#“you're so quick” i had to hurry i have a test to study for my hand was literally on fire | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

moonchildreads · 11 months

Text

small town

Chapter 17 - Girls Just Want to Have Fun

IN THIS CHAPTER: A short roadtrip, blackmailing a jock, and Lady Di sends a signal [7.7k]

WARNINGS: andy the bully makes an appearance but nothing serious happens! lots of foreshadowing tho lol

A/N: shout out to my beloved @justahappycloud for vibechecking andy and dot's conversation for me! you're absolutely wonderful and i honest to god cannot believe i'm gonna hug you in a couple of days. i love you so so much, and i can't wait to tell you that in person. having said that, i'm gonna take a break from posting because i'm going on holiday! i'll still be around if you want to talk and i might leave... a couple of extras for you... you'll have to see! regular updates will return on friday, june 30th!

masterlist - prev - next | main playlist - chapter playlist

Oh, daddy dear, you know you're still number one But girls, they wanna have fun

Friday, May 23rd - 1986

Dorothy Burke couldn’t remember being this fucking angry in her entire goddamn life. She was pretty sure that if she were a cartoon character, steam would have been coming out of her ears the minute she heard Andy fucking Humphrey brag about getting an A in his latest AP Spanish pop quiz. She’d been watching him all week, eyes always stuck to his back during class, ears perking up when she heard his obnoxious cackle in the cafeteria, hands turning into fists when he’d “accidentally” tripped a quiet sophomore on his way to the bathroom. So when Mr. Lorenzo returned last week’s pop quizzes to them on Wednesday and praised him for “finally deciding to take his studies seriously” after she saw him cheat on the entire test, Dottie began plotting for revenge. Not because of the test, she didn’t give two shits about that and, of course, snitches get stitches. No, this one was for Gareth, and Dustin, and Donny, and Jeff, and any of the times he thought being Hawkins High royalty absolved him from sin. She’d make him pay. Not right now, but eventually he’d get what was coming to him. And it all began that Friday before finals week.

Her last class on Fridays was, thankfully, AP Spanish. Dottie planned everything to perfection, tested her escape route on Wednesday in case she needed a quick getaway, and asked her friends to wait until her Dad came to pick her up so she wouldn’t be caught alone in the parking lot if everything went to shit. Hellfire had been canceled because the boys had tickets to see Poltergeist II: The Other Side at 6 pm, but the props room they used as headquarters was unlocked in case she needed a place to hide for a bit. When the final bell of the day rang, she hurried to get her things in her bag and approached Andy’s desk with a sweet smile and shy act that she’d successfully tried on Fred earlier that week. Nancy had, of course, asked her what that had been about, but Dottie had simply told her that the less she knew, the better. The blue eyed girl had grinned with a weird sense of pride and left her to her devices without any more questions.

“Hi! Andy, right?” Dottie asked, carefully crafted honey dripping from her tongue.

“Who’s asking?” he said without looking up, still gathering his things.

“We’re in this class together, I sit over there,” she said, waiting until his eyes landed on her to point to her desk. She could feel his confused eyes scanning her: cute little dress, frilly socks, no Hellfire shirt, pearls in her ears. He has no idea who I am.

“Yeah, of course! I’ve seen you around,” he said, trying to hide the fact that he actually did not know who the fuck Dottie was. Sadly for him, it wasn’t working.

“I saw you did really well on the last pop quiz and I was wondering if you could help me out,” she widened her eyes a little bit to look more innocent and saw the corner of his mouth lift into a half smirk. God, men are so easy, she thought, remembering how Fred had rapidly blinked three times in a row when she pulled that move on him. “Can I see your answers, please?”

“Uh, sure, yeah,” Andy stammered, extremely confused but not about to complain if a pretty girl was making goo-goo eyes at him. Dottie wasn’t the type he usually went for; he liked them better skinny, tall and tanned, but there was a certain kind of charm to the girl-next-door type. “I could, y’know- I could help you study for the final, if you want.”

“Really? Wow, you’re so nice,” she pretended to fawn over him until he got the test out of his binder and gave it to her. The classroom was empty now. “Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you about…”

“Go on,” he said, sitting on his desk to flirt back with her. “Ask me whatever you want, babe.”

Babe. Oh, he was gonna get it now. She had him right where she wanted, and all she had to do was reel him in. Channeling her inner devil, she came up to where he was sitting to stand between his open legs, hand resting on his knee.

“Anything I want?” she smiled, and he nodded. “Well, how about… you leave my friends alone for the rest of the year and I don’t tell Mr. Lorenzo you cheated on this?” she waved the test in the air.

“What?”

“See, you might not know who I am, but I know you, Andy,” she dropped the sweet act instantly, hard eyes on his. He looked so confused. “And last Wednesday, you made the mistake of letting me see you cheat. You even smiled at me while you did it. I gotta admit, it was the first time I saw someone write down the answers on the inside of a water bottle sticker, that shit was clever.”

“Who put you up to this?” he asked, rage beginning to catch up to his bewilderment. She had to get out of there, fast.

“I know you egged Gareth Coleman on Thursday after class. It would be a shame if Mr. Lorenzo found out about your little water bottle trick, don’t you think? You really need this A if you’re gonna keep that Division II scholarship you got to, where was it? Indiana Central?”

“You’re a fucking bitch,” he got up from his desk, getting in her face. He was barely an inch shorter than Eddie, and while the metalhead’s height had always been comforting for her, Andy’s was downright intimidating.

“And you’re a lousy cheater,” she retorted, grabbing the strap of her bag, ready to bolt out into the packed hallway.

“You have no proof.”

“Don’t I?” she said, pressing on her backpack where she’d tucked in an empty plastic bottle. It wasn’t even the correct brand, but he didn’t know that, and his eyes burned when he heard the crackling noise. “Stay away from the boys in the Hellfire Club. This is your only warning.”

And with that, she bolted straight to the girls’ bathroom at the end of the hallway before he could even think about reacting. This particular bathroom had two exits, and she took advantage of that knowledge to sprint across to the other door, past the labs, turning the corner to the Art room and out into the parking lot, where she immediately clocked her friends hanging out between Eddie’s van and Donny’s car, Dustin and Mike leaning onto their bikes while they talked. All the way across the parking lot, was Jason Carver’s car, where its owner and his friends were clearly waiting for one Andy Humphrey to arrive.

“Eddie!” she yelled through gritted teeth, trying to get his attention. “For the love of God, Eddie!”

“Hey, what’s- woah!” she threw herself on him and stuck her hand in his front jean pocket, getting his keys out and opening the van’s back doors before jumping inside with the haste of a madwoman. “Dot, what’s wrong?”

“I fucked up- close the fucking doors! If Andy sees me, we’re all dead!”

“Wait, what? What did Andy do now?” Donny asked, climbing into the back of the van behind her. The rest of the boys looked at each other before they too got in and closed the doors, separating themselves from the rest of the student body.

“He didn’t do anything, I just- I threatened to tell a teacher that he cheated on a test if he bothered you guys again.”

“You did what?!” Eddie asked, eyebrows raising to his hairline.

“I know! I know I fucked up, I was just so fucking angry! He thinks he’s untouchable and it’s about time someone showed him he’s not!”

“Okay, back up. What exactly did you do?” Dustin asked.

Dottie took a deep breath and began retelling the week’s events to the six boys that were surrounding her in the back of the van. The parking lot began to empty and only a few cars remained by the time she had finished but her Dad was still nowhere to be found. An uncomfortable silence settled between them while they took in the situation at hand.

“She can’t be alone anymore,” Mike said, looking at Eddie for guidance.

“You really think he’s gonna hit her?” Gareth asked with worried eyes.

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Dustin said. “Do you think he’s gonna tell the rest of the team?”

“I didn’t tell him my name,” Dottie remembered. “They might not even know who I am, I mean, he didn’t and we’ve been in the same class for months.”

“You told him to leave Hellfire alone, it doesn’t matter if they don’t know you. They know us.”

“Shit, do you think we’re all gonna be targets now?” Jeff looked scared.

“You say that like we weren’t before,” Mike argued.

“We have to move in groups, we can’t let them catch us alone,” Donny said.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough!” Eddie raised his voice, cutting the chatter short. “You good, darling?”

“I didn’t mean to make them come after you,” she put her head in her hands. She’d been so angry that she didn’t stop to think how she might be making things worse with her well-intentioned actions. “God, I’m such an idiot.”

“You’re so not an idiot, come here,” he tucked her under his arm, squeezing her protectively. “You meant well but that’s not how these guys work. They are meatheads, you can’t reason with them.”

“So what do we do?” Jeff asked him.

“Donny’s right, we move in groups from now on. No one goes anywhere alone for the rest of the school year. We’ve got three more weeks and we’re done. Avoid the basketball team, keep your heads down,” Eddie turned to Mike and Dustin. “If anyone does anything to you, you come to me. You think Sinclair can help you two out?”

“We haven’t talked to Lucas in months,” Dustin admitted, looking a little ashamed.

“We don’t need him,” Mike dismissed his friend quickly. “We’ll stick with you guys.”

“Carver’s car is gone,” Gareth announced, peeking through a side window.

“Get home now, take the backroads,” Eddie opened the doors and heaved Dustin’s bike up from the concrete for him. “We’ll figure out pairs on Monday.”

“I’m sorry,” Dottie tried apologizing again, but Dustin went in for a hug.

“It’s okay. We’ve been through worse, I promise,” the younger boy smiled reassuringly.

“Besides, this means you’re officially one of the freaks now,” Mike said, successfully getting a low snort from her.

They said their goodbyes and Dustin and Mike climbed onto their bikes, speeding off the parking lot with impressive alacrity. Donny and Jeff sat themselves on the back of Eddie’s van, surveying the area. Only a couple of cars remained, mostly belonging to teachers. Gareth’s bus had already left, and Eddie offered to give him a ride before turning to Dottie.

“You sure your Dad’s coming?”

“Yeah, he said he was gonna get off early so we could go to Indy. Maybe he got held up at the office?”

“What are you going to Indy for?” Jeff asked.

“Prom’s in two weeks and I still don’t have a dress so hopefully I’ll find something there today or else I’m going naked.”

“Auditioning for Playboy at prom? That’s bold,” Gareth joked, and she immediately kicked his leg.

“Don’t get cute with me, Gareth, I know where you keep your porn.”

“We all know,” Donny said, leaning back on his arms. “He’s not very good at hiding it.”

“I bet his Mom knows too, she just pretends she hasn’t seen it,” Eddie snickered.

“Shut up!” Gareth jumped on Eddie, trying to wrestle him down to the dirty floor.

“Hey, whose car is that?” Jeff asked Donny and Dottie, completely ignoring the other boys yelping while play fighting between their rides. “It’s been there for like twenty minutes.”

“Must be a teacher’s,” Donny guessed. “I saw a pregnant lady come out of it earlier.”

“There aren’t any pregnant teachers.”

“Yeah? Then who’s that?” Donny pointed to the school doors where there was, indeed, a pregnant woman waddling towards the mystery car, another lady behind her searching through her big purse, probably trying to find her car keys.

Nothing could have prepared Dottie for what she was about to see when she turned, because never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she’d see two of her aunts casually strolling through the Hawkins High School parking lot towards a car neither of them owned, as evidenced by its Indiana “Wander” license plate. What on Earth-

“Auntie Rachel?” Dottie raised her voice, and the woman going through her purse looked up instantly, keys finally in her hand.

“Hey, there you are! We’ve been looking for you everywhere!” the woman now known as Rachel said, quickly changing paths and power walking towards them, heels clicking on the concrete. “Your Dad said you get off at two!”

“I do, I just got held up,” Dottie hurried to wrap her arms around her Auntie. “What are you doing here?”

“Your Dad called for backup and we honestly needed a girly weekend,” the pregnant woman said, one hand resting on her belly and the other one at her back, her flowy floral dress swishing around her ankles as she waddled closer to them.

“It’s the last time Mary Elizabeth’s gonna be able to get on a plane until Rose arrives so we spent all my miles and we’re taking you to Indianapolis for a shopping trip.”

“You came all the way to Hawkins to help me buy a prom dress?” Dottie said, disbelief painted all over her face.

“It’s your senior prom, baby,” Mary Elizabeth said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Did you really think we were gonna miss it?”

“Are these your friends?” Rachel asked, directing her attention to the gaggle of boys that were staring up at them.

Gareth still had Eddie in a loose headlock, both letting go of each other instantly when the women approached with curious smiles and mischievous eyes on their faces. Auntie Rachel was a tall severe looking woman with thick rimmed glasses and a classy bob. Her lips were painted a deep burgundy, and she wore stylish pants and low heels - she looked as sophisticated as she was independent and open-minded. She was an accountant and many of her clients included investors that dabbled in the theater sphere, making her the one responsible for Dottie’s intense love of Broadway and musicals. She’d gone through a messy divorce around a year ago, had two boys (Nicky and Peter, ages 14 and 10), and had recently realized that maybe all those times Dottie had begged her to go see Rocky Horror together had been more enlightening than she had assumed they had been at the time.

Aunt Mary Elizabeth - not Mary, not Elizabeth, Mary Elizabeth - on other hand was the poster child for the 70’s hippie movement. What Rachel gave off in casual formality, Mary Elizabeth matched in cozy comfort with her sleeveless prairie style dress and sandals, baby bump proudly on display under the soft flowery pattern. She was married to Uncle Johnny, the same Uncle that Dottie had gone to for advice regarding Eddie’s moldy ceiling, and Rose, who was currently softly kicking her, was their first baby. She hadn’t been born yet but was very much expected and hard fought for.

“This is Hellfire! Guys, these are my Aunts: Rachel and Mary Elizabeth. Plus Rosie,” Dottie said, excited as always whenever her worlds collided.

“Which one of you is giving my niece latkes with applesauce?” Rachel asked, looking at them over the rim of her glasses.

“Uh, that- that’d be me. I’m Gareth,” the curly haired boy said, nervously.

“You’re my fave kid,” Rachel declared, nodding once.

“She’s Jewish,” Dottie said, like that explained everything and to Gareth, it did. “She’s never cooked for me though.”

“You know I can’t cook, my kids don’t even let me make toast,” she laughed, and the boys smiled. So Rachel is the fun aunt.

“Okay, then who is the one that makes those great mixtapes you were talking about the other day?” Mary Elizabeth wondered.

“I guess that’s me?” Donny chuckled, the tips of his ears red. “I’m Donny. Congrats on the baby!”

“Oh, aren’t you a sweetheart,” she said. “He’s my fave.”

“Which one’s yours then, bug?” Rachel joked.

“Definitely Jeff,” Dottie said and the boy beamed.

“Hey! I’m right here!” Eddie complained dramatically.

“You’re Eddie, right?” Mary Elizabeth said; he nodded. “I wouldn’t worry too much if I were you, you’re my husband’s favorite.”

“I am?”

“Yes! My husband was our DM, he thinks you’re very creative.”

“She’s married to Uncle Johnny,” Dottie told him. “The one that was in the bathroom picture from when I was a baby?”

“Ah, yes! Your Dad’s brother from a different father!” Eddie clapped once, knowing he got it right. “He knows about me?”

“Dorothy tells him about all your sessions,” Mary Elizabeth said. “Half of our friends don’t live in New York anymore so we haven’t played as much lately, he’s living vicariously through you guys at this point.”

“It’s great to meet you boys, but we should get going. We’re never gonna get to the shops in time if we keep dilly dallying,” Rachel said, ushering the girls towards the car.

“Okay, let me say goodbye first, damn,” Dottie got away from her insistent palms and headed straight into Donny’s arms. “I’m sorry about today.”

“Stop worrying about it. We’ll take care of each other.”

“You’re one of us, Dot. We got you,” Jeff said, joining the hug too. Gareth and Eddie looked at each other, shrugged once, and joined too.

“Go get your princess dress,” Eddie said, pulling away, not wanting to be clingy in front of her Aunts.

“Call when you get back?” Gareth asked as she walked away. “I wanna know what you got to see if we match!”

“When are you gonna be home?”

“Uhhh, around 8:30 maybe?”

“Gotcha. I’ll call around that time. Have fun, guys!”

“We’re still on for tomorrow, right?” Eddie wondered.

“Of course! Final stretch, Ed, you got this!”

Dottie got into the backseat of her Aunts’ rented car and waved to her friends as they sped away, Pat Benatar’s Invincible filling the air with girlish excitement. Andy fucking Humphrey didn’t matter anymore, not when Mary Elizabeth was singing along to the radio without a single care in the world and Rachel laughed like they were in their 20s again heading down to the beach in her brother’s old Jeep. All that was left, was to find the perfect dress and Dottie could finally convince herself that despite her major fuck up, everything would turn out fine.

They could not, in fact, find the perfect dress. They couldn't find any dress, actually, because if they were the right color, the size was wrong, and if the size was right, then it didn't come in Hellfire colors. Auntie Rachel had announced she was paying for the dress, and Aunt Mary Elizabeth and Uncle Johnny were paying for the shoes. But without the dress, there were no shoes, and without dress and shoes, Dottie couldn't spend the money her Dad had given her on accessories, and every minute that ticked on, she was closer and closer to auditioning for a Playboy centerfold at prom like Gareth had joked about.

Everyone was aware that prom was a sensitive topic for Dottie, and there wasn’t a single reason as to why it was that way. Past bad experiences coupled with the knowledge of yet another milestone she wasn’t sharing with her mother were bound to make anyone’s heart feel tender, so after Rachel noticed the decline in her niece's mood, she declared that they were taking a break from the prom-related shopping and instead let Dottie pick any shop in the immediate commercial area to explore. This wasn't an unusual activity for the girls; they had spent many afternoons browsing weird stores and open air markets, gathering silly little trinkets and handmade goods to bring back to their homes with tired feet and satisfied smiles. Dottie looked around mildly interested and clocked a big thrift shop with what looked like a comfy red couch in the middle of the store to her right, deciding to go in so Mary Elizabeth could rest her swollen ankles for a bit.

The shop was quirky, to say the least. Dottie loved thrift shops, having spent most of her early childhood browsing through rows and rows of clothes picking new tops and bottoms for the school year. Mary Elizabeth knew how to sew, and she'd taught Dottie basic skills like how to hem pants or how to tighten up the waistband on a too-big-skirt - a thrift shop was a treasure trove for creative and resourceful eyes. Rachel was distracted showing Mary Elizabeth baby clothes while the latter rubbed her growing belly on the couch when Dottie saw it. Red glittering chiffon, sweetheart neckline with delicate ruffles at the top and the bottom, and a full skirt that looked straight out of a fairytale.

A few years ago, back in 1982 when she was barely a freshman in high school, Dottie had seen in one of her Auntie Rachel's magazines a picture of one of the prettiest women she had ever laid eyes on. The woman was Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, and the magazine had run a full issue about her style and fashion choices, calling her an icon and praising her usage of patterns and bold colors. She remembered that in one of the pictures, Lady Diana had been wearing a red Bellville Sassoon dress during a night out at Covent Garden, and that she'd found it so beautiful she'd asked Rachel if she could keep the magazine because she wanted to wear a dress like that one day. That same dress, or one that looked very much like it, was currently staring back at Dottie from the very back of a rack full of poofier and tackier formal dresses.

"Found something you like, bug?" Rachel asked, coming to stand behind her with her hands on her niece's shoulders.

"I think... I think Lady Di is sending me a signal," she muttered breathlessly.

"What?"

Dottie walked up to the rack, almost scared to touch the dress in case it disappeared, but when her fingers buried themselves into fine chiffon, she pulled the dress off the hanger and pressed it to her body in awe.

"It's the dress, Auntie Rach. Remember? The Lady Di Covent Garden gown! With the black cape and silver shoes!"

"I can't say I remember, bug, but you like this one? Do you want to try it on?"

"I can't see a tag," Dottie said, frowning. "I don't know if it's my size."

"Go try it on anyway, we'll find an employee," Mary Elizabeth said, getting excited at the prospect of having found a miracle dress.

It was mere minutes later when both Aunts and an older lady that worked at the store wearing khaki pants and a name tag that said Cynthia heard a soft "holy shit" coming from behind one of the changing booth's curtains. It opened to reveal a dumbfounded Dottie, looking like a princess herself in the floor-length glittery gown.

"How does it fit, sweetie?" asked Cynthia.

"It's... it's perfect? The skirt is a little bit long but everything else is... yeah, it's perfect."

"Never mind the skirt, I can hem that for you in a couple of hours. And it's red, just how you wanted, right?" Mary Elizabeth said.

"Yeah, it's the shade of red I wanted," Dottie said. The dress was the exact same shade of Eddie's tie. "How much is it?"

"I don't think we put a price on this one yet," Cynthia said. "It came in late yesterday and I haven't gotten around to it. This woman came in and dropped three boxes full of stuff on us, said she was moving away and couldn't take everything with her. You’re a really lucky girl!”

“I think I am,” Dottie mumbled, looking at herself in the mirror while she lifted the skirt up to fit her better.

“Okay, how about we go see if there’s anything else you like while Rachel gets this sorted out for you, huh? Maybe we can find some cute shoes to go with it!” said Mary Elizabeth, staring pointedly at Rachel with a clear message: Get her the dress before she can overthink it and convince herself she doesn’t deserve it because the price isn’t right.

With the help of Mary Elizabeth (and Rosie, who was being very active today), a full outfit was put together rather quickly. A gold round sparkly handbag was added to the pile, along with gold kitten heels and a dainty gold necklace with a single white glittery stone. Dottie knew exactly what other pieces from her own jewelry box she was gonna wear: her Mom’s wedding ring and earrings, simple, classy, and meaningful. A way to keep Margaret close on a very special moment. Also on their checkout pile were a handful of baby clothes for Rosie, a Spider-Man backpack for Rachel’s youngest son, a couple of 70s loose dresses for Mary Elizabeth’s growing belly, and a pair of jean shorts and two new shirts for Dottie. She saved a bit of the money James had given her to buy more yarn for the blanket she was knitting for Rose, and after all that shopping, the three girls were hungry and desperately in need of a place to sit down. Rachel pointed to a nearby pub that looked fairly empty, and they made their way towards the building with happy hearts and spirits thoroughly lifted.

While Dottie was on her girls’ day out, Eddie was fidgeting in his theater seat. He knew that he was gonna have to share her with her Aunts all weekend, and he was scared about what they’d think of him constantly invading her personal space. They looked nice enough, and he was aware that Rachel herself was a bit of a freak - she had, after all, seen Rocky Horror live as many times as Dottie herself had - but there was still some part of him that kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Things were going entirely too well for him, and he wasn’t used to that.

During the week, he’d tested out a few more theories he had about Dot and was now more certain than ever that he had an opening with her. It had been rainy and cold on Monday, and he’d slipped the flannel he had tied around his hip on her shoulders before second period began; she’d worn it all day and he’d caught her burrowing into it during lunch while she waited for him to get his tray. On Tuesday, she’d brought Wayne homemade banana bread, and on Thursday, she’d asked Eddie to hang out in their spot at Lover’s Lake for a bit before bringing her home, saying she needed to clear her head. They’d sat side by side with legs dangling off the back of his van, and he’d tried teaching her to skip stones to no success. She’d snorted every time the rock sank into the water, and leaned into him when he stepped behind her and grabbed her hand to guide her through the correct motions. He would have kissed her right there and then, but he was convinced she deserved more than a lousy confession in a deserted clearing in the middle of the woods. So Eddie waited, knowing that graduation was only three Fridays away, and he was gonna sweep her off her feet while they wore their ugly black and green gowns and make her feel like the princess he thought he was.

Truth be told, he shouldn’t have been so worried, not when 45 minutes away Dottie sat in that Indianapolis pub, eyes glued to the small menu in her hands but mind in Hawkins, wondering what Eddie was gonna wear for prom besides the gorgeous tie Chrissy had gifted him. She was comparing pros and cons of him wearing a white or a black shirt when Rachel tapped the top of the laminated paper and brought her attention back to the table.

“Can’t decide?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Dottie said, sheepishly. “Which one do you think is better, the cheeseburger with bacon or the chicken stripes with BBQ sauce?”

“The cheeseburger sounds good. I’m getting the buffalo wings,” Mary Elizabeth said, rubbing her stomach. “Believe it or not, this girlie likes spicy things.”

“She’s gonna run circles around all of us,” Rachel said fondly. “I’m gonna get the Reuben. And a glass of wine.”

“Okay, I’ll go order then. Lemonade?” Dottie asked Mary Elizabeth, getting up to head into the bar area.

“Oooh, please!”

Dottie left her Aunts at the table with their shopping bags, and got in line at the register behind a middle aged man while she glanced around the pub. It was a good size, probably even a bit bigger than The Hideaway where she’d gone to play pool with her Dad and Uncles Rob and Joe while they were in town for her birthday. There was a jukebox near the entrance, and a low small stage to the right with a lone mic and stool. A tired looking young man was putting up a poster advertising the weekend’s shows near the bar area. It was a cozy place, probably a cheap hangout spot for college students to relax at after a long week of studying and working. Behind the bar counter was an attractive young woman with wild, crimped raven hair and bold makeup.

“What can I get for you?”

“Hi! Can I get a cheeseburger with bacon, a Reuben, buffalo wings, two lemonades and a glass of wine? Red, please.”

“Uh, you’re not over 21, are you?”

“No, I’m 18, but it’s not for me. It’s for my Aunt, we’re sitting over there,” Dottie pointed at the two older women.

“Good. I’ll get a server to bring you your order when it’s done. Normally I wouldn’t care about the age thing, but it’s still kinda early, y’know?” the girl said, punching a few buttons on the till. “Gotta wait until the sun goes down to start ignoring IDs.”

“I imagine most college kids around here are grateful for that, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, it gets busy after 8. You don’t go to IUPUI?”

“No, I’m not from Indy. I’m going to Michigan next year.”

“State?”

“UMich. You?”

“Final year at Purdue. Forensic science,” she shrugged. “You look like an English major.”

“That was my second choice, actually. Decided on being an elementary school teacher.”

“Yikes. Good luck with that,” the girl laughed. “I’m the oldest of six so kids… not my jam.”

“I’m an only child so, kids? Totally my jam.”

“Figures. I’m Jessie,” the girl said, putting out her hand for a shake. Her dark apron moved revealing half of a logo on the front of her shirt Dottie would recognize anywhere: Metallica.

“I’m Dottie. I’ve got a question for you, if you don’t mind.”

“Shoot.”

“How do I get a really cool band up on that stage?”

“You in a band, teach?” Jessie grinned.

“No, my friends are. They’ve got a regular gig in our town, I think you might like them.”

“Yeah? What’s their name?”

“Corroded Coffin. They play metal covers mostly, but they’ve got a few originals too.”

“You their manager or something?”

“Maybe,” Dottie smiled. “I know next week’s setlist if that helps convince you.”

“Go for it.”

Dottie began ratting off the list she’d heard them put together on Wednesday, which included Black Sabbath, Mötorhead, Judas Priest, Dio, and the lone Anthrax song Gareth had insisted on for ten minutes before they relented and said yes. She mentioned how they also played Metallica and Iron Maiden regularly, and were known to crank out a Mötley Crüe song or two upon request without admitting that she was the one doing the requesting, much to Eddie’s chagrin. Jessie listened, nodding approvingly with her arms crossed. She had a snake tattooed around her left upper arm peeking out from her black t-shirt, and Dottie thought it might be the coolest tattoo she’d seen in her entire life.

“Okay, teach. I’m convinced. Let me see when we’ve got an opening.”

Jessie grabbed a battered notebook from under the counter and pulled a pen out of her apron, quietly muttering to herself as she flicked pages. Dottie turned to her Aunts who were eyeing her with interest. The Dorothy they knew didn’t talk to strangers, at least not willingly. She hated small talk, only engaging in it if an old lady started it in order to not come across as rude, but had developed the ability to quickly direct the conversation to non-personal topics like the weather or the price of the bag of oranges the old lady was purchasing. Seeing their niece chit chatting like it was something common she did all the time was downright strange, even if it was a welcome sight. How much had living in Hawkins truly changed her? Did it have anything to do with the boys hanging out with her in the school’s parking lot?

“Earliest spot we’ve got is at the end of June,” Jessie said, grimacing.

“Oh, that’s perfect! That’s after graduation, we’re totally free during June.”

“Friday, June 27th is okay then?”

“Absolutely, yes!”

“We can pay $25 per performer and you can have free drinks all night, but we’ll cut you off if anyone gets too drunk. How many are there in the band?” she asked, writing Corroded Coffin under the aforementioned date.

“Just four. Two guitarists, one drummer, one bassist. We have to bring our own equipment, right?”

“Yeah, all that’s on you. Are you all under 21?”

“Yes, lead guitar is the oldest and he’s 20.”

“They’ve got one hour divided into two chunks with a ten minute break in the middle, shows start at 9:30 usually. You’re coming with them? We can pay you after the set’s done, I’ll keep a free table for you guys at the front. You can watch them from there, we don’t have a green room.”

“That sounds wonderful, thank you, Jessie.”

“Here,” Jessie gave her a napkin with the bar’s info. “Call that number if you need to cancel or reschedule. If they tell you I’m not around, ask for Mark, he’s the day shift manager.”

“Okay, I will. See you in a month then! They won’t disappoint you, I promise!”

“I’m counting on it, teach!”

She came back to the table with an unprecedented giddiness, or at least, nothing her Aunts had ever seen in a long time. Dottie explained her conversation with Jessie the night shift manager while they waited for their food, and when it had arrived, her Aunts grilled her for more information about her friends and their band. She explained what each of them did within Corroded Coffin, taking the time to praise them separately for their skills, mentioning Eddie’s recent songwriting knack and Gareth’s future career as a trained percussionist. She told them in confidence that Jeff was thinking of joining a choral ensemble in West Virginia, excited about the prospect of traveling to perform around the States. Her Aunts let her talk as much as she wanted until the sun had gone down, the college students started showing up, and after a quick bathroom visit, it was finally time for them to leave. They were walking back to the car when Dottie spotted a payphone and began rummaging through her backpack.

“Hold on, let me- I gotta make a phone call!” she told her Aunts, speeding away towards the cabin with her coin purse in her hand.

“Do you get the feeling someone exchanged our Dorothy for a new one?” Rachel asked, following her niece at a much slower pace.

“She’s happy here,” Mary Elizabeth simply said.

“Did you ever notice she was that unhappy back in New York? What was going on under our noses? How couldn’t we tell?”

“That doesn’t matter now. Let her have this. She deserves it.”

“Hello, Mrs. Coleman? It’s Dottie!” the teen said into the phone, both Aunts trying to eavesdrop from outside the cabin. “I know Gareth is still at The Hawk, but could you tell him to come to my house as soon as he arrives? Everything’s okay, I just have good news I want to share with him. Yes, thank you! And could you please tell him to bring the guys around too? I think I’ll be home at around 9 probably, so- okay. Okay, thank you! Sorry to have bothered you at this hour, have a good night!”

“Your friends are coming over?” Rachel asked when she hung up.

“Yeah,” Dottie grinned, and for a brief second, they could have sworn it wasn’t her but Margaret the one who was smiling at them.

A girl’s road trip was never complete without gossiping, and Rachel was showing an incredible amount of restraint when she waited until they had passed the "Leaving Indianapolis - Come Again Soon" sign to lower the radio's volume; Mary Elizabeth looked at her with confusion in her eyes when Madonna’s Angel was cut short halfway into the song.

"So. We've got 45 minutes until we’re back in Hawkins. Gonna tell us what's going on with that Gareth kid or what?"

"Rachel!" Mary Elizabeth chastised.

"There's literally nothing going on. I don't know why you're even asking."

"You called last week to tell me all about the little sleepover you two had and you expect me to not be curious? You’ve been talking about him all day, bug."

"As you know, because I told you about it, we worked on a science project during that sleepover, which we got an A+ on. That's it, I don't see him like that," Dottie said. "Besides, we'd kill each other if we decided to date. He made me see The Exorcist last weekend, I would have murdered him if I didn’t fear prison."

"Hey, that's a good movie!" Mary Elizabeth said, and Rachel looked at her like she was insane. "What? Okay, yes, it's disturbing, but it's a good movie. It's well done."

"You worry me sometimes," Rachel told her before looking at Dottie through the rearview mirror. "You two had a movie night and he picked a horror flick?"

"It wasn't just us. Everyone else was there too, it was Eddie's birthday."

"Aw, that sounds fun. Did you have a good time?" Mary Elizabeth asked, turning in her seat to watch her niece's face.

"Yeah! I mean, the movie sucked and I think I had a panic attack for two hours straight, but we had ice cream later and saw Rocky Horror. That part was good,” she had a wistful look on her face as she looked out the window, remembering Eddie’s birthday.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Actually, everything's been really nice," Dottie laughed. "I just… I didn't know having friends was supposed to make you feel this good."

"Oh, baby," Mary Elizabeth reached out to grab her hand. "You really love those boys, don't you?"

"I do. And I really think they love me too. I don't feel lonely anymore when I’m with them."

"That's good, baby. I'm so happy for you. We were so scared after what happened last year, that awful girl was just-"

"It doesn't matter anymore,” Dottie shook her head. “I don't want to talk about that."

"So nothing's going on?" Rachel asked, but this time her tone was much more soft. “With any of them?”

"They are my friends. Best ones I've ever had," Dottie smiled. “I’d tell you if something was happening with Gareth, but there’s nothing there. I promise.”

“If you say so, bug,” Rachel said. “Johnny was once Mary Elizabeth’s best friend too, you know.”

“Oh, drop it, you nosy old lady,” Mary Elizabeth poked her.

“Who are you calling old?! We’re the same age, flower power!”

During the short trip back to Hawkins, somewhere between being grilled about one of her best friends and Rachel missing the correct exit, Dottie had dozed off in the back of the car while Sade’s Smooth Operator played in the background. Mary Elizabeth had taken off her sandals and propped her feet up on the dashboard, looking out at the quaint little houses and quiet downtown area, wondering if Rosie would like growing up in a place like this instead in the busy city she was so fond of. Rachel pulled into Dottie’s street and saw a familiar old van parked outside her home, four boys hanging out in the front lawn and James leaning onto the front door frame, all engaged in friendly conversation.

“Baby?” Mary Elizabeth called, rousing Dottie. “Your friends are here.”

Dottie opened her eyes, expression caught between drowsiness and excitement when they parked outside the house, all five men turning to look at them when they got out.

“Shopping went well, I see,” James smiled, looking at their bags dangling from their arms.

“Told you to leave it to us, Jamie-boy,” Rachel said, coming to hug her old friend.

“Everything okay?” Gareth asked, anxious. “My Mom didn’t tell me what was going on, just that you called from Indy.”

“Everything’s fine, something really cool happened and I didn’t want to wait until Monday to tell you about it,” Dottie yawned, locking arms with him and Donny. “Let’s go inside and I’ll tell you.”

The boys walked in behind her towards the living room where she motioned for them to sit. The adults headed towards the kitchen for a nightcap, keeping an eye and an ear on the kids. James had no idea what was going on, but Rachel had simply shaken her head when he lifted his eyebrow in inquiry and pointed at the teens. Mary Elizabeth busied herself making coffee for her two friends and tea for herself, smiling in anticipation.

“Okay, so. We went to this pub to get dinner,” Dottie began, taking the napkin Jessie had given her out of her pocket and giving it to Jeff. “It’s a really cool place, not too big, but I really liked it and the food was great.”

“What did you have?”

“Cheeseburger with bacon. They cut their own fries and leave the skin on them.”

“Sick,” Jeff nodded.

“I was thinking we should all go together soon. Maybe on Friday, June 27th.”

“Why?” said Gareth suspiciously. “What’s happening on Friday, June 27th?”

“There’s this awesome band that’s gonna play there. You might have heard of it, it’s called Corroded Coffin.”

The room was filled with an awkward silence for a few seconds while they processed what they just heard before all of them erupted in questions and screams at the same time. Dottie laughed, and held up her palms trying to contain the situation, but the cat was out of the bag and she was all too happy to share all the details with her friends.

“You got us a gig?” Donny asked, coming up to her in disbelief.

“I got you a gig!” she confirmed, and Gareth began hollering. “You’ve got an hour-long set, divided in two chunks. Drinks are free the whole night but you can’t drunk, and they’re gonna pay you guys $25 each-”

“They are paying us?!” Jeff asked while Gareth shook him. “They never pay us at The Hideout!”

“You’re the fucking best!” Donny declared, lifting Dottie up and swinging her in the air, making her laugh.

“That’s so cool,” James said in the kitchen, browsing his pantry for sugar to add to his coffee. “I’m happy for them, they are good kids.”

Rachel and Mary Elizabeth didn’t reply; they were locked onto the scene in front of them. When Donny put Dottie down, Jeff and Gareth immediately came to hug her too, each on one side. They all began talking at the same time, shouting songs they wanted to include in the set, things they needed to do before the big day arrived, planning how they were gonna go, who was gonna drive, how much money they needed to pool to pay for the gas. None of that was as interesting as what happened when it was Eddie’s turn to hug their niece.

He was so quiet as he came up to her, it almost looked like he was choking back tears. Without words exchanged, his arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her towards his chest where she instantly tucked her head into, her own hands ghosting upwards from his waist to the middle of his back where she clung to his shirt. This wasn’t an excited, celebratory hug. This was so much more, and yet none of the boys paid them any attention, like this was common enough for it to not be something to look at anymore. Eddie’s hand came up to cradle her head, and they pulled away for a few seconds, staring into each other’s eyes with matching elated smiles pulling at the corners of their mouths. For a single heartbeat, Dottie’s Aunts thought Eddie was going to pull her into a kiss but his lips collided with her forehead instead and stayed there like it was their rightful place. Dottie exhaled, melting into the rugged boy’s arms, their eyes closed, both of them savoring the moment. His hand moved from the back of her head to the side of her jaw, foreheads coming together and they saw her hand wrap around his wrist before the boy mouthed a quiet “thank you”.

Like nothing had happened, they unentangled themselves from each other and joined the festivities, him excitedly patting Donny’s back before they embraced with boyish roughness, her plopping onto the same armchair Jeff was sitting on to help brainstorm the setlist. Rachel turned to Mary Elizabeth only to find her friend already staring at her.

“Oh,” Mary Elizabeth said, lifting an eyebrow.

“Oh, indeed,” said Rachel, and they both silently agreed to not speak of it in front of James until they’d gotten their chance to debrief later that night.

taglist (comment below or shoot me a dm if you want to be added!): @munsonology @kurdtbean

47 notes · View notes

askthechronoverse · 10 months

Text

Chapter Six: The Telltale Horn

Last Chapter •||• Next Chapter

It was late at night and Rex found himself back in Doctor Fox's lab, running the calculations she had when he was down there earlier. The flashing readings were now under Syspocalypstar and he sat back in a computer chair, trying to understand the meaning behind the readings. A sleepy voice made the time traveler jump.

"What are you doing, Rex? It's late." He turned and saw Doctor Fox.

"Did I wake you?" He turned back to the computer and started to focus on that. "Somethin' is happenin' to the flow of time. I saw it on your computer earlier an' it's comin' up again now." He pointed to the Syspocalypstar readings. "See that?" This seemed to snap the doctor out of sleep.

"I did note that before, but when I observed the anomaly, it was in the Dryar System." She looked over at Rex. "You have experience with temporal science, correct? Can you add some of that expertise to this? What does it mean?"

"Ya know that feelin' you've done somethin' before? The readings look like that, but on a planetary scale. Time's bouncin' around." He watched the flashing stop. "That's probably gonna confuse a few people, but nothin' too dire."

"If it's not an issue, why are you down here?"

"I haven't seen tech like yours since I built my ship, an' I wasn't as smart as you when I built her. I've never actually seen this happen in real time. It's rad." He leaned on the console.

"Did you have any temporal training? How did your ship work?" She pulled up a chair. It was nice to be able to really talk about science with someone.

"Nope. I learned as I went." He shrugged. "I wanted revenge so the actual science was lost on me. My ship was built out of stolen parts and held together by rage. I know somethin' called a flux capacitor was the key to everythin' in my time drive, but I just threw things at a wall and hoped I could make it stick."

"It's a shame the ship is lost. I would have loved to study it. Would you remember how to build it?"

"Can't say I would, Doc. Maybe we could cobble together a new time drive someday." He slumped back in the chair. "Anger is one heck of a drug."

"I would like that, actually. Building a time machine would put us in a high standing with the scientific community and you're already an experienced chrononaut!" This excited the little fox. "That would involve you staying here for the length of the build. Would you be willing to stay here for a while?"

"Honestly? I'm not in a hurry to leave. I have at least one friend here and I know he'd miss me."

"You are referring to Puppycorn, correct?" Doctor Fox guessed.

"Yeah. He's a good kid. Reminds me of me in another life." He shrugged. "By the way, I kinda dig the term 'chrononaut'. Sounds spacy."

"It is related to the word 'astronaut', so that makes sense." She smiled. "I must admit, I never thought you'd be this… pleasant to talk to."

"I try, Doc." He put his arms behind his head. "It helps I'm not bein' told what to do an' who to be." He sighed. "Ah well. The timeline's safe. We should probably go to sleep."

"Actually, since I have your attention: may I run a quick scan on your body? I have noticed that your sparkle matter is beginning to be more in line with what one would see in a native Unikingdom citizen. I would like to test a hypothesis, if I may." She hopped off the chair.

"Sure, Doc. Hook me up to whatever ya got." Doctor Fox dragged a machine over to Rex. She started to hook everything up to the computer.

"You should be able to recline the chair, Rex. Please recline it fully and relax. Also, remove your vest. The less layers you are wearing, the more accurate the reading." He complied, but drifted to sleep during the test. Doctor Fox didn't seem to mind, pulling other equipment to the area to do more tests.

When the man awoke again, Doctor Fox was standing over him. "Good morning, sleepyhead." She moved to let him sit up. He cleared his throat.

"Yeah. Comfy chair ya got." He rubbed the back of his head, pulling a sticky electrode off his head.

"I took the liberty of running an electroencephalogram while you were asleep." She took the electrode out of his hands. She started putting her toys away.

"Yeah? What'd that find?" He combed his hand through his hair and pulled out a few more of the sticky discs.

"Nightmares are interesting to view under an electroencephalogram." She finished her clean up and shuffled back to Rex. "Also, you are getting closer to being more like a Unikingdom citizen than you were when we started. I have yet to understand this phenomenon, but I theorize that my initial experiment could be the cause." She was so nonchalant about this revelation. "You were pulled into this timeline with my science and some of the Unikingdom's magic. It may be that magic that's causing the conversion. I'm still doing some research, but I have enough data from you for now." She grabbed a jar off of a table nearby and handed it to Rex. "This should help you stay asleep. I haven't done a full test, but it seemed to work for you last night." He looked blankly into the vial of purple liquid.

"Wait. When the heck did you test this?" He shook his head and pocketed the jar. He may need to sit both Unikitty and Doctor Fox down and talk about the wonders of consent. "Alright. So I'm really different from who I was a year ago. Never thought I'd be able to claim that." The way she put the whole situation, it sounded like the magic of this world was like a virus to his system. At least it didn't hurt.

"Certainly not like this!" The fox chuckled. "By the way, I hope we can have a conversation like we did last night. I would be delighted to hear about what time travel is really like." This only got a nod from the man, who got out of the chair and grabbed his vest.

"I'll try to remember the more sciencey stuff, but like I said: I had a one track mind back then." That was hard to admit out loud.

"Stay here, Rex. I'll get you some coffee. It's the least I can do for all the tests I had to run." The doctor rushed off to get her test subject some coffee. He started to look around at the equipment surrounding him, eyes setting on a large machine with a table in the center of it. He looked at a sign on the table. 'Memory Machine. Do not use until further testing is done. May cause poo poo brain.'

"What are ya thinkin' over there, Dangervest?" A tough sounding voice said from behind him.

"That we don't tell Unikitty about this. I'm scared she's gonna strap me to it someday." Rex turned, seeing that the voice came from Hawkodile. "What brings you down to Doc's lab?" He saw a bundle of roses in Hawkodile's hand.

"Nothing… I mean… My job. Your tracker said you were down here and I needed to make sure you weren't gettin' any ideas." He hastily put the flowers behind his back.

"Sure ya were, big guy." Rex snickered. "Well, ya found me and I'm not gettin' any ideas, so job done." He moved away from the machine. "Doc left to get coffee. She should be back later, lover boy."

"Hey! I toldja that wasn't why I was here!" The chimera's cheeks turned red.

"Then I'm flattered, but I don't think it'll work out." Rex winked. "Ya ain't my type." He thought for a second. "Actually, maybe ya are my type. How good are ya at tellin' naval command generals from distant planets how much I suck during a fight?"

"Bro. I ain't here for that either. I toldja, I'm doin' my job." Hawkodile was still blushing, but he stood at attention in an act to look tough.

"Yeah, okay. Whatever floats your ice cream." He walked past the avian lizard and picked up some unknown piece of tech.

"So. Now that we're in the same room, I need to know how you punched Master Frown so far. For security reasons, of course." Hawkodile added the last part quickly.

"Of course. Gotta make sure the Unikingdom is safe, right?" Rex smirked. "That wasn't even what I could do if ya really get me worked up." Hawkodile's sunglasses completely rounded out. "If ya ask nicely, I can show you. Oh, and I can't be liable for any damages."

"I know whatcha can do. I know about the wedding cake." Hawkodile was trying to keep cool, but the thought of such a powerful punch was intoxicating.

"Well, yeah. The kid only ever did that punch once before that." Rex shrugged. "Imagine what a trained bodyguard could do with that kinda power." It was clear the thought was passing through Hawkodile's mind and he liked it.

"I still don't trust you. But ya gotta teach me. I could bust so many heads with that punch." Rex heard footsteps and glanced over to the doorway.

"I gotta trust you first, big guy. I don't teach just anyone the way of the Master Breaker." The footsteps came from Doctor Fox, who held two coffee cups. She handed one to Rex.

"Here you go. I believe you take it with a splash of cream and thirteen scoops of sugar. You should cut back on the sugar intake. It isn't good for you." She turned to Hawkodile. "Hey, Hawkodile! It's good to see you this early!"

"I used to take a lot more sugar than this, Doc. " He drank his coffee, waiting for Hawkodile to make a move.

"Heeeey, Doc! I was just makin' sure this guy wasn't causin' you any trouble and tryin' to escape." Hawkodile roughly pat Rex's back. The man was pushed forward by that pat. "I'll leave ya to your work." The chimera began to walk away, hiding the bouquet. Rex just let the guy leave, amused by the situation.

"He's such a diligent bodyguard." Doctor Fox said, drinking from her cup of what appeared to be apple juice. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"Nah. We were just chillin'." Rex drank another gulp of his coffee. "I think he's startin' ta like me." His expression was playful, his smile a little longer than usual.

"That's great! We just need to hope you and Unikitty can get along."

"We did in another life. She's just more selfish than I remember her bein'." He eyed the memory machine nervously for a second.

"She comes from a place of concern for a friend." She looked at a clock on the wall. "Oh, is that the time? I need to leave to gather some samples for an experiment of mine. I'll be back in the afternoon. Please stop by when you get the chance so we can talk about time travel more." Doctor Fox rushed away. Rex waved, taking the time to finish his coffee. His mind wandered to the time drive on his ship. How did that thing work, anyway?

As he thought, Unikitty wandered into the lab, looking for Doctor Fox. He didn't notice her head for the memory machine.

"Oh! I remember this!" Rex stopped drinking his coffee, blood going cold at the next words that came out of her mouth. "Hmm… Hey Rex!"

"Get the idea out of your head, Princess." He walked over to her, putting his hands on her head to have her focus on his face. "Look at me. No. You wanna help me? That ain't it."

"But if you forget the whole Undar thing-"

"I lose who I am. Ya can't just remove someone's memories an' expect them to stay the same. If I find out you took who I am away from me, I will never forgive you."

"Why do you want to be like this? Wouldn't you want to go back to who you were?" She spoke incredulously, wiggling out of Rex's grasp.

"If I want to change my past, I'm not shy about doin' it with time travel."

"But you're a mess! You don't sleep! You are quick to hurt people who make you angry!"

"I'm also fun at parties." Rex said flatly. "My flaws are somethin' I'm workin' on. I know I'm not perfect. I don't wanna be. It's boring." He sighed, sad and tired of this conversation.

"I saw your nightmare. I saw how scared you were, how alone. That didn't help you at all."

"But I needed to live it. That crash landing set somethin' in motion, changes that brought me to the point where two other worlds benefited from my failure to end everything. I told you: I don't regret what I did. I don't want to forget anything I did." His voice consistency was sloppy, slipping into the scared kid Unikitty knew. She put her ears back, then whipped them to the front.

"Fine. I won't do that to you." She walked over to the shelf of inventions and picked up the Happy Horn. The blue unicorn horn matched hers and shined with a new coat of paint. It made her think back to the last time it was used. Rex was so confrontational. He was always pushing her away and that needed to change. She held the white base and put it behind her back as she walked toward Rex. His dark hair could totally hide the horn, not well but she could work with that later. "But you need to be a lot happier."

"Princess, I'm content. I have friends who make me feel wanted here. For once in my life, I'm-" She hopped up and planted the horn on his head. He was silent for a while afterwards.

"Rex, this is for your own good. You'll make more friends like this, I promise!" She waited for him to do… something. He closed his eyes and, after taking a breath, reopened them. His eyes sparkled, dark grey added to the black dots. His cheeks were a soft pink, flanking a grin. "Rex?"

"Gooooood morning, Unikitty!" The toughness was gone from his voice, replaced with the familiar voice of a good friend. "You look awesome today!"

"So do you, Rex! Do you wanna hang out today?" She was excited. Maybe now they could stop being unpleasant when they were together. Sure, this didn't work for her friends, but Rex was totally different! He needed to be happy! He needed to get along with her!

"Of course!" He was so excited, it made her excited too. She was going to love this new Rex. She could see it. "Is Puppycorn coming too? He's pretty fun."

"Nope! Just us today! We could bring your guitar and-"

"Have a super awesome party?"

"Yes! We could totally do that!" See? This would work! "Let's grab your guitar!" Before Unikitty left the lab, she tried to adjust Rex's hair to hide the horn. She wasn't really able to fully hide the horn fully, but that was fine, right? The two rushed to Rex's room for the guitar. Before they could run out of the castle, Hawkodile stopped Rex.

"Bro. Thanks for not sayin' anything to the doc. You're… alright." He muttered the word.

"Happy to help, Hawkodile!" Rex tilted his head, which exposed the Happy Horn a little more as his hair moved. He leaned in and whispered. "You two should totally hook up! You'd make a cute couple." Hawkodile looked at the man suspiciously. The guy seemed way too bubbly, a change that happened in the span of around a half hour.

"You OK? Ya seem spacey." Hawkodile looked over to Unikitty, who was failing to look like she was playing cool.

"I'm more than fine! I'm super duper awesome!" The sparkle matter over his head was full of green hearts and rainbows, which made Hawkodile fold his arms.

"What didja do, Unikitty?" Her bodyguard turned his full attention to Unikitty, who fidgeted a little where she was floating.

"Nothing, Hawkodile! Rex must just beee in a really good mood?" She could see the horn on her friend's head, threatening to expose her scheme. "We gotta go! Yeah! Come on, Rex!" She grabbed the man and pulled him out the door.

"After a while, Hawkodile!" Rex called out and she pulled him behind a tree.

"This isn't gonna be easy. Maybe I shoulda just removed the memory of Undar from his head." She looked at Rex, who was swaying and whistling a song that Unikitty remembered from her time in the Systar System. She didn't have time to ask how Rex knew the song. She had to keep this ruse going as long as possible, since she already pulled this same stunt with her other friends. She really needed to stop messing with the minds of people she cared about, but it was too late for that thought now.

"We could totally still do that, Unikitty! It's a really bad memory anyway." Rex stuck out his tongue. Could that count as permission? The cat pondered this and shook her head. If Rex got out of this, he'd already be mad at her. Why make it worse by doing the one thing he told her not to do?

"Nah. I'd rather hear you play something on that guitar!" She pointed to the guitar hanging crookedly on Rex's shoulder. "Do you know something that sounds happy?"

"Let me see…" He shrugged after a suspiciously long period of time. "Nope! Most of the songs I can play aren't like that. I really need to change that. Right, Unikitty?" She smiled a little at him actually calling her by her name. "Sooo, I guess we can't do that. What else should we do?" He was undaunted by this hiccup in Unikitty's plans.

"Let's go to the zoo!" She grabbed Rex's hand.

"That's a great idea!" The two rushed off, bound for the zoo.

It was the evening by the time the two returned from their day out. Any guilt Unikitty had of changing Rex's brainwaves was long gone by now. The two friends were talking about their time in Apocalypseburg, conveniently glossing over anything negative, as they entered the castle. Both Doctor Fox and Hawkodile were waiting for them.

"Unikitty, Hawkodile told me about Rex's sudden change in personality. This could be bad and I really should look him over for damage to his brain." The doctor approached Rex, but Unikitty stopped her.

"Rex is fine! We just had a long talk about how grumpy he's been, that's all!" She was glad the darkness of evening concealed the Happy Horn.

"Yeah! I just haven't been myself lately!" Doctor Fox frowned sharply. She wished she'd spoken to the man a little more, because none of this seemed right. She always thought he was probably troubled by his past, enough that one heart to heart would not be enough to change his personality this much. What she did see was that he didn't hold himself the same way he did this morning.

"Come on, Rex! Let's go inside!" Unikitty dragged Rex past her friends, the man waving as he passed. She stopped when they reached Rex's room.

"This room has a total lack of glitter." Rex stuck his tongue out.

"We can fix that later, I promise! I just need to find something." The blue horn continued to taunt Unikitty from the nest of hair it was partially hidden in. She dug through Rex's closet. Surely, the guy bought a hat when he was buying his new wardrobe or something with a hood? If she could just continue to hide the horn, she could convince the others that this was the real Rex. It wasn't a total lie: she remembered when he was a far happier person. She eventually found a cowboy hat and grinned. Perfect. That should be enough to hide the horn. She popped it on his head. "There! I thought you'd look good in a hat!"

"Okay! You should relax, though. There's no reason to stress!" His voice calmed her. He clearly had that young optimistic soul in him somewhere deep. He just needed someone to drag it out. This made her a good friend, right? "I'm kinda hungry. Do you think Rick has dinner ready, Unikitty?"

"I can check. Stay here, OK?" She flew out of the room and sighed, relieved. This will work. This has to work. She just had to keep it up for… as long as Rex was still in the castle. Maybe she should convince him to move out? Nah. She wanted to keep him here.

She eventually returned with food for the two of them and she held a grasp. Puppycorn was in the room with Rex. If anyone could really call her bluff, it was her brother, the one Rex let himself get the closest to. "Hey, little bro! What's up?"

"I'm tellin' Rex about a bone I found! I think it's a dinosaur bone. What do you think, Rex?" The puppy wagged his tail, waiting for his friend's assessment. She watched Rex, worried that this would either break the spell or expose the plot. He looked the bone over for a moment, then shrugged.

"Probably! Good job finding it, Puppycorn!" He pat the puppy's head and returned the bone to him. The dog tilted his head. Was he seeing through Rex right now? He did tend to call Puppycorn 'kid'.

"Awesome! Can't wait to chew it!" Sparkle matter came off of the pup as he bounded away with his bone. Unikitty sighed. Good. She was safe for now. She handed Rex his dinner and sat down with him. She took the hat off his head and saw that the horn was still firmly on his head. This was exhaustingly stressful and it was only the first day. She felt something move behind her. She looked and finally noticed that Rex had a tail like hers. How long had that been there? It seemed to poke out of his ripped jeans, yet another sign something was amiss with someone who was fully human for as long as they knew him. How could she hide the tail?

"Hey, Unikitty! You're really stressed. You really should stay positive!" It was in that moment Unikitty realized this could be a huge problem. This wasn't even normal for Rex before the Undar incident. She was going to be caught! It was only a matter of time. She had to stop herself from worrying too much here. She was the only one who knew the real Rex, the one from before he became so broken. This may feel wrong to her, but the others would never know! "Does someone need some sugary sweets? I could totally bake some cookies! I'm sure Rick won't mind."

"Yes! We can totally bake cookies! I know he won't mind the mess!" She pulled Rex off the bed, his suspicious tail still very visible. She tried to stuff the tail in his pants or under his shirt, but it poked back out every time.

"Why are you hiding that? It's so pretty!" He put his hand on her paw. "I wanna show it off! Let's go show Puppycorn!" He wrapped his hand around her paw and tried to pull her away. She tried to resist his pull but he was stronger than she remembered him being in the past and he dragged her to the foyer. Puppycorn was playing with a toy car, making it race around the carpet. "Puppycorn! Heeeey, Puppycorn!"

"What's up, big buddy?" Puppycorn looked up to his unusually bubbly buddy. He tilted his head, the occasional question mark coming off of his head.

"I have a tail now! Not sure how I got it, but it's so pretty and awesome!" The sparkle matter coming off Rex was definitely not what Puppycorn had seen off him before. But he just looked from his friend to the new tail and laughed.

"You got one now, too? That's rad! We're tail buddies!" He didn't suspect a thing. That was easy.

"You can't tell anyone else about Rex's new tail, OK? It's a… for a super secret thing we're doing!" Unikitty chimed in, hoping she could get Puppycorn to at least keep this one secret.

"Oh! I'm good at keeping secrets. Especially Rex's secrets. I've got this, sis." Puppycorn went back to playing with his car, Rex now sitting down next to his friend to play with him. The tail wasn't as visible while he was sitting, so she let the two play while she thought of a way to hide the thing. She lost track of the two for a second, turning her back on them to think. She soon whipped around, a few lightbulbs blinking into existence over her head.

"Rex, I have an idea!" She looked around and saw both Rex and her brother were gone. She heard Puppycorn in the distance calling for Hawkodile. Not good! They probably went off to show off Rex's tail and she wasn't sure if this would have been Puppycorn's idea or Rex's. She rushed to catch up to them and froze. They were showing him the tail. And Hawkodile looked… well, it was always so hard to tell what he was thinking with those sunglasses. He was heading this way, though. She needed to come up with another excuse. And fast.

"Unikitty, why does Rex have a tail? He doesn't seem the type to have one. Especially not one that looks like yours." One corner of his sunglasses lifted. "This seems really familiar, does it?" Little droplet sparkle matter appeared above her head.

"I just wanted to help." That got the bodyguard to rub his face with his hand.

"Ya know you gotta clean this mess up. Ya know he can't stay like that." Hawkodile gestured to the overly happy Rex, who was excitedly telling Puppycorn some jokes.

"But he-"

"I'm not gonna tell the others. But only if you clean up the mess." He waited for a reply.

"What mess? He didn't destroy the castle."

"That's not what I mean." Hawkodile called Puppycorn and the two left Unikitty with Rex. She really didn't want to put him right. He was so moody and… really laid back when he wasn't angry. When he was around Puppycorn, he told jokes and he seemed to get along with Richard and Doctor Fox. She frowned. But what would make him be himself again? She approached Rex.

"Hey! Do ya wanna build a skyscraper? We could work together as a team and build it!" She knew her Bricksburg buddy had to be down there deep down and he loved working with a team! "It'll be so much fun!" After a moment with baited breath, she saw that her plan… didn't work. He was still Unikittyfied. She tried to think of what to do next when her brother bounded in.

"Hey, Rex! Ya wanna play a video game? I just got a racing game!" He held out a controller for Rex to take. "I've been waiting all day to play with you. I wanna know more about that bone I found!" It took a second or two, but the horn soon lit up in a spiral around it. The device vanished in a puff of smoke and the man lost the horn and the smile on his face. He took the controller from Puppycorn.

"I'll join ya in a sec, kid." He watched Puppycorn leave and turned to Unikitty. He didn't say anything, but she could feel his anger and feelings of betrayal.

"I'm sorry." She turned blue.

"No. You're not." His voice was calm. That was oddly more terrifying to Unikitty than if he started yelling.

"Are you angry?"

"Princess, I'm just done wasting my limited and probably borrowed time on you. That's all." He gripped the controller and turned around, heading to where Puppycorn was set up. What had she done?

#the newspaper isn't antiquated •||• written works

1 note · View note

dragonslayer-5fanfiction · 3 years

Text

Who and How they Steal Your Gum

I was listening to Marina's Bubblegum Bitch, and this popped in my head. I think it's cute, and might make more.

UPDATE: Part 2 Part 3

Atsumu:

You popped a piece of gum in your mouth deciding you needed something to occupy your mouth. It was hubba bubba bubble gum, bright pink. It kept you busy while you were studying with ‘Tsumu for an upcoming test. You were focused on the book in front of you, but ‘Tsumu, was focused on you.

“Y/N.” He said drawing your attention to him. You were mid bubble, when suddenly you weren’t. He bit the bubble and stole your gum.

“What? Tsumu!” You lightly slapped his shoulder, when he held the gum between his teeth.

“Couldn’t help myself, it looked so sweet.” He said blowing a bubble. “But you're sweeter.”

Bokuto:

You were on your way to class after lunch, when you heard your boyfriend coming from behind you.

“Y/NNNNN!” He yelled running up to you. “I missed you baby!” He pulled you into a tight hug before pressing a kiss to your lips. You smiled into the kiss, before giving a light yelp when he pinched your side. He deepened the kiss and licked inside your mouth. He pulled away out of breath.

“Thanks for the gum.” He chuckled.

“Bo! If you wanted gum, you should have just asked!”

“But I wanted yours.” He pouted and blew a bubble. You shook your head, and pulled out another piece to chew.

Sugawara:

“Whatcha’ got there peaches?” Suga asked coming up behind you.

“Just a book. Why?” You asked, turning over your shoulder, blowing a small bubble.

“Just wondering why all your attention isn’t on me.” He hummed. You rolled your eyes, shutting your book and turning to face him.

“Is this better?” He just hummed and tilted your head up to give you a kiss. You smiled, and chased his lips when he pulled away. He smirked and kept leaning away watching you pout. Finally he relented, and gave you a deep kiss, pulling away with your gum in his mouth.

“Koushi.” You chastised.

“What, do you want it back?” He asked innocently. You shook your head, and went back to your book.

“I don’t really want joint custody of a piece of gum. You can keep it.” You said not looking at him.

Yaku:

Yaku had been training Lev, when you stopped by to drop off a bento. He heard the doors open, and seemed relieved to see you. He told Lev to keep going while he took a quick break.

“Hey, you alright?” You asked when he walked up to you.

“Yeah, I’m good. Lev’s just not listening.” You hummed in acknowledgement, and held the bento out.

“Well, I brought you food, for when you take an actual break.”

“You’re a lifesaver. Thank you.” He pulled you in for a quick kiss. “Is that mint? Do you have gum?”

“Uh, yeah. But just the piece I’m chewing.” You said.

“Can I have it?”

“You-what?”

“Can I have your gum. It would really help me get through working with Lev.” He gave you puppy dog eyes.

“Fine.” You huffed, holding it between your lips. He smiled and took it with a kiss.

“Thank you.” He yelled while jogging back to Lev.

Nishinoya:

You were waiting outside the gym while Noya hurried and got ready to go. Practise had ended, and he wanted to spend every possible minute with you that he could. When he walked out, he saw the first years gathered around you.

“What’s going on here?” Noya asked standing behind you.

“Y/N-san’s giving us gum.” Hinata said, popping the piece in his mouth.

“Ooh, I want some.” Noya said, making grabby hands.

“I’m sorry, but I gave my last piece to Tsuki.” You said turning to see him pout.

“Okay.” He sighed, “Let’s head home now.” He was pouting, and grumbling to himself about not getting any gum.

“Noya, wait.” He stopped and turned to you. You smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips, pushing your tongue, and the gum, into his mouth. Once you were satisfied, you pulled away. “There, now you can have some gum.” Noya.exe has stopped working.

Tanaka:

You were on your way to meet your boyfriend before he had to go to practise. On your way you popped a piece of gum into your mouth.

“Ryu!” You called waving to him as you turned the corner.

“Y/N! I missed you!” He said pulling you into a hug. You just laughed at his antics.

“Ryu, you saw me an hour ago.”

“An hour’s too long.” He gripped you tight, and held on. You stood there rocking back and forth, just enjoying being in each other’s embrace. Finally, you checked your watch, and saw that he had to go.

“Ryu, you need to go to practise.”

“No. I don’t want to.” He whined. You sighed and pushed him away.

“If I give you a kiss now and after will you go?” He nodded eagerly. You laughed and leaned forward to kiss him. You caught him in the middle of his laugh, which gave you the perfect opportunity to slip your tongue into his mouth. He groaned, and your tongues danced back and forth. Finally, you pulled away. “Time to go.”

“Okay…” He trailed off, looking confused. “What’s this?” He asked, placing something between his lips. You looked at it and covered your face.

“My gum.” Your face turned even redder, as he looked at you. “M’sorry. I forgot it was an accident.” He just stood there staring at you, before he was pulled away by Noya, to go to practise. After he started breathing again, he decided he liked it.

320 notes · View notes

after-nine-at-the-oasis · 2 years

Text

Now!! A couple final thoughts.

YES Grace deserves to be boss at video games. YES Judd bond with your son. YES FINALLY OWEN DIDN'T COMPLETELY SAVE THE DAY HE WA JUST NEEDED!!!

Like thank GOODNESS gosh

Anyway! Time for the episode. . .

REVIEW

Now I'll be honest: I did actually really like this episode! It's definitely not my favorite of the season so far (especially due to the conspicuous lack of Tarlos -.- /lh), but I still thought it was a pretty solid episode. Definitely very unique, although the plot to me kinda dragged a little bit. We had the barbed wire, and then alllllll of that intertwined, with some sprinkles of Tommy in there, then randomly smack in the middle the medical rescue (at least we got to see TK! And Nancy :))) - though he seemed rather quiet this episode, but he's probably just chilling :)); glad he was concerned for Owen though, but, well, eh, we'll talk about that in a moment :)) ) which sorta fed into Tommy's episode arc, and then back to the rest of it, before finally, the gift tracking-down. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Just felt a little bit funky to me.

Now things I DID like!

Gonna get TK out of the way real quick because there wasn't much of him because it's not about him (not always/right now I mean) but he's my baby so I have to talk about him (and Carlos, though there's obviously not much to say there lol) for a minute and just get it out of the way xDD. As usual, loved my boy, that hasn't changed, even the brief glimpse of Carlos we saw in the promo (not like a literal split second, but, yk lol xdd). Still manifesting/excited for Carlos to take the detective test, especially if it means stressed, studying Carlos (TK helps? 👀👀👀👀 Studying or with stress whichever one lol, or both, goodness knows he's taken plenty of tests with all his firefighter-ness and paramedic-ness). Anyway, I thought the little bit of TK checking on Owen was cute :)). For radiation poisoning, I mean. Also, the "And my nightmares", about the roundworm - yeah, probably mood XD. Lol, anyway!! That's enough about TK, and Carlos.

Now! I accidentally took a while talking about him/them/that and I really do need to hurry right now, so I hope I do the others, yk, the main parts of the episode xdd, justice, lol. Now first, the Ryders!

As usual, I LOOOOOOOOOOVE them 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍. Like, they're babey. Okay?? They're just babey. Now, with Charlie (and I guess, kinda in a way, Wyatt??) especially lol. I really loved the bonding between Judd and Wyatt, even if it was a rocky road/slope (I don't even know right now lol who knows what I want I just do), and had some really awkward moments that I had to hide from. It was scary 😭😭😭😭😭 /lh /hi. Anyway, lol, I'm glad they're starting to work it out :'))) ❤️❤️. Literally, my babeys <33333. All of them, lol xd. Parent and kid alike, any four of 'em - 5, I guess, if you want to count Wyatt's mom. Whatever the heck when face/name is lol xdd. I should probably know- well, not "know by now", since we've known her for like, an episode (as she wasn't in this one I guess I mean, idrk lol), but eh, still, I should probably know lol. Anyway!!

Owen. Nice job not being the ENTIRETY of the solution or episode. Not the ENTIRE focus. Nice, lol. Also, we find out you're a weirdo /j. But seriously though, just imagine the team coming up like "Uhhh???? Cap believes in aliens????" and TK's just like "Just don't question it, y'all. Just move on and don't question." XDDD. Anyway, nice job my dude, lol. And pretty funny, again too, you just weren't the complete (well last time it was more just 'physical' I guess because ~Carlos~ and thought about saying Tarlos so also ~Tarlos~ but to a lesser degree lol) hero :))). Nice, lol :D xD!

And, finally, Tommy. Hunny. Darling. Huh. Honey. Babe. Babey. Love. Babes. Baby. HOOOONNNNNNNNEEEYYYYYYYYY 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭. You don't deserve this darling :'((((. All of these terms are platonic XD. Anyway, I love her so much, but bestie, neither of us deserve this :'''((((( 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭. You deserve so much better, honey - not that it's better than him, but I mean like, than this sadness.

So sad 😢😢😢, but I'm glad the candles kit back up :'). He was here. Charles was here watching and is ready to protect who he loves <3333 😭😭😭. And I love that the candles re-/lit 😍😍😍. Heartbreaking, and magnificent.

Now, the plot! I did actually like it :)). Kinda depressing and sad, what happened to them (like, those people, the artists <3 <33), but nonetheless, VERY interesting. And yeah, like I said earlier, certainly very unique. Lol, anyway, yeah! Quick notes:

Wyatt is babey :))) He is mine your honor <3333

Nah but his mom gets it, and then Judd after her, and then probably everyone else, in the firefam and outwards, before me lol, but still XDDD. Anyway, lol, last quick note:

IS THAT TIM'S CAT????

THAT'S PROBABLY TIM'S CAT

Dying thank you <3333 😭😭😭😭

Two deaths (noy literally - in the ~ p a a A a A A a s t ~) in this episode today, dang.

Lol, anyway, yeah!

Overall: I very much likes the episode. It wasn't my favorite, but, in fact, I haven't found an episode (specifically this season, but, really, at all, to be honest) that I DIDN'T like yet. And, well, while I don't want to jinx myself, I don't think I well! I'll have ones I enjoy more and/or ones I'll enjoy less, but I just love this show :DDD!! I don't think it's possible for me to actually fully dislike or even hate an episode :)).

So yeah! I'm scared of the promo, having feelings, and while this wasn't my absolute favorite episode of the series in general or the season so far, I still really enjoyed it and had a fun time :)).

So!!! This has been my episode review of. . .

9-1-1: Lone Star, Season 3, Episode 6: The ATX Files

I'm super excited for the next one 😁😁😁 :)))!!! And that will be my review of. . .

9-1-1: Lone Star, Season 3, Episode 7: Red vs. Blue

See you next week :)))))!!!!

#oasis's 9-1-1 chatter #9-1-1 lone star #911 ls #911 lone star #9-1-1 ls #9-1-1 lone star s3e6 #9-1-1 lone star season 3 episode 6 #9-1-1 lone star the atx files #the atx files #9-1-1 the atx files #9-1-1 lone star s03e06 #9-1-1 lone star s03e06 the atx files #episode review #9-1-1 lone star review #9-1-1 lone star episode review #9-1-1 lone star s03e06 the atx files review #9-1-1 lone star s03e06 review #oh yeeaaaahhhhhhh I heard somewhere about that capture the flag thing with fd vs pd #ahhh okay maybe I don't have to be as worried as I thought 😅😅 lol #still I do think it'll get a bit too serious but if a game or somethibg simple like that happens #even in the episode after that like two episdoes from bow episode 8 #I'd be down for that and I'll only be a little in fear :))#tk strand #carlos reyes #owen strand #tarlos #judd ryder #grace ryder #tommy vega #love y'all!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😍😍🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰😍😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰😍😍😍❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ :DDDD :))) :p :33 goodnight <3!!

11 notes · View notes

jaycewrites-192000 · 3 years

Text

Growl: Chapter 7

Warnings: None

Tags: @theravencawsatmidnight @etroman @kaariqueen

Your P.O.V

Monday came sooner than I wanted it to, not to mention I had a test today. A test...that I did not study for. "I'm such an idiot." I muttered, as I reluctantly walked into school. "Maybe if I beg good enough Iwaizumi will let me cheat off him." I say under my breath. I suddenly felt someone lean down and whisper in my ear. "What's this about begging Iwa-Chan now? Naughty L/n-" I elbowed Oikawa in his gut before he could finish. "I'm talking about a test, you horndog!" I snapped. Oikawa recovered from the hard blow. "S-So you didn't study, huh?"

"I bet you didn't either." I glare at him. "Of course I did! Unlike you, I had Iwa-Chan's help!" I gave him a shocked look. "How did you get his help!? He always tells me to study on my own! No wait...we're you actually "studying" or..."

"L/n-Chan! I'm surprised at you!" He could deny it all he wanted, there was no overlooking the blush on his face. Guess I was right about that. "Whatever. Let's just get going." I say while walking, a bit faster to get some distance between me and Oikawa. But of course his long leg ass easily kept up with me. "You know L/n-Chan, if you keep this up you won't be able to participate in club activities." I hate to admit it, but he was right. If I kept failing in my classes, the school faculty will be forced to remove me from the volleyball team. Meaning I won't be the manager or hang out with my new friends as much. I won't get to hang out with Kyotani either...

"Of course that upsets me more than anything else." I think with a sigh. I hurried into class with Oikawa, Iwaizumi was already inside at his seat. "Hey Iwaizumi." I greet him as I take my seat. "Hey L/n." He says back. "Actually on time for once Shittykawa?" He asks, not even glancing at the brunette boy. "Oh hush. I got plenty of beautify sleep last night, so of course I'm here." Oikawa sits down. "Doubt it." I mutter. We all know you were with Iwaizumi last night you liar. "What?" They both ask in unison. "Nothing." I lean back in my seat. "Hey Iwaizumi, can you help me study if I fail this test?"

"No."

"Jerk!" I cross my arms. "Why not?" Iwaizumi looked at me as if I were a child. Great, about to get scolded by a man my own age. "Because you should have taken studying more seriously. You had plenty of time before today. You also had the weekend. What have you been doing?" He asked. I turn away to hide my blush. Like hell I was gonna tell them I was with Kyotani. Oikawa would never shut up about it, and Iwaizumi...well it was kinda like telling your father that you have a boyfriend. Point is, it was awkward and I'm not spilling!

"....I was watching anime."

"Nerd."

"Shut up stupidkawa!!"

"You're starting to loose your touch, L/n-Chan." He smirks. "I could have thought of a way better insult than that."

"So you do want us to insult you?" Iwaizumi raises an eyebrow. I groan and rest my head against the window, Iwaizumi and Oikawa's bickering drowning out as I stare out into nothing. 'Might as well accept the fact I'm failing this test. I really should have studied more instead of doing stupid shit. Maybe I'll Kyotani to help me.' My cheeks then red. I didn't know how his grades were, but it was worth the try. Just because he was a punk didn't mean he couldn't be smart, right?

The test had finally ended, and I had just barely passed! But it wasn't good enough, I can't just barley pass throughout the rest of my last year. What happened today was pure luck, and that wouldn't last me forever. I need to take this more seriously, for the volleyball team and for myself. I managed to catch Iwaizumi just before he went inside the gym. I told him I needed to speak with him in private. "What did you want to talk about L/n? Is there something wrong?" He asks, concern lacing his tone. I clutched my bag tightly and spoke with a stern determination. "I'm going to start studying harder. I just barely passed the test today. If I keep this up and fail, I won't be able to be your team's manager anymore. So what I'm asking is..." I look away from Iwaizumi, hiding my embarrassed expression. "Do you...know what Kyotani's grades are like?"

When Iwaizumi didn't answer, I looked up at him. His expression was one of confusion. "You...want Kyotani to help you study? Why?" I bit back a growl and clenched my hands tighter, my face was only getting redder but the second. "Because! The only people I'm "close" to is you, Oikawa and Kyotani! You won't help cause you're busy with Oikawa and Oikawa can't help cause he's dumbass who would only flirt with me the entire time, and Kyotani...well I don't know! That's why I'm asking!"

"Whoa, wait, slow down." Iawaizumi raises his hands. "You're close to Kyotani? How did you manage that?" He asks. I sighed deeply, I really didn't want anyone to know about it. But there's no helping it now. "Me and him talked over he weekend. And, I even went over to his place a few times. So yeah, we're friends now I guess. But I didn't really know much about him, only a little bit really." I fiddle around with my hands, trying to figure out what else to say. "I would like to know more about him. So I thought, why not do that by asking him to help me study." Iwaizumi hummed in response. "I see." He mutters.

"Are you going to take it seriously?" He asks. I nod. "I will. I said I would start trying harder." Iwaizumi rubbed the back of his head. "Then you should ask him. If you and him are friends like you said, I'm sure he wouldn't mind helping you. As for his grades, I don't know about all that." He put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm proud of you Y/n. You really are coming out of your shell, it makes me happy to see you're making an effort." I smile softly and put my hand on his. "Me too. Don't worry, I'm gonna make sure I keep my word. Just wait and see Hajime!"

"I look forward to." Iwaizumi chuckles.

Practice had ended a bit earlier than unusual, the team finished changing and we're heading out. You decided to hang back and wait for Kyotani, it felt a little weird to say the least. Though it shouldn't be, you had just been over to his place twice and met his family. From an outside perspective, someone could mistake you both as a couple, even thought it was quiet the opposite. "I completely get it though." You sigh. You were snapped out of your trance by the locker room's door opened. Kyotani stepped out, school bag thrown over his shoulder. "Oh, hey." He greets once he finally noticed you. "We're you...waiting for me?" He asks. "Uh, yeah." You nod. "I wanted to ask you something." You tilt your head towards the exit of the gym, Kyotani seemed to have understood the message and walked out with you. The both of you walked in silence until reaching the school gate, Kyotani finally spoke up. "So what did you want to tell me?"

"You know how important tests are when it comes to graduating and being able to participate in club activities right?" Kyotani nods. "Well, I do want to graduate. But I also want to stay and be the team's manager. So I can't afford having my grades continue to slip. Eventually they'll be so bad, that I won't be able to do either. So what I'm asking is, will you help me study?" Kyotani raises an eyebrow. "Really? You want my help?" He asks. "I know it's sudden of me to ask, but I really don't have anyone else. Iwaizumi is too busy helping that train wreck of a captain of ours to help me. Not like he would anyway." Kyotani sighs heavily. "I don't know..." You turned to him. "Please!" You grab his hand with yours, Kyotani froze where he stood. "I'll make sure to repay you for helping me! Anything you want, I'll do it! So please...please help study Kyotani." You look up at him, eyes shining pathetically like a sad puppy. How could he say no to that? "Damn it..." He almost wanted to walk away and ignore it, but deep down he knew damn well that he couldn't. "Ok. I'll help you as best as I can. My grades aren't anything special, just so you know." You smiled brightly and hugged him. "Thank you so much! And anything helps at this point!" Kyotani nods and continued walking after you pulled back. "You really are nice Kyotani. Despite whatever everyone else thinks or says. In fact, I'm really glad I got to know you." You couldn't tell how Kyotani felt about that, he was slightly ahead of you, so you couldn't see his face. But unknowing to you, Kyotani cracked a little smile. And he'd never admit it, but he was glad he got to know you too.

Later that night, you and Kyotani were staying up late studying. You both decided it would be best if it happened over at your place rather than his. For two reasons. One, your mother wasn't home, so you had the entire house to yourself for the night. And two, Kyotani insisted that his mother would interrupt every so often because of how fond of you she was. It was down right embarrassing. And he didn't want to deal with that all night. Besides, like this, it would just be the the two of you, alone together. Together with math, really. "And if you solve for x you get?" Kyotani asks, waiting for you to answer. You hummed as you thought hard about what to say. "....15?" Kyotani shook his head. "12." You let out a loud groan. "This is such garbage! How am I ever gonna get this!?" You whine. Why did math have to be such damn complicated, in fact, why did anything involving studying have to be complicated? "Don't know. But you better get it quick before the council kicks you off the team. Now try again." Kyotani says, while writing something down in his books. "How can you be so calm about this? I thought you said your grades weren't anything special. Or was that a lie?"

"No, it wasn't. My grades are pretty shit." He admits. "Then what's the point this!?" Your mind screamed. "But not because I'm stupid or anything like that. It's because I hardly ever show up to class. But between the two of us, I'm smarter than you I guess." You scowl and slam your pen down. "I guess so huh?" You grumble. "Relax. I'm helping you out ain't I? After you do this we can take a break." Kyotani sets a new set of math equations in front of you. "Yeah sure, but before that, why don't you go to class? If you're so smart as you say, then why not just go and better your grades. I'm sure you don't want to get kicked off the team either."

"No, I don't. But my grades aren't that bad yet. So I have nothing to worry about. Hurry up and solve these."

"Not until you answer my question." You say as you cross your arms. Kyotani looked up from the books and eyes you for a moment. He sighs and leans back slightly. "Either cause I just don't feel like going, or cause it just ain't worth the effort." He finally tells you. Really? That was it? He made it sound like it was so much more to it than that. It almost made you angry, you were failing but you actually tried to put in the time to go to class. The only time you've ever skipped class was the one time with Kyotani, and never before or after that. You went to school every day and tried as hard as you could, and yet, you still failed at what he claims to exceed in. He says this and he's not even there! He skips out and still makes better grades than you! And from the looks of it, he hardly ever studied like you. "It just doesn't make sense." You mutter. "What?" Kyotani asks, only for you to shake your head and get back to writing. "Look, I made a promise to the team that I would try harder at this manager thing. And I can't do that if I continue to fail like I am, and as for you? I can tell you have such a passion for volleyball, every time you play, you get this look in your eye. A look that says, "I'm going to be the best at this". But how the hell are you gonna the best at anything, if you keep skipping class and letting your grades slip?"

"What? This a lecture now?" Kyotani eyebrow twitched in a annoyance. "Damn right!" You leaned forwards on the the table and poked his chest, as you spoke with the sternness of a mother who was scolding her child for acting out. "Your grades might not be as bad as mine now, but they will be soon if you keep that shut up! And when that happens, you'll be kicked off the team! And we both don't want that now do we?" Kyotani had to bite back any spite that he wanted to throw your way. You had a point, so he would let you talk. "If I get kicked out it won't be much of a shock, but Kyotani your team needs you. Think of how upset they would be if you were removed because you didn't try your hardest." Your tone began to soften with every word. "I know I would be. You love this sport way too much to give it up so easily. So don't let this chance slip away from you, try harder, do better. That way, you can keep moving further. And who knows, maybe one of these days, you'll land yourself in a really famous volleyball team."

Kyotani was speechless, you were absolutely right. You were right to be upset with him, you were right about him loving the sport, you were right about it all. His eyes tore away from yours, meeting the table that sat in between you both. "Ok." Was all he said. "Ok!? You-" He cut you off before your temper could rise any further. "I'll start going to class more often. But you have to start trying harder too ok? I don't want you getting kicked out either." A smile made it's way onto your face. You held out your pinky. "Promise?" Kyotani rolled his eyes but interlocked his pinky with your own.

"Promise."

Previous | Next

#kyotani kentaro x reader #kyotani kentaro #haikyuu!!#mad dog #haikyuu kyoutani #haikyū!!#mad dog chan

20 notes · View notes

sleepyboiscafe · 2 years

Note

How did Tommy get hired even though used to be awful at cooking?

Hi! Thanks for the ask, Anon!

This has been previously answered in another post, but I'll gladly add on a bit more detail to it here.

This is the post: https://sleepyboiscafe.tumblr.com/post/667110751559909376/hello-about-the-au-how-did-tommy-learn-how-to

Tommy: Hello! I'll take this one.

Philza: Alright, don't do anything I wouldn't do. And don't be long, we'll be closing soon.

Tommy: Don't worry, it's me! What could possibly go wrong?

Philza: That's what I'm worried about.

Tommy: ... And he's gone. So, I was never great at cooking or baking. Hell, I dropped Home Ec the minute I could in secondary school. So, I was already at a disadvantage. But Tubbo, Ranboo and I need the money for something very important. And this was really the one of the only places that would hire someone at such short notice-

Tubbo: Hey, Tommy! We're going to miss the bus if you don't hurry.

Tommy: Alright, alright, give me a second, Toby. We're always early for the bus anyway.

Tubbo: I'm always early, not you. What are you doing?

Tommy: Answering some questions sent by customers online.

Tubbo: Yoooo, that's really cool! Can I help?

Tommy: Sure! If you're not in a rush to get home or anything.

Tubbo: Well, I kind of am, so let's make this quick! What have they asked?

Tommy: Well, one person here is asking how I got this job in the first place.

Tubbo: Well, it was mainly thanks to me and Ranboo, right?

Tommy: And my incredible work ethic.

Tubbo: ... Sure. You still owe me two new plates after you broke mine, you know that, right?

Tommy: How do you remember that?

Tubbo: Were you hoping I'd forget?

Tommy: ... Maybe. Anyways, customer, the first time I applied for this job went awfully. I messed up, showed up late, had no idea what I was doing and had pretty much ruined any chance I had of getting the job. But, the other potential jobs I could have had were either too far away, had already refused me or had totally banned me from the place.

Tubbo: *laughing* Pfft, remember the hotel room you set on fire and the hotel had to call the fire brigade-

Tommy: DON'T TELL THEM THAT, TUBBO.

Tubbo: *still laughing* Sorry, sorry.

Tommy: ANYWAYS. I needed this café to accept me, so I swore to return and rushed to Toby's house to get him to teach me to cook.

Tubbo: This was, like, just as I was in the middle of studying for a test I had the day after.

Tommy: Screw tests, this was important!

Tubbo: I guess. I still failed the test though, thanks to you.

Tommy: Oh, I didn't know that. Sorry.

Tubbo: It's alright, bossman. It's no big deal now! I mean, it paid off in the end, didn't it?

Tommy: Yeah, I eventually convinced him to teach me to bake.

Tubbo: I did a summer camp about two or three years ago for baking, and unlike Tommy I kept on Home Ec, so I had a good bit of experience, but not a ton.

Tommy: So we got Ranboo to help too. He had a bunch of cookbooks at home.

Tubbo: We spent the entire night baking and cooking. It was actually so much fun.

Tommy: We were really tired afterwards though, so I faked being sick so I wouldn't have to go to school. Then, I marched back into the café like the Big Man I am and insisted on trying for the job again. And this time I got it!

Tubbo: The café is also perfect for me and Tommy to walk to the bus stop together after work, since I work at the florist right next door.

Tommy: Oh, yeah! What's that like?

Tubbo: It's just a really nice time. Niki, my employer, is really kind. She was super patient with me during my first few days there and teaches me and Jack flower arrangement and the language of flowers during our breaks or when business is quiet.

Tommy: What's Jack like?

Tubbo: He's bald. And really funny.

Tommy: Huh. Interesting. Do you think I could take him in a fight?

Tubbo: ... Excuse me?

Philza: Boys, I think I'm going to close for the day now. Thanks for the work today, Tommy. I'll send your wages for today once I've finished cleaning up here, alright?

Tommy: No problem! Thanks, Phil!

Tubbo: Wait, what time is it?

Philza: It's a little bit after seven o'clock.

Tubbo: TOMMY WE'RE GONNA MISS OUR BUS.

Tommy: OH SHIT. OH FUCK. WE'LL MAKE IT IF WE RUN. SEE YOU, PHIL!

Philza: ... Bye?

#mcytblr #dream smp #dsmpblr #dream smp au #mcyt #sleepy bois au #sleepy boys inc #tommyinnit #dsmp #tubbo #ranboo #philza #philza minecraft #sleepy bois inc #Sleepy Bois Café #tw swearing #tw caps

7 notes · View notes

thenightowl4l · 3 years

Text

"Frankie!..."

" Frankie! Get up up your late for school!" Her mom yelled as she slammed open Frankie's bedroom door, standing there with both of her hands on her hips waiting until her daughter get's up.

" Ma " Frankie groaned underneath her white fluffy sheets " just a few more minutes " she said, just above a whisper with her groggy throat.

"No, you can't don't you remember you told me you have a test to take today... in chemistry..." As soon as Frankie heard those last words leave her mothers mouth she immediately shot up from underneath the sheets, running toward the bathroom to take a quick shower, She turned the knob on a warm temperature and made sure that she didn't take all day. As soon as she got out she dried the water off , put lotion on her body, then she put on her clothes. Which was some light blue baggy mom jeans, with a white fitted tank top tucked in the pants, with a leather jacket, with black AF1's. She didn't have time to do her makeup like usual, so she just put on some clear lipgloss and put her hair in a low slick middle part bun. It took her a total of 15 mins to get ready, luckily her school was only 3 mins away. Frankie ran down stairs to the kitchen were her mom was who had made Frankie some toast with jelly on top, Frankie hurried and kissed her mom on the cheek and said goodbye she grabbed her breakfast put the bread in her mouth and ran out the door, heading towards her school.

||| ( time skip)

Frankie had finally made it to her high school. She opened the big doors to the schools entrance, ran down the hall and opened her chemistry class door.

" You're late Ms. Ryan" Frankie's teacher Mr. Brown had obviously pointed out in a monotone voice. Frankie attempted to respond, but what her teacher and the other students heard was mumble jumble, she had forgotten that her breakfast was was still hanging in her mouth.

"Ms.Ryan... you know I don't tolerate people eating in my classroom, spit out that bread immediately!" Mr. Brown had stated.

Frankie was wide eyed and was completely dumbfounded that she had forgot that the bread was still in her mouth.

"I'm sorry Mr.Brown" she said as she walked towards his desk were the trash can was to throw away her bread, then she made her way to her desk which is right next to the window. She

Pulled out her chair as it made a screeching sound against the hard tiled floor, she sat down grabbed the pencil on her desk and immediately started on her chemistry test, which is when she remembered she had forgot to study for it. She murmured to herself.

"Could this day get any worse..."

Only if she knew.....

#black main characters #mystery thriller #suspense #main character #adventure #another world #dimensions

6 notes · View notes

samstrugglingwithlife · 4 years

Note

ok so,, hi! i've never requested before but i saw matchups were open and decided to give it a shot :) im 15 and fine with being matched with anyone from hq im pretty outgoing and extroverted, make friends with everyone pretty easily but never let anyone get too close. i'll tease sometimes but mostly i'll bake you cookies and help you study whatever subject you're having trouble with. an ideal date would be laser tag or going skating! fun and exciting activities are IT. thank you!!!! -🌱

Hello! I find you so adorable! I hope you like this matchup and the character!

I’m sorry if this doesn’t seem good enough. I’m not well so my thoughts are all jumbled. I know it’s not a good excuse to produce such crap but if you don’t like it at all let me know and I will rewrite it. I’m so sorry sweetheart, even though I was so excited to write this one.

SOU INUOKA

If Auto-correct changes Inuoka to Onion one more time ISTFG-

How You Two Met

You guys met at the laser tag arena. You were there with your friends. Inuoka was there the Nekoma volleyball team, it was their off day, and the juniors decided to drag everyone to the arena to play. Your group was smaller so you guys decided that both groups should play together. After a quick introduction, you guys filed into a small theatre-like room for orientation. You sat between Inuoka and Lev, Inuoka offered you bright, kind smile and you smiled back. All of you were divided into teams, you were on a team with Inuoka, Yaku, Lev, Yamamoto and two of your friends. The rest of your friends were on the other teams with the rest of the Nekoma members. Somehow, you ended up following Inuoka around and hiding behind him. He shielded you and got eliminated, you kept apologising, but he brushed it off with a laugh. By the end of the day, you guys all became super friendly. Since you and your friends were in the same age group as the first years, you guys all exchanged numbers and made a group chat so you guys could all coordinate when to meet again to play and hang out. Inuoka made the most impact on you, he was a cute, cheerful and a sweet guy.

How He Asked You Out And Your First Date

You got along with everyone, being so sweet and friendly as you were, but you got along best with Inuoka. You two are almost two peas in a pod, you're both such happy, friendly and active babies. Even though you guys didn't go to the same schools, you guys often met up at each other's houses so you could help his dumbass prepare for tests or do his homework. Inuoka loved that you always had something baked for him whenever he came over to your place. Without knowing it, he developed a fat crush on you. He didn't understand his feelings at all because dumb of ass he is, but whenever he saw Lev sling his arm around your shoulder in a friendly manner, he felt sick in his stomach. He couldn't understand why until one day, he is ranting about this during lunch to one of the first years and the seniors hear him. Kuroo is doing that thing where he goes, "Ahh Youth." Kai explains to him that he may like you more than a friend and that if he wants to be your boyfriend he should take his time and confess to you. Now, remember, the ass is dumb. Right after practice, Inuoka runs to your place and blurts it all out, doesn't even give you time to think and asks you to be his girlfriend. You also like him, so obviously, you said yes but not without teasing him. On your first date, you two go out rollerblading. He makes you laugh when you see his legs wobble as tries to stay upright and keep his balance and not fall on his ass. You offer to help him, taking his hand and pulling him with you, as you teach him you intertwine your fingers with his. This causes him to malfunction™ and both of you go tumbling to the floor, you fell on top of him. Both of you were red as beets and hurried back to your feet, though Inuoka fell and slipped thrice before you finally helped him up. It was a fun date and you felt that Inuoka was a very sweet guy an that he was going to make you happy. Both of you left liking each other a bit more than before.

What’s Your Relationship Like

You guys are the most fun cheerful couple there is! You both love fun activities and adventure, so your dates are full of exciting outings and visiting new places. Inuoka is s devoted as a dog, you just have to say it and its done, no matter what it is. He loves that you bake treats for him and he once offered to help, but neither of you talks about that disaster. He brings you wildflowers that grow in his mom's garden every time you guys meet up for a date. I kinda imagine that at first, you're both very shy to even hold hands in public but as your relationship progresses, all he wants to do is hold your hand tight in his and hug you at all times. He's like tape, he has to be close at all times. He calls you his buttercup, I don't make the rules. All in all, you are both very cute, affectionate, hyper little babies who are perfect for each other. He loves you so so so much and wants to make you happy at all cost. I love both of you, please sign the adoption papers!

#haikyuu #🥭 matchups

4 notes · View notes

oldanatomical-heartt · 4 years

Text

¿Te encanto?

Wrote this when I was fourteen, so it’s a little cringey. Forgive me for any Spanish errors, I was only in my second year of Spanish and I’ve been out of Spanish classes for too long to go back and correct it :(

(Translations are in parenthesis)

Peter glanced at the classroom behind him from his front row seat. He'd been placed there, right next to the teacher's desk, after he was caught too many times watching YouTube instead of conjugating Spanish verbs. As he looked at his classmates' faces, looking at their phones participating in the review game, he noticed one girl in the back wasn't. He peered around the boy slightly blocking his sight to see her, (H/C) (hair type) hair, spilling over the arms she was resting her chin on.

"Peter!" Profe Rojas called, Peter snapping his head back towards the front.

"Yes, Profe?"

"You haven't answered the past three questions, if you need this review for the test, I suggest you participate," the teacher snapped.

"Yes, Profe," Peter said quietly, even though he knew he normally got a hundred percent on his exams.

Peter answered a few more questions before Profe Rojas passed out the test and the class began to complete it.

Half an hour later with his completed test turned in, Peter sat at his desk twiddling with his thumbs, thinking of what might happen today. Unfortunately, the bell interrupted his thoughts of Spider-Man's adventures. As he quickly gathered his papers and things, Peter looked to see if the girl was there, but she had already left. Peter sighed and was about to leave, when his teacher caught him on his way out.

"Peter," Profe Rojas said, making Peter turn.

"Yes?" Peter grimaced, afraid of the lecture he was about to receive.

"Lo siento, I forgot that even though you can sometimes be a delinquent, o un estudiante muy perezoso, you are very good at Spanish." (I'm sorry, I forgot that even though you can sometimes be a delinquent, or a very lazy student, you are very good at Spanish)

"Oh, than-"

"-try again," he interrupted.

"Lo siento. Muchas gracias Profe, estudié mucho." (Sorry. Thank you very much Profe, I studied a lot)

"Bueno, hasta mañana Peter." (Good, see you tomorrow Peter)

"Adiós!" Peter called over his shoulder as he jogged out of class.

Rushing back to his locker Peter shoved his homework into his backpack, before racing out of the school doors and into the streets of Queens. Turning down an alleyway Peter dug through his backpack to pull out the Spider-Man suit that was hidden underneath all his books. Quickly changing behind a dumpster and then webbing his backpack to a wall, Peter was off, making his daily rounds.

The rest of the day went by without anything of much interest, retrieving a stolen purse, catching underage teens drinking beer, playing some kickball with some first-graders. Exhausted, Peter came home and easily went through his homework, before sitting down with May for dinner and then going out for his uneventful nightly rounds, before returning home for bed.

The next day couldn't have gone by any slower for Peter, who upon entering school caught a glimpse of the girl from the back of Spanish class. He didn't know what it was about her, but something about her was drawing him in. Each class drudged along, Peter watching the clock until fourth period. Finally, when the bell rang Peter breezed by a confused Ned on his quick-paced route to the A rooms. Despite his attempt, Peter had just walked in the door when the bell rang and was quickly ushered into his seat.

"¡Buenas tardes mis amigos y amigas! ¡Hoy es viernes, viernes, viernes!" Profe Rojas enthusiastically announced to the class, stretching the e in buenas and repeating 'viernes' like a sports announcer. (Good afternoon my friends! Today is Friday, Friday, Friday!)

The class collectively rolled their eyes at Profe Rojas's attempt to seem cool, this was not the first and definitely not his last attempt.

"I've graded your exams, and to the majority of the class, muy bueno! Ellos estudiaron, correcto?" Profe asked with a smile as he began handing back the tests row by row. ( I've graded your exams, and to the majority of the class, very good! You all studied, right?)

"Unfortunately, some of you did not do as well as I hoped you would. If you have a note written on your exam, please see me after class," Profe said, looking directly at Peter.

Peter started to sweat, he thought he did good on the test, he knew almost every answer, but maybe he didn't. Anxious, he began twiddling his fingers as Profe finally reached his desk, the last row. He almost ripped the test when he grabbed it from Profe's hands. To his relief and confusion, on the top of the test next to the name slot was "100% Muy Bueno Peter ¡Congratulaciones!" (100% Very good Peter Congratulations!) Peter leaned back and let out a sigh as all of his fears quickly hit the floor. Peter glanced at the girl in the back and noticed she had her head in her hands with her hood over her head.

"(Y/N), no veo tu cabeza," Profe said, which made the girl look up. ((Y/N), I can't see your head)

She looked like she was thinking, for a moment, when Profe tapped his head where her hood was. She slowly nodded, removing the hood.

"Sorry," she said softly, so quiet Peter wouldn't have heard if he wasn't paying attention.

"En español por favor," Profe corrected. (In Spanish please)

"Oh, uh, lo siento." (Oh, uh, I'm sorry)

"Bueno!" Profe called, but Peter didn't hear him because all he could think about was how he now knew the girl's name.

(Y/N).

Class went as usual, now learning demonstratives. All throughout the lesson, Peter kept glancing back at (Y/N), as she seemed in a daze as she followed the lesson (much like Peter). The bell ringing startled Peter, as it suddenly seemed to do that a lot recently. Peter didn't know what he was going to say, but he knew that he wanted to introduce himself to (Y/N), as she had not left yet. Furiously stuffing his backpack Peter was about to make his way over to her when Profe Rojas called him over yet again. Peter sighed frustratedly as he tried to appear neutral to his teacher.

"Peter! Hablé con tu tía and she approved my proposal." (Peter! I talked with your aunt and she approved my proposal)

Peter shifted from one leg to the other in discomfort as Profe Rojas continued.

"You see, some students are having a bit of trouble in class, no comprende los lecciones, y necesita asistencia para aprender". (You see, some students are having a bit of trouble in class, they don't understand the lessons, and need help to learn.)

"Okay, I don't understand, I have an A in this class..." Peter said.

"Sí, sí. Estas correcto. Your aunt told me you'd be available to tutor those students who aren't doing so well, and she thinks it'll be a better use of your time than what she says you already do."

Peter shifted again, slightly nervous about his 'mysterious whereabouts' with Aunt May.

"Then I don't have much of a choice, do I."

Profe laughed slightly at Peter's reply, "Not really, no."

"Alright then, who will I be tutoring?"

"Me."

Peter whirled around to see (Y/N) there, glancing from the floor to Peter and to the floor again. She awkwardly clung to the straps of her backpack and slighting rolling on the balls of her feet.

"(Y/N), isn't doing so well, I was hoping you'd be able to help her understand the lessons better," Profe said.

"Yeah yeah, sure, uh, when would this start?" Peter asked, suddenly anxious.

"You free today? Like right after school?" (Y/N) asked, staring at Peter's shoes.

"Uh..." Peter thought for a moment.

He wanted to make his daily rounds right after school, but he also wanted to meet with (Y/N).

"Yes, I am," Peter stated.

"¡Excelente!" Profe cheered, "Escribo permisos para ustedes". (Excellent! I'll write passes for you both)

Peter and (Y/N) stood next to each other, awkwardly waiting for Profe Rojas to fill out the passes, one for the library after school and one for them to get to their next class on time, as the passing period was almost over and students were already filling the previously empty desks. They kept stealing glances at each other, quickly looking away once they made accidental eye contact.

"Bueno! Now hurry to class, don't misuse those passes," Profe said, and as Peter and (Y/N) exited the classroom they could hear a faint "Excelente! Buenas tardes mis amigos y amigas! Hoy es vierrrrrrrrrrrrnes!" (Great! Now hurry to class, don't misuse those passes//Excellent! Good afternoon my friends! Today is Fridaaaaaaaaaaay!)

"Sorry about this," (Y/N) said, motioning to everything with her hands.

"It's er- totally cool," Peter replied, trying to figure out what to do with his arms.

"You sure? I mean my failing grade is now a burden to you, and your probably secret girlfriend," (Y/N) said casually.

"My- my what?" Peter stammered, caught off guard by (Y/N)'s statement.

"Your aunt thinks tutoring will be a better use of your time, and you're not in any sports, and a dorky guy like you probably doesn't have much of a social life, no offense, of course, so probably no scandalous parties or the like. Which means you're probably sneaking off to do stuff, which means you have a girlfriend that you're hiding from your aunt, or y'know you could secretly be that Spider-Man dude or something," (Y/N) said, laughing at her joke, which received an awkward forced laugh from Peter.

"You caught me, I'm sneaking off, but I don't have a girlfriend."

"Really?" (Y/N) responded, genuinely surprised.

"Yes really, why is that so shocking?" Peter questioned, secretly hoping (Y/N) didn't have to turn down a hallway to get to her next class soon.

"I didn't think you swung that way," (Y/N) replied, Peter turning embarrassingly red.

"I'm not gay I swear, Ned's my best friend that's it!"

"Woah there, didn't mean to touch a nerve," (Y/N) taunted slightly smirking, "Anyways, c'mon dude, you're pretty much at the top of every class, and I wouldn't be surprised if at least one person found you cute or something, hopefully a girl for your sake," she said breaking into a grin at her humor.

Peter blushed when she said someone could find him cute, but calmed himself down.

"No, still no girlfriend, but there is one girl I've got my eye on," Peter said, mind wandering to Liz.

"Ooooooooh, spill," (Y/N) said, elbowing him in the ribs.

"D-don't you think that's kind of personal? I mean no offense but I barely know you," Peter said, clutching his backpack straps, leaning away from (Y/N)'s elbowing with a red face.

"Isn't that the point of strangers, we spill our secrets to them because they can't mock us since they'll never see us again," (Y/N) replied, eyebrows raised.

"Maybe, but I'm seeing you again, today, exactly."

"Fair point," (Y/N) said, retreating.

They walked a few more feet in a comfortable silence for (Y/N), but an awkward one for Peter.

"What class you heading to?" Peter asked, attempting to fill the silence of the empty hallways, save for their footsteps.

"Honors chem, but I might drop it. Not willingly, of course. My Spanish grade is making my parents think I should take regular classes until I'm back on track," (Y/N) answered shrugging.

"How bad is it anyway, to know what I'm getting myself into?"

"D+, 68% exactly. I studied so hard for that test, I don't even know what I did wrong," (Y/N) responded, retracting into herself and frowning at the floor.

"Sorry, didn't mean to upset you," Peter said with concern.

(Y/N) sighed, "It's fine, I had to bring it up eventually. Anyways, sorry to cut this short but Mrs. Hahn's room is this way," she said pointing up the staircase.

"Alright, my class is down that hall over there. See you later, right?"

"Yeah, nice talking to you Peter," (Y/N) said smiling sweetly.

"You too," Peter said, waving before watching (Y/N) flip up her hood and begin walking up the stairs and then he walked his own way. (Y/N) smiled to herself as she walked up that stairs, very content with herself for holding a pleasant conversation for that long with Peter. Peter himself now couldn't wait for the end of the day more than usual, unable to wipe the grin from his face.

"What's got you so happy?" Ned asked, leaning forward on his elbows.

"What do you mean?" Peter answering Ned's question with a question.

"You haven't mentioned Liz's haircut all lunch, what're you thinking about?"

"Apparently I'm tutoring some girl from my Spanish class after school," Peter said casually.

"A girl! Peter you ladies man!" Ned exclaimed, slapping Peter on the back, "give me details!"

"It's nothing big, she's got a D+ in Spanish and Aunt May told my teacher I'd be more useful tutoring than running around for uh-" Peter glanced around, "for the 'Stark internship.'"

"What's her name? What's she look like? How'd it happen? Have you guys talked yet? Is she cute?"

Peter blushed at Ned's last question and shrugged him off.

"Her name is (Y/N) and Profe introduced us to each other and then we walked to class."

"Oh my GOD she's cute, isn't she? (Y/N)? (Y/N) who? Has she said anything to you yet? What kind of girl is she, like a nerd, athlete, goth, skater, emo?"

"Ned I would love to answer your questions but all I know is that her name is (Y/N) and we had a nice conversation on our way to our next classes."

"Gimme the rundown, what was the conversation about?"

"Well, I think it started with her apologizing for being a burden and 'taking me away from my secret girlfriend.' Then I guess she complimented me? And then it was a bi-"

"Wait, what? Dude, did she ask you if you had a girlfriend?"

"Well, not directly, she was-"

"Did she?!"

"I guess kind of?"

"Dude! She totally likes you!"

"Ned please, that's- that's not true."

"She was trying to see if you were available!"

"No, no way."

"He's right," Michelle spoke up from down the table.

The boys snapped their heads towards the unexpected input.

"This- this is a private conversation!" Peter sputtered.

"I know," Michelle stated before picking up her tray and walking to throw away her trash.

"Duuuuuuuuude," Ned said, eyes wide and smiling from ear to ear.

Peter rolled his eyes, nonchalantly checking his watch every two minutes.

When the bell rang at the end of the day Peter all but walked to the library, only to find (Y/N) already standing outside the doors, pass in hand, looking in the glass walls. She heard Peter's footsteps and turned around, face visibly brightening at the sight of Peter.

"Hey, I thought it'd be best to go in together," (Y/N) said smiling.

"Yeah, good thinking," Peter replied, with the same smile on his face as well.

The duo walked into the library, handing the lady working the desk their passes to be in the library after school hours. She signed them and sent them to a "study room" which was really just a table in between three bookshelves to create makeshift walls.

"So, what do you need the most help with?" Peter asked, setting his bag down in a chair before sitting in the one next to it.

"Everything," (Y/N) sighed, before sitting in the chair next to Peter and pulling it closer to him while hooking her backpack strap over the back of her chair.

Peter tensed when she moved her chair, Ned's words from lunch echoed in his ears as he told himself Ned was wrong.

"Could- could I look at your test from today?" Peter asked, his voice an octave higher.

"Yeah sure," (Y/N) replied, pulling the slightly dog-eared packet out of her backpack.

(Y/N) handed the test to Peter, and he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with how much (Y/N) didn't understand. She'd missed nearly every question, but some of it was just unfair grading, like she'd missed an entire question for having an unnecessary accent.

"I'm not stupid," (Y/N) said from her chair, peering over the edge of the paper reading Peter's reaction, "Just so you know."

Peter immediately put down the paper, "No, no, I didn't say I think you are!"

"I know, but I got a 31% on this test, you're bound to think I'm a little... slow, I guess."

"You're not slow, it just seems- do you pay attention in class?" Peter asked, afraid she'd take offense to his question.

"I mean I try," (Y/N) said, shaking her head, "but Profe talks so fast and mostly in Spanish and everything just goes over my head."

"So you have issues understanding the words?"

"I guess so..."

"Well, let's start there then. We'll start with you learning the vocabulary, and then how to construct sentences. They won't have to be correct and all in Spanish, but it will help you start to understand how to use the words and article adjectives and the conjugation and stuff."

"Alright, okay. You sure this doesn't make me sound dumb?"

"I'm sure, besides, it's okay to be smart in most classes but not understand other classes."

"Psssh, says you, Mr. Perfect!" (Y/N) snickered, lightly pushing Peter's arm.

Thoughts ran through Peter's mind, is (Y/N) flirting? She just called me perfect... She's still laughing.... (Y/N) has a nice laugh... Peter cleared his mind and laughed along with her.

"Hey, I'm not perfect, I mess up on things, big things," Peter said, remembering heroic acts gone wrong he'd done.

"Like what?" (Y/N) was staring at Peter, sincerely interested in what he'd thought he'd messed up on.

"Aren't you supposed to be studying?" Peter asked, wanting to divert the conversation.

"Aren't you supposed to be tutoring me?" (Y/N) replied, smirking before letting out a hearty laugh.

It was just a simple laugh, but that didn't stop Peter's breath from catching in his throat and his cheeks to turn a shade redder. His grin doubled in size as he pulled his binder out of his backpack ready to begin.

"Touché," he said, unclipping his vocab packet from the binder rings, "Alright, I'm just going to go down the list and see what you already know. If you don't know it, we'll highlight it, okay?"

"Yep, sounds good," her smile faltered for a moment before continuing, "But y'know I'm not very good at it."

"That's alright, you have to start somewhere. Ready?"

(Y/N) gave a weak smile, "Ready."

"Okay, aburir," Peter said.

"Uh- to bore."

"Correct!"

"I only remember it because when we went over the definitions I said 'me.'"

"Doesn't matter, still correct. Aprender."

"To learn."

"Asistir."

"To assist?"

"Kind of? That's a translation but the one we're using in class is to attend."

"That's so misleading."

"Yeah, I guess. Okay, asistir is highlighted. What about bucear?"

"No clue."

"To scuba dive."

"When- when would I ever use that?" She asked in pure confusion.

"Obviously when you're going scuba diving."

The sentence wasn't meant to be a joke, but it wasn't to make fun of (Y/N) either. Neither of it mattered, because (Y/N) giggled at it anyway. Peter's hands fidgeted and then he kept going down the list of verbs. Moments turned to minutes which turned to hours and before they knew it two and a half hours had gone by and (Y/N) and Peter were still working. They had moved on from translations and moved to conjugation, which Peter found (Y/N) completely understood and was even quicker at conjugations than he was. Now Peter was asking (Y/N) questions in Spanish and (Y/N) was replying in complete sentences using as little English words as possible.

"Okay okay, quién es tu tutor de español?" (Okay, okay, who is your Spanish tutor?)

(Y/N) smiled, "Tu, Peter es mi tutor de español." (You, Peter is my Spanish tutor)

"Muy bueno, qué color es la camiseta de tu?" (Very good, what color is your shirt?)

"Uh- colors colors colors... la camiseta de mi es... the feminine form of red?" (Uh- colors colors colors... my shirt is... the feminine form of red?)

"It starts with an r," Peter hinted.

"Rrrrrr-red?" (Y/N) said, giving him a lopsided smile.

Peter laughed, "R-O."

"Roja! I knew that!"

"Good job," Peter snickered.

The pair had become very comfortable with one another in the past hours, not afraid to crack a joke or say something dumb. Peter's confidence was growing, as was (Y/N)'s. However, Peter took notice that (Y/N) laughed at all his jokes no matter how dumb, and again Ned's words echoed through his head. Peter was starting to get this major crush on (Y/N), but he didn't know if she felt the same.

"What are you staring at, Peter?" (Y/N) asked, noticing he'd been looking at her a while.

"S-sorry, you just have an eyelash," he lied.

"Oh, where?" She asked, rubbing her fingers under her eyes.

"Here let- let me get it," Peter said, a faint blush on his cheeks as he leaned forward and cupped your cheek as he ran his thumb under your eye.

He pretended to brush it on the ground removing his hand from your face before murmuring, "Got it."

"Thanks, Peter," you smiled at him, cheeks the faintest shade of pink.

"So- uh- more questions then?" Peter squeaked.

"Yeah."

"Quien te gusta?" (Who do you like?)

(Y/N) hesitated a moment before answering, "Me gustan mi familia y my amiga mejor." (I like my family and my best friend)

"Quien te encanta?" (Who do you like (romanically)?)

Peter held his breath. (Y/N) looked at Peter in his eyes, unable to read his expression.

"Me- me encantan mi familia y mis amigos." (I- I love my family and friends)

"No tienes un novio o una novia?" (You don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend?)

"N-no, no lo tengo." (N-no, I don't have one)

(Y/N)'s heart was beating rapidly and Peter was taking shaky breaths.

"Quieres un novio?" (Do you want a boyfriend?)

"Lo depen- depende." (It depen- depends)

"Quieres a mi estoy te novio?" (Do you want me to be your boyfriend?)

Peter bit his lips with the sudden rush of anxiety. (Y/N) just stared at him, increasing the feeling of knots in his stomach. After what seemed like an eternity of the two just staring at each other, (Y/N)'s voice, soft and barely a whisper, made itself clear.

"S-sí."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," (Y/N) began nodding her head quickly while grinning ear to ear.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh okay, um, when are you free? I'm pretty busy myself, but I'm sure I can clear some stuff. Not that I'm trying to make it sound like you don't deserve my time, because you totally do, I just, with all these AP and honors classes I'm pretty booked, not to mention my internship, which is draining as well, but-"

"I'm free Friday, if that works for you. Pick me up at seven? There's this new spy movie I wanna go see, if that works for you," (Y/N) interrupted.

"Yes, yes that- that works out perfectly, yes."

"Great," (Y/N) smiled, picking up her stuff.

"Well, I was supposed to leave an hour ago but if I tell my mom the tutoring ran late I won't be in any trouble. See you tomorrow, Peter."

"Yeah, see you," Peter replied, giving a small wave.

He watched her as she walked out the doors of the library, then the doors of the school which we across the hall before returning to his own stuff and picking it up. He couldn't believe it. He had a date with the cute girl from his Spanish class!

#first time posting my own work kinda nervous #peter parker #peter parker imagine #peter parker x reader #tom holland #tom holland imagine #tom holland x reader #marvel imagine #spiderman #spiderman x reader #spiderman imagine #reader insert #x reader

78 notes · View notes

lady-snavely · 3 years

Text

Sands of Time: Part Three

Blossomed Feelings

Pairing: Kuroo Tetsuro x Fem!OC

Warnings: mentions of death, swearing, mutual pining, all the fluff

A/N: as always, reblogs are super appreciated!

Like every other day when they came in, she was on her break. Today, she was perched in a window in the children's area with her legs drawn up loosely. There was a book in her hand, presumably the same one from a couple of days ago. Hidden safely beneath the tent of her knees was a steaming mug.

Jade's ears perked, her attention momentarily divided when she heard Bokuto, obnoxious as ever, greet her coworkers across the building. She was sure he included an exaggerated wave as well. Her advanced hearing, one of the few bonuses of being Fae, even allowed her to hear Daichi silence Bokuto with a low warning.

"There's a big enough table over there that's free." He was telling the group. She knew exactly which table he was referring to as she'd made sure it was clear before she went on break twenty minutes ago.

With a sigh, she closed her book and stood gingerly so as not to disturb her drink. The study group was her queue that her break was over soon. Still, finishing the chapter sounded real nice.

Nonetheless Jade found herself smiling as she glided through the aisles that were as familiar to her now as her own apartment. Her thoughts were with the oddball company of heroes and heroines from her book. Even preoccupied she nodded politely at the group of boys taking their places at the table.

"Fancy seeing you here again."

"Good afternoon to you too, Kuroo," she replied without stopping. "You all know where to find me if you need help with anything."

Yaku snickered and jabbed his elbow into Kuroo's ribs. "She didn't even bother to look at you."

"Her break's about over," Akaashi defended. "Iwaizumi messaged me a few moments ago, he and Oikawa won't be joining us tonight."

"Good, they can keep that stomach bug away from us then," Daichi grumbled.

"Please, they're probably having their own fun." Kuroo wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"I wouldn't put it past them," Akaashi murmured. He turned to Bokuto and gave him a warning glare. "Make sure you actually work on your Maths today. You nearly failed your last test."

For well over an hour Kuroo was able to focus on his studying despite his loudmouth of a friend sitting across from him. Bokuto came along more for the social aspect than anything else. Not that any of them really cared the way Akaashi did, study group was the only chance they had during the week to get together anyway.

With a small groan Kuroo stood. He needed a break to stretch his legs. He wandered the shelves aimlessly, stopping on occasion to read a synopsis or two before continuing on. He really didn't have much free time at the moment, what with midterms starting to ramp up. Still, Kuroo made a mental note of books to read once the workload began to die down.

"-depends on what you're interested in, honestly." He overheard Jade saying. "Let's start off with something simple to help narrow it down. Are you looking for a stand alone story or a series?"

Kuroo, for reasons unknown even to himself, hid two aisles over and listened in on the exchange. Since starting at the nearby university last year he'd learned quickly that Jade was good at her job. Great even. Any time he'd needed help with research or simply pointed in the right direction, she'd been prompt with answers. Sometimes she even went above the call to suggest further material that always seemed to have more information than he'd ever need.

Still it amazed him that in a matter of a few questions Jade was excitedly showing the younger guest a section that would entertain her. "I'm a little older than the intended audience but this series here in incredible. But if you're interested in something a little more magickal - and I don't mean witches and wizards - then I suggest this series just here."

With a faint smile Kuroo turned from the duo to head back to his studying. "Fuck," he hissed when he ran into and nearly knocked over Yaku. "Creepy little shit. What are you doing?"

Yaku glared up at his taller friend with a wicked grin. "If I'm creepy what do you call what you were just doing?" He countered. A quick peek around Kuroo gave Yaku the answer he needed. "Admiring the view?"

Kuroo looked over his shoulder and saw the girl from before already devouring the suggested book. Jade was nowhere to be seen. "She's a bit young for me, don't you think?"

Yaku rolled his eyes. Sometimes he really wondered if Kuroo was, in fact, a total moron. Kuroo's infatuation with the Human girl had become more and more evident over the last year. There were some not so obvious clues, like how he just happened to run into her when he was wandering around, or how he had started zoning out in classes. Then there was the blindingly obvious: watching her like creep from the other aisle while she helped other guests, for example. "Come back to the table," he finally sighed. "I need help with the Biology assignment."

"My time to shine," Kuroo smirked.

"Don't go getting an ego."

"I would never."

Both girls were seemingly non the wiser to what had transpired only two aisles away.

Daichi, Akaashi and Yaku continued to study dutifully while Bokuto successfully managed to distract Kuroo. Jade had only one other guest after the younger girl had left with two new books in hand.

Even with that one person closing time seemed to come a little too soon for Jade. They always did on days the study group came in. She enjoyed listening to their friendly banter and teasing, they were good company and often pulled her into their conversations on slower nights.

Tonight was no different than any other night the group came in. It was closing time and they were still there, sitting at the same table they'd procured from the moment they walked in hours before. However, studying had been thrown out the window some time ago she recalled as she made her way over. Currently they were chatting, all but Bokuto and Yaku, who had fallen asleep.

Propping a hand on the back of Akaashi's chair she sighed, forcing disappointment into her words. "Time for me to lock up guys."

"Is it that time already?" Daichi glanced at his phone before sighing himself and rubbing at his eyes. "Sorry to be a bother again, Jade."

"I tell you every time: you aren't a bother, Daichi," Jade shrugged. "Libraries have always been around for a reason. Apparently a good location for a power nap is one of them." She roused Yaku gently, giving him a warm smile when he blinked up at her. "Closing time sleepy head."

"We'll get out of your hair as soon as we wake Bokuto," Akaashi assured her.

"Take your time, I've got some cleaning to finish up anyway."

Jade turned away but not before catching the mischievous grin on Kuroo's face. Just as she expected, the indistinguishable thud of a dropped stack of books met her ears. "Wake up!"

"Bro!" Bokuto whined. Jade's nose wrinkled at the shout. No matter how much she heard it she would never get used to that term.

"Time to go, Bokuto," Kuroo said without a hint of apology in his voice.

Kuroo waited by the checkout counter for Jade to come out of the back office. Over the past year it had become a sort of habit for him to wait for her while she clocked out and locked the building up for the night. In more than one hundred attempts she had yet to agree to, at the very least, allowing him to walk her to the bus stop. Maybe tonight would be different? There was only one way to know for sure.

"Ready to go, Kuroo?"

"Only if you are!" He replied. A triumphant smile adorned his face when a soft chuckle met his ears. Kuroo clasped his hands, fingers knit together tightly before asking, "Would you like some company on your way home tonight?"

It came as no surprise to Kuroo that she didn't reply right away. She emerged from the back office with the satisfied smile that came from finally being off the clock. "Thank you, but I'll be okay on my own tonight."

Kuroo cocked his head to the side for a moment before nodding. "One of these days you'll say yes."

"You're so sure of yourself, Kuroo." She snickered and ducked her head to hunt for her keys in her bag. "I appreciate the offer as always."

They left the building in comfortable silence. Jade tugged at the building doors, testing the locks before heaving a content sigh. "I saw you looking at some books early," she mentioned casually when they reached the sidewalk. "I can put them on hold for you. If you want, that is."

"Not with midterms in a couple weeks." Kuroo shook his head but smiled down at Jade. "That's very kind of you though."

Jade smirked. "I try my best."

Kuroo fought the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders. He didn't know it, but she caught the twitch in his fingers. "Get home safe, okay Jade?"

"Don't worry, you'll see me all safe and in one piece on Friday, Kuroo." Jade's smile, highlighted by nearby street lights, brought an unwelcomed heat crawling up his neck.

"Right, well, good night, Jade." He retreated into the shadows quickly before she could see the blush spreading up across his cheeks.

"May sleep find you easily tonight, Kuroo." Jade dipped her head slightly before she herself hurried off in the direction of her bus stop.

Kuroo stared after her until she was out of sight before he sighed and began his journey home. When he stepped into his dorm room he wasn't surprised to see Kenma poking feverishly at the buttons of his video game. They had intrigued him from the moment he'd laid eyes on them.

Kenma's elf ears were poking through his hair, the only sign that he was no longer holding his Humanoid form. Kuroo received a murmured greeting from his long time friend as he removed his shoes.

"You missed out," he told Kenma.

"Unlikely."

Kuroo chuckled at that as he made his way into their shared room to change. As he did, he shifted with a sigh of satisfaction. It was only in their shared dorm room or when they were home visiting their folks that he and Kenma could safely shift back to their Fae forms.

"The Solstice Festival is coming up," Kuroo reminded his friend.

"Oh." Came the reply. Kenma's attention was barely pulled from his video game. Kuroo said no more on the subject, knowing full well that when the time came Kenma would leave the Human entertainment behind and return home for the Festival.

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

Jade's heart was racing and not only because she was running. Had it been a trick of the light or had he been blushing just before she left? She supposed either were possible, even with the street lights the lighting wasn't favorable, and she was nearly a foot shorter than him so the angle was weird too. She tried not to dwell on it too much.

She didn't want to get too close to him this time around. She brushed off his advances, his attempts at getting closer, as best as she could but her job didn't allow for blatant ignoring of guests, so it was difficult. But she didn't want her heart broken. Not again.

Tears glistened in her eyes as she stood beneath the light of the bus stop. She dried them before they could fall; before they could be seen. In all her years on Earth, why was it a Human that had to come along and capture her heart?

When the bus arrived it only had a handful of occupants. Given the time of night this was to be expected and allowed Jade her pick of the crop as far as where to sit for her journey home. She hugged her knees tight to her chest when she sat, her temple leaning against the cool glass of the window at her side. Normally she would read, but she knew if she opened her book the pages would remain unturned, for try as she might, her mind raced with memories of the past. Of the wild laugh that sent the butterflies in her stomach soaring. That almost there smile that had found her time and time again over the centuries.

As much as she wanted to, Jade suppressed the desire to shift back into her Fae form as soon as her door was locked behind her. Showers were much easier without the wings getting in the way. So it wasn't until she stepped from her bathroom half an hour later that she released the invisible thread of thought that kept her Humanoid form in place.

M.List | Next

#haikyuu x oc #kuroo tetsuro x oc #kuroo tetsuro #haikyuu!!#snavelywrites #sands of time

1 note · View note

boopie-balloon-lover-com · 4 years

Text

Bakugou's Little Sister: Deku x reader

The sun is shining, birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and Bakugou is ready to kill a man. The halls of UA are unusually quiet with no students roaming after school, not even the teachers are around. It’s odd but who ca- BAM! The front door slammed wide opened and in came a steaming blonde headed boy. With each step he took the ground underneath him rumbled; Steam rose from his calloused hands with a few sparks here and there. If anyone got in his path I’d hate to be them. He continued on his furious rampage all the way to the doors of class 1A. “..I wonder what the test’s gonna be about..” Deku mumbled nonsense under his breath while packing up his copious amounts of journals and school work. He was off in his own little world, making plans to study later on in the day. Deku would never have guessed what was coming his way.

The classroom doors flung open, startling Deku and ending his train of thought. Sweat started to form on his brow as he slowly turned to see who had made such a big entrance. “H-hey Kacchan!” Deku tried to sound cheerful but the murderous look in Bakugou’s eyes didn’t make it easy. “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE HUH?” Bakugou stepped closer and slammed his crackling hand on the desk. Deku’s expression blanked as he tried to remember if he did something wrong but nothing came to mind. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Around this time Izuku wished he had left school earlier. Bakugou cackled while his lips turned up in a dangerous smirk, “Playing innocent is GONNA GET YOU DEAD FASTER.”

Step by step he backed poor Deku into the wall. “I KNOW YOU LIKE MY SISTER SHITHEAD, I SEE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT HER. LUCKY FOR YOU I’M GONNA BLAST THAT IDEA RIGHT OUTTA YOUR HEAD! A LOSER LIKE YOU CAN NEVER DATE MY SISTER.” Deku felt his soul leave his body, he thought nobody would ever find out about his secret crush. Thoughts started to race through his mind. Oh God, what if he tells (y/n)? Death sounded pretty nice to him right now. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Deku decided to tell a white lie, realizing that Bakugou is only assuming he has a crush. “YOU FUCKING LIAR. I’M GONNA BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT!” Fuming, Kacchan raised his hand as mini explosions started to erupt from them. Just before he got closer a menacing aura filled the room.

"Katsuki, what the fuck are you doing.” Your voice rang clear as the room became so silent you could hear a pin drop. The menacing aura the two boys felt was coming from you. Your bright scarlet eyes gleamed with a dominance that seemed to run in the Bakugou family. Katsuki, your brother, slowly turned around while dropping his hand to his side. “This shithead is pining after you.” He crossed his arms and growled (like the dog he is). Your head cocked to the side as a malicious smile grew on your face. “If he’s pining after me then let him. Stop being an asshole and mind your own business Suki.” Bakugou did not like your response at all. “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME (Y/N)? YOU’RE NOT GONNA GO OUT WITH SHITTY DEKU.” You took Bakugou by the collar of his shirt, pulling him close.

"YOU DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO YOU BIG BABY. IZUKU ISN’T SHITTY, YOU ARE! NOW GO HOME BEFORE I BEAT YOUR FACE IN.” You let go while glaring at him until he broke, mumbling, “Shut the hell up; you don’t tell me what to do. I’m going home.” Bakugou shoved you aside to walk out the door and before he went out the door he glared at Deku. “Don’t touch my fucking sister or I’ll kill you.” And with that Bakuhoe left grumbling to himself. You turned back to Deku from watching your irritating brother leave the room. He looked a bit stunned but only because of how Bakugou didn’t explode when you yelled at him.

"T-thanks (y/n).” Deku knew he probably could’ve taken care of the situation but honestly he was relieved because dealing with bakugou is a workout. You just nodded your head, cracking your knuckles. The screaming was hard to listen to but something stood out from what you said. “Do you mean that..?” You crossed your arms, knowing exactly what he was talking about. “If you were pinning after me I wouldn’t mind but you aren’t so forget about it!” You grumbled, a light blush appearing on your face. Deku tried to hide the smile that crossed his from seeing your adorable blush. “Just shut up and listen Izu. I came here to talk to you about something important and I’m not saying it twice.”

Deku nodded his head, looking at you attentively. He wondered what you had to say. The blush on your face turned scarlet as you tried to spit out your confession. Your brows furrowed and you stomped your foot on the ground. “IZUKU MIDORIYA I LIKE YOU!" You yelled it, wanting to dig a nice hole to hide in right afterwards. "DON'T FUCKING SAY ANYTHING JUST TAKE THIS." Your face erupted red like a volcano but it wasn't as red as Deku's. He looked like steam was coming out of his ears. You looked at him, flustered beyond belief, as you pulled a pink letter from your pocket. You shoved it forcefully at his chest while looking at the ground. "HERE!"

Deku could barely function but he managed to grab the letter. He carefully opened it, taking out the handwritten letter from inside. Rubbing his eyes, he began to read.

Dear mop head,

For some crazy reason I've been in love with you for a long time. Your stupid smile makes feel so happy to see it. Fuck what Bakugou says, you're one of the strongest people I know. I'm not really good with words so I'll keep this short. I know you probably like round face so when you're done reading this; hurry up and get it over with. Just know that I'll be here for you even when you're with her. I love you more than all the freckles on you.

Love,

(Y/n)

The poor boy had to read it twice just to get his brain to register what you wrote. His hands trembled as he put the letter in his pocket for safe keepings. He looked up at you, drinking in the image of you looking like a flustered schoolgirl. "JUST GET IT OVER WITH ALREADY. " You clenched your shaking fists, wanting this whole thing to be over already. Deku took a step forward with subtle confidence. "(Y/n) I love you too." Saying that was like a dream. He replayed how he would confess to you over and over again. it was going to be this elaborate speech of love and devotion but it only took five simple words to get the job done.

You looked up from the floor with a startled expression. The tips of your ears burning as your mouth hung open like a fish. "But you like Uraraka, Kirishima said it himself!" You couldn't bring yourself to believe that he would like you. Not when all the other girls in class 1A were exceptionally better. "Uraraka isn't the girl I've been liking for the past three years." If his face got any redder he would suffer a heat stroke. He hoped to All Might that this wasn't some malicious prank. You opened your mouth but closed it. Your expression was covered by your hair as you stepped towards him.

Deku thought you were going to kill him from the way you walked closer. What really happened was definitely not what he thought would happen. You shot your hand out to grab him by the collar of his shirt, yanking him closer. Your face was beat red, only inches away from his own scarlet face. With a quick tug of his shirt, the gap closed. Your soft, pink lips were on his. It took a few moments for him to realize what was happening but, once he figured it out he returned the kiss happily. It felt like an eternity passed in a couple seconds.

You pulled back and let go of the shirt, quickly putting your hands behind your back. You twiddled your thumbs while looking down at the floor. If Bakuhoe saw you now he would've laughed right in your face. Deku just stood there for a moment trying to process what happened. After what seemed like forever, he cleared his throat. "(Y/n) will you be my girlfriend..?" His voice wavered at the end but he got his point across. You looked up and stared, "you really mean that? Don't lie to me shitface." Even in moments like these you still managed to call him that.

"I wouldn't lie to you." And with that a smile erupted on your face. "Fine, I'll be your girlfriend but only cause you asked." You grabbed his hand rather gently and intertwined your fingers with his. He smiled cheerfully, still with a massive blush on his face, as you started to pull him out of the classroom. "Where are we going?" He looked a bit confused while you continued down the hall. You didn't answer and it seemed like you weren't ever going to but, you suddenly stopped and turned around with furrowed brows and a big blush. "WE'RE GOING ON A DATE."

---------------------------------------------

Originally I was going to add a bonus of Uraraka and Mina betting on if they were going to get together or not. I got lazy and decided not to ✨. Also, sorry about not being able to costumize your character. Since the reader is Bakugou's sister, you gotta have red eyes and blonde hair. (You're not adopted, sorry)

#bnha #izuku mydoria #bakuhoe #fanfiction #dumb #pog champ #deku x reader

8 notes · View notes

hubbyseby · 5 years

Text

2- Pleasing You.

Mob! Sebastian Stan x Reader

Second part of "Nothing Without You" series.

Run-through: haven't understand what happened the night before, you were lost at school and couldn't focus. And you were discussing with your friends when you had something which leaves you suspicious.

Warnings: language.

Everything was so blur. You couldn't focus yourself in anything that was going on. All you could focus on was your friends: Samantha and Jessica. You didn't sleep last night, worrying too much for them. Did the man said the truth? Was everything really okay with your friends? You got up, and it was 5: 00 already, and almost time to go to school. But you didn't feel the strengh. You went to your backpack to verify what you had for the day, any homeworks or presentations to see if it was worth it to go to school. Taking your agenda, you run your long fingers through the pages and once you stopped to the day...

"Oh my God" you said, you had a test today. And you couldn't miss it, because it was important to improve your grade for the last few months before your graduation. You closed the agenda and went to downstairs to grab the phone of the house to call Samantha. It was ringing but you reached the voicemail. You were more troubled now. You did the same action for Jessica, nothing. Just the voicemail.

"I have to know if they are okay. I can't wait much longer." You said while you were entering the shower to take a quick one. Once done, you quickly dressed yourself and, not even taking time to eat breakfast, you got out the house already turning on the the car to leave. Your blood was boiling into your veins, couldn't think properly. You tried to stay calm, but you couldn't, obsviously. You felt something forming down your throat, but held it while you park you car before Samy's house. There were two cars, which means that her parents were still home. Reaching their door, you couldn't wait any longer and knocked in a hurry. A few minutes after, the door opens up to her mother, Sandra, who was smiling to you. You couldn't help but you were stressed and put a fake smile on your face.

"Good morning, sweetheart! How are you? Come in!" She said while making space for you to come in, what you did while looking around. No one's was there until her husband reached downstairs.

"Y/N! What a surprise to see you!" He said while kissing you on the cheek before going to the kitchen. It was weird, seems like her parents didn't know anything about last night. Knowing her, she couldn't because they are always talking to her to not go out late. Sometimes she was obedient, most of the time, not.

"Good morning!" You said while holding hardly to your backpack.

"I guess you're here for my daughter" Sandra said with a neutral gaze.

"Y-Yes" you said, nervous.

"Oh she should be upstairs. Try to check because I haven't seen her since yersterday afternoon." She let you know.

And your heart skipped a beat. And if she wasn't upstairs? And if something went wrong? And if the man lied to her? Telling her that everything was going to be okay and the only news you got at the end was the news of your friends... dead? You felt the tears making their way up to your eyes but kept them to not make her parents suspicious. How dumb I was to believe this man! You thought. I am a coward. I am selfish. I just saved myself and forgot my friends behind me. Will they forgive me? You thought while you were freezing in front of Samantha's parents.

"Y/N!" Said Sandra, seeing that you were far from here in your thoughts.

"Yes... y-yes I'm sorry... I'm going upstairs to reach her! Thank you, ma'am" you said in a hurry while making your ways to the stairs and in a blink of eyes you were in front of your friend's door. You was afraid that she wasn't there. You wanted to the bottom of your heart to see her asleep on the bed. You prefered this and to be late at school than not seeing her there. You slowly opened the door when you heard:

"Mommy?"

A voice that you were craving to hear. A voice you thought you would never have to hear again. A voice you thought you would never hear telling you:"you brat!" Or "I'll always have your back, Y/N". She was there. As soon as you saw her, you let your backpack slide down your side and run to her. In a rush hug, you were now crying and she was holding you tight while telling you that she was okay.

"You are here" you said, sobbing.

You heard her giggles and you didn't care that she was laughing at you because you were crying for her. While holding her, you feel a touch that you also thought you would never feel again. A touch that you knew too damn well while turning you around to tell you that you were absolutely beautiful. Opening your glossy eyes, you lay them on Jessica who was joining the hug.

"Oh my God" you said, relieved. Feeling alive again.

"I'm so sorry... I left you, I am a coward. I should never do this to you. I'm so sorry, forgive me, Samy... Jess please! Forgive me I'm so sorry I'm-"

"Shh... That's okay, Y/N. That's okay. We are here. And we have nothing to forgive you. You saved us." Samy cuts you off while taking a break from the hug while Jessica was smiling to you.

Confused, you were trying to put your ideas on track to think properly. Drying your tears, Jessica said:

"Thank you, Y/N, you're not a coward. You're a hero"

"Wait... what?" You could only asked, more confused than before.

"There were two men who found us in the crowd. After loosing contact with you, we were looking for you as well. But these two men reached us and leaded us out of the mess. We were afraid and we wouldn't leave without you, we asked for you. We weren't sure to tell them your name because they would not know, we just described how you were dressed and they remembered you. And they told us that you asked to save us. You ordered to save us, and you were just obeyed, and they saved us. And because of you, we are still alive." Samantha explained.

Speechless, you couldn't say a word of what you just heard a few seconds ago. The only question you were asking yourself in your mind was: "WHAT?".

Jessica couldn't contain a smile seeing your face. And they both started laughing at you. While they were laughing, you remembered the man who told you that they would be safe, and that he would get them out of the mess. He wasn't lying to you. He said the truth and he saved them. And instead giving himself the credits for saving them, he told them that you ordered to save them. You thought you had lost them and this, forever. However, you were happy they were here. Here in front of you. Talking to you. Smiling to you. Laughing at you. You didn't mind, all that matters was they were right in front of you.

"Oh..." you just said.

Before saying anything else, the door knocked out loud and Sandra made her way through the door before even having a answer from her daughter. She was going to talk but seeing Jessica behind us shut her up.

"Well! Good morning, Jessica! I didn't know I had a guest home, Samy" her mother sad, giving her a funny gaze that wasn't unnoticed and you all of your were laughing hard. It seems like you were laughing more of joy that you had the chance to be reunited once again and won against death than laughing at the mother.

"You have only 30min, girls. Go down, try to eat something and go to school" Sandra said.

"We'll not have the time mommy. We'll go now" Samy said while you were taking back your backpack from the floor.

"Okay! Me, I'm out because my husband just left a few minutes ago, and we are starting at the same hour! Baby, are you going to call the Uber as usual or Y/N is giving you a ride?" Sandra's asked

"Oh I'll bring them! Sure!" You said, excited.

"Alright! Kisses girl, hope to see you later! Bye and have a good day sweethearts!"

"Love you mommy!" Samy just said as she left the room and a minute or two, her car was disappearing in the corner of the street.

"Let's go!" You just said while you guys were running on the stairs to get down. Samy locked the entrance door and you went to school.

The test was easy, but it was quite hard to you because you couldn't focus properly. You were thinking of him. How he grabbed you the night before. You stroked your right hand, remembering his sweet hair under it. You closed your eyes while remembering his cologne and his body pressed against yours. His charming voice when he called you:"doll". When he protected you like it was depending on his own life. The way you felt his breath on your forehead.

"I'm not going to hurt you doll".

He didn't want to hurt you. He was saving you, and after saving your friends, making them believe it was your order. Like a boss. You smiled at this thought.

Doll.

You couldn't stop yourself thinking. It was the first time someone called you like that, and you felt suddenly attractive. You felt a electric thing running down your spine. You thought of his hand holding the door. The only sight that you had of him, right there in your head, your mind, and you couldn't think of something else than this hand stroking your body and holding you around your throat while-

"HOLY WATER! I need to purify my mind!" You thought while holding the pencil tight between your fingers.

"Ms Y/L/N, are you okay?" Professor Jones asked, seeing you frustrated on your chair while the other students were looking at you at the call of the professor.

You couldn't help but you blushed furiously. You looked like a tomato and they were laughing at you. Even Jessica was smiling. You stared Samantha and she was moving her hand on her desk, trying to tell you to calm down. And to relax. You catch the message, and you were relaxing.

"Yes, Professor. I am okay, thank you". You simply replied and you soon focused yourself on your paper. All you wanted was to leave the class.

"If you don't remember a thing, you should have studied though" he said and everyone was laughing, except you. You were ashamed and it wasn't your problem, not knowing your lessons, but it was him.

The man who couldn't stop calling her "doll". You chased him in your mind and focused yourself at the test that you finished almost the same time with the others. Everyone were done when the ringing bell make itself heard. It was the release, and you were relieved. The Professor leaved the class and your friends makes their way to you, on your chair.

"Are you feeling better?" Jessica asked.

You were the sweetest and the least experienced between you three.

"Yes, Jess"

Samy was going to talk when the girl who hated you make her way to you and your friends with her "team". You rolled your eyes up and pray God for her to leave you alone.

"Well... Well. You, bitch" she said to you while her silly friends were laughing at you while Jessica gave her a bad look.

"Would you leave her alone, Christina?" She said, angry after her.

"No, because she's a bitch. She does think she's acttractive! Do you think that, foolish girl? No, you dumb! You're not attractive than I am!" She said, keeping her eyes on yours, wanting to die in the moment.

You felt so bad. You wanted to disappear. Because she was talking louder, every student in the classroom was now looking at you. Some were laughing, some weren't happy to see this because they thought that she was so wrong to treat you like this. Connor, a guy in the class, who always thought you were beautiful, took your defense:

"Give it a rest, Christina and leave!" He said.

Samantha had enough hearing her, and she stood up.

"First of all you bitch, you're going to shut the hell up! Second, she is way better than you are, because you, you are a bitch that every men in this school know, but she is the quietest girl in this entire place. You are always doing things to make yourself remarked but she doesn't need to do a shit for everyone to see that she is beautiful! Even naturally, she's beating your damn flat ass bitch but you need to wear the entire Sephora's make up line to look not even at someone but looking like a weird thing! So you're going. To. Shut. The. Damn. Hell. Up. BITCH!" Samantha exploded.

Everyone was speechless after her words. You were speechless. You couldn't fight it anymore and your tears fell down your cheeks, looking at her. She saved you this time, because you were never answering when she was attacking you. Anytime she was bothering you, you just leave. Christina didn't find anything solid enough to say, and Connor crossed his arms on his chest with a smirk.

"Any motion now, Chris?" He said, still, with his smirk.

"SHE IS NOT BEAUTIFUL!" She yelled, ashamed.

While Jessica was about to interfere, someone opened the classroom's door to let someone else in with a big case in his hands. Suddenly, the classroom was full with a scent. A familiar scent.

Everyone was looking at the door and the two men who where crossing the classroom now.

"I'm sorry but who is Y/N"? One of them asked.

Your heart missed a beat. Everyone was looking at you, suspicious. What the hell was going on? You asked yourself.

"I-it's me" you said, shy.

Once they heard and saw you, they were approching you carefully while everyone was looking at what was happening. There was another man bringing some hearts balloons and a big white Teddy Bear with a "Beautiful" writing on it. You were blushing like a baby when they stood in front of you, Samy and Jess speechless. Also Christina. At least, she had her mouth shut.

"This delivery is yours ma'am" said the first one who has spoke one or two minutes earlier.

"For me?" You asked, shaking almost.

"Yes".

"Oh" was the only word which could crossed your lips.

Who the hell sent that to me? I have no boyfriend, I'm alone, not attractive, who would do this for me? You asked yourself while taking the big box and standing up. Samantha give a look to Jessica who was receptive. They both crossed their arms on their chest while looking at Christina and her girls, speechless, ashamed. You opened the big box and you saw a lot of roses! A lot! A lot! You put your hands over your mouth, couldn't believe it yet. All the students were like:

"Ouuuuhhhh"

They were speechless, as you were. Seeing your reaction, as you were crying, one the three men smiled and gave you the Teddy Bear that you were holding tight. There was a medium card which was in a little bag of satin, on the top of the flowers and you took it to open it with a shaking hand.

"Dear Y/N,

How are you, beautiful? I couldn't stop thinking about you, and how beautiful you are. Your eyes are so beautiful that I could lost myself just at looking at you. Looking at your soul. I hope we will see each other soon. I can't help but your face was scanned by my mind, and you couldn't leave it.

I hope you like your presents. I would like to tease you, just as I'm doing right now.

Have a nice day, beautiful.

S. S"

You read. You were speechless. Samantha who was right behind you and read at the same time with you. With a little smirk, she takes the card in your hands and looks at Christina right in her eyes.

"Let me read for you damn bitch" she said, amused.

She read the whole letter while she was taking her time saying each "beautiful" word with a smirk. Finishing, amused, she put the letter in front of her face:

"Who's laughing now, BITCH?" She asked, angry.

All the boys were laughing out loud at Christina and her squad. Connor, leaving and passing just close to Christina, put a hand on her shoulder by taping it and he says:

"Courage with your bitches, sweetheart" and they passed by them, still laughing out loud.

They didn't took much time and moved away too, and almost all the students were leaving the classroom, it was just a few, you and your friends. The three men has already taking a break from the tension of the class during the time you were reading the letter. Samantha turned around to look at you while Jessica was still speechless in front of your presents that even you couldn't understand.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT, Y/N?" Samantha asked, letting her suprising face taking the lead. She has all the time this amused face to prove to Christina that you had men, just like her, saying that you were beautiful. But now you were alone, she asked seriously.

"Who is this, Y/N?"

"I don't even know!" You answered.

"Liar". You heard your inner voice said.

You knew exactly who it was. It was him.

#mob!bucky #mob!au #sebstan #sebastianstan #sebbystan #sexyseabass #sebastian x reader #sebastian stan #dark!bucky x reader

91 notes · View notes

tmblake130 · 3 years

Text

The Glass Bowl

Short Story By T M. BLAKE

"Ichiroll hurry if we're going to make it to the portals in time!" Ichiro's mother yells. Ichiro stuffs the last of his breakfast in his mouth and deposes of his trash. He rushes to the door where his mother waits for him with her hand outstretched, taking it as they both exit their home.

It is a sunny day on the streets of Preo. They follow the familiar path to the portal station, blending in with the sea of tamers of all snakes and sizes.

When they reach their destination, Ichiro's mother leads him over to one of the oval-shaped portals that sucks in the air around it.

Squatting down to meet his eyes, Ichiro's mother fixes the collar of his shirt. "Have a good day my Ichiroll."

Ichiro gave her a quick hug before moving past her. He was scared of the kids from his school seeing him hugging his mother as if he was a small child.

Fighting against the wind of the portal as it swirls, Ichiro steps through, finding himself in front of a tan overwater bungalow hut. It has a grey roof and several square windows and it stands on stilts that led to the bottom of the ocean. Ichiro's sandals rest on the grey boardwalk that separates each line of huts. At the top of the door sat an elegant painting of a pygmy rattlesnake so he knows he is in the right place.

As his peers plop out of other portals around him, Ichiro gazes at his wrist nervously. When he comes to school every day, he strives to do his best to get closer and closer to his dream.

The memory of his father's last visit flashes through Ichiro's mind. His father is a well-known military General so he is rarely home. When he comes back home, Ichiro tries to make the most of the time his dad takes off to be with his family. They were sitting around the table. His father smiled down proudly at Ichiro as he told him that once he completed his training, he would become a warrior and fight under his father's command. If he worked hard, he would become a General himself.

Kano, his snake companion, sits on his wrist in the form of a knitted bracelet. It is a trick he learned a year ago, a simple altercation of the snake's original form. Hiroyuki snakes were magical creatures and Ichiro looked forward to each day he gets closer and closer to discovering Kano's full potential. Kano was a pygmy rattlesnake, granting him the power to make things invincible with physical touch.

Taking a deep breath, he climbs the short, wooden ladder and enters the hut. It is filled with small children and Ichiro's teacher, Sensei Misaki. She is wrapped in a pink and purple Kimono. Her black hair is longer than Ichiro's mother's hair, cascading down to her knees. She is instructing everyone to sit on the floor with their legs crossed. Once everyone was accounted for, she clasps her thin fingers together, her thin cherry-colored lips bending into a kind smile.

"Good morning class!"

"Good Morning Sensei Misaki!" the class says in unison.

Sensei Misaki's smile brightens. "Let's see. Does anyone remember what we've been studying in class for the last three weeks?"

Most of the students raise their hands, but Sensei Misaki points to a girl in the front.

"Water Damage and Shattering Prevention."

"That is right Hana-chan."

She holds out her hands as her brown pygmy rattlesnake slithers from inside the sleeve of her kimono, spiraling around her hands and fingers before turning into a purple glass bowl. The students jump in surprise when she lets it crash to the ground, watching it break into a thousand pieces. A second later, the pieces gravitate towards each other until they form a perfectly undamaged bowl again.

"Today, I will be measuring your skill level with each of these preventions. It is okay if everyone doesn't pass. I just want to assess where you are in your training so far."

She asks the three weekly helpers to bring a small table, a translucent square pail, a jar of seawater, and a stack of paper to the front of the classroom.

When it was their turn, each student takes a piece of paper, holding it for a moment, and then dips it into the pail of water. When they take it out of the water, the piece of paper is either a mushy white mess barely holding itself together or perfectly intact.

When it is Ichiro's turn, his belly rolls in anticipation. He'd practiced this exercise at home countless times. Still, he is scared of messing up in front of his teacher and classmates. He closes his eyes and holds the thin piece of paper, focusing his energy on his fingers. He images the paper coming out completely intact. Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and dipped the paper into the seawater. After holding it there for a couple of seconds, he brings a damped piece of paper back to the surface. The writing is still visible. His heart swells with triumph as he steps aside for the next person.

After everyone has their turn, Sensei Misaki switches to the shattering exercise. Sensei Misaki asks the three helpers to retrieve a stack of plain, porcelain bowls each. Once they sit them down in front of the class, Sensei Misaki touches the top of each stack before instructing everyone to take one. She then instructs the helpers to pass out arts and crafts supplies to the class.

Using the supplies, the students decorate their porcelain. Ichiro covers his paintbrush in a mixture of orange, yellow, and red, drawing random lines along the exterior of his bowl.

While the bowls dry, Sensei Misaki begins a history lesson. At the end of class, she lets everyone take their bowls home with an assignment.

"I want to congratulate you all for doing so well today. However, I've decided to give you guys one final test." The class erupted into mild chatter, but their teacher quickly shushes them. "You will be responsible for keeping your bowl unharmed for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, those that bring their bowl back undamaged will receive a special prize. I hope you guys have a good rest of the day!"

Ichiro and his classmates form a line as Sensei Misaki leads them to the portal station. It is crowded. Children from other huts wait for their parents and guardians.

His mother is waiting for him as always. He walks over to her and they take a portal back home.

Ichiro wraps his hand around his bowl protectively the entire time. When he gets home, he sits the bowl on a cushioned pillow, scared it might break. As he does his homework, he feels something small bounces off his head.

In a mixture of curiosity and irritation, he picks up a pebble that hit him. Looking in the direction the pebble came from, he finds his window halfway ajar. Kano, who had been peacefully sleeping, arose and hisses at the window. Peeping out, he comes face to face with two of his classmates, Itsuki and Kai. He plays with them sometimes when he's not at school, practicing, or doing homework.

"Hi Ichiro-san," they say in unison.

"Hai Itsuki-san and Kai-san."

Itsuki is the first to speak. "Tough assignment Sensei gave us. I didn't get a good look at the paintings on yours. Can you bring it out here so we can get a better look? We'll see who's looks the coolest."

I don't know if that's a good idea, Kano's voice is thick with concern and uncertainty. Ichiro quickly reassures him with a meer thought. It is rude to respond to the voice of your snake spirit in front of other people. He learned that the hard way.

"Hmm. It's not safe for it to come out there."

"You used your powers on it Ichiro," Itsuki smirks. "It can't break. You're the top of the class so this should be an easy assignment for you."

"I guess you're right. Hold on." Ichiro hurries away from the window, grabbing the bowl and tucking it under his arm. "I'll be out."

"Where are you going?" Ichiro's mother asks once he comes out of his room. She is in the living room with one of her clients.

"Outside to play with some friends" Ichiro answers, zooming out the door before his mother could see what he is carrying.

"Okay, stay where I can see you!"

He meets Kai and Itsuki on the side of Kai's house. They both lean forward as Ichiro shows them the bowl.

"Can I hold it?" Kai asks. He holds out his hands, a mischievous smile spreading on his face.

"I—I don't think so." Ichiro backs away from the two boys, but they only walk closer. His eyes wander to their empty hands. "Where are your bowls?"

"C'mon Ichiro, give us the bowl." A crooked smile spreads over Itsuki, his words spitting like acid.

"What are you going to do with it?"

"We're to break it, of course, Ichiro — or should I say Ichiroll."

Heat rises to Ichiro's cheeks at the sound of his mother's nickname for him. "W—w—why would you do that?"

"Because you act like your better than everyone else. You're the general's son and we know you get special treatment. Your rich dad is probably paying Sensei to give you private lessons. That's why you're so good. The best in the class."

"Special treatment? Sensei Misaki treats me like anyone else. I just practice and study. You're supposed to be my friends."

"You were supposed to be our friend Ichiro." Itsuki and Kai came closer to him, ready to snatch the bowl from his hands. Their smiles had turned into glares. They circled Ichiro ready to pounce. "But friends don't cheat!"

Itsuki jumps at Ichiro first. Ichiro quickly dodges his attackers and dashes into Kai's front yard.

The boys chase Ichiro through the neighborhood. They nearly bulldoze stands, clotheslines, animals, and people. After zigzagging through the neighborhood, Ichiro finds himself at a dead end. Looking around, he tries to find a way out of this sticky situation.

Ichiro! Kano's deep voice echoed through his skull. Throw me on the ground!

Ichiro rips the bracelet from his wrist and tosses it to the ground. A big brown mud puddle appears before him. He plunges into it, surrounding himself with dark water.

Itsuki and Kai arrive a second later looking around for Ichiro. He watches through the murky water as they look around before turning around. He waits a couple of minutes before climbing out of the mud puddle, his clothes surprisingly dry.

He clinches the bowl to his chest as he thinks of a shortcut home. He is about to walk forward when his toe bumps against a rock mounted in the ground. His toe curls in pain and he quickly nurses it. The bowl slips out of his grasp. Its fragile form collides with the ground, breaking into pieces.

A cloud of shame surrounds Ichiro as he walks home without the bowl. He'd let everyone down. Sensei Misaki. His mother. His father. Himself. He is stripped of his confidence.

His mother waits for him outside the house. Her hands are crossed over her chest and the disappointed look on her face makes Ichiro drain of color.

His mother already knows. She always knows about everything. He doesn't have to say a word before she points a stern finger towards the house.

Within minutes, he finds himself in his room. As he lays on his bed, Kano slithers from around his wrist and morphs into a pillow. Ichiro lays on his side and hugs the pillow close to him.

His mother enters his room shortly after. She sits on his bed. "I'll have to talk to Kai and Itsuki's parents and contact your teacher to tell her what happened." His mother's voice was softer than when he got home. "It's okay my little Ichiroll. It will all be okay."

"Can you not call me that? It's embarrassing." Ichiro's heart is halfway into the words are they slip out of his mouth. He loves his mother's nickname for him, but not if it was going to cause his peers to laugh at him.

"What? You are my little Ichiroll. You will always be my little Ichiroll no matter how strong or handsome you become. You shouldn't be ashamed of me showing you that. You're lucky to have a loving parent like me. Some children don't ever get to hear their mother's voices or feel their embrace. If your friends make fun of you loving your mother, they don't deserve to be friends with an amazing person like you."

Ichiro's cheeks are covered with tears as he turns to look at her. "But they said that I wasn't a good friend because I cheated. Misaki Sensei is giving me special treatment and that is why I'm at the top of my class. I just practice and study."

"They don't understand. They don't see how hard you work. I thought they were good boys too. You have to understand that with everything comes a price. They're just jealous that you work hard and receive promising results."

"But what am I going to do about the bowl? Sensei Misaki will be disappointed and I will fail my test."

"I will handle the situation. I know they were your friends Ichiroll and they betrayed you today. Keep working hard and don't let jealous people stop you."

Ichiro lets go of Kano in pillow form. He hugs his mother, his father's last visit coming back to him. He would work hard to make him proud no matter what it took. He decided from that day forward that no one was going to get in the way of that ever again.

No one.

#short story #wattpad #fiction #fantasy #writers #writers on tumblr #fantasy fiction #asian #snakes #magic #combat #bowl

0 notes

woozletania · 7 years

Text

Sanctuary (RR/GOTG slice of life)

It started one day in the most innocuous way imaginable: nothing more dramatic than an E-mail. "Hey Rock," Quill said, slumped back in the pilot's chair idly scanning the screen as he helped Rocket work on a problem with the Milano. "Got a letter from your doctor friend." "Those're always good," Rocket replied, his head and body down to the armpits inside a panel working on control connections. "Try the upper right aileron control." Star-Lord obediently pressed a control and Rocket made a happy noise from inside the console, his ringed tail twitching in not-quite-a-wag. Peter went on. "Weird thing is the subject line is public but the body is locked, or I'd read it to you. All I can see is 'P. Foster' and 'It's happening again'." There was a dull bang from inside the console as Rocket's tail went stiff. Peter watched curiously as a hand appeared, set down a wrench. Rocket's voice was deadly calm. "Read that again, Pete." "'It's happening again.' That's all I can read, man." "Oh. Okay then." The hand grabbed the wrench and Rocket worked briefly, then slid back into view. As usual he was covered with dust and smears of grease but a spot of bloody fur over one eye showed where he'd hit his head. "That'll hold it. I gotta hit the can." Gamora came up the stairs just as Rocket went down and the little raccoon pushed past her with even worse manners than usual. The green-skinned assassin took one look at the open panel and discarded tools the raccoon left in his wake and came to the obvious conclusion. "In the middle of something? Mantis has lunch ready." "I guess.". Peter fiddled with the controls, watching the indicators as he tried the various control surfaces, thrusters and engines. "Looks like it's all working. Figure Rocket will want to work on it more though, he doesn't leave his personal tool kit just lying where everyone can get at it unless he's in the middle of something." But Rocket didn't show up at lunch and didn't answer when Mantis knocked on his door. Weirdly enough he'd even locked Groot out and the tree, a little taller than the raccoon now and going through early teenage crankiness, spent two minutes banging on the door until Rocket finally swore and opened it. "What? I was just doin' some stuff." Groot handed him back his tools, which got a grunt of something like 'thanks' from the raccoon, who then finally emerged and locked the door behind him. Drax happened by just then and the three made their way to the common area for a belated lunch. Peter, Gamora and Mantis were all there around the table and Mantis reached out without thinking to pet Rocket, seeing from the angle of his ears that he was in a bad mood. Rocket was a lot more likely to let someone pet him these days but this time he flinched away and sat by himself, grabbing one of the sandwiches from the platter without a word. Seeing Rocket in a bad mood was nothing new but he was usually nicer to Mantis than this and Peter spoke up. "Was that letter bad news, Rock?" "Oh that," Rocket grunted between bites. "Not really. He did say he met another guy who's up on my model of cybernetics and that I should have him take a quick look next time I'm in the area. So I wanna swing by Kopleth today, since we're between money runs." "Kopleth? Dull place, but I guess," Peter said. There was nothing but the sound of munching and Drax loudly slurping soup after that until Rocket finished eating. The second the door to his room closed, though, the conversation started up again. "You don't believe him, do you?" Said Gamora. "Not for a second," Quill replied. "I am Groot," said the sapling. "Yes," rumbled Drax. "He had his weapons out and a bag of bombs half packed when I saw into his room for a moment. Whatever he's going to Kopleth for, it is not to see a doctor." Gamora's smart pad beeped, and she read the message before turning the screen so the others could see. It was from Nebula. 'Not supposed to tell you this, but he's in your crew. Rocket just asked me to help him kill some people. Something going on I should know about?' Rocket should have known that on a ship this small it was impossible to keep secrets. Perhaps he did, because when they arrived on Kopleth and he made his way down the docking ramp, bag-full-o-guns over his shoulder, it was an expression of resignation more than anything else that crossed his face when he found his friends waiting at the bottom. "Before you say anything," he said. "This isn't anything you want to be a part of. It's personal business." Gamora held up her smart pad once more. 'If you are reading this I am dead, on the run or in jail. The bounty on me will be huge if it's the middle one, so I'll understand if you come after me. It was something I had to do. No apologies.' Rocket groaned. "That was supposed to be time locked until tomorrow." "Not when I know to look," Gamora said. "And I knew something was going on." "Yes," said Nebula as she stepped off her ship. "What is going on, fox?" "It's happening again," Rocket said a little later in the Milano's common area. "I can't let it happen again. Never again." "What's going on, buddy?" Rocket sat with his ears down and his little clawed hands between his knees. He counted the grenades on his belt, twice, before continuing. "Doc Foster got a job offer. They knew he worked at Halfworld and gave him a virtual tour of the new facility. Animal Uplift. Cybernetic implants. Vivisection. Euthanizing the subjects when they were done. Somehow they had data files from the Halfworld complex. There must have been a backup elsewhere and now it's all happening again." There were no tears in the raccoon's eyes. Just determination. "If I have to spend the rest of my life in a cell to stop this, I'll do it. Every one of these bastards has to die. But research like this is legal on Kopleth. I'm going, but the rest of you oughta get out of here now. 'Cept maybe the lady who already has a giant bounty on her bald head," he said, nodding to Nebula. "You're not going, buddy," Star-Lord said. "Not without me." "There will be heavy security, yes?" Drax asked, and Rocket nodded. "Then I will not be left out of a good fight." "And if my sister goes, I go," said Gamora. Nebula just smiled. "You don't get it," Rocket said. "We spent the last year building up a reputation. This could destroy it. If it's just me you can say I was a rogue. I'm expendable." "No," Gamora said, and everyone (except maybe Nebula) said together, "You aren't." Rocket sighed. Not surprised, just a little sad. Peter spoke up next. "So you got a plan, little buddy?" "'Course I got a plan," Rocket mumbled. "Always got a plan." "One that involves all of us, not just you?" "Told you," Rocket said with the beginning of a smile. "I always got a plan." And that's why it was that Drax, armed with a missile launcher of Rocket's own design, Gamora with her plasma rifle and Quill with his pistols stormed the front of the complex to draw attention away from the back, while Rocket, Rocket-sized Groot and Nebula, whose cybernetics made her eerily flexible, entered via the ductwork Rocket had identified from the schematics he'd studied. Some of the vents were too small for even Nebula and so they soon separated with a whispered "Kill only when necessary," for Rocket eventually allowed himself to be reminded that not everyone they encountered would be a monster. Yet the first thing he did was drop out of an air vent onto the shoulders of a Xandarian who was cutting open a black-furred creature, dig his claws into the man's throat and rip it out. "Nod if you understand," he whispered, undoing the furry thing's restraints even as the researcher toppled over. It nodded, and Rocket slapped an emergency medical patch over the hole the "doctor" had put in the long-eared creature and gestured for it to follow him. There was a thump against the wall nearby, probably Nebula shattering some fool's skull, and a black-clad security guard popped through a door only to get a chest full of Rocket's hand-made APX - Armor Piercing Explosive - rounds. The next room had nothing but a few empty cages and bloodstained operating tables, though Rocket reflexively pocketed a handful of servo components from a table. Distant shouts and gunfire meant the other Guardians were fighting their way in and this place clearly wasn't built and staffed to withstand a major assault, which was just what you got when Gamora and Drax led an attack. "I am Groot?" The black-furred test subject jumped when a three-foot-tree man man his appearance but Rocket just smiled. "Yeah, can you get that door?". He'd been about to blast the armored portal but Groot's strength was all out of proportion to his size and his tendrils ripped the thing from its hinges. "Jackpot!" Cages, test subjects - and a couple of guards. Rocket got one before they recovered from the sudden disappearance of the armored door and speed and small size gave him the advantage he needed to take out the other. "Get 'em out, get 'em out!" He blew away what he recognized as a cybernetics jammer mounted just outside the row of cages and Groot ripped the door off the nearest just as a white-jacketed researcher appeared. Rocket hesitated to shoot an unarmed man and thus made a mistake that would make him wake staring at the ceiling and shaking for years afterward. The man didn't need a gun to smash his hand into a panic button and the result was clouds of green poison gas spraying from nozzles on the ceiling. "Shit! Hurry!" The furthest cages were already out of sight in a cloud of poison, as was the researcher, and Rocket resorted to shooting the locks off the cages he could still see. Half shaved, cybernetic implant-studded animals of several unfamiliar species leapt out and ran for the door and Rocket cursed as he shot the lock off a cage that held a shivering yellow-furred creature curled in a ball as far away from the bars as it could get. He had already breathed more of the green gas than he liked and all he could do was grab the thing and yank it out of the cage. Mistake. He should have known it would panic and with an animalistic shriek the long, flexible yellow creature wrapped around him like a snake and sank sharp fangs into his neck. The spray of red told him he was in real trouble but Rocket was no stranger to pain and he grabbed a gas-added creature from another cage and staggered for the door, weighed down by two of them and passing the handheld one off to Groot as he made it through the doorway and slammed it shut. Everything still alive in that room wouldn't be that way for long and he wasn't doing so good either. The whiskery muzzle was still clamped down on the side of his neck and Groot had to help him run the few dozen yards to daylight. What he saw when he burst into the light astonished him. Not just the Guardians but hovering Nova fighters, not to mention ground troops who had rounded up a dozen white-coated researchers and were similarly trying to keep track of at least that many research animals. His keen ears picked up the argument going on between a Nova officer - he recognized Dey - and what must be the head researcher. "No authority here - research animals, perfectly legal," and something about "Murderous thugs." Rocket ignored the blood running down his chest, got his fingers into the scruff of the yellow thing slowly killing him with its bite and whispered, "Listen - all of you Subjects, listen, say this -" "Rocket!" Quill came running as Rocket's vision began to gray around the edges, blood loss and gas, and Gamora right behind him. No sign of Nebula of course, she'd wisely taken a powder. Just then the yellow thing's fangs came out of his neck and it said, slowly and clearly to the nearest Nova corpsman: "In accordance with the Uniform Sapience Act -" "No!" The head researcher tried to intervene, only for Drax to clothesline him to the ground. "I request sanctuary on the basis of inhumane treatment," the yellow thing said, and the other animals repeated "Sanctuary, sanctuary," and the less Uplifted or vocal ones spitting out the syllables the way he used to, "sanct-u-ary," And then Rocket was falling over, weighed down by the yellow thing and never so happy in his life to hear one word. It'd all been worth it. Live or die, it was so worth it. ***** 'So, not dead,' were Rocket's first thoughts when he woke. His neck hurt, his chest hurt, and oddly enough his leg hurt too. And the second thing that passed through his mind when he opened his eyes was how familiar the metal ceiling looked. "Why am I not in jail," he mused, and Peter jerked upright in the chair next to the bunk, dropping the Zune headphones he'd been tinkering with. A strange animal chirp came from low down, out of his range of vision, but it hurt to turn his neck so he couldn't see what made it. "Rocket! Hey, everybody, he's awake!" In an instant the room was crowded with the crew, and even Nebula, and Rocket realized he was in Peter's quarters on board the Milano. The captain's cabin, if you could call it that, was about fifteen percent larger than the space he had before he turned it into a lifeboat and started sleeping in his round padded bed. "I have lots of questions," Rocket said, and then there was another, because a sleek yellow head sporting long, familiar whiskers popped into view as well. He'd never gotten a good look at it but this was indisputably the creature that nearly killed him. He was too tired and sore to hold that against her. "I guess they all fall under 'what happened'." "Peter had an idea," Gamora said, and Mantis smiled as she gently scratched Rocket's ears. "A good one, for a change." "Thanks Gamora," Pete said sourly. "I called Nova Corps before we went to the compound to see if I could get them to look the other way for a little while as we took off for our new outlaw lives. When I explained what was going on to Dey he said the following," with that he pointed at Drax. "Animal research is legal in many places," the giant intoned. "But as far as Nova is concerned, Uplift, or at least the abuse of the resulting sapients is legal nowhere." Peter grinned. "Since Kopleth has no military to speak of they couldn't do much when a Nova troop transport and escorts showed up. Even medics who patched you up, though it was a near thing. You had nerve gas in your system, a nicked artery in your neck and a splinter from a ricochet or something in your calf below the armor." "So we're not outlaws," Rocket said wonderingly. "What about the research subjects?" "Under Nova supervision," Gamora said. "To be granted full sapient rights and a share of the penalty fines being assessed against the company. And we get a share of that too." "Free money!" Pete cheered. "A reward for just doing good things!" "What about her?" Rocket looked at the whiskery creature, seeing the bolts almost concealed by her fur where the artificial collarbones lay. He had bolts like that, too. "Her?" Pete looked puzzled. "You mean 96L02?" "Subject Nine-Six-Lima-Zero-Two reports as ordered, sir," the creature said, and stood up as straight as its long cylindrical body allowed. Rocket winced. "Damn it Pete, you know better than that. That's not a name and she - yeah, you bald bodies have no noses I know but she is a she - is conditioned to respond to that number. I don't want to hear one of you say it again. Ever." He reached over to see how she would react, careful not to touch, and webbed hands/forepaws clasped his fingers. "Rocket," she chirped. "So so-ree I bit you." "I woulda done the same thing," Rocket said. "Ask Pete. He got the scars to prove it. Now we need to get you a name." She stood bolt upright. "Subject Nine-Six-Lima-" "No!" She shrank back, her little low-set ears sinking. "That was what they called you. You don't belong to them now. You can have any name you want." "But I don't have a name," she chirped. Do you know the names of the researchers?" "Rocket," Peter said firmly. "You are not naming her after guys you killed to get her out." "Hey, it worked for me. And I only killed four anyway." "I am Groot." "That guy killed himself," Rocket said, and that brought back bad memories. "How many got out? Test subjects that is." "Thirteen," Gamora said, "But one died from gas exposure. Before you ask, including the one in the operating room there were twenty-six in various stages of Uplift." Rocket swore, but Peter cut him off. "Subject-" and the yellow creature stood bolt upright, "Er, Lima told us what happened. Rocket, I was the one who told you not to shoot people who weren't a threat. It's my fault. And if we'd all gone in the front, which was my plan, they would have gassed them all. Your plan got some of them out and would have got them all out if you hadn't listened to me. So blame me, not yourself." "It's all right," Rocket grunted. "I woulda hesitated anyway. Didn't think a guy would kill himself just to get rid of some Subjects." Lima stood bolt upright at the word. "Why is she doing that, Rock? You don't do that when people say 89P-" Rocket let out an inarticulate growl and Pete stopped. "Oh yeah, you killed all the people who called you that." "Except Doc Foster," but then Lima was gripping his clawed hand again in her webby ones. "Why are you so angry, Rocket," she chirped, and Pete smothered a laugh. "'Cause I was made to be angry. To be a weapon. You don't have to be like me, Lima." "I'm not," she said immediately. "I am for linguistics, and diplomacy, and companionship. I am to be cute." And with her whiskers and ink-dark eyes she certainly was. "No! You don't gotta be what they made you. You can be whatever you want." "I don't know what I want to be," she chirped, and Rocket smiled sadly. "Welcome to the club, lady." One by one the others wished him goodnight and left for their beds, for it was very late indeed. He'd apparently been granted Peter's cabin until he recovered, though he protested that he didn't need anywhere near that much space. "You're in no shape to curl up to sleep," Peter said. "You need a real bed." I've got a real bed, and it's round, Rocket thought but did not say. That brought it to mind when Lima dropped down to all fours and curled up on a wadded-up blanket. "Groot," Rocket mumbled, and then spoke up despite his sore chest. "Groot!" "I am Groot?" Naturally, the tree had been resting right outside the door. He wasn't going anywhere until he was sure Rocket was fully recovered. "Get my bed, please." "I am Groot?" "No, it's not for me. Pete will yell at me if he has to sleep on a bunk and I don't use the bed he's lent me. And yeah, I'm too sore to curl up. But look," Rocket said, and gestured at Lima. "I am Groot." "Thanks, pal." A moment later the tree was back with the round, padded bed, the one embroidered with "Rocket" and the Ravager symbol. Rocket knew perfectly well it was a pet bed Pete picked up on Earth but Pete never lorded that over him (which showed he had an active survival instinct) and the thing was damn comfortable. "Lima." The yellow creature - Rocket was sure there was a species name for her, but he had no idea what it was except that she was clearly designed for an aquatic life - popped her head up out of the nest of blankets. "Use this. It's comfy." She slithered out of the blankets on her short web-footed legs and gave it a sniff. "It smells like you, Rocket." "Yeah, I sleep in it, but you need it more than I do right now." "Are you sure?" "Yeah." Rocket smiled as she curled up in a ball in the padded bed, just as he did. She was long and sinuous compared to his more humanoid build, but she still fit perfectly into the thing. There was a time he and Groot shared the thing every night, but Groot was too big now. That had taken a lot of getting used to. For years he'd slept in leafy beds Groot grew each night, then he and mini-Groot shared various beds, and then ultimately it was just Rocket, and now it was just Lima, or whatever her name would eventually be. "Good night, Lima. Tomorrow we'll talk about your name." And that would have been the end of it, except that later, when the ship lights were turned down to a dim glow, Rocket was woken by a familiar sound. A nervous chattering, whining, and the sound of claws on fabric. Lima was in the midst of a nightmare. He'd heard all these sounds before from himself, and heard them described to him. She twitched in the round bed, and whined, and he had all too good an idea of what she was dreaming about. He'd always been the one to wake screaming, or shivering. Peter had the occasional nightmare, and with good reason, but he was stronger than Rocket. Or maybe his nightmares didn't involve being strapped down and cut open. Rocket didn't know what Pete had nightmares about. Ego? The Ravagers? His mother dying? Yondu? He did know how Pete had helped him with his own night terrors, though. Rocket winced as he sat up, and using the cabin chair as a stepping stool (not something he'd normally need) finally made it to the floor. He was tough, he healed fast, but the nerve gas had really done a number on him. Stapled-up wounds in neck and leg didn't hurt half as much as his chest but he dropped to all fours and padded over to the round bed an its occupant. Peter, much larger than himself, had just petted him or rubbed his back to get him to relax. Lima was as big as he was, though, and the only way he could see to make her feel safe was to crawl into the round bed and snuggle up next to her. She moved in her sleep and soon her whiskery muzzle rested on his shoulder next to his own. Bit by bit she shifted and he moved with her until they were curled up together. If it weren't for their dramatically different fur colors and body shapes it'd be hard to tell where one ended and the other began. By the time they were snuggled up together she had relaxed, the shivering tension gone from her muscles and her breathing slow and relaxed. 'What I should do now is wriggle out of here and bed back on the bed,' Rocket thought. But he was tired, and sore, and there was something about lying here snuggled up with another furry creature. 'Safe,' Rocket thought as he drifted off to sleep. 'I feel safe. I hope she does too.'

#Rocket Raccoon #lylla #Guardians of the Galaxy #Groot #Star-Lord #gamora #mantis #nebula #death

10 notes · View notes