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#Also probably in a couple weeks I'll hit a wall but until then I'm having lots of fun
neveralarch · 3 months
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Probably this is beginner's hubris but I feel like I've spent my whole life being told that it's so so so hard to learn Chinese and now that I have steeled myself and entered the fray with Cantonese it's like ?? This is fine?? Like yes there are 6 tones and my gf is always telling me I'm not going low enough on half of them, but you know what ELSE
no verb conjugation
No gendered nouns to memorize
Possessive and plural pronouns handled with an easy suffix
Words are made out of other words so you can scale vocabulary up pretty fast
I think if I hadn't been so convinced it was going to be impossible I probably would've started years ago. This is def harder than German as an English native speaker, but I'm finding it much easier than Spanish
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amethystina · 1 month
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A health update (and a general explanation of my long Covid)
So while I've been pretty open about living with long Covid, I realise I've never taken the time to explain what that actually means for me and my quality of living. It's a phrase I toss around but I can imagine it doesn't feel all that substantial to a lot of you.
So I figured that now that I'm feeling a bit better (more on that later) I should do so. Partly because I figure it will make it easier to understand why I sometimes have to disappear for weeks on end.
So, if you're interested, feel free to keep reading under the cut :)
But be warned: It's long and kind of whiny. But also ends on a high note! So there's that.
The first time I caught Covid was around Easter 2020, long before there were any vaccines, which meant that I was hit hard. But no matter how bad I felt during the illness itself, the aftermath has been ten times worse. I've been living with my long Covid symptoms ever since, so for four years now. They worsened for a couple of months when I caught Covid a second time in February 2021, but have otherwise held pretty steady during those four years.
A lot of people experience different symptoms with their long Covid and, sometimes, they'll change as the weeks and months go by. I actually had a very interesting couple of months during 2022 when my sense of smell just went completely whack and everything suddenly smelled differently than it should. Like, I could be smelling an apple but it did not smell like an apple. It was a weird time in my life.
Anyway. My most common symptoms are fatigue, fevers, joint pain, brain fog, memory issues, incoherent speech, and lowered blood circulation.
(The latter actually kickstarted the Raynaud's syndrome I have on my mother's side so now I struggle with fingers and feet that will occasionally go white, bloodless, and completely numb at random intervals. Fun times)
The fatigue and fevers are the worst by far. For the past four years, I have had exhaustion fevers between two to five times a week. Or every single day if I'm unlucky. It's very much tied to how much sleep I'm getting, how well I'm eating, and how many taxing things I do each day. I need eight hours of sleep to be functional and anything less than that will most likely mean I'll end up having a fever before the day is over.
Unfortunately, I've always had issues with my sleep so, on most nights, I don't get eight hours even if I try my absolute best. Sometimes it's because I wake up too early and can't fall back asleep and, sometimes — because my life sucks — it's because my fever is so high that I can't fall asleep. Cue the endless cycle of too little sleep and fevers.
Because one of the main issues with these exhaustion fevers — and what makes them so difficult to manage — is that there's no way to lower them. Medicine has no effect whatsoever. Once I have it, I just have to suffer through however many hours are left until I can sleep and hope that it'll be gone in the morning. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.
And every day my energy level gets just a little bit lower and the fever a little bit higher. Some days, all I can do when I get home from work is to lie on the couch and stare at the wall because I'm too tired and in too much pain to even watch something. And, again, no amount of medicine helps.
It continues on like this for a while and, every third or fourth month or so, the strain eventually becomes too much and I fall ill. My body simply shuts down from the continued stress and exhaustion, to the point where I can barely get out of bed. And, usually, I can feel it coming. On top of the fevers, I start coughing, then get a headache, and then my nose gets stuffy. And, by that time, I know I have about two to four days before I get sick. It's so accurate that my coworkers have learned that when I give the sign, they have to tell me whatever tasks they need to be finished within the near future since I'll probably be out of commission for one to two weeks.
But I eventually recover, go back to work, and so the cycle starts again. And again. And again. And again.
For four years.
All of this has, unsurprisingly, affected my quality of life to a pretty significant degree. I can barely work, let alone spend time doing any of my hobbies. I can't really travel anymore and, if I do, I'll get sick from the exhaustion. Even the 50-minute commute to the office (which I have to do three times a week) usually results in a fever before the day is over.
This inability to travel was how I ended up missing my maternal granddad's funeral. My shitty relatives didn't tell us the date for when he would be buried until there were only two days left and even if I could have put myself on an overnight train to get there, I knew I would be in no shape to actually be at the funeral if I did. So I couldn't go.
I did go to sit with my paternal grandmother as she was dying but, as expected, I got sick and couldn't return to work for a couple of days afterwards.
I also have to skip most birthday celebrations and any events happening on weekdays since I'm usually too feverish or won't manage the required trip to get there. My life has shrunk so much I barely recognise it anymore. I don't recognise myself. I used to be one of those people who could do a million things at the same time and somehow complete all of them. I was firm, organised, and efficient.
And now I'm not.
(... or, well, technically I am — at least compared to many others — but not compared to how I used to be xD)
Point being, a lot of things have changed and I don't like it. But, with that said, I'm also well aware that I'm lucky to be alive and I'm fortunate enough to have a stable job and a roof over my head. So, all things considered, I'm still doing pretty well.
But I also can't lie and say that this hasn't affected me in a deep and fundamental way. My life has changed and, right now, I don't know if it'll ever return to what I used to consider normal. And dealing with that knowledge — and the grief and fear that comes with it — hasn't been easy. I have cried ugly, self-pitying tears over this many, many times. It's frustrating to have no control over what my body does and to constantly have to be careful of what I do so I don't exhaust myself. I am furious that this happened to me.
But, after four years, there's also a certain amount of acceptance. And while I'm annoyed by my new limitations, I try my best not to feel too sorry for myself. Instead, I try to adapt as best I can, even if I might not always do it gracefully.
That does mean that I sometimes push myself more than I should, though. Because, if I didn't, I wouldn't never produce anything. As depressing as it is to admit, everything I've given you in the past four years has been while I was sick. I don't think a single chapter I've written or drawing I've made has been untouched by this. I've become an expert at writing, editing, and drawing even with a fever.
That doesn't mean I regret it, though — quite the opposite. I think that if I hadn't had a reason to write and draw, I would have felt even worse. A lof of the time, the excitement I feel when I'm able to post a chapter or show off a drawing I've made has been the highlight of my week. It's an accomplishment.
But, that said, it's still hard. Writing in particular. It requires a level of brainpower I can't reach when the fevers are too bad. And so, sometimes, I just can't. I literally just can't.
And, back in January, as I was trying to edit chapter 39 of Who Holds the Devil, I honestly pushed myself too hard. I was so determined to finish it that I didn't let myself see just how bad I was feeling — not at all helped by how emotionally draining the content of the chapter was.
It was only once I finished the chapter and posted it that I realised how absolutely wretched I felt. Not because of the chapter itself, but my lack of compassion for myself, I guess? Because the fevers were bad, I was barely sleeping, and I was both mentally and physically exhausted. And, what was worse, I realised that I was displaying depression symptoms I hadn't seen in over ten years.
All of a sudden, I got annoyed as soon as a minor inconvenience appeared. Everything people said to me was dissected into its tiniest component. I feared that people were secretly hating me. I couldn't meet people's eyes anymore when I was talking to them. I didn't realise I was just sitting there, staring at a wall, until several minutes had already passed.
And, as the final nail in the coffin, I stopped talking about how I was feeling.
And that, right there, is my last warning that I need to do something — always has been, ever since I was a teenager. When I clam up completely, refusing to admit to the people around me that I'm feeling bad, that's when I'm about to spiral.
So, the very next day, I went to my boss and told her that I'm getting burnt out and I need to do something NOW or this was going to turn ugly real soon. Thankfully, my boss is amazing and, after a doctor's visit, I was put on partial sick leave. Right now, I'm working six hours a day instead of eight and, let me tell you, I'm thriving.
Or, well, as much as I can while still having long Covid.
I'm almost angry at how much better I feel because, if I had known, I would have done this a lot sooner. I actually have energy now! I've only had a fever about four times in a little over a month! That's insane! It used to be four a week!
So yeah. I'm feeling better than I have in a long time. The downside is that the partial sick leave is still only temporary and there are no guarantees that I'll be able to keep it. Though, if need be, I'll just have to ask my boss to rewrite my contract and change the amount of hours I work because, man, I don't ever want to go back considering how much better and happier I feel. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I feel like I've gotten my life back. It's not quite the same as before, but close enough to it that I kind of want to cry again — but happy tears this time.
And so I've spent the past couple of weeks just... living? When, before that, it felt like I was merely existing. I've been drawing a lot since that helps with the depression symptoms (which are almost completely gone, thank god) but writing has been harder. Possibly because I forced myself to do it during a time when I felt really, really bad and now I'm instinctively trying to shy away from it. But, since I know that's just my mind playing tricks on me, I'm going to give it another try this weekend. I want to write and I miss the stories I'm working on. And, hopefully, since I'm feeling a bit better, I can maybe get back to a more structured uploading schedule. But we'll see. As always, I can't make any promises.
But that's about it, I guess? I'm feeling better and, since I am, I've been doing a lot of things that I wasn't able to before (like taking walks — I take a lot of walks). And I'm still trying to figure out my new routine now that I work less. And while I still get sick sometimes (I am right now, in fact, due to lack of sleep on Tuesday night) I always find my way back eventually.
So yeah. If you've read this far, thank you so much for your patience 💜 I admit that I don't really enjoy writing things like these since it feels like I'm whining — I was very much raised not to take up space or complain when things are difficult (an unfortunate side effect to being the middle child with two disabled, high-maintenance siblings) — but I also prefer honesty and transparency. And I feel a little guilty since there are times when I've given pretty harsh responses when people question why I'm sick all the time or why I don't upload chapters as often as I used to, but without actually explaining why. So I guess it's time to be honest?
And the truth is that I've been constantly sick for the past four years. Not only due to my long Covid, but also the emotional and psychological toll of all the loss, grief, and pain I've been through. These past four years have been rough.
But I'm not saying that to gain pity or make excuses. I actually think I've done pretty well considering just how hindered I've been. I've improved my drawings so much and have written... god knows how many words. I'm honestly kind of scared to check xD But it has to be over 600k by now, maybe closer to 700k.
I think my only regret is that I haven't been able to engage with you all to the extent I would want. I wish I could be a more active and enthusiastic participant in fandom — to seek you out, hold conversations, and give you all even a fraction of the attention you've given me. I feel like I don't offer you nearly enough.
But I also know that I have to accept my own limitations. So, for now, we'll have to settle for whatever I can give, even if it's less than I would want. But I will keep on creating, trust me on that, because I'm stubborn as fuck and even if my pace is slower, I'm still determined to finish what I start.
And that's the note I want to end this on. I have suffered, yes — more so than I may have expressed to you all — but I've still managed to create some beautiful things. And while I mourn who I used to be and the fact that some of you have never known me at my best, I don't think the me I am right now is all that terrible. Do I want things to change? Yes, definitely. But do I want to change the choices I've made and the things I've accomplished in the past four years? No, I can't say that I do. I'm proud of what I've done, especially considering my limitations.
And, if you're reading this, thank you so, so much for your kindness, compassion, and support. Some of you are old friends while others of you are new, but I am grateful to every single one of you. You have made these past four years more bearable. You have made it easier to keep fighting. You have made it worth it.
Thank you 💜
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makorays · 29 days
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I'm curious if its ok to ask about how it is to be bipolar like do you feel different or anything? have you always been bipolar? how do you know you have it?
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you'll want to get a psychological evaluation done, it's how i got diagnosed. but even without a diagnosis i probably could've figured it out. this is a chart i made of how my overall mood felt on a scale from 0 to 10 on every day of 2022 and 2023. anything below that red line in the middle is when my mood is low enough to make accomplishing anything more than super basic tasks very difficult.
i actually really wish i had another chart to compare mine to, because uh, i'm PRETTY SURE this isn't normal. see how i'll like, have a string of good days, but then all of a sudden i flip and feel like absolute garbage for a bit?
bipolar is characterized by one's mood shifting in and out of hypomania and depression with little to no apparent cause. it typically doesn't manifest until adulthood. starting from when i was an adult, i kept feeling super super depressed without having any idea why, i'd always search my head to see if there was anything weighing on me at the time but i always came up short. or if i DID find something to be upset about, it was only on my mind AFTER the bad feelings already hit, and the bad feelings made me ruminate on the upsetting thought and feel hopeless.
imagine being so happy for a couple of days that you accomplish everything you wanted to do that week, music feels more amazing than usual, everything is exciting, you love the world and everyone and yourself and everything is great.
now imagine waking up after one of those days and having the first thought of the morning being "god i want to die." not a single apparent reason for it, you were feeling fine the night before, but all of a sudden everything is just wrong. everything hurts. you feel so weak that you have to muster up strength just to do basic household chores. you don't care about anything. all of your dreams, everything you've spent your life working for, all of it feels completely pointless. even if you had the motivation to work on something, you certainly don't have the energy. the simple act of moving your body starts to feel like you're swimming through black sludge. your personality shifts and you become a worse person because you're filled head to toe with pain and apathy and you have zero energy to deal with anyone's shit. your brain starts dedicating a ton of resources to inject you with raw suffering. you know that feeling you get when you hit your knee against a sharp corner? when a romantic partner breaks up with you? when someone manages to insult you in a way that hits every single insecurity you have? y'know...Pain? imagine feeling JUST that pain, without any of those things to cause it. imagine your default state is not one of neutrality, but of suffering. imagine a voice in your head, indistinguishable from yourself (because it IS you, just not a you you'd like to be) starts mocking you, calling you pathetic, telling you you've wasted your life and you'll never find happiness. imagine being so used to this voice that you've pretty much gotten a total handle on how to silence it, but silencing it does nothing for all the wordless pain you're also feeling. imagine clearing your head of all your worries, searching for that inner peace that normally acts as the bedrock to your mind, and finding it to have been replaced by a fundamental sensation of wrongness. imagine feeling so trapped in the torture chamber that is your head that you start asking yourself which wall of your bedroom would be most optimal for bashing your skull through. imagine questioning how it could be possible for anyone to be forged this broken. imagine being so intimately familiar with the chronic psychic pain that your only logical options are to either suppress it with medication or kill yourself.
now imagine going back to that other version of yourself, the happy one, the one whose brain tells them everything's fine. imagine starting to pull your life together, making more complex and healthy meals, working out every day or two, practicing skills, making progress with projects, and then imagine suddenly and completely losing all motivation to continue doing any of that because another inevitable downswing hits. imagine watching your muscles go back to how they were before you started working out because you literally do not have enough willpower in your entire body to do it consistently while in this state of mind.
so imagine now that there are two versions of you. one of them is living a happy life, making progress, pursuing his dreams, enjoying his time. but then there's this OTHER you, who always trips and falls back down the stairs you worked so hard to climb, who has spent their entire life feeling chronically depressed for no reason, and they're starting to get tired of it. the happy you starts to show up less and less, and the sad you gets to go further and further through their character arc. except, if you're anything like me, that storyline ends in suicide. you have to not give that version of you what they want, no matter how powerful their voice becomes, no matter how badly they want it, no matter how sick and tired they are of having to deal with this, no matter how much suffering they are experiencing. you have to keep torturing them, force them to live, until you can find the right medication to kill them in a way where they won't take your better half down with them.
and i should clarify, this is not multiple personality disorder. i'm still "me" whenever my shifts happen, the different voices in my head are just how i describe my conflicting thoughts. i am a democracy of neurons whose job is to make sure the dark and irrational neurons get outvoted. unfortunately, i can only influence the ones i am conscious of.
youtube
anyway hopefully these meds work :)
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flecksey · 3 months
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100% Clears 2024
Since I've already done a few so far I'm gonna start a somewhat belated collection of 100% clears in games for the year. I've long since become a sicko for this sort of thing and I'd like to catalogue exactly what it took for me to get 100%, guides and all
I nearly forgot because it was so early in the year, but I suppose this technically counts for my first clear: AI: The Somnium FIles
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I made sure to finish the Zero Escape games before this one, so ZTD might really be my first clear here but whatever. This game was pretty dang good, definitely more cohesive than the later zero escapes by virtue (lol) of taking place in a new world. Didn't quite hit the highs of 999 for me but Uchikoshi seems to always at least put on a fun show.
Replaying the action sequences and interrogations to do them perfectly was a little tedious but it was great getting them right the first time. I also had to look up one achievement that simply involved investigating something early on in the game (not to mention completing the Appendix), but overall a pretty breezy clear that I had mostly finished by the end of the story.
Next up is my first Zelda of the year: Link's Awakening for the Game Boy, no DX included.
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I went with the original here to truly go in release order because it's the moral thing to do. I actually ended up enjoying it more than Link to the Past, due in part to it being far less obtuse than that game. Easily the best Game Boy game I've played, it honestly holds up even today imo.
That said there were still a couple stinker heart pieces, namely one arbitrarily hidden in a moat underwater and another past a completely unhinted bombable wall that I had to look up. Still, it gets points for actually having more shells than you need to get the upgraded sword. The trade quest is also delightful and not too difficult with the boomerang being a great reward, though that being the case isn't quite apparent at first.
Afterwards I continued with my Zelda conquest, completing Ocarina of Time on my friends' N64 while I stayed with them. Sadly I didn't get a picture of this one, maybe I'll edit one in later if I can get them to take a pic.
Anyways, what is there to say about this game? A true classic that I really enjoyed playing for the first time (though I had played Ocarina 3D) No real complaints, just a fun time the whole way through if you play it normally.
100% is kind of a lot though, huh? 100 skulltulas on top of all the regular stuff, there's no way you're getting this done without looking something up. For me I entirely forgot the purpose of the bottle bugs which locked me out of 9 skulltulas, as well as some bullshit grapple points that prevented me from getting another 2 AND a heart piece. I probably never would have figured out the big poe quest for the fourth bottle either, but oh well. It was still a great time.
After that I fell off the Zelda train and didn't complete another game until Celeste 64 came out!
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A delightful little game that has pretty jank movement at times but is honestly fantastic for what it is (a free game made in like a week). I wouldn't mind a fully fledged 3D Celeste like this but with more time put into the movement, though I can't say I expect anything like that.
A pretty breezy clear that still left me scratching my head at one strawberry, which ended up being a platforming puzzle where you had to eliminate all of a set of disappearing platforms. A little obtuse for sure, though I gave up kind of quickly because I was following along with a stream. I'm still happy that I found all the others on my own.
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finnglas · 8 months
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hmmmMMM Kaide and Tali (and Lyna if you want??), gardening
[this fits their Inquisition canon v well]
Herbalism is one of the many things the clan tried to teach her, but Ines hadn't truly been interested until Kaide had pulled out his fancy scissors while they were on a ride to harvest a lovely seeding bit of royal elfroot. "These will be nice for growing," he'd told her, carefully scraping out a pod but leaving plenty for the wild animals and wind to scatter. "We'll plant them in Skyhold's garden."
Which was how Ines had become interested in the courtyard that Kaide had claimed for his own space, with one corner for healing herbs and one for poisonous ones, and one for the ones that could go either way. The last corner was for the seedlings Ines was growing herself under Kaide's patient tutelage, and that is where Taliesin finds him, kneeling in the dirt, the sun catching at the fine teal velvet of his sleeves and picking out the red highlights in his hair.
"These are almost ready to harvest," Kaide says as Taliesin approaches, sounding worried. "She was so excited to get to do it herself. Have you heard from Lyna at all?"
Ines has been traveling with the clan for the past couple of weeks, spending time with her mother, mainly, although she had promised Taliesin she'd also speak to the Keeper about the possibility of vallaslin. Maybe.
"Not since the last one, but the clan should be passing close by any day now, so--"
"Ada! Papa!"
Kaide is on his feet faster than Taliesin has seen him move outside of battle. Ines hits him full-force at a flat out run and nearly takes him down, and Taliesin spares a moment to rub his bad knee and be grateful it wasn't him.
"Easy," Kaide laughs as he pats her on her back. "Your deadly nightshade is almost ready to harvest. You're just in time."
"Ooh, can I borrow your scissors? Hi, Ada." She interrupts herself to give Taliesin a hug, and over her head he sees Lyna coming through the courtyard gate that Ines had flung open.
"Hi, Bee," he laughs, kissing the top of Ines's head. He'll ask her how her time with the clan was later.
"Can I borrow your scissors to harvest them?" she asks Kaide again. Those fancy little things. Taliesin still thinks she only learns about herbs to get to use them.
"We'll, no," Kaide says, and Ines looks positively crestfallen. Taliesin tilts his head; it's the first time he can remember Kaide denying the girl anything. But then he reaches into his coat and pulls out a leather bundle, grinning. "Because you'd probably rather use your own, right?"
The sound Ines makes has the horses snorting and stamping from the other side of the wall, and a dog barks nearby, alarmed. Kaide helps her unwrap the little belt pouch, and inside is a set of herbalist tools, maybe even fancier than the ones he carries.
"I couldn't get back to Ostwick to get a set like mine," he's explaining, "so these are from Val Royeaux."
"How much did those cost you?" Taliesin laughs, and Kaide shrugs.
"Oh, Ines, hang on - gloves. The 'deadly' part of the name isn't for decoration."
While they go off looking for a pair of gloves for Ines, Lyna finally makes it to Taliesin's side.
"Are they always like this?" She's smiling, though. She's told him before that she's perfectly happy to have a third parent in the mix. Taliesin hasn't told her that Kaide has been discussing making Ines his formal heir, with a title and land and everything.
"They're thick as thieves. He gave her a pony within the first month she was here with us," Taliesin says by way of answer, chuckling. "I think he'd give her all of Val Royeaux if he could."
"I'm glad," she says softly. "It eases my heart to know the two of you have someone looking out for you who loves you so much."
"You know, he's offered to invite you to stay here, too."
But Lyna is already shaking her head. "It's a generous offer, but I'm not made for staying in one place. I'll visit, though. Perhaps next time, I'll plan to stay for a bit." She grins slyly. "I noticed a handsome young blacksmith on my way in today. Perhaps I'll stop to speak to him."
Taliesin snorts. "Good hunting," he teases, as Kaide and Ines come back into the courtyard, properly gloved this time, Kaide apparently talking her through the fine art of making poisons. Just what he needs.
Kaide pauses near him to say hello to Lyna and kiss Taliesin briefly, lingering with his arm around Taliesin's waist as they all watch Ines - carefully, for once in her life - harvest the nightshade and transfer it to a bottle. Taliesin foresees her interest in the hobby waning quickly, now that she has her own scissors and has accomplished her goal of growing a plant, but he also knows Kaide won't mind, will just cheerfully keep enabling her along whatever path her interest takes next.
Lucky, indeed, all of them.
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petrichoraline · 1 year
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never let me go or fish upon the sky
i am just now comprehending this question lol i was about to say it's a wild choice to make but i just realised the common denominator lmaoo
nlmg was my first pondphuwin show and my introduction to pond; i started watching it just to keep up with the community though i believed it was going to be too sad for me. i enjoyed watching it weekly, giffing it, contemplating palmnueng's dynamic and writing about it (thanks to the anon who asked me a question back then which i took days to answer 🤦‍♀️) - i did not, however, enjoy the last episodes as much, especially the finale - i was practically waiting for it to end impatiently. i think a part of why i enjoyed it was participating in the community discussions and stuff and also having an episode or two per week made it easier to digest. once i was binging, though, i became more impatient with the plotholes and conveniences.
futs was A Lot - the humour hit more than it missed or at least i'd like to think it did - the kitty gang are one of the most fun friend group supporting characters (also satang nail polish >>>) and despite the weirdest, most out of left field conflict between them in the last episodes, duean and meen remain a very cute side couple that could beat morkpi in many categories. there was a red lamp going off in my head during the first six episodes but im the type to give the benefit of the doubt so i ignored it until i couldn't anymore. i binged this show in two bites iirc - i stopped at the end of ep.5 and then proceeded the next day - 2 episodes later i was already having a Not good time lol, trying to justify things, hoping it's all intentional, that things will get better and when they kept getting worse? oh, it took a toll on me. i'm so grateful for the humour, aesthetics and supporting cast for getting me through it. because it truly is an enjoyable little show when it stays away from mork (and would i LOVE to stay away from mork - even pond playing him couldn't help, it actually made me associate pond's appearance with mork which was awful ngl)
yeah, anyways, if i have to pick i want to say nlmg, i just realised i even watched the our skyy 2 episodes and they were perfect and highlighted the couple's dynamic beautifully
the truth is if i haven't watched smth in a while i'll probably just think of how easy to the eye i found it and in this case it wasn't the muted greens, browns, blues and purples of nlmg :')
futs drove me up the wall, left me angrier than i thought possible, made me sick of pond's face and left me in disbelief nearly every episode, i watched the finale angry and ready to leave it all behind. which is honestly so impressive?? cause after all the anger i barely remember the feeling but i remember that it was colourful and quirky. maybe it's a me thing but still, it's valuable. when i read fish upon the sky i get hit by so many emotions at once, you'd think it's of the quality of itsay or smth.
basically: nlmg is closer to my heart. futs is closer to my fist. they're both pondphuwin projects i watched/restarted watching under influence (iirc @respectthepetty's for nlmg and @sparklyeyedhimbo and @pondphuwin's for futs), they both have their higher chemistry/lower chemistry couples, their silly and not-so-silly villains, their ups and their downs. i will pick nlmg but futs is a winner too, it's just in a league of its own.
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self-written-god · 6 months
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T | 809 | m/nb? human/the thing haunting his house | prequel to 'haunted'
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Ed has been flat-hunting for the past two weeks daily. His brain was slowly becoming a blur of doors, walls, and smiling realtors. Every day he would see at least one place but none of them met his requirements, and if it did, it always had some hidden payments or repairs he couldn't afford. 
So when he was looking at another one on Friday - a one-story house in an old suburb neighbourhood - he didn’t have much hope of moving out of his mother’s flat. It was small, but still too big for his budget. Especially, when the realtor told him it had a huge cellar beneath, great for storing wine or preserves, as they said. 
He stepped in prepared to find water damage, leaky pipes, and drafty windows. When he found none, he asked about the price and looked twice at the paperwork. The realtor, a tired young man, waited patiently in an armchair as he searched over and over again for hidden expenses. 
“What’s wrong with this house?” he asked eventually, but as the man opened his mouth to answer, he raised his hand to stop him. "And don’t say nothing, there must be a reason why a place this cheap hasn't been rented yet.”
The man sighs. 
"Honestly? I don't know. It’s in good condition, all vital repairs have been done, and yet, the price keeps falling. People say they don't like ‘the vibe’,” he scowled, quotation marks in the air.
Ed looks around once again, at the fairly inconspicuous walls and necessities. 
"I don't feel any ’vibes’ here.” 
The man shrugs. 
"Me neither. Are you interested?"
Tentatively, Ed nodded.
"I think so? But I'm worried about… the vibes."
"Tell you what,” the man reaches into his pockets. "I’ll give you the keys, you can spend the night here, look around more, find whatever is wrong with the place. I'll be back in the afternoon, maybe you’ll have an answer for me then," he says, offering him the keys. 
Ed took them, stunned. 
“Really?”
“Yeah, just don’t tell my supervisors,” he winked. “Lock the doors when you leave and don’t break anything.”
“Of course,” he nods, watching the man stand up and put on his jacket.
“See you tomorrow then?” he extends his hand. 
“I’ll have your answer,” he promises, shaking on it.
*
He made multiple trips that day. First, he grabbed his son to give him a tour. He didn't get any bad vibes from the house either, and his kid’s approval was important in a decision that big. Then he drove him back to his grandmother, grabbing a sleeping bag to spend the night. Maybe whatever was creeping potential tenants out, was coming out after dark.
The neighborhood didn’t look any different than any other when the sun set. The trees loomed over the road, but not unwelcomingly. They wrapped around the fence like a dark green embrace.
The house was quiet and his steps echoed through the empty walls. Still normal.
He put his makeshift camp upstairs, where his bedroom would be, on an empty bed frame. After settling there, he took his flashlight and toured the house once again, shining light in every smallest nook and cranny, looking for anything that might have scared off potential tenants.
His last step was the cellar, which held the laundry room and wine shelves. There was also an old couch, which was probably too much of a hassle to carry up the stairs during renovations. He trails his light across the walls, layered with stones. In the corner hung a motion-operated light - now off, since the power was shut until a new person moves in. The ceiling was low, but due to the amount of open space, it didn’t feel constricting.
He sat down on the couch, surprisingly bouncy despite its age, and imagined a low table for card games, maybe a crate of beers next to the wine shelves. It would make a nice hang-out spot. 
His flashlight flickered, so he hit it against his palm a couple of times. The light steadied for a second, before completely going out.
“Fuck", he muttered to no one but the darkness. He now had to climb his way up guided by touch alone. He sighed, falling against the couch before the inevitable trip up the stairs.
Somebody sat down next to him.
He knew it wasn’t possible, but that's what his brain was telling him, his sixth sense on high alert. He looked to the side, but still saw nothing but the dark. He reached out.
Just air. 
But despite feeling and seeing nothing, his brain kept screaming at him that he had company. He stood up abruptly, determined to leave as fast as the lack of visibility would allow.
Something, unmistakable despite its absurdity, grabbed his ass. He ran up the stairs, trippin on the steps.
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perplexedflower · 2 years
Text
Laws Of Love - Chapter 3: Trick Or Treat Me
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Fandom: Jericho.
Category: F/M.
Relationship: Bill Koehler x Female Reader.
Type: 5-chapter fanfiction.
Summary: Having to deal with the end of the world is not easy. But it gets even worse when you also have to start dealing with your own feelings. Bill Koehler’s life takes a changing turn when a newcomer arrives in Jericho, and he soon comes to realize the day she walked into his home also marked the day the bomb in his heart went off.
Chronology: Season 1.
~~~~~~~~~~
A series of knocks on my bedroom door woke me up, making me pull on the sheets and bury my face in them.
"Five more minutes..." I weakly let out.
"The town can't wait five more minutes, [Y/N]." The masculine voice replied from the other side.
I sighed and kept my eyes closed for a few more seconds, before kicking the sheets away with a yawn. I sat on the bed and sleepily rubbed my eyes; it had now been around two weeks since I had started to work as a deputy alongside Bill, following his daily schedule, and that meant waking up early, at the same time as him. During these past couple of weeks, the town's situation had degraded, and the police force had been overwhelmed with complaints since the EMP had hit: it ranged from everyday trespassing to that one time we had to fix the broken water main on Ash Street that flooded a property. But despite all the work it required, I was glad to have integrated the force, to be able to help the town rebuild itself, especially with someone such as Bill by my side to help me.
I got up and walked to my door while half-asleep, still in my pajamas; stepping out into the hallway, I saw him walk out of the bathroom, looking just as sleepy as me. Taking a sidelong glance at him, I could not help but pick up on his sleepwear; at first, it was weird for me to see him without his uniform, but I came to get used to it over time. I had always believed in this myth that one never gets to see policemen without their uniforms, since they represent this figure of authority and power. But seeing Bill in a plain t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants took all of that away, and instead made him look soft.
Just as was I getting lost in thought, I saw him yawn and turn his head to me.
"Good morning." He greeted me with a smile.
"Good morning." I replied as I felt myself blush.
I waited for him to go back into his bedroom to make my way to the bathroom, after which I closed the door behind me. Since I had become an unofficial deputy, Bill and I had developed a common morning routine, which mainly consisted in me copying his. But as much as I enjoyed adopting his lifestyle, I could not ignore the fact it had been over two weeks since I had been living with him in his house, although it was originally supposed to be temporary, only until he would find me a truly suitable place to stay. I looked at myself in the mirror and shook my head as a part of me felt dumb.
I should have expected this case scenario to happen, considering how busy he's been lately, even more since Mitchell Cafferty has come back in town and caused a ruckus.
Pouring water into the palms of my hands I had cupped together, I washed my face, feeling the cold water waking me up.
I'm sure I must be bothering him at times... But he probably just never tells me about it.
I grabbed a towel hung on the wall and gently dabbed it on my face.
... I'll bring up the subject again with him when both of us will have time to talk about it, I told myself while staring at my reflection with determination.
Walking out of the bathroom, I made my way downstairs and joined Bill in the kitchen, who had already started to eat his breakfast. Pouring myself a bowl of cereal, I sat down in front of him and was about to bring the spoon up to my mouth when yet another yawn escaped my lips.
"Still feeling sleepy?" He asked with a chuckle.
"I suppose so." I replied, slightly embarrassed.
"Well, today's your lucky day to feel tired. Since the town will be busy preparing to celebrate Halloween, the workflow at the police station should be slightly calmer and easier to handle than usual."
I suddenly stopped eating and looked at him with surprise.
"I had completely forgotten today was Halloween..."
Hearing the news, a part of me began to feel excited; I had stopped counting how many years I had not had the chance to celebrate it, and spending it with the people of Jericho sounded like a good plan to me. With that thought in mind, I finished my breakfast and went back upstairs to finish getting ready. Once both Bill and I were ready to leave, we headed out and drove to City Hall. During the ride, I looked out the window and saw all the townsfolk preparing for the celebration, all over town: driving past decorated backyards and storefronts, the streets were looking the liveliest they had been since the bombings had happened.
A few minutes later, we arrived at City Hall and parked at our usual spot. As he walked up the stairs to the entrance, I looked around me, before turning to him.
"Bill, wait." I called out.
About to step inside, he turned around and sent me a questioning look.
"... Can I spend the day outside and help decorate the town and prepare for Halloween?" I asked bashfully, a shy smile on my face.
Following my question, I heard him chuckle lowly.
"You said yourself today should be calmer than usual." I quickly added. "And if you need me at any point for any reason, you can reach out to me, and I'll get to you right away."
Shaking his head slowly, he sent a smile my way.
"Sure, go have fun."
"Thanks a lot." I happily replied. "I promise I'll stay available if you need me."
Not wanting to waste any time, I headed off into town while waving to Bill. And so, I spent the day helping mostly everyone set everything up, going from one place to another: I eventually decided to go see Stanley and Bonnie, to check on them and see if they needed help with anything. But once I got there, I noticed Stanley was not on the farm, so I made my way to his sister; I approached Bonnie, but before I could ask her where Stanley had gone off to, she signed to me that they needed my help with something. She added that only a few minutes before I had arrived, Stanley had gone down to the station to ask for help there; chuckling, I signed to her that he went to town for nothing, since I was now here. We exchanged smiles and I helped her with her issue, after which I drove back to town and kept on helping others, all while running errands left and right, mixing work and leisure.
By the end of the afternoon, a few folks invited me to a pumpkin carving session, and I happily accepted their offer; carrying the pumpkin I had neatly carved, I brought it back to my car and put it in the backseat, saving it for later. I took a look at my watch as I closed the door, then looked up and around me: with nearly all the preparations in town wrapped up, the streets had emptied, given most of the citizens had gone back to their houses to either finish some preparations or to get changed into their costumes.
I should do the same, I thought as a smile took shape on my lips, after all, Bill hasn't contacted me in a while, so he's probably not drowning under work.
I took my car and drove back to his house to see if I could put something together with my clothes. But once back home, I went through my wardrobe and had to admit to myself that I had nothing that came close to a costume.
"I should've known..." I spoke sadly. "Even with all the clothes I had with me that burned down I couldn't have been able to put something together."
I got up and sighed.
"Hell, I don't even know what I'd dress up as..."
Hearing these words come out of my mouth, I suddenly came to think of an idea.
"I can dress up as an actual deputy sheriff, with the full attire." I thought aloud, a smile on my face. "It'd fit me, considering the job I've been doing for the past couple of weeks."
But my smile quickly shortened, as I realized something: the only way for me to bring my idea to life was to borrow one of Bill's outfits, and that meant entering his room and going through his things.
"... He probably wouldn't mind." I concluded after having given it some thought.
I stepped inside his bedroom and began going through his closet; as I had assumed, I saw multiple duplicates of his outfit and unhooked one of them. I carried it all the way to my bedroom and changed there, leaving my clothes on my bed. The second I was done putting it on, I could not help but laugh out loud at the fact that it fit me in the same way as it fit him, since I was about the same height and weight as him.
It suits me well, I thought as I looked at myself in the mirror, smiling at my reflection.
After I had slipped into my costume and was finished putting the last touches on it, I went back to town and parked near City Hall. I got out of my car and grabbed my pumpkin, putting it under my arm like a basketball: seeing the town had gathered in the streets and in front of the building, I made my way there.
"Oh, [Y/N]!" I heard Gracie call for me.
I turned in the direction of her voice and saw her walking toward me at a fast pace.
"You've finally been promoted to be an actual deputy! Congratulations!" She exclaimed while shaking my hand. "You know, I'm happy you've joined the force, this field of work really fits you well, sweetie."
"You've got it wrong, Mrs. Leigh." I explained to her with a laugh. "It's very kind of you to say that, but this is simply one of his Bill's outfits that I borrowed. It's my costume for the night."
"Oh, alright, then." Gracie nodded with a short smile.
To my surprise, it did not take long before I started receiving more comments about my costume, whether to tease me, compliment me on how clever it was, or tell me how well it suited me. After having chatted with mostly everyone, I walked up to Stanley, who was running a stand with Bonnie.
"Well, it's a nice pumpkin you got there..." He started, a playful note in his voice.
He leaned closer to my chest to read the name on my jacket, preparing to call me 'deputy [Y/L/N]'. But instead, he looked up at me with eyes expressing both amusement and confusion.
"... Mrs. Koehler?"
I gently hit him with my elbow as I smiled shyly.
"This is Bill's outfit, alright? That's all." I said while blushing and looking elsewhere.
"Right." He said unconvinced while nodding slowly.
I looked around me, turning my head from left to right.
"Speaking of which, have you seen him anywhere? I thought I'd find him out there with you guys, but... I haven't come across him since I got here."
"Hmm... Now that you mention it, no, I haven't."
I nodded my head gently as I took one last look around me.
"Alright, thanks anyway, Stan."
Leaving Stanley behind with a wave of the hand, I made my way to the stairs of City Hall and clutched my pumpkin closer as I stepped inside. Greeted by party noises, I started looking for him among the crowd that had gathered there: but when I realized he was nowhere to be found, I went up to Jimmy, who I spotted chatting with other people.
"Hey, Jimmy." I called out to him. "Do you know where Bill is?"
Jimmy replied to me by pointing to the door of the police station with his thumb.
"Alright, thanks."
Following Jimmy's indication, I took a few steps and looked inside the station through the glass door, and indeed saw him at the front desk, visibly working on paperwork, his usual coffee cup in hand and using only a lantern as a source of light. I opened the door very gently, trying to make as little noise as possible: walking inside, I began imitating ghost sounds as I played around with my pumpkin, but broke into laughter seeing the expression his face was shifting into. The moment he heard my voice, he looked up from the pile of paper in front of him, and I could read he was surprised to see me dressed in a deputy outfit, even more so his. I looked down at myself and smiled at him while blushing.
"What do you think of this ultra-realistic costume?"
Still standing behind the desk, he put his mug down.
"You dressed up as me." He said with his mouth slightly open, a smile transpiring through.
"No, I dressed up as myself." I chuckled. "I figured I'd make this deputy thing official. At least for one night."
Shaking his head gently, Bill began to laugh as well, before scanning me up and down.
"So, are we gonna play 'good cop, bad cop'?" He asked as he leaned against the counter.
"I'm down for it." I giggled lightly.
"Well, which one are you?"
"Which one do you want me to be?"
My words echoing through the empty room, we silently looked at each other in the eyes, but I could not help but look away after a few seconds. My eyes fell upon the pumpkin I was still holding in my hands, and I looked back up at him while raising it.
"And look who I brought with me!"
I set the pumpkin on the counter next to his lantern and he looked at it while laughing.
"I carved it this afternoon, and I figured I'd offer it to you to give you a bit of company in this big empty station."
I joined him in his laughter, but I also felt the tone of my voice changing a little; looking down at my feet, I looked back up at him a second later with slightly sad eyes.
"What are you even doing here all by yourself anyway? I was expecting to see you partying with the others when I stepped in... Aren't you gonna join them?"
He looked down as his smile shortened.
"Well... It may be Halloween, but it doesn't mean the pumpkins will do the paperwork for me."
I cracked a short smile, but it soon vanished, replaced with a more serious expression.
"Bill..." I started in a low voice, avoiding making eye contact with him. "Now that I've been in your shoes for over two weeks, I know what it's like being overworked and having little time to yourself."
I gulped as I could feel his eyes on me.
"You're a hardworking man, who gets things done, and you love your job, I know you do. But I also know you've been more tired than usual recently..."
I shyly looked up at him and instantly met his gaze.
"... And that's why I was thinking tonight's celebration was the perfect occasion for the both of us to unwind, and relax..."
Lowering my eyes, I felt a blush spread across my cheeks.
"... Together..." I whispered as I lowered my voice.
Silence reigned between the two of us, for what felt like an eternity, until I heard Bill clear his throat.
"Alright. You're right, I'll allow myself to finish work early tonight."
I looked back up at him with a warm smile.
"Give me just..."
He gently brought my right wrist closer to him to read the time on my watch.
"15 minutes, to finish this one paper, and I'll join you."
"You got it." I nodded, still smiling.
I started making my way back to the door but turned around, a hand on the knob.
"But no more than 15 minutes, alright Mr. Koehler?"
"Yes ma'am." He replied as we exchanged smiles.
I left the room and went back outside to go see the others again while I waited for Bill to finish. However, once the 15 minutes had passed, I saw no sign of him, and this time felt upset.
I'm sure he thought to himself 'one more paper' after he was finished with what was supposed to be the last one.
I made my way back inside the station and walked in by pushing the door wide open.
"I can't believe-..."
I suddenly stopped my lecture as I saw he was no longer behind the front desk, and all that was left was his stuff. I took a step closer, raising an eyebrow.
"Bill?"
"[Y/N]?" I suddenly heard his voice calling out for me.
I followed the direction of his voice, seemingly coming from the back of the room, and saw the prison cell at the end of the hallway, before realizing he had been locked inside. I quickly made my way to him with a worried expression.
"What the hell happened to you?"
"It's Mitch." He replied angrily.
Once close to the cell, I searched for the keys and found them on a stool nearby.
"Some of his guys came to bail him out." He continued as I was unlocking the door. "Gray went after him."
Before I could add anything else, he pushed the door open and made his way out of the room at a quick pace.
"I have to go see where they went and if they managed to catch him."
I had no other choice but to follow him, feeling my usual smile fade away. Once outside, we both spotted Jake and Gray further down the street, and Bill went to see them while I decided to stay behind in front of the building. I could not help but bite my bottom lip repeatedly while crossing my arms on my chest and continually tapping the heel of one of my feet on the ground. I stared at him from a distance, watching him talk, until he made his way back, looking more appeased.
"Things haven't gotten too outta hands, that's the good news." He started with a sigh. "Apparently, Gray had caught up with Mitch and his two friends, and was ready to take a shot at them, but Jake stopped him before he could fire, and told him the last thing Jericho needs in these times of crisis is a gang war we wouldn't want to be a part of."
He scoffed while shaking his head.
"And, frankly, I agree with Jake's decision, he made the right call."
Once he was done talking, I nodded my head rapidly.
"Alright. Well, we should head on back home." I spoke at a fast pace.
Not waiting for him to answer, I started to get in motion, taking a step forward, ready to walk away. But before I could take another step, he grabbed my wrist, making me turn around.
"Hey, what's the rush?"
I could see in his eyes that he knew I was not feeling good, looking down at my lips, bearing no smile.
"Bill, you..."
He got closer to me and let go of my wrist.
"Why leave now? You said you wanted us to enjoy the party together. So let's."
"But are you gonna be okay?" I asked as I looked up into his eyes with a hint of worry.
"I was only put inside a cell, [Y/N]." He scoffed while raising an eyebrow. "I wasn't hurt."
"But you could have been. They had a shotgun barrel directed right at you, Bill..."
"How do you even know they did that?"
"Because I know their type." I fired back. "And I know what they're capable of."
He stared at me, reading the worry and seriousness on my face, then looked down with a neutral expression before looking back up into my eyes with a short smile: I suddenly felt his hand on the top of my head, tousling my hair gently.
"I'm fine, [Y/N]. Don't worry about me."
My stern expression vanished as all I could now feel was his warm hand on my scalp, rubbing it tenderly; I gulped while blushing, then nodded at him. Smiling warmly at each other, we finally walked away from the building and went to join the others out on the streets. We did not have a proper dinner that evening, but since there were multiple and various food stands, we ate a bit of everything here and there throughout our stroll. We paid a visit to more or less everyone, and it warmed my heart to see Bill having fun and enjoying his night; as I was staring at him talking with Stanley and his sister, I felt a hand tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Jake and Heather, both smiling at me.
"Oh, hey guys." I smiled back at them.
"Good evening, deputy." Heather teased me.
"Do you have something to report to me?" I joked.
"No, nothing serious." She replied with a chuckle.
Heather suddenly stepped forward and grabbed both of my hands as the look in her eyes felt somewhat sad.
"But, I wanted to let you know, [Y/N]... I was driving through town earlier today, and I drove past the remains of your house... and I couldn't help but feel sorry for you, and how it must have been a traumatic experience."
Taken aback by her words, my surprise was however instantly replaced with laughter.
"It's very sweet of you, Heather, but don't worry about me, I'm no longer mad at that fire." I told her with a sign of the hand. "I suppose it was just the town's way to make sure I was given a warm welcome."
Everyone standing around us who had heard my joke laughed, and Bill and I walked away from them as we waved them goodbye. As we walked, I could feel him silently look at me, and eventually gathered the courage to look back at him.
"What's up?" I asked him with blushing cheeks. "What's on your mind?"
"I've never seen anyone who's able to keep such a cool head in the hardest of times." He confessed while staring straight into my eyes. "I'll admit it... I've been impressed by that trait of yours ever since I first met you in front of your house."
I felt the blush on my cheeks intensify and my eyes widen slightly.
"It's impressive how you never let things get to you." Bill added with a charming laugh.
Hearing him compliment me in such ways, I could not help but look away from his eyes, keeping quiet.
"... Thank you." I eventually told him while shrugging lightly, a shy smile displayed on my face.
Shortly after our conversation, we noticed the party was nearing its end, so we decided to head back home, for good this time; the first thing I did once we had made it back was to step into the kitchen and serve myself a glass of something fresh to drink, before taking it with me to the living room. I took a sip while fanning myself with my shirt, then set my glass down on the table as I looked at Bill standing up in between the kitchen and the living room.
"D'you ever get hot wearing your deputy outfit all day long?" I casually asked him with my head tilted.
"That is one question that cannot be answered with words."
Turning around slowly, he revealed to me the back of his jacket, covered with a wide circle of sweat, in addition to spots around his armpits. I covered my mouth a little while laughing and he turned around to me with a slightly awkward smile.
"Yeah, I'm sweating bullets."
"So am I." I reassured him. "Starting tomorrow, I'll go back to my usual t-shirts and shorts."
We chuckled together as he started to make his way to the staircase.
"Speaking of which, I'm heading for the shower right now..." He told me while grabbing the back of his neck. "I'll tell you when I'm done if you want to take one as well after I'm finished."
I smiled warmly and nodded, then followed him upstairs to enter my bedroom. I closed the door behind me and changed into my pajamas, leaving the deputy attire I wore in my wardrobe, after which I stepped back outside. Opening the door back, I found myself in the hallway and rested my shoulder against the wall. I looked over at the closed bathroom door and listened to the sound of water running, when I suddenly felt tears coming up. Taking a deep breath in, I went back downstairs and made my way to the living room while shedding a tear: I sat down on the couch and buried my face in my hands as I sobbed, ever so softly. I kept on crying for a few more minutes, until the sounds of footsteps on the creaking staircase came breaking the rhythm of my cries. I immediately sniffled, trying to swallow back my tears, and rubbed my eyes. But I knew Bill had already spotted me and noticed something was not right.
"[Y/N]?" He called out to me, in a worried yet gentle voice.
Without looking at him, I felt him walking closer and sitting down on the couch next to me.
"... Are you okay?" He asked after a few seconds of silence.
"I didn't want you to see me like this..." I shook my head as I tried to maintain a voice as neutral as possible. "I don't want anyone to see me like this..."
I looked down at the ground, my eyes tightly closed.
"All those things you said about me earlier, my ability to keep cool and not be affected by things... It's all just a façade, it's what I want people to see... What I want you to see."
He rested a hand on my shoulder, which finally made me look at him. I realized he was shirtless, wearing only sweatpants in addition to a short towel around his neck, and I guessed he had just come out of the shower.
"[Y/N], it's okay for you to feel things, to feel emotions, any emotions." He told me softly. "You're free to cry, scream, or complain if you want."
He paused for a second before speaking again.
"... Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling alright?"
"I don't want to be a burden you have to take care of, and I didn't want to distract your mind from your work, you already have important things-"
"Taking care of you is important." He cut me off in a firm tone before I could finish my sentence. "As much as anything else I'm doing."
Bill looked at me straight in the eyes and I could read sincerity and affection in them.
"... If not more."
Hearing those words, I broke into tears again, and he brought me into his embrace. We remained in the arms of each other for a good minute, neither of us saying anything; I rested my hands on his naked back and shivered lightly at the contact of some waterdrops still on his skin. Afterward, he pulled away and held me gently by the shoulders.
"Hey, why don't you go take a shower?" He suggested tenderly. "Warm or cool, whatever will make you feel better. That should help ease your mind."
I nodded in silence, then slowly got up from the couch: climbing up the stairs with me, Bill escorted me all the way to the bathroom, holding my lower back softly. Once inside, I undressed and turned the cold handle all the way, letting the water run down my face and refresh me. I did a series of breathing exercises while washing myself, then decided to stay under the stream a bit longer after I was done; turning the water off, I stepped back before drying myself and slipping into my pajamas again. I took a look at myself in the sink mirror and sighed while closing my eyes, telling myself how much of a mess I was. I then opened the bathroom door and took a step outside the room, when I suddenly saw Bill, standing up against a wall in the hallway. I was surprised to see he was not in his room, however, he had put a shirt on, so I deduced he had gone to his room before waiting in the hallway.
"Are you feeling better?" He asked me with tenderness.
I nodded while smiling softly at him.
"Thank you... For everything."
I looked down at my feet while blushing.
"You didn't have to wait for me, I'm fine... really."
"Well, seeing how you weren't fine 5 minutes ago, I wasn't about to let you off the hook that easily."
I chuckled and blushed just a little more: looking back up into his eyes, we exchanged smiles as we stood away from each other.
"Well, I hope you'll still be able to have a good night tonight." Bill said. "And if not, don't hesitate to come knocking on my door."
"I will, I promise." I answered him sincerely.
Although I knew deep down we meant what we had told each other, I could not help but feel a slight awkwardness in the air, leaving me with a bitter taste in my mouth; as if some things had been left unsaid.
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chasingpj · 3 years
Text
𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐨 𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫
pairing: leo valdez x child of iris!reader
requested?: yes!
translation: full of color
warnings: uhh, mentions of mental health and ?? maybe some typos lmao
category: headcanons, fluff, best friends to lovers
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pre-relationship
though, leo saw you around camp often, you caught interest in him before he caught interest in you
i mean, he literally couldn't miss you because your outfits were always bright, whether it was a combination of colors or monochromatic
you and your siblings actually look like a rainbow threw up on you guys, and it's honestly iconic
no one at camp can not notice the children of iris, especially when they're in a herd
one day, you were sitting alone at a picnic table near the lake, and you found yourself drawing him in your sketchbook
you sketched a portrait of him while he spoke to piper at a table nearby
you've always found the floppy curls and how his brightest smiles always look a little manic to be adorable
when you sketched his portrait in your notebook, you didn’t intend for him ever to see it
until a couple of weeks later in the arts and crafts center, leo passed by and caught sight of a new project you were working on
he stopped in his tracks to compliment your drawing
since you were nowhere near done with it, you couldn’t admire the piece as much as he was
but his enthusiasm was so endearing
he politely asked if he could see more, and you didn’t hesitate to slide over your sketchbook
he noticed a lot of your drawings were scenery and people at camp; especially your siblings
he stumbled across a detailed sketch of a woman and her child sitting in a bus
“wow… who’s this?”
“oh, I don’t know. It was just a little girl I saw on the train with her mother.”
“so you just drew her?”
you never realized how weird your habit of drawing random people was until he had asked
you giggled nervously, quick to explain yourself, “I tend to draw people or things that I find beautiful. I wanted to capture how calm and happy she was with her child ‘cause at the time, I was stressed and angry. Watching and drawing her made me calm.”
leo nodded, a faint smile on his lips before looking back down at the drawing. “that’s really cool,” he complimented, and you shifted in your seat, suddenly shy.
And then it hit you
you were so willing to show leo all your works that you had completely forgotten that his portrait was in that book
your pulse thumped loud in your ears, mind racing to figure out a way to take away your sketchbook before he could see it
you ended up spending so long thinking of what to do that he arrived on the page in no time
right before he could see the drawing in its entirety, you slammed the book closed and snatched it
leo’s startled expression turned into a mischievous smirk
“was that me?”
you froze in your place; a squeaky sound escaped your throat in your embarrassment
leo’s brown eyes sparkled as he leaned into you, your gaze fixed on his, “y/n, you think I’m beautiful?”
AHHHH!
^^ that was you in your head btw
leo laughed, amused at your attempt to deny it
“then why did you snatch it away?” he raises an eyebrow before reaching over quickly to grab the sketchbook back
you didn't pull it out of his reach fast enough, leo getting a grip on one side
the two of you pull it back and forth, leo laughing at you as you continued to deny what he saw
though you were incredibly embarrassed, you couldn't contain the laughter bubbling in your chest
gods, of course, this would happen to me, you thought
he got it out of your grip, and you sighed in defeat, watching him flip to the page of him and piper
he was quiet, studying the picture for a second before giving you that playful smirk
“you think I’m beautiful?” he asked again
you playfully rolled your eyes, “it was more piper than you.”
your tone was sarcastic, only fueling leo’s banter with you
“oh really?” he chuckled to himself, “but i’m the only one colored in.”
you were silent at his observation before scoffing, “whatever.”
leo only laughed as you take the book away from him
“don’t you have somewhere to be, fire boy?” you asked and nudged his shoulder
the glint in your eyes made him smile, and he shrugged, “i guess i do. i'll see you around."
you nodded, too shy to do anything else, and he walked off
after that, leo took it upon himself to talk to you every day
leo teased you about the drawing all the time, and he found the way you would play along to be funny
before you both fell in love, you were close friends
you had such an optimistic point of view about life, and it was pretty contagious
somehow when leo was in the dumps about something, you always knew what to say
you were just so easy to talk to, and because of this, your friendship just grew naturally
your first kiss was towards the end of summer
leo invited you to hang out with him in bunker nine at, specifically, 6 pm
you teasingly asked if it was a date, and you remember the way he tensed up a bit
with a mumble, he asked, "what if it is?"
from the tone in his voice, you knew he wasn’t joking
in fact, his tone was hesitant, a part of him was expecting you to reject him
then the heavy pit in his stomach turned light when you smiled and said, "then I'm down."
the grin leo gave you made your heart flutter like crazy
your first date consisted of eating snacks and watching a movie on one of those portable DVD players
You picked up on the tension between you and him, and noticed the opportunities for a kiss kept passing
it was until Leo walked you to your cabin that night did you have a moment of boldness and asked, "so are you going to kiss me or?"
leo's eyes widen in surprise before his face broke out in the familiar smirk he gives when he flirts with you
you rolled your eyes playfully and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him into you
your first kiss was sweet and soft; a little awkward
his hands hovered over your sides for a second, not sure what to do with them until he decided to rest them on your waist
it was the perfect way to mark the beginning of your relationship
relationship
since you guys are both broke teenagers, you got creative with date nights
you came up with the idea of paint splattering with him
you guys got canvases, covered the walls and floors with plastic to make sure you didn't dirty them
then you filled water balloons with paint and just threw them
despite you guys singing and dancing around in the midst of it, the canvases came out so good
and to commemorate the beginning of your relationship, you hung them up side by side in bunker nine, and when you guys get a place together, you hang them up in the hallway of your apartment
leo is a huge gift giver; as i’ve said before in my “how he shows he loves you” headcanons
he’s made you a lot of things; canvases, jewelry, little trinkets with scrap metal
one of your favorite gifts from him is a suncatcher with rainbow quartz
you fell in love with it and when you move in together, you make sure to hang it up in the kitchen with the bunch of other suncatchers that he’s made you
i love the idea that you would attempt to bring more color in his wardrobe
a lot of his clothes are muted in color; you don’t mind it but you were interested to see what he’d look like in a colorful outfit like yours
To say the least, he was not that enthusiastic and maybe, you shouldn’t have put him in a monochromatic orange outfit but… you still thought he looked cute
leo thought he looked like a traffic cone though so it didn’t stick
it’s okay because you like him the way he is anyways
another thing is that you guys are super supportive of each other and leo loves just how you manage to lift his mood
once leo was having a bad mental health week
you guys were sitting under a tree, looking out at the water
his head laid on your shoulder and small sniffles came from the other
it hurt to see him like this and you wished you could do more to make him feel better
then you had the greatest idea to make a rainbow for him
so you did
leo was so stunned when he saw the rainbow form over the lake
he looked at you surprised and when you admitted to making the rainbow for him, the emotion on his face was indescribable
and then you laughed and held him when he started crying because he said it was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for him
another time, you insisted that meditation would be good for him
he literally sat down for like 3 minutes with his eyes closed before he was itching to get up and do something
even when he was sitting down, he was still bouncing his legs and fidgeting
so that fell through too but you still helped him in other ways and he’s so grateful for your optimism and bubbly personality
leo always says that you bring color to everything; literally and figuratively
one of the things you bring color to is his life
and he’s constantly reminding you of this; that his world just feels brighter now that you’re around
and it’s literal too
since you painted the walls of bunker nine a bright orange
he asked you why orange, and you told him because orange encourages productivity, creativity, and most importantly, optimism
it may have also reminded you of the orange outfit you put him into
anyways, you told him that it hurt you to see him get down in the dumps, and you insisted there was no way he could be sad in a bright orange room
needless to say, you were kinda right
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maki-s-wife · 3 years
Text
Our favorite senior
Pairing: students of Jujustu high x gender neutral!reader
Warnings: none
Y/n is finally graduating from Jujustu high and the rest of the students worry that they’ll never see them again when they are busy with work.
ALSO the word “soulmates” is used in this but it’s platonic tho-
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“Y/n~” Nobara sang. You looked up from from your book to see the rest of the students crowding around you. “What are all you doing here?” You ask. They seemed to be serious which could mean one of two things. One the situation is serious or two they did something serious and need you to fix it again. Usually it was always the ladder. “Do you wanna come hang out with us?” itadori asked. You squinted, you’ve known everyone long enough to always question their motives. “Where?” “Just the shopping district” Maki answered. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with the shopping district and plus you had been wanting to buy some new clothes. “Alright that doesn’t seem bad, just let me get ready”.
The rest of the students let out a huge sigh of relief as you walked to your dorm. “I told you she’d agree” panda said whipping the obvious sweat from his face. He wasn’t the only one worried. All of them had been worried that as soon as you left you would forget about them. It was a sad thought that hovered over their heads as your time at Jujustu high was coming to an end. Nobara and yuuji were more jealous that they only knew you for the time of the school year. The second years knew you for almost two and Megumi had probably known you the longest. Gojo had introduced you to him and a bond was instantly formed. Though they all had in common that when you met them you immediately took them under your wing. You were like Jujustu high’s older sibling, always being there for your underclassmen no matter what.
“Do you guys really think they’ll forget us?” Yuuji pouted, you were like family to him now and the thought of you really leaving forever haunted him. Nobara hit his head and spoke “jeez your getting to emotional over this”. Everyone looked over to Nobara who’s eyes were so watery the sun glinted in them 10x more. “SPEAK FOR YOURSELF” yuuji choked out. Toge just sulked. He would miss how you’d tolerate his playful antics. Maki was also just pouting at the ground. You and her had that bond that no other could replace. Almost like you two were soulmates. Panda had looked up to you greatly, probably training with you the most was feeling emotional over the thought of you really forgetting him and the others. Megumi wouldn’t let it show but he was pretty glum at the moment. Knowing you for the longest and probably knew you the best out of the group even worried about him fading from your mind.
You walked outside to see everyone silently standing in a circle. They were all hunched over even Megumi who never slacks when it comes to posture. Slowly creeping up behind the group you hear small sniffles. Pushing your head in between Nobara and yuuji’s you asked “are you guys ok?”. Everyone jumped at the same time. When they came back down they all looked normal. “Of course were fine why would we be sad” maki spoke. “Tuna tuna” Toge agreed. Shrugging off the odd encounter you all went to the shopping area for the remainder of the day until it got dark.
You all laughed and played around on your way home. All of you held large bags of clothes, accessories and sweets to bring back for Gojo as Nobara walked freely with a small bag with a pair of earrings and other pieces of jewelry that probably drained gojo’s credit card.
You wiped away the tear from laughing. “This has got to be the best day ever” you said pulling everyone close to you. They all smiled, it truly was a great day but the thought of this being one of the last few times you’d say that to them. Soon you would be making new memories replacing the ones they had with you with others. Others that matched your skill and would always be working with you.
They hadn’t noticed it but you had been staring at them as their smiles faltered and the glint in their eyes left. Had they not had a great time? No. They were probably just tired. You all spent the day walking they probably just want to rest.
After arriving back to the school everyone said their goodnights and left to their rooms. You walked back and threw yourself on your bed. Going on your phone you looked through the pictures of today and old ones from the past months. Your adored those memories with your whole heart. You found a couple with yuuta in them. you missed Yuuta, though you didn't know him in person that long you both surprisingly stayed in contact while he was out and about in other countries. you placed your phone down. There was a mission you had to go on tomorrow and you didn’t want to be tired when it was time to wake up.
The next morning everyone woke up and went to the kitchen and saw many large stacks of pancakes with a note.
Good morning everyone, I have a mission to go on and I probably won’t be back until tomorrow. I hope you enjoy breakfast and don’t die while I’m gone :)
Their eyes started to water as they ate the pancakes. Itadori going on how deli it was while maki told him he’d choke if he kept talking. You were always the best at making them food. When you learned one or more of them hadn’t ate you always whipped something up quickly. There was never a time where they doubted you were the ultimate older sibling of this school, as you even cared for Gojo sometimes no matter how annoying he was. You’d help ijichi with his errands and hang out with principle yaga’s cursed corpses. Helping shoko with paper work and general healing people.
“Oh I can’t take this anymore” Nobara wailed. Megumi looked down. “I doubt y/n would forget about us”. Everyone looked up at him. “How can you know that” yuuji wined. “Just trust me I’m sure she won’t...”
The answer and the silence they came after it wasn’t very comforting. Toge and Panda didnt want to say anything, they had no clue what to say. No matter how many memories you could make with a person it was always possible to forget them. They all believed that’s what would happen with you.
The rest of the day went by slow. Gojo could sense something seemed wrong and before he could even ask why the group hovered over your bed in silence Nobara yelled at the top of her lungs for him to get out. Gojo simply walked away not wanting to make her more mad.
The slideshow had to be one of the worst they could make but still planned on presenting it to you on your last day.
“When IS y/n’s last day here?” Megumi asked. Maki tapped her cheek thinking. Toge’s eyes went wide and jumped up to the calendar hanging from the wall. He remembered when the last seniors graduated and then pointed to the next day on the calender. He frantically started walking around the room muttering words no one could hear. Everyone started getting teary-eyed, walking back and forth, saying random things. Everything was out of order. They thought they’d have at least another week with you and couldn’t handle the sudden change. They all paused when they heard the door open. Maki and Nobara were about to yell for Gojo to leave the room when they noticed it was YOU.
“How are you back here so early, you were gone for less than 6 hours” panda questioned. You blinked a couple times. “Well...the mission was easier than I thought but why are you all in my room and why are you all crying”. You were confused but concerned most of all.
"Guys-"
"PLEASE DONT FORGET ABOUT US" itadori and Nobara sang in unison. toge and panda repeatedly nodded their heads. the four were on their knees begging while Maki and Megumi stood awkwardly. "your gonna leave and then just forget about us in a couple months that's all" Maki said averting her eyes from your confused figure.
"what do you all mean? how the hell could I forget you guys" you said as you bent down and bought the four students up. "I love you guys and I couldn't forget my time with you all even if I wanted to which I never would!" you said pulling everyone into a close hug again. "But-" "There's no buts itadori and besides I'm not exactly leaving". Everyone looked at you with confusion. Toge staring at you menacingly trying to sense if you were lying. "DID YOU GET HELD BACK" Nobara gasped. You chuckled "of course not, after a couple of months I'll be coming back as a teacher". Panda picked you in a bone crushing hug and everyone followed.
"your our favorite senior" Itadori exclaimed.
you wheezed for a laugh as you were in a very tight hug. "I'm your Only senior, but you all are my favorite underclassmen....now I won't live long enough to buy you all treats if I don't get down-"
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rogue-durin-16 · 3 years
Text
MISS SLYTHERIN
Summary: Fred meets the perfect girl at the beginning of his seventh year; although he is reluctant to ask her out, the universe keeps throwing her into every place Fred finds himself in, even in the most unexpected one; the Quidditch pitch.
Pairing: Fred Weasley x Slytherin!Reader
Genre: mostly fluff
Tags:
Fred Weasley: @whiskeyn-rain @lumos-solemn
Permanent taglist: @elia-the-bibliophile @randomparanoid @karlthecat15722 @thebutchersdaughtersblog
Warnings: language and a little tiny bit of slut shaming (?) and making out
A/N: I was on the subway listening to Sweet Dreams and my brain went 'hOLd oN— bEAteR ReAdER 👁️👄👁️!' so here we are. Kinda long but worth it. Enjoy this <3
Rogue-durin-16 masterlist
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It was the first Saturday of the scholar year, and the first ten days tended to be the definition of chaos, so I had volunteered to help my House's prefects with the first years; I was in sixth year, so my first two weeks were mostly free anyway.
I was on my way to the dungeons to pick up the group of kids the prefects had assigned me when I bumped into my Ravenclaw friends, and I decided to chat a bit with them to catch up.
I had my back against one of the hallway's walls, therefore I saw the pair of towering, lean, redheaded figures jogging towards my friends to give them a jump scare.
"That's about it real— AAH!" My friend jolted at the infamous' twins, bumping them for scaring her. "Idiots!"
"Sorry, love." One of them passed his arms over two of my friends' shoulders, while his twin brother's eyes roamed over the circle, tilting his head in confusion when he reached me. "Hello?"
"Hey." I gave them a subtle wave and crossed my arms over my chest.
"Oh, right!" My friend turned to me and pointed at the boy whose arm rested on her. "This is George and that's—"
"Fred Weasley." He introduced himself, offering me his hand to shake with a half smile that promised everything but boredom.
Giving his hand a firm shake, I responded, "Y/n Y/l/n." Our eyes locked; we didn't even attempt to hide the fact that we were measuring one another, and I knew I would have to endure the teasing on my friends' behalf later, but there was something in Fred's gaze that made me extremely curious about his intentions.
I let go of his hand, only for him to take a couple of steps in my direction to stand closer. "And how is it that I've never seen you before, Y/n Y/l/n?" He inquired, leaning on his shoulder against the wall.
"I reckon you don't look much at the Slytherin table?"
His body tensed. "Oh?"
"Oh." I chuckled at his shock. "Scared much?"
The corner of his lips twitched up again. "Should I?"
"Guess that's on you to decide." We lingered on each other's gaze for a bit too long. "I think I'll get going." I was the one to avert my eyes in order to talk to my friends, who were already giving me that look. "See you lat— Oi!" Fred swooped the bag I was carrying off my shoulder and hung it on his.
"I'll carry this for you."
"I'm heading to my House."
"Where else would you be heading?" I turned to my friends in confusion, but they only shrugged; I didn't even have time to ask them what was he up to. "C'mon, Miss Slytherin!"
My eyes got big at the name and I spun around, rushing to catch up with him. "I can carry my own bag, you know that right?"
"But then I wouldn't have an excuse to walk with you." I quirked a brow at him when the ginger winked. "Tell me something."
"Like what?" I questioned, a confused yet amused grin dancing on my lips.
He shrugged, averting his gaze to nonchalantly look to the front "Dunno," He changed my bag to his other arm so it wouldn't be between us. "What do you think about Umbridge?"
"Well, she's got terrible taste in clothing." He laughed, and so did I. Just like that, we fell in a quite fluid and enjoyable conversation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
FRED'S P. O. V.
"—And not only that, she's so smart—" I groaned burying my face in my bed's pillow, very aware that I had been talking about Y/n to George and Lee for at least fifteen minutes. "Yesterday she held my hand and I think my face turned red."
Lee's snort was followed by George's words. "So are you gonna ask her out or...?"
I grimaced. The last couple of weeks, somehow I had managed to bump into Y/n everywhere. It was as if the universe was throwing me towards her, but there was a voice in the back of my head that stopped me from making a move. "What if she says no?"
"Freddie, she blantantly flirts with you every time you see her." George stated with his eyebrows raised. "Just ask her out, mate."
"Aight," I nodded. "I'll do it next time I see her."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
READER'S P. O. V.
When Adrian Pucey informed me that Crabbe wouldn't be able to play in the upcoming Quidditch match, I instantly regretted accepting my friends' dare of showing up at Quidditch tryouts.
Though I didn't put much effort on it, I got in the team as a reserve, and the moment had come for me to shine. How lovely.
I couldn't really back out of that one, so that's how I ended up in the Slytherin changing room before a match that would be played in the worst conditions. Since I was in deep already, I thought I might as well go for the win with everything I had.
"Oi, Malfoy!" I gestured the kid to come closer, which he did with reluctancy. "Don't give me that look— I don't like you either."
"What."
"You're not half as good as Potter—" Before he started the rant of insults, I spoke again. "Shut it. You're not half as good but you're faster." My words were clear and slow, making sure he would understand. "Keep your eyes on Potter— if he moves, you move."
He seemed to hesitate, weary of my advice, but then he gave me a subtle nod and walked away.
"C'mon, on your feet everyone!" Our captain called us and we obeyed; as we approached our entrance to the pitch, thunders could be heard louder and louder. "We're not only for the win, we're gonna crush them." He shouted, partially so we could hear him over the racket of the storm and the muffled hubbub of the crowd, but also because he wanted us to know how serious he was about it. "Glasses!" I took a deep breath, grasping the bat "Broomsticks!" The gate opened as I mounted my broomstick. "UP!"
"AND HERE COMES SLYTHERIN!!" We heard Lee Jordan's voice as we took off to go around the pitch in formation.
Even before we flew over the Ravenclaw stands, obnoxiously loud cheers of my friends could be heard, and I couldn't help but laugh.
FRED'S P. O. V.
"The hell are they cheering on?" I frowned at the Ravenclaw stands going nuts when our rivals passed over them. "It's bloody Slytherin!"
My brother, who was waiting besides me for the match to start, scanned the stands, and then the opposite team; in an instant, he stood upright and nudged me with his bat. "Oi, look!" George called my attention over the roaring crowd after the Slytherin team had passed over our heads. "The beater! Number 6!"
I looked for their number 6 in the pitch, only finding what George was talking about when they stopped at their starting points. Squinting my eyes, I managed to read through the rain the back of the robe. "Y/l/n— Y/n?!" George laughed loudly, following Angelina's cue and flying to his respective mark in the circle.
"Move!" Katie yelled, flying past me and snapping me out of my awe. Had she always been a beater?
When I reached them, I saw Y/n meticulously making sure she had everything secured.
Our eyes, despite the glasses and the pouring rain, managed to meet seconds before Madam Hooch's blowed her whistle, and I would have sworn she gave me a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"FRED PAY ATTENTION!" Not even Angelina's yells were enough to bring my mind back to the match, something I regretted instantly; a bludger had been beaten in her direction and nearly knocked her out of the broom. "FUCK!" The quaffle fell from her arm, only to be picked up by one of the Slytherin chasers. "I'M GOING TO MURDER YOU!"
"Sorry!"
"Freddie what the hell!" George had flown to us, probably in hopes to stop the bludger from clocking Angelina. "Will you focus?!"
"Yeah— Sorry!" I apologised again— well, it was more like a grunt rather than an apology. "Go back to Harry!"
"Defend our bloody chasers!" He scolded me before heading off.
I forced myself to keep my eyes on the bludgers and not on Y/n.
The rain kept getting heavier; not even the Impervious charm seemed to work repelling the water from the glasses anymore.
I was cold, drenched, tired and befuddled; my legs were stiff and my arms numb, so I definitely did not see it coming; for that matter, I thought it was a strong blow of wind at first, so the shock that struck me when I was knocked off my broom was a big one.
I heard loud gasps and a scream or two coming from the stands, followed by Lee commenting something about the beater being beaten; in another situation —one where it wouldn't be fucking pouring and I could climb back up to my broom—, I would probably have laughed at it.
But right now, with the hand I held my bat in slipping off the broomstick, the last thing I wanted to do was laugh.
READER'S P. O. V.
Once I had dodged the bludger away from Pucey, my eyes roamed around looking for the other one. which had just been beaten away by Goyle and, intentionally or not, the bludger went straight to Fred.
My heart skipped a beat as I saw his broom flip due to the hit, leaving him clinging onto it.
My eyes went straight to his brother, who was way to far to help, and then to their captain, who was adamant to score points.
"Fuck." I groaned through gritted teeth as I turned my broomstick and flew towards the Gryffindor beater in distress.
"Y/L/N STRAYS FROM HER POSITION AND— FLIES TO WEASLEY?" Jordan's commentaries reached my ears right when I got to Fred. I stretched my arm and grabbed his hand just in time for him not to slip off the broom. He gripped onto my hold for dear life as I used my broom as a leverage to pull him back up, a groan escaping my lips. "LOOKS LIKE NOT ALL SLYTHERINS ARE ARSES!"
I waited until he was steadily secured to let go of his hand. "Next time let go of the bat!" I advised with a teasing grin before flying off to my previous position.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, Y/L/N" I knew I was going to get shit for what I had just done, but I was expecting my captain to wait until the match had ended.
"HE WAS GONNA FALL OFF!" I yelled, louder than necessary.
"WELL LET HIM FALL THE FUCK OFF!" The captain retorted, venom dripping off his tongue. "WITH ANY LUCK HE'LL KILL HIMSELF OFF!" I didn't expect those words to come out, not even from that mouth.
"YOU KNOW WHAT?" I beat an incoming bludger away from us before shouting, "SUCK MY METAPHORICAL DICK, YEAH?!" And with that, I flew off to defend Malfoy, who was rushing to Potter. Surprisingly enough, he had followed my advice. I flew on Malfoy's track, dodging a bludger away twice until he gave a final sprint and caught the snitch.
"SLYTHERIN WINS!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The team started to celebrate as soon as we landed, and I thought I would take advantage of that and change into dry clothes, but I didn't have the chance before someone called my name from the entrance.
"Psst— Y/n." I turned around to see Fred standing there.
"Do you have a death wish?" I spoke quietly, though a smile appeared on my gaze as soon as I saw him. "What on earth are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to thank you for helping me out there." His cold fingertips brushed my wet cheek as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and he leaned on to place a kiss there. "Aw you're blushing!"
"I'm not blushing, I'm cold," I excused myself, averting my eyes from him.
Maybe it was his loud snort, or maybe the fact that I was missing, but the changing room fell silent as my team's attention was directed to us.
"Oi!" My captain looked Fred up and down, stepping to where we stood. "You're not welcome here."
"Chill," Fred shrugged, his hand lingering on my forearm. "I was congratulating her on her victory." His tone foreshadowed chaos. "Since, you know, it's obviously her doing." I glared at the ginger my hand going to his forearm, silently warning him to stop. "Can't command your own team, can you?"
his arm folded so his palm would be on my forearm too, giving me a reassuring squeeze.
"She should've let you fall off that hand-me-down broom of yours." Fred's grip on my forearm tightened; by the look on his face and the way his jaw clenched, I could tell my teammate had successfully hit a nerve.
"Shut the hell up, will you?" I snapped. "Can't you enjoy the victory without being an arse?"
"You fucking slut—"
"Imaginative." I cut him off, unbothered. "Want a cookie for the effort?"
"Listen now—" Just as he went to grab my bicep, a large hand pushed my captain away, making him stumble back.
"C'mon, mate, give me a reason to beat the shit out of you." Fred said, pulling me to stand besides him instead of between them. Fred's switch was about to flip, and I was desperate for a professor to step in.
As if I had summoned them, i caught a glimpse of Snape and McGonagall walking in my direction from the stairs of the teachers's tower.
"I'd love to see you try." The boy in front of us scoffed. "There's already too much ginger scum besmearing the pure blood, I'll be glad to send you straight to the hosp—"
It was far from expected it would be me punching that asshole strong enough to make him trip and fall.
"Miss Y/l/n!" Oh, right. McGonagall. "Ten points from Slytherin!"
"And fifty points for Slytherin." Snape added in his usual unimpressed tone. "Due to the comradeship you've shown during the match." I widened my eyes at the statement. "Though I can't ignore this, so Y/l/n, turn up in my class tomorrow morning for your punishment. Now, shall we, Minerva?"
"We're leaving too." I informed Fred in low voice, grabbing my bag before pulling him out of the Slytherin changing room.
"That was one hell of a punch." He observed with a chuckle once we were out. "Remind me not to mess with you."
I breathed out a laugh and we fell silent as we walked under the stands towards the exit, the only noise being the rain ricocheting on its structure.
"Thank you." He whispered, his fingers brushing against mines and consequently sending shivers down my spine. "For sticking up for me."
"I expect a reward at the least." I replied, playfully bumping his shoulder before letting my fingers intertwine with his.
"What would that be?" He inquired, that half smile tugging on the corner of his lips.
I shrugged, looking ahead of us with a grin of my own. "That's up to you."
"Will a kiss do?" He mused.
"Depends on how good the kiss is." I begged for my cheeks not yo turn bright red.
In a swift movement he spun me around and his lips landed on mines. His free hand, initially on my cheek, travelled down to my hips, pulling my flush against him while my own hands tangled on his damp hair.
Probably it wasn't a short kiss, but it felt like it when his mouth left mine, and I couldn't help the sight of displeasure that escaped my vocal cords.
He chuckled, our eyes fluttering open at the same time. "Was it good enough?" He teased with a quirked brow.
"Dunno." I muttered, my eyes falling on his lips again. "I think you'll need to try again—"
"To be sure." He finished, and I could only nod; I wouldn't mind the teasing as long as his lips came back to mines.
This time the kiss was deeper, my hands roaming over his wet robes and his over mines; it was only when my back was met with a post that I realized he was backing me into the darker part of the framework, which I did not oppose to.
Quiet moans began to be breathed into the kiss when he nibbled on my lower lip or my hands tugged on his locks.
We had to pull away when steps and voices where heard coming from both changing rooms.
"I think we should kiss more often." He suggested breathless against my lips.
"Agreed."
"I think you should go out with me too."
I had to bite back a laugh. "Agreed again."
"Well, that was easy." The surprised on his gaze was way too amusing.
"Did you think I'd say no?"
"Duh!"
"You're an idiot, Fred Weasley."
"Aw but you love it." He wiggled his brows at me and I smacked his chest.
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Text
Unexpected bond
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Book: Bloodbound (between book 2 and 3)
Pairing: Adrian Raines x Lily Spencer (friendship) / Mention of Adrian Raines x MC
Words: 1.960
Rating: Mature
Warning: Angst / Mention of violence, death and harassment
**Tags in the reblog**
His jacket was on the floor, where he had thrown it a couple hours ago. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up as his forearms rested on his knees. He had his eyes shut and his back against the wall. His breathing was erratic and faltering, incapable of calming down. The powerful aura that he used to have, had completely disappeared, leaving him broken and defeated, looking as terrible as he felt inside. Whoever knew him beforehand and saw him at this moment, would doubt that that was actually the same Adrian Raines.
His hands had remnants of dried blood, the same that had coloured his white shirt, red. His body was still healing some wounds, cuts and a few broken bones, and bruises as result of their confrontation with Gaius. Every time he breathed, he felt a stinging pain in his chest but he couldn't care less. He had decided to not move from there no matter how long it took. Maybe she woke up before the expected, scared or disorientated. Maybe her bloodkeeper condition made it different for her and she needed some kind of help. Or maybe… Simply, he just couldn't leave her side. Whatever the reason was, he had decided to stay there, in Raines Corp.’s basement, near the sarcophagus in which, and he desperately hoped it was the case, Amy's body was changing, slowly transforming into a vampire.
As a couple of tears slipped on his cheeks, passing through the bloody print that her hand left on his skin as he held her, he couldn't avoid thinking how afraid he was of losing her, to face the world without her. Amy had saved them, after he had promised her he would protect her, she sacrificed herself for them. For him.
He squeezed his eyes tightly, letting his head fall back, against the wall. No matter how hard he tried, the images kept replaying over and over in his mind, in a horrible and constant loop. Amy taking the branch, getting close to Gaius. Her pained gasp as the sword went through her chest and emerged from her back. How his throat hurt from yelling her name, incapable of doing anything else but watch. The fire in her eyes, using the last of her strength to stab Gaius as her blood slipped down in the hilt of the sword onto Gaius' hand. Her little smile before she noticed that her knees gave up and hit the floor first as the rest of her body fell down. How quickly her skin became pale and cold as he held her, knowing that there was only one thing that could save her. How, mortally injured, she cupped his face, almost happy that they had 'won', even if right now it felt like he was about to lose everything that was important to him.
"Adrian?" His eyes flushed open, seeing Lily down the stairs. Her eyes puffy and bloodshot, all her usual energy and almost childlike happy mood, had disappeared. For the first time since he had met her, she seemed like an elderly woman who had lost against life itself. She sat beside him and offered him a pack of blood and what seemed to be a clean shirt.
"Thank you Lily, but I don't need it."
"You do." She gave him a broken look. "You think she would be okay seeing you still hurt?" She placed both things between them. "You are important to her, Adrian. She did what she did to save us. To save you."
"She shouldn't have done it! Now she's--" His voice abruptly cut, incapable to even put into words his fears and torments.
"I know." Lilly replied, distractedly fiddling with one of her rings. "But she's brave and her heart is bigger than anyone I've ever met." A pained smile lifted her lips a little. "Amy would never watch us die if she could avoid it. You know that." She fixed her stare on him, her voice a bit shattered. "Exactly like you or any of us would have done for her if the rolls were reversed."
"But I couldn't." His mind returned to the night before, when they had sleep holding each other. It felt so far away. "I promised her I would protect her no matter what and I couldn't. I failed her." It was the first time they shared this kind of conversation and time alone. It was obvious that Lily had a stronger relationship with Jax, like Adrian had with Kamilah. But, even if they were worried and sad too, right now, the pain Lily and Adrian were feeling, was different from theirs and had brought them together. "I should never have allowed her to get involved in this." To his surprise, she giggled.
"If you think you could have told her what to do, I'm sorry but you don't know her as well as you think." Adrian chuckled a bit alongside her. Lily was absolutely right about that.
"Did she ever tell you about the first time she saw me transformed, on her first day of work?" He wasn't sure why he asked her that. Probably because it was the moment that he realized that she would be special for him, even if he didn't know how much.
"Only a few parts."
"In almost 300 years a lot of people had learned the way she did about all this. And most… If not all of them, begged to forget, to return to their old lives." Despite himself, he smiled at the memory. "Amy… She just stood there. For a little while, she got scared, of course, but… She didn't run or scream. She started to ask me questions, curious, looking at me the exact same way she did all that day. Before her eyes, I was still… Me. She even joked about Nicole being dramatic during the feeding." He let out a sorrowful and shaking sigh. "I took her to Priya's fashion show and she told the security that she was my partner instead of my assistant." They both softly laughed.
"I think she had a crush with you almost instantly." Lily crossed her legs under her. "That night, before returning to the office, we chatted a bit. When I asked her about how you were, her answer was, and I'm quoting here 'super hot'." She said smiling at the same time that her palm dried her cheeks. "She was so happy to be able to stay in New York."
"It was an absolutely mutual feeling." Adrian passed his fingers through his hair, feeling an ache in his heart as his memory returned to the first time he saw her, that she had given him one of her beautiful smiles. "That night, she cut her hand with a glass. All the vampires around were drawn towards the fresh blood, to her."
"I know the feeling." She sadly murmured. "She mentioned that part actually, that you helped her and stood in front of her."
"I will never forget how she hugged me from behind. How when she was scared, she trusted me." His eyes started to burn with fresh tears. "She not only didn't allow the debriefing, but also convinced me to show her around the library." The tears ran free on his face and he didn't try to stop them. "She's brave and stubborn in the most wonderful way."
"I think you are not aware how important you are to her." They stood in silence, lost in their thoughts and memories until Lily talked again. "Amy had always tried to watch over you."
"I know she did." His voice was a low raspy whisper.
"Actually, I suspect you don't know how much." After a pause she sighed, as she had made a decision. "Amy is going to kill me for this…" She muttered. "There's something that she never told you." Adrian noticed the subtle change in her voice. "But I'm convinced you deserve to know." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. "After the trial where Vega framed you and they declared you guilty, everybody started to discuss how to divide your stuff and..." She stood in silence, her eyes filled with doubts.
"What happened, Lily?" He shifted his gaze to look at her, taking his attention from the coffin for the first time.
"Priya grabbed her from the throat and 'claimed' her for herself." Lily shivered a bit beside him as his blood seemed to boil and freeze at the same time. "She said that she wanted to break her. And after forcing her to watch you die, maybe kill her."
"Was she hurt?" Adrian frowned, clearly disturbed as a new wave of anguish went through his factions. He was conscious of all the times she had been in danger because of him but discovering that there were occasions that she hadn't told him to protect him, it felt like a powerful hand grabbed his heart and squeezed it slowly and extremely painfully.
"Kamilah stopped her almost immediately but she had a bruise around the neck for a couple weeks. She covered it with makeup."
"Amy never told me about that." He lowered his face, both of his hands holding it, seeming overwhelmed as his fingers ran through his hair.
"I know. She didn't want you to know. She was sure you would feel guilty even when it wasn't your fault." Lily stared at his eyes, he never had seen her gaze so intense. "What do you think was the first thing she said, when we left the temple after that?" Adrian stared at her back, unsure if he wanted to know. "She asked Kamilah how we could help you, to save you." Lily sadly smiled at him. "Even back then she didn't wanted to lose you. That's why she did what she did tonight."
He remembered the deep sadness and concern he saw in her when their eyes locked to each other as he was dragged away. The softness of her hand and words when she had found him in The Baron's dungeon. The happiness he felt when he saw her in front of him. "I didn't want to lose her either." He forced himself to say the words that couldn't stop repeating internally. "I don't want to lose her. I can't. I need her, she just can't di--" The lump in his throat cutted his voice, incapable of ending the last word.
"I don't know if she had heard you but… If it's worth something, I know she loves you too, Adrian." Lily murmured, her voice gruff. "You are the most important person to her." Her hands dried her cheeks. "Well, the second more important at least. Best friends and roommates rights, you know."
"I'll take it." Adrian smiled before his face fell again. "And it's worth more than you can imagine." His eyes fixed again on the sarcophagus. "I just hope to have the chance to tell it to her like she deserves. And maybe hear her say it back."
Lily took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, standing up. "Are you sure you want to stay here?"
"Yes." She nodded and headed to the stairs. "Lily." He called her and she stopped to watch him. "Thank you. For the blood and everything afterwards."
"You are welcome, Adrian." She leaned against the wall for a minute. "I just know how sad she would be seeing you like this." She stared at the sarcophagus one last time, thinking the same thing that has been in Adrian's mind the last two hours and couldn't dare to face it: how silent the coffin was, without even a faint heartbeat or shallow breathing coming from it. Almost like it was empty.
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karlajoyner · 3 years
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Stamps (Luke Patterson x Reader)
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A/n: Hey guys so this one was rather long. I don’t know if I liked it very much but that’s just me being critical of myself. Anyways I hope you enjoy it!
Requested by: kennice1 (Wattpad)
Warnings: None
————
My eyes opened slightly to see my boyfriend laying beside me in his suit from the night prior.
We had done it.
We played the Orpheum.
And got rid of Caleb stamps.
Now we were here the very next day in Julie's garage like we'd been the past couple weeks feeling better than ever.
"Good morning beautiful" His raspy voice spoke as he to was barely opening his eyes.
"Good morning Luke" I replied staring up at the ceiling.
The bright sun rays hitting many different points of the studio since it was probably near mid day now.
"Morning? It's afternoon" Another voice in the room spoke making my head whip in their direction.
"Well then good afternoon my dear brother" I grinned sitting up only to see Reggie still passed out on the barkin lounger.
"Has Julie come in today yet?" Luke asked sitting up as well, pulling my body into his.
"Yeah. Said she was gonna go have breakfast and get dressed before coming back for practice. She also said she'll bring us something back"
"Oh to have breakfast. What a privilege we now have" I said stretching out my body.
"I sure did miss pancakes. I hope we have that" Reggie spoke in his morning voice.
"Look who's awake"
"Morning"
"Afternoon" I corrected him standing up.
"Where are you going?" Luke pouted.
"To get dressed for practice too. In case you haven't noticed I need to get out of this thing" I spoke pointing down at the long royal blue dress that sat tightly on my body.
"Or you could just stay in it. Maybe rip it up a bit make it more fitting" Luke suggested pushing the dress up my leg.
"Can you not try to sexualize my little sister in front of me?" Alex spoke.
"Sorry" Luke apologized.
"My boyfriend can sexualize me all he wants" I argued making my way towards the exit.
"Gross"
"I think it's endearing" Reggie said making me giggle.
"I'm gonna go see if Julie has anything I can barrow. And maybe a sewing machine. I think you were onto something there Lukey" I teased the boy watching a smirk take over his face before I walked out.
I giggled deciding to surprise Julie at her front door for the first time as an actual human being again.
Since I couldn't just poof into rooms anymore.
A grin formed on my face as I reached the front porch being careful to avoid any windows up the driveway.
"Look at you y/n. Looking as lovely as you did last night"
An all too familiar voice spoke from behind me before I could press the doorbell.
My heart immediately dropped as I spun around coming face to face with the devil himself.
"Caleb" I whispered.
"What are you doing here?"
"Oh I just came to pay a little visit.... Tell me how does it feel to be alive again. Oh it must feel great"
"Just leave us alone. We've already defeated you and we're not joining your stupid house band" I bravely spoke watching as he inched closer.
I gulped nervously backing up until my back hit the door behind me and he was only a few feet away.
"That's not very nice of you to say. I've offered you and your boys everything and this is how you repay me. With insults. Nice try trying to be brave sweetheart but we both know your scared out of your mind. Scared that I'll hurt you. Or your little bandmates. Am I wrong?"
"Leave us alone" I repeated attempting to stand my ground
"I can see why Luke's so infatuated with you. Your strong headed like him. Too bad you won't make it home for breakfast"
My eyes widened as he grabbed ahold of my shoulders. My eyes rolling the back of my head.
"I have a fight too" I smirked hearing footsteps coming up the pathway.
My eyes fell upon a face I recognized to be none other than Nick. Julie's crush she'd been telling me about for weeks.
"Oh there's someone here" He said noting my presence.
"Hey, you look familiar. Wait. Aren't you that other girl in Julie's hologram band?" He asked hopefully.
"That's me" I smiled at the boy.
"I'm y/n" I said sticking my hand out for him to shake. He took it smiling back at me.
“I’m Nick”
"So your here to see Julie?" I asked ringing the doorbell for the two of us.
"Uh yeah. I didn't get to see her last night after the show so I thought I'd bring her these" He said showing me the flowers in his hand.
"How sweet. The broken hearted teenager fighting for his girl" I spoke mischievously raising an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry what?" He asked.
"Julie's told me about you Nick. It seems she's canceled on you a few times now hasn't she?"
"Well yeah but that's just because she was busy"
"Are you sure about that? In all honesty she just doesn't seem that interested if you ask me"
"R-really?" He asked looking down with a frown.
I cheekily bit my lip as the front door opened.
Taking my chance and caught the boy off guard, pulling him in for a passionately rough kiss.
Making sure that he fell into the trance. The flowers in his hand fell to the ground as he held my waist pulling me closer.
"N-Nick? Y/n?!" Julie's voice rang through my ears.
"Oh Julie. I-uh didn't see you there" I panted pulling away.
Slipping a note into Nicks hand before his eyes went from purple swirls back to his normal eyes color.
"J-Julie" he stuttered going to pick up the flowers.
"I-I don't know what happened"
"I think I can explain what's going on here. Nicks just not that into you Jules. Sorry. Anyways don't tell Luke about this. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt now would we? See you later" I smirked walking down the front path of the house. Leaving the two dumbfounded.
I made sure I was out of sight before poofing away to the one place I called home. Awaiting for my revenge.
Julie's POV
I stood there in shock as y/n walked away. Leaving Nick and I standing on my front porch.
"Julie I- I can explain. She just- She was here and we started talking. I didn't even know her. I though she was your friend"
"I did too" I mumbled in confusion. What was wrong with her?
"She left me this. It probably her number but I don't want it. Your the only girl I want Julie" He said throwing the paper on the ground.
"I-I don't know what to say Nick. I um- can we talk about this later?"
"Of course. Take all the time you need"
"I will"
"These are for you by the way" He said sticking his hand out holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Thanks" I muttered watching as he too walked down the same path out the front gate. I picked up the paper Nick dropped. Confusion coursing through me. Until I opened the paper.
She's home at last. But alone. Don't make this any harder and come join my house band or else....
~Your friend at the HGC
I read to myself. Everything making sense now. I had to show the boys.
Y/n's POV
I glared at Caleb who sat across from me. Specifically at the same table we were seated at the very first night we entered this dump.
"They're not gonna come" I stated crossing my arms.
"Really? You think so?"
"They're not that stupid"
"Y/n you underestimate your bandmates. Your Luke's girlfriend, Alex's sister, and Reggies bestfriend. Of course they're coming for you. And when they do they'll be gifted with a new stamp. Just like you" He grinned at me making me scoff.
As if on cue someone flashed into the middle of the room making me audibly groan in frustration.
"Seriously?!" I shouted.
"Told you" Caleb spoke making me roll my eyes.
"Boys welcome home"
"This isn't our home. We came for my sister and we're leaving" Alex spoke up.
"That doesn't seem to be on my schedule for the day. Why don't I have Dante help get you boys settled into your new rooms?"
"Y/n let's go"
"She's not going anywhere. She can't yet"
"Why not?"
"Show them" Caleb said as I glared dagger through him.
"Oh now you don't want to speak. Don't be rude y/n show them what I've gifted you" Caleb encouraged me again.
I simply kept quiet with my arms still crossed.
"Fine then I'll show them" I let out a scream as my arms separated from each other turning until my wrist was finally viable to the three boys in front of me.
"What did you do?" Reggie asked as they inspected the golden stamp on my wrist.
"This my dear pal Reginald is a new stamp and once activated will send shocks through y/n here once again. Only this time it'll hurt just about three times as bad. That is until you agree to become apart of my house-band. Or you could just leave her here on her own it's your choice really" Caleb spoke tapping my wrist.
My eyes widened as the stamp began to float in the air before placing itself back on my wrist.
Suddenly an excruciating pain coursed through my body immediately making me drop to my knees.
"You have until tonight's show to make up your mind" He spoke before flashing out leaving us alone in the empty ballroom. Immediately I was engulfed by a pair of strong arms as the pain tingled on my wrist.
"Y/n! Baby are you okay?" Luke asked wiping away the stray tears that had escaped my eyes
"What happened? How'd Caleb get to you?"
"It was in front of Julie's house this morning. I went to ring the doorbell. I didn't even get to do it before Caleb showed up, possessed my body, made me kiss Nick in front of Julie, and then brought me here"
"He made you do what?!" Luke shouted.
"Uh- did she not mention that?" I asked sheepishly.
"She did not"
"All she said was that you were acting really weird and that you left this note" Alex said pulling out a folded up letter from his back pocket.
"Then forget, I said it" I quickly spoke attempting to move the conversation along.
"We'll talk about his later. We need to figure out how to get this stamp off your wrist" Luke said inspecting it closely.
We sat in Julie's garage trying to come up with an idea on how to get the stamp off which wasn't going so well since it still was sending electric shocks directly through my body.
I groaned in pain as another jolt course me evidently leaving me weaker as the time passed. It was getting dark out and we were running out of time.
"Guys it's almost 8:30. The show starts at 9:00" Julie said showing us her phone screen.
"We've got to figure out how to get this thing off" Luke shouted in frustration at the rest of the band.
The three of them expressing concern on their faces.
"Okay we have to think. What happened last night? What did we do to make your stamps disappear" Julie asked as Luke helped me sit up.
"Easy. Julie said she loved us. We said it back then we hugged"
"That's it! Julie said she loved us. She connected with us and we did with her"
"So your saying Julie has to say it again and hug y/n?" Reggie asked.
"We could try it" Julie suggested walking over to me.
I nodded standing up immediately falling back down as I was zapped once more. The stamp on my wrist tingling afterwards.
"Baby are you okay?" Luke whispered holding me in his arms.
"I-I'm fine. Let's just get this over with" I spoke standing up once more.
I looked at the girl in front of me seeing her eyes filled with hope.
"I love you" She spoke softly pulling me in for a hug.
"I love you you too Jules" I whispered in her ear. We pulled back seeing the stamp flatly sitting upon my skin.
"It- it didn't work"
"Do it again" Luke demanded.
"It's not gonna work Luke"
"It has to. Do it again" He ordered. I shook my head no looking at the girl in front of me. Her eyes beginning to tear up.
"It's okay Julie. I'll be okay" I whispered wiping away the single tear that left her eyes.
"Don't worry about me"
"How could I not? I can't lose you a second time y/n. Your like my big sister and I really do love you"
"I love you too. But I guess it only worked the one time" I said before another shock hit me.
"We could always figure out your unfinished business" Reggie suggested as I regained my posture.
"We don't have time"
"I have to get the Hollywood ghost club before that show or I'll become thin air"
"I'm coming with you" Luke said standing up.
"No your not. You are staying here. With Julie. Where your safe"
"Julie's not my girlfriend you are. So I'm going with you whether you like it or not. I'm sure Caleb wouldn't mind anyways"
"Luke Patterson you are not going anywhere"
"He's not but I am" Alex spoke.
"I am too"
"Not you guys too" I groaned looking at Julie for help.
"Do you understand what'll happen if you guys come back with me? Calebs going to brand you for life"
"So what?”
"So everything we've accomplished up to now would've been for nothing"
"It's going to be nothing if your not here with us" Reggie spoke.
"Julie a little help here"
"You guys need to go with her" The girl said letting out a breath.
"No Jules. You need them here with you. It's not Julie and the Phantoms without the Phantoms"
"Forget about the band right now y/n. You need them with you. You can't live whatever life you have left without your friends, your family, and your true love" I sighed looking at the girl who smiled softly at me.
"You guys brought music back into my life and for that I'll be forever grateful. And with Flynn I'll get through this. But I will never forgive myself if I separate you from your boys" She said making my eyes water.
"Our boys" I corrected her pulling her in for a tight hug.
I sighed in content as the rest of the boys joined our hug one last time.
"I love you guys"
"We love you too"
And that's when I felt it.
The feeling from last night. I was no longer week. The tingling had stopped.
"Your shining!" Julie gasped pulling away first.
Smiles formed on everyone's faces as the stamp arose form my wrist dispersing into thin air.
"W-we did it!" We did it!" Alex shouted jumping up and down excitedly.
"It makes sense now. I didn't just hug one of you. I hugged all of you!"
"I guess love really does conquer all" Luke stated pulling me into his arms, making sure to leave space so I could still look up at him.
"We did it baby"
"We did it" I confirmed pulling him in for a loving passionate kiss with everyone cheering in the background.
————
Up Next: Charlie Gillespie x Reader
Jeremy Shada x Reader
Charlie Gillespie x Owen Patrick Joyner x Reader
Reggie Peters x Reader
Charlie Gillespie x Reader
Reggie Peters x Reader
Carrie Wilson x Reader
Sunset Curve x Reader
————
@lolychu @headheartbellarke @bookish0918 @kcd15 @ifilwtmfc @moviesbooksandfandoms @lovesanimals @lavender-writer @kaitieskidmore1 @morganayennefertyrell @iloveteenwolf @ghostofmgg @jammi13 @theravenclawlife
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starlightxsvt · 4 years
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Fated
Pairing: Seungcheol x female reader
Genre: mafia/gang au, exes to lovers, action, slight smut
Warnings: cursing, fighting and stuff
A/N: Happy Seungcheol Day everyone! This is for our birthday boy~ I tried to keep it short but it got outta hand so whoops, strap in for the ride. Also, I'll really appreciate it if you took a minute to let me know what you thought about this cuz this took me a looot of time to write and my eyes and hands hurt really bad. Anyway enjoy!
Never in a hundred years did you expect to meet Seungcheol in the club your cousin had invited you all to. She had just returned from abroad and her wedding was taking place the next week hence it was a long awaited get together. Of course she had arranged it in one of the finest clubs in the city, the one you always wanted to visit but your regular plain desk job couldn't really afford.
You first took notice of Seungcheol when you were on your way back from the restroom, him sitting in the back, more secluded area of the club with a glass of whiskey in his hand. His eyes met yours and they went wide like saucers, a look of displease crossing his face, a rather exaggerated expression - you thought. Sure, you two were exes and went through a salty breakup but his expression was rude and brought back unwanted, sad memories. You contemplated on talking to him but he saved you from that. Standing up in a flash, he walked over to you and hissed, "What are you doing here?" His tone made your blood boil and your initial thoughts of being polite to him went down the drain, "Gee, Mr. Choi, I know I'm not someone your worthy but this is a public place and you don't own it!" You snapped at him. His eyes turned dark as he clenched his teeth and spoke, "For fucks sake, what the fuck are you doing here?" His eyes raked over your body covered in a snug deep wine colored dress.
"I'm here for shopping. Why the fuck would I be here Seungcheol?" You spat, clearly annoyed by his behaviour. Seungcheol let out a frustrated sigh, hands combing through his hair as he muttered curses under his breath.
"Listen, you shouldn't be here, Y/n", he spoke trying to calm down and held your arms. "Woah there, Choi, get your hands off me. Who are you to tell me where I should or should not be?"
Seungcheol looked like he could punch someone as he clenched his jaw tight and gave you a look that made your knees weak, "I'm not fucking around, Y/n, you should not be here."
"What the hell Seungcheol? What is your problem? I'm here to attend my cousin's party. And for the record, we're not together anymore so stop interfering in my life."
Seungcheol opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by one of the suited men behind him who murmured something in his ear that only seemed to infuriate him. He turned towards you, "You- fuck, you should not be here. A deal is gonna go down here."
It took you a couple seconds to put two and two together and a sudden wave of agitation passed through you. You whispered, "You're kidding, right?"
Seungcheol was no ordinary man. He was tenacious and confident- too confident for someone who regularly killed people and ran his underworld business. You figured it out during the time you two were together and you didn't try to dig further for your own good.
"You have no idea what-" Seungcheol was interrupted when one of your cousins appeared out of the blue, "Hey Y/n! Where have you-" her voice trailed off when she saw you with Seungcheol and a smirk appeared on her face, "Oops, sorry, I'll leave you two to it." And as quickly as her came, she left, leaving a panicked you and an outraged Seungcheol. "Can you please explain what's going on?" You whispered to Seungcheol in hope of some enlightenment.
"They got Chan, okay? These mother fucking group of traffickers got Chan and asked for a ransom. They're now here for the money."
Oh no. Your heart sank at the mention of Chan's kidnapping, Seungcheol's younger brother. He was always a pleasure to spend time with when Seungcheol left for business for a long time. "That's bad," is all you could mumble as your mushed brain tried to decipher the situation. "Are you gonna give them the money?" Seungcheol scoffed, "Of course not. Those fuckers are long due for jail. Once I get Chan we're gonna blow out their brains."
You gulped. " It's too late to leave for us right?"
"Yes," Seungcheol replied, his lips forming a thin line. He looked past you, probably towards the entry of the bar and quickly shoved you away, "Go to your friends and stay put. When the firing starts hide behind the counter. Only try leave if there's no firing. Otherwise stay put, you hear me?" You nodded your head robotically, mind racing a mile a minute as you walked back to your cousins, trying to appear calm. Every nerve on your body was alert and goosebumps rose on your skin as you watched a man in a flashy white suit walk up to Seungcheol and his guards, followed by a disheveled looking Chan. You felt bad for him, seeing his normally lit face etched with exhaustion. You ignored the comments your cousins made about you and Seungcheol, waiting for things to start. You carefully looked over to the entrance of the bar and sure enough two tall men stood over there. You really had no way out.
And as expected, all of a sudden, loud gunfires echoed through the room followed by people screaming as you and your cousins quickly took shelter behind the bar counter.
"Oh my god what the fuck is happening?"
"Y/n what the hell is your ex doing?"
"You never told us he's a gangster or shit."
You ignored your cousins rather untimely interrogations thinking of a way out. The bar was a mess, broken glass pieces everywhere, the people who came to enjoy all crouched down covering their heads. You heard continuous gunfires, people groaning and bodies slumping on the floor which only made your cousins voice their panic more.
"Shit we're gonna die."
"My wedding is next week, fuck."
Your eyes peered over to the entrance which was now not occupied by any threating looking men as they were busy fighting. You all could've gotten out if it weren't for the continuous firings.
You and your cousins held your breath for a few moments until a particularly loud firing was heard followed by the sound of breaking glass. You spied from behind the counter to see Seungcheol dropping down on the floor with a groan and Chan's scream of his brother's name.
Shit. Seungcheol was shot.
Chan seemed furious, no more exhaustion on his face as he lunged for the man in the flashy white suit and hitting him square in the jaw.
"Guys, now's the chance, get out of here. Go, go."
"What the fuck Y/n? Don't tell me you're gonna stay here."
"We're not leaving you to die in the middle of a crossfire."
"No, guys, I'll be fine. Seungcheol's shot."
"What? I thought you guys weren't a thing anymore-"
"Please, get your asses outta here if you don't wanna die."
Despite their will you pushed your cousins towards the exit with a promise of calling them as soon as you could, while they called you names to point out your less than smart decision and of course your never leaving feelings for Seungcheol. As soon as they were out the door, you rushed over to Seungcheol who sat against the wall, jaw clenched as he held onto his shoulder.
"Y/n what the fuck? Get out of here- why the fuck- ugh, dammit."
"You're shot Seungcheol, maybe stop talking" You applied pressure to his bloody shoulder while Chan who sat atop of the man in the flashy white suit and twisted both his hands back and gave you an incredulous look, "Y/n? Wha- uhm, I thought- you two broke up...?"
"Uh...it's a.... coincidence, I guess. I think we need to get your brother to a doctor, you know" You murmured.
"Yea right," Chan agreed and handed his hostage over to Seungcheol's guard not before punching him in the lower stomach. "I'd kill you but that'd be a mercy. You deserve to suffer, you son of a bitch."
He helped Seungcheol to stand up with you as you both gently took him out of the club and into his limousine, all the while Seungcheol saying that he was alright.
The car ride to his place was quick but silent, except Chan who sat beside the driver once spoke to let you know that it was good to see you. Seungcheol rested his head on your shoulder as he let out uneven breathes and you applied pressure to his wound.
"I guess you... really... can't escape...fate, huh?" He whispered and you frowned at him. "What do you mean?" You asked him but he only replied with a chuckle, his body getting heavier against yours. Your heart ached for the man. You were never over him, you knew that deep down. Hell, your cat even knew that.
Seeing Seungcheol's large mansion again brought back sad memories but you couldn't really focus on them. His servants rushed Seungcheol into the small infirmary of the house where a doctor was waiting.
You stayed outside, anxiously tapping your foot against the marbled floor while quickly typing a message to your cousin letting her know you were okay before putting your phone on mute.
The family doctor appeared with good news, saying his wound wasn't that bad and only a few stitches had it covered. While Seungcheol was transferred to his bedroom, Chan called you to the large dining hall to offer you a glass of water.
"Are you gonna stay the night? Should I set up a room for you?"
"Uh, um, no maybe I'll stay by Seungcheol's side," you replied, avoiding eye contact.
"Sure," was all he said as a smirk took over his lips. We're you really that obvious?
It was past 12 when you decided to peek into Seungcheol's room, after you stole a pair of night suit from his closet which was uncomfortably large for you. You sat by his bed, taking in the way he looked while sleeping. His injured shoulder was casted in a sling and his hand rested over his naked chest. Small scratches were painted over his chiseled face and you lightly stroked them. You relished the bittersweet memories you had with him in this room, from all the romantic nights to the fights. Before you knew, you were asleep.
You woke up to Seungcheol's hand softly stroking your cheek. Your eyes met his and warmth spread on your cheeks. You looked at the clock. It was almost four.
"How do you feel?" You croaked, sitting up from the stool by his bed.
"I'm good." Seungcheol was a strong man. You knew his body had gone through a lot and judging by how he looked, you took his word for it.
"You stayed," he whispered. His face was illuminated by the moonlight coming from the open balcony doors, the face of an angel. You only nodded, transfixed by his beauty, hoping he couldn't see your embarrassed face. "What did you mean by that? The thing you said in the car," you spoke and Seungcheol carefully sat up. He sighed and leaned against the headboard before meeting your eyes. He looked...pained. "I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I never broke up with you because you weren't enough. You were more than anything I ever wanted. I broke up with you because...I was...scared." He swallowed. "Things were not really going according to my plan back then and...this mother fucking gang was threating to harm you. I... couldn't let that happen, Y/n, so...I broke up with you."
You stare at him, incredulous. "You...you have some serious issues, Choi Seungcheol." You whispered. Seungcheol chuckled softly, " You- you mean the world to me. I was so scared something would happen to you if you stayed with me. I know I made an awful decision and I said awful things to you-"
"No shit, Seungcheol, your words weren't exactly the most helpful for my already insecure self." You spat.
"I know, and I'm so, so sorry." He sighed, his head dropping down, "What happened yesterday only proved that I really can't escape fate."
"So you are saying we are fated to be together?"
"Aren't we? I mean, look at us."
You laughed softly before saying, "I'm still mad at you, you know." Seungcheol smiled at you as he took your hand and planted a soft kiss, "You can take out all your anger on me if that means you're gonna give me another chance."
"I'll...have to think about it," was your reply even though you knew your answer. "That's great. That's more than I deserve." Seungcheol mumbled. "Can I hold you?" He softly asked. You scooted closer to him, careful to avoid his injured shoulder as he passed his other hand around your waist. His faces inches away from you, he spoke, "You are the most beautiful thing that happened to me, Y/n and I'm sorry I let you down like that. I promise you, if you give me another chance I'll make it all up to you. I'll make you the happiest woman alive. Come back to me, baby."
You gulped feeling emotional as you replied, "Okay but you need to get well first you know." Seungcheol's eyes bored into yours, his chocolate orbs getting more intense by the seconds before he pressed his lips to yours. The kiss was soft and short before he pulled back to assess your reaction. When you didn't resist, he pulled you in for a messy, hot kiss that left tingles all over your body. Before you knew it, you were in his lap, tugging at his hair as he nipped across your neck and shoulders. There was no way this wasn't gonna end up with you underneath him if you didn't stop him. "Seungcheol...stop it. You're hurt."
"I could have half of my body ripped open and still not resist you baby, you are divine."
"Uhm, that's concerning but okay. Why don't we get some sleep now?" You pulled back from him and a pout took over his face.
"You are seriously not thinking about having sex right now, are you?"
"Why not? It has been so long and I miss you."
"I get it horny boy but no. How about we cuddle now and when you are fully healed you can keep me in your bed all day."
A devilish smirk took over his face that made you squirm, "Is that a promise sweetheart?"
You nodded shyly before gently lying on his uninjured arm and wrapping a hand around his torso. Damn, it felt good.
Seungcheol kissed the top of your head as you snuggled closer. He whispered, "Promise me you'll stay."
"I will," you smiled.
"Unless my cousins find my location and drag me out of here tomorrow."
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Californian Dream (Pt. 05 of 11)
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Pairing: Billy Hargrove X Reader
Word count: 3 K
Summary: Being part of one of the richest families of California doesn't mean you're happy. Your life is boring, and you're surrounded by meaningless people and their meaningless talk. Even during Summer, with the break you have from college, there's nothing good going on. Nothing but the new pool guy, Billy, the most handsome man you ever saw. You were successfully avoiding him, not wanting to act like an idiot in front of the guy until Billy accepts to be your date for a fancy gala you're forced to attend. The night was going well, even better when he sneaked you out to go to the beach. But a gang of criminals breaks into the party, kidnapping the heirs to the wealthiest families, which includes you. So, for your safety, your parents want you to stay with Billy, living in his apartment until the criminals are caught. And that could take weeks, maybe even months.
Warnings: Light violence
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{Stranger Things Masterlist}
{Dacre Montgomery Masterlist}
×
Rebel
On the next morning, you're still feeling a little anxious, afraid of what he said last night was just to keep you from moving out. But, since you were sleeping on the couch, you woke up just when he was leaving for work, and you were so relieved when he didn't just say ‘good morning’ and left. He asked if you slept well, and said that you can try and sleep a little more on the bed now. It's just a little thing, but it's different from before. And you hope it lasts. You also got the chance to tell him not to bring anything for dinner. He has been spending too much money with that, so you told him you'd cook something yourself.
And that's what you doing now. The chicken breasts are in the oven, almost ready and you focus on finishing the potato salad, adding mayo, a drizzle of olive oil, and seasoning it, mixing everything together. You're happy with what you could come up with, and it did help you pass the time since there's nothing to do here other then watch the news, and that only makes you anxious. After checking the chicken once again, you sit on the table, pinning your hair up on a ponytail, and that's when Billy comes back, your eyes immediately finding him on the door as he closes it shut.
“Hey.” You mumble, running your fingers through the ponytail. For the first time, you notice the uniform he has to use. A nice, black polo shirt with the logo of the company on the left side. On all of those days, you were avoiding looking at him, since he seemed like he didn't want anything to do with you. “You look like such a good boy in this shirt.” You know he doesn't usually wear stuff like that. Billy doesn't know it, but you went through his wardrobe a couple of times, and there is nothing like that that shirt in it.
“That's company policy.” He sounds a little annoyed, and you can tell he doesn't like to wear it. “It smells nice in here. What are you doing?”
“Lemon roasted chicken with potato salad.” You gesture at the oven. “It's almost done.”
“You... Can cook?” Furrowing his eyebrows, Billy comes near the table, giving the oven a look. “Like, actually cook?”
You get what he means. The girls don't usually know how to cook since they'll always have someone to do that for them. “Well, in my house, my parents always choose what we'll have for the meals. So I figured out if I wanted something different, I'd have to cook it myself.” Shrugging your shoulders, you stand up to check the oven again. “So Amelia taught me everything I know.”
“You're a box full of surprises,” Billy mutters, so low it makes you wonder if he wanted you to hear it. “I'll shower. If you wait we can eat together.”
“If it's not in an uncomfortable silence, I'll accept the invitation.” Leaning on the countertop, you give him a look.
“Good.” He stands there for a few seconds before moving away, and you can't help but try to understand why he always does that. It feels like he wants to say something, but he never does.
You patiently wait, and when he comes back, hair still damp, you both serve yourselves and take the usual seats on the table, across from each other. Billy takes a look at his place and squints his eyes, right before staring at you. “(Y/N)?”
“Huh?”
“Where did you get these peas?”
You didn't think he'd notice. “Uhm... There's a nice grocery store just around the corner.” It sounds like a question, but before he can say anything you raise a hand. “I know, I know. But I do look different and I borrowed your sunglasses just to be sure. I didn't speak to anyone... Well, I did chat with this old lady, but that was it.”
“You gotta be careful. I know it's far from your neighborhood, but even so.”
“I was careful, I just... It sucks being in here all day doing absolutely nothing.” You didn't want to rant about it, but it just comes out. “And, inevitably, I will watch the news channel.” Then, you're not hungry anymore... Despite skipping lunch again.
“Did they find anything yet?” Silently, you just shake your head no, deciding to push the food in, even though the heavy sensation on your stomach. “Sorry.”
“Don't apologize, it's not your fault.”
Then the silence hits again, and it goes on for way too long for your taste, a leg bouncing nervously. “It's really good, by the way. Much better than what I can come up with.”
“Thanks,” you mutter with a smile.
“I've been meaning to tell you. I usually go to the gym with some friends a couple of times a week. I've been coming straight back because–”
“No, no. Please, go. I don't want to mess with your routine. More than I already did.” Reassuring him, you feel relieved when he nods. “Oh, you mentioned something about college. What do you study?”
“Marine Biology.”
“That's so cool.” You exclaim, imagining what Billy could work with. California has a lot of opportunities for marine biologists. “I bet it's amazing.”
“It is. What about you?”
“It's not that cool.” Warning him, you can't help but feel bored just to think about it. “Law. At Cali's Elite Academy, obviously.”
“It doesn't sound like you enjoy it very much.”
“I don't.”
“Then why do you do it?” As he speaks, Billy moves to the fridge, muttering something when he opens it. And you know why. “You also bought soda.”
“Yup.” Turning towards him, you take the can he offers you, cracking it open and taking a sip. “You know why I do it. Mom wanted me to, father is a lawyer already, so you get the picture.”
“I hope to be around on the day you decide you had enough of this shit and rebel against everyone who tells you what to do,” Billy says as he goes back to his chair, his eyes focused on you. Sometimes it feels his eyes can see right through you, even the parts you try to hide from yourself. The places you rather keep secret, locked deep inside. He also brings to life things you didn't even know existed. A true need to break free from everything you can't take anymore, everything that has been drowning you, suffocating you.
“Maybe it won't happen.” You burst out, pushing your plate away, still half full. “You said it yourself on the night I came here. I'll probably just slip into anything my mother wants me to do and be as frustrated as she is. With nothing in life but some millions in the bank.” There's a lump in your throat, a cry you're holding back. You don't want to be like your mother. Or like anyone else from her circle. But would you be able to shake this away? You're so used to doing this, avoiding conflicts and being the good, obedient daughter... Could you be more?
“Don't you remember what you said after?” Billy leans forward, elbows on the table, those ocean blue eyes burning through your skin. “That you'd leave California before she forced you into being another stupid girl pushed into a loveless marriage just to add up to the family's fortune.”
“I remember.” Whispering, you look down at your hands, hoping he can't see your teary eyes. “I get brave when I'm sleepy, that's why I say those things but... I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to just leave like that.”
“I came back here a year ago. My father forced me to move to Hawkins, Indiana, a dipshit small town that I hated more than anything.” His words and the weight behind them makes you raise your eyes again, meeting his stare. Billy never told you anything about his past, and you want to hear it. “I have no good memories of that place, and the moment I turned eighteen and got my High School diploma, I got into my car and left.” There's power in him, courage. You know there's more to the story, but you won't push him into sharing it if he doesn't want to. But you can picture it, Billy running away from somewhere he hated, hitting the road and leaving it all behind. You're mesmerized by it, you're not sure why. “And I came back here. I came back home.”
“California never felt like home to me.” That you remember saying. “I... I really wish I had a place where I could feel–”
“Free?” Billy finishes off for you, and you nod. “I don't think California is the problem. I think–”
“Me. I'm the problem.” Crossing your arms, you sigh. You have no idea why you're telling him all this, or how he so skillfully stormed through your walls, but you feel like Billy is the only person who can understand. Who won't think you're stupid or crazy. “I feel so... Lonely and desolated, even when I'm in my bedroom. I feel better when I'm at the beach, all alone than when I'm in the comfort of my bed. I know it's insane, but it just... It's just what it is. Of course I wish I could run away like you, but maybe I can't.”
“It's not from California you have to run away, it's from this person you pretend to be just to please everyone.” Billy stands up, taking both your plates and moving to the sink. But you stay there, motionless, thinking how you could do that.
“Tell me how and I'll do it.”
“Be the girl you were at the party.” He says, and you decide to stand up as well to help him with the dishes... But also because you want to be near him as if he's the only one who could help you do this. What exactly, you don't know. But Billy was brave enough to do something you wish you could. “The girl who doesn't care if her company is just the pool guy, who doesn't care if she almost hits a waiter, and doesn't mind having to suck some chocolate off her thumb.” Billy glances at you, and you start taking the dishes and drying them with a dishcloth. “The girl who ran from a very important beneficial gala and was very happy about it.”
“Yeah, but if you weren't there, I would never do that.”
“I might have given you a little push, but you made the decision.”
You'd never take Billy for the guy who would say these things. By what people told you about his behavior, you'd never think he'd be this... Kind. “Are you always this nice with girls?” Trying to light up the mood after the emotional conversation, you ask him, chuckling.
“No, I'm not.” He passes you the last fork, and you dry it and put it on the drawer. “Definitely not.”
“I get it.” Lying the dishcloth down, you shrug your shoulders. “Guess some girls like the bad boy.”
Billy giggles, taking the dishcloth to dry his hands. “What about you? Good boy or bad boy?”
“A guy like you would be nice.” Wait. What? It takes a couple of seconds for you to process what you just said, and what it means. “Uhm... I'll... I'll organize some of my stuff.” You quickly manage to say, turning your back at him and leaving the kitchen.
When you reach the bedroom, you shut the door behind your back, wondering what the hell just happened to you. It's completely out of question to start liking Billy. You're literally living with him for who knows how long, it would complicate things to such a high level that you would really have to move out. You're already too lucky he doesn't bring girls here, but out there... Suddenly, the names Gisele gave you start flashing through your mind, and you groan, throwing yourself on the bed.
“Don't be stupid.” You mutter, pulling the sheets over your head and expecting a calm, dreamless night.
• • •
Before, you were anxious. Worried. Now, you're just angry. Another week has passed, and nobody knows anything. A bunch of people were abducted, in huge black vans, and nobody knows where they went. It's plain stupid by now. You're already up when Billy opens the bedroom door to shower and change for the day, and you move to the living room, putting on the news channel again and letting yourself fall on the couch. The boredom won't help either. Besides going to the grocery store, you're locked in here, doing absolutely nothing other than housework.
You're by the window when Billy comes out, already in the company uniform. Turning around with your arms crossed, you stare at him. “We gotta talk because I'm losing my mind.”
“Does it has to be now? Because if I don't leave in five minutes I'll be late.”
Then, the best idea you ever had in days comes to your mind. “Take me with you.”
“What?” He bursts out, eyebrows furrowed.
“Take me with you. Where are you going today?”
“William's. The mansion by the cliff.”
“They don't know me very much, my parents hate them. Please, take me with you. I can't stand being in here all day.” Walking over him, you grab his hand. “C'mon, Billy. I can help with something.”
“I don't think it's a good idea.” He looks down at you, a thoughtful expression on his face. “If anyone recognizes you it could be dangerous. Everyone thinks you were taken too.”
“See? Nobody will hope to see me hanging around.”
“(Y/N)...”
“I swear to God if you don't take me I'll head to the beach and stay there until sunset.” It wasn't a plan, but now it is. Stepping back, with both your hands on your hips, you wait for Billy's reaction.
“Is it a threat?”
“I don't make threats, only promises.” Shrugging your shoulders, you cross your arms. “So?”
“You have three minutes to change out of these sweatpants.” He's still speaking when you're moving, quickly taking your pj's off and putting the first thing you find. Short jeans and a black T-shirt that's a little bit similar to Billy's. Not so much, but it's the best you can do.
When you're back in the living room, dramatically putting Billy's sunglasses on, you rush through the door when he opens it, more than eager to spend the day somewhere other than in the apartment.
And, as if on purpose, Billy takes one of the most beautiful roads of California. At least in your opinion. On your side, you can see the ocean, and since the waves here are more violent, the beach is empty, except for some surfers. Billy has the windows open, and the wind messes with your hair. But you like it. Closing your eyes, you stretch your arm out, feeling the wind brushing in between your fingers. Maybe it's the speed, or the daylight, or the fact that you're finally outside after weeks of confinement. Maybe it's the company... But this feels good. Almost overwhelming. There's a smile on your face that doesn't look like it's leaving anytime soon, and for the first time in... Since you can remember, you have no worries. You allowed the wind to carry them all away.
“I forgot how beautiful this place is.” You tell Billy, holding your hair out of your face so you can look at him.
“Beautiful.” He says, his eyes on you instead of on the ocean outside the window. You squint your eyes, just about to ask what he's looking at when he clears his throat, eyes on the road again. “But we're almost there. Look.”
Some miles away you see the William's house. Huge, way bigger than yours, built by the cliff, which gives them an amazing view of the ocean.
A few minutes later, you're being guided inside by one of their employees. There's nobody home, and by what the old man said, they'll only be back by nightfall, when you and Billy will be far away. So there's no danger. You're taken to the pool, and Billy starts moving around.
“What do I do?” You ask, taking a look at the enormous pool. It's so big it has an isle in the middle. The last time you came here, you were a kid, and you didn't remember it to be so big.
“I'll start with emptying the pool skimmer.” He looks around and then points at the skimmer net. “Think you can get rid of those leaves floating?”
“Yup.” Moving to get the skimmer, you start with your task.
As you move around the pool, catching the leaves and placing them on a plastic canvas Billy lied on the deck, you notice him giving you a few glances. But you only know that because you're also staring every now and then, as he comes and goes from the supply closet. Soon enough, you get so nervous about it that you can't help but giggle as you walk to the plastic canvas, dropping some more brown leaves on it. Since he's coming your way, you wait there, using the pole to sustain some of your weight, your free hand on your hip.
“Getting tired, princess?” Billy mutters in a mocking tone, and you roll your eyes. “Still half of the pool to clean.”
There's that pet name again, and at the very mention of it, you feel something on your stomach, like tickles. “I'm alright so far.” You mumble, hoping you're not blushing. As soon as he walks by, you resume your task.
The truth is that you're very tired already, and the skimmer is heavy. And the wind starts blowing the leaves all around, which makes you walk around the pool too many times. It's past 1 pm when Billy is over, and you decide not to get the four leaves left in the water.
“Let's go.” He says, and you get up from the wooden bench you've been seated for the last five minutes after he locked the supply closet, following him.
“I'm starving.” You mumble, letting your hair down from the ponytail as you get into the car again. “Where do you usually have lunch?”
“In a restaurant associated with the company. Which means employees don't pay.” He glances at you. “And I guess you didn't bring any money, so...”
“I would have if you told me that.” Pulling the door close, you take a deep breath. “Just buy me an ice cream and I'll be fine.”
“Absolutely not.”
“I'm fine. You did the hard work.” You buckle up when he speeds away, once again hitting the road. Closing your eyes, you take a deep breath when you feel the fresh wind on your face. “What are you doing next?”
“Got a fancy car to fix.”
“Uhm...” Opening your eyes again, you look at Billy's side, taking in the beach. It's completely empty now. But your eyes wander to Billy. In this perfect light, he looks amazing. Breathtaking. His grip on the wheel is loose, and he has a hand out the window, looking carefree. Billy loves this place, you can see it on his eyes, on his posture. He's home. “Do you think we have a few minutes to spare?”
“What for?”
“I just wanted to take a walk on the beach. But it's ok if you can't.” Looking away, you focus on the road ahead. But Billy is slowing down, pulling over to the side of the road. Biting your lip, you wait for him to stop before stepping out of the car. You're already crossing the road when you notice Billy is still in the car. So you stop, turning to look at him from the middle of the road. “Hey! Aren't you coming?”
“It sounded like you wanted some alone time.”
“I had plenty of alone time in the apartment.” Rolling your eyes, you gesture for him to come. “Let's go.” Reaching out your hand, you smile when he leaves the car, patiently waiting for him. You were just about to put your hand away when he takes it, rushing you to move since there was a car coming that you didn't see. It makes you giggle a little, your other hand coming to hold on to his forearm. “Seriously, you have to stop saving my life.”
“Then stop putting your life in danger.” It takes a little too long for him to let go of your hand, your fingers brushing against each other.
“I'll try.” When you get to the edge of the road, you don't see any steps leading to the sand. Only a rock that someone placed here to offer some help, but it's still a little too high for you. “Isn't it a buzz killer?”
“I'll help you.” Billy easily jumps to the sand, not even using the rock. “Come.”
“If I fall, I swear to God...” Sitting on the edge, you try calculating if you could just jump to the ground.
“You won't fall. C'mon.” Billy comes to stand right in front of you, both his arms raised to catch your fall.
Taking a deep breath, you push yourself forward, closing your eyes on the process, so you only feel when you collide with Billy. His hands are quick to hold your waist, sustaining your weight, and not allowing you to reach the ground. The sudden change makes you open your eyes, and you immediately take in how close you stand. His face is only three inches apart, and as he pulls you down, you hold tightly on his biceps. Billy's eyes are locked on yours, and even after you're safe on the ground, he doesn't move. His hands remain on your waist, his face still close enough to kiss, if only you were brave enough to stand on your toes. Your stomach feels funny, and your heart is trying to beat its way out of your chest.
But a car passing by snaps you out of it, and you both move at the same time, stepping back.
“Sorry.” You mutter, clearing your throat. “But thanks for not letting me fall.”
“I told you I wouldn't.”
×
@multific @dontxfearxthereaper @nope-thanks @nikkixostan @shinydixon @clockworkballerina @infinitelycharmed23
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lost-in-the-80s · 3 years
Text
You Don’t Want My Love - Chapter 3
Pairing: Duff McKagan x reader
Words: 3,786k
Summary: Guns n Roses hires a new tour assistant, but nobody thought that Duff would fall for her.
In this chapter: Erin’s arrival on the tour turns the band upside down. Y/N hadn’t realized how much she needed a friend until she had her to talk to. Y/N and Slash go to an arcade.
A/N: 1- I was struggling with this chapter, so sorry if it’s shitty. 
       2- I was thinking about making a playlist inspired by this fic, do you guys want it? If so, let me know! 
       3- Also, reminding you that I’m posting a new chapter every Tuesday.  
Tag list: @roger-taylors-car @ladieswttda @teasid @metalheartofgold @slashscowboyboots​ @ginny-rose-sixx​ @rumoured-whispers​ @vinylvintage​ add yourself to my tag list :)
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After Tom’s departure Y/N couldn’t avoid feeling a little lost, she’d grown used to him instructing her and she missed his participation at the silent book club. It wasn’t a club though, just the two of them, sitting backstage reading without saying anything.  
The only good part about Tom leaving was that she finally got his bunk. It felt weird during the first night,  to sleep somewhere that wasn’t the couch, but as soon as she fell asleep her body got used to it. 
Duff was on the bunk on top of hers, as she was a light sleeper she would hear him mumbling some things while he was sleeping. He moved a lot also, which would usually wake her up, but she didn’t really mind.
It had been a week since Tom left and the things with the boys were starting to get back to normal. Duff helped her get more along with them, inviting her to play cards with the boys one night and asking about her opinion in random conversations, just so she could participate.
The two of them had grown quite close during this week, he was a nice guy, she could tell that. He always asked her to join them wherever they were going and even helped her with some of her duties when he had some free time.
And that was quite the problem. She liked his company, he was easy to talk to, and when there wasn’t a subject he would ask for her opinion on the books she was reading. He was a sweet boy. Too sweet to say the truth, and she was starting to want to be around him. But she shouldn’t.
Duff was from a completely different world, the two of them were complete opposites and the only reason why he was spending time with her was because he had no one else to. She knew that as soon as the tour ended she wouldn’t ever see him again, so she didn’t want to become too close to him.
She and Steven were back to normal, he never acted like that again and Izzy, well, Izzy was a hard person to read, he had never been rude to her, but they didn’t really talk. She didn’t take that personally though, he didn’t really talk to anyone.
Things with Axl remained the same, he hadn’t talked to her for eight days and counting, sometimes, she would laugh at one of Duff’s jokes and he would give her a death glare, but she tried to ignore.
Slash was another story. She talked to him, but just the necessary, she was still upset about what had happened during the party and expected him to apologize, but as the days passed, the less probable it got for him to do so. 
In that morning, she woke up before the boys, and after doing her routine and checking up her agenda she realized that they would reach the next city around ten in the morning. 
Talking to the bus driver, he informed her that they would stop for breakfast in thirty minutes, which allowed her to do her favorite part of the job.
Getting inside the bedroom area she turned on the lights while saying loud enough for all of them to hear. 
“Good morning, princesses! It’s 7 in the morning and we’ll make a stop for breakfast in thirty, so move your asses out of the bed and get ready!” 
Leaning against the wall opening, she saw Axl exiting his bunk, his hair was a mess as he slowly walked towards the bathroom while rubbing his eyes.
The second to wake up was Steven, just like her, he was a morning person. He got up quickly, putting a white tank top on before giving her a huge smile. “Good morning, Y/N!”
“Good morning, Steve!” She smiled back.
As soon as Axl left the bathroom and Steven got in, Izzy plopped on the ground beside her, he was dressed in just his underwear, which made her look in the opposite direction. However, she did notice the dark circles underneath his eyes and the remains of the hickeys Cheryl had left on his chest.
Cheryl had decided to accompany another band last Saturday, hugging Y/N tightly and telling her to call when she opened her boutique before leaving. 
As per usual, Slash and Duff didn’t get up. 
Getting close to Slash’s bunk she touched his shoulder slightly. “Slash! wake up!”
He mumbled in response and so she moved to Duff’s.
“Duff, time to get up!” Her head was at his bunk’s level. 
He moved slightly before opening his eyes, focusing directly on hers. A small smile appeared on his face. 
“Good morning, Y/N.” His voice was husky due to his sleepiness and for an odd reason, her heart started beating twice as fast.
“Good morning, Duff.” She smiled sweetly before walking out of the room.
Sitting on the couch, she grabbed a Vogue magazine and waited until the boys got ready. As the minutes passed by, all of them joined her in the living room, except for Axl, who was, as always, late. 
When the bus came to a stop and they got up to exit Axl finally showed up, she, Axl and Duff were the only remaining people on the bus and she stopped to let him go first, he was already hating her, she didn’t want to give him one more reason to.
“You can go first!” He gestured with his hand for her to pass. 
She looked at him waiting to see if he was being sarcastic, but the smile on his face told her that he was in a good mood. Strange, she thought while she exited the bus. 
The bright morning sun hit her skin and she stopped for a while, allowing the warm feeling to take a hold of her. Starting to feel as if someone was watching her, she turned around, finding Duff walking slowly towards the snack bar.
“He spends eight days without talking to me and then he suddenly decides he’s ok with my presence!” She scoffed while joining Duff.
“Erin is coming, so he’s in a good mood.” He looked down at her.
“Who’s Erin?”
“His girlfriend.” He opened the door for her to get in first.
“But he was hitting on me when I arrived.” She frowned.
“Oh, that! He was only joking that night.” Duff smiled at her, letting a small chuckle escape.
She and Duff sat beside Steven, in front of Axl and Izzy, Slash being to her right.
When the waitress arrived, she started making the orders, a month with them had been enough time for her to know that they had certain habits.
Izzy would always ask for a black coffee and a pack of cigarettes in the morning, while Steven would ask for pancakes. Slash and Axl liked scrambled eggs with coffee and Duff would usually eat pancakes with Steven.
After asking for the food, she took a pack of cigarettes out of her purse, giving it to Izzy. 
“Thank you!” He smiled at her. “You know, I didn’t expect much from you Y/N, but your efficiency is something to be recognized!” 
The compliment made her smile. “Thanks.”
As soon as the food arrived they started eating while making small talk.
“These scrambled eggs remind me of my grandma ones!” Sash smiled, “You guys wanna try it?” He extended the plate for the rest of them.
Steven got some for himself, while Izzy simply shook his head. 
“Want some, Y/N?”
“No, Thank you.” She replied while looking at her plate. 
She didn’t see Slash frowning when he looked at Izzy as if asking if he had done something wrong, to which he shrugged.
---
Back at the bus, she focused on her reading while Steven put some cartoons on the TV.
Sitting in front of her, Slash spoke up.
"Did I do something you didn't like, Y/N?"
She stared at him for a couple of seconds. How could he not remember? She thought.
Taking a deep breath, she closed the magazine. "Actually, you did."
He stopped for a second as if he was trying to remember. "What was it?"
"You seriously don't remember?"
He scratched the back of his neck. "...No?"
They all started to stare at the two of them. Even Axl, who was expecting to see a fight. He had seen what had happened that night, but he thought Slash remembered.
"You tried to kiss me that night at the party." 
"Wha-... Whe-... Oh shit, was that you?"
She nodded as a response.
Axl and Steven started laughing, Slash's face was full of confusion and embarrassment.
"Wait! She's the hot chick who you were complaining about?" Duff interjected, making fake quotation marks with his fingers.
Slash's face got hot and he thanked that his hair covered most of it.
The boys started laughing harder, even Izzy joined them.
"Oh shit! I'm so sorry, Y/N! I swear I didn't recognize you, I wouldn't ever have done that to you!" He rubbed his forehead and his embarrassment was enough to make Y/N realize that he was telling the truth.
"I'm so so sorry!" 
"It's ok, just don't make it happen again!" She pointed a finger at him.
"Sure, sure! You have my word!" 
---
After two more hours on the bus, they finally arrived at the hotel. They were in New York, and their hotel was huge, the lobby itself making Y/N's last apartment look like a shoebox.
She walked towards the receptionist and stopped in her tracks when she heard a high pitched scream. Turning around she saw a girl with reddish-brown hair running towards Axl, who embraced her tightly.
She was wearing white denim pants and a black tank top and seemed to be taller than Y/N. Brushing it off she went back to work, making the boys’ check-in. But she couldn't deny that she found the scene cute.
When she was giving the boys their keys, Axl stopped her to make presentations.
"Erin, this is Y/N, our assistant. Y/N, this is my beautiful girlfriend Erin." He was smiling again.
She looked at the girl, finding her smiling while extending her hand towards Y/N, who shook it, smiling a little.
"Nice to meet you!"
"I'm glad I'll have some female company around here!" Erin said, smiling harder.
If she smiles more, her cheeks will start aching. Y/N thought to herself.
"What do we have for today, Y/N?" Axl asked.
"Soundcheck at 2, interview at the arena at 4:30 and the Gig at 7."
"Sorry, doll, I won't be able to go with you." He turned towards Erin.
"But you promised me we would go shopping in New York!" 
"I can't, babe, I’m sorry."
She looked around and a smile appeared on her lips.
"Can I take Y/N with me then?"
Y/N looked up from her agenda. "Me?" Her eyes slightly widened.
"What if we need her?" Axl said.
"Let the girl go, we can survive without her for a day!" Izzy said, patting Y/N's shoulder before heading to the elevator.
"Do you wanna go, Y/N?" Axl asked.
"I could use some shopping." She smiled.
Erin made a happy sound before hugging her. "We're gonna be best friends!!" 
The action made Y/N laugh while hugging her back.
She was going shopping? In New York? She couldn’t believe it!
Once in her room, she took her time making a quick happy dance before quickly changing her clothes for a pink dress and some white high-heels, finalizing her outfit with some sunglasses. 
Getting at the lobby, Erin intertwined her arm with hers and so the two of them got in a taxi and drove towards downtown. 
The girls entered a store, starting to try clothes.
“What do you think?” Y/N asked, showing Erin a short black skirt. 
“Wow! You look fierce!” 
Y/N smiled, turning around to look at herself in the mirror again.
“But it’s a little bit short on you, sweetie, if you want I can get you a bigger size.” The saleswoman said while looking Y/N up and down. 
Y/N checked the skirt in the mirror again, it was definitely short, but she liked it. 
“Who cares if it’s short?” She asked, shrugging.
“If I was into girls, I’d definitely bang you!” Erin said laughing.
The woman’s eyes widened while she turned around leaving the two alone. 
“I hate it when they keep giving opinions.” 
“Uhh, me too!” Erin rolled her eyes. “Are you hungry? ‘cause I feel like my stomach is going to eat me!”
Y/N laughed. “I am!”
“Let’s go eat something then! it’s already 4 pm.”
“Really? Wow, time flew!” 
Getting near the store cashier Y/N started to get worried, she had picked lots of clothes by impulse and now she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to pay for all of this.
“Should I charge everything together or separately?” The woman asked when they put the clothes on the counter.
“Se-” Before she could finish, Erin interrupted.
“All together!” She handed her the credit card.
Erin looked at Y/N and saw the confused expression on her face.
“Axl gave me the band’s card, he said I should pay for your clothes since you keep up with him every day.” She giggled slightly.
“So turns out he’s not that much of an asshole!” Y/N smirked.
Erin nudged her. “He’s not an asshole, he’s just…. just…”
“Temperamental?” Y/N laughed.
“Sensitive!” Erin replied, but laughed along.
After getting their bags, the girls walked side to side towards a beautiful café, where they ordered cake and tea, sitting at a table on the sidewalk.
“So, where are you from, Y/N?” Erin asked when they finished eating.
“North Dakota”
“Wow, and how did you end in LA?”
“I got a scholarship at UCLA.” 
“Really? That’s awesome! And what course did you take?”
“Fashion. I wanted to be a fashion designer.”
“Oh, that explains a lot.” She mumbled before taking a sip of her tea.
“What do you mean?” Y/N leaned against her chair.
“Nothing, it’s just that, the boys get the feeling that you don’t like working here.”
Y/N frowned, but Erin kept talking before she could say anything.
“It’s like, you’re efficient, and you do the job perfectly, but you don’t seem to be enjoying yourself, it’s almost as if it was an obligation for you.”
Y/N stopped to think. “It’s just that, I had so many dreams, and none of them happened, and I’m feeling frustrated you know? I wanted to accomplish many things, but life hit me with a bus.” She looked to her plate, sadness overtaking her.
“Hey, I get that! Sometimes things don’t go as planned.” Erin touched her hand, offering her a warm smile. “But try to see this by the bright side. Like, what are your biggest dreams?”
Taking a deep breath, she drank the remaining of her tea before answering. “I wanted to open my own boutique and I wanted to travel the world”
“Why are you saying I wanted? You can still do these things!” Getting closer to Y/N she moved the flowers in the center of the table away, trying to see her better. “You want a boutique right? If you use the money you get with the tour to invest, in three years you’ll have enough money to open it. My dad works with the stock exchange, I can ask him to give you some tips!”
“Really? Would you do that?”
“Sure!! And you said you wanted to travel the world, girl, what are you doing right now? Look around, you’re in New York, in a few months the boys will go to Europe, you are traveling the world.”
Wow. Y/N had never realized it. She was indeed living one of her dreams. 
“I know that this wasn’t your dream job and that it must be really annoying to deal with the boys and stay for so long in that bus, but at least you’re not dealing with paperwork behind a desk.”
A smile started to form on Y/N’s lips. Erin was right, this was way better than paperwork. She could go to parties, dress whatever she wanted, stay at the best hotels and to be honest, she kind of liked being around the boys.
“Yeah! You’re right, Erin! This is not so bad!” 
Erin nodded excitedly while drinking the rest of her tea. 
“I think we should go back.” Y/N informed while checking the time on her wristwatch.
“Really? Can’t we stay for more? I wanted to go to more stores.” She pouted.
“I’m afraid not. Your boyfriend will freak out if nobody gets him his damn towels.” Y/N rolled her eyes, but giggled a little. “Speaking of it. What does he do with so many?”
Erin raised her hands in defense. “I have no idea.” She whispered while shaking her head.
---
The rest of the day went on by fine, Y/N helped the boys before and after the gig and collapsed on her bed when they got back to the hotel. So many hours walking in heels granted her a long and deep night of sleep.
She couldn’t avoid letting a small satisfied moan to escape from her lips when she got comfortable in bed. It’s so good to lay in a bed that doesn’t shake with the road. She thought, before falling asleep.
The next morning, Y/N woke up with her bedroom’s phone ringing. 
“Yes?” Her voice was grog and she barely could open her eyes.
“Y/N, I want to ask for breakfast, but I don’t know how to use the hotel’s phone.” Steven’s voice filled her ears, he seemed to be hopeless.
She frowned while rubbing her eyes. “But, how did you call me then?”
He paused for a minute. “With the… phone…”
She laughed. “Hang the phone and then press 0, the receptionist will answer you.”
“Oh, ok. Thanks, Y/N!” 
“It’s no problem, Steve.” She hanged the phone, laughing again.
Stretching up she saw it was 11 in the morning already. “Looks like I’ll have brunch!” She smiled, she loved brunch. 
After taking a shower and putting on a pair of jeans with a red blouse, she left her room, asking for the receptionist where she could find a good restaurant nearby. 
---
It was 6 o’clock now. She was in her room reading, her legs rested on the bed’s headboard while she laid upside down. A knock on her door took her away from the romance she was currently addicted to. 
Opening the door she found Slash leaning against her door frame. 
“What are you up to?” He asked casually.
“Just reading.” She pointed towards the book with her thumb.
“Put a jacket, let’s go out!” 
“What? To where?” 
“There’s an arcade nearby.” He put his hands in his pant’s front pockets. 
“Hmm, I don’t know…”
“Come on, everybody is out for dinner, we’re the only ones who stayed.”
Her lips turned into a thin line as she tried to think. 
“Come on, it’s gonna be fun! You can read some other time!”
“Fine! Give me 5 minutes!” She closed the door on his face, before rushing to find her new denim jacket she had bought the day before.
Applying some mascara and a nude lipstick she got her purse and exited the room.
When they got on the street, Slash spoke up.
“Once again, I’m sorry about the party! It won’t happen again!”
“It’s ok!” She assured him with a small smile.
Entering the arcade a red light covered their skins, Tears for Fears played in the background and she smiled, she loved them. 
“What do you wanna do first?” Slash asked after they got the tickets.
She shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s my first time!”
“Oh, so you’re having your first time with me?” He tried to smirk, but ended laughing.
She playfully slapped his arm while laughing. “Idiot!”
“Ok, pinball it is!” He yelled.
Slash taught her how to play and started complaining when her punctuation became bigger than his. “This is not possible! You’ve played it before!”
“I haven't, I swear!” She put her hand at her heart. 
They went on with the night, playing many different games. When they passed by Dance Dance Revolution she stopped in her tracks.
“Oh my gosh! Let’s do this one! Please!”
“What? No way!” He started walking towards another game.
“Come on, you’re owing me after the party!” 
“I’m disappointed you’re this type of person, Y/N.” He touched his chest, pretending that she had hurt him.
“Please!” She laughed at his drama.
“Ok, but I’m just watching, no way I’ll play this.”
She shrugged. “As long as you hold my purse!”
Choosing Walking On Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves she started dancing, stepping on the lights with mastery.
Her heart filled with happiness, she loved to dance, and she missed doing it more often.
“Wow! Great score!” Slash congratulated her when stepped out of the game.
“Thanks.”
He was leaning against another game table, looking into her purse, her small mirror was in one of his hands. “How do you manage to put so many things here?”
She got the mirror from his hand along with her purse, while shaking her head at him.
“You lied.”
“Me!?” She scoffed.
“You said you had never been to an arcade, but you destroyed that game!”
“It’s the truth. I had never played that.” They started walking towards the exit.
“How did you do so good then?”
“I was a cheerleader, I know how to dance.” They stopped, getting their jackets.
“A cheerleader huh?” They entered the empty streets and Slash lit up a cigarette.
She shrugged while making a bun with her hair.
They entered the hotel and got in the elevator.
“You know, for someone who listens to ABBA, you’re nice.” He teased her while smiling.
She rolled her eyes. “For someone who wears a shirt saying ‘I’m a slut’, you’re nice.” 
They laughed. The doors opened and they started walking through the corridors.
“This is my room.” She pointed stopping.
“Yeah, I know. It was nice hanging out with you!” He stopped on the other side of the corridor, in front of his door.
She nodded. “I can say the same.”
“Good night, cheerleader!” He said smiling, before entering his room and closing his door.
She rolled her eyes and entered her room. Something inside her head told her that they’d be good friends.
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