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shimmeringlights44 · 2 years

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Strawberry Wine Pt.3

a/n: so... its been a minute. I was lost on what i wanted to do with this story but i'm very happy with what i've written for this part! Its sort of an epilogue segway thing into what i'm wanting to write for these two :). So i hope you enjoy! let me know if/what you would like to see of cowboy!Austin! i have a few things up my sleeve.

Warnings: none, pure fluff

word-count: 1.3k

read part one here and part two here!

That night was the first of many adventures you had with Austin. He always knew just how to treat you. A few weeks after the night you shared under the stars he asked you to be his girlfriend, which you had a feeling was coming as he had been unusually nervous that day.

That morning was average as you were eating breakfast when you decided it was time to go bother Austin. Usually if your day didn't start together the pair of you would find a way to one another. Most times you would meet in the middle.

The day before he had completely refurbished the dock as a storm had ripped some of the boards up. You knew he had to be incredibly tired from the manual labor so you gave him a kiss and let him go shower and get to bed in peace.

As you approached your front door you noticed a note with ‘Y/N’ written in big letters. It read “Y/N… I had some things to take care of at home today. I will be back this evening. Yours, Aus.”

You thought it was odd but at least he left the note somewhere you would see before making the trek over to the cottage.

The day was for lack of better words, completely boring. Usually your days were spent with Austin, working in the garden or even swimming in the pond. Now having to find something to do alone today was hard. What would you do? Read a book?

You ended up deciding to pick up one of the fictional murder mysteries your mother read to make the time go by. And somehow that's exactly what it did. The story opens with a woman who wakes up with a pounding headache one morning and decides to still go into work. Only the problem is when she arrives she learns she's been missing for a month. How could you not be fully invested in that?

Just as you were coming upon the climax, lights shined through the windows breaking you from your trance. You hadn't even realized the sun was setting now. You rose from your seat to go peek through the front window.

It was Austin. You didn't want to seem like you couldn't live without him but you had truly missed him all day. The past few months you had spent practically every day together. You were attached at the hip.

You swung the door open with a large grin to see Austin. The noise of the door whipping open startled him and he froze, looking at you almost wide eyed. Which then caused you to squint your eyes a bit.

“Heyyyy y/n baby… how are you?” He said to you very sweetly. It was almost too sweet, you thought. “ Hey Austin, everything okay?” you said walking over to him.

“Yes, it's perfect now that you're here.” He pulled you in for a tight hug and planted the softest kiss on your lips as if you were the sweetest thing in the world. You wondered why he was being extra sweet, maybe he missed you as much as you missed him.

“Would my little lady like to go for a late night drive? I know they're your favorite” He said, opening up your designated passenger door already knowing the answer. “You do know me huh?” you smiled after climbing into his truck.

The drive started as usual, Aus turned the radio on yalls favorite country music station, KOKE FM, and rolled the windows down. The smell of the red dirt roads and the trees was so comforting it caused you to close your eyes and just relax into your seat. It had been a few minutes when your nose picked up a different scent. This one is more sweet and fresh. As you opened your eyes you realized you were riding past a magnolia orchard, the beautiful white and pink blooms flooding the trees.

“Oh my gosh Aus how did we miss this place?” you said clutching the door with your head almost hanging out the window. You only heard Austin chuckle when the truck started slowing down approaching the orchard entrance. You had a slow realization as to what may be happening. You gazed over to Austin to find him with his bottom lip pulled between his teeth, blushing hard as ever.

You sat back in your seat a little breathless. ‘Let me not jump to conclusions… we’re just doing what we always do… yea.’ you thought to yourself. He pulled yall up to an old gazebo draped in white linens. When you looked over at him again he had an odd glimmer in his eyes, as if he could tear up.

“Y/n, will you join me under the gazebo?” Austin said with a sweet smile. “Yes.”

He slowly stepped out of his side of the truck and walked around to let you out. You took the opportunity to drink in your surroundings. The gazebo was decorated in the linens with picked magnolias delicately placed along the railings and hanging throughout the inside. You were so enamored with the sight in front of you, you didn't notice Austin rummaging around in the back of his truck.

“I got these for you baby… I asked your momma and she told me your favorites.” he said with a blush.

The sound of his voice prompted you to whip your head around to see him holding the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. He had them wrapped in white ribbons flowing effortlessly from the stems.

You gasped and cautiously said “Aus… what is all this?”

“Follow me’” he said, taking your hand.

He led you up the creaking steps to the inside of the gazebo then over to a bench that looked out onto the orchard. The wind was softly blowing, causing some of the blooms to fall. It was as if it was snowing in summertime.

He then grabbed the flowers from your hands and sat them down next to you on the bench.

He placed his hand on your thigh and confessed “I’ll be honest, I’ve never been the nervous type,” he paused “I never had a reason to be until I met you. But after spending so much time together, you make me feel whole. Like, I can always be myself.” he rested his palm on your cheek and softly continued “You’re like sunshine the way you warm me up. You never let me feel alone and in all my years I've never been blessed with an angel such as you. I guess what I'm asking is, will… will you be my girl?”

Your eyes lit up as a smile crept on your lips. You grabbed his face in your hands and gave him the softest kisses along his lips and across his cheeks causing him to chuckle sweetly. You wrapped your arms tightly around his neck and buried your face into his chest as he picked you up and swung you around.

“Yes! Yes! I would love to Austin” you wept into him.

He slowly put you down before caressing your lips with his creating one of the most intimate moments between the two of you. The feelings you brought out of each other were feelings of bliss and happiness like you’ve never known. His hands traced your back as yours reached for his hair.

As you pulled away, a sense of calmness and comfort washed over the both of you. The look in each other’s eyes was that of love and lust.

“Do you wanna get out of here?” you said to Austin with that certain haste in your voice.

“I'd love to.” he responded with a wide grin on his face.

He took your hand once again leading you back to the truck. You scrambled inside as he ran around to his door, starting the ignition swiftly. You thought you would be returning home but little did you know Austin had the whole night planned out.

ahhh!!! i hope you enjoyed it!! please leave me a comment on what you think! i appreciate anyone who reads, thank you so much!

#strawberry wine #cowboy!austin #austin butler #austin butler fic #austin butler x you #austin butler x y/n #cowboy austin butler #elvis fandom

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etherealwaifgoddess · 4 years

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One In A Million - Chpt.9

Summary: Now that the timeline is irrevocably altered Rose has to make a tough decision. Content Warning: smut, a good bit of it.

Word Count: 2.6k

Author’s Note: Hello lovelies! Well, we’re winding down now. Only one more chapter and the epilogue to go. Honestly this chapter is a bit of serious plot followed smut, like half the chapter is smut lol. So... enjoy! XOXO - Ash

Chapter Nine

You know there is no fixing what’s happened. The timeline is irrevocably changed now that Bucky made it through the draft. Your jump point is a month away, circled in red on the calendar hanging in your kitchen. You had spent so much time thinking of ways you could extract yourself from their lives but now the looming reality is, you don’t necessarily have to. You had forged a split in the timeline and this reality is going to keep going whether or not you’re a part of it. The pressing need to jump back to your time so as not to disrupt realities is no longer an issue, the damage is done.

You’re quiet that night while the guys celebrate Bucky’s good luck. They dance around the living room to old records, trying to get you to join in on their fun. Steve puts on La Vie En Rose, imploring you to dance with him to the sweet tune that initiated your first kiss. You relent, dancing around your tiny living room in his arms, Bucky watching from the sofa with soft eyes. It’s difficult to accept that this could be your life. There are so many pros and cons to staying and you had never really stopped to consider it as a real option.

Later that night you lay awake in the darkness on your side of the bed. Steve is tangled up with Bucky like an octopus but you only have one ankle looped into their jumble. You stare up at the ceiling running through plans and calculations and options. It’s some time around 2am that you come to the conclusion that you don’t want to go back. A scary revelation for sure, but one a small part of you had suspected was coming for months now.

The 1940s are problematic compared to your modern life but all the issues don’t overshadow your love for Steve and Bucky. You’ll have to be careful, hiding your relationship until well into your old age when polyamory becomes more acceptable. Steve and Bucky will have to hide their love until then too, unfortunately. You’ll have to put up with society considering you inferior just because you’re a woman. There won’t be a Starbucks latte back in your life until you’re too old to really enjoy one. You won’t have the luxury of a smartphone or a decent computer until you’re well into your eighties. It’s jarring to realize how much you had taken for granted when you were volunteering to go back.

You look over at your guys, sighing quietly to yourself in the darkness. It’s still worth it. Every inconvenience, every struggle, it’s worth it to have them in your life. To get to see the soft little looks Bucky gives Steve when he’s overcome with love for him. To spend a quiet day listening to the scritching of charcoal on paper as Steve loses himself in another drawing. Getting to see the way the first rays of sunlight hit Steve’s golden mane of hair in the early morning. Hearing Bucky’s laugh, so loud and authentic, when something funny catches him off guard. The way they both will randomly scoop you up in their arms, peppering you with kisses and whispers of I love you. Staying with them is worth it all in spades.

The next day you’re the first one up. You had caught a few hours sleep in the wee hours of the morning but they were restless ones. A pot of coffee brews on the stove, the smell alone helping to wake you up. You’re making pancakes for your guys, a special Saturday morning treat that you make sometimes when the mood strikes. There are fluffy stacks waiting on plates when Steve finally emerges from the bedroom looking adorably sleep rumpled. Bucky is only a few steps behind, yawning and stretching as he joins you.

“Wow, I got lucky two days in a row now. I should put down money on a game or something.” Bucky teases, snatching up a plate for himself.

“Actually these were a treat for Steve.” you say just to be smart.

With a wicked smirk, Steve grabs the plate away from Bucky who scrabbles after it frantically, unwilling to lose his precious breakfast treat.

You roll your eyes and give one of the other plates to Bucky, placing a kiss on top of his disheveled hair when he takes his seat at the table, “You’re lucky I love you both.”

“And we know it.” he tells you before taking a bite of the hot syrup laden cakes.

You spend a lazy weekend at home with the guys, quietly working through your plans to get word back to your team that you’re okay. Steve paints with watercolors and Bucky works on repairing the broken slats in your fence out back, both of them happily occupied while you plan. You’ve run through every scenario you can think of and it should work the way you intend it to. The jump point is designed to take you back to the lab and it’s timeline, but it may not necessarily need you. The brooch needs to be activated and then, after a short countdown, the brooch and whatever it’s attached to will blink back to the lab. You don’t know if it requires an actual living creature or if an inanimate object will do but you figure something with a pulse is a safer bet. Some poor little mouse or bunny is going to have the journey of a lifetime. The team will be displeased you messed up the timeline but hopefully they understand your reasons for staying.

Plans set in your mind, all you have to do now is wait a few weeks until the jump point. The world seems to shift again now that things have been decided. You feel connected to the thrumming city around you again. The older man running the butcher shop seems kinder, the girl who works at the bakery could be a potential new friend. Possibilities are endless now that you have time.

Dinner is a lively affair. All three of you are restless after a whole day of hanging around the house. Bucky cooks up the steaks you’d bought on your quick trip out and you toast the bread you’d gotten from the bakery in the oven with lots of butter and garlic. Steve mixes up a salad of vegetables from your kitchen basket and your garden, wanting to contribute to the meal. It’s a nice spread by the time you’re all done and you choose to eat outside on a blanket so you can watch the sunset. The weather is warming up finally and as long as you have a light sweater you’ll be okay to stay out for a bit even once the sun goes down.

As expected, none of you want to go inside, even after nightfall. Stargazing in the city isn’t great due to the light pollution but you can still see some of the twinkling stars in the night sky. You’re lying between Steve and Bucky who are wrapped around you and holding hands across your middle. It’s sweet and you can see why Bucky loves being in the center of the bed. The guys are up to something, you can tell when they start to stroke along each other’s hands and wrists with slow, fluid motions. Soon they’re littering kisses on your shoulders and nuzzling in closer.

“You see that pretty little constellation there?” Bucky says pointing at the night sky, “The one to the right of the moon?”

“Cassiopeia?” you ask him, zig zagging your finger along its shape.

“Our girl is smart, Steve.” Bucky praises, “Yeah, darlin’, cassiopeia. Did you know you have almost the exact same pattern in freckles on the back of your right thigh?”

“I do not.” you snort.

“You do,” Steve chimes in, adding in a low tone, “I would be happy to show you if you’d like to move this inside.”

You roll your eyes at his antics but shrug, “I think that can be arranged.”

Bucky is standing before you can even fully sit up, he scoops you up into his arms and you let out a very unladylike squeal. Steve is shushing you, grinning as if he approves of Bucky’s ridiculous show of bravado. You’re glad you ran the dishes in earlier but the cups and blankets will have to wait until morning. All three of you have other things in mind.

Bucky carries you all the way to your bedroom, depositing you on the enormous bed with a playful flop. Bouncing on the mattress elicits another squeak from you and Bucky chuckles at the sound. Crawling over your body like a lion going in for the kill, Bucky starts unbuttoning the long trail of opalescent buttons on the front of your dress. He only gets down to your waist before he showers your breasts with kisses, mouthing over the slippery satin of your brassiere until your breaths are coming in harsh gasps. You roll your head to the side, eyes fluttering open for a minute and you catch sight of Steve. And what a sight it is. Steve is leaning up against the door frame, still fully clothed, palming himself over his trousers. His cheeks are stained a deep pink, pupils blown wide with lust. “Stevie.” you gasp out his name like a prayer.

Bucky lifts his head at your voice and looks back catching sight of Steve himself. “Gonna join us?” he asks, pulling back from you to extend a hand.

Steve gives him a lazy, smug smile before coming over to take his hand. Bucky pulls him in quickly, Steve slamming against his chest roughly. Bucky’s mouth is demanding, possessive, and Steve can’t get enough. You lay back, content to watch them have their moment. Fumbling with your buttons you get them all undone and push the sides away, leaving you bare except for your bra and panties. Your guys are taking their time loving on one another above you so you take the opportunity to slip a hand down between your folds. If you’re going to have a front row seat, you might as well enjoy the show.

A breathless unf slips past your lips; you got yourself closer to the edge much faster than you’d expected. Both pairs of blue eyes snap down to look at you and your hand stills beneath your panties. “Hi” you say sheepishly.

“Whatcha doin’ doll?” Steve asks with a smirk.

“Enjoying the show.”

“If you’re enjoying it so much maybe you should join in.” Steve leans down to trail kisses from your throat down to the lacy edge of your panties. Bucky is kissing lines along Steve’s back and you don’t know which is working you up more, Steve’s mouth on your skin or Bucky’s on his.

“You like watching us?” Bucky taunts, having caught on to your not so subtle staring.

You nod, “Yeah. So much.”

“What if, instead of taking turns, tonight we can all enjoy ourselves together?”

Steve’s whole body shudders at the suggestion but you’re unsure of the logistics.

“How? I mean, yes. But, how?”

“Well, you can stay right there and let Stevie fill up that perfect little pussy of yours, and while he’s busy doing that I’ll be busy filling him up.”

Steve whimpers and you moan. Bucky knew his suggestion would be a hit but he loves hearing your reactions. You nod frantically, helping Steve get your clothes off while Bucky undresses himself and starts tugging at Steve’s shirt. “Stevie,” Bucky coos after he gets all three of you bare, “Why don’t you go down on our girl while I get you ready?”

Steve doesn’t have to be told twice, sliding quickly down your body to oblige Bucky’s request. You lean up a little on your elbows, wanting to watch. Bucky is so careful with Steve, slowly pressing a vaseline coated finger into his hole until Steve gasps against your throbbing clit. Bucky is babbling a stream of praise as he adds another finger, slowly working Steve open. Steve has to pause, resting his head against you, hips thrust involuntarily, when Bucky grazes his prostate with two curled fingers. “Buck, enough. I wanna feel it. Enough.” Steve pants out, desperate.

“You good, darlin’?” Bucky asks you, making sure you don’t need more time yourself.

“Mhmm” you moan in assent.

Steve moves up from between your legs, holding onto your hips with a loving squeeze as he lines himself up with your entrance. He pushes in slowly as always, letting you get used to the size of him before burying himself fully inside you. Steve stills and you see Bucky running a hand along his back, giving Steve a moment before he breaches the tight ring of muscles and drives himself home. Steve is shaking, breaths coming in pants, and he’s gripping your hips so tightly you’re certain you’ll have bruises in the morning. You’re not sure who starts moving first but after a moment the three of you fall into a rhythm, gradually increasing your pace until it’s frenzied and desperate. Steve reaches a hand down to toy with your already too sensitive clit and you fall off the edge of your orgasm. Steve curses, knowing he should have expected the chain reaction he just set off. Between Bucky hitting his prostate with every thrust and your inner walls squeezing around his cock while you come beneath him, it’s all just too much. Steve comes with a shout, harder than he has ever before in his life, and thinks he may actually black out for a breathless moment. Bucky, driven to his own edge watching you fall apart for Steve, is lost when Steve’s muscles clamp down around him while he comes. Bucky gets a few more stuttering thrusts before he’s spilling deep in Steve who shudders a few more futile thrusts in you at the sensation. You’re breathing heavily under the pile of your guys, amazed and blissed out beyond words.

Bucky is laying delicately on Steve who is laying not delicately on top of you. He’s so light though, it doesn’t bother you and you wrap your arms around him when he starts to roll off to the side when Bucky finally lets him go. All three of you need cleaned up but no one’s brains are working quite yet and instead you lay in your tangle, idly stroking whatever limbs are closest and enjoying the quiet post orgasmic bliss.

A little while later Steve nudges your chin with his, getting you to look him in the eye. “That was okay, right?”

You give him a reassuring smile, “More than alright.”

He lets out a relieved breath at your words. “Good. Great. I love being with you, I really do. But Buck and I… we go way back and I still need him too sometimes.”

“Sweetheart, I didn’t expect you and Bucky to stop having sex just because we started. You two should still enjoy each other whenever you want, whether it includes me or not. I’m sure there will be times when it’s just you and me or just Bucky and me. That needs to be okay too.”

“You really are one in a million.” Steve says, his voice soft with something akin to wonder. He snuggles closer, wrapping you so tight you can scarcely breathe. Bucky huffs seeing Steve enveloping you and dives on top of you both so as not be left out. Between the squirming and laughter somehow you get comfortable and a shower is put off again until cooler heads can prevail.

Tag list! @wolfarrowepz

#one in a million #steve rogers #bucky barnes #reader insert #stucky #steve rogers x bucky barnes x reader #named reader #captain america #stucky fanfic #steve rogers fanfic #preserum steve rogers #bucky barnes fanfic #marvel #marvel fanfic #time travel #1940s setting

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mymoodwriting · 4 years

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Blooming Eyes

F!Reader x Poison Ivy!Suho

Genre: Poison Ivy AU

Warning: Blood, Murder, Plants, Vines, Guns, Knives, Torture

Words: 1.7K

Chapters:

Prompt: Meeting an alien is one thing, but it’s a whole other thing when such a creature seems to fancy you. There was so much you wanted to do, but one decision changes your life in a way you never could have imagined.

“I’ve always wanted to come here!”

You excitedly hopped out of the giant flower that had moved its petals to reveal your location, Paris. You didn’t notice you missed a step since your vines made sure you didn’t trip on your way down. You ran towards the balcony and looked up at the Eiffel Tower, seeing how tall it was and all the vines and huge flowers that decorated it.

“You’ve never been before?” Yixing asked. “I thought you would have.”

“Well… maybe? I can’t remember… everything from before Suho saved me is kinda fuzzy, and not important. What matters is I’m here now!”

“That’s right.”

“Suho!”

You ran into his arms, letting him pick you up and spin you around, both of you laughing, before he put you down. As of late you had been traveling with Suho and his brothers. When it all first changed you weren’t really yourself and would need a lot of care. Long hours were spent with Suho, cradled in his arms as he put the broken pieces of your mind back together, making sure you’d be happy and just as wonderful as before.

Although even with your mind restored, you weren’t entirely there yet. You needed a little help, and guidance to be autonomous like before. All the brothers were more than happy to help, also curious about the world around them. The most exciting thing was always your vines, sometimes you could control them but for the most part they had a mind of their own. Many times they’d be playfully fighting with Baekhyun’s.

Once you were back to your old self, well, really you were a new version of you, everything became so much more enjoyable. There was a whole world out there and it was yours. To celebrate Suho decided to travel around, to show you everything, and to see for himself just how beautiful and peaceful the world now was. His brothers were excited for it as well, having not seen the planet either, been in a deep sleep for as long as they’ve been here.

“Shall we go up?”

A vine wrapped around your waist and carried you up to the top of the tower. You were excited as you got higher and higher, seeing more and more. Once at the top you looked everywhere, pointing out different plants and flowers that you could see.

“What’s so exciting about this?” Chen asked. “Wouldn’t you be afraid of falling?”

“It’s about being able to see so much. Take in all the beauty around you, then at night, you’re that much closer to the stars.”

“Then we should go higher.”

“What?”

Another vine grabbed you and lifted you up. At first you screamed but you knew you would be safe. You could see so much more and it was awesome. You excitedly grabbed Chen, pointing at everything and talking about it. You abruptly stopped when you felt the vine shake and looked down to see Suho waving at you and telling you to come down. Chen stuck his tongue out and the two started bickering telepathically until a decision was made. You were brought back down and Suho pulled you into his arms, making sure you were fine and had fun.

“It was really pretty, like being in a plane!”

“A plane?” Xiumin wondered. “What’s that?”

“It kinda lets people fly, but safely. Suho owns a few.”

“Yeah but I don’t have a pilot anymore now do I? Besides we don’t need a plane.”

“True.”

“How about we wander the streets then, see more of this place.”

“Yeah! But I want to get some more sun! It’s really great up here.”

“Alright. A little while longer.”

Seeing nature retake the planet, mixing and intertwining with what’s left behind, it was all so beautiful. While walking around Suho did some talking, still teaching his brothers about the world, but you got distracted. You saw something shine and were curious as to what it was, following it and stepping away from the group.

You weren’t scared or worried the others would get mad at you since the world was practically yours. It also wasn’t so easy to get lost, you were still close enough for them to sense you and if not, Yixing could do it no problem. While looking you heard some noises and decided to investigate, going into a building, seeing it was some old restaurant. The design was beautiful and you stumbled into the main dining area and froze, you weren’t alone.

Suddenly guns were aimed at you, three people staring at you, masks on their face, and tanks on their back. You stepped back, wanting to escape when you felt someone else come up from behind, a knife to your throat. You should have screamed when you had the chance, but now it was best to remain silent. You didn’t know there were any humans left, but then again you did know they were resourceful so this shouldn’t be as surprising.

“You’re not one of them… yet you can breathe the air. How!”

“...”

“Answer me!”

“I… I changed my… my genetic makeup… so… so-”

“You were human?”

“Yes…”

“Huh… then maybe you can help us.”

“I… I can’t… I don’t remember… how… how I did it…”

“We’ll worry about that later, let’s go.”

“No! No let me go!”

The plants in the room started coming to life, putting everyone on edge. They knew how to deal with it though, the knife pressed against your throat drew blood and the plants stopped.

“Easy there you green fucks, I’ll kill her.”

“What? I thought-”

“Don’t really need you alive.”

“Please…”

“We’re leaving, let’s go.”

You were dragged out the way you came, feeling a bit of blood on your neck. You kept your mouth shut but the plants all around were moving, waiting for a chance to strike. Even though you knew everything about your own body, your vines still had a mind of their own. One crept up your back and carefully made its way around the arm holding the knife to your throat and pulled it away. The second you were free you ran off, not caring to know what happened.

You were quickly snatched up onto a nearby rooftop. You hugged your knees to your chest, one of your vines wrapped softly around your throat to help your wound heal. You needed to find the others, but you were too scared to move. More plants engulfed the building to make sure those below couldn’t get to you. It wasn’t until you heard familiar voices below that you could relax a bit, but not enough to move.

“Resilient little shits aren’t you?” Tao laughed. “It’s kinda cool that some of you are still alive though.”

“Fuck.”

“Oh a real human?” Baekhyun jumped excitedly. “I thought they looked like us? Not with weird faces.”

“Those are oxygen masks.” Sehun said. “It’s the only way they can stay alive.”

“What’s the point of that though?” Kyungsoo asked. “There’s only so much clean air left on this planet for humans isn’t there? Seems like a waste.”

“It is.” Chanyeol assured. “They’re better as fertilizer. So let’s just kill them outright.”

“Oh come on that’s no fun.” Kai whined. “I thought we could do whatever we wanted here.”

The little group of survivors were cornered, all possible exits blocked. The only weapons they had were some old guns, definitely not something that would work on them, but it was fun to see the kind of hope they had. Suho didn’t care for the violence that was about to ensue, more concerned with your safety, making his way to the rooftop. When you saw him, you stood and ran into his arms.

“Are you okay, Flower?”

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to run off I just saw something and thought-”

“Sh, sh, it’s okay, I’m not mad. Just glad you’re okay.”

You suddenly heard screaming and tightened your grip on Suho. He made no comment, checking on your cut, glad to see it’s healed, so your vine went away. He helped you down, avoiding the fight that was happening for your own sake. These types of things weren’t supposed to happen anymore, but the world was still full of surprises. He grabbed your head and you could feel the little veins form around where your skin met his.

You closed your eyes, letting Suho into your head. You knew he messed with your memories a lot, not just to fix you, but for your own good. The world, and your life, before him was a mess and full of pain, there was no point remembering any of that. This encounter was just another bad thing on the list of things you should forget. There was no reason to fight, unless you felt like being funny with him but this wasn’t the time. You fell into his arms, passed out for a moment while the others finished their fun.

“Humans are very squishy.” Baekhyun laughed. “And gooey.”

“It’s disgusting.” Chanyeol mumbled. “The screaming is very annoying.”

“You should hear y/n scream when she and Suho are having fun in the bedroom.” Sehun chuckled. “Much more enjoyable.”

“I will put you back in the ground.” Suho threatened. “You’re lucky y/n didn’t hear that!”

“Oops, but you enjoy it. Also not fair.”

“Find your own partner.”

Sehun just stuck his tongue out before Tao pulled him into a hug to cheer him up. When you woke up you saw some flower petals moving out of the way and your eyes landed on the Eiffel Tower before you, clearly telling you where you were. You eagerly got out of the giant flower, already running towards the great tourist attraction only to be caught up in Suho’s arms. He kissed your neck, making you giggle.

“And where are you going?”

“Come on, I though we were here to sight see?”

“We are, but promise me you won’t run off? Stay close, I want to see your reaction to all these beautiful places.”

“Okay. Now let’s go! I want to go to the top.”

Suho let you take his hand and pull him along to the foot of the tower, his brothers following closely behind. He loved that smile and the way your eyes shined, and he’d do anything to protect it.

#exo #suho #kim junmyeon #exo au #exo scenarios #exo imagine #suho imgaine #xexo au #xexo suho #xexo scenarios #oh sehun #kim jongin #huang zitao #doh kyungsoo #kim jongdae #park chanyeol #byun baekhyun #zhang yixing #kim minseok

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sheliesshattered · 4 years

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This Isn’t A Ghost Story extras for Chapter 5: The Present

It’s Friday, so the next chapter of This Isn’t A Ghost Story has been posted! Chapter 5 is here on Tumblr, and here on AO3. There are spoilers below the cut, but I walk through the chapter in order, so it’s fairly safe to keep this one open for visual references as you read, if you want.

Those of you who have been following along with my writing process for This Isn’t A Ghost Story may have noticed how the story grew and morphed on me as I wrote. Despite knowing early-on the sort of story I wanted to tell and all the facets of the mystery that would need to be revealed, the story still managed to grow organically and surprise me at various points.

When I finished chapter 4 and started working on chapter 5, I had every intention that chapter 5 would be the final chapter, with a short epilogue that followed -- six chapters total, rather than the eight we ended up with. I knew what plot points and mystery reveals ch5 needed to cover, and I figured I could fit it all into one reasonably sized chapter. Even as late as the last week of July I was still thinking along those lines, and I quite nearly started posting chapters then, thinking I was nearly finished writing.

But something held me back from posting, and when I woke up the next morning I realized that chapter 5 really needed to be split. What ended up being chapter 5 and chapter 6 are together about 12,300 words, which wouldn’t have been the longest chapter I’ve ever posted, but certainly longer than I meant for chapters in this story to be, and thankfully I was able to find a good spot to split it.

As with the rest of this story, my husband Jack has been acting as my beta reader and in-house cheerleader, and particularly after reading chapter 4 he was really adamant that I keep focusing on writing and get through the story as quickly as possible -- maybe partially so I could start posting, but mostly so he could read it and find out the answers to the rest of the mystery, lol. Starting with chapter 5, he began reading chunks of the chapter as I finished them, and then eventually went back and re-read all of chapter 5. And every time he’s read it, he’s commented that this is his favorite line in the entire chapter:

“No,” she told him firmly. “Not unless you take away my say in it.” She didn’t add again, but she knew they were both thinking it.

Jack and I have been together nearly two decades, and I think it’s that shared unspoken language of spouses that he finds so amusing here.

For most parts of this story, I can’t really pinpoint exactly when I wrote a particular line or scene, as I tend to write non-consecutively as bits come to mind, tackle conversations or plot points I know will need to happen and then fill in the gaps in between, and go over any given section dozens of times making little edits or adding whole paragraphs until it reads the way I want it to, with the sort of pacing and emotional weight I think it needs. But this bit in particular, I know exactly when I wrote it:

“Our story, Doctor... It isn’t the tragedy you think it is. This isn’t a ghost story. It never was. It’s a love story. And if I know one thing about love stories? They always have a happy ending, one way or another.”

July 15th. I’d been having a rough writing day, hated everything I’d written the day before (more or less everything from the start of ch5 to that line, in its first draft form), and was feeling really unmotivated. Then I saw some excellent meta about the episode Hide on my dash that @clara-oswin-oswald had just posted. The title for this story comes from something the Eleventh Doctor says in that episode, and here was Sophie talking about that scene again, just when I was ready to stuff This Isn’t A Ghost Story into a drawer and never look at it again.

My intention with the title for this story had always been to evoke that line from Hide, and hope that most people would be able to fill in the second half of the sentence, “it’s a love story”, on their own. But it hadn’t occurred to me until I was reading Sophie’s meta that I could actually have Clara articulate exactly that thought within the story. The 42 words of that line of dialogue was all I managed to write on July 15th, but I woke up the next morning feeling significantly better about the story and ready to dive back in, make the edits that would fix the first part of the chapter, and keep hacking away at the next scenes to come.

Of course, the next bit I was trying to connect up with was actually something I’d written parts of earlier, that corresponded with the teeny tiny detail I’d posted a little poll about way back at the end of June. I knew I wanted to introduce Clara’s wedding ring around this point in the story, but I got hung up on what it should look like. Theoretically that should be a little inconsequential detail, just a single line of prose to help the reader visualize it better, but the results from that poll -- blue, unusual, and in support of world-building -- ended up leading me down a complete rabbit hole of research, that eventually spawned what turned into chapter 8. I’ll wait to share the details on that for when we reach ch8 at the end of this month, but the relevant bits from chapter 5 are of course Clara’s ring and what inspired the Doctor to pick that one for her in the first place.

Clara’s ring is based on these two antique rings:

The center stone is what’s known as a star sapphire, which are known to be particularly stunning in direct sunlight.

The Doctor tells Clara that when he first saw it -- presumably while ring shopping before their wedding in 1923 -- he was reminded of when he took her to see the archaeological work going on at the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in 1921. The Temple does in fact have multiple areas where the ceilings are painted blue with rayed stars. It’s a popular motif from that era of ancient Egypt and shows up in a several other places as well.

I picture the jewelry box that Clara digs up as looking something along these lines:

The other piece of jewelry that is mentioned in detail is the necklace the Doctor bought for Clara in 1925. It’s based on the winged sun disk found on many ancient Egyptian temples:

It’s also meant to be a nod to the necklace Clara wears in The Bells of Saint John and The Rings of Akhaten, similar in both design and size:

From there, we get into one of the final remaining mysteries of the story, which the Doctor is clearly reluctant to talk about. There have been hints about this as far back as the first chapter, and from comments on previous chapters, I think a few of you may have guessed that this is where things were headed. Did this reveal turn out the way you thought it would? Or did it surprise you?

Lots of heartbreak at the end of this chapter, but we’re only a few chapters away from our happy ending now. It has been so much fun for me to hear your thoughts and theories as the mystery has unfolded! Thank you to everyone who has left a comment on This Isn’t A Ghost Story, both here and over on AO3. ❤️

Extras for Chapter 6: The Future

#This Isn't A Ghost Story #This Isn't A Ghost Story extras #process thoughts #my writing #Doctor Who #Doctor Who fanfic #Clara and the Doctor

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notalwaysthevillian · 5 years

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Lost and Found (A Sanders Sides Tangled AU)

Warnings: Police brutality (that’s the closest to what it is), mention of hanging, anxiety, mental/emotional abuse

Word Count: ~1.4k

Pairings: Romantic Prinxiety, Romantic Logicality

Chapter 9

Masterlist

I couldn’t wait, so you guys get this chapter now! Only one more canon chapter and then an epilogue of my own design :D

Chapter 10

Rope burned into Roman’s skin as he came to, twisting in his binds. “Virgil? Virgil!”

As he heard footsteps, he glanced up. About half of the royal guard had him surrounded. The captain easily cut him out of his binds and hoisted him up to the dock. “I didn’t think I’d find you this easily.”

“Wait, wait, you don’t understand!”

“C’mon.” The captain shoved him, heading for the castle. “Your room is already prepared.”

“Virgil!” He shouted, hoping that his voice would carry over the water.

The grip on his arms tightened. “Shut up.”

“Please, you have to -” He was cut off as the breath left his lungs.

Removing his fist from Roman’s stomach, the guard started to drag him along. “We don’t have to do anything, thief.”

Glancing back, all Roman could see was fog. Another guard tugged on his arm, making him face forward.

Resigning himself to his fate, Roman let himself be tugged along and thrown in the dungeon.

After all, Virgil probably thought he’d been abandoned. Roman had stupidly left him on the beach, promising to come back. He should’ve known that something would happen. The Stabbington brothers never played fair.

He paced in his cell all night, wondering what had happened to Virgil. Was he okay? Had he gotten away from the brothers? Maybe Max had found him.

Jingling interrupted his thoughts. He turned to find the Captain opening his cell, a solemn look on his face. “Let’s get this over with, King.”

Roman put a hand to his neck, knowing which punishment fit the crime.

He’d never see Virgil again.

***

Virgil trembled as he felt the last flower leave his hair.

“There. Now we can pretend that never happened.” Dorian grabbed the basket full of flowers, refusing to look at Virgil as he walked towards the kitchen area. “Wash up. I’m making hazelnut soup.”

He stopped at the edge of Virgil’s curtains, looking back. Virgil sat on his bed, eyes filled with tears, staring down at his hands.

“I warned you what was out there.” He snapped, voice growing cold. “The world is a cruel, dark, and selfish place. It always has been and it always will be.”

He closed the curtains, leaving Virgil to himself.

As soon as the footsteps had faded, Virgil opened his hands, staring at the crumpled flag he’d managed to hide. Ever so carefully, he spread it out across his lap.

Emile let out a squeak, hugging Virgil’s leg the best he could.

With a sigh, Virgil laid back, clutching the flag to his chest. He stared up at the paintings on the ceiling, knowing nothing would ever bring him joy again.

Emile let out a squeak, tapping his hand on the sun before looking up.

Virgil followed the chameleon’s gaze, eyes widening as he realized he’d somehow painted the royal symbol in the negative space. His eyes flicked around to each painting, finding the star in nearly everything he’d painted.

A gasp fell from his lips as he remembered.

The star above him.

His parents smiling down at him.

His parents.

The kings.

“It’s for the lost prince.”

A flash of himself wearing the tiara filled his mind.

Virgil gasped, falling back into his dresser.

“It’s me.”

***

Roman walked through the dungeon, accepting his defeat and death.

At least, that had been the plan.

All bets were off when he saw the Stabbington brothers sitting in a cell.

He threw himself into the guards, knocking them to the ground before jumping over his chains and grabbing one of them by the neck.

He slammed the brother’s face into the bars, growling. “How did you know about him? Tell me, now!”

“It wasn’t us!” He tried to pull away, groaning when he was slammed against the bars once more. “It was the old man!”

“Old man?” Snippets of Virgil talking about his Father all came back at once. Roman’s eyes widened and he struggled as the guards grabbed him again. “Wait! No! You don’t understand, he’s in trouble!”

***

Virgil heard Dorian yelling, asking if he was alright. He walked through the curtains, still reeling from his discovery.

“I’m the lost prince.” He whispered, holding tightly to the fabric.

Dorian rolled his eyes. “What have I told you about mumbling?”

“I am the lost prince. Aren’t I?” Virgil glared at Dorian. The slight widening of his eyes was enough of an answer. “Did I mumble, Father? Actually, I shouldn’t even call you that.”

Recovering quickly, Dorian waved a hand in the air. “Please, Virgil, do you hear yourself? How could someone like you be a prince.”

“Stop it! Stop...belittling me!”

Knowing he’d been caught, Dorian’s face grew cold. “I protected you. Gave you a home.”

“You locked me in a tower!” Virgil screamed, shoving past Dorian and heading down the stairs. “You told me that people would want to steal my power. It was just you who wanted it.”

“It’s not like you have anywhere else to go.” Dorian smirked, waving a hand in the air. Scales raced up his jaw as a visual of Roman pinned by the guards floated in the air. “He can’t be there for you.”

“What did you do?!”

“He’s a thief, Virgil.” Dorian waved his hand again, stalking toward the trembling boy. “By royal decree, a thief is hanged for his crimes.”

Tears blurred Virgil’s vision. “No!”

“Shh, it’s all right. If you just forget about all this, I’ll let you stay here.” Dorian reached out to pat Virgil’s hair.

Shooting his hand out, Virgil grabbed Dorian’s wrist. “NO! You were wrong. About the world, about Roman, about me. I will never let you use my hair again!”

With a shove, Dorian stumbled back into the wall. He stared as Virgil straightened up and started to walk away.

“You want me to be the bad guy?” He let his magic flow up his arms, ignoring the stinging itch of the scales. “Fine. Now I’m the bad guy.”

***

Lead down the corridor, this time bound and chained, Roman continued to struggle. Each time, the guards tightened his bindings until he was practically being carried.

A pink unicorn set in an alcove caught Roman’s eye as they walked. He grinned, stopping dead in his tracks.

All the doors around them slammed shut, making the guards around him jump.

The captain banged on a door. “Hey! Open up!”

“What’s the password?” An all too familiar voice asked.

“What?”

“Nope.”

“Open this door!” The guard slammed his fist against the wood.

“Not even close.”

“You have three seconds!”

As the captain counted, the guards holding Roman were taken and knocked out. He grinned and waved as the captain turned around, only to be knocked out by one of the thugs wielding a frying pan.

“Who knew, right?” Roman asked, gesturing toward the cookware. “Now can you -”

The door behind him splintered as the rest of the royal guard came pouring through. Roman shrieked as the thug tugged him through the doorway. They sprinted down the corridor, the guards right on their tail.

They ran past Ulf, who began to mime, before continuing their way out into the courtyard. More of the guards poured in, blocking all exits.

Gunnar grabbed Roman, setting him down. “Head down.”

“Head down.” Roman repeated, doing as he was told.

“Arms in.”

“Knees apart.”

“Knees apa- wait, what?” Roman gave him a confused look. “Why do I need to keep my knees apAAAAAAAA!”

A scream fell from his mouth as he flew through the air, turning into a wheeze as he landed. He opened his eyes finding himself in Max’s saddle.

“You brought them here?”

The horse let out an agreeing sound.

“Oh, thank you!” Roman threw his arms around Max’s neck. “I’m so sorry about everything. Maybe we -”

The horse stared at him.

“Let’s just go.”

Roman grabbed the reins, merely holding on as Max leapt. They landed on a nearby house, scattering their shingles - which Roman fully intended to remember and replace - before landing in the middle of town.

“Okay, Max. How fast can you run?”

The horse took off at a blazing speed, jumping over branches and avoiding holes as Roman lead him to the hidden tower.

As soon as it was in view, Roman jumped off Max’s back and darted to the base. “Virgil? Virgil, let down your hair!”

When nothing happened, Roman ran forward, digging his fingers into the stones, desperately trying to climb the tower.

He sighed with relief when the silver strands were tossed out the window.

Heart pounding, Roman made his way to the top of the tower, wanting nothing more than to see Virgil again.

Add yourself to the tag list!

Tag List: @0angelicmelody0 @ab-artist @abigail-kaulitz @abigsoftea @abunchofmaraudersfluff @agoddamnrayofsunshine @allsortsofgeekery @allycat31415 @angels-and-dreams @anony-phangirl @ao-koshka @awkwardangie410 @cats-with-blogs @certifiedtrashxx @changeling-ash @chipsanddip23 @confinesofpersonalknowledge @creepy-crawly-death-dealer @dontbugmeimantisocial @dxlphmax @ethospathoslogan @fight-or-flight-reflexes @flamingfawkes @flix-net @follow-pheonix-inside @fueled-by-angst-and-rootbeer @fullmetallovr21 @gloomingwitch @hailthedragonlord @hanramz-the-fander @hellomusicalnerdhere @icequeenoriginal @idkwhyimhere0o0 @ierindoodles @ilylogan @iridescentglassflowers @itsthemoooooooooon @ivepromisedthatbefore @jadeace115 @just-a-general-space-nerd @justanotherpurplebutterfly @kaileah-kat @levy-the-b00kw0rm @llamaly @lucifer-in-my-head @merlybird500 @midknight-mania @miniporcupine @mrtacothethird @my-happy-little-bean @nervousarts @newageauthor @ninja-girl2846 @notice-me-cat-senpai @nye275 @otakugirl111300 @panicatthelazyllama @pawsitively-purfect @phlying-squirrel @pr0bablypr0crstinating @princey-in-a-feminine-way @quietwords-loudthoughts @rachel-eve-puppet @reba-andthesides @rileyfirstname @rosesisupposes @samathekittycat @sammys-ghostz @sandersfanders @sanderssidestrash27 @sanderstalker @scorching-scotch @shootingace @sleepyssnail @sortablue @storytellerofuntoldlegends @superwholocked-for-life @supremestoverlord @tacohippy56900 @thatgaydemigodnerd @the-hungriest-games @the-one-and-only-grapemare @theobsessor1 @theotherella @timeywimeygalaxy

#lost and found #tangled au #sanders sides #sanders sides fic #romantic prinxiety #ts deceit #roman sanders #virgil sanders #hanging #anxiety #mental abuse #emotional abuse

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inawickedlittletown · 5 years

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Walking The Wire (167/167)

Summary: Tony Stark always knew about Peter Parker. He didn’t know that Peter was going to get superpowers and become Spider-Man, but he always knew about Peter because Peter was his son.

This will span from pre-Iron Man up through the rest of the MCU (eventually including Infinity War) and will be for the most part canon compliant except where I’ve taken some liberties and interpreted canon a certain way.

Pairings: Pepper/Tony, Tony/Steve (endgame), Tony/Mary (past)

A/N: If you want me to tag you when I post new chapters let me know. This fic is also on AO3

I used Collider’s MCU timeline to stay canon and the title of this fic is an Imagine Dragons song that is just so fitting for Peter and Tony

@findmeinthestarss

Masterpost

Chapter One Hundred Sixty Six

Epilogue

One Week Later

Peter didn’t know how he managed to convince his dad to let him go with him and Steve when they went to return the stones, but he did. It was officially the last mission that Iron Man would go on but it had kind of turned into a family trip instead. The only stone that they weren’t returning personally was the Power Stone because Captain Marvel was dealing with that one instead.

“You did tell me you wanted to try the whole time travel thing,” Steve said when they prepared to leave.

“I did,” Peter said and he had absolutely no complaints on going, he just hated how careful his dad was being about the whole thing.

Their first stop was Vormir. Peter could tell that his dad wasn’t exactly okay being there, but Steve made the whole trip go quick. They weren’t there long enough for Peter to look around but there wasn’t much to even see. Knowing that that cliff was the one that Steve had jumped off of for them to get the stone made it difficult all around.

Next they went to Asgard and Peter hadn’t expected it to be so beautiful and different. Alien.

“This is a real place,” Peter said.

“Not in our present it isn’t,” his dad reminded him.

They dressed like Asgardians -- clothing courtesy of Thor -- and managed to get a good look around. The guy that took care of the bifrost and the entrance to Asgard was the only one that knew they were there and he didn’t seem to have a problem with it. He even helped them with putting the stone back. Peter had no idea how Dr. Banner had managed to get all the stones back into their original states, but he’d done it and the Reality Stone was back in the form of a liquid. After it was back where it belonged they just sort of wandered around for a bit.

The Time Stone was a weird one to return because they had to go back and see Doctor Strange. They also couldn’t really linger because it was 2017 and Peter had already been Spider-Man by then and because Steve couldn’t be out and about on account of the house arrest. It was one thing to not care about creating another timeline and another entirely to make that timeline worse for the versions of themselves that would live it.

The Scepter was an easy one to return. It was 2015 and Peter got to have a small glimpse at what life had been like in the tower in 2015. The tower as a whole had looked entirely different and Steve explained that the penthouse floor had been destroyed by Ultron and that after everything his dad opted for a remodel. They were on look out while his dad put away the stone.

“This wasn’t exactly a happy time around here, was it?” Peter asked. “This was -- he stopped responding to me.”

“Yeah,” Steve said. “It was a hard time. Your dad and Pepper weren’t really seeing eye to eye and he was losing hope of ever getting to meet you.”

“I know,” Peter said. “We kind of talked about it. May really didn’t want him to meet me -- she thought it’d be dangerous. I think she’s realized how much of a mistake that was on her part. Anyway, we know each other now.”

Lastly they went to 2011. It was another quick trip. The tower was different again and Peter got to see the beginning of the Avengers. He also saw his letter -- the one he’d sent that he knew his dad had only managed to read right after he almost died.

“It was a relief when I thought I was going to die, that you didn’t know what I was to you,” his dad said. “But reading that letter made me hope and made me want to live.”

“I love you, dad,” Peter said in response.

They went on a few detours. Quick moments in time -- they went to the 1920s for a day and then the 1930s where they went to Brooklyn to see a small serum-less Steve. It was jarring seeing him that way -- but even then he was still a lot like the Steve they knew and because his dad couldn’t help himself, he left that Steve some money anonymously. They visited a few more years, never staying long and trying to not make too many ripples. For his dad they went to a Queen concert in 1986 and Peter was surprised at how many songs he actually knew. Peter requested that they stop and go see the original theatrical release of Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977. Steve just seemed to be enjoying seeing all the things he missed while frozen in ice.

“This will probably be the best trip we’ve ever been on,” Peter said.

“Although, we’re being very irresponsible and probably creating a whole bunch of new timelines,” his dad said.

“But you’re sure this won’t become a real problem later?” Steve asked.

“It won’t.”

Peter was just happy to spend time with his dads and since Shuri had okayed their trip, he was sure it would be fine.

Three Months Later

Tony appreciated how easy it was to let go of Iron Man now that the threat of Thanos was gone. He was aware that plenty of other villains existed and that some of them might even be worse than Thanos, but for the moment he was happy with how easy it seemed. Things were settling, the world was a little better. He was married. Peter was the best son he could have asked for. Things were good.

The Avengers had a new roster and while he had given up the superhero life entirely, Steve was still helping with training the new members of the team. It kept him busy and involved when they weren’t working on their new house and Tony liked to join him sometimes. It was nice to see the next generation of heroes and he could see the appeal of getting to shape them and train them and showing them the ropes. But working on the house was also rewarding work. Steve had an artist’s eye and between him and Tony they had designed their perfect home.

In the meanwhile, they waited for the call.

Months passed. Then a few more.

The agency contacted him every once in a while, just keeping up with them, but never with the news they wanted.

“It will happen, when it happens,” Steve said. “Sooner or later.”

“When it’s meant to,” Tony said in agreement. Waiting just kind of sucked.

---

2019

“Do you know what Peter did while we were in Germany?”

Peter groaned. Steve who had been in the middle of making them dinner turned to look at him. “Back during that whole airport thing?”

Tony nodded. “I think I must have told you.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard this story,” Bucky said.

He was seated on one of the stools at the table right next to Peter and Peter could tell that he was ready for a story that he could use against Peter in the future.

“Well, I booked him a hotel and Happy was supposed to be watching him. Then again, I didn’t think that Peter would sneak out of the hotel room, but that is what he did--”

Peter raised a finger in the air. “In my defense,” he said, “I was really hyped up after the fight. I didn’t think it was big deal.”

“When I finally tracked him down he was at a rave. My fourteen year old at a rave in Germany--”

Bucky cracked up at once, laughing with his head thrown back. Peter punched him on the arm but that just made him laugh harder. Steve was laughing too.

“Anyway,” Peter said. “All I said was that my decathlon team is going on a trip to Europe this summer.”

“And you’re welcome to go as long as you don’t end up in a rave again,” his dad said and he was smirking at him.

Peter rolled his eyes. “I won’t even bring the suit. I think a break from Spider-Man might even suit me.”

“And, hey, maybe you can take that girl you like somewhere and finally tell her,” Bucky said.

“I’ve been trying,” Peter said.

And he had been trying. MJ was just a tad intimidating and whenever he tried to bring it up things just got awkward and weird and he couldn’t get the words out. Hanging out with MJ wasn’t hard -- he did it all the time whether alone or with Ned, it was just that talking about his feelings just wasn’t easy. Reading Michelle and figuring out how she felt was even harder and the last thing that Peter wanted was to ruin their friendship.

Ned seemed to be convinced that MJ did like him some days, but other days he thought she didn’t like him. Ned was absolutely no help and when it came to the trip, he was trying to get Peter to try and catch the attention of European girls on their trip which was entirely unappealing to Peter.

“Not hard enough,” Bucky said.

“It’s hard,” Peter said.

Bucky pat his shoulder with his real hand.

“You should go,” Steve said. “Hang out with your friends and see a few new places. Flirt a little.”

“Steve!”

“And definitely don’t take her to any raves,” Steve added.

Peter rolled his eyes. “She’s more into ancient libraries than raves. And I think I will tell her. I’ll come up with a plan. It’ll be great.”

His dad chuckled. “Plans never really work out perfectly, kid.”

“But maybe this way I can actually tell her and if we’re in Europe maybe I’ll find a good place to take her to when I tell her.”

2020

The call came early in the morning. Early by Steve’s standards because Tony had been wide awake going on a few cups of coffee and deep in an engine and the sun wasn’t even really up yet although it was a matter of time before Steve was up for his morning run. But it was still he, that picked up the call when Friday told him it was important.

“Hello?” Tony asked.

“Hi, is this Tony Stark?” a female voice asked.

“Yup. This is Tony,” Tony said and he waited because no one could get his direct line -- not unless Pepper or he personally gave it out.

“I’m calling from the adoption agency. We have a match for you -- she’s four years old and we think you and Captain Rogers would be a good placement for her.”

His heart felt like it wanted to beat out of his chest. This was the call that he’d been waiting two years for -- since he and Steve had gotten married and since they had both decided that adoption was definitely for them.

“I — yes, yes. We are definitely interested. Can I — What’s her name?”

“Morgana,” the woman said.

Morgana. A four year old.

She kept talking, telling him a little about the case -- the steps that came next and a bunch of other things that Tony didn’t even really hear because the call had come. He and Steve were going to adopt. Since applying there had been a whole bunch of things for them to do. There had been home visits and evaluations. He and Steve had had to attend a few parenting courses, but it was all going to be worth it. And it was finally happening. It was amazing. When he got off the phone, it didn’t take him long to run out of the workshop. K-9 got up from his charging station and barked at him before he followed.

“Steve! Steve! Peter!”

Peter opened his bedroom door first. His hair was standing up in all directions and he looked decidedly bleary eyed. Steve opened their bedroom door a few seconds after, shield at hand. “What is it, what’s wrong?”

Peter blinked at them. “There wasn’t an alarm,” he said.

Tony shook his head. “No, no. No alarm. It’s -- I can’t believe it. Steve, we’re going to be dads.”

Steve blinked at him. “We’re already dads. Have you met Peter? Our son?”

Peter laughed as Steve walked to stand by him. He leaned a sleepy head on Steve’s shoulder. “It’s too early for jokes, dad.”

Steve rubbed his arm and Peter leaned a bit heavier on him.

“The adoption agency called,” Tony said, bringing both Steve and Peter’s eyes back to him.

Steve’s eyes widened, surprised.

Peter grinned. “Oh,” he said, “I’m going to be a big brother.”

“Yeah, kid. You are.”

Peter yawned. “I’m like really excited, but I’m also really tired,” he muttered.

Steve rubbed his shoulder gently. “I think back to bed with all of us,” Steve said, reaching for Tony’s hand. “Come on, we’ll have a huge breakfast to celebrate and you can tell me all the details.”

“Her name is Morgana,” Tony said. “She’s four.”

“Morgana,” Steve repeated. “I like it.”

“Me too. Hey, did I ever tell you I was kind of obsessed with King Arthur and the knights of the round table?”

“No,” Steve said, bemused.

“So Morgana,” Tony said, “Like Arthur’s half-sister. It’s fitting. Meant to be, kind of.”

“Morgana,” Steve whispered. Tony kissed his shoulder.

---

Peter took a look around the barn. It was red outside like most barns were. He’d actually looked up the reason for why barns were red and it was something to do with chemicals that farmers used to use to keep their wood from rotting. Now it was just paint. From the outside it looked entirely ordinary and no one would know that it housed a technologically advanced lab and workshop of one Tony Stark. And because his dad was his dad there was even a trap door that went down into a tunnel that led directly to the house -- the mansion -- that he’d designed and built. It had the personality of both of his dads and Peter absolutely loved it.

“It’s cool, isn’t it?” Tony asked.

“Yeah,” Peter said. “No one will ever suspect that a farmer doesn’t live here.”

Tony ruffled his hair.

It was just a little bittersweet to know that this was all actually happening. His dad and Steve were moving from the tower into this farm. It wasn’t too far out of the city and it was admittedly really nice and quiet out there, but things were going to change soon. Not that Peter would have been around at the tower anyway since he was graduating in a few months and then after this summer it’d be off to college. Columbia. It had been that or NYU -- he’d gotten accepted to both. His dad had questioned his choice to not go to MIT.

“You’d love it there, kid, and it’s a great school and--”

“And it’s not in New York,” Peter had pointed out.

Being in New York meant he could be Spider-Man. He could visit his dads and May. He could hang out with Ned when they had a spot of free time. His relationship with MJ didn’t have to turn long distance seeing as she was going to NYU. Not to mention that he wouldn’t miss out on spending time with his little sister.

Peter hadn’t met Morgana yet, but his dad and Steve had and Peter had just had to look at them to know that they already loved her. And in just a few days she’d be coming home with them.

He followed his dad out of the barn and towards the house. It really was a nice house -- the kind that were on 1000 piece puzzles but that no one ever saw in real life. It was huge but not overwhelmingly so. Steve was standing on the wrap around porch and he grinned at them as they headed over.

“Hey, Joan from the agency just called. They okayed everything. We get to pick her up tomorrow.”

“Really? But she said in three or four days and now—”

“I know,” Steve said.

“Already,” Peter said.

“I -- there’s still so much to do. We don’t even -- we haven’t even furnished this place yet and--”

Steve stepped forward and placed his hands on Tony’s shoulders. “Because we’re not moving yet,” Steve reminded him. “We’ll be at the tower for a few more months. Her room is ready. Everything is ready. You bought her a million things she won’t even need.”

Tony nodded and Peter could tell that he was relaxing, especially when he turned to look at Steve. “She’s going to need everything we got for her.”

Peter met Steve’s eyes and they smiled at each other because they both knew that Tony had gone a little overboard. But they should have known to expect that.

“I can’t wait to meet her,” Peter said and he really couldn’t.

“You’ll love her, Pete,” his dad said.

Peter still remembered the conversation he’d had with the social worker that had come to check out the house. He’d been nervous because he didn’t want to ruin things for his dad and Steve, but the questions had been straight forward and mostly to do with how he felt about the adoption. He felt great about it — he was excited for the new addition to the family. Peter just didn’t know who would be spoiling Morgana the most.

“Hey, do you think we can get a real dog out here? K-9’s going to need a friend,” Peter said. They had plenty of room for one.

“I think your dad wants to get chickens, Pete. It might very well become a menagerie.”

“Just because I think it would be interesting to have a few cows,” Tony said.

“Because Shuri sent you pictures of cows once she heard about the farm,” Steve said.

“Well did you know that there were so many cute cows?” Tony asked. “I think Morgana would appreciate having cows.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “We don’t need cows,” he said. “Morgana certainly doesn’t need cows.”

“Okay. No cows. Maybe. But what about alpacas? At least one? We can name him Gerald.”

Steve looked like he was trying to hold in his laughter.

“But, dad, what if it’s a girl?” Peter asked.

“We can call her Geraldina.”

Peter saw Steve shaking his head, but Peter shrugged his shoulders. “They are kind of cute.”

He would await the day when he arrived at the farm and found an alpaca and some chickens and cows. Maybe it wasn’t a bad idea for his dad to pick up a new hobby, though.

“What about we welcome our -- we welcome Morgana into our lives first and then think about getting a zoo?” Steve asked.

“I am tabling this conversation for later, but I do want to point out that we have the space and the time for it.”

“Sure, honey,” Steve said.

Peter followed Steve inside. It still wasn’t fully furnished but it was kind of cool to actually see it finished after so long. It was different than the tower -- cozier and more homey with touches of tech because what Tony Stark house wouldn’t have that, but it also had a separation from that. It was perfect.

“Hey,” his dad said after a while of walking from empty room to empty room. “You’re really okay with this right?”

“What? You guys moving?”

Tony nodded.

“I am. It’s -- it’s what you guys want and I’ll like coming out here to visit all the time. And I’m excited about Morgana too. It’s -- it’s exciting. You guys deserve this after everything. Our lives are never going to be normal because I have spider powers and Steve is a supersoldier and you’re a genius but this is our family and Morgana is going to grow up with Thor showing up uninvited all the time and you building robots in the barn and maybe some alpacas and cows running around. And we all know I attract danger and trouble no matter where I go so--”

He was thinking back to the European trip. Peter had reluctantly taken his Spider-Man suit with him, but hadn’t intended to use it. His plans had entirely revolved around telling MJ he liked her. Somehow, he had managed to do that, but other things happened too. By the end of it, the world at large knew his identity and not just that -- they knew his father was Tony Stark. Things had settled down and ended fine by the end of it, but it had been rough going for a while and Peter didn’t think he would have handled it as well without his dad and Steve at his side.

Still, at the rate that he was going, Peter expected that if he did end up dorming for school that his roommate might end up being some supervillain. Hell, maybe it would be one of his professors.

“Yeah. Not your finest quality, kid,” his dad said. “Maybe why I don’t like the idea of being too far from you.”

“In a suit, you can get to New York City in about fifteen minutes. Don’t worry. I’m an Avenger.”

His dad sighed. “Yeah, I know. Just, I guess to be honest, I’m a little worried about tomorrow.”

Peter sighed. “You’ve already met her and she likes you and Steve. It’s going to be fine. And Aunt May said you can call her any time for help or babysitting. Not to mention that she’s going to have the best big brother ever so…”

Tony laughed and he pulled Peter into his side. Peter went willingly. Things were going to change over the next few months but none of that was going to matter, not as long as the important things didn’t change. The important things being his family -- new additions and all.

Bonus Chapter

#peter and tony #peter and tony fic #mcuwriting #mcu fic #iron dad #iron dad and spider son #stony #stony fic #marvel

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artificialqueens · 5 years

Text

Objects in the Rear View Mirror (Craquameron) - Epilogue - Saiphl

When the stars are out of sight and the moon is down - Epilogue

Brianna’s PoV

And since I’ve done all the old ones ‘till they’ve all been done in

Now I’m just looking, then I’m gone with the wind

Endlessly searching for an original sin

A bit more than three hours, we’re landing, a bright sunny day in our dear New York, that’s buzzing with life and a way too crowded JFK Airport. Aquaria lazily yawns in the way to the conveyors, “come on sleepy head, we’re close to home, then you’ll sleep as much as you want”, I say to her, and she just looks at me as if I was speaking chinese. “Come on hun, just a little bit more.” She leans her head over my shoulder for a moment and Kameron wraps our waists with her arms.

“Band three and we’ll be out ladies. We’re back home!” Kammy says, and the three of us laugh. We take our luggage and head out the airport, as always it’s messy and crowded, our Uber takes more than ten minutes to arrive because of the traffic, and we stand under the sun, Aquaria trying to hide from the burning light, Kameron and I teasing her about it.

The way to our places takes its sweet time, and we keep talking, this time checking on our schedules to plan a night out. Right now we want to see how this turns out, maybe taking it a little bit slower than we did back in Cheyenne, coming to the realization that we have a lot of time ahead is refreshing, and the three of us know we’ll need to work as a team if we want to make our relationship work.

Kameron is the first to get home, she kisses each of us soft and brief, asking then for us to send a message when we get home. We see her walking to her building, she turns once more, smiling to us and waving her goodbyes, the car gets in motion before we see her get in. Aquaria holds my hand sighing, she looks like she’s going to say something, but it doesn’t come out at last. Leaning her head on my shoulder she says “We’re lucky… I mean, we have each other now.” I nod in agreement, and turn my face lightly to kiss her forehead.

After leaving Aquaria in her place, the driver looks at me through the rear view mirror, judgmentally arching a brow, I smile at him with my best ‘fuck your nose off of us’ glare. Then look at my phone screen, starting to reply all the unseen messages I have there. Soon, I’m dropped by my building door and the driver leaves as fast as he can. I bet he will be talking about us when he gets home after his workday.

I’ve been looking for the ultimate crime

Infinite victims, infinitesimal time

And I’m so very guilty for no reason or rhyme

I keep writing messages to my dear friend Vanessa, she’s been worried about all the process of my visit to Cheyenne, and for sure, she’s pissed that i’ve spent the last four days in radio silence. When the elevator dings reaching my floor, I slid the phone in my pocket and walk carrying my luggage to my door.

There’s a pile of unopened mail on my counter when I close the door of my apartment, I sigh to the idea of looking at it. It can wait. I walk to my room and fall straight on my bed, face buried on the pillows while I blatantly ignore the buzzing of my phone. I’m wondering when will be the time to bring my girls to my home, and suddenly feel anxious about how we will make this work for the three of us. My head spinning violently on the idea when the phone buzzes regularly, I’ll have to take the call. “Hey Vanjie! how are you?”

“Bitch, you have no fucking reason to ignore my messages”, Vanessa yells to the phone. “I demand an explanation, and better for you to start now, or I’ll go to bugger you face to face.”

“Alright, alright… there’s no need to yell, I can hear you perfectly”, I say, putting the phone away from my ear. “I just got home bitch, gimme a break” I ask, starting to laugh.

“Well, you have a lot to tell, the last you said was you were going to Aquaria’s sister wedding and then nothing, radio silence. You can’t say you’re going to see Aquaria after your disappearance and then keep the things to yourself.” Now her tone is more curious than pissed. “What happened at the wedding?”

I sigh, remembering the moment I saw Kameron at the church. “Aquaria was there with no other than Kameron” I answer, sounding a little more bitter than I expected. “Then they kissed old hollywood movie style on the dancefloor and I’ve lost it girl, like… lost it big time.”

We spend the following hour and a half going on every single detail of that night, and I can’t help laughing when I hear Vanessa gasping when I told her about what they’ve proposed to me. For the first time in the almost three years I’ve known Vanessa Mateo, she’s speechless, even more when I tell her that I accepted to be in a throuple with them.

She cackled when I got to the part of the parental meeting, and she was recreating my mom’s angry voice with eerie precision. When she finally managed to control her laugh, and with what meant to be a most serious tone, she asked “so, you are telling me you are now in a relationship with the both of them?”

I nod to the phone, and then say “I think so, like, I’m still sinking on the idea…” I sigh, and look through my window, the purples and reds of the sunset taking over the big apple. “I’m not sure how we will make it work, but what I can say, is I’m so happy that I’m afraid to sleep and not waking up.”

“Never say that again bitch, I need my best friend now, and I’ll need my best friend for at least the following century.” Vanessa sounds death serious, and I know she’s worried, but she will be by my side wherever all this crazy adventure takes me. “I’m happy to know you’re happy girl, but aside of this adrenaline rush, how do you feel?”

I take a little time to answer that, but I know it’s the truth. “I’m in love Vanjie, so much in love and I can’t wait for you to meet them. I’m sure you’ll love them too.”

The call comes to an end with us agreeing to have a coffee the following day, she doesn’t seem convinced, but I’m sure she’ll get me her perspective the moment we find a table and have a chance to talk. I take a shower and then empty the luggage getting ready for the following day. I’m about to call to order dinner when my phone buzzes again. Kameron is sending a picture of her at an animal shelter, and introducing Aquaria and I to Cheyenne, the kitten she just adopted. The little furball yawning on her left arm.

Aquaria sends a voice message saying “Cheyenne? really? why did you do such a horrible thing to the baby?”

I laugh and record a message, “I have to agree with Aquaria, why did you gave him that horrendous name?”

“Because he’s the second step for a new start, and he will always remind me of you when you’re not around, my loves” Kameron answers, and I feel my heart melting.

Aquaria and I send a long appreciative message to her words, followed by a detailed list of what the kitten will need and a bunch of recommendations from Aquaria and her vast experience on cat breeding. Then we all say good night.

Thinking about the last four days, and how my… our lives have changed, gives me hope on the future, on a future where we are together, and happy. A future where the past injuries are no longer important; a future where love is what matters and I’m sure, for the first time, that I’ve made the right decision.

It’s not enough to make the nightmares go away

It’s not enough to make the tears run dry

It’s not enough to live a little better every day

It’s been a year and a half since we boarded that airplane to New York from Wyoming, and I can tell things were moving faster. The first months were complicated, as far as we were located in three very different points of the city, and our schedules were madness. Aquaria resented the little time both Kameron and I had by the time she was taking a breathe from the released collection of the following spring. Kameron resented the lack of time her work gave her and I… well, Vanjie and I just decided to start our own business, so the bakery was taking most of my time.

On Thanksgiving my parents, Sharon and Alaska visited us, and I bet Sharon was about to rip our guts off when she saw how sad Aquaria was. Thankfully Mom helped a lot on the process of her understanding that our lives were getting more complicated, not just because of us adjusting to our relationship, but because we were growing on our own fields.

By Christmas we decided it was the time to think of moving in together. Kameron was done with the neverending rambling whenever the schedules didn’t match, and Aquaria was done with attempting to balance the free time, the commuting and the fact that the indie atelier she was working for was bought by a bigger brand. To be honest, I was done too with all the drama and the nights I’ve spent rolling on an empty bed, craving the warmth of their bodies with me. Most of all, we were done with being apart, things were starting to work for the three of us, we didn’t want to let our jobs to become a stopper, more than a way of living.

The first week of the spring, we moved together to a little place in Brooklyn, comfortable enough for three adults and close enough to our jobs. The apartment was big enough for the three of us, each one having a proper space to do our own business, and a good common space for the life we were starting to share. Kameron made sure the spaces were good and comfortable, while Aquaria busied herself on making it a perfect balance between the three of us. Cheyenne was the happiest cat with the moving, as far as he found thrilling to explore every single box we managed to empty.

For our first anniversary, we spent the night in a romantic dinner that Kameron prepared for the occasion. Aquaria designed and supervised the creation of three rings, they looked like a wedding band but were decorated with the birthstones of each of us and engraved with our names. She wanted to make our commitment official, as far as we won’t be able to get married, we can, at least pretend to be. My anniversary gift, was a scrap photo album made by myself, with pictures of us. Sharon, Alaska, Mom, Dad, Nebraska, my siblings, Chad, Morgan and even Katlyn shared those memories to document our story, it also had empty pages at the end for us to fill over the years to come.

As every other couple, we’ve had good and bad times, also moments when we questioned if this is what we really wanted. By now, we’re doing well, creating a world for us, going step by step, going day by day. I still feel lucky to have them both in my life, and as long as it lasts, I can tell that I’m having the happy life I’ve always dreamt about. We are having the happy lives we always wanted to have.

I’ve been looking for an original sin

One with a twist and a bit of a spin

And since I’ve done all the old ones ‘till they’ve all been done in

Now I’m just looking, then I’m gone with the wind

Endlessly searching for an original sin.

#rear view mirror #saiphl #throuple #kameron michaels #miz cracker #aquaria #rpdr fanfiction #submission #craquameron #lesbian au #poly #s10

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ellayuki · 5 years

Text

your happiness, my broken heart, and what the future holds

Voltron: Legendary Defenders // Sheith, background Shiro/Curtis

Post Epilogue, Canon compliant // Keith POV

2740 words // Angst, Hopeful Ending

Keith is Shiro's best man at his wedding and he does it with a smile as much as it pains him.

Years later, at one of the Paladins' reunions, things happen and Keith runs away with barely a word, so as to not complicate things even more. Obviously, it doesn't go quite as he expects.

A/N: I haven't watched season 8 (and don't intend to) so this is mostly based on what bits of it I've seen and read about on the internet.

It breaks his heart, the walk down the aisle, giving Shiro away, standing by his side while he marries someone else. It breaks his heart, but still, he does it all, and with a smile on his face.

“I don't know how you had the strength to do all that today,” Hunk says, a soft whisper while he and Keith watch from their table as the happy couple dances. “I wouldn't have been able to. Hell, I'd be a wreck, probably.”

Keith spares him a glance, a rueful smile on his lips. “His happiness means more to me than the love I bear. It was…” And here he stops, for a moment, taking a breath. He turns to face Hunk. “I won't say it was easy. It wasn't. But…” And he looks out to the dance ring again. Shiro is whispering something to his new husband. Keith shrugs past the sting in his chest. “Seeing him smile like that today… That's worth everything.”

And it hurts but he means every word he says.

What he doesn't say, though, is that he hasn't seen Shiro smile as brightly as today since the day he'd told Keith he'd been chosen to pilot the Kerberos mission. What he doesn't says is that he’s always known this day would come. First, as a vague notion of some probable, far-off future, and then, later, as a certainty borne from a time distortion-based vision.

Keith keeps those to himself. He doesn't want to be pitied, he doesn't want his friends to feel sorry for him even more than they already do. (He doesn't want to have to explain why he didn't try to change it all if he'd known it would happen.)

He can feel Hunk looking at him, silent but with sympathy in his eyes, but he keeps his gaze resolutely forward.

Yes, it hurts. But Shiro is happy, and so Keith will be happy for him, even as he nurses his broken, bleeding heart.

(Shiro catches his gaze over Curtis’ shoulder, and his smile is like the sun, and Keith knows he's made the right choice.)

The shock of the kiss doesn’t sober him up, not nearly enough for him to push Shiro away, to put a stop to this sudden madness. Not when Shiro’s human hand is slowly caressing up his spine under his shirt, not when his prosthetic fingers card through Keith’s hair and grip, gently, and shift his head this way and that, for a better angle.

Not when the slide of Shiro’s tongue against his own is literally something out of his fantasies since Keith was sixteen.

No, Keith can’t push Shiro away, even as a niggling voice at the back of his head keeps whispering ‘You shouldn’t do this. He’s married, you shouldn’t be doing this’.

It’s been over ten years since everything ended, eight since the wedding, the day Keith gave Shiro away with a smile and a broken heart. And it’s been two years since the last time they’ve seen each other, because Keith’s efforts to help those that are still trying to get their lives together after the war and after thousands of years of Galran occupation tends to keep him too busy to even see his own mother, let alone his old friends.

So yes, it’s a shock that after so long, and after a normal evening, having dinner with the other Paladins (former Paladins, now, but still), he finds himself being kissed to within an inch of his life.

But Keith can’t make himself stop, can’t make himself stop Shiro, can only drown in the feeling and in the moment.

In the morning, he leaves quietly, head pounding, heart bleeding, shame burning hot through his veins.

‘I’m sorry I had to leave early, but duty calls,’ the note he leaves behind says, a feeble excuse. And, because he feels like it needs to be said, ‘Go back to your husband, Shiro, I’m sure he misses you dearly’.

It doesn’t feel like enough, but he doesn’t know how much Shiro will remember, so he leaves it vague, just in case (he, himself, remembers everything, because such is his luck in life). If Shiro wakes up and doesn’t remember, well, then Keith will tell him Shiro was being a maudlin drunk.

If he does remember... Keith can only hope it will be enough to assure Shiro Keith will not bring it up in the future, that it was something that happened because they were drunk and nothing more (though he knows the guilt will eat Shiro alive, just like it does Keith.)

He misses the reunion the next year, not because he wants to (and Gods, did he want to at first, too terrified of ever seeing Shiro again, seeing what one drunken night has done to their already straining friendship), but because he’s unconscious from an ambush from the last remaining dredges of Zarkon’s empire.

He wakes up a week after the meeting was to take place to several video messages from Pidge and from Hunk and from Lance, and two text messages from Shiro (‘When are you arriving? We should talk.’ and ‘Krolia told us what happened. I hope you wake up soon. I miss you.’)

He sends them all a short message, text, because he doesn’t feel up to video calls, and because he doesn’t think he’ll be able to handle their scolding for not being careful (he got that enough from his mother and Kolivan as soon as he opened his eyes).

‘I’m awake,’ the message says. ‘Still worn out, but I’m fine, so please stop worrying. I’ll call when my throat stops feeling like I’ve swallowed glass. Sorry I couldn’t be there to see you guys.’

(He still gets scolded, even via texts, and he can’t help smiling with every incoming text. Pidge can be very… creative with her threats regarding what she’ll do to him if he ever scares them like that again.)

(‘I’m just glad you’re alright,’ the text from Shiro comes, a few hours later, and it’s so… simple, it makes something ache behind Keith’s ribs, but he can’t tell if it’s a good ache or a bad one. Maybe it’s a bit of both.)

When he hears about the divorce, it feels like a slap to the face, and the guilt that he’d been trying to ignore since that night comes crashing back into him full force.

The fact that he hears about it from Curtis himself only makes it worse.

He’s been on Earth for two days, three months after the ambush, when he runs into the man in the town near the Garrison.

It’s… not awkward, per se, but Keith honestly wishes he could be anywhere else but there.

“So how’s Shiro?” he asks, after a few minutes of pleasantries and more or less catching up. He expects to hear about how the man’s been enjoying retirement, how Curtis has had to put up with Shiro’s latest hobbies.

What he gets instead is a small frown and a “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

For a second, Keith can’t breathe. Then, he swallows past the knot in his throat enough to ask. “What are you talking about? Why should I know how your husband’s doing?” And maybe it comes out a tiny bit harsh, but Keith is suddenly gripped by fear. What if Curtis knows? But he wouldn’t be so pleasant now if he knew, right?

Curtis’ frown turns puzzled. “You… don’t know?” he asks, and there’s something about the way he says it. Like he fully expected Keith to know, whatever it is. “Keith,” he says, gently, “Takashi and I… we’re divorced.”

And for a second, Keith feels like the ground has opened up beneath him and he’s free-falling. Oh Gods, this is his fault, it’s all his-

“When?” he manages to croak out, not able to look Curtis in the face. “Why?”

Curtis shrugs, seemingly unbothered. “We realized we wanted different things. It took him a while to realize and to admit that he still longed for the stars, and he got restless. I just wanted to settle down, maybe have a kid, and put everything space related as far behind us as we could.” He looks to the side, and then up at the sky. “Maybe we rushed, getting married. But well, we were happy, so at least there’s that.” He looks back down at Keith. “We decided to split up when it was clear that what we wanted was different. And I guess, I thought…” He shrugs again. “I thought you’d be the one he went to.”

Keith shakes his head. “I haven’t seen him since- since last year’s Paladin reunion,” he manages to say.

“And he didn’t say anything about it? It’s been almost three years now, I’d have thought he’d have at least told his friends.”

Three years… Shiro’s been divorced for three years and he didn’t say anything…

“Maybe he told the others,” he says, taking a breath. “I missed the reunion around that time, I think, and well… Shiro and I haven’t really talked all that much the past few years. We’ve seen each other two, maybe three times in the past five years. I guess it wasn’t something he felt I should know. To be honest I didn’t even notice if he was still wearing the ring or not.”

We slept together and he didn’t say anything…

Curtis hums, low, and fixes Keith with a searching look. “Well, it’s in the past now. We’re both moving on with our lives. Maybe…” And the look changes into something pensive, considering. “Maybe you should call him. Talk. I’m sure he’ll want to hear from his best friend after so long.”

Keith nods, and later, when he’s back in his designated room at the Garrison, he spends two whole hours agonizing, writing and rewriting a text message to Shiro. Everything he comes up with seems too formal, too stilted, not good enough.

In the end, he settles for a simple, ‘I’m on Earth, at the Garrison for the next week. We should talk.’

He presses send before he can rethink it.

They meet two days later, at an old favorite spot of theirs in the desert. A cliff edge at sunset, seems fitting, Keith thinks.

It’s as awkward as he’d expected it to be.

“Hey,” Keith manages, after a long moment of silence.

“Hey, Keith,” Shiro says, a sad smile on his lips. Keith wants to wipe it off his face, though whether with his own lips or with a punch, he’s not yet sure.

“How have you been, Keith?” Shiro asks, after a while, looking out at the horizon. The sun’s only just barely started to sink. “You really scared us a while back.”

“I’m fine,” Keith answers. “I got knocked out pretty hard and it took a while to wake up, but I’m fine now. I told you guys to stop worrying about it.”

Shiro looks at him, and there’s something like disappointment in his gaze. “We’re your friends, your family, Keith, of course we’d worry. You’d worry, too, if it was any one of us.”

And well, he’s got him there. Keith can’t argue with that. He sighs. “You’re right. I’m sorry. But I really am alright.”

“Good.”

For a while, they watch the sunset in silence, and Keith is reminded of days long past, when the most exciting thing in their lives were their hoverbike races and the prospect of one day going to another planet.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks eventually, when he can’t hold his curiosity in check anymore. “You could have told me.”

“Told you what?”

“About the divorce, Shiro.”

“Oh. That.”

The simple, off-hand way Shiro says it, makes Keith bristle. It’s a rare thing, him being angry with Shiro, but he is now. “’Oh, that’ he says like I haven’t been a stressed mess for the past year about you cheating on your husband with me.”

Shiro snorts, sighs, and looks out at the sun. It’s halfway set by now. “It’s not like you actually gave me a chance to say anything, Keith. ‘Go back to your husband’? Is how you put it? When you left me alone after we spent the night together?”

Keith’s cheeks burn at the reminder. Still, his anger won’t be assuaged. “You could have said something before that. Hell, I wouldn’t know right now if I hadn’t bumped into Curtis a few days ago.”

That makes Shiro look at him. “You saw Curtis?”

Keith frowns. “Ran into him in town. That’s not the point. He told me about why you divorced. You could have told me you wanted to travel again. I could have-“

“What? You could have what, Keith? Dropped everything and come to my rescue again? You have better things to do. And besides, I thought…” He stops, takes a deep breath, and shakes his head. That rueful smile is back on his face. “I thought I’d tell you at the reunion, but we got drunk before I got around to it, and… well, you know what happened after that. And after the way you left, I couldn’t say anything.”

“You should have told me,” Keith insists, though without any fire behind it now.

“I’m sorry,” Shiro says. “I guess, we both should have handled that better.”

Keith looks at him, sees the regret, the sadness, the care, in Shiro’s eyes and breathes out, long, soft. Leans over and rests his forehead against Shiro’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, too, for running away,” he whispers. “I thought I was doing the right thing, giving you an out if you didn’t remember, and not being there to face the reality of your infidelity if you did. And…” He swallows. It’s hard to admit. “I was afraid. I’d wanted that for so long, for years and years, and I knew I could never have it, have you, not really… I was afraid of your disappointment, of yet another rejection… so I took the coward’s way out.”

“We’re both idiots,” Shiro says, eventually, and Keith can’t help the startled snort of laughter bubbling out of him.

“I guess we are.”

It doesn’t surprise him when Shiro wraps his arm around his shoulders and pulls him closer, though he doesn’t expect it. It’s gentle, and it warms him to his core. After everything, they can still sit here, facing the sunset, at ease in each other’s presence and content.

They still have things to talk about, to clear up, there’s still so much to catch up on, and things that need doing and saying.

But for now, just being here, like this, with Shiro, is enough for Keith to feel happier than he’s been in long, long years.

For now, everything else, the entire universe, can wait.

#Voltron #VLD #Keith #Shiro #Sheith #background Shiro/Curtis #by moi #Fic #My Fic #VLD Fic #Weeklies

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minyoongijjangjjangmanboongboong · 6 years

Text

Arranged Epilogue

Description: Y/N and Yoongi have been through the ringer and they finally have a moment to breathe. They are making up for lost time as they explore an idyllic island together. Who wants to follow them on their honeymoon?

Pairing: Min Yoongi x (f) Reader

Word Count: 4,744

Tags: Non-Idol!Au, Chaebol!Au, Company!Au, Arranged Marriage!Au

Warnings: Coarse language, although not frequently

A/N: Ah hello my loves! Here is the epilogue. I’m excited to give you guys some straight fluff!! Like dang, you have suffered enough!! This is a bit shorter than a normal chapter, mostly because there’s no drama haha. So I hope you like it. Just as a little thank you for enjoying the story, and as a send-off for Arranged! I know it’s weird to say goodbye, but we can always explore these characters more through drabbles! Just let me know what you want and I’ll get on it. As always, please send me anything you want! I’ll be without wifi at the coast, so my responses might be a little late since I’ll be on mobile, but please don’t let that stop you from sending me an ask! I truly love talking to you guys. And of course, feel free to message me about any concerns or critique you have.

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT!

Our next fic will be titled Dissonance and, as you may or may not know, it will star the one and only Kim Taehyung - based on your poll votes! So, keep an eye out on Wednesday for an official introduction and a lil baby spoiler ;). I’m excited to get started!!

–Mercury

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen (END), Epilogue

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“I can’t believe he took me to Tahiti.”

“I can’t believe you’re on the phone with my while you’re in Tahiti.”

I sighed and glared into the cerulean waters outside our floating cabin. I could see a few stray fish playing tag in the ocean’s depth just beyond where I sat, shaded by the thatched roof. I rested on a chaise lounge, phone in hand, sun warming my thighs.

“He’s sleeping,” I insisted.

Hana gave a rapturous yawn. “Yeah, that’s what I’d like to be doing too.”

“Wait,” I said, then covered my lips with my fingers. “What time is it?”

“Six in the stupid morning,” Hana mumbled.

I blinked a few times. It was only eleven here. I’d completely forgotten the time difference. “Shit! I’m sorry. I’ll go now.”

She laughed. “Go wake up your husband.”

I blushed. “Sleep,” I said before hanging up and wringing my hands. I glanced around me, back towards the island, and saw the lush greenery sway slightly in the ocean breeze. I’d never seen so much beauty in one place, the island’s sharp peaks reaching into the bright blue sky unobstructed by even a single cloud.

Our porch was comfortable and through the gaps in the wood floor I could see bits of ocean water as it waved. I wiggled my toes and smiled. Despite the guilt over being here at all, I couldn’t deny the place’s breezy charm. It was like a living daydream. I took a deep breath of fresh sea air, letting the warmth fill my nostrils, and stood to my feet, padding softly back into the hut. Yoongi slept peacefully on the massive white bed, his arms and legs spread as he lay on his stomach and let out little snores. I smiled fondly at him.

Quietly, I opened the bamboo blinds, letting more sunlight seep into the room. I heard him groan and smirked. I hated waking him up. That was something I’d learned quickly once we started sleeping in the same bed. Not only was he a total grump most mornings, he was as immovable as a damn rock. Trying to find creative ways to coax him out of bed in the morning had become something of a ritual.

I knew the window wouldn’t be enough. The cabin was already flooded with morning light by nature of its design. I pursed my lips and thought a moment. Then, with a smile, I hopped back into the bed, my pajama shorts bunching as I lay on top of the sleeping man, the whole weight of my body pressed onto his back.

He groaned. “Y/N,” he mumbled, the familiar rasp in his voice causing butterflies to flutter in my stomach.

I chuckled. “Time to get up, lazy boy.”

“They called me Motionless Min in high school you know,” he said, lips pressed into his pillow.

“Yes, I know. You’ve told me. Now rise, my undead servant. Rise,” I said, shacking his shoulders.

He shook his head. “Ten more minutes.”

“That excuse works at home. Not in Tahiti.”

He turned his head so he could look at me through one dark eye, the other half of his face squished onto the pillow. His lips spread in a smirk. “Wait, we’re in Tahiti?”

I smacked his exposed shoulder and sat upright, straddling his back. “Min Yoongi!” I shouted.

He twisted around so he was laying on his back, resting his hands on my thighs with a bright smile. “Min Y/N,” he said lowly.

I rolled my eyes. “That’s not the face of a man ready to go on a jungle hike.”

He laughed. “You’re right.”

I hit his chest lightly. “We’ve been here a day and all we’ve done is sleep,” I complained, my lips forming a pout. It was strange what married life had done to me…

“Hey,” he said softly, hands rubbing my skin. “We’ve done more than sleep.”

“Ew!” I shouted, hopping off of him and stumbling back onto the floor, leaving my lecherous husband laughing in the bed by himself. “You have ten minutes to get ready or I’m throwing you into the ocean!”

Although I did not throw him into the ocean, Yoongi did take longer than ten minutes, despite me breathing down his neck as he lazily brushed his teeth, lazily put on his clothes, lazily styled his hair (which I mentioned on more than one occasion was a waste of time because of the humidity). We ended up leaving the cabin at 11:30 AM, armed with backpacks I packed and a map which I demanded to keep in my possession.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” I said as he whined about it during our walk to the trailhead from the car we’d rented. “It’s that I trust me more.”

He stuck out his tongue for a second before gently taking hold of my hand and intertwining our fingers with a cheeky grin as we stepped over some exposed roots. “You know what’s better than a long hike in the jungle?” he asked.

I leaned away from him slightly, furrowing my brow. “Don’t say anything that will make me have to really push you into the ocean…,” I warned.

He laughed and planted a soft kiss against my temple. “Resting on the beach. Maybe taking a nap,” he said.

I clenched my jaw and shut my eyes as I struggled to retain my composure. Perhaps because he was wealthy all his life, these amazing places didn’t hold much interest for him anymore. Perhaps he was used to majesty in the world. But to me, this experience was invaluable.

“I’m not gonna waste my time in a place this beautiful by sleeping,” I said, glancing at him. “We have to see it, Yoongi! Do you know how many people would kill to be here?”

He pursed his lips. “We aren’t keeping them from coming here themselves.”

“Most people who want to can’t afford it,” I said softly as we walked along the sand, following the directions I’d found online to the trailhead.

He was quiet as he thought of this for a moment. He took a deep breath as we reached the edge of the forest, just beside a sign marking the beginning of the hike, and gave me a smile. “I’m sorry,” he said.

I raised my brows. “Hm? What for?” I asked.

“Sometimes I forget that I’m fortunate. I’m glad you’re here to remind me,” he said.

I laughed and shook my head. “If nagging is all it takes to get you to appreciate me, I’ll nag more often,” I joked, leaning up towards him and offering a chaste kiss. “We don’t have to do this today if you really don’t want to, you know,” I conceded with a smile. “We can rest on the beach and play with the fish.”

He shook his head, thumb rubbing circles into my hand. “I want to. You’re right. When are we gonna get this chance again?”

I smiled as I tilted my head to the side, examining him from below as the sunlight made a gold halo around his hair. “You’re handsome when you listen to what I say,” I said with a giggle.

He narrowed his eyes at me, but after a moment cracked a smile and swayed our clasped hands. “I’m always handsome,” he said.

“Indisputable,” I teased.

He rolled his eyes. “Quit quoting me and let’s get hiking.”

The canopy of trees seemed to bend and curve around us as we tramped through the undergrowth. We were met at every turn with beauty unparalleled: spectacular views of the water, sweeping expanses of emerald rainforest, steep cliffside stopping points leading impossibly down to the beach. Yoongi complained very little, much to my surprise, and even though both of us were sweating and tired our spirits were remarkably high. The hike wasn’t long or arduous, but his attitude seemed to have changed entirely over the course of our trek. As we dredged ever closer to the elusive promised land of a beautiful waterfall, Yoongi came up behind me and, slowing our speed, wrapped his arms around my torso. The action was awkward as I was still wearing my backpack, and his hands barely made it around to touch my tank top.

I turned to look at him as we lobbed side to side together, our steps slow and synchronized. “What is it?”

“I’m just…kind of amazed,” he said.

I laughed. “Even the great Min Yoongi can feel overwhelmed by nature sometimes,” I teased.

He chuckled. “Yes. I am a human after all.”

“I’m amazed too,” I said as I glanced around the path, a couple squeezing past us as they walked back the way we came. “It’s really pretty here.”

“And it’s about to get prettier,” he said, pointing ahead.

I followed his pale finger and saw in the distance a hint of waterfall. I was quick to untangle our limbs and jog ahead towards it, Yoongi in tow and laughing behind me as he struggled to keep up. We both slowed to a stop on the cement viewing platform, my mouth agape as I took in the splendor of it. Water cascaded from hundreds of feat overhead, pooling in a plume of mist below us. I laughed in disbelief and turned to Yoongi. His eyes were wide, his smile wider, and his hair was standing at awkward angles, curling slightly from the humidity. I chuckled and took a moment to softly brush a stray hair from his dewy forehead.

“Yoongi,” I said quietly, grinning up at him.

He wrapped his arms around me and smiled with a tenderness that disarmed me. “Thank you,” he said.

I blushed and shook my head, watching the waterfall reflected in the brown of his eyes. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You got me out here,” he said, fingers rubbing my hips slightly. “That was no easy task.”

I pursed my lips, tilting my head side to side, and shrugged. “A fair point.”

He laughed and gave my forehead a light flick. “I’m trying to be appreciative.” I smiled, settling my arms around his neck and lacing my fingers. “Consider me thoroughly appreciated,” I said, smiling.

“Excuse me?”

Both Yoongi and I turned to see a woman, maybe in her fifties, smiling at us grandly and pointing at the waterfall. “Would you mind taking our photo?” she asked, pointing to a woman around her age, giving us a bashful look.

I smiled and removed my hands from Yoongi’s shoulders. “Of course,” I said, taking the woman’s expensive digital camera from her outstretched fingertips and lining up the shot as she took a spot against the railing beside the other woman.

The two wrapped their arms around each other and met eyes and, in an instant, I felt love. It was as if I was glimpsing something very pure and primal. I wondered in a brief haze of selfishness if other people saw that when Yoongi and I looked at each other. I remembered what Jungkook had said about the way I looked at Yoongi all that time ago. I shook my head a little to gather my thoughts and smiled as the first woman pressed a kiss to the second woman’s cheek.

“One! Two! Three!” I called, holding my fingers out as I counted before snapping the photo.

The first woman came trotting back and stood beside me as I pulled up the photo. The other woman approached as well, both of them staring over each of my shoulders as we reviewed the picture together.

“Oh, Rainy, it’s so pretty!” said the first woman with a light smack to my arm.

I chuckled as the other woman, Rainy, gave me a soft smile. “Thank you,” she said. “Cassandra, shouldn’t we let the happy couple have a photo too?” proposed Rainy.

The first woman, apparently Cassandra, gasped and nodded. “Oh of course! How rude of me. Let me take a picture of you two,” she insisted with a grin.

I glanced over my shoulder at Yoongi and he laughed, shrugging. “Um…sure. Here, let me grab my phone,” I said, pulling my backpack around to my side and digging through it I found the device. “Thank you,” I said as I handed it to Cassandra who shook her head at me, dismissing my gratitude with a wave of her hand.

I waited for Yoongi to catch up to me before walking by his side to the edge of the slab, leaning back against the railing. “What kind of pose do you want to do?” I asked.

He met my eyes with a smile and squinted his eyes as he thought. “V sign?”

“Hm,” I said, my brow furrowing. “Maybe a dumb face? Like this?” I asked, pulling my head backwards slightly to produce layers of extra chins.

Yoongi, upon seeing me that way, let out a booming laugh that flitted around the jungle. I laughed with him, our eyes connected as we tried to fight the giggles. “I like that,” he said, still laughing. “But how about just a nice, simple pose?” he said as he snaked an arm around my waist.

I smiled and nodded. “Alright,” I said, then turned to the women who were smiling fondly our way, staring into the phone together. “We’re ready!” I called, angling my body towards Yoongi’s and wrapping an arm around his waist and placing my free hand on his chest.

“Ready! One!” called Cassandra, flashing her first finger. “Two!” she shouted, and I looked up at Yoongi with a wink. He smiled brighter in response. “Three!”

We reunited with the couple and, before we could review the photos, they were packing their things, ready to leave. Before they made their departure,

Cassandra approached and gave me a pat on the shoulder. “I took a few so you can choose from them,” she said with a smile.

I nodded. “Thank you!” I called as she and Rainy walked back towards the trail. Then, suddenly alone again, I turned to Yoongi. “Wanna look at them?”

He smirked and came around behind me, resting his chin on my shoulder as I opened my photos. The first one to appear was the most recent one, featuring Yoongi and I posing against the lush, vibrant greenery and the rapidly flowing waterfall. I swiped to the right to see the earlier photos, Yoongi’s hands now wrapped around my torso. The next photo was the two of us adjusting our position, me looking at the ground and Yoongi staring handsomely off into the distance. The last one gave me pause and caused my heart to skip. It was the same frame, the same waterfall, the same dripping foliage and white water, but this time we were laughing, staring at each other, not even touching as we shared a private moment. My eyes were glittering, and Yoongi’s smile was so big it shone out against the mossy backdrop. And, in our eyes, I could see it. I could feel it.

It was love.

I flushed. “Yoongi,” I said.

He kissed my cheek from behind and hummed in response. “Yes?”

“I’m happy.”

He laughed and swayed us a little. “Me too,” he said. “Now let’s get going so we can get some food.”

The sun had trailed to the edge of the horizon, settled neatly where the sky and sea touch. Streaks of lilac, navy, and vibrant red rippled out across the water, reflected from the dome of sky above. Yoongi and I sat quietly, each of us resting on the sandy beach on a blanket. We’d spent the afternoon eating and basking in the sunlight. I really began to understand the Motionless Min nickname, as there were times when I had to check his breathing to make sure he was still alive. At one point, I’d asked Yoongi why he hadn’t moved for thirty minutes, just laying on his back in the sand, to which he replied that he was ‘photosynthesizing.’

I sat hugging my knees with a soft smile as the waves came and went, gently lapping at the sand, leaving damp imprints in their place as they receded. The air was warm, and somewhere in the distance I could smell a barbecue. My stomach constricted and offered a low moan. I was grateful to be by the sea, hoping Yoongi may mistake it for a whale’s call and avoid his teasing.

I heard him shuffle at my side, moving around this way and that. Had it finally happened? Had he fallen asleep? Before I could check, something cool was touching my bare arm and I jumped slightly, turning to look at Yoongi with wide eyes. He was sitting upright with an equally surprised expression, in his hand a cling-wrapped roll of kimbap. I furrowed my brow at the thing, then looked back at him.

“Kimbap?” I asked with a smile, musing as he fussed with his fluffy hair.

He shrugged. “I made it last night after you went to sleep. I thought I’d be able to pack my own bag for the hike and surprise you at the waterfall, but you packed for me,” he said, his lips pouted and eyes squinty with drowsiness.

I took the kimbap and unwrapped it, unceremoniously taking a bite to sate my appetite. As I chewed, I held the roll out to Yoongi and he, in turn, took a bite straight from my hand. I laughed. “I’m sorry,” I said.

He met my eyes and shook his head. “Why?”

“For pushing you today and making you feel bad,” I said as I took another bite of kimbap. He’d prepared this the night before, meaning he’d always intended to go on the hike. I pursed my lips. “I think I feel…a little guilty being here.”

He took his bite and chewed quietly. “Mm,” he hummed.

“Some old insecurities are coming up,” I said, meeting his sleepy eyes, his sun-flushed cheeks, his messy hair. “Sometimes I feel like we don’t really understand each other.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You do?”

I nodded slowly. “Just because…I don’t know, the way we grew up, the worlds we were a part of…they’re just really different.”

“Funny,” he said with a soft smile as I chewed. “That’s what I like most about our relationship.”

“Hm?” I asked, surprised.

He shrugged. “We’re different. We have different perspectives,” he said. “That means we can both learn a lot from each other.”

My cheeks warmed. “I guess…I didn’t really think of it that way before.”

“Well, being in an echo-chamber doesn’t really help you grow does it? It’s good to get new perspectives. Like today with you. The hike was a lot more fun than I thought it would be,” he said.

I chuckled. “Well, to be fair just sitting on the beach with you has been really nice too.”

“See?” he said, scooting closer so our thighs touched and taking a hearty bite of kimbap. “We both learned something.”

I nodded, resting my head against his warm shoulder. He chuckled beside me as the kimbap slouched in my hand. “Why do I feel like we’re some campy PBS show or something?” I asked.

“See kids?” he said with a nudge. “Even two people who seem really different can be friends!”

I groaned. “Stop it. You’re ruining Tahiti.”

He laughed boisterously and nodded, ruffling my hair with his cheek. “Hand me the kimbap,” he said, taking the food from my hand and chomping down.

The sky was black and full of uncountable stars, shimmering in the night. The water which I heard splashing the support beams of our cabin was no more than a navy blue mass outside, the peaks of waves sometimes catching the moonlight just right and glittering like a mirror of the stars above. Inside, I could vaguely hear Yoongi humming in the shower. Our hut was filled with warm yellow light, filtering out onto the deck on which I sat, staring once again at my phone. So much had happened that day, so much that I wanted to tell Hana and the others about.

Hana had insisted that we create a group chat for her, Namjoon, Jungkook, and me so we could stay in touch while we all went our own ways. Jungkook in Busan, me in Tahiti, Hana at work, and Namjoon at the company: I had to admit it was a good idea. Although the group chat had been significantly more lively than I’d anticipated, and it was rare that my phone was quiet these days. Tonight, however, I was really grateful for it. I still felt guilty for the privilege of being in such a lavish place, but sharing it with people who couldn’t be here too made me feel a little better. I reached out to the chat in the middle of a conversation about about the best food stall in Hongdae.

Meme Squad: Jungkook: Alright, listen. You can think the tteokbokki place is better, but know that your opinion is inferior and I hate you. Hana: And the hotteok place is better? With their oily-ass sweet bread? You’re wild. Namjoon: Me, an intellectual: the odeng stall is the best. Jungkook: YOU’RE CRIMINALLY INSANE! Hana: YOU’RE NOT EVEN IN THE CITY! Y/N: Wow, hello. Hana: Y/N!! Y/N: Hana!! Hana: How’s Tahiti? Sorry I was crabby this morning lol. Y/N: No I woke you up at the ass-crack of dawn, that’s on me. Y/N: And Tahiti is great! I have a photo to send if you guys want it. Jungkook: I also have a photo! I met up with my friend from Busan today and we went to the beach. Y/N: Oh! What friend? Jungkook: His name is Jimin. We used to play together. Hana: Haha…lame… Namjoon: Jungkook, that sounds fun. Namjoon: And Y/N, I’ve heard Tahiti sunsets are the best! Y/N: They are. We ate kimbap on the beach while watching the sunset. Hana: How…romantic? Y/N: It was nicer than it sounds. Jungkook: Hana why must you hurt me this way? Hana: Idk. For some reason I just wanna bully you. Jungkook: (;¬_¬) Namjoon: Anyway, let’s see Y/N’s photo first, yeah? Y/N: Thank God for Namjoon keeping this group chat on track… Namjoon: Someone has to.

I exited the chat for a moment to flick through my photos. I had pictures of the rainforest from our hike, pictures of Yoongi resting with a towel on his head on the beach, pictures of the sunset. But one photo stood out to me. Yoongi and I, standing against the railing of the concrete viewing slab, the waterfall raging behind us, both of us smiling as we looked at each other. Just seeing the photo caused a swell of warmth to flood through my body.

Y/N: [Image Attached] Hana: Oh my God! THAT’S SO PRETTY WTF!! Y/N: Haha yeah it was really beautiful. Namjoon: That’s a great photo. Y/N: Thank you :’) Jungkook: You guys look really happy. Y/N: We are. Thanks, Kook. Jungkook: ⊂( ・ ̫・)⊃ Hana: Oh my GOD can you stop with those? Y/N: I think they’re kinda cute… Jungkook: Now for my photo. Hana, feel free to not look if you’re gonna drag me. Hana: All the more reason to look… Jungkook: [Image Attached] Jungkook: The guy with the orange hair is Jimin and we went to the beach we used to go to when we were kids. It was really fun! Namjoon: Aw! That looks nice! Y/N: Kook, that’s a great photo. Jungkook: Yeah, I’m thinking about putting it into a portfolio. Y/N: Do it! Jungkook: (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑ Hana: For the love of God, I was about to compliment your picture but you forced my hand… Hana: STOP SENDING THOSE DUMB ASS EMOTICONS I AM REALLY ABOUT TO BUST THIS MUST STOP I WILL KICK YOU FROM THE GC I REALLY WILL YOU MANCHILD LAST WARNING!! Hana: I feel better now. Jungkook: (´;︵;`) Hana: BJKJDNNMRGOIGNK

I chuckled, covering my lips with my hand so as not to disturb any of the other huts nearby and, as I did, I could hear the water shut off inside and quickly stood to my feet, locking my phone and entering the warm cabin as Yoongi emerged from the bathroom with a towel on his head obscuring his face, dressed in his cozy flannel pajamas. He fluffed his hair with the towel, coaxing it to dry, before pulling it off and giving me a bright smile. I walked near him, placing my phone on the small table by our window and crossed my arms in front of him, narrowing my eyes.

“What’s that look about?” he asked with a laugh.

I tilted my head to the side, still staring up at him. “Hm…”

“What?” he whined, tossing his towel in the hamper.

“I’ve decided,” I said.

“Decided what?” he asked, laughing.

I smiled. “Island life suits you. We can’t leave.”

His eyes went wide and then he tossed his head back with laughter. “God, you had me worried.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. He was glowing, eyes twinkling, smile bright. “Hey,” I said, raising a hand to his cheek and tracing my finger along his skin. “You got some color!”

“Don’t say that like you’re so surprised,” he mumbled, still smiling.

“I am surprised!” I teased with a laugh. “Here I thought I’d married a ghost, you were so pale.”

“Oh?” he asked, smirking with a sudden glint of mischief in his eyes. “You’re poking fun at me now? Your loving husband?” he asked, quickly grabbing me by the waist and tossing half of my body over his shoulder.

I shouted. “Put me down!” I screamed through laughter.

“No! You said you were gonna throw me into the ocean, now I’m gonna throw you in!” he yelled in response.

But before he could get to the back deck he changed course and tossed me lightly onto the bed with a creak. I laughed as my body bounced a few times before he came tumbling down on top of me. Part of me wondered if he was initiating something, but the second his form collided with mine I knew he was only playing. Because as he hovered over me, he suddenly dropped himself entirely, letting his full weight rest on top of me. He giggled loudly, a high-pitched squeal, as I writhed under him, struggling to free myself.

“Yoongi!” I shouted.

He laughed and spread his arms and legs wide like a starfish. “Take it back!”

“Take what back?”

“Take back what you said about me being a ghost!”

“No!” I shouted, laughing.

He pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and glared down at me. “Take it back,” he said, a warning in his tone.

I bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing and fought a smile. “Nuh-uh.”

“Y/N,” he said, giving me a stern look.

I shook my head. “Yoongi,” I said, imitating his tone.

He tried to hold it in, but his lips spread in a smile and he sighed, letting his head dip and his damp hairs tickled my nose. “You’re such a brat. Why do I hang out with you?”

“I really don’t know either,” I said, laughing.

He smiled, meeting my eyes and leaning down towards me. I shut my eyes as our lips met and, slowly, my hands smoother over his shoulders to clasp behind his neck. He lowered himself slightly so we could be closer and I bent my arms at the elbows, holding him in place. His lips were hot against mine, and his touches left fiery trails behind them as they trailed my skin, finding the bottom of my tank top and playing with the hem of my shorts.

And then he leaned back, eyes heavy-lidded as he looked down at me. “I love you, you know,” he said, voice low and gravelly.

I smiled and nodded. “I love you too.”

He smiled. “Still not gonna take it back?”

“Nope.”

He rolled his eyes and leaned down to kiss me once more, stretching a hand over my head past my ear to flick off the bedside lamp, plunging our cabin into warm darkness, the sound of waves ushering us into the night.

#bts #bts fanfic #bts fanfiction #min yoongi #yoongi #suga #yoongi fanfic #bts reactions #bts au #bangtan #arranged bts fanfic #bts imagine #bts scenarios #bts reader insert

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imme1591-blog · 7 years

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Julian was once again watching Marcus as he slept peacefully, curled up underneath the duvet in their bedroom wearing nothing but his white woolen socks. Julian’s hand slipped through the covers and met with Marcus’ skin. It was warm and soft as the first day he’d felt it. He could hold Marcus forever. Though years had passed and Julian still felt like a creeper for staring at Marcus while he slept. But it was a strangely calming sight. Sure sometimes Marcus slept with his lips parted, slightly snoring and a complete mess, he looked nothing like an angel. But to him Marcus was beautiful; even as he slept he was a sight to stare at. His hair was a mess and his arms were curled into his chest as if he was hugging an invisible pillow.

Marcus steered in his sleep and Julian smiled to himself. He ran the tip of his finger along the curve of Marcus’ spine all the way down, barely touching the skin. A subconscious shiver passed through Marcus, as he curled into himself more. Julian chuckled and kissed the top of Marcus’ naked shoulder softly. Marcus murmured in his sleep and Julian inched closer, climbing on to the bed. He placed his lips on the man’s bare back softly kissing his shoulder, again he smiled. It was past ten, and Julian should have been at work. But the longer he watched Marcus the less he wanted to be at work. He didn’t really have to go. Grinning, Julian crawled over Marcus and hovered over the smaller man. Watched him intently then nudged him softly, halfheartedly wanting to wake him up. To his relief it wasn’t enough to wake Marcus up, but just enough for the smaller man to sleepily stretch his arms and legs like a lazy cat as he yawned aloud.

Marcus seemed exhausted; he would have been, after their antics last night. Julian smirked at the thought and leaned down kissing Marcus’ temple, then a bit lower. Marcus rolled onto his back, still asleep. His lips were slightly parted and his arms were stretched out over his head. Julian leaned in again and kissed Marcus’ nose then hovered over his lips, brushing over them and feeling his soft puffs of breath on his skin. Marcus flicked his tongue out and slowly licked his pink lips, making them look kissable as ever.

He couldn’t hold back anymore.

Julian leaned in and captured Marcus’ lips in a soft kiss. He tugged on his small soft lips with his teeth. Marcus reacted sluggishly and sleepily but once the initial shock died down Marcus kissed him back with a lazy, needy moan.

“Mhmm Cheese….” Marcus mumbled against Julian’s lips. Julian pulled back with a skeptical stare. Marcus was still asleep and apparently dreaming about cheese. He wondered whether Marcus knew about his strange ‘cheese’ dreams. Maybe he should talk to Marcus about them.

“Alright, weirdo.” Julian whispered –more to him than Marcus—then kissed Marcus again, this time a bit rougher and pulled back. “You should wake up now.” he whispered into the kiss and continued the rough assault. Stretching from under Julian, Marcus raised his arms and then wrapped them around Julian’s shoulders.

“Julian?” Marcus whispered, sleepily. His small hands grabbed on to the back of Julian’s shirt as his eyes slowly fluttered open. Those eyes, they were so bright. Julian said nothing in reply but only pecked a kiss on his lover’s soft cheek and ran his fingers through Marcus’ soft disheveled hair.

_ – _ – _ – _

When evening rolled in and Julian got back from he found Marcus reading in a corner. He’d placed himself on the far side of the piano with a Big read law book in his hands. The concentration in his eyes was never wavering; he hadn’t even heard Julian walking into the room. The light from the setting sun fell on his lover and made his skin almost glow in the evening light. Drinking up the sight for a moment Julian decided to leave Marcus to his studies.

Walking through the living room Julian passed pictures, of him and Marcus, each picture framed with a beautiful design. He paused, ran his fingers over the edge of the frame of one in particular. The picture was larger than the rest, and it stood out from the rest. It was the one that Julian truly cherished; A picture from almost two years ago. When He’d found the original copy he had it enlarged and framed. It held too many memories; there was no letting go of those memories. Now it sat atop the small eclectic fire place looking into the lounge so that everyone who entered would get a small glimpse into their love.

Letting out a puff of breath Julian made his way into their bedroom. He was surprised to see Marcus there. He had been busy studying not even ten minutes ago. Julian opened his mouth to speak but before he could Marcus’ body came fast at him, his rather slender arms latched on to him, his lips crushed Julian’s in a matter of seconds, kissing him deeply. Julian couldn’t protest; there was no way he could ever protest to advances from his lover.

After all Marcus was his weakness.

He wrapped his arms around the slender man’s waist pulling him closer as the kiss deepened. He could feel himself getting aroused. Heat rose in him. He couldn’t let that happen, he had to stop it before it went too far. After all they had a reservation to catch. His body ached for him to advance further. Have Marcus the way he did last night; under him, hot, sweaty and moaning his name out loud. Julian found himself slipping his hands under Marcus’ shirt, pushing up his t-shirt to feel the soft skin that was underneath. With swift turn he pressed Marcus up against the closet piece of furniture –their dresser- and hitched Marcus’ legs up and around his waist. Partially grinding together, Marcus moaned into the kiss, his hands latched on tighter to Julian’s shoulders and his teeth bit down on Julian’s lower lip playfully. However, moments later Marcus pulled away. Breathing heavily he smiled and looked up at Julian. “Happy Anniversary.” He whispered against the amber eyed man’s lips. Julian leaned in and kissed his lover on the lips then he was tempted; he was tempted with the dangerous desire which only Marcus could raise. Giving into the lust, the need was all he wanted to do. But to have his way would result in them being late. He groaned inversely, why now! He cursed.

“Get dressed, we’re going out.” Julian said in his authority tone. It wasn’t meant to sound as harsh as it did, but he had to mask the arousal that existed underneath. Marcus gave him a saddened and displeased look before his arms fell limp.

Julian groaned again and cursed under his breath as he walked out from their bedroom feeling more aroused than he was when he walked in.

_–_–_–_–_

An hour later they were at a restaurant. It was a small place, barely even known. But they made best Italian food that either of them had ever tasted. No high class, five star restaurants could ever compete with the taste.

When everything had gone public Julian was forced to make a statement clearing up a few things, mostly misunderstandings. He was strongly advised to deny all accusations of his relationship with Marcus and state that it was vicious lie, and that he was taken advantage of. It didn’t sit well with Julian. If anything it angered him. The whole ordeal ended with him punching in the man’s face and walking out from the conference room without ever looking back. He didn’t need ‘damage control’ simply because there was no damage. When the day of the press-release came he didn’t deny anything; he stated everything as they happened. No one had expected the Julian Dalton to say that he was in love. It took the media by storm. That was the day Marcus and he had found the small, hole-in-the-wall restaurant.

Marcus had already quit the firm by that time, it was clear that he was no longer needed there. He had expected Julian to follow the advice and deny all accusations and rumors, but when he didn’t Marcus was shocked, to say the least. After he had quit Marcus ended up going back to University to study Law. Even that wasn’t easy the first few months. People shot him looks, spread rumors about him, whispered behind his back. He had no friends… even the press started to harass him. When Julian caught Marcus crying –for the third time ever—from the stress that had built Julian’s blood boiled. Marcus knew that Julian hated to see him cry, it broke his heart. That day he had left with the promise to fix everything. Strangely a week later everything was normal. People spoke to him, no one harassed him and the media was nowhere to be seen. He didn’t know how, but he knew that Julian had something to do with it.

Julian looked up at Marcus who looked content with what was happening. He looked up and met Julian’s gaze and smiled warmly at him. There was something in his eyes that pained Julian; he knew what had caused that look. Julian had been busy for months, he hadn’t been home and at times it seemed as if he was avoiding Marcus. He felt ashamed with himself. He knew how Marcus felt when they were away for too long, it was the same feeling Julian had whenever he couldn’t be near the one he held closest. A memory flooded into Julian’s mind. It was of the day he asked Marcus to move in with him. That day had been a disaster.

It was not long after Julian and Marcus went public. Julian had proposed they move in together. A place for themselves; a new beginning. The idea was shot down on the spot and it had led to an argument neither wanted to remember. But by the end of it Julian knew exactly way Marcus had shot down the idea.

“I don’t want to lose you,” Marcus had said, his voice cracked at the end.

“What are you talking about? You won’t lose me Marcus-” Julian said, throwing his arms in the air in frustration. This was their first fight and Julian was angry enough to kill someone.

“I don’t think I could take it if you left me af-” Marcus was pulled into a warm embrace, suddenly. It was then he realized what had happened. Why he was reluctant.

And it broke his heart…

Now as they silently ate dinner Julian reminisced in the past, there wasn’t a single thing he would have changed. He didn’t know why, but he preferred everything the way it did. Julian sipped his wine and then sighed mentally preparing himself for what he was about to say.

“We need to talk.” Julian said abruptly. His tone was flat, and his eyes didn’t glance up. He didn’t want to see the look on his lovers face.

The smile on Marcus’ face dropped and an alarmed look took its place. Marcus fidgeted for a moment and placed his glass down as he nodded in response. Marcus didn’t meet Julian’s gaze he stared at the white cloth on the table.

“Can we go outside and talk?” Julian asked, cautiously as he stood from where he sat. Marcus nodded yet again and followed suit. Without uttering a single word Marcus placed the napkin on the table and followed Julian outside.

He couldn’t do this, he kept thinking. He had to be wrong. When they stepped outside it was snowing again. Marcus exhaled a shaky breath, it condensed in the air. Was he meant to say something?

“Marcus-” Julian began, rubbing the back of his neck. He only did that when he was nervous or unsure. Marcus narrowed his eyes and looked up. His gaze matched with Julian’s. Something wasn’t right. He had a hunch about what it may be, but he hoped he was wrong. But Julian’s expressions gave nothing away, and he could only suspect the worst. The thought itself was enough for Marcus’ eyes to slightly tint in a dull red. He sniffed lowering his gaze for a moment then looked back up at Julian. He hoped, just a little, that Julian’s appearance would give something away… but he saw noting.

“Are you breaking up with me?” Marcus asked; his voice threatened to give his fear away and a tear threatened to escape his tear duct but he held back. Honestly, he hadn’t wanted to ask. What if his suspicions were true, what would he do then? Marcus didn’t know what he was meant to do. His heart pounded erratically.

Julian didn’t reply straight away, instead he looked deep in thought as he averted his gaze. Marcus’ string of doubt quadrupled, and his whole body shook; he wanted to break down crying. But he wasn’t going to. He wasn’t going to be weak, not if he could help it. Yet, Marcus would help but wonder how Julian could do something like this today. What angered Marcus was how he knew he knew he couldn’t hold a grudge against Julian. He loved the amber eyed man too much. Marcus’ heart ached as he watched Julian reacting differently to what he expected. He wanted Julian to laugh and tell him that he was joking. Possibly hold him and say it was just a misunderstanding, anything but what he was doing. The tear that Marcus held back, fell. It rolled down his cheek and into his parted dry lips. He could taste the saltiness from the tear as he sucked in a gulp of air. The longer he stood there the harder it was for him to breath.

“I suppose…in a way, I am.” Julian said, securing a glance at Marcus. An unexpended sob escaped from his quivering lips. His breath got caught in his throat and anger, frustration, want and love, all at the same time rushed through him.

“W-what?” The words passed his lips meekly. His lips stuck to each other, drily as he spoke.

“I just can’t be your boyfriend anymore, it’s not right.” Julian said looking at the snow under their feet and then back up. His eyes bright as ever, he loved looking into those eyes, except this time Marcus didn’t want to look into them because he knew that if he did he would cry.

Marcus felt weak at the knees as more tears trickled down from his eyes. Stay strong! He told himself, but it was pointless, he couldn’t. The cold air stung at his fingers as they trembled, he left light headed and slightly nauseous. The one and only person that he had fallen in love with was breaking up with him. He didn’t know what to do. His whole body ached as he sniffed and more tears and loud sobs escaped him without his control. Marcus stumbled back several feet. The snow fell on them, slowly and softly. Trying to wipe his tears he tried not cry, but he was too far gone. The sobs escaped uncontrollably, one after the other. He was making a fool out of himself in front of the one and only person he’ll everlove.

When felt a familiar, warm, comforting hand brush his cheek Marcus squeezed his eyes shut, blocking out the tears. “I’m sorry.” Marcus mumbled, he wasn’t sure what he was even apologizing for. He sniffled again and stood straight, take it like a man! He chanted.

“I should be the one who’s sorry. I shouldn’t be putting you in this position. But Marcus…” Julian’s voice was calm as ever and only made Marcus’ heart clench, did he not even care? Julian’ other hand cupped his other cheek. Marcus despised himself for not even feeling angry at Julian. “Hey…look at me.” Julian requested as he firmly held the small brunette’s face and tilted his head up so eyes would meet. Why was he being so cruel, Marcus wondered as he tried to contain his erratic emotions.

“Marcus,” Julian whispered as he ran his thumb over his lover’s wet cheek. A loud sob escaped Marcus’ lips, he would never hear Julian say his name again would he? He thought… A life without his Julian didn’t sound right.

“Will you marry me instead?” The words were faint, but he heard them. The next sob got stuck in his throat and air left his body and his eyes snapped open. Those amber eyes he’d fallen in love with stared back at him firmly. They were expecting something from Marcus. He could read the fear in them like a book.

“What?” He asked in disbelief, his dry voice made it sound like a whisper as the final tear rolled down his cheek.

“I don’t want you to be my lover or my boyfriend anymore Marcus. I want you to be my husband instead.” Julian spoke softly as his thumbed wiped away the tears. “If you’d do me the honor that is,” He chuckled to himself. Marcus was still staring at him with his lips ajar, his breath stuck in his throat. Julian continued, “I Love you Marcus, and I can’t think of nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you.” Marcus blinked as no comprehensible words passed his lips and tears continued to roll. Julian withdrew his hands from Marcus’ cheeks and got on his knee before him. Julian’s knee pressed into the wet snow as he pulled out a small black velvet box from his pocket and propped it open.

Marcus involuntarily stepped back. “Julian,” He said in a whisper, “w-what are you doing?”

“I’m not going to lie, I wanted to mislead you. And as terrible as this may make me sound, I wanted to make you cry. I figured you’d remember this moment better this way.” He said, ignoring Marcus’ question. “Marcus, I love you. Even those words don’t come close to the way I feel about you. I have absolutely no explanation as to why it feels like my life will be empty without you in it. To be honest, Marcus, I was in love with you the moment you spoke to me and since then I’ve been just falling deeper and deeper in love with you. I love you so much that sometimes when I wake up and you’re not there I have to check that the past few years weren’t just some dream.” Julian reached out with his free and held Marcus’ shaky hand in his, and continued. “So Marcus Berkley will you do me the greatest honor and marry me?” He asked, his voice soft and his eyes bright and hopeful as they pierced into Marcus’.

It’s been two years, six months, Twelve days, seventy two hours and three minutes since they’d met. Marcus couldn’t comprehend what he was witnessing. He couldn’t stop to sobs and they had only increased with every word Julian had spoken.

He saw the ring, in the small box. It gleamed under the light of the street lamp. Marcus’ gazed twitched from Julian’s smiling face to the ring in his hand, and back up.

“So will you?” Julian urged when Marcus didn’t stood frozen, still slightly sobbing. Marcus’ body swayed and Julian shot up and wrapped his arms around the man he loved more than himself, more than anything in the world and steadied him. Marcus nodded slowly and then covered his face with his palms, feeling like an idiot as continued to sob. He couldn’t stop! He was happy, exited and … angry and shocked that he could only let his emotions get the best of him. Julian’s arms tightened around him, hugging him tighter. One hand was on the small of Marcus’ back the other on the back of his head burying Marcus face into the crook of his neck.

“So is that a ‘yes’?” Julian asked as he continued to pat the back of Marcus’ head. He felt Marcus nod against the crook of his neck. Marcus, with all his strength, pushed Julian away. It caught Julian by surprise. He hadn’t expected Marcus to react that way.

“You want to M-marry me?” He asked, trying to comprehend what was happening.

“Yes Marcus….” Julian answered, smiling. He slowly stepped forward and cupped his cheeks as he awaited his answer. Marcus’ hands slipped down from his face and curled around Julian’s torso clinging onto him tightly. His heart was still racing and his mind frenzied.

It took Marcus a while to calm down, his heart ached at the thought of what happened. Julian didn’t release his hands for one second. He held on calming Marcus to the best of his abilities, after all he was to blame. Marcus sobs subsided and he pulled back slowly and cautiously. Marcus looked into Julian’s beautiful amber eyes and smiled shyly, he could feel the tears pooling at the eyes again but he ignored it.

“You okay?” Julian asked as he rubbed Marcus’ back. Marcus nodded and smiled.

“You know you haven’t answered my question yet.” Julian asked.

Marcus let out a breath of disbelief and beamed. “Isn’t the answer obvious?” He asked while reaching out to hold Julian’s face in his hands. Julian raised a brow at him. Marcus let out a laughing sob. “Of course I’ll Marry you Julian.” He said holding Julian’s face and kissing him on the lips lightly once. “God, yes.” He kissed Julian again. “I would love to!” he spoke against Julian’s lips. “I love you Julian.” He said finally looking into those amber eyes that managed to stay in his mind since day one.

“Thank you.” He responded, pleased and wiped away the tears from Marcus’ face. He pulled out the white-gold ring from inside the box and slipped it on to Marcus’ finger, then raised the hand to his lips and kissed atop the ring gently.

Looking back up at Marcus he tried not to laugh. It was cute. Marcus cheeks were flushed and pink his hair was disheveled and the tip of his small nose was red, “You’re a sobbing mess.” He commented single laugh.

Marcus opened his mouth to protest but Julian crashed his lips against Marcus’. Marcus didn’t resist he kissed or his touch, he couldn’t. He’d grown so accustomed to the sheer pleasure of kissing Julian, the taste of him, the feel of him. He didn’t have the willpower to resist any of it. Marcus’ body molded against Julian’s as he swung his arms around Julian’s neck and pulled him closer.

Deep down, as crazy as it may sound, both Julian and Marcus were thankful to the psychotic Secret Admirer, Anna, who had unintentionally brought them together because they had been so incomplete without the other, and now they had it all.

And this love,

their love would last a life time.

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sporadicbeepboops · 7 years

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20 Games I Loved in 2016

The Switch delay. Several big AAA duds. Another year without an official Mother 3 U.S. release. 2016 could have been a disappointing year. (Outside of video games, it certainly took its toll.) But at least from my perspective, the good far outweighed the bad. Virtual reality finally made it out of the gates, and despite some hiccups, it shows real promise. Long-delayed games like Final Fantasy XV and The Last Guardian somehow made it to store shelves AND surpassed expectations. And love it or hate it, Pokémon Go inspired a genuine pop culture craze the likes of which we’ve never seen before, at least as far as games go. I think all of that is worth celebrating.

Before we get to the list, some quick shout-outs and no-brainer caveats…

2016 was not kind to the Wii U, but the 3DS quietly had one of its best years ever. That’s partly reflected here, but I couldn’t make room for Dragon Quest VII, Fire Emblem Fates, BoxBoxBoy!, Metroid Prime: Federation Force and Gotta Protectors, to name a few. Sometimes it felt like Nintendo was just cleaning out its closet — how long ago was DQVII released in Japan? — but we benefited either way.

Overall, I played fewer games this year, but the ones I did play held my interest longer. Thanks to various microtransactions and DLC, 2016 probably hit my wallet just as hard.

What didn’t I play? Stardew Valley, SUPERHOT, Final Fantasy XV (at least past chapter 2), Frog Fractions 2, Hitman — oh, and I didn’t get to stuff from last year like Yakuza 5 or The Witcher 3, either. Yakuza 4 was pretty solid though.

I left off any new ports of games that came out last year or prior, unless there were substantial additions that changed the experience in a meaningful way. That meant The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD and Mini Metro weren’t in the running, while Rez Infinite technically was.

Love making lists, hate ranking items in said lists, just because I’m incredibly fickle. There’s a good chance that I’ll want to shuffle everything around the moment I publish this. But my podcasting buddies are counting on me here, so it’s time to be decisive.

Keeping all that in mind, here are the games I really loved in 2016…

20. The Witness - I’m already cheating because if I’m being honest, I didn’t actually love this game. The Witness takes a couple dozen hours to finish, and I spent at least half of them staring at a notebook, drawing grids, connecting dots, and having no idea how to pave forward. But even if I didn’t love the game, I respect it immensely. I admire Jonathan Blow’s commitment to this singular idea, of taking the kind of puzzle you might see on a restaurant placemat and coming up with every possible permutation of it. And there is of course a “meta” layer on top of that, where solutions to each component change the environment around you — tree top bridges that unfold based on the paths your lines take, or colored glass panels that create new puzzles on top of old ones. It might be cold and off-putting at times, but The Witness is still commendable as the ultimate puzzle box.

19. SuperHyperCube - I bought into PlayStation VR for games like Rez Infinite and RIGs — big, flashy, “immersive” experiences. And they delivered! I’m a very happy PS VR owner, and I hope Sony builds on its momentum this year. (I’m skeptical, but then being a virtual reality early adopter was always a leap of faith.) However, while I got exactly what I expected from most of the launch titles, it's the simple puzzle game seemingly modeled off of “Brain Wall” that I keep coming back to. I turn on the headset to play Job Simulator or Battlezone, but I always play a couple rounds of SuperHyperCube before I’m done. A solid case for virtual reality not as a thrilling roller coaster, but a hypnotic, relaxing voyage.

18. Headlander - The best game Double Fine has put out since Iron Brigade. Free-roaming Metroid-style exploration, a perfect 70s-synth sci-fi score and a fun body swapping gimmick at the heart of it all. I wish there were more vessels for your noggin to control, but there’s a strong foundation here.

17. Kirby: Planet Robobot - It’s easy to take Kirby games for granted, and that’s especially true of Robobot, which uses the same engine and many of the same powers as the recent Triple Deluxe. What does the former bring to the table then? Smart level designs that take advantage of the new mechs without letting them dominate the action. A novel mechanical world that feels distinct from the typical pastel meadows. New amiibo support. OK, so maybe it doesn’t add that much to the series, but it’s right up there with Super Star anyway.

16. Pokkén Tournament - This game is a fresher, more enjoyable fighting game than Street Fighter V. It doesn’t even matter (too much) that the single player is pretty thin or that the roster is small. When’s the last time you played a one-on-one fighting game that felt truly new? Pokkén is a great 3D fighter and a great 2D fighter at the same time, which is no small feat. And it’s also a gorgeously animated recreation of those battles we all imagined happening in our Game Boys 20 years ago.

15. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - The popular sentiment seems to be that Madagascar is when this final Uncharted entry really takes off. Slow drama and frequent cut scenes give way to island exploration and memorable shootouts. My take? The back half is fun and the epilogue is lovely, but I could spend an entire game in Nathan and Elena’s living room, or hopping around the globe for the next story sequence. Wherever you stand, this is a fine way to close out a reliable series.

14. Picross 3D: Round 2 - Seven Picross games — eight if you count the Twilight Princess freebie — on the eShop. That’s a lot of a perfectly fine thing. But none of them are Picross 3D. Thankfully, the real deal finally arrived this year, with hundreds of puzzles and a few extra gameplay wrinkles. Worth the premium price tag.

13. Titanfall 2 - The campaign didn’t need to be good. Multiplayer FPS games live and die by their multiplayer, and many developers seemingly write off the single player experience as an afterthought. That’s why Titanfall 2 is such an unexpected treat. The factory, the time hopping, the airborne carrier — all cleverly designed, with platforming gimmicks that would feel just as suited for a Metroid Prime game. I think the reason the new Mirror’s Edge fell flat for me was that this game featured the same parkour moves in a much more exciting package.

12. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE - This crossover game is Persona-lite, yes, but I think that sells the characters and world a bit short. While its inspiration focuses on the pressures of being a Japanese high schooler, #FE is all about the Tokyo show biz scene. Pop music, soap operas, microwave cooking shows — it’s all very goofy, but the game still takes its protagonists’ dreams and ambitions seriously. #FE also makes clever use of the Wii U GamePad, turning it into a tablet/social app that helps keeps the conversations going. Even if you’re not into this particular “scene,” #FE may still win you over.

11. Rhythm Heaven Megamix - I can’t get enough Rhythm Heaven. They could put 20 new musical minigames on a cart annually and it’d make my list every year. Sumo wrestlers, lumberjack bears, monkey slumber parties — all magic.

10. Severed - A Vita game! It’s great to see DrinkBox Studios stretch beyond sidescrollers with this first person dungeon crawler full of grotesque monsters and creepy, colorful mazes. Swiping and poking on the Vita’s touchscreen feels great. The controls are key to Severed’s success; if battles were menu-driven, the entire game would fall apart.

9. Pocket Card Jockey - I hope Nintendo keeps letting Game Freak be this weird. It’s not just that it’s horse racing plus solitaire. It’s your jockey biting the dust and being brought back from the dead to repay his debt to the angels. It’s the brassy, big band score that accompanies every race. It’s horses with luchador masks and cats hanging from their backsides. Pocket Card Jockey is a miracle of localization.

8. Pokémon Sun - Yes, another Pokémon game. The Alola region is the best thing to ever happen to this series. Previous games had regions based on cities like New York and Paris, but the results always felt half-hearted. In Sun (and Moon), the tropical island setting influences everything from the creatures you catch to the trials you complete. I’ve never demanded a believable world from this series, but that’s kind of what we get here, and it’s terrific.

7. Inside - This is the type of game where the less you know going in, the better. It’s Limbo — a previous Justin GotY — filtered through a twisted dream logic that I still can’t get out of my head months later.

6. Paper Mario: Color Splash - I know you don’t like Sticker Star. Rest assured: that 3DS oddity feels like a rough draft for Color Splash, which improves upon its predecessor in every way. A textured, vibrant world that rivals Tearaway in its papercraft. Thrilling scenarios like a train heist, an underwater game show and the throwback above. Hilarious dialogue that mostly makes up for the many, many identical toads. I miss the liberties Intelligent Systems used to take with the Mushroom Kingdom, but everything else about Color Splash restores this spin-off series to its former glory.

5. Overcooked - This year’s couch co-op champ. Cooking with a partner is all about communication, and that’s doubly true when the kitchen is split across two flatbed trucks or on an iceberg rocking back and forth. My friends and I love head-to-head games like Smash Bros. and Towerfall, but it’s nice to play a game that’s all about puzzle solving and careful planning together. And I love the wistful stage select music.

4. Dragon Quest Builders - Minecraft has always fascinated me, but I don’t do well without direction. That’s why I’m so grateful for Dragon Quest Builders, which breaks down the open world construction into small, manageable tasks. I started off just sticking to blueprints and keeping decorations to a minimum; now, I’m spending hours building up towns the way I want them to look, for no other reason than my own personal satisfaction. Even taking the crafting element out of the equation, Builders does a great job of capturing the adventuring spirit of its parent series.

3. Pokémon Go - I didn’t set out to put THREE Pokémon games on here, and in a vacuum, this is much less satisfying than Pokkén or Sun. But we don’t play video games in a vacuum, and certainly not this one. I played Pokémon Go in Central Park, talking to strangers to find out where the Ivysaur was hiding. Or I played on my lunch breaks, exploring parts of South Street Seaport with coworkers that I had ignored for years. Go’s peak came and went, but it remains one of my fondest experiences of the year.

2. The Last Guardian - Another game that’s more than the sum of its parts. The Last Guardian is finicky and sometimes frustrating. Trico is hard to climb. The camera doesn’t know what to do when you’re up against the wall. So what? How many games feature a creature this lifelike? He may be an illusion made up of A.I. routines, scripted animations and fur shaders, but all of those elements come together in a uniquely convincing way. His evolution from reluctant ally to friend has a subtlety I’ve never seen before. I’m glad Ueda spends as much time focusing on the inner struggles as he does the external ones. Hope it doesn’t take another decade for his next game.

1. Overwatch - I didn’t even know what Overwatch was until two weeks before its release, and even then, I didn’t expect much from it. I had played Team Fortress 2 and thought it was just fine. I knew what to expect. Medics, tanks, builders — that sounded familiar to me. But I was so wrong. Overwatch isn’t just a team-based shooter; it’s the superhero team-up game I’ve been longing for since “The Avengers” was in theaters.

All 23 (and counting!) heroes have their superpowers, and all of them have their jobs to do. What really sets Overwatch apart is when these heroes are bouncing off of each other. Any combination of six is going to have its own dynamics. Mei dropping ice walls to give Reinhardt time to recharge his shield. Junkrat dropping traps to help Bastion watch his back. Mercy gliding up to Pharah to give her rockets a little extra punch. Every battle brings new possibilities and strategies to the table. I’ve played over 100(!) hours and feel like there’s still so much to learn.

But it’s not all serious business either. The colorful personalities, animations, costume designs and more do so much to shape the world, even when I know next to nothing about the overall “lore.” Last year, Splatoon felt like the only shooter I’d ever need, but Overwatch has actually managed to supplant it in my heart. That’s something this Nintendo fanboy never thought he’d say. Can’t wait to see how Blizzard builds on their masterpiece in year two.

#video games #games of the year #games of 2016 #nintendo apologist

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mr-mirrus-mrz-mirr-blog · 7 years

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Space between two doors

Setting: An unknown location. The following is an experience retold by a woman to a receptive mentor. The following takes place over the course of several years although time is not kept. Each time the pair meets, they are slightly changed in appearance to represent the influences on their bodies and minds from other forces in their lives. The chorus emphasizes emotions that are being experienced by the confessor and asks questions to help guide the story. The Narrator has an advanced understanding of the situation.

Characters: Confessor, Chorus, Narrator from Unidentified Time, The Other

Confessor (speaking to ?): I feel something strange in my heart - its capacity known before - but without courage - its presence tears me apart

Chorus: Joy. Life. Fear. What is it?

Confessor: Should I embody it - Oh I would be glad - it is known to produce roots - capable to cure the sad - It is there - like wind through hair - sand through fingers - smooth and free - it can breathe - and then it passes - I let it pass from me -

Chorus: Risks never taken - love never spoken - walls rebuilt - soldiers re stand. Hope. Insecurity. Insanity. Loss. What is it?

Confessor: It appears to me in a warm form - and then I feel capable - of being in love - I unlock - trickling extensive - wild - but soon it returns to its glacial-like form - frozen - (it was) shocked by depression (depression happens after it learns the truth)- protected and guarded - it fought, fought fought - fought the sun - years passed - it confused fought with won - it tripled in agony - scared of itself- did what it could to forget the forecast of death - practiced the scam of immortality - and drifted mindlessly - seeking comfort with others - who loved to battle death

Chorus: What melts it?

Confessor: Once I experienced something unexpected - a death - a murder - of a good friend - they say his back was turned - and shots were fired - he was dead - the end - but he had loved -

- once - in a space - he hugged me - and picked me up - between two doors - during a party - and said he loved me - his love felt trivial then - because in that space - there was no timeline - for me - of his death - seeing that the way I knew life - was to expect our times together -listening - understanding - smoking weed together - to go on forever - I was naive - and privileged in the world of death - our friendship was odd - rich white single - poor black baby dad - he had a great smile - and spoke honest words - he said I loved life - when I had hated it - I could accept his death - when it happened - as if it was a bill in the mail - it was kinda normal around there - for black bodies to be swept away - in the middle of the night - to cells and graves -drug trades - single mommas - letting life go on - but never forgotten - it just did - in the way injustice does - coping operating in a system of hate and so much more that is not mine to relate

I often pretend he never died - that he’s somewhere else - floating - or- living his life - I let images of his daughters - so excited to see their father - be what I choose to remember - sometimes his image floats into my mind - and I remember him - a light turns on - like he was a cherished book I once read - and couldn’t put down - and was so upset when it ended - that I pushed it out of my memory - threw it on the ground - livid that something I loved and I thought had loved me back - just ended - left me hanging - no epilogue - he was no longer my friend - their father - just another victim of the system - and when he randomly pops into my head - I’m transported - to warmth - to love - to hope - just for a minute - until I turn it off - and pretend none of it happened - the end

Narrator: It was sometime after his death that she noticed a vast ocean - its tides lapping into areas - she had walked in before - some have seen it - some have known it - fought it as fear - loved it as inspiration - some cannot place its reverberations as it expresses itself, inherited, in their geneological framework - some see it and build a wall around it - or guide others toward it - the ocean is always there - in the back of our mind creeping forward - incredibly fast or routinely slow - when will we see it? when do we choose to see it?

when our confessor noticed the vast ocean - she felt a deep yearning - like a rooting pit inside her stomach - to be part of that ocean - as if it was some type of home she had once known - as if the ocean was a stomach carrying the rooting pit a trillion times over - and she felt triumph - some of it conditioned - some natural - of being removed - from that ocean -

she thought she saw her reflection - in the vast ocean -

Confessor: “No! - Could not be”

Chorus: Jealousy. Longing. Awakening. Uncertainty. Do you miss that space?

Narrator: So the confessor called it the other and went back beyond walls - feeling protected and superior in its decision - but also changed and distressed - what it had experienced by the ocean was a depression - a realness - a cavity of awareness - its rawness emotional - vivid - so threatening to the life she had constructed - confused as what to do with the cavity - no instructions in her programming - medicines and distractions seemed like easy prescriptions - to fill the new space created within her - Yet she could not resist and again looked far into the other - into the vastness- and saw something like a reflection again.

Confessor?: It could not be - is that me? - it looks like me…I hate that part of me.

Chorus: Disgust. Fear. Annoyance. Sadness.

Confessor: It will not be me.

Narrator: She could not resist and visited it so many times that the things and people she thought she loved became superficial - she worked hard to explain her absences - to come to terms with the new way she felt about life - to appreciate that it was all a spectrum - she struggled with hate - judgement - she struggled with the power that came from using her mind - for it was common practice - for small people like her - to associate men with power - and to never challenge the law - or understand that it can be challenged - she slipped into fads and her old ways - but still returned back to the ocean when she felt its call:

Confessor: one day within the vast ocean she saw something floating - was it melting? How much more time was left for her to see? is it me that I see? She called to it: I have ignored you - shamed you and tamed you with tools of rejection, fear, perfection, assumption - I can repress you no longer. Are you me?

Narrator: It technically was not - but was - and it talked to her - saying:

Other: I was you - afraid - jealous - unmovable - unmelted - guarded - haunted - from my protector, my mother, my killer, my shomeret, from the star we perceive in the sky: the sun - until I gave up - broke down - these walls - put them away - admitted my superficiality - saw the ego I wear - confronted my whiteness - decided to heal my pain - released my stomach - wore less make-up - realized the creations - designed as protections - are now destructions of ourselves - read the multiple meanings of words like protect - saw how I was controlling others around me - by assuming their characters - and learned how some voices are stifled as others are stronger - and why trust is not the same amongst us - we have lost too much - felt too much - hid so much - to be alone - when there is too much - to be gained

I let the sun - melt me away - slowly joining - the parts of me, us - I had pushed away - the water - took it - combined it - I became the other - it stung - we aged - I wave to you - because of love and pain - I have been in you - every day - it is okay - to be afraid -

do you remember what it’s like to wake up and not know where you are because you were engrossed in a dream. I do. I hate it. I desperately try to hold onto the dream - like it’s a ring dropped down the garbage disposal - you’re reaching desperately but you know time will soon be up - before you can go any further - and then you have to wake up - sometimes the dreams are much better than what we wake up into - the dreams contain narratives in which we feel in control - as if things are happening to us rather than us watching things happen around us - or in some dreams I’m in love or having sex - it’s as if my needs are being fulfilled in sleep - I promise not to forget the images I want to hold onto - the mysterious images that could be clues to bigger things - but they usually fade away - sometimes they don’t - sometimes the images are so distrubing and memorable that they stay with me forever - but sometimes the images come to me during that day - or weeks later - and for a second during my awakeness - I do not know where I am - how did the dream land come into my consciousness? Is it real? Were you real? Are you dead? Why can’t we go back to the space between two doors?

Narrator: And it was no more - but they say - it grew inside her - when she walked into the ocean - and the part of her lips met the ocean’s surface - they met in balance - the air - the ocean - her lips - the sun - the walls - and evolution became a choice - progression - stopped - she remembered the parts of her life - in which she thought about her self - and how she wanted to kill her self- and maybe that desire was a cry for not feeling worthy - in a world that demands the best - rewards survival to the best - allows cheaters to get the best - punishes those who are not the best - creates a culture where we are afraid - enslaves and manipulates in the pursuit of being the best -

she swallowed the ocean - the salt - once - twice - a thousand gulps - and she became more parts - the rain - the snow - the ice - the lakes - the nourishment of greenery - she could not change it all - but she could infiltrate - and she could mutate - she could heal DNA.

They said that the land she lived in believed in survival of the fittest. but she said just cuz darwin said it and people believed it - doesnt mean - that we have to continue to live it

Chorus: Control . Awareness. Passing. Phases. Luck

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