#blabbering

you make a face to simon to hide your slight embarrassment. of course not. you know his type. you once saw him eye that curvy woman in the pub.

it's not like his opinion of you matters. not like you've had a two-year long crush on him and his damned face and his damned body and that rough voice that always irritates you to core because it does funny things to your stomach. the way he looks at you with ease in camp. the way he makes sure you're still breathing after drills with a smirk visible through his balaclava on how his right eye is squinted.

you stay quiet and chug down your bottle, in hopes to wash away the things you teased him with. always up in your business, that simon. you jokingly told him if he has something on you. thank god the other boys laughed or you would've just ended it right there and then.

then comes the break. you're bound to return to your hometown for vacation. you're walking out of the camp when simon appears beside you.

"any plans?" you see him with eyebrows raised when you turn.

you squint your eyes to think, "nothing much. just resting, family time and all that," your lips protude, "you?"

simon shrugs, "sleep, i guess."

simon's able to do that. for the first two days of the break. the third night, as he's laid down on his bed scrolling through an app on his phone, he sees your face on a circular picture on top of his screen. he taps.

and there you are. a picture of you in a stunning nude, satin dress that hugs your body in every corner. the place in the background looks like a garden with tables and flowers, lots of people. looks like a wedding. he doesn't remember you mentioning this to him, though. you look... different, in a low hair bun and curled strands of hair framing your face. pink lips and cheeks. sweet smile.

his heartbeat picks up all of a sudden. loud, pounding on his chest.

in a state of panic and shock, he replies to the picture with a single question mark. because what is this? why is his breath being taken away? it's like he's meeting you for the first time when all that happens is seeing you in a different light.

then the picture changes. you're still there, but there's... another guy?

last minute date for the day lol thanks :)

the text reads at top. simon scoffs, audibly scoffs, like the sound came from deep within. last minute? and with a smiley face? you never sent him smiley faces in texts. that's annoying. what's more annoying is that you needed a date and you didn't ask him when he has always asked things from you. from the most trivial things such as needing a granola bar to the most taxing such as rallying to his position or covering his six.

you needed a date and you said nothing?

he doesn't know where the bubbling anger comes from. he doesn't take a moment to ponder on it. instead, he types a reply to the picture. two question marks. because again, what is this?

he returns to the picture. tapping back, seeing your mouth agape mid-laugh, with your arm wrapped around the guy's back and his clutching to your waist.

simon's not able to sleep that night. by the fourth night, he spends thirty minutes rolling over his bed before finally deciding to pack up a duffel bag and pick up his car keys to go for a ride. a long one.

you don't remember if you mentioned your hometown to simon, but you might have, because one morning, as you stop in the middle of the staircase, you see him having a lovely chat with your mother in your living room, dressed up in khaki cargo pants and black compression shirt, no balaclava in sight.

"honey, you didn't tell me a friend will come over!"

you want to retort back that you didn't know, either. simon's staring at you with that little smirk again, comfortable on the couch and his huge figure so out of place. the man's strict and uptight and intimidating to most people, but hell he can be charming if chooses to. and he's already done charmed your mother because she has that pleasing smile and sweet pitch on her tone as she announces that she will head out to buy stuff for lunch because lieutenant simon riley has to try your household's specialties.

you pay no care to how you currently look like. won't matter to him, anyway, "why are you here, si?"

"good to see you too, love," simon raises a brow, an arm draped on the backrest.

you ignore him as you walk towards the kitchen, eager to down a glass of water because your throat is suddenly so dry and your heart is beating out of your chest and your house has never been this small—

"so," you jump a little and hope he doesn't catch it. you didn't even hear him walk over, "you went to a wedding? saw your post online."

you take your time gulping. why is simon staring so much? and why is he so damn close?

"yeah," you clear your throat, dismissive, "why are you here?"

simon chooses not to answer when he asks back, "you didn't tell me. needed a date?"

you let out a tiny chuckle, attempting to ignore how the low register of his voice vibrates through your body, "that why you sent me question marks? and why would i tell you that?"

he shrugs and leans his right palm and hip on the counter, head bent down slightly to meet your eyes, "dun'no. thought that would've been better than... that guy in the picture."

your laughter rings around the kitchen as you set down the glass on the sink past his arm, the space closing between you for a moment. he's never sounded so threatened, not even once in the field.

you mirror his position, only that your arms are crossed over your chest. the staring game starts. the morning air is buzzing. something intangible between you is building up, heightening, near to exploding with loud crackles. both of your chests breathe shallowly. you break the spell.

"simon riley, i thought i wasn't your type?"

simon is visibly shocked by the way his body subtly backs up, eyes blinking in confusion. did he ever say that?

he's at loss for words, for the first time. you huff out a laugh, tapping his nose with your fingertip. you didn't expect that would shut him up.

you push yourself off the counter with a grin and walk out, "i'm just gonna shower then i'll show you around town."

his warm hand around your arm gently pulls you back, "i was joking." serious and sincere, all amusement and teasing out the window with his eyes looking like he's pleading.

you're thrown off, because you had been only joking too, "i was messing with you, si, it's alright." you try to pull out of his grasp with a smile because he could not have been joking, right? you're not ready to confront and believe the other side of those words.

"who was that guy?"

he's so near now, he's taken an extra step. so close you're basically feeling his body heat from his chest. his eyes are fully set on yours, eyebrows creased in pure curiosity. now it's you who is speechless because you didn't expect him to be so—

"tell me, love."

demanding.

always up in your business, this simon.

-

AKA asking them unintelligible things before falling asleep

W/ Housewardens -kalim

An: sorry not sorry for the sudden hiatus yall. Personal reasons killed my motivation. Anyway hope you guys like this!!

"Do you think when we fly, the birds poop blue and elephants dance, the square becomes a singer..?"

Riddle Rosehearts

Slowly opens his eyes back

Glaring at you with an unreadable look before sighing and shaking his head

First he was amused, but the question actually starts to nibble in his exhausted brain as well

Soon he was laying with his eyes open, glaring straight to ceiling as your questions somehow ended with him thinking he was failing all his history classes

Makes a note to himself in the morning to never exhaust you too much again

Its not good for his health with how much his brain loves you and takes your qords to heart, even the most stupidest ones...

It was a normal day.

He got up, ate, and got ready for work.

He walked down the street, the buzz of the city filling his senses.

He got to work.

A new manager had taken his place.

The new manager was ruthless, if not more than he used to be.

The new manager forced more and more work on the employees.

Made impossible due dates, almost to no breaks.

He begged with the board to give his spot back, to no avail.

The board denied his requests, over and over until he fell silent.

The employees took his hands, thinking he was one of them.

He originally thought to say he wasn’t, but they never accepted him as a manager before. 

So, he took the peace. 

He was accepted. 

They invited him to parties, helped him with the work when he felt overwhelmed.

But, the thoughts of his old job ate at him.

He was scared that when they found out about his past job, they would hate him once more.

But for now, he was accepted as an employee, and he decided, when he became manager again, he will give them more than taking from them.

A small poem for @ctrl-alt-del-au

The old manager is Caine

The new manager is Bubble

The board are the people who abandoned them both