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gaymershigh · 4 years

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I'm so braindead I have absolutely no idea if Pocky Day is yesterday or today because different timezones and stuff. Also, I used the screenshot pocky game thingy several times so I made some scenarios out of them! Also, eating them while

Triggers: Mild nsfw for Floyd's part

Malleus, Che'nya, Floyd x male reader: pocky game scenarios

Result: He nibbles on his end very slowly and suddenly grabs your face.

"Tsunotarou, do you want to play a game with me?" You grabbed the pocky box out of the fridge and went back to the couch where your pal, Malleus was. "It depends, child of man. What game are you suggesting?"

"Pocky game! What you have to do is both players have to bite off the end of this Pocky stick and the one who manages to not break and hold onto it wins!" even if he would already agree because of how adorable you are, those sparkling eyes of yours makes him incapable of saying no.

"Alright, then. This isn't too bad than Lilia's games." You cheered in victory, "alright! Open your mouth~" he do as you say so as you also bite off your end. Isn't this exciting!?

Eh, I guess but not really. All of his bites are painfully slow but you don't want to complain since it's a little bit hard to talk with the stick in your mouth and also don't want to upset the fae. The only thing you could do is do bigger bites, expecting that you'll win. However, that is not the case as he does the unexpected.

He suddenly grabs your face midway and shoves you to a passionate kiss. You're shocked but go along with it to avoid awkwardness. The pocky was already broken a long time ago and he's just planning to suprise you as he knows where this is going.

When you both separated for air, he just left with a smile with his lips, chuckling at your blushed expression. You won but does that really matter after what had just happened?

Result: He takes the pocky and gives you a kiss, then licks his lips.

Stupid cat pun translations

Mew = you

Fur-end = friend

Purr-haps = perhaps

Fur = for

Unfurtunately = unfortunately

Furry = very

Meow = now

"What's that on mew hand, my fur-end?" Che'nya popped up in front of you only with his head, making you screech. He made a small "oops" and made his whole figure visible as you hold your chest in relief knowing that it's not a threat. He just giggled at your reaction.

"A-ah..Che'nya, it's you. I bought some pocky with me since it's pocky day." You scratched your neck in embarrassment. The only reason you bought this is to play with someone like in the movies but you're too much of a chicken to ask.

"I see, are mew purr-haps looking fur someone to play the game with?" he asked with a teasing tone as you flinched at his right assumption. You shyly nodded and looked down with slight shame. You took one "Well, aren't mew a cute one?" He approached you, making you confused and flustered.

You took one of them out to prepare yourself. "H-huh?..do you want to play or someth-" you were cut off by him when he gives a quick kiss you on the lips, making you freeze on the spot. "Unfurtunately, I'm furry busy right meow but, hope this will make it up!"

The enigma of a man disappeared from your view but you didn't really react. You were too shocked to even realise the missing pocky that was on your hand.

Result: You two played but you broke it near the end, making him smirk.

"Shrimpy~ what's that on your hand?" Floyd hugged your figure from behind and looked at you with rather.. Loving eyes? You're unsure. "Oh, It's Pocky day and I decided to buy a few packs. Do you know the pocky game?" You offered him a stick and he accepted it with no hesitance.

"Hm? What's that?~" despite already having a stick in his mouth, he took some from the box "It's a game where two players bite the end of the Pocky and the one who bites the most wins!" you're unsure why you sound so happy talking about this but you don't care.

"Oooooh~ so intresting! Do you wanna try, shrimpy?" You almost dropped your pocky when you fully processed his offer. "w-WHAT!?" "You heard me!" so he isn't joking, you thought. Oh well, guess you'll oblige. You don't have a choice if it involves the Octavinelle trio.

"Ok~ The winner can do whatever they want to the loser for the day, deal?" You went to panic mode for a few seconds but went back to normal. I mean, it's just a simple game, there's literally no way you can lose, right? No. You were wrong.

You regretted this, so much. This man is biting like he's supposed to do but he has the audacity to pull you closer with one of his hands inside your shirt, rubbing your body in a rather erotic matter. Is this his tactic to making you lose? Probably and unfortunately, it worked.

You couldn't handle it. He was way too close and he literally just grabbed your ass. You broke it off and stepped back. You looked at him, only to see him have a sly smirk plastered on his face.

"Looks like I won! Remember our deal, dear shrimpy?~" he cooed while cornering you to a wall.

I got a brain aneurism while trying to type Che'nya's full name.

-𝕸𝖎𝖗𝖎

#twisted wonderland #twst wonderland #twst writing #twst malleus #malleus draconia #malleus x reader #twst chenya #alchemi alchemivich pinka #che'nya #chenya x reader #twst floyd #floyd leech #floyd x reader #twisted wonderland x mc #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland x you #x male reader #male reader

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trance-griff · 3 years

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Kyoka Jiro x Kaminari Denki Part Two

Word count (pt.2): 1716

Warnings: None, just fluff.

Part three

■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■

Kaminari Denki woke up that morning groggily, throwing off the blanket to the side, a hand reaching down to scratch his exposed stomach before sitting up with the loudest yawn- running his fingers through his yellow locks- before drooping his shoulders, head-turning to the digital alarm clock.

Eight-Thirty AM.

Today was the day. The highlight of his high-school life about to begin the moment he steps out of the building; he couldn’t wait to meet up with the rest of his buddies and classmates. The arcade, karaoke, and beach called out to him and he quickly jumped out of bed. “Come on buddy, new day, great day!” Grabbing his mobile- he scrolled through the group chat of class 3-A, the class president is the first to be up and greeting everyone a good morning, affirming whether they were all awake, he was already radiating authority and optimism this early in the morning.

As expected from the class president, the emergency exit guy.

Everyone seemed to be active in the group chat, expressing their excitement even Todoroki had gone about explaining what pair of swimming trunks to take. ‘The red one… Or the blue?’ with Bakugou replying with ‘Live up to your name you half n half bastard!’

It caused Denki to snort, skimming through the chat, giving replies of his own as he sauntered about the room, running his fingers through disheveled strands and picking whatever item needed for today- lazily prepping his duffle bag- until he noticed something off. Everyone on the group chat was online except for one particular person. Kyoka Jiro.

Now that Denki thought of it, she hadn’t been very excited for the trip, avoiding the topic as a whole, not to mention she in general just wasn’t herself. On edge is how he would word it. He wasn’t very book smart, but Denki was always quick to notice these things, being socially intelligent and all. Without hesitation he pressed the green call button, waiting for the call to get through as he pressed the device to his ear and plopped himself on his bed, back against the wall. The two weren’t best friends per se, but they were still close and understood each other on a different level, he respected and admired her.... maybe a little too much, but he wondered if she felt the same way.

“I doubt it…”

■□■

Kyoka Jiro was in deep sleep when the buzzing of her phone woke her from her slumber, with squinted eyes she couldn’t believe the name displayed on her phone and perceived it as her in a dream, deciding to roll to her side comfortably, the blanket huddled up under her chin- not until the buzzing started to annoy her that she checked her phone with a frustrated sigh and realized it was indeed Kaminari Denki calling. She rubbed her eyes and pinched herself now fully aware that she was not dreaming. “Heck?”

But why would he be calling?

Deciding to stop overthinking, she sat up and answered her phone with a lazy hello, covering up her stutters with a yawn or an annoyed sigh, a hand reaching up to play with her dark strands. “Oh! Jiro! Morning~!” There was amusement laced in his voice, Jiro flinched, having just woken up, she didn’t need to hear Denki’s energetic voice so early…

…

Wait… What was today…?!

Drawing her curtains open, she was met with the piercing sunlight, cursing under her breath as she shielded her eyes momentarily, the room now bright enough for her to glance at the clock mounted to the wall. “Shit…”

She could hear laughter on the other side of the line, inciting a groan from her. “You totally forgot, didn’t you?” The female was tempted to snap, but bit her lip and instead smiled at his joyous hilarity, her chest swelling up as she pressed the device closer to her ear. “Yeah, yeah. It’s not funny, y’know?” She breathed out, fully awake and aware of her surroundings, she still had time to get ready and leave to meet up with the girls, they agreed to meet up at Tsuyu’s place which wasn’t too far. Stepping to her closet, she shuffled around to pick out her clothes with Denki still chortling in the background. “Can’t help it, it’s not like you to be late or forgetful.” He wasn’t wrong, with how anxious she was about today, she ended up sleeping quite late because of a certain person invading her thoughts, little did she know he would be the first she’d talk to, and it helped ease her mind; miraculously. Maybe because she didn’t have to /face/ him at this very moment.

“I guess. A-Anyway, thanks for calling… to uh wake me up…” She trailed off, cursing under her breath for her awkwardness, she could hear him exhale, picking up on every sound that was emitted by him, her cheeks red as she patiently waited for him to respond. “Uh… yeah! No probs. See you soon?” Denki had more to say, she waited for him to say more but time was passing by and she needed to get ready. “Yeah… Later.” After hanging up, Jiro stared at her mobile before leaning her head against a wall, the shirt she had picked out earlier; clenched between fingers, before realization dawned upon her, why didn’t she ask him when she had the chance?

Why did he call…? More like, why bother calling in the first place?

Knowing she wasn’t going to get her answers, Jiro continued with her day, following her morning routine, and was soon out hurrying towards Tsuyu’s place greeting the females and explaining her tardiness, excluding the part where Denki called her. She didn’t want to be teased, and Mina would definitely talk loudly about it.

“You’re here now, that’s what matters!” Hagakure exclaimed, patting the other’s back.

■□■

The class finally gathered at their meeting point, the lot of them assembling like that caught a lot of attention so by default they split into groups, some deciding to go shopping instead of the arcade, some had other plans, they promised to meet up again with Tenya Iida throwing in instructions, hands moving in all sorts of ways. “I think we’ll all be fine, Iida…” Izuku Midoriya assured with a sheepish laugh, a hand behind his neck, causing the class president to relax and adjust his glasses. “You’re right, Izuku. Alright! You’re all dismissed!” Everyone mumbled their complaints, they weren’t on a class trip, they didn’t need any babying. “Hey, Hey! The arcade’s right there! Let’s go!” Mina was dragging Jiro towards the direction of the arcade, only to realize the rest of the females weren’t tagging along.

“I get terrible migraines with all the lights; I’ll sit this one out.” Momo explained, lightly rubbing her head with a sympathetic smile, even though it was her idea to go to the arcade and gain an experience of a lifetime, meanwhile Uraraka gestured towards Midoriya with fidgety hands, unable to look at anyone directly in the eye. “I- Maybe I should just check on Deku!” And ran off towards the direction of the freckled boy, Hagakure had disappeared in thin air (No pun intended) Mina explaining she saw her walk off with Ojiro earlier and nudged Jiro with a wink. “They’re cute together, right?” Jiro only laughed sheepishly. “Probably…” and Tsuyu? She simply idled with Tokoyami and Shouji, lounging with them silently, the arcade was not her sort of thing.

Jiro felt betrayed, she certainly didn’t want to spend time with the obnoxious group, knowing full well Denki was there, her stomach churned and she clutched it, despite their short call earlier, all the nerves in her body tensed, this is why she was avoiding this dreadful day, she was stuck with him and Mina did a good job keeping her around. “Oh, Jiro!” She was greeted by the yellow-haired individual, wincing and avoiding his gaze, she was sure he would bring up their previous interaction but surprisingly he didn’t even mention it, not even subtly. “Can we go already?!” Katsuki’s voice boomed, no one flinched at his brash behavior, even Jiro who blankly stared at him, the temperamental bully stormed off on his own while Kirishima ran behind his friend. “Wait up, man!”

“Then hurry the fuck up!” And everyone followed, increasing their pace to catch up to the ticking bomb of a man, at least someone was looking forward to the arcade. As they made their way inside, music and neon lights flooded their vision and hearing, the adrenaline rushing through them and Jiro grinned, the colors of the neon lights reflecting against her skin, the pink and orange and blues called out to her; for a second forgetting all her worries, as much as she liked instruments, the arcade was also her go-to place, she wasn’t a gamer so to say, but now and then she’d spend time playing video games. “Ready to kick some butt?!” Mina challenged the group, running in the direction of the counter to get started with all the games. They were all pumped up, Jiro only stared at them from a distance, a little too shy to open up, as she was lost in her thoughts; once again, a nudge to the shoulder brought her back, Denki purposefully bumped shoulders with Jiro, catching her attention and staring up at him, immediately freezing on the spot. “W-What do you want?” She questioned irritably. “Ready to get your butt kicked?” His confidence radiated as he grinned with his teeth exposed, Jiro responded by straightening her posture shoving her hands into her pockets. “Losers treat winners.”

With a little nudge to his shoulder, Jiro was instantly reminded of their previous interactions, interactions that didn’t involve her getting panicked or flustered around the ball of energy, when things were ‘normal,’ when her feelings were undiscovered and their bond was purely playful and ordinary. This one-sided unrequited love pinched at her chest causing frustration but, just for today… She would enjoy every moment and lock up the feelings that hindered her. These were memories being made for them to keep as they grow older and pursue adulthood and no way would she ruin today because of a one-sided emotion, it wasn’t like Kyoka Jiro at all.

#mha #bnha #fanfic #kyoka #jiro #denki x jirou #jiro kyoka #denki #kaminari denki #my hero acadamy #boku no hero academia #fluff

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urimaginespimp · 3 years

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Michael Gray: Better Man pt 13

When Ada was successfully out of the apartment probably giving herself a pat on the back, Olivia and Michael were left still in the living room, just trying to wait and see who'd ask whom first.

"So..." Olivia started.

"Are we sharing my room or yours?" Michael asked. He didn't even sound hesitant to ask.

"I uh... was thinking that maybe whose room would Ada take would just sleep here on the living room couch." Her cheeks were getting hot again.

"Nonsense, Livy. It's not like we've never shared a bed before." He chuckled.

"W-we were dating then!" She objected, trying to hide how what he said made her insides turn.

"And? There were instances that we'd only sleep the entire night." Michael crossed his arms together, amused at her reactions.

"Let's just talk about this on our way to the office." She stated, now walking towards her coat.

Today was a cold day. The two of them were now walking side by side to the office, with hands in their coat pockets.

They passed by an elderly lady who was trying to open her apartment door, while carrying a bag of fruits.

Michael being the gentleman that he is, approached to help. After helping her place them down on her kitchen table, she turned to him.

"Oh, thank you so much, dear. It's so rare to have gentlemen like you in New York these days."

"Well I'm not from here ma'am. And it's no problem." He smiled at her.

"You're a handsome young man." She commented, and tilted her head to look at Olivia standing by her doorway. "And you have a lovely wife."

"Oh no ma'am, that's Olivia." He turned to her, and she offered the lady a smile. Facing the old lady again, he whispered "She's not my wife yet" with a wink, which made her giggle.

"Well, I don't want to keep you long from wherever you two have planned. Thank you again, dear. It was nice meeting the two of you."

After exchanging goodbyes to the nice lady, they were both out on the streets again, and Olivia was giving Michael a questioning look.

"Flowers for your thoughts?" He asked her.

"What did you say that made her giggle so much?"

"Livy, you can't be jealous of a sweet old lady, right?" He teased her, laughing. Earning a slap on his arm.

"In your dreams, Michael.'" She defended.

"Well it's a secret between the sweet lady and I."

She scoffed. "You don't even know each other's her names."

"Nope. But she knows yours." He grinned.

Arriving in front her office, she turned to him when he didn't get inside.

"Are you just going to stand there and wait for other ladies to share secrets to?"

He laughed at what she said. "No, but I am going to get something first. I'll be right back." he told her, and she nodded in response.

Olivia was already halfway through her paperwork when Michael came back, with his right arm behind him, seeming to be holding something.

"Here." And when he finally presented to her what he went out to get, she was faced with a bunch of apple blossom flowers, wrapped with garden ties.

"Is that for me?" She was almost embarrassed to ask.

"Well I did tell you I'd give you flowers for your thoughts earlier." He gave her a full-blown smile.

"Sneaky. Where'd you even get them?" she smiled, taking it from him to admire.

"I took it from someone's garden." He casually answered.

"You stole this???"

"I was going to, but the man who owned them caught me, and when I told him who they're for, he helped me cut them."

"What did you tell him?"

--------

"Young man, giving someone apple blossoms mean that you prefer them before all. So, if you're going to get them to someone you'd treat as temporary, I'd consider this as stealing."

A large man was on his doorway, looking at him while he was holding three flowers on his left hand, while the right was on the process of picking another one.

"I know that sir, which is why I chose this particular kind. The flower shop nearby didn't have 'em. And I really want to give them to the woman I'm pursuing again."

"Again?" The man furrowed his brows, intrigued at what he said.

"I was younger then and did some stupid things."

"Well alright, I'll get my clippers and ties."

--------

"Oh, that it was for a sweet old lady." he lied, shrugging. "Anyway, I've been thinking about the Ada situation."

"I'm listening" she answered, still admiring the flowers.

"How about this... " Michael said, seeming to be in deep thought. "Ada said she'd be home by the time we're back at the apartment, right?"

"Yeah, what about it then?"

"Let's place bets on what time do we think she'd actually get back. Winner gets to keep their room, and decide where the loser sleeps." He suggested.

Olivia was thinking about his proposition. And since Ada is her best friend, she knows her damn well that she'd probably be back before dinner. She's used to Tommy making her go home early. This brought a smile to her lips.

"Okay. If I win, you sleep downstairs on the couch. I'd say she'll be back by six." She declared confidently.

Michael grinned and nodded at her. "I'd take my chances on her arriving at seven. And if I win, we sleep in my room, my bed."

And they shook on it.

--------

Both of them were now back at the apartment, sitting across from each other in the kitchen, just staring at each other and listening to the clock tick.

"It's 6:55" Michael smirked at her.

"That 5 minutes is longer than you think, Michael." She cocked an eyebrow at him, but deep inside she was begging for Ada to hurry the fuck up.

A few minutes more of just staring, Michael stood up from his seat.

"Where are you going?" She asked, an eyebrow raised at him.

"Well I figured I might as well just tidy up my room by now." He turned to leave and head upstairs.

She checked the clock: 6:58pm

Groaning, she stood up to head to her room and get the stuff she needs for the night.

When Ada got back, it was 15 minutes past seven.

"Where the hell were you? I was worried sick!" Olivia exclaimed to her friend, which was followed by a snort by someone in the background.

"I told you I was sightseeing." Ada shrugged casually.

"Have you eaten?" Michael asked his cousin.

"Yeah I think I had too much food actually." She pats her tummy. "Anyway, have you guys decided yet?"

"Why yes, Ada, we most certainly have." Michael answered, playfulness lacing his voice.

"You're getting my room. And I'm going to have to stay with him." Olivia explained.

"Perfect! Now if you two would excuse me, I'd like to rest now." She grinned at them, just making a quick pause by Olivia, and whispered go get some before giggling like she was in her teens again.

--------

"Come on, Livy, we're just going to sleep." Michael huffed, slightly annoyed and amused at her.

She had been stalling by brushing her hair in-front of his mirror. And it's been fifteen minutes.

Sighing, she placed the brush down and approached the bed.

"By the way, try to keep your hands to yourself, Livy." Michael teased her.

"Oh, you should be worried, Michael. My hands just might find their way up and squeeze your neck." She looked at him with a dead expression, which made him chuckle.

"Now come on, I won't bite." He pulled the covers to let her settle in.

Finally getting under the covers, she was laying straight, just staring up the ceiling. If someone would've told them months ago that they'd get to spend a night together in a bed again, Michael would've literally slapped them with a thick wad of cash, and she would've laughed at their face.

"Are you all settled?" Michael turned to face her.

"Yeah..." She answered, keeping her gaze straight to the ceiling. "Good night, Michael."

"Good night, Livy." he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, making her turn red again.

At least for the past few nights when he did that to her, she could easily just enter her room the moment she turned crimson. But now that he's right next to her, she has never cursed blushing so easily as she did now.

Michael was about to turn the other side to turn off the lamp, when he shook his head and faced her again, this time, resting his head on his hand.

"Alright, I promised Ada I'd talk to you after she leaves, but I guess now's a good time because we both need it, and it's too damn early to sleep."

She finally faced him, and asked "What are you talking about?"

"Look, Livy, it was amusing at first - you getting all red and confused when I do something sweet. But then I realized that this ordeal may be fun, but it won't do us any good if we keep it this way without talking about labels."

"I see..." she replied, not really sure what to say to him.

"So, I'm just going to be upfront about it." And before she could even ask what he was on to, he cupped her cheek with his free hand and said "Your forgiveness isn't the only thing I'm after, Olivia. I want you back." He declared, looking at her.

Her breath hitched at his sudden declaration. "Oh." That was all she could muster.

"Now I just want to know how you'd want me to go about it. Normally I wouldn't ask, but it's you. Would you rather us start over with a clean slate? or keep the history and make up for what I messed up?" He asked, now gently caressing her cheek with his thumb.

She hadn't realized how this was making her emotional until she felt a tear run down her eye. Wiping it with his fingers, she nodded at him. "Fuck starting over, Michael. Out history brought us here, and we both grew from it." She smiled at him.

"Now I don't want you to say it back until you're sure about it, but I love you, Olivia. I know I fucked up in the past, but please believe me when I say that I hadn't stopped doing so. I thought I did, until one day I realized that I hadn't been able to feel the way that I did when you were still there. There were countless attempts from my end to fill that void. But I could never. Not when you were here all along."

She nodded. "Okay, Michael. But let's try not to fuck it up again this time, yeah?" She smiled at him through the tears.

Michael wiped her tears away, and pulled her close to his chest.

They spent the night just holding each other, both thinking about how they've missed things as simple as this, until they finally fell asleep.

#Peaky Blinders #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinder imagine #peaky blinder fanfic #MichaelGray #michael gray #Michael Gray imagine #michael gray x reader #michael grey #polly gray #polly grey #Arthur Shelby #Tommy Shelby #thomas shelby #John Shelby #Ada Shelby #finn shelby #finn cole imagine

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minbbydoll · 4 years

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Can you write a sad angst where a maknae member (preferably Kook) sends his gf y/n to jail because of a misunderstanding(maybe like a fake murder of his family member, friend, or ex and they frame y/n). Soon he finds out the truth but y/n died before he found out the truth. Maybe she died from depression or was already sick but no one knew and she died in jail. This devastates everyone who went against her and they regret it so much.

Word Count : 4,508

Jeon Jungkook

They say that love makes you do crazy things but Jungkook wouldn’t expect you to be the type of person to hurt anyone. You seemed so innocent, nice, and always forgiving but then again, you’ll never truly know someone and what they’re capable of.

Jungkook found himself wondering what went wrong on his drive over to your office, the countless days that you told him it would be okay and that he was going to catch the son of bitch that murdered his brother; it was you all along.

Jungkook tightened his grip on the steering wheel, he clenched his jaw and sped up a little still keeping within the speed limit. It took Jungkook awhile to come to terms with the fact that you actually killed his brother.

He went over the evidence again and again making sure that nothing was left unturned, but you still became the main suspect and out of all the suspects you were the unlucky winner.

He begged his coworker to let him arrest you, but the condition was he do it as soon as possible which was right now, Jungkook wiped the tear that fell from his eye as he parked outside your office and took a deep breath.

His heart was racing, he hasn’t been this nervous since he asked you to be his girlfriend but now, he was arresting you. Jungkook looked at his cellphone to see that he had to hurry so he opened his car door and nervously walked towards your building.

You missed your boyfriend, the sound of his voice, his warmth, his everything, it’s only been a few hours since you last saw him in the morning, but my god do you miss him like he’s been gone for weeks.

That’s the hold Jungkook has on you, he has the power to make you a lovesick puppy and according to him you have the same hold over him. You knew he’d be busy on the job but couldn’t resist a small little text, something simple, something to get you and him by until you see each other again when you both get home.

[Name] : I miss u, can’t wait to see u later and give u kisses. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) — 2:30pm

You smiled at the cringe worthy text you’d written up but decided to send it anyway, Jungkook always enjoyed your dirty comments and hidden dirty meanings about stuff you would say sometimes.

Jungkook usually replied instantly and the fact that he left you on read has you worried, even if he’s on the job Jungkook doesn’t hesitate to break the rules for you.

One minute turned into two and two into three and three into four and that four turned into ten minutes, you had never been so anxious before, you wondered if he was okay, was he hurt?

Was he just busy—, no, no matter what even if he was busy, he would have replied, he always does. You anxiously bit your nails, your mother always told you it was a disgusting habit you needed to stop but you couldn’t care less, biting your nails wasn’t something you could just stop, especially when you’re stressing like this.

You stared at your phone as you heard gasps run through your office, you switched from biting your fingernails to your lip as you continued to refresh your messages hoping to see a new message from Jungkook.

You didn’t bother to look up or tear your gaze from your screen as you heard mutters and gasps continue through your office, all you cared about, all that mattered right now was Jungkook.

You decided that another text would help your curiosity as to whether Jungkook was truly too busy to even look at your new text or whether he was just ignoring you for some reason you would find out about soon enough.

You flinched when a hand came to touch your shoulder, you finally looked up to see Jungkook, you smiled seeing him and initially you were confused but nonetheless happy.

His gaze was icy and held no smile he seemed so dull, you wondered why and also wondered why your coworkers were staring at the both of you and whispering, your heart racing in anticipation as Jungkook gestured for you to get out of your seat.

Jungkook was never rough with you and even if you hurt anyone, he could never bring himself to be forceful with you. “Kook, what’s going on.” You were surprised when Jungkook softly grabbed your hands and put them behind your back.

You tried turning to see him, but he held your wrists tightly before getting out his cuffs and placing them as gently as possible on your wrists. “Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law.”

You were for some reason trying to break the handcuffs by pulling your wrists away from each other in a fast motion, you’re not she-hulk you can’t break the metal handcuffs, but you continued to anyway.

“Kook, why are you reading me my Miranda rights, what the hell are you doing?” Jungkook didn’t tell you why but he just looked down and continued reading your Miranda rights.

“Kook, what the fuck?” You started to struggle and panic as he wasn’t unlocking the cuffs and you knew he wasn’t playing. “You are under arrest for the murder of Jeon Jung-hyun.”

Your eyes widened as your mouth gaped open, it was purely silent as he started to perp walk you. “His own brother,” you heard people calling you names and trash talking you as you let your head hang low.

Jungkook softly helped you get into his car, he couldn’t look at you, you were crying and just the sound of it made his heart clench in pain. “Kook, w-what’s happening?” He didn’t answer but started the car and closed his eyes for a second before pulling out of the parking space, this wasn’t going to be easy.

When the both of walked in you received dirty looks from other officers that you thought you knew well. “Jeon, I’ll put her in the cell you go take your break, you look like shit man.”

Another officer you knew as Hoshi had stopped by Jungkook and gave him a small nod to try and get him to go. Jungkook huffed, “Thanks Hoshi but I’m fine.”

Hoshi patted his back, “Come on man, I’ll do it, you don’t look so good. I’ll even cover for you so you can rest longer.” Jungkook hesitated but nonetheless nodded, he had to admit he was so tired and hungry he could barely keep his eyes open and he didn’t even realize it.

Hoshi pushed Jungkook away and laughed when he almost lost balance, “Go rest Jeon or eat or find a way to do both.” Hoshi grabbed onto your arms and he unlocked the cell before unlocking your handcuffs.

You grabbed onto his arm just before he closed the cell door, “Hoshi please, you know me, you know I wouldn’t do this to Jungkook please.” Hoshi shook you off, he looked disgusted by just the touch of you.

“Listen [Name], all the evidence points to you, no one else is a bigger suspect, what am I supposed to do?” Hoshi pushed you further into the cell, “please Hoshi you know I’d never do anything like this.”

Hoshi held his hips and looked to the ground sighing before looking back up at you, “[Name] there’s nothing that I can do.” You held the cell bars tightly and tried to get closer, “Please Hoshi please don’t give up please continue to try and find something, anything. I love Jungkook, and I would never hurt him, you know that.”

Hoshi bit the inside of his cheek, it’s true he knows just how much you love Jungkook. He had gotten cold feet when he was going to get married and you were the one who found him, you were the one to tell him what love is like, and that’s how he know she was the one.

You told him how you felt with Jungkook, how you’d do anything for him, how he makes your heart race when he smiles and how you cry from just the thought of him leaving you.

“Okay, I’ll keep looking but it’s not a guarantee.”

You nodded vigorously, “I’ll take it, I am innocent I’m sure there will be something to prove it too.”

Everything went as expected, at your trial because of the evidence you were found guilty. Your lawyer did everything he could but whoever framed you was an extreme perfectionist from how well everything was planned out.

Your first day in jail you were scared and tried your best to keep to yourself, the others respected you enough to not mess with you, lucky for you no one knew you were betrothed to the man that put most of them in jail.

Everything was going smoothly until one of the guards stupidly let out that you were Jungkook’s girlfriend, “I still can’t believe Jeon’s own girlfriend got thrown in jail.” He said and sure enough you had eyes all over you as you stood in the middle of the lunchroom.

Another guard hit the one whom spoke too loudly, and he noticed the mistake he made, he didn’t realize how loud he said it.

You felt your heart beating fast, all the eyes on you, you gulped dryly the guards were looking at everyone in the silent lunchroom trying to ensure your safety.

It was silent so silent you could hear a pin drop, one woman who absolutely hated Jungkook made the first move. Unfortunately, she was the closest to you and unfortunately for you she had been planning to take someone out anyway, so she already had a shiv with her.

She swiftly charged at you and since your back was facing her when you turned it was too late, she plunged the shiv deeply into your stomach. The guards also charged for her, but they didn’t get to you in time, by then she had plunged the shiv into you three times ensuring your death.

You fell to the ground and the surrounding inmates kicked you, the two guards had tried to pull the other inmates away from you. When that didn’t work, they grabbed their batons and started to use force to get them away from you.

More guards were called but once they finally got all the inmates away from you, you weren’t breathing. The health care at the prison was shit so there was no use in trying to get you there, but they felt bad because you were Jungkook’s girlfriend and they knew you pretty well.

The guards still called an outside hospital and decided to let them officially call your death and also tell Jungkook because they weren’t going to be the ones to do it.

The guard who outed you decided he would ride in the ambulance with you, he felt absolutely horrible, even though you murdered Jungkook’s brother he knew how good of a person you were. You would try your best to bake or make food for the guards because you knew some of them would hardly eat.

In the ambulance you were barely conscious and had to wear an oxygen mask but at least there was still a chance. You were bleeding out too quickly and the paramedic tried everything he could, but you still died on the way to the hospital.

It was a given that would happen, the guards knew that you were going to die from how deep that woman stabbed you and how many times she did. There’s no way she didn’t hit a vital organ that caused you to bleed out so much and so quickly that it was unstoppable.

Jungkook slept for the day, in his dreams you were there, and everything was normal. Jungkook ones in his heart that he still loved you, he didn’t even visit you in jail it was too painful for him. He tried to rack his brain for answers as to why you would murder his brother; had he done something to you.

You weren’t just hurt anyone without a reason, right? Especially not murder, Jungkook preferred to stay in his dreams where you were and that’s why he wanted to kill whoever woke him up from his peaceful dream with you.

“Are you Jeon Jungkook, emergency contact of Park [Name].” It was a woman’s voice, probably a nurse and Jungkook’s heart dropped, why would you be in a hospital?

“Yes, who are you and why do you have her phone?”

The nurse sighed, “Please come to Bumin Busan hospital.”

Jungkook arrived to see a guard from the prison standing in front of the door waiting for him, “Where’s [Name]?!”

Jungkook pushed the guard up against the outside door, Jungkook was causing a disturbance but he didn’t care. “I’m sorry sir there was a problem at the prison-,” Jungkook cut him off by punching him in the face.

The guard fell to the floor with Jungkook on top of him, “What do you mean problem, it’s your job to prevent people from getting hurt!”

His only concern was getting to you, he never should’ve trusted the evidence, “Sir Jeon there’s something you should know.”

Jungkook’s phone interrupted the guard, Jungkook got off of the guard, “You are no longer any of my concern get out of here before I have you fired.”

The guard widened his eyes and nodded thinking it would best to have the doctor tell him about you. “Hello, Hoshi?”

“Jungkook you need to come to the station right away!” Jungkook winced a little from how loud Hoshi yelled from excitement into the phone.

“I’ll come by later, something’s come up.” Jungkook hung up on Hoshi before he could say anything else.

Jungkook didn’t care about anything else but seeing you right now and making sure that you were okay, he ran into the hospital and looked for reception.

His main concern was you, making sure that you were okay, he was going to have a lot of apologizing to do to you. “Excuse me, where’s Kim [Name]?” The receptionist looked up to see Jungkook’s worried expression, “Uh…what room is she in?”

The receptionist looked at him with pity, “Give me one second and I’ll call the doctor.” Jungkook blinked slowly and nodded before turning around, the receptionist called any available doctor to try and explain what was happening.

Jungkook was looking around the hospital and walked further away from reception, she took that chance to phone someone, anyone. Jungkook was far enough so that he wouldn’t hear her, but she didn’t take her chances and kept her voice low anyway.

“He’s right here, right now please get a doctor to tell him.” The receptionist couldn’t be the one to do it, she didn’t know how, what just plainly say that you died, he deserves better.

“Mr. Jeon a doctor will be coming shortly to fetch you and go into further details of [Name]’s condition.” Jungkook walked closer to the receptionist, “Listen I don’t understand what you can’t get through your tiny brain but all I need is her room number so I can see her.”

The receptionist understood how frustrated he was, so she bit her tongue, “I’m sorry Mr. Jeon but I think it’d be best for the doctor to explain-,” Jungkook slammed his hands on her desk making her flinch, “explain?! I don’t need an explanation I just want to see her.”

Jungkook flinched surprised when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, “please don’t yell at her Mr. Jeon she’s just doing her job, come follow me.”

“Okay Dr. Lee, can’t I just see my girlfriend?” Dr. Lee had brought Jungkook somewhere private and definitely not where you were, the space was empty and looked like a used old medical practice room.

“Listen Jungkook I’ll be frank with you, [Name] didn’t make it and I’m really sorry but the fetus inside her didn’t make it either.”

Jungkook felt lightheaded from what he heard, “P-pregnant?”

He tightly held onto the edge of a table trying to grip the reality of this, “I’m sorry Mr. Jeon did you not know [Name] was two months pregnant?”

“You’re lying she would tell me; I did not put my two-month pregnant girlfriend in jail only to be killed.”

“I’m sorry Jungkook but it seems that way, we found an unborn fetus inside of her.” Jungkook shook his head furiously, “I’m sorry Dr. Lee I can’t deal with this right now I-I need to work-, I need to go.”

“Jungkook!” Dr. Lee called out for Jungkook again, but he just ran away, “ah Jungkook you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Hoshi!” Jungkook looked through the room of the station to try and find Hoshi, he stopped in the middle of the room seeing everyone crowded around a board Hoshi pushed through to try and get to Jungkook.

“Isn’t it great Jungkook, we have evidence that [Name] didn’t kill Jung-hyun.” Jungkook fell to his knees with regret, disappointment, sadness, pretty much anything you can think of.

“No, no that can’t be true.” There’s no way he sent his pregnant girlfriend to jail, there’s no way he killed his pregnant girlfriend, the woman he thought he’d spend his life with.

He had gotten a ring just for her, “what’s wrong Jungkook this is a good thing, we can get her out.”

Everyone’s blood ran cold when Jungkook put his hands on the floor and lowered his head to the ground, “She’s dead.”

Jungkook was panting, he was so upset he couldn’t even cry instead he laughed, “she’s gone, my life is gone.” He laughed until he cried, and his fellow officers thought he was a madman.

“Jungkook I’m sorry-,” Jungkook jerked away when Hoshi tried to pat his back, “Don’t! She was pregnant Hoshi, I killed my pregnant girlfriend, the woman I was gonna marry, the woman I love I killed her and our unborn child.”

Hoshi gasped in awe, what could he say, why didn’t he find the evidence in time, you were pregnant? The entire station was silent and heard Jungkook’s confession, they were surprised that you were pregnant out of wedlock but that was forgotten when he mentioned that you had passed.

You were his bestfriend, you were there for him when he could’ve made the biggest mistake of his life and he just threw you in prison to let you rot, you didn’t deserve to die like that. “W-what,” Hoshi fell on his ass when it hit him too, why didn’t he find evidence sooner?

“S-she’s dead, [N-n-name]’s dead.” All of the officers looked down in desolation as Jungkook burst into tears like he was a lost child, and maybe that’s all he is right now a little lost child with no home, no comfort, no nothing, just his lonesome self and all he can do is cry.

Another officer tried to step up since Hoshi the only person who knew how Jungkook was feeling was in a lonely silent despair. “Jungkook we should plan a funeral for her and your baby.”

As soon as the other officers heard the younger say, “your baby,” they expected Jungkook to lunge at him and hit him for mention the poor soul, but he didn’t. Jungkook cried louder, “m-my baby, I killed my little baby.”

Hoshi just continued to stare blankly at the floor, “Jungkook, you didn’t kill them, someone else did because of you.” Another officer hit the younger and whispered, “you’re not helping.”

Everyone couldn’t tell whether Hoshi or Jungkook took your death worse, Hoshi was silent and so was Jungkook they were both inside a stage of pain and guilt. Neither of them left their houses, hell they didn’t leave their rooms.

A few of the officers decided to try and get them to get out of their rooms because not even Hoshi’s wife could get him out, he was just too dejected about not getting new evidence in time and everyone was worried about Jungkook because he didn’t have anyone (more like he wouldn’t let anyone in).

“Come on Jungkook [Name] wouldn’t want to see you like this.” Felix tried to pull the blanket off of Jungkook but Jungkook wouldn’t let go of it either, “Well she’s dead so she can’t see me like this, now get out.”

Felix sighed, “Jungkook please you couldn’t have known.” Felix kicked around beer bottles that surrounded his feet, “you can’t substitute beer for food Jungkook, we all messed up.” Jungkook sat up and harshly pushed Felix away and then started to hit his chest, “yeah but I should’ve known, I should’ve believed her, I should’ve visited her, but I didn’t.”

Felix tried to grab Jungkook’s wrist to stop him from hitting his chest, “please Jungkook stop this, there was too much evidence against her, you couldn’t have believed her.”

Jungkook shook off Felix, “Even if I couldn’t, even if the world was against her, it doesn’t matter I should have been there for her so leave me alone.”

With one hard push Felix fell to the floor, “I’ll leave you for now, I know you still need time to grieve.” When Felix left Jungkook pulled out his phone and looked at the last text he had gotten from you on that day.

He silently cried knowing that Felix was probably still in his house doing cleaning or something like that, if only he had done what he wanted to that day you wouldn’t be dead, he would have a beautiful child with you and he would be happy instead of cowardly hiding from the world to avoid seeing you everywhere.

Jungkook was freaking out just outside your building, how could he arrest you, did you really kill his brother, why would you do it, you wouldn’t, would you?

He heard and his phone ding and in came a text from you, he laughed and chose not to respond before turning away from your building and walking away.

Jungkook walked back to his car and opened the door, he sat in his car for a minute before deciding on quitting and running away with you.

Jungkook put his phone down, maybe it’d be best if he left with you first and then informed his officer that he was quitting. He’d have to go, and pack first and then get you and then leave, yeah that’s probably best.

Jungkook started his car, “Am I really letting my brother’s killer go free?” Jungkook shook his head, “No, no I have to throwing [Name] in jail isn’t going to bring my brother back.”

But on the other hand, she’s a murderer, I’m running away with a murderer.

But what if she really didn’t kill him, what if there’s something I’m missing?

But what if she really did kill him, my elder brother someone who I treasured and looked up to.

Jungkook continued to fight with himself trying to decide which choice was right and wrong, “I became a police officer to put bad people away and just because I love her doesn’t mean she gets to break the law.”

Jungkook tightened his fist around his steering wheel before slamming his fist onto his horn making a loud noise no one could hear since there was no one else in the parking lot. “Fuck, why is this so hard?”

Jungkook took a deep breath and turned off his car again, “Just because I love her doesn’t mean she gets to break the law.”

“I tried but he won’t come out,” Felix was talking with one of his seniors that asked him to try and get Jungkook out while he went to Hoshi. “It’s fine just clean up and make him food, make sure he eats, I’ll call you later to see how it goes with Hoshi.”

Felix nodded, “Hopefully he’ll finally talk, he hasn’t talked since he found out.”

Mingyu sighed, “Yeah I know,” he knocked on Hoshi’s door and hung up his phone.

Hoshi’s wife opened the door, “Oh thank god you’re here Mingyu he’s not even eating.” Mingyu scratched his head, “It’s that bad?”

She nodded, “I can’t get him to eat, he refuses to look at me, I don’t even hear him cry.” Mingyu nodded and stepped into their house, “Where is he right now?” She gestured for him to follow her and he did.

“Hoshi, Mingyu is here.” She softly knocked on the door with the back of her finger three times, she waited for any noise, any signal that he was okay with them coming in.

She didn’t hear anything though, “Hoshi?” Mingyu pushed her away softly and knocked on the door again, “Mingyu, we’re coming in.” They still didn’t hear anything but opened the door, Hoshi wasn’t in sight and their anxiety level began to rise.

“Hoshi?!”

She looked towards Mingyu, “I swear he was in here.” Mingyu put his hand up letting her know she didn’t have to say anything, “the bathroom.” Mingyu looked at Hoshi’s wife, she was walking towards the bathroom with shaky hands.

Mingyu beat her to the bathroom and tried to open the door, “It’s locked, do you have a key for it?”

She nodded and rushed out of the room, “Hoshi are you in there?!” Mingyu twisted the locked knob, he knew he couldn’t get it open, but he still tugged on it anyway.

“Mingyu I found the key, here.” She quickly threw the key to Mingyu, he caught the key and quickly opened the door, “Hoshi?!”

Mingyu ran into the bathroom to an indescribable scene, “Call an ambulance,” he managed to yell to Hoshi’s wife through his own shock and horror.

Mingyu tried (keep in mind tried) to pull Hoshi out of the bathtub filled with watery blood, “No, no stop let me die, I want to die.” Mingyu was appalled by this, how is he still alive?(Mingyu was thankful but shocked).

Hoshi resisted, “I want to die, leave me alone, go away.” Hoshi fought Mingyu but he was weak from blood loss, “I-I miss her.” A broken sob left Hoshi as his consciousness faded away, “I miss her too buddy.”

Note I : Okay so to the anon who requested I hope it’s okay I added this little plot twist of reader being pregnant, I thought it’d add more dramatic effect. Sorry I took so long writing this I have a lot of schoolwork I don’t want to do and I lowkey think I have ADHD but my mom doesn’t want to let me take a test to find out so I will forever be unable to focus. Anyway, hope you enjoy.

Note II : My god I dragged this on way too long 😩I didn’t know how to end it. Forgive me anon if you didn’t like the ending 👉🏻👈🏻 and I feel like I haven’t posted in forever. ☹️

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butindeed · 5 years

Text

When two brothers get together for a glass of whiskey.

Tagging @cora-nova - Thanks for the vote of confidence :)

Tha man rushed through the poorly lit corridors, but his feet seemed to know the way just the same as if the lights were shining.

He glanced at his watch, the same old watch his father has worn, and his father before him. He was on the nick of time, a half-smile was drawn on his face.

Lazily the man rose his knuckles and gently knocked on the magnificently carved wooden door, but it wasn’t any kind of knock, it seemed like a password, a secret only a few knew.

He waited two seconds. Three. Five. Ten. Then he knocked again, his smile faltered a bit, until he heard the faint steps, silenced by the thick carpet.

The door opened hesitantely, and a tall figure appeared, showing nothing but the worked up torso covered in a sports suit, white shirt that revealed a blue scar underneath. The face, however, remained in the dark.

-Welcome my dear friend. For a moment I feared you wouldn’t show up.

-I always do.

Both men marched through the parlour and to the balcony without crossing a word. The tall man approached a well stocked beverage trolley and having generously poured whiskey on two ornamented cristal highballs, he turned slowly around, his face still hidden.

He sipped his glass, not yet swallowing the content, as if he knew he’d have to speak once he had done it. Finally he gluped silently; then he sighed and handed out the second glass to the other man.

Drake felt a drop falling on his forehead followed by hundreds of them that threatened to bring the party to a conclusion. Lords of House Beaumont had just left and deep inside he knew the party hadn’t started yet. He knew Liam as well as he knew himself and he knew what was troubling him. They were brothers, maybe not in blood, but in life.

Liam closed the glass doors behind him calmly. The quiet before the storm, Drake thought, and again he was not mistaken.

-Why would my own brother do such thing to me? To his own blood!

-You know Leo was never cut to be a King.

-Selfish, son of a... - Liam took a deep breath before continuing - Leo was born to be king. All that charisma, a winner’s personality, plus he has the looks, he’s everything our people would have loved. I was just supposed to be the spare.

-I think you’re wrong Liam. I think everyone knew, you included, that you were always the better option.

-I was supposed to be the spare - Liam sighed as the tears that had been contained since he had heard the news streamed quietly down his face.

-Thanks - the man said right before downing half the content of his glass in a glup.

-Thirsty?

-Cut the...-he paused - why have you summoned me Liam?

-It’s Thursday

-I thought you had suspened our meetings

-It was only one time - the Prince waved his hand dismissevly

-They’ve been four

-Have they now?

-What do you want Liam?

-As you know, the Coronation Ball is in a few days...

-Saturday Liam, it’s this Saturday- Drake interrupted - You don’t need to talk like that, not to me.

- Yes, so Saturday - Liam paused, swirling the ambar liquor on his glass, preparing himself for the carefully rehearsed words he was about to say - I have made my decision.

-You mean...?

-Yes, I chose...

The thick snow layer was a nuisance for all the castle staff, and for everyone else in fact, but for the group of children that had arrived that morning at Lythikos and were now deciding on what game to play.

-I would love to build a snowman - Savannah told lady Kiara as they strolled arm in arm, followed some steps behind by a shy red faced Lady Penelope that was mumbling something about building a pet for him too.

Lady Madeleine hesitated, she seemed torn. Probably she’d have enjoyed that activity greatly, but she was on a mission as her father had stated over and over. Plus, as her own mother would have said she was now old enough to be with the others. She looked once again at the girls that had already started building a giant ball and whipped her hair loftily strutting towards another group that included, among others, prince Leo and Lord Bertrand.

There was one other child that looked at the group longing their company. A blond blue-eyed boy who seemed to have grown too quickly too fast. Just when he was about to take a step towards them, his brunette friend called his name from inside the house, as he ran to him at full speed pulling something that seemed probably too heavy.

-Liam!

-Yes?

-Look what I found at the basement!

-What is it?

-It’s a sledge! We can sneak out from here and slide down the hill.

-I’ll go too - A girl whose long red curls cascaded down her shoulders interrupted them as she tied up the mane in a messy pony tail. - Aunt Lucretia would kill me if she saw me. But she’s not here, is she? And building snowmen is not fun if you’re not going to slaughter them afterwards, so I suppose I must stick with you - she sneered glaring at Drake.

-We were not planning on inviting you - He said proudly, but was interrupted by her who mouthed ‘commoner’ without saying a single word.

-Plus, what kind of hostess would I be if I don’t show your Highness the best places to slide.

When the nannas called the group into the house for supper, the snow was reddened with the lights of dusk.

Once they were at the door, Drake pulled Liam aside.

-She likes you - he whispered half disgusted half amused

-Who? Olivia? - Liam replied searching her in the tiny crowd.

-Lady Riley

Drake spit half of his drink unable to look his friend in the eye.

-Are you allright my friend? - Liam giggled

-Yes, there was... a bug in... Wh.. W.. Why would you choose her? I mean, she’s not, well. Does your father approve?

-Not entirely, I have announced my decision to him and the advisors, I had to prepare a speech and all, to avoid crumpling in front of them, and they seemed pleased enough.

-But what did you say? What are those reasons?

-Well, for starters, she seems like a well-centered person, she is witty and fast learning. She has surprised everyone with her poise and behaviour.

Drake could feel his body getting colder and colder by the second and his hands covered in sweat. Still, he said nothing.

-If I’m being candid, I must admit that there are some further reasons. As you well know, monarchies are now scarce and highly unpopular. By marrying a foreign commoner I think people would embrace the gesture as the monarchy wanting to modernize itself.

-You’re using her! You... Do you love her at least?

-I find her incredibly attractive

-But do you love her? Do you love Hopkins?

Her kisses were still fresh on his lips. She was fire and he knew it. It had been a bad idea.

What was he thinking accepting Maxwell’s cry for help? It was for her, that’s why. And it was also an excuse, a sweet excuse to see her again, one more minute, alone, without the prince hovering around.

He felt guilty, she was there for his friend, his brother. However he couldn’t shake off the whirlwind of sensations he felt when she kissed him. She’d kissed him. It was reckless, but he would never regret about it. Now she was inside of him, and time it was for good.

-Hopkins? - Liam’s baby blues turned quickly into steel and scanned Drake’s burning chocolate one’s as if they were made of X rays. He held his stare for a few seconds weighting his own thoughts. Finally dismissing every dark thought of his friend, he sighed.

-It’s my decision. And it is final.

-Of course your Highness - Drake courtsied and left hurriedly, storming away.

He was so deeply lost on his own thought that he almost crashed the person that was standing in front of him.

-Drake, is everything ok?

Perfect, just the person he was trying to avoid.

#TRR #Drake Walker #Liam #Prince Liam #Riley #Riley Hopkins #Whiskey #The Royal Romance #Once piece

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edogawatranslations · 6 years

Text

999: Alterna (2) - Part 6, Chapters 4-5

Table of Contents | Previous: Part 6, Chapter 3

Chapter 4

After returning to [C-Deck], Akane and I met back up with Lotus and headed back the way we came towards the large hospital room.

Back in the hospital room, Ace, Clover, and Seven had returned safely and joined up with Santa.

Yet something about them felt off. Seven had a grim expression on his face, while Ace’s face had been completely drained of color. Clover looked so frail that she appeared to be on the verge of fading away.

Santa, with the same apathetic expression as always, turned to look at us.

“Did something happen?” I asked with bated breath.

“...Snake’s dead,” Santa muttered, staring upwards with his arms crossed.

“W-” A shiver shot through my body. I felt heart palpitations, rendering me unable to breathe properly. Cold sweat gushed out of my forehead and the back of my neck.

Akane and Lotus seemed to have the same reaction. Neither of them moved an inch, as despair crawled across their faces.

“Y-You’re kidding, right?”

“If that’s whatcha think, then why don’tcha see for yourself?” Seven said. He was shivering, with both hands curled into tight fists.

“But we’d have to go through a numbered door...”

“No need to worry about that,” Ace responded. He pointed to the numberless door. “We stuck a pillow in the door’s gap. The lock isn’t engaged, so you can go through there.”

“And then?”

“The x-ray room will be to your left. We opened that door by solving the question on the monitor, so you can open it quite easily.”

In other words, we could enter the x-ray room without having to pass through a numbered door.

Ace continued, “You’ll find the corpse inside where the seven creepy dolls are standing.”

“Got it. I’ll go and check.”

Lotus, Akane, and I nodded at each other before heading for the numberless door.

Upon entering the hallway, a iron door came into view on our left. We couldn’t pry it open earlier, but as Seven had said, the door now opened with ease.

Steeling myself, I leapt through the door.

“...Ugh.” Akane immediately grimaced and brought her hands over her mouth as she entered the room behind me.

“Where’s this foul odor coming from?” Lotus followed, pinching her nose.

An unnatural stench filled the room. The stench of blood, the stench of rotting flesh, the stench of human waste, the stench of something burning - all of that and more assaulted my nostrils.

I too soon became unable to withstand the odor, having no choice but to cover my mouth with my palm. While suppressing the nausea welling up inside me, I looked around the room.

“What’s that?”

I couldn’t help but tremble at the eerie sight before me.

Seven anatomical models stood basking in the red light emitting from the ceiling, all staring in the same direction. Photographs of each one of our faces were pasted on their heads.

When were these photos taken? I bit my lip in anger. The model with Akane’s face displayed a radiant smile.

Lotus with her pursed lips, Seven with a fierce look in his eyes, Santa with his snarky smile, Ace with his eyes closed, and Clover with a cutesy expression - Snake and the man with the [9] bracelet weren’t present.

I turned to look where the seven figures directed their gazes. There was a cloth partition dividing the room. The wall behind it was dotted with fresh blood. Based on where the splatters were more pronounced, it became obvious where Snake’s body was.

“June, wait here,” I turned around to address Akane.

“But...”

“Please, just keep quiet and do as I say.”

While keeping Akane back with my palm, I stepped cautiously toward the partition. Lotus followed, clinging to my back.

I grabbed the partition with both hands. Hesitantly, I peeked behind it.

My heart stopped. My body froze. It felt like time had frozen as well.

A nightmarish sight lay beyond the partition, one that would make anyone flinch in terror. The entire area was a sea of red. Chunks of meat and flesh were strewn about in pools of blood.

A head. Both arms. Both legs. A torso.

One section of the torso had completely burst open, pink intestines splaying out from the inside.

Gobs of meat covered the surrounding walls. Yellow mucus trickled down from everywhere, as if slugs had run rampant across the room.

“W-What the fuck is this? No...!!!”

Unable to stomach the grotesque scene, Lotus fled from the room. Immediately afterwards, I heard the sound of vomiting echo through the halls. That was the natural reaction. It was strange that I could remain as calm as I was.

“Lotus, are you okay?” June left the room to look after Lotus. For the time being, I wouldn’t have to worry about her coming back.

I turned to examine the corpse once more. Parts of it had been scorched black. The head seemed to have it the worst - as if it had been encapsulated by red-hot flames, it resembled a fully burnt match head.

Next to the head was the corpse’s left wrist. It must have gotten flung there from shock of the explosion. A stark white bone jutted out from the cross-section where it had been torn off.

I gazed at the corpse as a whole. The mass of meat was covered in burnt, tattered clothes. A wine-red colored necktie, a bloodied dress shirt, a navy blue jacket with yellow lines, and grey trousers. I had seen it all before. There was no question the corpse belonged to Snake.

“Why... Why did this have to happen...”

I clasped my hands together for Snake and looked up.

What appeared to be numbers were scribbled all over the blood-splattered wall.

5... 2...

The rest had been covered by the blood.

What did these numbers mean?

Intrigue filled my mind, but I had almost reached my limit. I couldn’t bear to stay in the room for much longer.

“Damn, this is horrible.”

Santa’s voice came from behind me. I turned around, and saw him gazing at the gruesome corpse with the same cool and calm countenance as always.

“Why are you here?” I asked.

“Thought I’d check it out for myself.” With no hesitation, Santa stepped into a puddle of blood.

“What happened to not wanting to get your shoes dirty?”

“That’s not important anymore. Everyone’s gonna get murdered at this rate. I gotta do some investigating if I want to survive, with or without anyone else.”

As he said that, he kicked Snake’s corpse. The torso twisted into a grotesque shape as something within was crushed with a resounding “splat.”

My stomach growled like a dog. Something sour churned up my insides. I couldn’t take it anymore.

Leaving Santa behind, I flew out of the x-ray room.

The stench of blood that had filled my nostrils wouldn’t go away.

Each time that metallic smell reached my lungs, the scene inside the x-ray room flashed into my mind. How many times would I have to endure this nausea?

Chapter 5

After returning to the large hospital room with Akane and Lotus, my gaze turned first and foremost to Clover.

She was sitting on the edge of a bed, her head hanging low. Her dull, hollow eyes stared aimlessly at the floor. Other than her rhythmic machine-like breathing, she displayed no reactions whatsoever. Her body looked so fragile that even a single touch may have been enough to break her.

Soon enough, Santa returned. His shoes were completely soaked red with blood. Just seeing them made me nauseous.

The seven of us had once again reunited in the hospital room.

“You get it now? It’s true,” Seven said as he approached me. Out of consideration for Clover, he lowered his voice to a whisper. “Snake was murdered.”

“Murdered?”

“You think he died some other way? You need at least three people to open a numbered door. Whoever did Snake in used the <RED> with him and opened the [3] door. And then they pushed him in.”

“That’s terrible...” Akane covered her face.

The door would have closed after nine seconds. By himself, Snake would have no way out. No, he likely wouldn’t have given up. Even if he realized the futility of his actions, he would have entered the x-ray room to seek out the <DEAD>.

To disarm the bracelet’s time bomb, everyone who authenticated on the <RED> must also touch the <DEAD>. Snake wouldn’t have been able to do anything in his situation. So after 81 seconds...

As the gruesome image of the x-ray room crept back into my mind, I vigorously shook my head.

“Who would do such a thing...?” Lotus murmured.

“At least three people including Snake would be needed to open the numbered door. One culprit plus Snake wouldn’t be enough to open the door,” Seven responded brusquely. “This was the work of multiple people.”

I crossed my arms. “There’s something I want to confirm first.”

“What?”

“When exactly was Snake killed?”

“Must’ve been when everyone split up to look for the <RED> circuit boards. We couldn’t find Snake after that.”

“So everyone was off on their own searching for the circuit boards in different areas. That means no one has an alibi, right?”

“Yeah. Any one of us could be guilty.”

“W-Wait just a moment!” Akane cried out in a fluster. “What’s wrong with you two? You’re talking about this like it’s obvious, but you’re saying there’s a murderer among us, right?”

“Yep. And not just one—there must be at least two among us,” Seven replied.

“Seven, that’s enough,” Ace chided. “What is there to gain from sowing the seeds of suspicion around? Aren’t we playing right into Zero’s hands?”

Seven couldn’t help but show embarassment in response to Ace’s sharp rebuke.

“What do you mean, ‘playing right into Zero’s hands?’” Lotus asked, leaning forward in curiosity.

“I’m saying that this is just another part of Zero’s plan,” Ace continued with a scowl. “We must not forget that we are still playing Zero’s game. And since this is a game, there will surely be winners and losers. Those who escape through the [9] door become winners; those who fail become losers. Zero is trying to force us to compete for victory.”

“In other words, you’re saying that Zero is intentionally trying to stir up dissent among us...” Akane summarized.

“Exactly. That is why we must avoid falling into the trap of suspecting one another. If we do not trust each other and fail to come together, we will fall right into Zero’s trap.”

“So Snake’s death...?” Lotus asked.

Ace nodded. “Right. That was most likely Zero’s handiwork as well.”

“That has to be it. Ace is right!” Akane said in agreement.

“Above anyone else, we must suspect the gamemaster himself. After all, he’s the one who abducted us all in the first place.”

Ace and Akane had a point. However, now more than ever, I couldn’t help but suspect those around me.

Thoughtlessly, I blurted out, “What if Zero is one of us?”

Next: Part 6, Chapters 6-9

#999 alterna #9 hours 9 persons 9 doors #nine hours nine persons nine doors #zero escape

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puppetwritings · 7 years

Text

It Isn’t Love || Seungcheol || Pt. 6

Pt. 1 // Pt. 2 // Pt. 3 // Pt. 4 // Pt. 5 // Pt. 6 // Pt. 7 // Pt. 8 // Pt. 9 // Pt. 10 (Final)

Word Count: 3023

Genre: fluff, angst, royalty au, arranged marriage au

Summary: In order to solidify and further prove the alliance of two kingdoms, the Choi Kingdom had decided to arrange a marriage between their kingdom and the Lee Kingdom. It was a great plan! Now, if only the two parties personally involved were willing…

“This is all your men?”

“They’re all I need.”

“This is all you brought?”

“I just came back from war.”

“Your carriage is so small, is it gonna fit us?”

“How big are you?”

Jisoo and Wonwoo stood awkwardly beside the small boy, Jihu, and the three of them watched this back and forth like a tennis match, unable to determine the final winner. And there was no final winner. Or at least not yet. Because even after Jisoo’s calm urging to get into the carriage so they could start leaving, the toned-down bickering continued. It was just fortunate that Jisoo and Wonwoo as well as Jihu rode in a different carriage—they might have pulled their hair out.

“Do you always butt into other people’s business?”

“Only if I think I should and honestly, I thought I should with your situation. You would have died.”

“Did you ever think I could actually handle myself?”

“Yes? But did I want to risk it? No.”

“Do you think you’re some type of hero or something? Is that why you thought I was a damsel in distress?”

“Right now, I’m the damsel in distress,” Seungcheol sighed, staring out the window. “Where is my knight in shining armor to save me from this torment?”

You glared at Seungcheol and he raised an eyebrow at you before turning back towards the window.

“Here, let me ask a few questions,” Seungcheol said, though he still stared out the window with his chin resting against the back of his hand. “Why weren’t they able to send you a message? They said they knew where you were.”

“I ran away from home.”

“And you used to be the Crowned Princess? Why did you give it to Jihoon?”

“I didn’t want the responsibility. I dislike being tied down.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

Seungcheol scoffed, “You’re such a child.”

You glared at him. “Oh? And you’re the bigger person?”

“I’m not sure about being the bigger person, but I know that I’m more responsible than you.”

“Oh yeah? How?”

“I’m going to drop this argument right now.”

You scoffed. “That’s how you’re going to show that you’re the bigger person? By ignoring me and taking a nap?”

But he stuck true to his word. For the rest of the ride he didn’t engage in an argument with you. Instead, he took to staring out the window. And during this time, you observed him. Like the night of the ball, his hair was a soft wavy brown. His lips were a lovely pink and his eyes were large and doe-like. It gave him an innocent appearance. Like a young boy. But upon closer inspection, you would not be able to ignore the sadness that was constant in his expression.

“Why do you look so sad all the time?” the question came out before you had time to proofread it. If you had, you wouldn’t have asked it.

Seungcheol pulled his gaze from the window and looked at you. “Do I look sad all the time?”

You nodded despite yourself. You could have said no and backed out but backing out wasn’t really in your nature so you steeled yourself in case he yelled at you. He didn’t.

Instead, Seungcheol thought for a moment, his dazed eyes concentrated on you as if he were recalling a distant memory. “I don’t know I just…there’s nothing really to live for.”

You were surprised by this confession. You watched as Seungcheol nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer. His eyes refocused on you. “There’s nothing to live for to me.”

You were about to interject and ask what he meant. Nothing to live for? The world was so wide, how could there be nothing to live for? You wanted to scold him but before you could properly formulate your thoughts, the carriage pulled to a stop. You and Seungcheol turned to the door as it was opened by Jisoo. He peered in. “We’ve reached our stop.”

Seungcheol sighed and stood, leaving his sword on the seat. You were about to remind him to take it when he turned back around, “Be sure to safely hide your fan. Wouldn’t want the people to think we’re here to threaten them.”

You nodded and watched as he left first. You made sure your fan was carefully tucked in your sleeves and then you slid off the carriage with the help of Jisoo’s hand and then you followed Seungcheol, who was heading to the office of the governor.

“Greetings to Second Prince Seungcheol,” the governor, a slimmer man with sharp, alligator like features, bowed low. His boney fingers were resting on top of each other, reminding you a little bit like a pile of sticks you’d throw into the flames. His name was Il-Young and he gave you chills. He turned to you after bowing to Seungcheol and pulled up a smile. For a second you thought his teeth were sharp. He humbly lowered himself and spoke his greeting as well, “Greetings to the Eldest Princess of the Lee Kingdom.”

You nodded awkwardly, looking to Seungcheol.

“Stand,” Seungcheol said simply, swooping towards the seat to the left of him. You quickly sat beside Seungcheol as Jisoo and Wonwoo leisurely took their spots standing behind Seungcheol.

“What has brought you on this long and arduous journey to our humble town, Your Highness?” Il-Young asked, still slightly bowed.

Seungcheol gestured to the seat at the front, “Sit first, Governor.” The governor sat. “I’m here because my father sent me here. You wrote to him telling him that the people were stirring for a riot?”

Moon Il-Young glanced at you, obvious distrust in his pointed, beady eyes. “Yes…yes, I did write to His Majesty about that.”

Seungcheol noticed shifted, “She is a member of one of our most trusted allies and she will be my wife in the future. You do not have to be cautious around her.”

You glanced at him, surprised that he would mention you being his wife but you figured if he hadn’t, Il-Young would have asked to schedule another meeting later in the night without your presence.

The governor seemed to ease up, though he still made you a little queasy. He relaxed back against his chair for a moment, as if to gather his composure, and then sat forward again. His mouth opened and he began to explain the situation in the territory. He said that it had been small at first but was slowly gaining momentum these past several months.

“And why weren’t we alerted beforehand?” Seungcheol asked with a frown.

Il-Young hesitated. It was obvious he didn’t have an explanation except a stupid one. He sighed. “We figured we could handle it.”

Seungcheol let out a long sigh as if he were trying to digest Il-Young’s incompetence. You watched Seungcheol with interest, observing how he reacted to things and his body language. When he was listening to Il-Young he had been sat straight and forward but slowly he had began to lean back, one leg crossing over the other and his fingers intertwining each other, resting against his knee cap. His furrowed brows of interest turned into a neutral expression and eventually evolved into a judgmental with an eyebrow cocked and a sigh leaving his pink stained lips every once in a while. It was interesting; his expressions were a show in itself and his response after was even better.

“You’re…Governor, you’re joking, right?” Seungcheol’s irritated tone made the servants at the entrance shift uncomfortably and the governor’s expression twitched. You smirked but hid it behind the china teacup as you took a sip of the cooled tea.

“I…well, not, not exactly.”

“You’ve been the governor for how long? Twenty years? Thirty?” Seungcheol raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been governor for longer than I was alive. Do I have to teach you how to do your job?”

Il-Young gulped, his throat parched. You watched as his skeletal hand grabbed his teacup and he took a sip as Seungcheol continued.

“If there was something happening, you should have contacted the king immediately,” Seungcheol said, still setting back against his chair. He reached for his teacup, which you helpfully placed in his hands. He gave you the slightest of smiles, removed the lid from the cup and held it between his fingers and the fragile china as he took a careful sip before continuing. “It’s best to put down the brewing of a rebellion before it’s too late. For it to have come this far, you must have let it sat for a while. How many years? Two? Three?”

“Three,” Il-Young confirmed.

“Three,” Seungcheol repeated with obvious disdain in his voice. “Well, then that proves my point.”

“W-what should we do now, Your Highness?”

Seungcheol let out another exasperated sigh. He set down his teacup and tilted his head curiously like a teacher redirecting a question back to the child. “What do you think we should do?”

“W-we should…we should,” Il-Young hesitated as if his next answer would determine whether he lived to see another day or die that night. You found this amusing. You glanced back at Wonwoo and Jisoo to find them also hiding smiles.

Il-Young’s face had successfully become the color of plaster now, making him look more like a member of the underworld than he had when you came in. He had no answer and that made him more anxious.

“Anything. A suggestion,” Seungcheol had turned from the governor and was leaning against the chair of his arm, leaning towards you. You leaned closer and he whispered in your ear, “After this we’ll be moving to quarters in his estate. We’ll have to be careful then.”

You gave him a quizzical look but he pressed his finger to his lips and you nodded, sitting back in your seat.

“We could send out…soldiers,” his response died in his throat under Seungcheol’s critical eyebrow raise.

“Incorrect answer. We’re here to reason with them. If we send out soldiers that just shows them that we’re not going to listen to them and it’s going to cause them to riot more. I’ll talk to them myself.”

You looked at him with a raised eyebrow, your heart lurching. He was going to meet with the rebels?

The governor seemed to have gone through a similar shock. He sat straighter, his eyes wider and his face (if possible) paler. “B-but Your Highness if you were to—“

“Do I look that weak?” Seungcheol asked.

“W-we don’t know where they—“

Seungcheol stood. “Lessen on the guards tonight. Especially around the area that I will be staying.”

“That’s…” Il-Young glanced at you and then turned back to Seungcheol, still hesitant.

“This is my way of doing things. My father,” it was the first time you had heard Seungcheol address the Choi Kingdom’s king in that way, “has sent me to sort out this mess and this is how I will do it. If you don’t comply, I’m afraid we’ll have to go to war. Do you want bloodshed?”

“No…no, I do not.”

“Then lessen up on the guards,” Seungcheol concluded. He turned to you with a frown and then looked back to Il-Young, “Princess Y/N will be sharing a room with me. Station Jisoo and Wonwoo in a room nearby.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Il-Young bowed. He gestured for a servant to come in and repeated the exact directions. The servant nodded and bowed before gesturing for Seungcheol and his party to follow him.

As you were leaving you grabbed Seungcheol’s arm, making him stop at the entrance. “What do you mean I’m sharing a room with you?”

“I think you’re fully capable of taking care of yourself but while you’re with me on this trip I am expected to take care of you,” Seungcheol said, removing your hand from his arm. “If anything were to happen I’d have a difficult time explaining to your parents and your brother so I think it’d be safest for you to stay in the same room with me.”

“B-but—“

“You don’t think I’d touch you, do you?” Seungcheol asked, raising an eyebrow.

You flushed. He sounded so offended and disgusted. “No, I don’t think you would.”

“Then there’s no problem,” Seungcheol said. “I won’t really be sleeping anyway.”

Before you could ask him what he meant, Jisoo came back to inform the two of you that the rooms had been arranged. Seungcheol nodded and turned back to you, tilting your head in the direction of Jisoo and followed his aide-de-camp. You bit your lower lip and followed them, your face still a little flushed from the brief thought that he would actually try something on you. Of course he wouldn’t. To him, you were “diplomacy”. That was all.

It was an easy concept. You and Seungcheol would share a room while Jisoo and Wonwoo would take the room that you were supposed to have originally. You would sleep soundly unless disturbed by rebels coming to attack the second prince (to assure that they would, Seungcheol had sent servants out to gossip loudly about his arrival). It was an easy to follow plan. It was easy on paper but in action, it was a bit more difficult. Difficult for you—not for Seungcheol.

He pulled off the outer layer of his robes, leaving the plain white garment underneath. He hung his robes on the rack, spreading it out so the wrinkles wouldn’t form. He looked at you and awkwardly gestured, “Aren’t you going to change?”

You frowned at him, brows furrowed, “You want me to change with you in my room.”

“It’s…our room,” Seungcheol said. “We’re sharing it.”

You continued to look at him with distrust.

Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms, “I’m not telling you to strip, I’m telling you to take the outer layer off so you can sleep comfortably, you weirdo.”

You sighed and your hands went to the tied belt that kept the outer layer of your dress on. You pulled the string and let it fall to the ground before stepping out of it and then walking it towards the rack and spreading it on top of Seungcheol’s clothes.

“Now, was that so hard?”

“I’m going to need you to shut up before I stab you,” you said threateningly.

Seungcheol held up his hands and sat down at the small table. He looked at the candle that lamp that lit the room and turned to you, “Go to sleep.”

“I’m not tired yet.”

“Well, I’m going to sleep,” Seungcheol said, crossing his arms and then resting his head against them.

“You’re not going to sleep on the bed.”

“Would you sleep on the bed if I did?” Seungcheol asked, his voice muffled.

“No…”

“Exactly. So you get the bed and I’ll get the table.”

“Won’t your back hurt tomorrow?”

Seungcheol opened and eye looking at you, “Are you inviting me to bed?”

You looked at him with a deadpan face, “No.”

Seungcheol waved a hand towards the bed. “Then go. Let me get some shut eye before our invaders come in.”

“Are you gonna extinguish the candle?”

“I thought you weren’t tired.”

You let out a sigh and stepped forward, blowing out the candle at the table and then heading to another one of the candles before blowing that one out and then the last one. “Goodnight, Your Highness.”

“Goodnight, Princess.”

Seungcheol had heard the noise outside before the door squeaked open. They weren’t good assassins but then again, Seungcheol supposed that he hadn’t been sleeping heavily either. He had only briefly shut his eyes and woke up soon after. He hard your soft breathing, knowing that you had officially fallen asleep so he didn’t bother to relight a candle. Then the door opened. Seungcheol stayed still.

He heard the soft footsteps approach him and they stopped. They were probably looking around, observing their targets.

“That’s him,” a voice whispered.

“Are you sure he’s the second prince?”

“Yes, I’m certain,” the first voice replied. “Let’s grab him.”

The two intruders moved in but before they could grab Seungcheol, he got a hold of one of their hands and twisted it backwards. The chair fell back with a clatter and the man kicked the table. You were startled away and you were soon reaching for the dagger that you had placed beside you before going to sleep. You were quick to disarm the man that came for you and you and Seungcheol already had the intruders pinned by the time Jisoo and Wonwoo came into lit two of the candles.

“That was easier than I thought,” you said, moving so Wonwoo could tie one of the guy’s up with the rope.

Seungcheol passed the passed out man to Jisoo who began to expertly work the rope around his arms and then his feet.

“Now we’ll just have to wait for them to wake up,” Seungcheol said, brushing his hands together. He turned to you, “Now wasn’t that fun?”

“Is this what you always do?”

“Not always, but it’s a method often used,” Wonwoo shrugged.

“You don’t think this is dangerous?” you looked between Wonwoo and Jisoo who shook their heads.

“It’s the most effective. And it’s not like we’re not careful,” Jisoo said, tightly securing the man as if to prove a point. He turned to Seungcheol, “We’ll move them to another room.”

Seungcheol nodded, yawning. “Now for some proper rest.”

You watched as the group casually disbanded. Seungcheol got comfortable on the table again and Wonwoo and Jisoo dragged the intruders out from the room. You scoffed and sat down beside Seungcheol.

“Seriously? That’s it?”

“Until tomorrow,” Seungcheol said groggily. He yawned away getting comfortable once more. “When…you feel like…like sleeping blow out the…candles…”

You bent down and looked at Seungcheol, whispering, “Are you asleep?”

When the only response was his soft breathing you scoffed quietly. “He’s really asleep…”

You reached your hand out for a moment, ghosting your fingers against his bangs. Your hand fell back down on the table and you sat up before you stood and went back to your bed, slowly getting pulled into a dreamless sleep.

#seungcheol fanfic #seungcheol fanfiction #seungcheol scenarios #seungcheol scenario #seventeen fanfic #seventeen scenarios #seventeen fanfiction #seventeen scenario

260 notes · View notes

youngavengersfeels · 7 years

Text

Survival of the Fittest

Pairing: Stucky

Chapter: 1/?

Summary: Drowning in student and credit card debut and unable to find a real job, Bucky has to find alternative ways to earn some money. Getting offered a spot on 'The Challenge', a survival competition show with a grand prize of $250k seems like an amazing opportunity expect for the fact that the show is a couples competition and Bucky is perpetually single. Good thing Steve's always willing to help Bucky out.

Read on AO3

Bucky was stressed as fuck. Even though he was working two part time jobs he was seriously in danger of not being able to pay the bills. His dad said he wasn't working hard enough, because surely if he was really working as much as he claimed he was, he would be making enough money to pay the bills. Bucky kind of thought working 60 hours a week should be considered working hard enough but apparently his employers didn't agree. His mom said he was just bad a budgeting and offered to look over his finances to see what he could cut out. Maybe it was all of the avocado toast he was eating she had suggest forwarding him a facebook news article.

Steve wasn't really any better off; in a lot of ways he was worse off. After being laid off from a long line of part time jobs because he got sick so often Steve decided to just give up and do freelance work while he tried to find a full time job. There was no denying Steve was talented, but so were so many other people. When Steve did make money it was good money but there could be long dry spells in between work. His only saving grace was the fact that he was under 26 and able to stay on his mother’s health insurance. With Steve’s long list of pre-existing conditions they were all worried about what he was going to do when he got kicked off her plan.

So yeah they were kind of screwed. Bucky’s parents had grumbled about him living with Steve instead of finding a wife but Bucky didn't have time to date let alone try to find a life partner. Also there was no way in hell he would be able to afford even the shitty apartment he shared with Steve by himself and sure as heck didn't want to live at home, not that his parents wanted him there anyway. So yeah, he would really appreciate it if his family stopped making snide comments about his lifestyle.

Only once in a blue moon did Bucky ever get to sleep in. He wasn’t a morning person by choice but working customer service jobs sure taught him how to fake it. So when his phone woke him up on his one day off in the last month Bucky was about ready to murder the caller. He answered the damn thing with a barely understandable hello.

“Hello, I’m calling for James Barnes?” A voice Bucky didn't recognize asked. He only ever put his real name on job applications, which dear god let it be the Stark job, he would kill to work at Stark Industries. Bucky sat up because if this was a potential job interview he didn't want to be laying in bed.

“This is James,” Bucky said starting to pace. What was it about being on the phone that made you start pacing?

“This is is Phil Coulson with the Challenge. Your sister Rebecca submitted an audition tape for you and your partner. We would love to have you on the show.” Phil said.

“Wait what?” Bucky said dumbly because he had no idea what was going on. The Challenge was a reality tv show competition for couples. Bucky wasn't even dating so why would his sister submit him for that particular show out of all the competition shows.

“As I'm sure you know we've never had a same sex couple on the show before so this will be groundbreaking. We think you and Steve would be perfect,” Phil said completely bowling over Bucky’s confusion.

“Oh no, I don't think…” Bucky sputtered because there had to be some misunderstanding. Becca had to be playing some stupid joke on him.

“We’ll send you plane tickets and all the necessary paperwork. We start filming in three weeks, I look forward to meeting you and Steve in person we really this will be an amazing opportunity to get some diversity on the show.” Phil said hanging up before Bucky could say anything else.

Bucky just stood there phone still up to his eye for a second wondering if it had been a prank. If it was a prank call the person making it was very good since they didn't even give Bucky time to react. His phone vibrating letting him know he had an email jolted Bucky out of his stupor. He looked and sure enough it was from Phil Coulson of The Challenge sending him over a contract to sign as well has a basic itinerary of the six week filming schedule. Bucky tried to read the contract but he was no good at lawyer speak so it was as useless to him as the Apple terms and conditions.

Knowing that this was the real deal and not just some elaborate prank, Bucky quickly called his meddling sister. He was totally going to chew her out because why the fuck did she think sending in an audition tape to the Challenge was a good idea. Also when did she even find the time to make a tape, she had a full time job and two kids, didn’t she have better uses of her time?

“Becca what the hell? You submitted an audition tape for me and Steve to The Challenge? We aren't even a couple. Why would you do that?” Bucky yelled into the phone as soon as Becca answered.

“So I take it you made it in, congrats. You are always stressed about money and the winners get $250,000 so all you have to do is win. If you really don't want to do it just don't sign the contract, but have you even talked to Steve about it yet?” Becca asked totally unphased by Bucky’s anger. When they were little it was so easy to rile her up, but since she became a mom apparently nothing phased her anymore. Bucky wished he had that kind of self control, or better yet Steve. Maybe that would keep him out of the fights he always got mixed up in.

“Why couldn't you have signed me up for American Ninja Warrior or America’s Next Top Model? What made you think signing us up for a COUPLES competition show was a good idea?” Bucky said changing tactics because she did make an excellent point. He had been working his ass off since he graduated high school first to finish college and now trying to find a full time job and so far all that got him was a shitty apartment with his best friend. How sad was his life that he had a better chance of winning a competition show then landing a full time job?

“Wow, you're really hung up on the couples thing,” Becca said with a laugh that irritated Bucky to no end. “Bucky, most of our extended family is convinced you are dating Steve, he'll even out parents are half sure you are and are lying about it, you get in that show and act like you normally do with Steve and the world will believe it,” Becca cackled. Bucky had force himself not to think about any of what she just said because that was going to lead him down a road he really didn't want to be on. “But seriously Bucky, this could be a good opportunity for you and Steve, at least talk to him before you delete the email,” Becca said in a much more serious tone.

“Fine, but he's probably going to punch or something for even suggesting it,” Bucky said half heartedly before allowing Becca to shift the conversation to talking about her son’s first t-ball game which Bucky had been forced to miss because of work.

Bucky couldn’t focus for the rest of the day, he kept thinking about what it would be like if they actually agreed to be on the show. Part of him thought it would be super cool and fun, because they would get to go to an exotic place and do some really fun things. The other part of him was terrified of being humiliated on national television. He was a pretty secure guy but he didn’t really want the whole country to see he at his worst.

His biggest problem with being on the show was the who couples aspect. The idea of fake dating Steve wasn’t really bad in itself because they had done that before to bail each other out of unformatable situations in bars all the time. But this was the first time a gay couple would appear on the show and it would be a lie. That made Bucky feel kind of shitty for potentially taking the opportunity from an actual couple.

The idea of potentially winning $250k was also very tempting. Even after taxes that was a lot of money that would really help them out. If nothing else they could pay off their student debt and credit card debt and just start over with a clean slate. It was kind of sad that he was fantasizing about winning a competition show just to pay off his debt.

Becca was right though, he needed to actually talk to Steve about it. He really didn’t know how Steve would react. On the one hand Steve didn’t know how to say no to a challenger and on the other he would probably be just as hesitant as Bucky to take the opportunity away from an actual gay couple. If the show was going to start trying to include more representation of gay couple it would probably be better if their first gay couple was actually in a romantic relationship.

Steve had been out all day meeting with a big client but still came home and immediately pulled out another project he was working. Bucky always tried to get Steve to relax and take some time for himself, but whenever Steve could find work he tended to go overboard with it because he was so worried about finding that next client. Bucky worried that Steve was going to overwork himself and make himself self sick, but Steve just said it was like the pot calling the kettle black since Bucky was over working himself too.

They were both chilling in the living room, just existing together in the same space. It was nice but Bucky was also trying to figure out a way to bring up Phil’s call. He wanted it seem natural but there was really a natural way to suggest they pretend to be a couple on national television to try and win $250k.

“I’m going to put on a show for background noise,” Bucky said pulling up netflix. Steve just made an affirmative grunt because he really didn’t care.

Bucky pulled up The Challenge on Netflix because that would set the mood for the conversation. He watched the show for a little while slightly horrified by the actual challenges. None of the physical stuff looked too bad, but there was no way in hell he would make it through any of the challenges where they had to eat something for shock value. Bucky wasn't really a picky eater but still even he had his limits.

“So Steve, have you ever wanted to be on the show?” Bucky asked. Steve looked from his work and squinted at the tv, he probably hadn’t even noticed what show Bucky put on he was that engrossed in his work

“I mean that would require me to be able to date someone long enough to even want to do the show but I guess it would be fun,” Steve said not even looking up from his work.

“Would you really want to do all that stuff on national television?” Bucky pressed.

“Why are you asking?” Steve said studying Bucky.

“Phil Coulson called and offered us a spot on the show,” Bucky said.

“Wait are you serious? What do you mean us, we aren't a couple? Did they change the rules?” Steve asked finally putting aside his work. That’s how Bucky knew he had Steve’s full attention.

“Becca submitted an audition tape for us as a couple. Apparently the crew believed it because Coulson called and offered us a spot, sent over a contract and everything.

“Why would she do that? It isn't a very funny joke,” Steve said confused.

“She pointed out that the winning couple for $250k which would be awesome but It doesn't really matter that show is always filmed in some remote location I doubt you'd be able to handle the whole six week season,” Bucky said as if it was a checkmate.

“What do you mean I wouldn't be able to handle it,” Steve said eyes narrowing in a clear warning for Bucky To watch himself.

“I'm just saying they leave you out in the wilderness and make you survive on the land. With all you health issues it would be hard is all I'm saying,” Bucky said. Steve pursued his lips and Bucky knew he made a fatal mistake. He knew better than to every even imply that Steve couldn’t do something because of his health. That was a sure fire way to make sure he did whatever stupid thing Bucky didn’t want him to do.

“Fuck you Bucky. I can survive just as well as you could. We are going to sign that contract and we are going to win that stupid tv show,” Steve said finality in his voice. Steve tended to have the last word in these kinds of matters and all Bucky could do was follow him and make sure the idiot didn’t get himself killed.

“You know we would have to pretend to be a couple right?” Bucky said as a last ditch effort even though he knew they would be signing that contract.

“Because dating me would be so horrible,” Steve spat. Bucky's wanted to smack him because now Steve was being obtuse on purpose. That wasn't what he and meant and Steve knew it.

“Now you're just being self deprecating to be self deprecating. I'm just saying if we do this the whole world is going to think we're dating, is that something you can live with?” Bucky asked.

“I know you extended family already thinks we're in a secret relationship so might as well give them a show. Besides if we won that money would really help a lot,” Steve said with a shrug.

“Alright, I guess we're going to be on The Challenge,” Bucky said in resignation.

#Stucky #Bucky Barnes #Steve Rogers #captain america #winter solider #my fanfic

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nachtgraves · 7 years

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Could you do victuuri w/ 41? Feel free to ignore this if you're not taking anymore fic requests!

My first VIctuuri fic! Sorry for the wait but you can thank my roommate for this getting done lmao. YoI is one of her favorite things on the planet. I apologize if they’re a bit ooc since it’s been a while and I’ve never written them before.I hate titles, man. This one is courtesy of the many times aforementioned roommate.

Title: Diamonds Aren’t a Man’s Best Friend // AO3Word Count: 1,859Tags/Warnings: G. Time skip, future fic, slight deviations from canon things, Victor is retired but coaching Yuri P.Prompt: Diamond

Yuuriwakes up to an article tweeted at him by thousands of people. For a moment, hepanics, wondering what he’s done in the last day or so to garner a tabloidarticle that is trending on Twitter as well as Facebook. Groggy and jet laggedin Victor’s guest room – the Russian was very vocally against Yuuri staying ina hotel and Yuuri only bent enough to take the guest room during his visit,equal parts training and a short vacation between competitions for the season –Yuuri is only somewhat relieved when he sees that the article is not about him.He instead grows anxious and flustered.

FiveWorld Champion Medals, Five Grand Prix Medals, and Potential Wedding Bells?

Last night, five timeGrand Prix winner, Victor Nikiforov was seen entering a high-end jewelry store.The retired figure skater-turned-coach of Russia’s Yuri Plisetsky remained inthe store for more than an hour, sources say. He left the store with a smallbag. According to our source, he was looking into diamonds.

In the last few yearsthere has been speculation about Nikiforov’s relationships. As a private man,there has been little information about any lovers, but there is a certainJapanese skater who seems to have held his attention for the past few years.Though there is nothing official between ex-coach and student, maybe anannouncement is going to be made in the near future? Or so certain fans arehoping.

Thearticle goes on to delve in more speculations and rumors about Victor and theunnamed ex-student, and Yuuri really doesn’t understand why they didn’t justuse his name since they have described and detailed everything else about him.

Thereare related tweets and replies with people asking both him and Victor if it’strue, if they are actually a couple and if Victor is planning on proposing. Victor’sasked about what kind of ring he’s thinking of buying, if it really is forYuuri or if he’s got another secret lover. They ask Yuuri how he feels aboutwhat he thinks of being proposed to, if he’s been expecting it or if thetabloids ruined the surprise. They ask if he’ll say yes.

Andthen there’s the hateful comments, with vulgar language and a completedisregard for grammar and punctuation. They sting, but he’s gotten better abouthis lack of self-confidence – his friends and family and Victor having his backand slapping him upside the head when he relapses. He still feels that prick ofdoubt every once in a while, fueled by hurtful comments from the media and buthere he just feels anger. Yuuri can handle derogatory words and crude insults aimedat him, to a degree, but when he reads more and more tweets and retweets andreplies that insult Victor and branch off into wild exaggerated lies aboutPhichit and Chris and Yurio, all Yuuri feels is a growing anger.

Hecloses out of Twitter and tosses his phone onto the pillows of Victor’s guestbed, stomping to the bathroom to cool down. After he’s brushes his teeth andgone through the daily morning motions, his ire has leveled out to a low simmerbeneath the surface. Stepping out into the living room of Victor’s apartmentand smelling coffee coming from the kitchen, hearing someone moving aroundclanking glass and humming, smothers the last of his anger.

“Morning,”Yuuri calls out, coming around to the kitchen to see Victor, soft anddisheveled in sweatpants and a tee-shirt. The Russian has a mug of coffee inhand and another sitting on the counter by a plate of fresh toast.

Victorresponds in kind with Russian and holds out Yuuri’s coffee. “Sleep well?”

Yuurinods. Sleeping was fine, it was when he woke up that things turned a bit sour.He sips his coffee and hesitates on bringing up what he woke up to. Victorseems relaxed and carefree and Yuuri doesn’t want to be the one to ruin that. Buthe also doesn’t want Victor to be taken by surprise when he heads out and getsaccosted by someone who recognizes him or reporters that are hovering by theentrance to the apartment building.

“So, uh,” Yuuri starts, but he doesn’t knowhow to continue. The gold ring on his finger, the promise from those few yearsago, clinks against the mug in his hands. Victor’s stands out against the marbletop where he’s resting his hand and supporting his weight.

Victorcocks his head to the side. “Something wrong?”

“No,uh, yes, kind of…” Yuuri trails. His gaze fixes on Victor’s ring and all he canthink about is if it’s true. If Victor really was looking at diamond rings lastnight when he had gone out. Victor had told Yuuri he was just doing someerrands and Yuuri had been exhausted enough from his day of training to fallasleep before Victor even came back. Even through his exhaustion-addled memory,Yuuri doesn’t recall Victor acting any different than usual then, but he wasalso at the point of falling asleep standing and much of the prior evening is ablur.

WhileYuuri’s thinking of a way to go about the whole did you buy me an engagement ring last night? thing, Victor, with aconcerned frown on his face, comes to Yuuri who steps back in surprise andpresses himself against the kitchen island. Victor stops just mere inches fromYuuri at a distance that is on the cusp between friendly and intimate.

“Isthis about the articles this morning?” Victor questions and Yuuri heaves a sighof relief at not having to bring it up, even though he’s still anxious aboutactually talking about it. He settles for nodding sheepishly into his mug, bothafraid and a little excited about Victor’s explanation. He can’t get over theidea of there being a diamond ring that would fit his finger.

Victorreleases a deep breath, but he’s smiling so Yuuri’s fears lessen. The Russianruns his free hand through his hair as he grumbles, “A man can’t go and look atsome jewelry, I swear.”

“Well,”Yuuri interrupts, “you’re not just anyone, Victor.”

Theman narrows his eyes at the interruption, but Yuuri doesn’t miss the pleasedgleam in Victor’s eyes as the other man’s lips twitch in their effort to notsmile.

“Regardless,”Victor continues, “I was just popping in to have a look and if I boughtsomething, that’s mine and whoever I’m buying the gift for’s business.”

Yuurilooks down at some point between his and Victor’s feet, the cooling mug ofcoffee in his hands at the edge of his vision. “Oh. Yeah.”

Victorsighs in front of Yuuri. “Oh Yuuri.” A hand cups his chin and tilts his face upso he’s eye-to-eye with Victor who’s giving him a knowing smile that’s soft atthe edges. “I was looking for a diamond pendant for Lilia for her birthday andended up getting something custom made that I can pick up next week or so.”

Yuuriflushes. He feels indescribably stupid for his assumptions and silly hopes.“Oh, ha, she’ll love that.”

Victor’ssmile turns sharp and there’s a playful twist to the wrinkles by his eyes.“Hmm, I hope so, or I’ll never hear the end of it. But, I didn’t leavecompletely empty handed last night.”

Yuurifrowns but remembers the article, where it mentioned that Victor had left thestore with a small bag and his heart skidded over a beat before thumpingfrantically in a cacophony of anxiety, nervousness, and anticipation. “Oh?” Hisvoice hiccupped through at least three changes in pitch and tone.

Victoris positively grinning at this point, but there’s a shadow that flickers acrosshis expression that Yuuri has come to learn is doubt – something his youngerself didn’t think someone like Victor could ever feel.

“Waithere.” And then his former coach is leaving the kitchen with hurried steps,disappearing into his bedroom. Yuuri’s more stunned than anything and so is inthe exact same position and place when Victor returns with a small, glossyblack bag with gold script advertising the store from where it came from. Heholds the box out to Yuuri who’s trying to focus on breathing in and out and inand out and—

“Yuuri,breathe,” Victor says, like that isn’t what Yuuri’s putting all his energy andfocus into doing. The bag is set down to the side and Yuuri hands his mug toVictor as the Russian tries to bring Yuuri back from the verge of hyperventilation.

WhenYuuri is breathing at a regulated and normal pace, Victor laughs and shakes hishead. “I just wanted to give you a present, not send you into an anxietyattack.”

Yuuriflushes and can’t bring himself to look at Victor, crossing his arms around hischest and sulking. “Sorry. You know what they’ve been writing about and sayingonline about…things.”

“Yes,”Victor nods, and picks up the bag again, but doesn’t add anything else. He justholds the bag as an offering that Yuuri takes with considerable levels oftrepidation and embarrassment at his initial reaction to the bag.

Yuuriopens the bag and amid unnecessary decorative tissue paper is a small, black velvetbox. Yuuri’s heart stops but he realizes that the box is a bit too long to be aring box and his pulse settles into a slightly less rushed rhythm.

“Victor…?”He looks up but Victor just smiles with his mouth closed and seems to be barelyholding back from bouncing in place from his anticipation that leaks through toYuuri and really doesn’t help with Yuuri’s maelstrom of emotions.

Yuurisets the bag down and opens the jewelry box. He’s surprised by the relief hefeels at it not being a ring, but he does also feel that pinch of disappointment.In the box is a pendant, a gold-brown gem roughly cut into a long rectangular prism.

“It’stopaz, imperial topaz,” Victor says. “We’re both going to be busy when yourbirthday comes around this year and when I saw this, I knew I had to get it foryou. It would have been a surprise, but, well, the media likes to be aninconvenience.” The Russian finishes with a shrugs but Yuuri is too focused onthe pendant resting in the white padding of the box. He eases the pendant outof the casing and with it comes a thin gold chain.

“It’sbeautiful, Victor,” Yuuri says finally, beaming up at his retired mentor.

Victorreaches for the chain and Yuuri turns around and tilts his head. The chaincomes around his head and the topaz pendant settles against his sternum.

AsVictor finishes clasping the necklace back around Yuuri’s neck, he leansforward and Yuuri squeaks as a shudder runs down his spine at the feel of lipsgrazing against his ear. “I’ll get you a ring when you win gold at theOlympics.”

Ittakes Yuuri a second for the words to process before he’s whirling around onlyto see Victor halfway across the room. “Victor!”

#ask #victuuri #yuuri katsuki #victor nikiforov #yuri!!! on ice #anonymous #my writing #tumblr fic

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thisdaynews · 5 years

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'Populist mobs' vs. the Kochs: Tech probes split the GOP

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/populist-mobs-vs-the-kochs-tech-probes-split-the-gop/

'Populist mobs' vs. the Kochs: Tech probes split the GOP

The advocacy group also ran digital ads in March urging members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to “oppose any effort to use antitrust laws to break up America’s innovative tech companies.” The targets of those ads included freshman Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), both of whom the Koch organization supported in last year’s election.

“It’s been troubling to see a sort of coming together of populist mobs on the left and the right,” said Jesse Blumenthal, who leads the tech policy portfolio for the Koch umbrella network Stand Together. “Our views haven’t changed based on the politics of the moment.”

But the Koch network does not see itself as Silicon Valley’s cheerleader either, he added.

“Our role is not to defend these companies,” Blumenthal said. “Our role is to monitor and critique, in this case, what we see as a potentially illegitimate use of government power. If Google or Facebook or any other company has violated the antitrust laws then they should be investigated.”

Still, the Koch network’s hesitancy to join calls for a tech crackdown is putting it increasingly out of step with a chunk of today’s GOP.Republicans have long been associated with more cautious antitrust enforcement, suspicious of the notion that the government should effectively choose winners and losers in the marketplace. But those views have become unmoored as animus toward the tech industry grows, observers say.

“You can no longer say Republicans are the party of limited government intervention when it comes to antitrust,” said one veteran Washington antitrust attorney, who requested anonymity to speak freely.

“It will portend a more active Republican antitrust regime than we’ve seen in the past,” the lawyer continued. “If we have a bipartisan consensus that we really ought to look at these companies and police them closely on competition issues, I think that makes a difference. It’s a very different world than five years ago or 10 years ago.”

Those bipartisan endeavors to regulate the nation’s big tech companies have already shown signs of extending beyond antitrust, creating a headache for internet companies as they fend off, for instance, talks of amending laws that protect them from lawsuits over user-generated content.

“People will be more open to looking at ways to more aggressively regulate tech and the industry should be worried about that,” said Zach Graves, head of policy for the conservative group Lincoln Networks. “Over the long run, it could shape the type of views of the next rounds of elected representatives.”

Republicans leading the antitrust probes maintain that they are the ones standing up for unfettered private enterprise, positioning themselves as defenders of smaller players who could be crowded out of the market by the industry’s heavyweights.

“I support free markets, which is why this investigation is so important,” GOP Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said at aSeptember news conference announcing a joint investigation of Google’s search and digital advertising businesses by 48 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. “So that we absolutely ensure that even the biggest of big tech companies are accountable and even the biggest of the big tech companies are subject to the rule of law.”

The week before, a smaller contingent of state AGs announced they would be investigating Facebook on antitrust grounds. Meanwhile, in Washington, the Federal Trade Commission has asked Facebook to fork over information related to its business practices, the company disclosed in July, and the Justice Department made a similar demand of Google in recent weeks amid a broad review of anticompetitive behavior in tech.

The Koch network shelled out $400 million on political and policy fights in 2017 and 2018, according to previously reported figures outlined by the network, and at its peak rivaled the Republican Party itself in its power and influence. That presents a deep-pocketed foe for groups that want to see tech firms held to greater account.AFP declined to say how much it spent on the antitrust ads, though Facebook’s advertising database indicates it was less than $100 per ad. A spokesperson for the organization said the group opted not to expand the ad campaign because it “served its intended purpose.”

“The Koch network is led by people who would like to be running the economy,” said Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a nonpartisan group that fights market concentration. “There are many members of Congress who turn to them for campaign financing and they finance many of the organizations on the right, so because they’re the source of so much money they are hugely influential.”

But some progressives pushing for greater scrutiny of the tech industry’s market power say that influence may no longer be enough.

“People aren’t afraid of them anymore” said Matt Stoller, a fellow at the Open Markets Institute. “It’s not that they don’t have power, they do have power. They don’t carry the same level of fear.”

Tech companies and the libertarian Kochs have shown an affinity before, including in their support for low taxes and opposition to trade and immigration barriers. Two years ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook joined Charles Koch in urging Congress to protect the rights of so-called Dreamers who were brought to the U.S. as children. But the Kochs’ importance as potential allies for the industry has grown with the roster of federal and state-level probes looking into the companies’ data practices, alleged anti-competitive behavior and oversight of online speech.

An AFP spokesman said antitrust is one of several policy issues the group plans to consider when deciding whether to back candidates in upcoming races and noted the organization will throw its support behind those who “stick their neck out” regardless of political party.

Conservative Republicans like Hawley and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz have cheered on the antitrust investigations, and Cruz even sided with liberal Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in one of her recent run-ins with Facebook. And Hawley has questioned how fellow conservatives who have long advocated for freedom of choice and checks on authority don’t take issue with the dominance of Silicon Valley’s internet companies.

“I don’t understand why those who call themselves libertarians are so enamored with this incredible concentration of power in the hands of a few,” Hawley said in an interview with The Hill. “I thought the whole libertarian tradition was about standing up to power, it was about checking concentrated power on behalf of the people.”

“And that’s what needs to happen here,” he said.

The split has, at times, become acrimonious. Americans for Prosperity, for instance, spent $2.1 million in ads helping to elect Hawley in 2018, as POLITICO previously reported. Now, employees within the Koch network are sniping with the senator on Twitter, including accusing him of lying about the Federal Trade Commission’s handling of a 2012 staff report on Google’s competition practices.

The industry’s most powerful critic in Washington, of course, is President Donald Trump, who has joined congressional Republicans in accusing companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google of muting conservative points of view. Blackburn pointed to the bias allegations earlier this year when she set up a Senate tech task force, which is looking at issues including antitrust, data privacy and content moderation.

Free-market advocates argue that the Trump administration and state enforcers are out to score political points rather than pursue genuine legal violations.

“It comes down to the question of: Do you see government as the solution to a perceived problem? Or do you believe that the market is in the best position?” said Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel of NetChoice, a right-leaning industry trade group whose members include Google and Facebook.

“It is one thing to say you believe in the free market, it’s another thing to actually do what you say,” he said.

Google and Facebook declined to comment on the Republican split. Both companies have rejected the notion that they illegally suppress rivals or function as monopolies in their respective markets, arguing that they face competition in their various lines of businesses, sometimes from one another.

The tech industry has also ramped up its search for friends in Washington. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a rare trip to Capitol Hill last month for meetings with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including critics like Hawley, as well as an Oval Office sit-down with Trump and some of his advisers.

But while Trump and Facebook tweeted some kind words after the Zuckerberg meeting, the Republican suspicion of Silicon Valley, and its largely liberal executives and employee base, appears unlikely to die down any time soon. That’s true even though companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon have long staffed their Washington offices with people who have ties to Republican politics.

Zuckerberg, for example, was accompanied during his D.C. trip by Facebook global public policy chief Joel Kaplan, a former George W. Bush administration official who last year made a show of support for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his contentious confirmation hearing. Last week, Google global policy leader Karan Bhatia — another Bush White House veteran — tapped Mark Isakowitz, the chief of staff to Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman, as the head of the search giant’s D.C. policy operation. Despite those connections, there may simply be fewer Republicans willing to come to the industry’s aide as Congress makes tech industry competition a greater focus.

“Their principled allies, people who actually care about these things because of some commitment to how antitrust law should work, don’t really matter anymore,” said Berin Szóka, the president of libertarian group TechFreedom. “There are very few people now who, in a hearing, will stand up and remind everyone what the free-market position is.”

#Foreign #Politics #probes #split

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survivorkomnata · 5 years

Text

Episode #9: "Anyone wanna speak up?" - Zach

they tRIED IT SDLGKDMSKLGM

ok so miguel was voted off 5-4-1 miguel/ME??/luke. the four people who voted me were stephen / ally / jess / luke. thankfully, i could count on the Kato 2.0 people on having my back. we also just made an alliance!!! because FUCK my og alliance with stephen/ally/(and karthik). and I STILL HAVE AN IDOL.

ok i'm just shook. i lowkey thought maybe alyssa was playing me but.. she wasnt. she saved me and i owe her for that. i hope it doesnt really hurt her position in the game but she's by far playing the best i think.

i'm just shook. i'm not mad at anyone. i apologize for how i acted post-tribal but oMGGGfgGgG these BITCHES|!!! it's the game tho, and i hope i can keep on kicking and swinging cuz im gonna fight tooth and nail in this game.

also it's so funny idk why but me saying the last line was ALGKDLSGK i still laugh:

anyone wanna speak up?

(ill give more later im just.. frazzled)

Ummm so about that fucking vote. WTF IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?! WE HAD THE CHANCE OF TAKING OUT A FORMER WINNER AND A PROVEN CHALLENGE BEAST! I'm convinced the IQ of this person who flipped is a -20 because.. that was the stupidest move in the existence of Tumblr Survivor..... and I'm the QUEEN of the House of Stupid Moves. I can declare it.

I'm not 1000% sure right now who it is but I have two guesses.

My first guess is: It was Ally.

Reasons: 1. Ally has admittedly worked with Zach in another Survivor game. 2. She also arguably had the MOST contact out of everyone with Zach all day. 3. She possibly wants to pin this vote on Alyssa to break up any possible alliance between myself/Stephen/ Alyssa. 4. She wants to break up me and Alyssa 5. The group of Karth/Zach/Ally is a thing?

My second guess is: Alyssa Reasons: 1. If Zach left she is the next biggest threat here. 2. She wanted a shield. 3. She's trying to build as many relationships with people as possible to cover her social fucking ass. 4. She hates me and wants to off me and will use Zach to kill me in this game.

I honestly don't even know if my predictions are correct here but... I sort of hope they are and I don't look dumb in the future.

My plan going forward is: to not create a bigger mess that was already created.

XOXOXO Jessip Girl.

I'd also like to add another reason why I think it's Alyssa is because Miguel was one of the people who tried to vote her off.

THANK U

youtube

Wow!! An attempted blindside gone wrong. This was really exciting and fun. These are the reasons I play this game for, finally happy to see these happening. A lot of lies and betrayal all of which is understandable but these things has got me pumped up. I am going to play with my emotions and they have triggered me. Time to start playing the game and play it hard. An attack on Zach is an attack on me, so they better be prepared to handle my rage.I feel this was a very good tribal in terms of the game as it makes its future bright and exciting. Luke....what are you doing??? Everything that has come to out of his mouth so far has been a lie. I just cant believe the way he is playing, no where close to what I was expecting from him.

After last night's chaos... my word. I have a feeling Touchy Subjects is going to destroy some people here.

Plot twist: I've heard some recent developments about the flipped vote.

According to Tim it was Luke? Oh? Buddy.... has officially been put on my "Shit List" in this game. You can't sit around and play both "sides" of this game. THAT'S MY JOB.

I'm not too sure how I'm going to break this to Ally. She might not believe me but I KNOW I NEED TO TELL HER.

Also: I still don't get why sooo many people trust Tim. I know Tim doesn't trust me anymore or maybe... not as much as he used to. BUT why did he tell Zach right away about the Miguel vote yesterday? IT ALL SEEMS SO SKETCHY.

youtube

Being thrown in the basement has given me an opportunity to reflect on some things in the game. I was kinda flattered to be the winner of both "running the game" categories in Touchy Subjects. Unfortunately, that perception might cause the other players to plan more behind my back. I know from last vote that being in the basement before Tribal Council shouldn't impact things tooooo much for me. Still, I'd rather have the opportunity to talk with people whenever I want.

Speaking of last vote, I tried to blindside Zach! And it didn't happen. The original plan was Miguel, but things got switched up when no one seemed to bite into wanting him out. Ally wanted to get Tim instead, which signaled to me that she obviously didn't have a strong relationship with him. So I had to swoop in and say Zach should go instead because Tim is in one of my many alliances. Honestly I'm beginning to prefer the 4 Elements alliance over AJ's Angels because it's possible Alyssa was the one who flipped, and she's not telling me it was her. But after Touchy Subjects, I think I have a better chance against Karth in the end than I previously thought. He's viewed as inactive, which I personally disagree with, but that perception is very good for me.

Another alliance I'm in is the "Samurais" which I would have liked to call "The Resistance" but Luke had other plans. I honestly just view this alliance as a means to an end. That end being.... getting Zach out, SOON! Hopefully Ally has a case of tunnel-vision with getting Zach out as soon as possible and her/Luke don't suspect a thing when I flip right afterwards.

All of this is contingent on Jess feeling the same way, since flipping on my own wouldn't get me the numbers, which I think she will now that she sees the other players view Karth as being dragged to the end.

I'm still in the basement, so I don't know who the 2 sides are voting for. I doubt Zach sent me down here because he wants me to find an advantage... so I could be a target. I hope Karth and Tim would keep that from happening, and push the vote onto Luke instead. I might prefer to get Jake out just because I don't have a strategic relationship with him, but beggars can't be choosers. It's not like I'm particularly close with Luke anyway.

Ok so sorry for not making confessionals as often as I did before!! The game has literally been warped based off of the fist merge vote. Zach was targeted by Stephen, Ally, Luke, and JESS. Freaking Jess flipped on me when I thought we were really tight and cool. I played off my frustration with the others in the alliance of the 4 elements as understanding but I made moves. I first formed that allaince but now I formed an allaince of Kato 2.0 minus Miguel ofc. Tonights vote I want to do Luke but lets see. I will talk about challenge results soon as well!!

i won IMMUNITY!!! i'm so blessed because i've been told by two sources (namely tim & alyssa) that i was going to be targeted had i not. so? bless!

regarding what ''subjects'' i won: - would dump rice in the fire [true] - biggest physical player [true] - most likely to have an idol [true] - trust the most [false??] - want to see win at the end [false lol]

so that's interesting. i did a tentative game ranking and originally i put: alyssa > zach > ally > karthik > stephen > jake > jess > tim > luke

but now i'd put: alyssa > ally > karthik > zach=stephen > jake > jess > tim > luke but it's still super tricky to accurately rate because of the multiple factors you could include (threat size, potential to win, potential to go to FTC, allies, etc.). i honestly think my jury management is 0/2 so far, and that i will lose at FTC due to ''not working with people'' even tho i entirely blame others for that :D

now let's talk about the reasonings for voting me (hopefully i haven't spoken about this already): stephen - were worried about a potential idol play/new vote so they voted the "safer option", named zach. --> this kinda throws me off. i think it's realistically the most truthful of the 4 excuses, but it's kinda sad that my name was a ''safe'' vote opposed to someone having my back (because i have tried to work with them and especially like. jess.) ally - felt betrayed by the stephen w. vote and like i ignored her. --> i think this is dumb. firstly, girl, we kno u are STRATEGIC. secondly, i didn't ignore her whatsoever?? i was the closest to flipping imo but i didn't because stephen w. targeted ME? like if she genuinely voted me bc i didnt flip after my name was stephens main target (bar jake) then... sister idk what u want. luke - last minute scramble, didn't think i was getting many votes. --> well this is just false. point, blank and period. jess - that when she offered miguel's name, i was hesitant and freaking out (and that she wanted to be my number one opposed to number two). --> dumb. i told her miguel's name. i said it'd be sad but i'd be down and not willing to stick my neck out for miguel. maybe i came off poorly, sure, but if you truly wanted 2 be my ''number one'' u shouldnt make the vote me but rather someone else.

i'm just peeved.

on top of that, karthik is sooo rude??? like he didn't tell me shit about the basement until i confronted him. LIKE. I SENT AN ENEMY (OF MINE) TO THE BASEMENT AND YOU FAILED TO LET ME KNOW THAT YOU GUESS EVERY 6 HRS OPPOSED TO 24?? LIKE ?? I COULDVE SENT IN A DUCKING FRIEND!! so rude. i honestly am questioning my trust with him more and more through each round.

i also want to talk about someone that's great. JAKE! i love you so much. last confessional i may have doubted you (and, maybe the round before) but i'm extremely appreciative for you in this game and i can't stress enough that i'm just paranoid as duck and worry way more than i should. thank u LOL i trust u a lot now.

but, that's all in the past. let's talk about tonights vote. allegedly, stephen told tim that the target was going to be me, but due to immunity, jake is now the target. this makes a little sense given allys been wanting jake out the absolute MOST, but i feel like it'd be a decoy. don't matter tho xx i'm safe. alyssa is also apparently flipping (or, staying i guess) with our side and voting out luke - who is our sides target. i see logic in voting luke. he'll be the easiest of that side to get out, but on the other hand, he's the least threatening and if i'm going to flip someone, it'll be easier to flip people against ally (best liar, etc.) or stephen (running the game, etc.) opposed to luke (voted out next, don't want 2 see win, etc.). but have it be known that i'd CRAVE idolling out stephen or ally, and i may just do that.

it's still early in the day, and a lot can happen. i'll try* to keep yawls posted. i genuinely trust no one and i'm like at the stage of being sad ): because i don't think i can win and i don't think anyone wants to work with me even though i feel like i've been super social. i am always opened when i play games, and that may be 'snakey' or something but i'm willing to work with ANYONE. but they are not seeing that, and i don't know what to do abt it. maybe they're targeting me for being a threat (as a main reason), and that'd make me content but it feels like i'm one of those "one sided" people and... yeah. i guess only time will tell, but my fatass is in final 8 with an idol and all these birches know that, and i'll just have 2 play around that. good luck to me LOL ALSGKDLSKG

After a shocking touchy feelings, I’m feeling nervous about this tribal. No one is saying anything and I’m honestly feeling like I’m going home tonight. People are telling me I shouldn’t be and I want to believe them but I just don’t know.

ugh I want to save Luke but I cant afford to lose Tim/Jake/Zach's trust so I may have to just follow the groups preferences and vote Luke. I would rather have preferred the target to be Jess/Alyssa as they seem to be playing good games and aren't close to me. I had talked it out with Luke and now I feel like he would be help to my game down the line but dont feel like going over the board to save him.

Luke is voted out 5-4. He becomes the third member of our jury.

#escapenow #episode

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