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paintingwithdarkness · 3 years

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"i run the night slot on campus radio and some jackass keeps calling in to insult my music taste and request high school musical songs instead” with BluePulse please!

“Good evening, Tigers! You’re listening to Houston U’s nightly segment. I’m your host, Jaime Reyes. Y’all just listened to ‘Today is the Day’ by Yo La Tengo. Next up we have ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The White Stripes.” Jaime pressed a button on the console in front of him, starting the next song before adding on to his commentary. “If anyone has any requests, don’t hesitate to call in!”

Jaime switched off his microphone and let the song play, flopping back in his chair. Running the night segment of the Houston University campus radio was a pretty chill gig. It paid him above minimum wage for every hour he worked, he only had to work six hour shifts, and it was only five days a week. Besides that, it was a solo job, and no one was there to tell him what to do. Obviously there had been some ground rules when he’d been hired— no cursing on air, and he had to take call-ins from students— but other than that, he had free rein of the radio frequency and he could play whatever music he wanted from 6 pm to Midnight, Monday through Friday. All he had to do was press buttons on a control console, sit back, relax, and occasionally answer the phone.

Speaking of which... Jaime checked the time. 10:28 pm. Great, that meant it was almost time.

With a groan, he raised a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation, eyes squeezing shut. Every night for the past two weeks at exactly 10:30 pm, without fail, the same jackass student had been calling in to insult his music taste and request High School Musical songs instead. The first time it had happened, Jaime had been shocked at the audacity of the student, but had granted the song request anyway. (He had to. It was part of his contract. If a person called in with a song request, Jaime had to grant it. The only exception was if someone requested a song that was inappropriate to air. As long as it had clean/sensored language, and was free from overly explicit themes, Jaime queued up the song).

He mentally prepared himself. ‘Seven Nation Army’ was just about over, and Jaime already had his next song selected. If he timed things right, he could take the annoying student’s call during the next song, and wouldn’t have to subject himself to humiliation where everyone who was listening to his station could hear. It had only taken Jaime three nights to catch onto the trend.

As the guitar faded out, Jaime switched back on his microphone and addressed his audience, “That one’s a classic. ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The White Stripes. Hope y’all enjoyed that one. I’ve got a few more songs in store for y’all with the time we have left-”

The tell-tale ring of the phone interrupted him. Jaime had to bite his tongue to prevent the string of Spanish curses that wanted to fall from his lips from actually coming out. He had spent too long talking, and now he had to take the dreaded call on-air.

He took a deep breath, and had to layer on the enthusiasm thick as he ‘cheerily’ exclaimed, “It looks like we have our first caller of the night!” Jaime picked up the phone and gave the scripted greeting, “Hello, fellow Tiger! You’re on-air with Houston U’s nightly segment. Care to introduce yourself to all the listeners out there?”

Like all the nights previous when Jaime had asked this question, he got the same response. “Nah. I think I’ll stay anonymous. Keep things interesting. Though if you want a clue, I’ll tell you; I’m on the track team.”

Jaime scrambled for his notebook. That was the biggest clue he’d gotten yet about this mysterious student caller. It was almost like some kind of game. So far, every night when this student had called in, they’d said they wanted to remain anonymous, yet would give a clue about their identity. So far, Jaime had a bulleted list of eight items, with ‘track team’ being number nine. The other clues he’d received were ‘hates Indie Rock’ (which was Jaime’s favorite genre of music, thank you very much), ‘favorite movie is High School Musical 2’ (which was blatantly obvious, based on the songs this jackass student always requested), ‘favorite color is red’ (which told Jaime squat about who this kid was), ‘favorite food is chicken whizzes’ (once again, jack shit), ‘red hair’ (which was the first major clue Jaime had gotten), ‘green eyes’ (now it was obvious the kid wanted Jaime to figure out who he was), ‘5’9”’ (somewhat helpful), ‘Freshman’ (which eliminated 3/4 of the students on campus this caller could be), ‘mechanical engineering major’ (another somewhat helpful clue), and ‘gay’ (which, wow, Jaime would never out himself live on the air. This guy had some balls...).

After the mad scramble for a pencil, Jaime flipped the notebook open and single-handedly jotted down the new piece of information, balancing the phone against his ear with the other hand. When he was finished, he leaned back in the big leather chair, kicking his feet up against the edge of the desk in front of himself, feeling satisfied. Jaime knew he had enough information now to track down this annoying student and put an end to these stupid calls interrupting his radio show every night. Tonight would be the last time ‘We’re All in This Together’, ‘Bop to the Top’, or ‘Get Your Head in the Game’ would play during his segment, and Jaime was RELIEVED.

“Is that why you feel the need to call into my show every night?” Jaime fired back at the student. “So you can rope all of your track mates into singing ‘We’re All in This Together’ while you run in circles?”

An airy laugh was the response. And there a slight second where Jaime thought to himself, ‘Wow. That’s actually kinda cute,’ before his brain rebooted and he realized how counterintuitive that was. This guy was an annoyance that had to be dealt with. So what if he had an attractive laugh? It didn’t erase all of the other judgements Jaime had already formed of this student. And they were that this guy had terrible music taste and needed to find another hobby besides calling in every night to bug the shit out of Jaime.

“What better song to commemorate mutual suffering?” The other man laughed again.

Jaime scowled. ‘Mutual suffering’? Sure, Jaime knew the vexing student was talking about his track mates, but he couldn’t help catching the irony in the choice of words. As far as Jaime was concerned, the only one doing any suffering was him.

“So is that your request for tonight?” Jaime just wanted to get this over with already.

A contemplative “hmmm” made its way down the line, before being followed with, “Well, I was originally gonna ask for ‘Get Your Head in the Game’ but ‘All in this Together’ works nicely, too.”

“Por Díos,” Jaime mumbled under his breath. “¿No puede este idiota tomar una decisión?”

“Woah, hey, is that Spanish?!” Apparently Jaime’s mumblings hadn’t been quiet enough. “Yo hablo español!”

Jaime cringed. The pronounciation was terrible, but the enthusiasm was endearing. And dammit! He shouldn’t be thinking things like that. His train of thought was off the tracks again.

Without saying anything else, Jaime turned to his computer, quickly punched ‘We’re All in this Together’ into the song search bar, and hit play. He switched over the audio connection so that the only thing his audience could hear was the music, took a deep breath, and then made his rebuttal to the annoying student.

“You might want to work on that pronounciation, ese.”

The response was whiny. “Aww, it’s not that bad!”

Jaime cringed. “It’s not great, either.”

The student on the other line sighed. “Fine. But at least I have good taste in music!”

“That’s debatable.” Jaime didn’t know why he was dragging out the conversation. Usually after he granted this annoying caller’s request each night, the student rattled off a final jab at Jaime, before just hanging up. Why was he staying on the line tonight? Maybe Jaime just had to direct the conversation in that direction?

“My music is better than what you play every night. I’m doing you and your radio station a favor!” And yep, there it was.

“I don’t think people are tuning into my station to listen to the one High School Musical song you insist I play every night.”

Jaime could practically hear the smirk through the line when the other student responded. “Even if people are tuning in to listen to your crappy music, my song is still the highlight.”

Jaime groaned. He was growing weary of this conversation. “Do you listen to anything besides terrible High School Musical songs?”

That cute laugh caught in Jaime’s ears again. “Doi. A guy needs to have a little variety in his music. I’ve also got ‘Can’t Stop Singing’, ‘Turn Up the Music’, ‘Determinate’-”

Jaime’s eyes rolled skyward. “I’m gonna stop you there. Does your playlist contain any songs that aren’t from Disney Channel movies?”

A horrified gasp marked the beginning of the indignant response. “What’s wrong with Disney movies? High School Musical is the crashest movie series in existence.”

Jaime didn’t have enough time to think over the choice of the word ‘crashest’ before the other student continued rambling on.

“What other kind of music do you need?! Disney movies have great numbers, teach you about life and friendship, and growing up, and you gotta be kidding me if you don’t think Zac Efron is hot playing Troy.”

Jaime snorted a laugh for the last amendment to the other student’s statement. He’d only watched High School Musical once, and that was enough for him. And despite occasionally finding other men attractive (being bisexual himself), Zac Efron had never really done it for Jaime.

“I wouldn’t exactly call those ‘musical numbers’ as you put it, any type of masterpiece, however, I suppose you earn a pass for the friendship and growing up part.” Jaime smartly decided to skip the Zac Efron comment altogether, “I would say I’m more of a fan of the Disney animated movies. At least I can tolerate the Lion King and Aladdin sound tracks.”

A little puff of a chuckle, and then, “You should really get a better hobby than bashing on Disney movies.”

Jaime scoffed and immediately fired back, “You’re the one who calls me every night to bash on my music.”

“Oooh.” The other student made a hissing sound, as if a flame were being extinguished. “Caught red handed. But—” And here, Jaime could sense something dangerous was about to be said— “how about we settle this once and for all. You obviously don’t get out of the radio studio enough. What say you come to the next Houston U track meeting? We can settle this music debate once and for all.” Yep. That was a challenge.

Jaime took a few seconds to deliberate. He was curious to see who this mysterious caller was. Besides, what harm could it do? Jaime was not the type to back down when he was challenged. He had his pride and dignity. He would not be bested by this asshole. He was going to go to that track meeting.

“You’ve got yourself a deal, ese.” If the other student were there in person, Jaime could imagine shaking his hand to seal the contract.

“Alright,” the other student said, and if Jaime wasn’t mistaken, he sounded rather gleeful that Jaime had taken the bait, “I’ll see you there.” And then the line went dead.

Jaime ran a hand through his hair as he hung up the phone with the other. What had he gotten himself into?

The next Houston U track meeting was a week and two days since the fated phone call. Since that night, the mysterious student caller hadn’t rung Jaime’s radio station. It was a power move, and a good one at that. He had put the ball in Jaime’s court (or passed him the baton? That was a track thing, right?), meaning all responsibility was on him. In all honesty, Jaime was tempted to skip out on their ‘deal’. Sure, he’d agreed, but only because Jaime’d thought it was the key to get the student to stop calling. Now that the calls had stopped, Jaime saw no reason to get involved and draw attention back to himself. Maybe if he didn’t go, the annoying student would just leave him alone.

On the other hand, if he didn’t go, wouldn’t that just give the other student more incentive to start calling him again? Not only would Jaime continue to get bashed for his music taste, but then the other student would also be able to expose him as a liar. That was definitely NOT the reputation Jaime wanted to have. He had no choice. He HAD to go to that stupid track meeting.

It didn’t mean he didn’t drag his feet the whole way to the field though. Even with his ticket and getting there five minutes early, it was near impossible to find a seat. Jaime had no idea a sporting event like track would be so popular. What was so special about a bunch of guys running around in a circle?

It took a little shoving and some mumbled “sorry”s and “excuse me”s before Jaime was finally able to plunk down next to a young couple, in one of the only empty seats left. They seemed like nice enough people; the man even tried making small talk with him once Jaime sat down; but Jaime’s shy demeanor prevented the conversation from launching into something deeper.

Once the couple was no longer paying him much attention, Jaime surreptitiously slipped his little pocket notebook out of his jeans and flipped it open to the page where he had noted all of the little clues his mystery caller had given him.

Unfortunately, only some of them were usable in this context. Clues about the other student’s personality and preferences wouldn’t help Jaime identify anyone. Only the clues the track star had given Jaime about his physical appearance would be of use. He was looking for a redheaded, green-eyed, 5’9” Freshman. Should be simple enough.

When Jaime glanced down to where the runners were stretching by the starting blocks, he immediately noticed three boys with red hair. Luckily, this track meet was only a Houston U event and other schools weren’t participating. That meant one of the three was his mysterious caller.

From this distance, Jaime couldn’t judge eye color, and height was difficult to gage. He supposed he would have to wait for the announcers to give the names and grades of the competitors. Hopefully only one of the redheads would be a Freshman, and Jaime could find his culprit.

Within a few minutes, a runner was at the blocks for every lane. The first event was the 100m sprint. Everyone on the team would be participating. Only six could go at a time, and the announcer said that there would be three heats. Unfortunately for Jaime, the announcer didn’t bother with the names of the competitors since everyone was running, but he hoped that at least the winners would be announced, in case his redhead happened to be one of them.

In the first heat, two of the three red-haired boys were lined up at the blocks. Jaime trained his eyes on them. The first boy was in the second lane, and the other in the sixth lane. Hopefully one of the two would win so that Jaime could narrow down his suspects.

When the starting gun fired, all six runners took off like rockets. The pure speed was quite a shock for Jaime to witness. Within fifteen seconds, all six runners crossed the finish line.

“Winner!” The announcer shouted, once first place for the heat had been determined. He held up the arm of one of the redheads Jaime had been watching. “Senior Wally West with a time of 10.8 seconds!”

An elderly couple three seats over from where Jaime was sitting sprang out of their seats cheering. “Yeah, Wally!” shouted the man. His wife was enthusiastically clapping.

When they sat down again, the couple next to Jaime (conveniently sandwiched between him and the cheering couple) turned to face them.

“Wow!” the blond man next to Jaime exclaimed. “That’s his fastest time yet!”

The other blond man laughed (and it was then that Jaime noticed the striking resemblance). “He’s been working hard. Of course, he’s no match for Bart, but just maybe Wally might have a shot at beating him in the 3200m.”

The brunette woman of the younger couple hummed, a smirk resting on her lips. “I don’t know about that one. Our Bart’s got Thawne blood, too. He’s got runners from both sides. Wests... not so much.”

“Mel!” the man next to Jaime gasped, scandalized. “I thought we said no family rivalry at track meets?”

Immediately the brunette woman, Mel, appologized. “Sorry, sorry.”

“That’s right,” the man from the elderly couple interjected. “You have to remember Donny’s got some West blood himself. Iris was a West before she married me.” He slung an arm around the graying red-haired woman sitting beside him.

It was then that Jaime was able to piece it together. The young blond man— Donny— sitting next to him, was the son of the elderly couple— Iris and her husband (unfortunately Jaime didn’t have his name yet). The younger brunette woman— Mel— was Donny’s wife, and one of the runners— Bart— was their son, and the grandson of the elderly couple. Wally— the runner who had just won the first heat was a relative (?) of the two couples.

By the time Jaime was done puzzling out the relations, the next heat of runners was already at the starting blocks. Unfortunately, the other redhead, whom Jaime guessed was Bart, was not in this heat.

The starting gun fired, and the race was over within fifteen seconds again. The winner was announced, and the runners of the third heat took their places.

Jaime’s gaze zeroed in on the redhead in the first lane. That must be Bart. Mel and Donny were balanced on the edges of their seats next to Jaime.

As soon as the gun fired, Bart was nearly a quarter of the way down the lane. He was insanely fast. Jaime wouldn’t be surprised if he hit an Olympic time. His teammates stood no chance.

When he was announced the winner, Jaime had to do a double take at the 9.63 second time blinking on the screen behind him. That was more than a second faster than Wally, who had won the first heat.

“‘Attaboy, Bart!” Donny yelled.

The exclamation caused Bart’s attention to be drawn towards them. He waved proudly at his parents, and then his gaze caught on Jaime. Even from this distance Jaime could see the electric green eyes trained on him. There was no mistaking it now. Even with the other redhead to consider (since Jaime hadn’t heard his name or grade announced yet), he was certain Bart was his mystery caller. There was something in his eyes— a knowing glint— that made Jaime nervous. Could Bart know who he was?

It wasn’t completely impossible. Because he ran the campus radio at night, Jaime had a page on the school website. His name and picture were plastered right along side Cassie and Gar’s. Cassie had the morning shift from 6 am to noon, and Gar’s comedy segment ran from noon to 6 pm, when Jaime started. All Bart had to do was look him up and he would know exactly who Jaime was.

In retrospect, Jaime easily could have done the same to figure out who his annoying caller was. Once he’d received the track team clue, he could have pulled up the roster and narrowed his suspects down. He could have ruled out Wally because he was a Senior, and possibly even the other redhead based on his year. The announcer had said that Bart was a Freshman when he’d announced him as a winner, so Jaime figured he was the most likely of the three to be the caller. He matched all of the physical descriptors.

There were two more sprinting events that followed, each doubling the distance of the previous. After witnessing the 100m event, Jaime wasn’t surprised when Bart came in first for the 200m and 400m. It was honestly impressive. Bart was talented both in the art of running and annoying Jaime over phone calls. Truly difficult feats.

Once the sprinting events were finished, the competitors moved onto the field. Unlike the sprinting events, some members of the team sat out. Jaime noticed only six members of the team were participating. Two for discus, two for shot put and two for javelin. Neither Bart nor Wally was one of the six. The other redhead on the other hand, was lined up at the javelin throwing line.

Jaime paid him little mind. As soon as the announcer introduced him as a Senior, Jaime tuned out completely. Now there was absolutely no doubt whatsoever. Bart was his mystery caller.

While the field events took place, Jaime watched Bart stretching out on the side of the track. He was surprisingly limber. And Jaime had nothing to blame but the part of his mind attracted to men when he watched Bart bend over in his running shorts to stretch out his hamstrings. He had really nice legs, among... other things.

Jaime shook his head. He shouldn’t be thinking things like that. He’d come here to put Bart in his place because of the annoying phone calls. Not admire his amazing calves.

When the field events were over, some members of the team moved back onto the track for the hurdle events. Again, Bart was not amongst them.

“He doesn’t do hurdles either?” Jaime accidentally mused aloud.

Donny turned to look at him. “First track meeting?” he asked, kindly.

Jaime felt a blush crop up on his cheeks. He hadn’t meant for his comment to be out loud.

“Yeah,” he admitted, despite his embarrassment.

Donny gave him a smile. “They each only do one event plus the sprints. You’ve got the three field events, hurdles, and long distance.”

“Oh.” Jaime nodded to show he understood.

Donny outstretched his hand. “I’m Don.”

Jaime shook Bart’s father’s hand. “Jaime,” he returned.

When Don took his hand back, he used it to point to his wife. “This is my wife, Meloni.”

The brunette woman waved at him.

“And my parents, Barry and Iris.” He gestured at each member of the older couple as well.

Jaime ducked his head shyly. “Nice to meet you all.”

The pop of the starting gun drew their attention back to the track where the hurdlers had just taken off from the blocks. Jaime watched on in interest, amazed at the skill that had been displayed today. He’d never imagined a track meet being this entertaining.

After a few moments, Don turned back to him. “Who’re you here for?” He pointed down at the track members surrounding the edge of the rubberized circle, cheering on their participating teammates.

Jaime felt that blush bloom on his cheeks again. Should he be honest? He was sitting right next to Bart’s parents. What if they started asking questions he didn’t have the answers to?

“Uh, I-I’m here for Bart.” He didn’t really have any other options. He didn’t know the names of any of the other track members.

Donny’s green eyes suddenly lit up. “Bart didn’t tell us his boyfriend was coming! It’s quite a coincidence we ended up sitting next to one another!”

Jaime gave a hard blink, processing the sentences that had just exited the blond man’s mouth. “Uh, we’re not-”

Meloni cut him off. “Oh! You’re the one who runs the campus radio! I knew your name sounded familiar. Bart talks about you all the time!”

The first thought that went through Jaime’s mind was, ‘Does he now?’. There was no mistaking it. Bart was 100 percent the annoying student who called into his radio segment each night. And Bart knew who he was. As soon as this track meeting was over, Jaime was definitely going to have some words with him.

“It’s so nice to finally get to meet you!”

Jaime didn’t know whether he should burst their bubble. Don and Meloni seemed like genuinely good people, and they were happy for their son having seemingly found a relationship. Although their assumptions weren’t true, Jaime knew he would feel extremely bad telling them otherwise.

Luckily, there wasn’t much time for him to dwell on the subject. As soon as the winners for the hurdling events were determined, the obstacles were cleared off the track and the next set of runners were lining up at the starting blocks. Two heads of red hair immediately caught Jaime’s attention. Bart and Wally were lining up in lanes one and two, while a few more of their track mates joined them in the other lanes.

“Who do you think it’ll be this time?” Barry posed the question aloud.

“I think Bart’s got a running shot.”

Everyone groaned at Don’s poor-quality joke.

“I apologize on my husband’s behalf,” Meloni mostly addressed Jaime, “What he meant was that Bart’s been working on his pacing. He’s the fastest on the team, and has always taken first in all of the sprinting events, but Wally always gives him some good competition for the long distance stuff.”

Jaime nodded thoughtfully. Bart had definitely been fast; no doubt about that. But he was curious to see how he would do in an event that required more endurance. Apparently he would actually have some competition this time, unlike in the sprinting events where Bart had left all of his teammates in the dust.

When the starting gun fired, Jaime found himself actually holding his breath. This first distance was 1500m, just shy of a mile. Jaime could remember having to do the one mile run in P.E. back in high school and how much of a pain it had been. The best time Jaime had ever gotten was just over six minutes.

For the first lap or so, Wally and Bart were neck and neck. The rest of their teammates were about half a lap behind. Then, when they went into the second lap, Bart kicked it up a notch, pulling ahead. Wally kept his own even pace, a schooled look of determination set over his features, while Bart’s lips transformed into a confident smirk.

By the final lap, Bart and Wally were shoulder to shoulder again. It was clear that Wally had the superior skill when it came to pacing, as he had been able to keep the same speed the whole time, whereas Bart’s speed had varied in spurts, depending on his level of endurance. It was unclear which one of them was going to win.

When Jaime looked around at the stands, he could see fans eagerly debating which one of the redheads they thought was going to win. The general consensus seemed to be Wally, but Jaime had a feeling his High School Musical-song-loving caller had a trick up his sleeve.

When they reached the last 100m or so of the race, the stadium burst into cheering, each person of the audience shouting encouragement to their respective runner. Against all odds, and to the surprise of many, Bart burst into a full out sprint, easily overtaking Wally, and crossing the finish line with an enthusiastic whoop.

Jaime was absolutely shocked to say the least. After running three laps, how had Bart found the energy for that last burst of speed?

A time of 4.02 minutes flashed on the screen behind them as the announcer proclaimed Bart the winner. Meloni and Don broke into cheers beside Jaime, and Barry and Iris clapped as well to show their support. Even Jaime found a small smile working it’s way onto his lips as he clapped, in awe of the impressive speed Bart had just displayed.

There was a few minutes between events while the results of the race were recorded and the next set of runners lined up at the starting blocks. Again, both Bart and Wally were among the competitors. This time, the distance was more than double what they had just run at 3200m. Jaime was curious to see how Bart would hold up against the longer distance.

When the starting gun fired, all of the runners took off as a group, rather than Bart and Wally distinguishing themselves from the pack right away. With eight laps to go, Jaime supposed it made sense. No point in going all out during the first half of the race, only to burn out when it really mattered. Bart and Wally would probably wait until the final few laps to burst ahead of their teammates.

Around and around the track they went, keeping pace with one another until the sixth lap. As soon as they passed the starting line, all of the runners kicked it up a notch, and gaps between the competitors became more noticeable. As expected, Wally and Bart pulled ahead of everyone else, and chatter broke out amongst the crowd about which redhead it would be this time.

Barry and Iris seemed to have their money on their nephew (Jaime had finally pieced it together when Barry made the comment about Iris being a West before marriage), whereas Don and Meloni, being the proud parents they were, were betting on their son to come out on top. Jaime couldn’t help being biased, and was also rooting for Bart. After all, he was the whole reason Jaime was at this track meet to begin with.

Bart was giving his all. Halfway into the last lap, he was ahead of Wally by a few steps. It seemed like he had the win in the bag. Then out of nowhere, Wally pulled the same stunt Bart had last time.

Jaime could see Bart do a double take when his cousin passed him, but there was nothing he could do. Bart’s strength was his speed; not endurance. He was only able to give about 80 percent, whereas Wally had paced himself better, and could pour 100 percent of his speed into the last leg of the race.

While Jaime was disappointed to see Bart take second, he was still impressed overall. Wally had beat Bart by two seconds, but Bart had beat the rest of his team by nearly ten seconds, meaning he and Wally had had quite an impressive lead.

Barry, Iris, Don and Meloni were engaged in a chat about the outcome of the latest race, but Jaime found his eyes glued to his not-so-mysterious (anymore) caller. Despite losing the last event, Bart seemed to be a good sport. He and Wally were standing on the sidelines, getting a quick drink and catching their breaths before the final event was set to start. Between gulps of water, Jaime could see the cousins teasing one another, egging each other on, and hyping one another up for the competition of the next race.

When they were called over to the track for the last event, Bart elbowed Wally in the ribs with a cocky smirk on his face, and Wally retaliated by pulling the smaller man into a headlock to ruffle his hair. Jaime didn’t quite know what to make of it, other than that Bart seemed to have a cocky, playful personality. It explained why he had been so adamant about playing the stupid identity game he had roped Jaime into over the phone during his radio segments each night.

The last distance was 5000m, or approximately 12 laps. Just thinking about that much running made Jaime want to cry. Needless to say, he wasn’t a huge fan of running. Other sports, sure, but running was not something Jaime enjoyed for himself. He would have to give massive kudos to Bart for having enough dedication to running to put himself through the 12 lap race.

Again, all of the runners stayed in a pack for the majority of the race. By about lap eight, it was clear who the real endurance runners were. The six competitors had spread out, a few feet behind one another, with Wally leading. There was a black-haired guy on his heels, and following behind him were Bart and another black-haired runner, a little shorter than the man in front of him. Two more runners were taking up the rear.

Laps nine, ten and eleven passed without much change. It wasn’t until they got into the final lap that Bart mustered the energy to pull ahead of his two black-haired teammates and take up the trail behind his cousin.

Wally’s winning time of fourteen minutes and two seconds flashed up on the scoreboard, followed by Bart’s time of 14.08. Jaime almost had to do a double take. When he calculated the math, it meant Bart had averaged a time of approximately a minute and eleven seconds per lap, and Wally had been faster still!

While the judges and officials were confirming the results of all of the events that had taken place, the stadium around Jaime burst to life as audience members began to make their exit down to the track to meet with and congratulate the athletes they had come to support. Beside him, Don, Meloni, Barry and Iris stood from their seats and gathered up their belongings, preparing to go congratulate Bart and Wally on their wins in today’s events.

“You should come with us, Jaime,” Meloni suggested when Jaime didn’t stand up with the rest of them.

Immediately, a stone sank in the college student’s stomach. What would Bart think if he saw Jaime with his parents? He and Bart hadn’t even met yet. How would Jaime be able to explain if Bart’s parents brought up the boyfriend issue?

Reluctantly, Jaime got up to follow the two couples down to the track. He was sweat-dropping. He really hoped Bart’s parents wouldn’t make things awkward.

As soon as he was in range, Don slung an arm around his son’s shoulders, congratulating him on his multiple wins. Meloni also smothered Bart in a hug when she got her opportunity, cooing over how well he had done. Beside them, Barry and Iris were doing much of the same to their nephew, expressing their awe of Wally’s endurance in the long-distance events. Meanwhile, Jaime stood awkwardly by, waiting for a chance to hopefully have a chat with his not-so-mysterious caller.

When the Allens finally separated from their son, Jaime locked eyes with Bart. There was a glint in those green irises that Jaime couldn’t place. It wasn’t good or bad per say; Jaime could only describe it as making him feel on edge, ready to tip one way or the other.

As soon as Meloni noticed the stare between the two boys, she immediately turned on Bart, much to Jaime’s horror.

“Bart! Why haven’t you introduced us to your boyfriend? He’s such a handsome young man.” She used an insistant hand to push Jaime forward, so much so that he almost stumbled and fell into the chest of his supposed “boyfriend”. Luckily, Bart’s hands came up and caught him by the biceps before that could happen.

Both his and Bart’s eyes widened. Pink burned hot on each of their cheeks. Jaime took a quick step back. He felt like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

“Well?” Don goaded. “Don’t be shy! I’m glad to see my son’s finally been able to put the Allen-family charm to use! How long have you two been together?”

Jaime could feel the color in his cheeks getting darker by the second. Bart was still giving him this weird look, as if it weren’t his parents who had instigated this whole conversation in the first place. The prolonged awkward eye contact was making Jaime uneasy, and he was tempted to just speak up and shut down Bart’s parent’s idea about him and their son being in a relationship, but before he had the chance, Bart was clearing his throat to speak.

The track star raised a hand to the back of his neck, and Jaime had to do a double-take at the innocent “embarrassed” façade he was now putting on. “Well,” he said, playing bashful, “Guess the cat’s out of the bag, Babe.”

Jaime’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates upon hearing the pet name. Bart was just going to go along with this?!

Without preamble, the redhead slung his arm around Jaime’s shoulders, crushing him into his side in a display of “affection” for his parents’ benefit. “Jaime’s a little shy,” Bart said, when Jaime failed to fill in the silence. “He wanted to keep our relationship a secret. I’m actually a little surprised he came to the track meet today.”

Bart subtly bumped Jaime’s hip with his own, which was a cue for him to talk. It took a moment for the raven-haired boy to scramble for a response. He would play along... for now.

“I had to see if you were as good as you were making yourself out to be,” Jaime had noticed Bart’s encoded message; he hadn’t expected Jaime to take his phone call seriously and show up. Jaime was giving his own back in return (I had to discover who the annoying caller was).

Bart chuckled. “Would I ever lie to you?”

Jaime had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Now the guy was just laying it on thick.

“Of course not, Chiquito.” The pet name came out from behind clenched teeth.

Luckily, Mel and Donny seemed to buy their act. When it was clear they were in the clear, Bart asked, “Mom, Dad, is it okay if I have a few minutes alone with my boyfriend?”

Meloni and Don shared a look before Don said, “Okay. But no hankey-pankey behind the bleachers!” He waved a finger at them, teasing smile in place over his lips.

Jaime felt himself going pink. “Of course not, Sir,” he managed to get out, in spite of how mixed up this situation had gotten.

Bart grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him a little ways down the track so that they were out of Meloni and Don’s hearing range. As soon as he had the opportunity, Jaime whirled on him.

“What the hell was that back there, ese?” Jaime hissed.

Bart shrugged. “They bought it, didn’t they?”

Jaime felt his eyes narrow into a glare. “Why didn’t you correct them?”

Bart did another shrug, this time with a knowing expression on his face. “It’s not like you said anything either.”

Jaime’s glare fell apart under the truthful accusation. It was his fault for not immediately shutting down the idea when Don had first brought it up to him in the stands.

Bart placed his hands on his hips and began rocking back and forth from the balls of his feet to his heels. “In all honesty, I’m actually surprised you showed up.”

Jaime emulated Bart’s pose, resting a fist against his hip and gesturing with the other. “Well, I couldn’t risk you calling back during my segment tonight and accusing me of being a liar in front of my entire audience, now could I?”

Bart tilted his head in such a way that Jaime had to repress the thought of ‘Oh, that’s cute,’ before it accidentally slipped out of his mouth.

A faint pink blush rose to Bart’s cheeks. “I guess I did kind of back you into a corner, didn’t I?” He raised a hand to the back of his neck, and it was the moment that Jaime realized Bart was genuinely sorry for having done so. While he may have wanted Jaime to show up today, it was clear now that he wouldn’t have used Jaime’s absence as blackmail against him if he had decided not to show.

Not wanting Bart to feel guilty, Jaime shrugged it off. “No es gran cosa.”

A smile worked its way onto Bart’s mouth. “I have no idea what that means, but I’m guessing by the look on your face, you’re not actually all that bothered by it.”

Jaime sighed. “Well, besides inviting me here so I can tell you how much I hate granting your High School Musical requests every night, what exactly is the reason?”

Bart scoffed. “I can’t believe you had the audacity to say that to my face!” He was trying to deliver the line seriously, but the smile on his lips told Jaime that he wasn’t actually offended.

Jaime shrugged, a small smirk working its way onto his own lips. “What can I say? Disney Channel movies are cheesy, and their sound tracks are even worse.”

Bart chuckled. “Your music is too depressing. You need something more upbeat. Less lyrics about death, sad childhoods, and oppression. ‘We’re All in this Together’, right ah-me-go?”

Jaime cringed, both at Bart’s pronunciation and at the stereotypes. His music was more complex than what Bart was making it out to be. Besides, Jaime wasn’t here to argue anyway. Bart had invited him to this track meeting with ulterior motives, and Jaime was determined to figure out what they were.

“Not all of my music is depressing,” Jaime countered. “Besides, you ignored my question. Surely you had some kind of motive in inviting me here besides to just discuss your terrible music taste. I want to know what it is.” Jaime raised both eyebrows.

An unexpected pink blush rose to Bart’s cheeks, covering up the freckles sprayed like paint across his Caucasian skin. “I wanted you to notice me.” Jaime nearly missed the words, for they came out of Bart’s mouth in a whisper.

“You wanted me to notice you?” He repeated the statement, hoping for a bit of an explanation.

Bart’s blush deepened, skin in competition with his hair for reddest feature. His green eyes were piercing the ground, seemingly in an effort to burn a hole big enough to burry himself in to avoid such embarrassment. His fingers twisted harshly against one another. His whole aura had changed from the confident runner he had been on the track to nervous schoolboy.

“We’re in the same physics class.” Bart’s sneaker kicked up a puff of dirt as he ground his toe into the sand.

Jaime blinked. He’d never seen anyone like Bart in his physics class. Was he that non-observant that he had missed him?

“I-I usually sit behind you.” It sounded like Bart was struggling to admit something difficult. Usually Jaime was the shyer one in conversations, so he completely understood what it felt like having to lead a difficult conversation. But he wanted to get to the bottom of this. Bart was on the edge of a confession, and Jaime had to know what it was.

“I noticed how a-attractive—” Bart’s blush deepened yet again— “you were pretty much as soon as I laid eyes on you. I-I wanted to get to know you better, so I asked around a little. Turns out Cassie’s a mutual friend of ours. She told me a little bit about you, from working with you at the radio station, and I did a little bit of research on my own. I looked you up on the school website. I started calling in to your station. I kept asking Cassie if she could find out more about you for me. Your favorite color, food, movie... Any hobbies, or things you like. I started piecing together this picture of you in my mind, using our conversations on the phone to confirm or deny my theories about you. Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore. I was desperate for you to notice me, so I started dropping hints on the phone, hoping you would take an interest. But you didn’t. And I-I can understand if-if you don’t feel the same way but IthinkIaccidentlyfellinlovewithyou.”

Jaime blinked hard. “¿Qué?” That last bit had left Bart’s mouth in an unintelligible jumble of sounds. Had Bart just admitted he was in love with him?

When Jaime snapped out of his confusion and looked back at Bart, he saw that the track star was struggling to hold back tears. A salty droplet fell from his chin and landed on the ground between them, creating a dark spot in the dirt. His shoulders were trembling with the effort to not let out a cry.

Guilt settled hard in Jaime’s stomach, like a boulder being dropped into a lake. The aftershocks were still rippling through his system. The pieces were slowly coming together.

Bart was in love with him, and wanted the feeling to be mutual. He had called in to Jaime’s radio station, hoping that he could get Jaime to take an interest in him. He wanted Jaime to pursue him, that way he would know for sure that Jaime felt the same way. And Jaime had taken an interest; he’d just done a poor job at showing it.

Hesitantly, Jaime reached a hand forward in an effort to get Bart to look up at him. “Por favor, no llores. Lo siento, I-”

Bart took a step back, angrily wiping his tears away with his fists. “No. I-it’s stupid. I built this idea of you up in my head, and it’s probably not who you are at all. I was just desperate and wanted you to like me back. And I know that me calling you every night was probably annoying and that you probably aren’t even into guys-”

Jaime surged forward, grabbing onto the other boy’s bicep with one hand and cupping his cheek with the other, and did something that surprised himself probably even more than it surprised Bart.

Bart froze, teary eyes wide in shock as Jaime’s lips smashed against his own. He was too surprised to react.

As soon as Jaime realized what he had done, he pulled back, blushing madly. Despite his embarrassment however, he couldn’t help the truth that fell from his lips.

“I am.” When Bart still looked confused, Jaime rushed to clarify. “Into guys. Into... you. I’m bisexual.” He raised a hand to nervously rub at the short raven hairs along the back of his neck, chuckling awkwardly.

Bart seemed to snap out of his stupor. “You’re into me? I didn’t think you were interested. I thought you only came today because I was blackmailing you.”

Jaime’s awkward laugh turned amused. “If you think I showed up today because of your so-called ‘blackmail’, you need a new definition for the word.” He moved his hand from his neck, slipping it into his pocket to pull out his notebook. Jaime flipped it to the page where he had taken down all of the little clues Bart had given to him over the phone and turned the book around to show it to the track star. Bart’s green eyes widened slowly as he read over all of Jaime’s scrupulously written notes.

“I wrote down everything you told me about yourself.”

Bart’s gaze slowly ascended from the page, an awed look in his eyes. Hastily, Jaime closed the notebook and placed it back in his pocket. He shifted his weight from foot to foot in consideration before finally saying, “I’d like a chance to get to know you. I want to give us—” Jaime used a finger to gesture between himself and Bart— “a chance. If that’s... crash?” He tested out the word he’d heard Bart use during a few of their phone calls.

The redhead’s face lit up like a child’s after receiving a piece of candy. “Yeah! That’s totally crash! When are you free?”

“Uh-” Jaime pulled out his phone to check his calendar, and nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder.

“Time to get this show on the road, Kiddos.” When Jaime looked up to see who the hand belonged to, he saw Bart’s father standing between them, his other hand grasping onto his son’s shoulder. “Who knows what you two would get up to if Mel and I left you alone any longer.” Don playfully shook his head, before turning the eyes Bart had inherited from him on his son. “Your mother and I were college sweethearts, too. We know what kind of things kids your age get up to.”

Both Bart and Jaime blushed at the implications.

“Dad!” Bart groaned in embarrassment.

Don chuckled, as if it were all in a day’s work embarrassing his son. He turned to Jaime. “We usually go out as a family after track meets to celebrate. Everyone’ll be there. It’s a good opportunity for Bart to introduce you to the family. If you’re up for going, Jaime?”

The raven-haired student shared a look with his boyfriend? friend? person-he-thought-was-very-attractive-but-wanted-to-get-to-know-a-little-better-before-dating? Bart shrugged.

Jaime felt put on the spot. He and Bart had just discussed the possibility of beginning a relationship, and now he was supposed to meet the ‘rents? Not that he hadn’t already, but that was beside the point. Going out for a meal with Bart’s parents, grandparents, cousin and who-knows-who-else, and having to pretend that he’s madly in love with someone he was just meeting for the first time today? This had the potential to kill any chances he and Bart had at actually beginning a real relationship.

“I’m sorry, I already have plans,” was what Jaime wanted to say. Instead, he said, “Sure. I’d love to get to meet your family, Cariño.”

“Good evening, Tigers! You’re listening to Houston U’s nightly segment. I’m your host, Jaime Reyes-”

“-and his amazing boyfriend, Bart Allen-”

Jaime had to stifle an ‘oomph!’ as his boyfriend of three glorious months slung an arm around his neck and plopped down on his lap, leaning in close to the microphone so that he could be heard, too.

“-Next up we have ‘Flourescent Adolescence’ by Arctic Monkeys-”

“-And after that, ‘I Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You’ from High School Musical!” Bart slammed a finger into the ‘play’ button, starting the next song in the queue, before swinging his leg around so he could straddle Jaime’s lap and drag him into a kiss.

When they pulled apart, Jaime had a pout on his lips. “Who let you in here?” Bart wasn’t supposed to be in the studio, especially when Jaime was live on the air.

The younger smirked deviously. “Cassie might have loned me her key so that I could pay my boyfriend a visit while he was working...”

Jaime shook his head. “Of course she did.”

Bart booped his nose with a fingertip. “Don’t act so put out. You know you looooove me.”

Jaime shook his head, trying to keep a poker face. “Nope. You just tainted my reputation by saying that we’re gonna play High School Musical songs voluntarily. How could I love someone who would pull such a slanderous act against me?”

Bart poked his nose again. “You looooove me.”

Jaime shook his head. His lips threatened to quirk up into a smile. His poker face was cracking. “Nope.”

Bart hovered his lips dangerously close to Jaime’s own. “Admit it, Babe. You love me more than anyone in the world.”

Jaime’s mask crumbled. “Yeah,” he finally admitted. “Te amo con todo mi corazón.” He pulled Bart that little inch forward to kiss him again.

Unfortunately the phone cut their loving moment shorter than either boy wanted. Jaime picked it up.

“Hello, fellow Tiger! You’re on-air with Houston U’s nightly segment. Care to introduce yourself to all the listeners out there?”

“Yeah, Jaime, it’s Gar. I’m glad to hear that you finally found yourself a good partner, but next time you might want to make sure your mic is off before making any declarations of love while you’re live.”

Crimson bloomed to life across the entirety of his face while Gar hung up on the other end of the line. Immediately, the radio host leaned forward and flicked off the switch to his microphone. Jaime buried his face in his hands.

“I hate you!” He directed at Bart in an embarrassed moan.

Bart chuckled. “Nah. You looooove me.”

Here it finally is @purple--waffles! I’m so sorry it took me so long! I’ve been slowly working on it since the day your request arrived in my asks. Life is crazy, and I haven’t had a whole lot of time to write recently, but I really wanted to finish this for you. My mind ran with the prompt, and even though it took me awhile, hopefully the length makes up for it??? Maybe? Anyways, I hope you enjoy it!

#young justice #yj #bart allen #jaime reyes #kid flash #impulse #blue beetle #bluepulse #asks #answers #writing requests #sorry this took me a little while to finish

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fitzs-trained-monkey · 3 years

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Chapter Three: If We Have Each Other.

~When the world's not perfect When the world's not kind If we have each other then we'll both be fine. I will be your brother and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you. I will always be there for you~

"Dude, we are in some serious jelly," I proclaimed as I paced around the small perimeter of the tree house.

"And that jam!" Isaac added from where he remained sitting at the table.

"Tight spot."

"Indeed!"

"Up a tree!" I supplied.

"Lost in the grass!" He offered. I swung around, shaking my finger at him.

"I'll tell ya what's grass, our- AAH FRACKLES!" I had stepped on a stray nail in one of the floorboards. Hobbling my way back into my chair, I thunked my head against the table.

"But look at the bright side." Isaac leaned back in his chair. "Seeing as how our grand-theft-hairbrush is going viral and all, there is still a chance that me flipping the camera off could become a meme!" He pointed out. Slowly, I raised my head to stare at him.

"Are you kidding me right now?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Consider it, Marty! All it took was five years being dead and now I'm finally fulfilling my life-long dream! If I'd known it was this easy, I would have killed myself a long time ago and spared me all that drama and emotional damage," Isaac smirked. I shook my head, my gaze drifted back to the Vader figure and snow globe sitting side-by-side on the shelf.

"Please don't talk like that Isaac," I sighed. Isaac's face fell.

"Sorry, I-I wasn't thinking," He apologized. I nodded.

"It's okay." It wasn't, but what more could be said when you didn't want to speak?

"Hey," Isaac spoke softly, ducking his head to get me to look at him, "Even if things go sour, I'm gonna be here for you. Just like I promised. Through thick and thin, remember?"

"Through thick and thin."

Smiling weakly, I repeated our life long mantra. I took a deep breath and focused back in on the problem.

"Alright, man. We gotta figure out a game plan. That video is gonna bring every hunter and their mom up here to ice our, or my, gluteus maximus. And if they know about the minimart then they know about the hospital. So, what's our play?"

"Well, I say you use your Sweet-Talkin' thing and talk any o'those alcoholic weirdos out of it," Isaac suggested. I shook my head.

"Isaac, you know how much I hate doing that."

Although it was a tempting idea, that wasn't something I wanted to mess with. If you start playing with the dark things, the dark things start playing with you. That wasn't a concept I liked, but Isaac would never understand that.

"I'm just saying it’s an option! And an easy one at that," Isaac pushed. I glared at him.

"I'm not doing that."

"It might come to it, Marty. I'm just saying as a plan C it-"

"The answer is no! Moving on." My tone killed and buried the subject. Isaac raised his hands in surrender.

"Fine. But misinformation is still our strongest tool. We should use it. Tell anybody who asks that it was all done on a computer," He conceded.

"Alright, that's plan A. What's plan B?" Isaac's face twisted in thought. I let him do any and all planning when it came to telling a lie because he was so much better at making it convincing than I was. Isaac was the king of spouting believable bull crap. In fact, he would have made and excellent demon. That guy could probably get an angel to sell its soul for a box of holy doughnuts. When the idea hit Isaac's brain, I could almost see a light bulb light up above his head. He leaned forward, exited.

"Okay, I got it. We make up some BS story about a gay black dude who got chopped up by the ferry or something and the hospital wouldn't help him because all the doctors were racist homophobes, and it was the 50's." He nodded at me very seriously. Like I said, Isaac was king.

"That's is the worst, most ridiculous and stupid story I have ever heard," I told him. Isaac's nodding grew more excited. "It's perfect. They'll buy every word. Just one thing though, what about the mini-mart?" I pointed out.

Isaac opened his mouth before closing it again. Then he opened it. Then he closed it. Open. Closed. Open. Closed. This happened several more times before he finally came up with something good.

"So, our gay black guy was also a nice hobo dude and after he died he started stealing crap to give to his hobo buddies." Isaac gave me a thumbs up. I nodded.

"Okay, sounds good, sounds good. How do we explain me?" I splayed my hands. Isaac huffed and rolled his eyes, leaning back again and tucking his hands behind his head.

"Well, that’s easy. The camera never even caught a glimpse of your face, so you're his anonymous theft buddy slash item distributer!" He explained. I grinned at my fantastic phantasmal co-conspirator.

"Excellent, and of course nobody knows who the thief is. Especially not, innocent little me!" I chuckled at his brilliance.

"Exactly!" Isaac smirked.

"It's perfect! Except one last thing. We're gonna need some eyes and ears in on this. Someone to alert us when someone fishy comes lurking about," I said. Isaac nodded seriously.

"You're right. But who can we trust around here?" He asked. I could feel the smile split across my face.

"I can think of only one man for this job. A man as trustworthy as he is slimy. A man scrubbed clean by his own filth. A man so wonderful, words do him no justice!" I declared dramatically. Isaac was confused for a moment before realization dawned. His face fell.

"Please tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking."

"I think I am." I grinned. Isaac just sighed.

"Marty, no."

"Marty, yes!"

- 45 minutes later-

"Yo! Danny, my man! How's life?" I called out. Dan-the-Dope-Man looked up from...whatever it was he was doing outside Copper Harbor's one and only pharmacy. The pharmacy which he, in fact, owned. Honestly, I didn't want to know exactly what he had been doing behind the pile of cardboard boxes that were stacked up against the moldy brick. I figured it was better if I didn't. Dan smiled a grin that was missing two teeth.

"Marty! My worst customer and only friend! Life's good!" He greeted me, kicking a few of the boxes over to hide whatever suspicious activity it was that he had been up to. He winked and walked over to me, pushing his absolutely disgusting blond hair out of his face. "But, you know, business is betta'," He concluded.

I could never tell how tall Dan was, in this form especially. See, Dan-the-Dope-Man was a shapeshifter, though of course, no one else in the town knew that. That's how he was the owner of the pharmacy as well as a drug dealer. His other form, Jonathan De’ Santos, was the tall, 40-year-old, honest-looking Hawaiian man that ran the pharmacy. In this form, however, Dan was a somewhere-in-the-upper-five-foot-range Caucasian guy from Brooklyn with a thing against bathing. He said that the grungy, sewer-rat look was better for his side business. I wasn't sure how much of that I bought, but then again, who's gonna buy drugs from the guy who's supposed to make sure you don't destroy yourself with them.

"I bet it is!" I said, taking a step back when he reached me because, like I said, the guy had a thing against hygiene.

"This is a terrible, terrible idea," Isaac muttered, leaning on the wall to my left. I couldn't reply to him because although Dan knew what I was he didn't know about Isaac. So all I could do was give him a rude gesture behind my back. He saw it and stuck his tongue out at me.

"What can I do fo' ya, Marty?" Dan always pronounced my name as 'Mawty' at least in this form as it had a Brooklyn accent.

"Well, o' Danny boy, I have some rather bad news to deliver," I continued, "There might be some hunters coming to town soon."

Dan frowned; his eyes narrowed at me as he folded his arms over his chest.

"Well, that ain't good. Whatt'id ya do, Marty?" He asked. Sometimes Dan could be like my older brother, even if he didn't realize it.

"Woah, woah, woah! Who said I did anything?!" I defended. Dan just raised an eyebrow.

"You're always showin' off and ya know it," He said simply.

"He's right, you know," Isaac interjected. I wished I could tell him to shut his eidolic cake hole. It wouldn't have made much of a difference if I could, as he would still have continued talking, but the principle remained the same. Isaac was annoying. He needed to shut his mouth now and again. But I couldn't say that right now because he was a flipping ghost and ghosts are invisible. Mostly.

Ignoring Isaac, I opened my mouth to try to argue with Dan but quickly closed it again when found that I couldn't, because he was absolutely right. Now, I couldn’t admit that to him because Isaac was right here and that would be saying that he was right about something, and that was a thing I would never hear the end of.

"In regards," I started again.

"You'd just say 'regardless'," Isaac chimed in. I had to physically bite my tongue to keep from screaming at him to shut up.

"Regardless," I corrected. Isaac chuckled. I really needed to get myself some iron gauntlets or something so I could give his apparitional arse an involuntary appendectomy. Or just an iron ring so I could punch him in the face.

"Regardless, it wasn't me. This time. It was some attention seeking moron with a computer. That combined with my little hospital trips and you get something fishy looking." I finally managed to finish my sentence without Isaac chiming in.

"Well then ya betta' keep ya head down, Marty. I don' wan' ya gettin hurt." A dark look crossed over Dan's usually upbeat face. "Or worse," He finished.

"I know Danny, which is why I need you to do something for me," I said. Isaac sighed and face palmed but I ignored it.

"What?" Dan asked.

"I need you to watch out for any newcomers asking weird questions. I've got a plan if any hunters get too close to us, I just need to know who and where they are," I told him.

See, the pharmacy, the mini-mart, the bar, and the barber shop all sat across from each other at a four way intersection. Thus, Dan would have an excellent view of any hunter's first two targets. The origin of the supernatural activity, in this case the mini-mart, and the bar. He would be the perfect spy. Dan looked at me strangely.

"Say, Marty, you ain't plannin' on gankin' any a' dose' suckas' now are ya?" He asked, caution evident in his voice. I sighed, shaking my head internally. This was just another downside of being what I was. Everybody thinks you're a murderer. Though I knew I was far from innocent, I had never killed anyone. At least, anyone who didn't deserve it.

"Come on, Danny. In all the time you've known me, have I ever, er, ganked anyone?" I asked him, spreading my hands as if to catch the obvious answer.

"Well, no. But people can change," Dan pointed out. I rolled my eyes.

"Dan, I'm not gonna kill anyone. There, ya happy?" I said, only mildly aggravated. Isaac decided it was time to speak up again.

"You may not. But I will. If it comes to that. I won't let anybody hurt you, Marty. Not again. Not when I can do something about it."

I knew he was saying this now so I wouldn't be able to argue with him. Then I would forget and if he did kill someone Isaac would say he'd said he would. I ground my teeth together and reminded myself that it wasn't going to come to that. I wouldn't let it.

Meanwhile, Dan thought about what I'd spoken aloud.

"Yeah okay, but if anybody comes sniffin' I'm skippin', kay?" He agreed. I nodded.

"Okay, take care of yourself, Danny."

"You too, Marty." I smiled at him and began to walk away. Isaac pushed himself off the wall and trudged behind me, complaining loudly.

"Make sure you take care of yourself too, Issac! I'd hate myself if anything happened to you, Isaac! I wouldn't be able to survive without you, Isaac! Thanks Marty, your friendship means everything to me!" He said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Ugh! Why do I even bother?"

I smirked giving him the sign for 'I love you' behind my back.

"Aw shut up!"

But I knew he was smiling.

~So, I'm thankful for my sister even though sometimes we fight When high school wasn't easy, she's the reason I survived. I know she'd never leave me and I hate to see her cry. I just wanna tell her that I'm always by her side. I just wanna tell her that...

The worlds not perfect, but it’s not that bad. If we've got each other and that’s all we have I will be your brother and I'll hold your hand You should know I'll be there for you When the world's not perfect When the world's not kind If we have each other then we'll both be fine I will be your brother and I'll hold your hand You should know I'll be there for you.

I will always be there for you.~

Lyrics from: If We Have Each Other by Alec Benjamin

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vanaera · 5 years

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Of Cliches and Romcom Tropes

Synopsis | You find yourself literally living a classic Romcom trope by being the nerdy introvert in love with her unexpected friend, Kim Taehyung, your university’s golden theater boy and campus heartthrob. It only turns more disgustingly cliché when you learn he part-times as a prince actor in the same carnival where you work as a ticket booth attendant. Trusting on the clichés you’ve watched in numerous Romcom films, you embark on a plan to get your crush to like you back this Halloween. Pairing | prince actor!taehyung x ticket booth attendant!oc Genre | So much fluff, slight angst, humor that’s close to being crack Wordcount | 10,184 AU | Carnival Prompt | “You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid eyes on.” – “I bet you tell everyone that.” Warnings | None A/N | This is for @foreverpark’s Halloween Writing Challenge! It’s my first time joining a challenge like this so thank you so much Sarah for giving me an opportunity to experience this! For my hons out there, here’s my Halloween fic for you! Please also check out Sarah’s fics and the other fics for this challenge, they’re all great! Happy reading!

At every start of success story speeches, there is a ninety percent probability you will hear “Fake it ‘til you make it.” How Mark managed to chance upon an idea of an app, How Sarah snagged the director position she dreamed of, how introverted Kim developed progressive networks–it is an imperative that saying will pop out in every single one of these stories. Well, except yours, because it’s the other way around in your life. At times “Fake it ‘til you make it’ does makes a cut, but in most of your major life events where you desperately wished for it to work, it doesn’t really work. You know because you’ve long tried to fake you’re so invested in your part-time job, only for you to cry out at night that you didn’t want to do it anymore.

Sitting on an uncomfortable stool with a small fan on your right as reprieve from the heat, you spend most of your day with cramped legs inputting number of tickets sold, handing over ticket stubs, becoming an instant customer service attendant, and smiling through clenched teeth at the people that stop by your booth. Working the most boring job in the carnival is not something you can fake to enjoy until you make enough savings for your college tuition. That is, until Kim Taehyung came.

“Wonder boy” is an extreme understatement to describe that guy. Kim Taehyung is cute and has a model-esque body and his voice sounds so nice when he’s in his prince costume entertaining the kids who enter the Fairytale Land booth. Okay, maybe you’ve been staring at him too long than you’re supposed to when you’re at work. But in your defense, you’ve known Kim Taehyung long before you discovered he also part-times at the Enchanted Carnival–long enough for you to harbor a massive, embarrassing crush on the boy.

Kim Taehyung studies in the same university as you and you first saw him the day you didn’t attend your history class just so you can prepare for your midterms in the said subject–the irony of college students’ philosophy. That day, you just entered a classroom you frequent for study purposes, knowing it will be empty during your history period. Except for that day because the moment you pushed open the door, a stable vibrato echoing within the rooms’ walls halts in an awkward coughing fit.

Your anxiety-driven nerves immediately take over you. “Uhh, I’m sorry I just barged in I didn’t mean to interrupt you–”

“No, it’s o-okay,” the boy coughs, hitting his chest repeatedly. “I was just su-surprised.”

“I’m really sorry for interrupting you,” you take a step back, your hand grasping for the knob. “Continue on, I’ll just find another room–”

“No, it’s okay, you can share the room with me.”

“A-are you sure?” you squint, still rooted at the door. “You don’t have like, a class in here or something? You have a projector set up on the teacher’s desk.”

“Nah, it’s just my prop when I do my final runs.” He walks to the projector and flips down its lens cover. A picture of a wooden fort set in what looks like cobble-stoned streets of 18th century France flashes on the white board. “See?” The boy turns to you, grinning. “I’m cutting just like you. No pressure, mate. Stay.”

“B-but you’re practicing, I may distract you.”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind some audience–unless, you get distracted from studying by music, then I’ll go and find–”

“No, it’s okay,” you chuckle. “I don’t get distracted by music. I love music. Actually, I like listening to songs while I study so yeah, go on.” You set your papers on the nearest seat and plop down.

“You do?” The boy asks and you find yourself smiling at his beaming face. You’ve never seen someone who smiles so bright like him on a constant-interaction basis.

“Yeah, I do. By the way, what are you singing for?”

“Oh yeah,” the boy scratches his nape, reds forming on the tips of his ears. “uh, this is for my Drama club. I’m still in the application process and we have this task to play and perform as a theater character tomorrow Friday. I wanted to do Jean Valjean from Les Miserables.”

“Wow, that’s great,” you smile, “actually I’m studying for my History midterms, so yeah, your practice is very timely. You can be my background music,” you chuckle, “to give me the better feel of what I will be crying over later back at my home.”

Taehyung laughs and you chuckle before going back on your own devices. An hour and a half passes with you flipping furiously through your reviewer in time with the instrumentals behind Taehyung’s velvet voice. When the bell rings and the afternoon class scheduled in the room starts to form a mini clique outside, you scramble out the door with a mess of papers pressed to your chest and a new name to mull over during your breaks: Kim Taehyung.

Unlike what you predicted, that encounter was not the last you will have with the theater boy. You had a couple of classes with him in the next semester and he sat next to you in each lectures. You also became partners for a pair project in your Communication Theories class. Kim Taehyung became a regular presence in your college life that at the end of your sophomore year, you knew his dream of becoming a theater actor, all his likes, dislikes and insecurities, and even his secrets he said his friends knew none of like “Y/N, do you know I used to dream of becoming a Disney prince? Not used to, actually I still low-key dream of playing Shang from Mulan just so I can sing ‘Make a Man Out of You.’” You never imagined you would hit up such a friendship with someone who’s the total polar opposite of you. Taehyung’s a social butterfly while you hate going out of your house. He knows almost three-fourth of the total population in the university with him getting to manage nine clubs while still maintaining his academics. In total contrast to you who never got to join any organizations, too afraid of making commitments you neither can fulfill nor prioritize over staying at home and reading your fiction books. Not to say Taehyung’s on the top of the strata with his handsome looks, blessed physique, impressive talent, and wide range of friends. While you’re someone who easily blends with the crowd’s background noise, with nothing too much to offer but a small group of friends and a fascination for critiquing movies–especially those that are really bad.

You guess that people say, “Opposites attract” for a reason because when you and Taehyung move on to sophomore year, you find yourself crushing hard on the boy. However for you, the attraction is definitely going to be one-sided. You’re sure of it because how can Taehyung ever like you back? You’re the epitome of average-ness that you even became the stepping stone for the girls who want to snag a date with Taehyung. Of course you wouldn’t let Taehyung miss out on cute girls he can probably date when he can have any girl he wish to be with. And, you’re too chicken to act out even a hint of your feelings for him. Clammy hands, jumpy heart, and equipped with an instinct to run to the opposite hall when you so much as glance at Taehyung’s approaching figure, you are sure he will be the death of you. Everything turns worse when you learn he part-times this summer break in the same carnival you work pathetically.

“Yo, Y/N, you work here, too?” Taehyung nears you, clad in a white polo dangerously unbuttoned down his chest, navy trousers that cinches his narrow hips, and brown combat boots. He is also wearing an unbuttoned red military jacket, its shoulder pads making his shoulders look broader than they’d ever been. A rich red cape embellished with golden details flows behind him, complementing the gold tassels on his jacket and his golden crown that makes him look impossibly more ethereal. He fucking looks like a brunet Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle.

You consciously glance down at your outfit: sweat-stained purple polo shirt with Enchanted Carnival’s logo embroidered on its breast pocket, tucked in generic black slacks that doesn’t fit you well. When you reach up to tuck the stray strand of hair that escapes your ponytail, you’re reminded you’re still wearing the silly mandatory headband with pink bunny ears. Your face feels oily, your hair’s unwashed, and you just remembered you’re not wearing any makeup on. Great, you fucking look like all college students’ worst job nightmare.

“Hey, you’re still there?”

“Ye-yeah, uh, hi, Tae,” you smile awkwardly, snatching your headband off and hiding it behind your back. You tried to make yourself look less embarrassing but it backfired when all short strands of your hair messily spill down to your cheeks. You smile wider. Okay, this is the worst day ever.

“I didn’t know you’re also working here,” Taehyung says.

“Umm, yeah. I forgot to tell you, I’m sorry–”

“No, no, no, it’s okay!” Taehyung waves his hands, laughing. “In fact this is great!”

“Great?” You want to jump off from a cliff right on.

Taehyung remains oblivious in your self-pity and just grins. “Yeah, it means I get to see you everyday even when we’re outside uni!”

“We do see each other outside uni. I tutored you for six months straight in the library.”

“Yeah, but I mean, it’s nice we get to be co-workers. It’s good to have a familiar face around so work wouldn’t be so boring. Say, Y/N, why don’t we have lunch at the cafeteria later? I have so many to tell you and–”

“Yah, Kim Taehyung! You’re up next, what are you doing outside?” you glance behind your friend and see Jimin, dressed in the same uniform as you minus the silly headband, wildly waving for the boy in front of you. When Jimin notices you, he breaks into a smile, “Oh, hi, Y/N,” and then he returns to his agenda. “Taehyung come here quickly! The batch of kids is nearing the Princess’ Castle, boss is gonna chew us out if you didn’t get back to the booth in three!”

Taehyung sighs and looks at you with shoulders drooped. “I have to go back now. Guess, I’ll see you later?”

“Okay, later, then. Have fun, Tae,” you wave at him with a smile.

When you head back for your booth, you cross your fingers and hope you don’t see him later. How can the universe do you this dirty by placing him so near you right when you are at your worst?

At the end of the day, you learn the universe just does you dirty for the hell of it. Taehyung bounds your way for lunch break in his prince costume, grinning stupidly just when you’re about to sneak off to the comfort rooms. Nevertheless, you accept the lemons life is giving you and decide to relish in your crush’s presence as you joke over lunch. You just didn’t expect that day will start an unannounced routine with Taehyung eating lunch with you and him walking you home after your shifts for the rest of your summer break. The seemingly grey area in your friendship with Taehyung turns more mind-boggling when the man keeps up with the routine even after the summer break has ended, with you two continuing your part-time jobs at the carnival every weekend.

Truth be told, your set-up with Taehyung is a blessing in disguise. He may see you greasy-faced, constantly suffering at work, and daily pissed at your cramped station with poor ventilation but at least you get to see the man you fell in love with everyday. Not just the Taehyung who’s the campus crush and the talented actor every kid in the carnival loves. But the Taehyung who stays up with you until three in the morning talking about what you want for yourselves, who genuinely laughs at your puns and memes everyone else finds corny, and who tells you he’s enjoying himself in his job because finally, he gets to act like a Disney prince.

So when you find yourself only falling for Taehyung deeper, getting over him becomes the last resort in your to-do list. You start to let yourself get ahead of you and assume that maybe, just maybe, there is a chance Taehyung likes you back. Or else he wouldn’t do all those things with you with his stare lingering on your face, and his hand brushing against your own on multiple occasions you swear are not conjured up by your lovesick heart. Right?

With the Halloween season closing in and your part-time contracts at the carnival nearing its end, you are compelled to finally make a move on Taehyung. The carnival is the only place where your social and visual gap matters the least. You’re going to get an answer from him before this perfect chance expires. All you have to do now is have courage for the things you’re about to do and you pray that this time, the universe lets you successfully fake it ‘til you make it.

***

Plan 1: The Makeover Montage

You’ve watched enough Romcom films to know that a good makeover montage creates an obvious statement that a woman is about to claim her man. And so, you started making your wallet cry and your fingers ache by splurging on cosmetic brands and watching YouTube makeup tutorials. You’re proud of yourself when by the time Monday rolls in, you are confident you can pull off the cat wing and coral peach color scheme you learnt in exchange of sleep-deprived nights.

You wait by your locker and glance at your watch. 7:48 A.M. Great, just in time. You look down on your outfit: a white ruffled blouse tucked in a pink and yellow plaid skirt. Spending three hours planning today’s outfit was totally worth it, you mentally pat yourself.

Three minutes pass and then the bell chimes. You stand up straight and crane your neck to look for your target. Amy from History, Dave from Economics, Amanda from the College Secretary’s Office, Jimin from Arts and the Enchanted Carnival–There! Kim Taehyung.

Taehyung catches your eye and waves at you. He whispers something to Jimin before he bounds toward you. “Hi, Y/N. Didn’t know you’re an early bird now. I thought your first class today is later at eleven thirty?”

“U-um, I have so-something to pass to Ms. Terry at the Department of Arts and Communication,” you laugh awkwardly.

“Oh is that so? Wait,” Taehyung looks at you, eyes wide. “Is it a homework I may have forgotten to do at home?”

“N-no! There’s no homework! It’s just uh–a follow-up on a project!”

“A project? Did Ms. Terry announce any project? I’m sorry, I’m just confused because we take her class together and–”

“It’s a personal project!” you interject with a grin. “I…uh, I’ve been working on it since last month. I forgot to tell you about it, but it’s not much, just a collection of…news clippings.”

“News clippings, hmm, that sounds interesting. Tell me about it at lunch, I will go ahead now to my first period,” Taehyung steps back and makes a salute, his alternative of a goodbye wave to you. “Good luck with your project!”

“Wa-wait, Tae!”

Taehyung halts in his steps and looks at you. “Why? Is something wrong?”

“I–uh, did you notice anything new today?”

“New?” Tehyung tilts his head. “Is it a new promo for the diner we frequent?”

“Uhh, no.”

“Umm,” Taehyung bites his lip, “is it a new movie you sent to me in our Discord?”

“Uh, also no. And, I will gush about a movie first to you in person before I send it to our Discord.”

“Oh, right,” Taehyung chuckles. “Is it a new book then?”

“No.”

“New supplies in the bookstore you love?”

“No.”

“A new flavor of coffee in the vending machine?”

“No.

“A new–”

“Goddamn it, Taehyung, you know what, just go to your class,” you purse your lips and Taehyung gawks at you.

“W-why? Did I say something wrong, Y/N?”

“No, it’s just, you’re so obliviou–UGH!”

“‘Obliviou-ugh?’” Taehyung looks more confused than ever he’s been in his life.

You take in deep breath and take it as a signal for you to retreat. “Don’t mind me it’s just my mood swing!” you holler as you turn your back and walk fast to the exit. Following-up with a faint “See you later!” to the bewildered boy by the time you step out the hallway.

After what happened today, you guess Taehyung won’t easily notice your makeover with just one encounter. You decided to keep it consistent for the rest of the week, waking up earlier to curl your hair and apply makeup before going to your classes. And every day you kept trying something new – a change of shade in the lip gloss, a swipe of a bolder eye shadow, a shift from preppy to sophisticated clothing styles–Taehyung still fails to notice anything. Even when you turn up for your shift in the carnival with full-on makeup for the very first time, Taehyung just passes you by with his usual demeanor.

“Hi, Y/N!”

“Hi Tae!” You cringe at how chirpy you sound. “Umm, you look exceptionally good today!”

“Yeah?” Taehyung looks at his clothes, the same Howl costume he always wears in his shift. “Well, I look like this everytime in my shift so thanks?”

“But, have you noticed anything new today?” you bat your mascara-laden lashes for emphasis.

“New?” Taehyung leans closer to you and this time you feel your heart pounding in suspense. Of course he’ll notice it now, you never wear this much makeup at work–

“Oh, your ID lace!” Taehyung snaps his fingers, grinning. “Right, you changed your ID lace, how can I miss out on it? You always complain about the neon orange you used to have and now it’s black just like how you always want.”

You balk at him. “Uhh, it’s still the ones provided by the staff. They just changed the color.”

“Yeah, isn’t that great? You’ve always wanted a black ID lace! Remember when you used to tell me you’re gonna file a petition to change the neon orange lace to black? It’s finally black!” Taehyung claps you on the back and then makes his signature salute. “See ya later at lunch Y/N. And congrats to the ID lace!”

You poke your cheek with your tongue in annoyance. You’ve done such a good job perfecting your makeup and all he notices is just your ID lace?! What the motherfucking–

Okay, maybe Taehyung doesn’t get makeover montages. You cross Plan 1 out and step up to Plan 2.

Plan 2: The Assertive Approach

If Taehyung can’t notice physical changes, maybe this time, he can notice behavioral changes. In the films you have watched, you’ve seen countless protagonists be successful in catching the eye of their love interests by changing their flirting style. You’ve always dreamt of becoming like Julia Roberts in her hit romance films: confident, bold, and unafraid to make the first move. So this time, you get to finally be the woman of your dreams and you hope she can also entice the man inside your heart.

You started your metamorphosis by sitting closer to Taehyung during lectures, leaning closely to him whenever he’s talking with you, closing the space between your faces with a mere inch of breath. You also let your hands do the speaking for you whenever you walk home from work, masking the frequent brushing of your fingers against his, an obvious open invitation for him to hold your hand, seemingly accidental. But whatever you do, Taehyung still can’t get any hint. He’ll just smile at you and proceed to what he’s doing without even a waver in his tone.

Fueled with desperation, you decide to cross the boundary from subtle to blatant assertion in your lunch break with Taehyung.

“Today’s a pretty beat day,” Taehyung remarks, taking off his sweaty cape. “Some teens decided to not go with the usual flow of the booth and visit the stops in reverse. I felt sorry for Jimin. He looked so stressed manhandling each teen out of the booth and giving them a stricter run-over of the booth’s rules.”

“Yeah?” You slide closer next to his seat and cross your legs. “Then what about you, did the teens made fun of you? I heard from Seokjin that Lisa almost broke down when they poked around her unicorn costume.”

“I’m glad I’m the last stop. Jimin already entered the booth when the kids made the ruckus at Lisa’s stop.” Taehyung sighs, running his hand through his damp fringes. “I couldn’t imagine myself dealing with such troublesome people. If I were in Lisa’s place, I would have already been screaming at them for being bastards at such a young age. It’s a relief, it didn’t happen. I would have lost this job.”

“I’m glad, too, you didn’t get hurt.” You lean towards him, resting your head against his shoulder. You felt him stiffen in his seat and you smile. “I would have been so worried, you know. I don’t know what I will do,” you grab his hand, intertwine it with yours, and look up at him, “if I don’t see you around here anymore.”

“Really?” Taehyung turns to you and you nod. He smiles. “Thanks, Y/N, for your concern. I would feel the same if you were to experience that. Oh, we should probably eat now, our food’s getting cold.” Taehyung immediately detaches his fingers from yours, leaving you gaping in your seat.

Your lunch proceeds like usual and the awkward hand-holding you pulled off was never brought up again. Like Plan 1, you kept Plan 2 consistent for the week. However, Taehyung still remains painfully oblivious.

Plan 2 is unsuccessful so you cross it out and decide it’s time to take your game to the full notch.

Plan 3: The Vixen’s Touch

If Taehyung can’t recognize physical and behavioral changes, he cannot miss out on a temptation handed over on a silver platter. Plan 3 is the ultimate overkill. No one can resist the seductive vixen. You already braved through doing a Julia-Roberts-character. Going for the longest mile with Megan Fox shouldn’t be a problem. This is probably just your ego talking but you’re not gonna let the smallest bit of shame creep in to you now. Not now, when you’re putting all your cards on the table for Taehyung’s heart. This is all or nothing.

You see, the Vixen’s Touch is the epitome of all Romcoms’ super power move. Just one scene is enough to turn the tables around and let the heroine achieve whatever outcome she desires. However, such great power comes numerous setbacks. One can only do a vixen move once and never more because if it’s overdone, it will lose it’s mystery, charm, and power–everything that makes it an effective Romcom move. So, you planned your Vixen Touch meticulously.

You can’t do a Megan-Fox-move at school because you’ll attract too much attention, especially with Taehyung who’s already at the spotlight of social interactions. Instead, you will pull it off in the carnival, where you can have your crush all to yourself without worrying about ambitious bitches intruding your scenario. You’ll enter the Fairy Tale booth during your break time and sneak to the backstage from the “Authorized Personnel Only” door on the left of the second stop. From there, you will do Lisa’s advice to take a right turn and then a left. It will lead to a connecting hallway that ends with the red curtains behind the Princess’ Castle. There, you’ll surprise Taehyung, who’s waiting for the princess’ cue, with a tingling touch against his spine and a sexy and breathy, “Hi, Tae.” Taehyung will be shocked and you’ll close the gap between the two of you. With the dark setting and the seemingly scandalous set-up, the thrilling mood will compel you to lean towards him and he will close his eyes and interlock his lips with yours in a passionate kiss. If you make it fast to the connecting hallway, you will have enough alone time with Taehyung before the batch of people even reaches the third stop from the princess’ castle. You grin to yourself. Your plan has never been this perfect.

Weekdays pass with you continuing your Assertive Approach. Taehyung’s still clueless, making the transition to Plan 3 much more thrilling. When Saturday finally rolls in, you set your game-est face on.

It’s a week before Enchanted Carnival’s Halloween Party, which means the management is lenient on the part-timers’ work uniforms. After all, you only have one week left before you end your contracts. And so, you pull out your fanciest casual outfit–a little red dress with off-shoulder sleeves, partnered with fishnet stockings that go well with your black combat boots. You also perfected your makeup: eyebrows on-fleek, cat wings on-point, deep brown smoky eyes, and blood-red lips. To top off your look, you put on a thin, black choker. You smile at yourself. You did a good job making yourself look hot. You know it’s not just your ego talking because when you arrive at the ticket booth, Jimin compliments your look.

“Yo, Y/N, I never knew you could look this pretty,” Jimin grins at you.

"You also look good today,“ you return, taking note of how well his striped buttondown fits his frame. “I didn’t know today is leg day,” you add, admiring how his ripped jeans accentuate his legs you never knew were this muscular.

Jimin smiles, “Say it for yourself, Y/N. You look a solid twelve.” He rocks on the balls of his feet back and forth. “I guess the management did a good job letting us wear our casual clothes. You don’t know how bad I wanted to take off our horrendous uniform whenever we work.”

“That’s…highly inappropriate but I guess you do you,” you point finger guns at him. Jimin chuckles and waves goodbye to you, heading for the Fairy Tale booth. You seat yourself in your work station. Today’s a good start. You hope your luck continues until break time.

Lunch passes by and so far everything’s a breeze. You haven’t seen Taehyung today, probably caught up with the kids who frequent his booth in large batches as Halloween approaches close. Nevertheless, it’s good news. Your surprise will totally knock him off his feet.

The clock chimes two. Seokjin comes over and takes over the ticket booth as you take your break. It’s show time.

Just like your plan, you head for the Fairy Tale booth in quick strides. Lisa manages the entrance to their booth today and she lets you in without any ado, already used to you and Taehyung crossing to and fro your respective booths. Greeting Val, the Elfen soldier of the first stop and Yeji, the mermaid from the second stop, you head for the “Authorized Personnel Only” door and push it open. It leads to a darkly-lit hallway with a heavily carpeted flooring. You follow Lisa’s tips, taking a right turn and a left. True to her word, the connecting hallway ends with the thick red curtains. And there in the corner, is your dream man facing the curtains and waiting for his signal. You don’t hear any clamor of people nearing the Princess’ Castle, even the faintest of chatter inaudible. You thank the universe for this luck. You made it in time.

The seconds seem to slow down into minutes as you stepped closer to Taehyung. Your heart pounds loud and fast against your ears. This is it. You’ll finally make Taehyung realize you have your heart laid out for him. And if you’re lucky, he will also give his to you today.

With a mere foot left between you two, you reach out for him.

“Hey, Taehyung–”

“What the fuck–”

Everything happens too fast. Instead of Taehyung’s surprised face, a hard punch straight to your nose is what greets you. Intense pain spreads over your senses and you reel over, feeling your entire face on fire.

"Oh my fucking, God, I’m sorry! Oh my God, Y/N, I didn’t see you–are you alright?!“ Taehyung catches your arms as you stagger backwards, pulling you to your feet to prevent you from falling.

You nod and waved dismiss-ally to his panicked state.

Just right then, you feel something wet trickle down your lips.

"Oh my God, Y/N, you’re bleeding!” Taehyung screams and he immediately leads you to a chair propped on the corner. He frantically pulls out tissues on the table nearby and dabs the wetness that seeps on your skin. “Shit, what are you even doing here?! I thought you were a ghost, I’m so sorry I punched you!”

You’re too dazed to register everything that has happened and your lack of response causes Taehyung to panic more.

"Fuck, Y/N, I’m so, so, sorry! Oh my God, this is all my fault. Just sit right there, I’ll call for help!“ Taehyung rushes to the end of the hallway and you hear him scream for Jimin. Pounding footsteps follow and then it’s not just Taehyung fussing over you, but also Jimin.

"Do you think it’s broken?” Taehyung asks Jimin, voice trembling.

"I don’t think so. She’s not bleeding that much. Taehyung, relax, I already called for first aid–”

"How can I relax when Y/N’s in pain?! Which I inflicted on her! You know what, let’s call the ambulance!–”

This is not what you planned for. This is not how you imagined you will spend your last shift at the carnival with Taehyung.

Wetness trickles down your cheeks and before Taehyung can rush over and wipe your tears away, the Carnival’s first aid team has already barged in and crowded over you.

You were led to the small clinic of the carnival where you were given a tissue to stick in your nose. The physician told you your nose was luckily not broken and your body has just undergone shock. Once the bleeding has stopped, you’re good to go. Seokjin also called you he already informed your boss about what happened, telling you he’ll take over your shift and you’re now free to go home. The next few minutes pass in silence and you sink further onto the foldable bed. However, the universe decides it’s not yet done fucking up your day when the door opens with a loud bang and there stands Taehyung, huffing and drenched in sweat.

"I’m sorry I only got here now. Boss scolded me for what I did to you,“ Taehyung sighs deeply as he sits on the chair next to you, leaning his elbows on your bed. “I’m really sorry, Y/N. All of this wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t overreact.”

"I-it’s okay, Tae. You didn’t know I was there.“

"What are you even doing at our booth? Much more creeping in the dark?”

You bit your lip and look away. “It’s my break, it’s just,” you sigh, “I thought of surprising you today and well, it didn’t go as well as I planned it.”

"Plan? For what? Is there something we’re supposed to celebrate today?“

You turn back to Taehyung and meet his eyes. His eyes are focused on your face, waiting for your answer.

Well, maybe not all Romcom cliches work just like how they appear to be in movies. Maybe not all romantic gestures need to be grand in order to convey the sincerity of one’s feelings. Maybe it could be as simple like this– two people staring at each other in a clinic, uncaring of the world happening beyond your little bubble.

And as you stare at Taehyung’s face and see the reflection of yourself through his eyes, confused and tired, you decide it’s time for you to finally say it. No more orchestrated pretenses. No more intricate plans.

"Today is our last day in our work and I wanted to surprise you by finally being true to my feelings. I no longer look at you as a friend, Taehyung. I’m in love with you.”

Taehyung doesn’t reply. He just stares at you. You slowly feel the air getting squeezed out of your lungs, and it’s not just because of your stuffed nostril. Another beat of silence passes and then Taehyung’s face falls as he gapes at you, confused, shocked, and for a moment you see disappointment flash across his face. “W-what? Y/N, when did you-I, I don’t know what to say, I-why now?”

You bite your lip, feeling the tears well in your eyes. “Why not now, Taehyung?”

"Because–” Taehyung sighs and he purses his lips, dragging a hand over his face. “Y/N, you’re my friend, but I–”

"You know what, Taehyung, I get it,“ you turn your back on him, tasting blood on your lips from biting too hard to keep the tears at bay. You won’t cry because of him and in front of him at the same time. He doesn’t get to see you this weak. “You can leave me now.”

"But, Y/N, I–”

"Does punching me in the face not enough for you?! Just leave!“

You hear Taehyung sigh. The mattress of the bed puffs up again as the weight leaves. A faint “I’m sorry” resounds in the stifling silence. When the door closes with a soft click, the tears finally fall.

You stifle your broken sobs on your pillow.

***

You’re back in your old cycle: Eat, sleep, study, and lie low at the background. You steered clear from Taehyung in your classes, seating far away from your usual seat. You neither stopped by his locker in the mornings, nor waited for him in front of your own locker for lunch. You even went as far as avoiding your common friends, the thought of people asking about what happened between you and Taehyung makes you reel back to the embarrassment and disappointment of that day.

As much as you wanted to hate Taehyung, you find it hard to admit that every single thing that has gone wrong points back to you. You assuming anything more than what you already have with him, you doing outrageously unnecessary things for him, you bending yourself backwards in your desperation for him – it has always been yourself.

You tried to stay as identical to the background as you can be, away from Taehyung and anything that is associated with him. Because as much as you feel like an empty vessel for every single day, you cannot find it in yourself to erase Taehyung from your mind. Even when his last words with you kept on re-opening the wounds you’ve been trying hard to stitch back together. And, you can’t have that. You can’t run back to him and let him kick you back to the curb. It’s time for you to learn your lesson.

But no matter how successful you were the past days in running from Taehyung, you know you cannot avoid him forever. Especially when Enchanted Carnival has required the part-timers to attend their annual Halloween Party tomorrow, arranged by their permanent staff. After all, it’s the day you’ll terminate your contract and receive your last salary for your job.

You have never sorely regretted your past decisions like this before. You’re love-fool state of mind back then has induced you to buy an expensive costume. A fancy dress that has a carnation pink rayon bodice and full skirt, layered with delicate purple cotton voilewhich looks like soft rose petals that perfectly cinch the waist. It has long, glittered see-through sleeves that ruffle at the end of your arm, and it is adorned with golden intricate curvilinear details that go around the bust area and matches the golden flower belt on the waist. It even came with a faux golden crown with a short pink veil attached to the back. Yes, you fucking bought a princess bride costume just to match with Taehyung’s usual work attire because of course, Taehyung will come looking like a Disney prince. And now that everything you planned has gone downhill, the excitement is over and the only thing you feel is bitterness and a desperate wish to get things done and over with.

You reached the carnival at seven and by that time, the party is in full swing. Enchanted Carnival looks like a cirque-esque other-world. Small Jack o’ Lanterns replaced the usual light bulbs to light the carnival in an alluring tangerine glow. Signboards of “Happy Halloweens” range from small cutouts that hung from the poles, to gigantic illustrations pasted right on the walls of the some stalls. Pumpkin and ghost-shaped candies were sold at almost every corner and the people that pass by, carnival staff or not, embody the fantasy and surrealism of the carnival. You’ve seen pirates, sirens, faeries, and even witty realistic horror such as Jung Hoseok, the roller coaster attendant, wearing casual jeans and shirt with electric bills pasted on his chest and back.

“Hey, Y/N! I thought you weren’t coming.” You look to your left and see Lisa in a No Face costume. Seokjin follows close behind, dressed like Sokka from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

“Uh, yeah–I mean,” you clear your throat “how can I not come when I get to be paid at the end of the night?”

“Yeah, that’s the spirit,” Seokjin chuckles. “The salary is my only motivation when I lost a bet to Yeji and agreed to dress like…this.”

“Hey, Sokka’s not bad!” Lisa frowns. “Avatar: The Last Airbender is the best show ever and Sokka’s like a perfect ten.”

“Yeah, but it would have been better if you know,” Seokjin huffs, “I get to be Toph. So I can finally un-see Hoseok’s stupid’s antics, especially his dumb electric-bill costume tonight. It doesn’t get to be low-cost, witty, and funny all at the same time. It’s unfair.”

You laugh, feeling your jaw hurt a little from smiling so wide. It’s been a while since you smiled, with the past days spent crying and moping around in your room. You’re grateful for Lisa and Seokjin who tried to cheer you up throughout the night, distracting you from thoughts that revolve around Taehyung by pulling you into ride after ride, playing games in stall after stall, and stuffing your mouths with delicious treats.

You were having the best night of your life, until you find your group stopping in front of a booth – The 13th House.

You turn to Lisa. “Hey, you didn’t tell me a horror booth is included in our itinerary.”

“Because I don’t need to,” Lisa grins. “Horror booths are a classic! How can Halloween be Halloween without some spook?”

“Right, and relax Y/N,” Seokjin says, “It’s not like we’re gonna leave you. And trust me, it’s not that scary. I already visited this booth to prank Jungkook. Too bad I was unsuccessful that time with Jungkook already immune to jumpscares from manning the effects and all.”

Except it is scary. The 13th House is the only booth you didn’t dare to visit during your entire work period. Your remember how your legs turned to jelly the first time you saw its front: An old gothic mansion with dilapidated walls and broken windows, its wooden main door covered in bloody handprints, and its gray, dry lawn surrounded by amputated body parts. You know all of it were just manmade but it doesn’t lessen the creeps you get when every detail and props are fashioned too realistically.

Nevertheless, you went along with Lisa and Seokjin and get your ticket-bracelets scanned by the booth marshal. Even if you feel like running away the moment you hear the loud, sinister creak of the main door when you start for the first stop, you stood your ground and wear your big girl game face on. It’s your last night in the carnival, might as well do everything you were never able to do before.

The first half of your trip in the booth were somehow a smooth ride. Although you almost jumped at the scream of the bloody Victorian bride from the first stop, almost backed out on the second stop because of the swinging headless knight, and almost cried on the spot because of the wailing man with its guts ripped apart from the third stop, you’re still far from getting scared out of your wits.

That is, until you reach the middle stop.

The fourth stop required you to do an easy escape-room task with a ghost kid guiding you through a fake Ouija board session. You quickly finished the activity and the wooden walls shifted to reveal a small passageway with thick hanging cobwebs. Lisa leads the way and you find yourself gripping her hand and Seokjin’s tighter as you enter a dark hallway lit only by torches fastened to gray, blood-splattered walls.

And then, out of nowhere, foreign hands cover your eyes. You scream and thrash around but your suffering is only momentary when you find yourself back in the hallway with no looming figures behind your back. Okay, maybe it’s just part of the booth experience–Wait. Where’s Lisa and Seokjin?

“Lisa! Seokjin!” You call for your friends’s names. They were just with you earlier. You were holding their hands for Christ’s sake! “Where are you, guys?! This is NOT funny!” You bite your lip and wring your hands in anxiety. “Guys, I swear to God, this is not fun–”

The lights of the torches flicker. The background music starts to grow louder, and eerier as it now plays with Latin incantations. And then there’s a loud bang.

The lights were blown out. The blood-splattered designs on the walls turn neon. And, the rest of the hallway goes complete dark-out.

“Holy shit!” You run, straight ahead. Heart pounding loud on your ears, you don’t think anymore and just run. Surely, there will be some end to this hallway, right?

Except there’s none, because a forked path greets you just right when you thought the hallway is getting too long. The two paths stare at you, the neon designs on their walls starts to get disturbing with child-like drawings of disfigured people and morbid beasts.

You slump on the ground. This is a complete nightmare. You wish you didn’t go with Lisa and Seokjin. You wish you didn’t let your loneliness get to you and spent the whole week crying about your crush who doesn’t like you. Because now you’re trapped in this hellish booth and you’re gonna die alone and pathetic. You didn’t even get to experience at least the “moving on” happy ending alternative of Romcom films. You didn’t –

Just right then, there’s a flash of light from the end of the left path. A second later, a voice echoes loud. You didn’t understand a word from the echo. Hell, you’re not even sure if it’s from a human. But at least it seems to have a light that is nothing part of 13th House’s props. Before thinking twice, you’re already running toward the direction of the light. You run and run and never dared to stop. The light’s getting near, you’re gonna get help soon! You won’t have to die alone because you’re gonna get out of here and–

Light blinds you.

"Ahh!“

"What the fuck-! I’m sorry!”

You feel the light on your face dim down. And the moment you bring down your raised hands, you can’t seem to speak.

"YN?“

Taehyung stands in front of you, flashlight in hand, and looking handsome as always. But, it’s not his presence that makes your heart still. Enchanted Carnival’s purple polo shirt, generic black slacks, and the silly headband with blue rabbit ears atop his head–Taehyung’s wearing the carnival’s ticket booth uniform.

And Taehyung’s jaw is ajar seemingly for all the same reason. Pink princess gown and glittering princess crown–you were an open book to him now.

"You…you’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

All of a sudden, everything that has happened in the last weeks comes back to you and you feel your eyes stinging with tears as the dam of bitterness floods your chest. “I bet you tell everyone that,” you scoff, “since you’re such a disgusting flirt.”

Taehyung’s mouth hangs in shock, “Di-disgusting flirt? You’re the only one I told you that!”

You stand back to your feet and meet his eyes with a steely glare. “I find it hard to believe that, Kim. Especially your type of guys.”

Your eyes seem to do tricks to you when you see Taehyung wince at your tone, but that wasn’t for long because Taehyung now sounds defensive. "What are my type of guys?“

You scowled. "The type who leads on girls and cruelly rejects them after they’re done playing with them.”

"What rejection are you talking about? I did not reject you! How could you-“

"What else could your reaction mean when I told you I love you?!”

"I was trying to move on from you, okay!“ Taehyung screams. "And that day, you just–dropped the bomb like that. How do you expect me to react huh? Especially, when I fucking spent one year trying to make you realize I see you more than as a friend and you just ignore me as if my feelings don’t matter to you. And then, when I finally decide to move on from you, you act weird for a couple of weeks. And out of nowhere you’re telling me you love me. How can I even react properly? You didn’t even wait for me to process things,” Taehyung’s voice breaks, “You just up and go and shut me out!”

"W-what?“

"I liked you, Y/N. For so long. And you never turned my way–you wave off my advances as if they mean nothing to you, you keep on setting me up with other girls, and you run away from me whenever I so much glance at you. You don’t even let me see you properly when we’re at school. You hide from me and run away as if you’re gonna die just by being with me. And last week, you’re suddenly telling me you love me? So, how can I be a disgusting flirt when you’re the one who’s sending me mixed signals?!”

"Mixed signals?“ you frown. "For the past year I’ve been your friend Tae, I tried to love you in my own way. I stayed up late with you as you told me all your problems. I’ve been there with you in whatever shenanigans you thought of. I spent almost every break I fucking have with you talking about whatever we want. They are blatant signals, Taehyung! So I’m sorry if I have to hide or run away sometimes, because if you didn’t fucking know, we don’t belong in the same world.”

“What do you mean we don’t belong in the same world? Fucking hell, Y/N, you’re not an alien–”

“In your world, I am! In your world, you are the star, the life of the party. People who belong in your world live their fucking fantastic lives as the star of their own stories. They achieve their dreams, they get whatever they want, people look up at them for being so great. But, people like me? We spend our fucking lives looking into your world from the outside. Pathetic side characters of their own pathetic lives. People just pass us by, some even run over us. No one even remembers our fucking name. So, even if these don’t matter when I look at you, I can only love you from afar because people will look at us and all these shits will come back for me.”

“Jesus Christ,” Taehyung huffs, carding a hand through his hair in frustration. “There are no worlds separating you from me because people are just different! And these differences cannot dictate who should belong with who because guess what? We’re the only ones who can let other people in or out of their lives. So can you just stop for a second and see that there’s nothing that actually separates you from me? I thought you would already know this by now since we’ve been friends for so long.”

You feel tears blurring your eyes and you look away from him. “But still, that’s not enough to explain all the shits that’s happened this past week. Okay, we may be different and I tried to express my feelings in my own way. But I tried to change it up, Tae. I worked so hard to pattern my advances to every Romcom clichés and of course they all went wrong when it came to you.”

“W-wrong? Y/N, what Romcom cliches–”

“The cheesiest Romcom clichés!” You snap. “You know, the makeover montage, the Julia Roberts’ Assertive Approach, the Megan Fox Vixen Touch. You were telling me how oblivious I were to your advances but you never fucking noticed how I changed up my advances just for you. You ignored how I dressed up pretty-to-the-tip for you. Even after I came to you and blatantly asked you if you noticed something new. You don’t take the cue when I freaking hand over my feelings for you in a silver platter. Hell, you even punched me in the face when I tried to be sexy!”

“God, can you let it go? I already said I’m sorry!” Taehyung huffs and you look down on your feet. Taehyung sighs, “I was trying to move on from you during those weeks you’ve acted really, really weird. So obviously, I will be very confused. Secondly, Y/N,” Taehyung sighs, “Romcom clichés are called like that because they only happen and work the way they are portrayed to work, in Romcoms. Romcom is a film genre. Sure, they may reflect some aspects of reality, but Y/N, they are planned out, manipulated in a controlled environment. They’re not your life. Life doesn’t work that way.”

“I’m sorry, I just–” you bite your lip but it’s not enough to prevent a tear slip from your eyes. “This is my first time feeling like this and I don’t know what to do. I absolutely have no fucking idea what I should do next and I–I’m just so sorry for dragging these shits up and made our lives messier than it should be. I’m sorry for probably making you feel guilty about yourself for this past week I ignored you like the plague. I’m sorry for being so stupid, I just–I’m so sorry, Tae!” your voice breaks at the end and before you know it, your tears have already consumed you to the ground.

"Oh shit Y/N, don’t cry.” Taehyung panics as he kneels next to you. You shield your face from him with your hands, but Taehyung pries them away and cups your face in his large, warm hands. You feel the pads of his fingers wipe away your tears and when you look up at him, Taehyung’s face is too close to yours. Too close that you can practically see the deep, dark circles under his eyes despite the darkness. The thought that you caused him this made you tear up more.

Taehyung goes frantic. “Y/N, do-don’t cry. Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry. Y/N, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry–”

“C-can you just h-hug me?”

“O-okay,” Taehyung hesitantly loops his arms around your shaking frame. “Thi-this is fine with me.”

You close your eyes and lean on your friend’s chest. You don’t care if Taehyung’s shirt get wet with your tears. He’s partly at fault for making you cry. But still, you squeak out a muffled. “Thank you, Tae.”

Taehyung hums. “It’s okay.”

Amid this night’s horror and breakdown, silence, for the first time in a while, envelops you in comfort. Even with no words, Taehyung easily dries away the tears. He just pats your back and rubs soothing circles on your tensed muscles, leaning closer to you when you hug him tighter.

“I hate fighting with you, Tae.”

Taehyung turns his head closer to yours. “Are we already fighting?”

“W-well yeah,” you hiccup. “Somehow.”

“Okay…Next time we’ll understand each other better so we don’t need to have unnecessary fights like this, okay?”

“Okay,” you mutter. You sink deeper into Taehyung’s arms and he holds you tighter in his embrace.

Even if you can’t see his face, you know Taehyung’s smiling.

It doesn’t take long for your sobs to die down that you’re now slowly disentangling yourself from him.

“Are you okay now?”

“Y-yeah. Thank you.” You lean your back against the wall and Taehyung sits next to you. You look at him and he smiles at you. For a moment you stay like that, staring into his eyes, falling deep in the little world you’re sharing with him. And then, it hits you. Taehyung’s still here. Even after you blurt out every insecurity and self-doubt you have that others may find petty and invaluable, Taehyung’s still here. Even after he voiced out his disappointment of you and things you’ve done him wrong, Taehyung hasn’t walked out. He didn’t run away, he didn’t leave you. Taehyung stayed.

And so, you take the cue the universe is giving you and put all your cards on the table again. You cross your fingers as you ask the question that has plagued your mind ever since Taehyung confessed he has long liked you. "Tae, Ha-have you already moved on from me?”

Taehyung sighs and for a second, you don’t breathe. But, you don’t have to hold it for long because when Taehyung looks at you again, a soft smile is on his face. “Unfortunately, no. Because even after all the shits you put me through, you still occupy my heart–and mind.”

“S-so, can I kiss you?”

“I’m the one who’s supposed to say that, but, ye-yeah you can kiss me. Anything for you, Y/N.”

You close your eyes and lean forward. Your lips meet his in a soft peck and everything suddenly stops. You don’t feel the perspiration on your back from all the running in the booth. You don’t think about the dust and dirt soiling your dress. All you could feel was Taehyung’s soft lips. All you could taste is the sweetness from the crumbs of cherry tart left on his lips. All that fills you nose is Taehyung’s smell that’s so naturally his and his ocean mist spray you gifted him on his birthday. All you could hear is the loud pounding of your heart, and even with your eyes closed, Taehyung’s face is all you could see. And, you can’t think of anything but Taehyung–him and him alone.

The world suddenly moves again when Taehyung leans deeper and interlocks his lips with yours. You immediately let your heart take over. You mold yourself closer to him, kissing him with every ardor you’ve kept locked in yourself for so long. You fist his shirt and Taehyung caresses your cheeks and puts his hand on the back of your neck as he kisses you deeper. You loop your arms around his neck and return the vigor of his kiss. Teeth bumping, fingers reaching and clutching onto anything, sloppy interlocking of lips–you don’t care. Even if you have your first kiss in a gloomy, creepy horror booth, nothing else mattered but the boy in front of you. Taehyung’s here and he’s finally in your arms. You don’t have to long for him from afar anymore because now he’s here with you and he’s not leaving you. He’s finally yours.

The same thought probably runs into Taehyung as you feel him grin into your lips before kissing you again. And even when the creepy background music of the booth starts again, you can only focus on the gentle way Taehyung’s thumbs coursed over your cheeks while tenderly pecks your lips as your kiss comes into a close.

As you draw back a little to look at your friend, your crush, and now your lover, Kim Taehyung, in the hideous purple uniform you used to wear in the ticket booth with silly rabbit ears perched atop his hazel locks, you can’t help but smile. Taehyung may be the center of the world while you watch him from the side, but at the end of the day, he’s right. You’re just two people who are happy being with each other. There’s no boundaries, no walls separating him from you and you from him. You just have to see him for what he is and take the leap. You don’t need to re-enact Romcom clichés just to bring him towards you because he’s never been away from you from the start.

Taehyung leans his forehead on yours and smiles. “I love you, Y/N. I’ve waited for so long for this.”

“Me too,” you grin, “And, I love you too, Tae.”

Taehyung chuckles and presses another peck on your lips.

Just right then, you can feel a vibrant white light on your face.

“Yo, lovebirds, are you finally together?”

You turn to the direction of the voice and it’s Jimin. Behind him are Lisa and Seokjin, walking from the right pathway while making kissy faces at you.

It all clicks in: Lisa and Seokjin hanging out with you, leading you to the 13th House, and disappearing like smoke the moment you reached the longest hallway of the booth. It’s to get you alone with Taehyung and finally talk everything out before you leave your part-time jobs.

You frown at your friends. But, before you can voice out how can they just up and leave you like that, Taehyung beats you to it.

“Jimin, you bastard! You pushed me towards the backstage passageway, shoved a flashlight into my hand, and just left me in the middle of this fucking scary booth. Is this how you treat your best bud?!”

Jimin laughs. “But at least you got the girl!”

“Yeah,” Lisa says. “Watching you two stupidly tiptoe around each other for so long started to make me sick.”

“And we know you two can’t sort out your stupidity alone, so we decided to give you a little push.” Seokjin looks at Taehyung. “Quite literally in your case.”

Taehyung scowls and opens his mouth but Jimin cuts him to it.

“Thank me later, lover boy. It’s time we get out of this booth. Jungkook’s gonna piss me out for practically renting the 4th stop without paying.” Jimin heads to the right path where he came from. “So let’s take our exit now so you two can finally ride together into the sunset.” He turns to you and Taehyung and smirks, “Well, literally and figuratively.”

Taehung attempts to hit him but Jimin scampers away and hollers, “You’re welcome, bro. And you too, Y/N!” Lisa and Seokjin laugh as they follow Jimin, leaving you and Taehyung walking at the back.

Taehyung turns to you. “So…are you free tomorrow? I realized I haven’t taken you to a date yet. Like, a date date”

“Yeah, I’m free. But, where will we go?”

Taehyung rubs his nape. “Well, I don’t know yet…I’m sorry I asked you when I don’t have any plans yet, I just want to be with you tomorrow–”

“It’s okay,” you smile. “We can meet at the carnival, then.”

“The carnival?”

“Yeah. Not as the prince and the ticketbooth attendant or vice versa. Just Taehyung and Y/N.”

Taehyung smiles. “I would like that. Pick you up at your house on five?”

“That’s alright with me,” you lean into his arm and look up at him, “boyfriend.”

Taehyung blushes and you giggle. You let him hold your hand as you make your way out of the horror booth to spend the rest of Enchanted Carnival’s Halloween Party with a salary waiting for you, happy and giddy, and most importantly, in love.

In every success story, there is a ninety percent probability you will hear “Fake it ‘til you make it.” Sometimes, it worked out for you, but most of the time, it didn’t. Like how you tried to use this tactic to get your crush to like you, your plans don’t usually go the way you expect them. But it’s okay, because life doesn’t work that way. It took you stressful planning days, frustrating reactions, and tearful nights for you to realize that life is not always a stage where people can just “fake” everything ‘til the script is fulfilled. Roles can be changed and mistakes can happen. What’s important is: You may have not “fake it ‘til you make it,” but at least you worked for it ‘til you made it.

A/N pt. 2 | I wrote this fic after having a massive eureka moment and I haven’t edited this out yet because it’s 2 A.M. and we die like brave men here. Anyway, planning this story was really a challenge! This is the first time I tried this AU so I researched stuff and had to like, fix and re-fix some of my plot points as I write through. Second, I wanted to incorporate the adorable prompt in a completely unexpected way so I hope it did what I intended for it to do. Also, I enjoyed making up the names of the Romcom clichés OC used. They are literal Romcom clichés but I can’t find what they’re officially called (aside from Makeover Montage) so I just made the rest up AHHAHAH. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

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k347 · 3 years

Text

Evanstan ficlet

Prompt – "Your wish is my command"

Pairing: Chris Evans x Sebastian Stan

Word Count : 2.5 k

Warning: None. Maybe a bit of fluff

Summary: He was excited for the date. Very much so. But unexpected arrival of a girl at Chris' house changed their plans a little bit.

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

With his shoes shining extra bright, having fixed his tie & handkerchief in the coat pocket for probably the hundredth time, Sebastian comes out of the black Audi he parked in the corner spot. It's far enough from the mahogany door for hiding, but also close enough so that he can keep an eye on the place. There's still no movement though, so maybe he is still getting ready.

It’s his third date with Chris and Seb is bubbling with excitement and nerves. Yes, the previous two have gone great and he loved walking through the parks and exploring bookstores with the guy. But it still felt like two friends hanging out together rather than two potential boyfriends. So seb decided to take matters in his own hand and give tonight a more romantic cut. This is probably the first actual, proper ‘date’ they are going to have. They'll talk about each other all night and flirt from across the table, have eachother's complete an undivided attention. Reservation made at one of the finest and fanciest hotels in the city, where he plans to wine and dine Chris Evans and charm the fuck out of him.

He really needs tonight to go just right. Exactly the way it is planned. Wants to make a good impression. Not that Chris doesn’t know him already. But Sebastian wants to come off as the good Boyfriend material instead of being the shy kid in a grown man's body who is still secretive and giggly around his crushes like he's some teenager. He was stuck in the friendzone spot for so long, it's sometimes still hard to believe he has escaped it. They have been working at the same firm for years now. But it was just last week when Seb gathered the courage to ask out the man of his dreams on a date. But more important (and still very shocking) is the fact that Chris indulged him and reciprocated the feelings instead of laughing them off. They’ve decided to take it slow and just see where it goes at the moment. ( Sebastian might have already dreamed of their wedding, pets and future babies though. He has been doing that for a couple of years. Not in a creepy way. He is just the hopeless romantic, thinks of himself as a rom-com lead sort of a person) But tonight he plans to be the best of the best. Create a whole James Bond vibe and make all that extra effort it takes to win over someone as special as Chris. He is dressed in his finest Italian suit and had his hair quaffed perfectly, wearing the best cologne and is present on the doorstep at sharp seven thirty, like he said he would be. Punctual. A good start to being a good date. He rings the doorbell and pulls out his most charming smile, for Chris. Only when the door opens, instead of the familiar handsome bearded face and stormy blue eyes, the visual of an empty drawing room greets him. He turns his head to both sides. Nope. No one. What kind of sorcery is this? Who opened the door, if he can’t see any human in front of him right now?

"Psst. Tsk tsk. Here."

A small, sweet voice reaches his ears. He looks down and finds the source behind that. It’s a little girl. Probably 4 or 5 years old. She has blonde hair and chubby cheeks, barely reaching up to his waist even though she is standing on a platform higher above him. Has a curious look on her face and is analyzing him from head to toe. He instantly smiles after looking at her. Tiny angel dressed in a onesie that has cartoons scribbled all over it. Two seconds in and she is already melting his heart. Damn you baby fever.

“And who might you be?”,He asks leaning down to reach closer to her height.

“I am Stella. Don't tell me who you are. I already know. You're the date guy. Where are your flowers?”, the little lady asks him, tone too judgemental for a five-year-old but adorable nonetheless.

“My flowers?”, He is a bit confused right now.

“Yeah. Flowers. When you go on a date, you are supposed to bring them”, she tells him impatiently and gives a disapproving look, like she’s the adult and he is the kid in this scenario.

“Yeah, Sebastian. Don’t you know simple date manners? Where are your flowers?”, Seb finally hears the voice his ears had been craving for. Chris just came to the door too. Wearing a crisp white button up and dress pants. Tie undone and hair a little messed up, indicating he had been running his hands through them frequently. The kind of thing people do when they are nervous. Chris doesn't show any other signs of distress though, has a playful tone and glint in his eyes, clearly stating that he’ going along with the joke and self imposing in the ongoing conversation.

“Sorry. The vendor was a mean guy. Didn’t give me any. And how many dates have you been on to know all this stuff?”, Seb asks the girl after shooting Chris a full smile.

“Five”, Stella replies promptly.

“Five? Wow, sounds serious. Who’s the lucky guy?”, Sebastian can’t help but talk more to the little munchkin. She sems fearless and very confident. Unafraid of talking to strangers and making conversations, a quality Seb wishes he had in himself.

“His name is Ethan and he’s boy. Not a guy. But he does remember to bring me flowers every time”, She tells him with her chin held high.

“Well, maybe we can have a double date next time”, he replies while giggling at the cuteness and she just shrugs like ‘it’s no big deal’.

“Stel, why don’t you go inside and keep and eye on dodger while I talk to Mr. Stan over here”, Chris pats her shoulders and Stella just nods and runs off back in the house.

“Mr. Stan? Really? I love it when you are formal Evans, but I’d prefer to be called Sebastian for the rest of the night. We are not in the office now, remember?”, he asks sheepishly.

“You gotta teach the kids good manners, right? Can’t have them all turning up as uncultured swans like you”, Chris was always that guy in the room who makes sweet jokes and tries to put every one a ease. Another reason why Sebastian loved the guy. Handsome, kind, compassionate, and witty. He truly is the whole package.

“Between the two of us right now, who is dressed more properly and has his tie done in a Windsor knot?Stop making excuses. She clearly has more sass than both of us combined. So if I were you, I’d stop worrying about teaching little grandma manners and start thinking about the wrinkles on that shirt”, Sebastian was never the one to shy away from fun banter either.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. That’s all you wanna say though? No further questions?”

“Oh, I was gonna ask if you forgot to tell me something but you clearly don’t let your guests speak without badgering them about having manners”.

Chris gives him an apologetic sort of smile and says, “I am so sorry Seb, I did try to call you but when you didn’t pick up I figured you were probably driving and on your way here anyway, so...”

“A good answer, but not one for the question I was gonna ask”

“Oh, you mean you were gonna ask me about our daughter?’, Sebastian gives him a dry chuckle. “See that’s funny because you and I never slept together”, Chris explains further, thinking he’s being hilarious right now and Seb has to prick that bubble.

“I don’t find it funny by the least, Chris. And by ‘it’, I mean the fact that we never slept together. Also please tell me you know that even if we did, it is biologically impossible for us to have a kid together”, Seb gives him an incredulous look and that makes Chris laugh out louder than before.

“Oh, pardon me. I am an investment banker, life sciences were never really my strongest subjects”, he apologizes, with a hand on his heart.

“It’s actually more of a common sense thing and honestly you are right now making me reconsider the decision of asking you out for this date.”

“That’s probably a good thing, because we are gonna have to reschedule the date anyway. Stella is my niece, Seb. My sister just dropped her off, couldn’t find a baby sitter at the last moment. So here I am. Stuck in between being the best brother and the most favored uncle at the moment. Ditching a hot guy and a fancy date to take care of a sassy 5 year old. Good Times”, Chris lets out a self depreciating laugh, still looks really apologetic and genuinely sorry which makes Seb’s heart sink even deeper than it already has after hearing the date he was so excited about is getting a rain check. He musters up a smile though.

“It is okay, Chris. Really. I understand”, he tries very hard to sound normal and not let any disappointment he is feeling pour into his voice.

“It’s not though. We decided this together and now I am just bailing on you at the last moment. Cancelling plans on such a short notice. Even though I know how much you planned for tonight and the reservation will probably get wasted. I’ll pay for it if yo-“,Chris starts with another round of apologies and Sebastian already knows the guy wouldn’t stop rambling unless he’s cut off.

“Chris. Chris, stop. It’s no big deal. The Plaza is way too overrated anyway. I guess we can have more fun by ordering a pizza and watching care-bears while waiting for it”, Sebastian suggests. Still a little hopeful that he’ll get to spend the evening with Chris anyway. Doesn’t matter if it’s at a fancy hotel or on a couch at his home. All he wants is to be close to this man.

“You..you wanna come in and spend time with us?”, Chris’ eyes are wide with surprise. He was clearly not expecting the situation to take this turn. Sebastian instantly feels like an asshole for trying to decide everything on his own.

“I didn’t mean to sound so presumptious, but yeah...I’d like to do that. If you’ll have me?”, he asks for permissson and is half expecting for the door to slam in his face.

“Of course we’ll have you, Seb. It’s always pleasure. Come on in”, Chris moves back, inviting him inside the beautiful place and Sebastian happily accpets the offer.

“Good for you. Because if you had just refused, I was totally planning on setting a camp right in front of your door step to make you feel horribly guilty”, he says while taking off the coat and hanging it up on the rack. He is delighted to hear the sound of Chris’s laugh at his recycled, not-so-funny jab. The date might not have gone where he wanted it to, but it’s definitely going somewhere. And for now, that's good enough.

“Oh and Seb, Care bears is so 1985. Kids these days don’t really watch that y’know?”

“Well I thought CNBC and the stock market channels would be a bit much for her”

“Don’t worry. She knows exactly what she wants. A Disney fan.”

“So I see, she takes after her uncle. Please tell me it’s not Frozen though."

“No, tonight's reserved for Tangled.”

"Hmmm. A bit better. I can deal with that. She has a good choice."

“Takes after her uncle in that regard as well”, Chris winks at him before turning to go into the kitchen and Sebastian’s heart is doing backflips at that simple action.

***

They spend the rest of their night watching and singing along with the animated characters. Building pillow forts, telling Dodger to fetch the colourful balls and mimicking sesame street voices. It’s the best date Sebastian has ever had, even if it was hijacked by a kindergartener and a furball. At the dinner table, Stella tells Chris she wants to sit next to ‘Bastian’ and asks him to cut her pizza into little bites for her. Seb tries so hard to hide the tears that well up in his eyes, though he is sure, Chris caught a glimpse of them. Because right after feeling too emotional, he had gotten a squeeze at his thigh and Chris interwined their fingers together, skin warm and cheeks flushed red. This looks and feels so much like the future Sebastian had been planning for them. He can’t tell if he manifested that by imagining it hard enough or is fate just being extra nice and kind to him since last week. Either way, he hopes this doesn’t change.

***

Finally it’s after 10:30 and Chris reminds Stella it’s way past her bedtime, she shouldn't take advantage of him just because he caves in everytime she pouts. He takes her to the upstairs bedroom while Sebastian stays in the kitchen to do the dishes, no matter how much Chris asks him not to do that.

“Please don’t. You’ll only make me feel like a shitty host”

“Please let me, if I don’t, I’ll be the one feeling like a shitty guest”.

Just when he’s done drying off the last plate, Seb hears footsteps coming down from the stairs. He walks out of the kitchen and stands at the very end of it, waiting for Chris to come down.

“She asleep yet?”, he asks when they’re just two steps away from each other.

“Actually no. Said she wants you to go up there and kiss her goodnight too”, Chris laughs but answers with a certain seriousness that tells Seb this is not entirely a joke. Stella actually did ask for him. That realisation warms his heart even more.

“Alright, I can do that”, he starts climbing up the stairs and crosses Chris. Is stopped by a large hand softly reaching out to hold onto his elbow. ‘”You know, you don’t have to, right? She’ll go to sleep on her own in a few minutes anyway. Don’t spoil her too much”, Chris wants to make sure Seb isn’t feeling obligated to do any of this just because of him.

“I know I don’t have to. I want to though. And cuties like you Evans people deserve a little more spoiling every now and then. Let me take care of that”, he smiles and frees his arm from Chris’s grasp. Walks a few stairs further but is stopped in his track again. This time, by Chris’ deep husky voice.

“Hey, Seb?”

“Yeah?”

“After you are done with putting the little madam to sleep, I want you to come downstairs and kiss me good night too. I’ll be waiting in my own room”, Chris is flustered, pale skin turned the loveliest shade of pink at the make but his voice still holds a demanding and authorative tone that manages to make Sebastian weak in the knees.

“Sure”, he says with his own voice trembling and can’t begin to believe his lucky stars.

'Whatever you say. Your wish is my command, Christopher', Sebastian thinks.

Actually, he might’ve just said it out loud judging by the way Chris snorts then blushes a shade darker and smiles some more standing on the other end of that staircase.

***

#evanstan #rpf #prompts #based on an episode in one of my favourite shows #💙

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whattodowithkpop · 4 years

Text

Mission “Impossible” (Rocky)

FLUFF

*****

I sigh sadly as I look at my grade score. I have a D in History… Mom is going to kill me! After the bell rings, I go up to my teacher to ask how I could raise it before report cards are sent home.

“Well, nothing can raise it higher than a C during this semester.” He starts to explain. “Because you were late on the time era assignment, you lost a lot of points. Even extra credit can’t get you high enough for a good grade.”

I bow and thank him then leave the classroom. I’m doomed this semester. This teacher is a putz, he didn’t tell anyone in the class about this assignment and won’t admit he forgot! I know I can bring my grade up easy, but I need to bring it up before this semester ends, mom is cruel with us if we don’t have A’s. Who knows what she will do…

I head to lunch in the library, where me and my close friends meet. I was the last to arrive, but I notice a new face.

“Hey, we have someone we want you to meet!” Jin Jin exclaims and ushers me over.

I sit across from the new kid and nod. I introduce myself and wait for him to do so as well.

“I’m Rocky.” He introduces shyly.

“Welcome to our inner circle.” I smile mischievously.

“Rocky is a really good dancer.” Moonbin shows off his new friend. “And he’s really good with computers.”

“Really?” I look at Rocky. “Moonbin loves dancing, he does it all the time.” I laugh as Moonbin does an arm wave.

“Yea, we’ve danced a little.” Rocky says nervously.

“Yo, did you hear about Mr. Chung’s history class?” MJ asks. “Apparently, most of them are either flunking or almost flunking.”

I glare at the boy, thats my history class.

“Uhh… MJ…” Sanha addresses the older one. MJ looks at the youngest and sees Sanha pointing at me.

MJ instantly shrinks back and clears his throat.

“I swear, it’s not the class’s fault.” I defend myself and my classmates. “That forgetful teacher forgot to tell us about the assignment and told us the day before it was due. How were the majority of us supposed to get it done?”

“What about your mom?” Eunwoo asks worriedly.

I sigh. “Hopefully she’s understanding. I just needed it to be an A on my report card, even if it was just for the report card.”

“Well…” Rocky speaks up. “I may be able to help.”

We all look at him curiously.

“I’m really good with computer and that includes hacking.” He explains. “So, I can change your grade so when your mom receives the report card, it says A. Then I can change it back once it’s delivered.”

“Can you really?” Moonbin asks with amazement. “Bro, that is so cool!”

I roll my eyes at Moonbin's fanboying.

"Would you do that?" I ask the boy hopefully. "For me?" I ask with confusion.

"Yea, I like you guys and besides, I'll change it back so there won't be any harm done, no one will notice." Rocky smiles at me.

"That's really sweet of you, Rocky." I smile at the boy, making him blush in embarrassment due to the attention.

"Look he's blushing." Sanha teases.

"They'd be a cute couple, actually." Eunwoo comments.

"Oi, don't you have a sandwich to eat?" I ask the manga boy, drawing the attention away from Rocky and I.

I look at Rocky and mouth a thank you to him, he nods with a bright smile.

We all sat in the library while we ate our lunches. We talked about unfair teachers and boring classes and the occasional subject of dancing or singing would come up, making the lunch brighten. We all left at the same time, leaving before the first bell rang. We all went our separate ways going to our next classes. Eunwoo and I walk together since we had the same class that period.

We would see each other in the halls and do our stupid handshakes, making the popular kids scoff and roll their eyes at us. Rocky fit in really well, which made the popular people mad, since they wanted him for their new entertainment. During one handshake, MJ passes me his hall monitor keys, winking at me as he finishes the hand shake and moves on. I smile at the singer and shake my head.

Eventually, the last bell rings. I sigh in relief as I make my way to my locker. I put away my things and start to head out of the school. I feel a tap on my shoulder and see Moonbin next to me.

"Operation Grade is in effect, meet The Rock in the computer lab." He whispers to me.

"Could you be any more obvious than that?" I ask the boy with a giggle. "Operation Grade? The Rock? You're not even trying."

Moonbin glares at me. "We are helping you out here.” He reminds me.

I giggle and nod before splitting off from him and heading to the computer lab. I enter the dark room, whispering Rocky's name, asking him if he was in here. Suddenly, I am pulled against a body and a hand covers my mouth.

"Yea, I'm here." Rocky whispers in my ear.

He releases me as I glare at him.

"That was a little unnecessary."

"Moonbin told me to do it." Rocky tells me with panic in his voice.

"Rocky, if your paranoid you don't have to do it." I tell him.

"Why aren't you freaked out?" He asks in a shout-whisper.

"There's no security in this poor school, no one will catch us." I assure him. "Everyone leaves in an hour, teachers included, we just wait till then, and then we use MJ's keys to get into the main office."

"Right, okay." He nods. "What do we do until then?"

"I'm gonna do some homework." I tell him. "Since that's what I would do normally if I wasn't here." I smile at him.

I turn my phone light on and place my phone face down so the light would shine upwards. I could feel Rocky tense next to me.

"No one will see, I promise." I giggle at him.

He nods and slowly begins to pull his homework out and works on it.

We work in silence, until, my watch beeps, it's the top of the hour.

"It's been an hour and a half." I tell Rocky, slowly packing up my stuff. "Everyone should be gone."

Rocky follows my lead and packs up. Then we head out of the computer lab and quietly make our way to the main office. I watch closely, making sure we were the only ones in the school.

We approach the office and have yet to find anyone else. I pull out the keys and use them to unlock the door. I turn on the lights as I enter and Rocky closes the door behind us.

"I can keep a look out." I offer him as he makes his way to the computer.

He nods and turns the light off.

"I'll use my phone light." He tells me. "Makes it less suspicious."

I nod and stand near the door, watching out the tiny window for anyone to pass by it. I hear Rocky typing quickly and the occasional click of a mouse. Both of our breathing was slightly heavy, probably from the adrenaline.

We work in silence for about fifteen minutes before Rocky speaks.

"I did it." He breathes.

"Wait really?" I snap my head in his direction, seeing his face through the dim light from his phone light.

"Yeah." He tells me. He walks closer to me, turning off his light. "We can celebrate outside." He whispers.

We both leave the room and I lock the door on our way out. We maneuver our way through the halls, finally making it to the exit. We both exit the building and wince from the bright sunlight. We stay silent for a few seconds before I jump in excitement.

"Rocky you did it!" I exclaim, hugging the boy around his neck. "You actually did it! I felt like I was in a spy movie!" I tell him as I release him from the hug and start to walk to my house.

Rocky tries to stutter out words, but can't hardly speak or even hear for the matter. His face was a bright red as he follows me down the sidewalk.

"And we will get to do it again next week!" I look at Rocky. "Hey, is everything okay?" I ask with worry in my voice.

He clears his throat and looks forward. "Yea, yea I'm fine, just coming off the adrenaline rush." He chuckles nervously.

"Thank you so much Rocky." I tell him sincerely. "It means a lot to me."

"Yea, anytime..." Rocky smiles at me.

The next day, at lunch, the other boys asked about our mission.

"You guys didn't even see anyone?" Moonbin asks with shock.

I shake my head.

"There was no one." I tell him again.

"Did the hero get the girl?" Eunwoo teases.

I roll my eyes and take a bite of my sandwich.

“He should at least get a kiss.” Jin Jin smirks. “As a payment.”

I look at Rocky, to see his face with a red coloring.

“If that’s what he wants for payment.” I shrug, while the others wolf whistle and snicker.

“Uhhh…” Rocky stutters about. “I don’t need a payment…”

“Man, you had the opportunity!” Moonbin sighs out.

I smile at Rocky.

We all finish our lunch with pleasant conversation, talking about Rocky and Moonbin’s dance they were working on and Jin Jin’s new rap he was writing. We all leave a few minutes before the first bell, so we could get a head start on the crowds. Rocky and I were the last to leave. I grab his wrist to keep from leaving the room. I wait till the other five leave.

“Thank you again.” I smile at him. “You’re really sweet to help someone you just met.” I kiss his cheek before stepping away. I turn back to see him blush. “I’ll see you in the halls.” I leave the room with a big smile on my face. I see the other boys as I open the door.

“I knew it!” Eunwoo exclaims.

I sigh. We will never hear the end of this…

ASTRO MASTERLIST

#astro #astro rocky #rocky #minyuk #astro minhyuk #kpop #kpop fanfiction #x reader #astro x reader #rocky x reader #astro rocky x reader #fluff #school au #back 2 school challange

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bijackkellys · 4 years

Text

thunderstruck ; part one

lazarus, or the return of jack kelly

Fandom: Newsies (All Media Types) Relationships: Jack Kelly/David Jacobs/Katherine Plumber Pulitzer Word Count: 1,651 Dedications: a huge shoutout to my gf, beta reader, and number one fan @mistyw273, and to @dimenovelcowboy for supporting me endlessly. tag list (if you’d like to be added to this list just send me an ask or dm!): @santa-fe-maniac @pulitzers-world @yo-let-me-get-a-milkyway @verified-dumbass @jewishdavidjacobs @agentsnickers @thetruthabouttheboy Author’s Note: hey readers! i want to start by saying thank you so much for all the support and interest so far—i was honestly not expecting to get so much feedback with just the introduction but i'm really thrilled so many people are here for the ride! i figured i would go ahead and put part one up; this is the only back-to-back update i'll be doing, but i wanted to have more than the prologue out there. from this point forward i'm going to try bi-weekly updates on tuesdays and fridays (that's tentative and subject to change depending on how things carry on, though!). again, thank you for your interest and i really really appreciate the feedback, it honestly means the world to me. with that, let's get on with part one!

read it on ao3

five months later.

JACK DOESN’T KNOW WHEN he started running, and doesn’t know where to stop.

Right now the world is this hazy, deafening thing. The streets loop endlessly around him, too bright and too loud, a mix of over-saturated colors and sounds he can’t pull apart. In the middle of it all he feels as if he’s drowning. He’s drugged up to his eyes, this much he can tell—there’s little else that he’s aware of, though, except for his feet pounding against the pavement and this base, animalistic instinct in the back of his brain telling him to go. To run and run and keep running.

So he does. Buildings and road signs and people dissolve into background noise as he tears through the streets. Someone is after him; as disoriented as he is, he’s sure of it, and it’s that hot rush of fear that keeps him going more than anything else. A spike of adrenaline pushing him forward.

Maybe he’s lost them miles ago, but it’s not until the moment he thinks his legs will give out underneath him that he collapses against the back wall of an alleyway, sputtering for a breath. His lungs burn and he feels dizzy, but Jack pushes past the blurred images in his head and the low ringing in his ears to catalog what he knows. His name is Francis—no. He swallows dryly and starts again. His name is Jack Kelly. He’s eighteen, maybe nineteen, now, depending on how much time has passed. He’s an art student, and a superhero, and there was a fire, and then—

And then everything fills up with static and the feeling of hands on his skin and this harsh, chemical smell. His stomach turns.

Jack hates feeling like this, like he’s been separated from his own thoughts. The lack of control that comes with the clouded figures where his memories should be is enough to make him vulnerable in a way he hasn’t felt in years, exposed like a copper wire that’s been stripped of its casing.

And the current—that’s gone altogether. There are silver cuffs biting into the skin of his wrists; the seam that held them together is broken along a jagged edge, but the slim band of green light lining them means they’re still suppressing his powers. Jack aches for the buzz of electricity to come back, needs them off. He twists his hands desperately and in doing so, makes his drug-addled brain suddenly aware of a cold piece of metal clenched in his fist.

He opens his palm. It’s a flash drive. His mind dredges up a fuzzy memory of ripping it from a computer port in what he thinks might have been a control room. He doesn’t know what it contains, but if he’d held onto it so desperately that it became second nature, then it must be important. He needs to find a computer, he thinks abruptly, and then stands up and immediately sways on his feet.

Okay—okay. Not yet, maybe. Before that, he needs food and water and rest. He needs the lodging house, except he has no idea where he is, and in the state he’s in, he barely knows which way is up. He needs—he needs to call Crutchie.

Jack is struck suddenly by the overwhelming desire to hear his pseudo-brother’s voice, strong enough that his chest physically hurts from it. It’s been—weeks, maybe? months?—the longest they’ve gone without seeing each other since they were kids. If he can get his hands on a phone and get Crutchie on the line, he thinks, then powerless and drugged or not, he’ll be okay.

It’s not much of a plan, but it’s a start. All he has to do is find a phone. This is easier said than done, though; there’s still a payphone booth left next to a nearby subway station, rusted from lack of use, but he doesn’t have any money. He’s aware of how he must look, a boy in tattered clothes with cloudy eyes and words slurred together, begging for change. More than one person threatens to call the police. Most of them just push him away. Jack feels his desperation pitching upward quickly, tightening in his throat.

When a stranger finally hands him a few quarters with a wary look, he’s not sure if it’s fear or pity or some combination of the two that makes her do it. He’s grateful all the same. He rushes over to the booth, blood roaring in his ears from the anticipation. His hands are shaking so hard that his fingers stumble over the keypad, but he knows Crutchie’s number by heart, is sure he could dial it in his sleep. It goes to voicemail and Jack shoves the receiver against his ear.

“Crutchie, it’s me—it’s Jack. Please pick up.”

When he slides the second quarter into the slot and calls again, it barely has a chance to ring.

“Jack is dead.” Crutchie’s voice comes through, wavering. Jack almost chokes on his relief.

“I’m not,” he says, and there’s a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line, and then a noise that sounds like a broken sob.

“No—”

“Crutchie, I’m here. It’s me. I’m not dead.”

“How…”

“I don’t know,” Jack says, truthfully.

“You—you can’t—fuck, Jack.” And in the middle of everything, Jack is caught off guard because Crutchie almost never swears. There’s a long quiet, broken by just the static-filled sound of Crutchie crying. Jack’s own cheeks are wet. “It’s been five months,” he gasps finally. “I thought—we all thought you died in that fire. Holy shit. Where have you been?”

Jack’s head spins. He hadn’t even realized how much time has passed. Five months...it’s June now, then, and the spring semester of classes is already over, and he’s nineteen, and there’s this gaping chasm of lost time in his head—

“—ck? Jack.”

He realizes that Crutchie is calling his name abruptly, and Jack blinks, trying to clear his thoughts. “Yeah, I-I’m here. I don’t—everything’s fuzzy, Crutchie, I don’t know what happened, where I’ve been—” His words trip and stumble over each other. “I’m gonna try and find my way back to the lodging house, I’ve just gotta—”

“No, no, wait, you can’t,” Crutchie cuts him off, suddenly fierce. Jack pauses.

“What do you mean?”

His response is quieter this time, tentative. Slow, like he’s walking on his toes. “Jackie...how much do you know about what’s been going on?”

Dread pools in Jack’s chest, hot and fast. For as long as they’ve known each other, he’s only heard Crutchie sound like this, scared and small and hesitant, a few times before. Something has gone deeply wrong; he knows it in an instant, maybe should have realized it even before now. “What is it, Crutchie?” he demands.

Crutchie takes a shuddering breath. “They said you set the fire,” he says, and Jack’s stomach plummets. “It was all over the news—they said the hospital wasn’t an accident, that Strike—that you—had planned the whole thing, did it on purpose.”

“No...” Jack feels nauseous, dizzy, sure in that moment that he’s going to be sick all over the pavement. His memories of the hospital brim with fear and heat and voices that echo in his skull, and the idea that the public believes he’s the cause of that, of all that death and destruction, hurting innocent people—he can’t stomach it. Doesn’t know how to.

“Jack, people were angry. Really angry. Not just at Strike—there was a whole new anti-super wave, worse than it’s ever been before, and now everyone thinks supers are dangerous and they started... taking people.” Crutchie’s voice goes even lower as Jack feels his heart crawl up into his throat. “They—we call them Snatchers, we think they’re in league with the police—they’ve surrounded the lodging house and swarmed half the city, dragging kids with powers off to someplace called the Refuge.”

Everything goes hot and sharp for a moment, a quick snap of recognition that burns like fire. Jack tastes metal in his mouth, chokes on it. “That’s where I was,” he says hollowly. He knows it even through the fogginess in his head.

“Oh, Jackie,” Crutchie begins, but Jack doesn’t let him finish.

“Are the others—is everyone okay? Race, Specs, Elmer—did they get taken?” The lodging house is a frequent stop for super kids who need a place to spend the night, but the three of them and Jack are the only permanent residents that have powers. If the Snatchers found them, they’d have been dragged off to the same fate that Jack has only just escaped. He doesn’t know what he’ll do if Crutchie says yes.

“They’re holed up with Spot in Brooklyn,” Crutchie replies, and Jack lets himself exhale. “I haven’t been talking to them a whole lot, because they’re trying to stay under the radar, but the last time I heard from them, they were okay.” He gives a rattled sort of laugh, devoid of humor and more exhausted than anything. “Shit, Jackie. Everything fell apart without you.”

Jack passes a hand over his face, wants to cry. Wants to scream and tell Crutchie that he’s lost and drowned and terrified, that he feels more helpless than he’s ever been, that for all the time he’s spent playing hero he doesn’t know how to save anyone from this. Instead, though, he sets his jaw. “I’m gonna fix this, Crutchie,” he says, half-promise and half-prayer. He’ll find a way.

“Jack—” Crutchie begins, but what he’s going to say next Jack doesn’t find out. The timer clicks, and there’s a robotic female voice in place of Crutchie’s that tells him the call has timed out.

The line goes dead and then Jack is alone all over again, the vow he made weighing as heavy as the shackles on his wrists.

#THUNDERSTRUCK #newsies #newsies fanfiction #jack kelly #davey jacobs #katherine plumber #katherine pulitzer #jathvey #javid #jatherine #datherine #newsies the musical #livesies #fanfiction #writing #my writing #umanawrites

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judgement-free-sideblog · 5 years

Text

Occupational Hazards

Barry Berkman x Reader

Three part series: It was just another job, he doesn't even had to kill anyone, but the way she looked at him was more dangerous than the bullets.

Part I Part II Part III

Angst with a happy ending

Warnings: Violence, cursing, blood, mention of abortion, stalkers.

Part III

"Someone got lucky" Natalie said when Barry entered his apartment, she was helping Nick with his lines for an audition and since the first pictures of his relationship with Y/N had emerged she always find an excuse to be near him and ask a million annoying questions "Although is kind of tacky to come to home with the same clothes from yesterday"

"No comment" That usually make her keep her distance but since he took forever to pour himself a coffee she followed him to the kitchen.

"So we were watching the nominations this morning, anything interesting to talk about it?" Somehow even when his job consisted in sell the lie he didn't felt comfortable talking about Y/N with his friends, and specially not that morning. He gave her a deadly glare and just walk inside his room.

Barry left the untouched coffee on his desk and collapsed on his bed, he wasn't tired, and the ideas revolving in his mind would keep him up for long enough.

They have watch several romantic comedies with wine and popcorn and then when they were discussing how impractical and unrealistic they were she apologized to him for the permanent damage that the article would cause in his attempts to get back to Sally, it wasn't strange since they have come to know about each other's past over the weeks, the strange part was that he was not actually concern about it. Sally had become a simple friend and he was sure even had to talk to him more often since Y/N came into his life, but he didn't had romantic feelings towards her anymore.

However the sudden realization that those feelings were gone because of the woman that was curled next to him, screaming at Cameron Diaz to run away from her idiot fiance; made him feel uneasy, he would have prefer to leave, but she was obviously anxious about the nominations the next morning so he agreed to take the couch, but she since she couldn't sleep they open another bottle of wine and start asking questions about each other.

He got to learn that the B&H menthol were her favorite cigarettes, but she was trying to quit and she actually only have one or two every couple weeks when she was to nervous, and he make himself a mental note to buy a package just in case. He told her about his favorite music, and a thing or two about her days in Afganistan, she told her how her mom was dying and her money was not to save her just to help her live her last days in least pain.

She asked about the most terrible thing he ever did and when he couldn't answer she went first.

"Do you want to know the real reason I broke up with Richard?" She said suddenly completely serious.

"You don't have to do that Y/N..."

"I want to, I feel like you have this weight on you and that you think of yourself as a monster, so do I. I may not be the trash human everyone think I am but that doesn't excuse what I have done. I have always hhave friends many friends men and women, and I even like some of them, that doesn't mean I sleep with them but for Richard every men I even talked to was someone I was fucking behind his back" She took one large drink of wine, it was clearly a painful memory "The thing I actually loved him, and I actually saw myself sharing my life with him, he was my agent back then and I could look over her rudeness most of the time... but then I got pregnant" She gave him a sad smile and he could see where the story was going so he remained silent even when he wanted to hold her. "He obviously didn't believe it could be his, and ask me to take care of it, or my life and my career and my mother treatment would be over so I did it. And don't get me wrong I know now that it was the right choice, believing I could have a family with that pig is ridiculous, but it wasn't my choice at the time and I don't know after that I just had to run away from him, I actually sleep with my costar, that's number 3 and use the scandal to break things with Richard, and now I'm here"

He hold her close to him and not thinking he started telling her about Korengal, about Moss and about Mayrbeck, she was comfortable to hold on to, she simply nodded and asked an occasional question about the time those things happened but she didn't judge him, and he eventually closed his own eyes and pretend for a moment that she was not paying him, that there was actually one human being who would love him not only despite his past, but also because of it. Someone who would feel safe enough with him, that she could sleep like that. He wanted to tell her that Sally was nice but she would never accept his truth, and she was like a getaway car, she had been the illusion to be Barry Block and leaving all behind, but her... Y/N came looking for Barry Berkman and she wasn't scared of him, but he also couldn't say it because he knew once things were over she would go back to his life and his little bubble will pop.

And that day was closer than ever, she was nominated as Outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or TV movie, and as she had said she had absolutely no chance to win because Maverick wouldn't let her, but the amount of opportunities that would come after if she get nominated would be enough to find a new agent, and walk away from that life, so she had been waiting to hear her name for months and now that it was finally there the look on her face was enough to turn down all of his precautions and he simply kiss her.

He take her by the neck in the middle of her excitement and simply put his lips onto hers and kiss her like she was the only thing he needed to survive, and he was only recovering his common sense when Y/N hold him tighter and kissed him back with the same intensity, he was happy beyond comprehension but reality find its way to his mind and eventually he let go. Y/N opened her mouth to say something but her phone start ringing with congratulations from her friends and that allowed them to have a minute to settle down.

"Don't worry about the suit, they are probably going to offer you one" She said to him finally after answering the phone the third time.

"Yeah sure, I am so happy for you. Congratulations" He was being honest, but he needed to acknowledge the kiss somehow "I'm so sorry I shouldn't..." for some reason apologizing for something he was not sorry for is what he did.

"Please don't apologize, it was nice, is being a long time since someone kissed me like that, say it was the heat of the moment, or that you simply felt like it, but don't be sorry about it because I'm not" The look she gave him, that's when he knew he was doomed, she wanted him, for how long? who could tell, but he was much of a coward to find out, so he make up an excuse and didn't even touch her when he said goodbye, and just walked away.

Fortunately the next weeks past in a blur, a couple days later their Variety interview was the subject of an angry call from Sally for not telling her, and endless banter and teasing from his classmates wich lead to shaming him into bet on her in Jermaine Emmy's pool.

He had tell the story of how they met more times than he could remember, and there was little to no time to be alone with her, other than the choreographed PDA they had agreed beforehand, and she even had to leave for two weeks to New York for another set of endless interviews, on wich she made sure to get his name out at least once, he watched them and pretend that he was the actual loving boyfriend waiting for her return even when his mind kept reminding him he was not.

He had told her everything and she didn't judge him, and his heart was holding the hope that maybe, just maybe in the end she could be a friend since he felt undeserving of something else, and by the time he was at her place waiting for her to go to the ceremony he had already promised himself he would be there for her no matter what.

The award ceremony was magic in itself, walking next to her on the red carpet and watching her like the star she was in the elegant black gown she had chosen was more than enough for him, but there were also a lot of famous people who surprisingly treated him as if he belonged, and in the middle of that crowd he could finally found a moment of intimacy with her on the way she nervously hold his hand whenever Richard looked their way and when he got upstaged to introduce the Award Y/N was nominated in, he was attractive and charismatic but the smug on the bastard face when he read her name on the nominations and then when he finally said the winner (Zoe Saldana or someone like that) were enough to make his blood boil and mentally mark a bullet with his name on it.

***

"I just lose 300 grand" He whispered in your ear and you could smell a hint of perfume, it was perfect.

"Well next time bet against me, and listen to me when I talk" you fixed his bow tie as an excuse to touch him, he looked unrealistically hot, the tux the hair, even the incipient beard that had started to grow look fantastic on him. "I hate after parties, but Adrian says we should make an appearance and then we can get out of there"

He nodded and you could feel him trembling under your hands, he had been weird since the kiss and you can understand why, but you wanted to reassure him that you didn't give a fuck about his past, that Block or Berkman or whatever you only cared for Barry, that there was something in him that make you feel happy, that he calling out your bullshit was something you needed and that that kiss was the single most happy moment you ever had.

They drove you to the after party and you allowed the crowd to separate you from him while you mapped out in your mind how to talk to him on the way home, and then you felt it, the stench of bourbon and cigars, and a big hand pulling from her arm with strength, you paralyzed for a moment and the promise you had made yourself to kick his nuts the way Barry teach you fly away when he got in the middle of your conversation with a Mexican Director famous for not giving a crap about Hollywood who had a project on Netflix.

"Oh please don't let this man drag you tho those movies actual cinema is here in Hollywood, not paying monthly to watch on your leaving room" He smiled like a hyena and you desperately try to avoid him, but pull you closer and Alfonso simply gave you his card discreetly and walked away. "Quite the spectacle you have put on with the little soldier" he said letting go of your arm, but still blocking your way with his body. "Too bad is about to be over."

"Oh I was not aware you have a saying in when or for how long I am with someone" you spat at him desperately looking for someone to come closer so you could make an escape, but your heart broke when you saw Barry talking happily with whom you assume was his Sally Reed, and you felt alone and defeated and he must have seen that in your eyes because his poisonous tongue kept talking.

"He is good looking I give you that" he said looking in his direction and then back at you holding your chin and you fight with all your strength to not cry right there "But he is just a looser from Ohio, who was caught in the middle of all this glamour" he made a round movement with his hand and then pointed at you "And you are a drinking, smoking whore, you are not going to be the respectable wife of a soldier and retire to live in the suburban house with the white fence. Wake up from your dream Y/N, you need to be with a men who knows how to treat you and how to please you" His hand was on your waist and you felt disgusted by his touch and you cursed yourself for not screaming then and there to fuck off "Tell me little one, does your soldier know how to make you scream? Or does he bore you to death in bed" He was drunk it was obvious and you could feel his breath approaching you and could anticipate his movement, he was going to kiss you.

"Well I haven't recieved complaints" Barry's voice take you out of your trance state and you move away from Richard, he had put his hand on his shoulder and was pressing him steadily in his place, he was way taller and Richard almost look funny next to him "But we hardly ever make it to the bed do we babe?" He possessively take you by the waist and pull you away from him straight to his lips and kissed you voraciously, something that people around you actually notice because you could hear a couple of whistles.

"Are you okay?" He whispered quiet enough so only you could hear and you nodded yes "Such a pleasure to meet you finally, Barry Berkman" He offered his hand and Richard took it trying to put out his charm again.

"The famous Barry, so you are the man taking away our beautiful Y/N to make her a decent woman" He teased you again. You were no longer shaking and Barry's presence gave you courage.

"I think is the other way around" You search inside his jacket for a pack of cigarettes you saw him put there earlier an took one to your mouth "I'm trying to make this beautiful man and indecent creature" Barry quickly offered you fire and then he looked to Richard who was obviously angry at him.

"And you are succeeding honey, anyway I'm going to have to take her away for good, bye Richard" He didn't give him a chance to respond and you were already walking towards Sally, she was there as the plus one of her costar in Richard's movie and she was a lovely person, who only wanted to reassure you she and Barry were done, offered you her friendship and asking for acting advice.

"You want to get out of here?" You said once you have talked to almost everyone but this time Barry make sure to not leave your side in case Maverick come close again.

You walked outside and the car was waiting for you, and different from other times he didn't let your hand go once you were inside, instead he put his arm around you and hold you closer to him.

"I'm so sorry, I paralyzed, I was freaking out and I didn't pushing away, I feel so ashamed" you started speaking against his chest with tears finally coming from your eyes.

"Hey there, it's okay" He patted your back and kissed the top of your head, his voice was calming like a balm taking away the pain "That guy is a jerk, at least he is getting the point now, you were right. What kind of asswhole needs to see a woman with another man in order to understand she doesn't want him?"

"We hardly make it to the bed?" You said smiling "I liked that one, the look on his face"

"I couldn't think anything else, was it too much?" He clearly was nervous about kissing you but this time you were not letting him go so easily.

"Maybe, would you consider this too much?" You pull his face down to kiss him but he didn't move, he kissed you back, not as theatrical as before and his lips felt soft on yours and you could feel his hand on your neck holding you close to him and the other caressing your hair, it felt like pure electricity and little by little he started pushing his tongue inside of yours, and you were surprised by the dominant way he kissed you and the tender way he was holding you.

You were interrupted once the driver announced you were home and once you were inside you could see him burying his hands in his pockets like he didn't know what to do with them.

"We shouldn't" He said finally but his eyes meant something else "I mean I'm still working for you"

"And you say you were no prostitute" you smile at him, using him as support so you could take off your heels and tossed them somewhere in the living room "Are you coming or not?" You take his hand and point to the staircase with your head.

"Yes ma'am" he answered with a grin a followed you upstairs leaving tender kisses in your bare shoulders.

***

Barry wake up with her naked body still wrapped around him, her dress that had been almost impossible to take off was in the floor in some corner and he went to put on his boxers so he could get downstairs, it was 7:00 am and he wanted to make her breakfast, even if he couldn't figure out his way in the kitchen, but he chose to take a leak first.

He was walking out of the bathroom, with the memories of the previous night burning in the back of his head and then he listened it, the familiar sound of a gun going off and he panicked, because it wasn't in his hands, and then a stinging pain in his shoulder, an actual relief because whoever was shooting didn't knew what their were doing, he collapsed on his back next to de bed and hit his head making all blurry but he was listening.

The noise wake Y/N and Barry could hear her scream when she saw him bleeding, and his mind was only thinking in fighting back, then the lights turned on and he could see her, the figure shaking at the door holding the gun.

"Why? Why did you had to choose him?" Adrian's voice had a high pitch on it "I was the one supposed to comfort you, and to hold your hand last night Y/N!!!" She shot at her but thankfully she was terrible and she missed, barry didn't move waiting for a moment to reach for one of the guns he had hide in her room months ago, begging to not bleed out before he could.

"Leave that alone for once" Maverick voice said from the door "And you get dress" He tossed a night gown to Y/N that was covering herself with a bedsheet, he hit Adrian on the face making her fall to the ground and took the gun away from her hands.

"What the fuck Richard?" Y/N scream at him, and she put on the gown "What the fuck are you doing in my house" She attempt to run towards Barry but he stopped her.

"Oh I wouldn't do that sugar" He sounded drunk or something else, but he had enough coordination to hold the gun better than Adrian that now was a crying mess in a corner. "Sit here and don't move" He forced her to sit on the bed and went to were Barry was trying o stand with a hand holding on the bed. "Come on soldier sit with your whore"

"Adrian why did you do this?" Y/N was talking to the young girl, but she couldn't even look at them she was curled in the floor sobbing and holding herself. "I cared for you, you were like my sister, I loved you"

"Oh, did you hear that?" Richard laughed and went to pick Adrian by the hair and forced her to look at Y/N "A sister, but that's not what you wanted right? You'll see Y/N this lady here found something interesting about your prince charming here, and out of her so called love for you she came to me to help her solve your problem, tell me sweetheart have this man told you why did he came home from the war? He is a fucking murderer." His words sound poisonous and Y/N look shocked, but Barry new it was more about how he got that information than the actual fact that Barry had killed someone.

"What do you want Richard?" She said and her voice was soft, she even move apart from Barry in what he hoped was pretend disgust "What are you talking about?"

"This guy you chose killed an innocent man and walked away with it, and your lovely friend here was so worry about you that last night she was too drunk to shut up, so this morning she convinced me to came here and help her get you to safety, but oh no, we are too late" he started pacing around the room making an fake distressed face, and he ignored Barry for a moment "When I got here he had already snapped, he killed your friend..." He pointed the gun to Adrian's head an ignored Y/N pleas and simply killed her "And then I have trouble imagining what could have happened" He had a sadistic grin and took Y/N by the hair and force her to kiss him. "What do you think? He killed himself when he saw what he did?" He pointed his gun at Barry's head who was looking down with his hands behind his back "Or the coward shot you before he killed himself?" He caressed her face with the smoking gun and enjoyed the terror in her face "What is it going to be dear?" He said trying to force another kiss on her.

"Maybe think better asswhole" Barry said and out of nowhere he took the gun frrom his hand an shot him in the head under the scared face of Y/N and even when he was relieved he had saved her he could assume he had lost her forever.

***

The official version was that Richard was high on many different substances, he broke into your house and tried to kill you but Barry took that bullet and then when Adrian tried to calm him down he killed her and out of fear and his agitated mental state he end up blowing up his brains.

There was no reason to disbelief you, he had make a scene at the party the previous night when you left and the gun was registered, and in his house they found footage of your apartment entrance and some pictures taken from the front building as Barry had suspected.

After some harsh couple of months and a very well elaborated lie things were settled down and you even were about to start working on a new independent film.

Everything was perfect but you still missed him, you haven't been able to manage the initial shock and he interpreted as you being too disgusted by his lifestyle and he choose to go back to his anonymous life, to his acting class and being Barry Block, even when press won't leave him alone for days.

A year passed in a blur and you felt hurt that he didn't called you, and you were too proud to look for him, and suddenly one day, Sally walked in for a table read for the movie, and after it was over, and after impressing everyone there including you she timidly approach.

"Hi, I don't want to be awful, but do you remember meeting me?" She said and it take you by surprise the humility she showed.

"Sure you were Barry's friend right?" You said hiding the pain his name produced in your heart.

"Oh my god you remember that's so sweet of you, I just wanted to say how glad I am to work with you, you are such an inspiration" She seemed sincere but you wanted to run away from everything that could remained you of him "And I'm sorry it didn't work out for you guys, I mean he is still obviously in love with you, but he is such a non violent guy that I get why he walked away, but you are a fighter and I just wanted to say I respect you so much"

You smiled and change the subject, and praise her acting buying you enough time to process her words and a glimpse of hope start shining, maybe it was not all lost.

***

"I'm lady Macbeth, again" Natalie's voice was proud of herself, this was the third time they were doing the Shakespearean night but this time he hadn't get Macbeth like the previous year but Benedick in a scene from Much ado about nothing, a comedy since Gene thought he needed to experiment more with that genre, and he had cast Saha as Beatrice, but she didn't have the slightest interest since he had actually given her a second role as Helena in Midsummer.

By the time he was ready to come out in scene and declare his love for Beatrice the woman looking against him was clearly not Sasha but he could have known her figure in any place and so he went and started talking not sure of what to expect.

BENEDICK: I do love nothing in the world so well as you; is not that strange?

BEATRICE: As strange as the thing I know not. It were as possible for me to say I loved nothing so well as you: but believe me not; and yet I lie not;

I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing. I am sorry for my cousin.

BENEDICK: By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me.

BEATRICE: Do not swear, and eat it.

BENEDICK: I will swear by it that you love me; and I will make him eat it that says I love not you.

BEATRICE: Will you not eat your word?

BENEDICK: With no sauce that can be devised to it. I protest I love thee.

BEATRICE: Why, then, God forgive me!

BENEDICK: What offence, sweet Beatrice?

BEATRICE: You have stayed me in a happy hour: I was about to protest I loved you.

BENEDICK: And do it with all thy heart.

BEATRICE: I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.

BENEDICK: Come, bid me do any thing for thee.

BEATRICE: Kill Claudio.

The last line resonated in his mind for a moment, but she turned to the audience to make a bow and so did he happy to receive the applause, and she went to take his hand on hers and take one more bow before leaving the stage to Natalie.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her once they were apart from everyone.

"Playing Beatrice, Gene is an old friend of mine, I'm surprised he didn't told you, he loves to name drop, I asked him if I could read for this, I do miss theater you know?" She said finding a chair to sit on, the costume looked beautiful on her.

"That's not what I meant" He started keeping his distance.

"You never called, I went to pick you from the hospital and you leave before I got there, you avoid my calls..." Y/N was holding her hands together nervously. "

"I didn't think I should be around you, and Richard was no longer a threat" he said giving in and sitting next to her. "I do my job and walk away, that's how it works".

"Don't call it a work you didn't get paid" She said hurt by his words and he regretted immediately "We both know it wasn't that anymore that night... Barry I would not give you the crappy speech of how much I love you, but I do, I love you, with all the shitty parts that come along with you, if anything I love you more about those, am sorry I freaked out at the moment but I was sure he was going to kill you, I wasn't scared for me nor of you, for you plenty"

He remained silent for a moment and then he finally stood up, and for a moment she thought he would walk away, but he didn't.

"Do you want to get coffee?" He asked simply.

"Will you hold the mug like a normal person?" She joked.

"I'll ask for a paper cup with no handle if it's better" he said extending his hand to her. "And for what is worth, I love you too"

She took his hand and walked with him into the night, but he couldn't feel the darkness anymore, and the future looked bright for once.

The end

I liked this a lot, I hope you enjoy it

#barry berkman edit #barry berkman x reader #barry block #barry hbo #barry berkman #barry berkman x you #barry berkman fanfiction #bill hader #gene cousineau #monroe fuches #sally reed

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fandorkofeverything · 5 years

Text

The Peter Parker Project: A Million Dreams Chapter Two

And, this will now be a series! There will be two more installments, and MAYBE a fourth, depending on how this goes.

/Peter's P.O.V/

"Wait…. You got kicked out of school?" Pietro asked as Jade was setting up a movie.

"And you didn't get in trouble?" Brooklyn added, sitting next to me on the couch.

"Teach me your ways, I could've gotten away with a whole lot more at your age." Megan joked, bringing over the popcorn.

"You're only a year older than me." I stated, facing her and she laughed.

"Yeah, 365 days' worth of insanity!" Megan threw popcorn in my hair and I shook my head.

"Hey! Watch the curls! I love the curls." Brooklyn got the greasy popcorn out of my hair and I blushed slightly. It's not like she's my girlfriend or anything. Nope. Not at all. Not one bit. Noooo. Never.

"Not important, back to the subject on hand," Jade smiled, sitting on the end seat of the couch. "You got kicked out, Parker. And for what?" I sighed and shoo my head.

"I corrected a teacher."

"Oooh, do spill!" Maddison exclaimed; her thick English accent clear as always.

"She had Einstein's Theory of General Relativity problem wrong. I simply corrected her, and she kicked me out of the classroom and the principle sent me home. End of story." I shrugged at that and Jade scoffed.

"There's got to be more than that, Parker." Jade glared and I rolled my eyes.

"My name's Peter." I mumbled, annoyed. Jade and I have never got along. I just don't like how she treats other people. But she doesn't have anyone else, so I tolerate her.

"Hey, how about we start the movie, hmm?" Megan questioned, shaking the remote in her hand. Jade sighed and relaxed on the couch arm.

"Fine."

"Great! Let's get this party started!" Kayleigh stood on the couch, jumped and then plopped down, earning a laugh out of me and Maddie.

Megan started the movie, and we were about halfway through the movie when Kayleigh started to get tired.

"Doesn't Sherlock look like your Dad, Brooklyn?" Megan stated, not taking her eyes off the TV.

"No shit." Brooklyn teased, with a wink.

Nobody really talked until the movie was over, and Kayleigh had fallen asleep.

"She's awful sweet for an eighty-something kid." Jade teased and I rolled my eyes, that joke obviously overused. "I'll take her to bed." Jade picked her up and carried the youngest of our group to her room.

"All of us should go to bed. We have school tomorrow." Wanda stated, taking her brother by the hand.

"Yeah. Great." I rolled my eyes, not wanting to go to the disgrace of a high school.

"Hey, soon you'll be at Seaside! No need to worry!" Megan hugged me, trying to be positive.

Except they don't know about Flash Thompson.

I've always had trouble falling asleep, but it was never like this. It was like I could hear everything in the whole world. I tried covering my ears, but it wasn't helpful. My eleven was now a fifteen. Maybe even a seventeen.

I tried to go to sleep, but it just wasn't happening. my alarm then went off and I groaned, rolling off of my bed and onto the floor.

"Karen, would Mr. Stark be mad at me if I just slept on the floor instead of going to school?"

"I would assume so, Peter. Mr. Stark knows that your schoolwork is very important for your—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it."

It was like everybody was screaming. I could hear Brooklyn and Mr. Stark from the kitchen.

"But I want tacos!"

"You can't have tacos for breakfast!"

"Well, why not?!"

"Because I said so!"

I could hear Maddie on the phone with her father.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend."

"You know what to say if someone asks you out?"

"My Daddy's a doctor and will fuck you up?"

"Maddison!"

"Sorry Daddy."

I could hear Pietro singing the sonic theme song on the treadmill. Loudly.

"Gotta go fast, gotta go fast! Gotta go faster, faster, faster, faster, faster! Moving at speed of sound! Make tracks! Quickest hedgehog around! Got ourselves a situation! Stuck in a new location! Without any explanation! No time for relaxation!"

"SHUT UP PIETRO! IT'S TIME FOR BREAKFEST!"

Wanda's scream made me flinch, as her screaming on top of my elevated senses made it worse.

I know that most of the people were just having a discussion, but it came on like a heard of wildebeests. Accepting my fate, I got dressed and went to the kitchen for breakfast. Oatmeal sounds pretty good right about now.

"Wow. You look like shit." The raven-haired girl pointed out and I rolled my eyes.

"Thanks, Jade. I thought I'd cosplay as you today." I smirked at her facial expression after I said that. just because my senses are elevated doesn't mean I can't be cocky towards her.

"Good one, Pete." Kayleigh put out her hand for a fist-bump and I did so. I have no idea how the blonde can tell where I am without her ability to see, but that will always be a mystery to most.

"Oatmeal Tuesday, right Pete?" Steve asked me and I nodded, my head still pounding like three thousand phrases were placed into my head at the same time.

"I'll be taking you to school today, kid." Natasha told me, giving me my oatmeal and I hummed in response with a nod, letting her know I heard her. I ate my oatmeal quickly and we left.

About ten minutes into the drive, Natasha seemed to finally speak up about my silence.

"You okay, kid?"

"Yeah, just tired." I lied through my teeth and Natasha shook her head.

"No, I know what tired looks like. It's more than that."

"I'm fine. I'll be a whole lot better after I transfer to Seaside."

"Yes, The School Of The Arts. The brats- I mean kids, love it there. Any thoughts on classes?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Depends on how hard their AP classes are. Most of STEM subjects are too easy for me."

"Kid, you have the IQ of 230, just 20 points off of Stark, of course they're too easy for you." I smiled at that. There's not many things I'm good at, but school is one of them.

"Alright, kiddo. Have a good day." Natasha smiled as she dropped me off and I closed the door.

She didn't scream 'have a good day' like Uncle Bucky did, and I'm kind of grateful. I don't think my brain could handle it at this point.

"Have you got the notes for science class?"

"Did Black Widow really drop Peter Parker off at school?"

"Did you study for that chemistry exam?"

"Do you have anything toe eat? I ran late this morning."

"Did you see the new Voltron season yet?"

"I'm going to Germany for spring break and the 'rents said I could bring a friend. Wanna come?"

"Did you hear their making a live-action Lion King movie?"

"Ugh, I'm so sick of school. Correction, I'm sick of waking up in the morning."

"Did you eat last night or this morning?"

"Dude, my moms been on my case all week. If I don't get my grade up, she's gonna hire a tutor."

Every single one of my school's voices came all at once. And all extremely loud. Airplane loud. Breaking news loud. Screaming loud. I placed my hands over my ears, but again, it was useless.

"Yo, Penis Parker!" Flash's voice came in like a freight train and I flinched slightly. "What's your problem? Did I scare you?" He taunted and laid his hand on my back, which I shoved away. "C'mon! I thought you liked touch." He did the same and I backed up and screamed.

"STOP TOUCHING ME!" I lowered to the ground, hands over my ears, closing my eyes tightly and shaking, not caring who saw what. The world became quiet, and I felt eyes on me.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" I recognized MJ's voice as I heard her shoes squeak against the high school flooring, clearly newly bought.

I suddenly found myself shortness of breath and struggled to breathe. MJ noticed this and sat next to me on the ground, but didn't touch me, which I appreciated.

"What's wrong with him?"

"What a loser!"

"Wow, that's a new low, Penis Parker!" I felt my side and face experience pain and then a sound of someone punching another person and a girlish scream.

"DON'T YOU EVER LAY A HAND ON HIM EVER AGAIN, FLASH THOMPSON!" MJ's scream caused me to sink back into the lockers even further, if that was even possible. I heard the running of shoes, and then a new person sitting beside me.

"Okay everyone, get to class! This isn't a talent show!" I recognized Mr. Dell's voice and the sound of people scattering. I liked Mr. Dell. He treated me like a person and not a little kid, like most teachers in this crack house. "Peter. Are you alright?" I shook my head, unable to bring words to life. "Would you like me to call someone? Your Aunt?" I shook my head, she's still out of town.

"Maybe try Mr. Stark." Ned's voice then became known, now knowing who sat beside me.

"Do you have his number?" MJ asked, I felt my phone leave my pocket and I heard the ring.

"Pete, shouldn't you be in school?

"Mr. Stark, this is Julius Dell at Midtown High, I'm here with Peter, Michelle and Ned, and Peter has seemed to have had some sort of a panic attack."

"What happened?"

"I cannot tell you what happened directly, but he seems to be really shaken and won't let anyone touch him."

"I'll be there soon. Tell the kid to hold on."

"Of course, Mr. Stark."

I heard the phone hang up and I begun to shake a bit more violently, I grabbed at my hair and clawed it.

"Pete, let's not do that, okay?" Mr. Dell removed my hands from my head, and I fell to the ground, wrapping my arms around my legs.

"Pete?" MJ's worried voice asked, still sitting beside me.

I held my hands tighter onto my ears, and I then heard the run of footsteps.

"Geez, kid…." Mr. Stark's voice calmed me slightly but didn't stop my attack. "I'll be taking him home."

"I think that's very advisable. I'll let the rest of his teachers know."

"You're not like the other ones are you?" Mr. Stark paused for a moment. "You care for him. I can tell most of the other teachers don't. Not really."

"I care for my students like their human beings. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Everyone should." I felt my body leave the ground, and I assumed that Mr. Stark picked me up.

"Come on, I'll walk you two to your classes." I heard the three leave and Mr. Stark carried me out, and I was strapped in.

"What happened to the kid?" I recognized the voice as Happy's.

"Panic attack, I assume. I'll find out later."

I leaned my head against the window and fell asleep.

When I woke up, I was in my room at Avengers Tower. The lights were dimmed down for my senses, and I found I was wearing soundproof headphones. I looked at my phone and saw that I had thirty messages.

Ten from Ned, three from MJ, five from Brooklyn, from from Pietro, and three from Megan. All of them expressed their worry about me. I looked at the time; 4:45…... On a Thursday….. Did I really sleep for 56 hours? I sighed, got out of my bed and walked out to the main room.

Uncle Bucky was reading a book on the couch, Mr. Stark was looking at something on his database, and Brooklyn was watching a TV show.

"Well, look who's joined the land of the living." Bucky joked and I smiled, giving a small wave. Brooklyn ran up to me and hugged me.

"We. Were. So. Worried. About. You!" She shook me side-to-side during the hug and I just dealt with it.

"Brooklyn, ease off of him, dear." Mr. Star told her, and she released me from her prison- I mean hug. "So, what was that that happened on Tuesday?"

"You know how I told you that my senses are usually an eleven?" I asked and he nodded. "Well….. They were a seventeen on Thursday."

"A seventeen? Why?" Uncle Bucky asked and I shrugged, sitting next to him.

"It happens sometimes. But it's never been this bad. I think that was an anxiety attack, a panic attack and a sensory overload all rolled into one. I couldn't speak, I couldn't breathe….. I was scared." I confessed, and I noticed Bucky motion for the Mr. Stark and Brooklyn to leave. Mr. Stark wasn't happy about it, but he did so anyways.

"Do you know what caused this? What caused you to finally snap?" Uncle Bucky asked and I shook my head.

"Peter. I know when you're lying." I froze at that. Of course. I can't lie to Bucky Barnes. "Come on, tell your favorite Uncle what's bothering you so I can fix it."

"You can't fix this…." I mumbled and walked out of the room and back into my bedroom. There's a lot of things that Bucky can fix. My mental state. Homework. School. And dealing with my parents and Uncle's death…

But he can't fix this.

What Peter experienced is called a Sensory Overload. I've experienced these so many times, and let me tell you, it hurts. It hurts like hell. Luckily Peter has so many people that care about him to help him out though!

#avengers fanfiction #peter parker #natasha romanoff #tony stark #anxiety #panic attack #sensory processing disorder #sensory overload #peter parker fanfiction

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justbtscenarios · 5 years

Text

Birthday Boy Blunder

Part 3: You haven't changed a bit

I sat up in the queen-sized bed I had passed out in some time early this morning, maybe around three? I woke up not but 6 hours later to the sound of my phone dinging like crazy with messages from Hobi. It didn’t take much time before I was over the conversation we were having and went back to sleep for a few more hours. I kicked the comforter that seemed to be smothering me to the end of the bed then pulled my hair into a messy bun and wiped the sleep out of my eyes. I surveyed my surroundings, barely visible with the help of the light seeping in through the space in between the curtains. I stifled a yawn, stretching out my limbs until I felt the relief of my bones cracking, the sound was music to my ears. Hobi hated it when I cracked any part of my body because it made him nauseous which only made me want to do it more to tease him. I smiled at the thought, but it quickly vanished once the events of last night hit me like a mac truck.

Why didn’t he answer my calls? It was as if he deliberately ignored them just so he could hang out with the guys which was all he did anymore. It was clear I wasn’t as much of a priority to him as he was to me. I couldn’t even remember the last time we slept together or even just spent a night in to have a movie marathon and cuddle. My heart ached but I couldn’t tell if it was for him or because of him. One thing was for sure, I wasn’t going to go running back into his arms as if nothing had happened. I needed some time to collect my thoughts and figure out what it was that I wanted, no matter how much it may hurt.

“Yo twiggy! You plan on getting out of bed any time soon?” Yeon-seok said interrupting my thoughts and flicking the light switch on, temporarily blinding me.

“I have a name dipshit,” I grumbled.

I hopped out of bed with a huff and followed him to the kitchen where I took a seat at the breakfast bar.

“You haven’t changed a bit. Maybe a little more feisty than I remember,” he said sliding a steaming mug of tea across the counter to me.

I could smell the overwhelming aroma of mint tea with a hint of honey that infiltrated my nostrils, filling my lungs with a warmth comparable to that of the sun. How did he remember my favorite tea? I put my hands around the cup as the heat of the contents inside seeped to the outside of the mug until it burned my hands and that’s all I could focus on.

“I see you’re still a masochist,” he said grabbing my source of concentration from my grasp.

“I see you’re still a dickhead,” I spat, taking it out of his hands.

Hobi and I weren’t just a couple. We had been the best of friends for years, even before his debut. He was a year ahead of me but we were both in the same math class when I was a freshman and him a sophomore because that was my strongest subject in school. We were assigned to the same table and the rest is history. He was the most caring guy I had ever met, although in a relationship for a year before they broke up (two years after BTS debuted) and he asked me out. It wasn’t so much a mutual break up as it was him dumping her after he found out that she not only slept with his older brother but had gotten pregnant too. At that point me and Yeon-seok were in a hate-hate relationship. He always picked on me when I came over to see Hobi and even bestowed upon me the nickname of “twiggy” because I was so thin. At which point in time I bestowed upon him the nickname of “eat shit and die”. Hobi forbade either of us from talking to one another after his experience with his ex-girlfriend. It had been years since I talked to or saw Yeon-seok…until now.

“You’re welcome,” he said motioning to the mug of tea.

“Funny I don’t remember saying thank you,” I replied.

“Okay so it wasn’t just me,” he retorted.

“Thank you,” I smiled fakely, “Asshole.”

“So do you wanna talk about it or?” he asked and I could hear from the tone of his voice that he would rather get hit by a train than hear why I was crying over his brother.

“You don’t have to act like you care Yeonnie,” I said hopping off the bar stool and abandoning my half-drunken mug of tea.

“Hey,” he said grabbing my shoulder and turning me around to face him, “I do care about you. You were my friend too once.”

“Acquaintances possibly and that was until you stuck your dick where it didn’t belong,” I said crossing my arms.

“It takes two to tango twiggy,” he said stepping closer to me.

“Are you trying to intimidate me? Because it’s not working,” I said taking a step closer to him.

“Why do you think I’m just this heartless guy who doesn’t give a shit about anyone?” he asked somewhat hurt.

“Because someone with a heart wouldn’t do what you did.”

“That’s not true at all and you know it. You remember New Years?”

“That’s completely different Yeon-seok! You kissed me!”

“As I recall you didn’t pull away did you?”

“No but Hobi and I were just friends still. Can we just never talk about that again like we said we wouldn’t years ago?”

“Why does it matter? Like you said you guys weren’t together yet.”

“Because he’s my best friend! He knows all of my secrets, even the ones I’d rather keep hidden but he doesn’t know about that and if he did, it would crush him.”

“Like it crushed you when you saw him with some random girl?” he mused.

“How did you even know about that?” I asked bewildered.

“I still talk to the guys now and again. Can’t really fuck them and get them pregnant so Hoseok doesn’t really care.”

“Regardless that’s not even the main reason I was upset,” I said turning to walk away.

“Can you just talk to me? Please?” he asked blocking my path.

“I can’t,” I said shaking my head, feeling the tears welling up in my eyes.

“Shit,” he sighed, “You’re not gonna cry again are you?”

“Fuck you dickwad,” I spit, shoving him out of the way and heading to the bathroom.

After composing myself in the mirror, I took a deep cleansing breath and placed my hand on the doorknob to exit the bathroom. It was cold just like Hoseok had been acting towards me yesterday. I never realized how much my life revolved around him, similar to how the Earth revolves around the Sun. Everything reminded me of him, no matter how minute it appeared in retrospect. It was like an inescapable nightmare that haunted me wherever I went. Exiting the bathroom I ran straight into Yeon-seok, our bodies clashing with one another like cymbals. He grabbed me before I could completely ricochet off of him and he let go of me, straightening up and clearing his throat nervously.

“What are you doing?” I asked exasperated, “Were you waiting outside the bathroom this whole time?”

“I’m really sorry ladybug,” he said taking my hands in his.

Ladybug was the nickname that Hobi had given me because he said I was his good luck charm, it had been ages since he called me it though.

“Ladybug? Really? Using the nickname Hobi gave me to soften me up?” I asked, taking my hands out of his grasp.

His face contorted into an expression of confusion and I was curious as to what I had said that created such a puzzled look to grace his face.

“What?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.

“Nothing,” he said shaking his head, “Look. I’m really sorry about everything. I’m sorry for all the times I teased you. I’m sorry for being such an ass to you. You didn’t deserve that and I honestly do care about you.”

I could see the pleading in his eyes to express how apologetic he was and I could hear the sincerity in his voice.

“Most of all I’m sorry for not keeping in touch with you,” he said looking down at his feet.

Yeon-seok rarely, if ever, got shy. He exuded confidence and was well aware of his own self-worth and not in an excessive or cocky manner. He was a well-rounded and humble individual as painful as it was to admit.

“Why? Hoseok forbade us from talking.”

“So? I should’ve contacted you. I wanted to contact you but…I was too much of a coward to do so.”

“I’m really trying to wrap my head around this but I’m a little lost. Why are you being so nice and apologizing to me? After all this time?”

“It’s been festering in me the past couple of years. I was so unnecessarily rude to you and I can blame it on the fact that I was jealous you were getting all of my brother’s attention or I could attribute it to the truth.”

“Which is?” I asked, urging him to continue.

“I-”

Before he could finish his sentence, my phone started going off in his bedroom where I had left it on the nightstand. I jogged into the other room towards the source of the ringing with Yeon-seok not too far behind and when I grabbed my phone I slid the green phone without even looking at the caller ID.

“Hello?”

#bts au #bts jhope #jhope #jdope #jung hoseok #hobi #bts #jhope fake texts series #birthday boy blunder part 3 #birthday boy blunder #bts written scenarios #bts jhope scenarios #jhope scenarios #justBTScenarios

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proxylynn · 6 years

Text

UNDERFELL: FILE NAME NOT EDGY ENOUGH part #3

Chapter 3: Napstablook

WARNING: I WANT NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER SPOILING THINGS FOR OTHERS. THAT BEING SAID, THIS HOW FILE NAME NOT FOUND WOULD FUNCTION IN THE AU OF UNDERFELL. BEFORE YOU READ THIS, UNLIKE THE NICE TIME OF UNDERTALE, THIS WORLD IS KILL OR BE KILLED. THIS STORY WILL BE GRAPHIC, GORY, USE SWEARS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS, AND DEAL WITH SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTERS. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THE FILE NAME RELOCATED SPOOF WILL KNOW HOW I PICTURE THIS VERSION OF LYNSIE COMING TO THE UNDERGROUND. IT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING DUMB. IT IS BECAUSE SHE CHOOSES TO END HER LIFE. AGAIN, THIS IS A BETA AND THIS OPENING CHAPTER IS LIABLE TO CHANGE TO BETTER FIT THE STORY AND MY NEWEST WRITING ABILITIES. SO TAKE THIS DEMO WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I MADE IT BECAUSE I NEEDED TO LET SOME OF THIS EDGINESS OUT OF MYSELF. WHICH I GUESS MAKES UNDERFELL LYNSIE EVEN MORE TRUE TO WHO I REALLY AM. ANYWAY, ENJOY. ^_^

"Oh, my! That was pretty close. A second later and you would have been a pile of ashes."

Such a weird combination of tones in this voice. There's the tone of someone that is concerned about having attacked us and yet also the tone of twisted delight in the idea of death. This "HER" steps out of the shadows and I almost can't take her seriously. Toriel seems to be a monster that resembles a white-furred Nubian Goat, complete with droopy ears and short horns. She has a pair of visible fangs and long eyelashes, her irises have a dark red tint that looks insane or exhausted in the glow of the yellow sclera of her eyes. She has an anthropomorphic body, with paws at the end of her limbs. Which has me wondering why paws and not hooves? She wears a black and blood red robe that is frayed at the bottom, though the sleeves and leggings are a dusty gray. The robe displays a symbol of sorts on her chest that probably has a deeper meaning then I'm willing to care about right now. Right now, I'm more focused on the fire-wielding goat lady that is looking at me funny from across this really long room.

"Ah, do not be afraid, my child. I am TORIEL, caretaker of the RUINS. I pass through this place every day to see if anyone has fallen down. You are the first human to come here in a long time. I will do my best to ensure your protection during your time here."

I look at Flowey.

"Dude, is she for real?"

"She hasn't been the most stable since she left her husband."

"She left him? Huh...Judging by this intro of hers, I'd say he dodged a bullet."

Flowey shoots me a mean look and I'm confused.

"Come! I will guide you through the catacombs."

"You just threw a ball of freaking fire at us. I think we're better off going solo...or tandem? What do we call this thing we're doing?"

"Temporary joint union."

"Yeah! We're doing that."

Toriel's eye twitches and she step a bit more into the room.

"C-Child, please. I-I-I have only the b-best intentions for you."

"Considering we've just met and it started with you sneak attacking us, I'm calling bullshit on that. Flowey, do you have anything to add on why we shouldn't go along with her?"

"While she is motherly and caring some of the time, under the most minimal tension, she will become aggressive. She tries to keep the humans for herself. Always offering love and care. However, when the human inevitably tries to leave, she will fight them and attempt to kill them. Offering them a comparatively quick death, rather than a long and painful death at the hands of Asgore or any other monster."

"Huh...So what you're saying is, she's lonely?"

"Uh...I guess? Wait...What's with that look? Don't tell me you're actually considering it?"

"...Maybe."

Flowey proceeds to berate me and my questionable life choice when I notice something more urgent. Toriel is sprinting...towards us...and FAST!

"Fuck!"

"Huh? Holy sh-!"

I don't have enough time to evade to the side. Gotta go with a risky maneuver. I take a drive and skid under Toriel as she charges by. Once she's able to slow down, she sees us making a beeline out of here.

"You brats are making this so much harder than it needs to BE!"

Fireballs chase us out of the room, some getting way too close for comfort.

"I think we made her mad."

"We? Oh no, this is all on you."

"What did I do?"

"Less talky and more run for our lives!"

Now out of the room of fiery hell but with a crazed goat woman after us, we find a split path. There's a room to my left where a Froggit sits by and a hallway down the right.

"Which way?"

"That room's a dead end. Go right."

"Understood."

I ignore Flowey and the Froggit as it seems to ignore me as I enter the room on the left. The only thing there's nothing there but a bowl of candy on a pillar with two channels of water on either side.

"What are you doing?! She'll find us for sure."

"Can you hold your breath?"

"What?"

I slowly make us go into one of the channels and Flowey is shivering badly from the cold water.

"This is a stupid idea."

"Be quiet. She'll be gaining on us soon. You don't want to attract attention. Now hold your breath. We're going under."

We take in big gulps of air and I hold my nose as we sink beneath the placid surface. Flowey glares at me for doing this but then we hear the sound of someone enter the room. Heavy footsteps wander around the small room, obviously confused. There's silence for a time. Flowey begins tugging on me to get me to surface but I refuse. I won't go up till I feel it's safe. Soon, the heavy footfalls patter away out of the room and I wait an additional moment or two before carefully raising for air.

"*gasp*! Didn't you feel me pulling?! I needed air!"

"*sigh* She was still here. Going up would've been suicide."

"Fine...Can we get out now?"

"For the moment, yes."

"What do you mean for the moment?"

I drag us out and sit on the edge.

"Do you see what I see? The water is flowing into this room."

"Okay? So what?"

"If it's doing that, then that means there's a tunnel system. We can bypass running into her altogether and pop out somewhere else maybe ahead of her."

Flowey blinks a couple times.

"That's...That's actually a smart idea."

"The only issue would be air. Might be a tight squeeze in there, so we'll have to keep our faces up and hold our breath for a while."

"I was afraid you'd say something like that."

"You ready for this?"

"Wait...Eat some candy first."

"Uh...Why?"

"It'll restore your HP."

"..."

"Human?"

"It makes so much sense that I died in the fall and ended up in a purgatory that acts like a video game."

"That again? Look...I 100% assure you, you are not dead and this is real. Now go eat the candy, refill your HP, then get us back in the water so we can avoid the Boss Monster."

I stare at him blankly.

"You hear the words coming out of your mouth, right?"

"Yeah yeah. Just do it."

I stand up and go over to the precariously placed bowel.

[In this hellish world, you can only take 3 pieces of candy...Has a distinct, non-licorice flavor.]

"How would I even know that?!"

"Who are you talking to?"

"You really don't hear that?"

"You talking to yourself? Yeah. I'm pretty sure the Froggit heard you too."

"Ribbit." [I did.]

My eye twitches in frustration but I give up trying to understand and take a piece of candy.

[You took a piece of candy.]

"I swear I'm losing my mind."

[You ate the Monster Candy. Very un-licorice-like.]

"It's not wrong about that. Pretty tasty stuff."

[HP ██████████████████ 18/20]

"Mind sharing?"

"Croak?" [Me too?]

"Sure. Why not."

[You took more candy. How disgusting...]

"Bite me, voice in my head."

I give it to Flowey who happily munches on the treat.

[You took another piece. You feel like the scum of the earth...]

"No, I most certainly don't."

I toss a cady to the Froggit and it snaps it up with its long tongue.

"Ribbit." [Thank you.]

"No problem. Enjoy. And one more for me to max out my health."

[You took too much. Look at what you've done. You monster.]

"Whatever."

[You ate the Monster Candy.]

[HP ████████████████████ 20/20]

"Okay, back in the water we go. Yo, Froggit, if you see Toriel around here again, can you not say anything?"

"Croak, croak." [You got a deal, human.]

"Thanks, buddy."

Flowey and I take a deep breath before diving back in. It's dark in these tunnels, I have to feel my way along the walls for guidance. Luckily for Flowey, I stay close to the very tiny surface so he can breath more easily. Oddly, I find myself coming up for air less often than I'm used to. A crazy thought comes to me. Flowey's sort of fused to me in a parasitic fashion...What if he's able to filter some of the air he's getting into my own body? That would be so badass.

We skim along for a while. Aimlessly following the current as tries to push weakly against us. This is actually really relaxing. It's like going on the lazy river ride in water parks. It's a small break in the mad dash of the world where one can just forget all the insanity that goes on in our lives. But a reprieve like this is one that doesn't last long enough to my liking.

"Hey, I think I see light up ahead."

I can't really speak without gargling water, so I opt for nodding and move slowly towards it. I do so in caution. I know not what is out there. So when we near the opening I hold the walls and keep us stuck.

"Why did you stop?"

"*burbles* Check it out."

"*snickers* I'm sorry? I didn't quite get that."

"*growls*"

"Okay, okay. I'll take a look."

Flowey stretches his stem out to let his petal head take a look.

"The coast is clear."

He returns to me as I swim out the opening and pull us ashore in yet another room in the Ruins. I ring out my hair and clothes in a pretty dull room. On the end where I guess we would've entered are three boulders and three corresponding floor switches that would seem to go with the spikes that cover the bridge to this side of the room. I would say this is a smart puzzle but lying isn't nice. One can easily do what we did and swim across. Hell, with enough of a running start, you can jump the gap. Or even walk through the gaps in the spikes. Whoever is making these "puzzles" are terrible at making them trap anything. Unless...They aren't really trying to do so in the first place. Toriel...What are you up to?

"Wow! We made great progress."

"Did we?"

"Oh yeah. We skipped a bunch of annoying trap. I say we've got a mighty fine lead on Toriel."

"Good to know."

"Are you okay? You sound a little disappointed?"

"No. I'm just thinking is all."

"About what?"

"...Nothing. Let's keep going."

The room following this lame boulder-pushing puzzle is a room containing a mouse hole and a small table with a piece of cheese on it. Checking the table, the cheese appears to be stuck to the table due to being there so long.

"Hey rodent, I wouldn't try to eat that. That will definitely make you sick."

"Why bother? It's just going to eat it anyway."

"Better to speak up than say nothing at all."

"...You are a strange human."

"So I've been told."

Entering the next area another split off to two more passages. One going straight and one continuing on the left. Both paths are, however, blocked by what I can only imagine is a ghost. The ghost is like that of a simple bed sheet costume. But instead of the sheet being white, the sheet is black. The ghost has red eyes with black sclerae and aside from that is very undetailed long body apart from a mouth. A thin red line separates the eyes. It's just laying there on a pile of dead leaves, not even asleep either, though it's pretending to be.

"zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...zzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."

"Should we say something?"

"It's a ghost. Walk through it."

"That's rude."

"How? It's not like it can feel anything. It's incorporeal."

"Dude, you are so racist."

"How is that racist?"

"That be like me walking on you just because you're a flower."

"Fine. Point taken. But we still need to get past him."

"Okay, I'll handle this. *ahem* Excuse me, Mr. Ghost?"

"zzzzzzzzzz...(are they gone yet) zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...(can't they tell I want to left alone) zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."

[This ghost keeps saying 'z' out loud repeatedly, pretending to sleep.]

No shit, Sherlock. I don't want to provoke it. But it seems like I have no choice but to bug the thing.

"Look, pal. I hate to bother you, but would you mind moving out of the way? I need to pass by."

"grrr...who's the moron that can't take a hint?"

It rolls over to sit up and face me. I'm not surprised to see it confused to see me.

"Yo. That would be Ms. Moron. Nice to meet you too."

I do a little bow for derpy effect and Flowey rolls his eyes.

"Don't mind her. She hit her head pretty hard earlier. Though I'm starting to think she's always been like this."

"Took you long enough to notice."

I pat Flowey's head but the ghost is unamused.

"oh...so it's a human that thinks it's funny. *scoff* just my luck. not only does a human have the nerve to piss me off. but it's a retard too."

I mock a gasp.

"Sir! I'll have you know I am far from that abhorred word. If anything, I'm special. With just a hint of A.D.D."

Flowey slaps himself.

"If you were trying to make yourself sound better, you failed miserably."

"that was trying? I'd hate to see what it's like when it actually makes an effort."

"*scoff* I'm surrounded by haters. But I've dealt with worse. My skin's gotten so thick I doubt any insult you throw at me will strike a nerve."

This intrigues our spooky new acquaintance.

"is that so? heh...alright human, you asked for it. *inhale* you are physically repulsive, intellectually retarded, your soul isn't even worth taking, you have no taste, a lousy sense of humor, and you smell. you're not even interesting enough to make me sick. you are nothing! if you were in my toilet I wouldn't bother flushing it. my bathmat means more to me than you. you pompous, stuck-up, snot-nosed, scumbag, fuck-face, dickhead, asshole of a human being!"

Wow...Who knew ghost could get winded.

"*panting* how...was that...human...?"

I clap impressively.

"Not bad, dude. That has to be a record for the most insults said to me in a single go. I give you a ten out of ten. Flowey?"

"...That was so messed up."

"And another ten from the second judge. The results are in. And...Yes! The ghost takes home the gold! The crowd is going wild!"

The room is dead silent.

"...are mocking me?"

"Far from it. If you think that's mockery than you're mistaken. If anything, I was trying to flatter you."

Another thing I didn't know about ghosts...apparently they can blush.

"f-flatter me? w-wow...heh...no one's ever done that before."

This ghost is adorable. I must resist the need to hug him. Unfortunately, while I'm having this internal battle to do something super awkward, the ghost shakes off the effect of my charm and smirks wickedly.

"I'll admit, you got me there human. but that's the last time that trick will work on me."

"Dude, I wasn't tricking you."

"I don't think it cares."

[GHOST FIGHT begins to play in the background.]

Huh? Is that...music?

[Here comes Napstablook.]

"Wait, what?"

"you talk a lot, human. but let's see how good you are at fighting!"

"Oh, you are so not ready for this."

"I am so not ready for this. I mean, how fair is this? He's a ghost! You can't hurt a ghost."

"that's right. you can't hurt me...but I can hurt you!"

My now purple soul emerges and the ghost, now known as Napstablook, proceeds to attack me with music notes. How does that work? Easy, he fires them like bullets at me! Sure the , , , and are easy to avoid, but the 🎼, , , and symbols are a lot trickier. Those are the ones that hit me quite a bit and riddled me with holes.

[HP ██████████████ 14/20]

"Damn it...*pant* I had just replenished my HP."

"We should've taken more candy with us."

"So true."

[FIGHT]

[ACT]

[ITEM]

[MERCY]

"Let's see what I'm dealing with here."

[ACT selected.]

[New options available.]

[CHECK]

[THREATEN]

[CHEER]

[FLIRT]

"Hold the ding dong phone here...I can flirt with him?"

"Please, human, for the love of god, do not flirt with him! Resist any sort of sentimentality and defend yourself!"

"Hmmm...Tough call here. I think I'll check first."

[CHECK selected.]

[Napstablook – HP: 88 ATK: 10 DEF: 10 – This monster doesn't seem to have a sense of humor...]

"oh, I'm REAL funny. make your move and find out."

Threat feels like the stupid option here and I really do want to see how flirting would go, but...I did only just meet the guy. I'd rather not make this too awkward right away.

[CHEER selected.]

"As far as fights go, you're doing a hell of a good job. Best one I've had all day. Keep it up, my spooky friend."

"...Did you really just say that?"

"*whisper* Shut it, flower-boy. I'm working here."

[Napstablook is wishing they weren't here.]

"heh...you think this is my good material? nah, you haven't seen anything yet. I've got jams way hotter than this. in fact...here's my latest remix!"

Napstablook shuts his eyes and concentrates. Curiously, he begins to sing a ghostly tune. These notes are floating notes are surrounded by purple bubbles They slowly fill the room more and more as he sings. Frankly, if this keeps up I won't be able to maneuver around these things.

"They're getting closer."

"I can see that Flowey. Not much I can do about it."

"What do you think will happen if you touch one?"

"I don't want to find out."

I find out when one pops on my head and the weirdest numbing sensation happens that is soon followed by my nervous system going nuts and I'm rocked with painful spasms.

[HP █████████ 9/20]

"Holy hell! Are you alright?"

"*slurred* C-Can't...m-move...B-Body...s-stuck..."

"Not good. This is not good at all."

Napstablook peeks with one eye and smirks at the sight before him.

"heh...that's the face of some that likes good tunes. tell me human, what do you think of my music?"

Concentrate Lynsie! Say or do something before he finishes you off!

"*slurred* I-I know...y-you're mocking me...B-But honestly...y-you have a...l-lovely voice.."

[FLIRT selected.]

Wait! I didn't select that!

Napstablook is flustered by this as much as Flowey and myself are. But this also breaks his concentration and bursts all the bubbles, allowing me time to recover in this confusion.

[The faint odor of ectoplasm permeates the vicinity.]

"w-w-what?! w-why would you say something like that?!"

I slap myself a couple of times to get the tingles out of my system.

"Because it's true. We might be fighting and acting like jerks, but that doesn't mean I'm going to lie about something like this. I mean, think about it, what would be the point?"

Napstablook averts his eyes from me.

"you're just making fun of me."

"Dude...Are you for real? Since we've met, have I even come off like a dick that would sling hate at you?"

"...no."

"Exactly. Life beats on people enough as it is. I'm not about to add more bullshit onto anyone's plate."

For a moment, this scary ghost holds a soft smile that makes him looks so damn cute. Yet it doesn't last long and he glares daggers at me seconds later.

"stop that."

"Stop what?"

"stop being nice to me."

"That's what I've been trying to tell her!"

"Zip it, Flowey. This is a serious moment. Napstablook is trying to speak and we should respect his turn to do so."

"just stop! you don't even know me. you're just some strange human. why don't you just back off?"

"To be fair, I can't really leave you alone. You started the fight and it won't let me leave unless we fulfill the 'end the fight' requirements."

"*scoff* that's not my problem."

"Though now that you mention it...Heh, I am coming on a little strong, aren't I?"

"Just a little?"

"Yeah...Tell ya what. Let's start over. S'up, I'm Lynsie the human. It's nice to meet you, Napstablook."

Napstablook fidgets and appears unsure how to respond.

"I come here because I don't want others to bother me...guess that turned out badly on my end."

"You do that too?"

His eyes widen.

"It makes it easier to be alone. To shut everything out. No one can hurt you when there's no one else around."

Napstablook looks sadden by my words and even Flowey is looking at me oddly. But Napstablook shakes this off.

"hey! mind your own business."

I frown.

"I know that tone. That's the voice of someone that is in pain and isn't ready to talk about it."

"*growls* hmph...I'm telling you, I'm fine. but soon you won't be..."

He summons more music note bullets.

"and it's not like you really care anyway!"

He fires them at me and I do my best to avoid taking damage as best I can, at least this attack isn't as strong as the last one. Purple bubbles hit for 5 HP while the note mullets hit for only 3 HP. My soul changes color, from purple to cyan light blue.

[This battle is taking everything you have...It's difficult and bringing up things you're not ready to go into either...But despite everything, you are filled with the need to him this ghost...No matter what.]

[HP ███ 3/20]

"*huffing* That...should've killed me..."

"Yeah, you took enough hits to have hit zero. What happened?"

"n-nothing! nothing happened...I'm just useless is all. I can't do anything right..."

Napstablook looks sullen, his inner pain creeping out to consume him. Damn it! I don't like this. I don't like that I can see myself in him and the tears that are threatening to pool in his eyes.

"Don't say that!"

Napstablook and Flowey flinch at my snap. I ball up my fists trying to keep calm.

"Don't talk like that! You're not useless. No one is ever useless. Everyone matters. It may never feel like it. It might always feel like everything is your fault and the world is better off never even knowing you exist. But damn it...That's not true! *sorrowful* It's not true..."

Don't you fucking cry! Don't you do it, you stupid bitch! Not now...Not like this.

"Lynsie? Hey, you're shaking..."

I bite my tongue and force a fake smile. No one's buying it.

"h-human...you shouldn't waste your nice words on me. I mean, I am trying to take your soul. no one should care about me...I'll just weigh them down and they'll end up getting hurt anyway..."

[CHEER selected.]

"You don't know that. It may be what you feel, but you don't know if that's the only outcome. The possibilities are as infinite as the stars in the sky. The only one that is really stopping you from finding out is yourself."

[Napstablook is staring into the distance.]

"..."

"Napstablook...*sigh* I know this is awkward as fuck. But I'm telling you these things not to be weird or upset up. But because I don't like feeling this pain. The same pain I see in you."

"...stop it human. this will get you nowhere. I don't want your pity."

"I'm not pitying you. I'm being sincere."

"Lynsie, maybe you should stop and...you're not going to listen to me again. *mumbles* Why do I even open my mouth?"

"I don't...just be quiet human!"

"It doesn't have to hurt. If you just talk to me..."

"stop it! stop doing this! can't you see I want you dead?!"

"Killing me isn't going to make you feel better! That won't make the pain stop!"

"SHUT UP!"

All this agitation is getting to Napstablook to the point his attacks change. Now he attacks me with his bloody tears. How does this attack me? Simple...He starts crying long wiggly tears that change direction upon approaching the walls, they climb up the walls and eventually fall once they are above me. So yeah, I'm trying to dodge blood tear rain. What the fuck is my life right now?! Either way, I manage to avoid everything up until the last couple of drops which burns my soul like acid!

[HP ███ 3/20]

"It burns! Argh! Why do tears burn?!"

"Here, let me..."

Flowey holds my soul and rubs it in his leaves. I don't question why this relieves the pain, I'm just incredibly grateful it does. Hooray for the healing power of plant aloe! I think?

"Mmmm...Thanks a million, Flowey."

"Thank me after we get out of this. It's your turn."

[REALLY NOT FEELING UP TO IT RIGHT NOW. SORRY.]

Poor Napstablook. He's crying and it's all my fault. I have to make this right. But how? Could it really just as simple as cheering? I mean, it is an option for a reason. I know if I felt this bad I'd like someone to cheer me up...Not like anyone ever gave a shit about me. No! Not now. Save the pity party for later. My light blue soul changes color again...now it's green.

[CHEER selected.]

"Napstablook...Please don't cry. I know this hurts. And you don't know how to deal with it. But the more you hold it in, the worse it will get."

"s-s-shut up! I'm not crying! *bawling* just shut up and die already!"

Napstablook starts crying normal looking magic blood tears that rise up before falling at a curved trajectory towards me. This attack is, by comparison, the easiest to avoid, as there aren't as many tears coming down like the other attack. This gives me a crazy idea that Flowey would so tell me not to do. I use this to my advantage and move inward, going straight for the sad specter.

[HP █ 1/20]

"What are you doing?! Get away from him, you idiot!"

"s-s-stay back...d-d-don't come any closer!"

"I can't do that."

"w-why not?"

I stop in front of him and he shuts his eyes in anticipation of some sort of hit. I just shack my head and put my hand on top of his head much to his surprise.

"I can't stay away, because I can't do this from afar."

I kneel down and wrap my arms around the poor guy in comfort. Once more, Flowey is both amazed and disappointed. But he's not my concern. Napstablook is confused, unsure whether or not to accept this.

[You hug NAPSTABLOOK.]

"*sobbing* why...w-why are you being so nice to me...?"

"I know the ache you're feeling. But no one ever took the time to ask if I needed help. I don't want to see anyone go through this like I did. So please...No more tears."

"*sniffling* I-I'm not crying...I'm not crying so you can just shut up...I don't need you to understand me...I don't need you to bother with me..."

"That's where you're wrong. I want to understand you. I want you to know that you can't do anything that would bother me. I...I want to be your friend, Napstablook. *sniffle* I want you to know that you're not alone."

Napstablook flinches at a sudden cold feeling. Turning to look at me his eyes widen. I'm crying. I couldn't hold it anymore. It's not as bad as I want to, but the tears are steadily falling. Napstablook looks over at Flowey who is just bewildered by the entire event.

"Don't look at me, she's the weirdo hugging you."

"Hugs are nice. Hugs make the pain stop."

Napstablook frowns and pats my back. Wait, he has hands? Where? How? Ghost logic!

"you...you're not bad...for a human."

"Thanks."

I let him go and he just floats sadly.

"I know this whole thing was weird between us. And you probably want to, you know, go sort some stuff out on your own instead of yukking it up with some strange human chick. But I want you to know...*nervous* If you ever feel like just...being around someone or...maybe talk for a bit...I won't mind being that person you come to. I-If that's cool with you and all? *nervous giggle*"

I rub my arm sheepishly. Why am I so nervous all of a sudden? Napstablook gives me a patient smile.

[Cheering seems to have improved Napstablook's mood.]

"heh...heh...heh...oh gee...you...you really are something else. but...maybe that's a good thing. I usually come to the RUINS because there's nobody around...but today...I met somebody nice. odd, but nice."

I smile fondly at him. I did good. I can be proud of myself.

"oh! I'm blocking the way...I'll let you pass now."

With that, Napstablook fades away.

[YOU WON!]

[You earned 0 XP and 0 gold.]

This clears the way for me and Flowey to continue, but I find myself frowning.

"What's wrong? You won. Now we can continue."

"I...I kinda was hoping he'd stick around. Maybe tag along?"

"What? Why?"

"He seemed like a nice guy."

"Nice? He tried to kill you! You have 1 HP left!"

"He was lashing out because he's hurting. I won't blame him for it."

"You are without a doubt the stupidest human I have ever known."

"If being kind to those that need it the most is stupid than I rather be a nice idiot than an intelligent asshole."

"That way of thinking is going to get you killed."

"Whatever."

I stand still for a while, my head looking down at the ground and my hair draping my face. Flowey becomes uneasy by this.

"Uh...Human? You do realize we can walk, right?"

"...Flowey, I need a minute."

"But, Toriel can be anywhere! We don't have time to..."

"FLOWEY!"

Little guy flinches and I rub my face trying to settle down.

"Please...I need a minute...Just one..."

"Human..."

Halfway into that moment of silence Flowey speaks again.

"Um...Sorry to bother you, but...That stuff you were telling the ghost...Was...W-Was that stuff true?"

I don't reply.

"Lynsie?"

"...I'm not ready to talk about it. Not yet. Not now..."

"O-Oh. O-Okay."

"...Sorry I snapped at you."

"...I forgive you."

He pats my head with his leaf and I start walking into the room straight ahead of us. This room is empty apart from two spiderwebs and a sign. The sign informs us of a Spider Extortion Racket, which is held in the two nearby spiderwebs. All proceeds will go to befit some monster named Muffet and her plans on taking over the Underground for all spider kind. Sounds lame to me. The smaller web wants 7 G for a single Spider Donut? Weird. The larger web wants 18G a thing of Spider Cider? What? Wait...There's small print on the sign. 'Please note, since we spiders are trapped in the Ruins and therefore can't give our gold to Muffet, we really don't give a crap if you pay us or not'. Well...I feel awkward.

"Take the food and let's go."

"None of these sounds good."

"Of course not. It's made by spiders, for spiders, with spiders. Who would WANT to eat a spider?"

"Not me, that's for sure."

"You don't really have a choice. You need something to heal. You can't go walking around with only 1 HP. You're a target waiting to be hit and hit hard."

"I'd rather press my luck without eating or drinking spiders."

Still, part of me feels odd about this place. So I take the 2G I got from the fight with Froggit and put it in one of the webs.

"Why'd you do that?"

"Meh. I don't need it."

A tiny spider comes down and takes the gold with a small snicker.

"Have a nice day."

I wave it off as we exit the room. Only now do we see that we have a slight problem. My fight with Napstablook has taken more of a toll than we knew, as I have been bleeding from bullet wounds this whole time and leaving a trail in my wake.

"We better go."

"Yeah."

Taking the other path leads us into a large room with three Froggits, who have huddled around and playing a game of craps. They look at us and for a second, it seems that they are about to attack us. But I think of something to distract them.

"Look behind you! There's something in the way!"

They look at the wall and much to our surprise, there IS something there. A fourth ant-sized Froggit is found in a crack in the wall and its got a tiny switchblade. While confusing as hell and so many questions coming to my mind, Flowey gets my body moving into the next room before the Froggits take notice of us again.

"...That was so weird."

"I know, right?"

This new room is just as odd. This room has spikes blocking the exit and six cracks, three on either side, on the floor. A plaque on the wall reads "There is just one switch." hinting that we need to trigger one switch to solve the puzzle in this room.

"Do you know where it is?"

"Nope. I don't really 'do' a lot of the puzzles here. I can just shift around in the ground and get by them."

"Cheater. *sigh* I guess we have to check each spot till we find it."

"Seems like it."

Starting with the three parts on the left, I kneel near the crack and push on it. This breaks the floor and we look inside.

"I don't see a switch. Do you?"

"Nah. Just a rooted Vegetoid. Let's keep looking."

Moving on to the next on the left side, we once more break the cracks. But lady luck smiles on us this time.

"I see it!"

"Great. Drop down."

"Drop down? How will we get out?"

"There's a set of stairs to get back up here. See those ledges? You climb over those to get back out here."

"...You monsters and your crazy puzzles, I swear."

Flowey doesn't get a chance to respond as I drop down the hole and land in a pile of dead leaves. Flipping the switch, we hear a loud clank and head up the stairs to return to the upper floor. Once there, we see the spikes are down.

"Great, let's keep going."

"Aren't you curious as to what the others have?"

"No."

"...We're looking."

"Why?"

"Because you never know unless you try."

Flowey sighs as I move over to the last hole on the left, but this one contains nothing but a leaf pile.

"Lame."

I go back to the start of the room and begin now on the right side. Breaking this first crack has me tilting my head in puzzlement.

"What is that?"

Flowey looks down and a look of familiarity hits him.

"Be right back..."

I watch as the flower-boy stretches down the hole and comes back with an old red ribbon.

"Why'd you get that?"

"For this..."

Flowey pulls my hair back with a couple vines and ties the ribbon tightly around it, making a ponytail.

"There. Now you can see better and not look so darn creepy."

[You equipped the Bloodstained Ribbon.]

[You gain 5 Defense.]

"Huh? Neat. A little gross, but neat."

[If you're cute, the monsters will still hit you just as hard...but now they might feel bad about doing it.]

"Really? Okay, I can dig this."

Moving on to the next crack, I break it open and I can't help the smile I get.

"What? What's with that goofy face?"

"Shhhh...You'll see."

I climb over the ledge to the hole's corresponding stairway and head down. Flowey is deeply confused until we get to the bottom. There, laying in a pile of leaves and facing the wall, is our spooky buddy Napstablook. Flowey's about to chastise me but I cover his mouth. Slowly I take careful steps closer.

"don't come any closer human..."

I shrug.

"Damn, and here I thought my ninja skills were top notch."

I try to be funny to show we're still cool. Though Napstablook does make a small chuckle, he doesn't turn around to face me.

"So...How ya doing, dude?"

He doesn't answer and I frown.

"Guess I really do suck at this whole friend thing. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you."

I turn to leave from whence we came.

"wait..."

I pause.

"...I didn't say you had to leave."

The smile I get hurts from how big it is and Flowey is at least glad to see I'm in a better mood. I turn back and go near Napstablook, sitting on the ground just a foot or two from the pile of leaves he's on.

"human..."

"Yeah?"

"I...I've been thinking...about the stuff you said...did...did you really mean it?"

"Every word."

Don't choke up now. He's willing to talk. Don't make this awkward.

"heh...you were right about some things...I...I have some problems...I'm angry and hurt...but not at you...there's just so much shit in my life...I need to really resolve so much and think about how to handle things..."

"Do you maybe wanna...talk about it?"

"no...not yet..."

"I understand."

"thank you...it's hard for me to say stuff like this...but I just want you to know that...that I'm grateful to you...no one here has the patience or kindness or mercy to put up with someone like me..."

"Is that what you think? That I put up with you? *groan* This is harder than I thought it would be."

"Lynsie? What are you doing?"

I move closer to Napstablook and lay behind him. The ghost visibly tenses up and flinches when I drape my left arm over him. Yep...Kind of spooning a ghost that tried to kill me some time ago. This is my life now.

"h-h-human?"

"I'm not 'putting up' with you. I know the people down here tend to be douchebags, but I genuinely care about you."

I nuzzle the back of his head and he sniffles at the possibility of tears happening.

"I'm sorry I attacked you so badly."

"It's okay. I forgive you."

"I..."

"Shhhhh...You don't have say anything, Napstablook. We can just lay here."

I feel him relax and feel a hand take hold of mine.

"human..."

"Hmmm?"

"this...this is nice."

I smile and shut my eyes.

"Yeah. It is."

I would love to see the look on his face, but at this point, I couldn't open my eyes even if I wanted to. I'm so worn out and low on health, exhaustion takes over.

"Lynsie? Aren't you worried about...?

"*sleepy* A little nap...Please?"

Flowey frowns but can't help that he's stuck on a lump of dead weight at the moment.

"Fine. But only for a little while. Besides, sleeping can recover your health above your maximum HP. So I guess it's for the best."

I'm out cold in moments. With me unconscious and Napstablook snoring soft Zs, Flowey gives in to the group. He curls up and lays his head on mine. Peaceful slumber soon fills the room in a place that knows no peace.

[Hours later]

Napstablook can't remember the last time he slept so well. Not that ghosts need sleep, but it still doesn't hurt to do so either. This human...Very strange, yes. But she made him feel so comfortable. From the kindness of her words to the gentleness of her actions, and the warmth of her body laying there against...wait...Where did the warm go?

Napstablook sat up and looked around. The human was nowhere to be seen. The only evidence she was there at some point was the indent in the leaves and small blood drops on the ground. Something doesn't feel right. Her behavior didn't match this. He had to investigate. Floating up to the upper level he found his answer as it was leaving the room. There was the human, still unconscious, but now being held and carried away by Toriel. Most likely taking the human to her home.

"oh, shit..."

#undertale #underfell #OC #Lynsie #Anomaly #Sans #Papyrus #Gaster #Grillby #Napstablook #Mettaton #Toriel #Chara #Asgore #Frisk #Asriel #Alphys #Undyne #Grandpa Semi #Flowey

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thefanficnewbie · 6 years

Text

The Unexpected Punk on a Snowy Night - part 1 | Chloe Price x reader

My take on a Christmas-themed BtS imagine! Merry Christmas, people!

Summary: You had accepted the fact that your Christmas would be a lonely and quiet one. You were cool with, honestly. Spend it reading books, watching Home Alon again, it could even be nice, right? Well, guess you’ll never find out. Not now that a certain troublemaker showed up at your doorstep in the middle of the night.

Author’s Note: this happens before Chloe meets Rachel.

Read part two here!

You jerked awake at the sound of your ringing phone, the chorus of your favorite song playing over and over again. A grunt left your lips as the brightness of the desklamp hit your eyes and momentarily blinded you.

“Dammit.” You mumbled, reaching out your hand towards the nightstand beside you. After accidentally pushing a couple of pens to the floor, you managed to grab your buzzing smartphone. With a yawn, you brought it to your ear, still not completely awake.

“Hello?” A few muffled sounds were the only answer you got. Now that the black dots cleared from your vision, you were finally able to reach full consciousness. You had fallen asleep while reading a book - said object still lying on your lap and your back still leaning against the bed frame.

“Hello?” You sat up straighter, slightly annoyed by the interruption of your so beloved sleep. Just as you were about to hang up, a female voice spoke:

“Yo, (Y/N)… What’s up?”

“Who’s th- Chloe?” You furrowed your eyebrows as you recognized her voice, still too groggy to come up with reasons as to why she’d call you so out of the blue.

“Yeah, that’s me.” You could practically hear her roll of eyes. “How are you spending the holidays?”

“What?” Geez, could she be more random? “Chloe, wait, why the hell are you calling me at-” You checked alarm clock “1AM, Merry Christmas, by the way?” You hurriedly added the last part after doing the math and realizing that hey, it’s Christmas!

“Uh, thanks, same to you.” She paused for a second “I’ll just go straight to the point. Is there any chance you’re still in Arcadia right now?” At that, a tingle of worry started to grow inside of you. Chloe Price, the troublemaker who you barely talked to, calling you on Christmas, late at night? Of course, that meant trouble.

“I am, actually. Couldn’t make it to my parents’ this year…” While they still lived in your hometown (a few hours from there), you had moved to Arcadia Bay to study at Blackwell at the beginning of your sophomore year. Instead of sleeping in the dorms, though, you stayed at the apartment complex owned by a friend of the family, who took full responsibility for your well-being.

“Good.” She said, making you frown. You didn’t really see the ‘good’ in spending the holiday alone. Price continued before you could reply, “You still live in the same place, right? From when we did that science project?”

“Uh, yeah-” That didn’t smell good. Not at all. You bit your lip in anticipation.

“Here’s the thing, I’m kinda on your street right now, it just started snowing and it’s real cold, so… Can I come in?”

“Wait, what?” Your frown deepened as you kicked the blanket off your legs and jumped to your feet, now giving the call your full attention. I probably heard that wrong… Or maybe this is just a prank call of hers, you thought, reaching out your hand to turn on the ceiling lights.

“What you heard, dude. I’m outside of your building, freezing. I know it’s sudden, but I- Oh, hey, I see ya.” Your eyes widened in exasperation as you looked through your window, examining the lonely figure standing on the sidewalk, who waved at you.

“Chloe, what the hell?” A sigh left your lips as the fact of her being right there sunk into you. And the award of unexpectedness goes to… “What are you even doing here?”

“It’s a long story, man, one that I don’t really feel like telling… Listen, I ran out of cash, I just need a place to stay until it stops snowing. I know we’re not friends or anything, and that it’s Christmas, but could you please do me a solid here?”

You didn’t hesitate.

“Of course. I’ll be down in a few.” You pressed the hang up button.

Frankly speaking, you had no idea what was going on. You two seldom talked, apart from the one time she’d spent the afternoon at your place for a pair project, and a few messages exchanged throughout the year. Chloe was a surprisingly nice, funny girl, despite all the bullshit everyone insisted to say about her. Sure, some of her habits and behavior deserved to be frowned upon, but as you came to know, there was a whole other side to her that often compensated it.

Still, that didn’t mean you expected her at your doorstep on Christmas.

Shaking your head, you put on a robe over the thin fabric of your PJ’s and headed to the building main staircase, cursing as the cold air hit you. On the tip of your toes, you hurried to the ground floor and immediately unlocked the front door. You just wanted to get back to your cozy and warm bed.

“Hey there!” Price had her hands thrown in her pockets, her head in a hoodie, and a smirk on her face as she nodded at you. “Thanks for this, (Y/N). Seriously.”

“Anytime.” You stepped back to make space for her to get inside, staring at her a little more than society would consider normal or polite “Now, come on before you turn into an ice cube out there.” You offered a soft smile, finally looking somewhere else.

“I’d be a fucking masterpiece of a statue if that happened, though.” The teenager walked to your side and you closed the door the behind you.

“Absolutely. I’d even take credit for it and expose it somewhere, call it ‘The Unexpected Punk on a Snowy Night’.” You chuckled, leading the way towards your apártment as you two exchanged silly jokes and remarks all the way up. Suddenly, you found yourself reminded of why you wanted to become friends with her a few months back; you could never get enough of her sass and sarcasm.

“Make yourself comfortable!” You said as you stepped into your living room, Chloe right behind you.

“Nice decor.” She gestured to your arrangement of Christmas lights, a small white tree, red socks and several childish drawings pinned to the wall. You felt your cheeks warming up.

“Heh, what can I say? I actually enjoy the whole Santa Claus thing a lot, plus the little kids in the building are cute little artists.” You shrugged. The children liked to give you their art, and you were happy to show it to whoever entered your apartment.

“Cool.”

Awkward silence. Fidgeting your fingers, you stole a couple glances at her, quickly shifting your eyes back to a random point in space a few moments later. What exactly did normal people do when someone showed up at their doorstep at 1 AM?

“So-” You two said in unison, immediately averting your gaze from each other. You gave a small embarrassed smile, clearing your throat. “Are you… hungry? I don’t exactly have fancy food here, but…” You just then noticed her still slightly shaking limbs “Dammit, sorry, I’ll turn up the heater. Would you like to take a shower?” You asked as you made your way to the temperature regulator.

“No, no, I’m cool-”

“Yeah, you’re way too cool. A little bit of hot water wouldn’t be a that bad to warm you up, y’know?” You turned to her “C’mon, I… I’m sure we can find some clothes for you in my closet.” Now that you thought about it, that phrase did sound a little weird.

“It’s fine, really. I’ll be outta here soon, don’t wanna bother you or anything.” She said dismissively.

“You’re not a bother, don’t worry.” You smiled “It’s quite nice to have someone here, especially tonight… I was kinda lonely.” You frowned slightly “But I still don’t get why you’re not with Joyce right now.”

Chloe’s face darkened as crossed her arms, staring at the floor. You could almost feel the cloud hanging over her.

“She’s got better company, apparently.” The punk said through gritted teeth.

Noticing her change in demeanor, you decided it was best to not touch on that subject again. It was none of your business anyways. Though you still felt sorry for her.

“Well… At least we’ve got each other, huh?” You playfully elbowed her “I might not have turkey or roast chicken, but I’ve got popcorn and Netflix. You can crash here too,” You hesitated “if you want. I wouldn’t mind it at all.”

“Um,” Chloe started. Your heart skipped a beat. Had you taken it too far? “if you say so.” A wave of relief washed over you as a smirk grew on her lips.

“Let’s show those motherfuckers what a real Christmas party looks like!” She smirked, earning a series of giggles from you. God, it was so much better to see her with a smile on her face.

Maybe it wouldn’t be such a boring holiday, after all!

Thank you for reading this! Any feedback and/or reblogs will be highly appreciated!

Read part two here!

Hit me up if you wish to be tagged! :D

#chloe price x reader #before the storm #life is strange #lis imagines #christmas #chloe price imagines #wlw #girls like girls

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miraculousstorytelling · 7 years

Text

Lucky Swap

A very very late @mlsecretsanta gift for @teddy529. You had a pretty open-ended request, so I went with a temporary kwami swap!

The day began simply enough. An afternoon wandering around the streets of Paris with Alya by her side and a little money to spend on something to reward herself for her much improved attendance record at school. They even managed to find one of many small shops with a collection of Ladybug and Chat Noir merchandise, primarily intended to appeal to tourists and younger fans. Alya, however, was immediately taken by some of the earrings on display.

“Marinette, look! This one’s perfect for you!” The pink ladybug earrings were exactly the style Marinette typically wore, but Marinette shook her head.

“No, that’s okay. I already have the perfect pair.” She picked up a plastic ring that looked similar to Chat Noir’s. “I really love what I’m wearing.”

“Tell me about it.” Alya rolled her eyes. “I’ve never seen you wear anything else.”

“They were a gift from someone really important.” Marinette chuckled as she set the ring aside.

“Yeah, so you keep saying.” Alya waved the earrings in front of her. “You could at least try these on, though.”

“But I’m not going to buy them,” Marinette insisted.

“Why not? You can like a pair of earrings and still have some variety.” Alya frowned.

Marinette hesitated, caught between her duty to keep her earrings safe and the simple desire to indulge in trying on something new after months of wearing the same accessory every day. Besides, they’d just defeated an akuma last night, and Hawkmoth was probably still sulking over his latest defeat. Surely, she could take the chance to remove her miraculous for a little bit.

Unfortunately for her, the universe seemed to have some different thoughts on the subject. Almost as soon as she’d taken them off and tucked them into her purse, she was interrupted by the sound of shouting outside the small shop. Alya dragged her to the street before Marinette even had the chance to snap her purse shut, and they both stared up at the sight of an akumatized man on stilts, kicking over carts and stomping on cars that didn’t move out of the way fast enough.

So much for a day off.

Alya pulled out her phone, intent on following the enemy to the inevitable battle, and Marinette ran the opposite direction, searching for a safe place to transform. Once she was far enough, she ducked into a quiet alcove and dug around in her purse for her earrings. “Tikki, I’m sorry. I just thought…” She froze when she realized her purse was frighteningly empty of her kwami. “Tikki?” She emptied her purse onto the ground, brushing aside half-used makeup, a travel sewing kit, and her phone to find that her earrings were also gone.

Panic built in her chest, and she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down before packing her things back in her purse and standing. The earrings must have fallen out, and Tikki probably stayed with them to keep them safe. She just had to go find them both. No need to worry.

She peeked out into the street, looking for anyone who might see her, then she ran back along the path she’d taken earlier, hoping for some sign of her kwami. Thankfully, a flash of red along the side of the road caught her eye, and Marinette followed it into a small alley.

An alley, that unfortunately wasn’t quite as empty as Marinette would have liked. She spotted Tikki only seconds before she saw Chat Noir watching her from the other end of the alley.

“Chat Noir! Ummm…” She chuckled. “I thought I saw a...a cat run in here, but-” She glanced down at Tikki. “I...guess this isn’t a cat?”

He stepped closer and knelt beside Tikki. “Are you Ladybug’s kwami?”

Tikki nodded, sneaking a glance at Marinette. Neither of them were sure of how to handle the situation, but both of them knew they needed to keep Marinette’s identity safe.

Chat Noir glanced up at Marinette. “I’ll take care of her until we find Ladybug.” He scooped up Tikki before Marinette could protest and leapt onto the nearby rooftop. He called down to her. “You should find somewhere safe before the akuma gets here.”

Marinette nodded. “I will!” She couldn’t exactly stop him, and Tikki couldn’t really say that she’d already found Ladybug without revealing that Marinette was Ladybug. Instead, she watched helplessly as her partner ran off with her earrings and her kwami and cursed her rotten luck.

She groaned and dropped her head back against the wall with a soft thump. “Now what am I supposed to do?” she murmured to herself.

An abandoned motorcycle just outside the alley sparked an idea. After all, she’d managed to sneak into Le Grand Paris with a disguise before. Maybe, just maybe, she could fool Chat Noir with one. She snagged the helmet off the motorcycle and found a rain poncho at a nearby abandoned shop, dropping a few coins on the counter to cover the cost. She quickly tugged it on and pulled on the helmet before she ran down the street, hoping no one would see her.

Her peripheral vision was a bit impaired by the helmet, and she couldn’t hear as well as she liked, but she managed to make her way to the tall akuma without incident. She could only hope Alya would somehow fail to capture evidence of her gaudy disguise, although Marinette knew the chances of that were pretty slim.

She scanned the scene, looking for Chat Noir. He hadn’t attacked yet. Maybe Tikki had reminded him he couldn’t capture the akuma without her. She frowned, finally looking up to see if he was on a rooftop nearby or-

A flash of red was her only warning before she was suddenly picked up and dropped onto a building across the street.

“You shouldn’t be out here! This akuma’s dangerous!”

Marinette turned and her jaw dropped at the sight of her partner, no longer in his typical outfit as Chat Noir, but instead in her typical spotted outfit, wielding her yo-yo and wearing her mask. “Chat Noir?” she asked, eyes wide.

“Wait.” He stepped closer, and she ducked her head to prevent him from seeing her face through the visor of her helmet. “Ladybug?”

“Yeah.” She nodded and held out a hand. “Can I have my miraculous back, kitty?”

The akuma loomed over them in an instant, and both of them turned to look up at it. “No time!” he shouted, tugging off the ring he wore over her suit and pressing it into her palm. “We can trade after!”

“Wait! Do you even know what you’re doing?” she shouted after him as he swung off.

He flashed her a grin before striking at the villain’s legs to give her time to hide. A black blur flew past her and hid in the shadows of the far corner of the roof.

Marinette groaned again. “This cat is going to be the death of me.” She ran off towards the corner and looked down at what could only be Chat Noir’s kwami. “If I take off my helmet, will you tell him who I am?”

He shook his head. “No way. It’s his job to figure that out.”

“Okay.” She tugged off her helmet and knelt in front of him. Before she could ask him what she needed to say to transform, he began to laugh, nearly doubled over in midair. “What’s so funny?” She scowled and jammed the ring on her finger, barely registering how it shrank to fit her.

“Nothing,” he managed between chuckles.

“Do you know me?” she asked, frowning.

“We’ve met when my Chat Noir was watching over you during your date with that artist kid.”

“It wasn’t a date,” she grumbled.

A boom coupled with Chat Noir’s distant shout as he was undoubtedly flung somewhere brought her back to the present situation.

“What do I say to transform?” she asked. “And what’s your name?”

“It’s Plagg.” He grinned. “And you say, ‘claws out’.”

“Alright.” She stood. “Plagg! Claws out!”

Seconds later, she was dressed in her partner’s suit, already missing her yo-yo as she pulled out his baton. She ran to the edge and jumped down onto the ground below. Chat Noir had managed to clear the area of onlookers while he dodged attacks and tried to trip up the tall villain with his yo-yo. Alya was still recording, but Marinette could see he was keeping an eye out to make sure she stayed safe.

Marinette raced to his side. “Any idea where the akuma is?”

He glanced over at her. “Not yet. I…” His voice trailed off as he caught sight of her appearance. “Have I mentioned you look great in black, milady?”

She rolled her eyes, but the wink he sent her way did coax a small smile out of her. “You look pretty good in spots, too.” She looked around for anything that could help even the odds against the akumatized enemy, all business now that the flirting was out of the way. “Okay, if I cataclysm the ground under one of his feet, I can knock him off balance while you use lucky charm.”

He nodded and shouted the familiar phrase while she shouted, “Cataclysm!” Energy buzzed under her skin, humming just over the surface of her gloves. She grinned and ran at the villain, swiping the ground under his foot to send him tumbling down onto his side.

Chat Noir was already wrapping his yo-yo around the akumatized villain and tugging him down to the ground. Marinette held him still while her partner wielded his lucky charm, a spotted seam ripper, to remove a dark purple patch from the man’s shirt. Chat Noir jumped back and ripped it in two. Marinette grinned and watched the black butterfly soar up before Chat Noir caught and cleansed it.

He sent her another wink before tossing the seam ripper up in the air, shouting, “Miraculous Ladybug!”

Marinette settled back on her heels as buildings were restored and the man reverted back to his normal appearance.

“Ladybug!” Alya ran up to them. “Did you two trade miraculouses?”

She straightened and sent Alya a calm smile, already prepared to lie her way out of the situation. “We thought it would be good for us to understand each other’s powers just in case. We just swapped temporarily.” She chuckled and slung an arm over Chat Noir’s shoulders. “He makes a good Ladybug, don’t you think?”

He beamed at her praise, easily playing along. “Thanks, bugaboo.”

“Bugaboo?” Alya asked softly.

“We really should be going.” Marinette tugged out her baton as her miraculous beeped. “Come on, Ladybug.”

He chuckled and swooped off, leaving her to follow him as they raced to another part of the city. She carefully counted the number of beeps while they looked for a safe place to detransform. When their last warning sounded, she indicated an empty alley and dropped down to the ground. He followed, landing beside her.

“So, how-”

She quickly grabbed him and turned so their backs were touching. “Okay. Here’s the plan. We detransform, trade, and then you leave. After five minutes, I’ll leave, and you have to be out of the area.”

She could feel him nod behind her. “Okay.”

The alley lit up with twin pink and green flashes of light as their transformations simultaneously fell. Marinette grinned when Tikki flew in front of her, “Thank goodness you’re okay!”

Tikki nuzzled her cheek. “I’m glad you’re okay, too.”

A hand snaked back, awkwardly holding her earrings out to her.

She quickly grabbed them and removed his ring. “How did you wear these anyway?” She pressed the ring into his palm.

He chuckled. “Are you asking if my ears are pierced?”

“I guess your curiosity rubbed off on me, kitty,” she teased back, putting in her earrings.

“Tikki said it wouldn’t be a problem.” He shrugged, the flex of his shoulder against her back alerting her to the action. “They were clip-ons when I put them on.”

“I guess that makes sense. I think your ring shrank down to fit me,” Marinette murmured.

“The miraculous shifts to fit the user,” Tikki explained. “I’ve had male Ladybugs before.”

“Really?” Chat Noir asked.

“We should probably talk about this later,” Marinette said, gently nudging him forward with her elbow. “Remember. Five minutes.”

“Five minutes. Don’t worry.” He walked away, his receding footsteps echoing softly in the alley.

Marinette pulled out her phone to check the time. After starting a timer, she set the phone aside and tugged off the plastic poncho she was still wearing. The helmet she’d borrowed was still on top of the rooftop where she’d transformed. She made a mental note to pick that up later and try to return it.

“Hey! Pick up your phone!” She jumped as Alya’s voice rang out from her phone. The screen abruptly changed from the native clock app to an incoming call. “Marinette, pick up your phone!” Marinette bitterly regretted allowing Alya to record her own custom ringtone. The sound of her best friend’s shouting was loud enough to be heard from the main road. She could only hope Chat Noir had managed to put enough distance between them that he hadn’t heard it.

Marinette scrambled to pick up her phone. “H-hey! Alya! What’s-”

“Marinette! Where are you? You won’t believe what happened! Ladybug and Chat Noir swapped their miraculouses! It was amazing!”

Marinette chuckled and leaned back against the wall. “You’re kidding!” She checked the time again. Four more minutes. “I think I’m near that cafe where we had lunch on Tuesday. I got a little turned around running from that akuma.”

“Okay, meet me at your place. You have to see this!”

“Okay! I’ll see you soon!” Marinette grinned and hung up. Two more minutes. “Three minutes is probably long enough. Don’t you think, Tikki?”

Tikki smiled. “I think so.”

Marinette ran out of the alley and hurried down the street. She quickly scanned through her missed texts from Alya as she went. Midway through the fifth “Marinette, seriously, I cannot believe you’re missing this!”, she collided with someone else and nearly knocked them over.

Thankfully, she managed to catch herself and grabbed onto the other person in the process. “I’m so sorry! I wasn’t looking where I-” She looked up to see the latest victim of her legendary clumsiness and gasped when she saw Adrien looking down at her. “A-A-Adrien!” She grinned awkwardly, acutely aware of her hand, wrapped around his bicep to steady him.

He smiled. “Hey, Marinette.”

“I, um… Sorry. I was looking at my phone, and-”

“It’s okay.” He chuckled. “It’s, uh, funny running into you, actually.”

“Really?” she asked, finally releasing his arm and stepping back.

“Yeah. I was kind of thinking it might be nice to stop by your parents’ bakery.”

“Oh! That’s a-actually where I’m going right now!”

“Mind if I join you?” he asked, looking more nervous than she’d ever seen him before.

“Sure! It’s, um, right this way.”

He nodded and followed her.

In the end, he spent a few hours with her and Alya, feasting on croissants and watching Alya’s footage of Ladybug and Chat Noir’s latest fight several times over. Adrien had nearly as many theories about Ladybug as Alya, some of which impressed Marinette. Even better, she could have sworn she caught him blushing when he started talking about how wonderful Ladybug was. If Adrien already liked Ladybug, it was only a matter of time before he’d like Marinette, too. After all, they were the same person, and she spent much more time with him as Marinette than she did as Ladybug.

Once Adrien and Alya left for the evening, Marinette finally had the chance to properly apologize to Tikki. “I promise I won’t take them off again.”

“Marinette, it’s okay. Everything worked out.” Tikki smiled. “Besides, it was nice to meet Chat Noir.”

“Do you think he heard my phone? Does he know who I am?” Marinette asked, part of her still concerned.

Tikki giggled. “I don’t think so.”

Marinette flopped back onto her bed and sighed. “You know, Plagg laughed when he saw who I was.”

“Did he?” Tikki asked, despite the fact that she didn’t sound at all surprised.

“Do Chat Noir and I know each other?”

Tikki paused, then she flew over to look down at Marinette. “You know it wouldn’t be fair for me to answer that.”

“Yeah, I know.” She sighed. “I just wonder sometimes.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you two will find out someday.”

Marinette frowned. “Is that safe?”

Tikki settled beside her. “We’ll see.”

Marinette turned on her side and curled around Tikki. “I’m glad you’re safe. I was really worried when I couldn’t find you.”

Tikki smiled. “I am, too. Get some rest, Marinette. It’s been a long day.”

“It was.” She yawned and nodded. “But I got to see Adrien.”

“Yes. He seemed very happy to see you, too.”

“You think so?” Marinette asked, already half-asleep.

“I’m sure he was.”

#miraculous ladybug #mlsecretsanta 2k16 #kwami swap #ladybug #chat noir #this wound up being a lot longer than I meant it to be!#pre reveal #my writing

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thestillofwinter · 7 years

Text

Get to know me

I was tagged in one of this adorable “get to know you” posts by the lovely @friendly-neighborhood-witch. Thanks for the tag, witchy! <3

Name? Anastasia

Age? 21 (but Imna be 22 in like nine days, wooo!)

Height? 5′7″...I think? maybe 5′8″

Where you’re from? Maryland and Massachusetts. But my favorite place to have lived is definitely Ireland.

Favourite song? Yo, how you gon’ ask me to pick just one? I have like twelve million favorite songs so I can’t pick just one! But here are some that I listen to when I’m having a shitty day and need a bit of a pick-me-up: No Such Thing - John Mayer

Just like That - The Coronas Get Loose - The Coronas Something Good Can Work - Two Door Cinema Club

Geronimo - Sheppard

My Favorite Things - Leslie Odom Jr.

Fixin’ - Walk the Moon This = Love - The Script

Please Just Take These Photos From My Hands - Snow Patrol

Are you sensing a pattern here, ‘cuz I am. (Most of these bands are Irish/Northern Irish, lmao.)

Favourite Book? Again, how are you gonna ask me to pick just one? I’ve been a reader all my life so I caaan’t pick just one favorite book. But Just One Day by Gayle Forman is definitely one of my all-time favorites because it speaks to the wanderlust in my soul. That and it feels kind of autobiographical to me. Other favorites are Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, the Series of Unfortunate Events books by Lemony Snicket, and most anything with magic!

Favorite smell? Rain, the ocean, fresh laundry, flowers!!, old books, Irish pubs, scented candles, strawberry cake...and probably a dozen more I can’t put into words.

A memorable experience? Lmao come ask me about one specifically in my ask box, man! This is too vague to answer here. Like...I had a memorable experience last week but I could tell you about the best day of my life so it’s like- how do I answerrrr?

Countries you’ve been to? Ireland, England, Holland, Canada

Countries you’d want to go to? So feckin’ many, oh my Lord. Most definitely back to Ireland, Austria, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Greece, Chile, Brazil, India, Japan, a bunch of places in Africa...all over, really!

Languages you speak? English, Simlish, sarcasm...I’m learning Irish but it’s pretty slow-going, but I’ve been told I probably know more than my best friend who IS actually Irish and living in Dublin, lmao.

Favourite subject in high school? Ceramics for sure, but other faves include ancient medieval history & film studies

Hobbies? WITCHCRAFT. ...Well, researching what I’m interested in regarding witchcraft, for sure. Photography’s a huge hobby of mine too, and writing fanfics used to be. Reading’s definitely a hobby of mine too, and I really fuckin’ love dancing - though not professionally or anything, just in my room 😛

Favourite plant? Hydrangeas, sunflowers, pansy’s, the problem with asking me about my favorite plants is that I fuckin’ love flowers but NEVER KNOW THEIR ACTUAL NAMES. Sooo it’s kind of a problem. XD

Favourite food? Pasta. Breakfast foods. Comfort foods. Dessert. Ya can’t ask me my favorite food because everything I eat is pretty much my favorite. Except for peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Those are okay.

Views on modern society? Like … in general, or in my country? For the most part, I think we’re moving in the right direction, but there’s still a lotttt that needs improvement.

Favorite era and why? This one because I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME FUCKIN’ RIGHTS AS A QUEEN YOUNG WOMAN OF COLOR, LIKE LET’S GO!!! That and the people I love are alive and well in this era so of course I’m gonna say this era! That and other eras of history have really fuckin’ sucked for people of color, women, and queer folks so...nah.

If you could experience one event in history, which would it be and why? Oh man, I don’t know! Think I need more time to think about this one. Maybe something really cool & revolutionary in the future?

Have tattoos, Piercings? Well I had seven piercings until one of my ear piercings closed up, so now I’ve only six - which includes a nose ring! As for tattoos, I want sooo bloody many but am gonna take it slow. I’m hopefully getting my first one this summer in Ireland, so excited!

Want any [new tattoos, piercings]? Please see above.

Thoughts on love? I have so many thoughts on love and most of them are indescribable. Love is comfort and safety and an adventure. It’s knowing you’re safe with someone and each person giving the other room and space to grow.

Spirituality? Agnostic secular witch, yo!

10 facts about you?

I never fuckin’ shut up about my study abroad trip to Ireland. Never. Like just ask my roommates, they’ll probably tell you!

I say things like “I’m too gay for this” and “I’m gay as hell, Jesus Christ”, but I’m actually bisexual. I LIKE UMBRELLA TERMS, ‘KAY?

Despite having a super cheery personality and being hella dramatic about absolutely everything in life, I also have depression.

My delving into witchcraft is another way I’m learning to manage my depression and feel empowered about myself.

If you haven’t noticed already, I SWEAR A LOT! It’s just a part of my personality, aand also my upbringing. (Like my Nan used to swear all the time and over the smallest things.)

When I was a kid, I thought referees were magical and could talk so loud, everyone could hear them - even people watching TV! I thought you had to be magical to even apply for the job and that there was this whole secret order of referees or something. I had some fuckin’ cool ideas as a kid - but unfortunately many of them weren’t true!

The Nightmare Before Christmas is my all-time favorite movie and I will fuckin’ internally shriek and flail if I find out you’re also a fan. True story.

I just really love apple juice, but I don’t eat apples. Or most fruits and vegetables.

Photography is one of my favorite things in the world and it’s helped me reconnect with life. It reminds me that there are still beautiful things, still good & pure things, in life and that I’ll notice them more when I just slow down.

I’ve never broken a bone, fractured or sprained any muscle in my body. Ever. (Andd now that I say this, I’m probably going to in the near future.)

Tagging @wandsbrewsandbroomsticks, @persephoneandthepomegranates, @beginner-witch-bitch, @starlit-witch, and @lamplightwitch to do the same! Of course, ya don’t have to fill out the questions if you don’t want to, but it’d be cool to get to know a lil bit about you guys this way! 😊

#get to know me #tagged

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norhymenoreasonff-blog · 7 years

Text

Chapter 37

Have you ever sat back and dreamed up the most amazing dream only to wake up and realize the life you are living is so much damn better than anything you can imagine. That’s my reality every morning and as every day, moment, and milestone happen I almost regret and avoid sleep because I know nothing I dream will be better than what I truly have and the life I am living now. We’re officially in our second trimester and every day there is something new and amazing and life changing going on and happening to us.

There are days and moments though that I have to sit back and take in a deep breath before I thank every deity and God I can think of for this life I have been given. I’ve always wanted this life but there was moments, days, years that I thought this would never come to be. Somehow I convinced myself that I would only get to love Robyn from afar while half living life. I convinced myself that as long as she was in my life in some capacity that was enough. But somehow… someway they blessed me and I got so much more. Marriage… a coming son… a life with my Robyn loving me back as much as I love her.

Our house hunting adventure is at a momentary standstill but I am determined to find us the perfect house before Baby Junior is here. There’s nothing to be really concerned about but Baby Junior is making sure we remember that he will be here soon running our lives. My love has had a bout or two with morning sickness since we’ve told everyone that we were expecting. He was the perfect angel when no one knew but I guess he wanted to make up for lost time. She’s been able to get a handle on her sickness but now she has developed back pains. She’s not even that big but most nights we’re laid up with me caressing her back making sure whatever pain she has is gone. We talked to our doctor and she assured us her pains are normal and nothing to be concerned about. But until we are sure touring houses and making choices have been put on a hold.

I take perverse pleasure in the changing of her body. Her body is softening and rounding and if I could I would spend minutes, hours, days kissing and touching and loving every part of her. Every night I find my head in her lap worshiping her with my touch and kiss. I try to count and measure how many kisses it takes for me to kiss across her stomach and yet I tend to lose my count in the hundreds and she simply laughs and counts for me instead. In truth she’s not very big but I’ve been wanting, craving, waiting, and watching for every change.

Since that impromptu picnic when the mamas were still here she’s been stuck on Ishmal’s double bacon cheeseburger. If she could she would eat it everyday but I’ve put my foot down and she can only have it every other day. I can’t deny her what she wants and whatever it is I will find a way to get and give it to her. She hasn’t sent me out in the middle of the night searching for some impossible treat but if and when that craving comes I am ready

Our phone lines have not rested since our announcement of Baby Junior hit instagram. It seemed like as soon as we thought we had some type of reprieve the calls started again with family and friends congratulating us while telling us how and what we should be doing during this pregnancy. Surprisingly other than a mention by our aunts any and all wedding talk has been forgotten and it’s been all baby overload. We’ve been given hundreds of baby name suggestions and offers to be godparents. The actual godparents have been surprisingly calm now that Baby Junior has gone from a thought and want to an actual coming baby.

When Mijo called to offer his congratulations on our coming baby he told me he was proud of me and I was damn near reduced to tears. Our relationship at one point was so damn toxic because I was a knucklehead determined to fuck up my life and he was being a big brother doing everything he could think of to steer me in the right direction. We fought… we had drag out fights because every time I attempted to do something I knew I had no business doing he would pop me upside the head and then it was on. I resented and damn near hated him when mama sent me to Harlem because I knew it was at his suggestion. I didn’t know it then but his suggestion saved and changed my life for the better.

He’s always been on my side and it was his words and advice I sought out and listened to when it came to my feelings for Robyn. It took a long while… I’m slow sometimes… but I finally understood his actions and aiding in sending me away was done out of love but to hear he was also proud of me… my hormones got the best of me and I’m not even the one pregnant. My love cried with me and slowly wiped the wetness from my face while lovingly telling me to leave the crying to pregnant ladies. I can’t think of anyone better to be Godfather to my son and when I told him that truth it was his turn to cry and wipe away sudden wetness. He’s more than my brother… he’s my best friend and I want him to show the same love, care, and guidance he gave to me to my son. I asked the same of Robyn’s cousin TJ and to say he was moved would be an understatement. I asked him because he stepped up and cared for Rorrey and Rajad after Robyn was sent away… doing everything he could to keep them all close. He cared for her and her heart thousands of miles away and I want the same for our son.

We never got the chance to ask Melissa or Leandra to be Godmothers to our child… it was pretty much a given and as crazy as it sounds I can’t wait for the day they invade our space with their craziness, loudness, and most importantly love. I thought we would have a three way battle for Godmother duties but it seems Mel and Lee already figured out how and what duties each would have. They cackled on the phone with Robyn debating and bartering on exactly what they could do but when Leandra turned the subject to breastfeeding and what she would be available to do and I tuned out the rest of their conversation knowing instantly that I did not need to hear anything else being said. There was only one person missing from this conversation but since they didn’t bring her up neither did I.

Taryn and her missing ways have really started to get to me. We’ve never gone this long without some kind of communication and it worries me. I tried asking around about her and everyone at work damn near asked me the same questions. It seems her disappearing act is becoming office wide and it’s time I get to the bottom of whatever this is. All thought of Taryn and her sudden and constant absence is forgotten with the ring of my phone and my love’s voice in my ear.

“Hey handsome…”

Softly smiling, “Hello my love…”

“What are you doing?”

Slowly shrugging, “Bullshitting the day away…”

“Sounds like fun…”

“It’s not…”

“I’m not interrupting you am I?”

“ Never that… what’s up?”

“I was just wondering what you were doing…”

“I have a lunch meeting…”

“Then don’t let me keep you…”

Shaking my head as if she could see me, “They’re not here yet… what are you doing?”

“I was in the kitchen cooking up a special dinner for my husband…”

“Baby…”

“He’s been coming home hungry and tired lately and I wanted to do something nice for him…”

“Aww baby you don’t have to do all of that…”

“But I want to…”

“What about your back? It’s been hurting you lately and you know what the doctor said…”

“Dr. Ruiz said everything is fine… just my body adjusting to Baby Junior… plus I feel good today…”

Slowly smiling, “How good?”

“What you got in mind?”

“Well…”

Softly laughing, “We were doing that even when my back was hurting…”

“Damn right we was and if I have to rig up some damn contraption we gon keep doing it until that baby pops out and I put another one in there…”

“I’m going to hold you to that…”

Softly smiling at the sound of her laughter, “I don’t want you overdoing it…”

“I won’t…”

“How is Baby Junior doing?”

Hearing the smile in her voice I sat back listening how my love explained how perfect our son was being to her today. Save for the bouts of morning sickness her pregnancy has been amazingly smooth. It’s like she discovers something new every day and I revel in her every joy as she tells all to me. I never thought this level of happiness was possible but it is and I will do whatever I have to do for us to keep it. Talking until I saw Taryn enter the restaurant I whispered my love to Robyn and Baby Junior and promised to be home as soon as I could so I could devour her and the special treat she cooked for me. As a less than enthused Taryn came to stop at the table I stared back at her as I softly spoke to her.

“Hey stranger…”

“Is that supposed to be funny?”

“No… it’s supposed to be how you’ve been lately…”

Slowly shrugging, “I’ve been around…”

“I haven’t seen you…”

“Maybe because you’ve been the one playing stranger and been missing in action yourself instead of me…”

“Probably but life has been crazy lately so…”

“I have a life too… I find time to still be around…”

Slowly shaking my head, “Not according to Bryce… yo ass been missing as much time if not more than me….”

“You believing shit coming from Bryce of all people now? So that’s how we do now?”

“Taryn… what’s all of this?”

“All of what?”

“This attitude. I haven’t chilled or talked or had lunch out with my friend in I don’t know how long and the first chance we do all she’s doing is hitting me back with attitude and short rude ass comments. Did I do something I don’t know about or…”

“No…”

“Then why the attitude?”

“I don’t have an attitude…”

Shaking my head, “You can save that lie for someone who might believe it. Where’s my Taryn and when is she coming back?”

“Your Taryn?”

“Big wild hair that fits her and her only… weird ass clothes that she pulled out of somebody’s closet that she makes look amazing… a loud ass laugh that even the most miserable person couldn’t resist… eyes and the sweetest smile that would light up even the dullest room… resident and head cheerleader of all things Chris and Robyn… where’s that girl at?”

Softly whispering, “I’m right here…”

“That’s who I came to have lunch with and I ain't seen her yet… that’s who I came to talk trash about all our coworkers with… that’s who I’ve been missing and searching for…”

“Chris…”

“I know our lives have been crazy busy lately and we are going in a dozen different directions but I still need time with my friend even if she did try and drop me for my girl…”

Softly laughing, “She had better things to talk about…”

“Better than me?” exaggeratingly rolling my neck, “gurlll… let me tell you the shit I heard about Thomas…”

Quickly shaking her head, “Don’t ever do that again…”

Puckering my lips as I stared back at her, “I’m just saying…”

“You do that a little too well…”

“Watch that shit now… I’m all damn man… I puts shit down and don’t you forget it…”

Slowly shrugging, “Yeah alright…”

“I was copying what I see Robyn do on the phone and…”

Smirking as she stared back at me, “If you say so…”

“Taryn don’t play me like that…”

Loudly laughing as only she could, “You should see your face. You look like you are about to either break down in tears or cuss my ass out…”

“You keep hinting at me being anything other than straight me and my girl gone get at you…”

Fanning her hand in my direction, “Yeah yeah yeah…”

“No more stranger happenings…”

“No more…”

“Ok but for real… have you heard about Thomas’ dumb ass?”

Shaking her head, “No… I’ve been here and there so…”

“Trying to front like he big shit he brought some no name into the office after hours and got caught on tape doing shit he won’t be able to explain to his wife…”

“Tell me you lying…”

“It gets worse… the no name is somehow connected to the big ad pitch coming up so between wife and boss his ass is feeling it…”

“As well he should…”

“And from what I heard because of Thomas the bosses are watching and going over everything with a fine tooth comb so if anybody is trying to do anything wrong they are going to get caught…”

“And then what?”

“What you think…”

After sharing a quick look of understanding the conversation changed and for the rest of lunch we laughed and joked how we used to. I don’t know who, why, or what caused us to stop doing us but I’ll be the first to admit I missed it. For a long time she was the only female I talked to when Robyn was away from me. I didn’t really date after I moved to Detroit. It’s not that I didn’t want to but something held me back from diving head first in the single scene here. I won’t lie and say I never entertained a female or two but the thought of serious dating never crossed my mind. Me and Taryn went out that one night and took things further than our friendship needed but in some ways I’m glad we did.

That night showed and proved to the both of us that we are only good as friends. She became my little cheerleader where me and Robyn was concerned and any time a chick even attempted to come in my direction she wasn’t having it and all but told them to back the hell off. I often think about that night trying to decide if I should tell Robyn about it but her and Taryn have become such good friends and I don’t want anything that could come between them be of my doing. I’ve locked all mention or revelation away never to be brought up again. Taryn is being Taryn flailing her arms, hair, and hands as she attempted to tell some story only she understands and I can’t help but smile at having my friend back again.

We stayed long past our hour lunch break and by the time we got back to work the mess piled high on our desks was sign enough not to take anymore elongated lunches. I flopped down in my chair wondering just how late I’m going to be staying at work because this amount of work is ungodly. Thomas fucking up has screwed everyone else and now the powers that be are being meticulous and we are practically going over work we’ve already done to make sure everything is perfect.

I was close to screaming at having to do this repetitive shit over and over but a message alert coming from my phone chased away whatever frustration I was feeling. My love is convinced that her stomach somehow grew in the time I’ve been at work so she sent me an image of herself pointing to her exposed rounding stomach. It was no bigger than it was this morning but I stared at the image falling deeper still in love with my wife and her barely protruding stomach. My wife… at every thought of what we are now to each other I am damn near ready to fall off my chair laughing and drowning in the joy I am feeling. We agreed to keep our changed titles between only us but I’m ready to yell and scream and run around telling everyone just how blessed my life has become.

I don’t know how I accomplished it but that big pile that was waiting for me when I came in from lunch was all but gone and I was on my way home to my wife and Baby Junior sooner than I thought possible. Searching out Taryn we shared a quick hug before promising to meet up at Echo in a few days. I had off sight meetings the next few days so Echo would probably be the next time I got to see her. The closer I got to our condo the less thought of Taryn or anything else occupied my mind and as I opened the door to my love everything outside of her and Baby Junior ceased to be.

She promised me this big meal but somewhere in between the chopping and stirring and cooking my wife must have gotten tired and she stopped to take a little nap on our couch and that’s exactly how I found her. I can’t stop my smile and I don’t want to wake her but I know she would be so much more comfortable in our bed. Putting away my things from work I went to her ready to gather her in my arms and carry her to our room my love slowly woke up smiling as she questioned me.

Softly whispering, “What are you doing here?”

“I heard someone was missing me so…”

“I didn’t even finish cooking…”

Slowly shaking my head, “That ok baby…”

“I wanted to do something special for you…”

“Next time…”

Slowly sitting up, “What are you about to do now?”

“I was going to carry you to the room so you can be comfortable in our bed…”

“I don’t want to go in there…” slowly shaking her head, “I’ve been laying in there all day…”

“That’s what you need to do…”

Softly sighing, “But it’s so damn boring…”

“I know but…”

“You think we can start the house hunt again?”

“If that’s what you want to do…”

Quickly nodding, “If we find one super fast it will give me a lot of time to set up the house and nursery how I want it before the baby comes. And not only that the quicker we get a house the quicker I can plan out the gender reveal party…”

“Whatever you want baby but we have to do the nursery together…”

Quickly nodding once again, “Of course…”

Sitting beside her on the couch I held her to me content with this moment. Whatever she wants I will give to her. No matter the size or cost… if she wants it it’s hers. I bet not tell her this though… we would probably end up with a house big enough to fit her whole family and mine plus Melissa and Leandra and me and baby ain't even trying to deal with all of that. The feel of her kiss on my cheek I can’t help but smile… she has an effect on me that I will never be able to control… she knows it and I’m ok with it.

“Ok enough with all that other stuff… what did you bring me?”

“Huh?”

“You bring me something every night so…” holding out her hand to me, “spring it on me big daddy…”

“Umm… about that… see what had happened was…”

Softly whispering as she sat up, “What is it?”

“I didn’t have time today… everything has been crazy at work and I was swamped and…”

Softly pouting, “You didn’t get me nothing?”

“Only thing I can give you tonight is me…”

Frowning as she crossed her arms across her chest, “I already got that…”

“Well damn… make a brotha feel good or something…”

Sudden laughter filled the room as Robyn threw her arms around me and moved to lap to cover my face with at least a million tiny kisses.

Softly whispering, “I was only playing baby… you know you’re all I ever need…”

“So if I stop bringing you gifts…”

“Umm…”

“That’s cold…”

Softly laughing. “You know I love you… you will always be enough…”

“You too baby…” quickly hugging her, “now show me this huge stomach you claiming…”

Moving back on my lap she quickly lifted her shirt smiling back at me awaiting my response to her steady questions.

“You see it?”

“What am I supposed to be looking at?”

“How big my stomach has gotten…”

“Uhh…”

Slowly shaking her head, “It wasn’t this big when you left for work…”

“Baby…”

“I tried on some pants earlier and they didn’t fit so my stomach had to get bigger…”

“Not yet baby…”

Softly pouting, “It has to be bigger…”

“Maybe if I kiss it it will grow…”

Slowly shaking her head, “You just trying to get in my pants…”

“Damn right…”

Sharing soft laughter together I pulled her into me covering her mouth with my kiss. Her lips are everything and I can spend minutes, hours, days, lifetimes kissing and it would still never be enough. Gently moving my touch down her body I stop only when my hand covered her stomach. Slowly moving my kiss down her body I lovingly covered every inch of her exposed stomach until she laughed at my actions. This is something else we do nightly and I can never get enough of these moments and being this close to her and my son.

My kisses momentarily done I held one of my many man to man conversations with Baby Junior falling deeper in love with each giggle from my love. We’re having a serious conversation here… I’m trying to explain to that no matter what his mommy says the best breakfast ever is a big bowl of Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch cereal and if by chance that’s not available the only other thing he can eat is a pack of Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts that’s been lightly toasted with a tall glass of milk. Knowing Robyn she probably wants him to eat some healthy crap full of nutrients and all that good stuff but me and Baby Junior ain't got time for that. I got to teach him about cartoons and cars and how to pick out the perfect pair of sneakers to set an outfit off right. Robyn laughed and giggled through our entire conversation throwing in her two cents even it wasn’t needed.

Declaring us both hungry Robyn stood and dragged me into the kitchen ready to attempt to finish cooking the meal she began earlier. But halfway through the cutting, stirring, and cooking the meal was scrapped and instead I was standing between her legs as she sat on the counter top and we shared a bowl of cereal. She’s the main one who complains about the type of cereal I buy but with each hum and dance as she took a bite I knew better and all but figured out how my cereal disappears so fast. After we smashed two ungodly sized bowls of cereal we switched to her concoction of ice cream and honey mustard dressing. I made the mistake of saying it wasn’t that bad of a taste and Robyn instantly went on a tangent about all the other things we could put her honey mustard on and it would taste good.

She talked on and on but I didn’t hear a word she said. I was too busy watching the shape and move of her mouth and the next cognitive thought was she and I once again on our couch doing the things that got us Baby Junior. She’s straddled across my lap and I’m touching, tasting, and wanting this moment to go on forever. I don’t know if it’s a conscious decision but since finding out about our coming miracle our lovemaking has been very soft, gentle, slow, and sensual and every move, touch, taste, and thrust feels that much more deeper… that much more meaningful. I came in ready to carry her to our bed and sleep away the night but our wants and bodies had other plans and we made use of the couch, bed, shower, and every other place we could rest against.

The next two days seemed to fly by and if I could figure out a way to work from home permanently I’m switching to it. I was able to go to all of my off sight meetings and still spend time with Robyn. I don’t know how we did it but we were able to squeeze in a quick meeting with a really good realtor discussing everything we could ever possibly want in a house. We haven’t gone to see any places yet but our list of wants was long and it may take some time to find what we’re looking for but when we finally find that place we will know. I want our home to be the perfect place to raise the boat load of perfectness we are about to have running around.

Robyn thinks I’m playing when I tell her I’m putting another baby in her after Baby Junior is born but I’m dead serious. Baby Junior needs a brother and sister and multiple siblings to play and grow with so why wait? I watched her earlier ready to try the impregnate her while already pregnant trick but she didn’t even allow me to get close enough to really try. It’s a rare night for us to go and she does not want anything to stop that from happening and she knew that if I got a taste of her it’s over and there would be nothing but naked bliss and the thought of going anywhere would be as good as gone.

Taryn and I haven’t spoken since I left work but we’ve been texting back and forth and she all but threatened me that if I sent her one more text about Echo she was coming in there to break my damn phone. I texted her of course and I got another expletive filled text that did nothing but make me laugh. My baby and her little baby bump is looking good and my horniness aside I’m actually looking forward to this night out.

It’s funny… I was so hype for this night out but as we sat in Echo chatting it up an epiphany hit me. Echo used to be my solace and my escape when I first moved here but I don’t need this place anymore. I used to spend more nights inside these walls than I did in my own condo. Bryce turned me on to the place and the crew we hang with but the days I ditched them I’d be right back in here in a secluded bench near the back soaking it all in. Wednesdays was the crew’s night and we would sit and chat and enjoy spoken word, open mikes, good times and I found my home. I would roll in her on Thursdays when Bryce was preoccupied with what he picked up the night before and vibe out to the live jazz and atmosphere thinking that this was the best place ever. Every now and again I would come to their Monday Night Blues nights where all the young urban professionals mixed, mingled, and networked over happy hour priced drinks. I thought this place was everything but now… my only thought is Robyn, Baby Junior, and the life we’re living versus Echo and its various night parties don’t even compare. I love the crew and our get togethers but if I never step foot in Echo again I’ll be alright with it.

Speaking of the crew the moment Robyn walked in the door they have been fawning over her and blowing up that thought in her head that our baby bump is as huge as she claimed it to be. I’m never going to hear the end of it when we get home but with every compliment and comment about how much she’s glowing and how cute Baby Junior’s bump is the more I’m going to have to deal with. She’s smiling and brimming with joy and in my unbiased opinion she is simply beautiful. Ok yeah… my opinion is very damn biased when it comes to her but the truth is the truth… she is unbelievably beautiful and I’m the luckiest man to be loved by her. Quickly gathering her hand in mine I brought it to my lips to kiss before holding our intertwined hands in my lap. Smiling as she quickly kissed my cheek before placing her head on my shoulder I locked eyes with Kevin as he stared back at us.

“Yo… how the hell you pull this off?”

Softly laughing knowing exactly what Kevin was getting at, “I don’t even know myself…”

“Negro you are blessed…”

Quickly nodding my head in agreement, “Definitely…”

Of course instead of simply allowing the moment to be Bryce being Bryce had to add comments that no one wanted to hear. And yet before I could fully defend myself my love stepped forward and shut Bryce and his antics all the way down.

“Never thought I’d see you here… but then again with all the pussy you used to run through I thought you would be here waiting for babies to pop out more than a few times…”

“Bryce…”

“I’m just saying…”

“Alright Bryce… I barely tolerate you as is…”

Quickly looking at Robyn, “My bad baby… I’m just complimenting your man on his changed ways considering all the pussy he used to get…”

“Don’t even matter… he only getting one cat now and…”

Shaking his head, “Don’t nobody want to hear all of that…”

“You must do since you brought it up…”

“I was just saying…”

“Why you even worried about how many pussies he been in? How many you been in?”

“Oh I gets mine…”

Staring pointedly at him, “You know I done figured him out right…”

“I was just making conversation…”

“Stop it…”

Sighing as he shook his head, “You no damn fun…”

“Punk you about to get banned from the table…”

“I was just playing…”

“You always take shit too far for no damn reason… and on top of that you always coming after Brown…”

Slowly shrugging as I tightened my hold on Robyn’s hand, “He’s just jealous… he wants what I got…”

“You living every man’s dream… beautiful lady, coming seed you know is yours, top of your job…”

“Stop trying to shit on and tear down Brown’s happiness and you might live that life too…”

“I’m too much man for one woman…”

“You’re going to be one of them old dudes in the club harassing all the young girls…”

“They gon’ use him for drinks for her and her friends…”

Fanning the table off as he stroked his invisible chin hair, “Whatever… I’m gon’ get mine… them young girls will be running after my fine old ass…”

His last quip had the table going and Bryce was catching it from every direction. All that mess he just said about me running through chicks was straight up lies. I was no monk but I wasn’t out there sliding in and out of everything with a skirt, smile, and open legs. Call it crazy but the thought of Robyn was always in my head and I just couldn’t be that man to and for her. Her hand tightening around mine Robyn pulled our embrace into her lap silently telling me that Bryce’s words meant nothing.

Open mike started and some of the folks who have been on stage knew damn well that’s the last place they should have been. The crew is all here doing our usual critique and capping session after each act left the stage. I lied… everyone except Taryn is at the table chopping it up. I sent her a couple of text questioning her whereabouts but they went unanswered. I don’t know if I should be concerned or pissed but I’ll figure it out once I see or talk to her again. She said she would be here but if she changed her mind at the last second there’s not much I can do about it.

I don’t know how they convinced me but I’m next in line to perform something on stage. My flat answer to everyone who suggested me up on this stage was no until Robyn kissed me and whispered a nasty incentive in my ear and now I’m here. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do until a sudden thought popped in my head and I knew I couldn’t not do it. Borrowing an unused guitar I sat in the middle of the stage with the lights low. Slowly strumming the opening notes I softly spoke into the mike eliciting the laughs and reaction I wanted.

“I wasn’t sure what I was going to sing but I caught eyes with a fine ass woman over at my table and I knew there was only one song I could sing to and for her so… ‘Let’s go half on a baby… all I need is your body next to mine... singing ooh na na na na na… give me your body na na na na’…”

The reaction was immediate and I couldn’t help but smile as my love covered her face in embarrassment at my choice of song. She had to know I was going to be a fool with all eyes on me and behind her covered face I know she is smiling because I know her as well as she knows me and she gets off on my foolishness. While she is covering her face the rest of the table is standing up and cheering at my antics. When they finally calmed down I leaned into the mike softly explaining the real song I was going to sing.

Softly laughing, “Since our baby is already on the way I guess I gotta sing a different song. I didn’t plan on playing, singing, or doing anything today but my love asked me to so here I am. I wasn’t sure what to sing until I stood on this stage and saw her staring back at me and I knew. We were together a few weeks ago and this song played and it fit us so I want to sing and dedicate this to my everything. Baby I love you and… ‘Love has truly been good to me. Not even one sad day or minute have I had since you come my way. I hope you know I gladly go anywhere you take me. It's so amazing to be loved. I'd follow you to the moon in the sky above’…”

I already know what singing this is doing to my baby and when I chance a glance in her direction the love she has for me is staring and shining brightly back in my direction. The crowd is swaying and swooning to each and every word and if any babies happen tonight I deserve all credit. As I neared the end of my song I watched as Taryn slowly made her way to the table. I guess I won’t have to keep blowing her phone up since she actually decided to show up. The applause was crazy when my song ended and despite request to sing more I declined ready to get back to my love’s side.

Smiling as I neared the table, “Hey stranger…”

“If you would have texted my phone one more damn time…”

“I thought you needed a reminder…”

Shaking her head as she looked down as her buzzing phone, “No…”

“My bad…” gently kissing Robyn’s cheek as I sat down next to her, “I did good baby?”

Softly whispering, “You did amazing…”

“I’m gon’ get some when we go home?”

Softly laughing, “Here you go…”

“You knew what you was doing when you went on that stage and started singing…”

Smiling as I looked in Derrick’s direction, “I actually had no clue what I was going to do… that song popped in my head at the last second…”

“Well you had all the women in the club open…”

“If any of these broads pop up pregnant tonight it’s all on you…”

Slowly shaking my head, “I’m only worried about one pregnant lady…”

“I still can’t believe… how far along are y’all…”

“I’m in my second trimester…”

“That means you can start buying all them pretty clothes…”

“Not if she’s having a boy…”

“Do you know what you are having?”

Slowly nodding her head, “Yes…”

“Well?”

“We’re going to have a gender reveal party soon and…”

“Make sure you invite us…”

“Of course…”

“Taryn why you ain’t saying nothing?”

Flatly as she looked up from her phone, “What is there to say?”

“Aren’t you excited?”

“Why would I be? I ain't the one having a baby…”

I’m not feeling the vibe and attitude she’s giving off and if this is how she’s going to be while she’s here she really could have stayed wherever she was. This isn’t the same Taryn that was sitting with me at lunch laughing and joking the other day. The version in front of me right now ain't cutting it. Feeling what she was giving off the rest of the table turned from her directing the conversation back to Robyn discussing Baby Junior and how the pregnancy is treating her. With the women huddled together I stared back at Taryn trying to figure out her sudden deal. For once Bryce took hint and kept the conversation with the rest of the crew low not instigating in what was obviously coming.

“What’s all of that?”

“What?”

“First of all drop the attitude… why you coming in here like somebody forced you to?”

“Ain't that what you did?”

Slowly shaking my head, “If you didn’t want to come you didn’t have to…”

“And have you blow my damn phone up?”

“If I knew this is the attitude you would have brought…”

“And if I knew you would be bitching over nothing…”

Before I could even begin to respond to her last comment Kevin’s girl turned to Taryn questioning her and bringing even more confusion my way.

“I’m really shocked you ain’t saying nothing…”

“Why?”

“Girl I thought you would be the most over the top one…”

Slowly shrugging her shoulders, “Not this go round…”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Considering how I found out…”

“You found out like everyone else…”

Turning her gaze in Robyn’s direction, “Exactly…”

“I don’t get it…”

“If it was so important for me to know I would have gotten a phone call before y’all put up that picture…”

Slowly shaking my head, “The only people who knew before that post was our mothers… nobody else knew…”

“So I’m nobody now?”

“What the hell is this?”

Shrugging as she stared back at me, “I just see how things are now…”

“I don’t know what you are on right now but you can keep that shit… I overlooked it at lunch because it didn’t last long but now…”

“You don’t have to overlook shit Chris…”

“Come on y’all… we in here celebrating Brown and his lady and their coming miracle… all this arguing and attitude ain’t even needed…”

Shaking her head as she looked over at Bryce, “Don’t put that shit on me…”

“Then who else should it be on Taryn?”

She and Robyn locked eyes and it was obvious a silent conversation that only they understood was going on. Whatever was being said brought an instant change to Taryn’s face and almost instantly the attitude and ire she was displaying was gone. The table took hint and conversation started again and it was like the previous conversation never happened. Taryn is laughing and joking and acting like her old self and while I glad whatever that was a second ago is gone I’m also pissed. It’s like everything she said and promised at lunch was a lie and the second she got it she went out of her way to show just how much. And if it wasn’t for Robyn’s hand in mine keeping me calm I would have called her on her shit regardless to who tried to calm everything down. There’s an underlying vibe going between Robyn and Taryn despite them not saying a word to one another since their stare down. I’m ready to question Robyn about what I’m missing but of course before I could put thought to word the conversation turned to us and Baby Junior and every other thought fell away.

“So when is this gender reveal party?”

Softly sighing, “We’re in the process of looking for a house and the second we find the perfect place we’re having an over the top leave no doubt gender reveal party there…”

“Hold up… you proposed… put a baby in her… and now you buying her a damn house… punk you making it hard for the rest of the brothas out here…”

Quickly shaking her head as she fanned Kevin off, “The real question is do you have some brothers or cousins because if they are all like you I’m about to turn this fool in…”

“See look what you started…”

Softly laughing, “My bad bro…”

“Naw but for real… I remember the first time we found out about you… we were here and called Brown and he went all soft on us…” quickly imitating Chris’ voice, “’I miss you baby…’ the second we heard that we knew…”

“Shut up…”

“I’m for real… never heard you like that and then she called. You tried telling everybody it wasn’t like that between y’all…”

Slowly shaking my head, “At that time it wasn’t…”

“Yes it was y’all just didn’t know it. But it don’t matter… y’all like that now and it’s a beautiful thing to see…”

“Thank you…”

“So y’all are planning a wedding, having a baby, and looking for a house all at the same time?”

Gently tightening her hold of my hand as her other covered her stomach, “Something like that…”

“Girl how in the hell are you surviving all of that and not collapsed in bed somewhere overwhelmed from it all?”

“Chris helps me…”

“Chile he helped you alright…”

Softly laughing, “Stop…

“If you need help with anything…”

Slowly nodding, “Have your phone ready…”

Conversations changing and going around the room Robyn placed her head once again on my shoulder laughing as Kevin and his girl faked an argument over her asking if I had any available brothers or cousins. Even if I did she and Kevin are so wrapped around each other they will be the next couple running down the aisle and claiming baby as three. I felt a gaze on me and I turned locking eyes with Taryn. I’m not sure how long she’s been staring in my direction but I can’t quite read her. Her gaze traveled from my face to Robyn’s hand that covered her stomach to back to my face and it’s like I’m looking at a real life version of Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde as emotions shift and change on her face.

We haven’t exactly hidden our wedding rings so if anyone looked hard enough they would see what we truly are to each other. I haven’t thought to take off my ring and if she had paid attention it was on my finger when we went to lunch. So her sudden reaction to Robyn’s ring is laughable. I’ve never thought I would feel this way towards Taryn but at that particular moment I was over her and whatever she was trying to bring. Her attitude, antics, and actions remind me of Bryce when he started his unnecessary bullshit and if that’s what she’s about to go through she can keep it.

Any and all thought of Taryn was forgotten when Robyn whispered to me her want to go home. We’ve been out long enough and if she’s ready to go so too am I. It was still fairly early and the crew tried to get us to stay but Robyn quickly explained away that it was time for Baby Junior to rest up and they understood our reasoning for leaving. Promising to come to Echo again before we completely abandon it we stood giving hugs all around. Robyn and Taryn barely shared a hug and it was as frigid as I’ve ever seen. I don’t know what to make of this whole Taryn thing and to be quite honest with the way she’s been acting I’m not in a rush to figure it out A hug between us wasn’t even about to happen and instead we shared another look that all but told me that leaving was the best thing at that time for Robyn and I to do. She on some fuck shit and I don’t have time for none of it. A gentle kiss and whisper from my love chased any thought of attitudes, antics, or Taryn from me and the next thing I knew we were sitting at a little table in Donutville in Dearborn tasting and trying ridiculous amounts of sweet goodness. Neither one of us should be eating this much sugary perfection but there was no turning back after the first taste. By the time we rolled out of there we had bags and bags of donuts that probably wouldn’t last past the next day.

Pressed up against each other in bed I heard my phone buzzing and the last thing I wanted to do or worry about was anything coming across my screen. I was still on a high from me and Baby Junior’s conversation. No matter what that message said he and my love are the only things that are important to me tonight. Going to get my love something to drink in the middle of the night I decided to check my text shaking my head and wishing I had ignored it as I finally read what was sent to me.

Taryn’s text ~

And you wonder why folks turn on you. I thought we were better friends than to be told like anybody else on instagram. I deserved more than that and you know it. If you decide to announce yall being married the same way leave my name off the announcement list.

I stared at her message again not even sure what my reaction should be. I want to be upset and call her back telling her what I think of her words but the closer I got to Robyn the less any of the crap she just sent me mattered. And as my love greeted me with open arms and a smile Taryn and her bullshit was momentarily forgotten and the only thing and person I focused on was Robyn. It’s obvious Taryn and I need to talk but I will be damned if I allow her to take me away from what’s most important to me now.

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