ecstatic yet composed when greeting you all. And when seeing both you and Erwin, she seemed even more pleased. 

You see, even though Historia had her own birth parents, they never felt like her actual ones (based on the tragedies they caused). She’d been neglected...never feeling like she had someone to look up to. But when entering the Survey Corps, though it took a while to warm up to you, she ultimately did. It wasn’t that she couldn’t talk to you, rather, it took some time for her to see you as a mother figure. 

You were maybe 15 years older than her, but even that being the case, you saw her as your own. Though she wasn’t calling you “mom,” nor were you calling her “your daughter,” you both had the relationship. Labels weren’t needed to understand such a thing. 

Since she grew up without the affection of her mom, she took your affection very seriously. She was thankful to say the least. Thankful for the nights you would console her, give her advice, and hear her out. Though Ymir had done the same, the difference was that you spoke the words of a mother. Erwin had also come around to this concept, and tried getting to know Historia on a more personal level. 

He saw how attached you were to such an extraordinary girl. That being the case, he too wanted to experience the joy you two shared. You of course encouraged such a thing, and therefore, he did his best when getting to know her. It was a good practice for him since for most (if not all of ) his soldiers, he considered them pawns. So that being the case, you took this as an opportunity for him to think otherwise. 

Another reason as to why Erwin was doing this, was because of his own personal experience. Though he did have his father, he was (eventually) taken away from him at a young age. He didn’t want Historia to go astray like he did in his teenage years. So, he tried building a connection. Hoping his input could help her in the best way. 

Though it wasn’t as easy going compared to the both of you, he did his best, and she appreciated the effort put in. He’d usually have conversations with her about life. The most simple, yet complicated philosophy out there. Maybe he would even pop in his childhood memories, and theories he had. Truly making the most of their time. And she enjoyed their interactions. You adored how close the two were. Though one was more tense than the other, the affection was clearly there. Just seeing them together, made you wonder as to how Erwin would be with his own children. Possibly yours if we’re being specific. 

Erwin then approached the girl on his steed. Bowing to the queen to be, along with the rest of you. 

“Princess Historia, we made many discoveries during our mission. Ones that we can discuss privately whenever it is to your liking,” Erwin said, composed with a respectful tone. 

“Of course Commander. Before we do, I think you could all rest. It’ll be best if you do, after all...it seems as if you could use it,” she took note of the lack of numbers, but decided not to bring it up. 

“Of course,” Erwin agreed and everyone left. Well...except the both of you. Hirstoria then invited you both into the castle. The three of you sat in a room, the two of you on one couch, while she sat on the other. Face to face as she took a sip of tea. 

“Forget about formalities, I’m glad you’re both alive,” she smiled and you did the same. 

“I don’t think it’s appropriate if we do...after all, you will be the Queen soon.” 

“Nonsense. Even when that does happen, nothing will change between the three of us.” 

“I guess not,” Erwin chuckled as she sighed in relief. 

“Now that that’s over with, let’s discuss the details over your findings.” 

“Sounds good, Queen Historia.” 

“Oh stop it Y/n,” she pestered as you giggled. 

“So, Historia…”

Erwin then went on about their findings. How there was an entire civilization across from them, how you all were subjects of Ymir, about the nine titans, and whatever else they had left to say. He seemed stern during his conversation, not only that, but you could sound the passion which rang through his words. He looked somewhat relieved that he saw such an extraordinary finding. Not only was it one step closer to saving humanity, but one step closer to fulfilling both his wants, and needs. 

You didn’t know what you would have done if he hadn’t made it out alive. The guilt of him not being able to see such a sight, nor Historia...would’ve crushed you if anything. You know that the both of you would have missed him dearly...and if anything, she would have felt responsible for his death. Something that was never predicted, yet under the control of the Scout regiment. A power that she had ruled over. 

Though this thought lingered, it was one that had not come true. And hopefully, things would stay that way. He was here with you. Safe and sound. Maybe a little bruised but hey, handsome either way. You then put your head on his shoulder, caressing his thumb. Though he tried keeping composure, he eventually gave in. Relaxing his body while in the warmth of your touch. 

“I see, interesting…” she nod to then say:

“Erwin, Y/n, you know how much I love the both of you. Because of that...when I do become queen...please don’t let our dynamic change. I find comfort in it, and hope that we can continue to have the relations set.” 

To your surprise, Erwin spoke first. His eyes soft, and his speech gentle. Staring at the young girl before him, who was now becoming an adult. 

“Of course. If that is what the Queen allows, I’ll be sure to do my part. For both humanity, but importantly, you Historia,” you then placed your own cup down, accompanying Erwin: 

“I agree. Of course, our manners will have to prosper when needed...but if we’re alone, or even if we’re not, feel free to come to either of us. We’ll care for you no matter what, okay?” she teared up a bit and then walked to the both of you. You both stood up, and grasped her. The mood felt both joyful, yet teary. 

“I’m glad you both made it. Please be careful out there,” Erwin, though reluctant, then placed a hand (A/n: the only one-) on her head. 

“Don’t worry, you can count on us, your majesty.” 

‘Ah my little girl...so grown and mature,’ she tightened her grip on your torso, as your arms were still wrapped around her.

“Yes...don’t worry. You can most definitely count on us.” 

---

As time progressed Historia got crowned. That being the case, she had more responsibilities on hand. Constantly working her hardest to help her people. You were glad to see such a young person blossom into such a strong woman. Though she did most things on her own, you and Erwin guided her when possible. Even when it came to the little things like if her drapes should be red, or green. 

There would also be moments where it was just the three of you, or you two alone. Now that she was queen, her time was of value. So you tried to spend it in the wisest way possible. Talking about politics could wait, those were the times where you all could express things heart to heart. Being honest about how she felt, versus how things ran. Expressing her love for the people she rules, and even the deep thoughts that kept her up at night. 

Both Erwin and you did your best to guide her through these emotions. Wanting to teach her both politically, and most importantly, emotionally. Prepping her for the duties she would have as both Queen, and herself. Raising her to be the person she wanted to be, and supporting her to the utmost of your abilities. 

“I think I understand now, what we have to do against Marely. Though it is just one step, it’s one step closer to saving the people of Ymir.” 

“Yes, yes it is...Historia,” Erwin said as he held your hand. 

“It definitely is...Historia.” 

#attack on titan #aot #erwin x reader #erwin x y/n #erwin x you #erwin smith #attack on titan erwin #erwin #erwin fluff #erwin smith x y/n #erwin smith x reader #erwin smith x you #historia #historia reiss #aot x reader #aot fanfiction #aot x y/n #aot x you #attack one titan x reader #attack on titan x you

[yeolmae-s]

a chanbaek analysis from a veteran exo-l

before anything else there are a few disclaimers i'd like to make:

i am writing this analysis right now because as a non exo stan i'm not into chanbaek that much anymore. of course i like them to some degree since i'm writing this and all but it's nothing in comparison to the way i felt about them two years ago. so i feel like it's easier to keep a less clouded (?) state of mind being where i'm at right now, mentally, in regards to them. i feel like i can look at things more objectively, which is why i decided to write this and share it with you all.

for all the smart asses out there, this is a ship analysis. yes, i’m reading too much into everything. that’s what an analysis is.

all translation credits goes to @/fyeah-chanyeol

i'm a chanyeol stan. this analysis will, most likely, have more information about him in comparison to baekhyun. this is simply because i consumed more content about him since he's my bias (such as magazine interviews, fancams).

i don't stan exo anymore, but it's not because of anything they did. i liked them for a long time and made a lot of different friends because of this fandom, therefore i experienced a lot of hurt, scandals, fights and didn't deal very well with many things, so i decided to leave. this didn't happen because of exo themselves and neither did it happen because of the fandom itself. it happened because of the relationships i had.

that being said, i haven't been following them closely for the past year and a half, but i still keep up with stuff a bit, although not chanbaek related stuff since i gotta dive in kinda deeper for that lmao. so this analysis is mostly in depth for 2012-2018. if anything that you perceive as significant happened after 2018 i'm more than willing to hear your opinions about it.

so, let's get started!!

MAMA ERA

I have always felt like Chanyeol and Baekhyun's relationship was strange. I started shipping them when they debuted and more specifically because of the 130128 ISAC. When I was younger I didn't see a lot to discuss in their ISAC interactions besides it being cute and shippy, but I've started to look at it differently now.

I think everyone knows how ISAC is known for being basically a stage for fanservice. The whole "dating ground for idols" issue aside, judging from the amount of attention they direct towards the fans who manage to attend the event, idols are clearly instructed to perform fanservice. EXO's first ISAC had to be full of it, obviously, and they did give fans a lot to be happy about, content we still get giddy about to this day, and I'm sure they were instructed to act like this to please us. I don't believe that fanservice equals "false interactions": if two individuals are talking, touching each other, they are interacting, even if it is a carefully planned setting made specifically for pleasing fans. They still get reactions out of one another through these interactions, it is still relevant to the way these people's relationship will develop; even though these acts are done with the intent of pleasing a crowd.

Don't get me wrong, though. I don't think the 2013 ISAC fanservice changed anything in Chanbaek's relationship. In fact, I just want to use it as a way to illustrate something I will explain later on.

To be remembered in an industry you must have an image. You won't be getting anywhere without a carefully constructed visual image. Marilyn Monroe is always used as an example of this: she's someone you can easily make a costume of and people will instantly recognize it as her. She's basically a concept by now: blonde hair, red lips and white hair. These aspects take our mind back to her instantly. Of course, most celebrities don't achieve this type of icon status, but it is still important to cling to a specific concept/image of what you want your celebrity self to be perceived as. Without this, you'll be forgotten as soon as your career ends.

When Chanyeol debuted, he clung to the first trait they gave him: being a happy person, a.k.a "happy virus". If you were not an EXO fan back in 2013 then it's likely you're not even aware of this nickname that was given to him, but it's basically just what it sounds like (lol). He was bright, energetic, had a "teeth rich" smile (another nickname that was given to him back then), was able to give 10/10 laughter reactions to MCs and to his members jokes, was always enthusiastic to interact and smile towards fans. He even introduced himself as "happy virus Chanyeol" in interviews (and later on that changed to "EXO's voice Chanyeol" or "EXO's rapper Chanyeol").

I feel like Chanyeol was very much aware of this "must have" that I mentioned, this need to have an image pasted into yourself and have that image be what people will remember you as. We're all complex and multifaceted individuals, but the general public needs something simple to grab on to, something easy to remember. That happy guy from EXO? I know who he is! I'm sure this is the path Chanyeol chose, back when he debuted: to pick a trait given to you by the public and make it a huge part of your image.

However, that image of him didn't last very long. It certainly became tiring to worry so much about how he was being perceived, to carefully construct something so his career would last, specially when his group had so many scandals and went through a sudden burst of popularity that changed their lives completely. By 2017, Chanyeol already had a change of mind in relation to his career, these changes being mostly due to how he felt about music and what he wanted to do with it.

He recognized himself as having always being impatient, which might be the reason why he clung to a specific image so fast right after debuting:

From Fall Magazine in 2017

"At the moment I just want to enjoy myself with the music as it comes, without feeling as though I have to do something. It isn’t a greed from impatience, I could call it more of a greed to do better."

"When I first debuted I thought I was very optimistic, but as time has passed I think a more reserved side of me is showing."

"I think I've grown in many ways. Maybe it’s because it’s as though I perform everyday, but the stage has become comfortable for me. Shall we say I’ve become more calm and composed? [...] I think I’ve become more mature."

He matured. He's still bright and energetic but he's also more reserved. He managed to keep up the fanservice that his fans adore in a way that is more fitting to his actual personality. It still is an image, but an image that's not as exhausting as his previous one, with its strict demands to act in a certain way all the time. I remember specific interview with MCs demanding him to smile (although jokingly, of course) saying things like "Aren't you EXO's happy virus?", so I'm sure he felt pressured.

This is interesting to think about when put side by side with his relationship with Baekhyun. Back when they debuted, Chanyeol and Baekhyun were close friends that clearly felt comfortable with each other, and it isn't surprising to think that Baekhyun would be Chanyeol's first pick when he thought about doing fanservice with someone. Of course, I can't exactly pinpoint their first fanservice moment since I'm not a walking EXO encyclopedia anymore, but I can say with certainty that both of them felt like it worked as soon as they first tried it with the fans, and that's the reason why they kept doing it. Conveniently, they were both good friends, so all was good.

Until well, it wasn't.

At some point, Chanyeol's interactions with Baekhyun seemed too eager for Baekhyun himself. There are various moments where this is visible, such as this one:

Why are you grabbing my wrist out of nowhere young man........

Or...

That one pic where Jongdae, who was in front of them, looked so damn uncomfortable I can't even bring myself to google it

Of course, they had some over the top fanservice that did work out pretty well, such as this one, both of them imitating Jonghyun's and Taemin's Internet War stage, which seems a little scripted now that I look at it properly, with Baekhyun seemingly expecting Chanyeol to do whatever it is that he did on that day. (Can you imagine this: both of them backstage, watching Jonghyun's and Taemin's performance in silence, and one of them just blurts out "We should do that too!". What the fuck was going on)

By the way, if you have never seen the original Internet War performance, you can watch it here.

This is what they were imitating.

Tumblr won’t let me upload the gifs for this moment for some reason, so here and here.

You can't tell me Baekhyun wasn't expecting it already, lol.

Now, know what this moment reminds me of? ISAC. On their Internet War imitation moment, Baekhyun seemed fine, playful, even, agreeing. During ISAC, however, doing basically the same thing again (this time on a lighter way even; since they weren't, you know. Imitating a strong performance such as Internet War.), he appears reluctant. It's a bit painful to watch.

What changed? The ISAC event happened a few months after the SMTOWN concert where they did the Internet War thing, so what made things become so different?

If this has enough likes I’ll make a second part!

#i got tired halfway through writing and i decided i needed some motivation to finish this so i'm posting it the way it is lmao #chanbaek #baekyeol #park chanyeol #byun baekhyun #exo #kpop

[lockefanfic]

Business Trip: Pt 44 - Meeting

Park Choa was great at hiding her orgasms.

Perhaps it was experience borne from all those afternoons when you bent her your desk while you pounded her from behind, your office door open the whole while. Or when you pressed her against the wall of a bathroom stall and pinned her against it with your cock, even as your colleagues stepped in and out of the bathroom unaware of what was going on in one of the stalls just a few feet away. Or when she sat on the conference room table, legs spread atop it while you devoured her slick, dripping pussy even as your fellow employees held a conversation in the hallway just past the open door. 

Regardless of how she learned how to do it, her ability to appear normal and unbothered, even as an orgasm coursed through her veins, was admirable - on top of being a wicked delight to watch.

From the point of view of the laptop’s webcam, only the white knuckle fist made by her small, pale hand and the slight blush of pink on her cheeks betrayed the fact that wave after wave of pleasure was wracking her senses. 

Only from your point of view, sitting next to her, could one see that the blush on her cheeks extended to her quivering, trembling thighs - spread widely to allow Kim Dahyun enough room to press her pale, cute little face against her colleague’s dripping pussy. Choa’s other hand strokes the younger girl’s hair almost lazily, as though she hadn’t just brought her to an orgasm that she was only barely managing to hide.

“Officer Douma has informed us that Rose will be extradited to Canada, where she’ll face the charges that have been levelled against her,” you state to the other participant of the meeting, who, thankfully for you and Choa, was in an entirely different country. “Rose will be transported to Haneda International by Officers Douma and Miyawaki two days from now. Officer Miyawaki will inform me the second she’s on the plane.”

“That’s good news,” JYP answers from the laptop screen. From the serious expression on his face you knew he had no idea of what was going on beneath the table. “Were you able to get any leads from Rose before she was taken away?”

“Yes. We were able to get the location of Blackpink’s Japanese safehouse. Rose denied any involvement with Seulgi or Yeri, but she implied that Blackpink is aware of their presence in Japan, and we expect to find leads on them when we make contact with the remaining Blackpink members.”

JYP takes a moment to digest your news, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Next to you Dahyun lifts her head from between Choa’s thighs, her own chin glistening with the older girl’s juices. Her tongue darts out to lick the slick wetness from her lips, a smile appearing on her face as she savors her colleague’s sweet, tangy taste on her palette.

“Proceed carefully,” JYP states after a short silence, “the safety of you and your team is paramount. I want you to leave any dangerous on-site activities to the law enforcement officers.”

“Understood,” you reply, understanding JYP’s reluctance to place you or your team in danger given the events of the past month.

“On a much lighter note, I think we have the head of our European offices to thank for her role in Rose’s capture!” JYP states, turning to Choa with a wide, proud grin on his face.

Choa takes a moment to respond - a split second pause, and one JYP could likely chalk up to a momentary internet lag spike - but one you knew was caused by the fact that the flushed, blushing woman was still recovering from her post-orgasm haze.

“Y-yes, s-sir,” Choa answers, taking a moment to compose herself. “It was a small thing, really. It was you who hatched the plan.”

“Stil, without you informing us of Rose’s warrant in the Netherlands, the plan never could have happened. Job well done, Miss Park.”

“Thank you, s-sir,” Choa answers. You hazard a glimpse down beneath the desk to see that Dahyun had begun to clean the older woman’s thighs and crotch of her spilt juices, her pink tongue darting out in wide strokes to lick the slick wetness from the soft, flushed skin between Choa’s thighs.

“What are your next steps?” JYP answers, turning to you again. Next to you, Choa lets a soft sigh escape her lips, although she covers it up by faking a small cough shortly thereafter.

“We’re going to be setting up surveillance of the Blackpink safehouse,” you begin, “and we’ll proceed from there.”

“Okay. Remember - safety first. We’ve had enough close brushes with danger,” JYP replies. You nod, understanding his implication that one of your team members was currently still in Korea recovering from a gunshot wound.

“She tells me she’s doing much better,” you say. Jeongyeon had bombarded you with texts and calls regularly, wanting to know everything about what was going on with the team.

“She is. Seolhyun checks on her every day. She can walk on her own now, much to the chagrin of the nurses at the hospital. She disappears from her hospital room quite often, I’m told. Apparently she’s unsatisfied with the hospital’s wi-fi and is on the hunt for a better signal.”

The thought of Jeongyeon wandering the halls of the hospital holding up her laptop looking for a signal brought a smile to your face.

“She’s chomping at the bit to return to you and the team,” JYP continues. “Her doctors and I have tried to convince her that she should take a month or two away to recover, but she seems adamant in her desire to join you in Japan once she’s medically cleared.”

“We look forward to her return, but we trust you’ll be able to keep her from returning to duty before she’s ready, sir,” you state.

“I’ll do my best, but I don’t know if anything can stop that girl when she decides she wants to do something,” JYP answers, thoughtfully. “Anyway, I think that does it for the update. Keep up the good work and keep me in the loop of any new developments. I believe I’m to meet with Miss Kim next for a logistics and technology update?”

Miss Kim was currently on her knees licking the last of Choa’s juices from her thighs, but you make a show of pretending she was actually outside the room, ready and waiting to join the meeting.

“Yes, sir. I’ll call her in.”

JYP nods, giving you and Choa a last affirmative smile that you both return. Choa awkwardly pulls her short miniskirt down before she shuffles off camera; Dahyun, smartly, crawls on her knees to the other side of the table where she rises to her feet, wipes the last of Choa’s juices from her lips, and smooths out her dress before stepping into the shot, taking Choa’s seat to give off the impression she had just walked into the room.

“Hello, sir!” Dahyun greets, raising her hand and giving her boss a cute little wave, looking for all intents and purposes like she was shooting a commercial and hadn’t just spent the last twenty minutes tongue-deep in her colleague.

You move towards the office exit, smiling at the cute post-orgasm blush that still lingered on Choa’s cheeks. Your former executive assistant had grown her hair out to a shoulder length and dyed it a darker brown - far from the short blonde bob that was once her trademark. But her new haircut and less intense makeup style had given her a more mature, womanly look. Before, she was a cute little minx prancing around the office in a short miniskirt and tight white blouse - and while the short miniskirt and white blouse remained, the creature that filled it was a more experienced, more mature feline than the one that was your executive assistant.

Your hand reaches for the doorknob, but is stopped halfway there by Choa’s pale hand on your wrist. When you lock eyes with her you find a look you’d seen on many an afternoon.

She steps close, her hand travelling up your arm to squeeze a bicep. She brings her mouth to your ear, whispering low enough to ensure that neither Dahyun nor JYP could hear.

“I think we might need an afternoon meeting to… debrief, don’t you agree, sir?”

You could feel from the movement of her cheek against yours that her lips have curled into a wicked smile. You’d known that a “meeting” with Choa was an inevitability given her return, but you hadn’t had time to indulge her given how busy you were with Rose and then Sakura. You return her smile with one of your own, eager to take the eager woman up to your hotel room to make up for lost time.

Your hand reaches for the doorknob again, only to be stopped once more.

Choa looks you in the eye before raising a hand and wagging a finger tip in a “no” motion. Then she places the same fingertip at her mouth to indicate silence.

Over her shoulder you glance at Dahyun, who had begun to give her update to JYP over the videoconference call. You finally catch on to Choa’s plan, and the devilish grin on her lips is soon mirrored on your own.

Giving you a long, lustful look, Choa turns and steps towards the other end of the conference room table, leaning over it while facing Dahyun. Dahyun is momentarily distracted by her colleague, but soon returns her attention to JYP, even if you could tell by the way she had begun to squirm in her seat that she was already caught on to what was about to happen in front of her.

Satisfied that she had her younger colleague’s attention, Choa slips her blue cardigan from her shoulders and looks back at you, still lingering by the entrance to the conference room. Without breaking eye contact, she reaches down to the hem of her miniskirt and pulls it up to her waist, revealing her full, round, naked ass - and her still-glistening thighs.

You lick your lips, and giving thanks for her reappearance in your life, you step behind Choa. 

Your arms start at her sides, caressing her thin waist and the delicious flare of her hips. When your fingertips finally reach her naked ass she trembles slightly, her mouth frozen in an open “o” as your touch reignites the long-dormant lust she’d once held for you. You give both her cheeks a squeeze, delighting in the fact that they’d lost none of their firmness or perkiness in her time away.

You need to feel more of her, need to reintroduce yourself to the tight little body that you’d spent many an afternoon pounding into submission. You’d had Park Choa bent over your desk, pressed against the wall, had her ride you in your office chair more times than you could count. But you never tired of her, never tired of filling her tight wet pussy or hot needy mouth with your cum almost every afternoon. And as your fingers make their way to the buttons of the tight white blouse she wore, the reignited lust in your loins and the gathering saliva in your mouth convince you that your hunger for her had not waned in the slightest - if anything, her absence had only made you want her more.

When your fingers begin to undo Choa’s blouse, Dahyun lets a soft gasp escape her lips - one she covers up with a cough, as Choa did earlier. 

“I’m sorry, sir. My throat is a little sore,” she apologizes, before quickly changing the subject and doing her best to delve into the logistics updates JYP had asked her for - even if her trembling fingers as she sorted through the paper files on the table betrayed the arousal that was quickly growing inside her.

Not even ten feet away, you have finally finished unbuttoning Choa’s blouse, revealing the smooth, milky skin of her torso - and the absence of a bra.

Your hands start at her waist before curling around to her front, finding and cupping both of her round, full breasts in your hands. You let a hot, needy breath escape your throat and into Choa’s ear as you press yourself against her. She reaches up with her left hand and runs it through your hair - you reciprocate the affection and place soft kisses against the side of her face before she turns her head and captures your lips with hers, your tongues quickly reintroducing themselves to each other. The fingernails of the hand in your hair dig into your scalp, almost painfully, as you finally capture the woman’s stiff nipples in your hands, teasing and pinching the tight nubs between your thumb and index fingers.

Dahyun coughs again.

“Do you need to grab a glass of water, Miss Kim? Your throat sounds quite dry,” JYP asks, concerned.

“Oh, no, not at all, s-sir. I’m quite f-fine,” Dahyun answers, “I’m far from d-dry.”

You can almost feel Choa struggle to suppress a chuckle against your lips - but she soon has little time for that as you begin to slip your right hand down her torso, past a flat, tight stomach and the front of her skirt, still bunched up around her waist. When you reach her naked crotch, it doesn’t take long to find her slick, dripping folds.

The hand in your scalp digs deeper into your skull. Her free hand tightens around your wrist in a deathgrip. She only barely manages to stifle a short gasp of pleasure that escapes her throat.

You’d had enough. You’d been without Park Choa’s body for too long. Your free hand releases her trembling breast from its grip before quickly undoing your own belt and zipper, finally freeing your stiff cock from its confines to slap thickly against Choa’s lower back. Choa gasps at the feeling of your meat against her skin - a wordless sound of happiness, a feeling of relief at having been returned something she’d gone too long without.

She turns her head as best she can, using the grip on your scalp to pull your head forward until her needy, gasping lips are next to your ear.

“Fuck me now please, sir.”

Choa was wet and dripping and needy, still recovering from Dahyun’s oral work just minutes before. Your cock ached to be inside her body, having been away from it for so long. And so when you enter her, slipping into her tight wet heat for the first time in many months, you both couldn’t help but let out a sharp, needy gasp of desire.

“Did you hear that, Miss Kim?” JYP asks suddenly.

“Hmm?” Dahyun answers, doing her best to brush off the lustful sound of her boss penetrating her colleague to the hilt only a few feet away. “Apologies, we’re using a conference room in the hotel and it’s p-possible that the m-microphone is picking up the noise of.. f-fellow g-guests.”

“Ah, understood,” JYP says, seemingly satisfied by Dahyun’s explanation. “Now, what was that you were saying about the surveillance equipment you needed?”

Dahyun does her best to continue the meeting, shuffling through the notebook and papers she had on her desk in an attempt to find some piece of information she needed as she tries, with mixed success, to continue the meeting with her boss. Not even a few feet away, you slowly begin to draw your cock out from Choa’s pussy, revelling in the tightness of her body and the way her lips gripped your glistening, slick cock as you withdraw until only the head of your cock is inside her. You relish the sight of her squirming, trembling, almost begging to be filled once more - until you push back inside her with a smooth, deep thrust.

Choa was every bit as tight and wet and hot as you remembered. You’d been with more than your fair share of women in the time since she’d left your team - many of whom were younger, hotter, tighter or wetter. But there was something about Choa that attracted you like no other woman in your life. Maybe it was the inherent maturity she held, the sly, demure, confident sexiness she’d always exuded. Other women, like Mina, for example, gave off an ice queen princess persona that was attractive if intimidating. Others, like Sana, wore their allure freely and openly, like a perfume.

Choa didn’t need to do either. Her sexiness was a mature, reserved sexiness, the kind worn by a woman who knew all the rules of the game, knew how to play it, and didn’t need the overbearing exuberance or mind games of her more youthful colleagues to win it. Maybe it was her confidence, the way she carried herself that aroused you the most.

Or maybe it was the fact that despite the confidence she held in her personal and professional life, she loved - craved - being dominated by you.

Her body was every bit as sexy as her younger compatriots, tight and firm in all the right places. Her pussy tightens and pulsates around you, adjusting to your girth as its owner reacquainted herself with your stiff cock, her mouth frozen in a wordless, soundless “o”, eyes shut as she tried to relish every thrust, every entry and exit in and out of her needy, wanton body.

Your hands wander - crushing her hips in your grip, squeezing a needy, bouncing breast, grasping a shoulder to give yourself better leverage to pound deeper and deeper into Choa’s body. She leans forward, bracing herself now against the table with her hands, bending over to allow you to fully take her, fully use her body for your own needs. Choa throws her head back, bites her lip, tries to do anything to keep the lustful, wordless cries of pleasure from escaping needy, trembling lips.

Her open blouse lets her naked breasts bounce wildly with each slap of your hips against her ass. Your swinging balls slap her wet flesh with each hilt-deep penetration - and for a moment, the feel of her wet flesh on your balls as her juices drip down your sack causes you to forget that you were both trying to be silent as you pound Choa’s wet, hot pussy on the conference room table, the echo of wet flesh hitting wet flesh steadily rising in volume until it filled the room.

“Do you hear that, Miss Kim?” JYP asks, “...that slapping sound?”

“Y-yes, I-I think I-do,” Dahyun responds, thankful that she could probably blame the internet connection for the stutter she had developed whenever she was aroused. A quick glance at her confirmed that only one of her hands was above the table now, the other likely busy between her legs. To her credit she tried her best to look confused, glancing around the room as though she were genuinely puzzled as to where the sound was coming from. “I t-think it must b-be some construction or-or something going on n-nearby. T-there’s a lot of… hammering going on, sir.”

“Ah,” JYP answers. “It sounds like they’re really pounding away at something.”

“Y-yes, it definitely d-does, sir!” Dahyun answers, perhaps a little more enthusiastically than she was hoping. Her cheeks flushed, she does her best to change the subject. “I h-hope they finish th-their work soon, b-because I can’t bear t-to hear it for much longer!”

“I understand, Miss Kim. It must be difficult to work in those circumstances. Perhaps you might want to look into making arrangements to have the team work in one of those co-op working spaces that are all the rage lately. It’s important that the team have a suitable working environment, without any bothersome distractions going on in the background.”

“Y-yes, sir. I-I’ll d-do it right away. I’ll d-definitely make sure th-they can pound away on t-their work for as long as they need, without interruption!”

You would have smiled, would have giggled at the sight of Dahyun trying so desperately to maintain some semblance of professionalism during her meeting - but you had little time for such concerns, not when Choa’s pussy was pulsating around you, each thrust into her needy, wet hole making her tighten in anticipation for an orgasm that was just around the corner.

Choa’s hands search desperately for something on the table to grip, something to use as an anchor for her quivering, trembling body. Unable to find anything, she whips a hand back and finds your scalp again. But you are almost angered, almost irritated by her painful grip on your skull, and you feel a dark need to take her, dominate her the way you used to on many an afternoon in your office back home. You wanted to take her, use her the way you knew she wanted and loved to be used.

You grasp her hand by her wrist and tear it from your scalp, taking her other wrist and pinning both to her lower back. She falls forward onto the table with a thud, her cheek and naked breasts pressed flat against it. With your other hand you reach forward and grasp a handful of her dark chestnut hair, pulling her head back, opening up her throat and relishing the deep, lustful moan that leaves her throat - uncaring of the fact that her boss was on the other side of video conference call just a few feet away.

“Mmmfffmfmmuhnnngh!” she gasps, too far gone, too far lost in the bliss caused by your pounding cock that she could have cared less if JYP were actually in the room with you, watching you pound her over the conference room table. All she cared about was each thrust, each penetration, each entry of your thick, hard cock into her needy, hot wet pussy.

Choa orgasms, and Dahyun, seeing what was about to happen, reacts swiftly.

“Ahahhhehem!” Dahyun shouts as she pretends to sneeze - just loud enough to cover the needy, lustful moan of pleasure that leaves Choa’s throat. “I’m so s-sorry sir, I think I may be… coming... down with s-something.”

“Oh, no,” JYP says with what sounded like genuine concern. “Please take care of yourself, Miss Kim. If you need a day or two to rest, please don’t hesitate to let your boss know-”

“Oh I t-think I’ll b-be okay, s-sir. I w-want t-to cum t-”

“Miss Kim?”

“Oh! Sorry s-sir. I meant to s-say, I want to come to work! Y-yes, that’s it. A-apologies, sir, there must be something wrong with the internet c-connection. S-shall we w-wrap up t-this meeting before t-the connection d-dies?”

Dahyun does her best to finish up the meeting - you do your best to keep from cumming too soon, even as Choa’s pussy pulsates and throbs around your pistoning cock as you fuck her through her orgasm.

Your grip tightens on her hair, your other hand pinning her wrists tightly against the small of her back. The dominance you were exerting over Choa was utterly intoxicating, the feel of her body catering to your every whim making you dizzy with pleasure. The call of your orgasm beckoned once more, and this time you were happy to answer.

Thrusting as deeply inside Park Choa’s slick, needy pussy as you could, you finally let your orgasm overtake you. Thick, hot ropes of semen shoot deep inside her body, painting her walls with warm white cum. Choa lets a soft whimper escape her lips with each burst of semen that fills her pussy, biting her lip in an only half-successful attempt to muffle the wordless moans of pleasure from escaping her mouth as she is filled to the brim with cum.

You slump forward, finally releasing Choa’s wrists and hair as your strength finally gives out. You only barely manage to hold yourself up by your forearms as you breathe heavily, filling starved lungs with oxygen as the exertion of the quick but intensely pleasurable fuck finally overwhelms you. Choa is equally a mess, her face plastered by her cheek to the table, the hot mist of her heavy breathing evident on the dark polished wood. You are vaguely aware of Dahyun wrapping up her meeting with JYP, but her voice sounds distant and foggy, as though she is far away - the only sensation that mattered was the warm, hot, pulsating wetness that surrounded your cock and the juices, yours and Choa’s, that had begun to leak from her cum-stuffed hole to drip down her trembling thighs and onto the floor of the conference room.

Eventually Choa gathers the strength to raise her upper body from the desk, still breathing heavily. Her blouse slips from her shoulder, leaving her almost topless. You couldn’t help but snake an arm around to caress and squeeze a full breast, softly, tenderly, thankful to be able to partake in the pleasures of her body again. Choa turns her head to whisper into your ear once more.

“That was a… productive meeting, sir - just like old times.”

“Definitely,” you whisper back.

“I think that’s everything, Miss Kim,” JYP states. Judging by his tone you could tell he had no idea that two of his staff had just fucked each others’ brains out just outside the view of his camera. “Job well done, as always.”

“T-thank you, s-sir. I-I t-think it’s t-time for me to c-clean up here. G-good night!”

Dahyun waves quickly to the webcam before slamming the laptop shut. Choa, still impaled to the hilt with your cock, turns to Dahyun with a sly smile.

“I never had the chance to provide you with training on your position before I left, Miss Kim. We do want to make sure you are able to execute all the duties associated with your position, don’t we, sir?”

“We do,” you agree. You squeeze Choa’s breast a little tighter, eliciting a warm growl of approval from the woman and a whimper of pleasure from Dahyun as she watches you toy with Choa’s chest. The idea of Choa dominating another woman even as she allowed herself to be dominated in turn was utterly arousing.

“Good. Your first training session begins in twenty minutes, Miss Kim - in your boss’ hotel room. Don’t be late.”

---

“Velvet 1, report in.”

“Overwatch, Velvet 1. Nothing to report, over.” Irene responds into the radio, her tone straightforward and no-nonsense.

“Same shit, different hour - as I’m sure you can tell from the video feed,” Momo chirps from somewhere off-camera. There is a sound on the radio that sounded a bit like a sigh from Jihyo, who was sitting in the driver’s seat.

The surveillance camera that Jihyo, Irene and Momo are operating from inside the van parked opposite Blackpink’s safehouse doesn’t show it, but you could tell that Momo and Jihyo were as bored as you were, even if Irene seemed alert, professional, and businesslike.

“Velvet 1, Overwatch. Understood. Out,” Nayeon says, clicking a button on the radio console and turning off the connection to the surveillance van. Two days of surveillance on the Blackpink house, in a nondescript middle-class neighborhood of Tokyo, were fruitless thus far - not a single person had been spotted entering or leaving, despite your team maintaining a 24 hour watch on it in rotating shifts. The surveillance camera feed being streamed from Irene’s camera may as well have been a still picture.

The rear of the command and control van, parked two blocks away from the surveillance van, was starting to feel a little cramped. You would’ve given anything to step out of it, even for a few minutes, to stretch your legs. Nayeon and Jihyo, however, had been adamant that you stay inside for security purposes.

You were thankful, at least, that Choa had volunteered for this shift. The session with her and Dahyun had been quite a memorable one, lasting most of the afternoon and almost making you both late for the start of the shift with Nayeon. The image of Choa on all fours as she crawled atop Dahyun’s body was still fresh on your mind - as was the feeling of both of their tight, dripping pussies as you took turns fucking both of them in that position before spilling your cum on Dahyun’s milky, creamy stomach at Choa’s behest. 

It was thus understandable, given her recent expenditure of energy, that Choa was the first to fall asleep, dozing away with her head leaning against the passenger seat of the van. You found yourself smiling to yourself as you listened to her snore softly, thankful that she was back in your life. The past couple of months without her had been taxing, to say the least, but they were made even more so by Choa’s absence. She had long been a stabilizing, reliable force in your life and without her steady support you found yourself a little less ready to deal with the constant twists and turns of your line of work.

You stretch your arms and legs as best you could given the van’s cramped cabin before a small yawn escapes your lips.

“You can take a nap, it’s fine,” Nayeon says, as if reading your mind. “We’ll wake you up if anything happens. Choa has the next watch, anyway. Just pass me one of those bananas before you doze off,” she says, motioning with her chin towards the grocery store bag of packaged food and drink that was meant to last the three of you for the entirety of your eight hour shift.

You smile back as you grab one of the fruits from the corner store grocery bag and hand it to her.

“This shit is bananas! B-A-N-A-N-A-S!” she sings softly to herself as she returns her attention back to the monitors, humming the tune to the song as she peels the banana.

“Don’t take advantage of me when I’m asleep,” you say jokingly as you try to make yourself as comfortable as possible on the van floor.

“Don’t worry, you wouldn’t even know it if I did. I’m a ninja. N-I-N-J-J-A!” she sings to the tune of the song.

“There’s only one-”

Nayeon looks quizzically at you, legitimately puzzled as to what you were about to say.

“...Nothing. Good night, Nayeon.”

“Sweet dreams,” she says with a soft smile as she takes a bite of her banana.

---

You awaken to the sound of raised voices.

“Are you sure? Jihyo, does he match any descriptions we have of Blackpink associates?”

“No,” Jihyo replies over the radio. “Negative ID.”

“We should fucking grab him,” Nayeon hisses under her breath.

“What? No, we’re here for surveillance, not kicking down doors,” says Momo over the radio. “Let’s step back and watch what he does. We should contact Officer Miyawaki - she’s escorting Rose to the airport and she should be informed before-”

“I’m not gonna sit in this van for another two days twiddling my thumbs,” Nayeon snaps. “The sooner we track down Blackpink the sooner we track down Seulgi and Yeri. Jihyo, are you with me?”

There is a moment of hesitation that is palpable even over the radio as Jihyo considers the situation.

“Yes,” Jihyo states. “Time is of the essence here. The house is clearly empty, and has been for a while. We might never get this chance again.”

“Wait, what the fuck is going on?” you say, wiping the sleep from your eyes. You crawl on the floor of the van to where Nayeon and Choa are hunched over the radio and video feeds.

“Irene spotted a male walking into the safehouse while I was on watch,” Choa explains. “He’s alone and approached the building on foot.”

Nayeon retrieves her kevlar vest from the storage racks opposite the monitor, strapping it on quickly before turning back to the radio. “Jihyo, let’s move-”

“That’s crazy,” Momo snaps over the radio. “Let’s think about this. This could be a trap. Or it could just be that Rose was lying to us all along and this house has nothing to do with Blackpink. Let’s get Officer Miyawaki here to ID this guy - maybe he’s on the Tokyo PD database or something. Then we can-”

“They know where Seulgi and Yeri are,” Nayeon interrupts, her tone sharp. “Or haven’t you been paying attention? Seulgi fucking shot me, and it’s only dumb fucking luck that Yeri didn’t kill Jeongyeon. Isn’t that our goal? To track down Seulgi and Yeri? ”

“No, our goal is to bring down Blackpink,” Momo replies, her voice raised. “It’s them that manipulated Irene into everything she did. Or is it you that hasn’t been paying attention, Officer Im?”

The use of Nayeon’s last name and title must have been the tipping point for the older woman.

“You know what, I don’t fucking take orders from you, Miss Hirai. Jihyo, meet me on the corner. We’re moving on the house.”

“Nayeon, wait,” you say quickly, grabbing the heated young officer by her upper arm as she makes to exit the van. “Let’s slow down and think about this.”

“What is there to think about? We’ve been sitting here for two days waiting for an opportunity. Here it is, right in front of us.”

You shake your head, trying to make sense of the situation.

“Are you sure this is the best course of action? Something doesn’t feel right.”

“Of course I do,” Nayeon replies. The confidence in her eyes is unmistakable - it was a look you were familiar with. “The fact that there’s no one in the house means that this isn’t Blackpink’s primary safehouse. We need to move on this guy - if he’s there on Blackpink’s orders he probably knows where they actually are. If he slips away, he might never come back.”

Your grip loosens on Nayeon’s arm, but doesn’t leave it.

“Let me go,” she says, her voice unexpectedly soft. “Please.”

You sit there in silence for a few moments - the moment seemed to drag on as you slowly, finally let go of Nayeon’s arm.

“Okay,” you finally say.

Nayeon gives you a final nod, before swinging open the rear door of the van, drawing her pistol and racking the slide to chamber a round, and then running towards the safehouse.

---

The streaming feed from Nayeon’s vest camera was surprisingly clear - with her pistol held out in front of her it seemed almost like a screenshot from a frighteningly realistic video game. Except this was far from a game, and the consequences and danger were very real.

“Police! Come out with your hands up!” Nayeon shouts into the doorway. Opposite her, on the other side of the door, is Jihyo.

“Police! Come out now!” Nayeon repeats.

When there is no answer, Nayeon turns to Jihyo, who nods in understanding. The younger officer reaches for the doorknob, finding it unlocked. Hand still on the knob, she nods towards Nayeon, who seems to give her the go-ahead.

A second later Jihyo pushes the door open, and Nayeon steps into the house.

“Police! Come out with your hands up!” Nayeon shouts, her pistol held in front of her as she scans the entrance foyer. Jihyo follows her into the home. On the small genkan area next to the door are a single pair of shoes - indicating that the male suspect was the only person in the house.

“Room right,” Nayeon states, her eyes not moving from the hallway as she identifies the presence of a large living room space to the right of the entrance. As soon as Jihyo enters the foyer she enters the living room, Nayeon following soon after, pistol sweeping up and following her line of sight.

With well-practiced precision the two officers clear the bottom floor of the house, always covering each others’ backs, relying on quick, prompt verbal communications and commands to swiftly and efficiently sweep the rooms and confirm that there were no threats on the ground floor.

“Moving to the second deck,” Nayeon says into the radio. It’s when she is halfway up the stairs that they hear a bedroom door slam shut upstairs.

“Hands up! Police! Hands up!” Nayeon and Jihyo shout, “Come out with your hands up!  Do it now!”

When the upstairs individual makes no move to open the door, Nayeon and Jihyo quickly scramble up the stairs, each taking up position on either side of the door. Just as with the front door, Jihyo tests the doorknob, finding it unlocked, before nodding towards Nayeon. The older officer takes a moment to compose herself before nodding back.

For a moment, two blocks away in the surveillance van, time seemed to slow for you. You’d witnessed that sensation only once before - during the shooting in Seoul. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and you were suddenly aware of every little detail in the feed of Nayeon’s vest camera - the way two strands of Jihyo’s hair fell into her eyes, the wood grain design on the bedroom door, the dark purple nail polish on Nayeon’s fingernails, wrapped around the grip of her Glock. You could almost feel that something important was waiting for her behind that door, and a small part of you wanted to freeze time long enough for you to run over to the house and stop her from opening it.

Jihyo opens the door, and Nayeon bursts into the room, pistol up and ready.

In the centre of the empty bedroom is a young teenager, dressed in all black. In his hands is what looked like a tablet of some sort.

“Put your fucking hands in the air! Do it now!” Nayeon shouts.

“Put your hands in the air or you will be shot!” Jihyo exclaims. The two officers take up positions in the room, both of their handguns aimed squarely at the terrified teen’s head.

The teenager, looking utterly terrified, begins to speak quickly in Japanese. He gestures towards the tablet in his hands, but his words come out garbled and slurred as the fear of being shot overtakes his ability to speak clearly. Jihyo nods to Nayeon, who nods back - the older woman keeps her pistol trained on the young man’s  head as Jihyo approaches him, retrieves the tablet, and then proceeds to handcuff him.

“Blue 1 to Overwatch, we need a translator,” Nayeon says into the radio.

Two blocks away, you finally release the breath you were holding. 

---

“He was paid to come to this house and leave this tablet here,” Momo says as she turns away from the sobbing, handcuffed teenager to face you and your team. “He says he was hired by some random user on a forum who told him the combination to a public storage locker in a nearby subway station. In the locker were his cash payment and the tablet. That’s all he knows.”

“Turn the tablet on,” you say, eager to see get to the bottom of what the hell was going on.

Nayeon holds the tablet’s power button down, and the screen comes to life as your team gathers around it.

---

The video was clearly shot on a handheld camera, if the jittery swaying was any indication. The camera is pointed at a dirty, dusty floor. There are nondescript cardboard boxes piled around with piles of clothing thrown atop them, along with several silhouettes that you eventually realize are mannequins.

There are murmurs in the background, barely audible. The video swings up, and a young woman of Asian descent, clearly the bearer of the camera itself, appears. She is cute, but there is a glint of instability in her wild eyes.

“Why hello there, my friends!” she begins, her tone equal parts playfulness and sarcasm. She is dressed in a punk-inspired rocker fit, with wildly dyed hair, loose black pants, webbed t-shirt and a sports bra. “If you’re watching this you’ve just missed me! Too bad!”

There is a murmur off-camera, and the young woman lets a look of faux embarrassment appear on her face. 

“Oh, how rude of me! I’m Lisa, of a little group called Blackpink. We’re finally in your area! Annyeonghaseyo! Konnichiwa!”

Next to you, your team members shuffle anxiously. Nayeon clenches her fists. Momo lets an angry exhalation of breath escape her flared nostrils.

“I bet you’re wondering what this video is about, so I’m not gonna waste your time. We have a present for you! But first, let me introduce my good friend and teammate - Jisoo!”

She swings the camera around, pointing it at a similarly aged young woman who, judging by her name, was Korean. She seemed a stark contrast to her friend, with her more subdued clothing - and the blank, unreadable look on her face. Was it nervousness, anxiety, or something else?

Lisa turns the camera so she is facing it again.

“Time for our present! Ta-da!!”

The camera swings back to Jisoo - except this time it is panned more downward, to reveal two figures on their knees next to the Korean girl. Both have their hands bound behind their backs, and what appeared to be burlap bags thrown over their heads. From the muffled sounds leaving the masks, they both appeared to have their mouths gagged.

“Why don’t you unwrap their presents for them, Jisoo?”

Jisoo hesitates for a moment as an unreadable look flashes over her features. Regret? Disgust? Whatever it was, it was there only for a moment - and she removes the burlap sacks from their captives to reveal Seulgi and Yeri, their mouths bound by cloth gags. Both struggle in their bonds, but Seulgi especially had a fire in her eyes that told you she’d be happy to tear the heads off of her captors if she could.

In the room Irene lets an audible gasp escape her lips - she had been stoic and emotionless since she had joined the team, but the sight of her closest friends bound and at the mercy of her enemies was finally enough to break her stony faced facade.

“I’m going to kill her,” Irene hisses, barely audible, but with unmistakable conviction.

Lisa pans the camera back to Jisoo. “Aren’t our presents great, Jisoo? Do you think they’ll like them?”

Jisoo’s face remains unreadable - although for a moment she looks directly into the camera. She blinks rapidly, eyes shutting and opening at random intervals, as though she had dust in her eyes.

“Anyway------,” Lisa says, awkwardly, as her teammate doesn’t give her the reaction she was looking for. She turns the camera back to herself, the expression on her face leading you to believe she was uncomfortable with her teammate’s behaviour. “We have one last surprise for our friends... but I think Officer Miyawaki might be better positioned to tell you what it is. By the time you watch this, her surprise should be ready, so go give her a call and find out what it is! That does it for me.Toodles! Say bye, Jisoo!”

Lisa turns the camera to Jisoo, but the sullen girl has already looked away, her sad eyes on Seulgi and Yeri as the video cuts to black. A few moments of silence pass as your teammates digest what they had just witnessed.

“I know where they are,” Irene states.

---

The ringing dial tone of Sakura’s phone seemed to last forever as you wait for her to pick up. You were more than a little terrified at what her part of the “gift” was, and already your mind was beginning to fear the worst.

When Sakura finally answers, the first thing you hear is a wet, coughing sound.

“What the- Sakura, Sakura! Are you alright?” you say into your phone.

For a few moments there is no reply. Sakura’s coughing fit continues. In the background another woman is similarly coughing heavily. The other woman attempts to spit in a vain attempt to clear her mouth and throat of whatever was ailing her, before releasing a string of profanities in English and one other vaguely European language.

“Sakura! Sakura, are you okay? Where are you?” you repeat.

“I-I’m fine,” she says, finally. In the background, police sirens wail. The other woman begins to speak into a radio, every word sounding as though it was painful to speak.

“Th-this is Officer Douma. We- we…”

“Somi!” Sakura snaps. “Somi, are you broken?”

“I-I’m okay. Are you good?”

“I-I’m good. The- the prisoner!”

“Shit!”

There is the sound of heavy footsteps on broken glass and a few painful sounding profanities as one or both of the women attempt to stand.

“Fuck, fuck! She’s fucking gone!” Somi exclaims.

“What!?” you half-shout into your phone, “Sakura, what’s going on? Are you okay?”

Another wet cough. Sakura spits, trying to clear her throat.

“Our ride to the airport got hit by something,” she manages to say. “And Rose - she’s gone.”

---

Author’s Note: :O 

Thanks as always for your support!

Shout out to @thelastdrop​ lol.

#kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #kpop smut #male reader #pov smut #aoa choa #AoA #park choa #business trip #twice #twice dahyun #Kim dahyun

[nincompoopydoo]

PINING, BAGELS, REPEAT.

— WHEN THE DRINKING'S DONE ; PART 6 / ?

( gif from this gifset by @jascontodd )

PAIRING: Bruce Wayne x reader

WORD COUNT: 2.9k

SUMMARY: Sunday night dinner with your mother doesn’t go as planned when Bruce shows up unexpectedly at your door and you both know how your mother really loves him alot.

A/N: Slow and kinda long-winded chapter again haha. I used to be the kind of person who couldn’t write long stuff. Now look at me. Who is she??? Enjoy this one yall. Probably one or two more chapters to go, depends on how much I can write <3

WARNINGS: Swearing, alcohol. I write about what I feel and they are very real. So if you find these things triggering, please do not read this.

MASTERLIST ; MASTERPOST

Sunday night. You’re in an apron, flushed from the heat of the stove. You’ve just poured a glass of wine for your mother, but she doesn’t drink it—too busy walking around your apartment, clearing your stuff as she criticizes your lack of cleanliness and organization. Grading papers during exam season keeps you busy. Needless to say, you don’t have the time to clean your goddamn house.

You still love her anyway.

You’re at the sink, purple-stained fingers from peeling the tunic of the red onions are under running water when there is a knock on your door. It’s deafening, rapid, and agitating. You’ve just spilled boiling water onto your hand and you really don’t need another problem to come charging at your front door. Literally.

Moving out of the kitchen with haste, you call out over your shoulder to your mother to quit rearranging with bits and bobs of stationary and papers because yes, it’s messy but you know exactly where everything is. The knocking doesn’t cease, and your annoyance aggravates further. You’re gonna have to punch someone or something if it doesn’t stop.

You aggressively pushed the barrel of the bolt lock, swinging the door open as the strands of your wild hair flew backward in the sudden blow of air.

All forms of anger and agitation disappear as soon as your gaze meets the flushed face of none other than Bruce fucking Wayne, dressed in a grey dress vest, tie hanging loosely a pristine white shirt, and an ebony tweed overcoat. This feels like deja vu. Your expression goes through a series of mixed emotions, mostly confusion, when it morphed into a guise of embarrassment, cheeks even redder. “Don’t tell me I texted you by accident again?” He blinks, seemingly as bewildered as you are. “What? No, no. No. I—” His sentence is cut short when he takes a moment to catch his breath. Your brows are frowning even deeper than before. “Did you run here or something? And what are you doing here anyway?”

Bruce shifts in his stance, a palm against the door frame, shaking his head. He feels small under your interrogative stare. “No, I came here to see you…” he trails off, eyes shamelessly skirting across your figure. He just now notices that it may be a bad time for him to turn up, and you’re hit with the realization you’re in a ratty apron, very red and very sweaty. You’re right. It is deja vu because why are you always a mess when Bruce shows up at your front door unannounced? You abruptly pull the apron over your head, hurling it behind the door, hands palming the frizz of your hair into a somewhat presentable look.

“Look, I need to talk you—”

“Honey! Who’s at the door?” He’s being cut off mid-sentence again. This time, by your mother’s voice from the living room. Your eyes are wide again—so are his.

Your mother’s fondness for Bruce is an understatement. Obsession is a better word. She had only met him once, and that was six years ago but the conceptualization of being somewhat related to an exceptionally handsome and successful man had gotten to her head all those years ago. Hell, she loves him more than she loves you. Your mother—A woman who wishes to call your best friend ‘son’ with a whole lot of love to give. If she discovers Bruce is here, at your doorstep, she will never let go. Never. And you both know it. There’s a silent understanding that travels between the two of you and the look you’re giving him tells only one thing—Run before it’s too late.

“Bruce Wayne as I live and breathe...”

Well, too late.

A small-statured lady stands on the farther side of the hallway, face lit up with sheer joy and excitement as if she had just won a lottery. She approaches him with arms open wide and soon, her hands are laid on his cheeks, examining the man’s face carefully. Bruce just stands there, stiff as a rock, unsure of how to regain his composure from all the adrenaline of wanting to see you now that he was in such close proximity to the woman who raised you. When it’s you, he tends to struggle with timing and it’s partly the reason he has never managed to act on his feelings for you. For the longest time, he has wanted to be more than friends or whatever the hell this was. He had been hesitant but now, he’s very sure.

Sometimes it feels like it's the right person but the wrong time. He doesn’t want it to be that way. He wants to make things right with you.

And there he was, being squished under the grasp of the lady that loves him very much.

He catches your gaze; you flash him a sympathetic smile as you mouth the word “sorry.” Bruce arches his brows, indicating he has no idea what to do or how to get out of this situation.

“You’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you!” the older woman exclaims, a hand now firmly on his shoulder, the other brushing away his long strands of hair from his face with affection. Bruce would never admit it; he likes the attention your mother gives to him—the touch of a mother. Something he longs for.

“Why don’t you come in and join us for dinner? There's more than enough food.”

Crap, you should have known that question was bound to be mentioned. You’re not convinced that you will be able to suppress your emotional heartburn and the idea of Bruce tasting the dishes you’re cooking, it’s making your palms sweat. But what the hell. You shouldn’t be this nervous around him, you’ve known each other for years. He has seen you at your worst and vice versa.

Still, you’ll like to avoid the predicament of a dinner table set for you, your mother, and the man you secretly love. You’re quick with an answer. “Oh, I’m sure he has other important things to do. Bruce is very busy—”

“I’ll be happy to. I have no plans for tonight after all.”

You stare at Bruce, eyes glimmering with shock and betrayal—he is supposed to be on your side. He simply sends you a swift wink, and you feel the growing and most likely apparent deep red of your already flushed cheeks. You glance away to face your mother, eye crinkling in hopes of concealing the effect he has on you. Well, at least your mother looks fucking overjoyed. Maybe the night won’t end in disappointment.

-

The scent of chicken and spice whiffs through the air from the dishes of chicken and chorizo paella you’ve managed to whip up in a quick thirty minutes—a recipe you came by in an article titled “Fancy dishes for lazy cooks.” Well, it’s certainly working; everyone looks pleasantly surprised when you emerge from the kitchen with a cast-iron skillet within your kitchen gloved-grasp.

Happiness is the sound of the clinking of cutlery against nearly empty smeared plates, the splash of wine cascading from the bottle you held into the glasses of your guests, and the occasional laughter that erupts from your mother as Bruce tries to make a joke through mouthfuls of paella. A symphony of contentment and comfort, composed and orchestrated by the two most significant individuals in your life. Beauty is made anywhere beautiful people are; in this space, cramped up at the beech wooden table made for one by the casement window that overlooks the apartment across yours.

This side of Bruce—where boyish smiles were manifested and hearty laughs arising from the belly—is the side you miss the most. Years ago, things felt simpler though your past self would deny that notion as human life continues to become more intricate as we grow older and our eyes see more. Innocence to maturity. Happiness to grief. But, the complexity of this warfare between the brain and the heart seems to reside in perpetual darkness, no light at the end of the tunnel. For a long time, you thought deciding to be alone could eventually bring peace to the madness but maybe, you’ve been with the wrong people this whole time. It’s your reflection against the window pane that shows the evident crinkle in your eyes and the constant upward in the curve of your lips even though it contrasts the gloomy hues of blue from the sky at twilight—you’re happy.

It’s the way your mother leans over and wipes off the bits of rice from the corner of your mouth and the exchange of awkward smiles when Bruce accidentally brushes his hand against yours when reaching for the fork. This is what you want. And maybe, just maybe, you deserve to not be alone.

“So, have you decided on who you’re taking to the wedding?”

Your mother’s voice hauls you back from your daydream. She gives you a knowing look, discretely glancing towards Bruce on the other end of the table. She knows you don’t have a date, and you know she wants you to bring Bruce. You feel your anxiety creep back in.

This is weirdly the second time you’re in this situation.

“I don’t know yet...” In times like this, you wonder if your mother wields some sort of magical ability of truth or something because no matter how much you try, you can never lie to her. And now, you wish the ground would collapse and swallow you up. You know she means well, but oh my God, Bruce is staring at you and you don’t know what to do with your hands anymore.

“Wedding?” Bruce chirps with a questioning brow as he glances between you and your mother. Now, you’re forced to explain for the sake of context. “My cousin’s getting married next week and mom here wants me to bring a date.” Your mother’s expression indicates that you’re lying through your teeth. Yet in reality, it’s not technically a lie if you’re leaving parts of reason out of the explanation because it’s true she wants you to bring a date but you don’t mention how you don’t want to go alone because weddings make you sad.

It sounds pathetic.

Bruce just nods, taking a sip of his wine. The fact he’s not saying anything is making you anxious. You thought you didn’t want him to be your date but now, maybe you do. These feelings are messing up your brain. It’s just mush now, and there’s no cure.

These are the times you want to say “Fuck you, Bruce” but in the nicest way possible.

“Why don’t you bring Bruce?”

She was direct as they come but is mostly tired of your lack of initiative and doubt. I mean, it’s not like you’re asking him to marry you, right? And honestly, you’re kind of relieved you didn’t have to be one to do it but you can’t keep depending on her to do all the heavy lifting for you. You’re not a teenager anymore. You’re a goddamn grown adult.

Nevertheless, you peer at his reaction to this from the corner of your eye, fully expecting some sort of a resting jaded expression or eyes wide in horror but he’s just looking at you...with that look—highly bewildered and almost seems to be entertained by your embarrassment. Despite the purse of his lips, you manage to catch sight of the slight impish tuck of his lips.

He thinks it's the wine, but he isn’t exactly sure.

“Yeah, sure. Why not?”

-

“Are you sure about this?” you cross your arms, as you watch Bruce shrug on his coat from the rack. The two of you are squeezed in the entryway of your apartment, huddling in hushed conversation. “About what?” he asks absentmindedly when in reality, he knows exactly what you’re referring to. As much as he doesn’t want to admit it, it’s an excuse to be around you longer. You purse your lips, shifting in your stance, eyes flickering away from his gaze. “About coming to the wedding,” you say it slowly, carefully, like you’re afraid to and you’re not sure why. He nods with the furrow of his brows, tugging his hands into the pockets of his ebony tweed coat. “I’m sure...Unless you don’t want me to come—”

“No, no. God, of course, I want you to come,” you stop, realizing how your sudden outburst of excitement must have made you seem desperate. You clear your throat, feet shifting once more. “I don’t want to pull you off work just because I don’t want to be alone.”

He raises his brows, nearing a little closer to you. “So that’s the real reason?” A hint of a smile—it’s a teasing one. You simply throw a fist to his arm yet unable to stifle your growing smile. “Don’t be a jerk.”

Bruce winces followed by a laugh that comes out more light a puff of air as he bares his palms in a gesture of surrender. “Hey, I didn’t say anything.”

Maybe, it’s the walls of this hallway, covered with hung framed photographs of family, childhood, and friends because it’s starting to feel warm. You think it’s the way his eyes light up when you laugh, radiating a sort of comforting warmth on this cold night. It feels like home. Bruce feels like home. You notice the prominent stain of your mother’s lipstick on his left cheek. You bring one hand to rest on the curve of his cheekbone, thumb trying to efface the smeared stain away.

You’re not sure if it's the smell of his deodorant or the sudden sense of his breath on your skin that made you comprehend the closing gap between your face and his. In an instant, your hand jerks away and returns to your side, clenching to a fist. Bruce clears his throat, bringing a hand up to scratch the growing stubble at his jaw. The touch of your fingers lingers like a burn.

Recognizing the tension in the air, you decide to avert your thoughts back to the conversation you were having in the first place. “You know, you don’t have to come. Really. You’ve done a lot for me, and you know that.”

“Yes...but I’ll always have your back no matter what.”

He smiles at you. The kind that reaches his eyes. He looks younger like this.

“And I’ll always have yours, Bruce.”

You’re an idiot. He’s an idiot. You’re just two idiots, standing in the hallway with hearts that feel like they’re about to explode. Despite the lingering tension in the air that’s still present, you bring him into an embrace. It feels natural, your arms around his shoulder and his on the small of your back. “Thanks for everything. Especially for making my mom really happy.” you punctuate your sentence with a gentle caress to the back where his shoulders meet. You hear the muffled sound of his laugh, feeling the rumble of his chest against yours as you try not to squirm at the brush of his unshaven chin against the curve of your neck. “No problem,” he mumbles before pulling away.

“And you need a shave.” You’re pointing to his chin and he finds himself scratching it again. He merely hums in response.

Swinging the door open while you wave him goodbye feels like a part of you is leaving. You’re not sure why you’re feeling this newly found emptiness in you when you know you’ll see him next week. You decide to blame the wine. It’s easier that way.

He’s walking away, already out of view when you decide you should really say something at least.

“Bruce,” you suddenly call out; he turns on his heels and backtracks a little too eager to face you at the doorway. “What was it you wanted to talk about?” He frowns in response, head tilting in a questioning manner. “When you came here, you said you needed to talk.”

He recalls the real reason he was here in the first place. Rushing to your door like you’re about to disappear any minute. Yet, you’re here, still at the doorway, three hours later. Fuck, he was about to confess.

Bad timing. Again.

Right person, wrong time.

No. He’ll make it right. Just, not now.

“I was...going to thank you for the bagels; Asiago. Nice choice.” Is what he says instead of reciting the words that had been running through his head in rehearsal since the drive to your apartment. He ignores the way your shoulders sag, perhaps in relief—he doesn’t want to know. He ignores the burning in his chest when you nod, the corners of your mouth tugging into a faint smile as you raise a palm in a somewhat solemn wave of farewell. He ignores the sting in his eyes when the door closes on him, symbolizing finality when he really doesn’t want it to end. Left alone in the dismal light of the hallway; it acts as a poignant reminder of his bereavement and how much of his consolation depends on your presence.

When the drinking's done, does it make it any easier for him to open himself up to you?

Bruce allows himself to cry once he pulls the car door to a close because he feels overwhelmed by the conflicting thoughts that continue to reside in his mind. The regrets, the what-ifs, and the should-haves. He forgets himself sometimes because he gets so lost in his thoughts, he doesn’t recognize himself anymore.

You keep him grounded. You remind him who Bruce Wayne truly is.

He catches a glimpse of his reflection in the rearview mirror.

You’re right. He does need a shave.

TAGLIST:

@raineeace

#bruce wayne #bruce wayne x reader #batman #batman x reader #bruce wayne imagine #batman imagine #bruce wayne x you #batman x you #justice league

[yakocchi]

2021 Anniversary Event Ministories // Count

this post contains 2 ministories: the 4th Anniversary Collection Event (Loved So Much, I Go Breathless) and the 2021 Election Collection Event (Deep Night)

o hey it’s me why did i sandwich two honestly-unrelated stories? bc i can!! actually it’s bc i feel lame when i post too much. which goes against how you’re supposed to use tumblr…. but no one ever said i was good at this

anyway, they serve similar purposes. The Election Event is supposed to be a sort of Anniversary Event, while the..… Anniversary Event is named that. the Count did not!! have a scenario Anniversary Event this year (that was apparently reserved for the top 6. sad but makes sense) so yea, make do w/ this

The Election Story is an AU where the characters are hosts of a host club. which…. not my thing but w/e, maybe some of u like that stuff The Anniversary Event on the other hand is supposed to be in-line with canon. results in corny SHIET but i like corny shiet. like the vlad one has them buying mugs (? thats a thing in the 19th century, corny mug shit? #1 best vampire mug? bruh)

in event chronology, the anni event was way before the election one but i put the election one first here cuz it’s longer (bc i included the prologue)

Spoilers under the cut!! Please credit if you take any of it, thenk u (･ω･*)

Deep Night // Prologue + Count

⋆ didnt screenie anything for the prologue cuz LAZY. just imagine the dumb black shirts they made some poor intern edit on photoshop, thats p much it

…

One city night, the year 20XX—

[Kara]: “Survived another week of hard work, me… haah,” (I finally have the day off tomorrow. It’ll be okay if I let loose a bit tonight, right?) When I was worn out from the monotony of everyday life, I would head over to a certain place for comfort and thrills. And that establishment was—

[Napoleon]: “Welcome to Club Deep Night.”

[Arthur]: “Ah, it’s Kara. You came to see me, right? ‘Been waiting.” [Isaac]: “Hold up, Arthur; she doesn’t come here just to see you, no?” [Dazai]: “Ooh, Isaac; a Host’s jealousy isn’t pretty, you know?” [Dazai]: “Well then, Toshiko-san; Your pick tonight— Wha – is me? No, no, it’s an honor. This will be a night of blinding sensuality very soon—"

[Isaac]: “She hasn’t picked anyone and you’re already going full steam ahead. —And her name isn’t Toshiko.” [Arthur]: “Right, right; Don’t hang with some guy who can’t your name right, Kara— My princess.”

As soon as I entered the club, a smile appeared on my face as a battle of charms began in front of me.

[Napoleon]: “Sheesh… every last one of these rascals are thrilled. Sorry that they’re being so noisy.” [Kara]: “No, no! Whenever I come here, it’s fun and even perks me up.” [Vincent]: “Really? If I’m to be the source of your high spirits, then I’ll make it even livelier in here.” [Vincent]: “I’ll build the champagne tower, and prepare the call!” [Theodorus]: “Hey, Hondje— Hurry and pour the champagne. It’ll be to give gratitude to the angel that’s landed on this city tonight.” [Theodorus]: “If you can be a good girl, I’ll tease and spoil you to bits.”

⋆ in host clubs, there’s a thing called a champagne call. the customer buys some very expensive bubbly, and all of the hosts gather round her table to chant, sing, w/e i was curious on how the localization handled theo’s dog nickname for MC (like 駄犬) cuz if they did a straight translation (mongrel, mutt, etc.), i feel like the western audience would hate him lul. glad they found smth

Everyone tries to entertain me, and in a single moment, their sweet words make me forget about my ordinary life. (It’s nice that everyone is so lively; but shouldn’t I go pick someone for tonight…?)

Troubled about it, arms then suddenly wrapped around my waist on both sides, causing me to cry out. [Faust]: “How long do you intend to go down one by one like that, keeping us men waiting?” [Faust]: “Come on— Please pick someone, and quickly. I can’t say... that I don’t know who you should be choosing.” [Charles]: “Ugh, there goes the cunning Doctor. I wanted to be picked by her, and now you’re doing all this.” [Charles]: “Hey— Pick me, Kara. I’ll do things to you that’ll make you feel good, utterly euphoric...” [Sebastian]: “Stop the Sexy Time. Even though you are a host, please show some restraint within club walls, Charles.” [Sebastian]: “...There being so many rivals vying for Kara’s nomination, is a nuisance.”

[Jeanne]: “If I do things that will make her feel good, will she be thrilled?” [Mozart]: “Jeanne, it’d be a good idea to not emulate what you just saw.”

⋆ “Stop the Sexy Time” is transliterated into kana, so it felt wrong to potentially change it. yes the cringe was not made by me this time. surprisingly also, this is something that gets a bit lost in translation: Charles and Jeanne both use yorokobu, in which the most common meaning is to be pleased, feel joy, etc. however, they use diff kanji which have diff connotations. Charles uses one that’s more abt physical joy (like a massage... or uh u know), while Jeanne uses one that’s more abt emotional joy (like seeing a friend u haven’t met with in a while). it’s supposed to show how dirty minded charles is while jeanne is precious LOL

[Mozart]: “Kara, come over here. You deserve to receive much finer hospitality... So, from me.” [Jeanne]: “If you pick me as well, then I’ll do my very best. Kara, won’t you come with me?” (Urgh- it’s getting more and more impossible to pick just one of them...!)

…

A bit farther away from everyone else, in the backroom— two men were exchanging words with each other: [Shakespeare]: “The moment Kara arrived, everyone became so animated.” [Shakespeare]: “She’s a mysterious one, to be able to draw us masterful hosts towards herself.” [Leonardo]: “Mhm, every single grown man is desperate to get the sweetheart’s attention.   [Leonardo]: “Well... maybe I should turn desperate too, hm?”

And in the owner’s quarters, there were also men watching Kara through the club monitors. [Vlad]: “That girl…” [Count]: “You mean Kara? She started frequenting this place a little while ago.” [Count]: “For some reason, I’m always interested… in who she picks each time.” [Vlad]: “Looks like you care quite a lot about one specific customer, dear Owner.” [Vlad]: “Kara… hm?”

…

[Napoleon]: “Regardless, all of the hosts here like you way too much. —To be honest, it makes me anxious.” [Kara]: “Huh-?” (Anxious… as a host? Or… as a man?) His words, honeyed with sweet temptation, made my heart race. His smile then deepened: [Napoleon]: “—Well, Kara; Who’s your pick tonight?”

(End of Prologue)

…

(Count)

[Count]: “So you’ve come, Kara. I’ve been waiting, you know.” I had paid a visit to the host club I always go to, and was invited to the owner’s quarters for some reason.

⋆ how is he still a Count in this AU lul. like yea nobility still exists, but it’s… strange, esp. if someone of nobility is openly running a host club

(Being called up here by the owner… this is the first time that’s ever happened.) I couldn’t come up with a reason why I was the only customer summoned here.

[Count]: “It’s not anything to be nervous about; I just wanted to hear something from you tonight.” [Count]: “You come here often, but you pick someone different every time.” [Count]: “Is there no one here that meets your expectations?” [Kara]: “My expectations?” [Count]: “Mhm. Being unable to satisfy our customers’ needs is an alarming matter.” [Count]: “If none of my kids happen to be your type, I’d like to hear what kind of things you seek.” [Kara]: “N-No… it’s not that none of them are my type;” [Kara]: “It’s just that everyone here is so wonderful, so I can’t pick only one of them.” [Kara]: “They’re cool, kind, great at conversation, and entertain me…” As I thought about the hosts who had surrounded me at the tables up to this point, I voiced my feelings honestly. I then recalled the words the Count had said just a moment ago, and felt a slight discomfort in my heart.

(I’m being honest when I say that I can’t choose between such amazing hosts. But…) (I also think it’s certainly true that “what I seek” is a bit different from them.) (The one I desire is more…) I shifted my eyes to the Count standing before me, and he responded with the composed smile of a mature adult. I was captivated by him at first glance, as a scent of danger seemed to drift from deep within that smiling face.

(But— As the owner himself, the Count’s not going to service a customer, of course…) Regretful, I dropped my gaze— Before I realized the Count had walked over to me. Cradling my chin in his fingers, he turned my head up so I face him.

[Count]: “Contrary to your words… your eyes say that there is something you desire.” [Count]: “Your indecisiveness stems from wanting more stimulation, is it not?” [Count]: “Like this, for example—"

He suddenly pressed his lips to mine. Shocked, I tried to pull away— but the Count gripped my waist in place. He then drew me in closer as if to prevent escape, changing angles countlessly as he took my lips. [Kara]: “Nn-… Don’t. I can’t pick you, the owner, as my host, so…” [Count]: “That unsatisfied-looking face of yours deeply bothers me.” [Count]: “I’m retired, but if you wish it so... For you, I’m willing to make a comeback tonight.” [Count]: “Well, now… go ahead; make your choice?” As if to seduce me, the gleaming gold eyes in front of me radiate this allure. With that, I felt that he could see through the lustful desires that lied within the recesses of my heart, and my body shivered with a subtle numbness. (I’ve never felt this way before.) Wondering what kind of stimulation he would give, I wanted to be toyed by those fingers, those lips… These emotions muddled within me.

(I think the person I’ve wanted all this time... was you from the beginning.)

[Kara]: “Count— Tonight, I’ll have you…” [Count]: “To be chosen by you, is an honor.” [Count]: “I promise to sate your thirst this evening.” [Count]: “—Give yourself to me.”

⋆ or “you can entrust all of yourself to me” if u want smth more awkward but more faithful to the original text

A fervent kiss rained down on me as if to fill what I had been deprived of,

and the night that would far exceed the stimulation I had desired, had just begun—

FIN

⋆ u kno, i did try making the characters sound more 21st century in this AU. but at the same time, the count probably wouldnt be the type to say yeet (aka a useless person) so idt it showed that much

…

Loved So Much, I Go Breathless // Count

…

Inside a swaying carriage, the Count sat across from me. Staring at me fixedly, he then gave a deep sigh. [Count]: “You are astoundingly beautiful tonight, Kara. —It was good to have left the manse like this.” [Count]: “If we had traversed the streets by foot, then I would have surely faced difficulty in having to shake off the men charmed by you.” [Kara]: “Ah-… D-Don’t play around like that, please.” [Count]: “I’m being completely honest, you know. —Well, if someone were to come near you, I wouldn’t let them lay a finger on you anyway.”

⋆ he says something closer to “those are my true thoughts, without a single lie” but that’s going too far in my arbitrary rules of “does this sound like smth ppl actually say” so whee

(J-Jeez; He always acts like this…) Wanting to mislead my pounding heart, I hastily changed the subject.

[Kara]: “Um… Where are we going tonight?” [Count]: “Oh my, did you forget? Today’s the anniversary of the day we met, of all things.” [Kara]: “Of course I didn’t forget. It was the day I changed my own fate, and met you— A day I cherish so very much.” [Count]: “It’s the same for me; And it’s precisely why we’re going to a place where I may reaffirm my love.” (“Love”…?) When I tilted my head, the Count gave a meaningful smile, saying nothing more.

With that—

The place the stagecoach had arrived, was a church I recognized. (This is… the place where we had confirmed our love for one another.) The Count took my hand before we entered, the moonlight silently illuminating the unoccupied altar.

[Count]: “I have decided from my heart— that on this day, and on every day we call ‘our anniversary’—" I shall proclaim my vows to you once more.”

[Count]: “Kara— This is my oath of eternal love to you.” Before the altar, the Count kneeled before taking my left hand, dropping a reverent kiss on my ring finger. [Kara]: “nh- Ah-…” A sweet numbness ran from my finger, and my heart skipped a beat.

[Count]: “The time I spend with you, is filled with a dazzling brilliance.” [Count]: “—Filled to the point where I believe those centuries I had of embracing nothingness, came to be for the purpose of being able to meet you…” [Count]: “If you would allow it— For the future to come, with you by my side, I shall continue to swear such (to you).”

[Count]: “And thus, I wish that one day, I shall become one with you. —That is the greatest happiness I seek.”

He then rose to his feet, embracing me as if to envelop me whole. With my cheek pressed against his chest, I could feel his heart beating as fast as mine. (Like this, it’s as if I’m becoming one with the Count— With Abel.)

He tenderly brushed my hair aside before running a finger down my neck. One day, fangs will sink into this very spot, and love from a pureblooded vampire – called “eternity” – will be spilled within. Thinking about such things, my heart grew full— and tears were about to fall down my face, involuntarily.

[Kara]: “Abel… me too, I-…”

Overcome with emotion, I was at loss for words— When an almost-biting kiss fell upon me, cutting off my words. His tongue caught mine through my broken lips, our hot sighs immediately laden with heat.

[Count]: “—There is no need for words.” His lips only barely parting from mine, he whispered with a glossy sigh.

[Count]: “The tears brimming in your eyes, tell me everything— that you belong to me.” [Kara]: “Ah-… Abel…” His gentle - but also denying any notion of resistance – and sweet kiss, deepened, desiring me and only me. I embraced him with all my strength, abandoning myself to this happiness that will last forever and ever…

FIN (2)

Ikevam has been kind of boring if u dun like the top 5 all that much but i mean always has been astronaut_gun.jpg

anyway, the election was mostly a skip for me this year cuz i dun care for mini figures. also, he was doing awful in categories bc ppl are voting characters over several categories (rather than just the recommended one). frankly i think it’s dumb to vote a character in anything other than the “officially” recommended category bc the chance of losing in all categories is much higher than getting stuff in >1 category (e.g., with the midterm results u can see vlad in every category, but he’s only eligible for a benefit in one…when he could easily just win in one category period). but maybe that way of thinking is too tryhard for a game that only barely fits the definition of a game #realgamurz #weliveinasociety

i honestly didn’t do (aka pay) much and ranked rly well in character rankings. so i was happy i got decent stuff, but sadder he doesn’t get much support;; u telling me the richest guy has the stingiest fans. yes. i mean look at me, microwave pizza is my life

sorry for the lack of updates. as usual but uh better to be annoying with no updates than with too much RITE haha yes………. yes

as always, thanks for reading!

#ikemen vampire #spoilers #ikevam #ikevam spoilers #comte de saint germain #ikevam tl #fucc i dun even remember my own tags LOL

[pinkanonwrites]

love me, please love me

Akaashi x Reader

Happy belated Valentine's day! I wanted to write a bittersweet piece for the occasion, but I caved right at the end and made it 100% sweet instead. Basically Akaashi is a delight and I wanted to see him pine, and pine hard. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!

(also the song title is from a song of the same name by Michel Polnareff, which I highly recommend listening to in order to get that yearning vibe)

Akaashi had already decided by himself at an early point in his professional career that writing romance, for all intents and purposes, was easy.

Sure, there would always be details and characters and overarching, more interesting plot to work out, but the overall premise was always the same. Two characters with undeniable chemistry, kept from admitting their true feelings because of Person X or Situation Y, rinse and repeat misunderstandings and 'almosts' until the manga was ready to end. Maybe even leave room afterwards for a cute, episodic spin-off.

Easy.

The real world, however, rarely offered such simplicities.

For example, Akaashi was in love with an office worker whose desk was once across from his, and he was pretty sure they didn't even know his name.

It's not like he'd known he was going to fall for you. How could he have? There was no chorus of angels, no heavenly light from above as the world seemed to fall into slow-motion. No. On his first day in the office you had been late, stumbled in with messy hair and a haphazard stack of manuscripts that you smacked down onto your desk, and had nearly tipped your overfull coffee mug all over the floor. He could hardly call it a good first impression. And yet…

The other workers on your floor seemed to hold you in a very high regard. He'd barely been there a week when one of his concerns had been directed to your desk.

"Ah, excuse me. Takaoda-san told me you could help with this?"

Your attention snapped up from your screen to Akaashi and the folder tucked in his hands. Noticeably confused for a split second, it took a moment before realization dawned on you.

"Oh! You're the guy who just joined! Kashi-san, right? Yeah, I can help you with that!"

You didn't even give him time to correct your butchering of his name.

Not only had you solved his problem, you'd scooted your chair to the side a bit and motioned for him to drag his own over and seat himself beside you, carefully walking him through the entire process.

"There you are! I'll just email this over to you so you have the file on your computer then."

"Yes, thank you very much."

"No problem! If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to help you out."

Your kindness, it seemed, extended to the other members of your office floor as well. Not a day would go by without Akaashi seeing at least one person hunkered down beside you at your desk in various states of disarray, waiting for your kind and composed words to soothe their frazzled minds. Clearly you were a cherished member of this office.

He was sure that the warm stirrings beginning in his chest were no more than admiration at that point.

Mostly sure.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As his status with the editing company and his understanding of the industry began to rise, Akaashi was swiftly moved up to higher departments and higher pressures, longer meetings and tighter deadlines. He no longer spent as much time on the main floor where he'd started. But he still noticed you.

You'd been the first on the floor to cheer for him when it was announced that he'd be moving to his own private office. You patted him on the back and wished him well with a big, bright smile that made his stomach do something funny he tried to ignore. Occasionally you bumped into each other in the elevator, the break room, in meeting rooms as clusters of overworked people filed in and out.

And sometimes, on darkened evenings when he was leaving the building in the dead of night, he'd see you still sat at your desk. Alone in the office space, you continued to tap away at your keyboard. He'd never considered that for all the time you spent helping others with their problems, that was time unspent solving your own.

"Kashi-san?"

He faltered a bit under your tired gaze, lurking in the doorway of the floor, having finally caught your eye. He didn't even remember to correct you, again.

It didn't matter that much, though. Not when his body was already moving without him thinking, standing at the side of your desk and placing the canned coffee he'd just bought from the vending machine on its corner.

"It's almost 10. I'm surprised you're still here."

You blinked, then laughed, a sweet melodic tune. The coffee clutched in both hands, you looked up at him so sweetly that his heart hammered in response.

"Yeah, there's a lot to get done."

"Please be sure not to overwork yourself. You're a vital piece of this company."

I will, thank you… Hey, have you eaten?"

He startled, checking his watch. "N-Not since lunch."

"Let's grab something. My treat. Consider it a thanks for the coffee."

"Ah… if you insist."

Not that he needed much insistence.

And so began a comfortable pattern as late night dinners between the two of you became all the more common. It was rare that a week went by that didn't end a long and tiring day with ramen in a cozy booth, or snack foods scarfed down outside a 24-hour convenience store, your smiling face all the warmth he needed to stave off the evening chill.

Perhaps this was where he'd first realized, when you'd held a napkin out to him to dab away the teriyaki sauce smeared at the corner of his mouth: A sudden, longing lurch to do the same, to cup your cheek gently in his hand, to run the pad of his thumb over your soft lower lip. He walked home in a daze that evening, dusted with snow and brimming with warmth and confusion.

Realistically he knew that office romances weren't uncommon. He'd read enough manga and watched enough dramas to know that. And yet, he couldn't shake the concern so easily. What if your bosses found out? What would your co-workers think?

...What if it didn't work?

The only glimpses of yourself he'd gotten outside of a workplace environment were those short, shared meals. How could that be enough to judge whether you two were really meant to work well together? Was it worth risking the fallout?

No. Certainly not. Not for a silly crush. Akaashi could wait this out, he should wait this out. Keep his distance and wait until the butterflies faded and the fires died and he was left with the same feelings he'd felt for you in the beginning, appreciation and the occasional concern.

He would be fine.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On the dawn of week three of minimizing contact with you, Akaashi Keiji was decidedly not fine.

He hadn't realized how dependent he'd become on your presence until it was unceremoniously torn away from him. Is a grown man meant to crave another person's voice so much? Their smile? Their laugh? He felt like a schoolboy again, flustered and frustrated and brimming over with emotions he wasn't sure how to outlet.

On Tuesday morning you'd come in early, clearly dressed for a date. Takaoda confirmed his suspicion a moment later when he complimented your outfit.

"I've got a blind date tonight, actually."

The butterflies in Akaashi's stomach choked and died, falling like stones into the pit of his gut. He nearly shocked himself with the single word that screamed across his rushing mind, that he didn't dare speak aloud.

No.

He felt like a jerk. He felt like a coward. He felt like a horrible, selfish child. But when you saw him standing in the hall and lifted a hand to wave, Akaashi ducked his head and hurried to his office, pointedly and obviously ignoring your greeting.

Well done Keiji, surely they would return your feelings now.

Very little got done that day. And as the clock ticked ever and ever closer to 5pm, Akaashi knew he needed to make a choice. And he knew he needed help making it.

Lifting his cell phone, Akaashi called the one person he knew could give him an easy answer.

"Hey, hey, hey! Akaashi! How are you? Aren't you at work right now?"

"Yes, Bokuto-san. However, I had an important question I was hoping you could help me with."

"Of course! Must be real big if you're calling me about it, huh?"

"Yes, it is."

Faced with the possibility of finally having an answer to his concerns, Akaashi found himself at a loss of where to start.

"Bokuto-san, have you ever had feelings for someone but weren't sure if telling them was the best idea?"

"Oho? Romance questions? Now I'm real interested!" He could hear Bokuto's big, silly grin even over the phone. "Well yeah, some of the cheerleaders are pretty hot. And you remember that guy at the ramen place who always gave me extra coupons? Pretty sure he could've been my soulmate!"

"Bokuto-san, I believe my situation is a touch more serious than a waiter who gives me extra coupons."

Bokuto maturely responded by blowing a raspberry into the receiver.

"Well, if it's that serious why haven't you asked them yourself? You've gotten this torn up about it to call me, so it must be the real deal."

"It really isn't that easy…"

"Isn't it? I mean, they either like you or they don't, right? If they do, great! If they don't, well then you can just start getting over them faster."

Akaashi found himself struggling for a reasonable response to that.

"Hey, all I can say is, you miss a hundred percent of the shots you don't take! Someone famous said that. Shakespeare, I think."

"Wayne Gretzky."

"Bless you."

Sighing, Akaashi glanced at his watch. You would probably be leaving soon. You might even already be out of the office. "...Thank you, Bokuto-san. If you'll excuse me, I need to catch an elevator."

"Sure thing bud! Lemme know how it goes!"

Click.

Akaashi's office door swung shut alongside the soft click of Bokuto hanging up. He skittered on the tile, trying to right himself as he sprinted around the corner, stopping only for a second at the window to the office floor. No one there.

He was probably too late already, why wouldn't you have left early on the night of your date? You worked so hard every other day, surely you would take the few extra minutes to prepare yourself. You were smart like that. Smart, and beautiful, and considerate, and there was no way Akaashi was going to just let you walk off with another man, not without even trying…

Around the corner, standing at the door to one of the elevators, there you were. Why did you look so… grim?

"Oh, hey!" You forced a smile onto your face as you gave him a little wave. "Clocking out on time? That's not like you."

Akaashi opened his mouth. Nothing came out. He tried again, clearing his throat hard.

"Oh, damn. Here."

You pressed a half-empty water bottle into his hands.

"Were you running? You're wheezing like crazy."

Staring down at the bottle in his quivering hands, his mouth moved before his mind could work.

"A date!"

You froze, finally focusing up on his face, staring so, so deeply into his eyes. Or maybe you were just looking at him normally. He could no longer tell. "Oh, yeah. I had one. He had to cancel."

The water bottle clattered to the floor as he gripped both your hands in his.

"Would you consider dinner, then?... With… me? Not like we usually do, this one's…. It's…."

Your hands were so warm. You could probably feel how sweaty his were. Gross. He should probably let you go before you got creeped out or-

"A date?"

"....Please."

A giddy, boisterous laugh bubbled out of you, one he had only heard after you'd downed a few drinks yourself. You squeezed his hands tight, giving him a smile that washed his anxieties away like chalk beneath the rain.

"I'd like that."

"Ah. Yes. Shall we go then?"

"We shall." You hooked your arm around his elbow, giving him a playful grin. "Lead the way, good sir."

Akaashi had already decided for himself at an early point in his professional career that writing romance, for all intents and purposes, was easy.

Living it, though? That was much harder. But he couldn't find it in himself to mind.

"Oh! Takaoda finally told me I've been getting your name wrong this whole time? Why didn't you say anything? I feel like such a jackass!"

"There, uh, a good time to mention it never seemed to come up?"

"Well I have a lot of making up to do, don't I Akaashi?~"

"I'm looking forward to it."

#haikyuu #hq #haikyuu imagines #haikyuucreations #valentines collab #akaashi keiji #akaashi x reader #akaashi imagines #long post #2100 words

[biggest-stupidhead]

Path Walker (Levi x OC)

Summary: Emory and Erwin butt heads

AN: In future chapters there WILL be mentions of sexual assault I will put a warning on that specific chapter and other future chapters that mention mature content. 

Word Count: 2.4K 

A grunt escaped my lips as I fell to the ground, Annie loomed over me her icy blue eyes burning into my own. I risked a glance at Shadis who lurked on the edge of the clearing with that brooding expression, those hazel eyes locked on Annie and I. Annie followed my gaze and smirked,

"Nervous Black?" Annie purred, leaning forward to hoist me up.

"Never." I snarled, swinging my fist in a wide arc, effectively clipping her chin. She stumbled backwards, surprised by my dirty attack. Shadis raised an eyebrow at this move, not necessarily an impressive technique but definitely unexpected. I gave chase, closing the space between us, forcing Annie to take a defensive stance. When I first started sparring with Annie she almost appeared bored, now she was wide eyed and very alert. I kept my elbows close to my chest as I scanned her small frame for an opening. Annie was about the same size as me, making us a relatively equal match. She danced back a few more steps, seemingly desperate to get away from my lightning quick punches. This time I allowed her to retreat, my cobalt eyes taking in the way her chest heaved and her hair was displaced and slipping from her low bun. The usually composed Annie Leonhardt was only slightly undone but all of your comrades took note. I allowed my eyes to scan the crowd that had gathered. Shadis had also snuck up on Annie and I, his features hard and unforgiving.

"Draw?" I asked, my voice coming out airy as I spoke. Annie nodded, her chest still heaving as she recovered from our tussle. The crowd let out some 'aws' and 'boos' due to our little show ending so abruptly. I dusted off my pants as the rest of the cadets dispersed as Annie and I recovered. Annie held her hand out and I took it, shaking it wordlessly before departing to find a new opponent. I halted abruptly when Shadis called out to me in that hoarse voice of his.

"Black! Your presence is requested in my office." he stood a distance behind me as I raised an inquisitive brow. Odd, sparring practice still had at least another hour. Surely he wouldn't leave the cadets unattended to hold a private audience with me? The thought made my stomach clench with dread, I learned early not to trust men. I paused before saluting him and giving a curt nod. I walked briskly over the training grounds, kicking up dust as I crossed the vast clearing. Finally I found myself in front of the small building that the superiors used to hold formal meetings and also were the few offices on the property were located. I paused, a carriage catching my eyes, a solider stood by the horses, holding the reins. I squinted trying to see the symbol on his military jacket. But he was too far away, and I wasn't very keen on getting caught staring at a stranger. So I walked into the building, heading straight for Shadis' office. I knocked on the door, not expecting a response since Shadis was supervising the sparring practice.

"Come in." I jumped at the sound of the deep masculine voice on the other side. My hand hovered over the knob, had Shadis set me up? Was I about to get thrown in jail? No I hadn't done anything illegal, at least not recently. Was Shadis conspiring with those notorious human traffickers? Was I being sold? No I need to chill the fuck out. I gripped the door knob and pushed the door open. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of Erwin Smith seated comfortably in Shadis' chair, although he rose as soon as I entered. I saluted him quickly, leaving my hand over my heart even though he had dismissed me.

"You gave me a heart attack, thought I was going to be sold into slavery." I sighed as I crossed the room and sank into the uncomfortable wooden chair across the desk. Erwin furrowed his eyebrows and fought a smile off of his lips at my words.

"Why on earth would you think that? Have you been so terrible that Shadis has resolved to slavery as a threat to make you behave?" Erwin asked raising a bushy brow. I scoffed and leaned forward in my seat.

"No, I've been quite good actually." I said proudly, a smile curving on my lips. Erwin smiled fully before turning his attention to a folder that sat on the desktop.

"I've come here today to remind you of the deal that you agreed to three years ago." straight to business, gotta love the guy.

"Yes I recall." I said leaning back in my seat. God has it really been three years?

"Your graduation is in exactly two weeks, and I am very pleased with your rankings." Erwin said as he flipped through the file, his blue eyes suddenly flickered to my face.

"Oh, well I wish I could've made top ten but..." I trailed off, a blush dusting my cheeks.

"Ranked 11th in your class, still an impressive feat, this is a very competitive group of cadets." Erwin said giving me a pointed look. I could only nod at his words, still confused as to why he had come all this way to visit me.

"Anyway, I just wanted to ensure that you would be joining the Survey Corps as arranged, I'm sure as you know our numbers have decreased significantly." he said, slowly standing up, his tall build did make him a bit intimidating. I lifted my head a bit higher in an attempt to meet the mountain of a man without standing. He placed a large hand on the back of my chair, I allowed my eyes to flit over his calloused hand for a moment before turning to meet his cerulean gaze.

"I am aware." I spoke curtly, growing tired of his condescending tone.

"We are in need of promising recruits like yourself and to see you slip into another regimen would truly be devastating. Besides..." his hand slid off the back of my chair and onto my shoulder. My blood ran cold as he leaned down to my level and tightened his grip on my shoulder.

"There's a certain someone who is expecting you." his words sent goosebumps up my spine. It had been three whole years since I had seen Levi. Now of course Erwin was using him as an incentive to stay true to my word. I tensed under his grip, but still managed to nod.

"Does he ask about me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"No... But I know he thinks about you." Erwin said, I nodded grimly, not really knowing what else I expected, he was kind to even add the last part. I laughed bitterly, "Why do I even bother." I cupped my face in my hands and slowly drug them down my cheeks. Erwin still held my shoulder firmly.

"Just uphold your end of the deal." he whispered, with a final squeeze he released my shoulder and returned to Shadis' seat, sinking into the back rest.

"Don't worry I will." I said, my own sapphire eyes narrowing as I spoke lowly. He waved his hand, dismissing me. I turned and quickly left without saluting him, a small act of rebellion. Gods, fuck that, did he really doubt my integrity so much to make a journey out here to ensure that I remembered the deal? Outrageous, I didn't even want this I never wanted to be a solider. I was only a child when this deal was made. By none other than Isabel, which is the only reason why I have decided to uphold my end.

When Levi, Farlan, and Isabel had been arrested Isabel begged Erwin to go back to the flat and bring me with them, at first he refused. But then when he learned that I was twelve years old he changed his mind. Why you might ask? Simply because he realized that he could make me a solider, a pawn in the fight for freedom. So exactly one year after my family's arrest he returned and gave me false documents, freeing me from the underground city. I stumbled, leaning against the railing of the dining hall, so engrossed in my memories that I failed to see a large rock in my path.

I blinked, the images of the dank city still dancing across my mind. I looked up at the sky to see the sun sinking lower, dinner would begin soon. But my stomach was churning with nerves as I thought about the place I had grown up and the people who had ensured my survival. Isabel, Farlan, Levi, they had saved me gotten me out of that hellhole. Now only two of us remained and he couldn't even fucking write me. I straightened up, pushing off the railing I stormed back towards the barracks, a new found rage instilled in my chest. Or maybe it wasn't new at all, maybe it had always been there, a nagging in the back of my head. Levi was never keen with me, but surely he cared enough to at least ensure that Erwin fulfilled Isabel's wish. But then again maybe he only enforced the deal to honor Isabel?

I frowned, Isabel was one of the few people who showed me kindness during my short life, she was like a big sister to me. I finally found myself struggling to open the door to the barracks, my hands shaking with emotion. With a final shove I pushed into the room, the bunk beds all made with care. I flopped onto my bunk and buried my face in the stiff pillow. I allowed a few small tears fall into the fabric before I finally pulled away from the pillow and breathed a heavy sigh. I looked down where my pillow once rested to see the carefully folded paper that I kept stored underneath the pillow. I gingerly unfolded the worn parchment with shaky hands. My shoulders sagged when I finished, the image that stared back at me made my heart ache. A drawing that Farlan had done only a few weeks before everything changed, a family portrait of sorts, you and Isabel between Levi and Farlan, Levi was drawn with a slight curl of his lip, his own way of smiling.

Isabel looked vibrant and full of life, Farlan looked cool as a cat, and I looked like a snotty brat with missing teeth and ratty hair. At the sight of my messy hair I recalled I memory of Isabel attempting to comb it to no avail, Farlan tried and also ultimately failed. But Levi pinned me to the ground and viciously raked the brush through my hair, and succeeded in detangling the mess. You didn't talk to him for a week after that. A shaky breath left my lungs as I focused on Isabel's wide eyes and the way Farlan's had an arm carelessly thrown over my shoulders. What I wouldn't do to feel his warmth by me again, admittedly I'd had an innocent crush on Farlan. It was only natural seeing as he was the one to take me in so graciously. I yelped when the door banged open, quickly stuffing my precious keepsake back under the pillow. Ymir padded in first, her arms folded behind her head, Krista followed closely after her. Mikasa wandered in after the odd pair along with Sasha and Annie brought up the rear. The lot of us occupied this small section of the barracks, Annie was the only one to spare me a second glance before tossing her jacket onto the bed above mine.

"What did Shadis do with you?" she asked indifferently, such an odd tone that made me think she didn't really care, but still bothered to ask the question.

"He did nothing, it was an old acquaintance of mine that requested my presence." I said throwing my legs over the edge of the bed. Annie raised a brow but didn't question any further, she set to work on unbuckling her harness, and shortly after, stripping her white jeans off. When she tossed the clothing onto the ground a strange scent washed over me. It smelled simply raw a foreign scent that I had never caught a whiff of before. Just as quickly as it had drifted under my nose it was gone, leaving an odd feeling in my stomach. Hm how odd, I thought as I watched Annie pull on a pair of loose pants. Just as I opened my mouth to ask her if she had found a new perfume or something Sasha plopped down on my bed.

"Sorry you couldn't come to dinner, I saved you a little something though!" she beamed as she pulled a half eaten loaf of bread out of her jacket pocket. I couldn't help but smile, in an odd distant way, she reminded me of my dear Isabel, kind and hard headed.

"Thanks Sasha, I appreciate that." I gingerly accepted the gift, and took a bite out of the loaf. Sasha looked pleased with herself, she got up and left me alone on my bunk, Annie crawled up onto the top as I dusted crumbs off my bed. Come to think of it, that scent from earlier was familiar, maybe she used the same soap as someone? No it wasn't a manmade scent, it was strange but somehow I knew that it was uniquely her. Like pheromones or some shit, my nose wrinkled and suddenly I felt over powered by the scent. I looked up to see Ymir passing, her shoulders pulled back proudly. What the fuck, man they reeked how had I never smelled it before? They smelled like sweat mixed with an earthy musk, my eyes watered as the smell continued to overpower my senses. I fell into a sneezing fit shortly after Ymir had walked back to her bunk, drawing some curious glances my way as I continued to sneeze my brains out.

"You alright down there?" Annie asked, her head dangling upside down to look at me underneath her.

"Fine, just.... Allergies." I sniffled, rubbing my arm discreetly over my nose partially to wipe snot away and also to protect it from her scent. Annie brushed her bangs off her face to get a better look at me, her brows pinched together and her mouth opened slightly as if she was about to say something.

"Lights out cadets!" Shadis banged on the barracks door loudly, shutting up every girl in the room. Mikasa got up and extinguished the torch, plunging the room into darkness. I heard Annie settle back into her bed, and I followed suit, my nose still burning from the stench.

#levi aot #levi x oc #levi x reader #levi heichou #levi #levi ackerman #erwin smith #hange zoe #eren mikasa armin #mikasa ackerman #eren jeager #armin arlert #jean kirstein #sasha braus #connie springer #petra ral #AoT #snk levi #snk x reader #spoilers

[clan-sayeed-fic]

Business (Kamilah Sayeed & MC)

Previous chapters: 1, 2

Book: Bloodbound (property of Pixelberry Studios)

Pairing: Kamilah Sayeed & MC: Amy (I do not own those characters, they’re the property of Pixelberry Studios as well)

Warnings: angst, smut

Rating: Mature

Author’s note:  I’m not a native English speaker, I’m sorry for any mistakes (feel free to correct me).

Just like I promised, I'm posting the third chapter of the story 😄 I'll do my best to post the rest of the fic in the future. I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't mind that it’s so long 😂💖

~ 2900 words

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Chapter 3

"Let me go!"

Despite all the power put into the scream, words had been stolen by the infinity of the forest. The only sounds echoing in the darkness were the drumming of hooves and loud breaths coming out from both: rider and his horse.

Just when the man thought that he managed to escape the jaws of death, some impossibly strong creature knocked him off from the saddle. His body flew in the air before hitting the ground, breaking bones.

The young, chestnut stallion stopped galloping as soon as he sensed the lack of weight of his owner on the saddle. This well-trained creature turned around, ready to stand by the side of the man that groomed him since he was only a foal.

But at the time he got closer to the owner, something emerged from the shadows, sneaking up toward them. The horse's ears went wild, moving in different directions. He lifted his head high, getting a better perception of the surroundings as all of his muscles tensed, ready to react.

That's when a harsh red light flashed in the middle of the road in front of them. Despite all the previous courage, the presence of an unusual for the horse predator awoke his instincts.

Instincts that were saying to run away as fast as possible.

The dust picked up around the wounded man, and all he was able to hear was the neighing of the stallion. The sound was slowly fading away, deeper into the embrace of the forest.

"Seems that not even a horse is willing to help you," a feminine, harsh voice came straight from the direction of the crimson light. "I got the order. You must know how these work."

He was her target, a prey to hunt down for her master, her creator.

She had been said to look for the leader of the village in this part of the land. There was a prophecy saying about the downfall of vampires. It pointed at this specific person becoming the cause of it one day.

Her master wanted to take care of it in advance. To make sure that vampires will remain at the end of the food chain for much longer.

So there she was, just doing her part of the job.

"My wife..." the man managed to speak, being interrupted by his own blood, making him choke. "My wife is pregnant, I need to be there..." another spit of blood, "...for her and my child."

The vampire approached the begging man. Just to kneel down, so she would be able to look directly in his eyes. To see his fear and unsureness about the future of his family.

"Oh..." a seemingly sympathetic tone escaped her mouth.

Just to be followed by the dagger aimed straight in his heart.

"...but you will not."

***

Hesitation hit Amy along with the cold air of the evening right after she got out of her car.

Words said during the meeting echoed inside her mind, filling the space with doubt. She was well aware that her attitude during the gathering might have caused the end of this collaboration before it even started. That she might have just ruined the deal on which depended a lot.

Only because her pride had to win... once again.

It was the hour of her meeting with Kamilah. To her surprise, the place that she sent her to wasn't the building of Ahmanet Financial by itself. Instead, she got the address to one of the fanciest neighborhoods in New York.

Amy drove there on her own without bodyguards. She didn't let her parents know about any of what happened so far. In that case, she needed to deal with the situation on her own, praying that she would have only good news to share with them later.

Full of hope, she stepped into the elevator typing the guests' code that Ms. Sayeed sent her earlier that day.

"Now, try to fix it, Amy," she mumbled quietly.

***

The elevator stopped, and doors opened with a loud click sound.

Did she invite me to her penthouse? Amy asked herself in thoughts, stepping inside unsurely, slowly taking in the picture before her eyes.

Her steps were quiet. After walking through a short corridor, she found herself in a spacious living room with a view of the dining table and the open kitchen.

But there was no sign of the apartment owner.

With typical for her curiosity, she looked over the place. The girl was educated in interior design enough to admire a modernly stylized space. The colors around her were outweighed by black, light grey white on the walls and dark, deep browns of the furniture. Here and there, she noticed some accessories in the faint shade of lavender. Everything created a well-balanced contrast, pleasing to the eye.

After a while of waiting, Amy couldn't hold herself any longer, and she slowly approached the dresser that caught her eye from the start. What especially got her attention was an old photograph of the CEO of Ahmanet Financial and some strangers posing in the picture, all smiling. She assumed that the photo showed Kamilah in the company of friends.

But the only person she recognized from it was Adrian. He looked exactly the same as when she met him for the first time. The only difference was visible in his clothes. Everyone in the picture seemed to wear garments that had been taken straight from a different era.

Was it taken during some kind of costume party? Or maybe just a long time ago, but... how long? The girl put her purse aside to place one of her fingers on the picture, tracing over its surface, lost in thoughts.

"I can see you're the nosey one," a deep whisper made her jump in surprise.

Amy turned around quickly, almost knocking the picture by doing so. Just to face a smirking Kamilah Sayeed standing right there with her arms crossed. The girl's heartbeat increased from sudden shock, making her attempt to compose herself fail badly.

"Oh," Amy felt her cheeks reddening without permission, "I thought you were in a bathroom, or..." she was making excuses, but it got her thinking.

Why didn't she notice the woman sooner?

"I was watching you," Kamilah answered like she was reading her mind just by staring intensively at the girl. "Let me invite you to my office."

After a moment of hesitation, Amy decided to leave her concerns for some other time. So she followed this tall, mysterious woman, getting further into the apartment.

She found herself amazed by how different this room was decorated in comparison to the rest of them. It was way more cozy and old fashioned there between these four walls decorated with ancient artifacts.

"I'm surprised to see you alone," Kamilah stood behind the desk, inviting Amy to take a seat in front of her with a hand gesture.

Documents had been already arranged, waiting for her to read them. But suddenly, Amy lost her previous boldness. Out of nowhere, she felt intimidated by the presence of this absolutely beautiful woman.

"I'm not always surrounded by them," the girl tried to focus on the files as the following words slipped out of her mouth without her knowledge, "I'm a grown-up."

Kamilah smirked slightly at this but did not make a comment. Instead, she sat down and let Amy read the new contract that she had prepared for her.

***

Finally, Amy picked up a pen after she read the whole deal several times to make sure she understood everything clearly. She signed it and put the pen aside, having a hard time looking at Kamilah's face.

"Could you stop?" Amy whispered with unusual shyness in her voice.

"Excuse me?" Kamilah's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but she didn't take her eyes off the girl.

"You were staring this whole time," Amy did her best to not drop her gaze. "And you're still doing this," she blushed uncontrollably, making the woman smirk with satisfaction.

Kamilah's shoulders lifted and fell with a short yet deep breath. She reached for the documents just to put them on her side of the desk, giving the girl a short break from her stare.

Just to intimidate her with it again a second after.

"Dear...Amy," she started with a pause. "Is that how you'd like to be addressed?"

"It's up to you, Miss Sayeed," thoughts screamed inside the girl's head, judging her for the lack of courage.

"Kamilah," the woman corrected her before continuing. "I was wondering... Your family tree is a truly generous one."

The girl stayed silent, waiting for the rest, but Kamilah clearly expected her reaction.

"It... certainly is," unsureness grew in her chest.

"For centuries, every single newborn in Paines family," Kamilah leaned back on the chair. She twirled her hair around one of her slim fingers, "was a boy, am I right?"

Amy's body stiffened slightly, but she forced herself to nod calmly in response. But her mind worked faster from then on. She started paying more attention to the topic of their conversation. Because they were touching some delicate matters.

Dangerous matters.

"You are very well protected by your family," Kamilah was circling around the subject mercilessly. "Your parents trust you with their business," she tilted her head slightly to the side. "That must mean you are fully informed in the type of clients they are working with."

Oh my god, I am so stupid, Amy cursed herself.

At that same time, her right hand slowly traveled up her thigh. Her dress was designed with a little pocket on the side. Big enough to hide there a small object without arousing suspicion.

In this situation, even such a small wooden stake was good enough for self-defense.

"And yet, you're here." Kamilah squinted her eyes, letting the whisper to escape her lips. "All alone."

It was too much.

Amy stood up, ready to run, but she wasn't fast enough.

The girl wasn't a fool. She knew too well that she could never be faster than any of them. But it was the last chance left for her.

And it still failed.

In a split of a second, she was pushed against the wall with her hands firmly held down her sides. Making it unable to escape even if she dared to put up a fight.

Kamilah's shining eyes moved from the girl's eyes to her lips, following the path of the vein pulsing on her neck. Corners of her lips curled up as she looked down at Amy's right hand. Her fingers moved along.

"And what, care to tell," she ripped the stick out of Amy's grip, "were you planning to do with this?" Kamilah threw the weapon away, filling the room with the hollow sound of the wood hitting the floor.

"I..." Amy tried to calm down her breathing. "I know what you are."

It made the woman close the distance between them even more, their bodies almost touching.

"Enlighten me," Kamilah opened her mouth a little, letting her tongue run over her sharp teeth.

Amy swallowed hard at the view, trying to get her body under control, without success.

Finally, she managed to look into the woman's eyes, noticing a spark of crimson in them.

"You're a monster," words escaped her lips without hesitation.

Kamilah's eyes changed to red in a flash as a performance of power.

But to her surprise, the view didn't make an impression on Amy.

Actually, it caused quite the opposite reaction. The closeness of Kamilah's body suddenly changed from threatening to intimate, spreading heat inside the girl.

The woman leaned down since she was a little bit taller, bringing her lips closer to Amy's ear.

Close enough to let her hear the whisper.

"Are you afraid?" her breath teased sensitive skin on Amy's neck.

The girl closed her eyes for a moment, knowing how bad this situation was for her. Knowing that the anticipation created inside her was easily perceptible for the woman standing just an inch away from her.

That she shouldn't even question her own feelings. She wasn't supposed to react this way around the vampire. Any of them, there was no exception.

At least she thought so until that day.

"I'm not," she almost moaned the answer when Kamilah's hands moved to her waist, eagerly pulling her closer.

Their lips met, letting them taste each other's warmth.

Kamilah teased her, fastening and deepening the dance of her tongue, just to slow down soon after. To step back, waiting for Amy to follow.

The girl climbed on her toes, wanting Kamilah's lips closer, wanting to feel the ecstasy of this feeling forever. She attempted to touch the woman's face after freeing one of her hands. Just to find herself being turned around with an impossible power in response. She waited patiently this time, pressed against the wall with hands behind her back.

"I want to hear you moan," Kamilah whispered into her ear, thrusting from behind.

Amy's dress raised up dangerously, showing her legs, giving access to her skin. Kamilah let go of her hands, and instead, wandered her fingertips all over the girl's exposed thighs, making her writhe under this touch. Making her place both hands on the wall in an attempt to steady herself.

She was breathing heavily, indeed. But that was not what Kamilah expected from her.

And she wanted to make it clear only one more time.

"I said something," her voice sounded a little harsher than before.

Kamilah's hand moved on the inside of Amy's thigh, squeezing. While the other one came impossibly close to the girl's underwear, which was already soaked more than she suspected it to be.

At that point, Amy couldn't hold it anymore, didn't really try either. She moaned through her gritted teeth, moving her hips to feel the woman's fingers more.

"That's a good girl," Kamilah smirked, leaning down to move her tongue on Amy's earlobe.

From there, she moved lower, placing kisses on her nape, moving her blonde hair away from her skin. As she made sure to leave hickeys on her neck, her fingers were teasingly playing with the material of the lingerie. Amy's moans became more urging, revealing her growing impatience.

Desire to finally feel it.

Her aching for the touch.

"You have no clue how much it takes from me," Kamilah muttered into her skin, "to not devour you right now."

These last words were like a dash of cold water that Amy needed at that moment.

She tensed immediately, causing Kamilah to stop touching her. The woman didn't assume to misunderstand her signs earlier, but obviously, something made the girl change her mind.

Amy freed herself from Kamilah's grip, pulling the dress down with shaking hands, trying to cover her exposed skin. To cover thighs that she wanted to have touched so badly only a moment ago.

"I should go," she blinked a few times to collect her thoughts.

"Easy, darling," Kamilah was astonished by this unexpected shift. "I assure you, I won't bite," her appearance showed unusual for her concern.

But Amy was already moving back, making her steps to the way out.

She felt so stupid.

So reckless.

"I..." she couldn't find the right words.

So she chose to say nothing, walking out of the room in a hurry. Vanishing like a scared teenager.

Leaving the woman in her office completely alone.

"That was... unexpected," Kamilah said out loud, pouring herself a glass of gin.

***

A piercing scream signaled her destination.

The well-known scent of blood teased her nostrils, leading toward the source.

After barely a moment, she found herself standing between the buildings of the village, looking at the scene through the window from afar. She heard the faint heartbeat of the woman in labor, growing weaker with every passing second.

"There's no point in saving her, fools," the vampire muttered to herself, ready to turn around.

But something inside her broke.

The feeling remained for barely one short second, obligating her to save this family. Like she owed it to the man that she left behind in the forest.

Without thinking any longer, she used her vampire speed to get inside the building.

To move among people gathered around her target as if she was a ghost. A nothingness that left behind only a gust of wind that was immediately blamed on the open window.

She moved quickly enough to cut her wrist with one of her fangs, letting a few drops of it leak inside a bottle placed on the desk. Poisoning the purity of the water with a deep shade of red.

Just to disappear soon after into the darkness like the shadow that should have never left it.

The vampire ran fast, distancing herself from the place before she could feel the regret inside her chest. Repressing the disappointment in herself because she just broke the most important rule that all of them had sworn to obey.

Humans should never, under any circumstances, feed on vampires' blood.

Maybe if she stayed there a little bit longer, she would know that her efforts were in vain. Despite all the power her blood contained, it was not enough to save the woman. Her heart was too weak to survive the labor.

It stopped beating, just to leave the village and the forest around it with the burden of silence.

But at that moment, the peace of the night was disturbed one last time with a sound of hope.

Weeping of a newborn.

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Next chapter: 4

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tag list: @evexofxtime  @kamilah-is-queen @ariaminsinclair @helpconfusedpersonhere @ayushixo @nydeiri @vonda-b-real

#choices fanfiction #bloodbound fics #kamilah sayeed #kamilah choices #kamilah x mc #bb kamilah #vampires #f|f fic #w|w fic #w|w writing #an #smut #choices stories you play #bloodbound #business fic #kamilah sayeed fic

[sarcastically-defensive17]

Negatives? - C. Hood

Hello my lovies! This is the anticipated second part of “Benefits?”!! Didn’t think we could get angstier but here we are!! I apologise in advance!

Masterlist will be updated soon! Hope you enjoy! More requests will be filled very soon!

Original story by sarcastically-defensive17

9 months. 9 months of longing, of pain, of loneliness. 9 months of being cooped up inside of his own head because he was too ignorant and rude to admit that he hadn’t buried his feelings for Y/N.

Drew made Y/N smile, but he knew that he could do better. He made her laugh, yet she laughed heartier when Calum would joke with her. Drew kissed her, yet Calum knew he would do better.

But he didn’t deserve her. Not in any way, shape or form. He had ruined his chances with her the minute he told her she wasn’t good enough to be with him.

Every interaction between the former friends was cold. Y/N looked as if she were fighting back tears and Calum often had to leave the room as his own fell. The band knew what happened between the two; they had been there to pick up the pieces for Calum as Y/N called their manager to quit and took off. She was determined to prove Calum wrong, and everybody knew it.

She kept Sierra up to date with her whereabouts, and job prospects. The two had grown closer as the older woman comforted Y/N. Sierra, in turn, kept Luke updated, and he the rest of the band - except Calum. Whenever he heard her name, he would get angry. It took him months to realise that his anger wasn’t directed towards Y/N, but himself. He let her get away. He was scared to open up. He got defensive, rude, nasty. He broke her heart and stomped on it as he left. All for what?

Drew knew nothing of the relationship between the two, just that they were once friends. He didn’t pry, nor did he try to figure out why the two didn’t talk, he simply made sure to comfort Y/N in anyway after a long day.

Things came to a head very quickly as they hit their 12th show of the tour. The entirety of the trip had been tense. There were very few photos of Calum captured, blatant ignorance as Calum tried to speak to Y/N and many outbursts of anger from the pair. Ashton and Michael had enough.

One fine, aesthetically pleasing Tuesday afternoon, the two broke the ambient air with their shouting. All because of the lack of Calum content on the band Instagram.

“If I see one more comment asking for more Calum, I might scream. There’s enough me content. We don’t need him,” Michael whined, scrolling through Instagram on his phone as Y/N sat next to him, back leaned against Drew, laptop on her lap.

“I think we might need to get some more pictures of the man up there, Y/N,” Luke said, his voice soft, eyes softer. He sent her a sympathetic smile, knowing exactly why there is an acute lack of the Maori man.

Calum scoffed from the other side of the room. They were all situated in Ashton’s hotel room, empty pizza boxes on the tables and floor in front of them. “Why would she do that?”

“Cal,” Luke warned, only to be interrupted by his other friend.

“Sorry, I didn’t think I was good enough to take pictures of you,” Y/N spat, not looking up from her device. “Do it yourself. After all, any genius could do it, right?” The venom made everybody recoil, bar Calum.

He made an interested sound, walking closer to where she was sitting. “Tough words, careful. You might up and run away again, Y/N.” He was mad. She had left them all. She didn’t even give him the chance to talk about it when he wasn’t angry. She blocked his number as soon as she left. She cut him out of her life.

Y/N slammed her laptop shut, standing faster than anybody expected. Her and Calum were practically face-to-face at this point. Ashton was on his feet, surprised at the speed of escalation. “My time of taking photos of narcissistic, degrading assholes is over. Go find somebody else to toy with, Calum.”

“Still playing the victim, are we-“

“Enough!” Ashton had hit his point. For too long, the pair had been making the trip uncomfortable. It was putting a strain on the performance of everybody, and now causing issues with the fans. “Y/N sit down. Calum you sit over there and shut your damn mouth for a minute. Everybody else, get out.” It was rare for Ashton to lose his cool. He was the most composed of all of them, and often played the part of the most mature band member. It was a well known fact that when Ashton had enough, it was time for things to be sorted before shit hit the fan for good. As he ordered, everybody filed out except for the two in question. Y/N sat with a scowl on her face, arms folded across her chest as she chewed at the inside of her cheek. Calum sat on the bed across the room, facing the other direction for fear of lashing out again.

“Ashton what is going on-“

“Zip it, sugarface,” he raised a finger to Y/N silencing her with the gesture. “Enough is enough. This shit keeps going on and it is affecting all of us.” His brow was furrowed deep, jaw set and red hair mirroring his mood adequately. “Calum, you fucked up big time. Y/N you ran off and cut all contact. We have 7 hours until our show, and our sound check starts in 4 hours. You have two and a half to sort this shit out, or we will sort out other arrangements.”

“Ashton, this really isn’t necessary-“

“I don’t care. I’m leaving now and you’re stuck in here. I suggest sorting this out because we have all had enough of it.”

Y/N nodded, watching Calum closely across the room. He stayed silent, back still turned towards his friend and the woman he loved. This was his chance to explain everything, but it could also be his change to ruin things more than they already are. Given his track record, he wouldn’t be surprised if the tables shifted in favour of the latter.

The door closed behind Ashton, silence enveloping the room and making the air more heavy. Y/N felt the discomfort settle on top of the air, weighing it down on her skin until she felt as if her head were spinning.

Half an hour passed. They sat on either sides of the room still, both holding their words in out of spite.

“Why did you leave?” The words fell from his lips before he could think about them. It had been playing on his mind for so long. After a few days, when he had cooled down, he wanted to call her. He wanted to tell her that he was scared and angry and frustrated at himself. That he didn’t want somebody like her to be ruined by him and the life he lived.

“What?” She snipped, not looking up from her phone.

“Why did you leave?” He repeated.

A humorless laugh left her lips, much like the night he saw her last. “You’re joking, right? How could you expect me to stay after that?”

He finally turned to face her, she looked disinterested. Her attention was on her phone - probably messaging drew, he thought - and definitely not on the conversation they were meant to be having. Even after so long, she was still so beautiful in his eyes. Her temper was overwhelming, but she never showed anger towards another unless she had been wrong, and boy, did he do her wrong.

“I tried to apologise, Y/N. I called you, texted-“

“And I waited, Calum.” She was mad, yet calm. Her eyes were burning with fury, jaw clenched hard as she gritted words through teeth. “I waited two days. I got nothing from you, you ignored my calls, and I had enough.”

He huffed, a heavy breath leaving his nostrils, “So because I ignored you for a few days, you left? You left us without a photographer, without a friend, just to go screw around with the Chainsmokers?” He was angry. So was she. He was standing. She was sitting, phone clenched between white knuckles.

“I left,” she was on her feet now, almost chest-to-chest with him and radiating far more anger than he had ever seen, “because you not only degraded and embarrassed me, you criticized my career. I was terrified to open up to you. I knew you wouldn’t feel the same because I was hold never be good enough for you, but I tried. I tried to be open and all I got was made a mockery out of and told that I was practically worthless in my position working with the band.” She stepped closer to him, now at a point where they could stare at one another. Her phone had been thrown aside now, flung from her fingers as she stood. “I spent seven years with you all. I was there for you through everything. I fell in love with you, Calum. And you destroyed it within an hour.”

Her words were venomous, cutting deep along Calum’s heart and allowing the reality to finally, completely, sink in. He caused this. He made her leave because he treated her confession as a joke. He is the reason she is with Drew now, no longer his friend, or his lover. Or even his coworker. It is all his fault.

He slumped down onto the seat next to him, holding his head in his hands and trying to compose himself. He couldn’t even apologise, for he didn’t trust his voice.

“I gave you everything, Calum, and you threw it back in my face. How could I stick around?” She couldn’t look at him. Whether it was out of anger or sadness, or even fear of him making a fool of her again. She couldn’t bring herself to do it, so she turned around, staring out of the window of the hotel room.

They had a nice view, and she allowed it to distract her eyes from harboring tears.

She heard the rustling of fabric behind her, along with the creak of the chair beneath Calum. The soft padding on carpet told her that he was walking closer to her.

“I-“ he started, taking in a breath. She could hear the emotion. “I can’t begin to tell you how much I hate myself for what I did to you that day, Y/N.” He had tears streaming down his face, she could see so in the reflection in the window. “I don’t know why I said those things. I should never have told you that you weren’t good enough, or insulted the career that you built for yourself. I’ve been replaying that day over and over since it happened, Y/N. I knew that I loved you four years ago, and hearing you say it, after I tried my hardest to push down those feelings - I don’t know why but I got so defensive-“

“Shut your mouth.” She hissed, turning and allowing her anger to resurface. “For fuck sakes, Calum. Don’t try and play with my head again. You didn’t love me, not like that.”

“I loved you more than I have loved anybody else, Y/N.” He whispered, voice steady and his eyes not leaving hers. He was telling the truth, and they both knew it. “I fell in love with you so many years ago. I didn’t want to do anything to ruin this, but then you told me what I had been dying to hear for so long.” He sniffed, brushing tears away aggressively as he pressed his palms into his eyes. “I’m an idiot.”

“I can’t help but agree with you.” Y/N turned away from the window, the view no longer appealing as her own reflection became far too evident, along with Calum’s.

Another few minutes passed, both now situated in the seats they previously occupied. Y/N had her knees pulled up to her chest, picking at her fingernails. Calum was staring at his feet.

“I’ve found that if I close my eyes, I can sometimes pretend that Drew is you,” Y/N whispered. Her voice was full of pain. She was still processing the information that Calum had fed her. Still trying to figure out what to say to him. She figured the truth was better than anything. “I want - I wanted a future with you, Calum. I wanted to be able to wake up knowing that the man I loved, loved me back. That the man who knew me better than anybody else, was there with me. Hearing you say those things to me was the worst thing I could have experienced.”

“Y/N, I-“

“I hate to say it, but I still love you. I still wish that every time I fell asleep with Drew, it was you beside me. It’s easy to pretend.” Her own tears fell. “I can’t forgive you so easily. I can’t just forget everything that you said. I can’t forget how much I want to be with you.”

“Just one more chance, Y/N, please?” Calum was focused solely on her. He was ready and willing to be down on his knees, begging to have her in his life again. Not even for love. He would be fine to simply be able to watch a movie with her, joke with her. Love her like he did before. “I know I can’t make up for it right now, but I love you so much. I would spend the rest of my life showing you how sorry I am, if you would let me. You deserve far better than me.”

For possibly the millionth time, Y/N was at a loss for words. Calum kept his vulnerability from many people, but Y/N could often read him like a book. Unfortunately, he could do the same for her.

“You don’t need to give me an answer right now, we have a few more months of the tour left. Whatever you decide, I’ll be fine with. You never want to see me again, I’ll stay away. You want to give me a second chance, and I will spend every day of our life together making up for all of the years that I kept my mouth shut and the horrible things I said to you and the pain I caused you for the past nine months.”

A sob tore from her throat, her eyes clenched as she let his words hit her soul.

Thankfully, the door clicked. It opened cautiously, a head of red hair poking through, Ashton eyeing the pair warily.

“I can’t do this right now, Cal,” Y/N blurted, taking the chance to rise to her feet and push past Ashton and the other guys. Drew watched after her with confusion, as did Luke and Michael.

Ashton glared at Calum, “You suck at apologizing.”

Tag list: @starshonerose @theanswertoeverythingisl0v3 @mantlereid @another-lonely-heart

#calum hood #5sos #5 seconds of summer #calum hood x reader #calum hood angst #luke hemmings #ashton irwin #michael clifford #luke hemmings x reader #ashton irwin x reader #michael clifford x reader #angsty boi time #whoops sorry

[yzkhr]

Part two of the Love Language miniseries!

Once again, I dedicate this to one of my favorite Shinran authors, @meitanteisachi

Part three might take a little while since I'm in my lazy mode. So please forgive me if the next part will be late 🤧

Warning: Probably my longest fic ever. So long that I need to divide into two parts. I kinda got carried away.

-

Receiving Gifts-You feel loved and appreciated when your partner or someone gives you a gift. It doesn't need to expensive, just something sentimental and thoughtful.

She was seven when Ran received her first memorable gift from Shinichi.

She remembered how It had been a month since her mother moved away, turning her life upside down. At a young age, Ran forced herself to be responsible; learning how to cook without burning the food, doing household chores that her father never knew how to do, and taking care of both a child who's too young and a grown man who's too immature and broken to live on his own.

It vastly made a growth and development in her character. Teachers and classmates alike noticed the way she had matured, from the way she handled her emotions—always putting on a smile and being the bigger one in the petty fights— to her mannerisms and gestures that resembled an older sister.

To them, her mother leaving became somewhat a good thing, with her maturity blooming early.

If only that were true.

No one knew that as soon as she opened the door of the empty detective office, Ran would be filled with her mother's presence; Hearing her voice, seeing her face, and even missing her scolding. Instead of saying anything to her father however, she brushes it off, puts on a facade, being a mother, a wife, and a daughter all at the same time to a drunk and emotionally unstable man.

But at the end of each day, entering her room and not crying was impossible. Her eyes watering at the sight of the empty bed that used to be filled with her mothers' scent, all gone. And like the child that she was—that she should be— she would sobbed and whimper silently, until exhausted enough to close her eyes and unaware that there's no one beside her just to sleep.

Ran was sure no one knew or was even remotely aware of her secret. After all, her smile shined and eyes glimmered in school so different from the distraught face she wears each night since last month.

But she had underestimated him.

On the day of her birthday, everyone greeted her with their own set of trinkets and gifts. Most were letters and drawings, filled with gratitude and love through the used of poorly executed writings and simple but meaningful pictures. Ran was happy to received all of them, whether they were small—like a piece of her favorite candy— or expensive and big, such as the dress given to her by Sonoko.

But unlike all her other birthdays, she didn't feel as contented and satisfied. There laid a gnawing feeling inside of her, aware that she'll never have what she truly wished for.

As they walked home from school, Ran expected Shinichi to give her at least some sweets. So, when he invited her to come by his house she agreed with a nod, genuinely having no idea.

So, she stood for a few minutes outside the mansions' gates, reading out some letters to pass time. She became so engrossed at reading that she didn't even notice him go outside until he was finally in front of her. Catching a set of feet just in front, she looked up. Her eyes widened as soon as she saw a fairly large and fluffy inanimate object in Shinichi's hands, holding it out to her.

"Here you go, Happy Birthday, Ran." he greeted, tilting his head on the side behind the cute teddy bear grinning from ear to ear. Instinctively, Ran accepted his gift and brought it close to her chest, feeling it's soft synthetic fur.

She slowly scrutinized it, it's features somewhat reminding her of...

"M-mom?" whispering incredulously, she glanced at Shinichi. Still wearing a smile, he nodded.

"That's right. Even if you don't talk about it, I know you miss your mom. You've been crying a lot too--"

"I wasn't crying!" she denied, but her mask slipped a little when he deadpanned.

"Yes you were," he stated calmly, as if he saw her doing so. She glared.

"How would you know? I never cried in school!"

"I'm sure before we go to school you do. Your eyes were always a little red and puffy when entering the class after all." he argued back. Instead of being embarrassed, Ran found something more important to point out.

"You were watching me?" she questioned, eyes curious. She didn't know why, but the thought of Shinichi watching and observing her made her smile(and a little nervous).

In an instant, gone was the confident and composed childhood friend of hers, image being ruined by his immediate coughing as if he swallowed a huge thing, cheeks flushed a healthy red, and a stuttering mess as he negated her claim.

"B-Barou! Those were just coincidences!!" then he slightly looked away, seemingly afraid to meet her violet orbs. Scratching his still blushing cheeks, he changed the topic.

"W-Well, Happy Birthday. You can use that stuff animal when you feel, you know, lonely." he dazed off, then glanced over her shoulder. As if realizing something significant, his eyes widened.

"It's already sun down! You gotta go home now or Occhan is gonna scold me!"

Ran followed his advice right after. As soon as she arrived home, she found her father in a sober state, and was even the one who tried to cook dinner for the both of them. Eri called later that night, which made Ran happy. She still asked her mother when the woman will come home and Eri would always reply with a vague answer. She didn't pressure her mother anymore, not wanting to ruin both their day.

That night as she entered her room, strangely enough, Ran didn't feel lonely. She also didn't feel the need to exhaust herself, now having a sweet stuff animal to comfort and fill her warmth. She settled on her soft bed, hugging the teddy bear tightly. And for the first time since her mother's moving away, Ran didn't cry.

-

They were thirteen, she recalled, when she received her second most thoughtful gift from him.

"Hey Ran, did you find the kitten?" Ran glanced up, hearing her name from Sonoko. She shook her head as an answer.

"It's still missing. I tried asking around but they said they never saw it." her bestfriend looked at her worriedly, knowing what she was thinking.

A few days ago, her, Sonoko, and Shinichi found a little ball of fur on their way home from school. They all took pity, Ran specially. So, the three teenagers took upon themselves to look after it until just a week ago, it disappeared. They searched everywhere around the area, trying to spot a little black kitten with huge and round green eyes. Unfortunately, they never succeeded.

Seeing Ran's mood depleted, Sonoko patted her back as comfort, grinning.

"Don't worry about it! I'm sure it has found an owner by now." Ran smiled, being reassured but still a bit dissatisfied. She decided to adopt the kitten after all but it was still nowhere to be seen.

To lighten the mood, Sonoko changed the topic to new shops, magazine, and gossips. Since the teacher was late, the Suzuki Heiress was unstoppable.

Rans' attention was grabbed however, when a certain someone entered the classroom. He was yawning, not bothering to hide his sleepiness. Rubbing his blue eyes languidly, she noticed how the dark circles under them became even more pronounced than before. Her eyes also became aware that there were some lines seared into his skin—scratch marks.

As if conscious that someone was watching him, Shinichi turned his head around, meeting weary blue with observing violet. It only lasted for a second, with the former looking away and going straight to his desk.

Shinichi had been acting weird lately. It started a week before, with him telling Ran that he would be late and she can just go ahead without him. True enough, he always came late ever since, which normally rarely happens.

Another thing to note would be his physical state. He looked restless, eyebags so obvious along with the constant yawning and even sometimes sleeping through an entire period. The last part wasn't new, but Ran heeded how easily he fell asleep, unlike back then where he needed to toss and turn his head for a comfortable position.

The last thing to caught her eye would be the little scratch marks. She would've been convinced that it was another case but seeing the scrape from his arms threw her off guard. They were shallow, but it didn't wave off her suspicions any less.

So, Ran decided that after class, she would visit him, whether he liked it or not.

The day went by rough, with Ran not being able to focus thanks to a sleeping classmate who looked far too exhausted for a normal student. Sonoko, looking at her stressed friend, ask her out to eat that sounded too appealing but she had to refused, knowing that if she didn't find out the reason for her best friend's odd behavior, she'll be the one to act weird next.

Knowing Shinichi's detective instinct, Ran knew better than to follow him on the get go and get caught. She waited an hour around the area, before making her way to the Kudo Mansion. The only problem now was how to enter without being seen.

She treaded through the stone path, finding the gate unlock. The middle schooler shook her head, both thankful and a little scared. What could he be so busy about for him to forget closing the gate?

Once Ran reached the front door and checked, that's when the immense feeling of worry kicked in. Shinichi also forgot to close the front door!

'What's happening to him? Is a case stressing him this much? Did something terrible happened? Why isn't he telling me--'

Her thoughts were abruptly stopped when the sound that something metallic fell reached her ears, making her anxiety increased tenfold.

Wasting no time and completely losing her initial target, Ran rushed in like lightning, fear evident in every step.

Upon reaching the kitchen and thoughts of her bestfriend in danger flooding her senses, she barged in.

Only to find the great detective Kudo Shinichi rubbing his head, and a couple of pans and plastic bowls scattered around the tiled flooring.

They gaped at each other, unable to register the current scenario. Ran was broken out of her trance however, when she noticed a light bump growing on the top of his head, which he was rubbing a while ago before he froze.

Previous distress setting in once again, Ran hurried by her childhood friends' side, helping him to stand.

"What happened?" she asked, examining and touching the bump. As if electrified by their contact, he flinched and backed away slightly, eyes a bit hazy.

"R-Ran, what are you doing here?" he seemed more concern of her presence than his own well being which made her glare.

"You've been acting weird this past week!" she accused as he treaded away from her, a bit too cautious. She took note of how his left hand slid behind him, fully intending to hide something away from her sight.

"Weird what, me? Barou, I've been perfectly normal. You're just overacting." the response didn't sound so convincing when he was literally sweating and avoiding her scrutiny.

"Yeah, then why were you always late this week?" the interrogation began.

"I was busy with a case Megure-keibu presented me, that's why." gaining his composure, Shinichi answered in a confident manner but that didn't drop any of her suspicions.

"Then what about you being constantly tired these days?" Ran pressed on, ambulating near her suspect. he kept his ground, so sure she was the one who was weird, not him.

"The case was so hard that I couldn't find time to sleep." he casually said, looking bored and done with the questioning.

She kept on walking towards slowly and when she was finally in front of him, she smiled innocently.

"Okay then, I have one last question to ask," he smiled, thinking he won. Then, feigning obliviousness, he consented.

"Fire away."

With those words as her signal, Ran forcefully yanked his left arm that he had been so carefully shielding and him having no time to react, she succeeded, revealing the scratch marks as her last piece of evidence and a.... kitten!?

Silence ensued. Until a mewl came out fromm the little ball of fur. Ran examined the little thing, coming to her conclusion.

"Please don't tell me this was the little kitten that's been missing since last week." she quietly pleaded for him to deny, but all he offered was a gulp and a weary nod.

Anger and bewilderment filled Ran, as she shook her head as an attempt to calm, but seeing the kitten that she had been desperately looking for, for the past few weeks made her burst.

"Why didn't you tell me you had the cat!? You knew that I was looking all over the neighborhood! I even told you I was going to take care of it--"

"That's exactly why I took it!" he interrupted, his excuse perplexing her thoughts even more than before.

"What?" he sighed and put the little kitten down gently, moving to the counter and sitting on one of the tools.

"Well, remember when you first tried to take it home? It was really aggressive, wasn't it?"

She did remember her hand getting scratch and almost bitten when she endeavored to adopt it. So, she gave a nod.

"Well, knowing what you were planning to do, I decided to take it to a friend of mom's who happened to be a vet and get it checked just to make sure. She said it was fine but it seemed a bit violent to humans so she advised me to take care of it so that it will get used to the environment. Knowing you, you would've been dumb enough to just take it without any examination and might get yourself really injured." she tried to refute his last statement but decided against it, knowing he was probably right.

But there was one thing that didn't made sense. "Then why didn't you tell me about it? If I had known I wouldn't have wasted my time, you know." hearing her question made him clearly uncomfortable, eyes now travelling anywhere but hers and cheeks tainted a light pink. They kept quiet, him contemplating while Ran patiently waited.

Knowing his loss, the detective whispered but she still heard it. "I was planning to give it to you next week. I just wanted it to be a surprise."

For some really unexplainable reason, Ran felt her heart beating faster than normal that she might die, face heating up, and even having a stampeding elephant on the pit of her stomach.

"Shinichi..." she uttered, not knowing what to say. Still looking the other way, he misinterpreted her calling as scolding.

"I know, I know. I shouldn't have done that. I should've told you properly and you wouldn't have to put so much effort into finding--"

His next lines were suddenly gone when she wordlessly went in front of his sitting figure and patted his hair softly, just like petting a feline. He stammered and tried to speak but found himself to be voiceless by her next words.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it..." she wanted to say more but was being suffocated by the swarming butterflies in her stomach, not allowing her to do so.

"You better be..." he mused, trying to lighten the mood and to calm his racing heart. As if by magic, he felt a sudden urge to close his eyes and lean on her posture, loving the way she stroke his hair so gently. And so he did.

Ran was taken aback by the unforeseen intimacy but didn't complain. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until she felt almost all of his weight on her, coupled with his heavy breathing that she concluded he fell asleep.

Slowly, she moved him to the sofa of the living room, all the while trying to not burst at the feeling of his breath on her neck. Succeeding, she grabbed a pillow and a blanket from his room, finally setting him down on the couch.

Ran couldn't help but feel guilty, finally figuring out that she was the reason of all his strange behavior all along. It explained his worn out expression throughout the entire week, having to take care of an aggressive kitten without having any prior experience must be exhausting, and it showed through his sleepless nights and lack of energy at everything in class.

Then, her eyes travelled to the little scratches and wounds all over his arms. They were nothing serious, but they must have at least sting. Wanting to at least alleviate the pain, Ran brought the first aid kid from his room and tenderly tended to all of the gashes and marks, and him not even flinching one bit despite being supposedly a heavy sleeper, became proof of how much time and effort he put for her surprise.

Ran went home that day, carrying his gift with her. She knew that he was supposedly giving this next week, but the teenager was pretty sure that Shinichi wouldn't be able to handle another week of torture like that. So, she left a note to make sure he didn't worry.

Years passes after that, but Ran would never forget the kitten he gave her, and the inexplicable giddy feeling with it. Sonoko would remind her how happy she was that she couldn't physically stop smiling for a while that it weirded many out but personally for Ran, it was worth it.

-

(Has a part 2 because it's so unnecessary long)

#Minisseries #Love Language #Shinran #detective conan #Part 2.1/5

[mytwilightimagines13]

Amnesia (Book Two)(Part Fifteen)(Alec Volturi)

The final witness

Then Alice danced into the clearing from the southwest, Jasper was only inches behind her, his sharp eyes fierce. Close after them ran three strangers; the first was a tall, muscular female with wild dark hair - obviously Kachiri. She had the same elongated limbs and features as the other Amazons, even more pronounced in her case. The next was a small olive-toned female vampire with a long braid of black hair bobbing against her back. Her deep burgundy eyes flitted nervously around the confrontation before her. And the last was a young man... not quite as fast nor quite as fluid in his run. His skin was an impossible rich, dark brown. His wary eyes flashed across the gathering, and they were the color of warm teak. His hair was black and braided, too, like the woman's, though not as long. He was beautiful. As he neared the vampires in the meadow, a new sound sent shock waves through the watching crowd - the sound of another heartbeat, accelerated with exertion. Alice leaped lightly over the edges of the dissipating mist that lapped at Bella’s shield and came to a sinuous stop at Edward's side. Bella reached out to touch her arm, and so did Edward, Esme, Carlisle. There wasn't time for any other welcome. Jasper and the others followed her through the shield. All the guard watched, speculation in their eyes, as the latecomers crossed the invisible border without difficulty. The brawny ones, Felix and the others like him, focused their suddenly hopeful eyes on Bella. They had not been sure of what her shield repelled, but it was clear now that it would not stop a physical attack. As soon as Aro gave the order, the blitz would ensue her. Edward, despite his absorption in the coup he was directing, stiffened furiously in response to their thoughts. He controlled himself and spoke to Aro again. "Alice has been searching for her own witnesses these last weeks," he said to the ancient. "And she does not come back empty-handed. Alice, why don't you introduce the witnesses you've brought?" Caius snarled. "The time for witnesses is past! Cast your vote, Aro!" Aro raised one finger to silence his brother, his eyes glued to Alice's face. Alice stepped forward lightly and introduced the strangers. "This is Huilen and her nephew, Nahuel."  Caius's eyes tightened as Alice named the relationship between the newcomers. The Volturi witnesses hissed amongst themselves, including Jane and Alec, but Maeryn did not join them once again. She felt intrigued by the newcomers. So there were more male vampires impregnating female humans.  The vampire world was changing, and everyone could feel it. "Speak, Huilen," Aro commanded. "Give us the witness you were brought to bear." The slight woman looked to Alice nervously. Alice nodded in encouragement, and Kachiri put her long hand on the little vampire's shoulder. "I am Huilen," the woman announced in clear but strangely accented English. As she continued, it was apparent she had prepared herself to tell this story, that she had practiced. It flowed like a well-known nursery rhyme. "A century and a half ago, I lived with my people, the Mapuche. My sister was Pire. Our parents named her after the snow on the mountains because of her fair skin. And she was very beautiful - too beautiful. She came to me one day in secret and told me of the angel that found her in the woods, that visited her by night. I warned her." Huilen shook her head mournfully. "As if the bruises on her skin were not warning enough. I knew it was the Libishomen of our legends, but she would not listen. She was bewitched. "She told me when she was sure her dark angel's child was growing inside her. I didn't try to discourage her from her plan to run away - I knew even our father and mother would agree that the child must be destroyed, Pire with it. I went with her into the deepest parts of the forest. She searched for her demon angel but found nothing. I cared for her, hunted for her when her strength failed. She ate the animals raw, drinking their blood. I needed no more confirmation of what she carried in her womb. I hoped to

save her life before I killed the monster. But she loved the child inside her. She called him Nahuel, after the jungle cat, when he grew strong and broke her bones - and loved him still. I could not save her. The child ripped his way free of her, and she died quickly, begging all the while that I would care for her Nahuel. Her dying wish - and I agreed. He bit me, though, when I tried to lift him from her body. I crawled away into the jungle to die. I didn't get far - the pain was too much. But he found me; the newborn child struggled through the underbrush to my side and waited for me. When the pain ended, he was curled against my side, sleeping. I cared for him until he was able to hunt for himself. We hunted the villages around our forest, staying to ourselves. We have never come so far from our home, but Nahuel wished to see the child here." Huilen bowed her head when she was finished and moved back so she was partially hidden behind Kachiri. Aro's lips were pursed. He stared at the dark-skinned youth. "Nahuel, you are one hundred and fifty years old?" he questioned. "Give or take a decade," he answered in a clear, beautifully warm voice. His accent was barely noticeable. "We don't keep track." "And you reached maturity at what age?" "About seven years after my birth, more or less, I was full grown." "You have not changed since then?" Nahuel shrugged. "Not that I've noticed." "And your diet?" Aro pressed, seeming interested in spite of himself. "Mostly blood, but some human food, too. I can survive on either." "You were able to create an immortal?" As Aro gestured to Huilen, his voice was abruptly intense. Bella refocused on her shield, but Maeryn no longer paid attention. This was something new to her kind, something interesting. And she wanted to know every last bit of it. "Yes, but none of the rest can." A shocked murmur ran through all three groups. Aro's eyebrows shot up. "The rest?" "My sisters." Nahuel shrugged again. Aro stared wildly for a moment before composing his face. "Perhaps you would tell us the rest of your story, for there seems to be more." Nahuel frowned. "My father came looking for me a few years after my mother's death." His handsome face distorted slightly. "He was pleased to find me." Nahuel's tone suggested the feeling was not mutual. "He had two daughters, but no sons. He expected me to join him, as my sisters had. He was surprised I was not alone. My sisters are not venomous, but whether that's due to gender or a random chance... who knows? I already had my family with Huilen, and I was not interested" - he twisted the word - "in making a change. I see him from time to time. I have a new sister; she reached maturity about ten years back." "Your father's name?" Caius asked through gritted teeth. "Joham," Nahuel answered. "He considers himself a scientist. He thinks he's creating a new super-race." He made no attempt to disguise the disgust in his tone. Maeryn shared this feeling. It indeed was disgusting. Caius looked at Bella. "Your daughter, is she venomous?" he demanded harshly. "No," Bella responded. Nahuel's head snapped up at Aro's question, and his teak eyes turned to bore into Bella’s face. Caius looked to Aro for confirmation, but Aro was absorbed in his own thoughts. He pursed his lips and stared at Carlisle, and then Edward, and at last his eyes rested on Bella. Caius growled. "We take care of the aberration here, and then follow it south," he urged Aro. Aro stared into Bella’s eyes for a long, tense moment. Maeryn had no idea what he was searching for in Bella’s eyes, or what he found, but after he had measured her for that moment, something in his face changed, a faint shift in the set of his mouth and eyes, and Maeryn knew that Aro had made his decision. "Brother," he said softly to Caius. "There appears to be no danger. This is an unusual development, but I see no threat. These half-vampire children are much like us, it appears." "Is that your vote?" Caius demanded. "It is." Caius scowled. "And this Joham? This immortal so fond of experimentation?" "Perhaps we

should speak with him," Aro agreed. "Stop Joham if you will," Nahuel said flatly. "But leave my sisters be. They are innocent." Aro nodded, his expression solemn. And then he turned back to his guard with a warm smile. "Dear ones," he called. "We do not fight today." The guard nodded in unison and straightened out of their ready positions. The mist dissipated swiftly, but Bella held her shield in place. She analyzed their expressions as Aro turned back to them. His face was as benign as ever, but unlike before, there could be a strange blankness sensed behind the facade. As if his scheming was over. Caius was clearly incensed, but his rage was turned inward now; he was resigned. Marcus looked... bored; there really was no other word for it. The guard was impassive and disciplined again; there were no individuals among them, just the whole. They were in formation, ready to depart. Once Alec’s mist had returned to himself, Maeryn took off the glove of her right hand, showing her porcelain skin to the sun. Alec did the same to the glove on his left hand and grabbed Maeryn’s hand tightly. It felt good to feel each other’s skin touch one another. Now they could feel their connection much better than before. The Volturi witnesses were still wary; one after another, they departed, scattering into the woods. As their numbers dwindled, the remaining sped up. Soon they were all gone. Aro held his hands out to the foes, almost apologetic. Behind him, the larger part of the guard, along with Caius, Marcus, and the silent, mysterious wives, were already drifting quickly away, their formation precise once again. Only the three that seemed to be his personal guardians lingered with him. "I'm so glad this could be resolved without violence," he said sweetly. "My friend, Carlisle - how pleased I am to call you friend again! I hope there are no hard feelings. I know you understand the strict burden that our duty places on our shoulders." "Leave in peace, Aro," Carlisle said stiffly. "Please remember that we still have our anonymity to protect here, and keep your guard from hunting in this region." "Of course, Carlisle," Aro assured him. "I am sorry to earn your disapproval, my dear friend. Perhaps, in time, you will forgive me." "Perhaps, in time, if you prove a friend to us again." Aro bowed his head, the picture of remorse, and drifted backward for a moment before he turned around. The foes watched in silence as the last four Volturi disappeared into the trees.

Once back in the castle, Jane, Alec and Maeryn made their way towards Jane’s room. Jane was boiling with anger and she threw some expensive vases against the wall on their way to her room. Maeryn and Alec skillfully avoided the porcelain shatters and followed their sister to her room. Once inside, Jane grabbed her pillow and ripped it in half. Alec let go of Maeryn’s hand and pulled his sister in a tight embrace. Jane used her gift on him, but Alec kept on holding her, not once making a sound of agony. Soon enough Jane calmed down, and as soon as Alec released her, she fell onto her bed that was now covered in feathers. She picked one up and studied its form with her magnified sight, seeing every little detail. “Don’t fret sister, there will be a day we can defeat them.” Alec said. “At a moment when they least expect it.” Jane said, slowly grinning again. "We got all eternity to plan it ." Maeryn said to Alec and Jane. Both the twins grinned. Maeryn grinned along, though she could not shake off the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

#alec volturi #volturi #volturi imagine #athenodora volturi #twilight imagine #twilight

[xhanisai]

Blanc Noise - Chapter Two

CH1 / AO3 / FFN

Summary:  

"Why...why do you always do this? Why do you always keep stopping anyone from helping you? You're literally falling apart!" He shook her shoulders, eyes furious but intent in wanting to help the girl he loves, if only she'd let him. "You barely smile, you barely laugh, hell, you don't even act our age these days! Everyone says you've matured...everyone says you've grown up...but all I see is the person that I care so much for...a person I treasure so much...no longer happy!"

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful feedback on the first chapter~! I just couldn't wait to write the next and kept on building up scenarios in my head. So many ideas, so little time and almost zero motivation these days lol. Why can't stories just write itself on its own? U_U Enjoy~

Song listened to whilst writing - 心做し - Chouchou-P (蝶々P, papiyon) - cover by Luz

.

.

.

~(x)~

Drip. Drip. Drip.

'This feeling...it's familiar...' When her thoughts were finally registered in her hazy mind, Marinette's eyes flickered open, revealing empty, sky blues. At first, all she could see was the shade of melancholy, a deep, harsh blue that only caused her to sink lower and lower. The girl then realised that she was yet to take a breath, her heart aching like it was made of lead and her lungs clawing beneath her rib cage for at least a second of precious oxygen.

Yet, she didn't even flinch. Didn't even twitch an eye.

Didn't even bother in parting her lips.

A sense of finality and doom was all that she could feel and she didn't even fight against it. Not a single bone of retaliation. Her body kept on sinking and her darker than black tendrils were fanned and floating around her in the same manner of her motionless limbs. As if all the time in the world has stopped.

'Ah. I must be dead.' She mused nonchalantly. She didn't even care.

She sank lower.

And lower.

And. Lower.

Soon, the shadowy, sombre darkness below consumed her body and her entire being churned with excruciating pain as sharp knives of blistering cold pierced her from head to toe. Her mouth parted as a gasp escaped her, only forcing the sickly salty water to force entry and light fire down her throat and nose, choking her.

'It burns...' She whimpered in her mind. 'IT BURNS!!!' Tears pooled out of her eyes, intermingling with the deadly monster of water, tasting just as brutally cold as the ice that tore her entire body to shreds and rippled agony through her dying bloodstream. 'I'M BURNING!!!' Her chest was clogged with emotion heavier than the water that infiltrated her system, squeezing the ever loving god out of her lungs and heart and she couldn't help but wheeze.

However, she merely submerged even further, her body like a marionette's with the strings cut. Burdensome, useless and never to be needed or wanted again...

Suddenly, just as the blue above faded into black, her peripheral vision caught twin movements of crimson red, shooting away from her side and towards the sky. Marinette's eyes widened just as her vision deteriorated.

'Those are my ribbons...' The smooth, silky material resembled streaks of blood as they became absorbed in the darkness. Exhaustion consumed her core and as her eyes fluttered closed, she glimpsed a figure in the remaining blues above.

A boy decked in white with eyes as azure as misery...

'You...you're...YOU'RE-'

~(x)~

With a quiet but sharp inhale, Marinette's body shook awake, eyes quick to open immediately and scan her surroundings as the remnants of the dream dissipated into nothing but emptiness, the tired girl mentally cursing as her mind tried to claw it back to her. Alas, luck wasn't on her side for the millionth time and all that she could recall was absolutely

nothing

.

Zero. Nada.

Rien

.

The umpteenth dream to escape without a trace and leave her groaning in frustration, wondering why they bothered her so much. She felt cold sweat dribble down her forehead and skin beneath her clothes, making her sniff uncomfortably. Finally, she decided to leave her thoughts behind and gazed at her surroundings.

So far, she was in the local park, leaning against her favourite tree as the soft, lush grass tickled her legs below with their mildew. As she racked her mind further, she remembered that she joined Alya, Nino and Adrien to the park to eat their food during lunch break. The bespectacled duo must of noticed the tension between her and Adrien so that must be why they opted to go to their one of their favourite places to ease it up despite the snippy weather.

"Ah. I must have fallen asleep..." Marinette mumbled to herself, looking for her best friend and Nino. She paused as she spotted them chatting with André the notorious ice cream man. Probably wanted some desserts and found him nearby. However, her eyes narrowed as she looked around again, this time with more rigour and desperation.

Where's Adrien?

Where's that ridiculously good looking little devil-

Abruptly, a low groan was heard from

beneath

her nose.

Familiar, gentle arms that were wrapped around her waist tightened its hold as the heat on her lap shifted. Marinette felt her heart stutter and freeze, her infamous blush taking over her cheeks as she peered below, finally registering the blonde that was fast asleep on her lap. This time, her heart leapt to her throat and a soft whine left her lips only for her to swiftly muffle her mouth with her hands, pretty much stopping her from breathing in general.

Adrien Agreste was sleeping on her lap.

Adrien

fucking

Agreste was sleeping on her

fucking

lap.

'Holyshitholyshit- What do I do!? If I move or make a noise, he'll wake up and he's already kinda mad at me and if he sees that he's been sleeping on me, he'd be even more mad! Mon dieu! Aidez-moi!!!'

The French-Chinese spiralled, shaking her head like an idiot and tugged on the scarf that was wrapped around her neck by reflex. The heat that the boy emitted was like a pleasant, burning, addicting sensation and it did nothing to alleviate her hummingbird heart and bewildered mind.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, the crisp autumn air cleared her thoughts and chest, soothing Marinette. She repeated the action a few more times, sakura still highlighting the apple of her cheeks and soft lips, gracious sapphires now gazing at the dozing teen lovingly. Mari used the little free time she had to properly observe Adrien, fingers delicately brushing through his golden locks gently.

She couldn't help but smile.

He looked quite peaceful for once.

His usually strong shielded guard was taken down, making him seem much more vulnerable and raw compared to when he was awake. Even compared to when he's by Nino's side despite being best friends. Marinette couldn't help but question: did he trust her enough to keep himself open in her presence, allowing himself to

relax

and sleep by her

touch

? Or, was this one of

Alya's

silly schemes in trying to push them both

together?

Adrien's arms simply tightened around her coat, fingers clutching the soft fabric and face nuzzling into her stomach till all she could see was his hair. His coat which was used as a makeshift blanket, shifted, exposing the cool air to the back of his neck. Marinette was quick to pull the coat back over him, shushing quietly when he began to stir.

She really

hoped

it was the former. That

he

decided to come to

her

for comfort.

If so, her heart could be warmed and the butterflies in her stomach could flutter as wildly as they

desired

.

'Don't get ahead of yourself. After you caused him to be moody all morning because of your inability to hide your weak state, you think he would even want to touch you? Let alone sleep on you? Stupid girl.'

The ugly, horrid voice reared its nasty head again, darkening Marinette's spirits, giving her no choice but to helplessly agree.

'That's right. Know your place you worthless bitch. Especially since you know for definite that pursuing him will ultimately cause the akumatisation of your partner in the future.'

Her heart turned to lead again.

Her face devoid of any emotions, exhaling softly. Who was she trying to fool? Her first and foremost priority should be looking after her Chat Noir and her family and friends without a beat. Not entertain girlish fantasies selfishly as if she was simply an ordinary teen with the luxury of an ordinary life.

Not after all the pain

she

caused...

And certainly not after what she saw this morning.

Her eyes turned into an icy glare as she watched the murky sky, recalling when she saw her torn up ribbon at the school's entrance and two glowing orbs of what looked like blue eyes at the time. She wasn't a hundred percent sure of whether or not she really saw the latter but a hushed warning from Tikki to keep her guard up kept her from brushing anything away as nothing.

So far, she didn't feel like she was being watched but her body refused to relax.

She could not afford to fail the people she loves once more-

"Mmm...Ma...

Marinette?

"

The air was knocked out of her lungs and her blood froze colder than the coldest of days in the Himalayas. Marinette tensed, taking a moment to compose herself and reluctantly made eye contact with her beau.

'Don't do or say anything stupid, Cheng!'

Meanwhile, Adrien couldn't help but

feel

like he was

still

dreaming. The dreary clouds in the sky parted, allowing the sun to shine through and bask its beams behind Marinette's head, making her seem ethereal and almost

Goddess like

. The stray strands of hair from her bun and fringe dangled smoothly as her head was bent down to meet his gaze. Her plump, rose tinted, kissable lips were parted in a sweet

'o'

and her heavenly blues were like priceless gems.

He couldn't stop himself from reaching out towards her face with one hand, still weighted with sleep, skimming his fingertips against her fringe. Like it had a mind of its own, his hand gingerly cupped her cheek, thumb shyly brushing the tip of her cold nose and then rested on her warm, soft lips.

'Un ange...mon ange...'

He purred to himself, still delirious with sleep and not fully aware of the situation yet. The girl remained frozen, his thumb dragging her bottom lip down as he unconsciously lifted himself up by his elbow, bringing his face towards hers closer and

closer

.

He could feel her warm breath hitting his cool lips, making them ache for her touch-

"Adrien???"

All of a sudden, his haze disappeared, a biting breeze ripped through their hair, causing the boy to instinctively cover the girl's body with his own as the unpleasant cold seeped into his skin. It was like the equivalent of someone dumping a bucket of iced water over his head and the cat inside him hissed at the vile sensation.

Finally, when the breeze died down, Adrien loosened his hold on Marinette, allowing her to reach for his coat and wrap it around his body like a cloak.

What a

wonderful

wake up call.

"So this isn't a dream, huh?" The now pouting teen muttered out loud, his blonde hair a fluffy mess and he used a spare hand to try and pat it down, grimacing at the knots within his tresses. An onlooker would have pointed out that he resembled a silly kitten who got its claws stuck and tangled up by a yarn of wool.

His companion

certainly

thought so at the very least.

"No, it isn't a dream," Adrien stiffened at Marinette's answer, his cheeks now matching her flushed pair. He inaudibly watched as she averted eye contact, brushing her fingers through her silky fringe to untangle them. His own hands twitched, longing to trap and interweave them within her raven locks.

Maybe tug them towards him...

Though, embarrassment settled in to the pits of his stomach as he

realised

what exactly he

attempted

to do as soon as he woke, the ghost of her breath against his lips still a vivid memory. Judging by her more than usual shy nature, she wasn't oblivious to it. Adrien bit his lip, praying that she wouldn't carry on being aloof with him. It stung after their little disagreement in the morning, it would

destroy

him after his sleepy attempt in making a move.

Especially since he's yet to confess his feelings.

"But anyways, glad to see you awake, Sleeping Beauty," She poked his chest playfully, her smile still timid but

real

. She wasn't mad at him all! His heart skipped a beat and the weight on his shoulders faded away like magic.

'Thank the Gods more dependant than Plagg!'

He sighed in relief, responding back with a crooked grin. He poked back on her shoulder, smile simply widening as the tension dissolved.

"Sorry for sleeping on you. One second I saw you doze off and the next, I probably conked out by your side. I move a lot in my sleep so that's why..." He sheepishly trailed off, scratching the back of his head apprehensively. His blush only brightened at the sound of her quiet giggles. Quiet but

pretty

.

"Don't be. I'm used to it whenever Alya comes over for a sleepover. She'd either kick me off the bed in her sleep or use me as a body pillow. Sometimes both." She leaned back against the bark, Adrien following her and taking a spot by her side. "I don't mind being used as a pillow if you ever need to get some rest," Marinette offered with a wink, butterflies tickling her abdomen as the boy hummed with appreciation.

Their shoulders brushed, sending intimate heat through both of their bodies, creating a tension that was so much more different but also so much more

familiar

. For a split second, the duo's thoughts reached out to their partner in crime. The taller of the teen thinking about his

Lady

whilst the shorter thinking about her

Minou

. The blonde shook his head, pushing those thoughts back as he focused back on

Marinette

, presenting a softer smile this time.

"Is that so? You better not regret it~" He playfully slumped against her, cheeky smiles and glittering eyes as her giggles grew louder, her slender fingers gripping her scarf. Adrien regarded her with much love, melting at the sight of her rosy cheeks and goofy smile.

It's been a while since he's last heard her

laugh

like that...

'I really did miss her laugh...'

Just as he was about to make another joke or utter a pun that would definitely have her seething with that adorable annoyance, he spotted something

odd

in her hair. His pupils constricted and suddenly his eyes darkened, deviating the jolly mood with a sharpness that had even snapped Marinette out of her temporary bubble of joy. It was like a consciousness of needles skimming down their skins, the boy feeling threatened by it more than the girl.

"Adrien? What's wrong? Is there something in my hair?" Just as Marinette naturally reached up to her head with one hand, Adrien was hasty in catching her wrist with one of his, the other reaching for the object of his

hostility

. "...Adrien?"

Agreste didn't answer her, lips tightening as he finally grasped the object, tenderly weaving it out of Marinette's hair, quick to apologise a few times when she winced until finally, he pulled it out.

His eyes

burned

at the

thing

.

Her eyes

swelled

at the

article

.

The luscious, pure, white rose remained still in the blonde's grasps, its appearance as innocent as any other ordinary flower but its origins as mysterious as danger, causing alarms to ring for both of the teens and red flags to wave frantically.

"H-How...when? I-I don't understand-" Marinette clutched the area on her head where the rose was tugged out, head spinning to multiple directions, wondering who on earth put the flower in her hair. She didn't sense a presence, let alone feel a thing! Her heart began to ricochet in her chest, her eyes wild from her desperation in finding anyone suspicious. She couldn't even feel Tikki's attempt in trying to soothe her, the little kwami hidden in the inside of her coat pocket for warmth.

That slithering, horrid feeling of being

stalked

flared up her sixth sense, panic overtaking her body as one thing in particular became clear in her mind.

'Protect him! Protect Adrien! Get out of here! GET OUT AND PROTECT HIM!'

"Shit!" His hiss of pain brought her back to reality only for her mouth to run dry in horror and her blood to scream in her veins. Adrien dropped the rose, cradling his finger as blood oozed out of the injury.

A prick from the rose's thorns...?

'I didn't see any thorns when he pulled it out of my hair...no...there were definitely no thorns when he pulled it out.'

Alarmed, Marinette kicked the rose away and brought his finger towards her, eyeing it in horror much to Adrien's confusion, her body shaking and begging to run away and hide.

"Hey, hey. Marinette, I'm okay. It's just a prick." He tried to calm her down, noting her deer in the headlights expression, resting his hand on her waist as if to keep her steady. However, she fiercely shook her head, her grip on his hand like iron, her surroundings nothing but a blur to her.

"No! It's not okay! What if that rose was poisoned!? What if it's some bizarre akuma trying to kill you!? We need to get it cleaned up immediately! Come!" She didn't give him a chance to protest, lifting him to his feet as if he was made of paper and darting towards her home with him at tow, her hand never leaving his. She was blind to the passer-buyers and the dog-walkers. She was blind to Alya and Nino as they called for them, wondering what caused the spontaneous sprint.

She was blind to the white rose crumbling into ashes in the place where she kicked it, the acute, frosty breeze blowing it away until nothing remained...

~(x)~

"I'm fine, Marinette. Please,

calm down.

" Finally, after letting the girl disinfect his small cut and apply many Asian herbal ointments before bandaging the finger up in a headstrong manner, Adrien's pleas eventually got to her. Dupain-Cheng's head snapped up to meet his gaze after tightening the bandage, comprehending her surroundings as the last fifteen minutes or so was just a blur in her head.

Her rapid heartbeat began to slow down as she recognised that they were currently in the family bathroom of her humble abode. The tasteful rose and off white walls gave her comfort and the soft gold light from the bulb above melted away the ice in her blood. The sight of Adrien sitting on the edge of the bathtub, smiling his trademark syrupy smile and eyes as radiant as emeralds, induced Marinette's heart to skip a few beats, the traitorous organ cooing at how domestic the moment was.

'How...how do you keep making me fall in love with you over and over again?'

She furrowed her brows, fingers still lingering on his hand, savouring the feel of his skin and touch before letting go. The light strawberry complexion never leaving her cheeks and the tips of her ear.

She wished that Tikki was by her side, feeling naked in her simple but stylish cerise blouse and high-waisted black pleated skirt. The cool draft from the open window behind her raised goosebumps on her skin despite the black tights yet the beaming gaze from Adrien made her feel like a soaring flame.

'I don't deserve you...'

Marinette didn't get a chance to take a step back, her hands captured by his in a bat of an eye. She pursed her lips questionably, cocking her head as Adrien stumbled over his words much to her

amazement

.

He never ceased to surprise Marinette, introducing more sides and pieces of himself to her without a beat. His currently timid demeanour reminded her of her Chat Noir, during a time when she launched a surprise hug at him and rendered him

speechless

for almost an hour during patrol. However, the treasured memory was mercilessly slashed by the ghost of

Chat Blanc's

heartbroken face, stilling her heart anew.

'Right now it's Adrien in front of me. ADRIEN. I have to look after him and make sure he's happy and okay first then I'll wallow about...that...later.'

"Marinette," The model cleared his throat, squeezing her hand for good measures. His tanned skin resonating beautifully with the raspberry tinge on his high cheekbones, awing the girl in how beautiful he looked right now under the glow of the rich light. "I...

thank you

, really. You didn't have to do this," He rubbed his thumb on her fingers, beckoning her to sit next to him.

With how cute and nervous he looked,

how could she possibly refuse?

"Of course I had to. You got hurt in front of me and I couldn't just sit around and do nothing about it." She sat by him, ignoring the warmth of his thighs touching hers in the cramped but cosy space. She eyed his bandaged finger forlornly, blind to Adrien's heated scrutiny. He has more than picked up that there was more to her words than she let out but after prodding her in the morning and getting her upset, he didn't want to risk doing so again.

"But still, being by my side would have been enough and letting the school nurse treat my injury. Yet, you took the time and effort to do it yourself. You made sure to make it as painless as possible.

No one

has ever done this for me,

ever

." This time, the admiration laced in his voice enticed Marinette to face him, her cheeks reddening whilst he smiled at her with a tenderness that would

rival

her own

partner's

.

She never thought that

that

would

ever

be a possibility.

"B-But..." She wet her lips restlessly, sky blues glancing away for a split second and then bore into him again. "What about when you were younger? Surely someone must have..." She faltered, not too sure whether to breach the unspoken territory regarding his distant, robot like

Père

and tragically absent

Maman

.

"From as long as I can remember,

Père and

Maman

would always try and keep me contained in one place or another so that I didn't hurt myself. And the rare times I did get hurt, they would get the maids to patch me up. The maids were never too interested in making conversation with me, trying to get the job done as soon as possible...heh," Adrien was the one looking away now, smile empty and eyes losing their shine at the memories of his lacklustre childhood.

Despite Adrien's huge love and yearning for his mother, the more Marinette heard about the stories of his past, the more apprehensive she was about Emelie. The woman may have been doting on Adrien and showered him with love but at the same time, she was responsible for his quiet, lonely childhood and perhaps neglect when she handed him over to the maids or assistants regularly when she went to work.

'He deserves so much better, he deserves so much more love...why is fate always so cruel to the kindest people I know?'

Marinette kept her worried, sympathetic eyes on him, giving his fingers a comforting press this time round with her own. The touch snapped Adrien out of his thoughts, the boy immediately quirking his lips up to ensure that she didn't worry about him further. He opened his mouth, attempting to show that he was fine but Marinette beat him to it.

"I'll always be here," She nodded. "Whether it's to treat your injuries, to cheer you on for your extra-curricular matches or even to lend you an ear when you need someone to listen to you.

Always

." She brought their entwined hands to her chest, determination to keep the boy she loves happy evident in her eyes.

An unspoken promise binding them both together.

Adrien found himself gaping with astonishment, his heart literally melting from the indescribable euphoria and exhilaration that flooded his entire being, leading unshed tears to glisten in his eyes. He wanted to grab her face right there right now, pull her into a breathtaking kiss and finally,

finally

know what it's like to feel and taste Marinette Dupain-Cheng's lips against his.

Finally have a kiss he'll remember.

Instead, common sense and reality stopped him from doing so, allowing him to envelope Marinette into his arms with a strong, heartfelt embrace. The feel of her throat moving as she gasped against his shoulder had Adrien hold on tighter, burying his face into the crook of her neck, the tightness of the bandage around his finger keeping him rooted.

"...Adrien?" Marinette tentatively returned the hug, trying her best to keep her hands steady as she rested them around his torso, one hand slipping through his blonde strands and grazing her nails against his scalp as a means to comfort him.

"You're always looking after everyone...looking after

me

..." His voice was nothing but a husky whisper, a warm breeze in her ear. He slowly pulled his head away from her shoulder yet his arms remained circled around her, his grip strong but comforting. Then, tenderly, with eyes glinting with bitter-sweetness and compassion, Adrien settled his forehead on Marinette's, lips twisted in a pained grimace. The ebony haired teen could barely keep her eyes on his, the tensity from the park hurtling back like a meteor and all she could do was pray that her heart wouldn't smash through her chest.

"Yet, you don't let us look after you...not even me."

Agonising pain from the fear of losing her partner to the corrupted darkness of the butterfly and the fear of the potential dangers that could befall on Adrien evoked her skin to blanch on the spot, eyes to constrict wildly whilst his emerald crescents never left its prey. She instinctively bit her bottom lip, plastering her gaze to the side only to pale further when she noticed her reflection staring back in the mirror.

Marinette couldn't bear to see her sleep deprived, ghostly looking self engulfed in the arms of the love of her life, especially with the unearned fondness and affection on his expression that she wasn't deserving of. She instantly closed her eyes, cheeks red with not only embarrassment but also fury towards herself.

'That's right- how fucking dare you try to enjoy this? You're an unworthy glutton. An undeserving snake. A selfish, cruel wench!'

The angry voice in her head blared, mauling her heart apart without an ounce of sympathy. It took everything in her body to not break down and cry, to not spill everything to him.

However, her fate was abominable and cruel, the knowledge of identities and the miraculouses and the future slamming into her at full force caused her to just stay deathly still and quiet.

Oh so still and quiet.

"Marinette...look at me, please." Adrien pleaded, nudging his nose with hers, his desperate breath like a forbidden fruit countering her lips. His voice cracked with emotion as he held onto her tighter, fringes intermingling with one another and chests pressed against the other. Their hearts pounded in sync, the boy using his free hand to graze his thumb against Marinette's brow, grief evident in his aura and actions. "You're hurting, you've been hurting for a long time and I just can't stand there watching you

burn

." The way he threw her words back at her from earlier on caused her eyes to snap open, teeth clenched in a bitter grimace.

"I'm okay Adrien, I'm fine. This isn't about me...it shouldn't be about me. You're the one who's hurt, not me! We should be focused on keeping an eye on the cut just in case that dodgy rose really is poisonous!" She rasped but couldn't stop the stutter her heart let out at the sight of his incredulous glare.

"Why...why do you always do this? Why do you always keep stopping anyone from helping you? You're literally falling apart!" He shook her shoulders, eyes furious but intent in wanting to help the girl he loves,

if only she'd let him

. "You barely smile, you barely laugh, hell, you don't even act our age these days! Everyone says you've matured...everyone says you've grown up...but all I see is the person that I care so much for...a person I treasure so much...no longer happy!"

It was mere willpower that prevented the dams to explode for Adrien, his vision blurry with tears but he kept them in, brows crinkled with anguish and his thumb stroking the apple of her cheeks. Her eyes shone with tears too, a brewing dilemma evident in the blue orbs he's grown to cherish and love.

But was also scarily, strikingly similar to his partner in red...

"I'm...I..." Marinette started, her weighted emotions suffocating her, rendering her speechless and she internally prayed that Adrien would drop the subject and move on, even if it's by some sort of miracle-

SLAMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 The sounds of the bathroom door and window clobbered shut sent a whiplash towards the teens, the duo switching to a seriousness and alertness that mirrored their magical counterparts, gripping each other with herculean strength.

.

Neither of them

dared

to take a breath.

.

Adrien kept his eyes glued to the window whilst Marinette kept hers to the door, the trepidation and unease skimming through their bones as the gut reactions from the incident at the park ploughed back at full force. The way they held onto each other so tightly was guaranteed to leave marks on their skins.

Bright, predator like greens

glowered

.

Wild, stormy blues

pierced

.

.

This time, the sound of the school bell ringing in the distance was heard, breaking Adrien and Marinette out of their fight or flight mode, still eyeing the objects warily.

The model was the first to break the silence.

"Do you...do you think that was the wind?" He licked his lips nervously, his injured, left hand trembling and quick to latch onto Marinette's right hand, his eyes never leaving the window. His heart roared in his ears, blood loudly rushing through his veins as the urge to flee was high.

But, he wouldn't dare to leave without

her

.

"Adrien, in order to open the door, you have to push it from the outside and pull from inside. Same with the window. There's no draft on this floor and the breeze was only coming from the window. I can understand the door being slammed shut by a sudden gust of wind...

but not the window

..." Her answer only went quieter and quieter, until her last few words were barely whispers. The boy squeezed her hand, able to feel her rapid pulse which only heightened his. "

...and there was sudden wind either...

"

"S-Such phenomena can be explained with science..."

"Then how does science explain how a rose

magically

appeared on my head, me not feeling a single thing?"

"It could probably be a distasteful prank by Alya and Nino when we weren't paying attention-"

"The rose didn't have thorns in it when you took it out but suddenly appeared a few seconds later, hurting you!"

"...are...are you sure? Marinette, I don't like this-"

And neither did she.

Wordlessly, she kept a tight clutch on his hand, minding his injured finger and practically ripped the door open, speed-walking out of the apartment with the model gleefully following, slamming the entrance door shut as they left.

.

The silence in the apartment grew loud and looming.

Slowly but steadily, the window in the bathroom opened, revealing absolutely...

...Nothing.

.

~(x)~

Rain poured down Paris like a waterfall, as if to make up for the lack of showers during the intense, global-warming induced heatwaves during summer. Students from

le collège

tiredly trickled out of the building, groaning about the amount of homework that were assigned to them or mocking the teachers they absolutely despised or even the current weather which the forecast has failed to mention today.

Lila Rossi bellowed a haughty goodbye to Alya, attempting to gather the girl up in her arms for a hug only for the bespectacled teen to step away stiffly, lips strained tight. Of course, the Italian made a mopey scene over it, her

'friends'

from the other classes directing a nasty glare at the reporter who didn't even flinch at the stares.

"I...I thought you were busy over the holidays and that's why you didn't try to text me...but you just don't want to be my friend anymore, do you Alya?" Lila sniffed, clutching her designer umbrella closer as if to look like a wounded lamb. Yet, Alya didn't even twitch a muscle.

"Need I remind you that you got my best friend

expelled

?"

"But that's not my fault! I have this disorder that-"

"Yes! A disorder that you never told

anyone

about and almost ruined my best friend's life! I don't know how schools work in Italy, but over here? In France? If you have even one

tiny blight

on your records, thousands of universities won't even look at your CV and portfolios! You know how important fashion and designing is to Marinette. You know it's her dream to keep learning and experience the world! But you almost ruined it all in one day! And you, you ALL, yes, you people!" She pointed to the growing crowd. "Marinette has helped so many of you, never asking for anything in return! She's always been kind, quirky and lovable! Yet I see some of you give her the most disgusting looks when you think she's not looking."

She slammed her umbrella on the floor, not caring that it was trampled over students who were hurrying home and avoiding the commotion, her curls instantly soaked by the rain. The crowd she pointed to held shameful expressions, some looking away from Alya whilst Lila kept up her kicked puppy act, dry and regal under her umbrella.

"She deserves so much better than this..." Her teeth were gritted and her hazel eyes was like a forest fire. Just as she was about to give hell to the crowd, a familiar hand rested on her shoulder, calming her down immediately. Alya whipped her head to the side, watching as Marinette stepped in, slipping her hand away from the shoulder and guarding her arm in front of her best friend.

As if to protect her.

"Careful there, akumas, remember?" Cheng hissed quietly, putting out the fire and pacifying Césaire. Her icy blues sent shivers down everyone's spine, even Lila found herself feeling a cold sweat-drop trickle down her forehead from the mere intensity of her eyes, knuckles whitening on the handle of her umbrella.

It was as if Marinette was the strict teacher and they were the misbehaving students.

"Go home. There's nothing to see here. There are more important things out there than petty school drama," She commanded, eyes never leaving the olive eyed peer who would have snarled back had Alya not been watching her with a triumphant but menacing scowl.

"I literally just found out that someone I cherished and trusted,

hates

me. How is that petty school drama?" Rossi enforced the crowd to pity her, her acting skills so good that one would think that she was about to burst into tears on the spot. However, Marinette wasn't having any of it, especially with how preoccupied she was with the bizarre incidents that have been piling up lately, mentally drained by everything.

"You broke the trust of that someone." She retorted coldly, the rain only got heavier and more of the crowd started to disappear, not finding the argument worth a cold. "Of course she won't want anything to do with you afterwards. I don't care if you don't see or understand my viewpoints on what's petty and what's not.

I really don't give a damn

. Just get lost and leave Alya alone."

The Italian opened her mouth, enraged, ready to yell but was pulled back by her possies, guiding the seething teen away from Mari and Alya. The duo kept their eyes peeled on the brunette's back until she was no more than a tiny figure in the distance. The remaining members of the crowd, unnamed faces from various years, hurried off, far too intimidated by the French-Chinese's ambience and the wrath of her fiery best friend.

"Alya, you didn't have to do this you know," Exhaustion and tiredness was laced in Marinette's voice but the subtle smile that rested on her lips was real, earning a broader smile from her companion. "I don't want any trouble or problems arising for you because of the bad blood between me and Lila."

"No amount of troubles and problems will stop me from standing by your side, girl," The ombre-haired teen gave the petite girl's forearms a reassuring squeeze. "I know you told me that the best way to handle Lila was to avoid her and mind my own business, but dammit, it just pisses me off how she can happily trot around the school like she owns the place as if she's some innocent fairy. As if she hasn't caused so much shit for you and our class! Fucking hell!"

"Mmhm, I understand that Als. But, I'd rather not see you get akumatised again. Or get into some serious trouble that can affect your future." Marinette tapped one of Alya's hands disapprovingly, her knowing raised brow gaining a sheepish smile from the latter.

"Oh come on...I really wasn't gonna punch her,"

"Alya, I had to step in because I saw the way your fist was itching to strike."

"...I wasn't gonna punch her

too hard

at least,"

Rolling her eyes fondly, Marinette pulled the taller girl into a hug, lips curled up into a goofy smile. She still couldn't believe how lucky she was to have Alya as her best friend, practically the big sister she's always wanted, as someone she could talk to about anything and everything-

save for her alter-ego related topics of course.

Plus, it took Alya no time after the suspension incident to figure out that all the saccharine, honeyed promises and silver laced boasts from the fake fox were all

lies

.

Even if it took her longer to realise than Marinette would have liked. Regardless, she knew

now

. Maybe still in the dark of the numerous times Lila has threatened Marinette and willingly worked with an akuma to take down Ladybug

but

she knew enough to stay away from the dangerous girl.

It took Dupain-Cheng quite a while to hold Alya back from going absolutely feral on Lila when she found out, convincing the taller teen to leave her be, back then. To let Lila's deception become her own downfall and only take action

if necessary

.

"I'm glad you didn't punch her. You would have been suspended and I'd have died within a week in school without you." Marinette playfully punched Alya's shoulder, both of them perking up at the sounds of their two very loved boys making their way to them from the building behind. Alya didn't get to do as much as blink as she was tackled by an enthusiastic Nino, his endearing nickname for her (

'Ba-aaaaaabe!')

causing the aspiring designer to watch the scene with fondness.

"What was all the commotion we heard on the way here?" Adrien asked, almost making her jump, dipping under Marinette's umbrella and helping her hold it to his height with one hand.

'Behave, my heart.'

She swore.

"Just

you-know-who

causing a scene cos Alya doesn't want her clinging on her arm like the leech she is," Marinette huffed, pursing her lips with sourness. It looked like the cost of

Chloé Bourgeois

calming down her tantrums and terror by a smidge was the increase of Lila's fabrication and drama stirring.

A pain in her ass in all honesty.

"Oh? So she's aware that the leech is a liar too?"

"Yep."

"No wonder Nino was just as iffy when he saw her, hahah!"

"And it's not just him thankfully. The rest of our class are keeping a closer eye on her. Plus, with everyone worried about finals, work and what

lycée

to choose, no one is giving her the attention that she's dying for." The raven haired girl took a sigh of relief, still drained from all the excitement in the morning. She shot an appreciative smile to Adrien when he squeezed her hand. "I guess taking the high road isn't too bad. I'd have already combusted into smoke if I focused on trying to expose Lila every single time. It's better to direct my energy on things worth my time."

The blonde scoffed, smile self-deprecating now. He stared into the distance, barely acknowledging Nino and Alya splashing puddle water at each other, screeching with joy.

"That advice was

bullshit

and

you know it.

" His usual soft emeralds turned acidic and raw, hand tightening over hers as the sound of rain battered the pavement and steps. "Am I right to assume that you haven't told Alya about the time you were

threatened

and almost got

akumatised

over it?"

Ah.

The memory of the few weeks after saving her Chat Noir from

that timeline

that resurfaced to Mari's memories marked the catalyst to her and Adrien becoming closer, blurring the line between friendship and

something more

, despite her attempts in trying to distance herself from him emotionally.

'That's right, that day you couldn't even pretend that you weren't such a weak girl. That day when you broke down in front of him when he was looking for you after the dumb Lila brat pushed you over the edge. And you couldn't even stop your big mouth from running. Absolutely pathetic.'

Marinette's smile was a simple shadow of the real deal, ignoring Adrien's worrisome peep.

She was getting real sick of the ugly, horrendous, pessimistic side of herself and the fact that no matter what she did, she always worried the boy with the heart of gold.

Both boys with heart more golden than the sun itself.

"That's right," She answered nonchalantly, keeping her eyes on her friends up ahead. "And am I right to assume that

you

haven't told Nino about the time you made a deal with the devil, pretty much

selling yourself

in order to get me back into school?" The sharp intake of breath that Adrien took was more than an indication of her answer, her dissatisfaction with his methods hitting a nerve.

He definitely didn't tell Nino, just as she didn't tell Alya. They really were two peas in a pod.

"I...I feel like we've argued too many times already, Marinette. It's a new school year, a new season,

let's start over.

" He finally faced her, his fiery greens resembling her partner clad in black

far too much

for her liking.

The duo didn't say anything afterwards, attempting to figure each other out as they kept up the eye contact. Her eyes resembled the storm they were currently under, a sudden flash of lightning from above highlighted every speckle and ring of her mysterious orbs.

The sound of thunder roared through the clouds and the downfall of the rain was practically buckets of water pooling down from the skies. Adrien registered the familiarity of the scene and the umbrella he was currently helping in holding.

As so did Marinette.

So lost into each others eyes, the teens were deaf to their best friends' cheers and shouts of goodbye, departing away from them, leaving them both alone in front of the entrance of the building as they fell in love

all over again

. Their hearts beating in tandem and their lips slowly but surely curving into smiles. Finally, the older teen acted, his stare loving and sweet, reaching the hand by Marinette's side with his spare hand.

"What are you up to?" Dupain-Cheng couldn't help but wonder, the tilt of his smirk provoking her heart to bend and bounce like a gymnast but also twitch with familiarity.

And this time, she has her finger on it.

"Let's make a deal." Adrien started, smirk broadening into a shit-eating grin. He

totally

was eating up the way her cheeks coloured from the proximity and the grasps of understanding from the

déjà vu

when it came to her

.

His sudden boldness growing.

"Go on,"

"I'll only let you look after me...

if

," He paused dramatically and then leaned in close, his smile never faltering when Marinette instinctively took a little step back in surprise. Adrien let go of her hand only to settle it on the small of her back, pushing the shy girl closer to him as he freely wore his superhero persona on his sleeves.

"If you let me do the same for you,"

His words ended with a soft breath, a juxtaposition to his emotional, distraught pleas from when she was treating his wound in her house. Lightning flashed again and the thunder rumbled through the atmosphere, amplifying every feature and every raindrop of the moment. Marinette couldn't help but melt, her awed expression meeting his smile that shone brighter than the sun.

'Mon Dieu...I love him so much...but I don't deserve him...'

"Adrien..." She couldn't bear to see such an earnest look directed at her, flickering her eyes to the ground and fidgeting on the spot. Her automatic, denial for any help hurried to leave her tongue except the only thing to escape her throat was a shriek as the feeling of freezing rain soaked her head instantly.

"It's

equivalent exchange!

If you don't agree to the deal, why I'll just leave you all alone right there~" The little shit announced obnoxiously and skipped down the steps, the cheeky cat inside him cackling at the sound of her howls of rage and a flurry of feet rushing towards him in order to retrieve the umbrella back.

"You filthy weeb! Give me back my umbrella!" She jumped him, trying everything to reach the gadget as the insufferable boy used his height to his advantage, keeping it as far away from her as possible with one hand, his other hand wrapped around her waist. He was just as soaked as his beau but he didn't give a

flying fuck.

He relished every second,

every moment

.

"You're the one who recommended Full-metal Alchemist to me! You have yourself to blame! And isn't this the umbrella

I

lent you last year?

Who knew Marinette Dupain-Cheng was such a thief~?

" He taunted only to trip backwards into a giant puddle, dragging the poor girl with him with a yelp. The teens were soaked beyond compare, their kwamis hiding in their bags grateful as hell that they weren't hiding in their charge's coats.

The duo let out shrieks of disgust and commented about how disgusting the water was, crawling away from the puddle whilst clutching each other, sitting on a few steps to the school building to regain their breaths. They were already muddy, wet and filthy; there was nothing else left to lose.

Adrien could

always

give his father the

half truth

if the stoic man greets him before he cleans himself up, saying that he tripped and fell in a puddle. Marinette's parents on the other hand would wonder whether

pigs would start flying

if their daughter came home

spotless

.

"You idiot." Marinette bleated, breaking the comfortable silence but didn't attempt to move away from him, leaning against Adrien as the cascading rain showered them. "What does equivalent exchange have to do with stealing my umbrella?" She reached for the gadget they fought over, opening it up to shield them from the torrent even though it was quite useless at this rate.

They were certainly going to catch a cold.

"First," The model flicked her forehead with jest. "It's

my

umbrella. Second, I charge interest. I'm being super generous and kind here, asking for that instead of-

I dunno,

two-hundred of your handmade croissants." He nuzzled her wet hair, his cold, chapped lips against her neck like sparks lighting up her skin.

"I see..." She regarded the situation seriously now, blaming the shivers that ransacked her body from the cold and certainly not the sensation of Adrien's long lashes fluttering against her skin and his lips brushing her nape. "I...I can't promise anything...but I can try. I can try and let you in, Adrien."

And that was more than enough for the elated boy, evident in the way he intercepted her with a hug that would rival her

Chaton's

eagerness.  

'Though...with all the clues and similarities I'm seeing...maybe he is-'

"I'm glad." He breathed into her soft skin. "I'm so happy that you trust me enough to support you," Marinette couldn't tell whether her hypersensitivity was exaggerating every move Adrien made because she almost swore on her earrings...

that his lips were puckered against her neck

. She was

beet red

now.

"I...I'm happy too. Thank you for not giving up on me," She cupped his cheek, inspecting him as he raised his head to meet her stare. Their position mirroring

The Eternal Kiss of the Hasanlu Lovers

, questions and answers swimming in their eyes whilst emotions and feelings were as stormy as the weather.

'Are you really my Lady?' 'Are you really my Chaton?'

The sudden sound of a car beeping a few metres away snapped the potential couple out of their trance, the boy quick to lift the girl to her feet. Adrien's bodyguard rolled the window down, beckoning him to get inside with a grunt and then rolled the window back up.

Probably to quickly drape the waterproof seat covers on the passenger seats.

The model's smile was wiped off his face, the baker girl's following suite as the creepy events from before pirouetted in their minds. Adrien's grip on Marinette's hands bestowed his reluctance to let her go. However, it was like Mari could read his mind, giving him a resolved nod.

"I'll be fine. Okay?"

"You're not scared to go home? Even after

that

? And the

rose

?" The memory of the bathroom door and window slamming shut out of the blue still sent chills down the boy's spine and his sixth sense was screaming that it was abnormal. That there's more to it than it seemed.

"I won't lie, I'm still a bit creeped out. But if it is something, it's definitely an akuma. Ladybug and Chat Noir are there to protect you and me." Marinette was certain that she was telling the truth but her heart argued otherwise, that there was something else. She didn't know what to make of this feeling.

"...Okay," Despite his word, Adrien seemed reluctant to agree. "Promise me to let me or Alya and Nino know ASAP if something's up?" This was a dirty trick. He knew it. She knew it.

Because Marinette never breaks her promises.

"...Fine." The girl's glower only deepened at his victorious smile, his large hands squeezing her smaller pair. "And you, promise me to stop being a worrywart!" She pettily cackled internally at the scowl he shot back.

"I'll stop being a worrywart if you took care of yourself for once!" He stuck his tongue out childishly, a very

Chat Noir

thing to do and Marinette couldn't help but be endeared rather than annoyed.

The impatient beeping from Adrien's ride indicated Gorilla's urgency to take the boy home. The blonde glanced at the car forlornly and then back at Marinette.

He wanted to stay by her side for longer.

"Why don't you take a ride home with me? We can drop you off." He offered. He wasn't expecting a devious smile from Dupain-Cheng however, his heart skipping a few beats or so. An iconic smile that he

knows

he's only seen on his

Lady's

lips.

"And let you steal

my

umbrella again? No thank you~ I live just down the street anyways."

"Ugh...the next thing I know, you'll be stealing my jackets or shirts too." Adrien missed the embarrassment and longing that flickered in her eyes for a split second.

After all, stealing items of clothing was such a

girlfriend

thing to do.

"Anyways," With a sigh, Adrien brought Marinette into his arms, fingers knotting themselves in her fallen bun, her tendrils flailing freely in the frigid weather. "Please stay safe Marinette. And...look after yourself," The way he whispered heatedly in her hair introduced the raven haired teen to an intimacy she has never breached, her heart skyrocketing.

Parallel to their proper introduction in the rain last year, Adrien Agreste rendered Marinette Dupain-Cheng dumbfounded, the cat taking the tongue. Pulling away, the boy gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his digits barely gliding over her supple cheek as thunder rumbled in the skies.

Her dumbfounded expression only worsened as Adrien brought the Chat Noir out in him to play once more, pressing his velvety lips on the

corner

of hers.

A taster of what he really was capable of.

"

A plus,

Marinette," Leaving the umbrella in her hand, Adrien headed to his bodyguard's car, gripping the handle of his schoolbag with an expression so

sickeningly lovesick

and so

sickeningly sweet

. The sound of Plagg's muttering complaints form the zip of his bag was left unheard as the boy was practically on

cloud nine

.

.

Meanwhile, Marinette wasn't as lucky to bathe in the feeling of soaring. Not for long at least. As much as she wanted to pump her fist up in the air with a whoop and fan-girl to Alya over the phone, her situation developed with a cruelty that shattered her heart to pieces.

'Hahah! What are the odds! The two boys you love turning out to be one all along? If it's true then that means it was not just Chat Noir suffering...it was Adrien too! It was Adrien you also failed!'

The heinous voice just kept on mocking, and mocking,

and mocking.

Tikki peered out of Marinette's bag, her doe like eyes starting to tear up at the sight of the gloom that overtook Marinette's body without mercy.

'What if it was Adrien who's been singing that horrid lullaby over and over again? What if it was Chat Noir whose parents never bandaged up his wounds? What if it was Adrien whose heart I kept on rejecting? What if it was Chat Noir who got pricked by the rose? What if...WHAT IF!?-'

The sudden feeling of the warm, magical kwami cuddling up in the nape of her neck broke the girl out of her downward spiral, her heart grieving and sobbing.

"Tikki...I don't know what to do...I don't know what to think...I don't know what to

feel!

Why does this keep happening?" The little Goddess responded to Marinette's agonising pain by lifting a hand to her charge's cheek, nuzzle her as the tears finally fell.

The dam broken.

"No matter what happens, I'll always be there to help you and guide you the best I can. I will never, ever leave your side." The kwami promised. She offered a soft smile and mentioned that they should go home, especially with how Marinette's sniffles were getting louder and sounding more congested.

.

"...how long do you think it will take before they reveal themselves to each other?" Wayzz's voice was nothing but calm, floating under the umbrella his master held as they both observed the little Ladybug heading home from afar.

Maître Fu

sighed tiredly, goosebumps never leaving his body from the intense cold of the weather.

"Not very long now, Wayzz. The sooner the better. After all, they will both need each other more than ever. I fear a threat greater than

Le Papillon

has awoken and it's already affecting everyone. Especially Ladybug and Chat Noir." He eyed the sky warily, as if it was a sentient monster. "As much as I'd prefer if all identities were kept a secret, it will only cause them more harm than good. I cannot afford to fail them as a Guardian again."

"Oh? What do you plan to do?"

"I will try and persuade Ladybug to tell me what happened when the rabbit hero of the future took her away all those months ago. That day started the negativity building up in her body, slowly consuming her."

"I see."

"But that's not all. I will take on the offensive and hunt down whatever has arrived in our world. Whatever that

thing

is.

For once,

I want to protect the kids with all I can."

"But

Maître,

your body is at its limit! You can't even handle a decent akuma right now, let alone this thing you claim to be more threatening than Le Papillon himself!"

"I must try, Wayzz. I must..."

.

~(x)~

Marinette didn't know what to expect when she entered her home, her parents still busy in the bakery and the apartment feeling more eerie than usual. Both Tikki and her were on high alert, the horrid sensation of being watched so heavy it could potentially cut off her airways.

Her ears

rang

.

Her entire body

shivered

.

Her reflexes on her fire as she winced at every creak and moan the building made. The sounds of the forceful rain shooting the windows and water gurgling in the waterspout only

heightened

the terror. All of a sudden, the urge to go to her balcony struck her core, Marinette's body leaping up the stairs to her room and heading towards the trapdoor above her bed like a rabbit on the run. She was deaf to Tikki's cries as her dirty, wet clothes left sopping water all over the place.

Marinette tore the trapdoor open, leaping out and onto the balcony.

.

All the sounds in the world disappeared as her eyes registered the item that was left on the railing this time.

.

A rose.

The rose.

The dreaded, derisive, hideous white rose!

Its grotesque looking thorns were like claws, digging into her property and its petals were tattered and wilted, as if it was stomped on by a herd. Thunder and lightning screamed through the heavens, the best visualisation for the turmoil that was burning inside Marinette as the rain tore at her body.

The girl snarled at the rose, stomping towards the edge of her balcony and pushed herself forward, eyes frenziedly looking for the creep that

dared

to approach her again.

Especially after hurting Adrien!

"SHOW YOURSELF!" She bellowed, squinting through the deluge of raindrops and scanning the area in front. Her knuckles whitened from the herculean grip on the railings. "I SAID SHOW YOURSELF!!!" Again, she got nothing in return, her chest heaving and coughs erupting from her mouth, scraping her throat and chest raw. Tikki patted Marinette's shoulder, eyes glued to the surroundings until they widened.

"Marinette! Over there!" The kwami pointed to the direction of the park, the girl hauling herself to that angle and gaped at the blurry silhouette drenched on the rain. Yet, the more the duo attempted to make out the figure, the harder the rain fell and the wind blew. Not to mention that it was almost pitch black and none of the lights around were even

on

.

Finally,

just finally

, recognition blared in Marinette's brain, barely managing to notice the strange feline ears on the figure's head and the strange tail behind it.

"Chaton...? Chat...

Chat Noir?

" She whispered at first, voice hoarse and nose clogged, not believing her eyes at first. Clearing her throat, Marinette readied herself to call him over, ask why he was outside-

"

Ma Princesse!

What are you doing out here!? Get back inside!"

Marinette almost jumped out of her skin, violently pressing her back against the balcony with bewilderment as she stared down at the Chat Noir who was perched on her

railing

. Tikki was quick to dart inside the plant pots, out of sight.

.

Two add two weren't equalling four.

The hero himself has never seen such a scared expression on the girl, defences on high alert. He was about to question her again but paused when Marinette frantically looked back at where she was glaring at earlier on. The way her hands trembled and the absolute dread that took over her face caused Noir to leap to her side, pushing her behind him with one arm and scrutinise the area.

.

They stayed like that for seconds that felt like decades, the chill of the cold and fear like a blade pressed to the skin. Chat searched and searched

and searched

. Nevertheless, the boy couldn't find anything out of the ordinary but didn't dare to lower his guard. His faux ears flickered to life as Marinette mumbled.

"If you're here...then who did I see over

there

,

watching me?

"

Just as he

thought

the rage and anxiety he felt rushing through his veins was bad enough, he noticed the horrific white flower sagging upon the railing like a corpse in a river.

His fury

exploded

by ten folds, his fangs glinting with bloodlust and his eyes constricted to the point where they were just mere slits. He almost didn't register his body swiping the dishevelled rose off the railing and crushing it even

further

with his boot. His breathing almost feral and ragged.

.

"Marinette, what's going on?"

 Noir glowered over his shoulder, body still panting with the uncontrollable animosity, begging to claw whatever was hurting them to

absolute shreds

.

The girl merely stared into the distance, eyes vacant and face hollow, rain dripping down her hair and face.

"Some...someone is watching...always watching...

and he won't stop until he gets what he wants.

"

THUD!

"MARINETTE!!!!!!"

She fainted.

.

.

.

~(x)~

A/N: Another build up chapter but don't worry, the guy we all have been waiting for will make his debut soon. But anyways, just want to quickly clarify something. 1) yes there will obviously be an identity reveal but it's gonna happen very early on in this story because not only am I an impatient slut, I'm also a hoe for post-reveal pre-relationship. 2) this is not a salty Lila take down fic. I'm trying to deal with the school drama beef as realistically as I can (cos Marinette is right, she has more important things to worry about lmao) and the Italian will have a vital part in the story- probably not in the way you guys are thinking UwU. Thank you for reading and I'll update when I can!

#my writing #my fanfiction #blanc noise #miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic #ml fanfiction #miraculous ladybug and chat noir #ghost blanc au #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #adrinette #adrienette #marichat