#she has flats in her bag to change into if those sell
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GEHAT'IK BE ALIIT | Chapter 24
{cross-posted on ao3} {masterlist}
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Pairing: Din Djarin x Original Female Character
Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Grogu being a public menace
Words: 5758
Summary: Visiting Din's homeworld to celebrate Life Day becomes an emotional roller coaster for Din and Elora.
a/n: Welcome back!
You're probably wondering what returning to the place of his trauma will be like for Din. There will be so many emotions!
Also this is the official Christmas chapter for my fic (published in September lol) If you're reading this during the holidays I wish you Merry Christmas or whatever else you celebrate.
"This is Vetina City spaceport tower one, state your business, Razor Crest."
Din got goosebumps at the transmission, but didn't let his nervousness get a hold of him.
"We are here for the Life Day celebrations."
"You have permission to land in bay 5-C. Thank you."
Din and Elora exchanged glances. Even Grogu had picked up on his father figure's feelings, causing him to squirm in Elora's hold.
"Relax, little one. We have not yet landed." she cooed in a soothing voice.
When Vetina City came into sight, Din was speechless. The ruins of the town he used to live in wasreplaced by a bustling city with a large spaceport. Even from afar you could see the many people bustling in the streets.
"It's so… different from what I remember."
Bay 5-C wasn't hard to find, and as the Crest hit the ground, Din didn't move. Elora put a reassuring hand on his arm under his pauldron where she knew he could feel her touch.
"We can still leave. It's all up to you." she reminded him.
Din considered it for a moment, then he stood and tried to look confident. Elora and Grogu both sensed that quite the opposite was the case.
"Now that we're here, I think we should at least take a look around. This place has changed a lot, so we can get our bearings."
Down in the hull, Elora took her gray Jawa cloak and her satchel bag. Arfour was beeping, excited to join them again. Meanwhile Din had left for the 'fresher. He had removed his helmet and stared at his reflection for several minutes.
Elora patiently waited for him, but Grogu on the other hand didn't want to wait any longer. He wanted to run around and explore. He squirmed impatiently in Elora's arm and was on the verge of throwing a tantrum when Din came out of the fresher.
"Are we good to go?" Elora asked. As a simple response he took her hand and opened the hatch. Followed by Arfour they set foot on Din's homeworld. It resembled Nevarro in some way. At least the soil, as it was a similar shade of gray. The scent of fried food lingered in the air, and as they left the spaceport for the bustling streets, there were colorful decorative lights on the flat roofed houses, the market stalls, trees and lanterns.
"I heard people put those everywhere for Life Day." Din said, noticing Elora's astonished gaze. He chuckled at the childlike wonder in her eyes, his hand still in hers. Grogu let out a joyful squeal as well, making attempts to climb over on Arfour's flat top, and Elora let him.
"Stay close, Arfour."
The droid whistled in agreement and followed them closely as they strolled through the streets. There were so many vendors, some were selling fabrics, little trinkets, Life tree orbs, and of course, all kinds of foods. Roasted meat, even stews and many different pastries. Elora knew to keep an eye on the always hungry child who looked displeased at the attention he got from Elora and Din with all the food around. The moment Grogu tried to take a particularly delicious looking pastry from a stall via the force, Din had quickly intervened and took the child into his arms, holding him close to his chest.
"Having one thief on the team is enough, don't you think, you little womp rat?" Grogu frowned, making his forehead look even wrinklier than it already did. "Don't be upset, I will buy you something sweet later. Let's take a look around first, then we decide what we wanna eat." That's when Din noticed that Elora had let go of his hand. She was nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, the HUD inside his helmet wasn't just useful for bounty hunting, but for tracking down wayward loved ones who have a talent for getting into trouble. It took him barely a minute to find Elora, who was standing at a stall. She had laid eyes on an object she examined with a thoughtful look in her eyes.
"It's made out of beskar alloy, very high quality." the Togruta vendor said.
"Did you find something?" Din asked, looking at the colorful metal figure Elora held in her hands. It showed a Jedi and a Mandalorian - the Jedi pointing their lightsaber at the armored warrior who responded using their flamethrower.
"It's a rarity, the price is 3.500 credits. You won't find anything of finer quality on the entire market, that I assure you."
"He says it's made from beskar alloy." Elora added, causing Din to huff in disbelief.
"I'm Mandalorian, and I can tell the difference between common durasteel alloy and beskar alloy. And this…" He took the statue and hit it against his vambrace, the collision of the metals creating a dull sound. "...this is definitely not beskar alloy." He then hit his chest plate with his vambrace, the collision causing a loud bright sound resembling a bell. "This is what beskar on beskar sounds like. Think about it next time you try to scam tourists out of their money." The vendor was at a loss for words, looking around to estimate how many people had witnessed this moment of pure shame.
Meanwhile Din, Elora and Grogu went on their way. Elora was blushing and looked uncomfortable, something Din noticed immediately. "You alright?" Elora put on a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I can tell when you're pretending. So what is it?"
"Argh! I'm just frustrated. I feel humiliated is all. Not by you, by that son of a bantha vendor. I should be able to recognize beskar, or anything of value really. When someone scams a Jawa out of credits, parts or whatever, it can ruin your reputation within the tribe. In my culture we get taught how to trade from a very young age. We learn what's valuable and what isn't, I should have known this was durasteel alloy. It was just so polished and shiny, looking like my beskar alloy lightsaber hilt. I would have fallen for it if you hadn't intervened."
"It looked real, Elora. You can only figure it out with a well trained eye and hitting the material against actual beskar. Next time someone claims to sell a beskar object, you know what to do." Din hated the sad look in Elora's eyes and tried to distract her, leading her to a town square where a choir with a little orchestra in blue uniforms was singing Life Day songs.
Grogu looked interested in the direction of the two chindinkalu flute players. Din put him back on Arfour's top, the droid rolling closer to the orchestra. Grogu clapped his little hands, cheering the musicians on. At the same time Din took Elora's hand. "I'm really not good at this but…can I have this dance, my lady?"
Elora tried to hold back her laughter. "I don't think you've spoken to me in that formal tone before, sir." Din blushed under his helmet. "In case you don't remember, on Naboo I had to dance with this annoying noble, his feet probably still haven't recovered from it."
Din chuckled at the memory. "He got what he deserved. Step on my feet as often as you like, it won't make me love you any less, mesh'la."
"You're being quite a flirt today, Din Djarin." They began to sway to the music together, not caring how the couples around them danced. They found their own rhythm and only had eyes for each other, and occasionally for Grogu, who was still gleefully watching the orchestra.
"You know what I don't understand? Why do paintings and statues always portray Mandalorians and Jedi fighting each other? Clearly the times have changed. Look at us -" She accidentally stepped on his left foot. "Sorry…"
"They are portrayed fighting because the Jedi stepped on the Mandalorian's toes while dancing." Din chuckled, then his voice turned serious with a gentle undertone. "Our cultures have fought each other for thousands of years. Do you remember what Paz said? That Mandalorians and Jedi could never -" He accidentally stepped on Elora's toes. "Sorry I- um… Well, our cultures are polar opposites. If we should choose to spend our life together at some point, there would certainly be people, even friends, who wouldn't agree with our connection."
"So far my family is just looking forward to a wedding. Dank farrik, I assume you've never been to a Jawa wedding, no?"
"I can't say that I have."
"Jawa weddings are huge. Especially since I'm the daughter of the chief. When two Jawas get married, the two tribes come together for the ceremony. Weddings are a way to strengthen connections with other tribes. One Jawa wedding I attended took three days, believe it or not."
"Our cultures are very different indeed… A Mandalorian wedding ceremony is just the couple, alone, speaking the wedding vows to each other. There's no feast, nothing special, only that we remove our helmets for our spouse for the first time. Spouses and offspring are the only living beings allowed to see each other's faces in private. This is the Way." Din explained.
"I know we only let my family believe we're engaged right now, but could you imagine getting actually engaged to me in the future?"
The look in Elora's eyes was so hopeful, it made Din's heart swell.
"There's no such thing as engagement in my culture, just the marriage vows. And… despite all odds… I can imagine making you my riduur one day."
"Riduur means wife?"
"It means spouse or romantic partner, yes. Do you know that Life Day marks one year since we first met? I remember the bounty before Grogu, he mentioned Life Day. Then I went to Arvala 7 and found you and the kid."
Elora couldn't believe it was one year already since she had left her tribe for the first time to find blood relatives. It felt like it had just been yesterday. So much had changed in just one year. She had to admit it had been the best year of her life so far. She finally found love, she knew her birth mother was still alive and had better control over her force powers than ever before. Everything had changed. She went from hating Mandalorians to being unable to imagine a life without Din by her side. They were on Aq Vetina together - a place that meant so much to Din - celebrating the little family the four of them, Arfour included, had become.
"You truly changed my life, Din. We've been through so much and-" A sudden scream tore through the music, causing it abruptly to stop. It was one of the chindinkalu flute players.
"Grogu!" Din yelled, rapidly approaching the musician. Grogu had force jumped onto her shoulder out of curiosity, scaring the shit out of her.
"A green rat! Somebody take that thing back where it came from or so help me-" she yelled. Grogu showed no fear, trying to reach the mouthpiece of the instrument before Din grabbed him.
"I'm sorry, Miss! He's still a kid, I-"
"You're sorry?! That thing tried to bite me!"
"He did not! He wanted to play your instrument." Elora explained, focusing on the fear the woman felt, and sending calming vibes through the force at her. She instantly calmed down.
The incident had caused a small crowd of people to gather around them. Too much attention was never a good thing, especially when you wore beskar armor, were force sensitive and on top of that on the Empire's most wanted list. Din and Elora knew that and left the scene, walking over the market in quick steps until the town square was out of sight. Din took a weary look around, but nobody paid more attention to him than usual. He was used to the looks he got for his armor. After he deemed the situation safe, they went to a food stall that offered ronto wraps and salad bowls. Elora looked for a table to sit. Din returned with two plates of ronto wraps. Instead of ronto sausage the wraps contained ronto gyro, and it tasted as good as it smelled. Elora admired the way Din's armor reflected the rays of the evening sun while she ate and she thought about how annoying it had to be to never be able to eat with others. Din leaned back in his chair, looking content, Grogu took a particular liking to the meat, and Arfour was watching the passersby.
"I- I have something for you, cyar'ika. I know Life Day is tomorrow, but I wanna give this to you now." Din said with a softness in his voice, as the last bite of her dinner disappeared in Elora's mouth. He opened his satchel bag and took out a small red box. She opened it with bright eyes, and gaped at the pretty golden bracelet with multiple charms on it. One being a tiny purple crystal, looking like a small version of the one in her lightsaber. Another charm looked like the middle of Din's chest plate. He noticed how her eyes went to that part of his armor.
"It’s called the kar'ta beskar, which means beskar heart. And you, cyare, have my heart."
"Where did you get all those particular charms?!" Elora looked around to find the market stall that was selling those.
"The bracelet itself I bought on Naboo back in the day. Whenever we went to markets, I've been looking for charms to add. The beskar heart I bought in Kyrimorut. Today I found the last one."
The bracelet had five charms. The remaining three were a rusty little bolt, a bead of jade in the same shade of green as Grogu and a very shiny mythosaur skull.
"The bolt is supposed to signify your tribe, the jade signifies the bond you have with Grogu, and the shiny mythosaur skull the Armorer made for you as thanks for helping to successfully relocate the covert."
Elora stared at Din, completely at a loss for words. As much as she hated crying in front of others, tears welled in her eyes. Grogu cooed sadly, obviously not understanding why she was suddenly crying. Din was such a thoughtful person, he made her feel seen, made her feel loved, both physically and emotionally. Her heart truly felt like it could burst out of happiness, and the featherlight feeling in her tummy had increased tenfold.
"I feel bad because I have no gift for you."
"There's no bigger gift than having you for a girlfriend."
"Didn't you say earlier that you can imagine making me your wife one day?" Elora asked with her usual cheeky smile while putting on the bracelet. Din reached out and wiped the remaining tears off her cheeks with his thumbs.
"I promise you I will. There's something I wanna show you. All of you."
The sun had set and they continued their stroll around the Life Day market. At the cobblestone plaza where the town hall was located stood a large tree decorated with colorful lights and orbs. It looked simply magical. Grogu squealed joyfully and jumped off Arfour's top, waddling towards the tree. He was so tiny compared to it. Elora and Din laughed at the child's curiosity. There were some kids at the plaza playing ball, distracting Grogu from the enormous tree. Before the boy could run off to Maker knows where, Din had picked him up.
"How did you know the tree was there?" Elora asked.
"The food vendor saw Grogu and mentioned the Life Day tree and something else. It will be a surprise."
"Another surprise?!"
Din nodded. "Trust me, I know the perfect place for this one." He put his arms tightly around her waist.
"What the-" Before Elora could speak any further, Din had activated his jetpack, zooming off to a nearby flat rooftop of a building that was higher than the tree on the plaza. Arfour used his thrusters to follow them.
The view of the city was incredible. The decorations, the lights, the many different scents coming from the market, it was more than Din could have imagined, but to his disappointment, it didn't feel like a home anymore. This bustling city had once been a small town with simple people and without a spaceport. He could tell most people down on those streets weren't born on Aq Vetina. He wasn't sure if all those changes made it easier for him to find closure or not.
"Okay why did you take us up here? Don't get me wrong, the view is fantastic, but I have a feeling Grogu is craving a dessert and-" Din raised his hand and she paused.
"Just wait for it."
Elora didn't understand the sudden secrecy. What were they waiting for?
Suddenly there was a whistling sound and in the next second the sky above lit up in the most beautiful colors. Grogu winced at the sounds of the firework, but looked up in wonder, same as Elora. Neither of them had ever seen fireworks before. Even Arfour bleeped at the spectacle in wonder. As the colors lit up the night sky, Din's gaze rested on Elora and Grogu. If there was anything he enjoyed watching more than the fireworks, it was their reaction. He knew it was a moment both of them would never forget. Elora felt his eyes on her and turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his helmet where his mouth would be.
"I love you, Din. Everything you do for me - for us… How are you feeling by the way?"
"I'm fine. Life Day is about family, and there's no better way to honor my parents than being happy. That's probably what they would want me to be. Making Life Day unforgettable for you and Grogu makes me happy. And I love you too, cyar'ika."
They were holding each other and looked up at the fireworks, with an occasional glance to Grogu who was mesmerized by the beauty. It was when he started to cough due to the smoke in the air that Din and Elora let go of each other.
"We should find a place to sleep. As much as I love the Crest, a holiday is special. We should celebrate it somewhere festive." Din suggested and took them back down to the streets, where he started looking for lodging.
He was distracted for a moment, asking a vendor where they could find a place to sleep. Elora took that as a chance to walk off as she noticed a stall selling melee weapons.
"There's a bed and breakfast at the-" Din paused and his eyes landed on Arfour. Elora and Grogu had disappeared. He was about to use his HUD again to find them, when there was a commotion a few stalls to his right.
"Thief! Somebody stop this woman!"
He recognized Elora's red hair immediately from afar and groaned in frustration. "I knew this was gonna happen at some point. Come on, droid."
Din and Arfour followed Elora's distinctive red hair through the crowds. He was surprised how fast of a runner she could be, and he had a feeling it had something to do with her force sensitivity. If there had been someone trying to catch her, she had already outrun them.
At a young age Elora had learned how to escape pursuers. She knew she had to hide from their sight, which meant she had to get off this market. So she took a turn into the next alley. It was dirty and smelled of a mix of mud and urine. Out of breath she checked on Grogu, who was giggling, amused by the situation. He held a little muffin in his hand he was nibbling on.
"I hope you learned an important lesson today, kid. When you steal, try not to get caught."
His ears flopped at her words and the sad look in his eyes made her heart melt, she couldn't be mad at him.
"There you are…" Din had caught up to them, a little out of breath. "I told you stealing could get you into trouble." he scolded Elora, who couldn't hold back a cheeky smile.
"You did, but I think you forgot to tell him." She pointed at Grogu, stains of blue buttercream on his mouth and nose. Din huffed in disbelief and let out an exasperated sigh. "You're being a bad influence, cyar'ika."
"Aww I take that as a compliment." she responded in a tone dripping with sarcasm.
Before they could argue, Din looked around, having picked up on a sound coming from another nearby alley. It was a metallic sound that Elora and Din were both familiar with. At the mouth of the alley, Din pulled his blaster from its holster faster than the blink of an eye, shooting at a silver battle droid who was carrying cargo.
"What the fuck, Din?!"
It took several shots to destroy the droid. The cargo, a large grey chest, fell to the floor, a golden power-like substance coming out of it. Elora had seen it before, and she knew a spice deal gone wrong meant trouble. "I know you hate droids, but thoughtlessly shooting one is risky, given the cargo it's supposed to load on the sled.
"I don't care. That's the kind of droid that killed my parents. It's dangerous." The hatred in his voice was audible.
"It was likely reprogrammed. They can be useful for carrying heavy objects." she tried to explain.
Din clenched his hands into tight fists and took deep breaths, trying to calm his rapid heartbeat. "What would you do to the man who you thought had killed your mother, Elora?"
It took her a moment to think of the right words, but she decided to be blunt about it. "I would let him suffer before I kill him." she said in a dark tone. She understood his actions, but also saw the risk. Din's trauma seemed to impact his judgment.
That's when a blaster bolt came out of nowhere, almost hitting Elora in the shoulder. She dodged it with her lightsaber in a second's notice. There were men yelling inside the building. Another blaster bolt hit Din in his chest plate, causing him to stumble a few steps back.
"See what you've done?!" They started running again, Elora dodging the blaster bolts that followed them with her lightsaber and Din firing shots at the group of six men, shielding Grogu from harm with his body. His aim was much better than theirs. In a matter of minutes there were only four of them left, then three, one… Even when no more shots were fired after the last spice smuggler fell, Din and Elora remained on high alert, Arfour bleeping uncomfortably and Grogu on top of him dropped his long ears in fear.
"It's okay, sweetie, we're out of danger now." Elora cooed, picking him up. In her arms he instantly buried his little face in the crook of her neck and she went to face Din. "Listen, I understand what overcame you when you saw that droid. The same feeling overcame me when I met you for the first time, Din. I learned in the best way that things are not always as they seem. This droid was programmed to load cargo, not kill innocents, and I know a thing or two about droids. You're not the type of guy who thinks with their blaster, it was reckless and so unlike you."
"I- I'm so sorry, I put you all in danger. It was never my intention, it's just…" She noticed how he shivered. "I saw that droid and I just…. I was nine years old when one of those things almost killed me. When I saw the droid back there, it was like I was a child again.." Din's voice trembled. Elora felt a deep sadness radiating off him. Before she could pull him into a hug he walked past her, his gaze on a clothesline where a red cloak was hanging to dry.
"Darling?" Elora asked as Din stared at the cloak, his posture being rigid.
"That's traditional Vetinese clothing. My family… that's what we used to wear." His voice was quiet and sad. "I don't remember much, but I know I was happy. It's the little things that I still recall the most aside from our last moments together. The scent of my mother's perfume, my father's laugh… Damn it was such a long time ago."
Din took the red fabric in his hand, a familiar feeling of safety settled in his gut at the touch.
"Nothing gets lost in this universe. In the force they'll always be with you until the day you join them." Din turned, and Elora took the opportunity to pull him into a warm hug. He rested his head on her shoulder, enjoying the feeling of her running her hands over his arms.
"Whatever you feel, Din, it's okay."
Their hug was suddenly interrupted when the back door of the building opened. A little old lady in a lilac dressing gown stepped out, two tookas purring around her legs.
"What's all the noise out here?!" she asked, her wrinkly face contorted in anger.
"Sorry, m'am. We were about to leave." Elora apologized.
The expression on the woman's face changed from anger to curiosity as she took in Din's shiny appearance. "Why did you return here?" the lady asked Din, who was taken aback by her question. "Your people freed what was left of our village. Are you back because this town is in danger?" she clarified.
"No, not at all. I was actually born here. The Mandalorians took me in after the battle droids attacked the town.”
The old lady frowned thoughtfully, appraising him. "What's your name?"
For a moment Din hesitated telling this woman - a stranger - his name, but decided to take the risk and do it. "The name's Din. Din Djarin."
Her eyes lit up at his name. "You're Zaro and Ni'qa Djarin's boy, aren't you? Oh, I thought you had died along with them." Tears welled in her eyes as she introduced herself as Varia Geth, explaining that she had been a neighbor of Din's family back in the day. Din was still in disbelief hearing his parents' names and that there was someone who remembered him from before his life as a Mandalorian foundling. He couldn't place the warm feeling that blossomed in his heart, but he knew Elora and Grogu felt it too.
Varia invited them into her house. Grogu was immediately fascinated by her tookas and squealed happily as Din put him down to let him play with them.
"If you and your wife are looking for a place to stay, you can sleep in my son's room. I have no use for it since he moved out." Varia offered, and Din and Elora eagerly accepted, without bothering to correct her when it came to the title of their relationship, since old people could be a bit conservative at times, and they wanted to sleep in the same room.
It turned out, Varia had a real talent for baking, much to Grogu's delight. They sat down in her cozy living room that had many pillows and self made blankets. With a hot chocolate for each, Varia started telling them stories from before the Separatist invasion that destroyed the village. How all people wore red cloaks when leaving the house, about the peace and quiet she missed so much in this bustling city. Din listened intently, sipping his hot chocolate through a straw that went under his helmet. From the stories Varia told them, his parents had been kind and generous people, living a simple life with the wellbeing of their only child as their top priority.
Bedtime was truly something else when you were used to sleeping in the small nook on the Razor Crest. The spare bedroom in Varia's house had a bed that was big enough for two, with lots of soft pillows and self made quilts. Grogu cooed as he climbed on top of it, getting comfortable.
Din removed his armor sans his helmet, feeling safe enough in this house to do so. Elora took off her boots and put her lightsaber on the bedside table before lying down next to Grogu who was trying real hard to keep his eyes open. Din laid down on the other side of him, so Grogu was lying in between his guardians. He yawned and they watched him drift off to sleep with a smile on his face.
Arfour had switched off, charging in the corner of the bedroom, and peace and quiet settled in the house. Din and Elora looked at each other, and despite the helmet, she knew the look in his eyes was full of affection.
"I certainly didn't expect the day to go like this." he whispered barely loud enough for the vocoder to pick up.
"How do you feel?"
It took Din a good minute to come up with the right words. "Like I made the right choice by coming here. I have to thank you for suggesting it." He caressed her cheek with his gloved hand. "My sweet girl, you helped me reconnect with my family in a way, I hope I can find a way to return the favor."
"Mmm.. the thought of my mom spending Life Day without me now that I know she's alive... It feels a bit off." Elora yawned, closing her eyes. Din didn't miss the light frown she always had when she was worried.
"I'll do everything so you can celebrate together next year, mesh'la. Rest now, the kid will be up early."
He didn't have to tell her twice. He watched her fall asleep wrapped in the colorful quilt blankets, taking her hand in his. Just like any Mandalorian, he swore to put his little family before everything else, like his parents before him.
"Patu! PATU!"
Elora groaned when Grogu jumped on her chest before the sun was up.
"No…it's too early. Go back to sleep." she cursed in Jawa Trade under her breath. That's when she felt that the other side of the bed was cold and empty, her eyes blinking open. Grogu crawled up to her face and squished her cheeks with his pudgy hands.
"Grogu!" Din's voice came from the hallway. He came to take the child off her chest. "I told you to let her sleep longer. I'm sorry, cyare. He woke me up first, all excited about his Life Day gifts."
While Elora sat up and rubbed her eyes, Din took Grogu back into the living room where he started playing with the Life Day gift Din had gotten him - a Thranta plushie that was actually more of a soft blanket than a stuffed toy, and miniature Jawa toy figures. Varia was preparing breakfast in the kitchen, waffles by the smell of it. Din wished his life could always be this harmonic, but he knew the reality was a different one, Moff Gideon was still out there and many others wouldn't hesitate to kill him for his beskar or to get to Elora and the kid.
After breakfast (Din having breakfast in the living room instead of the kitchen due to his Creed), Elora approached him with a present wrapped in red paper. "I found this on the market yesterday. I think it's a useful gift."
Din raised his brows, surprised that she, too, had bought him a gift. He didn't expect that.
"I didn't steal it by the way." she added as she noticed his hesitation.
"I didn't assume you stole it, I'm just…" He unwrapped the item, which was a box containing a collection of high quality vibroblades. He took one, twirling it between his fingers. Din huffed in disbelief. "They must have cost a fortune."
"I saved some credits from our previous jobs. Do you like them?"
Din stood up, looking down at her. "No. I love them! Such a thoughtful gift, thank you so much!" He wrapped his arms around her. "Gifting weapons is a sign of trust in my culture. It means a lot to me."
Varia searched several shelves in her living room until she found what she had been looking for. It was a small holochip she gave to Din.
"What is this for?"
"Put it in the projector and you'll see." she said with a kind smile.
They all took a seat in front of the holoprojector in the living room. Grogu was still distracted, playing with his new toys.
As Din inserted the holochip, a holopic popped up, showing several people in a backyard. Adults and children alike wore red cloaks and the neighborhood looked rather rural. Din held his breath as he saw his parents' faces for the first time in so many years. They were talking to friends and neighbors, and there was him, chasing after a tooka with a wide smile on his face. He looked no older than four years in this holopic.
"Is that-"
"Yes. That was before I took the Creed, which means you can look at it."
"Oh Din, you were so sweet! You still are, of course."
Din huffed at Elora’s remark. "I know hundreds of ways to kill someone. There's nothing sweet about that, cyare." He couldn't take his eyes off his parents' faces. Elora sensed his inner turmoil and took his hand.
"You can keep the holochip. That's my gift for you, young man." Varia said, tearing up at Din's reaction.
"Thank you. I- I don't know what to say. You really wanna give this to me?"
"It's your family, you should carry a picture of them with you. I have enough holochips anyway." she shrugged.
Elora and Din agreed that this was the best Life Day ever, despite being their first. There was hardly anything that could top that. If Grogu could speak, he would probably agree, judging by the joyful gleam in his dark eyes while playing with his new toys.
They spent Life Day eating cookies, laughing together, listening to Varia's stories and telling her of their adventures in return. Taking some time to unwind and not worry about what tomorrow would bring was exactly what they needed. They made memories that day they would cherish forever. It truly felt like, for a moment, the Galaxy was completely at peace.
<- previous chapter
They needed some downtime ok! Now let's get back to new adventures around the Galaxy with the next story arc coming soon!
Spoiler: Our favorite Weequay space pirate will show up in the next chapter!
#gehat'ik be aliit#din djarin#din djarin x oc#the mandalorian x oc#the mandalorian fanfic#the mandalorian fanfiction#din djarin x reader#the mandalorian fic#the mandalorian x reader#star wars#star wars fanfiction#din djarin fanfiction
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In the modern Au, how do they spend their days when they're still not living together? And does Olek bring a duffel bag with some of his clothes and other personal items, which slowly take place inside Ling Yi's flat over the months until he moves in with her? I love this little plot about new lovers~ "There is so much of you here already. What took you so long to stay forever?"
And I hope that, unlike in your 1899 Au, one of them is good at cooking! Seriously, how sweet would it be if Olek cooked meals for Ling Yi to take to work! Maybe that is how her co-workers find out she's dating someone new? And... Is she the type of girl to announce new flings and/or relationships to her friends and family as soon as they start, or does she wait to see whether they're going to make it official before she says anything? And oh, I wonder what would happen if Ling Yi ever stumbled upon one of her exes while she is with Olek!
Before they move in together, they mostly see each other on the weekends, with one of them (typically Olek) staying over on Saturday night. It happened pretty organically, with Olek coming into the city on Saturday afternoons to see Ling Yi, and then eventually spending the night. Then they would have most of the day on Sunday to hang out, either staying in bed (sleeping in... or other things) or going out for brunch. By 5 or 6pm, he's on the M train, headed back to Bushwick, just enough time to have some dinner, do a load of laundry or two, and have a bit of down time before he has to be ready for the work week. After a few weeks of this routine, Olek started bringing some stuff with him, so at least he would have a toothbrush and a change of clothes for Sunday. By now he's got a little place for his stuff on Ling Yi's bathroom counter (surrounded by all the products for her multi-step nighttime skincare routine) and part of a drawer in her closet where he keeps some shirts and clean underwear.
In general, Olek doesn't have a ton of stuff in his apartment (and a lot of it is fairly crap furniture that he got second-hand when he arrived in the States or bought at IKEA), so when they decide to move in together, the whole process isn't as hard as they might have originally thought. Olek recognizes that Ling Yi's furniture is much nicer — and she has better taste and superior interior design skills — so he ends up selling or donating most of his furniture. When he arrives at Ling Yi's apartment, he's basically got two suitcases and his Monstera plant. (She's already cleared out a much bigger part in her closet for him, and she bought a little mud tray for the hallway where he can leave his work boots.)
I think they're both trying to be better at cooking. They both definitely know some dishes from home that they try to make, and they both love eating from their own cuisines when they can. But once they move in together, I can totally see the two of them trying to pick up some more skills (and save money on takeout) by doing more cooking together. (Maybe they'd get into something like Blue Apron or HelloFresh with the pre-portioned ingredients? Also, it would give them time together in the kitchen!)
Olek making Ling Yi's lunches is such a cute idea! Because of her job, she does have to think a fair amount about what she's eating and how much of it (unfortunately), but I could also totally see him chopping up a pre-made salad for her, with the dressing and the toppings all in those little containers. Because she doesn't work with the same other models all the time (although she definitely knows some from the agency, and she sees some of the same people at dance and theater auditions), no one would probably notice her lunch, but she would definitely appreciate it!
When she first started seeing Olek, Ling Yi only told a few of her close friends. She wasn't sure if it was going to work — although she was already impressed with how sweet he was, on top of being so cute! — and she didn't want to share the juicy details of her first few dates with the whole world. But after they move out of casual dating and into official couple status, she's ready to tell everyone: her good friends, her acquaintances, her hair stylist, the other girls she sees at the agency. And of course he's all over her socials because she can't stop taking pictures of the two of them together! And at some point, of course, she has to tell her mom, which she's a little nervous about. But she knows once Yuk Je gets to know Olek, she's going to like him as much as Ling Yi does! (And, goodness, what if she did run into one of her exes? I'd like to imagine that she'd be polite and say hi, but maybe be just a touch passive-aggressive and hold onto Olek's arm or casually slip her hand around his waist? Then again, she might just walk on by, not even noticing her ex because she's so focused on the gorgeous man beside her!)
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'Neath Moon and Star
Chapter 3: House
"What would you have me do first?" Naris asked, after Neminda had pulled out a small metal sigil and handed it to him, stating that it would be his way to identify himself to other members of House Redoran.
"Drulene Falen has asked for our help. She says her guar herds have been having trouble with hostile mudcrabs," Neminda said, taking a note from the desk, "go talk to Drulene Falen. Her guar herd is due west of here, just over the hills. She can tell you more about her mudcrab problem."
"Where is her hut?" Naris asked, taking the note from Neminda's hand.
"West out of Ald'ruhn and take the road towards Gnisis. When you go into the hills, take the left fork to the southwest. Take the right path at the next fork and you should see her guar straight ahead."
Naris nodded, thanked Neminda, and left the council hall. An ash storm had started over the town and Naris spotted dunmer sliding into doors and closing windows to keep out the dust. He pulled a hood from his bag and slipped the fabric over his head, hoping it would at least help in keeping the ash out of his eyes.
He paused at the gate to Ald'ruhn and glanced down at the compass he'd bought in Balmora. Due west.
The storm wasn't very strong, so Naris was able to see the road in front of him as he walked west. The area changed from flat wastes to hilly wastes quite quickly and soon Naris spotted a small hut on the horizon. That must be Drulene Falen. As Naris neared some of the shapes around her solidified into guar, which looked up at the sound of his approach and notified Drulene. "Did Neminda send you? Are you here to help with those hostile mudcrabs?"
"Yes, yes. What can you tell me?" Naris asked.
"There's a pair of them that's been hunting my guar. Just the other day they killed one and dragged it off. They usually come from the coast to the southwest. If this keeps up, I might have to sell what I still got and move back to Tear," Drulene pointed towards where the coast must be.
"Thank you, I'll find those mudcrabs," Naris smiled and Drulene looked slightly less hagared.
The coast wasn't hard to find, it was exactly to the southwest. The scent of decomposition hit Naris' nose and he spotted the half-eaten corpse of a guar. Those mudcrabs had to be close by. A sudden sharp clapping sound came from behind him and Naris spun to see two large mudcrabs skittering towards him. Naris drew his sabre and waited a moment for the mudcrabs to get closer then jumped forward and drove the sharpened steel into the closer ones back. The mudcrabs shell offered resistance, but dunmer smiths had been making steel to cut through their defences for thousands of years. The shell cracked and steel met meat. The creature let out what must have been its version of a shriek then fell dead. Naris turned his blade on the other and made quick work of cutting it up. After the second mudcrab had fallen to the ground Naris bent over to grab some chitin and meat. It could be useful for food or to sell.
The trek back to the hut was just as quick as the journey to the coast. Drulene looked up with furrowed brows when he neared her, "you shouldn't have anymore trouble from those mudcrabs."
"You killed the mudcrabs that were bothering my guar? Thank the Tribunal! I might not have to move back to Tear after all," she looked him up and down, "You look tired. Can I offer you some Hackle-Lo?"
"Oh... no thank you," Naris smiled gently, Hackle-Lo was not his favourite herb.
"It can be an acquired taste. Thanks again," Drulene offered him a large smile and a small bow.
---
The ash storm was slowing by the time Naris returned to Ald'ruhn. He trekked back through the town and reentered the large emperor crab shell. "Excuse me!" A voice called. Naris turned and saw a female dunmer walking towards him quickly. "Sorry to interrupt but I was wondering where exactly I might inquire about joining House Redoran?"
Naris smiled, "right this way," he waved his hand for the dunmer to follow him and headed towards the council hall.
Inside Neminda was standing behind the desk, reading over a letter in her hand and muttering something to one of the other house members. She looked up at his approach and smiled. "Naris Indarys, have you taken care of those hostile mudcrabs?"
"Yes sera, they shouldn't bother Drulene any longer."
"Good," her eyes landed on the female dunmer behind Naris, "and who is this?"
"This is uh-" Naris glanced at her, realising that he'd not asked her name.
"Ryna Falas," the dunmer introduced. "I wish to join House Redoran."
Neminda's eyes lit up, "already recruiting Naris?"
"She approached me!" Naris said. Neminda laughed and waved Naris away, he said goodbye to both Neminda and Ryna before leaving.
It was time to return to Balmora, inform Ranis of the response from Edwinna and hopefully Caius would finally have some answers for him.
---
Ranis had smiled when Naris told her that Edwinna had simply responded with a yes. It was a slightly bitter but exasperated smile that told Naris more about their relationship than anything else could have.
Caius was back in his house today. Sitting at his table and reading over some note that he instantly pushed away when Naris entered. "Caius. I need answers."
"Yes, yes... don't we both," the imperial muttered the last bit, like Naris wasn't supposed to hear it. "Go talk to Hasphat Antabolis at the Balmora Fighters Guild. Ask him what he knows about the Nerevarine secret cult and the Sixth House secret cult. You'll have to do him a favour first. Probably an ugly favour. But do it." Caius wrinkled his nose at the end. "Then we can talk more."
Naris narrowed his eyes but nodded and left the house. An ugly favour? What kind of ugly favour? He was open to doing many things, except murder. That would hopefully not need to be a line he drew.
The Fighters Guild was right next to the Mages Guild so Naris knew exactly where to go. It was also almost identical inside. A person, who he presumed was the equivalent to Ranis stood beside a set of stairs. "Hello, sorry to be a bother, but where might I find Hasphat Antabolis?"
"Hasphat? Oh, he'd be below in the training room with one of the recruits," the person, a woman, responded. Naris thanked her and headed down the stairs. It wasn't a struggle to find the training room, the door was open and the sound of arrows hitting targets drew him in.
"Hello sera, Caius sent me to gather some information on the Nerevarine Cult and the Sixth House."
The imperial turned and raised an eyebrow. "So you're with Caius, eh? And Caius wants information? Of course, there's a this-for-that involved. I require a favour first, and then I'll tell you what you want to know."
"I've been given leave to perform any task you ask of me."
Hasphat smiled. "There are Dwemer ruins nearby called Arkngthand. I need you to run over there and find me a little cube with a circular design and some symbols on one side. It's called 'a Dwemer puzzle box'. Bring me back the Dwemer puzzle box, and I'll tell you what you want to know."
Naris narrowed his eyes at Hasphat's smile. "Where exactly is this ruin?"
"The old Dwemer ruins at Arkngthand are extensive on the surface and underground. Head south out of town past the silt strider port, then cross bridges east over the Odai River. At the signpost, head north towards Caldera. Immediately on the right see a signpost for Molag Mar. Turn right and head uphill on an old road to cross an ancient Dwemer bridge over Foyada Mamaea. The entrance to Arkngthand is on the east side of the foyada, south of the bridge. Turn a crank on a pipe nearby to open the doors." Naris blinked. He reached into his bag and pulled out a journal that Ranis had given him for spellwork.
"Can you repeat that?" Hasphat smirked again and did. "And where would the puzzle box be?"
"My informants say it's close to the entrance, on the second level. Go now. Find my puzzle box and I'll tell you what you want to know."
---
Naris was very thankful he'd written the directions down the moment he began to walk. As he followed the directions and turned right, spotting the dwemer bridge and the ruins beyond it that must be Arkngthand. As he neared the bridge and prepared to cross it Naris spotted a moving shape and drew his blade. The silver steel glinted in the setting sun as Naris stepped ever closer. The shape soon solidified into a man, who when he heard Naris approach spun and summoned a skeleton instantly. Naris hissed in frustration and jumped out of the way of a fireball that was thrown at him.
Naris cut through the skeleton quite easily, the summoning magic used to bring it here was weak and the bones fell apart the moment Naris' steel cut through the join at the left shoulder. Then he turned on the mage, who snarled madly at him as he got closer, dodging flames as he went. This one wanted to play with magicka? Okay, Naris would play too. He brought his left hand up and summoned a fireball of his own, launching it at the other. The mad man was obviously not expecting that because he didn't manage to dodge it in time. The fire landed right on his chest and he shrieked in pain. Another fireball was launched at Naris but he simply stepped to the side. Close enough now to reach the mad man with his blade, Naris sliced his sword towards the mages head. He missed just barely but the mage's focus was now on protecting his head and he didn't see the strike to his stomach coming.
The steel pierced flesh and the mad mage fell to the ground. He grabbed for Naris' arms but Naris simply stepped away. Wiped his sword off with a piece of cloth. And continued to cross the bridge.
Naris had never seen dwemer ruins up close before. It was large and beautiful. Naris spotted the alcove where the valve to open the ruins must be quickly. He strode over, listening more carefully for threats now. There was the sound of air flowing through the pipes as the valve was turned and the door opened. Naris stepped inside the ruins and almost gasped aloud at how large they were.
Old dwemer pipes and walls were overgrown with dirt and moss now, but still as wondrous. He stopped and stared for a moment before the sound of movement brought him back to the present. Naris spotted two people moving below and drew his sword again. He hoped he'd be as good at dodging this time as he was just before.
One of the people below noticed Naris and called out, drawing his own sword. The sound of steel on steel filled the ruins as they clashed. The second person had also drawn their sword and seemed to be trying to get behind Naris, who backed up to the wall to stop them. He pushed back and managed to disengage their swords. The first one stumbled slightly as he was pushed and Naris realised he wasn't holding the sword quite right. A novice. Good. Naris found it easy then to kill the novice fighters. He simply tapped into the more advanced and dirty knowledge he'd gained on the streets. Managing to shove his sword into the first’s gut and slice through the second neck.
As he leant over to clean his sword on one of their shirts he noticed that the second person had a dagger strapped to his waist. Well... it would be a waste to simply let it stay here, unused, in this ruin. Naris took the dagger and sheath off the dead man and weighted it. Nice and light, but there was a firmness to it. Good. He strapped the dagger to his own belt and glanced around.
Hasphat said the puzzle box would be near the entrance on a second level... There! A bridge of stone and mud, that must be covering an old metal one to look sturdy, led up to a second level where Naris could see some doors. That must be where the box is.
Thankfully, there was no one in the side room. Naris bent down to check the shelves and the ground for any sign of the box. There, a little shimmer of gold. Naris reached out and grasped the puzzle box. Pulling it back to find the small cube in his hand. It didn't look like anything special. If this was all it took to gather information as a Blade, Naris would be fine.
---
Hasphat was in the same place he had been when Naris had left. This time though there were three others in the room training. Naris didn't pay them any mind and instead walked right over to Hasphat and held out the box. "I got it."
"So I see!" Hasphat said excitedly, reaching for it.
Naris pulled back. "The notes."
"Just let me take this Dwemer puzzle box, and then I'll tell you what Caius will want to know about the Sixth House. And about the Nerevarine."
"What is the Nerevarine?" Naris asked, as Hasphat took the box then pulled out some papers and handed them over.
"The Ashlanders believe a reborn Nerevar will unite the Dunmer against the outlander invaders and restore the ancient Dark Elven nation. Nerevar is a legendary hero and saint of the Temple, but the Temple denies the prophecy, and persecutes heretics who believe in the Nerevarine. Tell Caius that Sharn gra-Muzgob would be a better person to ask about the native faiths and superstitions." Hasphat waved his hand.
"And the Sixth House?"
"I've heard something about a secret cult worshipping Dagoth Ur. The idea is that the Tribunal are false gods who have betrayed Morrowind to the Imperials. The cult plans to overthrow the Temple and drive the Empire from Morrowind. The cult is outlawed by the Temple, the Great Houses, and the Empire, and I doubt it's very popular. I've also heard there's some connection with smuggling... that they smuggle goods, or hire smugglers, or something like that." Hasphat explained. Naris raised an eyebrow at that. Hmm, maybe he could try and find some other information on this. Naris thanked Hasphat for the notes and headed back to turn them in the Caius. Hopefully, they were what he needed.
NMaS masterlist / post masterlist
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hermes mini kelly 29
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Hermès Constance
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Breathe Again | KTH
~summary: everything in your world has changed. everything, that is, except the boy who still believes there are spirits in the forest.
~pairing: taehyung x reader
~word count: 16.6k
~my neighbour totoro au, artist!taehyung, fashion designer!reader, childhood friends to lovers, comfort, fluff, slight angst, slow burn, totoro just wants them to be together
~rating: pg13
~warnings: mentions of burnout, mentions of a toxic work environment, a skipped meal, a tiny bit of blood, being outside in bad weather, heights?
~a/n: hi everyone, long time no see! welcome to my first fic since my hiatus!! this is for the ghibli collab which is being run by @birbdae💞 this one is for anyone who likes ghibli films, wants some comforting boyfriend vibes from tae or just vaguely chaotic totoro content💜this one turned kinda long, but I hope I’ve captured the ghibli vibes well!
I would love to hear if you read this and what you think! come chat with me💖
Taking you over familiar roads, the bus bumped gently against uneven ground. But you didn’t so much as blink, cheek resting against the glass which rattled slightly in its pane.
You knew this place.
Something about returning down these roads stirred memories within you, though they tugged more at your body than your mind. The haze of smiles and childish laughter these streets made you recall felt alien to you.
But you knew that if you were to set your feet down in the earth here, they would be able to take you home even with your eyes closed. Your hands have memorised the shapes of the leaves in the forest and the wind would push your hair back like an old friend.
You knew this place, and it knew you.
That’s what you were afraid of.
It was as if a tape was being rewound: taking you whizzing back through the exact route you had ridden out of your hometown when you left so many years ago.
Who would remember you? More importantly, who would remember your goals, the way you had rushed away to the city at the first chance to pursue your goals as a fashion designer.
You hoped they wouldn’t ask. After all, you didn’t know the answers yourself.
Of course, there was the possibility that the town you were coming back to would have changed. There were always new buildings going up in the city, roads closed and the crowds still crawling around like ants. Always moving, never slowing.
But the moment you turned away from thanking the bus driver and settled your feet on the soil, you knew there was no question of this place being unrecognisable. Grass still tufted through at the edges of the road; there was the stream that had always run here, still bubbling merrily and bouncing the odd fleck of light through the grasses it nestled between.
Rumbling into life again behind you, the bus trundled on its way.
First stopping to take a deep breath, you turned after it, feet falling in the shallow furrows made by the tyre marks. As predicted, you gave barely a thought for the direction, your legs easily remembering their way down the short road to reach the market square.
As you moved past the first houses, you parted ways with the stream. It wasn’t long after that the road opened into the square and you finally saw another living being.
Though it wasn’t a big town by any stretch, there were always people around during the day. Luckily it wasn’t market day today, which you were thankful for because the whole town would have been out, and you may well have been caught up for hours by all the people wanting to talk to you.
As it was, three ladies cried out at you from a front doorstep where they were chatting. Hurriedly shooting them a smile, you waved, hoping that would deter them. In the end, you were only waylaid by a couple of questions – how long would you be staying? how’s the big city? – that you could brush off with noncommittal answers.
In that time, you had attracted the gazes of an older couple strolling hand in hand nearby. Gripping the strap of your backpack tighter, you bobbed your head in greeting and scurried past.
Grabbing your phone from your pocket, you picked up the pace. Shooting a quick message to let your aunt know you had arrived kept you occupied with an excuse to avoid a few more staring faces. Perhaps they would think you rude, antisocial, to be walking with your head down and staring at your device instead, but it was comforting in a way. A remnant of your city life, where everyone was wrapped up in technology.
Having braved the main square, you lowered your phone again. Forcing a steady exhale from your mouth, you pressed further through the mercifully empty streets leading away.
The squeak of a bicycle wheel was all the warning you received for the next person you would pass on your journey. Preparing a smile in a hurry, you found yourself staring across at a man you recognised coming around the corner.
Kim Taehyung hadn’t changed much, face lighting up in his trademark rectangular grin as he saw you. He had grown into his handsome features in the time you had been away, and you found your smile wasn’t entirely fake as he slowed on the other side of the street.
Simple white t shirt hanging from his frame, he was wheeling a bike beside him, dusty bags slung over the top. He fit right in with this place.
He was just opening his mouth when you gulped back your faltering smile, ducking your head again and continuing on your way.
With your feet carrying you slightly faster now, you garbled greetings and smalltalk to the other villagers you crossed paths with. The path sloped downhill as you approached the edge of the town, where houses fell away to make space for the rice fields and farmland. From your road, you could look across the flat terraces that stretched, glittering, to the horizon.
Approaching your own place at last, you had to admit you were glad to see Mei lean out of her window to greet you. The old woman had lived there as long as you could remember, and always had a kind word to say.
But though you returned her wave with genuine care, you didn’t stay to talk, instead pressing the keys into the disused lock of your front door. Reluctant from its neglect, it resisted, grating around slowly until finally caving, releasing the door with a groan.
The last time you had seen the inside of this house was many years ago now. Your aunt had raised you here, but had now moved in with her new partner; rather than selling, she had kept the place for you, ‘in case you ever want to come back or visit’.
Sliding the door aside with only a few snags, you stood in the doorway, unmoving.
For a brief moment, a familiar yet long-forgotten feeling had fallen over you. With a blink, the notion that a flurry of movement had greeted you from the shadows slipped away easily.
Dust bunnies, Mei always used to say.
Tugging vigorously at dust sheets that covered the windows, you let light stream into the room, at last allowing you to pull the door closed. Despite all that still required attention, you slumped against it.
Sniffing, you swiped a hand across your cheek. Surely it was just the dust irritating you.
While something inside you felt… different, relieved, to be back here, a larger part of you resisted that. This was only a temporary waystation. There was no use getting settled here again. This was no longer where you belonged…
If only you had found that in the city. That was supposed to be where you would thrive, forge your life amongst the unforgiving glare of neon billboards and buzzing traffic.
You resented the feeling of ease that crept over you now you were back. Resented the people that were content here, fitting fluidly with the meandering of village life. Like Kim Taehyung: he had grown up here with you, but unlike you he had remained right at home, never erring.
You had tried so hard, forever persistent that the world would bend to your will. That you were destined for greater things than this unremarkable town.
Yet now you even found yourself envious of those who stayed here.
They seemed happy.
A low buzz shot through your thoughts, drawing your attention to your illuminated phone screen.
With a dispassioned sigh, you pushed yourself to your feet. You ought to shift some dust from this place in time for your aunt to come for dinner.
Luckily, the house was empty, the few furnishings shoved away in cupboards. After fishing a broom from somewhere, you swept, and had just pulled the last cushion from the cupboard when you heard the familiar call of your name.
Hurrying forwards and plastering a smile on your face, you tugged the door open to help her; her arms were bursting with food. Still, you were surprised by the urge you got to hug her. After depositing all the ingredients in the small kitchen, you gladly returned her tight embrace.
“My darling,” she squeezed you tight, “it’s been so long.”
“I missed you, auntie,” you admitted.
Perhaps you had sounded a little too forlorn because she quickly drew you back to study your face.
“How have you been? Feeding yourself well enough?”
You let out a sound halfway between a giggle and a shriek as she grabbed at your cheek, a gesture that seemed far too familiar.
Brushing her off, you didn’t have time to dwell on the sensation her affections had stirred in you, as more voices drifted from the front room.
Of course, she had invited some friends.
By the time you had greeted each woman, dodged questions and laughed at your aunt and her girlfriend bickering from the kitchen, a steaming bowl was pressed into your hands and everyone gathered to eat. This was a scene you were so familiar with, a sight so common in your childhood, but now…
You shifted, eyes trained on your bowl as Mei told a story of your five-year-old self.
Why was everyone still the same? So nice to you, so comfortable with each other just like always? Your life, your career was seemingly spiralling off course and that guilt still sat heavy on your bones.
How could you retreat back here, accept all this? You should still be working. Not giving up. But you couldn’t bring yourself to do that either.
The same feeling lingered even through the clinking of dishes as your guests chipped in to help clear away, and remained in the following silence and dark as you flattened out your futon, curling up in isolation.
You wouldn’t allow this to feel right.
Even as sleep finally ensnared you in its claws just to spit you out the next morning, you continued to tell yourself what you should want. You should be missing your job, you should be missing the city. And though your heart wasn’t in it, you wouldn’t allow yourself to think otherwise.
The sun was high in the sky the next day when you found yourself staring at the blank page of your sketchbook.
I still want to design. Right?
Okay, so, let’s make a design. Design something. Just one thing. Just one idea, so I know I can still do it. I want to know that this is still the right thing.
I can do it.
Your eyes ran down your watercolour palette, each colour stained with others and hollowed in the middle with use. The small pot of water you had prepared sat too, remaining clear as your pen hovered over the paper.
Some time later, it clattered onto the tabletop.
That blank page stared at you for the rest of the day. Your contest continued even as you slurped at the instant noodles you had made. Every time your thoughts strayed outside, they would be tethered right back again.
There was no point running from your struggle. You would go out as soon as you had managed something productive. For now, the packets of food you had brought in your bag from the city would tide you over.
But as certain as you were that you would achieve something, the next day stretched out in exactly the same way.
It was on the third day that a knock at your door broke through your otherwise deserted world inside this room.
Without a second thought to the depressing dinner you were halfway through, you stood up. Only for a moment you hesitated, before conceding that this wasn’t the city, and it was more usual to have visitors here.
Padding across the floor, you pushed the door aside.
“Y/N! Hi!”
You blinked in the beaming face of Kim Taehyung that greeted you.
“Taehyung!” you returned in genuine surprise, “um, come in…”
Stepping back as you remembered your manners, you cast a look around the room. Unfortunately you hadn’t yet disposed of the slowly growing pile of torn ramen packets on the table, but it was too late.
“Thank you, you don’t have to-“
Nonetheless, Taehyung stepped inside to let you close the door on the cloudy day outside. If he noticed the sad state of your abode, he made no comment.
“I-I just thought I’d come by and visit you,” he smiled hopefully, “I haven’t seen you out since you came back…”
Gulping in the face of his innocent curiosity, you glanced at the floor.
“I’m sorry, I just haven’t… had the chance.”
Your excuse was weak and you knew it. Either way, Taehyung was quick to brush aside your worry.
“It’s nothing to apologise for! I thought I had just missed you and- well, I wanted to come to see you anyway. It’s been a while.”
A soft chuckle passed your lips, which curled into a sad smile. With a nod, you looked up at him.
“Yeah. It has.”
Though his face was smiling as always, it had softened as he studied you.
“Do you want to go on a walk?” he offered, “it must have been hard, being away from the countryside.”
The thought of your abandoned ramen cooling on the table behind you dissipated in an instant.
The outside was a refreshing thought, and it was as if Taehyung had opened the door to the possibility. Once there was a time you would have headed out for no reason, just for fun. That was something you had left behind, but with the welcoming boy to encourage you, you were nodding eagerly before you could form a reply.
Although the village was no longer bathed in sun, cool air rushing to meet you instead, the breeze seemed to carry some weight away from your shoulders. The route Taehyung began to tread beside you was well ingrained in your feet, but your mind was still waking up to the familiar sights.
“I always loved the view from here,” you smiled, muttering almost to yourself.
Taehyung heard you, though. There was no noise for your voice to lose itself in, except the wind that took your words on a winding path through the air.
Slowing his steps, you eased beside him as well. You had barely left your road, but being so near to the edge of the village, the swathes of rippling fields were never far from view; now they stretched out like a carpet below the higher ground your village occupied.
“What’s it like, living in the city?” Taehyung recaptured your attention.
Startled, your eyes turned to him as he remained gazing across the lush greenery, hands tucked casually into the pockets of his loose trousers. His shirt, too, billowed slightly in the playful breeze as you strolled together.
It was those words which brought you crashing back to your senses. The city had been far from your mind, chased away the moment you were reminded of nature’s sprawling cloak across the land. It had been so easy to forget…
“Busy,” was all you offered in way of reply at first. A slight sigh was whipped away by the wind before you found the words to continue. “There’s always people doing things, just like here. Only… bigger. More. They don’t have time to stop and speak to you. It’s so much brighter too…
“I like the neon signs,” you admitted, “but with them, you can barely see the stars.”
While you spoke, Taehyung’s eyes drifted back to you, listening intently. After you stopped, he left silence to settle for a moment.
“It sounds different,” he replied.
You simply hummed an affirmative, but a large smile was sliding back onto his face.
“But I bet they love you!” he grinned, face lifting in such eager happiness that it made your heart ache. Wanting so badly to return his joy, you knew you could never fake happiness that genuine.
“Not really…” you scuffed your toes against the ground, suddenly particularly interested in the way the dirt cracked around your shoes.
As such, you missed the deepening furrow of Tae’s brows, but he stayed quiet, sensing your inhale as you prepared to elaborate.
“Maybe it’s because I had always dreamed of moving there, but nothing was as easy as I imagined,” you spoke quietly, “I was so stupid thinking everything would be simple once I got a place as an intern. The company took me on, but I haven’t got any further.”
A short glance back to Tae showed his brows set in a serious line, mulling your words seriously.
“I’m sure if you keep working hard, they’ll see you,” he smiled, “you always wanted to be a designer. I know you can be.”
For a moment, his words stunned all breath in your throat. Swallowing harshly, you tore your eyes from his, roughly shaking your head.
“It’s just not going right,” you lamented, “all I’ve done since I moved there is work, I take the overtime and travel for shows at weekends, shadow where I can… I feel like I can’t do anymore. And still, nothing. Not even a commission, let alone a promotion. I haven’t headed a project team once. It’s like…” panting softly from the speed your frustrated words spilled out, you paused for a moment, shoulders slumping. “It’s like everyone else knows something I don’t.”
“That’s why you came back?”
His low tone was still light and looking back to him brought you face to face with wide, earnest eyes. Of course, he had guessed accurately. You hadn’t quite intended to spill in so much detail what was troubling you, but you couldn’t bring yourself to resent it.
Confirming his assumption with a nod, you watched Taehyung cock his head to the side before returning his gaze back across the forest.
By now you were drawing closer to where the trees huddled together at the borders of the farmland. The track was a little less well-trodden here, your feet falling between scattered grasses that pushed upwards.
“I don’t think it’s you that’s the problem,” he twisted his body around to face you, still walking towards the forest.
All you could do was blink, slightly startled at his assertion. Thankfully, he continued, pulling his hands from his pockets and spreading them to indicate the surrounding trees which you were entering.
“You’re doing everything you can, and that should be more than enough. There’s no secret to learn… well, maybe…”
“Hey!” you elbowed him as he trailed off, “do you know a secret?”
Mirroring your grin, Taehyung sighed, shaking his head at the ground. You kept your eyes trained on him, as if he might really hold some clue that would solve everything for you. Then he raised his head, fluffy strands of hair falling across his smile-brightened eyes.
“Maybe patience,” he shrugged, “I’m sure you’d get somewhere eventually… but also- maybe you should try to value your time more. There isn’t just one path you can take, and you can always change.”
“I-I guess that’s true,” you stammered.
It was something that had crossed your mind, but you had always shoved the idea away the moment you considered it. You knew what you wanted to do, and you shouldn’t give up on it. Hearing another say it, out loud, was… strangely affirming. But your eyes still fled Taehyung’s gaze, skittering about the trees stretching their hands to the sky.
“Either way,” a gentle nudge at your side brought your begrudging gaze back to your friend, “it’s good to have you back for a bit. I’ve missed you. I’m sure your aunt has, too,” he quickly added.
Grateful for his offer of turning away from the previous conversation, you relaxed a little.
“I’ve missed it here too,” you admitted, “thanks for coming over, it’s good to be out.”
For some reason, as you continued ambling through the forest, you felt no guilt creeping in about time you should be spending working. Instead, you barely felt the minutes passing as you laughed with Taehyung about various scenes from your childhoods. If anything, the small amount of guilt tugging at you was guilt for losing touch.
Eventually, you found yourself reclining in the grass at his side.
“Do you remember when you told me there were spirits in this forest?” you laughed softly.
“Hey!” he grinned back, “they are real!”
Though you giggled along with him, you sensed some defiance in the glittering of his eyes, which made you tail off. Your mouth quirked up at the corner.
“You really still believe in them?”
You didn’t miss the way his eyes strayed from your own, glancing to the grass and across the leafy landscape. But still, he responded.
“I saw them,” he murmured, bringing a fond smile to your face.
“Maybe people out in the countryside really are crazy,” you joked, flopping back to lie on the floor.
“Maybe,” came the chuckled reply.
Taehyung’s shoulder brushed against your own as he joined you on the floor.
Warmth blooming in your chest, you continued to stare across the treetops as they were brushed with the glow of the encroaching sunlight. Something within you longed to capture this moment, grab the warm-tinted clouds streaming across the sky and bring them to earth to rest beside you.
And later, you would realise that was why you had turned to design.
You picked up your paintbrush and brought colour to the white sheet at last.
Too caught up in your seeming breakthrough, with a design almost finished on your page, you were easily busy enough to ignore the way Taehyung’s face crept into your mind. Trying to summon images of the breathtaking evening you had spent, the boy was inextricable from the memory.
The relief and liberation that had flooded you the moment you allowed yourself some respite had come from having him beside you.
Though you were a fashion designer, not a portrait artist, the flipside of the page was steadily filling with sketches of Taehyung. You hadn’t been able to capture him the exact way you wanted, his striking features escaping you, but you couldn’t hold back from trying at least.
But though you had made some progress on your creative block, you still clung to the shelter of your empty house. The hush of the village provided you with a peace of mind you hadn’t even noticed was missing while you were away.
Before you could dig yourself any more holes wondering about the fate of your career, however, exactly the person you had been hoping to see came back around.
Taehyung beamed widely from his perch on your doorstep. That wonderful smile never failed to produce a brighter grin on your own face too.
However, this time he didn’t step into your house when you made room for him. Disappointment sunk to your stomach, realising you had expected him to stay.
But his next words killed off any sadness before it could even take root within you.
“Put your shoes on,” he flashed a playful grin, “you’re coming to mine for dinner.”
“I am?” you snorted, though you were already reaching for your boots.
“Yep,” he smirked.
Folding his arms, he leaned against your doorframe while you hurriedly got ready.
“Unless you have plans?” he chuckled, “another extravagant microwave meal for one?”
Gaping, your head shot up to meet his twinkling gaze.
“You may be right,” you scoffed, finally closing the door behind you as you joined him on the street, “but that doesn’t make it nice. What would your grandma think of your manners?”
“And what would your aunt think of the way you’re eating?” he retorted.
Lips rising into a begrudging smile, you sort of fell against him in a playful nudge. The next moment, though, your eyes grew wider as he slung an arm around you, giving it a squeeze as his fingers nipped at your cheek.
“I’m joking,” he cooed, “I just want you to eat well.”
At least the sentiment was there. About an hour later you found yourself sat giggling in front of a bowl of charred remains that once were food.
“I tried,” Tae was pouting, poking around in his own bowl.
“You didn’t have to try something so fancy,” you hid more laughter behind your hand, “there’s more room for error.”
“But grandma told me exactly how to make it,” he frowned down at his dish as if it had wronged him, “I don’t know what I even did to mess it up!”
Unable to help it, a fond smile broke onto your face.
“Thank you, Taehyung.”
Your words seemed to startle him, as he immediately started spluttering about how you could thank him after he destroyed your dinner. It only served to pull more laughter from you.
“I appreciate it,” you assured him, “now how about we make something simple?”
His kitchen was stocked with fresh vegetables from the farmlands, making it easy for you to pick some and get to work. Closer to the rice fields than your house, Taehyung’s place bordered with the forest, every window giving generous views on the surrounding greenery.
“Done!”
Turning away from the trees outside the window, which you had somewhat lost yourself in, you found Taehyung stood proudly behind you. In his hands sat a bowl stacked with the vegetables he had chopped.
A look back at your own board showed you had made much less progress.
“Let me finish those,” he placed his bowl down and came to stand next to you. “I think you would be better off doing the cooking.”
Laughing, you agreed and let him take the knife from your fingers. Next, you began to fry your ingredients with the rice that hadn’t been a victim of Taehyung’s previous attempts.
Once he was done, Taehyung approached you, sliding the remaining vegetables into the pan. But even as they fell, sizzling, into the dish, he didn’t move away from you.
“Smells good,” he complimented.
Muttering a brief thank you, you kept your eyes on the food as you stirred it. You could almost pretend the heat in your cheeks was from the warmth of the stove and not the way he leaned closer as he smelled your cooking, such that his chest pressed up against your back, face hovering above your shoulder.
But before your resolve could wear thin enough for you to look around at him while he was in such painfully close proximity, a rumble interrupted your thoughts.
Taehyung instantly pulled away, apologies spilling from his lips. You, on the other hand, burst into laughter.
“Was that your stomach?” you cried.
“Maybe,” he mumbled, rubbing a hand across his middle.
Chuckling, you shut off the stove.
“Luckily, dinner is ready,” you grinned.
Taehyung eagerly dashed to grab plates, letting you pile them up with food.
Together, you brought your steaming meals to the front room where Tae pushed open the front door, inviting you to sit on the step.
“I guess it is kind of late,” you said after your first bite, “no wonder you were hungry.”
Proving your point, the boy beside you was already wolfing down his meal. Smiling to yourself, you dove back into your own food as you stared across the darkening valley, stars now painted in the mirror-smooth surfaces of the rice fields.
Sweet as always, Taehyung thrust a basket of the vegetables into your arms before you left – though, of course, he was walking back with you. Still, you were embarrassed to note the hint of resentment at his wonderful actions, as it meant you had one less excuse to see him again. In truth, you didn’t want to leave at all.
But you still thanked him profusely, and you meant it. His kindness warmed your heart, and guilt twisted inside you at the thought of taking his actions to mean anything further.
He probably felt sorry for you, lost as you were. Meanwhile he had found a place in the world, and he was happy here. Almost certainly he only wanted to do some good for an old friend.
But for tonight, you couldn’t help but indulge in the flutters Taehyung set off in your heart, a few more sketches joining the others before you fell into bed.
Since you arrived, you hadn’t been very productive. You knew this, but bringing yourself to care was becoming difficult. No, you were too busy enjoying finally getting some peace and time away from the job that had been tiring you out.
But even in your time off, it seemed too much to ask of them to let you rest.
“-so I need your assessment of the project before we can move forwards…”
Your boss�� voice crackled over the line as you held your phone passively at your ear. Gulping as she rambled on about the practicality of your colleague’s design – when she was the one who had given the project to him when you really wanted it – you stared blankly at your notebook. Only one page remained filled. The simple design you had been thrilled with a couple of days ago now crumbled in your estimation.
Tell her you can’t do it. This is your time off. At least ask to be paid for it-
“Of course. I can do that,” you replied automatically.
Instant alarm bells started ringing in your head. You had to stick up for yourself before too much was loaded onto you-
“Wonderful, I’m sending them over now. Thanks a lot,” your boss spoke, line cutting off before you could so much as open your mouth.
Huffing, you flopped back onto your bed, where you had been sleeping peacefully before your ringing phone rudely awoke you. But you didn’t rest there for more than a few seconds before you were rolling yourself off and staggering over to dig out the laptop you hadn’t touched since leaving the city.
Opening up your emails, you saw the most recent one from your boss, but unfortunately your inbox was also rammed with several others you hadn’t bothered to check. You supposed you could never have expected to be completely away from work.
Resolving to check them later, you clicked on the first of the files from your boss. Already, you groaned, seeing that the plans were more extensive than you had believed over the phone.
You couldn’t deny that you accepted this too easily.
But then again, you never wanted to be seen slacking. Maybe if you did this, it would finally be noticed and you would be in line for the next promotion…
That was what you told yourself the last time too. And the time before that, and before that.
At this point, even the thought of actually being promoted didn’t fill you with the excitement it should. It was all you had worked for, and yet all you could think of was how much more work it would mean.
Attempting to shove away your heavy pile of thoughts, you focussed back on the task at hand.
Wrangling your brain into action, however, proved difficult. You realised too late that it should have been lunchtime, hurriedly trying to make yourself something while it was already halfway through the evening, sky darkening beyond your window. But even though it was getting later and you had been working all day, you had got next to nothing done.
Even the pattering of rain on your roof which began early on did little to ease the stress creeping back into its familiar residence in your brain.
Your head was spinning as you sliced up a pepper, not able to focus on the simple movement of your hands. You knew you should be looking at your work, but even as your mind hovered around the matter, you were unable to think straight as everything proved a dead end.
A sharp pinch shook you from your haze.
Hands stilling, you looked down to find a sliver of red already growing of your fingertip. Cursing, you threw down your cooking, turning to the sink.
The blood was swept away with the stream of water from your tap, showing only a miniscule cut, but your finger shook anyway. Staring down at the small line, even though it was clean now, your breath hitched in the back of your throat.
The rain, relentless on your roof, was the only sound muffling the sobs which left you as you hunched over the basin.
Letting your hand drop, you clutched onto the edge of the surface. You felt like a child; your computer was filled with demands, your head occupied with work, but you just didn’t want to.
Why couldn’t they just leave you be?
Some instinct within you had set your feet moving before your mind could catch up. Abandoning your laptop where its screen still passively illuminated a square of your desk, you were slipping shoes on, practically throwing your door aside with your sudden desperation to reach the outdoors.
The rain which immediately hit your skin hardly occurred to you. All you could manage was to breathe deeply in the saturated air.
You had succeeded in rediscovering some of the inspiration that led you to your current path; it had always been the beauty of your hometown, the countryside with its vast fields and open skies, the peace and the fury of the elements.
And maybe you had forgotten it, but now you knew it again you wanted to seize it with both hands. The pull of work only made you resent it more.
You had to escape.
And so your feet were taking you down your road, slipping on the track which had already begun turning to mud under the onslaught from the heavens.
You had barely left the glow of the last house on your street before water was running in streams down your cheeks, mingling with the salty tears that had been falling before. Hiccupping, you wrapped your arms around yourself.
Though you sniffed, you didn’t bother to wipe at your face.
But already the ruthless pelting of raindrops began to batter away the frustration that had been stirred in you. Still breathing heavily, you pressed unflinchingly on, your mind only able to focus on stepping forward through the storm.
Despite your lack of destination, your pace was rapid and soon you were stumbling between trees as you reached the forest. Here, the hammer of rain was lighter, plucking at leaves harmlessly and filling the air with the hollow chorus.
The oppressive feeling from sitting caged by your computer was fading. But now you weren’t sure whether your shaking was from your outburst or from the cold. Only, you couldn’t exactly bring yourself to care.
It wasn’t until now that your pace slowed in the least. Finally you were away from the pressing weight that had begun to crush you, even if it still remained waiting for you at home.
Weaving between trunks, your speed waned at last, allowing your fingers to trace along the wisened and cracked bark of each one. Even when you needed to blink repeatedly to gain clear sight from unshed tears and raindrops collecting on your lashes – even when your frame shook from head to toe, hair plastered against your skin – you finally felt free.
Having nature roar around you cast the demands of work, something that once loomed over you, far out of your sight.
Feet still tripping forwards, all it took was a toe catching on a root before your knees were meeting the earth.
Down here, the raindrops jostled the smaller plants that coated the forest floor. Looking up, you tried to wipe your hands, though it was fruitless against your sodden trousers.
But you paused in your motion as you caught sight of something.
Ahead of you, some tree roots twisted upwards, sculpted into a small arch. Although beyond that, you could see little, you rose slowly and stepped closer to it.
A few leftover tears leaked from your eyes, but they were indetectable as they slipped among the rainwater. Taking no notice, your eyes remained ahead as you reached the strange opening.
Ducking, you padded inside, not hurrying at all. It inspired a stiller pace for some reason.
The first thing you were aware of was the lack of rain falling on your back. Instead, the air was perfectly calm, only the distant pattering of water on leaves a reminder of the storm you had previously been in.
A few more steps and you found yourself in the centre of what appeared to be a large tree. Bark walls encircled the generous space, though it was obscured by the abundant greenery coating them decadently.
Tiredness was rapidly seeping into your bones now, and all you could think of the moss was how soft it looked, so tempting to your drooping eyes.
Exhaustion masked any shock you would otherwise have felt, then, when your eyes fell on a larger shape lying near the far wall. But this was not part of the tree, nor its foliage. Drawing nearer, you found it appeared to be furry. Enormous ears lay flat on the leafy ground where its head lay. Its round belly rose taller than you did from the ground, even though it was horizontal.
Staring through your bleary eyes, you merely chuckled at the unusual sight.
The creature inflated with each deep breath. It was sleeping.
You were sure you must be too, given what a funny dream you were having right now. But you were still so tired.
Without further thought, you let yourself tumble to the ground so you could rest, propped up against the forest creature. Indeed it was as soft as you had imagined looking at it.
Everything was peaceful as sleep embraced you at last.
Taehyung jerked awake, the whole house seemingly clamouring in his ears.
Eyes wide, he threw off his covers, though he wasn’t sure what he expected to do. The wind was hurtling through the air outside, hitting his house like a freight train. Windows shaking in their panes, bullets of rain still spattered against the glass.
Pulling his blanket with him, Taehyung retreated towards the main room. Although he stayed back from the windows, he still looked out, watching the vague shapes of dark trees as they attempted to uproot themselves in the blustering air.
He couldn’t deny being a little unnerved by the sudden ferocity of the weather. With a calming breath, however, he reminded himself of the true form of the wind. The image of the grinning cat brought a smile stretching across his own lips as well. It had been years since he had seen it, or the spirit Totoro and their friends.
But even if he was a child then, he clutched onto those memories, trying to keep them vivid as possible.
He was about to settle down on the sofa to wait out the noise when a different shape made itself known in the window.
Doing a double take hard enough to give him whiplash, Taehyung managed to keep himself from staggering backwards in shock. Blinking determinedly, he kept his eyes fixed on the familiar form as it drew closer into the light from his porch.
Although he knew they were real, he still found himself struggling to comprehend it.
This wasn’t another dream, another memory or image on his canvas. Pushed against all the walls in his study, and his bedroom too when they overflowed the space, images of the forest spirit were strewn about his living quarters. He could never forget it but…
Why would it come back?
A moment elapsed, Totoro’s huge frame blocking out much of the view behind them as they stared blankly down at Taehyung the way they always did. The pandemonium of the wind died away.
And then Tae’s senses kicked back in, and he was sprinting to the door, hurrying into the night because there was something else.
Totoro was carrying something-
No.
Someone.
Breathless, he stood on the step, taking in the figure cradled in Totoro’s arms. It was you.
He remained still, so Totoro moved forwards, towering above him. But Taehyung could never be intimidated, knowing this gentle giant well enough. Instead, his eyes remained on you as Totoro lowered you towards him.
You were clearly asleep, eyes shut and chest rising and falling evenly. But it was how on earth you came to be so, in Totoro’s arms, and now in front Tae’s house, that had his brow furrowing deeply.
Though water no longer sat on your skin, the dampness of your hair and clothes remained. You must be freezing.
However, as Tae hurried forward a couple more steps to reach out for you, a warmth engulfed him. Recognising the forest spirit’s familiar magic, a hint of a smile returned to his face.
Though Totoro now relinquished their grip, the magic remained cocooning you, making Taehyung able to hold you in his arms as you had been rendered weightless.
Straightening to their full colossal height, Totoro backed away. Still feeling that comforting magic wrap around the two of you, Taehyung smiled as he bowed, as deeply as he could with you in his arms. Totoro gave a little bob of their own before turning away.
For a short moment, Taehyung watched the spirit amble away. But you were the priority. Unsure how long the magic would last, he backed into the door to push it open and get you both inside. Looking around in mild panic, he settled on the first place he thought of and moved through to the bedroom.
Setting you down on the futon, he pushed your wet hair away from your forehead with his palm.
Next, he hovered for a moment.
Eventually he stood back, swallowing nervously as he watched you. It was still the middle of the night, and raindrops were splattering the window again, though less harsh than before.
Of course, his concern was still unsatisfied. If Totoro had found you, that could only mean you had been in the forest. But… why? At this time of night, you should be safely tucked away inside.
Well, at least you were now.
Sighing, he turned away to retrieve the blanket he had dragged to the living room. Collecting a few more cushions for good measure, he placed them down on the closer edge of the futon. It was big enough for him to sleep here too, while still leaving some distance between you.
After depositing his bedding, Tae made one more trip to the cupboard, bringing out a duvet. Though thick, it was very light. He liked to think of it as his ‘cloud duvet’.
Seating himself, he leaned across to you to cover you with his favourite duvet, but stopped short.
The hair lying on his pillows was already drying. So too were your pyjamas.
Sighing, he shook his head lightly and continued to throw the covers across your sleeping form.
He would get his answers in the morning. Settling down himself, Taehyung turned onto his side so his back faced you. For now you were okay, Totoro had made sure of that.
But aside from what had happened to you, one thing plagued his mind the most even as he closed his eyes.
Why had Totoro brought you to him?
Beams of light hung lazily in the air, only warded off by the thin fabric of Taehyung’s curtains. Blinking in the hazy morning, the usual hushed whisper of the forest greeted him, no trace of the furore of last night.
Except for the weight on the bed beside him.
Rubbing one hand across his face, he looked down at you. You remained nestled against the pillows, hair fanning out as the light cast it into rich colour. When his arm fell, it was perilously close to you, but he didn’t move it away.
Taehyung knew there was breakfast to be made and explanations to be had once he left the comfort of the bed.
Still, he lay unmoving, content to simply let his gaze roam your resting features. Warm light glowing against your skin showed it invitingly soft. His dark eyes traced your eyelashes where they rested, the gentle slope of your lips…
His breath hitched, a slight gasp lost in the fabric of his pillow.
At the first inclination of your lashes shifting, bringing you closer to wakefulness, he retreated, sliding out from his blanket and away to the kitchen. A puff of air left his lips as he willed his feet to fall noiselessly, leaving you to slumber.
He could easily blame the moment on his hazy awakening from sleep. He could pretend he only stayed next to you for want of staying warm in bed for a while longer.
Except he knew it would never be the truth.
You were truly breathtaking to him, painted perfectly in the dreamy morning light. All he could do was steer his thoughts away and turn them to preparing some breakfast.
And that was what roused you: the vague scent of steaming rice in the air and the odd clang of kitchenware from the other room. Rolling over as your eyelids cracked apart, you registered the indulgently soft duvet you were under, the scent of rain on the pillow.
It was already light, so you eased yourself to sit, stretching out your back with a quiet groan.
Vaguely, you remembered the sound of raindrops in the air, earth biting at your knees and a giant tree. It had certainly been a strange dream, you thought as you opened your eyes.
And paused, blinking.
This wasn’t your room. Hell, it wasn’t even your house.
From among the fluffy mountains of bedding, you slowly took in the place. Somehow, you weren’t exactly panicked by the position you found yourself, oddly comforted by the domestic sounds of cooking. You could guess where you were, and became more certain when your eyes fell on a row of assorted paintings propped against the wall.
When Taehyung poked his head into the bedroom, he found you awake and sat up. You had moved to the side of the bed, and were sitting cross legged as a hand delicately skimmed the surface of the nearest painting.
For a moment, he didn’t announce himself. Breathing deeply, his eyes rested fondly on the back of your head, ignoring the painting. He could see the artwork anytime, and he knew it well.
A vibrant green landscape of the forest, he had put Totoro and the other spirits dotted about the trees. Some were barely there, signifying how they protected the woods even though almost no one believed in them at all.
You must have sensed him, however, for you were snatching your hand back from the image and whirling around to face him.
“You alright there?” he smirked gently at your surprise.
“Yeah…” you murmured.
Noticing you chewing your lip, looking between him and the painting, Taehyung’s small smile faded a little. The confused tone you spoke with placed a light frown in its place.
“Yeah?” his low voice echoed.
Pushing himself away from the doorframe, he drew closer, hands dug into his pockets.
“That… that thing, in your drawing,” you frowned, staring right at it. “I dreamt about it.”
“Ah,” understanding dawned on Taehyung and he sat down beside you. Neither of you complained at the closeness as his leg pressed flush to your own. “That’s the forest spirit I told you about. Well, all of them are. But that’s Totoro.”
His tone had been anything but ridiculing, but still you looked around to find his expression genuine, eyes slightly creased at the corners in a vague smile.
“I-I don’t understand,” you breathed.
“You didn’t dream about them,” he leaned closer for emphasis, shifting to face you better, “it was real. Do you remember coming here?”
For a moment, you frowned, eyes escaping his as they seemed to look far away while you tried to recall. You came up empty.
“No…”
“That’s because Totoro brought you to me,” Taehyung went on, patient as before, “last night, they brought you in from the storm.”
He paused for a moment, wetting his lips as he gauged your reaction before carrying on:
“Do you remember why you were out? Did you fall asleep in the forest?”
Again, that look took over your face. Your gaze fell to your hands as they played with the hem of the duvet, untangling the mass of memories from the night before.
“I think… I must have done…” you frowned, then suddenly started. “Oh crap! I remember why I left! My boss is gonna kill me-“
Panicked, Taehyung placed his hands on your knees as you carried on rambling, starting to push the blankets away in your sudden rush.
“Hey, hey, Y/N slow down, what’s going on?”
“I-I got a call from work,” you hastily explained, “they need me to approve a set of designs and I said it was fine even though-“
“I thought you took the time off work?”
“I did, I did but I said yes anyway but then I just felt so… so- argh! I was so stressed all over again and I just wanted to get out…” the clarity you lacked the night before made you cringe as you pictured yourself walking down the muddy track in just pyjamas, heading into the trees in the middle of the night. You chuckled drily, “maybe not my wisest idea.”
“No,” Taehyung had to agree, inclining his head, “but you’re here right now. Work doesn’t need you this instant.”
Pulling your lower lip between your teeth, you weren’t quite sure if he spoke the truth. Either way, you decided you didn’t much care when the boy broke into a shy grin and offered a hopeful ‘stay for breakfast?’.
He had managed to cook without mishap this time, resulting in a self-satisfied grin which you could easily tell translated into an I-told-you-so.
Happily full after his meal, Taehyung told you that he was going to do some painting, but that you were welcome to stay. From someone else, you might not be sure if they meant it or were just saying it out of politeness, but Taehyung had already offered you a set of clothes and a hot drink.
You certainly didn’t want to go yet, and you dared to hope he wanted you to stay as well.
So you accepted his offer and settled on the sofa with a steaming mug of tea and a book you had plucked at random from the shelves. Meanwhile, Taehyung turned on an old fashioned radio, which crackled softly into life in the corner before filling the atmosphere with calm music.
You knew for a fact Tae had a study in his house, but he brought his materials out into the main room anyway. Neither of you needed to say much as he set to work and you sipped your tea, going about your tasks in the mutual comfort of shared space.
He was facing the window as he worked, allowing you a view of his progress.
In the end, you became far too distracted to make it far through the book at all, too busy watching colour fill up the blank spaces. The work had already been started, with just a wash of colour occupying the canvas.
Now, you got to watch as from the blur of colours and shapes came the form of a forest. But this one was not bathed in the glory of day, the colours dark and muted instead.
Smooth brushstrokes left in their wake a body of water, glittering stars scattered within it. The limited palette of the night-time scene was fascinating to you. At last, Tae’s brush was picking out the form of the spirit again, peering from behind the trees. Your mouth curved up into a smile.
As Taehyung stood back, brush clamped in his mouth as he assessed his work so far, you scrambled to flip over a chunk of pages in your book. Burying your face in it, your cheeks burned as you realised you had been staring this whole time.
“What do you think?”
Making an effort to look as surprised as possible, you turned back to find Tae beaming at you.
“I think it’s wonderful,” you assured him, “the colours, the water… everything.”
His eyes lit up, smile only growing wider.
“Thank you! You really think so?”
At your indulgent nod, he turned back with renewed enthusiasm to complete the side of the forest which had yet to emerge from the melange of colour.
“Shall I get us lunch?” you offered not long after, noticing that you had now been there for a few hours.
Though Tae was engrossed in his painting, nose almost pressed to the canvas as he detailed some leaves in the moonlight, he graced you with an appreciative smile and a nod.
Slipping away to the kitchen, you soon reacquainted yourself with where everything lived and got to work. It wasn’t long before your limited cooking skills had done their job. A brief call to Taehyung had him emerging in the doorway with a smile on his face, taking the bowl gratefully.
Once again you settled happily on the front step, taking in the tranquil forest. It had calmed to a mere breeze since the night before, the leaves rustling, bright green in the midday sun.
“I can see why you like it here,” you commented between mouthfuls, “it must be a great place to work.”
Taehyung hummed around his mouth of food, but soon swallowed and replied, head tilted as his eyes scanned the forest.
“It inspires me.”
“So does Totoro,” you smiled. However, it couldn’t be denied that you were digging for more information after your strange encounter.
An understanding smile curved Tae’s lips and he set his chopsticks down briefly.
“You’re right,” he nodded, “for me, they’re tied together with the forest. I haven’t seen them since I was younger, but this place keeps them alive in my imagination, I suppose.”
“Wow,” you breathed, “no wonder your work is so good, hmm? You really love this place.”
As you dug back into your food, Taehyung turned his smiling eyes to you. Though you didn’t meet his gaze, he held his breath. Chewing his lip, he wondered why he couldn’t shake that feeling that had overcome him that morning.
Eventually, he forced himself back to his food, shuffling an inch or so away from you for good measure.
“I think it’s important to have a good place,” he stated, still staring at his dish when you looked around, “a place that works for you, when you need to be creative. I’m sure you can understand that.”
“Yeah,” you nodded vaguely.
But though you never disagreed, you weren’t sure you did understand. And it struck you that perhaps you should. Previously, you had only cared about what your job title could be. Never had you focussed on where you were, convinced you could continue to force out designs the way you always had…
But right now, you thought you might share Tae’s view, the motion of the leaves and the gentle sun caressing them stirring up your long lost desire to create.
And the presence of a warm figure beside you, full of support, had you wishing perhaps a little too much that you could stay.
You couldn’t delude yourself for much longer, unfortunately. Inside, Taehyung was happy to leave your dishes on the side and his brushes out as he offered to walk you home.
However, when he proposed taking you ‘the scenic way’, you dared entertain the thought that perhaps he might like having you around, too.
Though you hadn’t been here for some time and thus your sense of direction was shaky at best, you could tell that Taehyung was leading you around to the other side of town, albeit through the forest. Neither of you were in any hurry to get there, instead enjoying the dappled shade of the woodland path, reams of laughter drifting through the tree trunks as you joked together.
A subtle ache had begun in your cheeks from the constant smiling. But as Tae broke from the path, insisting on building an ‘installation art piece’, you couldn’t bring yourself to stop.
Instead, you eagerly joined Taehyung as he ran giggling through the trees, scouring the floor for twigs and stones. If anyone else had seen you, it would certainly appear childish. Especially when Taehyung encouraged you to give him a leg up so he could reach a particularly beautiful fallen leaf that was lodged in the crook of a tree branch.
It was when he leapt down again with a subtle huff that you both burst into laughter again. Through the slits your eyes became as you creased with mirth, you caught a glimpse of a broad, boxy smile that robbed you of breath in an instant.
In front of you, Taehyung was chuckling, that beautiful smile still stretching at his lips. And once again, the urge to capture this moment swelled in you. You couldn’t take your eyes from him, simply trying to commit the image to memory with the unattainable hope that it would never fade away.
As he wiped one last tear, you hurriedly turned away, cursing the intense speed your heart had reached.
“What’s your plan, Van Gogh?” you joked, hoping he couldn’t see your sudden nerves.
“Not sure,” he replied happily. Fingers catching your wrist, he tugged you further on. Striding away towards the path ahead of you, he would never see the heat blooming in your face at the contact.
Flustered, you hurried after him, only to run into his back as he stopped without warning.
“Tae? Is-?”
Poking your head from your spot behind his shoulder, you too rapidly quieted.
Though it was not long since you last saw Totoro, the memory was a haze of rain and tears. Now, though, you gulped at the sight. The spirit was waddling along the pathway, each step somehow regal with its commanding size.
With wide eyes you turned to Taehyung. His side profile showed an awed smile, a shallow breath escaping him.
When the creature turned around, you stiffened. But beside you, Taehyung simply stepped forwards, leaving you staring between him and Totoro. Bowing briefly, Tae moved even closer while you hurried to observe the same manners.
Unaffected, Totoro simply turned, continuing their ambling journey through the woods.
Frown taking over your face and unsure what to do, you looked to Tae at your side. However, his expression had split into a joyful grin that obscured his eyes within creases, and before you could even open your mouth, he was dashing to follow the spirit.
Taken by surprise, you could do nothing but follow, tripping through the undergrowth until you spilled back out onto the path.
Laughter was bubbling from your lips before you could control it. Taehyung’s giggled soon mingled with yours in the air.
On reaching the spirit’s side, you slowed somewhat. Totoro accepted your presence with barely a look your way as they kept plodding onwards. What were small steps for the creature, however, took you at a surprising pace that had a sweat breaking from your forehead after a while.
“Tada!”
A flourish of Taehyung’s arms accompanied the first breaking of the companionable silence you had journeyed in.
Following where he gestured, your eyes lit up at the sight of glittering water.
“This was where we were going?”
“Yes! Do you remember it?”
A bounce had already entered Tae’s step, and he spun to talk to you while skipping backwards.
“Of course I do!” you nodded.
Just outside this village, the stream grew broader, creating a wide, flat brook. Countless afternoons of your childhood had been spent here, hopping over the stepping stones that lay above the water’s surface, or splashing in the shallow depths at the edges.
Despite the fuzzy heat of the evening, you found a little extra energy to race after Taehyung to the bank.
Within moments, he was kicking his shoes off and hopping into the glistening water. It only just came up to his ankles, close to the side where blades of grass drooped over, their tips disturbing the surface.
Sitting down for a breather, you also slipped off your shoes and dipped your feet in. Soothingly cool, the water brought relief against the heat you had worked up on the walk.
However, you never got much chance to rest as Taehyung stuck a hand directly under your nose. Scoffing, you took it anyway. In some small retribution, you aimed a kick in his direction once he had dragged you up, sending droplets of water showering over his legs.
Of course, you were instantly shrieking as he sent a playful, but much more powerful, wave of water back your way.
Though you were still aware of the large form of Totoro standing nearby, you were inexplicably more comfortable with their presence now. In fact, they faded to the back of your mind as you let yourself become preoccupied with the impromptu water fight that had your breathless laughs carrying over the rippling stream.
Eventually, you collapsed back onto the grassy bank, head thrown back as you breathed, heavy and exhilarated. For a moment, you simply let a gentle breeze soothe your skin.
When you looked back up, Taehyung snapped his eyes away from you so fast you were hardly sure you had caught them in the first place. Just as he turned away, a shadow fell over you.
Tipping your head back, you saw Totoro looking back down at you.
Before you could speak, let alone turn to face them, a bundle of sticks had fallen at your side, a couple rolling right up to your fingers where they rested. Picking the rough objects up, you looked back to the spirit quizzically. They were the sticks Taehyung had collected earlier, eventually carried here with him and left on the ground.
Then Totoro moved away, downstream a little.
Approaching you, Taehyung bent down to retrieve a few for himself.
“I think they want to play,” he smiled.
Totoro was watching you, almost expectantly. A smile quirked over your lips.
“I know this game!”
Side by side, you and Taehyung padded upstream a few paces, selecting a stick each.
“Three! Two! One!” he counted loudly, although you swore he dropped his stick a little before the last was called.
“Hey!” you shoved him playfully, but he was already taking off jogging towards Totoro.
You had lost sight of the slim shapes moving through the water, so you walked after him, groaning as Totoro held up the gnarled stick Taehyung had chosen.
“That’s not fair!” you tried to sound indignant, even going so far as to fold your arms, but laughter betrayed you.
Several rematches later, the sun was beginning to dip in earnest, and you had to admit it was time to get home. You were still closer to Tae’s house than yours, given the roundabout route you had taken.
As the light painted the sky darker, a few wisps of grey swirling below amber, the laughter died down at the prospect of going back home. Either way, there wasn’t much you could use as an excuse to stay here longer, so you slipped your shoes back on and began making your way over the stepping stones.
Taehyung went first, more steady on his feet while you slipped, taking a moment to get your footing on each one.
Totoro, on the other hand, simply watched you go.
Once, you turned back to give them a shy wave, but they didn’t move. Despite the muteness of the spirit, you thought it looked a little affronted at your leaving.
I’ll come back you promised silently with a smile.
Staring at the wonderful creature, you understood the fond firmness of belief Tae had described feeling about the forest spirits.
But with your eyes averted, your next step was not calculated. Suddenly there was no rock beneath your foot, leg slipping straight down the side as you whipped your attention to the front too late.
“Woah!”
A gasp left you as Taehyung’s exclamation faded from the air, his hands steadfast around your waist. Gulping at the sudden contact, you dared to look up. Dark eyes bore right back into your own and they weren’t breaking away.
“You okay?”
When the words left his lips, you felt them as breath drifting across your own more than you heard them.
You tried to nod, afraid that your noses would touch, close as you were. Somehow, though, you couldn’t look away. The hypnotising softness within his irises had you unsteady all over again as you placed your foot carefully back on stone.
Still, his hands stayed in place. And you didn’t want them to move away.
Tentatively, you breathed in, unable to help your gaze dipping to Taehyung’s temptingly plump lips.
He can’t have missed it. But you realised too late, returning your gaze to the safer, yet still perilous, territory of his eyes. Only to find him slightly further away, adam’s apple bobbing in his throat as his eyebrows raised slightly.
Snapping your mouth closed, you stiffened as horror set in. Was he uncomfortable? Had you revealed yourself?
But still he didn’t back away-
A yelp punctuated the air, startled from your own lungs with the impact of your body against Tae’s chest. In a split second, you were landing against something firm with a large splash in the relative quiet of the evening.
Gasping as cold water covered your back, you jerked only to find a strong arm circling you in its grip. Below you, a low rumble of laughter vibrated through your body.
Eyes widening, you realised you were lying pressed flush against Taehyung.
As the grip around you loosened, taking some warmth with it, you looked into Tae’s eyes which were once again creasing with mirth. He struggled to sit it the shallow stream, eventually ending up with you straddled on his lap as his arm remained looped casually around you. Despite the water, icier now in the deepening evening, heat was flaming in your cheeks.
Eager to twist around, you laid eyes on what had caused your unfortunate impact. Totoro stood in the water, unmoving as ever although they were quite clearly the only culprit in sight.
“What-?” you spluttered.
Still laughing, Taehyung helped ease you off him, keeping your hand clasped in his own as you both clambered to your feet. Water dripped from your hair, your legs and shoes sending miniature downfalls over the stepping stones as you returned to them.
“Have we angered the spirit?” you stage whispered to Taehyung, who laughed loudly.
“Sorry Totoro, we have to go home,” Tae sent a bow towards the creature. They blinked back.
Giggling slightly, you took a tentative step onto the next boulder. No sooner had you moved than the wind suddenly picked up around you, the waves in the brook growing more prominent as chill air ensnared your damp skin.
Taehyung cursed under his breath.
“It’s freezing,” he muttered, gritting his teeth.
Subconsciously, you huddled closer to him as he looked around – first at the path ahead and over the stream, then back towards the forest. Both of you seemed to gravitate to the latter, where leaves rioted in the air above the treetops.
As you stood in the wind, Taehyung’s arm had lifted to absently hold your waist. You felt him tug lightly.
“Maybe we should go back to mine. It’s still too far to your place, we might both freeze.”
“Are you sure?” you breathed, though you wanted to agree there and then, run back to his warm bed and not move for several hours. The way your voice came shakily with the shivers that began only confirmed Tae’s plan, and he was already setting off towards the riverbank.
“Very sure. Let’s get inside.”
Not needing to be told twice, you followed hastily, only connected to Tae by your fingertips that clutched each other as he led the way.
A particularly violent gust had your shoulders hunching. You were nearly at the side of the stream, and so you kept your focus for a moment longer on the rocks in front of you, before at last your feet met the grassy floor.
But on looking up, the sight that greeted you on the bank had your mouth hanging open.
What looked like a bus was standing in front of you. Or what would have looked like a bus, if not for the fact that it was smiling.
But after the day you had had, you made no protest as Tae told you it was okay to get in, merely accepting your fate with an incredulous sigh.
Tae’s hand on the small of your back as you stepped inside didn’t go unnoticed by you, but you let it slide. It was nice to be out of the cold, so you busied yourself with getting cosy on the seats that ran down the sides of the interior.
A jolt announced your departure. Looking around, you found Totoro hadn’t joined you, but watched you leave from the bank instead.
Turning back to the scene in front of you, you were surprised to note that no wind touched your frozen skin any more, despite the fact the windows on this bus seemed to be… well, non-existent. Beside you, Tae was leaning out slightly with a giddy grin lighting up his face, hand splayed in the air.
With a smile creeping onto your own face, you resigned yourself to the unexpected journey. Folding your arms against the side, you too stared out across the sky.
The treetops were far beneath you now, your whole village visible though it looked toy-sized from here. Wisps of clouds flew close overhead while your vantage point showed the glaring sun peeking above the horizon, illuminating your face with the last of the day’s warmth.
A glance to Taehyung showed his face bathed in the glow as well, painting his skin with molten gold that danced in his eyes and streaked through his hair like brushstrokes.
You couldn’t tear your eyes away.
Mindless to the risk of him catching you, you allowed your gaze to trail along his features, cast into striking light and shade. You longed to reach out, touch his hair. It looked indulgently soft, waving in a light breeze as you travelled.
All too soon, shadows were once again flitting over his cheeks as you were brought closer to the ground.
Awed smile remaining on his parted lips, he turned his face to you. Though you swallowed, you didn’t bother to look away, simply returning a smile. If possible, his seemed to soften even more at this.
Landing was softer than leaving the ground, barely a bump letting you know you were back on the earth. Since you sat down, lethargy had crept up on you, revealing how spent you were after the day outside.
Taehyung stood while you were still blinking groggily from your position laying on your arms.
“Come on,” a low chuckled accompanied the sliding of arms around you.
You complied, finding your feet and stepping out of the bus with a yawn. Without a moment to spare, the vehicle? creature? had leapt from the ground, soon whizzing out of sight.
Until you climbed the steps to Taehyung’s house, the cool air waking you sufficiently to slip off your shoes, you hadn’t noticed that your clothes had dried.
“They never stop with the surprises,” Taehyung’s low voice chuckled, making you look up.
You had been standing just inside the doorway, ogling your sleeves as if you might blink and find them soaking wet again in an instant. Meanwhile, Tae stood in the living room, one hand dug into a pocket as his other fingers slipped open the top button of his shirt with practised ease.
Gulping at the sight, you fixed your eyes back on his.
He simply smiled. Under one arm he gathered a blanket that had been strewn on the couch, but it was his free hand he held out to you, fingers outstretched, inviting.
Grateful, you stepped closer, inhaling the comforting scent of his home. You hadn’t noticed it before, but though your clothes were dry they still gave off the odour of river water, making the aroma of paints mingled with herbs and spices more prominent by contrast as you closed the space between you.
Hand closing around the offered blanket, you broke eye contact for the first time.
“This feels like a dream,” you murmured, head shaking lightly.
A beat of silence as Tae released his grip on the soft fabric, transferring it to your fingers.
“It does,” he whispered.
Had you looked up, you would have found his eyes still trained intently on you. So close, he bit his tongue, not trusting his voice further given the way his throat closed up, lending his deep voice more gravel than usual.
Stifling a yawn, you looked around, already pulling the blanket over your shoulders. Despite the quick journey and drying off, the chill of the outside lingered a little.
“Where do you want me?” you yawned.
Tae cleared his throat before he spoke, stepping away though he left his fingers tangled loosely with your own.
“The bedroom is fine, i-if you want to, that is,” he hastened to add, “we’re both tired. Let’s get some sleep.”
While normally your manners would have you protest at least a little, you had to admit how sleepy you were becoming. It was impossible to deny that Tae had just proposed exactly what you wanted, and so you let him lead you to the bedroom, where you sunk onto the futon as he gathered some clothes from his wardrobe.
Folded beside you, you handled them with reverent fingers, slipping out of your clothes once Tae had excused himself for the bathroom.
You reversed your tasks once more before you found yourself bundled in comforting blankets, the weight next to you a steadying influence in the darkness. Though you longed to reach out for him, trace your fingertips over his skin, hold him close-
you really were just too tired.
And maybe it was testament to the security of his presence that you were unable to act on your desires, sleep claiming you strongly instead, taking you quicker than you had managed in months.
Waking up, however, was a different story.
While the exhaustion of yesterday had muffled any thoughts beyond wanting to sleep, today your mind was overflowing even as you first blinked at the pale light.
Beside you, Taehyung still lay sleeping. You were simultaneously aware of his peaceful beauty, and the panic with which you found yourself revelling in it. It seemed you had become a little too attached to him. Maybe this had all been a mistake…
Also in the back of your mind, though rapidly elbowing its way to the forefront, was the fact you hadn’t been home for an entire day. Your phone was still there; who knew how many work calls you might have missed?
Though you couldn’t quite find it in yourself to regret turning away from it, you couldn’t shake the itching responsibility to get back and see what mess awaited.
But at the same time, that terrified you beyond belief.
Most of all, however, your mind was swimming with colours. Shapes, snippets of designs floated in your brain. You weren’t sure when the last time that had happened was. You used to dream up your designs, when you were still beginning your career, desperate to create.
And though there were many scary things waiting for you, this revelation, this newfound desire to design again, lent your limbs new strength as you rolled from the bed.
Reclaiming your clothes from last night was first up; Tae had draped them over kitchen chairs to air out, but the smell lingered a little. It didn’t bother you too much, so you dressed quickly.
It was then that the soft creaking of floorboards caught your attention. You turned just in time to see Tae emerge from the bedroom, eyes barely cracked open while his lips were puffed out in an adorable pout, clearly only half-awake.
Stopping with an arm on the doorframe, hair flopping haphazardly around his face, he squinted across at you.
“Where are you going?” his low voice still rumbled in his throat, dry with disuse this morning.
Silently moving, you quickly padded across the floor towards him. None of the curtains were open yet, the watery morning light permeating the air tentatively.
In this dim space, you had the courage to lift your palms to press against his cheeks. On meeting his big eyes that stared across at you, you swallowed.
“There’s something I have to do,” you breathed, gaze skimming down his face as he watched you. Despite his bewildered state this early in the day, he was beginning to become more alert at your words.
Slowly, his fingers lifted to wrap gently around your wrist.
“Okay,” his voice remained husky, “but… you’ll come back?”
You tore your eyes from where they had focussed, without your consent, on his lips, to return his intent stare.
“Of course I will,” you whispered, mouth turning up at the corners.
For a moment, your breathing hitched. Such close distance between you two was becoming frequent, but you were far from used to it. Your cheeks still heated up, breath shallow as you savoured the softness of his skin under your hand.
Your eyes slid closed. In the relative darkness that encapsulated you, it was easy to think wishfully, imagine leaning closer in this timeless space where no one would see…
But then the moment passed, your hand slipping inconsequentially from his lingering grip.
Bringing your hand back to your side, you squeezed a smile his way and took a step backwards.
Then another.
He remained standing there as your pace sped up, and soon you were out of the door. As it closed behind you, you swore you could have seen a large pair of eyes blinking from between the trees.
Knowing what you did now, you couldn’t write it off, but neither did you pay any more attention, feeling a strange weightlessness as you trod the path to your house.
Going the short way this time, it didn’t take you long as you walked the tracks beside the glistening rice fields and farmland. Workers were already out, having risen with the sun which had fully emerged from the trees by now. As you passed, you exchanged nods and waves, smiling and giving good greetings to all you looked up at you.
Quiet fell again once you reached your road.
A nervous chill ran through you, but there was a thrill to it.
Approaching your house, you found two figures standing outside. With a frown, you drew closer.
“Auntie?” you called, making the women turn to you, “Mei?”
Mei’s warm face formed a friendly smile while your aunt beside her gawked. Recovering from her shook, she hurried to you, grasping your hands as your received her with confusion.
“Mei told me you were at Kim Taehyung’s? Is that true?”
With a glance to the old lady, you confirmed.
“That’s a relief,” your aunt laughed, “I came around yesterday to find you gone! You even left your phone!”
She was holding it out to you. Smiling weakly, you suddenly felt the weight of her watching you. Thankfully, Mei began to walk back towards her house, lessening your audience.
Sure enough, when you powered your phone on, it was instantly lighting up, ping after ping flooding your screen with notifications, calls and messages.
A frown made your aunt’s concern clear, but even you surprised yourself with your confidence as you simply grinned back.
“I have it under control,” you assured her, and walked up your steps to the door.
Inside, you took a breath, but could put it off no more. Beyond the fear of what you were about to do, lay the images of your home, the expansive fields and forests that had always been your source of inspiration. And now, a giant, friendly forest spirit-
And a hand, resting in yours.
The dial tone filled your ears, and you took a seat. Your notebook was still atop your desk, thrown aside to make way for your laptop, sat open with its screen dead. Nor had you disposed of your instant food wrappers-
“Y/N,” a stern voice crackled through the line. Your boss. “Where are those plans I asked you for?”
Though she couldn’t see you, you brought a smile to your face, summoned to lend you confidence.
“I’m sorry,” you quickly apologised, already hearing the reprimand on her lips, “but something came up. And I… I have something to tell you.”
A sigh.
“Go on.”
“Well… I’ve been thinking. I appreciate all the opportunities I’ve had with this company, but I don’t think it’s taking me where I would like to go-“
“Y/N!” you weren’t sure you had ever heard so much emotion in your boss’ voice. Her voice rang with pure shock, “Do you mean to say-?”
“This is me, handing in my notice,” you spoke clearly, “thank you.”
Silence stretched out for longer than you could comfortably take. But, should you need to, you were ready to repeat yourself. Somewhere on the other line, you heard a muffled voice trying to get your boss’ attention, but it was soon gone again. You knew well the dismissive wave that person will have received.
“Very well,” she spoke at last.
And with that acceptance, you felt like you were floating.
There was a spring in your step even as you cleaned up the mess you had left behind, the whole time itching to get your hands on your pens and brushes.
You had quit. You had quit!
For so long, the notion would never have crossed your mind, the prospect of giving up too terrifying to consider. But you weren’t giving up, not at all. Maybe you were giving up on what you thought you wanted. Or what you had wanted, once upon a time, but now no longer fit you.
Instead of guilt or fear, you were filled with excitement. You knew what you wanted.
And you were halfway there.
This, however, was the easy part. No matter how hard it may be to rebuild your career, starting afresh, none of those obstacles scared you quite as much as the next thought to enter your mind.
Taehyung.
But you had promised him you would come back.
And perhaps one upheaval was enough for one day, you thought as you gathered your sketchbook, your paints. You could afford to hide from your feelings for a little longer, right?
You certainly couldn’t deny them, but you were afraid to admit them. Who knew what could happen then? You dared not hope for them being returned, and concluded to let yourself enjoy time with Tae for now.
After all, you were so excited to create, an almost alien passion that you were thrilled to welcome back.
And you could think of no one better to share this joy with. Taehyung was an artist too; he would understand.
Not far from Tae’s house, back past the open farmland, a familiar shape dominated the path in front of you. The sight of Totoro brought a smile to your face, reminding you of all the magic you had discovered in this place since you returned.
What you hadn’t quite expected was for them to be waiting for you. Unsure what to do, you settled for a quick bow and a quiet ‘hello’ as you continued.
Walking past the spirit, it just watched you for an extended moment before following along behind.
Taehyung was at the kitchen window when you arrived, and saw you coming. A boxy smile lit up his face before it disappeared from the window, emerging only seconds later in the doorway, a pair of paintbrushes clutched in his hand and dripping onto the porch. The day had bloomed into gorgeous full sun, and he held his hand up to shield his eyes from it as he watched you arrive.
A glance behind you confirmed Totoro was still following.
“They were standing around outside all morning,” Tae began talking, coming down the steps to meet you, “thought they wanted me to come into the forest, but when I tried, they walked even further down that way. What do you think’s got into them?”
“Beats me,” you shrugged, “but they seem happy enough now.”
Sure enough, Totoro had retreated a little further towards the treeline, still watching you both. For a moment, you and Tae both twisted around, looking back at the creature.
“Anyway…” you laughed.
Joining in, Tae led the way back inside, wiping his brushes against his trousers.
“Did you do what you needed to?” he asked, back facing you. The art supplies in your arms hadn’t gone unnoticed, and he was pulling out a chair to place next to his own setup.
“Yeah,” you hummed, setting your things down, “I, er- I quit my job.”
Brows lifting, Tae straightened up to face you. But his mouth soon slid into a bright smirk.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah,” you breathed. You couldn’t keep your own beaming smile away from your face.
His eyes lingered on you for a moment longer.
“So you’re going to be around here for a while, then?”
“Yeah,” you smiled warmly, “I think I am.”
Over the next few hours, the image you had hoped for came to life. Sitting side by side, you and Tae both went about your works in pleasureable silence. Him, hidden behind an easel and periodically popping his head around it to survey they scenery, and you, meagre sketchbook propped on a cluttered desk.
It was perfect.
And finally, your creative energy was allowed to burst forth. For the first time since you were a student, you drew. And drew. And drew.
Pages seemed to fill themselves up, and if some thoughts were still unpolished, at least they were here, proof that you had never lost your spark, the spark which the fruitless toil of your old workplace had stamped out. Maybe you had just lost your way, temporarily.
And for that short afternoon, you were able to push all other thoughts from your mind. Especially those pertaining to a certain fluffy-haired artist with a boxy smile.
But even having half your worries settled was a relief.
That night, you returned home. Though you slept easier than the last time you were in this bed, you were ashamed of how much you longed for Tae’s presence next to you. Even when you had slept silently, barely touching save for the odd brush of an arm or leg when you rolled over, it was a grounding relief to have him there.
Luckily, you hadn’t even had to ask him yesterday if you could drop by again; he had leapt on the chance to invite you himself.
So you didn’t dwell on the way you reached out when you woke up, expecting to find a warm presence under the blankets with you. Instead, you happily climbed out of bed, ready to repeat your routine from yesterday.
This time, you at least brought some snacks along from your kitchen.
Today brought a large dose of d ja-vu along with it. Totoro was once again waiting for you, expectant. It took you off guard, but slipped your mind once you were back at Tae’s side, happily working for the remainder of the morning.
But Totoro didn’t give up. Those large eyes blinked through the window when the two of you went to prepare food.
“Do you want attention?” you chuckled, knowing you wouldn’t receive an answer.
“What do you say?” Tae’s low voice grew closer, “fancy a break outside?”
You were prevented from replying when his breath fell across your neck, causing you to stiffen. But he simply leaned over, hooking his chin lazily on your shoulder as he dropped another spoon into the sink where you were washing up.
“Y/N?” he frowned when met with your silence, small pout forming as he drew back to look at you.
You shook yourself.
“What? Oh, yes,” you tripped over your tongue, “that sounds great. Looks like Totoro would appreciate that too.”
With a laugh, Tae wiped his hands on a cloth.
“I’ll go get changed.”
Not long later, you were surrounded by trees, bathed now in deep shade that shielded you from the midday sun. Totoro had seemingly been satisfied by your attention, as they had followed you on your walk without protest.
Not that you were sure how they would protest if they wanted to, but your point stands.
It was strange how accustomed you were to the spirit by now, no longer staring over your shoulder at the creature. Instead, you were preoccupied by Tae as he ran, giggling, towards a tree with the perfect low-hanging branches for climbing.
By the time you had reached him, he was dangling, sloth-style, so that he was level with your head. His grin was just as goofy upside-down, and you swatted at his soft hair as it hung off his reddening face.
“Budge up,” you grinned, trying to hoist yourself up as well.
You had succeeded in getting onto the first branch when Totoro appeared by the base of the tree. Smiling down at them, you waited for Tae to clamber up to the next bough.
The moment you looked back to him, however, you felt a strange tug, shrieking when you found no branch below your feet. Looking about wildly, your feet flailed, scrabbling for any kind of purchase.
From where he hung onto a branch, Taehyung looked down sharply in a panic, but instead found you level with him.
Wide eyes stared at one another until the same feeling clutched at Tae, stomach dropping as he was miraculously lifted from his perch.
A look behind you showed Totoro still right there, also floating. One arm was holding you, Tae’s hand clutching the other. As you blinked in mute shock at the spirit, they opened their mouth, stretching into a wide grin. Laughter floated past your lips at the sight.
Somehow, you dodged the branches crossing your path as you ascended, though they grew sparser as you carried on upwards. Unlike your journey in the bus, you could feel a breeze coursing past you now.
Gaping in disbelief, you found Tae again, reaching out to him. Your expression was mirrored on his, and he eagerly entwined your free hands, smile softening as you were brought closer in the air.
And as you floated high above the ground, you somehow felt little difference than the way you always did when Tae was beside you, hand resting in your own.
You laughed again, a sound of pure joy, forgetting the spirit carrying you as you simply watched his eyes. Among the cool breeze, you felt a slight tickle of warmth from his breath.
As you watched, his smile slowly melted from his lips, captivated instead by your stare, though he looked no less peaceful.
But just as distant hills could be revealed beyond the thinning leaves, you felt a warm hold loosening around you. You hadn’t even noticed it, but now it was retracting, you could feel the spirit’s magic clearly and panicked. In an instant, you had grabbed the nearest branch, which was surprisingly sturdy.
In your rush, your hand had slipped from Tae’s, but a shudder of the branch told you he had also caught hold of it.
The calming magic slipped away completely.
Now clutching the tree for dear life, you looked down, but Totoro was nowhere to be seen. Squeezing your eyes shut, you sucked in a deep breath. Then, with a surge of energy, you swung further onto the branch, ignoring the way it lurched, to give you a steadier sitting place.
“You alright?” you panted.
Only a grunt answered you as Tae copied your action.
As he righted himself, you caught an uneasy wobble in his expression, instinctively holding out a hand.
“Come here.”
Gladly taking it, Taehyung’s shoulders lowered, easing a bit once you were connected. Waiting for him, you shimmied a short distance to rest where the branch met the trunk. On reaching you, Tae pressed closer, shoulder up against your own.
Smiling fondly, you twisted so you could reach your arms around him loosely.
“It’s okay,” you whispered, though you had no idea what had just happened.
“Not a fan of heights,” he murmured, but his deep voice did not seem panicked.
“At least it’s pretty,” you pointed out, nudging him the smallest amount to avoid toppling.
You were right. Between picture frames formed by intertwining branches, the land stretched out in the brilliant light. The same land that had always inspired you. How could you bring yourself to be irritated at Totoro for bringing you here?
“You seem remarkably calm,” a chuckle rumbled through Tae’s chest.
“I’m not sure anything else can surprise me now.”
He smiled, turning towards you. In this position, though, you were intimately close, his nose barely an inch from your own once he had twisted to look into your eyes. Inhaling sharply, you gripped the tree trunk harder.
“Why do you think they brought us here?”
“I don’t know,” you whispered, not trusting your voice, “but they wouldn’t hurt us.”
“I know that,” Taehyung nodded, gaze dropping enough for you to deflate again.
Still holding onto each other like it was the most natural thing, you eyed the landscape for a little while longer, allowing quiet to elapse.
But this proximity wasn’t doing you any favours. Though you were sure Tae was oblivious, your heart was beating erratically, unable to forget his presence. All the thoughts that had occupied you lately were flooding in, except this time there was no escape.
Literally.
You were stuck in this tree next to the man who drove you crazy any time he looked your way. The man you were dying to spend time with the moment you woke up each day. The man who accepted you, supported you, reminded you where your true passion lay.
No, you couldn’t take this.
“Hey,” a low voice brushed your earlobe, just moments before a gentle finger found your chin, bringing it up.
You had barely noticed your gaze falling from the view in front of you while you lost yourself in useless circles of thought. Now, you couldn’t look away as shining dark eyes captivated your own.
“What are you thinking about?” Taehyung asked, lips curving upwards.
Licking your lips, you tore your eyes away. This was too much for your poor heart.
“Y/N?” he ducked to catch your eyes, brow creasing.
You were too weak for this boy. As soon as you saw the slight displeasure on his face, you longed to chase it away.
You sighed.
“You…”
Nearly as quiet as the breeze, you half hoped your admission would be carried away. But as you bit your tongue, daring to look up, you knew Tae had heard. His smile grew, though he tilted his head questioningly.
“What about me?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” you grinned, looking away again. This was too risky. Maybe he would buy the joke and drop it before you made a fool of yourself-
“I was thinking about you too.”
You blinked.
“You were?”
He hummed, not a trace of insincerity in his large eyes as he nodded.
“Well…” you picked subconsciously at your sleeve, “what were you thinking about?”
“Nosy,” he griped, taking a light swipe at your nose with his forefinger.
Succeeding in bringing a smile to your face as you jerked your head away with a laugh, he sighed, shuffling closer indetectably.
“I was wondering… maybe Totoro did this because of you-“ just as you gaped indignantly, he hurried on “-because of us. They put us up here… together.”
“Oh. Yeah,” you nodded, brow furrowing.
“But even if- if that’s not the case…”
Taehyung trailed off, bringing your attention back to him. He wet his lips, sucking his lower one between worrying teeth before meeting your eyes again.
“We’re alone and, well… I was wondering what it would be like to kiss you.”
That knocked all the air out of your lungs. You sucked a shaky breath, then out.
“What it would be like?” you echoed.
He nodded, gulping.
And then something snapped. Unable to stand it anymore, you slid your hand to his jaw, the next moment surging forwards, lips colliding desperately.
His arms tugged you closer instantly, pulling you against him, fingers grasping at your waist hungrily as he titled his head to meet you. And heaven, it felt amazing. His lips were as soft as they looked, leaving you lapping at them with desire as his caressed yours just as dreamily, simultaneously intense with longing pressure and gentle with reverence.
Caving to him completely, you let yourself mould to his embrace. The flowing wind around you, the rustling of the leaves were utterly driven from your mind by the maddening nudge of his tongue, prompting you to deepen the kiss.
But though your fingers still clutched his jaw desperately, you were forced to break the kiss, falling away giddy and breathless.
Tae lifted a hand to your hair as well, stroking it soothingly as he pulled you close again, foreheads touching.
“Well…” you were the first to recover your voice, “I think it would feel something like that.”
A smile burst onto his face, dominating your vision, no doubt a copy of your own ecstatic grin.
Almost immediately, a strong wind ripped through the treetops. Wiping the smile from your face, you gripped tighter to both the tree and to Taehyung.
He looked around.
Following his gaze, sure enough, you were met with two large eyes staring innocently back at you.
A beat consisted of you blinking at one another in silence, before a gasping laugh burst from your mouth. Clapping a hand over it, you met Tae’s eyes, also finding him dissolve into laughter that creased his eyes.
“Looks like you were right,” you chuckled as the warm magic began to lift you once again.
“You were just waiting for us to confess!” Tae cried.
But the wide smile on his face as he pulled you closer mid-flight showed he was far from outraged.
That night saw you tumbling at last into the same bed as Tae again. You didn’t want to leave, and you never had to.
Over time, you moved in, your own things settling among the paintings, brushes and pots that filled Tae’s house. Your house.
Every day you would see the trees, feel the wind through your hair and the sun glowing between the forest branches – the very place where you had finally given into the love binding you.
And you drew. You drew and drew, and designed until you were making a name in your own right. People would ask you about the distinctive round creatures that commonly featured in your designs. Of course, you would always laugh, a familiar sound that you shared with your boyfriend, keeping the unofficial secret between yourselves.
The two of you knew, not only the forest spirits, but the dust bunnies and flurries of wind that snaked through the roof timbers on the coldest nights. And then, you could always be assured of a warm presence beside you, to hold you through the night.
But above all, you got to see that glorious smile every day, never fading from your life.
You could breathe again.
Thank you for reading! If you want more, there is a follow up drabble here. Come chat with me if you enjoyed it!
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Mr. President
Chapter 20
TW: Explicit violence, mentions of guns, drugs trafficking, gory killing scene
Words Count: 3k
Link to Masterlist
Link to Chapter 21
At first, you’re more like a property to him. He learned that the only way he can keep something or someone around for a long time, is if he treats them like a property. Because human’s feelings change, and he needs to protect himself from hurting.
Everything that he’s told you, the reason behind the marriage, the purpose of you are all true.
He needs to marry anyway, as one of the stupid ancient condition his old father has set and he knows his father had set it to make him stay grounded.
He scoffs, wondering why his father doesn’t learn from his past mistakes. And that’s why he’s made a plan on his own, to marry someone without a powerful background, one he can easily dispose when it’s time, one who won’t be a liability to him. A tool.
And now that tool is missing. He pinches his temple, eyes shut close. He’s alone in his office, late at night because he doesn’t sleep well these days.
Since his wife had packed her bags, left him and gone missing.
He sighs thinking about the last argument he had with you. It’s your own fault for building castles in the air and mistaking those as his genuine gesture and fall in love with him. And he realises that because he is not stupid. And during that one night, he sees you, fully sees you and he can’t deny the desire it stirred in his mind. This may be a temporary marriage but it doesn’t mean that he can’t touch you. After all, you are his wife. He knows you are beautiful, he’d known it since the first day because he isn’t blind. Yet he knows he can’t touch you without your consent. Although he did slip up because he tends to lose his vigilance around you. And that’s how he came up with another proposal.
Yet the proposal took a very different turn and became your last straw to leave him.
He couldn’t believe that you’re stupid enough to fall in love with him. Don’t you fear him? You know he’s dangerous yet you still confess your love to him and he doesn’t know whether to worship you at your feet or spanks you for it.
He’s never led you on and has never failed to remind what you are to him, simply an object yet you still fall for him.
He lets out another heavy sigh. Because frankly, he doesn’t know what to do. All of these aren’t supposed to happen and you’re not supposed to love him.
He had put up barriers and boundaries around himself and that’d made it very hard for anyone to simply approach him. People don’t approach him unless they want something from him and he’s well aware of it because he knows how the world works. Not to mention the fact that he’s the leader of the biggest mafia gang, notorious for all sorts of services they offer; machinery, assassinations, bribery, illegal weaponry, drugs trafficking and namely everything else. That had made it a billion times more difficult for anyone to approach or him to let anyone in.
And you’re well aware of it.
But you still fall for him.
He just doesn’t get it; how you’re able to fall for him despite knowing who he is and what he’s capable of.
He scoffs thinking how he could easily kill you. You’re too soft, weak and fragile.
Yet you still fall for him.
Despite knowing how easily he could kill you.
And without asking for anything in return.
And Jimin doesn’t find that believable at all. And at the face of such genuine adoration, he doesn’t know what to do. Because who on earth would be stupid enough to do that?
But you did. You are his stupid wife.
And that makes it even easier to kill you, not just by him. And the thought of anyone laying a finger on you angers him. It makes him want to kill someone. Tear their limbs one by one. Burn them alive. There’s just too many options.
But first he has to find you.
He sighs, for the hundredth time. You’re such a headache.
And that’s when his phone rings. A call from a private number.
“If it isn’t Y/N’s beloved husband..”
Jimin could feel his whole body tensing. “Who are you?”
The person from the other end laughs. “Damn, I need to come find you more often so you’d remember. You beat me into a pulp before.. and now I want leverage. You think you can just take my sister for free?“
Jimin’s hand clamp in a tight fist. “Jay.”
“You remember.. not bad. You see, when you take my little sister, you’ve caused me some complications. You can say she’s my source of income. She’s a pretty slut, no denying that. And I could’ve earned fortunes from selling her off. And you-“
“How much do you want?” Jimin cuts him off.
“Ah.. you’re a smart man.” He laughs before his tone turns serious again. “100 million won would do. For now. And don’t bullshit me saying you don’t have money or whatever. I know you have that much.”
“Where should I meet you?”
“I’ll text you the time and place. And don’t think of calling the police or bring your little friends. I have someone powerful backing me. She’s my little sister, but I’m not gonna hesitate to do anything if you don’t listen to my words. Right, little sister?”
A shrieking scream piercing through the phone is the last thing Jimin hears before Jay hangs up. Jimin’s whole body filled with rage and he grips his phone so tight it almost breaks into two.
“He’s not gonna come...” you slur, your vision not entirely clear and your swollen lips making it hard to enunciate words once Jay finishes his phone call to your husband.
“We’ll see about that bitch. And if he doesn’t.. count your time now..” he says in full malicious tone.
You don’t know how long you’ve been knocked out again but you wake up when you hear commotions.
“And the knight is finally here.” You hear your brother’s voice.
You struggle to focus on your vision. Your whole body freezes when your husband comes into view.
There’s no way Jimin’s here.
Perhaps it’s just a hallucination.
It’s a whole level of pathetic, you think. Because even when you’re in this state, he’s all you could see.
Perhaps you’re really nearing the end of your life, and your mind conjures whatever it desperately wants the most.
“Clara, what the fuck do you think you’re doing here?” The person hisses.
And it’s weird because it’s your husband’s voice.
You blink several times.
And there really is your husband, walking into the warehouse alone. He can’t had possibly willingly walks into a lion’s den alone like that? It’s like a death wish.
Clara turns immediately as soon as she sees Jimin. “Ah.. Jimin.. my Jimin..”
Someone comes and pushes Jimin forward and makes him sit on a chair and tie his hands on his back.
You swallow thickly. You still can’t process the fact that your husband is here.
He finally turns to look at you and he stares at you for several moments, just taking in the sight of battered you covered in bruises and blood and you see the clench in his jaw.
You let out a gasp when the guy standing beside him takes out his gun and points the muzzle on the back of his head. You feel anger bubbling inside you at the sight of it.
Gathering all source of strength, you yell, “Leave my husband out of this Jay!”
Jay quickly steps forward and leaves a stinging slap on your cheek. “If you dare hurt him..” you start and earns another slap from him, making you whimper in pain. You cough several times, your throat feels like burning.
Jimin eyes you furiously. “Keep quiet. Don’t make any sound.” He says, jaw still clenched very tightly. “Clara, what the fuck is this? Why are you here?”
She comes and slowly sits on Jimin’s lap. You notice how he doesn’t flinch away or jerk from her touch. “Baby.. we’ve dealt for years.. good business, good sex. And then you’re suddenly married and you just.. I don’t know, changed?” She says as she runs her fingers across your husband’s cheek.
Jimin just glares at her. “Why did you help him?”
She runs her hand down from his cheeks to his jaw and then settles on his chest, palms flat against them. She shrugs then. “I don’t know.. you know I’m a little crazy. I like having fun. And things.. had been boring. Business is boring, you are boring.. and perhaps I’m trying to put you in place a little, you asshole.” She glares at him.
He gives a very murderous look. “I’m gonna make sure you regret this.”
She leans closer. “Awww shh baby.. I’m not gonna hurt your precious little wife..” and closer. You realize she’s about to kiss him and you hastily look away. You don’t want the last memory you have of your husband before you die is being kissed by another woman. She gets up from his lap, fingers still faintly brushing him everywhere. Then she smirks. “But maybe he will.” She laughs and then exits through the door.
“Did you come with what I ask for?” Jay asks and Jimin juts his chin towards a large black duffel bag on the floor beside him that you hadn’t realized. Jay grins. “Nice doing business with you.. brother in law.”
“Now let us go.” Jimin says.
Jay stops inspecting the money inside the bag and turns to look at him. “No, don’t think it’s that easy..” He signals something and one of his men comes forward. “See, perhaps you don’t really know my sister.. but let me tell you this. She is a fucking whore. And I’m gonna let her be a whore. And you.. you’re going to watch every single men here stick their dick into her pussy.”
Your whole body goes numb as soon as you hear that. Desperately, you glance at your husband. He doesn’t look at you but instead just stares at your brother. You’ve never seen him look so murderous before. Your eyes widen in panic when they pull you from the chair and then roughly push you till you’re kneeling on the floor on all four.
“J-Jimin-” you say, voice thick with desperation.
“Sshh.. shh little sister.. don’t worry.. perhaps your husband might even get hard from this. Don’t you want to please your husband?” Jay smirks.
You feel you eyes start to water when your brain reaches an end and think that there’s no way of escaping this.
He calls one of his men and several others starts to approach as well, all wearing the same look of lust. Jay grabs a handful of your hair and yank it backwards, forcing you to look up. “She’s all yours..”
The nearest guy smirks and licks his lips as he looks at you and starts to strip his pants. You look away immediately. You let out a cry when the guy kneels beside you and yanks your jeans down, exposing your bottom.
“No, no please, please-“ you start to beg and Jimin hisses.
“Keep your fucking mouth shut.” He grits. “Don’t beg.”
You look at him and find him staring right back at you.
“Just look at me.” He says and fresh set of tears run down your cheeks.
The guy smacks your behind making you cry in pain and you almost collapse to the ground but he holds your waist firmly, groping each side harshly. Then, you feel a hand slides from your shoulder towards your throat and slowly starts choking you.
Your head starts to spin from the lack of air supply and you want to scream so badly but no words could come out. The pressure on your throat is so immense and your lung starts to ache.
Then you see a knife hovering in front of you.
A moment of realization hits you that you’re really about to die and it suddenly makes it so imperative that you tell something to Jimin.
“J-Jimin- I love-“
But before you could finish your words, you hear people bursting the doors open and people in suits come rushing in large quantity.
You try to focus your vision on your husband.
His face is calm. Too calm.
Your sight moves towards the crowd rushing in again and briefly sees Taeseok among them and a rush of relief runs through you. The guy choking you eases his grip on your throat instantly as he gets distracted and you feel like collapsing immediately as you struggle to breath again.
Everything happens so quickly. Someone rushes to your husband’s side and unties him and then he’s beside you instantly while someone else unties you. You try your best to glance behind you and sees Jungkook frantically untying you after fixing your clothes.
“Y/N oh my god-“
Jimin quickly shrugs his coat off his shoulder and immediately covers you. He looks at you as he holds you tight. His embrace is so warm and you just want to close your eyes and lean against him. “Keep your eyes open, we’re getting out of here.” He says roughly.
You’re not entirely sure with your vision but you think someone gives Jimin a gun and he starts shooting at people and you freeze, sounds blaring so loudly in your ear. You let out a strangled scream and you squirm away under his embrace that he looks down immediately. Then he looks at Jungkook.
“Jungkook.” He says and Jungkook nods and you feel yourself slipping out of Jimin’s hold while Jungkook brings you flush against him.
For a moment, there are just sounds of guns, people screaming and punches being thrown.
Jungkook pulls you to the side where it’s safer but you just can’t shut your eyes when there’s too many things going on. You then try to focus on your husband. He’s a good few metres away from you and you couldn’t clearly see the face of the other person but you think Jimin’s holding the guy that was going to rape you just now. And then he shoots him right in the head without thinking. And then another shot right at his chest even though the guy’s already crumbling to the ground, lifeless.
Someone then comes up and thrusts your brother to Jimin, making him kneel in front of your husband. You don’t see it before but you now notice that he’s holding a knife on his right hand. Jay’s expression turns horror as Jimin nears him. And then slowly, your husband carves his face with the knife as your brother’s inhuman shriek fills the warehouse.
Your eyes go wide with horror as you watch the traumatising scene unfolds. You feel a scream bubbling from deep inside your throat yet they’re unable to escape from your lips. Your throat somehow still feels constricted.
“Holy fucking shit.” Jungkook mutters and you realize his grip on your arms tightens.
It’s slowly getting more quiet in the warehouse as most of your brother’s or Clara Kim’s men are now dead as they were hugely outnumbered by Jimin’s people. You then realize that he’s taking his time with your brother.
“What did you say you’re about to do to my wife? Cut out her face?” He chuckles. “Let me show you the real art.”
He leans close.
And then he carves your brother’s right eye out while he shrieks in pain.
“This is for touching my wife.”
And then he carves the other one.
“This is for messing with me.”
The scream finally escapes your lips.
“Fuck-“ Jungkook says and quickly covers your eyes and mouth.
The screaming doesn’t stop for a few more minutes and you think you’ll remember your brother’s inhuman scream till the day you die.
“Jimin stop it. She’s gonna get a trauma.” You hear someone says. Jin..?
You hear footsteps approaching you and then suddenly, Jungkook’s hand is being yanked away and your husband’s face comes into view. His forehead beaded with sweat and his expression furious.
You look at him in horror, frankly still traumatised and terrified at him.
But he doesn’t seem to notice. Instead, he thrusts a gun into your hand. “Do you want to kill him?”
Your panic immediately and clutched his arm desperately. “No, no please- let’s just go-“
“Ssh.. ssh I’m here.” He takes back the gun. “And we’re gonna get out of here.” He pulls you into his embrace, cocks the gun and fire a shot straight into Jay’s head.
Your entire body freeze. You watch in horror as your brother’s life starts seeping out, his breathing ragged until finally.. it stops.
“Good God- did you really have to shoot him in front of Y/N?” You hear Namjoon says.
“What?” Jimin asks, confused.
“God, you’re so stupid sometimes Park Jimin.” Yoongi says roughly.
Your husband finally turns to look at you and registers the paleness of your face. “Y/N, you okay?” He asks and then makes you stand to your feet. He keeps his hand steady on your waist and you’re thankful because you can’t feel your feet at all.
You don’t know how but from the corner of your eyes, you see someone who’s lying on the floor slowly lifts a gun and your eyes widen when you realize he’s aiming at your husband.
One of Jimin’s bodyguard sees it too and moves to kick the gun away and he did- but not before the guy cocks the gun and all the bodyguard manages to do is change the target, because the bullet hits you instead.
You fell to the ground immediately when the bullet cuts through your shoulder. It’s weird because it hurts so much that you almost feel nothing at all.
Jimin’s eyes widen when he sees you.
For a brief moment, you think you see your whole life flashes by in your mind very quickly.
If you die right now at the hands of your husband.. that you’d fallen in love with.. it doesn’t seem so bad..
You smile.
Then slowly, you bring your hand up to Jimin’s face to touch him one last time.
And then everything blacks out.
A/N: I rarely write post chapter notes because I’m afraid it would destroy your emotions lol but I just wanna thank everyone who had given support since day 1.. the story would not have come this far without the kind words you guys gave me. I feel a little bit emotional because we’re almost more than halfway through with their journey.. haha okay I’ll stop here. see you guys in the next chap! 🥰
Buy me a coffee here! 💜
Link to Chapter 21
Posted on 210516 9:00PM
#serendipityjxmn#serendipityjxmnmrpresident#mrpresident#mr president#bts fic#bts au#bts smut#jimin au#park jimin#parkjimin#kpop fic#jimin smut#jimin ceo#jimin mafia#bts mafia#jimin x reader
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Tea for 3
Erwin x Levi x gn!Reader Headcanons
Scenario: the three of you decide to open up a tea shop together
Warnings: none!
Genre: fluff! Polyamory
Universe: Modern AU!
A/N: it’s a little short, but it’s definitely sweet. These headcanons have been on my mind a LOT and I just had to write them down. I feel like I mostly write polyamory stuff (even my private work is like 70% polyamory) but I am working on monogamous relationship stories as we speak! Should I keep writing polyamory? 🤔
First of all, it was Levi’s idea to open up a tea shop, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. He had first brought it up out of curiosity to see what you or Erwin thought. It wasn’t brought up again till Erwin found a little shop that was up for sale, to which Levi pretended not to be excited; in truth, if Levi was better at expressing himself he would have been jumping up and down with pure happiness.
Levi will probably need some convincing to actually go for this opportunity. I can see him being a little insecure as to whether he deserves such a chance at this; so hearing the two of you, the people he loves most, give him so much affection and encouragement he couldn’t refuse.
You three spend long nights together designing the interior and exterior of the tea shop; going for a sleek botanical look with a hint of rustic charm.
You were the creative of the three, designing the logo and even the menu; Erwin would be like 😧 being super impressed with your talents. He is very good with his hands in the DIY department, but can barely draw a stick figure!
You decide to call the tea shop Ackerman & Co. (as much as Levi tried to argue against it, it is of course his dream and thought it would be a lovely gesture of yours and Erwin’s love towards him). Needless to say, Levi loved your reasoning and eventually accepted it.
The three of you visiting the store before buying it, Erwin ever so vigilant with his questions. From “Is there a persistent mould problem” to “are the neighbours noisy?”
Luckily it seems things are perfect, the store is located just off the high streets but close enough to attract some wandering customers. A little detail I would like to add is that the store is close to a cathedral and one of Levi’s favourite things to do (especially at night) is to open a window and listen out to the bell chimes.
“Is it big enough for your bed?” The answer to that is yes! As you insisted that the three of you share a King size bed (although Levi doesn’t sleep that often as it is, he still enjoys the company) you worry that the living space may not be enough. Don’t worry, Erwin sized out the place; he measured the entire flat above the shop out with only a measuring tape.
You ask Miche, Hange and Moblit for help when it comes to building up the tea shop! From painting to decorating, Hange goes a little overboard with the plants, but it only adds to the charm. “Who the hell is going to water all of these?” Levi groaned, “don’t worry love, I will” you reassure him, he will of course make you keep a diary so you can keep an eye out and record watering times!
Erwin insists on adding a bookshelf into the shop; this means that customers can read whilst they are there, even setting up a weekly book club! You also suggest keeping a spot out for a book exchange, keeping an on-going flow of new content for the regular customers.
Before you officially open the shop, Kutchel (Levi’s mum) visits with a gift; it is a large kettle decorated with a giant green bow to ‘baptise’ the place (also came with a bouquet of flowers because she is a sweetheart). “I am so proud of you baby”
Levi won’t cry, but he’ll cry
Let me just say, Kutchel adores the two of you and is so proud and glad that Levi has people in his life who adore him as much as his mother does (although initially explaining polyamory to her was a challenge, she just didn’t understand at first! But she supports and loves you once she grasped the concept!)
The first day of opening was BUSY. Little did you three know, but Hange had invited EVERYONE they knew and even going up to people in the streets to come to the opening.
The most confident was Erwin, he was the main spokesperson in announcing your new place. Levi barely spoke, mostly to contain himself from just crying out of happiness. So to keep his strength, he will hold onto your hand all night, giving it tender squeezes if he started to feel overwhelmed.
Levi would be the manager, mainly working on the teas and coffee orders, Erwin is most definitely the baker, making muffins and cookies and all sorts! You were the waiter/waitress but you also had your hand in baking and/or tea making when it was needed!
You put up a message board in the main room so that customers and/or friends and family can leave post-it-notes on the board. Most of the notes you get are compliments of the establishment, but you will get the occasional “I love Erwin/Levi/Y/N” notes from your loved ones; those notes you keep up forever. - if ever you get any missing cat posters, Levi will make it his mission to look for said cat.
Levi insists on getting WIFI, but Erwin annoyingly will point out the large bookcase, stating that books are enough. He does eventually give in, but will purposefully set the password annoyingly long and complicated for the sake of being petty. The password would look something like L1v1nYNrmYl0vr$
You notice that Levi spends more time in bed with you three! He has definitely settled down a lot more, feeling so much joy that his dream came to light. You and Erwin of course enjoy the extra person to cuddle in bed.
Frequent visits from your friends, Hange will bring their laptop into the cafe to finish their thesis or other scientific reports; they would quite literally spend all day there and will sleep on the sofa if they could get away with it. - you do at least have a spare bedroom so if Hange stays too late, they have a place to sleep.
Levi putting out cat food for the local strays, a cute little quirk you only started noticing when a dozen cats were lined up outside the back entrance of the store.
The tea shop will of course be successful, so Levi decides to experiment and start his own line of teas. Starting off with the basic breakfast and earl greys and then into the fruity and herbal teas. Once he got his customers approval and satisfaction, he then sells the tea bags (and loose tea leaves) to customers to take home. He calls his tea ‘Teas of Freedom’ (like wings of freedom lmao) which become very popular.
GLASS TEAPOTS; you get to see the water change into beautiful colours once the teas infuse. The most popular being the jasmine tea where the flower blooms when the hot water is applied; Erwin’s face lights up EVERY TIME Levi prepares this kind of tea.
Can you imagine Levi’s face when someone comes in and asks for a Starbuck’s like order, he would be like “HUH???” But don’t worry, you step in and take the order effortlessly; Levi is a tea man, coffee is somewhat a foreign concept to him.
On quiet days, Erwin will come up behind you and wrap his arms around your waist, whispering sweet nothing into your ear and rocks you side to side. This man is so in love with you. He does this to Levi but not as often...mostly because even on not so busy days Levi is busy.
Imagine catching quick little kisses whilst its busy, hugging is one thing but a quick kiss on the cheek is honestly so cute; Levi would 100% get distracted and a lot more clumsy if you plant a forehead kiss on him whilst he’s preparing tea.
EEEEP I hope you enjoyed it!! I love EURI as it is, but being a x reader it meant I got an excuse to write them!
#levi x erwin x reader#levi x erwin#euri#eruri#eruri x reader#erwin x levi x reader#erwin x reader#levi x reader#erwin smith#levi Ackerman#attack on titan modern au#attack on titan#levi headcanons#erwin x you#snk erwin
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Twelve Months - Good Omens fanfic
Happy 31st Anniversary of Good Omens! :D
To celebrate this momentous occasion, I have posted a slightly-sad, slightly-sweet Wake the Snake fic on AO3, because our demon has been napping for a whole Twelve Months, and sometimes Angel gets a little lonely!
Thank you all for another fantastic year in this fandom!
--
Twelve months.
Aziraphale pushed open the door to Crowley’s flat, a simple shopping bag tucked under his arm.
The lights were still off, the curtains drawn in the awful empty room he called a study. Nothing had changed.
He passed through the enormous, rotating section of wall and into the solarium. This was still bright—many of the plants flourishing despite being unattended so long, despite clearly not having enough water. A few had started flowering. They waved their branches at him as he entered, perking up eagerly.
The angel waved back, but first he peeked into Crowley’s bedroom.
He was still where Aziraphale had left him, on his last visit a month before. Bright red hair spilled across black pillows, grown into a stringy mop. Duvet pulled up to his messily-bearded chin. One hand curled up beside him on the bed.
Still asleep.
With a sigh, Aziraphale crossed over to the plants, who greeted him excitedly, unfurling their newest leaves, a few vines hanging down to brush his face.
“Hello, my lovelies. How are you all doing? Look at you, grown at least a foot since I saw you, I’m sure. And you! What beautiful pink buds. Very impressive.”
He didn’t think Crowley would approve of how he spoke to the plants, but the poor things had been so distraught on his first visit, straining to keep upright, trying to hide their yellowing leaves. So much healthier now, much happier for just a bit of attention. He picked up the watering can and gave them all a quick splash. He didn’t know how much water each needed, but it didn’t seem to matter.
“You keep it up, dears. I’ll be back before you know it.”
Picking up his shopping bag again, Aziraphale headed down the hall to the kitchen. The kettle sat on the island where he’d left it, and he quickly refilled it and set it to boil. While he waited, he pulled his latest creations from the bag: a small pumpkin spice cake from a recipe he’d been perfecting since fall, a lemon coconut cake, and a few apple cinnamon muffins.
Two plates—a muffin for each, a slice of the coconut cake for himself and the pumpkin spice for Crowley.[1] The rest went into the refrigerator, where they would never go bad or stale.
Aziraphale put the plates onto a tray, along with forks and napkins. Next he found two mugs and pulled the little tin of his second-favorite tea out of the bag just as the kettle boiled.
For himself, a teaspoon of the expertly blended leaves, steeped for exactly three minutes, resulting in a pale brown tea with a slightly spicy aroma. For Crowley, he dropped a tea bag into boiling water and let it sit until it was almost black.[2]
He carried the tray back to the solarium and selected a bright red-and-gold tulip that was nearly vibrating in its eagerness to be noticed. A moment to assure the other plants that they were still doing fabulously—particularly a self-conscious little succulent that had rather drooped over the winter but was making a fine recovery—and he once more headed into Crowley’s bedroom.
Crowley had rolled over, and now sprawled on his back, sleeping soundly. He’d apparently kicked a bit, too, as the blanket had slid down past his stomach. Aziraphale smiled as he set the tray on the chair he’d brought in some months ago and got to work.
“It’s wonderful to see you again, dear,” he started cheerfully, carefully rearranging the objects on the little bedside table. “I have a few things for you again, I hope you don’t mind.” Just enough space to slide the mug and the little plate. Perfect.
“I received a package from Tadfield again. Everyone wrote a note and then gathered them all together, really quite clever. They’re all doing well, if a bit bored.” The table was nearly overflowing with little items now, brought in by Aziraphale to cheer the place up. Framed pictures of their human friends, quarantining with their families, clustered in one corner so tightly you could hardly see them anymore.
He pulled the latest out of the shopping bag. “Anathema has started a garden,” he explained, pausing to show the photograph to Crowley’s sleeping form. It showed the witch, kneeling outside her little cottage, working on growing several rows of herbs. “I got the impression she was off to a rough start, but she hopes to send us some mint in the next package. Although Newt warned me not to expect too much, as they’d already forgotten which patch is mint and which is oregano.” He set the picture with the others, and slid the potted tulip alongside it. “I’m sure she could use some advice from you, when you’re ready to share.”
“Nnnnh.” Aziraphale spun eagerly, but no, just Crowley shifting in his sleep again, rolling onto his side.
The angel paused to pull the duvet back up to Crowley’s chin, tugging it straight and smoothing a hand down his back. In a way, his friend was nearly unrecognizable, with that hair and ridiculous beard, but in another way looked the same as ever. That was always Crowley’s way, of course, constantly changing yet somehow always the same.
He lingered, taking in the shape of that face, leaning close, lips hovering above his cheekbone—
Aziraphale pulled back, quickly digging into his bag again. “Oh! Ah, the, um, the children have been making projects for their art class. This past month was sculpture, and they sent us some. Look!” He pulled out four little figures of oven-baked clay. “Ah, young Wensleydale has made a very clever model of a train car. Brian’s is…abstract.” He turned the next a few different ways. “And Pepper’s is, ah, either a very complex symbolic representation of the Patriarchy, or…a troll, I think.” They just fit on the edge of the table, all in a line, a very mismatched tableau. The fourth, on the end, was the best, in Aziraphale’s opinion. “Adam made a little Dog, and it’s very well done, don’t you think?” The canine figure posed with one leg raised and head cocked, ready to play, but the shadow it cast was just a little too large, too ominous, for such a small creature.
With a sigh, Aziraphale shifted the row this way and that. “I sent a letter to Warlock, over in America, but haven’t heard back since Christmas. I believe they’re very busy with something. Politics. You know how it is.” When the Dowlings had left England, they’d planned to return for a visit the following summer. A global pandemic had had other ideas.
“In any case, that just leaves Tracy and Shadwell. I understand he’s decided to hate the concept of literacy this month, so no word on how his war with the squirrels is going. And Tracy has declared she will spend the summer making a fairy garden. I thought her sketches looked very promising, and she promised to send us an update in June. I’m sure you’ll find it charming.”
“Hrrrrm.” Crowley sank under the duvet, nestling down a little deeper. Aziraphale smiled, settling into the chair with his plate and mug.
“Things are loosening up again,” he explained, taking a bite of cake. Delicious, if he said so himself. Sharp and not too sweet. “People are getting vaccinated, shops opening up. It’s really a lovely breath of fresh air, at least when you’re not wearing a mask.” A long sip from his mug, then he held it, fingers tapping. “It’s been nice walking through the park again, just in time for the baby ducks. And that record shop at the corner, they’ve had some wonderful new additions. Which reminds me.”
Putting aside his mug, Aziraphale dug through the bag again and pulled out a handful of square plastic cases. “They had a whole shipment of those little records the Bentley likes. Modern music. I picked out the ones with the rudest names. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.” He pulled out the first disc and placed it atop Crowley’s phone. The device blinked in confusion a few times, then obediently copied all the music.
“Of course, it’s not all good news.” He stacked the rest of the discs atop the phone and returned to his tea. “Reopening means the customers are coming back. Yesterday, this one individual spent almost an hour browsing the same three shelves. And then he tried to make off with one of my books.” Another long sip. “Granted, he offered to pay, but still. What sort of establishment does he think I’m running?”
Aziraphale paused, waiting for Crowley to respond, not that he ever did. The demon’s eyelids moved a little, but no more.
Sighing, Aziraphale turned to his muffin. “You know, many times in the last year, I’ve wished you were there. Particularly during reopening phases. You could have posed as a customer, and then I’d be able to tell people I was at the capacity limit. Oh, and the people who would call to try and buy my rarest books. Collectors, or so they claimed, but then they just turn around and sell to anyone for twice the price! I’m sure you’d have some biting things to say about such people.” He smiled at Crowley’s sleeping face. “I’ve missed that, and your jokes. Rather more than I expected to.”
When his plate and tea were finished, Aziraphale set them on the floor and reached again into the bag. “Now, I have been attempting to teach my computer how to use the internet. I think it’s going quite well. Adam and his friends gave me a ‘homework assignment’ to find articles on recent news events, and I made the most wonderful discovery. Did you know that humans now share their news through humorous pictures? I printed out my favorites to show you.”[3]
He flicked through a few. “Ah, to start with, a few months ago there was this American politician with amusing mittens who showed up everywhere for a few days. It was extremely droll.” He leaned closer, holding them up for Crowley to see. “Ah, a few more from America. The murder hornets arrived, though by that point everyone had forgotten them. The election became increasingly confusing, and it all ended in a parking lot. For a little while everything was ‘This-or-That Total Landscaping,’ and before that everything was cake.” He showed a few extremely clever illusions. “I did try to make my own, but couldn’t manage it without miracles, which I felt was cheating.”
Really, leaning like this was starting to strain his back. Aziraphale shifted to sit on the edge of the bed, the better to share his pictures. “Ahhh. Also for a time everyone’s calendars were stuck on ‘March.’ And then earlier this year, a group of people learned how the stock market works, but sadly not how to spell it. The whole situation seemed very much like the sort of thing you’d be involved in. And…Oh, this angel from a television show was sent to Hell for…reasons.” He glanced at the shape beside him. Crowley had curled in slightly, pressing against Aziraphale’s back. “Yes. Various reasons. And then this musician, I suppose, went on his own. Both had many people extraordinarily upset.”
The next few images would really tickle Crowley, if he could actually see them. “The biggest news is that a large ship got stuck sideways in that canal in Egypt. Stopped half the world’s shipping for a few days while they dug it out! I’m sure you would have liked that very much. Exactly your sort of trouble. The humans were all very excited.”
The final photo was another of the ship, an image Aziraphale had made himself, printing out a blank version and writing on it in felt-tip pen. The hull of the enormous ship was labeled, “An eternity putting up with the tedious bureaucracy and frequently conflicting commands of my superiors until I begin to doubt my own judgement and sanity,”[4] while the small digger working steadily beside it was “Crowley.”
Aziraphale watched the demon beside him, not really expecting a reaction, certainly not getting one. He reached over, brushing brilliant hair back from Crowley’s forehead. “I think you’d have had rather a lot of fun last year. Or perhaps you’d have been upset you could only watch from a distance. Or…”
He’d leaned much closer than he’d intended, hovering just above Crowley’s forehead.
“Well!” Aziraphale stumbled to his feet. “I suppose that’s just about everything.” He picked up the tray from where he’d rested it on the floor, starting to re-load it with everything he’d brought in. Crowley’s cake and tea sat untouched, as always, but Aziraphale wouldn’t dream of skipping them. “We’re all very optimistic for the summer. Two months and everything should be just…just tickety-boo. Perhaps we can go for that picnic soon, if…yes…”
They’d made such plans for 2020. All the things they would do now they were free. Plans, and other thoughts carried in their minds, possibilities that would play out in their own time. Not too fast, just a slow, steady exploration of everything they could be…
“Well. Pleasant as that idea is, best not to—to plan too much, as the previous year made fools of us all. I just…” He turned away from the tray and watched Crowley sleep, hands clasped before him. “I miss you terribly. And I wish…very much…”
He picked up his shopping bag. One item still inside. The same one he’d been carrying for months, trying to find the courage to bring it out.
With a shaking hand, he reached in and drew forth a soft hand-made doll. He’d spent much of the winter on it. Simple white cotton for the head and body, wooly curls for the hair, and stiff white lace for the wings. Dressed in waistcoat and bowtie made from Aziraphale’s favorite tartan.
He still wasn’t sure why he brought it. He’d stitched several little toys, particularly a lovely black-and-red serpent with gold button eyes that had watched him from the sofa since November. But this, for reasons he couldn’t articulate, this one was for Crowley.
“I, ah…” He shuffled closer, doll clutched in both hands. “I made, um…” Back to the edge of the bed, one hand fumbling across the duvet. “…thought you might like…”
Crowley’s face stood out in stark contrast to the pillow, pale skin and bright hair. Aziraphale wanted to drink it in, memorize every detail, to hold him over until next month. The curve of his nose, the sharp angle of his cheekbones. His lashes flickering as his eyes moved. His lips, pursed ever so slightly…
“Bless it, Angel, are you going to kiss me or not?”
Aziraphale gasped, pulling back from the bright gaze of slit-pupil eyes. “You—you’re awake!”
“Nnnh. Half.” Crowley shifted, head moving across the pillow, eyes threatening to shut again. “Wouldn’t miss your visit.” One hand reached out, plucked the doll from Aziraphale’s unresisting fingers. “For me?”
The angel nodded. “If…if…you like it…or I could—I could just…”
Without a word, Crowley pulled the doll under the duvet and curled up, tucking it under his chin, a faint smile on his lips.
“If you were awake you—you should have said something! I’ve been going—going off like a fool all this—oh!” Aziraphale could feel his face turning hot as he recalled a few times his tongue had been a bit too loose for propriety.
“Mmmmmh.” The golden eyes were shut again.
“Crowley?” No response. “Crowley!” Aziraphale scowled. “Anthony J. Crowley, if you’ve fallen asleep again, I swear, I’ll—”
He’d do what? The angel fumed, but what could he really threaten? To stay away? Never.
“Alright then, I suppose I’ll see you in June. I’ve had several new requests for extremely rare manuscripts and I need to go pen some responses reprimanding these vultures for their cheek. I can—”
“You can stay.”
He spun around. Crowley had one eye barely cracked open. Gently, he pulled back the duvet, showing there was just enough space for Aziraphale beside him.
“I…I couldn’t.” But he stepped forward, not back. “I have business tomorrow, things to—”
“Just tonight then.”
His fingers brushed the mattress and pulled back as if burned. “You—you don’t really mean this, you’re just talking in your sleep.”
“Nah.” Crowley settled the doll by his pillow, making space. “Why else would I give you my key?”
“I…to…water the plants?”
“They take care of themselves.” Crowley held open his arms, eyes shut once more. “I missed you, too.”
Well. What could he say to that?
Aziraphale took off his shoes and slid into bed, into Crowley's arms. They wrapped around him gently as Crowley wriggled closer. “Mmmm. Y’r softer than the doll.”
“Oh.” He’d been called soft many times, generally as a way to imply he was a failure as an angel. But just this once, it made him feel rather pleased. “Soft is good?”
“Verrrry good.” Crowley twisted a bit, trying to find a comfortable way to rest his long limbs, and finally settled curled up against Aziraphale’s chest, tucked below the angel’s chin with a leg hooked over his knees.
The angel smiled. “And you’re…you’re noodlier than a stuffed snake. Err…”
A chuckle, just a stirring of breath across his throat. “Can’t wait to hear the story behind that.” Crowley nuzzled against his shoulder with a sigh. “Good night, Angel.”
Aziraphale swept the brilliant hair back again and bent down, pressing his lips to Crowley’s forehead. A soft, gentle kiss that made his friend smile a little more broadly. “Good night, my dear.”
Crowley drifted off again, burrowing close, as the angel continued to gently tease the back of his hair. Perhaps, he thought, perhaps tomorrow's work wasn't so very urgent. Perhaps a bit of rest would do him good. And perhaps...
Well. Don't plan too much. But for the first time, Aziraphale felt a bit of optimism about the coming summer and its possibilities.
“Sleep well, Crowley.”
[1] Crowley had invented pumpkin spice, and Aziraphale assumed he must like it. In truth, Crowley despised it, and regretted every autumn how it took over the entire world. He missed apple cider season.
[2] Aziraphale had suspected since the early 1950s that Crowley secretly took his tea with several lumps of sugar, but would continue to pretend he didn’t know until Crowley confessed. Considering current circumstances, that was unlikely to be any time soon.
[3] Aziraphale’s fax machine, revived after over three decades of disuse, had been somewhat confused to be asked to perform any task at all, much less to print memes onto photo paper with perfectly balanced color; but like the plants and Crowley’s phone, it couldn’t stand to disappoint the angel.
[4] It was possible he hadn’t quite mastered this new form of communication.
#good omens prime#good omens lockdown#good omens fanfiction#aziraphale and crowley#wake the snake#aziraphale/crowley#sleeping crowley#aziraphale#pov aziraphale#crowley's flat#crowley's plants#sleepy cuddles#2020 was a year#aziraphale loves crowley#crowley loves his angel#asexual good omens#pointy demon wants soft angel cuddles#good omens anniversary#my writing#ao3 fic#ao3 link
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Realised Too Late - Part 1
Summary: You’ve been best friends with Frankie since high school and you’ve harboured a secret that whole time that has eaten you alive. You’re in love with him. You know he only sees you as Arce (Maple), the nickname he gave you on your first day. You're just his Canadian friend, never anything more. When his life takes a series of different turns, however, you're there to support him through it but how long can you do that before it just hurts too much?
Warnings: Drug abuse, alcohol, depression, overdose, language, Angst, Smut 18+
Pairings: Frankie Morales x Reader - Ben Miller x Reader
Notes: There are some tough subjects in this one so if you're easily triggered by warnings above, don't read. This will be in three parts.
§
He was a shell of the man you’d known as kids, the army having stripped him of his soul and leaving him limp and boneless. You hadn’t been surprised when he’d turned to drugs for relief, he was an addict. As kids, he was addicted to exercise, constantly dragging you on hikes or to swimming events that left him buzzing after. During his time in the army, he was addicted to danger, unable to just sit on the sidelines when his brothers were out there risking their lives. When he’d retired he’d struggled. He was evicted from his flat after his last job, the neighbours complaining about the noise, the screaming as he was plagued by nightmares of the things he’d seen and done, they didn’t care he was ex-military. Or that his girlfriend had left him. So you had taken him in, held him at night as he sobbed and did everything you could to help him get better.
At first, you’d not realised that the change in him was because of the coke. He’d been happy, positive, bubbly. He’d returned to the Frankie you once knew. You’d been over the moon at his progress, happy that you’d pushed him to attend counselling and he’d sold it to you so well, made you believe he was going but he wasn’t. No, he was driving to a bar where he had a beer, sniffed some coke in the bathroom and left, returning to you with a new story to sell his lie.
You’d found the bag of powder whilst doing the washing. You’d known instantly what it was and you’d broken down immediately, unable to believe that he’d do that stuff after what he knew. What it had done to your family. He’d found you sobbing on the floor, clutching your stomach and he’d dropped to your side in an instant, pulling you into his arms.
‘Arce, what’s wrong?’ He’d pleaded and your tears had stopped almost immediately, sorrow replaced with pure burning anger that you’d never felt before.
‘You lied to me.’ You’d growled, pushing away ‘You haven’t been going to counselling have you?’
‘I have.’
‘If you continue to lie to me I swear I will kick the shit out of you.’ You'd spat, getting to your feet with that bag clutched tightly in your hand ‘This is the real reason you’ve been -happier- isn’t it Francisco?’ You continued, holding out your hand and revealing the bag that sat on your palm ‘How could you?’ You’d sobbed ‘After what I’ve been through… How could you resort to this as a fix?’
Frankie had knelt there gobsmacked, unsure of what to do or say to you. He'd not even thought about you when he’d been offered the substance the first time, he’d just focused on the fact he’d been told it would help… and it had.
‘Arce I’m so sorry.’ He’d sobbed ‘I just needed the pain to stop. He’d told me it would stop and it did.’
‘But Frankie. This shit ruins lives.’ You said, your tone changing to one with more sympathy ‘Look what it did to my family.’
Your brother had gotten hooked on the stuff after his relationship had fallen apart. His wife had left him, taking the baby with her and he’d lost it. Turning to drink and drugs to dull the pain. He’d managed to hide it well, no one ever suspecting him. One fateful day however the truth had been revealed most tragically. It had been your birthday and Frankie had organised a surprise party for you at his. Your brother had been tasked to pick up and bring your parents over but he’d taken just a little too much before getting behind the wheel. They had never stood a chance. His car was t-boned by a truck when he’d jumped a red light, everyone dying on impact. When you’d arrived at Frankie’s you’d been over the moon to see his place decorated with balloons and streamers, your friends all stood there waiting for you but his face had ripped that happiness away. He’d walked up to you, everyone else remaining where they were and he placed a hand on each arm, bracing you for what was to come and as the words left his mouth you'd passed out, falling limply into his arms.
He’d supported you through it all. The funeral. Sorting through your parent's stuff. You’d considered selling their house but he’d convinced you not to.
‘Don’t you want your kids to grow up here?’ He’d said ‘You have a story about every inch of this house. Don’t sell those stories to someone else.’
So you’d kept it. Moved in and worked on modernising it without ripping out its soul, keeping the memory of your family alive within its walls.
‘You need to stop this Frankie.’ You’d stated, snatching the powder out of sight ‘I will help you but you have to promise me no more lies.’ You’d continued, noting the relief that had flooded his expression ‘You lie to me Frankie and that’s it. You’re out.’
‘Of course.’ He’d replied, nodding hastily as his tears tracked down his cheeks ‘No more lies… I promise.’
He’d kept his promise. He actually attended counselling, his shrink calling each time to confirm he’d visited. He wasn’t aware that they did it, you’d asked them to keep it between the two of you but you’d needed some sort of confirmation that he really was trying to help himself. The nightmares had returned but after a while, they became less frequent along with the panic attacks at loud sounds. He was doing so much better and you were so proud of him. He’d then started to attend AA meetings, finding them useful. You’d gone along to the first few with him on his request but as his confidence had grown he started attending alone and that’s how he’d met her.
Lucy.
She was nice enough. She’d been hooked on coke too after leaving the army so they’d connected in a way that a lot of the other members never could. Their romance had been fast-paced and it killed you. You were happy he had someone, of course, you were… You were just devastated that it wasn’t you.
‘So Lucy’s having a few friends over on Friday. She wondered if you wanted to join?’ He asked as he sipped at his coffee ‘She’s desperate to get to know you.’
‘You talk about me with her?’ You asked, raising your brows as little in surprise.
‘Of course, I do.’ He replied, giving your a bemused expression ‘You’re my best friend. Why wouldn’t I?’
You shrugged, sipping at your coffee as you looked at anything but him, desperate to hide your heartbreak from him. He didn’t notice, just continued to speak as he supped at his black coffee, oblivious to your pain.
‘So will you come?’ He asked with hopeful eyes.
‘Sure.’ You reply, praying something comes up that means you can’t go.
Nothing does.
‘So you’re the famous Arce?’ She asked, shaking your hand when Frankie brought you over.
‘That I am.’ You replied, smiling sheepishly at her.
‘Frankie’s told me all about you.’ She stated, giving you a warm smile ‘You’ve been quite a friend to him.’ She stated ‘Especially with his coke addiction. Most people who have been through what you have would have run a mile. He’s lucky to have you.’
You give her a small nod but inside you’re screaming. She thanks you for coming and apologises for having to go, food needs to be checked. As soon as she leaves you turn and walk to the door, tears streaming down your cheeks.
‘Hey whoah! Where are you going? What’s the matter?’ Asked Frankie as he grabbed your shoulders and stopped you in your tracks ‘Why are you crying?’
‘Fuck you, Frankie.’ Was your reply before you shrugged out of his grip and left, ignoring him as he called after you.
You ignored his calls and texts as you laid there curled up on your couch, praying that he'd choose to stay with her that night but you didn’t get such luck. He walked through the door a little after 1 in the morning, toeing off his shoes and hanging his coat and cap up before stepping quietly into the house. He heard your silent cries and found you curled up on the couch, an empty bottle of wine laying on the floor in front of you.
‘Lucy was really upset that you left.’ He stated, his tone angry ‘That was really rude.’
‘Get out.’ Was your reply, barely above a whisper.
‘What the fuck is your problem?’ he growled, his patience spent ‘She was nothing but nice to you and then you just fucking leave.’
‘She isn't the reason I left.’ You spat, venom dripping from every word as you sat up and glared at him ‘You’re the reason I left.’
‘Me?’ He questioned, pointing at his chest ‘The fuck did I do?’
‘You had no right to tell her.’ You growled ‘You had no right…’ You trailed off, feeling more tears threatening to spill.
‘Tell her what?’
‘You know what Frankie.’ You yelled, scrapping a hand over your tear-stained face ‘There are a handful of people that know the truth about how they died. I choose who I tell, not you.’
‘Arce-.’
‘I’m going to bed.’ You interrupted, getting up from the couch and heading upstairs, leaving a guilty Frankie in your wake.
He didn’t come home for a few days after that evening. You assumed he was trying to give you some space but you didn’t care, you were just too hurt. When he did come back you saw something different in him, something had changed and not for the better. He was withdrawn, quiet. Spending more time in his room or under the hood of his truck than anywhere else and you found yourself worrying about him despite the anger you still felt towards him.
‘Frank, what’s going on with you?’
‘Surprised you care.’ He snarled, pushing his food around his plate with his fork.
‘Fuck you, Francisco. Of course, I care.’ You spat, slapping the table with your hand and making him jump.
You weren’t expecting him to cry.
‘She’s pregnant.’ He said, taking you by surprise.
‘And you’re not happy? You’ve always wanted kids… what changed?’ You asked, your confusion evident.
‘I do want kids.’ He replied, lip trembling ‘She doesn’t.’ He continued ‘She’s booked herself in for a termination next week.’
‘What?’ Your heart shatters ‘Did she even consult you?’
He simply shook his head and you felt your anger bubbling beneath the surface again.
‘I was over the moon when she told me.’ He affirmed, pushing his place away and leaning back in his chair ‘I practically sobbed with joy but then she told me that she was terminating it. Said she’d never wanted kids and that it was the best thing. No kid deserves two junkie parents.’
‘But you’re clean… Aren’t you?’
‘Yes.’ He replied, slightly exasperated ‘And I would do everything in my power to remain clean for that kid.’ He paused, sniffing as he wiped away his tears ‘I begged her to reconsider but she refused. Said that if I couldn’t support her decision then she didn’t want to be with me.’
‘Frank-.’
‘I thought this was it.’ He stated ‘I thought I’d finally found someone I could be myself with, raise kids with.’ His works sting more than he’ll ever know ‘I didn’t think after… After them that I’d ever get a chance to be a dad. I guess I never will.’
You have to push your pain to one side and comfort him. He and his ex had been expecting, he’d been so excited but after Santi had dragged him on a job in South America that had resulted in the death of his commanding officer and them all leaving empty-handed, he’d returned to learn that she’d lost it and left him. You were sure that had contributed towards his downward spiral into drugs, little did you know, he’d had a problem before that. He’d hidden it so well for so long.
‘Frankie I know you’re destined to be a dad.’ You said softly, taking your hands in his ‘You’ll find the right woman one day.’
‘I haven't left her.’ He said suddenly ‘I love Lucy. I just need some time to grieve the baby.’
‘Frank-.’
‘I love her Arce.’ He stated ‘We can work past this.’
You leave at that.
~
You cried yourself to sleep when he’d moved in with her. You’d helped him pack, drove boxes over to her in your car but you’d hadn’t stayed when they invited you in, unable to bear being around him a moment longer. After that, you ignored his attempts to contact you. Didn’t answer the door when he came knocking. You just let yourself fall into a dark depression, one you didn't think you’d ever recover from and you didn’t expect Benny to be the one that pulled you out of it.
‘What’s going on sweetheart?’ He asked, holding you as you sob into his chest.
‘I’m just so alone.’ You sobbed ‘I’m the plain friend that everyone relies on but no one loves. God, I’ve not been asked on a date in years. My life is a mess and now Frank’s gone and I’m all on my own.’
‘You’re gorgeous babe.’ He said, placing a soft kiss on the crown of your head ‘Anyone would be lucky to have you on their arm.’
‘You don’t need to be nice to me Benny.’ You chuckle, pulling away from his now tear-stained chest to look at him ‘I know I’m not desirable. I never have been.’
Ben looked at you with a troubled expression, unable to believe that someone so beautiful could be so neglected and feel so unappreciated. He’d had a thing for you since Frankie had first introduced you to them all but he’d never acted on it. You were Frank’s best friend after all. You were off-limits.
‘You’re one of the most beautiful women I know.’ He stated, tucking some of your stray hair behind your ear ‘You deserve the world.’
You stared at each other for a moment, your eyes dropped to his lips and his gaze followed suit. The air shifted as he cupped your cheek with his large hand, thumb stroking the apple of your cheek as your eyes locked with each others' again. Then he leaned in and he kissed you, smiling when you gasped in surprise.
It was soft at first, chaste but as you shifted closer to him, legs straddling his lap, he deepened it and you moaned as your tongues dance. It was then a blur of touches, moans and the removal of clothes but the next moment you were truly aware of was him sheathing himself inside of you, kissing you sweetly as you gasped at the stretch.
‘You okay?’ He asked softly, blue eyes searching for anything that told him you didn’t want this but you simply nodded and pulled him into a hungry kiss.
‘Move please.’ You begged ‘Fuck me, Benny…. Please.’
That's all the permission he needed and he started to cant his hips, pushing himself as deep as he could go before withdrawing and slamming back. His pace was slow at first, unhurried, but as your moans grew filthier and filthier he sped up his thrusts, hitting that sweet spot with every movement.
‘Fuck I’m gonna cum.’ You whined, nails digging into the muscles on his back and it spurred him on ‘Fuck…’
‘Let go.’ He growled against the shell of your ear and you did.
You screamed as he made you cum hard, dragging him right along with you and after a few more thrusts to prolong your high’s he collapsed on the couch beside you, kissing you languidly as he stroked your cheek.
‘Let me take you out.’ He said, bumping your nose with his.
‘Okay.’ You replied, grinning at him as you kissed him again and wrapped your hand around his length, pumping him lazily ‘But first, we’re doing that again.’
~
‘You’re bringing your girlfriend to guys night?’ Questioned Will as he sipped from his beer.
‘I’m crazy about her boys.’ He replied, smiling like a loon as he thought about you.
You’d fucked twice more that night before you’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms, the sex that following morning being the best of all. That evening he took you to dinner and then again the day after that and you quickly fell into a relationship that had you feeling happier than you'd ever been. You’d both decided to keep it a secret at first, just take each day as it came but after being together for 4 months you decided that it was time to reveal to the boys but you were scared of how Frankie would react. The two of you hadn’t spoken much after he’d moved out.
‘Fine but if you’re bringing your squeeze then Fish should bring Lucy. Not fair for the poor girl to sit with three guys all night.’
‘Fish? Think Lu would come?’ Asked Benny, eyes wide and eager.
‘Don’t see why not.’ He replied with a shrug ‘She’s wanted to come out with us for ages so…’
‘Great then that's settled.’ Replied Ben, beaming as he sipped his beer.
He just hoped Lu’s presence would take away from the fact his girlfriend was you.
~
You sat in the booth, clinging to Ben’s hand for dear life. Your heart was pulsing in your throat, hands shaking as you watched the door for the others to arrive. Will had texted to say he’d be about an hour late but Frankie had confirmed he was running on time. You'd both decided to arrive a little early to get a round in, a little liquid courage you'd supposed. When Frankie walked in, Lucy behind him you felt your stomach twist in knots.
‘Sorry, we’re a little late.’ He said, not looking up as he shoved his keys in his pocket ‘Traffic was crazy…' He trailed off as he looked up, seeing you at Ben’s side ‘What are you doing here? Where's your girlfriend Ben?’
Ben simply put his arm around your shoulders, smiling at Frankie nervously and giving your hand under the table a squeeze.
‘You two?’ He question, motioning between you both with his pointer finger ‘You two are together?’
‘Yes.’ You replied simply, unable to hide the wobble in your voice.
‘Are you fucking serious?’
‘Fish-.’
‘My best friend Ben… Really?’
‘I’m crazy about her man.’ He stated ‘We kept it quiet because we were scared to tell you but we’ve been dating for coming up to five months so we felt it was time you knew.’
‘I managed to get away early. Boss was… wha-‘ Will’s mouth dropped open when he saw his brother’s arm around your shoulders ‘You two?’
‘Yes us two.’ Growled Ben ‘We’ve been dating for almost five months, things are amazing and we thought it was time to make it public.’ He finished, rolling his eyes.
Frankie was glued to the spot, hands shaking as he stared at Ben’s arm around you and h.e felt something he’d not experienced before with you. Jealousy... and he wanted nothing more than to rip Ben off of you and pull you into his arms.
‘Babe?’ Piped up Lucy as she tugged on his sleeve ‘You want a beer?’
‘Uh - Yeah…’ He replied, shaking his head before slipping down onto the bench beside him ‘Thanks, baby.’
She gave him a sweet peck on the cheek and made her way to the bar, leaving him to return to staring at you and Ben.
‘Well, I for one am over the moon for you both.’ Said Will, grinning ‘You look really good together.’
‘Going to make beautiful babies.’ Ben joked and Frankie felt his stomach drop, noting the glint in your eyes as you beamed at the younger Miller.
‘Bit soon isn’t it?’ Boomed Will, letting out a breath chuckle.
‘Nothing wrong with thinking about the future.’ You stated, sticking your tongue out at Will before turning your head towards Ben and kissing him sweetly.
Frankie wanted to leave. He didn't want to stay here and watch you kiss his friend but he knew he had no right to be jealous. He was with Lucy. He'd picked her.
~
‘Of all the people you could date, why her?’ Yelled Frank, feeling his anger overflowing ‘Why her Ben?’
‘Why does it matter?’ He shouted back.
‘She’s my best friend!’
‘Who you’ve barely seen since you moved out!’ Spat Ben ‘She was so fucking depressed man. You’d left and she felt so alone. Did you ever show her that you appreciated what she did for you when you lived with her? Tell her she was beautiful? Tell her what she meant to you? Because she thinks she is the plain friend, doomed to be alone.’ Ben paused, scrubbing his hand over his face as he glanced at the restroom door ‘I have been into her for years. I held off because I knew she was your best friend but I couldn’t hold back any longer. She’s amazing and I’m falling hopelessly in love with her Fish. She deserves the world and I intend to give that to her.’
Frankie stood there with his mouth agape. He’d realised at that moment how selfish he’d been. He’d never made you feel appreciated, loved. He’d ignored your pain and now he knew that fact his mind was replayed the moments it had slipped out. He’d been so blind to it but now it was too late. He was too late.
Frankie Morales was in love with you… and he’d lost you to Ben.
When they'd returned to the table, Frankie had remained fairly silent as he desperately tried to quieten the anguish in his heart. He wished he'd never realised what he felt, he wished he'd remained ignorant of it but he knew he didn't really love Lucy. He never had.
~
Your heart raced with a mixture of nerve and excitement as Ben fucked you against the wall of the locker room. You could have been caught at any moment but you'd found yourself begging him for it before he’d lifted you by the back of your thighs and wrapped your legs around his waist, pushing your underwear to the side and slipping his throbbing length into your heat, silencing your moans with his mouth.
‘You gotta be quiet for me baby.’ He whispered, lust blown eyes locked with yours ‘Fuck you’re so beautiful.’ He panted as he rocked his hips, hitting that spot perfectly with each thrust of his strong hips.
‘F-fuck.’ You moaned, biting your bottom lip to stifle the filth that wanted to slip from your lips.
You could feel yourself fast approaching your orgasm and you latched onto his shoulders as your forehead fell against his, eyes remaining fixed on him
‘I love you.’ You whispered, smiling at the grin that swept across his face.
‘Fuck… I love you too baby.’ He replied, increasing his pace as he desperately tried to make you cum before him.
…
Frankie stepped into the locker room but stopped in his tracks when he heard it. Laboured breathing, stifled moans and he peeked around one of the lockers to see Ben fucking you against the wall. Your forehead was resting against his, mouth hanging open, knuckles white as you gripped onto his shoulders.
Then he heard it.
‘I love you.’
‘Fuck… I love you too baby.’
He managed to drag himself away after that, ears just catching your moans as you climaxed and he felt his heart break. Seeing you with him like that being the final nail in the coffin for him.
…
You couldn’t hold back the pleasured sob that escaped your lips as he made you cum, his release following straight behind yours and you kissed his deeply as you clutched onto him tightly, willing your heart to slow.
‘Fuck that was hot,’ Chuckled Ben as he lowered you to your feet ‘Good thing the boys didn’t arrive early.’
‘Would you have stopped?’ You question as you gave him a devilish grin.
‘Not sure I’d be capable of stopping.’ He replied ‘You feel too good.’
‘Mmm good answer.’ You replied as you pulled up your panties and kissed him sweetly ‘Love you.’ You said against his lips ‘Feels good to tell you that.’
‘Feels good to hear it.’ He replied, kissing the tip of your nose.
‘Look who I found making a run for it.’ Stated Will as he emerged from behind the lockers, arm slung around Frankie’s shoulders.
‘Where were you going?’ Asked Ben as he sat on one of the benches in the centre of the room and started to wrap his hands ready for the fight.
‘I uh…’ His eyes locked with yours and you saw something in them that makes your stomach twist Did he see us?
‘I don’t feel well.’ He stated, lifting his cap to adjust his hair underneath.
‘Nothing a beer can't fix.’ Will stated, pulling Frankie towards him and started to head to the ring ‘Meet you guys in there.’
You nod, watching as he led Fish away and then you turned to Ben with a mortified expression.
‘What?’ He asked upon seeing it.
‘I think he saw us.’ You replied plainly, hands shaking as you studied Ben’s reaction.
‘Fuck.’
~
You were dragged away from Ben’s lips by a knock at the door, the younger Miller groaning as you got off of his lap and padded across the room to your front door, taken aback by who you found standing there.
‘Lucy?’
‘Is Frankie here?’ She asked, her tone a little panicked.
You took her in. She looked unwell, a familiar gloss coating her eyes and you knew she was high.
‘No.’ You replied plainly, unable to hide your distaste at the state she was in ‘Why?’
‘We broke up a few weeks ago.’ She started, taking both you and Ben by surprise as he came up behind you ‘We’ve been texting the past few days. He was sad about something, has been sad for a few months now. He was supposed to come by today to grab the last of his things but he never showed. I tried calling but he isn’t answering. I’m worried about him. Thought maybe he’d come here.’
‘Where has he been living since he moved out?’ Ben asked, snaking his arm around your waist and giving you a friendly squeeze.
‘He found a flat.’
‘What's the address?’ He asked, grabbing the sticky notes and pen from your side table and noting it down as Lucy said it ‘Right. We’ll let you know if we hear from him. Go home and wait. He may still turn up. We’ll go check his apartment.’
Lucy nodded, her whole body trembling from a mixture of worry and need for her next fix. You recognised it, seen Frankie go through it and you felt a flicker of sympathy for her. She did really care about him. Ben called her a cab and saw her off before you both jumped into his truck and headed to the address she had given you, leg bouncing nervously as a terrible feeling washed over you. Your stomach dropped when you arrived, his door wide open and you'd both sprinted inside to find him seizing on the floor as someone, you assumed a neighbour, was on the phone to the emergency services beside him.
‘Frankie.’ You screamed as you fell to his side, cradling his face as his body was rocked with convulsions but Ben was glued to the spot in total shock. You felt sick as you watched his face, eyes rolling back as his seizure seemed to intensify and then it seemed to stop as abruptly as it had started and you sobbed as you rested your forehead against his.
‘Hold on please.’ You begged ‘Help’s coming. Just hold on.’ His breathing becoming more and more laboured.
You were pulled away by Ben as Frankie was then swarmed by medics, the neighbour who’d been there when you'd arrived coming to stand at your side.
‘I heard a scream, like none other I’d heard before, and then a crash.’ She started ‘He’s a nice boy. Gave me a spare key after he managed to lock himself out one night shortly after moving in. I let myself in and he was just laying there…. Then he started to fit and I-.’
‘You did really well... Miss?’
‘Roberts.’ She replied.
‘Well, Miss Roberts. We can’t thank you enough.’ Said Benny as he gave her a friendly smile.
‘Please keep me updated.’ She begged ‘Here’s my number.’ She said as she handed him a card ‘I won’t rest easy until I know he’s okay.’
‘We will.’ He replied, noting you following the gurney out the door ‘I promise.’ He shouted over his shoulder as he followed, leaping into the ambulance and sitting at your side.
The next few hours were a blur. Will arrived at the hospital around half an hour after you and Ben had and now the three of your sat waiting patiently for news. Ben held you tightly, stroking your hair as you clutched to him for dear life. Lips moving in silent prayer.
‘What happened?’ Asked Will, looking at his brother.
‘Lucy turned up asking if we’d seen Fish.’ He started, placing a soft kiss on the crown of your head ‘They broke up like a month ago apparently. He’s been living in town. She gave us his address and when we turned up his neighbour was kneeling beside him as he was having a fucking seizure.’
‘Do you think?’
Ben just widened his eyes, not wanting you to know what he thought. He didn’t think it was right for you to hear it from him if his suspicions were right.
‘Who’s here for Mr Morales?’
‘We are.’ Replied Will as the three of you stood.
‘Is he?’
‘He’s alive.’ He started and you all breathed a sigh of relief ‘But he's lucky to be.’
You all looked up at him with concern and waited for him to elaborate.
‘He overdosed on Morphine.’ He stated and your hand flew up to your mouth ‘It looks to be deliberate. He took enough to cause death. He knew what he was doing.’
‘No Frankie wouldn’t do that.’ You sobbed ‘He wouldn’t try and kill himself.’
'Shhhh.' Hushed Ben as he pulled you into him, stroking your hair in an attempt to soothe you.
‘He went into respiratory distress shortly after arriving but we managed to bring him back. He’s resting now and I’m confident that he’s going to recover. However we recommend that he be sectioned, his files show that he suffers from PTSD and that he’s a recovering cocaine addict. We fear he’s a danger to himself.’
‘No.’ Growled Ben ‘We’ll take care of him.’
‘Ben…’ Will scorned.
‘We’re not having him sectioned.’ He spat ‘We���ll take care of him won’t we baby?’
You nodded without hesitation.
You were allowed to see him a little while later and he’d been awake when you'd arrived but the pain in his eyes had made your stomach twist in knots. The way he’d looked at you made you feel sick to the stomach and you’d almost left, unable to bear seeing him like this.
‘Why Frankie?’ You managed to ask after a short period of silence, taking a seat beside his bed and taking his hand in yours.
‘I couldn’t do it anymore.’ He replied, choking on a sob that fell from his lips.
‘Do what?’
‘I realised too late.’
‘Frankie, what are you talking about?’ You pushed, brows furrowed in confusion.
‘I realised too late and now you love him.’
Your stomach dropped and you withdrew your hand.
‘I’m in love with you Arce.’ He declared ‘It hurts knowing you’re with him. That you love him.'
‘What are you saying Francisco?’ You grumbled ‘Are you telling me you tried to kill yourself because I’m with Ben?’
He didn’t say a word but you could read it in the look he was giving you.
‘Arce-.’
‘No, fuck you, Frankie.’ You spat, clutching your stomach as your sobs overthrew you ‘I’ve been in love with you since high school. I've borne the pain of loving someone that didn’t love me back for over a decade. It fucking hurt but never did I tried to take my own life because I couldn’t have you.’ You paused and his mouth dropped ‘Not even when you told me that when you met Lucy you'd found someone you could "be yourself around"... Those words cut me to the bone but I pushed past it and supported you. Ben is wonderful to me. He loves me. Makes me feel like a goddess. So the fact you "realised" you were in love with me after Ben and I got together… Well, that’s just shit Frankie because I love Ben. I’m finally happy after so long. This...’ You point at him and the hospital room around him ‘What you did was fucking selfish. I don’t- I can’t-.’
‘Arca.’
‘I need to leave.’ You sobbed as you got to your feet and sprinted from the room, not even stopping when Ben called your name.
You couldn’t stay here a moment longer. Not after he'd told you, you were the reason he tried to take his own life. He'd gone too far now.
~
Frankie moved in with the Miller brother for a little while after leaving the hospital. You’d avoided him, but you hadn’t told Ben what he’d said in the hospital. He’d tried to call, send several texts but you hadn’t been able to bring yourself to speak to him. He'd destroyed whatever had been left of your friendship the moment he'd swallowed those pills.
‘Fish’s really worried about you baby.’ He said softly, brushing his nose against yours ‘Baby he’s a mess. He's desperate to speak to you.’
‘I can’t.’ You replied.
‘Why the fuck not?’ Growled Ben, head shooting back ‘You two have been friends forever. He almost died baby. He needs his friends.’
‘Ask him why he did it.’ You growled, eyes darkening ‘Ask him why and then you’ll understand why I can’t speak to him.’
So that’s exactly what Ben did and Fish had been honest in answering him, leaving Ben in an impossible position.
‘The fuck you mean you’re in love with her?’ He yelled, instantly regretting raising his voice when Fish flinched ‘Is this why you freaked when you found out?’
‘No… Yes…. Sort of.’ He grumbled as he scraped a hand over his face ‘I didn’t realise until I saw your arm around her that I was… and always had been in love with her.’
Ben collapsed onto the couch, his stomach dropping.
‘She said she’d loved me since high school. I’d been blind to it until she had told me and then it had become so painfully obvious.’ He paused, eyes locking with Bens ‘But I’ve lost her to you now. She loves you.’ He hiccups ‘She deserves to be with a guy like you.’
‘Fish…’
‘Ben please.’ He begged, raising his hand to silence him ‘I know what I did was selfish but I was in a hole so deep I saw no way out. Now I’ve lost her completely.’ He threw his head into his hands and sobbed ‘I’ve fucked everything up so badly.’
From that day Ben made it his mission to repair your broken friendship. He had eventually managed to sit the two of you down, making you the both of you talk and after the two of you finally got the truth out there you were able to start to repair the tattered remains of your relationship the two of you had once treasured so much. You’d offered to let him move in again, something that Ben had actually suggested one evening over dinner. Things had been a little awkward at first, especially on the nights when Ben stayed over but as the days faded into weeks. Weeks into months. You found that you were able to fall back into the routine you'd had before, with Ben being an added extra. You'd blinked and a year had passed, your relationship with the younger Miller getting stronger and stronger. He'd moved in with you soon after the anniversary, something that Frankie appeared to take well but little did you know it was eating him alive under the surface. The selfish part of him had hoped that by the two of you living together again, that he'd have a chance to woo you but you were too in love with Ben. He'd never stood a chance. So as the months went on, Ben became more permanent and as time went on you both talked of the future, of what you both so desperately wanted.
‘I’m going to miss you.’ Ben panted against your lips as he thrust himself deep into your heat, eliciting a gasp of pleasure from you as you arched your back to urge him deeper ‘Fuck I’m going to miss you so much.’
‘I’ll miss you too.’ You whined ‘Fuck… Ben.’ You pleaded as your hands grasped at his toned ass ‘Harder… please.’
He did as you asked, increasing his pace and you moaned loudly before throwing your head back in a silent scream. It didn’t take long for him to make you cum for the third time since you'd started, growling against the shell of your ear as you bit down on his shoulder to muffle your scream.
‘Fuck baby.’ He grunted, thrusting half a dozen more times before filling you with his cum. ‘Pillow.’ He said and you grabbed one for him, raising your hips so he could slide it under.
‘You think it’ll take?’ You asked, smiling at him warmly.
‘God I hope so.’ He said as he placed a kiss on your stomach ‘Can’t wait to see you round with my baby in your belly.’
‘You’re cute.’ You giggled, pulling him into a kiss ‘Do you have to go?’
‘You know I do baby.’ He said softly, kissing you softly ‘But I promise I will be back here as soon as I can. Fish’ll take good care of you whilst I’m gone.’
‘Three weeks is such a long time.’
‘I know but think about it this way… When I come back, we can do a test and hopefully.’ He pauses to kiss you sweetly ‘It will tell us we’re going to have a family.’
‘Well, when you put it that way.’ You grinned ‘Perhaps we should do it at least once more… Just to be sure.‘
‘God yes.’ He growled as he kissed you deeply again, feeling himself growing hard again.
‘I read that doggy is an excellent position for conceiving.’ You stated, looking at him seductively 'Allows for deeper penetration.'
‘God I love you.’ He growled as he flipped you onto your front, kissing up your spine as you got onto your hands and knees.
‘Put a baby in me, Benny.’ You begged, wiggling your ass a little as you grinned at him over your shoulder.
‘Would be my pleasure.’ He purred as he pushed himself into your heat again, groaning in unison with you.
The pace he set this time was mind-numbing, the sound of his hips slapping against you only making you more aroused. His hands gripped your hips tightly as he pounded into you and you felt the coil inside you start to tighten, threatening to snap at any moment.
‘Touch yourself.’ He ordered and you shivered at the pleasure his command brought you and slipped your hand down your body and began to rub the bundle of nerves between your thighs, crying out as he started to hit your sweet spot over and over.
‘Fuck baby I’m close.’ He whined, gripping you tighter as he sped up again.
‘So am I.’ you replied breathlessly.
‘Good.’ He growled, pounding into you mercilessly and then you cum together before collapsing on the bed with him still very much inside of you.
Pulling out of you he arranged the pillow underneath your belly so your hips were raised, hoping gravity would help the process along.
‘God I can’t wait to have a baby with you.’ He panted as he laid down beside you, stroking your cheek affectionately.
You beamed at him, taking his hand in yours as you came down from your high. You prayed his seed would take, that he would return to the best news in the world. You’d both decided to keep it a secret, for now, wanting to surprise them all but little did you know that Frankie now knew. He’d walked past your door just as you’d asked Ben to put a baby in you and his heart had shattered.
He’d never get you now.
~
Part 2
#frankie morales x you#frankie morales fanfiction#francisco morales x you#francisco morales fanfiction#francisco morales#francisco ‘catfish’ Morales#frankie ‘catfish’ morales#triple frontier fanfiction#triple frontier x reader#triple frontier x you#ben miller x reader#ben miller x you#triple frontier#pedro pascal character fanfiction#pedro pascal fanfiction#pedro pascal characters#pedro pascal#fanfiction#frankie morales x reader
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Rabbit iiiiiii
Ending.
Want a chapter two? Let me know!
Draco finds a Hufflepuff attempting to cheat. He torments her, keeps her under his wing becoming possessive , unsure of his feelings. After turning Reader into a Rabbit he realizes how much of an ass he was. But now hes in Azkaban for his crimes.
A/n. Okay. So i asked Multiple people. “What happens in Azkaban?” They all said “you sit in a cell.” And im sitting here like. “I cant write that.” So THIS is what i came up with. I hope its okay :/.
W! Mind games, self injury(scratching), fear of going insane, Draco gets kicked and punched around.
@khemz1312 @goofygobber @rosiehufflepuff @trashyvicks
“Cheers love”
Draco said once you vanished from his sights, he never thought the twins would help you come see him, or anyone for that matter. Of all people, he was not exactly the most loved at Hogwarts. The man looked both ways down the very long hallway not seeing anything except for darkness. At least no one would bother him while he was thinking.
He made his way back to his spot under the window to think about his actions; maybe he went a little overboard with how he handled catching you. But a teacher? That's not as fun. Draco looked down at his hands counting the cuts all over them, he had the most on his palms and around his fingers. He was very roughed up, as soon as he got here the dementors were not very kind to him. Draco blinked his eyes feeling sleepy and slightly cold. He rolled his eyes leaning back on the wall reminiscing the time he turned you into a rabbit.
You were so cute like that; so little, curious, fit right in his pocket. Dracos hands fell to his sides and his eyes started to close. You had gotten used to him when you were a rabbit…
So tired…
When he got out Draco wanted to master the spell to change humans back whenever so he could turn you into a rabbit again. If you let him of course, he laid down on his side, holding himself.
Fading….
His father.. What would he do about that? Obviously he could not take you home . Maybe a flat of his own would be better. And that shop? It made him smirk as his eyes started to close. Cute..
Footsteps could be heard and they were getting closer now. It woke Draco up from his slumber which he was not happy about. The one time he was actually getting some sleep in this place.
“Dinner already?’ he asked, in a condescending tone as he got up to rest his back against the wall. “Is it more than bread today?”
The cell opened and closed after the figure stepped in. Draco scrambled to his feet with wide surprised eyes,“..Father?”
“Not the best cell.. But it suits you.” the man said, dusting the dirt off his clothes.
“What are you doing here? Who let you in?”
“I'm here because I have unpleasant news for you.” he took off his gloves while he spoke.
“..news?” Draco stepped over to his father.
“That girl you turned into a rabbit is dead.”
“..she… shes ……….” Draco went as far as the chain would let him to his father. His ankle was straining against the cold tight cuff link. “H..ho-w…”
“Quiddich”
“What?.. But she doesn't fly! She doesn't have a broom!” the man grabbed his fathers coat shaking it, asking him multiple questions just for Lucious to throw him off and kick him away from him. Draco hit the cold brick wall on his side in the corner. He held his head trying to process this , he was hurting inside and out.
“They needed one more , and you were not there so I suggested...”
Draco glared over at his Father, who looked rather proud of himself. His hands went to his hair white knuckling them. “You…”
“She didn't last long, it was a waste.” Lucious stepped to his son grabbing his chin so he was looking at him. “And to think she would still be alive if you just left her alone”
“Its not my fault!” Draco shoved his father just for him to strike him down into the cell floor. “Get your hands off me boy, remember who your authority is. “
“Shes dead because of you!, shes.. !!! …………………..” Draco felt very cold all of a sudden, looking down he saw that his hand was fading as if it was getting sucked up by something.
“Wait.. Azkaban would never let you come into the cell…” Draco stumbled up, hitting the wall to steady himself. “They wouldn't.. Your not my father! Get out you bloody dementor!!!”
“Draco dont you know your own father?”
“Shut up! I know my father and thats not you!”
“Pity, enjoy your time here.” the figure of Lucious faded and Draco woke up in a very cold sweat. He was still laying down under the window, no one was with him in the cell and his body ached.
“Dementors.. “ slowly he got up moving to the corner to hug his knees. “Do your bloody worst, im Draco ffffffucking Malfoy.”
It won't be the last time the Dementors mess with Draco… they were determined to break him. Throughout the two years he was there you had not come to see him again except that one time the twins helped you. Draco told you now to bother the twins so you didn't. Fred and George did try to cheer you up though as much as they could. They even got a hold of Dracos old robes that they gave to you. It helped but you wanted the real thing. Him.The carrot cravings went away after a couple weeks which was nice. You did not need to carry a bag of the produce with you anymore.
Hufflepuff was still weary of you and Slytherin were still jerks. The Ravenclaws sympathized with you and you found comfort in them when you needed it. You wanted to visit him, see if he was okay. But all you could do was hope and stare out your window at the moon knowing he was looking at the same one ..
Two years later.
“You killed me”
“Shhhuut up….”
“Im dead, because of you.”
“...”
“Do you ever wonder? What could you have done differently? Acted in a more.. Reasonable way?”
“Your not .rrr.-re-al..”
“Not anymore, my time on this earth has ended. Because of you Draco”
Draco ran into the bars punching at them, blood was dripping from them now. The figure of you faded away right as he got to them to reappear in the cell next to him now. “Your not real..” he said again.
“Treated me like an animal, toyed with me..-” he swung at the dementor watching it fade away then reappear. “I was just a hufflepuff, an innocent girl.” Draco shook his head but the thoughts just got louder and louder.
“Dead”
“Dead”
“Gone”
“Killed”
“Stay here”
“...with me, let's be together” you held out a rotted hand to the shaking man. “Be like me”
Draco had been tormented by these dementors at least 3 times a week ever since his ‘father’ had come to see him. Day in and day out for at least 6 hours a day a dementor came to him as you to try to get Draco to crack.
The first time he almost fell for it, but he quickly realized it was not you. You were not a crying mess trying to touch him and you could not float….
But still seeing your figure hurt him, your body was made to look dead to cause even more damage to the man which it did. All he could do was endure and think about you, the real you. It was all he had to hold on to. He told himself when he spent his first night here that he would be okay, he would make it out fine.
But now hes crying on the floor at least twice a week with new bruises, cuts, and a giant headache. He fully knew how awful he was to you now, he had to apologize properly. That motivated him to fight, along with keeping you safe from his father. He would get out, he would be okay.
“...b-b-b-e like you?”
“Yes Draco, like me. Lets be together, lets get out of here.”
“Get .. out..”
“Yes , lets get-”
“No, you get out. Get out of my cell, get out of my head just GET OUT!, ill never go with you! Your not real and your NOT HER!” he stepped back, tripping over his feet and grabbing the cell bars to steady himself. His clothes by now were tattered and his dirty dark blond hair was in a pony tail. The cuts on his face turned to scars and his nails were bloody from him scratching at his itchy skin . Everytime he swung at the dementor it would fade out leaving traces of itself on the man making him freak out and scratch at his own skin till they turned purple.
The dementor faded through the bars down the hallway and Draco sunk down to his knees scratching at his arms trying to free himself of the lingering black smoke.
“Rabbit… “ Draco choked in a big breath glancing over at the small window to see the moon shining in on him. “Ill get out.. Ill be okay. We will be okay……………………….”
A few days later a man had come to Dracos cell. He unlocked the old door letting it swing open. The man stepped to the side gesturing to the hallway and Draco looked up from his hand to see Snape looking in at him.
“Hurry up, its filthy in here.”
“How is she….”
“Why don't you see for yourself? Do i look like a owl?”
“More like an over dramatic snake.” Draco slowly got up limping to his old professor who helped steady him.
“Im glad your okay, Malfoy.”
Draco rolled his shoulders and cracked his very purple bloody knuckles. “Of course i am”
Meanwhile, those two years you had graduated and opened up your own shop with the help of Fred and George. They pulled some strings and found an empty building you could sell potions in. it was a small building but you liked it.
The Wet Nose it was called. With little bunny decorations all over the inside and on the sign, the sign was your favorite. It had a little bunny looking over the sign with its ears down. You tried to make it apparent you were here so Draco could find you.. All you could do was wait now..
Draco had left Azkaban with Snape , showered, eaten , and dressed in real clothes. He was in clean black pants with a matching suit top with awhite shirt underneath and black shoes. His face was still heavily scared and his knuckles were starting to slowly heal. The scratches on his arms would not heal though. They would stay that way for a really long time. He worried if you would still want him like this. He also kept his hair long , just past his neck he liked it. Draco was not completely free of the dementors, he could still hear them in his head from time to time. Whispering things for him to come back and what not. He always had to shake his head and they would go away for the time being.
Snape had dropped him off at Diagon Alley as he requested. Before he left he got out of the car to give Draco one final word.
“Malfoy”
“What? Which way am i going?”
The man rolled his eyes and pulled Draco in for a one arm hug, even though draco loathed this. The poor man fought and cursed, slipping free of this unwanted affection.
“The bloody hell was that?”
“Go down this way, on the left.”
“Fantastic but what was-” he slapped him on the head.
“Oww!!! What gives?”
“Thats, for barging into my classroom.” and with that he left.
“Barging into my classroom” mocked the man fixing his hair.
Draco wasted no time getting to your shop. He found it easily and just stared at the sign. He was scared. Terrified, would you still want him… you said you would wait for him.. But.. the way he looks. He shook his head, making the dementors stop. “No. she will, she waited all this time. She will.”
Ring ring!! The bell on the door went off once Draco opened the door. The first thing that got his attention was the many smells coming from all over the room. All the windows were open with plants sitting in them . He had to make his way to the back where the register was, passing all types of potions a variety of colors. When he finally went to it he saw a little brown rabbit sitting on the counter wiggling its nose. The rabbit tilted its head at Draco and the man did the same.
“Biscuit? Is someone here? And you didn't ring them up you silly animal” you joked coming from the back room up to the counter.
You looked up from the rabbit to see Draco standing there, his smile slumped and he had his mouth half open. He was in awe. It was really you. The real you. Quickly he fixed himself and his smile went all the way up his face, the man stepped closer with a happy, relieved tone.
“Hey, Rabbit”
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Start Again - Chapter Two (Din Djarin x Reader)
SUMMARY: You try and find your way off Puvo and get way more than you bargain for.
CHAPTER WARNINGS: None this time around.
Author’s Note: This chapter sits at about 2.8k words, hope you enjoy it! Feel free to reblog :)
CHAPTER TWO - THE JOURNEY
The credits weigh heavy in your pocket. The communicator clipped to your belt swings back and forth as you tread through the dense forest. You laugh at the thought of snatching the communicator from the belt of the pilot. He hadn’t even noticed, too enamored talking about himself. It was the first successful step in your journey.
Valara had been truthful in her word. She offered a distraction and excuse to her grandmother for your absence. But she also relied on your promise that you would check in the moment you left Puvo’s atmosphere. How you managed to do that went unspoken, but this was the first step to figuring out your past as far as you were concerned.
The step into the water reminds you of your destination. The tiny watering hole seems almost lifeless and you doubt yourself and the possibility of escape. What if the watering hole was abandoned, long before you even arrived on Puvo? The map you had managed to look at was older than you, so it was possible it depicted outdated information.
Approaching with cautious steps, you round the pond and venture toward the building. It’s small, the map made it seem larger, but it couldn’t have been bigger than Valara’s hut. Looking around, the flatness of nearby vegetation clues you in that a ship had landed here recently. When the next one would come, you weren’t sure, but you needed to remain hopeful.
Pushing on the door, it creaked and announced your presence. A Twi’lek bartender looked at you, eyeing the communicator on your belt. The other patron, a human, simply stared before returning to nurse their drink.
“You lost, traveler?” the Twi-lek bartender asks, pushing a glass of water toward you. You sat at the edge of the bar and looked around. You certainly felt lost. The watering hole was quickly becoming a disappointment.
“No,” you murmur, taking the glass and bringing it to your lips. “I’m actually looking for other travelers, hoping to hitch a ride.”
A scoff. “Good luck finding any travelers here. Last one I saw left a good week or so ago. Puvo hasn’t been traveling point in the galaxy ever since the Empire fell, no reason for anyone to stop here.”
You watch as the bartender wipes down the counter, then a glass, before wiping down the counter again. The routine repeats and the bartender repeats it out of boredom.
“You need a ride somewhere?” the human next to you asks. You turn to look at them, watching as they throwback the drink in front of them. Internally, you cringe. Perhaps someone sober would be more ideal, but this might be your only chance.
“Do you have a ship?” you ask. There hadn’t been any outside when you first came in. Maybe you missed it?
“Ha!” The bartender laughs. You sit back in shock at the sudden outburst. “Dinek having a ship? In his dreams, he lost that ship ages ago in some bet. Now he’s stuck here as my only loyal customer.”
“Oh,” is all you manage to get out. Valara may have been right. You weren’t fit to leave Puvo and here you were, being denied.
“I’ve got a ship,” a voice says behind you. You’re startled but turn to the source anyways, praying that the bartender won’t deny this person.
Out of the corner of the room, another human appears. You hadn’t seen him, but maybe him sitting in the dark acting all brooding and mysterious hadn’t exactly caught your eye. You look at him, eyes narrowing as you search him. He seems to be doing the same, but his face relaxes, and his hand reaches out in a gesture to greet you.
“Kam,” he introduces, smiling. You take his hand, and he shakes it gently before it returns to his side. “Hannser.”
“You’re a pilot?” you ask, after introducing yourself.
“Well, sort of, I inherited a ship from my parents. It’s not much really, but I’ve been learning to fly with it.” Kam replies.
Another internal cringe. You’re limited to two options. Wait to see what other options arrive, if any? Or fly with an inexperienced pilot with a possible junk ship?
“Where do you want to go?” Kam asks, breaking you out of your thoughts. You haven’t even given him an answer yet on whether you want to fly with him. Your other options were severely lacking, however.
“Anywhere. I just need to get of Puvo,” you say. Kam seems to accept your answer before he eyes the communicator on your belt. “My friend wants to make sure I get off the planet safely.” You say, showing him the communicator and its lack of tracking capabilities.
“Relax,” Kam laughs, shaking his head, “come on, the ships just outside in the tree line.” He walks over to his corner, grabbing a bag and swinging it over his shoulder.
You look back at the bartender, who seems to trust Kam’s word. The glass you had been previously drinking from is now wiped down and the counter has a fresh swipe from the cloth. Back to his routine, you thought.
Kam leads you through the doorway, even holding the door open for you as you pass through the threshold. He seems kind, but if Valara had taught you anything, you still needed to be mindful of people’s kindness.
The ship you see at the end of the trees is both as expected and unexpected. It’s clearly been through years of use, the paint chipped and worn. The engine cowlings showed signs of recent maintenance, which is promising. Approaching the ship, a walkway emerged to the ship’s deck. There were two sets of controls as you sat down in one of the seats, Kam sitting next to you.
Pressing a button, the ship choked a second before the engines turned over and hummed to life. Kam smiled at you, seeming to sense your nerves as the ship rose off the surface of Puvo.
“The hyperdrive is a bit wonky as of late, so I apologize for the rough ride. I heard there are jobs on Tatooine of all places, so that’s where we’re headed, that okay with you?”
Tatooine. Nothing but desert. That was certainly a change from the grassland of Puvo.
You shouted in shock as the ship leaped into hyperspace.
Somehow, you managed to land on Tatooine without dying. Venturing off the ramp of Kam’s ship, you looked back at him as he pressed a switch and the ramp rose behind you. You offered to pay the hanger fees, in exchange for him flying you off Puvo. He agreed to the deal and you knew that this would most likely be where your paths would diverge. Kam needed work and you needed a start on figuring out your past.
The bustling town of Mos Eisley lies just ahead of you both.
You stuck close to Kam, having never been to another planet before. At least, that you could remember. The pilot didn’t seem to mind as you shuffled the busy streets together.
“Ever since Fett took over what remained of the Hutt regime, Tatooine has turned itself around,” Kam informs you. His words seem true. Valara had told you that Tatooine was a dangerous planet, filled with creatures who only sought out money and pain. Yet the sight you were seeing currently was the opposite.
It was an experience you had never been through. Several voices were shouting, shopkeepers eager to sell their products. Beggars reaching out to the few who would enlighten them. Children ran between the crowds of people, laughing and shouting. Kam turned to look at you to make sure you were still following him.
It was then you got a good look at the pilot. Fair skin and brown hair curled tight against his scalp. His blue eyes were youthful and full of life, but there was a kindness in them as well. Deep down, you’re glad you chose to fly with him rather than wait. He was much younger than you, give or take a couple of years. Thinking on it, he probably wasn’t much older than the son you had seen in your nightmares.
The cantina was loud and vibrating with life. When you entered just behind Kam, you took a quick look at your surroundings. This time, the creature manning the bar was a droid. It didn’t have the same routine as the bartender back on Puvo. It took orders and cleaned without so much as a chirp.
“I’m going to go find some work. May the force be with you,” Kam says, giving a half-hearted salute as a means of goodbye. You watch as he turns and disappears into the crowd.
“And with you,” you mumble out. You doubt he heard you.
A patron is heckling the droid, probably trying to get answers but the droid’s basic programming only allows brief conversation. Nothing of importance will come from it. Still, you need time to think of a plan. You sit at the bar and wait for your turn, but the droid is still occupied by the patron holding it hostage.
You look around again, trying to find Kam in the crowd of people. You spot him in the corner, chatting up a Twi’lek and you laugh slightly. It’s none of your business, but that didn’t look like work.
“To drink, ma’am?” The droid finally asks, stealing your attention away.
“Um, water, if you have any,” you say. The droid doesn’t display emotions and yet you can feel its confusion on your simple order. This is a cantina, after all, people come here to drink their sorrows away.
The glass is pushed towards you and you take it, lifting it to your lips. You pause, just as everyone else does when the cantina grows quiet. Patrons stare at the doorway and you turn to look with them.
A Mandalorian.
He ignores the attention and walks to the bar, leaning against it just a few feet away from you. The droid turns its attention to the Mandalorian.
“I’m in need of work, any jobs available?” he asks. The volume in the cantina returned to the previous levels, but your attention remained.
“I’m afraid not,” The droid replies, cleaning a glass. “The Guild is gone. There may be shipment work down at the shipyards.”
The Mandalorian seemed agitated by the droid’s answer. Maybe this was your chance. You had the funds, if he had a ship, he could take you anywhere you needed to go. Especially if those places had answers to your past.
“How much do these shipments pay?” The Mandalorian asks.
“I’m unsure. The payments range on the volume of shipments and weight. However, I haven’t heard anyone jovial about their rate of pay when completing such a job. You’re better off trying to find what remains of the Guild, bounty hunter.” The droid replies.
The Mandalorian lowers his helmet and what sounds like a frustrated sigh breaks through his helmet’s vocoder. Someone like him is better off as a bounty hunter anyways, you couldn’t imagine the talk if someone received their shipment from a Mandalorian.
“I can give you work,” you offer. The Mandalorian looks at you, his T-visor piercing into you.
“I’m not a taxi service.” He laments, standing up. You look at him, studying him. There’s a long spear strapped across his back. The hilt of a weapon swings back and forth on his hip. A closer look and the memory of a saber igniting fills your senses. You take a deep breath.
“I have credits. A lot of them,” you reach into your pocket, fishing out your bag of credits. He takes the offering and peers into the pouch, probably counting the amount.
“Where do you need to go?” He asks. Yes, he’ll take the deal, you think.
“I need to find my son,” you say. “I don’t know where he is. But I’ve heard stories about your people. I think you could help me find him. All I have are these broken memories of who I was before the Empire. Finding him could mean finding out who I am.”
The Mandalorian’s mood seems to change. In fact, he had gone stiff at the mention of your son. He tossed the pouch of credits back to you before a sigh broke through the vocoder.
“Keep the credits. I’ll find other methods of payment,” he says. “I’m at the hanger furthest from here, probably next to the ship you arrived on.” He gestures to where Kam is sitting.
Oh, he’s good, you think. You nod and pocket the pouch of credits. He pushes off the bar, turning to leave the cantina. He’s not expecting you to follow right away, but he knows that you will.
Readjusting your bag over your shoulder, you take one last look at Kam. He seems to be enjoying the company of the Twi’lek on his arm. Turning to the droid, you reach into the pouch and pull out a couple of credits.
“For the pilot, in the corner over there, please,” You say to it. It reaches out and grasps the credits before a hatch opens and it places the credits in there.
“You have my word.” The droid states, turning to serve another customer.
The Mandalorian is waiting for you outside. His armor glints in the setting suns as he pushes off the wall of the cantina. There he begins the walk toward the hanger with you following just behind him.
“I’m sorry to hear about your son,” He says. The alleyway has grown quiet, the bustling life of Mos Eisley getting further behind the two of you.
“I don’t remember him much actually,” you say, trying to comfort yourself. “Where did you get that saber?”
He looks down at the weapon attached to his hip. He removes it from his belt, holding it in the palm of his hand. He looks uncomfortable. The stories that Valara told you spoke of warriors who wielded the sabers as if it were another limb. The Mandalorian, however, holds it as if it burns.
“It’s complicated,” he says. “A story for another time.”
You nod at that, stopping as he approaches the ship. It’s larger than Kam’s and newer. A post-Empire ship, you think.
“Back so soon, Mando?” A woman shouts. She’s on the shorter size, easily dwarfed by the Mandalorian’s size. Her curly brown hair frames her aged face, and she stands surrounded by her platoon of little maintenance droids.
“I found work, Peli,” The Mandalorian says, gesturing to you. Peli’s eyes meet yours and in the darkness of the setting suns, you can see them narrow as she studies you.
“Another stray?” Peli starts, but she pauses in her words. Sighing she looks at the Mandalorian and then at you again. “The Idrionna is all set as far as repairs go. Take care of it will ya? Don’t need to have another Razor Crest incident.” Peli mumbles, turning away from you and walking further into the hanger without so much as another word.
“Peli Motto,” the Mandalorian supplies. You nod and walk toward his ship, Idrionna. “I paid Peli for the night, so if you don’t mind, we can leave tomorrow at dawn.”
Tomorrow at dawn. You’ll need to get a message out to Valara about your whereabouts, to let her know you’re safe. She’s probably already freaking out, you think. You had promised to send her a transmission went you had left Puvo’s atmosphere. Yet here you were on a completely different planet and planning on leaving again tomorrow.
The cargo hold of the ship is small but still sizeable. It probably works for the Mandalorian, who travels alone. There’s a hallway that goes further into the ship, but you’re unsure of what exactly it leads to. A closet, maybe weapons storage?
“There’s a cot here,” the Mandalorian offers. It works almost like a bunk, embedded in the wall. You stare at the sad state of the cot, it doesn’t look as comfortable as the one back on Puvo, but it will have to do. The mattress is small, the blankets look worn. “I’ll be on the ship’s deck all night if you need me. Just,” he pauses, “give me a heads up if you do.”
“Thank you,” you say to him. You offer him your name, realizing that you hadn’t even told him back at the cantina. “What can I call you?”
“Mando is fine,” is all he says. In the darkness of the ship, you hear his boots ping off the ladder. He’s gone up to the flight deck for the night.
You sit on the cot and contemplate the choices you’ve made in the past day or so. You’re hoping the sleep will come easier tonight. If you were to get nightmares, you hoped that they gave you more answers than questions this time around.
Read Chapter Three - The Reminder here!
#the mandalorian#the mandalorian x reader#the mandalorian x you#din djarin x you#din djarin x reader#din djarin#start again#the mandalorian spoilers
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Do you have any headcanons for main 6 set in modern times? What kind of job would they have, what music would they like or whatever else? I love your headcanons, they're always so detailed and on point 💖
I really loved doing this, only reason it took so long is because I definitely over thought a lot of this. Thank you for the ask! I hope you enjoy the headcanons, I definitely want to do more of this! SO when I have the time I definitely will and I actually have a rough plan of what the story and the background for the six and MC’s would be.
The “Event” mentioned references the plague but when and if I get to it that will all be explained.
REQUESTS ARE CLOSED but here is my Masterlist in the meantime!
Asra
You’ll usually find Asra in one of two places, the shop or the local cafe/bakery, living the slow city life.
Asra loves to people watch and more importantly he loves photography, he’s always taking pictures, a lot of them are of MC.
His bedroom wall is plastered with his photography and he sells a lot of them as a side gig on etsy.
He has a great blog too.
But his main focus is the shop, tucked away on a quiet corner street it feels faintly magical. Asra does tarot, sells candles, crystals and other trinkets, as well as herbal remedies that Julian admits work quite well.
In this AU Asra grew up in foster care, so when he finally found his home in the shop he never thought about living anywhere else.
It’s stayed that way for years, sharing a two bedroom flat above the shop with MC, its cluttered at times, filled with secondhand belongings but Asra loves having his own space and own things.
And he so loves taking his little holidays out of the city, bringing back more trinkets that bring good luck and fortune.
Asra always wears sneakers or trainers on his feet, mainly because all he does is walk in the city.
Although he does have a painted van for the shop deliveries; he and MC spent a week painting a swirling pattern on its sides.
His wardrobe is all tees with faded logos and cotton pants but on the rare occasion he decides to dress up Asra has an impossibly colourful blouse and faded jeans he loves to wear.
And there are so many hats! Vesuvia is sunny but he has more hats than he needs, although it's nice to have one for any occasion.
Also has crocs, they are an abomination of pink.
Asra’s phone of choice is an old samsung, he keeps meaning to update it but he’s a bit scared the photos on it will get lost.
Asra and technology don’t always mix well, for some reason...
Even in this universe Asra wouldn’t be Asra if he didn’t have Faust, a mischievous lavender python who always seems to escape her vivarium and ends up in Asra’s camera bag.
When Asra picked her out at the pets store he was told he was the only person she had ever not bitten or squeezed. Asra believes in fate, so he took her back home with him and the two are inseparable.
Asra oh so loves music, and just about any kind of tune can be found on his mp3 however he soon found his favourite to be the chillhop tunes the cafe played everyday. They really relax him.
The biggest Disney fan when he was younger, Asra then slowly decided Dreamworks were better but his favourite movies are those from Studio Ghibli. Asra simply adores the art, the music and the stories.
As mentioned Asra loves photography but he also quickly discovered watercolour paint and he doesn’t claim to be good at it but he does love making little pieces of art for birthdays and Christmas.
Speaking of which Christmas is his favourite holiday.
Asra also dabbles in growing orchids, he's too successful and there are so many he and MC don’t know what to do with them!
Asra’s favourite hobby aside from photography is rollerblading. He’s pretty good at it, cruising through the streets and along the dockside of the city (he definitely dragged MC into trying it out).
Asra never really thought he’d be one to get a tattoo but after getting Faust he changed his mind, since then he has a gorgeous complicated tattoo of the little snake on his shoulder blade.
It was only after “The Event” that Asra got another one; MC’s favourite flower on his hip bone.
Nadia
Nadia Santrivia, she’s beautiful, generous and married one of the richest men in the city, for the most part she’s alright with that.
Although Nadia hasn’t always lived in Vesuvia she’s tuned into the city around her so well, she’s in her element and thriving.
Work doesn’t end, if there was ever a beginning to start with. It's one thing after another; approving designs, attending fancy dinners, opening a charity fundraiser. Life is busy for the CEO of Vesuvia Industries.
Nadia’s happy to run Lucio’s business, because she knows she can do good with it but she can get lonely. Thankfully she has several friends who she can rely on to cheer her on...
The most important thing is that she can be herself, her own person, being last in line for her parent’s business and overshadowed by several sisters Nadia needed an escape.
Vesuvia provided the opportunity.
Nadia’s apartment is sat above the clouds in the skyscraper of Vesuvia Industries, much the same as the other universe home and work go hand in hand when it comes to Nadia.
She’s not materialistic, her apartment is clean and open and perfect for yoga and other purposes that require open space. It's very new and high tech, the coffee machine is her favourite thing though.
The views of the sunrise over the bay are gorgeous.
Ashamed to admit she has tons of shoes.
It’s usually required of Nadia to have the suits and dresses befitting a woman of her status, so when the sun goes down or she has a day off Nadia looks like an entirely different person.
She’s no less stylish, but her airy blouse’s, ripped denim jeans, subtle leather jacket and ankle boots give her a whole different persona, and man does it make her look good on her motorcycle.
Yes a motorcycle, Nadia owns one. It comes out of her garage only once a month but when it does she turns heads.
The rest of the time Naida is pretty eco-friendly with an electric car the business made just for her in a deep shade of purple.
As the CEO of the company Nadia is expected to have the latest iPhone model, her phone is always ringing and if she weren’t so patient she’d probably hurl it off the skyscraper roof.
Nadia always wanted a pet but she could never figure out what kind, and one dropped into her lap literally. Turns out she’s an owl person, although Nadia would never consider Chandra a pet more a companion.
A skyscraper is no place for a semi-wild owl but Nadia is happy enough to make the trip to the stables outside of Vesuvia to see Chandra and give her toys. Such a change from the small owlet Nadia raised.
When it comes to music Nadia is very picky, she spent her childhood listening to her sister’s choice of music and certain songs just put her in a bad mood, except for jazz.
That music preference surprised her but as soon as she discovered Lucio didn’t like it she was hooked. She thought about learning the saxophone (not to annoy Lucio or anything, no definitely not...)
Nadia’s not a big movie watcher, although she is a big fan of disaster movies when the mood strikes (it's nice to think about more chaotic things happening than signing a stack of papers), mainly she only has time to watch tv shows.
Her favourite is the Walking Dead but MC has caught her watching ‘how its made’ shows too. Of course being an avid inventor Nadia would be enthralled by seeing how her car or coffee machine is put together.
Speaking of inventing, although Nadia always wanted to make it her job she’s only ever gotten to approve the inventions her company makes.
It's not entirely what she wanted but thankfully she has just enough time to squeeze in working on her little projects. Ones she hopes will help others one day.
Nadia’s found it super important in the big city to keep herself safe, between her hobbies of yoga, kung fu and fencing she’s a pretty formidable opponent. It’s saved her life more than she’ll ever admit.
Her other hobbies, to list a few are horse riding, polo, piano, swimming, wine tasting, and playing those arcade grabber machines (she has about 50 teddy bears and MC has about the same amount). Most of those hobbies began in her childhood.
Nadia likes to pretend she is above getting a tattoo but anyone who knows her well enough will reveal she has a owl shadow tattoo on her inner heel.
Julian
Poor Julian is the definition of a struggling city batchelor, and he certainly wouldn’t have it any other way.
Still the most well traveled of the group Julian spent his formative years abroad in the army as a field medic (where he met Lucio), now though he’s a lean mean crime fighting machine!
Well he’s a forensics doctor for the Vesuvia PD, but it still counts as being a crime fighter! He’s never really lost that dramatic flair that's for sure.
He’s been a bit of everything; medic and doctor, waiter, translator, actor, sailor, troublemaker and a fugitive (but that’s a story for another day).
But Vesuvia truly is his real home, a place he’s always come back to and where he’s made friends and family, enemies, lovers, and memories.
Sure he lives in the ‘bad part’ of town as Asra calls it, but Julian feels at home enough that it doesn’t bother him, that and he’s got Mazelinka to handle the riff raff.
The two of them share a two-storey house that sits next to his favourite bar, a bit too convenient for Maz’s liking. Despite that the place is cozy and old, all wood flooring and furniture that's been around longer than Julian’s lifetime, it’s filled with the scent of cooking and coffee and other than the box tv and Julian’s phone there's almost no modern technology.
Julian’s room has faded photos of his friends, and postcards from places he’s been too and a few posters of his favourite plays, as well as rough sketches tacked to the corkboard his desk is littered with papers and he even has an old school microscope.
In the mess of his room only Julian can find the thing that he’s looking for, he calls it an ‘organized mess’ when in reality it’s really just a mess.
Unfortunately this extends to his clothing choices too, Julian is terrible at laundry so there is no end to the stains on his mellow patterned tees and jeans, the only smart thing about his wardrobe are his boots and oxfords.
Quite true to form his black trench coat is a constant companion. He usually dresses like he’s in a black and white movie or like a scruffy doctor when he’s in his lab coat.
Still has an eye patch, his depth perception when crossing roads is not great... there are a lot of hospital bills.
Also the reason he doesn’t drive unless he can help it, Julian doesn’t own a car but he’s prone to borrowing one if he needs it (usually from Asra).
Julian is very much the guy on the subway who falls asleep on your shoulder because it's the only place his mind isn’t working overtime.
MC thinks it’s very cute.
Julian’s not really too fussed about his phone of choice, Samsung, Apple, so long as he can make calls and do google searches on symptoms of a flu he’s good. No matter how hard he tries his screen is always cracked.
People often point out the raven following Julian around, he’s not too sure if its the same one but Julian knows its his own fault feeding the scrawny thing when it landed on his window pane. Now it won’t leave him alone, Julian took to calling it Malak and he’s quite fond of the bird even if it likes to cackle for food outside his window at an ungodly hour in the morning.
Maz has threatened to cook Malak on more than one occasion.
Music is one of the few things that helps Julian focus, he’s not usually super into any particular artist or album but his main love is music from musicals and movie soundtracks, if he’s able to do so he’ll sing along.
Lead forensic doctor Valdemar finds it highly unprofessional when they are conducting autopsies.
Almost has no time to watch movies or tv but if you strapped Julian to a chair and put on Brooklyn 99 or any kind of superhero movie he might enjoy it just a little bit...
Honestly though those things are just background noise for him, Julian will put on the tv to keep himself occupied while he’s doing reports. But he loves comedy movies and shows, they might tear him away from his laptop just long enough that he gets a few good laughs.
However if Mazlinka gets the old camcorder out he’s all over watching old home videos of him and Portia and his old hound dog, he’s just so nostalgic sometimes.
Thinks learning counts as a hobby, Julian habitually grabs any book he can to read through so youtube is a miracle in his eyes. Free content, that he can listen to and learn from as well as visually see? Yes please.
Julian learned to play the fiddle when he was younger, for a time as a teen he even went street performing to earn money for Portia’s obsession with bracelet making. He doesn’t play it much anymore but he’ll give MC a tune anyday.
He’s also very invested in cocktail mixing, only thing he mixes is Salty Bitters, he’ll argue any day that the Salty Bitter counts as a cocktail.
Also very invested in his self sustaining bio-tank at work, the other officers are growing concerned about the leeches Julian likes to keep in it. They’re planning an intervention.
The only tattoo Julian had was one forcibly given during “The Event”, his ‘murderers mark’ on his hand. He’s really ashamed of it because it reminds him of the part he had in the disaster that befell Vesuvia.
Muriel
He definitely suits the other universe more, it's even harder to get away from people in this modern world.
But the start remains the same, he was lost and his only friend was Asra for a long time, until Lucio came along and tricked him into doing unspeakable things as a ‘bodyguard’ until he escaped.
People are unavoidable and Muriel keeps to himself during his job as a keeper for a local animal sanctuary, raising and re-releasing wildlife with other volunteers, he practically runs the place.
But the volunteers know not to bother him especially when he goes back to his house on the hill, to take care of his chickens before he vanishes like usual into his house.
No one knows much about him, and he prefers it like that.
Muriel’s home is simple and honestly built for one, there’s only one chair, only one pillow on the bed, only one set of cutlery, only one of everything. It leaks on occasion and always needs fixing, he’ll forgo sleep to fix things.
Who needs more than four hours of sleep anyway?
A lot of Muriel’s belongings are from garage sales, or picked up off the side of the road, not a lot of money goes toward his comfort Muriel prefers that the animals in the sanctuary have comfortable beds and good food.
Muriel’s clothes? He wears them till they die, an usually when he picks them up from a garage sale they’re already pretty close.
For that reason Muriel doesn’t have a specific choice of clothing, he owns jumpers, tees, denim jackets, flannels and whatever jeans and pants fit. He has one pair of khaki coloured boots that are surprisingly well maintained and usually wears a beanie or cattleman hat to hide his face.
Old pick up, old pick up, old pick up! Owns an old pick up truck he fixed up, it breaks down regularly and only plays radio but Inanna enjoys riding in the back. Muriel likes driving a lot on those country roads.
All that’s to be said about Muriel and his phone is this; he owns a nokia and has no intention of getting a smartphone. Ever.
His hands are a bit big for it though, he’s called MC and Julian accidently so many times... and he only usually text’s, so that's awkward.
Inanna is Muriel’s constant companion, and when they’re in the city man do the two of them turn heads. Inanna is a wolfdog in this universe and she definitely looks more wolf than dog.
But she really is a big sweetheart, Muriel raised her from a puppy after she was rejected and placed in a shelter, he knew a wolf dog would need some special attention to grow into a perfect companion rather than a dangerous animal.
Anyone can look at Muriel and instantly think he’s one of those people who would play country music, for the most part that’s true. He does play the guitar and can sing okay, he does like country but his real love of music comes from indie artists.
He can’t really explain it but the music gives him a sense of carelessness and hope he’s never known.
Doesn’t really watch tv or movies, Muriel is almost always too busy for that but he’s found it the strangest thing, Inanna likes watching tv...
After that he got drawn in by the documentaries about animals, he didn’t really realize that people did shows about the habitats and behaviours of animals but he finds himself entranced by it when he passes by.
He soon relented and sits on the floor with his arm draped over Inanna as they watch documentaries about wolves in Alaska.
With the amount of animals Muriel raises anyone would call it a job, Muriel however would argue it's a hobby for him. Sure waking up every hour in the night to feed raccoon babies isn’t ideal but it's never been anything short of joyous to watch them go back to the wild.
Muriel's other hobby centres around his guitar and learning songs to play to himself and maybe a certain person *cough* MC *cough*.
He’s also an avid baker, none of his meals are ready made. Leading on from that he forages for mushrooms, and herbs rather than buys them.
Muriel doesn’t have a tattoo, only his scars.
He thought about getting some but he doesn’t trust someone to touch him that way and also he’s not a big fan of needles.
Probably a good thing otherwise Inanna and all his chickens names would be on his arm.
Portia
Absolutely suits the modern life in this universe, Portia somehow finds the time to do everything, the bustling worker or the relaxed dreamer.
She’s almost everywhere in the city, doing everything at once; working at Vesuvia Industries, grabbing the sweetest iced tea at the cafe, exploring the corruption of downtown streets.
Portia is obsessed with knowing every inch of the city, and what goes on inside it because it's a very strange city with a stranger history.
Portia is a great and helpful assistant to Nadia, but she’s also hiding a lot including her identity as Pasha Devorak the reporter for Vesuvian Times.
She has as many curious secrets as the city.
Portia previously lived in a small studio flat however since working for Nadia she has been lucky enough to afford to rent out a small cottage outside the city. She loves it so much and other than being in an AU not much has changed between the two cottages.
It’s shielded by so many grand trees and a vivacious garden that it feels like her own little world, the inside of the cottage is filled with hand knitted blankets, painted glass figurines and the warm smell of baked goods.
Sometimes its a bigger place than Portia can manage by herself but she likes taking to fixing things as they come along, she definitely is a fan of the saying “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!”
Her clothing choices are just so cute and by no means is she afraid of showing off her cottage core style; jumpers, skirts, vest tops, crop tops and patterned blouses look really good on her. Of course the garden requires the heavy duty stuff, sweatpants, a tattered tee and the old hoodie that refuses to die.
She’s not to much into heels even though she’s short, Portia prefers pumps and loafers because “comfort over beauty!” (although she would be pretty cute with or without).
Nadia finds Portia’s headstrong and optimism very amusing and definitely takes a few life lessons from Portia.
Who needs to drive? Portia doesn’t, she loves taking the bus or the train wherever she goes. That way she can bop her head to her tunes while watching the landscape go by, in a beautiful intricate place like Vesuvia it's important to take it all in.
That and everyone can agree that Portia behind the wheel of a vehicle is a disaster, she just gets so distracted.
Nadia has offered Portia a new phone many times but Portia is plenty happy enough with her older gen 6 iphone (because if she got a new one she’d have to get wireless headphones!) Also she’d feel bad for Siri.
Unfortunately Pepi the cat came from terrible circumstances, certain circumstances where Portia jumped of a bridge after witnessing someone chuck a mewling bag into the river.
But Portia is so thankful for her amazing kitten, the two of them protect each other. Though Pepi’s idea of protecting Portia is making sure the birds don’t feed from the feeder outside and meowing at the fridge when it’s too loud.
Portia’s music taste is disarming to those who don’t know her well, she is a huge fan of rock, any rock music just so long as it’s good and a classic (ACDC, Queen, etc...) she likes to think she is a connoisseur of rock.
Julian can not put into words how much he abhorred it when his little sister would blast that music to drown out his.
Portia will either watch every movie or show when it comes out or will binge watch a show or movie after forgetting it existed. There is no inbetween, but she loves media, consumes it even.
Detective shows and spy movies are her favourite but she’ll enjoy just about anything unless it's a musical she was forced to watch one too many times because of Julian.
Portia has so many hobbies, one would say too many but she digresses.
Of course gardening is at the top of her list, moreso because the garden always needs doing but she gets a great sense of pride growing her own food and Pepi loves chasing the spiders that hide in the strawberries.
Portia is also a very avid blogger, there is a lot of conspiracy theories on there but with a following of half the city it seems pretty popular.
In her downtime Portia is loves to relax with her favourite soft drink and beat V3suviaC0unt#1 ass on her games console, she finds the shrieking of her enemy to be great fun.Portia’s love of games however soon transpired to collecting action figures of her favourite game characters.
She is very protective of them.
Like Muriel, Portia also doesn’t have a tattoo. It’s not that she’s afraid of needles but she just hasn’t found a reasonably good design to get yet.
Lucio
Lucio is definitely the one out of the six who was made for the modern world, sure being a Count is cool and all but in this world he can have both power and freedom and not have to sit in every meeting called.
He’s never once taken anything seriously, Lucio’s power has been built on the backs of others without him ever having to raise a finger.
It’s happened everywhere he goes, in the army he sacrificed the good of his teammates to rise in the ranks, he forced the Asra’s parents to make him the best prosthetic arm in history, he codled up to an old dying man to get his business and when he found out that wasn’t for him Lucio pawned it off to his wife and rolled onto the next devious plan.
Lucio’s been an army man, a CEO, a crime lord and the cause of “The Event” but maybe one day he’ll rise above those defining moments and be greater (but that is a story for another day).
Of course Lucio did live with Nadia for a time, but when he made her CEO Lucio took to calling his mansion home, Nadia wasn’t a fan of the creepy vibe it gave off which is just as well because Lucio hosts a lot of unsavoury characters...
True to form each room in that place has only the most expensive belongings, every bed is king size and the garage is filled with gas guzzling monstrosities of cars. It’s not cluttered by any means, but it's gaudy and shows off his wealth.
The only place things seem normal is the kitchen, Lucio doesn’t spend much time in there but on the wall sits a board of old memories when he got along with the others, they didn’t always find him unbearable.
Lucio’s torn it down and put it up so many times already he can never make up his mind if he wants to keep it.
Only thing Lucio ever liked about running a company were the expensive suits he was told he had to wear at least that was a great improvement on his fashion sense. Of course he’s not always wearing suits sometimes he’ll just wear a dress shirt with one too many buttons undone and a pair of white chinos and trainers.
Sunglasses are a must, that, and a lint roller. The dogs shed a lot...
As mentioned before Lucio has a lot of very pricey cars, he is the product of what would happen in Portia was given a car, he’d get distracted and crash it into the back of another vehicle.
He’s lucky anyone will insure him and that he has so many cars.
Lucio tried to be different to the ‘normies’ by getting his company to make a phone suitable to his taste. A phone that had two charging ports (to charge it twice as fast) and a waterproof casing (that kept it a bit too dry and hot so it spontaneously combusted in his pocket).
Lucio now has the latest iPhone instead.
Owns a lot of pets, the exotic eels, macaques, cockatoo, etc... The same as he does in the normal universe, none of which are particularly nice and well behaved. He prefers his fur babies Mercedes and Melinchor.
They were two dogs he saw fighting in dog fights and he was in love instantly buying them and bringing them to live with him, chaos follows those two like a bad odour.
Lucio decided that to be the cool rich guy he needed to like cool music, for the longest time he spent his time listening to hip hop no one really ever notices that Lucio in fact hates hip hop, he much prefers pop music.
It's a secret he will take to his grave but MC has definitely heard him singing to Katy Perry’s ‘Firework’ in the shower.
Lucio is the biggest movie buff in Vesuvia, he’s definitely offended when no one invites him to premieres, which is why he’s done all he can to get into movies (with little avail). And he will watch anything and enjoy it, he is usually one of those people who don’t realize the book exists when such a movie is out.
But do you know what his favourite kind of movies are?
Romantic-comedies, or just anything that's classed as romance. Date nights with Lucio are pretty good but he cries a lot, poor guy.
Just don’t get started with Lucio and hobbies, if he’s tried something once he’ll make out he knows everything about it and even if he hasn’t tried it he’ll pretend he has. He’s forever speaking out of his a** but no one dares call him out on it.
That being said Lucio really doesn’t have the capability to commit to a hobby, unless parties count? They don’t? They should!
Although one could say maybe planning parties does count...
Tattoos? Lucio has a few; his army number on the back of his neck, a sword piercing a heart on his chest and the twin silhouettes of the dogs running on the heel of his foot.
#the arcana#asra#nadia#julian#muriel#portia#lucio#modern#au#alternative#universe#the arcana asra#the arcana nadia#the arcana julian#the arcana muriel#the arcana portia#the arcana lucio
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If Snow Loves the Trees and Fields.
Billy's job at Willowbrook Elementary is the only reason he puts up with this weather at all.
His hatred for winter, a season which hardly existed when he taught in the Valley, morphs and becomes something violent on the first Monday after Christmas break.
He wakes up feeling like his toes have gone missing, frozen black and blue with the cold, and after his phone tells him it's below zero outside, with wind-chill, his heart stops beating.
Hawkins is -10 degrees, to be precise.
And it leaves him feeling like that's gotta be illegal, or. He could for sure call all the scientists on Earth and have a law passed that clarifies: those born and raised in a Southern climate get a free pass on days when Hell is actively freezing over.
But it's not snowing today. And all the ice on the street has been scraped into terrible, disgusting drifts that block his driveway, and Hopper would immediately call bullshit. All, gonna have to suck it up if you wanna live here, buttercup.
So Billy decides to be an adult, or whatever. He spends another five minutes on his phone definitely not stalking his ex Instagram before rolling out of bed to get dressed.
And, like.
Even his underwear drawer is stiff from the cold so Billy decides to bundle the fuck up--a trick he learned from Max last fall, during the coldest year Indiana had ever seen. He manages to stack five layers in total; one pretty pink thermal set just brushing his his skin and a button down shirt to stave off the goosebumps. A sweater and jeans for professionalism. One Grateful Dead hoodie, because it makes him feel like he's not a total sell out, and a thick winter coat, sent special from the snow capped mountains of California this Christmas.
It still smells like his mom's pikake lei perfume.
Billy tries not to think about that, of home, on a day when he'd give his left nut for a ray of sunshine.
Instead, he spends ten minutes filling his thermos with coffee. Boiling the rice milk more than once so it'll stay warm on the ride across town. He sticks his pinky under the lip after his third go, and fuck that shit is so hot it will burn his mouth tomorrow, before checking the weather app again for closures.
Hoping against hope that something has changed in the last five minutes.
Of course, nothing has.
The superintendent believes that everyone in Hawkins is somehow used to temperatures that makes their eyelids freeze shut in the thirty second walk to the car in the morning. Billy jams a knit cap on his head and seriously considers calling in.
A last ditch effort to quell the rising fury in his veins, that like.
He's gonna have to scrape his windows, and freeze his dick off, and deal with the neighbor.
The one who looks like he doesn't mind the cold so much because he carries the sun with him, fucking asshole.
People shouldn't be wandering the streets when their eyelids could freeze shut, right?
Billy checks his phone one more time, frowning at a text from Joyce to pick up some coffee on your way in, and tosses his bag over his shoulder before he can change his mind.
--
It's so much worse than expected.
Billy's lungs seize up on his second intake of fresh air because no one should be huffing sulfur or gaseous ice or whatever the fuck this shit is first thing in the morning. On a Monday. The first one after Christmas break, and.
"God damn, holy shit, holy shit," Billy bounces the whole way to the Camaro, breath coming in short, comical bursts of steam that make his nose run. He swipes dramatically at his face, struggling to get his keys into the lock while balancing his thermos on one arm and his messenger bag on the other.
Billy's in the middle of forcing the door open, its hinges are frozen solid with ice goddammit, when Steve fucking Harrington appears like a cloud on the wind.
"Howdy neighbor," Steve says. Like they're cowboys in a shitty film from the 1970s. The wind kicks a lock of brown hair into Harrington's face and he shivers. "Wow, it's really blowing out here, huh?"
Midwesterner's love doing that.
Pointing out the obvious.
Billy grumbles a response, flinging his car door open and jamming the keys into the ignition.
Steve's saying something.
Talking like always, about his cat or maybe the beer they keep saying they'll have together, and generally Billy puts up with it but not today. He isn't going to freeze to death for a pair of legs.
The Camaro roars to life, clearly pissed at having to work on such a disgusting day, and. Alright. Letting your car "warm up," is something so Midwestern Billy can't even talk about it.
It takes him all of two minutes to scrape his windows, electing to carve holes in each wall of ice rather than clear the whole thing. The metal handle of the scraper Max got him feels like the ninth circle of hell against the peachy skin of his fingers.
He should've bought some mittens.
Joyce is always saying he needs mittens, he should've asked for some--
Billy tosses the scraper into his back seat and climbs in, slamming the door shut behind him and cranking the heat up to high. Steve's watching from next to the fence in a fucking pea coat, and a scarf with care bears on it and.
Nothing else.
Fucking asshole.
Steve waves at him, like; hey I'm talking to you. Frantically, like the mouse Mr. Bane caught last week is important.
But Billy's too busy trying to back out of the driveway with five layers of shit restricting his movement. He cranks the music up and cautiously pulls onto the street. Nice and smooth like he's seen Steve do effortlessly, even with three inches of ice on the ground. Fucking asshole.
Billy makes it halfway before he hits something.
The wind kicks hair into his face as he assesses the damage.
"You should've scraped your driveway last night." Steve says helpfully.
He's got a cigarette hanging from his lips, stark in contrast to the weird home made scarf he's got folded around his neck. Billy tries not to think about Steve's lips as he makes his way to the back of the Camaro to see that, yup.
Of course.
His baby is stuck in the snow. Billy kicks the tire. Like that'll fix anything.
"That's not gonna fix anything." Steve says, leaning against the fence.
"Jesus, fuck. I know, Steve." Billy scrubs a hand across his face, gesturing to the Care Bear scarf. "Why the hell are you wearing that thing, you look like a fruit."
"I am a fruit."
"Well you look like the whole goddamn bowl, pretty boy." Billy digs around for a cigarette. "My kindergarteners don't even fuck with the Care Bears enough to own scarves." Billy squints, assessing Steve from head to toe, delighting in the awkward squirm of his limbs. He clicks his tongue, disappointed. "Couldn't look any fruiter if you tried."
Steve shrugs his shoulders, like. Don't yell at me, this isn't my fault.
And okay.
He's cute.
Billy gets struck by that every time he sees the guy, all over again, like. His profile is perfect. Sharp nose, pretty eyes. Thick lips.
Steve holds out a cigarette.
Billy takes it.
"One of my residents made it for me. He's learning how to flat pattern." Harrington says shyly. "Well, he made it for his grand daughter, but. It turned out worse than he expected so I offered to take it."
Billy squints. "The fuck does that mean?"
"Just means I was trying to be nice--"
"No, the." Billy grins in spite of himself. "The flat patterning, what's that?"
Steve shrugs again. "I'm not sure, I think it's like. A sewing term. Or something." A pretty blush the color of Steve's scarf spreads across the bridge of his nose. It looks like strawberry ice cream and Billy.
Has to look away.
"My mom sews," Billy says gruffy. "I've never heard her say that."
"Well, maybe she drapes?"
Billy squints again. "What?"
"Draping. That's another thing people do--"
Billy stamps the cigarette out and kicks his tire again. Steve jolts, like. Billy tried to kick him or something, which just makes the situation worse.
"God, they should've cancelled classes." Billy states. Well, screams, to no one in particular. "Who wants to go to work in the snow, who fucking. Likes this white bullshit?"
Steve leans against the fence and looks thoughtful. "I love the snow."
"You're not helping."
"You asked."
"No, I didn't." Billy shoots back. He digs his cellphone out and shakes his head. "Why are you still here, Harrington? Don't you have old people to take care of?"
Steve chuckles again. Light, like Christmas bells. "Don't you have screaming brats to teach?"
"My car's kinda stuck in the snow, you fucking dick." Billy's so focused on trying to order a lyft that he doesn't waste time on pleasantries. He expects that to be the end of it, when the wind picks up and he swears again, but. Steve just moves closer.
"Let me drive you." Steve says.
And.
The moment sort of hangs there.
In the two years that Billy's lived next to the guy, they've never hung out. Never house sat for each other, never spoken outside the occasional could you make sure your idiot friends don't block my driveway, and empty promises to grab a beer sometime.
So the offer catches him off guard.
Billy glances up from his phone, confused, to find Steve looking everywhere but at him. Harrington's shifting his weight, like. He's fucking nervous, or something.
Or maybe hoping Billy will say no because he's just being polite.
Billy glares.
Of course he's just being neighborly. Charitable. That's what Midwestern assholes do.
Billy waves his phone in the air, like, "I'm ordering a lyft." And it comes out sharper. More aggressive than he means it too, but Steve doesn't seem to notice.
"Just ride with me, it's on the way."
Billy points at the screen. "Jason will be here in ten minutes."
"What's Jason got that I don't have?" Harington quips, and.
Billy just wants shit to go back to normal. He shakes his head again, "Nah, 's okay, pretty boy. Thanks anyway." Before turning back to his phone like he's got important shit to worry about.
Steve stands.
Stares.
Waits, for longer than is necessary, before clearing his throat. "Okay, well. Happy first day back." He says.
And if Billy didn’t know any better he'd say Steve sounds almost.
Disappointed.
--
When Billy gets off of work that night the snow is gone from his driveway.
--
Billy still has bad days.
They always start before dawn. With the claws of his nightmare leaving scratches down the lining of his throat. It's like Billy's carrying an anchor around his neck, or his veins are filled with playdough the color of the sun on those afternoons. He feels lazy and sluggish and like if someone looks at him for too long he'll break. Snap and crackle, like an open flame against fresh skin.
Billy still has bad days but they don't come unless he's been slipping for a while. Like forgetting to take his medication, or not writing his letter every night before bed.
The one to Neil, that his therapist says will help him work through the last of the road blocks that stand in the way of, "ultimate healing."
Billy used to think it was horseshit.
But Neil. Everything that happened, everything that still happens--when Billy goes home for Christmas, or when Susan calls and he can hear the slur of hate on the other end of the line--is standing in the way of something.
There are so many letters.
So much he wants to say.
Written on anything Billy can find, like. Napkins and the backs of take out menus--old drawings that the kids send home with him after Art class on Fridays.
The pages are kept in a binder.
His therapist says it's important to decorate the binder with, like. Stuff that makes him feel good. Words and phrases, stickers, pictures of the people he loves and drawings of all his favorite things. The folder is supposed to act as a visual reminder of the blanket of love that surrounds him, or something.
Melvalds only had brown folders when he went to pick his up, so.
The folder is brown. Disgusting.
And so far the only decorations he's been able to stomach are one of those fancy stickers from Redbubble that depicts his favorite episode of Daria, and a picture of him and Maxine with underwear on their heads.
Billy thinks it could be sad to some people.
That a poor, little abused boy only has two things in life that protect him from the shadow which falls with the setting sun, but it's the truth. Life is hard and fucked up. Billy has trouble letting people close, letting people in, so he sticks with the basics. The tried and true.
Maxine and his gravity bong.
Billy Hargrove is a simple man.
--
So it's two weeks after Steve shovels his driveway and Billy tells his therapist, like. "This fucking guy just. Did something nice for me."
And she clearly wonders what's wrong with him. "Did you say thank you?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because," Billy tries not to get defensive about shit these days, because. It's only a hop-skip-and a jump from defensiveness to downright aggression and Megan, his well meaning shrink, doesn't deserve that even on her most annoying days.
His leg bounces under the table, thwacking against its mahogany edge loud enough that Megan can hear it over the fucking phone, so she says, "Billy. Stop."
Because they have a deal about nervous ticks.
Billy is supposed to say his safe word when he starts to feel anxious, but.
He fucking hates that shit. Hates being babied. Hates feeling like he's a goddamn basket case that needs to be rooted in reality when his trauma rears its ugly head. Billy smiles, the whole thing falling flat against his face. "I'm stopping."
Megan sighs. "Why haven't you thanked Steve for his act of kindness?"
"Because, like." Billy's shaking his leg again. Softer this time; it's a secret. "How do I know he isn't trying to, fucking. Get information out of me. Or out me to the community, or. Make fun of the way I'm a grown man who can't shovel his own driveway after a snowstorm--"
"I think you're internalizing your fears, Billy."
"Yeah, no shit." He snaps. Billy feels bad for half a second but then she's giggling, like she always does, which makes him feel less like the big bad wolf and more like one of the three little pigs. The guy with the straw, maybe?
Billy sighs, scrubbing at his face. "What does that even mean?"
Megan makes a noise on the other end of the line, like. In the six months that Billy's been in therapy he should've learned this by now.
Dude's got a short attention span, sue him.
And, sure enough. "Twice a week we meet over the phone and you don't know that internalizing your fears means you're trying to write the ending to a story you haven't even read yet?"
"Like, uh," Billy says intelligently. "What's that shit you're always saying? About seeing a book on the shelf and--"
"Guessing the ending. Yup, that's right." Megan sounds pleased. Billy ignores the bloom of happiness in his chest, because like. He doesn't really deserve it. She doesn't give him time to dwell, though. "Steve did something nice for you. Maybe he has suspicious intent--"
Billy sucks in a breath, like.
Dramatic. Loud enough that Megan snorts and says, "Hold on, you're jumping to conclusions again."
Billy really fucking.
Hates how perceptive she can be.
Megan keeps talking and Billy listens, because he pays her after all. "If you're really worried that his intentions are cloudy, do something nice for him in return."
"Something nice," Billy repeats. Like he's never heard of such a concept. "Something nice, like. Buy him flowers?"
Megan snorts. "Do you want to buy him flowers?"
"No, why would you think that?"
"Because you--" His therapist sighs. Billy embraces the feeling it gives him, yanking her chain a little bit. "Listen. I don't know this Steve person, and I've never heard you talk about him beyond this beer you're supposed to have together, like. Never. But has he ever given you a reason to think he's out to hurt you?"
Billy thinks back over two years and a million one-dimensional interactions.
Steve never loses his temper.
Not when Billy calls to have the cars that block his driveway towed, not when Billy bitches about the daisy bushes shedding into his yard in the fall, and Steve always picks up Mr. Bane's cat shit from Billy's front porch when the Gremlin actually goes outside.
Always with a smile and a sweet little, I think Mr. B likes you.
And, like.
It was pretty nice of Steve to offer Billy a ride that morning.
And shovel his driveway after work, just because he knew Billy probably wouldn't do it.
The whole thing, it. Fills Billy with something he can't quite express, a warmth he only ever feels when Max calls a dozen times to remind him to eat dinner when he sends a few intense messages.
Megan takes his silence, as always, like a breakthrough.
"So," She says, clearly satisfied. "Same time next week?"
--
Billy spends three days waiting for Steve to make it easy for him.
Because Harrington's a home owner, and there's always something, right? A problem he needs help with, like. A leaky pipe that needs fixed, a cup of sugar for a recipe that he didn't account for, ghosts in the attic. Typical HOA bullshit.
Billy stares out his window at the lovely split level next door and decides he'll take anything, do anything, to get this fucking anchor of guilt off his back for the whole driveway situation. The opportunity never presents itself.
The ducks never fall in a row.
Steve just leaves the house every morning, same time as Billy, same as always, with a gentle Howdy neighbor. And a smile tugging at his pretty pink lips, hair perfect and windswept because he's a fucking asshole and it only takes two days.
Forty-eight hours before Billy's hatching a plan to pay Harrington back and inventing problems to solve, like some sort of demonic Bob the Builder.
He calls Max on Thursday and comes up with a list. Something tangible, like breaking Steve's garage window with a ski ball. Or trapping Mr. Bane in a sweater and pretending like he's gone missing so Steve will have to round up a search party, but.
Billy knows Megan would call that instigating, antagonizing, and causing trouble, which Billy's trying not to do anymore.
So he brings up flowers again, because.
Fuck it--maybe he's wanted to see Steve behind a bouquet of Lilies of the Valley for months now.
And Max goes all soft.
And quiet, too, before whispering, "I'm really proud of you, you know? For getting better."
Then suddenly Billy can't breathe because there's a lump in his throat.
Because he is trying to get better. To live honestly, to lead with love--whatever hippie-dippie bullshit Megan is always spoon feeding him, so.
With Max's blessing, Billy's about to, like. Knock on Steve's door with a plate of pot brownies and a shitty thanks for being a decent human card when Mr. Bane leaves a dead bird on Billy's porch, the third one in a month, and Billy hatches an idea.
--
Steve's front door is yellow.
Like. Sunshine yellow. Valley girl yellow.
Which Billy used to think was charming but now thinks is kind of annoying, when coupled with Steve's perpetually sunny disposition. And okay. Maybe it sort of pokes and prods at that piece of him that's always missing home.
Maybe it makes him a little bit sad, like. He'll never really feel at peace anywhere else.
But before Billy can dwell on it, or raise his fist to knock on the door, Steve's opening it and preparing to step through. He's using his foot to stop Mr. Bane from running out into the yard so he doesn't see Billy right away, which.
Also means he's going somewhere.
Which inherently means Billy's caught him at a bad time. Billy holds the paper bag closer to his chest and feels the words bubbling up before he can practice his breathing, or. Stop them. Because this is his third biggest fear after arguments and spiders.
"I've caught you at a bad time, I'm sorry, I'll just come back la--"
Steve breaks out into a grin so big. So bright, that it rivals anything Billy's ever seen before.
"Howdy, neighbor!" Steve says.
And Billy shifts nervously from one foot to the other, like. "Is this a bad time?"
"No, it's not a--"
"Because I can come back later." Billy nods, already turning on his heel to escape, and like. Fly into the sun. "Or not at all. I can just mail it to you, that's. Yeah, I'll just stick it in the post or something."
Steve grabs his elbow.
Billy looks at the hand on his elbow, and down at Steve’s feet. There aren’t any shoes or anything, so.
Billy's overreacting.
Fuck. He swallows, raising his eyes with caution to see Steve smiling again. Even wider than before, if that's possible.
Harrington licks his lips. "Whatcha got there?" He says, nodding to the bag, and Steve.
He's wearing glasses today.
Billy feels like someone hit him on the back of the head with a ski ball. Steve looks so soft, in white stripped overalls and a green sweater, that Billy doesn't know whether to fluff him like a pillow or fucking.
Punch him in the face.
Billy holds out the paper bag. "It's for you."
Steve looks at him strangely but he's still smiling, which.
Is good.
Billy thinks it's good but then he knows its good when Steve giggles. "I gathered that. What is it?"
"It's a, uh. You know." Billy tries. "You know one of those things? Where it's, like, a thing but you aren't supposed to know what it is?"
Steve blinks at him, cheeks turning pink like they always do. "A surprise?"
"That's the one." Billy snaps his fingers, like. Ah-ha. Except it isn't a surprise, it's just. "It's a way to say thanks. For the whole," Billy concludes, gesturing vaguely to their front lawns, to. "The driveway."
Steve blushes even harder. "You didn't have to get me a present--"
"It's not a present."
"That was just me trying to be nice." Steve leans against the door jam, eyes searching. "It doesn't call for a--"
"It's not a present." Billy says again. Steve doesn't look like he believes him, so Billy, like. Shoves the paper bag to his chest. "Look, open it now or don't. Fucking, throw it away for all I care, it's fine."
Billy turns on his heel because fuck this.
Fuck trying to pay back nice with nice and fuck Steve for starting this whole debacle to begin with. Billy makes it down one step and then Steve is laughing so hard he can't stand up straight.
Which just makes Billy feel worse, because.
"You're laughing." Billy gapes. "I bring you a present to say thanks for not being an asshole, and you're laughing."
Steve doesn't answer, he just.
Keeps on laughing, and okay.
This is Billy's third greatest fear. After abandonment and fighting. Fists covered in blood--his or someone else's, it doesn't matter. He frowns, turning to leave again when Steve straightens and coughs once into the palm of his hand.
"Thought it wasn't a present," Steve quips, and he's looking at Billy with, like. Sparkly eyes. He shrugs. "I'm not sure what it means."
Billy doesn't get it. "It doesn't have to mean anything--"
"No, like." Steve peers into the bag again, clearly holding back tears. "Why did you get me a bag of dead mice?"
"You can get them at the pet store." Billy says, because. You can, alright? He fiddles with the sleeves of his winter coat. "They're for Mr. Bane."
Steve just stares at him, eyes twinkling like two polished diamonds in his head.
And he's not saying anything, or. Laughing anymore, he's just. Watching Billy fall to pieces on his walkway as he tries to defend himself.
Billy focuses on the clouds that inch across the sky. "Mr. Bane, he's. He's always catching shit, like. Dead shit and leaving it on my porch. I just thought if he wants to eat dead things I can just. Buy him a pack or whatever. Like a normal person."
Steve grins. "You know they do that because they think you can't feed yourself."
Billy wrinkles his nose. "Well I fucking appreciate it, but I don't want to eat dead mice and birds and shit."
Steve chuckles once before staring again.
Like he's memorizing Billy's face, or like. They're having a competition that Billy doesn't know about.
Billy gestures to the bag again. "Would you just accept it, Steve? Please?"
Harrington looks down at the mice in his hands and nods slowly, like the decision is really requiring some thought.
Billy feels stupid.
This was so fucking stupid--
"Sure, Billy." Harrington says. Soft, and. Sweet. "No one's ever given me such a thoughtful gift before, so. Thank you."
And Billy feels like the tin man getting oil on his joints after a year of rusting in the forest, when Steve accepts his weird ass gesture. He nods, mouth lapsing into a thin, unamused line. "Okay, then. See ya 'round," Billy says.
And then he's turning, and.
Leaving.
Before Steve can say anything else.
The clouds inch like caterpillars across the bright winter sky and Steve's walkway seems so much longer on the journey home.
#harringrove#i'm sorry aaaaah#I wanted to post the first chapter here too#because I'm fucking proud of this one alright#and I feel like I need a little fluff#and maybe you need a lil fluff too#cmon man#let me fluff you like a pillow bro
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Characters: Hound/OC
Summary: when life (or Thire) gets him traffic duty, Hound makes the most of it.
Warnings: None
A/N: I shouldn’t be starting a new work. I really shouldn’t. I also shouldn’t have decided to write a oneshot, talked to @skdubbs and have four chapters plotted out.
This does take place in the Fox and Mouse verse (around chapter 6 if I remeber correctly).
————
“From Kessel to Kijimi, this is Nuna Skii flying you through the dark hours of the night. I’d like to give a shout to-.”
Hound hunches forward over the handle bars to the GAR issued speeder. Traffic Ops. Kriff.
It would teach him to make a bet with Thire. Then again, how was he to know that the Commander actually had it in him to bag the cute little secretary that took up guard duty outside of his office door.
Obviously not Hound.
The ARF Sargent sighs before turning the radio up. He’d rather be back in his barracks with his massiff at his feet than clocking for speeders and traffic violations. It wasn’t that it was below him it was just… well it was below him. He didn’t go through recon school to be looking for our of date tags.
At least he got to listen to his favorite radio show.
“-and more of that sweet jizz music coming from Dantooine as a special favor to my boys in the 332nd”
Nuna Skii’s show on Independent Republic Radio was a favorite of many a trooper. Overnights were osik but the sweet smoky sound of her voice and the frequent shoutouts - often laced with innuendo - were definitely one way to pass the time. And if her voice was stored in the spank banks of half the troopers in the GAR? Well, that was just an added bonus to her show.
“Just you, me and an empty sky lane tonight, eh Nuna?” He asks the radio.
“How about we take another deep dive into an absolutely delicious track, yeah?”
“You could sell me some ocean front property on Tatooine and I'd pay top dollar. Hit me with it, babygirl.”
He only does a handful of stops and doesn’t write a single ticket for the next six hours.
———
She was so karking tired. Like, tired was an understatement. Half-dead might be more correct. She needed atomic grade caf or a bed to pass out in immediately. Glancing at the near stalled traffic in front of her, Nuna can’t help but think she wasn’t going to get either anytime soon.
The joys of working nights.
She really did love her job. To be a young holoradio jockey and have a spot on any station on Coruscant was pretty damn amazing but to have it on IRR? probably the single coolest station in the core worlds? It was a dream come true. Most of the time.
A yawn escapes her lips and her speeder rattles ominously underneath her.
“Oh- no, no, no.” She mutters looking down at her gauges. Warning lights flash brightly. She’d just gotten the kriffing thing out of the shop last week. They were supposed to have fixed the thrusters. The bike leans to the right and Nuna feels the tell tale swoop in her stomach from a sudden drop in altitude. It wasn’t much more than a few feet but if it was anything like it was the week before she needed a landing platform. And fast.
The early morning light bounces off the transparisteel buildings around her as she tries to find the nearest safe bet. Her speeder bike coughs once and jerks again, jostling her helmeted head. She sucks in a sharp breath as it pulls hard, dragging her from the skylane and into open air. It’s a struggle to keep the thing upright as she tries to guide it in for a landing on the nearest platform. Lights flash in her rear view.
“Really? Really?!” She hisses to herself as her muscles strain to keep the bike on course.
She manages to land the malfunctioning speeder, the ungainly pile of scrap plopping down with all the grace of a pregnant nerf.
The Coruscant Guard bike, all sleek lines, gunmetal grey and cherry red accents lands feet behind her.
Hers makes one last wheeze and cuts off. The good thing is, she’s wide awake now. No caf needed.
“Ma’am?”
Nuna turns to see the visage of snarling maw cocking it’s head in her direction.
“You ok?”
She swallows hard. It was a known fact within her small circle of friends that Nuna Skii - the real Nuna Skii not the sex kitten holojockey- was absolute mush for a guys in uniform and the one stepping closer was definitely one that would make her heart pump harder if it weren’t already for the adrenaline of a near death experience. If there was a name for kink involving men in helmets Nuna had it.
“I- uh- yeah” she takes a deep breath because now was not the place and certainly not the time, “I’m good”
The trooper's head cocks the opposite direction as he points toward her handlebars. “You know you're ok to let those go now, right?”
A nervous laugh escapes her lips. Her hands feel stiff from the exertion of the landing and she wiggles her fingers, forcing the blood back into them as she pulls them back toward her. “Thanks for the reminder.”
“No problem. Can I see your identichip and registration?”
Nuna gives him a blank stare for half a second, eyes moving almost comically from his outstretched hand and back up to his helmet. His free hand rests at his kama, index finger tapping idly. He’s got to be kidding, she nearly died and he was going to-
“You're going to give me a ticket?” She pulls her helmet off with little fanfare and hangs it from the handle bars. “Really? I nearly died and now I’m getting a ticket?!”
The trooper holds both hands up, “Easy there. No one said anything about a ticket. Just because you broke about three different traffic codes and at least two vehicular safety ones...” he lets the implication of what he’s said hang in the air.”
Nuna pulls the requested items out of her bag and hands them to the trooper with more aggression than needed but, damn it all, she was so tired she could cry and now she had to deal with a broke down speeder. Again.
She watches as the trooper looks down at the identichip and then back to her. Once, twice, three times.
“Is there a problem?”
“You’re Nuna Skii- I mean like the real Nuna Skii?” The tone of his voice has changed and he almost seems… excited?
“Uh yeah, guilty as charged. Listen, is this going to-“
“Say, ‘flying you through the night on IRR.’”
“Is this part of your usual traffic stops?” Nuna raises a brow at the trooper. Really? Did it ever get strange enough. She swings a leg over the seat and moves to stand. Her legs shake underneath her and tall, excitable and toothy holds out a gloved hand.
“Here, let me help you.”
She takes it because falling flat on her face really doesn’t seem like something she wanted to add to her laundry list of problems this morning. When she’s standing at her full height, which was substantially shorter than the solid wall of clone trooper in front her, she looks up.
His hand moves to the back of his helmet and rubs gently, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound demanding.” He says almost bashful. “It’s just that if-“
She takes pity on him. “From Corellia to Canto Bight, flying you through the night on Independent Republic Radio”
He stands frozen for a moment. Nuna squirms under the unflinching state of his visor until finally-
“Holy Fett! It’s really you! Listen! I- I mean we- the Guard- we’re like your biggest fans.”
The wind whips up through the levels ruffling the hair on her head, deep lilac colored wisps work their way into her mouth and she spits uselessly before reaching up and using her fingers to remove them. “That’s great really-“
Her hands go to her hips. Was this guy for real?
“Hey, I know a guy that does towing. He’s kind of a di’kut but he owes me a favor. I could get your ride towed where you need it. I mean, if you want?”
“Like, for free?” She clarifies.
The trooper looks down at her as if that was a given, “well, yeah.”
“And you want what in return?” Nuna fidgets. This is where the guy becomes a dirtbag and asks for something. He hands back her identichip and registration before reaching up and popping the seal on his bucket. He gives her a lopsided grin as he slips the helmet up his arm. Kriff. He was cute. His dark hair is cut into a floppy Mohawk. A stray curl of it dips down across his forehead and he offers her a lopsided grin. He is about as intimidating as a puppy.
“Can I get a shout out on your show tonight? I mean, the boys are NEVER going to believe this unless you do.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it” he seems to think for a moment and his smile becomes toothy, “unless you’d like to give me your number too?”
She can feel the hot rush of embarrassment to her cheeks and hopes he mistakes it for wind burn. She ignores his comment about her number because, this fine specimen was so far out of her league it was crazy.
“So What’s to stop me from saying yes and not doing it”
“Aww come on, please? You wouldn’t do one of your biggest fans like that would you?”
“What’s your name?” She can’t handle the soft puppy dog eyes he’s giving her. It should be illegal for any dude with shoulders that broad to look so cute.
“Sargent Hound of the Coruscant Guard at your service.”
She nearly chokes. Well, that explained the puppy dog eyes. “You drive a hard bargain, Sargent.” She says regaining her composure. She looks behind him to the GAR issued speeder. “If you can drop me at my building I’ll call it a deal.”
His smile makes her tummy flutter, “I think that can be arranged.”
——-
“You’re full of it” Rule barks “Osik up to your visor!”
Hound is lounging back on a couch that is not nearly large enough for both him and the massiff sprawled out on it. Grizzer lifts his head, licks his lips lazily and lays back down. Hound scratches around the creature's dorsal spikes and the massiff kicks his back foot happily.
“I told you man. It was her. Identichip verified and everything.
“El-Tee? You hear this?”
Lieutenant Thire looks up from his holopad and the boloball game he was watching, “what?”
Rule is grinning from ear to ear, “Hound here says he helped Nuna Skii out of a bind this morning.”
“I’m not just saying it. I did it.”
Hound explains lazily. He doesn’t tell them about giving her a ride home, pretty sure he broke about half a dozen regs just having her pressed up against his back and her arms around his waist and that was before he dropped her at her building. It was early enough in the day that he doubts anyone really noticed. If they did it was worth it to have her hands clutching at his armor.
Hound had pictured Nuna Skii so many times that the fact that she wasn’t a leggy blonde had come as a shock. What she was wasn’t a bad thing, just different. Short and soft with curves in places he wished he could run his hands all over.
“Prove it!” Ryk laughs as he ambles in, freshly showered and pulling his blacks over his head.
“Should we tell ‘Em Grizz, old man? Or should we just let them eat their buckets when it happens?”
Ryk rolls his eyes as the ARF Trooper chats with his massiff. “You know he’s never going to answer back, right?”
Grizzer looks over his shoulder at Ryk.
“Aww come on man” Hound fusses. One mearty hand moves to scratch under the massiff’s intimidating jaw. Grizzer turns into the touch, nearly purring with contentment. “Just because he can’t speak basic doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand it. Isn’t that right boy. We got our own language, Grizz and I. Smartest mas’ in the whole GAR, aren’t you?”
The creatures leathery tail thumps happily in agreement.
“Don’t know about that but he certainly smells a lot better than the bunch of you.” Thire mutters turning his attention back to boloball and cursing quietly. Ryk lifts an arm smelling.
“Not me! I’m squeaky clean!”
“We’re getting off track here” Rule announces in an attempt to refocus the gathered troopers. “What we need to know is how you're going to prove you met Nuna Skii.”
“Did she sign a ticket?” Thire asks, not looking up. When Hound doesn’t answer Thire looks up.
“She was having a really bad morning-“
“You do know when you work traffic you have to ticket people at least once in a while.”
“Apparently, not the pretty ones.” Ryk cackles.
“Jealousy doesn’t suit you, vod.”
Ryk rolls his eyes as Hound moves to turn the radio on. Nuna’s show was starting any minute. He hoped she’d come through.
———-
Around and around Nuna spins. The wheels on her roller chair are in desperate need of oil and squeak in protest. Nuna is undeterred as she waits for the next commercial to end. Her producer glances at her through the transparisteel divider and rolls her eyes. Yes, she was a child. No, she would not be apologizing. She grabs a cold protato from a greasy Dex’s bag as she makes another loop. If her fans could see her now. She’s got on an oversized tunic and a pair of dark pants that were probably a little too tight but were way too comfortable for her to care. When she woke her hair wasn’t about to do anything for her so now it sits piled high in a sloppy bun atop her head. She was about as far away from the character she portrayed as she could get.
“On in fifteen Nunz” Tully her producer says. Nuna hurries to swallow her food and takes a big gulp of water.
“And that was the Twi’Three with their latest and I’m Nuna Skii keeping you up all night.” She purrs into the mic. “I think we’re going to go to the comms and take a few calls. Whatcha wanna let the galaxy know?”
“Hi Nuna. Long time listener. I just wanted to say that I love the show but I’m getting really tired of your pandering to clones-“
Nuna mashes the end button with gusto before sighing deeply into the mic.
“Babies and Gentlemen. My lovelies. From 2100 til 0500 five nights a week this is a trooper positive show. If you don’t like it I’d suggest you find something else to listen too. Those yummy boys in white are giving the Republic their all. I don’t see a problem with a few minutes here and there dedicated to them, do you?” She asks sweetly. “It makes me happy making them happy. You know what else makes me happy? New stuff from that Mon Cal band, Ach’tu. Coming at you after this commercial break”
———-
“Maker, I love when she does that.” Ryk groans quietly. “She could put me in my place any day.”
Rule nods, “she could read me the repair manual to my deece and I would die a happy man.”
Thire snorts, “What about you Hound. Got something to say?”
“Yeah man” Ryk lifts his head from where he was resting it against the back of his chair. “What does she look like.”
Hound offers a sly grin, “like a million credits.”
“Long legs? Big tits? You're killing us man” Rule says raising a brow, “unless you don’t really know.”
Hound laughs, “I know vod, but I’m not telling.” His brothers roll their eyes.
“For all my blaster babes and bucket bunnies happily messing with republic property. I salute you.” Nuna’s voice grabs the gathered troopers attention. Thire snorts softly, pretending as if he wasn’t listening. “Along those lines I want to send a special thanks to my new favorite Hound dog out there patrolling the sky lanes of Coruscant. Keep being a good boy and next time we meet I’ll give you a scratch behind the ears.”
The room falls silent except for the low snore of a sleeping massiff. All eyes fall on Hound. His smile says I told you so.
A good boy. Yeah, he could be very happy with that.
#clone sargent hound#tcw#sargent hound/oc#am i the official author of the coruscant guard#coruscant guard
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Room for One More
“Hey hi! I love your work! I was wondering if you could do a JJ or John B x Reader. Where everyone ends up falling asleep on the boat after a party or something and the reader has night terrors so they comfort her? (I totally get if this is too difficult. I just need fluff. 💖) xx” -nonnie
“Could you write something about planning to run away with jj?” -nonnie
Pairing: JJ Maybank x Reader
Word Count: 1.0k
T/W: Nightmares, soft JJ
A/N: hi i changed it a little bit, but i hope u still like it.
Today hadn’t been anything out of the ordinary for any of the Pogues. Kiara was working at The Wreck, JJ and Pope delivering groceries, John B being handy at the Cameron residence, and Y/n continued to sell beverages off the cart to all the rich old golfers. The group of teens then ended their day by meeting at the Chateau to discuss some type of adventure going on in a few days.
Y/n had been the first to retreat from the group which was odd, but not surprised as she appeared to the house with a tired body. The girl always seemed to have bountiful energy, even after working 10 hour shifts in the hot sun, but apparently not today. Her trusty blonde followed right behind her as she trekked on her way home.
“Y/n/n, where are you going? This is your house?” JJ asked, confused as to why the girl kept walking. She silently shook her head, too exhausted to speak. This was her fourth 10 hour shift in a row, not to mention working a couple janitorial shifts after hours at the country club.
She reached her arm back to take his hand as she entered the woods, bobbing and weaving until she reached an old tree. JJ stood in amazement as she scaled the tree with ease, unlocking the small lock with the key around her neck, and finally entering a treehouse.
“Well are you coming?” She questioned with a smirk on her face. JJ was quick to follow her, taking in her little safety space. There was what looked like it used to be a couch cushion, a pillow and a few blankets, being used to make a bed. To the right was a small book shelf with a couple books, one picture frame and a cash box. “My parents started to steal my tips from work, so I started to hide them. Plus my sisters were driving me crazy, so I ended up here.”
“Wait like you live here?”
“No silly goose, I just take vacations from paradise,” she chuckled. She pulled the blonde to lay next to her on the make-shift bed, using his body as a heater and source of relief.
Not many hours later JJ was awakened by Y/n’s quick jet from sleep. She shot up with panicked breathing and sweat beaded around her face. Her clammy hand reached out to feel if the boy was still there, and the moment she felt his hands snake around her waist, she relaxed but didn’t let up the shakes. The jolts running through her body were like clockwork, just when one started at her hands, one ended at her toes.
JJ pulled her back down to lay flat next to him, connecting their hands in the space between them. He pulsated squeezes to her hands, trying to overcome her tremors. She eventually rolled over, causing JJ’s arm to wrap around hers while neatly placing her head on his shoulder.
“Nightmare?” He asked softly. Y/n’s eyes moved to look up at him.
“No, it’s more the lack of one. It’s a constant recurring dream of life being exceptionally ordinary.” The conversation about her dream seemed to light a fire within her. Y/n sat up with force, pulling JJ with her. “Once we graduate, we just work for a living. Same jobs in and out. Maybe start a family, which in turn is just more mouths to feed. I’ll probably live with my parents until they kick it, what’s the fun in that? I have a go bag prepped. For the day it becomes too much ya know? Hopefully I’ll have enough money saved to get me somewhere, but even if I don’t it’ll be the thrill of not knowing where my next meal or sleep will be.”
“You’d really wanna run away from all this? What happened to pogues for life?” She could feel the tension in his voice. The two kids had been friends for ages and he was a little upset about just now hearing it for the first time.
“Well think about it Jayj, John B and Sarah will probably get married and move a little more towards Figure 8. They won’t go full kook, but enough to live comfortably. Pope and Ki? Hell, who knows what those two will accomplish,” she chuckled softly. “As for me? I’m not going to college, who knows if I’ll finish high school for crying out loud. Maybe I’ll get my EMT certification, but you know me. I can’t sit and be an EMT for the next 30 years of my life. It’s a vicious cycle. ”
JJ pulled the rambling girl towards him, placing a kiss on the corner of her eye. He watched her eyes flicker and hands move in excitement as she talked about all the crazy things she could do if she ran away.
“I don’t think I’d leave forever though, maybe just take a break and do some soul searching? I would feel guilty if I left forever. Missing my siblings grow up, missing you out the roof.” Y/n leaned back, finally done with her rambling, almost feeling sad knowing that she was to go back to work again here in just a few short hours.
“Hold up, you think I’m letting you go on by yourself? Oh hell no. I hope you have room for one more because I’m coming with you.”
Her smile grew astronomically when she heard him say that.
“You’d really come with me?”
“We could go to Charleston, or maybe Georgia. Hell I’d follow you up to Boston if you wanted.”
She smiled at him. Her legs and arms wrapped around his torso, clinging to JJ. He slowly moved himself back to lying down.
The thought of the two of them running away, starting a new life, or just possibly taking a quick adventure seemed risky but thrilling. JJ had always known Y/n as an antsy girl, but he never imagined she’d be itching to get out. He was hopelessly in love with her, and if that meant hopping on a ferry off the island, then so be it. As Y/n slept on his chest, JJ started to romanticize the thought of a new adventure. Just him and his girl, taking on a new place, together. The thought left smiles on his face as he fell asleep shortly after.
#outer banks#outer banks imagine#obx#jj maybank#jj maybank imagine#john b routledge#john b imagine#john b x reader#jj x reader#pope heyward#kiara carrera#sarah cameron#pogue life#hms pogue#rafe cameron
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