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isolemnlyswearpevensie · 4 years

Text

Strawberry Jam Sandwich | Regulus Black x Reader

Warnings: Nothing :)

Time/Era: Marauders Era

Word Count: 2.2k

Summary: Y/N Potter and Regulus Black are a match made from heaven, even if other people didn’t expect it.

Request: hello first of all I really like your writing and hope you and your loved ones are doing well. could you write a regulus black fic? like reader is James’ sister and they get married (because regulus doesn’t die) and years later they meet Harry?

A/N: Thank you and thank you for the request! Let me know how you like it! Enjoy! I love Reg and I’m so excited to FINALLY write for him!! For anyone else wanting a fic; please request away!

masterlist | read on ao3

Y/N Potter and Regulus Black were a weird pairing in most people’s eyes. Both being the younger siblings of the two most popular guys in school, it made their peers raise their eyebrows. Not to mention, they were in rival houses and seemed to be on opposite sides of the war. But they just worked.

Y/N was a lot like her older brother, James; very loud and loveable. She was naturally talented on the quidditch field and loved to make friends. It was obvious that she had relationships with people of all the houses due to her outgoing attitude and warm sense of humor. While Regulus also played quidditch, he was much more introverted and shy. He didn’t have many friends, due to being categorized by his surname automatically, so he often kept to himself and spoke only when necessary. Y/N was the talker, Regulus was the listener.

Funnily enough, Y/N and Regulus met through the means of getting Sirius to make amends with Regulus again. Regulus had cornered Y/N in the library and begged her to help him come up with a plan to talk to his brother. They ended up meeting multiple times in the following weeks and grew to be friends.

Regulus adored her ability to be interested in small things; she once asked him what a necklace he wore meant. It didn’t mean anything in particular, but she sat and listened to him speak about his jewelry for almost 15 minutes. No one ever took the time to listen to what the younger Black sibling had to say.

To their ‘plan sessions” in the library, Y/N always brought a strawberry jam sandwich to munch on. They met after her quidditch practices, so James and Sirius wouldn’t find them, which meant she needed a snack to keep her energy levels up. She always offered him half, which the rather regal boy would decline nearly every time. Nearly. Regulus found her little snack absolutely adorable, especially when the jam got all over her face. It made her lips even pinker, and that much more kissable.

The sandwich became an inside joke between the two quickly. Even when passing in the halls, they would scoff and find the most outlandish way to mention the food. It wasn’t funny in hindsight, but it was something that connected the two in its ridiculousness.

Regulus paced back and forth among the bookshelves of the Hogwarts library, hoping to bump into his now best friend, Y/N. The library was near empty, as it was Friday night and very close to curfew, so even just looking for her held very little hope. She had mentioned something about having to finish an assignment she was procrastinating, so Regulus hoped she followed his advice to just get it over with.

The bookshelves were high and blocked most of the ceiling in the room, making the books impossible to read. Long, vertical shadows cast their darkness over almost every inch of the floor and offered very little light to allow him to navigate the maze of shelves. During the day, of course, this was a different considering the wall of windows that looked over the courtyards. The window seats were some of his favorite places to come and think. And the seats just happened to be his and Y/N’s meeting spot.

Regulus was about to give up on his search, but he noticed Y/N hunched over an astronomy book, sitting on the floor with her back leaning against a bookshelf. He casually slipped next to her, offering a shy hello.

“Hey, Black. What are you doing here?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing, Potter. Not exactly the best studying environment.” Regulus tilted his head back until it hit the books and turned his head to see her.

“Well, I’m trying to save myself from having to do this entire project tomorrow. I have a book, yet you appear literature-less. What’s your excuse?” Y/N moved so she sat with her legs crossed, the thick book laid open on her lap.

“I came to return this, you left it at our last meeting.” He placed a slightly toasted strawberry jam sandwich on the book. It was wrapped lazily in a green napkin and left an abundance of crumbs on her homework. Upon further inspection, the words will you be my girlfriend? were scribbled messily on the paper in black ink. Y/N’s jaw grew slack as she looked over at the highly attractive man next to her.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I just wanted to ask.”

“Are you being serious?”

“Dead, Y/N.”

A smile crept over her features and she held out half of the sandwich. “Suppose we can start our relationship with a snack?”

Regulus accepted the food, making a subtle crunching noise as he bit into it. “I suppose I can make the exception to eat your exceptionally plain choice in snack food, just this once.”

“I’m sorry, you’re dating who?” James laughs, shrugging his younger sister off before grabbing his broom.

By this point, Y/N and Regulus have been sneakily dating for more than half a year and Y/N was tired of hiding their relationship. After Regulus and Sirius had failed to rekindle their relationship, Sirius shoved his brother even further away than they started. It hurt the younger black to the point of giving up, but even he was tired of hiding their relationship. He loved Y/N with his entire being, and his jerky older brother couldn’t ruin that.

“Have you ever even talked to Regulus before?” Sirius adds, grabbing his own broom to prep for quidditch practice.

“Yes, and I am dating him. Not sure what’s so hard to understand about that.”

“We understand it, just don’t believe it. Now, don’t speak about things you don’t understand.” James kicked off the ground and flew in the direction of the quidditch pitch.

“Don’t understand? Excuse me?!”

“He’s right. I know you were just trying to prank us, but joking about something that personal isn’t funny, Y/N.’’ Sirius mounts his own broom and flies off after James.

After practice, Y/N hurried to the library to meet her slightly anxious boyfriend. Regulus knew you were telling Sirius and James, and he knew they would react badly. Y/N saw Regulus sitting on the windowsill furthest from the door and hurriedly walked over.

“Hey! How’d it go?” He asked after Y/N pecked his lips and sat next to him. Regulus wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

“Not much to tell, really. They said I was trying to prank them and to not talk about things I didn’t understand. Honestly, I kind of wish they yelled.”

Regulus laughed and kissed her temple. “They’ll come around, I’m not exactly their favorite person so I can see why they don’t believe it. And I’m happy they didn’t yell because I know how you feel when people yell and I don’t want you to feel like that.”

“Holy shit! Get away from my sister!” James’ voice filled the area, Sirius quick on his heels. They must have been following Y/N after practice.

“Riddle me this, you want to spy for the order and potentially get KILLED?!” Y/N paced around the living room of Regulus and her shared flat.

It didn’t take long for Sirius to reaccept Regulus back into his life after seeing how he treated Y/N. At first, both older brothers thought Regulus was using Y/N to feed secrets and information to the opposing side of the war. They didn’t accept the couple and wanted Y/N to have nothing to do with the boy. But, after many feelings were hurt and various words were shared, they decided to give the boy a chance.

Regulus treated Y/N like a queen and made sure his girl knew how much he loved her. He wasn’t very good with words, but his actions spoke volumes. Flower bouquets were gifted periodically, as were small gifts that had a lot of thought put into them. During one of their study dates, he spent over an hour drawing a beautiful portrait of her. Not too long after, he gave her an entire sketchbook of drawings he knew she would love. Whether that was pictures of her friends, family, her favorite flowers, or something as mundane as the bench she loved to sit on, the gift had taken hours and hours of his time. It was obvious that Regulus was in love with his girl.

After graduating from Hogwarts, both Regulus and Y/N joined the Order of the Pheonix. Regulus still had heavy ties with Voldemort and his family, so Dumbledore asked him if he would consider being a spy for the Order. Even Sirius thought it was a bad idea. But, he had to prove that he wasn’t who he was raised to be. He had to prove himself to not only everyone around him, but to his inner soul.

“Listen, Dumbledore thinks that there’s a spy that infiltrated the Order and if I can find out who, maybe I can stop it. Think about it, James has a kid, a kid who is very valuable to you-know-who. We haven’t even spent a ton of time with him yet, but I know I can save him if I find the spy.”

“Yes, I realize that, Reg. But I can’t lose you in the process. We’re supposed to get married and have kids of our own and have a happy life-” Y/N takes a deep breath. “I can’t live without you.”

Regulus smiles a comforting smile, taking his girlfriend’s hands in his. “I know, darling. I’m not going anywhere. How about this,” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small ring box, presenting it to Y/N. “Let’s get married. I’ve never been a fan of the big white wedding...and all you need is a few witnesses and two signatures. I’m sure Sirius and James would be more than willing to witness. What do you say?”

Y/N gapes at her boyfriend. “Are you asking me to marry you?!” Regulus laughs and pecks her lips.

“I love you so much, Y/N Potter. You are the light of my life and I am so lucky to have you. You have brought me so much joy and really made me the best person I could be,” He wipes a tear delicately from Y/N’s skin. “I asked James for his blessing, too, after the last Order meeting. He said he was ecstatic for us. So, Y/N, will you marry me? We can eat strawberry jam sandwiches together for the rest of our lives.”

“Yes! A thousand times yes!”

“Hi, little one, I’m your uncle, Regulus, remember?- Ow! Not the hair!” Regulus sat in a suit in the parlor of Potter cottage with one-year-old harry in his lap. Y/N watched from the doorway, decked out in her white cocktail dress and heels. She couldn’t help but gush at the sight of her soon to be husband with a child; it felt so natural. Her heart swelled just thinking about watching him play with their own children.

“Yeah, he does that, keep him at a distance,” James responded, coming into the room. He was running late, as always, and was trying to tie his tie. “I can’t believe I’m witnessing my baby sister getting married!”

Harry gargled and reached his hands towards his father. “Dadadadada!!!!”

“I know, buddy, I’m right here. Hang out with your Uncle Reg for a while, yeah?” James responds, messing with his hair in the mirror. No matter how much he ‘fixed it,’ it all looked the same.

“It’s crazy how he looks so much like you, it’s like you copied your baby photos and made them come to life!” Y/N stated. Harry was almost an exact copy of James, but with Lily’s eyes.

Sirius came into the room, perfectly dressed with his hair tied back. “Well, are we leaving or not?” He asked, fixing the bowtie around his neck in the mirror for the 8th time.

“Pa’foo!” Harry squeals and squirms in Regulus’ arms. His grip tightens around the baby before pressing a kiss into his dark curls.

“No, not Pa’foo! Reg!” Sirius turned towards Y/N and whistled. “Damn, Reggie, not sure how you picked up this one! Look at the legs on her! Phew, lucky I don’t snatch you up myself!”

“Stop it! Can we please go?” Y/N swatted Sirius’s chest with her bag, embarrassed.

James plucked Harry from Regulus’ lap and hands him to Lily. “Yes, yes. Sorry, let’s go!” James kisses Lily’s cheek and disapperates out of his house.

Y/N walks over to Regulus and offers him a hand. “Ready to go get married?”

“I’ve never been more ready, my love. “

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rowyn-writes · 3 years

Text

Cinnamon and Sugar

Chapter Three

Warnings: language, fluff, mentions of a toxic relationship, small angst

Characters: Dean, Reader, Benny Lafitte (mentioned only)

Pairings: Dean x Reader

Word Count: 1.8k

Dean let you sit in his car until the rain let up a bit. "God, I hate the rain." He grumbled.

"I love it." You whisper, your eyes wandering the parking lot. "When I was younger, and there was a thunderstorm, me and my siblings would make a fort and huddle underneath it together. We loved it when the power would go out. We would light candles and grab flashlights and play board games in the dark. Sometimes Andrew would read to us. But uh - it would be scary stories," You smiled. "He would scare the ever living crap out of us. Lena and Josh would would cuddle into my side, no matter how much I hated it, they would still do it."

"You really love your siblings." Dean noted, swallowing hard, memories of Sam flooding his head.

"I do." You nodded. "They're all I have. Sure, I have my parents, but it's not the same, you know? Growing up, my siblings and I fought like dogs and cats, but we knew each other better than anyone, even our parents. Even when I go months without seeing them, when we all get together, it's like we're still little kids, ya know? We goof around, we argue, we joke. It's like none of us ever grew up."

Dean stayed silent for a moment, and you weren't sure if your message was getting across. "Look, I know we don't know each other very well, but what I'm trying to say is, call your brother. I don't know what happened between you two, but it's obvious that you love him. You shouldn't waste all your time worrying about whether you should contact him first or if he's angry with you. Time is a precious thing and people often waste it."

"Damn, you're wise." Dean gave a quiet chuckle. "But you're right. I will call him soon, I'm just not ready yet." And with that, the Impala was enveloped in silence again. That is, until Dean's stomach let out a loud rumble. "Sorry," He apologized with a sheepish grin.

"Don't worry about it." You shrugged. "It looks like the rains letting up. Do you want to come inside and I can fix you some food?"

"Oh, I don't want to impose." He shook his head.

"Nonsense. You gave me a ride home, this is the least I can do."

Dean silently debated whether or not he should take you up on the offer, but ultimately agreed, seeing as he was starving. By the time you were under cover, you were both soaked.

As soon as you opened the door to your apartment, you were met with a warm blast of heat. A pleasant shiver ran down your spine.

You began to click your tongue, calling out for your moody cat. "Storm, c'mere buddy." Your cat glared at you stubbornly from his place on the window seal. You rolled your eyes, slipping off your jacket and hanging it over the back of the chair.

"Sorry," You apologized to Dean. "My cat's being a little bitch." The man let out a laugh at your comment. "I gave him a bath and clipped his claws yesterday; now he's pissed at me."

"How in the hell do you cut a cat's nails?" He questioned, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Very carefully." You noticed that Dean was shivering. "Let me grab you a towel. I think I have some of my exes clothes. You're about the same size."

He was going to object when you silenced him with a look. You went to your room and began rummaging around in your draws, eventually finding a pair of black sweat pants and a grey hoodie.

"Try this," You said, handing Dean the clothes. "They should fit. You can change in the bathroom; it's the first door on the right."

While Dean went to change, you did the same. You exited your bedroom dressed in a pair of black leggings and a UK sweatshirt.

You noticed that Dean still wasn't out yet, so you went to start some food. You contemplated on what you should cook before ultimately deciding that mac and cheese would do. It was a comfort food, after all.

It would take a bit longer than usual, since you were making it from scratch, but Dean had said earlier that he had nowhere to be.

"Smells good in here." Dean noted when he walked out of the bathroom. Seeing him in Michael's clothes made your heart stop for a second, and not in a good way.

Dean and Michael had many similarities, the hair color, height, demeanor, etc. And you didn't want to be reminded of that man.

"Thanks," You said nonchalantly. "It's nothing special, but I thought you'd like it."

"So," Dean started, leaning against the counter. "This is a nice little set up you've got here."

"It's not much, but it's home." You shrugged as you stir the pot of noodles. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Storm sneaking around the corner of the kitchen, hoping for some food or a treat.

"How long have you lived here?" Dean asked.

"About five years." You informed him. "Ever since I turned eighteen I've been living on my own."

"How come?"

"You know the thing parents always say? 'As long as you live in my house, you follow my rules'? Well, I didn't like their rules so I got myself this apartment and I've lived here ever since."

Dean snorted. "Yeah, my old man was like that too. I actually did the same thing as you did. 'Cept I came back 'bout a week later." He laughed. "I was too dependent on my dad and brother. I have never lived alone before then; and to be honest, I hate living by myself. I still do."

"You never got roommates?"

"I had a few. There was Mick and Cas. Of course, I can't forget Benny." He grinned. "But they're all gone now."

"Benny?" You mumbled. "As in Benny Lafitte?"

"Yeah, why? You know him?"

"Do I?" You rolled your eyes. "That idiot's my cousin."

"Really?" Dean said excitedly. "I haven't heard from him in ages, how's he doing?"

"He's loving by the coast, and the last I heard, he met some girl named Andrea and he is head over heels in love."

"That's great." Dean smiled. "I really happy for him."

"Yeah, I expect to get an invitation to his wedding so enough. The way he talks about her, you would think he's known her his entire life."

"That's sweet. Benny seems like the guy that falls hard after one date."

"Oh yeah, he definitely is." You giggle. "He calls me after one date and says, 'Y/N, I think I'm in love. If I sent you a picture of a wedding ring, would you look at it and tell me what you think?'"

"No way!" Dean laughed.

"Yes! I had to talk him down from buying an engagement ring! I told him to wait for a year and a half, and then revisit the subject of marriage. Times almost up and he's still fawning over her. But I'm happy for him, he definitely deserves this."

You sprinkled bread crumbs on top of the Mac and cheese before popping it in the oven for a few minutes.

"You put break crumbs on your mac and cheese?" Dean questioned.

"You don't?"

"Never tried it." He shook his head.

"You caveman." You sighed. "I will just have to train you." Dean gave a harmonious laugh, which, in turn, made you laugh as well.

You grabbed a towel and pulled the mac and cheese out of the oven. You scooped some onto a plate and handed it to Dean. Both of you sat down at your small kitchen table and began to dig in.

"Oh my god." Dean said, his mouth full with food. "That is the best mac and cheese I've ever had."

"See? Told you it would be good."

"I'll never doubt you again." He mumbled as he shoveled more into his face.

You ate in a comfortable silence until there was a knock at your door. "I'll be right back." You told Dean as you opened the door.

"Mr. Pierce." You said nervously. "What can I help you with?" You knew what he wanted. And you sure as hell didn't have it.

"You're behind on rent, Y/N. I need the money, or I'll have no choice but to evict you." You felt your heart drop to your stomach.

"I-I don't have it right now. My hours have been cut and I-"

"I'm sorry, Y/N. You're a good girl, but I need someone who will lay rent on time every month. I really hate to do this, but I want you out in two weeks."

"I-It's okay, Mr. Pierce," You assured him shakily. "I understand." And with that, he was gone. You gave a shaky breath as you leaned on the door.

"Y/N?" Dean called, approaching the living room. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"I will be." You nodded.

"What happened?" Dean questioned gently.

"I just got my eviction notice." You deadpanned. Dean's mouth popped open in shock. "I have to be out in two weeks."

"Crap, sweetheart. I'm sorry. What are you going to do?"

"Couch surf for a while, maybe? I know Jo will let me stay with her for a couple of days, but if her landlord catches me there, he'll throw her out too."

"What about your parents?"

You gave a cold laugh. "No, they'll never let me come home. I would stay with my older brother, but he's overseas right now. So honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do."

Dean stayed silent for a moment before speaking up. "You could come live with me." He suggested.

"Dean, I really appreciate the offer, but I can't impose on you like that."

"It's okay," He assured you. "I have an extra bedroom. And it's not imposing if I'm asking. Besides, like I said before, I hate living on my own."

"Dean, we barely know each other." You tried to reason.

"Hi, my name is Dean Winchester, I'm an Aquarius, I enjoy sunsets, long walks on the beach, and frisky women." You let out a loud laugh. "There, now you know more about me."

"Dean-"

"Just think about it. If you can't find anywhere else to live, my door's always open. I have to go, but here's my number," He said, writing down his phone number on a sticky note. "If you need anything, call me." Dean gave you a small smile before he walked out the door.

You flopped on the couch, staring up at ceiling. Storm jumped up on your chest, purring loudly. You gently scratched his back. "What should I do, Storm?" You asked. "Would you want to live wYou flopped on the couch, staring up at ceiling. Storm jumped up on your chest, purring loudly. You gently scratched his back. "What should I do, Storm?" You asked. "Would you want to live with Dean? You seemed to like him." Storm gave a tiny meow, his eyes closing shut. "Real big help there, buddy."ith Dean? You seemed to like him." Storm gave a tiny meow, his eyes closing shut. "Real big help there, buddy."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Tag List:

Cinnamon and Sugar Tags

@vicmc624 @lovememisha @supernatural-jackles @laycblack

Dean Tags:

@akshi8278

And if anyone else wants to be added to any tag list, let me know!

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midnight-lightning · 4 years

Text

Beautiful danger

Summary: He was the bad guy, the enemy. Everything around him just screamed ‘stay away from me’. A guy you would never fall for. But there was just something thrilling, something new and different, that nearly forced you to be near him. But you would never let him charm himself into your heart…right?

Pairing: Loki x reader

Sometimes no matter how hard you try and fight it, the heart wants what it wants. And believe it, you had tried everything, to keep your heart away from him even though you knew it was already too late.

The first time you met was in New York. Or rather, during the time New York City was under attack by no other than Loki, the god of mischief himself. Somewhere throughout the whole fight you had gotten separated from the other Avengers and this was the exact moment you encountered him.

Considering the grey, dusty streets and buildings around, his green colours practically glowed, only his eyes were fitting the icy blue of his staff.

But the mere way he didn’t even blink when something exploded right beside him, the way he walked – proud of his achievements – showed, this city belonged to him, he owned it, and everyone should know that.

So of course it wasn’t very astonishing he didn’t seem to be concerned in the slightest way when you blocked his path.

You remembered the way Loki had eyed you sceptically, a slight smirk on his lips. “All the blood looks good on you,” he then commented. “It really brings out your eyes.”

“I’m giving my best, Bambi,” you answered dryly, going into a fight position.

Loki was visibly surprised, whether by the strange name you gave him or how bold you were, considering the whole situation.

“Don’t you know who I am, Mortal?”

Of course you had known. You had also known the moment he’d use his staff you were dead, but you didn’t want to show your fear, rather you tried to gain a little bit more of time, before things went all boom. So you answered daringly, “No, I tend to surround myself with people who aren’t so arrogant.”

Loki seemed to be taken back by your statement.

He tilted his head to the side, taking a further step towards you, a dangerous look on his face. “You know I could kill you in a mere second, Woman.”

“You could at least try, yup.” You nodded, not breaking the eye contact.

Again a smirk. “Who’s now the arrogant one, darling?”

Thank god, it didn’t take long for Steve and the others to arrive, because you alone wouldn’t stand a chance against him.

Though it was a tough challenge in the end you all managed to subdue Loki more or less and take him prisoner.

You were relieved. Everything seemed to be finally over. Tomorrow Thor would take his brother with him back to Asgard, against the will of shield, though.

But given your penetrate curiosity which had gotten you into severe troubles more than once, you couldn’t help but wanted to see the mysterious God one last time, before he would disappear into the universe again tomorrow. You tried to convince yourself it was only for Shield’s researches and commissions, but the truth was, Loki was definitely far too interesting and fascinating to just not take notice of him.

The moment you entered the large room of the hellicarrier in which his cell was located you knew he had already noticed you.

“It seems I am quite desired among the women of this earth,” he said, with his back still to you. “Though you do appear not as soundless, as your friend.”

Your friend? Oh, he must mean Natasha.

Slowly, and excessively over dramatic he turned around, of course with his usual cocky smirk on his lips.

”Do you as well strive for information of my intentions for this planet? Or have you merely missed my presence, mortal?”

Crossing your arms around your chest you took a closer step towards the cell and Loki. “No, I’m here because of my own investigations. Besides, I have a name, you know? Not ‘mortal’, but Y/N. Manners, love.”

Loki chuckled amused. “Well, Y/N, then. What is it that you hope to gain for you ‘investigations’?”

“What master do you serve?” you asked, to which he blinked somehow perplexed.

“What makes you think I have a master, love?”

“Well, I don’t know. You are a god, or something like that at least. So what is the point in attacking just an insignificant city of a small planet. What do you get from this? Unless…” you paused for a moment to think, during which Loki watched you carefully. A thought crossed your mind. “You can’t possibly cause all this chaos just to annoy your brother, right? That would be pretty insane.”

“Manners, Love,” he mimicked you mockingly, making you scoff. “Do not put your pretty nose into things you wouldn’t ever be able to understand.”

And thus your little bickering went on. You knew he was dangerous, otherwise he wouldn’t be stuck I a cell. But on the other side his mere presence put such a spell on you that you couldn’t help but glimpse every now and then a little more precise at him. Looking for something…human in him.

And Loki as well seemed to acquire a liking in this little conversation. Smirking mischievously every time he made you feel flustered.

It was kind of refreshing for both of you, still you kept your guards up. Loki wasn’t someone you should easily underestimate.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Your third encounter should have been the last for a long time. It happened outside, shortly before he would be transported back to Asgard.

You stood outside next to Nat and Clint, when you suddenly crossed his eyes. You thought what or rather if he would have said something if it weren’t for his mouth mask. Instead he had tilted his head to the side, winked sheepishly, before he had just vanished together with his brother, returning back home.

Months went by without hearing anything about Loki. Though he had never really left your mind. In fact, you thought quite often about him. There was no doubt, he was an asshole. A quite manipulating, arrogant, dangerous asshole. But also a very charming and sassy one. And good looking, though it didn’t matter in anyway.

Until one very cloudy day, on which you were on your way back home when it started to rain and you decided to go inside a café and wait for it to stop.

It had been really quite in New York this last time, in fact, you haven’t felt that relaxed and carefree in a very long time.

So it was fairly surprise, when he suddenly stood at the entrance of the café you were sitting in. The second you noticed him you immediately jumped up from the chair, nearly knocking over your coffee from the table, while you went into your fighting position, looking for a way to evacuate the customers.

Loki on the other side –surprisingly- lifted both his arms in defense, showing that he didn’t intend any harm.

There were exactly two details that made you lower your gun in confusion.

First, there was no smirk, not even the slightest clue of a smile on his face. Nothing. He looked completely calm.

And second, he wore a god damn black suit, and it made him look nearly… human.

The Loki from then would never lower himself on a level of a mere mortal.

So, there you stood, with an open mouth staring like an idiot at the God of mischief, while he slowly approached you. But it wasn’t only the black suit, which by the way made him… exceptional good looking, there was something else. Beside the lack of gel in his hair.

“We should sit down. People are starting to look,” he said, getting you back to earth. And oh dear god, even his voice was different. It didn’t sound as disdainful and cocky as before. There was a calmness in it, nearly a civility, that made baffled you.

Suddenly somehow embarrassed you cleared your voice, trying to gather yourself. “What- what are you doing here? Like on earth?” You let yourself fall back into your seat, still clearly astonished while Loki sat down across from you.

“Well, just a little mission between me and my dear brother,” he stated while he nonchalantly wiped some crumbs from the table. “You know, a nice family trip.”

He lifted his eyes and looked directly into yours. And then you noticed it.

“Liking what you see?” Loki asked and you were somehow relieved to so his smirk again. But you didn’t give it any attention, instead you squinted your eyes and watched him carefully. “You seem different.”

“Better, I hope?”

“Yes, that too, but – wait. I didn’t mean it that way.”

Loki decided to take part in your little game and moved his head a little closer to you. “Really?” He whispered mischievously. “Because your heart just increased by an unnatural amount of beats for humans. Am I making you nervous, darling?”

“Your eyes.”

“I beg your pardon?” Loki leant back again watching you in utter perplexity.

“Your eyes. That’s what’s different about you. Do you wear contacts? Last time they shined in this incredible cold blue, but now they’re like…,” you searched for the fitting words. “Fanfiction green.”

Now that seemed to throw the god completely. “Fanfiction green?”

“Never mind,” you replied quickly, embarrassed at how easily you have let yourself get carried away. You glanced all around the café, not wanting to meet his eyes in this moment. “So… you’re done with conquering New York?”

Loki let out a husky laugh, that nearly made you nearly choke on your coffee. What the hell?

“No. I think this belongs now to my past.”

“So you’re a good guy now?” You glanced at him, taking another slip.

Loki lifted his eyebrow. “Of course not.”

And this simple, little statement made you laugh, for which you only earned a mocking look from the god.

Talking to Loki was surprisingly easy. He was directly. Didn’t dread to speak openly – of course not, he was still Loki after all.

He still teased you, was charming as always, though you were surprised by the fact that the flirting had decreased. Instead he seemed to genuinely enjoy talking to you, asking questions or telling little stories himself. He was curious and sometimes you felt like you talked a little too much be he didn’t bother.

The hours went by way faster that you thought and hoped for. But the time to say goodbye still arrived, when the rain had stopped and the sunset begun to redden the sky.

You were standing outside the café, the cool evening wind brushing through your hair. You were watching the god of mischief carefully, something in you still waited for the moment he’d transform back into his old self, wanting to conquer the world again.

” Tell me what happened that made you change your mind. And your eye colour,” you urged him, once to satisfy your own curiosity and secondly to have a reason for all of…this.

Loki gave you an amused look. “It doesn’t matter. For your own good, Y/N, I hope we don’t meet again.”

Your heart faltered a little when you heard this. He was right, you knew that, but still. This evening was surprisingly very nice.

But your heart missed a beat when he suddenly reached for your hand.

“Though, it was a pleasure,” Loki whispered before he placed a gentle kiss on it.

You were way too surprised to react or to even say anything in this seconds and before you knew, he had let go of you and the moment was gone.

“Send Thor my best regards,” you just said.

“Definitively not.”

And oh how this evening got stuck in your head!

It had been your fourth and most remarkable meeting and you just wished you’d stayed a little longer, gotten to know him a little more.

The whole night you tossed and turned around in bed, replaying your conversations in your head, cringing about small details you wished you had formed different or not said at all.

And the moment you imagined his green eyes or this little smirk or the way his lips felt on your hand, you knew you were in deep, deep trouble just by the way your heart jumped.

“Oh, Damn it, Y/N.”

Due to the lack of sleep the past night, the sun stood already high in the sky when you awoke. You sighted in defeat, relived that the endless dreams of green eyes and black suits were finally over.

Though it seemed like the dreams - or nightmares whatever you like better - became reality, when you arrived in the living room. You stopped dead in your tracks when you noticed literally everyone was standing there, surrounding Thor and Tony. And beside them, the source of your sleepless night.

“What the- “

“Y/N, good afternoon to you, too!” Tony exclaimed, turning all the attention to you.

You tried your best to not look crazy, but hell you just woke up and this whole situation IS crazy!

So you cleared your throat and tried for a forced smile. “What’s… going on?”

And ohh a lot went on. Good, old Tony announced that Thor as well as his brother would stay here for a while due to some specific things that needed to be done here on earth, which involved the future of Asgard or something along the line. Anyways Tony didn’t seem to like the idea of ‘reindeer games’ back on earth either but Y/N should have seen Thor, looked like he was about to cry. Said something about Loki will behave.

“And I’m still here, Mortal,” Loki interrupted to which Tony gave him his best bitch face before he turned to Thor. “He’s completely your responsibility, thunder man.”

He turned to leave and the rest of the people started to spread as well, leaving only you and Loki.

You glanced at him only to find him already watching you.

“Seems like we going to see each other more often in the future,” he said.

You sighted dramatically. “and here I was, thinking I’ve seen the last of your pretty face.”

“So you think I’m attractive?”

“I never said that.”

“Come on, Darling, we both know- “

That darling again. That damn darling. Frustrated you pressed your lips together when you felt the damn butterflies in your damn stomach.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

So here you were, falling for the devil. And you knew there was no way back since you were long lost.

Of course you spent more time together these next months, no matter if you intended it or not. You go for a glass of water, he sat there already, drinking tea. He gotten lost in Tony’s house, you’d be just around the next corner. You wanted to read, he was already in the library.

You spend your time reading, doing simply nothing, eating, or talking. And oh you talked a lot. You got to know more and more about him and his story, shared memories, though you noticed he still didn’t fully open up, he began to trust you, and you him.

One night you came home late at night and notice the light coming from the living room. You found him there sitting on a couch reading a book.

“It’s way past midnight, why the hell are you still here?”

A little surprised Loki looked up. And the moment he closed the book to answer you, you realized it was one of your favourite books! You rose your eyebrow in astonishment.

“I like the moral of the story though the concept seems a little dim,” Loki explained and moved a little to make you room next to him. “You’ve mentioned it’s one of your favorite books and I have to admit I like this one far more than these ‘fanfictions’.”

You stopped in your tracks, before you looked at him unbelievable. Did he really just-

“You…you- what?”

“Fanfiction,” he repeated once more. “Though I still have absolutely no idea what fanfiction green means- “

“You remember I’ve said that?”

“Well, it involved my eyes, after all, of course I’d remember that.”

That left you speechless for a while.

When you think back to the time you had fully accepted your feelings, there always occurs this one occasion into your mind. The evening, that turned into your favorite memories.

It had been an outstanding stressful and eventful week. You felt tired and exhausted so it was no wonder you hadn’t been careful enough and cut yourself accidently with a kitchen knife while you were cooking. It was a rather deep wound and you couldn’t help but let a small whimper escape while searching for a towel.

Not even a minute had passed by and Loki appeared in the room. “That’s a lot of blood. What happened?”

You remember the way he had looked at you, some way concerned yes, but there was also a bit of amusement in his disbelieve about your clumsiness. The way he had carefully placed your hand in his, before he gently bandaged your hand, carefully trying not to hurt you anymore.

You had looked up and met his green eyes. And again you had the feeling that he was looking right into your soul, into your heart. Your faces were only inches away. For a mere second - you thought you just imagined it - his eyes flickered to your lips.

“You know,” you whispered, biting your lip nervously. “If someone told me I’d ever be friends with the god of mischief…”

“So we’re friends now?” Loki said under his breath.

Immediately you stumbled upon your words, not wanting to appear in the wrong way. “What? Oh, I mean unless you don’t think so we do- “

Your entire body froze for a second. The kiss was so soft you couldn’t believe this was the same man you had fought against so long ago.

Your unharmed hand slowly found its way into Loki’s hair, while his hand wandered down to your waist, holding you like his dear life dependent on it.

So here you were, kissing the man you’ve sworn to never fall too. But sometimes the heart just wants what it wants. And there were no forces in the world that could stop it.

When you slowly removed from each other, your forehead still against his, you weren’t able to open your eyes for a few seconds afterwards, afraid that the moment would just vanish.

You felt Loki’s cool breath on your lips when he said with a still hoarse voice, “I think we should revise the exact definition of ‘friends’, Darling. “

#loki x reader #avengers imagine #avengers #loki imagine #loki x you #marvel #loki chat #marvel imagine #loki #loki god of mischief

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jewish-space-laser · 4 years

Text

Stand Back

Wow! I’ve only been back for a few hours, and there’s already been so, so much support. I missed you all. This piece is one of my favorites, inspired by my R&RHoF excitement last winter. My dear friend, @for-fucks-sake-h beta’d this for me, and I loved her then and I love her now! Thank you all for believing in me! If you enjoy this story, shoot me some feedback :) 7.5k words

xoxo Tile

“Harry, c’mon!” Millie whined, tugging at his sleeve when he didn’t bother looking away from the TV. “This isn’t fair and you know it!”

“Millie, fuck’s sake, I already told you that it’s just not possible,” He rolled his eyes, reluctantly looking over at his puppy-dog-eyed best friend. She’d been pestering him for the better part of the afternoon, and he was beginning to get frustrated. She was definitely going to ruin his surprise.

“I just don’t understand,” she pouted, “I’m the one who got you into Stevie’s music in the first place, maybe I should be the one inducting her next week.”

“Yeah, you can do the performance bit, too,” he chuckled, “I’m sure the audience would love to hear your off-pitch, dying-cat screeches. Stevie would love it, too. Instant record deal- oof!”

The pillow hit his stomach with more force than he had expected, but it did nothing to wipe the shit-eating grin off of his face. Millie whacked him on the thigh, and then once more for good measure, before chucking his throw pillow – her makeshift weapon – across the room.

“I didn’t want to see your performance anyway,” she grumbled, “you’ll probably sing Edge of Seventeen, because you’re too basic to sing anything else, and I’ve already seen you perform that one.”

Harry smirked at the memory. They had been fifteen, almost sixteen, and Millie had managed to smuggle a few bottles of cider from her father’s ‘special fridge’ in the garage. Harry had climbed the tree outside her window for the umpteenth time, and the two of them had spent the entire night looking up youtube videos of their favorite rock singers, their virgin livers drunk off of just a few sips of alcohol.

“The 1983 performance was better,” Harry argued, throwing his hands up in outrage.

“You’re taking the piss,” Millie scoffed, swatting his hand away from her laptop, “The 1981 performance is clearly better. Her dance moves are absolutely insane, and the audio quality is better.”

“Her dance moves are mediocre at best in this one,” Harry stated, nodding his head to the guitar beat anyway, “anyone could replicate those.”

“I’d like to see you try!” Millie challenged. The duo regarded each other for a long moment, waiting for the other to back down, and completely oblivious to the hearts in their eyes, still too young to understand what they were feeling.

“Alright then,” Harry giggled, standing up on her bed, obnoxiously singing along to the music blaring from her laptop. He tried to imitate Stevie’s high kicks, the bounce in her step, and swung his arms around as if he were draped in the singer’s white shawl. Millie couldn’t fight the peals of laughter that bubbled up in her throat. He looked completely absurd.

“Just like the white-winged dove!” Millie sang, hopping up on her bed to join Harry.

The two of them bounced until the song was almost over, their voices riddled with gasps and coughs as they tried to catch their breath. The fun had ended abruptly, with Millie’s mother swinging the door open, asking the two red-faced teenagers if they knew that it was past midnight.

“First of all, that was a great performance,” Harry teased, appreciating the way Millie’s eyes softened as she too reminisced their teenage years. She’d always been a sucker for happy memories, and Harry had quickly learned that they were the best way to calm her down or change the subject. Most of her happy memories included him, anyway. “Second of all, this time around, you won’t be grounded for a week.”

“Yeah, because you won’t let me be there!”

“Millie, I told you, I promised Gemma I would bring her along and I only get to have one guest,” he lied, “she’s my sister, I couldn’t say no.”

“You say no to her all the time, in fact, you love saying no to her,” she pointed out, “plus, I’m kind of like your sister. We’ve known each other just as long.”

Harry felt his heart plummet into the pit of his stomach. It wasn’t the first time she had said something along those lines, brother and sister, but it still hurt. He was beginning to think that she would never feel the same way about him that he did about her.

It was a curse, really. He had the world falling at his feet, enough girls were interested in him, and he was successful. But it didn’t matter, did it? Not when the only person he wanted thought of him like a brother.

“Right, yeah,” he cleared his throat. He quickly stood up, mumbling something about getting them more tea, but really he just wanted to hide the burn of tears behind his eyelids. When he came back, Millie was squinting at the screen of her laptop, hunching over so her face was inches from the screen.

“I’m buying my own damn ticket,” she informed him.

Fuck, he thought.

“Okay, okay, stop,” he groaned, closing her laptop. Millie’s hands were still suspended in front of her, poised to type when he shut the computer in her lap. “It was supposed to be a surprise, but there’s a front row seat at the Hall of Fame with your name on it.”

“I KNEW IT!” She cried, shoving the laptop off of her legs and throwing her arms around his neck. “I knew you wouldn’t just leave me behind!”

Harry melted into the hug, winding his arms around her shoulders and back and subtly inhaling as he pressed his nose into her hair. She was practically vibrating with excitement, which made him grin with pride. It may not have been the surprise he had planned, but it was certainly the reaction he’d been expecting.

“You were making it really hard to lie to you,” he admitted, tugging her back when she tried to step out of their embrace. He wasn’t quite ready to let go of her yet. “I was going to tell you tomorrow at dinner, had a whole plan.”

“I’d say I’m sorry for forcing it out of you, but I’m not sorry in the slightest!” She wiggled out of his arms, successfully this time, and gave him a look of pure happiness that made his insides turn to putty. “Does this mean you’ll tell me what song you’re performing?”

Harry snickered, batting her hands away when she went to pinch his arm. He wasn’t about to reveal all of his surprises.

“Not a chance!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh my god, turn this up!” Millie squealed, already reaching over to twist the volume knob on the dashboard.

“Oi!” Harry snapped, swatting her hand away with a steely glare. “What did I just tell you about touching m’ new car?”

“You told me not to make fingerprints on the window,” Millie crossed her arms over her chest, “you never said I couldn’t touch the radio.”

“It was implied,” Harry said through gritted teeth. Normally, Millie’s stubbornness was oddly charming, but today she was truly getting on his last nerve.

Harry had finally saved up enough money for a new car. Grueling ten-hour bakery shifts, babysitting jobs, yardwork, any penny he could get his hands on, had all finally been worth it. He didn’t technically have his license yet, since he was only sixteen, but nobody really paid attention once you got out into the country. Most kids knew how to drive anyway, one of the benefits of growing up in small English farmtown.

The car, which he had bought off of a classmate’s older brother, was a complete piece of shit, but that didn’t stop Harry from polishing every last surface, inside and out. It was a Mustang, and even though the front bumper was dented and it had chips in the paint, it was his pride and joy. He’d overheard a group of girls talking about how sexy it was that Brad Hannagan, his lab partner, had gotten a car. Apparently, he’d taken Allison Fishman to the next town over for dinner, and then they made out in his front seat. Harry wanted his car to be sexy, too.

There was really only one girl he wanted to impress though, and she was currently spilling granola bar crumbs onto his leather seats.

“Millie!” He whined. “You’re getting everything all messy!”

“You’re being so anal, H,” she had just shoved the rest of her bar into her mouth, so her voice came out muffled and garbled, “this is supposed to be fun! Our first ride together in your new car.”

“It is rather special, huh,” Harry nodded thoughtfully, “how do I look in the driver’s seat?”

“Honestly?” She raised an eyebrow. “You look… kinda hot. But do not let that go to your head or else I’ll - ohmygod! Harry, seriously turn it up, it’s Stevie Nicks!”

This time, he didn’t complain when Millie reached over and pressed three different buttons on his dashboard, because the girl he liked thought he was attractive, his windows were rolled all the way down, and the chorus of Stand Back was blaring through his speakers.

This feeling was worth every window smudge, crumb on his seat, and unwelcome dashboard push, he thought. Especially if it meant seeing Millie like this: long hair blowing out the window, head thrown back with her eyes closed, and feet tapping along to her favorite song.

It was a miracle he could keep his eyes on the road.

Harry was going to sing Stand Back. He knew it, Stevie knew it, almost the entire crew backstage knew it, but Millie was still in the dark. It was her favorite song, and he had every intention of putting on a show for her.

He was already dressed in his suit. He’d chosen another custom-made Gucci, a deep matte black fabric with metallic bronze flowers twisting up his torso and down his legs. He’d even let the makeup artist apply some matching bronze eyeshadow to his face, something he’d always wanted to try out. His shoes were plain, black with a bit of a lifted heel, and his only other accessory was a bronze colored tambourine. This was a Stevie Nicks tribute, after all, it wouldn’t be complete without her signature instrument.

The moment he stepped on stage, he knew his outfit choice was a hit. He hadn’t even started his speech before the familiar screaming started, but he’d grown used to the high pitched noise.

He hadn’t been able to meet with Millie beforehand, but it was hard to look away from her now (not that keeping his eyes off of her had ever been easy for him). She was sitting in the front row with a proud smile on her face, and a sinfully tight silver dress on her body, and Jesus Christ she looked incredible. He gave her a lopsided smirk before squinting his eyes into the lights over the audience.

The moment the first notes of the song echoed from the speakers lining the walls, Millie’s jaw dropped lower than Harry had ever seen. He smirked at her, licking his lips cockily as he started bobbing his head. The cheers from the crowd only spurred him on. He took his bottom lip between his teeth, never looking away from his best friend.

“No one looks, I walk by, just an invitation would have been just fine,” he crooned, unable to stop himself from tapping his feet to the rhythm.

He’d opted out of playing the guitar during the performance, wanting to focus more on his vocals. He tore his eyes away from Millie, who was still watching him in awe. This song was for her, but there was still an entire venue crowded with thousands of people, and this was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He’d rather fling himself from the Empire State Building than give a poor performance.

“Stand back, stand back,” he ripped the mic from its stand, prancing across the stage and flipping the hair out of his eyes with a dramatic snap of his neck, “in the middle of my room, I did not, hear from you….”

“La la la la la la la, la la,” he closed his eyes as he turned his back to the crowd, seeing the bright bronze and burnt orange visuals on the screen through his eyelids.

He knew he absolutely killed the performance, if the whoops and hollers were any indication. He could hear the cheers, see people dancing, see her dancing. She seemed to have befriended the woman next to her, as they were both shouting out the lyrics along with him with their hips bumping.

“Take me home….” Harry belted, his voice turning grainy the longer he held the note. When the music finally faded out, he let out a low chuckle into the microphone, relieved to have done the song justice.

It took several minutes for the applause to die down enough for him to speak, and by the time it did, he had no idea what to say.

“Ehm, hello New York!” He called into the microphone, clearing his throat. “It’s an honor to be here.”

Writing a speech about Stevie was the easiest thing he’d ever done. All he had to do was be honest, after all; she was an inspiration, a legend. The definition of a powerful woman. The kind of person who supports young struggling artists, can whip out a killer song in less than an hour, who dedicates her life to bringing melody and emotion to her fans. A poet. A magician.

Giving the speech was another story. The sweat on his back was making the fabric of his undershirt stick to his skin in the most suffocating manner, and Millie’s burning stare had all but caused his brain to short circuit. She’d looked at him like that just once before. He thought about it often, usually when he was alone with his hands shoved between his thighs.

Millie was four drinks in.

Harry knew this because he’d been counting. He had gone to enough parties with her to know that she got a bit… loose once she’d had a few, and he’d taken it upon himself to keep her away from every man who dared look in her direction.

“Stop shooting daggers at everyone, H,” she’d complained, “I wanna dance with someone, but you’re scaring them off. They probably think you’re my boyfriend.”

Good, he’d thought.

“Mills, the men here look sleazy as fuck,” he’d said sternly, “I’m not letting you rub yourself all over some chav.”

“Well, I need to rub myself all over someone, or I swear I’ll lose my mind,” she giggled, her eyelids more hooded than usual as she leaned up against the bar, “you know how I get when I drink.”

Maybe he wouldn’t have normally responded in the way that he did, but he’d had a few to drink himself. The words were pouring out of him before he could stop them, his filter broken down by the whisky double he’d choked down earlier.

“Y’could dance on me.”

Millie hummed, slowly raking her eyes over him from his shoes to the stray curl on his forehead. Instead of giving him an answer, she leaned over the bar to whisper something to the bartender.

He wanted to kick himself. She’d said it time and time again: he was like a brother to her. He started running excuses through his head, things he could say to break the tension and make her forget that he’d ever uttered the words.

“Now that’s an idea,” she finally said, carelessly dropping a bill onto the counter beside her. Harry raised his eyebrows, shocked. When the shots she ordered appeared by her elbow, she slid one over to Harry wordlessly. He took it without hesitation, the burn of tequila tickling his lips long after the bitter taste faded away.

“A good idea?” He asked, cocking his head to the side. “Or a bad one?”

She had never looked at him like this before. Harry had long ago memorized every facial expression she’d ever thrown at him, and prided himself in being able to read her like a book, but this was brand new territory. Her eyes, which were normally bright enough to blind him, had darkened. She was looking at him like she could see right through his clothes… like maybe she wanted to see right through his clothes.

“Why don’t we find out?”

It had taken him weeks to stop dreaming about the way Millie’s ass had felt pressed against him, or how dewy her skin had felt as he ran his hands over it, but now it was all rushing back. Not even the bright spotlight could disguise the fire in her eyes. She wanted him.

But he couldn’t think about that night at the club, not unless he wanted to pop a boner in front of thousands of attentive onlookers. He delivered his speech perfectly, but on the inside his stomach was twisting and tangling into knots, and he hadn’t been able to look at Millie throughout the entire thing.

The rest was a blur. The deafening roar of applause as Stevie came on. The brief hug he shared with her as he passed the microphone to her. The hand he placed on the older woman’s back while a video montage played on the giant screen. More applause. Millie’s eyes.

By the time he made it offstage, all he wanted to do was shove his hand down the front of his trousers, but he still had one more surprise he had to follow through with. With his back pressed against the wall and a twitching hand on his stomach, he took a few deep, heavy breaths. He needed to calm the fuck down, or he was going to blow his load the moment he saw her in that dress.

“Shit,” he exhaled, closing his eyes.

He wasn’t near as composed as he wanted to be, but one of his security guards would be leading Millie backstage any second. He’d arranged for her to meet Stevie, something he knew she’d been wanting since they were children.

“Harry!”

He looked over to see his best friend galloping towards him, his frazzled looking security guard trailing after her.

“Sorry we’re late,” the man apologized, adjusting the walkie-talkie that was clipped to his belt, “she ran ahead and went the wrong way, so we had to backtrack and ended up getting lost.”

“That sounds about right- oof!” Millie clearly hadn’t pumped the brakes, barreling straight into him. If he hadn’t been against the wall, the two of them would have ended up on the floor. “You can take the rest of the night off, Dave.”

His guard didn’t argue, quickly spinning on his heel and leaving the pair to themselves. She’d glued herself to his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his waist as she swayed them back and forth.

“Missed you,” she mumbled.

“Just saw you last week, Mills.”

“Yeah, too long,” she nodded. Harry liked the way the tip of her nose rubbed against his dress shirt.

He chuckled fondly, gently easing her back with his hands on her shoulders. “How’d you like my song?”

“H, I can’t even describe how incredible it was. Like… I’ll be honest,” she blushed, “you looked… kind of hot. But do not let that go to your head, or else I’ll chop off your bollocks.”

Suddenly, he was fifteen again, bouncing all over her bed and getting her in trouble. He was sixteen, preening as Millie complimented him from the passenger’s seat. He was twenty-two, filled with euphoria as they moved on the dance floor. He was twenty-five, looking at her silver dress and feeling the overwhelming need to kiss her.

She was peering up at him like she might want him to, wide eyes and tiny smile, but one glance over her shoulder told him that there were more important things on the agenda. Stevie was walking towards them slowly, her ridiculously tall heels causing her to teeter with each step she took.

“Don’t kill me,” Harry said quickly, “I have one more surprise.”

“Harry, what- OHMYGOD!”

Millie had thrown her hands over her face, cupping them against her mouth and nose. The moment Stevie came into her view, tears burned at the corners of her eyes and a few fell down her cheeks.

“Oh my,” Stevie cooed, stepping close and placing her hands on the younger girl’s elbows, “I know Harry’s a handful, but there’s no need to cry!”

“Heeeey,” he whined, but it fell on deaf ears.

He stood to the side and watched his best friend tell her idol about all of the amazing memories she had with her music. She told Stevie about the first time she played Landslide at her fourth grade piano recital, how she’d listened Edge of Seventeen on repeat for hours on her last night of being sixteen, how she’d written an essay about Leather and Lace for her creative writing class at uni. Millie’s hands were flying all over the place, clutching at her chest, in the air above her head, wound around Stevie in a secure hug. He’d done this for her, and there was no better feeling.

“Harry talks about you constantly,” Stevie smiled. Harry widened his eyes at her.

“Oh he does, does he?” Millie pursed her lips teasingly. “Hopefully nothing too horrible.”

“On the contrary,” Stevie’s eyes twinkled mischievously. Harry shook his head subtly. He’d given her a long and detailed monologue of his feelings for Millie during a particularly vulnerable songwriting session, but they had never mentioned it again. “He’s said only good things. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

Harry’s chest deflated with relief. He was going to send a very long, scolding text to Stevie later on this week.

When it was time to part ways, Harry left the two women alone to say their goodbyes while he made sure there was a car for him and Millie. They’d arranged for her to stay in his guest room, and all of her bags were already there. By the time she was walking over to him, mascara streaking down her face and a sad little smile on her lips, he was ready to have her all to himself.

“How’d I do?” He grinned, scooping her into his arms as she let out a shaky sob.

“I’m,” she let out a hiccup, “so happy!”

“Oh, Mills,” he cooed, rubbing a hand over her shoulder blade, “let’s go home, yeah? I can make you some tea?”

“Mhm,” she whimpered.

The pair began walking towards the back exit, clinging to each other. It made it harder to walk, being pressed together so tightly, but the thought of letting go didn’t sit well them them .

“My emotional Millie,” he hummed, “always so teary.”

“Shut up, Harry!” She cried as she slid into the car. He quickly followed, watching her buckle herself in and kick off her heels. “I can’t help it!”

“Didn’t mean it as an insult, babe,” the term of endearment slipped out before he could stop it, “means you’ve got a big heart. It’s sweet.”

“If anyone in this car is sweet, it’s you,” she sighed, “first, you fly me here all the way from London. Then, you perform my favorite song, and then you introduce me to Stevie Nicks… my absolute, complete, legendary-“

“It was nothing,” he said quietly, knowing that she’d never stop unless he cut her off. Millie scoffed, but he was telling the truth. He’d do anything for her, and if it made her happy, it didn’t feel like a chore.

“Nothing my arse.”

Millie had felt like she was high from all of the excitement, but the way Harry was looking at her was sobering. Despite the sharpness of his cheekbones and the hard line of his jaw, he looked soft, the pine green of his eyes turning to velvet.

“Why are you looking at me… like that?” She asked softly.

“Like what?” He mimicked the tone of her voice.

“Like…” she paused, gulping against a dry throat, “like you’re thinking about kissing me?”

“I am thinking about it,” he admitted, “I’m constantly thinking about it.”

She didn’t say a word, turning her head away and staring out the window. With anyone else, he would have been offended, but Millie was a deep thinker. She always took a bit longer to process things, lost in her own head. He twiddled his thumbs as they sat in silence for the rest of the drive.

He knew he couldn’t take it back. He probably shouldn’t have said it in the first place, but it was as if everything he loved about Millie had been amplified tonight. Hell, he’d just inducted a rock legend into the Hall of Fame, and all he thought about all night was her. She was in his head, in his heart, running through his veins, completely ransacking any rational thought he might have.

When the car stopped in front of his building, Millie was swinging her door open and marching across the lawn before he’d even gotten himself unbuckled. He quickly thanked the driver, scurrying after her like a madman, making sure to grab her forgotten heels before the car rolled away.

She had already walked into his apartment building, using the little fob he’d given her when he started renting in New York. His two level loft had an entrance on the first level, which is where he found her standing when he finally caught up. She was tapping one foot impatiently at his locked door.

“Mills….” he cleared his throat as he dug the house keys from his pocket, “I didn’t mean-”

“You didn’t mean it?” She hissed.

“No, no,” he rushed, “I meant it. I just, I didn’t mean to make things weird.”

Once again, he was met with no response. Millie pushed the door open as soon as it was unlocked, and he could hear her stomping up the stairs. He sighed, fighting the pinprick of tears that threatened to form.

Harry didn’t know why she was reacting this way. Sure, she’d told him just last week that she was like a sister to him, but the way she’d undressed him with her eyes earlier had given him some hope. Maybe he’d just imagined it, conjured it up in his head to cope with his desperate need for her.

As much as he wanted to follow her up the stairs, he knew it was a bad idea. She was angry with him, and he couldn’t figure out why, but leaving her alone to simmer down had always been the best course of action.

“Harry, what the fuck!”

Harry’s eyes widened. This was his first day back to school after missing an entire week, and he realized with horror that he’d forgotten to text Millie about breaking his leg.

“You just vanish for an entire week, and then you show up to homeroom with… with bloody crutches?”

“‘M sorry,” he ducked his head, “I fell off my bike last weekend, and we had to stay in Manchester for a bit to get everything settled. I swear I didn’t mean to worry you-”

“Worry me,” his friend rolled her eyes. They were only thirteen years old, but Millie was more terrifying than most adults when she was well and truly angry. “Understatement of the century. I went by your house, and nearly organized a search party when nobody was home! Have you even checked your phone?”

He hadn’t.

“You know what? If not texting me is so easy, why don’t we just never speak again?”

“Mills,” he groaned, voice cracking slightly. They’d both noticed that his voice was starting to get a little bit deeper, and normally she’d tease the hell out of him for a voice crack like that, but she wasn’t in the mood. “I said I was sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t change how scared I was when you didn’t answer me!” She huffed, storming off. Just as he went to follow her, the bell rung, meaning he was already going to be late. With an irritated moan, he hobbled his way to his first class, hoping to god his teacher would let his tardiness slide when she saw his crutches.

She had, and later that night, Millie’s flailing pre-teen limbs fell through his bedroom window, eyes filling with tears and apologies leaking from her mouth.

“I thought about it all day, and once I calmed down… I just missed you.”

He chugged an entire glass of water before slamming it on his counter, taking a deep breath. His ears perked up at the sound of footsteps in his hallway, so he turned around to look at her. She was still in her dress, but had wiped off her makeup. He swears she’d never looked more beautiful.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you,” she said sheepishly.

“I’m sorry for-”

“No,” she gulped, “you don’t owe me any apologies. I was just… surprised.”

Harry nodded, not knowing what to say. He watched his feet, wiggling his toes awkwardly as an uncomfortable silence fell over them. Millie was shuffling around as well, debating whether or not she wanted to ask the question she’d been wanting to ask for years. Eventually, she couldn’t contain it anymore.

“How long have you been in love with me?”

Her voice was loud, but the volume isn’t what startled Harry. Sure, Millie had always been straightforward, fearless when it came to confrontation, but they’d never had a conversation like this. People had teased them as kids, telling them that boys and girls couldn’t be just friends, but they’d let the comments roll off of their backs.

“I… I-” he stuttered, his tongue suddenly feeling like an anvil in his mouth.

“You… don’t hide it well,” she divulged, looking at anything but him, “you’ve always been like an open book to me.”

“I’ve… yeah,” he choked out, “I, um, most of my life, I think.”

She started crying, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes. He wanted to go over and hold her, like he usually did when she cried, but it was as if he was stepping into cement, absolutely rooted where he stood.

“Most of your life,” she echoed.

Harry rubbed a hand over his face, his skin feverish and beginning to bead with sweat. He needed to get out of his suit.

“I- you, yeah,” he croaked, robotically moving across the room to slip his blazer over one of the kitchen chairs. His legs felt like jelly, as if he’d completely forgotten how to walk.

“H,” she whimpered, “why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“Why didn’t you ever say that you knew?”

Millie sucked in a breath, fiddling with the sequins on her dress. “I wasn’t completely sure. I mean, I was pretty sure, but then you’d talk about going on dates with other people, or… just, I had my doubts. But then tonight….”

“I was pretty obvious tonight,” he chuckled humorlessly, clearing his throat and scratching at his jaw, “and I never told you because… well look at us. We’ve never been this uncomfortable around each other.”

“H-”

“There were a few times I almost told you,” he gulped, “but… the timing was never right. You’d be in a relationship, or I’d be out on tour. It never lined up.”

This time, when Millie let out a sob, Harry didn’t hesitate to tuck her under his arm.

“You’re such a wanker,” she bawled, pressing her forehead into the skin between his sparrow tattoos, “obviously I love you too.”

Harry couldn’t breath. Had his heart stopped beating? Was he alive? Maybe he was hallucinating. The girl he loved, his best friend, was currently pressing her entire body against him, and she apparently felt the same way he did.

“How long?” He asked.

“Most of my life,” Millie giggled.

“Fuck,” Harry wept, licking the tears away from his lips, “we’ve wasted so much time. Could have been together ages ago.”

She looked up at his face with a watery smile. “We’re here now. Still wanna kiss me?”

Harry leaned down and mashed his lips to hers in one fluid motion, loving the way it felt to have her like this. Millie was pushing herself closer, the pressure of the kiss making them both smile. She tasted like salty teardrops and toothpaste, and he probably smelled like a gym locker after loping around the stage, but neither of them minded, completely captivated by the feeling of finally moving their mouths together.

Once the floodgates had been opened, there was no way of stopping it. What had been a sweet, almost innocent embrace, was suddenly rough and desperate. Their soft touches were now strong and unyielding, calculated movements gave way to impulse and speed. They were like a river breaking free of its dam; calm waters growing higher and stronger until the tension became too much, cracking the barrier and releasing every single pent up drop. They were white-capped waves, beautiful and chaotic as they crashed against each other.

“I’ve thought about this so many times,” Millie heaved, clenching her fist around the fabric of his shirt while he nipped at her jaw.

“‘Bout kissing me?”

“No, I mean, yes- oh!” She yelped, hissing through gritted teeth as Harry licked over the spot he’d bitten into her neck. “Yeah, b-but, also about what it would feel like to have sex with you.”

He’d been ignoring his semi since he walked off stage earlier in the night, but the moment she spoke, he could feel his cock chub up in his trousers, the blood rushing below his belt making him a bit dizzy.

“Thought about that too,” he was hunched over as far as his back would allow, his craving to taste the skin below her collarbones much stronger than the strain on his spine.

“We should probably do it then, yeah?”

Harry moaned. He had been suppressing his inappropriate thoughts about the way she looked since the moment he saw her in the crowd, but now he could let them roam freely. He wanted to gather her hair into his fists, peel the dress off of her body, absolutely ruin her lipstick (he was a little bit disappointed that she’d wiped it off). He couldn’t wait to make his fantasy a reality.

“We probably should,” he agreed, pushing the strap of her dress down her arm, “only if you want.”

“Obviously I do, bloody bellend,” she said impatiently, undoing the buttons on his dress shirt, “god, this outfit was so sexy tonight. When you were singing, all I could think about was how bad I wanted you to fuck me.”

“I know,” Harry smirked, “saw the look on your face when I was done. Nearly got a boner during my speech.”

“The sex eyes can’t be tamed,” she shrugged, finally unfastening the last button under his navel. She tugged the material from the waistband of his trousers and pushed it off of his shoulders.

“Don’t want you to tame ‘em,” he growled, moving closer to her when the zipper of her dress snagged under his fingertips, “want you to keep the sex eyes on, and get this fucking dress off!”

When he finally got the zipper down, he practically ripped it away from her body, tugging it roughly over her hips and letting it fall to the floor in a crumpled heap. Millie didn’t even have time to step out of it before Harry was lifting her bridal style.

“Don’t you fucking dare drop me!” She shrieked, lightly swatting his shoulder when he set her down on top of his kitchen table.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Mills.”

She opened her mouth to tell him off again, but her train of thought completely derailed when he got on his knees and sucked her clit through her underwear. She couldn’t suppress her moans, especially as he swept the flimsy fabric to the side and really dug in, tongue licking over every bit of her and calloused fingers plucking at her clit.

Millie sighed feverishly. The rough texture of his fingers and the smooth wetness of his mouth felt practically angelic, while the sounds filling his kitchen were sinful. Wet pops of his lips and hollow slurps when he suctioned his cheeks in wre driving her hellishly insane.

“I can’t come like this,” she panted, “I want to see your face.”

He pulled off of her, leaving one last kitten-lick to her folds before rising to his feet. His lips were swollen and shiny as he undid the zip on his trousers, quickly stripping the bronze and black fabric from his legs. He pressed his erection against Millie’s sopping core, letting her soak into the fabric of his boxers. Everything was warm and wet and smooth, just like he’d always imagined.

“Let me fuck you,” he pleaded.

“Condom?” She asked, feeling her walls twitch as if they were trying to guide Harry’s cock inside on its own. “‘M not on the pill….”

“Right,” he swallowed harshly, “Okay, yeah. I’ve got to run upstairs and get one.”

“I’ll stay right here,” Millie promised, peeling her undergarments off the moment he was out of sight.

Whenever she pictured having sex with Harry, it was romantic; white sheets and fluffy pillows, a warm summer breeze, maybe even some scented candles and music. She certainly hadn’t imagined it happening on the hard wood of his kitchen table, but in a way, it was even more perfect.

Their friendship, their relationship was unique. They were two people who had spent the better parts of their lives dancing around each other, orbiting like two planets, feeling the weight of the gravity but never touching. It was only fitting that their first time together was unconventional.

Harry practically sprinted back into the kitchen, wincing at how cold the tile felt against his bare feet. However, he didn’t focus on that long, too distracted by the skin Millie had revealed in his absence.

She was laying down still, and her exposed breasts fell slightly to the sides, their undersides resting on top of her ribcage. She’d splayed her legs open upon seeing him, giving him his first unobstructed view of her heat.

“Christ,” he wheezed, “let me just….”

He ripped the condom package open with his teeth, slipping the clear latex from its confines and pinching it his fingers while he ripped his briefs from his body. He rolled it on slowly, almost teasingly, when he noticed Millie watching with an attentive gaze.

“Ready?” He hummed.

“Please, H,” she nodded, wiggling her hips in anticipation.

He gave her a breathtaking smile before pushing inside. She was so slick that he managed to push all the way in with one single stroke, causing Millie’s back to arch off of the table. Harry’s knees nearly gave out when she clenched around him, so he gripped her thighs and locked them around his hips to keep himself steady.

This had to be his favorite position.

From where he was standing, he could see the entire expanse of her body, laid out so prettily against his table. He could watch himself push in and out of her, seeing how his cock glistened with her wetness all the way down to the base, admire the way the flesh of her hips creased as they bent to accommodate him, watch her breasts bounce and jiggle with every thrust. If he leaned forward just the slightest amount, maybe he could even reach up to roll her nipples between his fingers.

Millie loved it, too. She liked the way Harry’s stomach muscles concave with each flex, the rapid snap of his hips affecting every nerve in his body. She absolutely loved watching a red flush creep up his chest and neck, the black ink of his tattoos standing out even more against the rosiness. Most of all, she liked watching his face. It was almost as if he didn’t know where he wanted to look most, his blown-out pupils flickering over every inch of her body.

The smell of sex wafted over them, sweet, sensual, and uniquely theirs. Their bodies were sticky with sweat as they slapped together, filling the loft with wet claps and breathy moans. It was raw, carnal, a complete release of the tension they’d been holding in for years.

When Millie was close, Harry dropped one of her legs to play with her clit, knowing that he’d find his release the second she found hers. Her lips were mouthing his name, but no sound came out. He watched, utterly bewitched, as her fingers curled into her palms and a strangled moan fell from her throat.

She gushed her release onto him, and he felt it drip down the fronts of his thighs as she tightened around his cock. He’d never made a woman squirt this much before. Profanities poured from his lips as he felt his balls clench, cumming into the condom with so much force that he had to bend over and rest his torso over hers to keep from falling over. His face was nuzzled into Millie’s breasts.

It was Harry who broke the silence after several minutes of shallow breathing. “Well, fuck, Mills.”

“Holy cow,” she coughed, “okay, first of all, I need some water, second, we’re doing that again immediately.”

He chuckled into her skin, nipping at her breast playfully before standing upright and looking between them. They’d made quite a mess of themselves, not that he minded.

Millie slid off the table, walking her shaky legs over to the sink, where she stuck her entire head under the faucet. Harry smiled to himself; seemingly, nothing had changed about their dynamic. He was afraid that professing his love for her might change the way they acted around each other, but she was just as silly as she’d always been.

“Millie, no! That’s so unsanitary,” a twenty-year-old Harry complained. Millie had just stuck her entire head into the unisex bathroom sink, chugging at the stream of water, “this is a karaoke bar, probably germs everywhere.”

“I was thirsty,” she informed him, wiping the back of her hand over her mouth, “and there’s only one more person in front of me. How am I supposed to sing Stevie Nicks with a dry throat?”

“How are you supposed to sing Stevie Nicks when your voice sounds like a police siren?” He countered with a smirk. His best friend crossed her arms over her chest in offense.

“We can’t all be professional singers, you knob,” she bit out, swinging the door open with more force than necessary. She’d only had a drink or two, but Harry drank enough to make the room spin.

“‘M not a knob,” he muttered to himself as he followed after her.

“You sure are!” Millie called over her shoulder.

When it was time for her to take the stage, Harry made sure that his seat was all the way up front and his phone camera was at the ready. Millie had always been a horrible singer, but that had never stopped her. He couldn’t wait to post the video to his private instagram in the morning.

“Stand back, stand back!” She screeched, flipping Harry the bird when he started laughing, “in the middle of my room, I did not, hear from you!”

Her hair was flopping all over the place, hips moving back and forth while she hopped up and down. He wished he’d gone up there with her, wanting to wrap an arm over her shoulder or put his hands on her waist.

“I would cry… la la la la la la la, la la….”

He was in a perpetual state of wanting to be near her. It felt like it was part of his identity at this point. His name was Harry, he had curly hair, he wore tight jeans, and he wanted to be touching Millie.

Twenty-five year old Harry wished he could go back in time and tell his younger self that he’d get to touch her, whenever he wanted and for however long he wanted. He’d held her close while they showered together, placed a hand on the small of her back while she sifted through his dresser for pajamas to wear, and had her sprawled over his chest while she slept in his arms.

He closed his eyes, a smile never leaving his face as he imagined having her at twenty-six, twenty-seven, thirty. Maybe even fifty, sixty, and seventy. Trips down memory lane are much more enjoyable when there’s a future.

And yeah, he thought, revelling in the tickle of her soft snores as they puffed into his skin, there was definitely going to be a future.

~~~

Thank you for reading, if you’ve made it this far! Leave me a message, I’d love to know your thoughts <3

xoxo Tile

#harry styles #harry styles imagine #harry styles smut #harry styles fanfic #harry styles one shot #harry #styles #one direction #1dff #fanfiction #friends to lovers #stand back

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sparrowwritings · 3 years

Text

Final Fantasy 14 Writing Challenge Day One: Exchange

Masterpost -- Day Two

The day had started out rather well. The usual overcast weather that covered Ishgard had prompted Lara and Roger to suggest a day inside Fortemps manor with warm drinks and stories. While there was plenty that he could have been doing elsewise, the two had coerced Alphinaud into joining them. He’d told himself it would be a brief interlude, but as the clock chimed the passing of morning into the noon he’d found himself enjoying this rare moment of leisure.

He’d finished regaling the other teens with a story about an incident occurring on his and Alisaie’s nameday when Roger had blinked and looked to Lara. “You know I never thought to ask...when is your nameday?”

She’d looked confused and told him. There had then been a stillness as Roger’s already large green eyes widened further.

“That’s my nameday too!” Before Alphinaud could interject that many people shared namedays, Roger further exclaimed, “And it passed just before we met! Why didn’t you tell me??”

“I didn’t even think about it…” Lara’s own dark blue eyes were also round with realization. “The echo shared a lot about us to each other, but it didn’t show everything...” She’d trailed off with an odd expression. Roger mirrored it.

Then, suddenly, the two had left their mugs on the drawing room table and stood. They moved quickly enough that anyone else could have thought that they had rehearsed it.

“I’ve got to go do something.” “I need to take care of something.”

Lara and Roger had said over each other as the two left as if being chased by dragons. Leaving Alphinaud behind and very confused.

Now here he was, braving the cold of Ishgard’s city to find out just what in the world was happening with the Warriors of Light. Someone had to, so it might as well be him.

It didn’t take long for Alphinaud to find someone who would be willing to talk to someone still considered an outsider (not even going into the results of the heretic trial). After all, Lord Haurchefant Greystone was considered something of an outcast himself. “Ah, young Alphinaud! Good to see you!” He called out with far enough enthusiasm to draw the attention of passersby. They turned away just as quickly, which was expected of the folk of the Pillars.

“Good to see you as well, Haurchefant,” Alphinaud gave a nod, though it was still odd to address the commander so informally. The widened smile on the man’s face indicated that he approved.

“Are you also on a quest to find a gift for Roger, or is it something else? Lara seemed in quite a hurry when she spoke with me.”

Well that answered the question that he didn’t even need to ask. “No, I was actually about to question you about where they’d both gone. We had been chatting when something came to mind in both Roger and Lara and they had rushed off. I suppose if Lara was looking for a gift for Roger, then he must be doing the same for her.”

Haurchefant barked a laugh, which drew temporary attention again. “You know, I think you’re right young Alphinaud! Those two do seem to be of one mind more often than not! Almost like twins if I didn’t know any better.”

Ignoring the sudden tightness in his chest, Alphinaud gave another nod. “Indeed. But back to the topic at hand; did you have a suggestion for her?”

“Alas I did not.” The commander sighed and folded his arms. “While I’ve been blessed to have assisted and been assisted by Lara and Roger, I’m afraid I’ve spent far less time with them individually. ‘Tis a shame, for their lives are most fascinating. Just hearing your story of how you came to be on my doorstep is almost nothing compared to the one I participated in. And mine had such complex twists and turns as it stood! Think of what they’ll accomplish next!”

Alphinaud suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

It didn’t take much for the man to sing the praises of the Warriors of Light. While this trait was invaluable for helping himself, Roger, Lara and Tataru to be invited to the Holy See, after a while such enthusiasm was a tad...tedious. Not that either of the Warriors of Light had ever indicated that they felt the same. In fact, they seemed to flourish under the attention of their practically-adopted older brother. Half a wonder that Lara had gone to him first for ideas.

Thankful for all of the lessons in diplomacy that he had been forced to learn, Alphinaud hid his annoyance behind a polite smile. “I’m certain the Warriors of Light will surprise us yet. Although at the moment I was wondering where Lara had gone off to after she spoke with you.”

Remembering himself, Haurchefant cleared his throat. It didn’t do much to hide the embarrassed flush on the elezen’s cheeks. “Right. I suggested she try talking to Tataru. I may also not know much about her, but she seems to be the industrious type. Perhaps try there?”

Industrious was one way of describing the lallafel, but the idea was quite sound. If anyone was around that could feasibly suggest gift ideas, it would be Tataru Taru. Alphinaud nodded and made to leave with the standard farewell when the commander offered, “Are you sure you don’t wish for me to join you?”

“I will be quite well, thank you.” Alphinaud answered quickly as he left.

------

“Sorry, you just missed’m! Both of them!”

“Drat,” Alphinaud said under his breath.

The Forgotten Knight was as busy as the tavern ever was. People were wandering in from the snow flurries that were steadily falling from the grey skies, looking for warm food and company. One could almost forget that Ishgard was cut off from the rest of Eorzea for how crowded the place felt. Thankfully the corner that he and Tataru were chatting in was relatively clear even as people came and went.

“Aw, you don’t have to be so worried about them. You know Lara and Roger can handle themselves!” The lalafell woman patted his hand, her small legs dangling from the elezen-sized stool she’d sat in.

“I’m not worried about them in that sense,” He protested. “Even separate, those two are far more capable than many groups of warriors I’ve encountered.”

Tataru opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it while biting her lip. He didn’t have to guess at what she had decided not to bring up.

“Yes, the Crystal Braves can be included in that. If I hadn’t been so foolish then they couldn’t have been--” A thick slice of bread inserted in his mouth cut off his sentence. Tataru huffed and clapped crumbs off of her hands while he took the piece out and coughed.

“No. We’re not going to do that right now. We’re talking about Roger and Lara, not your guilt. You are worried about your friends so I’m not going to hide what I know. But. You’ve got to stop blaming yourself for something that wasn’t your fault and that you’re not being blamed for.” She levelled a violet glare at him. “So. If you want to know what they’re up to, you’re not going to go on about how you could’ve changed things with the Crystal Braves. Okay?”

Alphinaud was once again feeling left behind and confused, but in a different way than had happened earlier that day. He’d just wanted to know what the Warriors of Light had been doing. When had his own emotions gotten in the way of finding that out? It hadn’t even been at the forefront of his mind, and yet his guilt had been summoned unconsciously. He turned the hard slice of bread over in his hands as he mulled over the offer. After a beat, he sighed. “Very well, I agree.”

As if the sun had come out from the clouds (as rare as such an occurrence was in Ishgard), Tataru beamed and spoke as if she hadn’t just told off the boy. He chewed on the part of the bread that had already been in his mouth while she chattered on. “WELL, first Roger came to me asking if I knew what Lara liked to eat so I asked why and he said he was getting her a late nameday gift so of course I offered to help. I sent him on his way to the markets and talked to a few folk in the tavern about places to find rare herbs, so by the time Lara came in asking for gift ideas for Roger I already knew where to send her so that I could help with the cooking while she was away!” Tataru spread her arms wide, her fingers splaying out and shaking in a theatrical fashion. “So! If you want to find gifts for them, they should be fairly occupied until the end of the day.”

He swallowed the last of the bread before he spoke. “Where is Roger practicing his cooking?” He didn’t need to answer her about potential gift giving, after all.

“Oh he’s in the kitchens here. I have someone making sure he doesn’t burn anything important.”

“I see…” His eyes slid to the door towards the room in question.

The apprehension must have been apparent because Tataru retorted, “He can’t burn anything yet, he’s still got to mix ingredients and such.” She openly rolled her eyes when he looked back at her.

“You make it sound as if he might burn down the whole tavern.”

“He won’t! Probably. Hopefully.” She was suddenly nervous, pulling at the ends of her sleeves. “...I’ll...go see how he’s doing. In the meantime, think about what I said. About all of that.” The lalafell then hopped off the stool and made her way into the back.

Alphinaud let the surrounding conversation wash over him as he thought. After some time, he got up from his seat and made his way out. He’d made a decision and he was going to follow through with it.

-----

“You really didn’t have to find these for me!” Roger exclaimed as he examined the variety of plant life that had been neatly tied together with a red ribbon.

It was just past supper, and the teens plus Haurchefant and Tataru had retired to the drawing room of Fortemps manor. As soon as everyone had sat down, Lara had shoved the green bundle in her best friend’s direction and he’d fumbled but kept his grip on it. Tataru had clapped happily at the sight. Harchefant’s face seemed to be stuck in a proud smile.

Alphinaud was no expert on botany, but he was fairly certain that the shrubs and flowers had been picked more for their looks than their usefulness. Still, Roger looked at them as if they were rare ingredients. Lara relaxed her nervous stance at the sight of his appreciation.

“I know, but I wanted to find something useful and it was the best thing I could think of at the time. Now that I know when your nameday is, I’m going to blow you away with a proper present next year.” She grinned.

Now it was Roger’s turn to fidget in his seat. “W-well. I hope you like this too.” From his pocket came a small paper bag, fastened with a green ribbon. The paper had a flower pattern printed on it. Lara gently took the bag and pulled until the ribbon came undone. In the middle were a handful of cookies. The bottoms were slightly burnt and the size of them were inconsistent. “I-I know you like to cook but I wanted to try to make your something and Tataru suggested honey cookies and it was way harder than I thought so you don’t have to eat them but--” Before the poor boy could nervously ramble on, she had already picked up the top cookie and taken a bite.

The whole room held its breath as Lara closed her eyes and chewed. After what felt like ages, she swallowed and smiled at Roger. “These are pretty good! Between Tataru and I, we’ll make a culinarian out of you yet!”

It took only a moment for the two to fall into fits of giggles, and for the adults in the room to join them. Alphinaud took that distraction to stand and head towards Lara and Roger. When they had recovered a little, he presented them both a small plain blue box. “‘Tis equally late for your actual nameday as what you’ve already exchanged. I’ll do my best to have something better by your next one.”

Wearing similar expressions of confusion, the two opened up the boxes. Inside were identical sketches of Lara and Roger, happily chatting with one another. The quality was such that one could be mistaken in thinking that they were directly copied off of another work, though obviously no paintings had been made of the two. Roger and Lara stared at each other, then to the drawings, then to Alphinaud in a cycle. “It’s rough, but if you wish I can touch it up at a later date. I was hard pressed for time, muchlike you both were and--”

All of a sudden he was sandwiched between Lara and Roger in a warm embrace. Alphinaud could feel his face and pointed ears turning scarlet as the oblivious Warriors of Light started complimenting his work. “I didn’t know you could draw!” “What do you mean that it’s rough, it’s amazing!” “I need to find a place to hang it--oh wait maybe I could get it framed??” “This is the best nameday present ever!” He was too flustered to respond, much less pay attention to who was speaking.

He’d forgotten how physically affectionate Lara and Roger could be. At least this was a more embarrassing than fatal mistake.

Through the press of bodies he spotted a grinning Tataru elbowing a chuckling Haurchefant. Nevermind, he was going to expire right here in front of everyone.

He desperately hoped that Alisaie wouldn’t hear a word about this.

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franboos · 4 years

Text

I don’t want to be your friend i want to kiss you neck

a vds college roommate fic

written by @livsisa and me <3

word count: 2302

chapter three, part 2

previous chapter

“Luc, did you hear me?”

Lucas looks up from the napkin that he’s tearing apart. “What?”

“I asked if you wanted the rest of my brownie,” Sander says with a slight frown on his face. “Is everything okay? You´re awfully quiet.”

He drops the napkin on the table and sighs, looking around the small cafe they’re sitting in. They do this every Thursday afternoon, when their classes end at the same time, they get coffee and a pastry in a small coffee bar a street away from the school.

“Sorry, I’m a bit distracted today,” he says as he reaches across the table for Sanders’ brownie.

“Does it have anything to do with Jens?”

“Jens?” Lucas replies with his mouth full of brownie, some crumbs falling out onto the table.

Sander nods his head, “He said you guys had some sort of argument last weekend.”

Lucas groans and lets his head fall onto the table. Of course Jens told Sander, probably his other friends as well, which means they all know how much of an idiot he was by throwing Jade out like that. As if he wasn’t embarrassed enough already.

ever since that morning, the atmosphere between the two had been extremely tense. They barely spoke, avoided being in the same room together, except for when they had dinner with the other roommates, but even then they ignored each others presence.

Lucas hates it, he hates not talking to Jens, which makes him feel stupid for getting attached so quickly. He hates how much impact Jens has on him, after knowing him for not even a month. He feels like a fool for caring so much about what Jens thinks of him, he doesn’t care about Friso’s opinion, or Annabell’s, not even Ely’s. But Jens is different. He wants Jens to like him, and the thought of Jens being angry with him is driving him crazy.

“Aw,” Sander pats his head lightly, “It’s okay, he felt really bad about it.”

Lucas’ head shot up, “He did?”

Sander chuckles. “Yeah, we talked for a bit and he sounded frustrated,” He takes his hand off of Lucas’ head after ruffling his curls. “I could tell he was sad about it.”

“Sad?”

“Yeah, because you guys are avoiding each other.”

Lucas feels the corners of his mouth turn up into a small smile. Of course he isn’t happy about the fact that Jens is not happy, but it gives him a little bit of hope that he isn’t the only one who’s upset about the situation.

“But then why didn’t he just come to talk to me?”

Sanders sighs. “Jens isn’t the best in expressing his feelings. He always bottles everything up. It’s like he wears a mask. He tries to act chill and like he doesn’t really care about everything that happens around him. It sometimes even looks like he just hopes that his problems will solve them self by ignoring them, but that really isn’t the right way, and I hope you know that too.”

Lucas furrows his eyebrows. “So, he does want to talk to me, but he also doesn’t?”

“Well, yeah. He feels really bad about the situation but he is just too stubborn to face it and go up to you. From what he told me, it looks like he only thinks about all the bad ways it could turn out instead of thinking that you guys could have a normal conversation and solve things,” Sander explains. “He just thinks you won’t forgive him. Would you?”

Lucas is quiet for a moment, progressing the information Sander just told him, then he speaks up again.

“Yeah, at least, i think. I just really want to talk to him at least.” He crosses his arms on the table and leans his head on them. “We both did some things that weren’t right you know, he isn’t the only one who should feel guilty,” he sighs. “How do I get him to talk to me?”

“I think you should go talk to him, although it really should be Jens going to you. I tried telling him that, but he is just too cocky.”

Lucas growns and buries his head back in his arms.

“Ugh, what should I even say? I can’t just go like ‘Sorry Jens, for throwing your girl out and acting like a dick while everything between us was fine, will you forgive me?’” He mumbles into the skin of his arm but the sarcastic tone can't be missed in his voice.

“Why not?” Sander says, as if it's really that simple.

“You really aren’t good at apologizing, are you?” Lucas says, lifting his head up.

Sander snorts. “Well, I painted Robbe a big ass mural when things weren’t good between us. And look where we are now!”

Lucas rolls his eyes. “I’m not going to paint Jens a mural.”

“Again, why not?”

“I should have had this conversation with somebody else, you suck.”

“Auch, you hurt my feelings there buddy,” he says with his hand on his heart and a pained expression on his face.

“Fuck off,” Lucas says, but the smile on his face is bright.

“Okay, but for real, I think you should go talk to him. He would be more than happy if you came up to him because he is so scared that you don’t want to talk at all.”

Lucas looks down at the torn up napkin still laying on the table. He really wants to talk to Jens, but he doesn’t want to fuck it up. Jens is cool, really cool. And he doesn’t feel like ending their friendship just yet, or ever.

“Alright,” Lucas says while looking back up, “I will talk to him, but I want to do it right now because now I have to courage and maybe later I will back out.”

“Okay, then go now Luc.”

“You sure?” Lucas asks hesitant.

“Yes of course, I was going to Robbe’s anyways after we were done.”

“Shocking.” He grins.

“Pff, shut up,” Sander says while shaking his head, “Now go and get your boy.”

“He is not my boy.”

“yet,” Sander says with a smirk.

“Now you shut up. We’re friends, so I’m going now, to talk to my friend,” he stands up, puts his jacket on and pushes his chair back under the table, “bye Sander, and thanks for your,” he holds up his hands makes two air quotes, “advice.”

“Stop insulting me! I gave good advice. And if you wait a second, I’ll pay and than we can leave together.”

Lucas said goodbye to Sander a few minutes ago. He is now cycling on his own, back to his apartment. And he is not going to lie: he’s nervous as hell. He hopes Jens isn’t home yet. He needs to prepare himself for this conversation. As of right now he has no idea what to say. He needs to figure that out, so he doesn't look like an idiot in front of Jens.

He picks up the speed, pushing down on the pedals of his bike that he’s owned since he was fourteen. An old one, that previously belonged to Kes’ brother. Lucas’ parents refused to buy him a new one after he wrecked his going down the ramps in the skate park with Kes.

The wind blows through his hair as he races through to streets of antwerp. He closes his eyes for only a second. There are a million thoughts running through his head, all revolving around Jens. He’s scared of ruining their newly build friendship, if it isn't ruined already. If what Sander told him was true, and Jens wasn't the type to confront his feelings and talk about them, then Lucas will. Because he only just got Jens and he isn't ready to lose him just yet.

He parks his bike against the tree on the other side of the street and crosses the road without looking. Once he’s inside the house he sprints up the stairs two steps at a time and rushes past the living room.

“Aren't you saying hi Luc?” a voice yells from inside.

Lucas sighs and turns around.

He stands still in the doorway to the living room, looking at Isa sitting on the couch with Ely crossed leg across from her on top of the coffee table, which is surprisingly not falling apart having to support the weight on top of it.

“What are you guys doing?” he asks.

Ely holds up his phone, “showing Isa some music I’m working on.” Lucas only just now notices they're both wearing an airpod.

“Cool,” he nods his head, he would love to hear it, but not now. “Is Jens home?”

“In his room I believe,” Isa answers and quickly glances at Ely. “Is everything okay again?”

Lucas looks down at his dirty converse. “No, not yet.”

“Go talk to him, please,” Ely says. “The tension between you two is not amusing anymore.” He sends Lucas cheeky grin, who rolls his eyes before walking away.

“Goodluck!” Isa shouts after him.

He slowly makes his way up the stairs, he’s not in a hurry anymore. Once he reaches Jens’ room his heart is beating louder than usual and he has to take a deep breath before lifting up his arm, he holds it in the air for a few seconds, debating on whether he should walk away, but then he knocks on the bedroom door.

“Yes?” Jens calls out from inside.

Lucas opens the door slightly, just enough so he can peak his head inside, he doesn't want to barge in. “It's me.”

Jens is sitting on his bed, laptop propped up on his lap. He’s wearing his red hoodie, with the hood up, a look that makes Lucas’ heart flutter slightly. He looks up from his screen and stares at Lucas, who tries to read his expression, but Jens’ face is blank.

Then Jens smiles at him, not his usual bright smile that makes his eyes crinkle but a smile nonetheless.

“Come in,” He says as he closes his laptop and puts it beside him on the bed.

Lucas closes the door behind him and walks towards the bed, he wants to sit down but decides against it. He looks around the room, it's the first time he's actually been inside. It's slightly messy, there are some clothes scattered across the floor, books piled on top of his desk. A small keyboard stands next to his bed and there are pictures taped to the wall, of what Lucas assumes are his friends and family.

He looks back at Jens, whose eyes are still focused on Lucas.

“I’m sorry,” He says.

Jens’ face softens and he takes his hood off, combing binghis hands through his hair and then letting it fall onto his forehead. “Sit,” he pats the space on the bed next to him.

“I shouldn't have been so rude to Jade,” Lucas says as he sits down next to Jens. “And I definitely shouldn't have told her to leave, that was wrong of me.”

Jens fidgets with the straps of his hoodie, not saying anything. The tension in the room is high and Lucas has a feeling Jens isn't going to forgive him just like that.

“Why did you react that way?” Jens asks, breaking the silence after a minute or two.

Lucas runs a hand over his face and sighs, he should have expected this question. He had given it a lot of thought, he was surprised by his own reaction. He had never told one of Annabells hook-ups to leave, he doesn't mind when Isa or Ely get home at three in the morning and wake up the whole house. It's just Jens. It's only Jens he doesn't want to bring hook-ups home, he doesn't want to see the pretty girls at the breakfast table the next morning.

“To be honest I don't really know why I reacted like that.”

That's a lie. He knows very well why he reacted like that.

Jealousy.

Jealous of the girl who’s waist Jens had his arms wrapped around, the girl who spend the night in Jens’ bed, who kissed him, touched him and who wore his t-shirt the morning after.

“I guess I was just tired and irritable, I was up until late and didn't sleep very well.”

Jens frowns at him.

“I know it's not an excuse, but I am truly sorry.”

He can’t tell Jens the truth, he can’t just say ‘I’m sorry but I like you and I don't want you to be in bed with someone else.’ Because Jens is his friend. Just his friend. And his roommate. Besides that, he’s also into girls, just girls. He can't let his heart be broken by Jens, that's why he has to lie.

“Thank you,” This time Jens’ smile is soft and genuine. “But I’m sorry too, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything, or yell at you.”

Lucas can feel the grin spread across his face and he nods his head slightly, looking down at the light blue comforter of Jens’ bed.

“That's okay.”

He can feel Jens’ eyes on him, he looks up and when their eyes meet they both burst out laughing, making the tension in the room slip away.

Jens pushes Lucas’ shoulder before letting his body fall back onto the bed. Lucas follows him, laying down next to Jens.

“You wanna watch a movie?” Jens asks.

“Sure.” Lucas answers and he watches Jens as he leans onto his elbows to grab his laptop. He takes a moment to let his eyes travel over Jens’ face, taking in his features, his sharp jawline, his cheekbones and the arch of his nose bridge.

Jens smiles at him and Lucas is really glad they're okay.

#we're back bitches #wtfock #skam nl #lucas van der heijden #jens stoffels #vds #van der stoffels #I don't want to be your friend I want to kiss your neck

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gloves94 · 4 years

Text

To Be So Lonely [Draco Malfoy] 21

Rating: PG-13 Pairings: Draco Malfoy/OC Chapter warnings: Cursing?

CHAPTER MASTERLIST

MY MASTER-LIST

"Cedric rules!" A Hufflepuff stepped in Harry's way. Wearing a bright yellow badged that spined into a green background with Harry's face which read 'POTTER STINKS' on it.

"You stink Potter!" Another young boy insulted as he ran past him.

Harry kept his eyes on him keeping his head lowered when he suddenly saw the boy trip and eat shit as he scrapped his hands. Harry looked up to see an irritated Slytherin girl on her way to the Courtyard. He halted on his walk when he almost ran into somebody.

“Like the badge?” Hannah Abbot, a blonde Hufflepuff, blocked the way. Harry was about to excuse himself and walk around her when a hand moved him to the side.

Hannah Abbot looked startled at Elowen Saintday came into view and shot a deathly look her way. "Lose something?" She spat at the surprised girl before forcefully pushing her to the ground and out of her way. Instead of fighting back the Hufflepuff shrunk away, she knew when to pick her battles.

“Harry,” Nel greeted with a mischievous smile turning to face her friend. “Thanks,” He flashed her a grateful smile. It was nice to have at least one friend having your back. Especially when your best friend turned your back on you…

Nel could’ve said the same. Existence at Hogwarts had been a little lonelier recently. Theodore was always off with Daphne helping her paint or something amongst those lines and Tracey was often if not always absent. She event seemed distraught in class, often lost in daydreams. Elowen didn’t want to admit it to herself but she had caught her in a lie more than once at this point.

“What are you up to?” She asked him curiously. “I’m just on my way to have a word with Cedric,” He said shrugging his bookbag strap over his shoulder. She nodded and from the corner of her eye saw Cedric surrounded by the Hufflepuff boys that seemed to worship him.

“Have you,” She began hesitating whether she should ask or not. “Have you heard from him? From Black I mean?” She asked concerned that he hadn’t written back to her yet.

“I heard,” Harry began choosing his words carefully. She paid careful attention to them, listening carefully. “That he can’t communicate through a letter. Because the Ministry is intercepting more and more letters every day, so it’s quite dangerous for him,” he said in an apologetic tone.

She sighed her shoulders slumping slightly feeling disappointed.

“Thanks Harry,” She thanked him before deciding to do something bold. “Also,” She stopped him before he walked in Cedric’s direction. “I don’t know if you know this already, but the first task of the tournament. It’s dragons.”

Yes, maybe Harry was her friend, but this was busines, not personal. She only told him because she knew there wasn’t any way he was going to beat Cedric in the tournament. At the end of the day all that matter was that everyone was safe and that she got paid for her work.

Harry blinked twice surprised that she knew.

“How do you know?” He asked surprised.

Now, how did she know…

Gathering this information hadn’t been easy. After pestering and budging many students at the library while she worked on their parchments, homework and other notes. Some gave her some crumbs of information of any happenings that were going on in the castle. Particularly one girl, a Fifth Year Ravenclaw who was gushing about the fact that Charlie Weasley had been spotted on the castle grounds. She was spouting about how handsome he was and how if he had wanted to, he could’ve played Quidditch at a pro level maybe even becoming better than Viktor Krum.

Nel followed her lead and asked Fred and George about their brother Charlie and if he played Quidditch better than Krum. To which her surprise they said that he probably would’ve. They insisted that Charlie could’ve been better than Krum if he didn’t commit to the life of a Dragonologist and move all the way to Romania. They sounded biased, not that she blamed them. After all, it was their brother.

After that she reached the conclusion that if Charlie Weasley a Dragonologist was on schoolgrounds odds were the first tasks involved the taming or fighting of a dragon.

“Yeah, Hagrid showed me.”

Hagrid! She hadn’t thought about him. He was a great resource to keep around.

Nel was leaning under the shade of the tree waiting for Harry to be done talking to Cedric so that they could continue their conversation. Cedric of course already knew everything about the first task of the tournament. Nel and him exchanged a look from the distance. Not that anybody knew the two were friends, let alone even acquainted.

Lost in thought an unexpected flash of black started her. She flinched at the sudden movement and saw Malfoy jump down from one of the tree branches from her peripheral vision. What the hell was he even doing up there?

“Funny, weather forecast didn’t mention it was going to be raining idiots today,” she commented snidely crossing her arms over her chest and keeping her fixed gaze on the Triwizard champions.

He didn’t laugh at her joke, instead stepped forward blocking her view. “You’re not wearing the badge I made you,” He said pulling out one of those nasty badges everyone was wearing. All of those ‘POTTER STINKS’ badges, who do you think was behind them?

She looked at him and at the badge he was holding on his stretched-out hand. Her eyes bounced back from the badge that switched from Cedric’s face to Harry’s and back up to his malicious smirk before taking it in her hand. She hated to admit it, but they were even a better quality than Hermione’s S.P.E.W. badges. Nel brought it up to her face for closer inspection and eyed it intently before tossing it over her shoulder without any care whatsoever.

He looked at her incredulously.

“You need to get a hobby,” She answered in a dead-beat tone getting ready to walk away from him.

“I do have a hobby,” He claimed rounding around her once again blocking her path. “It’s not my fault Quidditch season was canceled this year because of the stupid tournament.”

“Find a new one then,” She groused growing more and more irritated by his presence. She moved to one side trying to dodge him and he side stepped blocking her way. Left, right, left, left again. Damn. He was more agile than he looked. She glared frustrated he wouldn’t move out of her way.

“One that doesn’t involve pestering me!” She raised her voice at him.

Without an alternative she tried to push him over just like she had done to Hannah Abbot just a couple of minutes earlier but instead he caught both of her hands in his. Elowen pulled back but he refused to let go. Draco was laughing as she struggled against his snare grip. He seemed highly entertained, which further infuriated the Slytherin girl.

“Rehearsing for the Yule Ball Saintday?” She heard Blaise Zabini call from behind as he approached them. Following were Crabbe, Goyle and other Slytherin boys. She felt her ears turning red from both the anger and the embarrassment.

“Why won’t you wear the badge?” Malfoy pressed. “Because they’re foul and childish, just like you,” She shot back harshly making the Slytherin boys around them all call out loud ‘oooooohs’ at the offense.

“Leave her alone Malfoy!”

All eyes turned to see Harry Potter approaching the group of Slytherins. Ron stood a couple of feet behind him so did Seamus Finnegan witnessing the scene.

“This doesn’t concern you Scarhead,” Draco snapped back with malice turning his attention to glare at Potter. Nel took this opportunity to push hard enough away from him and liberate her hands, lightly staggering back as she did from the force she had exerted.

“Shouldn’t you be preparing for the tournament?” Malfoy began swaggering in Harry’s direction. “You see Potter, my father and I have a bet. I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five.”

The Slytherins around all laughed.

“I don’t give a damn what you or your father thinks Malfoy,” Harry stepped up and shoved the blond back angrily. This time Malfoy didn’t make any attempt to catch Harry’s hands. “He’s vile and cruel, and you’re just pathetic,” he glowered. His green eyes turning to his friend who in turn bumped into Malfoy’s shoulder as she walked past him and joined Harry’s side. She shot him a glare before following after Harry.

Already embarrassed and furious by their indifference, even angrier after seeing the Slytherin walk away with the Gryffindor. Draco did a cowardly move; he raised a wand at Potter’s back ready to curse the Gryffindor’s knees on backwards.

Nobody expected Professor Moody to appear and without a warning turning Malfoy into a ferret.

“That’ll teach you to cast when someone’s back is turned!” Professor Moody rushed to the scene. The Hufflepuffs in the courtyard followed suit when they heard the commotion. Harry and Nel looked at the white ferret in awe.

McGonagall, who was also in the premises, rushed to see what all the cacophony was about. “Professor Moody what are you doing?” She asked alarmed as she eyed the white animal being cruelly levitated in the air.

“Teaching,” was all Mad Eye responded.

The professor lifted the ferret and spun it in the air several times in dizzying loops before stretching out Crabbe’s pants and ramming it in. The ferret let out a squeak before being stuffed into the horror that was the inside of Crabbe’s pants. The Slytherin boy squirmed uncomfortably trying to shake his furry friend off. By now everybody in the courtyard was doubled in laughter laughing at the scene until the ferret slid out down and out of Crabbe’s leg which was when Professor McGonagall turned it back into a human.

“My father will hear about this!” Were the first words from his mouth. He threatened with spite before rushing up to his feet. “Is that a threat?!” Moody snapped stepping forward waving his wand in a menacing matter.

“Alastor!” McGonagall snapped halting the professor from hexing the student. Draco was ready to run away from the mad man.

“We never use transfiguration as punishment. Surely, Dumbledore told you that?” She warned with a look that said she was not meant to be crossed. Then again, overall, Minerva McGonagall was not a woman to be crossed.

“He might’ve mentioned it,” Professor Moody said innocently bringing his wand to his lips.

Harry and Nel were still laughing despite the severity of the situation.

“Ms. Saintday, you look like you’re enjoying yourselves,” McGonagall’s eyes dated towards the laughing duo focusing on the Slytherin. Of course, the Head of Gryffindor would never call on her on House. How typical. Regardless both instantly stopped their giggling.

“Won’t you escort Mr. Malfoy to Madame Pomfrey’s.”

It wasn’t a request.

Draco protested half the short way that the two had to walk to the Hospital Wing.

“Why do I even have to go to Madame Pomfrey’s?” He complained as the two walked in the direction of the Hospital Room.

‘I don’t know- maybe because the last time you got a scratch on you, you wore a cast for a month?’ She wanted to roll her eyes at his question.

“Psychological damages?” She guessed with a small laugh. “I mean after being in Crabbe’s pants,” She shivered not even wanting to think of what the boy kept inside of those pants. She wouldn’t be surprised if there was an old ham sandwich lost somewhere in there.

He scowled at her.

It was bad enough that he had just been publicly humiliated in front of half of the school. First told of by Kennel Nel, the orphan mutt and ill-tempered bitch of Slytherin House, then aggressively shoved by Potter, and finally turned into a filthy mustelid by a professor. It was downright degrading.

“Serves you right for being such an unbearable prick,” She said sounding more than pleased as they continued on their way. (She wasn’t wrong he had it coming).

‘They’re foul and childish, just like you.’ Did she really think that low of him? Why did it even matter whatever esteem or regard she held him in? What about Potter? He cheats his way into a sacred tournament, and she doesn’t bat an eyelash over it? Why was it always bloody Saint Potter? Who makes the Quidditch Team during their First Year? Harry bloody Potter. Who becomes the Youngest Seeker in the Century? Scarhead Potter. Who wins the first match Quidditch match of the year when his own father, Lucius Malfoy, is watching the match with a judging eye? Potter.

Who gets to ride that oaf, Hagrid’s, bloody chicken? Saint Potter.

Who gets to share Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans with Saintday on Sundays? Potter.

Potter. Potter. Potter.

That wanker was and would always be there to take everything and anything away from him.

The Chosen One. The Saint. Dumbledore’s favorite.

He should’ve been the one making the Quidditch Team during their first year. Malfoy not Potter. He should’ve been the Youngest Seeker in the Century. He should’ve won 1992’s first game of the season. He had a demanding father to impress, Potter didn’t. He should’ve been the one riding the Hippogriff off into the sunset. The one with friends. Saintday didn’t seem to like anyone and even she liked him.

And then this year. Of course, Potter couldn’t bear not being the center of attention for a bloody damn minute and just had to make the tournament about himself. His arrogance as always was astonishing. Worst part was that he probably knew he was going to get away with it.

Nel looked at him oddly when she didn’t hear a snarky response which was typical of him. Draco seemed lost in thought a cross look on his pale features. He noticed she was eyeing him curiously. It’s not like he would ever tell her, or that she would ever understand.

“What’s so damn great about him anyways?” He snapped his eyebrows knotted in an angry scowl.

The girl was a little startled by the shift in his mood, even taken aback by his harsh tone, she had never heard him speak like that.

“Who? Harry?” She asked with genuine confusion at his question.

“Why do you always take his side?” He accused absolutely livid. The humiliation of the day, embarrassment, anger and jealousy all biting into him at once.

He didn’t give her a chance to answer.

“You always take his side! You’d pick him over your own house mate. Alright – yeah, maybe the pins were childish – I’ll admit that much, but he cheated his way into the damn tournament Nel. He couldn’t bear not being the center of attention for a bloody damn minute and he had to make it about himself,” She looked at him with astonishment. “Worst part is that, since he’s Dumbledore’s favorite he knew he was going to get away with it. You think I’d get away with that? You think you’d get off the hook after pulling a stunt like that?” He spitefully scoffed at the thought.

Her mouth was open in surprise at his outburst.

“You know it’s true. He does this every damn year!”

Again silence. He didn’t know if she remained quiet because she was at loss of words or if from the shock of his angry words.

It looked like he was done with his explosion. “And worst part is, you defend him!” He hurled at her one last time before growing quiet.

One or two students passing by looked at them awkwardly before skulking away nervously making the silence between the two feel louder. Malfoy, well, he wasn’t completely wrong. Elowen really believed Harry when he said he had no clue how his name had gotten into the Goblet of Fire. Let’s be real, he wasn’t that talented of a wizard. Hermione she would’ve believed, but Harry?

Draco caught his breath as his temper faded and pulse slowed. He anxiously danced on his feet before walking away from her and his embarrassment. Fuck visiting Madame Pomfrey and fuck everything. He was absolutely mortified.

“Oi,” She called after him. He stopped in his way but didn’t turn her way. “Want to see something cool?” Her voice was cool and collected.

He didn’t budge, but also didn’t leave the corridor.

“It’s a secret…” She dangled carefully knowing he wouldn’t be able to resist the curiosity.

He pivoted slowly; she had his attention.

Xxx

“Why on Salazar’s good name would you bring me here?” The boy complained as he inspected the plants in the greenhouse carefully. He wouldn’t put it past him for Nel to feed him to fanged geranium or a massive Venus fly trap.

“To look at plants?” He guessed in a bored tone as he leaned forward to take a whiff of a plant with pink flowers that snarled at him. Maybe his first guess wasn’t too far off…

“Patience…” She said squatting looking under vines, behind pots and in between the branches of several plants. “Where is he…”

“Where is who?”

Draco felt a sudden weight on his foot and looked down to see a large brown snake slithering over his feet. “Merlin!” He yelped in surprise and stepped back as the snake hissed at him.

“Don’t hurt him!” The girl knelt down and picked up the large adder which wrapped its tail around her lower arm. Malfoy watched in awe as she tamed the serpent and the serpent in return answered to its master. “Watch it blondie!” The adder hissed again in his direction which made her laugh.

Draco watched in morbid fascination as she conversed with the snake. The thing was downright ugly. Big, fat, with bulding red orange eyes and a black diamond pattern on its back.

“You brought me here to see that ugly thing?”

“Oi, you’re no Prince Charming yourself,” the snake bit back, making her laugh even louder.

Draco’s eyes narrowed as he glared at the reptile. Was the snake… roasting him?

“What did it say?” He demanded to know.

“Tell him,” Nathair said to her.

“He doesn’t like you,” She explained as the adder climbed up higher in her arm and nestled around her neck where it curled under her uniform greedily seeking the warmth of her body.

“You brought me here to look at a snake?” He asked again in surprise.

She shrugged casually as she stroked the snake’s head with her index finger. Animals didn’t usually tend to like her for one reason or another, but this one was alright. “I thought it would be cool.”

“Want to hold him?”

Draco was officially horrified.

“I’ll bite him,” Nathair chuckled slyly as Elowen walked towards the blonde boy. “Now, not unless I ask you to,” She whispered to the adder even if the other Slytherin in the room wouldn’t be able to understand her Parseltongue either way.

For somebody whose entire family had been in Slytherin, who wore a ring with a damn snake engraved, Malfoy was pretty chicken about touching Nathair. “Maybe, some other time,” He answered in a calm voice while looking at the adder dreadfully. She couldn’t help but laugh lightly at his comical expression before setting the adder down on top of some creeping vines.

“Harry is my friend,” She shifted to the sensitive topic. Nel attempted to pick her words carefully as to not trigger him. It sincerely didn’t matter to her if he had cheated his way into the tournament or not. The two were friends. Harry was lonely and so was she. To her it was only normal for the two to stick up for the other. “We understand each other in a different way. He’s also an orphan so… he understands,” She avoided his prying gaze while tapping her palms awkwardly on a wooden table.

“I understand you.”

Whatever she had been expecting him to say had not been that. She turned and her dark eyes met his silver ones. There was no mocking or sneering. He was being sincere. She didn’t want to think about those rare moments the two shared. Christmas Day 1992, the night at the Astronomy Tower, playing the violin at Hogsmeade. There were things he knew about her, ugly wounds she had never allowed anyone else to see.

She looked away briskly feeling her face turning what was probably an unflattering shade of burning red.

At the same time – who did he think he was? She didn’t think he understood her or maybe he did. Maybe he only understood the unstable two-dimensional version of her he had crafted in his head. “I don’t expect you to be able to empathize,” She added more crassly again changing the topic.

“Come,” He said making his way out of the greenhouse. “There’s something I’d like to show you,” He said stretching out his hand towards her. She pretended not to see it and instead walked on his side.

Xxx

“It’s hidden here somewhere,” Draco said as he opened the door to a dusty storage room in the third floor. The room was covered with cobwebs and old desks, chairs and old books were randomly stacked, clouds of dust went up as the two stepped in. He himself coughing at the dust. Nel waived them out of her wave with a lazy hand.

“What is?”

“It’s a mirror,” he answered. “Some Sixth-Years said that if you looked into it you could see a naked girl- Ow!” He winced at the sudden slap to his arm.

Just what had Draco Malfoy brought her here to do?

“Merlin, Saintday,” he rubbed his arm painfully. “I wasn’t finish,” He shot her an annoyed look, yet couldn’t help but laugh lightly at her reddened expression. “Which was a lie.”

She couldn’t tell if he sounded disappointed by this or not. “Here, it is,” He said suddenly stopping in front of a large mirror. Half of the mirror’s golden trim was covered by a torn sheet. There was a line cracked down one of its edges and overall it looked ancient. There was a large dust coated desk in front of it covering the lower half of the reflection.

The two Slytherins stood in front of it, their reflections starring back at them; confused brown eyes and cool grey ones.

“It’s called the Mirror of Erised. Rumor is that it shows the person standing before it anything and everything they desire.”

Nel stood before it deep in thought not seeing anything beyond her confused expression and Malfoy standing next to her.

“Alright then, move,” He instructed nudging his head to the side asking her to move away from the reflection.

She did as he instructed and stepped back, yet she still appeared in the mirror’s reflection. “Move further back, you’re still in the reflection.”

“Is here fine?” She called standing at a good distance away from both him and the mirror. He couldn’t help but feel his ears burning when he realized the two of them were standing next to each other in the mirror’s reflection.

The girl standing in the room looked at him oddly. He could be so weird sometimes…

He cleared his throat and straighten out his uniform shaking his head praying she didn’t realize what he had just seen.

The reflection changed and Draco saw all of the things he wanted in life. He had friends, genuine friends that cared about him, Potter was amongst them. They sincerely thought he was funny and played Quidditch him. Crabbe and Goyle, yeah, maybe they were his most loyal friends at Hogwarts, but he always felt their loyalty for him rooted in the fact that both of his parents worked for his dad. He saw his parents both of them filled with pride when they looked at him, specially his dad, gripping his shoulder tightly wearing a rare smile on his features.

“Why did you bring me here?” She spoke hoping to break him out of his trance. Whatever he was looking at… Whatever it was that Draco Malfoy desired, it seemed to deeply pain him.

He wiped a hand down his mouth hiding his frown before mumbling for her to step forward. Stepping in front center in the mirror she stood alone and saw no illusion unfold.

“I don’t think it’s working,” She said after a dense moment. “Wait- I think I see something.”

Elowen didn’t know what she had been expecting to see reflected in the mirror, maybe a private safe at Gringotts with a mountain of galleons or maybe complete independence and freedom from her horrible guardians, but instead she saw an older couple standing behind her. She didn’t know who they were, but she knew who she wanted it them be her parents. Both wearing modest muggle clothes. Both happy to see her. Both apologized for everything that had happened. Her reflection in the mirror was beaming, the cruel contrast of reality stark as a frown kept her lips turned down. Her eyes began to water.

She wanted to reach for them and touch them.

“It’s not real,” He warned.

All she wanted was a loving family.

“I see my family,” She admitted with an exhausting sigh. “At least, who I wish would be my family. My mother kind of looks like yours, my dad, strangely like Mr. Weasley, but both with dark hair,” She laughed weakly.

She hadn’t thought about her parentage in a while. At least not since meeting Sirius Black.

Distraught by her current emotions the scene shifted to show a girl standing before her. It was somebody she hadn’t seen in years and hadn’t thought of in a very long time: Lucy.

Lucy looked like Nel had always remembered. With thick, long wavy hair, large eyes and full lips. She was happy in this reflection, smiling, like Nel always remembered her. However, Lucy, well… now she was only a memory that had long ago been buried. Her name and disappearance had simply become another mystery for her to add to her list of enigmas to be questioned and perhaps one day solved.

“Why did you bring me here?” She asked with a painful expression that was similar to the one he wore when he was looking at his own reflection in the mirror.

“I want…” He kept his hung, shifting one of his feet awkwardly as he stood some steps away from her before dipping his hands in his pockets.

“I want to be friends with you.”

Had she heard him, right?

Malfoy seemed like the type of person to collect people. To keep people around him that would freely bend at his will and disposal. Expirable friendships like the one he had with Crabbe and Goyle. What purpose would Nel Saintday serve for him? Somebody to hex people for him? He already had goons to do that for him.

On the other hand, Elowen wasn’t the type of person who kept many friends around. Hell- most people would turn the other way if they saw her walking down the corridor, and presently with Tracey being absent doing… who knows what… and with Theodore spending all if not most of his time with Daphne, well the girl had been lonely.

She let out a laugh that sounded more uneasy than humorous. “And why would I want to be friends with a twitchy little ferret like you?”

He couldn’t be serious.

This was the boy that had tormented her for the majority of her time at Hogwarts. The foul git had just been bullying her and her friend in the courtyard just a couple of moments earlier. But then again, here they stood sharing their deepest, darkest desires to each other. Things that even Tracey and Theo didn’t know. When they had first met, he had both insulted and mocked her for being muggle born and an orphan.

Draco starred at her intently. He was dead serious. Maybe it was too late for him to mend a friendship with Potter, but maybe not with her.

Friends with Malfoy? It left a foul taste in her mouth.

How would that even function? What would they even say to each other? ‘Hello? How are you?’

Act like normal humans?

The thought of it was baffling.

But he was lonely.

She was lonely.

They were both alone and in truth, besides prideful vendettas, what was there to lose?

He wasn’t laughing, he wasn’t sneering, he was sober. He looked at her with woeful eyes standing very still holding his breath.

The two did have those rare moments they shared together. Maybe, things wouldn’t be too bad if they attempted to be civil to each other. Maybe the two would feel less lonely? Maybe it could even be nice?

Stepping towards him she stretched out an olive branch.

She took in a deep breath, hoping, praying she wouldn’t regret her words. Looking at him in the eye holding the promise that she would destroy him if he went back on his word.

“Friends?” She offered with a small, yet genuine smile.

Xxx

AN: Bet. Draco is going to majorly fuck this up somehow. Also it is almost the Yule Ball (excitement!)

Question: What do you think Draco’s Patronus should be?

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sparkie96 · 4 years

Text

“Hide and Seek”

A short little birthday present for @jillvalentines-thot who wanted a cute little Omegaverse piece for Dante and his demon baby triplets. Happy Belated!!!

------

Although he often called his little spawns “Little Bastards” or something along those lines, Dante never wished them any harm because, well, they were his kids! So, when he got them up for the morning and noticed that little baby Blue was missing, well…let’s just say Dante all but lost his shit and tore the shop apart. Red and Greenie fluttered around their mother, cooing and chirping for their little brother.

Morrison stepped in, a folder tucked up under his arm and was about to greet the devil-hunter, until he noticed the state of disarray that the shop was currently in, “What the hell is going on in here? Lose something?”

“Yes!” Dante exclaimed, “Blue’s missing!”

Morrison raised a brow, taking off his hat and hanging it on the rack by the door, “He is? Where could he have gone? He can’t fly like the other two.”

“Don’t you think I know that?!” Dante hollered, pulling on his own coat, “I gotta go find him!”

“Hold your horses, Dante.” Morrison said gently, grabbing Dante by the sleeve of his coat, “He’s little and he doesn’t have wings. He wouldn’t have gone out there.” He motioned with his head toward the front door, “Come on, he’s gotta be around here somewhere.”

The Omega huffed, but gave a nod, setting his coat down on the desk, “Right. Alright…” He took a deep breath, “You’re right...he’s gotta be around here...but I’ve torn through the whole place...where?”

“Well,” Morrison began, rubbing at his own chin and giving the area a thoughtful look, “I’ll call Lady and Nero and see if they can check the perimeter outside. Patty can help too once she gets here. She can get into small areas. Do Red and Greenie understand what’s going on? And can they communicate somehow?”

Dante nodded, explaining that Vergil used something to make the babies talk that one time he needed him to babysit. He would call him over and get him to do that again.Morrison gave another nod, agreeing with that idea. For now, it was better for the remaining two demon babies to stay put so they didn’t lose track of them too. Dante made a makeshift nest out of his jacket, gently scooping Red and Greenie up before setting them in the nest.

“Stay!” Dante commanded, pointing at the little demon babies as he picked up the phone, dialing Vergil’s number, “Stay! We gotta find your brother.”

The demon babies looked up at him with little beady eyes, cooing up at him but listening. They could sense Dante’s distress, so it was better for them to do as they were told. Dante gave a nod toward them as he called his brother.

Morrison called Nero and Lady on his cell, informing them of the situation at hand. Lady, for once, didn’t poke fun or make a snarky remark, instead saying that she and Trish would be right there. Nero had also been a bit more sympathetic, deciding to skip his trip to Nico’s garage and would be right over.

Vergil had seemed very stoic when Dante called in a panic, calming his twin down on the phone. Just hearing the panicked tone kind of startled Vergil, never knowing Dante to be the panicking type. At the same time, he knew Blue couldn’t have gone very far. The little demon baby was the runt of the triplets. Unlike the other two, Blue hadn’t sprouted wings, so he most likely heard a noise or had gotten curious and climbed out of his crib.

“Blue!” Nero called as he wandered around the complex, “Where are you, Little Guy?!”

“Blue!” Lady called, her and Trish up in the bedrooms, Trish shaking a container of baby snacks as she looked under a bed, earning a look from Lady.

“What?” Trish asked innocently, “He likes snacks, doesn’t he?”

Morrison lifted Patty as they stood in the closet, Patty climbing on to the shelf and using a flashlight as she looked into the crawlspace. There was nothing but dust and cobwebs. The blonde came back down, clicking off the flashlight with a sigh and a shake of her head. Blue wasn’t up there. Morrison gave a sigh, helping the blonde off of the shelf and suggesting they go try another closet upstairs.

Nero looked in the bushes, pulling them apart and crawling around in the underbrush. He couldn’t find the little baby demon. Maybe he would try and look in the phone booth next…

“Damn it!” Lady growled, opening the medicine cabinet, rummaging through the bottles and boxes there before shutting it angrily, “Where is he?!”

Trish shook the little container of snacks some more, looking under the bathtub before looking inside of it, “I don’t know. He’s very small so he could be anywhere.”

Dante checked in the drawers of his desk for the hundredth time before looking under it, “Blue, where did you go?!” His heart thundering in his ears.

Vergil kept his composure, noticing that the kitchen area of the house looked...off. He asked Dante if he had messed with the kitchen, to which Dante admitted to tearing open the cupboards and drawers. Vergil hummed, noticing that there were tiny crumbs all over the floor.

“Bu!” Little Red called him and Greenie fluttered around and looked for their little brother, Vergil having given them the formula to speak.

Greenie perched on top of the fridge, hopping around before poking his head into the cookie jar up there, “There’s no cookies in here!”

Vergil turned at the sound, going over and gently plucking the cookie jar from on top of the fridge, Greenie hopping down and perching himself on his Uncle’s shoulder. Vergil looked into the jar, and sure enough, there weren’t any cookies in there. Just crumbs...similar to that of the crumbs that littered the floor. But how would that happen? Blue didn’t have...Vergil’s eyes caught on to something on the ceiling fan, squinting to try and see.

“Little One,” Vergil said, looking down at Greenie, “Look up there.”

Greenie looked from Vergil to the ceiling fan, lifting himself with his little wings and fluttering over to the one blade. He made a chirping sound, landing next to the little form on the blade.

“Found him! Found Bu!” Greenie called, “He seeping!”

Vergil chuckled, going over to the kitchen island and reaching up, carefully picking them both up, Dante coming over and joining them, a look of relief on his features. Little Blue laid in Vergil’s hands, snoozing away. He had remnants of melted chocolate on his little cheeks and around his mouth, using his newly grown wings as a makeshift blanket.

“He’s got wings?!” Dante whispered in shock, carefully taking his baby from Vergil’s hands, “...he’s got wings!”

“He must have really liked Patty’s cookies…” Vergil said, showing his brother the now empty jar, “And he must have figured out the perfect way to test his wings.”

#Devil May Cry #alpha/beta/omega AU #Dante Sparda #J.D. Morrison #Vergil Sparda #Nero Sparda #Patty Lowell #Lady #Trish #Blue #Red #and Greenie #The Demon Babies #Birthday Gift Fic

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queenmuzz · 4 years

Text

Nebulae

Something that’s been poking around in my brain, possibly the first chapter to a future story, possibly just a one shot, but seeing the wonderful drawings people have been sending me have given me the motivation to write this instead of writing the Wormhole chapter Also you can read it here on Ao3

You were putting the finishing orders on the bookshop order list when you heard the familiar thud of the front door, and the shuffle of shoes and jacket being removed. It wasn’t Dante, there was something sloppy, but flashy in the way he did it, nor was it Vergil, who’s movements were deliberate and steady. Nor could it be Alex, who was sitting in her room, listening to music (you could hear the faint thuds as she danced to music only she could hear on her headphones) No, it had to be Nero, which was odd, since you expected him to be still in Redgrave, in college right now. One more semester, and the young man would be finished with his schoolwork.

“Mom? You home?”, your son’s voice rang out, confirming your suspicions.

“Yes!” you called out, “in the kitchen.”

A few moments later he appeared, and before he could say anything, you got up and gave him your best enveloping hug. (It was impossible now, no longer was he the small boy, he had grown into a tall strapping young man).

“When did you arrive back?” you said after letting him go, as you headed to the cupboard. “You must be famished, I think I managed to hide some of your favourite cookies from your uncle… oh no… oh wait, here they are!” You reached a fake can of peas and unscrewed the lid.

“Just got back into town an hour or so ago, I hitched a ride with this chick who’s studying engineering, Nico.” He attempted to not look too eager to grab the lemon macaron, and nibbled on it impatiently.

“How’s school going?” you asked as he finished it and he took another one.

“Good, gotta one more assignment to do before exams,” he licked the crumbs off his lips and looked around, almost nervously “is dad home?”

“No, he’s out on a job with your uncle, it’s just me and your sister home right now,” you watched the tension ease out of him, “Nero, is something the matter?”

“Nah, it’s nothing major...it’s just,” he chewed thoughtfully, “well, I have to study and take photos of a city with a consistent architectural style and I figured… well, Fortuna would be the perfect place for that. I mean, I’ve seen photos of it, and I think it would be a perfect place to analyze, and to be inspired by. It’s just…” he took a sip of the glass of milk you offered him, “you know how dad is with that place, even if it’s been over a decade since they attacked us, and we’ve heard nothing from them since then.”

“Ah,” understanding dawned on you, “yes, I suppose your father would be rather cross, even if I think he’s overly paranoid. You can’t really blame him though.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, “But he really needs to stop being a mother hen. I’m twenty five years old, a lot older than he was when he went there,”

“He only acts that way because he cares about you, Nero” you said as you took a delicate yellow macaron for yourself, “but, if it has any weight, you have my blessing to go.”

So surprised at your sudden agreement, he almost dropped the cookie, “Really? You mean it?”

“I wouldn’t say something like that if I didn’t truly mean it, Nero, besides,” your smile was hidden behind your cup of tea that you nonchalantly took a sip from, “I’m certain it’s not just the buildings that interest you, but perhaps that young lady you’ve been corresponding with?”

Now the cookie was dropped, and it rolled off the table onto the floor, before coming to a stop in front of the fridge. Your son spluttered, a wave of crimson flooding his face revealing his true intentions.”

“No!... I mean, yeah… she invited me over to visit her and her brother, but I swear I am going to study architecture, I figured ‘Hey, two birds, one stone’ right?”

You chuckled softly as you set your cup down with a quiet tink, “Nero, even if seeing this girl was your only reason, I wouldn’t stop you. You two have been corresponding for what, seven years? It’s high time that you meet in person.”

“Well, it’s actually not just ‘two birds with one stone’, more like ‘three birds one stone’”, he clarified and you looked at him quizzically. “The third reason I want to go to Fortuna is the reason I wanted to talk to you about it.” He looked even more nervous. “I wanted to look for my birth mother.”

Now it was your turn to be shocked. In all your years of living with them, the total amount of information Vergil or Nero had spoken about the mysterious woman could be written on the inside of a ping pong ball. And you’d never felt the need to inquire, even though sometimes you wondered about her. Was she a woman forced by circumstance to give him up?

Nero read your face and attempted to explain, “I’m not trying to form some mystical mother-son bond with her… hell, I might not even try to speak to her. I just want to know who she was, and why she gave me up.”

“Nero,” you placed a comforting hand on his, “you know that this has a good chance of this ending up being painful for you. Fortuna has a whole different culture than here, and people aren’t very accepting of those who don’t follow their version of morality”

“Yeah, I know,” he straightened up in his chair, “I just want to know, and if she was forced to give me up, to let her know that I don’t hold it against her, that leaving me at the Orphanage was possibly the best thing she could have done for me. Or,” his face darkened slightly, “if she didn’t want me, I’ll be able to tell her that I didn’t need her anyways, I have my own family that I cherish and love.” He looked down at your delicate hand, now dwarfed by his strong ones. It seemed like a few hours ago that it was a small child’s holding it, and just yesterday it was a tiny infant’s fist gripping onto your little finger. “But no matter what,” he held your hand, and raised it up, forcing you to look up into his brilliant eyes, “You were with me from nearly the very beginning, you were the one who cared for me when no one else would, you were the one that got me to my dad, and helped raise me to be who I am now. You will always be my mother, first and best.”

You attempted to smile, to keep the tears from spilling down your cheeks at his confession. “Oh Nero…” you both got up and he embraced you, and you held him tightly as he kissed the top of your head affectionately. If you wanted to return it, you would have to yank him down to your level. “I’m so proud of you.. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

“Well,” he chuckled, “don’t let my uncle find this out I’m a momma’s boy, I got a reputation to keep.”

A faint, yet insistent honking sound from the front of the business broke the silence. “Ah shit,” Nero broke the hug and grabbed his bag, “Nico’s back already, I promised that I wouldn’t make her wait too long before we hit the ferry. I have to go.”

“And you were gonna leave without even your favourite sister a goodbye hug?” a voice from the doorway caused the two of you to startle. There, leaning against the doorframe, a devilish grin on her face, was Alex, twirling a keychain on her finger.

Nero rolled his eyes, “How long have you been eavesdropping?”

She placed her hands up in a defensive posture. “Look, I smelled those lemon macarons I’ve been spending ages looking for, and oooh, don’t mind if I do.” quick as a flash, she yoinked one off the plate, “so that’s where you hid them, mom. Anyways, I came downstairs to see such a touching scene. Almost brought tears to my eyes.” she mimed wiping up her cheeks. “But did I hear something about going to Fortuna? Very interesting….” “Yeah, speaking of which, my ride’s waiting, I gotta go.” He passed her, but her sharp teeth were fixed in a conniving smile.

“Would be a shame if I happened to mention where you were heading to dad…” she said nonchalantly, wiping off the remaining crumbs with the back of her hand.” her brother froze in his tracks.

“You wouldn’t dare…” his voice lowered dangerously, but she ignored the threat (she had learned a long time ago that her big brother would never lay a hand on her)

“Well, I’m not as good at keeping secrets as mom,” she smiled innocently at you, “but… let’s say… you let me tag along, you wouldn’t have to worry about me spilling the beans, and I’m sure mom could create a decent cover story.”

Nero mulled it over before sighing, “fine…. as long as mom agrees” both of them looked to you as the final arbiter.

You smiled gently, “alright, as long as you call me when you arrive, and give me a call once a day to update me.”

Alex did a victorious fist pump as she pulled a knapsack, and Leon from behind the doorway. “Awwww yesss,”

“It’s not just gonna be a vacation, Lex, I got important things to do there,”

“Yeah, like smoochin’ your girlfriend”

“Oh shut up,”

“Well, at least you have me to keep you behaving,”

“For the love of… you’re as bad as Nico”

“I’ll take that as a compliment”

The two of them continue to goodnaturedly bicker as they put on their shoes and coats, and within a few moments they were out the door, towards the still honking van who’s driver Nero was yelling at. Before they both hopped in, (Nero managed to call out ‘Shotgun’, much to his sister’s dismay) the turned to you, and gave you a wave, before the van pulled out at an alarming speed.

You chuckled to yourself as the vehicle disappeared around the corner, before heading inside. They had both grown up so fast, and even though they verbally sparred even more than the twins physically sparred, you knew that they would have each other’s back.

It was time for a new chapter to begin….

#Navigating the Stars

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gifted-burnout-archive · 4 years

Text

Codename: Candy

Part Twenty - The Jig is Up

Word Count - 1423

Author’s Note: And so, we slowly enter the final chapters... Get ready for the ride!

"Captain, status report." Jack called into the microphone, the room around him watching the screen as an armed team swept through the Vientiane Music Hall. The time had come for the next bomb, according to their intel, and Jack wasn't letting anything slip passed him.

"Sir, I don't know what to tell you. The building is empty. We've searched every room, every vent... It's a false tip." The Captain announced, and the team let out a mixture of groans and sighs of relief. They had, after all, spent every bit of energy on foiling the plot, and while they were all glad that there was no chance of people being hurt, they had just wasted too much time on nothing.

"Move out Captain... Your job is done." Jack sighed, running a hand over his face, just trying to calm himself. All this meant, for Jack at least, was that the bomb could be anywhere in that city, or anywhere else in the world. And now, they had no way to know where. The team began moving out the room, to get cups of coffee or some lunch, but Greer and Mike stayed behind.

"This could be nothing more than good news, Jack. We move forward, I have talks with the President later today about closing all public venues for tomorrow." Mike tried to boost his spirits, and gave him a quick pat on the shoulder before leaving the two old friends alone, surrounded by incorrect data. Jack took a minute, banging his fist against the table and moving to one of the boards, pulling down the now useless information pinned up.

"That's not going to help you. You should be doing something, Jack. Get your mind off of it." Greer advised, and when Jack didn't listen, he pushed him back from the wall. "Go. Find something to do. I'll sort this out." Greer ordered, and even though Jack was Head of Operations, he followed the instruction,walking to the canteen.

He sat himself down alone, picking at the food in front of him, when he heard a light cough. Jack looked up to see Josh, the IT guy, standing to his left. Jack kicked out the chair across from him, and the scrawny kid took a seat.

"Sir... Mr Ryan, Doctor Ryan. There's something been flagged up on the surveillance detail." He spoke, and Jack looked up, taking a moment to swallow his food.

"Why are you telling me this instead of one of the soldiers?" He asked, and Josh laughed nervously.

"They're scared of you... Idiots can run into hell fire and can't talk to their boss." Josh took a sip of water, and Jack took a moment to smile. He never thought of himself as scary, but he never egistered himself as a threat. Josh coughed and continued, "But, the thing is... The phone is on the move. The team are heading out now. Thought you should know."

"Thank you very much Josh." Jack said as he got up, brushing the crumbs off of his clothes and pulling out his gun, checking how many bullets he had.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"I'm going to do something useful." Jack smirked, and broke into a jog for the front steps of the building. After a quick stop to pick up a bullet-proof vest, he rounded the corner as the team were starting their vehicles, and slowed as he reached the driver's window of the first.

"Langford, right?" He asked, and the soldier nodded. "Mind if I join in on the surveillance detail?"

"I don't think I can say no to the Head of Operations, so go ahead." Langford joked, unlocking the doors and letting Jack jump in the back. The jeep rode into the city, and one of the soldiers passed Jack the tracking device. He studied the movements for a few minutes before offering orders.

"It looks like are best vantage points are the office building across the street and this building on the corner here." He explained, and the information was relayed to the car following. Langford pulled in a street away, the team marching into the office building, the other car heading further down to the corner spot.

Jack walked to the front desk with Langford while the other two soldiers in their car started up the stairs. Langford started to speak Arabic to the woman, explaining the situation, and showed her his ID as proof, which prompted Jack to do the same. Once she gave a nod, the pair began running up the stairs.

"Hooper, what level, over?" Langford radioed once they had climbed six flights of stairs.

"We are on ten, you should get to the roof. You got a camera too, over?" Hooper radioed back, and the pair stopped to catch their breath.

"Affirmative, over." Langford shut off the radio and after a nod from Jack, they were back to scaling the steps two at a time.

The opened the door to the roof around three minutes later, setting themselves up at the roof's edge in the scorching sun. Langford set up his rifle and camera, Jack focusing his attention to the tracking screen, showing the phone was still inside the building.

"You know..." Langford began. "What you did, to that Suliman guy, it was pretty awesome."

"I shot him in the head, not my proudest moment." Jack laughed it off, but Langford shook his head.

"Nah, you took initiative. I am impossible situation, what do you do? You didn't hesitate, means you made your choices without regret. I've seen too many people die from hesitating." Langford pushed the point and Jack nodded.

"Can I ask you something?" Jack turned to him, and Langford nodded. "There was a woman who joined one of your patrols a few days ago... Did she really kill someone?"

"She has blood on her face, brought back the money she had taken to the meeting... She didn't give a shit what we saw, and then I saw her going to the hotel over the street later in the day... She's part of the lead team on the operation, right?" Langford asked.

"Not anymore..." Jack sighed, and before he got into it all, the dog began to move. He grabbed onto Langford's radio. "We have movement." He announced, and Langford took the position on the rifle, Jack on the camera. "Any violent actions, I give permission to shoot." He said softly, and Langford nodded.

From the building across the street, four men exited, two Arab and two white. Through the zoom of the camera, Jack started to capture photos, and for the first time he saw the face of Michael Roland, walking beside his brother without a care in the world. It was surreal, watching the two biggest threats to the world walking along a street in midtown Cairo, with minimal security.

But then, they stopped in the street.

"Do I shoot?" Langford asked, but Jack shook his head.

Michael raised something into the air, and turned to the camera, Jack's camera, and flipped him off, dropping the phone on the ground and letting out a laugh as Thomas jumped on it, and Jack's tracker went dead.

"We need to leave. Fall out, over! We're compromised!" Jack hissed into the radio, grabbing Langford by the arm and leading him to the stairwell, cursing all the way down. How had they known? And for how long?

As they continued down the stairs, meeting up with Hooper and the second soldier, Cruz, Jack received a call from Mike. He answered quickly, keeping up with the trio.

"He's found us out Mike, he knew where we were an-"

"You were right about Vienna... It just wasn't the Music Hall." Mike said with a sigh over the phone, and Jack found himself slowly down, waiting for more. "Suicide bomber in the restaurant on the corner... Twelve dead, the rest in critical condition... Acute radiation poisoning..." Mike clarified, and Langford called for Jack to hurry.

"Fuck... Talk in 20 Mike." Jack shut off the phone, running fast and catching up to the group, jumping into the Jeep and pulling onto the road. "Shit!" He yelled once they were driving, picking up the car radio.

"Beta Team, do you copy, over?" Jack asked, and received static. "Beta te-" a loud bang could be heard behind them, and Jack looked out the window to see a plume of smoke rising into the air.

Beta Team were down.

And Jack was at the disadvantage of not knowing their next move once more.

#jack ryan #jack ryan x female oc #female oc #john krasinski #tom clancy #fanfiction #fanfic #thriller #romance #cia #us army #army #codename candy #part twenty

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gwenbrightly · 4 years

Text

The Gingerbread Caper

Cross-posted from ffnet.

The quiet atmosphere of the monastery was broken by the sound of screaming originating from Kai’s bedroom, waking anyone who still happened to be asleep. Nya groaned in annoyance and covered her face with a pillow. Wu was letting them slack off from Sunrise Exercises and she really didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to take advantage of that.

“GET IT OFF ME!!!” Her brother screamed again, forming coherent words this time. That was it. Obviously, the master of water wasn’t going to be sleeping in today. She threw her pillow aside and climbed out of bed, eyeing her clock resentfully. It was far too early for this. Not that 10 am was particularly early (but still!). She trudged from her room still wrapped in one of her blankets.

“What the heck, Kai?” Nya demanded when she reached Kai’s bedroom just down the hall. The master of fire sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He tossed something at her in disgust. She caught it with minimal effort. A gingerbread man. Or, at least, what was left of one. The poor cookie didn’t have any head.

“This better not have been you, sis.” he stated. Nya rolled her eyes, tempted to return to the comfort of her bed rather than deal with her over dramatic brother.

“Like I’d ever stoop so low. Seriously, you didn’t need to scream like that. It’s just a cookie.”

Kai gaped at her indignantly.

“Would you wanna wake up with some creepy soulless human wannabe in your bed?”

“Now there’s a quote I should send to your lovely girlfriend right away.” Nya laughed. He glared at her for a moment before suddenly shooting up from his bed.

“Skylor!”

“What?” she asked, confused, “I swear I wasn’t actually planning on sending this to her.”

“No, she’s supposed to be coming over today to decorate cookies with us!” he reminded her. Nya face-palmed.

“I can’t believe I forgot about that…”

“Actually, this is perfect. She’ll be totally unbiased about this whole gingerbread man fiasco.” Kai mused, already deep in thought. His sister frowned at him. It was obvious he had something up his sleeve.

“What are you planning?”

“Don’t look so worried, Nya. This is just like one of Ninja Noir’s mysteries! I just gotta follow the trail of evidence and eventually, I’ll be able to eliminate the impossible and find the truth!” Kai told her, quoting his favorite detective series.

“Kai, no.” she said, attempting to prevent the situation from getting totally out of hand. He ignored her, instead opting to head over to his closet to grab something. When he turned to face Nya again, he was wearing a fedora.

“Since when do you own a fedora?” the master of water questioned. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.

“Shhhh,” he cut her off with a wave of his hand, “Just go with it.”

Nya sighed, but followed him to go wait for Skylor to appear.

_________________________________________________________________

“Do I even wanna know what I just walked into?” Skylor wondered when she caught site of the scene playing out in the living room. Her boyfriend stared suspiciously at Lloyd and Jay, who were playing what appeared to be a rather intense game of Fist to Face (Ninja Edition!). It took him a second to register her presence. Nya waved her over, smiling apologetically.

“Someone,” Kai began to explain, holding up the cookie, which he’d gotten back from his sister, “thought it would be funny to put this in my bed and I wanna know who.”

Skylor resigned herself to another of Kai’s chaotic schemes. She already knew he had a problem with gingerbread people (and Christmas elves, and those little expanding bath toys they sold at the dollar store for that matter), though he wouldn’t tell her what it was about the holiday treats that bothered him so much.

“Eh okay. How can I help?”

“Are you sure you wanna do that?” Nya asked at the same time as Kai said, “You can be, like, the insanely hot mystery woman who helps the dashing detective (me) solve the mystery.”

“Real smooth, dork. But sure, why not.” the redhead decided, punching the master of fire’s shoulder lightly to distract from how rosy her cheeks were all of a sudden. He grinned in delight.

“Cool! Oh, and I guess Nya can help too.” Kai added as an afterthought. Nya raised an eyebrow.

“Well, you’re obviously not a suspect, sis! The gingerbread man couldn’t have been in my bed long or it would have crumbled, and you value sleep way too much to have gotten up early enough to orchestrate this.” he stated confidently. She didn’t look like she was taking this as a compliment.

“So, detective Smith, where do we start our investigation?” Skylor prompted. She had no desire to see the siblings get into a debate over their sleeping habits.

“Oh. Uh… We have to interview our suspects!” announced Kai, dragging Skylor and Nya over to the two video game playing ninja.

“Oh, hey guys. You wanna join our next round?” Jay offered, not taking his eyes off of the screen. He rapidly pressed several buttons on his controller at once.

“Yeah, it’ll be way more fun with more players!” agreed Lloyd. He gave a smirk of triumph as his avatar landed a final hit on his opponent. The master of lightning groaned, disappointed.

“Actually, I think Kai had something he wanted to ask you.” Skylor informed them. Jay and Lloyd set aside their controllers, curious. The sight of Kai in a fedora was unexpected; Lloyd was usually the only one who found them fashionable enough to wear.

“Oh, okay. What’s up?” the green ninja asked, wondering what on earth could be so pressing that Kai had gotten Nya and Skylor involved.

“I was wondering if you knew anything about this?” answered Kai he shoved the cookie under his brother’s nose. Taking note of the gingerbread man, Jay demanded, “Hey – how’d you convince Zane to let you have one of his cookies?”

He’d tried to snag one earlier that morning, only to be thwarted by the master of ice, who insisted they must save the gingerbread cookies for Skylor’s arrival. This was rather unfortunate, as they smelled utterly delicious.

“No, I- you’re telling me that you, the two biggest pranksters around, have no idea how this got in my bed?” Kai stated, skeptical. The two ninja shook their heads. It appeared he was going to have to use a different interrogation method to get answers. He judged his sister. She glared at him. He nodded pointedly at Lloyd and Jay. Not wanting to give in so easily, Nya stared at Kai silently for several minutes before finally relenting.

“If that’s true, then you won’t mind telling us what you’ve been doing all morning.” she said in her best police officer voice (and secretly wishing she had a fake mustache on her).

“Oh, that’s easy. We’ve been having a Fist to Face (Ninja Edition!) tournament for the past couple of hours. Just look at the scoreboard,” Jay told them with a shrug, “I mean, it is kinda embarrassing to see how many times Lloyd’s hooped me already today, but if it gets you to stop looking at me like that…”

Lloyd nodded, the picture of innocence. They took a closer look at the screen. Sure enough, the scores for the past thirty or so rounds, along with the times they were completed scrolled across the pause screen.

“Huh. Well, I guess you’re off the hook. For now, at least.” Kai decided, wondering who he should use his detective skills on next if the most obvious suspects had been ruled out.

“Maybe Zane knows who it was. He’s been in the kitchen all morning.” suggested Lloyd as he set up another round of the video game. Skylor grabbed Kai’s elbow and drug him towards the door, saying, “Good idea. I need to give him the extra sprinkles I brought anyway.”

Nya mouthed I’ll be back later to her boyfriend before following them. Instead of heading directly to the kitchen, Kai insisted on examining every nook and cranny of the hallway. He held a magnifying glass he’d somehow ended up with, though no one could say for sure where it had come from, and was doing his best to mutter what he thought sounded like very professional and insightful comments.

“Ahah! A trail of crumbs. Collect that for evidence, Sky.”

The redhead pretended like she hadn’t heard him, sharing a grossed out look with Nya.

“Oh, hey! Weren’t you missing an earring, Nya?”

Kai held out something sparkly and blue.

“Uh…thanks.” Nya accepted it, a look of utter surprise on her face. She’d been searching for this earring for weeks. Could it be possible that Kai was actually… good at this detective stuff?

“The detective and his sidekicks arrived at the kitchen at approximately 11:05 am., wondering what clues they would uncover inside…” Kai loudly announced, interrupting Nya’s thoughts.

“Hello!” Zane greeted them. Bowls of frosting in an impressively wide range of colors lined the counters along with several different kinds of sprinkles. Pixal was currently adding a few drops of vibrant red food dye to one of the few bowls that remained uncolored.

“Yes, welcome! Did you bring the sprinkles?” she asked. Skylor pulled a jar from her purse.

“Yep, here you go.”

“Thank goodness,” exclaimed Zane, taking them from her, “Dyeing sugar crystals by hand just isn’t effective.”

“Tell me about it. We tried it at the restaurant one time when we were in a pinch and… it didn’t work well.” the redhead recalled. Having grown bored with the conversation the others were having about epic fails with sprinkles, Kai examined the trays of cookies stacked next to the oven. Just as he’d predicted, one row of cookies was missing a gingerbread man.

“Hey, Zane, Pixal? You guys have been in here all morning, right?” he asked, casually. The two nindroids glanced at each other. Zane was the first to reply.

“Well, I stepped out for a few moments to bring Master Wu some oolong tea – he claims to be feeling a bit under the weather today – but, other than that, yes. Why?”

“I’m trying to figure out where this cookie came from. You didn’t happen to, say, give one of these to someone, did you?” Kai showed them the gingerbread man, curious to see their reaction. He was a little disappointed when neither of them did anything incriminating.

“I suppose it’s possible that Cole took it when I wasn’t looking. He came in here while Zane was gone to grab some extra tape.” Pixal said thoughtfully. Ahah! Kai’s eyes lit up.

“So he’s wrapping presents, huh,” he mused, “I wonder if he’s gotten to mine yet…”

“Kai! I thought you were being a detective, not some nosy kid!” his sister hissed disapprovingly. He huffed indignantly.

“I’m just curious, Nya. And besides, all the best detectives can multi-task.” Kai defended.

“Suuure.”

“Anyway, thank you for the info. We may be back later.” the master of fire stated in a more professional tone, heading out into the hall once more. Zane and Pixal waved as the others left, not sure how else to respond.

En route to Cole’s bedroom, Kai immediately reverted back to carefully examining every small space, carpet snag, and leafy garland in sight. Nothing escaped the lens of his magnifying glass. Not even his sister’s tennis shoes, which kept blocking his view. If he could just find something, anything, that would prove once and for all who was guilty of this delectable crime… Wait. Kai caught a whiff of something cinnamony wafting off of a wreath hung across the hall from the master of earth’s door. He sniffed the gingerbread man. It was the same smell. Reaching into the wreath, he plucked something small and round from inside. Victory! Skylor stared at him in confusion for a few minutes before realizing what he was holding.

“Is that what I think it is?”

Kai held the two pieces of the gingerbread man together.

“Yep. Looks like we might just have an official suspect.”

“You’re so weird…” Nya muttered under her breath. She was pretty sure nothing would possess her to behave like this.

“Hey, it worked pretty well, didn’t it?” Kai pointed out, slinging an arm around her shoulders. She sidestepped quickly, shrugging it off as she went.

“Well…” she started reluctantly, “I guess we’d better get in there and get some answers.” She swung the door open. They could hear the pleasant tune of the Nutcracker soundtrack playing on Cole’s phone as they entered. The ninja in question sat at his desk, surrounded by wrapping paper. He turned around and blocked their view of whatever else was on the desk before quickly asking, “Do… you need something, or are you just here to enjoy the total masterpiece that is the Nutcracker?”

“Uh, yeah. Though, it is definitely a classic.” Nya told him appreciatively. They would have to pull out the recording of Cole’s 6th grade performance of the ballet that Lou had given them one day soon.

“Let’s cut to the chase. We know why you were really in the kitchen, Cole.” Kai cut in impatiently. Cole’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“Aw, man! You’re not gonna tell Zane, are you?” he stammered.

“…What?” the master of fire attempted to ask.

“This is a one-time thing, I swear! His frosting is just too delicious to resist.” Cole continued sheepishly, oblivious to Kai’s question. Kai, Skylor, and Nya froze. This wasn’t at all what they had been expecting him to say.

“Zane’s…. Frosting?” Skylor repeated, wanting to make sure they had heard him right.

“Well yeah. I’ve been snacking in it all morning,” the master of earth admitted, showing them a mostly empty bowl, “It’s so good! Wait - what did you think I was talking about?”

No one replied at first; they were still processing the unexpected turn of events.

“We… may have thought you put a headless gingerbread man in Kai’s bed to mess with him.” Nya ultimately explained. Cole couldn’t help himself. He burst into laughter at this admission.

“Wow, I guess that explains the looks on your faces right about now. But as totally brilliant of an idea as that prank is, I had nothing to do with it. Sorry.”

“Eh, it’s okay. We probably shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions when Pixal told us you’d been in the kitchen. Or when I found the gingerbread man’s head in that wreath. In hindsight it was a pretty weird hiding place.” Kai said apologetically.

“Yeah.” his sister agreed.

“Almost…. Like someone wanted us to find it…” he continued.

“You think whoever did this tried to frame Cole?” Skylor questioned, finishing his thought. It was all coming together now.

“I guess I do…. Oolong tea not licorice…. Hang on a sec, I think I solved this thing!”

Nya gave him a look, as if questioning his sanity. His ramblings made little sense to her.

“No offense, Kai, but you lost me at tea.” she told him with a frown.

“Me too, honestly.” Cole nodded, equally lost, especially since he had missed a majority of the investigative process. Kai rolled his eyes in exasperation and said, “Just make sure everyone meets me in the living room in five minutes, and I’ll explain then, okay?”

“Even Master Wu?” Cole clarified, not wanting to disturb the old man without a good reason.

“Especially Master Wu.” Kai confirmed before dashing out of the room and leaving everyone else to wonder whether or not the master of fire was going to crash and burn.

He paced back and forth across the living room, earning the occasional odd look from Lloyd and Jay, who had moved on to arguing over the existence of a plot hole in the latest Starfarers movie.

“I’m telling you, Jay. They left that part vague so that it can be expanded on in the sequel!” Lloyd insisted. Jay didn’t look like he agreed with this statement, still stuck on his accusations of lazy writing. He was rescued from having to formulate a convincing comeback by the arrival of the rest of the residents of the monastery. Nya and Skylor had returned to the kitchen for the pair of nindroids, leaving Cole to retrieve Master Wu. The room was suddenly filled with noisy conversations as everyone claimed a seat.

“Okay. Let’s get down to business.” Kai practically shouted over the din. One by one, the others stopped talking and looked at him.

“Alright, let’s get this hare-brained scheme of yours over with so we can have lunch, then.” Cole encouraged, speaking for everyone. While they were curious to see if Kai had actually figured out who had pranked him, they had also gotten more than a little tired of being on the receiving end of his investigative tactics.

“Right. As you all know, I woke up this morning to find a decapitated gingerbread man in my bed,” the master of fire began dramatically, making sure everyone could see the cookie, “at first, it seemed like our resident pranksters, Lloyd and Jay, were the obvious suspects. However, they both had a strong alibi… It couldn’t have been them – they were right here in this room playing video games when the crime was committed.” he crossed over to Zane and Pixal, “next, my lovely assistants and I headed to the source of the cookie – the kitchen, in the hopes that someone there would know what had happened. Our ever-watchful ice ninja hadn’t seen anything suspicious. He stepped out for what, 15 minutes tops?”

“That is correct,” Zane nodded.

“He was getting Master Wu some tea because he was sick,” Kai explained, “more on that later. Pixal told us that Cole had come looking for tape while Zane was gone. We figured maybe he could give us some answers, so we headed for his room, and you know what we found in the wreath across the hall from his door?”

“That’s right,” Nya jumped in, though she still wasn’t sure how relevant it was, “The missing head!”

“Exactly. So obviously that must mean that Cole’s the culprit, right?” Jay and Lloyd looked at each other. Were they supposed to agree?

“Wrong! If he’d taken the cookie, he would’ve eaten the head right away, not hidden it. The only thing Cole was guilty of was stealing a bowl of frosting for a mid-morning snack. And that’s when it hit me. What kind of tea does Master Wu always drink when he’s sick?”

“Licorice?” Lloyd offered. Kai smiled triumphantly.

“Bingo. But when he asked Zane to bring him some tea, he asked for Oolong tea, which he never drinks when he’s sick because it tastes nasty with honey in it. Master Wu, you’re not really sick, are you?”

The elderly spinjitzu master smiled weakly at him, but did not deny the accusation.

“Here’s what happened: Master Wu asked Zane to bring him some tea because he knew it would distract him long enough for the real gingerbread prankster to put their plan into action. Knowing she only had a short amount of time, Pixal grabbed a cookie and snuck into my bedroom to plant it on me. She also hid the gingerbread man’s head in that wreath in case someone came looking for it later. She only barely made it back to the kitchen before Cole arrived.”

Skylor snapped her fingers, excitedly jumping in.

“I get it! When we showed up in the kitchen to ask Zane about the cookies, she told us about Cole because she knew we’d find the head and think it was him.”

“Exactly! And it would’ve worked, too, if the tea hadn’t made me suspicious. The only thing I haven’t figured out is why….” Kai paused, staring at them, “Why did you do this, guys?”

Wu stood and walked over to him.

“To put it simply, we wanted to help you overcome your phobia of gingerbread people. It gets in the way of you spending time with your family and friends every year. I know it wasn’t a very kind thing to do, but I honestly felt it would be worth it in the end to see you enjoy the holidays a bit more.” he admitted, placing a hand on Kai’s shoulder.

“And I do believe it worked!” Pixal added, “although you were certainly annoyed, you didn’t seem frightened at any point this morning.”

Kai made a funny face as he thought about everything that had happened. However misguided Pixal and Wu’s plan had been… he didn’t feel the disgust and terror he was used to when he looked at the gingerbread man in his hand anymore.

“You know, I think you’re right… don’t get me wrong, I’m still kinda irritated that you thought this was a good idea. But… thanks.” he told them. Out of all the holiday adventures Kai had had, he was pretty sure this was the strangest. Later that day, after they had finally eaten lunch (much to Cole’s relief), he had to smile when Zane didn’t hesitate to hand him a gingerbread man to decorate. He set to work carefully frosting it so they it resembled a detective with a trench coat and fedora, proudly displaying it with the rest when he was finished. It was nice to see that gingerbread people weren’t so bad after all. Ninja Noir would be proud.

Hopefully this ridiculous story made someone smile today :) it was literally so fun to come up with hehe

#Ninjago #Ninjago fanfiction #my fics #ninjago Christmas #Kai loves detective novels #Who put a decapitated gingerbread man in his bed?#Yall are gonna have to read to find out #Pixal and wu just wanna help but are really bad at it #Cole eats frosting by the bowlful but can we blame him? No #You guys I am seriously so proud of this

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bonsaiiiiiii · 4 years

Text

Tracy's In The Pool Series III - Green Party

Soooooo...today is my man Virgil's Birthday! (I was hoping to post this at midnight but Tumblr didn't let me.) In honour of my man's birthday, me and bro thought about a funny idea to celebrate this day with him. (Here today is also national holiday, here called Ferragosto, so we celebrate double lol) He was very proud of this masterpiece and wanted to gift it to my man! I really hope he likes it lmao

💖

"And so today is your birthday, son." Jeff said affectionately, touching the shoulder of his second son.

Virgil smiled sweetly. "It would seem so."

"Come on!" the others protested, who until then had pretended that it was an ordinary day "we wanted to surprise him!"

"How did you do it last time?" Virgil raised an amused eyebrow. "No, I’d love to throw a party this year."

"We can’t." Scott answered, extinguishing and burying that last crumb of hope that had lit up in the eyes of Virgil and the two tinies, that for once wanted only to get away from everyday's boring routine.

"And who told you no? This is the first birthday we celebrate...all together," he said, looking down at Jeff, who smiled at him. Eight long years had passed, he had waited so long for this moment, so he didn’t even think of anything ordinary. In fact... "so I wish it was something memorable."

Scott huffed a little upset, but then his natural leadership instincts melted a little bit. "Do you have any idea where to go yet?"

"Yeah. What do you think about going for a classic picnic?"

"Oooh, like when we were kids!" Gordon stepped into the conversation, his eyes glittering.

"Actually I don’t remember anything..." Alan murmured to himself, almost thankful that no one heard him.

"Well...but where exactly would you like to go? And then how do we do with IR?"

"Let’s take a day off. We haven’t had one for an eternity of time!"

"It seems like a really lovely idea to me too! So I can prepare lunch." Grandma said, and the brothers' faces were about to turn green.

"Good idea...you’ll have so much fun." He murmured John, now sure and stuck on the fact that he would stay in his beloved space station, along with EOS and his beloved bagels.

"I don’t think you realize I want you on the picnic, too." Virgil answered slyly, crossing his arms to the chest, raising an amused eyebrow.

"I don’t even think about it, Virgil. In the forest there are wild animals, then there are insects that will not give us a moment of peace, and also I must warn you that I am allergic to the pollen of a lot of flowers that surely will be present in the forest. Then I will suffer the heat and I will burn. No, no, I will stay here." explained John, and he went on, sure in his theory, for a few good minutes.

Everyone, except Jeff and Grandma, crouched down at the table where they were sitting, and Alan and Gordon thought it best to fall asleep face down on the table, bored by the long sermon of the middle brother. Scott couldn’t keep a bored yawn escaping his lips from listening to him.

Virgil stopped the redhead. "Stop, before everyone goes to sleep." And in saying it, he gave a couple of slaps behind the heads of the two tinies, that by surprise -or fright? - jumped to their feet, shouting, "we're ready to go!"

"You’re ungrateful. I’m just expressing my concerns." mured John, almost incredulous.

"In the meantime, I really don’t think we should go to Thunderbird 2, wherever we went." Virgil started talking after a few moments. "How about we rent a private jet?"

"A...a jet? Private?" Brains asked, a bit reluctant.

"Yes. We can rent one, so why not? It will be a break from the rule, instead of always going with the Thunderbirds." Virgil answered with a big smile. "By the way, Brains, you’ll be there, too, right?"

"Um...yeah, I think so." Brains answered, laying a hand on his chin.

"Why? How many people are you going to invite?" Scott asked seriously.

"The few that serve to define the party I would like to make a 'party'. I also want to invite Lady P."

"Mhm. I'll let her know." John replied, already ready in front of the Lady’s contact.

"Sounds like a great idea to me! It would be good for all of us to get some air and enjoy nature." Jeff smiled, putting his hands on Virgil’s shoulders, and he smiled back. "And then I really like this private jet idea. I haven’t been on a plane in a long time, think."

An incoming call interrupted Jeff’s happy speech; Virgil departed to answer the call, and the smiling face of Lady Penelope appeared in the holocam. "A party? I think it’s a lovely idea! You can count on my presence. But.." The Lady became thoughtful "John informed me that you’re going to rent a jet."

"You don’t like the idea?"

"But yes, I just find it a bit...unusual. But it’s good to depart from original plans once in a while. When is the party going to take place?"

"Today! We'll let you know the details."

"FAB. See you later!" Lady P greeted everyone warmly, and then closed comms.

"So when we leave...?" asked Alan a bit strangely.

"Mmmh...two hours to get ready and then we can leave."

"All right, son. I’ll take care of the jet." Jeff said giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"Are you sure you don’t want any help with the preparations? I can help you up the stairs..." Virgil responded uncertain, approaching his father almost immediately, but he gently pushed him away.

"Go. Don’t worry about me." Jeff responded, slowly rising from the chair in which he had sat, and then making some uncertain steps to the stairs. Virgil followed him with a rather concerned look, ready to react if his father ever needed it.

When he saw his father climb the stairs and then disappear upstairs he looked back at his brothers with a slight sigh, only to return smiling. "So, shall we go get ready?"

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

Hood wiped the dust off the shoulder of his suit, stood up and fixed his tie. Of course, blowing up the prison where he was confined from the inside was certainly not a good idea, given the great closeness to other buildings, but that’s how the world goes about. (bro had this idea, don't @ me) Lying on the ground, some guards groaned with grief, or murmured confused words after regaining consciousness; the Hood did not pay too much attention, and simply began to walk in the direction of the exit, exit of a prison that no longer existed. The GDF had seriously made a mistake to confine him, but the best part was that now International Rescue would show up; who knows the dismay on their faces...

But time passed; first it was 30 minutes, but then a few hours passed: an hour and a half, to be exact. No one showed up. But he was sure that people had noticed the explosion, because someone was still running from side to side to extinguish the prison fire. Strange...he thought, looking around in the form of an ordinary citizen.

Meanwhile, the Tracys had just landed in Waipoua forest, in New Zealand (place totally improvised and searched up last minute, ugh). They had all gone out to stretch their legs a bit, although the journey had been fairly short, and they had also found a quiet place to camp and eat. Lady Penelope had waited for them at the entrance of the forest, and they had all entered together; even the lunch, instead of having been prepared by Grandma Tracy as announced, was ordered, including the raspberry and chocolate cake, Virgil’s favorite.

And as far as they remembered, that was the most memorable and fun party that was ever celebrated; there was no one who wasn’t having fun. Gordon and Alan pulled out the portable speakers that they had brought from home, and when they connected them to the communicators they chose the music for Virgil; everyone enjoyed dancing. After all, why not do something different, something out of the box, from time to time? thought Virgil, smiling at the scene. Yet he had a strange feeling about something; he could not say what it was, but it was something that made him really restless. He decided not to pay too much attention, focusing more on the party.

Only that the event that Virgil had...'heard' came true: while they ate the cake laughing and joking a big explosion very close to them made the earth tremble for a few moments. Virgil first looked at the shirt he was wearing, all smudged of cake, and then looked around, immediately noticing a trail of smoke rising from somewhere in the forest.

Scott and Virgil went to check, while the others sat on the picnic towel, a little worried. But the worry on their face vanished when the two elders, via communicator, told the others that there was no one injured in the explosion, except some wild animals, which however did not suffer serious damage. The two were about to turn back, when Virgil noticed an unusual movement with the corner of his eye.

"Uh... Scott?" Virgil looked for Scott with his voice, but did not look away from the mysterious figure that had appeared before him.

"Yeah, Virg-" Scott’s voice faded down his throat when he also saw the mysterious person. "The Hood!" he then said in an accusatory tone, to the man who looked at him in a mocking way.

"It’s strange that you didn’t show up...especially when the prison exploded. But tell me, what did you come here for?"

"What do you mean 'the prison exploded'?" Scott asked, without worrying about covering up his concern.

"Is there an echo here? That’s what I just said." the man answered.

"You won’t get away with this!" Scott confronted him, while Virgil looked for the ship he was to arrive on, or the person, or people, who were to be his puppets.

"I was going to blow you up to tell you the truth, but I targeted the wrong forest, heh."

"But you weren’t very careful." a new voice was added to the trio, and they all turned around to see Colonel Casey sprouting from a bush (also this was an idea of bro). "In fact, we were able to locate you immediately. Arrest him." The Colonel turned to some soldiers who appeared next to her, rushing immediately to Hood, who screamed and railed at them all.

(From here on, everything stops. There are no other ideas.)

#Thunderbirds Are Go #Virgil Tracy #Happy Birthday My Man!#Happy Virgil Tracy Week!

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ask-bloodmaw · 4 years

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Being Adopted

this is the start of this blog. For the most part it’s just gonna be questions and asks but this short story is to get the ball rolling. for a tldr: Edge aka underfell papyrus was visiting Blue aka underswap sans when a underfelly, demony looking bitty slapped into his face. he was dared to raise it for at least 2 days and after taking it home and feeding it, he gave it a tumblr ask blog to occupy itself with.

edit: there was an issue with some of the text from the bottom ending up on top, so i fixed that

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“It’s because you just can’t stay away from me!” Blue said cheerfully as he placed a plate of tacos on the table.

“I came because I was forced to take a day off for your information! Your invitation just happened to be for the same date.” Edge crossed his arms. He wasn’t going to admit to Blue he was glad he was allowed a day off. Working in the guard in Underfell was perfectly fine, but ever since his brother Sans, now Red, had fixed that machine in the basement and they knew of other universes… well it was nice for a change of pace.

Speaking of his brother… “Yeah sure Boss, as if you weren’t hoping for a day off.”

“But Undyne was none too happy. If it weren’t in the job contract that I be given one day off each month, I would not be here right now.”

“Well,” Blue spoke to cut the tension that was starting to form. “No matter what the reason, I’m glad you’re here!”

“How long until Sci shows up?” Red piped up. To the side Edge rolled his eyes. Of course his brother would be asking after his scientifically inclined counterpart. There were times where the idea of his brother getting together with another version of himself did not agree well in his mind, but Edge supposed it with the fact that they were from different universes the other Sans was more or less a different person.

Sighing, Edge picked up a taco. They were normally too mild for his tastes, so he added a little bit of salsa from a nearby bowl. He let a small smile appear on his face for just a moment. This wasn’t his first time in Blue’s house. The first time there had been no salsa, but it ‘just so happened’ the next time the innocent counterpart of his brother had some ‘leftover’ salsa when Edge next visited. The same with the following visit. Reports from Sans showed that the salsa was only there on the days he managed to visit an-

SMACK

Edge whirled around, summoning two sharp bones. Whoever hit him was going to pay. Just because he was in a more relaxed environment didn’t mean he wouldn’t fight. “SHOW YOURSELF!”

Everyone was focused on Edge now, surprised by his sudden actions. Well except for Classic. The Tale version of his brother was lying on a nearby couch and was instead looking near Edge’s boots. “Just some weird toy. Maybe Honey was screwing around again.”

Edge reluctantly made his attacks disappear. Honey, Blue’s brother, has always been rather scientifically inclined himself due to his friendship with his world’s Undyne. Edge supposed he should return this thing to his lazy counterpart, so picking it up he… dropped it as it bit him.

“What the f-” “Swear jar!” “I didn’t even get to say it Blue!” Edge yelled, still looking at the thing. The small and breathing thing. This wasn’t a toy or machine. It was alive. He tried picking it up again now more prepared. The thing bit him once more, but since he expected the pain, he didn’t drop it. Looking closely, Edge could see it was a skeletal being. It was just… the size of a small bird. But there were horns on its skull and it had a tail which didn’t quite look skeletal. It was more magical based. It also seemed to be dressed in a rag of sorts.

The guard winced as the thing bit in a more sensitive place on his hand. He did his best not to fling whatever this was across the room. That was when Blue came over and managed to pry it off of him. “Aww! It’s so cute! Ow! Though it really likes biting and hissing.”

Indeed, when Blue had taken the creature, it had kept biting but was now also hissing at him. “Maybe it just don’t like ya.” Red suggested. “It wasn’t hissing at th’ boss.”

“But it was still biting me.” Edge added on to his brother’s comment. He did not want this creature to become fond of him. He didn’t even live here. And this thing was so small, it would be killed within a week. Within the day if his cat got to it.

“But it wasn’t hissing too!” Blue repeated Red’s statement. “So it must like you most! Look! It’s even got red eyelights! Just like from a fell universe! Or maybe it’s a bitty! Or maybe both!”

Edge didn’t bother following along. He knew Blue knew the multiverse that they lived in much better than most. “Either way. What are you suggesting? That I keep it? You know I can’t do that with my universe.”

“Ya saying you can’t keep it alive?” The Sans on the couch questioned.

Again, Edge rolled his eyes. “I likely could, but it would only be a matter of time before-”

“Twenty G.”

Everyone was silent for a few seconds before Edge spoke up. “Do you mean twenty gold? Why?”

“That’s how much I’m betting you can’t keep it alive for two days.”

Red and Blue looked between Edge and Classic. Edge only took bets he knew he would win, but the way Classic had posed it… If Edge took the bet, he had to win. If he didn’t, it was just as bad as losing it.

“Look, if it’s a bitty, Blue can figure out what he needs for it, but it would take up his time. Since it seems to like you better, it stays with you for a day or two while he sets up. After that, you hand it off ta Blue and only have to see it again those rare times you visit.”

Edge supposed Classic was right. And while he wouldn’t admit it, he did have a soft spot for weaker beings with a certain edge, like a cat, or whatever this thing, likely apparently a bitty, was.

“Fine. I will keep them alive for two days. It surely is not hard. The only thing necessary is to separate it and Doomfanger.”

With that, Edge got up to leave, knowing he would need to use some of his free time to set up the house. That, and the sooner he started taking care of this thing, the sooner he would be done. Red didn’t follow behind, which was perfectly fine. It was better his brother wasn’t in the way.

The bitty kept biting at his hand, though not as hard as before. If it was from a fell universe similar to Edge, then likely this was just the only way it could attack. And seeing as how Edge had yet to kill it, it was giving the slightest sliver of trust to him. That, or it was just getting tired.

The tall skeleton swore when the bitty bit him harder when it was jostled a bit from Edge getting the portal machine he had to get home. It was the newest design which currently only he, his brother and Blue had been given, seeing as how Blue needed it most, Edge was Red’s brother and Red was dating the one who made it.

Edge closed the portal the moment he had stepped through into his house. Even if being inside his home was safe from the underground outside the door, he could never be too cautious. Edge looked around, making sure he really was alone and checking all the curtains were drawn before calling for his cat. The gray animal raced out from wherever she had been hiding and ended up at Edge’s feet, rubbing against his ankles and looking for a treat.

Edge bent down, earning another bite from the bitty as he used his other hand to pet his cat. The skeleton then walked to the kitchen and placed the bitty on the counter, freeing his hands to open the cupboard and pull out a bag of cat treats, which he opened and pulled out two to give to Doomfanger.

The skeleton also pulled out a third and placed it in front of the bitty. Admittedly Edge realized he should have asked Blue what these things eat, but if it didn’t like the treat, other food would be easy enough to give the thing. Even if they couldn’t get as much food as their non fellverse counterparts, Edge had a well paying job to afford plenty, and it wasn’t as if this tiny thing could eat them out of house and home.

The bitty looked down at Doomfanger eating the treats and seemed surprised when one was placed in front of it. It picked the treat up which was a decent size when held in it’s tiny hands. It took a big bite out of the treat, and while it wasn’t the best tasting thing in the world, it was still food. The bitty then stuffed the rest in its mouth before chewing, being careful not to choke. Once it had swallowed, it looked up to the skeleton looking down on it and fluttered its little bone wings under the rag it wore. It held up its hands briefly, hoping for something more before putting them back down. Likely that was all it would be given.

Edge was glad to see that the bitty was okay with the cat treat, especially when it seemed to want more. He wasn’t going to only feed it with those, so he instead decided to let it try some pieces of cat food kibble. It seemed the bitty was also pleased with those and was surprised by the new type of food.

Edge let it eat as he picked up Doomfanger and carried her up to his room. He set her on his bed before quickly leaving the room and closing the door behind her. He could hear Doomfanger mewling to be let back out when he started down the stairs, but Edge didn’t want to deal with watching both the bitty and his cat at the same time when he was still learning how to care for the former of the two.

When Edge returned to the kitchen, he found the bitty crawling around the counter. Or maybe not crawling as it seemed to be actually walking on all four limbs. He stood in the doorway, watching it for a few moments before it noticed him and sat back down.

“Well, it seems you found the food edible at the very least since you seem to have eaten it all save for a few crumbs.” Edge spoke to the bitty. He wasn’t sure if it understood him since it seemed to droop slightly at his words. He wasn’t sure if it was just because of his inflection or if it could only understand his tone of voice. Edge sighed and picked the bitty up and went over to the living room, setting it on the couch. He quickly picked it back up when it decided to claw at the fabric. “Don’t! The only part I allow to be torn up is the legs and that is because I can’t convince my cat to use the scratching post.”

The bitty seemed to understand and just sat on the couch this time, watching Edge. He looked away for a moment to pull out his phone and when he looked back, the bitty was gone. He jumped up trying to figure out where it could have gone when there was a scratching noise. Edge looked down towards the noise and saw the bitty clawing at the feet of the couch. “It seems that you can understand me.”

The bitty looked up at Edge again before going back to clawing the already clawed up piece of wood. Then it looked back up, eyes focused on Edge’s phone. The skeleton took a moment to figure out what the bitty was so focused on, but when he did, he rolled his eyes. “As long as you don’t destroy this, I will allow you to mess with this and occupy yourself.”

Edge set the phone on the ground before quickly grabbing the old sock Red left lying around and rolling it up to place behind the phone, propping it up for the bitty.

It walked over to the phone before sitting in front of it. It tested out the screen with one of it’s tiny hands, surprised when the screen reacted once its palm was touching. It managed to open up the camera, confused by the image of the wall behind it which was being captured.

Edge sighed and picked up the phone again and unlocked it. “It’s probably easier if I set things up for you. Hmm… Are you able to type?” He asked before setting the phone back down on the notes app with the keyboard up. Quickly, the bitty pressed three keys: ‘yes’. “Well I guess there’s one think. I know Blue set something up for me when I first learned of the other universes, so it may be useful for you.”

After a few minutes, the phone was placed back down in front of the bitty. It looked at the mostly white screen with an orange pattern taking up the top third and a circle between the two parts with a diamond shaped icon. “A dumbed down version should be enough for you to understand. I’ve set up a place where people are able to message you and you will be able to respond. I don’t care what you do with that otherwise. If you ever need help just come to me. For now, I will be making some food for myself.”

As Edge walked away, the bitty looked towards him, and though it was too quiet to be heard, it still said “thanks.”

#ask bloodmaw #undertale #underfell

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mordellestories · 5 years

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Bless the Fallen

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backtothestart02 · 6 years

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25 Days of Westallen Fanfiction: Day 10 - Fallen For You

A/N: For @barryslightningrod on her bday! I hope you enjoy it, girl! I know you liked the FP!WA dynamic and the possibility that the FP timeline continued after our Barry left, so here’s if he hadn’t left and he’d lost all his memories from his original timeline but he was still more or less the same person and he and Iris still started dating. (Oh, and also Wally didn’t die.)

Enjoy!

*Many thanks to @valeriemperez for beta’ing.

...

Summary: 3x01 - Canon Divergent - Almost a year after Barry decided not to erase Flashpoint, he takes Iris out for her birthday.

...

Iris West sat at the small table by the window at Jitters and told herself to be patient.

It wasn’t something new, Barry being late. He always made up for it once he got there, and she was sure this time would be no different. She couldn’t help her fingers madly tapping on the table though, or her foot bouncing underneath it, one leg crossed over the other. She was excited. Today was her birthday – her first birthday since she and Barry had gotten together – and he’d told her he was planning something big.

She’d had to work, but she’d rushed home, put on a simple yet fashionable dress and the drop earrings he’d bought for her for Christmas, curled her hair, freshened her make-up, and sat herself down at the same table where she and Barry had their first official date. Since then she’d gone through two regular cups of coffee and a piece of coffee cake. She’d gone to the bathroom twice to make sure her lips were void of all crumbs and reapplied her lipstick. She couldn’t wait to stain his skin with her lip prints. It made him blush a bright pink, especially when she applied it to his forehead.

“Property of Iris West,” she told him the first time she did it. He blushed but did not deny it.

She let her mind wander now to help her with her impatience.

The beginning of her relationship with Barry had been complicated to say the least. He’d literally asked her out during their first meeting – and in the most adorable, nerdy way he possibly could. She’d had guys ask her out on the spot before, and it never made her cave. In fact, she’d started to think of particularly clever ways to reject them. But with Barry…she just couldn’t. And when she went to meet him for their date, she couldn’t stop smiling. And he was smiling right back at her. Her dad’s instant disgust at the idea hadn’t thwarted her in the slightest, and it obviously hadn’t change Barry’s mind either, which she loved.

Some guys got so intimidated by Joe West’s overprotective glare that they decided she wasn’t worth it. Not that it made any sense. She and her dad hadn’t spoken more than two words to each other for years. Over the last few months, Barry had made several attempts to mend that rift, which impressed her further, but for the time being he’d ceased. She was fine with that. It gave them more time to focus on each other, in particular for him to focus on her.

She wasn’t ashamed to admit it. She was a glutton for Barry Allen’s attention. He gave it easily, and she ate it right up. Despite the odd mess of him saying he was a speedster from another timeline, she had found herself drawn to Barry and never once feared that he was crazy. He had actually wound up saving her brother’s life. even if Wally had fallen into a coma for several months before coming to. Plus, in this other timeline the two of them had been in love. It wasn’t hard for her to imagine, since every minute she spent with him she was falling harder and harder.

After a series of crazy events spanning just the couple days after she met him, Barry Allen lost whatever memories he’d claimed to have before. She’d been so concerned for his well-being that she took him to the doctor and informed his parents. Aside from being a little out of it, nobody else appeared overly concerned. So she, along with Mr. Ramon, Dr. Snow, her brother, and herself swept it under the rug. It was not as if Barry could explain himself. He no longer remembered anything he’d told them before the incident that nearly took Wally’s life.

Sometimes it bothered her, what those first couple days all meant. But she still found him to be very similar to the person she’d just started to know. And she still felt a pull towards him. He was a little less confident than he’d been before, but after she hesitantly initiated a few dates – and their first kiss – his confidence grew until it was nearly boundless. He made her feel so alive and so wanted that she stopped thinking about those first couple days and what it all meant.

He had warned her what was happening before all the memories faded and told her he hoped she still felt the same about him when they finally went, because he was 100% certain he would still feel the same way about her. In every timeline, in every version of reality, of himself and her, he was positive he would love her and that they would belong together.

Quite a thing to say to a girl he’d just met. But she supposed for him, they hadn’t just met. They’d known each other for decades, had been best friends and then were on the brink of being lovers. And those precious memories had been on death’s door for him.

She remembered asking him why he’d want to lose those memories when he could keep them, and he’d told her it wasn’t that he wanted to lose them, but he was willing to sacrifice them if it meant keeping all that he’d gained – his parents, her, a life of peace and just being normal.

She didn’t know what he meant by all that, but he didn’t have time to explain – and maybe she wouldn’t have fully understood if he’d tried – before the memories disappeared entirely. He was a little panicky at first, because he couldn’t remember anything. Not his own name or who she was or what he was doing on the steps of a house he didn’t recognize. But after a few days, memories started to surface. He remembered everything he’d told her that had seemed strange. He remembered being a speedster, but he couldn’t remember why or how he’d been able to do those things. She’d reassured him that as long as he was okay now, they didn’t have to talk about it. He’d taken her up on that offer.

Now, eight months since the day he’d awkwardly shown up, Barry Allen was late to her birthday date. Or maybe she was early? It suddenly didn’t matter, because the door swung open, and in walked her boyfriend, looking nicer than usual and actually pretty nervous.

She waved to get his attention and the corner of his lips twitched in a smile.

What has gotten into him? She wondered, but stood up and joined him halfway across the shop anyway.

“Hey,” she murmured after pulling him down for a sweet birthday day kiss. “Nice of you to show up.”

He grimaced. “I deserve that. I’m sorry, Iris.”

“It’s okay. I was just teasing anyway.” Still holding onto his lapels, she pulled him down to her for another kiss. “I’m glad you’re here.”

She felt the tension leave his shoulders.

“I’m glad too,” he said, then pulled a small bouquet around from behind his back. It was filled with irises and some baby’s breath. The greenery fanned out the flowers in an attractive, beautiful way. “I know the irises are cheesy, but it felt fitting for your birthday.”

Her eyes sparkled as she took the bouquet from his hands. She lowered her face to inhale the scent and felt a warmth spread all the way to her toes at the sweet fragrance.

“Thank you, Barry,” she said when she lifted her head. “I love them.”

A smile spread across his face, his dimples making her weak in the knees as he offered his arm to her and they walked out of Jitters to stroll down the street.

“Where are we going?” she asked when they were halfway down the block. She didn’t really care all that much, but she was a little bit curious. “The park? The lake? Your new apartment?”

She heard his breath hitch when her voice lowered on the last suggestion. She loved when he got flustered, and he got especially flustered whenever she hinted at their sex life in even the slightest way, which often took place in his new apartment since he’d gotten it a month ago.

“Ah, none of the above actually,” he said.

“No?” She pouted.

“Don’t worry.” He grinned, fully recovered. “You’ll like it.”

She didn’t doubt it.

Barry hailed a cab, quietly gave instructions to the driver, and within a matter of minutes – which went by fast with Iris’ head on Barry’s shoulder in the back seat, their fingers intertwined – they’d arrived at their destination.

“What’s this?” she asked, but Barry only smiled in silence.

They stepped inside the average looking building downtown, only to ride the elevator up to the tenth floor and find themselves on a rooftop café overlooking the city and the lake in the distance.

Iris gasped.

“Barry.”

She turned to look at him, clutching at his jacket sleeve.

“You remembered.”

He shrugged innocently and nodded to the waiter who quickly guided them to their seats.

“Of course I remembered,” he said.

In an old journal of her mother’s she’d found in the attic in high school, there had been detailed the first date Francine had been on with Iris’ father, Joe West. Her father had never taken her, though she’d begged and pleaded. She hadn’t told him why the sudden interest, but he had probably suspected. Either that or he didn’t want to relive the memory of when he’d last been there, or a significant time in which he had.

“It’s too expensive, Iris,” he’d said as an excuse, but he’d never made an exception for any birthday or graduation, either from high school or college.

She gave up asking after a while, but apparently it was never far from her mind, because she’d offhandedly mentioned it to Barry on their first date – and he’d remembered.

“You’re a better man than my father is, Barry,” she said, lifting a glass of the white wine poured to toast to her marvelous boyfriend.

“How about we toast to you instead,” he suggested. “It is your birthday after all.”

She smirked. It was ever so Barry-like to avoid directly putting blame on Joe West for the estrangement between father and daughter. But he didn’t put it on her either, so she let it slide.

“All right, what about me, Barry Allen?” she teased, leaning in. “What’s so great about Iris West?”

She could think of a million things she was proud of about herself, but she liked to hear him flatter her, and she liked to reward him later for his efforts by pleasuring them both.

He smiled sensually, and she was instantly turned to goo.

“What’s not to like?” he asked. Lifting his own glass, he continued, “Iris West is beautiful, stunning, smart, talented, a vision in that creamy number she’s got on right now-” If she could blush, she would. “And I’m the luckiest man in the world to have fallen in love with her.”

Her heart nearly stopped. All the oxygen inside her instantly escaped her lungs.

“You… You love me?”

Because, yeah, it was the first time he’d said it.

He smiled softly at her.

“You don’t have to say it back, Iris. I’ve just been waiting to say it for a while, and I thought your birthday would be the perfect occasion.” He lifted his glass up further, intending to meet hers halfway, but hers lowered, and he frowned worriedly. “Iris? Is it…too soon? I didn’t mean to ruin-”

“Too soon?” she asked, shock and he couldn’t tell what else plain on her face. “It’s been eight months, Barry.”

He lowered his glass, unsure where this was going.

Iris set hers on the table and got to her feet, walking over to him and pulling him to his, or at least far enough so they were at eye-level.

“Iris, I-”

And she kissed him.

“I love you, too, Barry Allen.”

He melted, pulling her upright with him.

“Yeah?” He stroked her cheek.

She was dazzled by the green in his eyes and the tenderness in his touch. She was so, so in love.

“Yeah.”

They came together for another kiss and smiled shamelessly.

Iris heard people whispering for a nearby table, wondering if a proposal had just happened and unsure if they should clap – they hadn’t seen Barry going down on one knee or a ring being exchanged anywhere. So, she figured they should sit back down, let Barry finish with his toast and continue with their romantic dinner.

Besides, she was nowhere near ready to say yes to an engagement ring.

But a confession of love from the man she’d been falling for the past several months?

That was pretty much the perfect birthday gift.

Happy Birthday to me.

...

*Also posted on AO3 and FFnet.

#25 days of westallen fanfiction #westallen #fanfiction #backtothestart02 fanfiction #for barryslightningrod #fp!westallen #i think i mostly did good heh #i mean i might change the title for this one too but whatever XD

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