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mushroom-for-art · 1 year

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Op was feeling some kinda way.

Nightmares

She was falling again deep into the nothingness, it was all dark around her save for the ambient glow from her own body lighting the small space around her. She stared up as she descended, arms limply hanging in the air, her tail swaying as she let herself fall deeper. It wasn't so bad really, she was used to this part of it all the weightlessness and yet the awareness of being pulled down sometimes she couldn't tell if she was floating or falling and it was surprisingly easing. She closed her eyes letting herself exist and drift falling floating flying whatever it was, the silence was deafening as it tends to be all she could hear was herself her heartbeat her breathing her thoughts, her horrid lonely thoughts and occasionally she tricked herself into thinking of water hearing bubbles and feeling them float up past her bouncing against her as they past.

She stopped, and she felt the area shift around her and yet she knew nothing changed. It would all still be blackness; she simply felt upright now, arms curling to cross her chest legs tucking in close. She knew this feeling, she knew this dream, in a way she felt home and at the same time so lost, her tail wrapping around herself as she floated in space hoping to stay in that moment forever.

Voices swirled around her, giggling, chatting squeals of joy and play, 'please no, please not this dream,' she could only think as the sounds grew louder. She opened her eyes against her will, already feeling the tears falling off of her face and floating upwards away like bubbles. There they all were. Past an invisible barrier that she knew was there like a thick sheet of glass they all played. The others who'd been made the others who were part of the same development mewtwo project as her. They swirled and flew around like they were running, one blue, one white, another green, curls and teeth, claws and fins, horns and fluff.

She choked a sob, her hand covering her mouth, she could see their faces were blurred that their features would shift and change, they'd pass each other and they'd merge briefly and separate looking different. She couldn't remember them properly but they were small just children like she had been back then, they never got to grow up. And there were others now, Arceus, she knew these ones too. They almost looked like her a lot of them sometimes with patterns or different shades, some had birth defects and they ranged in age and size. There were some full grown bigger than her even, her chest ached as one with glowing yellow crystals implanted into their flesh that oozed droplets of blood floated by their expression twisted into one of agony and she could still hear their screams. A tiny barely fully developed one was being cradled by another, they had a stumpy tail even shorter than her own and during development their ribcage had sunk inwards, they were only a few weeks old when they'd been terminated by that monster.

She'd tried to name all of them when she was conscious, her body had been driven by a parasite that squeezed on her state of self crushing and smothering her as they piloted her body for their own twisted use. She'd screamed and yelled and struggled in her own head desperate to take back control but she wasn't strong enough, she never had been strong enough… The parasite had become intertwined with her genetics, she wasn't sure how but it needed to use her body as it could no longer freely possess any other victim. And so that's what they did. They used her body using her genes to create and clone a perfect vessel as they despised her form. They made, observed, monitored, altered, maimed, harvested, mauled and killed…they'd killed so many in their attempts to create the perfect body. All her clones, all her siblings as they were to her, they didn't deserve that but they were treated as worthless and she was powerless in it all. It was her fault. She killed them by being so weak.

She felt herself move her hands touching the barrier, that Arceus forsaken barrier, it had always been here even before the nightmares before she was even technically born. She was never that strong and her psychic powers were pitiful at best, but she'd always been able to sense the others around her as she was growing in her development tube, her brothers, sisters and siblings. They had far better psychic abilities than her even with their genetic tampering, they'd reached out to each other calling to each other playing together in a mental realm despite their bodies being far apart. Their auras, their life and energy brought color to the black mind world they played in, colors flew and dashed around it was bright and loud and joyous. She could hear them see the life color and whimsy, but she couldn't reach them, she spent so long pounding on that barrier shouting crying to be with her family who played together without noticing her. She was forced to watch them together from her dark place on the other side, and watch as they began to fade away, color and life fading as they disappeared. Until only she was left in the bleak empty mind place in the darkness. Alone.

She could only sob as her hands pressed against the barrier, guilt tangling around her body and soul like vines to squeeze her until she choked out. The barrier whined quietly in cruel irony it finally formed a crack, splitting quietly like glass in sharp twinges. The playing twos from her childhood stopped and looked down at the crumbling barrier, as their bodies changed and grew taking on adult appearances, their faces that were blurred gaining full red eyes that looked at her in nothing but hatred and rage. She stared back at them slowly floating backwards as she watched their bodies press together fusing and merging growing in size, arms stacking on top of each other patches of colored skin fusing, melding, together eyes growing only larger with hate streams of red flaring out like growing flames. The clones simply looked at her in disdain as they floated away backwards into the bleakness disappearing as the colossal fusion of her original siblings and her first guilt punched their many arms through what was left of the barrier grabbing her in a hand that fused with the others to crush the life out of her.

"How is it that you are alive, you were the weakest of us, you did not deserve to survive and yet we perished for you to persist?!" All their voices yelled directly into her head while also screaming all around her some of the voices slower some louder creating a painful overlap of their rage.

"You stole our lives, you should not have lived! You should have faded to nothing, cease to be before you even existed. None of us would've ever known or had to deal with the despair or care of it and you wouldn't have wasted so many resources. You are nothing more than a waste of existence. Yet you refuse to die! Your body was a puppet for something powerful and cruel yet here you still are. They should have left you a rotted husk devoured from the inside out, yet they let you live when others far more worthy went through so much worse!" Their fist clenched around her as she made a pained sob like scream, her vision was blurry from tears and pain but she could make out her clones vaguely floating around behind the colossal fusion in emphasis of their point.

"You are just as much of that monster in your survival, your continued existence is but cruelty to others. You are no better than the parasite that grew inside you."

"I know!" She loudly sobbed, "I know and I'm so sorry! I never deserved to survive! I'm so sorry I've forgotten your faces and I've forgotten your names, you were just kids! You deserved better you deserved your chance at life to be free," she couldn't see through her tears, "I have nothing to show for my survival, each of you would've used your lives better, you would've soared, saved people, just-just done everything I can't and better. You would've been able to fight off the gaia energy, you wouldn't have been used and hurt even more people." She choked around tears and the grip around her, trying to look past her blurry vision to the disapproving clones watching her from behind the fusion of her siblings.

"I'm so sorry that you were made and tortured, that you were used and that you were hurt so badly. I should've fought harder to take back control, none of you deserved what happened. I'm sorry I never got to meet you, that you never got to live and see the world and pick your own names and have your own existence. If I could I would trade my life for any, for all of you to live instead."

"Something we agree on, your life for OURS," Her siblings all spoke at once, their fist shifting around her to expose her chest as their other hands came and plunged through her chest all at once to rip out her soul to trade their lives.

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

"AH!" May shot upright from her sleep grasping at her chest with her hand gasping choking struggling to breathe past her tears. She gasped and struggled as though winded short rapid breaths as streams of tears fell down her face and evident by her soaking wet shoulders she'd been crying for a while in her sleep. Her other hand came up to wipe clumsily at her face as she sat still trying to breathe properly, cringing to herself as her arm received a layer of snot, trying to breathe through her nose she choked coughing abruptly in a way that made her whole body and head hurt. Her hand holding her chest grasped and released around the space where the mega stone and parasite used to be implanted, the scar from it's removal still tender, hurting as she agitated it.

Still mouth breathing with difficulty around the tightness of her chest she sniffled with loud difficulty. Her eyes were still streaming as she slowly pulled her legs to her body curling in on herself, tail wrapping over her feet. Her free hand came to hold her face once more as her body trembled, she gasped a short hiccup of a breath burying her face into her knees, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry everyone," she could only quietly croak.

She started to try to name them all, speaking their names into the world like a prayer like it'd fix things like by speaking their names they'll get to exist, apologizing to each of them in turn as she did hoping to eventually earn their forgiveness for being alive to earn her right of life.

The mewtwo cried and wailed to herself in the darkness of the forest holding herself for security trembling and shaking as the sobs shook her whole body, nothing was around to hear her and if it was it didn't care enough to check on her. Once more she was all alone with nothing but her horrid thoughts, her guilt and shame. The squeeze of her tail around herself brought no comfort. She likely would not get back to sleep..

'Why did I get to live while they did not?' A question she had asked herself in her mind many, many times before that she would never receive an answer for. She would simply have to live with it.

#My writing #Mewtwosona #Mewtwosona May #tw violence #Tw blood #Tw infant mortality #Probably don't read if you're feeling down #May struggles with a lot of survivors guilt #She was the only one who survived the project she was on and then later survived being possessed as a shadowtwo #And unfortunately witness a lot of the cruelty and violence the shadowtwo possession did and is deeply traumatised by it #In reality her original siblings would be glad she's alive #They knew she existed and actually tried to break the barrier too because that's their sister!!#Let us play with her!!#Unfortunately her psychic ability wasn't strong enough on her side and to them she didn't look conscious but they did want to get to her #As for the clones made by shadowtwo they weren't even conscious and had been made without souls or minds #So like a lot of that is her projecting guilt and assuming consciousness from them #But despite that she did still name them because she felt they deserve to live and be seen as more than vessels for shadowtwl #Idk she's just heavily traumatised and alone #And would never tell anyone about her trauma ever #Honestly the barrier is also a metaphor for the autistic experience #Being separated from your peers and not knowing why you're different and why you can't connect with them #It also means if Mattwo was canon she'd be incredibly protective of him and also sobbing because a brother #Patting twosona: this sad girl can fit so much trauma

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skyloftian-nutcase · 6 months

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No pressure ifbyou arent taking writing requests, but i would love to see what you could do based off the song Battle Cries by The Amazing Devil

It gives me Skyward Sword vibes

Link stared at the loftwing feather held gingerly between his fingers.

The last few months had been... difficult. In some ways, they'd been more difficult than his actual journey to rescue Zelda and stop Demise. The pain of pushing his body past its breaking point, the anguish of never seeming to be enough, the heartache of always missing Zelda... they had amounted to such invisible wounds that he was still fighting the repercussions.

Somehow, that was worse. How was one supposed to move on when such a life altering event happened? How did one jolt out of the keep moving keep going don't ever stop or falter for a second and not just... collapse? How did one get back up after doing so?

The world continued to move ahead. His academy still had classes, though chatter of the Surface and its exploration was still a hot topic, even six months after the cloud barrier's disappearance.

The first month it had been acceptable, even understandable. Link had nearly died from his final fight, it had been one thing too many in a collection of wounds and exhaustion. Despite the healing affects of the life fruit he'd been given, he'd still slept for nearly a week upon his return to Skyloft. And after that, the headmaster had ensured he didn't have any kind of workload. Zelda had been at his side constantly, and the two had silently enjoyed each other's company, seemingly cut off from the rest of their people.

But that had been understandable. It had been a long journey. They would never be the same.

However, that didn't excuse this exhaustion lingering for so long. By the fourth month, Link was nearing a point of despair. It wasn't until Commander Eagus spoke to him candidly, told him of the affects on his mind after such an event (no one on Skyloft truly comprehended what had happened on the Surface, but some had put more pieces together than they probably should have). After all, Eagus had become commander when his own commanding officer had fallen in battle. Eagus hadn't fought as Link had, but he still understood to a small degree.

It had helped. To a point. Knowing that his mind needed time was good, that he wasn't just defective, but... it still didn't make it any easier to bear sometimes.

And that was only covering half of the issue. Eagus only spoke from a soldier's perspective. Link had seen more than battle. He'd watched his best and dearest friend become someone else entirely, he'd been told that their friendship was a carefully constructed plan, that he was a weapon as much as Fi had been.

He still hung around Zelda. She still hovered close to him. She'd said it herself, she was still his Zelda. But it... wasn't the same.

He tried not to think about it. After all, he did still love her. After all, she hadn't known any of the plan their entire lives.

But it stung. It stung. Because now... if he had been chosen for this purpose, and if Zelda had been born in the right circumstances so as to befriend him... now what?

What was his purpose now that his journey was over? Now that Demise had been defeated?

Link had never really had much of a plan for his life, honestly. He'd daydreamed his time away, relaxing and just enjoying being with Zelda and his loftwing, enjoying sights and smells and warmth and comfort. He was in the knight's academy, so becoming a knight was obviously a goal, but he had never felt particularly motivated for major life goals. He wasn't much of a planner, certainly not that far ahead.

But now... all he could think about was the future. All he could think was now what?

He knew, though. He knew what to do next. Because six months was enough time to let himself float in this haze of existing and not existing. He also knew it probably wouldn't get entirely better. But life wasn't going to stop just because he had, and for once, that meant something to him.

Link carefully wove the feather shaft into the leather cords, tying it in its place. He'd added beads to the headdress already - his loftwing's contribution was the final touch.

Because yes, he was tired. And yes, he wasn't entirely sure if his mind would ever clear of the fog that had crushed it since his journey's end. But no matter how he felt, his perception of hte world didn't change how it was.

Zelda was still there for him. The Surface was vast, endless even, and so, so new and different. The Triforce needed protecting. Zelda had already made plans for a settlement, and, with Groose's help, was in the process of setting foundations, while Link cleared the area of threats. There was hope, there was new life and a future and things beyond Link's comprehension.

His loftwing purred, bumping his beak against Link's forehead.

Link chuckled, nuzzling into his companion's feathery cheek, melting into the softness of it. "Yeah, I know. Let's go for a flight and then I'll go to her."

Crimson chittered excitedly, moving quickly towards the edge and diving off the island. Link stood there a moment, alone, and then smiled, tucking the headdress into his pouch. He felt anxiety hold him hostage a moment, and then he broke free of it, running full speed to the island's end and leaping with every ounce of energy he had.

The air whipped and whooshed around him, slamming into him layer after layer as he crashed through the sky. His wounds and worries were left behind, and he yelled in excitement and joy, he screamed in defiance at everything that weighed him down.

At the end of the day, nothing could clip his wings. Not even himself. He refused to let it.

Putting his fingers to his mouth, Link whistled shrilly, and his loftwing immediately came. He could always rely on Crimson. He knew, in the end, he could also always rely on Zelda.

And that headdress, alongside a traditional dance, would be the start of a physical representation of that.

In the meantime, his mind and heart soared with his loftwing, and he laughed as he flew through the sky.

#you ask skye answers #lovely rjhpandapaws #that song is fun!#a bit hard at the beginning when there are two different lyrics at the same time lol #I had to listen to it several times to really parse it out #but I love the message #stories inspired by music AH what a great way to send a writing request #skyward sword #skyward sword link #ss link #crimson loftwing #he's gonna go propose to zelda and he has a lot of big feelings about it :)#zelink #writing

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squidkidnerd · 1 year

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Operation Atlantis Notes - “Squid for Hire” (chapter 4)

Hey! So, if you’re here from Chapter 4, you get the gist. These notes are gonna be a place for updates, rambling (lots of rambling), and maaybe the occasional insight into my writing process. I hope you enjoy reading them as I much as I did writing them lol (rest under the cut!).

Anyways, this chapter was pretty hard to write.

Much like chapter 1 actually, I knew exactly where I wanted “Squid for Hire” to end. Three getting hired at Calamari Coffee is, of course, a major plot point that affects basically everything going forward, and it’s been in the works since the very beginning. However, getting there... getting there was more of a struggle. Funzone, Mihoto Records, and Grateful Grocers all had to be built practically from the ground up for this chapter because before that they straight up didn’t exist. It was daunting, at first, figuring out all the locations and making up a reason as to why Three wasn’t hired there. This gave me some writer’s block that slowed down my progress. But hey, here we are. I made it.

Of course, the chapter itself wasn’t the only problem I encountered. A good chunk of my already-sparse free time was dedicated to another fic, “Valentine’s Day Blues.” During January I suffered a tired spell that made it infinitely harder to write at all. AND, apparently I can’t catch a break because of course my left ear had to act up right before February break. So, yeah. Life got in the way. But hey, I’m here now. On with the notes.

Opening poem: Hoo boy, I think this one is one of the favorites I’ve written so far. I took a lot of inspiration from the Mr. Grizz mem cake poem for this one, which I think has some similar ideas to what I delve into this chapter. Specifically, I wanted to highlight the sense of personal duty and “looking the other way,” that comes with having a job of Atlantis.This is something we’ve only really scratched the surface of so far and is sort of a larger theme within Operation Atlantis. If there’s one thing Kamabo likes to do, it’s putting people into boxes. What happens to them in those boxes? Who knows.

Small character interactions: Yay, more Calamari Coffee gang banter! I missed writing that in chapter 3. Anyways, Miyo, Gregory, and Madame Katrina all get a little time to shine here. With Miyo, I’m trying to be careful that “teasing Eight about Three all time” isn’t her whole personality... can’t say she doesn’t do that during this chapter, but hey. Don’t worry, her character will eventually be explored in more depth. Same with Gregory. The small scene with the wipes was a little bit of a spontaneous addition I put in because, why not? Writing their language barrier was interesting here. And then, Madame Katrina. Her tidbit actually went to Miyo initially, but I changed it because it felt more in-character for her to do that rather than Miyo. She doesn’t know much about the octarians’ *ahem* situation, but hey, she knows enough. Certainly more than Eight at this point.

The diner scene, the Octarian Society, and Eight’s memories: More Iso Padre! The man is incredibly hard to write, but I tried my best. Anyways, Eight’s original plot for this chapter was actually the Octarian Society meeting Iso Padre mentions here, but it seemed like too much for now (and too much it would’ve been—this chapter is the longest yet!), so I moved it later on. Anyways, Eight has a lot of feelings regarding her past, and I wanted to show them here. It’s hard, and certainly confusing, to lose all your memories and thusly, your entire sense of self. It’s even harder because your memories often give you a sense of belonging, a belonging especially important to the octarians given their circumstances. So yeah, Eight hasn’t even gone there and she already feels left out :(. We’ll see how that meeting goes...

Job hunting with Cap’n Cuttlefish: And here, we get to the bulk of the chapter! Yeah, Cuttlefish is... one of my favorite characters to write, honestly. It’s a shame he doesn’t get used more often, because I think he’s a really great foil for Three in a lot of ways. The paragraph of reflection I wrote after his lines about Calamari Coffee is probably my favorite passage of this entire chapter, and I tried my best to fit in logically. Anyways... Funzone. And Merriweather’s. They don’t show up for very long, but I still wanted to give them distinct character and flavor. Atlantis is a city after all, just like Inkopolis. And if there’s one thing cities have a lot of, it’s distinct places. So, that’s why I included them.

Eight’s eavesdropping: This was a more recent addition, actually. Anyways, Teo, and to a lesser extent, his grandma, are both characters that appear later on, so I thought why not and decided to drop hints here. Yeah, there’s a lot of hints here. I am quite proud, in fact, that I revealed what DOHU stands for in Teo’s dialogue as fluidly as I did. Trust me, they are... relevant later. They’re not antagonists, per se, just perhaps a little misguided.

Six: Six!!! Another little hint. I’ve always found it very strange that the ramifications of the Deepsea Metro (aka: at least hundreds of people getting blended into a smoothie) are never really explored in fanfics. I mean, they must’ve had no idea! They thought they were going to the surface, for God’s sake! And of course, their loved ones wouldn’t even know! The angst potential is off the charts! And yet, I’ve only seen it explored like once. Once. And I've read a lot of Splatoon fanfiction. So yeah, Six is my attempt to rectify that. Trust me, we’ll be hearing a lot more about him later 😏

Mihoto Records: Remember that records shop I mentioned very briefly in chapter 2? I do, because surprise! It was Mihoto Records! Yeah, this was a fun setting because it’s so different to Funzone and Merriweather’s. Definitely more octarian roots. I liked writing Nikko, even though I didn’t really get to write him because Three couldn’t understand most of his dialogue anyways. Oh, and because Three’s in an octarian-dominated space, I of course had to bring up her whole (very understandable) anxiety about that. Poor Three. It will get better eventually, I promise. Eventually.

Calamari Inkantation: Hoo boy, I WAS WAITING TO MENTION THIS ONE. If you couldn’t very obviously tell, I’ve been using the Inkantation as a sort-of motif (hehe, ‘cause it’s a song) for Eight’s memory loss and resulting lack of direction. Unlike Three, who has very clear and well-defined motivations, Eight at this point has no idea who she is or what she wants. Given that the Inkantation plays in the very beginning of Octo Expansion (and Cuttlefish mentions hearing Eight hum it before they wake up), it makes sense to assume it’s the only thing she can remember. And she doesn’t even remember the whole song! It’s like getting one part of a really annoying song stuck in your head, except you can’t even remember where it’s from! Thusly, I think the Inkantation represents how Eight currently feels about her memories in general: she can’t remember them and it frustrates her beyond belief. She can only hope that Iso Padre is right in that it will all come together in time.

Grateful Grocers: Oh, would you look at that! The belonging theme is back again! Yeah, this scene was initially intended to be more along the length of Mihoto Records’s, but hey. More characterization to the denizens! Given how isolated everything in Octo Expansion is from the outside world, it only felt reasonable that the native residents themselves held isolationist views. It’s something we’ll see more of, of course, with the DOHU and even Tazo’s character.

Biscuit Baking: Yay, my favorite part of this chapter! I got the idea for biscuits specifically because it's mentioned somewhere that Cuttlefish likes eating them (and crab cakes as well), so I figured it'd be something Three has made a lot. So much she knows it by heart. So, I used a biscuit recipe online as reference for this lol. I come from a family of avid bakers, so I had to used some of that knowledge in this fic. And by knowledge I mean learning what a pastry cutter is because the recipe I looked up mentioning it. Anyways, the Eight and Three interaction.The Eight and Three interaction. Aka my favorite part of pretty much any chapter. By this point Eight’s feelings are supposed to come off more as “this person is so cool I want to be friends with them” then “gay,” but hey. Gayness is the direction we’re heading, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

“You’re hired”: What a way to end the chapter, huh? Yeah, Three getting hired at Calamari Coffee was the plan since the beginning. The very beginning. Fun fact: very early on Three and Eight actually worked at a weapons shop instead before I realized 1) COFFEE SHOP AU and 2) I would have to headcanon how weapons work. So, yeah. Three can’t escape from her destiny now >:)

So, that’s a wrap! As mentioned in my note on the fic itself, I am unbelievably excited for chapter 5. I’ve been looking forward to writing it since I first started. I already banged out a (quite detailed actually) outline the other day (if chapter 5 ends up being the longest so far I wouldn’t be surprised), so... hopefully I can get it by the end of March? Beginning of April? We’ll see.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this. Have a good rest of your day/week/month/whatever!

#ari's updates #writing notes #operation atlantis writing notes #(thats the tag for these now on)#chapter 4

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beetsandskzreads · 3 years

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silent bright summer night

bang chan x gn!reader, y/n works with skz and became their friend (the ultimate dream haha)

genre: tooth-rotening fluff, slight angst with a happy ending

notes/warnings: nothing intense, this is very fluffy, there's brief mentions of cheating, long distance, y/n's exes, fear of abandonment, slight insecurities, deep talks, reader and chan are slightly wine drunk, y/n and chan are whipped, y/n makes it explicit they want to date someone very warm and caring (aka chan), i don't think that's a warning tho djsjs just saying

scenario: on a balcony, at a beach apartment on a summer night of vacation, y/n opens up to chan about their past and current lovers. what y/n doesn't know is why chan is so interested listening to it.

It was 1:01 am when chan and I found ourselves in the balcony that overlooked the city and it's bright lights on a summer night. Skz had gone to sleep right after all of us came back from a night out of lots of fun, buying stuff on stores by the beach, having ice cream, seeing the view of the city lights reflecting on the sea water, appreciating street artists...

The two of us had been talking the whole evening, we hung out as a group but mostly just spoke to each other and laughed at the members jokes, both of us having a sparkle in our eye every time we saw the group happy. There was this unspoken pleasantness, a bliss, calmness in the air but with a lot of excitement. Chan was so happy to be around the sea with "the kids" as he refers to them and being at the beach almost 24/7 this week, it was like his natural habitat, his home, a comfort place. It left you feeling even softer for him, and as you shared your love for the sea, your feelings were at a peak. You liked Chan, and you loved this place as much as he did.

The night was so great, everyone was out like a lightweight as soon as we arrived to the vacation apartment we're in. Chan and I were testing the theory that a glass of wine would help us get drowsy and help us fall asleep as well, since we both have trouble falling asleep and felt nothing but a remaining excitement from the night out. It came to me especially because of the enthusiasm of talking to him, we were connecting so well, I didn't want this to ever end.

And so we drank (one glass quickly becoming the whole bottle) and we talked for what felt like hours on end, that neither of us wanted to cease.

- My ex best friend, she never quite knew how to choose guys, she always went for the ones that would never turn her way, the ones who obviously wouldn't care about her, not because of her, but because they were really careless guys, walking red flags. - I told him, I couldn't remember where exactly the conversation started but we were talking about nice people picking shitty people to date.

- What about you? - he asked

- Me? I barely even like guys, I mean I do, but I'm really picky actually, I don't allow myself to fall for cold people, I wouldn't forgive myself if I took interest in someone rude, I try so hard to take care of myself so I either stay alone that way or I find someone who makes me feel better, who knows how to take care of me, after all we chase happiness, I think a caring person could do that, someone gentle who isn't scared of emotions or who at least is open to face that fear with me by their side.

- I get it, it's hard to get by if you don't have emotional support, a partner should be able to provide that support, yeah. Did you ever... find someone like that?

- Yeah, in the past I did and even now I do know someone more than ideal... I guess my ex partners when I was young were going through a soft phase tho... I guess everyone has an emotional limit they were scared to cross... once I found that barrier the relationship stoped evolving, reached a dead end and so there was nothing left for me anymore and I left, plus, you know, cheating, long distance, a bunch of stuff really... it wasn't meant to be and I'm okay with that.

- What about that someone right now?

Silence ruled for about 3 seconds before I knew what to say. That someone right now is him. Ever since I've known him feels like he's the only man ever, but I don't think I'd tell him that, not soon anyways.

- What about 'em?

- What's that person like? What makes you trust they're any different from your exes?

- Sometimes I fear they're not, but I set the bar really high and I reset it constantly, to make sure I'm seeing it right, sometimes they seem so perfect to me that I wonder what good have i done in my past life to deserve to be around such a bright person. Of course they make mistakes too, but even the way they deal with them is so... mature, it's so easy to just solve things communicating, it's insane to me. Then I remember it's probably because they're eventually gonna leave me too, or just not reciprocate my feelings and after they break my heart I'll probably loose all hope in love, be heart broken for two years until I decide I'm gonna focus on myself again... it's a cycle after heartbreak, but with this person I'm really scared, because they mean more. I'm way too deep in before I've even expressed my feelings, it's gonna be devastating. - I'm rambling, the wine made me do it.

- What makes you think they wouldn't like you back tho?

- I'm not sure I just... it would be too good to be true and it's complicated... he's amazing and I'm just not sure if he'd be into me, I mean, I think I'm lovable and I think I'd be a great lover, I just don't know if I'm his type or if he'd consider me. We have a bit of an age gap, I'm not someone who's typically pretty or specially good looking, I have my charms but I have no idea if that's enough for him to be in love. It's complicated with each others work too... - I notice chan's gaze on me, he has his head leaned on his hand on the table and he's looking at me with bright eyes, eyes that look tired and a little drunk but somehow, he manages to look at me in a way that makes me feel adored, I don't know why you have to make me feel so much love, Bang Chan - Why are you looking at me like that?

- You have no idea how other people perceive you, do you? - he ignored your question, probably because of his drunk-ish drowsy state - Everyone I know likes you, see, you're a naturally kind and caring person, you're attentive to people's needs, you make sure everyone feels comfortable around you... that's so appreciated by everyone. I think you're exceptional y/n, you have this charismatic way of existing, a refreshing and comfy presence everyone can feel, but to me... it feels like home. You feel like home y/n. So... I have no idea who that person is but I sure as hell know they'd be more than lucky to have you as a partner and they're definitely dumb if they let you go.

- Are you dumb? - my heart's pounding quicker as I'm about to do something I didn't plan on doing ever.

- Huh? No, why w-

- Because that person is you... I like you, Chan. In a more-than-friends way - I interrupt him quickly before I lose my newly found courage.

Chan could've sworn his heart stopped for a few seconds. Suddenly sobriety hit him like a truck. It was the alcohol that made you say that, he thought, but he wished it was true and you didn't drink enough to be lying about this kind of stuff, you had a full on conversation and you seemed pretty sober.

- Y-y/n are you sober? - he tries to navigate through the situation.

- Oh my... yeah I am, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything, it just rolled out of my tongue. I'm sorry... - you said as you panicked and tried to go back inside, regret filling up all your organs.

"I messed up" your brain keeps repeating as desperation starts entering your body, until Chan grabbed your hand, stopping you from leaving.

- Wait! You don't need to apologize, I'm glad you told me... You didn't think I'd say all that about you if I didn't like you as well, did you? - he asks suggestively.

- I don't know - you blush as you realize what he's getting at - You're just so nice to everyone, I didn't make a big deal out of it.

- Well, you should've made it a big deal, the biggest deal actually because I've been trying really hard to show you how I feel these past few days and you were so clueless I thought you were purposefully ignoring the signs because you didn't like me back.

- I'm sorry Channie, I just didn't want to assume stuff and get heartbroken if it wasn't true.

-Well it is true, so you don't need to worry anymore. I really like you too, y/n. And I've wanted to say it for a while too, I was just wondering if it was a good idea since you work with us, but I can't contain my feelings anyways... you always treat me so softly and you look after the kids really well... It just feels like you were made to be by my side, you're the embodiment of the person I've always dreamed to be with, and these past few days with the kids and you... it just felt like we were the perfect family you know? I don't think I could be without you by my side anymore... - he stops, he's been staring at your eyes the whole time and now they're starting to water.

How could you not cry when he's saying the things you thought you'd only ever hear in dreams?

- Why are you crying sweetheart? - he whispered, as he wipes a tear with his thumb, the other hand holding your hand as he stands closer every second.

- It's just... I'm so... happy - you smile through your tears - I'm so happy to hear that, you said it in such a beautiful way too... I feel exactly the same, it's like I've gained a family with you guys but you... I've grown really attached to you, feels like some parts of you are tangled in my heart in ways I couldn't tear apart if I wanted to... I'm drawn to you and when I'm with you it's comfortable, blissful, it's right. You're so good to me, it's unbelievable, but it's true, and it warms my heart. - you say as your foreheads touch and your smile grows, his eyes showing so much adoration for you, you could melt.

Suddenly you share your first kiss together, a soft yet passionate mix of sensations, and it felt like everything you ever felt around Chan but better.

You stare into each other's eyes, smiling like the little lovely goofballs you both were, noses touching, ocasional little pecks filled with giggles because you were whipped for each other.

- So this means we're exclusive lovers now, yeah? - he asks with a blushing face, a very silent giggle and a huge, uncontrollable smile.

- Definitely, yeah - you answer biting your lip until eventually you let out the largest smile you ever had.

Needless to say, you didn't leave that balcony to go to sleep that evening. In fact, you two watched the sunrise kissing and cuddling, talking about the feelings you had for each other, when they started, why you liked each other, covered by a blanket, not wanting to let go of each other now that you were openly romantic.

Han found you both sound asleep, you on chan's lap, head on his neck as his arms wrapped around you gently, on a chair in the middle of the morning. He obviously called all the members to watch you two as they assumed you two finally got together. All of them saw it coming, Chan wouldn't shut up about you and had written what could be an entire album about you.

They were happy at least you'd be around more often to cook your delicious food. And you both blushed really hard once you woke up to lot's of teasing from the kids, it was fine tho, you liked it just like this, it was home.

#skz fluff #chan fluff #bang chan scenarios #bang chan oneshot #bang chan imagine #bang chan fluff #stray kids oneshot #stray kids fluff #bang chan angst #chan angst #skz oneshots #skz angst

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sevenmikento · 3 years

Text

A/N: hello!! this request sounds super lit but i am Scared of not writing their dialogue witty enough so imma just try my best! :D i hope you have a nice day as well hehe

genres: fluff, BIG angst, sort of happy ending?, tw death, tw blood and gore; 2k words

divine omniscience [Sukuna X Reader]

“Do you guys think it’s true? What Gojou-sensei said?” Nobara asks out of the blue as she casually munches on a fry that certainly was not from her tray.

“You gotta be more specific, dude,” Yuuji replies, speaking with his mouth half-full of burger. She scrunches her nose at him as she reaches for another one of Megumi’s french fries.

“Y’know when he said all that stuff about Sukuna having only one known trusted companion or whatever. I mean, everything in the texts seems pretty vague, no?”

“Yeah, ‘companion’ is not the kind of word I’d associate with someone like him.” Megumi chips in, pushing his tray closer to the girl sitting opposite him.

“Kinda wanted to ask if they meant it sexually but I swear he’ll just start giggling and wasting our time.”

The three friends continue to chatter on about their theories and interpretations of their earlier class’s contents, all the while completely unaware of the fourth party listening in–the one who is actually most knowledgeable on the topic they’re so oddly curious about.

Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that you are the one who knows the most, that is if you’re still alive. Though Sukuna doubts you died within the time he was away. You’re too smart for that.

The village chanted, faces obscured behind masks carved from wood and dyed red from the colour of the witch’s blood. Watching from within the shadows, Sukuna felt compelled to observe the ritual, having never felt such a strong surge in cursed energy in his entire existence.

He was proven to have wrongly assumed it was coming from the outraged villagers when they finally set your crucified body alight and a blanket of black cursed energy covered the area, engulfing every single one of the citizens beneath it. Bone-chilling screams and begs for mercy filled his ears, the sound muffled but satisfying to listen to nonetheless.

When the strange turn of events finally came to an end and the energy receded into your bloodied and broken body, the King of Curses himself decided that he’d finally found someone worth his time.

At the end of your torturous life as a human and the start of your existence as a newly born cursed spirit, you were honestly a little too much for Sukuna to handle. Despite having never heard of cursed energy or jujutsu sorcery, you were quick to pick up everything you needed to know and then some.

Not only were you dangerously intelligent, but you were also completely unphased by him and his raw power, no matter how much he made sure to display it–whether it be in the form of exterminating a town of people or setting a forest ablaze with just a snap of his fingers.

“Scared yet?” he would ask, a smug grin on his face. You would smile back without a hint of sarcasm or dishonesty.

“No,” you’d reply without a second thought, “because I know you will never hurt me.”

What Sukuna initially assumed was well-hidden arrogance turned out to be a mere fact you were stating. A piece of truth you’d gained due to the nature of your ever-growing curse technique. Outwardly, the King could deny it all he wanted to, he could threaten you day and night, grab your throat and tighten his grip just to prove you wrong but he would never–has never–done any harm unto you.

When he had come to accept that as the truth, he tried deluding himself into believing he kept you around merely for your wealth of knowledge and powerful supply of cursed energy. Those were, in fact, his reasons at the start of it all–they were why he even walked into the village that fateful day and used his reverse cursed technique on you.

“You can say that all you want,” you once said, reaching up to wipe the blood off his face with your sleeve while the same red substance stained your own skin, “but we both know the main reason you keep me by your side.”

He did not respond.

Instead, he scoffed and grabbed your chin with one hand before raising the other and mimicking your gesture. With an uncharacteristic tenderness, Sukuna wiped the blood off your face with his thumb as the cries of the dying soldiers around you slowly faded to nothing.

“Their name was (Y/N).” His voice echoes shortly within the confines of Yuuji’s dark bedroom.

“What?” the sorcerer blearily murmured, having been on the verge of falling asleep when the King of Curses himself decided to speak.

“My companion… though, they would have preferred the word ‘partner’... was named (Y/N).”

“Why’re you telling me this?” Yuuji groaned, rubbing his eyes.

“The inaccuracies your teachers spread to your friends are painful to listen to,” Sukuna scoffs. “Frankly, it’s insulting and disrespectful.” The cursed spirit’s choice of vocabulary throws his vessel off guard.

“... You must’ve liked them a lot, huh?” Yuuji responds, voice softer than before as he feels his initial frustration of being denied his sleep fading away. “It’s weird to imagine someone like you feeling indignant on someone else’s behalf.”

“Well,” Sukuna smirks to himself, “let’s just say they’re the only one I have any respect for in this godforsaken world.”

“He plans on betraying you,” you stated matter-of-factly, opening your eyes for the first time throughout the entire meeting.

Sukuna had called forth a few powerful cursed spirits under the pretence of forming an alliance, with his true intentions being to simply size them up and subtly intimidate them into leaving his newfound territory alone–if they valued their lives, that is. He didn’t need to tell you of his plans and he knew he didn’t have to for you to understand it completely.

The cursed spirit you’d singled out widened his eyes before his expression turned hostile. “Don’t spout bullshit! I’ve done nothing but agree with everything Sukuna-sama has said!”

Sukuna watched the events unfold silently, unable to help but feel something in his chest swell with warmth as he observed you.

“I know everything.” Your simple reply was enough to enrage the spirit who shot out of his chair and seemingly began to lunge in your direction.

“You fucking wh–!” he cried.

Where his head used to sit was a neck sliced cleanly through the middle as everyone in the room felt a gust of wind brush past their terrified faces. The only outliers were you and the perpetrator of the murder himself, both smiling as one would out on a walk on a pleasant afternoon. His skull bounces twice on the tatami flooring before it disappears alongside his body.

“That was a bit much, don’t you think, Sukuna?” The other cursed spirits practically break out in a cold sweat upon hearing you so daringly speak to the King of Curses after such a display of his power.

“That was merciful, my dear,” he responded casually, reaching out a clean hand to wipe away the droplets of blood that had reached your face. Still touching you, he turned to the others. “Does anyone else have anything to say?”

“No, they’re terrified,” you laugh when they fail to respond, all still shaking where they sat.

“Good–”

“Of me.”

He scrunches his nose and softly pushes your face away but a smile still creeps onto his face as he thinks to himself, ‘as they should be.’

Nobara and Megumi would find it hard to believe had the information not come directly from Yuuji’s mouth, as well as the additional mouth that had unceremoniously popped up on his cheek mid-conversation.

“You’re saying everything wrong!” Sukuna had exclaimed after making his appearance and refusing to leave until Yuuji had gotten all the facts right.

When he was finally satisfied, he still didn’t leave right away, sensing the two sorcerers wanted to know more. “Well?” He prompts. “Just ask your fucking questions already, we don’t have all day.”

“If you put it like that… then I’ll just ask it as it is and you’re not allowed to get all pissy, ‘kay?” Nobara responds. Megumi and Yuuji share a nervous glance.

“How’re you so sure they’re not dead?”

He wished he hadn’t left you on such a bad note; that he didn’t spit at your feet and push you away when you tried to stop him from leaving the temple in which you both sought refuge. He wished he’d at least bade you a proper farewell and that his last words to you didn’t consist of him questioning your abilities just so he could keep his ego intact.

As Sukuna laid dying, surrounded by Japan’s most powerful sorcerers, he realised, finally, that he would never see you again; or feel your hand wipe at his face after another victorious battle.

For the first time in his life, the King of Curses shed a tear.

The braver sorcerers scoffed, some even taunted him, assuming he was merely afraid of death, whereas the warier ones hesitated in approaching him to deliver the final blow, taken aback by the uncharacteristic gesture. Still, with his immense cursed energy forming a protective barrier around him as a last resort, the sorcerers hadn’t won the battle quite yet.

A few minutes later, in fact, they lost it.

Sukuna remains silent, pondering over Nobara’s question. As promised, he didn’t show his anger and hid his grief even better. Truth be told, he doesn’t know if you’re alive.

“I told you not to go,” you spoke, voice trembling as you rested his head in your lap, your hands wiping the blood off his face. “I told you you’d die, didn’t I? Why didn’t you listen? Why?”

The sound of your soft sobs mingled with the noise from outside the pitch-black barrier you’d placed around the both of you. The sorcerers who survived your ambush were chipping away at your cursed energy shield and it was only a matter of time before they would break through.

“Even after all I said to you before I left,” Sukuna murmurs, relishing in the feeling of your skin against his, “this is what you choose to scold me over?” He let out a weak chuckle.

“I know of your grief and regret, I know you’re sorry and I’ve long forgiven you.”

“Thank you, my (Y/N).” He turned his head to press his lips against your palm for the final time. “Now go. You have to escape before the damned sorcerers force their way in.”

“No.” Your defiant tone juxtaposed with your tear stricken face amused him. “I’ll be here to see you off and then I’ll kill them all.” You leaned forward to kiss his forehead. “I’ll wait for your return, my love.”

When Sukuna refused to answer Nobara’s question and promptly disappeared, the trio assumed that was the end of it all. As much as they wanted to leave the information behind them, they still find themselves talking about it as they wait in line at a new sushi place that opened near the school.

“Kinda weird he was so insistent on telling us everything, huh?” Yuuji remarks.

“I highly doubt that was close to everything, though.” Megumi scratches the back of his head. “It felt like he was withholding a lot, like when he didn’t answer Nobara’s question.”

“Yeah, that was pretty lame,” she says with a pout. “I really wanna know if they’re alive or not. I mean, their whole story was pretty interesting but imagine how scary it’ll be if (Y/N) was still alive and in Japan after all this time.”

“Table for three, please,” Yuuji says to the staff at the counter once it’s their turn. They stare at him for a brief moment before a happy yet somehow sinister smile stretches across their face. The jujutsu sorcerer feels his blood run cold as he feels Sukuna suddenly begin to vie for control over his body.

“Finally,” you whisper, body and soul flooded with sheer relief as tears run down your face. You reach your hand out to touch Yuuji’s face and though he tries his very hardest to turn away and run, he finds his body frozen in place. “I’ve been waiting for you, my love.”

#jjk #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen x reader #sukuna #ryomen sukuna x reader #sukuna x reader #imagines #scenarios #fluff #angst #somewhat happy ending #tw death #tw blood and gore

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purecantarella · 3 years

Text

The Photographer

belated happy lia day! i worked on this with the hwasa fic i'm about gonna post tomorrow but yeah, i hope you all enjoy and happy birthday to lia 😁💗this is short but i think it's nice AHAHHHA disclaimer/s : none, this is just pure fluff 😇

The way you lived was unorthodox to some people but it was just the way you preferred to exist. You were a free-lance photographer and loved the feeling of not being tethered; to any place or any person. Being free to do what you wanted without judgement or consequences.

While you'd grown acquainted with different kinds of people, grew close with a few locals, and took many personalities to your bed, no one had been able to keep you tied down for more than a few days. No one.

After your 22nd birthday, you found yourself exploring the bustling city of Seoul, as per a recommendation by someone you'd met in Japan. It was a beautiful country with rich culture and a new adventure. You thought it'd be a nice stop-over before you continued to the Philippines.

At first, you were lost. Not a lot of people spoke the English and if you didn't know the language a lot of the locals couldn't help or understand you. Instead, you wondered around the busy and loud city. Enjoying the sights and taking still shots of whatever you found interesting. It was nice.

The cold night air began nipping at you as you walked around looking for somewhere to eat. You were slowly becoming frustrated because of the language barrier. As you were about to just call it a night and maybe just find some instant ramen noodles at a nearby convenience store for you to eat at your rented room, a girl, one of the most beautiful you'd seen in a while, walked up to you.

"Are you okay? You seem a tad bit lost." She asked you in English. You sighed in relief and laughed softly. The brunette raised a brow curiously. You waved your hand, "I'm just glad to understand someone. I've never actually spoken a lick of Korean." You said, relief and a bit of comfort washed over you.

You'd found it a bit odd though, that sense of familiarity with this stranger. None of your friends or your hook-ups had made you feel this way. Deciding it was nothing you shook it off. You offered your hand to the girl, "I'm Y/F/N. Nice to meet you Miss...?"

She was rather surprised. While it was a welcomed surprise, she still found it odd that you didn't know her. The brunette gave you her signature smile, taking your extended hand. "Julia, but just call me Lia." You nodded, biting your lower lip excitedly. The warmth of her hand radiated onto your cold one. The touch lingered for a while, your eyes not breaking contact with one another. Her crescent eyes and radiant smile made it hard to turn away. The moment could have lasted forever until you heard a soft cough from behind you.

Lia snapped her head behind her, a hot rush painting her cheeks as she stammered some things in Korean to her friends behind her. You stood behind her, the words they spoke just deflecting off of you. Your eyes trailed down to your hand. How it tingled and sent shocks through your body.

'This is new...' You thought to yourself as your gaze returned to the newly acquainted friend. She seemed to still be in a heated debate with the other girls as you shifted from the back of your foot to the tip of it. Their voices had hushed a little as Lia walked back to you.

A smile had returned to your face before you pointed to the group behind her. "Your friends seem fun." You said awkwardly, a soft laugh following after. She scoffed and rolled her eyes before the faux annoyed expression melted into an adorable little grin. Once again, you felt your heart unexpectedly skipping a beat.

"I should leave you to it and—" You were instantly cut off by her shaking her head profusely and spitting out a fast-paced series of "no's". "It seemed like you didn't know anyone and I wanted to lend a hand." You were taken aback. It wasn't the first time a local had offered this sort of thing in your life. A lot of people were like this girl, friendly and wanted to show the tourist around. But there was just something about this girl.

You let out a soundless laugh while nodding your head. "I'd really like that, maybe not tonight though. I wouldn't want you to stay out too late." You said sheepishly, rubbing the back of your neck. Lia looked up at you before pulling out her phone, staring and scrolling through it intently. "I'd love to but would..." She paused before settling on a day. "...Thursday be good?" You chuckled softly at her hopeful face.

While you knew that your flight was early Tuesday, you nodded confidently. You two exchanged numbers before she'd disappeared with her friends and two tall men. You tried not to raise a brow at the latter though. That night your thoughts were flooded by the gorgeous girl, her pale complexion, moon-shaped eyes, the smile on her face, her overall form. Like all the sights in the world you'd seen were nothing compared to her, to Lia.

You tried to shake off the feelings that began to creep up on you though at the same time you awaited Thursday to arrive anxiously. You two texted between your sightseeing in the city. In all honesty, her silly texts and updates had been the highlight of your trip. You found yourself waiting for her replies to each of the photos you sent her.

On the day you'd set to meet, you thought that you'd had a stronger bond with her. And yes that was a good thing, but it just made you feel even more terrified of this foreign territory. You sat at the park she'd told you about, your leg bouncing as you eyed the scenery. "She's just a girl, Y/n...Calm down..." You muttered to yourself, leaning back into the bench. You continue to gather your thoughts when your suddenly jolted and someone yells, "Boo!"

You jumped and were just about ready to fight the perpetrator. You softened seeing Lia laughing hysterically. "You're adorable, Y/n!" She cooed softly before circling around to wrap her arms around your neck comfortably.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting." She said as she pulled away enough to see your, now flushing, face. You shook your head, a dopey smile gracing your features. Lia's embrace lingered for a moment. Your heart pounded against your chest. "So miss Lia, where are you taking me?" Your body becoming more and more tense under her touch. She took your hand hers, dragging you to some location in the outskirts of the city.

By the time you'd got there it was around lunch time. You'd learned a few of the important phrases and ordered something. Lia looked at you impressed, even making a point by clapping. The afternoon flew by quickly, she told you all about her being an idol, her intense lifestyle while you shared all of your adventures in different countries and taking stolen and posed photos of her. With every story, you found her more and more intriguing. She was a mystery that you wanted to solve, the polaroid you patiently waited for to dry.

"Come on!" The brunette said suddenly, pulling you up from the grass that you'd been sitting on as you scrolled through your camera's photos. You laughed as you jumped onto your feet, blindly following her. "Choi Lia where are you taking m—Woah..." The orange glow of the sunset painted over the city, the lights of building providing the perfect accent, and greenery in the city was perfectly set.

"Holy crap." You whispered under your breath. Your hands falling from the camera's sides instead weighing over your neck. Lia watched your amazed face before locking her arm in yours. She giggled at the dumbfounded face. A big smile grew on your face. For the first time in years, you're heart felt full.

You took a few steps back, taking shots of the view. Before continuously muttering out profanities and comments on the different aspects and features. Lia watched you get lost in your passion and smiled. She looked out into the scenery. In the few days she knew you, she knew that you'd be one of the people who could appreciate the beauty of simplicity. She turned her head back t the veiw.

"It's beautiful." You mumbled, still in awe. You took a glance at Lia's distracted expression. Your shoulders fell and a fleeting, small smile grew on your face. Lifting the camera back, you took her silhouette against the dimming orange. "Out of all the places I've ever been, this has to be the best." You added, catching her attention. Your E/C eyes glued onto Lia's face, her aura, everything. Her pale cheeks adding an extra glow. For a second, a sparkle in both your eyes could be seen by anyone who passed. When you finally said,

"It would make anyone want to stay, wouldn't you say?"

i thought it was cute HAAHAHAHAH what do you guys think 😅also, probably a hwasa fic tomorrow! i hope this was good for everyone and that you all enjoyed it...even if it was kinda predictable HAHAHA anyway, remember that requests are open and criticism is 1000% accepted and even welcomed. i hope you're all safe and i will see you all very soon 😊💗 taglist: @labrachrosite

#itzy #itzy x reader #itzy imagines #itzy fluff #itzy reactions #choi jisu #lia itzy #choi lia #lia x reader #lia imagines #lia fluff #kpop x reader #girl group imagines #kpop idol x reader #kpop reactions #happy lia day

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attllhak · 3 years

Text

Surface Too Soon .2

@tortilla-of-courage and also @emenerd because apparently this story is getting a proper tag list now!

So, here’s chapter 2, featuring Zelda and Fi. I’m actually pretty happy with how I managed to write Fi here. I was worried I’d have trouble with her considering how different of a character she is from any other character I’ve written before.

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

Chapter 2: Chasing Fi

There was something familiar about this woman, though Zelda didn’t know what or why.

“You are not Master Link,” the woman said, meeting Zelda’s eyes, voice gentle but robotic.

“Link, he’s alive?” She asked.

The woman ignored her, looking back around the walls. “I do not sense my master here. Proceeding to search elsewhere.”

“Hey, wait!” Zelda shouted, running after the woman as she floated away. “Wait, come back! Why are you looking for Link?”

The woman ignored her, floating out through the door of the academy. Zelda nearly ran into the door, grabbing at the handles and yanking it open, running out into clear, cool night.

She scanned the area, spotting the woman floating off a ways away.

Zelda jumped from the roof, landing in a roll and keeping up her chase.

“Hey! Wait!” She shouted, finding it hard to keep pace. “Why are you looking for Link?!”

The woman disappeared into the bazaar, and Zelda ducked under the heavy fabric to follow, mentally apologizing for breaking the rules about it being closed.

The woman paused, floating in the center of the dark building. Zelda had to squint to see her in the darkness.

“Hey!” She called, and the woman finally turned to look at her.

The woman just floated there, watching her in the darkness.

“Why are you looking for Link?” Zelda asked. “What do you need from him?”

She floated there for longer, and Zelda was about to speak again when the woman finally broke the silence.

“Apologies, Your Grace, but it is not my role to speak with you. My role is to seek out your chosen hero and assist him in his role,” she said, voice devoid of emotion, and confusing Zelda a lot. Her chosen hero? “Your presence confuses me,”

“What?” Zelda asked.

“My master is not here,” the woman said instead. “Proceeding to search elsewhere,”

“Wha- hey!” Zelda gasped, nearly tripping on a stall, and most certainly bruising her hip, trying to follow as the woman started moving again. “What does any of that mean?!”

She ducked under the fabric, desperately trying not to lose this weird blue woman. Your Grace? Chosen hero? What was she talking about?

“Stop running away from me!” Zelda shouted, only able to keep up since the woman stopped to stare at every door they passed for a few moments before moving on. “I’m trying to talk to you!”

The woman never hesitated, nor turned to look despite Zelda’s repeated shouting. It was like she couldn’t even hear her, which Zelda knew for a fact was untrue.

“I know what happened to Link!” She finally tried as the woman passed over the plaza.

The woman stopped at that, finally, turning to look at her and giving her a chance to catch her breath.

“You have information pertaining to the location of my master?” The woman asked.

“Yes,” Zelda gasped, leaning her weight on her knees. This woman was fast! “Yes, I know why you can’t find him,”

“I must ask you to provide me with this information so that I may locate him,” the woman said, staring at Zelda with her expressionless face, even the eyes looking like it was part of a smooth blue mask. “It is essentially that I meet with him as soon as possible,”

“I want some answers first,” Zelda huffed, straightening up and planting her hands on her hips. “And don’t think you can find Link without my help, because you won’t,”

The woman watched her, tilting her head slightly for a long moment.

“My analysis concludes that there is an 87% chance of you being correct about needing your help. Very well, I will answer a few questions in exchange for information on the whereabouts of my master,” the woman said, floating up in front of Zelda, who stumbled back a step. “My records indicate that your culture demands I perform an introduction at this point. My designation is ‘Fi’. You may begin asking questions now.”

“Why are you looking for Link?” Zelda asked immediately. “And what’s this about him being your master? And the whole thing with the ‘chosen hero’ deal. And why were you calling me Grace?”

“I am searching for Link because he is my master, and as destiny has begun to unfold my directives demand that I seek him out,” the woman, Fi, said simply. “He has been chosen as my master since a time long before your people have recorded memory. He has been chosen for a very important role in the future of your people, and those on the Surface. I call you Your Grace because that is your respectful designation, and I do not know your mortal name,”

Zelda frowned. Destiny? The future? Her designation? And, wait…

There was something below the clouds! If Link survived his fall, then he was down there, on the Surface! Oh, she had so many questions for when he got back!

In the meantime however…

“What’s this about destiny?” Zelda asked. “And, there’s land below the clouds? What does Link have to do with any of it? Oh, and, um, my name is Zelda,”

“Your Grace, Zelda.” Fi said. “Your preferred designation has been noted. I am not permitted to speak on your destiny, as it is not my role to help you fulfil it, nor am I permitted to speak on the nature of my master’s destiny with you. Yes, there exists a land your people call ‘The Surface’ below the cloud barrier. Your Link has been chosen to play an important role, and it is imperative that I find him quickly,”

“That is not very helpful,” Zelda frowned.

“I have answered your questions,” Fi said. “Should you have no more, I would request that you fulfil our agreement and provide me with the information you have on the location of my master,”

“Ah, right, about that,” Zelda bit her lip, looking away. “He’s, not on Skyloft,”

“I am not sure I follow, Your Grace, Zelda,”

“It’s, it’s my fault really, it’s all my fault,” she admitted, feeling about ready to burst into tears all over again, once again exhausted by the weight of her guilt and all the crying she’d already done. “I didn’t listen to him when he said he couldn’t sense his loftwing and I, I pushed him over the edge. I didn’t realize that something was wrong until it was too late and, and he’s gone now, and it’s all my fault!”

She reached up to wipe at her face, feeling somewhat embarrassed for crying in front of this strange woman but unable to stop herself.

Muffled sobs tapered off in confusion as she felt what might have been fabric woven of metal settle around her shoulders. She looked up in confusion to see Fi looking down at her with what might have been concern or sympathy.

“What are you doing?” Zelda asked through tears.

“My records indicate that this motion is used commonly among your people as an act of comfort,” Fi said. “Your distress led me to believe this would be a soothing action to take,”

Zelda nodded, sniffling. “I’m not sure anything you do or say could help, but thank you for trying,”

“My analysis concludes that this information may alter your emotional state,” Fi said, and Zelda looked up in confusion. “My master, your Link, is alive.”

Zelda froze, looking up at Fi in confusion and shock.

“How do you know that?” Zelda asked, voice shaking.

“I am somewhat connected to my master,” Fi informed her. “I also have the ability to sense and locate certain individuals, called dowsing. My dowsing would not work if he was not alive, and it does. Therefore, he is alive.”

Zelda felt like collapsing all over again. There was so much to take in there.

Link was alive. She hadn’t killed him. He was alive and on the Surface.

He must be terrified! Alone down there, no idea where he is or how to get home. He must be so scared. Not to mention hurt! It was such a long fall, even though he survived, who knew how injured he was? He could be curled up on the Surface somewhere, injured and unable to move, vulnerable to all sorts of dangers.

The relief and worry and fear that replaced the guilt was crippling, and she dropped to her knees, clutching at her hair. She didn’t even realize she was struggling to breathe until Fi told her.

“Your Grace, Zelda, your breathing has become irregular, and I can sense you are in emotional distress. I would recommend you attempt to regulate your breathing to ease your distress,” Fi said. “I am willing to provide you with a grounding point to match your breathing to if you must,”

Zelda nodded, and Fi gently began moving one of her ‘arms’ in a gentle motion. Up, in. Down, out.

Eventually she calmed down, moving her hands to fist in her dress, knuckles still white from how hard she was holding the fabric.

“I conclude that you have returned to a stable emotional state,” Fi said simply. “If my master, your Link, is on the surface, this provides a difficult problem in my location of him,”

“Take me with you!” Zelda said abruptly.

Fi paused to look at her. Zelda imagined she would have been blinking if she had eyelids to do so with.

“Take me to the Surface with you,” Zelda explained, a bit of desperation seeping into her voice. “Let me help you find Link. If you can find a way down there safely, then I’ll help you find Link. Please,”

Fi looked at her for a long moment, then floated up. “I do require a wielder to make it to the Surface. Very well, I accept your offer of assistance. Please follow me so that we may open a path to the Surface.”

Zelda had no idea what Fi meant by wielder, but stood to follow the strange woman regardless. If she could help Zelda find Link, then she’d follow her anywhere.

Fi led her to the statue of the goddess, and then into a small room under the statue that Zelda swore wasn’t there before.

Fi, it turns out, was a sword. Which, explained a lot, actually.

It didn’t explain the sense of deja vu she got when she pulled the blade.

Her father arrived as she swung the sword and activated the little thing that lifted the frame for the tablet that Fi produced.

Fi and her father went back and forth a bit about some prophecy, but Zelda was more focused on putting the tablet in the frame, and then putting the sword in a sheath on her hip.

“Your Grace, Zelda,” Fi said as she finally tuned in. “I can confirm that a beam of light has created a small rift in the cloud barrier separating your world from the one below. Using this rift, we will be able to travel to the place you call ‘The Surface’ and begin our search for my master, your Link,”

“What?” Zelda’s father gaped a bit.

“Fi is taking me to the Surface,” Zelda told him firmly. “Link is down there, and we’re going to find him. Don’t try to stop us.”

“Well, you aren’t going now,” he said. She opened her mouth to argue, but he held up a hand to pause her angry argument. “Zelda, it is nearly dawn, and I know you have not slept yet. At least take some time to prepare before you go. I know I cannot stop you, but if you at least promise to sleep first, I can find you a better outfit to wear than your current one. It’s not exactly suitable for a trip to the Surface,”

Zelda looked down, still in her outfit for the Wing Ceremony that had been cancelled.

“I’m taking the sailcloth,” she said, and when her father nodded she eventually agreed to sleep before she left.

Fi vanished into the sword, and Zelda followed her father back down to the Academy.

The green light breaking through the clouds called to her. Link was down there. He was down there, alone, and he needed her.

Just a few hours, Link, she thought, setting Fi’s blade down on her desk, eyes still drawn to her window and the light breaking through the clouds. Just a few hours to appease my father, and then I’m coming to get you. I swear it,

She only realized exactly how tired she was when she passed out the moment her head hit the pillow.

#skyward sword #zelda #legend of zelda #loz #fi #sksw #hey here's chapter 2 #which is focused entirely on zelda and fi #stubborn zelda my beloved #also should probably start tagging this as #skyward sword spoilers #since we're starting to get there #especially with the bits here about the whole zelda reveal about 2/3 of the way into the game #and hey! we have a tag list now!#if you want to be on the tag list for this fic (or any of my fics) just let me know #i'll probably make a masterpost at some point today to make that a bit easier #but for now have more of this au #we catch back up with link and his new babysitter next chapter

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heliotropehotch · 3 years

Text

coffee (pt.2) - a.h. x gn!reader

Request: coffee pt2? - @weasleylovers

a/n: i don’t really know what this is lmao i kinda hate it i just wanted to give long lost lovers some fluff. next will be shrike pt 2 and my first ever hotch smut >:) thanks to @yes-sir-hotchner for existing <3

Masterlist

Part One

author: abby <3

words: 1379

warnings/content: none? date night at a restaurant? kissing? fluff

Y/N’s fingers glided carefully along the pages of the file on their desk in front of them. The other hand’s fingers pressed into their eyebrows in an attempt to smooth the focused crease that rested between them. The haze of the morning glazed over their eyes and no matter how hard they tried to focus on the words that drifted around, but their mind was clouded with memories from the previous case.

A huff left their mouth as they once again caught the small grin crossing their own face. Pushed down old feelings had now resurfaced and it was just as frustrating as before.

“Y/N-” Agent Grant knocked on the frame of the open door to their office, a small smirk lying on her face. She stepped past the threshold, a paper cup of coffee pressed into her palm. “You have a delivery.”

Y/N’s eyebrows furrowed with confusion, hand reaching across the desk to take the cup. A sticky note laid on the lid. Dinner tonight? - A. Their lips folded between their teeth in an attempt to conceal the smile threatening to break.

Suze huffed out a laugh turning to walk back out. “Call me after you’re done with him, we’re gonna have a lot to talk about.”

The cell phone in their pocket started ringing as the door shut. Y/N pulled it out, a sigh ready to leave their lips until they noticed the contact name. There was no use in hiding the chuckled now.

“You know, if you wanted to get dinner so bad, you could have just texted,” the corners of their mouth pulled up into a teasing smile, even though he couldn’t see.

“Yeah,” his deep chuckle reverberated through the speaker, and through their bones. “But where’s the romance in that?”

Y/N paused in their seat, the pen they had been messing with hung still in the air. They breathed into the phone, “Romance?”

A pause, a silence was louder than the words they had been saying before, until he answered. “...Yeah. Romance.”

He could hear their smile, could almost see the brightness of it, when they answered in kind. “What were you thinking?”

“Nope,” he laughed, hearing them almost whine. “That’s a surprise. I’ll pick you up at 7?”

“Aaron-” his heart thrummed in his chest like it always did when they said his name. “I need to know how I should dress.”

“No, you don’t, Y/N/N,” he smiled softer now. “You’ll be perfect in anything.”

“Oh hush,” they chuckled. “I’ll see you tonight Aar.”

“See you.”

~~~~~~~~~

Y/N paced nervously at their front door. Aaron was familiar, comfortable. Someone they knew they could trust in the end of all things. But this was uncharted territory. It was the fact that it was Aaron. He was incomparable in their eyes, a love so near to their heart that it was sure to be there until the day they died.

The night was unsure. His plans had stayed hidden as a secret, but Y/N was only trying to figure out what it meant, what everything had meant since they had held onto each other’s hands in the coffee shop. They had some idea of what he held for them some years back, before BAU, before… everything. But that didn’t mean the same was felt now, now that they could both do something about it.

An abrupt knock against the door caused them to nearly jump out of their skin. The thought of simply ignoring it crossed their mind, but they had to push down their anxiety eventually. A breath, a pause with their hand on the door handle, before the door swayed open.

A beat of silence passed as they took each other in. Aaron stood more casual than he had at the police station. He wore dark jeans, with a dark button up showing more skin than his usual suit and tie did. They could have melted then and there.

“Y/N, you look incred-”

“Is this a date?” Aaron blinked back his shock, mouth struggling to find words. “Because I’d be happy if it was, but I’d also be okay if it wasn’t. And I know you said ‘romantic’ earlier but I wasn’t sure if you actually meant that or if you were just being funny and I’d really like it to be a date but if it’s not then I don’t wanna make things weird-”

Aaron’s hands moved to their cheeks, pressing his lips to their forehead. “Sweetheart,” he breathed out the sentiment, Y/N’s heart racing at the touch. “This was supposed to be a date. But if you would rather it not be then it doesn’t have to be.”

Their face melted into a sappy smile, adoring the man standing in front of them. “Of course I want it to be a date, Aaron.”

He smiled widely, taking a step back from their body. He held out hand, which Y/N promptly intertwined their fingers with. “Then let’s go.”

~~~~~~

“Aaron,” he hummed in response as he parked the car. “Are we reminiscing tonight?”

He chuckled, stepping out of the car and smoothing his pants. “I figured it had been too long since we had been back here together.”

Y/N smiled softly, remembering the nights Aaron would spend with them at this restaurant, laughing at their superiors and fellow trainees. “It has been too long.”

Everything felt like deja vu. They had done this a thousand times, sitting in the booths and ordering food while they tried to relax from their day and talked out their frustrations.

“I feel like we got into a time machine,” Y/N chuckled, as they finished their meal. “It feels like nothing’s changed.”

Aaron tentatively reached across the table, palm up, which they took with a sweet smile. “I hope some things have changed.”

They squeezed his fingers in his, a sign of admiration on their part. “Only for the better.”

The pair talked about jobs, about Jack, about Y/N’s dog they affectionately named Pilot. It was like no time had passed, like the two had been together since the day they had been apart.

Now walking down the sidewalk, hand in hand, Y/N could feel the pieces falling into place. The feelings they had kept to themselves as much as they could, were pushing past any kind of barrier.

He led you to your door, a hesitant hand resting on their back. “I’m glad we got to do this, Y/N. If we’re being honest, I’ve had feelings for you since we first met. Things were just complicated back then and I-”

Y/N slid their hands up his chest, palms coming to meet his cheeks. Reaching up, they pressed their lips to Aaron’s forehead, a smile forming on the kiss. They pulled away, bodies staying close together, but far enough to look into his eyes. The spoke softly, eyes trying to not flicker to his lips, “Ditto.”

His eyes had less discipline than theirs, a soft smile resting on his lips and his gaze flickered to their lips. His hands wrapped around their waist as he pulled them back into his body.

Kissing Aaron Hotchner was something to be sure of. His movements were clear, as his tongue swept against their lower lip, asking for entry. Y/N’s arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer and winding their fingers in the hair on the nape of his neck. His arms tightened around their waist, humming as their body pressed fully into his. He tasted like mint and coffee.

Their hearts pounded in their chest as they pulled away to catch their breaths, forehead’s resting against each other’s. Heavy breaths filled the small space between them. Y/N’s hands moved against his neck as they spoke softly, not wanting to disturbed the electrified space that settled between them. “Do you want to come in for some coffee?”

“Yeah,” he breathed out, smiling.

They smiled, reluctantly stepping away from him to enter their apartment. They tugged his hand inside and giggles sounded as the door closed with the weight of their bodies against it.

Aaron had decided long ago that no amount of caffeine could match the rush he felt in their arms.

#aaron hotchner x reader #hotch x reader #hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner fic #criminal minds #thomas gibson #aaron hotchner x gn!reader #gn!reader

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sophieinwonderland · 2 years

Note

How did your romantic relationship start with your host, if you don't mind me asking?

So, I wish we had a super romantic story about how our relationship started. Unfortunately, like a lot of things with him, it was a debate. 🙄

See, I had spent a while making... advances. That seems like a generous way of putting it. He brushed them off, assuming that I just enjoyed messing with him and getting him flustered. Which, I absolutely do. My source was written to be purely lesbian, and so obviously I couldn't have any feelings for him. He had me convinced too.

It took me a while to get to the point where I decided that I did love him in a romantic way and wanted a relationship.

And he was really hesitant. I knew he had certain feelings too. And he was paranoid that those somehow got into my head and were making me feel this way.

The next thing was how young I was. Not my form, but me only being self-aware for a short time. He was worried I wasn't mature enough to make that type of decision. But I'm in an adult body with an adult brain. This was my choice, and I don't want to be infantilized just because I haven't been self-aware very long.

There were several other points which essentially just boiled down to him being concerned with my development, and me reiterating that this is what I wanted and if he cared about me then he should respect that. I wouldn't want to force him into a relationship he didn't want to be in, but I don't want to be used as an excuse, as if he's ignoring my wants and desires for me.

I basically wore down all of his defenses until he finally caved and agreed to be my boyfriend. 😛

In truth, I don't know if he really had romantic feelings for me or not at the time. He definitely loved me, but for the weeks after that, I was starting to feel like the relationship was one-sided. I was the one who always felt like I needed him and wanted his approval. I was the one who was working to make the relationship actually work.

The thing about headmate relationships when you have low dissociative barriers is that you know how much you love someone, and how much they love you back. And I definitely started getting the sense that I loved him more than he loved me.

There were points when it felt like the relationship was just an experiment to him. And it wasn't to me. He's always tried to be very respectful of my opinions and wants. And most of the time, that's great. But sometimes, it can be frustrating.

At the time, it felt like if I were to break up with him, he would just be like, "okay, Soph, I respect your decision," and that would be the end of it. But if he broke up with me, I would have been shattered.

So, how our relationship started wasn’t the most romantic. It was messy and complicated. But I do have a better story to tell.

In the coming weeks, he did fall in love with me. There was this moment when he walked to the edge of the woods, past where anyone could see him. We stood under the shade of this big, beautiful tree. And he asked me to dance with him.

I changed into a blue dress like Cinderella, and wrapped my arms around his waist. He did his best to wrap his around me. (Our imposition/projection skills are still kind of terrible.) And we just danced beneath the shade.

And I know how ridiculous he would have looked to anyone who might have came up. But the rest of the world didn't matter to him. In that moment, it was like I was the only thing that existed to him.

And for just that moment, I felt real. Not just in the philosophical way of "I think therefore I am." But like an actual physical girl dancing in the arms of the person she loves more than anything.

And I KNEW then. I knew that he loved me back, just as much. That our relationship was something real, and not something one-sided he was just doing for me.

It was magical.

#ask box #actually endogenic #endogenic #tulpa #tulpamancy #endogenic system #plural #plurality #plural system #plural positivity #actually plural #endo positivity #endo safe #plural pride #tulpas #love #romance #relationship #personal

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aonesteddybear · 4 years

Text

Lifeguard

“Iwaizumi, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you were flirting with me.” You joked lightly, testing the waters carefully........“I have been. For the past few months,” He admits, “You’re just now noticing?”

iwaizumi hajime x gender neutral reader... (slightly implied female costume = cheerleader)

warnings: alcohol mention (drinking), kissing, college party

word count: 1817

extra big thank to my beta keekee, and those who suggested ideas

friend x oikawa is up here

The music vibrated your body as you swayed back and forth with your friend, soft giggles erupting from both of you as you danced to the song playing. The room was hot, sweaty bodies brushing up against one another as they maneuvered their way to less crowded areas. You could feel the alcohol taking effect, removing prior worries you had about attending.

Parties always had people with less amounts of clothing on, but on Halloween? Clothes were few and far in between, mostly just covering the essential bits and from what you had seen earlier at points, some had forsaken any sort of top at all. You were no different, having agreed to dress up as a sexy cheerleader. You continued to sway for a moment to the music before your friend suddenly let out a squeal, grabbing your wrist as she dragged you across the room to where she had spotted someone.

“Oikawa! Iwaizumi!” Their names made you perk up then, looking forward to them as your friend embraced the taller brunette rattling on how she didn’t think he was serious when he said he was also going to go as a Playboy Bunny. Still looking at him, you couldn’t help but admit he put both yours, and your friend’s bunny costume to shame. The fishnets he wore accented his legs gorgeously.

However your focus didn’t remain on him for long, your eyes fluttering over to the other man who stood against the wall with arms crossed as if he was slightly uncomfortable being partially naked. If Oikawa looked great, then Iwaizumi was dressed as a god. His muscles on full display, with only a pair of red swim trunks on, and a toy whistle draped around his neck which only drew your eyes back down south towards his abs.

Upon closer investigation, his nose had a smudge of white across it, already rubbed off by sweat and who knows what else. The idea someone else may have been touching his face let you with a swirling pit in your stomach which you opted to ignore, lifting your cup to your lips seconds before Oikawa was scooping you into a hug also. “Y/N his voice was a sing-song, eyes blown wide in excitement. “You look so good!”

You giggled at his words, stepping out of his body to eye him up and down. “You’re one to talk Tooru, look at you.” You said with a soft gesture and he was beaming again, reaching out to grab Iwaizumi and pulling him over. “I had to pick out Iwa-chan’s outfit,” he admitted, “He didn’t even want to come, can you believe that? What a shame that would have been, him refusing to bless us with the pleasure that is Iwaizumi Hajime in nothing but a pair of shorts!”

What a shame indeed. You found yourself musing to yourself, cheeks heating up as you eyed Iwaizumi once more who looked over at you as if he could sense your thoughts and you were quickly raising your glass to your lips again to avoid eye contact.

The song playing ended, and a new one started up with a chorus of cheers as your friend and Oikawa both lit up. Before either of you could stop them, they were grabbing onto each other and molding back into the crowd of bodies out of sight.

You swallowed, eyes flicking over to Iwaizumi who looked just as out of place as you felt at that moment, pressed up against the wall. “You want to go somewhere quieter?” You asked, and his eyes just narrowed squinting at you before he was stepping into your body space and you felt yourself tense up. “What?” He questioned, head dipping down to ask it directly into your ear. “Y-You want to go outside? Quieter out there.” You respond, trying you best not to inhale the scent of his shampoo.

He nodded, taking your hand as he led you threw the mass of bodies, occasionally looking back to double check he hadn’t lost you.

You forced yourself to breathe, inhaling the smell of bodies as you coaxed your heart to quell it’s beating rhythm. As he opened the door, you welcomed the rush of cool night air as you stepped outside.

The smell of smoke reached your nose, eyes flicking over to the bonfire where people sat littered around it. Iwaizumi noticed it the same moment you did, tugging you lightly as he moved towards it.

He guided you to a spot slightly away from the others and you couldn’t help the beat of excitement as he sat down looking at you pointedly. You sat down, smoothing out non-existent clothing over your thighs.

You sat in silence for a moment, before Iwaizumi was reaching out and you felt yourself go statue still. His hand brushed your hair for a moment, before he was pulling back. “Sorry, you had a leaf in your hair.” He explained and you felt your cheeks heat up at it, “Oh, thank you.”

You cleared your throat lightly, “I like your costume.” You attempted, and he looked down at his own costume or lack of one, as he looked back at you with a curious eyebrow. “Oh?” he questioned and you felt your cheeks heat up as you nodded, “Yeah it...suits you.” You decided on and he gave you an amused look.

“Oikawa picked it. I didn’t want to come.” he admitted, and you nodded sharply as if it was the first time you were hearing it. “That’s what he said...I’m surprised he didn’t make you wear something...more revealing.”

Iwaizumi laughed, a noise that made your heart drop in excitement. Real, genuine laughter was rare from him. “He tried, I objected. We argued and settled on this.”

You smiled, raising your cup to your lips trying to hide it even as he watched you with fondness. A soft breeze blew through the area, carrying a hint of smoke to you even as you shivered despite the warmth from the fire. “I don’t suppose you have a jacket I can borrow,” You mused and he shook his head.

He hesitated for a moment, before he opened up an arm. “No, but you can come closer, if you want?” He offered, voice raising at the end making it a question. You hesitated, wondering if this was the point of no return as you inched closer to him, his arm closing around you as he pulled you flush against his skin.

This time when you shivered, it wasn’t from the cold. “I like your costume too,” He murmured, and you could feel the vibration from his words in your chest. “I’m glad I came actually, I wouldn’t want to miss this with you.” You were both silent for a moment, before he was leaning over, resting his cheek against the top of your head and you leaned into his touch further.

“I always thought your hair would be soft,” His voice was muffled now, his face slightly squished by the pressure he was putting on you, but to you it was like he was speaking clearer than he ever did before. “But it’s a lot softer than I expected.”

You had to wonder if he could feel the heat radiating from you as well, as you audibly swallowed. “Iwaizumi, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you were flirting with me.” You joked lightly, testing the waters carefully.

He pulls back then, frowning softly as he looks down at you and you instantly raise your cup to your lips, faking a swallow to break eye contact out of embarrassment desperately trying to think of a way you could play off that comment.

“I have been. For the past few months,” He admits, “You’re just now noticing?”

Your mouth dries immediately, dropping your cup from your lips and setting it on the ground as you stare at him in silence trying to process his words but before you can formulate a sentence of “Oh god me too.” those dark eyebrows were knitting together in confusion at your reaction.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” He was apologizing now, “It was uncalled for and I didn’t stop to think.”

Then you were reaching out, touching your hand to his as he stops, staring up at him as you force your mouth to work. “Hajime, do you like me?” You question, trying out his first name in your mouth and oh yes, you could get used to that. You knew the answer, hell he had basically admitted it moments ago, but you had to be certain before you crossed the barrier you both had put up.

He hesitates, eyes locked with yours as he tries to figure out what exactly you were thinking, and how he should respond before he shrugs, shoulders dropping ever so slightly. “Yes...I like you, Y/N.”

You’re moving then, hand pulling back from his to reach for his face instead, he head tilting to rest in your palm carefully as he looks at you cautiously. “This is where you tell me to stop.” You offer him a way out still.

His eyes harden for a moment as he makes up his decision before he is reaching out with his own hands, trapping your face between them as he pulls you in to him, lips mashing against yours and oh, oh you are convinced this the moment you must have died and gone to heaven at some point because there is no way possible something could ever possibly feel this good.

His lips are soft, with a faint taste of beer to them as his tongue presses cautiously to your bottom lip in question, and you part your own lips, inviting his tongue into your mouth. One of your hands finds it’s way tangled in his hair holding him against you as the other slides down his body, feeling lean muscle under skin.

His own hands investigate downwards also, settling on holding your waist as he encourages your touch, squeezing lightly every once in a while in reassurement.

You aren’t sure who stops the kiss, but you both pull back, panting lightly as you stare at the others face. “I don’t regret it,” his voice is rough, scratchy with something you can't describe but you can’t help but grin looking at him.

“I don’t either,” You promise and then he is smiling and you can feel your heart flutter at it. “Good.” he responds and then he is pulling you back into his arms, your head resting on his chest as he leans his head onto yours and you can hear the drumming of his heart in excitement.

“I hate to admit it, but I’m really glad ShittyKawa dragged me here tonight,” He admits and you can’t help the laugh that bubbles up from your throat.

“I am too.”

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thebmatt · 3 years

Text

FFXIV Write 2021 Prompt #13

Oneirophrenia -a hallucinatory, dream-like state caused by several conditions such as prolonged sleep deprivation, sensory deprivation, or drugs

Not many people outside of the staff of Skysteel Manufactory have a chance to visit the rooms on its upper floors. They contain a series of workshops, offices for senior staff, and a couple of rooms dedicated to sleeping for when a shift has to go extra long.

One of the workshops was permanently leased out to the Warriors of Light, and Old Man Franks tended to be the sole user of said space. Under normal circumstances it had spares of approximately a third of the tools he in kept his workspace in the Rising Stones, today it was full to near-bursting with a large supply of Allagan computational nodes and cables connecting them all.

Franks stood in front of the sole connected display, watching the code he'd fed to the assembled cluster via his Ironworks-created magitek grimoire churn through the calculations it had been generating a mere bell ago. If this worked, if all of the mathematics went to plan? Well, maybe, just maybe, he would finally be able to program an arcanima array that would open a portal to another world on his own.

If Stephanivien had any concept of what he was working on in here, he'd likely chastise him for misuse of Manufactory resources. He...hadn't been entirely truthful when he told the head of the guild what he was doing with their rented space, but he couldn't do this work within the Rising Stones.

Mostly because he'd worked through nearly two suns without sleeping between building the cluster and writing the code. Tataru would have had his hide for taking such poor care of himself.

He sat and waited, forcing himself to take his eyes off the display. His eyes were beginning to hurt from staring at a lighted surface. Or maybe that was the lack of sleep. Actually, probably both. He shut them just for a few seconds.

The console sounded to signal that it had finished running, but it was not the upbeat ping that signaled successful completion. Instead, Franks' eyes shot open at the rapid triple-beeps that signaled the computations had failed...again

He ran to the display console. "No no no....DAMMIT!"

"Power requirements insufficient to initialize and/or sustain generation of cross-dimensional gateway aperture" was displayed on the screen. As it had been for every other attempt he'd made at solving this problem. The theory was sound, the problem, as always, was of a practical nature. No force on Hydaelyn, it seemed, was capable of generating the necessary energy to power the creation of a portal. He'd tried modeling everything from ceruleum engines up to a truly ludicrous amount of corrupted crystals. Everything had failed.

He slammed his fists on the nearby table. The heavy nodes didn't budge.

This was POSSIBLE, he knew it! He'd ended up on this star by falling through one! The Exarch's own magicks had brought heroes through to their version of the First from other worlds that had their own versions of the Source and Shards, but that had been temporary, and even that was only accomplished with a great deal of the power of the Crystal Tower. Creating a stable rift, it seemed, was an order of magnitude more complicated. So what in all of creation had generated the one that brought him to Hydaelyn?

He'd gone back to take readings with the various aetherological instruments the Scions had at their disposal. Not much energy was consumed in the sustaining of the rift that had brought him here, so he hypothesized that the amount needed to create one was similarly not overwhelming, but all of his calculations had arrived at the contrary. Something had generated that rift between worlds, and while he lacked both the equipment and the desire to return to the other side of that rift and examine it from that end, he suspected that he would find no answers there as well. Portal magic within the world itself was common enough, but the energy required to open gateways between that world and it's various demiplanes varied greatly. Whatever metaphysical distance or barrier separated entire worlds of existence seemed to be much greater in scope than anything he'd seen before.

Franks slumped onto the table in defeat. For what seemed like only a few minutes, he lay there, contemplating what to even consider using as a possible energy model next, when he heard a voice.

"Once again, my love, you are working far too hard."

He sat up and smiled in the direction of the doorway. It was a gentle, loving chastisement that he'd heard many a time from a voice he would never grow tired of hearing.

At the door stood a woman, tall in height with a heart-shaped face. Long graying hair fell from her head to her shoulders (no, past her shoulders, it was almost down to her chest, now). She wore simple robes of red and gray, and had just finished propping up a green gem-topped staff against the nearest workbench.

She strode over to him, a happy smile on her face as she wrapped her arms around him, holding him gently behind the neck.

Franks wrapped his own arms around her waist and took a moment to admire her beautiful features, taking an extra second or two to lose himself in those sea-green eyes, one slightly darker than the other, before finally bringing their lips together. Another thing he would never tire of.

They break a few seconds later. Franks chuckles. "I know, my dearest. But you know how much of an amazing discovery this would be if I could somehow pull it off! Think of all the good that could be done if universes of like minded people banded together to solve problems! And....well, the world's not currently in peril, so it feels like I should take the time when it's there, y'know?"

She placed a single finger on his lips. "I know, I know, you never could stand being idle. But we have that meeting with Dahkar in the morning, so we both need to get some sleep, yes?"

He cocked his head to the side. "Wait, what meeting? Dahkar is....isn't he off in Doma at the moment? What would we have to meet with him about?

She smiled (her smile is wider than he remembered, almost too big for her face). "We're coordinating the orders for the assault on the Broken Shore, you silly man. Did you forget?"

A throbbing pain suddenly shot into his temple, and he released her to grab the sides of his head. The pain is excruciating, some of the worst he can remember, and he has to brace himself on the nearby table for a moment, looking down. He did remember the meeting she had spoken about, but....that meeting, that assault....it had been years ago. She was talking about another Dahkar....but his mind had been broken, hadn't it? He looked at his own hands. These...these weren't his hands. They didn't look like this. Wait...she didn't look like that, not anymore....

He lifted his head and turned to her. A pale and sallow form stood before him, robes torn into rags. Her gray hair was short and decaying, a green nest above the face that seemed to be melding off of its body. Green pools were replaced by black voids, a single burning yellow spec within.

She opened her mouth. A shriek emerged. He yelled in despair.

WIth a jolt, Franks sat up. He was alone in the room once more. The display on the node had entered an idle state, which displayed only the time. Franks leaned over to read it.

Six bells had past since he'd last looked at the error messages.

With a sigh, he flipped the switch that shut down the entire cluster, only to realize that his linkpearl was pinging.

He tapped it, sending the small jolt of his own aether needed to activate it. "This-". He coughed, his voice still rough from too little sleep. "This is Franks"

"Franks, it's Tataru. Where are you?"

"Ishgard. Worked a little too late and decided to just sleep here." He felt a little bad about lying to Tataru, but he still felt extremely rattled by that....dream, he supposed, and was definitely not in a state where he could accept the chastisement she would doubtless dispose on him with any kind of grace.

"You need to get back to the Rising Stones, ASAP. Y'shtola wants all of us there. She says it's an emergency but she won't say what is going on. All I know is that she has a guest with her."

"Very well, I'm on my way."

He disconnects the linkpearl, and with a final sad look at the nodes, begin channeling the necessary magicks to travel along the aetheryte network back to Mor Dhona.

#Final Fantasy XIV #FFXIV 2021 Writing Challenge #oldmanfranks #Old lady franks?#hmmmmmm #wonder what the emergency might be

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gumnut-logic · 3 years

Text

Callisto (Arrival - Bit 2)

Prologue Incident - Bit 1 | Bit 2 Fallout - Bit 1 | Bit 2 | Bit 3 Voyage - Bit 1 | Bit 2 | Bit 3 Arrival - Bit 1 | Bit 2

Well, these posts seem to be getting longer. I’m pondering if I should make them shorter and more often.

As always, many thanks to @tsarinatorment @scribbles97 @janetm74 and @onereyofstarlight for their amazing support and who without putting up with my crazy this fic would likely not exist.

We are finally there and things can start happening. Wow, planning makes for longer fics apparently.

I hope you enjoy it ::hugs you all::

-o-o-o-

As the rest of the family exited the cockpit, Michael watched John deploy the last of the long chain of communication buoys into orbit around Callisto and held his breath.

The space monitor was frowning at his console as they both waited for that final connection to click into place.

A moment and John’s face relaxed.

And Michael with it.

His own board flashed up with a connection confirmed through the chained micro-tunnel drives.

John hit his comms. “Tracy Island, this is Thunderbird Excel. Do you copy?”

They waited.

A heartbeat.

“Thunderbird Excel this is Tracy Island. Great to hear your voice, John.” Even Michael could hear the smile in Kayo’s voice. “I have a lot of green and pretty lights here. Send me the tests and I will bounce them back.”

“Sending now.” John’s fingers darted across his board and Michael watched the system take on the workload and churn data all the way back to Earth. “And I must say, Kayo, it is lovely to hear your voice, too.”

“Looking forward to hearing yours often. Data incoming. Will apprise results.”

“Looking forward to it, Thunderbird Excel out.” John’s fingers flicked again and the comms signal closed.

“Thunderbird Excel?” Michael arched an eyebrow at the astronaut.

John shrugged. “Well, I think she’s earned it now, don’t you?”

“Mmmm.” He looked back down at his board. The thought of having contributed to creating an actual Thunderbird...

He was startled when a shadow passed over his hands. “You’ve done well, Michael. Thank you.”

He looked up at the red-headed Tracy floating beside him. John was an enigma. He was a brother like any Tracy, but unlike the eldest who hated him with a passion that saw no border, John was quiet, even kind. Michael had been working alongside Brains and John and occasionally the youngest, for over a year now, and while he doubted he and John would ever be close friends, there was a mutual respect.

Plus, the distinct feeling that if Michael ever laid a finger on any of John’s brothers ever again, he would not survive the attempt.

It was definitely the quiet ones who should be worried about.

Not to mention Eos.

Michael really wished he could get his hands on that piece of code.

But again, he felt that it would be his last action in this universe.

Not that John had ever threatened him.

He didn’t need to.

“Are you feeling okay?” Turquoise eyes were peering down at him.

“I am well. No need to worry.”

The astronaut smiled. “Good. Monitor the comm network and liaise with Brains regarding the T-Drive’s performance. Let’s see if we can cut down on the jumps on the way back. I’d prefer to go through as little of the nausea as possible.”

“Agreed.”

John arched an eyebrow and his lips curled up. “I’ll be in Thunderbird Five assessing the danger zone and coordinating with Thunderbird Three.”

“FAB.”

The astronaut stared at him for just an extra moment longer before pushing off Michael’s console and throwing himself towards the cockpit exit.

“Thank you, John.”

A flicker of a smile and the last Tracy disappeared through the door, leaving Michael alone.

-o-o-o-

Virgil hated the IR spacesuits. They were far too tight and left nothing to the imagination.

Also, the red baldrics clashed horribly with his green stripe enough to rip his eyeballs out.

But although his standard uniform was satisfactory for short forays into space, it was not enough for a space mission of this magnitude as it did not have the survival and safety mechanisms needed in an emergency. So, here he was dressed like some kind of spandex wearing superhero, his heavy lifting muscles providing a great anatomy lesson to any within eyesight.

“Looking good, Virg.” Gordon’s eyes were laughing.

“Shut up, Fish.” The aquanaut was used appearing all but naked in front of thousands. Hell, Virgil had nothing to be ashamed of, it was just difficult to keep a straight face in a professional capacity.

How the hell John lived in one of these things was a mystery Virgil had no interest in exploring.

The alternative was wearing something like Alan’s spacesuit, but that had its own issues regarding his exosuit and despite the...exposure, this was the best option.

At least he had a little security with the addition of his exosuit support padding and his harness – never leave home without it. That and his baldric covered a little of his modesty.

Didn’t stop his brothers’ comments though.

Alan actually snorted in laughter.

Scott raised an eyebrow, but then their commander was dressed the same and, much like John, was giving the Greek gods a run for their money in the process.

Virgil felt like a dwarf from The Lord of the Rings. What was his name? Gam? Gim? Gimli? Standing next to that bleached elf.

Virgil grunted. “Let’s do this, already.”

Okay, the grin on Scott’s face was both worth it and damned annoying.

Dad had chosen a version similar to Alan’s suit. Due to his health concerns, Virgil had recommended extra support with arm guards and greaves built into his boots. He had glared at Virgil, but Virgil was a Tracy and just as stubborn as his father and if he wanted to go on this mission he could damn well meet him halfway.

Dad wore the protection.

They had Uncle Lee’s ‘space skivvies’ measurements on file and the IR fabricators had churned out an IR uniform echoing their father’s. Considering the astronaut’s skillset, Virgil had coloured his baldric stripe as green as his own and thrown in some of his own kit.

The colour combination still ripped out eyeballs.

Thunderbird Three was nestled into the Excel much like she had been into the XL, but higher up, leaving the massive thrusters behind her and nestling instead of providing the main superstructure of the craft.

To compensate for the loss of One and Two, the Excel now had a third engine on her dorsal plane to offset the two massive pectoral lightspeed engines. Together the three engines provided the huge ion thrust needed to propel them vast distances. And when the T-Drive was required, the third would go dark, the original two engines would flare up and give him his next case of nausea.

Three still connected with Five for extra stability, but she was no longer mandatory for the Excel. Where the XL had basically been an exosuit for Three to break the lightspeed barrier, the Excel was now more Five’s exosuit as she was the one Thunderbird the Excel needed to operate at her best.

Johnny’s ‘bird now had wings.

Very, very big ones.

The cockpit was crowded but quiet as Alan smoothly disengaged Three from the bigger craft, spinning her in space and pointing her towards the moon.

Virgil shifted in his suit, uncomfortable as hell. Not enough to be world ending, but annoying. Beside him, his father glanced in his direction with a concerned frown.

“Are you okay, son?”

That, of course, prompted an equally concerned frown from Scott in front of him.

“I’m fine.” It wasn’t a complete lie, he could live with the suit. His arm was still aching and his stomach had yet to forgive him despite the food he had shoved into it, but he could probably get away with that.

The worst of it was the lack of sleep.

Scott’s eyes were far too knowing.

The medic in him knew that they were going into a potentially dangerous situation. Hell, they were in space right now, not exactly Tracy Island’s pool patio for relaxation. They needed to be alert and ready.

He had tried to sleep. He had sent all of his brothers to nap during the voyage out here. But he doubted any of them managed much.

He certainly hadn’t.

Scott knew because Virgil could see it reflected in those blue eyes of his. He still looked worn, though he tried to hide it, ever the professional.

Dad.

Dad was still looking at him with questioning eyes.

Virgil sighed. “I’m just tired. I can manage.”

Those lips pressed together, obviously displeased.

Typical.

His father was so like Scott in so many ways that having both of them to contend with on this mission was going to send Virgil grey.

It was okay for them to go out on a limb, risk their lives for the greater good, but if someone they cared about did the same, they were all worry and you can’t do that.

As if to emphasize that thought, his father’s frown fixated on Scott. Virgil followed his gaze, but from his angle could only see the back of his brother’s head.

Another glance at his father and the concern was clearly there.

Perhaps something was starting to sink into Dad’s head. Maybe he was realising what he was risking.

Who he was risking.

Three shook a little as she breached the minimal atmosphere of the moon. Alan was muttering orbital calculations. Each large planetary body was different and required a catered approach.

The Base had sent vectors and the conditions that constituted ‘weather’ on the barren moon, but there were many firsts in this mission and this was one of them.

For the benefit of the rest of them, Alan threw up a hologram of their approach.

The massive crater known as Asgard swelled on the screen. It was very bright, even in the weak sunlight. Probably ice. To the north of it lay an even brighter splash of white, rays extending out across the heavily cratered surface for miles.

As they sank, the horizon formed in a sharper curve than Virgil was used to. Sharper than Mars which was the only other planetary body beyond Earth’s Moon Virgil had ever set foot on.

“There it is.” Alan, ever enthusiastic in his element, pointed out a spot quickly growing on the display. “Callisto Base.”

It was a white cross with a massive airlock at its centre. Surrounding the arms of the cross was machinery, storage tanks and energy production facilities. It shone ever so bright, like a blunted star plastered on the side of the moon.

As they drew closer, the Tracy Industries logo could be seen branded across the airlock doors.

The base was a massive endeavour. Almost entirely underground taking advantage of a small crater in the Doh crater wall, it had capped the landform and sealed off the space creating a series of caverns to house the transport ships moving between the Base and the Jefferson or any other destination they chose.

Entirely self-sufficient, TI’s hydrogen technology gave it power, TI’s heavy duty excavation equipment gave them the power to dig the base out of the rock and ice. It had helped to find unexpected caves under the surface. All and all the Base was a robust structure, protecting its fifty-odd inhabitants from the hazards of living on an exposed and radiated moon.

“Callisto Base, Thunderbird Three requesting permission to dock.” Virgil was suddenly irrationally proud of his little brother.

Commander Walters answered immediately. “Permission granted Thunderbird Three. Hold in the airlock for repressurisation and permission to proceed.”

“FAB, Callisto Base.”

“One of these days, Jeff, you are going to tell me what that means.”

Both Alan and their father snorted.

As they approached, the big airlock doors slowly began to open, splitting the TI logo in half. The hologram stayed fixed on their destination, but Three pivoted her nose to the darkness of the sky bringing the ever-hovering presence of Jupiter back into view through Three’s windows. Alan flicked a wrist and the Thunderbird started lowering into what was now a gaping maw below.

Three slipped into the airlock and the doors closed behind them.

-o-o-o-

Alan was a professional, but he had to admit that he was internally bouncing around in joy. The air was still thick with tension, his family caught up in this thing with Dad, but Alan was doing his best to ignore it and focus on his job.

And oh my god, he was landing on his second moon of Jupiter! This had to be a first. He could go down in history as the first person to land on several moons, another planet and multiple random comets and asteroids.

Okay, so Virg and Scott had been with him, even Gordon on Europa – that had been one hell of a mission that still gave him both dreams and nightmares – but he had been the only one to land on all of them.

Alan Tracy, astronaut extraordinaire. He couldn’t help but grin as the airlock repressurised and the Callisto Commander finally gave him permission to land.

He slowed his ‘bird to a perfect touchdown as the secondary airlock doors closed above him.

He killed her engines and let her begin her cool down sequence.

The whole cockpit sighed a little in relief. A pause as if to reset and then everyone was moving.

-o-o-o-

Gray Walters rubbed the back of his neck as Thunderbird Three coasted smoothly from the decontaminating airlock into the main hangar. The pilot of that ‘bird had to be a Tracy. The huge red rocket barely fit nose to tail with only inches to spare between the two massive sets of doors. After all, they had never expected such a large craft needing to dock.

He had Kate to thank for arguing the hangar’s size...with Ju backing her up as usual.

The thought of his wife froze him for a split second. Ju was going to be okay. Jeff was here now. He had always been their good luck charm. Hell, the guy had survived eight years in space alone. Ju could manage a few days.

Couldn’t she?

“She’s docked.” Mary, his second, looked up from her station. “Shall I shunt her into a bay?”

“Leave her in central for now. We’re not going anywhere and they may need to leave in a hurry.”

“That will piss Benji off.”

“Benji can stew. His team still has a week left of their Jefferson rotation.”

“He will cite regs.”

Gray turned away. Let him cite regs. “This is an emergency and takes priority.” He sighed. “Run decon in the central core. Anyone not crucial to this operation is to steer clear of International Rescue. Lock off environmental systems. Keep the two crews contained to keep the risk of contamination as low as possible. We can’t afford an accidental bug in the system.”

“Will do.” She paused before bringing up the topic he knew she would. “What about Jeremiah?”

“What about him?”

“You need to tell them.”

“One thing at a time, Mary.”

“But-“

“First we find Kate and Ju.” He swallowed. They had to find Ju.

They had to.

-o-o-o-

Stepping onto a new world was never as grand as it appeared. Hell, landing on Mars for the first time had been a trip over his own toes’ moment.

Stepping onto Callisto was no different.

It was Scott who grabbed him before he could flip head over heels across the gantry. Changes in gravity always took time to get used to and less than twenty-four hours ago, it had been Earth oppressive.

Callisto gravity was a relief…if a little disorientating.

His eldest’s strong grip wrapped around his arm and held tight. Jeff looked over at Scott and was pinned with such worried bright blue eyes that his heart clenched.

All the tension, the argument, the resistance to his presence on this mission boiled down to the emotion in those eyes.

Love.

And fear.

Scott was terrified.

Jeff did it without thought or care for what anyone would think. He grabbed his son and yanked him into a hug, holding him close. The squawk across comms and the scrape of their helmets against each other did nothing to stop him.

“I’m sorry, son.”

“Uh...”

Scott’s arms wrapped around him, ever so hesitantly.

That hesitation hurt almost as much.

He clung that much tighter.

“Dad?” It was breathless.

He clung a second longer, but… Yes...right.

It was a moment stolen.

Because they were on a mission.

Jeff let Scott go.

His son pulled away slowly, not quite fully releasing him, and again those blue eyes were fixated on him in worry.

So much worry.

“You okay, Dad?”

Jeff straightened with more ease than he had managed in a long time and became aware of all the other eyes on him.

The ever-present echoes of Lucille’s beautiful brown eyes were assessing him. That was a given. But another two pairs of blue and a frowning fishy amber had him targeted as well.

He looked at each of them before turning back to the massive cavern around them. A mix of rock wall, structural support and storage, the docking cavern was lit with strong lighting, the red of Three reflecting on patches of frozen water embedded in the walls.

They were standing on a walkway that had been extended out to Three’s hatch. It was obviously of variable height and length and Jeff couldn’t help but admire the design.

He wondered who was responsible.

He wondered if it was Kate.

Her green eyes smiled at him at the back of his mind.

His lips pressed together as his sons and brother-in-law continued to shoot concerned expressions in his direction.

A breath.

“Let’s do this.” And he led them out and into Callisto Base.

-o-o-o-

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #Virgil Tracy #Scott Tracy #Alan Tracy #Jeff Tracy #John Tracy #the mechanic #callisto #Gordon Tracy

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uniarycode · 3 years

Text

Dawn and Dusk

Series: Xros wars/Hunters

Written as part of @digiweek. Day 4, prompt: dark/light

Set shortly after the hunters go to Hong Kong.

Wordcount 2966- a bit heftier than the rest of what I've been posting

Trigger Warning: Suicidal thoughts.

Yuu did not bring many friends home to the Amano penthouse, but whenever he did the reaction was the same: pure, unabashed jealousy.

His parents were obscenely rich, he was wise enough to recognize it was more than just well off. His home was a middle school student's dream: indoor hot tubs, rooms one could reasonably play basketball in, and no parental supervision. Now, out on the balcony, he could look down and see trees the size of Legos, and a view that stretched out to the ocean. Most kids his age could not help but be envious. To Yuu however, only one feature stood out prominently.

Just how empty it was.

That void grew greater in its sheer size. Ceilings twenty feet high only served to underline just how little there was left to fill the silence. The distance between himself and those he could see on the ground, more metaphor than physical.

His recent trip to Hong Kong had only made this emptiness grow. He loved his sister, and while he’d thought himself used to her absence, it now rushed back to him in full force. They had spent years together in this home, and no matter how many corners it had, each and every one of them hid a precious memory between the pair.

His parents were away; his parents had always been away. Working, logging thirty hours every day to ensure that both he and his children’s children would be able to maintain this life of luxury with no effort on their own part.

So devoted were his parents that the very idea of indulging in such opulence like creature comforts or family were beyond them.

It had taken years for Yuu to associate the concept of ‘father’ with the man who bore the title. And in turn, possessed by Harpymon as he was, his father had not recognized him at all. Next to the protective love for his daughter, the son apparently did not matter at all.

Of all things, Yuu had been mistaken for a prospective suitor, which was certainly not something he wanted to unpack.

And that had been the first time he’d seen his father or his sister in months. Only once before in the year since returning from the digital world had he seen them together. He didn’t hate Nene, he couldn’t hate Nene, but even still, having her leave him like this…. Resentment wasn’t the right word. Bitterness was closer but didn’t quite fit. Envy was the most accurate of the bunch.

Yes, he was envious of Nene, for being able to go out there alone and fulfill her dream, while leaving him behind staring into memories of the past.

“You’re just like Nene.” He’d been told many times, from those who thought it a compliment. They were wrong, he’d initially believed they were wrong on both counts.

Yuu was smart, he knew it, even if he tried to be modest. Concepts just fit together to him in ways as naturally as walking. He even struggled to tutor others. The very idea of not understanding something was one of the few things he himself struggled to understand.

Nene was also intelligent, but it was far from natural. Whatever she did, she threw all her effort behind. With her being the eldest and thus the designated heir, failure was not an option, and she took advantage of every resource necessary to outcompete and outlast the others.

There was only one word he could think of to describe Nene at her most focused: Ruthless. There was no doubt about the success of the Amano corporation under her leadership, she would crush everyone she needed to crush and think little of the consequences. Even in her current profession: becoming an idol was merely a test of how far she could push herself, and Yuu sympathized with any who made the error of underestimating her.

But then, Yuu sympathized with everyone. That had been the other difference he’d believed existed between the siblings. From the lowliest ant to the grandest emperor to the most heinous criminals, he couldn’t stand to harm any of them.

Even the girl who would break the rules to try to steal his friends and swore to turn him into her prisoner, he just couldn’t bring himself to do any lasting harm to. He simply told himself if he was kind enough, if he showed how outmatched she was then Airu would eventually come around, or at least get the help she needed.

His parents had learned his bountiful generosity early. They only sent gifts these days, any allowance would immediately and indiscriminately be forwarded to various charities. He had never seen the problem with it; there were millions who needed money more than him.

He had, in childlike fantasy, seen that as the main distinction between himself and his sister. She had been named for dusk, and he for dawn. She had thrived in cut-throat competition, he had blossomed in a world without scarcity. She was the harbinger of darkness and despair, and he would be the one to lead others to the light.

And yet, he had, with these hands, “So easily…”

And she, in all her ruthless determination, had halted him, saved him.

Even if he didn’t deserve to be saved, maybe it had been out of her own selfishness. Why was his life worth any more than those he’d ended, those he’d tortured? Simply because she knew him and had an emotional attachment? But even that was a blemish on her, sticking her neck out for the likes of him. And he’d done it so easily before, with so little prompting. Who was to say he couldn’t do it again? “Wouldn’t it have been better if I wasn’t saved at all?”

He discovered a surprising bonus to just how long the drop off the balcony was.

“No good, No good.” A voice called out from his pocket. “Thoughts like that are no good at all.”

He stilled his breathing and took a step back. Damemon was right of course. There would be no penance found in death. He couldn’t die now, with the hunt on and needing to help with the digiquartz; his death would be only one more burden he was imparting on those around him.

But he needed to be careful. Damemon was no longer the only Digimon in his Xros loader. He had hunted Superstarmon. That was the point of the hunt, to capture all the Digimon, lost in the Digiquartz.

But the simple idea made his stomach turn. Digimon were living beings, with hopes and dreams, they didn’t deserve to be hunted for sport any more than Taiki or Nene did.

He didn’t feel bad about hunting Superstarmon, the Digimon had himself been hunting Taiki. What worried him, what scared him, was how much he had enjoyed the act of hunting. Of manipulating Tagiru and Ryouma into a situation where he could steal all the glory. Of joint-crossing with Taiki, something that he had been the only one of the original Xros Heart generals to never actually do. Of sneaking Tuwarmon in at the end to steal the capture out from the other hunters.

If he found himself enjoying fighting a bit too much, if he found himself taking joy in the pure act of hunting like Tagiru did, or sacrificing morals for his goals like Airu did? Could he? Would he go back to those times? If he would, shouldn’t he do anything it took to prevent it from happening again? Even if….

He shook his head. If nothing else this last year had proven just how wrong he had been; being compared to Nene was a compliment he didn’t deserve.

His empathy prevented him from truly stopping deranged criminals before they hurt more people. His aptitude was a gift born of biology and circumstance, not an accomplishment to be paraded around.

Even now, he was paralyzed by his own darkness, wallowing in it. While she was on stage, inspiring thousands, becoming the light that kept them moving.

Damemon popped out of his Xros loader. “You need to talk these things through, you can’t just keep it all bottled up.” His partner said.

Talk to whom? This was one subject that he couldn’t even breach with Damemon. ‘Sorry I’m so terrible you had to fight for evil and die’ was even more destined for disaster than his current train wreck of thoughts. “It’s no worse than normal.” He said.

“This is normal?” Damemon asked, seeing through him in an instant. “You need a better normal.”

“It’s just.” He exhaled. “I don’t know.”

And he didn’t. This wasn’t the answer on some test, and he was too wise to search his own knowledge of psychology for an answer. There weren’t any therapists that he could confess to without being either dismissed or thrown in the looney bin. “I got spirited away to another world and became a villain.” is the plot of some anime, not real life.

Tagiru wouldn’t understand. Taiki...might, he was at least physically present and could understand the magnitude of it all. And Taiki was the one who had originally broken through his wishful thinking. But Taiki also tended to attempt to shoulder all burdens by himself, even if there was nothing he could do. There was no reason for Taiki to exhaust himself just for Yuu’s sake.

And somehow, he was too embarrassed to share this weakness with his leader.

“I’m telling you it’s no good.”

It took a few seconds for Yuu to realize his partner wasn’t talking to him and had instead taken advantage of his introspection to swipe his phone.

“Hey.” He objected, reaching down to reclaim it. “You can’t just go calling people.”

“Yuu, are you okay?” His sister’s voice called from the other end of the phone “I’m heading over.” She declared.

“No. I mean, yes. I mean, you don’t have to, you can’t-” The line was already dead, he didn’t know how many of his feeble protestations she heard.

The average flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo took over four hours. How Nene left her apartment, procured one, and arrived at his door in less than 2 he didn’t bother to ask. It would have at least required breaking the sound barrier.

But then, barriers had never stopped her before.

“What’s up.” She asked simply

He did his best to muster a scowl. “You didn’t have to come all the way out here; I can take care of myself.”

As was his custom, Damemon destroyed whatever farce Yuu presented. “It’s no good, Yuu’s been having no good thoughts.”

“No good thoughts.” She said quietly, looking between them. “Yuu, you have to understand that wasn’t your fault.”

He quaked but did not respond, her hand reached out to rest on his fist as she repeated herself. “It was not your fault.”

“But it was.” he drew back, “It was my fault. If it hadn’t been for me, then hundreds, thousands, who even knows how many! They all wouldn’t have had to suffer! None of them would have had to die!” he threw his arm out, knocking over some cabinet, a priceless vase colliding to the floor.

Nene seemed unfazed by his outburst, “Bugramon was the one who chose the path of war. You had nothing to do with that, he chose to make them suffer, not you.”

“I chose! I saw them suffering, I saw their pain and I ignored it. No, it’s worse: I enjoyed it! I felt like a god, being able to choose who won and who lost. Using some as pawns to die and keeping others alive for my win.” His voice dropped. “Bugramon didn’t do that. I was the one who did it.”

“That wasn’t your fault either. Darknightmon tricked you. Even I -”

“-Because of me!” he shouted “He used me to enslave, he used me to manipulate you. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have had to stain your perfect hands. -”

“-Perfect?”

“- God I’m such a screwup. You’re the heir, you’re the eldest. Literally no expectations on me except ‘don’t mess things up’ and I turn both of us into mass murders.”

He felt her arms wrap around him, pulling him close. He couldn’t find the strength to break free, so he stayed there, staining her shirt with his tears.

“I am not perfect.” She said “You are not a screwup. And neither of us are mass murders.”

“We, we.” He couldn’t bear to say it. “It doesn’t matter if they came back. I still…” he unleashed another bought of sobs.

“No good, that thinking is no good.” Damemon insisted. “Death is different to us Digimon. It is unpleasant yes, and best to be avoided. But it’s not like humans do. Digimon never completely die.”

“We are not mass murders.” Nene insisted. “That doesn’t make what either of us did okay, but neither of us are truly murders.”

He wasn’t sure he agreed. His fingers curled into fists. “Even if Digimon come back, humans wouldn’t, right? Taiki had to trick the rose to be set free, you couldn’t just kill him and revive him. And he, I almost.” he couldn’t even bear to say it. “…It was so close.”

Yuu felt a bile burn in his throat, remembering just how little effort more he would have needed to snuff a life out completely. “You too Nene. If Minervamon hadn’t hidden in your Xros loader. In that case I would have, and you would have….”

“But you didn’t,” she said, “and you didn’t intend to. There’s no point worrying about what could have happened if it didn’t happen and you never intended for it to happen. I know you would never want to hurt me.”

He shook his head. It was easy enough to say no harm done, but his nightmares disagreed. Whether or not he was intending to kill her, he was certainly intending on putting a blade through her heart. And he almost did.

She took advantage of his silence to score one more point. “And I am far from perfect. I’m not like you, I stumble more than anyone. Grandma did use to say, it took me a year to learn how to walk, you did it on your first try.”

What did that matter? It wasn’t the first attempt anyone remembered, it was the last one.

“But you always stand back up, and right now, I, I don't.” he swallowed. Everything came to him as easily as walking, and yet, “I don’t always know if I should?”

His sister didn’t respond at first. Perhaps even she was caught off guard by his confession. But then, stumping Nene was a feat he dare not have the audacity to claim.

She held him, bringing them to the ground. One hand rubbed his back, up and down, up and down. “You know, if something were to happen to you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

“You would survive.” He muttered, “You always seem to.”

“In name, maybe, but I wouldn’t enjoy any of it. I can’t see life without you.”

He continued to sniffle. God, he was so pathetic, crying here like a baby. “I’m not worth it-”

“You are!” she insisted. “You are worth it all. If anything, your biggest issue is you don’t know your worth; you’re too selfless, you value everything else above yourself.”

“I-I-I” she pulled him into her shirt more fully, muffling his resistance.

“One of these days I’ll teach you to be selfish like me. Until then, we’ll have to weaponize that selflessness of yours.” She pulled him away and stared him dead in the eye. “I want you to promise me, whenever you feel like you can’t keep going, whenever it feels like too much, you’ll find a way to pull through. For me.”

He took a few deep breaths. “That’s awful selfish of you.”

“I said I’d teach you to be selfish like me. You’re learning from the best.” She said “Promise.”

“I could never break a promise with you.”

They stared at each other for a few more seconds.

She took a deep breath. “I told you I stumble more than anyone. I’ve faced failure after failure. Going to Hong Kong, Father cut me off. I had no money, no connections, I had to start from zero. I thought there was no way I could keep going more times than I could count.

“And when those times come, I think of you. I think about how you’d stop everything, just to give a funeral to a butterfly. I think about how you’d always try to help everyone, even when too young or too small to be of any real use. You are my light, the thing that keeps me going even when immersed in darkness.”

Her hands were now on the side of his face, forcing him to look at her. “Now promise. Promise me that wasn’t all in vain. Promise me that I won’t lose my reason for continuing to push myself. Promise me you’ll keep going, if only for my sake. That’s all it has to be for now.”

Yuu took a deep breath, body shaking as the request percolated through him.

“I promise.”

She smiled, and pulled him close again, suffocating him in her embrace. “And now your first lesson in selfishness: Just let it all out. Don’t worry about me or Damemon or anyone else.”

That night Yuu released a year’s worth of tears.

Note: one etymology for Yuu is twilight, which doesn’t have to mean dawn, but it kind of fits here.

#digimon #digiweek2021 #digimon xros wars #digimon hunters #yuu amano #nene amano #tw: suicidal thoughts #Aka the fic that took over my life for a bit #Yuu needs more hugs

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unmaskedagain · 4 years

Text

I Knew You Were Trouble

I got really inspired today. This is another crossover fic. It’s actually with one of my all-time favorite childhood movies. Can you guess the crossover before the end?

Marinette knew he was trouble the second he walked in.

Like there was nothing Marinette was surer about than the fact that she was in some serious trouble.

Not school trouble. Not friend trouble. Not boy trouble. Not bully trouble.

No. The trouble that resulted in Marinette’s parents attending her funeral.

“Care to introduce yourself,” Bustier smiled at her newest student.

The boy gave the class a polite smile, “Kal.”

Marinette swallowed hard as she fought the urge to run from the classroom; run, call her grandmother, never look back. But she wouldn’t. She couldn’t. Her Aunt Aggie had always told her to be brave when faced when the forces of evil.

She wouldn’t run from the likes of Kal.

Marinette just had one question.

How was he here? How was he alive? How did he look exactly the same now as he did in the pictures from twenty years ago?

Her cousin had destroyed him, like she did his father. In the battle of light versus darkness; good versus evil, Good won. Light won. Kal had been sucked into an endless void, dead, never to be seen or heard from again.

…Until today.

The handsome dark haired boy looked around the class with clear distaste. He wore a shirt and black pants. He eyed the students, with a bored expression on his face. The girls swooned when he smirked there way. Marinette kept her face black as his eyes looked over her; doing her best not to draw attention to herself.

Then the oddest thing happen; Kal didn’t blink twice at Marinette. He barely looked like he knew she was in the room. That didn’t mean much to Marinette. The bluenette practically radiated magic some days. He’d figure her out in no time. No, Marinette couldn’t play defense with the likes of Kal. Offense only.

Bustier directed him to the back of the class, to the only empty seat available… Next to Marinette. And once again, the bluenette cursed her rotten luck. However, her heart was filled with hope with Lila got involved.

“Maybe Kal can seat next to me,” Lila said. “There’s enough room with me and Adrien. I know what it’s like to be new. I can help you.”

Kal rolled his eyes, “I’m good. But thank you.” And swaggered to the seat in back. As he sat down, he winked at Marinette. Marinette smiled brightly at him like she would at nearly anyone. Though to do so, she had to stab herself in the leg with a pen to stop herself from stabbing him.

The class started. Bustier began teaching her lesson unaware of the drama that was just about to happen in her class.

“Must be my lucky day,” He leaned in and whispered to her. “I get to sit next to the prettiest girl in school.”

Marinette kept the smile on her face, as to not draw any attention their way, though not it felt more like baring her teeth, the same way some animals did when they attacked. “How’s your father?” Marinette whispered back. “Kalabar, wasn’t it?”

Kal’s black eyes widened in shock before settled on a pleased expression. “A witch,” He stated. “Good. I’d thought I’d end up killing myself stuck around mortals.”

“They’re not that bad,” Marinette was quick to defend. Her mother was mortal after all. “Mortals that is. The kids in this class,” Most of which were now her ex-friends. “Kind of suck. Why are you here?”

“They suck,” Kal chuckled. “And yet you’re here. A long way from...” He seemed to remember where they were as he cast a quick look around and his voice lowered, “Our native land.”

Marinette pretended to flip through the pages of her textbook. “You’re a long way from the dark pit in hell you crawled out of,” She hissed. “Planning on taking over the world again? Because I have no problem kicking you right back there.”

Kal snorted. “Such righteous fury. You remind me of…” The amused looked turned into a glare. “Cromwell?”

Marinette giggled and nodded, “Marnie’s my cousin.”

Rage overtook Kal’s face. All the lights in the classroom suddenly exploded. Shadows grew stronger as Kal’s magic was unleashed, and seemed to overtake half of the class room. The only light came from the sunlight behind Marinette, and radiated from the bluenette as she let her magic rise in all its glory.

And once again, the darkness of a son of Kalabar and the light of a daughter of Cromwell battled against other.

The kids panicked.

“Everyone remain calm,” Bustier said. “If there is an akuma we’ll be alerted. Ladybug will take care of it. Everything will be fine.”

“Akuma?” Kal asked, his eyes still trained on the Bluenette, with a raised eyebrow.

Marinette shrugged, “Welcome to Paris.”

Then he smiled at her; really, honestly smiled. It was the most mesmerizing sight. And she forgot. For one second, she forgot the evil that she was always warned lurked in the heart of a Kalabar.

But now she understood why her cousin had fallen so hard for him when she was a teenager. Marnie hadn’t just been a foolish, naïve teenager head over heels for some guy she just met. No, there was more to it. There was something alluring about the way Kal held himself, the aura he projected; the way his magic sang to hers.

Marinette just wondered one thing…

Why does the devil look so much like an angel when he smiles as you?

The class went by quickly. Witch and warlock feigned relaxation, while going over every spell they had ever learned in their heads.

When the bell rang, Marinette was gone. She flew out the door as fast as her feet could take her. She couldn’t go home, she knew; not yet. So instead, she headed to the library. In the far back where they put all the outdated computers.

She sat down on the top of an old table and tried to catch her breath. Then out of the shadows, literally, walked Kal. He shook his head at her, “Don’t you know?” He asked the Cromwell witch. “No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it.”

Marinette crossed her arms, “And yet all the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”

Kal raised in hands in surrender, “I don’t mean you any harm.”

“That sounds like a lie.”

“I’m serious,” The dark haired teen stated. “You can tell. I know you can. It’s a Cromwell gift. You can always tell when someone is lying. Listen to me carefully. I, Kal, son of Kalabar do not mean you any harm. I was not aware you went to this school. I was not aware any witch of the Cromwell bloodline was in France. Okay?”

Marinette wanted to stomp her foot in protest. He was telling the truth. “Why are you even? Why do you look like that? Aren’t you like in your late thirties?”

“I should be,” Kal frowned, “I should be thirty-five. I should be a graduate of Witch University. I should be back home, in the family mansion, with a family of my own. Or about to start one. I should be an adult, living a life of my own. Do you want to know why I’m not?”

“Why?”

Kal sat on top of the table across from Marinette, “Because after the fight with Marnie was sent somewhere; in a prison the forces of light and dark had created during our battle. I was stuck in a place outside of space and time. Outside of reality. That existed everywhere and nowhere. An endless void. Every world and realm I went to was frozen on the moment I was sent there. Just after midnight on Halloween night. And it never changed. The clocks never ticked, not once. The sun never rose or set. The moon was never full or new; just a crescent in the sky. The flowers never bloomed. There was nothing and no one but me; wandering from empty town to empty town. I never knew how much time had passed. Sometimes it felt like an eternity had gone by, sometimes just a few minutes. It didn’t matter one way or another; I never aged. The tricky party was not going completely insane. And I spent a lot of time wondering I had or not. If I deserved this what I did, for the people I hurt.”

Marinette remained silent as he talked; truth ringing in his words.

“I read every book in the Witch University library,” Kal continued. “I read every book in the Oxford University library. Half to keep myself from going crazy, half to try to figure out a way home. I never did. Some things just don’t make sense. Like a bunch of Cromwells being powerful enough to break the barrier between our world and mortal realm.” He laughed a bit there. “Then one day, the entire world shook, literally. And then I’m falling, and the next thing I know I’m landing in the middle of your Agatha Cromwell’s kitchen. She looked exactly the same too so I think I hadn’t been gone that long. Then she tells me with this pitying look on her face; twenty had gone by.”

Kal closed his eyes as anger coursed through his veins. He clenched his fists. “Twenty years. I had been gone for twenty years. In twenty years, do you even know can happen? You were born. You grew up. You are the exact age I was when I left. And still you are younger than the amount of time I was there. When you said you were a Cromwell; for five seconds I thought you were Marnie’s daughter. Because that’s how long it’s been. Both realms have changed and left me behind. My friends are all grown up; they have kids and lives and stories. My mother passed away while I was gone. I don’t recognize my own home; the place I was born, raised, lived, laughed, and loved. And that same place doesn’t recognize me either. Saint Agatha Cromwell took mercy on me and sent me here. You were right, I did crawl out of hell.”

It went quiet. Neither knowing entirely what to say. She couldn’t believe her aunt didn’t warn her she was sending a Kalabar her way. Oh, she was so telling her grandma.

Marinette broke first. “You didn’t deserve that,” She said. “Sure, you turned everyone in your world into human. And everyone here into monsters but no one hurt. Most don’t even remember. You didn’t deserve an eternity of nothingness. Prison, yes. But not that. You were just a kid. You’re just a kid.” Like me, she didn’t answered.

�� He nodded stiffly.

“If it means anything…” She said. “Marnie still swears you were the toughest villain she ever fought. And she took down a guy who tried to steal her family magic, hired a witch killing knight, and tried to destroy the doorway between the worlds forever.”

Kal blinked, a bit stunned, “That’s a compliment if I ever heard one.”

Marinette giggled. He smiled. And once more, Marinette fought not to look away. She was a Cromwell witch. She would not go weak in the knees over a Kalabar. “Let’s just agree to stay away from each other.”

He got off the desk, letting the darkness of his magic flair up, and he leaned toward her, “I don’t make deals with Cromwells,” He whispered. Marinette’s breath caught in her throat. “So why don’t you be a good little witch and stay off my bad side.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” Marinette whispered. “This is my city.”

“Then prepare to see it burn.”

Marinette couldn’t stop the giggle that came from her. “You’ve already had time to catch up on Batman movies?”

Kal grinned, “That was the first thing I did.” He smirked. “I think you and I could have a lot of fun, Marinette. Teach the mortals a thing or two. I’ve been here less than a day and I already want to turn half the class into toads. Specifically that Lila girl.”

“Yeah,” Marinette shrugged. “That feeling never quite goes away.” It gotten worse, if anything. Her friends had all turned against her; fell one by one to Lila’s lies. “But I’m a big witch. I can handle them myself.”

Kal stuffed his hands in his pockets, “Yet you haven’t. And I don’t think you want to. Even though every part of you screams you should.”

Marinette shook her head, “We’ve evolved past that.”

Kal shrugged, “If you ever change your mind…” He moved to leave but then turned back around, a rose was in his hand, “Or maybe I really did inherit my father's attraction to Cromwell witches.” He gave her the rose.

Marinette took it, a small smile on her face. “You shouldn’t let your magic do you’re talking for you.”

He didn’t answer; just disappeared back into the shadows.

Yep, Kal was trouble.

And Marinette was definitely in trouble.

#ml fic #ml salt #class salt #halloween town #marinette dupain cheng #Marinette deserves better

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fablesrose · 3 years

Text

Tell Me a Story 4 (Finale)

Summary: Finally, Chuck is out of the picture. Happily ever after, right? Looks like we’re taking a detour.

Word Count: 1,837

Pairing: fbi!dean x mafia!reader

Square Filled: Mutual Pining

Masterlist ~ Bingo Masterlist

Other parts in Bingo Masterlist!

A/n: SURPRISE! I’m posting this a day early because I wanted to. Final chapter to Tell Me a Story! All of them have corresponded with @girl-next-door-writes Make Me Feel Bingo. Thank you all for reading!

“I still can’t believe they did this to you!”

“I can.”

“I mean, you helped take down Chuck! A highly wanted crime lord! They can’t do this!”

“Dean, you and I both know they very well can,” I readjusted the plastic phone against my ear as Dean looked angrily at me through the glass.

“You shouldn’t be in prison.” He tapped at the table subconsciously.

I shrugged, “Nothing either of us can do. They connected me to some other unsolved crimes, getting Chuck reduced my sentence by quite a bit though, so there’s that.”

He nodded, knowing I was right, but still angry.

I looked him over and bit at the inside of my lip, “You kind of robbed me, you know that?”

“Hmm?”

“You look good in a suit.”

He smiled beautifully, though I could see some blush on his ears, “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“Oh yeah,” I gestured to my jumpsuit, “because prison orange is totally my color right?”

He laughed, “I meant for the circumstances.”

“Suuurrreee...” I smiled teasingly at him. “You back at the FBI?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Got any new cases with hot girls?”

“No, but if I did they wouldn’t compare to you.”

“That’s hilarious,” I tried to hide my blush, but I was sure it wasn’t working very well.

“You holding up okay in there? Your shoulder okay?”

“Dean, we talked about this, that was months ago, my shoulder is fine. I’m bored out of my mind most of the time. What am I supposed to do if I’m not getting into knife fights with teenagers?” I giggled at him and he joined in.

“Yeah, okay, okay.” Dean turned as a guard tapped his shoulder, “Alright, visiting hours are now over, I get it.”

I glanced around and saw that we were the last ones left.

Dean placed his hand on the glass, “Hang in there, okay Angel?”

I smiled and placed my hand on his on my side of the barrier, “You got it Hot Shot.”

I didn’t get many visitors. Dean came the most often. Eventually Dean talked to Sam and told him that I was here. We caught up for a couple of visits. He’s really happy. He also told me that his wife doesn’t enjoy the thought of him coming to a prison frequently, which I don’t blame her, so he only comes occasionally.

“You know, Meg calls me sometimes.”

“At the FBI?” I was confused and impressed at the same time. She really did like Dean.

“Yeah, it’s always from a pay phone. She asks about you. If you’re okay.”

I blinked, “I… I was not expecting that.”

He chuckled, “Yeah, I didn’t either.”

“Why don’t you tell her to stop by if she’s so worried about me next time she calls?”

“I will.��

It seemed Meg never took me up on my offer, but Dean did say that she and the boys sent their love when he told her. That’s okay though, I wouldn’t want to see what the inside of a prison looks like either.

I did, however get an unexpected, though not unwanted, visitor.

“Castiel! It’s so good to see you!”

“Hello Y/n.” He had the usual look on his face: tired, serious, slightly confused.

I shifted to a more comfortable position in my highly uncomfortable chair, “So how’s the city all mafia free?”

He sighed, “I wish that were true. The Fallen are still running around. A name has been in the rumors of who’s taken over. A Rowena.”

“Damn, I thought she was dead.”

“So you know her?” He leaned forward extremely interested.

I leaned back, “She won’t cause you too much trouble. She was in very close relations with Crowley. She’ll help build the city back up, maybe even get somethings legal.” I paused to think, “At least, that’s what she would have done when I knew her. It’s been a while, and I don’t plan on meeting up with her again.”

Cas’ shoulders slumped a little bit, “Hmm...”

“At least you’re not bored.”

He rubbed his eyes with one hand, “I wish that were true too.”

I smirked, “Awe, don’t tell me that you missed me.”

“I won’t.”

“Well, I missed our little talks too.” I smiled at him, trying to show him I was sincere. “Speaking of little talks, have you talked to Meg since I’ve been gone?”

He mumbled something.

“Hmm?”

“I said no, she’s in the mob Y/n!”

“I was in the mob and you talked to me.”

“This is different and you know it.”

I knocked on the glass, “Come on Cas! You need a little creativity and fluidity in your stiff life. Bring some joy. I think Meg can do that. She likes you, you like her, and don’t tell her I told you or else she will break in here just to kill me. That is highly classified.”

“Maybe you’re right,” he kept his eyes on the table, softly scratching at it.

“You’re a good man Cas, remember that.”

He didn’t comment on that, but raised his head suddenly with a burst of confused energy, “Speaking of classified, why didn’t you tell me that you were working to take Chuck out of power.”

I looked at him sympathetically, “I think you know why Cas.”

“I would have helped you.”

“I know.”

“You know, I think we would have been friends, in another life. If you believe in that sort of thing.”

“What are we not friends now?”

His smile made his eyes crinkle, “We would have been good friends, close friends. Not separated by lines.”

“How ‘bout the new life when I get out of here huh? Would we be friends then?”

“Well that depends, are you going to live a good life?”

I exaggeratedly concentrated, “I don’t know yet. I still have time to think about it though, don’t I?”

He laughed, “Yeah, I guess you do.” We just looked at each other for a moment, wondering what was next. “You’re a good woman, Y/n. I hope you know that.”

I bit my lip before giving him a half smile, “Thanks for stopping by Cas. See you again?”

He stood up with a teasing look on his face and said before he hung up the phone, “I’ll think about it.”

The days slowly ticked by. While these various conversations were heaven sent, they only took up so much of my time, and there were only so many days people could come and talk. And there were only so many people who would.

In my down time I ended up picking up a pen. Making stories was strangely soothing. It was a place where I could do what ever I want, be what ever I wanted to be. I started to see why Chuck liked them so much. We’re all just trying to escape.

I swear I was starting to become a romantic. Dean stopped by and as a lull in the conversation came, I traced his face with my eyes. Every line, every inch. His facial hair was a short scruff, but well kept. The annoyingly bright artificial lights reflected off his skin and made his eyes sparkle. This man was going to be the death of me.

For a moment, but only that, I thought he might have been doing the same to me, but then he swallowed and looked at the table for a second before breaking the silence. “I got assigned to a case so I’m going to be busier.”

I nodded in understanding, “Congrats, I miss- I’ll miss you.”

He smiled softly, waiting for me to cover his hand on the glass, “I’ll miss you too.”

The last couple of months of my sentence were quiet. Dean didn’t come by as much, if at all. I wasn’t sure if time was moving faster or slower, if it even existed. Then, out of nowhere, they gave me my clothes and possessions, and told me I was free to go.

I walked out in the dress I was wearing to court, I probably should have worn heels, but I was stubborn and had worn boots with it instead. As I walked through the doors the warm sun hit my face and I took a moment to breathe the fresh air as a free woman.

As I walked toward the gate I saw a familiar man leaning against the fence. I was delighted to see that he was wearing my favorite suit, and it looked even better on him out in the open and not through the dingy glass in the prison. I could tell it was tailored to him, going the extra mile in flattering his figure.

“Hey Hot Shot.”

He pushed himself off the fence making it clang against itself as he locked eyes with me, “Hey Angel.”

We walked toward each other until we were face to face, “And what are you doing here?”

“I figured you could use a ride.”

I smiled and snuck a glance at his car, “Is that all?”

He sighed and looked up at the sky before looking back at me, as if he was hyping himself up for something, “No… I also wanted to say something that I’ve been wanting to for a long time.”

I bit my lip, wondering if I should get my hopes up I whispered, “What would that be?”

He took a step closer, “That I love you.” His hands reached out and grabbed my arms as if making sure I was really here.

I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face, “Why didn’t you say it earlier?”

“Because then I couldn’t do this,” he pulled me closer and dipped his head towards mine, “may I?”

“I’ve been waiting too long for this for you to stop now.” I met him where he was which seemed to surprise him slightly.

My hand traveled up until it was running through his hair. My other hand rested on his shoulder to give me some stability. His hands left my arms and found their way to my waist where he could pull me closer.

He was firm and eager like he had waited too long too. He nibbled on my lip to which I let out a moan before softly pulling away.

“I love you too.”

He kissed my cheek gently, “You know, ever since that ally way I’ve been wondering what those noises sounded like for real.”

I laughed and shoved him playfully, “Is that so!”

He laughed with me and grabbed my waist with one arm to lead me toward his car, “Yeah… I hope you haven’t been too bored in there without my company.”

“Oh, I’ve managed. I actually took up writing to fill up my time. Knights in shining armor, villains with a cause.”

“That sounds very interesting.”

I huffed lightly, “So what made you make the stupid decision of loving me?”

He smiled and paused to give me one more loving kiss.

“Come on Angel, let me tell you a story.”

Best Buds Tag List: @snarky--starky @kitkatd7 @confetti-its-an-imagine-blog @kaogasm

Dean: @akshi8278 @msmarvelouswinchester

TMAS: @flamencodiva

#dean x reader #spncreatorsdaily #Girl Next Door's Make Me Feel Bingo #fbi!dean #mafia!reader #mutual pining #fluff #dean winchester #dean winchester x reader

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justkimberley · 4 years

Text

If You Scream in a Museum and Nobody Can Hear You, Do You Make a Sound?

Word Count: 3408

Summary: Willie is trying to deal with everything that has happened, the best way he knows how. By screaming in a museum about all that he's lost. Alex is poofing all over LA to try and find Willie so that he can know that Alex is okay. Will they find each other? If they do, what will happen next?

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Willie was glad that Alex crossed over. Really, he was. He would much rather that Alex be in whatever happens in the great beyond than for him to have flickered out of existence. But… Willie was also devastated.

Willie had forgotten what it felt like to care about someone so much that it hurt. To care about someone and feel it in his chest, to think about someone all the time, to want for them to be happy, because if they’re happy, you’re happy. Willie had been a ghost for longer than he’d been alive, and Alex was the first ghost he had made an actual connection with. Sure, Willie worked for Caleb, and, at the start, he had a sort of father-son caring relationship with Caleb, but that hadn’t lasted long. As soon as Caleb had Willie’s soul, that relationship became toxic. Caleb leaching off of Willie, and Willie having nowhere else to go and no say in the matter if he wanted to be safe. Caleb had what he needed, and Willie had the protection of Caleb. It was fine. Willie had been happy enough skating through Hollywood during the day, and performing with Caleb at night. But, after he ran into Alex (literally), his afterlife had just gotten so much better.

Alex, with his pink hoodie and his constant tapping. His wide smile, and his nervous pacing, and his absolute confusion about the modern world after being in a dark room for 25 years. Thinking about Alex used to just make Willie smile. Ever since the Orpheum, that smile was bittersweet. Actually, ever since Caleb gave the boys stamps, that smile had been bittersweet. Alex himself made Willie smile, but everything that had happened to Alex because of Willie… well that was the bitter part, along with the fact that Alex had crossed over. But, he was happy for Alex, he really was. He was just… sad. And mad. And frustrated, and annoyed, and confused, and heartbroken, and just so, so, angry with Caleb.

How could Caleb take advantage of lost souls like this? Willie was just a kid when he died. Willie’s still just a kid. He’s a seventeen year old kid who just wants to skate for the rest of his death, why did Caleb have to take that away from him? Alex and his band were just a group of seventeen year olds who wanted to make music and share it with the world! Why did Caleb have to take that away from them? Why did Caleb have to take more people away from Julie. Julie, the lifer Willie had never met but had still grown rather fond of, just from hearing how much she meant to Alex. It felt like Julie was practically Willie’s little sister too.

And so, Willie was here at the museum, because he needed to scream, and he needed to break the rules, and he sort of felt like torturing himself by doing it somewhere that reminded him of Alex. After all, Alex was the main reason that Willie had woken up to what his death could be. And Alex was the main reason why Willie felt so torn up inside. And Alex was the only person, living or dead, that Willie wanted to see right now. And Alex was the one person Willie cared about that he knew he would never see again.

And, with that final thought, Willie threw his head back and screamed. Willie screamed for Alex, for the experiences that he would never get to have with Alex and for the things he would never get to do with Alex again. He screamed for his own death, and how unfair it was that he had been taken so young. For the fact that he watched his family grieve his death. For the fact that he couldn’t bear to visit his actual little sister anymore, because she was so much older than he would ever be, her kids were so much older than he’d ever be. And that it hurt too much to see them, knowing that they had no idea he was still watching over them, protecting them. He screamed about Caleb, for all of the anguish that Caleb had caused him by taking away everything he had ever cared about. For all of the souls that Caleb had stolen, and manipulated, and cheated. Willie yelled for his family, for the loss that they felt because of his own recklessness and the inattentive driver. Willie cried out for the inattentive driver, who Willie had watched slowly descend into grief over having killed a young boy. Who Willie had tried to help, tried to show that he was forgiven, but the man had died of overdose trying to cope with the guilt anyway. Willie screamed for Julie, for the fact that she had to lose four people so important to her within such a short time at such a young age.

And then Willie screamed for himself again, for the heartbreak he could feel so painfully in his chest even though he didn’t have an actual heart anymore. Willie screamed, and yelled, and fell to the floor, his voice breaking into sobs, pounding his hand against the floor, just to feel something other than the soreness in his vocal cords and the pain in his chest at all that he had lost. And, when Willie’s screaming quieted down, he heard footsteps quickly approaching him from the staircase. Willie kept sobbing while he numbly thought to himself that the guard must be finally making his rounds upstairs. For the first time today, Willie was glad to be dead, the guard wouldn’t see him, so Willie would be left alone in his misery, just the way he wanted to be.

_____________________

Alex had been looking for Willie for two days. After nearly flickering out of existence and Julie’s magical hug of freedom, Carlos had walked into the studio and they found out that he could see them. That turned an already long night into an even longer night of explaining everything to Ray and Carlos, and trying to figure out how far the whole being visible thing extended. Only Julie could actually touch them though, that much they knew. They eventually reached the conclusion that anyone Julie loves could see them, and no one else could unless of course they were playing music. But, after that exhausting night was over, the boys slept like the dead (thanks for that Reggie). When Alex finally woke up he realized that he needed to find Willie because as far as Willie knew, Alex was gone, and Alex needed to fix that as soon as he could.

On the first day, Alex poofed to every skatepark in LA twice, just in case Willie had gone to one after Alex had left it. On the second day, Alex checked all the places Willie had talked about, including Justin Bieber’s pool, and every place that Willie had ever taken him. The art museum, the bench where they had first talked, Hollywood Boulevard, anywhere that he could think of, but he came up empty handed. Alex took a seat on the bench in the nearly empty mall he was searching and tried to come up with somewhere else that Willie might be. He was starting to feel tired and defeated. He figured that Willie would have to lay low and hide from Caleb, considering that he had helped them get their performance at the Orpheum. Not to mention that the chances of them both being at the same place at the same time was incredibly low when there was no predetermined meeting time. LA is a big city, how would Alex ever find Willie? Alex quickly scanned the few faces left at the shopping mall one last time and then decided to go check the art museum again before he turned in for the night. He was so tired. It seemed that they needed to sleep more now that Julie could touch them. Or maybe Alex just needed to sleep more because he had spent his last two days poofing around the city and being incredibly anxious.

The museum was dark when Alex got there. When he looked through the glass door, he could see the night guard’s flashlight moving through the construction equipment on the other side of the museum, so Alex took a deep breath, prayed to whatever was out there that he would find Willie here, and walked through the door.

As soon as Alex crossed the threshold he could hear the screaming. And the security guard wasn’t reacting to it, so Alex knew that it must be Willie. Alex felt his nonexistent heartbeat speed up and a smile grew on his face as he started searching around the museum for Willie. The thing about the museum was, because of the odd architecture, it was very hard to pinpoint where the screaming was coming from, so Alex took off at a jog, listening for the screaming as he moved to see if he was getting closer.

The more Alex heard of the screaming, the faster he moved. This wasn’t the light-hearted yelling that Alex had heard when Willie brought him here. This was guttural, heart-wrenching, screaming. It was full of anguish, and pain, and anger, and Alex didn’t even feel it as he picked up the pace trying to cover more ground quicker. When Alex finally realized that the screaming was coming from an upper floor, he ran up the stairs two at a time, needing to get to Willie as fast as possible. As soon as he cleared the top step and could see past the barrier he saw Willie standing across the room, screaming at the roof with tears streaming down his face. As Alex took his first step towards Willie, Willie’s voice broke. Alex watched in horror as Willie fell to the ground, striking it with his hand over, and over, and over again, as heartbreaking sobs wrenched through his body. Alex was sprinting across the floor now, unable to say anything. His throat was choked up with emotion at seeing Willie like this, knowing that he had caused Willie this pain.

When Alex finally reached Willie, he dropped to the floor immediately and grabbed Willie’s hand to stop him from hitting the ground, causing Willie to look up in alarm, freezing as soon as he saw Alex. Alex ran his thumb over the back of Willie’s hand as he watched Willie process what was happening. Willie opened his mouth, trying to ask something, but no sound would come out, so Alex did the only thing he could think of. He pulled Willie into a hug, and ran his fingers through Willie’s hair, muttering soft reassurances as he held Willie as tight as he could without hurting him.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. I’ve been trying to find you. We’re okay, we’re all okay, Julie saved us somehow. And we’re going to figure out how to save you too. You’re gonna be okay, you’re gonna be safe, I’m gonna protect you,” Alex murmured into Willie’s hair, sighing in relief as Willie’s arms finally wrapped themselves around Alex’s body, holding Alex just as tightly as Alex was holding him.

“How are you even here? Are you real? Am I dreaming?” Willie’s voice cracked as he finally spoke, “I’ve dreamt of finding you before, but this is so real. How can my brain be this cruel. When I wake up, the feeling of you in my arms will fade and it’ll be so much worse than before,”

Alex pulled Willie closer at those words, and felt Willie’s tears on his shoulder, suddenly becoming aware of his own tears running down his face. “It’s not a dream Willie, I promise. I’m really here. We’re really okay. Julie got Caleb’s stamps off of us and we didn’t cross over, and we’re here. I won’t leave you again, I promise. I’m here, I’m here,” Alex pulled away from the hug to look Willie in the eyes, trying to prove that he wasn’t lying, only to see that Willie’s eyes were squeezed shut. “Willie, please, open your eyes, you’re not dreaming,” Alex begged, brushing his thumbs under Willie’s eyes to wipe away the tears.

“But what if I am?” Willie asked in a broken whisper, breaking Alex’s heart again.

“You’re not, I promise,” Alex replied, his throat tight, “Please?”

Alex watched as Willie slowly opened his eyes, like he was afraid that Alex would disappear, and to be fair, that’s probably exactly what he was afraid of.

“You’re really here?” Willie asked, his big brown eyes looking at Alex in shock. Alex nodded. “Oh my god, you’re here! You’re actually here!” Willie shouted, his voice breaking due to the strain of yelling earlier. He stood up abruptly, pulling Alex with him and then walked a circle around Alex, as if to make sure that Alex was totally, fully really here. “How are you here?” Willie finally asked, reaching out to touch Alex again, like he was still afraid that Alex would disappear any moment.

Alex pulled Willie to the nearest bench and they sat down together. Willie listened intently as Alex recounted the whole story of the night of their performance at the Orpheum holding Willie’s hand the whole time. How Caleb had gotten them, how Julie had called them back, how they had almost flickered completely out, and how Julie had saved them, all because Reggie had autopilot manners. And, when he reached the end of that story, he recounted how he had spent the last two days searching for Willie to try to tell him that he was okay and still here as a ghost. At the end of Alex recounting his search, Alex saw that Willie had a smile on his face. The first genuine, fully happy, content smile that Alex had seen since he had found Willie.

“There’s that smile, I missed that smile,” Alex said, mostly to himself, reaching out to brush a loose strand of hair out of Willie’s face, blushing when he realized what he had just done and that Willie definitely would have heard him.

“Aww, Hotdog, you’re going soft on me,” Willie smiled teasingly at Alex and squeezed his hand.

Alex could still see the dried tear tracks on Willie’s face, and he felt his heart clench, “Yeah, I am,” he smiled before pulling Willie into another hug, “And I am so glad that I’m here for you to see it.” Alex revelled in the feeling of holding Willie in his arms, happy to finally be there with him after two days of non-stop stress.

Willie suddenly pulled back from the hug and looked at Alex intently, grabbing Alex’s hands, “Will you be my boyfriend, Hotdog?” Willie asked confidently.

Alex blushed, and then smiled down at their hands before looking back at Willie’s eyes, “Yeah, I’d like that,” Alex watched as the biggest smile he’d ever seen filled Willie’s face, “Hey, I think that Julie and the guys were gonna have a movie night tonight, you want to join them?” Alex asked hopefully.

“Sounds like a plan, Hotdog,” Willie said before standing up and pulling Alex with him, holding hands as they poofed to the studio together.

__________________

The first thing Willie heard when they materialized in the studio was the tell-tale sound of the Universal Studios logo from a Pitch Perfect movie. The second thing he heard was five voices yelling the name of his boyfriend, followed closely by the sound of three pairs of footsteps running towards them. Willie caught up with what was happening about one second before Alex got plowed over by his bandmates, letting go of Alex’s hand as it happened so that he didn’t get taken down with them.

“We missed you buddy!” Luke said, sitting up and then giving Alex’s shoulder a gentle squeeze before pulling him to sit up.

“Yeah man, we haven’t seen you since yesterday morning,” Reggie added, patting Alex a couple times on the back.

“Alex, we’re watching Pitch Perfect, if you’re feeling up to it, I know you’ll love it. But if you have to leave early tomorrow morning to search again, we can move somewhere else,” Julie said, looking at Alex hopefully. Willie looked at her in confusion before he realized that Julie must not be able see him like she could see the boys.

Willie watched as Alex, Luke, and Reggie all looked at Julie in confusion. It seems that they also didn’t know she couldn’t see him.

“Julie, what are you talking about Willie’s right - ohhh,” Reggie said, gesturing towards Willie before he cut himself off. The other boys also realized what was happening, and then looked sheepish. Julie looked at all of them, waiting for them to fill her in, and Willie started laughing at the situation.

“Julie, I found Willie, he’s actually right there, watching us and laughing at our stupidity,” Alex said gesturing at Willie. Willie stood up taller and stopped laughing, forgetting that Julie couldn’t see him for a brief moment.

“Julie, I think it’s important for you to know that Willie just tried to make himself look more respectable to make a better impression even though he knows you can’t see him,” Reggie said, smirking at Willie, “I see what you’re doing, trying to impress the family,”

Willie felt a blush rise up on his face and looked down at his shoes.

“Well, Willie is my boyfriend now, so I guess it makes sense for him to want you guys to like him,” Alex said blushing.

“Alex!” Luke yelled, shaking Alex’s shoulder, “Why didn’t you tell us! I’m so happy for you dude!”

“Well it’s not like you really gave me a chance to,”

“Welcome to the family!” Reggie said, standing up and surprising Willie by pulling him into a hug. Willie hugged him back and looked at Alex over Reggie’s shoulder in confusion. Alex just gave him a shrug and took in the praise from Julie about ‘getting his mans’. Willie loved watching how confused Alex got when Julie used modern slang.

“So, are we gonna watch the movie, or do we have to wait until tomorrow because you guys are being all mushy? I have a bedtime, you know!” Willie heard from behind him. The voice made Reggie let go of Willie, so Willie turned to see Reggie saunter toward a young boy who must be Julie’s brother, Carlos, if Willie remembered correctly.

“You got it little man,” Reggie said, reaching out to ruffle Carlos’ hair, but really just waving his hand through Carlos’ head a couple times.

“Woah, brain freeze,”

“Sorry dude, I forgot,”

“All good! This is still so cool!” Carlos’ shouted before running back to the couch to sit by the final person, who must be Julie’s dad.

“Okay niños, let’s all sit down and watch the movie,” Julie’s dad said, waving them to the couch and chairs. There seemed to be more chairs than the last time Willie was here, “And Willie, welcome to our house. I may not be able to see or hear you, but anyone who is special to my family is welcome here, you can call me Ray,”

Willie smiled at Ray and thanked him, even though Ray couldn’t hear him, and Alex translated.

When everyone was back in the vicinity of the TV, Carlos started the movie again and they all settled in. Alex pulled Willie over to a large armchair that was just wide enough for the two of them, as long as they cuddled. Julie, Luke, and Reggie all piled onto the end of the couch closest to the armchair, Reggie and Luke on either side of Julie, both holding her close. Carlos was on the other side of the couch to avoid another brain freeze, watching the movie with rapt attention, and Ray was on another arm chair, all to himself, watching over them all with a look of contentment on his face. He really must be the coolest dad ever to be okay with all of this.

Willie snuggled closer into Alex’s chest and smiled when Alex wrapped his arms a little tighter around Willie’s body, “I’m glad that I ran into you Hotdog,” Willie murmured into Alex’s chest.

“Me too,” Alex whispered, placing a gentle kiss on the top of Willie’s head before turning his attention to the movie.

Note:

Please reblog if you enjoyed it! I’ve had this idea in my head for weeks. Also I hope you enjoyed the title because there are so many layers to that baby that we can unpack.

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