#and as annoying as this new layout is and i keep clicking the wrong spot for tabs adding a read more is much easier now so i did that too
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ok so i am halfway through s4 🥹 so please no comments or messages last episode 5!! that said here are some thoughts on no particular order:
love that episode 1 picked up (almost 😉) immediately where we left off but ooooh my painfully awkward babies 💔
they are so…. i can’t even start i’ll be here all night.
my insides feel like when the pot of water you’re boiling for pasta later starts gettin a lil too nuts but hasn’t quite spilled over yet but it’s going to any second because you got distracted watching instagram reels because you deleted tik tok so you wouldn’t get addicted and then accidentally got addicted to the Worse Version of the Same Thing …. anyway who’s that about not me!
benny boy no one thought you played for the NBA <333
“devi just killed that teacher” ~ benjamin norris, king of comedy!
“girls always blame each other when it’s really the man’s fault” 💯
michael cimino, i’m eating you with a spoon! not your character, necessarily, but definitely you!
very glad they have acknowledged some of the tough parts of the college transition because my freshman year was not at all like a fun movie! and in fact it was a really rough time for me! if i use a bunch of exclamation points
let! kamala! see! i miss her… idk, doing things plz give me more
margot’s dad x devis mom is deeply messy i think i’m here for it so far! but someone find paati a good man!!!! the woman deserves it for pete’s sake!!
mr. shapiro a swiftie, we love a man with taste! need to see his eras tour outfit
also this reminds me must go listen to this playlist
speaking of…
(me chanting in the distance, getting louder and louder with each subsequent cheer) friends again! friends again! friends again! friends again!
to that end: thank you benjamin gross for getting punched in the face to protect our girl i would do the same for you both <3
i’m conclusion (for now) i want to hug them all… they all need hugs 🥺
#going to try to tag this as best i can to be flagged for spoilers! —#and as annoying as this new layout is and i keep clicking the wrong spot for tabs adding a read more is much easier now so i did that too#never have i ever#nhie s4#never have i ever season 4#never have i ever s4#spoilers#nhie spoilers#ben x devi#never have i ever spoilers#benvi#nhie#hannah watches nhie s4#<< will use this on future posts if you wanna block a tag xoxo
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★ 𝓢 𝓣𝓐 𝓡 𝓓 𝓤 𝓢 𝓣★
𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 1
Word Count: 6k
CW: swearing, slight angst
𝒦 𝐸 𝐼 𝒯 𝐻
Saturday August 31, 7:07 am
***
He woke up drenched in warm sunlight.
Wait, no. Cold sunlight. Cold sunlight? No, that's not right. Cold, artificial, too bright to be natural light.
The clicking of a light switch rang throughout the room. His eyelids turned orange, the fluorescent light source directly behind them. Click. Click. Click.
He pulled the sheets closer to his chin, mumbling sentences that didn’t even make sense to himself. He’d just ignore the flickering lights - and the person flicking them - until they left Keith alone and let him sleep in peace. He hoped.
Then the sheets started to shift, being pulled slightly off of his leg.
“Ugh, okay, fine, I’m up now.” He grumbled into his pillow, “What do you want from me.”
This was the same thing Shiro had done the whole week. And well basically their whole life. Randomly waking him up at such an ungodly hour by flicking the lights on and off. Kicking his foot just enough to annoy him into consciousness.
The room was occupied by boxes. Towers of them. Maybe not towers. Mounds? There were like, five boxes to unpack. Maybe seven. He’d be done in two hours, three tops. He’d been putting it off for a week, sure. But he’d do it today. Today, but not now. Later. Not at seven o’clock in the fucking morning.
“I don’t want anything. I need you to get up, and unpack. We’ve been here for almost a week and you haven’t touched your boxes, and classes start after tomorrow.” Shiro said, finally pulling the sheets off the mattress.
His body blocked the sun coming from the glass wall across the room, and when he moved away with the sheet, the cold air in the apartment from the AC washed over his legs. Shiro stepped over him, with hair still dripping wet, and sat on the other side of Keith’s mattress on the floor. They’d bought basic bed frames back home, and Krolia said she would ship it to them, but they hadn’t come in yet, so he’d had to make due.
“It’s seven am, Takashi. On a Saturday. I don’t have time for your shit,” Keith grumbled, curling in on himself, “And besides, I have opened them.” A truth. Not a whole truth, but that still counted, right?
“Opening one box to take out like two shirts since we got here doesn’t count Keith.” Shiro reprimanded, and Keith didn’t need to open his eyes to hear the smirk in his voice.
“Okay, I’ll do it. But I’ll do it later, ‘cause its seven fucking am Shiro, not everyone is as excited about the crack of dawn as you.” He finally opened his eyes, glaring at Shiro with still sleep-heavy lids.
Shiro laughed at that, water droplets falling onto Keiths face, “It’s not my fault you like to sleep away your entire existence,” He kicked at Keith’s shin as he got up, with Keith expecting the bed to dip back with the lack of weight but then it doesn't and he remembers he doesn't even have a bed frame so it isn't going to dip, because their stupid IKEA beds hadn’t come in yet. Good for nothing shipping companies, never being on time, “I’m coming back to get you in ten minutes. With a glass of water. Cold.”
“You wouldn’t.” Keith half sat up, propped on his elbow, facing him.
“Guess we’ll find out in ten minutes.”
He closed the door before Keith could get out a retort, and Keith just groaned, flopping in his bed.
Shiro’s laugh behind the door sounds fainter as the receding sound of feet against floorboards crept out of earshot.
He might as well get up now, he supposed. He was fully awake anyway. And Shiro pouring a cup of water on him if he fell asleep again wasn’t as appealing as it sounded.
He stretched out his limbs, and made his way out of bed. An incoherent string of insults fell from his lips as he reached to grab a shirt out of the box. He stared at it for a bit, going back on what Shiro said about only opening the box to grab a shirt. Stupid Shiro for always being right, it’s not even natural. He tossed back the shirt and grabbed a pair of sweatpants instead, because if Shiro gets to wake him up, he doesn't have the power to make him get dressed. Neither is he going to give him the satisfaction of being right about something else. Again.
The floor of his room was freezing under his feet, despite the August weather. It sent shivers up his legs to his shoulders as he walked into the hallway of the new apartment. It was still new to him. He made a move to go to the bathroom, out in the hallway. Then realized that it wasn’t home. Well it was, but not home. He doubled back and went into his bathroom, connected to his room.
He wasn’t used to the layout of the place, not like he was back home. Back home he could walk around with his eyes closed. He wasn’t bothered though. He’d just have to make due.
The bathroom floor was no different. Cold under his feet, if not colder. Keith grumbled under his breath, glancing at the door as Shiro stuck his head in. “You’re like a wet dog, dripping everywhere.” He didn’t wait to hear Shiro’s response, closing the door on his face. Metal on wood was heard outside the door, prosthetic clanging against the door, followed by more receding footsteps.
Keith dragged a hand across his face, staring at his reflection. He’d spent the night tossing and turning, never comfortable, and now his hair paid the price. He knew he should have tied it, but he was too tired to care. Future Keith’s problem, he’d thought. Well, Present Keith was ticked at Past Keith. Also at Present Shiro for waking him up at seven am on a fucking Saturday. All this being-pissed-off was not helping his bed head, and he sighed as he tried to finger comb his hair, not to literally rip the hair out of his follicles.
Hair brushed and mouth not tasting gross anymore, he trudged out to the kitchen. The apartment wasn’t the biggest, but it certainly was bigger than most.
The living room was big, with a glass wall, and a balcony behind a sliding glass door. There was a door in Keiths room that connected to the balcony too. Shiro didn’t even fight Keith when he promptly flung his bag on the floor the second he found out that room had the balcony - he knew Keith would’ve fought him for it. And Shiro didn’t mind that much either. Although they weren’t that high up, it was only the tenth floor, Shiro wasn’t too fond of heights. So a smaller window instead of a glass door reminding him just how high up they were was all he could ask for.
When they first made their way up to the apartment, he thanked whatever celestial beings he could think of for this place to have two bathrooms. He’d shared one with Shiro back home, and saying it was a nightmare was an understatement. Using all the hot water after a run, taking too long to make that tuft of white hair just right. It was too much for Keith to process. It looked like he just left it there when he finished anyways, so why did it always take twenty minutes.
And the space. Their bathroom back home was the smallest bathroom you could imagine. Shower and tub together, the sink crammed right next to it and a toilet across. They’d had to install and uninstall a lock on the door more times than he could remember, for one reason or another.
This one was different. Spacious. A full bath and shower. A long mirror. Tiled shower walls. Gray and white aesthetic, the lights being a little bit too bright, but he didn’t mind. Helps him wake up when he needs to.
The only thing wrong with this bathroom was the floor to ceiling glass wall. Who in their right mind would ever think that that was okay. He thought back to when Krolia had told them about the place
The bedrooms were situated on either side of the bathroom . Keith's first then Shiro’s . And since they were at the end of the hall in the complex, they’d gotten a corner apartment.
They had a pretty decent kitchen as well, with an island and barstool chairs and everything.
Well, there would be barstools around the island, and an actual dishwasher in the spot by the edge of the counter, and an actual stove, if the shipping company got their shit together and sent their furniture. The apartment had been eerily empty with just mattresses in each room, and the living room stacked with boxes instead of actual furniture.
He sat himself on a box, one that was not labeled fragile. His head slumped forward, hair falling down his face, tickling the exposed skin on his back.. He was not looking forward to Shiro telling him to open his boxes again after today, so he’d have to get it done. And besides, the semester started the day after tomorrow. He’d have to do it anyway.
“He got you too?” A voice, rough with sleep, said from behind him. He smirked, as he heard the sleep driven shuffle of slippers on the hardwood floor.
“Yeah. Got you too it seems.” Keith said, finally looking up. Adam looked over at him with sleep heavy eyes.
“Why is he so hellbent on waking up before the sun every single morning?” Adam sighed, grabbing the box of Eggo waffles from the freezer. He held it up and Keith held up two fingers. Adam took out four and put them in the four slot toaster. A gift from Krolia before they left.
“I just know you boys are going to fight over who gets breakfast first. Here, take it.”
“Krolia, we don’t need this. Keep it-”
“Hush. Take it. I will not have you two fighting over who gets to toast a stupid piece of bread every day the whole way through college,” Krolia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, “Ugh, just thinking about it gives me a headache. Take it, Shiro, or so help me god-”
“Okay, okay, we’ll take the toaster. Thank you.”
He’d slept over the night before to help Shiro unpack. Well, that’s what he’d said he was over for. All three of them knew he was here to be with Shiro. Long distance relationships were always hard, and Shiro and Adam were no exception. They’d been dating since high school, senior year, so that had been - 5 years?
There had been a break up halfway through, though. Keith didn’t even know something could be mutual but also not until this break. They’d both agreed on it, but only for the sake of the other, the whole time complaining to Keith. Adam called him to wallow in his misery, sentences consisting of “Ugh, I miss him so much, Keith.” and “Why would I even say that we should take a break?” and “I’m so stupid. Keith, does he even talk about me?”.
Shiro talked about it less frequently to Keith, but when he did, he did so more insistently. “Keith, I know he calls you. Does he say anything about me? Please, tell me he does. Ugh, why did we even think a break was a good idea?”
Both of them thought the other had wanted it. Wanted time to focus on themselves. Both of them being stupidly wrong. Both of them thinking a break would be best because of stress and long distance and whatever else made them take a break. Neither of them really wanted it, but only did it because they thought the other needed it. And they would do anything for each other.
It was sweet, Keith thought then. Sweet but stupid. Make yourself hurt for what you thought the person you loved wanted. Sweet but stupid.
Adam had flown out to see Shiro, a month and a half into the break, because Shiro had drunk called him. That was enough to break him. He booked a flight to LA, from Chicago, and only told Keith that he was in the city, once he landed. Krolia had driven down to pick him from the airport. Keith was in charge of keeping Shiro preoccupied until Adam got to the house.
Adam came into the house the moment Shiro started complaining about the break again. And when Adam had heard Shiro say he hated the break, never wanted it to begin with, only agreed to it because Adam wanted it, he stepped out from where he stood in the foreir.
“I never wanted it, you dipshit.” Adam said, and Shiro froze in place. He turned around slowly, and Keith found himself smiling, watching it unfold in front of him. Shiros face falling, then he smiled, the brightest he’d ever seen Shiro smile.
Then he started tearing up. That’s when Adam moved across the living room. Turned to Shiro, strides across the floor purposeful, and filled with love and emotion, as if that were even possible. Steps filled with the distance between them and the longing they both had for each other and the love they had for each other that was projected in the way they looked at each other.
“I missed you.” Shiro’s voice cracked.
“I missed you too,” Adam said, his hands coming around Shiro’s wrists, “ God, I missed you. So much.”
And when he said that, Shiro broke. They both broke, and hugged and cried and laughed and fell to their knees with their heads pressed to the others shoulder and Keith felt tight in the chest as Krolia placed a hand on his shoulder, a small smile gracing her face as well. And they both left, feeling like they were invading a private moment.
“Well, he’s your boyfriend, and he never did that before you,” Keith smirked, “So I say it’s your own fault.”
“Yeah, well, that was before I figured out how much of a blessing sleep was when you're a college student.” He grumbled before downing the glass of water he poured for himself.
He looked worse than Keith, with his hair - which had grown last since Keith had seen him, another thing that made Keith remember he was away from the people he was close to for far too long - was disheveled, flat against one side from sleep. He hadn’t even put his glasses on and the bags under his eyes were more visible. His shirt, a soft dark gray with NASA across the front in a fading font, from how old it was, a few sizes too big, considering it was Shiro’s. Pajamas bottoms too long for his legs, scrunched up against his Bart Simpson slipper, the red and blue and black stripes making the yellow of Bart’s face way too bright.
Adam yawned as he started a pot of coffee. As tired as Adam looked, it reminded Keith of where he was. With the people he cared about. Not talking to them through a screen that pixelated their faces because of sketchy college dorm WIFI. He had seen Pidge and Matt the first day they got into Chicago, and he’d felt better. Hugged them and forced himself not to tear up, because they would never let him hear the end of it. He was happy. For the first time in a long while.
“Good, you’re both up.” Shiro’s voice entered the kitchen. They both looked over at him, and gaped at how awake he looked.
Well, Keith did. Adam was probably gaping for different reasons, that Keith did not want to think about his brother in.
He had on a tank top - way too tight, for no reason, other than that his boyfriend was here - dark gray sweatpants, and an honest to god neon pink and black striped headband in his hair, a stark contrast to the white bangs that it held from his face.
“No thanks to you,” Keith grumbled. The toaster popped up and Keith reluctantly stomped over to it, throwing them on a plate and taking the syrup Adam handed to him absentmindedly, drenching his waffles.
Shiro sat on the floor - because they had no furniture - cross legged, against the box Keith was sitting on before. “How do you guys eat that stuff? It's just sugar.”
“Some of us like sugar, Shiro,” Adam quipped, hopping up on the island to sit and wait for his coffee, “Just like how some of us actually enjoy letting the sun get up before we do.”
Shiro laughed, “I went out for a run. I let you guys sleep for another 2 hours after I got up.”
“How did you guys even come from the same house?’ Adam directed at Keith, around a piece of waffle, as he stuffed a piece of his own waffle into his mouth.
“How are you guys even dating? '' He countered, voice monotone, but his chest tightened slightly in happiness. He liked how happy Shiro got around Adam. He deserved to be happy after everything that’s happened to them.
Not that he’d say that aloud. He’d never hear the end of it.
“He’s lucky he’s cute,” Adam said, grabbing 3 mugs from the cupboard, pouring their coffee, and Shiro’s cheeks went pink. Keith made a show of visibly gagging, and Adam flipped him off.
It still amazed Keith, how even after dating for so long, his brother still got flustered over the smallest of compliments.
“Yeah, whatever. Go sleep the rest of your youth away. I don’t care.” Shiro teased, and Adam handed him his mug of coffee. He kissed Shiro’s head, and Shiro’s face went redder as he smiled.
They all sat around for a bit, Adam beside Shiro on the floor and Keith on the island, eating waffles drinking coffee, and talking about school starting and Adam’s new job, and Shiro’s new classes, as well as Keith starting classes as well.
Keith missed this. The familiarity of it all. He missed it.
“‘Kay, as much as I love talking with you both about school at seven in the morning on Saturday, I need to take a shower.” Adam got up from the floor, cracking his back, “When is your furniture supposed to come in?”
“It was supposed to come in two days ago. They said it’d be another like, 3 days at most.” Shiro said, getting up too, and putting both their mugs in the sink.
“Okay, yeah. Well, off to shower I guess.” And he left down the hall. Shiro and Keith talked a bit more while he showered, about Krolia saying she was going to visit in a few weeks, about Matt and his new girlfriend, and when their schedules had open spots at the same time.
“Alright. I need to go get some WIFI and whatever,” Keith said, dropping his plate in the sink, as Adam turned off the shower, “I’ll be back in a few hours.”
“You have to finish unpacking today,” Shiro said, as he walked off to his room, to change.
“Yeah, I’ve got the rest of the day. It’ll be unpacked don’t worry.”
“Alright,” Shiro said, as Keith closed the door to his bedroom. Keith chuckled at Shiro’s voice muffled behind the door as he said, “How do I always get stuck on dish duty?”
He changed into a black t-shirt and ripped black jeans, although half of the cuts he’d done himself. Rummaging around in the one box he’d opened when they first got here, he fished out a blue shirt, and groaned, tossing it over onto the mattress . The next thing he grabbed was a flannel. Basic, but it would make do. Red and black plaid around his waist, he grabbed his olive green messenger bag, covered in pins and patchwork and doodles. His laptop and charger were stuffed inside, as well as his sketchbook and pencils. Never left anywhere without it.
Phone in hand, he left his room, and walked to the front door. He passed Adam walking out of the bathroom, with his head wrapped in a towel and one around his waist, glasses slightly fogged from the steam.
“Is that even necessary? You don’t even have that much hair to dry?” Keith questioned, grabbing an apple from the fridge.
“Don’t hate my routine when you don’t care about your own hair, kiddo,” Adam said, over dramatically ruffling Keith’s hair. He swatted his hand away, walking out the door, with Shiro and Adam laughing behind him. He called over his shoulder, “Call me if you need me to pick anything up.”
“Yeah, sure.” Shiro said, and Keith grabbed his red leather jacket and stuffed his feet into his black and red checkered vans.
“Be careful,” Shiro called and Keith locked the front door.
And he left the apartment. With his bike helmet under his arm, he rode the elevator down. He passed the front lobby. The swivel doors were occupied by someone holding a bunch of boxes, so he took the side door.
He fiddled with his keys, looking for the one to his bike lock. He didn’t notice the person walking towards him, boxes covering his face. Not until they crashed into each other.
“Oh my god, shit. Shit, shit, no. No, oh my god,” The strangers rambled, grasping at the boxes that started teetering to the side, dangerously close to falling over. Keith threw his hands out to stabilize them, his hand coming over the other guy's hand.
“Shit, sorry, I didn’t see you.” He said to Keith. He poked his head around the boxes, and smiled at Keith.
“Yeah, I can see that,” Keith said, taking his hands off the boxes after making sure they weren’t gonna fall, and smiled slightly, “Sorry about bumping into you. Wasn’t watching where I was going either.”
“No worries. Thanks for not letting me drop these,” He smiled and moved out of the way for Keith to get through. He waved and the boy stuck out two fingers as a salute, and went into the building, talking to the guy who went in through the swivel doors.
Keith got his keys out and unlocked his bike chain from the back of the complex. He stuffed his messenger bag in the compartment in his motorcycle, and texted Pidge to say he was leaving to go to the coffee shop they’d agreed to meet up at the night before.
Keef
i’ll be there in like, 20 minutes
u better be up
and there
Pidge(on)
don’t tell me ur awake
a l r e a d y
dude its 8 am
im nOT leaving my bed this early
good bye sir
Keef
ill give you like 10 minutes after i get there
then im leaving
its not even my fault
u knooo shiro has like sum competition with the sun to see who can get up earlier
Pidge(on)
LMFAOOO
hes prolly winning too
uuuuuuugh fine
20*
Keef
whatever
just be there
and pidge i swear to god
if its some basic bitch place with watered down shit im gonna kill u
Pidge(on)
ur lack of faith in me is wounding
u wont be mad trust me
He pocketed his phone, sighing and zipped the pocket of the leather jacket he wore. Extra precautions. He’d broken his last phone that way. His bank account was not happy about it. He pulled his hair out of his face and tied it in a low ponytail, tugging his helmet on. The bike revved, and the low rumble of the engine was enough to set him into a familiar rhythm. Kick up the stand, put his leather gloves on, twist the handle bars, speed out the parking lot.
The wind got stuck in his jacket, and sent a welcomed breeze up his shirt. It helped his mind relax, the familiar feeling of his jacket wiping behind him as the wind rushed through it. He loved the feeling. The familiarity. It was always something he could rely on. Something to ground him, when everything got too much for him. He’d grab his helmet, and just drive. Back in Texas, he’d drive for hours down the dusty trains behind his parents house. Even though he hadn’t had a motorcycle then, and he was a child, he’d ride his bicycle for hours and hours in their backyard until his mom would call him in for dinner.
Then when his dad died from a firefighter accident when he was 10. He ran into a building, when everyone had told him not to go. He hadn’t listened. He was a Kogane, never backing down from a challenge. His mom packed them up and left right after the funeral. She said it was to get a new start, make a life for them somewhere else. So Texas would always be in their memories, but only the good ones.
Even then, he knew she just wanted to escape. Escape from the freshest memories, not the countless others where his father was present.
So they packed up, and moved. To LA. It had been impulsive. She’d applied for a position at the art gallery in the city, never really thinking she’d get called back. When she did, he remembered her being over the moon.
He’d gotten there, and always rode his bike around the neighborhood. To and from school. To the corner store. To hockey practice. That had been hard, for an 11 year old to go to practice with all his equipment on his back, and keep control of a bike. Krolia drove him after he tried once.
And while they were there, she met her future husband. They hadn’t gotten along with each other at first. Both insanely competitive, but never failing to compliment the other on their pieces. Friendly competition. They started hanging out, they started dating, they had their children meet at Bring Your Kid To Work Day. Shiro had taken a liking to Keith, and the two found out they were going to the same school. Even when they weren’t technically step siblings yet, he had always looked up to Shiro, from the second they met. So when, 4 years later, their parents got married, Keith was ecstatic. He was going to have a family again.
He still rode his bike, but not to escape anything. Because he liked his life now. Enjoyed waking up, having breakfast with his mom and her fiancé, and fighting over who got to use the bathroom first with his step-bro to be.
Everything was great. The wedding was sickeningly sweet. His mom looked beautiful in her dress. Shiro’s dad cried. Shiro teared up, his friend Matt sat beside him, also beaming with happiness. Matt’s younger sister, Katie, who insisted on being called Pidge - “What kind of name is Pidge?” 11 year old Keith had asked the 8 year old Pidge. “It’s my name. Matt gave it to me. Better than a boring name like Keef,” She said, a tooth missing from the corner of her mouth” - sat beside Keith, smiling up at them, glasses way too big for her face.
Everything was great. They were a family. Went on vacations. Shiro was the best big brother he could’ve asked for, and Shiro’s dad was really nice to him, and although he wasn’t like his own dad, Keith accepted him really quickly.
Everything was fine, until 3 years ago.
Keith shook his head. He didn’t want to go back there. It was a new beginning, Shiro had said on the way up to Chicago. A fresh start. Away from all the messiness of their past. Not that they were trying to escape when the opportunity arose, but they certainly did not turn it down.
He arrived at the coffee shop ten minutes after texting Pidge. He parked the bike across the street from the café, killing the engine. He stepped off the bike, and took his helmet off, shaking out his hair from the loose ponytail it was in. Grabbing his bag from the compartment in his motorcycle, he stared up at the sign for the café
When Pidge had told him to go to the Lion’s Café, saying it was the “the best coffee shop near campus”, what he was met with certainly wasn’t at all how he’d pictured it. Glass walls outlined the café, and even with the glare from the sun, he could see the many potted plants hanging from the ceiling against the glass. The sign was bold, each letter looping and connecting with another, in a gold cursive font. A blue coffee cup with gold swirls of steam was put in place of the tittle for the letter “i”.
Inside was no less intriguing. The counter was old, rustic, worn. Full of character. A glass display case for the pastries was tall, chest height, gold accents around the rims. Chalk boards hung over the wall behind the counter, the menu in swirly, colorful, cursive writing. Doodle’s of coffee cups and pastries adorned the corners of the boards.
The walls on either side were brick, colors ranging in warm tones, browns, dark burgundy, black, beige, with white cement between each block. Scattered art work lined the walls, white floating shelves a sharp contrast, each adorned in small potted plants. On the wall opposite from the front door, there was a large, floor-to-ceiling length mirror. The tables were made to look like the ring of a tree, with metallic seats on either side of them.
What really stood out to him was the room and wall on the far end of the café. Through the arch way, hung a curtain of beads. Inside, two couches with a mismatch of throw pillows sat on each side of the small room at the end of the café. There were a few tables behind the couches, still the same design as the seating area in the front. But the walls, the wall’s of the back room were what caught his attention.
The walls of the room were covered in books. Head to toe. All books, crammed into the shelves, books piled into the corners of the room, books piled on the corner tables on either side of either couch. He ran his hands along the books on the shelf. So many different books. Fiction, non-fiction, old, new, big, small, paperback, hardcover. There were so many. He looked up at the lights on the ceiling- Faerie lights hung along the ceiling, in a mismatch pattern.
It looked like something straight out of a movie. Or a book, whatever. Definitely something fictional. It didn’t look real.
And it was this close to campus?
Keith knew exactly where he would be hanging out between classes now.
He sat down on the couch, and opened his laptop, connecting to the cafe’s WIFI. He’d been there for a little over another the minutes when Pidge came through the door.
Keith stifled a laugh, a grin plastering against his face. Pidge looked...the same. The same as always. Tired, bags under her eyes. She had on her favorite green pullover, with an awkward collar that sat somewhere on the line between crew neck and turtleneck - and honestly, it was 80 degrees, he didn’t understand how she wore long sleeves all the time and hadn’t passed out from heat stroke yet. She had on cargo pants, probably Matt’s, probably something she grabbed from the laundry. Her backpack hung off of one shoulder, as she ordered something from the cash.
“Hey,” He said, when she sat down. More like collapsed, into the spot opposite from him on the couch.
“Why did you make me come here so early?” She groaned, arm over her eyes, head thrown against the back of the couch.
“Blame Shiro,” He grumbled, and turned back to his computer, tabs upon tabs of job applications open.
Pidge sat up more, turning over to face him, grinning, while taking her laptop out of her bag, “So, how’re you liking the Lion?”
“It’s cool. Not what I expected,” Keith said, not taking his eyes off his screen. It was more than cool, way better than cool. It was probably going to be his new favorite place, but he’d never let Pidge know that.
“Oh come on. It’s great. And I literally work here dude, you have to give it some credit,” She said, starting up the computer.
Keith turned his head, “You work here? You said you worked at a -”
“At a coffee shop? Yeah, this one,” She grinned.
“It’s cool. Aesthetic. Might draw it or something.”
“Must be pretty great for Keith Kogane to draw it, huh.”
He smiled softly, “Must be.”
And they sat in silence for a while, with Keith’s eyes scanning for applications, and sending resume’s and sending emails to Kijiji ad’s, and Pidge’s steady typing filling the air. Her coffee came a few minutes after - worker came over and passed it to her, and Pidge later told him her name was Ezor - and the silence washed over them again.
It was nice. He missed this. The comfortable silence they could get into, enjoying each others presence. It was familiar, and he reveled in it, since he didn’t get too much familiarity in his life. And he knew she understood how he valued their friendship so much. Even if he didn’t express it in so many words. She helped him, with grounding him, with being there for him, for pushing him out of his comfort zone.
Well, maybe he spoke too soon.
“Dude, there’s this party tonight. Some ex-frat boy or something. His parties are known campus wide, according to Matt. Legendary stories,” Pidge said, as they were packing up to go back to go back to Keith’s place. He’d roped her into helping him unpack his last few boxes.
“Keith, I am not unpacking your boxes for you. Haven’t you been here for like a whole week? Why haven’t you done it yet?”
“Didn’t it take you like, a month to finish unpacking your stuff when you moved here?” Keith countered, eyebrow raised, “I distinctly remember Colleen yelling at you through over Skype to unpack.”
“I’m like, 5’2. I can’t be expected to unpack everything so quick, when I can’t even reach the top shelf.”
“Whatever. I’ll buy you McDonalds if you come over.”
“I am offended that you think I will cave that easily.”
“And a tub of cookie dough.”
“Fine.”
“Okay, that’s cool. I guess,” He said, looking skeptically at her grin that would’ve put the Cheshire cat to shame, “Why are you telling me this?”
“‘Cause you’re coming.” She said. “And before you even say no, Shiro already knows. And he said that you should go.”
“Shiro wants me to unpack my boxes. Not go to a party.” He said exasperated. He held the door open for her to pass, and they made their way to Keith’s motorcycle.
“Pidge no I swear this is really not my scene.”
“You’re the worst liar. I can not even count off how many times you snuck out to go to parties back home,” She glared, tightening the straps of the backpack, so it wouldn’t fall off while they drove. “And how many stories you’ve told me over facetime.”
“Okay, fine. But I don’t know. I think I’m just gonna watch stuff. Not feeling up to it.”
“You will be. Don’t worry kiddo -”
“I’m literally 2 years older than you, but go off.”
“-We’re gonna unpack your stuff and make it all sparkly and pretty and then you’re gonna get ready to kill all the boys at the party,” She said, her grin falling from her face as he shoved the helmet into her arms, “Do I have to wear this? It probably has like lice or something.”
“Do you want to bash your head in if you fall off?”
“You would never let me fall off,” She smirked, reluctantly putting the helmet on, “You’re too much of a hero.”
Keith swung his leg over the bike, and kicked up the kick stand. He started the motorcycle, and Pidge’s arms tightened around his waist.
“Debatable.” He said over the roar of the engine.
***
Prev. Chapter | Next Chapter
#klance#keith kogane#keith#lance#lance mcclain#voltron#vld#voltron legendary defenders#stardust klance#stardust#fanfiction
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CHAPTER FIVE IS HERE! ALERT THE GUARDS! The fic is almost done and I can’t even believe it... Luckily I’ll have more to write after this due to the partner fic and the sequel that I am planning.
Please check out @ozmav they started this whole au and are still an inspiration to me ^^
tw for panic attacks and violence
Characters are probably OOC because MLB is a kids show and there’s SO MUCH Batman just too much
Angel in Gotham: Part 1 ~ Part 2 ~ Part 3 ~ Part 4 ~ Part 5 ~ Part 6 ~ Ao3
Demon in Gotham: Part 1 ~ Part 2 ~ Part 3 ~ Part 4 ~ Ao3
Fanart for AiG: Riddler ~ Joker thank you @thegreysman
Please tag me in any fanart you draw for this guys ^^
oooOOOooo
As soon as Joker said those words, Marinette threw her chocolate bar at his face.
It wasn’t much, obviously. It was just a chocolate bar. But it still hit him across the eyes and distracted him long enough for her to grab the vending machine and throw that too.
Well, throw is the wrong word. She wasn’t able to pick it up and hurl it like Superman would a building, but she was able to quickly move it and sent it falling in the Joker’s direction. She saw it land but didn’t want to stick around to see him get out from under it.
“Run!” she yelled at Lila. She didn’t move right away so Marinette grabbed her wrist and pulled.
Lila began to run with her. Then she changed their course toward the elevator. Marinette didn’t like that – having to wait was bad enough, but the doors wouldn’t shut the Joker out if they sensed his limb in the way. She tried to lead Lila toward the front doors so they could get some help.
“What the hell are you doing?” Lila hissed.
“We can’t lead him to the others, and I don’t want to be trapped in an elevator with the Joker,” Marinette let go of Lila’s wrist. “Besides, the vending machine won’t hold him for long-”
Lila growled and grabbed her wrist. “I am tired of your superiority complex, Marinette-”
She ripped her wrist from Lila’s grip. “Look who’s talking! Besides, I’m only being rational. We can’t win, we need help, and our teachers and classmates won’t be able to do sh-”
The vending machine’s glass shattered when it crashed to the floor. Joker staggered up, clearly injured. Even in the dying light of the vending machine, Marinette could see his wide grin. It made her bones shiver.
“You certainly are a challenge, Parisian brat!”
She reached for her purse. She had two stale cookies, her key card, and the purse itself. She could maybe use the cookies as-
A playing card, razor-sharp, whizzed by her hand. Her purse fell to the ground, clearly cut by it.
He had projectiles. He had a deadly chemical. She had to assume that nobody was coming for her, that Joker somehow distracted them or they just didn’t care. She had nothing. She was nothing she wouldn’t ever be anything she was useless, unworthy, unlov-
Marinette ducked automatically to avoid another round of the sharp cards, the movement jarring her mind. She had to focus! She didn’t have time to panic now!
Deep Brea-
“I’m going to take great joy,” The Joker laughed, “In watching you laugh and seeing you smile, girlie. Maybe I’ll even see what you look like under that spotted skin of yours.”
Marinette tried to keep the imagery of him peeling her freckled skin off her face out of her head. It didn’t work.
His gait was slow. He was bleeding through his suit. He had to rely on the cards more. These were all good things.
Her earlier maneuver caused her to end up next to the front desk, where she was entirely visible in the only remaining light source. She could still hear the Joker’s steps and see his shadow in the dim light, but it wasn’t much. Her purse was on the ground, a few feet away, the strap cut off. These were all bad things.
She couldn’t breathe. The walls were closing in, she was drowning, her lungs screamed.
But she had to do something.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lila continuing toward the elevator. When it opened, a new light source from the inside of it illuminated her and her position.
The Joker noticed – of course he did he wasn’t as stupid as Hawkmoth – and threw several sharp cards at her. Marinette yelled a warning and Lila screeched, dodging barely.
Well, mostly dodging. Several chunks of her hair were cut by the cards, but right now Marinette couldn’t care less. The elevator closed when Lila didn’t enter it.
The Joker was heading toward Lila still – No! Marinette reached up onto the desk and grabbed the first thing she could and hurled it at him.
She saw it flying – a landline phone – and heard it made contact. It was only after she threw it that she realized she should have maybe used it to call the police.
Oops.
The Joker growled. “Ed failed to mention how annoying you are. I can’t blame him. He prefers rules, regulations, patterns. He doesn’t understand anarchy. He doesn’t understand that chaos is-”
Marinette cut him off by throwing the battery-powered lamp from the desk at him. The lightbulb shattered on his jaw and plunged the entire hotel hobby into pitch-black darkness.
Marinette was now heavily disadvantaged, but so was her adversary. And hopefully, her experience in swinging around rooftops at night, and fighting akuma in pitch black rooms would help her come out on top.
Two sets of footsteps. One pair heavier, gait slow and uneven due to injury. The other lighter, along the walls across the room.
Marinette tuned the other out, focusing on the footsteps that were trying to end her life right now. She could feel the carpet underneath her bare feet, the slight sting of rugburn. It grounded her, kept her from spiraling.
“Where are you, girlie?”
She silently rolled over to her purse. The clasp would make a click when she opened it, so she didn’t. She picked up the card used to cut it, carefully, and cut it open.
Two stale cookies, her key card, and the strap that was removed from the purse earlier.
She heard his footsteps move past her and put a hand to her mouth to muffle her breathing. She heard the sound of wood being sliced – he must have thrown a bunch of cards at the desk where she once was.
Marinette, as silent as a cat, crawled along the carpeted floor toward the front doors. She still remembered the layout of the room, luckily.
“Do you know the power of laughter?” The Joker sounded further away, but not by much. His footsteps were walking away from her, toward the elevator.
It was only after Marinette had been blinded by a light that she realized she should have paid more attention to where Lila was. The girl has walked along the wall behind the desk and turned on the lights by the front door.
The Joker whirled around to see her, grabbing some cards-
No.
No, Marinette couldn’t let him do that, no no n-
“No,” she screamed, throwing a crumbling and stale cookie at the eye she could see from the side angle. It hit, and the Joker let out some strong obscenities as it did so.
Marinette noticed him trying to regain his balance and slid her room’s key card under where his feet landed. Luckily, her plan worked and he slipped cartoon-banana style onto his back while still rubbing cookie crumbs out of his eye. His fall aggravated some of the still bleeding cuts on his body if his angry scream had anything to say about it.
Lila had begun to run to the elevator. As stupid as her classmate was, Marinette was glad. The Joker was fully focused on her, and wouldn’t care that the elevator was being used so long as he was occupied with Marinette. She wouldn’t have to worry about Lila’s life.
The Joker turned to face her, eye still red from the cookie. His pant leg seemed to be more blood-soaked now and he had a few newer cuts on his jaw and neck from the lamp. And he was furious.
Very furious.
Marinette couldn’t count on any help. There was a chance that Lila would leave her to die to the Joker, hoping he would go away after she was finished. She didn’t want to assume any of the heroes were coming, she didn’t want to think of them right now.
There was no way she’d beat the Joker.
But she had to stay alive long enough to call for help herself.
“If you weren’t so resistant and,” The Joker lolled his head and grinned, “Dull, I’d consider allowing you to become my new Harley-girl.”
“I’d rather die,” Marinette said without thinking, slowly standing from the floor. She clutched her purse strap tight. Her last cookie was too crushed to use.
“And so you will,” The Joker raised his cards.
Marinette wouldn’t be able to dodge fully, but if she could avoid dying instantly she can still fight while injured – she’s done it before.
But then a vine grabbed his arm from behind her.
No, not a vine. A whip. A whip made of a vine.
“I suggest leaving the girl alone,” Marinette glanced behind her to see a woman with bright red hair and an outfit made of plants.
Poison Ivy.
She looked back to Joker, who’s grin was now a snarl.
You see, Joker was the A++ of the villains because he’s the one that got all the normal questions and all the bonus questions right. Everybody in the world knows about him. Ivy, in terms of ferocity and general evilness, she scored lower than Joker.
But the Joker is injured. He had a limp and he’s bleeding and Ivy isn’t. Plus, for all Marinette knows, the Joker has been cheating on all his tests.
Though right now who was the better villain didn’t really matter because one was trying to kill her and one was trying to save her.
Marinette rolled out of the way of the two villains and stood. Joker wasn’t focused on her; his angry eyes were trained on Ivy.
“You stole my Harley,” he growled. Marinette couldn’t find it within herself to feel an ounce of sympathy for him.
“She wasn’t ever yours,” Poison Ivy spat the name ‘yours’ like a curse.
Marinette felt like they were two nuclear bombs about to go off and she was just waiting to see who would blow up first.
It was Joker.
He grabbed onto the vine wrapped around his arm and pulled. Ivy lost her balance but let go of the vine so it hit Joker in the face as he yanked it. The vine landed near his eye that still leaked cookie crumbs and Joker howled.
Marinette tried to remember something about Ivy’s powers. She was immune to all poisons and toxins. She could make other people immune too. And…
Marinette’s eyes went to the plants by the hotel lobby’s windows. She knew they were real, she could smell it when she first walked in. Fake plants didn’t emit the same scent that she started picking up on the longer she was Ladybug.
While Joker and Ivy were fighting – Ivy just kicked him in his bad leg after he tried to use Joker Venom on her and failed – Marinette ran to the plants.
“Let’s see if I can help her,” she mumbled, picking up one of the larger pots. It had a rock about the size of papa’s fist in the pot, likely to keep it from falling over. It was still light compared to the vending machine.
“IVY!”
Poison Ivy glanced at her, then Marinette threw the pot, hoping she wasn’t skinned alive for throwing a plant. But she seemed to get the message and extended a hand out to the plant.
In midair, it expanded. Grew. The plant was well taken care of, so it grew enough that the pot burst, it’s roots hit the ground and its rapidly expanding stalk punched Joker in the throat.
It stopped growing once it hit about four and a half meters. The high ceiling of the hotel was about six meters, so nothing stopped it from falling.
She heard someone say something. It sounded like, “look out,” but Marinette was more focused on scrambling out of the way of this plant that chose to fall toward her instead of Joker.
It crashed through the window, spilling shattered glass onto the street. The sound was loud and Marinette flinched, her back against the wall adjacent to the window to avoid becoming smashed like a bug.
She barely had time to think before more playing cards were thrown at her. She hit the ground, using the huge plant as cover.
“You dirty rat,” he spat out. His voice was raw, and she couldn’t see the bruise forming on his neck. She could imagine it though.
Her lungs ached. Marinette covered her mouth and breathed in, trying not to make noise.
“You best leave her alone, Jester,” Ivy snarled. She sounded fine, slightly winded, but uninjured.
“I wanted to see the little Parisian smile,” he sounded wistful, sad. Marinette closed her eyes and remembered his face. She wouldn’t fall in his little trap. She hoped Poison Ivy wouldn’t either.
“You wanted to kill her.”
“Killing you would be a dream come true too.”
She heard more cards. She heard the vine whip being used. She heard something be sliced – the door? She heard Joker laugh.
She smelled blood.
“What?” Ivy’s breathing was labored. “You think a little flesh wound would bother me?”
“It’ll bother that brat you stole from me,” Joker sounded utterly delighted. “It’ll bother her more if she finds it on a lifeless body!”
Marinette’s heart lurched into her throat. No, no she couldn’t let this happen. She couldn’t expect Ivy to save her without risking Ivy.
She still had her purse strap. Silently, Marinette moved around the plant.
She heard Ivy lash out with her whip again. It sounded slower.
Marinette ducked and rolled under a stalk that was high enough off the ground to go under.
After a brief scuffle, she heard something else being sliced. It hit the ground, and for a moment Marinette panicked before realizing it was too light to be Poison Ivy.
While crawling, her hand landed on some far-reaching glass from the knocked over vending machine. The pain registered, but Marinette didn’t care about it for long.
“You bastard,” Ivy sounded winded. She had to help, please let her be able to help.
Her eyes landed on a rock, one about the size of papa’s fist. The one in the pot earlier. She picked it up carefully and began tying her purse strap around it. It wouldn’t have as much range as her yoyo, and it would be heavier, but it was better than nothing.
“Afraid you can’t beat me without your little plant?”
She turned, now past the plant and on the side with Joker and Poison Ivy. Her newly-made weapon in hand, she crawled slowly and silently behind Joker. She was still under a large leaf, so Ivy didn’t see her. She could see both their legs and the cut whip at the ground.
“I think you’re underestimating me.”
Marinette could see blood trickling down Ivy’s left leg. She was bleeding much faster than the Joker was. She pushed forward, ending up behind Joker. His legs were within arm’s reach.
“There’s not much to underesti-”
She swung her rock-and-purse-strap yoyo as hard and fast as she could at the Joker’s injured knee. She heard his leg crunch under the force, saw his leg beds an unnatural angle before he fell, heard his scream.
Marinette felt sick.
All she could cause is pain all she can do is hurt she’s useless she can’t save anyone-
“You,” Joker’s words are muffled against the carpet of the hotel lobby. He calls says a word in English she doesn’t know. It rhymed with the English word witch.
“Takes one to know one,” Poison Ivy huffs out.
Then the other window – the one that wasn’t shattered by the plant – shatters. A dark and cloaked figure looks odd standing under the lights of the hotel lobby.
“Poison Ivy,” he paused, just then noticing the Joker.
“I can see I’m not needed anymore,” she turned around, “I was just here to save the kid, no need to arrest me this time.”
The Joker laughed. “You call her a kid?” he asked. “She threw a vending machine at me! Broke my leg! This brat is not a kid, she’s a menace!”
Her breath left her. She’s a menace, a villain, a revolting person…
Marinette looked at her hands. They were bloody.
She barely heard him repeat menace a few times before his breathing evened, likely falling asleep. Poison Ivy made no further comment as she walked out of the miraculously still functioning door. Marinette didn’t hear it close until two pairs of footsteps walked in.
“Batman, why’d you let Ivy walk ou- oh,” a voice she didn’t hear at the manor, Damian’s older brother, spoke. Dick Grayson, his name was.
“Father,” Marinette froze at Damian’s voice. “What is Joker doing here?”
“It appears she was rescuing…” Batman paused, clearly still trying to asses the situation.
Marinette is an idiot. She must be, because she chose that moment to shakily stand up, revealing herself to Batman and Nightwing and Robin.
Robin’s breath hitched.
And that little sound is what made the dam break.
“I’m sorry,” she was spiraling, but she didn’t care anymore. “I’m a hor- horrible person and-”
“Hey now,” Nightwing took a step closer. “I’m sure you’re not-”
She held up her hands, showing the blood on them. Her blood, but that didn’t matter.
“I broke his leg,” she took a big gulp of air. It sounded like a sob. “With a rock. And I threw things at him. A chocolate bar, a cookie, a phone, a lamp, a vending machine-”
“A vending machine?” Batman sounded far away, muffled.
“Miss, please calm down,” Nightwing’s voice was grainy. She wasn’t hearing it fully, she wasn’t there she was away, far away.
“I’m terrible, horrible, I shouldn’t have done this,” all she could hear was her words – were they thoughts? She didn’t know anymore.
She wished she didn’t exist, then she couldn’t make mistakes.
Her vision began to grow spotty. She couldn’t tell what was up and what was down.
“Angel,” Damian’s voice seemed to whisper. “You need to breathe.”
Her lungs ached. She didn’t care though. She didn’t need to breathe. She didn’t matter that much.
The world went dark around her.
#daminette#marinette x damian#damian wayne#damian wayne au#Marinette#Marinette Dupain-Cheng#marinette dupain cheng#joker#tw joker#ivy#poison ivy#lila#anti-lila#lila rossi#anti lila rossi#batman#batman fic#miraculous#miraculous ladybug fanfiction#miraclous ladybug#miraculous ladybug#miraculousladybug#tw violence#tw panic attack#tw passing out#fanfiction#fanfic#fic#crossover fic
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>Click quiz link
The link sent Arthur to a new tab that went full screen to a clean layout, one he could compare to a default layout for a business slide show. For a moment, there was nothing until cursive text spelled out,
Welcome!
Despite the pleasant appearance of the quiz, Arthur still felt his skin crawling as he proceeded with the investigation.
The Felix Foundation is greatly honored that you, Arthur Kingsmen, have trusted us enough to help you with the rest of your life! You will be asked a series of questions that you must ask truthfully! Only then will you be able to set your course for fearless life!
Arthur frowned as the quiz began. Would he really have to answer truthfully? The others must have as well, he had to keep it authentic for their sake...
Question 1:
You’re in a crowded room of people, you feel?
Happy
Uncomfortable
Tired
Nothing
Question 2:
You’re walking barefoot through your house and step on a cockroach, killing it. You feel?
Disgusted
Angry
Sad
Guilty
Jealous
Question 3:
You’re walking home at night and you see something in the corner of your eye but every time you turn you see nothing. You feel?
Anxious
Scared
Annoyed
Happy
Angry
Nothing
Question 4:
I will show you an image now. There is no sound or movement. Please study it.
The text shown immediately had the mechanic bracing himself. He grimaced, turning from the screen slightly.
The image administered depicted a series of abstract clown faces. All connected together at various parts of the face: eyes, teeth, noses...But all of them had a sinister look to their face Arthur feels...
How did that image make you feel?
Happy
Anxious
Disgusted
Peaceful
Nothing
Terrified
Question 5:
Do you believe in gods?
Arthur paused, slightly off put by the question. Felix had no traces to religion up until this point. Or maybe he’s over thinking it? Either way the blond wasn’t happy seeing the text show up.
Yes
No
I don’t know
For these next few questions, please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree:
Question 6:
“I often worry I bother those around me”
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Question 7:
“I often think about what’s after death”
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Question 8:
“I take pleasure in seeing others in pain”
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Question 9:
“I would know if someone was trying to kill me”
He bit his lip feeling that he spoke too soon about the god question earlier-- This one was much more ‘off’. Why would they ask this?
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Question 10:
“I don’t think people would care if I went missing“
Arthur got up and backed away from the screen, suddenly becoming painfully aware of hos dark his room was...But turning on the light made him feel like an even bigger target. Hands began to tremble as Arthur began sweating profusely... He crept back to his computer, taking care that he looked over his shoulder before staring back at the screen.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Question 11:
“I double check the locks on my doors and windows”
Yes
No
Question 12:
“For an average adult. How fast can you run?”
Slower than average
Average
Faster than average
Thank you for your cooperation, Arthur Kingsmen, please wait for your results to load.
Arthur sighed in relief as the quiz ended and the screen loaded to that strange symbol of ‘good’ that Felix plasters over everything. The character spun as the results processed and...suddenly gold eyes felt drawn to it.
Arthur watched the icon spin and spin, suddenly feeling his earlier anxieties being pushed to the side. His mind went foggy the longer he stared and Arthur found himself leaning closer...and closer and--
A sudden loud squeal from his hamster jolted Arthur from his trance, causing him to nearly fall from his seat as he looked to Galaham. The hamster looked to his owner in worry, feeling his fur stand on end when Arthur froze staring at his screen.
❛❛ W-What’s wrong? Ugh...my head...❜❜ the blond mumbled. ❛❛ What was I...?❜❜
Now it was Arthur’s turn to freeze before quickly shutting his laptop.
❛❛ H-Hypnotism--! T-This is a goddamn CULT! I-I gotta tell Vi--❜❜
Adrenaline fueled Arthur now as he hesitated on bringing his phone or computer. He decided against it and simply went to grab his keys and his hamster before hearing a soft thud from a room over. He knew for a fact Lance wasn’t home and if he was he would have asked Arthur what that sound was--
Pins and needles ran over Arthur’s skin as his panicked mind tried to figure out what to do---
Eyes dart to a window and Arthur bit his lip before throwing it open and hopping into the bushes below his window. From there he began to run--
With each step he took, he could swear he heard several other feet behind him. Eyes darted about, praying to spot someone ANYONE that he could call out to...But before he knew it something sharp pierced the back of his neck and it only took a second for his body to feel fuzzy and hit the earth. Galahad and his keys flew from his grip as he lied there.
Darkness began seeping into the mechanic’s vision and the last thing he was able to see where a set of wheels scurrying off and several feet around him.
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RANDOM: MERI CHRYSLER
(Message to Random: I took some liberties with background and character? Sorry, I hope it is up to standards!!)
The streets had always felt cold and cynical to Mekulash, as if something were constantly lurking, awaiting his wrong move. The towering buildings of mixed bricks and wood, and the cobbled road filled with dirt where not a welcoming sight to his cautious eyes. The sun was either a blazing heat or seemingly absent, hiding behind the thick clouds and sending a dark splendor to rain down and shroud the streets into a darkening mist. It was impossible to see through; impossible to get caught in.
Meku knew the streets like the back of his hand by now. The darkness that swelled today was at no disadvantage to his knowledge of the large town's layout. The faint glow of lanterns that dotted the road, hinting at a warm light where no help to the visibility of the town, but it was enough for him to sneak his way from wall to wall, completely unseen. Besides, today was no different from any other day: scout the streets, find a victim, take the remains and stalk the markets for unwanted scraps and easy pickings of fresh bread.
But most importantly: stay out of sight.
Meku already had somewhat of an infamous reputation in these parts. 12 years of living as the most expendable part of society would do that to a kid. But it was all he knew and all he could do. His only other option was the small orphanage, and hell, he had escaped that horror once before. Sometimes he could hear the cries and whimpering of the captive kids whilst on the outskirts of town: he remembered those days too clearly and there was no way he was doing that ever again.
So it was that he snuck silently through the shadows, keeping his toes away from broken glass and flinging himself over large rocks and walls in an endless game of leapfrog, occasionally stopping to wipe the mysterious slime from his hands or pick up a coin or two from the ground: until he spotted his first target.
She seemed new to town, there was something about the way she looked around and held the light in her hand so far away. A dwarf, and an upper-class one at that. Mekulash could see the bulge of cluttering coins at her hip, and the tell-tale dragon scales that clung to her chest was simply half his luck. Her hair was a golden twine, a decorative mess of plaits, curls, and mats that sat just above her shoulders. She looked lost, somewhat confused, and most importantly: rich. The light in her hand would make a usual easy steal a little harder than he had hoped, but it would be an opportunity he could not miss.
Meku waited a moment longer as the woman looked around, possibly for some sort of postage or town map, possibly even just for some form of light that wasn't the small dim ball in her own hand. She walked along the street, confused, and slowly, Mekulash followed.
"Hello." He spoke up, his voice croaked a soft whisper and he cleared his throat quickly, it wasn't that he spoke, possibly days or weeks since his last actual words; He was accustomed to listening after all. "Hello?" he tried again, stepping into the range of her light sheepishly. The plan was in motion from the get-go, and with travelers, it normally went off without a hitch.
"Hello?" her voice was deep and her accent distinguishably posh. It was partially what he expected from a dwarf, but he was surprised how much he was sure he recognized the tone, but it wasn't possible that he could know her, was it? She was so clearly a traveler, perhaps she had grown up here, or passed through before. But live here? Well, her outfit said it all. This town was not somewhere for the rich to hang around, it was barely somewhere for the poor. There was no way she would know who he was unless the town had managed to put up another dozen wanted signs during the night, something he highly doubted. "Who are you?"
"Are you lost?" Meku asked, stepping forward slowly. His words were almost a stammer, partly for the act, and partly because his tongue was finding its way around words after being so dormant.
"A little," she admitted. "My name is Gale. Do you happen to know where the Red Centaur Inn is? I'm sure I've been going in circles for the past hour... this town is so dark!" she was smiling, looking rather relieved to have found someone, "Who are you, can you help me?" she asked.
"Gale," Meku stated, not missing a beat. "My name is also Gale. Gale Greenford." His face was deadpan serious, and the dwarf looked somewhat surprised by the occurrence. After all, Gale wasn't the most common name around.
"Gale, huh? Who would have thought! The first person in mystery town is also called Gale. You aren't my secret twin are you?" She laughed. Meku only offered a small smile and a shrug, Gale seemed pleased enough with the response.
"Well, Gale, the Inn is this way." Meku led on, finding the back path to the Inn. Of course, he could just take her somewhere completely different, but it was easier, less likely that he would run into her again if he took her where she needed to go. So he led her on, through the darkest alleyways and dirtiest streets. She occasionally made exclamations of disgust at the green goo dripping down the walls or the black squelching spots on the ground. As annoyed as he was with her constant chatter, it was somewhat entertaining for him.
"So... Gale. How old are you?" Gale asked, trying to strike up a conversation. It wasn't very successful and Meku continued on in silence. Gale tried again, slipping slightly as she misguided her foot on a slippery cobblestone. "You seem, well, sort of young to be out on your own." she pressed. Meku leaped over a spiky shrub, only half listening to her. The sooner they got to the tavern, the sooner he could take his payment and escape.
"Are your parents around?" Gale pressed again, bouncing alongside him. She sounded slightly concerned, Meku didn't care.
"They own the tavern in town." Meku lied, taking a sharp right and inspecting the area. They were close to the Inn now, close enough to hear the sweet folk songs and the strumming lute hum inside. Soon enough he could get his good and go. It was all a matter of timing now.
"Tim and Janice?I didn't know they had a son." she murmured.
"You know them?" He asked, coming to a halt and narrowing his eyes, not looking at her just yet. His cover could be blown in seconds with the wrong word. But he could feel something in the atmosphere begin to shift. The small retract in Gale's voice or the way that her strides had become a little too confident for his liking.
"Oh yes, I know everyone in town!" She smiled, her voice dripping with an emotion that Meku could not place. Something was seeming off about Gale, and he swallowed quickly. He had thought he had recognized that voice... but where from?
"Everyone, huh?" Meku asked, keeping his voice even as he continued on, leading Gale towards the Inn, though he wasn't sure that she needed to know where to go anymore. He had to keep up the act, but maybe this hadn't been such a good idea. He'd show her the Inn, and he'd leave. Ths was starting to get too risky for his liking, and if she knew people... it means she was higher up in some system than he thought. Which meant she probably knew exactly who he was. There were no exits along the narrow path, and the sudden whirl of his mind only made the darkness cloud his thoughts as well as his direction. For once he wished he had taken the open road.
The journey was silent from then on out, they both knew the other knew something, but neither knew the specifics. The heavy footsteps on the sludge and stones where the only things left to listen to and Meku became uncomfortable with the silence- something that didn't happen often. The lute was getting louder, and the bard's words were becoming somewhat distinguishable. Meku could see the light lanterns of the street, the Inn was just around the next bend, and he wasn't too keen to be entering the light with Gale.
"Well, huh, take the next right and you will be at the, urgh, Red Centaur Tavern. Have a good time, Gale. Hope we see each other again, yeah?" Mekulash turned to face her, offering a small smile as he moved to squeeze down the narrow path around her, perhaps make a dash back to the safety of the slums. But it was to no avail. Before he could pass around her, she quickly snatched at his bare arm, her leather gloves pinching and rubbing against his skin.
"Not so fast Mekulash." Galed pulled him in close with a harsh snarl. Meku instinctively bit his lip, closed his eyes tightly as she twisted his arm, a spike of pain ran through his veins and he let out a small hiss. He knew where he had heard that voice before now. She was the Sheriff. He had seen her once before, not met in person, be he remembered her. Sherrif Alba.
"You won't get away that easily." She hissed, "Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. What do you say?" She asked.
Meku gritted his teeth as she gave another sharp twist to his arm.
"So?" she asked again, her voice demanding. With a mustered effort Mekulash spat up at Alba, his face in a scowl.
"The hard way it is. Alright, come on." The Sheriff pulled him along towards the entrance of light, clicking her fingers and extinguishing the ball in her hands as they reached the lantern filled plaza. Meky could see the faces of the guards cornering the exit. With a rough shove, he was pushed to the center, landing in a pile of knees dirt and dust. Turning around, he faced the circle of posting guards and in seconds the guards were on top of him, tying back his hands as he kicked and attempted to resist. He was useless against the guards and soon enough two strong hands grabbed him tightly, lifting him off the floor with ease.
"You can't do this!" Mekulash howled. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't do this now.
"I'm afraid we can." Alba smiled, folding her arms happily and looking quite pleased with herself. "Do you know how long we've been searching for you, halfling?" Alba asked, walking up to him with a devious smile, clearly unable to hide her excitement as she paced slowly.
"A 17-year-old, escaping the guards for what, 10 years? That's a bit ridiculous don't you think? But, well, here we are. No more running, halfling. None of that now." she stopped in front of him with a bright grin, "Maybe sometime in jail... some community service, I've been talking to the Thane, and Adrea may need some more military recruits." She laughed and Mekulash struggled against his restraints once more, lashing out with a forceful kick right into the sheriff as the guards held him tightly.
Displeased, Alba turned her head to look at him, her eyes narrowed as she reared back, striking his face with her fist in one quick motion. Meku groaned, already starting to tase the blood in his mouth.
"Take him away." Alba huffed, turning swiftly as Mekulash ceased his struggles, falling limp in the arms of the guards until finally he was thrown into the back of a wagon, the bar closed and locked from the outside, and his arms still bound behind him.
----
For the most part, Meku's stay in solidarity with the large manors cell was uneventful. It was only legally meant to last a day or two, but then again, legally, the Sheriff wasn't exactly meant to punch unarmed civilians. Besides, he was getting more food and shelter here than he was on the streets, and the only downside was the lack of activity. He sat on a hard, wooden bench, starred through a singular barred window, a large tree blocking his view. He was no longer able to even try to make conversation with the guards- although he wasn't very talkative- he had had his voice quite literally taken away by the court wizard after he had excessively shouted at the guards at unreligious hours, hoping to keep the rest of the manor awake. By the outcome, he assumed it had worked well and was rather pleased with the result.
The door to the cells room opened with a rather large shifting clang, something he was now accustomed to over the weeks he’d been here. He didn’t bother to look up, but the recognizable voice of a dwarf changed his mind rather quickly.
“You are to live here, to sleep here, but to work for Timothy and Janice at the local tavern with no pay for another five months. You’ll be accompanied by a guard and until you have completed your time, you will not be receiving any special treatment from the other prisoners because of your age nor will your voice be returned, is this understood?” she asked, pacing the doors before him and coming to a stop with the last word.
Mekulash slowly turned to look at her but didn’t respond. He had no plans to cooperate with the dwarf, with the guards or even with Timothy and Janice.
“Is that understood?” she repeated, her gaze like ice down upon him. Meku did the math in his head quickly and gave a slow nod, making it known he was not happy with this at all. “Good.” Alba turned, nodding to one of the guards who unlocked the door and undid the ropes on Meku’s bound hands. The skin underneath was a raw, bloodied and bruised mess, it hurt to look at, even more so to touch.
“Your work starts now. I’d hope to it if I were you, halfling.” She grunted, starting out of the room. The guard beside him shrugged slightly, removing his helmet.
“Time to go to work then, Mekulash. I’ll be escorting you to and from the Tavern.” He was clearly trying to sound warm about it, but he was failing. Mekulash simply gave him a harsh glare before making his way up the stairs, the guard's feet echoing behind him.
Exiting the manor was possibly the easiest thing Mekulash had ever done. Exiting the town was the second. The guard wasn’t exactly as smart, or as quick as Mekulash was, and it only took the teenager a good couple of excuses once he was at the tavern to get going. It wasn’t like he had anything to take with him, nor was it that he would keep serving this sorry excuse for a town. With a bathroom excuse and a window escape, Mekulash was out of the tavern only moments after he had stepped in, running down the dark streets and out of the gates with a bat of an eye.
He wasn’t sure where he was headed now, but he wasn’t planning on a return.
Maybe he’d go to Mala... If he could find the way. He had once heard the people there were rolling in coin. He hoped that was bloody right.
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Save Me. (Yoongi x Reader) PART 2.
“It swallowed me, this lunatic. Please save me tonight. Within this childish madness, you will save me tonight.” - [“Save Me” - BTS]
Summary: It was an unprecedented love that bloomed within the halls of your high school, until secret words were overheard, and shattered the budding romance. It changed your life forever, leading you down a path you had never thought you would be on– training to become a secret agent. You chose it to escape Yoongi and the results of how things ended between you two, but as fate would have it, that very same choice ended up leading you right back to him. Will you be able to save your clients and solve mysteries together despite your history? Will you be able to save each other? Will you able to save yourself…from yourself?
Yoongi x Reader (ft. Jin & all the other BTS members)
Secret Agent AU
Mystery, Action, Angst, & Fluff (contains some violence, mentions of murder, death, harassment, and bullying)
PARTS: Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 (Finale) | Bonus: The Letter
A/N: *screams into abyss cause the QUEEN HAS ARRIVED*
"Don't. Say. Anything." Yoongi warned through gritted teeth as he stepped out, finally fully transformed into his new female persona, Min Yoonji.
Hoseok whistled playfully, "Hey good-looking, you free tonight, hm?"
"Oh my gosh. Shut up, Hoseok." Yoongi groaned.
"Hyung, how can you be so pretty?" Jimin gawked, reaching out to touch the short bob wig that was strapped onto Yoongi's head.
"I didn't want a long one. Too irritating." Yoongi growled as he flicked his hair away. "Everyone, stop making a fuss!"
"Dang those legs though." Tae teased. "You have some nice model legs, hyung. If only you were taller..."
"What was that punk?" Yoongi lunged at Tae, but the latter scurried behind Namjoon for protection. Yoongi huffed and adjusted his skirt. "Did I ever say how much I hate this plan?"
"Only about a billion times." You giggled as you came out in your uniform too.
"YOU'RE SO CUTE, Y/N! I JUST WANT TO SQUISH YOU!" Tae cooed and pinched your cheeks.
You giggled at his affection and swatted his hands away lightly.
Namjoon coughed to divert everyone's attention back to him.
"Alright. Remember, the mission right now is to gather as much intel as we can and scout out possible suspects. Your goal, Y/N and Yoongi, is to get into the popular clique, since all of the murderer's targets seem to have been part of that group, and get all the gossip -- what were victims doing before the attack, did they receive threats, did they do anything similar. We want to find a pattern so we can get into the killer's mind and get one step ahead of him before the next death occurs. Give me a status update daily, and we'll monitor from the outside on our end. But we can't do too much on the inside to help you since the school is on high security, and no one should know we're getting involved in the case, since the murderer might be among them. As we said, find the camera blind spots if you need to interact as agents. Your dormitory is the safest room since there are no cameras and it's been cleared for any possible wire tapping."
"I made something that blocks off sound or makes it seem like you two are inaudibly whispering." Taehyung stepped forward and placed a little ball into your palm. "Just click the button, and it'll interfere with the hearing frequencies of everyone around you, except for the other person who has the pair." He handed another to Yoongi.
"With that, I must stress that you both have to blend in and not engage if anything suspicious occurs, even if you find the murderer." Namjoon emphasized.
Everyone's eyes fell on you knowingly, and you grinned guiltily.
"Okay, but let's say we're witnessing the murderer murdering? We should definitely step in then right?"
Namjoon exhaled. "We must keep your roles undercover. If the murderer knows your identities, he might flee or target you two. If you must interfere, keep this in mind: do not get caught."
You nodded and saluted. "Aye, aye Captain!"
"Best of luck, Y/N and Yoongi. Stay safe in there."
"Have a good time in school sweeties ~" Hoseok playfully air-kissed your cheeks in a motherly fashion.
You and Yoongi hopped into the car that was taking you to your first day of school. You two placed your backpacks on your laps, and settled down for the long ride.
"Aigoo. How could you make such a convincing girl?" You glanced at Yoongi, amused.
"Don't start." he huffed and crossed his arms defiantly.
"Did you pad your bra?" You wiggled your fingers teasingly, reaching out towards his chest.
He gasped, appalled, and held onto his torso briefly, then he smirked. "Why? Need some padding for yours?"
You twisted his ear, irritated and he winced.
"You're going to ruin my make-up! Stop touching me!" he cried.
You let go and settled back into your seat disgruntled. "You're so annoying."
"You started it." he huffed as he fixed his skirt. "This thing keeps riding up. This is frustrating!"
You giggled. "Welcome."
"I can't believe we have to go back to doing homework." Yoongi sighed and stared out the window.
"Well, it should be easier...considering we already learned all this already."
"You think I remember that shit? I forgot it all."
You glanced at him. "Oh please, you had decently high grades. It'll come back."
"Alright, Ms. Smartypants." he rolled his eyes.
"I bet I'll be more popular than you this time around." You stuck your tongue out. "Since you know, I'm the actual girl."
He scoffed. "Wouldn't you be embarrassed if I became more popular again? Don't set your hopes up for the impossible."
"What do you mean impossible?" You glared.
"You're not popular material." Yoongi shrugged.
"Are you trying to pick a fight?" You rolled your sleeves up.
"You're going to end up being in the delinquent clique at this rate." he teased. "Always resorting to violence, tsk, tsk."
You exhaled and decided to just stare out your window instead of continuing to bicker with Yoongi. His comments riled you up more than you liked.
Yoongi seemed to sense your disinterest and changed topics, "I wonder how the cafeteria food is going to be like."
"It must be good." You chuckled. "We're going to a rich school."
"But not all expensive food matches my taste." Yoongi yawned.
"But it's not like you're too picky with food." You mentioned.
He stared at you for a bit, then smiled slightly. "Yeah, I guess."
You averted your eyes, realizing you had blurted something out from the past. "I mean you might've gotten pickier so don't mind me."
"No." he interjected. "No, I'm still open-minded about trying food."
You nodded, feeling a little awkward. It was hard to look at Yoongi in the present without transferring your knowledge of Yoongi in the past. You weren't sure what had changed with him over the years, and you wanted to get to know him again with a fresh mind. But then again, you were both on the same boat. You just weren't sure where to start.
"How are your wounds?" he questioned.
"Good." You smiled. "I heal quickly, don't worry."
He nodded and yawned.
"Stayed up again?" You mused.
"I was studying the layout of the school, and reviewing what we know about the deaths."
"And?"
"I found the layout, but they covered up a good amount of details about the murders." Yoongi sighed.
"Well, the wealthy have the power to censor, and they don't want everyone pointing fingers at each other and causing riots. Plus the school's reputation might plummet."
"That's what's so fucked up." Yoongi shook his head. "The fact they're hiding the truth makes it easier for the killer to kill."
"Yeah, I'm surprised the families of the victims aren't fighting out to voice their opinions."
"I looked into that, and none of the family members have even stepped out to the public since the incidents." You hummed.
"I guess we really don't know what we're in for." Yoongi scratched his head. "We're starting with essentially nothing but pictures of the crime scene and the school where they happened."
"I think once we get inside, we'll find out a lot more. The school collectively seems to be at hush and enclosed." You stretched.
"You." he poked your cheek. "Don't go anywhere I can't find you, alright?"
You blinked and stared at him.
"It'll be a hassle running around like I did last time." he huffed, averting his eyes.
"Well I'm sorry that was such an inconvenience." You shook your head.
"You know what I mean. This is even more dangerous than before, and he's targeting females so far. We don't know what his killing criteria is either. I don't know the school well so I won't be able to come rescue you if you go off by yourself." He crossed his arms and looked at you seriously. "Got it?"
"I know." You nodded. "But we can't be together all the time."
"Why not?" Yoongi raised an eyebrow. "We can be besties, attached at the hip."
"It's already odd we're being transferred together, with different back stories. If we look like we know each other beforehand, it'd be suspicious."
"Well, we're roommates so we can attribute it to leaning on each other since we're both new." he shrugged.
"Why're you so insistent on me being attached to you?" You shook your head.
"Why're you so persistent in staying away from me?" he snapped immediately.
You both locked gazes, and something passed through Yoongi's expression so fleetingly that you couldn't quite put a finger on it before he turned to look out the window.
"I just think we'll cover more ground if we gather things separately." You whispered.
"Fine." he answered curtly.
"Why're you mad?" You huffed, very confused by his behavior.
"I'm not mad. Who's mad?" he shrugged, eyes still fixed outside.
"Then look at me and tell me that I'm being reasonable and you're wrong."
"That's stupid."
"Yoongi." You called out. "Do you not trust me?"
Immediately, his face was in close proximity to yours, and you felt yourself inhale hurriedly.
"I don't." he mumbled. "Because you get so invested in saving people that you don't think about your well-being."
You opened your mouth to retort, but he shut your mouth by pinning your lips together with two fingers.
"But I understand your point so shut up."
You furrowed your brows, annoyed.
He let go of your lips and wiped your own lip gloss stain on his fingers against your skirt.
"Yoongi!" You swatted his hands away.
"It's Yoonji." he corrected as he pulled his hair around his ear. "Don't mess up."
You shook your head. "You're unbelievable."
"I know." he shrugged and took a sip of his coffee.
You snatched it away from him. "A high schooler shouldn't be drinking coffee."
He grabbed it back defiantly. "They can when they aren't in school."
You exhaled and sat back, exhausted already.
"Welcome my new lovely transfer students!"
You two were warmly greeted by a bubbly, bright bald man wearing a suit.
"I'm the Principal! We're all so excited to have you! Come in, come in! I'll give you a tour before introducing you to your new classmates." he beamed. You and Yoongi winced a little at his vibrant aura. "If you have any questions, my office is right here. I love having visitors, so please do stop by!"
He hurriedly spun around and pointed to you. "Y/N, right?"
"Yes sir." You nodded and bowed.
"And Yoonji?" he pointed towards Yoongi.
He nodded curtly, and you fought the urge to smack him for his lack of respect. But you had to pretend not to know each other.
"Well, I hope you two get along well. Everyone had been paired up with a roommate already since their freshman year, but luckily two of you decided to transfer around the same time, so we paired you two up and furnished your suite!" he clapped his hands excitedly. "Oh, that reminds me. Ms. Vice Principal ~" He sang as he skipped into another office.
"Ah... the new students." An older woman with her hair tied up in a bun stiffly, took off her thick rimmed glasses. "Pleasure."
"This is our Vice Principal." the Principal whispered. "She's the more responsible one if you ask me." He giggled to himself. "Do you mind asking someone to take their luggage to their room while I give them a tour?"
"I'll do it!" a taller boy walked into the office with a warm smile.
"Oh, Student Council President!" The Principal grinned widely and patted his back. "Good timing!"
"Here's the morning roll call, VP. Everybody's in attendance today." he teased the Vice Principal who huffed at his familiarity then turned to you. "I can take it to their room if they don't mind."
"Y/N. Yoonji. This is the wonderful Student Council President. He knows everything about everything. He knows the school and its students and staff like the back of his hand, so you can also ask him anything if need be. He probably will end up working here and taking our jobs if we're not careful, hehe."
"Pleased to meet you my hoobaes." he winked playfully. "Definitely don't hesitate to say hi or ask me anything when you see me. I'm usually around."
You nodded meekly, trying to remind yourself that this attractive boy was a lot younger than you.
"I'll escort your bags safely to your quarters." he grinned as the Principal chucked him the keys. "If anything goes missing, feel free to sue me."
He and the Principal burst into laughter at his joke, but you and Yoongi looked at each other awkwardly, not understanding what was funny.
The Vice Principal sighed, and explained. "His father is a famous lawyer, so most people wouldn't dare to sue him. Though his lack of a sense of humor is enough to send him to jail."
"Aw VP. That hurts." he clutched his heart teasingly.
"Go! I have things to do!" she shooed everyone out of her office. "These two will miss a few periods at this rate. Go!"
"Oh right!" The Principal giggled, and everyone scurried to do what they needed.
You and Yoongi glanced at each other knowingly. Everyone so far was fairly eccentric and odd, very relaxed, under the circumstances of what had happened within the school walls.
"Here, you'll find the Secretary." he opened a door, where a largely curvy woman was humming happily while filing papers. "Miss Secretary ~"
"Oh!" the woman squeaked as she realized she wasn't alone anymore. "Mr. Principal! What a pleasure!"
"I have the two new students with me." he smiled and stepped into the office to let you two come into view.
"Oh my! They're adorable! Come here!" she tightly embraced you two, squishing you into her large bosom. Her body was soft and well-padded so it was warm yet suffocating.
"She's like everyone's mother here." the Principal explained. "So you're like her new babies. Expect her to fawn over you for a few weeks."
"I just want to make sure you're adjusting well, okay?" she fixed up your hair and licked her finger to fix Yoongi's, but he evaded her hand. But she wasn't deterred; she grinned and patted down his bangs. "Perfect!"
Yoongi grumbled while you bowed gratefully.
"Secretary, I need the list of the people seeing me today." A lanky, taller man entered the office. He seemed to give off a very quiet, relaxed vibe.
"Oh yes, Mr. Counselor. Here you go." she smiled and handed him a piece of paper.
He bowed thankfully, and turned to you two. "Welcome. You must be the two new transfer students."
"This is our very beloved Counselor. A man of few, but very impactful words. He makes sure everyone's mental and emotional well-being is alright, and since it's your junior year too, he'll start career counseling both of you towards the end of the year."
"No rush, of course." the Counselor interjected. "I know adjusting to a new place in the middle of the year, and no less in the 3rd year comes with some troubles and difficulty. Please do find me if you ever need an ear to listen and some advice. It's never good to keep these in or they can manifest into trauma or deep-rooted, unresolved feelings that can turn into negative behaviors."
You blinked at how dark the conversation turned, but you somehow related to his statement.
"Well then." the man bowed and quietly left the office.
"Poor thing." the Secretary frowned and whispered. "His brother died recently in a very bad gang fight. I heard the face was so mutilated that it was hard to figure out the identity, but the corpse's fingerprints confirmed the identity. His parents had died when they were young too, so they only had each other. The brother was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and it's heartbreaking."
The Principal nodded and frowned. "But it makes the students love him even more, because he really sympathizes with their worries and grievances...especially with the recent events. He's been such a great help in keeping everyone well and healthily coping with the deaths, since he, himself, has been through the mourning process."
"He even helped out a few teachers." the Secretary chimed in. "The Science teacher lost a daughter a few months back. The Librarian had a miscarriage a year ago. The Gym teacher went through a nasty divorce, only to have his wife pass away in an accident."
"But he was there for everyone consistently and tirelessly, so we're very indebted to him." The Principal smiled. "Anyway! Let's meet some teachers? The Nurse and your actual homeroom teacher have been out on vacation, separately and at different intervals, but this week overlapped, so you won't get to see them until they return."
"Ahh..." You and Yoongi nodded, trying to take in all this information.
"Oh and the VP..." The secretary whispered. "She's a bit harsh, but don't take it personally. She's been getting dumped and cheated on consistently...so she has a lot of pent up emotions. She does seem to have a vendetta against the girls, especially the more attractive ones or those that are in stable relationships." But she grinned and waved her hands. "But she treats everyone coldly, so don't worry!"
"I look forward to it." Yoongi stated dryly.
You fought back a giggle at his sarcasm.
The bell rang and the Principal flinched. "Oh no! We have to get you two to class! You'll meet the teachers as you go, don't worry! Let's go, go, go!"
You two were dragged down the hall to a classroom that read Class 3-1. The Principal happily knocked and barged in. Immediately, the classroom quieted.
"Oh here they are." the substitute homeroom teacher monotonously announced, his pitch and tone devoid of any emotion. "Everyone, welcome the new students."
Yoongi stepped in and you followed hesitantly, your palms sweating at being in front of a congregation of teenagers once again. The last time you had been at the front, you were VP, and it was the worst year of your life, bearing through those malicious glares and threats while maintaining your cool and your dedication to the position. You shook your head and smiled warmly. You needed to make a better start this time.
"Please introduce yourselves." The teacher yawned and sat down.
"Hello!" You bowed excitedly. "My name is Y/N. Please take care of me! I'm excited to meet and get to know everyone!"
Everyone clapped happily and you exhaled, in relief.
"Min Yoonji. Let's get along." Yoongi coolly lifted his hand up and nodded.
You tried to hold your face from contorting to express your embarrassment. What was he thinking? That was a bad first impression.
"You two can take a seat in the back." the teacher pointed, already moving on.
You nodded and walked towards the pair of seats, earning waves and smiles on the way, which you reciprocated. Your heart fluttered giddily, praying that this was a good sign that your fears had been just that. You took the seat away from the window instinctively, knowing Yoongi had always preferred the one closest to it. He glanced at you curiously and smiled slightly as he took a seat beside you.
"Thanks." he whispered, and you nodded nonchalantly.
He opened his textbook and proceeded to lay his head down against it. You rolled your eyes and shook your head. What had you expected? You took out your notebook and began pretending to copy the notes from the board, but you were actually writing down all the people you had met just a few minutes ago and the facts you had learned about them. You weren't any better than Yoongi.
"Miss Yoonji. Miss Yoonji."
Half-way through the class, the substitute teacher called him, but he wasn't responding, still not used to the name. You elbowed him and he jolted up.
"Huh?"
The class giggled as he yawned carelessly.
"You think you can answer this for us, since you seem to be quite bored on your first day?"
Yoongi stretched. "Sure."
You looked at him worriedly and he smirked smugly as he trudged towards the board, taking a piece of chalk to start solving the equation without hesitation. He placed the chalk down afterward, rid his hands of the powder chicly, and walked back to his seat without another word.
"Th-that's right." the teacher was stunned. The first hint of emotion you had seen on him all morning. "I haven't even taught this way of solving the problem yet."
Everyone clapped and murmured excitedly, giving glances of intrigue towards the short-haired female beside you.
"Um..." Yoongi scratched the back of his head. "My old school covered this already? They did things a little differently, I guess?"
The teacher coughed and nodded, at a loss, then returned to lecturing. "Well, very well..."
"Y/N."
"Yes!" You jolted, up surprised.
"Solve the next problem."
"I -uh- I ..." you flustered through your textbook that wasn't on the right page so you didn't know what the next problem was.
You heard people giggle at the clear difference between you and Yoongi's attitudes.
"Please pay attention." the teacher gave up, but visibly satisfied that he had redeemed himself. He then continued the lesson.
You exhaled and hung your head. There went your first impression.
And for the next few weeks, the trajectory remained the same. Like before, Yoongi was gaining school-wide attention for his refreshingly nonchalant attitude, while people laughed at your clumsy and frantic behaviors. It seemed you were always a few steps behind, spacing out, or over-thinking to the point of immobility. You were immediately deemed as a clumsy idiot, and people soon stopped paying attention to you.
"What is up with you?" Yoongi whispered as you two were completing a science experiment. "You're so jittery."
"They just keep catching me at a bad time." You frowned.
"Pull yourself together." he scolded.
"Y/N. Yoongi." The male Science teacher came to your lab table curiously. "I hope you're discussing the experiment. You're a few steps behind everyone."
You and Yoongi nodded and bowed. You watched the Science teacher march around, checking on all the students' progress. He seemed to be the most normal of the staff members thus far. He was a very work-oriented man, and his teachings were very passionate and hands-on. His office held many of the dead specimens for the labs, so his room was always chilly. Yoongi had heard from some of the girls that he spent most of his time in his office, planning lessons, grading papers, and he was always punctual with everything. He kept to himself mostly, but when it came to discussing science, he would light up and show his true colors. The girls found it endearing when he geeked out.
The Gym teacher, on the other hand, was a muscular male, who had a booming, commanding voice that frightened you. Luckily, you were more physically fit now than back in high school so you didn't get scolded in that class. While you settled for holding back and trying to fit in with everyone's average abilities, Yoongi let himself loose, especially when it came time to playing basketball. Needless to say, his years of experience and his advanced skills had him running circles around the boys, who were both stunned and impressed by his ability.
"Man, Yoonji, if only you were a dude." they ruffled his hair. "You'd be such a good asset to our team!"
Yoongi fixed up his hair into a neater ponytail. "Yes, be very glad I'm not on your team or else I'd be kicking your asses during practice."
"Oh ~ look at this chick, talking tough." they laughed. It was evident all of the guys were smitten with his female persona already.
"Oh my gosh, Yoonji is so cool! Like how can she be so relaxed in front of the hottest, popular boys like that?" You overheard some of the girls coo in awe.
You smiled to yourself thinking, "It's cause he is a dude."
"Stop chatting and let's go!" the gym teacher growled. "Yoonji, get back to running and stop flirting with the boys! You're not in the basketball rotation yet!"
Yoongi exhaled and joined the group of runners beside you obediently.
"Yoonji, where did you learn to play like that?" The girls immediately flocked him.
"How did you learn how to flirt like that?" One of the girls nudged him.
"Umm... it's just innate skill." he shrugged.
They giggled at his comment, and you rolled your eyes and sped up, not caring to hear any of it. It seemed once again, you were taking a backseat to Yoongi. He was leaving you behind and rising to the popularity he had always known. It was frustrating.
You chuckled at the incredulously ridiculous situation as you splashed water on your face after class. How could things happen like this again despite changing your approach?
Suddenly you felt a cold water bottle pressed against your cheek. You looked at the mirror to find Yoongi beside you, dressed in uniform again.
"Did you change in the bathroom?" You gratefully grabbed the water bottle.
"Did you think I'd change in the dressing room?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Well you are in the bathroom." You whispered.
He blushed, "Well it's not like I had any other option."
You grinned triumphantly at getting him to yield.
"Really, you don't hold back do you?" You took a sip of water.
"Hm?"
"Being well-liked is so easy for you." You stared at him with a sad smile.
"I'm lovable." he shrugged and flicked his hair over his shoulder sassily. "What can I say?"
You winced. "I still can't get used to seeing you like this."
"Get changed and let's head to class." he urged.
"Oh right. You go ahead. Your posse is waiting."
He glanced at you hesitantly, but you shooed him.
"You're closer to the mission than me, so go."
"Y/N..."
"I'll see you in class."
"Alright." he frowned and left the bathroom.
You exhaled and stared at yourself in the mirror.
"So the usual piano player for our class had an emergency." the Music Teacher called out. "Anybody know how to play the piano?"
The class whispered amongst each other. Everyone had a crush on the Music Teacher. He was attractively handsome, and genuinely sweet. His smile was comforting and his voice was absolutely angelic. It was hard not to swoon; even you had to admit you looked forward to his class.
"I can." Yoongi raised his hand.
"Oh perfect. Here's the music sh--"
"I don't need it." Yoongi shook his head as he sat down. "Same song we've been practicing right?"
"Uh yeah..." the Music Teacher blinked.
"I'll play the intro once then we can go into the song so everyone can tune." Yoongi stated.
Really, how could he be so multi-talented?
The class murmured, impressed, as Yoongi's fingers danced across the ivory keys without hesitation, playing the song by ear effortlessly. The Music Teacher smiled warmly as he cued everyone to begin the singing.
And once again, Yoongi became the center of attention, climbing the social ladder 3 rungs at a time daily.
The only class you really found solace in was English. The teacher was an absolutely beautiful woman, who dressed stylishly. All the boys looked forward to her class, as did you, albeit for a different reason. Luckily, your parents had enforced learning English from a young age, so you were fairly fluent, while Yoongi flubbered shyly. But even then, people found his mistakes adorable.
"Yoonji! I can tutor you in English if you want." The guys offered.
"No, Yoonji! I can help you! Come over my dorm!" One of the girls cut in.
You slipped away from the crowd, bitter over their reverence of Min Yoonji.
"Oh? Y/N!" a familiar voice called, and you turned to find the handsome Student Council President running towards you. "How are you?"
"I-I'm okay." You blushed.
"Are you busy?" he questioned.
"No." You blinked.
"Good. Do you mind helping me out with returning some books to the library?"
"Oh sure." Your interest was piqued. "I haven't been to the library yet."
"What??" he gawked. "The library's like the best place! You're lucky you ran into the best tour guide!"
You giggled at his excitement. "Well it was more like the tour guide ran to me."
He chuckled. "You're right. You think you can help me?"
"Of course. I'm done with class for the day." You shrugged.
"Oh I'll introduce you the librarian. She's my homie." he grinned.
"I feel like a lot of people are your homies." You blurted out then clasped your mouth, embarrassed at being so candid.
He laughed, "You're not wrong. I like getting along with people, especially since I'm the liaison between the students and teachers."
You nodded.
"Oh, and speak comfortably to me. I don't like people talking formally, so let's drop the formalities, Y/N."
You smiled and nodded.
"Follow me. The books are in one of the storage rooms." he gestured and you followed him. You enjoyed his warm and easygoing personality. He was the first person who treated you as an individual rather than a pale comparison of Yoonji. You were thankful.
"I'm always at the library doing work or just when I want to get away from responsibilities." he winked playfully as he unlocked the storage room.
"Wow." You gasped as a few piles of books were scattered on the ground.
"Yeah." he scratched his head. "That's why I needed assistance."
"We'll have to take a few trips." You chuckled.
"I'm fine with spending some quality time with a new hoobae." he grinned as he picked up the books.
You gathered as much as you could as well.
"Oh ~ look at how strong you are. I'm impressed."
You grinned at his welcomed, genuine compliment.
"Let's go to the Motherland!" he gestured, and you followed him as he chatted lightly about the students and specific classrooms and offices that you two passed.
You gawked at the large double doors leading into the library in astonishment. "Wow..."
"Right?" he giggled as he pushed it using his back, since his hands were occupied. "We're here!"
"Finally!" a voice snapped from behind the tower of books at the counter, and out came a woman, in her late 30s or early 40s. "Oh, sorry. You didn't come alone."
"Don't worry. It seems like she's a fellow bookworm." the President waved his hand.
"Is that so?" the woman grinned. "Then welcome."
"She gets salty cause people only come during midterms and finals testing." he whispered to you.
"I don't get salty!" she bickered.
"She does." he grinned as he set the books down. "But if you're a regular, you're on her good side."
You bowed, "I look forward to being a regular. This library is beautiful."
"Isn't it?" she beamed.
"She lives here basically. Sometimes she sleeps here." the Student Council President laughed.
You smiled and studied the three floors filled with books, ladders, and spiral staircases. It was gorgeous. When was the last time you had picked up a book for fun? You smiled fondly, remembering how you had one attached to your hand constantly back in high school. Ironically, high school once again led you back to your books.
"Want to take her on a tour?" the Librarian smiled. "The other books can wait a little."
"Yeah." he chuckled. "Any specific genre you enjoy?"
"I don't have a preference honestly." You grinned, excited.
"Most of the aisles and floors are labeled, but it'll be hard to maneuver around at first. If you're looking for a specific book, it's best to ask the Librarian 'cause she knows where everything is. It does take a lot of exploring to get used to the layout."
You smiled and nodded. The two of you visited various sections, and exchanged your favorite books from each genre. Surprisingly, you had similar preferences.
"I would highly recommend this book." He pulled a large one out of the bookshelf. "It's my favorite mystery novel."
"'And Then There Were None'." You read the title and traced the cover, intrigued.
"Someone recommended it to me awhile back and I fell in love with it."
"I'll definitely give it a read." You smiled.
"Of course. I know you're busy adjusting and whatnot so no rush! But I'd love to have a discussion when you're done."
"Will do!"
"Let's get the rest of the books out of the storage?" He pointed to the entrance of the library.
"Let's."
"Careful on your way back, kids!" the Librarian called out.
"Where have you been?" Yoongi grumbled as you finally arrived in your dorm, feeling happy and content, book in hand. "Who were you just talking to?"
"I helped the Student Council President out with taking books to the library, and oh my goodness, it's gorgeous!" You gushed giddily.
"That tall playboy looking guy?" Yoongi commented as he sat up from the couch, already in sweats, his wig off.
"He is not a playboy." you huffed.
"How would you know? You just spent one day with him."
"You're right. Sometimes people you've known for longer end up being fake too." You snapped as you headed into your shared room.
"I told you to tell me when you're leaving somewhere." he reprimanded.
"Stop babying me, Yoongi!" You bellowed from the room as you changed.
"You're so frustrating." he groaned.
"I'm frustrating?" You scoffed as you stepped out in your sweats too.
Living with Yoongi was odd at first, but it hadn't been the first time, you two had to share a room. Many missions required you two to sleep in enclosed spaces, but never for this prolonged period of time. It was very awkward initially. You two weren't sure how to act or what to do in your down time together, but eventually, talking about the mission and sharing findings and guesses eased you two into comfort.
"Did you eat?" he questioned, ignoring your provocation.
"No." You grumbled. "Why?"
"I bought ramen." he grinned. "Let's eat."
Your anger dissipated from his offer of food, and he was well aware of it.
"It's already waiting." he pointed.
You squinted at him suspiciously. "Who are you, and what have you done with Min Yoongi?"
He rolled his eyes. "I do nice things for you all the time."
You snorted and headed to the table where the ramen cups were warming up. Yoongi crawled tiredly off the couch and made his way to sit in front of you.
"What book did you bring back?" he questioned.
"Oh." You pushed it towards him. "The President recommended it."
"A murder mystery, huh? How appropriate." Yoongi's eyes studied the cover.
"Have you read it?"
"Nope. I've heard about it in my Criminology class in college though." he set the book down.
"So how does it feel to be back in your rightful place at the top of the social ladder?" You asked lightly.
He rolled his eyes as he uncovered his ramen lid and broke his chopsticks. "I don't really care about it."
"Oh?" you hummed as you stirred your ramen.
"Do you?" he questioned.
You didn't answer and just ate your ramen for a little bit before changing the subject.
"Isn't it weird the Nurse and our Homeroom Teacher are out at the same time for 'vacation'? Maybe they're together." You grinned.
If Yoongi realized your distaste at answering his previous question, he didn't say anything. He shrugged.
"I heard from the girls that the murders started not long after our Homeroom Teacher and the Nurse left."
You squinted skeptically.
"Coincidence?" Yoongi smirked.
"I think not." You finished his phrase, and reciprocated his expression of enlightenment.
"Let's look into them before they return...if they return." Yoongi chewed.
You nodded in agreement.
What was first just meaningless, inaudible whispers began to turn physical. People began shoving you in the hallway and laughing when you fell or hit your head against wall. You hugged your books tightly as you sat on the ground, stunned; the darkness of your past resurfacing with the return of abuse. What had you done this time to deserve this? People giggled as you struggled to get up, rubbing the back of your head from the impact. You winced at the bruise forming. Your eyes vigilant and wary of any incoming attacks now.
Paranoia crept up to you gradually. You tried to spend most of your time in the library, away from people, but you did have to go to class so you couldn't hide from them forever. When you were in the classroom, you heard their voices amplified inside your head. Loud and overwhelming. Their glances always seemed to be directed at you, and you felt like everyone was making fun of you in their own social circles. Your hands immediately covered your ears and you squeezed your eyes shut to drown it out, willing yourself to recall your mission, your purpose of being here.
"Y/N? What's going on?" Yoongi whispered worriedly as he pulled your hands down from your ears.
You shook your head and gave him a weak smile, but your body felt tense, your breath coming up short. Everyone's voices around you were taunting, their eyes judgmental, and you could swear that some of them bore resemblance to the bullies you had encountered back in the day.
You felt slim fingers wrap around your wrists and pull you forcibly from the classroom. Your vision was filtered, a tunnel of blurred, speed-motion colors that you knew were people. It wasn't until you felt a cool breeze hit your face that you came back to your senses. In front of you was the vast expanse of the clear blue sky, and your worries seemed to dissipate in the presence of its grandness. You finally felt like you could breathe again, and you let your knees fall to the ground.
"Y/N." Yoongi's arm was around you immediately to steady you. "What happened?"
You shook your head, not wanting to talk to Yoongi about any of it. You both had come to a good point in your friendship; you didn't want to take two steps back by bringing up the past that you couldn't get over.
"Nothing." You shut your eyes and took deep breaths.
"It's clearly not nothing." Yoongi frowned. "Tell me."
"You shouldn't be seen with me Yoongi." You chuckled. "It'll hurt your rep, and we need someone inside that clique."
"I don't give a shit." he huffed.
"That's the mission, Yoongi." You glanced at him intently. "This is entirely a personal matter, and it's my fault for letting it interfere. You, at least, need to keep your head on straight."
He was about to protest again when you squeezed his hand pleadingly. "Please. I'd like to be alone."
He saw the sincerity of your request and quietly stepped away from you, a worried expression still on his face. "Call me if anything happens. I'll come."
You smiled sadly and nodded, turning your attention back to the view in front of you.
It was odd, that Yoongi had once again brought you back to the rooftop, that he was by your side once more, that you were essentially reliving the days of dejection, anxiety, and terror that you felt in high school.
You exhaled. "Will I really be able to complete this mission?"
"Y/N." Yoongi's voice was heard behind you again.
"Yes?" You questioned, not wanting to turn around and see him. Not right now. Not when you were on the brink of tears. Not when you were so vulnerable.
"You gave me a chance to show you who I truly was before and again now." he muttered, walking closer. "Give everyone else here a chance too."
You chuckled, finding it ironic that he, out of all people, was talking about chances. But he was right nonetheless. These people weren't the kids you had grown up with. You shouldn't generalize your experiences and box everyone in. You knew it, yet the fear immobilized you.
"Why do they do it?" you mumbled.
You felt his arms embrace your waist and Yoongi rested his forehead against your shoulder. Your body stilled and your breath got caught in your throat at his forwardness.
"I don't know, Y/N, but please lean on me." he whispered pleadingly. "Don't always try to fight everything alone."
You smiled sadly. "I am alone, Yoongi."
"We're partners. You'll never be alone anymore."
You let the tears fall slowly, still refusing to turn to him, but he held you in silence as you cried. Why was he comforting you when he was the root of your trauma? Why couldn't you still get over it after all of these years? Why was it happening all over again?
You were exhausted.
The next morning, refreshed and recovered after letting it all out, you sprinted around your dormitory and shook Yoongi frantically.
"Yoongi! Wake up! You're going to sleep in again, and so help me if we're tardy cause of your lazy ass."
"Ugh." he groaned and rolled onto his stomach groggily.
You exhaled and hurried to the kitchen.
A few minutes later, he emerged, showered and dressed, but still with an air of drowsiness in his gait.
"Whatcha doing?" Yoongi peeked over your shoulder curiously as you were cutting up your kimbap.
"Packing lunch." You chuckled. "I'd rather not wait in the insanely long line and pay a lot anymore."
So you said, but in reality, you wanted to hide away from people. You weren't sure if Yoongi suspected your true reasoning and saw past your front, but he didn't confront you about it. Instead, he snatched a piece from the cutting board.
"Mmm..." he hummed in approval. "Pack me lunch too please."
You glared at him. "Are you kidding me?"
"I said please." he shrugged.
"We switch off making lunches." You compromised.
"Sure, but I don't know how good mine are."
You snorted. "Jimin and Tae told me you made a hell of a good dinner for them, so don't even use that on me."
"Traitors." Yoongi hissed.
"Deal?"
"You get 3 days and I'll make 'em for 2." he bargained.
You exhaled. "Fine."
"Perfect." he grabbed another one and popped it into his mouth.
"Yah! That's for lunch later!"
"I'm hungry now though." he stated, muffled by his stuffed mouth.
"Breakfast is on the table already." You gestured.
"Ohhh~" he teased. "Didn't know you were wife material."
"More like self-sufficient?" You chuckled. "But I also had to feed the two boys when we were in college, so I naturally honed my skills."
"Must be pretty close, huh?" Yoongi set up the utensils and plates for you two.
"Hm?"
"You, Jimin, and Tae."
"Yeah, they were my close friends in high school, then we got scouted into the Agency and trained in the same sect." You smiled fondly as you packed the lunches.
Yoongi watched your gentle expression with wonder. He hadn't seen that look on your face in a long time.
"Let's eat, Y/N." he called.
"Oh, yeah let me finish these first. You can start."
"No." he grabbed your wrists to stop you. "Lunch can wait. Let's eat together."
You were surprised by his firmness as he led you to your chair and sat down.
He clapped his hands, grinning widely. "I'll eat it well!"
You smiled and nodded as you two dug into breakfast comfortably, thankful that ironically, you had at least one friend you could be yourself with in this school.
"Oh help me with my make-up." he whined after you two brushed your teeth.
You rolled your eyes. "I try to teach this to you every day. What're you going to do when I'm not here?"
"You'll never not be here, so I'm not worried." he shut his eyes and sat in front of you, as you took out your kit. "Make me pretty."
"Every single day." You exhaled as you began to smooth primer over his skin. "Listen carefully this time, okay?"
Yoongi nodded as he fondly stared at you talk with a small smile on his face. You were seriously explaining each product that he would never remember, and he found it endearing.
"Are you listening?"
"Mhm." he hummed.
"What did I say?"
"Mmm...you put that on my face." He pulled some random comment out of his ass.
You sighed. "What have you been even thinking about to stare at me so blankly like that?"
"Mmm that you're cute." he shrugged.
You blushed and ignored his comment to swipe at the eye shadow palette. "Close your eyes."
His lips curled up as he did so.
"You're a mess, seriously. You pinned your wig weirdly too." You fussed over him, trying not to show how his comment had thrown you off.
He grinned widely, and you prayed that he hadn't see through your facade. You knew he was just trying to get a reaction out of you, and you didn't want to give him the satisfaction.
"Y/N. You have such a nice body." One girl in your gym locker room section spoke to you brightly. "I've been meaning to compliment you for a while now...but I didn't want to sound weird."
You blinked, surprised that someone had spoken to you with nice words for a change. "Thanks..."
She smiled.
Braids. You recognized her as someone who sat in the front and always wore her hair in braids.
"You're also pretty decent at sports. Do you work out a lot?" she chatted.
"I used to. Ever since I transferred though, I haven't been able to."
"You've got such a toned healthy body." She gave a thumbs up. "Goals."
You smiled and blushed. "Thanks."
"No problem. Oh I also heard the surprise fitness test is today...do you wanna partner up?"
Your eyes widened. "With me?"
"Yeah." she laughed. "I'm usually alone or stuck as a third wheel. It'd be nice to actually have a partner this time."
You smiled and nodded. "Sure. I'd like that."
And with that, Braids became your first friend. She greeted you and engaged in brief conversations here and there. Eventually, you two exchanged numbers.
You were still shy, but you quite liked her cheerful personality. Maybe things were looking up after all.
"Oh ~ Looks like someone made a new friend." Yoongi teased as he suited up into his sleek black stealth uniform.
"Shush." You blushed as you answered Braids' text then slipped into your own stealth suit.
"No shame." he grinned. "It's about time people start warming up to you."
You rolled your eyes. "Let's get this patrol over with. We have an exam tomorrow."
"Priorities." Yoongi snorted.
You two slipped out of your dorm, crossed the courtyard, and jumped into the darkness of the school hallways. It was eerily quiet. You both had heard other students saying that officers patrolled and kept guard of the school and the dormitories at night. You and Yoongi didn't have a lead just yet or any solid information, so you wanted to at least witness this "security" of theirs.
So far, no one in your class knew about the other victims too well, save their year and that they were fairly popular. The only pattern they noticed was that that student would be absent for a day, and then their bodies appeared the next morning in various places throughout the campus. That's why roll call was now taken seriously and had to be handed to the Secretary immediately. If someone was absent, one of the staff had to check in on the student to make sure they were in their room and not missing.
You and Yoongi crawled on the ceiling soundlessly for a few minutes, taking note that no one was patrolling. You two glanced each other knowingly. Both of you pulled out Tae's invention that silenced everything around you.
"What's going on?" You questioned.
"Shitty guarding." Yoongi exhaled.
"What do we do?"
"Find the guards. We have to see if they're neglecting duties purposely or not." he stated.
"Let's split up?" You suggested.
Yoongi nodded and set a timer on his watch. "Let's meet back in the room in 15 minutes."
"Okay." You set your timer too, and you two clicked start simultaneously.
"Be careful, Y/N."
"You too, Yoongi."
It was 5 minutes in, when you finally found a guard that was groggily pacing the entrance to the school. He hadn't been there when you and Yoongi entered, so you wondered where they had been before curiously. You continued to crawl on the ceiling stealthily, going unnoticed, to get a closer look at his face, when suddenly, a familiar voice was heard in a whisper, down the hallway. But you were wearing Tae's other invention that heightened your hearing as well as his night vision glasses, so you picked it up. You swiftly moved closer to the origin of the sound.
"If word gets out about these murders and bullying incidents, the school is in danger of closing down. We need to get rid of these bullies and change the mindset of these 'populars'."
Your eyes widened at seeing the Principal discussing this matter seriously on the phone in the middle of the night. Your mind reeled as you tried to piece some connections together. You knew the popular girls were being targeted so he seemed to be aware of it too...and why had he used "get rid"? It was an odd phrase. Not to mention, how different his current aura was from his happy-go-lucky personality seen during the day. A crash was heard back at the entrance that startled both you and the Principal. You pinned yourself into the shadows as he hurried over to the noise. Without missing a beat, you followed him.
The Librarian was sprawled on the floor and the guard was helping her up.
"Librarian! You're still here?" the Principal smiled.
"Y-yeah, I fell asleep while organizing and lost track of time." she stammered sheepishly. "Why're you still here Principal?"
"Finishing up paperwork."
"P-please get some rest." the Librarian bowed.
"You too."
Your eyes found Yoongi from across the hallway. He gestured for you two to head out, which meant he also discovered something. Why were these two still in the school? And why were these guards so relaxed?
"The Librarian was whispering random things in the library in the dark." Yoongi shivered. "It creeped me out a little. Then she spotted my shadow against the moonlight and panicked, yelling something about forgiving her for her sins as she ran. Then she fell at the entrance."
"Forgiving her for her sins?" You blinked.
"Yeah...why was the Principal there?" Yoongi frowned.
You recounted the statement you had overheard and the difference in personalities between the Principal everyone saw and what you had witnessed in secret.
"Everyone's so weird." Yoongi scratched his head, frustrated. "I feel like we're always running into dead ends."
"I also feel like the next victim is in danger too." You exhaled.
"You sense it too right?" Yoongi sighed as he sat on his bed. "Like the calm before the storm."
"I wish we had more to go off of..."
"Not to mention, two members of the staff have conveniently disappeared at the start of the incidents. AND when they're about to return, there's a lull in the murders." Yoongi hummed. "It's a little funny, don't you think?"
"It may be one of the students too...we shouldn't just think of the teachers."
Yoongi groaned, plopping his face into his pillow. "Dammit."
You patted his back before jumping into your own bed, grabbing your notebook from inside your pillow to jot down your discoveries.
"If it's a student, that Student Council President is #1 on my list." he grumbled.
"Cause he's handsome?" You grinned.
"No!" he huffed and sat up. "One, you heard the Principal say that he knows the students, staff, and the school like the back of his hand. It'll give him ease of access to know people's whereabouts. Two, the staff and students love him, so he would be the last person they suspect."
You stayed silent as you wrote in your notebook.
"You're letting your crush on him cloud your judgment." Yoongi pouted and crossed his arms.
"I'm not!" You retorted. "I'm writing down what you said! Stop being a baby!"
"Let me see then." Yoongi hopped out of the bed, and settled into yours.
"No!" You clutched your notebook to your chest.
"You're guilty! Did you put hearts around his name? Huh?" he pulled at your hands as you struggled to keep your notebook a secret.
"No! I just didn't get to your statement yet!" You laughed as he tickled you. "I'll write your suspicions down! I promise!"
Yoongi snorted and pulled the notebook out of your grasp as he pinned you against your headboard to read what you had written. You huffed.
"Student Council President. Handsome? SWEET? Makes Min Yoongi JEALOUS?" he read, his volume increasing with each phrase.
"Shhhh!" You scrambled to cover his mouth. "People are sleeping!"
Then you suddenly realized the position you two were in. Yoongi was straddling you, your faces inches apart; you were cornered by your headboard and his body. You swallowed. How had he gotten there? Gently, he removed your hand from his mouth.
"Change it, right now." he dangerously stated.
"Fine." You snatched the notebook and erased your comments. "Can you at least get off me?"
He settled next to you, leaning over to watch you write everything down closely. After a few minutes of silence though, you heard his heavy breathing beside you and soon after, his head rested against yours heavily.
"Oh goodness." You scoffed as you adjusted and let him place his head comfortably on your shoulder instead as you finished your notes. Your eyes wandered down to his peaceful expression beside you. You felt your lips curl up. He looked so innocent and sweet like this. You reached out and shifted his bangs away from his eyes then pulled your hand back. What were you doing? You shook your head and slowly, slipped out of the bed, letting his body fall gently onto your mattress. With one last look at his curled up figure, you sprawled yourself into his bed instead and fell asleep too.
"Yah."
You were shaken awake by Yoongi's foot on your hip.
"Ugh what the fuck, ew." You swatted his foot away.
"Breakfast is ready. Let's go sleepy head."
You peeked up at him. He was already dressed.
"What time is it?"
"Early enough." he chuckled. "Come on."
You yawned. "Let me shower first."
"Okay, it's not that early. You should just not shower."
"Ew, no." You started the shower.
"Breakfast is going to get cold."
"I'll be quick!"
He rolled his eyes. "Liar."
You giggled as you stepped in, amused he already knew you took lengthy showers.
"I mean really, what do you girls do in there? Pray? Have a whole monologue?" You heard him complain from behind the bathroom door, and you chuckled.
"How many girls have you witnessed showering Yoongi?"
"That's not the point!"
"I think the real playboy is you, huh?" You smirked.
Yoongi grumbled.
"Oh shit." You cursed, a few minutes later.
"What?" Yoongi called out from inside the room.
"Umm...I forgot my towel..."
Yoongi glanced around and saw it still hanging up on the back of the door. "I gotchu."
"Yeah, wait, I'm--"
Yoongi opened the door, and you gasped and hurried to cover your boobs and crotch since you had stepped out of the shower already.
"I SAID TO WAIT! ASSHOLE!" You slapped him and grabbed your towel hurriedly, shoving him out by slamming the door.
You curled up into fetal position, out of shame.
Whether Yoongi had seen anything, you didn't know, but it was a fairly quiet breakfast. You were embarrassed and completely red.
He, on the other hand, was replaying the moment in his mind.
"Stop being dirty." You mumbled.
"What?" he raised a brow.
You covered your boobs. "You saw didn't you?"
He shrugged, "And?"
"You're the worst." You frowned.
"How should I react that won't offend you?" he questioned.
You blushed.
"If I was like 'wahhh...nice', you'd say I was a pervert. If I don't react, you do this. If I act like it didn't faze me, then you're hurt." he explained. "How do you want me to act?"
You frowned and grabbed your arm. "Nevermind."
"No." he stood in front of you. "How did you want me to react?"
You shook your head and blushed. "I'm not sure Yoongi. React honestly?"
He chuckled. "I'm a guy, Y/N."
"I don't know what that's supposed to mean."
He leaned down and whispered into your ear. "Naked women turn men on."
You felt your face warm and with a squeak, you dashed out of your dorm. He grinned widely.
Truthfully, he hadn't seen anything, since you had slapped him before he registered the situation, but seeing you flustered was quite adorable.
"Wait up!" he hurried after you, as you booked it to school.
Yoongi spent the entire morning tauntingly staring at you with a big smile on his face. It made you wince, and you tried hard to keep your eyes peeled forward.
"Stop." You hissed. "You're imagining it, aren't you?"
"Maybe." he shrugged.
"Stopp." You whined.
"Is there a problem Y/N, Yoonji?" the homeroom teacher called out.
"No sir." Yoongi shook his head.
"Don't forget you're a girl." You mouthed.
"I don't see why I can't appreciate another girl even if I'm a girl." he whispered lightly.
You groaned and covered yourself up with your blazer.
During the break, one of the basketball team guys called Yoonji over, and you finally felt like you could breathe. But the girls took this chance to be vocal about your visible closeness with your roommate.
"She must think she's totally better than us. She interacts with Yoonji but doesn't bother saying anything to us."
"Hey. Don't judge her before you get to know her." Yoongi snapped, overhearing the comment.
Everyone fell silent, and you stared at your desk intently. Your heart dropped. Right, there was a lot more going on and Yoongi's free peep show was the least of your worries. You were immediately brought back to the reality of your situation. You knew Yoongi meant well, but you weren't sure if there was a solution. There never really was. Every time he stood up for you, it backfired.
"Aw you're so sweet, Yoonji." The girls giggled. "And so cool for standing up for your quiet roommate."
They fawned over Yoongi once again, showering him with compliments.
"You're lucky Yoonji is your roommate." one of the girls behind you whispered dangerously in your ear. "You need to get off your high horse and stop making us look like the bad guys around her."
You needed fresh air. Your throat was closing in again.
Hurriedly, you grabbed your things and made your way out of the classroom, dejected. You hung your head down, pondering the best course of action to take. Everything you did seemed to be perceived in a negative way. You needed to complete this mission, but maybe you should just transfer out and just work in the shadows? Maybe you should use your training and beat up a few of the students? You shook your head. That's against the SA code.
You sighed. "It's happening again. Why does it always happen this way?"
All of a sudden, in the midst of your deep pondering, your face crashed into a seemingly solid surface, causing you to stumble back in surprise at the unexpected impact. You bowed as you realized you had bumped into a fairly tall person, and judging from his attire, one of the teachers nonetheless.
"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!"
"Y/N! Good! I was just going to go look for you!"
You glanced up as you recognized the Principal's voice. Then your eyes wandered to the gentleman beside him, whom you had bumped into, and your eyes widened in astonishment.
"Oh Yoonji! Come over here. I want to introduce you two to someone."
Unbeknownst to you, Yoongi had scurried after you when you left the classroom, and was donning the same shocked expression as you were. Mindlessly, he took his place beside you as you continued to gawk at the man in front of you.
"Yoonji, Y/N. This is your homeroom teacher, Mr. Kim Seokjin."
.
.
.
PART 3
#dundundun#any guesses?#the queen is back#min yoonji#all hail swag yoonji#sassy yoonji#yoonji#yoongi#min yoongi#suga#bts suga#agust d#yoongi x reader#suga x reader#bts fanfic#bts fanfiction#bangtan fanfic#bangtan fanfiction#bts fluff#bts angst#bts secret agent au#bts action#bts rom com#park jimin#jimin#kim taehyung#tae#v#kim namjoon#namjoon
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Could you do 3 for Hadrian and Mevia and/or 9 for Milo and Isa? Please and thank you :)
There was no doubt that Milo and Isa were very different people. She was level-headed, he was excitable. She was a realist, he was a dreamer. She was organized, he was creative. The list went on. One would believe that having such polar opposites running a newly made civilization would result in nothing ever getting done. But they’d be wrong.
Well…
Sort of.
It’s true, in the early days of the newly founded Ground City—the only name that the two of them agreed on—there were often arguments between the former Founder and the former Build Club leader. Mostly they involved where to put new structures, safety measures, and what laws needed to be in place. Thankfully, compromise usually won in the end.
Even with the seemingly limitless new world around them, it didn’t stop citizens from getting into squabbles over resources they discovered, squabbles that both Isa and Milo needed to resolve. Maybe that had been the one similar trait that forced the two to put aside most of their differences; people needed them. This was a new home, a new life. In these sorts of times, there had to be at least one person who knew what they were doing.
The largest building in the budding city was the one that the two of them had built together, a decently sized wooden structure that acted as both their home (although separate bedrooms were essential to keep each other sane at first) and as the headquarters for leadership duties. Town meetings were often held in the evenings, while small building contests often took place in the grass out front in the afternoons. It’d been an odd living situation, Isa wasn’t fully used to company outside of the guards, and Milo would tell anyone who listened that having an energetic chicken running around caused more than a fair share of shenanigans around the house. But they made it work. It was funny, that phrase seemed to sum their entire relationship.
Isa would soon admit that having the builder at her side to lead was a tremendous relief. While the rebellious Milo admitted that having the former ruler around had saved his life more times than he could count. Even the sounds of Benedict’s flapping wings and her surprised clucks became part of the daily routine. Good thing too, as it stopped Milo from calling the chicken “The Eversource”, sparing him from Isa’s annoyed glares.
It made sense then as months went by and the city grew larger, that Milo realized Isa needed her breaks. He recalled overhearing her mention a desire to travel and explore this new untouched biome quite some time in the past, and at the breakfast table just a few weeks ago, he proposed his brilliant plan. He called it “Operation: Adventure Days”, a system where once a week, one of them would be free of all their duties for the day and go explore as they pleased while the other handled everything at home. She was hesitant at first, especially when Milo gave her the first day, but she didn’t wish for her and Benedict to be stuck inside all day and soon grew fond of her days off. Sometimes after her expeditions with Benedict, Isa would bring home tokens of their adventure. Any new kind of building material she stumbled upon during her travels she gave to Milo, knowing he would enjoy working with them.
This particular summer evening had been one of those said adventure days for Isa. As the moon rose over the city now full of humble wooden and stone homes, its citizens soon lit up the dirt roads outside and windows of their houses with torches. Milo himself was using the glow of a smaller torch as he sat in the common room of the headquarters, reading over some blueprints given to him by a former Build Club member. It was a layout of what would eventually be a bridge, although the member had asked Milo to revise it and write suggestions down. So far all his tired hands could muster to write was that the ends would be unstable if they were built from sand. Today in particular had been a busy one, full of issues and tasks needed to be done. Perhaps he should’ve checked both his own and Isa’s to-do lists earlier, at least that would’ve given him a head start and save him exhaustion later.
As Milo released a long yawn, he could feel his head dripping down, the quill in his hand slipping from his grasp. No, no, he attempted to pull himself back up. Had to finish this. Needed to stay awake…
The sound of the oak door clicking shut and a giddy laughter broke the silence, causing Milo to sit up straight and turn towards the doorway. Isa had returned, Benedict trotting by her side. Both of them covered in mud spots, Isa was sporting a few scratches and bruises, and her light yellow robe now had a tear in its sleeve. Yet she still wore a bright smile on her face.
“Welcome back,” he greeted them before letting out another soft yawn.
Upon seeing the sight of him, Isa folded her arms, still keeping the smile, “You look exhausted.”
“Says the one covered head to toe in dirt,” Milo retorted in a humorous manner, his drowsy blue eyes noticed a twig tangled in her long locks of black hair. It even had a tiny leaf growing at the end. “How was today’s grand journey?”
“You wouldn’t believe what we found today,” Isa said, bending down to pet her chicken companion pecking at the floor, ruffling the feathers on her head, “we stumbled upon this large field of flowers. There were so many, all different colors and scents, it was lovely. I brought some back with me if you’re interested in making some dye with them.”
Milo nodded, “I have been wanting to see what patterns I can do with wool. Although forgive me for asking, but how does a peaceful activity such as flower picking give you bruises?”
Isa tilted her head, “Well if you would allow me to finish my story, I’ll tell you. On the way back, there was a herd of horses racing by us. Benedict and I thought perhaps we could tame them with the carrots I packed, but it was a grave mistake to only present two carrots to ten horses.” She gave a small laugh, “We even attempted jumping in the river to escape them.”
“Oh my,” Milo replied, rubbing one eye, “remind me again, what is a horse?”
Isa tapped her chin, contemplating a way to describe it to him, “Picture a sheep, except much taller, fur instead of wool, and longer faces.”
The builder rose an eyebrow, “Thank you for that description, Isa. Now I will be struck with nightmares for days.”
The comment made Isa burst out with laughter, Milo joining in until he was stopped by a much louder yawn jumping from his mouth.
“I assure you, seeing one for yourself will be much less frightening,” Isa made her way over, Benedict wandering off into another room, and looked over his shoulder at the paper stacks around him. “Seems as if you’ve had quite the workload today. Would you like some assistance?”
He shook his head, “Absolutely not, you remember the terms of Operation Adventure Days, no work until sunrise the next day.”
“My, my Milo, and here I thought you were one who made it a point to break rules set in place,” She teased lightly.
He blinked, staring at her for a moment before reaching for his quill once more and cracking a grin of his own, “Fair point. Very well, the chair across is open.”
“Excellent, let me just wash up first and I’ll be back shortly,” Isa stated, turning and exiting the room.
Milo stopped his writing once more, looking back to where the former founder had left. How funny it was, to see such a pleasant smile from her.
If you had told him this would be his favorite sight a couple months ago, he would’ve claimed you were mad.
#mcsm#mcsm isa#mcsm milo#mcsm spoilers#anon#Thanks for sending an ask! :)#You know Isa and Milo are a neat pair#Kinda want to do more with them in a later fanfic#maybe I'll add Reginald in there too#like an awesome adventure trio#with Benedict as their mascot#yeaaaah#Also I wanted to do the Hadrian and Mevia one you requested but I couldn't really think of anything#If I ever get to it I'll make a separate post#my fanfics#my drabbles
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BotEngage Review And Large Bonus
BotEngage Evaluation
Exactly How to Transform Site Visitors into Customers Making Use Of a Landing Web Page (Part 4)
You might produce a sequence wherein you send people a total of 8 emails. Within your 8 emails, you send an 'offer e-mail,' every fourth e-mail.
Don't hesitate of sending out too many emails.
Hubspot discovered that Botengage just left after 16-30 email projects.
Note: Hubspot specifies projects as--.
Your capacity to transform subscribers into clients is going to rely on just how sturdy your free gift is however additionally on exactly how good your email material is, too.
Great e-mails earn you the right to send even more e-mails.
There's a great deal to be said regarding creating an autoresponder sequence that will certainly resonate with people.
You'll require to use the pointers stated above, in connection with generating giveaway concepts and additionally to find up with ideas for the emails that you're mosting likely to be sending out.
It can be a great suggestion to sign up, as a site visitor, to the listings of your rivals.
This will certainly provide you a sense of the technique that works for them, in regards to the sort of emails that are sent out and in exactly how in-depth the web content is within them.
It'll additionally offer you a chance to see just how an offer exists as well as the kind of language that is utilized, in order to convince you to purchase.
Again, you're not seeking to replicate Botengage, yet you are seeking to learn from individuals who have actually been playing the game a lot longer than you.
Bear in mind, nonetheless, that you can always combine the two techniques gone over above.
For example, you could send out clients a sequence of e-mails and after that inquire if they wish to have a 'face to face' call with you.
Other on the internet companies offer site visitors the capacity to live conversation. Live chat is an excellent device, because it gives you the opportunity to obtain entailed with your potential client prior to they leave your internet site and/or desert an acquisition.
Eventually, your objective is to supply value and to aid construct goodwill, by positioning on your own as a 'trusted authority.' Ensuring that the user experience on your web site's landing page is beneficial and relevant will impact your conversion rate significantly.
If all else stops working, return to things that you're attempting to market.
Inquiry if it is something that individuals in fact desire.
Verdict
Seo, web content advertising and marketing, social media approaches-- all need time, cash as well as power. So why not ensure that your initiatives are settling by turning internet site visitors right into consumers?
An influential landing web page, incorporated with an effective conversion process, can be the driving pressure of transforming a website see right into a revenue.
After having undergone this article, you must currently have a sense of what you need to do in order to create Botengage as well as a reliable conversion process of your own.
You now recognize, for example, that giveaways attract website visitors.
You likewise understand that having a procedure for converting internet site visitors right into clients is vital if you desire your touchdown page to turn a profit for you.
Whether you do that with the use of an autoresponder series, a telephone call, or live chat, the method you embrace will certainly rely on your business as well as the style you want.
Experience this blog post once more. See if you can utilize several of the suggestions pointed out to increase your conversion price and turn that euphoria into complete satisfaction.
What have you experienced when it comes to creating a touchdown page that converts site visitors into consumers-- exist any type of ideas you can share?
BotEngage Summary
Supplier: Simon Warner
Item: BotEngage
Release Date: 2020-Mar-18
Introduce Time: 15.00 EDT
Front-End Cost: $67
Sales Page: https://www.socialleadfreak.com/botengage-review/
Niche: General
Just like our previous launches, Botengage isn't simply some cut and run software program. Botengage has been produced to grow and also endure for the long-lasting by its skilled full-time team.
It's A First To Market Option, Enabling Your Clients To Create Engagement-boosting, Lead-getting Customized Bots In Just A Couple Of Clicks.
What makes BotEngage so effective?
BotEngage resemble secret ninja on your page. Simply waiting to order brand-new leads as faster than a crouching tiger! BotEngage blend in as an all-natural part of your site material and efficiently transform visitors right into leads as they fit flawlessly into the web content flow and do not disrupt or irritate the individual.
Convert Website Visitors into Leads
Actions to Successfully Turning Visitors into Consumers
It can be annoying to see site visitors to your website and also an absence of sales or signups. What are you doing wrong? Although people may be seeing your web site, it takes onsite tools and a couple of methods to obtain them to in fact enroll in your product or service. You can find out exactly how to transform internet site web traffic right into sales by merely going back and also focusing on what would make somebody linger much longer. These tips can help you to start.
Think About A/B Testing
Maybe your web site's layout or overall company. A/B testing is a procedure that can help you to see what actually works. Additionally called split testing, it enables you to see what kinds of internet site arrangements get results. As an example, you can check 2 separate headlines to see which style, phrasing choice, or other aspects obtain more clicks. Making use of A/B testing software, half of your web traffic will certainly go to each web page. If one gets significantly more outcomes, you can design future pages off those outcomes.
Add Onsite Live Conversation Professionals
Right here's something that works effectively for solution companies along with those web sites where clients require immediate solutions. Live chat agent services, like those from MarkeTop are an impressive way to give clients the details they want as soon as possible. For example, a site visitor reaches the site, reads a little bit concerning the services or product, and then requires even more details. Instead of clicking off the page, live conversation representatives can address those questions today, securing the lead for the most part.
Make Certain Search Engine Optimization Is Really Targeted
There's no benefit to having site visitors if they are not truly thinking about your product and services. It's much better to have 100 site visitors that are interested in your product than 1000 with little real demand. This comes down to SEO. If your Search Engine Optimization isn't targeting the best key phrases and also markets, it is inefficient. It is important to take a more detailed check out what you are targeting, where your Search Engine Optimization may be lacking, and also what you can do in a different way to get better certified leads. These ultimately transform.
Are You Using a Clear Value Recommendation?
What's in it for the internet site visitor? A value proposition informs the client why they should purchase from you.
It is essential that your website or touchdown web page solution two questions:
What's in it for me?
Why should I purchase from you?
What makes value propositions tough for several company owner is that they often tend to fight with presenting this information. In short, your web page ought to communicate, in one of the most simple method possible, what it needs to use. Make sure your value suggestion varies from your competitors, is precise, as well as is a direct representation of what the consumer really requires or intends to make these choices.
Quick Tips for Improved Conversions
There are several various other elements to think about when establishing an internet site and also enhancing your conversions. These are several of the simplest changes you can make currently to see outcomes.
When you discover just how to transform site traffic into sales with these pointers, you can begin to see renovations right away:
Include a guarantee to your service or product. Go for a no-questions-asked type of plan on any type of purchase. This decreases the visitor's danger.
Use activity verbs on every web page-- "get your own now" and also "book your spot"
Make use of genuine testimonies on your page to produce "social proof" that you are the suitable business to collaborate with
Keep your conversion component in the upper fifty percent of the websites. This includes opt-in boxes and also forms.
Add video clip to your web page to assist build brand awareness as well as professionalism and reliability
Make sure a strong phone call to activity exists on every web page of the website and also blog site
Use easy-to-understand and motivating headlines
Most importantly, ask your site visitors why they registered or what their needs are. The more engaging you can do with your customers, the more probable you are to obtain the outcomes you really want and needs. At MarkeTop, we can help you to drive web traffic that's very targeted to your website and then turn them right into leads.
Final thought
"It's A Lot. Should I Invest Today?"
Not only are you getting access to BotEngage for the best rate ever before provided, however likewise You're investing entirely without risk. BotEngage consists of a 30-day Money Back Warranty Plan. When you choose BotEngage, your complete satisfaction is ensured. If you are not totally pleased with it for any kind of reason within the very first 1 month, you're qualified to a complete refund-- no question asked. You've got nothing to lose! What Are You Awaiting? Try It today and get The Adhering to Incentive Currently!
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5 reasons the Galaxy S8 will make you ditch your iPhone
The Samsung Galaxy S8 has taken the tech industry by storm as the best Android smartphone you can buy. The display is gorgeous, the design is unmatched and the performance is top notch. The Galaxy S8 finally delivered everything I needed to cut the Apple cord and jump ship to an Android smartphone. I do miss iMessage, but there's enough about the Galaxy S8 to soothe the loss of Apple's simple and seamless messaging app. Here are five reasons why I made the switch from iOS to Android and I'm not looking back. Subtle notifications Coming from iOS, notifications included floating pop-ups and angry red badges that judgmentally showcased my growing pile of unread emails. These notifications overwhelmed and annoyed. I'd turn the badges off, or shuffle the app to another page so I wouldn't have to stare at it anymore. My lock screen became a jumbled mix of stacked notifications -- something to ignore as I unlocked the display. It's safe to say my iPhone never became a cornerstone of productivity. But the Galaxy S8 finally makes my smartphone a productive device -- one that I can customize to my preference. And I've finally stopped ignoring notifications. The traditional notifications are clean and minimal, but the Edge notifications are the real treat. With Edge notifications, you'll see a thin, unobtrusive bubble at the top of the display while a blue light that gracefully dances around the edges of the display. It's enough to notice you have a new alert, but not so much that I'm forced to turn on "Do Not Disturb" just to get through a YouTube video. Meanwhile, I can avoid clutter on my lock screen and "always on display" by relying on simple icons that expand with a tap to show all notifications for that one app. On the home screen, I can include widgets and sticky notes that make it impossible for me to avoid my to-do list or reminders. I spent years carrying around two-inch Sticky Notes that I'd tack on to my iPhone display if I needed to remember something important. At least on my S8, the sticky notes won't fall off. In the past, Apple offered enough in hardware and software to let me overlook the absurdity of applying physical sticky notes to a digital device, but not anymore. [ Related story: How to switch from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy S8 ] Touchwiz TouchWiz, the notorious Samsung Android skin, died in late 2016, and emerged from the ashes as Samsung Experience. That might sound dramatic, but it's fitting for the dramatic change to Samsung's UI. In the past, TouchWiz was consistently one of the worst features on any Samsung Galaxy device -- each passing year saw incremental gains to the UI, but most users turned to launchers. The Galaxy S8 is the first Samsung device that won't have you running to the Google Play store to download Nova Launcher right out of the box. Gone are the complex menus, cartoon-like app icons, obnoxious notifications and a confusing mess of duplicate Samsung apps you couldn't delete. You can uninstall most of Samsung's apps, and for certain apps -- like reminders and weather -- you won't even find an icon in your app drawer unless you enable it within the app. And don't be surprised if you find yourself turning to Samsung's native apps, which now have simple, minimalist designs. They're all aesthetically pleasing and I prefer the Samsung email and calendar apps over the Google counterparts. In fact, I like a lot about Samsung Experience over stock Android -- something I never thought I'd say. [ Related story: Enterprise showdown: 5 ways the iPhone beats the Galaxy S8 ] Wireless and fast charging The battery on the S8 isn't anything spectacular. It's about the same as the Galaxy S7, but software improvements and a more efficient processor make it slightly more resilient. I've used the S8 as my main device for a few weeks and I've made peace with the battery. I can get through most of the day on a full charge, but need to top it off if I plan to go out at night. I use typical battery draining apps like Facebook Messenger and Snapchat and I keep my Bluetooth on for most of the day so I can easily connect to a Bluetooth speaker to stream Spotify. The battery manager on my device averages about 10 hours of use every day, and that feels about right. What's most surprising about the battery is how fast it charges. You can get a full charge on a nearly drained battery in under two hours. I try to remember to always charge my phone about 30 minutes before I need to leave the house. With the Galaxy S8, that's more than enough to get a solid charge. Not only is the fast charge incredibly convenient, but with wireless charging, it's easier than ever to find a spot to juice up out in the wild -- whether at a Starbucks or an Airport. The battery doesn't need to do more than it does, because it's easier to gas up on the go. The iPhone still doesn't have either of these features, which made my decision to switch even easier. [ Related story: A deeper look at Samsung's Galaxy S8 ] Headphone jack Jason Cross/IDG I'll never understand how Apple got away with removing the headphone jack on the iPhone 7, but it was the final nail in the coffin for me. I use headphones when I travel and I like to keep my phone charged while I kill time in airports, train stations and bus stops. Bluetooth and audio streaming are notorious battery drainers, and when you're on the road, every percent counts when you're not sure when you'll get your next charge. I'm not a fan of adapters because I always forget them, which is probably easy to imagine for someone who needs physical sticky notes on a mobile device. Also, quality Bluetooth headphones are expensive, and Apple's Air Pods are comically easy to lose -- they look like a case of dental floss. I'd give myself two weeks before accidentally tossing them into the trash. Even in a world where I am organized enough to hang on to $150 ear buds, I'd still be faced with Bluetooth. I don't think Bluetooth is where it needs to be to completely replace wired headphones. I'm sure as Bluetooth 5.0 becomes the standard it will become a non-issue and compatible ear buds will be more affordable and replaceable. But for now, I prefer to plug in via the 3.5mm stereo jack. Refreshing design I like iOS, but it's getting boring, Every year it's the same icons, layout and general functionality. Add that to tired, repetitive designs and Android looks better and better. I looked at the iPhone 7 Plus and the Galaxy S8 side by side, and knew I wouldn't be able to stand not having something close to the S8's OLED Infinity Display for two years. Some people might not care about this, which I understand. Not everyone cares about technology the same way not everyone cares about sports or fashion. You might watch the playoffs or buy a few trendy pieces for your closet, but that's where the fascination ends. There's nothing wrong with buying a reliable, well-known and highly regarded device like the iPhone, especially if you want to turn it on and never worry about it again. But that's not me. I remember every cellphone I've had since my first Nokia in 2003. I've always been fascinated by cellphone and smartphone design. Every new release brought improvements in hardware, software and new features like color displays and physical keyboards. And then I got my iPhone 4. Since then, each year has brought incremental changes in hardware and software, always dependable and reliable updates, but never anything as exciting as the Galaxy S8. My smartphone feels fun again. Samsung set a new standard and I'm excited to see how other manufacturers -- especially Apple -- respond. Technology is always at its best when there's healthy competition pushing both sides, and Samsung has finally upped the ante. Related Video To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here http://dlvr.it/P3cPW1 #CIO #ITStrategy
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5 reasons the Galaxy S8 will make you ditch your iPhone
The Samsung Galaxy S8 has taken the tech industry by storm as the best Android smartphone you can buy. The display is gorgeous, the design is unmatched and the performance is top notch. The Galaxy S8 finally delivered everything I needed to cut the Apple cord and jump ship to an Android smartphone.
I do miss iMessage, but there's enough about the Galaxy S8 to soothe the loss of Apple's simple and seamless messaging app. Here are five reasons why I made the switch from iOS to Android and I'm not looking back.
Subtle notifications
Coming from iOS, notifications included floating pop-ups and angry red badges that judgmentally showcased my growing pile of unread emails. These notifications overwhelmed and annoyed. I'd turn the badges off, or shuffle the app to another page so I wouldn't have to stare at it anymore. My lock screen became a jumbled mix of stacked notifications -- something to ignore as I unlocked the display. It's safe to say my iPhone never became a cornerstone of productivity.
But the Galaxy S8 finally makes my smartphone a productive device -- one that I can customize to my preference. And I've finally stopped ignoring notifications. The traditional notifications are clean and minimal, but the Edge notifications are the real treat. With Edge notifications, you'll see a thin, unobtrusive bubble at the top of the display while a blue light that gracefully dances around the edges of the display. It's enough to notice you have a new alert, but not so much that I'm forced to turn on "Do Not Disturb" just to get through a YouTube video.
Meanwhile, I can avoid clutter on my lock screen and "always on display" by relying on simple icons that expand with a tap to show all notifications for that one app. On the home screen, I can include widgets and sticky notes that make it impossible for me to avoid my to-do list or reminders.
I spent years carrying around two-inch Sticky Notes that I'd tack on to my iPhone display if I needed to remember something important. At least on my S8, the sticky notes won't fall off. In the past, Apple offered enough in hardware and software to let me overlook the absurdity of applying physical sticky notes to a digital device, but not anymore.
[ Related story: How to switch from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy S8 ]
Touchwiz
TouchWiz, the notorious Samsung Android skin, died in late 2016, and emerged from the ashes as Samsung Experience. That might sound dramatic, but it's fitting for the dramatic change to Samsung's UI. In the past, TouchWiz was consistently one of the worst features on any Samsung Galaxy device -- each passing year saw incremental gains to the UI, but most users turned to launchers.
The Galaxy S8 is the first Samsung device that won't have you running to the Google Play store to download Nova Launcher right out of the box. Gone are the complex menus, cartoon-like app icons, obnoxious notifications and a confusing mess of duplicate Samsung apps you couldn't delete.
You can uninstall most of Samsung's apps, and for certain apps -- like reminders and weather -- you won't even find an icon in your app drawer unless you enable it within the app. And don't be surprised if you find yourself turning to Samsung's native apps, which now have simple, minimalist designs. They're all aesthetically pleasing and I prefer the Samsung email and calendar apps over the Google counterparts. In fact, I like a lot about Samsung Experience over stock Android -- something I never thought I'd say.
[ Related story: Enterprise showdown: 5 ways the iPhone beats the Galaxy S8 ]
Wireless and fast charging
The battery on the S8 isn't anything spectacular. It's about the same as the Galaxy S7, but software improvements and a more efficient processor make it slightly more resilient. I've used the S8 as my main device for a few weeks and I've made peace with the battery. I can get through most of the day on a full charge, but need to top it off if I plan to go out at night.
I use typical battery draining apps like Facebook Messenger and Snapchat and I keep my Bluetooth on for most of the day so I can easily connect to a Bluetooth speaker to stream Spotify. The battery manager on my device averages about 10 hours of use every day, and that feels about right.
What's most surprising about the battery is how fast it charges. You can get a full charge on a nearly drained battery in under two hours. I try to remember to always charge my phone about 30 minutes before I need to leave the house. With the Galaxy S8, that's more than enough to get a solid charge.
Not only is the fast charge incredibly convenient, but with wireless charging, it's easier than ever to find a spot to juice up out in the wild -- whether at a Starbucks or an Airport. The battery doesn't need to do more than it does, because it's easier to gas up on the go. The iPhone still doesn't have either of these features, which made my decision to switch even easier.
[ Related story: A deeper look at Samsung's Galaxy S8 ]
Headphone jack
Jason Cross/IDG
I'll never understand how Apple got away with removing the headphone jack on the iPhone 7, but it was the final nail in the coffin for me. I use headphones when I travel and I like to keep my phone charged while I kill time in airports, train stations and bus stops. Bluetooth and audio streaming are notorious battery drainers, and when you're on the road, every percent counts when you're not sure when you'll get your next charge.
I'm not a fan of adapters because I always forget them, which is probably easy to imagine for someone who needs physical sticky notes on a mobile device. Also, quality Bluetooth headphones are expensive, and Apple's Air Pods are comically easy to lose -- they look like a case of dental floss. I'd give myself two weeks before accidentally tossing them into the trash.
Even in a world where I am organized enough to hang on to $150 ear buds, I'd still be faced with Bluetooth. I don't think Bluetooth is where it needs to be to completely replace wired headphones. I'm sure as Bluetooth 5.0 becomes the standard it will become a non-issue and compatible ear buds will be more affordable and replaceable. But for now, I prefer to plug in via the 3.5mm stereo jack.
Refreshing design
I like iOS, but it's getting boring, Every year it's the same icons, layout and general functionality. Add that to tired, repetitive designs and Android looks better and better. I looked at the iPhone 7 Plus and the Galaxy S8 side by side, and knew I wouldn't be able to stand not having something close to the S8's OLED Infinity Display for two years.
Some people might not care about this, which I understand. Not everyone cares about technology the same way not everyone cares about sports or fashion. You might watch the playoffs or buy a few trendy pieces for your closet, but that's where the fascination ends. There's nothing wrong with buying a reliable, well-known and highly regarded device like the iPhone, especially if you want to turn it on and never worry about it again. But that's not me.
I remember every cellphone I've had since my first Nokia in 2003. I've always been fascinated by cellphone and smartphone design. Every new release brought improvements in hardware, software and new features like color displays and physical keyboards. And then I got my iPhone 4. Since then, each year has brought incremental changes in hardware and software, always dependable and reliable updates, but never anything as exciting as the Galaxy S8.
My smartphone feels fun again. Samsung set a new standard and I'm excited to see how other manufacturers -- especially Apple -- respond. Technology is always at its best when there's healthy competition pushing both sides, and Samsung has finally upped the ante.
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from CIO http://www.cio.com/article/3194410/smartphones/5-reasons-the-galaxy-s8-will-make-you-ditch-your-iphone.html#tk.rss_all
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Personally, I believe Wordpress is far more powerful and valuable than some site operators and developers give it credit for. Sure, there are Ruby and Python and myriad ways to build a site -- but Wordpress sits eloquently at the confluence of simple to operate, actually possible to create a visual design that is above the bar of “good enough,” and most importantly, easy for a non-technical individual to operate, add content to and learn from.Of course -- there are limits. Wordpress isn’t going to work if you’re just an idiot about making content look good, making content the same across your site and following some mental sense of design guidelines and taking the time to learn how clicking on this tool here -- does this -- results in this margin change -- impacts this layout -- looks like this on mobile -- etc.My basic guide for getting a site from nothing to quality in Wordpress goes like this:Install Wordpress on your site host (through your hosting provider or other -- if you have a current site and need to do this on a temp domain, you’ll need some extra steps). If you don’t know how to do this, your hosting provider should have clear instructions -- search on their site or Google ‘installing Wordpress [x host]’. Godaddy, WP-Engine and others make this fairly easy.Go to Themeforest and view the most popular items filtered to Wordpress. I’ll save you some time -- it’s right here:http://themeforest.net/popular_item/by_category?category=wordpressStart opening and viewing the themes here. Once you have a theme open, look at the various demo installs for that theme. Each theme will usually have between 10 and 100. Try to find one you like that you can see covering the look-and-feel of about 80-85% of your site. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend choosing a theme that is lower than the Top 12 in popularity. The top themes are the top for a reason -- high sales, active support and, most importantly for the non-technical, usually a built-in page-builder plugin. This is clutch -- a requirement, really.You should look for that plugin listed in the theme features -- it may be called Visual Composer, Cornerstone or a few others will generally be fine. I’m going to recommend Cornerstone over others currently (attached to ‘X theme’), because I’ve found it consistently easier to use for the non-technical.Buy a theme. I’ve built sites on X, BeTheme, Jupiter, Salient -- they all work fine. Buy it and then download the zip.Install the theme on your Wordpress installation in the themes section -- you’ll see an option to ‘add new’ theme -- either on your temp domain or live domain. You may have an issue uploading the .zip. You’re probably trying to install the wrong .zip. Unzip it and look, is it filled with another .zip and readme files? You want the one that is only the theme. This can be a jerk sometimes -- but keep playing at it, eventually, you’ll get a successful installation. If it keeps flopping and you’re feeling a little technically inept, grab someone on Fiverr that can install a theme and handle it that way.ASIDE: Grabbing someone on Fiverr. A few spots through here you’ll see me mention grabbing someone on Fiverr (Fiverr.com). Fiverr is a marketplace where you can buy one-off tasks. Things like installing a theme file, installing a tricky plug-in, moving from one host to another -- these are great Fiverr jobs. Make sure to set up temp passwords on your accounts or separate log-ins for anyone you allow access via Fiverr -- and when you’re done, actually remove them.Once your theme is installed you’re going to be looking for the option to install demo content, as well as the required plug-ins. Each theme will have a large cache of demo content for you to install. The ability to do so might be under ‘Theme Options’ -- sometimes ‘Customization’ -- in your menu, but once you install this, your site is going to be filled with junk -- good looking junk, but still junk. If you’re better at this, you can sometimes skip this because you can layout from scratch, but if you’re newer, trust the demo content.Required plugins are the same. Your theme will require you to install a few plugins and they should be listed in the admin in a section specifically for that. Install them all, especially any that are page builders -- until you do, your layout and pages will be broken.Getting to this point is about getting SOMETHING up. It won’t be pretty -- some stuff may still be broken and you may have missing images. Some tricky items may have come up depending on your theme and there can always be some headaches. Google is your best friend. Google clearly: “wordpress [x theme] installation problem [error text] 2017”. (Wherein ‘x theme’ is the name of your theme plus them -- hell, it may actually be ‘x theme’ -- as that’s a fairly good theme.)Now that this is done, you have a site with barrels of content you don’t need. It’s annoying to need to delete it all, but it’s better for you to start with something if you’re not a designer and work your way down to what you need than try to come up with how to do a layout consistently from scratch. Start going through your content and start to get a feel for the pages that exist that most closely resemble the pages you need. Just at a guess, you might want some pages like:Home PageAbout UsThe TeamPricingProduct DetailsContact UsFAQMost of your themes are going to have templated pages that cover a big chunk of the above, and you’re just going to be swapping content to make them make sense. Your big goal with these pages is ‘how can I get 90% of what I need with what’s here, not how can I get the 100% perfect site with stuff that doesn’t look anything like what I’ve got?’.Now, some tips on editing the site content using a page builder to get this from being a demo site to being your site. First, find the page you’re going to begin editing (and to be clear, your site is built off of pages -- not posts -- if you’ve never done this before at all). The fastest thing might be to load pages like a regular user and then using the Wordpress nav bar at the top of the screen edit that page. You’re going to want to go with the option that is editing the page using ‘x page-builder’. Some you’ll choose after you load the edit page, some you’ll choose as a link in the header.Once you’ve done this, you’ll be given a layout that is either your exact page or something that shows your content in a bunch of blocks like your page. You can start editing your site content in these blocks usually in a few ways. The content of the block, the style of the content. The style of the block. The style of the row or section the block sits in and the style of the page overall. Think of it like nesting dolls. Using each of these, you can dramatically change the content in a section or module of your site.The best tip I can give, though, is -- before you change anything in any field, have some scrap paper and write down what it was before. Make a small change -- just one or two things, then save, then view, then see if you need to go back to what you’ve written. Working like this will allow you to see your edits before you’ve changed so much you can’t go back. Do this especially if you start changing the pixels between items in things like margins and padding.The second best tip is -- steal from what works. Don’t make new sections if you don’t have to. Duplicate other ones that are close to what you like. Find a page you might not be using from the demo content but where you like one piece and open the editor -- find the section for the content you like and then create a new section, copying every single setting and value from the content that already looks right.Either before or after you’re editing the content, you can also usually edit the overall theme of your site. This should sit somewhere in the Wordpress admin menu. It may be its own section under your theme name, or it may be under the section ‘appearance’ and then customization. Using this, you’ll be able to edit the common aspects of your site for the most part. Logo, footer and header content and behavior, fonts, standard page settings and more. Just changing some of these items can take a site from being an exact copy of demo content to looking fairly unique. Same rules apply as above. Don’t change everything at once. Make small changes, view the draft or save and view and then have copied down what you’ve changed in case you need to revert.Honestly guys, there is so much more. I want to go in to detail about getting menus to work right and plugins and optimizing loading -- but if you’re careful about the above you can get a site that looks as good as 90% of startup sites out there, for the most part.
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