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shivasdarknight · 9 months

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Hi, sorry for this but you are a writer, so umm.. I was hoping you could give me some tips/advice on how to write?

tbh the way I got into writing is a bit insane, but I do have some advice that can help. gonna put it under a cut just because it got kinda long

honest to god, one of the best pieces of advice is something you're already doing because reading can genuinely help you with becoming a better writer. stepping outside of your usual genres or authors can help expand your viewpoint and introduce you to more narrative styles so you can play around and see what works for you. eg. if you mostly read first person, give second person a shot. or if you're an omniscient third person, try limited third person. or even retrospective first person, because i often see people complain about first person pov when it's married with a present tense story. if you have a first person narrator talking about events in the past as if talking to you, or a journal it often takes an entirely different angle and it's something I've played with in Homestuck fics because that fandom tends to be more open to narrative experimentation. Writing is honestly a lot of looking at stuff you like (much like art) and smooshing it all together. Personally, I've gotten a lot of my writing style from stuff like The Locked Tomb, admittedly Lovecraft was foundational (but this is a great example of why to always remain critical considering his bullshit), so was Homestuck and Rick Riordan's stuff. I'm never trying to copy them wholesale, but I am looking at aspects I like - such as Riordan's humor intertwining with the narrative and narration, or the deeply unreliable narrators that Muir writes, or even how Homestuck balances purple prose with gut wrenching conciseness when it counts. A lot of modern day fast food fiction takes out a lot of the stuff that actually builds a story - pacing, playing with narration and technical writing - so you need to be conscious of what you're looking for in things. Often more established authors get to do weirder stuff than new authors, but don't discredit new ones because that would be leaving out folks like Xiran Jay Zhao and their phenomenal prose.

Another thing that helps greatly is reading writing critique. Video essays on books or even more critical thought pieces on writing, tropes, etc. can help you learn more about why something works. Lots of different channels on YouTube dedicated to dissecting media, absolutely recommend stuff like Hello Future Me, Overly Sarcastic Productions (real world ties + mythology, great basis to build things on), Zoe Bee (writer + commentary), Nerdwriter1 (media analysis + commentary), Just Write, and Tale Foundry. For adjacent suggestions that can help build up alternate perspectives that aren't directly about writing but are about critical thinking with stories (which is frankly an important skill to have), I definitely recommend Princess Weekes, Accented Cinema, Now You See It, Dominic Noble, The Storyteller, and Pop Culture Detective. A lot of this is discussing film (save Dominic Noble, who also talks about books a Lot), but the core essence of storytelling is helpful regardless of what angle it comes in - be it video game, movie, tv, or book reviews and analyses.

Actual writing. Varies on the person on if they do outlines or not and how, but I still recommend trying to do an outline when you're first starting out. One habit to immediately knock yourself out of is writing things chronologically. If you're working on a big piece and have more energy to write something in the middle? Put that in a new doc and leave a placeholder for where you're at. Legitimately, getting words on the paper is more important than those words being good. Because you can always come back and edit things to make sense.

Always edit what you write. I hate the "no beta we die like real men" attitude because people will dunk on editing but then praise stories for having "firm and satisfying" connections which can only really be built through editing. Your first draft is your rough idea. Your second one is when you read through and have it make sense. Three is making that make sense, and maybe 4 is more just grammar and spelling errors. Edit as many times necessary to make sure you like it.

Always work in broad strokes, then move in finer like with anything. Do a general idea for a story, then your main story beats, then how you connect them together, and then the nitty gritty of each. Keep lots of notes - do not rely on your head solely for everything - and just also be willing to let things go if they change.

What I tend to do when I write is I want a good flow. I often get that from reading my writing out loud to hear how it sounds, but I'm looking for a good beat to read along. Because even if the sentence is grammatically correct and structurally sound, it may not be very interesting to read. Like you could say someone feigned a polite expression to not let the other person know that they didn't feel comfortable with a topic, or you could go the angle I went with recently of "she painted herself an interested expression to wear as dread began to gnaw at her gut." Sometimes the more colorful or out there the language is, the better it sounds when you read it. Like instead of saying "that's just how things go for them" you could say, "but Fate had a funny way of making her disdain known for (X character)". And this is where reading other peoples' work comes in real handy because you can get a lot of examples of how people write things.

I also try and reflect themes of the story into the writing itself, like this section of a draft:

Still nothing. Seemed he wasn’t going to bother with a glass, instead just ripping the top off of some bottle of gin and tipping it back with little regard for himself. Still that chronometer ticked on; still that taught tension like another arrow had been drawn. A million and more things flooded Ysayle’s mind, itching to loose them at Estinien, yet found herself stuck in indecision as she stared daggers into him - ever her opposite as he just seemed despondent. The gin bottle hit the extended shelf loudly; one hand a fist around the bottle, the other balled up on the surface - knuckles as white as bone. Still, Estinien said naught. Still, the chronometer ticked on. Still, Ysayle’s heart roared in her ears - poisonous words damming up her throat.

The theme of this story is avoiding the mistakes of the past. How things often can wind up cyclical, and the goal is to break from those cycles and repeats. So naturally, several points of the narration itself repeat itself. This isn't standard writing style, but it gets that point across by repeating "Still" as the scene crawls on. I also use a lot of alliteration in my writing because I personally find it fun? So "a maddening matter made most malign", for example.

It also helps to change up how you write or what descriptors you use based on the character whose head you're in, even if it's third person. Third person can have a voice and I often use it to speak aloud a character's thoughts instead of relying on italicized dialogue-thoughts. It makes the dialogue-thoughts appearing hit more when they do instead of just having to be subjected to internal ramblings constantly. Like in this fic I just published:

“...Can we talk about it on the morn?” “What for?” You don’t know what it is you ask of me. “Tired,” Estinien said with a shrug. “We’ve morning patrol, remember?”

Compared to this fic:

“Yes, confusingly.” Her tone was flat as she leaned once again on Surkukteni’s shoulder, thankfully on the uninjured side. “I fear I may have been wrong, though I truly doubt it. To deny me twice, then throw a fit? I wonder — why didn’t you go through with it?” Not even Surkukteni had that answer. For the umpteenth time during that conversation, she refused to look at Her Darkness. That desire — twisted and poisoned as it was — was one that still surfaced from time to time, yet like clockwork made her ill and was banished from her thoughts. Why was that? She felt scorned back then, wishing the universe would correct this error in sparing him but taking Ysayle — but was she not the one who helped save him? Who helped tear those eyes from his armor? She easily could — and had previously — bluffed that it was to destroy the eyes and be rid of the threat, but given her hesitancy now? Why?

All of Surkukteni's thoughts are condensed into the narration so that I can separate out her thought dialogue from idle musings since she - specifically - has a connection with something that can talk telepathically. This thing comments on the literal narration of the story, so when she's directly addressing this thing it's thought-dialogue. But her actual thoughts become narration to avoid spending too much time with that, as I find it's better used sparingly.

Motivation for writing is probably the hardest thing, and best I can advise is to get really into critiquing the stuff you like because you wind up finding a lot of material in fix-it stuff, or just wanting to see more of stuff like you. It's part of what drives my xiv stuff due to how they treat female characters, and I really just wanna see more sapphic bi4bi. So considering it's something I've been stuck in for a very long time now and really like the ambient lore and wish it would do better, it's fueling my desire to write. And from there, there are so many other angles to take - like building ocs, building lore. Finding a sandbox is genuinely one of the best ways to do it. Again, like. You'd be surprised at how much is there because of spite. LOTR has Eowyn because Tolkien didn't like that the "can be killed by no man" thing in Macbeth was resolved with a character born by c-section, so he instead wrote Eowyn, the woman who killed the Witch-King of Angmar. C.S. Lewis didn't like the fact that Tolkien believed that modern technology - or slightly less modern technology - didn't believe in fantasy and he explicitly cited lampposts. And this is why there's just a random light post in the middle of nowhere in the Narnia books.

Critique is good and healthy. I'm critical with the stuff I like and my own things so I can work on them and myself. It's fine to like something that you don't wholly agree with, especially if you're using it to inform how you build on it or build your own things. Like I dunno, I looked at Dante from Devil May Cry and went "what if he was trans" and now I've got Rhombi, a character who has stepped really far away from the OG Dante mould, but you can still see hints of it as I used what I wanted to see out of DMC to build this bisexual disaster of a guy. I was disappointed by Elsword not really committing to some of their character concepts, so I kinda just took Eve (and admittedly Add) and made them into Celes and Neilos and took them to their logical conclusions. All three of them were originally fantrolls at some point, so most of the heavy lifting was done when I was back in Homestuck and all I had to do was scrub the barcodes off of them to build them up in an original verse.

Chemistry is also crucial. If characters aren't vibing, move on. Do not force it. Good chemistry can save a bad story (eg. FFXV) and bad chemistry can ruin a good story. Often it's the characters that drive a story so you need to do a lot of plotting and planning. Most writing is honestly just planning before putting the words down.

And I'm very much so rambling by now but my main points are these (+ others I'm realizing while typing):

Plot a Lot and keep lots of notes, and also organize those notes. The contents don't have to be pretty, but you'll thank yourself in advance if you at least sort them by core idea

Getting words down is more important than getting them down correctly. You can always come back and edit it when you have an idea of how to make it work

You can always place a [insert scene here] tag so you can keep your flow and don't get caught on something.

You also don't have to write chronologically - you wanna write the big confession scene before the intro? do it! just jump right into it!

also don't be afraid to delete stuff or remove it from your draft. save things for later to see if they work elsewhere, because maybe it could be a better spinoff.

dont listen to the advice of "if it really matters, you'll remember it in the morning" that advice was given by neurotypicals who don't have memory issues. make notes of EVERYTHING and then delete the ones that don't work

sometimes writing by hand vs computer can really make a difference in how you think. handwriting is slower and makes you think about stuff, so you may want to keep journals for random snippets or ideas like how doodling is good for building up your habit of drawing

Outlines can help but how you outline is up to you. Try a few styles out and go with what works best.

I cannot stress enough that having something like a marker board to write out your broad stroke story ideas is really really nice

Broad strokes first, then narrow it further and further down. Don't get wrapped up in the nitty gritty details

Chemistry is crucial and can often save a piece you're not fully feeling.

Read your stuff out loud while editing because it can help point out stuff that's not jiving! I find it helps a lot with dialogue

Read a lot. Listen to critique. Be more critical. Also don't limit your idea of stories to just books - expand the media you consume and you'll find really interesting stories that can help with yours

Don't be afraid to use tropes, but also don't super rely on them to where you're just checking off boxes instead of coming up with natural scenarios built on chemistry (eg. having the nerdy goth girl is fine, but the way the trope ends in most media ("fixing" her or just having her be a quirky cynical critic) may not fit with your story and it may be better to see how the story plays out rather than forcing it into something it's not)

Iron Widow is a good example here: the relationship between Zetian and Yizhi is pre-established and comes off as sort of "boy next door" vibes, or at least the very dedicated childhood friend. It quickly becomes apparent that he's as much a co-conspirator in her plans as Shimin is. The guy can be ruthless when given the chance, and that's how Yizhi goes beyond the initial trope and defines himself outside of it. Same with the contextualization of Shimin's seeming "aggression" as the "bad boy" and figuring out where that problem/persona actually stems from, and then the shift of viewing it as less aggression and more retaliation and self preservation.

Find something you do really want to write about, like filling a void in a piece of media you like or doing a take on media that made you mad or disappointed. Jane Eyre is technically fanfiction because the author wanted to see more of Jane and didn't get that. The Divine Comedy is self insert fanfiction of Dante Alighieri as he does worldbuilding with Christian mythos regarding heaven and hell. The Riordan verse is his interest in mythology crossed with a desire to give his son a protag that was like him (specifically ADHD and dyslexic), which then became wanting to let kids see themselves in the different halfbloods in the series.

There's a lot of ways you can get started writing, but the best way is to just write goofy stuff for yourself. Get out stuff that may look bad at first, but you go back and read it and critique it. Just getting yourself into the habit of writing helps a lot, because again: it matters less about the quality, and more getting it on the page and actually having something. You can always fine-tune writing, after all.

My first FFXIV fic isn't actually even published. It was just me writing something rambly about my Warrior of Light when I was starting to figure her character out. It looks nothing like what I'm doing now in part because that fanfiction became a launching point for me to work on others. I've got a lot of drafts that will never see the light of day because these were proto-concepts that became the stuff I wound up publishing. It's fine to have drafts that remain drafts because you can take that as practice, and practice is good. Anything that you write has value because you can use it to let your technical writing skills mature.

Also, don't be afraid to look for help. There are beta services on tumblr (or at least used to be when I was a teenager), plenty of writing guides or places set up to ask questions, plenty of youtubers that give prompts for you to work with. The hardest part is always getting started. But once you get past the awkwardness of the start, everything just falls into place and gets easier the longer you go at it.

You definitely have the desire for it because I've seen your very deep love of literature through the Bi-Library, so you can definitely become a strong writer if you put your mind to it 🫶 Find something to fix or address, and that usually is what gets the ball rolling. Worldbuilding is fun and can lead to something, but you can't have a well built world without a story to explore it.

Characters drive story, story is how you explore themes and the world itself, and the world itself is built on your experiences and interests. Embrace the fact that this is coming from your lens and experiences, because no media is truly void of the author and its other creators. Embrace that fact and use it as an extension of yourself. But really, just write. Literally anything. Just get into the habit of writing, and it'll progress from there!

#original #asks #answered #bisexual-coala #writing tips #long post #this is very rambly but getting into writing isnt the most straightforward thing #a lot of the time it really is just finding something that clicks and not caring about what goes on the page for the first draft #ive been writing fanfiction for...over a decade now? + a lot of rp (also over a decade) and now some p serious original stuff #my fanfiction has also gotten way more involved than it used to be #genuinely i got started writing by keeping a lot of journals and writing every idea i had even if im now embarrassed by it #what matters is just getting into the habit first and then looking at your stuff more critically once the habit is formed #it's hard to build a habit if you're immediately critical #but it's hard to maintain a habit or hobby if you're not - especially if you feel you can build on something #if you do feel it you oughta pursue it and see where it takes you #perfectly fine to not be critical with hobbies but being Constructively critical is how you improve and mature #constructive is key here. because being down on your own writing or being self deprecating is how you lose a hobby #like let's say you don't like your dialogue #go read scripts or books of stuff you like the dialogue from. analyze why they work in contrast to why you feel like yours doesnt work #maybe someone else has a solution for why it feels off #sometimes it's just as simple as taking a step back and looking at it as a whole or even just sleeping on it and coming back w fresh eyes #always approach something you don't like about your work with the attitude of ''how can i improve so i do like it''#like ''i need to be better at fight scenes. ill be sure to include more in my next piece to focus on it and maybe read some action books''#lotta ways to do it!! theres no one right way just a way that fits best for you!!!#just absolutely ignore the ''if it's a good idea you'll remember it in the morning'' stuff.#it doesn't account for people w memory issues and will screw you over #you do not have to wait until you're good at writing to start working on something. you need something to work on to improve #you can always come back to an idea as many times as you need as you grow as a writer #so just write until you build a habit and base style then analyze and move from there #fanfic is honestly really good for practicing style and technique - the characters and world are already ther so why not use em?

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invisiblegarters · 9 months

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Be Mine Superstar Ep 3

Aw, Punn's mom is sweet. I dunno if I'd be making coffees for an entire set just so *my* kid could have an excuse to speak to his crush. Cafe or not.

I'd like to be proud of myself that I called Title being kind of a dick, but well. it wasn't hard.

Bet the coffee is going to make our pretty Ashi sick now that Title said something about it. But interesting that he too already seems to have some sort of interest in Punn, even if I'm not sure what type exactly. My guess is he liked the reverent way Punn treated him. Not my bag, personally, but I can see where one could be into it.

More lakorn! Yay. i love this stupid drama.

Ashi pours water weird. /pointless observation.

Pfft at Muang's smirk. He knows what's up.

I am currently reassessing Title and Ashi's relationship. I thought that they both had a thing but now I think it might just be Title.

Punn, this why we don't talk about our crushes out loud where anyone can hear.

"You must call me daddy" Well, okay then. Not necessarily the one I thought Punn would be calling daddy but I kind of dig it all the same.

And Muang still pursuing doc. Good for him.

Oh damn. I really want Punn to call Muang "daddy" in front of Ashi now. Please. I need the amusement in my life, I have so little (not true, but let's pretend). Also I find Punn literally fleeing from Muang hilarious.

Muang is power tripping, Punn. And it's funny for me at the moment. If it gets too serious that will stop, but currently he doesn't seem to be doing it to be genuinely awful. It's a bit like a cat toying with a mouse, true, but I get the feeling that he'll let the mouse go rather than bite its head off in the end.

Oh, is that the real height difference? Hello. I am a sucker for a good height difference. No one beats the Semantic Error guys for this, though.

I just had a thought. At some point Ashi is going to see that room, isn't he? Oh, that's just a world of nope.

Oh dear, these two investigating the pub Muang frequents oughta be a trip. Also, if that man is actually the doctor's boyfriend I will eat my nonexistent hat. Again.

Sunglasses and a hat. You two are worse at this than Hira, and that's saying something.

I might have spoke too soon with Muang. I dunno. I want him to be likeable but I'm just not sure right now. I don't get his game here aside from just being kind of a dick. Although I bet he takes back the whole "Ashi doesn't want to see your face" thing about two seconds into the next ep. He just doesn't strike me as deliberately mean, more mischievous without thinking too hard about whether he should. Still want him and the doc to get it on again though.

Huh. Was it just me or was this episode a lot better than the last two? Maybe it needed a couple eps to get into it's stride.

#be mine superstar #episode 3

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howtodestroyacharacter · 2 years

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MY DARK SIDE

Golden kamuy

... apart from the ending,

on which I have already had the opportunity to express my opinion in other posts,

it is a very nice story.

it is a story that encompasses various types of humanity.

Sad and mostly desperate.

in this varied humanity, as has already been noted,

I have a weakness for the character of

Ogata Hyakunosuke.

a figure full of contradictions.

a clinical case on the damages of a missed “attachment”

. On the suffering inner child.

On a world that goes on without understanding the suffering of those around us.

On loneliness.

And on fleeing from oneself to find each time alone with one's pain.

On the need for love, to know how to give it but also to know how to receive it.

and on fear of one's dark side.

Even when we see it in those in front of us. as the law of the mirror says… what bothers us in others, and perhaps even in some fictional characters, is sometimes something about ourselves that we don't want to see.

How much does the Ogata in us annoy us? What we see and hate in him that we do not want to recognize in us ... his loneliness?

The of him not being loved as a child should have been loved? Is his invisibility our invisibility?

his accepting to do everything for Tsurumi for a modicum of attention ... is it also our entering into bad relationships just because someone paid us a little attention?

How many times have we accepted to do things to please others ... how much have we succumbed to mistakes for someone's attention?

How many people have had failing parents whose mistakes have fallen on us?

How many times has anger, jealousy, fear, pain led us to pursue bad choices?

How many times have we had a “foolish” Yuusaku who offered us love without understanding how twisted our soul was and how much a hug from him would have moved?

How many times have we had an Asirpa who believed in us ... and we have deliberately / unconsciously disappointed her

How many times have we felt undeserving of being loved?

How many times have we destroyed those who loved us ... because after all, if we are so monstrous no one can love us.

facing our dark side is sometimes more difficult than we can imagine.

Remembering that we would often need someone and when someone arrived we destroyed, wiped out, kicked them out.

Only the ghosts of our mistakes are left to keep us company ...

and when someone looks at us we are afraid that he will see what we hide from ourselves ...

The final cut

Through the fish-eyed lens of tear stained eyes I can barely define the shape of this moment in time And far from flying high in clear blue skies I’m spiraling down to the hole in the ground where I hide.

If you negotiate the minefield in the drive And beat the dogs and cheat the cold electronic eyes And if you make it past the shotgun in the hall, Dial the combination, open the priesthole And if I’m in I’ll tell you what’s behind the wall.

There’s a kid who had a big hallucination Making love to girls in magazines. He wonders if you’re sleeping with your new found faith. Could anybody love him Or is it just a crazy dream?

And if I show you my dark side Will you still hold me tonight? And if I open my heart to you And show you my weak side What would you do? Would you sell your story to Rolling Stone? Would you take the children away And leave me alone? And smile in reassurance As you whisper down the phone? Would you send me packing? Or would you take me home?

Thought I oughta bare my naked feelings, Thought I oughta tear the curtain down. I held the blade in trembling hands Prepared to make it but just then the phone rang I never had the nerve to make the final cut.

“Hello? Listen, I think I’ve got it. Okay, listen its a HaHa!”

#尾形百之助 #ogata #ogata hyakunosuke #hyakunosuke ogata #golden kamuy ogata #golden kamuy #golden kamuy tsurumi #asirpa #hanazawa yuusaku #my dark side #fear #mirror #the final cut

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kn1feinthec0ffee · 3 years

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new team - shoyo hinata

shoyo hinata x fem!reader

summary: you teach hinata some skills in middle school and to pay you back, he guarantees you a spot on the karasuno volleyball team.

warnings: NONE VERY FLUFFY

word count: 1,737

notes: i rlly rlly liked writing this bc i love my boy hinata and this just flowed so naturally and i’m rlly proud of it :’)

i also usually write gender neutral reader bc i’m nb and i wanna cater to as many ppl as possible and make them feel valid, but it was kinda necessary to the story for reader to be fem in this one

********************

after setting a ball to your friend, you noticed a short boy by himself in the corner of the gym with bright orange hair, setting and receiving against the wall. you made your way over to him, observing that he actually wasn’t too bad.

“oi, redhead,” you called out playfully. he turned around with a look of confusion on his face, as if to say ‘me?’ “yeah you. i couldn’t help but notice you’re playing all by your lonesome over here. any particular reason for that?”

his cheeks tinged pink at the callout, but he responded nonetheless. “w-well there’s not enough boys for the school to create a boys volleyball club, so i’m trying to get as many hours of practice in at school as i can.”

you nodded in recognition of his situation. “well, sorry to say you won’t get very far if the wall is your only opponent. but you’re certainly welcome to practice with me when my practice is over. if you’re interested, of course.”

“woah, really? you’d do that for me?” he asked in astonishment, eyes going wide as saucers.

“of course i would. i may not know much about you, but i can tell you have a passion for the sport, and it’d be a real shame for that to fizzle out,” you smiled genuinely. “i’ll help you practice...”

it took him a moment to realize you were waiting for his name. “oh! hinata! shoyo hinata.” he introduced.

“well shoyo hinata, i’m y/n l/n and i look forward to practicing with you.” you grinned. a whistle blew behind you, pulling you from your conversation with the boy. “sorry, i’ll see you later!”

sure enough, you found him waiting out by the baseball field, spinning a volleyball in his palm. after a short while of practicing, you realized you had underestimated this kid and the power he can pack in his spikes. it was clear he needed to improve in his receives, but he was in remarkably good shape for playing against a wall every week.

the two of you quickly became good friends, shoyo becoming your number one supporter - aside from your parents, of course. he attended all your games, cheering obnoxiously loud when it was your turn to serve.

over the summer from 8th to 9th grade however, the two of you didn’t see each other nearly as often as you used to. you had to admit it made you sad; the sweet redheaded boy had carved a special spot in your heart and you missed him dearly.

you attended karasuno high school, hoping to join the girls volleyball club and make some new friends. upon examining the club applications, much to your dismay, it appeared that such a club didn’t exist.

volleyball was your passion, and it hurt that you had no way of pursuing it anymore.

hanging your head in defeat and crumpling up the paper, you heard footsteps approaching rapidly from in front of you. before you could look up, a body suddenly collided with you, nearly knocking you over with the momentum they had built up.

“y/n!” a familiar voice cried out. you quickly realized the voice belonged to hinata, who’s arms were currently wrapped around you.

“hinata! i can’t believe you go to school here! i’ve missed you so much!” you squealed, hugging him back.

he pulled away, a look of surprise on his face. “are you kidding? i can’t believe you go to school here! you oughta be wherever the best girls volleyball club is! speaking of that, have you joined yet?”

you glanced down to the crumpled paper that still pressed against your palm. “well that’s the thing, it’s not even a choice on the club application form. unfortunately, i don’t think karasuno has one.”

shoyo gasped dramatically, jaw falling open in shock. “so what are you gonna do? you can’t just not play anymore, you’re so good!”

you smiled at the compliment from the boy, but your expression grew sadder. “thanks, shoyo, but i’m not sure what i can do. this seems like it’s out of my hands.”

a look of determination painted his features as he grabbed you by the shoulders. “no, i’m not gonna let this happen to you. don’t worry, y/n, i’ll find a way for you to play.”

he ran off, leaving you alone with your thoughts in the deserted hallway.

despite having absolutely no idea what he was planning, you trusted the boy. you knew he had your best interests at heart and would do anything to help you succeed, and you adored him for that. you just hoped whatever method he had to allow you to play wasn’t too embarrassing for you; you weren’t too keen on begging some team to let you play for them, but you had a feeling hinata’s plan wouldn’t involve that.

——————————

“please?” hinata begged.

“a girl? join the team? i don’t know hinata, you’d have to run it by the coach.” daichi uttered hesitantly.

“but you’re the captain, daichi, you have the final say!” he reminded him.

daichi sighed. “yeah, you’re right. what’s so special about this girl?”

he watched as hinata’s eyes lit up in excitement when he spoke about her. “well she was the setter in middle school, but that was only because no one else was good enough to play that position. she’s really versatile and she taught me practically everything i know about spiking! she’s also got some mean overhand serving skills; she’d be a great addition to the team! please, daichi, pretty please?”

he looked down at the boy to see him glancing up with a pair of puppy eyes, intent on winning him over. daichi felt he was powerless to do anything but give in, though his description of you did sound pretty great if he was being honest.

“alright, i’ll talk to the coach and see what he thinks. bring her to our next practice and introduce her to everyone.” he said, not missing the bright grin that donned the redhead’s face at his words.

“thank you so much, sir! you won’t regret it, i promise!” he ran back towards the basket of balls to practice serving once more.

——————————

“where are you taking me, shoyo?” you muttered. “can you take your hands off yet?”

he had cornered you back in the main building, insisting you accompany him to some unknown destination he had in mind. since then, he had been walking directly behind you, his hands covering your eyes.

“i’ll show you...” he waited until you took a few more steps. “now!”

you blinked your eyes open to find yourself outside of the gym building. “the gym? what are we doing here, hinata?”

you turned to him and he grinned. “volleyball practice is about to start.”

“volleyball - as in boys volleyball? what am i doing here? am i here to watch you practice?”

he donned a soft smile at your confusion. “no, you’re gonna practice.”

your eyes widened. “i am? i don’t even have any athletic clothes, shoyo, i just have my uniform!”

“i wouldn’t worry too much about that today,” he pushed you towards the doors. “i’ll just be introducing you to everyone today.”

“introducing...? what is going on here, hinata?” you questioned. he pushed the door open to reveal a large group of mostly tall boys, all staring down at you.

most of them looked friendly and approachable, but several of them looked rather intimidating. “everyone, this is y/n. y/n, this is your new team.” shoyo announced.

you gasped, turning towards hinata. “m-my new team? you got me a spot on the team?”

the look of gratitude in your eyes had him blushing a bright pink and he scratched the back of his head nervously. “it was nothing, really. y-”

he was cut off as you hugged him tightly, thanking him for allowing you to continue the sport you loved. “you don’t have to thank me, it’s not a huge deal or anything.”

“are you kidding? it’s a huge deal! i can’t believe you did this for me!” your smile nearly reached your ears.

he walked you around the gym, introducing you to his teammates. sugawara and asahi were incredibly sweet, even offering to set you a few balls to test your spiking abilities, though you declined since you were still wearing a skirt.

the intimidating one you saw earlier - tsukkishima, you had learned - was not as sweet as the others you had met and seemed rather distant, though you hoped that would fade as you got to know him.

tanaka and nishinoya were full of energy and practically gushing over you even though they hadn’t yet witnessed your abilities.

the one shoyo introduced as kageyama shot you a nasty glare. “what position did you play?”

“setter,” you murmured, slightly on edge from the look of intensity in his eyes. that intensity morphed into fury after your words, intimidating you further.

you quickly remembered this was the incredible setter hinata had mentioned several times before. “o-oh! don’t worry, i don’t plan on taking your spot or anything, i’m sure you’re far better than i am!”

“good.” you smiled at him nervously. “if you’re good enough, maybe i’ll send you a couple sets.”

and of course you met daichi, the captain to whom you owed your spot on this team. he was very friendly and personable and you suspected he was the type to give inspirational speeches before games.

kageyama pulled hinata aside, practicing quick attacks with him, leaving you with daichi.

“hinata talks about you quite a bit, y’know,” daichi murmured, catching your attention.

“he does?” you queried. “all good things, i hope.”

the captain smiled down at you. “he speaks very highly about you and your skills. i think he’s got a bit of a bias since you taught him what he knows, but i don’t doubt you’ll really prove yourself on the court.”

your eyes went wide at the faith he already had in you, despite never seeing you play. “thank you, daichi, that really means a lot.”

the boys divided themselves into teams, starting a practice match as you and daichi observed from the sidelines. your eyes found hinata in the back row, who gave you a wide grin and a wave.

you waved back, your heart warming at the gesture. you had only just met the boys, but you couldn’t wait for the next practice.

********************

i might make this a series? maybe?? maybe not?? idk but let me know what u think :D

tags: @aestosia @elysianslove

not working: @akaashis-keiji @bloodydestiney

#hinata #shoyo hinata #hinata shoyo #shoyo hinata x reader #shoyo hinata imagine #shoyo hinata fluff #shoyo hinata fanfiction #shoyo hinata fanfic #shoyo hinata fic #haikyuu!!#haikyuu #haikyuu x reader #hq #hq x reader #my writing

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ladyofmaidensandwine · 3 years

Text

Just One Dance

Requested by @rileynicole1967

Request: “so maybe you could do a one shot for deanxreader based off the song “can I have this dance” from High School Musical. so basically dean doesn’t do the whole dancing thing and the reader finally gets him to dance with her and she helps him and it’s so fluffy”

Absolutely, luv! Side bar, I’ve never seen these movies, but I gave the song a listen. Hopefully this is just as fluffy as you were wanting!

Characters: Dean Winchester, Fem! Reader, Sam Winchester

Pairing: Dean x Fem! Reader

Warnings: Excessive fluff, implied smut without detail.

Wordcount: 2,852

There are some things a hunter doesn’t get, and a normal, carefree night on the town is one of them. At least, it usually is. This particular Saturday you have no monsters to kill, no wounds to mend, and no research demanding to be done, and you practically beg Sam and Dean to come with you to a local pub promising good music, food, and beer.

Maybe it’s slightly overdone, but you rarely have any occasion to dress so nicely, and as you look at your reflection, you have to smile. You admit to yourself you look beautiful, outfit the perfect color to compliment your complexion and your eyes, and comfortable so you have no qualms about dancing the night away, which you have every intention to do.

You open the door to your room in the bunker, right across from Dean’s, and hear a low whistle that causes your cheeks to heat slightly. “I feel underdressed, sweetheart. You look gorgeous.” Dean says with that easy, charming smile. The bastard has you positively whipped, and he doesn’t even know it. “Well, one of us has to look good.” You tease, brushing off the compliment in favour of poking fun at your best friend. He chuckles, rolling his eyes fondly. “Yeah, whatever. C’mon, let’s get Sammy’s ugly mug and hit the road before all the good parking is gone.” Dean beckons. The casual way he rests his hand on your back has your heart doing acrobatics, and you thank whatever God is listening for the years spent mastering your perfect poker face when you show no outward reaction.

You’re not a bird that hangs off the arm of the first handsome man she sees. In fact, you have a sense of pride in the way you don’t fall for charm or suave lines and you’ve never been the type to go for a one-night-stand just because someone buys you a drink and throws you a smirk. Dean Winchester is the only exception to your impervious shield- a simple smile from him has you feeling faint, and it’s not just his looks that have made you fall for him. Dean has been your friend and confidante. He knows things about you not another soul is privy to, and the same applies to you. He protects you, but doesn’t underestimate your skill and ability as a hunter. He’s your hero, and if you had a bit more gall, maybe you’d finally tell him that.

It’s a perfect night at the pub- not too crowded, but with enough background chatter to make an ambience like home. The first round is on you, as you’ve promised, and Dean watches you carefully as you head to the counter to order your drinks. Sam sits across from him, a smug and knowing smile on his face. “What?” Dean finally grumbles, raising a brow. Sam shrugs, but that grin only gets wider, Dean’s green eyes narrowing in annoyance. “It’s just funny,” Sam begins, fighting to maintain a nonchalant front while wanting to laugh at Dean, “you sitting here, watching her, Y/N standing there, looking back at you. Cute.” “Sam.” Dean says, tone sharp with a warning Sam promptly ignores. “Hey, if you have any plausible reasoning for me to believe you’re not smitten with her, now’s your chance to convince me.” Sam invites. Dean glowers at him from across the table, wishing you’d hurry up with those beers already, and Sam smirks, knowing he’s won. “That’s what I thought. Want my advice?” “Not really.” Dean mutters, rolling his eyes. God, where are you with the drinks, somebody save him. “Well, I’m gonna give it to you anyways. Stop being such a dumbass and go get your girl. At this point I won’t even complain if you snog her in front of me. Point is, Dean, you’ve got no rationale to not go after her.” Sam says pointedly. “I think you oughta just-”

“Hey, sorry I took so bloody long!” You call, hurrying over with four longnecks in your hands, and Dean shoots Sam a smirk. Perfect timing as usual, thank God. “S’alright. Didn’t miss much.” Dean shrugs, sliding over so you can sit next to him in the booth. “Oh, good. I put in some song requests- DJ says this place is great for dancing.” You inform, smiling brightly. Dean instantly shoots upright, cutting you a narrow-eyed look full of suspicion. “Dancing?” He repeats, already smelling a scheme as you give him an innocent smile. “Wouldn’t you know it, this pub happens to be known ‘round here for the music? Coincidence, of course.” You say slyly. Dean shakes his head, unable to maintain his glare so he hides the smile pulling at his lips by taking a swig of his cold beer. “Coincidence. Yeah, ok. Y/N, for someone who lies for a living, you’re pretty shit at it.” Dean smirks, and you laugh, knowing he’s teasing. “Alright, so maybe I had a slight ulterior motive when I said we should come here tonight, but I promise it’ll be fun!” You say pleadingly, turning to Sam for back up.

“Don’t look at me! You’re on your own.” Sam proclaims, holding up his hands in surrender as you huff. “Fine! But you’re both dancing with me. I’m not settling for a ‘no’.” You assert. Dean chuckles, giving you an amused smile. “You can think that if you want, sweetheart. I don’t dance.” He says firmly. “What do you mean? You dance with me to your bloody cassettes in the garage all the time!” You demand, raising your brows. Sam laughs, nearly snorting beer out of his nose, and Dean flushes up to his ears. “Dean dances with you?” “Sam!” Dean growls, thoroughly embarrassed. “Oh, come off it, it’s not a big deal, you baby.” You scowl playfully. “No, Y/N, Dean doesn’t dance, ever. Makes you awfully special, huh, Dean?” “Shut your mouth, Sam.” Dean snaps, glaring at his brother indignantly. You’re at a loss, looking between the two in confusion. “Look, Y/N, you’ll have to settle for the less good-looking Winchester tonight. I don’t dance, ‘specially not here.” Dean says with a shrug of his broad shoulders. You smile, a mischievous look in your eyes, and he knows you’re nowhere near dropping the subject.

Three beers later, you’re out on the dancefloor, laughing at Sam’s awkward moves. Dean’s smiling, eyes glued to you. It’s rare he see’s you this happy and carefree, and you look so beautiful in the low light of the bar. The power could go out and your smile would light up the whole place. He hates admitting it, but Sam makes a valid point. There’s nothing stopping Dean from telling you how he feels about you besides his own paranoia, and even that is n shaky grounds. He’s not entirely oblivious. Dean knows there’s some unspoken thing between the two of you, and knows you feel it, too. But letting it lie as is and pursuing something more are two totally opposing ideas, and he’s getting tired of his head and his heart pulling him in different directions over you.

You catch Dean’s eye, and leave Sam, grinning at Dean. “Come dance.” You say. He shakes his head, a small smile playing across his lips. “Told you, sweetheart. I don’t dance.” Dean claims, crossing his arms over his chest as he leans against the booth. He’s content where he is, just watching you, but you’re the most stubborn woman he’s ever met, and honestly, he should’ve known better because when do you ever take no for an answer? “Just one dance. Come on, even Sam is having fun.” You try to persuade him, Dean’s eyes flicking to his brother and back to you. “Y/N.” “Dean.” You mimic. You stare him down, eyes narrowed slightly. Dean almost laughs- he’s seen this face before, your shoulders back and spine tall. It’s the posture of a hunter, the determined face you make when you’re dealing with police giving you a hard time or a monster making threats. Now you’re using against your best friend to try and convince him to dance with you. “Please.” You pout, and he sighs. God, why are you so hard to say no to?

It’s a silly question because he knows exactly why you could ask for the moon wrapped in a bow and by God, he’d figure out how to give it to you because you have Dean Winchester completely at your mercy. “Dean, please, just one dance! That’s all I’m asking.” You practically beg, and he can feel himself breaking. “Sweetheart, I really don’t dance, not for anybody.” Dean tries. “Not even for me?” You ask him. Damn it. Damn you to hell, you’re good. That’s his weakness, you’re his weakness, and you’re using it to play him like a fiddle. Dean closes his eyes and his shoulders slump, and when he looks at you again, you’re beaming like you won the grand prize because you know you’ve got him. “One dance. Got it? Just one. And- and don’t expect no fancy shit, or nothin’.” He huffs, trying to maintain his grumpy facade. He doesn’t last a second because your mile-wide smile is even bigger as you take him by the hands and half-lead half-drag Dean onto the dancefloor.

Dean’s nervous as all-get-out. When was the last time he’s ever really danced, much less in front of people? “Just take my hand, Dean. C’mon, you killed three vampires just the other day and you’re telling me you’re nervous now?” You say, teasing him gently. “Yeah, well, vamps I can behead.” Dean mutters, earning a snort of laughter from you that makes his lips twitch up into a smile. “Just look at me, yeah? Just like in the garage.” You tell him. He nods, swallowing, and keeps his eyes locked on you, which really isn’t hard to do. Just as he eases into it, the faster-paced song transitions to a slow-dance, and he freezes, instantly panicking.

You squeeze Dean’s hand comfortingly. “Dean, we can sit down, I’m only kidding, I didn’t mean to make you so uncomfortable.” You explain with a guilty frown. Here you are, trying to get the boys to relax, and instead poor Dean is looking at you like someone told him his impala is being towed. Dean stops you, shaking his head. “No. No, just, uh, don’t laugh at me. I haven’t done this in... well, ever.” He says gruffly. You smile fondly. Your knight in shining plaid is nervous you’ll tease him for being a clumsy dancer. “Promise I won’t laugh. Well, maybe a little.” You say, and Dean shoots you a glare that vanishes when you give him a cheesy grin. “You’re a dork.” He smirks. “Takes one to know one, Winchester.” You wink.

“Dean, you’re stepping on me.” You tell him, biting your lip to stifle a laugh at the instant mortification on Dean’s face. “Shit, sorry!” “S’okay. You’re doing great. You are one in a million, Dean. Big, bad hunter, scared to dance with me.” You laugh softly. Dean huffs, and you smile. He’s slowly getting the hang of it, with your help, of course.

“Hey, what was Sam talking about earlier?” You ask. Dean falters, and you nearly trip, stumbling into his chest. You don’t know if you’re really standing still or if it only feels like time has halted, Dean’s green eyes staring into you.

His eyes drop to your lips. You’re not sure you’re breathing.

“Sam doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Dean says after a long moment. His eyes dart away, and you frown slightly. “That’s not what I asked you.” “Y/N.” He says intently, hoping you’ll drop the subject, because the direction the conversation is going, Dean is going to be forced to make the decision he’s been putting off for so many years. “Dean.” You echo, just as firmly, not letting him escape your gaze. Dean steps back slightly, and you realize the song is over. You let go of Dean’s hands, disappointment and embarrassment washing over you. “Thanks for the dance.” You say, trying to hide your sadness.

You make it all of three steps before Dean reaches out for you. “Hey, Y/N, wait.” He says quickly, hand grabbing yours. “What?” “Can I have this dance?” “You don’t dance.” You say, confused. He looks at you for a long moment, a smile slowly forming on his face. “No,” Dean agrees, holding your gaze with his, “but you do. So?” “So what?” “So, can I have this dance?” Dean repeats. You nod, and he leads you back out. It’s another slow song, and Dean pulls you a little closer than before, staring at you intensely.

“What?” You ask, quirking a brow. “Can I ask you something?” “Ok?” You agree hesitantly. “Why do you always sit next to me in the booths?” Dean asks. You swear you can your heart plummet like a lead weight. “What?” “Yeah. How come you always share with me when we have to bunk up because there’s only two beds in motels? And how come you wanted to dance with me so bad?” He presses. “I- well, I-” You stammer, absolutely thrown for a loop, and he smiles briefly. “See, ‘cause, I’ve got this theory that the answer to that is sorta like the answer to the question you asked me earlier.” He continues, confusion and dread creeping up on you. “Dean, listen, we don’t have to talk about it-” “I think we do. I want to. Here’s the thing, Y/N. I don’t dance.” “Then why are you-?” You trail off. “Because you asked me to. And I can’t say no to you. What Sam said, earlier- you are.” He says, ducking his head. “I am what?” You frown. “Awfully special. To- to me.” Dean says quietly, blushing, and suddenly it makes sense. “Oh.” “Oh? That’s all you’re gonna say? I tell you I have feelings for you, and all I get is ‘oh’?” Dean asks, blinking in disbelief. He looks like he’s about to bolt, so you lean up and before he can make another smartass comment, you press your lips softly to his.

“Oh.” Dean breathes, staring at you. You smile, and he grins, and both of you laugh, not caring if anyone is looking. “Man, we’re a couple’a real idiots, huh?” Dean chuckles. “If I knew this is how it would end up, I would’ve asked you to dance with me a long time ago.” You tease, earning yourself another brief kiss. “I’ll dance with you all you want, sweetheart.” Dean says with a warmth in his eyes you’ve seen a thousand times before but never knew the reasoning for. You laugh as Dean twirls you, ducking under his arm with a bright smile he can’t help but return.

At some point you vaguely recall Dean promising to show you the rest of his dance moves in private, and you stealing the keys to Baby from his back pocket. You’re not sure how you managed to make it safely back to the bunker, and you definitely forgot to bring Sam, but you and Dean had spent years pining after one another and weren’t about to waste another night.

You smile, looking over your shoulder to find a familiar freckled and scruffy face pressed against your pillow. Dean’s still asleep, his arm a solid and warm weight over your bare waist, his chest firm against your back. His dark blond hair is a mess from you running your fingers through it, and you don’t want to know how your own hair looks, but you really don’t even care. You scramble for the sheets as the door knob turns. Sam gives you the biggest shit-eating grin you’ve ever seen, and the urge to fling a shoe at him is strong. “Y’know, when I told you to do something about your puppy love for Dean, I didn’t exactly mean ditch me at the pub to go sleep with him.” Sam says with a wiggle of his brows. Your face feels hot. “Sam.” You whisper warningly. “I told you he liked you.” Sam says. “Go. Away.” You whisper, glaring. Sam snickers. “You owe me, Y/N, we shook on it.” “As I recall, you said he wouldn’t dance with me, so you pay up, Sam.” You retort. Sam scoffs, and you glare even harder. “Sammy, shut up and leave us alone.” Dean’s sleepy voice grumbles, his eyes not even open as he blindly flips his brother off. Dean waits for the door to close and Sam’s footsteps to retreat down the hall before he finally looks at you.

“Jesus, thought he’d never leave.” Dean mutters. You grin, and Dean gives you a devious smirk, planting a kiss on your neck. “Dean!” You laugh. “Who says I was done with you? Sam can handle a few hours without us, and I’ve got you all to myself.” Dean says, and you don’t bother pretending to be mad when his lips meet yours, feeling him smile.

Who knew all it would take to finally get you and Dean together was one dance?

TAGS-

Forever Tags-

@justagirlinafandomworld

Dean Babes-

@herstarburststories

SPN Pond-

@spnfanficpond

#dean winchester #dean winchester x reader #dean x reader #supernatural #supernatural x reader #x reader #fanfic #fanfiction #spnfanficpond #writer #request #one shot

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johannstutt413 · 3 years

Text

(requested by calligomiles; related to this but maybe not the same timeline)

“Hey, Nat, it’s Independence Day.” Sonya, sitting across the dining room table from the heiress, set down her book to address her. “We should go to the bar tonight.”

“Hmm...I agree. Rada’s unavailable, but Anna should be free.” She, likewise, closed her book and went to get her coat.

Zima shrugged. “Sure, she can come along. Things are still a bit messy, but it’s a holiday. She can find it in herself to forgive me for one night.”

“I hope you don’t mind sharing that pardon with me when you get it,” Rosa replied. “The day after you told her the news, I could feel her eyes boring into the back of my neck during our shift in the office together.”

“If he’s really that busy, the Doctor might want to stop rotating his assistants around. Can you go invite her?”

She smirked. “I never thought I’d see you scared of one of our own.”

“Between the two of us, and without Rada here, you’re the face she’d want to see more.” The General went back to their room to change. “Text me when you’re on your way back.”

“Yes, ‘General.’” Natalya tossed a bit of sarcasm in her parting shot as she left.

Istina responded to a knock on her door by looking through the peephole...and there was Rosa. Hmm. “Can I help you?”

“Tonight, not particularly.” The heiress mimed tossing back a shot. “The General and I are going to the bar to celebrate Independence Day. Will you join us?”

“You really want to celebrate our freedom while our brothers and sisters bleed to secure it? Rather optimistic, don’t you think? Nonetheless, I’ll come along; I finished my novel, and I can’t quite start the next one yet.” The advisor reached for her coat, hanging on the wall beside her door, before joining the homewrecker in the hallway as she texted her girlfriend…

To say the situation was ‘tense’ between Anna and the couple was a massive understatement; it’d be more accurate to say the relationship survived through the sheer weight of their shared history, which admittedly only made the betrayal that’d occurred cut closer to home. Zima and Istina had had what felt to the advisor like a strong bond, but shortly after Rosa re-emerged from her self-imposed exile in Logistics, the General threw that away to date the heiress. It stung, in both the past perfective and present adjectival sense, but it wasn’t as if she could disassociate with them. After all, Gummy and Leto were still friends with all of them, even if they were doing their own things for the most part these days, and on the occasions they were around, it was almost enough to make them feel like a group again.

Almost.

They walked back to Zima’s apartment, where the General was waiting by the door. “Ready to go?” She asked, hand on the handle in case Natalya needed to run in and get something.

“Yes, we should be good.” Rosa took Sonya’s hand as she passed their apartment, Istina walking on the other side and noticeably behind her. “If I’m honest, I don’t believe I’ve been to the bar with you before, Anna.”

“I don’t drink often.”

The General nodded. “That she doesn’t. The lightest-weight Ursan you’ve ever met.”

“Th-that’s not true!” She retorted. “I knew plenty of girls my age with lower tolerances.”

“None of which I or Nat have met, so my point still stands,” Zima retorted.

The heiress sighed. This might’ve been a mistake. “Let’s try to refrain from fighting too seriously until we can start a proper brawl, please.”

“Aye. No point in fighting her, anyway.” Sonya scoffed. “No challenge to it.”

“...” The advisor simply followed them to the bar without any further word.

For the first half of the night, things went as expected; Rosa sat in the middle, the General on one side and Istina on the other, acting as a half-Gummy in her attempts to keep things civil. Anna at most sipped her drink, but even that seemed to have an effect on her, making her protests more vivacious. Eventually, Zima got bored of squabbling and, seeing Beehunter and Leto at another table, left to talk to them, leaving Istina and Natalya alone.

“Shouldn’t you be going with her?” The advisor asked, officially finished with her first drink of the night and moving into her second. “You are her girlfriend, aren’t you?”

“I...have my doubts about that,” she admitted, watching the other table laugh, presumably at Anna’s expense.

Anna shrugged. “Don’t blame you. Wouldn’t be the first time, after all...Two-timing whore’s daughter...I still miss her, though.”

“Really?” Now that was a thread worth pursuing. “I thought you only had vitriol left for her.”

“I woulda tho’t the same, but I dunno. Hard to hate ‘er fe’real when she use-a be so warm, y’know?” Her words were sticking together on her tongue like honey; it was hard to scrape them off into the air without them running together.

Natalya smiled. This one really did have a low tolerance, didn’t she? “So is it possible you don’t miss her, just having someone there for you?”

“Mebbe...Do you?”

“I’m sorry?”

Istina swerved around on her stool to face the heiress. “D’ya miss ‘er at ‘er best?”

“Well, yes, I do.” Her eyes wandered back to the other table. “Or at least, I think so. But have I seen her at her best? You’ve known her longer than I ha- What’s so funny?”

“Knew ‘er? Knew ‘er?! Oh, that’sa good one, itn’t it? I knew ‘er, yeah, sure, just like we knew ‘bout the ‘ole ‘Pet’r’eim’s a Reyunyin plot’ or wh’ever they tryda tell us, or ‘at Sonya was thirstin’ fer ya more’n I do after a night at the bar...Yeah, sure, I knew ‘er like ‘at, a’ight...I knew ‘er like the shadows ‘hind my closet door...”

There was a moment of silence, punctuated by a laughing trio of Ursus, before Rosa continued the conversation. “‘Thirsting’ as in you need water after going out drinking, or-”

“Oh, c’mon now, Miz Perfek, don’cha tryn’ play innocent wi’ me...Ya know ya’ve got some’in the rest of us don’t...” Anna giggled a bit, her eyes drifting down Natalya’s neck and settling pointedly elsewhere. “Mmhmm...Woulda been e-zyer t’keep ‘er if I’d ‘ad ‘em, too...Must be nice, bein’ so mature...Damn noble breedin’...”

“You really do have a low tolerance.” In spite of what might be expected, part of the heiress was enjoying listening to her like this. Very few people at Rhodes Island had anything negative to say about her, so all she had to back her own self-loathing was more of her own inner voice. It was depressingly refreshing, or maybe refreshingly depressing? One of those.

That came to an end when Istina drifted a little closer. “Hey. Wanna know a secret?”

“A secret?” Rosa raised an eyebrow. “About who?”

“‘Bout me, konechno (obviously). C’mere.”

Natalya looked back over at the other table, frowned, and turned around to find the advisor even closer. “Yes?”

“‘Tween you and her? ‘snot even a choice.” A pair of very intoxicated lips continued talking. “Ye might be a homewrecker, but yer still better ‘an ‘er by a long shot.”

“I don’t-”

Anna leaned in further. “I say we oughta have a lil’ revenge, don’cha think?”

“How drunk are you to be thinking...like this?” How drunk was she, to find herself kind of agreeing? “I mean, she’s right there...She could see us if she turned around.”

“Ya really think she will, though?” Istina giggled a little. It was obvious what the answer was there, judging by the animated voices coming from that part of the bar.

Rosa rubbed her forehead, sighed, downed what was left in her cup, and shook her head. “You’re right, she won’t. She doesn’t care, she never did, and I...I’m sick of it. Sick of being second-fiddle to someone she won’t even confess to. Sick of being a bystander in my own life. Sick of-”

“Ah, shut up and kiss me already.” The advisor tugged on Natalya’s shirt and pulled her close enough to do just that.

“And so I said to Nat-” Sonya was saying to the others, turning to gesture to her at the bar...Only to see that unfold. “So I...Fuck.”

Leto cocked her head. “I think they’re just kissing right now. It’s not that bad yet.”

“I knew one of them was a lightweight, but both of them? You sure know how to pick ‘em, General.” Beehunter smiled to herself behind her glass.

“...Eh. They won’t remember it happened.” Zima turned back around. “So anyone, I said to Nat...”

But the truth was, Rosa was very cognizant of what was happening - cognizant enough that, when they broke it off, she was blushing bright red. “Anna, I...This is a bit much, I think.”

“What? Didn’t like it?”

“N-no, I...I did, but...” Wouldn’t this make her a double homewrecker at this point, then? “I mean, I don’t even have any proof that-”

Istina sighed, turning back to her glass. “‘Course you need proof. I knew ‘fore she said a word what’d happened ‘tween the two of ya…’Ell, I think I r’mber yer taste from my last kiss wi’ ‘er.”

“Oh. You know I never meant to hurt you, right?”

“Just lost yerself in ‘er smile? I know the feelin’. So rare t’see...” She slunk into the bar. “Still, ‘o, I wish I’da known what I missed out on fer ‘er the firz time.”

The blushing was only getting worse. “Oh, Anna...”

“That one ‘Arkaz girl sang it better ‘an I coulda...I’m sleepy...Need a pillow...” Despite that, Anna’s head fell to the bartop, and she seemed to fall asleep just fine.

“Hmm...Hey, Sonya?” Natalya called over to the other table. “I’m going to take Anna home. I’ll see you when you’re done here?”

Ignoring the snickers from the other two, the General turned around and gave her the thumbs-up. “Sounds good. See you there.”

“Heh. Well, looks like we know who’s getting some tonight, then.” Beehunter had dissolved into a quiet but body-wrenching giggle fit by this point.

“Maybe,” Zima admitted, watching Rosa pluck Istina from the bar and cradle her as she took them back to the advisor’s place. “Honestly? I’ll just sleep at Anna’s tonight. Save her a trip back to my room.”

The other two weren’t sure whether to keep laughing at how ridiculous that sounded, or admit that, as usual, the General was two steps ahead. The drink in their systems, eventually, got them to settle on the former.

#arknights #arknights fic #rosa (arknights)#istina (arknights)#zima (arknights)#well...#just to clarify no calligo did not request NTR #that just kinda...happened #namely because when this Istina gets drunk she loses the filter #along with the love quadrangle scandal we'd already kinda set up in the fics related to this one #although this is technically a prequel to those?#yeah #also for a little bit the daily post streak is on thin ice #and i only have so much time to write #so...wish me luck?#hoping to keep it alive #have a good one!

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ladyofmaidensandwinewrites · 3 years

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Just One Dance

Requested by @rileynicole1967

Absolutely, luv! Side bar, I’ve never seen these movies, but I gave the song a listen. Hopefully this is just as fluffy as you were wanting!

Characters: Dean Winchester, Fem! Reader, Sam Winchester

Pairing: Dean x Fem! Reader

Warnings: Excessive fluff, implied smut without detail.

Wordcount: 2,852

You squeeze Dean’s hand comfortingly. “Dean, we can sit down, I’m only kidding, I didn’t mean to make you so uncomfortable.” You explain with a guilty frown. Here you are, trying to get the boys to relax, and instead poor Dean is looking at you like someone told him his impala is being towed. Dean stops you, shaking his head. “No. No, just, uh, don’t laugh at me. I haven’t done this in… well, ever.” He says gruffly. You smile fondly. Your knight in shining plaid is nervous you’ll tease him for being a clumsy dancer. “Promise I won’t laugh. Well, maybe a little.” You say, and Dean shoots you a glare that vanishes when you give him a cheesy grin. “You’re a dork.” He smirks. “Takes one to know one, Winchester.” You wink.

His eyes drop to your lips. You’re not sure you’re breathing.

Who knew all it would take to finally get you and Dean together was one dance?

TAGS-

Forever Tags-

@justagirlinafandomworld

Dean Babes-

@herstarburststories

SPN Pond-

@spnfanficpond

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hereforlou · 4 years

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Playlist Prompt Challenge

Helloo, I was tagged by @halosboat to do this one. Thank youu! You’re supposed to shuffle a playlist a write 3 prompts based on 3 songs. I used different playlists, one in English, one in Spanish and one that’s just showtunes:

1. You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette

After an unexpected and surprisingly vicious break-up with his long term partner, Harry deletes all social media and spends a couple of weeks locked in his flat, alternating between crying, writing furious texts he’s never going to send, and smothering his poor cat with affection. At the three week mark, he finally feels more or less stable and installs Instagram back on his phone. Of course, the first thing he sees is his ex Louis in the background of someone’s story, looking perfectly fine and happy speaking to some stranger like Harry doesn’t even exist and hasn’t been stewing in his own anger and sadness and disappointment for almost a whole month. Of course, Harry gets in his car and drives to Louis’ place to give him a piece of his mind, who cares if it’s three am on a Wednesday. He’s got a fantastic speech prepared, has been reciting it in his head since day one, Louis is going to have to listen to him even if Harry has to shout it through the door. And if he’s got someone in his flat with him, well, then Harry...doesn’t know.

He does a terrible job of parking his car and storms into Louis’ building, taking the stairs to the fifth floor to keep his adrenaline up. He stalks down the hallway, leans on the buzzer until he hears movement inside and then steels himself, ready to face Louis for the first time since their awful argument.

He’s not ready. As soon as Louis opens the door, Harry bursts into ugly tears. He tries to speak, blubbering through what he can remember of his very poignant and serious speech, but he can tell Louis doesn’t understand a thing he’s saying. He’s about to whirl around to escape back to his car before he can confirm if Louis is alone or not, when he’s pulled into a hug and his limbs turn to rubber.

Turns out, Louis has his own speech prepared, and it’s not nearly as long or as mean as Harry’s. It’s also punctuated by several wet but still sweet kisses.

The next day, Harry’s car’s been towed.

2. Luna de Miel en la Mano - Virus

loool okay, this song is about masturbation so this would be a perfect fic for wankfest, where a quite self-absorbed Harry gets off particularly hard on the thought of Louis getting off thinking of him :D

3. Corner of the Sky - from Pippin

Louis is the heir of some kind of business empire. He’s resigned to his fate of eventually taking over his family’s company, and he goes to university to pursue a career in a field he hates. But then, due to some sort of mixup, he ends up rooming with Harry, an English major with no prospects for after graduation who’s chosen his courses based on his love for poetry and the crush he used to have on his English teacher in Year 10. Harry is very odd and invites Louis to all sorts of artsy underground events while Louis’ classmates are busy networking and going to posh cocktail parties. They fall in love and, when Louis’ father disapproves and threatens to cut him off, they threaten to elope. Louis’ mother intervenes, his father comes around, and Louis and Harry elope anyway. The end.

I’ll tag @kingsofeverything, @mediawhorefics, @greenfeelings, @setsailtomorrow, @statementsue

#i think you can do it even if you don't write fic!!

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musehelping · 4 years

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hello, friends !! i believe it’s finally time to announce the surprise collaboration !! @ofmymuses and i are not only working on a character masterlist, but we are making them for muse inspiration for our brand new rp !! my half of the masterlist is premiering now, but her half should be arriving at some point today. @maskedfm is an appless slasher-themed rp following the lives of the rosefield residents as a possible copy cat killer strikes the victim of the first murders, gertrude green, and her daughter, georgie. with the original killer, identified to be gertrude’s ex-best friend, still locked up in prison, the new rosefield ripper can be anyone. so the question at hand is: how do you know who you can trust? we will be opening for apps in one hour, but i will answer any questions that come our way.

tl;dr: this character masterlist is a collaboration between amanda and i to help potential lurkers figure out any characters they might want to play in our new group !! however, it can also serve as stand-alone descriptions for any groups you might want to join !!

Tessa Thompson:

Name: Evangeline Campbell

Age: Thirty-Six.

Major: Community College Professor.

MBTI: ENTJ.

Hogwarts: Ravenclaw.

Enneagram: 1w2.

Astrology: Aquarius Sun-Capricorn Moon.

Evangeline Campbell is a professor at the community college in her county. On a regular basis, she has to deal with grades and complaints. As a result, Evangeline has developed a bit of a dismissive attitude towards any unfounded objections sent her way. However, she wasn’t initially that way.

When she was younger, Evangeline took a very eager interest in anything she could get her hands on. She loved learning and as a result, her grades were always sky high. She was incredibly fascinated by school and loved trying her best to attend it every single day. The only problem is that she feels as if she peaked around that time. Will her attitude towards her life’s current situation turn around for the better?

Ludovica Martino:

Name: Mia Lombardi.

Age: Twenty.

Major: Photography.

MBTI: ISFP.

Hogwarts: Hufflepuff.

Enneagram: 6w5.

Astrology: Scorpio Sun-Cancer Moon

Mia has never been the type to have massive aspirations for herself. All she has ever been concerned with is enjoying her life and creating memories along the way. This did not please her parents, nor did it satisfy her guidance counselor, who had Mia in her office nearly every weekday in Mia’s junior and senior years.

After a solid year and a half of attempting to break through to her that college is a necessity, Mia was convinced after she was told that photography is a great way to save created memories forever. She’s a beginner in the field, but she loves every second of it. She doesn’t see herself getting a career in the field, but she doesn’t aspire to be well-known anyway. She’s just having fun, but her parents are starting to pressure her to look into internships. Will she be able to figure out the road ahead, before it’s too late?

Tori Kelly:

Name: Marisol Jones

Age: Twenty-Four.

Job: Local Radio DJ.

MBTI: ESFP.

Hogwarts: Gryffindor.

Enneagram: 7w8.

Astrology: Sagittarius Sun-Taurus Moon.

Marisol has always been a small town girl with big city aspirations. From a very young age, Marisol would constantly use her family’s video camera and would use it to record herself talking about the burdens of her daily life. In elementary school, Marisol often found herself getting in trouble for talking too much or vying to be the center of attention at any given moment. In her mind, she couldn’t help it. The need to be heard was just a part of who she was and being the loudest person in the room was the easiest way to get that need met.

She didn’t see much of an issue with her behavior until she was twenty-one. This was when her boyfriend of three years broke up with her over it. Instead of yelling at him and telling her off, which was her go-to conflict-resolution plan, she became deadly quiet. One night after dark, she snuck into the studio of a local radio station. Even though the station was normally playing elevator music after midnight, she broke the non-stop stream of boring music by deciding to play You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette as revenge, letting any listeners know that this song was specifically dedicated to her boyfriend. The potheads and insomniacs loved it and soon enough, she was hired by the station to work as a DJ and commentator. Town citizens love her witty banter on the local station, but she wants more. Her ultimate dream is to move to Los Angeles and pursue a radio career there. Will her dream come true?

Carlson Young:

Name: Emilie Woods

Age: Twenty-Six.

MBTI: ENFP.

Job: Party Planner.

Hogwarts: Hufflepuff.

Enneagram: 7w6.

Astrology: Gemini Sun-Pisces Moon

As a child, Emilie was frequently sick. Her immune system has always been very weak, so if there was a sickness going around at school, there was a ninety-percent chance that she would catch it and would have to miss another week of classes. She rarely had other children her age to give her company and entertainment. As a result, she often had to make up her own games and activities for entertainment.

Her favorite activity was planning parties for her dolls and stuffed animals. She would make up birthdays for each of them and would plan out all the little details of their individual birthday parties. Her eyes would light up and she would become incredibly giddy when she was able to see her plans come to life, even though she was the only one who cared enough to see it happen.

As an adult, Emilie still has a weak immune system, but she takes extra measures to still go out and socialize, in spite of it. Her neighbors often comment that she has a larger than life personality. That kind of joy is only strengthened at her job, where she helps to plan anniversary parties, sweet sixteens, and weddings for people in her town. She has a boundary where she doesn’t allow others to touch her, especially if they’re ill. However, people often don’t think twice about breaking her boundaries, because they don’t think it’s as serious as it truly is. Will Emilie be able to stand up for herself and put her foot down?

Orion Carloto:

Name: Luna Costa.

Age: Twenty-One.

Major: History.

MBTI: ISTJ.

Hogwarts: Slytherin.

Enneagram: 3w4.

Astrology: Virgo Sun-Gemini Moon.

Luna Costa was born and raised in New York City. With her parents both being workaholics, she learned how to be at the top of her game from a very early age. As she grew up, her ambitious streak stuck and she was to be within the top five percent of her class.

That was before the Costa family moved to the suburbs. Luna was forced to make new friends, look at new schools, and get used to a completely unfamiliar environment. It’s been around four years since then and Luna has found herself stuck at a lower-tier college. However, she still dreams of one day owning a fabulous museum of her own. Will her ambitious streak pay off?

Josephine Langford:

Name: Hannah Bradford

Age: Twenty-One.

Major: Musical Theatre

MBTI: ENFJ.

Hogwarts: Hufflepuff.

Enneagram: 3w2.

Astrology: Libra Sun-Cancer Moon.

Hannah Bradford is an optimistic, sensitive soul. From a young age, she lived to make others smile, due to her antics. When she found out that a stage was the perfect place to do exactly that, she was hooked. From then on, she vowed to join any theatre program she could, including summer camps and school plays.

When high school came around, Hannah often received lead roles in most of the school productions. However, while she was trying to make everyone else happy, she was miserable. Her parents had separated in her last year of middle school and even though the two parents initially had equal custody, her father left the picture shortly after.

After four solid years of anger, she entered community college with a brand new mindset. She wanted to be a positive influence on everyone she knew, including herself. She painted the walls of her bedroom yellow, decided to take in more sunlight, and wanted to surround herself with positivity, as she felt that this would help her complete her goal. That goal seemed to be on its way towards completion until it was suddenly halted by the death of her father. She found out through her grandmother and she instantly felt as if she was back at square one.

Since then, Hannah has been diagnosed with situational depression and is taking life one step at a time, without any added pressure. Will Hannah’s situation get any better?

#horror tw #murder tw #rpc #rph #fc help

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journal-of-an-outlaw · 5 years

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Price to be Paid - Chapter 8

Friends in Low Places

Words: 3,826

The next day was the livestock con that John had been planning for weeks. He and Arthur rode off into the hills to steal the flock and bring it back into town to sell as their own.

Dutch watched his boys ride off while he smoked a cigar, and Hosea walked up to join him. “What a time we’ve had, eh Dutch?” Dutch claspsed Hosea on the shoulder, hanging on and reminiscing on their past adventures. “What a wild ride we have been through.”

“Hopefully, my friend, our running days will soon be over. Just one more big one with good money and we are free. Then we can get our people to a safe home, like they deserve.”

Lenny called you over to Pearson’s workstation. “YN! Teach me how to skin this rabbit, I know Arthur taught you so you oughta be good.” You laughed and rolled your sleeves up, “Thanks, Lenny. Alright. Let’s get to work. You want to know the first thing Arthur asked me when I wanted to learn how to do this?”

“What’s that?”

Acting grumpy with hunched shoulders you replied, “You sure you wanna get blood all over your dress?” Lenny bust up laughing while you impersonated the rugged man. “Damn fool didn’t see I was holding a knife five feet from him but still had the nerve to say it! Right after I shot a deer clean through the heart, too."

Lenny laughed again while you began to teach him the Arthur Morgan way of skinning a rabbit. Every once in awhile he would ask you a question by impersonating Arthur and the two of you fell apart on the wooden table. He was a bright kid, and really nineteen was a kid, with a good heart and an infectious laugh.

Jack came up just as the two of you were finishing and asked to pet your horse. Lenny ruffled the kids hair and left you to babysit, heading over to his tent to organize a few things. Jack grabbed your hand and dragged you to your mare.

“She’s pretty, YN! And tall. Not as tall as Uncle Arthur’s horsie, though. I wish I could have one, too.” His mind was everywhere, bouncing from place to place with no time to take a breath in between. Poor kid, four years old and stuck living the outlaw life. No wonder Abigail was so hellbent on getting out before something happened.

He bent down and grabbed a flower to pick, his sights on dainty yellow petals with a white center when Eclipse moved too close. You swung down and grabbed Jack before she could get spooked, and you saw Dutch and Strauss walking up.

They were deep in conversation and almost didn’t notice you.

“Now, Herr Strauss, we are to meet Arthur and John at the saloon after. There’s talk of some big man in town and I intent to get on his good side before we show him a reason to be on his bad, so maybe you just stay quiet then?”

“But Dutch, I still have three loans that need to be collected! That money -”

Dutch interrupted him, yelling in his face, “That money is the only thing keeping us alive! Now why in the hell have you not gone to collect it?”

Her Strauss replied meekly, “I asked Arthur but he never had the time.”

Dutch ran his hand down his face and noticed you there. “YN, it’s time to learn another skill, my dear. When Arthur gets back from town, go with him to collect those debts so generously given by Herr Strauss. The two of you should get on just fine.”

You nodded and moved Jack closer to your hip, afraid the loud voices would frighten the child. Herr Strauss handed you three loan sheets which you tucked away in your satchel for later. Jack simply continued to play with the colorful flower in his hands until he held it out to the approaching Abigail as a present for simply being there.

The tent you called home had built up a small collection of outfits, guns, and various other objects during your months at Horseshoe Creek. It was small but cozy. You even had a proper blanket now made from the skin of a cougar you hunted not too long ago.

After you flopped down to the small bedroll, you grabbed the book you had been devouring most recently after swapping with Hosea. He had gotten you invested in a crime series and had given you the latest last night after finishing it himself, of course, and was bursting to discuss it so you promised to be quick. The sunlight was still filtering in warmly and you left the flaps of the tent open for fresh air to accompany you on your journey to another life. Precious few things brought you the pleasure like reading did.

Later in the day, Hosea himself stuck his head in your tent. “How are you getting on, YN? Hiding from Grimshaw so you can get through more of that book?”

You jumped as the voice ripped you from the pages, but quickly laughed at how eager Hosea was for you to read. “I’m trying! Doesn’t help I can hear her scream every few minutes. But this book, Hosea...it’s so -”

The end of that sentence was never finished as Grimshaw had finally found you. “I should have known you would have something to do with this, Hosea! YN! Get that lazy Blackwater ass out here to help with the laundry."

Hosea looked sheepish at having given you away but you smiled and promised to read again later, then followed Grimshaw while she continued to chew you out.

Sadie Adler was finally cleaned up and dressed with the other girls who were doing the laundry in the middle of camp. Buckets of sudsy water sloshed around as item after item were dunked, scrubbed, and passed to the next. You joined in after Mary-Beth and before Sadie.

“Nice to see you out and about, Mrs. Adler! Feelin’ better?” She smiled back and her eyes were clear for the first time since you’d met her. “A bit, miss. Working to see what livin’ is about now. You fine people took me in, time to do my share. Although I ain’t choppin’ no vegetables no more with that man, about ready to chop him up too.”

The girls chattered as the laundry eventually finished up, and everything was hung up to dry. You grabbed the last few pieces to hang on the line when a hand snaked out to grab yours.

“You got anything special in there to show me, YN?"

Michah had found you again and hid behind the colorful array so no one could see him.

“Jesus, Michah. You got nothin’ better to do than stalk me doin’ laundry? Leave me alone, I ain’t got nothing to entertain with you.”

He smirked and moved closer, “Oh girly, I got some entertaining you could do. Just give me a few hours.” His hand rubbed the back of yours, mocking the memory you had of Arthur comforting you and you shook him off violently. Irritation and rage began to pump from your heart and spread across your chest.

“I don’t want anymore time with you than necessary, thank you.” He didn’t seem to mind the constant rejection, and in fact it seemed to make him pursue you more.

“‘Thank you?’ Always so kind,” he sneered at you. “YN. One of these days you’re gonna have to learn how to be a real outlaw and toughen up.”

“Only a damn fool mistakes kindness for weakness, Mr. Bell. Strength don’t come from the lack of love or compassion in a heart,” you snapped back.

He was unimpressed with your outburst. You were just hoping he had lost interest when he said, “You book folk are so boring. Always full of words. I prefer action. You know where to find me once you wisen up. And girl, I sure hope you do.” The clothing on the drying line parted as Michah smacked them out of his path. You rolled your eyes and picked up the empty basket to bring back to Grimshaw and prove your chores were done.

That afternoon was when true chaos began. The sound of horses thundering into camp made everyone stand to attention as Dutch, Arthur, John, and Strauss rode in looking extremely shaken from Valentine. All of them were dishevelled and covered in dirt. Abigail rushed over as John jumped from his horse and said something to her. She nodded and left for their shared tent to begin throwing things in their tent. Dutch grabbed Hosea and moved to his tent, retelling everyone what happened.

“Our time in Valentine has come to an untimely end! Leviticus Cornwall and his band of thugs met us outside the saloon and things did not end well for them. It’s time for us to pack up and leave this area, what with Pinkerton’s breathing down our necks and Cornwall comin’ to find us. Ms. Grimshaw, Mr. Pearson, if you please! Get this place packed up while we look for a new spot.” Everyone began to move, you rushed to your tent and began throwing everything into the few bags you had bought and rolled the bedding up to make it easier to carry.

Hosea sat with Dutch as Arthur approached, and was none too happy about the current situation. “So, we keep heading east. Is that the plan?”

“For now.”

“And when do we stop? When we reach Paris?” Hosea exclaimed sarcastically.

“Oh that’d be nice, and join the Commune? We stop when we find someplace sensible, shake them that’s following us and lie low.” Dutch countered. It felt like an age old argument, with Hosea thinking legit scams were the way to go, and Dutch wanting one last big score to blow the others out of the water.

Hosea put his face into his hands, “And this is lying low? We’ve turned into a bunch of killers, I mean it.”

Dutch sat up straighter. “Sometimes, survival means having only one choice. We have to take it, or lose everything we’ve worked towards.”

Hosea threw his hands up, fed up with not feeling safe in his own home and stormed out of Dutch’s tend. Arthur moved closer to the older man to get a better look at the map he was studying.

“Michah told me of a place we can lie low. Dewberry Creek, he said. Maybe you and Charles can go take a look, clear off anyone you find before the whole lot of us move in.” Dutch pointed at the spot and Arthur nodded.

“Looks like I’ve turned into the Goddamned errand boy,” while walking away.

Dutch stood as tall as you’ve seen him, chest puffed with pride. “You have turned into my son, you worry because I worry. We are just the same!” Before Arthur got too far, Dutch yelled again, “Arthur! And when you return you and Miss Moore have some debts to collect on behalf of Herr Strauss. We’ll see how things are when you’re back from scouting.”

Arthur and Charles left shortly after that, not expecting to be gone more than a few hours. While they were out riding free, Ms. Grimshaw saw that every single one of the girls was sweating away, cleaning and packing and washing and sorting. All these damn men and not a single one could pack the knives away correctly.

Abigail and John were struggling to get everything done with Jack running around, so you offered after your tent was packed to take care of him. The fighting didn’t stop, but at least the kid was out of the way and not there to see it.

Jack took your hand and wanted to go see the river one last time. You wondered if he really understood why you were moving so constantly, and the past few months you had two camps. To a four year old that’s a lot of life changes.

He found a blue flower and tried to braid it into your hair, making you both giggle. It matched the shirt that Mary-Beth finally got around to make for you. A light blue that played with your dark features beautifully, and she even made some lace designs to fancy it up. You loved that shirt and were ecstatic when she gave it to you a week ago.

“I want a flower too, YN,” Jack whined when you sat down for a moment. “Of course, Jack, what color you reckon?” He contemplated it, then decided on yellow. The two of you set off to wander the small field for a yellow flower.

“Here! Help me put it in my hair.” Jack loved flowers in hair and his own was no exception. This fascination with flowers was interesting to you, but when you asked he only shrugged and said something about Abigail loving them too.

A few hours later, Charles came riding down the slope. “YN! Arthur is waiting for you back at camp, or what’s left of it. Want me to give you two a ride up?”

Jack shook his head, so the two of you walked next to Tamia while Charles chatted about the new campsite he had found.

“The site Michah told us about already had people there, a dried up old creek bed. Would have been fine, but it’s hard to settle so many folks on uneven ground. Poor German lady and her two kids were there, hiding out under a wagon. While we went out riding to find her missing husband we found this perfect spot by a lake. Huge, even field hidden by trees. I can see us hiding there a long while.”

He looked calm about the whole ordeal and happy about the new site.

“What happened to him?” You asked suddenly.

“Who? Oh, the husband. Arthur took him back to his wife and we met up as we was coming back near Valentine. The family is alright,” he smiled down at you, the worry leaving your face.

“Just like to know they were safe is all!” You said a bit too defensively, but laughed at yourself.

Arthur was leaning against the last wagon as it was being packed up. Charles waved to you and carried Jack up to meet Abigail and John leading the wagon, then left to lead the caravan off to the new campsite.

“Guess it’s just you and me then, huh?” He took the last puff of a cigarette, then threw it out into the grass. “Guess so, Mr. Morgan.”

“How many damn times you gonna keep calling me that?” he growled.

“Sorry. Arthur,” he waved his hand, signalling his indifference. “Now, Her Strauss gave us three people to collect from, are we gonna be able to do that all in one afternoon?”

“Hope so. All locals, just need to get them talking quickly. Need be we can camp and head to the new site tomorrow.”

“With what? Most of my supplies just left,” you motioned to your things now rolling away in the last caravan and out of sight. The few supplies attached to Eclipse were nothing compared to what had just left you. Arthur swore and moved to get on his horse, “Then we best get this done fast. It’s already late and the first one’s an hour ride.”

Eclipse kept up with Zeus, Arthur’s dark bay stallion, well during the journey. She was a little headstrong and sometimes didn’t respond to you right away, causing Arthur to take the lead in case she decided to jump off a bridge or something like that.

Talking was infrequent. Arthur turned out to be more of a focused and quiet rider. You found out he also liked to read, though not like Hosea. He shared many qualities with the older man but was still inexplicably drawn more to Dutch. They were both hot headed with a sense of leadership, and Hosea was more about playing things safe. Arthur had a healthy dose of each and the influence was easy to see in just about everything he did.

The first stop was a man named Chick Matthews. As you rode up, one of the hands told you Chick was out around the barn tending to his horse. The moment he spotted the two of you riding up he jumped on and galloped away, which was a shocking sight.

“Arthur! I’ll head up over the ridge to his right, I think I see a bridge up ahead. You go right after him and let’s see who can get there first. Heya!” Without waiting for him to respond you kicked Eclipse into a full gallop after the little man. She ran fast and strong, but Chick had a good head start and it took a bit of corralling to catch up. In the distance you could hear him taunting Arthur for being too slow and old, and you can only imagine the rage boiling on his face. They came up to a train that you had bypassed by going up above when Arthur managed to lasso that fool straight to the ground.

Once knocked down he coughed and sputtered like an idiot.

“Look, look, I got the money...but it’s hidden. Untie me and I’ll tell you where it’s at.”

You rode up just as Arthur finished hog tying the man, throwing a punch or two for making you both chase him so far. This may be your fist debt collecting but you wouldn’t let him abuse the man. As he pulled back to hit him again you grabbed his arm.

“Arthur! Let the man talk, for heaven’s sake. He’s got the money.” Arthur looked at your concerned face incredulously. “Miss Moore, this country round here is full of idiots. Look at this one here,” he kicked his boot against Chicks lightly. “Now see, he doesn’t think we know about what’s in his pockets so why don’t you empty them out for me?”

Pick pocketing was better than beating, so you leaned down to see what he was hiding. An old carrot, a cigarette card, and a map leading you right to the money were all you found.

The map was incredibly simple. One bridge and a tree were all that were on it, and you looked down at Chick. “I may now want to hit you sir, for this is surely the dumbest map I have ever seen. Where the hell does it even start?”

He smiled a gap toothed grin up at you. “See Miss! That’s the best part. No one knows it but me.” At that Arthur delivered another kick to his stomach, hard and fast. “Tell me where the damn money is!”

“Fine! Okay, Jesus. Head north and turn left at the Old Creek Bridge, it’s the tree closest there.”

Arthur nodded and moved towards Zeus. “YN, you take that sack of shit back to the ranch and I’ll meet you once I have collected Mr. Matthews’ debt. You try any funny business with her, and you’ll wish all I’d done was break some ribs of yours,” and took off.

Chick starred up at Eclipse. “Gee, Miss, I ain’t never ridden behind on a horse before. And never with a woman!” You rolled your eyes and loaded him up behind you.

True to his word Chick Matthews put up no fuss heading back. He pointed out some of his favorite land features and asked you to walk into town more than once. You politely declined, but you knew he didn’t mean any harm. Arthur finally rode up with a bag, showing you the cash then tucking it safely away in his satchel. The two of you were off to victim number two, Mr. Wrobel.

The Polish man lived at a farm called Painted Sky, and didn’t speak a lick of English. You tried to be soft and comforting but that didn’t seem to go anywhere, so Arthur lumbered in and demanded the return of cash. Wrobel seemed to have nothing, but sadly motioned around his home and let the two of you take enough possessions to equal the amount of the debt. It broke your heart to watch his face, and leaving you could see it troubled Arthur too.

“Why do you do jobs like this if they don’t feel right?” You asked quietly as the two of you mounted your horses for the third and final destination.

Arthur scratched the back of his neck, thinking. “I honestly prefer when they try to run or put up a fight. Don’t feel so bad robbin’ folks who make a point to take advantage of the loan. But those like him? Who need it? Makes me think I’m only out here to grease the wheel so it keeps turning. Folks need money, we lend it, then take it back with interest.”

Finally arriving past dark at Emerald Ridge, the third debtor gave Arthur no hesitation in his approach of getting the money back. Lilly Millet’s boyfriend jumped up and attacked him with a swift uppercut to his jaw and the man drew no pity from you after you heard the way he was berating Lilly.

Lilly grabbed your arm while the two men brawled and made a fuss of it all. Truth be told, it was quite the sight. Both me tall and muscular in build it was an evenly matched fight. After a few quick hits the other man went down, and Arthur stood huffing above him. You definitely understood why he liked the ones who fought him, he looked damn fine doing it.

“Alright, alright! That’s enough. He has everything I gave him, please, just take what he has and go,” Lilly called out to Arthur. To you, she whispered, “You’re a lucky girl to be running with a man like that. Makes mine look like an old rag.” You both looked down to where her man lay unconscious, in the mud. She rolled her eyes and made her way over to get him cleaned up.

Chuckling, you walked over to Arthur. “What’s so funny now?” he asked while stuffing the last of the cash in his satchel.

“Lilly had more on her mind that just debts, I think,” you looked at him suggestively but were met with a blank stare. “Oh, come on Arthur don’t be dense. I think she likes you!” After a beat it clicked and he looked away embarrassed. “Want me to ask if she’s free Friday?” you moved slowly backwards but he grabbed your upper arm lightly. “No! Come on, woman. We best be moving. Probably have to camp halfway back now.” He started Zeus into a slow walk as you jumped up to Eclipse.

“Besides, she ain’t my type anyways. I like brunettes,” and with that he took off galloping, leaving you to watch and race after him.

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wallstagram · 5 years

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month in review: april - may fic recs

hello & welcome to my april - may month in review : fic recs! these are fics i’ve read and enjoyed or fics i find myself consistently coming back to, all of which were read by me from april to now. recs are below the cut!

turn you on, make you radiate by ballsdeepinjesus (15k)

[...or, a self-indulgent snapshot of hl’s sex lives over the course of 10+ years]

i don’t remember exactly how i stumbled across this fic, but i am so glad i did. even though this was written 2014, it is so good and so surreally accurate to how i envision h+l today. smut is amazing and varied, with a good amount of details and fluff, but not too much plot.

let me feel your heartbeat by angelichl (35k) @angelichl

Harry is 98% sure Louis hates him. So he feels like his bewilderment is justified when the omega offers to help him through his rut.

this fic is everything that an amazing ABO fic should be! i’ve gone back and reread it a few times because I really enjoyed it so much. such great characterization and good leadup to the ending. such a sweet find!

that mouth of yours by awriterwrites (3k) @a-writerwrites

“Did I–” Louis panted around the sexiest moan Harry thought he had ever heard (at least since the last time Louis moaned–which was about 5 minutes ago). “Did I ever tell you about that guy that I let rim me at one of Liam’s parties in college?”

this fic is so good! short but sweet, and to the point. loved the good details and banter between them!

or four, on the floor by sadaveniren (9k) @sadaveniren

Get into the SWING of spring with a sexy anonymous night full of costumes, fun, and as always, a good heaping of kink! Masks are required, so if you don’t have your own one will be provided for you.

aka Harry and Louis go to No Control's swingers night and find themselves.

so as a sidebar, i also completely recommend the no control verse and the christmas crack verse! sada is such an amazing author, she knows a lot about practical bdsm and how it plays out. her characterization is spot on, and i mean really, i love every single thing she’s ever written, but this story was so good, hot, and it made me laugh! loved it.

i can reflect the moon by bitterlee (29k) @pinksweatshirtfic

it's 1976. harry writes songs. they're about louis. it's none of his business.

i loved this fic so much more than i can describe! it has that old-time feel, reading it you completely believe it is set in the 70′s. details are consistent and believable and the characters are dynamic and amazing.

haven by xxPayne (36k) @homelyrics

"I take it you’re not a new student?” “What?” Harry mumbles, caught up in the way his eyes are quite literally sparkling in the light. “Oh—No. Not a student.” “Are you a sub?” Louis asks. Harry clenches his hands into fists, holding them behind his back as he stumbles a bit. “I don’t, uh—I mean. I’ve never really gotten a chance to be a true sub, you know? My ex-partners were always scared they’d hurt me. But, like—If I trusted someone a lot, and if we used a, a safeword. And talked about, you know, boundaries, then—Yes, yeah, I-I’m a sub.” Louis’ eyes are so wide, his cheeks puffing out in the effort to not burst into laughter. “Oh shit, oh my god,” Harry whispers. “You meant—Oh god."

this!!! fic!!! i have so much love for it. the tension and humiliation in just the summary had me hooked, and the rest of the story did not disappoint. nice fluffy notes, and just cute moments!! yay!

just breathe by awriterwrites and dimpled_halo (51k) @a-writerwrites and @got-stars

Louis pops his head into the kitchen, “You alright?”

Harry smiles shaking his head, “Just my clumsy arse at it again,” he says laughing.

“I oughta put you over my knee and give you a good spanking,” Louis mutters, chuckling.

Harry freezes. His pulse races so hard he can feel the blood rushing fast and hot throughout his body, like a livewire, zinging through him in a delirious rush. His mouth goes dry, and his eyes are wide. And when Louis turns around to look at him after being silent for so long, it’s like Louis just knows. He understands. Harry loves him so fucking much.

OKAY. i love this story sm!!! the summary pulled me right in because anyone who has a kink they are exploring knows EXACTLY how sweet harry is feeling in that pause. this story is so good and does not disappoint for kinky fun and sweet relationships!

nothing else will do by gravitycentered (9k) @zaptain

Louis has never had an orgasm. Harry thinks she deserves one.

okay, if y’all read my last rec list, you know that i do not typically read genderswap, but i apparently have a thing for girls having their first orgasm??? because we all deserve to be sorted out ??? so this is wonderful and harry in this is such a sweetheart. we stan a magic cock!

relief next to me by dolce_piccante (334k WOW!) @haydolce

AU. What happens when a baker and a graphic designer meet via a very specific Craigslist post? Fate, friendship, food, and maybe more.

this is just one of those stories I can always come back to, and it never disappoints. so detailed, so good, amazing characterization... everything a perfect fic needs!

the dream that you wish by theboyfriendstagram (22k) @theboyfriendstagram

or a (sort of) self-indulgent AU with a lot of Disney, misunderstandings and oblivious people in the city of love.

okay guys, THIS is the story!!! that i have been waiting to put on my next rec list!!! because its so good!!! and i read it the day after i published my last list!!! go read for cute disney references, pining and anticipation, and jokes about riding (hint: he’s not talking about space mountain!)!!!! i literally love this story so much okay??

i’d still dance with you by kikikryslee (57k) @flamboyantommo

Or, the 21/28 age difference fic where Harry is younger than Louis thought he was, and even though Louis’ head is telling him not to pursue anything, his heart doesn’t seem to agree.

so here’s the thing, i don’t usually prefer an age difference in fic. it just usually isn’t my thing... but ths fic is amazing. everything that makes me slightly wary of age differences was addressed here, completely amazingly. so consentual and safe and happy, with amazing characterization and lovely details. o much love went into this fic and its obvious!!!!

face your fears by sadaveniren (92k) @sadaveniren

Harry is a single father, pretending to be a beta after his alpha mated him and left him. He’s getting by just fine raising the twins when Louis walks into his bakery. Too bad him and Louis will never be a thing.

when you read this fic, after picking your jaw up off the floor at how amazing it is, you’ll realize that this was such a labor of love. it is so intricate and well thought out, something that is consistent in all of sada’s works, but is incredibly commendable in a work of this magnitude. everything fron plot to characterization is wonderful, and i wasn’t left feeling like i needed anything else at all from this. so good! i read it all in one go, and had to go read it again to make sure i didn’t miss anything.

thank you so much to every single author listed here: @sadaveniren, @flamboyantommo, @theboyfriendstagram, @haydolce, @zaptains, @got-stars, @a-writerwrites, @homelyrics, @pinksweatshirtfic, and @angelichl! if anyone has the @ for the people i couldn’t tag, let me know so I can tag them!

see you guys at the end of june for your next month in review!

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realityhelixcreates · 5 years

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Lasabrjotr Chapter 31: New Tastes

Chapters: 31/? Fandom: Thor (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Warnings: None Relationships: Loki x Reader (Someday) Characters: Loki (Marvel), Reader, Thor(Marvel) Additional Tags: Post-Endgame: Best Possible Ending (Canon-Divergent), Loki Is Still Up To His Tricks, Loki Just Wants To Help, It’s Not A Date, Only Two Beds, Loki Is Starting To Realize Summary: On the night before the proceedings, Loki tries to take your mind off your nervousness with a nice meal, alone together. It's not a date though. Really.

Akureyri was the second largest human settlement in Iceland, and even to a small-town American woman, it didn't seem very big. Bigger than your hometown, but smaller by far than the nearest 'large' city in Iowa; a state famous for its large cornfields, not its population.

The group of you crossed a long bridge over the beautiful fjord, only to find even more protesters on the other side. At the first hint of a waving sign, you found yourself surrounded by horses, Asgardians on all sides. These protesters stayed beside the road, and made no moves to approach, being watched by bored-looking police officers, who also did not move from their spots.

Despite the much more peaceful appearance of these protesters, the Asgardians remained on high alert all the way to the nice hotel, and sent both Valkyries to lead the horses to their own reservations at the nearest stables. The rest of you stowed yourselves away in the restaurant area to await their return.

You were hearing a surprising amount of American English being spoken by the people around you. Either tourism was booming, or they were here for the trial. You never thought that the sound of your homeland's speech would awaken suspicion in you, but you found the Asgardian accents around you to be a barrier to the dread.

“Loki and I will be in one room, Brunnhilde and Borgliot in another, and _____ and Saldis will be in the last.” Thor said, and the chatter around you diminished. You noticed a young woman staring at you, though she looked away when you met her gaze. “Apparently, these were the last rooms available, as a large wave of tourists have arrived for the summer. The receptionist rather helpfully told me that this happens every year, but not quite to this degree.”

“No more mouth.” You tried to say in Asgardian.

“Pardon?” Loki asked, astonished.

“No mouth. No more mouth.” You didn't know how to say it, but when Thor had mentioned their sleeping arrangements, too much of that background English had abruptly stopped. People were obviously listening in, either out of pure curiosity, or for more suspect purposes. You couldn't tell them in English, because everyone would understand, but you didn't have the words in Asgardian yet.

“Mouth? Dear, I don't think...”

You flapped your hand like a puppets mouth, and his expression became understanding. He turned to Thor, speaking swiftly in a language you had never heard. All of the Asgardians seemed to understand, but all you could tell was that it was not Asgardian. They all seemed to agree with what he was saying, Saldis grabbing your luggage and leading you to your shared room.

“We really need to work on your Asgardian, my Seidkona.” She said blandly, as you entered the very nice room.

“Yeah, sorry, I haven't picked up nearly as much as I oughta. Andsvarr tried to teach me some basic stuff, but I don't have nearly his gift for language.”

“It is something he is very good at. It's a shame his father wouldn't let him pursue a scholar's life, but nothing would do for him but that all his sons be in the royal guard.”

“His father is that Alarr guy? He seems, uh....”

“He is a donkey.” Saldis sniffed, hanging your dresses. “Always braying and stepping on other people's feet.”

“Woah. Are you supposed to talk like that?”

“Who is going to tell?”

You started laughing, because it certainly wasn't going to be you, but the laughter turned into a short scream, as Saldis disappeared in a cloud of smoke, to be replaced by a larger figure.

You fumbled for your knife, drawing it just as Loki cleared the smoke.

“Oh dear.” He slowly moved the point of your knife aside with one finger. “Have I startled you?”

“W-what's going on now?” You demanded. “Where's Saldis?”

“With Borgliot.” He said. “We saw fit to reassign our sleeping arrangements. There is simply too much potential for danger, for you to be left with a non-combatant.”

“You understood. Thank goodness.” You sheathed your knife. “Everyone was listening in.”

“Fortunately, no one in that room had the possibility of understanding Vanas. Unfortunately, that included you as well. I regret that we could not tell you what we were about to do, but we had no way to do it without also informing potentially dangerous eavesdroppers.”

“Yeah, well. Okay.” You put your knife away, laying the sheath on an end table.

“You should keep that with you.” Loki suggested.

“I'm in my own hotel room, and it's close by. Besides, I really shouldn't be carrying it here. I'm pretty sure it's super illegal. We came here to see justice done for a crime, so we shouldn't be committing another crime at the same time. So...are you sleeping here now?”

“There's two beds my dear. You needn't fear anything nefarious from me. Well, not much, anyway. Or, do you prefer your servant's company to mine?”

“Well she was putting my dresses away. Looks like now you have to finish that for her.” You quipped.

That might have been a mistake. Loki locked eyes with you, lifting a dress from the luggage, and reverently hanging it next to the others. The next one caught his eye, being green and soft, and sleeveless. You noticed that it had a surprisingly low neckline. Who had put that in there? It was nowhere near warm enough outside to warrant revealing that much skin.

Loki held the dress up to the light to examine, fondling the cloth, taking in all the little details. He then slowly approached you, holding the dress up against your form, as if trying to imagine what it would look like if it were actually being worn.

“Put this on.” He said, voice a soft whisper.

“Wha-now?” You exclaimed. He nodded. “Why? We're not going anywhere.”

“Exactly.”

You sighed and took the dress into the bathroom.

It fit. It fit really well. It also made you look like you belonged on the cover of an old fantasy novel, where everyone was wearing very impractical things to be fighting dragons, but sure looked good. You weren't sure you had seen anyone else in Asgard who showed this much skin.

“I...I don't know if I want to come out.” You called through the door. “I'm kinda embarrassed.”

“I'm sure you've nothing to be embarrassed about.” He called back. “Besides, twice this day you have commanded me as if I were a servant, and I have acquiesced. Come out, and show me the dress.”

You should have known that would come back to haunt you. At least he didn't sound angry. You steeled yourself, and stepped out into the room.

You'd expected a bit of ridicule. Teasing about your figure, or comparison to the graceful and powerful Asgardian women, or even outright dismissal. What you did not expect was for his breath to catch, or for him to fail to hide it. For his eyes to rake over you, or his lips to curl upwards with smug satisfaction.

“Uh...Do you like it?” You asked shyly. The last time you had dressed up privately for a man, he had ended as your emotionally abusive ex.

“Very much.” He said. “I knew I had good taste.”

“You put this in here?”

“No, no. I ordered it made for you, but I did not know it was done yet. We have galas and feasting holidays in the wintertime, and I wanted you to have something appropriate to wear.”

“You call this appropriate?” You asked, gesturing to the distressing neckline, and immediately regretting drawing his eyes back to your chest like that.

“It is not inappropriate, and that is the most important part.” He pointed out. “You would hardly be wearing the most risque thing I've seen at one of these galas.”

“Well, you're a legendary prince, you've probably seen all kinds of things during your fancy dances. Or after...” You halted that train of thought right there. That was none of your business.

The levity left his face as you spoke. “Have I caused offense? You look a vision, my dear, I thought you would see that when you put on the dress. I am not angry about your demands; I found the audacity amusing.”

“No, no, I'm just on edge right now, it's not your fault. I'm probably gonna be all wound up like this until the trial is over. I'm scared of all the people out there, I'm even scared of hearing my own language!”

There was a knock at the door. You jumped, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Well, in that case, it's probably a good thing I ordered dinner to be delivered to us.” Loki announced.

Green light flickered at his outlines, his appearance changing until the visage of Saldis stood before you. She wore Loki's expression, winked at you, then opened the door to accept the meal. Once that was done, he resumed his regular form.

“I didn't know you could do that!” You exclaimed. “Must come in handy!”

“You have no idea. Now, have a seat, let us have dinner.”

*****

Loki had known that dress was going to make you into a work of art when he had commissioned it, but he had not counted on just how exquisite the combination of cloth and bashfulness would be. He couldn't wait to show you off at the Buridag gala, but even deeper down than that, he wanted to hide you away so that no one else could see you like this.

He felt that was rather silly of him, considering that everything he had done so far had been specifically so that you would be seen. Seen, and known, and respected.

But he still didn't want anyone else to see this. To see you shy and squirming in a perfect dress of his own devising. Perhaps he was just feeling protective. You had been projecting distress all day, after all, and he wanted to lighten your mood just a little. Make you smile a few times before he had to allow you back into the presence of that murderous human slime.

How he wished you had let him kill the man!

Instead, he set the food down on a little table, and pulled out the chair for you. Producing a gilded candelabra with green candles, he lit them with a spell, and placed it in the center of the table. You mumbled something about the candles being green, but of course they were green, always green, like the verdant living lands, like farms full of food, like forests full of timber. It would always be green, green and gold, the twin colors of prosperity, success, and wealth.

He drew the heavy curtains closed, plunging the room into candlelit darkness. The sun wouldn't set for another month, but here, he could at least create for you a kind of faux night. He even poured the wine for the both of you, having chosen a unique and less powerful variety specifically for you. He still caught you eying it suspiciously.

“I'm told this is a very special wine. Locally made by the only winemaker on the entire island. They called it Kvöldsól, and it is apparently made without any grapes at all, but with wild berries, herbs, and rhubarb instead. I assure you, it is safe for human consumption. In fact, I am told that it is touted as a potent brew for the preservation of youth, driving away the ravages of age with something called anti-oxygen. Which sounds absurd; humans need great quantities of oxygen to live. But perhaps there is something to it?”

Yes, defending you from mortal aging was a worthy cause. It would be nice to keep you around for as long as possible.

“First of all.” You said, a gentle mirth in your voice. “I'm pretty sure it's 'anti-oxidants'. Second, are you implying that you don't?”

”Not as much as you, perhaps. Does it meet your approval?”

You took an experimental sip.

“Okay, yeah. It's good.”

It wasn't, not by Asgardian standards, but it also was at least a little different from the jumped up peasant fare that was nearly every other Midgardian wine. They were all either so sweet they might as well be desserts, or so dry they were tasteless. This, at least, had the excuse of being made with wild things, and if it was good for your health, he could make sure you had a supply.

Dinner was a charcuterie platter that also boasted a variety of fruits, nuts, crackers, spreads, and local cheeses, as well as what appeared to be one small smoked bird each, and one strip of cooked meat each.

Loki didn't suppose you could identify half of these things, except perhaps, the fruits, considering that most of them came from within Iceland, which you hadn't yet had the chance to see much of yet. He would have to arrange a royal road trip before the summer ended. What a great bonding opportunity that would be; on the road, alone together, learning more and more about what made each other work. He knew you would enjoy exploring, you had proven to be adventurous; even now you were choosing a little bit of everything for your plate, especially the things you were unfamiliar with. He wondered if he should tell you what everything was?

Most of this was finger food, and you ate with relish; it appeared lunch had not stayed with you. The journey through the mountains especially must have been grueling, he'd been able to tell by looking at you, but you had nobly refused help and just urged everyone to continue on.

“You've been so brave through all of this.” He said. “We will be here for a week, but this trial should not last that long. We can use the rest of the time to take a little vacation. There is a lovely botanical garden here in the city; we can get you some plants here, if you like. There are bookstores and museums. There are also shops, and a place to watch the whales swimming, and just across the fjord there is a waterfall to observe. We might be able to visit everything, if you like.”

“That might be nice. I've never seen whales before.” You regarded the little smoked bird and strip of meat with curiosity. They were different from the other fare before them, but you took several experimental bites anyway, and seemed to like them.

“Is this a quail?” You wondered. “It's so little. Tastes kinda weird. Not bad, but a little strange for a bird.”

“I believe this is a puffin. A type of seabird.” He elaborated at your blank expression.

“Like a seagull?” You asked. “You can eat seagulls?”

“Probably. I assume you can eat any kind of bird, they are all made of bird-flesh.”

“Eew, don't say bird-flesh.”

Loki held out his phone to you, having brought up a photo of a puffin.

“Ohhh, it's so cute!” You exclaimed. “Those live here? I think I'd rather see them than eat them.”

“I believe they used to be common fare, but now they only serve them to tourists. And visiting dignitaries, of course.”

“Okay, well I'll eat this one, because I don't like food to go to waste, but I think I'll stick with chicken from now on.”

“At least they understood our status when they sent us the sheep cheeks.” Loki said cheerfully, pointing at the strip of cooked meat. He had been rather impressed by the level of respect their hosts had shown by including it.

A bite stopped in midair, halfway to your mouth. “Uhhh...”

“What is it? Is something wrong?”

“I've just, uh, never eaten the cheeks off something before.”

Loki laughed quietly. “Of course not! That's kings fare. You would never have even seen such a delicacy. Meat from the head of the animal is always the best part, so it goes to the royal table. Unless, of course, you hunted the animal down yourself. So I suppose that's one way in which a peasant and a king might experience the same thing.”

“Don't like to waste food...” You muttered.

It was rather baffling to Loki, modern humans conceptions of what was good to eat. Granted, it seemed to change from region to region, but it seemed like, no matter where one went, there was some form of food that the locals turned their noses up at.

Perhaps he shouldn't judge too harshly. Some people simply couldn't digest certain things. Loki himself had some trouble with root vegetables. They sat like lead on his stomach, and made his bowels twist. Most people chalked it up to the pronounced pickiness of the nobility, but Loki could put forth his own guesses. Namely, that there was no such thing as a 'root vegetable' on Jotunheim.

He could change his face, but he couldn't change everything.

He still couldn't bring himself to tell you. Not yet. Certainly not now, when you had other things looming large in your mind. Later. When you returned home in triumph, and peace was restored.

Maybe.

It occurred to Loki that he had never actually told anyone of his true heritage himself. Odin and Frigga had always known. Odin had told Thor, and Thor had then told Brunnhilde and his Midgardian companions. And Loki had indirectly told all of Asgard, through the commission of his play, although that was after he had supposedly died a hero, and become beyond reproach.

But he'd never had to look someone else in the face and say to them with his own mouth 'I am a Jotun'.

It felt like admitting to a crime.

But it was not his crimes that were important here. The courthouse called, bright and early tomorrow morning. With any luck, this would all be over quickly and easily.

The time came to sleep, and Loki was as good as his word; he kept his back turned until you were changed and under your blankets, before turning out the lights and settling into his own bed.

As your breathing slowed, Loki allowed himself the tiny illicit thrill of imagining himself lying next to you, peacefully cuddling. Nothing inappropriate, nothing questionable, just gently holding you.

Loki knew that he liked touching you. He didn't put much thought into it; it was obviously because of the magical bond between you. His touch healed your body, your touch soothed his spirit. It seemed obvious.

He was not going to question a good thing right now.

Loki snuggled his other pillow, but it wasn't nearly as soft and warm as he imagined you to be.

#loki x reader #loki (marvel)#thor (marvel)#valkyrie (marvel)#brunnhilde (marvel)#marvel fanfiction #lasabrjotr

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ivara-is-my-friend · 5 years

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it took like a week but i got it done boys

Max enjoyed Earth. The luscious forests were still thriving amidst the Grineer industrialization. The air was always filled with the bustle of the lush jungles around them, the birds hiding in the trees near constantly making noise, along with the various wildlife scurrying around the forest floor. Of course, there was the ever-present bustling of the frontier troopers stationed there, but she had learned how to tune out the sounds of her fellow soldiers after countless missions with them.

It was the rare downtime between missions. Max wandered around aimlessly, scuffing her boots through the dirt and grass. Trouvaille lounged in a patch of sunshine between a few fellow troopers, while Ivara fiddled with her bow, propped up against a piece of machinery.

A kuaka dashes through the undergrowth, garnering Trouvaille’s attention. He’s quick to dart after it, prompting Max to reluctantly chase after him, sternly calling his name. He pays her no mind, instead continuing his mad chase through the brush. She scuttles quickly through the leaves and grass, stomping through the muddy trails.

The creature, having gained distance with nimble speed compared to the hulking kubrow, is quickly able to scurry into its den, away from curious eyes. Trouvaille persistently sniffs and searches around the entrance, but finds no way for something of his size to fit in. He slumps down on his haunches in defeat, ears pinned back in frustration. Max catches up, slightly out of breath, to sternly glare at the panting companion.

They’d been led a good distance away from where they’d started, far away from the other soldiers and Ivara. It’s only now that Max realizes she’d forgotten her Argonak back beside the Warframe.

An anxious feeling festers in her gut. “Trou, let’s scoot,” she commands lightly, hoping to be able to return to base before anything bad happened. Trou reluctantly gets to his feet, shaking off dirt and debris he’d accumulated from his mad dash through the forest. The brown spots covering his black fur are accompanied by splotches of mud, almost blending in to his natural pattern. Max stoops to pat off some of the more stubborn clumps of mud.

It’s when she’s working on one of the final spatters of mud on his back that she feels it. A shift in the atmosphere. It went from feeling natural and relaxed to tense, as if they were being closely watched. A quick look around gives her no input, as she sees no other being peering back at them. Even the birds in the trees seemed to have sensed the change, as they went eerily silent from their perches.

“We gotta go. Now,” she urges the canine, quickly turning back to the trail they’d taken to get here. The feeling of being watched stayed persistent, sending a shiver down her spine.

Just as she was turning around to lead them back, a dash of smoke caught her eye. It lasted for a split second before vanishing, only to reappear nearby almost immediately in a different location. She spun to face it, turning her attention away from the trail.

And then he was there.

She remembered his terrifying demeanor, as if it was something that could be forgotten in the first place, made all the more intimidating after the armaments Hunhow had bestowed upon him. The small cloud of smoke dissipated quickly, revealing Shadow Stalker’s kneeling form.

Max was frozen. Usually she had a Warframe with her to aid her in these confrontations, but here she was essentially defenseless. She only had her meager Amp she’d crafted with Onkko. Her Warframe would attack, and she would sneak in quick blasts occasionally to make the fight easier. While it was optimal for removing Stalker’s resistances, it was pitiful compared to the attacks she would be facing.

The assassin rises to his feet silently, smoothly. Trouvaille backs up into Max, ears flat against his head and fur bristled. A low, threatening rumble emanated from his throat, doing his best to protect.

Stalker levels her with a contempt-filled glare. She shrinks back, meagerly taking a few steps back out of reflex. He unsheathes War, holds it sturdily in both hands. It shimmers in the sunlight that’s filtering in through the tree canopies, as if displaying the power it contained.

With a hiss, he ushers out an infamous warning.

“You shall not leave this place.”

With a snarl, Trou launches himself towards Stalker, spurring them all into action. The kubrow dashes between the hunter’s legs, swiping with sharp claws. Stalker is distracted, even if only for a moment, and Max takes it to her advantage. She darts towards the trail back to base, trusting that Trou would be smart enough to be quick to follow.

She hears another hiss from the newcomer. Stalker twists away from the meager onslaught to follow her.

“Zus? Zus! Can you hear me?” Her voice is frantic, any training on how to remain calm and level-headed in stressful situations having been quickly forgotten. Her comms stay silent, and with a jolt she realizes that they’ve been jammed so she has no way of calling for aid.

She chances a quick glance over her shoulder as she hauls through the forest. Stalker is pursuing her now, War still held at the ready. His steps are silent compared to the hectic stomping of the Operator’s feet on the dirt and mud. She vaguely sees Trouvaille tearing after them, in a mad dash to catch up to her before the shadowy figure does. She spots Stalker swinging the giant blade back, going in for a strong swipe.

Max turns away to face the path she’s speedily taking, swiping overhanging branches and foliage out of the way. She tries to drastically increase the distance between the two of them before Stalker can attack.

She doesn’t make it far.

A whoosh, a gust of wind swirling by, and suddenly she’s knocked off her feet and onto the ground. It takes a moment to regain her bearings, but she recognizes what he’d done: a blast of energy from the sword, a mimic of a Warframe’s ability.

For a moment, she lays there, dazed. Her shoulder and ribs ache from the harsh impact. Trouvaille catches up, and firmly stands above her prone form protectively. Stalker heeds him no mind, instead striding up to the downed Operator with vengeful intent.

“I am your reckoning,” he growls out, raising War for a final strike.

Then, off to the side-- another rustle of leaves. All three turn to look.

It’s enough.

Without notice, Max and Trouvaille vanish from sight. The rustling intensifies, and Stalker turns his confused self to address the newer threat.

A volley of arrows fire out of the bushes, hitting their target with significant damage. Stalker grunts in pain, and hefts War back up to attack.

Max knows what’s happened, and she’s incredibly grateful for it: they’d been struck with a cloak arrow, meaning Ivara was nearby. The swarm of arrows appearing from thin air are another strong indicator to her presence. It gives her a chance to catch her breath amidst the chaos.

Ivara shows no signs of letting up. A near-constant stream of arrows pour from Artemis Bow, a majority of them turning Stalker into a living pin cushion. He gives out various huffs and grunts of pain as he tries to locate the source, but Ivara stays in Prowl, out of sight. Max meagerly fires a quick blast from her amp to help Ivara along, drawing Stalker’s attention for a split second.

Eventually, Stalker realizes that he’s in over his head. With an irritated hiss, he sheathes War and kneels, dissipating into the same cloud of smoke he arrived in.

With the attacker gone, Ivara appears beside Max and Trou. The cloak bubble dies off, revealing a scuffed-up Max. Ivara is quick to fret, rushing to the downed Operator and checking on her. Max begrudgingly allows Ivara to check her over, resisting the urge to roll her eyes in exasperation as Ivara thoroughly inspects her for scrapes or injury.

“I do believe I’m fine,” Max quips as Ivara tilts Max’s head around to check for bumps. Ivara heeds her no mind, and does not stop her thorough inspection until she’s sure Max isn’t seriously hurt.

Ivara finally lets up, and steps back and Max slowly and carefully gets to her feet. Her rib cage and shoulder still feel achy from the rough impact, but not enough to keep her down. Trouvaille sits at attention next to her, carefully keeping an additional eye on her. She carefully swipes her hands around, brushing dirt and dust off her armor.

Ivara nods her head back towards base.

“Yeah, I guess we oughta get going,” Max sighs. With a forlorn look down the trail, she realizes she now needs to follow it all the way back. She doesn’t feel up for it. She’s already worn out, and the idea of walking that far of a distance is discouraging.

Ivara pauses; cocks her head to the side like she’s thinking. She taps Max’s shoulder to garner her attention, and hooks a thumb over her shoulder to point at her back. When Max gives her a questioning look, Ivara spins around with her back to the Operator and points again.

“You’re kidding.”

Ivara points again, with more enthusiasm.

“You’re not kidding.”

With a huff and a smirk, Max clambers onto Ivara’s provided back, and lets her Warframe wrap her arms snugly around her legs to hold her steady. Max hooks her chin over Ivara’s shoulder to look ahead. Ivara beams, holding her head up high and hefting Max further onto her back.

“I sort of hope you know the way back, because I sure don’t.”

#i don't particularly like this but?? i got it done hey ho.#max #some writin

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lilmajorshawty · 6 years

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i'm trying to guess this dude's venus sign and i was wondering how each venus sign might act when they're crushing on someone? thank you!

Aries venus(m/f)1st house: they tend to be a mixture of straightforward-cat and mouse. Mars being their ruler they can at times act like Scorpio venus with the game playing but it’s less psychological since Aries is a physical sign so they will often try to seduce you through their actions! And showing off their assets! Be it their arms or their body-their beautiful hair or their gorgeous eyes-for them it’s about the seductive tug. They often try to argue with you a lot and may be a little unruly for no reason when they’re trying to win you over! Aha and they’ll act like they can’t stand you whilst jokingly smirking. Very playful and honest! And if you somehow don’t catch on to their efforts they either leave it alone or they straight up let you know(depending on the circumstances)

Taurus venus(m/f)2nd house: very sensual. I’d say they move very slow so they might not outright show you anything to really sit down and be like “they like me” but they’ll gradually let you know in their body language, such as getting more nervous around you-fidgeting with their body(which isn’t normal of venus In Taurus mainly because they are normally “comfortable” and messing with their body is a sign of being “uncomfortable” May avoid eye contact or being around you to much as they tend to have strong desires especially when they like someone! Can be a bit stiff and more cut and dry with you to protect themselves. They will stare a lot! But only in the beginning after that they avoid eye contact like cray cray! Also they will show off their personal possessions be it the nice watch, the nice car, the nice shoes or whatever it is they will want you to see how much of a provider they can be for you and themselves. OH AND THEYRE VERY VERY VERYYYYYYYYY GOOD at the lingering touch! So pay attention to how they touch you/how they lean in and how they create moments in which you could touch or grab them!!(they want you to touch them)

Gemini venus(m/f)3rd house: wow (me), can be a bit all over the place when they like you aha! A little bit of a schoolgirl/schoolboy thing and it can be very obvious depending on where mercury is located in their chart! If it’s in a earth or water house they can be a bit harder to read but if In an air or fire house they are veryyyyyy obvious about it. They play with their hands a lot and can bite their lips and or do little small nuances such as long sighs and or sweating when around a crush if they really like em. They love communication so if you’re easy to talk to that helps a great deal and allows them to feel safe expressing that desire. They tend to be goofy as hell and super easy to talk to when they like you! And tend to adapt to your sense of humor very easily. You’ll notice the “twins” come out they’ll be bubbly and curious one moment then intense and serious the next. They’re honestly very shy and reclusive when they like you surprisingly and tend to wait on cues from the other person before they do anything big.

Cancer venus(m/f)4th house: actually they tend to be the more blunt of the water venus! They don’t hide it but they also don’t make it easy for you either. They tend to send out signals through staring and deliberate intimacy and touching but they can also have moments where they stop doing these things out of nowhere. They tend to be passive aggressive so you’ll have to be patient with them as often they reflect their actions A. L O T. So don’t get alarmed if they disappear they’re worse then Scorpio when it comes to this. They don’t play mind games but they do test a lot and may try to see how much you like them based on these test but for the most part even if you were to fail they don’t give up on you they just kind of distance themselves a little. They are very nurturing and I know that’s a typical thing to say but they’re actually so sweet and tender but easily hurt so be careful about how you react to their gestures.

Leo venus(m/f)5th house: charming! Usually forward but a bit of the praise me aesthetic going on. They will express a desire to be around you but also won’t do so unless you’ve show them that you value them being their in the first place. I call them the “true libra” as they will only do something if you do it. So the more interest you show them then the more of them you’ll see. They act a bit like scorpios in the sense that they TAKE THE CRUSHING SERIOUSLY so even if you’re not looking for a serious relationship try not to “play the field” in their face as they’ll get vindictive and or cut you off fast as hell. They love to care for you and look amazing to you and may be showoffs! The guys talk about their body a lot and excuse my language but their “package” women will have a sense of pride about their looks and will often reference themselves as being “the best/baddest” which is ironic because they don’t typically do this unless they’re trying to win someone over.

Virgo venus(m/f)6th house: it’s all in the actions. They don’t really talk much it’s more or so in how and what they do. They might grab your coat for you or put your books away-they might offer to grab you an umbrella or give you some food, they might give you a modest compliment or be very gentle with you. They tend to be more about showing you than saying and this is even when they’re dating you they just don’t like having to express their desire for you through simple words as often for them the actions speak much louder. They can be very quiet and nervous around you and seemingly look as if they want to get the fuck oughta there but they’ll stay. Usually serious faces but tends to brighten up the moment you touch them. Not likely to outright touch you unless you touch them first! Honestly they’re sweethearts but they take a long ass time to do things on their own that are romantic so you’ll usually have to make the first move as they need to be vocally told that you like them otherwise they’ll be in limbo wondering if the wink you gave them was romantic or because a fly flew into your eye.

Libra venus(m/f)7th house: OH MY GOD THEY’RE SOOOOOOOO FUNNY AHA they tend to be really corny fellows and gals and have a thing about winning you over by talking your head off but mind you they’re so magnetic and have a very sweet yet alluring way of talking to you! They tend to smile very huge and bright smiles when they like you and I’m not kidding! Pay attention to their eyes as well as libra venus tend to squint and do low smirks when there feeling someone as they often are truly trying to adapt and or function in a way they looks the most flattering to you and which increases there chances of being with you. They are often fairly direct almost like an Aries venus and have no trouble about pursing but I will say they do it through grace and charm instead of out right physical demonstrations. Can be very easy going when around you and slightly sassy with a cute disposition.

Scorpio venus(m/f)8th house: intense. I wouldn’t say they do crushes because it’ll start that way and then becomes something else unless it’s a celebrity crush aha. Usually they stare…Like so much staring..intact staring x68828191873828292929178182819292. They also send out vibes that can often feel like tension but a little bit of like being submerged in water. They tend to use anything they’ve learned from and by watching you or through local research to win you over be it knowing you favorite song, your types of colors and or what types of ways you like to be pursued based on how you react to situations they’ve seen you in. It’s all about observation for them. They aren’t impulsive despite mars being the co ruler! They do and will indulge in mind games no matter how evolved they are but the difference is the older ones no when to stop if they know it’s hurting you. They’ll be very protective and jealous over you and like Taurus they move very slow when trying to really commit and or express desire for someone! They’ll honestly be very confident around you but act like they hate you so you’ll never really know if they like you or hate you! I’ve noticed the more they act rude to you the more they like you and this is done because they need to have control over the situation and they feel as though admitting feelings for you puts them on the weaker end. Seductive sexually and very sweet.

Sagittarius venus(m/f)9th house: FUN AS HELL. Being the last fire sign they honestly are the most mature when it comes to expressing desire for someone and may be a bit more on the aloof side in the beginning! The theme here is “grandeur” so they’ll often hit you with the nomadic and independent aura seeming like nothing really fazes them including you! Similar to venus I’m aqua it’ll seem like you’re not even there but that’s apart of the dance you see! They tend to loop you for a game often trying to gauge your level of interest through your desire to reach out to them and also by seeing if you’re willing to be a bit more goofy or playful in order to get them! They’re often very caring towards their crushes and normally kind of heart if not a little childish with their games but for the most part they’ll do over the top gestures from random and swingle always be trying to have fun with you and the biggie here is if they associate having a good time with being around you.

Capricorn venus(m/f)10th house:somber! But I’ll say they can be sooooooooooooooooooooooo adorable when they like someone! Mainly because they take it seriously and due to them being a bit more of a serious character they don’t normally jump into relationships for fun-so they’ll likely keep their distance emotionally at first more on the quiet and patient side! They don’t really mind if you’re more impulsive but they usually wont speed up just because you want them too aha. They tend to be a bit gloom and doom when they’re flirting in the first stages and may lean towards self deprecating humor such as talking about how life is a terrible play or how roses aren’t always red but that aside they usually do this as a means to see if you’ll put up with their more stoic of moods. They are often very security orientated and will make sure they can provide that for you and if not they’ll likely push you away until they can. Much like Virgo venus they show you they care through actions and service! They do move really slow but it’s worth it.

Aquarius venus(m/f)11th house:the things is they are often really hard to read and this increases when they like you! Since Aquarius is ruled by Saturn and Uranus this can cause them to be erratic and serious when romantic feelings come in to play-so this can lead to paradoxical behavior on their part! So they’re either acting like you’re not their or in their heads a lot about it rather then physically! Mind you they tend to really be loving especially when they’re really like you but they can have a harder time expressing it then most due to the nature of Aquarius so they might try to be around you but also not look at your or show acknowledgement towards you whilst doing so. They also tend to show nervousness and start staying around their friends whenever you’re around when they like you as often they seek there friends out as a source of emotional comfort. It helps if you try to be their friends first as often when you come at them romantically first it scares them a bit and may cause them to shutdown until they are ready to jump into that.

Pisces venus(m/f)12th house:tends to be very vibrational! You’ll feel it similarly to Scorpio but it’ll feel much more atmospheric if anything. They pull a lot of disappearing acts normally and without warning but this is because they get overwhelmed by their feelings and need to gather themselves. They usually are very intimate and sentimental about it and will inform everyone else around them but the actual person themselves. They’ll be very very very shy and it’ll get worse the more they like you but it helps if you ease up with them. Normally I’d say they day dream about you a lot and you’ll be able to tell because they’ll start to look at you like you’re familiar to them as the days go by!

#ask #Venus crushes

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wavemaker9 · 5 years

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Here’s 2 things I want to touch on and make into 1 big topic re gta au:

1, if i’m pulling toni to be separate from aph too, i don’t have to give a fuck about how the relationship between portugal and spain works as countries and can give him and whatever-port’s-human-name-will-be wahtever relay I wanna give them. So maybe port as the right hand man for toni as well. I was thinking toni not having anyone who he trusted in the city but i like him having one person. Them not being blood, but met when they were young and first in the city, two newly moved kids from europe trying to get used to life in los santos, slowly starting to trust each other and work together as they eventually fell into crime together, as they dug and clawed for any coin they could get until eventually it all paid off. Toni’s ambition and charm causing him to take the lead a little more, but port always having his back and vice versa, with port even often joking (or reassuring, depending on context) that he’ll be there to take over whenever toni’s gone (when the joke first started, toni joked back to ask ‘and what do you think is gonna happen to me exactly? You think anyone in this city has a chance at killing me?’ and port ‘oh, no, no, of course not. I’m just waiting for when your head gets so big it finally crushes your body. that’ll happen way before someone kills you’). 2, i’d suggested that toni started to have a crush on cami for a while there, but once he realized, he backed out both of fear of getting attached + of putting her in danger somehow as well, and so withdrew until she stopped showing interest in him as well. Instead, i like him actually entertaining the idea of pursuing the relationship, even at the risk of backing out of the crime business to do it even if just for a little while.

like toni lowkey flatters a lot, it’s what he does. it’s not obvious, he’s not being super clear about it, but the subtlty makes it so that automatically flattering people gives you a nice small bonus to most relationships had. so it starts out like that as well, toni complimenting the shop when he comes in, the food and how delicious the last item he got was, or even when he feels like flustering her just a bit, cami herself. but after a little bit, it feels more natural. he’s not saving the things to fill space in a conversation, or to win a little favor in advance for the next time he needs it. he really does think that chalk drawing is very cute, he really did love that new batch of chocolates she made, he really does think that new dress she’s wearing brings out her eyes in the best way. and taht’s the first realization, that he actually is interested in her, even if he doesn’t pick up just yet that it’s more romantic than normal. at that point he starts to throw out a couple more flirts when they talk, he buys two tickets for something they talked about a month or so ago and plays as if someone else cancelled and she wouldn’t be interested in going to this thing would she? he’ll even make it worth while by buying her dinner as well! he starts to bring little gifts, flowers, his efforts really pick up without him even realizing. normally he’s totally fine with sleeping with a couple dif people at the same time, but finds he’s less open to other relationships when he starts to hook up more with cami. he spends time with her and his whole day, his whole view of the city feels like it brightens. he kisses her and it’s like sparks light up along his lips. he sleeps with her and finds himself much less interested in his own needs, far more focused on making sure she’s satisfied.

and all of this kind of piles into realization 2, which is that he genuinely just wants to see her happy. specifically no strings attached. this isn’t a ‘make them happy so i get something out of it down the line’ sort of thing, he just genuinely sees cami as this light in the dark of los santos, and he could stop talking to her tomorrow and he’d still want to at least know that every day she was better off than how she’d started. which is probably weird for him??? i don’t know if that’s happened at least since he was young. again, i mentioned him not really fully processing gil and francis as friends because he gets something out of their relationship business-wise and it’s kind of foolish to actually befriend your business partners. port’s the closest, but they feel more like brothers than friends, and it’d take a lot more to betray family, especially one that has helped and continues to help as much as he has. outside of her presence, cami doesn’t get much for toni that he couldn’t get elsewhere. he could find anyone to sleep with if he just cared about sex, he knows a few other good bakers and chefs in the town who could probably whip him up a batch of some tasty treat with the right amount of persuasion. she doesn’t have a lot of money, not many connections in town, and if anything he’s actually /losing/ things because of her, considering that time before where he spent money to help her with robbery repair costs + spent resources having some of the toros watch the area to keep hostile gangs away from her store. if this isn’t new for him, it’s old enough where it oughta be new, and a part of him says immediately to back out, that this is foolish, that this is how you die in this city. making connections when you’ve got a target on your back like he does. but then a part of him also points out that he could always just... get rid of the target. people want him dead for power, for money, sure, but if that wasn’t his anymore, no one’d have a reason to come after him /or/ her. it’s at least an idea he doesn’t immediately discard.

and as more time passes, he considers it more and more, until he finally brings the idea up to port, asking if port’s still planning to take over for toni after toni’s no longer running things. as always, port jokes about how yes yes when you finally die i’ll make sure the toros live on and forget you so they can look up to me, no worries, no worries, haha. toni offering what if this happened before he died though? what if it was actually a lot sooner than port thought? port laughing off the idea, asking if toni is bullshitting him, until he realizes toni /isn’t/ bullshitting him, hold on what the fuck. he’s quickly trying to question what he’s talking about, is he ill, is someone making him say that, blink once for yes, twice for no. toni laughs and waves off the pseudo-faux concern, insisting it’s just a thought, just something he’s been rolling around in his head lately. Port asking what on earth could make toni consider that, since he’s been giving everything he had to get to be where he is since they first met. toni’s ignored every religious insistence that crime is a sin not to be involved with, so what on earth could get him to consider actually stopping. toni hesitates before vaguely admitting, “There’s this woman” and port laughing hard, declaring bullshit again but once again more convinced by toni /not/ chuckling and smiling and waving it off as nothing to worry about. port asking “Did this woman threaten to kill you????” like what the fuck, and toni having to vaguely talk about how he’s been sort of head over heels lately, though not going into details on who it is. Port teases him for being lovesick, that he’d throw everything away for a romance that will fall apart in another week or two, but toni dismisses the prediction, as well as any concrete decision here. he’s still just considering, he just feels it would be better to retire if he did want to pursue anything more. besides, he can’t really complain retiring at his age. ludwig’s already running gil’s crew and he bets francis will have someone new soon enough as well. what if it’s time for the second stringers(or whatever) to have a chance at the gold. port rejects the idea of being called a second stringer, but ultimately agrees of course he’d take things over if toni wanted to retire, though he disagrees that toni should do it just for one person. finally he asks what toni’d even do if he retired from crime, with toni considering before prolly saying as a dramatic irony thing about cami, ‘y’know, i was considering taking up baking.’

and that idea stays in his head for a little while longer. if anything it grows stronger as he continues to fall for cami. i think he genuinely 100% considers a fantasy of dropping all this, moving to the north of the town where it’s a little safer, and just living his life with cami. it’s a period where he probably starts to mellow out just a little in the violence department as well. but it deosn’t last especially long, when a realization hits toni. i’m not sure how to get this through to him; i was originally suggesting some other higher up in the town being attacked, osmeone who got out of the game a year or so ago at least, but instead, i think i like cami’s shop being broken into again, the first time since that time toni offered helping with that. and this time it’s not just that they made a mess while looking for valuable shit to take. this was aggressive, this was violent for violence, this was a message. i think cami was hurt a little, with toros members in the area who moved in to attack the other gang when they made a move also suffering some injuries. as soon as toni finds out, he comes over to try and help, apologizing in a way that cami thinks is in a very ‘i’m sorry that this happened to you’ but is truly just toni taking this as his fault. and it kind of clicks that like, oh, no, he was wrong. he thought money and power would be the only major issues someone’d want to kill him, but he temporarily forgot about revenge and all that jazz.

and it takes a day or so to process everything before something snaps in toni and he just kinda realizes oh this was a mistake, i’ve made a mistake, what a fucking fool i am. i think he makes a show of force to the rival gang, but only in a way that toni feels won’t put camille in danger. he starts to pull back, eventually making up some excuse to ask that htey just be friends instead if that would be alright, though wanting very much to make it clear that he did like what they had, he did like her, it’s just not working out with him where he is right now and work’s been /so/ bussy and stress lately, she knows how it is, though. he hopes she’ll understand. when he breaks the news he won’t be retiring after all, what was he even thinking, the toros are the only home and family he needs, he says through a tone that port raises and eyebrow at. port teasingly upset at first, it was supposed to be his crew, soon, damnit): though ultimately yeah, he’s glad, wouldn’t have wanted to do this without the two of them working together. then it’s not too long after that that cami meets cian. and toni has to learn to be cool with him instead

#ignore this #i did not reread this to edit it because it's 11:45 and i'm tired #the boss kid #amusing muse musings #crossovers! unlimited crossovers!#crossovers gta edition

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heyymonkey2 · 7 years

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First Night Back in Fuuga Ch 43: Overwhelming Feelings

AO3 Link to Chapter 43

Summary: Lili confronts her feelings and has an enormous decision to make

From a palace rooftop perch, Jae-Ha watches Hak train Sky soldiers.

He’s not surprised to see a smile flash across his little brother’s face. Jae-Ha is quite aware Hak just got back from another rendezvous with Yona. Ever since making up, those two have been finding private nooks all around the palace to connect.

It’s certainly made Jae-Ha’s life more interesting to watch them. Finally! Letting their guard down and playing a bit. It’s been making him feel a little playful himself.

And fascinated.

At a time when Yona and Hak could easily be stressing over their delayed coronation -- because nothing can happen until Lili and Tae-Woo are back -- they’re instead focusing on how each day their growing child becomes stronger.

And even though Hak could be trying to coop up his beloved wife until he’s gotten to the bottom of the threats on her life, he’s instead been happy to know she's moving freely throughout the palace to do the work that’s important to her. And the country.

Jae-Ha wasn’t sure what a reign under Yona and Hak would look like exactly, but these past few days have started to give him a glimpse. The whole palace a glimpse. And if that’s any prediction of what could be to come… it's worth fighting to preserve.

Jae-Ha's eyes land on the mountains in the distance. The landscape sends his mind wandering elsewhere...

“Take care of her,” he whispers as he remembers the last time he saw Lili...

::-:: A few days before -- hours before Lili and Tae-Woo’s departure ::-::

Lili stands just outside the palace gates, looking out at the mountains in the direction she’s about to journey.

“Leaving without saying goodbye?”

Lili glows at the sound of Jae-Ha’s voice. “I was thinking about it.”

He takes a seat beside her. “Lili Dear, are you mad at me?” He watches her consider and raises his brows. “Oh, you are. ...oddly, when you make that face at me, it’s kind of a turn on.”

Lili smacks his arm and rises. She throws her hands down at her sides in frustration. “I hate that!”

Jae-Ha can’t suppress his smile at her fury -- he's only been here for about one minute.

Lili notices his amusement and throws her hands up in exhaustion. She begins to pace. “This is why I didn’t want to see you.”

Jae-Ha watches her. Waits. And when she finally stops, he asks. “Tell me.”

“I really, really… wanted to see you. I always want to see you. Being near you is...,” Lili huffs and turns her back to him. She takes a deep breath. “Listen. I’m leaving and I don’t know if I’ll get to see you again. To me, I just wanted you to know… you’re a really special person.”

Jae-Ha rises, “Something tells me you don’t get this mad at all the special people in your life," he pulls Lili into a hug -- a touched expression on his face, "And of course you’ll see me again!”

Lili laughs against him. He always makes her laugh. That’s why this has been so confusing. Jae-Ha is handsome, sincere, a great listener, talented, hilarious, and outrageous. She had wondered all this time if maybe… liking being around someone this much is what love is. But spending time with Tae-Woo has only further confused this notion.

Lili sadly acknowledges the space and silence left between she and Jae-Ha even now. There’s affection and yet… for some reason nothing has ever happened.

Lili looks Jae-Ha straight in the eyes. “This moment, right now, is what I don’t understand. You’ve never tried to kiss me. Ever. Even now.”

“If I kissed you... you wouldn’t be able to forget.”

“Uh… good?” Lili is pissed he sees a problem.

“You’re not thinking this through.”

“Do you always think it through before kissing a girl?”

“Well, in your particular case…”

“OH HO! And just how am I different than other girls?!”

Jae-Ha has known this conversation was coming -- ever since she arrived at the palace and he saw the way she looked at him. He knows why he hasn't kissed her. I treasure our friendship. And your happiness. I want you to succeed. But he doesn't want to tell the truth if it will just draw her in further. So he goes another direction. “I doubt you need any additional distractions at the moment.”

“Don’t men like these kinds of distractions?”

“Flings, yes. Relationships… are more than distractions.” Dragon lives are short. Your life is going to be long. “You deserve someone who can be devoted -- to you.”

“I don’t mind… about Yona.”

Jae-Ha absorbs those words with a sad shock. He takes a step back and speaks now more like a father to a daughter than one friend to another. “You’re going to be a general now.”

Lili stares at him with surprise at the sudden seriousness.

“You can’t walk into a battle like love giving up so much at the start. As a leader, protect your people. As an incredible girl with her whole life ahead of her -- protect your heart. I have things I must protect, too.”

Does he mean Yona and Hak? “I feel like you’re looking at a big picture I can’t see. It scares me. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone, OK? I won’t be here to heal you.”

Jae-Ha pulls Lili into another hug. “Let’s both not do stupid things while you’re gone, deal?”

“Deal,” Lili smiles.

“Unless you want to with that young general. That, I completely approve of.”

Lili smacks Jae-Ha again, shaking her head but also a bit embarrassed about how well that idea sits with her.

Jae-Ha begins to walk Lili back to the palace. “You know what’s so good about friends versus lovers?”

“Well now that I know where we stand, it better be good.”

Jae-Ha smiles. “You get to keep friends forever,” he takes her hand and kisses it. “You’re a special person to me, too, my dear Lili. Be safe on your trip. And come back so we can keep that friends forever thing in motion,” Jae-Ha glances up at the palace gate where Tae-Woo emerges with Hak and Yona. “Though I have reason to believe not a hair on your head is going to be harmed.”

“Ungh!” Forearm meets forearm.

Lili steps backward, then comes at Tae-Woo again. “Yah!”

“Mm!” Tae-Woo absorbs the hit, carefully taking her limb toward him to prevent as much bruising as he can.

They’re so close to Soo-Won now. Shin-Ah went on ahead to verify it’s the hidden Village of Hakuryuu up ahead. They’ll need to enter carefully.

Lili catches Tae-Woo’s eyes on her. It sends a shock from her head straight to her heart.

“Hhh,” she misses this time.

Tae-Woo moves an open palm against her stomach to balance her. She feels the contact of that strong hand of his and then her thighs weakening in reaction. She shoves herself back from his touch like it terrifies her.

Fuck. Focus. She looks at a tree off to the side. Brown bark. Boring. Focus on boring. All the little details of the tree. Lili has goals and responsibilities right now. It’s no time for overwhelming feelings. What the hell is wrong with you, body?! Just. Stop.

Is she flushed? Tae-Woo notices the pink rising on Lili’s cheeks. He wonders if he’s working her too hard. She’s seemed… distracted.

“Is it Soo-Won?”

“Huh?” Lili looks Tae-Woo straight in those dark blue eyes. She regrets it immediately and snaps her attention back toward the boring brown bark. “What’s that supposed to mean out of nowhere.”

Tae-Woo holds a closed fist against his lips as he considers. Is he saying too much? He's wanted to ask her things so badly lately... but he's been trying so hard to keep whatever distance he can. Well, too late to recover on this one. “We’re really close to him now. I thought… maybe you were thinking about him?”

Lili sighs. Given the mission we’re on, I should have been. But SOMEONE had to go for a naked swim… “I’m sorry I’m not doing so great today. If that’s what you mean.”

“No!” Tae-Woo backpeddles, sincere concern on his face. Shit. “This is hard work. I’m not judging you,” he scratches behind an ear, “I don’t care what pace we go. Sorry I said that before… there was a rumor you two were friends. I didn’t know if it was true…”

There’s an awkward silence between them. Lili staring at a tree. Tae-Woo staring at Lili.

And then he can’t help it, “... was it… true?”

Lili glances up at Tae-Woo. He’s never asked her a question that personal before.

“I don’t want to tell you...”

Tae-Woo smiles gently. “Why’s that?”

“Don’t you hate him?”

Tae-Woo’s smile disappears.

SNAP! In an instant Lili is horizontal under Tae-Woo against a bush.

“Shh,” he mouths down at her. She hears the breaking of underbrush from footsteps. It’s getting louder, closer.

Lili watches Tae-Woo as he looks up toward the sound. He’s so serious, focused. She's captivated.

And then the sound of whoever is out there is so, so near. Lili steels herself. She knows how to fight now. She will if it comes to it. Her first time has to happen eventually.

Tae-Woo can feel Lili tremble beneath him. He instinctively pulls her tighter against him. He’s ready to jump into action, but also takes care to find her hand and give it a squeeze.

And in that frantic moment, Lili realizes unequivocally… she has feelings for this boy. And even if she cannot pursue him, if she can just be near him… it feels like she can truly breathe.

“I’m sorry,” Tae-Woo carefully gets up off Lili.

Lili notices the sound of the stranger is gone. “For what?”

“Getting so close to you.”

“...I didn’t mind.”

Tae-Woo looks at her an extra long second, then suggests, “Jae-Ha might.”

Lili’s expression goes on a journey from mild confusion to amused revelation. “You don’t know Jae-Ha very well, do you?”

“Not really…”

Lili rises, “We’re not lovers. He’s an important friend of mine.” A very perverted friend.

As Tae-Woo watches Lili walk back to their training area, he's as intrigued as he’s ever been with her... and more excited than he knows he oughta be that she's not with Jae-Ha.

Tae-Woo peeks through the flaps of the tent where Lili sits. Her cheeks instantly go pink at their scenario.

Shin-Ah still hasn’t returned, so they’d set up the tent to get some rest. Just the two of them.

“I can sleep outside…” Tae-Woo offers.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lili gestures toward a blanket for him she set next to hers. She notices his hesitation. “Hey, listen, you don’t have to be shy about it. ...I noticed.”

Tae-Woo freezes, color rising in his cheeks, too. Has that he likes her been that obvious? “Lady Lili, I--”

“You don’t have to say a word about it. I shouldn’t put you in that position.”

Tae-Woo moves into the tent enough for the flaps to close behind him. “Have I been making you uncomfortable?”

That sends Lili wondering -- wait, has he been onto her this whole time? That even though she can't have him, each time they touch she wants to jump him? That seeing him half naked nearly sent every ounce of her composure packing!?

“Yes. I mean, no! It’s not your fault. You can’t help it.”

Tae-Woo is starting to feel like he really screwed this up. “I’m here to protect and train you. I won’t cross that line.”

“You men and your lines lately,” Lili mutters in frustration.

Tae-Woo is so damn confused. He looks at her without a clue what to say.

“I’m sorry. That actually wasn’t about you. You have all the reason in the world to keep boundaries and I respect that. Han-Dae is lucky to have such a devoted boyfriend.”

Tae-Woo’s jaw drops and his eyes nearly pop out of his head. “What did you just say…?”

Lili stares back completely innocently. “Han-Dae is lucky.”

Tae-Woo’s biological instincts go into overdrive. Not even thinking, he blurts defensively-- “I like women!”

Both Tae-Woo and Lili stare quietly into the empty space of the tent between them, suddenly both retracing their entire conversation. The blushing all around steadily increases.

By the time she’s the color of a beet, Lili crawls into her bedding without a word.

Tae-Woo looks at her, his bedding right next her, then at the tent door. He doesn’t know what the right thing to do is. The things he’s feeling compelled to say -- and do -- are coming from some primal place. And he hasn’t ever felt it this strongly before.

Lili stares at the dirty beige tent wall. Damn, no distant tree details to focus on in here. Nothing but him. And how can she face him right now when every detail on his face, the sound of his voice, the way he’s so well-mannered toward her… draws her in.

Lili hears him starting to leave and can’t bear it -- she turns over and quietly calls, “You should come to bed.”

Tae-Woo has a brief internal struggle, then crawls under the blanket next to her.

They lay facing each other, their hearts pounding, eyes locked.

“This is stupid but… I’m embarrassed about earlier. I want you to know… Han-Dae is only a close friend of mine. Nothing… more.”

Lili smiles and laughs. “I’m an idiot. I can’t believe this entire time I thought that.”

Tae-Woo mirrors her smile. “To be fair, this entire time I thought Jae-Ha was your boyfriend.”

They continue staring, soft smiles, hopeful eyes -- the want between them tangible in the heat of the air. They both feel it. And now, finally, they kinda both know they both feel it.

Lili opts to speak freely. “I’m really happy it’s been you training me. You’re so… patient. And encouraging. You’re already a general -- I think I have a lot more to learn from you.”

They’ve been so careful to keep their conversations to being about the weather or training tactics. In this new intimacy, their voices change as though they’re letting their guard down, opening the gates to something much deeper, and are welcoming the other in.

“I never really thought of myself as General. I always thought Lord Hak was coming back… and only lately has it really sunk in... this is for real.”

“Everyone in your tribe respects you so much. I respect you so much,” Lili proclaims.

“I think the same about you. And I see why your tribe follows you with pride. I mean, how quickly you’ve been progressing? You really push yourself. I’ve been impressed this entire time. You should know that. And I’ve heard stories about you standing up against the former king to protect the princess. You’re… a really cool girl.”

Tae-Woo doesn’t look away. Dark blue eyes to dark blue eyes, it’s a meaningful gaze they hold, each further realizing that they may have been feeling the same thing, confused the same way, and frustrated by the same want. A want that’s more and more in this tent tonight beginning to feel like a need.

The held moment between them is a silent, mutual confession.

And Tae-Woo just keeps not looking away. Happy disbelief. The sentiment is so overwhelming, Lili feels a tear slide down her cheek. He wordlessly reaches to brush it away. Her lips naturally part as she inhales in preparation for the touch--

“Pukyuu!~” Ao chirps from the tent entrance.

Both Lili and Tae-Woo snap their heads toward the sound with alarm.

Ao is sitting on Shin-Ah’s shoulder. Shin-Ah scratches the little squirrel’s head. Everyone is relieved the blue dragon's mask is on. No reaction to see here.

“Soo-Won is there. It’s best if we go now. In the darkness.”

Soo-Won.

Every time that name comes up, Wind warriors get agitated.

Lili can’t help but be disappointed as she walks beside Tae-Woo on their way into the hidden Village of Hakuryuu. So much of the warmth this boy was just emanating just faded into coldness. His soft expression tightened into what looks more like preparation for a fight.

The moon is out and Shin-Ah’s white mane is easy to follow with its reflection of the light. But the open night air is cold, dark.

Soo-Won.

It’s dawning on Lili that this is it. This is the moment she came all the way out here for. It’s on her to make this go well. But truly… it could go very, very badly.

Lili grabs Tae-Woo’s hand and stops. He turns, concern all over his face.

“Please be careful,” Lili begs.

She’s not afraid of Soo-Won as much as she’s afraid of Tae-Woo and Soo-Won. Because: Hak.

“I’m not gonna let him hurt you,” Tae-Woo swears.

All Lili can do is squeeze his hand, like he did hers just hours before that day. I don’t think Soo-Won will hurt me. But if I need to… I will protect you.

Tae-Woo sees the worry in her eyes. He pulls her against him tightly. She wraps her arms around him. He feels her steady heartbeat and it calms him. She feels the warmth of his body and it gives her relief. It's hard for them to let go, but they know they have to.

“Just a little further,” Tae-Woo takes Lili’s hand and leads her after Shin-Ah.

Soo-Won stands beside Ik-Soo as he watches the silhouettes emerge from the forest edge.

Ik-Soo glances at Soo-Won’s frown. Ik-Soo had already known for days that things would come to pass this way. Now he can only hope he’s brought Soo-Won to the right state of mind to face it.

Lili stops a short distance before the former king. Shin-Ah, Ao, and Tae-Woo stand at her side.

There he is -- alive. All in white. That radiant blonde hair. Those mysterious eyes you never know if are honest, but that you always wish were.

The sight is overwhelming to Lili. She hadn’t expected seeing him again to be a tidal wave of feelings, but it is.

Lili gasps for air as she tries desperately not to get emotional. She sees Soo-Won's frown and she knows… “I’m so sorry I’m not her.”

Soo-Won’s expression softens so slightly at that. Maybe he’s a little happy to see her, too?

“Lady Lili,” Soo-Won opens his arms to her.

Lili moves to him swiftly and he wraps his cloaked arms around her in a warm embrace.

Tae-Woo steps forward, eyes wide, hands on his spear.

Masked Shin-Ah looks toward Ik-Soo. The priest’s wavy bangs cover his eyes. He nods calmly to the blue dragon.

Lili burrows her fingers into the cloth of Soo-Won’s cloak as if to verify he’s real. She recognizes this scent, these hands, this man. But then she remembers… Jae-Ha. He hurt Jae-Ha so badly. And Min-Soo…

She pulls away and looks up at him, conflicted. And back to why she's here.

“The dragons said you had a message for the princess. Is that something I can hear and bring back to her?”

“This is a matter urgent beyond trust, Lady Lili. We must leave immediately.”

And that was the sound of Lili’s plans falling apart.

She tries to gather her thoughts as her heart sinks. “We?”

“I need you to take me to Kuuto.”

“Not a chance!” Tae-Woo growls.

Soo-Won doesn’t move his gaze from Lili. His desperate plea is to her alone.

And, as the leader of this mission, the call will be hers to make.

#akatsuki no yona #first night back in fuuga #lili x tae-woo #jae-ha #fanfic

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