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p3ski · 4 months

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Pairing: RK900/Gavin Reed

Tags: Post Pacifist Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Eventual Smut, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

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Summary: A lot has changed since the revolution. Crimes against androids are now punished in the same way as crimes against humans. A reluctant Gavin Reed and his new partner RK900 have been assigned to investigate a string of disturbing murders. Despite the shift in Detroit's social climate, Gavin still holds reservations about whether or not androids are truly alive. Will his developing feelings for 'Nines' be the thing to change this?

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Depression/Self Destructive Behaviour, Eventual Smut

Word Count: 3.8K

Approaching CyberLife Headquarters, Gavin felt his stomach twist unpleasantly. He stared out the window and tried to distract himself with a game he used to play with his dad. On long car trips, he would be tasked to count all of the trees outside as they quickly whizzed by. There were a lot fewer trees in Detroit compared to when he was young, making the task much easier.

"Shall we run through our story again?" A calm voice asked, breaking the heavy silence.

Nines sat rigidly beside him, dressed in a grey pinstripe suit. The clothes had been meticulously pressed and tailored, and its hair expertly styled to cover his LED. The android had shifted the colour to a golden blonde, in stark contrast to its usual brown.

Gavin rubbed the corners of his eyes, removing any traces of sleep, "I've got it." It was hardly a convincing response, as his words were garbled by an ill-suppressed yawn.

The man's lack of enthusiasm had not escaped Nines' attention, as it spent most of their journey scrutinising his bedraggled appearance. In opposition to its own polished stylings, Gavin's attire consisted of a worn pair of jeans and a stained off-white shirt.

"Are you sure?" Nines questioned, stiff posture becoming even more rigid, "I am happy for us to practice again, should you wish."

Gavin said nothing to his companion, but let out another yawn, leaning his cheek against the window. They had done plenty of practice, the android having insisted on an impromptu rehearsal the evening before. It had taken them through a myriad of scenarios, preparing for all conceivable outcomes.

"Stimulants such as coffee can only mask the symptoms of physical and mental exhaustion" The judgemental droning cut through Gavin like a buzzing insect. One that he would have liked nothing more than to swat away "Perhaps we should attempt this operation another time. When you have had sufficient sleep."

"Oh fuck off, Nines. It's your damn fault that I didn't get enough sleep."

This wasn't entirely true, of course. While their rehearsal had meant Gavin had gotten home late, it had little to do with the delay he experienced in going to bed.

The wheels of the car stilled, and the safety locks were deactivated, leaving the doors free to open. "Welp, we're here", he plainly announced, reaching out for the handle, when a sudden grip on his forearm halted his movements.

"Detective Reed", Nines said, its hold firm and eyes sharp with intense focus. "You are experiencing psychological distress. This may impede the success of our current operation. If there is anything I can do to ease your concerns, I wish to help."

"I'm not distressed or concerned, just tired", Gavin insisted, gritting his teeth in frustration.

This was also untrue. Awake until the early morning hours, he had been given plenty of time to sow doubts over their current operation. It was risky, and he had to stay focused at a time when this seemed impossible. Despite his lengthy behavioural record, Gavin valued his job deeply. Single, broke, and in his mid-thirties, he had very little else going for him. Well, that and his -

No, he stopped himself, pausing to catch his breath. Harsh words echoed in his ear. Something that his stepfather had told him shortly after his dad's funeral:

You aren't a girl, and nobody wants to hear you whine like one.

"Let go of my arm before I melt you into Tupperware."

Nines stared at the man sternly, the strength of its grip only increasing, "I had thought our relationship had progressed past the point of petty threats."

"Oh, come on. It's not a threat. I'm joking with you" With a sharp tug, he tried to pull away, but the android refused to budge. "Now, would you -"

Man up, or shut up, before I give you something to cry about.

"I'm fine, okay? Nothing to worry about."

"It is trivial to lie under these circumstances. I am perfectly aware of how you feel."

"Then get out of my head! I already told you I don't need you to fucking psychoanalyse me."

"Is it wrong that I should care for the well-being of my partner?"

Gavin cackled, rolling his eyes at the misguided attempt at sincerity. "Get a fucking grip. Just because I'm starting to tolerate you, it doesn't make us buddies."

Nines' grip slackened, although not enough for Gavin to escape. Its expression turned cold and distant, its tone equally devoid of emotion. "Nonetheless, I would hope that we can discuss this later."

"If I say yes, will you stop trying to rip my arm out of its socket?"

"I should think so."

"Then yes" He threw up his available arm in exasperation. "We can talk later."

Whether or not the android believed him, the statement appeared sufficient to warrant its submission. A strange look of intent lingered in its eyes like it wanted to say something else, but ultimately it decided against it. The grip on Gavin's arm loosened and released, with Nines turning itself away.

It straightened its tie and prepared itself to exit the car. "I trust you not to let your personal matters inhibit our performance today…Gregory."

While its face was turned, Gavin could hear the smirk tugging at its lips. It was clear Nines was taking pleasure in their current rule-breaking, and while still holding reservations, Gavin couldn't help but be charmed by the reckless sense of abandon. With a smile, he responded in kind to the playful address, "Not happening, Rich. I've got this."

Upon entering the Headquarters, it became painfully obvious just how far the company had fallen from grace. Having visited on more occasions than he would have liked, Gavin recalled bustling waiting areas filled with investors and other affluent figures. Service androids would make the rounds, offering drinks as the chattering masses gathered around the wall-mounted screens. Gawking at the polished highlight reels of CyberLife's latest and most impressive innovations. All that remained of any of this were empty seats and blacked-out displays.

"Detective", Nines spoke softly into his ear. It gestured its head towards the desk and to an incredibly bored-looking Receptionist. She was mindlessly scrolling through her phone, making no attempt to appear to be working.

"This is good", the android assured, "She seems unlikely to offer resistance. We should be able to secure the information we need with relative ease."

Gavin shoved his hands into his pockets before taking a deep breath and striding forward. "Come on then, Robocop. Here goes nothing."

"Good morning, madam," Nines chimed as they reached the desk. He smoothed out a curl of his coiffed hair and flashed the young woman a charming smile. "My name is Richard Stern, and this is my partner, Gregory Kane. We wondered if we could have a moment of your time."

The receptionist, who had been smirking quietly at something on her screen, lost any semblance of positivity she may have possessed. Her face dropped into a scowl, vacant brown eyes peering up at them with brimming disdain.

"If you want to talk to someone, there's no one here," she said, voice monotonous and dull. "You'll need to make an appointment with one of my bosses. Requests are taken online."

"I don't think that will be necessary", Nines said, smoothly leaning forward. "I am sure that a bright girl like you is more than capable of assisting us."

She stared at him blankly before returning her attention to her phone. With her free hand, she gestured vaguely towards her monitor. "We don't do sales. If you want to talk to someone, you can email us. If anyone's interested, they'll reply - but probably not."

Realising that the 'pretty boy' charm was failing to win any favours, Gavin decided it was time for a more focused attack. He studied their target closely, trying to catch glimpses of what she was looking at. There were several airbrushed photos of women holding up beauty products and dietary supplements. She was liking them all methodically, flitting between this and her own profile, which boasted similar promotions.

Her username and bio were displayed proudly at the top:

@hannahxxbeauty.19

DM for collabs 💅

"While we're here, Hannah", Gavin began, folding his arms ", we're doing some research for our next social media campaign. Mind if we ask you a question?"

The girl appeared caught off-guard as she stopped scrolling almost immediately. She seemed interested. At the very least, enough to spare a further glance from her phone. "Depends on what you want to ask."

"There's been a lot of buzz lately about androids in the workforce." He tried to keep Hannah engaged as much as possible, pulling out his phone and flashing some opinion polls, "Specifically domestic jobs like cleaners and nannies. A lot of agencies still hire mostly androids, but there's also a lot of pushback saying that this is a 'problematic' bias. What do you think?"

Hannah scowled, her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Domestic androids were slaves until a few months ago. They were made to scrub toilets and look after people's kids - they didn't get a choice. People still want them to do it because they think they'll put up with more shit. So yeah, I'd say it's problematic."

Gavin hummed, tucking his phone away before motioning towards Nines. "That's where we come in."

Following the cue, his partner nodded, reaching into its own pocket and pulling out an authentic-looking business card. The name on the front read 'Conquest Ltd', with their aliases printed neatly at the bottom.

"We are in the process of establishing a new company that specialises in domestic AI", Nines explained, setting the card on the counter for Hannah to look at. "The model is similar to Kamski's design, although with significant changes. Our assistants would be capable of completing both simple and complex domestic tasks but with a significantly reduced range of cognition. A more ethical android, as it were."

Hannah glanced at the card briefly before snorting and pushing it away. "It's still the same kind of exploitation. You're wasting your time - AI is dead."

"If you don't mind me asking, does your smartphone come with a built-in assistant?"

"Well, uh", she stammered at the question, cheeks flushing pink with embarrassment. "Yeah. O-Of course, but that's -"

"As part of our research, we have consulted extensively with Android Rights Organisations, as well as the Department for Android Services", Nines continued, its voice smooth with reassurance. "I can assure you that no code of ethics will be breached in our proposed design."

"Huh...Have you made any prototypes?"

"We would require a small team of engineers with which to get started. Ideally, those with a background in advanced cybernetics."

"And where are you going to find them?"

Nines smiled broadly at this, ready to close in for the kill. "As I said before, a bright girl like you, I'm sure you would be able to help."

Hannah seemed to take a minute to process this, chewing on her thumbnail. She sat in silence until her large eyes slowly began to narrow. Looking back up at Gavin and Nines, it was evident that the air around them had shifted.

"You know, this has been bugging me since you got here", she began, seemingly more focused on Gavin. "You seem like a really weird match for' business partners'. Like, I wouldn't put you together. At all. How exactly did you meet?"

Oh fuck. How did we meet? Did we even talk about that?

College? Yeah, I think that was it. He majored in Economics, and I majored in Marketing. We roomed together for three years.

Gavin felt a sudden, unexpected weight snake around his waist. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, he was drawn towards his companion until seldom an inch of space separated them.

"Truthfully, our partnership extends beyond a business arrangement -

We are together. Romantically."

"Oh," the girl said in surprise, eyes sparkling with intrigue.

Nines' spontaneous attempt at ad-libbing left Gavin more than a little bit shaken. Making things worse was the subtle warmth he could feel accosting his cheek. Synthetic breathing. An impressive detail, no doubt adding to the credibility of the machine's human persona, but one that was causing its captive intense mortification.

There was a moment when he could feel lips grazing the stubble of his cheek. He was terrified that it might kiss him, knowing there wasn't a chance in Hell he would be able to save face if it did.

"Well," Hannah smirked, leaning forward in her chair. While Gavin couldn't see under the desk, he was confident her legs were kicking away. "You two make a cute couple, but there's nothing I can do to help. Sorry."

Nines withdrew its lips to a safe distance, much to his companion's relief. "We understand that we are asking a lot, and we wouldn't want to get you in trouble. Have you worked with CyberLife for long?"

"I interned straight out of High School, been here ever since."

"I trust you've gotten to know everyone quite well?"

"Well yeah, I see them every day" She took a breath before letting out a forlorn sigh. "All the good ones are gone now - they were made redundant a few months back. The only people left are the bitches in admin and the bigwigs upstairs."

"It sounds like you hold your old colleagues in rather high regard", Nines said, voice laced with faux sympathy, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could give them a chance to start again?"

"...I don't get what you mean."

"I think you do", Nines placed its fingers on the abandoned business card, sliding it steadily closer to her.

Hannah looked down at her lap. Her brow knitted as she nervously chewed her lip. She was beginning to crack, and Gavin was confident that Nines would be willing to give her the final push they needed. "You really think your idea can work? No joke. You're serious about this?"

"Perhaps it can, perhaps not - but I'm sure your friends would appreciate the opportunity regardless. They have already lost it all. What is there left to lose?"

The receptionist stayed still for a minute, weighing up her options, before jolting to life with a quiet hiss. She busied herself on her computer, refusing to say a word. After a series of frantic clicks, the printer on the far side of the workspace roared to life. She propelled herself towards it on her wheeled office chair, swiftly snatching the document and handing it over.

"This is a list of engineers terminated in the last few months. It has their names and contact numbers. If they want to know how you got their details, they didn't come from me."

"You have our word", Nines agreed, winking to the woman as he took the sheet. "Thank you for your assistance today. Should we require a Personal Assistant in the future, we would be delighted to take you on board."

By the time they had exited the building, the sun had brightened significantly, making way for early morning. Gavin checked his watch and saw that it had just turned 7 o'clock - enough time to get some rest before his shift started.

"Well, I would say that was a success. Beautifully executed, Detective Reed."

"You didn't make it easy", he complained, shielding his eyes from the rising light. "What with that improv shit you pulled."

"I am afraid I don't know what you are referring to."

"Yes, you do. Why the hell did you tell that girl we were together?"

Nines seemed unsure how to answer this. It tilted its head to one side, staring out into the distance. "She was growing suspicious of our intentions, and I wished to distract her."

"Yeah, but why risk it all on something I wasn't prepared for?" Gavin pressed, "I'm not like you. I'm not always going to know how to react. We could have been friends, brothers, or anything else."

"None of which she would have found as compelling."

Gavin shook his head, too tired to comprehend the warped sense of logic. "You know what? Doesn't matter. At least we got what we came for." He went to open the door of the car, but a hand shot out to stop him. Nines slid into position between the detective and the vehicle, creating a barrier.

"What now?" He whined, reaching around his partner and pulling at the handle. "We've got work in three hours, Nines. I want to go home and sleep."

"You assured me that we would discuss what was bothering you" The android pushed back against the door, forcing it to remain closed. "I'm afraid that I must hold you to your word."

"It really doesn't matter, okay? It's stupid. I'm just…" Gavin stopped resisting, allowing his arms to fall limply to his sides. "...I'm worried about my fucking cat. There. Are you happy?"

"Tiffany?" Nines' LED flickered yellow, then briefly to red." For what reason are you concerned? Is she unwell?"

"I don't know. I spoke to the vet, and they seem to think everything is fine, but she's been acting really weird. She won't get out of the damn bath anymore, even when she's hungry. I have to carry her to the kitchen, or she won't eat. Apparently, it's to do with nesting, which means she'll probably have the kittens soon. I'm just scared she'll go into labour when I'm at work or asleep. If something shitty happens to her, I won't be able to forgive myself."

Nines, who had been listening intently, nodded in understanding. "Both stray and domestic cats frequently give birth without assistance. Complications are rare, so I am sure she would manage independently."

"You don't have pets; you don't understand" Gavin rubbed his temple, grunting in frustration. "I just need a break. One night to myself when I don't have to worry about the damn cat."

"Have you spoken with Officer Chen? I am sure she would be happy to help. The two of you seem rather close."

"She's allergic to cats, and Tiff fucking hates her. So no, that's out of the question."

There was a break in the conversation, as Nines appeared to have let its guard down. Seizing the opportunity, Gavin tried to enter the car again but was quickly thwarted.

"I would be able to assist you."

Gavin stared back blankly, wondering if he'd misheard, "You're kidding."

"Unlike you, I do not require rest. I would happily watch Tiffany overnight so you can secure a good night's sleep," It spoke with an air of calm reasoning. "With any luck, this would also help to bolster your work performance."

"Wow, how thoughtful. Guess you really do care, huh?"

Nines took pause at the sarcastic remark, saying nothing. Its temple was illuminated yellow as its facial muscles twitched. It moved slowly from Gavin's path, allowing him to reach the door.

"Appreciate it, but no thanks. I'm a big boy, and I don't need a robo-nanny to tuck me in at night."

Upon arriving home, Gavin promptly collapsed onto his sofa. Having been suitably drained by their early morning excursions, he fell asleep almost immediately, only to be awoken by the fierce vibrations of his phone ringing in his pocket. Grunting, he assumed it must be Nines. Calling to inform him he'd overslept and was now expected at the station. Sluggishly pulling the device to his ear, he pushed 'Accept Call':

"Yeah, dipshit. I'll be there soon. Don't get your wires in a bunch."

"Gavin", A haughty voice greeted, "I hadn't expected you to answer. How considerate."

The detective felt his heart drop. He pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at the caller ID in grim disbelief. Of all the times for him to call, why would he choose now?

"What the fuck do you want," he asked despairingly.

"Charming - We haven't spoken in years, and that's the first thing you have to say? You wound me, little brother."

He prayed that he might still be dreaming. Caught in the grips of some twisted nightmare - but he unfortunately knew better. Seemingly random as the timing appeared, Elijah had never been renowned for his predictability. Known by most of the world as an 'eccentric genius', Gavin often wondered if he was the only person to see his brother for what he was: A pompous, self-entitled lunatic.

"You've got about 30 seconds until I hang up, so you better make them count."

"Very well", Elijah said breezily, unfazed by the hostile reception. "My reason for calling was to enquire why you might be sniffing around at CyberLife Headquarters."

"How did you –" Gavin shot up from the sofa, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Relax, there is no need for concern. One of the receptionists merely mentioned that some men, one bearing a striking resemblance to me, had paid her a visit today."

"Why were you there? You don't even work for CyberLife anymore."

"Maybe so, but I still pay them a visit from time to time" His sibling let out a quiet sigh as if reminiscing better days. "The old girl has grown tired without me. Perhaps I ought to return."

"I'm sure they'd love that. Some ponytailed prick prancing around, telling them how to do their jobs -"

"Back to the point", Elijah interrupted. "I assume your visit today has something to do with the recent android murders?"

Gavin twitched in annoyance, trying to level his breathing. "Police business. Meaning 'Private and Confidential', dickhead."

"So that'll be a yes." A clink of glass could be heard in the background, followed by a simpering female voice. Apparently, at least one of his brother's Chloes had stuck by him after the revolution. For what reason, he did not know. "I must admit, I have been following the stories, and the killer is truly an intriguing character. He is no doubt one of ours. His craft has a level of precision that you would not see anywhere else."

With annoyance escalating to fury, Gavin's thumb hovered over the 'End Call' button. "I don't need your fucking reassurance. I know how to do my job."

"Before you go, there is one more thing…

The RK900."

He stalled, thumb stuck in place. "What did you say?"

"Your partner. I don't think it wise for an android of his model to be working on your current case."

"What's its model got to do with anything?" Gavin demanded, leaning forward in his seat, "And tell me straight, Eli. None of your riddles."

"Should you dance too close to the fire", Elijah trilled cryptically "it will be the android who ends up burned."

Oh, you insufferable prick. He went to hang up the call - but realised that his brother had already done so.

#dbh #reed900 #dbh fanfiction #dbh gavin #dbh nines #dbh fanfic #dbh rk900 #detroit become human #gavin reed x rk900 #gavin900 #dbh fic #dbh gavin reed #gavin x rk900

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touyasdoll · 3 years

Text

Complicated - Chapter Two

Chapter One: Here

Pairing: Dabi/Touya Todoroki x reader

Warnings: self-degradation/self-doubt

Word count: 2.2k

A/n: Gonna rework this and ditch the first person POV, jsyk.

A/n pt. 2: This story does contain spoilers for the show/manga. The dates/ages of characters are going to be shifted around a bit.

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

It's been two days. Is he gonna call? Text? Completely forget I exist?

I sigh, trying to expel the anxiety balled up in the pit of my stomach.

Why would he call? We talked for, what, five minutes? He seemed older too. You were in your damn school uniform, idiot. He's obviously got more important shit to do than chat up a schoolgirl who can't mind her own fucking business.

"Ugh," I groan to no one but myself in my apartment. "I'm really just the biggest fucking jackass, aren't I?"

Flopping down on my bed, I let out another weighty sigh and bury my face in the plethora of pillows piled beneath me.

Relax. Maybe he'll text. Maybe he won't. And if he doesn't he's just sparing you the embarrassment that you would inevitably bring upon yourself.

A yawn escapes my lips as I feel a wave of drowsiness wash over me. Glancing at the clock, I could see it was hardly 5 PM.

Fucked up sleep schedule, here I come.

The familiar comfort of my bed allows me to quiet my thoughts enough to fall into a shallow sleep, until I'm startled awake by a vibrating sensation coming from underneath my chin.

I blink against the harsh light emitting from my phone, squinting to see who was disturbing me.

What the--oh shit!

It was an unknown number. Recognizing that it could be him, I sit up faster than I have ever managed to after a nap and fumble the phone into my palm, eagerly sliding my thumb across the screen to accept the call.

"Hello?"

My breath hitches and I bite my lip in anticipation as I wait, eager to hear his deep, silky voice on the other end.

But the pause on the other side of the line seems just a little too long. Something is off.

Is this him? Is it..just some creep? A prank? What the hell?

"We've been trying to reach you about your car's extended warranty."

My eyes slam shut, a shake reverberating through my spine as a cocktail of anger and embarrassment wash over me.

That's it. Hope is off limits from now on.

"Fucking great."

I tap the end button, half ready to throw my phone out the window.

Instead, I decide to check and see if I missed anything else while I was out.

Hope is off limits.

I shake my head, trying to erase the little embers of hope that persist, praying that maybe he did reach out.

To my surprise, there's a text from an unrecognized number.

Unknown: You free tonight, doll?

Holy shit.

Looking above the message, I see: Today 6:58 PM. I wince as I dare to look at the clock, which mercifully reads 7:26 PM.

Tapping the text box, I don't give myself the chance to overthink this opportunity.

Me: For you? Sure thing.

Tossing my phone onto the bed, I nod my head, processing the sudden burst of confidence I seem to have found.

I'm not like this. What is it about this guy? He's just that--a guy. One that I don't know. And now I'm just gonna meet up with him?

He's literally a stranger. Who the hell do I think I am?? Is my vagina just running things now? Gonna run out and meet up with some strange dude, because he's pretty and charming?

You know who else was pretty and charming?? Ted Bundy.

That's right, you said it. This is dumb, logically. This is everything everyone’s ever warned you about.

My phone buzzes and my heart rate spikes in response, tearing me from my spiraling doubts.

Unknown: Our spot. 30 minutes. See you there.

A noise that I've certainly never made before eeks past my lips as I process his instructions.

Fuck it. The possibility of this guy being a serial killer has been assessed. I'm going, risks be damned.

You're an idiot. You're an idiot. You're an idiot.

I sigh for the umpteenth time today, waging war in my own mind.

I don't know what it is about him, but I have to see him again. Nothing bad is going to happen. It'll be fine.

That's what I tell myself as I exhale, until I catch my reflection.

My hair is disheveled, my mascara askew. I didn't even bother to take off my uniform before I passed out.

As if I weren't flustered enough, now I gotta make myself looking somewhere near presentable and get down there in time.

Here goes nothing.

Fifteen minutes fly by and I think I've managed it as I step back to look myself over in the mirror once more.

The shortest pair of high-waisted shorts I own, paired with a low-cut black crop top and my favorite slip-ons. My make-up doesn't look perfect and there's not much of it, but it's touched up, and my hair is at least brushed.

Okay, no turning back now.

Grabbing my keys, I tuck my phone in my back pocket and make my way to the meeting place.

+++++++++++++++

Our spot. The man is smooth and I think that he knows it.

I re-read the last message he sent for probably the thirteenth time in the past five minutes.

The clock in the corner of the screen reads 8:02.

Maybe he won’t show. Maybe this is a joke. He and his buddies with come around a corner and laugh as they speed off.

Damn, can I chill? No. He’s going to be here. And I’m going to act like a human fucking being. A normal girl. Someone he could like; I’m capable of that.

Aren’t I?

Scanning my surroundings yet again, I take in the scenery. I never really get out at night, but the city looks so pretty this way. There’s not too much traffic, especially considering that it’s a Friday night, but there are some people milling about up and down the sidewalk. Some look like they’re on their way home. Some look like they’re on their way out for a night on the town.

“Hey there.”

My eyes are quick to follow the sound of his voice. I look up and he’s strolling up to the bench where I’m seated, the same one where I bandaged his arm the other day.

His hands are shoved in his front pockets, thumbs pushed through the belt loops of the tight, black jeans he’s sporting. His white t-shirt dangles off of his frame in a way that suits him, offering a glimpse of his muscular chest. A black coat completes his ensemble and he certainly looks the part of the typical bad boy.

But, damn, does it look so good on him.

“Hey, there. How’s the arm?”

I scoot over a bit, allowing for ample space between us if he were to take a seat. To my surprise, he sits towards the middle of the bench, so that his thigh brushes against mine as he settles.

I tuck my hair behind my ear, glancing down and covering the noise I want to make with a quiet clearing of my throat.

“It’s good. You do make a pretty decent nurse, sweetheart.”

He grins and pulls his coat sleeve back, revealing the still bandaged wound.

“Wait, have you changed that?”

You’re such a mom. You better hope he’s into MILFs, because otherwise this ain’t gonna get you where you wanna go, girl.

His brow furrows in an expression that tells me all I need to know before he even speaks.

“What do you mean? Changed what?”

A quiet sigh leaves my lungs as I hold out my hand.

“May I?”

His puzzled expression doesn’t falter, but he shrugs and offers his forearm up for inspection.

Carefully, I pull back the tape holding the bandages together and slowly begin to unwrap them.

That is, until the smell hits me. I barely catch of glimpse of the reddened skin before my nostrils detect the scent of burned flesh and excess viscera.

“Oh, dear. Have you even unwrapped this thing?”

Trying not to agitate anything further, I delicately wrap the bandages back around his arm, taping them down once again.

“No, should I have?”

I look up and my gaze meets his, a sense of true ignorance evident in his expression; I try not to laugh. I really try, but a soft giggle escapes nonetheless.

“Yes! I mean, if it doesn’t hurt, I’m sure it’s not that bad right now, but you should be cleaning and redressing a wound like that once every 12 hours at the very least. It’s been what, like, at least 50 at this point?”

His good arm reaches for the back of his neck, scratching at it as he dons an apologetic half smile.

“Sorry, I’m not exactly nurturing by nature, doll. I don’t know the first fucking thing about this kind shit.”

I cock a sympathetic smile as I look at him, sitting there looking almost helpless. I guess he is, in a sense. It’s actually kinda cute how he doesn’t seem to have an inkling of how to properly care for himself.

Because that’s absolutely what you want in a potential relationship. Someone to fix, how fun! Why not open up a shop for broken boys? Girl, when will you learnnn??

“Well, I don’t have anything on me right now, but if you don’t mind coming back to my place, I could clean it up there? And I’ll teach you how to keep up with it this time.”

I guess not today, motherfucker.

“Coming to my rescue again. You must be in a hero course, huh, doll?”

His smile is so naturally disarming as he stands and offers his hand out before me.

“I don’t mind, if you’re sure you don’t. I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable and I don’t wanna be a burden. I didn’t ask you out tonight for you to have to play doctor on me again.”

He seems so sweet, so genuine. Maybe he is broken, but everyone deserves kindness. He looks like he hasn’t seen much of that. And as cliché as it is, maybe I can help him. Maybe he can help me.

I slip my hand in his, smiling as flirtatiously as I can manage as he pulls me to my feet.

“I don’t mind. I was kind of hoping I might get to play doctor on you again anyway. Maybe you could even return the favor.”

I brush my fingers against his as our hands disconnect, taking a page from his own book and watching his expression as my skin glides against his.

Or maybe we could just do this. This works too. No muss, no fuss. But oh my goodness what if what I just did was weird and he’s not even interested??

His eyebrows rise for just a moment as he chuckles and glances down, still grinning as he puts his hands in his coat pockets.

“Well, sweetheart, I don’t know much about medicine, but I do know how to give a pretty thorough physical exam.”

Something twitched deep inside my belly as my breath caught in my throat and I damn near tripped over my own two feet as we started walking.

Thankfully, his reflexes were quicker than my inate ability to fuck things up and his good arm reached out to steady my frame as he stepped in front of me.

The delicious scent of his cologne mingling with remnant cigarette smoke nearly made me dizzy as my hands connected with his chest, now completely unable to ignore the muscles just beneath his thin shirt.

“You all right there, doll?”

Long, slender fingers find their way under my chin. His thumb just barely brushing the edge of my bottom lip as he strokes it over my chin.

His eyes are practically piercing mine as he carefully lifts my face to his. Who knew being in such close proximity to someone so beautiful could be this paralyzing.

Holy fuck. Forget fixing me. He can break me and I’ll probably thank him for it.

The strong hand on the small of my back threatens to rob me of my breath all over again and I have to fight to keep any semblance of composure in his arms.

“Yeah.” I tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear and will myself to break eye contact. “You always have girls falling for you this quickly?”

I pity laugh at my own joke, wishing my quirk was something that would allow me to disappear.

But then he’s chuckling too. It’s melodious at first, but then it morphs into a deep reverberation that sends all the right chills down my spine as I level my eyes with his again.

He looks like an enigma personified. His eyes look so gentle and warm, but his smile reads so sad. The words that leave his lips sound like both a warning and an invitation to my flushe red ears.

“Trust me, princess. You don’t wanna fall for me. I’m no good for you.”

Oh, but it’s too late for that.

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toscrollperchancetomeme · 3 years

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Lestat de Lioncourt - A playlist

So, guess who made a Lestat Playlist (like there aren't enough already) and decided to sit down for 4-6 hours to find some excerpt corresponding with each song? Featuring 80s and 90s music (clearly showing my age...) as well as many european songs and showtunes. Enjoy!

1. Cathedrals – Ramin Karimloo (Original by Jump, Little Children)

In the cathedrals of New York and Rome There is a feeling that you should just go home And spend the lifetime finding out just where that is

And that was not a good year for me. I was wandering aimlessly. I was sick of things. I was furious with myself that the „beauty“ of life wasn't sustaining me, wasn't making my loneliness bearable.

I wanted to join them. Always do want to join them and never do. „Go home,“ he whispered. - Prince Lestat

(I actually feel like there are quotes that would correspond to this song in every one of the books and indeed have not yet found any other song that captures the general spirit of The Vampire Chronicles as perfectly.)

2. Edge of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks

Well, I went today Maybe I will go again tomorrow Yeah yeah, well, the music there Well, it was hauntingly familiar Well, I see you doing what I try to do for me With the words from a poet and a voice from a choir And a melody, and nothing else mattered

He sat next to me, hugging me and asking me why I was crying, and though I couldn't tell him, I could see that he was overwhelmed that his music had produced this effect. There was no sarcasm or bitterness in him now. I think he carried me home that night. And the next morning I was standing in the crooked stone street in front of his father's shop, tossing pebbles up at his window. When he stuck his head out, I said: „Do you want to come down and go on with our conversation?“ - The Vampire Lestat

3. I ain't scared of lightning – Tom McRae

No I ain't scared of lightning And thunder never killed I was born in a summer storm and I live there still

I wasn't part of the world that cringed at such things. And with a smile, I realized that I was of that dark ilk that makes others cringe. Slowly and with great pleasure, I laughed.

And the labor that brought it forth was rapture such as I have never known. - The Vampire Lestat

4. Junge Roemer – Falco (Young Romans – Full Translation)

Don't ask for new old values See white light, see only feeling The night is ours till morning We play every game Don't ever let this journey end The doing comes only from the being Only from dimensions, that Are worth illusions and sensations Give me more, give me more, give me more...

... and again she laughed. „Ah, but we are splendid devils, aren't we?“ „Hunters of the Savage Garden,“ I said. „Then let's go into Paris,“ she said. - The Vampire Lestat

5. Running up that hill – Candy Says (Original by Kate Bush

If I only could, I'd make a deal with God, And I'd get him to swap our places, Be running up that road, Be running up that hill, Be running up that building,

„Not even with Nicolas?“ „No, god, no!“ I looked at her. She nodded slightly as if she approved of this answer. „Why not with Nicolas?“ she asked. I wanted this to stop. „Because he's young,“ I said, „and he has life before him.“ - The Vampire Lestat

6. Florence – Notre Dame de Paris (Full Translation)

The little things always triumph over the large And literature will kill architecture The school books will kill the cathedrals The Bible will kill the Church, and man will kill God This will kill that

„I never lived in it. I push against the glass. But how do I get in?“ „I can't tell you that,“ I said. „You have to study this age,“ Gabrielle interrupted. Her voice was calm but commanding. He looked towards her as she spoke. „You have to understand the age,“ she continued, „through its literature and its music and its art. You have come up out of the earth, as you yourself put it. Now live in the world.“ No answer from him. Flash of Nicki's ravaged flat with all its books on the floor. Western civilization in heaps. - The Vampire Lestat

7. Go your own way – Fleetwood Mac

Loving you isn't the right thing to do How can I ever change things that I feel

If I could maybe I'd give you my world How can I when you won't take it from me

You can go your own way You can call it another lonely day

„Keep your promise,“ she said. And quite suddenly I knew this was our last moment. I knew it and I could do nothing to change it. „Gabrielle!“ I whispered. But she was already gone. - The Vampire Lestat

8. Désenchantée – Olympe (Original by Myléne Farmer - Full Translation)

If death is a mystery Life isn't exactly tender If heaven has a hell Then heaven can still wait for me Tell me how to handle this headwind Nothing makes sense anymore, nothing's fine

Laughter. That insane music. That din, that dissonance, that never ending shrill articulation of the meaninglessness... Am I awake? Am I asleep? I am sure of one thing. I am a monster. And because I lie in torment in the earth, certain human beings move on through the narrow pass of life unmolested. - The Vampire Lestat

9. A kind of magic – Queen

The bell that rings inside your mind Is challenging the doors of time It's a kind of magic The waiting seems eternity The day will dawn of sanity

And quite completely I understood that it was looking for me, this sound, it was seeking me out.

Blood like light itself, liquid fire.

It seemed beneath the roar of the flow he spoke. He said again: „Drink, my young one, my wounded one.“ I felt his heart swell, his body undulate, and we were sealed against each other. I think I heard myself say: „Marius.“ And he answered: „Yes.“ - The Vampire Lestat

10. La quête – Bruno Pelletier (French version of „The Impossible Dream“ from Man of La Mancha)

To try when your arms are too weary To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest To follow that star Ooh, no matter how hopeless No matter how far

I would remain in New Orleans if New Orleans could only manage to remain. Whatever I suffered should be lessened in this lawless place, whatever I craved should give me more pleasure once I had it in my grasp. And there were moments on that first night in this fetid little paradise when I prayed that in spite of all my secret power, I was somehow kin to every mortal man. - The Vampire Lestat

11. Wicked Game – Chris Isaak

What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you

Yet Louis gained a hold over me far more powerful than Nicolas had ever had. Even in his cruelest moments, Louis touched the tenderness in me, seducing me with his staggering dependence, his infatuation with my every gesture and every spoken word. - The Vampire Lestat

12. Do I disappoint you – Rufus Wainwright

Do I disappoint you, in just being human? And not one of the elements that you can light your cigar on Why does it always have to be fire? Why does it always have to be brimstone?

„And suppose the vampire who made you knew nothing, and the vampire before him knew nothing, and so it goes back and back, nothing proceeding from nothing, until there is nothing! And we must live with the knowledge that there is no knowledge!“ „Yes!“ he cried out suddenly, his hands out, his voice tinged with something other than anger.

And then I sensed it. He was afraid. Lestat afraid. - Interview with the Vampire

13. Ordinary World – Duran Duran

What has happened to it all? Crazy, some'd say Where is the life that I recognize? Gone away

But I won't cry for yesterday There's an ordinary world Somehow I have to find And as I try to make my way To the ordinary world I will learn to survive

I do not remember when it became the twentieth century, only that everything was uglier and darker, and the beauty I'd known in the old eighteenth-century days seemed more than ever some kind of fanciful idea. - The Vampire Lestat

14. I'm still standing – Taron Egerton (Original by Elton John)

And there's a cold lonely light that shines from you You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use And did you think this fool could never win? Well look at me, I'm coming back again

But after the third night up, I was roaring around New Orleans on a big black Harley-Davidson motorcycle making plenty of noise myself. […] I was the vampire Lestat again. I was back in action. New Orleans was once again my hunting ground. - The Vampire Lestat

15. Catch my fall – Billy Idol

I have the time so I will sing, yeah I'm just a boy but I will win, yeah Lost song of lovers, fellow travelers, yeah Leave me sad and hollow out of words

It could happen to you so think for yourself If I should stumble, catch my fall, yeah

I've survived, obviously. I wouldn't be talking to you if I hadn't. And the cosmic dust has finally settled; and the small rift in the world's fabric of rational beliefs has been mended, or at least closed. I'm a little sadder for all of it, and a little meaner and a little more conscientious as well. - The Queen of the Damned

16. I want it all – Queen

I'm a man with a one track mind So much to do in one lifetime (people do you hear me) Not a man for compromise and where's and why's and living lies So I'm living it all, yes I'm living it all And I'm giving it all, and I'm giving it all

It is not enough any longer that my little rock band be successful. We must create a fame that will carry my name and my voice to the remotest parts of the world. - The Vampire Lestat

17. Let me entertain you – Robbie Williams

Hell is gone and heaven's here There's nothing left for you to fear Shake your arse come over here Now scream

I'm a burning effigy Of everything I used to be You're my rock of empathy, my dear

So come on let me entertain you

"I AM THE VAMPIRE LESTAT!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as I stepped way back from the microphone, and the sound was almost visible as it arched over the length of the oval theater, and the voice of the crowd rose even higher, louder, as if to devour the ringing sound. - The Vampire Lestat

18. La bien qui fait mal – Mozart l'Opera Rock (Full translation)

I can feel a violent urge I feel like I'm sliding towards the ground If I don't find out where this plague is coming from I adore having it under my skin Bewitched by mad ideas Suddenly all my cravings take off The desire becomes my prison Until I loose my mind

Yet I was in her arms in this chilling darkness, in the familiar scent of winter, and her blood was mine again, and it was enslaving me. When she drew away, I felt agony. - The Queen of the Damned

19. Tainted Love – Soft Cell

And you think love is to pray But I'm sorry I don't pray that way Once I ran to you Now I'll run from you This tainted love you've given I give you all a boy could give you Take my tears and that's not living, oh

„What do you think I am that I am so easily swayed? I was born a Queen. I have always ruled; even from the shrine I ruled." Her eyes were glazed suddenly. I heard the voices, a dull hum rising. "I ruled if only in legend; if only in the minds of those who came to me and paid me tribute. Princes who played music for me; who brought me offerings and prayers. What do you want of me now? That for you, I renounce my throne, my destiny!" What answer could I make? - The Queen of the Damned

20. Dancing in the Dark – Ruth Moody (Original by Bruce Springsteen)

They say you gotta stay hungry Hey baby, I'm just about starvin' tonight I'm dyin' for some action I'm sick of sittin' 'round here tryin' to write this book I need a love reaction Come on now, baby, gimme just one look

"I want you to put the book aside and come join us," he said. "You've been locked in here for over a month." "I go out now and then," I said. I liked looking at him, at the neon blue of his eyes.

"Do you love me now?" I asked. He smiled; oh, it was excruciating to see his face soften and brighten simultaneously when he smiled. "Yes," he said. "Want to go on a little adventure?" My heart was thudding suddenly. It would be so grand if- "Want to break the new rules?" "What in the world do you mean?" he whispered. - The Queen of the Damned

21. I want you – Savage Garden

Oh, I want you, I don't know if I need you But oh, I would die to find out

"You don't think you'll be back?" he asked. "I think you will, whether I call or not." Another little surprise. A little stab of humiliation. I smiled at him in spite of myself. He was a very interesting man. "You silver-tongued British bastard," I said. "How dare you say that to me with such condescension? Maybe I should kill you right now."

I thought of David Talbot's face, and that moment when he'd challenged me. Well, maybe he was right. I'd be back. Who said I couldn't come back and talk to him if I wanted to? - The Queen of the Damned

22. Lay your hands on me – Bon Jovi

I'm a fighter, I'm a poet, I'm a preacher I've been to school, oh baby, I've been the teacher If you show me how to get up off the ground I can show you how to fly and never ever come back down

I sat down on the bed beside him. And then I bent down and kissed his face again gently, as I had in New Orleans, liking the feel of his roughly shaven beard, just as I liked that sort of thing when I was really Lestat and I would soon have that strong masculine blood inside. I moved closer to him, when suddenly he grasped my hand, and I felt him gently push me away. „Why, David?“ I asked him. He didn't answer. He lifted his right hand and brushed my hair back out of my eyes. „I don't know,“ he whispered. „I can't. I simply can't.“ - The Tale of the Body Thief

23. 20th Century Boy – Placebo (Original by T-Rex)

I move like a cat, charge like a ram Sting like a bee, babe, I wanna be your man, hey!

He drew back with a speed that astonished me, cleaving to the wall. „Don't do this, Lestat.“ „Don't fight me, old friend. You waste your effort. You have a long night of discovery ahead.“ - The Tale of the Body Thief

24. Way down we go – KALEO

Oh, Father tell me, do we get what we deserve? Whoa, we get what we deserve And way down we go

„In chains, to my friend and my scribe, I dictated these words. Come with me. Just listen to me. Don't leave me alone.“ - Memnoch the Devil

25. Personal Jesus – Depeche Mode

Reach out, touch faith

"Don't tell me," Gabrielle said slurringly, "that it's a matter of faith." She sneered and shook her head. "You come like doubting Thomas to thrust your bloody fangs in the very wound." "Oh, stop, please, I beg you," I whispered. I put up my hands. "Let me try, and let him hurt me, and then be satisfied, and turn away." - The Vampire Armand

26. Papillon – Editors

Darling Just don't put down your guns yet If there really was a God here He'd have raised a hand by now Now darling You're born, get old, then die here Well that's quite enough for me We'll find our own way home somehow

"And if I spill my blood down into this coffin now," Lestat asked her, "what do you think will come back? Do you think it will be our Louis that will rise in these burnt rags? What if it's not, chérie, what if it's some wounded revenant that we must destroy?" "Choose life, Lestat," she said. - Merrick

27. Sunday Light – Choir Boy

Why, why, why, are you silent on the ride home? I'd love to see the temple with you Heavenly and bright, golden angel twisted scathing You were one of us, one of us, one of us, you were one of us

"Then come, Little Brother, take me to where you want to talk," he said, and I felt the soft squeeze of his fingers on my arm. "Why are you so kind to me?" I asked him. "You're used to people being paid to do it, aren't you?" he asked. - Blackwood Farm

28. Für mich solls rote Rosen regnen – Hildegard Knef (It should rain red roses for me - Full translation)

It should rain red roses for me All wonders should encounter me The world should rearrange itself And keep its worries to itself

I want to be a saint. I want to save souls by the millions. I want to do good far and wide. I want to fight evil! I want my life-sized statue in every church. I'm talking six feet tall, blond hair, blue eyes- Wait a second. Do you know who I am? - Blood Canticle

29. Constant Craving – K. D. Lang

Even through the darkest phase Be it thick or thin Always someone marches brave Here beneath my skin And constant craving Has always been

I was hunting, thirsting though I didn't need to drink, at the mercy of the craving, the deep agonizing lust for heated pumping human blood. - Prince Lestat

30. Kalte Sterne – Jan Ammann (Cold Stars from the musical Ludwig² - Full translation)

Get up, ride home, on your horse, through your land Across the morning with your reins trailing behind you Build a castle like a dream, build it with mighty hands And it shall be named „future“

Build a castle like a dream Up from the ashes and close to the heavens Build a castle like a dream And realise the future as king

If we wanted to survive, if we wanted to inherit the millenia […] then we had to meet the future with respect as well as courage and count fear and selfishness to be small things. - Prince Lestat and the realms of Atlantis

31. C'est une belle journée – Mylene Farmer (Full translation)

I'm going to bed To bite eternity With my mouth wide open It's a beautiful day

And I felt the cold numbing shell of alienation and despair which had imprisoned me all of my life among the Undead – I felt that shell cracked, broken, and dissolved utterly into infinitesimal fragments. - Blood Communion

32. Princes of the Universe – Queen

Fly the moon and reach for the stars With my sword and head held high Got to pass the test first time, yeah I know that people talk about me, I hear it every day But I can prove them wrong 'cause I'm right first time

„I know that you meant full well to bring Rhoshamandes down, of course you did. But you had no way of knowing that you could. And no one would have predicted that you could. And with the willingness to die, you gave yourself over into his hands... and you disarmed him and destroyed him.“ – Blood Communion

And finally, because I can, a bonus track:

33. Primadonna – MARINA

And I'm sad to the core, core, core Every day is a chore, chore, chore When you give, I want more, more, more I wanna be adored

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sunnysidefangirl · 4 years

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Midnight Snack Run (JJ x reader)

Summary: Reader wakes up with a wanting for a midnight snack.

Warnings: none? Not really edited sorry.

A/N: I want what the pogues have so I wrote it!!!

(Not my gif)

I groaned quietly before sitting up in the bed. The bedroom I slept in occasionally was almost pitch black. The only light being from the moon and stars behind the shutters. There was an annoying feeling that I just couldn't ignore. I wanted a snack right now. I wanted to go in the twinkie, drive to a small store, buy a bunch of food, and eat it. I've never had such a strong urge to do this...why? This is so random, could I just wait. No, probably not. I want to do it now, or else I won't be able to sleep peacefully. Should I really do this? I mean it's...

12:09

Twelve at night.

Darn you Y/n! Welp, I guess I am doing this. I quickly try to think of the best way to do this mission. I should be back by 12:40. I start to get out of bed but a hand on my hip stopped me.

"Where are you going?" JJ asked in a adorable sleepy voice. His hair was still unbelievably fluffy and sticking up in random places. His eyes were lightly squinted as he tried to regain his sight.

"I'm going to the store. I will be right back. " I said to JJ, softly getting out of his grip.

"You're going to the store?" JJ asks becoming more awake as the conversation went on. He checked to time on his phone before he sat up a little. "It's 12, are you crazy?"

"No, I'm hungry." I witfully told him. I change into a pair of sweatpants and a navy blue jacket. JJ sighs before he runs his hand through his blonde hair. A small amount of guilt entered me. I should have been more careful getting out of bed so I didn't wake him up. I leaned on the bed and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"I'll be right back." I said while putting my hair in a high ponytail with a few pieces of hair out to frame my face.

"Wait for me." JJ groaned getting out of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm not gonna let you just go out by yourself at night. Plus a snack does sound really good right now." JJ says while putting on an old white hoodie.

I smiled at the sweet gesture.

"Aw, JJ, that's really sweet." With a kiss on the cheek JJ became a little more awake. He blushed but rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah."

JJ puts shoes on as do I and then we were ready for a midnight snack.

"Okay so we should-"

THUMP

I tripped over the edge of the bed making a loud noise.

"Shhh!"

"I'm sorry it's dark!"

"Dude, here, take my hand." JJ says. I obey, grabbing his hand and allowing him to pull me out of his room.

We leave the bedroom and go to the hall way. Before I could go any farther JJ stopped walking.

"Wait what's the plan?" He asked

"Plan?" I question him.

"Yes, we have to have some sort of plan!"

"No we don't we just go to the store."

"That's boring. Since it's just us and I bet nobody else is up at this time we could go do something else too."

"Hmm..." I pause for a second. I guess he's right nothing is really open at this time. "I guess you're right. Maybe we could go to the beach."

"Exactly what I was thinking." JJ smiles.

"Wait, we should ask John B for his twinkie?" I don't want him to get angry at us or anything.

JJ then paused and looked at the door John B was currently sleeping in. After a few long seconds he shook his head.

"....nah. He'll be fine, he'll know it was us. Plus we'll be back before he even knows it was gone." JJ shrugs.

"Hey!" A third party voice whispers harshly. The third voice suprised me greatly. I turn around to see Kie. She had a sleepy look on her face and it was easy to see behind her glare. "What is going on here?!"

"We're getting snacks..." I said sheepishly.

"Snacks?" Kie says. She looked at me with a confused face. Probably wondering if I was crazy like JJ did a few moments ago.

"Yeah, wanna come?" JJ offered.

"...sure." Kie sighs. "Let me put some shoes on."

"Okay." JJ said.

We wait a mere minute for Kie and when she came back Pope was at her side.

"What's wrong?" He asked us, his hair was sticking up in random directions. Pope's brown eyes were squinted and he looked really tired.

"We're going to get something to eat man." JJ says with a shrug.

"Something to eat?! Right now?!" Pope exclaimed in disbelief.

JJ pointed at me and that lead to Kie and Pope looking at me.

"I just wanted a midnight snack!" I exclaim quietly. "Is it a crime for me to be hungry?"

Pope rolls his brown eyes but his face held a lot of amusement. I knew he couldn't actually be mad at me.

"Fine, I'll come too." He said.

"Why are you all awake?!" The booming voice of John B made us jump from the contrast of the previous whispering voices. He came out of his room with sweatpants and an old t-shirt on. He looked at us like we were crazy.

"Sorry dude, we didn't mean to wake you." JJ says.

"By the way can we take the van?" I ask. Might as well since he is awake.

John B turned to me and looked even more confused. His eyes were wide, you could practically see his brain working to figure out what is going on.

"Yeah...why?"

"We're going to get something to eat." Kie says. "Are you coming?"

John B looked at us for a while before he sighed. "I don't know, I-I'll see just...wait a second I need to go-"

"Sarah can come too." Kie smirks.

I start to laugh along with Pope and JJ. John B had another different look of disbelief. He snuck Sarah in often and he never told us so maybe he's wondering how we knew. The thing is, we all knew, they are awful at hiding secrets and sneaking around.

One time I decided to come over after a bad argument with my parents and since I was coming in late everybody was asleep. As I was about to walk into the room that JJ sometimes slept in, something in John B's room caught my eye. He was halfway out of the window pulling someone who I guessed was Sarah.

"John B, use your muscles!" She whispered.

"I am! You have to help me pull you up!" He whispered back.

Not wanting them to know I saw them, I made my way to JJ's room trying to keep my giggles small. They really have to get better at sneaking around.

"Sarah..." JJ sang in a teasing voice towards John B's door where she is, no doubt. This action made us laugh more.

"Uh, okay...okay, uh, I'm just gonna...just wa-wait here." John B replied becoming flustered. He then basically flew in his room but I noticed his slightly pink face.

We waited for a few minutes for John B and Sarah. They emerged from the room with slightly embarrassed faces. Sarah had a blush on her cheeks and a long sweatshirt on that probably belonged to John B.

"Don't be embarrassed! JJ used to sneak me in when we started dating." I grin linking arms with Sarah. She smiled back at me as we made our way outside.

"He what?" John B asked looking at his best friend. "I didn't know that."

"That's because we are good at sneaking and keeping secrets." I responded with a smirk.

"Hell yeah we are." JJ grins kissing my cheek. I felt my cheeks get warm at his affection.

In no time, we were all in the twinkie off driving to find a convenient store.

______________________________________________

JJ and I stayed in the van while the four others went closer to the beach. They sat at the beach and ate their snacks while playing in the sand.

I grabbed a bag of chips and opened it before I started to eat the salty snack. JJ and I sat in silence enjoying each other's company as we ate.

JJ opened his mouth towards me causing me to roll my eyes.

"You always ask me for my food." I said while putting a chip in his mouth.

"I can't help it." JJ shrugged nonchalantly. We were greeted with comfortable silence for only a few seconds. "This was actually a good idea."

"What?" I asked taking a sip of soda.

"Going out for a midnight snack." He said quietly looking at the sky. I was a little taken aback at the look of peace on his face.

"I really didn't mean to wake you up." I laughed lightly. JJ grins widely showing his crooked teeth. He suprised me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close to him. I laid against him, my back against his chest and our arms wrapped together. JJ lightly kissed the top of my forehead before continuing to look at the stars in the sky.

We stayed at the beach for a few hours before going back to John B's and catching up on the hours of sleep we lost.

That soon became a pogue tradition. Whenever one of us had a bad night, couldn't sleep or was just hungry we would pile into John B's van, drive to the nearest store, and buy as much snacks as we could with how much money we had. None of us knew how important one night would be to all of us. It was simple times like this that really mattered to us.

All we needed was food, a van, a night sky, and each other.

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johnhawkens · 2 years

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AMERICAN STANDARD SIZE TUBS SUCK or: HOW I ALMOST DIDN'T SURVIVE MY BATH

(Quick CW: minor mention of blood and very minor injury, some description of depression/anxiety)

Okay strap yourselves in for this one:

It’s 0500 or 5am. I had just spent the last 12 hours in some sleep fugue state from some medication issues trying to get my brain back on track. Nevermind the extremely vivid dreams that included training to be a samurai in some dude’s house, stealing slushies from some labyrinthine cafeteria/buffet in the underground of a hotel, flying with my arms and meeting the cast of Good Omens (I still have yet to watch it yet), and trying to contact Lupin III for help while a family laughs at me for failure to eat some rapidly melting chocolate cup thing; (And those are just the ones I remember) my body feels like it just got run over a dozen times.

As I'm debating if consciousness is really worth it at this moment, my adorable cat Truffles decides that she is insulted that I ignored her all day by sleeping and wants my attention right MEOW. I'm too sluggish to want to move, so she gives me a defiant nip and runs off. Ouch.

(she's lucky she's so darn cute)

So I haul myself out of bed to make sure she has food and water and immediately bash my toe on my chair, partially breaking my nail.

Double ouch!

So by the time I'm done helping her, it's understandable that I am dizzy, shaky, my mind is still foggy, I'm in pain, am ravenously hungry and dehydrated, and completely resenting my existence at this moment. I almost just give up right there and toss my carcass back into bed, but thirst drives me to throw on my robes and shamble out of my room like the crypid I am.

(Mothman has nothing on me)

I get some water from the kitchen and debate if I want to warm up the food my BFF got for me while I was dead to the world, or if I just want to shuffle back to bed and ignore life for a few more hours. However, I've also just spent the last 12 or so hours sweating intermittently in bed. (my temp goes even more haywire when I'm having med issues) No matter what I end up doing, I really want to wash up. I still feel pretty miserable, but I know it'll be worse until I'm at least clean.

I debate a shower when the sudden idea of a bath springs into my mind unbidden. I haven't had a bath for years. I consider it when depression decides to try to rear its ugly head. I remember clumsy past baths, body image issues, etc. I almost give up entirely right here.

No! I grit my teeth and fight it. I have extremely bad depression and anxiety as of late but I know if I let it constantly win at all the small things, how can I get back on my feet with the big things?

Bath time it is.

So first of all, my BFF is asleep. Her door is just one away from the bathroom and while she has the weekend off and is usually good once asleep, I don't want to wake her up. That means pulling both her door mostly closed as well as the bathroom door mostly closed and hoping it won't be too loud. (Only partially because her cats need to reach their litterbox or food in different rooms, and Truffles will want to make sure I'm still alive with all that water noise.) Her husband and our other roomate are awake downstairs, so I don't need to worry about them.

I take some medicine for my headache, put bactine on my bite and toe and start up the bath. While it's filling, I go back to the kitchen to get water and the BAWLS energy drink I got earlier. (Probably not the best to do on an empty stomach, but whatever.)

(I love joking about the fact I have to get two every time we go grocery shopping because I am very mature)

I even remembered to get a plastic cup from the kitchen to wash my hair with! (I was proud of remembering this detail) Back to the bedroom to get my phone so I can relax and watch Youtube or read some fan fic and I hustle back to the tub.

Remember the title?

I just needed to set the stage first, right? Things had been rough for the little bit I had been conscious. And here I was, about to settle in and feel accomplished.

I sort of did at first even. Climbing in, I managed to find a decent bit of water to soak in. Most baths really don't fit me (more on that in a bit), but it was alright, and I was prepared to enjoy it anyway.

This is what a typical bathtub looks like here, though most I've seen have a slant in the back for "resting" though I have no idea why they bother. Perfect for a kid, and I'm sure some people can fit alright in these. I, however, cannot.

Look up tubs online and you will see some of the most magical things out there. Massive jacuzzi tubs, couples tubs with bubblers, beautiful giant tubs that look like they were carved out of stone, or super high tech looking ones with lights all over.

If I ever can save up enough money in my life, I am getting a nice tub, or at least a nice soaking tub.

Now I know that I am a larger gentleman, and that certainly doesn't help, but I can barely sit with my legs folded and I've never had a bath actually cover my whole body, or even most of it. More than anything, they feel like convenient driptrays for showers. They are also terrible at heat retention! (This is extra irritating since many studies have shown that hot soaks serve so many health benefits, it's not even funny) So if you want your water to stay warm for any length of time, you better crank that dial up so that you can cook for a while until it's something more pleasant. (I know I'm a little bit of a heat baby, but it's worse when half of you is boiling and the other half is freezing) And I'm not just talking a little bit warm, I'm talking let's try to resemble a sulfur pool (not the nice spa resort ones), or just cut straight to volcanic lava.

(hey at least I'd know I'd fit here!)

A lot of tongue and cheek, and a hefty bit of complaining was really to add emphasis to what happened only about 5 minutes into the bath.

The water was already growing cold.

Now part of this was totally my fault. It'd been so long since I'd last had a bath I forgot how fast it cooled. So when I set what was pretty warm to me for a shower, I was inviting disaster. It didn't help that I forgot to bring in a different kind of soap, so I was stuck in lukewarm water with little chunks of moisturizing, exfoliating soap faeries and two little blood clot faeries from the noosebleed I had, had right before I entered. Not at all the relaxing bubblebath I was planning on.

But this could be fixed! A quick drain and I could refill and grab a different soap!

So I shuffle painstakingly slowly so as to not accidentally soak the entire bathroom floor and discover that I am just a bit too chubby to completely reach the drain easily. Ahh well, I'll just get out and do it that way!

Then I realize I have no idea how to haul my handsome flub out of this tub. The next couple minutes are spent in what had to be the most hilarious slow-motion (can't flood the room!) gymnastics in which I contorted every which way and slowly filled with dread that I might need to call for help. The prospect was not just humiliating, it meant calling my BFF out of sleep, or texting the husband downstairs. I'm a trans man so while I know none of them would be rude, this was going to be awkward at best.

(actual footage of me contemplating my impending doom)

However, I was filled with great determination and managed to haul myself onto my knees with only the tiniest bit of splashing and was able to shuffle around to face the drain. Now able to reach it much more comfortably, I turned to pull it open.

Nothing happened.

Okay, maybe I just forgot which way I had turned it and it was more complicated than just pulling. I know shower dials are complicated affairs, so maybe this was similar.

Nothing happened again.

I tried turning all over, I tried yanking, I tried turning /and/ yanking, I tried thinking at it very strongly and tried yanking even harder!

Again nothing happened. My headache was returning...

I began to feel a sense of exhaustion and despair. I tried again and again and started to berate myself internally for even trying a bath. For five minutes of lukewarm soaking, I was now tired from my water ballet, sore, still not clean yet, (I forgot it's best to kind of shower first then soak when you're less grungy) and I was facing a half full tub while hungry and cranky.

I couldn't be on my knees any longer since they were getting to cramped. I had to perch on the edge of the tub and kept at it for another ten or so minutes. At a few points I swore I could see a little space under the drain head, so I figured that maybe it was just very slow and I marked an old scar on my leg to compare water level by and waited.

Still. Friggin'. Nothing.

I had a headache, was hungry, still slightly out of it from my day of recovery sleep, and was feeling pretty miserable at this point. I tried looking up some solutions on my phone. Oh! Maybe it was clogged! One guide recommended using a plunger. Welp, if I used that I certainly needed to be out. I tried the plunger a few times and nothing changed. Or rather one thing had! The water was now absolutely gross between the soap, blood, and now possibly some remnants of plunger waste. So if I was going to ask for help, I needed to get some of that water out so they didn't have to touch so much of it.

So I slap on my robes, shuffle out grumbling under my breath and found a big enough plastic tub to help. I shuffle back, heaving the quietest of heavy sighs (my roomate is still asleep), and I start scooping out the water into the toilet for the next 5 or so minutes.

Sweating, exhausted, I finally message the husband on discord and ask him if there's some magical trick to this tub. He admits it had been ages since he'd last used it as a tub and says he'll be right up.

(Oh you hellish little monster)

Husband arrives and starts trying everything I did. I may not have the greatest upper body strength, but it quickly proves that strength isn't the issue. He chuckles and says that he remembers having an issue like this when he attempted a bath about a year ago and had simply avoided baths in this tub ever since. Finally he asks for a butter knife from the kitchen and we strike up chatter while he pries.

"I had headphones on so I couldn't hear anything specific, but I kept hearing all these thuds upstairs." He chuckled. "I knew it wasn't from the kitchen and it didn't just sound like footsteps so I was beginning to wonder if you were okay."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. The idea of me flopping around like a seal out of water and then the dozen or so times the toilet automatically flushed as I poured water into it must have sounded quite confusing. Now we've both worked overnights, so the time wasn't that odd to us. But I've tried to stick to more daytime-ish living to make sure I didn't wake my BFF, could spend more time with people, and generally didn't try to tromple all over the house. He adds that American bathtubs just suck and I agree wholeheartedly with him.

And then, the sweetest music came to us. An unmistakable sound.

DRAINING WATER

Turns out the little plastic or rubbery rim of the drain cap had become hyper sealed to the bottom part. It was starting to lift, yes. But the water pressure was so powerful, it was preventing anything from going down the drain and additionally not allowing it up high enough to change the pressure so it /could/ drain. I don't know all the science, or even all the right words to use. But the fact is, it worked and the tub finally fucking drained.

We shared a laugh and he told me not to worry about it, that it was definitely something up with the drain and nothing I had done. (I think maybe I accidentally made it worse with the plunger, but I'm not sure and the problem was at least there before it) I thanked him, he headed out to wash and get back to gaming and I finally had a working drain.

So I took a fucking shower.

Struck by how amusing this ultimately was in retrospect and needing to sit for a few before I thought about food, I decided that I needed to write out this story so I could just link it to friends and let them laugh with me. At least that would soothe my frustration.

Just for good measure, I had a much better intro, but Tumblr erased it all somehow while I tried to move the window and I had to start all over.

TLDR: American standard sized bathtubs suck, medication snafus / depression / anxiety sucks, and butter knives are the heroes of the day.

I give you the hero of today, my good people

#John's writing #silly life shit #why do most tubs suck #slice of life #the real treasure was the butter knife who saved the day

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blueberryrock · 4 years

Text

I'm so tired rn, it is currently 12:49 am so im going to bed after this. But enjoy!

(Blue's pov)

"Are you sure you can handle this?" I look down at the tiny pink gem in front of me.

"Of course, I've seen Pink do it a bunch of times" Spinel gives one of the biggest grins I've ever seen.

"A-and you know what to do? " I ask another question "oh and you know some of the rules....right?" I shift nervously on my sore feet.

"Rules?" Spinel shoots me a confused look "how can a ball have rules?"

"Well, there aren't many, just simple ones" I cross my arms "like for instance, we're not allowed to leave our seats, although White has definitely changed that one.....oh and cannons can't be in the ballroom, or the castle for that matter" I stroke my chin trying to think of any rules.

"Well, liquids are no longer forbidden, cause it turns out that Steven is about seventy percent water...." I trail off.

"Speaking of steven, is he coming?" Spinel bounces happily in place.

"I think so, he said that he would come with gifts, although I don't exactly know what gifts he could make..since we are quite bigger then him" I shrug.

"Quite?" Spinel crosses her arms.

I chuckle and roll my eyes "you should probably go and get the ball ready, and is there a dress code" I cursorily ask.

"Dress code?" Spinel scratches her head.

"Yeah, like we could dress...I don't know...nicer? Or different at least" I try to explain but Spinel just shrugs.

"That sounds good, I think I will try something new but I don't really know, you can too if you'd like, that goes for Yellow and White too" Spinel turns around "but like you said, I've got work to do" she starts running down the empty hallway we were talking in.

"And if you need any help, you can always call me or Steven, he has thrown at least two balls" I shout after her. I definitely shouldn't tell her that the first ball turned into a disaster, but it wasn't his fault...

A spike of pain washes over me, starting from my feet and quickly ends as soon as it reaches my mid-calf.

I sigh, I should go and sit down, maybe I'll run a bath. Yeah, that sounds nice. I turn around and painfully make my way to my chambers. As soon as the doors close behind me I instantly phase into nothing but a very loose and thin blue shirt and a pair of comfortable panties.

I slowly make my way across my room towards my extraction chambers (which everyone now calls it a bathroom).

I hit the now higher panel and the doors in front of me open, letting the slightly cold air into the room. I shiver when my bare feet touch the freezing tile floor, but I try my best to ignore it and turn on the bath.

As soon as the room becomes filled to the brim with steam. I phase away the rest of my clothes, and carefully lower myself into the warm water.

I let out a relaxed sigh as I finally make contact with the bottom and sit down. This time I accidentally filled the bath with to much water and it's now up to my chin.

I gently place my hand on my big baby bump, ever since I opened up to Yellow, I've been feeling..... better I guess...I'm certainly not one hundred percent a-okay, but I've been feeling happier about the gemlings.

Every now and then I occasionally have a few bad thoughts, but I'm glad that I have Yellow to help me with it, I just can't help but feel like I'm dragging Yellow.

I shake my head trying to get rid of that last thought, I need to think of something else...hmm what should I wear to Spinel's ball?

She didn't really specify if there was going to be a dress code or not. I smile as a wonderful idea comes to mind, I should wear the dress I wore to my first ball! I will have to make some adjustments, I rub my baby bump, man Yellow will love it!

I quickly finish my lovely bath and I wrap a towel around my body and hair. I sit down on my very comfortable stool in front of my vanity, I unwrap my now wet towel from my hair, I dry my soaking wet hair as best as I can with the towel before I instantly remove all the water from it with my powers.

I toss the damp towel onto the floor, but before it actually lands on the ground it phases away.

I grab my new blue hairbrush and I run it through my very tangled hair, I faintly hum some human song. Humming quickly turns into quietly singing.

"From the shell, the song of the sea" I softly sing to myself, I shapeshift my hair to get rid of my loop so I can braid my hair "neither quiet nor calm, searching for love again".

I easily hum the rest of the song as I quickly and effortlessly finish my long braid, I unnecessarily fiddle with the end of my braid, trying to make it not fall apart. I sigh as I throw the end of it over my shoulder, what time is it? I pull up a screen to find that Spinel's ball is in five hours.

I droop onto my vanity and let out another sigh, I should probably finish designing the gemlings little room, but all I need are the colors. If it's going to be anything like that weird vivid dream I had, I should be able to guess the colors correctly.

But alas, I am not a sapphire. The medical pearl did say that the next appointment I'll have should tell us what colors they might be.

I sit straight up and whip around at the sound of my doors opening, I smile when Yellow diamond steps into my room. She turns on my crystal chandelier as she grumbles something to herself.

"I don't understand how you can see so well in the dark" she walks directly towards me and smiles "it's like a new power, and I lovee what you did with your hair your hair"

"Thank you" I grab her hips and pull her closer, I wrap my arms around her and stand up "I wanted to do something new for Spinel's ball, while the braid may not be entirely new, but what I'm planning is...also not entirely new" I quietly giggle "but I know you'll love it"

"You know I'll love anything you'll do, even if you've done it before" Yellow plants a soft kiss on top of my head.

"I know, I know" I release my hold from her and I grab my still open screen "Since you are here, I wanted to show you the nursery design for our gemlings!"

I pull up the blueprints and proudly show her, she grabs the screen and studies each picture for a few seconds before moving onto the next one.

"They look good, but what is the color scheme?" Yellow hands me the screen back.

"I wanted to do the colors of what the gemlings are, but that'll have to wait a couple of days or so" I pull up the time and date again "well, it says the next appointment is actually tomorrow, so the plans will be done quickly"

A sudden rush of fatigue washes over me, I let out a yawn as I dismiss the screen "I think I'm going to take a nap before the ball" I phase into a soft shirt and pants.

I walk around Yellow and head straight for my bed "wake me up at least half a cycle before it starts." I pull all the blankets onto me.

"Noted" Yellow lays down right beside me, I lay down on my back as Yellow messes with my braid, she hums as I flip onto my side, trying to find a good position.

I let out a very long and relaxed sigh as I finally get comfortable, I feel myself drift into slumber as Yellow finishes humming.

"Have a good nap, I'll be back to wake you up" She whispers, I grumble something back to her, but I don't know what it was.

Since I took a nap I surprisingly didn't have a dream, I just fell asleep then bam! Instantly woke up.

"Blue? You said to wake you up now, so I need you to wake up" Yellow shakes me awake.

"Hmmm" I sit up, I wipe the sleep from my eyes, I squint from the light and I turn to the golden diamond next to me.

"Yellow? Mmm, what time is it?" I pull back the very warm covers and shiver slightly as Yellow helps me off of the bed.

"It's about a cycle till the ball, I decided you might need some time to actually wake up" Yellow let's go of me, I let out a groan as I stretch my arms.

"It seems like I did the right thing" Yellow hands me a glass of water.

"Thank you" I croak, I take a few sips of the cold water, I hand her the glass as I yawn.

After a few minutes of Yellow talking to me, making sure I don't fall asleep again, I push her out of the room so I can get ready.

I sit back down on my vanity chair and I fix my messy braid, damn, I knew I should've waited until after I took a nap. But then again, I didn't know that I'd actually take one...

As soon as my braid is done, I stand up and phase off my pajamas and I put on a comfortable pair of matching panties and a bra.

Now, this is the hard part, I have to remember what my dress looked like. It really won't be hard, but it was a very very long time ago.

As soon as remember what the dress I wore for my first ball looks like, I phase it on. I quickly adjust the waist so it's not clinging to my body, but instead it flowing at the bottom.

I turn around to face the mirror, I take a few steps back to see the entire dress.

And it's almost just how I remember it.

The top clings to my form, I had to just the neckline so it ends at the tip of my gem, I kept the long sleeves but moved the end of them just an inch or two back. The color of the entire dress is still blue, but as dark as the night sky, and it still shimmers when I move.

Moving past my waist, I shortened the slit by my leg a lot, so now it goes from my mid-calf to my ankles, which is where the dress stops, I also added the same sized slit on the other side.

This time I finally put on shoes, but they are a simple pair of knee-length boots with a lot of extra padding inside.

I smooth down the front of the dress, I smile as the familiar softness tickles my hands. A familiar chime breaks the silence in my room "come in" I half yell.

I sit back down on my plush stool as the big blue doors open. Steven, Amethyst, Pearl, and Connie walk into my room.

Steven and Pearl laugh at something that Amethyst had probably said, and in Steven's and Connie's hands are some big wrapped items.

As soon as Connie sees me, she accidentally drops the gifts she was carrying and her brown eyes go wide.

I push myself off of the stool and walk over to them "is something wrong" I ask the shocked Connie as I pick up the thing she dropped.

"N-no, nothing is wrong" she shakes her head and smiles "it's just that Steven said that you were at least six months in, but I had no idea you were." I cut her off "Big? Huge?" I smile little.

"Well, no, I was going to say, I had no idea you were so pregnant" she nervously laughs "and your dress looks amazing!"

I slightly blush from the complement. "Well, I am carrying twins" I smile warmly, I gently place my hand on my belly. I examine the nicely wrapped item, it's wrapped in different styles of a human material, which I think is paper and it fits perfectly in my hand. "You guys really didn't need to bring us anything."

"Well, my art teacher had me and my class make stuffed animals" I neatly unwrap all the paper to reveal a very soft, mixed fabric, lion "and I decided to go all out." Connie very proudly says.

I neatly place the paper on my vanity and inspect the toy lion. It has stitched black eyes and a black heart-shaped nose, with a wild rainbow mane and matching tail.

"It may not be the prettiest thing in the world, but I'm pretty sure that bad boy gave me an A+ for the rest of the year" Connie smiles "and it took me a little more than a week to make it, not including the time it took to gather the materials, luckily my mom and dad were there to help me."

I put the adorable lion on my vanity and I grab the gift that Steven was holding, "Man, you do not know how long it took to wrap those, and how much wrapping paper it took" Steven smiles as I once again, neatly take the paper off.

"As I said, you really didn't need to bring us anything, but I really do appreciate it" I happily say, I place all the paper on the vanity with the other paper.

In my hand is a beautiful wooden box with a wind-up on the back, it's a lovely shade of dark green with the diamond insignia top.

"C'mon, wind it up!" Steven excitedly says.

I smile at his lack of patience, I delicately wind up the box, as excitement builds inside me with each crank.

Suddenly the little box makes a strange CLICK sound and a wonderful tune starts playing, I shoot a confused look towards Steven. But he just looks at me with what I think are tearful eyes.

The song ends quickly, Steven sighs "The song is called you are my sunshine, my dad would sing that to me whenever I got scared, I'll teach you the lyrics later, but now we've got a ball to attend!" Steven turns on his heel towards the door.

"I'll be right after you" I call out to him and his friends as they leave. I quickly set the box next to the lion, I take one last glance over my outfit before I turn around and leave.

(At the ball)

I stand in front of familiar ballroom doors, this time I'm not being introduced to gems, this time I'm just going to go in and enjoy the ball without any pressure, what so ever.

I take a deep breath in, hold my head up high, and hit the panel that opens the doors. Music fills up the small hallway I'm standing in, I walk into the very crowded room. I spot Steven and Connie dancing with a multitude of different gems and fusions.

I also see Spinel dancing with Amethyst and a handful of other quartzes, and Pearl talking to Blue and Yellow Pearl. I carefully move towards one of the back corners of the room, once I'm there I look around the room trying to find Yellow, I don't think she's here. I'd would've spotted her by now.

I sadly sigh, guess I'll have to wait for some time. As I wait I eagerly watch the only door that we can fit through, and it hasn't been all bad, a lot of different gems came up to me to say hello and to congratulate me. One gem even brought me a tray of brown and white sweets, which attracted Steven and Connie. They then told me the sweets were called 'chocolate', and I told them I love the really dark ones, which turned out to be dark chocolate.

They did have to take the tray away from me before I ate it all, then the diamond doors opened and I got very excited, but then White Diamond appeared then the doors remained close for quite a while.

She seemed to easily notice my mood and made quickly walked over to me.

"I'm going to assume you're waiting for Yellow?" White rests her back against the wall.

"Well...yeah" I sigh "I wanted to surprise her by putting on the dress from my first ball" when I finished my sentence, White did a double-take on my outfit.

"Oh wow, I didn't even notice" She runs her hand over my covered arm "you still look as beautiful as the day you first put it on"

I blush from the compliment "look, this time I actually put on shoes!" I lift my dress and flaunt my boots.

White laughs "they're not the heels that go with the dress, but those are pretty close".

I let go of my dress "I don't understand how you and Yellow can wear something with heels, I'd trip in them very easily"

"Which is why I let you go barefoot" White smiles warmly.

I smile back. "Anyways, I've really only came to the ball to say hello to every, so after that, I'm probably going to leave" I nod as White pushes herself off of the wall and heads towards Steven and his friends.

I sigh and rest my head against the hard stone wall. I continue to watch the door until Yellow diamond finally walks through it. Happiness builds inside of me as she spots me.

She carefully makes her way across the very crowded ballroom floor, I frown as I notice a few sparks dance across her shoulders and chest.

She finally stops in front of me and sighs "I'm sorry for being so late, as soon as you pushed me out of your room a topaz said there was an emergency, so I had to deal with that, then I got a reminder that the ball has started so I quickly polished my armor and...wait..." Yellow takes a step away from me. A big smile creeps on to my face.

"Is that?" Yellow looks me up and down.

"In fact it is! I did have to make a few adjustments to the dress, but I kept it pretty much the same" I wrap my arms around Yellow, she does the same, she gives me a short but passionate kiss on the lips before she pulls away and leads me towards where everyone is dancing. "C'mon, let's join them."

"Okay, but only for a little bit" I grab her hand and wrap my arm and she twirls me.

We continue to dance for some time before I start to feel sick from all the chocolates, so we say goodbye and thank you to everyone before Yellow whisks me away to my room, where I then have a 'stomach ache' for a few hours.

I painfully groan into my plush pillow, Yellow lovingly rubs my aching pregnant belly.

"Just try to sleep" Yellow kisses my neck.

"C-can't.. hurts too much" I whimper.

"Steven said it'll go away soon, just sleep it off" Yellow slows down, she rubs slow soothing circles.

Unfortunately, her touch is very soothing, I can feel myself growing tired every second.

I let out a long yawn which turns into another groan "mmmm fine, I'll try to sleep, but I'm telling you it's not going to work" I grumble. I tightly close my eyes, trying to get my self to fall asleep.

It eventually works when I finally relax and mumble good night.

"Good night Blue" Yellow places a kiss on my head before I quickly pass out.

Splish

Splash

Sploosh

I'm going to bed, gn

#steven universe #blue diamond su #su yellow diamond #bellow diamond #fanfic #good night #stay home

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gamegrumpiess · 6 years

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Sleepwalk

I was listening to Sleepwalk by Renee Olstead, and I had this idea.

Grump: Danny (from now on, most will be Danny. Unless you request someone else, which I will be happy to do!)

Btw! I'm this plot, Renee didn't write the lyrics. You did! She isn't even a singer in this universe. Just a heads up.

Y/n's POV

I can't sleep tonight. It's been a month since me and Danny broke up, but I can't help but still mourn our relationship. It was mutual, at least that's what he thinks. I would've never called it off. I was so in love with him. I still am. We told the fans, and they were pretty supportive in what we did. A lot of them were really sad, as was I. Danny is a singer just like me. I do silly songs just like him. But he encouraged me to do a cover album or a cover song. I did one album, Cover Me Up was the name. It got a lot of love, which I am very proud of.

I turn on my phone to check the time. 4:23 am. The bold numbers shine at me in front of Danny's face. I couldn't bring it to myself to change my screensaver. It's not like anyone's gonna see. I miss him a lot, every night gets harder than the last. He was my world. I've known him since senior year of high school, he was a huge part of my life. And now... That's no more. He's probably living his best life. Being Danny Sexbang and all. He probably has girls flying at his feet, throwing him their panties and offering 'the night of his life'. I understand I might be over thinking, but I can't help it. He was mine, and now he's out there doing who knows what. I let a few stray tears fall down ontou pillow. It's so lonely here at night now. I love what I do, singing, dancing, having fun. It was just so much more amazing when I had someone to share it with.

I lay my head back a stare at the ceiling. I need to distract myself, so I reach for my headphones and plug them in, looking for my Oldies playlist. I click on it and the song that comes on is Sleepwalk by Santo and Johnny. Listening to the slow beat and light guitar, I cry even more. Just my luck, huh? I can't just lay here, I really should get up and something. Writing usually helps me calm down. That's when I get an idea for a song, it's a bit sad and people will know exactly who its about. But maybe that's what needs to happen. My feelings should be out there. And if something goes wrong, I'll accept the outcomes.

I pull up my pen and notebook and just start writing.

"Sleepwalk, instead of dreamin' I

Sleepwalk.

Cause' I lost you and now, what am I to do?

Can't believe that we're through.

Sleep talk. Cause' I miss you, I sleep talk.

While the memories of you wither like a soul.

Darling I was so low.

The night fills me with blame. I see your face, tears through my brain.

I know I miss you so. I still love you, drives me insane.

Sleepwalk. Every night I just sleepwalk. Please come back, and when you walk inside the door, I will sleepwalk no more."

I immediately went to my computer set up and staring out my own little version of Sleepwalk. More of like a piano and violin cover, rather than guitar and drum. Once I had it to where I wanted the beat and rhythm, I pulled up my microphone and started singing away.

Danny's POV

This morning was the worst. I couldn't sleep at all, I've been up since 3:30 am. I guess I haven't really gotten used to sleeping by myself. Without y/n's body near mine, it's hard to even get tired. I do miss her. A lot actually. I know it was my idea to call off the relationship, but I was scared of what would happen if I didn't have enough time for her. I have game grumps, starbomb, and ninja sex party. She deserves someone who has all the time in the world to give her all the attention she deserves. When we told the fans, I didn't expect them to be so sad. I even lost a handful of fans because of it. She agreed, but I knew her better. She was on the verge of tears when she left. She was trying to be strong so I wouldn't see that side of her, but I know better than that. When she left I broke down. Gripped and clawed at my hair, cried on the edge of the bed, wondering if I had made the right choice. I big-huge part of me was telling myself I didn't.

My phone buzzes, and I see its a text from Arin.

When you get here I need to show you something.

Oh what fresh hell does he have to subject my eyes to. Last time he said that, I had to watch 12 Days Of Elves... Don't ask.

I finally arrived at the Grump Space. I see everyone in their usual area. Ryan and Matt at the computers, Ross and Barry in the kitchen making coffee, and the only other people here this early is Arin and me. Everyone else usually is a little late. "Thank god you're finally here. You haven't felt your phone buzzing?" I give him a confused look. "Other than you texting me, no. You know I have notifications turned off for my social media. What's going on?" He turns on the computer in front of us. "You should hear this before anything. I promise you, it's important." I roll my eyes. "This better not be some stupid shit, Arin!" I say with a light laugh. He shook his head, and I knew from the look in his eyes that this was in fact important.

Once the computer was fully on, he went to YouTube. Looking up y/n's name, I felt my stomach turn. Did she have a new boyfriend? Was she sick? Did she die?! I understand that last one is a bit of a long shot, but I tend to over think a lot.

A video was uploaded at 7:00 am this morning? "' sleepwalk? ' isn't that an old song?" I say confused. But I'm not all that surprised. She always did love the oldies. He nods his head. "She added her own lyrics and tune to it. And I think you should hear it." I nodded and put on some earphones, pushing play on the video. Her voices comes on, and it feels so amazing to hear her voice again. Even if it is just an intro in a YouTube video.

"Hello everyone. I had this idea for a song at like 3 in the morning. I couldn't sleep, so I made this. I hope you like it..."

The video fades to black and then it shows her at her little office space she has in her room. The music starts up, and at this point I notice her eyes. They're a little red and slightly puffy. She did a good job covering it up, but I've known her since senior year. She can't hide that from me.

She sings softly yet with so much passion and emotion. The lyrics sink in, and I know why Arin wanted to hear this. Its about me. I scroll down to look at the description and comments, and they all say things along the lines of 'I fucken sad now.' 'Wow, Danny really did a number on her' 'DANNY YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS SHIT!' 'This makes me so sad because she literally couldn't sleep thinking about him... Danny get your girl back!' 'Damn that made me tear up... '

After the video ended, I look at my phone. Y/n's face still smiles at me from behind the screen. I didn't want to change it, I couldn't do it. I felt several tears hit my leg, I didn't even realize i was crying. "Hey Dan, are you okay?" Arin puts his hand on my shoulder comfortingly. "No... I'm not at all." I open up Twitter and see thousands of notifications to nsp and game grumps. All of which telling me to see what I just saw. I stood up slowly, feeling a little disappointed in myself. How could I let her walk out of my life so easily...?

Y/n's POV

After I posted the video, I decided I should really try to get some sleep. Especially since thousands of people will blow up my phone later on. Once in bed again, I tried to think of all the possibilities and outcomes of this. It could either go really well, or go really horribly bad. I guess we'll just have to see.

I wake up several hours later to my phone ringing. The sky is still a little bright to I assume it's not that late. 'Suzy <3' shines up at me. I smile, me and her always stayed quite close. "Hello?" I try to run the sleep out of my eyes. "Hey, are feeling okay? I heard your song, and I know it's about Dan. How are you, hun?"

It means a lot that she's not just calling about GET HIM BACK! She just wants to know if I'm okay. "Honestly? I feel so empty. Luckily today is just a lazy day so I don't have to adult today. But still.... I feel lost." I hear her sigh, "I know, y/n. It sucks. But you have me! And I'm way better than Danny!" She says jokingly. "Damn right you are! I'll call you a bit later when I'm more awake, okay?" We say our goodbyes and I sit up more in bed. I take a quick look at my notification bar and just as I expected, its blowin up. 'When will I stop being a pussy?' My thoughts we're interrupted by several rings of my doorbell.

Without looking through the peephole I open the door, only to see a certain curly haired man standing on my doorstep. "Danny? What are you doing here?" His eyes are glazed over and puffy as if he had just finished crying. He looked down. "I.... I heard your song. Was it... Was it about me? I'm sorry, I just need to know. I couldn't focus at all today during work. And on my way home, I just couldn't take it anymore. I have to know." My anxiety goes up a long shot. My eyes looking at everyone but him. "Y/n... I need to know." I slowly nod my head, still avoiding his eyes. "May I come in? I think we should talk.." I scoot to the side to let him in. "I'm sorry if I caused a lot of drama. I just thought... It would be better if I just made it into a song rather than.. Just telling you." I confessed. He grabbed my shoulders. "Don't be sorry, y/n. When we broke up, and you left. I broke down. I couldn't handle the fact that I just let you go.. I'm sorry."

"Then why did you do it? Why wait so fucking long to come to my house?! Why hurt me this bad, leaving me all alone when all I wanted was you! I hated knowing that YOU let me just walk out. And you looked like you... Like you didn't even give a shit..." I couldn't help it. I let all my emotions explode on him. "Why do you think I did?! Y/n, you deserve someone who has the time for you, who will give you all the attention in the world. Someone who will GIVE you the world! I want nothing more than to have you back again, but you don't deserve someone like me! I love with all my soul, hell, I'd give up everything for your dumbass! I didn't say anything till now because I thought you'd be mad, and I thought you'd moved on, hated me even!" He was standing pretty close to me by now. "Well no shit I'd be mad! You think I don't deserve you? Bullshit! You've already given me the world and more! Don't think that I don't understand about your job because I do the same fucking thing!!! I know it's hard, but I was willing to work even harder because I love you more than life itself! I deserve you just like you deserve me!" He rolled his eyes. "You're fucking gorgeous! You can have any man you want! What the hell is so special about me?" I got in his face once again, "because you are so much better than any other man I've met! We've known each other for YEARS and you think I'd just give all that up?! What kinda drugs are you on, Dan? Do you think I'm that fucken dumb? I haven't slept in weeks because it feels so horrible not having you next to me. That's some bullshit to say that I can have any man I want. I want YOU, dipshit!" I couldn't help it, I fell to my knees, shaking from trying to hold back tears. How he say that I didn't deserve him? He was my world, he still is my world. Nothing will change that.

He walks to me, and sits on the floor with me. I feel his arms wrap around me, and I lean into his chest. "I'm sorry.. I loved you more than anything. I still do. Can you please give me another chance..? Now, I won't ever think you don't deserve me. I won't think anything like that. You mean the world to me, y/n. Please don't forget that." I look up at him, seeing his eyes filled with new tears. "Well duh, how can i say no to this face?" I grab his cheeks and smush them together and laugh. "I love you too, Danny." He smiled and leaned in and gave me a much needed kiss.

#danny sexbang #game grumps #dan avidan x reader #dan x reader #dan avidan

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